From the MOTHER CITY to MOTHERLAND

Jessica Sutton has enchanted audiences around the world with her breakout role as warrior witch Tally Craven in Motherland: Fort Salem, but off-screen she's just a South African girl making her way in the world.

Why do you want WHAT YOU WANT?

COULD THE ANSWER REALLY BE AS SIMPLE (AND AS DEPRESSING) AS 'BECAUSE SOMEONE ELSE WANTS IT'? LUKE BURGIS, AUTHOR OF WANTING: THE POWER OF MIMETIC DESIRE AND HOW TO WANT WHAT YOU NEED, THINKS SO.

REINVENTING MYSELF

AT 59, I COULD SEE MYSELF DOING A LITTLE LESS AND FEELING A LITTLE LESS RELEVANT EVERY YEAR. IT UNSETTLED ME SO MUCH THAT I DREAMT UP A NEW CAREER, PACKED MY BAGS AND SET OFF ON A HUGE ADVENTURE.

DEEP FAKES & BORED Apes

'I, ROBYN MACLARTY, REGRET TO INFORM THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION THAT I AM UNABLE TO ATTEND.' (AND IT CAN KEEP ITS NONSENSICAL TOKENS.)

FLYING high

'By some beautiful twist of fate, I've landed in this vocation that demands that I feel and helps me to learn.' Some 20 years after Jennifer Connelly's Oscar acceptance speech, her words still ring true for her today.

THE WHY, THE WHICH & the wardrobe

EXPERT ADVICE ON HOW TO 'BUY LESS, CHOOSE WELL AND MAKE IT LAST', COMBINE BASICS WITH STATEMENT FINDS, AND 'FAKE IT TILL YOU FEEL IT' WITH BOLD COLOURS.

Odd jobs

We're fascinated by women who've stepped outside the nine-to-five to earn a living.

Far from the MADDING CROWD

MORE AND MORE SOUTH AFRICANS ARE TRADING THEIR CRAMPED CITY-CENTRE LIVES FOR THE SPACE AND FRESH AIR OF SMALL RURAL AND COASTAL TOWNS.

Ditch the SUGAR FOR GOOD!

MOST PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH A SUGAR DEPENDENCY IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WHETHER IT'S HORMONAL CHOCOLATE BINGING OR ALL-DAY SWEET GRAZING. HERE'S HOW TO QUIT.

NOT by the BOOK

These two bestselling South African authors published their novels themselves under their own brands, and they're flying!

SCENTS of adventure

STILL LOOKING FOR YOUR SIGNATURE SCENT? WE'RE ROUNDED UP THE FRAGRANCES OF THE SEASON TO HELP YOU FIND IT.

JUST HIT refresh!

TOO NERVOUS TO GO UNDER THE KNIFE? AS I DISCOVERED, YOU DON'T HAVE TO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF LESS DRASTIC THINGS YOU CAN DO TO GET YOUR SKIN LOOKING SMOOTHER, FIRMER AND MORE REFRESHED.

Is your MIND'S EYE BLIND?

Some people describe their imagination as vivid, colourful and hyper-realistic - but if you find that trying to 'picture' something in your mind is an exercise in futility, you may have aphantasia.

12 WAYS TO SAVE AN HOUR every day!

VERY FEW OF US THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT WE'RE ALREADY DEALING WITH. BUT WE DO! HERE ARE 12 EXCELLENT WAYS TO CARVE OUT AN EXTRA HOUR FOR YOURSELF EVERY DAY TO USE HOWEVER YOU LIKE: WRITING THAT BOOK, DOING AN ONLINE COURSE, RESEARCHING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY, OR JUST STARING AT A WALL WHILE YOU SETTLE YOUR SOUL.

How to be BETTER at being SAD

Look, no one wants to be sad. But we've been so busy chasing after happiness that we've become quite bad at just sitting with sadness when it inevitably comes shuffling along. The fact is, you need a good wallow every so often, so the temporary sadness doesn't tip over into something more serious.

It's TIME to DE-THINK SLEEP

YES, YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY: DE-THINK, NOT RE-THINK. WHY? BECAUSE OUR CULTURE'S INCREASING OBSESSION WITH SLEEP MAY WELL BE WHAT'S KEEPING US AWAKE.

Game, set, Maggie

We've always loved Maggie Gyllenhaal for her intelligence, acting chops and girl-next door vibes. But the actress is ready to move on to bigger and better things - she's proven herself as a talented director and snagged an Oscar nomination for her first screenplay for a feature film.

BECOMING INVISIBLE...and loving it

THE INVISIBILITY THAT SOCIETY CONFERS ON WOMEN OF A CERTAIN AGE CAN MAKE US FEEL USELESS AND IRRELEVANT - BUT IT CAN ALSO OPEN DOORS TO A WONDERFUL TIME OF UNIMPEDED SELF-DISCOVERY AND SELF-INDULGENCE.

Fragrant FEAST

WE'VE COLLECTED A FEW TRADITIONAL MIDDLE EASTERN RECIPES PASSED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS. IT'S A CUISINE THAT ENGAGES THE SENSES TO CREATE WONDERFUL FOOD MOMENTS AND MEMORIES.

A THING of BEAUTY

QUALITY PRODUCTS AND SOCIAL-MEDIA SAVVY HAVE GARNERED TWO LOCAL WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES - A COSMETICS BRAND AND A HAIRCARE BRAND - A LOYAL FOLLOWING.

Let it SNOW!

As the clock was about to run out on my US visa, my husband and I decided to cross a few American cities off our bucket list, take in some jazz and blues, and see a couple of sights...dusted in snow.

Messenger OF THE MOUNTAINS

SILVIA VASQUEZ-LAVADO IS ON A JOURNEY TO HEALING, ONE PEAK AT A TIME. WE CHATTED TO THIS TRAILBLAZING ABOUT FINDING PEACE MOUNTAINEER IN THE THIN AIR.

The LOST ART OF CONVALESCENCE

EVEN WHEN WE'RE SERIOUSLY ILL, WE NO LONGER TAKE THE TIME REALLY TO REST AND RECOVER; WE RUSH BACK TO WORK AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BUT WITH THE ARRIVAL OF LONG COVID, WE MAY BE FORCED TO RETHINK RECUPERATION.

SMALL WONDERS

THE TINY HOUSE MOVEMENT IS GAINING MOMENTUM AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE CHOOSE A HOME (AND A LIFE) THAT IS CHEAPER, SIMPLER AND KINDER TO THE PLANET.

25 beauty buys that are worth every cent

All the products on these pages cost less than R450, but we didn't only choose them based on price. Each one was hand-picked for delivering great results the pocket-friendly price tag is a bonus.

Why you're feeling so blah – And what to do about it

You're not quite burnt out, and you're not quite depressed... But you just can't shake that listless, lacklustre mood. Sound familiar? You might be languishing.

25 reasons to visit Istanbul

Now is a good time to visit this enchanting city. It's had a major face-lift: well-trodden sights are being scrubbed up and renovated, and some new megaprojects have just been completed, bringing fresh life to Istanbul's public spaces.

How to SPOT A LOVE SWINDLER

THE NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY THE TINDER SWINDLER HAS SHONE A SPOTLIGHT ON THE PHENOMENON OF ONLINE ROMANCE SCAMS. HERE'S HOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF FROM BEING CONNED.

TOTAL ECLIPSE of the HEART

AS BONNIE TYLER BELTS OUT, ONE MOMENT YOUR LIFE IS TOGETHER, THE NEXT YOU ARE FALLING APART. CARDIAC DISEASE CAN COME FAST AND FATALLY, AND IT'S STRIKING YOUNGER WOMEN.

On search of SILENCE AND STARLIT SKIES

Being able to experience quiet and darkness matters. It matters because we matter: our emotional and physical health is at risk, as well as the wellbeing of all living things.