09082017 weekend

Friday, September 8, 2017

gardening theatre film fashion music travel food puzzles

Weekend

VISIT GRAND HYATT Pages 20&21

Horsing around A new world for children Entertainment, pages 14&15

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, September 8, 2017

charity

Food and fun for a good cause International culinary stars join Paradise Plates 2017

H

ands for Hunger is gearing up for its largest Paradise Plates event to date, featuring a mouth-watering lineup of eats and drinks from 40 of the country’s top chefs, vintners, brewers and beverage purveyors.

This year, Nassau’s tastiest fundraiser will also feature local and international celebrities, like the 2017 Stoli Cocktail Master mixologist Marv Cunningham, winner of Iron Chef Thailand Pastry Edition Jason Licker, and members of the silver medallist 2017 Bahamas Culinary Team. Live entertainment will be provided by Willis and the Illest reggae band and DJ Ignite on the turntables.

“Paradise Plates is a creative and vibrant event. Each year we are excited to introduce new flavours by engaging award-winning international and out-island chefs, an exciting line-up of some of the best musicians on the island, and an ambiance that is designed to perfection by Island Destination Services and Zamar Productions,” said Zeleka Knowles, executive director of Hands for Hunger.

“Paradise Plates is a memorable evening that balances fun and philanthropy and ultimately allows Hands for Hunger to have food rescue trucks on the road for yet another year.”

Hands for Hunger has joined forces with sponsors and 40 leading restaurants and beverage purveyors to showcase the very best culinary offerings in the Bahamas.

Paradise Plates 2017 will be held Saturday, September 30, at the Grand

Ballroom, Atlantis. A travel-themed raffle, an art and leisure silent auction and a wine pull raffle have been added to the entertainment.

Look for first-time appearances by Atlantis’ Sun & Ice, Biggity Bistro & Boutique, The Bearded Clam, Grand Hyatt at Baha Mar’s Café Madeleine and 3 Tides, Pink Octopus, Jason Licker, Pulpy Artisan Style Frozen Desserts, Wild Thyme;, Aquafire Bar & Grill, and Yummy Sky Juice.

And enjoy signature fare prepared by returning chefs and beverage purveyors, including Atlantis’ Nobu and Olives, Dunkin’ Donuts, Jimmy’s Wines & Spirits, Le Petit Gourmet, Pirate Republic Brewery, Cassava Grille, Louis & Steen’s New Orleans Coffeehouse, Graycliff Chocolatier, Aquapure, Old Fort Bay Club, Young’s Fine Wine, Luciano’s of Chicago, Bristol Wines & Spirits, Drifter’s at the Fish Fry, Sands Beer, Sapodilla Fine Dining, 700 Wines & Spirits, Athena’s Cafe & Bar, Caribbean Bottling Company, Black Angus, Summer Palace, John Watling’s Distillery, Pop Stop, The Island House’s Mahogany House and Shima, and 1648 Bar & Grille, French Leave Resort, Eleuthera.

Paradise Plates 2017 is presented

by ALIV, Island Luck Foundation and JetBlue. Other sponsors include Automall, Gunvor, JS Johnson Co, Scotiabank, Caribbean Bottling Company, Damianos Sotheby’s International, The D’Albenas Agency, Julius Baer, New Providence Development Co, NUA Insurance Agents & Brokers and Summit Insurance; and inkind sponsors, Atlantis Resort, Zamar Productions, Island Destination Services, Smith-Benjamin Art & Design, Sign Island and Bahamas Local.

Paradise Plates tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.handsforhunger.org or at the Hands for Hunger’s office located at the New Providence Community Centre, Blake Road and Bahamas Vision Centre in the Harbour Bay Shopping Plaza. Tickets are $175. All proceeds benefit Hands for Hunger.

Good food, entertainment and live music await at Paradise Plates 2017.

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Friday, September 8, 2017

Inside Weekend

My perfect Bahamian weekend Jah Hem Reggae artist Q: Beach or sofa?

NY Fashion Week 4 - 5 The Tribune’s own Shawn Hanna among many Bahamians who are in New York this week to attend the prestigious New York Fashion Week.

Food 7 Jumbey Café serves up down-home cooking

Theatre 8 - 11 James Catalyn and Friends present “Summer Madness 2017”, plus Kerel Pinder brings political satire “Keeping up with the Boujees” to the stage

Music 12 DJ Muzikal gets groovy with new album

Entertainment 13 - 15 New party company offers ‘Horse Play’ for kids, plus Emanji Circus plays tribute to Bahamian music

Fashion Report 16 The hits and misses of the Venice Film Festival

Film 17 The remake of Stephen King’s “It” reviewed

Design your lifestyle 18 Victoria Sarne on how to write to be understood

Gardening 19 Jack Hardy talks brassicas

Travel 20 - 24 Experience a staycation at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, plus Sir Christopher Ondaatje takes readers on a tour of the souks of Marrakech

Forgotten Facts 25 How Nassau got its name

“This is simple. I love nature. The beach.”

Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday lunch?

“I prefer a Saturday breakfast because I love that fresh stew grouper on Saturday morning.

Sunday is more just family time for me.”

Q: Rum, wine, cocktail or Kalik?

“I do not really drink beers nor hard liquor, but I love red wine. I can have a glass of wine and listen to some good music while doing so.”

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

“I love my kids and my wife. They are my world.”

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

“Exuma. I simply love my country and I want to see a lot more of it.”

Things 2 Do this weekend WITH the entire country expected to be hunkering down in preparation for the imminent arrival of Hurricane Irma, most of the weekend’s events have been cancelled or postponed.

But to avoid the cabin fever that can often accompany being trapped in a house during a storm, here are a few ideas you can use to help pass the time.

1. Make sure you have activities for the kids and yourself

In addition to your groceries, lanterns and batteries, be sure to pick up a few inexpensive toys, books and art supplies or puzzles for the family that you can pull out at different intervals when boredom hits and the kids start getting restless. Remember that storms are scary for kids and distractions are the best way to help them get through it.

Hurricane preparations for pets, plus Pet of the Week

2. Family bonding/ discussions

Puzzles 27 Animals 27

While toys and games may be a great distraction in the daytime, you

may need a similar tool to help while away the nighttime hours. Consider activities which don’t require light or power to enjoy, such as telling ghost stories around the campfire (well, you know, around the hurricane lamp). Perhaps the kids can take turns asking their parents questions about their childhood, for example what games did they way back when, which movies did they enjoy, or even just talk about funny incidents in your family history. Another idea is the A to Z game. Pick a category such as animals, countries or foods and see if you can name one for every letter of the alphabet.

3. Movie/TV binge-watching Once you have charged up all your electronic devices, catch up on some of those shows or movies you have been waiting to see. Download them ahead of the storm and you should be good to go for at least a few hours.

4. Clean or tackle small projects If you are the type of person who has to stay busy to stay sane, consider being productive during the storm.

While a lot of projects aren’t feasible – now is not the time to try rewire anything, for example – there are a lot of items you can cross of your to-do list. Consider cleaning out the junk drawer or sorting through that stack of bills/paperwork you’ve been meaning to get to. It doesn’t have to be something that is labour intensive, but getting something accomplished can help take your mind off of what is happening outside.

5. Rest up

The days leading up to a storm can be very stressful with all the preparations and dashing around. Once the hurricane arrives and you are playing the waiting game, the best way to pass the time (after you finish off all the snacks) is to just get comfy and sleep. When you wake up it will be that much closer to being over.

Be safe everyone!

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, September 8, 2017

fashion week The Tribune’s own Staff Photographer Shawn Hanna is among the many Bahamians who are in New York this week to attend the prestigious New York Fashion Week. This article takes a look at some of the week’s highlights thus far.

Tom Ford launches Fashion Week with sequins, celebs galore

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK (AP) — The first day of Fashion Week brought glitz, glamour and a slew of celebrities at Tom Ford’s ‘90s-themed show, and a prestigious award for designer Thom Browne. Some of the highlights:

Sequins, Celebs, Bright Colors And A ‘90S Vibe At Tom Ford No one ever said Tom Ford didn’t know how to make an entrance, or in this case, how to launch Fashion Week with a bang. Ford’s show at the cavernous Park Avenue Armory was a celebrity event of major proportion, drawing everyone from Kim Kardashian West to Julianne Moore to Liev Schreiber to Chaka Khan to Ciara to Cindy Crawford. No wonder the opening song on the soundtrack was David Bowie’s “Fame.”

Guests entering the vast space, which felt like a luxurious living room bathed in rose-hued light, were offered a vodka cocktail or flute of champagne. On the sides of the room, two massive bars were being readied for the after-party.

The lights dimmed, and Ford’s models emerged, first wearing casual clothes like slouchy, satiny trousers, paired with billowing jackets or blazers with exaggerated shoulders.

There were leather trenches in bright orange or brilliant white. Some of the trousers hung low enough to expose the wearer’s hip bones, under their clingy bodysuits. A few mini-dresses

were bathed in bright sequins and short enough that they revealed way more than legs.

Then the mood went from casual to glamorous; suddenly a parade of elegant gowns appeared, sheer and ruched, with bright sequins on the arms, for just enough bling.

“I always like to use a little something that catches the light,” Ford explained afterward in an interview, “because they’re also red carpet dresses.” He also wanted to create a contrast between day and night.

“You know the way women dress today is very different. Day clothes as we knew them don’t exist anymore.

Women wear jeans, a T-shirt, a great jacket ... and as they go out to lunch or dinner, they pop on a pair of high heels.” His gowns, he said, were a different thing entirely — which is why he paused the music, lowered the light and then brought out supermodel Gigi Hadid in an elegant ruched gown in dusty rose, with long sequined sleeves.

Ford said he was going for a ‘90s vibe, “for the kind of energy that my collections had at Gucci (then).

And there are a lot of sort of ‘90s things floating around in fashion right now. There’s another thing in fashion now which is ‘more is more is more is more’ ... but I wanted to have something slicker, sleeker, more streamlined. Really, just to capture the energy of that period.”

Ford is a busy man; aside from being a successful designer and now filmmaker, with the lauded 2016 “Nocturnal Animals,” he’s just launched a new fragrance, which has a title we

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Friday, September 8, 2017

AP PHOTOS/DIANE BONDAREFF

can’t write here — but the second word is “Fabulous.”

“You know, face it, we’re in 2017,” he said, explaining the profane title.

“It’s modern parlance today.” He explained that he came upon the title when he was working on the fragrance and smelled just the right combination — and uttered the future title.

“It’s only available in our stores,” he noted. “We haven’t advertised it, so a child is not going to encounter the bottle and say, ‘Mom and Dad, what’s this word?”

As for his growing film career, Ford noted that there’s a lot of similarity between working in film and fashion.

“Whether you’re designing a brand or a film .... you have to have a vision, you have to have something to say,” he said. “The basic instincts that I’ve had in fashion for a long time also worked in film.”

Actor Liev Schreiber said he’d come to honor Ford as a friend, as well as a designer and a filmmaker.

“This is the first fashion show I’ve ever been to,” he confessed beforehand.

As for Kardashian West, it certainly wasn’t her first fashion show — but it was her first Ford show.

“I’m such a big fan of the brand,” she said in an interview. “I’ve worn him for so long. Such a fan since (his) Gucci days and beyond. So I’m really excited to see what this collection is going to look like.”

—Jocelyn Noveck

Whoopi Goldberg Honors Thom Browne Actress and TV host Whoopi Goldberg feted designer Thom Browne at an awards luncheon kicking off Fashion Week, praising him as an innovator who knows fashion is something that makes you feel good — and celebrates individuality.

Browne “makes things for people who WANT to wear them,” Goldberg said. “When you want to wear something, your head is always up.”

Wearing a bright orange Browne creation that resembled a floral beach robe, paired with a bright red head covering, Goldberg spoke of times in her life when she herself was made fun of for clothes she chose to wear.

“I wore stuff that worked for me,” Goldberg said. “I’m not everybody’s taste, I’m my own taste.” She said Browne was a designer who represented “the idea that you must be an individual and stand for something.”

Goldberg was presenting Browne with the Couture Council Award for Artistry in Fashion, from the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Browne — known for his whimsical and theatrical fashion shows, but also for the craftsmanship and originality of his clothes — won’t be showing in New York this Fashion Week.

He’s moving his womenswear show to Paris, where he already shows his menswear. His move follows that of other top labels like Proenza Schouler, Rodarte and Altuzarra.

Browne is still best known for his menswear, especially his famous

signature look of the “shrunken” suit: Pants that end above the ankle (or shorts), a small suit jacket, and especially no socks.

Goldberg said that when Browne debuted that look years ago, “People around the world said, ‘Oh yeah, you’re speaking to me, Thom.’”

Taking his turn at the microphone, Browne described how when he was starting out, he was the only one in New York dressing like he did, and schoolkids would look and say, “It’s Pee-wee Herman!”

Browne teared up when he thanked his life partner, Andrew Bolton, the creator of blockbuster shows at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where he is curator.

And he committed to continuing to produce fashion that was “timeless, with a clear and individual point of view.”

Among the guests at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center were Brooke Shields and Martha Stewart.

—Jocelyn Noveck

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Friday, September 8, 2017

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Friday, September 8, 2017

food Juicy Jumbey serves up down-home cooking

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umbey Café is inviting Bahamians to enjoy its authentic brand of down-home cooking at its location in the Village Road Shopping Plaza.

According to its owner, the cultural restaurant is not for highfalutin eaters with a preference for frills. An unassuming diner, Jumbey favours reasonably priced, scrumptious food over fancy décor.

The interior remains “a work in progress” although the final décor is expected to embrace components unique to the Bahamas’ environment and culture: mangroves, flamingos, Junkanoo, fly fishing, boating and the like.

The restaurant is the brainchild of computer systems engineer Valentino Munroe, who owns the computer store Onit Systems located 10 doors down.

For those who know his family’s history, it is not a big surprise that he went the culinary route.

“My family owns restaurants and lodging accommodations in Andros.

Growing up I worked in our restaurants. I have always had a passion for the restaurant business, so when this window of opportunity emerged in the form of this space becoming available I jumped on it, recognising that a window of opportunity never stays open for very long,” said Mr Munroe, who opened the establishment in February and never looked back.

“My fiancée Tiffany Rolle is also in the food and beverage business and she has been a great help.”

For this foodie entrepreneur, quality is the key to success. Mr Munroe prides himself on ensuring that the effort that goes into creating each Bahamian dish is beyond reproach. Moreover, he sources produce direct from Andros, utilising local ingredients as much as possible.

The restaurateur is not a fan of flavour enhancers, thus patrons will not find the food additive monosodium glutamate (MSG) in any menu item.

A second and no less important component to the restaurant’s success is the Jumbey team.

“They go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure every serving is perfect and every customer is pleased,” said Mr Munroe of his staff.

At Jumbey Café patrons will only

Baked crab

Owner Valentino Munroe

Grouper fingers find Bahamian salt water fish such as grouper, hog snapper and snapper on the menu.

“Some places tell you it is grouper and it’s not,” said Mr Munroe. “A few years ago, it would be obvious to assume that a Bahamian restaurant would only serve Bahamian fish. Unfortunately that’s not the case today.”

The restaurant features Bahamian

“Customers crave the stew fish and stew conch with potato bread, but they also love our fried fish and our crab and dough made the way your Andros grammy would cook it.” breakfast staples such as chicken and sheep tongue souse.

Popular menu items include almost every dish featuring fish or crab, whether as a side, like crab and rice, or as an appetiser such as baked crab.

“Customers crave the stew fish and stew conch with potato bread, but they

also love our fried fish and our crab and dough made the way your Andros grammy would cook it,” said Mr Munroe.

The new business is drawing a crowd of fans, racking up quite the Facebook following with over 2,700 likes; 2,800 following and a 4.7 out of a five-star rating all in just a few months.

To promote customer loyalty, the restaurant offers free Wi-Fi and has a customer loyalty programme – the 11th meal is free.

Unlike many local restaurants, Jumbey Café is open seven days a week. Its hours are from 11am to 8pm, Monday to Thursday; 8am to 10pm Friday and Saturday, and 9am to 6pm on Sunday.

“Once we remain consistent in our effort, people will support the venture,” said Mr Munroe, whose ultimate long-term goal is to build-up a franchise offering a unique, dining and cultural experience for locals and tourists alike.

“Our patrons have been the best form of advertising, word of mouth,” he said. “They took us up on our offer to taste the Jumbey rhythm and they’ve been by our side ever since.”

08 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, September 8, 2017

theatre

Star playwright brings political satire to the stage

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

I

nfidelity, sibling rivalry, jealousy and politics are just some of the themes that will be explored when the curtains go up for the play “Keeping up with the Boujees”.

The drama, which is the latest from popular Grand Bahama playwright Kerel Pinder, will be staged at the Performing Arts Centre at the University of the Bahamas September 22-24.

“Keeping up with the Boujees” is a political satire interwoven with some

juicy, scandalous family drama. The drama follows the Bowens, who are as bourgeois (’boujee’) as they come.

But everything unravels when the family’s patriarch runs for political office and keeping up appearances becomes difficult.

“I was actually trying to come up with ideas for TV shows when ‘Keeping up with the Boujees’ came into my spirit. Writing for TV and film is my ultimate goal. However, it’s proven to be easier to test the waters with plays because of the benefit of having a live audience,” Kerel told Tribune Weekend.

“The reason I thought ‘Keeping up with the Boujees’ would be a great family sitcom or drama is because

of the constant Bahamian debate of who is more ‘boujee’, or high maintenance; the people from Freeport or Nassau? No matter who wins the debate, I have found that both of our islands are filled with individuals who are trying to keep up appearances or keep up with Joneses. Therefore, I wanted to talk about a family that appeared to have it all, but when you get to know them, you get to see the truth; and the truth is they go through the same ugly struggles as everyone else. They just look cute while doing it.”

Kerel’s first two productions, “Sarah’s Wedding” and the “New Rules of Sex and Dating”, positioned her as the Bahamas’ star romantic comedy

playwright. However, with ‘Keeping up with the Boujees’, she said she wanted to branch out a little into other genres.

“Like most artists, I wanted to push myself to try something slightly out of my comfort zone. I challenged myself to explore the dynamics of a high class family thrown into the middle of a political climate. I am not a politics person at all, so it was interesting to develop this story line. Some audiences in Freeport stated that this was my best work yet. Others expressed that it was equally entertaining as my previous productions, and refreshing to see my work explored through a new lens,” she said.

The drama’s main cast includes

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(PHOTOS/PRESTON KNOWLES)

“I wanted to talk about a family that appeared to have it all, but when you get to know them, you get to see the truth; and the truth is they go through the same ugly struggles as everyone else.

They just look cute while doing it.”

Kenrick Blatach as Clarence Bowen, Shauna Joseph as Caroline Bowen, Olivia Dorsett as Sasha Bowen, Jillian Lightbourne as Kacey Bowen- Banks, Alfred Anderson as David Bowen, Quincy Grodon as Trent Bowen, Rosetta Cartwright as Keke and Trevor Trent Simmons as Raymond Banks.

Other cast members include Reginald Simmons, Tempestt Bullard, Remardo Russell, Donovon Munroe, Ontario Richardson, Audenique Edden, Dawn Rolle, Desire Joseph, Drew Hepburn, Corey Higgs, Georgina Moss, Preston Knowles, Gabrielle McIntosh, Shayla Hepburn and Ozzy Cooper.

“I think casting was something that presented a slight challenge in the beginning. My previous productions were geared towards young adults and therefore my actor database didn’t really expand to those who were a bit older,” Kerel told Tribune Weekend.

“However, after several open auditions it worked out perfectly and I couldn’t have chosen a better cast.”

In addition to the play’s main plot, Kerel believes audiences will also enjoy the characters, as they feel “very real”.

“You will sit there and say, ‘I know someone who has struggled with this’ or ‘I have struggled with this’. The

The cast of “Keeping up with the Boujees” rehearse for the drama and intrigue of Kerel Pinder’s latest play.

authenticity of the story I think will grip the hearts of a lot of Bahamians.

The comic relief of Keke will also keep the audience entertained,” she said.

“There a lot people who want to enjoy live theatre, simply for a good laugh, and her character and antics will definitely give it to you. Although this is a political family drama, fans of my previous work should still definitely come, because they will still get to experience a dash of the romance and comedy that SisBro Productions has brought to you over the years.”

While Kerel loves producing plays, she admits that any creative project of this magnitude is a costly endeavour.

“Another struggle is the cost associated with bringing a cast of this magnitude to the capital, but once again corporate Bahamas has shown us love. Dominos, Carl’s Jr, Compass Point, Suntime Bahamas, Jet Link Adventures, Sky Bahamas, Cable Bahamas, Keen I Media and C&T car rental, without their corporate support it wouldn’t have been possible,” she said.

“Keeping up with the Boujees” is also brought to audiences by Kenton Pinder, the director SisBro Productions; creative director Alfred Anderson and Kerel’s mentor, Gloria McGlone.

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Friday, September 8, 2017

theatre

James Catalyn and Friends present “Summer Madness 2017”

T

hat wonderful, wacky bunch is at it again. James Catalyn and Friends present their “Summer Madness” revue for 2017 at the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, September 14-16 at 8pm nightly, and on September 17 at 6pm. In addition, there will be a special benefit performance to support the Ranfurly Homes for Children on September 13 at 8pm.

The James Catalyn and Friends theatrical group has been a tour de force on the theatrical scene in the Bahamas for the past 38 years. The group is presently the Bahamas’ leading troupe in Bahamian theatre and is the trailblazer in exposing theatrical performances to many of the Family Islands. They have performed on every major or minor stage throughout the country, including several garden performances, performing at private affairs and staging outdoor theatre at many festivals and homecomings.

The group came into existence as a result of James Catalyn, a renowned Bahamian writer, poet, satirist and actor, being invited by Carl Bethel and the late Noel Hamilton, of the local television station ZNS TV13, to tape a one-hour series called “An Evening With...” He immediately jumped at the opportunity and gathered several of his friends around him and thus James Catalyn & Friends came into being.

Because of earlier performances with Mr Catalyn, Mr Hamilton became the first of “Friends”.

That was in December 1979. They went on to produce their own television series, “Laughin’ at Wesef” on ZNS TV13. The phrase was coined by Mr Catalyn as a result of some of his expatriate friends saying that he was making fun of the Bahamian people, as if it was their exclusive right to laugh at Bahamians. In addition, they have done numerous Christmas, Valentine’s and Independence TV specials. Their plays “I Remember Dat”, “The Courtship” and the Musical “Guanahani” have also been televised on ZNS TV13, and recently their stage play “I Stand Alone” has been running Cable 12.

The theatrical troupe has thrilled

audiences at the Dundas with their annual “Summer Madness” revues for the past 34 consecutive years, with this being the 35th anniversary.

This latest “Summer Madness” revue promises to be just as hysterically hilarious and thought-provoking as past revues, according to the group.

Taking a satirical look at “typical, topical and timely topics” as it relates to Bahamian life, this year’s production aims to deliver not only laughs but social commentary that shines a light on various aspects of our lives that are usually overlooked.

“Corns will be mashed and bunions stepped on” as usual with Mr Catalyn’s unique way of looking at circumstanc-

es through his writing. “It is better for us to laugh at wesef than to have others do it to us,” he said. And this year they have a new crop of “corns and bunions” fresh off the cornstalk.

Over the years, many benefit performances given by James Catalyn and Friends have supported organisations such as The Beaux Arts Masked Ball Committee (of the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts), the Kiwanis Clubs, the Rotary Clubs, Abilities Unlimited. Drug Action Services, the Cancer Society of the Bahamas, and the AIDS Foundation, just to name a few.

This year, troupe’s president, actor Chigozie Ijeoma, felt the need to once

again reach out and assist the community, and hence the benefit night for the Ranfurly Homes for Children. Alexandra Maillis-Lynch expressed her delight that the organisation she heads has been chosen to be the recipient.

Mr Catalyn continues to shape performing arts in the Bahamas, encouraging a new generation of Bahamians to follow in his footsteps. He has taken many young persons interested in directing under his wing, and this year’s revue will see the introduction of Kimberly Duncombe and Sony JeanJacquess as director and assistant director, respectively.

As the group seeks to maintain the legacy of its mentor, over the years other aspiring writers have been encouraged and their works performed as a part of one of the “Summer Madness” revues. In this year’s production, the writings of Valicia Rolle along with rap artist Neil Cleare, Valerie Lynes, Allaya Hagigal and Chigozie Ijeoma have been included.

The cast spans generations and includes veteran members with more than 20 years performing with the group as well as newcomers. Cast members include Antoinette Knowles, Neil Cleare, Chigozie Ijeoma, Valerie Lyes, Eric Adderley, Sony Jean-Jacques, Dion Farquharson, LeChante Wright, Hope Radliffe, Valicia Rolle and new-comers Rasanne Sweeting, Allaya Hagigal, Beaumont Todd and Apryl Moss.

Tickets for the revue are $25 for the regular performances and $50 for the benefit performance (which includes an after theatre reception). They are available at the box office at the Dundas, Mackey Street, or by calling 3947179 or 393-3728 from 10am to 4pm daily, and until curtain time on days of performance. Children and babies are not allowed admission.

James Catalyn and Friends acknowledges with thanks, their sponsors, The Island Game and Think Simple.

“Summer Madness 2017” will be staged in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, at the St John the Baptist Anglican Church Hall on Saturday, September, 23 at 7.30pm.

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Friday, September 8, 2017

music

DJ Muzikal gets groovy with new album

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

W

ITH a passion for his homeland, local artist DJ Muzikal aims to create music that embodies the culture of the Bahama islands. The artist believes he was able to achieve that with his second album, entitled “Saw and Screw Driver”, which was released this week.

The album is comprised of strictly rake n’ scrape and Junkanoo sounds. “It has the core instrumentation of Bahamian culture embedded into every single track,” he said.

“The goat skin drum, the rake n’ scrape saw, the strum of the guitar, the bump on the keyboards and the groovy baseline. That’s something that I really like the most with my productions. It’s that groovy baseline that usually grabs the fans ears.”

All of the tracks on the album were written and produced by Muzikal, with the exception of a junka soca song called “My Carnival”. The song was entered into the Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival 2017 Music Masters Competition and made it to the finals.

“Even that song has the fusion of Junkanoo and soca. It was a fusion composed by myself and my Trinidadian producer friend Samuel Beaton at Jamcore Productions,” he said.

Meanwhile, the song “Saw and Screw Driver” was inspired by the Bahamian people, the tourists who visit here and the love he has for Bahamian culture. The album features 11 songs, all of which have been playing on the radio since last year.

One of the songs that got a lot of attention, Muzikal said, is the “Exuma Swimming Pigs Song”.

“This song was inspired by a young sick girl that was suffering

“I want each tourist that visits this country to take away something more than just memories. I want them to take away with them the culture. Music plays a big role in that culture.”

Taylor Swift single keeps ‘Despacito’ from breaking Mariah Carey record

DJ Muzikal is driven by his love of Bahamian culture from cancer. Her only dream was to come to the Bahamas to see the Exuma swimming pigs. The Make a Wish Foundation made it possible for the child to travel to the swimming pigs. From that day to present, it is reported that this child is doing much better now. This song was entered into the Bahamian Ting Song Competition 2017, which was hosted by the Ministry of Tourism. The song was chosen as one of the semifinal songs,” he said.

Although Muzikal feels as though government support for Bahamian culture is not what it should be, he is determined to continue pushing forward and promoting it through his music.

“The overall goal of this proj-

ect is to get the Bahamian music promoted throughout the Caribbean, Canada and the Americas.

Tourists travel to this country by the millions every year. Most of them leave with just memories from taking pictures, taking a piece of artwork, and some leave with nothing. Well, I want each tourist that visits this country to take away something more than just memories. I want them to take away with them the culture. Music plays a big role in that culture,” he said.

“My personal goal is to have continuous authentic music for the Bahamian people and visitors to enjoy.”

The “Saw and Screw Driver” album was mastered by Troy Gray.

LOOK what Taylor Swift has done.

Her new single pushed the ubiquitous hit “Despacito” off the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart after 16 weeks and just shy of breaking Mariah Carey’s record.

Billboard announced Tuesday that Swift’s “Look What You Made Me Do,” became her fifth Hot 100 chart topper. “Despacito,”

by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, had tied Carey’s duet with Boyz II Men, “One Sweet Day,” as the longest running No 1 songs in the 59-year history of the charts.

Swift however set her own record with the new song from her upcoming album “reputation.” ‘‘Look” broke a weekly streaming record for a song by a woman with 84.4 million US streams, according to Nielsen Music.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee Associated Press

The Tribune | Weekend | 13

Friday, September 8, 2017

entertainment

Emanji Circus pays tribute to Bahamian music

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

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HIS Friday, the Emanji Circus Arts Group will present their highly anticipated “Echoes” show, a tribute to Bahamian music and enter-

tainment.

The event will take place at SuperClubs Breezes, beginning at 9pm. To attend, persons are invited to purchase an evening pass at a cost of $90, which allows full access to the hotel property during the hours of 6pm to 2am.

Emanji is not an American-style circus with animals and clowns, but rather an artistic troupe whose performances are based on awe-inspiring acts of human ability, dexterity and bravery.

What is now a big organisation started in 2002 as a one-man act at the San-

“It is a great feeling to have come this far to actually be hosting yet another Emanji related event, as it shows that each year we are growing, improving and further developing ourselves.”

dals Royal Bahamian Resort starring Jarvis Grant. Mr Grant is experienced circus performer who has always had a passion for the art forms that are associated with the circus experience.

With an extensive background in performing and training, Mr Grant has been a member of prestigious performing troupes such as UniverSoul Circus and Cirque De Soleil. He was also a member of the travelling cast of the Broadway hit “Bring In Da Noise, Bring In Da Funk”.

“The show ‘Echoes’ was originally performed in 2012 as our celebration of

the Bahamas’ 40th Independence,” he told Tribune Weekend.

“We wanted to pay tribute to our country, but in our way – circus style.

This is our eighth year as an organisation and we have grown tremendously in our skill level. We are presently auditioning for new members so that we can continue to expand our numbers and pass on circus to young members of our Bahamian society.”

The ‘Echoes’ production will feature a variety of aerial and ground performances. Aerial acts include the aerial lyra, aerial straps, single and

double trapeze, and the aerial cube.

The ground acts include the Cyr wheel, juggling, table balancing, clown performances and fire manipulation.

“The production will utilise circus acts performed to traditional, popular and contemporary Bahamian music.

We have 11 persons performing ranging in age from 17 years old to 45 years old. It is a great feeling to have come this far to actually be hosting yet another Emanji related event, as it shows that each year we are growing, improving and further developing ourselves,” said Mr Grant.

He is looking forward to putting on a stellar show that may bring about more major hotel opportunities for the remainder of the year.

“This show is important to us because it helps to provide another opportunity to showcase a range of young Bahamian talent to an international audience,” said Mr Grant.

16| The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, September 8, 2017

fashion The Weekend Fashion Report Venice Film Festival

With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

SPLIT

FAIL

SPLIT

SPLIT

HIT

Jane Fonda ”Grace and Frankie”

Chloe Sevigny ”Bloodline”

Karin says: “I mean, she’s radiant, but the dress looks like the designer just took some sheer material and sewed on as many appliqués as possible. And I’m not a fan of the nude colour here. Maybe if it had been a dark blue it would have been more striking. Still, I don’t hate it.”

Cara says: “This dress has quite a lot going on, but I think it’s lovely and elegant. It is a very ‘I am an older starlet’ type of dress. I think it has a lot of personality and I am liking it on her. I am not feeling the choice of handbag, however.”

Karin says: “It certainly looks breezy. Chloe is very eccentric when it comes to her style, so this is actually quite conventional for her. But I hate the ruffles at the neckline and think shorter sleeves would have worked better here. The clunky shoes, of course, are tragique.”

Cara says: “The first thing that caught my eye were the horrid shoes. I think they are sooo ugly. The dress itself is not much write home about either.

It’s so much of the pattern that it’s annoying, and the style of dress is more bath robe than evening gown.”

Annette Bening ”American Crime Story”

Amanda Seyfried Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”

Kristen Wiig ”The Last Man on Earth”

Karin says: “Normally I would say this is an unholy patchwork mess, but for some reason I like it. I like the broader straps and the beading on the bodice, and the sheer panels are also unusually placed to make it interesting. And I like the asymmetrical length of the dress as well.”

Cara says: “This is a case of I like elements of the outfit, but not together. I think the floral top is lovely, but it really does not go with the skirt, which I don’t care for at all.”

Karin says: “This is very classic and very pretty. It’s not the most original dress, but she looks stunning in it. The detailing is lovely, and I love the gathered and pinned-to-theside train. And despite being very light, the colour does not wash her out.”

Cara says: “I really like the detail and style of this dress.

I think it’s lovely. I wish we could see a photo of the back because it looks interesting.

And I wish her hair was just a tad softer, but other than that she looks fabulous.”

Karin says: “It’s a very safe choice. The ‘I’m of a certain age now and will go with something simple and classic’ approach. It’s a tad boring, but the sleeves are cute. However, in an effort to be age-appropriate she’s found a dress that almost ages her more.”

Cara says: “The colour of this dress and the details at the sleeves are lovely, but I am not feeling the ruching. Ruching is supposed to give you the illusion of eliminating belly fat and make you look slimmer, but since Annette is so slim, her ruching just looks too bunchy and takes away from the dress.”

The Tribune | Weekend | 17

Friday, September 8, 2017

film BROOKE PALMER/WARNER BROS. PICTURES VIA AP

A few good scares can’t hold ‘It’ together IT RUNNING TIME: 135 MINS

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ere’s the good news: Pennywise is as creepy as ever in the new “It”.

Thanks to a bigger budget and some improved special effects some 27 years later he really gets the chance to spook the kids of Derry, Maine.

Bill Skarsgard (son of Stellan, brother of Alexander Skarsgard) has infused Stephen King’s killer clown with a pathological menace that’s more reminiscent of Heath Ledger’s Joker than Tim Curry’s goofily sadistic take on the character in the 1990s miniseries adaptation. It helps that he’s gotten an upgraded makeup job and a more antiquated (and scarier) costume of 17th century ruffs and muted whites.

His teeth are bigger, his hair is less cartoonish, his eyes are more yellow and his mobility has become terrifyingly kinetic.

Indeed, the new “It” goes all-out with the horror in Part One of the story, which is focused on the plight of a group of children in the 1980s who are haunted and hunted by a clown only they can see. Things that the miniseries only alluded to are depicted with merciless glee. Did you want to see a gang of bullies cutting a kid’s stomach? “It” has that. Or witness a father looking lustily at his pre-teen daughter? “It” has that too.

The bad news is that “It” still doesn’t add up to much.

Directed by Andy Muschietti, “It” is a deeply hateful film with the pretenses of being an edgy throwback genre mashup, a la “Stranger Things.” One of the “Stranger Things” kids even has a part in “It”: Finn Wolfhard plays the jokester Richie. The other kids just look like they might have been part of the Netflix series — Jaeden Lieberher as Bill, Sophia Lillis as Beverly, Chosen Jacobs as Mike, Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie, Wyatt Oleff as Stanley and Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben.

Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise

Jaeden Lieberher in a scene from “It.” But unlike, say, “Stranger Things,” or horror films that lull you in with familiar circumstances before introducing the insane, there is nothing remotely relatable or realistic about this setting. This makes it especially hard to connect or engage with the tormented kids. Both the parents and bullies are like fun-home distortions

of recognisably cruel humans.

With three credited screenwriters, the story is an unforgivable mess. Instead of building tension and suspense, “It” just jumps from scene to scares with no connection or coherence to thread them together other than the mere fact that they’ve been placed on top of one-another, like toys mixed up from different sets.

And yet “It” does have a few tricks up its Victorian ruff. The largely unknown kids of the losers club are good, with standout performances from Lieberher (”Midnight Special”), Taylor and Lillis with her perfectly ‘80s Kerri Green-vibe.

And there are a few guaranteed jumpout-of-your-seat moments, including the flawlessly rendered opening with Georgie, the toy boat and the sewer that has continued to haunt generations of kids who either read King’s book or caught the now cheesy looking miniseries on TV too young.

Like so many movies now, “It” is an intentionally incomplete tale — a story-setting teaser for what’s to come in Part Two. Maybe by the time that comes out the kids who snuck in to this “It” will be old enough to harbour their own wistfulness for the first they saw Pennywise.

LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer

Amazon launches African-American videoon-demand service NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is launching Brown Sugar, a subscription video-on-demand service that features what it calls the biggest collection of the baddest African-American movies of all time.

Brown Sugar offers films such as “Shaft,” ‘‘Cotton Comes to Harlem,” ‘‘In the Heat of the Night,” ‘‘Cleopatra Jones,” ‘‘Crash,” ‘‘Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip,” ‘‘Car Wash” and more. The films are all commercial-free and unedited.

The service also includes complete seasons of Bounce TV network original series including “Saints & Sinners” and “Mann & Wife,” as well as “Premier Boxing Champions on Bounce.”

Brown Sugar is operated by Bounce, the African-American network.

Amazon Prime members can purchase a Brown Sugar subscription directly for a free seven-day trial. After that, it costs $3.99 per month.

18 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, September 8, 2017

design your lifestyle Victoria Sarne continues her examination of life-changing moments and daily challenges.

Tips for writing to be understood

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oherent. Logical. Sequential. These three rules can be applied to any genre or medium. If you keep them in mind you will be off to a good start whether you are writing a business letter, a proposal, a newspaper article or a novel. The aim of any writing is to be clear and concise; convey your message, and let the readers hear your voice.

There is a grammatical structure to the English language, but you don’t have to be deterred if you either don’t like studying language or don’t understand the mechanics of it. You already know how to speak it, so it may only be a question of formalising that.

Naturally, writing a creative piece differs from a business letter or a media piece, but the same basic principles apply. Structure of a sentence as well as the overall concept is important so that there is no confusion regarding the meaning of your intended message.

Whichever format you are constructing, it has to make sense to the reader.

This may seem obvious, but make

sure you know the real meaning of the around from one thing to the next in words you use and use them correctly. a haphazard fashion. When I am writIf you are not sure, look them up; save ing I find it helpful to read it out loud yourself from embarrassment. Try and to myself to see how it sounds. Someavoid words which are overused times it can look and silently everyday in conversation sound good on the page, but such as “nice” or “good”. if you read it aloud then Look for more effecquite often you can imtive alternatives. By mediately hear that all means, choose perhaps it doesn’t words which will flow well or may make your copy need some fleshing more interesting out with a few more but don’t use arwords or sentences, cane or recondite and at other times words just for the you may want to desake of using a “big” lete something. word or because you Editing your work is think it makes you sound important, so aside from Victoria Sarne more educated or plausible. understanding the meaning It could hurt your work by soundof a word, check for typing errors, ing false or pretentious, or give the im- spelling and punctuation. If you have pression that you are over-compensat- trouble with spelling you can look up ing for a lack of knowledge or clarity. any word on the internet to find its Make sure that your sentences and meaning; nothing could be easier. I paragraphs flow together, following a always leave a piece for a while after thought, idea or expression to its log- I have finished it before I go back to ical conclusion. And avoid jumping re-read and edit where necessary. It’s

good to put fresh eyes on it. If you are really struggling, get someone else to review it for you.

Lastly, and this may seem strange at first, if you want to write well you have to read a lot, whether it’s a physical book you can hold in your hands or a Kindle e-book. Read all kinds of material and you will become more knowledgeable without even realising it as you absorb words, sentences and stories. The endgame for any piece of writing is that it be easily absorbed and not something which confuses the reader.

If you are interested in affordable online proofing, editing or instruction, please e-mail me at vixanwriter@mac. com with the heading ‘Life Lines’.

Meanwhile, keep reading and writing.

• Victoria Sarne, formerly a wedding and event planner in Nassau, is happy to stay in touch with readers from the Bahamas and welcomes comments and questions. E-mail her at vixanwriter@ mac.com, call 242-467-1178 or visit www.lifelineswritingservice.com.

The Tribune | Weekend | 19

Friday, September 8, 2017

gardening Cauliflower growing in a pot.

Brassicas Jack Hardy explores cruciferous vegetables, including cabbages, broccoli, kohlrabi and cauliflower.

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abbage and its relatives are collectively called brassicas. We cannot use the word family because that has a specific meaning in the taxonomy of plants. Some gardeners call the cabbage clan crucifers because of the pattern of their seed leaves, but brassicas seems to me the best way to go.

The two fundamentals of raising brassicas successfully are water and fertilizer. Brassicas are heavy feeders and like their drink. The growth of brassicas should be uninterrupted and continuous and they should never experience stress from poor nutrition or water deficiency.

Start your seeds in trays and use Miracle-Gro or other water-soluble fertilizer to mist them every few days. Once the stalks are as thick as a pencil the seedlings should be transplanted to a garden that has been well dug over and fortified with compost or dried manure. As with all transplants, choose a time close to evening when the heat has gone out of the sun and you expect a few cloudy days to

follow.

Cabbages can be sown in rows or blocks but I prefer blocks in a small garden. Figure out the size of a mature cabbage – the diameter of its head – and add two inches. This gives you the correct spacing for intensive culture. When you are sure the transplant has taken and you can detect definite growth, add a generous amount of 6-6-6 granular fertilizer to the surrounding soil and work in with your fingers or a trowel. Water daily for the first week or so.

But do not be too enthusiastic with your first cabbages of the season.

How many cabbages do you need at any given time? The average family might need one, maybe two, cabbages a week. By sowing half a package of seeds you may have 40 cabbages at one time. Make a plan based on your family needs and sow a monthly amount – maybe 10 or 12 – every four weeks. This way you avoid a glut yet have mature cabbages with tight heads to choose from.

Even with a rationed number of cabbages you may find a few that are ready to cut but not needed at the time. Trim the roots of these with a long sharp knife pushed into the ground and circled around each cabbage. By cutting some of the roots away you decrease the absorption of water that could cause your cabbages to split. A split cabbage is still serviceable, of course, but the chef of the family would appreciate whole cabbages to work with.

Broccoli is grown in the same manner but its harvesting is critical.

Once a flower head has formed it is best to cut it at a slightly juvenile stage before any trace of yellow can be detected. Do not be in a hurry to pull the plants once you have cut the heads. Most broccoli plants produce tasty conveniently sized flowerets at their branch apices and many people prefer these to the head. The flowerets must be picked off every two days and refrigerated in a plastic bag until you have enough for your purpose.

I would guess that kale is now about third in the brassica popularity polls.

There are many varieties to choose from and I would recommend dark green Italian kale for top nutritional value. Kale turns leathery upon maturity so it is a good idea to harvest early and enjoy tender leaves. The temperatures will be cooler when your kale matures and you may wish to add kale to home-made minestrone soup for a real boost in vitamins

and minerals.

Kohlrabi is a strange looking vegetable, a cross between cabbage and turnip that has a very light cabbage flavour. It can be treated as a turnip or enjoyed raw as a crudité stick.

Diced or julienned it can be added to soups and stews towards the end of the cooking. Even when cooked, kohlrabi retains its crunchiness.

Many cooks love the taste and versatility of kohlrabi. If you have never tried it, give it a chance.

Cauliflower is my favourite brassica. The white curds that form the head are delicious when cooked with circumspection, not boiled or overdone. I love cauliflower topped with a cheese sauce for pure decadence. I do not like it raw.

Broccoli can take some heat, but cauliflowers are genuine cool weather lovers. There are tropical varieties available that could be sown now, but if you cannot find tropical seeds you may wish to wait until October before sowing your cauliflower. Once a head begins to form you will need to tie the long leaves with twine to totally enclose the head and keep sunlight away. Every two days the leaves must be untied and parted to inspect the head for grubs that love to take up residence in the central chamber and feast on your developing curds.

As for broccoli, cut your cauliflower head when slightly juvenile.

We tend to grow collards in the summer when we can grow little else. From a plant’s perspective our autumn and winter months are also warm and collard greens can be produced to perfection. Give them a try this year in the cooler months and pick the leaves very early when they are at their tenderest.

Brussels sprouts are the veggie choice in my family for formal meals such as Christmas dinner. Do not be tempted to take up valuable garden space with them. Brussels sprouts need far cooler conditions than we experience in the Bahamas and any sprouts produced will be grossly inferior to those you can buy relatively fresh in the food store. Never even dream about buying frozen sprouts; no matter what the brand the product is disastrous.

Sow a few brassicas every month up until Easter and you will enrich your garden experience – and your diet.

• For questions and comments e-mail j.hardy@coralwave.com

20 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, September 8, 2017

travel

Grand Hyatt rolls out the red carpet for local tourists

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

L

et’s be honest, we all love our shopping trips to Florida, but they can be stressful and sometimes the body is just crying out for relaxa-

tion.

Instead of spending a chunk of money on a hectic trip abroad, why not try a staycation at Nassau’s newest resort property, the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. With a lot going on at the luxury resort, it can be difficult to know where to start, so here are some tips for must-see attractions.

After a smooth check-in at the front desk, guests are directed to either the eastern or western side of the hotel, but not before passing one of the biggest casinos in the Caribbean. The guest rooms feature stunning views of the ocean, hotel pools and show fountains.

Each room is designed with simple, elegant décor.

Vanessa Christie, public relations manager at Baha Mar, told Tribune Weekend that the rooms boast either a king-sized bed or two queens, providing options for couples and families.

“A stay at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar is about personalised luxury experiences. Whether you are seeking a relaxing weekend by the pool and beach, enjoying a day at ESPA Spa, working on your golf and tennis game, or you simply want to feast your way through the numerous culinary offerings, there is something for everyone. This is all complemented by anticipatory service and friendly hospitality, allowing our guests to just enjoy,” said Ms Christie.

She believes Baha Mar allows its Bahamian guests to experience their country in an extraordinary way.

“You may go to the beach often, but our beach experience and amenities will have you looking through a much different lens,” said Ms Christie.

For your first night at the Grand Hyatt, why not try the Blue Note Lounge; it is perfect for Friday evening. The elevated piano bar offers hand-crafted cocktails, fine wines and

Jump into the Dean’s Blue Hole pool

The Blue Note Jazz Lounge offers a relaxing ambiance and live jazz music. food. Guests of the hotel are serenaded by Bahamian jazz singer and pianist Pam Woods.

Vitalii Striuk, manager of the Blue Note Lounge, describes the atmosphere as very chill and sometimes people dance. Pleased that the lounge is picking up and catching on with reg-

ular guests, Mr Striuk said Bahamians enjoy the bar and accommodating environment.

At the moment, some of the most popular drinks at the lounge are the Cloud 9 and the Abaco Sparkle. The team is set to soon introduce a special martini line which will feature choco-

late and guava martinis.

“I really enjoy managing the bars and I want to bring to the bar the fine dining touch. We just released a new wine list for the bar as well,” said Mr Striuk.

After having a cocktail at Blue Note, you don’t have to go very far for a unique dining experience at 3 Tides.

The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the menu features everything from salads to steaks, seafood, and popular local drinks like the Skyjuice.

With 17 years in the business, Nicholas Trznadel is the manager of 3 Tides.

He enjoys creating a personal connection with each guest who walks through the door and is looking forward to welcoming more locals.

“I make sure I visit every table and have at least a little bit of interaction.

You have to treat your guests like you’re having them as a guests in your own home. If you want to come as a couple as a date that is certainly an option, and then we also have families that will come and make it a family affair. We will accommodate everything.

I personally facilitated a few proposals

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Friday, September 8, 2017

Enjoy a game with professional instructors at the Royal Blue Golf Club

here at 3 Tides since I began,” he said.

Mr Trznadel said he is a big fan of the staycation concept, especially after having lived three years in Las Vegas where the idea is very popular.

“There are only a handful of places in the world where you have the opportunity to really have a proper staycation, and Nassau Bahamas, and here at Baha Mar, is really at the top of that list. I think what sets Baha Mar apart is that personal touch that the guests will enjoy,” he said.

If you are interested in a more ‘exotic’ dining experience, there is the new Katsuya Japanese cuisine restaurant located on the casino floor. Guests can enjoy specialty and traditional sushi rolls, sashimi platters and robata grills.

For your second day at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, start the morning off at Café Madeleine, a French patisserie that has already become a hit with both visitors and locals.

Open from 6.30am to 6pm, the menu offers a daily selection of fresh pastries, Greek yoghurts, quiches, sandwiches, and more. Beverages include picks like

the mojo coffee, iced coffee, espresso drinks, mimosas, the house hot chocolate, and French sodas in flavours such as the blood orange and the pomegranate.

Following breakfast, you can leave the property and head over the Royal Blue Golf Club to enjoy a game with professionals like Andy Deiro or Georgette Rolle.

Delighted to take guests on a golf adventure that includes supplying you with golf clubs and making you comfortable, the professionals introduce you to the game in just a short time. At the warm-up lounge you can find Georgette and she will go over the basics with you – the proper grip of holding a golf club, the set-up, stance and posture. The instructor will then teach you a number of swinging motions.

“I like the opportunity to teach someone who doesn’t know too much about golf, simply because it is almost like a blank slate and I get to mould it the way I feel is the best way to learn the golf swing. The game of golf is growing and more persons are interested in learning

“We have to realise that we, too, are tourists in our own country...It is about exploring our own and not always running abroad.” it properly,” said Georgette. to the Sanctuary, where guests are inRelax at the Reflections pool area

The lobby of the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar

After a few hours on the green, return to the Grand Hyatt to relax around the scenic pools. There are restaurants to help you unwind, including The Palms, Drift, El Jefe located at the foot of the pier, and the Churchill Cigar Lounge and Bar. Desmond Alleyne, supervisor at Churchill, said his goal is to always ensure that guests are blown away by their experience. This particular Churchill experience included pairing up the best rums, cognacs, brandies and whiskeys with premium cigars.

“We have to realise that we, too, are tourists in our own country. I feel like we as Bahamians, we need to treat ourselves to some of the finer things in life.

It is about exploring our own and not always running abroad. We have repeat patrons, and I am realising we are quickly becoming a Bahamian spot,” said Mr Alleyne.

After your stop at the cigar lounge, finish off your visit with a walk on down

vited to feed nurse sharks, turtles and stingrays. For Erika Knott, operations manager of the Sanctuary, the plan going forward is to have guests of Baha Mar come in, snorkel and get to view tropical reef fish indigenous Bahamas.

“I believe everyone wants to see what we have out there in the ocean up close, and to know that these animals are docile; they are very sweet and they are not aggressive as people would think. We want to educate them as much as we can about conservation as well. Right now we have eight nurse sharks, stingrays and turtles as well. We are looking into reservation systems because we are going to have so many guests in the near future, so in order to make every one happy we are going to have that in place,” said Ms Knott.

At the end of your stay at the Grand Hyatt you will feel like you have enjoyed both a relaxing and exciting visit to another place, but without having ever left the island.

22 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, September 8, 2017

travel

The souks of Marrakech Christopher Ondaatje takes readers on a step-bystep journey through glittering markets which abound with traditional North African jewellery, spices, antique pottery, silks and more.

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here are many ways to experience Morocco – the gateway to Africa – from Tangier in the very North to the religious East city of Fes, the port of Casablanca, and Marrakech – the entrance to the Sahara.

I have stopped at the grand and luxurious Mamounia Hotel in Marrakech, and indeed the Gazelle d’Or in the beautiful oasis of Taroudant, but my recent experience at the luxurious and privately owned Villa Alexandra (www.villa-alexandra-marrakech. com) south of the Marrakesh airport has proved to be the most exotic and rewarding. Over a five-day period, accompanied by the generous and exotic Alexandra du Pree, the owner of Villa

The Villa Alexandra

Alexandra, we literally dipped into the souks of Marrakech, toured the palaces, mosques and historical sights, and rode around outside the city walls.

I have coursed the souks of Aleppo and Damascus, survived the bazaars of Istanbul, experienced the markets of Jaipur and Delhi, and haggled in the Pettah in Colombo, but nothing is nearly as satisfying as sifting through the magic of the souks of Marrakech.

It all starts with the Jemaa el Fna – the main square and market place in Marrakech’s Medina, or Old City, set between the Koutoubia Mosque and the Royal Palace. It edges the souk, the traditional North African market. On one side are cafés and terraces, and on another hotels and gardens. The Jemaa el Fna itself is host to stalls, Berber story-tellers, clowns, acrobats, colourful costumed water-sellers, snake charmers, dancing boys, and local bands.

I have seen decapitated goats’ heads for sale and young men chained to Barbary apes. Narrow alleys lead off

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Friday, September 8, 2017

the square into the Old City, and other mysterious entrances lead into the souks. But there is a secret to discovering the intricacies of the souks. It is all a matter of knowing where you are going and what you are doing. Otherwise, you will find yourself overawed and entranced and wander around in circles.

Work to a plan and you will discover much more than you bargained for. And here it is best to divide your planned attack on the souks into five different forays – all laid out in a brilliant little guide book, “Shopping in Marrakech” by Susan Simon, and published by The Little Bookroom in New York. There are guides, maps, photographs and descriptions and it will save you a lifetime of error. Once you understand how to use the little guide you will be able to zoom in on your particular area of fantasy. Make sure you get an official guide. He will not be very expensive and will take you to exactly where you want to go and shield you from unwanted hustlers. Do not try to do this alone and all at once. You may be waylaid. All five forays (within the Medina) can be done, as I did, on two planned excursions.

DAY ONE

Foray No 1: Rue Mouassine, Rue Dar El Bacha, Rue Bab Doukkala Men’s and women’s clothing, booksellers, and a host of shops dealing in inlaid furniture and silver Berber jewellery, semi-precious stones, brightly coloured cotton and silk fabrics, antique pottery, rugs, and the occasional art gallery. Do this foray first. The colours will dazzle you and you will find it hard to move on.

Foray No 2: Bab Laksour, Rue El Yaman Do this foray next. It is close. Ceramics, metal and glass works. The odd pharmacy with exotic oils to cure everything – and I mean everything.

Clothing – lots of clothing, leather ware, caftan jewellery and babouches, antiques, tea pots, lanterns, Taureg necklaces and straw good. Beware of pickpockets. Don’t get lost. Concentrate.

Foray No 3: Place Bab Ftouh, Rue Semmarine Quite close to Foray No 1 and 2, through Place Bab Ftouh and Rue Semmarine will take you to the dyer’s market (Souk des Teinturieras). Then Souk Quassabines for spices and dried fruit, olives and various potions for sleeplessness, impotence and skin diseases. Very colourfully displayed. At the Souk Semmarine you will find tex-

Wares displayed in the metal souk

Women weaving a carpet in one of the souks

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Friday, September 8, 2017

tiles and clothing; and the Souk Larsal sells incredible food specialities including snails and grasshoppers, as well as clay pots, rugs, skins and pottery. Curiously (I managed to get in) Souk Larzah also hosts an area where second hand women’s underwear was traded!

DAY TWO

Foray No 4: Rue Riad Zitoun El Jdid to the Mellah Keep this visit for your second day at the souks. It is the old Jewish quarter and sells embroidered clothes, shops all over the place, tea glasses of every colour, ceramic Moroccan pottery, caftans and seductively exotic necklaces. You will have to bargain hard here for good prices.

Foray No 5: The Mellah back through Rue Riad Zitoun El Kedim Move next from the Mellah to the Riad Zitoun El Kedim to find gold coin earrings, silver and other hypnotising baubles, bangles and beads, Look hard for linen, cotton and silk caftans. You will find them.

Just outside the Medina is Gueliz in the Ville Novelle. Keep this for a separate visit if you have the time and energy. It’s worth going to for luxury leather goods, tote bags, rugs, caftans, moccasins, kuntas, bolero jackets and children’s clothes. More expensive and more organised. But good stuff if you’re fed up with the hassle and the haggle. However, my recommendation is to stay within the Medina and concentrate on the first five forays. This is where the excitement is – however exhausting. Look for strange things. You will find them. And be prepared to walk. It is tiring – but worth it. Then go and have lunch or tea in the Argana Restaurant* (very stylish) overlooking the main square at Jemaa el Fna and watch the action. It is a feast of activity. Course the stalls and mingle with the crowd again in the Jemaa el Fna. There is nothing like it in the world and one of the great dramatic arenas – full of mystery and energy. The executions that were carried out on criminals at the beginning of the 20th century where heads were gruesomely displayed on stakes are no more – but the exotic human spectacle continues. I cannot wait to get back.

*The Argana Restaurant in the Jemaa el Fna was bombed by a terrorist suicide bomber at the end of April this year. Tourists were warned about visits to this area of Marrakech. But this mecca of dreams has always come back, and it will again soon. It will be worth the wait.

NEXT WEEK: Travel writer John Livingston Hopkins, Jr

• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is an adventurer and writer resident in the Bahamas. A Sri Lankan-born Canadian-Englishman, he is the author of several books, including “The Last Colonial”.

Typical Moroccan sweet treats on display

A wide array of aromatic spices can be found at the souks

A man in traditional Moroccan costume

“I have coursed the souks of Aleppo and Damascus, survived the bazaars of Istanbul, experienced the markets of Jaipur and Delhi, and haggled in the Pettah in Colombo, but nothing is nearly as satisfying as sifting through the magic of the souks of Marrakech.”

The Tribune | Weekend | 25

Friday, September 8, 2017

history

How Nassau got its name ... and how a Dutchman with a German name became King of England Forgotten facts Paul C Aranha

I

t is so easy to say that Nassau, our capital city, was named after William of Orange-Nassau (1650-1702), a prince from the Netherlands, who, in 1677, married his 15-year-old first cousin, Mary, an English princess, and ended up sharing the British throne.

Known as the Glorious Revolution, it is the only time that Britain had joint monarchs, who were referred to as “the memorable Dutch King-Williamanmary” by W C Sellar and R J Yeatman in their 1930 tongue-in-cheek book “1066 And All That – A Memorable History of England, comprising all the parts you can remember, including 103 Good Things, 5 Bad Kings and 2 Genuine Dates”.

By whatever name, the new monarchs did not wield the direct powers exercised by their predecessors, leading to today’s system of parliamentary rule. When Mary died in 1694, William III continued as sole monarch until his death in 1702. The Scots called him William II and the Irish liked to call him King Billy, but his Dutch roots can be traced back to the German city Nassau an der Lahn, which I visited in May to explore the remnants of a castle built between 1100 and 1125. The castle’s rulers adopted the name of the nearest village, which was first mentioned in the year 915 as ‘Nassowa’.

My son, Stephen, an historian, working at the Max Planck Institute in Frankfurt, tells me that a likely theory has it that “Nass” is a Romani (gypsy) and vagabond term, meaning “for free,” and “Au” is a term meaning grasslands. German as well as Slavic dialects had strong influences on Romani terminology and this may indicate that the Romani people could freely use the water of the creek and the land around it, without

The Aranha family, including Paul (at centre), Stephen (far left) and Kim (second from left), in Nassau an der Lahn, Germany.

Nassau Castle was founded around 1100 by Count Dudo-Heinrich von Laurenburg. In 1120, his sons and successors established themselves at Nassau Castle with its tower.

William of Orange-Nassau, a portrait by Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1680s

Queen Mary II, portrait

by Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1690

“In Germany today, “Nassauer” (someone from Nassau) has another meaning. It is a word for a person who always tries to get something for nothing.”

paying the feudal lord and without fear of prosecution.

In Germany today, “Nassauer” (someone from Nassau) has another meaning. It is a word for a person who always tries to get something for nothing. This results from the fact that in the early 19th century, the city of Nassau provided free meals for its college students abroad, but many of the other students pretended to be Nassauers, so that they, too, could eat for free.

• E-mail comments and responses to islandairman@gmail.com

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26 | The Tribune | Weekend

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The Tribune | Weekend | 27

Friday, September 8, 2017

animals Animal matters Kim Aranha

PET OF THE WEEK

Hurricane preparedness for pets

H

Brotherly love

By The Bahamas Humane Society

K

enny and Jim are two twomonth-old male kittens who are ready for adoption at the Bahamas Humane Society. They are playful and inquisitive, as you can see here from their interaction with Victoria, a volunteer at the BHS. They wouldn’t mind be adopted together as they’re already friends, but neither of them would object to making new friends. Would you like

to get to know Kenny and Jim? If so, come in to the BHS to meet them, or call 323-5138 for more information.

Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday. Kenny and Jim are eager to meet you!

• PLANNING AHEAD The BHS Annual General Meeting will be held Wednesday,

September 27 at 6pm at the shelter in Chippingham. All are invited to attend, but only current members will be eligible to vote.

Then on November 12, 18, 19, the BHS will have a table at Jollification. On November 21, Cole’s of Nassau and Morley for Men will host a fashion show in aid of the BHS. November is also when the BHS raffle tickets will go on sale.

is not to ever tie them up anywhere, and do not corral them or have them fenced in. All the fatalities of livestock in Hurricane Joaquin in Long Island were due to farmers closing the gates to the fields. Let them run free; they will find safety. Do not lock them up in sheds where there could be flooding (that happened in Long Island, too) and dogs…for the love of God do not tie your dog up and walk away from it; even attached to a dog house. If the water rises and the dog is tethered, it will surely drown.

Last year, during Hurricane Matthew, there was a make-shift “breeding kennel” in the Bone Fish Pond area where literally hundreds of dogs perished, drowned whilst locked up in cages and the water level rose. Can you imagine the dreadful howls or despair and horror? The security guard at the facility allegedly said he could not get to them, but that the canine cries for

help were horrible to listen to.

There are, of course, supposed to be laws that govern these breeding facilities. The governing board has been appointed (several times), but we still have yet to meet. We have too many animals in this country anyway, and now we breed our own sickly “pedigrees”; dogs that people pay ridiculous rip-off prices for; animals that are not even what the purchaser thinks they are. Shocking that this is allowed to happen!

If you have a pet and the storm is on it’s way, it is up to you to protect it and give it safe, adequate shelter. A pet is your friend. If you own a dog for protection it is your duty to care for it. It does a job for you, you in turn take care of it. Don’t you place your car in safe shelter so it is not damaged? But not you animal…what is wrong with this country?

Lastly, when will we join the rest of

the world and have pet-friendly shelters? There is nowhere to go with your pet. I call upon the government and NEMA to join forces with the Bahamas Humane Society after this hurricane season to designate a couple of shelters where people can bring their pets. Did the Bahamas learn nothing from Hurricane Karina where people died because they would not leave their animals?

A God-fearing nation perhaps, but we have a long way to go before we follow the example of our Lord and treat creatures with kindness.

If you learn nothing more from my article today, please take away with you how essential it is not to tie up or corral animals unattended. It is best to bring pets indoors.

Love and compassion go a long way in moments like this. We pray for our fellow Bahamians and we must not forget the creatures that share this country with us.

PATRICIA VAZQUEZ

urricane season us fully upon us and every household in the Bahamas has been preparing for the worst, with one eye very firmly fixed upon Hurricane Irma. The island of New Providence went so long without a major direct hit that some if us were perhaps a touch complacent with Hurricane Matthew last year, but this season we have our eyes wide open and know what anger a storm can unleash on us and the pure devastation it can cause.

I was able to make my way back from a European vacation last night in order to be here to help prepare for the worst. It was nice to see our prime minister’s wife on the same American Eagle flight as I was, on her way back to Nassau to be at her husband’s side.

Preparation is essential. We need to be sure that we have everything our family can possible need, and our pets are part of that family.

When we are counting up how many people need access to clean, fresh water after the storm, do not forget to include the dog or cat. They need to drink just as much as humans do and do not have other options such as sodas or juices.

I always make sure that we have additional dog food, obviously. Same goes for cats and birds or any other pets that you have in the house.

If you live in an area that you feel might flood it would be a good idea to purchase some canned pet food. It won’t matter if the cans get wet, there will be no danger of mildew (which is very dangerous to a pet’s health), and the canned food will last for a long time. If you find that you do not need it after the storm, the Bahamas Humane Society will be more than happy to take it off your hands.

Perhaps the most essential part of hurricane preparedness and awareness for the owners of animals in general

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Friday, September 8, 2017

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