I have this hidden treasure...its just after 10 and if you've hit 12 you've gone too far.

Its a crying shame....no really...a CRYING shame that more people are not in the loop about UNIT 11. Whats this you're talking about? I hear you ask. Well,Im glad you did just ask me.  Unit 11 is pretty much the new place to be in Durban...well in my opinion. I blogged a couple weeks back about their awesome music and their no-bieber-beyonce music rules ( I dont know if this is an actual rule of theirs just F.Y.I) , anywho I pretty much go there because of the ping pong table... did I mention I won the ping pong championships in Durban in 2006 ? Oh wait..I didnt tell you? probably because I never won it... but I definitely aspire to be a ping pong champion. OK, let me get back to the reason of this post. Ok...where was I...rad venue...ping pong...ok yes...anyway so they have stuff going on there pretty much every Friday and Saturday so what Id like you to do is go there...and then tell me all about it and how much you love it,and actually tell all your friends too...because I really feel this place is like a hidden treasure (cough...hence the post name)  and I want to share its amazingness with you. You're welcome.

So our zero31 crew (which consisted of 2slice,dark knight and myself) went down there on Friday night to check out some bands (and play ping pong....obvious). Joburg progressive rock band Dead Alphabet decided to come to the good ol' 031 to play a little gig. Let me just tell you this...they were INSANE...like good insane of course. Ok Adam who does main vocals for the band has got himself a good set of pipes. Highest energy show I have been to in a loooooong time,2Slice was getting his dance moves on so much that he has complained for 2 days after the gig about having a sore shoulder, and if you've seen 2Slice dance...you know he's got moves. Speaking of..I do a really good impression of  a 'dancing 2Slice'... if you ask nicely I'll show you. Right,so where was I..oh yes...AMAZING. This band is hot hot hot. If you visit their website you can even get a free download.You're welcome again.

Dead Alphabet were supported by local Durban band Red Light Stereo who were also pretty golden. I happen to know that Dark Knight rather enjoyed them. As did I of course. Some great tracks.no really. (as if you didnt believe me the first time!)  I will definitely be tracking this band as I plan on seeing more of them.

Check out zero31'S Guide to happiness about whats going down in Durban this week. Including the all important RedBull Soundclash (which I happen to know is going to be radder than RAD,the zero31 crew will be there getting their dance on,well mainly it will be 2Slice but Dark Knight and myself try and keep up with him)

Anyway here are a FEW pics of Dead Alphabet (only a few because I am writing a billion...yes a billion reports for work..ok fine...not a billion..16...but basically the same thing?)

I mean it would be pretty lame if I blogged about them and didnt post a pic or two.  I only had my camera half way through though so no pics of Red Light Stereo...darn it! Next time I promise y'all.

x
P.S: I love my life.

Dear Adam...nice voice. 

Ah..such good vibes!

The great WALL OF LOVE....

There really is no need to blog about this other than the reason that these are probably one of my favourite sets of recent photos.2Slice over at zero31 recently did some interviews with  Captain stu and City Bowl Mizers for the Guide to Happiness so naturally I was there to capture some scenes with el-camero.

Let me just say this....the granny in the last few pics...she rocked! The boys hearts were forever changed.

Keep checking back at zero31 for the interviews which should appear soonish. Knowing 2Slice and his witty words..they're bound to be keepers. In the meantime check out the other interviews that are up there,oh and did I mention free downloads from some of the bands? Oh yes my friend...that just happened.


Here are some of the City Bowl Mizers:

 Marty was getting in touch with nature

 Too many leaves...not enough hands...

 2Slice "ok maybe we can do like a pirouette style dance?'

 Marty has got some moves clearly.

And....Captain Stu:

2Slice 'siiiiiiiiiigh' 

 BOOM!

These last 3 are my favourite...the boys convinced a sweet old granny to join them in the photo op.

 2Slice "excuse me old lady'

Yuuuus. this granny was feeling the love.

Let's Interpret Durban with the help of The La Els

Have you ever been to a coffee roasting/barista training/free wi-fi-ing/awesome place before ? Nope...didnt think so. I arrived at Colombo Coffee for The 1st Annual Interpret Durban Event. I was greeted oh so warmly by my favourite professional waiter Juddy-poo (you may call him Judd) who owns Corner Cafe ,our very own 2Slice who also does something at Corner Cafe and 031-Guide to Happiness was MC for the night. He was full of awesomeness (but he'll say I overrate him). Anyway,so Rich Powell who heads up Street Scene Tours organised this whole event to raise money for an u11 soccer team from Kwa-Mashu. (We're giving back people...we're giving back). So this is what went down...we had the T.Shirt design competition where anyone could submit an entry for a shirt...OBVIOUSLY it all had to based around Durban. (Come now people..its called Interpret DURBAN)... and then the judges decided and BOOM..there was a winner. (Im sorry...I have to get straight to the point...time is money). There was also some Sneaker Comp with a couple of durban designers taking a very plain jane sneaker (no offence to the Jane's out there) and pimping them up like LANK KIF...the whole point of that was that we then auctioned off the sneakers to the crowd..which is where the big money would come in for our mini Bafana Bafana's. Let me just be straight with you...we had some people dropping BIG cash... I'm talking R7000 for a pair of sneakers.  Juddy and 2Slice tried to outbid each other until some other big shot came and threw his money around like no-ones business which then took The Corner crew straight out the game. Sorry Juddy.  All in all, a ton of cash was raised for the Soccer Team...and thats what it was all about. You might sit back and think 'wow...what a content feeling' but OH HO NO.... we had tricks...TRICKS up our darn awesome sleeve. one of Durbans hottest bands (pretty much my favourites right now) decided to do a little secret first gig. Which band..which band? Ummm... only The La Els ! Now people...let me just set you straight here...its not pronounced The el-ayyy Els... please.... be clever..just say it how you read it ok. Anyway so I took a couple pics here and there of the evening and of The La Els during soundcheck and then when they hit the stage.

I just want you all to know that when i write up blog posts..I write them and thats it...BAM..they get posted...I just dont have time to check spelling and stuff. So please...just deal with it ok.

Keep Checking the Corner Cafe blog to hear the full low down from 2Slice or Dark Knight on the evening. (and also to see some of my pics) whaaa hooo. I might just take this time to say that Judd loves me so very much (apparently more than 2Slice) that Im now their in-house photographer person. Which means I will probably be doing a lot of 'Judd-shoots'.

Enjoy the pics people.
Spread that CityLove.

 Yus.... juddy-poo and 2Slice are so hot right now.

 '2Slice I told you she was keen'  said Judd.

Sketch WARZ 

 Bring forth your money

Ol Jonas 

2Slice was asking Jonas to quit breaking his heart. 

The Judges deciding on the fate of the t.shirt comp 

The La Els  

What you cant see in this photo is 2Slice rocking his face off.He is The La Els biggest fan. 

They're cute... WAY cute ok...

Most of you would know that I don't spend my days running around the city trying to capture every passing moment with my el-camero (this is my new fancy-pants word for camera...just stay with me,people). I do in fact have a day job... I,Derryn Ludlow, am the moulder of young minds. What?? 'You're a university lecturer?" I hear you say. No I'm a pre-school teacher. Yeah I colour-in,cut,sing and tell jokes for a living. A pretty good one at that too. (One of the kids in my class told me this after I reprimanded them, nice right? I must be doing something right.)

Anyway,being a pre-school teacher means that naturally I do a fair amount of kids photos. So this past week I did a couple kiddie photo shoots at some random park with gale force winds and a bunch of balloons. Needless to say,the balloons (helium) were air-lifted out the park,10 minutes into the photo shoot. Great...thanks a heap weatherman. 

Here a couple of my favourites. Such innocence in these little faces!

Enjoy. 

*Look out for the next post later this weekend. It involves some pretty rad people at a pretty rad place.  (Dont you hate it when people do that ? e.g : 'Oh I have the most amazing news to tell you,you are going to fall right off that bench ' WHAT WHAT WHAT? you say. ' oh wait..nevermind,I cant tell you now' . Yeah,sorry, you'll find out soon enough about these awesome people.

xx

StreetScene Tour ...EPIC.

To sum up this day is ridiculously hard...but it was RAD....like rad to the max. My friend, 2Slice (that is his actual name) who does important stuff over at 031 and Corner Cafe ,messaged me a while back and was like 'We're doing the StreetScene Tour with some Durban Bands and you need to come and bring that fancy pants camera of yours to document it' ,SO... I did. I rocked up at Corner Cafe today with my partner in crime-Kerryn... also known as The Dark Knight who coincidently does some event happenings for the 031-Guide to Happiness (people...just follow the link..I cant explain these things everytime). SO its2Slice,Myself,Dark Knight,Jonas & Paul from The La Els and Matt & Marty from City Bowl Mizers  (these are both RIDONKULOUS Durban bands whose music you should have, just by the way) all tucked safely into the silver quantum ready for our big adventure.

I can't even begin to think where I should start with trying to describe our days activities but it involved visiting the oldest house in Durban(like 100 and something years old...that is OLD), climbing down some slopes to visit caves and check out how people live there ( surreal I tell you,) ,we went to the place where Mandela cast his vote, (check out 2Slice casting his vote...a bit late...but still...it all counts right?) Our tour also involved a much needed visit to Sfiso's Store,where some thick dance vibes were being sent out by 2Slice and the locals. We went to a...well I dont really know what to call this place...lets go with 'local watering-hole' called Hlabisa in Kwa-Mashu where we had meat that was so amazing that the band boys decided they needed to plan a man-braai for the evening.(and you all thought it was only women who planned that stuff).We watched a bit of some apparently 'very' important soccer game too....2Slice was getting so into it he hugged some random innocent bystander. The locals were AWESOME and I would say that Marty from C.B.M pretty much made some friends for life with the lo-cals. (you go Marty). We ate,drank and were merry. On our way home we stopped off at a house in the township where literally every kid in the neighbourhood came out to greet us . The boys (I have to refer to all the band folk as this otherwise its too complicated) seemed to be quite the heros amongst the kiddos...I even remember hearing Jonas doing some counting skills with them. (Hey Jonas...you could totally teach if your voice fails ok) I honestly think I speak for a lot of the crew when I say this was pretty much the perfect way to end the day. As one of the boys summed it up... B.D.E.... BEST DAY EVER.  

PLEASE just do yourself a favour and book yourself and your mates a tour with StreetScene Tours  you will just overflow with awesomeness afterwards. Check out their website for all the details and tours are customizable. OH YEAH. 

BIG THANKS to 2Slice (ok ok..his real is Dre) for hooking us up and Rich from StreetScene for giving us the ultimate Saturday gift! love you ou's long time! 

*Dear The La Els and City Bowl Mizers... you people are tooooo rad. Lets do that again.

Here a couple snappy snaps from the day....go to the CityLove Facebook page for all the rest. While you're there you might as well join the page. It's good for you...no really. 

ENJOY!

xx

Aweh 2Slice

 Bringing it in for the ladies team!!! BOOM!

Sthembiso-our guide...check out the best shirt in the WORLD!

Our first stop...oldest house in Durban (Jonas was keen to find out about renting)

2Slice does his bit for the elections... we all play a part 2Slice!!!

You know like Hyper Market...?? yeah...Hyper Goats...you can indeed get yourself 1xgoat

Down at the caves ek se!

2Slice wanted to experience what it was like to live in the caves...

Lets bring it in...TEAM!

After our vibe at the caves...Jonas did dragon impersonations..do Matt and 2Slice look impresses? I didnt think so either

Sfiso's store...for all your liquid requirements! Rad tunes also available 'Can I be your faaaaairytale'

Dance time..courtesy of the Toyota parked in front of Sfiso's

What a bunch of posers

All that love 

At Hlabisa's... that food was aaaaamazing!!

Last stop of the day...walking around the houses in Kwa-Mashu 

Team shoe photo 

you never met a poser like 2Slice

 Jonas...such a crowd pleaser with the kiddo's