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Article: Authentic Living: Meet Janeke in the Big Apple

Authentic Living: Meet Janeke in the Big Apple

Meet Janeke from Pretoria, SA, an artist, model, baker and student. The first of our Authentic Living series kicks off with Janeke's travels to the west coast of America. Have a scroll and discover more about her journeys with Jekyll & Hide, hobbies and her backpack must-haves.

 What inspired this adventure?

The tour happened on a whim after I decided to take a gap year and then go on to study in 2018 at Tuks. As part of her gap year Janeke went on a father-daughter adventure to the US. Starting in New York, exploring the city that never sleeps, and the destinations not so known by tourists. Bryant Park being one of the favourites, the 'it' destination for New Yorkers to take a break and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

How did you lay out the rest of your trip around the West Coast?

 We were supposed to head to Orlando but due to Hurricane Irma we stayed on in DC. No regrets though because the aim of our trip was to take in the life of the locals and really immerse ourselves into the culture, so we went to a Nationals vs Phillies baseball game.

With her love for adventure and the outdoors: 'I love a good adventure, whether it's going camping or zip lining,'Janeke and her father decided to undertake the Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park.

'My adventures also extend to books that I read, I am a bookworm and I'm not even embarrassed.' Janeke's love for books and painting saw their journey along the west coast lead them to Boston, MA to Harvard University and the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. 'I graduated in 2016 and the one thing I'll always take with me, is my artistic abilities, hence the visit to the Fine Arts Museum.'

What do your day-to-day adventures entail?

'I dabble in a lot of fields: I write reviews for TripAdvisor, I am currently writing a book for fun (an Afrikaans one, mind you!), I also love love love to bake. I have always loved to experiment with things and what better way to do it than with baking? I now bake and sell for cash because my family couldn't eat everything I baked. I create art per request and sometimes I wander around and just take a few photos for fun.'

What does style mean to you and what are your backpack essentials?

'I was recently signed to Boss Models in Johannesburg, but despite being in the fashion industry, I try to avoid going with the flow in trends and rather just dress the way I want to. I got my Jekyll & Hide bag as a birthday present and it's the only thing I've said, "I love you" to, it is an extension of me.

Inseparable since, Janeke's Montana backpack has become her companion on road trips, photoshoots and university, carrying all her essentials. 'I always pack my laptop, headphones, sketchbook and lip balm, my Jekyll & Hide backpack has compartments to fit all my daily travel necessities.'

Until next time...

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