Actress and freelance writer, Roshila Jarosz, tells us about her neighbourhood, Faerie Glen in Pretoria East.
Most Pretorians will recognise Roshila Jarosz from her role as Minah Naidoo in the film, ’n Paw-Paw Vir My Darling (2015). Although Roshila originally started out as a journalist, she was always drawn to the world of acting. Besides her passion for acting, she also cares deeply about social justice issues. Her bread and butter job entails working as a consultant communications specialist for a large consultancy, as well as at a distribution company founded by her entrepreneur husband, Ivan Jarosz.
Roshila has fond memories of growing up in Laudium, but she and her husband now live in Faerie Glen. They were drawn to the suburb because of its central location. “We appreciate the convenience of being able to get to our favourite spots within minutes and pop out to the shops and return in a jiffy. The suburb is less than 10 minutes away from the N1, Menlyn Maine, Menlyn Park shopping centre, Faerie Glen Nature Reserve, a 24-hour pharmacy and several hospitals.”
Faerie Glen is a large and well established, middle-to-high-income suburb nestled on the slopes of the Bronberg mountain range. “It has beautiful spots of greenery,” says Roshila. “It’s not often that one can get away from city life within minutes; the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve is located about five minutes down the road from our place and has three different hiking routes. Once you get to the top, you’re rewarded with a spectacular view of Pretoria East.”
The Jaroszs have a great deal of respect for their fellow residents. “The people in the community are a friendly bunch. You can often see families going for walks, or spot couples walking their dogs. Even the petrol attendants at the local garages are super friendly. In fact, one of the garages even hands out flowers to customers once they pass their sell-by date but still look and smell gorgeous.”
Although Faerie Glen boasts an abundance of shopping centres with comprehensive shopping facilities at, among others, Atterbury Value Mart and Glen Village shopping centre, Roshila describes herself as more of a guerrilla-style shopper than a shopaholic. This is why she finds Menlyn Park shopping centre, close to Faerie Glen, ideal for focused shopping. “I’m in and out as quickly as possible, with the only casualty being my bank account, thanks to the odd Zara and MAC buy.”
For daily grocery shopping, she prefers to visit the stand-alone Woolworths, Pick n Pay or Checkers just down the road from where they live, rather than going to a mall.
“There’s lots to do in the area in terms of recreational activities, from kickboxing to krav maga, an assortment of gyms and the Bounce Trampoline Park.”
Faerie Glen is a peaceful neighbourhood and it feels quite safe without feeling inaccessible
-Roshila Jarosz.
Where to eat in Faerie Glen
- Blos Cafe: for bistro fare
- Square Time Cafe: for an eclectic menu
- La Fiamma Ristorante Pizzeria: for authentic Italian cuisine
- Madisons Cafe: for delicious continental fare
- Thirst at 28 Degrees East: for hearty pub grub
- Rusty Mill Cafe: for delectable light meals
Things to do in Faerie Glen:
- Visit the Tina Skukan Gallery and Tea Garden.
- Explore the natural surroundings of the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve.
- Treat yourself to a day of pampering at Fa‘Trez Wellness Spa.
- Play a round of golf at the nearby Woodhill Golf Course.
- Spend leisure time at the new Menlyn Maine complex across the road from Faerie Glen.
Schools in Faerie Glen:
- Glenstantia Primary School
- Laerskool Garsfontein
- The Glen High School
- Hoërskool Garsfontein
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
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