Pulser August Edition

AUGUST 2019

LIVE IT UP!

NOT FOR SALE

Celebrity life

Karun, Cardi B, Tinashe, Jidenna

Secrets revealed

Inside Bridget Shighadi’s closet

Adventure

Kisumu City unveiled www.pulser.co.ke

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Susan Kaittany The law graduate opens up on family, passion for adventure and celebrity lifestyle

FASHION • beauty • RIDes • food • ADVENTURE • SPORTS • REVIEWS

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EVENTS Madaraka Festival in Kisumu

Date: August 3 Venue: Kisumu Beach Resort Time: 10am to 10pm Madaraka Festival brings Africa’s finest musicians and creatives together with world-renowned artistes and innovators for a celebration of music and civic purpose. This international cultural extravaganza will be the culmination of an entire week of activities happening in Africa, for the first time, and will feature live music, storytelling, poetry, exhibitions, workshops, and a film festival.

Pulser is the official media sponsor.

Retro The Event

Date: August 3 Venue: Nairobi Time: 9.15am to 11.55pm Retro The Event presents Boy Band and 90s Edition this August. Get ready for the best in old school music from the 90s where the best of the boy bands lived. Come get down with Kenyan deejays and emcees holding it down on the ones and twos. Expect lots of food and fun. Dress code is denim, dungerees, bandanas and everything that gets the 90s spin.

Ballers Pool Party

Date: August 3 Venue: Spur Mall Rooftop, Thika Super Highway Time: 7pm till late

This is the ultimate ballers party of the month.

Dubbed ‘Wicked Paradise Edition’, the show will feature top deejays Joe Mfalme, Crème de la Crème, Tibz, Kace and Kevru the DJ. There will be a heated pool for all who love to take a dip. Expect wicked beats and come dressed fresh to impress.

Nairobi SoapBox – August Edition

Date: August 8 Venue: Metta Nairobi, Riverside 14 drive Time: 5pm to 8pm Do you want to be better at speaking in high

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AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

pressure situations; be it job interviews, meetings, pitching or in front of a crowd of people? The Nairobi SoapBox Club Night is an interactive and fun workshop-style event for practising public speaking in a nonjudgmental and fun environment. Using experiential learning techniques, this event will get people out of their chairs and their comfort zone in active involvement. The event promises to be full of fun topics, laughter and interactivity. A panel of experts will give useful tips based on real-life experiences.

The Shaba Challenge

Date: August 10 Venue: Shaba National Reserve Time: 7am to 6pm ActionAid Kenya, in partnership with the County Government of Isiolo and Sarova Hotels, is hosting The Shaba Challenge at the Shaba National Reserve in Isiolo. The Shaba Challenge features epic obstacle courses within the scenic Shaba landscape and tens of team events specially curated to make it the most engaging and fun team event yet.

The event entails three obstacle courses suited for various groups of participants.

There is the Ndovu course - the tough course which is suitable for professional fitness enthusiasts. It includes mud and trail runs, adventure challenges and more competitive timed obstacle course races. The teamwork Simba Pride course is suitable for organisations who are interested in fostering trust and team spirit among their staff. The Swara family course is a fun course specially curated for friends and family teams who want to spend time together engaging in a physically challenging activities out in the savannah.

Engage 26 Full Circle

Date: August 10 Venue: Kenya National Theatre Time: 6.30pm to 11.59pm “When life brings you full circle, pay attention, there is a lesson there.” That is according to Mandy Hale. Every once in a while, we all go through an experience that teaches us a life lesson. Five different individuals share the stage at Engage 26 with diverse stories on their full circle experiences and what it takes to rise above it all. Join the team at the Kenya National Theatre for this informative, inspiring and influential event that have speakers Anne Kering, Collins

Injera, Lisa Oduor-Noah, Karagania Mwamlole and Nikita Kering on card.

Offroad Challenge Kenya 2019

Date: August 11 Venue: Lukenya Hills Time: 8am to 6pm The Offroad Challenge Kenya is an off-road event held in different locations across Kenya.

The challenges are an exciting spectacle that captures the competitive spirit of off-road motorsport enthusiasts and supporters. The Offroad Challenge Kenya brings together all off-road vehicles; standard 4x4s, modified 4x4s, rock crawlers and quad bikes. To access the venue, if you are from Nairobi, drive straight on Nairobi-Mombasa highway towards Machakos for 14.25 kilometres, past Greenpark Estate near Small World and the Daystar University road. Turn left onto dirt road and drive straight on dirt road for 1.68 kilometres, passing Lukenya Academy entrance, the turn left onto the hill. Follow sign board to venue for 3.30 kilometres.

The Plascon Colour Run

Date: August 11 Venue: Uhuru Gardens, Langata Road,

Nairobi

Time: 10am to 6pm The third edition of the annual Colour Run will be beyond spectacular. For the first time, there will be a 5km colour track and this edition will have more colour stations as well as a surprise coloured bubble zones. Come colour lounging at the ‘Finish Festival’ and expect lots of live deejay music mixes. The event promises great entertainment experiences.

For the Culture

Date: August 17 – 18th Venue: Ngong’ Racecourse Time: From 12.30pm Punchline Entertainment presents For The Culture, a social event to be held at Ngong Racecourse this August. Christened ‘Addicted to the Culture, Chained to the Rhythm’, the extravaganza will feature urban hype, fashion gala, thrift trends, music and a new shopping experience.

Nairobi Sunset GT

Date: August 18 Venue: Two Rivers Mall, Limuru Road Time: 10am to 6pm Aimed at promoting car culture, fashion, photography, videography and music, the Nairobi Sunset GT event goes down at Two Rivers Mall this month. It will feature different categories of cars; from classics to modified.

choose to dine to see others glow. Eat for a noble cause, network and see the community grow. Share a meal that will make one see how important others are to you and also help restore lost hopes. All proceeds from the dinner event will go to CLIVIOS (Community Living in View of Success) charity programs.

BOOKS

Mostly Dead Things

Author: Kristen Arnett Turudi Festival

The Travelers

Date: August 18 Venue: Nairobi Chapel – Ngong Road Time: 2pm to 6pm

Author: Regina Porter

Turudi Festival is a family friendly event that seeks to celebrate wholesome, positive music and gospel artistes of various periods in time.

The theme for this inaugural event is Turudi Festival #GospelMusicInThe90s. The event will focus on the 90s and early 2000s and will feature performances by popular Kenyan gospel artistes and resident deejays among them, Pete Odera, Rufftone, Sita, Holy Dave, Fatmod, Rhythm City Band, DJ Sanch, Tedd the DJ and DJ Tismo.

Nakuru Pets Festival Season 3

Date: August 24 Venue: Nakuru Athletics Club Time: 8am to 6pm This is a fun hangout for pets lovers. The event which will go down at the Nakuru Athletics Club will be an all-day bonding and sporting outing that will see guests enjoy a wide range of barbecues offers, networking, archery, dart games, kids games and many more. Bring the whole family around and let’s have some fun in Nakuru. Buy a ticket and stand a chance to win a dog leash or a Spitz dog.

Clivios Gala Dinner

Date: August 24 Venue: Westwood Hotel, Westlands, Nairobi Time: 6pm to 11pm Waking up to a brighter tomorrow, not alone but lifting others, the organisers of this event

The Travelers is one of the most structurally ambitious and astonishing novels you will ever encounter. The Travelers focuses on two sprawling families and begins with a two-page list of characters. Each chapter, jumping around in place and time, focuses on a different person. The interconnected saga makes you think of how little we really know about our closest family members.

Taxidermy, grief, and Florida swamps mingle in this unusual and unforgettable debut novel.

Jessa-Lynn’s father kills himself in his taxidermy workshop, leaving her to care for his struggling business and her family member’s demands. She’s still raw from one of the world’s most toxic love triangles — she and her brother were in love with the same woman for years. Mostly Dead Things is worth reading just for the sheer joy of experiencing an incredibly original story and writing style.

Let Me Hear a Rhyme

Fleishman Is in Trouble

Author: Taffy Brodesser-Akner Everyone has an opinion about why Toby and Rachel Fleishman broke up, including Toby and Rachel Fleishman. After 15 years of marriage, Rachel, a very successful agent, disappears from her husband and two kids.

The New York Times’ master profiler Taffy Brodesser-Akner dissects a marriage; and in doing so, interrogates the entire institution.

She creates a page-turner as insightful as it is impossible to put down.

Author: Tiffany D Jackson Is it fraud, or is it the ultimate ode to friendship? In Let Me Hear a Rhyme, three Brooklyn teens celebrate their friend’s music legacy after he’s killed. They release Steph’s tapes and soon, they’ve taken off. Will Quadir, Jarrell, and Jasmine be able to keep their secret? Jackson conjures up 1998 Brooklyn as only someone who was really there could. Our secret: Tiffany D. Jackson’s last book, Monday Isn’t Coming, is also a propulsive read.

City of Girls

Wilder Girls

Author: Rory Power Take Annihilation, add a drop of Contagion, set it at an all-girls’ academy, and you’ll arrive at Rory Power’s occasionally scandalous and always gripping Wilder Girls. After a disease called the Tox breaks out, the girls of Rexford Academy are changing. Their bodies are adapting to the world around them — some grow gills, others grow scales... those who survive, that is.

Author: Elizabeth Gilbert What more would we expect from the author of Eat, Pray, Love but a moving novel about one woman’s coming-of-empowerment in the theater scene of 1940s New York? At 95, Vivian Morris looks back at the summer she was 19 and ready to take on the world. Gilbert wrote the kind of big-heated historical novel you’ll burn through in a weekend, then pass on to a friend.

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CON TEN TS

CELEBRITIES, MUSIC AND SHOWBIZ 12.

13.

14.

15.

28-35.

36-41.

42-43.

48-49.

Quite Frankie – Frank the Model Tantalising Tinashe Nourishing Nanyanka – Nayanka Singh Jazzy Jidenna - Jidenna Theodore Candidly Karun – Karun Mungai Madam Boss – Susan Kaittany Curvaceous Cardi – Cardi B Secrets revealed Inside Bridget’s closet

FOOD, HEALTH and FITNESS 20.

Meat Fest 21.

Heat things up 22- 23 camping for dummies 24-25. Charlie’s Bistro 26. Mixology 27. Wines FASHION and BEAUTY 8.

Loose change 9. Style 50-53. The Senator’s authority 54.

Beauty Tips 55.

The Glow 56-57. Fitness RIDES, TOYS AND ADVENTURE 16-17.

18-19.

44-45.

46-47.

Boys with big toys Where monsters duel Kisumu City unveiled Dare to live

LIFE, TECH AND REVIEWS 11.

Horoscopes 58. Movies 59.

Who will have balls?

60-61. The language of football 62-63. The play plan

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AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

THE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER orlando lyomu EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OCHIENG RAPURO GROUP EXECUTIVE EDITOR AND HEAD OF NEWS KIPKOECH TANUI MANAGING EDITOR – WEEKEND/MAGAZINES JOHN BUNDOTICH

FROM THE DESK

EDITOR STEVENS MUENDO

Adrenaline! Join the escapade

REVISE EDITORS ROSE KWAMBOKA JUDITH MWOBOBIA FERDINAND MWONGELA SUB EDITOR WAIRIMU NYINGI

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MANAGER, PRINT CREATIVE DAN WELOBA CREATIVE DESIGNER JOSECK MUTORO PHOTOGRAPHY HEAD OF PHOTOGRAPHY JACOB OTIENO PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR MAXWELL AGWANDA DIGITAL NJAMBI MUNGAI WAIRIMU NYINGI CONTRIBUTORS TONY MOCHAMA PERIS WAMBUGU PAUL OWERE AHADI WAMBUI BARBARA NYAMBURA FRED KAGONYE BONIFACE MITHIKA MARGARET NGENYA TRACY GESARE WINNIE MAKENA PHOTOGRAPHERS ELVIS OGINA MARKETING SETH ENOS COMMERCIAL KEVIN GICHERU JACQUELINE MASAKU EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Switch Board Tel: 3222111/0719012111 Ext 2243 +254 721 607 555 Email: Editor@Pulsermagazine. com COMMERCIAL ENQUIRIES Kevin Gicheru - +254 722 994 458 Jacqueline Masaku – +254 721210752/+254722987889 DISTRIBUTION Duncan Murei - +254 719012111 Pulser magazine is published by The Standard Group PLC

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love Top Gear, the BBC Television edition.

It’s about speed and nerve wrecking stunts. It’s about the extraordinary, the challenges that push the limits of automotive manufacturers’ claims. The thrill is not just about a man behind the wheel. It’s also about celebrity drivers and the travel element that lets the show take us on an adventure around the world. And things don’t always go as planned.

Sometimes, the experiments backfire and with the mechanical mishaps, bones are sometimes broken.

Right now, the world’s fastest car is the Hennessey Venom F5. This little sports monster has a claimed speed of 301 mph. It’s not just in theory.

As crazy as it might sound, the F5 can dash from 0 to 249 mph and back to 0 in less than 30 seconds.

That is about how long it takes a mild sports car to get from 0 to 100 mph.

There are those who don’t care for car thrills. Our travel writer Peter Muiruri is one of them. Instead, he prefers challenges that would scare

the daylights out of him. Recently, he was in South Africa where he did the famous 13 zipline slides of Magoebaskloof, Limpopo. Imagine hanging suspended 200 metres above the ground over raging waterfalls with rocky outcrops for over two hours. He talks about abseiling trips down the majestic George’s Valley gorge, white water rafting on Orange river and hiking the ‘gothic’ Drakensburg mountains. He warns, you might not feel your nerve endings after some of these dare devil moves. I love heights and this I have added to my bucket list.

Susan Kaittany, this month’s cover personality, brings similar experiences and more on the table.

Her must read up-close-and-candid feature opens with the adrenaline rush of a skydiving incident in Singapore.

This adrenaline rush edition is all things re-energised. We take you to the Lukenya Offroad Challenge then to the wonders of Kisumu City. We ride for bush camping and introduce you to sizzling ‘nyama choma’ grills and mouthwatering cocktails of the season. We cruise on a fashion trip to Nigeria and let you into the closet of celebrated fashionista Bridget Shighadi. We sit down for a candid chat with the enormously talented singer Karun, formerly of Camp Mulla.

Also, Meet Zimbabwean-born USA singer Tinashe Kachingwe, Classic Man star Jidenna Theodore as well assinternational singing sensation Cardi B. Life is a journey, lets ‘Live it Up’.

Stevens Muendo Editor

pulser magazine AUGUST 2019

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loose change - peris wambugu

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2 Sun Glasses @ Sh800 [Forever Trendy, Jamia Mall, Nairobi]

Fingerless red gloves @ Sh1,000 {Bus Station Stalls, Nairobi}

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4 motor 5 ort p Spandex catsuit @ Sh2,500 [Market Stalls, Muindi Mbingu Street, Nairobi]

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sfashion

AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

Thigh high red boots @ Sh3,500 [Online stores]

Dark red lippie @ Sh1,000 [Super Cosmetics, Nairobi]

COURTESY

Red Off White belt @ Sh1,000 [ Imenti House, Nairobi]

style

Bohemian

- pulser writer

Rhapsody

COURTESY

C

lassics never go out of style.

Fashion lovers appreciate timeless presentations with a modern twist as fashion transcends generations, as can be seen with the revival of the 50, 60s and 70s.

Bohemian is back in all of its free-spirited flair giving you a touch of wanderlust this season. Some consider it simply whimsical, but truth is, the look is timeless and classic.

The Boho Chic, in particular, is characterised by ethic-inspired accessories such as tunics, natural-looking hair, peasant blouses, beading bags, embroidered jackets, wide-brim hats and all that raft of free-spirit cool chic.

The basic rule in achieving this is going for items made from natural fabrics that come with natural tones and colours. Also, don’t be afraid of experimenting with fun patterns like florals as well as lace and crotchet and other embellishments.

Another key rule in this style is comfort hence the loose-fitting and soft layered touch such as maxi dresses. Shoes, like fabrics, should also come in natural shades.

This season, warm colours and clever details are the rap.

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trends — Boniface Mithika

The Future is COURTESY

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fter Facebook purchased Oculus, their main goal was to make virtual reality a common household technology. They made steps to approach this goal by focusing on simplicity. Their first generation devices; the Oculus Rift and Oculus Go, catered to the PC and mobile markets with the original catering to each, respectively.

This year they released the Rift S and Quest. The Oculus Quest is their new all-in-one device that promises wireless room-scale VR (virtual reality) and high-quality games with minimal hassle.

This device is fully standalone with two 6-DoF (Degree of Freedom) controllers and runs on a mobile chip. It is the first all-in-one gaming system built for virtual reality. You can play almost anywhere with just a VR About Sh40,000 for headset and controllers.

It can be set up anywhere as it the 64GB version translates your movements into VR no About Sh50,000 for matter which way you’re facing and the 128GB version provides room-scale tracking without external sensors. Look around, duck for cover and turn the tide of the battle from anywhere in your play space.

Coupled up with Oculus Guardian system, it is designed to remember the boundaries of your play space and help you avoid nearby objects while you’re in-game.

With Oculus Touch controllers, you can transport your hands and gestures right into the game. Your slashes, throws and grabs appear in VR with intuitive, realistic precision.

How about you now stop watching games and step right into them! Whether you’re dodging spells or slashing through enemy hordes, you’ve never been this close to the action.

PRIC

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AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

Horoscopes - the pulsEr astrologer

Sun of august The art of Astrology is an inexact science, but many of my fellow star gazers refuse to admit it.

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lthough the movement and positions of the planets in our solar system does, to an extent, influence our fate at any given time, depending on the seasons. The reading this August is delivered from Venice, where the sky over the Adriatic Sea is clear at this time of the year. So do not be surprised by the deadly accuracy of the predictions below this month, based on your Zodiac sign.

LEO: July 23 – August 22

Your planetary sign is the sun, and this is the month you get to shine, dear Leo. Your priorities are clear, and your mood is positive.

Focus on going for your goals. And don’t panic because of obstacles, or get carried away by distractions. The stars are on your side, so just succeed.

VIRGO: 23 August – Sept 22

You will be as mercurial as your planet sign, Mercury, and things will get very hot for you in August.

You may find yourself in a situation that seems impossible to escape, like debt. But try and stay upbeat, as you pray to the gods to show you a way (out).

LIBRA: Sept 23 – Oct 23

The aesthetics of Venus are excellent in the August night sky.

This means a month of beauty and harmony for you, complete with outer grace and inner peace.

Treat yourself to a new wardrobe this month. You will look good.

SCORPIO: Oct 24 – Nov 21

Distant Pluto, your planet sign, swings closer this month. This

has a big impact on your month.

You will feel aggressive in the first week of August, a wild burst of energy and vitality after that.

Then desire will rule in the third week, before you give in to your carnal instincts to ‘funga mwezi.’

SAGITTARIUS: Nov 22 – Dec 21 You will find yourself in the deep end/ thick of things, this month.

Use your knowledge and experience to solve any problems this August, and the last third of the year should be quite smooth.

CAPRICORN: Dec 22 - Jan 19 The rings of Saturn, your planetary sign, show you may enter a cycle of domestic or relationship issues. You will need to exercise self control, and remind the offending party of responsibility and commitment.

If they don’t listen, you may need to opt out.

AQUARIUS: Jan 20 – Feb 18 Uranus is your planet, and feelings of insecurity may lead you to confrontation and rebellion. You will prefer revolution over evolution, being radical over making peace, and your individuality over the community.

Is it worth it? If it is, fight on! If not, drop it.

PISCES: Feb 19 – March 20 Far away Neptune leaves you in a dreamy and artistic space, ready to take on new projects that will succeed. Be very careful, both in body and soul, though, between August 11 and August 18, 2019.

Neptune Moon Thalassa warns of great danger Aug 11 – Aug 18th.

ARIES: March 21 – April 19 Mars’ reading breaks your month into four clear quarters. A cautious first week of August! Then one full of desire in week two! Great passion in the third week. Something may happen on 22nd August, though, that leaves you either sad or angry for the remainder of August, 2019.

TAURUS: April 20 – May 20

Like Libra, Venus is in your sky reading; but unlike them, you will wish to go for a three, 13 or even 30-day holiday/laze-about, with a bit of beauty, relaxation and luxury. You’ll be rested, but miserably broke!

CANCER: June 22 – July 22 Oh Water Sign, this August sees you in a very fluid state, mostly of mind! Thanks to your moon icon, you will waver between reality and fantasy all month. Reach for the stars! But be ready to plummet to Earth.

COURTESY

GEMINI: May 21 – June 21 Unlike ‘chilling’ Taurus, you will be in mental high gear all of August, alert and ready to work extra hard.

This is the time to think, take exams, prepare for that (second) degree, become the Team Captain at work, for which there will be reward. pulser magazine AUGUST 2019

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hot in town

COURTESY

— Ahadi Wambui

BEAST

MODE ON! meet the RIPPED AND WELL-OILED MACHINE

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badass bod comes down to one thing – How bad do you want it? An 8am to 5pm gig wasn’t Frankie’s idea of a happily-ever-after.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management (BBM) from Liverpool John Moores University, an International Business Management Master’s degree from Manchester Metropolitan University, the health nut chose a career in fitness and found his way into a Sports Nutrition class in the prestigious Training Room Academy in Manchester.

He came back home with one aim: to change the mindset of Kenyans and inspire them to not only live healthier lifestyles, but to also view personal training as a respectable career. Thus, JustGymIt was born. Frankie runs the fitness and nutrition consultancy business which targets anyone willing to transform themselves.

The 29-year-old is also a father of two boys. : @frankie_justgymit

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august 2019 pulser magazine

hot in town

Tinas he

— Ahadi Wambui

COURTESY

the sassy and talented songbird

T

he 26-year-old Zimbabwean singer and songwriter has been profiled among the Forbes 2019 richest musicians from Africa.

After spending her earlier years in Lexington, Kentucky in the United States, Tinashe Kachingwe moved to Los Angeles to pursue entertainment.

Among her main roles included featuring as a motion-capture model in the animated film The Polar Express (2004), Robin Wheeler in the Cartoon Network television series Out of Jimmy’s Head (2007–2008), and a recurring role in the CBS series Two and a Half Men (2008–2009).

She was also a member of the music girl group The Stunners, before going solo and released In Case We Die (2012) and Reverie (2012). In 2014, she released Aquarius, her debut studio album and a second one, Nightride in 2016. Nightride hit No.8 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in the US. Joyride, released last year, reached number 58 on the Billboard 200 chart and Number 6 on the UK RnB Albums chart.

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hot in town — PULSER WRITER

beauty is grace and confidence. Nayanka got it

T

: @thatcurlymwari : @nxyanka

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AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

COURTESY

he beautiful and brainy Nayanka Singh is one of Kenya’s top models. The 22-year-old criminal justice student at the United States International University never imagined she would achieve much success in modelling. She only got into that world by chance when a photographer asked her to be his muse for the day. Also, she was the classic tomboy; no time for frills and lace. But a designer looked at the prints and liked them and the rest, as they say, is history. She was signed to an agency known as Knitwear Models Africa.

Nayanka has walked numerous runways and featured in fashion magazines. She has shot advert campaigns for a German Tennis Company called Bidi Badu and Lotto company.

Her participation in the East Africa Fashion week in 2015 and 2016, Kenya Worldwide Fashion Week 2016, Divalicious 2016, Nairobi Elegance Affair 2016, Tribal Chic 2017 and 2018 are a statement to the fact that this is her calling. She is also the brand ambassador of Ohana Swimwear and Marini Naturals .

Wow factor

— PULSER WRITER

the

chief

hot in town

COOL, CALM AND COLLECTED IS JIDENNA, THE CLASSIC MAN

T

COURTESY

he world sat up and took note of the silky toned singer in 2015 following his release of Classic Man. The tune went on to become a mega hit.

Jidenna Theodore Mobisson became a star among music lovers across Africa and the world over. The Nigerian-born rapper, singer and songwriter who was also at the time promoting Janelle Monáe’s label followed up the hit with his debut album, The Chief, in 2017.

Born in 1985 to Tama Mobisson and Oliver Mobisson, Jidenna spent his early years in Nigeria,where his father was working as a professor of computer science at Enugu State University.

When he was six, the family moved to the United States following a kidnapping attempt. They eventually settled in Milton Massachusetts in 2000. His father Oliver died in 2010.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Jidenna pursued his music career while working full-time as a teacher. Over the years, the singer has also developed his personal style that has propelled him into a fashionista of note.

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MOTORMOTO — PULSER WRITER

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t 4am on a Saturday, a group of young automobile lovers assemble at Jamhuri Park, Nairobi, and after a short briefing; they are flagged off for a 72km race that will see them take Mombasa Road, all the way to the Machakos junction and back.

It is an adrenaline rush of risky proportions and this pursuit of thrill by the amateur racers has, sadly, claimed lives. By day break, the race is over and the young lads and lasses go back home where they refresh before taking their cool rides for a pimped car showdown.

It’s a new culture loved by the young and well-to-do. The faint-hearted and ‘thin of wallet’ are not welcome here.

How do you explain a 20-year-old owning more than five pimped-up luxury cars? Boys love big toys.

Nikhil Ramesh, a 20-year-old automobile lover inherited a Mitsubishi Lancer 1400 from his father. The young man is a member of a Nairobi automobiles club named Kenya Classic and his car is listed as number 036.

The car, which was manufactured in the year 1975, was bought at a cost of Sh115,000 but it is currently worth Sh600,000.

Fitted with Enkeis, rally car rims that cost Sh200,000 and custom made tires, the 40-year-old car, nicknamed Shamba Boy, has never ceased to steal the show wherever it goes.

“I always have a rough time with a lot of young people who admire and beg for a ride or a selfie in it,” says Nikhil. Nikhil and his fellow Kenya Classic club members (more than 150 of them) also do charity work.

There are the big ballers like Barry Ndengeye of Rolls-Royce who are now dealing in state-of-the art, customised rides and Ash of Mash Auto.

Away from the luxury stretch limos he is known to own, Ash owns a 1930s Opel

Boys with big

toys

Boys love thrill, adrenaline rush, especially when it comes to rides.

Who hasn’t tried to upgrade?

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AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

Kadett, arguably one of the oldest cars in town whose buying price was a mere Sh40,000.

The vintage vehicle was created from scratch, installed with a Bluetooth radio system that allows live streaming and mobile phone communication, 17-inch rims, a 2000-litre engine, cashmere leather sofas and four subwoofers with a measurement of 6 by 9 inches.

The car was used in Bebe Cool’s Love You Everyday video and Pitson’s Kilele. That was a long time ago.

“People have expressed interest in buying it but I cannot sell this car. It has sentimental value,” he says.

Mash Auto pimped a classic Beetle for DJ Adrian, a Mazda MX-5 for Tru Blaq Entertainment, and Baby One’s Chevrolet Impala and H2 Hummer. Now, he has the hottest Beetles, the most adored wedding car in town lately.

Tim Davina

Fashion designer, business consultant and investor, owns four cars; a Range Rover Vogue, BMW 318i, Benz C200 and BMW X6.

He buys his beauties from a dealer at Deja Vu Motors along Ngong Road and they are later pimped by Mash Auto.

He spends in the range of Sh100,000 to Sh400,000 pimping the cars, depending on the accessories he wants.

“When I buy a car, the performance of the car, its speed, stability and power of the engine is all I look for. It does not matter its size or the model of the car. I get money to buy the cars from the businesses I help people start and from which I get commission.

“I get paid daily, weekly, and monthly depending on the arrangements I have with my clients. My line, Davina Fashions also sustains my lifestyle,” says Tim.

his the favo u ced Chry rites Discoes, Ransler, are Rov ver ge RoMer100 er De y, Ran ver WR , and scend ge Suba er X ru

motormoto

dealer has imported them from Dubai.

Adhar has always been fascinated by cars since he was young. His dream is to own a variety of cars. His father, a car enthusiast as well, also buys cars for him whenever he spots one he likes.

“Most of the parties I organise are within Nairobi. I drive the cars from Juba to Nairobi myself when I buy them. Other than that, the farthest I have gone with my car was when I attended a gig in Eldoret with my friends,” he says.

“I am not dating. The girl I am looking for does not have to come from a rich background. In fact, I would love to buy the Range Rover for her to drive,” he says.

KRG “I do not let people drive my cars; these are like my girlfriends. I like the attention, people looking at the car, but I do not like them knowing the one driving the car so my windows are tinted. I do not have number plates at the front so the traffic police usually think that the car belongs to high-profile person,” he adds.

His BMW X6 is currently on sale because he plans to buy a Chrysler. His girlfriend drives a Suzuki.

Adhar De Tur

For Adar, car-collecting is a hobby, and as such, he has a 2007 GMC Yukon, Mark X, Range Rover and Land Cruiser in his garage.

He is eyeing a 2015 GMC, which will be Sh1.38 more expensive than the 2007 model. He buys his cars from Juba after his

COURTESY

He turns heads on the road with his VX V8 2014 model, Dodge Nitro, Chrysler, Mercedes X Class AMG A63, and BMW x4, which he imported from the United Kingdom and United States.

“These cars are for different occasions and serve different purposes. If I want to go on a road trip, I go with Dodge Nitro.

When I want to go for a date, I go with the Chrysler. I don’t pimp my cars. Why pimp what I already like?” he poses.

KRG is a musician and also owns Taraji Safari, a tours and travel company. His six personal cars are for personal use.

“People admire them, especially girls.

You know, most girls would love a car they see but they would not know what type of car that is.

Corleone

He prefers to be known by his nickname, Corleone, not to attract attention.

Corleone owns 19 cars and his favourites are the Chrysler, Mercedes, Range Rover Discovery, Range Rover Descender 100, and Subaru WRX. “I own all these cars

because they have different engine performance, are beautiful and are of different makes. I use the cars depending on my mood and the occasion. If I go for a meeting, I drive the Mercedes or the Land Cruiser, for parties I use the Chrysler or the Subaru. Some people would say we are arrogant, but others would say that we are setting the standard,” he opines.

Corleone hires his cars out to organisations only for they can easily be held accountable if anything goes wrong.

“My dream car is the Koenisegg. It is one of the best cars in the world. I love its beauty and speed - I - loves the thrill of fast cars,” he concludes.

His girlfriend drives a Subaru.

What you need to know about pimping your ride

I

f you are contemplating souping up your vehicle, regardless of whether the modification you want to make is in the form of a minor safety-minded addition or in the form of a full-on facelift, there are some important things you need to know and consider, both when it comes to the law and car insurance.

So, if customising your ride is something you feel compelled to do, make sure you do your due diligence. While we can’t help you paint those fun racing stripes on your car, we can help you with the aforementioned due diligence.

Before you add or change anything on your car, ensure what you plan to do is legal.

You can do so by notifying the relevant licensing authority. If you don’t do so, you could face fines, get your vehicle de-registered, get your vehicle impounded or even receive defect notice.

When it comes to car insurance, modified vehicles are deemed to bear higher risks than ordinary ones. Customisations are mostly done by young people and insurance companies reason such drivers can be careless and unsafe behind the wheels. That is why car modifications such as customised paint jobs, performance levels and car structural changes affect car insurance premium. In most cases, once you make such modifications, your car insurance provider will most likely add an endorsement to your insurance policy that requires you to pay additional premium.

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motormoto

where

- PULSER WRITER

monsters a eny k Lu The -road he Off ge is t n ll e i l r l h Cha imate t who ult nyone d A e a for r want n the eve ance o a li N I l a s d k roc ster mon

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I

duel

recall the beautiful sunset on the horizons of Kapiti Plains. What a breathtaking view it was.

The giraffes majestically towered over acacia trees, the zebra herds dotted the whistling grasslands as antelopes crowded around the water point. We marveled over the wonder that is the fusion of nature in Lukenya. “Let’s toast guys,” a semi-intoxicated guy shouted. And we obliged; because, what is an adventure without some tipple? By now, the monstrous vehicles had started leaving the hills, taking the three kilometers cruise back to Mombasa Road on their way to Nairobi.

But all that was last year. And I am so anxious for this year’s event. I am hoping for as grand a time as the 2018 one was. See, the Lukenya Offroad Challenge is a thrill like no other. An adventure for the big boys – and even girls – who like wrestling with bigger toys. It is the perfect showdown. For locals, it is a great spectacle.

AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine COURTESY

motormoto

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Right now the beautiful monsters are getting primed to rampage the rocky and dusty, sometimes muddy terrains. Come August 11, the Offroad Challenge Kenya, the off-road event held in different locations across the country, will be pitching at Lukenya Hills. This is usually an exciting spectacle that captures the competitive spirit of off-road motorsport enthusiasts and supporters. It brings together all off-road vehicles; Standard 4x4s, Modified 4x4s, Rock Crawlers and Quad Bikes.

To access the venue from Nairobi, drive straight on Nairobi-Mombasa Highway towards Machakos for 14.25km, past Greenpark Estate.

Near Small World and Daystar University signages, turn left into the dirt road and drive for 1.68km towards Lukenya Academy, then take a left turn towards the hill. Follow sign boards to the venue.

Some of the fun activities around this event include music, camping, bonfire and much more. There are food vendors and bars to sate everyone’s appetite as you enjoy the thrill of off-road motosport.

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FOOD — fork n awesome

some of its juices, making it dry out faster.

Flavourful delight

Add a few sprigs of your favourite herbs, (try rosemary or thyme) on top of the charcoal as you grill. It will infuse whatever you’re cooking with mouthwatering flavour.

ES T!

FALL-OFF-THE BONE RIBS, A COLD BEER, FRIENDS AND FAMILY; NOW THAT’S SOME GOOD TIME!

Done yet?

ME AT F

I’m almost certain you didn’t carry a meat thermometer to check the internal temperatures of the meat for doneness. But don’t worry, you will not be needing it. See all the pressing down on meat they do on grill masters? Apparently that’s to check if meat is all good and ready.

As meat cooks, it loses water, and the more it cooks, the firmer it becomes. Try pressing on your steaks to get a sense for how they feel at different stages of doneness, and you’ll never need to cut them open or use a thermometer to find out again.

Ribs here and now

I

f you love eating meat, and barbequing with friends and family, here is everything that will elevate your experience.

Whichever meat you are grilling, rest assured, everyone will be looking for one thing; the grill marks that just add an edge to meat. To get the best, most impressive grill bars, use a marinade that contains vegetable or olive oil, and preheat the grill for at least 10 minutes to ensure it as hot as can be. To get it even hotter, for even more impressive grill marks, cover the grill with a large sheet of foil for 10 minutes, then remove it and immediately place the meat on the grill. The foil concentrates the heat on the grill’s surface.

Beer on the meat

The reason you’ll always find one

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We love ‘em stripy

We love barbecue ribs, but we don’t always love the long cooking time required to get that fall-offthe-bone texture. But if you don’t have enough time to cook them for hours, or you just want to make them on a weeknight after work, try this: Put your ribs in a bowl, and coat with a cup of your barbecue sauce.

Cover the bowl, and microwave it for 8 minutes. Then turn the ribs, and return them to the microwave for another 8–10 minutes. After you pull them out, grill the ribs over high heat for a few minutes per side until beautifully burnished. Result?

Tender, juicy ribs in less than 30 minutes.

Patties fall apart

where the other is, is because they complement each other. If you’re grilling a steak on a closed barbecue, open a can of beer and place it on the hottest part of the grill. It will create steam and keep the meat moist, while adding flavour too.

How’s that for a win-win?

AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

Tong it

Always use tongs (and keep them in a mug near your grill), rather than a grill fork,when turning meat on the grill. Although tongs need a bit of getting used to, they help preserve the meat juices. When a fork pierces the meat, it releases

It seems like the burger patty gods are never on your side, because your hamburgers keep breaking apart the moment they hit the BBQ grill. Here’s what to do. Stick them in the freezer for five minutes before cooking. The brief shock of cold will help them keep their shape.

recipe

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move over dawa, we got a new ‘beat the cold’ sheriff in town

He at thi up ngs

— fork n awesome

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food

— fork n awesome

Dummies COURTESY

for

Camping

even in the wild, you can dine like the royalty you are

C

amping trips, as fun as they can get, means cooking without the convenience of too many kitchen pots, gadgets and appliances. But here are a few hacks that will make adventuring easier.

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AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

tightly with some dental floss. You now have a teabag-style “coffee bag” perfect for making a single cup — just add hot water, steep and enjoy.

1

6

Orange peels

Whip up a batch of muffin batter and bring it with you in a plastic container, along with a bag of oranges. Halve the oranges and scoop out the fruit. Pour the muffin batter into the orange peels and bake on a grill over a campfire, then sit back and enjoy fresh-baked muffins that will make you the envy of the campground and cleaning much easier.

Premixed pancake batter

is an ideal way to ensure cleanup is a breeze.

Pre-boil corn for grilling

2

and adult beverage to put your own stamp on it.

One-pot meals

4

For a fun spin on corn-on-the-cob, boil up some ears before leaving on your trip, seasoning with salt, pepper and any other spices you see fit, and then pack in re-sealable plastic bags and store in the cooler.

Once the campfire gets going, skewer the cobs on sticks and gently roast over the open flames for a fire-grilled culinary delight.

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7

Marshmallows with a twist

Roasting marshmallows is a time-honoured campfire tradition, but here’s a way to add some grown-up elegance. Once you toast your marshmallow as usual, dip them in a cup of Baileys Irish Cream or any other creamy liqueur for a gooey, grown-up treat.

You’ve probably got a full day of camping activities planned, so your body is going to need some fuel to get through the day. That’s where a one-pot power breakfast combining protein, veggies and unbeatable flavours comes in. Opt for one pot dishes for dinner and lunch as well, as they use few pots and pans and ensure cleanup is supremely simplified.

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For super simple morning-ready flapjacks, premix pancake ingredients in a plastic bag, store in a cooler, then snip a corner off to dispense when the griddle is ready.

You’ll have pancakes ready in minutes.

One cup coffee bags

I’m almost certain that you are not keen on lugging a coffeemaker to the campsite. But if you are the kind who starts their day with a fresh cup of coffee, fill a coffee filter with a scoop of ground coffee, and tie it

5

Seasoning in straws

When cooking over a campfire, you don’t want food to taste bland, but you also don’t want to pack up the contents of your entire spice rack.

The solution is to pour small amounts of the seasonings you’ll be using into plastic straws, and seal up each end by heating with a lighter. Label the straws, and you’re ready to whip up some tasty campfire cuisine.

Aluminum foil is your friend

3

Eggs in a bottle

Stuff hot dogs with string cheese, wrap them in bacon and cook them in foil packets right on the campfire.

Don’t forget to rotate to ensure the dogs are cooked through, the cheese is melted and the bacon gets crisp. Also using aluminum foil

8

Alternative to marinade

When cooking over a campfire, a genius alternative to a marinade is sprinkling sprigs of fresh herbs — such as basil, rosemary or oregano – over the hot coals to add a herb-infused smokiness to whatever meat you’re grilling.

Imagine transporting eggs from the fridge to the cooler to the car to the campsite. You can bet a few will break along the way. To prevent this, as well as save some space, break your eggs ahead of time, scramble them and pour into a water bottle.

At the campsite, simply pour them onto the frying pan and get cooking.

Camping sangria

Cocktails and camping can be a wonderful combination and you can’t go wrong by mixing up a batch of camp-worthy sangria ahead of time, storing it in Mason jars and unveiling it at the campsite. Feel free to use your own choice of fruit

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23

hotspot - felix kavii

SUGAR, SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE IN THE HOTTEST SPOT IN TOWN

T

here are a few restaurants and lounges in Nairobi CBD that offer multi-national cuisines. Charlie’s Bistro is one.

Location and Access

Any Pulser living in Nairobi must have by now heard ,if not visited Charlie’s Bistro.

Located on Wabera Street, opposite Nairobi County City Hall this is one of the popular hangout places in the city right now. It is a spacious and modern restaurant that occupies two floors.

Set up and Service

In line with the typical Charlie’s Bistro artistic themes, one can enjoy the open view through the glass windows. One can’t also help but notice the comic face of Charlie Chaplain from whom the restaurant gets its creative inspiration. The interior décor is one of a kind. Every inch feels different from the last but all the variations weave seamlessly into this amazing urban contemporary spot. From the adorably small plants on table tops to the furniture and art on the walls, everything adds up to an artistically themed ambiance. Music plays softly from hidden speakers. The set

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AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

Charlie’s Bistro

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tRAVEL

up allows for easy movement. The ground floor has a coffee shop vibe while the upper floor has a playful cocktails and candle dinner appeal. The balcony is a perfect spot to unwind with friends in the evenings as the day slowly goes to bed. When darkness starts to set in and the lights go on, you will notice the chandeliers. Again, they speak art; dim incandescent light that evoke an emotion of warmth, love and romance.

Charlie’s Signature Beef or Chicken and if you love pizzas or pastas try the Mediterranean Spiced Spaghetti Pasta or the Risotto Spinach and Mushroom.

The menu is long and it does change often so you can be sure of getting your favourite delicacy wherever you go back. A meal and drinks for a party of two will roughly cost you about Sh4,000.

It also comes with vegan options too.

Meals and Prices

The drinks menu is equally long. Resident mixologists and baristas prepare in-house drinks on order. Like many restaurants in the city, there is a great variety of cocktails to pick from during the happy hour. This is an ideal location for formal or informal events, whether you are looking for a space to carry out some business or grab some after-work drinks with peers.

The menu is quite expansive with Lebanese, Mexican and Intercontinental menu options. A good portion of the spices and herbs used in preparation of the dishes is Mediterranean giving off a characteristic earthy feel to their dishes. They say this is deliberate.

If you like burgers, try the

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Cocktails

Try: Caribbean Connect, Bull Frog, Long Island and Tahitian Twinset.

Thumbs down

Opening Hours: 7am to 2am Popular Hours: 6pm to 9pm

Like many places in Nairobi, you can hardly get parking space here.

Also, because of its popularity, the service can be slow during the evenings when it gets real full.

Verdict

This is one spot in town you need to check out if you treasure good ambiance, serenity, privacy and art over a good meal or drink.

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Mixology — pulser writer

Fernet is a hangover booze and it is a concoction of herbs, roots and spices.

Bloody Mary

This is a hangover killer. Bloody Mary contains Vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, pickle brine, lemon and horseradish. While the tomato juice is meant to pump in some potassium, Worcestershire and Tabasco are like teasers that tickle the system back into action.

Fernet and Coke

If you have been to clubs in Argentina, then you must have come across this carbonated

drink. It is as simple as they come. Fernet is a hangover booze and this mix is a concoction of herbs, roots and spices. They help settle your stomach.

Michelada

This is the ultimate remedy if your head feels like you have hit a brick wall after a night out. Michelada contains Clamato, Mexican lager, lime juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, Maggi Seasoning and chili powder.

By now you know how some of these ingredients work through the Bloody Mary experience. Basically the Mexican lager is an alternative to vodka. Clamato is simply tomato juice flavoured with clam broth. Chili is like the catalyst in this jam starting grill.

Electric Current Fizz

Like the name suggests, Electric Current Fizz is to hangovers what Panadol Extra is to headaches. It contains lemon juice, powdered sugar, egg white and seltzer. The lemon juice gives your body a vitamin C boost, while the egg white, like we already know provides the body with protein.

COURTESY

A

fter going hard all night, you know how it feels to wake up feeling like your head is being drilled. The hangover has a way of reminding you all the sins of the weekend.

Well, there have been many myths on how one can kill a hangover; from drinking raw eggs, black coffee, sugar saturated water or even fermented milk. Feels like undergoing a ritual.

The truth is, when it comes to hair-of-thedog cocktails, eggs are actually a major ingredient due to their protein content, which is part of what your dehydrated body needs at that time. Swallowing the yolk after seasoning it with salt and paper might be a crazy call, but it actually works as you get the white into any cocktail you are preparing. Another common ingredient in these cocktails is fruit and vegetable juice. They supply the dehydrated body with vitamins, which then fights the headache. That way, you won’t suffer the Monday blues trying to figure out how to deal with the pilling in-tray as your bleary eyes sell you out.

That said, in-case you find yourself back out there, here are five cocktails you can ask the bartender to make for you for ‘kutoa lock’.

Fog Cutter

Don’t mistake this for Blue Frog, that popular cocktail at Captain Terrace on Mombasa Road, Nairobi. While Blue Frog is a hit -me-quick cocktail containing all the lethals; Curacao, gin, rum, silver tequila, vodka and energy drink, Fog Cutter is made of orange juice, lemon juice, orgeat, white rum, gin and brandy. While the fresh juices are good to help the body with vitamin C, be careful with this one as it is a bit strong. It can actually get you looking for another hangover drink to settle it!

hangover

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AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

COURTESY

Kill the

wines — fork n awesome

No whining over wine

T

here is no shortage of wine lovers in area code 254 as witnessed at the just-concluded Nairobi Wine Week and Festival. The event, in honour of wine, a brainchild of EatOut and Baraka Events was a festival for the taste buds. I had the pleasure of taking part in their Master Class by Under the Influence, which truth be told, felt more like a love letter from the Cape Winelands in South Africa.

Which wine had me on cloud wine?

A journey through Whites

elegant wonderful soft tannins, dark fruit and hints of chocolate, cigar box and cedar wood on the nose and palate a work of art. It took me to the very heart of Bordeaux. I’d recommend this to my girls on a girl’s night out Cue the iconic Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon from Elgin. it is a beautiful flavour with its aromas of ripe blackcurrant, dark chocolate and pencil shavings. It exhibited a lovely sweet fruity character making it a great accompaniment to grilled beef, especially with a Bearnaise sauce and rocket salad.

The iconic Iona Sauvignon Blanc was perfection with floral notes of honeysuckle, lemon zest and ruby grapefruit on the nose. It paired well with fresh asparagus, chicken and seafood dishes because of its distinctive herbal and floral undertones. This is something you can try on a relaxed evening.

A Journey through Reds

The Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage, was a breath of fresh air with notes of raspberry, strawberry and red cherry. It paired perfectly with spicy Asian style dishes, chicken and pasta dishes.

I fell in love once more with Belfield Magnifica - its beautifully

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The Aristea Chardonnay- sublimely elegant and classically styled wine displayed a generous and rich complexity of citrus fruits and tropical fruit notes, whilst the subtle use of French oak added spice and a touch of vanilla, producing a silky taste and a fresh, long and rich finish.

e n i w e k a Im r. a e p p a s i d What’s r e your sup power? pulser magazine AUGUST 2019

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hot of the month

Karun

Candidly

— WINNIE MAKENA

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Unguarded, Karungari Mungai aka Karun finally opens up on Camp Mulla’s breakup, dropping out of Berkley College of Music, motherhood and upcoming EP.

I

had been in distressing static Nairobi traffic for hours. As the consuming heat dehydrated me, I was also a bundle of nerves at the thought of missing an interview I had been after for weeks. After a month of patience before this date came to be, an hour’s delay on my part would not be excusable. How do I even text for the umpteenth time explaining my road woes to a waiting Karungari Mungai aka Karun? What if she got impatient, cancels and leaves?

As I get to the uptown Yaya Centre lounge, Karun was there looking relaxed. She genuinely feels sorry for me for the traffic mess. She is one of a kind considering the tantrum many celebs of her stature would throw in such a situation.

“Let’s order,” I lead after a minute of hugs and welcomes.

The chit chat goes on; for a minute, another and another... Karun is infectious.

She is a bubble of energy.

In a few minutes, the waiter delivers our order. Karun declines to use a straw for her Turn to pgs 30 & 31

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hot of the month

pulser magazine AUGUST 2019

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hot of the month — WINNIE MAKENA

COURTESY

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AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

hot of the month From pgs 28 & 29

cocktail. She is passionate about the environment and hardly uses plastic. She feels every little contribution is significant.

“There were a couple of years I felt really jaded. I had been in the industry for almost 10 years and I decided to go on a hiatus for two-and-a-half years,” she says, taking a sip, deep in thought.

This is how we start talking about the long journey that saw her make a name during the Camp Mulla days before becoming the brand that she is today.

“That was about being in the public.

However, I was still doing music on my own. At that point it was quite draining. But now I feel like yeah, I’m doing this again. I have new energy and excitement to make music,” she sips her cocktail again and takes a pause.

She has every reason to be cautious of every word she says and every step she makes. This was once the teen sensation who was the vocalist and the only girl in the BET Awards nominated Kenyan group, Camp Mulla.

Their hits, Party Don’t Stop, 2010, and Funky Town caught international attention, with their style and fashion trend getting compared to The Black Eyed Peas.

This was Africa’s biggest music group in 2012. Fame and fortune came calling before the big split, a fallout that left millions of fans heart broken. Karun recalls it all. Her mind nostalgically tracks back in time.

Many recall that fateful May 2013 Thursday morning when Sub Sahara, Camp Mulla’s management stable, called for a press conference to confirm the rumours. Karun was quitting Camp Mulla for further studies in the United States. Thee MC Africa, another member of Camp Mulla was also leaving to pursue a solo career.

Tiri Murai aka Tiri, who was then girlfriend to Kus Ma, the other Camp Mulla member, was brought in to replace Karun.

Things did not work out and Camp Mulla fizzled our as it became evident that the remaining members, who included Shappaman, were more geared towards solo projects.

Karun was the first, putting out her Sun and Moon album in 2013, a year after the group’s break-up. She did this during her gap year, the same year she joined CalArts (California Institute of the Arts).

An attempt for a reunion later in 2017 flopped. Karun said little, if anything, about all this. That is Karun for you. She hardly makes media comments unless she is sure it’s important. An introvert, she keeps most of her issues close to her chest.

A lot had happened to Karun in the United States. Equal parts exhilarating and challenging.

It is the first time she is opening up about why

There was so much propaganda back then. We (Camp Mulla) did not go for the BET Awards because we were splitting up. she dropped out of college, getting pregnant and the decision to pack her bags and come back home.

“I wasn’t happy there (California Institute of the Arts) so I moved to Berkley College of Music in Boston to study Music and Production there. I came back mid-2016 and gave birth to my beautiful son in 2017. As a mother, I focused on baby life throughout 2018. I am making my musical comeback now,” says the jolly, charming vocalist who turned 25 last month.

For the first time in this interview with Pulser, Karun reveals that she never finished her studies at Berkley College of Music. Going to Berkley was never about papers, she confesses. It was about getting music experience, making music networks and expanding her knowledge on the same. It was about working with world-class mentors and expanding her music perspective beyond singing and song writing to learn playing music equipment.

“At Berkley College of Music, master classes were my favourite. They were even more valuable to me than regular classes because Grammy award-winning engineers, producers and artistes would give us their first hand experiences,” she says passionately.

“When I reached the point when I felt like I had gotten enough of what I wanted, I thought of leaving. I contemplated making this move

for a term or two. Then, I got pregnant. That is when I decided I was done and returned to Kenya.

“Here I was coming back to Kenya, to my people. My folks were surprisingly okay with my decisions. They took it positively despite so much having changed. Or not so surprisingly, since they sent me to an arts school in the first place,” heartily, she emphasises.

What about the untold story on why she really quit Camp Mulla at what seemed the peak of her singing career? Was she under pressure as a teen star to break away and follow her dream as a solo star? Were there wrangles at Camp Mulla as it was once rumoured?

“Well, I was tired of the fame. It was stifling me. I couldn’t make any mistake. I couldn’t experiment. I couldn’t really find out who I was or who I wanted to be because in people’s eyes I was already that girl from Camp Mulla. Period.

“I don’t think the fans knew this. No. Every time they saw me they wanted me to do a particular kind of music and doing anything different exerted that pressure on. I was 16 and I felt caged. After I left, I finally got the freedom to be me. Being in the United States made me feel liberated,” she opens up.

She reveals that Camp Mulla members were battling wide differences at the height of their fame when BET Awards came calling. She says there was a lot going on behind the scenes, even as fans called for more.

“There was so much propaganda back then. We (Camp Mulla) did not go for the BET Awards because we were splitting up. And when we met people they would ask so many questions on why we did not go to Los Angeles for the awards. They wanted to know when we would release more music. I was so young at the time and clueless on the management decisions. It was annoying as I could not even speak for myself when the fans wanted me to give them answers.

“The truth is that I really enjoyed making music. That was awesome. I loved performing.

But there is much more that goes into being an artiste’s programme. Who books you? Do you have good sound on stage? Have you worked on your live performance? Your marketing, your promo. All that stuff is super important to how much fun you have while at it. If we had a proper foundation we would probably have had even more fun,” a more experienced and focused Karun says.

Looking back at some of the peak moments of her career, she remembers the birth of Cosmic Homies. “Taio and Marcus were already making music before Shappaman. See, Shappa Turn to pgs 34 & 35

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hot of the the month month — Margaret Ngenya

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Real Name: Alice Violet Mutumba Stage Name: AVM Nationality: Ugandan (Based in the UK) Claim to Fame: Nteledee (I am Settled)

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hot of the month — WINNIE MAKENA

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joined in because he was Marcus’ friend. They would make tracks, but needed someone for a hook, you know…this and that. That’s where I came in. Amazingly, we ended up recording like six songs the same day we hooked up. That was dope.

“Cosmic Homies is Taio and I’s rebellion against the pop label. It was our anti-pop phase. We both listen to a lot of wavy music jazz, soul, electronic and we wanted to experiment with our own taste of music. So Taio, Marushka, Kiwango and I made music as Cosmic Homies. We didn’t even intend to make it a group. We were just a collective making music in Taio’s home studio and decided to make it a project,” she says with a chuckle.

Exhilarated, Karun opens up the more on how their music was kind of a psychedelic wave of funky hip-hop uploaded on their YouTube and SoundCloud or in the underground scene.

She recalls how they made a couple of songs and got a little buzz going on in the underground Nairobi scenes like The Alchemist Bar, where a niche market understands this kind of vibe.

“Marushka is from California, so she came up with the idea for a mini American tour. We performed at South West in Austin Texas, The Shrine in New York, a university in Connecticut...

It was the complete opposite of Camp Mulla actually. It was all about fun and not taking it too seriously. We were doing it for the culture for sure,” Karun says.

She is not the kind you can put in a box.

Liberal and open to divergent tunes and sounds as they come. And should we have a Kenyan sound.

“I honestly don’t think we should find a sound because having none is what makes us cool. Kenyans are still figuring themselves out and were inspired by so many different cultures. This is a cool thing. It is acceptable. All we need is quality music,” she asserts even as she clarifies that she prefers to call her music alternative sound.

Having gotten her feet back into music, Karun is now part of the new music movement christened Nu Nairobi, celebrated for their alternative sounds. We’re talking EA Wave, Suraj, Tetu Shani, Muthoni MDQ, Cosmic Homies, TnT, AD Family, Cheif & The Marshalls, Barak Jazuzzi, and many more, a defiant lot that is slowly taking over as the preferred classy and cool urban Nairobi sound.

They are the artistes you will find staging shows at The Alchemist Bar, a movement gaining traction faster than any other in the showbiz fraternity. It is a pure artistry subgenre; authentic and confined to no rules.

hot of the month “At this point I am excited by business. I am happy about making boss moves at the moment. I already have a couple of things in the pipeline, definitely,” she says, but remains a cagey about her forthcoming projects.

“We need to take our entertainment industry more seriously. Even from the fans. It’s important to recognise the work of good artistes and at the very least, pay for your tickets. This, ‘give me a free ticket’ attitude needs to stop.”

We take another break, another sip, another lane. “Do you care about this PlayKe Music campaign anyway…,” I challenge making the comeback.

“It is still relevant…,” she interjects. “Artistes have been fighting for themselves for so long.

It’s about time other people picked up the conversation. They actually have. Since they have started playing more Kenyan music on radios, Kenyan musicians are motivated. They are making more music. So it’s working.”

“Despite the challenges, Kenya is not a bad place for artistes. I recognise I can make music from anywhere in the world and come back and help the industry if I had the opportunity to relocate. I feel like I am responsible for the industry and the direction it takes as an artiste.

So, I won’t just sit down and bash everyone involved without being a part of the solution,” she says.

And true to that, Karun is using her experience to impact the music industry. Her new single, Glow Up oozes class, precision in delivery, good lyrics and a breathtaking arrangement. She is quickly affirming her position as the girl to beat in the ‘new sound’ alternative arrangement. She is not fascinated by the celeb tag. She wants to make her voice count, pulling other artistes up as the industry grows to international reputation.

“I go through so many phases when it comes to listening to different sounds. At the moment, I am into pop music. For the first time in my life, I actually listen to a lot of pop. I like Khalid, Noah Cyrus, H.E.R, Sabrina Claudio, Goldlink, Pink Sweat$, Odie, Odunsi (The Engine), Santi, Burna Boy, Shekhinnah and Telaman,” she says of the artistes on her playlist.

Unknown to many, Karun is also a visual artiste. She draws and paints as a hobby. Some of the tattoos on her body are her work of art.

At the moment, however, she is busy pouring her heart and soul into her new project, the EP she will be launching at the end of this month.

When she is not busy working on the project, she takes time out with her son.

“What bothers me about being ‘famous’ is fake people. There are people who always want something from you. But that’s not even what

bothers me the most. Being famous doesn’t mean you are rich or anything…”

American-based singer, King Kanja walks in and spots us. He walks over to our table and has a chat with Karun. I learn that she was trying to re-upload the song, ‘Look At Me Now’ from back in 2015, a clear testament of how time flies.

Kanja bids goodbye. We are back: “…It puts you on a pedestal, but really you’re just a normal person. However, on the upside, the fans, the real fans are just great.”

“Since I returned, I have had some good opportunities to showcase my new art. The most memorable was at the Africa Nouveau. It was the first time I got a chance to play with my band on a really big stage. Everything from the band, the make-up artiste, the stage, the styling and especially how the audience was really into it and receptive,” she says.

Karun’s music is inspired by life experiences.

Inspiration for her songs come naturally when the beats are playing in the studio and that’s why she is picky with producers. Her current

I honestly don’t think we should find a sound because having none is what makes us cool.

project, the upcoming EP is only in the hands of a few; Sichangi and Ukweli and Mombou.

Karun admits that it is not always when inspiration comes by when she is set to record.

For example, there is a song she has struggled to write, and been at it for an entire year.

“It started out beautifully so it had to be finished. However, I don’t think this will be in the EP…Probably the album. It is a beautiful song so guys will have to wait just a little bit more for that good thing. Sorry folks,” she laughs.

“It started out with voice notes. The chorus goes something like ‘I’ll wait for you to say I love you’. It’s about that time when you’re really into someone, but it’s too early to say I love you. It’s too deep for this project. The EP is of course about love songs. But, love and fun…” Karun teases.

Having being the first song off the soon to be released EP, Glow Up has created some debate as it is one where she sings on loving another girl. This comes at a time when her love life remains a secret. She does not want to say whether there is someone special in her life.

“Glow Up is a love song for a girl, that is true.

This can be a girlfriend or best friend. It can be self-love. I think I was tired of always singing about boys,” Karun who has had relationships with girls before leads on.

Is this masterpiece ambiguous on purpose?

Karun is not your average girl. Even though she does not like to show it, this beauty comes from one of Kenya’s most influential families.

She is also surrounded by powerful people who once in a while advice on her music career. Do you recall President Uhuru Kenyatta going for her album launch?

“Things don’t get much easier for me than others because of where I come from. It’s not easy for anyone in Nairobi to make music, you know.

“I get people sliding to me ‘DM’ constantly telling me they do music and want time at my studio. But I have no studio. I pay for studio time like everybody else,” she says.

“People also assume being an artiste automatically means being extroverted, but I really try to stay away from people. Many assume I have my shit together, being a mum and still kicking ass in music and all that, but like everything else I have many patches in this journey. I am only human.”

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SUSAN KAITTANY, THE POSH PALACE BOSS LADY AND FORMER BEAUTY QUEEN SPEAKS ABOUT FAMILY, BUSINESS AND ADVENTURE

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“I

had done a lot of skydiving but this particular bungee jumping incidence in Singapore kicked the hell out of me,” Susan says, the adrenaline rush still evident on her anxious tone.

“They tie your legs and get you on the edge.

You get a change of mind and try to negotiate.

That is when they push you and you have no choice but to let go. I felt like that is what death is like,” she says.

Some interviews can feel like a routine. This one with Susan Kaittany starts like a trailer of a thriller film. You can tell she is excited about her upcoming travel TV show. The incident she is talking about is a scene from an episode of the show. It’s one of her many memorable episodes in the 17 years she has traveled the world.

It has been days planning for this interview.

That is understandable. This is the busy CEO of the uptown Nairobi beauty parlor Posh Palace Hair Studio and Spa and a central pillar of her family’s multi-million shilling travel company, one of the top ten in the region. This is also coming at a time when the mother of two is expanding her business empire.

“Would you like something to bite… something to drink,” she offers.

“Chicken wings…some chicken drums…a samosa…something,” she says, “Or just bring a buffet of them all.

From the onset, you can tell that she loves simplicity and precision. She is open, authentic and frank. But she can also be reserved. The introvert she is has learned the power of words and association. The making of the young millionaire she is hasn’t been all a rosy walk.

From her upbringing, business venture, raising her daughters, hers is a story with twists and turns.

“I have always had a passion for beauty, fashion and adventure. That explains why I am the entrepreneur I am today. I used to give my parents a fashion show at home at a young age.

I was quite the tomboy too,” she says.

Being a successful young entrepreneur, it is easy to think it all came on a silver platter. And it is easy to see why many might think this; she was a beauty queen, she was all over billboards and lives an enviable lavish life with a residence in the rich Karen suburb. Who talks of driving a jeep and riding horses to wind down in this hustling city if you were not born with a silver spoon in your mouth?

Quite to the contrary, and unknown to many, the 35-year-old grew up in Langata in an average family that could not afford the extravagant life many assume she had. Her

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The truth is that beauty pageants are never taken seriously in Kenya, just like models and designers aren’t.

father worked in a government office and her mother was a P3 teacher earning a salary of Sh8,000 per month. They lived in a government house.

“I went to Langata West where my mother was also teaching. With nothing much to look forward to, my siblings and I had to work had to succeed or remain miserable for the rest of our lives. Discipline in a teacher’s home was not a choice. I recall how we used to wake up at 4am to start reading,” Susan says.

“I am not trying to say we grew up all poor.

No, we were not rich either as many people think of me. From the point go, mum told all of us how to work extra hard and make ends meet. We would sell popcorns. Still, we had to focus on class work. As much as I was so much into the beauty and fashion world, I could not mention such a thing to my mum, the teacher she was then. That is how I ended taking up law as a career,” she says.

As the waitress places the sizzling platter on the table, she passes on the drinks menu and I glance at the list of cocktails. It’s like a light break ideal for making the perception of ‘the rich kid’ Susan fade away.

As Susan commends the services and the efficiency of the waitresses, I get to see her soft side. She likes to compliment for every good instantly.

Clearly, fashion is her world. Her ripped jeans and classic top attracts attention from everyone. Or is it her towering height, long free flowing hair or infectious laughter?

Her humble beginnings and good schools molded her into what she is. She attended Moi High School – Kabarak and, later, Makini.

“Kabarak was a good school but I was a tomboy. My sister who is now a top doctor had excelled well while there. But I was different and I didn’t see myself studying in a boarding school. That is how I got transferred to Makini School. I liked basketball and I could play with the boys. The thing is that having a tough mum meant that my siblings and I had to score good grades and get into ‘serious’ careers. That is how I ended up in Strathmore taking law,” she says laughing.

But being the entrepreneur she is, Susan was never born to be a lawyer. Her love for fashion, modeling and traveling was already taking shape as she turned 18. Law was not her idea, it was her parents’.

As her mother was turning 40, she had quit teaching and started a travel company. It was turning into a family business and Susan was already playing pivotal roles in it. As she joined Strathmore in 2004, modeling and traveling took centre stage.

“I was like 18 when I started professional

modeling. In 2004, I was a finalist at the Miss World Kenya beauty pageant where I won the runner up crown. In 2005, I joined Miss Earth and won the title.

“The truth is that beauty pageants are never taken seriously in Kenya, just like models and designers are not. I recall going for Miss Earth in Philippines with almost zero support from the organisers.

In these things, winners here are meant to pay for their air tickets and organise everything else. Models are misused and this should stop,” the former model says.

“After getting back here, I did not want anything to do with modeling.

Models would be paid peanuts. I recall going for a one week show in Malindi and coming back feeling misused. Luckily, I started doing commercials which were giving me better pay. I did an advert for Omo, Coke and even Kenchic. After this, I began travelling the world for the family traveling business, which was growing fast. It didn’t make sense going on with modeling since this way I was already enjoying all the good things models wish for,” she says.

Absentee student With a smile, Susan jokes how she rarely had time for campus. She refers herself as an absentee student.

“I honestly don’t understand why people choose to be fulltime students in campus. It is just wrong. Also, our education systems, especially for law, are not so right. Something should be done,” Susan says emphatically.

She would take her international trips with clients for weeks, even months. This was fulfilling and more experiential than staying in class. Besides, she was young and excited about all the destinations she went to, as well as seeing the family business grow.

At 20, the business was giving her wide exposure and a different perspective of the world. She was in-charge of an entire department of the family business. She felt like a cabin crew, criss-crossing cities with chains of business men, Christian groups and school groups. From Bangkok, Singapore, Thailand…across to London, changing suitcases and flying business and first class was her life.

She disconnected with friends and would not give excuses to her fellow students anymore. This had become her new way of life. But she does not fancy Turn to pgs 40 & 41

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From pgs 38 & 39

that lifestyle anymore. As she puts it, even good things in life have their limit.

“I managed to clear campus but again, I was never going to practice law. I felt like I had done enough of travelling. That time in my life was important as I got to do what any human would want to do. But there is a time when you feel like you have done enough.

“It is a good thing but with age you start to get tired. You are not excited about flying the world first class and business…You get used…You are like it does not matter so much. Getting into my 30s, that is how I felt,” she says.

“It starts getting boring living off your suitcase.

Everyone and everything becomes transient because you are just traveling and passing through.

You start missing everything. You think of your kids and how you are missing their school dates. How other people are raising your kids. It’s sad.”

The birth of posh At 26, Susan had given birth to her now nine-year-old daughter Mia. She was already thinking about starting her beauty business in a country where beauty industry is widely seen as a foreign idea. This to her was a dream that had to come true.

“In life, I have always wanted to be authentic. I have always loved beauty. Honestly, I tried to be a lawyer and other things that society wanted me to be but that wasn’t the real me. As a lawyer I felt misplaced. At the end of the day you will always revert to your authentic side and that for me, I am a woman who loves beauty,” she confesses.

“From the days I was modeling, beauty was not being taken seriously in Kenya. One would have gone to a beauty school but who would take them seriously? For me, I take this in a holistic approach; from hair, fashion, nails...you know the entire woman and man. I tried to run away from it them but see, am back here.

“The good thing is that the industry is building up. We are used to international brands like Gucci but people like me and others in the beauty industry are changing the industry and cutting an edge whether its beauty products like lipstick products that work for Africans or otherwise. We are now exposed and can make brands that work for Kenya,” she says.

Susan says it takes determination to start off a business. She says a business idea is like a merger of the passions that one has in life. How to merge this together is what one must figure out hard without having to use shortcuts to get there.

Besides, she says that her mother’s success taught her a lot on how to run business with integrity and without depending on favours from people to make it happen. She adds that it is sad

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workinIf it’s not g in lif e, let it g relatio o. If a is toxi nship go no c, let it how fa matter r back comesit .

coverstory how people look up to Godfathers to get themselves started in life while they can make it if they tried.

“The truth is that shortcuts will always eventually catch up with you. I had dreamed of Posh for years. It was a bit scaring dream.

When you are getting started, you fear that you’d open, flop and close. But you must believe in your dream. It takes the belief of one to make it,” says the young CEO now running a successful beauty parlor in Nairobi.

“I like the fine things in life so I really put in a lot of investment in Posh. I am not sure to-date how much it cost…Could have been Sh15millon…then I kept on putting in more… and more…See, it’s not really about the money.”

This month, Susan will be expanding her business expansion by opening new outlets.

She says she will be using the experiences learned in the past years to ensure this works.

“I have learned a lot and become smarter. I am already hiring 50 workers to join in. By the time I am done with this new phase, I will have 120 people working at Posh,” she says.

“The thing is that when you start up a business you should be ready for tough experiences and choices. I personally started making money after I changed partnership.

That is when I started making better decisions.”

Falling out with Betty Kyalo It was a big buzz when Susan fell out with her then friend and TV anchor Betty Kyalo. It was one of the most published showbiz stories; that the two had turned business rivals over personal issues. However, Susan would wish to forget all the noise and says she has no regrets.

“In business, even with agreements done, it is hard for one to run at optimal. One actually might struggle if both parties are strong-willed.

But everything is now where it should be. I have no regrets,” she says.

“I am very sensitive and very private. That is why I won’t say those crazy things (on the fallout). I did not want to keep dragging things in the mud. I mourned the end of the relationship same you do with friendship…I did exactly that.

“If it’s not working in life, let it go. If a relationship is toxic, let it go no matter how far back it comes. Be careful of the people you bring into your life. Somethings are just but a learning curve. You go through stuff for a reason,” she says of the break-up.

She goes on: “I was a supportive friend. She went through the ups and down and I was the

one who was there for her. She said all the things she said and my conscience is clear. I don’t think I owe anybody an explanation. She knows it. Some people thrive in drama. I am not a blog-based person. Our target audience might be different. I have worked hard to get where I am and I don’t play dirty.”

Asked if they still talk, Susan smiles. She laughs and takes a sip of her drink, reluctant to be drawn into this. The memories seem to work her up.

“No! It is what it is. She keeps to her space, me to mine. Besides, who has time to think about someone that way,” she says.

Susan clearly doesn’t want to drag her private life into the public domain. She does not like being associated with the celebrity lifestyle and hardly goes out for parties.

“I am quite introverted. I am not about masses. I am very niche. I don’t like cameras. I am very motherly. I might look like a party girl but I am not. I have learned the importance of creating your own space without following a crowd for the sake (of it). Celeb! So what! Is it helping me or am just posing for photos if I attend those events,” she laughs.

Fun with her daughters On her free time Susan likes spending time with her two daughters and their pets.

“I like being home with my kids, Mia who is nine, and Meli who is four, their three dogs, two parrots and cat. Sometimes we do walks and bike hikes. Sometimes, I take my jeep somewhere in the world and do my adrenaline moments. You see, all things we are chasing in life is vanity so why not take time, take a book even and sit in front of the fireplace and read?” she poses.

“We love horses and we even want to make a stable for horses so me and Mia are working on that before her next birthday. Animals are so mythical, you know. Horses have spirits, you know that?” she asks.

“It is good parenting I can see. Is this a deliberate move to parent alone?” I intercept.

I little silence, it’s almost awkward.

“Must I answer this one?” she smiles back.

“Is it necessary…really?”

“Yes, it’s my last question,” I press.

“I think you should not parent alone. I don’t. I parent with my kids’ daddy. So many people live an unhappy life together. I can’t say this has been a conscious decision. But if it works with the father of my kids, it’s fine. Everyone wants to be with someone but the choice to be happy is more important. It’s more important to be happy than be with someone and unhappy,” she concludes.

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Hustle & life — boniface mithika

Belcalis Almanzar ‘ Cardi B’ may be only 26, but she is bursting glass ceilings and making lyrical history

S

he went from making Instagram skits to dethroning Taylor Swift and topping the Billboard Hot 100. This way she became the second female rapper to ever score a chart topping solo song after Lauryn Hill’s feat in 1998.

Her journey of self-expression transformed into social media stardom, making Belcalis a popular face in the virtual media world. Today she has more than 47.5 million followers on her Instagram account.

She got her first television break in reality TV show Love and Hip Hop:New York. Soon after, the video vixen established herself as an actress, host, and comedian.

Just as she raps in her debut single Bodak Yellow, she doesn’t just dance now, she makes money moves. This might have been inspired by her past as a stripper.

As a teenager, she was a member of the Bloods street gang, and has previously stated she’d been a gang-banger since the age of 16. At the age of 19, she became a stripper to escape poverty, and domestic violence after being in an abusive relationship. She became a popular face around all the lucrative strip clubs thanks to her thick Spanish accent, urban looks and saucy tricks.

Just as her strip career dancing became really successful, she quit.

The reason?It was her way of sending out a strong message against adultery and domestic violence.

She introduced the world to her musical prowess for the first time on Shaggy’s remixed single Boom Boom. She later released her first mixtape Gangsta B*tch Music, Vol. 1. And in 2017 she not only released her second mixtape, Gangsta B*tch Music, Vol. 2, but also snagged her

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first major record deal with Atlantic Records. The label released her desingle ‘Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)’ which was a monster hit.

With her collaborations No Limit and Motorsport, she became the first female rapper to land her first three entries in the top 10 of the Hot 100, and the first female artiste to achieve the same on the Hot R&B/ Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Along with her BET Award nominations, Cardi B received two Grammy nominations in 2017, for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song. A few months later, she garnered eight nominations for the 2018 Billboard Music Awards, before taking home the win for Top Rap Female Artiste.

Her debut studio album, Invasion of Privacy was released to universal applause from music critics who termed it as “one of the most powerful debuts of this millennium” and “a hip-hop album that doesn’t sound like any of its temporal peers,” The album’s title reflects Cardi B’s feeling that as she gained popularity, her privacy was being invaded in a variety of ways.

Following the album’s release, during a performance, Cardi B officially announced her pregnancy, after much media speculation. One third Migos member, Offset, later proposed to Cardi B at a concert in Philadelphia where it quickly turned scandalous as rumors about Offset’s infidelities ran rampant.

Still, Cardi B publicly defended her fiancée, telling fans that everyone handles relationships differently.

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She doesn’t just dance now, she makes money moves.

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A TOWN THAT HOLDS MANY UNEXPOSED AND UNTAPPED GEMS

Pride of the Lake City B

esides delicious fish and the tranquil Lake Victoria, there is much more Kisumu has to offer tourists. This gateway to the Western Kenya tourism circuit has more wonders to explore, surprisingly more than most overrated and widely exposed tourism spots and towns you have been to in Kenya.

Our journey starts at the iconic Acacia Premier Hotel, located at The West End Shopping Mall on Achieng’ Oneko road. Here, the story is told of how, back in the day, in its place, stood acacia trees. For travellers, there wasn’t much to choose from under the acacia tree. You would arrive, feed on the meagre supplies and go on your way. Gratification was a luxury that many couldn’t afford.

Food and beverage were a means to an end. Today, under the Acacia, food is quite simply an unforgettable experience that awaits you, with a mouth-watering mix of intercontinental and local cuisine to choose from. This is the truth we encounter at this magnificent hotel. It is no longer the place for the villager and simple herdsman.

A lot has changed. The world converges here for business, luxury and bliss.

Acacia Premier is an oasis of fine service and firstclass comfort, a feast for the senses and an ideal rendezvous. It is a latter-day haven for the discerning business and leisure traveller.

Situated within the prime leafy suburb of Milimani and straddling the shores of Lake Victoria, the hotel offers convenience, serenity and a flair for the spectacular, for all who visit. It is an exceptional location for both corporate and social events that boosts a grand ballroom

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that can hold up to 700 people. Catering is available at the Café Acacia, Buzz Bar and the Aqua Pool Bar & Grill, perfect blend of stimulating space, convenience and state of the art facilities to make every meeting or event memorable.

Every room is a place of comfort and tranquility. Acacia rooms exude style to match their guests. The superior rooms and must visit sites in kisumu

bay suites incorporate a magnificent view of Lake Victoria.

Acacia Premier is the ideal launch pad to exploring Kisumu and its beautiful environs.

It is time to discover the thrill of adventure with a variety of exciting activities to choose from whether you are seeking nature, wildlife, culture or relaxation.

gallery and display of the material culture of the people of the Western Rift Valley and Nyanza region. This includes traditional clothing and adornment, basketry, fishing gear, agricultural tools and hunting weaponry. Also on display are several dioramas, including a lion, De Brazza monkey, and the largest Nile Perch ever caught in Kenya.

Hippo Point

This is a 600-acre open viewing area on Lake Victoria. Ironically, It is better known as a viewing point for its unobstructed sunsets over the lake than for its hippos. Located near the village of Dunga, it is a few kilometres South West of Kisumu town. The village also has a fishing port and a camping site. Enjoy a peaceful boat ride as you observe hippos and birds in their natural habitat or go out fishing and enjoy the scenery of Kisumu city straight from the deep.

The Kisumu Museum

It is a small yet comprehensive exhibition

observe the breadths and span of Lake Victoria, Kisumu City and the Kisumu International Airport as well as the rolling plains as you are entertained with the many stories and myths of this site.

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Impala Sanctuary

Kit Mikayi

Kit Mikayi, a large rock (Tor) with three rocks on top, is situated about 29km west of Kisumu. IThe 70 ft. to 80 ft. stone is also a weeping rock. It looks like a woman with a load on her back. Climb the rocks and

The Kisumu Impala Sanctuary spans about 38 ha.

It was created to provide a home for threatened Impalas within Kisumu city and its environs. The sanctuary is one of Kenya’s smallest wildlife reserves. It also provides a safe grazing area for hippos from the lake.

Five to entertainment spots in Kisumu Club da Place Voted the best entertainment spot for two years in a row is Club da Place. This is where all celebs meet fans.

It is simply the showbiz hub in Kisumu.

Simba Club This is one of the oldest and clubs in Kisumu. Besides the sumptuous meals and the wide blend of entertainment it offers, Simba Club is also known for Rhumba.

Da Bar Situated in Mega City Mall, this joint is popular among Pulsers for entertainment.

It’s known for hosting the campus age crowd who no doubt love the music there.

Ciala Resort it has an outdoor swimming pool, garden and a bar. It is ideal for an all family outing as it has a children’s playground and other amenities.

The Vic Hotel Has an outdoor swimming pool, a garden and a bar.

The Vic Hotel is situated a kilometre away from Kisumu Museum.

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out& about -PETER MUIRURI

Dare to live

IF YOU WERE SHORT OF THINGS TO ADD TO YOUR BUCKET LIST, WE’ve GOT YOU COVERED.

T

here is a reason South Africa is known as the rainbow nation.

Besides the appealing array of her people, the country has some of the most diverse adrenalin-sapping outdoor activities that will test every fibre in your body. Some activities though, should only be attempted after professional coaching.

Here are my top 10.

1. Ziplining in the Drakensburg

If you want your adrenalin pumping instantly, get on the 13 zipline slides at Magoebaskloof, Limpopo. Run by Canopy Tours, the lines are suspended 150 to 200 metres above the ground and overlook the Drakensburg Mountains. Each line can carry at least eight people at any given time. This was my first encounter with the “fun” game and butterflies were roaming all over my tummy even before tackling the first line.

Being suspended over raging waterfalls with rocky outcrops for over two hours and some kilometres downstream was enough to make some in our group turn back. However, the breathtaking views of the forest canopy makes any apprehensions dissipate. The zipline is suitable for anyone between seven and 70 years as long as you are no more than

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120 kilos or pregnant.

2. Abseiling

If the zipline does not scare the daylights out of you, then abseiling will. The abseiling trip descends 30 metres down a smooth rock face into the majestic George’s Valley gorge, landing in the Letaba River. This is where I almost gave up. I dislike activities that I cannot control. But I did it. Well, if you can still feel your nerve endings after the drop, then feel free to do some swimming and relaxation near the waterfall. From the waters, take yet another energy-sapping ladder, close to 50 metres straight up to the abseiling platform. Then hike up a kilometre to the road.

3. White water rafting, Northern Cape

This is one of the three key outdoor activities in Northern Cape. The rafting on Orange River is usually a four-day affair that starts at Egerton Game Ranch. Navigate the devilish Egerton rapids to Thunder Alley and chances are that you will forget your first name. The Ritchie Falls, the second highest on the Orange will get more of your adrenalin pumping. Do not worry though. Like any activities in this part of the world, there are experienced guides whose key business is to keep you alive. In any case, relaxing at the Wild Paradise Campsite upstream will wipe out any exhaustion.

4. Quad bikes in the wild

Located 40 minutes from both Johannesburg and Pretoria are Segwati Trails that traverse the mighty mountainous Witwatersberg. The region is full of World Heritage Sites and offers the perfect setting for the quad rides. The adrenalin push is aggravat-

out& about

facts To enjoy most of these activities,

contact South African Tourism, the state agency that keeps an up to date profile of such activities within the country.

Prices for most of the activities range between Sh2,100 and Sh6,000 excluding transport.

With a good road network, the locations are easily accessible by tour buses from the capital Johannesburg.

ed by the presence of wild animals in the trails. It is not unusual for bikers to come across giraffes. Again, safety comes first and bikers are normally in the company of trained handlers. Just ride on.

5. Oribi Gorge

KwaZulu Natal or KZN is a region of natural beauty and endless splendor. Nowhere is this evident that the Oribi Gorge where several activities combine to make it a top tourist destination on the continent. Starting at “Hell’s Gate” (you heard right), the gorge is 30 kilometres long, 400 metres deep and at least five kilometers at its widest. Those who are not faint of heart can try the 165-metre

swing, the highest in the world.

Only those who take this leap of faith will enjoy the true sounds of the gorge. By the way, did we say there is another zipline with 14 slides here? Yes, and the first slide is a kilometre long. Okay, if that is too much, then try the line that crosses the gorge at 400 metres. This one is 300 metres long. Fair game.

6. Rock climbing at Oribi

With so much rock around Oribi, rock climbing comes naturally. Physical fitness is required of those attempting rock climbing.

7. Oribi bridge walk

Let us assume that you are one of those who opt for some

soft activities. Still at Oribi, take a walk across using the 80-metre long suspension bridge. This should be a walk in the park unless you are among those who fear heights. If you don’t trust the bridge to carry your weight and that of your friends, please note that each cable can support 70 tonnes. So, unless you dragged your entire village to Oribi, you should be fine.

8. Hiking the Drakensburg

Extending for 200 kilometres and forming a natural border between South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho are the Drakensburg Mountains. Their rocky, gothic-like outcrops are features to behold. Since you cannot cover the entire length of the ranges, your tour guide will look for an easier route to the Amphitheatre, a World Heritage Site with massive cliff walls that

reach 1,000 metres. From here, watch the world’s second highest waterfall cascade 947 metres below. And how about camping above the cloud?

9. Weather Storms in a tube

If you don’t fancy the rough white water rafting, try the ‘softer” tubing in Storms River.

Don’t let the name of the river dissuade you from your goal of conquering the river, Storms is among the gentler rivers in South Africa. Just make sure you are past your 12th birthday.

10. Bungee jump at Bloukrans

This is the showstopper for those daring enough to try.

Bloukrans Bridge, Western Cape, is the world’s highest bungee jump at 216 metres. Jumpers must be 14 years or older and must weigh no more than 150 kilograms. Enough said.

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in my closet - ahadi wambui

B

ridget Shighadi is immune to fashion fails and mishaps.

The fashion blogger, commercial model and vlogger, has also dipped her toes in the acting world.

She recently featured in the Kenyan romantic comedy film Disconnect, where she played the role of Neema. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Nairobi and a fashion degree from the Mcensal School of Fashion Design.

She owns a fashion line known as Yedu, which means ‘ours’ in Taita. She has also done collaborations with brands like Mango. With over 80,000 followers on Instagram, it is obvious that she has the ability to pull people in. The beauty loves to keep a low profile and keeps her relationships private including her marriage to actor Nick Mutuma.

Together, they have a daughter.

Motherhood hasn’t changed much as she is still killing netizens with fashion-forward pieces thanks to her still ‘snatched’ body.

Celebrities love their closets almost as much as they love their Birkin bags. And it’s easy to see why as Bridget takes us through her closet.

et he T idg r BFactor 48

AUGUST 2019 pulser magazine

Question: What’s your favourite item in your closet?

Answer: My Calvin Klein high rise straight Jeans.

Q: How would you describe your style?

A: Very diverse and personal. I wear what’s most comfortable and flattering for my body.

Q: What is the best style advice you’ve ever gotten?

A: Dress up like you haven’t tried too hard. Simplicity is key.

Q: What is one fashion quote you live by?

A: Less is more.

Q: What is the most expensive clothing item you’ve ever bought?

A: A leather bag by Jennifer Lopez.

Q: Shoes or bags?

A: Bags any day.

Q: What’s the last three items you bought?

A: A black silky trench coat for myself, and pink crocs and a red fur sweater for my daughter.

Q: What item in your closet do you wear the most?

A: My jeans.

Q: What advice would you give your younger self in terms of style?

A: Dress for yourself and not for anybody else.

@bridgetshighadi

COURTESY

Q: What is fashion to you?

A: Fashion to me is timeless.

Q: What is your favourite shopping spot?

Q: It can be anywhere – all I need to do is see something I like.

Q: If you could raid one person’s closet, who would it be?

A: Victoria Beckham.

Q: Girls should stop wearing…

A: The thin framed sunglasses. It’s 2019!

Q: Your stay-at-home outfit is…

A: Well fitted sweat pants and tees.

Photo Credits: Ken Nzau

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FASHION - PERIS WAMBUGU

, , assyable icated l EC ist T H h T p HI omfort c d so AS a n L E H i.

Y ST irob NA

ity uthor a ’s tor a n e S

Designer Fashion entrepreneur Vinn Clizz has embraced the style in Kenya. These particular look will be launched in Nairobi this month.

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Blue on blue senator suit with a front zipper.

Mustard yellow senator suit.

Black on black senator suit with a front zipper.

pulser magazine AUGUST 2019

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FASHION - PERIS WAMBUGU

About the trend This look is is ideal for any occasion. It gives room for creativity and versatility - we’re talking short sleeved native, uniquely designed with stripes giving a simple and elegant look.

As with any other clothing style, the style has so far undergone slight modifications based on the preferences of fashion freaks who feel proud sporting the look.

The sleeve of a Senator suit can be long or short depending on the wearer’s preferences and occasion.

White on white senator suit.

Model: Vin Clizz Photography: Paul Mboya of Buoart Studio Shoot location: Victoria Court, Tom Mboya Street Designer: Vin Clizz Instagram: Vin Clizz

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FASHION Dark green senator suit.

Yellow senator suit with a tribal pattern.

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beauty tips

S

kin care and treatment is a sensitive matter when it comes to both sexes. Each have their insecurities. With the number of skin care unisex regiments on the rise, Pulser shows you how you and your bae, can glow all day long with these simple skin and body care routines.

Sheet masking duo It is about time you introduced your partner to sheet masking. What better way to spend a Saturday evening indoors than this? The good thing about it is that it is easy to do. All you need to do is to apply it on a clean face, leave it for half an hour, take it off and enjoy smooth skin.

Hello lip balm Everyone likes kissable lips And while lip balms have for years been labelled as a salves for women, this misconception is gradually, but progressively fading into oblivion with the opposite sex jumping on the train and waving goodbye to dry, sunburned, chapped lips.

Skin glow buddies Scrubbing away dead skin cells leaves your skin looking healthy and polished. If you exfoliate regularly to stay on top of your skin game, then pass on this skin care habit to your partner. Enjoy a night in and fool around with the extensive body and coffee scrubs in stores – you’ll thank me later.

Sunscreen partners The sun does not spare anyone! Whatever season, stepping out without sunscreen wreaks havoc on your skin; think sunburns and premature ageing. While men don’t realise its importance, sharing your muchloved sunscreen with your partner might just motivate him to slather on some before heading out in the sun.

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The styling cream sharing couple Even men with the most minimalistic hair care routines will know that frizzy or dry hair can be a big turn-off. Styling cream is a saviour for anyone who loves their hair tamed at all times. So, the next time you hear your man complain about how out of place his hair looks, just hand him your own styling cream.

s

COURTESY

PLE U O C A LAYS S T A TH THER, TOGE UERS CONQ ORLD THE WTHER TOGE

Couple al

- PERIS WAMBUGU

s

— PERIS WAMBUGU — pulser writer

Every bride wants to look beautiful and relaxed on her big day. However, this is not achieved overnight.

COURTESY

5th ue n e av ch tou

FITNESS The Glow

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ove at first touch - after all, who could say no to a natural facelift? Radiance seems to be what all women are after, even more so than wrinkle-free skin. It’s simple; would you rather have smile lines on your glowing skin, or be smooth and dull?

I recently had the opportunity to try the infamous Kobido facial at 5th Avenue Hair & Beauty Salon at Laico Regency Hotel. I was excited to finally experience the world-renowned Kobido sculpting facial. Wow! Mine was delivered by Moureen Nyagah, and it was such a memorable experience.

It was like receiving a choreographed dance upon your skin – sculpting, soothing and toning.

The massage aims to rejuvenate your face by putting elasticity back into your skin. It originates from the traditional Japanese massage Anma, and is a combination of face and neck massage. My therapist took it a notch higher by using Anubis Cosmetics Excellence Glycoviar, a range of products that reduces the signs of aging effectively due to the combined action of nourishing caviar extract and skin-renewing AHAs, restoring firmness, smoothness and hydration to the skin. The Glycoviar complex has excellent results in decreasing wrinkle

depth, smoothing the skin, not to mention, the treatment is an urban detox for the face. Damage? The Kobido massage goes for Sh10,000, while the Excellence treatment is priced at Sh8,000, and worth every penny.

The ancient way of beauty is not the only thing 5th Avenue has to offer with its wide range of beauty services.

They offer hot stones massage and steam bath, deep tissue massage, Moroccan body polish, waxing, facial treatments, nail extensions and spa pedicures and reflexology.

Additionally, they offer Caucasian and natural hair treatments, cornrows and colour, as well as scissor and clipper cuts at their exclusive barbershop.

HOT

OW HT N IG R S DEAL

1. Deep tissue or hot stones massage with a free body polish treatment and steam session for Sh4,200.

2. Braiding with a free protein treatment for Sh3,500.

3. Basic facials come with a free Moroccan scrub.

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fitness - margaret ngenya

t a th

t o o b Get

D

o you think your hips are small or not as well shaped as you would want? Don’t fret. Getting that dream butt is not as easy to achieve as fixing pizza, but it can be done.

Lately, many Pulsers have been flaunting their hips and beautiful curves. From celebrities like Huddah Monroe to upcoming socialites like Trisha Khalid, we’re getting treated to Instagram videos and photos that might make you think those bodies have been freshly curved inside a factory line. And almost every girl in town is rying to get a formula to attain those curves, especially the thin waist and round hips look.

Well, there are many ways of getting the dream hips and derrière. But let’s look at practical exercises you can do at the comfort of your home to get that look and your booty will thank you. These exercises are also meant to help you shed fat and achieve a firmer, rounder look.

This does not work the same for everyone one. Neither does it take the same time for all. It depends on, among other things, your body type, size and regularity in undergtaking this fitness regime. However, for all, it is advised you start with a light or medium weight dumbbell with weights you are comfortable with – at every attempt.

Squats

Squats can be of different forms in execution. The bottom line is that they are great for working your leg muscles and toning the lower body.

1. Start by planting your feet on the ground with both slightly wide apart. Keep an upright position.

2. Bend your knees and push your hips and butt back as if you’re about to sit in a chair. Keep your back and neck straight in a neutral position throughout the exercise. Tuck your chin.

3. Lower yourself in a controlled position. Drop down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. As you go down, push your hips back.

4. Extend your legs and return to an upright position and repeat.

Complete 15 reps for 3 sets.

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! y t

Squat and kick Squat and kick might not be the easiest of them all. Have fun while at it though as you won’t regret the end result.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands behind your head and elbows on the sides.

2. Gently, squat down as you push your hips and butt back as low as you can.

3. Push back and while on the rise, kick your right leg in front of you as if you are kickboxing. Remain flexible while at it.

4. When your right foot comes back to the ground, immediately squat again and repeat the process, kicking with your left leg and so on.

Do 10 reps to start for 3 sets. Then move up to 15 reps for 3 sets.

Side leg lifts This is also referred to as side lying hip abduction. It targets the hip and glute more directly.

1. Lie down on a mat or say floor on your right side with your back, neck, and head in a neutral position.

2. Rest your head on your arm, which should be extended above your head.

3. Stack your legs on top of each other.

4. Exhale and gently begin to raise your upper leg off the lower leg as high as you can. Your knee should remain extended with hips remaining vertically on the floor. Pause at the top.

5. After completing this set, roll over and repeat with the other leg then gently reverse to the starting position.

Do 15 reps with each leg for 3 sets.

COURTESY

Hip raises This exercise is also known as a bridge. It’s great for your glutes.

1. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Your back should remain straight and the knees at a 90-degree angle.

2. Keep your arms straight at your sides with your palms facing down.

3. Breathe in and push through your heels. Lift your hips up by squeezing your glutes, hamstrings, and pelvic floor.

4. Rest your upper body on your back and shoulders, forming a straight line down to your knees.

5. Pause for 1 to 2 seconds at the top and return to the starting position.

Complete 15 reps for 3 sets.

pulser magazineAUGUST 2019

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movieS — wINNIE MAKENA

THE KITCHEN

ANGRY BIRDS 2

Cast: Elisabeth Moss, Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, Ethan Dubin, Gabriel Rush, James Badge Dale Director: Andrea Berloff Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Drama, Crime In Theatres: August 9, 2019.

Cast: Tiffany Haddish, Peter Dinklage, Dove Cameron, JoJo Siwa, Josh Gad, Josh Robert Thompson, Kristen Li Director: Thurop Van Orman Genre: Animation, Action & Adventure In Theatres: Aug 14, 2019

Three 1978 Hell’s Kitchen housewives’ mobster husbands are sent to prison by the FBI. Left with little, but a sharp axe to grind, the ladies take the Irish mafia’s matters into their own hands—proving unexpectedly adept at everything from running the rackets to literally taking out the competition.

The flightless angry birds and the scheming green piggies take their beef to the next level. When a new threat emerges that puts both Bird and Pig Island in danger, Red, Chuck, Bomb and Mighty Eagle, recruit Chuck’s sister Silver and team up with pigs Leonard, his assistant Courtney, and Garry to form an unlikely super-team to save their home.

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT Cast: Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Ganatra, Aaron Phagura, Dean-Charles Chapman, Frankie Fox Director: Gurinder Chadha Genre: Comedy, Drama, Biography In Theatres: Aug 14, 2019

FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW Cast: Vanessa Kirby, Dwayne Johnson, Eiza González, Adam Ganne, Amar Adatia, Antonio Mancino, Axel Nu Director: David Leitch Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller, Comedy, Crime.

In Theatres: August 2, 2019.

Javed (Viveik Kalra), a British teen of Pakistani descent grew up in 1987 amidst the racial and economic turmoil. He writes poetry as a means to escape the intolerance of his hometown and the inflexibility of his traditional father. But when a classmate introduces him to the music of Bruce Springsteen, Javed discovers a cathartic outlet for his own pentup dreams, he also begins to find the courage to express himself in his own unique voice.

ANGEL HAS FALLEN Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Piper Perabo, Chris Browning, Frederick Schmidt, Jada Pinkett Smith Director: Ric Roman Waugh Genre: Action & Adventure In Theatres: Aug 23, 2019 When there is an assassination attempt on U.S. President Allan Trumbull, his trusted confidant, Secret Service Agent Mike Banning, is wrongfully accused and taken into custody. After escaping from capture, he must evade his own agency and outsmart the FBI and find the real threat. Desperate to uncover the truth, Banning turns to unlikely allies to help clear his name, keep his family from harm and save the country from imminent danger.

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july 2019 pulser magazine

COURTESY

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obbs and Shaw is the first spin-off from the Fast and Furious franchise and although Vin Diesel is MIA, there is still plenty of ridiculous, muscular action. Ever since Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), a loyal agent of America’s Diplomatic Security Service, and lawless outcast Shaw (Jason Statham), a former British military elite operative, first faced off in 2015’s Furious 7, the duo has tried to take each other down. But these two sworn enemies will have to partner up when a cyber-genetically enhanced villain threatens the future of humanity.

BOOTS BALLS boots and&balls

- fred kagonye

Who will have balls?

English Premier League

T

he title chase between Manchester City and Liverpool went down to wire last season. This new season, we expect it to be tighter and tougher. The English teams also dominated Europe and the shine finally came home after an all English final in both Europa and the Champions league competitions. It was a joy to finally break the domination that Spanish football has had in Europe. Can the English team’s put up a similar show this time round? One can place bets on the English teams making it to the semis if not the finals, again. City have had their eyes set on the Champions League for a long time now. With all of City’s focus on the Champions League, taking the title from their trophy cabinet won’t be easy. We also don’t expect many changes to the top four, yeah! All I see is Manchester United and Arsenal having to fight it out to see who finishes fifth and sixth. Any objections?

La Liga

This league has always been a twohorse race between Barcelona and Real Madrid for the last decade or so.

The two teams have been busy in the transfer window with each snapping up talents that some of us endeared like Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic who went to Madrid and Antoine Griezmann who moved from the At-

letico side of Madrid. There was also the sensational Frankie DeJong who moved from Ajax to Barcelona. I don’t see the title changing hands even though Madrid will be stronger this year after the return of Zinedine Zidane. We all know Atletico Madrid will swap places with Real Madrid for second and third places. The race to the top four will be between Sevilla and Valencia. That’s my bet! Continental wise, it is argued that Barcelona have already picked up the pieces after having their hearts broken the last two seasons. This season, I can place them above any other team to lift the Champions League.

Serie A

Juventus’ domination will only continue. This Juventus team is stronger than it’s ever been. If they win the title again, it will be their ninth successive title. The only debate we can have about them is the change of style of play after the resignation of Masmiliano Allegri with Maurizio Sarri taking his place.

Sarri’s style of play may be what the Juventus chiefs wanted to see in their team. It’s about dominance, not just by winning, but also how they win.

The only other conversation we can have about Series A is what teams could make it into the Champions league 2020/21 season. AC Milan are already serving a two season ban following the breaking of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules and we can only ex-

pect them to come back stronger in the 2021/22 season. AS Roma, Inter Milan and Napoli are the teams that could give Juventus a run for their money.

Bundesliga

This league is becoming boring because we already know league giants Bayern Munich are stronger than any other team. However, last season was a testament that they can be challenged and that the cup can change hands.

My beloved Borussia Dortmund was on the blink of winning the title. They need a season’s finishing power, not magic. And we are not about to blame it again on injuries. Whoever makes it to the Champions League changes with every season and that’s what makes the mid table interesting. Anyone can go fourth and anyone can find themselves battling relegation.

Ligue 1

In France, since the entry of the Arab money 2012, the story has been Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) all through. AS Monaco was successful in dethroning them in 2016/17, they sold their best players and last season they almost got relegated. Lille, Olympique Marsaille, Olympique Lyon and Nice will battle for a place in the Champions League, I bet. However, who sees any team with the capacity to battle it out with PSG for the title? PSG has invested heavily in players since change of ownership and the revival that began in 2012. They have always chased the Champions League. This season could be different and I bet the memories of last season’s loss to Manchester United will be a nightmare they want to forget once and for all.

pulser pulsermagazine magazine AUGUST 2019

COURTESY

After international assignments, we’re finally going back to the kind of football we all live for - League competitions.

The siGNings have been made and as the window closes we are all excited for this new season.

— FRED KAGONYE

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BOOTS & BALLS - fred kagonye

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COURTESY

boots and balls

The language of football

I

t’s football season. I know a lot of of people, especially women, don’t know all there is to know about the sport, and thus find themselves not getting to share this time with their significant other. No need to worry, we’re here with a guide on how you can sink your teeth into the sport; both on and off the field for those epic watch parties.

Attacker: A player whose job is to play the

ball forward towards the opponent’s goal area to create a scoring opportunity.

Back heel: A ball kicked using the back (heel) of the foot.

Back pass: A pass that a player makes back toward their own goal, usually made back to the goalkeeper. This is often a defensive move to restart a new phase of play.

Ball carrier: The player in possession of the ball.

Bending the ball: Striking the ball off-centre so that it travels in a curved path, ideally for shots at goal.

Bicycle kick: A spectacular move in which a player jumps in the air in a backflip motion, kicks the ball backward over their head. The name comes from action which mimics their legs moving as if pedaling a bicycle.

Centre spot: The spot marked at the centre of the field from which the kickoff is made.

Corner flag: The flag marking each of the four corners of the field.

Corner kick: A free kick taken from the corner of the field by an attacker. The corner kick is awarded when the ball has passed over the goal line after last touching a defensive player. The shot is taken from the corner nearest to where the ball went out.

Cross: A pass played across the face of a goal.

Defender: A player whose job is to stop the opposition attacking players from goal scoring.

Direct free kick: A free kick in which a goal may be scored by the player taking the free kick.

Dribble: Keeping control of the ball while running.

Dummy run: A run by a player without the ball, to lure defenders away from the ball carrier.

Far post: The goalpost farthest from the ball.

Foul: Any illegal play.

Free kick: A kick awarded to an opposition player when an player has committed a foul.

Free kicks can be either direct or indirect.

Give and go (also known as a one-two): When a player passes the ball to a teammate, who immediately one-touch passes the ball

back to the first player.

Goal area: The rectangular area in front of

the goal. It is also known as the six-yard box because of its dimensions.

Goal kick: A goal kick is awarded to the defending team when the ball is played over the goal line by the attacking team. It can be taken by any player though it is normally taken by the goalkeeper.

Goal line: The two boundary lines located at each end of the field.

Goal mouth: The area in front of the goal.

Goalkeeper: The specialised player who is the last line of defense, who is allowed to control the ball with his hands when in the goal area.

Header: Using of the head to pass or control the ball.

Indirect free kick: A free kick awarded to a player from which a goal may not be scored directly.

Inswinger: A kick that curves in toward the goal.

Kickoff: The kickoff is taken from the centre spot at the start of play at the beginning of each half and after a goal has been scored.

Man to man marking: A defensive system where defenders are designated one attacking player to track continuously.

Midfielder: The playing position for players that are responsible for linking play between attackers and defenders.

Nearpost: The goalpost nearest the ball.

Obstruction: Causing obstruction, which is blocking an opponent with the body, is penalised by awarding an indirect free kick to the opposition.

Offside trap: A technique used by defenders to put attacking players in an offside position, by moving quickly away from their own goal to leave attackers offside.

Offside: A player is in an offside position if he is nearer to his opponent’s goal line than both the ball and the second-to-last opponent. This does not apply if the players is on their half of the field. An indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team at the place where the offside occurred.

One-touch pass: A pass in which the ball is played on with a player’s first touch.

Out swinger: A kick that swerves away from the goal.

Penalty area: The rectangular area in front of the goal in which the goalkeeper may handle the ball. It is also known as the 18-yard box because of its dimensions.

Penalty spot: The marked spot 12 yards from the goal line from which a penalty kick is

taken.

Penalty: A penalty kick is awarded when a

foul has been committed inside the penalty area in front of the goal. A penalty is taken by one player opposed only by the goal keeper.

Pitch: The soccer field of play.

Red card: A red card is issued to a player when that player has committed a serious infraction or has been issued with two yellow cards within the same game. The red card held up by the referee to signal that a player is being sent off. The player sent off cannot be replaced.

Referee: The official who is in charge of the game.

Shot: A kick, header, or any intended deflection of the ball toward a goal by a player attempting to score a goal.

Sliding tackle: A tackle in which the defender slides along the surface of the field of play before making one-footed contact with the ball.

Striker: An attacking player whose job is to finish attacking plays by scoring a goal.

Sweeper: A defensive player whose job is to roam behind the other defenders. A sweeper has no specific marking duties and is the last line of defense before the goalkeeper.

Tackle: To take the ball away from the opponent using the feet.

Through pass: A pass played past defenders into free space to allow a teammate to run onto the ball.

Throw-in: The ball is thrown in after the ball has crossed the touch line. A player taking a throw in must have both feet on or behind the touch line, must maintain contact with the ground, and must use a two-handed throw made from behind the head. A goal cannot be score directly from a throw-in.

Toe poke: Use of the toe to strike the ball.

Touch line: The line that defines the outer edge of the longer sides of the field of play.

Trapping the ball: Controlling the ball with the sole of the foot.

Volley: Striking the ball in mid-air with either foot.

Wingers: Attackers who play on the wings/ flanks of the field.

Yellow card: A yellow card is held up by a referee to signal a caution for a minor infringement.

Zone defense: A defensive system where defenders mark a designated area of the field of play instead of tracking players across the fi eld.

—Source: Internet/Topend Sports

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his game based on the National Football League (NFL), is an installment in the long-running Madden NFL series. It features a new “personalised career campaign” known as Face of the Franchise: QB1, following the journey of a player-created college quarterback from their participation in the College Football Playoff, to being drafted by an NFL team.

Ten licensed college teams from the ACC, Big 12, Pac-12, and SEC will be available in this mode.

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Madden NFL 20

Age of Wonders: Planetfall Space dinosaurs, time travel, cyborgs, alien parasites, the decaying ruins of an imperial pleasure palace, giant bugs, mind-controlling jellyfish and teleportation. This new strategy game from Triumph Studios brings all the exciting strategic turn-based combat and in-depth empire building of its predecessors to an all-new sci-fi setting.

Remnant: From the Ashes This third-person survival action shooter is set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by monstrous creatures. The world has been thrown into chaos by an ancient evil from another dimension. Humanity is struggling to survive, but they possess the technology to open portals to other realms and alternate realities. They must travel through these portals to uncover the mystery of where the evil came from; scavenge resources to stay alive, and fight back to carve out a foothold for mankind to rebuild.

Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey Survive your evolution in Neogene Africa starting 10 million years ago. Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey is a third-person open world survival game where you explore, expand, and evolve to advance your clan to the next generation in the exciting new adventure from the creator of Assassin’s Creed.

Arizona Sunshine: The Damned Preceding the events of Arizona Sunshine and Dead Man DLC, this all-new zombie shooting chapter sends you and your team of US Special Forces on a daunting mission; reactivating the generators of a massive Arizonan hydroelectric dam to restore power to the military’s nuclear missile systems. Far from an easy task when it’s overrun by hundreds of hungry undead. This is arguably so far the best game on VR. Control This supernatural action-adventure video game sees you stepping into the shoes of Jessie Faden, the newest director of the clandestine Federal Bureau of Control (FBC) - a Government agency, which researches, and ultimately aims to control, paranormal activity. As the Bureau’s new Director,

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you explore the Oldest House - the FBC’s paranormal New York headquarters and utilise powerful abilities in order to defeat a deadly enemy known only as the Hiss, which has invaded and corrupted reality.

Control is played from a third-person perspective.

World of Warcraft Classic World of Warcraft (WoW) is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004, however, the classic is the retro re-release of WoW in its near-original state.

The game lets you play as it existed almost 15 years ago, upon the release of the “Drums of War” update.

This version also includes some updates under the hood, like modern server infrastructure and Battle.net social features.

Astral Chain As part of a police special task force, it’s up to you to fight against mysterious, alien-like creatures who have invaded the world. In the Ark, a multi-cultural city in the near future, disaster strikes when gates to another dimension suddenly appear. Dangerous creatures begin to

emerge, attack people, pollute the land, and the normal police forces are unable to challenge them. To stand up against these threats, a brand new, special police unit known as Neuron is formed. Choose between two playable characters – male and female on your adventure.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: Man of Medan This is a horror game played from a third-person perspective, in which players assume control of five characters that are trapped in a ghost ship. Players need to make different decisions and select dialogue options when they are interacting with other characters. The narrative adapts to these choices and it is possible for players to keep all playable characters alive as well as having all of them die. Action sequences mainly feature quick time events. As you explore the ghost ship, you can find different dark pictures, which gives you the character premonitions of what may happen in the future.

RAD This 3D action rogue-like game is set in a post-post-apocalyptic world, where humanity has faced Armageddon not once, but twice.

Playing as a teenage protagonist, you must venture into an ever-changing, radioactive wasteland filled with unknown and unspeakable creatures. It is here that you will find the solution to heal the world, and transform the cracked, barren landscape into a lush source of new life.

But humanity’s future comes at great personal cost; the world depends on you, so grab that trusted bat and salvage what is left of the

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