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Derren Brown Trick of the mind

Published by Mark July 22nd, 2008 in interesting. 1 Comment

DERREN-BROWN-cover%5B1%5DEver had someone make you believe that the sun has disappeared? Ever answered the phone and fallen fast asleep because someone told you to?  Ever held up cash in transit van because you believed it was carrying terrorists? You probably answered no to all three…

Meet the guy who can make you do pretty much anything he wants and a whole lot more, Derryn Brown.Derren Brown is a mentalist, basically someone who can read another person’s mind without them really knowing it.

I have watched two of Derren’s shows on BBC Prime this past week and I have been absolutely blown away. The stunts this guy can pull are absolutely amazing. From playing chess with 9 Grand Masters at the same time and winning to getting a London cab driver so confused that he couldn’t find the London Eye,this mentalist can do it all.

Some of the stunts that Brown pulls off leave you asking so many questions. The first time I watched there was absolute chaos going on in my head. I could not get around how he was able to perform some of the stuff that he does. A random woman answered a ringing phone booth. She listens wordlessly for a few moments before slumping into a deep sleep only to wake up later and have no idea what’s going on. Another stranger is convinced by Brown that the sun has disappeared and then later Derren Brown protects his cash-stuffed wallet from being taken on a busy sidewalk by drawing a ring around it.

From watching the show you are left with numerous questions and so much intrigue. What he really does is open us up to how much more there is out there.Do yourself a favour a watch Derren Brown-Trick of the mind at 19-30 BBC Prime on Wednesday. 

Andrew Walford Exhibition

Published by Mark July 9th, 2008 in interesting. 1 Comment

decorating_tileMost art lovers who have made their way into the Durban store are always amazed at the pottery we have on show and that is down to one man…Andrew Walford.

Andrew is a big friend of eSquared and thanks to him we always have a great supply of pottery on hand.

Andrew Walford lives in Kwazulu Natal with his wife Leanda and four children in the rolling peace of the Shongweni hills, halfway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Indigenous bush surrounds his mountain studio and working alongside Gumede, his Zulu handyman, Andrew draws much inspiration for his decoration from the many trees and birds there. Andrew Walford is one of the few potters who digs his own stoneware clay and meticulously prepares it to his own high standard. Working in the Japanese tradition with thick chun glazes sifted by hand from wood ash, colours of rich resonant tenmokus, fatty whites and shades of celadon, he then decorates the pots with specially imported Japanese brushes. The kiln which he designed and built himself is fired about eight times a year with paraffin oil to a temperature of 1380 degrees Celsius. It takes 18 hours to fire and 3 days to cool.

Now for the big treat…Andrew will be holding an exhibition at his Shongweni studio this Sunday from 10am-6pm. For detail you can call 031 7691363/0827947796. you can also visit www.andrewwalford.co.za for more info

Thisis definitely not a day to be missed.

Vodacom Durban July

Published by Mark July 3rd, 2008 in interesting. 1 Comment

VDJLogo2007On your marks, get set go!!!

The excitement of the Vodacom Durban July surpasses any other event in the continent. It’s basically like the J&B Met, but on steroids.60 000 people are expected to witness the great race. The man event is race 7, with a R2 million pot. The Durban July was first held in 1987 and is the most talked about and attended social gatherings amongst South African racing fans and is the premier race for thoroughbreds. This is the race that everyone has a bet on.

Every year there is a theme and this year is no different. The theme is all about the ocean, titled “A shore thing”; peeps are expected to follow the theme in their dress. Colours that you could use are blue, red, orange and brown. To the guys out there, please don’t wear those ties with a fish print on them. They were never cool.

The after parties are a massive part of the whole July experience. Although there is no official after party there are tons to choose from. Tilt Night Club hosts Lady Lea and Reddy D for a night of hip hop and dirrrrty beats. The DLI hall sees host to the 5fm crew. This party is for all the commercial lovers out there. Now for the big one…the Durban Florida Rd street festival hosted by De la Sol night club. Guys, this is where you want to be be.3 arenas , house & hip hop, live rock and live jazz…what more could you ask for? There will be live performances by Flash Republic, Iridium Project, Gonzo Republic and Fire through the Window. There will also be South Africa’s finest talent on the decks with Dj’s Ryan Dent, Craig De Sousa, Mimi, St Nicolas and Jeff all giving it a good go. This is the party that you will see me at…hopefully I will still be able to in a presentable state when you see meJ Continue reading ‘Vodacom Durban July’

MTN Durban Fashion Week Day 1

Published by Mark June 26th, 2008 in interesting. 2 Comments

Durban Fashion Week Day 1 Bekky Beukes 4

Wham bam! The first night of the MTN Durban Fashion Week got off to an indifferent start last night.

To start things off it has to be said that Suncoast Casino provided a superb venue for such a stylish event. On arrival we were greeted with one of the best backdrops Durban has to offer…the ocean. The staff was awesome, everyone knew what was going on and that made the whole evening that much more enjoyable.

The shows were a bit disappointing for me. There were two absolute stand outs in Chimera by Bekky Beukes and Leigh Schubert. The less said about the rest the better.

Bekky had the tough task of opening fashion week. Everyone who was anyone in the industry was in attendance and this girl absolutely rocked. Her range was timeless. Having great seats we were able to see how well done her stuff was. The detail was amazing. Bekky owes her inspiration for her Fashion Week range to her brother who serves in the US Marine Corps, her clothing serves as a protest against war and the pain and anguish it causes. For me this was the best show of the evening. Well done Bekky, you made the other established designers look like they were on some kind of weird acid trip. Classy, timeless, wearable…the best range of the night.

Leigh Schubert came in a close second. Sexy, timeless, fresh and uncomplicated, her range worked so well. Her standing ovation was a little over the top for me as I feel Bekky should have received the standing ovation and not Lee! Don’t get me wrong, Lee rocked and she rocked it with style but out of the two Bekky won hands down.

Now for the not so good which there was quite a lot of. Haroun Hansrot was blah blah blah boring. It was the kind of stuff you would find in a Foschini’s or Milady’s. It was just B.O.R.I.N.G. About 5 minutes into the show I was falling asleep. After hearing so much about his stuff and how elegant it was, I was let down.

Now for the worst of the lot….Stephen van Eeden. Man oh man did he raise some eyebrows. This guy must have been on that acid trip I was talking about earlier because none of his stuff made any sense. It wasn’t wearable, it didn’t have that shock factor, and you couldn’t even deem it fashion. Small details such as the sunglasses that his models were wearing did not match up. It was as if he got the models to wear their own accessories. Basically, this show was weak and a waste of my time. I have been brought up in this industry and I know what to look for. I could not find one item that appealed to me. 

I might step on some pretty designer toes here but who cares…freedom of speech is here for a reason. I was not overly impressed and to be honest, I felt a little let down. Hopefully tonight will see me leaving with a smile.

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