Words: Georgina Guedes | Images: Ter Hollmann
Eleni Catacousinos owns a training company and lives in the Sandton CBD with her partner and two daughters. They live in a Georgian-style complex down a surprisingly suburban street opposite the Gautrain station. They moved in 10 years ago, after having walked past the complex often on their regular strolls around the neighbourhood.
“We loved the architecture; it’s white and clean-looking, and at that stage, it was in a very quiet cul-de-sac. So when one came up for sale, I jumped at it,” she says.
Their unit is spread out over three floors, with lots of steps to walk up and down as well as four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Eleni and her partner initially thought it was too big for them, so they let it out for a while and rented a smaller place in the complex.
Shortly after setting up this arrangement, Eleni received a call from an adoption agency saying that their application had been approved and there was a baby that she and her husband could meet. After that year, with a new baby, they moved back into their unit and a few years later, a little sister joined their growing family.
Eleni now works out of the fourth bedroom, which she describes as an office-cum-Lego room, and she says that walking up and down all those stairs keeps her fit.
Schooling
There are no schools in the Sandton CBD itself, but the surrounding areas are full of excellent private and public schools. “There are Montrose Primary and Pre-Primary schools, which are good public schools in Morningside,” says Eleni. She also mentions Redhill School and the French international school, Lycée Jules Verne, as good academic institutions for CBD residents.
Crawford College and St David’s Marist Inanda are close by, as are public schools Sandown High, Grayston Preparatory and Hyde Park High.
Eleni has some commuting advice for parents considering moving into the Sandton CBD: “You’re a bit confined from about 4pm onwards. It gets difficult to leave the area, so you have to time activities like ballet and horse riding so you don’t get stuck in there.
Explore
Sandton City is practically on Eleni’s doorstep and she enjoys being able to walk up to the centre. “We usually go to Pappas on the Square with the kids, because they’re reasonably tolerant, even though it’s not actually a children’s restaurant.”
She says they generally travel out of their area to find child-friendly restaurants, like Bambanani in Melville. “We also go to Mushroom Farm Park. It’s just across the road, so we can walk there, which is lovely, and we sometimes go to the Inanda Club just up the road, because my children used to ride there. Watching the polo on a Sunday is great.”
If she and her husband are heading out without their children, they generally to go Hyde Park Corner, where their favourite restaurants are the EB Social Kitchen & Bar and Tashas.
She says that while she finds Sandton City a bit too big for easy shopping, she goes to the Woolworths there because she can park right outside.
She enjoys living in the heart of Sandton’s CBD – “Africa’s richest square mile” – but she adds that the extensive construction in the area makes it a bit tricky to live there at the moment. She says that the security in her street is excellent because of the guards at all the surrounding businesses and closer to Sandton City. “Sandton Central Management District patrols the area as well. They don’t want anything to happen to the hotel guests or people at the convention centre.”
She adds that there’s a huge benefit to having the Gautrain so close. “It’s great if you’re going somewhere on business. I can just stroll up the road and catch a train.”
The Sandton CBD is buzzing with life and activity. Residents can’t help but get caught up in the bustle of the commercial heart of Africa, but Eleni says it’s also possible to be relaxed, enjoy your surroundings and raise a family in the area.
“Everything you could possibly need – shops, restaurants, cinemas, bars, theatre, gym, a park, even a hospital – is within walking distance. With the Gautrain up the road for airport trips and Uber two minutes away, you really don’t need a car.
Eleni Catacousinos, resident
Do:
- Walk or a run at Mushroom Farm Park or go for a ride in a hot-air balloon.
- Visit the new kid-friendly Fun District at Sandton City with a Hamleys World and a flagship Spur.
- Have a drink and enjoy breathtaking views of the city at the Holiday Inn Sandton Skye Bar.
- Catch a concert or expo at Nelson Mandela Square.
- Browse three floors of books or relax on the couches at the beautiful Sandton Library.
- Take a course or do an exercise class at the Sandton Field and Study Centre, walk the dog by the river and grab breakfast afterwards at the River Cafe.
Eat:
- The Grillhouse Sandton: for steaks, ribs and fi ne wines
- Pappas on the Square: for Greek and Mediterranean cuisine
- Pigalle Melrose Arch: for Portuguese dishes and live music
- Wangthai Sandton City: for authentic Thai meals
- Tashas: for beautiful meals in a stunning location
- News Cafe: for after-work drinks with friends
Hospitals nearby:
- Mediclinic Sandton
- Netcare Sunninghill Hospital
- Mediclinic Morningside
- Intercare Day Hospital Sandton
