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Friday, December 31, 2021

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Weekend

Fashion in 2022 Page 08 + 09

Coffee love Engaged couple offers a new taste of the town

pg 07

02 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, December 31, 2021

community

SEA glass jewellery by Two Island Chicks

CANDIS Marshall’s tyre accessories

Green shopping for eco-friendly gifts

By Alesha Cadet | Tribune Features Reporter | acadet@tribunemedia.net

hile Christmas may be over, there are many other occasions throughout the year – Valentine’s Day, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries – when people are looking for interesting gifts to purchase. When selecting a cool or unique present in 2022, the New Providence Ecology Park (NPEP) wants you to think green in an effort to cut down on the tonnes of waste that end up in landfills each year. NPEP is a 160-acre landfill that is driving the local movement toward more sustainable, environmentally friendly waste management practices throughout the Bahamas. Today, the NPEP is encouragig readers to consider gifting ecofriendly products which you can purchase from local artisans who give a second life to materials that many would not give a second thought. For example, furniture and fashion accessories from “up-cycled” tyres by artist Candis Marshall. As a Bahamian entrepreneur, Candis specialises using tyre material to create interesting jewellery and furniture pieces.

“I take discarded tyres and I transform them into marketable products like furniture, fashion accessories, and pretty much anything else you can make out of leather,” she said. “For my sculptures and installations, I not only use tyres, but I also use those things that people would discard, and I incorporate it with the tyres to create belts, handbags and clothing.” It was in 2015 when Candis’ son approached her with the idea to make wallets out of old tyres to earn extra income for a family vacation. Since then, she has expanded to produce a range of accessories from that early idea, including necklaces, earrings, bracelets, belts and satchels. “When I say we use any and everything that is non-biodegradable, I mean it,” she said. NPEP is also highlighting the talents of the Two Island Chicks as they continue to turning glass shards into sea glass jewellery. “Candis isn’t the only one making sustainable accessories. In Abaco, Hilary Thompson and Erika Feszt Russell, otherwise known as the Two Island Chicks, turn naturally weathered pieces of glass that wash up on beaches into beautiful jewellery.

A COCO Splash cup made from coconuts The duo combines the sea glass with pebbles, shells, and other natural elements to transform the remnants of litter from broken bottles into fashionable pieces,” the NPEP said. Erika told the NPEP that they decided to make sea glass jewellery because it was a way to up-cycle things they can find in the country

and incorporate into something special for people to keep. She said every one of the pieces is unique and original because every piece of sea glass is different. Erika described their work as oneof-a-kind jewellery that is inspired by the beauty of the Bahamas. She also added that while their venture started out as a “therapeutic outlet”, it quickly blossomed into a handmade, eco-friendly accessory line they were eager to share with others. Now, the pair offers pre-made designs as well as custom pieces, including necklaces, bracelets and charms that can be purchased by contacting them through Two Island Chick’s social media pages. “The special thing about what we do is we go walking on the beach and we find sea glass and pick it up because it’s speaking to us. I’ve also had people who found their own sea glass and asked us to make something out of it, so there’s nothing else like it,” said Erika. What sea glass is to the Two Island Chicks, coconuts are to Donovan McKenzie. “Coconuts are an everyday staple in many Bahamian desserts and drinks, but what about the byproducts after the coconut pulp is extracted?” Donovan lives by a zero-waste philosophy with his company Coco Splash, which specialises in coconut milk and water, and offers custommade coconut cups. Donavan started out making coconut drinks and then eventually branched out and ended up creating cups and keepsakes from the coconut shells that were leftover. He said before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Coco Splash operated from a site on Gladstone Road. For now, the small business has shifted to an online delivery model which can be contacted through their social media pages or by calling or texting 1-242-445-1717. “We can all make adjustments to reduce our carbon footprint – especially when we consider the amount of waste usually produced around this time. Be a part of the solution by supporting businesses that help curb waste by making the best use of materials that are already available,” said the NPEP representatives. For those interested in purchasing Donavan’s products, he is exhibiting at the Reef and Cove at Atlantis until today. Candis’ products can be purchased at the Bahamas National Art Gallery’s Gift Shop or online from her website: https://cajouben. fws.store.

The Tribune | Weekend | 03

Friday, December 31, 2021

entertainment

ROOTS Boxing Day 2017

SAXONS New Year 2020

Don’t forget: Virtual Junkanoo takes place tomorrow night

Bahamians look forward to 14 groups celebrating ‘The Spirit of Junkanoo’ By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Reporter | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

HE virtual presentation of Junkanoo airing tomorrow night on television is not ideally what fans of the cultural parade would have wanted, but with the current explosion of COVID-19 cases, Bahamians understand they must take what they can get. It will be some time before large gatherings and Junkanoo can be held in a safe way. But until then, Junkanoo lovers will have to get comfy on their sofas to experience the popular cultural event from the safety of their homes. The Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture, in partnership with the Junkanoo Corporation New Providence (JCNP), will present “The Spirit of Junkanoo” New Year’s Day broadcast on ZNS and Facebook at 7pm. The film will showcase seven category A and seven category B groups who will rush to breathe life into the spirit of Junkanoo.

VALLEY Boys 2019 Boxing Day Junkanoo groups were invited to expand on this theme in particular. For filming, all of the participating groups convened at the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium for a rush-out. The location was kept under wraps to prevent a crowd from

gathering and to allow for better control and COVID protocols to be in place. Although Bahamians told Tribune Weekend that they would’ve loved to have been present on Bay Street to feel the rush and get lost in the

rhythms of the goat skin drums, they are still looking forward to the virtual version of Junkanoo. Former Junkanooer and beller of the the Shell Saxons Superstars, Ray Davis, said he is looking forward to the day he can once again experience the parade and all the kinetic energy it exudes. “It really is something to be experienced. Watching it virtually doesn’t quite do it justice because you don’t get a good appreciation for the grandness of the costumes. That’s the way I feel. I will still tune in (to the the TV special) because I love Junkanoo, but I’m ready to see it live and in living colour,” he said. Long-time Junkanoo fan Donna Rolle said attending the parades with her family has always been a tradition. This tradition was obviously suspended during the pandemic. “My family and I would purchase our tickets in advance for both parades. It’s something we all look forward to and we miss the parade so much…being out there on Rawson Square made us feel the holiday spirit in a way that Christmas shopping or the other activities couldn’t. But nevertheless, the country is in a certain state of affairs and we understand. But we hope things can get under control so that we can enjoy it once again,” she said. Stephen Forbes commended the Ministry and the JCNP for giving Junkanooers the opportunity to perform through this filmed experience, even though it is not a competition like the traditional parades are. “It’s a part of our culture and to see that we were not able to take part, even just as spectators, is disappointing. But thankfully the groups got a chance perform. The competitive aspect of the event is not there, and you know one of the joys of Junkanoo is seeing who has the bragging rights, but we will be back at some point,” he said. The annual Boxing Day and New Year’s Day parades were cancelled for a second consecutive year due to the lingering COVID-19 pandemic and the recent threat of the new omicron variant. Last year, the JCNP partnered with ZNS and Junkanoo242, a local talk show, to produce a virtual parade. Every Junkanoo group was asked to submit footage of their best parade over the past decade, which was aired with live commentary, with groups explaining the thought process surrounding their selection and experiences over the years.

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, December 31, 2021

entertainment

Raise a glass How to pick the right champagne or sparkling wine for your party

opping open a bottle of champagne is tradition on New Year’s Eve. It is believed to signify good luck and represents the joy of a fresh start. But how much do you really know about the different types of champagne, and what are some alternatives to ring in 2022 with? Susan Warren, Jimmy’s Wines and Spirits portfolio specialist, shared some tips and tricks with Tribune Weekend. If you want to get a bit fancy, she suggests the brand Perrier-Jouët Champagne, which produces Belle

Epoque (vintage), which sells for $300 plus a bottle. Or you can go for their Blason (non-vintage), which is only $80 plus. “Two distinct styles and two distinct price points,” she said. Then there is the GH Mumm: Demi-Sec, Rouge (Brut) and Rose. “Mumm would be a fine choice for parties and social gatherings. Its grandiose label would be quite fitting for relatively high-brow occasions even among friends at an affordable price point,” she said.

“You will sometimes find we carry Piper–Heidsieck, Moët, Taittinger, Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose, and of course Veuve Clicquot and Dom Perignon, as these are popular champagnes in the Bahamas.”

Champagne alternatives If you don’t want to go in for the old bubbly, other great choices for New Year’s Eve parties are spirits. “Make sure you have Vodka (Tito’s), Gin (Beefeater), Rum

(Mount Gay) as well as some beer (Sands),” said Susan. So now you’ve made your (maybe last-minute) purchase, how do you store your drinks. Susan has the following advice: “Place your bottles vertically in your refrigerator to allow the most surface of the bottle to make contact with the cool temperature and let it chill for an hour. If you do not have that kind of time, place the bottles in an ice bucket, fill with ice and a little water to create an ice bath. Let the bottles sit in the ice bath 20 minutes and restock throughout the party,” she said. Depending on the size of your gathering (and let’s face it, all celebrations will be on the smaller side this year), how do you calculate how many bottles to buy? Susan recommends visiting the webiste https://www.evite.com/pages/ party/drink-calculator. “This is the best drink calculator on the planet! Enter all your information and adjust depending on your experience from previous parties you’ve hosted. For me, I always need more Tito’s, more Beefeater and more sparkling wine,” she said. And has to the age-old question, which wine or drink to pair with what dish, Susan has the following rules of thumb: Extra dry: Lobster, roast chicken Brut: Steak Frites (aka steak and fries), truffles, citrus Fried chicken Blanc de Blanc: All Chardonnay sparkling wines pair well with oysters, caviar, mac and cheese and light fish dishes. Sweet sparkling wine: Popcorn (salty) and desserts (sweet) Rosé: Feta cheese, crab cakes, spicy foods, meaty fish and cured meats Once you know what to serve with which dish, you have to decide on the appropriate glassware. “The best way to enjoy champagne is in a white wine glass. A white wine glass’ larger bowl enables the wine to open up in the glass, allowing you to better enjoy all the aromas and to savor the complexity of the champagne,” said Susan. “Traditional champagne flutes are perfect for showcasing champagne’s stream of bubbles, but their narrow shape limits the drinker’s experience of aromas and flavours. Hold the glass by the stem to avoid warming the wine in your hands.”

The Tribune | Weekend | 05

Friday, December 31, 2021

entertainment

Superstar Doja Cat prepares to take the Bahamas by storm By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Reporter | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

HOUGH many events have been cancelled this weekend due to the uptick in COVID-19 cases, Bahamians will still have the opportunity to celebrate the New Year with the Grammy-nominated musical superstar Doja Cat. Fans of the star will get to see Doja perform tomorrow night at Atlantis Paradise Island. The exclusive outdoor event will be held on New Year’s Day at the resort’s Royal Deck overlooking Paradise Beach. The performance is part of the resort’s acclaimed entertainment series ‘Atlantis Live’, which provides guests with an all-access pass to top musicians and artists. Doja Cat was a perfect fit for the resort according to representatives, offering refreshing entertainment.

The three-time Grammy nominee made her first upload to Soundcloud in 2013 at just 16 years old. Having grown up in and around the Los Angeles area, she developed a knack for music by studying piano and dance as a kid and listening to the likes of Busta Rhymes, Erykah Badu, Nicki Minaj, Drake, and others.. Soon, she went from obsessing over the movie “Catwoman” (the Halle Berry version) to creating videos on YouTube. The budding talent taught herself how to compose songs on a midi controller. Signed to Kemosabe/RCA in 2014, she released her first EP, “Purrr!”, and followed that with her debut album “Amala” in spring 2018, but it was her August 2018 release of the track “Mooo!” that catapulted her into the mainstream.

Doja Cat released her sophomore album “Hot Pink” in November 2019 to critical acclaim. The album was a platinum success with over 14.5 billion streams worldwide. “Hot Pink” features the track “Juicy”, which hit #1 at Rhythm radio; “Say So”, her Grammy nominated smash record, and “Streets”, the viral sensation that was the sound for the ‘Silhouette Challenge,’ one of the biggest TikTok trends to date. The success of “Say So” which hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been RIAA certified four-times platinum and streamed over 6.7 billion times, catapulted Doja into global superstardom. She has taken home the Best New Artist Award at the MTV VMAs, the MTV EMAs, the AMAs (where she also won the Best Female

Final goodbye: Recalling entertainers who died in 2021

sharecropper’s wife in “Sounder,” won a Tony Award in 2013 at age 88 and touched TV viewers’ hearts in “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.” January 28.

made him one of rap’s biggest stars. April 9. • Jim Steinman, 73. The Grammywinning composer who wrote Meat Loaf’s best-selling “Bat Out Of Hell” debut album as well as hits for Celine Dion, Air Supply and Bonnie Tyler. April 19. Kidney failure.

By BERNARD MCGHEE The Associated Press Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2021 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available): JANUARY • Siegfried Fischbacher, 81. He was the surviving member of the magic duo Siegfried & Roy who entertained millions with illusions using rare animals. January. 13. Pancreatic cancer. • Larry King, 87. The suspenderssporting everyman whose broadcast interviews with world leaders, movie stars and ordinary people helped define American conversation for a half-century. January 23. • Cloris Leachman, 94. An Oscarwinner for her portrayal of a lonely housewife in “The Last Picture Show” and a comedic delight as the fearsome Frau Blücher in “Young Frankenstein” and self-absorbed neighbour Phyllis on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” January 27. • Cicely Tyson, 96. The pioneering Black actor who gained an Oscar nomination for her role as the

FEBRUARY • Dustin Diamond, 44. An actor best known for playing Screech on the hit ’90s sitcom “Saved by the Bell.” February 1. Cancer. • Christopher Plummer, 91. The dashing award-winning actor who played Captain von Trapp in the film “The Sound of Music” and at 82 became the oldest Academy Award acting winner in history. February. 5. • Mary Wilson, 76. The longestreigning original Supreme. February 8. MARCH • Bunny Wailer, 73. A reggae luminary who was the last surviving founding member of the legendary group The Wailers. March 2. • Larry McMurtry, 84. The prolific and popular author who took readers back to the old American West in his Pulitzer Prize-winning “Lonesome Dove” and returned them to modernday landscapes in works such as his emotional “Terms of Endearment.” March 25. APRIL • DMX, 50. The iconic hip-hop artist behind the songs “Ruff Ryders’ Anthem” and “Party Up (Up in Here)” whose distinctively gruff voice and thoughtful messages in his rhymes

MAY • Olympia Dukakis, 89. The veteran stage and screen actor whose flair for maternal roles helped her win an Oscar as Cher’s mother in the romantic comedy “Moonstruck” and made her unforgettable in “Steel Magnolias”. May 1. JUNE • Ned Beatty, 83. The Oscar-nominated character actor who in half a century of American movies, including “Deliverance,” “Network” and “Superman,” was a booming, indelible presence in even the smallest parts. June 13. JULY • Richard Donner, 91. The filmmaker who helped create the modern superhero blockbuster with 1978’s “Superman” and mastered the buddy comedy with the “Lethal Weapon” franchise. July 5. AUGUST • Charlie Watts, 80. The self-effacing Rolling Stones drummer who helped anchor one of rock’s greatest rhythm sections and used his “day job” to

Soul/R&B Artist Award) and the iHeart Radio Awards. She has been nominated for countless awards including three Grammy Awards, nine MTV VMA Awards, five Billboard Music Awards, four American Music Awards, two BET Awards, and two People’s Choice Awards. Audrey Oswell, Atlantis’ President & Managing Director, said the resort is excited to welcome fans of the artist and stressed the event will be a safe one for all. “All of Atlantis’ New Year’s festivities are taking place outdoors. And the New Year’s celebrations are expected to continue as planned, with Atlantis following all of the protocols and guidelines stipulated by the government of the Bahamas for resorts, as well as strict adherence to Atlantis’ clean and safe promise. In addition, all guests, local and international, must be fully vaccinated or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test valid within 72 hours. Physical distancing will be in place,” he said. support his enduring love of jazz. August 24. SEPTEMBER • Melvin Van Peebles, 89. The groundbreaking filmmaker, playwright and musician whose work ushered in the “blaxploitation” wave of the 1970s and influenced filmmakers long after. September 21. NOVEMBER • Dean Stockwell, 85. A top Hollywood child actor who gained new success in middle age in the sci-fi series “Quantum Leap” and in a string of indelible performances in film, including David Lynch’s “Blue Velvet” and and Jonathan Demme’s “Married to the Mob.” November 7. • Stephen Sondheim, 91. The songwriter who reshaped the American musical theatre in the second half of the 20th century ( November. 26. DECEMBER • Anne Rice, 80. The novelist whose lush, best-selling gothic tales, including “Interview With the Vampire,” reinvented the blood-drinking immortals as tragic antiheroes. December 11. • bell hooks, 69. The groundbreaking author, educator and activist whose explorations of how race, gender, economics and politics intertwined helped shape academic and popular debates over the past 40 years. December 15.

down: celebrity (4) 2 Out; 3 Badge; 4 Accept; 5 A la mode;

27 Horse is hard-working? No promises (4)

06 | The Tribune | Weekend

● The Target uses words in the main body of Chambers 21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)

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

TODAY’S TARGET Good 9; very good 14; excellent 18 (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 Across 1 French writer’s pseudonym (3,2,5) 6 A stunning performance in The Ring? (4) 10 At festive occasions a journalist is treated (5) 11 Frank had a meal but hasn’t yet a seat (9) 12 A cleaner fuel that draws well (8) 13 More than one ghost writer (5) 15 Furnish with a soft tip (7) 17 Lift most of the secrecy (7) 19 A stage between flights (7) 21 Gentleman returning with a fish or meat dish (7) 22 Excuse offered for absenteeism (5) 24 No energy? And no inclination apparently (8) 27 Agitated animal that is caught in twisted net (9) 28 Give a protracted speech (5) 29 The north as it appeared at that time (4) 30 Strictly practical restyled Roman tunic (10)

Down 1 Shows approval although almost asleep (4) 2 Ship’s name spoilt by being cooked (9) 3 Spanish and German articled entitled to respect? (5) 4 Anti-labour act? (7) 5 Chews up a thousand fishes (7) 7 Collect for a service (5) 8 Very steep climb for a member of a trio (3,2,5) 9 Not always the products of great minds (3,5) 14 Family man holds up letters for national assembly (10) 16 They make up monograms for people (8) 18 Be quick to show pride in appearance (4,5) 20 Bitterness associated with age-old craft (7) 21 Turn to riots to get food (7) 23 Get used to being in old city quarter (5) 25 Lady I take out? (5) 26 Smart boy (4)

9 10

14 15

25 26

Yesterday’s Easy Solution Across: 1 Backlog, 5 Trait, 8 By the book, 9 Aim, 10 Lift, 12 Parallel, 14 Shower, 15 Banner, 17 Monotony, 18 Tend, 21 Low, 22 Play havoc, 24 Range, 25 Pottery. Down: 1 Babel, 2 Cut, 3 Leek, 4 Global, 5 Take away, 6 At a glance, 7 Tumbler, 11 From now on, 13 Sextuple, 14 Similar, 16 Encamp, 19 Decry, 20 Shot, 23 Vie.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution Across: 1 Doormat, 5 Treat, 8 Merciless, 9 Tee, 10 Rite, 12 Repaired, 14 Circus, 15 Solace, 17 Sedition, 18 Gnus, 21 Icy, 22 Endeavour, 24 Reset, 25 Ranting. Down: 1 Demur, 2 Oar, 3 Mail, 4 Theses, 5 Testator, 6 Entertain, 7 Treadle, 11 Tired eyes, 13 Quotient, 14 Cashier, 16 Powder, 19 Shrug, 20 Lawn, 23 Obi.

EASY PUZZLE

Across 1 Singly (3,2,1,4) 6 Frustrate (4) 10 Narrow opening (5) 11 Settlement of accounts (9) 12 Distinction (8) 13 A self-evident truth (5) 15 In particular (7) 17 Irreligious (7) 19 Comprise as a part (7) 21 Exculpate (7) 22 Stuck (5) 24 Avoid risks (4,4) 27 Relate (9) 28 In slow dignified tempo (5) 29 Bring in as interest (4) 30 Laughing uncontrollably (2,8)

Down 1 At some time in the past (4) 2 Difficult to understand (9) 3 Symbol (5) 4 Oppressive power (7) 5 Shakespearean tragedy (7) 7 Excuse to avert blame (5) 8 Having lofty principles (4-6) 9 In the present age (8) 14 Out of favour (2,8) 16 Line marking a limit (8) 18 Pontificate (4,5) 20 Account for (7) 21 Opposed to (7) 23 Superior (5) 25 Fissure (5) 26 Throw up in the air (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

9 10

1 4

T R E B G E Y H

F L D I K R T D

N E Y Z G E C E

M S S U B J T R

J R R A D U C L

U O Z G K M N E

L I H F R S Q H

L L D N Y N E T

A E U E N A J E

targEt thEeach alphapuzz cAn you crack the Alphabeater? grid cigarEttE Flaccid, Adze, Hav number represents a letter –across: or black square. acre attic cage cagier care caret Thought, Bulky, Data, Behe As in Alphapuzzle, every of Maniac, the alphabet cart carte cater cattier cere certletter (clue), Ward, Trum cigar CIGARETTE cite have citrateto complete Fashion,the Squad, is used. But you gridRead, too! Chu crag crate create erect erica down: Cherub, Wafer, Live use the letters squares belowIntake grace race given react recite rice and tacetblack Charisma, Convulse, tacit tact tercet tiercethe tracegrid is Brunch, Marmoset, Dogma the grid to start. ‘rotationally tract tragic trice Jute, Extra, Cloudy. symmetrical’ – in other words, it looks the * same if you turn the page upside down. Solution tomorrow

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. Verb forms ending in s permitted.

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

R A H C I R Q B

THE ALPHABEAT

G l u e f e nt c

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

Q H J P D R L P

Friday, December 31, 2021

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.

Y C Z S K K Q K

6 Criterion; 7 Sympathetic; 8 Unprotected; 12 Surrender; 15 Stalled; 17 Ethnic; 19 Tress; 21 Ago.

1 x Battleship

3 x Destroyer

2 x cruiser

4 x submarine

5 Yesterday’s 20 16 34

Kakuro Answer 28 9 4 19 22

30 31

■

V ■

● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues t text DXBEAT to 64343. Texts cost £1 plus your

KEIJO 3

The Tribune | Weekend | 07

Friday, December 31, 2021

drinks

THE MR Koffee staff

The new taste of the town

BY DENISE MAYCOCK | Tribune Freeport Reporter | dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

lifelong dream has become a reality for two young entrepreneurs in Grand Bahama who have opened a new coffee shop, the already popular Mr Koffee Café. Tayno Missick and his fiancée Samantha Russell opened their café at Freeport’s Rayvin Mall in May, and it has been delighting the tastebuds of coffee drinkers ever since. Within just a few months – and in a pandemic, no less – Mr Koffee Cafe has quickly become a staple in the Grand Bahama business community, offering a wide variety of hot and cold beverages. The business-savvy couple decided to venture into the coffee business after much research. According to Tayno, the opening of the coffee shop was the realisation of a lifelong dream. “I’m a big coffee drinker,” he told Tribune Weekend. “I love going to different coffee shops and trying different flavours. I’ve always wanted to be able to share my love of coffee

INSIDE the Mr Koffee Café

with other people, and for me, this was the best way to do it.” When many businesses were shuttering their operations on Grand Bahama, the couple was meticulously planning their opening. Said Samantha: “One of the things we were concerned about was whether or not a business like this would flourish, especially considering the current environment and the new normal. “We did our research, and while the current conditions have presented some challenges in terms of shipping, we’ve learned to navigate those challenges in order to meet the needs of our customers,” she said. The coffee shop has been well received, according to Samantha. After months of preparation, the doors to the café opened to throngs of excited customers ready to take advantage of the daily barista specials. “We knew we wanted to design a menu that would be filled with classic coffee flavours and would introduce some fun new flavours for our customers as well,” said Samantha. So far, the response has been outstanding. “Our customers have welcomed us with open arms,” she added. The café offers beverages like the Mr Koffe frappuccino - a frozen coffee drink featuring as many as 19 sweet flavours - already a customer favourite. Tayno and Samantha also introduced a batch of new flavours for the holiday season. From the ever-popular pumpkin spice to new Christmas arrivals like eggnog, peppermint and toasted marshmallow flavours, Mr Koffee Café customers were able to enjoy a taste of the Yuletide season.

TAYNO Missick and his fiancée Samantha Russell are living their dream

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, December 31, 2021

gardening

Adiós 2021!

ood day, gardeners. This week brings 2021 to a close, and I hope that you didn’t blink too often this year, too many and it may have been missed. Maybe that’s me showing my age. I’m in Ontario at the moment, and it reminds me of how lucky we are in the Bahamas to live in a region with a year-round gardening season! All things deciduous (shedding leaves) where I am are well and confused as the weather has been warmer than usual and things that are meant to be dormant for the winter are peeking out with new buds and using up reserve energy far too early. No doubt that a freeze will come soon enough and knock everything back again. Not so for us! Our Bahamian gardens typically take

constant and consistent attention to maintain them within bounds, and to keep new edibles rotating into our garden spaces for growing and hopefully, eventual consumption. I’m seeing all sorts of goodness from many gardeners at home, and the fact that the last couple of years has created a great resurgence in home growing of veggies, herbs, and fruits, brings me happiness. One thing that I was introduced to during these two years of the pandemic is asparagus. Yes, proper, edible asparagus like one would buy in a grocery store and most often is grown thousands of miles from home, in cooler regions. I’ve been growing them for around 18 months now, and I am told that it typically takes 2 ½ or 3 years for them to establish a decent enough

crown to start producing good sized asparagus spears that are large enough to bother harvesting for eating. I’ve been pecking away at them recently though, as they are just darn tasty! They do not require particularly special care, and they are easy to start from seed or from crown division. For those of you with mature citrus trees, I see lots of fruit slowly maturing on trees and for those growing younger trees, keep them well fed and pest free, maybe next winter will be the year that they start producing. Patience is a virtue in life, and a necessity in the garden. For faster growing crops I put down some lettuce and radish before I left the island, that I hope will almost be ready to eat by the time I return. I had been continuing to put down broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, carrots and beets, those things that take a little longer to be ready. Folks are posting pictures of mango trees blooming already, in December! It’s early. I can recall some that at one point in the past would not begin flowering until March, that are now pushing flowers in December. Our world is out of whack it seems, or maybe we are unaware of the longerterm cycles of nature. I do not know; I just

roll with it. In the Bahamas we have great access to locally grown greens, veg, and fruit and it only keeps getting better. There are people in big business who are growing excellent product, and there are smaller farmers doing the same. We as a nation have wonderful potential to grow and produce many of the plant-based products that we typically import, and I hope to see this continue to improve through 2022. I believe it will, all obstacles aside. 2021 created some challenges in supply of some of the basic materials used in growing and gardening. This may eventually resolve itself, but if I were a gambling man, I wouldn’t bet on it to happen very quickly. It seems we are on our way to another challenging year in 2022, with shortages in the marketplace and the invisible threat of pandemicbased issues. The one thing that I can be certain of is that we as gardeners tend to be resourceful and adventurous, and we won’t let shortages and obstacles daunt our quest to create an epic garden space or tremendously productive veggie patch. I wish each and every one of you a prosperous and productive new year, and a happy and healthy long weekend to say goodbye and good riddance to the old, and in with the new! Happy New Year to one and all, and the best wishes for 2022. Happiness is manifested in the garden. As always, I wish you happy gardening. Adiós, 2021! • Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at the Fox Hill Nursery. You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail.com.

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Friday, December 31, 2021

entertainment

GRAND prize winner Anthony Major-Smith prepares to deliver an amazing performance at the Kalik Platinum Challenge finale.

BRYANNA BETHEL, who came in second, left it all on the stage.

BEFORE gracing the stage, third place winner Tamia Dixon (l) and second place winner Bryanna Bethel posed for a quick platinum photo.

Bringing out the platinum pipes for the Kalik challenge On November 10, the Kalik Platinum Challenge was announced and the marketing team at Commonwealth Brewery Ltd (CBL) set out to find the next Bahamian star. Over a three-week period, submissions were received via website, email and live recording in the Platinum recording booth. The interactive shower themed booth was stationed at various locations across New Providence and garnered over 100 submissions. “The Kalik Platinum Challenge was a great opportunity for vocalists,

the paid performers and shower soloists to step into the spotlight and embrace the opportunity of a lifetime,” said Waylon McHardy, senior portfolio manager of beers at CBL. “We were overjoyed at the response and especially happy to receive submissions from the family islands including Abaco, Grand Bahama and Exuma.” From total of applications, 15 contestants were selected to move onto the semifinal, then five fan favourites took part in the grand finale. The finalists went head-to-head in a live

performance and viewers we’re given 24 hours to cast their votes through Kalik’s Instagram polls. “This was a close competition, and the participants were all very talented.” said Mr McHardy. “We affectionately refer to Kalik Platinum as the party beer of the Bahamas and sought to find a personality that embodied the same bold, charismatic and fun-loving essence of the brand.” First, second and third prize winners will all receive monetary prizes. In addition to the $5,000 grand prize,

the first place winner will also win a music video courtesy of Kalik - and for many, that is a dream come true. “Our winners – Anthony MajorSmith in first place, Bryanna Bethel in second place, and Tamia Dixon in third place – all exude those exciting qualities and definitely wowed us with their pipes and passion,” said Mr McHardy. “As the beer of the Bahamas, Kalik is always looking for opportunities to support local talent and the creative culture. We saw the Kalik Platinum Challenge as a great platform for Bahamians to showcase their talents.” Kalik along with the wider CBL community would like to thank all participants and supporters of this great event and the brand looks forward to next years’ competition.

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.

New this week: ‘Lost Daughter,’ Boba Fett

controlled by Jabba the Hutt and his criminal syndicate. Temuera Morrison stars as Fett opposite MingNa Wen’s Shand, with Jon Favreau and Robert Rodriguez among the seven-episode series’ producers and directors. A trailer offers insight into Fett’s viewpoint: Declaring he will rule with respect, he makes an offer to Jabba’s former captains that has a “The Godfather” ring to it. Episodes are out weekly on Wednesday. The book is closing on “Dickinson,” the Peabody Award-winning series starring Hailee Steinfeld in a reimagination of Emily Dickinson’s youth. In the series finale streaming now on Apple TV+, the poet’s work

is flourishing but there’s strife in her family and across Civil War-torn America. Richard Gere is the narrator for “Earth Emergency,” about a lessprominent aspect of climate change. According to scientists interviewed for the documentary, humancaused global warming activates a natural response from the Earth that releases further greenhouse gases — and makes the planet even hotter. Activist Greta Thunberg and the Dalai Lama are among those featured in the film, which uses illustrations, graphics and video to examine what’s termed a “crucial piece of the climate puzzle” and the urgency of addressing it. The hourlong documentary debuts on PBS (check local stations for times) and on PBS.org. — Television Writer Lynn Elber

$5,000 grand prize and music video for the winner

MOVIES Maggie Gyllenhaal’s feature directing debut, “The Lost Daughter,” scintillatingly adapts the 2008 Elena Ferrante novel about maternal ambivalence and a holiday in Greece. The film, which begins streaming Friday on Netflix, stars Olivia Colman as a vacationing professor whose interactions with a boisterous, distracting clan (including a young mother in their midst played by Dakota Johnson), recall her own parenting history, seen in flashbacks with Jessie Buckley. “The Lost Daughter” cleaned up last month at the Gotham Awards, which honour independent film, and topped

AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr’s bestof list for 2021. — AP Film Writer Jake Coyle TELEVISION A looming figure in the “Star Wars” canon is coming into his own. “The Book of Boba Fett,” now on Disney+, tracks the bounty hunter and mercenary Fennec Shand as they attempt to claim Tatooine land once

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Literary lives - J G Farrell (1935 - 1979) Lives of the Novelists, 2011 Brian Walden, Alan Coren, Dudley Moore, Paul Johnson, Grey Gowrie, Ferdinand Mount, Paul Foot, Richard Ingrams, Ved Mehta, Auberon Waugh and Dennis Potter were his contemporaries. But none of them knew their popular burly young contemporary at Brasenose College, Oxford. On November 28, 1956, Farrell played a bad game of rugger and didn’t feel right in the changing room afterwards, and cut the usual postgame drinking session.

FARRELL’s novel ‘The Singapore Grip’ was made into a TV show in 2020

From sports jock to outsider, to a pioneer of post-Colonial fiction Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the English-born novelist of Irish descent who gained literary respect for three novels known as “The Empire Trilogy” – which deals with the consequences of British Colonial Rule.

“People are insubstantial. They never last. All this fuss. It’s all fuss about nothing. We’re here for a while and then we’re gone. People are insubstantial. They never last at all.” - J G Farrell James Gordon Farrell was born in Liverpool on January 25, 1935, into an Irish family. He was the second of three brothers. His father was an accountant in Bengal, and his mother a former receptionist and secretary to a doctor. When the young Farrell was twelve, he was sent to Rossall School in Lancashire where he wound up being head boy. He was clever and good at sports. “Rugger was pretty well my life. - J G Farrell His parents moved to Dublin after World War II. Farrell was well-built, handsome, and almost certain to get a “full blue” (status on the varsity team) playing rugger for Oxford – where he went in 1956 after two gap years. He got a place at Brasenose to read law. “This was the era of Oxbridge immortalised by Frederic Raphael’s ‘Glittering Prizes’ ... The university’s cream of the crop were not like their predecessors merely ‘brilliant’ – they were ‘celebrities’.” – John Sutherland

“He took a bus back to college and crawled fully clothed into bed. He had polio. Six days later he was in an iron lung, that life-saving apparatus ... that half medieval torture-rack. Jonas Salk’s vaccine became widely available six months later.” - John Sutherland Lives of the Novelists, 2011 When Farrell recovered, he was three stone (forty-two pounds) lighter. The popular jock Jim Farrell had become J G Farrell – an outsider. No longer a player, he became a spectator. Somehow the novelist was born. Advised to give up the demanding law degree, he transferred into modern languages and scraped through with third-class honours in French and Spanish and went to live in France where he taught at a lycée (a secondary eduction institution). He also got by on other teaching jobs and travelling fellowships. He was lonely but committed to being a novelist. Women were attracted to the thin, nerve-wracked ambitious author. “One has to be lonely in order to get up the steam to write fiction.” - J G Farrell But nowhere had he been lonelier than in the coffin-like iron lung. Farrell’s first novel A Man From Elsewhere (1963), followed by The Lung (1965) and A Girl in the Head (1967), were not particularly noteworthy, nor did they give any indication of a worthwhile literary future. He pinned his hopes on the loyalty of his publisher Jonathan Cape, and a fellowship to study in America. He was not a well-read novelist and in fact did not discover Dickens until two years before he

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Friday, December 31, 2021

Farrell was working on a sequel to The Siege of Krishnapur when he died – mysteriously. The unfinished manuscript was edited and published posthumously as The Hill Station in 1981. It would have been the fourth of many subjects Farrell could have written about the death-throes of the British Empire. He was only fortyfour years old. On August 11, 1979, Farrell was fishing in stormy seas near his home on the Sheep’s Head peninsula in County Cork in Southwest Ireland when he was swept off the rock on which he was standing. He drowned in Bantry Bay. It was the same murderous storm that killed fifteen sailors in the Fastnet Yacht Race that summer. He made no effort to save himself and nobody fishing near him heard any shouts for help. His body was not recovered for six weeks.

THE DISCOVERY in the British Museum of a diary kept by a survivor of the 1857 siege of Lucknow inspired a more practical plot for what would become Farrell’s novel ‘The Siege of Krishnapur’ (Price’s Patent Candle Company Ltd Lithograph) died. His formative years were influenced by Richard Hughes’ A High Wind in Jamaica (1929) and Malcolm Lowry’s 1947 novel Under the Volcano – because of which he travelled to Mexico. Reviewers were curiously enigmatic.

India of Cawnpore and Lucknow, went on to win the Booker Prize in 1973. “It describes the upholders of the Raj ... going patriotically lunatic as they fight off sepoy hordes ... As in most of Farrell’s fiction, there is no overwhelmingly sympathetic character and a bitter comedy which perplexes as much as it amuses.”

“Mr Farrell’s style is spare, his plotting lucid and well-timed; his expositions of moral or political problems are pungent if occasionally didactic.” - Simon Raven The Observer September 15, 1963 “Mr Farrell’s is an effective, potent brew, compounded of desperation and a certain wild hilarity.” – The Times Literary Supplement November 11, 1965 “Verbal assurance and resourcefulness show that Mr Farrell is not content to coast along merely imitating his previous work ... Perhaps a hopeful sign for a talent which ... still has not found the mode in which to fulfil its attractive promise.” – New York Times Book Review July 20, 1967 Farrell then began mining his own family background – the Anglo-Irish

ascendancy, and the Anglo-Indian professional and army officer class – the guilt of Empire. He admitted that the most important thing that had happened to him in his life had been the decline of the British Empire – but did not lament that decline. Farrell was a pioneer of post-Colonial fiction. He also had luck. Troubles (1970), the first of what is now called his “Empire Trilogy”, is his comic yet melancholy story of Ireland’s fight for independence from Britain, which was published only a few months after Ulster exploded into flames. The book was generally applauded and won Farrell, now desperately short of funds, an Arts Council Fellowship of £750, which he used to finance research and to travel third-class across India to write The Siege of Krishnapur (1973). The novel, based on the actual 1857 sieges in Northern

– John Sutherland Lives of the Novelists, 2011 Farrell used his prize-winner’s speech to attack the colonial sponsors of the prize who had benefited from sweated labour in the West Indies. His caustic comments did not go unnoticed. Now wealthy and famous, and only thirty-eight years old, Farrell sold the film rights to his novel and retreated to tax exile in Kilcrohane, County Cork, in 1979. He wrote one more novel, The Singapore Grip (1978), about the ignominious surrender to the Japanese in 1942 – as well as commenting on the ethics of British Colonialism. His three novels are only linked thematically and could well have been labelled “The Anti-Empire Trilogy” rather than its more popular misnomer.

Was it suicide: or did he just give up? “Had he not sadly died so young, there is no question that he would today be one of the really major novelists of the English language. The three novels that he did leave are all in their different way extraordinary.” – Salman Rushdie, 1979 It is probable that what really killed Farrell were the chronic aftereffects of his polio sickness. “What killed him was the longterm debility of his polio: he was too weak to save himself. What made him a writer killed him.” – John Sutherland Lives of the Novelists, 2011 In the 1991 novel The Gates of Ivory by Margaret Drabble, the writer Stephen Cox is modelled on Farrell. Farrell is buried in the churchyard of St James the Apostle Church, Durrus, a Church of Ireland parish church. His papers are held by the Manuscript Library of Trinity College, Dublin. • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia; The Makings of a Writer (1979) by Lavinia Greacen; and The Lives of the Novelists (2011) by John Sutherland.

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history

PAUL C ARANHA

FORGOTTEN FACTS

ABACO VILLAGE map

Sears Addition, or Abaco Village

he late Vincent M Higgs spent most of his growing-up years in Sears Addition, a community that came into being in the 1920s during the Great Depression. Because most of its residents moved there from all over Abaco, the area came to be called Abaco Village, but there were also many residents who came from Spanish Wells, Eleuthera. Some of these Bahamians had disassembled their homes and shipped them to Nassau, where they were reassembled. From Shirley Street, Sears Addition extended southwards along Sears Road and Sweeting Lane (there was no one-way traffic) to where those two roads join at the foot of Montrose Avenue. It

continued to the top of the hill and into the low land beyond. This was thought of as Death Valley, because it was damp and foggy. (If you are a Junkanoo fan, you might know that this is where the Valley Boys got their name from.) On Shirley Street, the Farrington family lived on the property between Sears Road and Sweeting Lane. The house to the east of Sears Road was the home of the Sears family; the house on the west of Sweeting Lane was where the Sweeting family lived. The extensive area that is now Palmdale was owned by the Cole family (of Mackey Street and Bilney Lane). They sold it to Joseph Garfunkel (founder of Home Furniture Company), who filled in the swamp, built roads, a shopping centre and, much to the delight of kids in Abaco Village, Garfunkel Field, where they could enjoy and play sports, including softball and basketball. Vincent Higgs published a 60-page booklet called He Who Laughs, Lasts!, in which he describes life in Abaco Village families, friends and ‘the Abaco boys’, who, through hard work and staying power, rose from poverty to affluence. Until I went to boarding school in 1949, I went to Queen’s College and many of my classmates were boys and girls from Sears Addition. In 1954, when I came home, I played rugby against some of these Abaco boys. My team was the Blues, captained by J Barrie Farrington; they were the Reds (the Sea Scouts, and we never won. • For questions and comments, please send an e-mail to islandairman@gmail.com

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Friday, December 31, 2021

gardening Animal matters Kim Aranha

PET OF THE WEEK

ere we go again, another year packed up and gone. Every year’s passing leaves behind regrets, happy and sad memories and beckons the next year in with promises of positive good news, successes and change. Year after year we make New Year resolutions to do better, to be better, to do more and to achieve more, and yet frequently 365 days later we sit in the same spot looking over our shoulder and realise that so many of those resolutions, made in earnest, with the best of intentions, never even got off the ground. Inevitably we remedy this by doing exactly the same thing again and making the same promises only to fall short all over again - a cycle of failure. Sometimes we just make personal, business, corporate and political resolutions that are simply unattainable and in reality cannot be achieved, we set ourselves up for failure. Perhaps the best strategy would be a more realistic approach with baby steps in the right direction. At the Bahamas Humane Society we have so many dreams. Each and every person involved in the running of the Society has a personal dream, some more attainable that others. When you consider the staff, the board, the volunteers and the benefactors, the village that drives the Bahamas Humane Society is more like a small city. Each and every person a cog that fits into a gigantic wheel - on the other side are the thousands of animals we assist, save, airlift and home every year. It is a symphony of opinions, objectives, goals, disappointments and success. The intentions are always the very best for the way forward to improve the life of animals in the Bahamas - but I would be lying if I didn’t admit how very difficult and distressing it can be for all concerned.

(PHOTO/STEPH HICKMAN)

Looking forward to a better year

There are times where every animal advocate and activist feels as if they are banging their head again a brick wall and we are going nowhere. Frequently that may appear true but if you take time to look back at the changes that have occurred since I first became involved in 1980 with the Bahamas Humane Society, animal advocacy and conservation in the Bahamas we have moved mountains and animals are given more consideration, not enough, but more. We have a lot further to go, and that, of course is where those New Years resolutions can come in! Today is the day to make them, and then 2022 is the year to make them a reality. Though I will speak as much as possible as “we” at the Bahamas Humane Society, please understand that I am but one of many and much of what I

A princess for New Year’s By The Bahamas Humane Society Meet Momma Elsa. Elsa was surrendered to the Bahamas Humane Society and immediately went into labour. She gave birth to ten beautiful puppies. Elsa was a wonderful mommy even though she was only a pup herself. Sadly, only two of her puppies survived, but they are now happy and living their best lives in Canada. You’ll find Elsa hanging in a paddock with her BHS friends. She has the biggest smile and is extremely affectionate. We would love to

say comes from my heart, but others share the same goals and dreams. Growing up we frequently hear that money is the root of all evil, at the Bahamas Humane Society money is the root of everything – everything we do costs money: food, staffing, medication, airlifts, government permits, insurance, utilities, NIB, everything has a price tag. Raising money is essential to all of our objectives and without the proverbial “filthy lucre” we can achieve practically nothing. The focus on fund raising must remain high. In 2022 we are hopeful to be able to partner frequently with BAARK and achieve more spay and neuter clinics, the fewer unwanted puppies and kittens born the less burden on the shelter. We have been given 15 acres of Crown Land and must turn our focus

find Elsa a special home. She just wants a family to love. For more information about Elsa, please call 323-5138. Elsa looks forward to spending her New Year with you! • BHS Raffle 2021 tickets are now available! The drawing is on December 29, and the grand prize is $10,000 worth of groceries from Super Value. Tickets are $5 each or a book of 21 for $100. Available at the BHS or Fox Hill Nursery. on plans for our future new home. Corporate and individual donors are actively needed to make this dream come true, we will need to put in many hours, thought, and efforts to get it right, we will need expert advice from around the world to make the dream become a reality. The way forward will be two-fold: we need to continue caring for the inordinate amount of animals who come through our doors daily and at the same time concentrate on making the new shelter a viable project. The Bahamas Humane Society needs involvement on all sides. We need everyone to make a New Years resolution to make these dreams possible. We need our country to continue to more forward mindful of animal rights, enforcing animal cruelty laws, protecting the innocent and speechless from despicable suffering. Every day we must move one step further towards being a nation that can be proud of how it treats its animals. I am asking everyone to make a resolution to help us make the Bahamas a better place for animals overall. Together this can be done, the challenge is real but not impossible. Stay safe, stay healthy and remember that the Bahamas Humane Society needs you and your help. Hug your pet. When you buy pet food, buy an extra can; support the Bahamas Humane Society whenever you can. Here’s to a better, safer, kinder year for all!

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