The Best of 2009

As 2009 comes to an end, we would like to appreciate all the support we have received from our readers in terms of feedback and comments especially to the Ask Lily column. We have seen some good advice being dished out. The Lily Review is a platform for sharing knowledge, experiences and giving of advice. So next time you see a post you like, do leave a comment to add your voice.

Many thanks to the following writers who have contributed the articles that have been posted on The Lily Review.

Ann – Ann is the owner of Nelanz Store, made for ladies who lives fashion represented in Nairobi by TT Collection (tt-collection.blogspot.com)

Bailey – Bailey is an aspiring writer and appreciates all forms of self-expression. She authors the blog wanjagi.wordpress.com

Crystal Ading’ – Crystal is a professional author, editor, rock lover and mother. Her work is available through fimbo.

Davie Doves – A contributor from Uganda who specialized on articles on Relationships.

Dorothy – The founder of Mothers Unwed, a support group of single mothers.

Emerald Sua – Emerald shares her experiences on raising her 3 children on the Kazi ni Kulea column

Kui – Kui is the author of the Kui’s Loft column.

Lawrence – Lawrence is a freelance internet consultant. Visit his blog at intervangelist.wordpress.com.

Miss Dharma – Our first contributor who has done articles on the Make Up Tips, Lady Love and Diva Divine columns.

Prisca W Mwangi – Prisca is a Beauty Consultant at The Color Palette Company. She can be reached at beautiodyssey@gmail.com.

Wacu Mureithi – Wacu is a part time law student, full-time mother and all-time dreamer. Her work can be found on seriouslypoetic.blogspot.com.

Wanjiku Kariuki – A certified wedding planner and coordinator and is the lead consultant of Waridikenya.com, a Kenyan wedding website.

What to expect in 2010
Next year, we shall have a few new contributors joining the team [If you would be interested in becoming a contributor, click here to let us know. You could write articles regularly or just do a one time article]. Is there a topic/theme that you would like to be covered? Click here to let us know.

We shall also be launching new exciting columns with our partners to improve your experience on The Lily Review. Follow us on Twitter or on Facebook to find out more about we have in store for you next year.

Popular Articles of 2009

Ann – Dress Em Up
5 Ways to Spot A Replica Louis Vuitton Bag
It is not always easy to spot replica Louis Vuitton Handbags, especially when many buyers are unfamiliar with the genuine designer goods. It gets even scarier when the advisers in LV boutiques themselves cannot tell the difference! It has happened to a friend’s friend who, in Australia, bought a genuine LV bag and then bought a top-grade LV replica. She brought the replica back to LV saying she wants an exchange for a different design. At the end of the day, 1 to girlfriend, 0 to LV. She ended up with 2 genuine handbags for the price of 1! Thank goodness for us, there are ways to spot a replica.

Bailey – Beauty and Brains
The School Of Life’s Lessons [Part 2]
A Lesson On Heartbreak: I’m tired of hearing it: You will make a wonderful wife/girlfriend for some lucky guy, Whoever you end up with will be one lucky guy, Don’t worry, his loss…you will meet someone better, You are an amazing woman and you will make some guy very happy. WHEN??????!

The A Word
Adultery.We judge and sneer at those who indulge in it, but we haven’t been there…at least those of us who aren’t married. I watched (well, not the whole of it but nearly half of) a movie called Derailed starring Jennifer Aniston and Clive Owen and I saw the reality of cheating. It’s so easy to look elsewhere when home is no longer a peaceful place to be and your spouse no longer the angel you married. People have problems….sick children who drain every ounce of energy from their parents making it nearly impossible for them to have any alone time together causing their marriage to suffer. Or when one spouse is always away working. Or for whatever reason because marriage is hard work.

Women – Our Own Worst Enemies
So girls, let’s have a heart to heart. Why do we hate each other, spite each other and bring each other down? Why do we use bad words on each other…the B word, the WH word, the S word? We are all the same, we go through the same stuff, we have the same emotional make-up, we look pretty much the same inside…so shouldn’t we stick together?

The “Church Girl, Church Guy” Phenomenon
A phenomenon that I have always heard about recently came knocking at my door. I never used to believe the “rumors” that guys go to church to look for nice Christian girls to marry or date or whatever, well, that was until it happened to me. See, I am your average church girl. I grew up in church, I go to church, I am involved in church, I talk about church…really, I am a church girl…

Crystal Ading’ – Crystal Dings
Kula-ring the ngingi
If you don’t know what that means, you don’t need to know. It’s been that kind of a weekend. Deep thoughts, deeper insights, and a long-overdue post on gymnastics. Now, a lot of guys complain that their women are on a ngingi diet. But I know more than a few girls who are quite big fans of gymnastics. I think it’s all the somersaulting and spinning and twirling. Oprah and her pals say gymnastics is a big issue in tennis. One partner always wants more (or less?) It’s generally assumed that the hassled partner is the girl.

Was it really a tree?
The tree of knowledge of good and evil. God put Adam and Eve in paradise and gave them one rule: Don’t eat it. They couldn’t do it. Chances are if God hadn’t put the condition, they’d have left the tree alone. You know how us humans love to break rules. God knows it too, and he knew that by telling them ‘don’t’ that they would. So why did He do it? Coz he’s God, not Hitler. He gives us choices, he gives us options, he gives us wisdom and strength to make the right choices. We generally don’t…

How to beat a player?
I heard a very interesting concept from a very unlikely source. Three weeks later, I’m still in awe. The source said that when a man is ready to get married, he does. When a woman isn’t ready to get married, she doesn’t. But when a man isn’t ready to get married, a woman can convince him. Therefore then [did I just give my school away?] the key to a happy marriage is to be with a man who is ready.

The lure of the taken man [Part 1]
Women are always complaining that all the good men are taken … or gay. And men are always complaining that girls always go for the bad boys. Apparently, guys are far less attractive when they are young and single and ready to mingle. The lure of the bad boy, as I have said over and over and over, is basic. We want to tame him. To turn him into a good guy. To put him on a leash.

The lure of the taken man [Part 2]
Available guys have all the qualities that we find attractive, it’s just that we view things differently with minglers and takens. Another key factor is that we don’t live with these guys. We see them for a few hours at a time, so we only see their good side. We don’t know that they are cranky in the morning, or that their feet smell, or that they grunt in their sleep, or that they whine constantly, or that they have a fetish for … whatever-embarrassing-thing-they-have-a-fetish-for. We only see the shine.

The seven year itch?
The point in your marriage where you feel enough is enough. You suddenly have ‘irreconcilable differences’. The term became famous after this TCM movie starring Marilyn Monroe. I haven’t watched it yet, but perhaps I should. Something about a faithful man suddenly being tempted to stray. I think it was the dress. There’s an itch at four years too. In Hollywood it comes at 11 months mostly, or at 24 hours in Vegas, when the booze wears off. Oyunga Pala once said “How can you claim to love one person for life, when you could love millions of other people if you met them?” He was arguing against the soul-mate theory. I hate to agree with him, but I see his point…

A guide for the ungirly [Part 1]
I admire tomboys. They can throw like a boy, hang out in a bar, drink beer from a bottle, probably fix their own cars, and generally make people of all genders drool. I admire girly girls too, the ones that can sprint in high heels, carry the world in a purse, make men itch and sweat, and wield the world like a poodle on a leash. More than that I enjoy ‘both’, the fictional types that can straddle all sides. You know, like Angelina Jolie, Halle Berry or Megan Fox. Of course their straddling is generally scripted, but still.

A guide for the ungirly [Part 2]
So, a few months ago, when I bought my first ever facial products, I went with Himalaya oily skin products. And that worked just fine for a few days, until my face broke out in what looked like sunburn. A week later, when I tried my first home facial, my skin burnt so intensely that I was tempted to smother myself with a pillow, just to stop the stinging.

A guide for the ungirly [Part 3]
A few days later, I noticed that my face was burnt out again. Groan. I went back to the shop and bought Himalaya Neem wash, because, well, the cream wash was finished, and the Neem wash is for all skin types, so that seemed like a much safer option until I figured out what exactly was what. I had re-used the for-oily-skin gel wash because it was in a pretty bottle, felt deliciously cool on my skin, smelt fabulous … and because I wasn’t about to throw out a perfectly good tube of facial wash. My reasoning was ‘what’s the worst that could happen?’

Davie Doves
Recipe for a Healthy Relationship
To begin with, it is important to scrutinize yourself, what do you consider a real relationship to be? You have to get the picture what your needs and desires are from the other person, and what you are prepared to give them. This way, you capable of knowing early in your first dates, if you wish to continue and work towards a future together, and if the other individual feels the same of course both sides count for a healthy relationship.

Men and women dating or married, who is to pay for dates?
Some decades ago, this query would have a very easy and straightforward answer. It is the man who ought to pay since he is the acclaimed bread winner. But times have changed a lot. Women now have jobs and sometimes they have better jobs than their husbands. Relatively many women out there are wealthier than their husband or boyfriends. In such circumstances, is it fair for the man to carry on paying for everything exclusively since he is a man?

Intimacy – It’s more than just sex
Intimacy is a combination of four aspects of a person; the physical, emotional, intellectual, and the spiritual. Most relationships will fall into one or two of these intimate aspects.

7 Major Relationship Issues & How to Resolve Them [Part 1] [Part 2]
It’s the rare couple that doesn’t, sooner or later, run into a few bumps in the road. If you recognize ahead of time what those relationship issues can be, you’ll have a much better chance of weathering the storm.

Dorothy
A special tribute to Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham
Single Motherhood is becoming prevalent not just in our Society but Globally. Whatever circumstances that lead one to become a single mother, there are very pertinent questions to be asked by all. In Kenya, the biggest problem is the perceptions and stereotyping exercised on single mothers and their children,in the 21st Century!!

Emerald Sua – Kazi ni Kulea
A Bigger Hug
Sometime back, Churchill King’ang’i and Maina wa Kageni were on about whether or not single women above thirty “kidu”-something- get miserably lonely and need to have a man. As usual I was listening to the first part of this twosome breakfast show, while in the bus on my way to work. King’ang’i was having a good time rubbishing all those single ladies calling in to claim their long and/or new found joyous loneliness, and Maina as usual was adding “kudos’” to those same sisters…

Kui – Kui’s Loft
D.E.F.I.N.E
Woman… a moment for you to define exactly what this word means to you. One thing about being a woman is that you are innately expected to wear many hats in your lifetime. Call it what it you may but that is the reality.

Right from childhood when you could pin one and one together, you knew what was expected of you was always different from that of the men folk. It is the way you sit to the way you eat; the dress you wore to the last meeting, to the very empty third finger on your left hand, and at what age again?

Lawrence – Lawrence’s Take
Lawrence’s List Of Things Never To Say To A Man
Let’s start with the things you say. I have been with my fair share of women, probably other people’s fair share as well thanks to a few God given gifts. One of the biggest problems I have had are the things that come out of your vocal chords when either at the heat of the moment, in the face of competition, when your girlfriends insinuate that he doesn’t love you anymore and in many other such situations.

The Feminine Vocabulary
I was surprised to find out that someone had actually figured out what some words in the feminine vocabulary mean. Ladies, please confirm the descriptions below in the comments…

The Perfect Lady [Part 1]
It was a dull Thursday evening, the day had been one painfully long dull stretch, the weather was bleak, the trees were not swaying gracefully as always, the birds seemed to have gone on a chirping strike. It was basically one of those days when even the slightest of disappointments makes you want to kill yourself. And I told myself that if nothing exciting were to happen before I retired to bed that night…

The Perfect Lady [Part 2]
Yasmin wasn’t short as I had imagined, but surprisingly her height lingered just shy of being top model material. I mean, if she took two steps closer, pressed her body close to mine, and tilted her head slightly upwards, we would undoubtedly engage in the most passionate of French kisses without either of us straining to maintain contact. As I eased forward for a handshake, my gentleman character feeblyhanging in the balance, her face lit up to pave way for a playful girlish chuckle.

Miss Dharma – Lady Love
8 tips on how to look slimmer
The way you dress can help you. I know many of us have had to ask some of the strangest questions, especially to men. Some go like this; how do I look with this dress? Does this pant make me look fat? The better majority of us try asking these questions to our reflections in the mirror. But I hate to believe that all of us women we tailored to be worried about the same thing, I mean there must be something we can for sure blame. Don’t you think some clothes actually make us look bigger and fatter?

How to keep it simply fresh
Relationships define a whole new way of living because we all know that they can be tough. To make it worse as time goes by things do not get any easier. It’s not like being a sales person where you get better just because you have been in the job longer. There are times that it’s going to be all rosy and happy and other times the periods of ennui and speed bumps of tedium along the way.

The kind of men we women want
So what kind of homosapien are we really looking to find or even better hoping to spend eternity with?

CONFIDENT: In the book Act like a lady, think like a man, Steve Harvey says that men look for a woman who will hold his hand tighter when usher passes by all sexy and sweaty with money dropping from his pockets and still say,”baby, You are the man!!” the same way we want a man who knows that he is all that and a bag of chips but is subtle in showing it.

The Big O
I feel obliged to ask this question. Knowing well that sex education is important in our society following that teens are doing what has forever been our “adults only “indulgence. My question is, do fireworks go off when you have your big O? Or can we comfortably say that something just a little tingly feeling happens when you have an orgasm or just a new feeling of enthusiasm nothing big or major. Whichever category you fall in, you are perfectly normal…

Prisca W Mwangi – The Beauty Odyssey
How Well Do You Know Your Skin Type
Skin type is the description and interpretation of how and why your skin looks, feels, and behaves as it does. It is the single most important factor influencing the decisions we make about the kind of skin-care routines and the products we buy.Hardly anyone has just one skin type. This is because of the fact that the skin is susceptible to outside factors such as weather, diet, whether you smoke or don’t smoke, whether you live in an arid, humid or highly polluted climate.

How to give yourself a relaxing at home facial
If you are like me, you’re probably feeling the economic crunch in a big way and have been looking at your budget every month trying to figure out what things you can really do without. For many of us women, it becomes very difficult to compromise on our beauty regimen especially when it’s taken so long to find those great products that work so well on our skin. Well, the good news is you don’t have to compromise. You can still get that weekly, bi-weekly or monthly facial by learning how to do it yourself at home.

Give your face the perfect glow [Part 1]
Concealer: It’s used to cover minor blemishes from birthmarks, sunspots, age spots and under eye circles. It’s one of the most important products in any woman’s beauty arsenal. In fact it is known as the secret of the beauty universe. Most women suffer from undereye circles and usually, concealer is the only way to go.

Give your face the perfect glow [Part 2]
Foundation: What do women want in a foundation? A flawless, natural-looking coverage that evens out their skin. Today, foundation comes in many different textures, consistencies and formulas. Finding the right foundation is like finding the perfect fitting jeans…

Give your face the perfect glow [Part 3]
Powder: The purpose of powder is to keep foundation on longer, to set the foundation(keeps it from slipping) add a little more coverage , take away shine and give the skin a polished flawless look.

Wacu – Wacu’s World
The Power of Suggestion
Its been said that the power of suggestion is so great that in a classroom situation a student knowing a right answer can say the wrong one just because they heard someone else say it. In life it happens too. Remember your friend who told you that a certain guy that you both know has always had a thing for you? Then for some reason you started noticing him a lot and seeing all the good traits that he had that you had never noticed before? That’s the power of suggestion…

For richer or for poorer
Whoever came up with the marital vows must have been a very ignorant person. He must have been so absolutely oblivious of the entire world, including the person he must have written them for, to come up with such stark nonsense.

A man for the season
Is it just my imagination or are men in Nairobi are getting less courteous as the days go by. I have been clicked at by two men in the last one week and I can’t stop getting irritated even by the thought of it. How now!! Imagine, a man clicking at a woman!! Kwani nani mama kuliko mwingine? Call me when you have been in labor for 18 hours and you can click at me all you like.

Wanjiku Kariuki – Weddings
Bridesmaids Dressed To Kill
Many brides tend to forget that how the bridesmaids dressed is of key importance! Your bridesmaids will be in your wedding photographs and so it is critical that you pay attention to what they wear. To avoid this follow the following tips to the latter and you will not be disappointed

Getting the perfect wedding gown
What are the three things that all the wedding guests often look forward to at a wedding? The wedding cake, the wedding setup and your wedding gown. Not necessarily in that order. So how do you get the perfect wedding dress, that will leave your groom in awe, and your wedding guests delightfully surprised as you walk down the aisle? The secret lies in finding the wedding gown that will flatter your body silhouette.

Wedding Reception Alternatives
Many times I have been invited for a wedding and the Kenyan in me automatically skipped the exchange of the couple’s vows in church, and made it just in time to catch the reception food queue. I am most likely speaking on behalf of quite a number of you. Lunchtime receptions are usually scheduled to begin at two o’clock but they often begin at three and yes, there are instances when they start at five and they end between four and six. During this period your wedding guests will be well taken care of both in meals and entertainment. A large proportion of the wedding budget caters for the wedding reception, usually about 70%.

The Wedding Budget Commandments
Weddings are very magical; they have this way of making one loose touch with reality until your wedding planner or wedding committee hits you square with your wedding budget. The Wedding budget is that paper with three bold columns with titles that read Wedding topic, wedding Budget Estimate and Wedding Budget Actual Cost.

Did I miss out any article that you liked? Let us know in the comments.

You might also like:

• Good Old Vaseline
• 10 Financial Myths in Relationships
• 7 Major Relationship Issues & How to Resolve Them [Part 2]
• 7 Major Relationship Issues & How to Resolve Them [Part 1]
• How to deal with unruly matatu touts

KEEN is a PSD slicer and CSS/XHTML designer. Check out his blog andrewkinai.tumblr.com.