Short on vacation time but still have the tendency to get out and explore before the summer ends? Look no more!
Discover how a trip to sundrenched South Africa can be an exciting and fun-filled getaway over just a long weekend.
With an unparalleled combination of nature, culture AND an exciting adventure, South African Tourism highlights how you can explore the destination in just 72 hours. That’s right.
With direct flights from major cities in the US, a favorable exchange rate and affordable packages it’s never been easier to explore the beauty that South Africa has to offer you.
Here are just some of the most to-do attractions for any visitor planning a quick getaway to this captivating yet marvelous country:
Bunny Chow & Beaches. Durban and KwaZulu-Natal. Visitors looking to experience the natural beauty South Africa has to offer should head on over to the KwaZulu-Natal region. It has a wealth of scenic and cultural attractions, stunning hot beaches, and also offers a unique blend of African-Indian influences.
Durban. A coastal city with a laid-back lifestyle and a favorite amongst you sun-lovers, It has the most beautiful sandy beaches along The Golden Mile. Serving as a popular destination for locals and tourists alike.
The Drakensberg region in the uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park. A World Heritage Site that is only a two-hour drive from Durban, visitors will find a lush green countryside brimming with charming historic towns. Guests can catch a glimpse of The Big Five at the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Reserve, which is one of the best places in the country to see the endangered rhinos along with other members of The Big Five.
History and Wine adventures:
Cape Town. Known as the Mother City, it is renowned for its scenic beauty, bustling downtown, and old charm makes it a favorite destination for international travelers. Table Mountain and Robben Island are two of the most famous landmarks and are important stops for any first timers.
Constantia Valley. Nestled beneath the Table Mountain National Park, this stunning region is home to eight award-winning wine estates and miles of lushes vineyards. The most perfect place to indulge in some of the country’s best wines.
Culture and Nature adventures:
Johannesburg. Known as South Africa’s booming urban playground, packed with cultural sites, shops, and boutiques, it is a trendy culinary scene and contains vibrant art galleries.
The Mandela House. Located in the township of Soweto, it can’t be missed. A guided tour of the home of the iconic former President Nelson Mandela and his family, it provides guests with an insight into his life during the apartheid era. The house continues to stand as an unwavering symbol for the right for human rights.
So, what are you waiting for? Grab your suitcase and get packing!
“Ice Me Out” kicks off what promises to be the biggest chapter of Kash’s already accomplished career as she ignited a high-profile partnership with Republic Records. Independently, Kash Doll has built a dedicated fan base with the help of social media despite having everything stacked against her. With Republic she’ll take her music to the next level, giving her fans and admirers exactly what they’ve been waiting for.
Earlier this year, Kash Doll released a project solely for her fans titled “Brat Mail” to thank them for all their continued support. The project garnered over 13 million global streams and features the break out single “Check”. Shortly before “Brat Mail,” Kash released one of her biggest singles to date, “For Everybody“which racked up 10 million YouTube/VEVO views independently.
Coming from Motor City, Kash Doll first bubbled up in 2014 with a remix of Tinashe’s “Too On” which received airplay on local radio stations. Shortly after, her single “Run Me My Money” went viral and paved the way for the release of her mixtape Keisha vs. Kash Doll which exceeded over 600,000 downloads in the first two days. A child of hip-hop, she started exploding with “For Everybody” in 2017 and was awarded the BMI Social Star award. In 2018 she made headlines by winning the “Issa Wave” Award at the 2018 BET Social Awards. Watch her acceptance speechand a fiery performanceof “For Everybody.” She’s definitely proven herself as an artist to watch.
2018 is a momentous year for South Africa with the Nelson Mandela Centenary marking what would have been 100 years since the iconic leader’s birth.
Officially July 18, 2018 – Mandela Day – marks this historic milestone as throughout the nation, and across the world, people celebrate South Africa’s first black President who was an inspirational anti-apartheid revolutionary and one of the greatest human rights advocates the world has ever seen. This year, South African Tourism invites US travelers to explore his legacy.
In Mandela’s honor, national celebrations will see a series of high-profile events and memorials. In New York, the One World Trade Center’s spire will be lit with the colors of the South African flag to honor the occasion.
On July 17, a day before Mandela Day, former US president Barack Obama will deliver the 16th Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture in Johannesburg. The theme will be “Renewing the Mandela Legacy and Promoting Active Citizenship in a Changing World,” and will honor the centennial of Mandela’s birth.
In other recent news, The Global Citizen Festival will expand from its regular location in New York City to Johannesburg for a special Mandela 100 edition this December, with Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Ed Sheeran and Chris Martin as headliners in honor of his legacy.
In Cape Town’s City Hall, a life-sized statue of Madiba will be unveiled on 24th July in the place where he had his first speech upon release from his imprisonment in Robben Island.
Internationally, the world’s largest musical tribute will also take place on Mandela Day through a series of charitable concerts held live across the world in support of improving literacy among poverty- stricken children. This important musical tribute is organized by Mandela Concerts with the goal of raising millions of dollars towards various projects including building 100 new library units in South Africa’s most vulnerable schools, developing a high school skills program, and providing 200 Toddler Trolley library programs for 5 to 6 year-old South African children by 2021.
Travelers interested to follow in Mandela’s footsteps can download Madiba’s Journey app. South African Tourism, in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, recently re-launched the app to include 100 historic landmarks and sites that influenced Mandela’s life. From the Eastern Cape to Johannesburg to Cape Town and beyond, the app allows users to customize their own itineraries and helps guide them through key landmarks, offering context, photos and curated audio narration about Mandela’s life and the 27 years he spent as a political prisoner. A few notable landmarks are highlighted below:
● The Eastern Cape: Explore Nelson Mandela’s birthplace – an area of outstanding rugged beauty with pristine coastline, virgin bush and subtropical forests.
● Robben Island: Tour the jail cell where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his life, through the eyes of those who experienced it first-hand. Many tours are led by ex-political prisoners.
● Constitution Hill in Johannesburg: Formerly used as a prison, it was here where hundreds of political prisoners were held, including Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo. Constitution Hill is now a living museum and home to South Africa’s Constitutional Court.
● The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg: Acknowledged as the pre-eminent museum in the world dealing with 20th century South Africa, the museum tells the apartheid story.
● KwaZulu-Natal: Visit this province to see the Nelson Mandela Capture Site. After being on the run for 16 months, Madiba was captured and arrested here in August 1962.
● Voting Line Sculpture in Port Elizabeth: A tribute to the thousands of South Africans who participated in the nation’s first democratic elections in 1994.
South African Tourism encourages travelers to celebrate, honor and explore the legacy of Mandela through Mandela themed travel packages.
To book a Nelson Mandela inspired trip, speak to your travel agent or advisor. As a sample, South African Airways Vacation is currently offering a 10-day Mandela’s Journey to Freedom which gives visitors a first-hand, cultural experience following his footsteps as founding father of the New South Africa. Starts at US $2,999* per person. *Terms and conditions apply*
Lil Yachty announces on Instagram that he will be selling his entire Supreme collection and a portion of his designer wardrobe on Grailed.
He wants to give fans an opportunity to own some of the most sought-after Supreme pieces and rare collectibles from Raf Simons, Saint Laurent, Gucci, Margiela x Converse, Gosha and more – items they couldn’t otherwise find or buy and at prices they can afford.
Grailed wants to provide their users and Yachty’s fans with an intimate glimpse into his world so they can put themselves in the shoes of an icon. Yachty has always been very engaged with his fanbase and now he’s furthering that by giving unprecedented access on the platform he knows will speak to them directly.
“I think it’s all about individuality. There’s always that one out of the bunch that’s just destined to be different. I had red hair in 11th grade. There’s always someone who dares to be different, like Andre 3000, Young Thug and myself. I remember people used to laugh at my hair. You got the people who follow the trend and then you have the trendsetter. Regardless of everything else going on, they do what they want. I never dressed to impress anybody. I’m flashy, but I don’t wear anything in the hope someone else likes it. I wear what I want to wear because I just like to wear it.”
The collection is live on grailed.com for a preview. Yachty’s sales drop date is Monday August 27th.
“The Quintessential New York Fall Kick-Off Social Event.”
I am thrilled to announce that LDV Hospitality and our Chef Partner Marc Forgione will be featuring American Cut onsite at the 2018 US Open as the official Steakhouse of the tournament, located at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The restaurant will feature signature classics from American Cut’s menu, such as the OG 1942 Hotel Caesar, the Chili Lobster and the 40oz Porterhouse Steak, in addition to American cut cocktails and desserts.
Champions by American Cut is located within Arthur Ashe Stadium at the Club Level between Gate 3 and 4, and will be available to Courtside Box seat holders and Luxury Suite guests. Lodge and Promenade Subscription Series ticket holders may also purchase passes to access the restaurant for the duration of the Tournament.
We Race Comic – Episode 1: the future of racing is here
Transformation is part of history. Mankind is looking to the future. In the race towards tomorrow, the biggest challenge is to find one’s role in an ever- changing world.
It’s 2095. The introduction of the self-driving car has revolutionised the world of racing, but the debut of a new team is fraught with difficulty as it deals with demanding circuits, extreme race conditions and cars out of the pages of a science fiction story…Formula Warp is an unforgettable experience, pushing beyond the limits of human endeavour.
About We Race Comic
Scuderia Ferrari has produced the We Race Comic in collaboration with Giulio Gualtieri, a screenwriter and editor in chief who has worked on many major projects. The We Race Comic comic strip stems from a combination of passion for racing and the world of comics.
In the possibly not too far off future, it tells the story of a passion that spans several eras, without being bound by any limits: because the world can change, but feelings remain the same.
Georgós Greek Wine, an innovative wine company that uses the best of American techniques to handcraft small batch wine in Sonoma Valley from imported Greek fruit, is proud to announce a partnership with Robert Davi, the award-winning actor, screenwriter, director, producer and jazz vocalist.
Davi has appeared in more than 130 films including, THE GOONIES; JAMES BOND: LICENSE TO KILL; DIE HARD, the upcoming film REAGAN, as well as the groundbreaking TV series Paper Empire.
Currently touring in his show “Davi Sings Sinatra,” where he performs notable tunes from the legendary crooner, Davi has also just released the documentary, “DAVI’S WAY” that explores the challenges and thrills of singing Sinatra’s uniquely American masterpieces.
In addition to his ‘tough-guy’ roles, Davi is well known as a singer. He has performed at The Venetian, The Orleans and Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, headlined the Friars Club’s 90th Anniversary Tribute to Tony Bennett with Robert De Niro and Scarlett Johansson, and recently performed at the United Nations to celebrate its 70th Anniversary. Davi acted and performed in the Frank Sinatra 100th Birthday Special on PBS—most fitting since Sinatra’s work has been foundational in Davi’s own life and career.
Davi and Georgós Greek Wine formed a partnership after Davi purchased a bottle of wine at Whole Foods Market in San Francisco. The bottle happened to be Georgós’ “Santorini” wine. After Davi tasted the crisp white varietal, he fell in love instantly and called it, “one of the smoothest damn wines I’ve ever had.” He then dove into the reds and was inspired to connect with Georgós.
Robert Davi will work with the Georgós team as its brand ambassador to broaden its reach by spreading the wine’s unique story and to help create more great tasting wines. “In my family, wine was as necessary a drink as water. I helped my grandfather make his homemade wine at our family home on Long Island, and have been searching for an opportunity to once again become intimate with the process,” Davi said recently, “I’ve always been a lover of all things Greek – poetry, food, culture, and after tasting all the Georgós blends, it was ordained that I join with them! Robert Rex is a genius at blending wines—rather like a great composer creating a symphony, he blends the notes and tones in these wines creating an experience you will want to go back to time and again. These are truly ‘Greek wines redefined.’ The wines, sustainable and low in sulfites, are not only healthier but will most likely never give you a headache!”
The partnership between Davi and Georgós Greek Wine comes fresh off the heels of another collaboration between the winemaking team and personalities of note. Earlier this year, in partnership with ultra-marathon living legend and one of Time’s “Top 100 Most Influential People in the World,” Dean Karnazes, they createdMarathon Wine.
Georgós Greek Wine founder Georgos Zanganas is especially thrilled to work with Davi, as he sees it as a partnership between two parties who are constantly redefining. “One of my favorite movies of all time is JAMES BOND: LICENSE TO KILL. Robert played a tough guy, and established a great reputation in that archetype,” Zanganas says, “now he has the opportunity to show another side of his personality by singing Frank Sinatra classics at some of the greatest venues across the globe. We have taken the best of the American winemaking techniques and applied them to our imported Greek fruit to change traditional Greek Wine into a super-premium experience – like visiting the Greek Isles in a glass. This partnership will help us spread Georgós and #GREEKWINEREDEFINED to the world.”
Georgós was born after founder Georgos Zanganas moved to San Francisco to work as an engineer. Zanganas is very sensitive to sulfites in wine, and he struggled to find a wine that did not give him a headache or stop the red flush of his face. He even found it difficult to come by good quality Greek wine in the area. Surprising, as the US market was saturated with all things Greek – such as yogurt or olive oil – but curiously not wine. He decided to make a wine perfect for him: clean tasting with low sulfites and no additives. Zanganas discovered Deerfield Ranch Winery in Sonoma Valley (known for their “Clean Wine”), on a trip to Sonoma, where he met winemaker Robert Rex, who was recently named 2018 Winemaker of the year by the American Fine Wine Competition. Together they embarked to make a “clean wine” with imported Greek fruit. Zanganas and Rex spent one year, tasting over 400 samples until they found the perfect recipe to create Georgós Super-Premium Greek wine, which is fruit forward with soft tannins. The rest, as they say, is history.
Zanganas added on the company’s journey, “I never thought that I would be in the wine business, but I wanted everyone to be able to drink a great quality wine without experiencing a headache. I also found the opportunity to make Greek wine in the heart of the US winemaking region an irresistible challenge. It’s like importing and making California olive oil in Kalamata, Greece – to succeed you have to believe in it with passion.”
Currently, Georgós has seven, small batch super-premium Greek wines to market, available direct from the winery online, at Whole Foods in Northern California, and at fine restaurants and hotels in San Francisco and Los Angeles:
•Santorini, “Sophia’s Smile”: a 2017 Assyrtiko similar to a dry, crisp Sauvignon Blanc. •Mykonos, “Wine of Hercules”: a 2013 vintage Agiorgitiko in the Pinot Noir style. •Corfu, “Siren’s Lure”: a 2015 Bordeaux style red blend. •Ios, “Aphrodite’s Kiss”: a 2017 Dry Rosé of Agiorgitiko grapes. •Ithaka, “Penelope’s Spell”: a 2015 blend of premium Greek Cabernet Sauvignon. •Marathon, “Athena’s Vineyard”: a 2017 Assyrtiko blend similar to a dry Sauvignon Blanc. •Marathon, “Nike’s Vineyard”: a 2017 Rosé with the structure of a Pinot Noir. Georgós Greek Super-Premium Wines are the direct result of a team pursuing excellence in flavor and the highest degrees of quality possible. They look forward to creating future partnerships and bringing their delicious and healthy wines to enthusiastic devotees across the country.
Wild Women Expeditions’ Jennifer Haddow Addresses Changing Priorities Of Women-Only Travel Clients.
Corner Brook, NL, CANADA – The company that is blazing new trails for women-only travel keeps a close eye on the changing priorities of its female clientele.
“Their priorities increasingly are valued-based,” observes Jennifer Haddow, owner and visionary director of Wild Women Expeditions. “Women want more meaningful adventures and are more conscious of how and where they spend their vacation time and money. Yes, they still want to enjoy precious time away from their routines to impact themselves, but their concerns extend to a broader community.”
Following are trends Haddow has witnessed over the past few years.
Shaking things up: transformational travel. Says Haddow: “When women sign up for one of our trips ‘transformation’ isn’t on the tips of their tongues. But to choose to spend a week kayaking, hiking and no-frills camping usually means they’re on a quest of some kind, whether they know it or not. On a daily basis they test their own comfort zones by meeting one challenge after another. They learn to listen to and trust each other, creating community. Community – that many lack in their lives – becomes the gateway to learning new skills that can lead to empowerment and transformation.”
Inner healing journeys: wilderness therapy. Says Haddow: “With few exceptions, Wild Women Expeditions’ itineraries place women in wilderness settings with only occasional brushes with society and culture. There are abundant studies on the benefits of forest therapy. One of our programs takes women back in time to spaces inside themselves they’ve never before inhabited. Under the guidance of First Nation female leaders, they hear stories of women as fire carriers, medicine women and knowledge keepers and for a short while immerse themselves in traditional plant medicine, archery, equestrian skills, sacred earth walks and indigenous living skills. Another program honors Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit as only a bare-bones wilderness immersion can accomplish.”
Yoga-themed vacations: out-of-the-box yoga. Says Haddow: “Yoga is a cultural force spilling out of yoga studios and into yoga-themed vacations where practitioners can carry on in exotic settings at luxury retreat centers. We take yoga one step further than a terrace or beachfront vista and integrate yoga with other activities for truly immersive experiences. On our yoga themed wilderness trips, we take yoga out of the box and let women feel the elements as they discover their own power and wellbeing.”
Comfort in the wilderness: going glamping. Says Haddow: “Women May have a desire to go glamping — but with conditions. We meet women half way. Some don’t have the physical ability to do a multi-day backpacking and camping experience. In Patagonia our version of glamping for women with back issues is to give them proper beds but still with enough exposure to the elements so they feel part of the wilderness experience. Our journeys are not survival trips but rather about women warming up to their own inherent connection in and with nature. We want to help them make one journey a life-long adventure, helping them make hay connection and following their bliss into the wild. We’re all about women taking little steps to feel confident in their journeys.”
Asking more questions: conservation matters. Says Haddow: “We’re seeing a growing enthusiasm for tourism to be a force of conservation and the protection of wildlife. There’s more support for changing the perceptions of what animals mean to the world. We feel we are helping make a difference by supporting tiger reserves and parks in India and assisting in Indonesia (Borneo) to protect the critically endangered Bornean orangutan. In Thailand a decade ago there was low awareness of the damage done to the elephant population in this country because of tourism, requiring that elephants become beasts of burden under the physical weight of one of the tourist after another riding them. Villagers are re-appreciating elephants in new ways, in part because of the attention and support they receive from our guests. There’s a movement of women asking the right questions when it comes to their travel opportunities. For example: Are the protocols of developing and executing itineraries ethical in terms of impacts on wildlife and benefits to local communities? Plus, there’s the added value of engaging female guides from these countries to lead our women-only trips. Our clients care that local women get more the benefits of tourism.”
On September 28th, Sony Music’s Certified Classics will release Maxwell’s Embrya.
The release will include a 2-LP white vinyl package and a new 12-page booklet featuring unseen photos from the original Embrya photoshoot shot from Mario Smith.
The audio has been newly re-mastered by Maxwell and Stuart Matthewman, who has worked with Maxwell for over 20 years and who mixed and co-produced the album in 1998. Additionally, it has been re-sequenced, moving the original opening track to the end.
Embrya, originally released in 1998, reached #2 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and #3 on the Billboard 200 and went Certified platinum. It also garnered Maxwell a GRAMMY Award nomination for best R&B album. The album continues to be an integral chapter in Maxwell’s career canon.
In more recent news, Maxwell will perform the National Anthem at the Opening Night Ceremony of 2018 US Open. The performance will take place at Arthur Ashe Stadium prior to the evening session on Monday, August 27th.
Additionally, Maxwell announced his upcoming “50 Intimate Nights Live” North American tour where he will be joining Marsha Ambrosius. The tour will kick off September 27th in Richmond, VA.
Check out a curated playlist of Maxwell’s top hits on Spotify here.
