Singita: Sasakwa Lodge

Welcome to Singita - 'place of miracles'

The story goes that the Grumeti Reserve was one of the most poached and hunted areas of the Serengeti, leaving it squandered and lifeless. An American Hedge Fund owner and conservationist, Paul Tudor Jones II, decided to lease the land for 99 years and pay the enormous hunting fees associated with it. He set about restoring the land first by hiring poachers to form an anti-poaching guard to protect the land. Today, 12 years later, the Grumeti Reserve is the most prolific location for wildlife in the Serengeti National Park. In fact, guides from outside the Grumeti have been know to ask Singita how they keep the animals in the reserve. 

Singita's mission above all else is to preserve and protect the land and the animals that inhabit it, they also strive to uplift, educate and employ the communities around them that share that land. 

Everything about Singita makes you feel good, it's a win/win for everyone involved. They protect the land and the animals with the money from the guests, the lodges employ the locals, the poachers are paid to stop poaching and guard the land, and they raise awareness with the guests and the local communities about the importance of guardianship and conservancy. 

Interesting fact: The Grumeti is home to a single female rhino that lives in a large area (near Sasakwa) that is fenced-in to protect her from poachers and elephants. This female rhino and another male rhino were originally born in the Serengeti and transported to a zoo in the UK, many years later Singita brought them back to the Serengeti and protected them behind an electric fence, until one day an elephant broke through the fence and killed the male rhino, leaving the female all alone. They have a plan, years in the making, to find her a mate.
 
Sasakwa Lodge

December 30th, 2013 - January 1st, 2014

First stop, Sasakwa Lodge for two nights, I would say this is by far the most gentle safari experience of the three Singita lodges that we stayed at in the Grumeti. Perched on a hill, Sasakwa Lodge has a birds eye view of the grand Serengeti plains. The view is nothing less than stunning, it takes your breath away, and it.. is... memorizing. It's a vision much like Hawksview (Estate in St. John Between Trunk and Hawksnest Bay) that seduces the eye, leaving you no choice but to surrender to its magnificent glory. This dreamlike scene just yearns for your long gaze. It's easy to lose yourself, and hard to imagine that you could ever tire of that majestic vision of the vast plains and abundant nature. 

After the trip was complete I found that Sasakwa was truly the best first stop on our tour of the Grumeti, it's captivating to see the grandeur of the place that you're in, before you dig deep into its nooks and crannies. And it gives you great perspective on the adventure that you are about to embark upon. By this point no one is probably reading a word of this, I don't blame you...a picture is worth a thousand words. However, I will tell you that these pictures will never do it justice, because you can't breath the air, hear the sounds of nature all around you, and feel the gentle pink warmth of the sun slowing creeping above the horizon.

Off in the distance there's a large watering hole that is home to a mother, father, and baby hippo that we visited twice.

  Just imagine watching the great wildebeest migration from this vantage point! It's no wonder they call it the 'greatest wildlife spectacle on earth.' Although, I do have my own vision of what could make this natural marvel even more thrilling. I envision a full symphony orchestra set up right there on the lawn of Sasakwa, let's just say NY Philharmonic, playing the work that they commissioned, Dvorak's New World Symphony. Epic.

That famous African sunrise.

Sasakwa is definitely the most elegant and regal lodge, with its old-world charm and antiques. Let's just say it's not difficult to turn away from the view and gaze into the opulent manor house. In my case it was a constant back and forth, a true feast for the eyes. The lodge has a unmistakeable old wealth/British royalty vibe, and it would be impressive to see this manor house in any first world country, let alone in the middle of the Serengeti!! It boggled my mind to think of how they even built it...of course I asked, I had to. It took between 2,000-3,000 people, 12 months to build Sasakwa Lodge. I truly appreciate every detail that went into making Sasakwa what it is, a masterpiece. You can see that it's a labor of love, and a homage to the decadent and luxurious things in life. Yet I must say that with this type of luxury and opulence a certain kind of guest is attracted, luckily there's more than enough space to be secluded at most times. I felt so happy and blessed to be able to appreciate Singita through the eyes of a young woman born and raised in the inner city of Buffalo, NY,  because Sasakwa deserves that kind of gratitude, which from the looks of it, may just be another day in the lives of some of the other guests. But then again, I'll be the first to say, never judge a book by its cover.

Inside the lodge 

 Billiard Room

Peter tapping into his inner Terry Richardson on this one.

Tennis Pavilion

 Overlook

 Private Cottage & Pool

Side note: 

A few days after we got back from Africa I was at Eastern Market Nails visiting my favorite ladies, and a woman in her early 60's sat down next to me to get a pedi, I couldn't help but eavesdrop on her conversation, she had just gotten back from 5 weeks in South America and Antarctica! My ears perked up and my eyes widened. One of my friends at the nail salon asked me about the honeymoon and I mentioned Africa, the well traveled lady beside me  immediately turned toward me and struck up a conversation. She asked me where I had traveled to in Africa, and I said Tanzania, and then she gave me a look and I knew what she was thinking just from the look in her eyes. The next question was... Oh, where in Tanzania? 

I gave her the same look back and the nod, she exhaled with joy as I blurted out Singita Sasakwa Lodge! We both looked at each other with the same stunned look, as if we were part of some secret society. Oh my gosh!! right?? It 's the most beautiful place on earth. She had gone back twice after her first visit, not surprised. She returned specifically to watch the wildebeest migration.  Naturally I asked her, "You seem like quite a world traveler, where do I go from here? What is after Singita?" Unfortunately for me she gave me the 'you peaked to soon' look, and admitted, "yeah, you won't find anything else in the world like Singita Sasakwa." So....I guess that's it. There are other places I would love to visit, but now it's officially confirmed that nothing will be better than Singita, or even on the level of genuine and authentic hospitality, unprecedented cuisine, home-like and luxurious accommodations, and immersion in wildlife/nature. She did however recommend some other safaris and advised me to visit Botswana and South Africa next, our guide Joe at Singita said the same exact thing. Apparently the safari experience in Botswana is different, and just as amazing, you can get even closer to the animals. 

Sasakwa was the perfect way to start our first trip to the Serengeti, yet we were so excited to move on to the next lodge, Faru Faru, where we would get deeper into nature...


 



"Beyond the realms of common sense, beyond the inevitability that populations grow, but the land does not, and beyond the knowledge that Africa's pristine wild areas are in danger of disappearing more rapidly than most can imagine - it is an immutable law that the continent's future lies in the hands of those few who care deeply about her. It is in the hands of the people who have the passion, the knowledge and the dedication that is required to protect her from extinction - the ones who are destined to ensure that nature's cycles and equilibrium are upheld and handed down as a vital legacy to future generations."

- Singita Book

Queen of the Night NYC

Africa Interlude: A quick theatre review before I continue with the African blog post extravaganza.

While I was visiting Tanzania I took my finger off the pulse for a moment, but luckily I always have Evan to fill me in on the latest in arts and culture. Thanks baby! Evan informed me that while I was away a new show emerged by the producers and masterminds of my favorite, Sleep No More. I immediately purchased tickets, since I knew we had to be in NY to go apartment hunting. I'm glad I did because literally an hour later they were sold out.

 Introducing Queen of the Night, a self proclaimed fusion of theater, music, circus, cuisine, design and nightlife. With a strong focus on circus, most of the entertainment is jaw dropping acrobatics mixed with modern Sleep No More-esk dancing. Think a sexually charged Cirque du Soleil with dinner. Thanks to its location right in the heart of midtown, this interactive acrobatic event attracts a much more mainstream crowd than it's parent institution Sleep No More. And an older crowd at that. I was surprised to see a number of Upper East Side housewives as well, but then again we are in Times Square.

Sleep No More has always had a relatively young following, possibly due to the physical feat you must endure in order to truly enjoy its immersive theatrical quality. Running up and down 7 flights of stairs and through different terrain in an old abandoned hotel might be where the older crowd draws the line. After conducting a poll at our table it came to my attention that half of the table had never even seen Sleep No More....what?!? I was almost sure that the SNM cult following would be the majority of Queen of The Night's patrons, I was wrong, it was a completely new crowd, possibly a following of people who enjoy the famous NY restaurants American Cut and Scarpetta, the food connoisseurs behind Queen of The Night's cuisine.
 

 Your first reaction when you walk in is, so I thought they spent $30 mill on this place...? All you see is dry wall and plywood, then you walk a bit further past coat check and you finally realize that the unfinished construction-look is part of the decor, phew!

 

 As you begin to ascend down the marble staircase into the caverns of the Parliament Hotel it then takes on a Phantom of the Opera theme in the form of a large chandler that rests at the bottom of the staircase. Oh, except for the naked woman with the mask on behind the wall of glass with the geometric mirrors, but other than that! Totally Phantom.

Phantom Phantasy...

 This is right around the time when you begin to notice that the touchy-feely chaperons are wearing gaucho capri tuxedo pants with wrist cuffs above the knee, and the coats with tails that have buttons going all the way down the back. And don't forget about the exposed sock stays. The costumes were created by noted mens and womenswear designer/fashion label, Thom Browne, my favorite being the tuxedo shirt turned thong leotard with one sleeveless arm and red pants. Hot!

 Once you're escorted into the main ballroom you come upon the bar, which is more like a chemistry lab with bubbling flasks, tubes, and smoke. I particularly enjoyed the light fixtures that were submerged in gurgling water, and the constant torch blowing of rosemary. On the counter are tons of drinks, pick a drink, any drink, I chose the tall glass, a vodka drink with cherry tomatoes and muddled basil. Peter went with the short glass gin based drink.          
         

The chemistry lab

 
After you grab an artisanal signature cocktail you'll want to direct your attention toward the stage where you'll see all sorts of human defying acrobatics and juggling...and a topless woman laying on a table with a red veil over her body. You'll be encouraged to walk around and take in all the sights, while being offered delicious trays of deviled eggs and foie gras. Once you're let onto the main floor it becomes a free for all to find a seat where you'll dine and stay for the remainder of the show. We shuffled to the left of the stage and sat at a large table with two other couples. Each table is showered in olives, walnuts, grapes, wine and bread. A woman then came to our table and asked us all if we were in love, and I immediately shouted, "love! Oh yes!" She asked how I knew what makes it real love and Peter pulled out his tattoo wedding ring and I pulled out mine. She asked us if we remember the feeling we had when we first feel in love or the first time we met and if we would want to feel that again and I exclaimed again, "oh yes! It was the greatest feeling in the world, one of the greatest days of my life!" This may have been a lot of pressure for the other couples at the table on casual dates... These comments would come full circle later in the show, and I would eventually receive a luscious kiss on the cheek from this woman. The show continues and this is when it starts to get really good, the acrobatics are mind boggling, it bends your perception of reality and what the human body is capable of doing. 

 These talented gymnasts are taking risks, big risks. After a lot of aerobatic-like dance to techno/rave music, naturally, it's time for dinner in the form of a bird cage full of lobster and a suckling pig. Our table was lucky enough to get the birdcage of lobster, which is the best! 

Dinner is served!

Crustacean cage

 Once the bibs are on its time to get to work and crack open some delicious lobster. Before you know it the entertainment is in full swing again, a man with a string and spindle, knife throwers, and impressionist dance. But the question still remains, who is the woman in the mermaid gown?


 



 Later this mysterious woman does a beautiful yoga-sensual impressionistic solo, the dance of love. This was the part of the show that actually got to me and that doesn't happen often, this scene made me emotional because I truly understood it to my core. The idea that love is like a man balancing an umbrella on his head while juggling, love makes the impossible, possible, the mundane and ordinary, extraordinary. It turns every day life into fantasy. It is magic and undefinable. And my eyes filled with tears because I knew it was true and I was so happy and blessed to understand it and experience it. Thank you Queen of the Night for that one moment, for me the entire show was worth it just for that delicate and heart felt scene. The show ended with everyone getting up for a slow dance. I enjoyed how they tried to bring emotions and love out in people, I appreciate that, we need more of that. Then naturally after this love fest they started spoon feeding everyone chocolate cake from the main stage. Mmmmm.

Design:

 

The water closet

 Psychedelic serpent wallpaper in the stalls

Bartenders sport back pleaded kilts

Just like Sleep No More the performers like hanging out at the bar after the show, giving us the opportunity to gush over their superb talent, I even struck up a conversation with one of our servers who was getting a drink after the show. I asked him how he came to work there, and he said he responded to an add on Craigslist for a server in midtown, and a month later he received an email and an interview, they hired him on the spot. Awesome. That's why you have to love NYC, you never know what the heck crazy stuff you could get yourself into.

The bottom line:

All in all if you're looking to be thoroughly entertained and have a unique dining experience you should check this out. I have to admit that I was underwhelmed and a bit disappointed by the music, it was a musical let down after thinking that Mozart's Magic Flute was somehow involved. I secretly kept waiting to hear the 'Queen of the Night' Aria, that never came, but I did hear some Beyoncé... If you're going to drop millions on a renovation and design, go all the way! Get some real musicians in there, geez, with all the talent in this city it's a sin not to use it! At the very least combine pre-recorded electronic music with live musicians. They had a team of talented people design the esthetic, costumes, menu, choreography and theatrics, why allow the music to be an after thought, arrange some techno inspired Mozart!? If that's what it was, I couldn't tell. And you absolutely need a musical act after the show is over. That was a total fail. Showcase musical talent, please!

“Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius.”
 
― Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart