text: Your project is the "Human Nest" studying the ergonomics of the human form based on Le Corbuiser's Modulor Man. Your site is Mount Edgecombe you will use the history and the spirit of the place to contextualize your research to inspire your designs. The main aim is to get you working at a range of scales up to 1:2 & 1:1 creating a piece of art/sculptures to help develop site inspiration and gain a clear understanding of the design process.
  A human nest can be used to describe a range of spaces from a small enclosed or semi-enclosed space. This brief was about designing a human nest to be placed anywhere within Mount Edgecumbe House and Country Park. The design is inspired by Lily pads and lotus flowers. I was intrigued by the way they were able to float elegantly on the water. The LilyPod is designed to function as a small quiet meeting place during the day where families or friends can meet and have lunch. Whilst during the night the LilyPod acts as an art installation as they light up the lake at night. Each of the LilyPods are sustainable as they are powered using solar panels, and use a cork base to float, but are chained down to make them stable and anchored in one place.
  
  Earlier this year Bobbi Brown launched additional face masks to their range, which already offers one of the better selections of skincare from what is essentially a makeup brand. The two don’t always co-exist nicely, but in this case, there are numerous products in the Bobbi skincare that I use frequently, and hold their own when up against ‘skincare’ brands.
  The Instant Detox and Skin Nourish masks are the ones that I gravitated towards, giving the perfect book-ends to a Sunday Facial.
  Instant Detox is in a base of amazonian white clay, and suitable for most skins. If you were particularly sensitive I would avoid the cheeks and patch test. I found it to be perfectly comfortable and not tight or drying.
  The Skin Nourish mask is lovely. It’s an obvious last step if you’re doing my Sunday Facial/multi-step facial as it’s the moisturising element that you can leave on or even sleep in. This is great if you’re perpetually dry/dehydrated or just dull and lifeless. Hydration is the quickest fix for those skins.
  Both of these reviews would have gone into more detail had it been possible to source the ingredients online, but where Bobbi Brown shows that it is truly a makeup brand, is in their complete lack of ingredients and transparency when it comes to the information they provide when talking about their skincare.
  Nowhere online, including my usual trustworthy Sephora, lists the ingredients of these products. Not one list, anywhere.
  I would go on about it, but I feel like we’ve been here so many times before, that if the brands don’t care, and the retailers don’t care, then why do I keep going to the trouble of tracking them down myself? I have used the phrase ‘list your ingredients’ in 78 posts on this blog.
  Bobbi Brown’s masks are £33.00 and available from JohnLewis/Selfridges and BobbiBrown.co.uk – they’re lovely to use – just don’t ask me what’s in them.
  *For the record, Charlotte Tilbury lists the ingredients of the Goddess Skin Clay Mask (also in the picture) in full on her website and will get a full review this week on the blog.
  
  South Africa’s best-selling SUV received a thorough facelift late in 2020, which included the introduction of an updated turbodiesel motor. Does the revised model improve the Fortuner’s value proposition? We racked up some big miles with the Japanese Adventure SUV during the festive season. Here's what we found.
  The updated tail-light clusters are the quickest way to distinguish the Fortuner from its predecessor.
  The love-it-or-hate-it brown interior from the pre-facelift Fortuner has been discarded and replaced by much-more-palatable black trim. In terms of electronic accoutrements, Toyota's 7-seater Adventure SUV gains a more connected infotainment system and this new-for-2021 VX derivative comes equipped with modern intelligent safety features that also improve the vehicle's general driving experience.
  The exterior execution has had a touch up too – in the forms of new lighting designs front and back, while a metallic trim strip has been added to underscore the side glass, C-pillars and tailgate screen; think of it as a belt for the Fortuner’s waistline. Those with a keen eye will also notice the lack of badging on the back of this model; that's not part of the facelift offering, merely how this unit was delivered by Toyota.
  Ample on-road performance isn’t usually a prerequisite for an off-road-oriented SUV, but because the Fortuner has an upgraded engine, the revised powertrain is probably worth addressing right off the bat. It’s the same upgrade as the Hilux received (insofar as the extent of its mechanical improvements) and, in the SUV variant, it certainly benefits the vehicle's driveability. The added urgency when overtaking is the most notable improvement; to put it another way: getting around slower traffic at higher speeds requires far less planning and anxiety because the Fortuner now has greater reserves of oomph to call on.
  The 6-speed automatic transmission, meanwhile, does a good job of selecting the right gears at the right time, although the 'box does tend to kick down a little early when the Toyota is required to climb hills (as opposed to using the low-down torque to "pull itself up" inclines). Aside from the extra noise from the engine and additional fuel being burnt during these kickdowns, there are no real downsides.
  Around town, the off-the-mark acceleration feels eager – it's a notable improvement on the sluggish performance of the pre-facelift 2.8 GD-6. While fuel consumption is claimed to be better with this update, we found that the Fortuner would often climb above 10.5 L/100 km in town. While on long journeys, when the Toyota cruised at the national speed limit for protracted periods, the readout settled at 9.0 L/100 km.
  The Fortuner is still a bit shaky on harsh gravel roads, but impressively capable when used as a 4x4.
  One of the areas in which the Fortuner has been unable to match its Ford Everest archrival is ride comfort. As a rule, a bakkie-based SUV, which consists of a body mounted on a ladder-frame chassis, can’t hold a candle to the pliant suspensions of monocoque designs (such as the Land Rover Discovery, BMW X5 etc). Unlike the Hilux, the facelifted Fortuner hasn't had any adjustments to its damping to help settle the rear-end better over bumps. It still exhibits a fair amount of body roll when cornering at speed and, on dirt roads, the Toyota can feel as if it's crabbing across the surface (while the cabin reverberates).
  A more circumspect owner won’t have a problem adjusting to these idiosyncrasies by simply reducing the speed, but it remains a weak point of the package; there is certainly room for improvement.
  Family-car buyers favour rugged 7-seater SUVs because they cover all the bases at a price point that doesn’t (or at least didn’t) break the bank. All 7-seats in the VX spec Fortuner are upholstered in black leather, which feels comfortable and hard-wearing. The 2nd-row seats can be tumbled forward and folded upwards to provide more loading space.
  Other manufacturers prefer to have the 2nd row of seats fold flat into the floor instead, which gives users an easier load space to work with, but not as much height to load into. It’s a bit of a "whatever works best for you" scenario. The 2nd row also slides fore and aft on rails and even when set as far forward as the bench will go, it provides more than enough legroom for passengers.
  The 3rd row of seats, in turn, fold upwards and against the sides of the load bay, which is a Fortuner tradition and, frankly, this configuration continues to confuse us. Granted, you get a lower loading height compared with Adventure SUVs in which the rearmost seats fold down into the floor, but then, because the seats are stored to the side in the Toyota, it limits the maximum load-width of the luggage area.
  Foibles aside, the Fortuner still has one of the largest load bays of all new vehicles on sale in the Republic, which is a trump card in itself. The 3rd row was often occupied during the Toyota's tenure in our test fleet and, aside from the lower-than-average seating position, the rearmost seats provided sufficiently comfortable accommodation on long journeys.
  The VX-spec Fortuner sits atop the range and, as a result, comes equipped with more buttons to play with. Front seat heaters are standard on this derivative, which will be welcome on cold winter’s days. The 8-inch infotainment screen is now Apple Carplay and Android Auto compatible, although it would be nice if it had more than 1 USB port. As soon as someone else wants to charge a device through the USB port, you lose your smartphone-mirroring function. You could use USB adaptors in some of the 12V ports dotted around the cabin, but it’s pretty standard fare to have at least 2 USB ports these days.
  The new safety features, which were introduced on the Hilux and have now been carried over to the Fortuner, are very welcome. The pre-collision detection system is the most notable new addition, while lane departure warning and road-sign recognition are nice-to-have features. They come over and above standard features (across the range) such as ABS, EBD, brake assist, stability control and traction control.
  Adaptive cruise control with distance control is also part of the new safety package for the VX derivative, which certainly takes the hassle out of trundling through busy towns along the national freeways.
  Toyota has the largest number of franchised dealers in the country, providing peace of mind for owners that worry about finding a workshop while on holiday "well off the beaten track". Toyota also has a notable track record for reliability and has twice won the coveted Brand of the Year title at the Cars.co.za Consumer Awards, powered by WesBank.
  The 2.8GD-6 4x4 VX retails for R806 300, which includes a 3-year/100 000 km warranty and 9-service/90 00 km service plan, both of which can be extended at the dealer at extra cost.
  The facelifted Toyota Fortuner certainly shows improvements in some areas of its package where its predecessor was middling or perhaps even slightly behind the opposition. Its powertrain is far better than before and more closely matched with that of the Everest. The black interior is less polarising than the previous brown getup and the updated infotainment system will be welcomed by the majority of users. Improving the safety features and adding adaptive cruise control to this top-spec derivative will certainly make those looking for more value for money think twice before opting for an Everest instead.
  The Fortuner remains the SUV you buy that answers the question "what if?" What if I need 7 seats, reliability, good service, decent performance, to go off-road and remain respected on the school run? Well, the facelifted Fortuner is the answer if you still want to have some money left after completing the purchase, although, having said that, the VX's price is starting to become head-scratchingly expensive...
  
  This beautiful and little-known LP from Epic (LC 3228, US pressing, yellow radial label, mono) entitled “Serenades for Strings (the world’s best-loved melodies)” features conductor Cedric Dumont leading the crack Boyd Neel Orchestra in a lovely collection of works for string orchestra, most likely recorded in the early to mid-1950s, and never re-issued on CD.
  There are superlative liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket by Fred V. Grunfeld, printed in English only. The remarkable cover art is uncredited.
  The condition of the jacket is VERY GOOD. There is slight is slight bit of cracking to the top seam as well as general shelfwear. However, therre are no owners’ markings, bends, or other defects, and the album remains solid, bright, and highly attractive – overall, this rates as a very good collector's copy.
  
  The Paramo Halcon is a waterproof jacket especially well suited to outdoor country pursuits such as walking, bird watching and photography thanks to its wide range of pocket options and high levels of cold and wet weather protection...
  The Paramo Halcon has a very well-established position in the Paramo range of waterproof jackets and is a firm favourite with a lot of our customers. It is specially designed to provide practical protection during country activities from walking to nature watching & photography.
  Many such activities involve exertion while moving, then being stationary for long periods. To remain comfortable, you need efficient moisture control to prevent chilling, and ventilation options to reduce clothing changes. Essential equipment needs to be within easy reach with minimal disruption.