one stop market: March 2012

Friday, 30 March 2012

A Woman's Best Friend

Every woman should never go with out these and she should also never be made to choose between her two babies which are shoes and handbags...

New Haven

By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF

Published: March 29, 2012

Paul Lorem epitomizes a blunt truth about the world: talent is universal, but opportunity is not.

Lorem, 21, is an orphan from a South Sudanese village with no electricity. His parents never went to school, and he grew up without adult supervision in a refugee camp. Now he's a freshman at Yale University.

All around the world, remarkable young men and women are on edge because today they finally hear of admissions decisions from Yale and a number of other highly competitive universities. So a word of encouragement: No one ever faced longer odds than Paul Lorem, and he made it.

"How I got to Yale was pure luck, combined with lots of people helping me," Lorem told me as we sat in a book-lined study on the Yale campus. "I had a lot of friends who maybe had almost the same ability as me, but, due to reasons I don't really understand, they just couldn't make it through. If there's one thing I wish, it's that they had more opportunity to get education."

Lorem's family comes from a line of cattle-herders in the southeastern part of South Sudan. The area is remote. Villagers live in thatch-roof huts, and there is no functioning school or health clinic. The nearest paved road is several days' walk away.

As Lorem was growing up, the region was engulfed in civil war, and, at age 5, he nearly died of tuberculosis. In hope of saving his life, his parents dropped him off at the Kakuma refugee camp in northern Kenya. They returned to their village and later died, and Lorem was raised in the camp by other refugee boys who were only a bit older.

Boys raising boys might seem a recipe for Lord-of-the-Flies chaos, but these teenagers forced Lorem to go to school, seeing education as an escalator to a better life. And Lorem began to soar

His class sometimes consisted of 300 pupils meeting under a tree, and Lorem didn't have his own notebooks or pencils or schoolbooks, but he practiced letters by writing in the dust. His friends died of war, disease and banditry, but he devoured the contents of a tiny refugee camp library set up by a Lutheran aid group.

Teachers took increasing pride in their brilliant student and arranged for Lorem to leave the refugee camp and transfer to a Kenyan school for seventh and eighth grades. That way he could compete in nationwide exams and perhaps get into high school.

Just one problem: those exams were partly in Swahili, a language that Lorem did not speak. But he poured himself into his schoolwork, and classmates helped him. Lorem ended up earning the second highest mark in that entire region of Kenya.

That led to a scholarship to a top boarding school near the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, and then to the African Leadership Academy in South Africa. On his school vacation between junior and senior year of high school, Lorem undertook an epic journey across Africa to his native village. Then he guided his younger brother and sister to the refugee camp where he grew up so that they, too, could get an education.

Lorem loves Yale, but, academically, it has been a tough transition, partly because English is Lorem's fifth language (he also speaks Didinga, Toposa, Arabic and Swahili). Jeffrey Brenzel, the Yale admissions director, puts it this way: "On the one hand, these adjustments are greater for him than for many, but, on the other hand, he has already overcome far greater challenges than other students have just to get here."

The vast majority of children in poor countries never enjoy such opportunities. The United Nations' Millennium Development Goal of all children completing primary school by 2015 will almost certainly be missed. Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain is calling for the creation of a Global Fund for Education to help meet the goal, and I hope the United States backs the initiative.

Lorem plans to return to South Sudan after graduation to help rebuild his country. As I interviewed him in the tranquility of Yale, he choked with tears as he recalled the many people who had helped him: the boys in the camp who looked after him; the German nun, Sister Luise Radleimer Agonia, who enveloped him in love and helped pay his school fees; the bus driver in Juba, South Sudan, who put Lorem up in his shack for weeks while he struggled to get a passport to travel to Yale.

Education is the grandest accelerant for human potential. So congratulations to Lorem as well as to college applicants who receive great news today - and let's work to help all those other Paul Lorems out there, at home and abroad, step onto the education escalator..

A Sister's poem.....

Do you qualify to be the man I need you to be?

Will you be able to recognize the things you need to see? Will you be able to understand, that I'm a good woman and in my life I need a good man?

Do you qualify?

Do you qualify to fertilize my unproduced seeds?

Can you fulfill, as I can, all of our needs?

Can you put me in my place if you see I am slippin?

Can you talk to me, wholeheartedly, not

constantly trippin??

Do you qualify?

Do you qualify to be called all mine?

Can you leave the other women and temptations behind? Can you come to me with your problems and not wait until it's too late?

Can you stand up and admit if you made a mistake?

Do you qualify?

Do you qualify to be the honest ebony man I would want you to be?

Would you be able to look me in my eyes and admit your feelings to me?

Could you take me in your arms and make love to me all night long?

Can you be sensitive and still be strong?

Do you qualify?

Do you qualify to be my friend as well as my lover? Can you put our love before any other?

Can you cherish me as if I were Diamonds & Gold? Can you make me feel like I'm the last woman you'll ever hold?

Do you qualify?

Do you qualify to be called a good man?

If I have doubts can you reassure me and understand?

Can your love intoxicate me as if I were High?

To be in my life, I need to know,

DO YOU QUALIFY?

The Brother's Response:

You ask, do I qualify.

Can I fulfill your needs and become the man you need me to be?

My sister, are you prepared for what you've asked for?

Can you handle the responsibility?

Can you accept that, by GOD, I am the chosen?

one, the authority, the comforter, and the head?

Will you submit and willingly follow my path?

Or will you fight with me instead?

If I am your King, will you treat me as such?

Will I get the best of your beauty and poise?

Or will I be subjected to an appearance

neglected, and checked with some serious noise?

When I talk, will you listen?

I mean whole heartedly and feel me?

Or will you rush me just to make your point too?

Can I be the man at all times? Even when it hurts?

Or is it just when it's convenient for you?

Can you love me for me, and not who you wish I could be?

Will you see the strong Black Man within?

Or will you always remind me of the all

the past brothers behind me and make me pay for their sins?

If I don't send you flowers the day your co-worker received some, will you know that I love you still?

Or will my good name be uttered along with those other doggish brothers?

Will you question if my commitment is real?

Will you be patient and teach me to understand you, and allow my knowledge of your needs to grow?

Or will you shut me out when I ask, Baby what's wrong?

Or will you respond with, "Well a REAL man would know!"

When we first met, what was it that caught your eye? Was it my mind, my heart, my personality?

Or was it my suit, or my job, or do you love what I drive, instead of what's driving me?

Yes I can, and I will, make love to you from midnight to the dawning of the sun.

But, if I tell you I'm tired, will you trust I'm sincere or believe that there must be another one?

My sister, I love you and my heart can be yours. No woman could lead me astray.

But like you, I have needs, so I beg of you, please, in this love thang meet me half way.

In life's tough times I'll hold you, in the rough times I'll mold you; your simplest wish will be my command.

My life is yours if need be.

Yes you can fully bleed me, and when hell comes, in your place, I'll stand.

A good relationship is a powerful institution that must be built on a foundation of two.

So to answer your question,

YES sister, I do qualify.

Now, more importantly.....! Do you

Thursday, 29 March 2012

Indescribable

Author: Candice Derman

It was nicely narrated, I couldn’t stop weeping , am a mother and I can’t imagine my little girl having to go through that.

I had to stop and say a prayer for every little girl who has been sexually abused , its admirable that she went through all of that and she didn’t let herself be a victim

Neighbour Good Market Swag

Wednesday, 28 March 2012

Neighbour good Market

This past weekend i took a short left to Neighbour Goods Market

This amazing place is situated in Braamfontien at 73 Juta street, I will let the pictures do the talking

I must say you guys must go check it out, trust me you wont regret going!!!

Tuesday, 27 March 2012

Book Review

PIONEER WOMAN

By Ree Drummond

(Pan R144)

Pure , unadulterated escapism exudes from his true romance bestseller about a girl who meets a cowboy and falls in love.

Ree is living the high life in LA: cocktails parties and exotic boyfriend-but everything changes when she goes to her hometown and meet the handsome and very macho man of her dreams.

She’s lured by life on the ranch, with her stilettos back home also clicking impatiently

Friday, 23 March 2012

Legit To Retail Tlale Collection/ Van der Tlale

National retailing chain, Legit, will soon reveal a capsule collection created in collaboration with South African designer David Tlale.

The designer recently returned from New York, where he showcased his “Glam-Intersections” collection at the South African Consulate General.

“Legit wanted to offer their customers something new and David Tlale is hot property in terms of South African fashion design,

From May 2012, David Tlale’s clothing range ‘Van der Tlale’ will be selling out of approximately 180 Legit stores nationwide.

Home Made face masks for all skin types

This simple (only two ingredients!) cooling mask is great for soothing a sunburnt face. It's great for all skin types.

Prep Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

1 tbsp natural yogurt, room temperature (not lowfat or non-fat, I like the Greek yogurt "Fage Total" found in many grocery stores these days and pictured here)
1 tsp runny honey (microwave for a few minutes to soften hardened honey)

Preparation:

Combine mixture, then apply to face.
Let sit for 15 minutes.
Wash face with steaming washcloth.
For dry skin, use an extra tsp of honey.
Oily skin? Add a few drops of fresh lime juice

Egg Whites and Yogurt Mask

Model Shalom Harlow calls this homemade face mask (only 2 ingredients required!) "moisturizing and soothing."

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Total Time: 2 minutes

Ingredients:

2 egg whites, separated from the yolk and placed in a bowl
2 tablespoons of plain yogurt (I like Greek yogurt)

Preparation:

Separate the egg whites from a couple eggs and place them in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of yogurt (do not use flavored yogurt!). Mix them up and apply to face. Leave on face for a few minutes then rinse face in warm water, followed by a warm washcloth

Oatmeal and Yogurt Face Mask

This face mask is suitable for all skin types and is super simple to prepare. It will cleanse and rejuvenate your skin.

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oatmeal, finely ground
1 tbsp live, organic yogurt (skip the flavored stuff)
A few drops of honey

Preparation:

Add the yogurt to the oatmeal in a small bowl and mix together. Warm a few drop of honey. To do this, warm a spoon under hot water for a minute, then add a few drops of honey to the spoon.
Stir the honey into the yogurt and oatmeal mixture.
Apply the mask to the face. Leave it on for 10 minutes, then rinse off with several splashes of warm water. Follow with a warm washcloth.
Apply moisturizer.

10 Dos & Don'ts to Help Slow the Aging Skin Process

Maybe you're in your 20s or early 30s and you think you can't possibly have (gulp) aging skin yet. Well, you're wrong. Your skin's "youthfulness" has less to do with age than how it's been treated. If exposed to excessive sun, smoke and stress, your skin can start "acting old," losing its collagen, glow and elasticity. Lines may develop prematurely and your skin may look dull and "blah."

It's easier to prevent damage than to repair it, but the good news is you can put the brakes on premature aging and get your skin back in tip-top condition with these 10 tips and tricks.

5 Dos and 5 Don’ts to Help Slow the Aging Skin Process

· Do stop smoking. Ever notice the skin of a lifelong smoker? It can appear as wrinkly as a squashed paper bag. I can spot a smoker by the lines above the mouth that tend to form from constant lip pursing. The lines always seem to point to the mouth as if saying, "insert cigarette here."

Smoking is the 2nd biggest cause of skin damage after sun exposure. Why? Nicotine constricts blood vessels and decreases the flow of oxygen to the skin. Not good things.

· Do use a retinoid every day or every few days. A daily application of a prescription retinoid lotion (such as Retin-A or Tazorac) can erase years from your face. In fact, dermatologists claim retinoids (see "Is this product the secret to looking young?" are the one anti-aging product that really works.

Before I used Retin-A, I suffered from dull skin. My complexion had a white cast and a dull pallor until I bought a tube of Retin-A over-the-counter in Mexico. I had friends who swore by the stuff. After using the product for a few weeks (and going through the annoying period where my skin turned red and peeled), all of a sudden I had dewy, glowing skin and people began complimenting me on my skin.

AHAs used properly not only rids your face of dead skin, but can seem to take 10 years off as well by reducing fine lines. (Keep in mind these products do NOT shrink pores. Your pore size is completely hereditary, so don't believe promises of permanent reduction). Over-the-counter options such as RoC Deep Wrinkle Night Cream are good, but prescription creams work the best. Extra tip: You must stay out of the sun if you use retinoids. You are extra-susceptible to sunburns.

· Do give yourself a facial once a week. If you follow my Basic At-Home Facial I guarantee your skin will never look better. My facial takes only 30 minutes and includes cleansing, exfoliation via a facial scrub, a hydrating mask, a quick steam and moisturizer.

· Do wear sunscreen every day, rain or shine. My NYC dermatologist recently told me I had great skin, especially "for someone who grew up in Texas." It turns out he sees a lot of sun damage in his office. We decided the 8 years I spent in Seattle helped, as did the fact that I've worn SPF 40 sunscreen every day rain or shine for 10 years.

You’ve had it ingrained in your head since youth, but seriously, even in winter it can take just 20 minutes of unprotected sun exposure to damage the skin. Here's a list of great sunscreens, including what I believe to be the best sunscreen in the world.

By the way, it's a MYTH that 80 percent of your lifetime sun damage occurs before age 18, according to O Magazine. Katie Rodan, MD, adjunct professor of dermatology at Stanford University School of Medicine, says in O that this myth stands officially debunked and studies indicate we get only 23 percent of total UV exposure by age 18. Of course it gets worse as we age. So you CAN prevent sun-induced aging by wearing sunscreen.

· Do shield your windows. The average commuter gets 200 hours of sun exposure each year and 80 percent of sun exposure is through car windows, according to Boston dermatologist Ranella Hirsch in Harper's Bazaar. To protect your skin against sun damage (the leading cause of aging skin), invest in a window shield like Solar Gard. Shields with SPF 285 can block UVA and UVB rays by 99 percent.

You saw the 5 "dos" for perfect skin care. Now here are 5 don'ts:

· Don’t pull and rub your skin. Aging skin has been under attack by UV rays, stress and carbon monoxide so don't stress it more by pulling on it.

· Don’t forget to moisturize. While it's a myth that wrinkles are caused by dry skin, moisturizing can improve the appearance of lines by temporarily plumping them up. Also consider a good eye cream. Eye creams are controversial because some pros claim they don't really do anything, but many women swear by them.

Extra tip: Moisturizers are best used on damp skin. They lock the moisture in. Dr. Dennis Gross doesn't use tap water when washing skin because of harsh minerals found in many city water sources. Instead, he rinses off with Evian water.

See my list of the best moisturizers and the best eye creams.

· Don’t ignore your neck and chest. The neck and chest are first to show the signs of aging (they have fewer oil glands than the rest of your body), yet most of us ignore them. Look for moisturizers that have age-fighting ingredients like vitamin A (retinols), kinetin, copper or vitamin C.

· Don’t tan. Even if wrinkles haven't shown up yet, you need to stop tanning now because they will. Once signs of aging appears, you'll be spending a lot of money to reverse it. So if you do have sun damage? You can reverse the damage with photorejuvenation such as pulsed light treatments. Many spas and dermatologists provide these pricey fixes. If you do have brown spots, treat them with lemon juice diluted with water, according to NY dermatologist Jessica Krant in Harper's Bazaar. Krant suggests applying the mixture with a Q-tip nightly, gradually increasing it twice daily until sun spots fade away.

· Don’t sporadically take care of your skin. It's important to cleanse your face every night not only to avoid clogged pores, but also to wash away all the pollution your skin has been prone to.

As for anti-aging regimens, you need to keep it up for best effects. You may suffer redness and a bit of peeling at first, but this is normal. To get the full effects of acid peels, retinoids, AHAs, and moisturizers you have to keep at it. The initial benefits will go away if you stop using them.