Jessica Bennetto

17 Nov

It might not be on all the cool kids radar yet or in a spot that is reaching any culinary heights, but downstairs at Illovo Square is the relatively new kid on the block Don Armando. He’s swarthy and handsome, quiet and un-assuming. Charcoal hued framed artworks ground the space, busy floor tile and a glint of Art Décor at the bar pay homage to South American glamour. In the evening you half expect a tragically beautiful woman in a sequinned red dress to start singing about her lost love in Buenos Aires. A small menu celebrates Argentina’s staple, beef. The proteins are all given lightly charred, smokey glory by the ‘Asado’ flames of a coal fire. The sides are simple, no...

0 Comments

13 Aug

Laserderm / 20 Years of Fine Tuning

by Jessica Bennetto

Beauty

Is consumerism dead? Is bravery and authenticity even possible in a digital world? Is changing the way we look representative of a deep lack of self love and worthiness????????? We live in a constant state of information overload, a dizzying array of trends, micro trends, fads, influencers and Instagram feeds reminding us to keep up and shape up. We don’t know whether its trendy to be anxious or so last year to be vegan, whether copious amounts of soy products will ultimately wipe out humanity or if nut milks are accelerating allergies. Knowing and trusting in who you are has never been more vital to survival and sanity. Let’s be uncomfortably honest for a moment, we all have that feed that can...

0 Comments

4 Jun

La Boqueria Style

by Jessica Bennetto

Lifestyle

The new La Boqueria eatery is a rich tapestry, you feel a story is about to unfold when you arrive and the coolness of the décor with its nod to mid-century design, makes you feel like you could be part of the story too. An amalgamation of inspiration from markets and street food around the world and the owner’s hearts and souls. The innovative team behind ‘The Foundry’ are crusading again, on a noble quest to have Joburg drink better. #Jozidrinkbettter Studies are already showing that millennials are spending more of their money on experiences than retail consumerism. Great business minds the likes of Buffet are seeing the shift and investing accordingly. The more online our lives become the more we crave...

0 Comments

28 May

Too Much of A Good Thing?

by Jessica Bennetto

Culture

The Japanese word 'Okawari' springs to mind when you think of the new MoMo Soko, simply meaning 'more food please'. Asian culture is deeply rooted in respect, bringing one's palms together expresses deep sincerity and gratitude, and this simple gesture summarises the culture of the MoMo brand. The duo responsible for dreaming up MoMo, are inspired by Asian street food and their mother's cooking. When it comes to silky noodles with the perfect mouthfeel or beautifully balanced Umami flavours, the team at They're Wonted can't get enough. Not much makes us happier than seeing our city catch up to her hipper destination rivals. We're tireless ‘Jozi-philes’ and are prone to losing whole afternoons to debating our city's merits and what's still...

0 Comments

30 Apr

Sushi Doughnuts

by Jessica Bennetto

Lifestyle

Wabi Sabi is a Japenese concept, based on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. An aesthetic centred around beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and often incomplete. A way to appreciate the flow of life and see the beauty in all its imperfections and trials. We felt like having some fun with Pinterest darling ‘sushi doughnuts’. Who doesn’t love a doughnut, eaten hot in a parking lot, rolled in sugar and the faint hint of sticky apricot jam in the centre? Then switch to our California babe, sushi, ‘Westernized’ and ‘Fashionized’. An art form of precision in its native Japan, we took an altogether more 'Wabi Sabi' approach to ours. Sticky rice carrying cool salmon, delicately popping caviar, avo and sour Japanese...

0 Comments

2 Apr

We’re in love with FABB

by Jessica Bennetto

Lifestyle

This past week, we woke up to a country in crisis, a cabinet re shuffle tantamount to treason. How many more blows can our beautiful but battered country take? Is this divine planning? The powers that be being given enough rope to ultimately hang themselves? Or are we facing scars that will take generations to heal? In need of cheer, we decided to head to the hours-old Fabb Café & Gelato on 4th Avenue Parkhurst. The first glimpse of the awning lifts our spirits, a blue & white palette reminiscent of calm Greek isle tones transports one. The name ‘Fabb’ is shortened from the original Italian ‘Fabbri’ and its ‘fontophile’ heaven, a passion we wear proudly at ‘They’re Wonted’. It...

0 Comments

24 Feb

CASA MARANI

by Jessica Bennetto

Lifestyle

We said in an interview recently that we tell stories of African people locally and abroad. What makes someone African? The colour of our skin? We like to think it’s an indomitable spirit, loving your country and your city, living in it and giving yourself to it, what could make you more African? The mother and daughter team of Casa Marani have been feeding the residents of Johannesburg for 20 years at the Bryanston market, they recently took the leap and moved to a tiny shop on 4th Avenue Parkhurst, squeezed between two much larger stores, blink and you might miss them. From the street it's not immediately obvious what you'll find in Casa Marani, a warmth draws you in, something tells...

1 Comment

3 Feb

A Jacksons Affair

by Jessica Bennetto

Lifestyle

Begrudgingly dragging myself to Jackson's Real Food Market in Bryanston wasn't how I saw my last weekend panning out. I find social media in general, overwhelming enough, without adding the antioxidant-rich maze of health do’s and dont's to that as well. The frenetic pace of our lives doesn't satiate us, we add so-called fitness inspiration Instagram feeds to it (narcissistic norm-core shaming labelled as inspirational) We have to balance our chi and soak our Chia seeds! Consume Kombucha to fight cancer and quinoa for fibre or was it protein? We are told to pull coconut oil through our teeth and Gwyneth/Goop tell us to put Jade eggs in our lady parts. This is all before an interval session of running and sprinting...

0 Comments

27 Jan

Let it RAIN

by Jessica Bennetto

Beauty

The Swahili word for calm is ‘Shrawi’ and it embodies RAIN, this company have an extraordinary ethos and their quiet integrity is felt in their products A beautiful linen box arrived at our offices and the scent of lemongrass coming from it gave us a hunch of who it might be from. Delighted, we discovered RAIN’s new range of Fizzballs, Butterballs and bath bomb treats. We are making ourselves feel old here, reminiscing about the 90’s, but just like grunge and last year's brief flirtation with chokers, the decade of Nirvana and fizz balls seems to be having an organic revival. Pinterest is laden with pictures of unicorn coloured, scented bombs turning bath tubs into psychedelic swirls, of pearlescent rainbow water. Our muted...

0 Comments

19 Jan

An Art Deco Whisper

by Jessica Bennetto

Culture

New years resolutions are still fresh in our minds, and my very generic ideal to say 'yes' to so much more this year has had a rocky start. Venturing out of my comfort zone doesn't come naturally to me. Whilst brave (I like to think) I am the oxford dictionary antithesis of adventurous, I married up in that department. In the spirit of 'yes', I agreed to a truffle pig mission deep into the maize triangle in search of a bygone era. South Africa’s vast beauty and seemingly endless secrets shouldn’t still surprise me, but a speckling of Art Deco buildings reminiscent of the iconic pastel glamour of Miami definitely did. What strikes one about Springs is her forgotten quality. There is no...

0 Comments