JE SUIS DE RETOUR!

I’m home!!! Wow has this been the most epic of 2 weeks ever! Not only have I been in The Big Smoke all this time, but I have also eaten dinner at the most beautiful of restored decommissioned power stations, viewed and held William Kentridge, Pablo Picasso and Braque; watch Bafana Bafana open The World Cup in style at Miriam Makeba Fan Park; traveled to the airport on The Gautrain and literally built, furnished and made miracles with a team of the most incredible people this planet has to offer! Jozi has been insane. In true Big Smoke style, not a lot of sleep was had, much work was achieved and intimate never to be repeated experiences were had!

To begin, I arrived to have dinner at what I view as one of the most beautiful buildings of our time. Turbine Hall, as it’s name sake suggests, used to be a power station that has now become a conference and fine dining venue. Our dinner was held in what used to be the basement and what is now a luxurious space in between the original turbines. Jazz music surrounded the space and we ate and drank food befitting our glorious setting. And to add true style to the evening, our table decided the theme of the night was “High Rollers” ala classic 50’s style… to say we looked sexy and stylish would be the understatement of the year!

The next epic adventure was the beginning of what I fondly term “Project Mayhem”. My big, huge, ginormous, frighteningly large installation began with a fervor of late trucks, misguided delivery vans, friendly painters and electricians and one woman trying to manage it all. Monday morning started with a bang with Stuttafords arriving spot on time with furniture for a 30 room house… except with one rather large problem. The house still unfinished and unpainted could not in a million years yet accommodate what will eventually turn out to be it’s beautiful internal dressing. Not a chance, not on Monday and by the looks of things, not for a good few days. Never mind the late carpets stuck in customs somewhere, the lost electrical switches and the wallpaper destined to join us from China of all places. Wooosssaaa being the word of the day we began what became the longest, tiring and fulfilling 14 hours, 14 days solid workathon!

In between I managed to get on the back of a few horses (literally for all those filthy minds out there), be part of the new concept of “Date Night Thursday”, watch the girliest (and I might say rather disappointing) Sex and The City 2 with one of the coolest chicks around and eat my body weight in wonderful home cooked meals nearly every morning and evening!

Some pics below of the awesomeness that was the opening of the world cup (and yes were were all dressed in overalls that said BAFANA; blowing vuvuzelo’s and acting as one is allowed in times like these, as proper soccer hoolligans) and bidding my farewell to The Big Smoke in True London Style. It only took us 40 years, but well done Jozi, The Gautrain is awesome!

There are so many details I am leaving out which I will in due course extrapolate on, with my mind reeling I’m afraid, that’s all for now. Any questions/comments are always warmly and eagerly anticipated!

Hello City beneath the Mountain, Crazii is home and happy!