Throwback Thursdays

Just a listen in on my playlist today...When las you hear these tunes?

CHINESE LAUNDRY - COLORS (sry for the bad audio)


CHINESE LAUNDRY - BROWNIN



MACHEL - WHAT THEY SAY THEY SAY


BUD - MAN AH BAD MAN


NIKKI CROSBY - I'LL LEARN TO WINE


Anyone want to sign my petition to bring Laundry back to the soca game? Aside from colors which was on a completely different wavelength hhis other songs were heeee-la-rious!

Who remembers Mona Lisa?
"Show yuh have a Benz, Show yuh have Beemer! Show yuh have a Lexxus..park up in yuh area!! Jump up an up an up!!"
Laundry I miss you!!

And It Continues...

So much thanks to everyone who commented on my last blog about Afro chic decorating wire bras. My friend emailed her on my behalf and seems like things are a go on that end :D.

Next up on the list are my boots and my monday waistband.

I plan to reuse my Monday boots from last year for Monday Mas again this year, but after last year's spray paint debacle i was in dire need of new tuesday boots. Just fyi....when decorating suede boots it is advisable to use FABRIC spray paint and NOT the regular spray paint. Lesson learnt! lol

I decided to step my game up a notch and go for wedge heel boots. I think I can handle it as my go-to pr of boots this last winter were wedges and I walked 20 mins to school in them on some mornings. It's really amazing the difference a wedge heel makes versus a regular heel of the same height. it feels as if you're wearing flats. I have narrowed my choices down to these three (see below) and will sleep on it and make a decision in the morning.

Amazon: $20.00

Go Jane: $30.80

Amazon: $22.99

My Monday belt will be pretty simple. It was inspired by the belly chains I've seen my Nigerian friends wearing. I just hope I'm skilled enough to pull off the design I have in mind lol. tomorrow I'm going to the bead shop to see if they have anything that will match Dubai. Hopefully I get these things out the way quickly so I can move on to my Monday headpiece!

Its Registration time! for Miami that is!

I have decided that if all goes well for the next month moneywise there's no reason why I should skip Miami Carnival this year. Especially since one of my fave groups, Dirty Dozen Jouvert has a costume that would look quite lovely on me if I do say so myself ;)

Apparently this is the second time they will be bringing a section for Miami Carnival with Generation X. I sure wish I knew about this last year!

Taken from their Facebook Fan Page

Dirty Dozen J’ouvert premiered on J’ouvert Morning at Trinidad and Tobago Carnival 2010. With a completely sold out band, we paraded through the streets, bringing back J’ouvert to the way it used to be - lots of mud, lots of paint, and lots of powder - but also with lots of drinks and food for the All Inclusive vibe.

The producers of Dirty Dozen J'ouvert have been involved in the promotion and prod...uction of mas in T&T, Barbados, Miami and Notting Hill, and we have pooled our collective experiences and resources to create a distinctive event.

The Difference?...OUR UNIQUE RECIPE!

We will provide our J’ouvert family with the right mix, the 12 Ingredients that we believe will give you the most Unforgettable J’ouvert you will ever Experience…

Or simply put by my friend, "Is a group of QRC fellas who hav rel vibes!" lol

Can't wait!

The Quest for Monday Fabulousity:Pt 1

This is all i want...this style frame..decorated in my Dubai colors. So why is this whole 'find-a-wire-bra-designer-process becoming so gosh darned stressful?!

Now first off...TRIBE you should have made a wire bra option available. That would have definitely made things easier and I don't mind forking out an extra hundred or so US for said bra.

Secondly...why is it so hard to find a designer/wire bender to just make what you want. To date I have msged (or rather a friend did on my behalf to keep me anonymous :D) Darrel Bluze, Designing Daryl, Akin Ross and even the samba costumes guy.

Darrel Bluze is the designer of this frame and judging from his work he seems quite able to design what I need. He quoted me a price of $120US. I am based abroad and as he seems very hesitant to communicate via email this poses some problems. I emailed him initially and called when he requested, however after I sent a subsequent email minutes later based on our conversation he clearly did not remember who I was. He responded asking me to call him to discuss price etc, stuff that had already been settled during the first phone call :S If I was physically in trini I wouldn't mind taking a chance but I cant do much checking up from here so that option is out.

Designing Daryl told me his prices START at $125US. I sent him a photo of the frame I wanted only for him to respond saying basically that the design I wanted was shitty and he doesnt do work like that....I'm kidding! He didn't say shitty...just that his designs are 'far more elaborate'. Still contemplating this option....He told me to look at his designs that were featured on Saucy's page which I did. I kinda want something more naked than what I've seen from him so far. And I would feel kinda shame to tell him that, which is why I havent responded to him yet lol.

Akin Ross said his wire bra's are $185US and come with boy shorts and a matching neckpiece. Now I dont know where the boyshorts and neckpiece come in because I already have my extra bikini bottom and accessories lined up but w/e. $185 is definitely way...WAY out of my price range.

The Samba Costmes guy is not taking any custom orders... :(

So basically I am back at square one and contemplating just buying some wire and doing my own thing. If my last option doesnt pan out I just may end up doing so. In anycase I already have to make my own circlet/small headpiece since I got blanked from TRIBE. Not too sure why, as the girl just said 'the small headpiece is not an option for that costume' when i clearly didnt ask for it as an 'option' but an addition..o well...its honestly not that difficult to make one and trying to buy it from them was pure laziness.

BUT if anyone knows someone who would just make the bra frame I

want, no questions asked and no ridic price tag let me know!!!

Anyways fingers crossed I get this wire bra situation sorted out asap so I can focus on my Mon/Tues boots and Monday wear waistband! Yes I said waistband...I did say I was going all out right ;)

UPDATES

I've been gone for a minute, had to deal with 'real life' so I've been spectating all the drama for the last week or so. And boy has there been drama!!

First off...Fantasy Carnival. How dare you! How dare you launch publicly, and cause me to envision myself chippin down the road a la Victoria Secret Fashion Show in all my winged glory....only to snatch that hope away with your 'who yuh know' committee registration. Good thing I'm a strong believer in NOT fighting dwn a scene so forget alyuh, I am officially registered to play wth TRIBE in Dubai's frontline :D. This was the ONLY costume I wanted from TRIBE (and yes i did pray a lil on it) so I am happy!

Talkin bout TRIBE....
So basically they are no longer tryin to keep up appearances with a hush-hush comittee reg and jus takin this committee registration business and running with it. Saturday 13th was the day to submit the downpayment and NUFF ppl i know, many of whom never played with TRIBE before were all registered in their section of choice. Now as for this 'send us a request and we will see if we can accommodate you' business, I'm waiting to see how it plays out. Is it going to be fair and first come first served or are they going to screen people...thats my main issue. Just picture if in years to come you have to submit a application, with headshots and full length shots and a nice lil essay on 'Why I Think I should Be Allowed to Play With TRIBE'. Somehow, jokes aside.....I feel like in a few years some band will make that a reality.....

Something like this..

Dear Madam TRIBEperson
I, Carnival Baby am hereby applying for a suitable section within your band for the upcoming 2012 Carnival celebrations. I have included a copy of my resume along with the requested photos for your perusal. Please do not be concerned about my love handles and jiggly thighs, I have committed myself to a strict diet/excercise regimen, which I have also included with this application. I also have a sworn statement from my personal trainer guaranteeing results within the designated time frame. I fully understand that failure to meet 'body good-oye' status could mean the forfeit of my downpayment and my place in the band, and I take full responsibility for preventing such a situation. I hope that you will find my face and body suitable for your demographic.
Sincerely
Carnival Baby

LOL! But really though, what if.....

I think this year more than ever the issue of how far you would go to be in the band/costume of your choice has been at the forefront. With bands becoming more exclusive and making committee registration de rigeur, it has been made clear to me that I need to know where to draw my line. So far I'm not too stressed about getting into where I want, but not everyone is fortunate in having friends/links on comittees. So what's left for them...Island People?? maybe YUMA..... Its a double edged sword as yes you want to give the people who have supported you, friends, family and sometimes your first time masqueraders who took a chance on your band first dibs, but it means that more and more anybody who is not in the who-yuh-know scene is sh*t outta luck.

Next post will be a condensed band review....don't want to put too much time on that as I dunno about alyuh but I'm past launches and on to Monday Wear, Makeup And Boots!

Take Me To...Dubai, Rio or Ibiza!

My costumes of choice, in order, as submitted to my group's TRIBE link. I'm happy with these costumes and while I REALLY, REALLY want that tail lol, I can also be happy with Rio. I am definitely going Frontline this year and am just waiting to hear which section I got so I can order my boots and wire bra etc. No sticking this year!!

I have to talk about this latest thing. TRIBE's 'wild card' which allegedly allows its holder to register for a costume of their choice in a section of their choice. it could also allow for groups to be registered all in one section according to Saucy. (Chk out the discussion on her facebook page). I am of the opinion that this card won't make much of a difference. I think that if you're that high up on the popularity totem pole to be given one of these cards then chances are you would have gotten your costume of choice in anycase.

What I found a little more surprising is that apparently committee registration is supposed to be 2 female 1 male per section. *blank stare* As I tweeted earlier this week I am the only one in a group of 6 who did not have Ibiza as their first choice. Our list was submitted but the guy never said anything about too many of us wanting one section. Fingers crossed that we all get something we're happy with, and that I get to palance down d road wigglin my tail! lol

Monday Wear for SouthBeach/Dubai

Monday Wear - South Beach/Dubai by CarnivalBaby featuring a bikini swimwear

Early bird? Possibly. But I do not want to end up like I did last year. I ordered my Monday Wear at the very last minute and wasted $70 on a gold bikini that looked more Charlotte street quality than anything else. Also ordered my boots at the last minute only to realise that they were suede and not leather/pleather (how could i overlook that?!) and I didnt have time to get the spray paint for suede before I left for Trini. For the record NEVER use regular spray paint on suede, talk about a hot mess!
This year I promised myself that I will be better prepared and that I'll have all my stuff in order by December...we'll see how that goes~

Of course I will not be chippin anywhere in heels, those will probably be replaced by gold wedge heeled boots. AND all this is still dependent on if I end up in TRIBE or not... What with all this time on my hands and Polyvore being my new toy I can see myself doing more of these little creations, especially as I just realised I can clip my own pictures so persons will be able to find the actual source for the item.

Peer Pressure

South Beach Individual

After Saturday's launch I was adamant that I did not want play with TRIBE next year. I felt a little pressured to buy frontline as their backline costumes look kinda blah and under-decorated. Quite frankly the only backline I like is Santorini and I played in Amazon last year so that's out. Even when it comes to the frontline costumes the only one I couldsee myself in is South Beach, and I think part of that is because I missed Carnival the year that Charmeuse was an option. Also, I am not a fan of how crowded TRIBE felt last year and was willing to give BLISS' alleged intimate vibe a try.

Fast forward to today. The same friend who said she got our link lined up and BLISS was a surety goes,

"I'm not sure I want the intimate experience, I'm checking with
our TRIBE link to see if we can pre-register"

*blank stare*

I am the only non-TRIBE loyalist in my group of mas playing friends and it didn't click that this could be a deciding factor until today. I would much rather go with BLISS or YUMA but thats not going to work unless I have company. So for now I have to keep my fingers crossed that BLISS' costumes blow TRIBE's out of the water otherwise I just may end up with them again next year. Le sigh!

Dear TRIBE: I am NOT Impressed

I do believe that I may get some flack from TRIBE loyalists for this post, but I have to be honest with myself here. TRIBE disappointed me this year. I don't think that asking for some creativity or something 'out of the box' is too much. Last year TRIBE delivered everything I wanted and more and actually stayed true to their warrior theme. Silly me believed that this year would be similar.

My first issue is with staying true to the theme. Honestly those costumes are so run of the mill that they could be from any section in any band and for any theme. So the majority of the costumes look more or less like versions of each other in different colors, except for South Beach and Dubai which are the same colors in different designs -_- . Let me explain that statement. Its not that I am saying the costumes are exactly alike, but because they all have the same bikini, beads, feathers basis other than the colors there's little else to tell them apart. I also saw some repetition and similarities with 2011 presentations, See below for Exhibit A.

Gabrielle's Costume

This basically looks like YUMA's Scorpio version 2.0. Its like they took his leg and arm pieces...

and then the rest from this costume

tweaked it a lil and voila!

Now to all those who are saying TRIBE copied YUMA. Please recall that as I pointed out previously the designers who did Scorpio also did the very similar Spangled Cotinga, so if you want to go that way TRIBE copied YUMA who copied TRIBE :S

-----

South Beach looks a little Charmeuse meets Amazon/Amazonia.

South Beach pictured below

When I first saw this costume I was drawn to the wire bra, because its really well decorated. Then I realized it looks just like Amazonia's frontline bra. Strangely enough I cannot find a pic of anywhere on the web, hence the use of Amazon's frontline pic. The bottom is also essentially the same as Amazon's down to the triangle it forms on the back, however I was unable to get a back view to show you guys. May I take a guess that Lana Nobrega designed this costume?

Even Sandra Hordatt's Cyprus is bringing back memories. Take a look at YUMA's Leo frontline. See the uber naked back view. This post will be updated as soon as i can locate a back view of Cyprus, but again....very similar

This costume reminds me of TRIBE 2009 when it appeared that either a shipment of embellishments was lost or they were trying to cut costs with under decorated costumes. And of course the colors remind me of Osage.

Fiji is pretty but hypothetically speaking if I were to get this costume I would probably get my own backpack made, as for some reason this costume looks kinda naked. Maybe its that I'm not a fan of these mohawk headpieces, I prefer the more full ones that cover the entire head.

I wasn't interested in any of the other costumes other than Santorini and I couldn't find a pic of that on the web as yet.

Mention must be made of the lack of backline costumes. Firstly if the backline costumes are scaled down versions of what I saw last night then I am not looking forward to seeing them lol. there's barely anything to scale back! Secondly, how on earth do you have a band launch sans backline when the majority of you customers will be playing backline??? Don't get it at all.

Overall I do agree that that the costumes are pretty but they just don't get me excited like Way of the Warrior did. There's nothing there that looks 100% original and never before seen and I guess I had TRIBE up on a pedestal as it pertains to costume design. As I told a friend last night, next year just may meet me jumping up in an Angry Birds costume :P

Happy Blogversary to me!

One year ago, in the midst of preparation for Cropover and hype over TRIBE's teaser vid I decided to start a blog to express my views and opinions re: Carnival. IMO there was a lack of blogs/info on International Carnivals and I wanted to document my Cropover experience. I NEVER thought I would still be at it one year later, as I usually lose interest in things really quickly. I've found that I love blogging ...well maybe i just love hearing myself go on about stuff lol. I also like that I can give the layman's version/experience seeing as thus far my blog has remained anonymous :). So here's to hoping i keep this up!

Love this song!

SIDENOTE:
My friends dubbed me Carnival Baby years ago. One J'Ouvert morning in the Southland, around 11am, my crew was bun and ready to go home. I gave them my house keys and stayed with the band BY MYSELF and chipped/jumped/waved from Library Corner to Cocoyea which had been the band's starting point. I didn't get home til 3pm and this was after heading out at 5am. They couldn't believe I had been on the road all that time and still wasn't tired when i got home lol. That was when they learned that I don't play when it comes to mas, Go hard or Go home! Aiming to get back to that endurance level this year, no more draggin the flag come Tuesday evening lol.

Now THAT'S What We Talkin 'Bout!

Much betterrrrrr!

Woi Mas Teasers

Darren Cheewah is doing a great job with all these hints and teasers he keeps letting out. A new Facebook group has been created, titled 'X2012', with teaser pics of Woi Mas' 2012 presentation. I 'borrowed' a couple pics to give you guys a sample..I'm very intrigued, especially by the first costume depicted below, can you say frontline?!. It will be interesting to see how they make these designs come to life, assuming that they aren't going to literally put folks in black catsuits with colored ribbons dangling from them lol.

Modern Day Torture

Yes TRIBE, give us a teaser...thats 80% black and white and grey...and a tad blurred/out of focus at times lol. I feel like I'm practically salivating..chomping at the bit. I WANT MORE!

OMG tho did you guys see those HUGE white wings on that costume. I think that's one of Sandra Hordatt's sections. . Knowing her penchant for uber sexy costumes this year she could quite possibly present a front line costume with a C string or a tapasexo. For the 5th? time I am really looking foward to Saturday, I can't wait to see the rest of the designs!

SIDENOTE:
Are TRIBE models required to sign confidentiality agreements? So many of them are on my bbm, facebook etc and not one peep from them on the theme and designs..

Also I think i caught a glimpse of the alleged animal print costume...between that and the pink its going to be a close call for me!

O well, 3 days to Take Off!

What I want Pt 2

Customer Service and all that.

Customer service is right up there with costume design in terms of what I look at when choosing a mas band. I dont care how nice the costume is, it could be all blinged out with feathers comin out the wazoo but if a band is not organized I will pass on it.

Ideally I would like an easy registration process,as in just pick a costume, log on to the website on the day of registration and register for the section of your choice. A process thats probably going to become totally obsolete for people in my age group as more and more bands move towards committee registration and loyalty systems. In this area YUMA is most likely going to be the winner as BLISS and TRIBE's registration process is pretty much a 'who yuh know' scene if you don't have a TLC card. I am keeping in mind that YUMA said they do not want to increase the size of their band, meaning that if a lot of their loyalists..and they have A LOT of them as it is, register with them for next year it's going to really limit the no of new masqueraders that can get into the band.

Last year my costume cost exactly $638.00 US
Now when I spend that kind of money I expect a certain standard of customer service, which I got. I don't want to eat lunch late, or feel like I have to rush to the eating spot after crossing the stage to make sure I get food before it runs out. I also definitely want a guarantee that my band will be crossing the savannah stage on both days. Costume pickup should also be smooth, and if something goes wrong, cuz sh*t happens, I want to be able to rest assured that my band will find a good solution. Case in point last year when my headpiece went mysteriously m.i.a. at the mas camp. After confirming that it could not be found I was given a large headpiece at no additional charge and profuse apologies.

I want drink runners! And no I am not being a Miss Priss and demanding that people run back and forth in the hot sun all day supplying us. I want drink runners for that long wait to cross the savannah. Think about it, wouldn't that make sense? The drinks trucks always have to turn off at that point, so why not get people to walk thru the band with bottled water and shots down the hatch Scorch style. I know the bandleaders don't have much of a choice in terms of whether to have the drinks truck stay or turn off BUT they can look past that and fix the situation they do have. Last year my friend and I had to beg a piece of ice off somebody on the dj truck, no bueno. That combination of hot sun and alcohol is no joke ting!

Vibez
Now my friends and I can have fun anywhere, BUT a good overall hyped vibe is still needed on the road for carnival, especially when you're lazy and unfit like me, cuz I get tired fast! lol That said I was satisfied with TRIBE's vibe last year. I keep hearing about how great YUMA's vibe was but I have also heard about the food and stage crossing issues. I will give jack his jacket, I have never heard a band get so many positive reviews in terms of hype and vibes and 'omg i had so much fun'.

My other important issues are security and music/dj's
Needless to say I was a tad upset that Private Ryan played for BLISS and not TRIBE :( but we had some good dj's so that wasn't too much of an issue. Shout out to the 96.7 truck.

Security-wise PLEASE cut back on the stormers, I mean whats the point of having a rope if you're still letting random people jump in the band? After we crossed the stage on Tuesday I swear the band doubled in size! It was totally ridic and not to mention irritating as these stormers were very aggressive when it came to gettin a wine. I am also very paranoid about crime so something like that is a definite buzz kill not to mention NOT SAFE! I really hope that ALL the bands step up their security for next year.


So that's my 2 cents...well maybe more like a dollar lol

Cropover Soca

Just a post to share some of my fave cropover tunes thus far. Some or most of these names will not familiar. Most people only know about Lil Rick, Stabby, Skinny Fabulous, Alison Hinds, Krosfyah etc...Well there's also Hypa Dog, Hypa Kids, Blood and Mikey to name a few. Will never forget this year watching Intl Soca Monarch and when Blood came on I jumped up and start singing along and doing the dance for the song. *cue side eye from all my friends* Not one of them knew the song or who he was and this man beat Lil Rick for the road march. So get familiar!

Yes I included 'd sheep song'. I couldnt resist, its so silly I crack up everytime I hear it!

BONUS TRACK

The song everyone loves to hate

Straight from the Horse's Mouth

Earlier today TRIBE replied to my tweet and confirmed that BLISS will in fact have a separate band launch from TRIBE. As it is presumably more hassling to have two public launches I am now wondering if BLISS may have a smaller maybe invitation only launch? Also concerned about how this bodes for my C2K12 band selection. My intention and I'm sure the intention of many other prospective masqueraders, was to decide which band to play in based on their costumes. If BLISS launches at a later date I may have to make a decision on whether or not to forgo TRIBE without even seeing BLISS' costumes. I'm going to cross my fingers that BLISS launches prior to TLC registration for TRIBE, otherwise is pressure!

P.S. kudos to TRIBE on their swift reply, I must say I wasn't really expecting to get a reply this soon.

What I Want. Pt 1

In the midst of all these band launches and with more options than ever to choose from, I find myself contemplating what I really want from my costume and band next year, and what are possible deal breakers. I decided to use a couple blog posts to compile my Carnival wants and needs, especially as one of my three possible bands will be launching in a little over a week (TRIBE). At the moment the bands I am considering are TRIBE, BLISS and YUMA. Todays post will be the first installment and all about costumes, then I'll do another one later in the week on Customer Service, Vibes etc.


COSTUMES
I want it 'out there', I will not be satisfied by just a pretty costume with beads and feathers (yes Spice I'm talking about you! lol). If I do end up in feathers again I want a backpack/wings, or a collar (or both) but my costume must be 'POW in your face!' with how fab AND TRUE TO THEME it is. And yes for this reason I am considering playing frontline next year. I am also willing to step out of my comfort zone and play in something different. I will admit that I played it safe with Amazon last year. If I had to choose again I would definitely have done Masai Warriors or Mongol Fighters.

I want a belt and NOT a decorated bikini bottom. I may be slim but I still want whatever coverage that belt affords, no matter how little it may be. Plus the belt is way more forgiving of belly fat lol.

Quality-wise I definitely want a costume that lasts. Last year the speed at which my costume fell apart was absolutely ridic. Magnatac is readily available, dearest designers and mas camp workers utilize that instead of the cheap glue alyuh had las year nuh! Plz and thnx.

Now that I know TRIBE's theme is "Take Me To" and I assume that Bliss' theme will be similar as well, I am willing to forgo the feathers for an 'out of the box' maybe solely made of fabric costume. I can usually trust Solange Shaw-Gopaul and Lana Nobrega to bring me something I'll like, but this year Peter Elias is also going to be on my list of designers to look out for.
I think that this is where YUMA may fall short, as the only costumes I liked from their 2010 presentation were Scorpio frontline and Taurus frontline and backline and only Scorpio was 'POW' imo. I will still be on the lookout for the section designed by Richard and Anthony. One of YUMA's teaser pics was designed by them and they also did Taurus last year, so very soon I'll see if I was too hasty in dismissing the costume based on that preview. I do not know who designed Scorpio but I am tempted to think it was also them based on the similarities between TRIBE's Spangled Cotinga of 2009 and YUMA's Scorpio.





















SYNOPSIS
I would like a pretty yet original costume, not the typical beads, bikini, impy skimpy business. A costume that is durable and doesn't have gems dropping off the headpiece while in transit from the mas camp to my house. (TRIBE that's you, better than that). Costume of choice is 50% of my decision making process when selecting my band so for the right get-up I would leave the comfort zone of TRIBE and play with a different band.


Tomorrow's blog post: Customer Service and all that.

Woi Mas Trini Carnival 2K12

If I were to guess, this is a hint on Woi Mas' theme for Carnival 2k12. The only thing that comes to mind at the moment is 'X marks the spot' but a Pirate theme would be too easy...and a tad played out. Strangely enough I was really tempted to play in Skullduggery last year. Now don't get me wrong, I love my bikinis, feathers and bling, but I was weirdly attracted to their theme and just how different it was. If its one band I think will bring an original presentation that really sticks to the theme its this one, i hope they don't disappoint!





EDIT 07/12/2011
Just swiped this off a Woi Mas affiliate's page....seems as though the 'X' theme is mathematical. I can't even begin to guess at how they would portray this, also 'X' is usually an unknown factor which brings another slant to this theme....."Curioser and curioser!"

Oh and one of the powers that be at this mas camp needs to update their website info...or pay the website hosting bill. Shouldn't have www.skullduggery.com listed as the website on the fan page and its a dead link :S

Woi Mas for Miami Carnival 2011

It seems that Skullduggery will be making its international debut at Miami carnival this year. According to a new event listing they are having the band launch this weekend. Looking forward to seeing them on the road!



P.S. I wonder if any other bands will follow suit??

St. Lucia Carnival

I may not be going but that doesnt mean I cant share what my choices would have been with you guys. OR my fave St Lucian '11 soca.

I mentioned before that my band of choice is Red Unlimited, and its also the band that all my Lucian friends jump with. The costumes below were my top two picks for this yr.

Red Light District would have set me back between $850 to $900 ECD depending on when I registered. This was a women only section and also VIP. I love this costume, I wouldn't mind getting this as an option for Trinidad carnival as i think its right on par with some of our costumes in the more popular bands.

Redemption had an early bird price of $675 and then went up to $725. This was my second choice. I really like white and gold costumes and since I didn't get a chance to play with Titans this was the next best thing for me.

Glo Ko Ko! What's funny is that months ago I told my friend I liked it and he gave me a iffy response, fast forward to now and he loves it, has it all up on his bb status and what not lol. Its apparently been picking up steam in St. Lucia and is quite possibly a road march contender. Although it sounds more groovy than power I learnt that anything is possible after Guh Down placed a very close second for Road March in BIM last year. Although popular it was def not what I would call power soca, yet it very nearly beat Blood's Foot on Fire.

I really wish I could have made it this year but can't fret up too much. i just know to start planning for next year instead and live vicariously through my friends in the meantime.

"Take Me To"

So its official(ish) that TRIBE's theme for 2K12 is "Take Me to", Saucy was right as always!

Dear TRIBE:
Take me to Rio or Dubai or Vegas baby!!!! *Ready for mas again!*

TRIBE is playing with my emotions

No seriously lol. Just few minutes ago I tweeted about TRIBE not having any leaks or hints or anything this year. I mean everyone else is putting out teasers and they were staying mum. Its been driving me crazy!!!.

I guess they read my mind because a few minutes later up pops the flyer for their band launch on my facebook feed.



Now my mind is racing! My friend jokingly suggested TRIBE was about to have us chipping in flight attendant costumes lol. I doubt. I'm more thinking 'destinations' but didn't they sort of do that already with their 'Secret of Silk' in 2010? I don't know what else it could be...but they definitely have my mind in overdrive!

**Edit**. I knew I was missing out on someone's destination type presentation. I just remembered TRIBE's first band was 'Tribal Fantasy' in 2005. That was also the first time they had an Amazon/Amazonia section. If they really do destinations for 2012 it will be interesting to compare the two presentations. I also hope they avoid the Moroccan, Egyptian, Saharan etc costumes and styles that we've seen so many times over the years, from not just TRIBE but other bands like Island People, and really step out of the box and showcase other cultures/destinations. Of course all this is based on a big IF I am right about their theme!

Indigo: The Review

I've been stalling on this review simply because I don't quite know how to express just how flippin good this party was.
And yes, I know I was adamant that I was NOT paying $70 for any party without a performer but peer pressure is a biatch and I caved :S.

In previous years the party was held at Decatur House in downtown D.C., but this year the promoters decided to be fancy and have it in Fort Washington. This venue was roughly an hr away from D.C. at someone's nice upscale lakeside house. As soon as you entered there was the bar (and my first stop) to the left, a dancefloor to the right, and the food was set up to the right of the dancefloor. All of this was flanked by a lovely view of the water. *gorgeous*

Its funny that I thought that they couldn't improve on this party, because they definitely did. It was like Beachouse meets Scorch meets D.C. Everyone clearly came out with the intention to get chocolate wasted, have a great time and managed to keep it classy while doing that. I personally had a ball!!! I wasn't even that tipsy seeing as food ran out b4 I got there (insert angry face), so I couldn't really drink. But the vibe was jus sooooooo good you didn't even need alcho to free up and enjoy yourself. I didn't want the party to end and was happy when they let us go til 6pm instead of 5. P.S. Hey Gresham, maybe you guys should look into 7pm next year..just a thought :) Oh and shout out to Barry, who did a great job on the turntables.

Now there were some cons, food ran out by 3 and for an expensive all inclusive that started at 12 and finished at 6 this was unnacceptable. The bar was understaffed and a couple friends of the promoters had to step in and assist at one point to speed up the drinks process, also not cool. The vibe and ambience of the party was THAT good that these things didnt bother me that much, although I did have to make a Mickey D's stop between Indigo and the Appreciation Party.

Overall Indigo gets an A+ and anyone thinking of doing DC Carnival needs to experience this party at least once. Trust me, you will not be disappointed!

YUMA Sneak Peek

So YUMA has graciously given all us rabid carnival fans a little peek into what their 2012 presentation has to offer via their Facebook page!

Bling with white looks promising, Bling with color not so much. I am excited to see the finished product tho! Carnival fever is starting again :D

'Bling with white'

'Bling with colour'

Check out the comments on their fanpage here

Weighing in on the DC Carnival Parade 2011

NY Caribbean Vibes' take on the DC 2011 Parade

I.C.E. Carnival's Opinion

Shortmus Production's Opinion

I don't need to say anymore about the D.C. Parade, they've said it all. Its almost one week later and I'm still disturbed by how everything played out. From my research I do understand a little more how things ended up that way but still.....its just sad. Again I hope that the DCCC and DCPD can work together to being the DC Carnival back to its former glory, and in time for 2012!

DC CARNIVAL PARADE 2011:The Review

This review is going to be painful..but then again Saturday was painful, and frustrating!

So by now we all know that DC Carnival had some serious financial issues this year because of money owed to the Police Department for last year's parade. Eventually a compromise was reached where we could still have a parade BUT it would only be half the route and for a shorter space of time to cut back on DCPD costs. Good in theory, not so good in action.

Old Route: Total parade length included the red and green lines, the new route was just the green portion

Close up of the new route

The parade was supposed to start at 11am which at Caribbean People Time meant that the mud band didnt pull off until about 12:30pm. Then, to top things off, as soon as our band started to move the generator in the truck blew. Yep, NO MUSIC! Now on a regular parade day with time to kill, we would have been able I'm sure to pull aside and have someone fiddle with it for at least a 30 mins and get it working. But this year time was an issue so we just continued to head down GA Ave in silence, occasionally punctuated by shouts of "Oh gosh alyuh mash up d speaker boxx!!" and the like.

My friends and I decided that we would go a few sections up to the Indulgence Paint band and chip with them so our parade wouldn't be a total flop. Only to realize that the bands were moving so quickly that Indulgence had already 'crossed' and finished the parade, and it was only around 1:30pm! Pissed would be an understatement for how I felt by then. The bands between Indulgence and the Mud band were of the more ethnic types, Haitians, and Africans etc so we just killed time looking at them..since there was nothing else to do really.

Then, a grand total of 5 blocks from the ending point the mud band's generator suddenly decided to work and I'm not gonna lie, those 5 blocks of jammin rivaled my entire Tribe Red Ants experience lol. I could only imagine just how good my parade would have been if that truck had worked for the full route. The mud band crossed by around 2:30 and the parade was officially a wrap. (Bear in mind last year it finished after 4pm)

I honestly don't know what to say. I can't come down too hard on DC for this ish because it is what it is. My only issue is that this whole thing just smells fishy to me, I just feel as if some part of the story is missing. I just really hope that the DCCC made enough money to cover last year's and this year's debts and pave the way for a proper, full blown DC Parade next year.

I don't want to give much attention to the violence that was reported as ocurring during the festival. I was actually unaware that any of it happened until yesterday. I think that what everyone should understand is that like other urban areas D.C. has its share of crime, and Howard University has a reputation for being located in the 'hood'. The fight that has made the rounds via youtube and worldstar actually occurred AFTER the parade (around 6:30pm) by which time the actual participants in the parade were already off the streets. So please people don't let anyone tell you that it was Howard University violence or DC Caribbean Parade violence. It was just typical, ignorant DC local behavior. I' m a little confused about how it was possible for the fight to continue as long as it did with no police interference, especially since the DCPD are usually zooming up and down GA Ave on a regular basis. Its very, very strange.....that's all I have to say about that.

Eyes Wide Shut: The Review

I'm not gonna lie, two days before Machel's concert I started debating whether or not to sell my tickets. It seemed like everyone was going to Kes and for a lil while I even wondered if this concert was going to flop. I am soooooo glad that I ended up sticking to my original plan. Machel was bess!

I got to DC Star at around midnight and got in easily, the line was short and the entry process ran smoothly. It was interesting to see that they searched/scanned people a grand total of three times before they were allowed in. I guess they were taking no chances, which was wise considering the reputation of that neighborhood and the fact that Machel concerts tend to have their own brand of wileness as we all know. As iffy as I had been about the type of crowd that would have been there all my concerns disappeared once I walked in the club. The party had rel vibes and it was clear that everyone was just there to have a good time.

We jammed, wined and wukked up courtesy Dj Super Slice for a lil bit then it was time for the performances. Farmer Nappy came out first and did his thing and then it was time for the Soca King himself, Mr Montano. (I was secretly hoping for a lil Patrice too but she was MIA this rounds). I must say I thoroughly enjoyed Machel's performance. Yes things got a lil wild in front the stage but being a Machel veteran I know how to hold my own in a crowd like that. When I couldnt take the jammin anymore I headed to the 'middle' of the club where I could still see Machel but without all those ppl advantaging my poor toes lol. And yes as other people have testified Machel did do his usual vulgarity on stage but ummm...ppl is Machel we talkin about here, what did you expect?! Every Machel concert I've been to there's always been him playing with his nipple ring, winin up a storm and ALWAYS some thirst grls/women in front the stage trying to grab his crotch. The only difference was that this time he said and I quote

"Ladies in front the stage, alyuh could stop trying to pull down my pants cuz guess what, I not going home with any of you!"

LMAO! They looked so ashamed afterwards!

Special Guest Walker made an appearance which I loved as With or Without You has always been one of my fave songs. He even put down a small wine on the stage, and what can I say, 'A' for effort lol.

This was hands down one of the best events for the weekend, Machel performed from around 2am to like 4:30 (after begging management for extra time) and joked that we were gonna make him miss his flight. He later replied to my tweet saying that he made it tho :)





At one point one of my friends turned to me and said "Damn I forgot Machel had all these tunes yes!" From Too Young to Soca, to Pretty Gyal to Advantage we heard it all! What had me laughing is that while DC Star was getting advantaged....the Kes concert was already over. I heard that Kes was off the stage by 2:30am and the party finished soon after. A lot of my friends were totin that Machel was on stage for so long, to the point that at 4:30 I had to send a mass text letting them know it was over and they could stop totin and go to bed lol.

Long story short Machel officially brought my carnival vibe back, by the end of the concert I was making plans to be on the road the next day and bbming my friend asking for Indigo tix. So thank you Machel, for saving MY DC CARNIVAL!

C'est Fini!

DC Carnival weekend ended last night. Overall I had a great weekend, there were definitely some ups and downs but at the end of the day I totally enjoyed myself.

My first event was the Launch Party at Bar 7 on Wednesday. It was exactly what you would expect for a warm up party, a more lounge than club type setting and a chill crowd (well except when wotless and where yuh from' played). The event was free with happy hour from 10pm to 11pm. The crowd was a tad uptown as I think at least half of the people there just kinda wandered in after work and found themselves in the middle of a carnival party. This was evidenced by what one patron said to DJ Hazzard (see his tweets about it below). I just about flatlined when I saw this, I mean who goes to a soca party and asks for Trey Songz?? LOL



I do know there was at least one weirdo in the mix who approached my friend with the opening line of "yo ma you aint got no panties on huh?" -_- I kid you not. We couldnt even be that mad because it was obvious that he was really drunk and we also didnt want to cause a scene so we just moved as far away from him as possible. Other than that it was a good night. This was a nice addition to the Carnival weekend line up and I hope they have it again next year. A link to the photo album for the event is below.

http://www.facebook.com/DeeJayHazzard?ref=ts#!/media/set/?set=a.751389866610.2183269.8908404


ONE
This event was held on Carnival Thursday and basically replaced TRIBE's Ignite. I missed Ignite last year but did attend it in '09 and I must say I prefer Ignite to ONE. ONE was held at the Muse Nightclub which was a tad too small for the crowd imo. Also, a lot of people including myself were a little upset that it ended at 2am which is typical for dc clubs during the week but not of course the usual finishing time for carnival parties. Hopefully next year they find a club that facilitates a later end time.

At that point of the week I honestly was not feeling the Carnival vibe at all and was still adamant that I would not on the road on Saturday and would not be attending Indigo. Particularly after Thursday night I just was not feeling the hype that I usually get so close to the actual Carnival weekend.

That all changed after Friday night....to be continued!

Machel to perform at White House

Link to article below
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/featured-news/Machel_to_perform_at_the_White_House-124472059.html

Nice to see that all of this is cleared up and I'm extremely proud of Machel...this is a huge accomplishment! I can't help but wonder how this performance is going to go down tho....am I the only one picturing Machel and Brittany dancing to 'Bend Over' in front of the Obamas? lol!


So far DC Carnival is shaping up to be ...okay. Wednesday night I attended the Launch party at Bar 7, last night One at Club Muse and tonight which is my last night of partying I will be at DC Star for Machel's performance :D I really hope that tonight is great as the events thus far have been decent but not as good as years past. My experience this year has actually made me pretty sure that unless these promoters and the DCCC get it together next year, DC Carnival will not be on my list of events to attend.

At the last minute the Saturday event got switched up and they basically changed the focus and headliner acts from the whole bag of artists they had listed initially (and their emphasis on Kes) to just Blaxx and Benjai -_-. They then put Kes onto the Friday party so it went from hosted by to performance by. Now what if as intended I had already bought my ticket for Sat so I could see Kes perform? I would have been PISSED! Thankfully I am Ms Last Minute and kept stickin with that and now Saturday night will meet me in my bed.

Allegedly one of the promoters for the Saturday event got shortchanged in the mix-up. The Saturday event was their only fete for the weekend, unlike the other promoters and now they stand to lose revenue due to the recent changes. This is because of course Benjai and Blaxx will not pull the same crowd as Kes. Talk about taking the L.

Thats all the updates I have for now, now excuse me while I go nurse my mini hangover, Long Island Iced Teas are my kryptonite! :S

Update on Cuba Carnival

Taken from today's Express

Trinidad may miss own party
By Wayne Bowman wayne.bowman@trinidadexpress.com


The 31st Caribbean Music Festival, also known as the Fiesta del Fuego Caribbean Festival, taking place in Santiago de Cuba next month, is dedicated to the arts and culture of Trinidad and Tobago, but there may be no Trinbago culture at the festival.

Locals with interest in the festival, scheduled to come off from July 2 to 10, said the Ministry of the Arts and Multiculturalism failed to fulfill its commitment toward supporting a local contingent participating in the festival.

A source from the Ministry denied this, saying the Ministry paid for two representatives from the festival producers, Casa del Caribe and the Cuban Ministry of Culture to come to T&T and stay at the Chancellor Hotel, St Ann's, for several days for the purpose of working out plans for Trinbago's participation in the festival.

There were, however, never any meetings between the Ministry and the Cubans, who left without accomplishing anything, a source connected to the Cuban organisers told the Express. The source said with the knowledge of the Ministry, a local travel agent placed on offer two charters providing about 160 seats each.

There were also 200 rooms pre-booked at two hotels, one a three-star the other a five-star for Trinidadians expected to attend and participate. Those rooms were released from the pre-booking last week after there was no definitive confirmation from Trinidad, the source said.

The Ministry source said the Multiculturalism Ministry did express that it will support the participation of Trinbago in the festival, but there were certain concerns that needed to be addressed before any investment into the venture could be made.

The Express was told that either Minister Winston "Gypsy" Peters or Permanent Secretary Vel Lewis would contact us yesterday afternoon to explain what was taking place, but up to press time, no one from the Ministry had contacted us. The Cuban Embassy also declined comment on the issue.

The Caribbean Music Festival is an academic and cultural space for debate on the history and culture of the Caribbean peoples. The festival also provides an opportunity to appreciate the region's rich cultural heritage through dance, music, painting, visual arts, theatre and literature.

The festival is therefore a platform for solidarity, diversity, friendship and hope for peoples sharing a common destiny despite speaking different languages.

The charter flight and hotel accommodation package is being offered by Naipaul's Travel Service.



Funny how the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism puts so much emphasis on wanting to see Carnival expand and for Trinidad to 'own' Carnival then they drag their feet on opportunities like this. SMH.

Bits and Pieces

Well first off does Machel Montano know yesterday was not April Fools? Everyone was going crazy yesterday over his announcement that he would be performing at the White House. I refrained from posting anything because honestly well...I didn't believe it. I googled and binged and wikipedia'd and nowhere could i find any original US government source to support this claim. I followed the link posted by The Sweet 7 that led to this page. Note no mention of Machel there. I guess we will eventually get the behind the scenes story from his camp, and hopefully sooner than later. Maybe it was a joke that went a lil too far?

Still undecided on what I'll be doing for DC Carnival....got all excited about the Machel concert on Friday but I'm now rethinking it. I mean what if like the White House performance this doesn't get off the ground? I have also never heard of these promoters which makes me even more hesitant. If one more DC promoter has a performer-less party after falsely advertising the opposite I WILL trip so maybe I should just avoid this one lol

In other news TRIBE launches on July 23rd, first said by my friend then confirmed by Saucy. So yes folks its time to get that deposit money ready and your committee link on speed dial lol. I'm thinking of doing frontline this year but that depends on how much progress i make in the gym. I'm also still hoping for huge Victoria Secret wings but we'll see....Hope they put out another teaser video as well!

One can always hope right?!

DC Carnival Party Woes

Brace yourselves, its gonna be a long post!


I've put off blogging about this for some time now in hopes that how I felt would change. I really hate to have to be negative about a promoter that has done such a great job in the past but I feel strongly about the situation.

According to one of my friends I am the DC Carnival financial analyst.

Last DC Carnival I had a blast! I went to Machel the friday ($50 approx), jumped with the mud band Saturday ($15 because I only paid for the tshirt) and Indigo the Sunday ($40).. Now mind you Machel performed for a pretty long while complete with Patrice and Nappy, I heard everything from 'Stalker' to 'Music Farm' to his most recent hits. The vibe was bess and food and drinks just flowed. I 100% got my money's worth and then some. Indigo was undoubtedly hands down one of the best fetes I've been to in a really long while, so much so that this year I said I would prob just go to one party for the weekend and Indigo was it. The crowd kept it fun but classy and it was the perfect end to my carnival weekend.

Fast forward to this year and lets see how much this same weekend would cost me now. Friday 'concert' with Kees ($55.), mud band ($35), Indigo ($70). Yes I said it..SEVENTY DOLLARS USD! Now the mud band is getting left out because honestly that is and has been for some years now the price of their real package which includes t shirt, breakfast and non alcoholic drinks. BUT as for the other two. First off to all you folks getting hype off of seeing Kees perform please take another look at the flyer and note that it says HOSTED BY Kees. Nowhere on the flyer does it say prformance by! So more than likely I would be paying $55 dollars to watch Kees be a mic man and if I'm lucky maybe he'll sing a verse off one of his songs. Yeh. Not happening. I'm sorry but if I spent the same amt to see Machel do everything but back flip off the stage there is no way I'm going to spend that amount this year for a regular party. ESPECIALLY when the Saturday night will have legit performances and its only $35.

Then Indigo...sigh. where to start. I mean its true that it comes down to "Supply & Demand. they can charge what we will pay...." as @cropover123 tweeted to me but jeez a $30 jump with nothing to show for it? Alyuh have no shame? Despite the pressure of my presumably richer? friends I have decided not to bother 'submitting my ticket request for review' this year because honestly its just not worth it.
1)No performance
2)The crowd is already pretty much as bougie as it could get...there was not a single person at that party last year that was remotely hood or grassroots or however you want to say it. So basically there's no room for improvement here in my opinion as Gresham Ent was already doing a good job of crowd selection.
3)Drinks menu looks pretty much the same as does the dj lineup except there's no Private Ryan :(

I mean really..you expect me to pay more to go to a party with the same djs, same drinks, same crowd? Negative!

So my DC party plans are now pretty much up in the air...who knows, maybe I'll just sit this year out at home...or take that $150 and go buy myself a Longchamp lol

FINALLY!

Just yesterday I was wondering about the lack of info on the DC Carnival fetes. Other than the smaller events I had heard nothing about the events on DC Carnival weekend. In fact, I was starting to wonder if maybe their short notice on the fact that there would be a DC Carnival this year interfered with planning. But thankfully and finally the website is up, so go on and click over to http://www.dccarnival.com/ for info on all the upcoming festivities!

I have noticed that there are some changes in the line up this year. For the first time in...well rel years there is no TRIBE IGNITE on the Thursday.....wonder why?

Also, typically there are two events on the Carnival Saturday, one hosted by Pumpstation Entertainment and the other hosted by Basement Knokers Ent, however this year it seems that they have joined forces. Hopefully this all works out as both these events are typically 'ram out' so it will be interesting to see if they can find a suitable venue for the large crowd or perhaps cut back on no of tickets sold.

Regardless of all the changes I am definitely looking forward to the weekend, especially seeing Kees perform :D. Also extremely pleased that the Friday night event has been moved even closer to DC proper, definitely makes it easier for people like me who don't own cars. The 'purchase tickets' link is not working yet but hopefully this gets sorted out soon. Can't wait to buy my tickets! (and I hope they don't sell out before I do).

CUBA CARNIVAL

Article taken from the Trinidad Express on May 23rd 2011

Cuba to host Trini-style carnival
Story Created: May 22, 2011 at 11:50 PM ECT


Cuba is paying tribute to the T&T Carnival

This year Cuba's "Fiesta del Fuego" (Fire Festival) or literally translated as the Festival of Fire, would be incorporating Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival in their annual parade, which takes place from July 3 to 9.

Derrick Lewis, founder of Island People, has already gathered 21 boxes of costumes and materials and would be formally presenting them to Humberto Rivero Rosario, Cuban Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago, today. In advance of this last Friday, an informal presentation was made to representatives of the Cuban Embassy. The items are all locally made and include headpieces, costumes and fabric.

Lewis said he was "informally asked" to contribute to this year's Festival. Lewis said the opportunity to assist was an honour adding he was given short notice and was unable to contact most of the other bandleaders but hopes that they would also contribute.

Lewis said however he was not invited to be a part of the contingent heading to Cuba.

According to the website http://www.ehow.com the Fire Festival was created in the early 1980's as a theatre festival, with the intent of recognising the importance of various unique cultures. It expanded gradually to include elements of the greater American and African indigenous roots.

I would love to see how this turns out, and of course I also love that there's a potential new Carnival destination ;) I've noticed that of late Cuba has really been trying to make changes to their way of life so that they're not so isolated from the world and definitely working towards giving their citizens more freedom, choices and options. It's amazing that they have included expanding their Carnival with their other undoubtedly more pressing and 'serious' programs and I hope that their Carnival comes off spectacularly!

Power X 4 2011 CropOver Presentation

Earlier tonight Power x 4 emailed their 'special mailing list' which consists of their version of 'TLC Cardholders' (back when TLC meant something), a sneak preview of their 2011 presentation. When I first saw this email I did a double take, checked the date on the email, asked my Bajan friends if there was some mistake, because surely Px4 was not doing the same theme again. And of course even if they did more effort would be put into designing, rather than just putting different color beading on the same bra styles etc. But no...sadly this is the real 2011 presentation. Just to highlight the similarities I included some of the 2010 designs. Although the link did include pics of the headpieces, which are a step up from last year and the bikini bottoms, it was in flash player and I was unable to download the actual pics.




P.S. Early registration for PX4 starts on Monday May 16th.

2011 COSTUMES

2010 COSTUMES (Sample)

To say I am disappointed would be putting it mildly, I can't believe in this day and age when everyone else is trying to step their costume game up Power X 4 would engage in such lackadaisical designing. I mean how is it that St Lucia has a smaller Carnival yet the costumes from Red and Just 4 fun are far better than anything I've seen Power x 4 put out over the last three years?? Couple this with my less than stellar experience with them last year and I think I'm going to have to pass on playing with them again this year.