International Carnival Dates 2008

If you are suffering Carnival Tabanca have no fear, here is the listing of International Carnival dates all over the world:

Guyana February 23

St. Maarten (Dutch) April 12 to May 4

Jamaica Carnival April 13 - 19

St. Thomas, USVI April 20 - 26

Tampa, FL, USA April 26 - 27

Cayman Islands (Barabano) May 4

Cayman Islands (Little Cayman) May 4

Oklahoma City, OK, USA May 16 - 18

Bermuda Day May 24

Dallas/Forth Worth, TX, USA May 23 - 25

Atlanta (Peach), GA, USA May 23 - 26

Oakland, CA, USA May 23 - 26

Orlando, FL, USA May 24 - 25

San Fransisco, CA, USA May 24 - 25

Berlin, Germany May 30 to June 3

St. Petersburg, FL, USA June 14 - 15

Calgary (Carifest), AB, Canada June 8 - 14

Hartford CT, USA June 15

Philadelphia, PA, USA June 21

Port Charlotte, FL, USA June 21

Washington (D.C. Carnival), DC, USA June 21 - 29

Chicago (Bachannal), IL, USA June 27 - 29

Southern California Caribbean Carnival June 27 - 29

St. Johns, USVI July 4

Montreal, PQ, Canada July 5

Syracuse, NY, USA July 5

West Palm Beach, FL, USA July 5 - 6

Houston, TX, USA July 6 - 12

Tortola July 10 - 23

Virginia (Norfolk), USA July 11 - 13

St. Lucia July 12 - 13

SABA Dutch Caribbean July 13 - 15

St. Vincent & The Grenadines July 14 - 15

Barbados (Cropover) July 16 - August 3

Baltimore, MD, USA July 18 - 20

Connecticut July 18 - 20

Puerto Rico (Loiza) July 18 - 20

Toronto (Caribana), ON, Canada July 18 - August 4

York, ON, Canada July 21

Anguilla July 24 - August 3

Virginia (Chesapeake), USA July 26 - 28

Antigua & Barbuda July 26 - August 5

Vancouver, BC, Canada July 27

Jersey City, NJ, USA July 27

Rotterdam, Holland July 27

Netherland Antilles July 28

St. Eustatius July 28

Nevis July 28 - August 4

Detroit, MI, USA August 8 - 10

Edmonton (Cariwest), AB, Canada August 8 - 10

Hamilton, ON, Canada August 8 - 10

Regina (Carisask), SK, Canada August 8 - 10

Winnipeg (Caripeg), MB, Canada August 8 - 10

Virgin Gorda August 8 - 10

Ottawa, ON, USA August 8 - 17

Grenada August 11 - 12

Albany (Carama), NY, USA August 15 - 17

Talahassee, FL, USA August 15 - 17

Chicago (Carifete), IL, USA August 16

East Orange, NJ, USA August 16

Boston, MA, USA August 23

Nottinghill, United Kingdom August 24 - 26

New York (Labour Day), NY, USA August 28 - September 1

Long Island Carnival, NY, USA September 6

Port St. Lucie, FL, USA September 7

Baltimore, MD, USA September 12 - 14

Westchester, MA, USA September 14

Costa Rica October 9 - 12

Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA October 9 - 13

Miami, FL, USA October 9 - 13

Jacksonville, FL, USA October 17 - 19

Los Angeles, CA, USA October 17 - 19

Keywest, FL, USA October 24 - 26

New Orleans, LA, USA October 24 - 26

Bridgwater, England, United Kingdom October 31

St. Kitts December 24 - January 1, 2009

Bahamas December 26 - January 1, 2009

St. Croix, USVI December 26 - January 1, 2009

Island People 2009

Looks like "heavenly" things are indeed in store for Island People Mas in 2009! Can we say MORE wings!!

photo of the IP MAS Guidebook
(compliments ~cb~)

Evoultion letter

I would LOVE anyone who played in Evolution to please send me a review. News reaching me is that costume collection was a nightmare of epic proportions; reports of costumes not being boxed and masqueraders being assigned costume pieces from off the floor, masqueraders being placed in alternate sections (as sections were not in Trinidad for delivery), lines outside the mas camp for entry into the mas camp, costumes not being ready on Carnival Sunday.. so if you played with Evolution I would appreciate a review. Here is the letter Evolution sent out to their masqueraders:

Hello Everyone,


On behalf of Evolution Carnival Band, I would like to extend my most heartfelt appreciation to all of you who supported the band for Carnival 2008.

I know that the journey started off on a very rocky note, but I do hope that everyone did ultimately enjoy themselves on the Road.

Thanks to all of you, the band placed fifth overall in the Large Band Category, which is an extreme achievement for its first time out on the road.

We realised that alot of things should have been better organised and alot of negative occurrences could have been avoided with earlier planning. Please trust however that a thorough evaluation of all of these matters will be done and recitfied for next year.

We are also encouraging everyone to please email us with feedback and suggestions on how we could make things better for you our valued masqueraders.

Please email me with all of your questions, concerns and suggestions. It will be our greatest honour to receive them.

Respectfully yours,

Your Carnival buddy,

Shynnelle

DJ Private Ryan Soca Mix part 2...

The first mix by DJ Private Ryan brought you songs to warm up for Carnival 2008 and now this one brings you the "biggest songs on the road for Carnival. The mix is 1 hour and 15 minutes long and will fit on a regular audio cd, it also includes road mixes, enjoy!

Click the following link:
Private Ryan Road Mix

Earth .............

Letter from IP Mas

Apparently Island People Mas culminated early on Carnival Tuesday heading to the Stadium for their after party. Everyone I know who played with Island People did not really make this change in events an issue, however Island People has sent out this email addressing and explaining what happened:

Dear IP Mas-querader,

We would like to express our overwhelming gratitude to you for bringing Island People Mas' Animal Instincts to life for Carnival 2008. Thank you so much for choosing to play mas with us.

As you may know, our official pre-planned Carnival route changed on Tuesday afternoon and we want to inform you of the details. As the band neared Ariapita Avenue, our road managers determined that there were four other large bands at a standstill directly ahead of us. If we had proceeded along this route, we would have been on the Avenue for several hours and found ourselves downtown in the late evening. This would have exposed the band to the infiltration of numerous non-masqueraders, similar to what the other bands experienced later that day. In an effort to maintain our tight "Safe Zone" provided by IP Mas security, our road managers decided to turn right on Ariapita Avenue in an effort to continue down an alternate route. Unfortunately the police did not approve of this and halted our movement after we had veered off the official route. After lengthy discussion, we were forced to head directly towards the stadium.

We humbly apologize if this ended your day earlier than expected. This decision was made in an effort to make your All-Inclusive Carnival experience as safe and enjoyable as possible. Thank you for the patience you demonstrated and we hope that you enjoyed our After Party in the Stadium.

As we continually strive to provide you with a superior carnival experience, we look forward to giving you a heavenly carnival in 2009.

Sincerely,

Island People Mas

Who say TRIBE 2009!!

There has to be a reason that I will not ever think of switching from TRIBE and that is the SERVCE and the fact that they stand by their product; if you are not satisfied they address your complaint and see how best you can be accommodated. This year my issue was collecting my back pack, and even though I eventually got it on Tuesday morning (they would have delivered it to my house on Monday night but I CHOSE to pick it up on the road) TRIBE offered me a refund which I collected yesterday. And if you think I got a refund because of this blog, think again! I was not the only front liner in TRIBE to receive this unexpected compensation. In addition, my friend who is in another section got a refund on Sunday night because she too was told her back pack would be ready on Tuesday.

There was no need to resort to abusing the staff or cursing, I was politely offered compensation for my troubles without even having to ask! Now that is how you address issues when they come up, my hubby was totally impressed and made the statement that now he sees why TRIBE has such loyal customers. Last year I wrote a litany on Feedback to Bandleaders and I was quite surprised to see that many of my suggestions were heeded. I was totally in love with my costume this year, LOVED it and many, many others in the band. On that point TRIBE came good and I am looking forward to even more fabulous costumes in 2009.

Also, they did start registration earlier last year, without a long wait from band launch to actual registration date. In addition we got two weeks for costume pick up and two days for overseas masqueraders though for some reason everyone still shows up on Carnival Saturday which is the day when all the chaos ensues. Even Harts where I was in an out in five minutes on Monday was a mob on Carnival Saturday; seriously, it would do masqueraders well to organise pick up on their designated day if they can. This will help alleviate the problems on the day designated for overseas masqueraders as all those who were lax in picking up their costume usually turn up at the last possible minute to collect.

Harts collection on Monday January 28th


Harts collection on Saturday February 1st


My experience for costume collection went quite smoothly, I had no traffic problems or long waiting period as those who collected on Saturday complained of. Even with two days for overseas masqueraders the situation of traffic gridlock and a long wait could not be avoided I was told. Maybe it is time TRIBE look for a different venue for costume distribution since Cascadia with the one way in/out seems to be a nightmare during peak traffic hours. Also, costume distribution should start earlier than 5:30pm. Though this time is great for those getting off work it means everyone shows up at the same time, causing lengthy waiting periods.

The other issue persons had was with their actual costume being “amended” at the designer’s liberty. I know damage control went into place immediately and many masqueraders who were not satisfied got their costumes adjusted. In future I think it would be best to set up some sort of quality control for “outside/private” sections to ensure that they are indeed producing the costume that was advertised.

Some people arrived for lunch late and as a result have listed this as a complaint against TRIBE. Now, being in the FIRST section has its perks, because as soon as we crossed the Savannah stage my friend and I went to lunch. Being a very large band the sections in the back arrived much later. However, upon arrival at the lunch stop we met many masqueraders who simply did not cross the Savannah stage and went straight to lunch. I am not saying this is a possibility for everyone, but seeing as there is no “stage” to cross at the Savannah, to me, there is nothing to miss by going straight to lunch.

Another remedy to this situation would be to have some snacks severed during the day, instead of only after lunch, but when the trucks turn off at Memorial Park masqueraders will still have to wait until crossing the Savannah to get any refreshments. I certainly do not want to be handed a box of food on the road and have to sit on a pavement to eat so I am all in favour of the lunch stop! TRIBE just has to figure out a way on getting the band there within a reasonable time. But as I said before, if masqueraders were starving they should have skipped the Savannah and gone straight to lunch, beats complaining afterwards that you got to eat too late!


Finally I have heard people berating the band for being “disorganized” when crossing the judges, what a pity people forget how beautiful the band looked crossing IN SECTIONS downtown!! That was where we had enough space to truly show the costumes without having to fight the trucks to do so. Crossing the Savannah was a totally different experience, along with being forced to one side of the roadway, there were many people just standing lining the route. At one point you had no idea where the stage ended (though I think on Monday I saw a sign saying “stage ends here”). For me this argument against the band is quite petty, it does not irk the masqueraders any more or less though it does give the critics something to harp on. Whatever!

At the end of the day no one is forcing anyone to play with one particular band over the other, and every single band has problems. I have realized though that when you are perceived as being “on top” it makes an easier target and your dirty laundry is bandied about for all and sundry to see. I was quite amused that other issues with other bands were kept very quiet, and I too will not rehash the stories I heard or emails I got complaining about OTHER bands since at the end of the day everyone had a great time on the road. To those who did not have a great time with TRIBE for 2009 there are MANY bands to choose from, good luck in finding one that suits you!! And for all those who had an EXCELLENT time with TRIBE, best believe for US it is the BEST BAND EVER!! See you guys in 2009!

Hindsight is 20/20.....

*Always break in ALL Carnival footwear weeks before hitting the road. Just because you are wearing sneakers does not mean they will be the most comfortable to jump up in.

*Remember your Dr Scholls, this will save your feet! The range of products from gel insoles to blister pads are a God send for bruised, tired and aching feet.

*The best makeup for the road is the sweat proof type; Revlon Colorstay makeup NEVER fails. Testament is my fresh looking makeup which lasted all day, and best of all it did not melt, run or cake. The Milk of Magnesia as a primer worked amazingly well to keep oily skin looking matte all day!

*Drink lots of water on Tuesday before hitting the alcohol. After having alcoholic beverages on Monday your body needs the water to recover or else you will become dehydrated.

*Eat a good breakfast on BOTH days, you will need that fuel to keep going until "lunch time".

*SUNBLOCK, SUNBLOCK and more SUNBLOCK!! Don't forget to use the after sun cooling gel to soothe the skin after two days of brutal sun.

* Do not overdo on the feteing. Your body needs the rest and avoid getting wet at parties where the habit is to soak you to the bone! Think about it, most of you are coming from cold weather to a hot and humid country, coupled with sleepless nights and getting wet at various events makes the perfect formula for getting sick!

*Book accommodation for the following year early. Prime areas like Woodbrook and St James are reserved up to a year in advance.

* And finally, start saving the pennies from NOW. Band launchings will start at least 5 months from today with registration close behind. Carnival is an expensive undertaking and the key to surviving financially is planning and budgeting.

Carnival Photos Online

For those still looking for memories to hold unto as you return to the winter cold, check out Trinisoca and Izatrini.com for some Carnival 2008 photos.

TRIBERS the annual TRIBE magazine is due out on Monday!

TRIBE Photos

Many Thanks to "Redz" for me being able to "borrow" her pics !

Mama Dis is "Marse"!

Congratulations to Brian Mc Farlane winner of the Large Band of the Year and Ronnie & Caro who took home the prize for Medium Band of the Year. Mc Farlane’s Earth looked stunning; I loved the translation from sketches to actual costumes, it was quite impressive! On our way to meet TRIBE downtown we passed through Mc Farlane so I was lucky to see the entire band, my favourite sections were Fire, Pestilence and Gloom.

Ronnie and Caro were in front of TRIBE at the Savannah so I was again able to see the entire band; albeit it was a small presentation the costumes looked very vibrant and the entire band was well organized. Of the other bands I only managed to see a few costumes here and there; Evolution looked nice from the little I saw, Orange Appeal and Tantalize in Teal being my picks on the road. From Island People Kingfisher looked beautiful, as well as Egret, Zebra and Silver Fox. I noticed the design on Silver Fox was changed a bit with a piece of jewels added to the middle of the costume from bra to belt; I absolutely loved how this looked in person!

Of course I am totally biased to the band I played with and I thought MOST sections in TRIBE looked gorgeous; Lady of the Lake was impressive, when the sun hit the diamante the costume sparkled, Mystique was dazzling as purple is my favourite colour so I really liked how that section looked on the road. Goddess of the Chase is another section that stood out to me along with Water Nymph and Sun Goddess, though I did notice with the latter section some masqueraders got really full headpieces while others got a baby version! Titania looked surprisingly cute, feathered collar and all; I am neutral in my opinion on Pixie Dust and Amalthea. Black Magic I loved on the road, but I still don’t think I can ever play in so much black. I did not see many ladies wearing the wings for Autumn Sprite and to me that is what made the costume stand out, so I didn’t get awed by that costume at all.

The most underwhelming costume was Silver Mist. The costume looked too much like grey with very little silver, considering this was one of the hottest sections in the band initially I expected more glitz. I have to say the frontline Back Pack made the costume stand out, and to those ladies credit the frontliners looked great. Kudos to the Silver Mist ladies who were also able to wear that back pack ALL day, from what I heard it was very uncomfortable with no padding on the straps!

Overall I was generally impressed by the costumes I saw on Tuesday, most of the bands did a very good job and I was certainly pleased with MY costume! Hopefully for 2009 the standard of costuming will only get better with even more spectacular, beaded and feathered costumes for those of us who love our bikini and beads! Mc Farlane will hold down the mantle for the creative “marse” lovers, of course, and I wish that Oracle and other bands of that vein, will indeed offer more options and variety to appease the critics who seem to think that bikini and beads is not “marse”!!! As for me, once I am of able body, mind and health I am looking forward to 2009 with TRIBE!

Carnival Tuesday Recap

Carnival is serious business for me; I mean it may be obvious since I started this blog to document my obsession from band launching to the actual Carnival days. So, I was quite anxious when I collected my costume, but not my back pack. At first we (the other frontline members) were due to collect on Carnival Friday, which turned to Saturday, then Sunday (which was when I finally got my headpiece).. I did not think it was possible to collect on Monday, I mean THIS IS TRIBE after all,but people, I got my backpack on the road Carnival Tuesday!!!

I was pretty cool about the whole thing, since it was finally explained that the designer of the frontline sections was out of commission due to a personal emergency and TRIBE was left having to find a wirebender at the 99th hour. I even felt a bit of compassion towards the employees who had to endure hundreds of calls since my section was not the only one affected, as well as I was grateful that TRIBE addressed the situation by offering compensation to those who endured problems. However, all that graciousness went out the window on Monday night when I showed up at the mas camp, yet again, and could not collect my backpack. At that point I had really had enough and had to emit some sort of release. Now, I am not the type to cuss and carry on, remember TRIBE was being pretty decent about the whole thing, but when I could not get word on where my backpack was and when I was getting it I broke down in tears!!

So, I had a huge release of all that anxiety and eventually went home with assurances that they would deliver my back pack to me. Some of the ladies in frontline did indeed get their backpacks delivered at MIDNIGHT on Carnival Monday, but I live in the East and did not see the sense of having some poor soul drive all the way to my house to deliver my backpack when I could collect it on the road. That was how I ended up getting it on Carnival Tuesday, just before crossing the downtown stage. When I FINALLY got my back pack, it was like Christmas! I was SOOOOOOOOO happy, you all will not believe! And it was absolutely gorgeous, exactly like pictured so I had no problems at all; can I tell you how much I LOVED my costume? It was fabulous!!

Unfortunately my friend Mystique, who also played in Mystique Frontline, did not get her back pack/fin/wing on Tuesday, only the headpiece. I cannot begin to tell you how upset she was; even though TRIBE gave her a reimbursement all she wanted was to have her Frontline costume, every piece of it!! And to add insult to injury one of the girls from the mas camp wore the prototype on the road; note to TRIBE if none of the masqueraders got their back pack do NOT let anyone show up “flaunting” it to the ones that did not get it! Now, I know some of you don’t care about costume, you put on your headpiece to take photographs and leave it at home or you relieve your self of everything but your underwear along the route. Then there are those who care greatly, agonize over costume selection, dream about all the matching accessories for months, plan everything around the costume down to the footwear and wear the entire thing, headpiece, back pack and all, until the last chip on Carnival Tuesday night; I belong to the latter type of masquerader and only others of a similar vein can understand how important having your costume just as you expected is.

Apart from the costume hiccups, on the road was great! We crossed downtown with no delays this year and in an effort to not race ahead and leave the sections to the back we took out time crawling up Frederick Street. Along the way I made bathroom stops (hint to frontliners use the handicap bathrooms) and filled up on lots of water. The bands ahead of us were Ronnie and Caro whose costumes looked very nice on the road, and a small Indian band "Indians Fuh Sure" of which the hubby became “KING” of the band and crossed the Savannah stage with them before going to find Harts!!! I have to say crossing that Savannah stage is so “anticlimactic” really; no feeling of being on a showcase to spur you on at all, downtown was the better arena for me. Not to mention we crossed the Savannah pretty quickly and after that I only wanted lunch!

We made a bee line straight to the resting stop, I don’t care which band likes being on the road all day, that stop was rejuvenating to me! After an ok lunch of jerk chicken (the food needs to step up a bit for 2009), collecting two magnums of Heineken that they gave out for free, which promptly went in my friend’s friend car that was parked at the lunch stop, and a powder room refresher it was time to hit the road. We eventually got moving and with a renewed energy it was down the road to Woodbrook! I enjoyed the music, and the drinks, until I infuriated enough people with my back pack, sorry, but when you see a F.H.O. coming move out the way!!! Seriously, I stayed with the band until night fell, and when we got close to where our car was parked it was time to make my exit. I left security trying in vain to battle the stormers at the end!

Free drinks!

To all the bloggers that I met now you know the “secret” section, oh and the Heinekein section did indeed look as lame as the Pall Mall costumes last year, and to ALLLL the people who came up to me and say you enjoy the blog; THANK YOU! I was amazed that you guys made me out on the road (though the blogger band did give it away) as well as the fact that so many people actually read this blog daily! I met a mom and pop who read because of their daughter, and many people who wanted to thank me for the tips in helping them get ready for Carnival. It did my heart proud to see so many ladies in boots, both of mine were super comfortable! And I never saw so many gorgeous ladies on the road, all made up with faces well decorated. Man, I thought I was the only Carnival junkie!!! I SO cannot wait to do this again next year. I LOVE IT.

Oh, and for 2009 I know what TRIBE’s theme will be (though not the name of the presentation), I have always wanted to play in scarlet so I might be in Gail Cabral’s section, but then again, I have played in Super Mo Mo’s section from inception. As for a hint of what to expect, all I can tell you TRIBERS is prepare to take flight!!!

Sorry I do not have photos of TRIBE masqueraders on the road, hubby was the camera man and all he took was photos of me in costume and other random stuff. It would be nice to get a copy of anyone who took a photograph with me, I know I took shots with many of you who read the blog and it would be nice to have a memento as well. Email me a copy at trinicarnivaldiary@yahoo.com.

Carnivalscene.com however will have LOTS of pics, so check them out!!!

Mc Farlane Masquerader

Hubby's adopted band "Indians Fuh Sure"

TRIBERS at the rest stop

HARTS masqueraders

Monday Mas

Was GREAT!!! See allyuh on the road today :)

Bloggers Lime 2008!

Some of you I know and met before, others it was the first time "meeting" in real; the lime was really cool this year, as after a year of Carnival planning, venting, dispensing advice and support in some cases, it was great to finally come together and lime!

Thanks to ALL who showed up (and your guests as well), for those who could not make it hopefully we shall lime again in 2009:

Squeezle
Wajang
Waspwiddifirecracker
~cb~
Sexy Eyes
LB
TrInIgYaL
Dougla_1
Kuntreegal
Trinijam
SaundraQ
Megs
Jap
Monique
Gtwarrior
Tru
Nikki Ann Chunks
Young Mas Addict
Mystique
Prima Donna
Sommer
Jumbie #2
South Redz

Saving Silver Mist

So, yesterday I went to visit a friend of mine who is in the Silver Mist section, the same one who collected her costume and they "forgot" to giver her the back pack! Well, I have to say I was expecting it to look MUCH worse, but after taking her bra back to get some adjustments it looks pretty good.

Some more fur and embellishments were added to the bra, and even though the fur is darker in the sunlight it does not look bad at all:

Apart from the "furry bamsee" of the altered belt, this too can pass;the applique looks much better in sunlight.

The controversial backpack:

The back pack is the saving grace of this costume, it looks really good I must say. However the one disappointment is the scaled down headpiece! I did not get a photograph of what it looks like now, but Carnival Jumbie has lots of photos on her website.

At the end of the day my friend is satisfied with her costume, and that is good to hear. On the flip side one of my other friends actually cried in the mas camp upon seeing her costume and refused to take it... but that is another drama for another day!

Are you satisfied with your costume?

After a litany of emails, calls and complaints by persons in various sections and bands, I have put up a new poll to find out how many of you are satisfied with your costume, please vote. Now, I wish I could vote on the poll myself, however I received a call yesterday from one of the ladies who is also playing frontline with me to say that TRIBE called her to say that the part of the costume we were due to pickup that day (which also includes the headpiece and ear rings) is NOT ready and MAY be ready today (Saturday!).

Well, it was a good thing that I was informed of that development as I was making plans to collect the rest of my costume, finally, and all that was halted. My call did not come until I pursued the matter on my own, and was told the contact information they had for me was wrong.. uh huh. Anyways I was assured that the rest of the costume will be ready by tomorrow for the latest and in that eventuality arrangements would be made to have the costume delivered to me. Thing is, I would much prefer to collect today, though that would mean facing the crowds at Cascadia.

The good news is that the parts of the costume I already collected I LOVE!! I am entirely satisfied and it looks EXACTLY as on the website, photographs and band launch. Everything fits as well, with the exception of the belt which has to be adjusted, my fault as I always put my measurements bigger than what it actually is. The most important item, the bra, fits like perfection never mind it does not display as much cleavage as I like, but I can easily fix that.

All is not so well with other bloggers, one was not given her back pack upon collection and had to make a trip back to Cascadia yesterday to get it (she is in Silver Mist). Another blogger received an unfinished bra for her section Mystique. Though collection is today she was told her costume was ready and collected during the week, however upon looking at the photographs clearly one bra cup is missing decorations!

Mystique Bra Prototype

Mystique Bra Collected By Masquerader

Delays have been hitting Island People as well, collection of Kingfisher Frontline did not happen until Wednesday and Brown/Polar Bear was not ready for collection yesterday, as far as I was told. I don't know what is happening, because it seems as if everyone has a complaint! I have gotten emails about headpieces, collection process, and costume dissatisfaction not to mention the Silver Mist fiasco. Even new band Evolution was put on blast for the disorganization at costume collection.

To their credit I know TRIBE is working hard at addressing complaints and many people have expressed complete satisfaction with not only their costume, but the service. My hair dresser gave them top marks for changing a bra top to a tankini (at no extra cost) and making all the costume adjustments on site. Island People as well are busy making costume adjustments, one of the bloggers got her belt changed and another bra amended.

Hopefully after all the trials and tribulations of costume woes Carnival Monday and Tuesday is a blast!!

Beach House Review

Ominous clouds hanging over the Maracas Valley were not a good sign yesterday, as I rushed about getting some last minute errands out of the way all I could think was I hope it does not rain as I was looking forward to sunny skies at my FIRST Beach House fete. Well, the rains were a blessing of sorts as the afternoon we escaped blistering hot suns, never mind having to dodge scattered showers and navigate somewhat muddy terrain in certain areas. If you wore sandals to this fete I am sure your feet were icky with mud!

Getting there early meant avoiding what I later heard was an excruciating traffic jam, the hubby and I arrived at Ortinola at 3:15pm . Construction on the Maracas Valley Road in two areas left many persons at a standstill in their vehicles. Suffice to say I was happy we arrived early and got to sample everything on offer, we had an excellent time at Beach House!

Food was good, served again in baby plates, but there was enough variety to satisfy most. On the menu (from what I can recall) were two varieties of shrimp, chicken, beef, fish, pork, suckling pig, two types of rice, potatoes, noodles, curry crab stuffed in dumplings, samosas, Indian delicacies, curried goat , coo coo, salad, doubles, corn soup.. I might have missed a few edibles but there was a selection of menu items. On entering we were bombarded with “product” girls offering various drinks and one was even serving chicken fingers!

The drinks were fabulous! I am sure I had an entire bottle of Moet all by myself. When I saw the “sparkling wine” tent I walked up to the bartender and asked for a glass of Moet, not thinking they actually had it and lo and behold he whipped out a bottle, popped the cork and that was my drink for the rest of the evening. There was also the cocktail lounge, I sampled an Orgasm there and it was good, a Martini Bar, where you could have had any type of Martini whipped up for you on the spot and a Hennesy tent serving only that drink.

I also liked the layout of the fete, eating area on one side, bathrooms hidden in the back and lots of space for feteing. The music was good, though I only heard Congo Man once; I did not miss the live band to tell the truth. The best part of Beach House was seeing everyone I had not see in a long time, I met up with school mates, old friends and lots of new friends as well. Several bloggers were there, most saw me slightly inebriated but having a whale of a time. I have to shout out (by request) the “LETHAL BATTY CREW”, a bevy of divas dressed for the occasion and terrain in boots, yes I do have a job but I am on leave until next Friday (yes!!!!). Also Janelle who remembered what I looked like from seeing me last Carnival and actually came up to me to ask “Are you Saucy?” And last, but not least, all the bloggers; Triniwifey and hubby, Tru, Nikki, ~cb~, wajang, Matthew,Mystique, Goddess, LB, Sommer, Caisoqueen and Carnival Jumbie, it was great meeting all of you.

IP Mas Costume Collection Schedule

I believe the folks over at Island People Mas are gloating over the smooth costume collection process this year; good for them!

Hi everyone,

We would like to make sure you know that Island People Mas costume collection is currently in progress and will end this Saturday 2nd February at 5pm. All costumes not collected by that time will be forfeited and all monies will remain non-refundable. If you are a foreign masquerader arriving after this time, you must send an email to info@islandpeoplemas.com requesting that your costume be held for you until 6pm on Sunday 3rd, after which, costumes will no longer be distributed.

If you are not currently registered but have changed your mind and want to be a part of the fun, you may come to the Island People Mas distribution center in the Jean Pierre complex on Saturday 2nd February between 5pm - 7pm to check if there are costumes remaining.

TIPS FOR FAST COSTUME COLLECTION: As you have probably heard, costume collection has been running very smoothly this year. But here are some helpful tips to make your experience as enjoyable and fast as possible:

1. The busiest time of day is from 5-7pm. We are open from 11am so try to avoid these hours if possible.

2. Rush hour traffic starts from about 3:30pm. Collect your costume earlier in the day to avoid traffic on the roads.

3. Please have your friends/family wait for you in one of our lounge areas while you collect your costume.

4. The entrance to our distribution center is on the West side of the Jean Pierre Complex, next to the Stadium.

5. Please try on your costume when you reach home (not while in line) and if you are in need of adjustments, please visit our adjustment center at our Mas camp located at #11 Stone street from 12pm-6pm.

6. If you have any questions, please visit our Information desk as you enter.



IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR COSTUME COLLECTION

1. Please provide a Valid ID (or copy of a friends valid ID for their costume) in order to collect your costume.
2. Please provide an official Island People Mas Receipt or email print out in order to collect your costume.
3. Final Payments on all costumes must be by CASH or Local Debit Card only.
4. Black Widow Spider - Special Instructions:
Black Widow Spider Costume Distribution will be held at 1A Maingot Drive , St. Lucien Rd , Diego Martin (next to KFC) between the hours of 10:30 am - to 5:00 pm from Monday 28th January to Friday 1st February.


LOCATION OF DISTRIBUTION

The V.I.P Lounge - Jean Pierre Complex
Please use the main entrance of the National Stadium, and follow signs to your right for Secured Parking. If you have questions during the days of costume collection, please call 868.625.6121


DATES + HOURS OF DISTRIBUTION

We are open from 11:00am to 7:00pm Monday, 28th January - Saturday, 2nd February


SCHEDULE OF DISTRIBUTION

Monday 28th January

* Cheetah
* Dragon Lizard
* Kingfisher Bird
* Lion and Lioness


Tuesday 29th January

* Cheetah
* Dragon Lizard
* Kingfisher Bird
* Lion and Lioness


Wednesday 30th January

* Great Egret
* Zebra
* Portuguese Man-O-War
* Red Tiger


Thursday 31st January

* Great Egret
* Zebra
* Portuguese Man-O-War
* Red Tiger


Friday 1st February

* Polar Bear and Brown Bear
* Crocodile
* Silver Fox
* Overseas


Saturday 2nd February

* Overseas
* Sale of uncollected costumes 5pm to 7pm

Costumes not collected before 5:00 pm on Saturday 2nd February will be sold and all monies forfeited. Uncollected costumes will go on sale from 5pm to 7pm on Saturday 2nd February.

Thank you, we look forward to seeing you next week.

Island People Mas

Afrobella's Interview with Sandra Hordatt

One of the blogs on my list of "must read" is Afrobella's; when I did the roll call you would remember I listed it there. My hair is all natural now, so I have a personal attachment to any and all information dealing with the subject of natural hair care. Afrobella interviewed Sandra Hordatt for tips on Carnival Makeup and very graciously wanted me to share this interview with you ladies getting ready for mas!

Here is an excerpt, for the full interview please visit Afrobella's Blog:

Afrobella – I think the biggest concern for Carnival is getting your makeup to stay on. You glue on all these face jewels and glitter and then you’re jumping and waving in the blazing hot sun for hours. How do you make your look last through the sweat and the heat?

Sandra – I say focus on your eyes. Obviously you’ll be sweating a lot, so your foundation will probably melt. Make sure you wear sun block, and just do a really dramatic eye and it should last all day. So your first layer should definitely be sun block, then use a good creame to powder foundation. Set that with a loose powder. Then go out with your compact for touch-ups, those oil absorbing sheets, and a nice lip gloss. Good to go.


Afrobella – Is there any one look you’re really loving for this Carnival season, or does your inspiration come strictly from the costume the person is wearing? What’s the hottest makeup trend in Trinidad these days?

Sandra – Each costume inspires a different look in terms of color and theme. But I know, me personally — for Carnival Monday and Tuesday, I love glitter on the eyes. MAC and NYX have some fantastic glitter liners that are really easy to use.


Afrobella – Do you do airbrush makeup? I realize that’s become increasingly popular in Trinidad, among women who want to cover scars and stretch marks. What are your thoughts on that?

Sandra –I do airbrush makeup… I think it’s excellent for covering up scars. But on older skin it can be very… turkey-like. With the airbrushing you have to pull the skin taut. I don’t know if you can visualize what I’m talking about. Half the time you’d be better off with a good cream to powder foundation and a sponge.

One of these things looks somewhat like the other...

One of the ladies who collected her Isis B costume was quite unhappy with the headpiece, added to which is the fact that she was told no ear-rings came with the costume when the ear rings can be clearly seen on the website and in the closeup photographs I took at Cascadia where the costumes were displayed:

Headpiece as advertised:


Headpiece on collection:


Look carefully, the ear rings are on display:

The headpiece is definitely smaller, as an entire row of coque feathers was left out and the coque/rooster feathers to the top of the headpiece is much sparser than what is advertised on the website. Now, I have no problem paying for something when I know I am getting exactly what I paid for. But paying the high prices for these costumes and being shortchanged in the end is getting a bit tiresome.

When a masquerader makes a deposit on a costume come registration, they enter into a contract that they are paying for what is advertised. Seems like only "certain" sections are indeed getting the exact costume as advertised while others take creative license and change the design to suit without giving the masqueraders an option to accept or deny the changes.

Last year I was SHOCKED when I saw the section Majorette on the road and the large back pack that was displayed on the website was reduced to an infantile version. If I were in that section someone owed me a refund!!






From my observation it is the "special", "private" or "outside" sections that are guilty of this practice (I hear no complaints about Monique, Gail or Lana's sections) and I think TRIBE's management needs to step in and do some quality control. These private sections must be held accountable for giving the masquerader exactly what they advertise. I cannot even begin to express my displeasure over what I have seen of "Silver Mist" on Carnival Jumbie's blog, but will withhold further comment until I actually see what masqueraders in that section get in their box today. Several of my friends are in that section and I would hate for them to be disappointed with the final product.

So, shame on the designer of Isis B who has robbed masqueraders of a full, glorious headpiece AND the ear-rings they should have gotten as part of the package!

PHOTO SOURCE:
www.carnivaltribe.com
www.carnivalscene.com