TBT: No Church In The Wild

The most surprising lesson that we learned during our visit to the Serengeti was that 99% of the time the animals are at peace and in perfect harmony with each other. Hyenas sharing the shade with warthogs (who are usually their prey), lions napping in close proximity to zebra, impala, topi, giraffes and jackals. Warthogs prancing dangerously close to a female cheetah. Everyone is simply co existing and enjoying the beautiful Serengeti day...until someone gets hungry. Usually it takes a lion or a cheetah getting hungry enough to hunt, a kill that feeds an entire ecosystem. Right behind our tent a lion pride took down a zebra during the night and by the morning all the substantial meat was gone and the hyenas were licking the bones and fighting over the scraps with a jackal. Then we noticed the vultures beginning to circle over head, just waiting for the hyena and jackal to finish their meal so that they may have their turn. Seeing this in person was shocking and thought provoking, survival of the fittest in the most extreme and natural form. So what can we learn from this? How is this relevant in the modernized culture we live in? I turn to this article from Forbes, Management Advice From Charles Darwin.                 (Photos taken in Tanzania by S+P)

Photo by Joe Kibwe (Our amazing guide and friend, who was born and raised in the Serengeti)

Zebra seem to be the likely prey, as comically depicted in this animalistic short film.

 

"It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change." - Charles Darwin

Happy Earth Day!

To all of those who dedicate their time and resources to the protection, rehabilitation, and conservation of the eco-systems of Africa and the wildlife that inhabits those lands, I dedicate this post to you. Thank you for making the Earth a better place. 

All photos were taken by Samantha Angelo & Peter Ostrega in Tanzania, The Grumeti Reserve, January 2014.

To Tony Fitzjohn and Kevin Richardson (seen below), who have dedicated their lives to raising awareness about lions and the growing fear of their extinction. 

My observation of lions in the wild: 

Lions are the most loving animals I've ever seen, they show constant displays of love, friendship, admiration, and affection towards one another. Their favorite things to do are roll around in the grass, play and nap with their families, lick/nudge heads, and most of all climb trees. The love within a lion pride is inspirational and unbreakable. I saw nothing else like it during my time in Africa. Although lions have very short life spans (10-15 years) they make the most of packing as much tender love and affection into those years as possible. 

“What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

Indagare Travel Souk: Spring 2014

Yesterday was the last day of the biannual Indagare Travel Souk at the Hotel Plaza Athenee. The pop up market features artisans and designers from around the world, most of which represent a specific cause. I wound up spending quite a bit of time talking to three of my favorite vendors about where, how, and why, their products (jewelry, clothing, accessories) are created. 

If you've read my blog, you know that I have a strong love for Africa. There's something about that place that gets into your head and heart, and I find myself unable to escape my desire to go back and somehow be involved. I thought I would visit Africa and it would be a once in a lifetime experience, but now I can't imagine living the rest of my life never going back to the pristine plains and exploring both the beautiful and tumultuous aspects of the continent and culture. Coming to Indagare Travel Souk was really the perfect opportunity to rekindle those memories and learn more about what these designers and founders are doing to help the people (especially women) and animals of Africa.  

I'll start with Raven + Lily, "a socially responsible brand dedicated to empowering woman through design partnerships and sustainable economic opportunities."Raven and Lily currently employ woman from India, Ethiopia, Cambodia, and Kenya, and give them fair trade jobs, healthcare and education in order to stop the cycle created by poverty for these women and their families. Representing Raven + Lily at Souk was Ashley Yarborough, who I had the pleasure of chatting with about the brand and it's mission. I was immediately attracted to the gorgeous necklaces from Ethiopia, as Ashley explained to me that the beads on all of necklaces are made from melted down artillery shells. After several different processes the beads are brought to Entoto Mountain, an area where many woman suffering from HIV/AIDS go to find refuge as it is known to have "holy water" that may cure them of the disease. Not only do they employ women from this region, but they also provide HIV care and education. Check out their Lookbook.

Ashley is wearing leather earrings, beaded necklace and bangle by Raven + Lily. Her colorful patterned pants are by Clover Canyon :-)

 Then I spoke with Elizabeth Gilbert who designs the most beautiful and meaningful jewelry. She has spent 20 years documenting the culture and tribes of Africa through photojournalism, and I immediately felt her deep passion on the topic after speaking to her for just a few moments. She told me all about the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. An orphanage for baby elephants and rhinos whose parents have been poached. I've never even though about what these infant animals do without parents and how they survive. The DSWT organization provides rehabilitation and protection to orphaned elephants all over Africa. Once rescued these infant elephants are brought to their headquarters in Nairobi, matched with a foster parent, usually a African male, who will stay with the infant until he/she is ready to go back into the wild. These men sleep with the baby elephants in the hay, under the same blanket. The foster parent feeds the infant a formula that is as close to the milk of a mother elephant as possible, through a large bottle. Naturally there's a parent/child bond that is created between the foster parent and these majestic and fascinating baby elephants and slowly they acclimate them back into the wild. At first they return wild but they come back to the foster parent in a back and forth cycle, until one day the orphan elephant is invited into a family, most likely comprised of other orphan elephants. 

While I was in Africa I had the privilege of being  in close proximity to large herds of elephants, and that experience was by far my favorite part of the trip, they are amazing creatures and they are in need of help. If you're interested in donating and becoming a foster parent to one of these infants visit: http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/asp/fostering.asp

Here are a few photos from our trip to Tanzania by S+P

The bracelets below tell the story of the orphan elephant meeting his/her new family in the wild. 

 More information about this gorgeous jewelry that is made in Africa by Africans can be found at http://shompolecollections.com/flash/

 Next I met Lenora, founder and creative director of Filip + Inna, a brand known for it's intricate and beautiful stitch work. Her inspiration stems from her childhood, being raised in the Philippines. Lenora is trying to preserve the ancient traditions of weaving, embroidery, and bead work while employing and empowering women of the Philippines.  My favorite stitched item was this white skirt. All of these items are stitched completely by hand, and the artists are paid per stitch, as the stitches are carefully counted on each garment.

 And last but certainly not least, Maasai Collections, founded by Elizabeth Warner in 2001 on the boarder of Kenya and Tanzania. The company employs Maasai women to create accessories, jewelry, apparel, and hand beaded accents. The leather bags with beaded accents are absolutely stunning and perfectly on trend with the fringe detail!

I'm already looking forward to the next Souk, which will be taking place sometime in November 2014. Until then you can find many of these vendors at L-ATITUDE.

Foodcation

The art of dining al fresco 

This trip to Africa was a true vacation for the taste buds, our chef at Sabora even packed us a delicious dinner for our long journey home (which saved us from having to eat the somewhat questionable food at Kilimanjaro airport, and risk Montezuma's revenge on a 9 hour flight). Thanks Singita! 

We were shocked to discover that food in the middle of the Serengeti could be some of the best cuisine we've ever tasted?!? In fact, we enjoyed the food so much that we made up a song entitled "Spices From Zanzibar" to give these exotic flavors the praise they so deserve.
 
They've even established The Singita School of Cooking, which encourages and helps develop the skills of local youth that have an interest in cooking.

Breakfast - Sasakwa Lodge - Abraham served us a healthy & delicious assortment of fruit, yogurt, juice, and muesli at our cottage. They made some killer scrambled eggs, and the pastries with jam were sublime. We had to be very aware of our toast though, because the monkeys would jump down from the roof and snatch it right out of our hands.

Lunch - It was a tie between Faru Faru & Sabora - At Faru Faru, they serve a different platter of Mediterranean inspired meze fare every afternoon. They made the best gaspatcho I've ever tasted. Then we moved on to Sabora, where they created  the most inventive cold soups, sandwiches and salads, that were out of this world. We had to ask the chef for the cold zucchini and mint soup recipe. Yum!! I also sipped on my very first Pimm's Cup in the Serengeti, both thirst quenching and delicious.

Faru Faru- Our friend Paul serving us the most delicious meze fare platter, ever!

Faru Faru Dessert

Cold Zucchini & Mint Soup

Apollo had a Pimm's Cup waiting for us after a long morning game drive.

Dinner - At Singita, every night they try to top themselves and make each meal even more spectacular than the last. At the end of the day I'll always prefer a casual, yet stunningly beautiful and romantic al fresco dinner, which happened to be our very last night of the trip. Our friend Apollo and his team set up the most beautiful scene right outside our tent, lanterns and candles, champagne, and Persian rugs with pillows to star gaze. They've perfected the art of dining al fresco. There was even a lion pride that strolled by as we were eating...luckily they were more interested in the zebra. Few things can compare to dining by an open fire and gazing up at the Serengeti ceiling, with all of its flicking glory, as you stare directly into the past. 

Singita: Sabora Tented Camp

(Continuing my journal on our trip to the Serengeti)

An hour after we embarked on our hot air balloon safari we landed in the flat grasslands right near our next destination, Sabora Tented Camp.

This is quite possibly my favorite photo from the trip, by Peter Ostrega :-)

   This time we had a warm Singita greeting by Apollo, who would be taking care of us for the next three days. As we walking into the main camp Apollo brought us over to a beautiful brass basin and poured warm water over our hands out of a large antique brass vase. The tour began out on the main deck over looking the Grumeti plains, where most of the meals take place. The first thing you see as you walk onto the main deck is the bar, made of a vintage hot air balloon basket that is split in half. This was my favorite piece at Sabora, so original. Then he showed us the indoor tented lodge, dipping pool, and tennis court where zebra are known to enjoy rolling around on the red turf.

P+Apollo+S

Tent No. 4

Next stop was Tent No. 4, our home for the next 3 nights. As we unzipped our front door and parted the canvas we were immediately absorbed in a 1920's explorer's paradise. This tent takes glamping to a completely new level, it's no wonder Travel and Leisure magazine named Sabora the best hotel in the world two years in a row!

Don't let its canvas exterior fool you, inside is an ultra luxurious time capsule of a Serengeti oasis. Complete with warren in vintage leather chairs, Persian carpets, plaid pillows, and a canopy bed with an army green linen comforter. Off to the right of the bed a stack of vintage leather luggage and trunks.

The water closet featuring a clawed tub with a view, an outdoor shower surrounded by tall and slender tree branches, and a dressing area with a large mahogany dresser, complete with a silver horsehair brush and matching hand help mirror. They know how to set a mood at Singita, that is a fact. With every detail they take you back in time. This is not a hotel, it is an experience.

At any give moment I would gaze out of tent onto the plains and see herds of impala, zebra, giraffe, buffalo, warthogs, baboons, and hyena. They would basically come right up to the tent! It definitely took me a night or two to get used to the sounds of the moaning buffalo and roaring lions that cut straight through the canvas every night. I felt a different electricity in the air at Sabora, it was the most laid back and casual of the three lodges, and in that way I liked it the best.

Tented Library

Mahler Morning

When I woke up on my first morning at Sabora, I hear Mahler's first symphony in my mind (Movt. I & Ia, on repeat) as the darkness slowly turned to light and it was so quiet on the plains, the air was perfectly crisp and a single bird chirped just as the first ray became viable.  You could feel the sadness and struggle still lingering in the air from the previous night, and the glimmer of hope for the new day. 

 When the cellos come in (Movt. Ia.) the sun is up, it is officially morning, everything is in perfect harmony, the gazelles running and playing with each other, it's a peaceful time in the wild.

Now when I listen to the piece I envision the Grumeti plains coming alive, and the hot air balloon hovering over the pristine land. I only wish that I could have seen this before I performed the piece.

The original program notes attributed to the first performance:

Part I: From the days of youth, "youth, fruit, and thorn pieces."

1. Spring and no end. This introduction describes the awakening of nature at the earliest dawn.

Sabora Plains -

I loved the idea that you could walk out of your tent and frolic among the animals on the  plains. At this point in the trip I had never felt better in my life. I woke up every single morning feeling healthy and vibrant.

 

Serengeti Slumber Party - 

Buffalo Bombed!

Sabora Sunset Game Drives -

 With each lodge we got progressively deeper into nature, and it was magical. I couldn't imagine a more perfect way to celebrate our marriage. The striking beauty of nature in its purest form, just opens the eye to the wonder and limitless possibility of the world we live in. I'll never forget sitting by the open fire and laying back on our day bed staring up at the flickering darkness of the Serengeti ceiling. Rarely do you ever have the opportunity to see a sky so unspoiled and removed from civilization. It's hard to think about anything else when the intense beauty above is staring down at you, just commanding your undivided attention. Your mind naturally leads you in an existential direction, and you must consciously prevent your thoughts from getting lost in its infinite complexities...

"I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes." - e. e. cummings