Its very difficult to try and write this post without sounding biased. Since february of 2010, Main Street Life has been my home, my inspiration, and one of the most important things to have existed in my life. I lived in the showspace and documented my life via the interweb on mainstreetlife.tv , a site I still continue to manage. I also started The Bioscope with one of my best friends Darryl Els, which is situated on the ground floor of the building.
I often go up onto the roof and stare out over the city, I often take a bicycle out and explore. I often just enjoy the fact that Im walking as opposed to always being stuck inside a car. Although I’ve been selling the dream of living in the city for months now, Im only really starting to see whats its done for me now, five months later.
I now know whats around the corner, I now know the order of streets in the city, and which way they go in terms of one-ways. I now know The Bioscope is NOT the only independent cinema, and that there are literally thousands of hidden gems that I manage to unearth on a daily basis. I also can now proudly announce that although I have to be realistic and remain aware, I am NOT afraid of the city.
Did I mention Main Street Life was a residential apartment block? with units that are being sold off and rented? at the time of writing this, units are still available, but im not sure how long that will be. There is a boutique hotel called 12 Decades on the top floor, as well as a fantastic roof space with a pool, bar , and boxing gym.
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.
Looking for sure way to score in Joburg? In amongst the enthusiastic teenagers, you’ve got a place you can just as easily become a kid again! You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to regain the feeling of those glory days. There’s nothing like rolling a lumo green ball down a flashing aisle at the back of a dodgy arcade, boasting old classics like Pacman, Super Mario Brothers and even bumper cars to feel like you’re 12 again.
What I find works best is to imagine someone’s face on the pins – an old school teacher who dissed your project or an ex who ‘just wasn’t that into you’. It works, although it may take a while before I qualify for the uniform with the name over the pocket.
The Velskoen Drive-In is officially the last remaining Drive-In theatre in Johannesburg. The experience is much like going to a road house. Haunting in the fact that you know for sure that the place is long past its glory days, but at the same time, such an important thing to preserve.
Pay R65 per car. The first show kicks off at 7:30pm.
We only just stumbled across this gem of a party. The basic idea is getting some up-and-coming fashion labels to bring their stuff together and get it out into the scene. The scene itself is one hip-hop-loving, uber stylist scene, and these events seem to turn into a fat party by the end. Look out for the next event, and the moment we see it become a regular feature we’ll get it into our calendar section.
This event is something best enjoyed by someone who either owns, or wouldn’t have a problem wearing, a baseball cap where nothing’s bent and the sticker of authenticity shines bright.
The fact is: Collector’s Treasury is the largest used book store in the Southern Hemisphere, with something between 1 and 2 million books. On a whole separate floor is something close to half a million used vinyls. The site of which had friend and hip-hop producer Gwaza Juse shit himself with excitement. Added to all this, is the collection of small objects, antiques, and all paper and print-related collectiblse like posters, postcards and vintage prints. Overall, the place is amazing, and deserves a mission to see for yourself. Come with a whole morning to spare because you’ll want to get lost in the back somewhere for as many hours as possible, elbow-deep in amazing things.
Commissioner St (which is the very east part of the CBD).
Roughly 90km out of Joburg, the opulent structure sticks out like a lost city or ancient temple in an Indiana Jones film. The only Buddhist Seminary in Africa also offers non Buddhists meditation retreats from beginner to more advanced disciples and annual traditional Chinese cultural festivals. It’s an hour out of the city but the fantastic vegan meals and the serene peace and quiet, is totally worth the drive. When driving from Witbank to Joburg the sight of the spectacular main shrine shimmering over the dry highveld fields is like nothing on earth…
Scala isn’t a concept store. There was no young hipster behind this business throwing out lines like “lets bring back that old school barber experience”. This place is flat out legit, and has been around since 1968. So it really has seen the world around it change a few times since opening for business. They don’t do the old style shave with the blade anymore. I was a little sad when I heard this. We wanted to grow beards, and have it be a Jobusy Adventure…but alas.
But in return, I get a little happy when I see that the business is still surviving after all these years. expect around R75 for a gents cut.
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.
