Where billionaires enjoy a sundowner

There is a new phrase in the public conscience after the Wealth in Kenya Report last week; high net-worth individuals.

These are chaps with a net worth of $1million or more. Above them are the low-tier millionaires ($1-$5m) and above those, the affluent millionaires ($30m-$100m).

In the top-tier, are the dollar billionaires ($1billion). The amount of wealth in Kenya is simply baffling.

If you want to catch a glimpse of this money and the people who own it, your best bet would be at Capital Club, housed at Imperial Court building, and Nairobi’s premier business club - the first in Africa.

It’s under the Signature Clubs International that owns and manages premier private clubs in major cities in the world.

It’s conceptualised around a business club, a social club and a health club. The word elitist hasn’t rang home until you have been to this private members’ club.

OPULENCE
It’s magnificent in structure (designed by the famed Australian designer Kristina Zanic) and when you open a door, opulence literally pours out of those rooms. Membership is by invitation.

You can’t use cash here. And you can’t just walk in. But you can walk in under the invite of a member.

So if you are a friend of any one of the 452 members, you might find yourself upstairs at the Roof Terrace and Lounge bar. This terrace could be anywhere, New York, Dubai, Johannesburg, Korea…You will only know you’re in Nairobi because at night, the Delta Building (now Pricewaterhouse ) by the Westlands roundabout looms in the skyline.

It’s a lounge, seating is cushy and low. Adjacent is their grill restaurant, very famous, very popular and opens to an even better skyline to the east. Men and women with glowing skins use their steak knives delicately there.

JAZZ

Every Thursday there is a jazz band. The mood is upbeat. These millionaires mingle and pop Sh7,000 bottles of Laurent Perrier champagne. There is laughter in the air. How can you not be happy in a place like this?

I ordered for wine, some South African Shiraz with a name I couldn’t pronounce.

It was served by this officious waiter with a nice Swatch watch. The wine tasted great. I listened to the jazz and felt the breeze blow through the lounge.

I wondered why I couldn’t move in. The music – by an Israeli jazz band —created a brilliant mood in the lounge; unobtrusive sound, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. It’s their kind of music after all.

I ordered mini-buggers; three were brought with some fries. Do you want to know how they make their fries? It’s a whole day’s process that involves frying and freezing and frying again, then freezing and…Look, the fries were great, done by Michelin-starred chefs. If you ever find yourself there, you’ll realise the many faces that Nairobi wears.

This article was first published in the Business Daily .