I don't mind a little sand in my bum...if this is what Freedom feels like.

In spite of all the things I have STILL to do on my To-Do List, I'm sitting on the beach for a quick hour or two. I have just finished an interview on radio station, the topic was the emergence of the young South African professional, despite economic pressures. How apt, I thought. It's here and now, that I realize that my prior doubts and fears are no longer. For once, my mind is not having an out of body experience, focusing on what lies ahead this week, instead it's enjoying a sense of quiet accomplishment living life in 'real time.' Real time is precious, it's when you soak up life now, as it happens and your senses are peaking- beauty unfolds.

It's been a busy weekend in Eish land, but I've overcome a challenge that I wasn't able to do so easily before.
I delegated work to three teams assigning them on three different projects, so that I could focus on other areas of life.
The first team was a group of new writers, who were chasing a deadline and required guidance as to ensure concise interviewing skills which would lend itself to a relevant article that follows.
The next team headed out the viral marketing strategy of promoting Eish Magazine at the Essenwood flea market, as we do every Saturday-engaging with people in a way that would promote the brand identity.
And the third team involved setting up a film crew to get some footage and interviews of Akon at Musgrave Centre. The Eish film crew, is the new addition to the Eish team, adding value to the Eish culture by featuring interviews of what goes on behind-the scenes. The crew is made up of enthusiastic journalists,a young multi-media graduate and a camera man who form part of Lucid Media. So while they journeyed out to Musgrave Centre, I reveled in the joy that through this opportunity some young people would have a new exciting experience to add to their list of life experiences.
It has never been easy for me to step back and delegate, because when you start something for scratch, there is a slight emotional investment which you would like to hold onto, and so competency is key.

I have realized from today's radio interview that I have it in me to overcome my inner demons, because the possibility of success is also scary, as much as it is exciting. You can get overwhelmed with whether you have bitten more than you can chew...Bite it anyway, and chew slowly.

Through the delegation of work, I have realized that when you love what you do, when you TRULY love it, you share the experience, and the joy- it comes back to you! Love for someone or something is an incredible thing. It can't be contained, since it seeks no power it has the most power. Love isn't proved by holding on, but by letting go. Therefore, if love and power are interchangeable, then seeking power must be relinquished too.

At this moment, I am captivated by the sound of crashing waves on the shore, moved by how vulnerable yet enthralled we are by God's beauty epitomized in nature. It seems intentional that He wants us to enjoy a bit of His glory, when we interact with the ocean or the mountains, rivers and lakes. It's interesting how it all comes full circle, delegation was something I had to do...because it's physically impossible to be in two places at the same time. I recall a conversation that I had with my mentor, film producer Anant Singh, when I asked him to give me advice once he finish read the latest copy of Eish Magazine. Anant responded rather cheekily,
" I don't need to read your magazine, I know what you are capable of..I trained you." Coming from Anant, that was huge. That little moment of affirmation confirmed and re-enforced my dream journey, as will the affirmations I invest in my team players inspire their passions.

Doubts and inner demons will always be there to highlight the step to the next level, what would any adventure be without the villain? How else would the courage and boldness of a leader be tested?

FASHION TV'S GOURMET BURGER! DIY!!!

HISTORY OF BURGERS

Invented more than a century ago, the hamburger remains amazingly popular and inexpensive especially among students. Maybe that’s because forks, knives and table manners aren’t necessary to enjoy a burger. Hamburgers were invented in the United States near the end of the nineteenth century. According to legend two brothers who were vendors at a county fair ran out of sausage for a sandwich and used mince instead. Thus the hamburger! Now that you’ve digested the role the hamburger has played in student culture, Fashion TV chefs Mohammed and Zainab have just the recipe for you. Prada, Gucci We bring you the Fashion TV Burger!

CHEF Mohammed Moola and Chef Zainab Paruk





RECIPE

500gr Lamb Mince

2 cloves fresh garlic

1 medium chopped onion

15ml mint

15ml coriander

5ml salt

5ml pepper

5ml Cajun spice

2 eggs to bind

100gr bread crumbs

Step 1

Place mince in a mixing bowl

Step 2

Add garlic, onion, mint, coriander, Cajun spice, salt and pepper

Step 3

Add egg and breadcrumbs to bind



Shopping List

· 500gr Mince

· 1 onion

· Mint

· Coriander

· Eggs

· Bread crumbs

· Salt

· Pepper

· Cajun spice

· Macon

· Cheddar Cheese

· Lettuce

· Rosa Tomatoes

GIVE-AWAY - I LOVE RSA EISH BAGS

Edward Berridge started designing bags in 2000 after returning from a 40 day cruise through the Indian Ocean on a Cargo ship.

Eish Magazine asked him what inspired, the I LOVE RSA bags?

"I have been fortunate to have seen many countries and cultures, and after returning from my first overseas travel my love for RSA started to grow. We live in a beautiful country, it has and is fulfilling its potential of being a country of reconciliation, freedom and prosperity. No other country has done what RSA has done over the last 20 years, and that is why I LOVE RSA. I am inspired by my dreams and imagination. You can conceive what you dream, and I dream of LOVE

The bags are aimed at the local and international market. Woman and Men. There is no limitations to who has access to them."

SUBSCRIBE AND STAND A CHANCE TO WIN 1 OF 4 I (HEART) RSA BAGS valued at R 350 each.

Subscribe and get 6 issues of Eish Magazine for just R 80. E-mail your name and contact details to info@eishmagazine.co.za

Offer ends 15 May 2010.

____________________________

This Dream I had...

This morning I chatted to a friend, Theran, about life and dreams. Theran is about to publish a book he wrote. He is someone I admire for being passionate about people and God.
We started chatting about how we ended up where we are in life, it turns out that Theran built his own house with the help of a few of his mates.I was impressed. But then he started talking to me about Eish Magazine, and how I started it. He asked me, if I had "intended" for it to take on the identity that it now has, or if it changed along the way?

I can get quite passionate, when I talk about how I started the magazine, because it came together as if a miracle had just happened.

You see, I never studied journalism or media studies, graphic design or marketing.All the academic qualifications you would require to get something like this off the ground. But from the age of 16 I recall being bought a subscription to a popular glossy fashion magazine for women. It was then that my fascination for media and glossy mags grew. But as I matured, I was quick to note that something was missing in hi-fashion pages, the cover call outs which promised life changing advice fell dismally short from my hopes and expectations. I felt a bit mislead.
And then I moved onto business magazine, which spoke of the lives of high powered businessmen and women and how they climbed the rungs to the top of the ladder. But there was always something missing in many of the magazines, a soulful connection with the reader.

I wrote articles on the side, for local publications as a contributor, which meant I never got paid. But the thrill of your work and thoughts published, having influence to a lot of people who share different lives, thoughts and ideals from me, is priceless.
I used the opportunity to secure interesting interviews with people who have inspired me, in so many ways I was changed by the life stories of the people I met.

I went on to study Law, knowing that I would probably never practice as an attorney. But I was drawn to the intricate and progressive thought processes which lend itself to the skill of decision making processes. I am a problem solver. I want to understand people and how we find our place in the communities that we are a part of. People of all walks of life, all kinds of people, why we do the things we do interest me.

But at the back of my mind, there developed this burning desire to want to inspire and change people's lives, by making them see the beauty and magic that surrounds them.
The freedom of campus life, allowed me to explore the various interesting places and sub-cultural spots that exist in Durban. Often I would be drawn to locations with the most interesting views of the city, I recall one night I climbed up the fire escape of the Student Union building to catch a glimpse of the most breathtaking panoramic view of Durban's bay lit up at night. It was magical.

Using Durban as a focal point, it's people- both the average person on the street to the affluent entrepreneur and my legal ethos of wanting to transform mindsets and break stereotypes, the concept of Eish Magazine was born. I knew if I told the the right stories of the right people, this would inspire other young people, to discover their own dreams and pursue it with relentless passion.

Putting this belief into practice was the next step. I researched all the books, magazines, websites, chatted to people and prayed for direction for this vision to materialize. Sure enough it did. I met Renesha Ramsudh, my sub-editor at the time, who co-found the magazine with me.We met as friends, and our coffee table chats at various coffee shops lead us to sourcing more of the right people who brought the magazine together. We were two young women, who were girls at heart and knew how to turn this job into something fun.

The process was exciting and we were hopeful. We were threading on uncharted territory, no experience, no formal knowledge..we just knew we had to do this. We often met people who would encourage us and inspire us- all at the right time. It all seemed part of the greater plan that we were destined for, and so you keep going. There is no sure goal in sight, because the goal posts they keep moving.

From the various successful people we met, the message was clear, "If you want to do something, even if you don't have the skills- you will learn and do what it takes to achieve your dream." - I knew then, that these are the kind of stories people needed to read about. The ones that make you get out of your comfort zone, dissatisfied with your ordinary life and really live extra-ordinarily.

But life and the dreams we have are not always about high elation, they come with their fair share of challenges, some foreseen some not. But it's all a vital part of the what makes the journey beautiful. A month before I launched Eish Magazine, I lost my life role model and mentor- my grandad. He was everything I aspired to be, humble, compassionate, determined and a child of God. It felt a little unfair at the time, like he was gone too soon and that I wouldn't have the mentor I needed, especially at that time. Everybody has someone in their life that they want to make proud...and he was that to me. But alas, life does go on. Our magazine launch was less than a month away.

The grief is quietly humbling, it cultivates a strong and determined mindset as you are reminded that we can either live our days just existing, or pursue each day determined to leave this world a better place than we found it. The dream journey will take you through some lonely places,- which will make you question if this dream is a blessing or a burden. Then turn a different corner you will meet an insane amount of people you never dreamed of meeting your whole life, people who add colour and flavour to your life. It all happens in the blink of an eye.

We had but a week left to our launch. The venue which we had initially banked on, closed down. Panic! At the time, I was also preparing to write my Civil Procedure examination. I wondered if it was bad planning on our part, but again we had to keep at it and hope for the best.

Next venue option, Suncoast, Vacca Matta. We invited friends, friends of friends, family, media, press,advertisers, Durban's socialite deputy mayor and the list went on. During the day of the launch, on our way to the venue to set up,as I drove, I heard the radio deejay say," Don't know where you guys are going to be tonight, but I'm headed off to Suncoast for the launch of this new trendy Durban magazine, called EISH! I'll tell you more about it tomorrow." At first it didn't register, then I heard Renesha scream out, "Oh my word. He's talking about us!!!"

And its those kind of cool moments that keep you following your dream, or when you walk into a restaurant and you see a random person reading Eish Magazine with a huge grin on his face. When I look at the new brand image, the quality and intensity of the content, the readers we attract- it's all naturally progressed from the passion invested at the outset. And that is my dream!

JOZI - Add this to your movie-must watch-list- Do it for your country!

Last night I attended the JOZI movie premier. A local movie production by Videovision Entertainment, and thankfully without the slapstick.

The premier was star studded with the talented cast of JOZI, which created a much needed out- of -the -ordinary buzz from your usual Tuesday movie night. It was awesome to see Kajal Bagwandeen on the big screen, she was featured on Eish Magazine's second issue cover and clearly kept to her goals of wanting to be a big screen star, having conquered theatre productions locally.

Lead male character, Carl Beukes,(James) bears an uncanny resemblence to Justin Timberlake, but looks aside, his role starts off a little crazy and develops into a metaphor of the struggles and issues we all at some point face, as South Africans.

My higlights of the movie, was the amazing videography, the use of locations in and surrounding JOZI...capturing the beauty of our ethinicity and the street vendors we take for granted. I loved the scene where James is being chased by an inefficient police cop in a wheat/maize field outside Jo'burg. I loved the incredible urban landscape, when James and one of the female characters are standing on the fire escape stairs on a roof top at sunset overlooking the street vendors who make a living from selling feather dusters. It's a pivotal moment as James surrenders to his place and identity as a "Joburger."

To draw on the wit of the movie, James writes for a comedy show, "Jozi Jives" which is about 4 people of various ethnic backgrounds living together in Jozi. Ironically these characters do not reflect anything that is synonymous with the real lives and struggles of a Jozi resident. So as James rediscovers Jozi, the characters in his sitcom also reflect this change.

Quirky moment: There was a funny song that played, "Kiss me on the cheek," which leaves you smiling moments after...

The movie starts off slow and somewhat dry at first, but unfolds into a witty, captivating and Proudly South African production.

Story line:

James is a successful comedy writer. There is only one small problem, he lives in Johannesburg and completely lost his humour. Crime, politics, pessimism and feather duster salesmen have invaded every cell of his body causing him to lose the very spark of humour which enables him to earn his living.

He has other problems too, his girlfriend has left him for the most boring man in the world, his entire family has emigrated, he has thrown his producer's laptop out of the window and developed a serious drug problem.

In the maddest of madcap journey, ( think Trainspotting ) James must travel through the highways and byways of South Africa from Daspoort Rehab back to Johannesburg to try and find his elusive sense of humour as well his ability to love and laugh again.

Hanging out with the Big Breakfast Show Team at ECR

It's 4:30am, my alarm goes off. Surely I can squeeze a little more sleep I tell myself. But no, not today. I have a special date with the Big Breakfast Show at East Coast Radio.

Nope, this is not an on-air interview. I was the fly on the wall, shadowing their every move and observing the way this show comes together. I chatted to Peter G, Jonathan Lumley- Producer, Simmi Areff , Wes Cruikshank, Natara and JVB. Impressive team, who have conquered their sleepless mornings in favour of a passion filled job.

The newsroom, the blog, the tweeting, the phones and the on air adrenalin rush is all a buzz... by 9am..when your brain is just warming up. It's all over! The show that is.

Time flies, when you're having fun...Will tell you more about it in the next issue of Eish Magazine. One thing I did notice is that there is no "breakfast" on the morning show...Damn!

THE COVER THAT NEVER WAS

Just before we changed the logo of Eish Magazine, we were messing around with cover ideas. And this is what we started off with.

We had this awesome cover pic taken by Preyen Moodley of Loop Photography. Initially I wanted to ensure that we showed as much of Matt's cleavage as possible...( not sure what I was thinking at the time. )

But later on, the creative team settled with our refined new image...I was impressed and relieved that we did make the changes we did. Because everytime you walk pass the magazine stand at the grocery store, sure as hell...you get this eerie feeling that Matt Miller's watching you..haha.."Pick up this copy of Eish, it will change your life!!"

I wonder if Leornado Da Vinci pondered that about the Mona Lisa when he painted her...

The creative processes involved in design and lay out are intense and amazing. Who knew these things could make such a difference...

Where to find the Eish Cocktail..

It's Friday, and I always get asked where the latest and good eateries are. I never quite know what to say, because it always depends on the company you're with and the mood you're in.

I'm also a fan of beautiful locations, so any place that has good decor and ambiance never goes unnoticed by me.

This location in particular has me intrigued, lovely decor yet laid back. It's called JAM, situated at the back of Quarter's Hotel in Argyle Rd. You can hang out with the girls, but also wine and dine with your man. Ladies will love the fuschia pink splashes here and there, it gives it a playful sassy vibe.

On the food side, the pastries are devine!! It's all very gourmet, well presented and tasty. Okay, I'm not gona say any further, I feel hungry just writing about this place. BUT, BUT...if you're a guy looking to impress the lady..look no further.

Oh, and ask for the, "Eish" cocktail...Yes, We're claiming it!!!

Why I love Dax Martin!

So I was chatting to the lingerie and swim wear designer Dax Martin, who just happens to be the coolest guy around, not because he makes the average women look really foxy on the beach..but because he's an awesome easy to speak to kinda guy.

Anyway, I was looking through his pictures from the Audi Fashion Week show, held in JHB recently, and evidently LACE is going to be huge next season. Dax's designs are always impressive, so that didn't surprise me. What fascinates me about any artist, is what inspires them?

So what inspires Dax? "Women," he responds. "All women." But then he goes on to say that,
" Attraction is in the mind." And I agreed. But how does this tie up with his swim wear and lingerie which are so visually stimulating.
He goes on to explain, " I shared a gaze with a lady on 3 occasions while in a crowded room one night and was instantly attracted, even though we never had a conversation, it was intriguing like lingerie."

This post isn't really about his amazing swim wear line, its about interesting people who inspire me..and Dax is one of them. He doesn't flaunt his creative ingenious skill of knowing his way around women's curves, instead he's genuinely sincere and profound at times, which is pleasantly surprising.

We were sharing insightful relationship advice, because yes, looks and a hot body isn't everything. And then Dax said, " Trust in your partner's potential to be an amazing partner." Wow, that's soulful...Can you tell I'm a sucker for the deep stuff.

I'm glad that I get to pick inspiring people's brain. To check out more of Dax's creations, visit http://www.daxmartin.com/

Eish ON AIR..

So today was one of those tiring days, when you have a million things to do and even though you start really early, it still feels like you're very much at the back of the rat race.

It's the day before Eish Magazine hits the shelves, and I have a few radio interviews lined up.
Today, I had the pleasure of being on Kelly Jade's show on Hiway Radio. We got chatting about the latest issue of Eish Magazine, and more specifically the Mozambique mission article.
Meeting Kelly was awesome. I used to see her often at the social parties, but never really chatted to her. Speaking to her at the station, I got to know her better. A really cool chick, and so real.

I love that the magazine is challenging and changing mindsets. You can feel the energy flow beyond your expectations. One day to go...I can't wait until it hits the shelves.

Coming Out Soon

Six months ago I ventured on a trip to Mozambique. This wasn't one of those fancy holidays at some beach resort, it was unglamourous. The reality check it injected was life changing. You can read about this in, "Life, I finally get it! - Memoirs of Mozambique-"

My transformation began. It started with small things, like knowing when to use the 'Easy Button.'

And asking yourself, if you have to look back at your life, would you live it with regret or what would you do differently? And maybe, you shouldn't have slept with every interesting person you met. Perhaps you just needed to know that your beauty and strength shines through in the purity of your spirit. Being different is more special than you realised.

The renewal of mindset has lead to meeting two incredibly talented young designers- Nick Young Thompson and Mike van Heerden, who approached me to redesign Eish Magazine. The flow of the new look meant sourcing the kind of articles which reflected meaningful content...in search of truth to build the character of our readers. We uncovered social outcasts, those people who form part of our society but looked down upon as society's dysfunctional types. I was fascinated by how many abused women walk the streets as prostitutes. The truth is they are only as dysfunctional as the society that surrounds them. ( In Durban's Dark and Dirty Secrets, we walk the streets with pretty women. ) We live in a community where our values and conduct are interlinked. How can we not be socially responsible to each other?

Speaking of women, we feature amazing women who head stressful jobs but do it elegantly with grace, If only women Rule the World...When complacency settles in like a deadly disease, I ask myself, "Have you lived enough?" Lungi Plummer, a black female body builder trained tirelessly to win the Miss Universe Bodybuilding in 2009. Inspite of cultural stereotypes, she was relentless in pursuing her dream. It was amazing chatting to her. Her winning streak is evident.

"You can't win the Tour de France lying on your couch.- Lance Armstrong. "

So are you're fuelled up, ready to take big leaps of faith to make your dreams come true? Jerusha- the doctor turned singer- relocated to New York and released her new album. You can be a champion too, but you have to run your own race.

Running his own race, well on the catwalk that is, is our cover boy, Matt Miller.I used to think that models are airheads, until I met Matt. He just happens to be an architect, with a great personality, infectious laugh, witty sense of humour and grounded like all good boys should be...and yes, ladies he has gorgeous pecks!!! But we were more interested in his smartness so we asked him some really hard questions on the modelling industry.

If you want to feel all touristy, we urge you to go visit Moses Mabhida stadium, it will make a small person feel part of something huge. Literally!

Commit to reaping the seeds of your success and read, "New Age Networking tips to start 2010 on the right foot.

I don't believe in New Year's resolutions, because then you're missing the signs we get from people and events that occur in our life, those -need for change- signs.

My New Year started off like none other. I attended the funeral of a friend, I only knew for six months. I first met Oliver Bray on the trip to Mozambique. Oliver was only 21 years old. His life was riddled with abuse and drug addiction, ironically this was not how he died.

He died after a freak skate boarding accident, the day after Christmas. People say, that Oliver -The Before wasn't someone you would have wanted to be friends with, while struggling with his drug habit he was kicked out of his home. He lived in his car for a while, in the church parking lot until he made the decision to get cleaned up. He went to a rehabilitation centre, where the success rate of only 2% come out completely clean. Oliver was one of them!

I never met Oliver-The Before, I only met Oliver-The After.

He was the kind of person who encouraged people and reached out to strangers, he held nothing back, even if he was afraid of rejection. He never showed it.

He became the kind of person you wished you could be. So I've challenged myself this year, to be Sarona-The After..and I dare you too to challenge yourself. Role models aren't celebrities, they're everyday people who deserve to be celebrated, that includes you!