What's in Store

This month we are playing catch-up with the Morningside Shopping Centre, where many changes have taken place under the new centre management.  Several shops have closed, and others opened.  Five new shops and a branch of FNB are set to open in July.  See the lists below.

Morning Glen Mall continues to fill up gradually and, despite the loss of Meltz, almost all shops are now occupied.

Rivonia Village has been rearranged somewhat and is being expanded for the new Checkers under construction, while Mutual Mews opposite has also been reorganised for a renovation.

Odd Jobs

The Joys of Winter

As I write this, I've finished my hot chocolate and put another log on the fire, and am looking forward to bed with a hot water bottle and a hot wife.

Unlike last winter, I now have warm feet.  The difference is that this season we installed a closed stove-type fireplace from Builders Warehouse.  It was pricey, but not of the order of the prices we were quoted by specialised fireplace shops, and we did have to hunt for an installer.

The stove heats the room beautifully.  The wood burns down almost entirely to fine ash, which goes into the compost.  The only drawback is that, because the stove is quite small, we have to feed it every half-hour.  Since we grow our own wood, it is Carbon-neutral.

High-end fashion jewellery. Silver, pearls and gemstones for all occasions. Shop D9, Hobart Grove Centre, Bryanston. www.marshajjewellery.com 011 7075268

New on the Block  Back to top

• Winnie's Soul & Jazz Restaurant has now occupied the club space on the extreme right of the centre, above the post boxes, in Wendywood Shopping Centre – Music and food! Prices on the high side, probably to pay for the entertainment.
• Boulevard Cellars, Shop 2 in Mutual Mews – large Bottle Store – has moved to the opposite side of the centre during renovations of the block they were in.
• Beverley Johnson has moved from upstairs in Mutual Mews to downstairs – Hair Extensions, wigs, pony-tails and now, a hairdresser too.
• Prime Persian Carpets, Shop 66, Upper Level in Morning Glen Mall – Opening 1 July 2013, First Floor opposite Nedbank.
• e-Car has become Corporate Car Clinic, Shop AH, in Woodmead Commercial Park – Services all makes of vehicles, specialising in BMW & Merc. Still the same family business.
• Smooch, Shop 20 in Coachman's Crossing – Frozen yoghurt experience.
• New and changed in Morningside Shopping Centre:
• With Love…, Shop L09 – Gifts, candles, kitchen things.
• Pure Skin, Shop L11 – everything artificial to make you look more natural.
• Travel Associates has become Flight Centre - Business Travel, Shop U02a – Travel Agents.
• Wesley’s Tobacconist has become JJ Cale Tobacconist, Shop U05 next to Standard Bank.
• Crew Men’s Grooming is now Turkish Men’s Grooming Lounge, Shop U46 – Men's Hairdresser for Young Turks.
• Opening July 2013 in Morningside Shopping Centre:
• FNB - First National Bank, Shop L16, Lower Level at the outside entrance where Lucky Moo was.
• Toys R Us, Shop U23 – Toy Shop next to Trishy's.
• Cloth & Label, Shop U18 – Men's clothing.
• Café Coton, Shop U10 – French men's cotton shirts and Italian silk ties.
• Bensimon Collection, Shop U41 – Ladies' clothing.
• iYo Frozen Yoghurt.

Restaurant Review by Judith Back to top

***** The Slug and Lettuce, Oriental Square Rivonia, Rivonia Boulevard & 9th Avenue

This has become a really friendly and welcoming venue as we discovered when we arrived for Sunday lunch!  The attention of everyone from the manager down was exemplary.  We opted to have the Sunday Roast and the Hake and Chips.  For drinks, a mango juice and Darling Sauvignon Blanc by the glass were chosen.  The Sauvignon Blanc is becoming one of my favourites.

The meat for the roast was beef and pork with roast potatoes, rice too(?), and copious vegetables.  Somehow I have never got my head around two starches unless the second one is Yorkshire pud.  The Hake was utterly sublime and the best I have had for ages.  Really didn't need the chips.

A very clean plate announced a good tasty Sunday Roast, and this was confirmed as well.  For a great experience on a Sunday - highly recommended!

Contact Details for The Slug and Lettuce, Rivonia.

Funny Language, English...

Getting Help

Julius accidentally swallowed his tiny modern cell phone.  He rushed to the doctor.

The doctor gave him a strong laxative and said, "Take this and, if it's not out in two days, give me a ring."

"How?"

Ceased to be... Back to top

• Fish Diner in Grosvenor Crossing – Sea grill, Char Grill & raw bar, take-away.
• Banjaara Indian Restaurant, Shop 15 in Grosvenor Crossing – no more Samoosa, bunny chow, kebab, chicken tikka, Tandoori, curry, or Vindaloo.
• The double-storey block  in Mutual Mews is being renovated and the following, all upstairs, appear to have closed (perhaps temporarily):
  • SRS's Saloon, – Professional Hair Stylists specialising in African hair.
  • Clean Sweep – Domestic Cleaners, daily char service, housekeepers, cooks, gardeners, childminders.
  • The Hustler Shop.
• In Morningside Shopping Centre:
• Make Scents, Shop U18a – Importers of authentic fragrances at discounted prices.
• Butterfly Twists, open stall in Upper Level – Ladies fold-up pumps and boots.
• Cameroon & Cameroon By Night, Shop U22 – Clothing: Men's and ladies'. Casual, evening dresses, shoes, accessories.
• Si Belle, Shop U23 – clothes and evening wear for ladies of smaller sizes (Si Belle Plus, for larger ladies, closed earlier).
• Silhouette, Shop U41 – importers and stockists of the Ika label of ladieswear. Moved from Village Walk Sept 2012.
• Lucky Moo Restaurant, Shop L16 – no more "Yum Yum Chinese Food".
• Bretties Lingerie, Shop L21 – ladies' underwear.
• Stars SA, Shop L09 – Ladies' clothes by owner-designer. Opened November 2011.

Public Interest: Iatrogenic Disease  Back to top

Judith was gaining weight despite eating lightly, had a persistent hacking dry cough for what seemed like several years, and severe pains in her legs.  A chance conversation led us to look up the side effects of Prexum Plus, a medication she had been prescribed for high blood pressure three years ago.  We discovered that the problems she was having were all known side-effects of this drug.  The doctor who prescribed it had said nothing about possible side-effects.

Judith put this to our GP, who said, yes, they could well be side-effects of Prexum Plus, and undertook to prescribe a different blood pressure medicine, "without side-effects".  She prescribed Co-Pritor.  The side-effects of this were even worse than those of Prexum Plus, so much so that Judith gave up after two tablets!  To add insult to injury, the doctor had casually prescribed 28 of these expensive tablets, which of course one cannot return –rather than, say, 7 in order to test for side-effects first.

Notably, Judith had been to this doctor several times with the original symptoms, and the doctor was aware that she was on Prexum Plus, but had somehow not connected this with the symptoms!  It took our research to uncover dozens of similar cases.

Judith is now treating her blood pressure by herbal means. Her cough has stopped, her leg pains are gone, and her mass is reducing.

Some lessons can be drawn from this.  (a) Your GP (who may also be our GP) quite possibly has no clue about the potential ill effects of the medicine she is prescribing, and probably isn't interested in finding out.  (b) When you are prescribed a new medicine, get a small supply first.  You will be throwing less money down the drain if you have to abandon it. (c) When you start a new medicine and you also start getting new illnesses, check the side-effects of the new medicine: Not only on the package insert, which usually downplays them, but also on the internet.

"Iatrogenic" Disease?  That's a medical problem caused by a medical practitioner.

Checking Out: "Vanish" Works!

For those of you who doubt the efficacy of the stain remover "Vanish", look what it did to the girl who was demonstrating it: