From cheerful yellow checks to chilli oil and an SA designer on the world stage

Quote of the week

“Looks can only get you so far
And that’s very, very far” — Anonymous

What you have to know this week

Thebe Magugu is a 30-year-old South African fashion designer who is making an international name. Even Michelle Obama wore his two-piece on a recent visit to Cape Town.

In this series, he has clients who have a portrait printed on his fabric design. Michelle asked the designer to immortalise her mother, Marian Shields Robinson, on her heirloom garment.

Now he has designed a new heirloom product, the Mystique Parka, as a tribute to his Sotho origins, and he has entered into a collab with a major Canadian retail chain. His products are available in all major Canada Goose stores. We are proud of you, Thebe!

Trend

The new buzz in food is … drumroll … the prickly pear.

As the world gets drier and warmer, the prickly pear is becoming more popular as a superfood. It is rich in nutrients and antioxidants that help fight inflammation. It's also good for the planet because it removes carbon from the atmosphere (like the spekboom). There are more than 200 species in the world.

Plant a prickly pear.

Finds we are cray about

Spices on our radar: The FOMO Sapiens kitchen team loves a spice rack. Our big find of the week is the Asian Chilli Szechuan Pepper Oil from Woolworths (R94.99). It's warm but not blazing hot. Szechuan pepper has a more complex, numbing, tantalising quality than the raw heat of chilli peppers. We poured it over everything this week — from sliced ​​cucumber and fried eggs to a coconut curry. Another winner is the Chilli & Lime salt (R24.99). Fantastic with avo or popcorn.

We love plaid and check materials. This pack of four napkins has been marked down to around R199 (from R399) in the Poetry sale. And the gorgeous tablecloth costs R559 (down from R1,599).

You might have noticed that the FOMO team has a thing about walking. We have found the perfect (affordable) vest. It's actually a hydration vest for trail runners but it works beautifully for stashing your phone, dog leash, water and whatever else you want to schlepp along. It has been marked down to R499 at Decathlon's online store. 

Woof steps: If your four-legged friend is too small to climb onto your bed or sofa for that much-needed cuddle, or has reached retirement age, the answer is woof steps that won't slide on any surface. There are different makes at different prices. Takealot offers versions with two or three steps for R1,199 and R1,799 respectively .

Small little recipe

A gem of a recipe book we found in the Bargain Books sale is The Fit Foodie Meal Prep Plan (R69). There are so many really simple ideas for deliciously healthy food — with just a handful of ingredients. We love the marinated chickpeas. A super-easy high-protein bowl of goodness.

Mix one tin of chickpeas, a thinly sliced red onion, 1 teaspoon of cumin and coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar and a big pinch of sea salt. Cover and refrigerate. Serve with fresh thyme leaves. And we couldn't resist some lemon zest too.

Movie time

Boy Swallows Universe is a compelling seven-episode Australian series on Netflix about a 13-year-old, Eli Bell (Felix Cameron), and his (selectively) mute and clairvoyant brother Gus (Lee Tiger Halley).

They have a terrifying childhood in the early-1980s Brisbane underworld, and it sometimes feels unreal that two children have to face so many trials — from a stepfather who deals drugs and meets his match to a mother with an addiction problem. They also have drug lords on their tail. It's a semi-biographical story based on a novel by Trent Dalton.

Cameron excels as the young Eli but the entire cast is excellent. The series looks at all the characters with empathy and is sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes funny, but never boring. The directors are Bharat Nalluri (Shantaram), Jocelyn Moorhouse (The Dressmaker) and Kim Mordaunt (The Rocket) and the script is written by John Collee (Hotel Mumbai).

Tips and tricks

Remedies for muggies and mosquitoes:

#1 Mix half a cup of vinegar with half a cup of oil. Add half a cup of shampoo and shake well. Put it in your kitchen.

#2 You need a large lemon, cloves and a candle (a size thinner than a normal kitchen candle). Cut the lemon in half and cut off the ends as well so the half lemons can stand flat. Make a hole in the middle and press a short 30mm candle into it. Then stick the cloves in the lemon's skin. Place it in a pudding bowl with water in the bottom in your bedroom and light the candle. It smells good, but only for you. The mosquitoes don't like it.

Beat the heat

Three fans that will help you survive the sweltering summer heat.

From Clicks: Safeway 15cm desk fan (R169). With LED lights in the base, it features two speed settings and an adjustable height packed into a diminutive package that allows you to cool off at your desk by plugging it into your PC or laptop. 

From Takealot: Meaco Fan 260c cordless air circulator (R2,000). A super quiet battery-powered fan and light. Ideal for home and office but also for camping and garden events. Charges via a standard USB port. Runs for 14 hours on a full charge. A great investment for power failures and load-shedding

From Yuppiechef: The Xiaomi Rechargeable Mini (R699) has wide-angle ventilation and a long-endurance rechargeable battery. The low noise makes it ideal for desktop use.

Health

Diluted vinegar for gut health

To help support your gut and immune system and balance glucose levels.

Dilute one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water and drink it through a straw 20 minutes before a meal (the straw is to protect your teeth against the acid).

Research shows that drinking apple cider vinegar before meals reduces visceral fat and lowers cholesterol thanks to its natural antioxidants. It also has a natural probiotic effect that can support the gut and immune system and reduce sugar cravings. 

The acetic acid in vinegar temporarily inactivates alpha-amylase so sugar and starch are transformed into glucose more slowly, reducing spikes.

Tip: When shopping for apple cider vinegar, make sure it has a cloudy appearance, indicating it contains gut-friendly bacteria.

♦ VWB ♦

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