Fairlady Test House

Retail therapy the Woolworths way

jennifer — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:39:52 +0000

‘Oh great, another shopping centre – just what Johannesburg needs,’ I hear you think. But honestly, this is one shopping experience you’re probably not going to mind in the least. Think wider aisles, green features that include natural light and the proverbial butcher, baker and if not a candlestick maker, then at least a fishmonger. There’s also an enormous cheese counter – this is gourmet shopping at its tastiest. But this is a Woolies supermarket, not just another plush Woolies deli-style store – so alongside the finer things in life, this branch also stocks an expanded range of groceries and household necessities, not only of its own brands, but also with more of the most popular SA brands you can find at other retailers. This includes items you’ve never been able to buy at Woolworths before – like pool chemicals or stockings. The idea is that you can get absolutely everything you need in one shopping experience. The result? A store experience that is altogether more pleasant than the average South African grocery shopping trip. There’s also a “call&collect” service on offer, so if browsing the aisles makes you twitchy, you can phone in your order, and the service team does your shopping for you. All you’ll need to do is collect the order and pay. Genius.

Throw a café with a brand-new menu into the mix, and a hot food counter with a sandwich station, and this is going to be a popular destination shop, not just with trolley-wielding moms, but with the local office worker population too.
It will be interesting to see just how Woolworths roll this concept out – this is the largest food store they’ve ever opened, so finding suitable spaces elsewhere might be a challenge. One thing is clear – the other big supermarket retailers should be looking over their shoulders.

Woolworths Nicolway Bryanston, cnr William Nicol Drive and Wedgewood Link, Bryanston, Johannesburg. Open 8am to 8pm seven days a week.

Making our roads safer

jennifer — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 10:35:17 +0000

Here at FAIRLADY, we’re pretty passionate about road safety, and regular readers will already know that one of our pet peeves is parents who don’t strap their kids into car seats. So it’s good to know that others feel the same way we do. Car rental giant Imperial is putting its money where its mouth is with its I-Pledge campaign.

Every South African knows that, as a nation, we’re pretty reckless drivers: more than 40 people are killed on our roads every day. The Imperial I-Pledge road safety campaign is trying to change our bad driving habits by encouraging drivers to adopt a safer, friendlier attitude on the road. The campaign is off to a cracking start, with more than 33000 South Africans throwing their weight behind the project by signing Imperial’s I-Pledge. Go to www.ipledge.co.za to sign your own personal pledge. You can choose one of the following I-Pledges – or write your own!

I will not talk on the phone or SMS while driving.
I will keep to the speed limit.
I will not give in to road rage.
I will not drink and drive.
I will always wear my safety belt.
I will only use the zebra crossing.

Safety first
Imperial also has some thoroughly sensible road safety tips for everyone travelling over the long weekend:

Make sure your car is in good condition. Check the condition and inflation of your tyres, the valve caps, brakes and windscreen wiper blades. Check your headlights, indicators and brake lights. If something is not working, get it fixed before you leave.

Wear your seatbelt for the entire journey. This should be non-negotiable, especially with babies and children as they are at higher risk in the event of a collision. Make sure the restraints are appropriate for your child’s age.

Do not speed and always maintain a safe following distance of at least three seconds.

Be visible – day and night – by driving with your headlights on. If you are walking or cycling, wear bright, reflective clothing.

Don’t drink and drive, ever. It’s just not worth it. Appoint a designated driver or make use of a taxi service.

Do not overload your vehicle – either with luggage or passengers. The number of seatbelts in a vehicle is a good indicator of how many people should be in your car.

Avoid being distracted by your phone, changing the radio or speaking to passengers. Focus on the task at hand: driving safely. For every second we take our eyes and minds off the road, we lose one second in our average reaction and stopping time.

Fight fatigue and take a break – every two hours or 200km.

Adjust your driving to changing weather or light conditions, and road conditions such as hills and bends and busy pedestrian areas. Do not overtake on blind rises or corners.

Get cooking with Chez Gourmet

jennifer — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:00:40 +0000

Chez Gourmet is dubbed the ‘home of good food’ and they also happen to assist FAIRLADY with all our food testing for Consumer Test House. It’s fair to say, they know food and if you’re looking to expand your culinary skills then we suggest signing up for one of their daytime or evening courses during March.

Daytime courses:

08 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Marvellous Muffins

09 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Dips and Spreads

10 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Cake Decorating 1

11 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Cooking Fish

12 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Mothers Day Treats

15 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Vegetarian Cooking

16 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Soufflés and Mousses

17 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Cake Decorating 2

18 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Cooking on the Bone

22 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Vegan Baking

23 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): French Classics

24 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Homemade Pies

25 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Simple Sauces

26 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Bread Making

29 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Minute Suppers

30 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Petit Fours

31 May 2012 (09:30 – 12:30): Moroccan Magic

Evening courses:
02 May 2012 (18:00 – 21:00): Indian Curries

09 May 2012 (18:00 – 21:00): Italian Cuisine

16 May 2012 (18:00 – 21:00): Sushi

23 May 2012 (18:00 – 21:00): Chocolate Craving

30 May 2012 (18:00 – 21:00): Chinese Cuisine

Whether it’s a fun evening or morning with your partner or girlfriends, we know you’ll love these courses!

Contact details:
Address: 36 Palmyra Road, Claremont
Tel: 021 671 2080
E-mail: info@chezgourmet.co.za
Website: www.chezgourmet.co.za

Calling all golfers and handymen!

jennifer — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:00:23 +0000

If you’re always looking for a pencil, the Handy Pencil is your answer. It’s a pencil on a retractable cord, complete with eraser, sharpener and a clip so you can attach it to your belt, pocket or golf cart.

Visit www.handypencil.co.za for more info.

Available for about R19,99 from the Golfer’s Club or contact Barbara Boyce 021 788 9665 or 082 927 7251 for your nearest stockist.

Cash it in

jennifer — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:00:22 +0000

Do you have unwanted pieces of jewellery – like single earrings, outdated rings or tarnished bracelets – lying around at home? GoldGuys is a new company that values and buys your gold, silver or platinum jewellery. The valuation is based on five key criteria: the spot gold price of the day, the rand-US dollar exchange rate, the purity of the items, the weight of the items and the estimated metal loss during the refining process. You can simply visit www.thegoldguys.co.za and request a fully insured GoldPak which will be returned to The GoldGuys via secure courier.

For more info, e-mail info@thegoldguys.co.za or phone 082 414 1729.

Did you know?

jennifer — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:00:19 +0000

people in Africa send the most text messages
people in Asia play the most games
50% of teens can text blindfolded
the average American spends 2,7 hours socialising on their phone
43% of people think their phone reflects their personal style
63% of people would give up chocolate rather than their phone.

Stats from Intel

Lighting your way

jennifer — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

We liked this clever light that is also a motion sensor. The Nightlux uses three AAA batteries so can be attached, with glue or a magnetic fitting, wherever it’s needed. The focus is on the lower third of the room – it lights up potential obstacles so no more falls, bumps and bruises in the dark. It has three LED lights that can be moved up and down as required. It is weather resistant so can also be used outdoors. Available from The Lighting Warehouse for about R119,95.

For more information visit www.lightingwarehouse.co.za or phone 0861 544 48464.

Don’t miss our FAIRLADY Consumer Awards 2012

jennifer — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 11:49:53 +0000

FAIRLADY Editor Suzy Brokensha and a panel of judges will search for the best products across a range of categories. We’ll be looking for products that offer value, quality and reliability, products that SA consumers know and trust.

Who should enter?
If you’re a retailer, brand manager, distributor or supplier with a fabulous product you think deserves the tag FAIRLADY Consumer Awards Winner 2012, then enter your product now into one of our Health, Food & Drink or Household categories.

Why should you enter a product?
All products that are finalists in the Consumer Awards will receive extensive coverage both in FAIRLADY magazine and on www.fairladytesthouse.com. Plus, the winning products will be given usage of the FAIRLADY Consumer Award 2012 Winner sticker, which has achieved excellent results in the retail environment.

How to enter?
Click on the link to the entry form and fill it out online – it’s as simple as that!

We’ve extended the closing date to 21 May 2012 and no late entries will be accepted.

What’s up for SA’s telecom market in 2012?

jennifer — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 07:00:57 +0000

Here are some predictions by Tim Walter, executive head of marketing at Nashua Mobile.
Ultrabooks become must-have gadgets
As chips get smaller and more power-efficient, so notebooks become ultrabooks that are thinner and lighter with better battery life, but pricey.
Tablets keep getting stronger
Everyone wants a tablet and 2012 will possibly bring Windows 8 tablets, iPad 3 and better Android devices.
Commoditisation of traditional notebooks
Laptop or notebook computers will be more affordable than ever before, thanks to the competition from the ultrabook and tablet segments.
Innovations in mobile banking
This year should see plenty of mobile banking activity as the banks position themselves for a mobile banking revolution, especially in the form of apps.
The other trend to watch is Near Field Communications, a short-range wireless technology that will allow you to eventually use your mobile phone as your wallet.
Wi-Fi offloading
Wi-Fi networks will prosper with many users using cheaper and faster hotspot access from their tablets, smartphones and notebooks when they can, over cellular data services.

A clever compact

jennifer — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 07:00:54 +0000

The Samsung Q10 is a small camcorder which is very cleverly designed because it can be held in either hand. You simply turn the camcorder upside down and place the strap around your left hand, and the image will flip. There’s no power switch – you turn the camcorder on by opening the LCD display. There aren’t a lot of buttons on the recorder – just a record button and a home button that brings up the main touchscreen menu. Adjusting settings via the touchscreen is quite fiddly and not that easy. It has a 10x optical zoom. It’s available from leading retailers for about R2399.