A MAG is a Modern African Girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things which may interest a MAG.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Doré Fasolati, this week's subjects: Smart fashion, The Zoom Band International, Bable Restaurant, Full moon.

I apologize for 3 blog announcements some of you had a few days ago with no text, these mails were erroneously sent by a fresh National Service Personnel. I sincerely apologize.

Smart fashion

Smart clothing, also frequently referred to as high-tech clothing, is clothing that's enhanced with technology to offer functionality beyond their traditional use.

Generally, though, the name should be used when talking about high tech accessories such as a smartwatch, while smart clothes should refer to advanced clothing like a swimsuit, shorts, t-shirts, or hats (like Bluetooth beanies). Optical fiber embedded fabrics and conductive fabrics are good examples of passive smart textiles.

UV protective clothing, multilayer composite yarn and textiles, plasma-treated clothing, ceramic-coated textiles, conductive fibers, and fabrics with optical sensors, are some examples of passive smart textiles.

Typical smart textiles are fabric and dyes that will change their colour where the clothes are made out of conductive polymers which give light when they get electromagnetic signals. They also regulate fabrics and the surface of the garments in order to achieve physiological comfort. Clothing that monitors the wearer's physical condition. Smart shirts and body suits provide biometric data, such as pulse rate, temperature, muscle stretch, heart rhythm, and physical movement, and the data are transmitted via Bluetooth to an app in real-time.

Two of the main challenges in developing smart clothing are ensuring the electronics still work after repeated washing and that the clothing isn't bulky or inflexible as a result of being “smart.”

The Zoom Band International plays every Thursday at the + 233 Jazz Bar and Grill in Accra, opposite Ghana Broadcasting, (but you get there from the Alisa Hotel, down). Chris Turkson, now 73, a former banker and IT programming specialist and now guitarist and band leader founded the band in 1983. They only play copy right now (like unfortunately most bands do), nothing special so far, but Their lead singer and former Zoom drummer Tijani Amartey does an excellent job on the Otis Redding repertoire (I've been loving you too long, these arms of mine, I've got dreams to remember, That's how strong my love is) and has a voice worth listening to. One of the particularities of Otis Redding is that most of his songs were written by himself, and I would classify his style as 60's Fado soul blues. And Thursdays normally are not too busy and so far there is no entrance fee on that day. But check on that, and check their menu prices before you order.

Bable Restaurant.

Despite our recent very bad national economic figures expensive restaurants continue to open in Accra. Some people earn Dollars and the high Cedi prices are not an obstacle for them. So when recently my long time Italian acquaintance visited Ghana again and invited me for a lunch I suggested the just opened Bable Restaurant in Cantonments, “tales from the sea” it is written on the menu. Beautiful place, very nice environment, you can feel and see that no money was spared in decorating it. Even their cutlery has Bable on it. My friend ordered a parsley salad and a steak, I went for a caviar dish and grilled grouper. And then the unfortunate classic scenario developed. I say classic because the following is what you get in a lot of upscale restaurants in Accra. The caviar was rather trout eggs, the ones you can buy in some supermarkets. My fish's tale from the sea was that it was a very old tale, it had been unfrozen and refrozen several times and was dry. I agree that fresh fish is difficult to keep fresh, but if your slogan is “tales from the sea” I do expect fresh fish, unfrozen. (And especially not frozen more than once). My friend was luckier. His salad was ok and his steak had a good taste and had a true tale form the sea to tell, it tasted fish. And had also been refrozen many times and was tough, despite the cook doing a good job on it. The aftertaste was carton. And it had the highest price I have ever seen for a steak, even if your reference is the Euro. Honestly, I do not understand this imported steak issue which is popular in most upscale restaurants, our local steak has a perfect taste and actually tastes meat, not fish and carton. Ah, and they don’t serve alcohol either if that interests you. Spiacente, I told my friend.

Full moon on Sunday, but it might be too cloudy and rainy for romantic beach walks.

Lydia...

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