The only reason that I am commenting on the fact that I did not attend ONE fete is because I had so many people asking me why I wasn't at the Oval last night. Listen, as much as I would have loved to start of my feteing with ONE fete as I have done over the past few years I simply decided that I was not paying the price of $600.00TT for a fete where I paid $250.00TT in 2007 and $400.00TT in 2008. The scalpers were having a field day with this one though as ONE fete was sold out early, tickets were being scalped from $800.00 to $1300.00 I was told!
With the prices of fetes for 2009 pushing 100.00US on average I have taken the stance early on that I am simply not busting my pocket and will carefully choose which fetes I do decide to patronize. For example, ONE fete was off the list but Blue Range All Inclusive at half the price of ONE fete (with Machel and the same price as 2008) seemed like the better deal!There is life after Ash Wednesday and I do not go into debt to hang my hat higher than it can reach. Post Carnival I do not have to worry about all the bills left unpaid just so I can hob nob with certain folks at certain parties, folks who are getting complimentary tickets to these parties I might add, that is the irony of it all. While the "average" man is spending his entire paycheck to afford two fetes for the month the who's who of Trinidad celebrity are not paying a cent to attend all the fetes you see them pose up smiling at!
Carnival overall is an expensive event and I have allocated my money to priorities that are a necessity; going to a particular fete is not a necessity. My costume is already paid off, that is a "necessity", my footwear is in order that is a "necessity", makeup artist booked, lashes booked... those are my "necessities". Getting ready to hit the road is an additional expense that I personally do not mind as it is all part of my adopted Go Big or stay home mantra and this gives me much more satisfaction than a few hours at a fete where I won't be drinking and trying to avoid the food temptation as we are all on a Carnival diet!
So in conclusion to my non-fete review I really want to emphasize that I will be picking and choosing which fetes get my hard earned dollars for 2009 because frankly as long as I am playing mas fetes are secondary and if I do not go to a particular fete that "everyone" else is going to I will survive. Like I said before it isn't THAT necessary; having a ball on the road Monday 23 February and Tuesday 24 February , goes without saying that is priority #1!
Makeup by Missy has added some more packages to the ones she has created for Spangled Cotinga and Caged Canary :
Green Honeycreeper
African Love Bird
Brazilian Macaw 
Ocean Whispers
There will also be a package created for Hummingbird which I guess can also be used for Island People's Paradisus., and remember Missy is taking orders according to the demand so the more masqueraders requesting customized makeup for a particular section is the quicker it will be added to the list.
The prices are:$155 TTD without the spirit gum
$ 25 TTD additional for the spirit gum
And includes:1 Tsp of each individual colour pigment ( 3 colours are included)
60 Gems
Missy can be contacted through her Facebook group "
Makeup by Missy" or via email
makeupdean@gmail.comAnd for ideas of Carnival Makeup Looks check out the group "
Carnival Makeup Ideas" for lots of photos.
Here is another makeup artist doing Carnival makeup for 2009:
Faces By Ria & Marcy will be doing makeup for masqueraders on carnival Monday and Tuesday.
All inclusive package - Makeup, Black/Coloured/Jeweled Lashes, Rhinestones to match costume, Body Shimmer, Full Breakfast (sandwiches, fruits, pastries), Hot & Cold Beverages, Wine, Secured Parking, ABSOLUTELY NO WAITING and a surprise gift.
Location - West Moorings
Call 680-3933 for further info. and early bookings...
Down payment required before 5th February 2009.
Makeup will also be on sale.
You can check out Ria's portfolio on her
website .
Sources have informed me that Beach House 2009 will be held at
The Sevilla Club at
Brechin Castle Golf Course in
Couva.
Price for Beach House is $700.00TT (same as Salybia) with tickets sales starting from Monday.
The Sevilla Club has been used as a venue for the "Comess All Inclusive Fete" in 2007 and 2008, photos of those events can be seen
HERE and
HERE.
And for those of you who have no clue where Couva is here is a map of Trinidad; Couva is right by the square next to the "Trinidad and Tobago" written in yellow:
click to enlarge
Well, at least the traffic will not be much of an issue once you beat the afternoon rush heading to "south"!
Here is this year's schedule for Normandie Under the Trees:
click on photos to enlarge:
This is a follow up post to "
Customized Make Up For the Birds". Due to the overwhelming response on the pre packaged makeup kits for
Spangled Cotinga and
Caged Canary, more sections have been added; the makeup artist will now be creating packages for
Green Honey Creeper,
Kiskadee,
African Love Bird and a few sections for
Island People and
Evolution.
The price of the packages and what it includes are as follows:
$155 TTD without the spirit gum
$ 25 TTD additional for the spirit gum
And includes:
1 Tsp of each individual colour pigment ( 3 colours are included)
60 Gems
To place your order, ask questions or make a request email:
makeupdean@gmail.com OR you can visit her facebook group "
Make up by Missy" and request to join.
click to enlarge
“ Outside the Box” promotions would like to invite all locals and foreigners to the LAST INAUGUARATION BALL. OBAMARAMA – JOUVERT 2K9 will celebrate the victory the best way trinis know how to. At 4am Jouvert morning we start the mas in uptown POS. Come follow the 40ft big truck powered by TANK sound system . Come and Drink Johnny, vodka ,baileys, beers, rum and chasers. Come and paint yourself red, white and blue ! Come , bring your crew and lets have a BALL !!
I stumbled upon this Make Up Blog called
"eVaDiVa's Make-up Bag" and I am loving the looks, some of which I can see working with a few costumes for Carnival, just add your face jewels or a little glitter/shimmer and you are good to go!
Spangled Cotinga
Kiskadee
Blue Tanager
Scotch Bonnet
Rays of Light
What I like about
the blog is that the looks are tailored to black women as many times there are awesome makeup looks but they are done on lighter complexions.With Eva you can visualize what the colours would look like on a darker skin tone.
I also like that she lists the products that she uses (favors M.A.C.) for her own looks as well as she tells you how to recreate other makeup looks as well. Not to mention that Eva does product reviews and has a question and answer segment of her blog that is worth reading.
This one is called
"Rainbow":
SIX more weeks, I wonder how many more changes are in store for D Krewe?
Many of you are probably giving a pass on the makeup artist this year, either not being able to find one at this stage or you dread waking up at ungodly hours of the morning to have your face "done". So, if you would like to do your own makeup but are looking for the exact colours to match your costume one enterprising lady has put together pre-packaged makeup kits to make your life easier for Spangled Cotinga and Caged Canary (other sections can be accommodated upon request). For where to purchase and for more information on the products email makeupdean@gmail.com
Spangled Cotinga comes with :
3 colours ; An Icy white ; Winter Blue; and a metallic silver
60 gems total; 20 of each colour above.
Spirit Gum optional -for an additional fee .(you can also use eyelash adhesive to glue the gems onto face)
Caged Canary comes with:
3 colours of pigments : A Gold, Sparkly Orange ; Fuchsia Coral
60 gems total : In Fuchsia and Orange
Spirit Gum optional -for an additional fee (you can also use eyelash adhesive to glue the gems onto face)
These colours were mixed by the artist herself and
WILL NOT BE FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE!The price for the entire package is:
$155 TTD without the spirit gum
$ 25 TTD additional for the spirit gum
And includes:
1 Tsp of each individual colour pigment
60 Gems
News reaching me just a few minutes ago is that
Harts is now
OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT (all 23 sections)!
I noticed recently that there were very few sections open so it was only a matter of time.
Now lets see which band will be next...
Last Monday I was bemoaning the fact that we had six weeks left until Carnival and I was still
unprepared. Well within one week I was able to book my lash appointment, pay off for my costume, get materials to decorate my boots, source my accessories (yay!) and I FINALLY have a plan for Monday wear now it is just to get it executed (thanks Richard).
I still haven't bought my tights but Carnival Jumbie was able to secure hers by going downtown at
Micles, since West Mall branch has not received their Carnival stock as yet. You can read about her adventures
here. Tights is #1 on the list this week since I, like her, am not taking any chances on waiting "closer to Carnival".
While out and about this weekend getting organized, I saw Brian Mc Farlane downtown at a popular fabric store getting materials for his band Africa. There was also another kiddies band leader there who was chatting with a costume producer and I overheard her saying that things are slow this year, parents are not spending as much so they had to simplify the costumes to keep costs down and meet their targets. That echoes what another adult band leader had told me over Christmas, fears are that people are going to be holding on tightly to their purses.
I also read in the
Business Express that one band so far has instituted some incentives to get masqueraders to register, Masquerade "has cut at least ten per cent of its original prices off the 2009 tag, bringing all its sections to
TT$2,000 and less, all-inclusive"..wow!
Anyway, this week on the list is getting the Monday Wear outfit sorted out fully and getting my tights and I think I am
ALMOST ready; I hope you are too!
A search at the Trinidad Hilton, Courtyard by Marriott and Hyatt hotels for a weeks stay during Carnival 2009 will turn up rooms, amazingly, still available! Many of the smaller guest houses have been booked solid since early 2008 as well, however I have found that "Best of Trinidad and Tobago" still has several properties still open for booking:
All these accommodations are still available for carnival 2009, but at this time of the year, close to carnival, places go fast, so whoever comes first with the down payment will get the place.
So, if you are STILL looking for a place to stay, check out Best of Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival Accommodation listing
HERE.
Last December I wrote about "
Another New Mas Band" whose launch was featured in the Trinidad Guardian, a launch I happened to miss as I was not in the country. Since then I have visited Carvalho's Mas Camp at Alaska Bar in Woodbrook several times and they were not ready for business. Well finally, I was able to view costumes yesterday as yet another visit was rewarded with the sight of the mas camp for Carvalho's 2009 presentation
"The Journey Begins" wide open to the public.
Costumes for the presentation for the 9 sectioned all inclusive band have been designed by Christine Sadler and Tracy Julien. Prices range from $2495.00TT to $2750.00; surprising as when I first called to get information on the band I was told that costumes would be priced at "under 2500.00".
Costume photos of "The Journey Begins" can be found
HERE, please note that I was unable to get a photograph of one section as the costume was not fully displayed.
The mas camp for Carvalho Mas is located at Alaska Bar at 73 Ariapita Avenue and for more information call 868-622-8811.
Just a reminder for those who want to be able to join the "fast track" line for costume collection:
Deadline for Fast Track Costume Payments
Senvia via www.senvia.com - Sunday 11th January, 2009
Cash & LINX at TRIBE Mas Camp - Friday 16th January, 2009
N.B. No payments will be received at the camp after 6pm Friday 16th January, 2009. All outstanding balances can be paid at Cascadia Hotel (Cash & LINX only) just prior to collecting your costume.
Visit http://www.senvia.com/carnival/masbandinstructions_tribe.pdf for instructions on how to pay using Senvia
TRIBE is open this Saturday (Jan 8th 2009) from 11am - 3pm!
Just last night I was reading an article called "
No Body Left Untoned" on the dedication that goes into the Samba Queens preparation for Rio Carnival, part of which involves a carnival boot camp and dancing for hours in five inch heels and also the extreme of plastic surgery to get the "perfect" body. And this morning I got some information on a Carnival bootcamp of sorts for those masqueraders in Toronto called "Socacize" designed to get you in shape over the next six weeks... now why hasn't anyone thought of a Carnival bootcamp in TRINIDAD?
Anyway, here is the information for those interested and you can also check out the Socacize website
HERE:
SOCACIZE™
Is a creative blend of high/low African and Caribbean dance movements performed to calypso, soca, zouk, reggae, dancehall music and on occasion to drums music. The exhilarating mode of the work-out focuses on cardio, weight and strength training targeting all age groups. The ultimate goal of the program is to work-out with emphasis on carefully selected music and movements to synchronize with the mind and body to result in burning calories fast (up to 1000 per 60 minute session) while totally enjoying a session that truly makes you liven up and get fit at the same time.
Socacize™ Boot Camp program is designed for Carnival masqueraders & revellers!
A six-week vigorous and exciting workout with rhythms to Make you dance, exercises to help build stamina, tone muscle, lose inches and boost your confidence.
Featuring a special session with
Dr Jay de Soca Prince
SOCACIZE™ Trinidad Carnival Boot camp Schedule
Tropicana Community Services
670 Progress Avenue, Unit 14 (Progress & Consillium Place Dr.)
Tuesdays 6:30-7:30pm
January 6 | January 13 | January 20
January 27 February 3 February 10
Scarborough Youth Resource Centre (SYRC)
300 Borough Road (Inside Scarborough Town Centre Near Children’s Place)
Saturdays 10:30-11:30am
January 3 | January 10 | January 17
January 24 | January 31 | February 7
Island People Mas is back with their fitness sessions for Carnival 2009 and they have even thrown in some "incentives" as well, such as free fete tickets, which I think is a pretty cool idea!
Dear IP Masquerader,
It is finally here!!!!! Carnival 2009 AND 'Fit To Play'!!!!
For the next six weeks ISLANDpeople Mas will be doing its part in getting all masqueraders ready for the road. Beginning this Saturday and together with qualified professional trainers, we will be taking you through the paces so you look and feel ready for the road.
In the upcoming sessions, three of the Saturdays we will be enhancing the experience by adding Spin with Aerobics..... but our instructors have asked that you be kept in suspense as they could have this on any of the days we gather.
Along with our sponsors each we will reward participants for their efforts. Some of these benefits include: tickets to Girl Power, Insomnia, Dawn, Brian Lara, Soca Monarch and much more, where one of the Saturdays (not necessarily the last session) one lucky winner will have his or her balance of payment for their Heaven on Earth costume completely waived.
Remember the fun begins this Saturday 10th January at the bottom of Lady Chancellor Hill and the music truck leaves with all fitness enthusiasts at 4:00 p.m. sharp.
See you there and remember, make your .....Heaven on Earth
ISLANDpeople Mas
The fun has just begun!
Ok so I have some more prices for you all and these are looking closer to what feters paid for 2008, I know Salybia Fete did not increase in price which is good to know!
Sunday February 15Carec Fete To The Max -
$850.00Tuesday February 17Salybia (Escape to Playa del Este) -
$700.00S.O.S.-
$400.0Thursday Feburary 19Salybia -
$700.00Sunday February 22Dancing in the Sanctuary (Valsayn) -
$700.00
The
Trinidad Newsday is reporting that the following Ministers will be in TRIBE's "Blue Tanger" section; Health Minister Jerry Narace, Energy Minister Conrad Enill and Senator Laurel Lezama. The Prime Minister's wife Hazel Manning will not be playing mas this year, according to the report, however his son Brian Manning is also in the Blue Tanger section. Oh joy for those in that section with all the additional security!
So, let me hazard a guess here at which of Gail Cabaral's three sections will be furthest back; Pheasant will be upfront of course since the president is in that one, Blue Tanger will follow somewhere in the lineup with all these Government Ministers and then Humming Bird will fall in somewhere closer to the back; remember this is not the official line up I am just GUESSING based on the trend for section line up in TRIBE over the years.
Someone asked me last year to predict the lineup in TRIBE for 2009 and I hesitated since I think this year it will be harder to do with so many new designers/section leaders on board. Lana only "designed" one section which is Scarlet Ibis but she will be in Spangled Cotinga. Based on that I am guessing Spangled Cotinga will have to be closest to Red 96.7 FM truck, and since it is arguably the largest section in the band Cotinga might end up around section 5 or 6. I am putting one of Monique's sections as number 1, of course, as she ALWAYS leads the band... my guess is it is a toss up between Bird of Paradise or Kisskidee for that spot.
As for the other sections your guesses are as good as mine, I am eagerly waiting to see which section brings up the rear for 2009.
By the way, how come
Newsday is copyrighting a photo that they got from
TRIBE's website? Hmmm!
Feather shipments are being delayed due to yet another
bird flu retro virus outbreak in China. After speaking with the Ministry of Agriculture, I was informed that there is a delay of feathers coming into Trinidad from the United States
without proper documentation as they do not allow ANY importation of feathers from China. All feathers must have an accompanying health certificate from the USDA along with letter from the company from which they were purchased, in addition, all feathers have to originate in the USA.
My sources state that it may take some doing to get feathers without the required documentation in time for Carnival however, most of the larger bands are not being affected by this recent development but the small, medium and bands late to launch will be undoubtedly be affected.
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