New Feature: Gardening with Brig. (ret'd) "Nuke" Killer!

In the Spring a young couple's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of – gardening.

Shopping in Sandton is proud to announce that we have obtained the exclusive services of renowned gardening expert Brigadier (retired) James "Nuke" Killer.  In future editions he may answer your gardening questions. We started with an interview to introduce him to our readers:

Shopping in Sandton: Brigadier, could you please tell our readers how you made the transition from fearless military man to renowned gardening expert?

Brig. Killer: When I retired from my distinguished army career a few years ago, I looked for a hobby. I was pleased to find that my military talents could be applied to gardening.

SIS: Ah, you mean things like strategic planting in the right seasons, optimum deployment of resources to gain a tactical advantage over pests and weeds; that sort of thing?

Brig: No, not really... I'm good at shouting, stomping around, and bossing people. I found that works with plants too. And of course with my gardener...

SIS: The way Prince Charles suggests talking to plants to encourage them to grow?

Brig: Oh, that wimp! Personally I find that haranguing them in my loudest parade-ground voice soon sorts out the slackers. Now I just need to do something about the noise complaints from the neighbours across the valley...

SIS: Your garden does look rather like a parade-ground: Hard-baked red earth, plants standing bolt upright in strict equidistant rows, like obedient troops... did that one tremble just as we walked past?

Brig: I don't mean to cast nasturtiums (er, aspersions, ha ha) on other gardeners, but Africa is not for sissies, and the African garden is not a place for weak plants! In my garden, it's "shape up or ship off"! [Ed: We think he said "ship"]
 

We will bring you more of Brig. Killer's wisdom in future editions.  In the meanwhile, please email us your gardening questions.

Odd Jobs

Two medical doctors meet:

"You're fine!  How am I?"

New on the Block, Movers and Shakers  Back to top

• Northern Wholesale Tiles (48 Wessels Road), Rivonia 12th Ave in Rivonia North Shops – Natural stone, porcelain, and ceramic tiles at good prices. Moved from 11th Avenue opposite Rivonia Primary School to 48 Wessels Road, off 12th Ave, Rivonia.
• Gigi Demetriou Properties – Estate agents: properties to buy and rent, commercial property managers and brokers, letting agent for various shops in the area. Moved from Euro Centre, 363 Rivonia Boulevard to in 4 Dunton Rd, Rivonia on 28 June 2019.
• Coming: Frozen For You, Shop U18, Upper Level in Morningside Shopping Centre – Pre-prepared frozen home-style meals made with quality ingredients using traditional methods. Wide variety and serving sizes, priced approximately the same as in a restaurant. They deliver.
• Nala Bheema's Authentic Indian Restaurant, Shop 07, Ground in Morningview Shopping Centre – Specialists in North Indian and South Indian restaurant. On Uber Eats.
• Spice Bazaar, Ground in Morningview Shopping Centre – Indian spices and foods.
• Ian Burgess-Simpson Piano Showroom, Cnr 12th Ave and Autumn Road in Rivonia North Shops – New and used acoustic and digital pianos. Rebuilding, servicing, long term and event hire, transport and tuning.
• Karibu Wote Restaurant (2 Autumn Road), Cnr 12th Ave and Autumn Road in Rivonia North Shops – African Fine Dining. Bringing you the best of African cuisines from the best chefs. South African, Nigerian, and Congolese dishes. Goat meat, catfish. Weekend buffet.
• The Rivonia Practice Medical Rooms (2 Louise Terrace Unit 4), Cnr 12th Ave and Autumn Road in Rivonia North Shops – Health Shop, Homeopath Dr Katherine Withers, Craniosacral Therapist Michelle Anderson, Clinical Psychologist Christel Roets, Physiotherapist Dr Ingrid Sellschop, Chiropractor Dr Sarah Somerville, Rooms To Let.
• WAC Formwork Construction (Pty) Ltd (2 Louise Terrace Unit 2), Cnr 12th Ave and Autumn Road in Rivonia North Shops.
• RAZ Brand Your World (2 Louise Terrace Unit 5), Cnr 12th Ave and Autumn Road in Rivonia North Shops.
• Guy Gillespie Properties (2 Louise Terrace Unit 6), Cnr 12th Ave and Autumn Road in Rivonia North Shops – Property Sales and Corporate Rentals. Guised Custom Apparel.
• Nkowa Private School (2 Louise Terrace Unit 7), Cnr 12th Ave and Autumn Road in Rivonia North Shops.
• Marlboro Peri Peri Chicken Tikka, Shop 2, Rivonia Centre, 369 Rivonia Boulevard in Rivonia North Shops – All sorts of delicious-looking Indian foods, strictly Halaal. Functions. Free delivery to Rivonia Offices.
• Green Ivy Hair and Beauty Studio, Shop 4, Rivonia Centre, 369 Rivonia Boulevard in Rivonia North Shops – Ethnic hair: braids, cutting, dreadlocks, colouring. Nails, manicure, pedicure, facials, relaxing. Clarins stockists.
• Cindystar, Rivonia Centre, 369 Rivonia Boulevard in Rivonia North Shops – Jewellery. Corner Rivonia Boulevard & 11th Avenue.
• #Nails, Shop 3, Rivonia Corner, 362 Rivonia Boulevard in Rivonia North Shops – Nail bar. Gel, Acrylic, Wax, Threading. Corner of Rivonia Boulevard and 11th Ave.
• Majestic Hair Studio, Ground in Naturally Yours Wellness Centre – Hair Salon, On the right of Blaque Fine Foods.

Restaurant Reviews by Judith Back to top

***** Kitchen Vibes, The Wedge, Morningside:

A new restaurant in the Wedge, serving food from all over Africa, that was well worth the visit. An Appletiser and Durbanville Sauvignon Blanc were chosen for drinks. We mulled over the menu and went for Spicy Roast Goat (low spice) and Brebo which was amazingly hot! Michael spent time explaining the menu to us, which helped!

Contact Details for Kitchen Vibes.  Back to top

*** Nala Bheema's Authentic Indian Restaurant, Morningview Shopping Centre:

A new restaurant in this centre, it has a good menu. We drank Robertson Chardonnay and Mango Lassi. Then we ordered Dal Makhani and Prawn Masala. I'm still finishing the latter as I should have ordered mild not medium! Very friendly and attentive service.

Contact Details for Nala Bheema's Authentic Indian Restaurant.  Back to top

Funny Language, English...

Why do call centres ask me to "confirm" my ID number (etc.)?  And then they are flummoxed when I say, "OK, give it to me so that I can confirm it"? (sometimes they even do give it to me) After all, "Confirm" means "establish the truth or correctness of something"!  Why can't they just say, "give me your ID number (so that I can confirm it)"?  That's what they want, after all!

Unanimated:  Back to top

• Arez Café, Shop 08D in Morningview Shopping Centre – Lebanese / Middle-eastern café and hubbly bar. Breakfast 7am–noon includes free bottomless coffee. Meze, hummus, Halloumi, falafel, lafeh wraps, platters.
• Louise Terrace Guest House in Rivonia North Shops – Rooms from R400. Three-star graded guest house with 12 en-suite rooms, with wireless Internet connectivity, HD LCD flat screen TVs, and tea and coffee making facilities. 123 12th Avenue, between Homestead and Autumn Roads, just off Rivonia Road.
• The Cupboard People in Rivonia North Shops – Cupboards for kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, bars, TV units, studies. Worktops in granite, ceasarstone, marble. Cnr 12th Ave and Autumn Road.
• Vintage India in Rivonia North Shops – Cosy Indian restaurant. Entrance in the little park to the right behind the centre, off Louise Terrace, from Autumn Road.
• Arirang, Shop 9 in Rivonia North Shops – Korean Restaurant, reopened November 2011 on 11th Avenue in Rivonia Centre, 369 Rivonia Boulevard.
• Lukes Hair and Beauty Centre, Shop 4 in Rivonia North Shops – Ethnic hair: braids, cutting, dreadlocks, colouring. Nails, manicure, pedicure, facials, relaxing. Clarins stockists. In Rivonia Centre, 369 Rivonia Boulevard.
• Bright Star Dry Cleaners and Launderers, Shop 1 in Rivonia North Shops – Laundry, shoe repairs, dry cleaning, dying. Open Mon-Fri 07:30–17:30, Sat 08:00–13:00. Rivonia Centre, 369 Rivonia Boulevard.
• Rose Rock Hair Design in Naturally Yours Wellness Centre – Hair styling, colour, hair treatments, manicures and pedicures, make-up workshops, complimentary hand and foot massage. Was Ground.

Thought for the Day:

Unruly university students need to regain their moral campus.

Could This be Why Standard Bank ATMs are Being Removed?

It certainly looks like they don't work if you exactly follow the instructions...

Overheard near the Checkout

"The twenty-second 'Joy of Jazz' is on this week."

"But how much music can they fit into twenty seconds?"