TOGETHER WITH
🏉 Is Anyone Going To Stop The Springboks?
England came. Scotland came.
Both left with a very clear understanding of why nobody enjoys touring South Africa.
The Springboks have started the season looking every bit like the world champions we've come to expect. Massive defence. Brutal physicality. A scrum that seems to operate under different laws of physics. And just when the opposition think they've survived... Rassie empties the bench and sends on another pack of forwards who all appear to have been assembled in the same factory.
At this point, "Bomb Squad" feels like an understatement.
South Africans are now doing what we do best... confidently predicting we'll never lose another rugby match ever again.
Long may the optimism continue. 🇿🇦🏆
🍷 Stellenbosch Is About To Become South Africa's Wine Capital... Again
If you needed an excuse to enjoy a glass of wine, Stellenbosch has just given you nine days' worth.
Wine Town Stellenbosch returns from 25 July to 2 August, celebrating 55 years of the Stellenbosch Wine Routes. The town will come alive with wine tastings, special restaurant menus, winemaker dinners, vineyard experiences, live music and plenty of reasons to spend a little longer in the Winelands.
The highlight is the Stellenbosch Wine Festival on 31 July and 1 August, where more than 60 wine producers will pour over 200 wines under one roof at the historic Town Hall. Whether you're a seasoned wine enthusiast or simply enjoy a good day out with friends, there's something for everyone.
If you've been looking for the perfect excuse to explore Stellenbosch this winter... this is probably it. 🍷
💸 Nobody Has Money... But Everyone Is In Mauritius
Speak to almost any business owner at the moment and you'll hear the same thing.
Things are slower.
Customers are taking longer to decide. Quotes are being opened, stared at and then quietly ignored. People are asking for discounts with the confidence of someone negotiating an international peace treaty.
Everyone seems to be cutting back.
And yet...
Mauritius appears to be fully booked.
Coffee shops are still selling matcha that costs roughly the same as a light lunch. Restaurants are busy. New activewear keeps appearing. And somehow, every second person on Instagram is either at a game lodge, on the Garden Route or holding a cocktail near an infinity pool.
So perhaps people aren't spending less.
They're just spending very selectively.
The new economy seems to be:
No to fixing the leaking roof.
Yes to a R95 smoothie.
No to replacing the tyres.
Yes to flights to Zanzibar.
No to anything practical.
Yes to anything that photographs well.
It's a strange time to be in business. Money hasn't disappeared. It has simply become much harder to convince people that your thing deserves to be spent on.
📅 Good News. You Still Have Half The Year Left.
Remember those New Year's resolutions?
The ones about getting fit, saving money, reading more books, starting that business, learning Spanish, waking up at 5am and somehow becoming the sort of person who enjoys cold plunges?
How's that going?
The good news is we're only halfway through the year.
You haven't missed your chance.
Six months is still enough time to lose the weight, run the race, build the habit, launch the project or finally tackle that thing you've been putting off since January.
The mistake most people make is deciding that because January didn't go to plan, they may as well wait until next January.
Don't.
Future You will be incredibly grateful that Present You decided not to waste the next six months.
Besides, if you start today, you can spend New Year's Eve pretending you had the whole thing under control all along.
💭 A small thought for today
It's amazing how much time we spend thinking about what other people should be doing.
They should work harder.
They should be kinder.
They should parent differently.
They should make better decisions.
Meanwhile, we all have our own list of things we could be doing better.
The truth is, every one of us has blind spots. If someone looked closely enough at our lives, they'd find things to criticise too.
You'll never control how other people live.
You do control how you show up each day.
And that's usually the better place to spend your energy.
🌤️ Weather forecast is sponsored by AskMandla.com
🌞 Monday
A crisp winter morning gives way to a beautiful sunny afternoon. One of those days that reminds you why Stellenbosch winters aren't all bad.
High: 18°C | Low: 8°C
☁️ Tuesday
Clouds roll in, making it feel a little cooler, but it should stay dry. Probably a good excuse for another coffee.
High: 17°C | Low: 10°C
☁️ Wednesday
Mostly cloudy again with comfortable daytime temperatures. A small chance of light rain later, but nothing that should spoil your plans.
High: 18°C | Low: 9°C
Enjoyed reading this? 😉
If today's Brief made you smile, taught you something, or helped you procrastinate for a few minutes at work, consider buying us a coffee.
We're trying to build something local, useful and not boring.
Every bit helps.
As always, thanks for reading. If you spot something in town worth knowing, reply and tell us. Half the best Stellenbosch stories begin that way.
See you around town,
Stellenbosch Brief
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