Chale Island- Diani, Kenya!

Ello ello! So first and foremost.. its my BIRTHDAY!!! Yipee!!! Feeling extremely grateful & blessed as I celebrate this day! So these are just a few pics of our (hubby &I) recent vacay at the beautiful & exotic Chale Island. 

Now this R&R was urgently needed since I had just completed my thesis after much procrastination, then I had travelled to Uganda for work and immediately I got back, I had to attend my graduation. So its been back to back for the better part of July & August. 

Being a proud supporter of domestic tourism, Chale was definitely a great location for some time off. Chale is an island off Diani in South Coast & is roughly 700 metres off the mainland. The staff are friendly, the rooms have a breathtaking view of the ocean and its one of the best places to go when you just need to switch off from the world for a few days! All in all, we had a fantastic holiday!

Have a great weekend!

Sunday Brunch!

 Hey guys! So a fortnight ago, PikchaGUY came over for brunch. Seeing as we are both serious foodies, we decided to document what I was making for lunch.

So here's what was cooking:

I. Pumpkin & Butternut Soup:

The first time I tried peeling a raw butternut, I almost lost my mind. Anyone who cooks butternuts frequently knows how tough the skin is. The last time I was buying veggies, the grocer told me that the secret to peeling a butternut was to thoroughly wash it, cut it in to chunks then boil it. Trust me, once its boiled it peels easier than a potato! Anyway, I boiled the pumpkin and butternut together. Once they were boiled, I fried some onions and blended everything for a delicious soup to serve as a starter.

II. Coconut Rice, Jerk Chicken & Sautéd Vegetables:

I had started the morning by marinading some chicken in a non-stick Wok pan. I used Onions, Vanilla Yoghurt, HP Sauce, Patak Spice, Mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, Jamaican Jerk Chicken Sauce & Chicken Curry Powder. After 2 hours in the freezer, I simply put the pan straight on to the fire (yes, with all the ingredients) and let it simmer.

We definitely needed some good 'ol veggies in there, which I simply sautéd chap chap!

 And Voila! The simple and very delicious meal! I made a cake for dessert which I'll be posting soon. Do have a lovely afternoon!

 Wearing- A Vera Wang Dress from Freddies Moi Avenue

BEHIND THE SCENES: They told us they need a picture of us together...

Hey guys, so PikchaGUY and I recently had the honor of being interviewed by Business Daily and we needed to send a picture we took together. We realised that the only picture we have together was taken during my wedding which did not quite fit in to what we wanted. So we scheduled a selfie date to try take a serious picture... Oh my, we took such weird, awkward pictures trying to be so serious, so we decided to simply be who we are, funny & goofy! .........

One of my best friends Mbugua joined in.

Have a fun filled day!

Natural Hair Sisters: Anniversary Meet-Up Party!

Hey guys, so I am thinking of doing a post on natural hair but before that, let me share a few pics I took during a natural hair meet up I attended the Saturday before last. So I cut my hair on the 1st of January 2013 and I cut it really SHORT. Truth be told, I really didn't have any plans for it other than wanting to grow my hair naturally. I had never struggled with maintaining my permed hair but I think I just wanted a change that was clearly long overdue.

So I was invited to join this group that is full of loving and encouraging women who give advise, share experiences, do product reviews etc. The group recently met to celebrate its one year anniversary in a retro 1960- themed party, which was an opportunity for natural hair product vendors to sell their wares and most importantly, for the women to meet and celebrate each others hair journey. Just a few pictures from the event....

 Marylene & friends

 Otenge were readily available with their fabulous African accessories

 The lovely ladies {Wachu, Josephine, Ess & Nyasuba} who started the group and made all this happen!

 Chepkoech Mangira & I

 Beautiful sisters: Sherry & Wanji

 Nepurko, Amina and I

 I definitely bought some AJANI Homemade products that I am absolutely in love with! 

 The lovely Kavinya. Look at those curls!!

 Natural hair products sold at the event by Ciku Beauty. Yes I buy ALL my US products from them at very good prices! 

Bamako, Mali!

Hey guys! Apologies for the hiatus. I was recently in Bamako for work and I absolutely fell in love with the people and their love for art. Here are a few highlights:

 The museum & botanical gardens are a must go!... Breathtakingly beautiful!

Pouting with a clay figurine in a depiction of their local transport

Miniature depiction of a building in Timbuktu 

 Stone carving

 Pretty flowers at the botanical gardens

 Wild flower amid the hyacinth in the Niger River

 Keeping stylish while fishing

A rainstorm on the River Niger

Their pastries were super delicious! Plus I had ginger & hibiscus juice for the first time ever!

The Bogolan or 'mud-cloth' is the quintessential fabric of West Africa that is particularly associated with Mali.

A local club with traditional symbols on the wall & with a ceiling decorated with fabric.