Fashion and Style

I first met Shikha last year. I was still relatively new at being back to Kenya, and she'd seen some of my Facebook posts about my blog posts. She reached out, we hit it off, and have remained friends to date! Not only is Shikha a wonderful person to be around - seriously, spending time with her is like a much needed recharge, she has GREAT energy - but she's also passionate about wildlife conservation. Coupled with an artistic talent, she's found a great way to channel her energy in her jewellery line. Let's find out more! Elephant pendant with banana box (SHIKHAZURI line) Shikha's professional background is in law. She did her undergraduate and masters in Law in the UK, and developed a particular interest in environmental law. When she returned to Kenya, she worked on a community based wildlife and conservation project bordering Tsavo West National Park for four and a half years. She started making jewellery in 2008 following the onset of the global financial cris

For someone who's such a word lover, it should hardly come as a surprise that I'm a quote lover. I believe that words carry a lot of power, and sharing and repeating these words only amplifies that power. Here are a few of my favourites (a living list, if you will) - what are some of yours? To laugh often and love much; to win the respect of intelligent persons and the affection of children; to earn the approbation of honest citizens and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to give of one�s self; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to have played and laughed with enthusiasm and sung with exultation; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived�this is to have succeeded. Bessie Anderson Stanley (frequently misattributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson) If you don�t fight for what you want, then don�t cry for what you lost. Nothing depends on luck

Counter-intuitively, sometimes it's easier to stand up to a crowd in public than a single person in private. We go around flaunting our beliefs behind the handy anonymity of the Internet, but when asked to defend them in front of a room of peers, we pause. Having avoided direct confrontation, we're relieved, but fail to realise that we've only postponed the inevitable.  Is it that we're so afraid of confrontation, of having people disagree with us, that we fail to stand up for who and what we believe in? I've seen this happen so many times, and I daresay, have been guilty of it myself. We stick by previously established status quo, yet later complain that 'nothing is changing' and wonder where the problem lies.  Change was never born out of agreeing with the masses just for the sake of it. Whether we're changing the mindset of a people, or the routine of an individual, change will require pushing ourselves out of the comfort zone, often alone. It's

Doing restaurant reviews is always fun, but sometimes, it's nice to put together a collection such that one knows what to order from a BUNCH of different places. Think of this as a culinary bucket list, if you will - but do remember that it is by no means exhaustive! In fact, a part 2 is on the way just because we had so many (and maybe a part 3 may be in order ;) ). This list was put together by yours truly, with input from a few friends and coworkers from McKinsey (thanks Darshani, Ekta, Kui, Ronald and the rest)! Special thanks to Dashani and Ekta, and to the restaurants who sent me pictures :) P.S.: Yes, I know, I know, the title. I couldn't resist! 1. The passion fruit cheesecake from Zen Garden . This has probably been one of my greatest discoveries since I moved back to Kenya! It is SO GOOD. For my best friend and I, it's kind of become 'our dish' since we're both so in love with it. Speaking of, I remember that I need to go back for a visit soon! 2. Pepp

A warm Sunday afternoon (as has been increasingly the case in Nairobi recently), so it made sense that the family and I wanted a lunch spot that was open and somewhat outdoorsy (as outdoorsy as can be in Westlands, that is). We'd been to the Tandoori Patio a few times before (one was a surprise party for my 24th birthday), and decided that it was worth a repeat visit. The ambience at the Tandoori Patio is skillfully designed in a way to almost (almost) make one forget that you're sitting in the middle of Westlands. Warm Sunday = perfect opportunity for a chilled beer, so I decided to get a Tusker Malt. Now, I will NEVER understand why servers in this country ask if you want your beer cold or not. Is there really any other way to drink beer?! I confirmed that, yes, I wanted it as cold as could be, borderline freezing if you will. Look at how beautiful it was!! And iPhone users, I'd like you to appreciate that this was a live photo, which means that I get to see this with th

When I was younger, I may have said that learning to let go is an unfortunate part of life - but now, I think that it is just a part of life. Not an easy part, sure, but one associated with a lot of emotion - sometimes positive, sometimes negative, and one that teaches us a lot. We learn to let go of a lot - relationships, objects, expectations, emotions - among others. To reflect on this, I decided it was time to do a post (or a series of posts) about letting go, bringing in stories and perspectives from people across the globe. This time, the focus is on relationships - family, friends, significant others - and experiences various people have had. I was interested in hearing about other people's perspectives, especially because for me, letting go has been such an all-or-nothing experience! Thanks so much to all my contributors! And if you're interested in contributing, please shoot me an email and we'll chat about part 2, which should be ready in 2-3 weeks. --------------