Since my friend and I had started our night early, we were not going to join Nairobi late night party scene. So after Art Caffe we checked out the cinema at the Westgate mall - the most luxurious mall in Nairobi and home to the most bomb threats. Only crap movies were playing such as the latest Bruce Willis and the Tourist. {Actually, I saw the Tourist in NYC with my best friend who got screening tickets for her magazine} We then walked a few blocks to the Sarit Mall, passing my young kids selling Samoyed puppies, kittens, and bunnies in the exit area of Westgate mall. I coowed like any other woman but my roommate informed the first time I passed these baby animals that a friend of his bought a kitten but the kitten was removed from the mother too soon and died shortly after.
At Sarit Mall, another dumb moving was playing so we grabbed a beer and some vegetable kabobs at a Kenyan restaurant in the mall. The vegetable kabobs were swimming in MSG so we decided to avoid ordering other food. Sometimes it's best to start with an appetizer in a restaurant you are unsure of. It was still early but dark at night so walking far is not an option. One the taxi drivers I use told me, "you are suicidal if you walk at night in Nairobi - Kenyans, Muzungus (white people), and everyone." I seriously hope that is an exaggeration but I will not test my luck. We ended our night at Sankara hotel that in the last few months opened their rooftop pool bar. Owned and managed by Indian-Kenyans, the roof top bar has a middle eastern ascetic with large L-shaped sofas and distended fabric from the ceiling. We didn't stay long as prices are expensive and the scene was changing from relaxed drinks after work to club techno beats. Strange place but it was nice to be 9 stories high above the chaos of the Nairobi streets - a luxury I'm very aware of.
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