Finds of the week

Ilse Bigalke:

WaterBear is a new streaming platform dedicated to nature. It has been described as the “Netflix” for documentaries about the planet and is free of charge.

It is supported by more than 80 global non-governmental organisations, including Greenpeace, the World Wide Fund for Nature  (WWF), Sea Shepherd and the Jane Goodall Institute.

I watched one of the documentaries this week: Chasing Ice (35 minutes). Acclaimed photographer James Balog deploys revolutionary time-lapse photography which compresses years into seconds and breathtakingly captures ancient mountains of ice as they disappear. Several experts comment on the current climate events.

WaterBear offers many award-winning documentaries, short films and series. And you can also use the platform to support the organisations trying to save our planet.

waterbear.com

Laureen Rossouw:

I came across shaddock grapefruit in a supermarket in Stilbaai last week. It is the most wonderful fruit for a winter salad and tastes delicious with avocado and blue cheese, or a blue cheese sauce if you wish.

It is three times the size of regular grapefruit and the loose, thick skin peels off easily.

I'm not a foodie, but after tasting this salad years ago in Pretoria, I looked for these grapefruits everywhere. They're in season now, so look out for them in your supermarkets. 

Ilse Bigalke:

In the stormy and cold winter weather I'm often reluctant to exchange the comfort of my duvet for a desk, so I decided to look for a laptop stand that can be used while lying in bed.  

Various options are available, but I bought an Ntech adjustable laptop stand at Takealot for R599.

It raises your laptop to eye level, protecting you from neck pain and shoulder stress. It has an adjustable mouse pad and a cooling fan. 

takealot.com

Anneliese Burgess:

In the comments below a Sunday newsletter I wrote about coffee, a reader told me about the Hario V60 pour-over coffee dripper. I bought mine, with the paper filters, from Peacock Tea and Coffee.

Sometimes I want to make myself a good cup of coffee quickly and the pour-over method is fantastic for that purpose. It is becoming my go-to option.

The transparent plastic version costs only R139 and you can order it online from Peacock.

peacockandcoffee.co.za

And 100 filters for R189.

peacockandcoffee.co.za

Ilse Bigalke:

The eight episodes of Women at War on Netflix follow the lives of four women in a small French town, St Paulin, at the beginning of World War 1. They range from a prostitute and a mother superior to a nurse and a businesswoman.

The series draws attention to the fate of those left behind after the men have gone to the battlefield. The storyline is full of twists and turns as the women's deepest secrets are revealed.

The series is worth a tick on your to-watch list.

netflix.com

♦ VWB ♦

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