Friday, December 13, 2019
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Weekend
DEBENALY ISLAND SCULPTURES Page 17
Roarsome Local Junkanooer discusses his passion for the culture
because of you... we are ALIV now it’s our turn to give back during the
ALIV countdown to Christmas giveaways December 13 - 24 2019.
pages 4 & 5
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Friday, December 13, 2019
food
Putting the cool in Christmas By ALESHA CADET
| Tribune Features writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net
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HIS HOLIDAY season, many businesses are shifting their product offerings to suit the festive season. Whether it is the restaurants changing up menus, or retail stores filling their spaces with Christmas items here and there, you are bound to feel jolly once you step inside. At Pulpy, the adult-friendly ice cream parlour, five new festive flavours were recently added that the owners feel embody the holiday spirit for patrons and the team. In an interview with Tribune Weekend, Shaquille Coleby, owner at Pulpy, said since launching the flavours, Bahamians are expressing nothing but love. “We initially asked our staff to help us select the five flavours that would taste ‘Christmassy’ and these are what we came up with. The Irish Cream (Baileys) and Boozy Eggnog were inspired by everyone’s favourite holiday spirits. At my house, Christmas Day isn’t complete without these libations and our customers have been asking for them all year. We have the Christmas Carrot Cake and Pumpkin Spice Praline that are inspired by everyone favourite holiday confections. Pumpkin Pie is an essential for any Christmas feast and we added some flare with crunchy pralines. “The Carrot Cake on the other hand is such a foodie type of cake, we weren’t really sure how it would turn out but we’re so pleased with the outcome. We use real carrots, raisins and freshly based carrot cake pieces and we top the ice cream with homemade cream cheese frosting and gingerbread crumbs, it is so good,” said Mr Coleby.
He said Pulpy is known to specialise in creating irresistible desserts that taste even better than they look. The team is best known for its rolled ice cream which has quickly become very popular because of it’s unique look and velvety texture. “Running any business is extremely hard, especially
Pulpy because our customers are so vocal and opinionated. My favourite part is walking into a shop full of happy customers with their mouths full of ice cream. Seeing satisfied customers, reading their positive reviews, bumping into them on the street and listening to their encouraging feedback, it really means the
world to me. We offer a bright open environment to sit, chat and indulge in your favourite ice cream. We also offer catering for just about any type of event. From bridal showers to corporate parties we can customise a dessert experience that will enhance any gathering. We can also host parties at our shop,” said Mr Coleby. Since opening at its new parlour space in Village Road, Mr Coleby said the team’s most memorable Pulpy experience has been the grand opening itself. “The entire day is a total blur to me now but the support from our customers was so encouraging. We opened with a line that extended out of the door and that line continued for hours as people kept arriving. It was a beautiful experience and we’re so thankful for the community accepting us in such an overwhelming fashion,” said Mr Coleby. He believes people were initially fascinated with the unique way the ice cream is made but now he believes it’s the superior texture and unique flavours that keep
‘Pulpy Lovers’ coming back for more. “We prioritise quality ingredients and you can literally taste the difference in our ice cream. We do not use any artificial thickeners, stabilisers or preservatives which results in a simple yet delicious ice cream with a luxuriously dense mouth feel,” said Mr Coleby. The businessman went on to say he and his wife and business partner, Anthonique Coleby, are absolutely in love with the quintessential island life. They love the beach, the sunny climate, the tropical vibes, the slow pace and the down-to-earth personality of other islanders. It is the duo’s desire to spread Pulpy to many other islands in the Caribbean as well as the Pacific islands. “Pulpy is still very small but the vision is large. Currently, we are focused on perfecting our products and service standards so it can be duplicated in other places. We have so much happening in 2020. Our mobile pop-ups will begin again in the Spring so we’re looking forward to bringing Pulpy to the western communities that aren’t keen on driving east to our parlour. We’ll also be hosting a number of collaborations with other local businesses which is very exciting. 2020 is the year of clearly defining the Pulpy brand, rolling out new offerings and fixing a-lot of the small problems our customers are constantly giving us feedback on. We’re approaching the new year with optimism and gratefulness,” said Mr Coleby.
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Friday, December 13, 2019
Inside Weekend Food 2 Adult ice creams for a cool Christmas
Interview 4-5 Junkanooer King John tells the story of the parade from the shack to Bay Street
Music 7 Jay Shepherd tackles love and loss
Food 8-9 Paradise Plates brings out Bahamian high society for a good cause
My Perfect Bahamian Christmas with Tony McCartney
Actor/director and owner of Exquisite Services q. Fruit cake or pumpkin pie? “Mmmmm!! Pumpkin pie reminds me of old times!”
q. Go to Junkanoo or watch it at home? “I love watching Junkanoo at home
The Poinsettia - and its journey to become a Christmas favourite
this week in history
Film 11
December 13
Gardening 10
Bahamians come out for film festival premiere
Books 12 Richard Coulson reviws the new book from Sir Christopher Ondaatje Events 13 Blackout returns - are you ready?
Style 14-15 T-shirt designer brings creative flair
Fashion 16 Who’s hot, who’s not in the style stakes?
Art 17 Island sculptures catch the eye
Animals 18 Michael Vick to be honoured?
Events 19 Fashion 20 Christmas style for children
Literary Lives 21-23 The wild world of Salvador Dali
Forgotten Facts 24-25 Learning to do nothing
Puzzles 26
• In 1981, authorities in Poland imposed martial law in a crackdown on the Solidarity labor movement. • In 1918, President Woodrow Wilson arrived in France, becoming the first chief executive to visit Europe while in office. • In 1937, the Chinese city of Nanjing fell to Japanese forces during the Sino-Japanese War; what followed was a massacre of war prisoners, soldiers and citizens. (China maintains that up to 300,000 people were killed; Japanese nationalists say the death toll was far lower, and some maintain the massacre never happened.) • In 1989, the film “Driving Miss Daisy,” starring Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy, was put into limited release by Warner Bros. • In 2000, Republican George W. Bush claimed the presidency a day after the US Supreme Court shut down further recounts of disputed ballots in Florida; Democrat Al Gore conceded, delivering a call for national unity. • In 2003, Saddam Hussein was captured by U.S. forces while hiding in a hole under a farmhouse in Adwar, Iraq, near his hometown of Tikrit. Today’s Birthdays: Actorcomedian Dick Van Dyke is 94. Actor Christopher Plummer is 90. Country singer Buck White is 89. Singer Ted Nugent is 71. Actor Robert Lindsay is 70. Country
with friends and family.”
q. Egg nog, mulled wine or apple cider? “Apple cider during Christmas always reminds me of my younger days.”
q. Real tree or artificial tree? “A real tree of course. Nothing like the smell of a real pine tree!”
q. If you could spend Christmas anywhere else in the world where would it be? “I would love to spend Christmas in Monaco one year since it’s my favourite place to be.” singer-musician Randy Owen is 70. Country singer John Anderson is 65. Actor Steve Buscemi is 62. Actorcomedian Jamie Foxx is 52. Rock singer Amy Lee (Evanescence) is 38. Singer Taylor Swift is 30.
December 14 • In 2012, a gunman with a semiautomatic rifle killed 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, then committed suicide as police arrived; the 20-year-old had also fatally shot his mother at their home before carrying out the attack on the school. • In 1799, the first president of the United States, George Washington, died at his Mount Vernon, Virginia, home at age 67. • In 1819, Alabama joined the Union as the 22nd state. • In 1861, Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, died at Windsor Castle at age 42. • In 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen and his team became the first men to reach the South Pole, beating out a British expedition led by Robert F Scott. • In 1964, the US Supreme Court, in Heart of Atlanta Motel v United States, ruled that Congress was within its authority to enforce the Civil Rights Act of 1964 against racial discrimination by private businesses (in this case, a motel that refused to cater to blacks). Today’s Birthdays: Actress-singer Jane Birkin is 73. Entertainment executive Michael Ovitz is 73. Actress Dee Wallace is 71. Rhythm-and-blues singer Ronnie McNeir (The Four Tops) is 70. Actress Cynthia Gibb
is 56Actress Natascha McElhone is 50. Actress Vanessa Hudgens is 31. Rock/R&B singer Tori Kelly is 27.
December 15 • In 1978, President Jimmy Carter announced he would grant diplomatic recognition to Communist China on New Year’s Day and sever official relations with Taiwan. • In 1791, the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the US Constitution, went into effect following ratification by Virginia. • In 1944, a single-engine plane carrying bandleader Glenn Miller, a major in the US Army Air Forces, disappeared over the English Channel while en route to Paris. • In 1961, former Nazi official Adolf Eichmann was sentenced to death by an Israeli court for crimes against humanity. (Eichmann was hanged 5 1/2 months later.) • In 1966, movie producer Walt Disney died in Los Angeles at age 65. • In 2001, with a crash and a large dust cloud, a 50-foot tall section of steel — the last standing piece of the World Trade Center’s facade — was brought down in New York. • In 2013, Nelson Mandela was laid to rest in his childhood hometown, ending a 10-day mourning period for South Africa’s first black president. Today’s Birthdays: Singer Cindy Birdsong (The Supremes) is 80. Rock musician Dave Clark (The Dave Clark Five) is 77. Actor Don Johnson is 70. Democratic Party activist Donna Brazile is 60. Actress Helen Slater is 56. Actor Stuart Townsend is 47. Actress Michelle Dockery is 38.
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Friday, December 13, 2019
INTERVIEW
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'King John' on the passion and sacrifice at the heart of junkanoo By CARA HUNT
| Tribune Features Writer | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
or many Bahamians, Christmas preparations begin around the beginning of November after Halloween when thoughts turn to gift lists and Black Friday sales. But for a core group of diehard Junkanooers, preparation for the season begins much, much earlier. John Williams, aka, King John who is the Front Line Chairman for The Valley Boys took a quick break from his preparations for Boxing Day to discuss the passion of this cultural expression and what it takes to make it on to Bay Street. “I have been around Junkanoo all my life and have always been fascinated by it. As I got older I just got more involved in the actual pasting and decorating and rushing on the parade and I have never looked back since,” he said. John explained his preparation usually begins as soon as the powers-that-be determine the theme for the group. “That usually happens early summer and once I have that information, I then can begin my research into the theme and start to work with my designers to figure out what I want to be, how we will build it and then we start the construction and the pasting and the decorating.” This process can literally take from early summer to moments before the group is out of the gate. “I’m one of those people who is usually finished and ready to go ahead of the parade but sometimes, no matter how well you are prepared, you can just not be ready or something can go wrong,” said John. Looking pretty Junkanoo morning does not come cheap. John reckons that over the years he has averaged a minimum spend of $1300 a costume and he rushes on both Boxing Day and New’s Year Day. “There is a misconception we don’t go out as hard for the New Year’s Day Parade and
“I think a lot of people just don’t understand the passion that we have for Junkanoo.” that this is the lesser of the two parades, but that is just not the case. The New’s Year’s Day parade is just as competitive and the same effort and preparation goes into each of them,” he said. Given that most costumes only last the duration of the parade, it can be a very expensive passion but John says it is worth the expense. “I think a lot of people just don’t understand the passion that we have for Junkanoo,” he said. “I think that the thrill of rushing is definitely worth the expense that goes into my costume. It’s the passion and thrill that drives us to do it. I don’t spend a lot of money on travelling, I don’t buy expensive jewellery or cars or trucks. Some people would spend a thousand dollars on rims for their car. I think that being able to produce these costumes and rush is a God-given talent and, since I posses that talent, I will use it.” Junkanoo participation also comes with a sacrifice. Time is spent in the shack constructing and pasting costumes, rather than enjoying Holiday activities with family and friends. “All the traditional things are definitely missed, but that is something over the years that I have tried to control a bit better and be a bit more prepared so that I don’t miss out on as many things like
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Friday, December 13, 2019
Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve,” said John. “But also sometimes it just means you have to make new traditions or tweak the old ones. So rather than go and sit and have Christmas dinner with your family, you may have your Christmas dinner brought to the shack and you and your shack family share the meal.” All the hard work pays off once the music starts and the group is ready to perform. “It is showtime and that’s the best moment when you are actual rushing and you hit those areas where the crowd is really into it and you see their excitement. Everyone can’t win the
parade, so seeing the crowd reaction is a thrill.” Performing can take a toll and John says the hardest part of the parade is actual starting again after the rest stops between laps. “The hardest part is that short little break because you have so much energy rushing when you stop your muscles get stiff and it so hard to put the costume back up and muster up the energy to start again,” he said. And after all the parades he has been in over the years, he says one that stands out is the 2012 Boxing Day parade. “The Valley Boys brought a British theme and my costume was a court jester performing for the King
and Queen, the way it was designed it looked like I was actually three people,” he said. Junkanoo is deep in John’s blood, so much so that he doesn’t think there would ever come a time when he spends the holidays anywhere else. “My family knows not to plan things around this time of year. Even if I am not rushing in the parade, I think that I would still want to participate in some way, maybe be a group marshal or something. The beautiful thing about Junkanoo is that is no restrictions you can be five or 50 to take part,” said John. And while there have been positive changes in the event over the years, he noted there has also been a lot of disrespect for Junkanoos from merchants who want the groups off the street as soon as possible or those who complain about length of parades. “Even though there is talk about separate parades for A and B groups
or starting earlier, if you were to do that, then you get into some of the things I mentioned like missing even more of the holidays. And then there are people who don’t understand the weather issue and want you to go out in the rain. But you are talking about hundreds of thousands of dollars and even if drizzles for 30 seconds, it can destroy everything,” said John. And when it comes to preserving costumes in a permanent facility such as creating a Junkanoo Museum, John says that rather than waiting on the powers-that-be Junkanoo groups should take the lead and do what they can themselves with the resources they have, no matter how small. “Come December 27 and Jan 2, you have thousands of costumes that will just disappear,” said John. “That’s such a shame. We should a way to preserve this heritage for future generations.”
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Friday, December 13, 2019
music
The loves we've lost By JEFFARAH GIBSON
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| Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net
OR anyone who has been left by the one they love, artist Jay Shephard can relate. And to let people know they are not alone in their love struggles, he poured out his heart in own experience in a new single “Let You Leave”. The new reggae/dancehall/pop single release marks another round in a solid arsenal of hits, smoothly blending sounds, top-notch production and innovation that the artist is known for. “The song was motivated by past experiences. I felt that the song was one that many could relate to. I think we have all been in the position where we were left by the one we loved,” he told Tribune Weekend. The song proves Jay’s natural knack for creating rich experiences through his music, offering potent vibes, feelgood vibes. Its accompanying IKONEQ Filmsdirected visual flows in the same vein, with a powerful storyline of love lost, fly fashion and overall refinement reserved for the best of the best. “Let You Leave is that grown ‘n sexy record reminiscent of a time when music was medicine, feeding fans’ souls one good vibe at a time,” he said. Jay said by making passionate music, coupled with a strong pen game and a mission of spiritually motivating
listeners, he is carving out a lane of his own, all while keeping it authentically true to self. “I love the melody and the lyrical content of this single. The song will place my listeners in a reminiscing mood. It will definitely bring back memories.” This song was the first of two new singles Jay released in November. His immediate focus is to gain as much exposure as possible for those two singles. “My main goal right now is to complete my EP ‘The Gemini’ and to continue to develop my brand,” he said. Jay Shephard, whose real name is Jamaal Mark Anthony Saunders, began singing and performing at the age of six. But as much as he enjoyed singing and could keep the attention of his friends and family who made up his audience, he could not sing. His mother, Dr Juliette Dorsette, decided to enrol young Jamaal in a dance classes. For many years, he expressed his passion for music through dance then eventually transitioned into a short-lived rap career. Then on May 11, 2003, at age 19, life changed drastically for Jay Shephard. He was shot in the head while at a friend’s residence. The bullet missed
his brain, but he was left blind in one eye. Feeling overwhelmed and defeated, Jay Shephard said he prayed to God for guidance, and was miraculously blessed with the talent to sing. And he was not the only one astonished by his new gift, so were his mother and aunt. Jay Shephard then began singing, drawing from early influences from artists like Bob Marley, Michael Jackson and Gentleman which cultivated his distinct sound of a reggae, dancehall and pop fusion. He was eventually able to study at the Florida Memorial University where he obtained a bachelors degree in popular music. In 2012, he was offered a distribution deal with Sony Red which he accepted. In late 2015, he began working along with popular
reggae producer Troyton Rami at Blackshadow Records. Get familiar with “Let You Leave” on all digital streaming platforms. For more information, follow Jay Shephard at his website www. jayshephard.net, on Facebook and Instagram at JayShephardMusic. His music can be found on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube and Soundcloud.
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Friday, December 13, 2019
EVENT
The Bargain Ball on everyone's social calendar By CARA HUNT | Tribune Features Writer cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
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or the past several years, Paradise Plates has been a must attend event on many people’s social calendar. And on Saturday those patrons were not disappointed as Hands for Hunger presented its annual major fundraiser. The evening saw more than 40 local restaurants donate signature dishes for patrons to sample alongside entertainment, music and a Junkanoo rush out to end the night. Tribune Weekend asked several attendees what makes the event so appealing. “Paradise Plates is a foodie like me’s dream. It was lovely for everyone to come together, put on their Saturday best, eat wonderful food from the
best restaurants in Nassau for such a great cause,” said Catrina who has not missed the event in three years. “I had my ticket as soon as they went on sale for September. I am a September Baby and so my ticket is usually my birthday present to myself.” She is referring to the fact the event had to be postponed in September to the new December date in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian Tiana said that she loves that the event is elegant yet casual at the same time. “What I love about Paradise Plates is that it is one of those events that you can really relax and have a great time with really good food. I am not a balltype person and so the idea of investing in an expensive ball gown and having
Friday, December 13, 2019
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PHOTOS/TERREL W CAREY SR.
to sit at a table and be ‘all formal’ isn’t me. For the same price I can wear what I want, move around and socialize and dance to my heart’s content and I love the actual cause that I am donating too.” Tiana says another draw is the value for money. “I feel like if you went to a restaurant and ate a three course meal and had a few drinks it would be well over the price of a Hands for Hunger ticket.” For Lisa the variety of food offerings is another draw. “It’s not just the volume of food, but the variety - one of my favourite things I ate this year was the lamb chop and mashed potatoes from Regatta, but I also loved the old fashioned panny cakes with the guava sauce from Driftersthere really is something for everyone.” In addition to Presenting Sponsor TradeZero, top sponsors include Bristols Wine & Spirits, Atlantis Resort, Zamar Productions, Wildflowers Events & Occasions, Sign Island, Bahamas Local and Bahamas Experience. Other partners included BMW, Caribbean Bottling Company, Gunvor and JS Johnson. Hands For Hunger is a humanitarian organization committed to the elimination of unnecessary hunger and the reduction of food waste through the creation of meaningful and engaging partnerships formed among all sectors of the Bahamian community.
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Friday, December 13, 2019
gardening
Hello
December Jack Hardy | Gardener Jack
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n Europe, the holly and the ivy were the two main flowering symbols for Christmas, followed by yew. In the 20th century, these were greatly knocked aside by the poinsettia, a tall plant from Mexico that was made much shorter and capable of denser flowering. The developer was Joel Roberts, a diplomat serving in Mexico. Later, the rights were sold to the Ecke family in California who developed the transition further. The 1880 sale from Poinsett to Ecke involved changed plants with small stalks that replaced eight to ten stalks on the original. The new poinsettia was born and Ecke Poincianas ruled Christmas. If you buy a rooted poinsettia this Christmas, you must take a close look at the layout. The plant should be two and a half times taller than wide and should come from a single stalk. Some producers grow from smaller plants and have two or three roots down under. Feel around under the soil to count the roots. When you give a poinsettia as a gift, you may like to buy a plastic fabric hat that the roots of the plant nestle in and retain water. The next moment the recipient of your bounty turns away, whip the drainage bowl away from the hat and place the hat in your pocket. A hat kills more poinsettias than you can believe. To water the plant, you have the hat on the plant bowl. Wait two or three minutes and remove the hat so the soil can drain, about 20 minutes. It only needs one miss to kill a plant by sitting it in an overdose of water overnight. When the holiday season is over, the plant is safe from hats. Wherever you have kept it before, you must now gravitate it towards the outside. Take your time; the slower the better. Aim for a place that is in full sun and
shaded from the north. Ensure there is no light source in the area: front porch, street lighting, areas with LED solar lamps to mark nighttime paths. Poinsettias flower according to length of day. To be on time with the holiday season, the plants have to be darkened within flower sheds that chop hours off everyday light. A home-grown poinsettia may only start to bloom in February but will be blooming until after Easter. Give the plant a good pruning when you finally transplant it and another in late July or early August. Do not prune after this as blooming tissue will possibly be under way. My favourite Christmas plant of the moment is Christmas cactus. Although a cactus, there is very little risk of pricking and the flowers are noticeably large for the plant, the plant being six to eight inches and the flowers two inches with upraised presentation. The colours are pastel with red, pink, white, ivory, and fuchsia being popular. Of course, you cannot buy just one. In order to get plants for next year, you should nip off the top three leaves in one piece and plant the lower leaf in a tray of good mulch and sand. Success is almost certain – a great job for kids to work on. When October comes, place the plants in a cupboard two hours before sunset so they get longer nights. Ideally the temperature should be 50 to 55 but plants are extremely tolerant and I have grown Christmas
cactus this way with success for several years. Replace the plants outside and make a note of the time so you can make an adjustment if you need. You can get lots of plants but they will all be one colour. To get varying colours, you must pollinate your plants. Dust pollen onto the very end of flowers using a thin paint brush. The plants you are using are all hybrids so the product will be a hybrid too. Bad news: It takes three years for flowers to develop into seeds. Not a project for kids. Mistletoe is an epiphytic parasite that grows on oak trees in Europe. You rarely see them these days except in their plastic form for kissing under. Complete instructions for mistletoe: Grab the prettiest member of the opposite sex, stand under a hanging mistletoe and perform. You may not decline the offer. Yew, ivy and holly are all favourites that could be picked by waysides in Europa and America. Red drupes subtend the branches of yew, which is a conifer. Cut a length of branch with lots of drupes and place it in a jar or vase of water – instant ornamental! Ivy
was often twisted into circles in a bowl of water for presentation, or strewn long mixed with other Christmas plants. Poinsettia is often quoted as being poisonous. So it is if you eat a large amount of it. Stop a puppy chewing just to be safe, and to preserve your foliage. Also really toxic is mistletoe to cats. We secure real mistletoe at a height and the plastic version is safe – except for the kissers.
The following are names applied to Christmas plants: Poinsettia Star of Bethlehem Blood of Christ Christmas Cactus Answered Prayer Holly Good Luck Mistletoe Romance Yew Long Life Ivy Growth
Friday, December 13, 2019
film
biff opening night STYLE
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AHAMIANS put on the style as they came out to the gala screening of the opening movie in the Bahamas International Film Festival. The movie shown at the opening was Just Mercy, starring Brie Larson and Michael B Jordan. The festival continues until Sunday. For more information about the festival, including the full schedule, visit http://www. bintlfilmfest.com
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Friday, December 13, 2019
book review:'Profiles in Literature'
A first in Bahamian publishing Sir Christopher Ondaatje’s remarkable medley By RICHARD COULSON
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his handsome 400-page volume is remarkable both for its content and its striking appearance. The bulk of it consists of 36 mini essays on a variety of talented writers born from 1821 to 1931, all now deceased. Although most of them were English or American, they fit no set pattern other than unusual qualities striking the protean interests of author Sir Christopher Ondaaatje, himself no ordinary character. The book’s sub-title calls it Midnight in the Library of a Literary Outsider, who once ran his own publishing firm. His subjects range from the famous Mark Twain, Somerset Maugham and Ernest Hemingway, down to lesser-known individuals like enigmatic Arabist explorer Wilfred Thesiger, English aesthete Edith Sitwell, and American humorist Dorothy Parker. Sir Christopher’s sharp vignettes of about 2,000 words are both brilliant critical analyses and — more intriguing — personal profiles of flashing successes and failed ambitions, wanderlust, depression and infidelity that plagued many of these extraordinary people who did far more with their lives than simply sit and scribble. Perceptive photographic portraits capture the essence of every writer. My favourite of this colourful menagerie is Patrick Leigh Fermor, the incomparable “Paddy” who died at age 96 in 2011. He walked across Europe at age 18 – later chronicled in his three famous travel books – was decorated as a proven hero fighting with Cretan irregulars in World War II, later becoming a
published expert on Greek environment and archaeology, all the while enjoying bouts of drinking, singing, story-telling, and seduction, with two serious love affairs, one of which evolved into a devoted lifetime marriage. Sir Christopher summarises Paddy’s work as “a complete picture of an Anglophile way of life lived on the road. . . that has disappeared forever.” This international collection is followed by “Ten Tales from The Bahamas”, starting with “Lady Pirates of the Caribbean”, followed by the
unique female prohibition-era “Rum Queen”, and ending with a lovely account of the return of wildfowl from their annual migration to northern climes. Every Bahamian reader can choose a morsel of his own to digest in this section — including this reviewer, who finds “The Killing of Sir Harry Oakes” an unsatisfying mish-mash of speculation that “casts a dark shadow over the islands…where I cannot avoid a frisson of fear.” Perhaps more detailed research could have eased Sir Christopher’s anxious state.
The final section called “Postscripts from the Past” provides vivid fragments of Sir Christopher’s own life. These extracts from his previous writing reveal him from childhood in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to England, then Canada and Nassau, experiencing family dislocations, school homesickness, boring jobs and near-penury, escaped by hard-working financial success that allowed him to retire and devote himself to exotic travel writing, focusing on the mystery of leopards as well as Indian and African geography and cultures. His career has been as varied as any of his literary subjects. Somewhat surprisingly, I found little mention of his younger brother Michael, author of the acclaimed novel “The English Patient”, which was made into an Oscar-winning film in 1996 starring Ralph Fiennes. As the first venture taken by The Tribune into the field of book publishing, “Profiles in Literature” sets a high standard of visual elegance, enhancing its literary quality. With design, typography and printing handled in Canada, the hefty 11” x 7”volume has been produced on glossy paper, with hard-cover binding, illustrative dust jacket, and superb photographs throughout, carefully indexed and credited for archivists. In quality of production, this work is comparable to the many impressive “coffee table” works found in affluent venues, sometimes more admired than actually read. Here in the Bahamas, I hope a wide readership pattern will prevail, particularly among senior high-school or college students who aspire to a literary career, or simply seek exposure to cultural trends in the English-speaking
world over the last couple of centuries. Naturally, much of their reading is concentrated on technical job-oriented topics or centered on regional Caribbean and African history and current events, but part of their education should equip them to “think outside the box” about what’s important in the dynamic universe beyond the sometimes myopic Bahamian scene. The easy narrative style of “Profiles”, without footnotes or tedious pedagogy, makes it a natural read for Bahamians (and others) of all ages, who can buy it for $20 at the head office of The Tribune and local bookstores. In addition, I expect that our university will acquire copies for its library to encourage free student borrowing.
• Richard Coulson is a retired lawyer and investment banker resident in the Bahamas. He is a financial consultant and author of “A Corkscrew Life - Adventures of a Travelling Financier”, which is available on amazon.com.
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Friday, December 13, 2019
EVENT
THE BLACKOUT AFFAIR By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net
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AMAICAN DJ and producer Willy Chin will be making Blackout 2019 holiday party the official celebration for his birthday. And the entertainer will be bringing a few “celebrity friends” along with him to the big event. The annual end of year party that is highly anticipated is being presented by KO Production. This year’s event is expected to be much bigger and better than the previous. Blackout 2019 will take place on December 28 at the National Stadium Courtyard. Doors open at 7pm until. It will feature top local entertainers including some of the best local DJs Tank, DJ A.I, Bravo, DJ Fresh, Unruly AJ, Xtra Large, Supa Mario and DJ Chelo, Tiko T, Giggy Fyah and Selector Fawteen. A fixture in the international dancehall and reggae music scene, Willy Chin has been at the turntable for over a decade. Having started his career as a deejay with the popular sound system group Black Chiney. Born Warren Hoo to Jamaican parents of Asian decent, Willy Chin has always been surrounded by music. While his actual birthday is December 7, he is looking forward to celebrating in The Bahamas. He is just one of the of the international guests, making an appearance at the event. “This year we will have two international DJ’s hitting the main stage. Prince Chiillz, coming from New York will be hosting the courtyard stage. He is set to bring the jokes and the laughs all night,” said Jayde Knowles of KO Productions. “You have to be there to see which surprises are coming your way.” Over the years Blackout has stuck with a strictly all black dress code for partygoers. However all of this changes with the theme this year being “The Black & White Edition” . “We chose this colour aspect to give Blackout a different flare and to give our patrons a full new experience to the word Blackout as they all know it.” “Our loyal party goers have been asking us to spice up the event a bit.
JAMAICAN DJ and producer Willy Chin
That Black, was getting too bland. Of course, we aim to please. Therefore, we included an all white aspect to the dresscode; or a black and white mix if you so choose; with the option to still wear all black being available. The “White” room is a new edition to the event that will feature 90’s music all night. All lounge patrons will have full access to all areas. For almost 15 years, Blackout has been the leading end of year Christmas party. Its longevity can be credited to the productions ability to recreate the party’s concept consistently. “Not only is it more than a party, but an experience that you never forget and leaves you wanting more; but its pure vibes that only BTC and KO Productions know how to bring to you every time. It’s the party of the year, one you have to experience for yourself. No comparison.” The courtyard which will be the main floor for $25. There will also be free drinks from 7pm-10pm.
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Friday, December 13, 2019
celebrity With Cara Hunt and Alesha Cadet
HIT
FAIL
HIT
FAIL
Niecy Nash
Kerry Washington
Mindy Kaling
Abigail Spencer
Cara says: “This blue is popping. This is a lovely mature look, perfect for breakfast and the bow is just enough. I am loving the pop of leopard in the shoes. Nice Niecy.”
Cara says: “I am not into anything she has on, not the top which I am guessing is supposed to be nude and just looks dingy, or the skirt that is just too loose and unflattering and I don’t really care for the shoes either. It’s just an overall no for me. I guess the braids are ok.”
Cara says: “Aww this is too cute, she looks like a Christmas present. It’s such a cute dress and suits her. The neck could have been a tad lower to make her neck look longer, but overall I like it.”
Cara says: “This is such a Sunday old lady go to church look. It’s way too mature and boring for someone so young. I’m just not feeling it on her.”
Alesha says: “I love Niecy and she never really disappoints me in the fashion area. Especially her fits on CLAWS. I think it’s a pretty natural look and the bow adds some sauce to the midi.”
Alesha says: “LOL keep the lace top, lose the church choir bottom. It just doesn’t go together no matter what angle you look at this outfit. However, there is a win with the braids. I love them.”
Alesha says: “It’s very gift-box-ish if you get what I’m saying. Very festive and we are in the festive season so I guess. That’s all I have for this fit.”
Alesha says: “Oh gosh, what is going on here. I’m confused. I have almost the same sentiments as I did for Kerry’s. The bottom can go elsewhere, but I feel like the top can be worn with a pants bottom. A pencil or wide leg pants would top this outfit. The shoes can also stay.”
AP Photos
The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Breakfast
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Friday, December 13, 2019
art
Debenaly Island Sculptures By ALESHA CADET
| Tribune Features writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net
W
HILE she can think of a number of memorable pieces from her art collections, it is a piece inspired by Hurricane Dorian that stays in artist Debra Trewin Sands’ mind as her most notable to date. “Devastation is a sculpture of a mother with her three children in the grips of Hurricane Dorian. She is holding her baby while her daughter is seeking the comfort of her arms reaching up at her while the mother is watching her son being swept away just out of reach to his impending death. This is a heartfelt piece as I have felt firsthand the ‘Devastation’ a mother/family feels when a child is lost. I lost my son to a tragic car accident he was the passenger in two years ago,” said Debra. As a way to express herself through art, Debra’s unique Debenaly Island Sculptures has touched the lives of many who have sought out her services. “So far it has been nothing but positive. It is a new medium and I get asked a lot about it. My pieces are original and no two are exactly alike. I enjoy making different pieces all the time as they are personal challenges which keeps my interest up. At the past couple of art shows I was apart of, people seemed happy to see something totally different from the usual. The pieces are extra memorable because of those who love and relate to them, and feel an emotional tie to the piece immediately,” said Debra. She remembers the start of Debenaly Island Sculptures during a time when she wanted to expand her artistic skills. Debra initially came across a course on fabric sculpting which caught her interest.
“It was not as simple as I thought with the numerous steps from creating a cement or wood base, to the wire support, sculpting the body in tinfoil and masking tape and then covering it with cotton material soaked in Paverpol. The thought of making ‘A11 for your Garden’, really attracted me and I believed there was a void of this type of art on the islands. “Before this, my first experience in the art world began in high school when I made my own clothing. After high school, I took a hair styling course. I enjoyed creating original styles on many people, of whom I felt were my canvases. Over the years, the long hours of standing bent over clients, were tiresome on my back. I moved to The Bahamas where I took a risk, focusing my creative nature onto a more entrepreneurial goal: starting a paving business with my husband,” said Debra. She said the business became very successful but, with the births of her
two children Benjamin and Alyson, she shifted her focus to raising them. It was after her children left home for university and work, she decided to pursue her creativity once again. “I saw a beautiful cloth fairy on the front of a magazine and I knew that this was my muse. I decided to pursue making art cloth dolls, crafting my own unique patterns and creations. My art took on a fantastical nature and I soon created my own world of tree fairies, fishing trolls, ragamuffin children, and lounging beach babes,” said Debra. She said there are usually really creative names made up for her art cloth dolls, but she has been finding that when people purchase a piece, they have their own name in mind and many times it is from an emotional feeling and how they relate to a piece. “I really enjoy seeing how my sculptures stir their emotions. Paverpol is a unique medium that was invented in New Zealand and is a textile
hardener. I encountered several difficulties as my closest distributor is in California and it can only be shipped during summer months as New Zealand is freezing during the winter and the extreme temperatures will compromise the product until it is cured. “However, I loved the medium and wanted to bring this unique sculpting style to The Bahamas. Once cured, Paverpol holds up to all outdoor elements, hot, cold, rain, and sun, which is perfect for our temperamental Bahamian weather. Again, my art has a both a fantastical and natural theme with my world consisting of fairies, herons, and people,” said Debra. Her overall goal is to have her sculptures add beauty to various gardens, accents and conversation pieces to homes. Her desire is to see people’s faces and hear their words of how a sculpture makes them feel very fulfilling. In the future, Debra said she will be concentrating a bit more on animals, and is looking into
the engineering of making moving garden sculptures. “For the past two years, people have very much enjoyed receiving them as much as giving them. I think that the idea of them being able to be outside is an appealing aspect for those whose houses have too much stuff already, walls are covered with paintings, tabletops of ornaments and for those that are so difficult to buy for. They are priced for near everyone’s pocketbook who wants to give something that will last many decades,” said Debra. Going into 2020, Debra said her plan is to relax for a bit and maybe finish up two sculptures that she has been working on for a few months now. She will also begin to work on a trophy she usually donates in her son’s name to Just Dance Bahamas. Debenaly is based from Debra’s home studio in Nassau but in the near future she is looking forward to opening a studio in Eleuthera as well.
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Friday, December 13, 2019
animals
Michael Vick to be honoured? Animal matters | KIM ARANHA
S
pet of the week
ocial media is on fire with stories and controversies concerning former NFL footballer Michael Vick. He was the football star who was investigated in 2007 on dog fighting charges. He held dog fights in the family garage and his father nursed the injured animals back to health. That in itself sends tremors down my spine, to set the dogs up into horrific fights and then nurse them back to health to do it again. Michael Vick is the football star who admitted to being involved in the killing of his own dogs who did not fight well, or viciously enough, killed them by hanging and drowning or beating. Michael Vick admits to killing six or eight (or more?) himself. It was reported that he gave orders to hold the dogs due for execution for him to deal with when he returned. A weekend’s entertainment perhaps? These are scores of very graphic reports that go into vivid and minute details as to how Mr Vick killed and disciplined his fighting pit bulls. Each description more stomach turning than the next. Michael Vick, the football star, served a total of 21 months behind bars for various crimes including involvement in dog-fighting rings and animal cruelty. 21
FOX Sports analyst and former NFL quarterback Michael Vick. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Justin Wolpert/Released short months in federal prison! His football career was put on hold, as it should have been. By all reports, he was not comfortable in jail. The inmates suffered cockroach infestation and the food was less than good. Oh dear. Should we feel sorry for this young man who had everything going for him? A brilliant sports future, million of dollars to be made, a glittering tomorrow with big cars, beautiful women and a huge fan base. Many of us would be more than contented to ponder such a future.
He was brought up in the Ridley Circle Homes, a very depressing part of Newport, Virginia. It was a public housing project, a neighborhood full of crime and poverty. His parents were unwed teenagers who held down several jobs to provide for their four children and they finally wed when Michael was five years old. His escalation to sports fame must have been a source of great pride to his parents, in fact to his entire family. I search in articles about him to try and understand what happened to this
PERFECT PENNY THE BAHAMAS HUMANE SOCIETY
“H
potentially idyllic, apparent “rags to riches” story. Did it begin when he started to have trouble with the law involving drugs? Could that have been the entry into a world that I find no leads to how the cruel violence started. This is the young man who vowed to buy his Momma a house and car from his endorsement money and did buy her a nice house in the upscale area of Suffolk, Virginia. Somewhere along the line, this potentially decent guy who made good, took a drastic turn and ended up living a life that led to the dark and unfathomable world of dog fighting, intolerable cruelty to animals that he would gladly kill his own dogs in any manner of inventive and disgusting ways, none of which could have ever been considered humane, and would happily use small pets as bait to teach his dogs how to kill. When he came out of prison, he joined forces with some of the American animal protection groups and gave talks to troubled youths, but I personally was never blown away with that effort. Can a leopard change his spots? Can you go from enjoying inflecting and witnessing pain to wanting to nurture and love? I do not believe that 21 months of incarceration can produce a “New Man”.
Now Michael Vick, the former football star, is to be honoured at the 2020 Pro Bowl. He is to be one of the four “Legends Captains”. The NFL regularly ignores the atrocious behaviour of their players by forgiving them abusive behaviour against women, children and animals. All to feather their nests with even more money, What message does this honour being bestowed on Michael Vick the football star, aka Michael Vick the animal abuser, aka Michael Vick the ex-con send our children? They will see someone who enjoyed killing and hurting defenseless animals be honoured. Where did compassion and kindness go? Some argue that he has paid his debt to society, but not to the dogs he killed mercilessly. At his “Bad Newz” kennels, the name says it all: That debt is undeniable and unforgivable, the suffering cannot be erased. Many of his dogs from the fighting ring were rehabilitated and went into homes, to live normal lives. They did not want to fight, they were puppies trained to fight for their lives, and they were beaten, starved and abused, under the orders of this man who is about to be honored? Really? I have no words.
appy December to you! My name’s Penelope, and I’m here to wish you Happy Holidays from all the adoption animals at the Bahamas Humane Society. Have you been considering adoption? Well, now’s a good time as the BHS is full with many lovely animals. Take me, for example. I’m about one year old and very friendly. I get along well with other dogs, though I’m not so sure about cats. You need me in your holidays! Come in during adoption hours to meet me or call 323-5138 for more information. Adoption hours are 11am-4pm Monday to Friday and 10am-4pm Saturday. See you soon!” BHS Raffle tickets are still available from the shelter or from any board member. The Grand Prize is $10,000 worth of groceries from Super Value. Get your tickets early! The draw will be held on December 28. Tickets are $5 each or a book of 21 for $100. Photo by Patricia Vazquez.
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Friday, December 13, 2019
FRI 13/12
Christmas Lights Festival Time: Friday, December 13, 6.30-10pm Venue: Adventure Learning Centre, Marshall Road, Nassau Join fellow visitors under the stars and thousands of lights in the “Little Town of Bethlehem Hope and Happiness Village”. There will be a giant tunnel of lights and a “Valley of Life”. Pet animals and participate in the Christmas story. Free admission. Bring an admission donation to provide gifts and groceries to Dorian survivors. For more details, visit www. alcbahamas.org. Bahamas International Film Festival Time: Ongoing until Sunday Venue: Baha Mar Celebrate Cinema at Baha Mar resort. Recognised for the 2nd time as one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the world, the Bahamas International Film Festival has an astonishing intimacy about it. Each year filmmakers
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from around the world rub shoulders with the who’s who in the film industry. Visit www. bintlfilmfest.com for a full schedule. Artist talk by Stefan Bruggemann Time: Friday, December 13, 2019, 6-8pm Venue: National Art Gallery of The Bahamas The NAGB is thrilled to present an artist’s talk and Q+A with international artist Stefan Brüggemann. Working with neon lights, vinyl lettering, or painted texts, Brüggemann’s work spans between - and sometimes combines - sculpture, video, painting, and drawing to create and deploy text in conceptual installations. These installations are rich with acerbic social critique and a post pop aesthetic. His word play creates a bold and pertinent body of work, focusing on themes of appropriation and displacement. Since the late 1990s, Brüggemann’s work has been shown around the world at exhibitions including; Venice Biennale, The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago,
|100 Jamz | Y98
What's going on this Being Bound To Swear To The Dogmas Of No Master
weekend
The Moving Museum in Dubai, and the Museum of Installation in London. He is currently in an ongoing show in The Centre Pompidou Museum. His work is found in numerous public collections such as those of the Albright Knox Art Gallery, the Marguiles Collection, and the Colección Jumex in Mexico City, Brüggemann’s hometown. The talk will is free and open to the public with a special invitation to practising artists, journalists and students.
SAT 14/12
PLP 66th anniversary Gospel brunch and awards ceremony Time: Saturday, December 14, 9am-noon Venue: Botanical Gardens, Chippingham Road The Progressive Liberal Party invites you to a celebratory Gospel Brunch, commemorating the 66th Anniversary of the PLP. Various gospel artists will perform during a brunch. Part proceeds will be donated to Hurricane Dorian Relief efforts. Beerfest 2019: December 2 Remember Time: Saturday, December 14, 7pm until late Venue: Bahamas Sports Complex (opposite boxing facility) Some the biggest DJs on the island, true Bahamian food, drinks and a Junkanoo Backline competition. $10 admission before 10pm. Nassau Night Market Time: Saturday, December 14, 10pm-1am
Editior’s Voice
Saturday
Polar Express Pyjama Party Time: Saturday, December 14, 2019, 5.30-9pm Venue: Ardastra Gardens You and your loved ones are invited to come dressed in your PJs to enjoy “Polar Express” - a story about a young boy who boards a train and embarks on an extraordinary journey to the North Pole to meet Santa Claus. His life takes a turn after he encounters special people that make his journey memorable. Gates open at 5:30pm. Come early to explore our Night Lights, choose your best spot and get settled in with your movie snacks before the movie starts promptly at 6pm. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children, seniors & members. The first 50 guests will receive a complimentary cup of hot chocolate. Venue: Downtown Nassau The Nassau Night Market! An outdoor street festival in the heart of downtown Nassau on Market Slope. We celebrate Bahamian culture and entrepreneurship through offering exciting entertainment, flavorful foods, and precious products. Our missions is to develop local business while creating an interactive and family-friendly experience for visitors, revitalising downtown’s dead hours.
15/12
Hope is a Weapon – Pop Up Time: Sunday, December 15, 10am-2pm Venue: National Art Gallery of The Bahamas A holiday pop-up inspired by the Hope is a Weapon collection. Angelika Wallace-Whitfield’s Hope is a Weapon initiative began as a street art/graffiti tagging public project in the 9th National Exhibition at the NAGB in 2018. T-shirts were
made to continue the goal of spreading motivation through the islands coupled with street tags. The shirts allow people to carry the phrase with them and spread the message even further. Post Dorian, Angelika successfully raised funds to be donated to survivors at a Pop Up event at the NAGB. The public are urged to support this initiative as this Pop Up joins the Holiday Tour, mini craft fair and store sale on Sunday. A Few of My Favourite Things Time: Sunday, December 15, 7-9pm Venue: Balmoral Club, Sanford Drive Under the patronage of the Governor General of The Bahamas, a Christmas Dinner show will be the first of many live entertainment events hosted and produced by the talented sibling duo, Philip & Anja Bowe. Alia Coley, Charisa Smith, Osano Neely, Patrice Murrell, Sammi Starr and Sanovia Pierre, with
a comedy segment by Das Quay will be among those on the evening’s lineup hosted by Dwain Wallace. Tickets available at Ash Eye Institute, Southwest Plaza, Bible Book & Gift Center, Palmdale Shopping Plaza, Home Gallery, Cable Beach and Harbor Bay locations. $75 General Seating, $150 Dinner Seating.
Silent Cries Book Launch and Fashion Show Time: Sunday, December 15, 5-7.30pm Venue: Nassau Training Agency, Gladstone Road The launch of Silent Cries, by author Tinesha Longley, hosted by Dasquay and Shakeisha Johnson. This is a mental health informational session and a fashion show as well as an opportunity to join the book launch.
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Friday, December 13, 2019
fashion
The style of the season By CARA HUNT
‘T
| Tribune Features Writer | cbrennen@tribunemedia.net
is the season of rhinestone and bling. With so many holidaythemed events from Christmas parties, recitals and plays to church events and Christmas Day itself, there will be many opportunities to ensure that the littlest members of the family truly sparkle. Danielle Anusiem, the owner of the Kalico Bay children’s boutique, told Tribune Weekend that while red, green and metallic will always remain a staple during the holiday season - this year’s hot colours are jewel tones and anything with sparkle. “Traditional Christmas colors of red, green and metallics will always remain a staple during the holiday season. I don’t believe we will ever get to the point where they don’t remain prominent, however each season as you know there is the emergence of several colours that we see peeking out more noticeably and on trend. This year, those colors are mustard and cranberry and a huge emergence of navy blue. “Those colours are being used in rich velvets and nice cosy cottons,” she explained. Danielle noted that in addition to rich jeweled colours, the season must have items are blinged out. “We have done lots of pearls and rhinestones, Swarokvski crystals. “Everything sequin is a massive trend this season. “We have gone bonkers for sequins and it is packing a huge punch. Sequin dresses, and bowties and metallic bowties with texture for boys and men.” Holiday winter trends include bomber and Moto jackets for both boys and girls, Danielle said.
Another big trend for girls are tutus in a wide array of colours. And when it comes to stocking stuffers and tree presents, Danielle says there are a myriad of options. “Gift ideas - let’s start with the girls, we have an exclusive line of children’s arm candy bracelets and charms. “We have charms to suit any interest - unicorns, stars, rainbows, princess to dangling converse sneakers. “Our clients love them and the girls love to buy charms, either to trade or give as gifts to their friends,” she said. “Sequin flip shirts are also great gift options for girls,” she added. When it comes to the boys, Danielle says custom bowties or suspenders with a matching shirt will ensure that the they are super dapper come Christmas morning.
“We also have them in male sizes, so father and son can match,” she said. Danielle was also pleased to announce that Kalico Kares, the charitable arm of her company, will be donating $2,500 worth of new clothing to families who have been affected by Hurricane Dorian. “We do a big giveaway during the holidays each year to give back to the community and help in any way we can and naturally this year the hurricane survivors came to mine. They need not think of what they should have, would have or could have had on such a special time of year. So why not distract them with such an unexpected blessing and along with the other organisation who will also be donating, and help them have a good lasting memory of the holiday season,” she said.
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Friday, December 13, 2019
Literary lives - Salvador Dali (1904-1989)
Have no fear of perfection Sir Christopher Ondaatje delves into the Surrealist Spanish artist’s eccentric life and extraordinary artistic legacy.
S
alvador Dali was born Salvador Felipe Jacinto Dali y Domènech on May 11, 1904, in Figueres, Spain, at the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains, 16 miles from the French border. His father was a tyrannical disciplinarian who subjected his son with furious acts of cruelty. He would not tolerate his son’s outbursts of eccentricities. The relationship deteriorated even further between father and son as they competed for the affection of Dali’s mother, Felipa Domènech Ferrés, who encouraged the young Dali’s artistic activities. Dali had an older brother, also named Salvador, who died of gastroenteritis. As a child, Dali was taken to his brother’s grave and told that he was his brother’s reincarnation. “We resembled each other like two drops of water, but we had different reflections. He was probably a first version of myself, but conceived too much in the absolute.” - Salvador Dali With his younger sister, Anna Maria, and their parents, the family spent time at their summer home in the coastal village of Cadaqués. Dali continued to draw and it was obvious that he was unusually gifted. They built an art studio for him in their house. Later in 1916, his parents sent him to drawing school at the Colegio de Hermanas Marinas and the Instituto in Figueres, Spain. He
was 12 years old, not a very dedicated student, bent on daydreaming in class, preferring instead to be the class eccentric, wearing his hair long and dressing in strange bright clothing. But he continued to draw and three years later he had his first public exhibition at the Municipal Theatre of Figueres. In 1921, Dali’s mother Felipa died of uterine cancer. The 16-year-old Dali was devastated. Dali’s father then married his former wife’s sister, causing further grief and confusion to the young Dali, and further estrangement from his dominant father – which would continue until his father died. The next year, Dali enrolled at the Academia de Bella Artes de San Fernando in Madrid. He was a resident in the academy and, while there, began dressing and behaving in an eccentric and boastful manner. He grew long hair and sideburns, and experimented in a variety of styles including Cubism – although he did not understand what the Cubist movement was all about. He was experimenting in new forms of art while still studying the great classical painters like Raphael, Bronzino, Vermeer and Valázquez. He was also involved with Dadaism – a modern art movement that started around World War I (1914-1918), whose purpose seemed to be to ridicule the meaningless of the modern world. It peaked between 1915 and 1922, and it included concepts of the grotesque, the absurd, and the macabre. The experimental art form was a dissident prelude to World War I and eventually was to have a major effect on artists Antonin Artaud, Max Ernst and Salvador Dali. In 1923, Dali was suspended from the Academy for criticising his teachers and starting a riot over the academy’s choice of professorship. The unruly student was also arrested and briefly imprisoned for supporting the separatist movement in Spain. He returned to the Academy in 1926, but was expelled before taking his final exams, declaring that no member of the faculty was competent enough to examine him. Between 1926 and 1929, Dali made several trips to Paris where he met many influential painters including Pablo
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Picasso. During these years, Dali’s works reflected much of Picasso’s influence. He also met Joan Miró, another Spanish painter and sculptor, and the poet Paul Éluard and the artist René Magritte, who introduced Dali to Surrealism. Dali was soon working with styles of Impressionism, Futurism and Cubism, thus leading his work into three separate themes: man’s universe and sensations; sexual symbolism; and ideographic imagery. Dali was a main contributor to Surrealist art, and by 1929 his dream images created strange hallucinatory characters which he had accessed in his subconscious. In this way he managed to create a reality from something that only existed in his mind. It was an extraordinary achievement and startling to see the final result of his mental explorations. In 1929 Dali also collaborated with the film maker Luis Bruñel on two films Un Chien Andalou (An Andalusian Dog), and L’Age d’or (The Golden Age, 1930). In the dramatic opening sequence of the first film a human eye is slashed by a razor. Sixteen years later Dali’s art would appear in Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound (1945) starring Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman. Again, a dream sequence in the film gives clues as to the secret psychological character of one of the main characters in the film. In August 1929, Salvador Dali met Elena Ivanovna Diakonova, a Russian immigrant, ten years older than he was. At the time she was the wife of Surrealist writer Paul Éluard, but she soon left her husband for her younger lover. Elena “Gala” Diakonova became Dali’s muse and inspiration, and would eventually become his wife. She was an important contribution to balancing the unstable forces in the artist’s life. A strong character, Diakonova completely took over the legal business and financial side of Dali’s life, and handled all his contracts with dealers and exhibition promoters. They were married in a civil ceremony in 1934. “By 1930, Salvador Dali had become a notorious figure of the Surrealist movement. Marie-Laure de Noailles and Viscount and Viscountess Charles were his first patrons. French aristocrats, both husband and wife invested heavily in avant-garde art in the early 20th century. One of Dali’s most famous paintings produced at this time – and perhaps the best-known Surrealist work – was ‘The Persistence of Memory’ (1931). The painting, sometimes called ‘Soft Watches’,
Friday, December 13, 2019
THE PERSISTENCE of Memory painted in by artist Salvador Dalí. shows melting pocket watches in a landscape setting. It is said that the painting conveys several ideas within the image, chiefly that time is not rigid and everything is destructible.” Salvador Dali Biography, A & E Television Network, April 2, 2014 By the mid-1930s, Salvador Dali had become as notorious for his colourful personality as his artwork, and some art critics have suggested that the former was overshadowing the latter. He now sported an exaggeratedly long moustache, a cape and a walking stick. It was not unusual for Dali to exhibit unusual behaviour in public. In 1934, art dealer Julian Levy introduced Dali to America in a New York exhibition that caused considerable controversy. At a ball held in his honour, Dali, in characteristic flamboyant style, appeared wearing a glass case across his chest which contained a brassiere. Before the outbreak of the Second World War, in 1934, Dali demonstrated and fought with members of the Surrealist movement in Spain, refusing to take a stance against the militant Francisco Franco – while other highprofile members like Luis Bruñel, Pablo Picasso, and Joan Miró had. This resulted in his expulsion from the Surrealist group. “Officially Dali was notified that his expulsion was due to repeated counter-revolutionary activity involving the celebration of fascism under Hitler. It is also likely that members of the movement were aghast at some
of Dali’s public antics. However, some art historians believe that the expulsion had been driven more by his feud with Surrealist leader André Breton.” - Salvador Dali Biography, A & E Television Network, April 2, 2014 Despite his expulsion from the Surrealist movement, Dali continued to participate in several of its international exhibitions into the 1940s. At the opening of the London Surrealist Exhibition in 1936, he delivered a lecture “Authentic Paranoid Ghosts” while dressed in a wetsuit, carrying a billiard cue and walking a pair of Russian wolfhounds. He later said that his attire was a depiction of “plunging into the depths of the human mind”. In 1938, Dali met Sigmund Freud, and sketched Freud’s portrait. He was thrilled at Freud’s comment “This boy looks like a fanatic”. That September, he was invited by Gabrielle Coco Chanel to her house “La Pausa” on the French Riviera. He painted numerous paintings there, later exhibited at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York. In 1938, he unveiled Rainy Taxi – a threedimensional artwork consisting of an actual automobile with two mannequin occupants. The sensational work was exhibited at the Galerie Beaux-Arts in Paris at the Exposition Internationale du Surréalisme, organised by André Breton and Paul Éluard. At the 1939 New York World Fair, Dali debuted his Surrealist Pavilion featuring bizarre sculptures, statues, and live nude models in costumes made of fresh
seafood – photographed by Horst P Horst and George Platt Lynes. Salvador Dali and his wife moved to the United States during World War II. They remained there until 1948 when they moved back to Catalonia. The war years were important for Dali as The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York gave him his own retrospective exhibit in 1941. His arrival in the City was one of the catalysts in the development of New York as a world art centre in the post-war years. It was about this time that Dali moved away from Surrealism and into his classical period. His feud with Surrealist members continued but his inventive ever-expanding mind had moved into a new era. “Surrealism is destructive, but it destroys only what it considers to be shackles limiting our vision ... Exit pursued by a bear. The imagery is what tends to be real. “Surrealism will at least have served to give experimental proof that the total sterility and attempts at automatisations have gone too far ... Total laziness and the lack of technique have reached the paroxysm in the psychological signification of the current use of the collage.” - Salvador Dali He also published his autobiography The Secret Life of Salvador Dali in 1942 – a revealing document about his artistic ambitions, and his imagination. However, the book did not tell the whole story. For that, we would have to wait almost another half century. In 1948, Dali and Gala moved back into their house on Port Lligat on the coast at Cadaqués. For the next three decades, he would spend most of his time there painting, taking time off, and spending winters with his wife in Paris and New York. His decision to live in Spain under Franco prompted severe disagreements with other artists and intellectuals who remained in exile. In the 1950s, Dali did not confine himself to painting, but exploring any unusual and novel processes incorporating optical illusions, negative space, and trompe l’oeil visual effects. He experimented with pointillism enlarging half-tone dot grids – later used by Roy Lichtenstein. He was among the first artists to employ holography in art. The young artist Andy Warhol proclaimed him an important influence on Pop Art. Dali’s post-World War II period bore the hallmarks of technical virtuosity painting a series of large canvases that included optical effects, scientific,
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historical and religious themes. He became a devout Catholic. Dali labelled this period “Nuclear Mysticism” in his paintings The Madonna of Lligat (1949), and Corpus Hypercubus (1954). His artwork took on a technical brilliance combining meticulous detail with fantastic and limitless imagination. Optical illusions, holographs and geometry were all included in his paintings, and many of his works contained images depicting divine geometry, the DNA, the Hyper Cube and religious themes of Chastity. He also spent a great deal of his time creating Teatro-Museo Dali (The Dali Theatre Museum) in Figueres where Dali saw his very first public exhibition. Across the street from the Museum is the Church of Saint Pere, where Dali was baptised and received his First Communion. The house where he was born is located only a few blocks away. The Teatro-Museo Dali was officially opened in 1974 and is the world’s largest Surrealist structure – designed by Dali. The museum houses a magnificent array of works by the artist – including those from his very early years and during the last years of his life. Many of his most famous works were created especially for the Museum. Sadly, in 1974, Dali mistakenly severed his long-standing relationship with his business manager, Peter Moore. As a result, many of his works, including the rights to his art, were sold without his permission, creating a severe loss to much of Dali’s wealth. Two wealthy American art collectors, A Reynolds Morse and his wife Eleanor, created the “Friends of Dali” organisation and a foundation to help the artist in his financial crisis. The family also established the Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida. In 1980, Dali developed a disease, similar to Parkinsons, that caused trembling and weakness in his hands. He was no longer able to hold a paintbrush, and he entirely lost the ability to express himself and to have any outlet for his creativity. More tragedy struck in 1982 when Dali’s beloved wife Gala died. The two events sent him into a deep depression. He moved to Púbol – a castle that he had purchased and remodelled for Gala, possibly to hide from the public or, as some speculate, to die. In 1984, Dali was severely burned in a fire. As a result, he was confined to a wheelchair. His many friends, patrons and fellow
as a maid for his neighbours in Port Lligat, a town in northeastern Spain. Because of a “lack of other biological or personal remains” to compare Maria Martinez’s DNA, the judge ordered that the artist’s body be exhumed. The Gala-Salvador Dali Foundation, which manages Dali’s estate, appealed the ruling but the exhumation went ahead the following month, in a macabre chapter that once again brought Dali’s sex life and view of sex into focus. Dali’s attitude to sex was a complicated one. When he was a child, his father had shown him explicit photos of people with advanced venereal disease and he began to associate sex with putrefaction and decay. As an adult, he developed a terror of castration and female genitalia. He and his wife Gala hosted weekly orgies, but despite being married Dali was said to dislike personal contact. The orgies at his home were often for Dali a spectacle to watch and use for his artistic creations. He is also believed to have had homosexual relationships when he was younger. Among his other infamous claims and boasts were that despite his sexual tastes he in fact was impotent. “I’m impotent. You have got to be impotent to be a great painter.” - Salvador Dali, Interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation
ON his wifes forehead Salvador Dali paints the head of Medusa one of the three snaky-haired Gorgo
artists rescued him from the castle and returned him to Figueres, moving him into more comfortable lodgings at the Teatro-Museo. In November 1988, Salvador Dali was taken to a hospital in Figueres with a failing heart. He recovered after a brief convalescence in the TeatroMuseo, but on January 23, 1989, he died of heart failure. He was 84 years old. His funeral was held at the TeatroMuseo, where he was buried in a crypt. *** On June 26, 2017, one of the most extraordinary epitaphs completed the life of the famed Surrealist’s story. A 61-year-old Spanish clairvoyant and tarot card reader Maria Pilar Abel claimed that her mother had an affair with the artist while she was working
Art critics have said that Dali, the infamous Surrealist, would have been delighted by the bizarre spectacle and the inevitable debate that followed. In September 2017, results from the DNA taken from Dali’s death mask revealed that Dali was not the father of Maria Martinez. The following October, unfazed by the recent publicity, the Dali Museum in Saint Petersburg, Florida, announced that they would hold a special exhibition celebrating his friendship and collaboration with Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli. They were known as the joint creators of the “Lobster Dress” worn by the American socialite Wallis Simpson, who later married the English King Edward VIII. Salvador Dali has been cited as a major inspiration by many modern artists including Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, and other Surrealists. His manic expression and famous moustache have made him a cultural icon for the bizarre and surreal. The Salvador Dali Desert in Bolivia and the Dali Crater on the planet Mercury are named for him. In 1964, he was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic; and in 1972 he was made an Associate Member of the Royal Academy of Science, Letters and Fine Arts of Belgium. In 1981, he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III; and created 1st Marqués de Dali de Púbol by King Juan Carlos. He was made a Member of the Legion d’Honneur; and an Associate Member of the Académie des Beaux Arts of the Institut des France. Dali produced more than 1,500 paintings in his career, in addition to countless illustrations for books, lithographs, theatrical designs, drawings, and dozens of sculptures, and various other projects including films. He remains the most colourful, irrational and imposing presence on the world’s art scene during the greater part of the 20th century. • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. The author acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; Salvador Dali Biography, A & E Television Network, 2 April 2014; The Secret Life of Salvador Dali (1942); and Diary of a Genius by Salvador Dali (1965).
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history
Learning to do nothing Forgotten facts | Paul C Aranha
Discovering a different way of life in the Out Islands
I
n the 1985 movie Macaroni, Jack Lemmon plays a successful, physically exhausted, pill-popping American CEO, who brings his employees on a conference to Naples, Italy. He meets an Italian, with a laid-back philosophy, who is so overwhelmed by Lemmon’s description of a day in his life, that he asks, “Don’t you Americans know how to DO NOTHING?” During the Duke of Windsor’s tenure as Governor of The Bahamas, one writer described the Out Islands as ideal for “escapists”, but pointed out that prospective “escapists” needed to have the money to buy a house and lot, plus an annual income of $1,800. Many of the nicest people were described as “psychologically unfit” for solitude and city-dwellers, with departmentstore-minded wives, would find “doing nothing” a challenge. Already in those days, almost no one could cope with a Victorian kerosene lamp, without smoking up the house, so it was recommended to have an electric-lighting plant, a kerosene (or bottled gas) stove, a refrigerator and a tank and pump system for hot and cold water. Since fresh spring water was not always plentiful, a rain-water tank was recommended, as was the
1046-page Sears Roebuck’s mailorder catalogue, found in most Bahamian’s homes. The primary requisite for an island ‘escapist’ was a Bahamian-built boat and the recommended way of inter-island travel was by mail boat, at a cost of about $10 round-trip. There was no mention of smart phones and iPads. As for bugs, the writer recommended to “face them in advance”, starting with the sandfly, saying that the best way to handle that pest was by screening the house with No. 24-mesh, backed up with “Flit guns”. Until the 1950s, FLIT was the best-selling insecticide in the Bahamas. Real estate taxes did not exist in the Out Islands and the writer added that “unless a radical upheaval in British colonial
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policies takes place, or the United States is forced to take over the Bahamas, to uphold the Munroe Doctrine”, change was unlikely. Buyers were cautioned about “questionable title” and advised to deal with reliable realtors and establish clear title, before paying out money. It was pointed out that “deals consummated just before hurricane season favour the buyer”. The prices quoted, for an acre of land, sound unbelievable – between $30 and $150, depending on the island where it is located. In case these prices sound
unbelievable, in 1941, HG Christie Real Estate advertised a beach house, at Lyford Cay, for about $10,000. A comfortable eight-month stay would cost about $1,000, for two people - including $350 for food, $250 for electricity, $120 for a full-time maid, $40 for a part-time gardener/ handyman. The author’s closing words were “. . . and, best of all, there are those many incredibly-wonderful days when, instead of passing the time, you just sit and let time pass you”. Jack Lemmon’s friend would have approved.
13Kate Charges, 14 Fat, 15 Eton, 20 At university, improved assimilation (6) 19 Levity, 17 Astound, squa December 13, 2019 black 23 Note Welsh 20 treeFriday, is Professor. 25, 26, 32, flooded (5) Down: 1 Powerful, 2 Rued, 3 EDI,
hormone (9)
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THE ALPHABEATER
TARGET 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.
Xr t nBD i o E
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
● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)
HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? in making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. no plurals or verb forms ending in “s”. TODAY’S TARGET Good 21; very good 32; excellent 43 (or more). Solution tomorrow
Yesterday’s call 0907 181 2585 Sudoku Answer for today’s target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.
BATTLESHIPS CRYPTIC PUZZLE Down 1 It’s not simple to make up (8) 2 It’s clear the girl has a cute wiggle (8) 3 A big fiddle (4) 5 Obviously it’s not plain (5,7) 6 Moist yet may be on fire (4) 7 Old German destroyer still active today? (6) 8 They’re known for insurance in the main (6) 11 Gave spot cash? (4,2,3,3) 15 Cut the number in custody (5) 16 Animals there’s a market for (5) 18 Mythical king who never quite got what he wanted (8) 19 Figure how much property I’m coming into (8) 21 Revealing report about Rhode Island (6) 22 Northerner has an extra fish (6) 26 Side of fresh meat (4) 27 Has old-fashioned way of expressing it (4)
Across 1 Split stick (6) 4 Spiteful woman urges one to discard sin (3-5) 9 Ploughed a mowed field (6) 10 Bird ablaze with love (8) 12 Work involved in making soup (4) 13 and 14 Across She helps mistress dress to brighten dismal day (5,4) 17 Metal fasteners held together by a thread (4,3,5) 20 The aim of equal education? (7,5) 23 A number set about forming an alliance (4) 24 Investment for ploughing back? (5) 25 A case for a sempstress (4) 28 Intimation that union is in trouble and about to be terminated (8) 29 Hilda is upset about a bloomer (6) 30 Man of arms (8) 31 Virtuous but possibly cheats (6)
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Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Catch, 4 Devious, 8 Act, 9 In essence, 10 Sterile, 11 Tired, 13 Squash, 15 Crunch, 18 Salvo, 19 Radical, 21 Easy-going, 23 Odd, 24 Panoply, 25 Testy. Down: 1 Chassis, 2 To the full, 3 Haiti, 4 Diesel, 5 Visitor, 6 Own, 7 Speed, 12 Run across, 14 Stopgap, 16 Holy day, 17 Brainy, 18 Steep, 20 Digit, 22 Sin.
Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Soaks, 4 Triples, 8 Aim, 9 Wholemeal, 10 Test run, 11 Orate, 13 Evince, 15 Etudes, 18 Owner, 19 Nursery, 21 Hurricane, 23 Spa, 24 Runners, 25 Speck. Down: 1 Startle, 2 Admission, 3 Sower, 4 Thorny, 5 Iceboat, 6 Lie, 7 Solve, 12 Addressee, 14 Carmine, 16 Skylark, 17 Annals, 18 Other, 20 Reefs, 22 Ran.
EASY PUZZLE
Across 1 A humorous play (6) 4 Dismiss as unimportant (5,3) 9 By far (6) 10 Principal (8) 12 Source (4) 13 Value (5) 14 Render unconscious (4) 17 Out of the blue (12) 20 Bram Stoker’s vampire (5,7) 23 Boxing match (4) 24 An annoying eccentric (5) 25 Placid (4) 28 Assess too highly (8) 29 To exile (6) 30 Officious person (8) 31 Central part (6)
Down 1 Unambiguous (5-3) 2 Wrong designation (8) 3 Herb used in condiments (4) 5 Deeply distressing (5-7) 6 Reverse the effect of (4) 7 Elaborately embellished (6) 8 A serious crime (6) 11 Intense (12) 15 A light parody (5) 16 Cheerless (5) 18 Length of time (8) 19 Mausoleum at Agra (3,5) 21 Incorporate (6) 22 Unlawful constraint (6) 26 Seize suddenly (4) 27 Ignoble (4)
FIND where the fleet of ships shown is hidden in the grid. The numbers to the right of and below the grid indicate how many of the squares in that row are filled in with ships or parts of ships. The ships do not touch each other, even diagonally. Some squares have been filled in to start you off. Solution tomorrow 1
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Across: Gl Shop, Tutu Bamboozle Down: Sca Surf, Undo Extra leK Ululating,
4 Usherette, 5 Drudge, 6 Cedes, 8 Lavender, 11 Massif, 13 Caber, 16 On to, 18 USS.
2
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1 x Battleship
3 x Destroyer
2 x cruiser
4 x submarine
3
TARgeT cAn you crack the Alphabeater? Each grid number represents a letter – or black square. ARRogANCe 0907 1 As agar in Alphapuzzle, every argon letter ofarrange the alphabet (Deduct thr anger angora CRoSS each extra cl is used. But you have to complete the grid too! ARROGANCE cage cargo carnage use the given letters and black squares below Across: fullCU s conga conger crag ergo garner gean the grid to start. the grid is ‘rotationally 0907 1 Down: SUS gear goer gone goner gore grace symmetrical’ – in other words, it looks the *Calls cost 80 gran groan ogre your teleph same if you turngroaner the page grocer upside down. SuMM network a onager orange organ raga rage Solution tomorrow rager rang range ranger roger
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
86 and 9
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13 30 26 6 36 16 19 35 24 34 Yesterday’s
28 2 Kakuro 1 32 Answer 15 8 17 15 7 17 1
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35 36 17 15 38 13 24 34 17 25 23 26 33 21 5
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● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues to your mob text DXBEAT to 84901. Texts cost £1 plus your usual ope
KEIJO 1
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1 1
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because of you... we are ALIV life is beautiful when we allow the angels that exist within us to shine through. now it’s our turn to give back during the
ALIV countdown to Christmas giveaways December 13 - 24 2019. lucky winners will be notified by text message.
never look back. believe in best.