It's a Recommendation

A Newsletter from Lerato Mbangeni

Dec 18, 2023

Why this, why now

People come to me for recommendations and I actively seek out recommendations. I read a lot of reviews and try a lot of new things. It’s near obsessive and I need somewhere to put it. So, in between the ebb and flow of opinions and information, this is a sacred middle ground.

A good time to…

My first recommendation will always be:

Free Palestine. End apartheid. Give back the land.

Then…

Popular plates: You’re dressed up, the food’s dressed up*

TOMO in CPT

I love a teeny place with sexy lighting and banging broth. TOMO is a little corner house cutie with a great variety of well-made Japanese food on the menu. There’s sake and sushi and the ramen makes you want to saka nyuka. A great date place or a romanticize your day place.

Mid kitchen, Mad food:

Yia Yia's Kitchen in Parkhurst

If you’re keen on Greek food but didn't think far ahead enough to book at Kolonaki, or don’t have the budget for it, then you might like this little nook two blocks down the road from it. Literally tucked away between two bigger shops, you’re more likely to miss Yia Yia's Kitchen than take it seriously. Think high tables, short benches, blue and white walls, and maddening Mediterranean goodness. Catch them on a good day the service might be good too.

Eating with my eyes - Recipes I saved and pretend I’ll make

From Italy with Lourve we have this Mac and cheese which I’m sure I’ll make after I find out what Scarmoza is.

This Flower Mozza is adorable

And these gawdlevel egg rolls again with flowers

Gig(abyte) guide: What I’ve been watching on my phone.

TBH it’s just Kdramas today so skip ahead if you’re not keen but if you are keen…

I really enjoyed Search WWW on Netflix and you will too if you enjoy the female lead (FL) annoying you every two episodes. I, unsarcastically, enjoyed the writing immensely. No predictable plotlines, lots of realistic and fallible characters, great romances and I liked their outfits too. I enjoyed the male lead’s performance, he was the most believable and had a beautiful complex storyline.

On a lighter note, Castaway Diva was a perfect mix of the good-triumphs-over-evil, rags-to-riches and whodunnit genres. There’s a lot of singing too if you’re so enclined.

I think I’ll do a wrap of the Kdramas I’ve watched this year and which ones are really good.

Judging books by their covers: Let’s roam the bookshop.

Now, I believe firmly in judging a book by its cover. I eat with my eyes and these covers ATE. Covers aside; I’ve loved both Murakami and De Botton at different points in my life (then and now) and I believe that I’ll buy these at some point. The other three pique my interest so I, again, believe I’ll read them soon (future riches permitting).

BUT GUYS LOOK WHAT MADE IT OUT THE BOOKSHOP

As a library kid spending bucks on books still shakes me sometimes, so it took me three months to buy this book. There were only two copies available and the bookshop owner kept one for himself so THERE WAS ONLY ONE! AND IT WAITED FOR ME!

Never allow me to be so reckless again please. Had I found it gone I would’ve mourned for many moons.

It’s so great. Essays and pictures and moodboards and interviews and screenplays and scene breakdowns for…my favourite movie. I’m very happy about the hours of joy I’ll get from this.

Shout out LoveBooks in Melville for being adorable.

Anime Farm: All animes are equal but some animes are more equal than others.

All I think about is Jujitsu Kaisen. Shibuya is a sorepoint. My Special is a always on soundtrack. I dressed as Toji for the work xmas party. I’m obsessed.

Mappa’s oppression of their animators can’t be overlooked but I need to commend the animators for such stunning work. It’s actually insane. My jaw drops every week. Tell them I love them. And tell Gege that it’s on sight.

That’s so meta: Newsletters I enjoy.

Chaotic. Pop culture fanatic. Love her.

Parental advisory: My kid likes

These books…very much.

We’re a big Bluey household so the books have been a great way to migrate away from the screen. Plus it helps if you’ve watched the episodes a million times like we do so you can do all the voices. We’re on our thrid Bluey book and counting.

The ShoMa book reads like a dream. It rolls off the tongue to add another cliche. I read A LOT of bedtime stories and some make it a job for the parent but this one is the best one I’ve picked up for her. I need a new copy because this one is worn.

She’s seen me do yoga on the floor next to the bed since she could see. It was half-baked, postpartum, survival yoga but now she’s very into “stretching”. So I got her her own mat and this book. Both are big hits for the little yogi.