The only reason that I am commenting on the fact that I did not attend ONE fete is because I had so many people asking me why I wasn't at the Oval last night. Listen, as much as I would have loved to start of my feteing with ONE fete as I have done over the past few years I simply decided that I was not paying the price of $600.00TT for a fete where I paid $250.00TT in 2007 and $400.00TT in 2008. The scalpers were having a field day with this one though as ONE fete was sold out early, tickets were being scalped from $800.00 to $1300.00 I was told!
With the prices of fetes for 2009 pushing 100.00US on average I have taken the stance early on that I am simply not busting my pocket and will carefully choose which fetes I do decide to patronize. For example, ONE fete was off the list but Blue Range All Inclusive at half the price of ONE fete (with Machel and the same price as 2008) seemed like the better deal!There is life after Ash Wednesday and I do not go into debt to hang my hat higher than it can reach. Post Carnival I do not have to worry about all the bills left unpaid just so I can hob nob with certain folks at certain parties, folks who are getting complimentary tickets to these parties I might add, that is the irony of it all. While the "average" man is spending his entire paycheck to afford two fetes for the month the who's who of Trinidad celebrity are not paying a cent to attend all the fetes you see them pose up smiling at!
Carnival overall is an expensive event and I have allocated my money to priorities that are a necessity; going to a particular fete is not a necessity. My costume is already paid off, that is a "necessity", my footwear is in order that is a "necessity", makeup artist booked, lashes booked... those are my "necessities". Getting ready to hit the road is an additional expense that I personally do not mind as it is all part of my adopted Go Big or stay home mantra and this gives me much more satisfaction than a few hours at a fete where I won't be drinking and trying to avoid the food temptation as we are all on a Carnival diet!
So in conclusion to my non-fete review I really want to emphasize that I will be picking and choosing which fetes get my hard earned dollars for 2009 because frankly as long as I am playing mas fetes are secondary and if I do not go to a particular fete that "everyone" else is going to I will survive. Like I said before it isn't THAT necessary; having a ball on the road Monday 23 February and Tuesday 24 February , goes without saying that is priority #1!
With the prices of fetes for 2009 pushing 100.00US on average I have taken the stance early on that I am simply not busting my pocket and will carefully choose which fetes I do decide to patronize. For example, ONE fete was off the list but Blue Range All Inclusive at half the price of ONE fete (with Machel and the same price as 2008) seemed like the better deal!There is life after Ash Wednesday and I do not go into debt to hang my hat higher than it can reach. Post Carnival I do not have to worry about all the bills left unpaid just so I can hob nob with certain folks at certain parties, folks who are getting complimentary tickets to these parties I might add, that is the irony of it all. While the "average" man is spending his entire paycheck to afford two fetes for the month the who's who of Trinidad celebrity are not paying a cent to attend all the fetes you see them pose up smiling at!
Carnival overall is an expensive event and I have allocated my money to priorities that are a necessity; going to a particular fete is not a necessity. My costume is already paid off, that is a "necessity", my footwear is in order that is a "necessity", makeup artist booked, lashes booked... those are my "necessities". Getting ready to hit the road is an additional expense that I personally do not mind as it is all part of my adopted Go Big or stay home mantra and this gives me much more satisfaction than a few hours at a fete where I won't be drinking and trying to avoid the food temptation as we are all on a Carnival diet!
So in conclusion to my non-fete review I really want to emphasize that I will be picking and choosing which fetes get my hard earned dollars for 2009 because frankly as long as I am playing mas fetes are secondary and if I do not go to a particular fete that "everyone" else is going to I will survive. Like I said before it isn't THAT necessary; having a ball on the road Monday 23 February and Tuesday 24 February , goes without saying that is priority #1!
