Harts Sold Out Costume Update and Small Headpiece Options

Once again it seems like the women are on the ball and securing their Carnival costumes early. Harts now has 4 sections with Female costumes sold out, they are Azurite, Chryscolla, Howlite and Aquamarine. Heliodor Frontline is also sold out.

I have also noticed that photos of the "small" headpiece option are now on the website, some with prices.At first I thought that the prices for the "small" headpieces are expensive compared to some of the popular all inclusive bands and even some of the all Inclusive bands that are not so popular.

For instance Ronnie and Caro, Oasis, Dream Team and Showtime have all inclusive prices for the same prices or LESS than these Harts costumes with "small" headpiece option. But then I reasoned that when you add on the cost of a cart it takes you in the range or TRIBE and Island People however, two other  bands that are stalwarts on the Carnival frontier along with Harts, so I guess it works out for some people like that.

And to tell the truth I love these embellished metal headbands, someone should go into business making them as part of a Monday wear option! As a standalone costume headpiece it is not really for me as I like large headpieces or if it is a headband it has to be coupled with extras to compensate for the lack of feathers but they are ideal for the masqueraders who do not want all the fuss (and price) of large headpieces:

Rhodochrosite

Peridot

Heliodor - $3380.00

Citrine - $3215.00

Azurite

Moonstone - $3240.00

Hematite - $2950.00

Turquoise In Matrix - $2985.00

Sardonyx - $2890.00

Aquamarine

Mark Your Calenders

Well here are two firsts. Pulse 8's band launch will take the form of a "Pub Crawl" and Wee International's is holding a past masquerader viewing of their costumes prior to the media and public launch, interesting! Roll on October, I am in the mood for more costumes.

click for large view

Platinum Carnival Diva Decorating Services

Have you always wanted to do something "extra" to enhance your Carnival Costume but had no idea who to turn to? Well, Boots By Afro Chic is now offering the Platinum Carnival Diva Decorating Service

which has you covered if you want (bling) cups, corsets, or cage bras! In fact whatever your need drop Afro Chic a message and she will take care of you like the DIVA you are!

Need your cup blinged out? Corset decorated? How about that wire bra?

In addition to custom decorated boots, Afro Chic will be offering the Platinum Carnival Diva Decorating service, customising ANYTHING you desire to complement and complete the look your Carnival costume...GO BIG, OR GO HOME!

Our creativity is only limited by your imagination.

Send an email to: afro.chic@hotmail.com along with your name, band/section and the item you would like customised.

CUPS

CORSETS

CAGE BRAS

Body Art By James Paul

James Paul was the artist responsible for the airbrushed makeup at TRIBE's Birds of a Feather Band Launch, he is now advertising body art services for Carnival 2011:

GET PAINTED for CARNIVAL 2011 don't be left out!
COVER STRETCH MARKS!TONE and SCULPT!BRONZE, GLITTER and GLOW!GET PAINTED ON SIX PACKS! TEMPORARY TATTOOS! ADD accents to you your COSTUMES or just get FULLY BODY PAINTED!

Contact:
PHONE:1 868 786 0684
Email: jamespaul366@hotmail.com
or bodyartbyjamespaul@hotmail.com

Glenn Carvalho "Valley of the Nile" Update

Glenn’s mission was to provide an inexpensive alternative to the people, Glenn and his newly Glenn Carvalho is doing what he loves most, bringing mas again for a second year after a nineteen year retirement upon having the fire of creativity rekindled within him by both his daughter and granddaughter. After testing the waters so to speak with his Aloha 2010 presentation, in which formed team have worked long and hard to develop a presentation that will certainly be a visual feast to satisfy the hunger for something new in Trinidad carnival. Glenn also intends to incorporate a rebirth of pageantry to mas, which seems to have escaped most bands in recent years in their presentations. What better theme to have a “rebirth” than that of ancient Egypt, who’s Nile River would flood annually and deposit rich silt to the lands to provide for fertile crop growth. This rebirth of the land is what allowed a civilization to flourish in a desert like environment. This concept of rebirth was celebrated by its people and is reflected by its gods and the passage to the afterlife. Our team has worked hard to incorporate these aspects of ancient Egyptian culture into our historic mas presentation. We have narrowed down the presentation into the following twelve sections;

1. Court of Cleopatra

2. Divinity of Hatshepsut

3. Dreams of Nefertiti

4. Feather of Maat

5. Jewels of the Nile

6. Keepers of the Deity’s

7. Order of the Scarab

8. Majesty of the God’s:

• Female Bastet- Portrayed as the Cat

• Female Hathor- Portrayed as the Snake

• Female Mut- Portrayed as the Vulture

• Male Ra- Portrayed as the Hawk

• Male Anubis- Portrayed as the Jackal

• Male Thoth- Portrayed as the Ibis

9. Passage to the After Life

10. Pharaohs Concubine (All Female)

11. Rebirth of the Lotus

12. Winged Cobras

This presentation is going to be unique in many ways. There are many design aspects that have certainly not been seen in carnival presentations. You will see ancient Egypt portrayed in a way that you wouldn’t expect to see, with many traditional elements but also combined with abstract concepts. Although the design of the costumes were very thoroughly thought out and designed, the headpieces are the focal point throughout the presentation. We have adopted an “all or nothing” concept to our presentation, meaning that all costumes are of a frontline or individual caliber, with no excessive options to complicate things. As prototypes are in full production, we expect to have everything in order to launch in late October.

For more information:
Website - www.glenncarvalho.com
Facebook - Fanpage

Brian Mc Farlane - " Humanity" Trinidad Carnival 2011

On Friday I had the pleasure of interviewing Brian Mc Farlane before his trip to India to participate in the pre Commonwealth Games exhibition, September 23 -30, where two of his costumes will be on show. The full interview will be featured as a two part series so look out for it very soon.

This year Brian Mc Farlane's band launch "Humanity, Circle Of Life" takes place on October 8th, 2010 at the newly revamped Mobs 2. The launch is open to the public as it will be the feature event at this year's Eventology.

Tickets for the launch cost  $400.00TT  All Inclusive ( includes premium drinks and food), there will be a live band and of course the presentation of costumes; they can be bought at Peter Elias West Mall (women's store only) and the Mas Camp on Rosalino Street. Please note the dress code is strictly black and white.

After last year's band launch in Tobago I am eagerly looking forward to this year's. Truly I do not think anything can top the experience of witnessing costumes revealed on a sand spit in the middle of the ocean. but having been to Brian Mc Farlane's Band Launches over the years I know for sure this one will be a theatrical presentation, not to be missed! 

15 Questions With a Two Band High-Maintenance Overachiever

Have you ever wished that Carnival was a week long celebration, with parades taking place every day, so that unencumbered by time constraints and if money was not a factor you could play in a different costume for each day of the week long festival? I know I have often thought about it given the fact that I fall in love with more than one costume in more than one band each year.

The trend of  dual costumes for Carnival is not new, Danielle Jones (pictured below) played in Poison and Tribe in the year 2005. Wendy Fitzwilliam has often been seen in Harts and TRIBE , however you do not need to be a local celeb or ex beauty queen  to live out this fantasy. I know many ladies who have indeed played in  two costumes of the same band (one for Monday and one for Tuesday) or two costumes in different bands over the years.

Poison 2005

TRIBE 2005

I first wrote about the Two Band High-Maintenance Overachiever (H.O.) in my post entitled "The Enigma of the Two Band H.O." in 2006, if you would like to revisit that article check it out here.

Today I interview a masquerader who ventured into the realm of dual costumes this year (Carnival 2010) and will continue the trend by playing in two FRONTLINE costumes  in two different bands for Carnival 2011:

1. How long have you been playing mas?

I’ve been playing mas since I was a little girl. I remember when I was about four cry, cry, crying because I wanted to play one of Cinderella’s mice, but it was a boys’ section. I got my mouse costume in the end, though. Diva behaviour from young.

2. Which band/bands have you played mas with?

For adult mas, I’ve played in Harts, Poison, Island People and TRIBE.

3. Do you normally play frontline, if so how many years have you done so?

Nope, I don’t automatically go FL. I love elaborate costumes, but sometimes I don’t like the FL versions of a section that I like, eg. IPM Rain. I’ve played FL only three times.

4. How many times have you played in two different bands and do you pay full costume price for two costumes?

Oh, just the one time (so far). And yeah, I paid full price.

5. Which two bands are you playing with in 2011?

Urm,….

6. Are you playing backline or frontline and which costume in which band?

In 2010, I played BL and FL. For 2011, I’m registered for (at least) a FL costume.

7. What is the motivation behind playing in two different costumes in two different bands?

I saw a costume that I LOVE-LOVE-LOVED, but it was in a different band from the one in which I usually play. And then I saw a really cute costume in my usual band, where I usually have a spectacular Carnival. So, after some internal debating, I realised that I wanted both, and fortunately, I was in a financial position to accomplish such.

8. People might say what is the point of playing in two different costumes especially since Monday is not a day people wear full costume, what would you say to these people?

I don’t say anything to those people. They’re entitled to their criticisms, and to say what they like. I simply smile at their questions (which are often veiled accusations), and continue having a blast.

9. Will you be playing in FULL costume on both days?

I did this year when I had one BL. I played in full costume on both days (all day). If I were to play two FLs, I may consider leaving out some bits for Monday, but I’m thinking I’d more likely wear everything so that I experience the true costume glory.

10. Which band will you be in on Monday and Tuesday?

It was easy this year because I only had one FL costume. It would have been harder had there been two FLs.

11. How do you decide which band you will play in on which day?

It’s not so much about the band, but more about the costume for me. When I’m wearing something beautiful and I look fantastic, I tend to have great fun, regardless of where I am. So, I will probably decide which costume looks better after collection and make a final decision then.

12. Do you enjoy your experience equally in both bands or is one a better experience over the other?

This year I preferred my Monday experience to my Tuesday, but that had nothing to do with the band, but rather that Monday there was so much more space to move around. I’d spent time in both bands on Monday actually, and the situation was the same in both instances where there was so much more freedom to party and have fun.

13. After you play in one band on Monday do you sell your costume or allow someone to use it on Tuesday seeing as you will be playing in another band in a different costume?

I can certainly allow someone to use it, but I’m not sure many people would really want that opportunity. I would feel like a cad selling my costume, however, because I truly put my costume to full use. I couldn’t fathom selling an item so used and “un-cleanable.” I’m not sure I’d even want to wear my costume more than once.

14. For the same money why not do an Individual costume instead of two frontline costumes?

I have done an individual costume. I didn’t like the experience. The streets are too small, the bands are too crowded, there is such limited space to show off the beauty of the costume. And, as there is no stage, the appeal of an individual costume plummets when you think that Mas on the Road is the big climax that you’re working towards.

15. On Ash Wednesday do you ever think that your choice on which band to play with on Monday or Tuesday day was wrong and that you should have either stayed in one band both days day or switched the days you played on either band?

Since I only did the dual-band thing this year, I can respond with a resounding “No.” I had a blast this year, and have zero regrets. I loved both costumes, I have loads of pictures and all of them have me sporting this huge, goofy grin. AND, I was able to get on wild with even more friends than I usually do when being confined to one band.

If Choosing A Carnival Band Was Like Buying a CD....

This whole topic came about from a question asked to me about a particular band, someone asked if I was  "converted" now and then went on to liken said band to a Genre of Music. Finding the whole thing hilarious I asked that person how would they categorize other popular bands and from there asked friends  their opinion until we combined a list of sorts. If we were to choose a band based on musical taste, what type of music would each band be?

I don't know if this list is an accurate representation of the bands for everyone, especially their masqueraders, but keep in mind it was all done in FUN. Who knows, it may be helpful to those looking to play in a certain band and have no idea what demographic that band attracts. 

So, what do you think? Agree of disagree with the Musical Genres ascribed to the Carnival Bands? And if a band is not listed add it in, leave a comment! 

TRIBE,Bliss - Pop/Techno

YUMA -  R&B/ Pop

Island People - Hip Hop

HARTS - Alternative Rock

Spice Carnival - Emo Rock

Oasis Carnival - Muzak

Brian Mc Farlane - Opera

D Krewe - Disco

Pulse 8, Dream Team - Adult Contemporary

Skullduggery - Steam Punk

Ronnie and Caro - Soca

 Trini Revellers - Kaiso

Wee International, Showtime,Genesis,Legacy - Dancehall

Image Nation - Rapso

Jhalwa - Chutney Soca

Bliss Apache Close Up Photos

My interview with Brian Mc Farlane took me to Rosalino Street yesterday and as I was in the area I decided to pop in and see the new Bliss Apache costume as I was out of commission (ill) when it was put up at the mas camp and I did not have the opportunity to see it in person before.

After seeing it I do like the colours, I think it is pretty and will look very nice on the road, initial photos did not do the costume justice.  No male was on show for which I was disappointed, I would have liked to have seen the male option. There is no frontline, only a larger headpiece option,I think a war bonnet headpiece sweeping to the floor would have been gorgeous as a frontline!

To my surprise there were people registering  at the camp(check out the audio on the video) and others looking at costumes. Here are the prices for Apache:

click for large view

Apache close up photos,  the album can also  be found HERE.

Bourgeois Sneak Peek

This is not "ole " mas at all! Looking good Mas Jumbies, making me wish I had the energy to do both Jouvert and play mas all day Monday.

Does this not look like you could go straight from Jouvert to Monday Mas ? Switch out the skirt to boy shorts and you are set!

Les Dames Vertes (The Green Ladies). 

Costume has a shin length split skirt; gold and green bangles included.

Carnival Updates

This month has been pretty quiet as far as band launches go, we only have Genesis slated to launch on September 26th. Then we start back the band launches in earnest on October 1st with Pulse 8 and I am really looking forward to their presentation this year as I heard Sandra Hordatt collaborated with Richard and Anthony designs for one of Pulse 8 sections!

Some interesting news came my way, straight from the "horses mouth" concerning costume production and issues over quality that a certain band experienced. After believing that the producer was to blame for the problems I was informed that the band in question not only had a severley limited budget per costume they also switched out the "genuine" gems on the costumes with cheaper acrylic versions. And, to add insult to injury they even ordered BROWN feathers (for a blue costume) because they were significantly cheaper than buying the correct colour, and in order to achieve the desired colour they bleached the brown feathers and tried to dye them blue! Well, that certainly explains the drain water effect and someone really wanted to pass that off as how the feathers were supposed to look? humph! Mouth open, tory jump out!

I was told that even though a certain new band is also using the same producer that this new band is NOT switching out materials for the cheaper version and if they have to take a reduced profit (or none at all) this band will ensure that masqueraders get exactly what they paid for. Sounds good!

So, if you have been emailing BLISS for information on registration for the band you may have gotten a reply that they are taking TLC card holders and "past masqueraders" only. Now tell me, how does a brand new band have "past masqueraders"? I guess this may be an attempt to satisfy the TLC holders that lucked out of a costume in TRIBE, who knows! All I can say is that some people are not happy at all that they got shut out of BOTH bands!

Island People has sold out of all females in Vega and Mars Secret, slow and steady wins the race, so I guess YUMA is not the only band where the males are lagging behind. And speaking of YUMA even though the band is sold out online and females are sold out in the mas camp I have heard of females being registered in Aries just this week, so I am guessing that if you go to the mas camp you MIGHT have some luck! I believe you can still get a MALE costume in Sagittarius, Pisces, Capricorn and Virgo.

Showtime Mas has not updated their website as yet but here is a preview of their costumes from their Carnival 2011 presentation "Colours of Green"... is that a Baby Doll section I see? Interesting!

Sonia Mack's Website Is Up!

Finally! Link, HERE.

Thoughts on Professional Makeup

I am thinking for Carnival 2011 to have professional makeup done on BOTH days as the possibility is that I may be in two costumes....and even two bands...next year. Now, I have only had professional makeup done over the past three years and I honestly think it is worth it on Carnival Tuesday, for me, as it complements the entire fabulous costumed package.

On  Carnival Monday since everyone tends to be wearing less of a costume and it is much more of a freer "dress down" atmosphere I have never really placed emphasis on going getting makeup professionally done, I just do it myself, because Monday is not the "big" day when you come out all decked off in full regalia.  However I have been having the growing, nagging feeling that I do want that drama and pageantry on BOTH days, hence the longing for an actual costume for Monday instead of boy shorts and a baby tee. You know that overwhelming excitement you get on Tuesday when you are fully dressed in costume and say yes, this is the culmination of months and months of planning ? Well I want that feeling on  both Monday AND Tuesday!

So, I have already booked my makeup appointment  tentatively for Monday but what do you guys think, is that too much, not really worth it for Monday? Do you get professional makeup done on Monday and/or Tuesday and do you think it is money well spent?

I am trying to get a feel on how popular having makeup done on both days is and if I am late catching up to this trend! 

Kirk Thomas in Action

Fierce!

PHOTO SOURCE

Kirk Thomas Makeup Artistry 

beautymakeupart@hotmail.com

Image Nation The Dry Yard

Image Nation has released a few shots of their Carnival 2011 presentation "The Dry Yard"....hopefully they will update the website with all the costumes in the near future.

The teaser costumes do look interesting and I want to see more! Check out Image Nation's website HERE.

5 YUMA Questions Of The Day!

So  I threw out these topics of debate for anyone looking for "inspiration" and "ideas" on what to write about if their content is specific to YUMA because let's face it, there are MANY blogs about Carnival but we all don't need to mirror each other's content, variety is what makes reading the different blogs so interesting. And if I can find something new to write about 365 days a year since the year 2006 then surely the notion that there is only "so much" you can write about Carnival is a dead argument, mental laziness is not an excuse for regurgitation!

Since no one decided to use my ideas this time, let me ask this of the Trinidad Carnival Diary readers, specifically the ones playing in YUMA, but everyone can participate.

My 5 YUMA questions of the day:

1. Are YUMA masqueraders placing unrealistic demands on the band with outrageous requests such as lockers on the road?

2.How do YUMA  masqueraders feel about  the rumored float on the road reserved for only Individual masqueraders?

3. Drinks runners, are YUMA masqueraders in favor or not and who should have access to them, Individuals, Frontlines or everyone else?

4.Why are the men not in a hurry to sign up with YUMA as all female costumes are now SOLD OUT?

5. What are the top 3 YUMA ingredients for having a YUMAERIFIC time on the road and what would you give the band a bligh on if things do not go perfect the first year?

Slimdown 360

So this looks interesting, a meal delivery plan similar to Weight Watchers, E Diets and Jenny Craig but available in Trinidad. If any of you decide to try it let me know how the experience works for you:

Dear Saucy,

Masqueraders every year are faced with one obstacle, how to lose sufficient weight in time for Carnival. For those who are comfortable in the skin that they are in, we say no problem, love who you are because all of God's creations are beautiful. For those, on the other hand, who desire to lose some of that extra weight, there is a new service being offered in Trinidad called SLIMDOWN 360 that is much different from anything that has ever been offered.

It is very similar to those programs, such as Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem, seen on foreign television stations. Clients sign up for a package which includes 3-4 delicious, balanced, perfectly portioned meals a day, personalized workouts based on your exercise preferences, body monitoring to ensure that you are losing weight and telephone support. The meals go beyond typical boring salads. We boast of over 80 meals to choose from. Lasagna, cinnamon rolls, pizza and even cookies are available on our menu. We even have fresh homemade pasta that we knead and roll out ourselves! With over 80 meals to choose from, variety is what would prevent you from growing bored and falling off.

Now, all these delicious foods may make this program sound like another weight loss gimmick but we assure you that it's not. We can offer these delicious foods to our clients because they are made to adhere to a low Glycemic Index standard. Contrary to other weight loss options locally, we do not encourage the use of weight loss pharmaceuticals. We wish to promote a healthy lifestyle. Stick to a healthy nutrition plan and exercise and you can avoid all of the risks that come with those weight loss pharmaceuticals.

The cost? Well, most people would recognize that while on this program, they actually spend the same or even less than they would usually do on food. This includes meals, personalized exercise programs, body monitoring and telephone support. It is extremely hard to get a healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert anywhere in Trinidad for under $80 a day. Still for that $80 you don't get all of the support services that we offer.

More information is available at our website,

www.slimdown360.com

We can even be contacted at

info@slimdown360.com or 393-6662.

We look forward to helping out our fellow masqueraders.

Respectfully,

The Slimdown 360 Team.

Guys Take Note!

I am sure you have notice this costume, Island People's Male Captain in the section Lunar Cycle:

It is a male "frontline" of sorts, only a FEW will be sold.

However upon further investigation on registering in the section, I was informed that a potential male masqueraders was asked to submit a photo as this is a "STRONG MAN" section and Island People needs to see how he looks!

Well, and here I was thinking only the ladies are subject to size restrictions!

Dream Team's Website Is Up

In what seems to be the first pricing structure of it's kind for Carnival 2011, Dream Team has priced ALL their regular female costumes at $2895.00TT/ $480.00US, ALL male costumes at $2295.00TT/ $382.00US and ALL frontline costumes at $3595.00TT/$600.00US. They also have a "subsidized" section for students, not to mention the down payment is only $700.00TT... interesting!

Check out all Dream Team's costumes on the website HERE.

What do you guys think of the prices and who plays with Dream Team? Any reviews? 

The Question of Heels!

I have always admired the women who can pull off  5 inch heels in fetes and keep them on all night. For me, after years of wearing 4 inch heels to fetes without problems, I suffered the worst foot pain ever at an Insomnia fete a few years ago owing to the most uncomfortable pair of heels (the pain left me unable to wear anything but flats for a week) and I have never been able to wear anything over 3 inches comfortably again.

So, the thought of wearing heeled boots or heel shoes/sandals to play mas has never entered my head even though I have seen many women doing it with ease and style, like the two ladies  pictured below:

And I have also seen masqueraders in incredulously high heels and wondered if it was easy navigating the streets of Port of Spain on 5 inch spikes! 

One of my readers sent me a question about wearing boots with heels and since I have no experience on the matter, it would be nice to have comments from you ladies who play mas in heels or boots with heels:

I was looking online for boots and I knew since the band launch that for my section I wanted to go with a thigh high boots (I'm in Xi'An). However the only ones I find have heels.

I am a bit scared I must say. I have noticed that this year many ladies chipped down the road with heels and I am not too sure if you covered the topic. I would LOVE to have their feedback:

Was it painful, uncomfortable, a bad choice for the road? Would  they recommend it? What height and size of heels (how thick)?  Would you suggest flats for Monday and heels for Tuesday? And by heels I do not mean wedges.

I would appreciate any feedback.

Thanks

Vale Vibe New York 2010

Greetings peeps, Kermit here reporting from the Vale Vibe New York 2010. As most of my friends know, I do not usually attend Labor Day festivities but this year there happened to be a confluence of events that made it impossible for me not to be there. Back in the day when I used to attend Labor Day in New York regularly, the main reason I would make the trip north was for Hawke’s Boat ride. This was a most glorious and epic boat ride and my only regret was that I wasn’t in the picture-taking and commentary-writing scene back then otherwise I’m sure those would have been among my best works.Sadly, that boat ride has long since ceased to exist but this year, versions of two of the biggest and baddest Trinidad Carnival fetes were being held in New York on Labor Day weekend and when I heard that they would be back to back on the same night/morning, I knew this was the perfect storm of feteing and I had to be a part of it. The first fete in this dynamic duo is the Vale Vibe then after is Sunny Side Up New York; you will hear lots about my SSU experience in the next installment but first things first, let me tell you about the Vale Vibe.

I arrived in New York that Saturday afternoon and after downing a curry chicken buss-up-shut and a half-bottle of Belvedere, the crew and I readied ourselves and headed to the fete around 11:30 p.m. (ish) and after a brief pause at the door, we were welcomed inside and was immediately struck by the beauty of the venue. The Vale Vibe was being held in a space, the luxurious skylight One Hanson Place, which back in the day, clearly used to be a bank. Now when I say “back in the day” I don’t mean 20-30 years ago; the day I am talking about would be way back before color TV’s and even before man walked on the moon.

The main party room was what would have been the main lobby of the bank and looks like the kind of place where you would expect the Joker to be fighting off Batman as he tried to rob the place. The ceilings soared above us and the graceful arches supported huge ornate chandeliers which looked like they came straight from Notre Dame. The illumination inside was quite creative and definitely enhanced the Gotham City feel that pervaded the event and as I made my way fully into the room I was very impressed with what I had seen so far but since looks don’t quench thirst, I looked around for a bar and lo and behold there was a young lady holding a Hennessy Black bottle and wearing a Hennessy Black dress right in front of me. I sidled over to her and realized than not only was she serving Hennessy, she was also controlling a stock of Belvedere. I took this as a sign from above since I had been consuming that very same spirit earlier and now I can continue with no worries about mixing/clashing different liquors.

After introducing myself (and taking a few pictures of the lovely ladies hard at work at that bar), I sipped my drink and headed over to the right side of the fete where a line had formed for the food. The line stretched about halfway down the length of the party but it seemed to be moving briskly and since I had a drink in my hand and it was fairly early anyway, I decided to lime in the line and see what food choices awaited me.After a short wait, I discovered a plethora of food choices ranging from doubles and poulouri to bake and saltfish, to rice and peas and jerked chicken. There was a wide variety of food and there certainly seemed to be plenty of it immediately available so I took my full plate and retired to the main area to consume.By now, the crowd was starting to arrive and the venue was filling up nicely.The music was sweet and the folks present were having a great time eating and drinking and generally mingling but there was no real hard wining taking place.

This was not too surprising considering that the fete was now getting going and this was the time for patrons to fill up on their fete fuel of choice in preparation for the night’s activities. The reserved temperament of the fete was also a reflection of the type of crowd present as the folks in attendance definitely dressed to impress and their efforts were largely successful. The crowd was full of beautiful, well dressed people and I could see why they would take their time to mix and mingle and see and be seen. I mean, there would be plenty time to palance later but now, while you are as yet un-sweatied, now would be a good time to chill and pose for pics and I was happy to oblige them one and all.

As we all know, this social behavior could not last all night and when Alicia D Dutchess’ introduced Donaeo and he took the stage, the crowd in the front of the fete start to loosen up. I mean, here was the “Party Hard” man singing live not 5 feet away and there was no way you could ignore that vibe. Before long the crowd was swaying and gyrating and hanging on his every word. In my opinion, this was the straw that broke the camel’s back and from that time on, the crowd by the stage was fully engaged in the winery.Interestingly enough, when I made my way to the bars in the back of the fete, the vibe down there was much mellower and laid back. The peeps down here were definitely enjoying themselves but they weren’t wining with the fervor their counterparts up in front were displaying.

This, I think, was a very nice feature in the Vale Vibe; if you wanted to jam down and get on bad, you could go up front and palance to your heart’s content and if you wanted a breather or simply wanted to chill instead, you could gravitate to the rear and lime and observe the Party Harder’s and through all of this, the liquor flowed very liberally right up until the very end of the night’s festivities.

The Vale Vibe New York 2010 was an excellent fete as the organizers went to great lengths to provide the patrons with an elegant party experience and tonight, they were 100% successful. Everything from the hot food to the cold drinks to the well dressed yet badly behaved clientele was absolutely on point. The music kept us moving all night and Donaeo provided a nice change of pace and just about the only thing that would have made the night better would have been to keep it going for another couple hours but since greed is a sin, I will be thankful for the several hours I enjoyed courtesy of the Vale Vibe management – well done Vale Vibe, very well done indeed.

Enjoy the pics peeps, because later that morning after a disco nap and a quick shower, I headed to Sunny Side Up New York and had a TIME AND A HALF there but you will soon see and hear all about it.

Kermit out.

I am FINALLY Registered!!

So, I knew that registration for Bliss was taking place very quietly at the Carlton Savannah  since early last month. How it worked was that you had to email Bliss  in advance for information on the registration process, via committee member, and if you are still  interested I suggest you send them an email at  info@blisscarnival.com for details, but be swift, the band will be sold out soon by my estimation of interest being expressed! 

However I opted for payment online which is actually not the same as registration online (I don't think their will be any online registration) and as consequence only got officially registered YESTERDAY, more than a month after my counterparts who registered in house.

I got to say that I am now happy to have my receipt, minus all the hiccups along the way. Now, I await the INTIMATE experience and exactly what is in store with all the "surprises" I am hearing about. I am very excited as many of my friends also made the switch from TRIBE to Bliss, so it will be an interesting experience trying something new for Carnival 2011:

Photos from Bliss In House Registration, which from reports was a hassle free experience!

Brazilian Meets Trini Mas....

One of my readers sent me the following email about the influence of "Brazilian" culture in terms of risqué and revealing costuming in Trinidad Mas and all other Carnivals derived from Trinidad Mas. We have the wire bra as a staple now in costuming and for Labor Day 2010 the "Tapasexo" or "Brazilian C String" was debuted, sure to see it making it's way to Trinidad Carnival 2011!

Brazilian Tapasexo

There are already over 100 comments on the Tapasexo over at the Trinidad Carnival Diary Fan Page on Facebook, it is a HOT topic and if you want to see how the Tapasexo works you can visit Samba Costumes as Jean Cool was responsible for the design, Ramajay Mas for the decoration (congrats on your win for Band of the Year!

Tapasexo by Samba Costumes "Adenium String"

On the Road in Ramajay

I would like to know if it's possible if you would like to start a discussion about carnival and censorship... what I mean is this- our carnival is transforming into a Brazilian type Carnival with wire bras, going topless, and rocking a tapasexo, getting on (pure jamminish style) in front of the eyes of children, elderly and other conservative spectators... do you think that Carnival is really getting out of hand??

And with crime situations, do you think some women (those that are wearing topless, wirebras, thong etc.) are encouraging harm or danger to themselves??

It's just a thought of mine since I noticed that we (as masqueraders) love to be free out on the road, but I do noticed that some spectators were upset and even frowned on the behavior...

So, leave your thoughts and comments , please note PERSONAL attacks and derogatory comments will be removed; make your point without having to insult anyone, thanks! 

PHOTO SOURCE:
The Magic Moments

Bliss Sold Out Sections......

If you have not been keeping up with the changes or even the entity that is Bliss you may have missed this one as everything for Bliss is being handled quietly and on a "need to know if you are in the know" basis! Watch out now, THREE sections are marked officially SOLD OUT on the website!  

And to the webmaster, I got my email last night (yay!) however I am stumped at ADD PAYMENT.. sigh! 

Gems Band Launch

GEMS presents

2k11 Conquest of Alexander

@ Callaloo Mas Camp, Chaguaramas

Sat 9th oct, 2010

7pm till..............

Special guest from Jamaica and one of the leading Brass Bands in T&T

For tickets and info contacts 770-1942. 365-5329 or 6254881.

Ramajay Mas - The Review

With this being my second Labor Day Carnival, I decided to play with Ramajay Mas because I have to admit, the costumes were on point this year, instead of being cheap, recycled and non-inventive costumes that are prone to be seen on the parkway. My section of choice was Isis Frontline with the full bra.

REGISTRATION

It took a couple of weeks before the website was operational, and yet still a few more before the registration form was available on the website. Although I emailed a representative of the band through Facebook, the only word on online registration was that it would be available soon. When I noticed this, I immediately emailed the band through its website and inquired about online registration for my desired section. Almost immediately, I received an email response with the confirmation that my section was still available, along with a registration form an directions on how to make the deposit through Paypal. After filling out the form, I made the deposit using Paypal website and returned the registration form to the band and waited for my confirmation e-mail that I was actually registered in Isis. To be honest, to this day, I am still waiting on my confirmation email.

BAND COMMUNICATION

Over all, communication to masqueraders was POOR. I should not have to be continuously calling the camp during business hours and not get an answer. I can remember calling the band when it first launched, and no matter the time I called, the phone would go to voice mail. REALLY, to me this was unprofessional having a cell phone used as the business phone. Granted that the Labor Day parade is only six hours, I still think that the band should have taken out a temporary land line, or even if they used the cell phone, they could have at least have a recorded message letting callers know that they have reached the band at a bad time and how soon a representative would be available to help. Anything other than a computer generated “You have reached the voice mail of (insert number here), please leave a message after the beep.”

During one of my earlier communications, I enquired about collecting my costume on the Sunday before Labor Day seeing that I was driving from Arkansas and the representative from the camp said sure I can make arrangements for that date. However, the week before Labor Day, I called again to make said arrangements and another representative informed me that if the costume was not collect before Saturday 4th, my costume could be sold.

Another area of poor communication skill was in regards to collection, as you will read later on in the review, masqueraders were advised of one thing, yet the complete opposite happened.

On the brighter side though, I must admit that the section leader for Isis, Akin Ross, was very communicative with his section, and he personally called me instruct me on how to measure myself for the wings. This communication from Akin did not stop there, as the morning of the parade he was willing to give me directions on where to meet the band when I was lost. He also made sure to go through each masqueraders box (from what I saw), and made sure each person was satisfied with what they received.

COLLECTION

Hummm, where should I start, DISORGANIZED, HECTIC and CHAOTIC cannot even begin to describe what went on at the distribution center. Although my collection date was set for Thursday 2nd, I never got to New York until Friday morning. All paper work that I received from the band indicated that collection started at 4pm. Got to the mas camp at about 4:30pm only to be turned around by the gate man saying no distribution until 6pm. What happen to facebook, twitter or a phone call, I could save my gas if I had known I was not supposed to be there until 6. By the time I returned to the distribution center, there was a number system in place, which I do think was a good idea. After I paid the balance on my costume, I proceeded to collect my costume – which by the way was not there. After a frantic search for my costume, a representative from the band informed me that I (key word I) had to call a number to find out what my costume was…..WHAT. So I pay my money to the band and still I have to find out where my costume is, which by the way was supposed to be there at 4pm. After calling the number, I was told to return at 8pm because my costume should be there then. Luckily I had other F.L.H.O things to take care of, so I went about my business and returned at about 8:30pm.

By then it was pure madness as costumes were not completed and representatives were still making bras, headpieces, and belts to satisfy the masses that ensued. When I got to the Isis station (more like the space they had for Isis distribution), I was greeted by a rasta guy (whose name I can’t remember) and he proceeded to put my box together.

In the box, I received my costume, some Carol’s Daughter shampoo and a thank you letter from Akin Ross and Theif Head Crew (sp). I also received the jewelry that was advertised on the website and two costume jewelry rings.

Now when I looked at my bra and I looked at my ta ta’s and I said “na this eh go work.” Apparently the bras made by the distributors ran small and a lot of the big breasted masqueraders had the same problem as I. To solve the problem, Akin was willing to have masqueraders with bra issues, bring in their own bra and redecorate them. I applaud him for this, as some of the other sections were not willing to do this and a lot of females were very upset.

After getting my box, I did have to wait about another hour and a half because the person who was supposed to fit the wings to ensure that they were correct was not at the distribution center and was “coming just now” for about an hour.

After waiting and getting fitted for my wings, I went home and I must say that I was satisfied with the product I paid for, however, the belt was measured incorrectly (a lot of females had this problem also) and while I thought my bra could have worked it did not.

When I returned to the distribution on Saturday, it was worse than Friday night. The line was ridiculous and they were only letting people in six at a time. I saw this as a good move as it would cut down on confusion and keep clutter out of the small space that they were working with.

After waiting about two hours in line, I was finally able to get inside and when I told Akin of my problem, he gave me his number so that I could organize with him at his own work space to convert a gold monokini that I had into a costume.

Now I do not know or do not want to know what happened when I left the distribution center as there were a few people requesting refunds because the product they received was not completed or did not fit correctly. I know of a few individuals who had to wait a couple of hours because their costumes would not be at the venue until about 11pm.

ON THE PARKWAY

The parkway would be the parkway and I really thought Ramajay could have had everything in control after the confusion that was happening for three nights straight. To be honest I do not know where the band was scheduled to meet as my section held a breakfast party at the Tikki Village. Because I had to do my own makeup and get my face decorated, I opted to meet the band at East New York and Rockaway Parkway, where the parade begins. At about 2pm, several masqueraders were asking where the band was and finally, by word of mouth (I don’t know who started it) everyone found out that the trucks were actually at Buffalo and Rockaway.

For the duration of the parade, the rope men were kinda doing a good job a keep stormers out, except one point where I just thought the band was a t-shirt band. I must say that the mike men on the truck did stop the music to discourage stormers and also instructed the rope men on what areas needed securing and the importance of keeping the stormers out.

One particular point that pissed me off was to see a stormer tell the security that she not getting out the band and he did nothing. WTF, so you mean to tell me Mr. Big Strappin man, a STORMER tells you she not getting out the band and you said OK. Ramajay I want back my money for security because obviously you guys did not tell your men that a stormer is a stormer no matter race, creed, color or nationality. It reminded me of how I felt in regards to the security putting out stormers in Harts this year: security picked and chose who was a stormer.

AFTER THOUGHTS

Overall, I think Ramajay have some serious kinks to work out, mainly security, customer service and also communication. It makes no sense to have on a company distributed collection list that distribution starts at 4pm when in all reality it starts at 6pm. It is no fun the day before the parade and your costume is still being worked on. It is no fun having a sweaty stormer winning up on me when I paid my money to enjoy myself in the band. I am not saying that there is a band out there without some problems, but for Ramajay, the problems that masqueraders had outweighed the beauty of their costumes.

Another thing that I notice was a topic you talked about in the past Saucy. I saw backline babes with wings, and frontline H.O.’s with backline belts (gasp), but that is a whole nother topc.

As far as a grade, I would give the band a D+. And to the dougla girl who was making the Lakshmi costumes (yes I calling she out), next time better customer service is needed from you. If yuh hadda frown yuh face, you should be in the back gluing on the decorations on the bra because your attitude was definitely not needed.

I am happy that I choose Isis because the section leaders tried their best to satisfy and rectify all costume problems unlike some other sections that I saw. I am thoroughly please that instead of having my ta tas making their debut on the parkway, the designers worked with me in putting a fit together that I was satisfied with.

Carnival Updates

Ronnie and Caro opens their mas camp for registration today at 11:00AM, website launches at the same time as well. Down payment for regular costumes $800.00TT and frontline 50% of the costume cost.

Dream Team was schedule to open their mas camp for registration yesterday as well as have their website up and running, however the website is still not updated ...I guess I will look out for that happening soon.

And speaking of websites, Sonia Mack's Carnival 2011  website is not up as yet but we can add Quasar the list if sold out costume options from Island People:

QUASAR- Male B

QUASAR-Bodysuit

QUASAR- Female Frontline with Large Backpack

Now, if only Ms Mack would launch her website so we know exactly what "Male B" looks like!

Labor Day Jam In Brooklyn!

Last year I watched the parade on live stream FREE of charge but it seems like this year WIADCA want to charge pay per view, humph!

 If anyone knows where to get a FREE livestream link, let me know, I want to see Ramajay Mas!