🚽 Parents Will Understand This One

Good morning from Stellenbosch.

In today's edition:

• Young people are drinking less but also seeing each other less.
• Working from home has turned many of us into part-time fridge inspectors.
• Parents have secretly converted the bathroom into a wellness retreat.
• A Stellenbosch brand is heading to the UK.
• And a reminder not to spend your whole life waiting for the perfect moment.

Let's get into it.

Before anyone writes an angry email...

I'm not suggesting young people should drink more alcohol.

In fact, drinking less is probably healthier.

But I do wonder if we're accidentally losing something else in the process.

Young people today are drinking less, dating less, socialising less, and spending less time with other humans in general.

And that's where things get interesting.

Back in the day, a Friday night involved gathering a group of friends and heading somewhere.

Today, a Friday night can involve sitting alone while simultaneously watching Netflix, scrolling Instagram, replying to WhatsApps, and claiming to be "socialising."

We've never been more connected.

And somehow we've never spent less time together.

The local pub, bar, coffee shop and student hangout weren't really about the drinks.

They were about meeting people.

Making friends.

Having awkward conversations.

Learning how to talk to strangers.

Meeting future partners.

Creating stories that would later begin with:

"You're never going to believe what happened..."

Today the story is more likely to begin with:

"Look at this video I found."

Again, drinking less isn't the problem.

The real question is whether we're replacing real-world experiences with screens.

Because nobody ever looks back at their twenties and says:

"Remember that incredible evening we all spent alone on our phones?"

It's hard to believe these are the same buildings.

What was once an accounting office at 15 Krige Street has undergone the sort of transformation usually reserved for reality TV makeover shows.

Gone are the spreadsheets, tax returns and discussions about VAT submissions.

In their place you'll find coffee, conversation, great nails, and people voluntarily spending money instead of trying to minimise it.

Today the property is home to Plato and Revel Salon, and it's difficult to imagine Krige Street without them.

Beyond the businesses themselves, the transformation has brought new energy to the area. More foot traffic. More life. More reasons for people to linger a little longer.

It's a reminder that great businesses don't just occupy buildings.

They help shape streets, neighbourhoods and the character of a town.

And in this case, Krige Street definitely got an upgrade.

Working from home sounds incredible.

No commute.
No office politics.
No awkward conversations in the kitchen about someone's weekend hiking trip.

Just you, your laptop, and unlimited productivity.

At least that's what the brochure said.

The reality is that you sit down to work and immediately notice:

• the dishwasher needs unpacking
• the dog looks bored
• the lawn could use attention
• that cupboard has always been a bit crooked
• maybe today is finally the day to reorganise the garage

Before long you're halfway through a home improvement project you never intended to start.

Then there's lunch.

People in offices eat lunch.

People working from home open the fridge every 17 minutes hoping new food has magically appeared.

And let's not forget the professional Zoom call experience.

One minute you're discussing something important.

The next minute a child appears asking for snacks, someone is mowing a lawn outside, and your dog is barking at a shadow.

But there is one thing nobody talks about enough.

It can get a little lonely.

You don't realise how much of life is made up of small human interactions until they're gone.

The quick chat while making coffee.

The random joke from a colleague.

The "how was your weekend?" conversation.

Working from home is great until you realise the delivery driver is the first adult you've spoken to all day.

That five-minute conversation suddenly becomes the social highlight of your afternoon.

That said...

Working from home does have its advantages.

You can make proper coffee.

You can wear shorts.

You can avoid traffic.

And every now and then, when the stars align and nobody needs anything from you for 45 consecutive minutes, you actually get an astonishing amount of work done.

It's distracting.

It's isolating.

It's wonderful.

And most people who work from home would complain about it endlessly...

Right before refusing to ever go back to an office.

Before having children, going to the bathroom was simply a biological necessity.

After having children, it becomes a luxury retreat.

Parents everywhere know exactly what I'm talking about.

At some point during a chaotic day, one parent casually announces:

"I'm just going to the bathroom."

And off they go.

Five minutes pass.

Then ten.

Then fifteen.

Nobody asks questions.

Because everyone understands.

They are not using the bathroom.

They are having a small holiday.

Sitting in silence.

Staring into the distance.

Remembering who they were before they spent three hours negotiating with a tiny human about putting on shoes.

The other parent knows exactly what's happening too.

But they can't say anything because they used the exact same strategy yesterday.

It's an unspoken agreement.

A treaty between exhausted adults.

One parent disappears for a suspiciously long bathroom break.

The other takes over childcare.

Then later the roles reverse.

And so the cycle continues.

The funny part?

Sometimes you don't even need the toilet.

You just need a room with a lock on the door and nobody asking for something.

Parents don't want a holiday.

They want seven uninterrupted minutes to sit on a toilet and hear absolutely nothing.

That's the dream.

One of Stellenbosch's biggest success stories is about to go international.

Freedom of Movement (FOM), the lifestyle brand known for its leather bags, vellies and proudly South African identity, is opening its first European store in Bath, England next month.

What makes the story even better is where it all started.

Founder Roal Boezaart began making clothes while living in a Stellenbosch residence as a student. What started as T-shirts and hoodies for fellow students eventually grew into a business selling leather bags, shoes and accessories across South Africa.

Today FOM has around 30 stores nationwide, employs roughly 180 people, has partnered with Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, and is preparing to take a little piece of Stellenbosch to the UK.

Not bad for a project that started in a student room.

A good reminder that some of South Africa's biggest businesses didn't begin with boardrooms, investors and fancy business plans.

Sometimes they begin with a sewing machine, a student residence, and someone willing to give an idea a try.

Life moves faster than we think.

One day you're carrying your one-year-old around the house.

The next, they're five years old and heading off to school.

One day you keep talking about that trip, that adventure, that dream you've always wanted to pursue.

The next, your knees aren't quite what they used to be and your body starts negotiating terms and conditions before every hike.

We spend so much of our lives waiting.

Waiting for more money.
Waiting for more time.
Waiting for the perfect moment.

The problem is that the perfect moment rarely arrives.

Life is happening now.

Call the friend.
Take the trip.
Start the business.
Book the holiday.
Tell people you love them.

And while you're at it, try not to let the small stuff consume you.

Most of the things stressing you out today probably won't matter a year from now.

Many won't matter a month from now.

Some won't even matter by next Tuesday.

Life is surprisingly short.

Don't spend it waiting to start living.

Monday
🌦️ Variably cloudy with the chance of a shower
🌡️ High 17°C / Low 9°C

Tuesday
☀️ Hazy sunshine and much drier conditions
🌡️ High 19°C / Low 7°C

Wednesday
🌤️ A mix of sunshine and cloud with pleasant winter temperatures
🌡️ High 20°C / Low 9°C

The Verdict

After a slightly damp start to the week on Monday, Stellenbosch settles into classic winter weather with cool mornings, mild afternoons and plenty of sunshine. Tuesday and Wednesday look particularly pleasant for coffee walks, wine farm lunches, or pretending you'll finally get around to those jobs you've been putting off.

🧥 Winter Tip: Mornings will still feel chilly, so don't be fooled by the afternoon sunshine. This is peak "leave home wearing a jacket and carry it around for the rest of the day" season. ☕ 🌤️

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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