'Bye 2020, Hello 2021 – Will You be Better?

2020 has been a tough year.  Some of us plan to stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve, not to see the New Year in, but to make sure the old one leaves.

Here's wishing you and yours whatever cheer you can manage at this time of year.  Many have had sickness, losses of loved ones, of jobs, of whole businesses.  Many of us have had to reassess our priorities in life, our beliefs, our faiths.  That may bring new life, new growth, new beginnings.  The sun is shining much of the time.  The rain is nourishing the earth.  We are still here.

Even though many of us are clinging to the ledge of solvency by our fingernails, it is still the season of giving.

What can you give that has no monetary value to you, yet is priceless?

450ml of your blood.

With it, you can give the gift of life to three people.

Isn't this a bargain, giving so much to the nation for such  a small individual contribution?

If you are in Sandton, your nearest donation centres are:

• Fourways Donor Centre (in the Pineslopes area): Shop G1-08, Forest Road Design and Decor, 11 Sunset Ave (corner Forest Road), Sandton. Open Monday–Friday 08:00–18:00 Saturday 08:00–14:00 Sunday 08:00–14:00.  Phone 011 767 9959.
• Upstairs at The Colony, cor 349 Jan Smuts & Rothesay Avenues, Craighall, Johannesburg. Open Monday–Friday 08:00–18:00, Saturday 08:30–14:30, Sunday 08:30–14:30.  Phone 011 447-6665.
• There is (or was) a tent in the parking lot at Chilli Lane Shopping Centre.  Hours and phone number unknown.

Visit the SANBS website to find out more or chat to them.

Do you own or manage a shopping centre in Sandton?  Increase traffic to your centre –and do something good for society– by volunteering an empty shop to SANBS for a blood donation clinic.

Odd Jobs

"Will you please validate my parking?"
"You did a great job, exactly parallel to the lines, and positioned considerately in the middle of the bay. Well done!"

New on the Block, Movers and Shakers  Back to top

• Home by MCA, Shop FF12, First Floor in Rivonia Central (formerly Oriental City) – Parties & Gifts, Shopping, Stationary. They weren’t at home to ask for their contact details.
• DMT Travels, Shop FF11A, First Floor in Rivonia Central – Flight tickets.
• WRT Computer Services, Shop FF11A, First Floor in Rivonia Central – Computer Services & Printing.
• Men's Health Clinic, Shop L08, Lower Level in Rivonia Central – Dubious "Clinic". Monday–Friday 08:00–18:00, Saturday 09:00–16:00, Sunday 09:00–15:00. Their "medicines" are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
• Cash Your Gold, Shop L05, Lower Level in Rivonia Central – Best prices paid and instant cash payment for all your damaged or unwanted Gold or Silver Jewellery.
• Old Town Barbershop, Shop 08 in Chilli Lane Shopping Centre Sunninghill – Traditional men's barber shop. Haircuts and shaves.
• My Ma's Spice & Prayer, Shop 31/32 in Chilli Lane Shopping Centre Sunninghill – Indian foods and spices. Hindu prayer goods. Opened November 2020.
• Rank1 Nutrition, Shop 35 in Chilli Lane Shopping Centre Sunninghill – Supplements: pre-workouts, fat burners, protein powders, mass gainers, creatine, amino acids, testosterone boosters, endurance, vitamins and minerals, hormone support, keto friendly, accessories, drinks and bars.
• Anjalai's Durban Curries, Shop 41A in Chilli Lane Shopping Centre Sunninghill – "Experience true Durban flavour and unparalleled levels of quality".

Thought for the Day:

People buy on emotion and justify with logic afterwards.  Does your marketing reflect this sequence?

Breathed their last  Back to top

• Indulge Cakes in Rivonia Central (formerly Oriental City) – Decadent boutique confectionary, weddings & specialized cakes, novelty cakes, kids cakes, adult cakes, platters.
• Planet Fitness, Shop FF16 in Rivonia Central – Large fully-equipped gym with swimming-pool and questionable ethics: Beware of their "special offers" that claim to be giving you "free" membership as a "prize" but then charge fees anyway.
• Body & Mind Studio, Shop Block 2 in Rivonia Central – Dance Studio.
• Protea Hotel, Block 2 in Rivonia Central – Hotel chain Head Office.
• Sisters of Faith Ministries, Block 2 in Rivonia Central – Local Church, superstition.
• The Lofts at Oriental City in Rivonia Central – Sectional Title Development of 95 Units from R855,600 including VAT, no transfer duty. Option for guaranteed 2-year rental. Lifestyle amenities, gym access. Occupation in 2018 did not happen.
• Little Cooks Club listed near Riverside Shopping Centre – With over-reliance on unhealthy convenience foods, many people today lack confidence and skills to cook for themselves. They educate children about food in a fun and engaging way, equipping them to live a healthier life.
• B Bridal House in Hobart Grove Centre – Bridal gowns, clothes for a black tie event, elegant matric dance dresses. Sizes from XS to XL. Limited stock (one of each dress). Book an appointment.
• Perfect 10, Shop 08 in Chilli Lane Shopping Centre Sunninghill – Nail and Body Studio, Health & Beauty. Nails, Manicure and pedicure, Waxing, Tinting, Eyelash Extensions, Facials, Hair Removal.
• Barber Net, Shop 22 in Chilli Lane Shopping Centre Sunninghill – Hairdressing - Barbershop: Men's Hairstyling.
• Chrome Supplements & Accessories, Shop 35 in Chilli Lane Shopping Centre Sunninghill – Nutrition: Weight Loss, Muscle Building, Performance, Recipes. Supplementation: Weight Loss, Muscle Building, General, Performance, Supplement Guides, Reviews, Buy Supplements. Training Workouts.
• Mexican Fresh, Shop 38 in Chilli Lane Shopping Centre Sunninghill – Mexican food: Tex-Mex cooking – burritos, nachos, fajitas, tacos and quesadillas. Vegetarian, beef, chicken or prawn. Side dishes: guacamole, pico de gallo, Mexican rice and fresh salsa. Chilli can be added.
• Sushiitto on South near Morningview Shopping Centre – Sushi bar. Dim Sum, soup, noodles, spring rolls, fried rice, stir fry. Was at 38 Bowling Ave, off South Road.
• Sirene Hair and Beauty, Shop 04 near Morningview Shopping Centre – Cuts, colours, Brazilian hair treatments, nails, nail art, special effects and beauty. Now at 38 Bowling Ave, off South Road.
• Flight Centre, Shop 31 & 32 in Chilli Lane Shopping Centre Sunninghill – Travel Needs: Hotel bookings, Car hire, Flights.

Our Reader Writes...

Yes!  We have at least one reader!  To prove it, here is a Letter to the Editor from her:

I’m reading your articles about the Rivonia shopping centres and the same could apply to Morning Glen. The old Gallo Manor. When it was an outside, walk about shopping centre, there was a busy café at the entrance, little unique shops and an open  feel. It was busy and vibrant. The minute they started building there and it became an undercover shopping centre, it has possibly become one of the worst shopping centres ever. Now that Woolies has closed there is absolutely no reason to go there at all. The Pick & Pay is old fashioned, untidy and generally a mess. (Rather go to Checkers in Rivonia). Most of the shops are closed and ones that are there have an empty feel about them which doesn’t give you a feel of wanting to go into them and the shopping centre itself gives you no reason to want to wander around and shop. Even Mr Price doesn’t entice.

–Jane Byrne

Funny Language, English....

What do sailors and sopranos have in common?

Both like the High C's (seas). [Groan!]

Our Anniversary!

With the November edition of "Shopping in Sandton" last month, we celebrated eleven years' continuous production of this newsletter.  Happy Birthday to us!

Electrifying Thoughts

Africa is the only inhabited continent (notice I am excluding Antarctica) that does not have a Tesla factory. Ironic, since it is Elon Musk's birthplace. Electric cars are surely the future.  Are we being left behind?

I saw a video of electric cars racing.  To make it more exciting, they had given it a soundtrack of petrol engines, including gear changes.  Go figure...

Perhaps future electric vehicles will have simulated sound.  So that the drivers feel like they are still driving those "macho" internal combustion engines?

Overheard Near the Checkout

“Do you stock a dog shampoo that has not been tested on animals?"