05032024 WEEKEND

Weekend Step

Rotary brings ‘thrilling’ international circus to town for charity

‘ Thrilling’ international circus comes to town to raise funds for charity

By JEFFARAH GIBSON | Tribune Features Writer | jgibson@tribunemedia.net

Atroupe of acrobats, aerialists and motorcycle dare devils will be performing jaw-dropping and death-defying stunts when the Circus International comes to town.

The circus event is the result of a partnership between Menagarie Productions and the Rotary Club of East Nassau. Billed as Nassau’s “biggest and most thrilling” family event, it will be staged May 17-19 at the Kendal G L Isaacs Gym.

The hour and a half spectacle will support the programmes of the Rotary Club of East Nassau.

Speaking with Tribune Weekend, Montana DeBor, who founded Menagerie Productions along with her husband Facundo Kramer, who is a contortionist and balancer, said the group is very excited to bring the circus to the Bahamas.

Montana and Facundo have a lifetime of experience in entertainment. She is a classically trained musician, composer and a multi-generation Rotarian (District 7610). He is a sixth-generation circus artist, director and producer.

After working for a multitude of entertainment companies from around the world, they combined their skills and experience to create Menagerie Productions, a production company designed to bring together the most prestigious variety acts from around the globe to give back to charitable organisations.

“We partner with charities in local communities and raise funds for those charities,” Montana told Tribune Weekend.

“I am multi-generational Rotarian. My dad was very involved in the Rotary Club in (Washington, DC) and so I became a part of the Rotary. Both my husband and I have been very involved so we decided to join forces and start our own production company to raise money for good causes.”

Menagerie Productions, she said, strives to inspire and create lifelong memories for international communities.

Some of their previous partners include Clowns Without Borders, Make-A-Wish, and the Boys-AndGirls Clubs.

“We have been able to bring shows to a couple of locations. However, this our first time in the Bahamas and we are really happy to be working with the Rotary Club of

high flying aerialists and so much more,” she said. “We have no animals. We are entirely human based.”

East Nassau. They have been really wonderful. We are hoping to raise a lot of money for the charity through the shows that will be happening,” said Montana.

There will be a total of eight shows. During the 15-minute intermission there will be a moon bouncer, face painting and other fun activities.

“The show itself is going to be amazing. We have some of the best acts, including the trapeze, juggling,

Montana added: “We are looking forward to presenting this event with our 13-member cast. None of us have ever been to the Bahamas before so this is something we are all very exited about.”

So far, interest in the event has been positive.

“Tickets for the show have been selling very well. We are encouraging people to purchase their tickets early and come out to be entertained by some of the best acts in the world,” she said.

Tickets can be purchased on www. menagerie-productions.com.

Miss Jackson rocks Paradise Island

Ahead of her 35-stop summer tour kicking off in June, global music icon Janet Jackson performed a sold-out concert last Saturday at Atlantis Paradise Island.

The “Rhythm Nation” singer, who celebrates her 58th birthday on May 16, wowed the crowd as she kicked off the 2024 Music Making Waves concert series at the resort’s Casuarina Beach.

In preparation for the show, she stayed on Paradise Island and was spotted dining in the Omakase Room at Atlantis’ Nobu on Friday night and was seen at the resort’s Aura nightclub after her show.

While waiting on Janet to start her performance last Saturday, concertgoers were able to enjoy pre-show festivities at the Music Making Waves Concert Village, including pop-up experiences, food trucks, Instagrammable areas and other activity zones.

Then it was time for the superstar to take the stage. Her performance, filled with her signature choreography, featured 40 of her biggest hits including “Got ‘Til it’s Gone”, “Scream”, “All For You”, “That’s The Way Love Goes”, and an encore rendition of “Together Again”. Throughout the show, Janet blew kisses to the crowd, showing her appreciation for the Bahamas and her adoring fans.

Celebrities among the audience included former “first daughter” Chelsea Clinton, Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts, former Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Eric Ebron, and Bahamian Prime Minister Philip Davis.

Janet is the tenth and youngest child of the famous Jackson family. She made her debut at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas when she was just seven years old. She starred in the variety television series “The Jacksons” in 1976 and went on to appear in other TV shows throughout the ‘70s and early ‘80s, including

“Good Times”, “Diff’rent Strokes”, and “Fame”.

After signing a recording contract with A&M Records in 1982, she became a pop icon following the release of her third and fourth studio albums “Control” (1986) and “Rhythm Nation 1814” (1989).

She continued being successful in the 1990s after she signed the first of two record-breaking multimilliondollar contracts with Virgin Records, establishing her as one of the highest-paid artists in the industry.

She also appeared in her first of several lead film roles in “Poetic Justice” (1993) alongside the late Tupac Shakur.

By the end of the 1990s, she was named by Billboard magazine as the second most successful recording artist of the decade in the United States after Mariah Carey.

Last Saturday’s concert was part of Atlantis’ Music Making Waves concert series, benefiting the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organisation with a mission to protect the ocean and ensure the Bahamas remains a haven for marine wildlife for generations.

For over two decades, Atlantis has hosted top-tier talent, entertaining fans from around the world with performances from Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, and Ricky Martin, as well as The Jonas Brothers, Pitbull, Doja Cat, Kesha, and Lizzo.

Next up for the Music Making Waves concert series is the five-time Grammy Award winner Christina Aguilera, who will be taking the stage on July 13.

The singer, songwriter and TV personality is sure to perform some of her greatest hits, including “Genie in a Bottle”, “Candyman”, “What a Girl Wants” and “Beautiful”, for her Paradise Island audience.

GLOBAL superstar Janet Jackson on stage at Casuarina Beach, Paradise Island. (Photos by Solaiman Fazel)

Lavant “Blaudy” Pratt

With an unusual nickname that has followed him since high school, this singersongwriter has taken to the stage and won the hearts of Bahamian audiences by keeping rake n’ scrape alive. He tells Cara Hunt about this latest song which was written specifically for men who may be struggling to stay strong.

He has managed to remain a beloved staple of the Bahamian music scene for more than a decade, all thanks to his determination to put out a constant stream of relatable music.

In fact, singer Lavant “Blaudy” Pratt - who is sometimes called the ‘King of Rake n’ Scrape’ - says it’s been the love he has received from fans and the consistency in which he has been able to book gigs which have ensured his surprisingly lengthy career.

“I think the thing that I love the most about performing is the interaction you have with people and the response you get from the crowd, “ he told Tribune Weekend.

“And then I would have to say being given the opportunity to represent my country. I have been blessed to have consistent bookings and gigs that have allowed me to do this as a full time career.”

Blaudy’s interest in music began when he played in church bands as a youngster. He started his career playing trombone for a local pop band called the Sky Juice Band before going on to work with several other bands and prominent local musicians such as Ira Storr and Dillon “D-Mac” McKenzie.

Early in 2006, Blaudy formed the Scorch Conch Band. The name was given to him by Dynamo Dynamite, a limbo professional. This five-piece band is made up of the saw, goat skin drum and harmonica.

In 2018, Bahamas Top Music Awards named the Scorch Conch Band as the ‘Top Band’ in the country.

The band has entertained people both at home and abroad, at corporate events, personal celebrations, and has had opportunities with Frankie Gone Bananas, Sandals Royal Bahamian and the Ministry of Tourism, to name a few. They have also appeared at some popular Bahamian festivals.

Blaudy is also affiliated with the Bahama Brass Band and the Valley Boys Junkanoo group, where he played a pivotal role in their brass section.

His talent and charisma led him to the international stage. His first international performance was in Cuba at a music festival, followed by an appearance in Haiti at CARIFESTA, where he represented his country as an artistic ambassador, and in St Martin.

At home, he has been a part of most minor and major festivals, like Best of the Best and Bahamas Carnival, as well as various Family Island regattas.

Blaudy had his first solo hit with “Crab Souse”. The success of the song led to a Cacique nomination in 2013 in the People’s Choice Award category, where he placed first runner-up. He also performed live at that event.

He artist said he was extremely pleased with this accomplishment; the fact that a song he literally wrote under a juju tree at his house had such a impact.

In the Summer of 2019, his single “Mahalia” hit the local radio stations and amused Bahamians young and old. In 2020, he was nominated for the Traditional Song of the Year at the Elevation Awards.

The stage name “Blaudy”, he explained, was actually a nickname given to him by his former basketball teammates at RM Bailey Senior High School.

They used to compare him to a famous NBA player from Serbia, calling him the “Black Vlade Divac”. Not being able to pronounce the name properly, over time it morphed into “Blaudy”.

your partner has cheated on you.

The unique nickname followed him throughout the course of life and is now his stage name. It is the perfect representation of his personality, he said.

Blaudy describes his music as a blend of rake n’ scrape and bush music. He writes his own songs and says inspiration comes from a variety of sources.

For example, “Mahalia” came to him after hearing family members discuss someone of that name. Another song called “What Goes Around Comes Around” is the reaction to finding out

this weekend in history

May 3

• In 1469, Italian philosopher and writer Niccolo Machiavelli is born. He inspired the expression “Machiavellian”, which is used for cunning, scheming and unscrupulous individuals, especially in politics. A defence secretary and diplomat representing Florence, he became famous for writing the political treatise “The Prince”, inspired by the cunning Cesare Borgia, that encourages “the end justifies the means” behaviour.

Some of the songs come easily and are written within hours or days, while others he sits with and picks at for months.

Blaudy’s latest song, which he just released, is called “Hard to Stay Hard”.

He explained the song is specifically written for men who may find it difficult to go through challenges while still remaining strong and manly.

“It also speaks to when you have to realise that someone is no longer as big and strong as they thought,” he said.

And it comes just in time for the busy Summer season Blaudy has booked.

• In 1937, American journalist and novelist Margaret Mitchell wins a Pulitzer Prize for her best-seller “Gone with the Wind”, which was made into an Academy Awardwinning motion picture just two years later. She initially started writing the book, which was published in 1936, ten years earlier to pass the time while recovering from a slow-healing injury from an auto crash. She wrote the book’s final moments first and then wrote the events that led to them.

May 4

• In 1959, Ella Fitzgerald becomes the first Black woman to win a Grammy Award at the Recording Academy’s inaugural awards show. She won two Grammys, for Best Jazz and Female Vocal performances. Count Basie also became the first Black man

In addition to performing at the upcoming World Relays and the Barraterre Fest later this month, he is booked for several regattas and homecomings around the country as well as a number of private functions and events.

When Blaudy is not performing those types of gigs, he loves to perform at schools and speak to students.

“There is lots of talent out there, and it’s amazing to see the young people leaning into the culture and rake n’ scrape music,” he said.

Blaudy said he wants to impact the way young people view Bahamian music. The goal is to keep the culture alive and to evolve and revolutionise true Bahamian music in hopes of it becoming an international phenomenon.

Hence, the introduction of “The Farm”, which was established by young Bahamian businessmen and artists. It is a local Bahamian music hub where people can come to celebrate culture through music and dance every Friday night.

As the premier Bahamian rake n’ scrape host artist at “The Farm”, Blaudy is seizing the opportunity to show people from all walks of life that Bahamian music is sweet.

In the future, he hopes to create opportunities for young aspiring Bahamian artists and business owners.

to win a Grammy that year.

• In 1970, four students of the Kent State University who were part of an antiVietnam demonstration are shot dead by the Ohio National Guard. Eight others were wounded and one student

was permanently paralysed. The deadly incident becomes a watershed moment in the anti-war movement in the US.

May 5

• In 1868, Martha Jones of Amelia County, Virginia, reportedly becomes the first Black woman to receive a US patent. She invented a machine that husked and shelled corn in one procedure. The Patent No. 77,494 was granted to her three years after the Civil War for her “Improvement to the Corn Husker, Sheller”.

• In 1978, Ben and Jerry’s opens its first ice cream shop in Burlington, Vermont. The childhood friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield chose a renovated gas station to house their first store - which sold soups, crêpes and pottery in addition to their star product: homemade ice cream.

NICCOLO Machiavelli

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.

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 Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

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. TODAY’S

THE ALPHABEATER

CAN you crack the Alphabeater? Each grid number represents a letter – or black square. As in Alphapuzzle, every letter of the alphabet is used. But you have to complete the grid too! Use the given letters and black squares below the grid to start. The grid is ‘rotationally symmetrical’ – in other words, it looks the same if you turn the page upside down. Solution tomorrow

Prodigy, Wispy, Windy,

Nymph,

Yesterday’s Kakuro Answer

CRYPTIC PUZZLE

Across

1 Fires built as an obstructionist tactic (10)

6 Handy aid to warmth (4)

10 Unusually sober attire (5)

11 Brief message from those torn asunder (5,4)

12 The kindness of people (8)

13 New cadet got something done (5)

15 Fabulous supporter of royalty (7)

17 Half the school get zero; unusual for music (7)

19 Arch is rough cast on the outside (7)

21 Heard details of places again (7)

22 Rain falls in two directions on the roof (5)

24 He has a home split round the side (8)

27 Refuse to pay a cheque? Shame! (9)

28 Green? Might be a vine (5)

29 No great distance for a cart to reverse (4)

30 Settled in a resolute way (10)

1 Sounds moderately good grub (4)

2 I rub along somehow, working hard (9)

3 A bar’s reconstructed for port in Iraq (5)

4 Meeting that has no standing? (7)

5 Opens my translation with Hamlet and Faust for example (7)

7 Vessel about to be wrecked (1-4)

8 It may naturally run out at harvest time (10)

9 Attributes of the embassy staff? (8)

14 When to be lenient? (7,3)

16 Ring the embassysomething’s been left out (8)

18 Rotten tree not in keeping here (9)

20 Abhor money though some is essential for growth (7)

21 A substitute for reticence (7)

23 A guard to face (5)

25 Material that’s dug up (5)

26 Lean nurse (4)

Yesterday’s Easy Solution

Across: 1 Fraught, 5 Plumb, 8 Sore point, 9 Dog, 10 Yale, 12 Dispirit, 14 Titian, 15 Homily, 17 Blue-chip, 18 Beam, 21 Own, 22 Red-carpet, 24 Draft, 25 Monster.

Down: 1 Fishy, 2 Air, 3 Gape, 4 Trivia, 5 Put-up job, 6 Undermine, 7 Bigotry, 11 Lithuania, 13 Baccarat, 14 Tabloid, 16 Wisdom, 19 Motor, 20 Vain, 23 Pit.

Yesterday’s Cryptic Solution

Across: 1 Express, 5 Nears, 8 Andromeda, 9 Lam, 10 Dope, 12 Celerity, 14 Arrant, 15 Issued, 17 Adhesion, 18 Left, 21 Nun, 22 Diplomacy, 24 Tuned, 25 Retract.

Down: 1 Eland, 2 Pad, 3 Eros, 4 Skewer, 5 Near East, 6 At leisure, 7 Samoyed, 11 Parthenon, 13 One-sided, 14 Against, 16 Copper, 19 Tryst, 20 Port, 23 Aga.

EASY PUZZLE

Across 1 A duplicate (6,4)

6 Destructive garden pest (4)

10 To

Domain (5)

Out of sorts (3,6) 20 Put out of

(7) 21 Relate to (7) 23 Become different (5) 25 Rubbish (5) 26 Take notice of (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

Yesterday’s Sudoku Answer

Staycationing’ in grand style

By ALESHA CADET | Tribune Features Writer | acadet@tribunemedia.net

Easter is behind us and before you know it, summertime will be here again. People have already started planning and booking their summer vacations. But not everyone is getting off the rock, so speak. Many Bahamians are going to be taking a staycation - a vacation concept that became especially popular during the COVID years.

Even now, four years on, families, couples and friends groups are still opting to stay on our

beautiful shores and soak up what the local tourism industry has to offer.

In a recent staycation at the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar property, this writer found a sense of peace and calmness, and a welcome break from busy everyday life.

The last time I ‘staycationed’ at the property was in 2017, and a lot has changed since then. This time around I got to stay at the The Reserve; it was an experience of a hotel within a hotel.

It offered a one-of-a-kind service, complimentary food and beverage offerings daily. Butlers

Decarlo, Nakira and Daniel text and call daily to check in with their guests and fulfil their needs throughout their stay.

Having walking access to the spa area, ESPA, also helped with creating a feeling of ease and relaxation.

A highlight was the 60-minute Exuma salt treatment, one of spa’s newest programmes. At the end of the treatment - including a massage and foot

food

A pop-up park for Paradise Island

Tin Ferl collective opens food park with rotating vendors

BY ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunedia.net

The vision of three “vexated” friends - Brandon Kemp, Kendrick Delaney and Alicia “Puppy” Robinson - who once sat down together and argued about the struggles of being pop-up vendors in the Bahamas has grown to something far beyond their imagination.

The group founded the Tin Ferl organisation in 2019 and the trio’s first pop-up park was set up on the grounds of the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts, followed by a short stint on Gladstone Road, and now, just days ago, they launched their culinary park on Paradise Island.

“Honestly, this is all a dream come true. It’s definitely something that we were working towards. Tin Ferl was never just supposed to be one park,” said Alicia in an interview with Tribune Weekend.

“With Atlantis being what it is with both locals and tourists, we feel like it’s literally one of the best spots on the island. So we are very, very happy to have this new experience. With the Dundas, you know it was so aesthetically pleasing. It was one of the perfect locations; it was like a proper park setting with the trees and the grass. It was a very good layout as well and it was very, very spacious. So the Dundas was a dream. In terms of Gladstone Road, it wasn’t the best in terms of what people were used to. We had a lot of people that would come out for lunch and sit under the trees at a picnic table, but for Gladstone it was just a lot harder because it’s such a commercial street, so it wasn’t really conducive to being a quick lunch spot,” she explained.

As it relates to the space at Paradise Island, Alicia said she

feels as though it encompasses everything patrons would need.

“I mean, you have the employees that would pop over for lunch or right after work, and it’s creating a different kind of community because you do have a mix of tourists and locals that come there all hours of the day, and they’re literally just communing together. So it’s a whole different experience,” said Alicia.

Brandon chimed in and added that a Tin Ferl pop-up park is like going to a restaurant, but it’s outdoors.

“I would say it gives a family the opportunity for everybody to get exactly what they want, all in the same venue. It’s welcoming. You interact with the other people that are around there as well. It feels like you’re a part of the bigger community when you’re out there,” he said.

At the moment, there are five vendors featured consistently at the pop-up park. Alicia said the space isn’t as big as it was at

“We’re really trying to push that message, and we had certain floor decals that displayed the story of Poly the Flamingo and just our goal and our mission.”

the Dundas, however, they are making the best of it.

“We have vendors like Eat Meh Taco, Junkanoo Caribbean Grill, The New Duff, The Tipsea Bar, and Junior’s Jerk. Because we have such a large vendor community, we are having them do a three-month term to start, so that we can give other vendors the opportunity to come in and benefit,” she said.

At the launch last Friday, the park was officially unveiled. There was local entertainment, samples by Caribbean Wines and Spirits, talks illustrating the Tin Ferl story - particularly the story about Poly the Flamingo which also touched on the importance of recycling.

“We are trying our best to educate the community or the public on recycling and singleuse plastics. So what we’ve done is we’ve actually made the park kind of plastic-free. So we are introducing a storyline, and we hope that in the future we’re going to have certain art pieces

based on recycled products,” said Alicia.

“We’re really trying to push that message, and we had certain floor decals that displayed the story of Poly the Flamingo and just our goal and our mission,” she said.

“Having Tin Ferl vendors on Paradise Island, I mean that in itself is a feat that no one necessarily thought would happen for young entrepreneurs…and a community like that to be given property on Atlantis to showcase local talent. So there’s a lot to wrap around the story of Tin Ferl. We’re just happy for the opportunity.”

As a vendor himself, Brandon said this park is a testament to

the reason why the Tin Ferl team is doing what they do, not only for themselves, but to see other growing businesses accomplish their dreams.

Alicia added that it is important to note that Tin Ferl is not just about the events; the team also tries their best to equip growing businesses with the tools and the knowledge they may need in order to succeed.

“I mean, we’ve had a number of vendors that started out with a tent and because of the opportunities that we provided…they were then able to get trucks and now a few of them have brick and mortar (shops), so it’s not just about the event side of it; it’s growing your business as a

whole that we try to focus on,” she said.

COMEDIAN

Dasquay and family with Mariana at the opening of Tin Ferl at Paradise Island (Photo by

The Tin Ferl Park is now open on Paradise Island, Tuesday to Sunday. During the week its open 12pm to 7pm, and on weekends from 12pm until whenever.

“The hours are pretty flexible, so once people are there having a good time, we don’t force a closure. Honestly I’m looking forward to everybody coming together again like we did back at the Dundas. We used to have really good days of just like entertainment and the whole community coming out and just having a really good time.

So I’m looking forward to just celebrating this this milestone with new and past vendors and supporters,” said Alicia.

Shaquille Johnson)

Tending to nutrient-deficient non-native exotics like hibiscus

Good day, gardeners. How does your garden grow?

The garden that I am in at the moment has a common problem that I will highlight today: nutrient deficiency on highdemand plants.

This is a problem only for a few types of plants; all non-native exotics that are very widely used in the landscape, in this case, Ixora taiwanensis “Dwarf Red”.

Also referred to as the Taiwanese ixora, this plant is found in many yards and gardens throughout the Bahamas and the wider region.

Just to note, hibiscus will typically be in the same sort of state where the Taiwanese ixora is found to be deficient.

In the specific garden I am looking at, all other plants are fine; basil and rosemary are thriving, plumbago is looking great, and everything else looks to be perfectly fine in regards to nutrient content in the soil.

Just as all citrus plants originate in a few countries of Asia, particularly Japan and China, ixora and hibiscus are also native to the same region. And just like citrus, ixora and hibiscus originate in acidic soils.

Our alkaline soils do not support the nutrient needs of these plants, and to grow any of them successfully they require supplemental nutrients to be applied, and the pH needs to be lowered.

To fix problems to do with nutrient deficiencies takes time; it is never a one-shot and done deal, especially for plants in the ground. Plants in pots with nutrient deficiencies can often be brought back to an optimum state with one heavy application of nutrients.

For those in the landscape though, it can take two or often three heavy applications to correct the issues, spread a couple months apart, which can equate to six months of time to rectify the deficiencies when using granular fertilizer alone.

Using a combination of granular and liquid fertilizers, the results are achieved in a shorter timeframe.

Quality granular fertilizers release over controlled periods of time, and

by supplementing with fast acting liquids applied to the foliage, it can speed things up some.

There is always the risk of burning plants with applications that are too heavy, and while there are formulas to use, it’s best to consult a professional and follow with one’s own experience. It takes time to learn the specifics and to gauge the correct amounts of supplemental nutrients to apply.

There’s no quick or simple answer, and mistakes will be made on both sides, too much, and too little. Both are as ineffective as each other.

Considering that the plant in the photograph is meant to be a medium to deep green in colour, what would you think?

I get paid for my experience and knowledge when it comes to creating solutions in the garden, and so I don’t give all of my answers away freely, but I can tell you that each of these plants requires 1 to 1.5 pounds of fertilizer, three times to be fixed. I use a 12-06-08 blended controlled release with high iron for acidification and nutrient supplements. It works for me with great results on pots and in the landscape. Some prefer a higher nitrogen, but the higher the nitrogen content, the higher the chance of burning the plants, even with some controlled release formulas.

So, do you have any plants with nutrient deficiencies in your garden? Check hibiscus, citrus and ixora, they’ll often be some of the first to show signs.

If there is any yellow in the leaf, deficiencies are present and will only continue to worsen, weakening the plant and decreasing its aesthetic, flowering or fruiting values.

No, lawn scraps won’t do it. These types of plants require bigger gibs. I do see some folks out there touting the greatness of their citrus plants for example, where all I see are deficient plants that are underperforming. Know your plants and treat them accordingly!

As always, I wish you happy gardening.

• Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at Fox Hill Nursery on Bernard Road. You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail. com.

What to stream this week: Seinfeld’s ‘Unfrosted’, Katt Williams’ ‘Woke Folk’, and ‘Selena + Restaurant’

By The Associated Press

NEW MOVIES TO STREAM

– Jerry Seinfeld has been very picky about his post-“Seinfeld” projects, but the comedian stars in, co-writes and directs the new Netflix comedy “Unfrosted” (streaming Friday). The film, an origin story for the Pop-Tart, is as stocked with comic talent as it is ridiculousness. Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Hugh Grant and many others co-star in Seinfeld’s satire of Kellogg’s and Post in a heated raced to create a new breakfast treat.

– If you missed “The Holdovers,” Alexander Payne’s Oscar-winning ’70s-set boarding school comic drama, the film is now on Monday on Prime Video. The film was nominated for five Oscars, including best actor for Paul Giamatti, and went home with one: best supporting actress for Da’Vine Joy Randolph. Giamatti stars as a curmudgeonly teacher tasked with watching a student (Dominic Sessa) over Christmas break.

— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle

NEW MUSIC TO STREAM

— First came “Houdini,” a clubbanger with new edge. Then the lively ambitiousness of “Training Season,” and the elastic bass of “Illusion.” The English-Albanian pop superstar Dua Lipa’s third album, “Radical Optimism,” is built of her longstanding pop sensibilities. But she’s shifted slightly away from the disco-pop of 2020’s “Future Nostalgia” and instead, has embraced pop-psychedelia in influences like Primal Scream and Massive Attack, at least partially thanks to a new collaborator in Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker. It’s a euphoric ride straight to the club, and a reminder of the necessity of danceable music in resilience.

— In the late ’90s and carrying into the 2010s, VH1’s documentary series “Behind the Music” offered in-depth insight into the top performers of the past and present – highlighting their path of success and obstacles faced in the process. For music obsesses, it was an education. If you missed it, or if you’re missing it right now, long no more: Paramount+ will debut new episodes of “Behind the Music”, spotlighting Bell Biv DeVoe, Trace Adkins and Wolfgang Van Halen. And while you wait: There are episodes from the original series

available to stream on Paramount+ right now, featuring everyone from Boy George and Busta Rhymes to Jennifer Lopez and New Kids on the Block.

— Maybe the UK-pop firebrand Rachel Chinouriri first hit your timeline when the music video for her song “Never Need Me” featured an unlikely star, the actor Florence Pugh. Or maybe it is from one of her many viral moments on TiKTok (“So My Darling,” anyone?), or from her malleable EPs, 2019’s “Mama’s Boy,” 2021’s “Four In Winter,” and 2022’s “Better Off Without.” Whatever the case, it is time to prepare for her alternative pop in the form of a debut album, “What a Devastating Turns of Events,” out May 3. Begin with the whistled-hook and talk-sung lyrics of single “It Is What It Is.”

— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman

NEW SHOWS TO STREAM

— The long-awaited third season of “Hacks,” starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder returns May 2. The show picks up about a year after the finale of season two, with its two stars seemingly worlds apart. Smart’s

Deborah Vance is at the top of her stand-up game in Las Vegas and Einbinder’s Ava is busy working as a writer in Los Angeles. The separation doesn’t last long as the two can’t seem to quit each other. Another reason to tune in? The comedic duo Paul W Downs and Megan Stalter (playing agent Jimmy and his not at all trusty assistant, Kayla) have been bumped up to series regulars. “Hacks” is available on Max.

— While fans wait for the sixth and final season of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a new Elisabeth Moss series called “The Veil” is coming to Hulu from FX. The series takes place in the high-stakes world of international espionage with Moss portraying a MI6 agent. “I can change into anything, become 100 strangers,” Moss says in the show’s trailer. “The Veil” streams on Hulu beginning Tuesday.

— We watched Selena Gomez learn to cook over Zoom for four seasons of “Selena + Chef,” and now she’s ready to say “Yes, Chef!” in restaurant kitchens. In her new Food Network series “Selena + Restaurant,” Gomez and her bestie Raquelle Stevens visit popular LAarea restaurants to try to create a dish that would make the menu. The show premieres on Food Network and streams on Max.

— The comedy festival “Netflix is a Joke” is upping the ante by offering some events live on the streamer. Katt Williams, known for his no holds barred commentary is set to go live with a stand-up set called “Woke Folk” on Saturday. And Kevin Hart will host “The Roast of Tom Brady” on May 5. “I played in the NFL, so I’m not worried about a bunch of comedians, trust me,” taunted the seven-time Super Bowl winner in a video shared with NBC’s “TODAY “show. Brady says he does not know who will appear to roast him.

— Alicia Rancilio

RACHEL Chinouriri

KATT Williams

Literary lives - Vivien Leigh (1913 - 1967)

A British Southern Belle - Part I

Sir Christopher Ondaatje writes about the turbulent beautiful British actress who won the Academy Award twice, for her definitive performances as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939) and Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). She earned a reputation as being difficult to work with, but was ranked as one of the greatest female movie stars of classic Hollywood cinema.

“I’m not a film star – I’m an actress. Being a film star – just a film star – is such a false life, lived for fake values and for publicity. Actresses go on for a long time and there are always marvellous parts to play.”

- Vivien Leigh

Vivien Leigh was born Vivian Mary Hartley on November 5, 1913, in British India on the campus of St Paul’s School in Darjeeling. She was the only child of Ernest Richard Hartley, a British broker, and his wife Gertrude Mary Francis Yackjee, the daughter of an Anglo-Indian man of independent means.

In 1917, her father was transferred to Bangalore in the Indian Cavalry while she stayed with her mother in Ootacamund.

When she was six she was sent by her mother to the Convent of the Sacred Heart in Roehampton in southwest London. She was removed from the school by her father and travelled with her parents for four years, attending schools in Dinard and Biarritz (France), San Remo (Italy), and Paris (France). The family returned to Britain in 1931. She told her father of her ambitions to become an actress and her father enrolled her at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. That year she met a barrister, Leigh Holman, who was thirteen years older than she was, and married him on December 20, 1932. She ended her studies at RADA and gave birth to a daughter, Suzanne, on October 12, 1933.

But she never gave up her determination to be an actress.

Leigh took an uncredited role as a schoolgirl in the film Things Are Looking Up, and hired an agent, John Gliddon. He did not think Vivian Holman was a good name for an actress, so she used Vivian Leigh as her professional name. Gliddon recommended her to Alexander Korda as a potential film actress, but Korda rejected her. She was cast in the play The Mask of Virtue directed by Sidney Carol in 1935, and received excellent reviews followed by glowing interviews and newspaper articles. One article from The Daily Express

noted and commented that “a lightning change came over her face” which was the first mention of the rapid changes of mood which had become her characteristic. John Betjeman, the future poet laureate, described her as “the essence of English girlhood.”

Alexander Korda attended her opening night performance, admitted his error, and signed her to a film contract. However when Korda moved it to a larger theatre, Leigh found that she could not project her voice adequately and hold the attention of so large an audience. The play soon closed. It was Sidney Carol, the play’s director, who revised the spelling of her first name to “Vivien” –which she kept for the rest of her life.

“Some critic saw fit to be as foolish as to say that I was a great actress. And I thought, that was a foolish, wicked thing to say, because it put such an onus and such a responsibility onto me, which I simply wasn’t able to carry. And it took me years to

learn enough to live up to what they said for those first notices … I remember the critic very well and have never forgiven him.”

-Vivien Leigh

In the summer of 1935, John Buckmaster introduced her to Laurence Olivier at the Savoy Grill, where he and his first wife Jill Esmond dined regularly after his performance in Romeo and Juliet. At about the same time Leigh read Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell and instructed her American agent to recommend her to David O Selznick, who was planning a film version of the book.

“Olivier won’t play Rhett Butler, but I shall play Scarlett O’Hara. Wait and see.”

-Vivien Leigh

Olivier and Leigh began an affair while acting as lovers in Fire Over England (1937), while Olivier was still married to Jill Esmond and Leigh to Herbert Leigh Holman. Despite her inexperience, she was cast as Ophelia in Olivier’s Hamlet in an Old Vic Theatre production staged at Elsinore, Denmark. It was the first time Olivier noticed that quite suddenly Leigh’s mood changed before screaming at him and becoming silent – staring into space. The following day she was quite normal. They began living together, as neither of their spouses would give them a divorce. Their relationship was kept from the public and the press as moral standards enforced by the film industry were quite strict.

Leigh appeared with Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O’Sullivan in A Yank at Oxford (1938), and got considerable attention in the United States. But she also developed a reputation for being difficult and unreasonable. A threatening lawsuit over her petulant antics forced Alexander Korda to warn her agent that her option would not be renewed if her behaviour did not improve. She ignored the threat, and next played opposite Charles Laughton in St Martin’s Lane (1938).

Olivier at the time was not well known in America. Offered the role of Heathcliff in Samuel Goldwyn’s production of Wuthering Heights (1939), he travelled to Hollywood, leaving Leigh behind in London. She was offered the secondary role of Isabella – but refused, preferring to play the part of Cathy. Despite Olivier’s encouragement, it was refused and the part went to Merle Oberon.

An enormously publicised search was conducted for an actress to play the part of Scarlett O’Hara in David O Selznick’s production of Gone with the Wind.

Myron Selznick met Leigh he was certain that Leigh possessed the qualities his brother was looking for. Thus, according to legend, he took both Leigh and Olivier to the set where The Burning of Atlanta was being filmed and stage-managed an encounter where the burning flames of the Atlanta set dramatised the face of Leigh. He then derisively addressed his younger brother, saying “Hey, genius, meet your Scarlett O’Hara.” The following day, Leigh read a scene for Selznick who had organised a screen test and who wrote to his wife:

Myron Selznick, David’s brother, was at the time Leigh’s American theatrical agent and the London representative of the Myron Selznick Agency. Leigh pushed him to urge his brother to consider her to play the part of Scarlett O’Hara. David O Selznick watched her performance in Fire Over England and A Yank at Oxford and thought her excellent – but far too British. Not persuaded, Leigh travelled to America to be with Olivier, intent on convincing David O Selznick that she was the right person for the part. When

“She’s the Scarlett dark horse and looks damn good. Not for anyone’s ear but your own.”

- David O Selznick

George Cukor concurred and remarked on Leigh’s “incredible wildness”. The field had narrowed down to Paulette Goddard, Jean Arthur, Joan Bennett, and Vivien Leigh.

Leigh secured the role of Scarlett O’Hara soon afterwards, and history was made.

Filming Gone with the Wind proved difficult for Leigh. Cukor was dismissed and replaced by Victor Fleming, with whom she quarrelled. She and Olivia de Havilland met secretly with Cukor and asked his advice on how they should play their parts. She also befriended Clark Gable and his wife Carole Lombard, but clashed badly with Leslie Howard with whom she had to play some important emotional scenes. She was also made to work seven days a week, often late into the night, which added to her distress. She missed Olivier, who was working in New York City.

“Puss, my Puss, how I hate film acting! Hate, hate, and never want to do another film again!”

-Vivien Leigh

Quoted in a 2006 biography of Olivier, Olivia de Havilland defended Leigh against claims of her

manic behaviour during the filming of Gone with the Wind.

“Vivien was impeccably professional, impeccably disciplined in ‘Gone with the Wind’. She had two great concerns: doing her best work in an extremely difficult role, and being separated from Larry Olivier, who was in New York.”

-Olivia de Havilland

Gone with the Wind brought Vivien Leigh immediate attention and fame. The film won ten Academy Awards including a Best Actress Award for Leigh, who also won a New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress.

In February 1940, Jill Esmond agreed to divorce Laurence Olivier, and Leigh Holman agreed to divorce Vivien Leigh. Esmond was granted custody of Tarquin, her son with Olivier, and Leigh Holman was granted custody of Suzanne, his daughter with Vivien Leigh. The Oliviers were married on August 31, 1940, at the San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara, California, in a ceremony attended by Ronald and Benita Colman, and Katherine Hepburn and Garson Kanin. Leigh had made a screen test and hoped to co-star with Olivier in Rebecca (1940), directed by Alfred Hitchcock, but after viewing Leigh’s screen test, despite her recent success, David O Selznick stated:“She doesn’t seem right as to sincerity or age or innocence.”

Alfred Hitchcock agreed with Selznick, and so did her mentor George Cukor. Selznick cast Joan Fontaine as Rebecca. He also rejected her request to join Olivier in Pride and Prejudice (1940), giving Greer Garson the leading role. However, Selznick did give her the leading role in Waterloo Bridge (1940), which was also to have starred Olivier. But he replaced Olivier with Robert Taylor – then at the peak of his career with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It reflected his status in Hollywood, and was a popular choice with audiences and critics.

The Oliviers then mounted a stage production of Romeo and Juliet on Broadway, investing all of their combined savings of $40,000. Sadly, critics were hostile in their assessment.

“Although Miss Leigh and Mr Olivier are handsome young people, they hardly act their parts at all.”

-Brooks Atkinson New York Times

Leigh was also criticised for having “a thin, shopgirl quality”.

The theatrical project was a financial disaster for them and the couple lost all their invested money.

• Sir Christopher Ondaatje is the author of The Last Colonial. He acknowledges that he has quoted liberally from Wikipedia.

A YOUNG Vivien Leigh

LEIGH with her second husband, acclaimed British actor Laurence Olivier, in their stage production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’

LEIGH wins her first of two Best Actress Oscars for ‘Gone with the Wind’ (1939)

leisure

From PG 07

“We have added numerous restaurants to the resort, such as the Marcus Fish + Chop House, but also Café Boulud at the Rosewood. We opened our water park, Baha Mar Bay, in 2021, which was a fantastic addition to the property.”

scrub - you are given a jar of salt, with which it you can cook or give yourself a salt bath at home.

Baha Mar’s Director of Communications Vanessa Christie confirmed that “pretty much everything has changed” at the Baha Mar property over the last five years.

She said the property has grown exponentially since 2017. During that year, the resort opened the SLS in November, and the Rosewood the following May.

“We have added numerous restaurants to the resort, such as the Marcus Fish + Chop House, but also Café Boulud at the Rosewood. We opened our water park, Baha Mar Bay, in 2021, which was a fantastic addition to the property,” she said.

“We have expanded our offerings through The Current and ECHO. We have added a game zone for guests of all ages to enjoy friendly competition. We have added Mini Blue, our miniature golf course, which is a fantastic way to stay and play with friends and family. We have expanded our racket club, which now includes pickle ball courts.”

Vanessa added that Baha Mar is the perfect place to get away from the daily hustle and bustle.

“I think we live in the place that people love to vacation, especially here in Nassau. You just look outside and you look at the ocean and, you know, that helps you relax right there. So I don’t think you need to travel far to experience the beauty of our country. And just having a place like Baha Mar in the midst of it that offers all the international benefits and all the international additions that you would go and seek in other places, like the dining experiences and all the different activities you can engage in…is great. I think we have everything that can make a beautiful vacation right here on our shores,” she said.

Vanessa said the addition of Baha Bay has been one of the biggest game-changers at the resort, especially for families with children.

“There is a lot of thrill and chill, so if you just want to have a chill day you can go on over to the Baha Bay Beach Club, which has the infinity pool, beautiful beach views, fantastic food and cabanas.

If you are more of a thrill seeker, you can go down Thunderball, which is our six-storey high drop. You can also do Cyclone Rush, which is our fiveperson raft and really fun,” she said. Whatever the occasion, Vanessa said a staycation at Baha Mar is a fantastic place for a

celebration. Whether you want to have a nice drink at the Manor Bar or you want to go up at the Skybar and then end the night at the Bond nightclub, they have something for every taste.

During the day, guests can engage with and learn more about the Bahamas’ national bird; the flamingo. They can even enjoy a yoga session with flamingos.

For art lovers, there is the Current Art Gallery and exhibitions like ECHO and Fairwind, which provide a visually engaging look into the local art scene.

Guests can also try their hand at cooking themselves in the The Kitchen at Baha Mar where world-class chefs offer bespoke culinary experiences.

There are many fine dining options like Katsuya, Shuang Ba, Fi’lia, Costa, Cleo, Carna, Cinko, and 25 Degrees North, but also several more laidback options like El Jefe, which is a Mexican food truck, and Street Bird on the beach, which is ran by the Marcus Fish+Chop House team offering burgers and casual fare.

For me, personally, this staycation showed me that there is always something new to discover and try right here at home.

animals

Animal matters Kim Aranha

On May1, in honour of turning 100 years old, the Bahamas Humane Society held a select luncheon to thank some of the major contributors to the Bahamas Humane Society’s cause.

It was a ladies’ Spring luncheon, and with Spring in mind, spectacular blossoms abounded. Wildflowers Events & Occasions’ out-did themselves with the exquisite and plentiful flowers that decorated the room where the event was held.

A beautiful pink Bahamas Handprints hibiscus table cloth served as a backdrop for some of the most breathtaking flowers I have ever seen.

Wildflowers has a way, a gift, to turn a normal room into a fairy tale destination under the amazingly watchful and creative eye of my old friend Natalie Appleyard.

Not everybody invited was able to attend, but there were enough of us to make it a very special luncheon indeed. The speeches were few and short - each honoured guest received a handwritten note thanking them for their amazing individual acts of kindness and generosity.

Such kindness and such generosity! All ladies who were not looking for thanks or recognition; just amazing people all in one room at the same time and they all had a few things in common:

1. They love animals

2. They are compassionate

3. They are generous to a fault and do not seek recognition, accolades, nor public praise.

What a pleasure to be in a room surrounded by such special, loving and giving individuals!

Sometimes spearheading an organisation provides moments that you never expected. Wednesday was one of those wonderful moments - to be with people who are such morally upstanding ladies who do what they do because they want to, not for any other reason than to help those who cannot help themselves.

We had a really lovely few hours together and it was a real pleasure to see like-minded people meet, mingle and share ideas.

Each person was there for a different reason, for a different gesture or

Celebrating 100 yearsA springtime luncheon for animal lovers

endeavour. Eight very worthy guests were not present because they are either away or had prior engagements. They are still greatly appreciated by the Bahamas Humane Society. None the ladies thanked at this gathering are members of our board; they are just wonderful, and giving, and caring individuals.

During the luncheon, things took a delightful and totally unexpected turn, one that I would never have imagined in a million years.

I was surprised when somebody sidled up to me and asked if now would be a good time for the presentation. What presentation, I wondered; I had no presentation to give anybody.

Before I could process 100 percent what was actually going on, my good friend of many years, Mrs Isabella Overend, owner of the Towne Hotel with her husband Ron, on George Street in Nassau City was beside me and saying how she had a presentation to make to me! I was totally (as the Brits like to say) “gobsmacked”.

Before I really had caught up with the plot, Isabella was saying some very kind things about my long tenure as president of the Bahamas Humane Society (16 years in September) and how

much she and her husband enjoyed my column in The Tribune… this column.

Her absolute favourite articles are those written from the “Rainbow Bridge”, that extraordinary mythical land in the clouds that all cat, dogs and pets go to when they pass away. This happy land that Chiefie, Buddy, Boss and Garmin write to me from every few weeks. The land of trees that grow dog biscuits, of neverending green fields to run and play in, and no sickness or fear; a paradise for our furry friends.

Isabella then produced a painting that she had found during her travels, a portrait of the path to the Rainbow Bridge. Such a very touching and thoughtful gift in honour of the articles I write (dictated painstakingly, of course, by my boys who are keeping a watch on us down here).

I was so surprised at this wonderful and completely unexpected gesture. I still am overwhelmed by the kindness of this gesture.

This wonderful Rainbow Bridge painting will occupy a place of prominence in my home and will help me to remember on the darkest of days that there is always sometime good around the corner. When you absolutely least

PET OF THE WEEK

Cuddly Clyde

By The Bahamas Humane Society

Four-month-old Clyde is full of puppy energy and potcake smarts. He’s very loving and was a popular pup at the most recent Nassau Cruise Port Cuddle-a-Pup event. He’s even learning how to walk on a leash! Clyde is friendly with the other pups but is looking for a human to call his own.

Are you looking for a walking companion, one who’ll happily hang about outdoors with you? Look no further than Clyde. He’s at the Bahamas Humane Society so you can call 323-5138 for more information or come in to see him. Clyde looks forward to meeting you.

• The dog walks are Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9am. It’s a great way for the dogs to have some out of cage time and for you to have some fresh air. Come and join us!

expect it, somebody does something amazingly special and considerate and that is when when you realise what it is all about.

To my good old buddies for many years, Isabella and Ron Overend, such a big shoutout of thanks and gratitude. They are so kind to the BHS.

To all the guests yesterday, thank you for being there and helping us year after year. You know who you are and why you were there.

I look forward to another 100 years!

(PHOTO BY LINDA GILL-ARANHA)

Isabella Overend of the Towne Hotel (right) presents BHS President Kim Aranha with a special ‘Rainbow Bridge’ painting.

L’Elmo Di Ottone, the newest Italian restaurant in Grand Bahama, aims to brings the flavours and ambience of Italy to diners whose palettes crave culinary variety.

The second high-end dining venture by Chef Tim Tibbitts and his wife Rebecca Tibbitts, a certified sommelier, the restaurant is located on the marina front of the Unexso Building, just across from the couple’s first venture, the highly successful Flying Fish, a favourite of locals and visitors.

The Tibbitts believe it is the perfect location to showcase their Italian dishes, prepared using traditional methods which result in an authentic texture and smoky flavour and are carefully crafted in both a specially built outdoor wood oven and the indoor kitchen.

“So, from the cavatelli, which is small pasta shells, with pesto, peas, broccolini and goat cheese, bucatini (a thick hollow spaghettilike pasta) with the house San Marzano tomato sauce, basil and parmesan, to the gnocchetti (like gnocchi made with potatoes but smaller) with lobster, lobster cream and lemon zest, it’s a wonderful Italian journey.”

Chef Tim uses his culinary expertise to create a diverse range of dishes, including pastas, sandwiches, salads, appetisers and desserts.

Rebecca said, “From the wood oven guests can have a variety of crispy, thin crust pizzas with topping ingredients imported just for L’Elmo Di Ottone. From the Primavera, Finnochio and Capriciossa to Margharita, Quattro Funghi and more.”

“All of L’Elmo Di Ottone’s pasta, with the exception of the Bucatini, and all its bread is made on premises,” she added.

“So, from the cavatelli, which is small pasta shells, with pesto, peas, broccolini and goat cheese, bucatini

The feel and taste of Italy

(a thick hollow spaghetti-like pasta) with the house San Marzano tomato sauce, basil and parmesan, to the gnocchetti (like gnocchi made with potatoes but smaller) with lobster, lobster cream and lemon zest, it’s a wonderful Italian journey.”

“Let’s not forget that Italians are known worldwide for their ‘Nonna’s” meatballs,” Rebecca said, “And, L’Elmo Di Ottone’s meatball dish, which is made of beef, veal and locally sourced pork (from the Berkshire Bahamas Farm) meets that standard.”

Of course, no Italian meal is complete without wine and sommelier

Rebecca has a wide selection from which to complement the restaurant’s offerings from the couple’s import shop Sea Gates Wines located at the RayVin Mall.

Whether you are a foodie or simply love to explore new tastes, the Tibbitts say L’Elmo Di Ottone aims to be the perfect spot for a delightful dining experience that will leave your taste buds wanting more.

They are open six days a week (Tuesday to Sunday) and the menu is kept up to date on the website www. elmodiottone.com. Reservations are appreciated.