Fairlady March - April 2021

I read this week that Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton had renewed his contract with Mercedes for £54 million (R1 106 505 584.64). Not to sound like Jacob Zuma, but I don’t think I’d even be able to say that number. In November last year, Hamilton explained the reason he was delaying signing his contract was because it felt ‘insensitive’ to talk about money when so many people were battling because of Covid-19. Awww. Bless. About a month ago, I – like millions of other people worldwide – saw the clip of ‘Putin’s Palace’, the obscene mansion built for him on the Black Sea, although he denies it, of course. The tasteless pile of concrete features a full-sized subterranean ice-hockey rink, as well as the usual movie houses, salons, hookah…

Babylonstoren calendar My Babylonstoren calendar is a delight, not only because it’s so beautifully designed (with recipes, gardening tips, and general great ideas for specific months), but also because every gorgeous sheet simply peels off – so when the month is over you can use it as wrapping paper… or to line your kitty litter tray, depending on how the month turned out for you. It’s lovely, useful and cathartic: totally worth its quite hefty price tag (R390). I didn’t need to buy wrapping paper once last year, and it gave me joy every day. AKA Jannie An image created using ‘paint shades’ from different denims may sound a little… peculiar, but the reality, in Nicki Friedlein’s talented hands, is spectacular. I particularly love this portrait of artist Jannie Uitlander, AKA Jannie, but…

A WORD ABOUT ‘LAST WORD’ I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the ‘Last Word’ column in the January/February 2021 issue. I was lying in my bath reading and found myself laughing out loud, imagining the scenes in my head. Maybe because I recognised so much of it in my own dogs Google and Yahoo – both always wanting to go for a walk until I try to put their leashes on. Imagining Suzy pinning down Lemon after smashing into everything on the way out was just too funny. What a great way to end the mag… and my day. Thank you! Adele Stanley Ed: I really appreciate your letter, Adele! Google and Yahoo (love their names) sound like Lemon’s kindred spirits. A MAP TO THE WAY AHEAD I hadn’t treated myself to…

THE GREAT ESCAPE I grew up looking through FAIRLADY magazines with my cousins and friends. We especially loved the fashion and culinary pages. We sometimes pretended to eat the food, or we’d pick a house or room and say it was ours. As I grew older and went to college, I thought I was going to afford that skin or hair routine in your pages, afford the food and décor. But life had other plans for me. I still page through your magazine (with my son and daughter now). It’s an escape from the situation and noises outside and within. Sometimes we share the little surprises (samples) we get. I enjoy the beauty products, although I sometimes wish there were food samples! I look forward to my aunt coming home from work, to…

THIS MONTH’S FABULOUS PRIZE A NUXE Nuxuriance® Ultra hamper, worth R2890 The NUXE brand is a pioneer in natural-origin cosmetology. Formulated and manufactured in France with pharmaceutical-quality standards, NUXE skincare and fragrances combine sensory awakening, the strength of nature and the efficacy of science. The NUXE Nuxuriance® Ultra line of anti-ageing skincare is formulated to replenish, regenerate and fill in wrinkles – fighting all the signs of ageing. NUXE products are available at select Woolworths, Truworths and Foschini stores.…

UPPING YOUR GAME They say beautiful exercise gear is the best way to motivate yourself to be more active. Don’t ask me who ‘they’ are – I can’t even remember where I heard it. But I plan to take it to heart because online shopping helps me fill the Covid-19-shaped void in my life. Also, wearing nice workout gear makes you feel more legit when you’re panting away in your living room, in a way that saggy sweatpants just don’t. The only reason I don’t have a pair of The Sydney active tights from Burnt Studios just yet is because they seem to be wildly popular and keep selling out. So come on, guys: restock, please! – Liesl IN THE LAP OF LUXURY Working from home has been a real adjustment this past year,…