Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Musings | The WKND Social

So on Saturday the 16th me and my friend Buli attended the much talked about WKND Social. I mean if you are following the Kool Kids of Joburg, you probably know very well about it and you desire to attend just one of the monthly held events. I was meant to go with Oli as well, but literally five minutes after I bought my ticket, she logged in and the tickets were sold out!!! Bummer!

If there is one thing, the tickets sell out very fast. The full day one's that is. So if you would like to go there, as soon as the communication comes out for the next date, do the right thing.

We had fun though, like me and my friend made sure that we had fun. There is fun that can be created by the environment and there is fun that can be had by people who really want a good time. We were the latter. We arrived a little after 12 after struggling to find our way there for a while (we are not familiar with the CBD). We walked in and the organizer's were draped on the sofa busy on their respective gadgets. The pretty girl who had the guest list checked our names and we proceeded to look enthusiastically at the four girls on the sofa. None of them said anything, or came to welcome us and tell us the order of things. Perplexed, we entered deeper into the restaurant (Narina Trogon) and approached the waitresses who then told us what do do and basically what happens there. We found a place to sit with two other lonely looking ladies (like we all looked a little out of place) and started conversations. Photo taking started and the starters were served.

Me and my friend are big mouthed, so we really were engaged in conversation. The place started filling up and as I observed, some people came in unattended and other's got showers of hugs and snap shots to welcome them. I found this peculiar, but reasoned that it was their friends, so I had no place being concerned about not getting a warm welcome. They don't lie when they say bottomless cocktails! Courtesy of Gordon's Dry Gin (bleh! I have one very bad story in my teenage years about this). Our table also filled up pretty fast, and the ladies were very beautiful, I have to admit. The main course (we chose burgers) was served, and later the desserts. All nom-nomi and airy fairy, I felt like I was in a restaurant more than in a social.

Either way, the time was approaching to move to the afterparty. I have to admit, I felt a little anxious about this as I had already made my judgments on how things happen around there. The resident photographer (a pretty girl at that) came to our table once and took a photo of something that was decorative. It made sense now to me why the popular pictures of the social I had seen seemed incomplete. It's always either celebrities or the Kool Kids. Some people make it to the front of the lens, and others don't. We didn't, which is a bit obvious. The party moved upstairs (Puma Social Club), and all went pretty much banana's. I had proper fun. Here was a space where people could be themselves, where no one could feel left out because by this time most people were friendly and drunk, and there was loud music pumping, all the more reason to be merry. Personally, I enjoyed the afterparty more than I enjoyed the day-do.

So to constructively criticize, the organizers should treat everyone who enters the venue in the same respect. Welcome you, smile and tell you what the itinerary (is this even the right word?!) is. They don't have to be your friend after that, but everyone feels welcome and appreciated for putting in the effort to come. Next is to every now and again (even once) go from table to table and make small chats to just see if their attendants are comfortable and having fun. And most importantly, take photo's of everyone. Not just celebrities, your friends and the fashionista's. At the end of the day, the event is about people, unless I missed the memo and it is really about the celebrities and the organizer's friends. Then shame I will sit down and attend the events tamely until I become either a friend, on a Joburg Kool Kid.

I am a brand person, therefore I look critically at how brands handle themselves and what they want to sell to me. I cannot be fooled (anymore). It is not enough to just package the event nicely, its important to build the relationships that will enable the brand to grow, have a lasting effect, and have value. The WKND Social needs a bit of personal brand 101, otherwise it is a brilliant concept and people genuinely (I think) like it.

I am going in for second's, I am a giver of second chances after all. Enjoy some pictures (p.s. I could not take picture's of everyone there, somehow I did not feel comfortable invading people's personal spaces):















Office Wear | All White


image: awake on pintrest

find them here:

Friday, March 8, 2013

It's finally here | My Dream Job

Hey guys, I just stole a few minutes from my very busy day to fill you in on what has been happening in my life. There is a lot I could say, but I think I would like to keep it clean and simple.

As some of you know already, I moved employment at the beginning of March. I am now doing the job I have been dreaming of doing for the past two years. Finally! I am a Brand and Marketing Assistant for an international Financial Services Group and its great out here. The environment is one that I have imagined myself working in, the employee engagement is top of class, and they just re-branded, so I arrived at a very exciting time for the company. It's going to be a very happy couple of years until my next growth point.

So with this in mind, I will not get that many opportunities to post until I have my feet firmly on the ground. I spend my time between learning the new job and putting together my Honours research proposal which is due in a week's time. It's a new area too, so trying to adjust to the new transport routes and the environment takes its toll on me.

I am in a happy place right now, life is starting to make more sense (I just need to train myself to wake up on time!!!) and I am growing the hell up.

On a lighter note...SEE YOU THERE!

 
THE WKNDSOCIAL MARCH EDITION.
GOOD FOOD, GOOD MUSIC and GOOD PEOPLE.
DATE: 16 MARCH 2013
Venue: Narina Trogon, 81 De Korte Street, Braamfontein
Time: 11:00 to 15:00

THE WKND SOCIAL AFTER PARTY
Powered by an all female DJ line up, everything about THE WKND SOCIAL is tied together by GOOD MUSIC. Join us at The Puma Social Club's current home The Canopy for a sound track inspired by the 90’s.

Venue: Puma Social Club, The Canopy, 81 De Korte Street, Braamfontein
TIME: 15:00 to 20:00

Twitter: @thewkndsocial
Tumblr: thewkndsocial.tumblr.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/THEWKNDSOCIAL 

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

THE DOOR BY AVA DuVERNAY ft Gabrielle Union for Miu Miu

I have mostly heard about Miu Miu from international fashion blogs and its a fashion label that I personally would not be able to recognise by plain sight. This video caught my attention while prowling the net for Gabrielle Union related content. If you cannot appreciate the artistry in this short film about the transformative power of female bonds, then I darling have no idea where your head is at!

I have to admit, the video is full of trickery. Tell me what you thought of it at the beginning, compared to the what you thought of it at the end. Watch away...



Ava DuVernay is the first African-American woman to win the Best Director prize at the Sundance Film Festival for her feature film "Middle of Nowhere". The video stars Gabrielle Union, Alfre Woodard, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Adepero Oduye and singer-songwriter Goapele. More vids on the Miu Miu website.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

A Mary Katrantzou x Current/Elliot Affair








Sometimes while one is on the internet fashion prowl, she will come across something that catches her eye. Unforgettable! I saw these on Monday, passed them by. And today I found myself going back to have a look. It is the perfect match of print and casual, all pressed into these lovely statement pieces. Mary Katrantzou (I did not know her before) is famed for her fierce kaleidoscope and bold like prints. Current/Elliot is more on the denim combination side. For me, this collaboration makes perfect sense. But one piece at a time. For them, its all about wearing these pieces together to clash and play off each other. Doesn't it make you just want to travel? It does me.

To shop items, go here.

Sindz

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

And then the Beach happened

While home on vacation (LOL) we did our yearly tradition of hitting up the beach as a family to 'catch' some waves, braai some meat and get some sun. Dad almost convinced us to go on the rainiest day of that December, and ofcourse moi came to the rescue by refusing to go anywhere with him until a couple of days later. I have to admit, it was a very good decision. Beach day was as marvelous as any summer day can come. The seven of us packed into our family jalopie (my dad's beloved old van, the love and hate relationship with that car!) and headed to East London for some fun. I footed the bill, oh Lord the pleasures of being the employed first born in the family.

We had all the fun, swam, ate, sun bathed, people (half-naked) watched and laughed the day away. Me and my sisters have a very interesting relationship with the ocean/ beach. The three of us cannot swim properly but we are always to be found near water! My mission is to learn, oh if I was a white girl I would have been surfing too. I love the ocean that much!

Here are some few pics from my camera that make me long to be back home when I am slaving away in this sealess Joburg. Enjoy!

Alu, Me, Bonga and our Mum

Esona, Me and our Mum

My siblings, Esona, Bonga, Likho and Alu

Me in my 'fishing' outfit LOL

My babies enjoying the water in the river bed

Me and Bonga
work it! I need a glass of water...

Sindz