Sky High Airfares

I really thought the prices were bad bad here boi to fly to TnT. I read this article on Red 96.7 fm & boi I cyaa believe dat Barbados being so close to Trinidad dem hadda pay dat kinda money come carnival time. I rel glad I aint stick whe it came to purchasing my airfare b/c if I woulda had to pay more than I did I would have flipped. Well here is di article I my hubby passed on to me. You can find it on Red but I am posting here for all yuh to take a look as well.
31 Jan. 2007
High fares seem to be discouraging potential revelers in Barbados from booking last minute flights to Trinidad and Tobago for carnival. According to a report from the Barbados nation newspapers, while early bookers would pay around 300 or 400 U.S dollars, some ticket prices are now between 500 and 800 U.S dollars and persons are being discouraged by the high fares. Travel agencies in Barbados are reported as saying their early bookings were normal but they would have to gauge for the greatest show on earth for 2008. Source: Barbados Nation Newspapers

Meh gyul Destra

Aight, so I had to write about meh favorite female soca artist.
I will deffenitely try to be at all di fetes dat she will be preforming at during carnival as I normally do here in Miami & when I go to Atlanta Carnival. I find she does always give a killa preformance& I never been disapointed by her preformances.
I admire Destra for being such a strong person & for coming as far as she has & dais one reason why I had to add her profile here.
I will admit dat I am extremely jealous of dem abs, I wish mines was like dat but I guess I hadda wuk rel hard. Lol!
I was able to get this profile about Destra off of Island Events website & it is very informative.
Is she really is playin wit Tribe? I will be more den excited if she is. I was already excited as I saw the blog entry on Saucy Diva's blog wit her pic in the Warrior Spirit costume. I am just waiting for someone to confirm please if she really is going to play wit Tribe. Well here is di profile. I hope you will enjoy if you are as big a fan as I am.
Profile : Destra Garcia
Destra Garcia is the oldest of four siblings, she was born, on November 10th, 1977. Destra was raised in the community of Desperlie Crescent, Laventille in eastern Port of Spain, and attended St. James Secondary School where she discovered her passion for singing and music. She not only won her school's Calypso Monarch title for five consecutive years, she composed every one of her songs.

At the age of 18 she joined a quartet called PSYKE which disbanded after only one year. Following the demise of the group, Destra attended the School of Business and Management earning a diploma in Sales Management.

In 1999 Roy Cape took notice of her single album titled - “Ah Have A Man Already” with the group Third Base and invited her to join the Roy Cape All Stars Band as one of the lead vocalists.
She pursued a solo career briefly, but eventually joined the band Atlantik in late 2002. She remains the frontline singer for Atlantik and has forged a successful songwriting partnership with Kernal Roberts (until 2005 inclusive), churning out hits such as "Wha Yuh Want", "Negative Vibes" and "Bonnie & Clyde".

In 2003 Destra released her first album “Red, White, Black” which included her hit duet “It's Carnival” with fellow Soca artist Machel Montano. The song became the virtual anthem of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival that year and is widely known throughout the Caribbean.

Destra is famous for her style. Due to her radical clothing choices consisting primarily of revealing clothing such as tight, short pants, and low-cut bra tops, she has captivated audiences during her performances. On stage, Destra is wild and explosive in her movements and vocals, sometimes seemingly performing in her own world due to her passion. Destra has expressed her music and fashion choices as a merger betweeen American punk rock and Soca. This mix is evident in the instruments used in Destra's music, as she frequently utilizes rock guitar acoustics with underlying Soca rythms.

Destra won the Road March title in 2003 at the Labour Day Carnival in Brooklyn, and also placed third in the Trinidad and Tobago Soca Monarch competition in that same year.
She is yet to win either the Road March or Soca Monarch title in Trinidad. Despite this, she has become success in the local music industry, specializing in pop-sounding soca compositions as well as fusion music encompassing aspects of East Indian culture.


Destra's released her first CD in 2003, entitled Red White & Black. Her second CD, Laventille was released in 2005.

In 2006, Caribbean Beat magazine described Destra's music as "the kind of sound that a young person, living at the crossroads of cultures and technologies that is Trinidad and Tobago today, is likely to produce, and the breeziness of her music may well act as an antidote to the hard edge which often characterises life not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but in many other corners of the globe.”

Also in 2006, the Digicel mobile telecommunications group named Destra as its spokesperson in a two-year endorsement deal.

Revamped Chech list

I revamped my check list b/c up to now I aint get everything I need but I think I am pretty close. I am leaving Florida on di 13 of February my suitcase is already half packed & I am getting more & more excited. Please add anything you think I might need on di list dat means you too Stella, LOL!. Thanks!

Monday/Tuesday sneakers -Finally bought
2 sheer to waist stockings- bought 1 pair but now to my surprise am being told deh cheaper in TnT by di mas camp so I will be buying my second pair in TnT.
clear nail polish for potential runs in stockings-have it, always have one.
Lady Mitchum deoderant (my friend swears iz di best!) - still on my list of need to purchase
Blotting tissues- on di list still
comfortable socks - another one on di list still
disposable camera- LOL! On di list
Sunblock - have plenty already & iz in di suitcase
Body jewelry (the round one for your belly button) - Proudly bought it already
Trini flag!!! (& in my case also my Salvadorian flag) - Been had dat
baby wipes - I dunno why dis still on di list, shoulda been di first ting bought
Makeup & primers- almost fincished have a few more tings to buy
Toiletries - I have most
Cotton thongs - I almost forgot about dem, hadda buy dem still
Elastoplast, Fashion Tape, or Bondage Tape - My fren buy it for me!!!! Yay! Thanks!!

Now the must do list before I leave to prepare all dis will be done di week of my departure to TnT:
Brazilian Bikini wax (a must!)
Butt strip (double must)
Eyebrows
Under arms
Legs
Manicure

Clean Bikini line

My friend & I are always doing research on line, mainly for things to help us look betta during carnival. Not dat we look bad, but we jus wanna look close to flawless if at all possible. LOL! So I was happy when she snt this web link to me especially since I am a veteran to waxing. I have been waxing for over 10 yrs from legs, under arms, to brazilian bikini area ( not jus di line). Dis site has a lot of helpful hints for you ladies going to wax before carnival, if you don't plan to wax at least shave please, there is absolutely no reason why anyone should have to see anything crawling out from between yuh legs dais jus nasty ok. Thanks Stella;) LOL! Here it is:

Bikini Line Care

After a Brazilian Bikini Wax, it’s pretty important to start looking after your bikini line area. Here are some basics, and just so you know, I’m not a dermatologist; I’m just speaking from experience and trial and error:

1. No heavy creams or oils
It makes sense that when you pull a hair out of its follicle, there’s going to be a miniscule hole where the hair used to belong. My personal belief is that when you apply product to that area, the follicle gets jammed up resulting in unwanted ingrown hair and blocked follicles. A blocked follicle looks like a black head. If you experience this, buy yourself some exfoliating mitts from a pharmacy or beauty supply (you should be doing this regardless) and start to exfoliate EVER SO LIGHTLY in a gentle, circular motion. I would also recommend exfoliating the night before a wax; it gets rid of any dead skin cells etc. Don’t exfoliate after a wax, wait at least 3 to 4 days.

Product Recommended: Desert Essence “Thoroughly Clean Facial Wash”. Get it from Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, costs about $4.99.

2. Ingrown hairs
Yuck! We hate them, we pick them and stick things in them, and still they remain, and sometimes they have the nerve to multiply! Why? I don’t know, but I am going to attempt to explain how to prevent them and how to treat them if you get them. I’ve noticed that there are certain people who are more prone to ingrown hairs – like, for example, ME! I have thick and curly hair. When my hair grows back, it doesn’t grow back to the surface straight, it grows back in a hook/curl. So when it gets to the surface, it sometimes doesn’t break through. You can see these hairs through your skin, they are just beneath the surface and OH SO tempting to pick. I’ve had success with exfoliation (not with a product, but with mitts) and the facial wash that I have recommended above. Don’t use salt scrubs etc., as I find these to be too abrasive and perfumed. These things just irritate the situation and once again, plug up your follicles. So, if you have thick, curly or coarse hair; sorry, you are just more susceptible.

I’ve also noticed clients with ingrown problems along the side and top of their bikini lines. I think wearing tight underwear or jeans irritates the skin, or pushes down on your skin, inhibiting the proper growth of your hair. I know that sounds wacky, but just imagine a fine hair trying to grow back after a wax and is being pushed back by your fashionable new knickers or pants. Not good.

Treat your bikini line skin like the skin on your face. It’s a delicate area and should not be ignored.

Product recommended: Desert Essence Blemish Stick or Burt’s Bees Blemish. Get them at Trader Joe' s or Whole Foods. Warm compresses will also help bring up the hair.

If you are a naughty pimple picker then there is not much help I can send your way. Yes, I know it is satisfying and addictive, I sometimes indulge myself, however, the horrid results of you trying to dig out that pesky ingrown are plentiful. You can end up permanently scarring your skin. I’ve seen clients with awful scars. In the trade, we call them “ice pick” scars. When you push down on an ingrown or red bump, you may see something come out of the top of it. Thinking you have solved it, you wake up the next day only to see another two have popped up. (This will happen on your face too). The problem is that the pushing, forces sebum (oil) and other debris to push out of the follicle through the bottom, rupturing it and causing an infection, which kindly spreads to other follicles. DON’T PICK!!!!

You can also use rubbing alcohol. Just dab it onto the area 3 to 4 times a day. It will dry the bump out.

3. Cleaning your Bikini Area
Very simple. Light exfoliation with your loofah mitts on a daily or nightly basis with squirt of the cleanser and you should be on your way to a glowing, soft as a baby’s bum bikini line. I sometimes use witch hazel on my bikini line; it cleans out any blocked follicles.

The name of the site is Queen bee waxing & there is also a section on di page called ask the dermatologist which has some helpfull QA's. Also if you are in the Miami/Ft.Lauderdale area my aunt referred me to this place called Green Wave in Weston they use all natural products & they service there is awsome & might I add that since I have been gowing there I have had less in grown hairs than in di past. You can check out their website at http://greenwavebodywaxing.com/

Hair issues

Ok so I am so glad I finally decided on what I will be doing wit my hair on Carnival Monday & Tuesday. I had to go to my gyul Beyonce here to get ideas. LOL! I Googled images of her & other artist to get ideas & this is wah I finally came to decide on. I figured it is easy to manage & I wouldn't have to really worry about my hair for 2-3 days.
Now my only problem is now finding how to do my hair for di remaining time I will be in TnT. I mean my hair is rediculously long so blow drying & using di flat iron everyday is out of di question. I am trying to find a couple of up do's dat might be nice for a couple of fetes but I aint see nuttn yet dat catches my eye & says wow to me. I have looked in salon magazines, I have googled almost every female artist from Mariah Carey to JLo. Still, I have come up with nothing. At dis point I am open to suggestions as a matter of fact, I am requesting suggestions please. I need something manageable yet simple & not complicated dat will take all day to do. My sister in law which will be playin mas as well has offered to do my hair but I don't wanna give her a hard time even though I know she wouldn't mind. So this is my dilema at dis point HELP! Please. Send me pictures if you have to, I really doh mind.

Road March 2K7

Carnival Road March, the musical composition played at the judging points along di carnival parade route during carnival time. One of the most prestigious titles in Trinidad Carnival, Mighty Sparrow, & Lord Kitchiner being amongst the most to recieving the title. The Road march title is given out every year. Scoring is based upon a rank and points system by a Carnival committee before the start of the parade.
Now for Carnival 2K7 Road march, who will win di title? My oppinion, so far I believe dat Last lap by Destra & Naya George should have di title dis year. Second to Last lap in my opinion would be Open di Gate by Shurwayne Winchester, Light it up I like to by Patrice & Machel. I am happy Precious sing something dis year, I aint hear anything from she in a while & Black Carpet is a great song. No matter wah doh ah tellin all yuh now, I go be chippin & winin dong di road wit all dem songs & some & anywho I may be drinkin so much I wouldn't even notice wah dem playin deh eh, I would jus be singin di chunes to myself & havin a time. I am jus so super excited & cyaa wait to head dong di road on Monday & Tuesday. Woi! Woi!

Makeup Time!!

I had di pleasure of visiting di Mac cosmetics store on South Beach di odda day wit meh friend. I had a makeup artist do a demo for me to see how di colors would look on me. My friend took some pictures & I am very happy wit how di makeup came out, however now I jus have to see how I will be duplicating it.
The makeup artist was awsome I asked him if I could bring him wit me & he did state dat he would but he is expensive. LOL!! How I wish I could afford him. He did however show me how to apply the primer, colors & eyeliner step by step. My best friend watched as she would like to do something similar but with the fuscia colors. I decided on the green jus b/c as you can see my eyes are green & I thought dat way my eyes & makeup may stand out more as where the fuscia would make my friend skin stand out(she has a beautiful skin color).
I am also planning on adding some jewels here by the brow & maybe not having the brow so dark & I may not do my makeup so dramatic for Monday but only for Tuesdayto compliment my costume. I deffinately recomend if anyone has di chance to go to a cosmetic store where they can have someone apply the colors on you & maybe give you ideas for dramatic eyes for Carnival. I really appreciated it & learned alot about mixin & matchin di colors. I am going to continue to play here wit my shadows & hopefully get it right. Pray for me!

Last min. Decissions, ah stickin!

Ok so I did a blog a while back about not stickin & here I am talkin yesterday wit meh friend how maybe we really should get a hotel for Monday nite. I am really wondering if at dis point we will be able to find one & how much it will cost dis late in di game but we are looking. See the ting is she was stayin by she man & I was stayin by my hubby family but after spending a day of shopping together we decided we really would like to get ready together. Iz a gyul ting I guess! So if anyone has any info on a 1 nite stay at a hotel in POS for 4 people please let me know, I will greatly appreciate it. I am looking at Carnival junction & shopping on odda sites hoping I will run into a good deal. No luck yet. Laaaaaawd! After all dis talk about having everyting done, & here I am, STICKIN!!!! LOL!

The winner is.........

I got dem finally!!! My shoes................& the winner ended up being di Puma Turin Leather. I love dem. I ended up getting dem off of another site b/c Zappos did not have my size. I went to www.finishline.com they have a wide variety of shoes as well. I am so happy dat I finally got dat done dat is an extra load of my shoulders. Yay!!!! Now I jus have a few more things to go & I will be done. I jus need a lil' more makeup which I am hoping I will be getting dis weekend & den I done. I cyaa believe it we less den a month a way. Now di only ting I stressin is how I go look in dat costume. I am still worried dat I haven't lost enought weight so I am still working on dat as well. Anywho! My shoes.............so I am excited & ah cyaa wait to wear dem I will be wearing dem before hand to break dem in a lil'. Again, I aint stickin.

Is a wine really jus a wine?

Is a wine really jus a wine? I have been married for almost 6 years now & I will be completely honest wit you, I am a very open minded person. I have never been di jealous type so any time my hubby & I have been to a Carnival fete in Miami or in Atlanta I have really never had a problem wit him winin(not grindin) wit someone on di dance floor. But when is a wine really jus a wine? I mean not for nuttn but my hubby & I have come to an agreement dat we only wine wit people dat we are friends wit or know jus to avoid any drama. I mean really, if you in a party & you don't know some people (& woman can be rel trifling) some people can get rel fresh eh & start grindin & ting, dais why my hubby & I came to dis agreement b/c it has happened in di past & it wasn't a pretty scene after.
I think it is essential as well as appropriet dat if you are in a marriage or a commited relationship dat before going to carnival dat these boundaries should be discussed & respected if the relationship is intended to continue there after. I aint lettin know one ruin my carnival especially for a wine when the whole situation could have been avoided from di beggining. My hubby nah playin mas wit me but he did let me know his "rules" on my behavior during carnival. LOL!! We have compromised, I mean yuh cyaa expect to go carnival & not tief a wine on someone eh, it jus wouldn't be carnival. So, in dis case I do have a possee dat I will be rollin wit & I will be winin only on male friends dat my hubby is aware of. Drama avoided! I have seen to many people getting into arguments at fetes & I aint into dat.
SO wit dat, wais your opinion? When is a wine jus a wine?

DOH STICK!!!

So there are 34 days till carnival & those of you who have not booked your flights, hotel or costumes are seriously stickin. My hubby is now kickin himself in di rass b/c he decided to be cheap & weight till last min to buy his ticket to fly to TnT thinkin he would save money & as it get's closer I think he is realizing if it isn't sold out already, then di price is rediculous. Luckily we have friends & family in TnT so we didn't need hotel reservation which we were originally planning but do to unforseen circumstances(money factors) we decided not to. If you haven't already booked your hotel stay or guest house I have found dat there either isn't very much left or iz only crap dais left & by crap I am talking about something dat is far from POS, dem does have poor reviews, are horrible & also I have looked at the areas of di hotels & basically, if your not looking to get mugged, you doh wah stay in dem hotels or guest houses. Costume yuh may not have problems wit unless you had 1 section in mind dat you really were expecting to play in & now iz sold out which again iz another one of my hubby's issues. Now after my section is sold out he decides he would like to play mas wit me. Whatever!!! Anywho! Di lesson here iz DOH STICK!!!! I know iz an Islanders tradition or habbit to wait till di last min(trust me I am a latina & iz ours too), some in my fam iz di same, but doh get mad when things doh wuk out di way you expected eh.
Well......All I know iz I booked everything I needed early(for once), & I think I got a good deal on my air ticket not payin more den $541 round trip from MIA-POS & I will be in TnT for 10 days. My costume, got the section I wanted in di band I wanted, & hotel, well deh I aint need dat now so. Maybe next year my hubby will learn to do everything wit time, den again men is rel stubburn yes.

What is Carnival?

I think many of us surpass the true meaning of Carnival, I myself am guilty of it as well. I think we truly get wrapped up in what band we go play in, getting in shape & how we go look during this festive time. So I jus wanted to add a lil Carnival history here jus to touch base. I was aware of some history but not all & I was surprised to find out alot of it's history & evolution.

Pierrot Grenade

So, what is Carnival exactly? Well I went to Toronto-lime jus browsing & found the history deh.Carnival is an annual celebration of life found in many countries of the world. And in fact, by learning more about carnival we can learn more about ourselves and a lot about accepting and understanding other cultures.
Where did the word “carnival” come from?
Hundred and hundreds of years ago, the followers of the Catholic religion in Italy started the tradition of holding a wild costume festival right before the first day of Lent. Because Catholics are not supposed to eat meat during Lent, they called their festival, carnevale — which means “to put away the meat.” As time passed, carnivals in Italy became quite famous; and in fact the practice spread to France, Spain, and all the Catholic countries in Europe. Then as the French, Spanish, and Portuguese began to take control of the Americas and other parts of the world, they brought with them their tradition of celebrating carnival.

Dame Lorraine

African influences on carnival traditions
Important to Caribbean festival arts are the ancient African traditions of parading and moving in circles through villages in costumes and masks. Circling villages was believed to bring good fortune, to heal problems, and chill out angry relatives who had died and passed into the next world. Carnival traditions also borrow from the African tradition of putting together natural objects (bones, grasses, beads, shells, fabric) to create a piece of sculpture, a mask, or costume — with each object or combination of objects representing a certain idea or spiritual force.
Feathers were frequently used by Africans in their motherland on masks and headdresses as a symbol of our ability as humans to rise above problems, pains, heartbreaks, illness — to travel to another world to be reborn and to grow spiritually. Today, we see feathers used in many, many forms in creating carnival costumes.
African dance and music traditions transformed the early carnival celebrations in the Americas, as African drum rhythms, large puppets, stick fighters, and stilt dancers began to make their appearances in the carnival festivities.
In many parts of the world, where Catholic Europeans set up colonies and entered into the slave trade, carnival took root. Brazil, once a Portuguese colony, is famous for its carnival, as is Mardi Gras in Louisiana (where African-Americans mixed with French settlers and Native Americans). Carnival celebrations are now found throughout the Caribbean in Barbados, Jamaica, Grenada, Dominica, Haiti, Cuba, St. Thomas, St. Marten; in Central and South America in Belize, Panama, Brazil; and in large cities in Canada and the U.S. where Caribbean people have settled, including Brooklyn, Miami, and Toronto. Even San Francisco has a carnival!
Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad's carnival is a beautiful example of how carnival can unite the world. For in this small nation, the beliefs and traditions of many cultures have come together; and for a brief five days each year, the whole country forgets their differences to celebrate life!
Like many other nations under colonial rule, the history of Native Americans and African people in Trinidad is a brutal, sad story. Spain and England at different times both claimed Trinidad as their colonies. Under British rule, the French settled in Trinidad, bringing with them their slaves, customs, and culture. By 1797, 14,000 French settlers came to live in Trinidad, consisting of about 2,000 whites and 12,000 slaves. Most of the native peoples (often called the Amerindians) who were the first people to live in Trinidad, died from forced labor and illness.
Carnival was introduced to Trinidad around 1785, as the French settlers began to arrive. The tradition caught on quickly, and fancy balls were held where the wealthy planters put on masks, wigs, and beautiful dresses and danced long into the night. The use of masks had special meaning for the slaves, because for many African peoples, masking is widely used in their rituals for the dead. Obviously banned from the masked balls of the French, the slaves would hold their own little carnivals in their backyards — using their own rituals and folklore, but also imitating their masters’ behavior at the masked balls.
For African people, carnival became a way to express their power as individuals, as well as their rich cultural traditions. After 1838 (when slavery was abolished), the freed Africans began to host their own carnival celebrations in the streets that grew more and more elaborate, and soon became more popular than the balls.
Today, carnival in Trinidad is like a mirror that reflects the faces the many immigrants who have come to this island nation from Europe, Africa, India, and China. African, Asian, and American Indian influences have been particularly strong.
Carnival is such an important aspect of life in Trinidad that many schools believe that sponsoring a carnival band is a way to teach young people about their roots and culture. In Trinidad’s Kiddies Carnival, hundreds of schools and community organizations participate! In this way, communities work together to develop stronger friendships and greater respect for the many cultures that make up Trinidad.

Bat

TRADITIONAL CARNIVAL CHARACTERS

• Dame Lorraine or Dame Lorine
• Moko Jumbie
• Midnight Robber
• Burrokeet
• Pierrot Grenade
• Jab Molassie
• Jab Jab
• Cow Bands
• Fancy Indians
• Bats
  

Tribe-Ole Time Something ....Come back again

In dedication to my band of choice Tribe for my first time playin mas I thought I would add a lil' history to my page regarding my costume since the theme dis year is Ole time something...come back again. I mean I couldn't play wit out knowing what di heck di section I was in was all about dat would jus not make any sense to me. My section has sold out at this point with di exeption of frontline, even di men's is sold out which I was really surprised about considering the colors. I am extremely excited as you can probably already tell from all of my blog entries, Lol! I thought dis costume was perfect for me from the beggining so here it goes, the history of:

PIERROT GRENADE

One can identify three phases of development. The first was the Princely Pierrot, designed and portrayed by the French settlers of the late 1780’s and beyond. This richly garbed character would quote passages from Shakespeare and other playwrights and authors in an effort to show off his knowledge and to educate the onlookers.
The second phase was the creation by the freed slaves of two types of Princely Pierrots. As explained by Carnival historians, they were both armed with a long carriage whip and a shorter “bull pistle” for fighting purposes.
The third phase which holds good today, was the Pierrot Grenade or Pierrot from Grenada, bearing in mind that many of the original French planters came from that island. This Pierrot’s costume was of multi-coloured rags probably inspired by the multi-coloured cape of the predecessor Pierrot. A shorter version of the carriage whip is retained. This present day Pierrot teaches how to spell long words by breaking them up in syllables and developing a story on each syllable, preferably in a French patois accent.
“De CHIcken in de CAr and de car can’t GO – that’s de way to spell CHI-CA-GO.”

New Years Resolution

My new years resolution along with probably half the worlds this year was to get fit, exercise & loose weight. So when I had put a bike on my wish list I expected Santa to give it to me because I had told him I wanted one to get fit for Carnival. Well I thought I didn't get it but much to my surprise my Santa baby got me a belated Christmas gift.
I woke up yesterday morning to take one of my two children to school & there sitting in my garage was a bike. I was so excited I told my son to hurry up so we could ride bikes to his school. Well I made it to his school & I didn't not remember that it was so much wuk to ride a bike, on the way back home from dropping him off I was starting to hurt boi.
So I made it back home relaxed a bit & buy the time I new it, it was time to pick him up again. Mind you, it is 20mins to his school & another 20 mins back home so today I have done a total of almost an hour & a half of cardio. I was also able to fit in a sit up session & some weights for my arms don't want those flappin when I jumpin up. I intend to keep this up till I leave on the 13 of February to TnT so please all, wish me luck wit dat, of course my son may not let me stop taking him to school via the bicycle so I may have no odda choice. I guess dat would be a good thing though.

Check list

So all yuh go laugh but this is necessary for us over seas masqueraders. My best gyul friend & I have made a check list & have revised it over & over again, but I cyaa help but think I may have forgotten something. I have in my closet a section sectioned off for the clothes that I am taking wit me to TnT & a bag put aside with all the cosmetics I have started to buy for my ten day trip, yet still I feel I am forgetting something. This is what we have so far:

• Monday/Tuesday sneakers (which I haven't baught yet).
• 2 sheer to waist stockings (haven't baught yet).
• clear nail polish for potential runs in stockings.
• Lady Mitchum deoderant (my friend swears iz di best!).
• Blotting tissues.
• comfortable socks
• disposable camera.
• Sunblock
• Body jewelry (the round one for your belly button).
• Trini flag!!! (& in my case also my Salvadorian flag)
• baby wipes.
• Makeup & primers.
• Toiletries
• Cotton thongs
• Elastoplast, Fashion Tape, or Bondage Tape(I hadda go & buy some still, Thanks Saucy Trini!)

Now the must do list before I leave to prepare:

• Brazilian Bikini wax (a must!)
• Butt strip (double must)
• Eyebrows
• Under arms
• Legs
• Manicure
• I dunno if I should waste time & $$ on a pedicure considering I will be wearing sneakers all di time.

I missin something dunno wah it is but tell me please if you know.

Cellulite Control

This is for all you ladies out there. I will be completely honest with all yuh. I have two kids, a husband, a job, & I blame dem for the weight gain. With that weight gain came dis nasty ting called CELLULITE! At least I thought that is what caused it. I have now educated myself on this nasty fatty stuff & of course only because of Carnival. I jus cyaa see myself jumpin up in dat lil' bottom piece of clothing with cottage cheese on di side of meh legs. Ewwwww! & the stretch marks top it off. I have the pleasure of baring them on my belly as a gift from my children for carrying dem for 9 months, wonderful! Well, that is what I thought cellulite was until I did some research to see how I could get rid of it.
I always thought I had cellulite because of the weight gain. I am now learning after jus putting up wit it after so many years that it is not from becoming a lil' plump. Cellulite is actually caused by dehydrated, damaged skin. Here are the facts Straight from the Dr. “Cellulite affects 90% of women, regardless of age or weight. Stretch marks affect 70% of adolescent females and 90% of pregnant women." Wow! Surprise surprise. So, all yuh thinkin dat you can exercise it off, wrong.
Another thing I learned, you cyaa control cellulite through weight loss & exercise because cellulite is found in the fat layer of the skin, not the fat in your body & this can not be metabolized & used as fuel.
Ok so, with all the research I did it was because of course carnival, & I found something that really wuks gyuls. I am still in awww because no lie, I am only on my 5th day of using this product & I am already seeing results. If I keep dis up by Carnival Monday i will be cellulite free. Yay!
It is this winderful product you see above, Murad Firm and Tone Dietary Supplement Pack that has me in a frenzy. Iz nah cheap, but iz damn well worth it. You can read up more info & see all the research studies on Dr. Murad's website. I went ahead & purchsed the supplements at Sephora(my favorit store), but you can also purchase at his website.
Before I finish I jus wanted to add also what Dr. Murad said we should expect by takin the supplements. We should see:
Within 4 weeks:

• Skin will look & feel firmer, smoother & softer.
• Cell hydration level improved.
• Visual texture of skin improved.

Within 8 weeks:

• Skin will appear to be firmer by up to 78%
• Will help improve the visual texture of stretch marks by up to 47%
• Skin structure will be stronger & healthier.

Keep in mind also that individual results may very, not everyones body is the same & may react differently to the product. Also I would like to add if you have any type of health condition with this & as well as with my past entry on the colon cleanser you may want to talk to your physician before taking any of these products.

HELP!!!!!!

Shoes, shoes, shoes. I finally nominated a few to be a possible winner. Only thing is I need some help choosing. Please help!!!! I have posted pictures on the blog as well as some of the reviews & descriptions. Ok now a few points I need to make before we choose here, first of all it needs to match my costume & has to be cute so if it is ugly please be honest. I have the nominees listed in the order of my preference but I am still confused. The nominees are.......

The woman's PUMA Turin Leather in white, wild rose & jade green .

• A casual athletic trainer designed to meet todays lifestyle needs.
• Leather upper.
• EVA midsole.
• Rubber outsole.
• 51% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe "Felt a full size smaller than marked".
• 81% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe "Felt true to width".
• 81% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe had "Moderate arch support".

Nominee number two is the PUMA Speed Sister in vaporous gray, hot pink, & prism pink.

• A completely new approach to vis tech for this ultra-feminine slip-on due to its sleek and clean suede upper that perfectly harmonizes with a DuoCELL cushioned heel unit.
• Suede with mesh detailing.
• Visible DuoCELL unit in the heel and CM-EVA forefoot.
• EverTrack Outsole.
• 78% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe "Felt true to size".
• 78% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe "Felt true to width".
• 89% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe had "Moderate arch support".
• 
  

Shoe number three is the PUMA Roma PF US Ext in white, sharp green, & black irus.

• Vintage 1960's style brought back with a stylish form stripe.
• Full grain leather upper with rich pigskin form stripe.
• EVA midsole for cushioning.
• Lightweight and flexible rubber outsole for traction and durability.
• 
  

Shoe number four is the woman's Puma Roma in white & sunny lime.

• Vintage 60's PUMA trainer reproduced as a one to one copy of the original.
• The Roma is made of full grain leather.
• Rubber outsole and an EVA midsole provide excellent cushioning and shock absorption.
• Classic-styled PUMA soccer shoe for people who have a strong feeling for tradition.
• 60% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe "Felt true to size".
• 85% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe "Felt true to width".
• 69% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe had "Moderate arch support".

& the final nominee is PUMA Roma Perf Lfst Ext in white & online lime.

• Vintage 1960's PUMA trainer reproduced as a one-to-one copy of the original.
• This version has a rich leather perforated upper.
• EVA midsole.
• Rubber outsole.
• 75% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe "Felt true to size".
• 81% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe "Felt true to width".
• 78% of Fit Survey respondents said this shoe had "Moderate arch support".

I found all these shoes on www.zappos.com The site has reviews on the shoes with full description of the shoes as well. I saw some shoes that you could use for other sections such as Bat, Fancy Indian as well & for other bands such as Island People or Pulse8. Now I jus need all yuh to give me your oppinion based on the shoes here please. Thanks!!!

Play meh Soca nuh!

As I mentioned before I looooove meh soca, cyaa live with out it. So I had to dedicate one of my blog entries to the art of soca music. You know iz really a shame at dis time of year for meh family, I mean even meh children start learning di words to meh favorite songs. It's actually kind of funny. I mean I will be driving in di car & hear my 6 & 4 year old in di back seat singin
" One more time, one more time.......uh uh uh oh, uh oh oooh" LOL! Laaaawd but I really cyaa help it I mean Machel is boss eh.
Anywho! Since before the holidays like all I was playin in di car was soca & all yuh go rel laugh when I tell yuh as I am writing I am listenin to Trinibashment 91.9 & might I add I listen to di station so much I kinda learned all the DJ's schedules(Zoro is on right now) again, iz a shame. Was more iz I have people in my office listening to soca now, non Trini's might I add. Yuh hadda teach people of odda culture right, so there I did my dutty for the day.
One more thing, there is no motivation like soca music for carnival, I bet when all yuh hearing soca on di radio all yuh does picture yuhself on di road jumpin up in a band or in a carnival fete winin up rel nice gyuls on a man & man winin rel good on a gyul bam bam ent? Well that does motivate me, just picturing myself jumpin up in Tribe. Somehow jiggling jus doh seem very appealing to me on Carnival Monday or Tuesday. So jumping rope to Soca or Die we do & jogging to Higher den High we must.
Here is a lil' history on this lovely culture which I found on www.artdrum.com.
What is Soca?
Soca is a modern form of calypso with an up-tempo beat. There is a popular misconception that Soca is a fusion of American soul music and traditional calypso. Hence the name "so-ca," soul/calypso. Though this sounds plausible, it is simply not true. Soca music originated as a fusion of calypso with Indian rhythms, thus combining the musical traditions to the two major ethnic groups of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Father of Soca
Born October 6, 1941 in Lengua, Trinidad, Garfield Blackman would become the creator of soca. Blackman began singing calypso at the tender age of seven. Performing under the name Lord Shorty, he rose to fame in 1963 with his recording of Clock and Dagger. The name Lord Shorty is a paradoxical reference to his imposing height of 6-ft 4-in.
Talk that calypso was dying, and reggae was the new thing, prompted Lord Shorty to experiment with the calypso rhythm for nearly a decade. He combined Indian rhythm instruments (particularly the dholak, tabla and dhantal) with traditional calypso music. The result was a new energetic musical hybrid called soca. In 1973, Lord Shorty introduced soca to the world with his hit song Ïndrani. The release of his 1974 album Endless Vibrations prompted dozens of musicians to adopt the new soca style.
Lord Shoty initially referred to his musical hybrid as "solka", representing the true "soul of calypso." The "Indianization" of calypso brought together the musical traditions of Trinidad and Tobago's two major ethnic groups, the descendants of African slaves and of indentured laborers from India. The name was later changed to "soca" by a music journalist.
Endless Vibrations, the first soca album, contained the popular Om Shanti, a song that sparked controversy because of its use of a Hindu chant in the chorus line. Lord Shorty was no stranger to controversy in the ensuing years performing songs such as The PM Sex Probe, which poked fun at the Prime Minister. He was equally adept at performing songs dealing with social and political issues as in his hit Money Eh No Problem.
By the turn of the 1980s, "the father of soca" had become disenchanted with music he had created, saying that soca was being used to "celebrate the female bottom, rather than uplift the spirits of the people." Lord Kitchener's classic hit Sugar Bum Bum is a prime example of what he meant.
Around 1981, Lord Shorty converted to Rastafarianism, changed his name to Ras Shorty I, and moved into the Piparo forest in southern Trinidad, 50 miles from Port of Spain. There the prolific musician, composer and innovator continued to explore new musical frontiers while devoting himself to writing songs about spiritual matters and the dangers of hedonism. He formed the group Love Circle with his wife Claudette and several of their children. (He is said to have fathered anywhere from 14 to 20 children.) In the late 1980's he introduced a new style of music, jamoo, (Jah Music) which combined elements of reggae and gospel.
In 1997, he released the anti-drug song Watch Out My Children which went to the number one spot in the Caribbean. The song became an international hit and has been translated into ten languages.
On July 12, 2000 at the age of 58 Ras Shorty I died after a battle with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the bone marrow. His greatest legacy is the soca rhythm he created, bringing calypso into the modern era. The infectious soca rhythm has made calypso assessable to the young and the young at heart everywhere.
The Evolution of Soca
Innovative Montserrat singer Arrow did much to popularize soca internationally with his 1983 number one soca classic Hot Hot Hot. Arrow has also recorded a string of CDs includingKnock Dem Dead (1988), O'La Soca (1989) and Soca Dance Party (1990) which have become timeless examples of the best of the genre.
Some of the most popular soca recordings include Sugar Bum Bum - Lord Kitchener (1978),Soca Baptist - Super Blue (1980), Meh Lover - Lord Nelson (1983), Hot, Hot, Hot - Arrow (1983), Tiny Winey - Byron Lee & The Dragonaires (1985), Nani Wine - Crazy (1989),Teaser - Becket (1990), Dollar Wine - Collin Lucas (1991), and Jump - Rupee (2000).
Soca has continued to grow and evolve giving rise to offshoots such
as ragga soca and the increasingly popular chutney soca. Today soca
is the definitive indigenous musical form associated with the Eastern
Caribbean. Thanks, Lord Shorty.

Cleansing for Carnival

Ok this may sound a lil' bit TMI for all yuh right but I think this is an awsome product. My sister in law introduced me to this product named Colonix by Dr. Natura, a colon cleanser(hense di name colonix). I just finished my first month of the 3 the night before last. My sister in law & I decided to do this because alot of the testimonials on the site stated that the people had lost some weight & we really wanted to do so for Carnival, & besides it couldn't hurt to cleanse your system right? Needless to say I love the product I did it religiously everyday, it is awsome & honestly does work. You can read up on it on the website which I have on my Favorites or just go to www.drnatura.com
I would post some of the pictures they have on their website, but honestly they are a lil' to graphic & may make some of you a lil' queezy so consider this your warning before heading to the website. So far I have lost about 15lbs & I really have about 20lbs more to go if I wanna look damn good in that costume. Uh.......but I don't wah all yuh to think dat I am only depending on the colonix eh. I have also been eating well & keeping active trying to follow the six week program that Saucy Diva listed on her blog, it is exhausting but hay, I just visualize how damn good ah go look in meh skimpy lil' costume & done. LOL!
Aside from the colonix I even managed to start using other products from Dr. Natura, stuff for the kids & myself. I now have started also taking the Immune protect b/c I really wanna be healthy for carnival, & the kids are taking the Paranil Jr. & also the sovereighn Silver for their immune system as well b/c they will be here with my parants while I am in Trinidad & I don't need them getting sick either. LOL! Iz not only for Carnival I will deffinately continue these products after the fact as well as I am very pleased with them.
Well........if anyone has any questions on these products I have deffinately become knowledgeable on them so please don't hesitate to ask.

A lil' nervousy here......

Ok so this is my first blog entry & I just want to add that as it gets closer to Carnival 2K7 I am getting more & more nervous. WOI! Well now that everything is about Carnival wit me even my hubby get's really annoyed, I am sorry but this is a big deal to me. OMG! My best friend too it seems all we talk about these days is carnival. Example of a conversation we may have " Eh gyul how yuh goin deh?" " Ah doing good gyul, how you & di fam?" "We cool nuh......you decided wah fetes yuh wah go to?" & so on I won't even get into the rest.
Well honestly being inspired by fellow blogger Saucy Diva deh, I have to say it is incredibly funny, my best friend & I look at her blog faithfully everyday. LOL! Anywho!!! I dunno if you can tell by my screen name deh but I am not a Trini to di bone but I am a Trini By Injection. For those of you wondering wah she talking about, is my hubby whom injected me wit all dis Trini flava. Needless to say I now love Trinidad(yes I have been deh), love di food, love di people, & yes I love di lingo. Wit all di jokes of my hubby's family saying dat I am more Trini den they are my in law's especially & still must add dat I am still a latina to di bone but I cyaa help but love meh soca boi.
Ok but enough about dat, I am extremely nervous about carnival, we are about a month away & laaaawd! I am not ready at all at all. I haven't lost all di weight I promised myself to lose, I haven't bought my shoes yet, I am not done buying all my makeup yet. AHHHHHHH! I have however finished buying all my feteing gear which I guess is one weight off my shoulders. Well I have put the pedal to the metal now on my work out, having my new 2K7 soca on really helping me visualize myself on di road in meh skimpy next to nuttn costume. Laaaaawd! I betta loose all dem weight boi!
Ok now wit all dat I have to leave you wit dis e-mail dat meh friend sent me. It describes myself & her & possibly most of all yuh out deh.

How yuh know when yuh ketching de carnival fever?

This is how I know I ketching de fever!!

• Yuh willing to pay anything close to $3000.00 for a costume for two days.
• When yuh contemplating selling corn soup to pay off fuh yuh costume ( a real life story).
• When yuh working out and all yuh thinking about is how yuh go look in yuh costume.
• When every time yuh pass ah shoe store yuh looking for a new pair of shoes to match yuh costume.
• When u walking or driving through port of Spain and u having flashes of bussing a sweet whine in town.
• During Christmas all yuh studying to do is collect gift money to pay off for your costume. (yuh know I funny…doh stress yuhself.. jus send me a card with the money.. is ok doh feel bad)
• When yuh planning everything around carnival….( I will do my surgery in march instead of feburary Dr..thanks even though yuh bawling in pain)
• When yuh put on yuh old costumes ever so often.
• When yuh put on yuh costume more than ten times between the time u receive it and carnival day.
• When anytime someone ask u how much more days to carnival yuh know the amount of days, hours, minutes and seconds.
• When you are a walking fete calendar ( well Friday de tenth is brass , the 11th is WASA and de following Wednesday custom boys)
• When u writing an entire blog dedicated to carnival.
• When all yuh like to do is exercise to soca.
• When yuh visiting carnival websites all day instead of doing the people wuk.
• Yuh cah wait for Christmas to pass …
• When yuh know every costume by name.
• When everybody yuh meet, :yuh asking them yuh playing mas? Wah band? Wah section?
• When yuh done start to shop for coordinating outfits for all yuh fetes.
• When yuh luggage done pack and yuh ticket done book.
• When yuh have yuh costume as yuh desktop real often.