Buskaid 2016

M is away this weekend, and for various other reasons; I only got round to buying Buskaid tickets yesterday morning. While it was not a full house, there were very few seats left. And once again Buskaid put on a stunning show - with quite a lot of variances from previous years in its pop/kwela arrangements. As is almost traditional, the concert began with Chaconne from Rameau's opera Dardanus. I am not much of a fan of Rameau, so I will move along. 

I recall in my first Buskaid concert, a young boy whose violin seemed to be bigger than him. Mzwandile Twala has now grown up; and was the first featured soloist playing Angela Morley's Reverie. It's a peaceful, contemplative piece for the violin; and a great introduction to Ralph Vaughn Williams' stunning "The Lark Ascending" performed with great virtuosity by Kabelo Monnathebe. It is certainly one of the great Buskaid performances; and my favourite performance of the evening. It's a piece I have heard before on radio; and clearly showcased how much more in depth a live performance can be. Due to some rather loud coughing in the audience, some parts of it was replayed after the interval - and I wished that it was performed in its entirity! Before the interval though, harpist Jude van der Wat made a reappearance with the Buskaid, this time performing Debussy's Danse sacrée et danse profane - a great showcase for both the harp and the orchestra. 

After the interval, Buskaid performed the full Holberg Suite. I like the fact that Buskaid has, in the recent past, performed full pieces instead of just excerpts. After the re-recording of a few excerpts for The Lark Ascending, the rest of the concert featured more contemporary music including the kwela arrangements. This part of the concert has been revitalised with newer arrangements - and as always led me to think, that the Buskaid could easily partner with contemporary South African musicians and singers to widen their appeal (and resulting financial well being).

Sophiatown: The Mix

Together with District Six, the forced removal and relocation of Sophiatown during Apartheid is well known. Sophiatown's cultural legacy remains highly influential, especially in music with stars such as Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela tracing their roots to Sophiatown. 

Given the rich history, it is sad that the museum celebrating Sophiatown is not as well known; and is actually a fairly recent addition. The Mix combines one of the few undemolished houses during 1955 and a new building to serve as a space for music and conferences.

The house belonged to Dr Alfred Xuma, an ex-President of the ANC and a medical doctor for the community; and traces the political and social forces of Sophiatown through photographs and artefacts (mainly belonging to Dr Xuma).

This is a simple museum that manages to effectively chronicle Sophiatown and the wider impact on South Africa. It is effectively hidden away in the suburbs of Johannesburg without the spotlight of Lilliesleaf or Apartheid Museum and lacks many of the draw cards of modern museums - the multimedia showcases; immersive and interactive displays and stunning architectural features. Sophiatown has an important place in South Africa's narative - and The Mix is an important part of telling that narrative. It is a must visit for that reason alone.

Movie: Where to Invade Next

Michael Moore's latest documentary is a sarcastic take on US invasions - instead of military conquests; how about implementing ideas that expand the social good - such as universal healthcare, universal higher education, maternal leave etc. As Michael states at the beginning, the documentary is about picking flowers and leaving out the weeds; and in many ways it mirrors the leftist agendas of Bernie Sanders, Jeremy Corbyn and in many respects the South Africa's EFF. It doesn't present any political propositions - just that other countries have managed to do a lot more to achieve equality; and that these should be ideals to pursue.

Top Gear

I think I have watched every episode of Top Gear since it was relaunched in 2002 - even the ones that features reviews of second hand cars, or the ineffectual Top Gear Stuntman and the lesser seen Top Gear Dog. I have watched many episodes of Top Gear before the relaunch - during repeats of BBC World in the late 1990s. Needless to say, I am a Top Gear fan. 

And yes, I did watch the most recent Top Gear series - and also agree with most reviews and other commentary on the general weakness of the series in comparison to the previous series. Series 23 retained the amazing production values in terms of cinematography and video production; but almost everything else was below par. 

But to be fair, Season 23 was actually 2 parts - the hour long TV show that tried to be like the previous 22 seasons, and the online Extra Gear. Extra gear was the car nerd special - the one that features car guys talking about cars and motoring - something similar to what the previous 22 seasons of Clarkson, Hammond and May. 

Top Gear's previous 21 seasons (leaving aside the first season of the reboot) was more than just a show about cars - it was really a show about 3 guys doing things with cars that other people may have considered; but didn't have the money, time or just creativity to pull off. Be it building hovercrafts, or racing across countries; or playing large scale games with caravans as pieces; it was entertainment that pushed boundaries of what cars could do.

Season 23 on the TV had plenty of car reviews - and on their own; they were quite good. But put them together as a show it seemed to fall flat. There was a race against a train - and the cars lost. There was a race with SUVs; but it wasn't that memorable. There was a race with reliable robins; that just didn't seem to have a point. 

There was some madness (both featured Matt LeBlanc - the Ariel Nomad and the Tour of London) but it just wasn't the same. Maybe next season will be better; I will wait one more season out. But if it is the same as this season; there are other better things to watch.

Westminster Cathedral

I have walked past the cathedral a number of times in my visits to London, but Saturday was my first entry into the cathedral. While the architecture is impressive with regards to scale and th volume of the main hall; it's rather plain and ordinary.

St Paul's Cathedral

Ever since I did the MIT course on the history of architecture (on edX); I have been interested in the buildings covered in the course. St. Paul's cathedral is the first such building since completing the course; and it is really great to spot some of the course elements. The late afternoon mass was about to start; so the cathedral was largely inaccessible. Inside, it is fairly ornate and far more interesting than Westminster Cathedral.

The Battle of Britain War Monument

Manchester

It was my first visit to Manchester this past week; and given it was for business I didn't have much time to see the town in general. It's a bit of strange environment - a mix of old and new; that sometimes really work and other time feels out of step with the first world.

How far we have come

I am flying to London tonight, and saw this poster in the British Airways lounge. My flight will take 11 hours, far shorter than the 5 days it used to take (which was off course shorter than taking a ship). I wonder if people complained of crying babies back then ....

Uber Wars

I am an occasional user of Uber, although this past weekend, I ended up using it three times - probably more than the rest of the year combined. Uber has revolutionised personal transport; and its costs are not significantly higher than alternatives; especially when used in more off peak times.

I got talking to all three drivers this weekend - and one thing stood out - their stories with dealing with the traditional metered taxi competition. I have seen some reports on the news; but their stories are far more personal and eye-opening. Whether it is one driver, whose car was scratched by a metered taxi driver taking a plank to his car (he was the lucky one - the other Uber driver had a smashed windscreen) or the other driver who covers his phone and doesn't openly display the operating permit to avoid detection - there is clearly far more opposition than I initially believed.

What is interesting however, is that I would not really consider using metered taxis in most situations (in contrast to the Uber). I have taken a few - especially from the Gautrain station when travelling - but in most cases they are a pain. Metered taxis are difficult to get hold off; their quality of cars are usually inferior; and their rates are usually higher. If I consider my three trips this weekend, I would only consider doing one of them using a metered taxi - but even then, it would have been unlikely. I wonder how many Uber users would use metered taxis instead.

Clearly metered taxis are feeling the pinch - but I am surprised by their reaction in most cases. The vast majority of Uber drivers I have talked to are employed drivers - the cars are owned by someone else (sometimes a family member) and the drivers are employed to drive and take a cut as salary (around 20 - 25% seems to be the norm). And Uber is not that different to metered taxis - except that they regulate fares. Surely, it would make more sense for the metered taxi owners to join the Uber brigade instead of trying to compete on a largely ineffective service offering. Heck - there is nothing that is truly stopping them to run both modes - in fact some Uber drivers seem to do this also (one driver mentioned dropping of a customer in Magaliesberg for the weekend and then fetching them at a pre-determined time). 

Overall, the anger of metered taxis, in South Africa and elsewhere, is just a sign of what to expect from other disruptive economic models. From AirBnB to self driving cars; existing business models will feel the pinch and may make their anger felt.

Movie: Macbeth

Last year's film production of Macbeth, has been on the South African circuit for a while - but M and I kept postponing for various reasons. I have seen a fair number of productions - on stage, filmed versions of stage productions and movies - and in my opinion; this is one of the best, if not the best, version of Shakespeare's classic. 

In terms of movie versions - the production and set design; coupled with the amazingly haunting soundtrack has not been matched. Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard give a terrific performance; as do the rest of the cast; but there are subtle changes in the screenplay (no deviations in the storyline or dialogue beyond some shortening) that really brings it to life. The brutal opening battle scene (where the witches seem to be keeping watch), the addition of the fourth (non speaking) young witch, the scene of Banqo's demise and Fleance's getaway - and even the ending with Fleance and Macbeth's sword - they all bring a new dimension to a very well known play.

Children's Monologues

UK based charity, Dramatic Need, has been showcasing a theatrical production of a set of monologues originally written by children in South African township Rammulotsi in the Free State. These theatrical productions have featured some of the leading actors and directors, such as last year's production featuring Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Kit Harington and Nicole Kidman, while the production itself was directed by Danny Boyle.

For the first time last Friday, the show was presented in South Africa, at the Market Theatre, featuring a great cast of South African actors and some of the children assisted by the charity. 

Based on reviews, it seems that the stories presented in each production are not the same but each production seems to have a mix of sad and happy stories - although even some of the happiest have an element of sadness. For me, the story of the colourful shoes was by far the most powerful - a combination of hope, perseverance and the brutal reality of violence in South Africa; followed closely by the story of rape (in which the dance performance that accompanied the narration was as accomplished as the harrowing story narration). 

Children's Monologues is a great showcase for South African theatre - it's a pity that these performances are only once off.

Ivory Elephant

In the hallway of Gabarone's Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, there is an amazing elephant sculpture made of tusks - reclaimed from elephants that died naturally (as opposed to poaching reclamation). The plaque talks about the sculpture being a symbol for the fight against poaching - a stark contrast to Kenya's recent mass burning of elephant tusks.

I am not too sure of what to make of it - on one hand, it is a beautiful sculpture; but I am not too sure that this can really pass as anti-poaching message. Surely, the current buyers of ivory artworks would be even more determined to own something from ivory and not less after seeing this sculpture?

Mosaic

I first read of Mosaic when it stormed to the top half of the annual Top 10 list of restaurants in South Africa. The restaurant is the real attraction of the Orient Hotel, and its relative remoteness means that staying over after a long dinner is preferable.

Mosaic was definitely the best fine dining experience I have had. Compared to Test Kitchen, I found the food more playful, interesting and yes, more tasty. Compared to Harrford House, the experience was warmer and more intimate. The decor keeps with the hotel's overall theme, with many intimate booths instead of tables. The service was excellent- managing the right balance of being always available to fill the glasses, and giving enough space to enjoy the experience.

The dining experience starts even before you enter the restaurant - a small tart with black truffle and a vegetarian wrap in rice paper. Deceptively simple, yet an amazing start.

Together with the freshly baked bread, the first of the appetizer courses appeared - a line of biscuits/breads with a few different mouses; and the highly memorable butternut macaroon. No really, even after the full meal, the butternut macaroon comes up as one of the highlights. This was followed by "corn on the cob" - a playful take that forever mars any future corn on the cob.

The chef, Chantell Dartnall, then personally came around to go through the menu and the highlights. To give a measure of how good the service was, not only did she remember that M is a precatarian, she also went through the rest of the menu to ensure that there were no issues with any of the other items. The current menu - Roots & Shoots - is itself a work of art, and in addition to the main menu, there are additional pages detailing individual items such as the components, the inspiration behind the menu item and and even the source of the key ingredients. There are actually two menu options on offer - the Market is approximately 6 courses while the Grande is approximately 9 courses. We had the market and it was just over 3 hours; not sure I will ever have the appetite for the Grande!

The last of the appetizers was the beautifully presented Tuna ceviche topped with salmon roe. It was the best ceviche I have had outside Peru.

The first course was a beetroot course in approximately 5 different preparations. M absolutely raves about this course - and the beetroot mouse was amazing. The salt crusted beetroot, which was sliced tableside, was equally impressive - and was the first of a few playful menu elements.

The second course was my favorite - not only for the amazing presentation but also for its incredible taste. Fava beans, courgette and peas have just never tasted better.

The next course featured an amazing contraption. A repurposed coffee percolator, with some fresh vegetables was used to heat up and infuse a seafood broth which would eventually go over a scallop dish. The hot broth made some of the drier ingredients on the scallop dish perk up, bringing the dish to life. The broth was amazing - the preparation even more so.

Apparently the scallop dish was not suitable for precatarians, so M had a langoustine with tomato dish. 

Next was a palette cleanser, of a carrot sorbet and candied carrots. M loves carrots, so this shot up to the top of her favorite courses for the evening.

For the main course, I had the roast goose breast and goose liver, while M had the butter poached halibut. This was my least favorite course - it was not bad, just not as memorable as the other courses.

The desert course had two options and featured a spork. The first option was a chocolate course with a cake, ice cream and other chocolate pieces. It was a good desert, but not as spectacular as the "Recipe for Desert" - a deconstructed almond cake, together with a side of mango and passion fruit jelly (in the eggshell), almond milk (in the bottle) and rose essence (the love potion). Put it all together and eat - absolutely spectacular!

There was offcourse petit fours and coffee to end off the spectacular meal.

Mosaic was an amazing experience, and a great meal. To paraphrase the words of the sommelier, "anyone can make amazing food with great ingredients, true skill lies in making amazing food with humble ingredients". Mosaic was an experience that I want to repeat- again and again.

The Orient Hotel

Building a boutique hotel outside Attridgeville would not make much sense in most times - but the Orient Hotel is more of a destination on its own; not just a hotel. Set inside a private reserve, the hotel provides a peaceful gateway, a short distance from Johannesburg. The hotel is offcourse best known for its restaurant Mosaic, but while you are there, visiting the Tienie Pritchard Museum is definitely worth while, and you can take walks in the reserve also.

The hotel is set in an oriental theme, but not in a tacky fashion (ala Monte Casino). Underlying the theme, it is clear that it is the 21st century. Each room is decorated to a theme of a current or fabled oriental region. I had initially booked "Nineveh", but was upgraded to "Samarkand". It's 5 star luxury complete with absolutely fabulous service.

Room rates include a great breakfast in the morning. It starts off with freshly baked pastry and a fruit smoothie.

This is followed by a course of four small dishes - fruits, oats, smoked salmon and a berry panna cotta. 

The main course was French toast with ham and basil pesto for me, and a mushroom egg bennedict for M.

Yes, it's an expensive getaway but Mosaic is definitely worth staying over for.