by ivis | Sep 19, 2018 | Lifestyle, Travel
Travelling has been a passion of mine since I could remember, most three-year-olds would be afraid of getting on a plane but not me. My family constantly remind me of how excited I was to get on my first ever plane at the age of 3 and surprisingly 14 years later nothing has changed. I still love that feeling of getting on a plane and knowing that there’s a whole other world out there that’s just waiting for me to discover, a new culture for me to experience and new memories for me to create.
Throughout my life, I have been lucky enough to travel to amazing places around the world such as Amsterdam, Spain, the south of France, Qatar and South Africa but there’s still so much that I have left to see and experience. In my opinion, travelling not only educates you as a human being but it also challenges you by teaching you new skills you never thought you could do and it helps you to get in touch with yourself, grow as a person and helps you to figure out what it is that you exactly want from life. It gives you a whole new perspective. But most importantly travelling makes history come alive. You get the chance to see and experience everything that you have ever read and heard about.
People always say that in life you only ever regret the things that you didn’t do and I completely agree with this, in my eyes, everything happens for a reason and our actions reflect how we felt at that moment in time, therefore, we can never regret the things we did, instead we should see them as life lessons. 10 years from now I don’t ever want to regret the decisions that I made. Sometimes I feel that as people we over think everything and although taking responsibility for our lives is important our happiness should come first, above everything and anything else, sometimes you just need to be spontaneous and do whatever it is to make sure that you’re living the best life possible. Men are so much better at putting themselves first than we are as women, this is something that we need to learn from them because life is meant to be a joyous thing.
As soon as I turn 18 I am grabbing my passport and I plan on going EVERYWHERE, however, I will not be backpacking, staying in hostels or hitting the interrail. As much as I want the full experience I am way too high maintenance for that – I have extremely high standards. If I’m travelling I plan on spending my time in the most luxurious hotels and resorts. I Can’t have it any other way, after all, I want to document it all for you guys!
I’d love to know your Top 10 places to visit in the comments! Mine are
- Cuba
- Bali
- Mauritius
- Senegal
- Italy
- Mozambique
- The Philippines
- Japan
- Dubai
- Saint Lucia
by ivis | Jul 14, 2018 | Beauty, Lifestyle
Love them or hate them, we cannot deny the fact that the Kardashian/ Jenner family are incredible businesswomen. Whether or not you believe that they’re talented I have so much respect for them as a businesswoman myself. In my humble opinion, It takes a lot of intelligence and ambition to accomplish everything they have accomplished thus far in their careers – they have come beyond reality tv and managed to build a billion dollar empire! They have utilised their resources and have managed to become the most successful reality stars ever!
The fact that at just 21 years of age Kylie Jenner is set to be the youngest ever self- made billionaire is mind-blowing. I may not know her personally but I am so proud of her and this achievement, from watching her on my Tv screen since KUWTK started to seeing her grow up into this powerful businesswoman has been so inspiring. I am so proud of the woman she has become! Also, can we all just appreciate the fact that A WOMAN now graces the title of being US’ youngest ever self-made billionaire, I don’t know about you but the feminist inside me is screaming right now! I feel like as women we’re always in competition with each other because of the male-dominated world we live in when we really should be helping each other to grow, I hate people who hate on others – it’s a waste of energy and time – just be happy for people and know that through hard work success will come to you. Put that energy into your own projects and focus on yourself and only you!
Kylie launched her first ever lip kits in November 2015 which sold out in less than a minute, crashing the website. I remember when the products first launched everyone everywhere wanted a lip kit – they wanted to achieve the ultimate Kylie Jenner “pout”. 3 years on from the launch I still don’t know how I haven’t managed to get my hands on one! After the launch Ms Jenner relabelled her business Kylie Cosmetics and sales continue to make records, making a reported $19m in one day in late 2016. How incredible is that? How many teenagers could ever say that they have made $19m in a day? Three years later Kylie has reportedly made a total of $630m (£470m) in sales, evolving her brand from only selling lip kits to other products such as glosses, highlighters and eye-shadows. The brand has gone from strength to strength keeping people on their toes by maintaining the initial FOMO exclusivity – using countdowns to reveal products and selling them on limited edition releases, often in collaboration with her famous siblings and her mom.
“It’s naïve, and lazy, to think a white woman born into fame and the upper classes — a woman with a famous last name, brand cache, a seemingly infinite amount of investment capital to play with, safety nets, and access to a tapestry of resources — is a model for the “self-made” success story that, to many, represents the American Dream,” wrote Emerald Pellot in Cosmopolitan.
Forbes’s estimated that her cosmetic company, reality television show, various sponsorships and endorsements has a $900 million empire that will soon reach $1 billion. Her impending billionaire status isn’t in question it’s inevitable. However, people are mad at how Forbes labelled that status — saying that Kylie was self-made and including her in a group of “#SelfMadeWomen”. The definition of Self- made is having succeeded in life unaided. So I completely get why people are mad about Forbes saying Jenner is self- made. And this has kicked off a discussion about our perceptions of how people make money, how we value the Kardashians, and whether any of that is fair. If Kylie weren’t a Jenner and didn’t have Kim Kardashian as a half-sister would she still have had the same level of success? Would she still be set to be a billionaire at 21? I highly doubt it, her success would have been much harder to come by and that’s a fact. Critics’ main argument about the Forbes story was that it was irresponsible for that magazine not to address how Jenner’s family’s fame helped her amass her fortune.
However, we have to be open-minded and acknowledge that we live in a new generation run by celebrities of the likes of Kylie Jenner and influencers – they influence our buying habits, especially when it comes to beauty. So if you want to hate on Kylie for her success you’re also going to have to hate on the millions of followers and haters that got her to this point in her life.
Stephanie Saltzman, beauty editor at Fashionista, says it cannot be overstated how significant influencers and online marketing have been.
She describes the recent change as a “democratisation” within an industry that she believed had gone stale in its approach.
“Maybe historically consumers would use what their Mom used, or would go explore a beauty counter in a department store. Now it’s in the palm of their hands through social media,” she says.
“It feels more authentic coming from a person and Kylie Jenner is a person as opposed to a blanket, faceless corporation.”
“Social media and the success of influencers has proved that personality sells, and partnering with real people, rather than traditional media, offers brand the opportunity to show more personality.”
by ivis | Apr 23, 2018 | Interview, Lifestyle
These days it seems like no matter where you’re from or where you live there is a high chance that if you’re African you know what gqom is. Evolved from Kwaito, tribal house and skeletal hip-hop influences, gqom – a word meaning “hit” or “drum” in Zulu is taking the world by storm and one of the pioneers behind it’s growing popularity is DISTRUCTION BOYZ. Every song produced the duo makes you want to get up on your feet and dance regardless of whether or not you can! Their album ‘Gqom is the Future” is one of the biggest and hottest albums released last year in South Africa, – the biggest hit from the album was Omunye which reached beyond South Africa and become globally known as it featured in this years blockbuster movie of the year – Black Panther. The song was replayed more times than I can count and I’d stretch as far as to say it was the party anthem of the year!
Who are your musical influences?
We are mostly influenced by the mordern day culture artists like okmaloomkoolkat,Dj Tira amd diplo
How did you come up with the name Distruction Boyz?
We used to make mixtapes for the end of school term parties and people ended up naming us distruction boyz ‘coz our mixtapes where fire
How would you describe life growing up in Kwa-mashu?
It was amazing we used to play a lot its an amazing township
How did you guys meet and why did you decide to produce music together as a group rather than as individuals?
We grew up together and our parents were friends before we were even born it wasnt a difficult decision to make since we have been together all our lives.
How would you describe your sound in 5 words?
Bold,Hyponotic,Fresh,electric and powerful
Why do you believe that Gqom is the future?
The way the sound has grown in the past couple of years and its current standing shows that it has a great future in the industry
Who has been your favourite artist to work with and who do you hope to work with in the future?
Dladla mshunqisi he is an amazing artist and performer.We would love to work with anyone that believes in the movement
What was the vision when you started Distruction Boyz records?
Pushing the gqom movement in different avenues giving as many gqom artists out there as possible
When you first released Omunye did you ever expect it to be this big of a hit not only in South Africa but around the world?
We believed in it but we were also surprised when it won song of the year here in south africa.
What is your all time favourite song that you have ever produced and why?
It has to be Uzophuza Manzi its the one song that was able to get us recognition
What are your plans/ goals for the rest of 2018?
More music and getting the sound to all the corners of the world
I would like to thank Distruction Boyz for this interview, I cannot wait to see what is to come ahead for them in the future!
by ivis | Apr 21, 2018 | Lifestyle
Spring has finally decided to grace us with it’s presence. Spring is all about new life and what a better time to get rid of everything that you no longer need in your life than this season? And it pains me to say this as a fashion blogger but yes this also means getting rid of that 5 year old jacket that you have worn twice in the last year that you clearly hold on to dearly.
Since I am a girl I buy a lot of clothes over the space of a year and i have to be honest that it is really hard to get rid of some of the items that you have owned for years because they hold so many good and bad memories but sometimes it just has to be done in order to open a new chapter in your life. Unlike me my brothers have no problem with throwing stuff away but after all they are boys!
When reorganising your wardrobe these are the questions that you need to ask yourself, do i really need this? Am i ever going to wear this? When am i ever going to wear this? Should i donate this to charity? Should i sell it? Does it still fit? or Should i just toss it?
In everyones wardrobe there is always at least one staple piece item that will never go out of style and is perfect for every season like a biker jacket and that one comfortable jumper that goes with absolutely everything. Am i wrong?
How to know when to sell an old item of clothing:
- it doesn’t fit
- its not your style any more
- you hardly ever wear it
How to know when to give away an old item of clothing:
- You can’t sell it
- It’s not underwear
- it is’t broken or discoloured
How to know when to bin it:
- it’s underwear and it’s torn or broken
by ivis | Apr 9, 2018 | Lifestyle
For some reason I forgot to introduce this series last week but better late than never right? For the next few weeks every Sunday I am going to be posting everything summer weddings! (with the exception of this week of course because it’s clearly no longer Sunday). This week on Summer Wedding Extravaganza we’re going to be talking engagement rings. If you’re planning on proposing to your girlfriend or you’re just a girl who wants ideas on the perfect engagement ring because you’re extremely picky or you’re nowhere near getting engaged but you just like to plan these things in advance then welcome to todays blog post. Looking for the right ring is more difficult than you could anticipate because you have to consider the cut, shape, setting style and metal of the ring. If you’re anything like me then you want the most blinding, timeless and classy engagement ring, I feel as though sometimes rings can look a little cheap without meaning to when they’re too OTT, do you guys get what I mean?
An engagement ring needs to represent you as a person because you’re gonna be living with it for the rest of your life and if you’re a sentimental person you might want to pass it down the family blood line from one generation to the next like what they do in all the romantic movies and Tv shows. What I’m trying to say is that you shouldn’t just like you’re engagement ring, you should fall in love with it – it needs to be the love of your life, if it’s not love at first sight then it’s not the one for you.
The History Of The Engagement Ring
They gave us Calendars, Anatomy, Clocks, Written Language and so much more, like many great traditions in society today, the gifting of an engagement ring originated in Ancient Egypt, where its circular shape was said to symbolize an eternal cycle. It was worn on the fourth finger of the left hand, where it was believed there was a vein that led straight to the heart, beginning a custom that continues today across many cultures. Several centuries later, in 1477, the tradition of diamond engagement rings began, when Archduke Maximillian of Austria presented Mary of Burgundy with a delicate band adorned with diamonds in the shape of her first initial – winning her hand and heart over another suitor. This was the very first diamond engagement ring on record and led on to spark a trend for diamond rings among European aristocracy and nobility. While the tradition of expressing one’s commitment has varied throughout the ages and across cultures, by the 1930s, the diamond engagement ring became a popular symbol to mark the promise of eternal love.
My Favourite engagement rings atm
by ivis | Apr 1, 2018 | Fashion, Lifestyle
I may only be 17 but I cannot wait for the day that I get married! I have always dreamed of having the perfect wedding; so much that I plan on having 2 and wearing 6 dresses. I know it sounds ridiculous but being the fashionista I am I need a dress for each stage of my wedding; one for the ceremony, reception and after party. Secondly the reason for me wanting 2 weddings is because I want all of my loved ones to see me get married meaning that I need to have a wedding here in the UK and one in Africa, that way everyone I love gets to share the happiest day of my life with me and I get to do it twice! I envision it to be one of the happiest moments of my life and a part of my life that I will cherish for a lifetime.
The most important thing for me and all most every woman out there who dreams of getting married has to be the dress- we all want the perfect dress or in my case dresses. And for some of us money will not be an object when it comes to purchasing that dress. Although it’s not quiet the same process, what I found last year when trying on prom dresses is that our minds can change on what we perceive to be our ‘dream’ dress and that at times we end up picking a design that had never even crossed our minds. I guess what I’m trying to say is that visit as many stores as you possibly can, try on every style you can to get as much variation as possible – don’t just go on pictures because your ideal dress may not be what you expected. I remember last year before even visiting the first prom dress shop, I had already picked out my dress but when I got there it wasn’t the perfect fit I had pictured in my head, so DO NOT rule anything out – every dress is a possible candidate, but more importantly don’t stress, have fun with it and in time you’ll find the right dress for you!
If you really want to make your special day even more special I would recommend getting your dress custom made that way you know that no one else will have worn the same dress as you making your wedding day that little bit more unique! But if you don’t know where you would even start with the design process or you’re just simply a lazy bride here are some of my favourite couture gowns from my top 10 favourite bridal designers to help you in your search for your dream dress;
Marchesa
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Zuhair Murad
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Monique Lhuillier
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Oscar De La Renta
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Elie Saab
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Vera Wang
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Alex Perry
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Viktor and Rolf
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Georges Hobeika
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Mira Zwillinger
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by ivis | Mar 25, 2018 | Interview, Lifestyle
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of interviewing the incredibly talented Mr Vusi Nova. Vusi Nova is one of my all time favourite South African artists, his music is soulful, full of passion and it honestly makes you want to fall in love and find that one person that you want to spend the rest of your entire life with It’s that amazing! I don’t want him to sing at my wedding, I need him to! I love everything about his sound and but most importantly I love how he incorporates his Xhosa roots in his music, his album NANINA is 99.9% Xhosa and it is such a vibe, whether or not you understand xhosa you need to listen to it because trust me when I say that you will fall in love with this man just as I have.
Vusi was named “Music Royalty “after he performed his song “Ndikuthandile” in front of a crowd that loved his music. The SAMA 23 came and saw the afro pop sensation being nominated and winning an award for the Nanina album. 2017 being the year for Vusi Nova, afro pop singer also won 2 awards at the South African Afro Music Awards in 2017, winning Best Afro Album and Best male.
When did you first get into music? was becoming a musician always part of the plan?
I come from a family that was musical in a church way, it was my mom who really inspired me to pursue my dreams. My mother was my number 1 supporter and she inspired me after me joining her in JHB to start performing.
Who are your musical influences?
It would have to be R Kelly and Marvin Gaye. R Kelly has this way of fusing the old school with the new school, and that’s what I try to do in South Africa with my music as well. With Marvin Gaye, he is classic, and how he uses love in his music is amazing.
How would you describe your sound in 5 words?
Hmmm wow – Love, Life, experiences, hurt and blessings
What made you finally decide that it was time to take charge and follow your dreams of becoming a musician?
It was my mom; she was the one who encouraged me to pursue my dreams. She always believed in me.
What inspires you when writing music because a lot of your songs revolve around love, have you yourself ever been in love?
I am a firm believer in love, I believe in that Cliché love – love can heal the world. So the music I write is about my experiences, about love found and love lost, love for family, friends, heart ache and everything in between. That is all in my music. Oh, and I have been in love, and when I was it was blissful and amazing, that when it ended I was heartbroken. However, music is very therapeutic in that it helped me get over a lot of things. My love
What can we expect to see from your music wise in the next coming months?
I’m back in the studio now, since Naninina I have experienced life a bit more and I’m ready to express that through music as well. So I’m working on some new material.
Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
I’d love to be travelling all over the continent, world. I’d also love to be mentoring other artists, there are so many talented artists in SA that we haven’t discovered yet
What is your favourite song from Naninina and why?
How can you make me choose, wow. I love my entire album, so I can’t choose one but I can try and give you my best 5 – Naninina, Ndikuthandile, Thandiwe, Impazamo and Memeza.
What is your proudest achievement so far in your career?
Well for the first time in 2017 I won BEST AFRO POP ALBUM for my album Naninina, at the South African Music Awards (SAMAs), and at the South African Afro Music Awards, I walked away with BEST MALE and BEST AFRO Album as well which was a total shock for me. However, I must say one of the proudest moments has been mentoring 047 – this young afro soul group of boys who are incredible. They have grown so much, and they’re actually working on their first studio album. When I say Vusi has to sing at my wedding I mean it with every part of my body,
What advice would you give to all South Africans our there who want to start a career in the music industry?
It’s really not what it seems. Don’t look at the flashy cars and houses and assume that’s exactly how it will be from the get go. If music is really what you want to do, make sure you understand every aspect of the music industry, and you’re also willing to work hard.
Thank you again to Vusi for doing this interview with me! Can’t wait to see what the future holds for you!
Connect with Vusi on:
Twitter: @VusiNova
Facebook: @VusiNova
Instagram: @vusinova1
by ivis | Mar 11, 2018 | Lifestyle
Paris, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The city of love. The city of lights. The fashion capital of the world. The city of Paris is so many things to so many people, with so much to see and so much to offer a weekend in Paris is one that you just simply cannot refuse.
The French cuisine has always been so intriguing to me, like anyone else I love food however I’m not really one for trying new things, especially snails but then again life is too short and you only live once.
Growing up Zimbabwean we have weird traditional dishes too such as fried caterpillars, every single year I am forced to try them again and again but it’s official, I have never liked fried caterpillars nor will I ever like them. On the other hand, I have always wanted to try frogs legs because I heard they taste like chicken and I would love to see it for myself. Although I am sceptical to the idea of trying snails, If the opportunity does one day arise for me to try them in the wonderful city of Paris I won’t say no, after all travelling is about trying and experiencing new things in a new city. You just can’t say no in Paris!
The Best 6 Michelin Star Restaurants in Paris
Although I have never been to Paris myself I have heard that these are the best Michelin star restaurants in the city, so if you ever visit one of them I’d love to hear about your experience!
Alain Ducasse at the Plaza Athénée Hotel
Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée is a showpiece restaurant, serving dishes — often displaying unusual and interesting bitter notes — that are both unexpected and delicious. The dining room ceiling drips with 10,000 crystals. Ducasse has raised eyebrows in Paris by offering no meat on the menu; instead, expect seafood (turbot, langoustines, lobster and caviar), vegetables from the gardens at Versailles and a range of pulses. Starters cost from €60 with main courses ranging from €85-€135. The restaurant, which has silver banquettes, a wall cabinet of the chef’s culinary equipment and shimmering crystal-drop chandeliers, overlooks a courtyard restaurant that transforms into a skating rink in winter.
Christian Le Squer at Le Cinq, Four Seasons George V Hotel
Le Cinq, determined to up its game on the culinary scene, did so with the arrival of chef Christian Le Squer, long-time three-star chef at Ledoyen, in late 2014. In February 2016, he won Le Cinq its third Michelin star. The Brittany-born chef is particularly at ease with fish and shellfish, including inventive marine and citrus fruit combinations. Unusual starters might include a ‘deconstructed’ onion soup.
Guy Savoy et La Monnaie de Paris
Set right on the banks of the River Seine, Guy Savoy’s flagship restaurant resembles an elegant hotel particulier. Updated by star French designer Jean-Michel Wilmotte, the historic interiors abound with centuries-old soul. Original period features like ornate mouldings and open fireplaces are wrapped in a slate grey hue giving the string of dining rooms a contemporary look, while the large floor-to-ceiling windows frame picture-perfect views of the River Seine, the tip of the Ile de la Cité and the magnificent Louvre visible beyond
Yannick Alléno at Pavillon Ledoyen
The neoclassical pavilion first opened as a small inn in the late 1700s and was moved to its present location at the bottom of the Champs Elysées in the mid-1800s. Discreet, the Parisian landmark counts some of the world’s A-listers among its regulars and in the past, Napoleon and Josephine are said to have met here several times as well as celebrated artists and writers like Monet, Zola, and Degas. Surrounded by blooming gardens, the two-tiered pavilion’s first-floor dining room’s period interiors speak for themselves, as does the bucolic view onto the surrounding trees and the Grand Palais.
Le Meurice
With its extravagant Louis XVI decor, mosaic tiled floors and modish restyling by Philippe Starck, Le Meurice is looking grander than ever. All 160 rooms (kitted out with iPod-ready radio alarms) are done up in distinct historical styles; the Belle Etoile suite on the seventh floor provides panoramic views of Paris from its terrace and you can relax in the Winter Garden to the strains of regular jazz performances.
Le Bristol
Set on the exclusive rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, near luxury boutiques such as Christian Lacroix, Azzaro, Salvatore Ferragamo, Givenchy and Dolce & Gabbana, the Bristol is a supremely luxurious ‘palace’ hotel with a loyal following of fashionistas and millionaires drawn by the location, impeccable service, larger than average rooms and a three Michelin-starred restaurant with Eric Fréchon at the helm
by ivis | Mar 2, 2018 | Lifestyle
It’s been a long time, a very long time in fact since I last did a what I would buy if I won the lottery. But I’m bringing this series back and to kick it off I’m bringing you the most luxurious thing you could ever purchase as a multi-millionaire/ billionaire; a private jet or even multiple if you want to build a collection!
Everyone dreams of living their best life and mine involves owning a private jet. I want to be able to fly wherever and whenever I please. I mean if you have the money why would you not want to own a private jet? First of all, it means no more long queues, no more crying children, no more hours waiting at baggage claim, no more having to share a toilet with hundreds of other people and you get to fly according to your own schedule. I mean what more could you ask for?
Imagine on a cold winters day like today and you can literally just call a pilot and fly to somewhere far far away and soak in the sun in another country! That’s the ultimate dream right there.
Private jets offer the uttermost comfort and make flying bearable, think of it as your very own mini house that flies. Transform it, add a bar, a bedroom, a shower – make it your own and you’ll fall in love with flying!
My favourites
If you’re lazy as well as impatient like myself my top tip when choosing a jet is to choose one with an interior that you love because having to refurbish it is only going to take more time and money. However, if you love renovations then go for it!
For those who don’t want to own one but would still love the advantage of flying in a private jet, here are some great services I’d recommend;
https://www.netjets.com/en-gb/
https://jetsmarter.com
https://www.privatefly.com
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