Fashion and Style

Those of you who're active in the food and wine culture around Nairobi have most probably heard of Jean Wandimi, blogger at  www.thewineandfoodreview.com  Being a lover of wine and food myself, I asked if I could interview her. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Jean Wandimi! Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. I'm a finance graduate who happened to fall in love with food and wine. I started journalling my experiences in a blog for fun. After some time, I got serious with the blog and have been doing it for 2 years. What made you get interested in wine? I have always loved wine but I didn't get to try it earlier. I was curious. I find it fascinating how a bottle can have so much history. When I got to campus, I started teaching myself how to pronounce the wines, grape varieties, tastings etc When and why did you decide to start blogging? I opted to start an online journal of my experiences in November 2013. I could have easily written them in a book but I wante

Ecce Quam Bonum Has it already been one year? On the 28th of April last year, I had just finished and turned in my senior honours thesis. I was stressed/ excited about my upcoming graduation, and everything that that meant. Grad week, the parties, our own party, and the graduation ceremony went by so quickly for how much we had planned and looked forward to them.  Since I've been an official Sewanee alumna for (almost!) a year, I felt that it would be appropriate to write a letter to current Sewanee seniors and soon to be alumni about grad week, graduation, and all that lies beyond, especially so because so many people from Sewanee's Class of 2015 are very dear to me! As a proud graduate finally stepping on the seal!  Dear Seniors, I know it's hard to believe, but you did it! After all those classes, exams, late night study sessions and pub runs, talks with professors about everything and nothing, and countless memories that you've made over these past few years, you

Image courtesy of SplitShire Before we start, no, I'm not married. However, I've heard of/ read about so many couples having issues nowadays that could've easily been prevented by discussion prior to marriage. While a broken light bulb doesn't necessitate a new house, which is what many couples seem to go for as evidenced by the high divorce rate, sometimes the problem may be more than a light bulb. Therefore, I reached out to married couples and did some research to compile a list of issues to talk about, questions to ask and things to consider before you get married to someone; no matter how much you love them, and how awkward these may seem, it seems that there are common issues married couples face. By discussing these beforehand, issues like those may be avoided entirely! Or if not, at least a couple will know that they're coming and may have planned how to handle them in advance. Some of these may be small, while others may be bigger; it all really depends on

Having recently moved to Kenya, I've been eager to connect with other bloggers in the area. Unfortunately the only one I knew is the talented Aniqah Khalid of Maisha , but I was lucky enough to get to meet Jean Wandimi of The Wine and Food Review  last week. We arranged to meet at About Thyme , on Eldama Ravine. I hadn't been for years and years, and was curious to see what I would find. However, the experience was absolutely fantastic! I absolutely love the cozy ambience that About Thyme has created, and actually think it would be an absolutely fantastic place for writers to work and stay inspired (hint: don't be surprised to find me typing here)! The service was fast, friendly and efficient. Our server was knowledgeable and willing to help. Despite it being only a Tuesday afternoon, there was a steady stream of people coming in, which I think in itself speaks volumes. The manager/owner (I should have probably clarified which) kept checking in on us and other guests, and w

This past Friday, I headed to Temiras Coffee Garden to catch up with a friend. It's located on General Mathenge Drive, previously where Le Rustique used to be. Having been a fan of Le Rustique over the years, I was shocked to find that it wasn't the same place that I once knew. However, I was excited once I realised that they served Lebanese food, a new favourite, and so planned to go as soon as I could. Friday afternoon, around 1:30 pm found me at Temiras, eagerly waiting to see what the place would hold. For a day so close to the weekend at lunch time, the restaurant was strangely empty; at the time I arrived, I was the only customer there, and by the time my friend and I were leaving at around 3:00 pm, there were only a few others. This may be due to Temiras' 'newness', and the loyalty that previous customers had to Le Rustique. Temiras' menu consists of pages in pockets put together in a leather cover. The cover was interesting, but I would hope that such a

As a woman who lives in an urban society in the 21st century, I am constantly being bombarded by messages from media and advertising and even the people around me. Many of these messages encourage me to look better, be healthier, dress better; but how many of them encourage me to do it for myself?  As much as women have progressed recently, the sad thing is that in the society we live in, we are still seen as objects who should look pretty for the sake of other people. This may be changing in other places, but it is very much the case in Nairobi. What women wear and how they look are constantly being judged and criticised and held to ridiculous standards that we aren't allowed to dictate ourselves. I remember hearing the tale of a woman who got married and was made to shower, dress up in Indian traditional clothes and make-up EVERY single morning by the time she was at the breakfast table; whereas her in-laws did not adhere to these standards.  Unfortunately, many of us are at a st

Kenyan people are easily roused by trying times. This Easter was a sombre one for Kenyans as news trickled in of a terrorist attack at Garissa University College. The official death toll stands at 147, though this figure does in no way account for the psychological trauma that survivors and responders suffered, and will continue to deal with for some time to come. You will recall that there was a similar situation about a year and a half ago, at the Westgate mall in Nairobi. There was outcry and outpouring of sympathy for those involved, and the Kenyan people seemed to miraculously come together as one, united against 'evil'. Having faced a second such attack after less than two years however, is it not important to ask whether or not we are united as Kenyans? Justice may be our shield and defender, but it seems that our definitions of justice vary. Many a time, intentions may be pure but the way justice is carried out leaves us wondering. For example, recently, a top governmen

Kenya is a country that has made various advancements, especially so over the past two decades. However, some pockets of society remain 'backward' for lack of a better word, and discrimination is present in many cases, ranging from racism to sexism to homophobia. I reached out to some people and asked them to share their experiences with sexism in the country. While most of the stories below are from people I know, some are from newspaper articles or stories I've heard through other people. In the interest of keeping these accounts readable, I've presented them all in first person. Please feel free to comment with any you'd like to share! -As a 'mzungu' man new to the country, I was prepared to adjust to a level of development that wasn't equal to that of my home country. However, one thing took me by surprise (and still does); whenever I went out to a restaurant in the company of one or more females, the check (bill) was always given to me, regardless o