Dakar …Creating life memories..:)

Tag: life

  • Ouh Ouh..Donnel Jones said:)

    “What if a woman, what if a woman was just like you”

    Joe Thomas

    Salam out there, hope you are enjoying the last few months of summer:)

    This week I was anticipating the Verzuz musical battle between R&B legacy acts Joe & Donnel Jones 💕. Just saying their names out loud is bringing a smile to my face. What a treat it is to watch some of your favorite singers take you back to the good old days of love songs .Before the battle started I was showing videos to my daughter via YouTube of singers such as Mary J Blige, Ashanti , Tyrese, 112 ect. It’s not her generation of music but I want her to know the classics 😁.When we were watching the video clips she was singing along to some of the oldies. I asked “how do you know this song?” She said” you!” I said: ” me ,when?” lol and she added throughTik Tok as well. I grew up aa time when there were girls groups likes TLC, Kut Klose & later on the likes of Destiny’s child. We grew up rushing home to watch new videos, we knew the video directors names , the video vixens. I told her that when I was 16 we would go to house parties and dance to slow music.She laughed at me and asked ” what if no one invited you to dance to a slow song ?”.I explained thatwe just sat among friends and hoped to be invited by the boys we fancied lol.

    My friend who lives in America and I love both artists and are very familiar with their respective catalogues. Online, for the past week people were excited and comparing both artists.The majority before the celebratory show had Joe as the clear winner. His voice hasn’t changed a bit and he is a very seasoned and regular touring artist. Donnel Jones is an in demand touring act but his voice has not aged as gracefully as Joe’s unfortunately. Regardless, his pen work and timeless music are enough to bring joy to those familiar to his music. The day of the Versuz battle many people were posting video reactions ahead of the show . Some had their snacks ready.Good music really unites the world! I live in Senegal and is very familiar with R & B music. It is the same for people around the world despite the languages , the cultures. I watched the musical battle through the Verzuz Instagram page and there were 90 K people in attendance.My friend watched it from the Verzuz Youtube channel where there were over 100 K people watching.There were other streaming channels broadcasting the show live and direct.I can only imagine how this will impact their streaming numbers.It was such a good event. I laughed, sang along . I reminisced and just got to forget my problems for a couple of hours 😊. That’s what Verzuz is for, bringing the world together. Of course we know that there are more important things than music.

    It is entertainment but sometimes music helps to go through life tout simplement. As expected ,Joe did his thing smoothly. Donnel had some hiccups but it’s ok his music is still mielleux a souhait🍯. My friend & I kept sending each other messages through the show, we had a blast. The music of our days was deeply emotions driven, pure love lyrics . Men were not afraid to beg, plead, and say how they felt through their songs.My daughter said that it seemed like we listened to a lot of “goumin” love songs lol . I had a wonderful time , thank you Verzuz:)

    ‘Till next time InshAllah:)

    Yaye

  • Breakie @ Teddy’s Coffee Dakar!

    “Why you gotta be so rude?
    I’m gonna marry her anyway”

    Rude – Magic

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

    I took my daughter & I on a breakie date. Teddy’s Coffee located in Almadies has been on my summer list for a little while now. On our way the friendly Yango driver was trying to show me tourist places to visit. He thought que j’etais une vacancière 😂 & I of course didn’t correct his assumption. He shared that the night before Youssou Ndour hosted a big concert downtown Dakar. Yesterday was August 15th & in my country it has always been as long as I remember a big summer holiday.People go out and party all night!Every year it rains on that day.If you ever are in town on August 15th pay attention to it 😁.

    We arrived at Almadies around 10 AM and it was surprisingly quiet! This area of Dakar is always lively. There are many popular restaurants and coffee shops in that zone. It’s pleasant because it’s close to the Ocean. The Yango driver shared that because people probably partied the night before ,they would start going out around late lunch time. After a short ride in Almadies, we finally arrived at the coffeeshop. We were greeted warmly by 2 young waiters.We debated whether or not we wanted to sit outside facing the Ocean or inside . We first tried the outdoor area but it was really hot and soon decided to sit inside.

    The restaurant is spacious with warm and vivid colors. The teddy bear theme was quite present with kids drawings on one wall and a few teddy bears inside of the restaurant. The menu was pretty diverse. My pre -teen chose le croissant Italien and I chose les oeufs Bénedicte with du bacon de dinde. We started with a strawberry milkshake for her & a delicious chocolat viennois pour moi😊. While we waited for our breakfast my daughter shared “a bit of tea” on her school life

    . I told myself internally do not share your opinons before she shuts down lol. I have learned to keep my opinions to myself for a later time when she chooses to share . I remember being her age and thinking my mother did not or would not understand what I was going through.

    At that age , children tend to forget that their parents have experienced “life” before lol. I am learning that it’s a trust bond that needs to be built for the long run, may God help me 😅. In the background was playing the song Rude by Magic. I love that tune and it brought me back to times when Trace TV was a thing for for my friends and I maybe 16 years ago.

    A time when I was not a mother yet and was going out a lot with my friends here in Dakar. Music sometimes reminds you of seasons of your life and this one brought a smile to my face.My daughter said “tu aimes cette chanson à ce point” lol. This was also the perfect time for our date , we avoided rush hours .There were just a few other customers. They all were Americans we were the only locals.

    We really enjoyed the food, it was really good! Of course it was a bit pricey , que dire it’s the norms nowadays 😅. I asked my kid if this a place she would like to come back to and she said yes:) I wanted to try the Creme brulée, mais ce sera pour la prochaine fois InshAllah:)

    “Till next time:)

    Yaye

    “Why you gotta be so rude?
    I’m gonna marry her anyway”

    Rude – Magic

  • Story’oo de Pineapple smoothie:)

    “Baby girl you bad o
    Girl, the way you whine
    I dey mad over you, girl
    I dey mad over you, girl”

    Mad over you -Runtown❤️

    Salam out there, I hope you are enjoying the remaining of your summer:)

    I am learning to just listen to mes envies-you know les petits plaisirs de la vidad. I had an acupuncture therapy session today and from the moment I woke up this morning I had a craving for a pineapple smoothie. I had visited the Maison des Arts a couple of times already , et je me sens à l’aise dans cet endroit coloré. Maybe it’s the art enthusiast in me or maybe it’s the quietness of the space. It might be both, I really enjoy this unpretentious & pretty eatery. The staff is attentive and not overbearing.

    On my way to my acupuncture session, I rode with a very young impolite Yango driver. He was arrogant , played music super loudly, had this” I dont want to drive yet I am driving” vibe to him.I remained calm et il s’est défoulé as he pleased .Once we reached my destination, he was looking for change and stopped traffic for a few minutes.I suggested he parked further and he responded that the other drivers could just wait. I didn’t reply back,I knew the best way to teach him a very needed lesson would be to grade him via the Yango online survey. The worst part was that both his vehicle & his driving were decent but it was uncomfortable being around him.Anyways thus continues the Yango chronicles 😌.

    At the medical center, while waiting for my appointment I was observing the various patients sitting with me in the waiting area.I paid attention to each person’s shoes , body language & vibe. There was a Senegalese woman who seemed worried, 2 Indian men who had this disciplined vibe and were wearing leather thongs. There was a French seasoned man with his child who was playing with color pencils . He seemed enamored with his child, was not saying much but was very attentive to him. A 20 something young Lebanese man was busy on his phone . He was wearing a pair of cool Nike sneakers and a gold bracelet à son poignet. A delivery man came in full of enthusiasm greeting every one. An artsy Senegalese man with locks was busy filling in paper work. Once he was done, he opened a book he brought and immersed himself in it. Then there was me, bopping my head to some old R& B songs . I was reminiscing of times when we rushed home to watch new videos, it was exciting back then.

    After my appointment , I finally got to enjoy for a few minutes a pineapple smoothie. The waiter asked if I wanted something else and I said with a smile no:) It’s ok to just go to a restaurant for a simple drink if that’s all you wanted. I sure enjoyed it!

    ‘Till next time 🙂

    Yaye

    “Baby girl you bad o
    Girl, the way you whine
    I dey mad over you, girl
    I dey mad over you, girl”

    Mad over you -Runtown❤️

  • Matu Café..ah bon hein:)

    “Nah, nah, nah
    No guarantee
    Nah, nah, nah
    No guarantee.”

    Chico Debarge -No Guarantee

    The lyrics of this end of 90s’s early 2000’s R& B song came in mind when I stepped inside of the Matu Cafe.Je ne sais pas, maybe it’s because the orange and green tones made me think of that video..I don’t know:) Memory association is fascinating..maybe it was because of the soulful music playing in the background..I don’t know..But tout celaa pour dire que the vibe inside of the eatery was already my “kind of vibe”.

    I was meeting friends of mine, siblings duo Amy & Moha.Whenever they are visiting Dakar & have free time , we always manage to hang out at least once. It’s always pure laughter and good vibes. Amy is the one suggested we met at Matu Cafe.It was my first time hearing of it, she further explained that it was owned by a Senegalese woman who moved back to the 221 to follow her dreams of opening a coffee shop.

    I visited the cafe’s instagram and looked through their online menu & was agréablement surprised. The restaurant is located in the neighborhood of Mermoz where I spent a big part of my life. The neighborhood has changed a lot lately, there are new luxury apartment buildings, pilates studio and now the Matu Cafe. I am sure people living near by are probably very happy about this new eatery.

    Across the street ,there is a dance studio where my daughter has been a regular since maybe she was 5 years old. When I arrived at the coffeeshop, I was greeted by an amiable attendant who showed me to my table with a big smile. Maybe because it was early morning , the cafe was not crowded yet..which selfishly I like lol. There were 2 gentlemen having a chat , a hijabi woman on her computer. While waiting for my friends, I enjoyed un chocolat viennois “au chaud” comme disent nos frères Ivoiriens 😀.

    Soon after the siblings arrived, in between catching up, we ordered our breakfasts. Moha had the chicken waffles, Amy had the Senegalese omelette and I tried the croissant Benedicte. The portions were reasonable and the plating was pleasant & neat. All 3 of us enjoyed our morning meals.

    Our trio also enjoyed talking about working out; we talked pilates, running and paddle. Amy shared that she really enjoyed pilates because it really engages the body in its entirety. I have been wanting to try a class but for beginners, like a soft introduction to this practice😅 I know it’s a” big trend” in Dakar right now..pilates this , pilates that lol…which is not a bad thing. I really just want a chill environment not too uppity..just a pleasant vibe. I really am also looking for a class with a focus on breath & meditation.I will keep looking online et continuer à me renseigner.

    Before leaving the coffeehouse, I wanted to try one of their fruity soft drinks. I chose the Mangoe Passion cocktail with une tranche de citron which made for a beautiful visual dégradé color combo . It gave me the right boost of energy I needed this morning. The next treat I would like to try there , is the carrot cupcake..affaire à suivre donc 🙂

    Till next time InshAllah:

    Yaye

    “Nah, nah, nah
    No guarantee
    Nah, nah, nah
    No guarantee.”

    Chico Debarge -No Guarantee

  • 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

  • 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