Remotely interviewing Jo-Ann Strauss, while my husband and I travel – and count down our last fourteen weeks before we welcome our first child – I think back to being an awkward tween watching both Top Billing and Pasella. It feels like, in a way, I have come full circle – I know how to manage my curls, my SPF routine is reasonably sound, I do work I enjoy and I’ve started a family of my own. And … I get to interview the curly girl who travelled and interviewed people with a similar curiosity as I have for this interview.
Far apart from the fashion, decor and travel I so enjoyed and felt inspired by, what drew me to Jo-Ann‘s radiant smile, body language and voice was that like me, she was an olive-skinned curly girl. Better yet, she seemed to have a firm head on her shoulders and a true heart for people. Inching further down in her Wikipedia bio, her social projects tab refreshingly outweighs the slew of titles it opens with, hinting at the heart of who she is and the person who revealed herself in a series of 23 WhatsApp voice notes focused not on the Princess Project and all that comes next, but the role of grief, guilt and growth in her life and family.
Two years on from her last W&H cover, she feels the way many of us do post-pandemic – that a lot has changed and a lot hasn’t. Grief came knocking and life at home has settled into a comfortable, centred hum of sorts, all while the business world and travel has opened up and injected the need to juggle and maintain some semblance of balance once again.
LIFE RELOADED
Esta historia es de la edición April 2023 de woman & home South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 2023 de woman & home South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Till death do us part
It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages, said Nietzsche. He may be on to something, says Lorraine Kearney
Hit the ROAD
Ensure your vehicle is as ready as you are for your long-awaited summer road trip
Make a meal of it
There are two basic rules when it comes to wine and food pairing: acidic wine with acidic food, and low acid wine with savoury food, Lorraine Kearney learns
Update your GARDEN
Now's the time to refresh your outdoor space
the art of INTERIORS
Colour and texture are the stars of this apartment, writes MARGARET RAFFERTY
FALLING OFF THE DIET WAGON isn't a disaster
Changing your mindset is key when it comes to smashing your health and fitness goals, says Annie Deadman. Already let things slip? It's not over yet
LIFE after BETRAYAL
Broken trust can take on many forms, but there's always one common denominator - a feeling of hurt that can last for decades
The Ties That Bind
We're all humans, which means we all need relationships to survive. stands to reason that good relationships are the best kind to have. There are ways to get there, says Lorraine Kearney
A beauty REVELATION
The self-care sanctuary Nylde Hoffman and Riëtte Lategan introduced to Stellenbosch has become a sought-after location. We spoke to them about how clients and staff are equally important in their success
Love me, LOVE MY MONEY
Married people are generally wealthier than their single counterparts. But finding peace with your partner when it comes to finances can be a tall order