Rima Suqi

Via boat of course. Check out the photos below. As someone obsessed w/Africa and all things safari I am DYING over this – I wish the photos were much much bigger -

From the release:

Samatian Island Lodge, a part of The Safari and Conservation Company, The Kenya Wildlife Service and The Northern Rangelands Trust today announce a first for conservation in Kenya as eight Baringo Giraffe, a sub-species that have not existed in their native area of Lake Baringo for over 70 years, were  finally brought home.
Through the combined efforts of the NRT, Samatian Island Lodge and local Pokot and Njemps communities, these endangered Rothschild giraffe, originally named Baringo giraffe, were trans-located to Ruko Game Conservancy by barge, making this the first ever attempt to carry giraffe across water in Kenya.

The project, supported and executed by The Northern Rangelands Trust and Samatian Island Lodge (a luxury camp situated on a private island in Lake Baringo,), took four years to plan as, according to NRT director Ian Craig, giraffe are some of the most difficult animals to move.

Prior to the translocation, the giraffe were captured and spent weeks in a holding pen at Soysambu Conservancy in the Great Rift Valley in order that they would be calm enough to make the journey across the water. They left a frosty Soysambu at midnight and arrived on the lakes shore as the sun was rising over the Lakipia escarpment. The eight giraffe were loaded onto a boat, a restored landing craft, in two groups and were ferried across the lake, a journey of an hour and a half, to their new home. They have been released into a holding pen for one week to allow them to adjust to their new environment.
The giraffe joined a herd of 30 impala already successfully relocated to Ruko in 2010. Ruko has long been an ideal habitat for giraffe with a large number of acacia tortillas for the giraffe to eat. The core area of the conservancy is a seasonal island, therefore as the population expands it will be possible to extend their habitat (as the lake goes down) into the larger conservation area of 19,000 acres.
The project has been a collaboration with the local community who own the conservancy and whose rangers have helped out with the capture.  The community already receives $60 per head in conservation fees from each Samatian guest, which goes towards educating their children.

Lake Baringo is one of Kenya’s major lakes. Famous for its incredible bird life, which attracts thousands of ornithologists a year, Lake Baringo is a popular tourist destination for the hundreds of thousands of tourists who visit Kenya every year on safari.

I’m a girl who loves brown liquor – give me a good scotch or  bourbon, especially on a cold winter night (or sometimes day) and I am one happy girl. The superbowl provided the perfect excuse to try out several new bottles that came my way (with the help of very willing friends) and the winners were:

In the Scotch category -

The Macallan 18 year, aged in Sherry Oak casks. Most of my friends who drink Scotch are very into peaty, smokey, lick-the-ashtray single malts. Macallan does not fit that description at all – BUT even these snobby scotch drinkers loved it. As did I. Big hit (to the wallet also – about $140).

In the Bourbon category:

Knob Creek Single Barrel reserve. New this month. Super super smooth (120 proof) delicious and only $39.95 a bottle. Really really awesome – add one ice cube and you’re good to go. Don’t even think about mixing it.

Limited editions made with wood block-inspired Indian prints. Lucky us!

Here’s a sampling, all available online now, here:

Catalina top, $79.50

Bali chambray Ikat top, $99

Ipanema embroidered smock top, $89.50

A couple years ago I interviewed chef John Delucie about the best gifts he’d ever been given. One of his answers was Omaha steaks. He admitted that at first he couldn’t believe someone would send him steaks from a company that placed cheesy ads in the back of magazines but also said that once he tried them he was hooked – the steaks were fabulous and he now often gives them as gifts.

A couple months ago someone sent me a gift certificate from Allen Brothers, a mail-order meat company that (to my knowledge) does not run cheesy ads in magazines but does make one hell of a steak.  Last night my friends and I feasted on truly incredible ribeye. I mean, it was gorgeously marbled and beyond delicious and provided a tasty distraction from that damn game.

The picture doesn’t do it justice.

its hard to read (sorry) but so worth the effort — and supports my theory that the only thing that should be mixed with tequila is fresh lime.

A pair of chairs upholstered in of-the-moment plaid. By Pierre Guariche.

I’m a big note writer. Real, fountain-pen-on-card-stock notes. As such I am always on the lookout for cards. Smythson and Thornwillow have traditionally been my favorites, but I’m really loving these from Dempsey & Carroll.

They call them Valentine’s Day cards but I could see using them all year long.

$50 for a box of 10, here.