In recent years, sushi has become a restaurant staple, and you no longer even need to serve fish, it seems, to offer sushi. As such, quality and innovation have gone the way of burgers, and become lost in the realms of cost-saving and commonplaceness.

Our dear writer Ash, recommended 1890 House as a place where the sushi was authentic, tasty and affordable. I didn’t need much more encouragement!

Situated off Lower Main Road in Observatory, Cape Town, 1890 House is, well, housed in a building that dates from 1890, hence the name. Asians, who serve Chinese cuisine and sushi exclusively, run1890 House. The sushi is fresh, tasty, affordable, well presented and there is a wide variety to choose from. They actually have all the fish types on the menu that we asked for, we were never told they were out of stock, as happens in some restaurants when the proprietor simply doesn’t want to buy in enough stock.

We got there in the middle of the Friday evening rush, without a reservation and were shown to a table, with the caveat that it was actually booked for a large group, but another was being vacated soon. That suited me fine, as I would prefer to sit at a table and contemplate the menu in the corridor. It impressed me that they were clear about what would happen, and we were moved quickly and efficiently, before we’d even had a chance to order drinks.

The tiny restaurant was full to the brim, and there seemed to be two waiters, who managed the full floor perfectly. We ordered everything fresh, since we were not sitting by the conveyor belt, and knew that making fresh sushi takes time. Since we ordered a variety of hot dishes, such as crispy tuna and deep fried wontons, and sushi, our food kept coming in a consistent stream, rather than all at once. As far as I’m concerned, that works out great, as I tend to gorge on sushi if it’s all laid out before me all at once. This graduated style of eating was infinitely preferable!

We had a variety of hot dishes, crispy tuna and fried wontons, which were delicious, and an unusual menu item, in my experience. Having worked at a Thai restaurant for many years, my taste for Asian food has palled, but the food here was interesting and tasty enough to lure me back! We also had seared tuna sashimi, spicy salmon California rolls and rainbow rolls, which were fresh and delicious, perfectly flavoured and spicy. Afterwards, we had deep-fried ice cream, which we’ve been threatening to try for years, and very much enjoyed the contrast of hot and cold.

Our entire bill came to less than R200, which was fantastic for an enjoyable and tasty evening out. Doubtless if we had eaten more there would have been a greater dent in the pocket, but we had plenty of food, and enjoyed every morsel.

I highly recommend 1890 House to anyone who wants an informal dining experience, with quality food, efficient service and affordable prices!

Article By Sigi

You know how most have to be satisfied with only being able to compose barely recognisable stick figures. While some people are just blessed with the skill to draw. Even more so, seem to be able to capture a subject essence. Well one such artist with that amazing drawing ability is Sean Verster. He entered the industry as a cartoonist. Many of you have driven on the N1 past billboards with characters he designed. He made a name for himself by creating the Ratanga Junction characters that I’m sure you all know. After spending many years in the industry he decided to branch off and start his own company. He took the wooden manikin by the proverbial limbs and so BB Comix was born.

He has a few surprises up his sleeve with some of the projects he is working on. But one of them I want to mention is DJ Ossewa. Yes the four Afrikaner dudes that run around making music in ‘Vellies’ or even worse Crocs. (In all seriousness I wear Crocs pumps because they are ‘that’ comfortable, but if I’m ever asked if I own a pair I will deny, deny, deny) He is launching a comic book with a little bit of South African flavour. The first time  when I saw these guys they had me in hysterics. Not to everyone’s’ taste, but they have one hell of a following. The show is hilarious and captivating comprising of comedy and music. Sean has captured that great tongue in cheek SA-style of humour.

The story goes that the group started about 3 years ago on a farm called Ossewa’srus. The group consists of  ‘Daniel Jakobus’ and ‘Raapie Knapie’ the two brothers, ‘Piet Pompies’ is their cousin and the last member of the band is ‘Jerbes.’ A lion farmer from the farm next door. The farming thing wasn’t working out so well for the boys, because it seems they weren’t first in the queue when God was giving out 20/20 vision. (the reason for the bottle bottom glasses) They are a sight!

So to continue ‘Ouma Beskuit’ sent them off to have some singing classes and surprisingly the boys could follow a tune. So they combined their singing with one of their other talents…they could throw one heck of a party. The result is Dj Ossewa as it is commonly known. A show not to be missed with their unique style music and wardrobe.

Guys keep your eyes pealed for when the work of this amazing cartoonist hits the stands.

Hey guys, just a reminder that we have two prizes to give away. The Weekend getaway for 2 valued at R7000 is still up for grabs & there are 2 tickets available for New York, New York featuring Magdalene Minnaar.

Cape Town soprano Magdalene Minnaar has been selected to attend master classes, and plans an audition trip to the United States of America, visiting New York, Boston and Chicago.

To make this all possible Magdalene will be hosting an afternoon of exquisite music to help her raise funds for her trip in July.

The evening includes popular arias such as Verdi, Strauss and Mozart. Magdalene will be joined by thrilling young musicians like John Ntsepe (piano), Aubrey Lodewyk (baritone), Sunnyboy Dladla (tenor) and Karen va der Walt (mezzo), and will be accompanied on the piano by the brilliant Maestro Kamal Khan.

Some info on the artist:

Magdalene won the Mimi Coertse bursary in 2006 & can soon be seen in the opera “La Scala di Seta” by Rossini that will be showing again due to popular demand on 12 & 13 June at the Artscape. She plays the main part – Giulia.

She also played Zerlina in Don Giovanni (Baxter Theatre, directed by Marcus Desando) in 2008, and Amore in “L’incorronazione di Poppea” by Monteverdi (Artscape Opera, directed by Angelo Gobbato)

Be prepared to be dazzled! New York, New York style

Date: 7 June 2009
Time: 15:00
Venue: SABC Studios, Beach Road, Seapoint
Entrance: R120 p/p (includes pre-show drinks)
Tickets available at the door
For more information, feel free to contact Magdalene miep.minnaar@gmail.com

There are also 2 complimentary tickets available to the ZestCulture readers. First person to email me will get the comps…

Ready…Steady….

Go!

The DFA ( Documantary Filmmakers Association) is currently holding a “Short documentary Competition”

They are looking for candidates to make a 3 minute mini-documentary about their enviroment. Although it hasn’t been announced, there are prizes in the pipeline.  The 8 best films will be selected & showed at the Waterfront Nu Metro as part of the Encounters documentary festival. The documentaries will be screened before the main features. The 11th Encounters South African International Documentary Festival will be held in Cape Town from 2 – 19 July.

Below is the brief that has been given. So if you have an idea that will wow, why not send in your documentary

“My Town”

…The town we come from/live in shapes who we are. We occupy its space, it occupies us…

For this competition, filmmakers, aspirant filmmakers, artists and students are invited to make a short 3 minute documentary titled “My Town”. Interpret this brief any which way you like. Revisit your birthplace, explore your suburb or township. Tell ‘your’ story!

Films will be produced at own expense. The films produced remain the property of the filmmakers. The Documentary Filmmakers Association will endeavor to negotiate broadcasting and festival screenings with the filmmakers’ permission. Selected filmmakers will benefit from on-screen credits and general media exposure through the project. All filmmakers who enter a film will receive a year’s free membership to the DFA (July 2009 – June 2010).

Delivery and Deadline:

Deliver 3 x copies of your film on DVD (DVD’s must be high quality and viewable on home dvd players)

Films must be delivered by 14:00 on 12 June 2009

Deliver to:

7 Glynnville Terrace

Gardens, Cape Town, 8001

For Attention: THERESA MEYER

All films delivered must be accompanied with a signed MY TOWN competition entry form, which can be downloaded from our website

For more information, please mail Miki Redelinghuys on chair@docfilmsa.com

So there you go. 3 minutes isn’t that long. I know there are many interesting places around South Africa with lots of history & stories to tell. If you have a great idea, but don’t feel you  have the technical knowhow to shoot the documentary, try contacting some of the students at AFDA, City Varsity or CPUT to help out. If you know you believe you have the expertise and you are looking for the right equipment, why not try one of the following: Visual Impact Magus, Visual Impact Sales or HDHUB

Go on guys…Break a lense!

Fleurette du Toit was born in Pietermaritzburg, her mother’s great love for art and interest in all art history, artists, as well as different cultures made a very deep impression on her. Surrounded with books about art, architecture, the smell of oil paint and turpentine, paintings, and the drawings of her mother’s students and friends, it created an environment and love for art.

Fleurette tells us it all began with a small black and white still life in grade 3 of a tea pot, winning a few prizes at the Royal Show in Pietermaritzburg. Leaving an Afrikaans primary school and going to an English High School to study art as a subject with one of her mom’s ex-students.

A small boost came in winning the first ever Sanlam Art Competition with a painting of the Zulu, ‘Snake Dance’. Then going to the East London Art School and studying under Jack Lugg and Leon Rubens.

Furthering an art career stopped there but she completed her Teacher’s Diploma with the teaching of art as a subject. This became a great joy and she taught art both in South Africa and New Zealand.

After year of not painting Fleurette started painting again after getting married. Small icons and primitive paintings with mystical and religious themes, very much in the early Byzantine and Coptic tradition is typical of her naive style.

After moving to the Cape Province, she was approached by members of the Vincent Pallotti group to paint an icon which was presented to the popein Rome.

Her work is usually small, with rich colours and much is in the typical iconoclastic tradition. It is usually painted on wooden blocks. Many pieces have great personal interest and are painted for particular friends.

She is now teaching in Taiwan and some of her most recent work was a set of cards. The king, queen and jack of hearts, portraying her love of the east and her roots from Africa.

A couple weeks back the ZestCulture team had the privilege to attend an art exhibition that completely blew us away. The amazing art pieces were created by Leon Botha

A little bit about the artist. He told us that he has been drawing since he was 3. It started out with pens & pencils; it was his way of playing. First trying to depict what he saw on TV or movies, then by the age of 5 he started doing themed drawings such as pirates, castles etc
As long as it had detail, that’s what he liked most, the detail. Let me tell you if you could see his current work up close, you will definitely see detail
Leon says he only started painting when he was at school but the passion for painting onlycaught him at the age of 11 and the rest is history.

Leon (24) has done a couple of exhibitions but his latest one, Liquid Swords: Slices of Le[m]on was recently exhibited at the 3^rd I Gallery on Waterkant Street. The work exhibited was a project 2 years in the making.

I was astonished by his artwork, the amount of detail that he puts in his paintings are unbelievable. Ever get that feeling that you saw something in the room but not quite sure where it is? Then you keep looking for it? That’s how it felt when walking around the gallery. You have a look at one of his pieces, look at the one next to it, look back to the first one & then something new pops up that you didn’t realize was there the first time.

Each of his pieces has a symbolic meaning to it that not only makes them something to look at but also something to think about. Especially after having a chat with an enthusiastic artist.

Leon told me his exhibition went well but that there are a couple of his pieces still available. So if you like his work, get in contact with him & place your order.

Leon also does commissioned work & has done several murals.

The ZestCulture team is awaiting their delivery of a Leon Botha

The team at ZestCulture attended the opening of a new Exhibition at Greatmore Art Studios, in Woodstock on the 23rd April. The understated building hiding down a little side street opened up to feature an amazing space inside that showcased an exciting new exhibition by 8 young artists.

The  artists who participated was mentored on Lomography . Now for you that do not know, Lomography is a photography style that is kind off happy snappy. It’s casual, snapshot photography. It’s characteristics of over-saturated colors, off-kilter exposure and blurring is suggestive of “happy accidents.” (I am strangely reminded of all the pouting princesses on Facebook) Left to their own devices, these artists added their own retro spin on urban life. South African style.

“We are 8 individuals given the opportunity to experience and explore
Lomography during a three-week introductory mentoring workshop.  We
will be presenting our work to give a glimpse of what we gained, at
Greatmore Studios.”

The word MOLO means HELLO in Xhosa and is used to welcome the audience to the wonderful world of LOMOGRAPHY, with the help of Orms, Exposure Gallery, Glaceau mineral water, Department of arts & culture, the National arts council and Mphoto

The 8 artists were;
Janet Botes, Nicholas Coutts, Tess Dmitrovsky, Siyabulela Gxekwa, Ali
Jacobs, Alex Mamacos, Motsamai Moloi, Esti Strydom.

Their diverse backgrounds and experiences added to their unique representations.

If photography is your thing & you like the old-school way of doing things, then this exhibit is right up you alley. Also check out Exposure Gallery’s funky type manifesto to find out more about Lomography. They also supply the gear that you will need to start your own Lomo-project.

Send your interesting pics to the ZestCulture team, best attempt will appear on ZestCulture.com as picture of the week