{"product_id":"9781049222066","title":"Upstairs Downstairs: A Musical Memoir","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eWhat if a memoir went beyond words\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—told not just through writing, but through lyric readings, music (32 original songs), and videos?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAuthor and creator \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eKarina Marais\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is doing exactly that. Upstairs Downstairs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003emulti-sensory experience\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e that redefines what a memoir can be.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003e“Knock-knock, anybody home?”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor 20 years, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eKarina Marais\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and her partner have lived apart together in a shared residence—his bachelor pad upstairs, her retreat downstairs—connected by a staircase that links their spaces while preserving their independence. No unannounced visits, no dull routines, just passion, freedom, and a love story shaped on their terms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eUpstairs Downstairs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, Marais shows how they successfully manage a Living Apart Together (LAT) relationship where love, ambition, and independence coexist. But her memoir isn’t just about love; it’s also about passion and daring to dream. Some of her dreams took flight, others fell short, but she didn’t want to leave this world without chasing them. That drive makes her jump out of bed every morning, a trait many aspiring entrepreneurs share.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThrough multisensory storytelling with words, lyric readings, music, and videos, she brings to life the emotions behind love, loss, and the pursuit of dreams.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003epre-launch\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e of this multi-sensory memoir took place on 20 November 2025 at the new \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eDare2Dream Dome Restaurant\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eat \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eForum Homini Boutique Hotel\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003ein the Cradle of Humankind. This concept restaurant, designed and built for the memoir, offers, on selected days, an \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eeleven-course\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003efun\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003e-dining \u0026amp; wine-pairing\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eexperience as well as a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003ethree-course breakfast\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e inspired by the food brought to life in her book.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGuests step into a fantasy setting before crossing a bridge to the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003eDare2Dream Dome Restaurant\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003efor dinner and breakfast, an experience that engages all five senses: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold a-text-italic\"\u003esight, sound, taste, smell, and touch.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEach dish is linked to a moment in the memoir. Each dish is an act, presented as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-bold\"\u003ea tale, a song, and a taste.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a-text-italic\"\u003eHere, stories are served, and dreams begin again.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Karina Marais","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53337523388734,"sku":"9781049222066","price":305.0,"currency_code":"ZAR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4357\/7662\/files\/9781049222066.jpg?v=1776771910","url":"https:\/\/exclusivebooks.co.za\/products\/9781049222066","provider":"Exclusive Books Online","version":"1.0","type":"link"}