01262018 weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

books entertainment celebrity gardening film fashion music history

Weekend

GALAXY QUEENS Page 8 & 9

Making waves Art series spotlights musicians

page 7

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

photography

Horizons on fire

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

W

ITH nature and life photography being his forte, it came as no surprise that when photographer Montez Kerr published his new book it featured most of his popular images of the Bahamian horizon.

The local photographer has always sought to capture the beauty of things that are often taken for granted. He is driven to capture nature; it is the subject which makes up the majority of images in his professional portfolio.

“A Journey In Color – The Horizons of the Bahamas” is a compilation of some of Montez’s most stunning images of the Bahamian sky.

“A very good friend suggested that I publish a book. At first I did not really consider it, but then I decided it would be a good way to share may passion with the world,” he told Tribune Weekend.

“So I have been working on completing my book. In reality it took more time than expected to bring it from a vision to fruition. I did not realise how many steps were involved. It was a learning experience.”

As for the images in the book, Montez describes them as “combustions of colour”.

“My ideal time to photograph is during the rising and the setting of the sun. During these times the horizons are filled with texture and colour. This is what I hope to share in my book,” he said.

In addition to the photos, Montez also included some of his favourite inspirational Bible scriptures.

“Growing up as a child I can recall vividly my mother reciting many of those verses. As an adult I have found many of them to bring comfort in times of trial, so I decided it would be good to share them with my readers,” he said.

Even though his father was a wedding photographer and it would have been easy to follow in his foot

“The Sky is Falling”

Photographer Montez Kerr

“Sea Mist”

steps, Montez said he did not particularly favour that type of photography, even if it is lucrative.

Since then, he has found his niche in nature and life photography and has been challenging himself in many different ways.

“I think I have become more patient and I try to enjoy the process of capturing the image. In the past I would be so concerned with perfect lighting, with perfect conditions. Now, even if scene is not idyllic, I can still find happiness in the moment,” he said.

The book is available at Logos Bookstore or can be purchased from www.montezkerr.com.

“Sweeping”

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Friday, January 26, 2018

Inside Weekend

My perfect Bahamian weekend Lavado Stubbs Owner of Conchboy Films Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday lunch?

Interview 4-5 Cara Hunt talks to Tarran Simms, a passionate young environmentalist about the dangers of climate change

Art 7 New rotating mixed media series makes waves around Nassau

Pageants 8 - 9 The young queens of the galaxy compete for five crowns

Jewellery 10 Artist finds inspiration at the bottom of the ocean

Entertainment 11 - 12 Brown Skin Rae talks “Love & Hip Hop”, plus Stepping Stone Quilters open annual show, and Commonwealth Writers award young talent

Weddings 14 - 15 A destination ceremony right here at home

Books 17 - 18 Lupita Nyong’o to release children’s book on ‘colourism’, plus latest releases reviewed

Gardening 19, 28 The success story of the Bahamas’ Garden of Eden, plus Jack Hardy praises golden berries

Film 20 - 21 Oscar nominations feature fresh faces and voices

Literary Lives 22 - 24 Joan Crawford – from flapper to silver screen goddess

Forgotten Facts 25 Paul C Aranha explains how streets get their names

Puzzles 26

Animals 27 A time for happy news, plus Pet of the Week

“A great boil fish on Saturday morning is key for me, if it’s relaxing. Or a Saturday morning business meeting boil fish at a place like Nesbitt’s does the trick.”

Q: Wine, rum, cocktail or Kalik?

“Gin and tonic and a good cigar is essential.”

Q: Beach or sofa?

“Beach. We have some of the best beaches in the world in the Bahamas. Why not take advantage of that?”

Q: What is the one thing that you can’t live without?

“Family. Family is the backbone to everything I do, from my passion to filmmaking to anything.”

Q: Weekend away, where would you go and why?

“I would go to Exuma. I consider Exuma my re-charge station. Any time I get a break, I go to clear my mind, get in touch with my roots and write new projects.”

Things 2 Do this weekend Friday

• Stepping Stone Quilters Annual Show 2018

Time: 10am - 4pm (continues until February 3) Venue: Trinity Methodist Church SEE PAGE 12

• Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic 2018

Time: 5pm Venue: Ocean Club, Paradise Island

This is the official LPGA tour featuring the best 108 female golfers in the world. Contestants will compete for $1.4 million in prize money. Tickets are free. If you don’t have one, you will receive one at the door upon your arrival. Parking is free and will be available at the Hurricane Hole parking lot. The tournament will provide shuttle service to/from the lot throughout the day.

• The Island House Film Festival 2018

Time: 10am - until (continues until Sunday) Venue: The Island House, Mahogany Hill There will be parties, workshops, and of course, great films screened throughout the week. Visit www. tihff.com for more information.

Saturday

• Living Well With Cell Workshop

Time: 9am Venue: Grand Hyatt, Baha Mar

Receive information from experts in the field, opportunities for one-onone consultations, care packages to assist with the challenges of living daily with sickle cell disease and much more. Registration is free, but space is limited. E-mail info@bahamassicklecell.org.

• 46th Annual Bahamas Red Cross Ball Time: 7pm - midnight Venue: Baha Mar Convention Centre Tickets for this gala ball, the Red Cross’ biggest fundraiser, are $275. The dress code is black tie.

The theme is “Code Red”.

• Guitar Duo Siqueira Lima live in concert

Time: 7.30pm Venue: The Current, Baha Mar

The Nassau Music Society presents the renowned guitar duo who have toured the world performing a diverse repertoire from classical to the popular music of Latin America.

Sunday

• 2018 Commonwealth Games Qualifier

Time: 7am Venue: Jaw’s Beach

This will be a strongly contested event with the following vying for the one spot on the 2018 Commonwealth

Games Bahamas Triathlon team: Sean Andrews, Spencer Deleveaux, Benjamin Derbyshire, Mark Holowesko, Simon Lowe, Sean Farrington and Cameron Roach.

• Ardastra Gardens Zoo Welcome

Time: 2pm - 4pm Venue: Ardastra Gardens

Help the zoo welcome its newest family members as it opens the capybara and caiman habitat.

• Love That Child Benefit Concert

Time: 3pm Venue: University of the Bahamas.

Sponsored by ALIV, the concert is hosted by Funky D and features local artists and dancers from both the Bahamas and the US. The concert benefits the Ranfurly Home and Children’s Emergency Hostel. General admission is $15, reserved seating is $25 and includes a post-show networking event.

Tickets are available from www. brownpapertickets.com.

• Guitar Duo Siqueira Lima live in concert

Time: 5.30pm Venue: St Paul’s Church, Western Road

The Nassau Music Society presents the renowned guitar duo who have toured the world performing a diverse repertoire from classical to the popular music of Latin America.

04| The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

interview Representing the Bahamas at the UN Climate Change Conference was just the start for young environmentalist Tarran Simms, who is working hard to preserve the islands for future generations. He talks to Cara Hunt about the importance of dealing head on with climate change, which he says is already affecting us.

Tarran Simms

F

or many Bahamians, climate change is something that effects others, something they will have to think about way down the line. But for 27-year-old Tarran Simms it is a very real threat that has to be addressed in the here and now.

For a country so dependent on tourism, he said, it is essential for the Bahamas to take immediate steps to deal with climate change together with its global partners.

Tarran noted that studies have shown that even the slightest temperature increase in the Earth’s atmosphere, for example, could make it too hot for Europeans to consider the Bahamas a viable vacation destination.

“It would just be too much for them, they wouldn’t be able to handle the heat,” he said.

“My key focus is to lower the carbon emissions associated with tourism, because if we don’t then tourism is dead.”

Tarran has always had a love for the environment, and he has turned that love for sun, sand and sea into a career in sustainable tourism, something he hopes will ensure that future generations get to enjoy the beauty of the Bahama Islands for many years to come.

“I did my undergraduate studies at the College of the

“My key focus is to lower the carbon emissions associated with tourism, because if we don’t then tourism is dead.”

Bahamas (now the University of the Bahamas) in Small Island Sustainability: Ecotourism and Development. I then completed my studies at the ESCP Europe school in Madrid, Spain, receiving my Master’s degree in International Hospitality and Tourism Management,” he told Tribune Weekend.

“I have always had a love for the environment and I was able to take that love and passion and turn it into a career where I can focus on tourism sustainability and policy development.”

Tarran explained that it is extremely important that any discussion about the sustainability of tourism include the business of tourism as well.

“That is why I made it a point to study both tourism and business, because it is extremely important to marry the two. From a sustainability

Friday, January 26, 2018

standpoint, you are trying to maintain the environment as much as possible, but a business owner is only looking for the return on their investment. So even if they are willing to do things in an environmentally friendly way, they want to know how they can do it as cost effectively as possible. With me having studied the two, I can turn to the hotel or business owner and say, ‘Look, this is how you can create a green, sustainable project at a low cost and still see a return on your investment.’ “ At the moment, Tarran is stationed in Andros, where he is employed by the Ministry of Tourism in their sustainable tourism unit as an assistant coordinator.

In this position he works to implement and enforce policies which will ensure that projects are done in ways that will not harm the environment.

Currently, he is working on coordinating the Economic Empowerment Programme for fly-fishing in the Bahamas. Additionally, he is the new executive director of the Andros Conservancy and Trust (ANCAT).

“My strategic plan has four pillars: eco-systems, management, education and climate change,” he said.

“Andros is under constant threat from climate change. Increasingly destructive weather patterns, as well as more insidious changes slowly occurring, require a proactive response.

ANCAT works to mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure our coastal communities are prepared.

“Many of our projects are directly related to climate change. In the past we have done mangrove and coastal restoration projects to ensure a healthy and resilient coastline. Additionally, our solar power initiative has helped Tarran Simms represented the Bahamas at COP23 in Germany last year. to reduce energy consumption and protect communities as extreme storm destroy electrical grids.”

At the same, that he is protecting the sponsored by the Germany governANCAT is a non-governmental, environment, he also wants to ensure ment to attend COP23,” he said. non-profit organisation, founded in that the culture is preserved as well.

“The experience was amazing. I 1999 to protect, preserve, enhance and “Everyone (in the Caribbean) has attended the Conference of Youth restore Andros’ natural resources and sun, sand and sea, so what is it that which was facilitated by YOUNGO, marine environment for future generamakes us different, that is what we also which is the youth constituency of the tions. ANCAT was initially formed have to preserve,” he said.

United Nations Framework on Climate in 1997 by a group of concerned local Last year, Tarran received the Change. During the Conference of government representatives, bonefishchance of a lifetime when he was Youth I gave several presentations of ing guides and resort owners who felt invited to attended the UN Clithe work of my organisation, which is the need for greater local and national mate Change Conference of Parties commitment to preserve the island’s (COP23) in Bonn, Germany, as a youth the Andres Conservancy and Trust.

Additionally, I worked closely with the vulnerable natural resources. delegate of the Bahamas Climate Ocean’s group, which was a task force “We are governed by a 10-member Change Focal Group. of young people working to push the board of directors comprised of a “I was selected with 32 other young oceans agenda in the climate change cross-section of local community mempeople from developing countries bers,” said Tarran. out of 3,550 applicants to be fully talk.

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“...I can turn to the hotel or business owner and say, ‘Look, this is how you can create a green, sustainable project at a low cost and still see a return on your investment.’ ” “After the Conference of Youth I attended the official COP23 which was hosted by Fiji, the first small island developing state ever to preside over a COP. This was especially exciting for me, seeing that the negotiations would be small island focused, seeing that the presidency was being held by Fiji.”

He added: “During the COP I attended several negotiations focused on loss and damage, and also continued to work with the Ocean group. We held several press conferences to push for the focus of ocean in the climate change talk, and worked along with Fiji to host what they called a soft landing of the Ocean Pathway Platform, which documents countries to help improve ocean health and also for it to become a topic of the climate change negotiations. Additionally, I gave an intervention for UNESCO on the topic of the importance of citizen science in gathering information for climate change in the developing world.”

Tarran said it was “truly an amazing experience”.

“Sometimes when you live in a smaller country you can get discouraged, but it was awesome to see so many people who are just as committed as you about climate change.”

More than 30,000 persons attended last year’s event, he said.

Tarran wants to attend the conference again this year and is hopeful that he will be able to arrange sponsorship which would allow other young Bahamian environmentalists the chance to experience the event as well.

06 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

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Friday, January 26, 2018

art

Rotating series makes waves at Baha Mar

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

P

roviding a stage for artists of various mediums to express themselves and giving them access to the undivided attention of audiences is the goal of the country’s newest rotating art series.

SoundWaves Café was founded

by Tim Daniels, a local musician and member of the band Pineapple Down. To date, SoundWaves has been held at Blue Sail, Starfish Bay, and most recently, on January 19, at The Current at Baha Mar. The all-encompassing, rotating art series aims to shine a spotlight on the talents of local artists and artistry in all its forms. This includes music, poetry, photography and the visual arts. The next SoundWaves Café is expected to take place on February 15 at Starfish Bay. The aim of SoundWaves is to provide a platform on which the performers and artists take centre stage, Tim told Tribune Weekend.

“When discussing the music scene in the Bahamas with fellow musician and co-host of SoundWaves, Matthew Pinder, we realised that too often musicians are hired by bars to be background noise, and play to audiences that are there primarily to socialise. Original music was often overlooked or ignored in favour of covers, and finding a stage to truly express oneself as an artist was difficult. With SoundWaves we aim to provide a place for artists of all sorts to take chances with their original expression and play to an audience that is there to appreciate this expression,” he said.

During the staging at the The Current, Tim said, the performances blew away all expectations.

“The response was overwhelming, with nearly 200 people in attendance to take in the event. Those that attended were a fantastic audience,

Janeen Walker and Maz Joachin

Soundwaves’ Tim Daniels on vocals and Matthew Pinder on guitar

“...we realised that too often musicians are hired by bars to be background noise, and play to audiences that are there primarily to socialise.”

Kris Sweeting

Foreign Sound who were captivated by, and engaged with the acts. I can’t express how much myself and the other artists appreciate the support from all those in attendance. The Current – Baha Mar’s art studio – was a spectacular venue for the event,” he said.

The Current is still running the RE: 1 Residency Exhibition featuring the work of artists Janeen Walker, Kerry China and Sue Katz.

“I thought the artwork was truly stunning and provided the perfect backdrop for the lyrical and musical performers which included 11 acts,” he said.

These acts were Matthew Pinder, Ryan Manary, Sherwood Rahming, Gary Van Hagen, Bey Chaino, And1Dunna, Kris Sweeting, Johnnie Christie, Foreign Sound, Pineapple

Down, and Tim Daniels himself.

“It’s hard to pick just one highlight from such an amazing night. One aspect that was incredible was the diversity of the acts. Folk, Blues, alternative, hip hop and spoken word were all represented at the event and flowed together beautifully to create a uniquely wonderful experience. We would really like to thank The Current and their creative art communications coordinator, Julia Roberts, for being fantastic hosts for the night,” he said As for what is next for SoundWaves, Tim said it will continue to evolve. In the near future the team wish for the event to expand to include new art forms, including the culinary and dance.

08 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

pageants

Queens of the galaxy

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

T

HE Bahamas Galaxy Pageant is not only crowning one queen next weekend, but five young ladies.

The five title holders for the brand will be announced during a gala event next Saturday at the University of the Bahamas’ Performing Arts Centre.

Since its all-white themed party and float parade last weekend, the 11 contestants have been gearing up to hit the stage for the grand finale, beginning at 7.30pm.

On the night, contestants from five divisions will perform an opening number choreographed by Samantha Pratt, director of the Passionate Expressions Dance Studio. Then, they will be judged in the categories of Fashion Wear and Evening Gown.

Preliminary judging of interview scores, as well as photogenic and swimsuit competitions, will be added to the judges’ official tally sheets on pageant night.

Highlights will also include appearances from past Bahamas Galaxy queens and also various other national queens from the pageant circuit.

Contestants competing in the Little Miss division are Ja’Maiyah McKinney and Asia Laing. In the Miss Pre-teen category there is Bryanna Stevens, while the Junior Miss division boasts three competitors – Zaria Forbes, Sarah Bethel and Maleah Miller. Then, in the Miss Teen category there are the sisters Jhade and Jahade Bannister, Krystalanne Thompson and Lathesia Clarke. Jamie Moss is the sole contestant in the Ms division.

For Andrea Knott, Bahamas Galaxy Pageant director, it is a wonderful feeling to see the successful growth of the young ladies who passed through this system. She said she is thankful that some of the past queens and contestants still assist with the planning and execution of pageant events for the brand.

“The Miss Bahamas Galaxy company has been operating in the Bahamas since 2009...During the years the pageants were held we have had national

Zaria Forbes

Lathesia Clarke

Sara Bethel

Maleah Miller

Krystalanne Thompson

Junior Miss Bahamas 2017 Ashanti Mortimer

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Friday, January 26, 2018

winners compete in the International Galaxy Pageant in Orlando, Florida.

It is great to share our accomplishments, as we have had two international title winners and top placements,” said Ms Knott.

Just like the international organisation, Ms Knott said the Bahamas Galaxy Pageants provides personal development opportunities for women and young girls to improve their life skills. This is accomplished by offering educational seminars and workshops focused on equipping contestants with necessary tools to strengthen their body, mind and spirit.

Ms Knott believes the pageant affords each contestant the opportunity to grow and advance in both her personal and career goals, while being a role model in her community at the same time.

“This pageant system has held events that heighten the awareness of practicing good sportsmanship, getting involved with community service and outreach programmes, training in interview skills, life skills, volunteerism and future, forward thinking of educational opportunities, being a role model. These fundamental aspects are beneficial to anyone, especially in youth development,” she said.

A certified youth leader, Ms Knott said it takes a lot of planning and fine-tuning to successfully put on a event such as the Bahamas Galaxy Pageant.

It is hard work, she said, and organisers are often called on to evaluate challenging situations and make good judgements. However, a focused, supportive committee and kind-hearted sponsors, makes all of it much easier.

“I believe that constant training through face-to-face contact and virtual means is a key component in pageantry. To share information and hold training sessions for women and young girls to hear experienced, knowledge-based individuals in the community and pageantry arena give advice and tips is inspiring as they express what they learned and will apply in their daily lives. This gives us a sense of accomplishment,” said Ms Knott.

This Summer, the Bahamas Galaxy Pageant will host its fifth annual “Pageantry, Personal and Career Development” seminar, which is open free of charge for young girls and women ages nine to 35.

Jhade Bannister

Jamie Moss

Jahade Bannister

Ja’Maiyah McKinney

Bryanna Stevens

Asia Laing

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

jewellery

Dreaming of the Ocean Artist finds inspiration at the bottom of the sea

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

W

hile she was not born in here, Astrid Pinder has found inspiration on these shores and uses intrinsically Bahamian raw materials to express her artistic vision in the form of jewellery.

Astrid came to the Bahamas more than 35 years ago. At first she used the traditional oils and acrylics to create art. Astrid displayed her work at various exhibitions in Nassau from 1997 to 2002, when she decided to transition into designing and creating jewellery.

During that first experimental stage she did not know where this new passion would lead her, but the satisfaction for her came from seeing her creations completed, as well as from her surrounding influences.

She later received a BA in Studio Art from the George Mason University in Virginia, and after a few years of running a print service company and the university’s art department, Astrid decided that what she really wanted to be was an entrepreneur.

This feeling persisted even more so after meeting her husband, Ellison Pinder of Nassau, 30 years ago.

Today, she is the owner of the handmade Fine Ocean Jewellery collection made from whelk shells, pink conch shells and sea glass. She makes everything from necklaces to anklets, rings, bracelets, earrings and more.

Fine Ocean Jewellery follows the “pop up” business model and has made the rounds at various trade and artisan shows, including Creative Nassau in Pompey Square, the Atlantis Art Walk and the BNT Jollification.

Next weekend, she will be showing at the Tru Tru Bahamian Festival to be

Designs by Fine Ocean Jewellery

held at the John Watling’s Distillery.

“The biggest influence in my life first has to be Jehovah God, who is the greatest artist of all as it goes for me.

We imitate only, but He imparts gifts that we have to find in our lives,” she said.

“My mind never stops, sometimes there are too many ideas. How far can I push an idea or design that will work?

Some days I think I’m designing and creating in my sleep.”

She added: “I fell into this jewellery making basically out of necessity, and

thought it would be cool to help my daughter Mattaniah to advance her jewellery line to promote in downtown Nassau. I got my husband Ellison involved in cutting whelk and pink conch shells at first, and those creative juices were flowing in that direction more and more.”

With her German and American heritage, Astrid asked herself the following questions: Where do I relate?

Where does an artist’s mind and heart relate?

“I’ve been in Nassau over 35 years and also had the pleasure to live in both Cat Island and Long Island, which helped with the discovery of historic sea glass. I hear visitors pass and whisper our name, Fine Ocean Jewellery. What woman doesn’t want to look beautiful and feel beautiful in the process? For me, Fine Ocean Jewellery seemed a natural adventure, to use materials and treasures from our beautiful backyard. Yes, things we take for granted, ignored or tossed out in our gorgeous land, the Bahamas,” she said.

For Astrid, the sky is the limit and there is always more to explore; more designs and more creations to be made, not just for the Bahamas, but also for the international market.

Catering to locals and visitors alike, Astrid said seeing the company’s creations worn by customers gives the team the greatest joy.

“The compliments keep coming back. That’s when we have the true satisfaction that we’ve given joy to someone. Eventually, I see us expanding to travelling to other countries and participating in their trade shows,” said Astrid.

“But deep down I love the ‘mom and pop’, hands-on, one-on-one experience, so that idea of chucking everything in an RV and driving across the United States, and not just the US, and stopping to every craft, flea market, artisan show available, toasting marshmallows on a wood fire while we work our wire designs, seems very appealing.”

All interested persons looking for Fine Ocean Jewellery creations are encouraged to visit The Craft Cottage on Village Road: Monday - Friday, 10am 4pm, and on Saturday, 10am - 1pm.

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Friday, January 26, 2018

entertainment

Brown Skin Rae reaches for the stars with ‘Love & Hip Hop’ Jamaican artist woos Bahamian audiences

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

S

he may not be familiar to Bahamian audiences yet, but between the release of a new single on local airwaves and appearing on the upcoming season of “Love & Hip Hop: Miami”, artist Brown Skin Rae is confident the whole world will soon know her name.

The Jamaican native who moved to the US shortly after high school was excited when she heard news about the casting call for “Love & Hip Hop”.

Being a fan of the reality TV show, and aware of the fact that appearing on it could have a domino effect and provide her with platform she needed as an emerging artist, she immediately jumped at the chance.

“I had a friend of mine reach out to me and tell me that there was a casting call for extras and I showed up, the rest was history,” she told Tribune Weekend.

Currently, she doesn’t play a major role in the show, but she is hoping that a bigger part materialises soon.

“I have had a few feature showcases and features throughout the filming.

I am looking forward to being in the major line-up of the cast for one of the seasons in Miami hopefully,” she said.

“As an extra, a few times I had no idea what I will be doing when on set or whether I’d get even my shoe in the shot to be honest. Other times I caught a glance of me dancing in slow-mo; I thought it was cool to see that. I mean, who knows what the future holds. The team is vigilant with who they show during the episodes, so I’m looking

Artist Brown Skin Rae forward to bigger roles in the near future as the episodes progresses.”

There are many people, who though faithful followers of the show, question the authenticity of it and believe at times scenes are manipulated by producers. However, from what she was able to witness during her short stint on “Love & Hip Hop”, Brown Skin Rae said what happens is “real and juicy”.

“I recall being on set with the designer at a restaurant and she was having dinner with her dad. I remember saying to myself, ‘Wow...this is as real as it gets’. And I love that, because some people think it’s all fake, and it’s not. It’s juicy, which I was hoping for.

And everyone on the crew was just so down to earth,” she said.

“...some people think (Love & Hip Hop) is all fake, and it’s not.

It’s juicy, which I was hoping for.”

But while she waits to be a part of an entertaining and intriguing storyline on “Love & Hip Hop”, Brown Skin Rae is promoting her latest single, “Ruff It Up”, which was released this month in the Bahamas, throughout the Caribbean and in the US. Now she has her sights set on introducing herself and her music to the European market.

Given that there is a long history of Jamaican artists finding huge success with Bahamian audiences, Brown Skin Rae thought making breaking into the Bahamas market made perfect sense.

“I’ve never been to the Bahamas, but will be quite soon to connect and enjoy the island with my PR agent Julio Svoyce of Sagini Inc; shoot a music video with Hym & Nerd Frendz media team for 2018, and looking

forward to a few show dates. So I’ll be visiting the beautiful islands of the Bahamas quite soon. I’m looking forward to meeting and listening to the audiences and people of the Bahamas.

It would be an honour to be on the list of those that where here before me and have left a legacy of great music behind,” she said.

While she works with Conscious Hall Records/Supreme in the US, Brown Skin Rae also has a few songs that were produced by the Bahamian label Stethoscope Music’s T Rexx & Hymn, executive producers of Sagini Inc. “They reworked a few of my current singles and produced a few tracks for me as well. So indeed, I’m working with Bahamian artists. I will be looking forward to a few good features from their catalogue of artists with whom they work with,” she said.

Brown Skin Rae has been writing songs since she was in high school. A lot of her inspiration, she said, comes from her father, Cornel Marshall, who actually also happens to be one of the original drummers for Bob Marley & The Wailers, Third World, Zappow and Tomorrow Children.

For more about Brown Skin Rae’s music and reality TV show appearances, follow her on social media.

12 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

community

Aspiring writers get a chance to shine

T

he Commonwealth Writers of the Bahamas will host a red carpet affair tomorrow night for their 12th annual Writing Awards.

The event will be held at the Meliá Nassau Beach All Inclusive resort under the theme “Many Islands, Many Writers, One Celebration”.

This literary event will honour participants and winners in the Commonwealth Writers of the Bahamas’ Annual Short Story/Poetry Competition for 2017. There are student and adult winners.

There event will feature entertainment, including spoken word and music performances and a reception.

Commonwealth Writers of the Bahamas is a non-profit organisation whose vision is to reach the Bahamas and the world at large through the written word. It also aims to ensure that all its members who are interested in becoming published authors or have a career

in writing receive the basic skills.

The short story/poetry competition was first launched by the group in 2005 to help young people hone their writing skills.

The group’s president, Vera Chase, is adamant about highlighting the talents of both young and old who are excelling in the literary arts. She said the general public is invited to celebrate the writers.

Participating schools in Nassau include Genesis Academy, St

Francis and St Joseph Primary, Columbus Primary, Garvin Tynes Primary, Lyford Cay International School, R M Bailey Senior High and Xavier’s Lower School.

Family Island schools include Hope Town Primary School, Abaco; Clara E Evans Primary, Andros; Orange Creek Primary and Old Bight Primary, Cat Island; Emma Cooper Primary, and Governor’s Harbour Primary and Windermere High, Eleuthera.

Young writers Derek Escarment and Whitney Demeritte from Columbus Primary

Exhibit spotlights age-old quilting tradition THROUGHOUT the ages, even as far back as the ancient Egyptians, people have enjoyed quilts for many different reasons.

Here in the Bahamas, the Stepping Stone Quilters have been keeping this long-standing tradition alive for more than 25 years.

And every year, members of this guild display their intricate work at a quilt show. This year’s show opened yesterday at the Trinity Methodist Church on Frederick Street and will remain open until February 3. Admission is free.

The display can be viewed daily from 10am to 4pm, including on Sundays.

Visitors can cast their votes for the various challenges, their favourite quilts, and as usual there will be various handmade items for sale, including full-sized quilts. Each year, members are asked to create a quilt using specific criteria. For

more information, call Irene Knowles at 466 - 2277.

The Stepping Stone Quilters meet each week to not just socialise as they work on some of the hand-sewing involved in making their quilts, but also to discuss how to change the perception that quilting is not just a craft or hobby, but an art form.

And it’s an art form with a very long history. Quilting – the stitching together of layers of padding and fabric – may date back as far as ancient Egypt, according to historians.

In Europe, quilting appears to have been introduced by Crusaders in the 12th century in the form of the gambeson, a quilted garment worn under armour which later developed into the doublet.

“The Tristan Quilt” is one of the earliest surviving quilts in the world. Depicting scenes from the story of Tristan

One of the pieces on display at this year’s quilt show and Isolde, an influential romance and tragedy, it was made in Sicily during the second half of the 14th century.

In the 18th century, it was stylish for English women to wear quilted petticoats and underskirts, and for men to wear quilted waistcoats. Quilted bedding was also popular. Quilts were

first brought to the American Colonies during this time, but they became especially popular in the 19th century. Distinctly American patchwork and appliqué designs were created.

These quilts were produced for utility and pleasure and are the inspiration for many of today’s quilters.

The Tribune | Weekend |13

Friday, January 26, 2018

celebrity

PART

I

The Weekend Fashion Report 24th Annual SAG Awards

HIT

HIT

HIT

FAIL

Sydelle Noel ”GLOW”

Millie Bobby Brown ”Stranger Things”

Lupita Nyong’o ”Black Panther”

Nicole Kidman ”Big Little Lies”

Karin says: “This is a stunning ‘Look at me’ ensemble. The canary yellow is gorgeous on her. I love the neckline, even the little ‘bib’ at the front. And of course the afro is amazing.”

Cara says: “First off, all these natural big hairdos on the red carpet are giving me life. Second, how fabulous and sunny does she look in this yellow? It’s so fun and flirty. Yes, the neckline is a bit baggy, but it’s still stunning.”

Karin says: “I guess her team saw all the criticism of her dressing too ‘grown’ in recent weeks, because they’ve gone back to styling her like the cute 13-year-old she is. Love the sparkly pink colour and the comfy Converse.”

Cara says: “Doesn’t Millie look cute in her little pink high-low gown? She is keeping it really girly and fresh with the little buns on her head and her cute Converse. I like that they are not trying to make her all coquettish on the red carpet anymore.”

Karin says: “This might not come through in the photo, but this sparkly grey/blue material is oh so pretty!

It makes her look like a beautiful galaxy of stars. I also adore the sheer, feathered train. Another hit for Lupita.”

Cara says: “Lupita rarely misses on the red carpet and this look is no exception. She looks so classic with the simple shape of the dress, yet the feathery over-skirt is just enough to take it over the top and give it a modern twist.”

Karin says: “What has been going on this season, Nic? All her outfits have been questionable. This sequined Armani Privé gown ages her. That is definitely an old lady bow on her shoulder. It’s just plain ugly.”

Cara says: “If this dress was on an older actress, I might be more forgiving, because I do sort of see where the designer wanted to take it.

However, it’s way too matronly for Nicole. It’s a definite miss on her.”

• See page 16 for more SAG Award fashions

PHOTOS BY JORDAN STRAUSS/INVISION/AP

With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

16 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

celebrity

PART

The Weekend Fashion Report 24th Annual SAG Awards

With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

SPLIT

FAIL

SPLIT

HIT

Margot Robbie (”I, Tonya”)

Mary J Blige (”Mudbound”)

Kate Hudson (”Deepwater Horizon”)

Susan Kelechi Watson (”This Is Us”)

Karin says: “Mary (now two-time Oscar nominee, whoo!) looks like she was auditioning for both the White and the Black Swan in ‘Swan Lake’. If the feathers were maybe a bit smaller, or closer to her body....but nah, it’s just strange.”

Cara says: “It’s very costumey, which is why I am not completely offended by it. It definitely is a bit the ugly duckling meets ‘Swan Lake’ though. Weird choice.”

Karin says: “OK, I have a theory.

Dear old Kate has no movie career to speak of, yet she manages to stay in the spotlight. She knew this dress was gonna get her to No 1 on all the worst dressed lists...and voilá! People remember Kate Hudson exists again.”

Cara says: “I’m not joking. I love it. It’s like those old Victorian dresses, but I think Kate is having fun. I like the colour and the hearts. The only thing I don’t like is the lace neckline. I mean, I would never wear this dress, but I enjoyed seeing Kate in it.”

Karin says: “I adore this. The royal blue is so bold and beautiful. And the structure of the dress is just unusual enough to give it that extra ‘oompf’ factor. In some ways it’s a safe choice, but she’s look wonderful in it.”

Cara says: “That blue is to die for; really pretty. That and the draping makes it really stand on the red carpet.

What I don’t like are those shoes and the earrings; I feel they get lost in the midst of it all.”

Karin says: “I hated this at first sight, but it’s growing on me. The feathers that high on the waist are still a bit weird to me (a nod to an ice skating outfit, perhaps?), but the pale pink looks lovely on her. I also really like her hair and makeup.”

Cara says: “Well, this is one way to hide your belly fat. A life ring made of feathers. I don’t like it at all. To be honest, I’m not that much of a fan of her hair either.”

PHOTOS BY JORDAN STRAUSS/INVISION/AP

II

The Tribune | Weekend | 17

Friday, January 26, 2018

books

review

‘When’ by Daniel Pink uncovers the secrets of timing

I

t’s January; time to make room in the self-improvement section of your bookcase.

“When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing” by Daniel H Pink perfectly executes the tried-andtrue formula for social science books.

Start with a compelling anecdote, tease it apart with some science and suggest ideas on how applying the underlying principle can better your life. It fits right in next to “The Power of Habit.”

Pink sets out to “unearth the hidden science of timing” — to uncover it as

a significant if unrecognized player in our lives — and he largely succeeds. He highlights a study of Danish schoolchildren that found that those who took their yearly standardised test in the morning performed better than those who took it in the afternoon. The pm slump is real, which is why Pink advises against scheduling a doctor’s appointment later in the day.

According to a study, doctors found an average of more than 1.1 polyps during colonoscopies performed at 11am.

By 2pm, it dropped to barely half that number, even though the patients were no different. What helps mitigate the slide, Pink explains, are breaks. Judges rule in favor of prisoners about 65 per cent of the time early in the day, but by late morning, that rate drops to nearly zero, regardless of the facts of the case, researchers have found. Immediately after the judges take a break, they become more forgiving again, Pink writes, “only to sink into a more hard-line attitude after a few hours.”

Earlier isn’t always better, however.

Teenagers’ changing circadian rhythm means they become night owls, making early school start times particularly challenging. Pink ticks off the consequences of teens not getting enough sleep: they’re at higher risk for depression, suicide, substance abuse and car crashes. Being sleep deprived is also correlated with obesity and a weakened immune system.

“The evidence of harm is so massive,” Pink writes, that the American Academy of Pediatrics has called for middle and high schools to begin no earlier than 8.30am, and the CDC has also pushed for delaying start times. Schools that have followed this recommendation have noted higher grades, better attendance and increased graduation rates. Still, less than one in five schools has made the change, Pink notes. “We simply don’t take issues of when as seriously as we take issues of what,” he writes. “Imagine if schools suffered the same problems wrought by early start times — stunted learning and worsening health — but the cause was an airborne virus that was infecting classrooms. Parents would march to the schoolhouse to demand action and quarantine their children at home until the problem was solved. Every school district would snap into action,” Pink writes. But because the school start time is “a when problem rather than a what problem,” he concludes, “too many people find it easy to dismiss.”

The breadth of the book’s scope is impressive. It explains why people whose age ends in nine are overrepresented in first-time marathoners and why singing in a group boosts endorphins and immunity. Pink makes a point to end each

RIVERHEAD BOOKS VIA AP

chapter with takeaway points that readers can apply to their own lives.

“When” is engaging, conversational and tightly edited, making it an easy yet important read.

RASHA MADKOUR Associated Press

‘Fire and Fury’ sales exceed 1.7 million MICHAEL Wolff’s “Fire and Fury” is well on its way to becoming one of the fastest selling nonfiction books in recent years.

“Fire and Fury” has sold more than 1.7 million copies in the combined formats of hardcover, e-books and audio, publisher Henry Holt & Co told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Published less than three weeks ago, Wolff’s tell-all about the Trump administration remains No 1 on Amazon. com and other lists.

Nonfiction books rarely sell one million copies so quickly, with examples over the years including Bill Clinton’s “My Life” and Sarah Palin’s “Going Rogue,” both of which were million sellers after two weeks of publication.

The standard for fiction, unlikely to be matched any time soon, is the final Harry Potter book.

Released in 2007, “Harry Potter and the Deathly

Hallows” sold more than eight million copies in its first 24 hours.

Holt president and publisher Stephen Rubin told the AP recently that he first learned about a possible Trump book when he and Wolff dined late in 2016. It was soon after Trump’s surprise election, and Wolff mentioned that he had a “really good chance” to get White House access for the new administration.

Rubin, who had released Wolff’s 2008 biography of Rupert Murdoch, “The Man Who Owns the News,” said he quickly worked out a deal to publish the Trump book.

In announcing “Fire and Fury” last November, Holt promised a “whitehot light on a president who made it possible for his family to take over ‘the people’s house,’ even as other members of Trump’s inner circle tried to govern while serving their

AP PHOTO/CHARLES REX ARBOGAST, FILE

unpredictable and often vituperative boss.”

Rubin has said he was hoping Trump would tweet about “Fire and Fury,” and sales exploded after Trump not only tweeted but also threatened to sue. An initial print run of 150,000 proved not nearly enough, and only over the past week did Amazon have hardcovers immediately on hand.

“A 150,000 first printing, in today’s world, speaks to being widely confident in what we had,” Rubin said. “Did we know it would turn out like this?

Of course not. No one would know that. But we knew we had a really good book that was going to make noise.”

HILLEL ITALIE AP National Writer

18 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

books

Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o to tackle “colourism” in new picture book

O

scar winner Lupita Nyong’o is working on a picture book.

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers announced Thursday that Nyong’o’s “Sulwe” will come out next January. According to the publisher, the Kenyan actress’ debut book will be a story about “colourism,” the favourable treatment given to people with lighter skin. Sulwe is a five-yearold girl from Kenya coming to terms with her dark skin. The book’s illustrator is still to be determined.

Nyong’o – who was born in Mexico and raised in Kenya – said in a statement that the book would draw on her own experiences of being

review

Burke’s ‘The Wife’ is solid domestic thriller The top 10 books on Apple’s iBooks-US iBook charts for week ending January 21, 2018:

“taunted” about her skin.

“As a child, much like Sulwe, I was teased and taunted about my nightshaded skin,” Nyong’o said. “It made me feel unbeautiful, unaccepted, and impacted my confidence. It is painful to see that the preference for light skin prevails. My goal in writing Sulwe is to provide young children with a path towards seeing their own beauty, regardless of what society tells them.”

Nyong’o won a best-supporting actress Oscar for “Twelve Years a Slave.” Her other credits include “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and the upcoming “Black Panther”.

NEW YORK Associated Press THE issue of sexual harassment and assault gets a new spin in Alafair Burke’s gripping new novel, “The Wife.” With a fine eye for believable characters and what motivates people, Burke sculpts a solid domestic thriller that’s fresh and timely.

Angela Powell is the wife of Jason Powell, a highly respected economics professor and best-selling author.

Her pampered, predictable life gives Angela a sense of control and peace that she needs.

1. The Woman in the Window

by A J Finn 2. Forever My Girl

by Heidi McLaughlin 3. Fire and Fury

by Michael Wolff 4. The Wife Between Us

by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen 5. Origin

by Dan Brown

PHOTO/EVAN AGOSTINI/INVISION/AP

When she was a teen, Angela was held captive for several years until she and her year-old baby were released. She has kept that past a secret from most people, fearful she would be fodder for media scrutiny.

Then Jason is accused of sexual harassment. His account of what happened seems plausible, but soon after, a second woman comes forward with a claim that he raped her. Angela wonders just how well she knows her husband.

6. Sex, Not Love

by Vi Keeland 7. Little Fires Everywhere

by Celeste Ng 8. Darker

by E L James 9. City of Endless Night

by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child 10. The Good Girl

by Mary Kubica

Burke keeps readers off-kilter regarding the characters’ reliability and motives.

Is Angela a reliable narrator or are her views tainted by her own experiences? Not only does she worry about Jason, she also worries about her own life and losing her shroud of privacy. The author also enhances the brisk plot with solid details about police procedures and legal maneuverings.

OLINE H COGDILL Associated Press

The Tribune | Weekend |19

Friday, January 26, 2018

gardening

A blooming legacy The success story of the ‘Garden of Eden’

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

W

hat started out as a simple love of horticulture became a blooming family business which is responsible for beautifying many a home, event and garden in the Bahamas.

Jamal Brice, the son of Garden of Eden Plant Nursery founder Elijah Brice Jr, shared with Tribune Weekend the story of how the company made a name for itself.

“My father, Elijah Brice, started the business some 21 years ago. Collectively, we have 30 plus years in the horticulture business. We have seen the business progress over the years from a mom and pop nursery to one of the leading plant nurseries in the Bahamas.

My dad had a keen interest in gardening and landscaping, so he decided to build a greenhouse which eventually blossomed into the Garden of Eden Plant Nursery,” said Jamal, who now serves as the general manager.

Today, the nursery is registered as a member of the Florida Landscaping Association, and staff members travel yearly to attend and participate in the Tropical Plants Industry Exhibitors plant show.

In the Bahamas, the Garden of Eden’s Plant Nursery, located on Swordfish Road in Stapledon Gardens, and also at its second location on Duke Street in Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, provides plant rental services, landscaping designs and a wide array of indoor and outdoors plants.

Growing up in the blossoming family business instilled in Jamal an unwavering love for gardening. He said being

able to revive a dissolute garden or yard, or creating a radiant ambiance in a new or existing home or special occasion, is extremely gratifying.

When asked which specific plants are usually popular during the Spring season, Jamal said customers tend to purchase more blooming plants such as Gerbera daisies, Chrysanthemums and Calla lilies at Easter. Also, herbs and fruit trees are items that are usually purchased all year-round.

“First-time visitors are usually blown away. Also on the other hand, we have the best loyal customers that tend to always support our endeavours. The plants, however, speak for themselves.

I have to say we have the best quality and unique plants on the island – that

keeps our customers coming back,” said Jamal.

For him, some of the most memorable Garden of Eden client experiences over the years have come through the company’s rental services.

“We have had the privilege to not only decorate the downtown area for the Christmas holiday with our beautiful poinsettias, but also had the opportunity to be a part of international conferences and sports events seen all over the world,” said Jamal.

His hope is to expand in the area of “interiorscape” designs and services later this year, and to also have a presence on various Family Islands, providing on-the-go plant services.

20 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

film

In Oscar nominations, fresh voices lead the way

T

he Academy Awards showered outsiders, on screen and off, with milestonesetting nominations that celebrated Guillermo del Toro’s full-hearted ode to outcasts “The Shape of Water,” embraced firsttime filmmakers like Greta Gerwig and Jordan Peele, and made “Mudbound” director of photography Rachel Morrison the first woman ever nominated for best cinematography.

In nominations that spanned young and old, studio blockbusters and passion-fuelled indies, the 90th annual Academy Awards on Tuesday gave many who have long been shunned by the movie business — women directors, transgender filmmakers, minority actors, even Netflix — something to cheer about.

Leading all nominees with 13 nods, including best picture, was “The Shape of Water,” by veteran Mexican filmmaker del Toro, whose Cold War-era fantasy is about a mute office cleaner (Sally Hawkins) who falls in love with an amphibious creature. But the nominations also carried forward some of the ongoing reckoning of the Me Too movement that has been felt especially acutely in Hollywood, where male filmmakers outnumber women by a ratio of approximately 12-to-1.

Gerwig, the writer-director of the nuanced coming-of-age tale “Lady Bird,” became just the fifth woman nominated for best director, following Lina Wertmuller, Jane Campion, Sofia Coppola and Kathryn Bigelow, the sole woman to win, for “The Hurt Locker.”

Speaking by phone Tuesday from Los Angeles, Gerwig said the distinction was extremely meaningful.

In what’s been a wide-open awards season, Oscar voters chose nine bestpicture nominees, including four with female protagonists: “The Shape of Water,” ‘‘Lady Bird,” Martin McDonaugh’s rage-fueled comic drama “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” Jordan Peele’s horror sensation “Get Out,” Joe Wright’s Winston Churchill drama “Darkest Hour,”

Director Greta Gerwig, right, and Saoirse Ronan on the set of “Lady Bird.” (Merie Wallace/A24 via AP)

Vicky Krieps and Daniel Day-Lewis in “Phantom Thread”.

(Photo/Laurie Sparham/Focus Features)

Steven Spielberg’s timely newspaper drama “The Post,” Christopher Nolan’s World War II epic “Dunkirk,” Luca Guadagnino’s tender love story “Call Me By Your Name” and Paul Thomas Anderson’s twisted romance “Phantom Thread.”

One of Gerwig’s first calls of congratulations was to another first-time filmmaker, Peele. The two have been brought together by Hollywood’s months-long Oscar campaigning and their mutual rookie status. (Gerwig previously co-directed a small feature.)

Peele becomes the fifth black filmmaker nominated for best director, and the third to helm a best-picture nominee, following Barry Jenkins last year for “Moonlight.” He’s also the third person to receive best picture, director and writing nods for his first feature film after Warren Beatty (”Heaven Can Wait”) and James L Brooks (”Terms of Endearment”).

“I’m going to write. I’m now going to get hard at work on the next one,” Peele said by phone. “One of the great-

The Tribune | Weekend | 21

Friday, January 26, 2018

Timothee Chalamet, 22, is this year’s youngest Oscar nominee for his performance in “Call Me By Your Name.”

(Photo/Sony Pictures Classics via AP) est things that I get from this whole process is this faith in my voice. It’s like jet fuel. It makes me want to make as many movies that I can in my life.

“The Shape of Water” landed just shy of tying the record of 14 nominations, scoring a wide array for nominations for its cast (Sally Hawkins, Richard Jenkins, Octavia Spencer), del Toro’s directing, its sumptuous score (by Alexandre Desplat) and its technical craft.

“You realise that we are all, in some way or another, a bit of an outsider in different ways,” said del Toro of his film’s resonance. “Not fearing the other but embracing the other is the only way to go as a race.”

All of the acting front-runners — Frances McDormand (”Three Billboards”), Gary Oldman (”Darkest Hour”), Allison Janney (”I, Tonya”), Sam Rockwell (”Three Billboards”) — landed their expected nominations.

But there were plenty of surprises and more than a few landmarks in the nominations announced from Los Angeles ahead of the March 4 ceremony, to be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

Meryl Streep scored her 21st nomination, for “The Post,” and John Williams (”Star Wars: The Last Jedi”) his 51st. There were eight first-time acting nominees, including 22-year-old “Call Me By Your Name” breakthrough Timothee Chalamet and Daniel Kaluuya, 28, of “Get Out.” Saoirse Ronan, that grizzled 23-year-old, landed her third Oscar nom for “Lady Bird.”

Denzel Washington (”Roman J. Israel, Esq”) was nominated for best actor, likely eclipsing James Franco (”Disaster Artist”). Franco was accused of sexual misconduct, which he

denied, just days before Oscar voting closed.

Christopher Plummer, who replaced Kevin Spacey in Ridley Scott’s “All the Money in the World,” also sneaked into the best supporting actor category.

Added to the film in reshoots little more than a month before the film’s release, 88-year-old Plummer is the oldest acting nominee ever.

Perhaps most unexpected was the broad success of Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread,” which scored not only nods for Daniel Day-Lewis for best actor and Lesley Manville, for best supporting actress, but also nominations for best picture, Anderson’s direction, costume design and Johnny Greenwood’s score.

Anderson likely displaced Steven Spielberg (”The Post”) and Martin McDonagh, the director of the film many have tapped to win best picture, “Three Billboards.” His absence is a major knock for a film that has endured the harshest backlash of the contenders, with many claiming it’s out of touch in matters of race.

Still, “Three Billboards” scored seven nominations Tuesday, behind only “The Shape of Water” and Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk.” The World War II epic, thus far little-honoured in Hollywood’s awards season, emerged especially strong with Oscar voters, taking eight nominations, many of them in technical categories. It’s Nolan’s first nomination for best director.

Though the favourites are largely independent films, a number of blockbusters fared well, including five nods for “Blade Runner 2049,” four for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” three for “Baby Driver,” two for “Beauty and

Sally Hawkins and Octavia Spencer in “The Shape of Water”

Director Dee Rees and Mary J Blige on the set of “Mudbound” the Beast” and two for Pixar’s “Coco,” which is up for best animated feature.

The Wolverine film “Logan” even notched a screenplay nod, a first for a superhero movie.

Yet Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman,” which became the highest grossing movie ever directed by a woman, failed to receive any Oscar nods despite an awards campaign. Sean Baker’s far lower budgeted “The Florida Project” also managed only a supporting actor nomination for Willem Dafoe despite hopes for more.

Though some minorities were still absent from the acting categories, the film academy, which has worked to diversify its membership in recent years, voted for a field of nominees almost as diverse as last year when “Moonlight,” ‘‘Fences” and “Hidden Figures” powered a rebuttal to the “Oscars So

White” backlash of the two years prior.

Four black actors — Washington, Daniel Kaluuya, Spencer and Mary J Blige (”Mudbound”) — were among the 20 acting nominees.

Both Amazon and Netflix failed to crack the best picture category but earned nominations elsewhere.

Netflix’s “Mudbound” scored four nods and Amazon’s “The Big Sick” grabbed a nomination for Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V Gordon’s original screenplay about their real-life romance. ___ Associated Press writer Sandy Cohen contributed to this report from Los Angeles. ___

JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer

22 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

literary lives – joan crawford

From flapper to silver screen goddess Sir Christopher Ondaatje recounts the dramatic life of the American film actress who is still ranked as being one of the 10 greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema.

PART I _____________

oan Crawford was born Lucille Fay LeSueur in San Antonio, Texas, on March 23, 1906 to Thomas F LeSueur, a laundry labourer, and Anna Bell Johnson of British and French Huguenot ancestry. Crawford’s father abandoned his family a few months before her birth. Crawford’s mother then married Henry J Cassin and the family moved to Lawton, Oklahoma.

Cassin – a minor theatrical impresario – began sexually abusing Crawford when she was 11 years old until she was sent away to a Catholic school.

While still residing in Lawton, Cassin was accused of embezzlement and, although he was acquitted, the family had to move to Kansas City, Missouri.

Crawford’s ambition always was to be a dancer. However, she cut her foot on a broken milk bottle and required three surgeries to repair the damage.

When Cassin and her mother inevitably separated, Crawford found a job as a

J

work student but her education never progressed much beyond elementary school. Registering at Stephens College, Missouri, in 1922 she realised she was ill-equipped to handle a college education and withdrew.

Using the name Lucille LeSueur, Crawford danced in travelling choruses until she was noticed by Jacob Shubert, who put her in the chorus line Innocent Eyes for the 1924 show at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway. She was 18 years old when she married a saxophone player James Welton whom she met that year. The marriage was never mentioned by Crawford in her later years. Although she denied it, Crawford is rumoured to have made several pornographic films during this period until she met the Loews Theatre publicist Nils Granlund who arranged a screen test for her which he sent to Hollywood. The rest is movie history.

On December 24, 1924, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer offered Crawford a contract for $75 a week. Borrowing $400 from her family (for travelling expenses) she made the journey to Culver City in California where she arrived on January 1, 1925.

Using her own name, Lucille LeSueur, Crawford made her first film, “Lady of the Night” in 1925 as the body double for Norma Shearer. She also participated in “The Circle and Pretty Ladies” – silent films made in 1925.

These were followed by insignificant smaller roles: “The Only Thing” and “The Merry Widow”. She was available and worked hard.

MGM publicity head Pete Smith realised that Crawford was a potential star and told Louis B Mayer that her name sounded like a “sewer”, so Mayer instructed Smith to offer $500 to the winner in a “Name the Star” contest in Movie Weekly. The winning choice was Joan Arden – but another actress had already claimed that name, so “Crawford” was chosen as the alternative.

Crawford said that she didn’t like the name, but liked the financial security that went with it.

The Tribune | Weekend | 23

Friday, January 26, 2018

Joan Crawford in her David Coxdesigned Charleston dress (1928)

Joan Crawford as a dancer in the 1920s Ever ambitious and upset at the small parts she was given at MGM, she started to promote herself by dancing in competitions at hotels around Hollywood. The Charleston and the Black Bottom were her favourites and she began to be noticed. MGM cast her in Edmund Goulding’s “Sally, Irene and Mary” (1925). Right from the start Crawford considered Norma Shearer, married to production chief Irving Thalberg, her nemesis. She had first choice of scripts and garnered a lot of control of co-stars and other casting.

“How can I compete with Norma?

She sleeps with the boss!” – Joan Crawford.

Within two years Crawford was a “baby” star with Mary Astor, Dolores del Rio, Janet Gaynor and Fay Wray, and a year later was cast as the female lead opposite Ramón Novarro, John Gilbert, William Haines, and Tim McCoy. She was a tough determined young lady learning as she went, and in 1927 appeared with Lon Chaney in “The Unknown”, playing a carnival assistant in scanty threadbare clothes.

Joan Crawford shows off her legs (circa 1930)

“It was then I became aware for the first time of the difference between standing in front of the camera, and acting.”

“Spring Fever” (1927), “Across to Singapore” (1928) followed, and then “Our Dancing Daughters” (1928) rocketed her to stardom when she was only 22. She was introduced as the 1920s “It” girl to rival Clara Bow. A stream of silent movie hits followed and she amassed a whole legion of fans (mostly women) who sought the freedom of the spirited, young, all-American girl.

F Scott Fitzgerald, after his “The Great Gatsby” publication, now writing movie scripts in Hollywood, said of her: “Joan Crawford is doubtless the best example of the flapper, the girl you see in smart night clubs, gowned to the apex of sophistication, toying iced glasses with a remote, faintly bitter expression, dancing deliciously, laughing a great deal, with wide, hurt eyes.

Young things with a talent for living.”

On June 3, 1929, Joan Crawford married Douglas Fairbanks, Jr – in Manhattan in a Catholic ceremony which seemed to discount her first 1924 marriage to James Weldon. Fairbanks was the son of Douglas Fairbanks and the stepson of Mary Pickford – two of Hollywood’s most popular stars and as near to Hollywood royalty as anyone has ever been before or since. They spurned the marriage and relations between the young couple and the senior Pickfords were cold. They disapproved of the young upstart starlet who was making such inroads into their kingdom. Crawford ignored the Pickford snubs and worked for hours on her diction and elocution hoping to rid herself of her southern accent.

“It would be a good idea, I thought, to read aloud to myself, listen carefully to my voice and enunciation, and try to learn in that manner. I would lock myself in my room and read newspaper magazines and books aloud. At my elbow I kept a dictionary. When I came to a word I did not know how to pronounce, I looked it up and repeated it correctly fifteen times.”

Crawford’s tireless work ethic paid off when movies switched from silent films to sound. “The Jazz Singer” (1927) was the first full-length film, starring Al Jolson, with music and audible dialogue. MGM was the last studio to change over to sound with Continued on page 24

24 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

Continued from page 23 “The Hollywood Revue” of 1929 and Crawford was one of the few stars to make a successful transition. The first sound feature-length film was “Untamed” (1929), and although it had received mixed reviews, it was clear that she had become one of the bestknown actresses.

“Montana Moon”, “Our Blushing Brides” and “Paid” were all made in 1930 with Crawford and she continued to play young flapper-inspired dancing ladies. In fact, she was in danger of being typecast, but her films were both popular and financially successful. MGM continued with the formula.

She made five films in 1931 – three of them opposite Clark Gable: “Dance, Fools, Dance”, “Laughing Sinners” and “Possessed”.

All were tremendously popular films and now placed Crawford on a level with MGM’s top female stars Norma Shearer, Greta Garbo and Jean Harlow. “Grand Hotel”, MGM’s first all-star cast, co-starred Crawford in one of her best roles, opposite Greta Garbo, Lionel and John Barrymore, and Wallace Beery. She played the part of a young stenographer to Wallace Beery’s gruff demanding boss, and the Joan Crawford and Clark Gable appeared together in eight films at MGM film was released to both critical and commercial success. It was the highestnot ambitious for a movie career, Gorgeous Hussy” (1936) opposite grossing picture of the year, and won being more obsessed with building a Robert Taylor and Lionel Barrymore, the Academy Award for Best Picture. small theatre in Brentwood. Eventuand “Love On The Run” was her Throughout the 1930s Crawford ally Crawford tired of her efforts to seventh film with Clark Gable. It was continued to make successful movies. promote him and divorced him in another financial success.

“Letty Lynton” (1932) was withdrawn 1939, accusing him of drunkenness and Despite the profitable films she because of a plagiarism suit and is conphysical abuse. “No More Ladies” was made in the late 1930s, Crawford’s sidered the “lost” Joan Crawford film. their last film together (1935), but they popularity waned. “The Last of Mrs She starred as the prostitute in Somlater re-established their friendship.

Cheyney” (1937), opposite William erset Maugham’s “Rain” (1932) – but Tone died in 1968.

Powell, was her last box office success this film was not received favourably.

before making the disastrous “The Nevertheless. she was one of the top “Franchot Tone was an extremely Bride Wore Red” (1937) with her three money makers at the box office loving, intelligent, considerate man, but former husband Franchot Tone. It was with Marie Dressler and Janet Gaynor. he was also very haunted.

He was one MGM’s biggest failure of the year and She kept her place at the top of the list hell of a fine actor, but he loved the theon May 3 1938, Crawford, along with for another four years. atre and despised Hollywood.

He very Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer, Luise Citing “grievous mental cruelty”, seldom got the parts he deserved, and Rainer, John Barrymore, Katherine Crawford divorced Douglas Fairbanks, I think this bugged him a lot.

I wasn’t Hepburn, and Dolores del Rio were Jr in May 1933. That year she again as nice to him, considerate as I should dubbed “box office poison” by the starred with Clark Cable and Fred have been.

I was extremely busy during Independent Film Journal. Her film Astaire in the popular musical “Dancthose years, and I didn’t realise that his “The Shining Hour” (1938) co-starring ing Lady” (1933). “Sadie McKee” insecurities and dissatisfaction ran so Margaret Sullavan and Melvyn Dougwas made in 1934, and then for a fifth deeply. His sex life diminished consider- las was another flop. and sixth time with Clark Gable in ably, which didn’t help matters.”

“The Women” (1939), where she “Chained” (1934) and “Forsaking All

played the home-wrecker Crystal Others” (1934). All Crawford’s films Desperate for a lead in a dramatic Allen, opposite Norma Shearer, were high-grossing films in the mid role, Crawford pleaded with Louis B brought some of her popularity back.

1930s.

Mayer. He refused to listen to her and

Crawford married Franchot Tone, instead cast her in the comedy-drama “One of the scary things is the effect a New York actor, in 1935. They had “I Live My Life”. Again the movie was a really heavy or demanding role will already appeared together in a film “Today We Live” (1933) but he was profitable. In 1936, she starred in “The have on your personal life. During

‘The Women ‘I’m afraid I was as much of a bitch off-screen as I was on ... On filming the bath scene it took ten hours to shoot. The suds lasted only fifteen minutes under the hot lights. Once the water began to leak out and the crew had to toss me a towel to clothe myself.

It could have been embarrassing.”

Then she was given an unglamorous role in “Strange Cargo” (1940) in her eighth and final film with Clark Gable. Starring as a facially disfigured blackmailer in “A Woman’s Face” (1941) was only a moderate box office success. Her relationship with MGM was becoming strained.

NEXT WEEK: Joan Crawford’s biggest successes and her legendary feud with Bette Davis

• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of “The Last Colonial”. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from “A Portrait of Joan: The autobiography of Joan Crawford” (1962); “My Way of Life” by Joan Crawford (1971); “Joan Crawford: Hollywood Martyr” by David Bret (2008), and Wikipedia.

The Tribune | Weekend | 25

Friday, January 26, 2018

history

How streets get their names Forgotten facts Paul C Aranha

I

have lived on Columbia Road for 31 years without giving a moment’s thought about the neighbouring streets, until my wife’s yacht-racing cousin came here for Christmas. He thought it fitting that this canal-front area of Lyford Cay had been named after six famous yachts that had raced for the America’s Cup – Columbia, Rainbow, Ranger, Resolute, Sceptre and Shamrock.

This was news to me, but sure enough, Google shows five boats named Shamrock, each owned by Sir Tomas Lipton and sailing under the colours of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club.

Sceptre represented the Royal Yacht Squadron and all the others flew the colours of the New York Yacht Club: Henry Walters’ Resolute, J Pierpont Morgan’s Columbia, and Harold S Vanderbilt’s Rainbow and Ranger.

Another visitor, a birdwatcher from Australia, wondered about the ‘double

AN OLD plan of the original design of roads named after America’s Cup yachts.

R’ spelling of the name of the Harrold Pond National Park, which goes back to the year 1788. My visitor pointed out that on January 28, 1788 the First Fleet landed in Australia, bringing over 1,000 settlers, including 778 convicts, and that date is now celebrated as Australia Day. Because King George III had lost his 13 American colonies, Britain had to find places for Loyalists to seek refuge, as well as a new place to send convicts.

Australia was chosen for the convicts and the Bahama Islands offered refuge of thousands of Loyalists – including Isaac Baillou and Alexander Harrold.

Long before the arrival of those Loyalists, someone must have stood on the highest hill behind the town of Nassau and gazed at the hills in the middle of this island. Distance, and morning dew, made those hills look blue, and of course people called them the Blue Hills. The day came when some hardy

soul set out with a cutlass to explore the distant hills and a path was cut to the Blue Hills. This path became a wellworn track, and the track became a road, running south from Hill Street.

On November 21, 1788, a total of 560 acres of land in the Blue Hills were granted to Isaac Baillou. On that same day, 200 acres in the Blue Hills were granted to Alexander Harrold (this is the spelling in the Grant Book.) Alexander’s land was immediately west of Isaac’s.

Isaac’s land was accessible from the Blue Hill Road, but Alexander had to cut his own road, going west from the Blue Hill Road to get to his land, and Mr Harrold’s road remained a dirt truck until about the 1960s.

There came a time when Isaac had to petition the court to remove squatters from his land. The document contained the spelling ‘Baillou’ for the name of the applicant and the spelling ‘Blue’ for the location of his land.

There never was a Baillou Hill Road.

• For questions and comments, e-mail islandairman@gmail.com

This weekend in world history January 26 • 1500 – The European discovery of Brazil is led by Spanish explorer Vicente Yanez Pinzon, who had commanded the Nina during Christopher Columbus’ first expedition to the New World.

• 1788 – A fleet of 11 ships carrying convicts from England lands at Sydney Cove, in the colony of New South Wales effectively founding Australia.

• 1998 – US President Bill Clinton says: “I want to say one thing to the American people; I did not have sexual

relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky.”

January 27 • 1825 – Congress approves Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), clearing the way for forced relocation of the Eastern Indians on the “Trail of Tears”.

• 1944 – Leningrad is liberated from the Nazi blockade after 880 days; 600,000 lives were lost in the process.

• 1951 – The US begins the first of 126 nuclear detonation tests at the Nevada Test Site.

January 28

• 1820 – The Russian expedition led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev discovers the continent of Antarctica.

• 1958 – The Lego company patents their design of Lego bricks, which are still compatible with bricks produced today.

• 1986 – The space shuttle Challenger explodes just after liftoff at Cape Canaveral, Florida. All seven crew members are killed, including high school teacher Christa McAuliffe, who would have been the first US civilian to travel into space.

THE LEGO system was patented 60 years ago.

Yesterday’s solution: KoaLa (across) sKUnK (down)

26 | The Tribune | Weekend

Best described as a number crossword, the task in Kakuro is to fill all of the empty squares, using numbers 1 to 9, so the sum of each horizontal block equals the number to its left, and the sum of each vertical block equals the number on its top. No number may be used in the same block more than once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Kakuro increases from Monday to Sunday.

Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so the each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

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P CRYPTIC PUZZLE Across 1 Clerical work done by a metal worker (6) 4 Tees should be made with sand agreed? (8) 9 Light, for example, in it goes out (6) 10 Very hungry bird comes to love us (8) 12 Travel to two points for a dress (4) 13 What could be finer to conclude? (5) 14 A couple of notes and that’s the lot (4) 17 A picnic hamper that’s packed for Easter perhaps? (7,5) 20 Confidence in the theatre (5,7) 23 Tarry rope (4) 24 Make an impression in the literary world (5) 25 Completes parts of games of bowls (4) 28 Pains grip sick Greek hero (8) 29 Excellent to include it, within limits (6) 30 One drunkard turns and espies others (8) 31 Such a pupil is likely to shine (6)

1

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5

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22

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EASY PUZZLE

11 12

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

24 26

28

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call 0907 181 2585 for today’s target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

*SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390

Skips, Felt, Swag, Voice, Cap, Narrative, Waltz, Badge, Fluid. down: Frigate, Banal, Sty, Squawk, Faked, Championing, Affix, Crewel, Use, Foils, Awaited.

extra letter clues

0907 181 2560 (Deduct three minutes for each extra clue letter heard)

full solution

0907 181 2558

Q R S T U V W X Y Z

3

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The Tribune | Weekend | 27

Friday, January 26, 2018

animals Animal matters Kim Aranha

PET OF THE WEEK

A time for happy news

Savvy Chester

By The Bahamas Humane Society

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hester is about one year old. He’s used to being in a yard but could easily be trained to be a house dog or an agility dog perhaps, as he’s very smart. Chester gets along well with other dogs but isn’t so sure about cats yet. He would love a family home so children aren’t an issue. Do you have the time and patience Chester will need to put his skills to use?

If so, come to the Bahamas Humane Society to meet him or call 325-6742 for more information. Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday.

Chester looks forward to meeting you!

PATRICIA VAZQUEZ

T

o paraphrase Lewis Carol: “The time has come,” the Walrus said, “to speak of many things, of manatees and frozen turtles, and hippos and whether pigs have wings!”

This unseasonably cold weather has caused turmoil in the marine world in waters around the southern part of the peninsula of Florida. The news reports are full of marine updates, all, as far as I am concerned, very interesting. We in the Bahamas can be eternally grateful to the Gulf Stream which protects us from too much cold air, and in turn guarantees us that our water will not become too frigid.

Apparently more than one thousand marine turtles have been rescued from certain death when the cold literally froze them to where they became immobile. Rescuers were working overtime collecting up turtles that were rendered immobile by the cold. They have been taken to rescue stations, where once warmed up, they will be rehydrated, fed, monitored and eventually returned to the sea.

The manatees are also experiencing similar discomfort and are all making their way up the intercoastal waterways to find springs and water plants where the water is warmer. There are photos of them, quite literally, stacked and huddled together in order to stay warm. You can see scores of people standing on the sides just watching these very large and rather splendid creatures find comfort in the warm water and one another.

Just yesterday morning there was a very sweet report about a young male manatee who had somehow got himself entangled in a life jacket and was swimming around with the jacket firmly secured around his rather massive girth. Divers were deployed and rescued boats followed him, but he lead a long and mighty chase until they were finally able to catch him in a net and bring him ashore to remove the life jacket and check out his health.

He was fortunately found to be in very good health, and once micro chipped,

he was released and he swam away without a backward glance to those who had invested well over a day trying to catch and help him.

We have also been delightfully entertained with news clips and photos of the adorable first birthday party of Fiona the hippo in the Cincinnati Zoo. Though I am not one for zoos, or captive living, there is no doubt that “little” Fiona is wonderfully well cared for. As Fiona was born six weeks prematurely, weighing in at only 25 pounds, it is quite an

achievement that she has survived all the health obstacles that came her way, and now weighs a strapping 600 pounds.

When Fiona was born early, nobody really expected her to make it. There was a team of more than 30 humans whose only mission in life was to care for her. Her little legs were so underdeveloped at the time of birth that they were unable to support her minimal weight of 25 pounds. Her team faced, and resolved, one health issue after another, never leaving

Fiona the hippo

Fiona on her own for one minute, every day and every night, 24 hours a day, until they were confident that she had indeed defeated all odds and now is a beautiful, healthy, young baby girl.

Over the course of the next year she will be expected to gain weight daily and double her size.

For the time being Fiona is perfectly happy living with her mom in a very extensive compound with indoor and outdoor pools and ponds. As she does not reach maturity until five or six years old, there is no concern yet about finding her a boyfriend. She is just a very large, happy frolicking baby who is adored and spoiled by all.

This does, of course, bring us to the point of whether she would be better off in the wild. One thing we can all be pretty sure about is that if she were in the wild she would not have survived being born six weeks early.

So for once it is a moot point.

Fiona recognises all the caregivers who have been with her over the past year with sniffs and blowing air in their faces, as her mother does to her. Obviously she is getting a bit big to cuddle, but there are a whole lot of people at the Cincinnati Zoo who love her as a child.

This was a wonderful week of positive stories about animals in the news…what a very pleasant change.

28 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, January 26, 2018

gardening

Golden berries It is often overlooked, but this little South American fruit has many health benefits, and as Jack Hardy explains, is great for making jam, pie filling, chutney and even ice cream.

A

few years ago, after enjoying lunch at the delightful Abaco Club on Winding Bay, I was served an iced pastry with three golden berries for decoration.

Delicious. What surprised me was that the rest of the company did not know what the berries were, had never come across them before, yet found them just as delicious as I did.

In the years following I grew several crops of golden berries that were mostly consumed by my grandchildren. It was always a pleasure to pop a berry or two into my mouth whenever I found some that my grands had missed. I have allowed them to die out but must work on establishing them again.

The golden berry (Physalis peruviana) originated in the same region of

Chile and Peru as the tomato and tomatillo and is related to them. The plants are not particularly prepossessing, being rather straggly, and only grow to three feet. The leaves are heart-shaped and the flowers are yellow with attractive brownish-purple markings. These develop into fruits within a papery calyx very similar to a tomatillo husk or Chinese lantern. When the fruit is truly golden and ripe it falls from the plant, still enveloped in its protective calyx.

The golden skin of the fruit encloses a mass of extremely tiny seeds and pulp. The flavour is sweet, yes, but has an interesting background nuance of European gooseberry without being tart. This led to the berries being named Cape gooseberry and being associated with South Africa rather than South America. Another common name was ground cherry. I tend to resist name changes but I must admit that golden berry (sometimes goldenberry) is far more pleasing and accurate than Cape gooseberry. I managed to make the change from Chinese gooseberry to Kiwi fruit earlier in life so golden berry it will be from now on.

If you have a large enough garden with a rather infertile area, you will be all set up to grow golden berries. The plants are not prima donnas and will grow where most cultivated plants will struggle. The hardest part of raising golden berries is starting the seeds, which are like dust. An investment in seed-starting potting mix is advised,

Physalis peruviana, known as golden berries or Cape gooseberries

with the seeds sprinkled on the surface and merely firmed into the soil. The seedlings are best transplanted when about six inches tall to an area receiving full sun.

Golden berries take about the same time from seed to fruit as tomatoes, a good four months. In cooler climates the plants are annuals but here in the Bahamas they are perennials. They fruit virtually year round with highest production in late summer. Like tomatoes, golden berries will ripen in time if inadvertently picked too early, especially if placed in a paper bag. The longer the berries stay within their papery calyx the quicker they will ripen. Normally this is not an issue because the calyx-enclosed fruits fall to the ground when ripe, rather like passion fruit. The initial crop may be a little spare but will increase with age. If you need a great number of fruits for a project you can refrigerate the fruits for at least two weeks in a paper bag.

And what might that project be?

Golden berries have high pectin and therefore make great jam without adding commercial setting agents. The seeds are too small to worry about and the skin gives the jam texture.

Golden berries make for good pies and even better tarts, open and unlatticed. Individual small tarts would be perfect. I understand that golden berry chutney is popular in South Africa, made in a style similar to plum chutney.

As with all chutneys the taste only fully

develops after two or three months of bottling.

I have never tried to make golden berry ice cream, but if you are an experienced ice cream maker you will know what to do and the taste should be addictively interesting. Perhaps the most useful application is still the garnishing of iced pastries that started this article.

When you only have a few dozen fruits they can still steal the scene. I have seen birthday cakes with the icing studded with strawberries – why not golden berries? I can testify that a few golden berries halved along with cherry tomatoes in a salad makes good and healthy eating.

What a month January has been. We have had considerably greater amount of rain than usual accompanying a series of very cold fronts from Canada and I am sure most of us have spent more time indoors than in the garden.

I started to do some garden work on several occasions but had to give up because the wind was too cold.

I find in my old age that even in the Bahamas I cannot take the usual extremes of our climate. In a few months’ time I will be finding daytime temperatures too hot. At least when it is cold you can add layers of clothing until you are warm; when it is hot you can take off all your clothes and still be hot.

• For questions and comments, e-mail gardenerjack@coralwave.com.