Saturday January 5th, 2008
* QRC Outta de Blue VII All-Inclusive - QRC Grounds (St. Clair) - 4pm
* Chutney Soca Monarch Semi-Finals
* Temperature - Mobs II, Chaguaramas
Sunday January 6th, 2008
* Friends Forever (formerly Friends of BPTT) All-Inclusive - 2pm
* Beach Camp Club Annual Carnival Party -Beach Camp Club, Palo Seco
* Kabuki Sweet Soca Stew ‘08 Premium Affair - 4pm
Saturday January 12th, 2008
* Wicked in White
* Pearl Glow All-Inclusive -Pearl Gardens, Petit Valley- 9pm
* St Mary's All-Inclusive - St. Mary's College (Pembroke St, POS)
* Hilarians’ All-Inclusive - Hasely Crawford Stadium, Wrightson Rd, POS - 4pm
* Bishop Anstey All-Inclusive - Bishop Anstey Grounds, POS - 4pm
* Courts Staff Talent Show - Centre of Excellence, Macoya 5pm
* Chutney Glow 2008 - 8pm
Sunday January 13th, 2008
* US Embassy All-Inclusive - Haseley Crawford Stadium - 2pm
* Yorke Inc Annual Carnival All-Inclusive - Windsor Road, Valsayn - 2pm
* TTARP Annual Carnival Show & Dance - The Mas Camp (French St, Woodbrook) - 2pm
* South Central Boyz All-Inclusive
* WITCO One Fete - Queens Park Oval
Wednesday January 16th, 2008
* Carnival Under The Trees (Kick-Off) - Normandie Hotel, 10 Nook Av, St Ann - 8pm
Friday January 18th, 2008
* TCL All-Inclusive - TCL Poolside - 7pm
* Central Bank All Inclusive (Secret Garden) - Eric Williams Plaza, POS - 9pm
* Ladies Night Out 5 - Jean Pierre Complex, POS - 8pm
* Bazodee Friday - Pier 1, Chaguaramas - 9pm
Saturday January 19th, 2008
* Belex All-Inclusive 3 - Lion's Cultural Centre - 6:30pm
* Chutney Soca Monach Finals - Skinner Park - 8pm
* NGC Sports Club All-Inclusive - Country Club - 8pm
* O' Farrell's All-Inclusive - Mobs 2, Chaguaramas - 8pm
* Republic Bank Fete - Pier 1, Chaguaramas
* Blue Range All Inclusive
Sunday January 20th, 2008
* Pan Trinbago Panorama Semi-Finals - 11am
* Kiddies Carnival, St Anthony’s College - Westmoorings - 1pm
* UWI 17th Annual All-Inclusive Carnival Fete - UWI Grounds (St Augustine) - 2pm
* Friends of Blood Bank Fete All-Inclusive - 2pm
* Mc Leod Annual All-Inclusive - 2pm
* Karambouly Kreations All-Inclusive - Twin Walls, La Romain - 2pm
Wednesday January 23rd, 2008
* Carnival Under The Trees (Pan Gone Mad 3) - Normandie Hotel, 10 Nook Av, St Ann - 8pm
Friday January 25th, 2008
* International Soca Monarch Semi-Finals
* Carnival Under The Trees (Jumbie Bead) - Normandie Hotel, 10 Nook Av, St Ann - 8pm
* Army Fete
* Misty Ridge
Saturday January 26th, 2008
* Red Cross Kiddies Carnival, Jean Pierre Complex, POS - 1pm
* Fatima College All-Inclusive - Fatima Grounds, Mucurapo Rd - 7pm
* Carnival Under The Trees (Kitchener Forever) - Normandie Hotel, 10 Nook Av, St Ann - 8pm * White Oak Chutney Brass 7 - Guaracara Park (Point-A-Pierre) - 9pm
* Machel's Alternative Concept 6 - Haseley Crawford Stadium, Wrightson Rd, POS - 10pm
* Kama Sutra VII - Country Club, Maraval - 10pm* AS Brydens 9th Annual All Inclusive
* Victoria Gardens All Inclusive
Sunday January 27th, 2008
* Jamboree Sunday - Jamboree Park, Valsayn - 2pm
* CAREC All-Inclusive - Federation Park (St. Clair) - 2pm
* Nestle Annual All-Inclusive - Churchill Roosevelt Hwy, Valsayn - 2pm
* Hearts on Fire All-Inclusive - Normandie Hotel, 10 Nook Av, St Ann - 5pm
* T&Tec Soca Shoka VIII - St John's Complex
* Georgian Jubilation VI All-Inclusive - St George's College's (Barataria)
Monday January 28th, 2008
* Link Up Cruise V - Chaguaramas
* PNM Fete - Balisier House, Victoria Ave. POS - 9pm
* Mardi Gras 2K8 - 10pm
* Smile All-Inclusive
Tuesday January 29th, 2008
* A.W.O.L. - Macqueripe Rd, Chaguaramas - 4pm
* Tranquillity 2K8 Boat Cruise - Treasure Queen (Pier 2, Chaguaramas) - 7pm
* Carnival Under The Trees (Baron & Friends) - Normandie Hotel, 10 Nook Av, St Ann - 8pm
* Eyes Wide Shut CARNIVALE - Queens Park Oval - 9pm
* Island Style Glow '08 - 10pm
Wednesday January 30th, 2008
* S.O.S. - Maracas - 12pm
* The Ranch - Cunupia
* Carnival Under The Trees (Bring Dat Back) - Normandie Hotel, 10 Nook Av, St Ann - 8pm
* Custom Boys Pan-o-Brass Fete - Hasely Crawford Stadium, POS - 9pm
* Fete`n with the Stars - The Harvard Club (St. James) - 9pm
* Bacchanal Wednesday - Chaguaramas - 10pm
Thursday January 31st, 2008
* Headley All Inclusive Fete - Salybia - 11am
* Beach House Carnival - Ortinola Estate (Maracas) - 11am
* Alternative Thursdays, Down the Islands - 11am
* Blanchisseuse All-Inclusive - 11am
* La Flor’s 'Melange' Carnival Cruise - Pier 1 Marines, Chaguaramas - 12pm
* SS Wassy Big Boatride - Treasure Queen - Pier 2, Chagaramas - 7pm
* Machel In Concert - Normandie Hotel, 10 Nook Av, St Ann - 9pm
* TRIBE Carnival Thursday - Queen's Park Oval - 9pm
* UWI Splash - Chaguaramas - 9pm
Friday February 1st, 2008
* Blue Range Cooler Fete - Diego Martin
* Break Biche Premium All-Inclusive - 12pm
* Taste of Carnival All-Inclusive - TTHTI Compound, Airways Rd, Chaguaramas - 12pm
* Fantastic Friday (Soca Monarch Finals) - 7pm
* Under The Trees (Kitchener Come Back) - Normandie Hotel, 10 Nook Av, St Ann - 8pm
* IslandPeople Girl Power - 9pm
* Rise All-Inclusive - Moka, Maraval - 9pm
* D'Cooler Fete - Pier 1, Chaguaramas - 9pm
Saturday February 2nd, 2008
* Jamboree - "EUPHORIA" All Inclusive - Valsayn - 2pm
* Atlantis 4—D Ultra All-Inclusive - Pier 1, Chaguaramas - 4pm
* Eclipze All-Inclusive - The North Deck, Maraval
* Pan Trinbago National Panorama Finals - Skinner Park, San Fernando - 7pm
* Carnival Under The Trees (Monarchs Back to Back) - Normandie Hotel, 10 Nook Av, St Ann - 8pm
* Chutney Survivor Cooler Fete 2, Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre - 9pm
* Island Style Insomnia Fete - Mobs 2 (Chaguaramas)
* Trini Posse Fete - Chaguaramas
* Dawn, Sunrise In The City
* Lions All Inclusive Fete - Lions Civic Centre (Port of Spain)
Sunday February 3rd, 2008 (Carnival Sunday)
* D’Original Breakfast Party - Diamond Vale, Diego Martin - 1am
* Sunny Side Up Breakfast Party - Palm Avenue West, Petit Valley - 1am
* Sanctuary (Headley All-Inclusive) - Windsor Road, Valsayn - 11am
* Atlantis Booze Cruise - Chaguaramas - 11am
* Brian Lara All-Inclusive Fete - Chancellor Hill, Queen's Park West - 2pm
* Moka Explosion All-Inclusive - St. Andrews Golf Club - Moka, Maraval - 2pm
* T&T Involvers Boat Cruise - Treasure Queen, Pier 2 (Chaguaramas) - 3pm
* Harvard Club All-Inclusive Fete - Harvard Club, St. James - 4pm
* Dimanche Gras, Jean Pierre Complex, POS - 7pm
Monday February 4th, 2008
* J'Ouvert (4am)
* Parade of the Bands
* Carnival Jump Up - Hilton Hotel (Lady Young Rd, Port of Spain)
* Monday Night Mas - Paramin Hill
Tuesday February 5th, 2008
* Parade of the Bands - Judging points @ Adam Smith Square, Piccadilly on the Greens, Queen's Park South
Wednesday February 6th, 2007
* Beach Lime - Maracas Bay, Las Cuevas, Blanchisseuse Bay
* Wild Meat Cool Down - Balandra Bay
* Ash Wed Boatride - Treasure Queen (Pier 2, Chaguaramas)
* Chutney Soca Tent - Quinam Beach
* 3rd Annual Ash Wednesday River Lime - De Freitas Ranch, Valencia
Saturday, January 5, 2008
WE CARNIVAL: Surviving T&T Carnival 2K8 – A Carni Newbie’s Guide
Thanks to a strong Canadian dollar, that long awaited Trinidad & Tobago Carnival trip may be well within reach. With the exchange rate at 6-to-1, a 7-day trip to the twin island for a full Carnival experience will cost you about $3000 CAD (including airfare, costume, accommodations, car rental, food, phone and fetes). Is it worth it? DEFINITELY! Let’s plan your trip.
Firstly, if you are not registered in a costume band, you may as well not go! Harts and TRIBE are already sold out, but Evolution (www.Evolution-Carnival.com) and Island People (www.IslandPeopleMas.com) should still have room for you. A premium all-inclusive costume package starts at about $400 CAD. If you wish to experience ‘dutty mas’, the popular J’Ouvert bands are ‘Red Ants’, ‘Yellow Devils’, ‘Cocoa Devils’ and ‘PlayTime’. Organize this before you even book a flight!
For deals on airfare, look out for sell-offs with Emerald Vacations or Titan Tours; the most popular chartered flights to T&T are Wednesday-to-Wednesday. The only thing is, on the return be prepared for chaos, as much of Trinidad’s airport staff are notorious for not making it to work on Ash Wednesday.
Finding a place to stay can be tricky, especially this late, but not impossible. Log on to www.GoTrinidadAndTobago.com/accommodations for a searchable guide. Another resource is www.tsttyellowpages.co.tt.
To get around, a car rental is a must but can be pricy ($400-$500TTD per day). Many residents that don’t participate in the festivities sometimes rent their personal vehicles at a steal ($250-$300TTD/day), if you can find one. Otherwise, here are the major rental outlets: Piarco Rentals 868-669-2277, Econo-Car 868-669-2342, Sue's Auto Rental 868-669-1635, and TnT Auto Rentals 868-685-8412. You can find a detailed map of Port-of-Spain at http://www.toronto-lime.com/carnival/tnt_map.htm. A valid North American license can be used in T&T for up to 90 days. If you don’t drive ‘Phone-A-Taxi’ is available at 868-628-8294.
VERY important: Prior to leaving on your trip, check that your passport is valid and be sure to ‘unlock’ your GSM phone. Once you get there it’s a MUST to get a local SIM card for your phone. You don’t want to come home to a $1000 cell phone bill from roaming charges. A Digicel or bMobile SIM card will run you about $100 TTD ($17 CAD); top it up with a $100TTD phone card and you’re good for the week.
Now you’re on the island on the Wednesday before Carnival weekend, what do you do? ‘Bacchanal Wednesday’ fete in Chaguaramas of course! To stay up-to-date with events, there are several key media outlets that will keep you in the loop. Local newspapers include ‘The Guardian’ and ‘The Express’. The most popular radio stations are 96.1WEFM and RED 94.7 FM. TV networks are NCC 4, TV6, Gayelle, Synergy TV and WIN TV (NCC 4 broadcasts all the official Carnival events). For updates on the web go to www.VisitTnT.com or www.Toronto-Lime.com.
From Thursday night on is ‘real pace’! The list of events goes on and on. Escape to Salybia, Beach House, TRIBE Thursday, UWI Splash, Soca Monarch, Panorama, Trini Posse, Girl Power, Rise, Insomnia, Dawn, Sunny-Side Up, Moka, Dimanche Gras… whew! Then it’s J’Ouvert, Carnival Monday and Tuesday. But it doesn’t end, there still is the slew of after Carnival cool down fetes; Maracas Bay, Las Cuevas, Blanchisseusse. To get away from the large crowds, I’d suggest heading to the North-East coast (Matelot, Toco, Sans Souci) or even far North to Paria Beach Waterfalls. If you can swing it, try Scotland Bay (down the Islands) or head over to Tobago.
How do you stay awake for it all? Lots of coconut water and power naps in the car between fetes. Stay away from energy drinks that are high in caffeine and taurine; they may keep you awake for a while, but you WILL crash eventually and you don’t wanna miss ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’.
For more info on events, nightlife, beaches, places to stay and eat during T&T Carnival visit www.Toronto-Lime.com/carnival.
WE FITNESS - Get in shape for T&T Carnival 2K8… SOCACIZE!
Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is only weeks away and thousands of scantily clad men and women will fill soon the streets of Port-of-Spain. Are you ready? If not, what better way to get in shape and look fabulous in that $500 USD costume than to practice your “whining skills” while burning those extra calories.
SOCACIZE™ is a special fitness class which combines dance movements (performed to Soca, Calypso, Zouk, Reggae, Dancehall and Drum music) into a cardiovascular and strength training program. “Prepare for a 1 hour SOCA Jam!” says Ayanna Lee-Rivears (program co-ordinator). “SOCASIZE™ includes cardio, weight training, toning and tightening drills and combos to help tone arms, legs and butt!” The goal of the program is to offer a work-out with music and movements that raise the individual’s spirit for an enjoyable session while burning calories quickly (up to 1000 per 60 minute session).
SOCACIZE™ is a fun alternative to having to routinely go to the gym several times a week. The program is designed for individuals that do not have the time to exercise during the work week or simply don't have the motivation to keep fit. According to Ayanna “It's the equivalent to having a regular daily fifteen minute daily workout, but compressed into a 1 hour session.”
Regular sessions are held throughout the GTA, but to prepare for the upcoming T&T Carnival season, a special SOCACIZE™ Conditioning Boot Camp will take place every weekend in January 2008; (Saturdays 12:30pm-1:30pm and Sundays 2pm-3pm) at the Scarborough Youth Resource Centre (SYRC) - 300 Borough Rd (inside the Scarborough Town Centre, next to the Disney Store).
For more information on a 2008 schedule or to register for classes contact Ayanna at 416-728-5545, aleerivears@yahoo.ca or visit www.myspace.com/ayanna_socacize.
WE BEAUTY - Combating Dry, Itchy Skin
By Carol A. Allen
Rough patches, tightness, itchiness, peeling, flaking and scaling may all be signs of regular dry skin, and can be challenging to combat, especially during the cold, winter months.
It can cause discomfort and look unappealing, commonly appearing on the lower legs, hands, elbows, knees, and abdomen. The severity of dryness depends on your health, sex, age, where you live and the amount time you spend outdoors exposed to the sun.
Dry, cracked skin may or may not be itchy, but it's usually related to environmental factors such as heating and air conditioning, low humidity, wind, excessively hot or cold water, harsh soaps, detergents and solvents. It can be hereditary, or caused by metabolic factors such as excessive weight loss or an under-active thyroid gland which reduces the activity of oil and sweat glands. Stress, smoking, alcohol, prescription drugs and caffeine also contribute to dryness. Overuse of antiperspirants and perfumes can increase irritation and chapping.
Your outer layer of skin is made up of dead skin cells, lipids and natural oils which protect the inner layers of skin from toxins and irritating elements. Dryness and itchiness is a sign that your skin has lost its protection. And, as you age, your natural oil production slows down.
The most effective ways to soften and relieve dry skin is to use hypo-allergenic moisturizers such as ointments, cream and lotions. Liberally moisturizing your body three to four times per day is recommended, especially after bathing. Mixing baby oil or bath oils with a moisturizer adds an extra boost of protection.
Dry air affects your skin and lips. Use lip balms with sunscreen and avoid licking to prevent chapping. At home, use a humidifier for moisture and avoid direct contact with indoor heat sources.
Minimizing bath time to 5-10 minutes in lukewarm water instead of steamy hot water will lock in the skin's natural oils.
When shaving, use cream or gel, and change the blades often. Drink plenty of water daily to prevent dehydration. Protect your skin with an SPF 15 sunscreen containing UVA and UVB, even when it's cloudy or overcast. Avoid using harsh soaps that strip your skin of essential oils. Lightly scented or unscented mild soaps and detergents are more appropriate as residue may irritate sensitive, chapped skin. And, allow the skin to breathe by wearing silks and cottons instead of wools.
Products enriched with emollients like shea butter, coconut oil, and olive oil, will help to retain the skin's moisture levels. Relieve dry hands with petroleum jelly and cotton-gloves overnight.
Dry, itchy skin may be signs of other diseases including diabetes and kidney disease. Related dry-skin conditions include small acne-like bump patches called keratosis pilaris, ichthyosis vulgaris which resembles fish scales, psoriasis which tends to be red and dry and asteatotic eczema, scaly, fissured skin which may be inflamed or bleed. Psoriasis, which flares periodically, is a thick, scaly build-up of dead skin.
For itchiness, if moisturizer doesn't help, try a one percent hydrocortisone steroid skin cream for a week. Consult a physician if conditions persist.
Carol Allen is a Skin Care Consultant and Make-Up Artist for Aloette Cosmetics.
You can book a personal consultation by calling (416) 410 7556 or by email to aloette@carrebizness.com
Rough patches, tightness, itchiness, peeling, flaking and scaling may all be signs of regular dry skin, and can be challenging to combat, especially during the cold, winter months.
It can cause discomfort and look unappealing, commonly appearing on the lower legs, hands, elbows, knees, and abdomen. The severity of dryness depends on your health, sex, age, where you live and the amount time you spend outdoors exposed to the sun.
Dry, cracked skin may or may not be itchy, but it's usually related to environmental factors such as heating and air conditioning, low humidity, wind, excessively hot or cold water, harsh soaps, detergents and solvents. It can be hereditary, or caused by metabolic factors such as excessive weight loss or an under-active thyroid gland which reduces the activity of oil and sweat glands. Stress, smoking, alcohol, prescription drugs and caffeine also contribute to dryness. Overuse of antiperspirants and perfumes can increase irritation and chapping.
Your outer layer of skin is made up of dead skin cells, lipids and natural oils which protect the inner layers of skin from toxins and irritating elements. Dryness and itchiness is a sign that your skin has lost its protection. And, as you age, your natural oil production slows down.
The most effective ways to soften and relieve dry skin is to use hypo-allergenic moisturizers such as ointments, cream and lotions. Liberally moisturizing your body three to four times per day is recommended, especially after bathing. Mixing baby oil or bath oils with a moisturizer adds an extra boost of protection.
Dry air affects your skin and lips. Use lip balms with sunscreen and avoid licking to prevent chapping. At home, use a humidifier for moisture and avoid direct contact with indoor heat sources.
Minimizing bath time to 5-10 minutes in lukewarm water instead of steamy hot water will lock in the skin's natural oils.
When shaving, use cream or gel, and change the blades often. Drink plenty of water daily to prevent dehydration. Protect your skin with an SPF 15 sunscreen containing UVA and UVB, even when it's cloudy or overcast. Avoid using harsh soaps that strip your skin of essential oils. Lightly scented or unscented mild soaps and detergents are more appropriate as residue may irritate sensitive, chapped skin. And, allow the skin to breathe by wearing silks and cottons instead of wools.
Products enriched with emollients like shea butter, coconut oil, and olive oil, will help to retain the skin's moisture levels. Relieve dry hands with petroleum jelly and cotton-gloves overnight.
Dry, itchy skin may be signs of other diseases including diabetes and kidney disease. Related dry-skin conditions include small acne-like bump patches called keratosis pilaris, ichthyosis vulgaris which resembles fish scales, psoriasis which tends to be red and dry and asteatotic eczema, scaly, fissured skin which may be inflamed or bleed. Psoriasis, which flares periodically, is a thick, scaly build-up of dead skin.
For itchiness, if moisturizer doesn't help, try a one percent hydrocortisone steroid skin cream for a week. Consult a physician if conditions persist.
Carol Allen is a Skin Care Consultant and Make-Up Artist for Aloette Cosmetics.
You can book a personal consultation by calling (416) 410 7556 or by email to aloette@carrebizness.com
WE Relationships – Rules of Engagement: Dating Etiquette…
By Niama S. Sandy
As it is a New Year let us truly start anew! Just as the New Year brings endless new possibilities, so do new relationships. When it goin good yuh have de bliss and de excitement but there’s always the chance that it can go terribly wrong before you’re really out of the gate. In true Rules of Engagement fashion I will prove my case with a story…
Some months back I met a man – let’s call him Courtney. We went once; he paid- only indicating his intent to do so after I pulled out my own money. A few weeks later, I had passes to an event. I invited him. He replied “Sure, could you treat to dinner?”
Honestly, I had a deer-in-the-headlights moment. I know this a new era for women and all; nowadays a woman can pay on a date but here’s the thing: don’t ask me to!
Then I thought about it again. Depending on your thought processes there is an argument to be made that he could have been 1) just being honest and open or 2) testing me. I decided to put my schema aside and go with it; so I finally said “Sure why not.”
So I tell him what time to get there. A little after the appointed time, Courtney calls – “I will be there in 10 minutes.” Twenty minutes later this one waltzes in, his breathe smelling like I don’t even know what and furthermore now a half an hour late. He was already pushing his luck with the “can you treat” thing; this lateness was kicking it into overdrive. Needless to say there hasn’t been another excursion.
So our Rules for the New Year…
1. Look your best!
You may call me superficial but hear me out. For me, looking “your best” translates to emanating confidence and being inviting. Make sure yuh doh have no lint in yuh hair or nuttin so.
2. Be on time!
Hell be a few minutes early! Your lateness can read as your complete disregard for the time of others. If you know you’re going to be late – call!
3. Put the Crackberry down!
In today’s world there are so many things that fracture our attention into a million little pieces. The incessant texting, e-mailing, and whatever else your device of distraction does can go on hold for the next couple of hours. There is nothing worse than hearing “One More Time” come blasting out of your date’s phone when in the middle of a conversation. It may be exceedingly difficult but try giving your date your full attention.
4. Mind your manners.
Common courtesy seems to be something that’s lacking in many everyday interactions; fill that void. Gentleman: stand when she gets up to go to the bathroom, take off your hat when you enter her house, open her door - and my personal old-fashioned favorite – make sure she walks on the inside of the street. Ladies: laugh at his jokes!
As it is a New Year let us truly start anew! Just as the New Year brings endless new possibilities, so do new relationships. When it goin good yuh have de bliss and de excitement but there’s always the chance that it can go terribly wrong before you’re really out of the gate. In true Rules of Engagement fashion I will prove my case with a story…
Some months back I met a man – let’s call him Courtney. We went once; he paid- only indicating his intent to do so after I pulled out my own money. A few weeks later, I had passes to an event. I invited him. He replied “Sure, could you treat to dinner?”
Honestly, I had a deer-in-the-headlights moment. I know this a new era for women and all; nowadays a woman can pay on a date but here’s the thing: don’t ask me to!
Then I thought about it again. Depending on your thought processes there is an argument to be made that he could have been 1) just being honest and open or 2) testing me. I decided to put my schema aside and go with it; so I finally said “Sure why not.”
So I tell him what time to get there. A little after the appointed time, Courtney calls – “I will be there in 10 minutes.” Twenty minutes later this one waltzes in, his breathe smelling like I don’t even know what and furthermore now a half an hour late. He was already pushing his luck with the “can you treat” thing; this lateness was kicking it into overdrive. Needless to say there hasn’t been another excursion.
So our Rules for the New Year…
1. Look your best!
You may call me superficial but hear me out. For me, looking “your best” translates to emanating confidence and being inviting. Make sure yuh doh have no lint in yuh hair or nuttin so.
2. Be on time!
Hell be a few minutes early! Your lateness can read as your complete disregard for the time of others. If you know you’re going to be late – call!
3. Put the Crackberry down!
In today’s world there are so many things that fracture our attention into a million little pieces. The incessant texting, e-mailing, and whatever else your device of distraction does can go on hold for the next couple of hours. There is nothing worse than hearing “One More Time” come blasting out of your date’s phone when in the middle of a conversation. It may be exceedingly difficult but try giving your date your full attention.
4. Mind your manners.
Common courtesy seems to be something that’s lacking in many everyday interactions; fill that void. Gentleman: stand when she gets up to go to the bathroom, take off your hat when you enter her house, open her door - and my personal old-fashioned favorite – make sure she walks on the inside of the street. Ladies: laugh at his jokes!
WE Bacchanal* - Top 10 ways to catch a cheating partner
By Mr PlayHouse
For all you paranoid gals/fellas who feel a little weary of your partners loyalty, here's how you can catch on to them.
#10. Tell your partner you're going out of town, and then monitor what he/she does while you're supposedly away.
#9. Check the odometer on the car for unexplainable extra mileage. If you're extra paranoid install a GPS tracking device on the car. *lol*
#8. If your partner claims to be working late all the time. Check their pay stubs and make sure it reflects the overtime.
#7. Check computer histories for multiple free-based email account websites. If your partner has frequent gmail, yahoo and hotmail visits and doesn’t email you from any of those, something is up.
#6. If your partner’s computer and cell phone history is always clean, then definitely something is up.
#5. Set up a fake myspace or facebook profile, then leave your girl a flirty comment and wait for a response.
#4. Technology is a great thing... simply buy your girl/guy a phone as a gift (one that has a GPS of course).
#3. Use the good old 'bluff'. If you're a good actor, say to your partner "I know what you've been up too, here's your last chance to tell me the truth". Wait for a reaction!
#2. If in bed your girl screams out "OH YES DELROY"; and Delroy isn't your name... BUSTED!
AND... The #1 way to know if you have a cheating partner...
If he/she is going to Trinidad Carnival and insists that you don't go along for the trip... END IT... ONE TIME!
For more bacchanal or to send comments... contact Mr PlayHouse at mrplayhouse@wemagonline.com or www.myspace.com/mrplayhouse
Listen to Mr PlayHouse LIVE on 'Star Struck' every Tuesday night from 9-11pm on http://www.kosradio.net/
* Definition of Bacchanal: Caribbean slang word (noun); Confusion; Causing problems amongst each other.
For all you paranoid gals/fellas who feel a little weary of your partners loyalty, here's how you can catch on to them.
#10. Tell your partner you're going out of town, and then monitor what he/she does while you're supposedly away.
#9. Check the odometer on the car for unexplainable extra mileage. If you're extra paranoid install a GPS tracking device on the car. *lol*
#8. If your partner claims to be working late all the time. Check their pay stubs and make sure it reflects the overtime.
#7. Check computer histories for multiple free-based email account websites. If your partner has frequent gmail, yahoo and hotmail visits and doesn’t email you from any of those, something is up.
#6. If your partner’s computer and cell phone history is always clean, then definitely something is up.
#5. Set up a fake myspace or facebook profile, then leave your girl a flirty comment and wait for a response.
#4. Technology is a great thing... simply buy your girl/guy a phone as a gift (one that has a GPS of course).
#3. Use the good old 'bluff'. If you're a good actor, say to your partner "I know what you've been up too, here's your last chance to tell me the truth". Wait for a reaction!
#2. If in bed your girl screams out "OH YES DELROY"; and Delroy isn't your name... BUSTED!
AND... The #1 way to know if you have a cheating partner...
If he/she is going to Trinidad Carnival and insists that you don't go along for the trip... END IT... ONE TIME!
For more bacchanal or to send comments... contact Mr PlayHouse at mrplayhouse@wemagonline.com or www.myspace.com/mrplayhouse
Listen to Mr PlayHouse LIVE on 'Star Struck' every Tuesday night from 9-11pm on http://www.kosradio.net/
* Definition of Bacchanal: Caribbean slang word (noun); Confusion; Causing problems amongst each other.
WE Food - June Plum
By Natasha G. Samuels
I was introduced to June Plum (Golden Apple if you are from Barbados; Pommecythere if you are from Trinidad and Spondias Dulcis for you science buffs who care to know what the actual botanical name is,) during one of my many trips back to Jamaica. I wasn’t very fond of the fruit then, with its sour skin and jooky big rhaatid seed. It’s amazing though how homesickness will inspire us to eat any and everything that we can get our hands on while abroad even if it was never a favorite of ours when we were back home. As such, although it wasn’t my favorite, I didn’t hesitate to shell out the $5.00 (USD) for four of the green plums when I saw them arranged in a small box at the end of the cashier line in my neighborhood’s one stop West Indian Food store.
As soon as my four little guys were ripe (I put them in a brown paper bag to speed the process), I would peel and eat them in one setting. However, June Plum is edible green. In its un-ripened stage, June Plum can be used in chutneys, pepper sauces, pickles or salsas. The flesh has a crisp, acidic taste and is described by many as having a pineapple-like fragrance and taste. In its ripened stage (which I prefer), the fruit is golden yellow, sweet and less acidic and can be used in salads, juices and deserts. When stewed with sugar and cinnamon, the flesh of the June Plum yields a product, which is like a traditional applesauce but one that is richer in flavor.
Of course as children of the Caribbean, after a challenging climb or for those of you who were less adventurous with exploring the upper limbs of the June plum tree, (like me) would pick the June Plum from off the ground (or wait for it to come from market) and peel the skin of the ripened fruit with a knife or with our teeth and eat as much of the fleshy parts before reaching its prickly core. Another edible part of the June Plum is the leaf of the tree itself. In Southeast Asia the leaves are consumed raw. In Indonesia the leaves are steamed and eaten as a vegetable with salted fish and rice.
A native of the South Pacific, June Plum is another fruit brought to the islands by the infamous Captain Bligh. The fruit is cultivated in Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Venezuela and Surinam. The oblong shaped fruit is considered to be a good source of vitamin C and iron. It is said to be useful in relieving ailments such as diabetes, heart conditions, high blood pressure and urinary troubles.
June Plum is a popular fruit drink in Guyana. In Jamaica, Tru-Juice bottles and sells June Plum juice to the masses. Here is a juice recipe that you can try at home with ripened June Plums.
June plum juice (one serving)
6 June plums – peeled with the prickly seed removed
½ cup of water
1 tablespoon of honey or brown sugar
½ tablespoon of grated ginger
Place all ingredients in blender with ice. Blend, strain and pour into tall glass.
WE CULTURE - Hosay
By Cheryl Nneka U. Hazell
Hosay in Cedros (photo by Pedro Delano - www.lightstalkers.org)
The beat of the tassa drums can be heard coming down the streets in various towns and districts of Trinidad as the observations of Hosay gets underway. This 1300 year-old annual celebration, observed during Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is held by Muslims in remembrance of the martyrdom of the prophet Mohammed’s grandson, Hussein, from which the creolized word “Hosay” is derived. He had been marching to Baghdad to revenge his brother Hassan’s death when his rivals slew him. East Indian immigrants who were Shiite Muslims brought this piece of their culture with them to Trinidad in 1845 from the north Indian city of Lucknow and the Indian state of Oudh. Hosay was first observed on the island in 1854.
Threatened by scenes of public gatherings, the British colonial authorities outlawed the Hosay commemorations in 1884. Celebrants still took to the streets and while Port of Spain was spared, a shootout occurred in San Fernando in which East Indians were killed or injured. That day is historically referred to as the Muharram Massacre but was called the Hosay Riots in British colonial records. There is no such threat to the culture or the observations today.
For three nights the procession wends through the city streets beginning on Flag Night with hundreds of devotees carrying multi-coloured flags symbolizing the Battle of Kerbala. The next night, small tadjahs, or models of mosques built and decorated by volunteers, are led by the sounds of the tassa - made of clay and covered with goat skin - which can be heard for miles around. On the third night, large spectacular tadjahs standing more than two meters high are paraded through the streets by eager participants while dancers hold aloft two elaborately decorated crescent moons representing the slain brothers.
Over the years, participants have crossed racial and religious boundaries. Hosay celebrations are carried out in Curepe, Tunapuna, Couva and Cedros. On the fourth morning, a simulated battle done in the form of a dance is performed in an open field and afterwards a special prayer is offered up to the memory of the dead. Later in the evening the tadjahs are dismantled and properly disposed of in adherence to environmental-friendly sentiments as opposed to throwing them into the sea as in days gone by.
This highly ritualized tradition has evolved into its own unique event and it is evident that Hosay’s modern-day meaning in Trinidad serves to promote and showcase ethnic pride and encourage solidarity between Muslims and East Indians.
The festival takes place on January 19th, 2008 and in 2009 Hosay will occur twice in the same calendar-year (January 7th & December 27th).
Hosay in Cedros (photo by Pedro Delano - www.lightstalkers.org)
The beat of the tassa drums can be heard coming down the streets in various towns and districts of Trinidad as the observations of Hosay gets underway. This 1300 year-old annual celebration, observed during Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is held by Muslims in remembrance of the martyrdom of the prophet Mohammed’s grandson, Hussein, from which the creolized word “Hosay” is derived. He had been marching to Baghdad to revenge his brother Hassan’s death when his rivals slew him. East Indian immigrants who were Shiite Muslims brought this piece of their culture with them to Trinidad in 1845 from the north Indian city of Lucknow and the Indian state of Oudh. Hosay was first observed on the island in 1854.
Threatened by scenes of public gatherings, the British colonial authorities outlawed the Hosay commemorations in 1884. Celebrants still took to the streets and while Port of Spain was spared, a shootout occurred in San Fernando in which East Indians were killed or injured. That day is historically referred to as the Muharram Massacre but was called the Hosay Riots in British colonial records. There is no such threat to the culture or the observations today.
For three nights the procession wends through the city streets beginning on Flag Night with hundreds of devotees carrying multi-coloured flags symbolizing the Battle of Kerbala. The next night, small tadjahs, or models of mosques built and decorated by volunteers, are led by the sounds of the tassa - made of clay and covered with goat skin - which can be heard for miles around. On the third night, large spectacular tadjahs standing more than two meters high are paraded through the streets by eager participants while dancers hold aloft two elaborately decorated crescent moons representing the slain brothers.
Over the years, participants have crossed racial and religious boundaries. Hosay celebrations are carried out in Curepe, Tunapuna, Couva and Cedros. On the fourth morning, a simulated battle done in the form of a dance is performed in an open field and afterwards a special prayer is offered up to the memory of the dead. Later in the evening the tadjahs are dismantled and properly disposed of in adherence to environmental-friendly sentiments as opposed to throwing them into the sea as in days gone by.
This highly ritualized tradition has evolved into its own unique event and it is evident that Hosay’s modern-day meaning in Trinidad serves to promote and showcase ethnic pride and encourage solidarity between Muslims and East Indians.
The festival takes place on January 19th, 2008 and in 2009 Hosay will occur twice in the same calendar-year (January 7th & December 27th).
WE FILM – The Great Debaters
By Dr JAY
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Melvin B. Tolson (played by Denzel Washington who directs the movie as well) is the real-life professor who formed the debate team that is comprised of some young actors that will have a long an illustrious career in the movie business if these performances are any indication. In addition to being a professor, Tolson was also a working man's advocate who, due to his ideologies, was accused of being a communist (one of the worst names to be called in those times). Forest Whitaker plays the role of Dr. James Farmer, a nationally-recognized scholar who regardless of his credentials, found his life threatened by white hog farmers who wouldn't get a question right on game show, "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?"
Nominated for a Golden Globe for "Best Picture", THE GREAT DEBATERS is a fictionalized true story that the vast majority of us have never been taught in history class. It’s a real tale of the unlikely ten season unbeaten streak of the debate team at Wiley College (a small all-Black institution in Marshall, Texas) in 1935. Produced by Oprah Winfrey, I was under the impression that this would have been a typical, sappy and preachy movie. I couldn't have been more wrong. Instead, it is a story told with honesty, humour and raw emotion. Do you want the real talk? There was a point where I had to drink some sprite in order not to get all emotional in the movie theatre. Trust me; this will put a lump in your throat. Do yourself a favour and go see this movie. Don't get all cheap and pick up a bootleg at the flea market. This deserves your support in the theatre. When it comes to THE GREAT DEBATERS, I am in the affirmative.
Release Date: December 25th, 2007
Studio: Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM Studios)
Director: Melvin B. Tolson
Screenwriter:
Starring: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker, Denzel Whitaker, Jermaine Williams, Gina Ravera, Jurnee Smollett, John Heard, Kimberley Elise
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG 13
Official Website: www.thegreatdebatersmovie.com
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Melvin B. Tolson (played by Denzel Washington who directs the movie as well) is the real-life professor who formed the debate team that is comprised of some young actors that will have a long an illustrious career in the movie business if these performances are any indication. In addition to being a professor, Tolson was also a working man's advocate who, due to his ideologies, was accused of being a communist (one of the worst names to be called in those times). Forest Whitaker plays the role of Dr. James Farmer, a nationally-recognized scholar who regardless of his credentials, found his life threatened by white hog farmers who wouldn't get a question right on game show, "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?"
Nominated for a Golden Globe for "Best Picture", THE GREAT DEBATERS is a fictionalized true story that the vast majority of us have never been taught in history class. It’s a real tale of the unlikely ten season unbeaten streak of the debate team at Wiley College (a small all-Black institution in Marshall, Texas) in 1935. Produced by Oprah Winfrey, I was under the impression that this would have been a typical, sappy and preachy movie. I couldn't have been more wrong. Instead, it is a story told with honesty, humour and raw emotion. Do you want the real talk? There was a point where I had to drink some sprite in order not to get all emotional in the movie theatre. Trust me; this will put a lump in your throat. Do yourself a favour and go see this movie. Don't get all cheap and pick up a bootleg at the flea market. This deserves your support in the theatre. When it comes to THE GREAT DEBATERS, I am in the affirmative.
Release Date: December 25th, 2007
Studio: Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM Studios)
Director: Melvin B. Tolson
Screenwriter:
Starring: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker, Denzel Whitaker, Jermaine Williams, Gina Ravera, Jurnee Smollett, John Heard, Kimberley Elise
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG 13
Official Website: www.thegreatdebatersmovie.com
Ask WE - Dear Sonya
Dear Sonya,
I have started a new job recently and I sit next to this guy who is married and has a family. We take our breaks together, we go for lunch together and we are always flirting back and forth. During lunch the other day, we each had a shot - to celebrate the holidays, when we got back into the car he reached over and kissed me (and much more!). When we got back to work, he started sending me these provocative emails and leaving notes on my desk. I admit , I really like the attention - I know that I am vulnerable, I haven’t been in a relationship for some time now, I don’t want to fall for him, but I find myself thinking about him all the time. I take that extra few minutes in the morning to make sure I look extra good. Am I doing something wrong?
Dear Wrong Attention,
You KNOW you are doing something wrong - otherwise you wouldn’t be writing. What you are to him is his "work wife" and that’s it. The same way YOU like the attention, so does HE. When it comes down to it, he is going home to his wife and family and if you are expecting more than that, then someone needs to tell you that you are being used. I know you like the attention, but when rumours start going around, it’s not going to be the type of attention you want- don’t turn into the office tramp.
Dear Sonya, I have been seeing this guy for about 4 weeks. We go out, have coffee, long hours of conversation and things are great. The other day I called him and he was out with his friends. When he answered the phone he was so rude to me. He didn’t even call me back that night. The next day, I felt so stupid, but I called him again on my lunch hour and left him a message and he didn’t return my call until the end of the day. I call him 7-8 times a day and he calls me once a day. I send him emails and he doesn’t respond. I feel like I am in love with him and he is my soul mate, but lately he has been treating me so bad.
Dear In Love,
Even your email is scaring me. You need to chill. Love does not happen that fast. Sure someone can fall OUT of love easily, but to fall in love take a little more time than 4 weeks. I hope during one of your long conversations you didn’t mention any of the above? Don’t confuse your infatuation with love or your NEED to be in love with 'love'. Stop obsessing over the relationship and lose the needy attitude; I’m sure you can find a life outside of this guy- so he will be a little more interested in you. Nothing more dull than a needy girl with no life of her own.
Need advice? Send your questions to dearsonya@wemagonline.com
I have started a new job recently and I sit next to this guy who is married and has a family. We take our breaks together, we go for lunch together and we are always flirting back and forth. During lunch the other day, we each had a shot - to celebrate the holidays, when we got back into the car he reached over and kissed me (and much more!). When we got back to work, he started sending me these provocative emails and leaving notes on my desk. I admit , I really like the attention - I know that I am vulnerable, I haven’t been in a relationship for some time now, I don’t want to fall for him, but I find myself thinking about him all the time. I take that extra few minutes in the morning to make sure I look extra good. Am I doing something wrong?
Dear Wrong Attention,
You KNOW you are doing something wrong - otherwise you wouldn’t be writing. What you are to him is his "work wife" and that’s it. The same way YOU like the attention, so does HE. When it comes down to it, he is going home to his wife and family and if you are expecting more than that, then someone needs to tell you that you are being used. I know you like the attention, but when rumours start going around, it’s not going to be the type of attention you want- don’t turn into the office tramp.
Dear Sonya, I have been seeing this guy for about 4 weeks. We go out, have coffee, long hours of conversation and things are great. The other day I called him and he was out with his friends. When he answered the phone he was so rude to me. He didn’t even call me back that night. The next day, I felt so stupid, but I called him again on my lunch hour and left him a message and he didn’t return my call until the end of the day. I call him 7-8 times a day and he calls me once a day. I send him emails and he doesn’t respond. I feel like I am in love with him and he is my soul mate, but lately he has been treating me so bad.
Dear In Love,
Even your email is scaring me. You need to chill. Love does not happen that fast. Sure someone can fall OUT of love easily, but to fall in love take a little more time than 4 weeks. I hope during one of your long conversations you didn’t mention any of the above? Don’t confuse your infatuation with love or your NEED to be in love with 'love'. Stop obsessing over the relationship and lose the needy attitude; I’m sure you can find a life outside of this guy- so he will be a little more interested in you. Nothing more dull than a needy girl with no life of her own.
Need advice? Send your questions to dearsonya@wemagonline.com
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