I am staying in Karen; leafy Nairobi suburb steeped in Blixen history and saturated with mothers who drive to the shops and out to lunch and across town to deliver their offspring to playdates in shiny 4 x 4s. Their tresses bears witness to regular visits to their hairdresser and their wardrobes to a highly developed sense of style. They run homes as sleek as their appearances.
Many of them shop at Crossroads. And drink capuccino or a latte afterwards at Dormans whilst their children are entertained upstairs in Dragon.
Where – indeed – my small charges spent a portion of Sunday morning. Whilst my daughters and I trawled the shops downstairs, eyes on stalks at all the merchandise available.
Not like the Outpost, Mum, is it? commented Amelia.
Not at all. No.
I didn’t have a latte or a capuccino at Dormans, though. I have forgotten how to order one. Nor are my tresses recently coiffed or coloured. I was in yesterday’s jeans. And I looked like the mildly harrassed mother of – for the present at least – six children.
Not least becuase I arrived wearing my bedroom slippers.
July 21, 2008 at 7:32 am |
Love your blog – have been following it with interest.
July 21, 2008 at 10:57 am |
Shame I wasn’t there to lower the tone and enjoy a coffee with you. I’d be able to guide you past all those yummy mums as well – not my bag, either, believe me. I get pretty daunted going to Karen sometimes… but the lure of Kenya’s finest (in a cup) is hard to resist. Really do wish I was there though to catch up – enjoy yourself – go and see a movie with the kids for me!
July 21, 2008 at 11:27 am |
Pah! Another reason why I stay away from Karen when I visit. I think the nearest I get is Junction… and then only just.
You seem to having a good time with your horde however…
July 21, 2008 at 3:37 pm |
My goodness Mem, what on earth were you thinking turning up in Karen on a Sunday in your slippers!!
Christ alive woman – that just isn’t done in Karen at all at all
………. well certainly NOT without me it isn’t!
I always seem to end up at Dormans on a Sunday in my sheepskin slippers, and am now so excited to know that I’m finally not the only one! He He
July 21, 2008 at 4:27 pm |
Lindsay – thank you. and thank you for reading.
Tash – thanks, and i wish you here to help lower tone over a coffee with me too; i was sad my timing wasn’t better and that i missed you. kids and movie … yes … kung fu panda tmr at the junction. can’t wait …
nutty – i am. oh i am. and i provide endless mirth: ”our mummy would never have come to the dukas in her slippers like you”. no. i suspect she has more sense. not to say experience.
mzungu. i wasn’t thinking, that’s the thing. i shall look out for another mad woman attired in slippers reading her paper at dormans next sunday x
July 21, 2008 at 5:23 pm |
Don’t sweat it! You’re probably setting a trend!
July 21, 2008 at 8:30 pm |
Aah yes – but at least you probably didn’t (as did the original Slummy Mummy) have a pair of yesterday’s knickers falling out the bottom of yesterday’s jeans…
July 21, 2008 at 9:04 pm |
god. watch out for the baddies, hey?? lots love xxx
July 22, 2008 at 4:51 am |
nice thought, Roberta: i rather think the rest of me might have matched the slippers though.
PM: no, they weren’t. and thanks for that – the falling out knickers thing is another trap i am liable to drop unwittingly into.
I will, J, I will …
July 22, 2008 at 9:58 am |
Hang on – Bedroom slipppers are trendy outdoor wear in Karen…. or are those sheepskin boots not bedroom slippers – they certainly look like slippers to me – and I think you may have started a new trend…. thanks masses for looking after the little ones – having fun here… I think!
July 22, 2008 at 6:41 pm |
The last line was lol! It sounds like my life, moving from London to the country(ish). Believe me its better in the country, slippers? Ha! I’ve done the whole shebang, pyjamas and bare feet to the local post office, no one blinked an eye, they were too busy watching the cows.. MH
July 23, 2008 at 10:01 am |
Well if the girls here can browse the upmarket shops in their pyjamas why shouldn’t you wear slippers in the company of Nairobi’s D4* set!
D4 = Dublin 4 = Mega bucks = Yummy mummies = 4×4s = etc. Think Wysteria Lane with (almost) Irish accents.
July 23, 2008 at 8:39 pm |
Hope you have remembered how to order a latte by now. And there is yet another award for you on my blog…
July 24, 2008 at 4:38 am |
thanks Carol. I was told, a i stepped out of the car and noticed holey sheepskin slippers at feet, ”our mama would never do that”, accompanied by peals of laughter. so at least i offer entertainment value.
Thanks MH. That made me feel better. Here though the spectator sport is very definately other women, and their faux pas …
Hi Primal: D4, must remember that … Wysteria Lane with (almost) Irish accents … here it’s WL with sort of plummy ones, with slight twang that is hard to differentiate at first … australian? zimbabwean? american?
thank you very much Potty. i shall forward the award as soon as i am home. despite the latte (yes, thank you, i have) and the hair dressers (I am now overly blonde so blend in here quite well) the internet connection isn’t up to outpost speed at all. extraordinary. and given my – usual – geography i have to confess fast internet is more important than regular good coffee or good hair days. x
October 19, 2008 at 3:47 pm |
[...] I babysat her children three months ago. [...]
November 11, 2008 at 4:06 pm |
[...] Kenya) and Mzungu Chick whom I might have seen in Karen Dukas when I found myself there in my bedroom slippers. She suggested a rendezvous. I declined. Afraid that my real life persona may disappoint. You might [...]