Author: Desiree Haakonsen

When my husband asked if he could play a round of golf on our honeymoon, I said “yes”. I’m not too sure if this was the right answer or not. Judging from the reaction of the other men at the club, I think my decision was a rare one. Nevertheless, I was happy to take […]

The Heritage Day long weekend is soon upon us, and many of us already have visions of indulging in pure lethargy. There is no better way to escape the routine frenzy of daily life than by spending a long weekend idly lazing by a pool, in a hammock, or on a stoep with your feet […]

“Other holidays repose upon the past; Arbour Day proposes for the future.” – Mr. J. Sterling Morton, founder of Arbour Day.   We’re well into Arbour Week, which is celebrated annually in South Africa, during the first week of September. Arbour Day was first celebrated in South Africa in 1983 (which happened to be my […]

Working at a travel company, my colleagues and I spend our days booking other people’s dream holidays, and writing about exciting tourism destinations that we may never actually visit ourselves. So we know first-hand how it feels to wish you were lounging on an exotic island instead of being slumped at your desk. In order […]

Forget about the blues. Jazz is bringing joy to the city of Jozi this month! The Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, Joburg’s premier jazz event, will be held across eight venues in the city’s Newtown Precinct, from 23 – 25 August 2012. The event is going to be huge! Three purpose-built venues -the Dinaledi Stage, […]

Everyone in the Southern Hemisphere is looking forward to celebrating Spring Day on 1 September, but the locals in Stellenbosch and surrounds are eagerly awaiting the first ever Slow Market Garlic Festival. Are you a lover of the garlic? Then prepare yourself for mouth watering garlic oils and sauces, garlic artisan sausage, garlic boerewors, Italian […]

The London 2012 Olympics may be over, but this is just the start for the new sporting celebrities who have stolen the hearts of their country. Team South Africa managed to bag 6 medals in total – South Africa’s best Olympic performance since its reinstatement into the games in 1992. Here are our medallists and […]