Dakar …Creating life memories..:)

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  • Showing up…matters:)

    Salam out there, hope life is treating you kindly:)

    I was invited to my little nephew’s kindergarten birthday party. It was a cute little get together with little children between the ages of 2 &3 years old. When I arrived, they were all sitting very politely around the table decorée with a black tablecloth for the special occasion. From their nonchalant behaviors, it was apparent that they were used to having birthday parties at school. Some looked cutely sleepy, some trying to figure out what the fuss was about and others probably ready to just eat birthday cake.

    Birthday parties at this age are mostly enjoyable for parents lol .”We’ve all been there. As parents, we’re so proud, and on those days our minds drift back to their first steps, their first words, their first everything.

    Witnessing them in kindergarten learning new songs, new words . After long days at work, coming home and noticing progress in the way they talk or behave is always moving. My cousin told me to be there at 10 AM sharp. I hate being late & thankfully I got there right on time. La maîtresse and her assistants run a tight ship, the children were well behaved.



    I actually thought it would start on African time lol but elles n’ont pas le temps, they have other things to do. My nephew was ready to dig his spoon in his birthday cake & his mother kept telling him to wait. My cousin was beaming with pride watching her little boy interact with his friends and I realized how important it is to show up for family. She did and does the same for me and many other family members. Every year since she was born, she gifts my daughter with a birthday cake. I know when she gets older, she will be grateful for all the love she showed her. . I remember “big cousins” of mine gifting me basic things like a pair of pants, candy..I especially remember my cousin Madina sending me a pair of creme casual pants from France (that was big deal back then)…

    It’s” nothing to her,” she forgot all about it & when I reminded her of it , she was shocked to know that it meant a lot to me as a teenager.

    Showing up for children whatever their age matters, they might not show it right away but as they get older they will remember the little moments of joy you brought to their life.

    There was another boy who was celebrating his birthday as well. His mother was running a few minutes late, but once she arrived we celebrated his birthday with another joyful rendition of the universal birthday song.

    We all joined in and made the birthday boy & his mother feel celebrated.Just as my cousin, she was beaming with pride, taking a” 100 pictures” as any proud mother does. Both these mothers took time out of work to be there for their sons. The kids truthfully looked uninterested at times lol…you know the look little children give when you are trying to get them to smile in public and they look at you as if you were invisible lol.. yet a second later they are jumping up, clapping their hands and saying :”maman..” lol.


    After enjoying chocolate cakes, it was time to party, the MC aka la maitresse put on some music and the children were invited to shake it of lol..It didnt take much convincing for some children, but my nephew had other things to do lol..he wanted to drink some more juice lol.The other mother was so cute..dancing happily with other kids, kissing on her own child..My cousin joined in and soon it was a big party lol..definitly one cute human experience:)

    His nounou was also present, it’s important to give nounous their flowers.They are the ones to stay with the children during the day when parents are busy working .They are the ones who feed them, wait for them for long hours when they are at school or at school activities . They get attached to the children and yet have to find the delicate balance between being there and knowing when to step back.It’s not always easy…Amadou’s birthday celebration was a reminder that Amadou’s birthday celebration was a gentle reminder that showing up matters. Sometimes our physical presence is the greatest gift we can give the people we love.

    ‘Till next time InshAllah:)

    Yaye

  • Urbanista Bistro, the 221 Way:)

    Hello out there, hope this post finds you doing well:)

    Hun hun je peux commencer, Ziiri (a Bambara word that means un conte ou histoire)..When I was a little girl ,every time there was a power outage my mother would tell us stories in Bambara . I remember my siblings & I listening with anticipation, lol stories of animals and words of wisdom lol ..those were the good old days:)

    Anyways ..back to “my sorties dans Dakar”..This time it was to meet my friend Marissa who was visiting Dakar with her lovely children.She suggested we meet at @urbanista.bistro au Point E. This is the second friend of mine who while visiting from abroad suggested meeting at this bistro..I am going to ask them why they chose this particular place, I am curious to see if it’s internet suggested or friends reviews.

    I believe I have been there twice before over a year ago. I remember the flower wall papers & the pink tone inside of the restaurant. While I was waiting for her, I ordered an orange juice and looked around. There were a few men lunching either in groups or en mode solo. I imagine that they work around the area..there are a lot of businesses and ONG’s around.

    Soon after, my friend arrived with her little ones, I had met her 2 beautiful daughters when they were little and I was finally introduced to her cute little boy. We found seats for our big party of 5 , kids were given des crayons de couleurs and des feuilles de coloriage…that was a nice touch, it keeps children busy and entertained.


    She ordered a seafood pizza for the children, for herself a burger and I had un medallion de boeuf & 1 gratin dauphinois. The ambiance in the bistro was chill, business guys were sharing laughter and good meals. We took our time, didn’t even feel the hours go by, she mentioned that it’s been 6 years since we had last seen each other ..time truly flies. I could not believe that Covid happened 6 years ago, it’s like it was just yesterday when we had to quarantine around the world..what a time !

    I noticed the customers were mainly male ,several businessmen would come and go, lunch on their own or have other friends join them over time. It was interesting to see & hear men relax and talk among themselves, share laughter talk about life..let their guards down just as we would do among women. I noticed a beautiful duo of hijabi women coming in, laughing , sitting not far from us, and a few minutes later change sits..I think the presence of the group of men nearby made them shy lol I get it..it can be intimidating.

    Marissa & I also chatted for hours …women talk lol, she’s a law professor in the US. It’s good to see friends achieve professional goals and contribute to society. Professors & teachers are so essential in all our lives, we all have that one teacher that inspired us to become better people and to go after our personal goals despite life difficulties. Anyways..it was really nice catching up with her & her lovely family:)

    urbanista.bistro on IG.

    ‘Till next time InshAllah:)

    Yaye

  • Porte du Millénaire,ouvre toi:)

    Hello out there, hope life is treating you well .

    I was not feeling my best physically this weekend so I didn’t work out on Sunday ,it’s flue season here and my immune system was not at its best. I figured I would go for a walk and enjoy the sunset view by the Corniche Ouest downtown Dakar. I dont usually work out there but I felt like changing scenery today .I felt like feeling the pulse of the Corniche Ouest by sunset & also wanted to feel the vibe of the fitness enthusiasts there

    .

    When I reached la Porte du Millénaire, there were crowds of people walking, buying fruit snacks, juice , water .Les maads sont de saison and several brave women entrepeneurs have set up tables on which they sell cups of maad jams, cups of slices of mangoes among other snacks. What I find interesting is that they all sell the same things sitting right next to each other. Some of the vendors also sell popcorns, there are also the forever Corniche Jambars :the coconuts vendors, these men are so brave pushing daily their carts of coconuts from one area to another.

    Last year the city had prohibited street food sellers from doing business at the Corniche so I was surprised to see so many of them around.At the same time, this is how they feed their families and themselves. I walked around and went down by the beach, there were groups of young men playing beach soccer, others doing some cardio workout on the sand. I sat down for a little while, enjoyed the view .It’s definitely a different vibe from the Corniche Ouest by Sea Plaza, I like” my Corniche” maybe because I know it very well, it’s more spacious I feel or maybe I am biased lol

    There used to be swings and I heard that people stole them…it’s a pity , kids used to have fun on them. The street photographers are still around, doing photoshoots for the young girls who want to have memories from their outing there.I remenbered that there were des colorful marches where people would work out and I figured I was feeling well enough to engage in a light workout session. When I reached the steps, there was a group lead by the voice of a woman, I was pleasantly surprised to hear that. I started my solo session, there was a little girl who was imitating my moves lol it was cute.

    From afar I could see lightnings , rain was not too far I decided to order my Yango ride before it started. As I was waiting for it, I heard the loud voice of a woman street vendor… she was screaming , cursing and people were just watching her I guess she’s not new to the shouting game. Another woman was yelling back and no one was truly stepping in so I figured it’s street market business as always.

    When my Yango driver reached , we engaged in an interesting conversation, he was driving an electrical car, I asked him why he chose that.He explained that he works in communication and out of curiosity decided to drive electric as a side hustle. He wanted to understand more of that industry and also shared that he does content for drivers. He explained that some of our drivers should be more professional in the way they drive and engage with their customers….interesting conversation:)

    ‘Till next time InshAllah:)

    Yaye

  • L’Épicerie , allons:)



    Hello out there , hope this post finds you doing well.

    Lately I have been posting a lot about places I am discovering or rediscovering au gré de mes envies and lately it’s been lots of culinary spots. I was in the mood to eat something light at a low key spot..just a chill spot where I could enjoy some me time au calme.

    I decided to go to l’Épicerie, I had been there a couple of years ago and I remenber sitting at the colorful terrace where I enjoyed a plate of spinach raviolis, and I also remenber the colorful sits and funky stairs.

    Today I wanted something lighter so I chose a Caesar salad and un jus d’orange pressé. My daughter turned 13 years old today Alhamdoulilah and a friend of hers wanted to surprise her with a birthday cake and soft drinks at her dance class..I Thought that was so kind of her, these young girls are so free minded and resourceful , back when I was 13 years old I was not thinking of throwing surprise parties for my friends, she gave me suggestions for de bonnes addresses patisseries & decided to pick the drinks and bring cups and plates.

    As I was enjoying my lunch, I was thinking of the notion of time going by fast and I also was appreciating slowing down in this cool spot with an Italian flair. When I sat down, behind me there was a group of women chatting away, some dressed in athletic wear.I assumed they came from a yoga class or something light and were catching up as busy women do..

    The restaurant was quiet, I was greeted by une agreable serveuse who I could tell was ready for her shift to end..I dont blame her lol saturday afternoons downtown Dakar are rather quiet , plus its summer , many people have left for summer vacation and it’s also extremely but extremely hot.


    When I first got there , I went straight upstairs, I had forgotten that there were sits inside..She suggested I had lunch inside, thank God because I was sweatinnnng lol..

    Before I eft the downtown area, I also stopped by @pausedouceur.sn to see my friend Carla who works there and to also succomber to mon péché mignon..une tranche de fondant au chocolat noir…the best in town might I add.I also took the time to walk around the city a little bit..its one of my favorite time to do so, on weekends the city respire il y’a moins de monde , c’est agréable..:)

    ‘Till next time:)

    Yaye

  • Ynedi..inedit vraiment:)

    Hello out there…I hope this post find you wherever you are in the world doing well ..à la genie in a bottle , in my Christina Aguilera voice lol… Here I am organically discovering le made in Dakar au gré des occasions et du fond de pocket lol very important …This time I wanted to gift my sister in law with a dress made au 221, she is from Dakar but currently lives abroad so I figured she would like something de coquet de tres feminin that would remind her of her birthplace & the brand https://ynedishop.com/home/ came to mind.

    I figured I could not grow wrong with this brand that sells luxurious boubous and elegant dresses. Living abroad sometimes as African people we might have “get togethers” to attend..it might be a wedding , a baptism ceremony and you might want to wear something current & easy to wear no matter the different seasons. I went to their first boutique, I was greeted by a friendly woman who explained that they had moved to another location not too far..another woman who works there was kind enough to suggest taking me to the second location .We had a friendly chat about the brand as we we were walking there . We talked about how sometimes women me included want casual to wear for work or just for every day for the sake of feeling pretty in beautiful artisanal made in Dakar wear…


    Once we reached their new spot we were greeted by other friendly sales women..I was in a hurry and Dior helped me find this beautiful lemon green tunique dress that we agreed was lovely …I also fell in a love with a white dress and a floral skirt…definitely another brand I would visit again. Their instagram ID is :

    y_nedi

    Till’ next time InshAllah:)

    Yaye

  • Burger ..Sen Burger I tried:)


    Hello out there, I hope life is treating you well:)

    It was Saturday today, and I was in the mood to try a good burger somewhere by the beach and just take the time to chill and savourer the taste of ground beef, caramelized onions and veggies.After doing some research online, I read good reviews about Sen ‘Burger and saw that it was located by the beach of the Almadies. Their burger menu was quite diversified : veggie burgers, chicken burgers and so many different types..Of I went … I ordered a Yango ride, the driver was very friendly we talked children, education, the need d’avoir des reperes dans la vie…I shared some of my experience as a mother, we laughed about how kids are so bold now , he is an upcoming father and he shared how he wanted his kid to first learn the Quran before going to school.I thought that was great..its been said that children who study the Quran when they are young tend to have great academic abilities later on in life…bref it was a good conversation.

    When I reached the place ,I was greeted by a professional and friendly receptionist..I took the time to pick my burger I tried the omelette burger ( à la Sénégalaise)..I went around 4 pm because I read online that it was best to avoid rush hours and I really wanted to take my time and just chill & enjoy the view..I went upstairs, it was only I ,and a mother /daughter duo enjoying a good chat…The fries were really crispy and tasty, the burger was pretty big & savory

    I also liked that the staff was chill, probably because it was hot and they themselves were probably enjoying the quietness before customers arrive later on this evening. I also liked that you could enjoy a nice view of the sunset early eveningI also had a fresh smoothie all natural no added sugar…definitily a place I would go back to…it’s chill, cozy , unpretentious .

    On my way home I had a different conversation this time with another Yango driver, he asked what type of music I liked and encouraged me to chose whatever I wanted to listen to. He is a die hard soccer fan , we had a good chat about la defaite de l’equipe Senegalese at the World Cup, I was interested in what he had to say about the loss and why did he think we did not succeed…bref a nice outing. Here is the website:https://www.senburger.com

    ‘Till next time InshAllah:)

    Yaye

  • Football..ement, la Coupe du Monde Edition’26:)

    Salam out there, hope this post finds you doing well:)

    ” Make sure your life is full of I cant believe I did it instead of I wish I did”.

    I don’t know the author of this quote but I came across it while I was debating going to watch the game at a popular Dakarois restaurant I had never been to..Coming across it, definitely encouraged me to take my daughter and I on a football date..mind you, I have not watched yet in its entirety any of the WC games..only clips and it was enough for me, watching all of these people travel to the USA under these complicated and unwelcoming conditions but while there enjoying themselves has been really cool..watching the video reactions of some Americans who had no real knowledge of the global football culture was amusing. It truly was the big “American sleepover” as they call it.I have enjoyed watching the Norwegian and Scottish fans bringing their culture and their enthusiasm to jaded Americans.

    I also felt bad for the Iranian players having to travel back and forth from Mexico to the USA on game days. It has also been a joy to watch the Senegalese and Ivoirian fans welcoming the soccer teams at the various airports ,loved the reactions of the world to the Congolese team who represented for the legendary Congolese sapologie and also brought heart and talent to this International event . From this WC ,I will remenber the tenacity of the Cap Verdian team, and the sense of fun the team of Curacao brought..

    I will also remember our Senegalese team working hard but having a very difficult time…their parcours at this WC has not been easy with polemiques and unfortunate results…let’s just say these were not the glorious days of the CAN yet no one can say that they did not deserve their spot there…My daughter and I started our mother & daughter date first at @chiktayafrica (on Instagram) where we enjoyed some crepes salées and watched the end of the Congo/ England game…I really hoped they would have won ..it’s always a little weird when you watch an all full African team competing with an European team with African players..there is nothing wrong with it per say..I just imagine when they win the complexity of feelings they must feel .from joy to compassion and maybe a bit of guilt for winning against their “brothers” …anyways it was a good game… We chilled there a little bit before walking across the road to go to our final destination the restaurant Exotic Beach to watch the Senegalese team.

    A la porte , it was already a vibe a friendly bouncer told me that it was 10 000 francs CFA /person to watch the game with a free homemade cocktail..I already knew that because I had called the day before. We had the choice to pick our seats at this beach restaurant….des fauteuils des petites tables..they were smart and I am sure they made “good money” that day. In the crowd were young French Senegalese men on vacation smoking hookak chasing stress away… men coming from work ..there to enjoy the game with their friends, young shy hijabi girls who probably just like us had seen an ad for this collective viewing experience online.There were also young charming young mothers with their little kids, you could tell they took their time to pick their outfits, put on their makeup and dress their children.I imagine the mental gymanistics it takes to be present feel pretty and still deal with early motherhood.

    Les maillots du Senegal were on full display: vert jaune rouge just like those good old CAN days..My lil one who is not used to smokey environments kept mentioning here and there the heavy smoke…yako! We ordered some food, I had a delicious “poulet moyo” with des alocos..African style and she had a delicious tiramisu…At first we really thought we were going to to win, Senegal quickly score, 1 goal and another 1 goal…the Belgian team seemed defeated..people in the restaurant were cheering dancing, the music was on ” Charger , charger” lol ..bref we really thought we got this…unfortunately we lost…people are blaming the coach of course, there were some huge technical errors…ect..of course people are very angry and disappointed.

    Ce que j’en retiens c’est que there is real potential, talent, grit and that in 4 years we will better prepared InshAllah. My little one who watches soccer games with her grandfather who is a die hard football fan felt disenchanted…but I guess because it was a festive environment she didn’t cry, but on our way home I could tell the emotions were catching up with her.It took us some time to get home, lots of traffic ..I suppose many people had the same idea as us and went to watch the game at various restaurants near by..En tout cas… overall it was a cool experience to be all united by our citoyenneté and sense of hope..:)

    ‘Till next time InshAllah..

    Yaye

  • Boubou …. à La Pointe des Almadies!

    Hello out there..I hope life is treating you as softy possible. I have been in the mood lately to wear more tradi -modern fashion . There are so many local fashion houses so I needed help to figure out where to go . I decided to turn to the always helpful chat -gpt…l asked suggestions for casual linen African inspired clothes and one of the option they offered was @la_maison_du_boubou…the name of the fashion house actually sounded familiar, it’s one of those places I had wanted to visit..donc cela tombait bien.One of the good things with Yango is that if you don’t know the place, and you put in the name of the place, they would take you straight there..so of I went:)When I reached , I was greeted by the owner, a friendly and serious woman , she was rather amused when I told her that I found her atelier through artificial intelligence..she was positively surprised I think lol..She suggested I took a look on my own..which I like…I enjoy going through a store without stressful vendors who stand right behind you.

    The store was nice , bien éclairé, spacious…the fashion line est tres sobre , pas trop chargé..clean, beautiful embroidery work..She shared that she likes solid colors, we had a nice conversation about embroidery work..one of the kaftan she designed was named it after her mother, the embroidery work was intricate and had many irregular lines on purpose because it reminded her of her mother’s tenacity to find her way through life. When she spoke about her mother, her face lit up…I could tell she could talk about her impact forever..she paid hommage to the hard work behind the embroidery done by the artisans she hired..I fell in love with two beautiful tuniques and ended up buying one.We also discussed how people steal designers like her ideas, and go to China to mass produce it cheaply and for very little..and she added people don’t understand that it’s art…Here’s their instagram address @la_maison_du_boubou.

    I ended up wearing the tunique tonight to hang out with a friend of mine au restaurant @restaurantlapointedesalmadies…I had not been there in over a year , it was the perfect summer occasion to enjoy dinner pas loin de la mer..Comme partout les cartes sont chères…my friend who was visiting from abroad was shocked at the prices..and I told him that’s how it is nowadays…all restaurants are expensive..

    I chose les brochettes de gambas with un gratin de pommes de terre and he chose un thiof with atieke…donc atieke poisson quoi…les plats etaient copieux, I didn’t finish my meal and I think he enjoyed his…c’etait sympa..we caught up… cela fait du bien to have good and honest talk …’till next time InshAllah:)

    Yaye

  • Lagon..tu verras:)

    Hello guys, hope you are doing well under this heat, especially the Dakar’s heat …it’s only June so we have a long way to go …summer heat lasts here sometimes up to late November…who I am kidding? not sometimes…all the time …till November…so let’s brace ourselves. I took my daughter for brunch at the very famous Lagon 1 restaurant by the beach..it’s always nice sitting on the terrace , facing the water, watching from afar Goree Island. I have enjoyed having dinner there a few times , never did brunch or early lunch there. We got there close to 12 pm , the terrace was not crowded so we could chose our seats sans problems, a few people were already there enjoying the sun and going for a swim.

    It’s always nice catching up with my little one..without her phone, catching up on her” personal tea” ..teenagers are people of a few words unless they really want to share lol…I had les brochettes de poulet et de la puree and she had carbonara pasta…I enjoyed my meal , it was quite healthy and the portion was enough, for dessert I always enjoy leur tarte aux pommes chaude et sa boule de glace…my little one wanted to get ice cream I warned her that it might be a big coupe de glace but she insisted she was up to it..until it was on the table: Chantilly, vanilla , and chocolate …she looked at me and as any mother I said ” I told you so “ lol

    by the time we finished our lunch , people were coming in among them a lively group of beautiful hijhabi women were meeting up for lunch, young Lebanese couples with their children were meeting up with friends…My goal was to have a pleasant calm brunch with my child..so I was grateful..it’s good to create memories when we can , life is tough and expensive here..so I am grateful that we were able to share this culinary experience. Here is their webbie: https://www.lelagondakar.com/lelagon1

    ‘Till next time 🙂

    Yaye

  • MOTHER..DAY ’26

    I know Mother’s Day was about a couple of weeks ago, but I still wanted to document how I spent it. My daughter who is close to being 13 years old surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers…I knew she was planning on buying me a gift but I didn’t expect her to order and have flowers delivered to our home…kids nowadays have so much confidence in planning things, going to the florist for example picking with arrangements they want to surprise their parents with..I was really moved with this delicate attention, plus it had this feminine vibe which reassured me in thinking that even for herself she can appreciate the art of gifting and of enjoying the simple things in life like beautiful flowers..It made me smile to know that those are little gestures that she can expect as she grows up from her future partner InchAllah.That same day, she had a dance showcase à Daniel Sorano, her dance school was invited by another dance studio to perform a short piece.The months before ,every weekend they were committed to practicing for this show, their dance instructor asked them to either commit to each practice or not…which is a good thing , its teaching these young girls to make sacrifices and have discipline. At Daniel Sorano, plenty of bilingual parents were in attendance rooting for their children, during the 2 hours of the dance spectacle the young dancers were encouraged through dynamic and loud cheers by their friends their families. The one thing that really moved my heart is at the end of the spectacle the owner of the dance studio, Aicha teared up thanking her young dancers and their loved ones..I was really touched when closed people to her came on stage with flowers, a beautiful moment..afterwards we ended our Sunday evening outing @lamaisondesarts.sn, cute little spot where their offer des ateliers creatifs…it was a nice Mother Day’26…:)

    Until next time 🙂

    Yaye