We sat down with the bubbly Irene Igambi, one-half of the lounge's founders with her husband Alan, to get the dish on this exquisite new nightlife space that is bound to be a favourite with Nairobi partiers.
KENYABUZZ: What is the 40Forty Lounge all about and what can people expect when they come here? IRENE: It's all about the ambiance, good service, good food, good music and beautiful views of Nairobi city.
KENYABUZZ: What does 40Forty Lounge add to the Nairobi nightlife experience? IRENE: The comfort. When you come we want to make you as comfortable as possible as you enjoy the food, drinks and cocktails served by the best service staff in town.
KENYABUZZ: Is it just a hangout? Or will there be themed nights at the lounge? IRENE: There will be themed nights. Our marketing team is thinking thinking of having a whisky night, ladies' night with wine and chocolates, house music night and possibly a band night.
KENYABUZZ: How would you describe the views from up here? Are they the main attraction? IRENE: It is the main attraction, especially from the V.I.P section. You can see Upperhill area, Kileleshwa, the sunset and the city skyline, as well as the surrounding views. The night lights are beautiful.
KENYABUZZ: What's your background? And how did you get into the lounge business? IRENE: Wow! My husband and I have been in the hotel business and throughout that time we got to see how lucrative the business can be and how Kenyans love entertainment. So, that's what got us started. What's more, we love to have a good time, so we thought, why not turn our love into a source of income?
KENYABUZZ: How is it like coming to work at such an exquisite place like 40Forty Lounge every day? IRENE: It's usually great! Waking up in the morning to do your own thing is amazing. Even when you get nothing, at the end of the day it's yours and you've put your 100%. It's the best feeling ever, knowing that you are moving closer to your targets and goals in life.
KENYABUZZ: How did you come up with the name? Does it have anything to do with Jay-Z's 40/40 lounge in New York? IRENE: Yes, he's our inspiration mostly because he showed us that you can come from nothing and rise all the way to the top if only you put your best efforts towards chasing your dreams.
KENYABUZZ: Are there any signature 'must-try' 40Forty dishes or cocktails? IRENE: For the bitings, the chicken wings are my personal favourite. Our sliders, which are mini-burgers in pork, chicken and beef flavours, are delicious. The hangover soup is what many like, especially after a heavy night out. Finally, for the mains, the sirloin steak is yum. My favourite cocktail is the Nairobian G Sling, which has Bacardi, Grenadine syrup and Guarana. I love it because of the taste and its girly look - all ladies love red, right?
KENYABUZZ: When do you officially launch? IRENE: We did a soft launch on August 3rd, but our marketing team is planning on doing very detailed marketing out there from now henceforth.
