Originally built as a bird sanctuary, the James and Ethel Grey park is a Jobusy favorite for outdoor spaces. A recent R5-million upgrade transformed the park into landscaped gardens, meandering walkways and sublime scenery. The central area boasts a 180 degree panoramic view – stretching from the east of the city through to the Johannesburg Hospital – clearly showing a decent section of the world’s largest man-made forest. Nestled in the affluent suburbs surrounding Melrose Arch, the park is great for flying your remote-controlled toy plane or socialising your Labradoodle or Italian Greyhound with other pedigrees. Ideal for just chilling too.
Illovo has really grown up in the last few years. Wolvesis the new kid on the block… or rather the new girl with pigtails on the swing in the park on the block. Filled with all manner of kitch art, toys and ceramic deer, the latest addition to the strip is a welcome breath of fresh candy-floss flavoured air. They don’t have a liquor licence (yet) so either bring your own or have some tea and a cupcake instead. The red velvet cake is the most sublime way to start your morning.
Wolves is also one of only two stockists in Joburg of must-have Australian fashion and design magazine Frankie.
4 Corlett Drive, Illovo. Parking right outside, or on the corner of North and Oxford (accessible from North Rd).
This place took me completely by surprise. In fact, pretty much all the public pools I’ve been to in the city have been in great order. The mix of people was amazing. All lining up to take the high dive.
I grew up with a pool in the back yard, and I don’t mean to sound elistist but a lot of middle-class South African’s did, so the idea of ‘chilling at the pool’ with a whole bunch of strangers has always felt a little weird.
Not so much anymore. I now live well above the ground in the city, so a public pool is a pretty rad place to hang out with friends. Decant a little something something into a plastic bottle, get a little summer mix happening in the ghettoblaster/iPod, pack some sun tan cream, and you got yourself a party.
Throughout the day on Sundays, three venues on the Greenside strip host live music while you enjoy the sunshine. Enjoy live jazz in the morning at Vida with some of the country’s best. Fratelli hosts what can only be described as great acoustic folk covers of bands like Radiohead, MGMT and others (pictured above). This works great around Fratellis half priced cocktail jug special from 3pm till 5pm. And then Mamas Shebeen keeps the party going with more of a jazzy funk vibe from 7 onwards
When people talk about Emmerentia Dam, they are effectively speaking of not only the physical dam itself, but also the giant park space that surrounds it. That park space has been named The Johannesburg Botanic Gardens, so don’t let that get confusing. The space is home to the Encounters Music Concerts in summer, and other great spaces like the Shakespeare Garden, and Rose Garden. Added to this list, is also the very active Dabulamanzi Canoe Club. On any given day, expect lots of bicycles, dog walkers, joggers, and the occasional fisherman. The sprawling gardens, and water views make the space is so ideal for picnicking.
The Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens might just be one of the nicest and quickest get aways for anyone looking for some peace and quiet. You head out west of the city. Out to a land of nurseries vegetable gardens, and the occasional taxidermist. The gardens have forever been home to the famous family of black eagles that just below the mouth of the most picturesque waterfalls. Once just named The Botanical Gardens, the addition of Mr Sisulu’s name is welcomed warmly in the name of generating some heritage.
We have long since seen Emmerentia Dam as the Central Park of Johannesburg. And now apart from it being a great dog park, and place to kiss a loved one in the shade of a tree, its also become a great live performance venue. Building the permanent thatch stage might have been the park’s most successful endeavor to date! The programming of the events are so diverse.
Shows take place on the first weekend of every month. The 2009 program was incredibly successful. So we eagerly await whats in store for us in 2010. Already it seems that the Joburg leg of Ram Fest will be held here.
Its a great place to stock up on all sorts of shit you really don’t need but find yourself loving. Find anything from cheap Market Street style sunglasses, to sweet vinyls and artifacts from a childhood growing up in the early nineties. It turns out to be great day when combined with a cold beer any where on the Greenside strip. First Saturday of the month are junk sales where they’re filled out to the pavement with all kinds of hustle and bustle.
They now have this reallly cool blog, so you can get excited about all their stock before coming.
Find them on Greenways Rd. Greenside. Just around the corner from the main Greenside strip
The Jolly will always be full of people on a Sunday, the half priced pizza special is common knowledge for bachelors, and students that are either too lazy to cook, or not quite ready to end the weekend.
The idea is simple. In order to truly love something, you first have to understand it. Johannesburg is no different in this regard.
Connect with the real city through those who live and play here. The result? A catalogue of Johannesburg like no other.
