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!
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!!
