Estate Living Magazine The Slow Movement - Issue 39 March 2019 | Page 4

FROM THE ESTATE LIVING Founder/CEO Jaimé-Lee Gardner TEAM It always seems to take time to get into the swing of a new year but, by the time March comes round, its pretty much full steam ahead, so we decided to jump off the hamster wheel, stop and smell the daisies, to take stock, and to assess whether all that rushing is really necessary. COO/Publisher Louise Martin Editor Jennifer Stern Senior subeditor Thea Grobbelaar Creative Peter Batistich Contributors Helen Grange Tessa Buhrmann Martin Hatchuel Brendan Dale Di Brown Nia Magoulianitis-McGregor Manie Steyn Ambassadors Jenelle Oosthuizen Shamiela Roubain Susan Erwee Michele Jones You’ve probably heard of the slow food movement, but that’s just a part of a bigger whole. We’ve recently discovered the slow movement (and if you’ve known about it for ages, please forgive us our slowness in discovering it). The slow movement is not about slacking. It’s about taking the time to do things slowly and with purpose – walking instead of running, running instead of driving, and cycling whenever, just because you can. It’s about taking the time to connect with people, places and processes – to live, genuinely, in the moment. We took time out from our busy schedules and constant rushing to explore South Africa’s first slow town – Sedgefield – to discover how a whole community has embraced the concept of mindful non-rushing, and we found something familiar. That’s what estate living is really all about – finding a place where you can live at a pace that makes sense to you, surrounded by some greenery, and perhaps a river or beach. And even a golf course, because – let’s face it – golf has got to be one of the most contemplative sports around. estate-living.co.za Danielle Biggar Enquiries [email protected] [email protected] Front cover Simbithi Eco Estate So we’ve tried to identify some estates and options that allow us to take a step back, take a deep breath and live mindfully in the moment. We’ve explored some fabulous retirement options in small towns, as well as some great estates that are sufficiently close to cities to be practical, but far enough from the centre to be free from urban freneticism. One such is Heron Banks. On the edge of the Jozi metropole, but also on the banks of the green and lush Vaal River, it offers the best of both worlds. And, on the KZN North Coast, Simbithi is a haven of peace and greenery on the edge of the ocean – but close enough to the city and airport to make travel and commuting an unrushed experience. And, much like the slow movement is not about doing different things but rather about doing the same things differently, we take a careful look at many aspects of our lifestyles – even how we consciously plan for dealing with some of the less glamorous aspects of day-to-day estate living, like fiscal and physical security. The slow movement is also about sustainability, so we explore the Seychelles blue bond, which offers us an opportunity to effectively invest in sustainability. We also examine how one Cape Town hotel has dramatically reduced its waste – an example all estates should emulate. But slow living is also about taking time out to just be – be with family and friends, or just be on your own – so we share some ways of making our spaces slow-friendly: how we choose colours to calm or regenerate, and how we can even train plants to encourage us to take time as we meander through our open spaces. Yes, really, it is about stopping to smell the flowers. COPYRIGHT 2019: Golden Acer (Pty) Ltd t/a Estate Living. The opinions and views expressed herein are not necessarily the views of Golden Acer (Pty) Ltd t/a Estate Living. The publisher and editor can regretfully not accept any liability for omissions or errors contained in this publication. The owner- ship of registered trademarks is duly acknowledged. No part of this publication or any of its content may be reproduced, digitally stored or transmitted in any format without the express permission of the publisher. Estate Living is a registered trademark of Kapital Investment (Pty) Ltd.