5 thoughts about the latest #JPtweetup

The latest in the Jamaica Pegasus' tweetups happened last Friday and much fun was had as all as is customary.

@minoramp, @iriediva and @jamaipanese

I have just a few thoughts about this, the third staging:

Christmas on the South Coast of Jamaica

The edge of the property at Jakes

My family is big on vacationing. Don't just work work work...enjoy the fruits of your labour. Many of us die while still working, never getting the chance to retire and see the world. I'm trying to do it while I'm working. Pinch a little now save a little for later and hope we make it to later. I'm passing on the love of travel to my munchie. Not all the while we need to leave our shores. We live in a tropical paradise that people all over the world have on their list of places to visit and many of never stop to take in the beauty of our own little island. This Christmas past, I struck Jake's St. Elizabeth and Little Ochi Seafood Restaurant off my list.

November to remember, KRW style

So I already have semi birthday plans in place. What to do with the rest of November? Kingston Restaurant Week of course! I'm sure the rest of Jamaica is not too enthused by this name BTW but moving right along...

I haven't been to many KRW experiences...the limited menus and the crowd doesn't really appeal to me. But there are some restaurants that you you want to try out before going there and spending big money and so this is the perfect opportunity I guess...

Jamaican stores and the concept of a sale...an #FNOJA post

Wah mek none of these Jamaican stores don't know the concept of a sale? Wah mek? or as JPS would say, how come? Fashion's Night Out Jamaica has come and gone and people were pretty split down the middle of yay or nay. But lets face it, who has money to spend on fashion mid September? Really, who? I'll tell you who. The people who can go to Heart and Sole, charge two pairs of shoes to the credit card and then go to Spanish Court Hotel and lament over their purchase while sipping $1000 glasses of wine going "a girl can never have too many pairs" and I ain't mad. You worked for it, good for you! Or maybe your daddy did, whichever. I'm tryna be where you at. But come on... That's the minority.

Fashion Night Out Jamaica participating stores! UPDATED

The lists are finally here! All of Jamaica has been asking for a comprehensive list of what stores will be participating in FNO and what kinda discounts and goodies they'll be offering up! Well it's finally here!

Well, part of it anyway.

Click here for the Mandeville and Ocho Rios list.

Click here for the Montego Bay list. 

They are PDF documents FYI.

As you can see, they tweeted that more lists will be made available from the Jamaica Observer over the coming days so keep watching this space! (or you could just buy a paper but yeah)

Missed the post on what exactly FNO Ja is all about? Click here. follow the hashtag #FNOja on twitter for updates.

Tweetups and Meetups

I had a faaaaaaabulous weekend! :) Jamaica Pegasus did it again with their tweetup. It was bigger and better, but only because it was bigger. The heat! It was too hot outside to have this event, I prefer it within the confines of the a/c'ed Talk of the Town! All the usual amenities were present, food, drink, ambiance, giveaways, schmoozing and boozing. A few pics:

Hanging with @chrysalisceo

Father's Day Brunch on Admiral Mountain

I had no plans for today really, except to chill with munchkin and the pops for father's day, maybe cook him a meal or something since he does most of the cooking now that his grandkid is around. But my good friend Neville gifted me brunch tickets as his dad flaked on him. Don't you love it when a free buffet falls in your lap?

It promised a tour of Lord Nelson's home as well. That one flew over my head because I'll be honest and say I really had no clue who he was. The tour however was enough to inspire this blog post, it was some really cool stuff! This is Lord Nelson's wiki if you wanna brush up on your history, but basically he won against several captain Jack Sparrows before being killed on one of those same voyages. Read up on him and Lady Hamilton too, so scandalous. But on to the tour of the house.

The English sailing hero stayed at the house for 6 months in 1780 while recuperating from a tropical fever and there are artifacts in the house that actually date back to his time there! The house was gutted by fire about 200 years ago but was restored to its old glory and the surviving stone pointed out to us. This wall to the left is a part of the surviving house, you can see where it still looks charred from the fire. Eery..... It encloses the courtyard:

Beautiful home so far eh?

So I went to a tweetup

By now if you're a Jamaican tweeter you know that Kingston hotel giant Jamaica Pegasus hosted a little over 100 of their followers at their hotel for a "tweetup," a twitter meet up if you will. I've thus far read about 4 blog posts on the tweetup itself but I still wanted to blog about it from a little more personal aspect, not just describing how much fun it was and how cool the Pegasus is.

Firstly, I want to share this photo with you. Its me and Francois (@francoisonfame) of Fame 95 fm. I have been listening to this man faithfully in the mornings since I was in high school and I was quite pleased to see him there and snap this pic. I'm sure he was quite annoyed as I interrupted his meal as we fans have a way of doing when we see our favourite "celebs" but hey, he was a great sport. I would have loved to meet Danae too as their rapport is just great and she comes across as a very intelligent but equally funny and witty personality next to a hilarious Francois, I kinda want to be like her when I grow up! But anyway...

It got worse, will it get better?

So I wrote this post on May 11 and 12 days later all hell broke loose. I won't recap, you can read this Gleaner article and google the rest. What I wanted to discuss here for a brief minute is the result of that upheaval. Specifically, the number of detainees that were in the custody, who now more than likely hate the state and want to take revenge on it...

Will the lives lost bring about any kind of change for the better at least? I can't even finish writing this post. This is all too much.This is why I am not a current events blogger.....back to fun and fashion.....

To stay, to go?

First, let me apologize for my lack of posts recently. I have been experiencing internet issues that will be resolved in time for a gaggle of new posts starting next week!

Secondly. Finally a new post but sadly, on a very serious issue. I know you come here for fun and fashion but I have to take a minute and speak a little about what's going on.

Its no secret that Jamaica is plagued with crime and violence more so than a lot of our other Caribbean neighbours, and this has been so for a while. I grew up in a violent community that went under "lock-down" and curfews quite often. I have heard men on my roof and gunshots in my yard. Yet I have never feared so much as I do right now. Maybe its because I now have my own daughter to worry about. Maybe its because of the callousness and the thoughtless ways in which murders are happening all around me. I fear my own country as we have an aggression that I am not used to. These monsters put absolutely no value on human life and I live my life trying my best not to cross or upset. I hold my little girl in my arms wondering if I will live to see the day when she holds her own child in hers. I wonder if she herself will live that long. These thoughts bring tears to my eyes on a daily basis.

I have never lived my life in such fear. I am used to going out to party and coming home at all hours of the morning. I have never been like this before. But tales of throat slashings and child killings are far too often in such a small, beautiful country. What can I do? How can I help my country? I have no clue where to start and honestly sometimes I think of just running away. But where would I run to? Where in the world doesn't have these tales? I want to stay and help, does that mean I am signing up to become a martyr? I would for my country, but I wouldnt for my daughter. If it means leaving, I will. Because I want the best for her. And I don't want us to cower in fear. Jamaica, I love you, but you are wearing me down. I am willing to do my part...but honestly I dont know what exactly that is anymore and I am open to suggestions.

As with all things celebrity, the recent shooting of Oniel Edwards, member of popular dancehall group Voicemail, has sparked a myriad of .......talk.....in the entertainment industry. Will anything happen? These are the people who can help effect change. I pray that they will. I pray that they stick it out and come together to stamp out the violence that is wrecking this beautiful place and that this won't die down and be forgotten in weeks to come.