Little Bee’s Niger Delta
I’m in the middle of reading Chris Cleave’s #1 New York Times Bestseller Little Bee. A friend picked it off her bookshelf and gave it to me with high praise. This fictional story weaves together the very different lives of a British woman editor of a snarky magazine living in Kingston on Thames and a young … Read more
Moving Woes and the Namib Dessert
It seems like it has been a long time since I’ve been on here. Not just seems, but has been! It’s rather ironic to me because wasn’t I just saying the other day that I wanted to post (nearly) every day? Well, recently I went through a move, a grand total of 15 minutes away … Read more
Eco Friendly, Sustainable, and RAW
RAW is a design company in Pretoria, South Africa committed to sustainable and eco friendly practices as well as having a positive impact on their surrounding community. But just as importantly, they have some super sleek modular units with literally hundred of options for personally customization. Although Peet van Straaten would probably cringe at me … Read more
Aisha Gothey Photography
Running across beautiful photography of places I hold dear has been a treat. Aisha Gothey’s art is of people, Tanzania, moods and emotions and are often accompanied by quotes or poems. Dramatic skies, the Indian ocean, marriage and tradition. Here is a quick sampling of a few I like. Find her on Facebook as “Aisha … Read more
Cubists: Connecting the Dots
A few months ago I went to see the Pablo Picasso exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum. Huge crowds aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the viewing. My hand held audio tour reminiscent of an early 90′s cell phone taught me all sorts of interesting tidbits. My previous thread-bare knowledge of Picasso was primarily of his cubist … Read more
African Etsy Finds
I’ve been having fun on Etsy, the Mecca of all things handmade and vintage. A perfect place for inspiration, gifts, and living your life with unique items. It’s a little overwhelming to me how fast Etsy is growing! I wanted to highlight a few African clothing top picks of mine that I have come across … Read more
Italian Design + Maasai Beading = Stunning Jewelry
Tanzania Maasai Women Art began as a collaboration between the European Institute of Design in Milan, Oikos Institute, and Maasai women in Mkuru, Tanzania in 2006. Now as an independent non-profit, Italian designer Francesca Torri Soldini heads up the operation, working with over 120 Maasai women to create original designs using traditional beading techniques. The … Read more
Book Report: African Style – Down to the Details / Sharne Algotsson
So obviously I’ve been doing my fair share of reading as here goes book report #2. Sharne Alogtsson’s African Style; Down to the Details is absolutely user friendly with a multitude of tips and DIY examples and heart-felt encouragement to access your own take on Africa through interior design. Alogtsson has had a varied career … Read more
Prints, Prints, and MORE Prints with Duro Olowu Fall 2011 Collection
Duro Olowu had yes, lots of prints yesterday at the New York Fashion week. They were appropriately “fall-ish” at least by the color palette according to Olowu, which in comparison to the cloth swatches of other designers, is still intensely bright. His sense of joy and lightness was conveyed as always. Inspiration ranged from beautiful Mexican … Read more
