On cold mornings, I recall my mother bustling about in our suburban South African kitchen, ladling out bowls of creamy mealie meal papor porridge. Hot from the saucepan, she’d stir in a little more milk and sugar, and occasionally, a cube of cold, unsalted butter and a tablespoonful of tinned golden syrup.
On 28 April 2018 Slow Food chapters around the world gathered to celebrate the use of sustainable produce, scraps and leftovers, by preparing pots of soup and sharing a meal. This was the third Disco World Soup Day - here's what went down at the Cape Town gathering. Words, Food & the Fabulous® intern Nwabisa Ngumbela. [...]
Lunch with Slow Food's Carlo Petrini - a photo essay. On 17th August 2016, I attended a private lunch with Slow Food's Carlo Petrini, founder and president of the movement ( Slow Food International), on the last official day of his tour through South Africa, his first visit to southern Africa. Just prior to that he [...]
Cape Town Magazine Instagram Takeover - So Fun! Collage Cape Town mag Cape Town Magazine Instagram Takeover. Over the weekend of 12 August, the intrepid folks at Cape Town Magazine, one of the best sources of information on everything in the Mother City, asked me to curate their Instagram account. I shared a few [...]
Walking Johannesburg. Exploring the expansive inner city districts The expansive inner city districts of Johannesburg, once sidestepped by tourists, are now thriving with a boost from investment and passionate locals. Ishay Govender-Ypma hits the lively streets and spends some time walking Johannesburg. For SAA Sawubona Magazine, May 2015. The Prince of Newtown Just outside the [...]
Taste of the Swahili Coast - Swahili Food The Swahili Coast runs from southern Somalia to northern Mozambique, a unique cultural melting pot that reflects in the cuisine. For Fine Dining Lovers, July 2016. In the village of Alfeneseni, outside Zanzibar, an east African island popular with holidaymakers for its pristine white shores and [...]
Bloemfontein Blues - A trip down memory lane Retracing my university days in the university town. For Mail & Guardian, July 2016. A decade can fall between the cracks, as effortless as an autumn leaf floating to its unremarkable end in the backyard. Those are the more than 10 years between Bloemfontein and I. I [...]
Trust in Travel – What You Fear May be What They Fear While travelling the backroads, cities and towns of South Africa on an extended project, Ishay Govender-Ypma soon learns that the trust in travel is a two-way street. For Mail & Guardian, May 2016. road that leads to... I’m texting my brother [...]
Open Streets Cape Town - Q&A with Founder Meet the founder of Open Streets, Cape Town - Marcela Guerrero Casas Ishay: Why did you pick Bree Street to incorporate in the Open Street initiative? Marcella: When we first chose it in 2015 we thought it’d be an interesting street to test for some of the [...]
Bree Street, Cape Town - My 5 Favourite Spots Bree Street has, over the past five years, become the restaurant/bar/fun street in Cape Town. It's tough to pick, but these are five of my favourites. Do you have any must-visit spots on Bree? Read about the transformation on Bree Street for Business Day Chefs Warehouse [...]
