Bucket Seat: KIA GOTG Campaign

Kia South Africa this week launches a unique ‘Test Drive for Good’ campaign in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province, inviting all residents in the province to help raise funds for acclaimed Pietermaritzburg-based humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers. Open to all residents in the province, Kia South Africa - with its 12-strong dealer network in the province - is committing a donation of R100 to Gift of the Givers for every test drive completed over the Heritage Day weekend in September. 

“The Kia brand is celebrating its 25th anniversary in South Africa this year and has had a presence in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province right from the beginning,” comments Gary Scott, CEO, Kia South Africa. “As we celebrate the success of the brand over this period, we want to give back to the communities we serve and, in the spirit of our brand slogan Movement that inspires, Kia wants to partner with the residents of the province – whether they are Kia owners or not – to achieve this goal by blending a brand experience with collaborative fundraising in a fun and highly relevant, localised manner.” 

Kia South Africa is a long-standing supporter of Gift of the Givers, individually and as part of Motus Holdings. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Motus Holdings donated four vehicles to further aid the life-saving work Gift of the Givers do. In March 2021, Kia also donated a Sportage 2.0 CRDi EX AWD to the organisation, used primarily by Dr. Sooliman as he travelled across South Africa on various humanitarian missions in execution of the organisation’s mandate.

“As South Africans doing business with South Africans in South Africa, it is critical to us that the Kia brand is trusted and loved by all South Africans,” adds Scott. “Our desire to facilitate change while providing mobility resonates with Gift of the Givers’ position of providing assistance unconditionally and assisting the needy, irrespective of human or animal, race, religion, colour, class, political affiliation or geographic location.”

The ‘Test Drive for Good’ campaign follows a donation of R100,000 to the organisation at the beginning of September. The donation was presented to Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman during Kia South Africa’s 2023 Kia Leadership Conference, where Dr. Sooliman delivered a message of hope and resilience to the 120-plus audience. Gift of the Givers Foundation is the largest indigenous disaster response NGO (non-governmental organisation) on the African continent, with the essence of its presence being to bring hope and restore dignity to the most vulnerable. Its primary focus is on disaster response, hunger alleviation, water provision, healthcare, education and social upliftment. 

Kia has 12 dealerships in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province, specifically in Newcastle, Vryheid, Empangeni, Ballito, uMhlanga, Durban Central, Springfield, Amanzimtoti, Port Shepstone, Pinetown, Hillcrest and Pietermaritzburg. All of these dealers, with the exception of Kia Durban Central, will be open throughout the Heritage Day weekend, and collectively have the ambitious target of completing at least 3,000 test drives between Friday, September 22nd, and Monday, September 25th. With weather and other elements coming into play, KIA South Africa have decided to extend this campaign to this weekend, between Friday 29th September till and including Monday 2nd October! 

“We believe that our exclusive partnership with Gift of the Givers, itself a Kwa-Zulu Natal-based organisation, will ensure that all funds raised through the campaign are utilised to the direct benefit of the province’s residents,” adds Scott. “It’s as simple as completing a test drive of any Kia model at any Kwa-Zulu Natal Kia dealership, a simple act that guarantees a donation of R100 to Gift of the Givers by Kia. Let’s unite this Heritage Day weekend and collectively create a movement that changes an immeasurable number of lives for the better.” 

For more information, visit Test Drive For Good

Entertainer 2020 launch - YOU are invited!

If you haven't heard about the Entertainer by now, then what rock have you been living under? It's the only app that gives back to you, over and over again. A night out on the town can be a costly expense especially when its with you and partner, the Entertainer makes this much more easier for your pockets with a host of offerings for buy one, get one free. I've been using the Entertainer app for the past 4 years now and don't know how I survived without it. It has all my favourites on there and even with other offerings gets you to try out new places without you having to break the bank. 

Every year the Entertainer have the best media launches, with a variety of offerings for us to sample, many of you get FOMO when viewing my time at the event and they have heard your plea's so this year, the Entertainer is inviting EVERYONE! to their launch. Yes, you read right, everyone is invited! (well space limiting) all you got to do to attend is RSVP via their Facebook events link, state how many people you're bringing and mention that you heard it from us, "The Bucket" and you are on your way to a great night out. 

The launch takes place on Friday the 28th of February at Katmandu in Ballito Lifestyle Center and it bound to be a night filled with fun, good food, great drinks and awesome prizes to be won! So what are you waiting for? RSVP Now here -> Official Entertainer Durban Launch

Bucket Scene: Lupa Osteria - Ballito

Ballito, once a small coastal town which predominately was cane fields once upon a time, is now one of the fastest growing towns in KwaZulu Natal. With the growth brings about new opportunities for business and while this town already has some gem of eateries, it's ready to welcome another and we went down to try it out. Lupa Osteria, is no stranger to the Durban restaurant scene, having already established stores in Hillcrest, Westville and Durban North, it was time the Dolphin Coast got a taste of what they're cooking. The name coming from Italian origins with Lupa being the immortal Roman wolf goddess who helped establish the city of Rome and Osteria originally meaning a place that serves wine and simple food, it has now been taken up a notch with a bit more that is catered. The masterminds behind the brand are Chef and Owner Chris Black and Owner/ Entrepreneur Guy Clever, they've built the restaurants name up in a tricky Durban market and has become a popular destination for families and friends to gather around for some good food, as they offer a great variety to suit even the fussiest of eater and have a great range of beverages. 

Lupa Ballito opened its doors to the public last Friday and last night I was invited to come dine at the new venue. Located in Ballito Lifestyle center, one of the original go-to malls up the coast has undergone a drastic revamp and a much needed one. The strip mall is now more lifestyle orientated has a great new food market and restaurant layout, Lupa Osteria is located at the key front side location and features an outdoor deck area as well as an outdoor bar area which is all soon to be open. The interior is decorated superbly, with a rustic Italian feel and the pasta making area concealed in glass at the entrance of the shop. The bar is magnificent with green marble tops, and a wide selection of wines, spirits, beers and craft beers. 

On entering we were warmly greeted by the host and seated promptly, our waiter was soon at our table telling us their range of drinks, I opted for the house brew on tap, called Wolf Lager, appropriately named for the restaurant, it is brewed by Cape Brewing Company exclusively for Lupa Osteria. This golden lager is crisp, refreshing, easy on the palate and fruity notes, perfect for a summers day and perfect for a meal. Having frequented the other Lupa's before, I wanted to try something different for a starter, something that I haven't already tried so I opted for the Italian Nachos. Now while we're all used to getting crispy tortilla chips drenched in cheese, avo and sour cream, these ones were a bit different. On the plate laid crispy fried ravioli, filled with 3 cheeses with a fiery arrabbiata dipping sauce to accompany it. Normally ravioli is a bit dry but these was the total opposite, the filling was moist and flavorful, the panko coating was crisp to perfection and the frying didn't take away the moisture of the pasta. Overall, it was superb and a great starter to have on your own or to share. 

Being an Italian restaurant, I wanted to keep the theme going, deciding whether to go for a pizza or a pasta was my hardest decision but being seated close to the pasta prep area, I couldn't help but want to try out their freshly made pasta. I went for the Fettuccine Con Pollo, which on the menu is described as "Chicken and a mix of mushrooms, light cream, garlic, white wine and toasted pine nuts". I'm a sucker for fries and one of the sides were parmesan fries, even though we were having pasta, I needed to try these! After having a shot of the house made lemoncello, it was the perfect palate cleaner to prepare us for the mains, I was keen to try the house made pasta, I haven't had freshly made pasta before and really was looking forward to it. Lupa say that their pasta is extruded through a die cutter made from bronze creating a rougher texture on the surface, thus allowing the pasta to grip more of the sauce. This was evident from every bit of my main. The pasta was cooked al dente, it was light but captured all the flavours on the plate. The meal was light but filling at the same time, the toasted pine nuts added great texture to the dish, normally I am a fan of added extra chili and garlic to my pasta dishes but for this it was not needed. 

Having devoured the entire mains, little space remained for dessert but having a look at the menu, Lupa has a good few options for those with a sweet tooth, one that sticks our for me is the chocolate and caramel fondant which is served with ice-cream but I settled for a scoop of gelato. With five flavours to choose from, I went with the caramel, served in either a bowl or a cone, the scoop is a rather generous portion but with every spoonful leaving your mouth wanting more, it wasn't an effort to finish. The bowl option comes with a sugar cone slice in it, so you sort of get the best of both worlds if you want a cone purely to eat but don't want to deal with the rest of it. The gelato itself is light and creamy, the flavour not too overpowering and definitely a favourite for all ages. 

Overall, I can only see Lupa Osteria in Ballito being as successful as the other branches, apart from offering a wide variety of cuisine, the laid back atmosphere, attentive staff and great location will make it a popular spot for most locals and holiday makers. I'll definitely be returning to try out more things on that menu soon and to see the rest of the restaurant take shape when the deck and outdoor bar is open and running. 

Top Beaches in Cape Town & Durban - Guest Post

With the year winding down and summer on the way, everyone is getting into holiday mode and what better place to be than at the seaside? With this in mind, today's blog post will feature a list of some of the best beaches to visit in Cape Town and Durban, it's a list compiled by guest writer for the blog, Zaytoon Hanief, who writes for the Travel Start blog. She shares her insights into the top beaches to visit in SA, so you can plan in advance where to spend your summer days enjoying the seaside. 

Top beaches in Cape Town and Durban

Summer is basically here and in South Africa, that means good times filled with friends, fun activities and lots and lots of Instagram moments!

For a lot of us here in Jozi, that also means heading to South Africa’s coastal cities and enjoying some much-needed time at the beach!

Durban and Cape Town are some top choices as they offer a great variety of options, whether its family fun, surfing or just a girls/boys’ weekend away that you’re after!

Here are some top beaches that you should definitely visit when visiting our coastal cities:

Cape Town

Llandudno Beach

If you’re not looking out for the sign on the road from Camps Bay to Hout Bay, you may just miss the turn-off to one of the city’s most laid-back and beautiful beaches. Llandudno is especially loved by locals because of its location alone, meaning that you’re bound to run into many easy-going Capetonians. Not just a beach for sunbathing, Llandudno is also a great spot for surfers and bodyboarders alike.

Local tip: If you’re driving, make sure to arrive very early during peak season as parking fills up easily. Alternatively, take the MyCiti bus and walk down the winding driveway, but be warned the walk back up is bound to be quite a work out!

Camps Bay Beach

Probably the most famous beach in all of Cape Town, Camps Bay Beach is a top tourist attraction. It has everything that you could hope for, including sparkly (though somewhat icy!) water, glistering white sand, space for all, nearby convenience stores, top-notch restaurants and also public transport.

Local tip: During the summer period, it may be difficult to escape the crowds but there’s always a loophole. Unless you don’t mind the crowds, try to visit during the week days. Summer days in Cape Town are long and hot, and even if you’re only getting to the beach at 4.30pm after work, you’re still guaranteed at least two hours of beach time.

Clifton Beaches

A staple for the rich, famous and all of us in between, the four Clifton beaches have long since been seen as the beaches of Cape Town. Top of the list is Clifton 4th beach, cornered off by million-dollar beach houses, perfectly-placed natural boulders to keep the wind at bay and of course, the most beautiful shimmering waves and white sand. What’s not to admire? Clifton is also home to 1st, 2nd and 3rd beach – each known for their somewhat different crowds but each a masterpiece of its own. Do yourself a favour and walk along the coast from 1st to 4th beach to take in its full grandeur!

Local tip: The beaches of Clifton can get pretty packed as well, but for a slightly thinner crowd head over to 2nd and 1st beach.  

Boulders Beach

Boulders Beach is the perfect beach-meets-picnic spot. The water is warmer (thankfully!) due to its location on the Indian Ocean side of the Cape Peninsula and the large boulders in the water make for a pretty safe and tranquil spot to float on your back and just unwind. Of course, one cannot mention Boulders Beach without talking about the African penguins that you’re bound to see! Picture yourself not just admiring them from a distance, but instead sharing a sandy spot with them just two metres away, or swimming right next to these feathery cuties in the ocean – there’s nothing quite like it for sure!

Local tip: Go early and pack in plenty of food and drinks to last you many, many hours as you’ll find it hard to want to leave this ideal location!

Durban

Umhlanga Rocks Beach

The golden sand of this glorious stretch is guaranteed to get you swimming! Unlike the colder waters of the Cape Peninsula beaches, the beaches of KwaZulu Natal invite you in as the temperatures have been known to hit 25 degrees Celsius during summer! Umhlanga Rocks Beach is one of Durban’s finest, with an enigmatic ebb and flow of the waves. The paved walkway alongside the ocean allows visitors to take in its sights before heading in and enjoying its warm waters.

Local tip: bring your wellies if you’re a bit of an explorer as there are some great rock pools to explore along the beach.

North Beach

North Beach in Durban is possibly the most well-known and popular beach in all of Durban. There’s so much variety of activities to do here that you could plan to stay in the area for a week and still not get bored. The warm waters offer the ideal swimming location, but be warned that it does get extremely crowded and you may need to get there at 6am to find a good spot during the summer holidays!

Local tip: Not just a beach to be enjoyed during the daytime hours, North Beach is known to be a thriving and energetic evening location too. Pack some cash in your back pocket as you enjoy some of Durban’s finest treats along the boardwalk.

Willard Beach, Ballito

Calling all surfers, bodyboarders and everyone else who enjoys some good waves with the sun on their skin! Willard Beach is the main beach of the town of Ballito, just outside Durban, and you can rest assured that you’ll have a great time on this Blue Flag beach. Another firm favourite just around the corner from Willard Beach is Thompson Beach.

Local tip: the beach gets really crowded during peak season and summer weekends. If you’re not too keen on this, there are plenty of other, more secluded beaches in the Ballito area for you to enjoy.

These are just of the top beaches to enjoy, so make sure to visit them on your next trip to Cape Town and Durban!

A night with Johnnie Walker Green Label

I've been to many a whisky tasting over the years and whilst I do enjoy them, most of them are sort of the same. An introduction to the whisky, story behind the distilling process and manufacturing, history behind the brand and so on which is fine but sometimes some whisky's deserve more than that and that's what the folks down at Johnnie Walker thought so as well. So in re-introducing their famed Green Label to South Africa, instead of the norm, they've opted to take their guests on a tasteful journey, that not only gave guest to opportunity to taste their single malt blend but a food paring to go along with it. 

Last week Thursday I was fortunate enough to partake in this journey, the venue, the magnificent Zimbali Fairmont Hotel. Tucked away in the lush five star estate lies the Fairmont hotel which over looks the Indian Ocean, it provides a tranquil getaway for those who want to relax and spoil themselves with the best that is on offer on the East Coast, it made the perfect setting to enjoy one of the finer whiskies available on the market. 

Johnnie Walker Green Label is a single malt blended whisky and needs no introduction for some of the older drinkers as it was available in South Africa before the brand opted to discontinue sales of it for various reasons in most part of the world. The only markets who kept it were in the America's and China but with the ever growing demand for single malt whisky, Johnnie Walker decided to re-introduce it to the market.

The night kicked off with welcome drinks at 31 degrees with a delightful cocktail which consisted of Johnnie Walker Gold Label with herbs and bitters. Quite a twist on a whisky which proved to be quite refreshing on the palette and set the mood for the rest of the evening. We were then greeted by KZN Reserve Brand Ambassador Haroon Haffajee, who gave us a short introduction to JW Green Label and it's re-introduction to the market, followed by a brief on what was to be expected on the evening.  We were broken into 3 groups and each assigned a colour, for we were going to experience the 3 different restaurants at the hotel for the 3 different courses. All the food which was served on the night was made to compliment the JW Green Label, and with it brought out the flavours in both the food and the whisky. 

For starters we headed over to Bite, which is the hotel's poolside deli. Set at the edge of the picturesque pool overlooking the hotel, with the dining table laid out open to the star filled sky, it truly an awesome setting to get the night going. Starters was a creamy corn chowder, served with a biltong breadstick, ostrich carpaccio and feta dip served with a shot of Green Label on the side, unlike other single malt whiskies, JW Green label contains a blend of single malts, so it offers a variety of flavours depending on the food you're having. With the chowder one got a touch of the walnut and that long spicy finish to warm you up on the cold winter night. 

Moving onto the next course, we made our way to OSA, a vibrant new offering at the hotel which specialises in Indian Cuisine. I know being an indian, I must be pretty used to curry but it is my favourite culinary option, as I find there is so many ways to make a curry and the variety of spices on offer to change a meal is endless witch each offering something special to enhance the flavours. For the mains we were served a tandoori chicken skewer which sat on top of a garlic naan bread, with sour milk sauce, fresh coriander and pomegranate seeds. I thought the spices and flavours of the meal would have been a bit over powering for the whisky but it blended quite well. It brought out a sweetness and oak from the whisky which worked perfectly with it. 

Ayoba which is located at the Beach Club at Zimbali Fairmont was the venue for our 3rd and final course of the night, desert. The restaurant is a fusion of Central America and Africa with more of a Mexican twist so with that being said, desert was none other than Churros served with a chili chocolate sauce and chocolate ice cream. The light cripsy churro's and sauce brought our the coffee notes of the JW Green and bitter chocolate and espresso was evident with every sip. 

After our tasteful journey, it was time to reconvene at 31 Degrees for the conclusion of the night. we toasted the night with one more drink of the JW Green accompanied with cheese platters and a selection of sweets from the hotel's tea box. Speaking to Haroon thereafter about Johnnie Walkers reasoning to re-introduce this 15 year old single malt blend into the market again, it was interesting to note that their pricing for such a bottle is quite reasonable when compared to some of it's competitors. The average pricing would be around the R500 mark which is cheap in my opinion for a whisky of this caliber. On the whole it was a perfect night which fused great whisky with great dining and offered a range of tastes that played lovely on ones palette. It was certainly a night to remember.