Cultivating Curiosity

Nikki Brighton brings a special sparkle to the Midlands. She is a beloved resident of Howick (a place she believes is the centre of the universe), a “locavore”, an “invasivore”, a food activist, a writer, a teacher and the author of her latest book, Wild About Weeds: An Introduction to Uncultivated Food. The book is a product of her deeply-rooted love of and connection to nature, slow food living, foraging and their important interrelations. It...

Meet the Team

Lorinda Scott – Founder & Co-CEO Tell us a bit about creating FabMags FabMags started as Estate Press because, right at the beginning, we only did estate-based magazines. When we branched out into community mags, we decided the name had to change to something that covered all that we do. It’s a cool story actually: two stay-at-home moms, who missed our monthly estate magazines (we had recently moved to Ballito), purely by accident started the...

My Story: Nicola Hadfield

A multi-award-winning South African designer, entrepreneur and Notties resident, Nicola Hadfield shares how far she’s come in her successful decades-long career, what inspires her, and what she’s working on next.   Tell us a bit about yourself and your amazing career My love for the interior design industry evolved over time. Because I could manage this career working from home as a single mum, I was able to create my own timetable to ensure my...

Range Rover Sport: Perfectly at Home in the Country

Sporting SUVs have come a long way, but the Range Rover Sport arguably started the trend. We spent the day with the Range Rover Sport D350 from Land Rover Pietermaritzburg and came away with a feeling of pure contentment.   As days in the Midlands go, this was a good one.   We generally never need any excuse to head into the Midlands. As an ex-Pietermaritzburg boy, nearly every weekend was spent meandering the roads...

Two Guys & a Bookshop

Meet Adam Riley and Robert Cronjé, two guys who are passionate about collecting coins and books. They are also the proud owners of Midlands Books & Collectables, which they opened on 1 May this year at The Old Mushroom Farm.   The two fellas met when Robert joined the PMB Numismatic Society in 2017, of which Adam has been a member since 1982. In case you don’t know what numismatic means, it has to do...

Two Decades of Growth

From a seedling vision to a budding and blooming nursery, meet the family behind the Midlands Garden Centre and how they keep growing, come rain or shine.   Situated in Rosetta on Old Main Road, Midlands Garden Centre is celebrating its 20th anniversary this September! The beloved store opened its doors on 1 September 2003 and is still going strong. The owners, Albert and Jacky Jooste, have made it through “black frost, hail storms, wind...

Qambathi Mountain Lodge Hosts Tom Cruise

It’s not every day that a movie star comes to our neck of the province, but it’s also not an impossible mission to find great accommodation in the Midlands that is ‘celebrity-worthy! Qambathi Mountain Lodge, a boutique eco-lodge and nature reserve in the upper Kamberg Valley, hosted none other than the acclaimed Hollywood star Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie and their production team for a few months last year during the filming for the eighth Mission:...

Old Boys & Girls Making Their Mark

We are going back in time in this edition, uncovering even more gems, old pupils to be specific, from our local Midlands schools. Join us as we follow how their path to success unfolded over the years since they matriculated and look at where they are now. Mbaliyezwe Ndlela is from Howick High School. She matriculated in 2009. Her Visual Art teacher, Mrs Lindi Beard, recognised Mbali’s ‘distinctive style’ in her art lessons and the...

Leaving a Legacy

  Sometimes being legendary happens, and other times we need to make it happen, which is a bit of both in Mongezi’s case. “Legacy” is a loaded word we often associate with leaving, as in “leaving a legacy”. It’s a big deal and a lot of responsibility. Have you ever thought about the legacy you would like to leave one day? You might need a moment to think about it.   While you think about...

Taking Care of Your Fur Family

We all love and care for our families and we don’t exclude the furry family members! That’s why we have spoken to an amazing programme about the knowledge of rabies and got knowledgeable insight from a pet store that is dedicated to helping your furry friends through nutrition and a travelling groomer who makes your pets feel safe in their own homes while being groomed. Funda Nenja has been making a difference to the lives...