She hardly looks a day older than 19, but this week I got to celebrate the birthday of one of the world’s most famous 65-year-olds.
Yup, that perpetually perfectly styled plastic doll (do I even need to say its name?) that has become a fixture of pop culture held what was tipped as a “star-studded birthday brunch” to mark turning an age when its human peers start cashing in their pension.
This was Monday morning at Rosa, an elegant, glass-ceilinged room overlooking the rose gardens at Tsogo Sun’s Palazzo Hotel in Fourways, and the day after International Women’s Day. Guests were asked to arrive at 11am promptly for a day honouring inspiring women.
Offered a welcome drink on arrival, I spot actress Naliyani Uma and one of the doll’s ambassadors, Melanie Ramjee, making the most of the setting by taking selfies.
Up comes redhead glamour gal Marika Opperman, wearing a dandy mocha-coloured suit with blush pink tie to say hello, while the prettiest would have to be Ayanda G Thabethe, who looks like a blooming flower in a playful bubblegum pink sculptural mini dress.
I also get a chance to chat to beauty specialist Dr Karishma Ramdev, who tells me that she and husband John Mouton are looking to move from Pretoria to Joburg.
When we finally make our way inside, we take our seats at a gorgeously decorated long table where we are welcomed by breakfast TV presenter Carissa Cupido to what she tells us “is going to be an incredible Barbie birthday bash”. ”.
A lot of women keep quiet or lie about who the real breadwinner is to protect egos. But a confident man is not embarrassed by his partner’s success
— Anika Dambuza
Think less dancing on the tables and more food for thought thanks to a panel discussion that accompanies a feast that offers a buffalo-mozzarella-with-basil-and-avo-mousse salad or spicy prawns for starters, and a choice of pea-and-herb risotto, chicken curry or beef fillet with potato puree for mains.
Halfway through the meal I am joined by media personality Nandi Madida who has a personal connection with the world’s most recognisable doll: she and her daughter Nefertiti, 6, helped launch the first autistic Barbie.
Meanwhile, entertainment came in the form of singer songwriter Holly Rey, who had a similar story to tell — she helped promote the first doll with type 1 diabetes last year. Holly, the inaugural Masked Singer SA winner, was diagnosed with the disease when she was 11 and recently found herself in and out of hospital after kidney failure.
“I am still in recovery, but doing a lot better now,” says the bubbling Durban-born artist who in 2019 became the first woman in 20 years to win “record of the year” at the South African Music Awards for her hit single, Deeper.
The following evening it was back to the same neck of the woods, but this time a stone’s throw away at an outdoor space that forms part of Montecasino for the launch of an event blending music, culinary experiences and fashion.
Hosted by a cognac brand with a set mimicking a French maison, the event featured live music and canapés by renowned Burundi-born, Kinshasa-raised and French-trained chef Coco Reinarhz, who deftly blends African flavours with Gallic gastronomy.
Among the crowd I spotted the always vivacious Kim Jayde, as well as trans activist Yaya Mavundla and, for the second day in a row, Ayanda Thabethe.
However, perhaps fittingly in a week focusing on celebrating women and challenging bias, my attention was drawn to one woman who has made us revise stereotypes when it comes to the traditional family unit.
In a recent scene of Mzansi Magic reality show, The Real City Makoti, the social media influencer Anika Dambuza, who greets her 980,000-plus TikTok followers with “Molweni julle”, declared it was her, not husband Sihle, who has been providing for their family.
Taking to social media after the episode, she asked why it was that “a female breadwinner makes people feel so uncomfortable”.
“A lot of women keep quiet or lie about who the real breadwinner is to protect egos. But a confident man is not embarrassed by his partner’s success,” she said in the TikTok, pointing out her husband has long been her biggest supporter.
True to form, on the night Sihle was very happy turn up as Anika’s plus one for the big bash.
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