:: A new Valentines Day tradition
18 February 2007

Valentines Day has taken a very important place in Kenya in recent years. It’s the first day when pals come back from crazy December/January double header. In December pals unleash the dragon of mwenjoyo after a year of stress. This is closely followed by the January search for school fees and such where even crime figures go skyward. Valentines Day is the first time that vendors can make noise telling pals to come back and spend.

Valentines Day in Nairobi. You would expect a city awash with red with those love hearts floating around the central business district. A city dressed in red to man (woman). Couples hand in hand skipping in joy through the cobbled streets … hey we got not cobbled streets here... You would imagine that movie scene staple where two lovers run to meet in the middle of a park and hug. In fact I guess I expected to see lovers meeting at all the streets (Kenyatta Avenue, Moi Avenue et al) as they kiss with one leg lifted.

So the media houses started the PR campaign. Kiss 100 was giving out tickets to their Samsung Dinner at the Grand Regency. They were giving away so many tickets; I guess they were trying to make sure there were no empty seats in the Grand Regency Ball room. Capital FM was having their do at the Panari Sky Centre. This one was meant to be naughtier (Nini... nuff said). Carnie was having a rock night for lovers. Everywhere in the city of Nairobi were valentine offers. Even the VCT guys were not being left behind with them offering HIV/AIDS testing and counselling for you and your loved one.

The Carnivore offering

Enter Valentines Day. Man. What a disappointment. The restaurants had these numerous balloons (red!) at the entrance. But apart from that nothing much. In previous years, every street in Nairobi was awash with dudes selling flowers and cards and all that goes with them. I don't know why Nairobians decided to diss valentines this year. It was really low key in comparison with previous years.

I found myself at the Stanley for the second year in a row. There was models (yeah, I know) showcasing some great designs from Yaka Yake designs (based in Hurlingham near Yaya centre). The models were rather scrumptious as you would expect and they were doing thing showing the excellent clad on show. By the way these Yaka Yake designs are sweet. Some very good African type designs y'all should check out. And off course there was Odada still Mr. Kenya five years on (and still going strong) and Leakey (not Odera) doing the dude model honours. And there were babe models were hot but that a story for another day. And there was DJ Klash on the wheels of steel. He played so many ballads I was getting huko confused what with me having forgotten what these love songs sound like.

What got me thinking however, was this group of older citizens. The dudes had come with their wives and they were so happy with each other. Now that’s how you live your life. That’s how I want to spend my final years. With my significant other happy, for ever. It could happen!

<< Back Home  | All Categories  | Talk to Nairobiliving.com! >>