Carnival Virgin Survial Guide

I know I sent this in an email last year, but for those who were not fortunate to get the email or only discovered the blog after I sent it out here is some advice for all you mas newbies a.k.a VIRGINS!:

Here is a compilation of tips and advice for Carnival Virgins (and even those not so Virginal). Hope you find them useful!

Saucy

www.saucytrini.blogspot.com

• First and most important never wear your full costume on Monday unless you are a two band/section H.O. Tuesday is the day to look fresh and glam. Most people who do this look washed up on Tuesday. For some reason Tuesday is the time to show off your costume.

• If you plan on wear mas stockings to prevent your toes from suffering, cut off the toe part so your toes will be free. Some people cut the stockings to the ankle but I find that sometimes causes a run so when I cut my toes off I use clear nail polish to "seal" the edges.

• On that note I always carry a small "survival pack" on the road, it's usually a small pouch and in it are items like my sample sized sun block, wet wipes, safety pins, pain killers, clear nail polish (for stocking runs on the road), my cell phone, vex money, powder, oil absorbing sheets and lip gloss. A husband/boyfriend also known as a "man purse" can be utilized for carrying of the pouch as well.

• Sun block, sun block and MORE sun block. Apply after bathing, apply when waiting on the band to move off, apply when you stop for lunch, apply often, apply liberally, ...just make sure you apply it. You don't want to look like a Tobago bun bake by Tuesday morning. Carry some sun block with you in a small vial or a sample size so you can re-apply as necessary.

• Face jewels look pretty, but if you get sunburn you can end up looking like your face has polka dots all over. The flat, metallic jewels in shapes such as stars are the major culprits for attracting sun like a magnet. I have found using crystals are much better!

• You do not need a full face of make up for Carnival to look polished; getting individual false eyelashes gives an instant "made up" look to your face. All that is needed to complete the look is your lipstick, eye shadow to match your costume and a touch of face powder to give your face a "fresh" appearance.

• To keep makeup in place, for those who love the made up look, the key is NOT, I repeat NOT to go out with a bare face. Use a lightweight moisturizing sunscreen with a HIGH SPF (45+) like Neutrogena. Then, spray a VERY HIGH (60+) sunscreen all over your body and go lie down for a little while and let it absorb into your skin. Ideally it should be in an air conditioned room, but if A/C is not an option, just place yourself where you can get the coolest breeze in the house. Then get up later and apply your makeup. Your skin feels like it has been freshly washed because everything is already absorbed! To make cosmetics last, use PRIMER for damn near everything. There are eye shadow, mascara, and lipstick primers among other things! THEN apply your regular makeup over the primer. It lasts! Primers can be purchased at Clinique, Sephora, from any upscale makeup line, and even CVS drugstore

• To the "big girls, thickies, thick ting" if a mas band doesn't carry your size underwear but they have your bra go to a cloth store or Samaroos, look for a reputable seamstress and have your underwear made. Get your correct sized stockings, when your 'hose bussing holes you are going to look busted. If you wear anything over a DD, try to see if the particular band you are playing with will let you use your own bra (if you have a way of getting it there). Sometimes these bands don't cater to those with the melon jugs and having your bubbies dragggggggggggin on the ground isn’t sexy at all.

• Makeup must always be in tact. In order to accomplish a fresh face all day it is advisable to get your face professionally done by a competent makeup artist. This also helps in preventing your face from becoming sun burnt as the makeup protects your face plus you look 10 times better than when your costume nice but your face like "plain Jane". You don't want to be seen on TV with your face looking like you frying chicken by the KFC stand in the Savannah all day!

• Footwear. Ladies please, please, please wear comfortable shoes, sneakers or whatever you desire to wear on your feet. If wearing sneakers, make sure you "break them in" at least 1-2 months before carnival if you can't well there's always "Dr Scholls". Some people often play mas in gym sneakers because they are already "broken in" and comfortable so it gives support all day. The worst ting is to see people walking in the band barefooted or in their socks alone because the sneakers hurting their damn foot. If you are wearing boots I got advice to tape your toes with cotton for extra comfort.

• If you want to have much stamina, start doing brisk walks round the Savannah, in your yard, on the treadmill, up the street. Wherever you can go walking, do it because it helps come Monday and Tuesday. It helps you to loose the weight plus build stamina because come carnival you want to be able to go until the music truck switch off. Try to start walking about 3 to 4 months before Carnival it really does help, STAMINA FUH SO.

• Deodorant... please, please, please wear it, preferably the clear, non-residue leaving stuff. Walk with a mini one in your lil bag on Monday and Tuesday, trust me you will appreciate it... (And you will be able to tell those who haven't put on any!)

• Drink lots and lots of water... for every alcoholic drink, drink at least 8 oz. of water...dehydration sucks big time

• EAT BREAKFAST!!!! ...nuff said

• Wear stockings...unless you have you have own body guards on the road, they will help with keeping a barrier between you and the "bodily fluids" from the masses'

• Make sure you have a ride to and from Port-of-Spain on Monday and Tuesday... because the last thing you want to be doing Tuesday evening is trying to get a ride home, with your feet hutting like mad!

• Soak your feet in Epson Salts & hot/very warm water Monday evening when you get home. Your feet will feel like brand new come Tuesday to go the whole day.

• Don't play cutesie cute and let the Koreans sand down under your foot when you go for your pre-TRINI carnival pedicure. You need the rough padding under your foot for those two days on the road or else you will be bawling for murder with pain if you go with your tender, newly scraped heels.

• It's a good idea to designate a pre-arranged meeting area in case you or anyone else in your "crew" gets lost. Also, have the address of where you are staying and a contact number for someone close to you on hand. I have met foreigners who were lost, intoxicated and could not remember the name of the guesthouse/hotel or friend they were staying at.

• You do not have to wait until the costume collection day to pay the balance on your costume. All bands accept part payments towards your costume periodically, for example you can make payments monthly. Not only does this ease the burden of having to pay up the balance of $2000.00 in February but it also saves time when you go to collect your costume.

• Several sections of the more popular mas bands offer two costume choices for female masqueraders; a regular costume (also known as backline) and a more elaborate version which they call frontline. Frontline masqueraders lead the section as you cross the Savannah stage and the costume is more expensive than the backline.

• A backpack is a costume accessory that is usually made from feathers, fabric, beads and for the first time this year ribbon and tinsel. These materials are mounted and decorated on a frame of either wire or stiff cardboard, which is carried on the back/shoulders of a masquerader by straps which are hooked under the arms and across the back. Usually seen with frontline costumes, the backpack is sometimes what differentiates between a backline and a frontline.

• Even though Carnival is a time to "free up" always make safety your first priority. DO NOT accept drinks from strangers, DO NOT wear expensive jewelry and DO NOT wander away into lonely, dark areas. If you need to use the toilet always go with a companion. Some bands provide mobile restrooms, if yours does not many bars that line the parade route allow you to use their facilities for a fee, take along a friend as some of these bars may have seedy characters loitering around.

• To prevent sunstroke make use of the cool-zones provided by the band, drink cool liquids and always wear proper headgear; headpiece and/or bandannas or hats.

• If you have to purchase something to eat, try to stay away from anything that has mayonnaise as an ingredient, looks like it was cooked earlier and has been sitting in a glass case all day or the vendor/premises does not look sanitary. I look for food that either comes in a sealed package or is prepared fresh, that is if I cannot make it to a reputable food outlet.

• Taking along a camera? Leave the expensive digital at home and walk with a disposable instead. Trust me cameras can be easily lost, broken or stolen.

• For the ladies, if you are expecting your period around or on Carnival day it is advisable to wear a tampon instead of a pad. If you must wear a pad, wear the ultra thins. If you have a regular cycle or you are on the pill you can "delay" your period until AFTER Carnival. This article explains how it is done by taking your pills back to back without stopping or using a hormonal medicine called 'norethisterone' which is taken three times a day for three days before your period is due and then for seven days to delay the period. At the end of the seven days, the tablets are stopped and your period starts as normal. Your doctor can prescribe this medication and I can vouch for it working as I have used it before with no side effects.

• Mas stockings are not your usual panty hose, which do not have the strength to stand up to the rigors of Carnival Monday and Tuesday leaving the uninitiated with runs and tears. The proper stockings are sheer to the waist tights that are made with lycra. The super shiny, orange stockings that they make for "tan" people are a no- no. You can get a variety of non shiny, flesh toned stockings locally at Micles and Samaroos.

• Not many people think of wearing underwear UNDER their stockings, a simple cotton thong is excellent for having your nether regions be able to breathe. Even though the pantyhose are lined with a silver of cotton at the crotch area I find it is not enough protection between your genitals and the pantyhose. You do not want to end up with a yeast infection because the pantyhose are made from a synthetic material that traps heat and moisture, ideal breeding ground for yeast.

• Do not forget to WAX if you plan on going sans stockings, or for the least SHAVE!! No one wants to see your pubic hairs showing in your thong as you throw back a wine or lift your leg up!

• For ladies with larger breasts I recommend tape to keep your breasts from popping out of your bra while you are jumping up. It's very simple to do, use the tape much like those "stick on" bras, taping from one side of the breast to the other so the tape cups the breast in a U shape and keeps it firmly supported. You can do more than one row of tape until you feel them firmly taped in place. After you are done taping try on your bra and make sure none of the tape is showing, if any of the edges of the tape are peeking out, you can trim them with scissors. Please DO NOT use duct tape, and do not tape over your nipples! I use a wide, stretchy bandage called elastoplast but there is a tape made specifically for this called Fashion Tape, or Bondage Tape. Be careful when removing the tape, use baby oil to moisten the edges and gently remove.


PRE AND POST CARNIVAL BEAUTY TIPS:

Skin firmness:
Women are naturally plagued by cellulite, regardless of if you are skinny those annoying bumps show up on your legs or butt and exercise does not always help. I know there are several creams, lotions and potions out there that claim to firm, tighten and lift areas prone to cellulite. Mas stockings helps to give your legs a smooth look.

Tanning:
If you are of the lighter pigmentation coming out of winter to hit Trinidad with pale, pasty skin is not cute! I vacation a lot and I am always browsing my vacation forums and I have read about self tanners, bronzers, mystic tan and tanning beds being utilized BEFORE going on vacation. Some of the posters swear having a tan gives you added protection from the sun so you won't burn. To me the tan just looks healthy and makes your skin look great. From my reading I know tanning beds are not recommended because of skin damage, but the spray on tans and self tanners are.

Hair:
The decorations on the (any) backpacks and the position of them may cause some snags and breakage. A stylish chignon or a simple, elegant plaît is an easy way to protect your hair. Not everyone has the fortune of hats like Fireman and Cow Mas.. Most of the costumes' headpieces have some sort of headband as its foundation, which means that your hair is going to be subject to the same constant sun that your skin is—perhaps even more, since you're in a crowd, and assuming you don't tower over everyone else, your body would be shaded at least a portion of the time, whereas your exposed area of hair stays exposed, unless you're sure to constantly stand in the shade one must make sure their hair is as protected as your skin.

I can't endorse any particular product, but lots and lots of anti-frizz (silicone based) works wonders against all the moisture in the air (sweat, cool zones, wildness of people just flinging water in the air in sheer excitement and drunkenness. Anti-frizz may not provide sufficient hold or control for all, but a good rule of thumb is to make sure your products are alcohol-free. You're probably putting enough alcohol into your system on the road; you might as well not have your hair dehydrated before you even leave your house. Can you imagine the brittle mess you'd have to deal with come Ash Wednesday morning?

Also, have your ends trimmed after Carnival, apart from it being logical, it's almost always necessary if you are going to the beach and/or pool because the sun/salt/chlorine combination strips hair of moisture. In addition to the post Carnival deep conditioning, get rid of abused ends (kind of like pruning a tree of the yellowed leaves—it makes the nutrients be better distributed to the more "deserving" parts). And, it goes without saying that pre-Carnival hair should always be well-tended and the picture of health, because there is NO WAY that it makes sense to invest that much in the rest of the package and forgetting the tresses. So, have your hair trimmed a few weeks before the trip.


Post Carnival Skin care:
After the two days of subjecting your skin to the fierce Caribbean sun what do you do to pamper your skin ? I will share my secret, even though I slather on sunscreen I always manage to get a "tan" and my body feels as if it is radiating heat. To cool down I use an aloe vera gel by Banana Boat that soothes the skin. To help my skin get back its original colour I use Vicco Tumeric. Now don't laugh, I know it sounds like some "cheap" little lotion you buy at Pennywise but it really works to fade the tan quickly. I first used it after Carnival a few years ago since my mom is always buying new stuff to try and she had a tube of Vicco around. I also exfoliate with a body scrub (not recommended if you have sunburn!). I would love to hear how others get their skin back in condition after the brutal exposure to sun on those two days.

Feet:
In my earlier post I listed a tip that says to soak your feet in warm water and Epsom salts after pounding the streets all day, soaking your feet helps ALOT after Carnival. If you have a foot spa use some aromatherapy oils like cucumber or mint in the water to soothe the feet. Also, again, I stress that you keep your pedicure simple, no toe nail extensions or long toe nails. Your toes will be getting constant pressure against the sneakers/boots and you don't want to loose a toe nail after Carnival!

Teeth:
I thought I would throw this one in here because so many women, and men, want to get photographed or make their way onto television or some other form of media. If this is your goal, and even if it is not, the easiest way to look "young and fresh" when you are smiling from ear to ear is with nice white teeth! You can get your teeth professionally whitened but there are many products that you can use in the comfort of your own home such as whitening toothpastes, Crest Strips and the Natural White 5 minute tooth whitening system.

Carbs not all bad....

Well I looked up what the Glycemic Index is per the Guardian's fitness article yesterday and discovered that some carbs are good for you; the key, as with all things, is to eat them in moderation and pay attention to portions. I was going to cut out all carbs from my diet but then I was wondering what to do with the orzo,couscous and jasmine rice that I happen to like so much. So I think I am going to try and eat some of the "good" carbs while cutting out the "bad" ones like rice,refined flour, potatoes and sugar.

This article explains the whole Glycemic Index quite well and lists the foods that are better for you:

There is a lot of talk these days about a new meal planning tool called the Glycemic Index (GI). But there is also a lot of misunderstanding about the GI, which has actually been around for more than 20 years.
It is a good idea to get to know and understand the Glycemic Index, because choosing foods with a low GI rating more often than choosing those with a high GI may help you to:

• Control your blood glucose levels
• Control your cholesterol levels
• Control your appetite
• Lower your risk of getting heart disease
• Lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes

The basics The Glycemic Index is a scale that ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how much they raise blood glucose levels compared to glucose or white bread.

When you eat food that contains carbohydrates, the sugar (glucose) from the food breaks down during digestion and gives you energy. After you eat, your blood glucose level rises; the speed at which the food is able to increase your blood glucose level is called the “glycemic response.” This glycemic response is influenced by many factors, including how much food you eat, how much the food is processed or even how the food is prepared (for example, pasta that is cooked al dente – or firm – has a slower glycemic response than pasta that is overcooked).

Good carbs, better carbs

Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating recommends eating a high-carb diet with 55% of each day's calories coming from carbohydrates. Not all carbohydrates are the same, however.

The Glycemic Index ranks carbohydrate-rich foods according to their glycemic response. Foods that raise your blood glucose level quickly have a higher GI rating than foods that raise your blood glucose level more slowly. In general, the lower the rating, the better the quality of carbohydrate.

Not only do low GI foods raise your blood glucose more slowly and to a less dramatic peak than higher GI foods, but most low GI foods are all-around healthier choices. Low GI foods are usually low in calories and fat, while also being high in fibre, nutrients and antioxidants. Choosing low GI foods more often may help you increase levels of HDL (healthy) cholesterol in your blood and might help you control your appetite, as they tend to keep you feeling fuller, longer.

Choose wisely

Try to choose low and medium GI foods more often than high GI foods. A GI of 55 or less ranks as low, a GI of 56 to 69 is medium, and a GI of 70 or more ranks as high. Use the chart below to help you make healthier choices.

Here are some tips to help you lower the Glycemic Index of your daily meals:

• Base your food choices primarily on overall nutrition – including vitamins, minerals and fibre.. Don't dismiss healthy foods such as white potatoes just because they have a high GI. Their other nutritional benefits make them good choices.

• Try to choose at least one low GI food at each meal.

• If you choose a high GI food, combine it with a low GI food, for an overall medium GI meal. For example, half a bagel (high GI) with a bowl of chili (low GI) , or corn flakes cereal (high GI) topped with a spoonful of All Bran (low GI) and some strawberries (low GI).

• Limit the amount of processed, refined starchy foods, as they tend to be low in fibre and other nutrients and have a higher GI.

• Try new foods that have a low GI. Experiment with beans, legumes and lentils by including them in dishes such as chili, soups and salad.

• Eat whole grain, pumpernickel and oat bran bread more often than white bread.

• Eat fresh fruit and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables have a low GI, so they break down into sugar slowly in your body. Canada's Food Guide recommends five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Enjoy a variety!

• Choose parboiled, brown or white rice more often than instant rice.

• Eat pasta, rice, yams, lima beans or baked potatoes more often than mashed, boiled or instant potatoes. Eating potatoes cold, as in a salad, reduces their GI (but go easy on the mayo dressing).

• Use vinaigrette instead of a creamy salad dressing. It's lower in fat, plus the acidity of the vinegar slows digestion, lowering the meal's GI.

Remember that the Glycemic Index is just one part healthy eating. Don't forget to:

• Eat at regular times
• Choose a variety of foods from all food groups
• Limit sugar and sweets
• Reduce the amount of fat you eat
• Include foods high in fibre
• Limit salt, alcohol and caffeine.
• Choose heart healthy fats such as canola and olive oil.

LOW GLYCEMIC INDEX FOODS (55 or less)
(choose most often vvv)

Skim milk
Plain Yogurt
Soy beverage
Apple/plum/orange
Sweet potato
Oat bran bread
Oatmeal (slow cook oats)
All-Bran™
Converted or Parboiled rice
Pumpernickel bread
Al dente (firm) pasta
Lentils/kidney/baked beans
Chick peas


MEDIUM GLYCEMIC INDEX FOODS (56-69)
(choose more often vv)

Banana
Pineapple
Raisins
New potatoes
Popcorn
Split pea or green pea soup
Brown rice
Couscous
Basmati rice
Shredded wheat cereal
Whole wheat bread
Rye bread

HIGH GLYCEMIC INDEX FOODS
(choose less often v )
Watermelon
Dried dates
Instant mashed potatoes
Baked white potato
Parsnips
Rutabaga
Instant rice
Corn Flakes™
Rice Krispies™
Cheerios™
Bagel, white
Soda crackers
Jellybeans
French fries
Ice cream
Digestive cookies
Table sugar (sucrose)

To calculate the Glycemic Index of other foods check this site.

Feel the burn!

Although yesterday was a holiday I stuck to my resolve of following the six week fitness plan for Carnival. In the afternoon the hubby and I made our way to the University of the West Indies (UWI) campus to start walking, the first phase of aerobic activity. Let me tell you, in addition to our walk/jog around the campus we also ran up and down the stairs and finished with a sprint which leaves my legs feeling quite sore this morning! I prefer to do brisk walking but hubby likes to run so we mixed it, alternating running and walking around campus

The work out was difficult for me only because I suffer with itchy leg syndrome when starting any type of running or walking. It never happens when I am in the gym using the machines such as the bike or treadmill, but once I am walking or running outside my legs start to itch like mad after a few minutes. Don’t laugh, it is a documented phenomenon and there are several explanations for why it happens. One is that it is an allergic reaction to exercise (though I don’t think this is the case with me) another theory states:

The itching is not on the skin, it's inside the actual limbs. There are millions of tiny capillaries and arteries inside our muscles which expand rapidly due to the demand for more blood that is brought on by exercise. When fit, these capillaries remain open allowing maximum blood passage, but when unfit and inactive they tend to collapse, allowing only minimal blood passage (which is sufficient for a sedentary person however). The rapid expansion of these vessels causes adjacent nerves to send impulses back to the brain which are interpreted as an itch. That's why after a few sessions the sensation tends to go away.

So basically the itching is a sign that I have lapsed on my workout and it will cease once I do some more walking. I read on another forum that a personal trainer said it is a sign of burning fat! The strange thing with me is that it never happens when I do aerobics in the gym, only with walking or running outside.

Anyway, I suffered through the itching and managed to finish my walk/jog and returned home pumped up to face the “beast”. Unknown to me my husband has a variety of fitness machines that were stashed by my mom in storage so yesterday we freed them from their state of inertia!

The Beast


It looks simple enough but try doing abdominal work on that baby and you feel the burn! I did three sets of 8, each set consisted of sit ups, leg lifts and crunches. After which the sweat was bucketing out every pore on my body. After that I attempted to use this rolling machine that my hubby uses to do some more abs but that was very difficult, and I only managed a few attempts of trying to make it all the way down and back up on the roller. I finished up the workout with some leg and upper body work using this thigh machine we have that can be used for either part of the body.

I did not even get around to using my Pilates DVD , maybe I will try that today though my legs are sore as hell! But I am really happy I started back exercising after my gross lapse over the holiday season! No more excuses for me not feeling like hitting the gym or that it is raining (though I have to start back the gym next week for weight training per the fitness plan), I got my ass out the house and started working out even though I could have found a million reasons not to; it was a holiday, I have the flu, it’s that time of the month, I overlooked them all and saw only my goal at the end of six weeks… FIRE for them in Fireman!

Fire Bam Bam!

Carnival Shape Up

It's the first day of 2007 and I have vowed to make no resolutions for this year EXCEPT that it's time to get serious for Carnival !

My no carbs for 47 days (until Carnival Monday) rule starts today and exercise is on from this afternoon (I pulled out my Pilates DVD finally!).

So I was especially happy to see this article in today's Guardian fitness section. Copy, print and follow this routine like it is your bible!!

So despite my warnings, you were intent on devouring that artery-clogging black fruit cake and the tempting bottle of ponche de crème given to you by your grandmother.

Now that Christmas is over, you are worried about shedding those extra pounds you gained during the yuletide season.


Carnival is looming around the corner and you have approximately six weeks to fit into that costume you ordered since September.

You are probably conjuring up images of slabs of fat hanging over your wide carnival belt, or wondering if there will be a shade of stockings dark enough to hide the dimpled quantity of cellulite stored at the back of your legs, which now gives your thighs a cottage cheese appearance.

Dark stockings and glitter can only take you so far. You now have to be prepared to pull out all the stops which would entail tightening your diet and sticking to your fitness programme.

Strictly speaking, if you are playing mas, you should have stepped up your fitness and your nutritional programme since September.

However, asking the average Trini to train and eat properly during the Christmas season is a monumental task.

Nevertheless, if you are prepared to work hard, we can have you looking fairly decent in your carnival costume. Bear in mind, these are general guidelines. You may desire a more specific programme relative to your body type.

Week one

During the first week in January 2007, I want you performing only aerobic training. You could jog, walk, bike, run or perform Tae-Bo for at least 45 minutes per session.

Use a heart rate monitor to ensure that you are within your training zone. Your degree of intensity in any of the above mentioned disciplines will depend on your present level of fitness.

Do five aerobic workouts in this week. Abs must be done five times per week during the next six weeks.

At this point, start eliminating junk foods which include chocolates, fried foods, soft drinks, ice cream etc from your diet. Choose your carbohydrates carefully by using the Glycemic Index rating as a general guide.

From the Glycemic Index, you will notice that white flour (white bread), white rice, mashed potatoes etc all have very high ratings.

Stay away from these foods. Quality carbohydrates with low glycemic index ratings include: sweet potatoes, yams, oats, brown rice etc. If you want a specific diet consult a certified nutritionist. For the full six weeks be disciplined with your eating habits.

Week two

In addition to some aerobic training, you are now going to add weight training to the equation.

At Carnival time, two body parts that are usually quite noticeable on women and men are legs and abdominals.

Women in particular need to work legs very hard, because most female costumes begin life as a bikini. Men sometimes feel that there is no need to work legs, because most times they wear baggy short pants.

They are wrong; women will still notice your leg size even when you are in your baggies. Apart from that, what about your calves?

Unless you intend to play sailor mas, it is a good idea to work your legs.

In week two concentrate on basic movements which include squats, clean and press, bent knee dead lifts, barbell curls, military and bench presses. Weight train for approximately 1 hour, four times per week.

Continue your aerobic training with at least two long sessions (45 minutes) on the days that you don’t weight train and on your weight training days put in at least 20 minutes of aerobic training just before you start your weight training workout.

Week three

Begin to refine your weight training workouts. Work whichever body parts (muscle groups) are giving the most amount of trouble, with a wide variety of exercises Use the same format as in week two for your aerobic training.

Week four

In week four, I only want two weight training sessions and in both sessions I want you to continue to work difficult body parts. Increase your aerobic workouts to four long sessions (45 minutes each) for this week.

Week five

Most big gyms carry weight training circuit workouts with specific machines. Circuit train four times in this week and ensure that you keep your heart rate elevated, as you move quickly to each station. Work all muscle groups during circuit training (45 minutes).

Week six

Perform three long sessions (45 minutes each) of aerobics for this week then cease all aerobic training.

For the rest of the week and remaining days till Carnival Friday concentrate only on various weight training routines and include some basic movements: squats, clean and press etc.

Consult your doctor before starting any exercise programme. Keep training.
©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

Happy New Year!!

I am on the slowest dial up ever spending the New Year at a house lime and just wanted to shout :

HAPPY NEW YEAR BLOGGERS!!

Heart of Mas

Interestng interview with Peter Minshall in today's Sunday Express, the interview is conducted by B.C. Pires and to NOT have the article here in it's entirety would be a travesty.The following is the entire article taken from the Express:

Artist and masman, Peter Minshall, on Savannah, the heart of the Carnival.

Q: How should we approach Carnival and the Savannah?

A: What can we do that all mankind will say, "How gracious, how generous, how thoughtful of Trinidad and Tobago to give the rest of us their incredible riches!" First, we have to understand in our own heads what our incredible riches are. Start with as simple and, on the face of it, as ordinary a thing as a savannah. Which other city in the world has, at its heart, not a park all pretty with roses, but flat land with, at the other end, the Northern Range rising magically? To have a savannah in the middle of your city is a richness to be treasured, to keep in touch with the divine. Forty years after Independence, in the Savannah, we have benches that look as though they were constructed for a penitentiary, so that criminals could not mash them up!


How should they be designed?

The Savannah is so totally taken for granted. There used to be a low railing all the way 'round it with two bars, you could rest one foot on. What can we do with our Savannah in the New World? Look at the lovely shape (shows hand-drawn outline stressed to reveal the shape of a heart)! Dare we make a brilliant stainless steel railing with some sort of brass or alloy couplings? So it's different, exciting and tells any passerby immediately, "This place is special to us. We decided to give it a frame." Beautifully designed, strong but light. Re-check the entire paved perimeter of the Savannah. Come on! We can do better than pitch or concrete! What sort of yellow brick road or silvery slate grey thing goes there? That's just so you look at the Savannah and understand it is a treasured place, that there is no park as beautiful in the Americas. I don't think that is beyond us, to reach within ourselves, for ourselves and the world. We could replant some of the trees taken by storms to recreate a grassland, people with trees, surrounded by a fine, burnished (heart-shaped) railing. We need to respect that beautiful word: "Savannah"!
Peter Minshall


Carnival is connected to the Savannah?

I believe my father, as head of the tourist board, was one of the first people who took the Carnival to the Savannah. We inherited a colonial grandstand for viewing horse racing - which it's kind of reasonable to have if you're going to have anything in a savannah. The parade of the bands (went there) when bands were 300-to 400-strong. The Carnival went gaily through the city without blockage at the Savannah. However, even when I was an adolescent, late Fifties, early Sixties, I remember the so-called "bourgeois" bandleaders quarreling like mad that these steelbands with their 1,000-strong throngs of sailors were "getting in the way" and not adding anything to the Carnival. The "lower-class" steelbands were edged out. Flag Wavers of Sienna. (Edmond) Hart! One of the most brilliant bands, ever, about 300 people, a bunch of flags going clockwise, a bunch going anti-clockwise, another bunch going clockwise inside, rustle and bustle and kinetic splendour. The audience went wild. The bands were small enough to move quickly, the stage (small enough) so a little imp, a little robber could come along in-between-but already the stage was being built to accommodate bands, and not the little people of the Carnival. The stage built for it encourages the growth of the band, a money-making enterprise (which) gets bigger and bigger. This vast, arid environment is not the place for the small, the delicate, the beautiful-the individual. The bands (become) commercial juggernauts. The bar truck, the toilet truck, the this truck, the that truck, the wet-me-down truck. The costume, if you want to call it that, has been reduced to a minimal formula. The calypsonian, who is supposed to see the whites of the eyes of his audience, on this vast desert, is forced to bring on ridiculous side shows, so much so that some calypsonians get more marks for the side show than the song. Sometimes when I hear, "Great is the PNM and it will prevail!" I think, "My God, it has!" Yet I have to retract that thought because, if it wasn't the PNM, it would be somebody else. A little island people, coming into its own but not thinking its own thoughts-Las Vegas has upgraded its image to the quality of Cirque du Soleil. We, who once had the quality of Cirque du Soleil in the palms of our hands, are downgrading ours to the lowest level of Las Vegas. Let nobody fool themselves to think we're going the way of Brazil. Rio Carnival is fine. Yes, there are a few naked women but they're doing the samba. They are not dancing wine-the-place-down soca.


Should there be a Carnival Centre in the Savannah?

The grandstand is being broken down but they're going to do a spectacular, contemporary, GRANDER grandstand in its place. They're going to build a mausoleum for the thing now that it's pretty well dead! A glass coffin, so we could look in at its last breath. There is a bottleneck at the Savannah. Doesn't that say something to you? Get the hell out of it! It is no longer serving your culture. The Carnival is sick and dying, you haven't even looked at why, you just say, "We want a jewel in the crown!" To say what? What a fine government we are? And you're fooling the people because you're killing the very thing the people brought into being, their Carnival? And the tragic thing is, the people believe you!

What about Panorama?

The theatre that is Panorama is muscular and visceral and tribal and community-based. Its naiveté is a large part of its beauty: all those silver fringes, that shivering tinsel, all those people pushing those carts on wheels-this happens nowhere else in the world! And you are going to take this vibrant, muscular, visceral thing-and (in pained voice) put it in a glass box? Is Panorama going to be a museum piece in Stuttgart or London? Is it that black people so want to be white they have forgotten who they are? That their potency and vitality is going to be so condomised it is left lifeless! I understand you think it may be a bow to the Carnival to give it a spectacular glass building but it's the worst thing you can do. It's like taking the thing that is dead and letting it lie in State now. Expand Panorama and impress the world with your knowledge of yourself: around the Savannah! Create a ring of steel so powerful it will reverberate throughout the Caribbean-I need a concert hall for pan! I cannot believe the universe has blessed us with this instrument and it is still in a yard. If we can throw $30m to the returning team from Berlin, we can throw $30m for an architectural prize for the best steelband concert hall in the world. I do not think it is beyond the imagination of a great architect to build a house of steel to house instruments of steel, a fine concert hall that looks as though it's clad in steel and relates to a Savannah that's ringed by a small railing of burnished steel, that, at Carnival time, rises up with steel pylons and a crop of canopies and pavilions. The slapdash evolution of the Grand Stand and the North Stand at least worked as an ad hoc common-sense extension of the street, a "pavement" on either side with people watching the mas moving down the road in the middle as it were-what I'll call avenue theatre-but to box it in architecturally as a deliberate, conscious act, is pure madness. It is the determined entrapment of the very spirit of freedom that the thing is supposed to celebrate.

So how do we save Carnival?

In 1986, 20 years ago, a crack team, Roy Boyke, Hollis Liverpool, Efebo Wilkinson, myself and I forget who else spent hundreds of hours discussing this and concluded the Carnival should be taken out of the Savannah. Minister of Culture Joan Yuille-Williams asked me, "Peter Minshall, what should we do with Dimanche Gras?" And I said to her, "Let it die!" It has no theatrical future. The world has changed. Champs in Concert is a hint as to where that Sunday night should go. It's not stealing from the steelbands,, we're thanking them: as usual, you pointed the direction we should go in but no one followed your lead. It should be the Night of Nights in the Caribbean, not ten people looking for a song-crown, ten people looking for a costume-crown. It's just not good contemporary entertainment.

So what in the Savannah, if not a glass building?

What else comes to town once a year to entertain and then leaves? Ah! The circus! How does it do it? With a tent! The design mind explodes! Something that will last for the next 20 years that is removed after the Carnival is over but is so beautiful, imaginative, so blowing and free, both to the eye and the spirit, just like the Carnival itself! The Carnival audience is not supposed to be captive! That Savannah has now trained people to go home to look at the mas on the television! That's anti-mas! What a pity you didn't have the joy of holding the hand of a complete stranger in excitement and saying, "Oh, my God! That is mas!" Enough of these horrible little porta-loos! Carnival is a building site now? Aren't we disgusted by the stench and stink? Let's design the facilities that go with our stylish new Savannah: a small city of pavilions, billowing canopies in the breeze, run the electricity underground, so that when the day comes, you just say, "Mr Prime Minister, come and turn on the switch." And between those two avenues of trees, on silver and brass pylons, recesses embedded deep in the ground all year long, waiting, those are your food areas-a pavilion for Midnight Robbers-the Robber Tent-long before Carnival, it is made known that first prize is a $150,000-I'll bet you'll see some magnificent robbers reappear in the Carnival three years hence; I bet you'll see a young Nikolai Noel or a young Mario Lewis.

(BC interrupting) At those rates, you'll see a middle-aged BC Pires?


(Continuing unfazed)-a pavilion for bands larger than 15 and less than 30 in number. Mas judged as art! We Caribbean people can't be top-class innovators, too? Your big bands that have been blocking that tiny little entrance, you clear a space, the entire Savannah is a parkland, where the audience can wander. The perimeter is the stage for all the big stuff. Somewhere along the line, you make a few rules: please, the gallery is only so big, the pictures can only be of such a size. Bands here need to be bands, not armies. You've made enough money. A stage is for enactment, for playing of the mas, from George Bailey to Minshall even through to Legends. Please, the mas is dying. Find a way to encourage young artists to do wonderful things. As the Carnival visits and revives our spirit, let it be a beautiful, fluttering, temporary, imaginative field of dancing cloths to give shade. Free the audience, free the Carnival! Do not destroy the best part of yourselves! Do not strive to be other than who you are. Acknowledge your own strength and beauty.

Carnival Year End Review

As the curtain comes down on the year 2006 what a year it has been for Carnival! This year saw the very last time masqueraders would ever cross the Savannah stage as it was; in future the ultra modern Carnival Centre will replace the old, wooden Savannah stage.



2006 was the year Peter Minshall graced masqueraders with a long awaited reprisal against “bikini” mas, his band “The Sacred Heart” eventually winning Medium Band of the Year, though not without some controversy surrounding money he allegedly received from Government agencies to fund the band.

Island People set tongues wagging with their debut presentation “Enchanted Forest”, setting the stage for “band wars” with supporters of their band and supporters of TRIBE clashing over Internet forums.

Oasis


Yet another band exited the Carnival scene this year; stalwart Poison bowed out of the game forever after Carnival 2006 while Skandulus is reportedly on hiatus, not bringing a presentation for Carnival 2007. In the wake of Poison’s departure two new bands have emerged, Pulse 8 and Dream Team hoping to lure the now “homeless” Poison masqueraders. Trini Revellers scored a hat trick with their third consecutive win of the title "Band of the Year" in 2006 making them a force to be reckoned with in 2007.

Fireman


Debutante Patrice Roberts and soca veteran Machel Monatno won the Road March this year, beating out favorite Sherwin Winchester. Another soca couple united in love, Ian “Bunji” Alvarez and Faye Ann Lyons closed the year with their “wedding of the year”. 2006 also saw the crowning of a new Calypso Monarch, and very good family friend, Morel "Luta" Peters.

Sacred Sand


As the year wound down the Savannah battle was waged with the N.C.C.. N.C.B.A., UdeCOTT and Minister of Culture Joan Yuille Williams keeping masqueraders, calypsonians and pan men in suspense as to where key Carnival events would be stage in the face of no Savannah stage.There were threats by Pan Tribago to boycott panorama if the finals were held anywhere but the Savannah but in the end, the decision was made to have mas on the streets, Dimanche Gras at the Jean Pierre Complex and Panorama finals at Skinner Park.

Dragon


And against trends set for 2005, as we witness the final day of the year not one band is sold out at this time despite band launches having started in August! Factors of the increasing costs surrounding Carnival, with costumes in the popular bands this year being the most expensive ever, started a backlash against high prices with letters against bandleaders being ciruclated via the internet as well as being published in local print media. However, registration for both TRIBE and Island People still saw masqueraders waiting for hours to secure a costume.

TRIBE Registration




Island People Registration




Goodbye 2006,a year filled with both change and new beginings!

Bliss

If you missed it the first time,

Then don't make the same mistake twice.

Indulge yourself & make your Dreams become a Reality

BLISS

Sat 13th Jan

Moka


The Ultra-clusive Carnival Event

BLISS ...Dare to Indulge


Tickets available from TRIBE mas camp:

625-6800 or 353-7983


also from TRIBE Committee:


POS & Environs

Janna-Lise Chung 746-4339

Jamilla Jeffrey 753-6968

Dominic Khan 740-3539

Cherrise Alexander 756-9766

James Phillips 683-0822

Rachel Hart 681-3676

Don Martin 789-5768

Kevin Homer 687-0501

Leasel Rovedas 681-6800

Kwesi Hopkinson 681-8863

Jules Sobian 755-6592

Gisel Laughlin 762-1377

Roberto Marquez 749-7645

West:

Danielle Boucaud 682-9766

Jeanne M-Gittens 684-8483



Diego Martin:

Gillian De Freitas 758-7477

Kendall Sharpe 680-9456

Charlene Lum Wai 687-2427


East:

Arief Rafeeq 620-3229

Brendon Clement 687-6871

Melissa James 685-3222

Dave Ramroop 375-0926

Lana Nobrega 755-5969

South:

Joel Lynch 678-6172

Amnesia...

Imagine everything moving.

For the first time in the history of the modern world

an event based

on the

magic of movement


Amnesia…. Lose your mind with Movement


Sunday, January 14 th

4:00pm at Pier 1.5



$450 Ltd. Adv. Til January 5 th



Gourmet Chefs – Ultra Premium Bar – Cocktails

and

Unlimited Movement



Tickets available exclusively from committee members and the If House

628-4948 or 628-9474

Official Fete List

After the revelation that the inital fete list that was circulated via the internet was incorrect, I took the liberty of copying Peter Ray Blood's "offical" fete list which was published in the Guardian on Christmas Day. The following is an encapsulation of the fetes included on that list:

NEW YEAR"S DAY
*Annual Yorke inc Start De Carnival Bak-a-yard Dutch Party - Ann Avenue Diego Martin

Saturday January 6th, 2007
* St. Francois All inclusive - St. John's Ambulance Hall
* Trini Limers all-inclusive - Sevilla Sports Club, Couva
* NACC Top 20 Calypsoes of 2006 Awards- Cascadia Hotel St. Ann's

Sunday January 7th, 2007
* Trinity College's Soka In Moka - Trinity College (Maraval)

Friday January 12th, 2007
* Citibank All-inclusive - Citibank Queen's Park East, Port of Spain

Saturday January 13th, 2007
* Hugh Wooding Law School All-inclusive
* QRC Outta de Blue VII All-Inclusive - QRC Grounds (St. Clair)
*Tribe presents BLISS All-inclusive Moka, Maraval
*Annual Fire Fete
*2007 Chutney Soca Monarch Preliminary - Samar Entertainment Centre, Penal

Sunday January 14th, 2007
* UWI 17th Annual All-Inclusive Carnival Fete - UWI Grounds (St Augustine)
*Island People Amnesia - Pier 1

Friday January 19th, 2007
BpTT Calypso Competition - Queen's Park Oval, Woodbrook
Holy Name Convent Vinatge Fuh So - 2 Queen's Park East, Port of Spain

Saturday January 20th, 2007
* Bishop Anstey All-Inclusive - Bishop Anstey Grounds (POS)
* Wicked In White
*Licencing Fete - Licencing Compound, Port of Spain
*Chuntey Soca Monarch Semi Final - Reinzi Complex,Couva

Sunday January 21st, 2007
*T&T Assocation of Retired Persons (TTARP) C2K& Soiree- Mas Camp Pub
*WITCO ONE Fete - Queen's Park Oval

Friday January 26th, 2007
* Ladies Night Out - Jean Pierre Complex
*FCB Fete


Saturday January 27th, 2007
*RBTT Kaiso Royale
* D'Pholis All-Inclusive
* St Mary's All-Inclusive Fete - St. Mary's College (Pembroke St, POS)
* Republic Bank Sports Club All-inclusive - Pier 1 (Chaguaramas)
* Martin's All Inclusive Fete
* Pearl Gardens Fete - Pearl Gardens
*Red Ants in Blue Range All-inclusive
*Chutney Glow '07
*Sting fete - Sting La Romain

Sunday January 28th, 2007
* Soca Monarch Semi Final
* Nikki Crosby Hosts Nikkiland
* Hilton Extreme - Hilton Trinidad
* Randy Glasgow Hosts The Annual Children fest Arima Velodrome
* Yorke All-Inclusive - YWCA St. Clair
* Neal and Massy Trinidad All Stars fete

Wednesday January 31st, 2007
* Diva's '07 - Jean Pierre Complex

Friday February 2nd, 2007
* Barbarossa Cooler Fete - Pier 1
*Randy Glasgow Ladies Night Out - Jean Pierre Complex

Saturday February 3rd, 2007
* Xhateau Promotions Colouragous Party -The Garden Sanctuary Centre of Excellence
* Belmont Boy's Intermediate All-Inclusive
* Socarama - Hasley Crawford Stadium
*Republic Bank Sports Club Fete - Sports Club Barataria

Sunday February 4th, 2007
* National Panorama semi finals
* Annual Blood Bank Fete - Country Club (Maraval)
*Mc Leod All-inclusive - Pier 1

Monday February 5th, 2007
* Young Kings Calypso Monarch Finals - Pier 1

Tuesday February 6th, 2007
*Traditional Mas competition St. James Amphitheatre

Wednesday February 7th, 2007
*Pan Gone Mad II - Under the Trees,Normandie.

Thursday 8th, 2007
*PSA Calypso Competition - PSA Hdq, Abercromby Street.
*King and Queen of Carnival prelimanaries
*House Party - Under the Trees, Normandie

Friday February 9th, 2007
* Army Fete
* Rudder Night Under the Trees - Normandie

Saturday February 10th, 2007
*Red Cross Kiddies - Jean Pierre Complex
*Kaiso Fiesta - Skinner Park
*Brass Festival
*Chutney Brass - Guaracara Park Pointe a Pierre
*Fatima College All-inclusive
*Machel's Alternative Concept - Queens Park Savannah
*The Fete - Mendez Drive Petit Valley

Sunday February 11th, 2007
*St. James Kiddies Carnival
* Jamboree Park All inclusive - Jamboree Park Valsayn
* CAREC All-Inclusive - Federation Park (St. Clair)
* UNC All-Inclusive Fete
* Lions Club of St. Augustine All-Inclusive
* Hearts on Fire All inclusive - Under the Trees Normandie
* St.George's All-Inclusive - St. George's College
*T&TEC All inclusive - Garden Sanctuary Centre of Excellence
*Kari People All inclusive - Stanmore Ave. Queens Park West
*Riddem Rama - St. John's Abmulance Hall
*Rotary Club All inclusive - UTT Campus
*Soka Shocka All Inclusive - St. John Complex Wrightson Road
*Viey La Cou - Queen's Hall
*Annual Friends to the Mas All inclusive - Chaguaramas Golf Course

Monday February 12th, 2007
*National Junior Calypso Monarch Final
*Veterans Calypso Monarch Final - St. James Amphitheatre
*A Reason to Smile again, round de Savannah Port of Spain
* PNM All inclusive Fete - Balisier House
*Nauti Crew Party, Queen's Park Oval
*Ice Picks annual Carnival fete - Harvard Ckub, St. James
*Battle of the Sexes - Jean Pierre Complex

Tuesday February 13th, 2007
* Eyes Wide Shut CARNIVALE - Queens Park Oval
*Anyhowers annual Carnival fete
* Island Style Glow '07 - Mobs 2 - Chaguaramas
* King of Carnival semi final - Jean Pierre Complex

Wednesday February 14th, 2007
*The Ranch All inclusive fete
* Customs Boys Fete - Hasely Crawford Stadium (Port of Spain)
*Island Style Mad Hatters Ball

Thursday February 15th, 2007
* Michael Headley's All Inclusive Fete - Salybia
* Beach House Carnival - Ortinola Estate (Maracas)
* Machcel in Concert - Under the Trees Normandie
* TRIBE Carnival Thursday - Queen's Park Oval
* Beach House All-Inclusive
* UWI Splash - Chaguaramas

Friday February 16th, 2007
* IslandPeople Girl Power - Queen's Hall (Port of Spain)
* Blue Range Cooler Fete - Diego Martin
*International Soca Monarch
*Queen of Carnival semi finals

Saturday February 17th, 2007
*Sunshine Snacks Kiddies Carnival
* Island Style Insomnia Fete - Mobs 2 (Chaguaramas)
* Dawn - Sunrise In The City - Jenny's Car Park
* Trini Posse All-Inclusive Fete
* Diamond Vale Breakfast Party
* The Cotton Tree Foundation Saturnalia All Inclusive Fete
*Bunji Garlin in Concert
*Tri Star Short Pants Party San Fernando

Sunday February 18th, 2007 (Carnival Sunday)
* South Junior Parade of the Bands
* MANIA - Country Club All-Inclusive
* Hilton Poolside - Hilton Hotel (Lady Young Rd, Port of Spain)
* Moka All-Inclusive Fete - Maraval
* Brian Lara All-Inclusive Fete - Chancellor Hill
* Sanctuary All-Inclusive - Valsayn
*Dimanche Gras

Monday February 19th, 2007
* Parade of the Bands

Tuesday February 20th, 2007
* Parade of the Bands

Wednesday February 21st, 2007
* Beach Lime - Maracas Bay, Las Cuevas, Blanchisseuse Bay
* Wild Meat Cool Down - Balandra Bay

Thursday February 22nd, 2007
* Premiere of Talk Tent - Queen's Hall, Port of Spain

Friday February 23rd, 2007
* Talk Tent 2007 - Queen's Hall, Port of Spain

Saturday February 24th, 2007
* Talk Tent 2007 - Queen's Hall, Port of Spain

Please note that an events calender is also available at VisitTnt.com.

All-inclusive Fete …Saturday vs. Sunday

I am pretty sure I will be going to Bliss on January 13th, once I am alive and healthy that is. The alternative would be Amnesia the following day, but seeing as I am not going to pay close to $1000.00 to attend each all-inclusive over the weekend it is an either/ or situation. The decision was made long ago to give Bliss a try if only to experience something new as I found Amnesia was left wanting in the dining options this year, plus Bliss is cheaper than Amnesia. It may not seem like such a big difference looking at $399.00 to $450.00 however that $51.00 I will save going to Bliss can go towards stockings for my costume.

From reviews this year Bliss seemed to be great, with a wide variety of food, good performances as well as a nice vibe. I am nonplussed by the change of venue, thinking the organizers needed more space since the one criticism was lack of seating for dining. The only issue I have with Bliss is going to an all-inclusive on a Saturday night as opposed to Sunday night.

At first I was all for Saturday night, the positive being that there is no work on Sunday so I can sleep in late; Sunday fetes leave me either lacking for sleep getting at maximum only five hours before heading to work, or I end up taking Monday as a sick day. The other benefit of a Saturday night, from my experience, is that people tend NOT to go all out in their attire compared to a Sunday fete, especially an all-inclusive. Reason being Sunday fetes start earlier, usually from 5:00PM to midnight, and most people tend to arrive early to maximize feteing and drinking time seeing that the fete shuts down promptly as the clock strikes 12.

That means everyone sees you when you arrive (if it is still sun up) scrutinizing every piece of what you are wearing. There is no chance of you getting away with wearing anything looking less than “pristine”; those faded black pants you failed to examine before putting on, not noticing the little white balls of lint littering the fabric, just would not cut it! A fete held at night however, allows you to get away with a few fashion “sins” such as wearing dirty jeans, two different shades of black or a recycled outfit.

But then I started counting hours, trying to surmise how much actual feteing time I would have on a Saturday night as opposed to a Sunday evening and I have to say, Sunday seems like the better deal! I am one of those people who shows up “early” to an all-inclusive held on a Sunday. If the fete starts at 5pm I will be there by 6pm for the latest, therefore getting six hours, at least, to enjoy the party since I stay until it ends. Thing is, I never get to a fete on a Saturday night early!

How lame would it be to show up at Bliss at 9 pm! The earliest I can possibly see myself getting to Moka would be 10 o’clock, and the latest I would leave is at 3 am, therefore only getting FIVE hours of partying! I am not leaving Moka later than 3 am; possibilities exist that I would have to drop a friend home as well and leaving later means a longer time for me to get home after the party. And I have to think of my safety getting out opening the gate at my house in the wee hours of the morning.

In addition, the later it is at night the less inclined I am to eat at a party. Reality is I am not going to starve myself all day just to be able to eat something at Bliss, most likely I will have lunch, a small dinner and just have some snacks when I get there if I feel hungry. Most likely I would be enjoying the drinks and music more than the food at that hour. Thing is, with the Sunday all-inclusive fete you tend to eat more, usually the last meal you had was lunch and if you get there by 6 pm, which is dinner time for me, you would be looking for something to eat!

I guess it is good that the Saturday night all-inclusive encourages you to eat less, but the whole reason I was looking forward to Bliss is because I was disappointed with Amnesia’s food selection! I want to try the fruit tent and soup station I heard so much about at Bliss but I am thinking at 10pm or 11pm at night soup might be the last thing I want to be having!

So in the end I am going to end up at Bliss, looking at is as an experiment seeing if I can prove all these pre conceived ideas about a Saturday all-inclusive wrong. Reality is I am just set in the tradition of going to an all-inclusive fete on a Sunday evening, so Saturday night seems kind of weird to me. I have gone to one all-inclusive on a Saturday night, which was Blue Range and I didn’t like it that much. Reason being parking was a bitch, it rained and the live entertainment was poor. That being said I have made up my mind to have a good time no matter what come Saturday the 13th, after all Machel Montano would be performing live and that is all I need to make my fete whether it falls on a Saturday or Sunday!

Strike a Pose!

Okay, now I have to commend Ian Wiltshire of Island Style for coming up with some novel party ideas over the years. He has marketed his fete “Glow” globally from Miami to Germany and I can still remember the first time I was given and invitation to Amnesia outside of Anchorage the year it all began. Amnesia the inaugural year was amazing, and for those who do not know it’s a fete held in collaboration with Island Style and Island People. Ian Wiltshire is also responsible for the Mad Hatter’s Ball and subsequent boat cruises that have been preceding the event recently and he is also the producer of some great songs such as “Trini to the Bone”. However I think we have reached the pinnacle of superficial partying when I see a new fete called “Pose” advertised for February 13th, same night as Glow by the way. The tag line on the flyer states “When Soca & Fashion Collide”.

In my mind I am thinking “great, another party where people literally stand up and pose all night looking pretty!” For those of you who only come to Trinidad for Carnival you may not be aware that there is an epidemic of “poser parties”. Those are the parties or fetes where everyone looks like they stepped out of the pages of Vogue or G.Q. with the women outfitted in the latest trends while the guys are uber meterosexual in their man blouses. During these parties there is little inclination for the posers to actually party and break a sweat dancing; they are only there to be seen, socialize with all the “right” people and have their photo taken for one of the numerous party websites which highlight this trend.

So to see a party actually called “Pose” to me means that someone not only caught on to this trend, but they intend to milk it for Carnival! Trinidad and Tobago has arrived! The Encarta dictionary definition of the word “Pose” is as follows:

1.adopt a posture
transitive and intransitive verb to adopt a particular physical posture for a photograph or painting, or position somebody or something for this purpose

2.impersonate
intransitive verb to pretend to be somebody or something else

3.be pretentious
intransitive verb to behave, dress, or assume a mental attitude intended to impress others

It would be interesting to see if anymore details are released about the concept behind this fete. Maybe I am being too quick to judge the word “Pose”; maybe the idea is to have a fashion show during the fete, sort of like MTV’s Fashionably Loud. Or, maybe they are going to hire photographers to go throughout the party snapping shots at patrons as they, well, pose. From past Island Style productions I know this one will be a hit for sure since Ian Wiltshire is pretty good at what he does.

And since I am not a “poser” by any definition of the word seeing as I don't go to fetes to have my photo taken, am to busy dancing and having a good time to try and impress anyone and could care less about pretending to be anyone else but Saucy, this fete is not for me. Whatever the conception is behind this fete, I think I will be passing on this one for sure!

Amnesia and Bliss info....

Island Peopele's All-inclusive fete "Amnesia" will he held on Sunday January 14th 2007. Tickets go on sale from next week at the IF house on Tragarete road and are priced at $450.00TT.

Contact number for the IF house is 628- WISH/9474.


TRIBE's "Bliss" all inclusive will be held on Saturday January 13th 2007 and tickets also go on sale next week at TRIBE's mas camp. Masquerader price is $399.00 while non masqueraders/ general public tickets are priced at $450.00.

Contact number for TRIBE is 625-6800.


From the prices seems like it is the same as what I paid this year (for Amnesia) and TRIBE's member's price went up by $49.00!

Chocolate City

Well this looks like a yummy j'ouvert band!



MUSIC:
* 91.9fm Dj's: John Boy, Eezel 'd' Vibe Machine, Shaolin, 40 foot music truck

PRICE: $250

INCLUDES:
* Premium Drinks All Inclusive
* Breakfast
* Liquid Chocolate
* Giveaways

CONTACTS:
* Kwacceyce - 766.6614
* Smalls - 633.3782
* John Boy - 759.0329
* Zarin - 685.0738
* Richard - 684.4528
* Marie 497.9710
* Osie - 495.8049
* Houston - 678.3995

REGISTRATION:
* Corner of Robert and Murray St., Woodbrook


For more information on this j'ouvert band check out D Krewe's website.

Mas Jumbies New Website

Diable has gotten a new look with an updated website catering for online registration. I am liking the updated website, there are more options displayed for the costume choices as well as more detail on what the costume entails.

Check out the new website if you are looking for a j'ouvert band for 2007!

NCBA Website Updated

One of my earlier articles was about the smaller, lesser known bands that flew under the radar, most without individual websites depending on the NCBA (National Carnival Bands Association) to advertise their presentations.

Well I am happy to see that the NCBA website has been updated with 2007 presentations; so far only a few bands are listed, and among those are stalwarts like Trini Revellers and Rosalind Gabriel, but there are also a five Children's Bands listed, complete with photos/drawings, contact information and prices.

Those bands are Bois Canot "A Tribute to St. James", Auntie Suzie and Friends "Dancers Around the World", Traditions Mas Camp "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow", Head Start "The Splendor of Nature's Season" and Children of Peace "If We Were Dinosaurs".

For more information on these bands, visit the NCBA website; it is listed under the section Trinidad Carnival, Member Sites.

New Look Pulse 8

It has been awhile since I have ventured over to Pulse 8's website, I must admit waiting for the page to load with all the flash html and fancy bar scene took away the appeal of frequent vists. Therefore I was quite surprised to see that the website has been amended to cater for those of us with dial up; all the sections are now visable on the right of the page, without having to wait for the page to load. In addition, there are new navigational shortcuts to the top of the website where you can access the gallery or information on what their package entails.

It is also interesting to note that two frontline costumes have sold out; both Sex on the Beach and Anti Freeze FRONTLINE costumes are sold out. Good going Pulse 8!


Sex on the Beach Frontline


Anti Freeze Frontline

Post Christmas Damage

Well, it is back to work for us here in Trinidad today, I hope everyone had a very safe and enjoyable Christmas long weekend. Now that the holiday has come and gone I have to assess the “damage” done to my diet over the past few days. Honestly, I did not have any ham, black cake, ponche a crème or rum over the weekend BUT I did have pastelles, scalloped potatoes and a divine chicken that my mom made which was rolled and wrapped with ham. Oh, I also had chocolate cake! As I enjoyed many, many delicious carbohydrate dishes over the weekend my subconscious made a “promise” to myself to cut out carbohydrates completely from January 1st, but I also came to another realization; I would never have the ideal Carnival body even if I starve myself between now and February 19th.

See, I think as humans, worse yet females, when it comes to our bodies we are own worse critics and judges. My husband tells me all the time that I, as a woman, have no idea what men find attractive in female bodies. He for one does not mind stretch marks, though I can’t think of one woman who likes to see those lines on her body. Similarly, many guys I know are baffled that I even want to loose weight for Carnival; to them “thick” is sexy. I believe “Karabana” said it once when I was talking about loosing weight in an earlier post; we can never expect to look like those girls modeling the costumes for TRIBE and Island People (among other bands).

But that is the ideal the bands themselves set for us to achieve, not that they are deliberately telling us we have to look a certain way, but with the girls they hand pick to display their costumes you cannot help but look at the photographs and hear that voice saying “that is how I should look in my costume!”. Fact is though, how many eighteen year olds can afford a $3000.00 costume? The majority of women playing mas are several years older than a teenager, with bodies that have seen children or have passed the age where loosing weight came easily or are simply blessed with curves. This is not Brazil or Venezuela where a surgeon’s knife can fix all our body ails, making those women “perfect” as they show off their sexy costumes; the women who play mas on the streets of Trinidad and Tobago are “real”!

So for all of the women who are now facing the realization that Carnival is less than 60 days away, counting how many calories were consumed on Christmas day, translating into extra pounds that have to be shed before Carnival, get real. There is no way you are going to look like the model in the costume photograph that you have stuck to your refrigerator. Now that we have gotten that clear, don’t give up on your goals, continue to eat healthy, get some exercise and set a goal to look the best that YOU can look come Carnival. No miracles are going to happen between now and Carnival, but with sensible eating habits, exercise and a realistic expectation I think we can all don our costume come Carnival Tuesday and be proud in our efforts.

And though we might think a huge spotlight will be on our love handles or little round belly or even our “fat thighs, just remember that among the thousands of masqueraders on the streets you are just one, and if anyone has time to be looking for flaws on others during Carnival, they have got to be a sour puss not having a good time! In the end, that is all that matters, really, playing your mas and enjoying yourself to the fullest. So take a drink, wine your waist and look around at every other woman, just like you and know that no body is or ever will be “perfect”.

Wedding Review

I finally got a few photos from my friend who was a bridesmaid at Bunji and Faye Ann's wedding along with a report on the events.


My friend Christine, one of the bridesmaids.


The couple's first dance.


From her I learned that one particular female soca artiste known for her rather interesting dress code showed up at the wedding in what she termed an "inappropriate outfit"; I guess some people don't know how to relinquish the spotlight to others for a moment.

Other than the ceremony and reception reportedly went smooth with lots of drinks and a menu which consisted of everything yo u could think of; from doubles and corn soup to Chinese, roti, wild meat and Italian cuisine.

For lots of photos from the event please check out this album at Pointalive.com, and they also have a nice review of the wedding as well as a video!

Closer Look at India...

Adjustments are being made to Brian Mc Farlane's website it seems, and I was quite pleased to be able to view an enlarged photo of the costumes. Hover your mouse over the drawings and an option will appear to "click to enlarge" highlighted in red.

All of the following drawings are courtesy Brian Mc Farlane's website, and these are the sections I really, really like. For the rest of the costumes please visit the website if you have not already done so. Click on the following photos for a larger view.

Hopefully these sections will be named and priced on the website in the near future, it would be nice to know the names of the costumes. Anyways, I am in love with this white costume! I love the skirt, headpiece and the top. It just goes to show how covered can look utterly sexy.



Although this green costume looks a bit cumbersome with the leg pieces, I LOVE the headpiece as well as the ornate collar worn around the neck/shoulders. I also like that the bottom piece is just a sliver of fabric, showing off the legs and belly; another costume for the ones that like showing some skin.


Another white costume, somewhat similar to the first one that I like with the sleeves and flowing paneled skirt, but I love the headpiece and hand held standard.


I love this totally divaesque costume! It looks like the wearer will be clothed in a jeweled body suit with "fire" shooting from head, shoulders and hip. This might be a challenge to navigate around Port of Spain but it will look spectacular I am sure! Beautiful costume!


Finally I really like the colours of these two costumes, but prefer the male. I love that the male costume includes a sitar and of course, I love the female headpiece though the rest of the costume is a bit too much clothing for my taste. In my opinion this is one of the nicest male costumes in the band.


Well, there you have it, my two cents added about Boyie's journey. I do like the other sections as well, in fact there is not one section that I do not like. It's just that these costumes appeal to me much more over the others.

Here is wishing Carnival was three days instead of two so that I can play with Mc Farlane on the third day. I am so loving these costumes!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

As we welcome Christmas day in the Western Hemisphere I would like to wish everyone and their families a very Merry Christmas!

I hope the meaning for the season is not lost as we open all our presents; remember it' s a time to celebrate with our family and friends and the gifts do not matter as much as the thought behind them.

And for all those watching their waistlines in preparation for Carnival, take a day off and eat some carbs! I am definitely having a pastelle today, lovingly made by my mom, and enjoying some sorrel and a turkey ham sandwich!

Enjoy your day where ever you may be!


Love,

Saucy !

Early Christmas gift for Chatam residents!

Stop the presses and protests; Prime Minister Patrick Manning in an address to the nation has stated that plans for the two proposed aluminium smelters will be discontinued.

Instead an industrial estate will be established offshore at Otahite where aluminium as well as other industrial activities will take place.

The decision was made coming out of the symposium about the proposed smelter plants, though he did reiterate that the aluminum smelter plants were safe once overseen by guidelines of the Environmental Management Agency (EMA).

So this post has absolutely nothing to do with Carnival but the issue has been weighing quite heavy on possibly every Trinidadians mind and now we can breathe a sigh of relief as we welcome the new year. Oh, and this address to the nation sounds as if elections might be called sooner than we think! Our Prime Minister has addressed every issue from the smelter plants to health care to traffic congestion to tertiary education to housing for all.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Wedding pics!

Today's Newsday has a report of the Soca wedding which took place yesterday as well as a few photos from the Ceremony.The following photographs are courtesy Newsday and please check this link to read the full story. Both Bride and Groom looked beautiful!

It’s Christmas Eve!!!

Well the spirit of Christmas has finally taken a hold of me, though yesterday I swore of having kids after a trip to the mall with my girlfriend, her 6 month old baby and two nephews; one is two and the other twelve. What a nightmare having to drag a kicking and screaming two year old out of every toy store while we hunt for his Christmas present, a Kawasaki Bike!

Today I am taking my mom to the port to get the ferry to Tobago, she is spending Christmas in the sister isle and ever so often sends me into pangs of jealousy that come tomorrow she will be lying on Pigeon Point soaking up sand and that gorgeous blue water!In addition I will miss my mom on Christmas Day; though she did make me pastelles and black cake (did I not say I was on a DIET????) and ham!!

So far I have given everyone their gifts for Christmas; I like people having their present to open on Christmas Day instead of me delivering it when I show up. Yet, strangely enough I have only collected one gift from my mom, and that’s because she is leaving for Tobago today. And despite all my efforts to keep my gift giving list short, I managed to buy gifts for all the kids I know, friends and immediate family!! See, I told you I got the Spirit!

For everyone caught up in the last minute rush of preparations, cleaning, cooking, baking and shopping stop awhile, take it easy and enjoy the season! Have a great day everyone, no matter what you are doing today and for all those who will be out and about on the roads; BE SAFE!!!

Bunji and Faye Ann to wed today

I just want to offer my congratulations to the happy couple on their nuptials today. I hope the weather holds up well and everything goes perfectly, though somethings always happens on the wedding day that throws you for an unexpected turn. I know my friend, who is one of the 13 bridesmaid's, will looking beautiful in her blue dress and hopefully she will furnish me with a report on the day's events as they unfold.

In the meantime, the Newsday spoke with the couple recently and published the interview in their features section.

Bunji and Fay-Ann tie the knot

By Joan Rampersad Friday, December 22 2006

"Young soca couple Ian “Bunji Garlin” Alvarez and Fay-Ann Lyons will tie the knot this weekend after two years of happy partnership. Newsday spoke to the couple about the upcoming nuptials.

“I feel pretty comfortable about it,” 26-year-old Fay-Ann told Newsday. “A lot of people have been asking me how I feel but it is not a cliff that I am jumping off so there is no reason to be nervous or to get nervous about it. There is really nothing to be scared of.”

The more laid back Bunji, 27, said, “I feel cool, just good, excited inside and no nervousness. I am looking forward to enjoying the day and getting over it eventually. Because that day is going to be hectic so it can’t last forever."

For the rest of the article please click here.

Boyie has arrived

SO, I came home from lunch with my friend “Hot Boy” who is visiting from London for Christmas and another sojourn to the mall (where I ran into “no longer anon”) only to be greeted by the fact that Mc Farlane’s website is up!

If at first you can’t see anything new, click “tools” to the top of your browser window, then “options”, then “clear cache” and refresh the page; you should be able to see the new website then.

Now the website has not fully launched but from the drawings available for viewing the costumes look absolutely stunning! If I were playing in this band it would be a hard decision choosing a section for sure.

What I like about the costumes is that you can immediately identify the theme, some of the costumes looking more like elaborately decorated clothing, and that they are unique since I can not readily recall seeing any costume looking like these in years gone by.

Hopefully this presentation will finally lay to rest the Minshall/ Mc Farlane comparison and I cannot wait to see the website when it is fully launched.