The Mario Blog

A young man parades around Nairobi’s City Center exhorting people to attend an Obama patry tonight

An American flag flies proudly amidst the open markets of Nairobi’s Makina slums

As I entered the fitness center of the Intercontinental Hotel in Nairobi today, Jan. 20, the radio announcers were going full blast: It is Obama Day, ladies and gentlemen, and we have four hot tickets to watch the Inauguration in the City Center, complete with an Obama party.

On a more personal note, yesterday lunch was al fresco in the outdoors cafe of The Stanley Hotel, a landmark of the city, and site of one of the scenes described by Obama in his bestseller memoir, Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance ,where he tells the story of how he and his Kenyan half sister sat at the restaurant waiting to get service, but nothing would happen, then suddenly a white American family appeared, and the two waiters jumped with joy to take care of them, while ignoring Obama and his sister. Eventually, Obama’s sister stood up, took a bill out of her purse, dropped it on the floor, telling the waiters: You see, I, too, have money to pay for my food. They both left the restaurant.

Yesterday, as I sat at the Stanley, I could not help but to relive that scene.

Things have changed, indeed.

For the kids in your life….

Kelly Frankeny shares this interesting tip with us: her 3-year-old Lilliana is fascinated by the book someone gave her recently, Barack, by Jonah Winter.
It makes for a timely, historic gift, and I am planning to get copies for my grandchildren.

Cuban American designer creates Michelle Obama’s dress

To add to the pride of the day, a fellow Cuban American, Isabel Toledo, is the designer chosen by now First Lady Michelle Obama for the dress she wore to her husband’s Inauguration.
For more about Isabel Toledo:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabel_Toledo

TheMarioBlog posting #172