When a wine is not just a wine….The No Wining Rule!

Fresh after Carnival one of my friends is clicking through the party galleries on Triniscene, comes upon a photograph of her boyfriend executing what looks like a precariously perched wine atop a drinks cooler at a fete and her blood starts to boil! Suffice to say this causes a heated argument and subsequent rift between them as the boyfriend tries to explain that the girl just “surprised” him with a wine out of the blue and that his head was not positioned to look at her posterior, as it appeared in the photo, but he was really trying to make an escape while looking for his phone to send her (the girlfriend) a text! Apart from the fact that his phone could clearly be seen in the pocket on the OTHER side of the pants ,and his excuse was the lamest ever, I was both bemused and perplexed as to why my friend got SO angry at her boyfriend that it led to a Facebook break up!

“Because we had a NO WINING rule” she explains, “a what?” I asked, “A rule that we were not going to wine on any other people for Carnival, and he told me he did not wine on anyone at that fete!!” I must also add that this fete took place before my girl friend came into the country as her boyfriend came for Carnival a few days ahead of her. And while I thought that the whole incident seemed innocent enough, I mean it IS Carnival after all, a time where some couples are excused to take a wine on any bumsee, other ladies came forward with photographic evidence of their significant others taking a wine on women for Carnival and voiced their support that a wine is not always “just a wine”!

One person I know intimated to me that a friend of his got into some serious trouble for wining on other women in his section with the girlfriend present; apparently the girlfriend got jealous! Another friend noticed that all the photos of her boyfriend for Carnival showed him taking a wine on the SAME girl at various times throughout the day, after he said he didn’t really dance with anyone! Oh and the most proactive action came when this one girl left the band she was in, trekked to another band to look for her boyfriend caught him wining on some other woman, and took him out of that situation immediately; she was not amused! The fallout of post Carnival wining with persons other than the significant other lead to some vexation I tell you!

To me the whole “rule” thing is a bit much, I would think that there would be a mutual understanding between the couple of what they both expect and would accept of the other and their behavior during Carnival that expert rules are not even needed. However clearly there are those individuals that either use Carnival as an excuse to behave as they would not normally do, get caught up in the “spirit of the season”, take advantage of the willing wines offered and just see it as a free pass to wine on anyone on that day! Not to mention that for “foreigners’ not used to the whole concept of wining on other people during Carnival the whole act can be both confusing and liberating at the same time!

I have never had a falling out over taking a wine on someone else for Carnival. I myself do not allow any random stranger to come and “wine up on me just so” and I also have parameters on the kind of wine I will allow someone who is NOT my husband to indulge in. On the flip side, my other half is not the type of person to wine wantonly on any woman that passes by during Carnival either, though I have seen photos of him taking a small wine on other women during Carnival and was not upset, I mean it IS Carnival I would be worried if he were not interested at all! At the end of it all my friend did make back up with her boyfriend, but I do know that every time she sees that photo it annoys the HELL out of her!

So, where does the culture of “freeing up” for Carnival leave a couple and their rules? Are rules really necessary and how flexible should they be? I mean, is it okay to wine on someone else if the significant other is present? Or, how about if the wine is between your partner and a mutual friend, is it OK to wine on friends? In the rules are the number of times, length and grades of wines acceptable established? As a matter of fact how many of YOU have wining rules and were there any falling outs over wining on other people this Carnival?

It is interesting to me to get other’s take on this, because I was surprised at the support for the “no wining rule” though the general consensus was that our friend did go a bit overboard by breaking up with her boyfriend over the photo of him wining on someone else during a fete; it is not as if she caught him cheating after all, it was JUST a wine during Carnival, ent?

GENESIS MAS IS D WORSE!

I played with Island people two years and I never got any hiccups despite what everyone reports about and I played with Tribe last year 2008.

I went to Genesis band launch the costumes look nice so I thought I go check them out at the camp not knowing I would be going down a road heading for disaster. So I went and register. 'Stupid Me' not even consulting with my friends, when I asked them they were so upset I did that because they told me Genesis no one plays with them. And why I register? Now I can’t even sell my costume because no one will buy it. Pressure!!

So now time to collect the costume. Everyone distributing Tribe, Island People, Spice, and Elements wow where the collection date is for Genesis anyone?

Lord, when I asked they said they will call me. Carnival Wednesday I went to the camp Nina told me she would distribute on Saturday. When I went there Saturday about 5:00pm they told me come back on Sunday after lunch! I never experience this because I am used to playing with big bands and collection is normally two weeks before carnival. Normally you would think Nina and Ian should know better being in the business so long , but boy when you cheap and don’t want to hire proper staff you will pay the consequences.

Anyways carnival Monday and Tuesday let’s start with Monday shall we. lol

Carnival Monday
Monday 'the band' was supposed to assemble on 'Conville' street Ariapita Ave for 11am which was advertised on the website. When I reached there, by the way I hustle to reach there because I got up late, no one was there I was like OMG the band left without me, because I played by myself because none of my friends registered lol. So I called a representative from the band he said the band was up by the camp. He told me to come up there. When I arrived up there now, Nina nor Ian was no where to be seen, the camp was locked and there were a hand full of people outside including security and the staff. I was like hmm where are the revelers?

Finally Ian came, not dressed, this is about 11:30am mind you, not looking worried or concerned at all. He gave out Jerseys' to security personnel and the barmen on the truck.The truck still had a few cases of Carib to put on the tray. Plus the truck wasn’t even a drinks truck its a normal flat bed so you have to stretch your hand so high in the air. So now Nina pull up now still have to get into her costume now its 12:30pm.They were still dilly dallying all over this time some of the masqueraders now pulling up so now we have like two hand full of people to jump on the road.

So we walking down the road, it’s about 1:00pm now going down by 'Conville' Ave to meet the band the truck is not there. So now Ian says the truck broke down, I was like WTF? So this time 'Elements' passing which look so good on the road,'Pluse8' passing which look better and now 'Mc Farlane'! So 'Mc Farlane' last truck we had to chip behind it for the day because we had no music truck! Lord I was so shame I didn’t even hail anyone on the road because it was the worse feeling I had lol what a way to start the year.

So about 5:00pm our music truck come speeding around the Savannah play one setta chutney like its some band in south I was like WTF lol. That was just half of the Monday experience with Genesis and if you realized I didn’t mention breakfast, because we didn’t get any! Hahaha boy ooh boyyy

Carnival Tuesday.
Carnival Tuesday I had to go back up by the band house because only the music and drinks truck were there on Tuesday no masqueraders, no breakfast again.

So went up by the band house they were still formulating security for what reason I don’t know not like if was a lot of people playing in the band. The band actually went on the road about 9am because they were organizing all sorts of stuff which I could care less about because I pay my money to have a time those things should have been organized months ago. But I guess I burn to learn . The Tuesday experience was not as bad for me because I just listen to the music and I just phased out all that was happening. When I was going down park street to reach St Vincent street I was thinking about how much of a time I would have had in Island People or Tribe because this band was so scanty I literally could have known everyone by name lol. So on St Vincent Street we got some breakfast. Two Styrotex coolers filled with beef, chicken, fish and cheese pies lol which was placed at the back of the drinks truck.

Btw the only premium drink on that truck was Johnny Walker no Hennessy, no Hypnotic; these are PREMIUM drinks, if band leaders cannot provide a variety do not advertise it please, because if I could remember its advertised on the website. So every judging point you have to get in your section and every section had at least not more than 10 people. So good thing they had like 10 sections in the band itself so we looked ah lil plenty full on the road. Even up to 7pm he wanna asking people to get in their section I was like WTF dude take it down.

I am not from Trinidad but I know a lot about Trinidad culture, in terms of Carnival its the best in the world but if you ever play with Genesis and you are a new comer to playing mas you will have a bitter taste in your mouth after your experience with them because you may get the impression that’s how the other bands are; 'Disorganized'

I will NEVER play with Genesis again and I will never advise anyone to play with them there are the worseeeeeee.

Everything I said here it’s not half truth it’s all true, I did not exaggerate, I didn’t lie on them, its all facts. You could ask anyone who played with them.

'Ohh S**t' sorry they may not tell it like it is because it’s all family who made up the band! Ian and Nina you all need to get your act together after 4yrs and you all still making all these mistakes what’s going to happen to you all next year? OMG

You all might just have to be individuals and play mas together lol
I will not play with you all again or any small band never me again I wash my hands, IP and Tribe I coming home!

The IP happy ending

(part 2 of yesterday's review)

It’s Sunday, 11:13am. I’m standing online outside of the stadium, there are 16 people all lined up in front of me; four in back. Various displays of sleepy people still wearing yesterday’s sexy. Must have come straight from Insomnia like me. I figure that those 16 people should be taken care of fast enough, and buying an unsold costume from IP will definitely not be an all day thing. I should have enough time to buy some stuff to fix up costume, make my adjustments AND get some rest before jouvert. My hopes were laid to rest soon after, sharing the same burial plot as my patience and enthusiasm.

The line began to curve alongside the Stadium as people stood near the building to avoid the noonday sun. It would have been nice to have some complementary water for the people patiently waiting. Hell, I would have gladly paid for it. 1:30pm the gate was still not opened for anyone other than those who needed to use the bathroom. At 2:14pm they began letting customers people pick up their missing headpieces and make size swaps. “where de big titty gyal dem?” was the catcall of a ‘helpful’ husband who was assisting his female companion with finding someone who wanted to exchange a small bra for the large one that she ordered. Island Peoples personnel walked up to gate and looked upon the mayhem and did absolutely nothing.

A security guard walked up to the gate and asked, in a voice so low only the people being crushed against the gate could hear- ‘allyuh make two lines’. People passed along the message to the back but no one moved. A short while later they allowed six people in, at this point everyone began to crush towards the front. One of the security guards managed to find his way outside and made small talk with us. He told us that the reason for the delay was because when they closed up the night before, no one stayed late to organize anything. Inside all of the boxes were mixed sizes and even parts from other costumes, not to mention pieces of costumes missing in its entirety. Long story short, ‘it’s just a mess in der’ is what he told us. He then went on to say that he gets an ‘employee discount’ and could buy our costumes for us for ‘a little sumting, nah’. Ok, that seemed like great idea.

No waiting on line, a discount on the costumes and we get to find out whats available and make our decision before we get inside. We gave him our sizes and the sections we wanted to play in (Carnival frontline, Touch, and anything white) He came back and said they were all available. We were unable to cut in the front of the line to get in so he sent us to an alternative entrance where trucks were coming in transporting backpacks for frontline costumes and a few headpieces. After seeing the colorful valances on carnival we decided that it’s ether touch or the white costume with the wings.

“NO WINGS” my cousin muttered. Damn it, so much for our ‘sea salt boots’ matching our costumes this year. Touch it is. (And thank god we listened to her) :
www.slide.com/r/zQIYZo2f7D8JfHxzwlys0twbdYyn3yAD

We told him the section we wanted and he returned to us an hour later saying that the Carnival frontline is 4900tt and the touch costume is 3800tt. We told him fine, and to please hurry up so that we can get out of there. Two hours later we saw the people we were standing in front of online earlier that morning, leave with their costumes. WTF??? We found the guy and asked him what was taking so long, let us give you the money and give us the costumes so we can go. He said we had a bit long erto wait. Frustrated, my cousin decides we should just go to the cashier and pay because we are obviously not getting out any faster. She went to the register and met with a woman who had a price list in her hands. She ran back to me with it and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Touch was only 3095tt?????????????? That guy was trying to make money off of us?!!?!? Wtf happened to the ‘employee discount’.

We tracked him down and asked him the price again. He repeated the 3800 and we showed him the price list. All of the sudden he is telling us to pay the cashier and wait on this ridiculously slow line. Anyway, at the register the cashier says that boy shorts are 75 dollars. I told her I’ll just take the panty option. Our ‘friend’ the security guard went to get us our costumes. Despite the issues, we had to admit, the costumes were beyond gorgeous. We told him that we should be given boyshorts for compensation of all this madness. He went and got them for us. As we were getting ready to leave he told us we couldn’t have the boyshorts for free and that we had to pay for them. I asked him for the price, (already knowing the answer) He looked me in my eyes with all the innocence in the world and said……150tt. I told him I only had 40tt and handed it to him as I walked out of the door. I watched him put the money in his pocket. The time was then 6:10pm.

His name was GAVIN

Despite the bad costume pickup experience I went on to have a wonderful carnival Monday and Tuesday with IP. I Think I broke almost every rule in Mimi’s boots rulebook blog


No, the food wasn’t gourmet. No, we didn’t have foot rubs, or makeup refreshing. We wasn’t misted with neutrogena spf 70 sun block spray, we weren’t fed grapes and there wasn’t any piggy back rides for the tired masqueraders who could not hang. But then again, that’s not what I played mas to experience. I wanted the drinks to flow (and it did), I wanted to dance and hang with some of the most wassy, beautiful, jammish, friendly and fun-loving masqueraders on the planet while wearing a gorgeous, sexy and creative costume. From morning ‘til night. And That’s exactly what I got. The lack of sleep, the constant rain and even the ‘wild antz’ song on repeat did not interfere with my sexy or good cheer. I’d definitely play with them again. I won’t ever buy another costume on carnival Sunday, but i’d play with them again.

Btw: The Security in the surrounding sections was good:


People? Awesome
www.flickr.com/photos

We didn’t have many people in our section, but the camaraderie was there in abundance.

"SPICE WHO" the almost spice review

“SPICE WHO???”


“Any body playing Island people?” “Anybody playing in TRIIIIIIBE”? “Who playing in Legends”?......

Every fete I went to we heard the same mas camp role call and waited for our new mas camp to be called so that we can represent. The call didn’t come. Even in my mother’s home, my baby cousins were taught to hold up two fingers in each hand to mimic quotation marks and sing the word “spiiiiiiiice”. My own family, residents of Trinida d mocked me and my mas camp- they’ve never heard of it. It wasn’t until the Eyes wide Shut fete that we heard what was music to our ears. “Who playing in SPICE????” My cousin and I looked at each other in disbelief. We went mad, I threw my drink chits in the air and made it ‘rain’ up in there! We squeezed to the front to find out who could this person be, this person who knew of the mystical ‘Spice’. We waved our digicel light chains around in the air to get his attention. We screamed in unison “are you ‘Spice’?” (we were drunk.) He said yes. Awesome.

Costume pickup morning, I made my hour-long drive from Princestown to San Fernando only to receive a call stating an email was sent to my job saying that the headpieces were not ready yet- they where sent back to be made bigger because the prototype was too small. I cannot place into words the feeling that came over me after hearing that I spend all morning walking around in the hot sun from 10 to 1pm burning time for my costume pickup only to find that I have to arrange yet another trip to come get the rest of my costume. I decided to at least ‘visit’ my costume and gaze upon its beauty in person, perhaps it will be the balm for my now ‘sun-charred’ shoulders. Alas, it was not to be. The display was not available and I was shown a bra that looked absolutely nothing like the prototype. (it was brought to my attention that they changed the bra since the concept.

HOWEVER, I was charged an additional SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS for my costume because I was told that my registration was late and Nicholas has already ordered the bras from CHINA and was going to pick them up the weekend after I made my payment. The additional fee was to have my bra made as a separate order so that it was completed in time for pickup) Due to these particular circumstances and additional fees that was paid since September 2008, I feel that I should not have20to succumb to any change of plan. At least, give me something that is worth the extra money- but I digress. I told them that this bra looks like it was dipped in glue and rolled over everything white that happened to be swept in a corner and I asked if this bra was made shortly before my arrival.

They assured me that nothing was created on site. I looked at the manicure on the woman and those others who happened to be working behind the costume collection counters and believed it to be true. They did not have the Louis Vuitton luggage bags under the eyes from near sleepless nights of making mas. They had no random flecks of sequins, feathers or rhinestones on their skin, hair and clothing. And most of all they were courteous and understanding. Two of them looked like models from the site. I left calmly and began to dial Nicholas’ phone number.

Readers, I have to tell you that Nicholas Pena is a great DJ and a courteous business man, he understood my plight and although he did not agree that the bra was different from the photo online, he was willing to work with me and even offered to bring my headpiece to Princestown where I was staying on CARNIVAL Saturday. I really wanted my sea salt, I wanted my frontline and I wanted my showgirl-esque headpiece and despite that, I had to go with my gut and decline. I couldn’t risk the headpiece being as much of a disappointment and me not having a costume so close to the deadline. I requested a full refund and he gave it without any issues. What other options were there? Legends costumes looked too ‘new york’ish for me and tribe was booked solid. I had no other option but to tackle Island People’s ‘leftover costume pickups Sunday 12-4pm….’ As I waited for the dreaded day to arrive, I sat in disbelief as I watched all day long commercials of spice mas camp on television on Saturday.

Carnival Saving Tips

Coming off my post on Carnival, The Recession and You here are some tips that are hopefully useful for those of us determined to enjoy Carnival 2010 and feel free to add anything you think that can help in cutting costs!

*Shop for airfare early
This might be a difficult one to execute in today's unknown when it comes to job security and you never know if airlines might slash prices later on in the year. So far airline prices are not going DOWN and in fact I am surprised at the high cost t o some destinations. As a consequence you can start looking at flights now and compare prices to decide if it is wise to purchase now or wait until later.

*Cut down on time spent in Trinidad
If you are one of those people who simply cannot sacrifice a hotel and the freedom that brings to stay with family in order to save money how about staying in Trinidad for a shorter period of time? I know people who came in on Carnival SATURDAY, went to one fete, jouvert, played mas on Monday and Tuesday and were on a flight back home on Ash Wednesday!

*Recycle and Reuse
When it comes to foot wear it is pretty easy to recycle your well worn in boots for another year. Afro Chic has advised on how to do this; if your boots are decorated, strip the decoration off, use sand paper to remove the spray paint and/or glitter, then when you are ready to reuse the boots just spray it with a primer and then spray it any colour you desire. If your boots are undecorated but won't match your costume for the following year two cans of spray paint may be the cheaper option instead of getting new boots!

Another idea is to assemble a Carnival "stuff" bag or drawer or kit or box; you just want someplace to stash all the stuff that you bought for Carnival including makeup, glitter, braid, feathers, accessories, gel insoles etc. When you take stock all the stuff you have accumulated over the years you will be surprised at what you can reuse! For example, this year I didn't need to look for a pouch to match what I was wearing on Monday, I found an old one that worked quite well.

Speaking about Monday Wear, you do not HAVE to order extra boy shorts to match your costume (for those not getting Monday Wear that is). Over the years I am sure you have amassed lots of spandex boy shorts, worn only once for Carnival, lying around somewhere .You can reuse one of those on Monday instead; if it does not match the section you are in I am sure it will match another section so don't even worry that it does not go with your costume unless you plan on wearing the shorts on Tuesday too!

Since clothing trends are also recycled every season, you do not need to purchase a brand new wardrobe for Carnival either.Your spring and summer clothing can easily be reused for the following year,

*Shop the sales
Take advantage of the end of season sales for sandals, tops and shorts! Stores usually start getting ridding of Summer clothing in August , after August prices drop dramatically. If you do online or catalog shopping stores will have the merchandise longer, but they will put out a separate clearance catalog and then the main catalog will show their new season stuff for fall and winter. Most websites also have a separate section for clearance and even hard to find items can sometimes be sourced by calling the store. When my Victoria Secrets bra was not showing the size on sale my friend called them up and they directed her where to get it at a store closest to her.

*Eliminate some of the services you partake of for Carnival
So the trend is to try and save money on things that you do not necessarily need but want anyway. Hiring a makeup artist is pretty cool, especially if it is someone who does a great job. However, you do not have to use a makeup artist if you devote some time to practicing makeup looks. You can even recycle some of the makeup you bought for Carnivals past ( I mean how many times are you going to use fuchsia pink and crimson eye shadow in day to day life?) and get some friends together before Carnival to have a little makeup trial session. There must be someone in your "crew" proficient enough in applying makeup to show you some tips and if all else fails youtube does have lots of tutorials!

If you cannot afford to get the individual or extreme lashes done and do not mind having diva length lashes for just one day you can always use the strip lashes which are much cheaper. The caveat for me is that this takes practice to apply, I am amazed at anyone who does it right! Also, instead of a acrylic nails you can do the stick on nails that last a week. I tried the Kiss brand this year and amazingly they DID stay on long after Carnival and I applied them on Carnival Tuesday morning!

*Upgrade on your own to a backline PLUS
If you are a on a backline budget with frontline taste there are several ways to upgrade your backline costume. The first thing you can try is contacting the section leader and asking for something extra done to your costume for less than it would cost to go full on frontline. If this fails you can find someone who will add the extras for you for a fee, there are many producers if contacted in time will add extra feathers to your headpiece for you or even make you a small backpack for example . If you are VERY artistic you can upgrade your costume yourself, only thing it will cost is the additional materials. A back pack frame is pretty inexpensive or you can do what someone told me they are doing next year and strip down and old backpack to spruce up their backline costume for 2010! If all else fails you can scour the costume resale sites for masqueraders selling large headpieces or backpacks when they realise they do not want all the extras that come with the frontline. Usually you can get these pieces for a reasonable price!


* Rethink the fetes
To me this one is a no-brainer, to others they MUST go to every fete every Carnival season. If you insist on the Groundhog Day syndrome that affects all fetes Carnival week (same people, same artistes, same exact routine every night) then at least be discerning and choose the fetes you attend wisely. Try and secure tickets early as fete prices are not static in Trinidad, the first wave is one price and then they keep going up!

*Start a Carnival Fund
With four months left to start of band launching season Carnival 2010 will descend upon us before you even know it. The sooner you start saving, the more money will be in your fund by the time you are ready to register in August. My mantra is always to budget, budget, budget so take some time, do a budget for the entire year taking into consideration your monthly expenses so you can have a clearer idea on exactly how much you can save for Carnival. And please save for a "rainy day" as well; do not put ALL your savings in the Carnival fund! There is life beyond Carnival and my other mantra is do not go into debt for Carnival either. No credit cards to pay for your costume (unless you plan on paying off the entire amount immediately )or loans! Think about the interest that accumulates when you are in debt and the months after Carnival that you will still be paying back for that expense!


Scale Back on the Socializing
Some people are always in everything, you know the ones who post all their photos on facebook and you have to wonder if their life is a series of one party after another and hobnobbing at the hottest events never wearing the same outfit twice. What I wonder is if they won the lotto, their daddy's name is Sagba, they must know all the right people for free tickets and "comps" or if they live pay check to pay check to keep up with that lifestyle. Yes, there are those who can simply "roll like that", but too many people I know are partying every weekend without even a pot to piss in! Listen, you do not HAVE to be in everything if you cannot afford it. We are no longer living a lie to keep with the Joneses people; didn't the housing crash in the US teach anyone anything? It is pretty simple to live comfortably within your means; do not spend more than you can afford, reduce your debt and save for a rainy day.

So if you know you want to play mas and "pappyshow" yourself in all the fetes for 2010 but your salary does not allow you to do that AND afford rounds of drinks at 51 Degrees or Corner Bar every weekend, attending everything you are invited too including the opening of an envelope plus following the crowd to Crop Over and Miami Carnival there is no harm in saying "nah, I staying in tonight!". Invite some friends over, have house and beach limes and know the joy that comes from watching your money sitting in your bank account instead of wondering how you are going to get gas money to get to work after a weekend of hanging your hat where it simply cannot reach!

Trinidad Fete Tickets Responds

Hi Saucy
I write to you in response to the review that L** A**** & L*** N*** placed on your site, and also to address the ensuing comments. With regards to their issues, yes they and a few other people were let down and did not get their Lara tickets, and some of those people are currently awaiting their refunds, which are being processed and sent out.

With regards to the complaints, as you know there are 3 sides to a story the 3rd side being the truth, so it will be for people to find a middle ground and decide whether or not I am the con artist some people are portraying me to be.

The said parties purchased tickets for 3 different fetes I believe, one of which being Lara, they received their tickets for ALL their other purchased other events, by assigning and authorizing somebody to pick up on their behalf.

Just a clarification to the ticket collection- I was obtaining the tickets from a committee member not Lara himself, I felt it pointless to correct L** at that point of us meeting due to her state of mind and argumentative.

When I spoke to L*** on the phone she was advised of the situation, as expected she was none to happy, and I listened to what she had to say even with the shouting and screaming and cursing. In the conversation she stated that there was nothing I could do to make the situation better, other than me telling her that her friends and self would get the tickets. At the point I realised that nothing I could say would pacify her, even though I said that they would be all refunded.

On Sunday night about MIDNIGHT (which is why I was in bed), we had a conversation with - I believe now to be L**, stating that she wanted to meet to get the tickets for the final fete which was happening on Thursday after carnival. I informed her that I would deliver them on Monday morning, but because I wouldn't give her a specific time, she insisted that she wanted this matter resolved now, as in immediately.

I was staying on my own and I wasn’t driving, and they made the decision and ended up coming to me at 1am Carnival Monday morning, as I refused to be walking around St James looking for their accommodation on my own at that time of the morning. I don’t see that as being unreasonable especially since I had already stated that I would come on Monday Morning.

Basically from the conversation that was had, I should have done more than give her a refund, and also I shouldn’t have distributed the tickets that we did managed to acquire. Also as far as she was concerned we should have notified them a week prior about the situation - a situation we knew nothing of until the very last minute, so there was no way for them to be notified way in advance. I wasn’t saying much because there wasn’t anything more I could add to the situation that was going to make it better. Also when somebody starts to threaten you, by announcing that they are going to ensure that “socadiva”, “Trinidad fete tickets” are going to be taken down, starting with your visit to the Tourism board on Thursday morning… really what more is there to say, from my experience somebody who is prepared to go that far, will NOT be interested in anything you have to say.

I would say that most of our customers were happy with their service that they received, and whatever problems arose we tried to deal with them to the best of our ability.

Many of our customers did not adhere to the opening times of the office,

Office hours for FEBRUARY 2009
Friday 13th- 1pm - 4pm
Monday 16th - 1pm - 4pm
Wednesday 18th- 1pm - 5pm
Thursday 19th- 1pm-5pm
Friday 20th - 10am - 5pm

And on many an occasion I met people outside of these hours because they had not assigned someone to pickup tickets on their behalf. A few customers were delayed by there flights which is obviously not their fault.

Where I felt we were at fault i.e. not having the tickets in the office when they came to collect, I offered to meet some customers, a few of them I delivered to the hotels/accommodations, I went that extra mile because we were did not have the tickets at time.

I will state again to those customers who have been affected that we apologise for the inconvenience that you incurred, as this was not our intention, especially the fact that they restricted the paypal account, and the information that they required to resolve the situation could not be done until I returned to the UK.

The service was there to ease the pressure of going around getting fete tickets from various locations; and for the most part we achieved that. As with every business things can go wrong, and you do your best to right those wrongs, for some it is never enough. Customers were always kept informed via email updates (daily and weekly), texts and phone calls.

I have noted the recommendations that have been posted, with regards to cut off dates and not using certain promoters. In hindsight these recommendations do make a lot of sense. Carnival veterans know the difficulties in obtaining certain tickets and how they often are obtained at the 11th hour. But I will seriously take into consideration canceling ticket orders if not obtained by a specific date.

I would just to like to add that those person/s who cared to comment on my character and were not even a customer of the site, I understand you did so out of pure maliciousness. It is very easy to make false accusations behind a screen name. If you have unresolved issue you know my full name and email address, feel free to send me an email stating your past or present gripe.

Pamper Suite!

The Element's review today reminded me that I had glimpsed the rest stop pampering put forward by the band for their masqueraders on Triniscene and that I had made a mental note to comment on it; see photos below:

Now these are the amenities you can offer when the band is a smaller size! Imagine having 5000 people wanting massages and makeup done during a lunch stop! Anyway I am lobbying that this is a pretty cool idea and if you cannot do it for the 5000 masqueraders then why not having something special done for the Frontliners? Just a thought!

D Krewe Review

Saucy,
I would not go into too much detail with regards to what went on with my individual, but apparently the materials for the back piece never got to the person building it. So I had to settle for just taking the regular option A for Falls. Collection was carded for Friday 20th. I was then told that by Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning for the latest I would get my costume. With that said I proceeded to do my normal "feteing". I made my way to the camp along with my friend who was playing in the same section, upon arrival we were taken to the back where we were told that the section had "crashed".

At that point I felt like my whole carnival dream was crashing down, because originally I wanted to play in Morning glow and they scrapped that section and then to come and crash my second choice!!!!!!! We ( my die hard carnival pahdna and I )were given the option to get a full refund or we could choose another section at a substantial discount. I really was not in the mood to go hunting for a band with space at that time so we opted to take another section for much, much less. After much deliberating we ended up choosing "Sun". I was also given a further discount for the cost of my boots and the material used to decorate them for falls. ALSO I was given additional material to decorate the boots however I saw fit for my new section. So carnival Sunday saw me stripping the blue and silver decorations from my silver boots and spraying it gold.

CARNIVAL MONDAY
After arriving home and getting about two hours sleep after jouvert I woke up, got dressed and headed out the door to meet my band for 11. (I left home 10:40am) Meeting the band was easy because the route was posted up in the mas camp from before and I just had to judge the time and the approximate distance that they would have passed. So after meeting up with a fellow blogger by corner bar to accompany her to her band ( quiche, IP), we found IP and she was on her merry way. I ended up meeting the band still at the mas camp and what apparently seemed like no attempt at pulling off... I was like: geeze and I thought I was late. I was able to scrutinize the "wrap" that we were given for Monday wear and how people tied them cause not for NOTHING I could get mine tied at home. so while waiting on the band to pull off I got my wrap tied. my Monday wear consisted of a self constructed 3ft tall blue Mohawk headpiece my blue gems on my left arm to represent the falls ( yes I was still in denial) and my blue wrap. If they didn't want me in falls then I would play in falls in my own lil carnival world. Hey even my id band had falls on it.

The band eventually pulled off closer to noon and we headed straight for the avenue. The first thing I noticed was the sheer size of the band. I honestly was expecting that we would be a medium category band but when we hit the avenue I was like WOW. and this was not because there were non masqueraders in the band, the majority of people were wearing their ID bands. The route for Monday was simple: From the mas camp down the avenue, then down St Vincent street. we avoided the downtown stage and went back up Frederick, across park street and then up charlotte street and onto the savannah. After crossing the savannah stage we decided to head home.

CARNIVAL TUESDAY
After meeting up with a fellow blogger once more and helping her find her band I had to then find my own band. So this time I used the whe d band service. it was accurate to about two blocks as it told me my band was on the corner of Gatacre street and Ariapita avenue, when I got there I realized that moved up, I ended up meeting D Krewe by the ice factory. the route was slightly different in that from the bottom of St Vincent street we headed straight for south quay and the downtown stage. as opposed to going across independence sq and then up Frederick street. It was only then that I realized that I was section number 2!!! Again I was shocked by the sheer size of the band, even more so actually as most of the masqueraders were out in full force from early on carnival Tuesday. The band was looking great. After crossing downtown stage and being awarded numerous stops by phototakeouters.

I noticed the looming grey in the sky in the very near distance, and so by the time we rounded the corner onto Broadway and onto Independence square the rain started, it brought relief to the sweltering heat and I didn’t mind cause my headpiece and boot feathers had been coated in a good layer of fletch dry (THANK YOU ISLAND SOUL). at that time we stopped for lunch ( in d middle of the road) as we were waiting for our drinks trucks to catch up with us as they did not head to the downtown stage with the rest of the band. Lunch consisted of mixed rice, mashed potato and baked chicken IT WAS LASHING!!! The route then took us along Independence square south and up Piccadilly Street and to the savannah. After savannah we went thru St Clair and ended up by Roxy by which time it was the end of carnival Tuesday. The band ended up right back at the mas camp around 7:30 ish, I of course stayed until the music trucks pulled off with a speed that my drunk self cuddnt safely keep up with.


Overall experience with D Krewe ..... 8 out of 10. They lost points for the costume problems.

On the road experience............ 9 out of 10. lost a point for what appeared to be mismanaged security.

Music............. the two trucks that I was around..... 10 out of 10

Food...............10 out of 10...........

Costumes..............10 out of 10..... They held up very nicely on d road

Goodie bag........... ZILCH........ ah deodorant, one coupon and ah condom.... allyuh cudda do better than that.

Element's Review

Saucy:
I know that your audience interest in the band Elements is not great, but was hoping I could share my experience with your readers:

My family and I decided to play with Elements this year. To be honest our main motivator was that we know some of the people involve in the band, but we were also looking for an alternate to Harts. We’ve played mas for the past 7 years, 2009 being our 8 year. Our renewed mas experience and first time experience for our children was in 2002 with Poison. Although we had a great time (nothing could of spoilt it for us that year) we were not happy with the size of the band. The size presented lots of problems.

In 2003 we played with Harts and continued to do so for the next 6 years. Our problems with Harts were not many but did have us looking for an alternative. The big peeve we have with Harts is the length of time they spend standing around on Monday and Tuesday. We understand it is because Harts does not go outside of St. James and St. Clair, but it does make the day seem much, much longer. The bands literally runs from the band house to the Savannah, and then spend the rest of the day, very, very slowly making its way through St. Clair and St. James. The other peeve is the amount of young horny boys, that line the streets, hoping for a “wine” on a young girl. It really restricts the movement of the costume participants. Forget about going to the front of the band, because that is where the majority stay. On top of that the music is the same through out the band so if you do not like what they are playing, you’re sh… out of luck.

So on to our 2009 Elements experience. The costumes were fabulous. We played in Cabaret and it was the best costume we have ever played in. We got what they had on the web-site and it held up for the 2 days. It is the first time I wore my costume for the whole day on Tuesday. The rain on the feathers did not affect them. In contract, last year in Harts, the website costume had about 50 feathers, our backline had 1. We would have been happy with 10 but thought 1 was pushing it a bit.

Costume pick up was about 1 hour, although we were to collect ours on Friday and did not get them until Saturday. I was a little apprehensive when told that, as I though it was a sample of things to come. We did make some adjustments to our costume, but we do that every year. The only difference is this year, they were cosmetic changes like adding more beads and braiding.

Thankfully, Carnival Monday and Tuesday was great. The band moved constantly. No long waiting around to make up time. We did not make it to the downtown stage on Tuesday, because we were backed up behind about 10 bands, so the band leader decided to turn back and head for the Savannah. It was the right decision and we partied over the Savannah stage in sunshine and still full of energy.

The food and alcohol flowed freely, the wee-wee truck attendants were wonderful and kept the place clean and the music was fantastic. They only had about 1000 masqueraders in the band on Tuesday so 2 music trucks were more than enough. One would have been too little and 2 were a bit much. I did move between both trucks and enjoyed the fact that I could move freely through the band. It was such a relief from fighting with the crowds last year. I was so happy and carefree that I forgot myself and had a little too much to drink on Monday. I usually wait until Tuesday to go a bit overboard, but I was having such a great time.

The highlight was lunch stop on Tuesday. It was in a secured car-park with one entrance so no outsiders were around while we ate and rest. As we walked in they gave out mats to everyone to sit on and cold Luxozade to drink. Lunch was tasty and filling. My young growing son could of eaten 2 but I have learnt that there is never enough food for him.

We had toilets, toothbrushes and toothpaste with 4 taps with running water and 2 long mirrors to put our self back together and be ready for the serious part of partying that was still to come. There were 4 makeup artists available to refresh our makeup and 2 foot, 1 body and one neck massager. I took advantage of the foot massage which was wonderful. Overall a great experience and a fabulous carnival.

We would play with Elements again, if we come next year. We come all the way from Vancouver BC every year. It is what keeps us going for the other 50 weeks of the year. Vancouver is hosting the Winter Olympics next year, so we may miss Carnival, but if Elements survive we will play with them in 2011.

Thanks for listening.
“Die Hard”

Hi Saucy!

This was my first year visiting Trinidad and playing mas. I can say that my experience with Evolution (Fetish section) was a VERY pleasant one, as I was very nervous going to a different place and not really knowing what to expect, especially since I paid so much of my hard earned money. The leaders of the band were quite organized as far as costume pickup was concerned and everyone was extremely nice to us. One thing I can't stand is POOR customer service and thankfully we weren't met with any of this on the entire trip. It didn't take us very long at all to pick up our costumes--About 45 minutes for all 5 of us.

I can't express how pleased I was that I wasn't greeted with attitudes and the like
during my ENTIRE 7 day stay experience in Trinidad. Shynelle and Quentin of Evolution did a wonderful job of keeping in contact with us mainland masqueraders, reassuring us that every detail would be taken care of...and it was. We initially wanted to play with Island People but I think it was a blessing that the band was sold out by the time we made our deposits, because I have not been hearing good things about IP masqueraders' experiences.

My costume was SO beautiful, albeit a little big, but nothing that safety pins and a little nipping and tucking couldn’t fix. Too big is always a fit. I was so excited I wanted to wear my headpiece to bed—but my friends forbade me hahaha. Security for the most part did what they were supposed to be doing. The bathroom truck was very convenient (although individuals not in the band were sometimes allowed on) and for the most part the people serving drinks did what they were supposed to do (except for one lady who was very rude and took the time to sit and smoke a cigarette and roll her eyes at us while the masqueraders were requesting drinks).

Lunch on Carnival Monday didn't arrive until about 7pm...which was a bit disconcerting. On Carnival Tuesday, the trucks couldn't decide where they wanted to go, towards the end of the route. I also felt a little unsafe when the stormers decided to come in between the ropes towards the end of Carnival Tuesday...But by then we were exhausted anyway so we were just ready to go home lol. One can't expect perfection and overall...everything worked out well. I would definitely play with Evolution again.

All in all, my first mas experience was a wonderful one and I couldn't have asked for a better birthday with such wonderful friends, great treatment, and the welcoming spirit of Trinidad :) BTW the moleskin saved my LIFE lol. I will definitely be back next year and the years to come. I can't believe I waited this long!!!

Sincerely,
VI Boricua

Oh what is in store for 2010?

Reliable sources have told The Sauce that a contingent of designers from a certain band are heading up North for supplies VERY soon. And even though when they do their designs and prototypes they do not invite impartial masqueraders for feedback on what works and what does not I am going to share some advice for those doing the Asian theme.

First off Stories of the Silk Road is a very interesting read for those tackling this theme; it traces the actual Silk Route as well as the folktales from the countries along the ancient Silk Road. Marco Polo's adventures along the Silk Road is also quite entertaining and I think a better concept for coming up with section names would be weaving the stories/people/culture into the section name instead of a section called "China" or "Tibet" .

Nix the nude colours and tones for 2010 unless you are pairing burnished coppper and bronze with rich bright colours. Use the vibrant colours of the Orient to your advantage and deliver some spectacular colour combinations, for example yellow and green just seems so old school, how about thinking outside the box when it comes to colours?

My favourite destination on the Silk Road is Samarqand, gorgeous colours! Can you not see this replicated in jewels all over a bra and belt? I can even see the headpiece for this one too!

Samarqand has been a river oasis since time immemorial. The strategic position smack on the Silk Road had armies and empires come and go since the Macedonian conqueror Alexander. Much of what can be seen today is "post Genghis Khan". The local Timurid dynasty started with Amir Temur (=Tamerlane) in the 14th century. He and his successors created a giant empire with Samarqand as its capital---and centre of the Universe, world centre of science as they saw it.

Although the countries on the Silk Road and Spice Route have very identifying characteristics please, no Chinese lanterns, Dragons or Umbrellas! Ornate jewelry and headpieces should be the way to go; there are some very interesting shapes and designs if one explores the traditional dance costumes of the various cultures.

I am really looking forward to a section that explores Egypt,Persia and Mongolia ; something tribal and totally different to what would expect from the theme. And lets not forget the guys this time around. Perfect theme for guys to explore their inner warriors as there are so many ideas for fantastic male costumes FOR ONCE! As much as some guys love their board shorts there needs to be more authentic looking male costumes for 2010! I cannot wait to see what Peter Elias does with his males.

Finally the frontlines... yes, we want FEATHERS, yes we want backpacks....yes you can still do frontlines that reek of Brazilian samba girls (don't we just love it?) but there can be much done with FABRIC for this theme. Just think about that fantastic backpack for Angel Fish!

There are still lots and lots of ideas that I have for this theme, but since the "experts" are paid for the very same thing I am giving for free I will reserve giving it all away and wait to see how this theme is done; worst case scenario is that I can always tweak my costume myself! Or maybe I WILL be tempted by what Richard and Anthony have done for the Spice Route, which by all accounts (as their muse) I know is going to be drop dead gorgeous!

Review: Experience with Trinidad Fete Tickets

Dear Saucy,

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog over the last 6 to 9 months especially as a first time Masquerader. While the experience was unforgettable and beyond my wildest dreams, there was a huge mishap that happened during my 10 day stay in TNT.

I have taken some time to seriously consider writing to you, but now that I have seen various reviews of bands and accommodation websites I think it is time to share my experience with Trinidad Fete Tickets http://trinidadfetetickets.blogspot.com.

Our group of travelers decided to purchase tickets through this website soon after the Fetes were announced. We were required to put down a deposit (at their determination) and then submit the remaining balances once the final prices were determined. At the end of January we only had final prices for one or two of our fetes. However, there was a delay with the final price of the Brian Lara tickets. We finally received final price of the tickets shortly before our departure on February 16th. We received numerous emails about when to pick up the tickets and which tickets had not been received yet. Apparently there was a problem in receiving the tickets from the promoter of the Brian Lara event. To avoid the hassle of collecting the tickets, we had a family member pick up the tickets that were available. Upon our arrival in TNT, there were still no Lara tickets in addition to another set of fete tickets

During our costume collection on Thursday, February 18th we sent some friends from our group to pick up the remaining tickets. My friends were disappointed to learn that the tickets had not been received from the promoter. (Please note that this would continue to be the excuse for the remainder of the trip.) We were told by the customer representative, Bea Thomas, that the tickets would hopefully be received the next day or on Saturday. My friends were given Bea’s number to call to inquire about our tickets.

On Friday, I left a message with Bea only to be returned with a text saying that she still did not have the tickets and continuing to blame the promoter for the mishap. We were all growing very leery about the possibility of not having tickets to this event. While the bulk of my group was in TNT on vacation, one woman in my group was doubling this time as both vacation and work. The Lara event was highly important for her business ventures as she was to network with numerous professionals at this particular event.

During the next three days, we left numerous messages for Bea via text and on voicemail. One in particular message from her stated that she was off to the beach and would not be available to us for the remainder of the day. She continually turned off her phone and forwarded it to voicemail. This was the last straw for our group as she told us that she did not receive the tickets on Sunday, the day of the event.

Finally on Sunday evening, via text messages, we had to pry Bea from her comfy bed (she informed us that she was in bed!) to get the remaining tickets for another Fete that we had purchased. Face-to-face we had a very heated discussion in the misting rain to which she essentially placed the blame on the promoter and she would not cop to her disconcerting behavior. Also during this conversation, it was revealed that some people did in fact receive their Lara tickets. There was no sound explanation as to how it was determined who would receive the tickets (maybe because they were at the office when they arrived?).

Bea informed us that we would receive a cash money refund the next day. Again, we did not hear from her all day on Monday until finally in text she informed us that another representative from their UK office would be contacting us. This person called me and said we would now receive our monies in 5 to 7 business days via Pay Pal because they did not have access to that much cash. Since our return to the U.S., we were informed that someone hacked into their Pay Pal account which prevented them from transferring the refunds to our accounts. We were asked for our addresses for a wire transfer to take place before Bea went on vacation on March 6th. On March 9th I sent an email requesting an update as to when we would in fact receive our money. The response I received was that we would receive our monies after March 11th. It is now almost a week since our last communication and I have not received any more information regarding a refund or wire transfer even after sending another email. I have tried calling them only to be informed that their phone is no longer in service.

While I understand that all of the circumstances surrounding the tickets and their Pay Pal account could actually be true, the constant lack of communication and unprofessional disregard for customer service is what fuels my group’s anger. In these hard economic times where people such as yourself and other travelers decided to trim the amount of Fetes they attended, it only makes it more infuriating that we were treated with such disregard. As consumers of such a great event, we should NOT have to continuously chase after an organization for a refund ($175 US). There was a lack of judgment on their part to alleviate the circumstances and prevent it from escalating by neglecting to inform us early on of the troubles with the Lara tickets and the possibility that we would not receive them. However, they chose to string us along. We placed our TRUST and hard earned money (especially in this recession) in their business to do right by its customers and they did not do so.

Sincere regards,
1st Time Dimpled Masquerader

Review of the Joy Zing Guest house

Review of the Joy Zing Guest house (AKA BROTHEL) 6A Anderson Street St James

Proprietor Dianne Oliver

When we decided that we were going to Trinidad Carnival 09 we started the lengthy process, we did initially want to go back to our accommodation we stayed at in 2008, Caribbean Tourist Villa, but they were asking for over inflated prices approx £480.00 per person for a triple and a double, we finally found a place on the official Trinidad Tourism site called Joy Zing Guest House in St James.In the initial pictures the place seemed nice boasting good location, Jacuzzi, Cable TV, Fridge, Air Conditioning, En Suite Showers, Comp Tea and Coffee, Washing Facilities and use of Kitchen.

Upon arrival after our 10hour flight from London and an hour drive from Piarco Airport it was approx 7pm and we was needless to say ready to shower eat and drop!

We parked the 2 cars up, there was 5 of us and another person was joining us the following week for one week, we stayed for 2 weeks and 2 days.As my friend approached the gate he was met by a bemused person who did not have a clue what we were doing there, after a few calls and us discovering the lady who runs the house was not there she told the guy she was not expecting us for a few days! Vexation kicks in, anyway he was lead into the house whilst we were unloading the car, into the porch to be shown our rooms. Bare in mind there is 5 of us and we booked a quad and a double room, the quad was supposed to have 2 doubles and a single or a double and 2 single beds we were not fussy. When my friend came back out to help us with the luggage he was laughing and saying "you all ent go like what is inside!"

I instantly dropped my bag and made my way into the door/gate I was greeted by a gloomy dated lounge/kitchen that look like cleaning ain't take place since the house was built. I made my way through and upstairs, guided by my friend I entered the “Quad room” and was greeted by one double bed, filthy bed sheets, stained pillows, a bed that looked like it was made up of 3 different beds, the shower curtain and pole was held up by a chain and mealy suspended in the air (refer to pics below) The dark shading on the walls is not light but dirt!

We later found out what them stains were on the sheets! We then made our way to the double room, well I took a deep breath and the room stink, once again more stained sheets, a sad looking light with no lamp shade, air con plugged into a dodgy extension lead, the air con was leaking lots of water all down the wall onto the floor and the fridge had a free 7up in it half drank lol and the shower was filthy.

I was just about ready to blow I could not face talking to the woman on the phone cos I know she would get cuss! So I told me friend as he is calm and cool please call her and get her down here now cos this ain't what we paid for - US$3200.00 for the group of 6 I might add!

So she answered the phone and my friend explained the issues and that we were unhappy that the guest house is run down and that this was not what was advertised! As much as we need a place to stay we want our 50% deposit back and we will stay elsewhere. The woman soon turned nasty and told my friend who is Black but well spoken “wha so cos ya see black people there the place aint good enough for you?” my friend replied "err I'm black and I'm in Trinidad why would that be an issue?" She responds “cos you saying the place run down anyway I will be down in the morning and we can talk about the issues and get them resolved but I can promise you no refunds will be given” at this point we all just about had enough and decided to stay the night!

On closer inspection in the rooms we soon discovered the advertised Jacuzzi is a bath with jets and not a “Jacuzzi” as we know it lol and also the cable TV is simply decoration and does not work anywhere in the house!

I will cut out the chasing up the lady and constant calls over the next 5 days after we arrived Tuesday. The lady finally reached on Saturday! We were all having breakfast in the Quad room with one double bed, the “Lady” came in and my friend offered her a seat

First question:

How many people staying in this room? I responded well it have one double bed so I guessing 2? She responded I see how much people up in here and I want to know how many in here? I replied again I only see one double bed so I guessing 2?

I would like to speak to the man I spoke to on the phone,she asked, my friend Richard stood up and said it’s me! What seems to be the problem with you all and my place? she asked abruptly. Richard responded calmly we paid money for a place that is run down, nothing works and we would like our money back!

I don’t know what Jumbie gone inside this woman but she flare up and start cussing “you all Fu”!ing don’t be telling me my place is run down cos you see black people here you Fu”!ing stink people think you is too good for here” she shouted at Richard one of the other guys interjected and told her who she think she is cussing out people so? You need to learn some manners! She responded I don’t need you a stupid man telling me Fu”!cking nothing you look like and idiot with them tings on your head (DREAD LOCKS) I got fu”!ing nothing to say to you. The situation was becoming out of control I sure one of the guys would have box she down cos she was cussing them in a way and swearing like her mouth is a toilet!.

Me and Richard tried to reason with her but she was fixated with my friend with the locks so much so she tell him she want him out she house now! And was cussing and swearing at him like he was something she stepped in! I then started to let my vexation out and cuss the woman, I told her your place is stink and nasty, you are clearly a reflection of your guest house I just want me money back or the police would be called.

After a good solid hour of cussing and carrying on the woman left our room, Richard followed her to the lounge and began to explain we only want our money back for the nights we owed and we gone! Or we will get the police involved, Choice is yours

She decided that she would give our money back $US2800.00 but she needs to go to the bank we told her in the mean time we will pack our bags and look for another guest house, me and Richard got on the phone and found a 2 bedroom apartment in Maraval for US$1500.00 the place was stunning!, however we kept getting calls from the house from the others who were watching the bags she saying she wants them out now plus shouting, they explained we were on our way back and we would be gone she refused to give us the money until we handed over the keys! We tried to get back ASAP but we were told she left and would not be back until 10pm.

We told the other guys take the hired car and the luggage and go settle into the new place boy I hate playing mum but I had to they my peoples, we would stay and wait for her to return it was 6pm and we waited until 10:30pm, during this time we discovered something really disgusting, my room the double one had already been let out! And we could hear 2 people having sex loudly, we then spoke to the lady who cleans the house she gave me some jokes, she informed us that the landlady rents out rooms by the hour! People come do they business and go! (now do you guys realise what all them stains are on the sheets?? I need a Detol bath quick!! Anyway we tried calling her and finally got through she told us we would not be getting our money until tomorrow morning and she will be charging for a nights stay. By this point I really had enough I called the police and told them what happened they took the lady's number and called her then called back within 15 mins they were very helpful they said the lady has promised to return in the morning and hand over the money! And that we should go and hold onto the room keys for security.

Sunday morning we drove down to the house called her and she answered she is 5 mins away, on her arrival Richard followed her into the house I walked up to the door to listen in on the conversation the woman start shouting again, by this time I ready to kick she in she back I ask what’s going on, she only handing over US$1300.00 instead of US$1400.00 she then left the money on the table and proceeded to walk out I was fuming but I told Richard lets just take the money and go!

Our holiday finally started and I have to thank the excellent hospitality of the lady who’s apartment she let us rent it was really nice.

Anyone thinking of staying at the Joy Zing Guest House think twice unless you only looking to rent for an hour lol

More Island People Feedback...

Dear Saucy,

I am a long time reader of your blog, but this is my first time commenting. I must say, it is becoming quite a tedious process reading all these negative feedbacks about Island People Mas. This is my second time playing with IP, I played with them in 2007, which would probably be considered their worst year. I was given a bra that was way too small for me, waited 3 hours to pick up my costume, not to mention had my goodie bag thrown over a fence at me.

When I decided to play with them again this year was just for the sheer love of the costume. I honestly prepared myself for the worst, and was presently surprise when things were not as bad as I expected. I went to get my costume on Friday, the lines were long, but expected since I am not the only foreigner in the country. I paid that day and left as I had other things to do, went back on Saturday evening and was in an out within 30 minutes. Mine and my girlfriend's bra was way to big which they gladly switched mines, my girlfriend was not so lucky to get her size, they gladly switched her entire costume and gave her a refund.

Monday on the road we had a great time, I requested a fish meal and was given pelau with which I am pretty sure was cooked with meat and had a piece of fish thrown on it, but was too drunk to notice.

Tuesday was my birthday, so needless to say I was drunk for most of the day, Hennessy is my drink of choice and in the afternoon when the band ran out, I saw some guys on the side of the road with a bottle and they (in true trini carnival spirit) gladly filled my cup. My only major complaint Tuesday was the rain but should I too jump on the bandwagon and blame IP for that as well.I say all this to say, carnival and playing mas is a time to escape from all of life's everyday problems, like paying bills, crime, the economy and those of us in the North, the winter.

I have been playing mas for over 10 years. I played when there were no all-inclusive bands, when we had to walk with our canteen of rum, or buy beers on the side of the road. Go to Royal Castle for lunch or have a friend bring pelau in the trunk of their car. When we had to use the portable toilets or stoop behind a car or a wall with your friends blocking you to pee. Granted the cost of a costume today is much more than we paid years ago, but no band is perfect, not even Tribe, if you read Jumbie's blog. We really should not depend on a band to make or break our carnival experience, it's only 2 days and we wait all year for it.

I personally, will play with IP again, if they have a costume I love, and I am sure there are many people, just waiting with bated breath to jump with them again.

For those who posted negative reviews, or were just unhappy with the IP experience, you know what Saucy says religiously, "there are many other bands out there."

Thank you Saucy for bringing carnival to those of us who are not in Trinidad. Kudos to you on your up to the minute coverage on the band launchings, then going to the camps and getting individual pics, we cannot thank you enough for what you do.

Thank you for your time.

Carnival Faces

Gems and face/body painting were a big hit this Carnival season when it came to makeup .

I even saw many ladies even copying the one eyed look that was done for TRIBE's launch and website .

It was also refreshing to see that the guys got into primping for Carnival as well with body painting and even face paint.

While some makeup looks were outstanding, subtly complimentary or creative others were quite unique, to say the least!

Carnival faces 2009............

The entire album of Carnival Faces can be seen HERE.

Review of John's Place as advertised on The Best of Trinidad and Tobago.com Website

Hi Saucy,

I am a 2 year daily reader of your blog and I wanted to take a moment to bring something to your attention that you/may not want to bring to the attention of your blog readers.

I don’t remember exactly when but in late October or maybe November 2008 I was still on the prowl for TownSide accommodations for my Ck29 visit and you posted something on The Best of Trinidad and Tobago at www.bestoftrinidadandtobago.com with available options. I moved quickly on that and scrutinized the listing and came to the realization that almost all the listings were being managed/rented out by one person: Freddy Le Mort of Fred Connection Ltd.

My best friend and I booked accommodations thru Fred for a guesthouse called John's Place. Given it's proximity to the Savannah we felt it would make a good location for pick-up by friends, etc. However, we were a bit dubious about the location since we were not familiar with it and we had some doubts about Belmont. So because we were unable to physically scope out the location or to find someone in Trinidad who could swing by and scope it out for us before booking it we called up Fred and discussed our concerns as two single women and he assured us that the Best of Trinidad and Tobago only provided access to accommodations in safe areas and that we could be assured that it was a nice place in a nice location. We made the booking and were obligated (due to Carnival time rules) to rent for 7 nights (although we really needed 5 nights). We paid a grand total of $1190 US for a one room w ensuite shower.

What went wrong:
Accommodations: For some strange reason my girl and I felt nonplussed when we checked in to discover that we had one bed in the room assigned to us. We somehow were expecting two beds since we booked and paid for accommodations for 2 people. But we figured what the hay we would make the best of it.

Noise/Loiterers: Although, there were no bars/rum shops situated on the street we were at, that is on Norfolk Street at the corner of Shellbourne Lane, there was a constant stream of loiterers at this corner throughout the entire night, every night. There was constant cussing and old noise. As a light sleeper this was a problem for me. On de second day the owner/(supposed manager) of the guest house made an appearance and I mentioned this to him as a problem and he said yes he knows that some young fellas hang out at the corner. I just thought to myself why advertise the location as a ( ) if it really is not (false advertising).

Poor Management/Non existent Customer Svc: I have stayed in various guesthouses in the North East area of Trinidad before w/o prior incidence or complaint before but this guesthouse owner (John) was in a class by himself...He complained to me about his other guests, how he did not like two of the ladies staying in one of the rooms, how he was never going to rent to people with teenagers again since the teenagers were playing ball in the living room, how people were dirty and he was not renting to a mish mosh of people again and only a group to avoid problems, how the garbage truck was not running, and all other types of things. On one occasion I asked if I emptied the trash under the kitchen sink where should I place the garbage he told me to put it outside by de corner. I thought to myself that that was his job. At prior establishments we had daily trash removal from our room and the owner came and put out all the general household trash as well. I was a bit surprised. Other guests in the house were not happy with this either. Fortunately, we did not have to use the shared bathroom but for some of the guests who did they felt he should have come in to clean up that bathroom on a periodic basis. Let's just say that CUSTOMER SVC was non-existent.

Theft and Vandalism: My primary reason for writing to you is not for defamation or blasphemy (LOL) but this. We were subject to theft and vandalism at John's Place (situated at 56 Norfolk Street...and by the way the sign outside this guesthouse does not say John's Place but Ber Dina's Place). After a successful/happy jump up in TRIBE we returned on the night of Carnival Tuesday 2/24/09 to find that our car (which was parked in front at the owner's direction and assurance that it was safe to do so) had been vandalized with the front bumper, license plate and indicator lights gone. Needless to say that experience has clouded our ability to say that Carnival was great because it's all we could remember and we had to shell out $8000 TT to get it fixed over the course of the next week (because it was a friend's car that had been borrowed). Despite, fete, jouvert and band exhaustion we had to hurriedly pack up, go to the nearby Police Station, file a report, then go downtown to the main precinct to get fingerprinting/pictures done on the car and then make our way up Trincity by family instead of remaining at John's Place to risk the entire car being stolen not to mention being uncomfortable and unsafe had we stayed for the duration of our booking (because we were booked till Th 2/26/09). In addition, the next day while going through our rapidly packed bags and luggage I also discovered that a brand new watch, bracelet and earrings that I had transported w me from NY to Trinidad as a gift for my grandmother had been stolen from my luggage in the room.

The point of this email Saucy? Just to warn others that this place is definitely NOT what is advertised and not even close to being an ideal location for Carnival Accommodations or any other stay (should u choose to share any of this of course).

You can see below our pursuant communication with Freddy LeMort regarding this situation. To date we have not heard back from him. If you do decide to mention any of this on your blog I know u do things anonymously so that would be greatly appreciated. If not and u want to shy away from it, that's understandable too...it's just that I would not like others to stay there especially women on their own because it is just not a good location (regardless of whether this type of vandalism has not occurred there before).

Regards from an avid follower of your blog,

I am very deeply saddened and disappointed by the incidents that occurred during your stay at John’s place.B eing a victim of theft myself during the carnival season, where they stole both my mobile phones, cash and other personal items, I can certainly understand and sympathise with what you must be going through.

I was assured by John that his place was safe, and I have had other customers stay there without incident.Honestly, I believe, the crime situation in Trinidad is totally out of control and it is getting worse and worse everyday.

Tourists assume great risk in coming here for the carnival or any other time period. I believe that the Government needs to take drastic action soon to protect the safety of its few remaining good citizens and if it intends to continue to promote Trinidad and Tobago as a tourism destination.

Anyway, I totally agree with you that you should be refunded for at least part of your stay at John's place.I will meet with John to discuss this incident and a suitable resolution and get back to you by early next week.In the meantime, please accept my sincere sympathy.

If needed, you can contact me on my other mobile phone number to discuss. Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention.

Fred

The reccession, Carnival 2010 and you...

Recession… a word that has been haunting us all since the second half of 2008 and all financial predictions assure us that it is a word that will be on everyone’s mind for the coming months, even years. In the face of what is proving to be a global financial crisis one cannot help but wonder if Carnival 2010 is going to be affected in some way and I know that bandleaders are nervous at what might be a threat to the numbers of masqueraders who are able to participate next year.

In the face of many masqueraders I know losing jobs in the last half or 2008, those masqueraders intimated to me that the only reason they managed to come to Trinidad for Carnival was the fact that they had begun preparations early. Most had bought their airline ticket soon after Carnival 2008, as well as deposits had already been made on hotel and costume. So, for those who still managed to make the trip for Carnival 2009 the fact that they had put plans in place almost a year before allowed them that luxury. Alternately there were those who could not make it after all, the ones who worried not only about finances but also about job security if they took time off to “vacation” when their company was cutting back on employees. There were MANY costumes being sold online at Carnival Junction and Fineahban as people came to the realization that it would be impossible to make the trip for Carnival 2009.

Sources say that even the popular bands were worried this year as costume collection went very slow during the first week of distribution. Many masqueraders could not afford the usual two weeks Carnival vacation and spent only a few days, arriving in Trinidad at the very last minute possible. In addition several deposits were forfeited and costumes were simply left uncollected, however the long waiting lists of persons looking for costumes since August absorbed the surplus of uncollected costumes. I expect to see many costumes for Trinidad Carnival 2009 turning up in global Carnivals as smaller bands did not fare so well in getting rid of their stock of costumes. There were costumes being given away, I was told, and one band even slashed prices from $3300.00TT to under $2000.00TT, not a bad deal for an all inclusive package!

The price increase on costumes for 2009 was small compared to other years, personally my costume cost the same as it did in 2008 so there was no increase on my part. But I am not expecting that this will remain the same for 2010 nor am I expecting a price cut either! And when it came to fetes I only ended up going to ONE for 2009, that is right ONE fete! This was not purely by design, I had already made a decision to boycott all the exorbitant fetes, but by chance I had a travel opportunity fall into my lap a few weeks before Carnival and I chose to spend my money on that instead of fetes. It was that simple for me and for 2010 my list of “must go to fetes” is really tantamount to NONE. After surviving with going to only one fete for 2009 I can surely miss out on a few next year and not feel like I was deprived. Carnival Monday and Tuesday was the BEST two days of feting for me out of the entire Carnival season.

This brings us to the fears of bandleaders for Carnival 2010, a year that has a global cloud of the financial crisis perpetually looming overhead. With budgets tightening, jobs being lost and everyone being advised to save plenty and spend little will masqueraders still fork out the money to be a part of Carnival at any cost?

My questions to you, the masqueraders whose support make or break these bands, is will you be participating in Carnival 2010? Have you made plans to purchase your airline ticket and secure hotel accommodation (if applicable) and when do you intend on doing so? Will you pay more for your costume in 2010 and will costume prices affect your decision to play mas or play mas in a particular band? What cost cutting measures will you put in place for Carnival 2010 ( if any)? Have you been affected by the worldwide recession; have you lost your job or are worried about losing your job and how will this affect your participation in Carnival 2010?

Normally I would advise those of you planning on Carnival 2010 to start planning and budgeting from the minute Carnival 2009 is over, but with some people staring unemployment in the face or the prospect of losing their homes being very real… I am wondering now if these realities will catch up and over ride the love of Carnival for many!

Will you be playing mas for Carnival 2010?
	Yes and I also played mas for 2009
	Yes ,but I did NOT play mas for 2009
	No, and I played mas for 2009
	No, and I did NOT play mas for 2009 either
	Undecided
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