Ode to My Fashion

 Tis’ the season again! And no, I’m not talking about Christmas or its festive cousins. I’m talking about the Dak’Art Biennale . The Dak’Art Biennale is the ultimate rendezvous for art and creativity in Dakar, lasting an entire month. If you’ve been following my blog, you might remember I wrote about it   two years ago here and here . This year, though, the Biennale came with its share of drama. Originally scheduled for May- June 2024, it was postponed by the new government, citing a lack of necessary funds. Naturally, this sparked backlash, especially from international artists who were ready to showcase their work. Some went ahead and participated in smaller OFF events around the city despite the delay. Fast forward to November, and the Biennale finally kicked off on the 7th, with the theme "The Wake." It will run for a full month, featuring the usual main exhibitions ( IN ) and the more informal adjacent events ( OFF ). I had the chance to visit the main exhibition at t...

Hello everyone. Over the summer, I kept up our tradition and took the boys to Somone. This place has really become a staple for us. This time, we started out in a cosy little guesthouse - Havre de Paix and then moved to a proper hotel for our last few days ( review here ). True to form, we didn’t plan much. The boys, now at that “leave-me-alone” phase, mostly entertained themselves with mindless YouTube videos and gaming. They enjoyed the pool and dining out, while I relished some downtime, watching the Olympics on TV and diving into a few good books. "Le Havre de paix" Bed and Breakfast We ventured to a few new restaurants, starting with a beach shack right by the sea called Chez Atty The place had rave online reviews, but I admit, my first impression was a bit iffy. Still, the spot turned out to be a gem. We had our feet in the sand, watching the sun dip below the horizon as our food arrived. It was fantastic—honestly, I didn’t expect it to be that good. The drinks were ju...

Hello! Remember when I posted about returning to  Ngor Island  after so long? In that post, I mentioned my intention to explore the island further. Well, I finally did just that, and I brought the boys along. Spontaneously, I decided to spend a weekend there. I can't count how many times I've planned a weekend on the island over the years. I even bookmarked some hotels and rental houses. Yet, somehow, I never managed to go. I didn't want to go alone and I couldn't find anyone to accompany me. I booked a room online at a hotel I had previously visited called La Maison du Bonheur. Off we went with the boys on a Friday afternoon. I called the hotel in advance to arrange transportation since Ngor is an island and requires a boat to get there. Upon arrival at the beach, I called the number the hotel gave me and reached a boat operator. I purchased round-trip fare for the boat: 6000 FCFA for us three. We were given life vests while we waited. The beach was crowded with others...

Update: This post is more than 3 years old. I forgot to post it back then. Hello hello! Today I have decided to let y'all know about the traditions behind a naming ceremony in my country of Senegal. Last month, my baby brother had a baby girl. I was at the hospital when she was born and let me tell you that it was emotional. But I digress. In my country, it is the tradition to wait seven days before giving the baby a name. Usually for the first born, there is a big event for this naming ceremony. And there is a lot of protocol. First off we name the baby. Since we are Muslim, we call the Imam of the Mosque where my brother and his wife got married, to conduct the ceremony. The entire family and friends are gathered in a room. The tradition is that the Badiene ( which is the Sister of the father) holds the baby during the ceremony, a role I had to fulfill since I am the only sister. But before we can start, the baby's hair also has to be shaved. That is more a religious gui...

 Hello! I am not sure that in all my years of blogging I have had the opportunity to explain to you fellow readers what is Eid el Adha otherwise known as Tabaski in my country. So today I am going to tell you all about the rituals that surrounds one of the most important Muslim event and how we celebrate it in our country/ house. Salam Durant toutes mes années de blogger, je ne pense pas avoir eu l'occasion de vous expliquer à vous chers lecteurs ce qu'est l'Aïd el Adha autrement connu sous le nom de Tabaski dans mon pays. Alors aujourd'hui, je vais tout vous dire sur les rituels qui entourent l'un des événements musulmans les plus importants et comment nous le célébrons dans notre pays/maison. Eid el Adha is a Muslim event that occurs annually. It comes usually 60 days after Eid el Kebir, which is the end of Ramadan. This event commerates the sacrifice of Abraham  Abraham was a devout man who could not have children for a very long time. Until Allah gave him a son ...