Our Valentine’s Day Chocolate Mousse Recipe

A little something from our Valentine’s Day dinner menu 

                                              Ingredients

                                                     Cooking chocolate (250g)

                                                Egg Yolk (75g)

       Egg White (75g)

      Running cream (50g)

Sugar (375g)

        Whipped Cream (500g)

Process

• Separate the egg whites from the yolk then set aside

• Whisk the egg white until it is puffy, and then add the sugar and mix well until you are able to form soft peaks. Set aside

• To melt the chocolate, break it up into small pieces and place in a small heat resistant bowl, in a large saucepan with water simmering over medium heat. Once melted, pour into a mixing bowl

• Add the yolks and then the running cream

• Once done, add the egg white and sugar and whipped cream, fold until all ingredients are mixed well using a spatula

• Spoon the mixture into the small glasses/ bowls, cover in cling film and refrigerate for at least three hours.

Everyone will love it!

Hilarious Origin of Names of Towns and Locations in Kenya

It is not often that you come across articles that give us a glimpse into history in such a fun way. This article by Kresearcher manages to do just that

Kenya is home to many trading centers and towns some with very interesting names, but have you ever thought of how the name of your town or village came about? Some of the names came about by what we can term as sheer coincidence and twists which are funny.

Dagoretti Corner: The place was originally known as “The Great Corner” and the Africans could not pronounce it correctly and the corrupted version became Dagoretti Corner which was directly from The Great Corner which has stuck to this day. The Great Corner was the site of the first airfield in Kenya; a patchy grass runway around the present Meteorological Department.

Enjoy reading the rest of the article here:

http://kenyanhistory.wordpress.com/2013/11/16/hilarious-origins-of-names-of-towns-and-locations-in-kenya/comment-page-1/#comment-78

Nairobi Nights

If you are photographer visiting Nairobi, the city offers wonderful views. Take for instance these wonderful pictures by professional photographer Steve Kitots on his blog: Confessions of a Fotographer.



Here is the link to Nairobi Nights
:http://stevekitots.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/nairobi-nights/

A day in the life of a hotel room steward

The room steward in any hotel is tasked with the most important job. That of ensuring that hotel rooms are in tip top condition after and during a guests stay. Here is what I learnt from Lucy, one of Nairobi Safari Club's best room stewards.

Lucy hard at work

1. How long is a normal work day for you?

8 hours. 7 am - 3 pm

2. How long does it take to clean one room well ?

30 minutes

3. How many rooms do you have to clean daily?

14

4. What are the characteristics of a good room steward?

They must be well groomed, trustworthy, cheerful, hard working and know how to communicate well with the guests, as they vary greatly from the tourist to the business traveller and to important government and religious officials. 

5. What famous guests have you catered to?

Mama Sara Obama. President Obama's grandmother and the Vice President of the Comoros Islands.

6. Who are more tidier men or women ?

Men tend to be more tidier and laid back, than women.

Thanks Lucy!

5 Popular Tourist Attractions in and around Nairobi

1. The Nairobi National Park
The only park in the world situated in a capital city. Best experienced through a game drive.
http://www.kws.org/parks/parks_reserves/NANP.html

2. The Nairobi Safari Walk
No game drive needed, guests enjoy a walk and at the same time get to see the animals. Its popular with the locals and tourists alike for dates and wedding photo shoots.
http://www.kws.org/parks/education/nairobi_safariwalk.html

3. The Nairobi National Museum
Only a ten minute drive from the hotel. Its an opportunity for one to experience Kenya's rich cultural heritage. If you are a bird watcher, the museum has a large display of birds and arranges bird viewing tours from time to time.
http://www.museums.or.ke/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/

4.The Bomas of Kenya
This is also a venue where one can experience Kenya's cultural diversity. Be sure to visit the traditional villages and watch the traditional dancers.
http://www.bomasofkenya.co.ke/

5. The Banana Hill Art Gallery
This is for the art lovers. The gallery has grown steadily over the years to become one of the best art galleries in Kenya.
http://bananahillartgallery.com/

Nairobi Culture

If you are in Nairobi either for business or safari and are looking to for a fun filled weekend, here are a few events you can check out:

  Mindspeak

This is an open forum held twice a month at the Intercontinental Hotel Nairobi. The moderator and founder Aly Khan Satchu (www.rich.co.ke) interviews key players from the corporate, government, diplomatic and private sectors. The objective is to impart valuable knowledge to the next generation. Entry is free, breakfast is served at 9:00 am, and the forum officially commences at 10:00 am and ends at 12 noon on designated Saturdays.

 Blankets and Wine

 It is an open air concert featuring both local and international acts. It happens every first Sunday of the month. Gates open at 1:00 pm, and close at 7:pm. Music lovers are able to enjoy live music in a laid back setting. Additional information available at: www.blanketsandwine.com/about-us/ .

Tickets are available from http://www.ticketsasa.com.

  Storymoja Hay Festival

This is an annual four day festival of contemporary culture with an emphasis on books. There are discussions, workshops, live performances and even a children's area. This year’s festival will be held at the Nairobi National museum from the 19 - 22  September. Additional information: www.storymojafestival.com. Tickets can be obtained from www.ticketsasa.com.

 Kwani Open Mic

Kwani open mic is a spoken word event held monthly. Time: 7 – 9:30 pm. Entry fee: 250 shillings. Additional information:http://www.kwani.org/ 

Thursday Nite Live

This happens at the Choices and Tree House night clubs respectively. Every week features a band or artist performing live. Entry is free. Acts begin performing at 8:30 pm. Additional information: https://www.facebook.com/thursdaynitelive and 
http://www.treehousenairobi.co.ke 

Tips

The Guest Relations desk  and concierge will provide you with the location and taxi service once you decide on the event of your choice.

Entry fees are in Kenya shillings, should you need to change your money, the Front Desk Cashiers will be more than happy to assist.

Top 5 hotel considerations for business travellers

     1. Service

Great service should be the norm rather than the exception. Take a mental note of how they treat you right from the time you check in. Did they have your reservation? Was your room ready, clean and to your specifications? If you raise a complaint do they address it graciously, immediately or are they defensive. This should give you a pretty good indication of whether you are getting your money’s worth.

2. Traffic

This should determine the proximity of your work place to the hotel.  In Nairobi for instance traffic tends to peak at 7:30 am, 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm. An early morning 8:00 am meeting, may require you to leave the hotel at 7:00 am. If you happen to be right next to your office building, then walking to and from work would be the best option.

3. Internet Connection Speeds

These tend to vary from location to location. Knowing what to expect before hand will make organizing your work schedule much easier; especially if you desire to work in the evening from the comfort of your hotel room.

4. Frequent Guest Discounts

A majority of hotels have membership programmes which you can register for, and have access to numerous discounts from their various outlets. Like frequent flyer miles, these benefits come in handy later on.

5. Excursions

The thing about travelling is that you get to visit some pretty incredible places. It is easy to get caught up in work that you forget to take a break. Here is where the concierge desk comes in. They can recommend a safari, to popular tourist attractions based on how much free time you have.