Thithi currently works as a producer, is a qualified graphic designer and worked at a magazine as a fashion assistant. She spends her time trying to manipulate situations at work so that a stylist is required, shopping to feed her need to be surrounded by clothes, shoes and bags, changing her hairstyle and explaining that her name doesn’t really mean anything.

My perfect Joburg day often happens when I need to go and get my hair done because I don’t go out on the Friday night, as my hair looks shocking, which means I’m up bright and early on a Saturday morning and can fit a lot into one day. I start my day with my hair appointment in town, which can take a good four hours for the hairstyle I currently have. The hair salon is not a slick and fancy establishment, but I like it because it’s reasonably priced. It’s full of hilarious individuals and more than anything I get to watch the most amusing hairstyles come to life. When I am done with my hair I take a stroll around the city streets and look for interesting buys. I never really know what street I’m in because I literally only know how to get to the salon; I always park in the same spot and have to retrace my footsteps. I always make sure to get out of town before lunchtime, so I have enough time to go past the Oriental Plaza and just mission about and look at zebra-print fabric (and secretly wish I knew how to sew so that I can actually make the clothes I see in my head). I then like to go past the Deerhunter clothing sale in Greenside and spend my salary shopping by committee with my two best friends. Usually the list consists of vintage jumpsuits, sling bags and blouses. Dinner before going out, on a day so perfect, should ideally end at Trabella because Tracy is wonderful, the food is gorgeous and she’ll always try and squeeze you in even without a booking.

Five words to describe Johannesburg? Grey, love, anonymous, fun, ambiguous. She lives in this gorgeous flat in Killarney, the ‘Larney as she and her neighbors and friends call it. Her other favourite cities are Amsterdam and Stone Town in Zanzibar.

Although originally from Cap City – Pretoria, She believes that in Joburg everybody is always trying to do something. People are serious ‘moonlighters’ here. They go into the recording studio after a day’s work at the bank, deliver their trucker cap stock to Ritual Stores during their lunch break. Besides all of that some places in Johannesburg have a way of making you feel like you’re not in the city.

‘I have found myself defending when other people insult it. I have also found myself angry at the city when it kicked my butt and I was smash-and-grabbed”. What would she tell people in Cape Town? “living a relaxed lifestyle doesn’t mean doing everything at a glacial pace.’

For her, Johannesburg’s best kept secret is something abstract. ‘I know a lot of people who say that they wouldn’t raise their kids in Joburg, I think I was one of them until I moved here, but it’s a great place for a family. I don’t have one, but I can imagine taking my kids to Emmarentia Dam to play and buy ice lollies from the vendor. When they’re a bit older and less admin-intensive exploring the inner city and discovering second-hand gems. If my kid is a boy, introducing him to the other kids that skate at Library Gardens, getting him a board and letting him skate there. Joburg’s best kept secret is that there is so much to do and see, besides the malls, clubs and shiny stuff. If you’re open minded you can have the most ‘mix-masala’ of weekends.’