Magic Haiti - 12th edition

AUGUST 2012

HAITI’S RICH

COFFEE CULTURE EAT, PRAY, LOVE AT

VILLA CANA THE PRINCESS OF HAITIAN HIP HOP

EUD

EVER WISH YOU COULD FLY ?

SO SOAR...

Editor’s Note Dear Readers,

Wow, Le Carnaval des Fleurs held July 29-31st, was my very first carnival since I returned home three years ago. It was Wonderful. I was overwhelmed at times. I was full of emotion as I watched my daughter standing on a chair dancing excitedly from the moment we arrived at the stand until we left in the wee hours of the morning.

My cousin who came with his entire family from New York was equally amazed. He had to persuade his wife and children to come and now they all want to know when next they will set foot on this magical island. Another cousin who came with her husband (a native of Guadeloupe) fell in love with Haiti and they have vowed to come back very often. Missing carnival is no longer an option for our family. Se la pou’w la (You gotta be there). And we will be there. I encourage you to make plans to be there as well next year.

And now, allow me be one of the first to welcome you to Haiti. The August issue of Magic Haiti will expose you to the richness of Haiti’s coffee and the role it has and must play in our economy. Are you a sports enthusiast? Or better yet, do you like to paraglide? If yes, you will be able to do so during your stay. Can you believe it, soaring in Haiti! I am continually in awe as we discover the myriad of activities that exist here. You will get to know an artisan who makes the most comfortable trendy sandals. I do not know how he does it, but I own several pairs in various colors and they are my sandal of choice if I know that I will be standing for an extended period of time. In addition, you will find out about eateries, hotels, artists, and gain a better understanding of the love and patriotism that Haitians living in the Diaspora have for their country.

The goal of the magazine is to promote local tourism by encouraging foreign professionals residing in Haïti for whatever length of time, Haitians living in the Diaspora visiting family and friends, as well as locals, to explore and discover the depth and breadth of Haïti. Our country is rich in culture and more specifically in the arts.

Admittedly, Haïti may not be the island that comes to mind when planning a magical Caribbean getaway for rest and relaxation or just a simple vacation, but reconsider and you will be pleasantly surprised.

While here indulge and take a piece of Haiti home with you. I encourage you to simply Discover Haïti and experience the Magic!

Roxane Kerby

MAGIC HAITI

AUGUST 2012

Lamanjay Escapade

Spotlight 26 32 20 38

Haiti’s Rich Coffee Culture Yves Francois

Haiti by Design Fashion in my Blood: Miko Guillaume

Heartbeat The Irresistible Princess of Haitian Hip Hop : EUD

Executive Editor Roxane Kerby 509 3492 2289 roxanekerby@magichaiti.com Copy Editor Angela Galbreath

Kristina Delatour

Kokiyaj Market, Bar & Grill

has all the Right Ingredients 4 24 12 42 8 16

Artmosphere

34

Contributors Maureen Boyer Farah Doura Rachele Viard Taïna Mayard Kristine Belizaire Christina Jean-Louis Alain Menelas Kohl Threlkeld Fanorah Duval

Graphic Designers Clarens Courtois Rody Victor Senior Photographer Frederick Alexis Photographer Ludmillo D. Pierre

Notes on a Leather Sandal: Sorien Seide Real Imagination

Escapade Eat, Pray, Love at Villa Cana

Printed in Haiti by L’ IMPRIMEUR SA Publisher Le Nouvelliste +509 2816-0224 / 2941-4646 publicite@lenouvelliste.com

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The Allamanda Bed & Breakfast, A Secret Garden

Cover Photo by Nick Greece

Lamanjay Gourmet Dining à Domicile: Céléri Rouge

Postcard in Motion So Soar...Ever wish you could fly ?

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product of

D

Mrs. Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin Minister of Tourism

ear Readers,

These are indeed exciting times for the Ministry of Tourism and our beloved country. We rang in the month of August with a blast, the Carnaval des Fleurs which was held July 29th through the 31st was a complete success. The Champ de Mars in downtown Portau-Prince was transformed. It came to life each night with festive onlookers who danced and sang along. Its slogan “Se La Pou’W La” (You have to be here to EXPERIENCE IT!) urged people to come and thousands responded, not just locals but many from the Diaspora filled the streets following their favorite groups. There were revelers from the US, Canada and the Caribbean.

You could feel the pulse, the bandes a pied, the convertibles which herded the queens, and of course our konpa bands’ whose floats adorned with many fans did not disappoint the crowd. It was a party second to none.

If you missed the Carnaval des Fleurs this year, do not fret, just plan to be here next year, as it is sure to become a major touristic event. Remember Se La Pou’W La. And yes, Ayiti ap Dekole. And if you did not know, dekole means taking off and what better place to begin is the Toussaint L’Ouverture International Airport.

The Arrival section of the Airport is scheduled to be unveiled during the month of August. This is a major step, it denotes that indeed we are on the rise, we are

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rebuilding. It also states that we understand that first impressions are the most lasting. And to ensure that from the moment you step off the plane that you feel welcomed and comfortable. Hopefully it will encourage you to discover this corner of the world, as well as reinforce your decision to invest. Or yet, encourage you to discover the myriad investment opportunities that exist here in Haiti.

Jacmel, the city of light, as it is often referred to, is a beautiful town south of Port-au-Prince which has been a tourist destination since the 1950’s. The city has a certain flair, and is one of the significant artistic centers in Haiti. It has also been identified as one of the touristic centers. In order for Jacmel to better meet the needs of tourists and business travelers, this month we launched the renovation of the city’s Historical Center.

It will include the construction of a hotel, convention center, an amphitheater, as well as the enhancement of the airport so that it becomes an international hub.

In addition, a task force was established in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture whose main focus will be on the restoration of the Citadelle. At the end of this month, the Ministry of Tourism will build a reception area to assist visitors and more importantly, with the support of ISPAN, ensuring the preservation of the famed fort.

This is just the beginning. These are just a few steps that we have undertaken to enhance the infrastructure of key areas/monuments to assure quality service and further demonstrate that Haiti is indeed open for business.

Truly an exciting time, truly an exciting summer charged with many first steps. Steps that will lead to the attainment of our goals. Goals which will directly impact you the tourist.

Spread the word “Ayiti ap Dekole.” Se La Pou’w La. Stephanie Balmir Vildrouin

Artmosphere

Notes on a

Leather Sandal Sorien Seide

By Kristine Belizaire | photos by Ludmillo Pierre

J

ust one block from the Champs de Mars brightly colored leather sandals wallpaper both sides of Avenue Mais (also called Bois Verna). Driving down this street, one of the busiest in Port-au-Prince, I am drawn to the bright rainbow 4 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

of footwear - each pair unique in color and design. Merchants add to the cacophony imploring passing pedestrians and motorists to make a purchase.

Their enthusiasm ensnares me and I park the car.

When I step out to take

a closer look, I can’t resist trying on a purple leather pair of sandals, my favorite color. They mold to my feet, and I literally feel as if my feet have grown another sole. I even forget for a moment that I am in downtown Port-au-Prince. When I

come back to reality, I look around, and wonder who is responsible for creating such comfortable yet elegant shoes. When I ask the merchant, he merely points his finger across the street to what appears to be a

small yard. With pen and notebook in hand, I cross the street and find the studio of Sorien Seide.

Sitting behind his sew-

ing machine, the 36-year old man greets me with a smile and starts to tell me about his passion for leather. Sorien grew up in Port-au-Prince with his parents. Though his family was not artistic, he always had a passion for art.

Before working with leather, Sorien crafted and sold masks that represented himself and Haiti.

“While I enjoyed making masks, I felt that I needed a change,” he says. In 1994,

Sorien became interested in creating a new business that would not only bring him financial success, but also promote the Haitian economy and culture. As he looked down at his feet, he thought about the influx of secondhand clothing and shoes (what Haitians call pepe) that has invaded his country. I asked myself, why should we pay for used shoes, when we have the tools to make new and sustainable ones?” An idea was born, and after training with other shoemakers for five years, he made his own sandals with the help of his apprentices.

Now, about thirteen years later, he continues to fuel his dream. The process of making the footwear requires a lot of

JUNE 2012 MAGIC HAITI 5

patience. First, the leather or foam is cut to create the sole of the shoe. He then adds an extra strip of leather for cushion and support. Finally, he adds

6 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

the straps to finish the look.

Using leather from cows, goats and sheep, all purchased locally, Sorien makes shoes and sandals that are functional

and stylish. Once the shoes are completed, he sells them to merchants, especially the ones selling across the street from his studio.

His most popular items are the thong sandals for men and women, of which he makes about three dozen daily. From rich reds, fiery oranges to deep purples, one is sure to find a sandal that suits their fancy. If you prefer a more natural look, Sorien also offers brown and black ones. His sandals can be worn during the day, or even dressed up for a night out.

“The best thing about my

sandals, is that they are durable,” he explains.”It brings me great satisfaction to make something that can help Haiti to preserve its culture.”

When visiting Haiti, put your best foot forward and head downtown for your own sandal-buying experience. While leather sandals can be found at most artisan and shoe stores in Portau-Prince or Pétion-Ville, heading to Avenue Mais is definitely a real experience in handcrafted leather footwear. The best part? You can haggle over prices with the merchant, and find a sandal that satisfies your taste and your wallet!

For more information, contact Sorien Seide at 37133624.

Lamanjay

By Rachele Viard Pascale and Christelle Elie

Photos by Ludmillo Pierre

Céleri Rouge Gourmet Dining à Domicile

S

et on defying the status quo and determined to make a difference in the restaurant industry, sisters, Pascale and Christelle Elie opened Céleri Rouge with the intent of offering something outside of the box. They wanted to fuse quality with convenience.

They sought to provide out of the ordinary gourmet food and a menu that did not necessarily stick to a specific type of cuisine and thus in January 2009 their restaurant journey began.

For the first couple of years, Céleri Rouge focused mainly on providing efficient delivery services as well as establishing a catering component.

Christelle, who studied culinary arts at the Collège LaSalle

8 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

in Montreal and received a Pastry and Baking degree from L’Institut de tourisme et d’hôtelerie de Quebec, is the restaurant’s secret weapon. The passionate chef updates the restaurant’s menu from time to time and she is continually experimenting so that she can keep the menu fresh. “I love to whip up great meals. Food is an art, an art unlike other mediums, an art that is appreciated by multiple senses.

My dad is my inspiration. He is the best cook ever and it runs in the family, his mother and aunts were adept chefs as well,” Christelle states with pride.

“When we first opened, our menu consisted of salad meals that were and are refreshing and well bal-

anced dishes. Our main goal was to provide individuals who could not leave the office for lunch with a wonderful gastronomic experience. And then we added the paninis and the pastato-go,” says Christelle. The restaurant’s services have also evolved.

Céleri Rouge now includes on site dining, the plat du jour and what really makes the restaurant stand out the ‘take home chef’.

Yes that is absolutely correct, Christelle will

come to your home and put together a meal for you and your guests for any special occasion or simply just because. And every morning around 9:30 a.m. most of their clients receive an email which publicizes the plat du jour. “I really look forward to the Céleri Rouge email each and every morning, just to see what it is they have cooked up,” mentions a loyal customer while helping herself to another very generous fork full of Céleri Rouge’s Chicken Pad Thai.

The menu includes salads such as the salade du chef (chef salad) with grilled strips of meat, gorgonzola cheese and bacon drenched with ranch dressing or the salade Santa Fe au poulet Cajun (Santa Fe Cajun Chicken Salad) for those who like spicy food and my favorite, curry chicken salad served over a bed of couscous with raisins and almonds. Their Panini sandwiches are a hit with their customers, especially the black forest ham with brie. And if it is pasta you must have, indulge in the Rigatoni aux deux saumons (Salmon Rigatoni).

As you walk into the quaint restaurant you instantly feel like taking a load off to enjoy a quick break during your day and a good meal. An elongated barlike seating area with stylish tall cozy chairs line one side of the restaurant and though it is known at the moment for the convenient speedy delivery of their ‘box lunches’ they can easily seat a hand full of people comfortably. Or you can do

a little shopping. Oh yes did I mention, as well as being a restaurant, Céleri Rouge also offers high-end kitchen accessories such as the Emile Henri line.

These utensils and appliances are sure to brighten up any kitchen and enable you to create your very own savory dishes. They also make great gifts!

Christelle and Pascale have really put a lot of thought into branding Céleri Rouge as ‘the go to place’ for many unique culinary needs here in Haiti. One such example is the cooking class they plan on offering for beginners which is in the works to start in the Fall.

Stuck at your desk or just unable to run around looking for a place to eat between appointments, do not fret, Céleri Rouge will come to you. Want to make your palate or your kitchen pop with unique flavor? Think, Céleri Rouge.

Céleri Rouge is located at 88 Rue Panaméricaine, PV 3719 9670 / 3587 9670

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 9

Haiti on my Mind

Improving

Healthcare inHaiti

Dr. Michel J. Dodard

By Kristine Belizaire | Photos by Ludmillo D. Pierre

I

mproving and renovating the healthcare system has always been a major issue in Haiti. Dr. Michel J. Dodard, a native Haitian, plays a significant role in finding a solution to this problem by bringing his medical expertise and knowledge to Haiti’s healthcare system, and training other healthcare professionals.

Dodard was born and raised in Port-au-Prince. He attended elementary and secondary school at the Petit Séminaire College Saint Martial, a catholic school in the capital. After finishing high school, he decided to study medicine at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, one of Haiti’s state universities. He then completed an internship at the University Hospital in Port-au-Prince. Though he was emotionally attached to Haiti, he knew that he had to go to the United States to further his medical training.

So in 1975, he moved to New York and completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship 10 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

in Urban Family Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He then specialized in Family Practice Medicine, a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages, at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Yonkers, New York. “Though I moved to the United States, I knew that I wanted to be involved in Haiti,” he says. Currently, Dr. Dodard lives in Miami, where he serves as the Medical Director of the Area Health Education Center of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. He is also an Associate Professor of family medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

In 1994, he started coming to Haiti and visited Thomonde, a town located in the Central Plateau. Along with other University of Miami faculty members, he founded Project Medishare, a program that brings medical assistance to patients in Haiti. It allows practicing physicians, health care workers

“ Mentally and spiritually, I never left Haiti ”

and medical students from the United States to come to Haiti and help local medical workers improve the country’s health care system. This is done in collaboration with private medical as well as the national schools and hospitals. Over the past 18 years, Project Medishare has built integral community schools and health programs in Haiti.

Dr. Dodard became even more involved in Haiti when Dr. Andre Vulcain, a former resident of his, was working on a grant to train doctors in Haiti. The funding from the grant led to the creation of The Haiti Project in 1998. Directed

by Dodard, the Project focuses on the training of Family Physicians and the establishment of a Family Practice Center at Justinien Hospital, the second largest hos-

pital in Haiti located in the city of Cap-Haitien. “My main goal is to help reestablish quality medical education in Haiti,” says Dodard.

The project has improved the level and quality of medical services in Cap-Haitien. It has expanded to two satellite centers in the northern department, and is staffed with Haitian physicians who are completely trained in Family Medicine. The Haiti Project has also helped to

create an extensive HIV/AIDS program, providing medical care for 3,000 patients in the city. The Project has been so successful that it is now consistently used as a model for other Haitian clinical services and training programs.

After the devastating 2010 earthquake, Dr. Dodard was part of the first medical team to bring relief to Haiti.

That team was made up of

health care professionals and volunteers from the University of Miami. “It was extemely hard for me to witness my country and its medical facilities, in ruin,” he tells me. He made his way to his old neighborhood on Rue Lamarre, where he and Dr. Daniel Henrys, his brotherin-law and former Minister of Health, began seeing patients.

Using Henrys’s late father’s clinic, they took care of all the people that sought medical attention there.

Two years later, Dr. Dodard still continues his lifelong mission to improve the healthcare conditions in the country that has always remained in his heart and soul. “Mentally and spiritually, I never left Haiti,” he says. Even with his hectic schedule, he always finds time to come the island, where his fondest memories lie. It is where his former neighbor became his wife.

“We have been married for 38 years now, and I am a father of four children and a grandfather,“ he says. He also has many family members, including brothers who still live in Haiti.

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 11

Escapade

Eat,

A

By Cynthia Hage | Photos by Ludmillo D. Pierre

few months after the January 2010 earthquake, Reverend Dunken Augustin decided there needed to be a personalized hotel for those whose mission is to serve the less fortunate. “I wanted to create a good meeting and resting place for humanitarians, both religious and non-religious,” he says. “A good place for people.”

What he ended up creating is an extremely wellmaintained oasis right at the entrance of Cap-Haitien. As soon as you step in Villa Cana, it is evident that you have entered a whole new environment. Bright red, blue, and pink flowers, and fresh green 12 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

Pray, Love at

grass, create an inviting garden. The hammocks scattered across the property, as well as the small benches and rocking chairs, will have you enjoying

the outdoors and breathing in lots of fresh air.

The porch in front of the main building provides ample space for reading and conversation. In the lobby, which is wide and beautifully decorated, you are greeted by a friendly and professional staff, willing to answer any of your questions. All the rooms are spacious (and I mean really spacious!), air-conditioned, and come equipped with a mini-fridge, Wi-Fi, and TV with a variety of channels.

The decoration is simple but tasteful. It is absolutely one of the best and most comfortable rooms I have seen in Haiti.

Once you have settled into your

room, you can opt to cross a small bridge over a fishpond to get to the restaurant, decorated with wooden columns and a statue of a free slave (a testament to our rich cultural heritage). The waiters, all professionally trained, will make you feel like you are in a five-star restaurant. Breakfast begins with a beautiful plate of fresh fruit, including mangos, bananas, melon, and papaya, a nice cup of coffee, and delicious orange juice.

For lunch and dinner, a three-course meal is offered (with warm bread

to start things off!). Options are limited to what’s fresh and in season, including conch in creole sauce and chicken. For dessert, choose the delicious banane flambÊ served with honey and raisins.

At dinnertime on Fridays, enjoy your meal while you listen to the sounds of a twoubadou band that usually plays (or can be called on demand). Or just engage in lively discussions as you listen to the sounds of nature, and feel the gentle breeze on your skin. Bring some board games and cards, and you will have a very relaxing and enter-

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 13

taining night at Villa Cana.

But perhaps the most impressive feature of the hotel, is its capacity to accommodate large groups. There is ample meeting space

14 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

on each floor of the main building, not to mention the many, many benches in the very large yard, conducive to great and lively discussions as well as meetings. Weddings,

graduations, conferences, communions, anniversaries, baptisms‌the possibilities are endless. There is even a chapel to accommodate religious services.

Villa Cana is located at Vaudreuil, Route Nationale #1, Rue Joseph, Cap-Haitien, Haiti.

For more information contact them at 3221-2552 or villacana@live.com

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 15

Postcard in Motion

SO SOAR...

Ever wish y ou could f ly ?

16 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

By Christina Jean-Louis & Angela Galbreath Photos by Nick Greece

R

eally, who hasn’t?

What if the possibility to really lose yourself in the skies of Haiti actually existed? Literally take to the clouds like a bird and become one with the awe-inspiring vista of Ayiti Cherie…

In April of 2012, a group of expert American pilots came to our cozy little island to do just that! (No doubt, they had trouble on the Customs form when it came to checking a box indicating the primary purpose for their visit and ‘soaring’ wasn’t one of the options).

Four flying enthusiasts, each carrying oversized backpacks descended the airplane in Port- au-Prince. Nick Greece, Gavin McClurg, Jim Chu, and Chris Hilliard encountered sev-

eral curious people inquiring about the purpose of their visit.

They took turns replying, “We came to experience this place!”

To the unaccustomed eye, the packs look similar to the models carried by nomadic spirits the world over; perhaps containing a few changes of clothes and some supplies. But these packs contained something else entirely- simple flying machines called paragliders.

A paraglider is a navigable parachute that is launched by foot and requires no motor. The pilot controls the speed and orientation of the canopy using breaks, an accelerator and wieght shifting knobs. With it, pilots climb rising columns of warm air coming off the earth’s surface and then glide forward to cover distance.

Ever seen a hawk circling and gaining altitude without flapping its wings? This is precisely how a paraglider functions when operated by a pilot who has adopted bird-like instincts. With no negative impact on the environment, this recreational sport enables the participant to fly over vast lands and remarkable locations from a cloud-base peripheral- to put it simply paragliding allows you the possibility to soar.

And Haiti is a great place to soar. Nick Greece who is a competition pilot and flies both hanggliders and paragliders says

that, “Haiti offers amazing flying conditions, amazing people who are truly thrilled to see people flying and opportunities to grow as pilots that few other flying locales do.”

Nick and his friends embarked on their first visit to Haiti

in order to identify launch sites.

A good launch site requires an area with a significant vertical relief facing into the prevailing winds close to a cleared space for landing. In just over a week, the guys found excellent sites to launch off the mountains above

both the Montrouis and Jacmel beaches. These places are fantastic because they provide perfect areas to touch down and perfect water to go for a swim after a great flight. In addition, these locations offer comfortable accommodations.

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 17

The cotton candy cumulous clouds of Haiti have magnetic pull. Nick and his cronies have already planned another flying sojourn for November of this year. And in fact, they have already begun organizing a flying festival for 2013. This festival could bring hun-

18 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

dreds of experienced pilots from all over the world to soar over the peaks of Haiti.

“It seems that tourism is one of the best ways to bring capital to local communities and adventure tourists will readily deal with some of the current infrastructure,” states

Nick. “We can bring pilots who are excited for adventure and can hike to launch.”

In line with the communal spirit of the sport, French paraglider pilot, Simon Vacher, loves to share the flying heaven he has found in Haiti. Vacher lives and works in the mountains overlooking Jacmel and flew with the flock from the States back in April. He is so happy to have company while flying in Haiti, that he even offers ‘tandem’ rides on his paraglider in which a passenger with no experience can go along for an exhilarating ride.

Another tandem pilot operating in North America remembers a memorable flight with a passenger. “She broke into a joyful hymn in a language I didn’t understand,” he recalled. “As

soon as she felt the weight of her body transfer from the ground to the air, she offered her song to the wind in a moment of complete rapture.”

Exhilaration, awe, serenity, appreciation – these are the feelings that one experiences during free flight. Endless blue skies, puffy walls of white on either side and green masses plunging into turquoise glass below….Looking for a natural way to absorb the dramatic landscape of Ayiti Cherie?

So, soar!

To connect with Nick Greece and his team’s flying activities in Haiti, visit FreeFlightHaiti on Facebook For Tandem flights in Haiti, contact Simon Vacher at 011 509 4815 7737 or azuapictures@yahoo.com

Haiti by Design

Fashion in my Blood

Miko Guillaume

By Farah Doura photos Frederick Alexis

I

n a country where we are striving to reinforce local production and encourage the promotion of art, artisanat and produce, it is always comforting to meet initiators like Miko Guillaume who through their craft keep Haiti alive. At the Vèvè boutique where his Summer 2012 easy wear collection is on display, we chat with the 41 year old designer to discover the mind behind the well-known label.

20 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

How did you get involved with fashion?

Miko Guillaume: I have been sewing since my high school years. Growing up with a mother that sewed for fun and a father involved in the field I practically have fashion in my blood.

I decided to make this craft my profession because in all honesty I live for fashion, I don’t see myself doing anything else; it’s in my make up, it’s my life.

Did you study here in Haiti or overseas?

M.G: I didn’t attend a fashion school. I don’t know why. I acquired my skills and experience through internships, a few trainings, travels, learning from others, and by evaluating my own work.

And more importantly by

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 21

always questioning if I’m worthy of being exhibited or if I belong among other designers. I shape my craft through other’s feedback with their constructive criticism and nowadays with the help of the internet I can constantly sophisticate my work.

M.H: How do you describe your style?

M.G: As far as style, I am a free man. But if I were to label it, I’d say that I represent a free urban style.

People recognize in my touch a lot of baroque and rustic influences. I manipulate the sewing machine to create all types of stitches and my lines are simple. But the attention I bring to the details of a garment is what really defines a

22 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

Miko Guillaume piece. You’ll find lots of ribbons as added flare, which I consider to be my signature look. My collections are usually of earthy neutral tones because I don’t use too many flashy colors.

M.H: What are your favorite fabrics?

M.G: My fabric of fondness is linen because of our tropical weather and also because it’s obedient and I can mix it with a large variety of other textures and colors. I find that it’s an easy material to work with. Cotton as well is a fabric of choice for many of my garments. When I buy fabrics, I don’t limit myself to a specific place, I get them wherever I find beautiful ones-whether locally or overseas.

M.H: Do you participate in international fashion shows aside from the ones happening here in Haiti?

M.G: Yes I do, last year I was a participant at the Caribbean Fashion Week in Jamaica. It was a great experience! It allowed me to realize that my work is at the same level as that of the other designers from the Caribbean. I received positive feedback from the organizers saying how well my collection was balanced as far as design and color. When I came back to Haiti, a woman came up to me and told me that my presentation at the Fashion Week was a hit. A surprise to me, when all the while I

thought I had presented just a simple collection.

M.H: Do you run a big workshop?

M.G: I have been running a fashion house with four employees for the last ten years. I’m not only the creative director but the pattern-maker, cutter and sewer. I cover all the steps. I’ve been more of an atelier type designer focusing solely on custom made but as of December of last year I branched out and started the ready-to-wear collection which has proven to be very successful.

M.H: Where do you usually find your inspiration?

M.G: Funny enough, I find most of my inspiration in my sleep. I relive things I see during the day and will use them as energy for new creations. It’s things like someone passing by, a building, a child, a documentary, or just about anything that will inspire new thoughts. And of course I look to other designers for inspi-

ration. Elie Saab and Donna Karan, have to me, greatly contributed to the world of fashion.

With very few replicas in a design, the label allows for uniqueness and with creativity behind each piece wearing a Miko Guillaume is sure to make a statement. Anyone interested in a cut flattering to most bodies should own a Miko Guillaume outfit and must make a stop at the Vèvè. Stay tuned as the designer is currently working on a collection of 30 pieces for an upcoming fashion show not yet disclosed.

Vèvè Boutique is located at 81 Rue Clerveaux and Pinchinat in Pétion-Ville email at mikigui73@yahoo.com

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AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 23

Artmosphere

A trio of long necked flamingos soaring over cultivated hills carrying in their slim beaks satchels teaming with tiny blue and red clad human passengers.

Below, nestled in a hillside, a cave and long orderly line of people filing into its gaping mouth.

Real Imagination

An enormous tree with a pillow-like canopy home to waterfalls and streams.

24 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

by Angela Galbreath photos by Ludmillo D. Pierre A dozen straw hats swept up in a current of air around an amphibious creature populated by bulbous emerald bushes and rosy grasses.

people who are connected to ducks and trees although they may not know it.”

From his porch, Isemorin can see hundreds of thousands of square grey concrete houses which appear ever smaller and fuzzier as the eye slides towards the ocean. The perspective which Fritzner employs in his work sets him apart from other popular Haitian surrealist painters such as Préfète Duffaut who’s subjects live on a two dimensional plane.

Isemorin has lived all forty one of his years in Port-au-Prince. He has sojourned briefly on several occasions for workshops in the Dominican Republic or to visit his wife’s family in the south of Haiti. Yet, behind his eye he conjours landscapes and beings as diverse as the flora of Haiti and as magical as Haiti’s potential.

Isemorin’s paintings can be viewed or purchased at Place St Pierre in P.V. | 3 792 6711

These visions are the musings of surrealist painter, Fritzner Isemorin.

When asked why he thinks people like his paintings, Isemorin replies with a simple smile, “I suppose the first reason is because they are pleasing to the eye.”

Isemorin’s favorite paint brush consists of only a few fine fibers. With it, he details his landscapes with vegetation which in their uniformity suggest a pleasant and predictable order to life.

The palate of colors boasts the bold hues of a peacock’s tail. Violet hillsides, cerulean grasses, rich emerald green palm trees, and golden ponds exist within the utopia.

Isemorin’s slim brush darts back and forth from the canvas to the palate as he works. The painter’s sprightly eyes, his sprinting brush and his chewing gum keep time as each painting progresses.

There’s no time to waste with orders in from the United

States, Dominican Republic, and France. Although he produces roughly seventy five paintings each year, he has never produced two just alike. A twitch of the artist’s index finger and a spider’s silk fishing line connects an imaginary fisherman with his next catch.

“What my imagination does in surrealist style surprises the brain in a humorous way. There’s no such thing as a waterfall in the canopy of a tree.” He laughs, “or is there?”

The painter’s densely populated neighborhood is the inspiration for the fantastic scenes. Isemorin’s keen eyes shine as he states, “I paint at home on my porch in Ti Bois, overlooking Martissant. All I see are houses all the way to the ocean. When I paint a duck with people living on its back, the duck is a home just like my house is a home. Just like behind each door all the way to the Bay of Port-au-Prince, there is a home and inside there are AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 25

Spotlight

by Maureen Boyer photos by Frederick Alexis & Rebo Archives

E

spresso, mocha, latte, cafe au lait, cappuccino, iced, decaf, or just plain black, you can’t start your day without it. Rich in flavor and strong in impact, drinking coffee has been part of our daily morning ritual for centuries. The beloved brew has inspired odes from its drinkers, and we have incorporated its flavor into our

26 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

Couleur Café

Haiti’s Rich Coffee Culture

Eduardo Ramos, Production & Quality Control Manager Rebo

meals, our desserts and even our alcoholic beverages.

In Haiti, the consumption of coffee has stayed in its purest form. Throughout the outskirts of the capital, you will find men and women using giant wooden mortar and pestles to grind sun-dried coffee beans. The mortar meeting the pestle creates a rhythm that is often accompanied by soft melancholic hymns.

This scene is reminiscent of Haiti’s rich yet painful coffee past.

During the French colonial period, Haiti was one of the world’s major producers of coffee. The cultivation of coffee was first introduced in the northern part of the island in Terrier Rouge. Thereafter, the rate of coffee export quickly caught up to the amount of sugar exported, sugar being the island’s main export. In 1788, Haiti was responsible for producing half of the world’s coffee supply. Before the Haitian revolution the island of Haiti housed more than 3,000 coffee plantations. Many historians believe that the competition among the French plantation owners to produce more coffee in a short period of time, resulting in harsher slave conditions, was one of the catalysts for the Haitian revolution in 1791.

After gaining its independence, Haiti continued its rich coffee culture. From the early 1800’s to 1970’s Haiti remained a major exporter of coffee. In fact, in 1949 Haiti was the world’s third largest producer of coffee. The decline in coffee production started in the 1980’s when less emphasis was put on agriculture and more trees were used to make charcoal.

Despite Haiti’s decline as an exporter, coffee still plays a significant role in the local economy. Hundreds of thousands of small farmers survived by producing exclusively

for the local market. Haitian coffee’s unique flavor and aroma has made it nearly impossible for international coffee to gain popularity here in Haiti. Companies like Rebo, Selecto and Claudja have been able to professionally package the local coffee for local as well as international consumption.

Gilbert Gonzales, Vice President of Rebo, believes that with more support from the government and the populace, Haiti could produce and export as much coffee as it AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 27

once did. “We need to start exploiting our ancestral expertise, adapting the things that worked in the past to the present. Unfortunately the production of coffee is tied to our history of slavery but what the world needs to know is that even after our independence, the freed slaves understood the importance of coffee in Haiti’s economy.”

Gonzales also mentions that the Haitian processing method sets the quality of coffee apart. Not only does it improve the taste of the coffee bean but it is the method which has the least impact on the environment. “Presently, we at Rebo pride ourselves in making natural coffee, which sets us apart from the other countries exporting coffee. We use the dry

28 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

method of processing which consists of picking the coffee cherry, directly drying it in the sun then decorticating it. It’s the most-preferred and most widely used method in Haiti.

This method has been getting great reviews around the world and it’s a unique market we can exploit.”

Gonzales also believes that the growth of the coffee industry will play a significant role in the reforestation of Haiti. As it becomes more profitable to cultivate coffee

and the trees which provide it shade to grow, it will become more difficult to harvest trees for charcoal.

Rebo was created in 1970 when the Dufort family, who had already been in the coffee business for more than

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 29

Save more, do more one hundred years, bought Haiti’s very first coffee roasting plant from the Reimbold family.

Since 1998, it has been overseen by a group of shareholders who have been very active in diversifying Rebo’s agricultural as well as social activities. They started investing in cocoa, built two coffee shops, and have street carts where they sell coffee by the cup.

The two shops, called ‘Rebo Expresso’ are located in PétionVille and at the airport. Companies like Rebo have been able to modernize the local coffee industry and have widened ways to reach Haitian and 30 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

foreign coffee drinkers.

Good for the environment, good for society, good for the economy and good for the soul, Haiti’s coffee is undoubtedly among the best in the world.

The people of Haiti have been enjoying the rich smokey taste of this beverage for centuries. There was a time when people around the world woke up to the intoxicating aroma of Haitian coffee.

And now, Haitian coffee is reemerging on the market as the brew of choice for connoisseurs.

While here try our various brands and savor the magic.

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 31

Spotlight

Yves

Francois

From Louis Vuitton to linen shirts, one man leaves life in Corporate America to do business in Haiti.

by Maureen Boyer | photos by Frederick Alexis

A

fter leaving Haiti as a child in 1971, Yves Francois, President of YCF Group S.A., found himself in the midst of diverse and evolving New York City.

Yves’ ambition and drive were apparent from an early age, although he lived in Canarsie, he chose to play street basketball in rough neighborhoods in order to be at the top of his game. His parents worked hard to make sure he was able to succeed; often taking on multiple jobs. Thanks to his family’s commitment, Yves was able to attend the New York Institute of Technology, and eventually the prestigious Pratt Institute.

For more than 20 years, Yves worked for some of the biggest names in corporate America, like Phillip Morris, Pepsi Cola, the prestigious Parsons School of Design, and Cable Vision (owners of the New York Knicks, 32 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

Madison Square Garden, and Radio Music Hall just to name a few). He drove nice cars, ate at expensive restaurants and wore designer suits.

He even managed to start his own successful architecture firm on the side.

When Yves turned 40 years old, he was ready to retire. He was at a point in his life that most people only dream of reaching.

So why, then, leave the comforts of his New York life and come to Haiti just to start all over again?

“Because I think I can make a difference,” says Yves, “I can make money in New York, I can make money in Haiti, but it’s not about the money. I turned 40 and said to myself, let me look into coming back to Haiti.”

Exploring the idea of going back to Haiti, for Yves Francois first involved a whirlwind trip around the globe to visit some of the world’s fastest

developing countries – countries that only ten years ago were considered “third world nations.” India, China, Dubai: he wanted to look at countries that had made “big jumps,” as he puts it, before diving into business in Haiti.

When Yves finally arrived in Port-au-Prince in 2006, the only people he knew were his mother and father, who also had moved back to retire. Used to the efficiency of the American business world, Yves struggled to overcome the hurdles of the sixmonth business license process.

This process is being streamlined in order to attract and facilitate investment in the country. He

landed his first construction job building a stand for USAID employees at Carnival. Now, only a few years later, in a beautiful modern office in the heart of PétionVille, Yves sits behind his large wooden desk which is scattered with paperwork, books, binders, and organizers; the trappings of a man who is in charge of a rapidly growing architecture firm that employs over 150 Haitians.

Adorned in a white linen shirt, he has traded the expensive suits of New York for the more relaxed local attire. However, despite the laid-back Caribbean vibe here, Yves still maintains a rigorous work schedule, arriving at his office every day at 6 AM, and often

not returning home until 7 PM. “Sometimes people say things like, ‘you don’t want to do it the Haitian way,’ whatever that means.” Yves says, “I am Haitian and I’m going to do it my way.”

And the most important part of “Yves’s way” is building the capacity of his employees. To do this, Yves brings in architects and engineers from the U.S. to work side by side with his Haitian employees for one year. Everyone learns from the exchange. “Yves’ way” also includes throwing Christmas parties for all his employees, from the brick masons to the architects, as well as expecting his construction workers to come to work well dressed everyday in shirts bearing the company logo.

It is important for Yves that his employees respect themselves and the work that they do. On one occasion, after hearing an office cleaning lady put herself down, Yves told her how his mother did that very same job in New York City and worked her way into management at the famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel.

“In retrospect, I look back and I can see the difference I made in someone’s life and I can see their body language change, now that they can send their kids to school,” says Yves. “It’s not charity, but a vision to see beyond the next day.”

Yves doesn’t only want to design and build; he has already started to manufacture as well.

Currently, he is producing everything from building materials to wheelbarrows. “Anything that can be used in Haiti, I want to make it here,” states Yves. “Haiti has the opportunity to be the Pearl of the Caribbean again, but it is going to take a lot of sacrifice.

It’s not going to happen overnight.”

Yves seems to always find great rewards in the sacrifices he has to make. “You start digging a hole and something beautiful comes out of the ground,” he smiles. And it is due to his attitude, his passion and most of all

his ethics that he was selected as one of the national finalists of the Digicel Entrepreneurial Competition in the Industrial category last year. The company’s slogan «Rebuilding while Investing in our People» not only reflects its owner’s beliefs but also his company’s mandate. “It was such an honor to be recognized, not just for me personally, but for the company and the entire staff.

YCF Group S.A. accomplishments’ are the result of the effort and dedication of each and every employee.”

Right now, Yves is working on a well-known church that came down in the Earthquake called St. Rose De Lima in Lalue, Port-au-Prince. He calls a coworker to bring in a model of what the church will look like. As Yves explains the different aspects of the project, his excitement for its completion becomes evident. “Projects like this are what I wake up for every morning,”

Delmas 53,No 5 Tels:2943-0470 / intl phone: (305)-851-6162

said Yves, “you want to put your stamp on it so your kids can say, ‘look at what my dad did.’”

YCF Group SA 12 Rue Rebecca, Pétion-Ville 509 3 701-6439 3 811-8592 info@ycfgroupsa.com

www.idealevillahotel.net AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 33

Lamanjay

Kokiyaj Market, Bar & Grill

has all the Right Ingredients

By Angela Galbreath | photos by Ludmillo D. Pierre

P

icture azure water stretching as far as the eye can see. Now imagine you are sipping a rum punch with an elaborate fruit garnish. Add innova-

34 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

tive dishes and a relaxed sports bar vibe, and you’ve got Kokiyaj - one of the hottest spots in Cap-Haitien.

This rooftop bar and grill, whose name means ‘seashell’ in Haitian Kreyol, is the brain child of Anthony Gomez and his family. Anthony spent more than twenty years in the cruise line industry touring the world before returning to Haiti. He brought back with him a taste of each place he visited.

Combining the best elements of his favorite spots, he set out to create the perfect Caribbean hang out.

served every weekend, and you will find very tasty selections such as sliders, chicken strips, and a local favorite brought to Haiti from the Middle East, kibby.

Fridays at Kokiyaj are always popping for salsa night. The live band, Salsa Love, spins electric Latin tunes that keep feet moving and heads turning

Anthony’s daughter, Natacha is head chef alongside the very talented Jude Vilsaint. The culinary team and Anthony change up the menu when inspiration strikes. During the Europcup Season, fans watching the big screens at Kokiyaj savored buffalo wings with “devil’s sauce” created especially for the season.

But you don’t have to wait for game day to chill out at Kokiyaj. Happy hour happens every day of the week, different cocktail drinks are

into the night.

July brought the Festival de la Mer to Cap-Haitien and with it a wave of new flavor combinations at Kokiyaj. The restaurant even hosted a food tasting event offering fishermen’s soup, basil grilled conch, and seafood paella with cashew nuts. With the restaurant’s location on CapHaitien’s ocean front boulevard, Kokiyaj is perfectly poised to take part in local festivals including the carnival celebration leading up to Fat Tuesday.

Some items you can always find on the menu include hamburgers, pastas, roasted white fish,

Anndex international Service CORP Anndex international Service CORP Licencee Federal Express Corporation Licencee of of Federal Express Corporation Ave Marie Jeanne 3333 Ave Marie Jeanne 2813-0078/ 2816-8456/3702-2348 Tel:Tel: 2813-0078/ 79,79, 2816-8456/3702-2348 8

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 35

griyo, and meal sized salads.

The fried chicken has a crispy corn meal breading and tender juicy insides. Each meal on the menu has one or two ingredients that give it a unique twist.

Kokiyaj fuses tiki bar chillaxing with sports bar rowdiness. With the numerous events and weekly specials, Kokiyaj has got it all.

Downstairs, the Kokiyaj Market is the place to buy your groceries in Cap-Haitien.

Shopping can lead to sharing a fresh juice with a friend upstairs which just might turn into an impromptu evening out.

36 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

ally is a small place.� With such a diversity of elements coming together in a simple, relaxed atmosphere, it certainly does feel that way at Kokiyaj.

Kokiyaj is located at 126 Blvd. Cap-Haitien 2260 4433

Mr. Gomez says that one thing he realized in all of his travels is that, “the world re-

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 37

Heartbeat

Irresistible Princess of Haitian Hip Hop

By Maureen Boyer Photos by Frederick Alexis

38 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

W

e sat in a popular restaurant, waiting to interview Eud. The scene was what you’d expect of a crowded eatery, a group of men shooting pool, a DJ mixing popular Haitian tunes with American Pop music, and a

congregation of vivacious teenagers ordering pizza. The aroma of the fried food is intoxicating yet not enough to quell the excitement of meeting Eud. Before becoming Haitian rap royalty, Princess Eud was known as Eunide Edouarin. She

accidentally fell into the world of rap, though she always sang.

While accompanying a friend at a live local radio show she just suddenly unleashed her hidden talent and began rapping. The host of the show, who was in complete shock was taken by

her magnetic personality, and interviewed her on the spot.

He then surprised Eud again by asking her to rap. Racking her brain for not just words to rhyme but also for something compelling, the words to the first book of Psalms suddenly began cascading from her mouth into the mic with an irresistible cadence. The listeners loved it! She received such positive feedback that host, rapper Easy One, asked her to be featured on his album. She was sixteen at the time and her stage persona that particular day had captivated Easy One. Entering the busy restaurant, more than one head turns

as she bounces by sporting a pink tank top and loose long black dreads. Needless to say that Eud stands out, yet in no way extravagant, Eud’s presence emits a quiet strength the same strength felt through her rhymes and in her flow. And as far as her smile, it is indisputably contagious and totally genuine.

Confident, modest and cautious, she further explains to me her debut as an artist. Eunide Edouarin started singing in public at the age of 8. She sang in church, she sang at neighborhood gatherings and she sang with her friends. It did not require a specific occasion for her to just belt out a tune. It was part of her. The rapper recalls, “I loved singing so much as a kid that when they didn’t let me sing in the groups in my neighborhood, I would cry!”

Eud always felt strong creative impulses. “When I was younger, I had a different style from my family and my friends although I never imagined that I would become a musical artist. What I enjoyed the most was fashion. I liked how airline stewardesses dressed, so I thought maybe I would become a stewardess.” Fate, however had different plans.

The charismatic talent became involved with several rap groups before settling down with Mystic 703, the popular group that propelled Eud to the spotlight. She admits that she gleans a lot of inspiration from her icon, Lauryn Hill. Just like her favorite artist, she has been able to shine as a member of a group as well as a solo artist and also like Lauryn Hill, Eud shines bright while singing or rapping.

With Mystic 703, she recorded such hits as ‘Pep la Fache’ (The People are Angry) and the 2009 Carnival hit, ‘Sa’m pa ka di la’ (What Can’t I Say). Both hits can be found on Youtube. Eud and her musical other-half, rapper, Ded Kra-z, have several hits currently dominating the airwaves. ‘Y’ap pale’ (They’re Talking) and ‘Dans la misik la’ (In the Music) to name two. The duo combine effortless lyrical flow with melodic beats that pleasantly rest in your mind long after the DJ passes another tune. A rhapsodic collaboration with Lolo of the racine group, Boukman Experience called ‘Jan Nou Viv’ (The Way We Live) showcases Eud’s singing and rapping abilities and

crosses genre boundaries. The latter three tunes, from the album, ‘Limye Wouj’ (Red Light) are available on iTunes.

What can we expect next from Princess Eud? She is currently working on a solo project where she will be flexing her muscles in diverse musical styles.

This next album will be more of a World genre in which she will incorporate reggae, roots, zouk and other genres she has yet to perform publicly.

Eud is a renaissance woman with talent and vision extending beyond the domain of music. She still holds a passion for fashion, a passion that stems from growing up in a family of tailors. She is also an aspiring chef. Yet the artist

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 39

“I loved singing so much as a kid that when they didn’t let me sing in the groups in my neighborhood, I would cry!”

does not see herself divorcing from the music world any time soon. In the future, Eud sees herself behind the scenes in the industry, whether as a

40 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

stylist or as a musical coach.

She tells me with conviction, “I don’t see myself performing for the rest of my life.

There are a lot of skilled artists

that don’t get to showcase their talent. And there are a lot of female artists with talent that have not been able to blow up.

It’s hard to pierce through an

industry dominated by men, I had to be extremely aggressive.” Eud hopes to use her own popularity to promote other female artists, not only in the Haitian rap world but in the entire Haitian music industry.

During the interview, the restaurant DJ, noticing that Eud is present, plays one of her tracks - a rap ballad with a hard hitting base line she did with Izolan, ‘Mwen Renmen’w (I love You). She smiles and blushes, confirming the humility she displayed throughout our chat.

Eud’s exceptional rapping skills have earned her the title, Princess of Haitian Rap. But she is much more than that. Strong, wise and fierce, she has been able to establish herself as a reference and at this rate, one day a musical icon.

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 41

Escapade

The

A Secret Allamanda Bed & Breakfast Garden

By Taïna Mayard | Photos by Ludmillo D. Pierre

R

emember the film, The Secret Garden? The movie about a fantastic refuge full of diverse foliage and hidden treasures?

These endearing feelings are recaptured at the Allamanda, the new bed in breakfast in Pétion-Ville. It opened its doors in January 2012 at the corner of Rue Ogé and Rue Metellus. It might not be very noticeable at first, as most hidden treasures aren’t, but look closely behind the perimeter plants and you will find the entrance. Once inside, just as the children in the movie, you are automatically overtaken by a “feel-good” mood. No need

42 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

to fight it because, this battle, you are surely not going to win.

Yellow trumpet flowers, allamandas of course, herald a warm welcome. Then next your eyes gaze into a terrace where the infamous “Chill Out” bar will stand lodged under

soothing pergolas and nestled amongst various allamanda flowers. As you may have guessed by now, it’s these flowery shrubs to which the hotel owes its name.

And to ensure that this spellbinding experience is not a fantasy, in strolls Mrs. Viviane Hoogendoorn, owner and hostess, with a warm smile which suggests that this stopover is going to be quite an experience. Having traveled the world, Vivianne understands the importance of a restful refuge when one is away from home. To guarantee that her guests always have the best hospitality, Vivianne attended a seminar in Colorado to further hone her natural skills, acquire more tips and tricks of good non-intrusive hospitality. “As far as customer service, it is my priority as well as the staff’s priority. I want all of my guest to receive quality service that is in par with some of the best hotels internationally,” Viviane proudly states.

To achieve this garden-like oasis, she purchased a three bedroom house that was in poor condition. With the assistance of experts, she undertook a massive renovation that transformed the house into the six-bedroom plus one suite Bed and Breakfast that is now the Allamanda. The rooms are all accommodated with a safe, a refrigerator, wireless internet, television and of course A/C. In addition, last but not least there is ½ inch of thick glass in all the windows which are perfect for sound proofing thereby ensuring a good night’s rest.

In addition to the aforementioned features, the Bed and Breakfast’s suite which is

quite pleasant and comfortable.

If you are traveling in a small group, fear not, the good people at Allamanda are ready to accommodate by adding additional beds into the suite so that everyone can be together.

Though I’ve mainly focused on the sanctuary feel of the secluded garden, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up the consumable refreshments offered at Allamanda. Food and drinks so natural and deliciously addictive, they might as well be considered illusory.

Since indulgence is a normalcy at Allamanda, breakfast is part of the amenities. All sorts of omelets, French crêpes, pancakes, fresh fruit, and even local mori ak bannann are served with freshly squeezed juices.

And for dinner, guests have the

opportunity to experience different cuisines from the various restaurants that surround the Allamanda.

So if you’re in town and looking for an escape, call Viviane Hoogendoorn at the Allamanda. If the hotel is booked, do not fret, she will ensure that your stay in Haiti is memorable by finding you a stroll in a different enchanted garden.

Allamanda #30 Angle Rue Metellus et Ogé, PV 3 671 5603 / 3 435 5603 info@allamandahaiti.com www.allamandahaiti.com

We are also available online

www.magichaiti.com

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 43

MONDAY SANKOFA

Lunch & Breakfast Specials Delivery Available

Open Daily for Breakfast and Lunch 43 Rue Rebecca 2 940-6262

THURSDAY CHICKEN FIESTA Chicken Wings Your Way Finger Licking Chinese Food as Well Delivery Available

Open Daily for Lunch & Dinner 124 Rue Panamericaine 3 813-9866 Jlaborde25@yahoo.com

MONDAY

NANA’Z SANDWICH SHACK Lunch Special

Special Hamburger & Milshake 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Open Daily for Lunch 77 Rue Gregoire Petion-Ville Haiti (509) 39 92 22 22 / (509) 39 92 21 21

TUESDAY

GARDEN STUDIO Kareoke Night Thursday

Unplugged

Beginning at 9:00 p.m.

Open Tuesday to Sunday for Lunch & Dinner 101 Rue Gregoire 3 499-0452

44 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

SATURDAY THE KLEREN BAR First shot on the house

Fritay Plate

Noon to Midnight

Open Saturdays & Sundays

SATURDAY LE P’TIT CREUX

Kenscoff 87, Rt de Kenscoff 36 96 21 14/37 67 63 67

Local Buffet & Live Music

Noon – 4:00 p.m.

Open Daily for Breakfast & Lunch 57, Rue Rebecca, PV 2942 3892 / 2942 3893

SUNDAY CAFÉ DE L’EUROPE Brunch

11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Saturday Live Sax Player Friday Tapas Night with Troubadour 17. Rue Mangonès. Berthé. PV 3 406 8525 / 3 464 0468

restaurants 5 Coins

Café Com' Ça

Haitian cuisine 20, Rue Panaméricaine, PV 2511 1044 / 2257 0277

Acajou Restaurant & Bar

Fusion Complexe Promenade.

Angle Rues Grégoire et Moïse, PV 2943 2014 / 3444 0607

Haitian/international Cuisine Hôtel Montana Rue Frank Cardozo, Bourdon 2940 0585 / 3880 6610

Café de l'Europe

Anba Tonèl, Bar & Grill

Café Terrasse

French Cuisine 17. Rue Mangonès. Berthé, PV 3 406 8525 / 3 464 0468 /

Haitian Cuisine Angle des Rues Clerveaux et Villate, PV 3403 0822

Assiette Créole

Fusion 81, Rue Grégoire, PV 2 944-1313

Celeri Rouge

88, Rue Panaméricaine, PV 3719 9670 / 3587 9670

Haitian Cuisine 6, Rue Ogé, PV 2 940 0041

Chez Wou

Babako

Haitian Cuisine 254. avenue John Brown, Lalue 2813 1912

BreakTIme

Chinese Cuisine Place Boyer, PV 3777 6625 / 3777 6626

Chicken Fiesta

American and Chinese Cuisine 124. Rue Panaméricaine, PV 2813 9866

Haitian Cuisine 38. Rue Darguin, PV 3515 6262 / 3554 0027

Citronelle

Le Coin des Artistes

Domino's Pizza

Le Daily Gourmet Cafe

Haitian Cuisine Shodecosa, 5, Rue des NÎmes 3558 8387 Fast Food 91, Rue Panaméricaine, PV 2514 7574 / 2813 1446

Emina's Garden

Italian Cuisine 36, Rue Magny, PV 3747 1177 / 2816 2005

Fior Di Latte

Italian Cuisine Choucoune Plaza, Angle des Rues Lamarre et Chavannes, PV 2813 0445

American Cuisine 31, Rue Rigaud, PV +509 2 942 4264

Kay Atizan

Haitian Cuisine 43, Rue Magny, PV 3456 6989 / 3452 1772

L'Olivier

Haitian Cuisine 37, route Montagne Noire 3455 4454 / 3467 0707

La Coquille

French Cuisine Rue Borno, Bois Moquette 22941 6334

La Réserve - ATH

2, Rue Marcel Toureau, PV

Every Thursday 6h-10h p.m Los Albertos & Ti Sax Book Your Table : | No Cover Charge | +509.29.40.01.90 | +509.29.46.11.11 info@lareserveht.com

46 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

Le P'tit Creux

HANG Sports Bar & Grill

La Plantation

Auberge | Bar | Restaurant

Haitian Cuisine Kenscoff 3551 3535 / 3449 6161

Italian Cuisine 88, route de Kenscoff, Laboule 12 3410 7219

Italian Cuisine 7, Rue Rigaud, PV 3419 2050 / 3736 5414

Haitian Cuisine 10, Rue Rebecca, PV 2942 5225 / 3466 3908

@La Réserve

Le Florville

il Vigneto

Italian Cuisine Hôtel Ibo Lélé, Montagne Noire, PV 2940 8504

« Feel the Sax ! »

Buffet Rue Roumain off Tabarre Maison Handal across Parc Canne a Sucre.

Email: Ledailycafe@gmail.com 3411 5274

Haitian Cuisine 87, Rue Rebecca, PV 2942 3892 / 2942 3893

Intrigue

Sax Night

Haitian Cuisine 59, Rue Panaméricaine, PV 3747 1163

Fusion 2, Rue Marcel Toureau, Berthé, PV 2940 0190

La Souvenance French Cuisine 48, Rue Geffrard, PV 3475 9795

La Table de Cauis

16, Rue Legitime, Champs de Mars 2940 7227

Le Christo Villa Russo Angle Rues Faubert & Ogé, 3736 4166

Le Paris St Tropez

Le Relais de Chateaublond Fusion Par Historique de la Canne a Sucre 3 449-7407 rachelhyppolite@yahoo.com

Le Toit Blanc

Fusion Route du Saut # 22 4408 0824

Le Villate

12 Rue Villate, PV levillate@gmail.com 3400 1212 / 3 402 1212

Les 3 Decks - ATH

Fusion 3 bis, Fermathe 54, 3418 8511 / 3462 6201

Les Délices Burger Fast Food 97, Rue Grégoire, PV 3646 1600 / 3646 1601

Les Jardins de Gérard 17, Rue Pinchinat, PV 3449 5943

Look-Nun's Thai Restaurant Thai Cuisine 35, Rue Villate, PV 3724 1661

LunchBox

L’Esplanade 2 Rue Darguin, PV lunchboxhaiti@gmail.com 4 412-3138 / 3 781-0012

Magdoos

Mediterranean Cuisine 30, Rue Ogé, PV 3821-2121 / 3733-2525

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 47

Mikaz

Fusion 56, Rue Geffrard, PV 2256 2659 / 3727 5951

Mozaik

Fusion 89, Rue Grégoire, PV 3702 3939

Mr. Grill

Esperanza Building, 87, Rue Grégoire, PV 3774 6729

The Lodge - ATH Fusion

Furcy. après Kenscoff 3458 5968 / 2510 9870

Steakhouse

Tiffany Restaurant

Muncheez

Vert-Galant

39, Rue Rigaud, PV mrgrillsteakhouse@live.com + 509 3114 2524 / 3620 4954 Fast Food 2. Rue Rebecca, PV 3713 1393 / 2942 1392

O Brasileiro Social Club Fusion 103, Rue Louverture, PV 3813 1050

Océane Bar & Grill

Haitian Cuisine 3 bis. Rue Derenoncourt, PV 2940 2449

Papaye

Fusion 48. Rue Métellus, PV 3558 2707 / 3771 3678

Pizza Garden

Italian Cuisine 36, Rue Chavannes, PV 2 813 2100 / 2 813 2200

Presse Café

Haitian Cuisine 28, Rue Rigaud, PV 3701 0092

Quartier Latin

Fusion 10, Rue Goulard Place Boyer, PV 3460 3326 / 3445 3325

Rebo Expresso

Fast Food / Coffee 25, Rue Métellus, PV 2949 0505

Sankofa Salads

Fast Food 43, Rue Rebecca, PV 2940 6262

48 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

The Bookstore Cafe & Wine Bar

Haitian Cuisine Boulevard Harry Truman, Bicentenaire Creole and bistro cuisine 81 avenue Lamartiniere (Bois-Verna) Facebook.com/vertgalant.boisverna 4629 8659

View

Fusion Complexe Le Belvédère.

Angle des Rues Chavannes & Clerveaux, PV 3632 7706

travel companion Ouanga Bay Auberge du Rayon Vert

Côte Atlantique Hostellerie du Roi Christophe-ATH

Côte Caraïbe Cap Lamandou (Jacmel)

(Cap Haitien) hotroi24@yahoo.com 3 687 8915

+509 2941-4000 +509 3720-1892 3920-9135 / 3720-1436 caplamandouhotel@yahoo.fr

Résidence Royale-ATH

Hôtel Villa Ban Yen

Hôtel Mont Joli-ATH

Auberge du Mont Saint Jean

(Cap Haitien) golfromes@hotmail.com +509 3602-6676 2942- 0540 / 2813- 7959

(Cap Haitien) hotelmontjoli@gmail.com +509 2943-1110 / 2942-6975

Auberge du Picolet-ATH

(Petit-Goâve-Vallue) absept60@yahoo.fr +509 3420-2091 / 3941-2091

(Vallée de Jacmel) aubergesaintjean@yahoo.com +509 3702-0510 3707-0605 / 3401-1789

(Port Salut) aubergedurayonvert@yahoo.fr www.aubergedurayonvert.com +509 3713-9035 / 3779- 1728

Dan’s creek

(Port Salut) danscreekhotel@gmail.com www.danscreekhotel.com +509 3614-8143 / 3664- 0404

Relais du Boucanier

(Port Salut) lerelaisduboucanier@hotmail.com www.leboukanier.com +509 3558- 1806 / 3720-1144 3702- 1066 / 3554-1806

El Rancho-ATH

valnuma@yahoo.fr +509 3454-0027 / 3727-3589

Aldy Hôtel- ATH (Aquin) nancyecomeau@yahoo.fr +509 3458-2566 / 3741-0532

Hôtel Beaux Rivages-ATH

Hotel Florita

Hotel Kabic Beach Club

cormier@hughes.net +509 3702-0210 3804- 6673 / 3556- 1549

(Jacmel) www.kabicbeachclub.com/ +509 3780-6850

Centre Hotel l'Ermitage de Pandiassou-ATH

(Hinche) 3472 -5934 / 3474-1599 3741-8753 lermitagedepandiassou@yahoo. com

Hotel Maguana (Hinche) 2277-0528

Wozo Plaza

(Mirebalais) 3455-7730/ 2942-1256 wozoplazahotel@yahoo.fr

Port Morgan-ATH

(Ile a Vache) portmorgan@hughes.net, www.port-morgan.com +509 3921-0000 3922-0001 / 3663-5154

Manolo Inn

Delmas 31, Airport Rd 509 3452 9480 / 2940 0135 International: 954 776-1515 sachasaieh@hotmail.com lamermotel@bellsouth.net

elsabaussan@yahoo.com, +509 2514- 0166 2940- 8503

Côte des Arcadins Kaliko-ATH

kalikobeachclub@hotmail.com +509 2940 4609 / 4640 2223

Wahoo Bay-ATH

wahoo@dadesky.com +509 3735- 2536/ 3735-2831

Moulin sur Mer-ATH

info@moulinsurmer.com + 509 3701- 1918 2813- 1042 / 3702- 1918

(Petite Rivière de Nippes) lemanoloinn@mac.com +509 3461-7108 3768-2059 / 3752- 3838 3727- 0201

Club Indigo- ATH

Hôtel du Village (Port Salut)

Xaragua Hôtel- ATH

portsaluthotelduvillage@yahoo.fr +509 3713- 9035

Habitation Hatt-ATH

Ibo Lélé-ATH

Cyvadier Plage (Cyvadier- Jacmel)

(Ile a Vache) abakabay@hotmail.com +509 3721-3691 / 3683- 6253 www.abakabay.com

5, rue Jose Marti, Avenue des Hôtels, PV 2 944 0707

9, Imp Hérard, Delmas 75 lejardinauberge@yahoo.fr +509 2813-8008, +509 3486-6966

(Marigot- Jacmel) lacollineenchantee@gmail.com +509 3703-0448 / 3701-96 97

Abakabay

3, Rue Berthol, Delmas 19 509 3179 3752 International: 954 241 3699 coconutvillahotel@prodigy.net

Hôtel Le Jardin-ATH

La Colline Enchantée

hotelcyvadier@hughes.net +509 3844-8264 3482-2585 / 3844- 8265

#30 Angle Rue Metellus et Ogé, PV 3 671 5603 / 3 435 5603 info@allamandahaiti.com www.allamandahaiti.com

Le Recul (Camp Perrin)

(Camp Perrin) +509 3739-2800

(Ti Mouillage, Cayes Jacmel) (509) 2942-7156 / 3417-7582

Cormier Plage-ATH

Allamanda

Coconut Villa-ATH

L’Amitié Guest House :

(Historic District of Jacmel) +509 3785-5154 / 2274-2015 info@hotelflorita.com www.hotelflorita.com

Port-au-Prince

Auberge du canal d’Avezac Levy

(Cap Haitien) auberge.picolet@gmail.com + 509 2945- 5595 3438-6357

(Cap Haitien) beaurivagehotel@yahoo.fr +509 2262-3114 / 3682-5583

ouangabay@hotmail.com +509 3756- 5212 3932-5810

contact@clubindigo.net, reservations@clubindigo.net + 509 3651-1000 3650-1000 / 3441-1000 lexaraguahotel@yahoo.fr +509 2510-9559 / 3795- 5983

Ideal Villa Hôtel-ATH Delmas 53 # 6 f1berthold@yahoo.com +509-2943-0470

Karibe Hôtel-ATH

info@karibehotel.com 3701-1138 / 3701- 1140 www.karibehotel.com

Kinam Hôtel-ATH

info@hotelkinam.com , reservation@hotelkinam.com +509 2944- 6000 / 2945- 6000 ww.hotelkinam.com

Kingdom Hotel

Tabarre 36 19, Rue Sol Solon 3 455-7822 / 2 943-2385

La Réserve Guest House-ATH

+509 3452-3065 / 3510- 5026

AUGUST 2012 MAGIC HAITI 49

Le Montcel-ATH

(Kenscoff- Belot) montcel@aol.com/ www.montcelhaiti.com +509 3701-4777 3701-1744 / 3702-7202

Le Ritz-ATH

apartement@hotelkinam.com catering@hotelkinam.com +509 2943- 0303

Le Plaza-ATH

info@plazahaiti.com, reservations@plazahaiti.com +509 2814 6000 www.plazahaiti.com

Montana Suite Horizon-ATH Rue F. Cardozo +509 3880 6610

Palms Résidence

palm.events@gmail.com +509 3706-7342 / 3454-0053

Paradis des Receptions & Hotel Frere 29 2 940-6624

Prince Hôtel--ATH

princehotelha@yahoo.com +509 2517- 0597 3791- 1549/ 2944- 0422

Servotel

Art Galleries

www.servotelhaiti.com info@servotelhaiti.com +509 2812-7500

The Inn at Villa Bambou

Collection Flamboyant Galerie d’Art

The Lodge-ATH

Expressions Art Gallery

Port-au-Prince +509 2 813-1724 www.villabambouhaiti.com

55, Rue Metellus, PV 2 256-3471 / 3 558-7584 admin@expressionsgaleriedart.com www.expressionsgaleriedart.com

Furcy +509 2510 9870 3458 5968

The Palm Inn Hotel

Festival Arts

Delmas 31 3, Rue Hatte 3 2 513-4810 / 2 519-0700 www.palminnhotel.net

43, Rue Magny, PV 3 551-7311 / 3 401-3171 festivalhaiti@yahoo.fr

Galerie Marassa-ATH

Villa Créole--ATH

villacreol@aol.com +509 2941- 1570 / 2941- 1571 2941- 0965 / 2941- 1040

Villa Ban-Yen

Value (between Grand Goave & Petit Goave) hotelvillabanyen@yahoo.com +509 3420-2091/2941-2091

Visa Lodge-ATH

9 Rue Darguin¸PV Mimv54@yahoo.com.mx 3 909-9231 / 3 555-9398

services@visalodge.com +509 2813- 0777 / 2510- 3424 www.visalodge.com

17, Rue Lamarre, PV 3 558-8484 / 4 739-2923 galeriemarassa@yahoo.com www.galeriemarassa.com

Galerie Monnin-ATH

19, Rue Lamarre, PV 2 257-4430 / 3 680-3240 galeriemonnin@galeriemonnin.com www.galeriemonnin.com

Galerie Nader

50, Rue Grégoire, PV 2 257-0855 / 3 709-0222 galerienader@hotmail.com www.galerienader.com

L’Atelier Boutique Fondation Theard

Fermathe 59 2 513-9874

Les Ateliers Jerôme

68, Angle des Rues Rebecca & Lamarre, PV 2 513-5362 / 3 705-6825 lesateliersjerome@yahoo.fr www.lesateliersjerome.com

Receptive Operators Agence Citadelle American Express Travel - ATH info@agencecitadelle.com +509 2940 5900 / 3445 5900 www.agencecitadelle.com

Go Haiti Tours

info@gohaititours.com +509 2941 0742

Uniglobe - ATH

uniglobe@haine.net +509 2941 0742

Voyages Lumière - ATH voyageslumierehaiti@gmail.com + 509 3607 1321 www.voyageslumiere.com

Voyages Plus Cap-ATH

vpcap1@gmail.com +509 3443 0823 / 2940 0484

Choix, Conseils, Services, Ceramex c’est la bonne adresse.

PÉTION-VILLE 14, rue Rigaud AÉROPORT Route des Nimes ROUTE DE FRÈRES Building Quincaillerie Totale

ADVANCE

CROIX-DES-BOUQUETS Route de Santo

Tél. : 509-2510-7095 / USA: 305 517 5451 email: info@ceramex.net

www.ceramex.net 50 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

Car Rental Avis

20, Rue Mais Gaté, Route de l’Aéroport + 509 2229 6399/ 2941 5555

Budget Rent-a-Car

Angle Rue Léonard & Route de l’Aéroport + 509 2813 1094 / 3856 4988

Dollar Rent-a-Car

Blvd Toussaint Louverture, Route de l’Aéroport + 509 2813 1800 / 3724 0950

Europcar

13, Blvd Jean-Jacques Dessalines, PAP + 509 2518 5555 / 2518 5556

Hertz

Route de l’Aéroport + 509 3779 0700 / 2816 0700

Secom

564, Route de Delmas + 509 2942 2940 / 2942 2941

Airlines Aerolineas Mas

+ 509 3704 4560 www.aerolineasmas.com

Air Caraïbes - ATH +509 2813 1037 www.aircaraibes.com

52 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012

Air Canada

+509 2810 5857 www.aircanada.com

Travel Agencies

Transborder Bus Lines

Air France - ATH

Agence Citadelle – ATH

Capital Coach Lines

American Airlines

Chatelain Tours – ATH

Caribe Tours

Francheco Agence de Voyage – ATH

Terra Bus

+ 509 3115 5000 www.airfrance.com +509 2229 6000 www.aa.com

Continental Airlines www.continental.com

Copa Air

+509 2940 2326 / 29402327 www.copaair.com

Delta Airlines- ATH

+509 2943 3582/2816 1666

info@agencecitadelle.com +509 2940 5900 / 3445-5900

chatelaintours@hotmail.com +509 3701-4570

franchecoav@hotmail.com +509 2940 1168 Goeland Voyages – ATH goelandvoyages@yahoo.com +509-2511 3883

info@capitalcoachline.com +509 2 512 5989 / 3 455 1777 caribetours@gmail.com +509 2 257 9379 /3 785 1946 chatour@hotmail.com

Airport Shuttle Service

Airport Express

Insel Air International- ATH

Harmony Tours & Travel Agency – ATH

Mission Aviation Fellowship

Multivision Agence de voyage – ATH

Obonsoins

Napolitano Travel Service

Pharmacie du Boulevard

+509 2813 0403 www.fly-inselair.com +509-3791-9209 www.mafhaiti.org

SALSA d’Haiti

Toussaint Louverture Int’l airport +509-2813-1222

Spirit Airlines

+ 509 2940 4421 / 2940 4422 www.spirit.com

Tortugair

+ 509 2812 8000

Turks & Caicos Airways www.airturksandcaicos.com

harmony@harmony-tta.com +509 2813-0533

Multivision.voyage@yahoo.com +509 2941-0110

+ 509 3445 5902

Pharmacies 107, Rue Louverture, PV + 509 2512 5260 / 3800 3737

– ATH

1, Angle Blvd. du 15 Octobre & Rue D. Lespinasse, PAP + 509 3459 6553 / 3808 9050

Sans Souci Agence de voyage – ATH

Pharmaximum

napolitanotravel@yahoo.com +509 2940-0750 / 2940-1402

mpetoia@gmail.com +509 1813-1564

Uniglobe – ATH

uniglobe@hainet.net +509 3607 1321

12, Rue Ogé, PV + 509 2816 0116

Polyclinique 48

408, Auto Route de Delmas OPEN 24/7 + 509 2942-0068 / 3694-2078

4 MAGIC HAITI AUGUST 2012