Let The Ride Begin, Life On Two Wheels

May 30, 2016 | ,

There is a time for everything. And when it comes to my life, the time for a motorcycle was definitely not in my 20s. I was a bit of a speed freak and I probably would not be writing these words, if I had explored bikes then. Three years ago, as I drifted into my 40s, I decided that it was time to try life on two wheels. My clichéd line was “I reckon I’m at the age where I can ride somewhere on a Sunday for pancakes, especially because I love pancakes.” At that point, my only previous experience with riding a bike was attempting to ride in a friend’s yard at 16, dropping it on my thigh and...

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Play: Sony Wireless Headphones MDR10-RBT

May 10, 2016 | ,

The headphone landscape has, over the last decade or so, been reinvigorated by the iPod and the smartphone sector. I, for one, probably listen to more music on a daily basis on my smartphone than I did, in general. At least since my Walkman and Discman became obsolete. Walk through the streets of many a city and town and you will see many a person with headphones on – whether in- or over-ear. Plus, Beats By Dre, in a way, made headphones a lifestyle item by aligning themselves with musicians, sports people and other public personalities. Choosing a pair of headphones has become as...

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Finding New Balance

Apr 25, 2016 |

There’s something about a well-told story that gets me every time. And, today, as consumers, we want to hear stories that truly resonate with us, as opposed to typical marketing mumbo jumbo. I connect with stories. Like a great bass line in a song, a good story hooks me totally. I like sneakers. I collect them, but my collection has always been functional, from my North Stars and Gypsies in the 70s and 80s to my British Knights, Adidas Sambas and Shelltoes, Converse All-Stars, Jack Parcells, Pumas, etc in the 90s and 00s. When I was a sprinter, a couple of lifetimes ago, my spikes were Nike....

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Sending Back With PayPal

Apr 7, 2016 |

In my previous job, I used to travel internationally a bit. To the point where my kids, especially my son, the Prince, were accustomed to my going off halfway across the world for a couple of days every month or two. And, when I travelled, I tended to come back with multiple gifts, generally things I couldn’t get at home or were slightly cheaper in those countries. I have spent many a day walking between aisles in the Disney shop in whatever country I’m in and frequenting sneaker shops. About two years ago, I went to Paris for a launch and the Prince was very specific about what he wanted –...

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Grooming: Find Your Signature With Playboy

Mar 16, 2016 |

The silhouette of a rabbit wearing a bowtie is probably one of the most recognisable logos globally. In South Africa, Playboy Deodorant which has, since 2010, been owned by AMKA Products, is one of the fastest growing Male Deodorant brands. It was also “Coolest Male Deodorant” at the 2015 Sunday Times Generation Next Brand awards “Fragrance speaks the loudest on a subliminal level.” - Marian Bendeth To be honest, as a 40-something year old, the deodorant has always seemed for a consumer much younger than I. I did use it years ago in my 20s but have since moved onto other body sprays. Playboy...

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Play: Bang & Olufsen’s BeoPlay H7

Mar 8, 2016 | ,

The headphone space is highly competitive with the proliferation of celebrity-endorsed and, in some instances, celebrity-launched headphones. For many manufacturers, it has been a proper battle to ensure continued market share while, for us consumers, the abundance of choice makes it that much harder to decide. Bang & Olufsen’s BeoPlay H7 is beautifully designed by respected Danish designer Jakob Wagner. According to Danish Design Award, “Jakob Wagner’s design is known for its characteristic landscape of form, driven by a quest to strile the balance between two opposing elements, such as...

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