MY FIRST BY-LINE FOR UP MAGAZINE!

ABSOLUT ART AT KUONA TRUST (http://www.upnairobi.com/dt_portfolio/2894/#comment-34)

August 19, 2013adminArt

Bent mesh wire, carefully crafted brush strokes and geometrical shapes where some of the means of expression as six of Nairobi’s most talented artists clashed in a competition for 50.000 khs. This Saturday 18th of August 2013 the Absolut Vodka bottle served as a frame for all the creative creations that the 250+ crowd had come to experience.

Art lovers, friends of UP magazine and artists from different walks of life showed up to watch the artists in action. “I think the event is amazing! It’s an excellent event with a nice mixture of people from all over. Plus some great talented artists” reckoned Tom, an enthusiastic art lover amongst the crowd.

Paul Onditi, Omosh Kindeh, Dickson Kaloki, Beth Kimwele, Kevin Oduor and Sidney Mang’ong’o where the headlining artists; all displaying and impressive level of creativity and skill.

The sculptor Kevin Oduor took the first prize and lined up for his check and praise from audience and friends. “To me, the inspiration is the absolute vodka bottle. It is a clear bottle and that is why I used the wire mesh. For that 3-D effect,” Kevin tells UP magazine as he burst out laughing.

The dreadlocked artist Omosh Kindehwho shared the runner-up price and was all jeers, “I gave myself a challenge and through this event I overcame! Absolute vodka has challenged me to give this all my best.”

Sidney Mang’ong’o was the other runner-up, creating an abstract aerial view of Nairobi.

“For me, it was tiresome but fun. The inspiration behind my art is energy without color. That is why I used dots and vague imaging” said Paul Onditi about is entry to the competition.

Meeting Beth Kimwele; the only female artist in the competition; she smiles and turns to me as I pop the question;

“What is the inspiration behind the art?” “Inspiration behind the art is that it is an African mask; despite its beauty; just like absolute; it has an inner spirit. I played with color boldly.” She says.

Dickson Kaloki posing in front of his creation.

For more images of the evening stay tune on our Facebook page and for upcoming events keep an eye onhttp://www.upnairobi.com/events/  

Check all the pictures via our FB Page

By Embukane Vincent Libosso

August 21, 2013 at 6:52 amReply

hey

i was glad to be called up to be part of the UP MAGAZINE STREET TEAM and just helping with this event and even a write up was amazing. my first write up for UP MAGAZINE.

TEAM UP MAGAZINE LEGOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! HIGH VOLTAGE ENERGY!!!!

TANZANIA’S DIAMOND THRILLS HIS KENYAN FANS…

August holidays are here with us yet again; as we saw the many parties going down all weekend. Last week’s Friday night saw the K.I.C.C COURTYRAD WELCOME Bongo sensation Diamond for his first performance in Nairobi.

The night saw high voltage performances by Jaguar, Madtraxx and Mejja. Their performances were enough to drive adrenaline among the crowd to the max; as the crowd got on toes in anticipation of the headline act.

The “mbagala” hit maker warranted an exceptional ovation from the many damsels in attendance; showbiz honchos and public figures as Geoffrey Korio noted for the Pulse magazine.

Diamond gave a worth and stellar performance.

Backed up by Mo Sounds; Mshamba; Peter Adamz; Jalang’o as well as deejays Mr. T and Elon; the show docked at Whitesands in Mombasa the following day.

The team; together with Diamond headlined a major beach party.

-photos courtesy of q-fm Facebook page.

VINNY’S KITCHEN: BUILD YOUR OWN BURGER

Nairobi’z Blogazine is proud to start a new segment- VINNY’S KITCHEN. This will be an interactive segment of a foodie (that’s me- Vincent Libosso) sharing some easy to make meals straight from my kitchen. Today we begin with a home takeaway hamburger. You will need:

500g beef mince; or a mixture of mutton, pork and beef mince

1 thick slice of salt white bread

60 ml milk

50 ml margarine or butter

75 ml onion, chopped finely

1 egg

5ml Mchuzi mix; 2.5 ml salt; pinch white pepper

5ml baking powder

50 ml flour

v  Soak the bread in the milk; then mash the bread.

v  Combine all the ingredients and mix well.

v  Roll large spoonfuls of the mixture into balls; then flatten to make neat patties of the desired size and dust lightly with flour

v  Heat the butter or margarine in a shallow saucepan and fry patties until nicely browned on one side; turn over and fry for a few minutes on the side.

v  Spread buns with butter; layer tomato slices; lettuce and hamburger patties. Spice up the burger further with tangy pickles; onion or cheese slices; mushroom or tomato sauce- anything that takes your fancy!

B.Y.O.B-BUILD YOUR OWN BURGER is the in thing at Brew Bistro & Lounge. Every Tuesday 4pm- midnight. You can choose from over 40 different toppings. Dj Andre will be spinning the best of soul from 7pm.

Piedmont Plaza, 671 Ngong Road; opp. K.S.T.C

Tel:+254 020 386 4041/ 0771 152 350

Cell: +254 719 648 138/ +254 731 006 068

EMAIL: info@thebigfivebreweries.com

Website: www.thebigfivebreweries.com

Photos courtesy of:

http://www.kenyabuzz.com/galleries/brew-bistro-burger-challenge-9th-july-2013-sauti-s

https://www.facebook.com/BrewBistroKenya/photos_stream

THE NAKURU ROADTRIP: KIKOPEY NYAMA CHOMA CENTRE

They say; “it is not a trip to Naxvegas (Nakuru) if you haven’t tasted the delicious nyama choma of Kikopey or the mouthwatering yoghurt at Delamere’s!”

If you love food; then the Delamere food court just past Naivasha on your way to Nakuru will definitely satisfy your appetite.

There re restaurants; a shopping Centre; a coffee lounge and a restaurant to cater for you even as you make that pee-break stop on your way or on your journey to and from Nairobi.

If you enjoy your meat 9nyama choma); then a stop at Kikopey on your way to Nakuru will do you justice. The selection of intestines; ribs and liver; all grilled and barbecued will blow your mind away. There is a twist of the Kenyan classic kachumbari salad as you eat your meat.

The joints at the Centre serve soda and alcoholic drinks or beer as accompaniments for your nyam chom.

All these two spots are a guaranteed great dining experience. Whether you are looking for a getaway time with your special lady; a road-trip dining break or it’s the first stop on a big day out!

City Park: The People’s Park Saved through Public Action

By Bettina Ng’weno

 As a child growing up in Nairobi in the 1940s and 1950s my father, Hilary Ng’weno, would visit City Park regularly.  Part of a gang of children from Muthurwa, Pumwani, Shauri Moyo and Kaloleni he would walk across town on a Sunday to hear the Police or Army marching bands play in the Bandstand. The children would then head for the Maze.  This was one of their favorite activities.  At the maze would be Kenyans of all walks of life, Africans, Asians, Europeans, the young, the old, in families and couples and of course his gang of children.  The children, being regulars at City Park, had figured out how to get to the middle of the maze and how to get out again.  They loved to see adults get lost in the maze and be unable to find their way out. How clever they felt. 

The children loved to come to City Park to see the monkeys and squirrels.  It was their escape into nature.  My father remembers the sounds of birds as the sound track of the park, providing atmosphere and novelty for the children as they explored. Heading home at the end of the day they would pick zambarau and loquats from the trees at Pangani long ago planted by Indian Kenyans as they settled this part of Nairobi.

Declared a free public park in 1932 City Park is Nairobi’s only municipal park with indigenous forest. City Park also has planted gardens, rivers, hiking trails, a bandstand, and cemeteries for Catholics, Anglicans, Jews and veterans of the First and Second World Wars, providing diverse outdoor interests to visitors.  This biodiverse park with 1000 different species of plants and animals is also rich in history as the final resting place of the freedom fighter and socialist Pio Gama Pinto (assassinated in 1965) and our second vice president Joseph Murumbi. Murumbi’s love for African art is celebrated with the Murumbi Memorial Sculpture Garden.

City Park exists today because in the 1990s Nairobi residents took action against a grab of the park.  Forming Friends of City Park, they protested the conversion of public land to private land in newspapers and government offices.  This public action finally led to the gazettement of City Park as a National Monument in 2009, protected under the Museums and Heritage Act.  Today people from the City Center, Embakasi, Kibera, and Kasarani make up the majority of the visitors to City Park.  They still come to be amused and amazed by the monkeys.  To experience the greenery so absent from their everyday lives. Sadly the bandstand is silent as the last band played there in the late 1970s.  And even more sadly the maze, entertainment for so many over the years, is still under threat of being grabbed. Almost 20 years ago some Nairobians stood up so that we would be able to enjoy this free public park as they did. Would you do the same?

-THE NAI NI WHO FESTIVAL THA HAPPENED AT CITY PARK DID SEE FOR THE FIRST TIME; IN OVER 30 YEARS; TWO BANDS PLAYING AT THE BANDSTAND. READ MORE THE FULL DETAILS HERE-http://bukhungubukhanga.blogspot.com/2013/07/nai-ni-who-weekend-mash-up-extravaganza.html

BACKSTAGE PASS WITH H_ART THE BAND: “ULIZA KIATU(ASK MY SHOE)”

As the crickets crackled up all night their in-tube soundtrack; a music band took to the stage; all jovial and full of humor; set at the PAWA254 Hub during the Fatuma’s Voices Poetic edition.

Their song “Uliza Kiatu”; I don’t know where it falls in terms of genre but it did bring out H_art the Band as an emerging vocal powerhouse among many Kenyan vocalists.

The tune is humor filled and certified feel -good; boisterous love song about a guy who goes out of his way; despite being not so rich to impress a girl.

It is a story of a guy jilted but still crazy in love and if his shoes were to talk; they would give a painful yet loving memoir of a boy who has paid for an expensive cab but ran to catch the train at Railways Nairobi.

The band had in tow a guitarist; Kenchez Muya who just churned out this funk; soul and reggae sounds drift. In between the song; the lead vocalist drifts into a spoken word frenzy that just blew the crowd away.

The tune is armored well and justice is done by their cool lyrical fuse of English and Swahili. It is a sure light-up for your musical senses.

As they take to their seats; Hart the Band jokes; “find us on Facebook on H; underscore; Art the Band! Na Kama huchui underscore ni nini; just andika E then toa F! (And in case you don’t know what an underscore is; just write E then remove F from it!)”

The ecstatic 50-plus audience at the event burst out; ribs aching and joy engulfing the whole room; H_art the Band know it is only for a short while; they will be back again.

They are definitely poised to scale milestones in fusing music and poetry.

-find H_art the Band on Facebook and YouTube; on Facebook: H_Art the Band and on YouTube it is just: H_Art the Band. OR EMAIL: harttheband@yahoo.com

UPART TOGETHER: PICTURE ME THROUGH THE FRAME…

The art scene in Kenya is pretty diverse.  I met a bunch of photographers and artists at the PAWA254 hub and their enthusiasm and creativity got my attention to shine the light on them.

Armed with their colorful frame and camera; the Upart Together crew takes pictures of people through the frame- a new reimaging of our city and its people.

Follow the discussion on Facebook: UPart Together.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.505798976164145.1073741859.440804702663573&type=3