Talking about inspiration

After seven months in Nairobi, Touching down on my amazing homeland in the fabulous NYC was an incredible, invigorating feeling. I cake here on my way home to visit one of my best friends Jessica kalweit who works for an incredible company-Bespoke Global- representing artists Worldwide whos ingenuity is second to none. It has not only been fabulous to get to be with her and all the creative inspiration she brings to the table, but beautiful to be in such an inspirational city. Having been here less than 24hours i am amazed by the art and creativity all around.
Maybe it's part and parcel to the fact that everyone is crammed into tiny spaces that the value of every inch is enhanced. Therefore everywhere you look someone thought and that nook or cranny, and made its beauty and attributes shine! Or for as far as street art goes, maybe it's trying to shine brighter in a city of jewels.
Here are just a few pictures from myd first day...
From Jess' office, to artists airing out their recent work, poinient street art, interesting design features or patterns inlayed into sidewalks, everywhere you turn, there us something to ignite your sense for curiosity!

Best east African model

SFW AWARDS 2012

Now is the time!
Vote because he's chizzled. Vote because of his fierce gaze. Vote because he is one handsome piece of man!! Or for his big toothy smile:-D
Vote team Emo Rugene for Best East African model!

Never know

You just never know when something will change your life... Not that anything has happened lately, at least nothing I have noticed, but always every day you are shifting. I am sitting and enjoying my quite weekend after 4 months of fabulous change, incredible work, devastating lose and the introduction of beautiful souls in my ever flavorful life.
I miss my friends and family but also I am constantly overwhelmed with the fact that my fortune in life is incomparable to my past most imagined thoughts of a beautiful life for me.
Kenya is incredible! I still cannot put my finger on it but it might start with the fabulous people, the multi-cultural experience every day, feeling the shifting and movement in an entire economy, or even the constant greater awareness to my surroundings. I am so...there are really no words. But it is something like lucky or fortunate. It overwhelms me with close to tears almost everyday just being so amazed by life.
A recap of this week:
-I started in Nyali, Mombasa on site where me and my favorite electrical contractor and java project manager met at the Moi international airport drinking 100shilling beers awaiting the riots to subside (a prominent Muslim leader had been assassinated so Muslim youths were rioting his death, as only one would expect) MONDAY
- next,on site all day which is always exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. Then it was the same waiting game letting the riots die down so I could get to the airport and back to Nairobi. Apparently the mombasians do not care to riot at night nor in the morning. They can only sustain about 4 hours on average of protest and church burning, then they need to sleep. Disclaimer: All Kenyans confirm this observation. TUESADAY
-So much work, but a friend tore me from my desk to get a beer and some dinner :) that was nice and needed WEDNESDAY
-working soo hard prepping for a meeting Friday and as my dad would say 'putting out fires'. THURSDAY
-during the following work day, I gained a big score for little old me when I received great accolades from my big boss in the way I conducted myself in a meeting
That night settling in with a book, headed to sleep, my friend Diana surprised me, so then I invited my friend Claudia and we had some wine. The two were able to support each other with the recent deaths of their mothers--this may have been one of those life changing moments for them and for me, I realized I could be a conduit, which made me very proud. FRIDAY
- my amazing friend Caroline set me up with the best facial lady (sandie), so I started my morning with beauty and relaxation. Then plopped myself at the village market, discovery new and enjoying old places I have found. Landing finally at beautiful ArtCafe. Never knowing what life will present to me SATURDAY

How to say I love you

I had a tiny pink slip in my in tray the other day from POSTA the Kenyan Post office.  Our office messenger, Simon - wonderful Simon, takes these slips to the post office and brings back your goodies. 
I didn't know who or where it was from.  To my fabulous surprise it was a package from the States from my wonderful friend Lindsay.  Words cannot describe how happy, special and loved it made me feel!!  I could not, and would not fight back my tears of utter joy.  She decorated a box with SoCal nostalgia which was awesome!! AND I absolutely needed a box for all my pens and things but could not find one here in Kenya -- little did I know that the one I needed was coming with love oozing out of it, from Miss Lindz!  It is filled with magazine articles that I cannot wait to devourer this weekend, lotion, anti-bacterial gel :), Princess lip gloss :D, some candy I will eat after lunch! and a Feng Shui charm for happiness.
Love love love, so much love is all I can say!  Lindsay - you have brought me so much happiness which makes that charm even stronger!
Thank you Lindsay for being an amazing friend and keeping in touch even though 180degrees of the planet separates us!  I love you!!!

It's official - I AM KENYAN

I just got this email copied to the whole office and I am so proud and happy of my new heritage!!

Team,

Due to her great love for PIL & MOJO and Kenya at large Alexandra Girot has been baptized to Alex Mwende. Join us in rejoicing her kenyanized Name.

Regards

Kaloki

  

Meaning:

MWENDE in our local our Kamba culture is synonymous to love and is a name given to a lady who is loved by everyone. The fabric of love in her keeps all family team united always and she loves to see all united as one.

Four Firsts in One Sunday

1- my friend Joel who works in the building where I live, and his friend Godfrey, took me to their church. It was in Kawangware (classified as a slum) there was singing and dancing and a whole lot of swahili I didn't understand. It was fabulous!!
2 - they took me on my first matatu ride. Matatus are the closest thing to public transportation in Kenya but they cram people into these vans and go off roading through the traffic.
3 - finally I had nyama choma (BBQ) and it just so happened to be goat meat, that was surprisingly better than imagined!
4 - with everything Joel and Godfrey shared with me today, I treated them to FroYo at Planet Yogurt. They loved it and have declared to work very hard so that they can bring their children back (when they have them)

Driving into Kawangware (can you see the goats I am about to eat?)

Joel (Pronounced Jo-elle) on the left and Godfrey on the Right

Our Goat being cut up.  Ugali on the right and chips front and center

Only in pictures have I seen Joel stop smiling...haha

Mark - The Best African Friend a Girl could Ask For

Just over one month ago, I sat in a French Style Cafe in Mombasa trying to filter caffeine through my blood so as to counter act my hang over and I felt so at home.  I was washed over by the thought:
Every step has led me to this point
I am exactly where I am supposed to be
One week later my best friend here died.  Mark -- The best friend anyone could have, but especially a girl who just moved from the other side of the planet, joined a complicated company and living without her protective circle and ready to Adventure! He was gone. Just like that.  Friday I talk to him at almost 6pm and Saturday by 2 or 3pm I get the call.
It is rare that you find a friend you can work with every day, go out for dinner and drinks during the week, travel on the weekends laughing all along the way.
I am so happy that I was to ever meet someone like Mark: Bigger than life, funnier than all get out, connoisseur of the finer things in life, an avid explorador, an outdoors man, an entrepreneur at heart, a tell-it-as-it-is realist, a perfectionist and all around helpful heart to anyone he met.
One of the best parts for me was that our relationship compared to any other men I have been friends with was so different.  We could actually just be friends and just be coworkers.  If anything,it was like having a an amazing older brother who i loved and loved to experience life with.
His death was sudden an tragic, and something I was not ready for, but of course, good bad or ugly, everything happens for a reason.  Though I am still not 100% why he was taken away, I know that the Universe will unfold itself in explanation some day.
As a positive, I was able to be a shoulder to cry on and an Ambassadress to Nairobi for his Mom and Sister.  Difficult is not even the word to describe how horrible each day was, but fortunately the nights were all ended just as Mark would have wanted, with great dinners, South African Chardonnay from 2008 only, and laughs until we cried.  (there was even some air guitar peppered in there)
Also, I gained 2 beautiful members to my family, Megan and Lynne.
My and  Mark's favorite cab drivers, Charles and Msembe were a salvation through the hard times as well.  Charles keeps saying to "keep keeping on".  And I know Mark would have liked that, since he would tell everyone missing him that we mustn't let this stop us and have to keep moving forward (or something of the sort).
Lastly, what makes me so happy is that the first night I was with his family I was compelled to say after dinner "we must take some shots!  Shots of Sambucca!!"  That we did.  and as Lynne took photos of Megan and myself acting ridiculous, a purple light kept appearing over my head!  That was Mark 100%  Even the table where we ate the night of his memorial, I happened to take a picture of at a dinner a few weeks later and purple glowed clear as day.  I knew he would have loved that place!

So I miss him every single day.  I am still a bit angry with him for leaving, but I know he is constructing the most fabulous vacation property on the most magical beach for all of us he loved, waiting with Chardonnay 2008 in hand and beautiful people everywhere!!  And when I do think of what this perfectionist thought reaching the other side, it always puts a smile on my face because I am sure he looked back and simply said, "SHIT!"
:) works every time!

Mark haggling with the man selling us chickens to BBQ while camping in Sagana

I love this picture of Mark shaking hands with a local little boy

Mark and his sister Megan (stolen from your Facebook - Thanks Megan! my new sister!)

Let the purple reign!  Some 2008 Chardonnay for you Mark

A beautiful quote from my friend Austen Montero so fits Mark's impact:

Dine on Laughs and Love on Wine.

Let all the wonder and magic always be a part of you.

Traveling the world without leaving Nairobi

So friends and family the only way to explain what it's like here in Nairobi on the other side of the planet from most of you, is that it is totally the same but absolutely different!

So there had been some concern of me being hold up like a hobbit in my flat, not venturing far, with no friends, eatting blah, boring food, and I was very concerned about going to all the place I loved before I left.  But to put all these fears (really mine) into persepecive, the other weekend went something like this....

Osteria del Chianti's outdoor terrace at night

Thursday Dinner with friends at a quaint Italian restaurant "Osteria del Chianti" where I ran into my bosses after a glass of wine or 2 - awkward.  That was soon followed by a wild goose chase for a speak easy jazz club, in which we were unsuccessful in locating.  So the obvious diversion was going more into town to a club called "Havana's".  You guessed it! A Cuban inspired watering hole with a Rasta DJ and great drink specials.  We danced and drank and laughed and people watched!

Brew Bistro's classy dining room

Friday was dinner with my wonderful, amazing, incredible lady friends who were actually a big reason why I knew kenya would be right for me!  I will call these ladies C & E ;)  you know who you are - My Kenyan Family!! We met at "Brew Bistro" a delicious steakhouse and brewery.  And after the fabulous meal and non-stop catching up, some more new friends showed up and we poured ourselves to the lively side of the restaurant and straight to the dance floor!  It was so much fun that we all ended up back at C's house, which has been my dream house of magic ever since I saw it in October!  This place is gorg-e-ous!! It is a cross between a late sixties, vaulted roof, bungalow that had a baby with a Kenyan lodge in the Masai Mara.  It IS THE Tropical Paradise, with a huge pool, great mid-century modern furniture and glorious art!

www.embody-accessories.com

Saturday So I spent the night and had breakfast with My Kenyan family - kiddos and all. Then off we all went.  They, to soccer games and birthday parties.  Me, to a jog, nap by the pool then pulled myself together to go to the Soko Soko - a craft fair where a co-worker of mine was exhibiting her awesome jewelry!
I met some awesome girls straight out of Venice, CA fo show, but no, they grew up here in Kenya!  I bought some rad Genie Pants from the one girl.  Her whole line is made from recycled Sari fabrics and the ones I got I was drawn.  And I mean by drawn to...I went straight for them!  and certainly couldn't live another day without them in my life!!

yes I am standing on my toilet to get the pic

I then decided after a long day like this was to hit up my newly acquainted friends from camping the previous weekend.  Dinner it was! We went to Sushi at "Furusato" in Westlands.  It was a group of us including a kiwi couple passing through by way of couchsurfing.com.  They were awesome!!  The best part however is when suddenly, Nairobi became such a small town!  We walk in (drenched due to the sudden downpour) and who is seated and the next table, but C and the Kiddos!!  It was so great to see my Family AGAIN but to close the gap even tighter, it turns out that Emily who I had contacted for dinner was soon to be the oldest kiddo's teacher next year!  It was amazing!

they are blurred out, but my Kenyan Family is in the background!

 After dinner we headed to a house party for Karl's neighbors birthday celebration and with booze flowing, MTV videos blaring, and later a tour through the latest popular YouTube postings it hit me!  This is exactly what I would be doing at home, in LA, on a Saturday night!!  It especially came full circle when we watched the LMFAO video filmed in Venice, CA.  I could only think of my peeps at home! :D

Sunday was yet another craft fair.  This was a Ghana trade fair in which small businesses from Ghana were trying to get their name out to the public.  My co-worker and clients had shared an elevator with this man at The Stanley Hotel (a gorgeous colonial hotel in the Central Business district) and simultaneously blurted out "what a great shirt!"  He was exhibiting his line of clothes at this Ghana trade fair event in downtown.  So I went. And I bought a dress.  The companies name is NALLEM Clothing as seen at the image to the right, where you can also see my earings from Embody Accessories I had bought the day before.

The same group + others from the night before wanted to get Ethiopian food for dinner, so I went!  It was a restaurant right near where I am staying called "Habesha".  It was very traditional and very good!  Although, I think I was expecting it to be packed with more spice, which i found out later in the week was what Indian food entailed.  All was great, with huge platters of random delicious mushes that you picked up with your sour dough pancake-thingy.


                                        
                                                                                                                                                               ~~~~~~ 

Just so I have this straight - my 'round the World weekend took me to:  Italy, Cuba, The States, to Venice - California with a tiny taste of India, then Japan, back to Santa Monica, Ghana, and ending up in Ethiopia!  Nairobi has to be one of the most International cities I have ever been in!!

Sagna Camping - part 4 - the rest of the trip

I was stopped in my tracks seeing these tracks.  It was so powerful to me to see the big and small bare feet.  Who was following who?

Morning comes and I was a bit damp in my roomy tent I had all to myself!  I didn’t think much of it as it had rained and was pretty damp outside---I come to discover later that I had been flooded! hahaha that was hilarious! 
On top of this fact i step outside my tent am looking around talking to whomever is awake and then BAM!  After 5 minutes of standing aimlessly around i shout “Oh my GOD!”  these rapids were practically on top of our campsite.  IT was a glorious vision to wake to!
                                       
Saturday was a mellow day.  It began with a paparazzi-filled yoga sesh (the Kenyan’s had no idea what we were doing and kept sneakily snapping pictures with their phones.  I explained, this is exercise that comes from India long ago where you do a lot of stretching to strengthen your body and mind.  Their response,  then why don’t you call it stretching!?  I couldn’t argue with that!)  Next was eggy bread (or rather, French Toast -- although those with closer ties to Britain denounce anything French and hate to give them credit, enter, eggy bread!)  Followed by a nature hike with a guide named Jumo (who i swear was eating some berries that was getting him all sorts of stoned) There was a little dip in the water and eventually dinner!  Our dinner was a hand selected chicken of which the campground staff killed, de-feathered and de-boned for us, then started a BBQ for us and a fire pit, turned on the generator for light and refrigeration of Tuskers® Beer.  We all sang songs while Zoli strummed his guitar and Dave thumped away on his drums.  It was glorious!!

a tiny ambassador to the Sagana hills, with a swollen eye and a makeshift toy car greeted us as we walked through his neighborhood

our tiny friend's neighborhood consisting of (from left to right) a grain store, a home and another home or shed

The funny berries Jumo was munching on.  (after I took the picture, i showed him in the play back and he said it didn't even look like his hand.  And for some reason it didn't.  I don't know why that conversation has stuck with me, but it has)

Local boys doing their chores and playing games with us. The laughed and ran when we said Jambo to them.  Then when we I took their picture, the proceeded to ask for money

Rhodesian fire lily (reminded me of  Miss Lily!)

the muddy, run-off river was all milky in color because of the rice patties littering the area

LOOK AWAY IF YOU ARE A VEGITERRIAN: The hen in my friend Peter's hand (Peter manages the camp) was de-feathered and de-boned just for us.  And she was yummy

Our BBQ and campfire being perfected by Dave

Sagana Camping - part 3 - such a stick in the mud!

The camping characters:

    Zoltan - a UN economist and musician    

• a Hungarian savage, living in Kenya

    Carrine - an amazing teacher, great cook and Zoli’s GF  

• South African, turned Australian, turned East African by way of teaching in small, rural villages, now living in a sweet house in Nairobi where karaoke is often heard

    Dave - hmmm trying to develop countires    

• A Brit turned Aussie now looking for employment in Kenya

    Mark - a construction project manager    

• South African who’s lived and worked in Mozambique, back to S.A. now in Nairobi and my connection to this wonderfully interesting group

    Liz (also known as Rizzy) - UN refugee shelter specialist/architect    

• South african traveling all throughout E Africa saving lives and taking names!  She is one master shelter builder and as well the connection between most the group

    Emily, Karl (aka Timmay due to his recent futbol accident) and Francis - School teacher friends of Carrine’s   

• An American, a Kiwi & Kenyan

So as we drove through the countryside, heading off road toward the campground we came upon  marshy rice paddy with a muddy road too gooey to pass. Co-worker Mark/Diver of the afore mentioned Toyota Rav 0.4 decided it best to veer to the right off the of the main dirt road.  the next few minutes were filled with stinky mud being flung into the cab, some cursing, a gathering of miscellaneous local passer-byers and my 3 carmates rolling up their pant legs to asses the situation.  I silently decided it best for someone to stay in the vehicle in case driving out of this bog was needed.  I definitely was taking one for the team by not stepping out into the knee deep sewage run off water, filled with all sorts of malaria infested ‘squitos and cholera ridden waters with who knows what else lay in the murk.  Yep!  I was a real team player!  With some help from out friend Zoltan’s rope tow in his Winnie the Pooh Car, the combo Muzungu and local guy elbow grease and my superb driving abilities we were out in a jiff!  We continued onto the site and pitched tents under no less then 1 billion stars!  You could hear the rush of the falls near by, but I had no idea where they were or what they looked like.  We chowed down on some delicious Pasta Bol (pasta Bolognese) and took down a Châteauneuf-du-Cardboard of a delectable 2011 vintage.

Sagana Camping - part 2 - no you're a Mzungu!

Back to journey to the campsite!  Our drive was gorgeous!! passing out of the city into the countryside where we saw little, make-shift fruit stands, goats roaming, the lushest fields and kids walking home from school.  As we neared the town of Sagana, we had to buy a couple things and that was not the first, but the most I had ever heard "Mzungu!" so many times in just a few minutes.  Mzungu, i have been told by everyone is like saying "white person" and not at all in a derogatory way, just like in Mexican culture they call out "wedo" and it just means light skinned people or blondes.  I looked up the definition and got a couple different explanations: European, Wanderer, Aimless Wanderer, and pretty much 'not from around here!  Regardless, the little song the cute local kiddos made up about us customers that looked totally different was adorable, as they smiled and studied our feature; scurried and ran with giggles as we waved; pushed one another closer and closer to us Mzungus.  It led to to some really great pictures!

I just love this little man's cool jeans!  And his warm wave 'Jambo!'

A typical scene on the road to the camp

www.raftinginkenya.com

Sagana Camping - part 1 - the drive out

One bucket list item down!  I told myself I needed to go camping somewhere in East Africa, and camping I did!!
I am proud to report that I am a newly initiated member of an awesome group of expat Kenyan Campers! 
At first I was very nervous about people's style of camping as compared to what I know in The States and fretted about hiking into the bush, killing our own dinner, sleeping without a tent.  What I found out was I had absolutely nothing to worry about!  In fact this was the most Glamping-filled trip I have ever been on.  We rented a car (that was supposed to be a Rav 4x4, but instead we ended up with a Rav 0.4 - more later on that) and drove an hour and a half northeast of Nairobi on Thika Road which was an experience in itself.

Tangent: Recently, there has been desperately needed road development in and around Nairobi.  There is some controversy about it all as all the new roads are being built by the Chinese.  They aren't necessarily hiring local workers and everyone is wondering what exactly their motives are.  Well, as they construct these suspicious roads, you will be driving down a very developed highway with 3 lanes going in one direction and 3 supposedly heading another, with an island in the middle, then all of a sudden you see a line  of cars headed straight toward you on YOUR side of the island!!  I am not sure if it is the Chinese design or the fact that ALLLLLL Kenyans decide to make their own lanes or drive where they shouldn't.

The next disarming factor, is that the locals on foot think it is still a good idea to cross the road where cars are zooming along at 70mph.  To help the locals from any imminent squishing, they built on these Western highways, speed bumps of course!  So, basically as you are driving along, you must watch for cars driving at you, people playing Frogger®, the speed bumps and oh ya! And there are is no signage what-so-ever!!

How else would you carry your wife and your fencing safely home!?

The Up-and-Coming Kenyan Art World

Saturday was a bit of a wild goose chase with my co-worker Mark Rorich, in search of an amazing art Gallery in the area of Nairobi where people live in rolling hills filled with all sorts of trees, away from the maddening traffic and in the calm serenity of Nature.  The Gallery is called One Off - Contemporary Art Gallery Ltd. and the building look something like this...

 The Main Gallery Building

What is better than 150,000 Kenyan Shillings worth of a piece of art in your Stables!?

A petrified Lizard that was not part of the showing

Now this is the piece of art that spoke to me immediately!!   It is by Peterson Kamwathi.  He is absolutely an up-and-coming artist and a Kenyan Native on top of that! A collection of his work was just purchased by the British Museum and he was just published by the Gothe Institut - Kenya. Have a look at this article, speaking to the growing popularity of Kenyan Artist Kenyan Artwork Growing in International Popularity

This is the piece that I purchased of his, left Untitled was noted as Untitled with Copper Bars on the receipt.

Kamwathi was quote on the Creative African Network website to say:

"....I view myself as a part of my society and as such I’m accountable to the society. Being an artist this society extends beyond my immediate environment to include the world. In my work I strive to address and document issues that affect and impact my country, my continent and now the planet as illustrated by the this current series”.

The piece I bought is unconfirmed to be one of the men involved in political corruption that help lead the Kenyan people to the 2008 post-election violence.  Carol, the Gallery Owner, said that Kamwathi would neither admit nor deny this mans identity.   



To be sure I represent the Women artists here in Kenya here were my other favorites and way out of my price range!!

Still untitled by Beatice Wanijiku

 This next piece is actually from my Co-worker, Emily Odongo.  Her art is so vibrant and colorful.  I appreciate her vibrant hues, as that is something that I struggle with, thinking i should be knocking all my colors down to be less brilliant.  She has inspired me and also has invited me to join her and her artist friends at their next exhibit!  Plus she is going to help me out to get canvases.  She is so awesome!

Orange by Emily Odongo

 

TGIF in Kenya!

 UPDATED!!  WATCH THE VIDEO!!!! Planning to Move it Move it
Alright!  So I cannot wait for to share this with you all!  This weekend was awesome! 
Friday night we had a TGIF office party,where the new kids (me of course included) had a bit of fun hazing thrown our way.  We all had to come together and sing a song in front of the rest of the office.  We did "Move it" of course, from Madagascar seeing as we all are from foreign lands and have landed on this funny island!  (there will be a video to come) But in the meantime, here are most of the PiL crew....

(I think all the ladies are hiding in the back)

our African feast consisted of South African sausage and samosa-like meat pies and deep fried fish and curried chicken.  No room for Veterinarians here! 

the treetop view from my area of the office

My most current work with SFJones