WE ENTERTAINMENT - Live on Stage Rockin’ Sydney’s Island

By Carol A. Allen



Nestled in a quiet strip plaza on Dixie Road in Mississauga, Ontario, the popular eatery, Sydney's Island Restaurant now serves up more than just Caribbean cuisine. With the recent launch of Live on Stage, a new bi-monthly showcase of local entertainers, the west side of the city is becoming a musical escape zone from the regular hustle of Toronto's downtown core.
On January 26th, the first event, "Roots. Rock. Reggae," delivered just that, blending an eclectic mix of musical styles. The talents of Juno-nominated Scottish Canadian roots-reggae artist, Jason Wilson, and soft rock band, In Altum, added a distinct flavour in an environment fully equipped for true stage performers.

Incorporated with the smooth reggae-soul vibe of Montreal-born, Singer, Songwriter, and Musician Tréson, backed by the highly accomplished band, Ibadan, one could easily reminisce back to the days when the old Bamboo on Queen Street West would fill that niche.

Tréson, born Trevor Alman, is a co-creator of the event. He has been generating international buzz since the release of his 2006 singles, 'Jen-Ee-Rocka' (Dubmatix Remix), 'Moments', and 'Dirt, Dust and Sand' all received global airplay. "Coming from the reggae aspect, my template is from Bob (Marley) days--real music dealing with social issues. I write music that can relate to more than one culture, so I want to promote quality music for all cultures.”

Teaming up with Toronto-based Spoken Word Artist Al St. Louis was something that just had to be done, because as Tréson notes, “he’s at the top of his game.” No stranger to producing live shows, St. Louis has been performing across the country at various events over the past eight years. His company, When Words Are Spoken, has provided a platform for himself and other artists to grow and establish themselves through live performances.

St. Louis, whose roots are from Grenada, hosted this event while strategically throwing in a few spoken word pieces throughout the show.

"We feel that there is a lot of great talent in the city. We want to exploit that and give exposure to the various talented individuals to help build Sydney's Island," notes St. Louis. "We're opening the stage to all forms of artistic expression, poetry and musicians."

Over the next year, Live on Stage will promote a different theme for each show with plans to incorporate latin soca, an international artist open mic as well as a continuous blend of various sounds. The shows will be recorded on video to be later edited and distributed for sale.
Tréson emphasizes, “Opportunities are here. Canada is relatively undiscovered. The modern artist has to be committed and independent at the same time."

The next Live on Stage showcase titled, "The Love of Music," takes place on Saturday, March 29 at 9:00pm. Artists performing will include: Noni, Christopher Charles, Toni Anderson, Tréson and Al St. Louis. Comedian Jay Martin will host the show.

Dinner is available and $15 Advance tickets will be on sale the first week of March by calling 416 629 4079 or pay $25 at the door.

For more information you can visit:
http://www.sydneysisland.com/; http://www.myspace.com/tresonmusic and http://www.whenwordsarespoken.com/.

WE COMMUNITY – ACCHO: Keeping Busy Keeping it Alive

If you’re one of the many fans who tune in on Sunday nights to Global TV’s hit show da Kink in my Hair, you would have seen the African and Caribbean Council on HIV/AIDS in Ontario’s (ACCHO) thought-provoking Keep It Alive series of commercials. Its powerful message is hard to miss.

As the first television show with an all-black cast featured on a private national network in Canada, advertising during da Kink in my Hair is a natural fit for ACCHO. Its acclaimed Keep It Alive commercials feature community members promoting HIV/AIDS prevention among Black Canadians and African and Caribbean communities in Canada.

The campaign encourages Black, African and Caribbean adults and youth to know their HIV status by getting tested, practice safer sex, encourage their loved ones to do the same and to remember that people who are living with AIDS and HIV deserve support.

The Keep It Alive campaign shows people how to start a conversation with a loved one about HIV/AIDS. It’s a conversation that could save lives. “We’re also trying to create the kind of environment that supports HIV prevention, and the care, treatment and support for people already infected,” said Winston Husbands, co-chair of ACCHO. “This is part of an effort to ensure healthy communities.”

“The idea behind the TV campaign was to bring a more tangible and personal approach to the key messages of prevention, testing and stigma,” said Howard Chang, founder and president of Top Drawer Creative, the Toronto-based ad agency that worked with ACCHO to develop the campaign. “We hope that people will see in these ads their own stories and challenges, and with that begin their own conversations about HIV and AIDS.”

ACCHO plans to air the popular ads again this spring and is just one of many ways ACCHO keeps busy growing its Keep It Alive campaign. ACCHO is also a repeat supporter of Sun TV’s broadcast of the NAACP awards through broadcast sponsorship and the airing of the Keep it Alive commercials.

To extend its reach beyond the tube, ACCHO Street Teams were developed to give the third phase of the Keep it Alive campaign a more grassroots social marketing focus. The Street Teams work with local AIDS service organizations in Toronto and Ottawa to get the prevention message out to youth in a language they can relate to.

The amateur teams recruit from youth affiliated with local dance or social groups. Participants are trained in HIV/AIDS education, the effects of stigma and the social responsibility African and Caribbean Canadians have in combating HIV/AIDS in their communities.

To effectively reach their individual communities, the teams develop theatrical performances with unique storylines that incorporate their cultural nuances. Through live performances, the teams address the core issues of HIV/AIDS in the community and get the word out about prevention.

If you want to discuss HIV/AIDS with a friend or family member but are unsure how, the new bilingual ACCHO website is a great place to get the tools necessary to approach this sensitive issue. So, do your part to Keep It Alive, visit www.accho.ca and get the message out about HIV/AIDS.

For more information about ACCHO, contact spokespersons Winston Husbands and Wangari Tharao at www.accho.ca.

WE CARNIVAL - The Greatest Show on Earth!

By Antoinette Ifill



Trinidad’s Carnival is an experience that cannot be encapsulated into words, trying to describe the phenomena to someone does not even come close to the rapture felt over the two days of costumed revelry in the streets. Someone once asked, albeit, for me to tantalize their imagination of what it is really like to “play mas”, the following is my best attempt at a literary description of the greatest show on earth.

Carnival Tuesday as the sun slowly rises in the east, masqueraders journey into Port of Spain to meet their band as today it is an early departure and no one wants to be left wandering the streets looking for a band that has left without you. It is encouraging to see others in costumes, walking the streets as well and the kinship of this love of Carnival fills you with delight. Upon finding the band, this is the moment when you get the first look of everyone in costume, and you cannot help but admire the beauty of diverse faces and ethnicities united by one purpose, under one banner.

The latest soca blasts from music trucks summoning the assemblage to get moving. Finally the band is mobile, thousands of masqueraders with one mission of getting to the first judging point. Spectators have already begun lining the parade route, taking in the spectacle of colour, feathers and beads glittering under the sunlight. Masqueraders dance in the street as the destination looms ahead; the pace slows when navigating the narrow streets with a platoon of trucks that supply the music, drinks and even a cool down zone!

Senses dulled with an intoxicating beverage of choice, adrenaline coursing through the veins, no one cares that it is blisteringly hot. The stage looms ahead, slowly masqueraders get into individual sections, the full impact of the costumes can be seen as hundreds of costumed revelers swaying to the music are illuminated by the sun as it rises in the sky. This is what you have been waiting for, after months of planning and anticipation, at long last the moment is here.

Security links arms, forming a human barrier to keep eager masqueraders from crossing the stage before it is time. Those blessed to be frontline masqueraders grace the stage first in their elaborate costumes, then as the barrier breaks, hundreds of masqueraders descend upon the stage, charging forward with renewed energy. This one instant is when any worry, stress or misery is cast off on the streets, replaced by a feeling of total liberation, bliss and enjoyment.

The exhilaration of music and others sharing this feeling with you, releases a spirit of uncontrollable desertion loosing the last bit of self-control as bacchanalia takes a hold of you. Too soon the revelry is over; as masqueraders are gently ushered off stage you come back down to earth, spent and breathless. However, you must press on as the day is far from over. The dancing in the streets goes on for hours, seemingly driven by the infectious music, which causes even the weariest masquerader to summon that last bit of energy to move their hips as their feet keep moving.

As the suns sets on Tuesday, the day comes to a close. The crowd thins as exhausted masqueraders bow out, leaving behind the die-hard Carnival worshipers still going long after it gets dark. Soon it is time to say goodbye to another Carnival. Leaving the band exhausted and drained from the heat and exertion of the day. Every muscle in the body aches, yet you smile wondering how many days are left until you can do it all over again!

WE SPOTLIGHT - Farmer Nappy – The Family that Plays Together

By Karen L. Richardson

West Indian carnival is lawless, reckless fun. It is a time to become who and what you are not. The peasant masquerades as king. The married masquerade as single. The very meaning of the word 'carnival' is a celebration of the flesh. So, it's no wonder countless soca artistes have made their name singing about marital infidelity. They call it wild meat, gettin' butt, horning, or help, but Trinidad's Darryl Henry a.k.a. Farmer Nappy calls their bluff with Chippin'.

"It's all about reality. Why sing about you huggin' up a woman, and go down de road with this next man’s woman and that sort of thing, when you could go to the real point. The song is a reality check at de end of de day," said Farmer Nappy. As the father of a 16-year-old girl, he feels strongly about creating songs that show respect to women.

"Some people don't have a bother to feel the pain when a woman would feel pain, but I grew up with only women in the house," said Farmer Nappy. It all comes down to family. That's how he approaches both his music and his life.

"I'm an entertainer and I'm a guy out there. I’ve done my things already. I’ve hurt people’s feelings. You know girls, guilt and all that. But I have a girl child and I wouldn't like people to do me that. So, I pray that the father could help me know the way." The prayers began to pay off in 2007 when Nappy's female manager connected him with her cousin Mikey "Red Dawg" Hulsmeier. He's half of Barbados' stellar production duo De Red Boyz. That's the team responsible for producing Peter Ram's Woman By My Side and the tune that won Biggie Irie, the 2007 Trinidad Groovy Soca Monarch title, Nah Goin Home. After working with Trini songwriter Ginger to get the melody just right, Farmer Nappy flew out to Barbados to record Chippin'.

The song was released in June. It became an instant hit. Nappy later returned to Barbados to perform his inaugural Crop Over release at three pre-booked gigs. He would end up performing at 16 different shows before the season came to an end. Of 400 new songs released for Barbados Crop Over Festival, Chippin' finished with an enviable number six position on the charts.
Nappy may be celebrating newfound success as a solo artiste, but he's certainly not a fresh face in the soca industry. He toured with Machel Montano and Xtatik right from the beginning, playing a key role as percussionist and songwriter. If you have ever taken a wine to Big Truck, Music Farm, Big Phat Fish, or Footsteps, then you're already a Farmer Nappy fan.

"That is home sweet home. That is like the lamp. Take business out of it and as they say, blood is thicker than water. Machel’s mom is a mother to me and Machel’s dad is a father to me. They practically raised me. Machel is like my brother," said Farmer Nappy.

He surrounds himself with those who understand true kinship. That's what led to collaborations on Wildness and Capsize with Oungku of Antigua's Red Hot Flames. "I look up to Oungku. Other than being in Xtatik, the only other band I could see myself being around is Red Hot Flames. Because Burning Flames are brothers and a nephew. At the end of the day, I based on family," said Nappy.

Now that the dust has settled on Trinidad Carnival, Farmer Nappy says, he has set his sights on being billed as "The King of Groovy".

"I'm staying in the slow groove, because the slow groove working for me. I want to stay with the woman theme because it's a message I trying to send across too," said Nappy. "You have to have respect for the ladies because at the end of the day, women made us. We as entertainers are the messengers. That is why we sing."

Farmer Nappy is already hard at work increasing his repertoire. He anticipates releasing 4 tracks for next season, beginning at Crop Over. There may even be a collaboration with his mentor Chris "Tambu" Herbert. In the meantime, fans can hug up their own lovers and look forward to more of what Chippin' has to offer.

WE RELATIONSHIPS: Rules of Engagement - Expect the unexpected continued…

By Niama S. Sandy

Ladies and gentlemen, the developments of the Expect the Unexpected installment of The Rules have warranted a continuation!

Cara and Danny continued to date and hang out. He even invited to her to one of his soccer matches. At the match he gave her his coat to hold. Inside of the coat was Danny’s phone; it kept ringing and buzzing and making all manner of noises. Eventually, Cara got tired of hearing the thing go off. She looked at the phone and she noticed it was an unsaved number that kept calling. In glancing at the call history she noticed that her number wasn’t saved in the phone either. Interests peaked; Cara did a little further investigation and looked at Danny’s message inbox. “I can’t wait to see you either baby, I love you too” from Miss Missed Call. Interesting…very interesting…But Cara decided that she wasn’t going to pay it any mind. They hadn’t made any proclamations of undying love and faithfulness so what’s the big deal, right?

Fast forward one week. Danny is taking a shower and Cara happens to be in the bathroom. The shower curtain in the bathroom is clear. She happened to glance in the direction of the shower. She noticed that there seemed to be an extra stream of liquid from the direction opposite the showerhead. Ladies and gentleman, the man was taking a leak in the woman’s shower!

Cara drew back the shower curtain and asked Danny what it is he was doing. He said he was peeing. She looked down and noticed that he had been peeing on her washcloth and told him so. (When I heard this I swear it was some kinna obeah situation!) He did not apologize, or reach for the thing to wash it off. I suppose that would have been too decent a thing for him to do. What he did do was tell her was that it was “all going the same place anyway.” Could you imagine? Had that been me, the hardest, nearest object would have been hitting him in the wettest spots on his body! A stinging for all seasons! But I digress…needless to say that was the last we heard of Danny, both the washcloth and his number were erased from Cara’s world.

So our Rules for the month…
“You can always count on people to be themselves.” A friend of mine once told me that and it is always true. When you think you know someone somewhere along the way they will show you their true face. Don’t turn a blind eye…believe them and let your feet do the talking. Don’t be a fool for anyone who will not be a fool for you.
Only pee in your own shower. If you are one of those people who does that, doh go in nobody house and do it. And okay if you for some reason can’t wait, at least wash de bathtub after!

WE Bacchanal

By Mr PlayHouse

You know you’re a stalker when:

10: You drive pass his/her house to see if their car is there and what other cars are there.

9: You leave flowers on their car when he/she does not even know you.

8: You follow him/her all day, then go back and tell your friends later that evening you were limin (hanging out) with him/her.

7: You go through his/her phone when they are in the shower.

6: You have your significant other’s msn, email, facebook, myspace and hi5 passwords and YOU USE IT.

5: You call them more than three times in a row and they don’t answer, then from a blocked number and they still don’t answer and then from a totally different number.

4: You leave a message for someone asking, “hey, did you call me”, when you well know they don’t call you or answer your calls.

3: You are on someone’s facebook profile day in and day out going through their wall posting conversations and tagging pictures.

2: You show up at his/her job and tell the receptionist you are a client.

1: You make a voodoo doll of him/her.


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 www.KOSradio.NET

* Definition of Bacchanal: Caribbean slang word (noun); Confusion; Causing problems amongst each other.

WE BEAUTY - Taking Your Lashes to the Extreme

By Carol A. Allen

If you’ve ever wondered how some of your favourite models and actresses get their long, beautiful eyelashes, you may be surprised to find out that they are not always their own, nor are they enhanced with volumizing mascara. They are probably sporting a secretly growing trend in the beauty industry--eyelash extensions!

The process involves a trained technician bonding the synthetic lash extension with a medical glue to your own individual eyelash. The application causes minimal discomfort and the results are eye-popping.

Since traditional artificial lashes are only designed for one-day use, lash extensions, which stay on much longer, have become extremely popular in the United States, Asia and Australia and is generating huge interests in Canada. Yvette, who owns Royale Esthetics in Toronto, is an Esthetician and Hairdresser who saw the technology at a tradeshow about three years ago. As a result, she decided to launch Xtremelash Canada as an additional service.

Clients can choose short, medium or long length, in a variety of colours including red, black, brown, blue, green and purple. There are different types of lashes: singles, thick singles, or semi-singles (flares).

For the most natural look, the singles are your best option taking about two hours to apply for up to 60 pieces per eye. The semi-singles, up to 20 pieces per eye, take about one hour.
With lash extensions, you never need to use an eyelash curler or apply any mascara because of the fullness of the lash, the dark tint and their natural curl. And, they’re safe for contact lens wearers.

Caring for the lashes entails minimizing direct contact with water, not using oily cleansers and not rubbing the eye. Lash extensions should last at least two months with touch-ups every two or three weeks to replace fallen lashes. Eyelash growth, daily routine and after care will affect how long your extensions stay on. Removal should only be done by a professional.

One client, Sharon N., has been getting the semi-single lashes for about a year. "It feels natural and light and you don't even know that they're there. I usually fall asleep when I'm getting them applied because it's very relaxing. The compliments are amazing and the eyes really stand out!"
Ranging in price from $80 for semi-singles to $200 for the natural look, Xtremelash Canada's prices are quite reasonable compared to some American salons that charge their celebrity clients much more for similar extensions.

For a little extra, and if you want to get creative, you can add decorations such as artificial diamonds to the lash extensions.

When seeking out a lash extension professional, ensure that that they are certified. Yvette, who is currently training people right across Canada says, "be weary of people who are not trained. Even though you don't need experience, it's a very delicate process and you need to fully understand the application.”

For more information about eyelash extensions, you can visit the website at xtremelashcanada.com or call 416-410-8152 or 1-888-410-8152.

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 FOOD - Callaloo Nice!

By Natasha Samuels

Callaloo comes in as many varieties as there are islands in the Caribbean. Callaloo, however, has one constant - that it’s a green leafy vegetable, traditionally belonging to the Amaranth, Taro or Xanthosoma family.

In my native Jamaica, callaloo refers to the Amaranth and is typically paired with salted codfish and served with ground provisions as a Saturday or Sunday brunch dish. The leaf can also be served without meat sautéed with oil or butter, tomato and onion.

Disappearing are the days when you would walk the common or the rim of the tropical lush forest to pick wild callaloo leaves. The vegetable is now being farmed and is proving to be an emerging cash crop suitable for export from the Caribbean. In Jamaica, where the callaloo market is valued at $175 million (JMD), the Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture trained and certified farmers and exporters as well as developed traceable programs and mandatory monitoring of callaloo farms and packing houses in order to establish the export market to North America.

According to Jamaica’s Rural Agricultural Development Authority, 30% of the callaloo grown on the island is sold to exporters, which is exported fresh during the high demand season that runs from November through July. 50% of callaloo grown on the island is sold to processors for canning. 95% of the canned products are exported. The remaining is sold to local consumers for consumption on the island.

Here are two recipes that you can try at home using callaloo. The first is callaloo rice and the second is callaloo soup. I was introduced to callaloo rice during one of my pilgrimages home. It’s a delicious and healthy alternative to our rice dishes and can be served with chicken, pork or beef. I’ve never personally tried the callaloo soup recipe, but the reviews all state that this is certainly a dish that man, woman and child will enjoy.

Callaloo Rice

1 cup of chopped callaloo
1 tbsp margarine
1 small finely chopped onion
1 sprig scallion chopped
2 ½ cups of water
1 lb rice
1 clove chopped garlic

Saute onion, scallion and garlic in heated margarine.
Add chopped callaloo and allow to steam until tender.
Add water and bring to a boil
Add rice. Cover and allow to cook for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender.


Callaloo Soup

1 lb callaloo leaves chopped
6 cups chicken stock
1 onion, chopped
½ pound salt beef
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tsp. garlic (minced)
½ tsp all purpose seasoning
¼ teaspoon thyme
1 green chile pepper, whole
1 cup okra
½ pound crabmeat

Add chicken stock and callaloo leaves to a sauce pan.
Add, onion, salt beef, dried seasoning, chili and crab meat.
Cover, and simmer for 35 minutes, or until meat is tender.
Add the okra and cook for 8 minutes, or until tender
Remove the chili pepper, puree the soup in a blender of food processor.
Reheat and adjust seasonings if necessary.

ASK WE (Dear Sonya)

Dear Sonya,
I was in a relationship, (as far as I knew) for about a month. This guy is a promoter and he has a lot of girlfriends, some of who are models and he even travels with them for certain events. I am 22 and he is 28, he thinks I am immature because of my age, but I cant help but be jealous! I told him what I thought and now he just wants to be friends. The other day we went out and everything was back to normal (boyfriend/girlfriend), but then during the week he doesnt even call me. I’m going nuts and I keep calling him, but I don’t want to look desperate.

Dear getta clue,
If you cant handle the heat, keep out of the kitchen. First of all, one month does not constitute a 'relationship', you are probably scaring the poor guy, first by classifying your relationship as a "relationship". He has friends that are girls, so what?, are you expecting him to change his lifestyle for a girl he met and has only known for one month? Take it easy, it sounds like you cant handle his '''ways', keep it friends and if the friendship turns out to be more to him than that, then he will change his ways on his own and you wont have to say a thing.



Dear Sonya,
I met this girl at work through one of my friends, the girl is absolutely stunning. I get along great with her, it feels like we are the best of friends when we are together. Something about this girl tells me she is the '"one". The other day, one of my buddies came up to me and asked me if I was dating her and I told him YES, and then I got an earful. The girl has dated around with 5-6 guys from work before me, 'she really gets around,' he said. Those words keep haunting me and now when I am with her, I keep thinking she’s a slut and I cant get it out of my head. Should I even bother with her?

Dear, to love or not to love,
This one is a toughie, it depends on YOUR personality. You have to know if you can let this go or if it will eat at you. If not it will only bubble…until you hit your boiling point with it. Some guys wouldn’t mind because it was in the past. A part of finding who you are meant to be with is dating and sifting through the crap to find the right ONE. Some guys on the other hand cannot handle the fact that their girl has been around the block, wondering if that’s her character and how many other guys she has really been with and hasnt mentioned. I say ask the girl, then multiply by 2! just because she dated , doesn’t mean she’s slept with them. .........but if it does mean she slept with them- then
1) STOP
2) TAKE A SHOWER
3) DONT TOUCH-- these 3 steps can be easily remembered by the acronym S.T.D.

Need advice? Send your questions to dearsonya@wemagonline.com

WE COVER - February 2008