State of The Nation

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Will have to interrupt our art tour for a State of the Nation Address... 

We head down to Kloof for a spot of lunch

Where all eyes are on Zuma

The Mozzarella Man a gruff kind of guy seems pensive today

Today's Specials with added bite

Mozzarella Counter - Business as usual

Stripes in action over Lavazza espressos

View from the outside looking in

The best Caprese ciabatta's in town

Burrata buffalo mozzarella

With very fresh tomatoes olive oil and herbs

Followed by a cappuccino at Vida & Caffe - best in town

Famous for its red chairs and tables, friendly local staff and 

Portuguese pastries filled with smooth creamy custard

These very beautiful young people were interning for SA's Elle magazine

Our men in the hood - Mr P and film noir king fantastic Mr Fox

Meanwhile, taxis come and go thinking of Michelangelo

Our neck of the woods - Viva Vida on Kloof

Well heeled women on their way to the Wellness centre

Who's looking over your shoulder?

All a girl wants is a cup of coffee not to be papped the minute she sits down

Cool kids on the block on their way to lectures at City Varsity

Working class heroine in pink builder's helmet

Day in the Life of a Car Guard outside Vida's

A protective hand and a ray of light. I'd hold onto that guy if I were you

Which way South Africa?

These young women seem to know exactly where they are going

Dude and his girl - film and media students I think - give me the eye

Nice shirt in a hurry

Kloof pavements with kool kouple

Cool Daddy-oh and sleeping baby

Back in the day Toitoi -ing had quite a different connotation, if I remember rightly....Today it's a grown-up clothing and gadget store

First sign of the coming address to the nation. Helicopter over the Mountain: 
Parliament is less than five minutes away

Love these earnest kids coming from school

The lucky ones - leaders of tomorrow

Cafes are full of peeps pursuing their online careers

 Or maybe just on FB?

Yes it is a privileged demographic of cute cottage, cafes, students, hipsters and wannabe hipsters

With second hand shops like Eddie Zoom

Where you can buy anything from a Klimt repro, an Elvis t-shirt, a box of broken toys or a 50's ball gown

On the way home same old same old

Until a sudden boom alerts us to the importance of the day

Crowds are gathering outside Parliament just down the road from us

A red carpet affair of all the top brass lead by a symbolic whitie naval chappie
and a rotund black woman in smart military whites

Large ladies and a military guard of honour

Deputy and his attractive but unsmiling wife in princely purple

A massed throng of people of various walks of life gather to hear what the President has to say

A brass band with bugles at the ready plays a rousing Nkosi Sikele Afrika followed by Die Stem

Flags flutter and emotion rises in the heart of the nation. 
Will this speech change anything in the lives of South Africa's poor and destitute?

Are we here as proud South Africans, visiting Brits or cynical bystanders - but there is no under-estimating the strong feeling of hope that underscores this event

The President puts his hand on his heart and we remember all those who fell in the Struggle and all those who struggle still under the weight of poverty, disease and unemployment

More booms - seven in all - a biblical and mythical number that falls short of the traditional 21 gun salute - and smoke rises over the city with our expectation, our hopes for a better future

Pomp and ceremony for this youthful State

A proud military fly past

People cheer and look skywards

The official party on the steps of Parliament in the very heart of the Mother City
- a building redolent with the strange convoluted past that is South Africa

Back home we put on the t.v

We watch the huge group of diplomats, officials, M.P's and VIPs, including FW De Klerk, and Chairperson of the SADC Parliamentary Forum - Speaker of the Parliament of Zimbabwe; Mr Lovemore Moyo -  as well as, numerous other Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers, including those of Angola and Mozambique,  Premiers of the Provinces, Traditional Leaders,  Governor of the Reserve Bank, leaders of business, sports and religious leaders, special and distinguished guest and finally Fellow South Africans...

"Dumelang, good evening, goeie naand, molweni, thobela, abuxeni! I would like to extend warm greetings to all on this important day."

While a Zulu Praise Singer lauds the company in time-honoured fashion

And Mr President smiles benevolently at it all 

 
According to the Mail & Guardian President Jacob Zuma, pictured here in sharp pin-striped zoot suit with his wife or should I say, one of his wives, in very fetching lilac with pretty flowery detail and glum church-goers hat -  
"delivered one of his better State of the Nation speeches since taking office in 2009. The speech, while barren of any poetry or great quotes, was strong on detail and provided a sense of the earnestness and planning being put into efforts to unlock economic potential and create jobs "

Anyway here are some fun fab fashion pix of the red carpet celebs that gathered for the occasion - courtesy of the Mail & Guardian:

Red Carpet Lady - the fabulous Helen Zille Head of the Democratic Alliance with her charming hubby in a symphony of matching lilacs and blue

3 go mad on monochromes - It's not all black and white here but ANC MP Pam Tshwete and her fab friends look great in black and white  palette with brilliant bags, glossy hair and matching shades

Red Queen, Particia de Lille, Mayor of  Cape Town looked super sexy and strong in a flaming red trouser suit with patterned blouse

This little number, all floating ivory tulle with spangles and gold bangles might have been better suited to a wedding or a barmitzvah but then hey, a girl doesn't get the chance to dress up for the nation every day!

The gorgeously named Pinky Ncube looks brilliant in red ruffles with cheeky tatoo on one of those bountiful breasts - and just love the little fascinator floating on top of this frothy concoction. Go Pinky, go!

These beautiful young women in coca-cola colours and summer brights, summed up the dominant fashion theme of the day - stand out, be noticed, ignore the huddled masses and don't forget your hair

The very popular Ms Zille and hubby moshing with the crowd including a disabled veteran politico in natty headscarf and matching wheelchair

The awesome proportions of DA leader Lindiwe Mazibuko clad in layers of palest pink net were the stuff of matric ball dreams or Barbie doll slumber parties - but then why should pretty and pink be the sole preserve of the skinny?

Here's an earlier pic of the Pres with wife no 1 at his inauguration which I couldn't resist including. Adore the 70's Diva look, turbaned, ruffled and mighty scary!

Not forgetting Wives 2 and 3 who look like wedding guests on acid - just love the hats!

ANC MP Linda Moss looks wonderful in Wizard of Oz emerald green with an African twist. Fantastic head dress, perfect beads and cool glasses. I like your style lady!

Ooops not such a good look. A little too Miss Piggy for MP Thandile and the hat looks like a meringue with a filling of salad leaves or a clam about to gobble her up. Hope her politics are better than her dress sense

Now, this is one classy lady, whatever her politics are

And seriously cool Oliver Tambo, he of the famous Dad, with deevine wife the fabulous Rachel, who manages to make Afro chic into a universal statement with accesories to die for and a hat that managed to be ethnic without being boring

Some people did take themselves a little too seriously - I mean this isn't Hello Magazine is it?

But really, everyone was upstaged by the Band - these boys just rock!