08192016 weekend by tribune242

The Tribune

Friday, August 19, 2016

art books society film fashion music food podcasts animals

Weekend

white party Pages 20&21

The colour of love From friends to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;purpleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; romance Weddings, pages 14&15

02| The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

life through a lens AP Photos

Golden girl Shaunae

HAUNAE Miller, the Bahamas’ new golden girl, has made headlines around the world with her thrilling Olympic triumph in Brazil this week. The newly-crowned 400m champion made her country proud, set another national record for the event and sparked a social media frenzy with her dramatic, head-first crossing of the finish line, edging out her rival and much bemedalled American star Allyson Felix on Monday night. And her mother, Maybelene, was there to witness Shaunae’s golden moment in Rio de Janeiro along with the world’s top sports photographers.

Have you taken a selection of photographs that might make a Life through a lens feature page? If so please submit it to weekend@ tribunemedia.net for consideration

The Tribune | Weekend | 03

Friday, August 19, 2016

Inside Weekend Interview 4 - 5 Tour company owner Trueranda Cox tells Cara Hunt about her special brand of tourism Food 7 - 9 Smugglers restaurant yields hidden treasures, plus two Bahamian chefs prep for the Culinary Olympics

Art 10 - 11 Ceramicist Alistair D Stevenson explores “Pomp & Pageantry”

Music 12 - 13 Wendi Lewis hosts artist showcase for new EP, plus Grand Bahama’s Alexis Pelecanos puts her spin on Drake’s “Controlla”

Weddings 14 -15 A 20-year journey to the altar

Entertainment 17 Variety show troupe Da Spot makes its comeback, plus Dub School Bahamas celebrates African culture and healthy living

Society 20 - 21 The Hamptons meets the Bahamas – luxury and exclusivity at the White Party 2 Film 22 -23 Galleria releases “War Dogs”, “Ben-Hur”, and “Kubo and the Two Strings” reviewed Literary Lives 24 - 25 Sir Christopher Ondaatje on famed mountaineer Arne Ness Jr

Forgotten Facts 25 Paul Aranha on why we black for funerals Puzzles 26 Animals 27 Kim Aranha expounds on the frustration over false assumptions, plus Pet of the Week

Gardening 28 Jack Hardy on the new tomato-growing season Cover Photo | Digital Kafé

My perfect Bahamian weekend Matthew Wildgoose Actor and artist Q: Saturday breakfast or Sunday lunch? “Saturday breakfast, please.” Q: Wine, Kalik, rum or cocktail? “Kalik for me.” Q: Beach or sofa? “A sofa on the beach!” Q: What could you not do without? “I can’t do without women.” Q: Weekend away: where would you go? “My weekend away would be in Long Island or Abaco, on a beach, on a sofa, eating breakfast on a Saturday morning, and drinking Kaliks with a lady. Boom!”

Things 2 Do this weekend Friday • Disco Zoo Day and Back2School Dance Time: 9am - 3pm Venue: Ardastra Gardens Bring the whole family for Ardastra’s Disco Zoo Day and Back2School Dance. Enjoy an escorted zoo tour, games, activities, crafts, lunch and more. For more information call 3230067 or e-mail education@ardastra. com. General admission is $25; $15 for members and 2016 zoo campers. • Ready 4 School Block Party Time: all day until 7pm Venue: Janaee’s Uniform Centre, Chesapeake Road Kids can enjoy a bouncing castle, face painting, giveaways, cotton candy, hot dogs and snacks, plus uniform discounts. • Goombay Summer Festival Time: 2pm - midnight Venue: Arawak Cay The summer festival showcases Bahamian music, dance groups, food and arts. • “Women at the Well” Conference Time: 7pm (continues on Saturday at 5am) Venue: Southland Church of God, Soldier Road West Fresh Fire Ministries presents its annual conference for Christian

women. Speakers will include Prophetess Saveletta Fowler, Evangelist Carnetta Ferguson and Pastor Fancheon Braynen. Entertainment will be provided by Minister Latasha Taylor of Mount Tabor, Jonathan Farrington and Grace Generation, Minister Chesternique Bullard and the group Melodious Vocals. • Dub School Bahamas Time: 8pm - midnight Venue: #16 Bingy Yard, Polhemus Street The monthly artist showcase and wellness event focuses on celebrating African culture. SEE PAGE 17

Saturday • IL Cares Foundation’s Back to School Fair Time: 12noon - 3pm Venue: RM Bailey Park The Island Luck Cares Foundation will provide approximately 3,000 children with free school supplies, games, rides, eats and drinks, and lots of fun before they begin the new school year. • NITC’s 5th Annual Hair & Wellness Expo Time: 12noon - 4pm Venue: Solomon’s Super Centre, Old Trail Road

Naturals in the City hosts its expo featuring Uncle Funky’s Daughter products. • “Above and Beyond” with Ron Zacapa Centenario Time: 6pm Venue: One&Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island The luxury resort offers a sensorial experience featuring the premium rum brand Ron Zacapa Centenario. • Da Spot Improv Sketch Comedy Show Time: 8pm (encore performance on August 27) Venue: The Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts After a five-year hiatus, the popular variety show troupe is back with a new show to feature not only comedy, but also art. Each show will end with a performance by the drum band Ubuntu Jammers. Tickets are $20. SEE PAGE 17 • White Noize Headphone Party Time: 11pm Venue: Avista Lounge, Elizabeth on Bay Plaza HuSHH hosts its next signature event. Ladies are $15, gents $20. Put on the state-of-the-art headphones and tune in to your chosen channel to listen to Top 40 hits, hip hop, 90s and early 2000s throwbacks, soca and reggae.

04 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

interview Combining her love of marine biology with her love for people, Trueranda Cox recently started Ultimate Tours Bahamas. This week, she tells Cara Hunt about carving out a special niche in the tourism market by helping both Bahamians and visitors appreciate the beauty of the country.

Trueranda Cox T

rueranda Cox is determined to show locals and visitors alike that the Bahamas definitely has more to offer than just the famous “sun, sand and sea”. Ms Cox, who is the owner of the Ultimate Tours Bahamas, has successfully turned her love of the environment into a lucrative career that provides a totally different experience for its patrons. “Originally, I was studying to be a marine biologist,” she told Tribune Weekend, “but I eventually realised that I did not like the science aspect of marine biology as much as I was interested in the people side of it.” She began working at Atlantis on Paradise Island where she worked as an aquarist, taking care of the resort’s many large aquariums, including the famous Dig Sunken Ruins. “We were responsible for the management of the aquarium and providing interactive tours of the aquarium with our guests,” she explained. Ms Cox then decided that she wanted a career that was focused more on the environmental side of marine life rather than just managing the aquariums. However, she faced a huge challenge as there were only limited, if any, opportunities open to her. So instead, she decided to create her own opportunity. The result was the Ultimate Tours Bahamas, a tour company which seeks to provide guests with a one-of-a-kind experience that immerses them in the culture, history and environment of the

“Not everyone knows exactly how much the Bahamas has to offer. It is so much more than sun, sand and sea. We have so much culture and so much history that we can share and experience.”

Bahamas. The emphasis of each of the company’s tours is conservation and appreciation of the country’s natural resources. “It was definitely not easy,” she said of starting the business. “I had to be extremely creative as I had no funds and no inventory.” To help her fulfil her goal, Ms Cox focused on connecting with already established companies that were operating in the field. She approached organisations such as the Ministry of Tourism, the Bahamas National Trust and the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation, as well as the owners of Tasty Teas Bahamas, taxi cab drivers and other tourism vendors to help her start the business. Ultimate Tours offers kayak tours on Bone Fish Pond in the Bone Fish National Park, which is operated and overseen by the Bahamas National Trust. “We worked out a partnership where we were able to use their kayaks to operate the tours which solved the inventory dilemma,” Ms Cox said. At the moment, Ms Cox operates three signature tours named the Tingum Tour, the Muddasic Tour and the Ghost Move Tours. The Tingum Tour is a half-day tour which includes a historical Nassau driving tour, bush tea brewing lessons, a national park tour and kayaking on Bone Fish Pond. The Muddasic Tour is a full-day tour which includes all of the half-day options with the addition of a second national park tour.

The Tribune | Weekend |05

Friday, August 19, 2016

“There is always that one thing that may make you want to give it up, but you need to just make your mind up to go out there and do it.” The Ghost Move Tour, which is marketed as a special for lovers, includes a sunset snorkel expedition and a beach picnic. Additionally, guests can try the Ultimate Special, which is a two-hour kayak and snorkel session at the park which also includes a conch fritters cooking class. Ultimate Tours Bahamas also offers customised private tours for interested persons with any combination of activities. There is also the option for escorted tours to other Family Islands. “We just started in January of this year and so far the response has been tremendous and is continuing to grow. In addition to our tourists, we have had students from the University of Florida and the University of Tennessee come to do research and we have had many Bahamians who have signed up and participated,” she said. And Ms Cox said that it is truly a joy to be able to showcase another side of the country to both locals and visitors. “This is exactly what I wanted to do: give people the opportunity to experience something other than sitting on a beach drinking a cocktail. Not everyone knows exactly how much the Bahamas has to offer. It is so much more than sun, sand and sea. We have so much culture and so much history that we can share and experience.” She added that she wanted to ensure that the experience Ultimate Tours offers could be enjoyed by Bahamians customers by offering special local rates. And while her business has taken off in ways she never dreamed it would, she admits that did not come without a struggle. “My advice to anyone interested in start-

ing their own business venture is to just go out and there do it. There will always be an obstacle that gets in your way, whether it be a lack of funds or something else. There is always that one thing that may make you want to give it up, but you need to just make your mind up to go out there and do it,” she said.

06 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

The Tribune | Weekend |07

Friday, August 19, 2016

food

Ribs with cole slaw and fries

Downtown Nassau yields hidden treasure

Beef brisket and fries

By cara hunt cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

t’s only been open for a week, but already the new Smugglers Restaurant is helping to change the vibe of downtown Nassau. With it’s spacious floor plan, open kitchen and tempting dessert display, the restaurant provides a much-needed peaceful dining option just steps away from the hustle and bustle of Bay Street. It is exactly this vibe that inspired new owner Tony Skandaliaris to redesign the space which originally served as a pub next to the Pirates of Nassau Museum on George Street. “It is such a large property with just so much potential with all of the rooms and outdoor spaces which gives you so many options,” he told Tribune Weekend. In addition to it’s main dining room, Smugglers also has a private courtyard and bar area in the back, as well as a front outdoor dining space perfect for watching the shoppers and tourists walk by without actually joining the fray. And the menu options are just

Oven-baked chicken bolognese

varied as the venue’s dining spaces, ensuring that there is something for everyone. “It was important for us to have a lot of menu options because we really wanted to accommodate everyone – from locals to visitors from all over – so we didn’t want to limit ourselves to just one type of food,” said Mr Skandaliaris. “We wanted to ensure that there were different things on the menu to encourage diners to stop by often.” The breakfast menu includes staples such as pancakes, eggs and omelettes, as well as more gourmet inspired offerings like guava French toast, Belgian waffles and

BBQ chicken flatbread pizza with onion marmalade

croque monsier (grilled ham eggs with gruyere cheese and béchamel.) For lunch, diners can choose from an assortment of sandwiches served with French Fries, salad or cole slaw, oven pastas or flatbread pizzas, chicken, seafood, ribs, Greek salads and gyros, as well as nachos and more. The restaurant offers Starbucks brand coffees and homemade lemonade served in mason jars along with other beverages, For now, the restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch, seven days a week, from 8am to 6pm. In the future it may expand to dinner and private events.

Cherry Mount Royal tart

Chocolate cake with cherries

08 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

food

Bahamian chefs prepare for Culinary Olympics By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

T Chef Sheldon Sweeting works on one of his test dishes as he prepares to compete in 2012 Culinary Olympics

HEY may not have to dive across the finish line for gold like Shaunae Miller did in Rio earlier this week, but it will take just as much grit and determination for two local chefs to capture medals at the upcoming Culinary Olympics to be held in Erfurt, Germany. Chefs Ron Johnson and Sheldon Sweeting, who are also members of the Bahamas National Culinary Team, have been diligently preparing for the highly anticipated event. Also accompanying the two chefs are Richmond Fowler, the Seafood Chef of the Year 2016, and Shelby Coleby and Charon McKenzie, both gold medal winning chefs of Team Bahamas Caribbean 2015 and 2016. The International Exhibition of Culinary Art, termed the Culinary Olympics, is a quadrennial chef competition, and the biggest culinary exhibition in the world. The event, which was last held in 2012, was conceived by a group of German chefs in 1896 with an aim to promote German cuisine to the world while receiving impulses from other cooking cultures. The first competition was arranged in 1900 in Frankfurt with four nations participating For the last two years, Chefs Johnson and Sweeting have been putting together a game plan to make their mark on the 2016 competition, which is scheduled to take place October 21-25. Bahamian teams participated in the Culinary Olympics in 2004 and 2008. The Bahamas did not send a team for the 2012 competition, however, Chef Sweeting entered by himself, completing two arduous categories. He was assisted by Chef Johnson. For 2016, there is also no Bahamian

team, so both chefs will participate in the Individual Exhibitor Culinary Art category. “He and I compete as individuals. This is my first solo act in this arena,” Chef Johnson told Tribune Weekend. To help them achieve their dreams for gold, they are seeking sponsorship and support for the venture. Chef Johnson, who does not classify himself as a competitive chef and who said he only stumbled into culinary competitions three years ago, decided to participate individually this time around because he felt it was the right time. “Sometimes you have to enter situations with boldness. The timing felt right this year. In 2012, I was getting acclimated to this specialised level of culinary artistry and learned from my mistakes. It was also a frustrating process in noticing my deficiencies as a chef and in our contributions in the particular categories,” said Chef Johnson. “I feel that I’m a world-class chef, but I now have to convey my perception to an international audience of my peers, which will scrutinise you harder than any food enthusiast or self-proclaimed ‘foodie’. Chef Sheldon uses the event to gauge his expertise and professionalism, and I’m confident enough to do the same.” Going into the Culinary Olympics one must prepare meticulously, which is the reason why Chef Johnson has been planning for two years ago. “I’ve been conjuring up dishes to reflect a broad range of depth of culinary skill, innovation and understanding. I started brainstorming and refining ideas nearly two years ago. This September, both Chef Sheldon and I will have to take time off from work to complete the concepts and logistics – paperwork, plates, food sourcing, travelling – which this also entails,” said Chef Johnson. “We’re not rushing the creative process, as sometimes unique and thrilling

The Tribune | Weekend |09

Friday, August 19, 2016

concepts appear spontaneously. However, we can’t over-think because in presenting and devising concepts the strategy is “simple complexity”, in that it has to appear to be simple and practical yet have a complex, intricate look to it. Overall it has to be original and innovative. Our category is called ‘Individual Exhibitor Culinary Art’ and it entails four hor d’oeuvres and a five-course meal. I enter once while Sheldon is pondering two entries. While one may assume that having to prepare a meal in a short space of time can lead to much tension and pressure, Chef Johnson said most of the challenge comes in the preparation stages. “The challenge lies in devising original, creative, practical concepts that will wow both judges and peers. They say there is nothing new under the sun, but sometimes if you dig deeper, there is. Also, it is challenging implementing a high percentage of Caribbean flavour and flair to a dish, which many who are unaware of our food culture will appreciate and understand on the international stage. It should be noted that trends which many chefs of the social media age consciously and subconsciously utilise primarily come from this event. “I have over 70 plus dishes that I’ve discarded from displaying on social media just so that my focus on the showcase can be positively received. The same with Sheldon in terms of being focused primarily on Germany,” said Chef Johnson. And in addition to the possibility of winning top prizes, the competition also offers other benefits for the two Bahamian chefs. “The benefits of participating are abundant, as there is a wealth of knowledge on display. I look at it as going to food institution, doing an accelerated course, making one a better student and teacher. The Bahamas, and to a certain extent the Caribbean, is not on par with most of the world with high end gastronomic experiences and culinary talent. However, we are on our way to becoming a food mecca. As one shares the information with colleagues, it strengthens and uplifts the quality and outlook of gastronomy and raises our standard and perception in the world. There is so much to absorb. I can attest that the ideas and values gained helped Team Bahamas earn its historic win at Taste of The Caribbean 2015 and strong performance this year,” he said.

Chef Ron Johnson has been working on his game plan for the Culinary Olympics for the past two years

Chef Ron Johnson (left) and Chef Sheldon Sweeting with his bronze medal at the 2012 Culinary Olympics

Chef Sheldon Sweeting in front of the convention centre in Erfurt, Germany, where the 2016 Culinary Olympics will take place.

Both Chef Ron Johnson and Chef Sheldon Sweeting hope to wow the judges and their peers with their unique dishes at the 2016 Culinary Olympics

10 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

art

“Pomp & Pageantry” exhibit explores the burden of beauty PHOTO/LIU GE

Doongalik Studios host annual Alistair D Stevenson show

eramic artist Alistair D Stevenson is completing the final touches on his annual exhibition entitled “Pomp & Pageantry”, which will open on August 25 at Doongalik Studios. Speaking about the inspiration for this year’s theme, the artist said: “From the beginning of time mankind has lived in a world where egoism has defined the rules of aesthetics. Human beings are constantly inventing and reinventing innumerable ways to enhance their natural beauty using countless forms of body embellishments from head to toe, such as: head scarves, ties, belt buckles and buff leather shoes. For most of us, being able to transform ourselves daily in this way is extremely satisfying because of our deep-seated need to validate these internal values. The same principle applies to food preparation when proportions, colours and forms are taken into consideration in order to ensure that the plate presentation is firstly pleasing to the eye before appealing to the sense of taste. “With so many options and approaches available to expand upon this topic, I decided to embrace the influence of jewellery as a means of manifesting the ways in which we express beauty in our everyday lives” The “Pomp & Pageantry” show, he explained, examines how human beings place this burden of beauty on themselves in the ways we dress-up to please our own eyes, as well as to ap-

Ceramicist Alistair D Stevenson

“The works are simply to remind us of the significant efforts we make to adorn our bodies and embellish our lifestyles, to teach us to appreciate whatever approaches we have to beauty, and to develop our abilities to create them.” peal to the eyes of others. “I have created exaggerated jewellery-like pieces that promote this idea through their showy, boisterous porcelain ‘beads’ of plain white, celadons, and pre-historic pit-fired finishes. Each bead was cast from plaster moulds of river stones, strati-

fied rocks and firewood, along with other curious objects like sweet potato and bitter melon. Most of these objects were found in the various factory and restaurant areas of Jingdezhen City, and most of the stones were collected from one of the ancient Silk Road routes of China known as Chang Jiang

(Yangtze) River, once used to ship the precious porcelain pieces that were crafted there. This, in addition to the tribal and primitive look of the objects, further emphasises the age-old concept of beauty, a beauty that all humans experience.” The exhibit’s jewellery pieces are unconventional in size and weight, and are meant to be ornamental objects not intended for everyday wear. “The works are simply to remind us of the significant efforts we make to adorn our bodies and embellish our lifestyles, to teach us to appreciate whatever approaches we have to beauty, and to develop our abilities to create them,” Mr Stevenson said. Born and raised in the saltwater banks of Long Island, Bahamas, Mr Stevenson works as a ceramicist exploring both fields of fine artistry as well as commercial products. Upon graduating with an Associate Degree in Art from the College of the Baha-

The Tribune | Weekend | 11

PHOTOS/ALISTAIR D STEVENSON

Friday, August 19, 2016

Various ceramic pieces from the “Pomp & Pageantry” exhibition

mas in 2012, he pursued his goal of furthering his knowledge of clay in Jingdezhen, the world’s “Porcelain Capital” with fully-paid funding from the China Scholarship Council. In September of 2013, Mr Stevenson began a year-long quest of studying the Chinese language at the Nanjing Normal University. By 2014, he had achieved certification in Chinese Language Studies, and then moved to Jingdezhen Ceramics University. Here, the artist dove into a world where porcelain clays of the highest quality are first mined from kaolin stone, then further crafted into 71 other forms before reaching the final product. In addition to pursuing a Bachelor’s degree of Ceramic Art in Jingdezhen, Mr Stevenson spends much of his time developing his personal ideas in the studio and fully embracing the opportunities in the city’s enormous expanse of ceramic resources. “It is with great pride and modesty that I am able to produce these works. Before leaving the Bahamas for my studies in China, I had always imagined myself traveling to Jingdezhen City to work in its culturally rich ceramics environment. Although there is still so much left for me to learn and understand about ceramics, and about life itself, I can confidently say that my time there thus far has been nothing less than rewarding,” Mr Stevenson said. “Getting to this point, however, could not have been accomplished on my own. I have received enormous support over the years from my friends and supporters, as well as from organizations such as The Charitable Arts Foundation, The D’Aguilar Art Foundation and Empty Bowls Bahamas, all of whom have provided me with financial, spiritual and emotional support on my quest.” An Artist Talk on the “Pomp & Pageantry” exhibition will take place at Doongalik Studios on Sunday, August 21, at 4pm. The talk will discuss the work on display along with Mr Stevenson’s collaboration with Creative Nassau at the Jingdezhen International Ceramics Fair 2015, and will also examine the artist’s insight into his many experiences living and studying in the world’s greatest centre for porcelain production. “Pomp & Pageantry” will be on display until Monday, September 19.

12 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

music

Wendi Lewis engages in a “Risky Business” By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net

o promote the release of her new EP “Risky Business”, Bahamian singer Wendi Lewis will host a special artist showcase to give fans a taste of what they can expect from her latest body of work. The showcase, dubbed “The Business Tour”, will be held at Pirates Republic Brewing Company on Woodes Rogers Walk on August 25 beginning at 8pm. The event will see the local songstress perform all of her favourite Bahamian, soca and pop originals in an intimate setting. “The music alone is going to be transcendent, exciting and fresh,” Wendi told Tribune Weekend. The presentation of the EP “Risky Business” will be the highlight of the night. The new songs, Wendi said, show her edgier and riskier side. “This is a unique event in that it is an artist showcase, and it is the second one that I have presented to the Bahamian public. The first was two years ago and it was called ‘Lunar: Eclipse of the Heart’, and this one is called ‘The Business Tour’, named after my newest EP ‘Risky Business’. I will be presenting all original material and showcasing musicianship in myself and my amazing band. Live music, new arrangements, choreographed dance and a great atmosphere will provided by our venue host Pirates Republic Brewing Company,” she said. As a growing artist, Wendi knows that staying in the eye of the public is the best way to gain and maintain a steady following. “Exposure is always important in the life of an artist, and my showcase will do just that. It will also highlight my new EP and bring me up close and personal with the many fans and supporters that I have garnered over the past few years, some of which only know me through the band Visage, so this will allow them to become exposed

to yet another side of my artistry which is that of a pop singer and songwriter,” she said. Wendi said guests can expect to have an experience like no other. “Expect to hear great music, see top notch industry professionals, and experience great tasting and original brews by Pirates Republic Brewing Company, who will even be featuring some speciality brews and cocktails such as ‘The Business Shot’ and ‘Risky Pirate’,” she said. Apart from promoting her new EP, Wendi recently completed production on a new campaign to raise awareness of the possible depletion of the queen conch. “It is a Bahamas National Trust initiative and PSA and I am a featured artist and co-writer of ‘Conchservation (Conch Gone)’, which is also made into a musical. That will be released early September,” she said. The artist also has a new web series called “A Couple Views”, which is a candid blog on various topics. Wendi is now gearing up to shoot music videos for “Risky Business” and her hit single #EENMISSINIT, as well as begin work on brand new music for the upcoming season.

The Tribune | Weekend | 13

Friday, August 19, 2016

music

Bahamian artists put island spin on Drake’s “Controlla” PHOTO/ARYANA JOY ROBERTS

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net

uperstar rapper Drake has not only been dominating the Billboard charts and clubs with his smash hit “Controlla”, he has also been a major influence on Bahamian artists. Alexis Pelecanos is one such artist. The Grand Bahamian singer took to the studio to put her very own island gal spin on Drake’s single, and the local radio stations cannot get enough of it. Listeners who are expecting to hear Drake’s “Controlla” find themselves pleasantly surprised when instead they hear Alexis’ remix featuring DJ Tiko T and rapper Shadoe Masta. “Drake is one of my top favourite artists. When his song ‘Controlla’ first dropped I couldn’t get it out of my head,” Alexis told Tribune Weekend. “I kept searching for it online, but it was impossible to find. I just kept singing it over and over and thought that it would be so sexy to hear a female version of it, but then to also keep the island feel I thought to include two people that I love dearly: Tiko T, who is a very well-known DJ and also someone I attended school with, and Shadoe Masta, who has his own catalogue of music as well as being featured on my track ‘Pastry Chef’. The three of us together, all unique in sound, was just perfect.” The trio also recently debuted the music video for the song. It was produced by Qilla Fang of Sharp Toof Productions. Alexis describes the filming experience as hurried but still well-organised and fun. “We literally had one day to shoot the entire video – a Saturday, on which we started filming at 11am in the blazing sun. We were able to get a whole lot done, not as much as we wanted but still a lot. With the video I wanted it to be sexy but not completely over the top. I wanted to still be me. It’s funny because some people’s mouths dropped when they saw me in one of the scenes, but anyone who has seen me perform live thought I was more tame than usual,” said Alexis. In one of the scenes, the singer is seen riding a four-wheel bike, a hobby Alexis enjoys but doesn’t get the chance to in-

Drake

Bahamian singer Alexis Pelacanos dulge in often. “I am shocked at the amount of love I have received from my ‘Controlla’ remake, because honestly I only did it for fun. I didn’t even think it would grow to be as popular as it did. I hope that one day whenever Drake hears it, that I made him proud because he is just an incredible artist to me,” she said. Reflecting on her musical growth over the years, Alexis said it is absolutely amazing to her to see how far she has come since making her stage debut as the opening act for reggae star Ghost when she was just 17.

Since then, she has travelled to various locations, performing and meeting many big name entertainers, including Rick Ross, Trina, Wayne Wonder, Naughty By Nature, Sizzla, Buju Banton, Migos, and others. She recorded her first original song at the age of 16 called “Brighter Days”, which received national radio play. Since that time, she has recorded more than a dozen songs, including the popular “Pastry Chef”, “ Gangsta Luv”, “Goodbye” and “I Want U”. All of this led to Alexis releasing her first studio album entitled “Journey”, which features 12 tracks. She

said although it was released in 2012, “Journey” is still currently found in record stores in Grand Bahama. “My biggest supporter was always my mother, and especially my father. He would always be so proud of anything I did in the arts. Unfortunately, I lost my father to lung cancer on May 18, 2014, and things have never really been the same since. When he watched my music video for ‘Goodbye’ at the end he cried, saying how beautiful I was. He would always nag me about not singing with my full potential because I would sing softly when he knew he raised me having me sing Whitney Houston to him all the time,” said Alexis. Although mainly known as a singer, Alexis is also an actress. She won two Grand Bahama Players Guild Awards for Best Featured Actress and Best Lead Actress; the latter for her role as Effie in the musical “Dreamgirls”, a role made popular by American singing sensation Jennifer Hudson. She received the Best Featured Actress award for her role in a production of “Fame The Musical”. “I most recently was a part of an amazing theatre production called ‘Crazy Love’ that had 15 successful shows between Freeport and Nassau, and recently won the Bahamian Icon Award for Best Live Ensemble 2016,” said Alexis. The sky is the limit for the young artist, and Alexis said she is ready to take on the remainder of 2016, getting right back into acting by reprising her role as Diva in the “Crazy Love 2” stage play and also working on another studio album.

14 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

The Tribune | Weekend | 15

Friday, August 19, 2016

weddings PHOTOS/DIGITAL KAFÉ

rell Adderley Nikeisha and Dar r-old daughter with their nine-yea

Friendship blossoms into ‘Purple Romance’ Couple ties the knot after 20-year journey to the altar

ome people fall in love at first sight, and before your know it they are exchanging their “I dos”, while others see their love blossom over time. In the case of Nikeisha and Darrell Adderley, it took a 20-year journey before they met in front of the altar in the wedding of their dreams. The couple first met in junior high. Over the years, their friendship slowly turned into romance. “After years of getting to know each other, we were able to transition our longterm friendship into love. We started dating exclusively during my second year of college, and with the blessing of our now nine-year-old daughter, we both knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives to-

By CARA HUNT cbrennen@tribunemedia.net gether,” Nikeisha told Tribune Weekend. Although they were both sure of their commitment to one another, the pair put their wedding plans on hold for years. It wasn’t until last year, on the Independence Day holiday, that Darrell surprised Nikeisha with a proposal. “It was Independence weekend after we returned from spending time with my dad and family in Andros. Darrell used the opportunity to ask my dad for my hand in marriage,” she said. “As soon as we got back, Darrell being his usual anxious self, very impromptu handed me the ring box and upon me opening it asked me to marry him. He said he didn’t have another minute to wait to make me officially his fiancée.” Their wedding was held on June 18 at

the Anglican Church of The Epiphany on Prince Charles Drive, followed by a reception at the All Saints Parish Hall. “We had a traditional church wedding with the theme ‘Purple Romance’, featuring shades of purple with pops of pink,” said Nikeisha The couple hired Demetria Cox-Moss of Kaleidobloom Events to help make their dream come true – a decision they were both very pleased with in the end. “The best memory from our wedding was walking into the reception hall for the first time and seeing our vision come to life. Everything was perfect,” said Nikeisha. “I highly recommend hiring a wedding planner. The advantages are having someone to help focus your ideas, to bring

your vision to life, and at the same time manage what can be an overwhelming wedding time line to-do list.” And while the Purple Romance vision was fully realised, there were a few technical mishaps. “I entered the ceremony expecting to hear the words of, ‘From This Moment On’ by Shania Twain, but was presented with the instrumental. To make matters worse, the music cut out for a few seconds as I met my groom mid-aisle,” Nikeisha recalled. Musical drama aside, Nikeisha said she encourages all brides-to-be to just enjoy their big day. “Enjoy every moment of it as you only get married once, but most importantly, set a budget and stick to it,” she said.

“He said he didn’t have another minute to wait to make me RIÀFLDOO\ KLV ÀDQFpH µ

.<(8(345(3"#6*75(8(955:57$

!"#$%&'()*+*,-(./'(01.2

345(3"#6*75(8(955:57$(8(.;

!"#$%&'()*+*,-(./'(01.2

!"##$%&' !"#$#%&'()($*+,-*./

rell Adderley Nikeisha and Dar r-old daughter with their nine-yea

!"#57$,4#=(6>?,,?@,( #7-?(AB*"=>5(C?@%7D5E F?*=>5(-#5,(-45(:7?-(%G-5"(01H&5%"(I?*"75&(-?(-45(%>-%"

()"*'+$#*,"* #$#%-.*,+/"* +%0.,"1* 2$%3."* .0*!+$.*.0* 2+4"*2"* RIÀFLDOO\ KLV ÀDQFpH µ*

16 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

fashion With Karin Herig and Cara Hunt

HIT

FAIL

SPLIT

Taraji P Henson (“Empire”)

Lea Michele (“Scream Queens”)

Christina Milian (“Grandfathered”)

Karin says: “It’s cute. I especially like the coral and red in the pattern. Great colours for the summer. And she completes the look with a dark coral lipstick. The one, small criticism I have is that the way the dress is gathered at the neckline makes her shoulders appear a bit broad. But it’s no biggie.” Cara says: “This dress is fun and flirty. I love it on her. It’s that perfect little summer dress you keep in your closet because you know it looks great for casual events. I like her hair away from her face as well.”

Karin says: “This such a cute take on the ‘nude’ lingerie type dress. The flower embellishments shouldn’t really work, but they do, and they make the dress look all summery. I love that she chose fuchsia coloured strappy sandals to match the flowers.” Cara says: “So this dress is kinda cute, even though it seems like the flowers were a bit of an afterthought. I like it. It suits her personality and I love the pop of colour she achieves with her shoes.”

Karin says: “First of all, holy contouring! She knows how to make her assets stand out. But yeah, this dress is club vixen attire. Either way, that peplum is not doing her any favours. Nor is her nude makeup or boring hair.” Cara says: “This dress is one step away from away from Sleazeville, and a very small step at that. It’s bad 80s movie chic at best, at worst, hooker attire. I hate that horrid tacky choker and the way her ‘girls’ are about to fall out is just not cute.”

Elaine Hendrix (“Sex&Drugs &Rock&Roll”)

Laverne Cox (“Orange is the New Black”)

Karin says: “I’m sorry, but this is trailer trash glam. It’s what the smoky MILF wears around the trailer homes on a happening Friday night. It’s not sexy, just try-hard. The shoes are horrific and the extremely bleached hair is too harsh by far.” Cara says: “Not really feeling this romper. I think it’s a bit too casual for a network party. And I don’t know what inspired her to pair those offcolour, velvet pumps with the outfit. It’s a miss for me.”

Karin says: “The top and skirt simply do not work together. I guess it was supposed to be sexy up top, business down below. But something about the colour scheme and different materials makes this not gel. The black skirt is just a bit too sensible.” Cara says: “Not one of her better looks, I have to say. I don’t know, it’s a bit sexy secretary-ish, which is fine, but it just does not blow me away. It looks a little off for some reason. Not quite sure how I feel about this.”

ap photos

The Weekend Fashion Report Fox Summer TCA All-Star Party

The Tribune | Weekend |17

Friday, August 19, 2016

entertainment

‘Da Spot’ makes its comeback

he wait is over. After a five-year hiatus, the popular variety show troupe known as Da Spot is back with a new show to feature not only comedy, but also art. Da Spot’s new partner in this endeavour is After Five Productions, a new company designed to focus on Bahamian culture through the use of entertainment, be it theatrical or captured film. For its first major event, the company has partnered with the cast of Da Spot to put on two performances of the popular variety show. Both performances, the first to be held tomorrow and the second on August 27, will take place at the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts at 8pm. “We intend to showcase the talent of Da Spot,” organisers said. “On August 27 we will feature a live roast battle between Terrance ‘Khingkloud’ Gilbert and Timico ‘Sawyerboy’ Sawyer. In addition, we want to make it a venue for featured Bahamian visual artists to put their paintings up on display, and other local businesses that will promote a Bahamian product.” Each show will end with a perfor-

mance by the drum band Ubuntu Jammers. Tickets are $20. Previously managed by Thoughtkatcher Productions, Da Spot has been a staple in Bahamian comedy for many years thanks to its popular summer shows. Da Spot’ started in the King of Knights Club on Cable Beach as a variety show, and grew immensely over time. It later moved to the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts where it was a must-see show each Tuesday night every summer. The show was so successful, cast members were invited to perform as part of the Bahamian celebrations for International Week in Kingston, Jamaica, in 2006. In 2011, the show took a sabbatical to allow the cast to restructure the performances. Since then, the local entertainment scene has been lacking a show that has truly encapsulated the essence of a comedic improvisational show. During its last year of performances, Da Spot was able to sell out every show at the Dundas, attracting a wide demographic among its audience members. Da Spot also had a 13-episode season that aired on ZNS Channel 11.

Da Spot cast at work

Da Spot cast members perform a “two black crabs tryin to cross da road” skit.

Celebrating African culture and healthy living By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer jgibson@tribunemedia.net THE next instalment of Dub School Bahamas, an event geared towards celebrating African heritage, will take place tonight in Bain Town. Dub School Bahamas is a monthly event held at #16 Bingy Yard on Polhe-

mus Street to highlight the Bahamas’ African roots and culture. It all kicks off at 8pm. One of the main goals of the event is to unify the community through the sharing of African culture. “It also serves as a local and international artist showcase,” said singer Jah Doctrine. The event features performances by some of the best Bahamian reggae art-

ists, including Bobo Ikie, Jah Bonifide, TamaraLyrics, Red Ras, Ras Copper and Jah Doctrine himself. There will also be a health and wellness fair selling vegetarian and vegan cuisine, clothing and craft items. “It’s a fun time in a family friendly environment promoting conscious living, positive culture and good music,” said Jah Doctrine. “Attendees can expect great performances by talented artists with a message of love and unity. The atmosphere is positive, with persons from various walks of life coming together to celebrate African culture and healthy living. While listening to music

Da Spot’s with a pe new show will end rf drum ban ormance by the d Ubuntu Jammers

one may end up in a conversation with a yoga instructor or vegan chef. The opportunity is there for attendees to leave having their appetites appeased, entertained and enlightened,” he said. Since its inception in April, Dub School Bahamas has been well received by the community and has the potential to grown even bigger as time progresses. “It began in April, and because of the warm reception by the community it has steadily grown in attendees and performers. Space is not yet a problem, but it’s a welcome challenge we look forward to,” said Jah Doctrine.

18 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

podcasts

Slip your headphones on and get fit

ave you been inspired by the Olympics to focus on your own health and fitness? This week, we check out podcasts that look at three very different aspects of health.

ness beforehand and then sharing her own experiences afterwards - and both parts are equally fascinating. The owner, David, describes how he tried it out and found it a lifechanging experience, and talks about the process through which people go before they enter the floatation tank where they find the light and sounds of the world blocked out and focus on themselves. Afterwards, Marta sounds still adrift, and you can hear the relaxation in her voice. The sensory deprivation tank is hailed as particularly a tool for tackling the likes of stress. It’s a smashing show, genuine and heartfelt in discussing an alternative way to tackling issues that might be a problem for individuals and aiming towards a better, healthier life. Website: http://martaonthemove. com/wp/36-levity-pgh-floating-in-asensory-deprivation-tank/

Too Fit The Too Fit team aims to, as they say, “extract tools and tricks of the trade that you can use on your journey to becoming Too Fit”. They do that by inviting a host of guests onto the show - from doctors to athletes and coaches, and in the latest podcast, entrepreneur Steven Sashen. Sashen is the founder of Xero Shoes, shoes that replicate the feeling of barefoot running as closely as possible, and he’s a great guest - the level of expertise with which he talks about running is probably hard to match. He came to barefoot running after suffering a number of injuries while using regular training shoes, and found switching to barefoot solved his problems. He discusses why that is, how the design of shoes can affect your running, and also how it has benefited older people who find it puts less strain on their leg muscles. It’s a smashing listen, and for those who are entrepreneurs themselves, there’s a bonus to it in the wealth of business knowledge that Sashen, a former participant in the business TV show Shark Tank, has to share. If you don’t end up wanting to hit the streets or start a business after this show, I’d be surprised. A great listen, with thoughtful hosts who ask the right questions and let their guest’s answers take the spotlight. Website: https://toofitusa.com/ blogs/podcast

(PHOTO/ROB LARSON)

Marta on the Move This is a show very much centred on the Pittsburgh area, but the latest episode, on sensory deprivation tanks, is of interest wherever you might be. Host Marta is a bubbly presence, and she is invited to try out a sensory deprivation tank at a spar in the area. The show is divided into two parts, chatting with the owner of the busi-

Stay Young America

Jake and Josh are the Too Fit Guys

Marta Mazzoni, host of the Marta on the Move podcast.

This is a more traditional, radio show format, which puts the spotlight on one health issue each week. This week, the subject is sleep again, a problem area for those suffering from stress, and the show offers suggestions for how to help make sure you get a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep has been linked with a shorter lifespan, and disruption can be caused by the likes of stress, sleep apnoea and even modern electronics. The hosts chat with a sleep expert who points out that blue light from electronic devices - even your alarm clock - can disrupt your sleep patterns, and they offer other suggestions for how to help get some shuteye. The radio show style extends to a noticeable number of adverts, so be warned there’s plenty of those, and a chatty style that shows the group have been doing this for a long time. It seems geared more towards an older audience, but there’s useful advice here for any generation. Website: http://www.stayyoungamerica.com/

The Tribune | Weekend | 19

Friday, August 19, 2016

books White House releases Obama’s summer reading list

he White House released President Barack Obama’s summer reading list as the first family vacationed in Martha’s Vineyard. It’s a mix of prize-winning novels and the memoir of a surfer who spent much of his childhood in Hawaii, something the president can appreciate. The five books are “Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life” by William Finnegan, “The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead, “H is for Hawk” by Helen Macdonald, “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins, and “Seveneves” by Neal Stephenson. Finnegan’s book won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for biography or autobiography by an American author. It’s a book about his obsession with surfing and where it has taken him in

the world. A New York Times book review said: “There isn’t a line the most mischievous critic could single out for ridicule.” “The Underground Railroad” tells the story of Cora, a slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia and her bid for freedom. Oprah’s Book Club recently named Whitehead’s book its newest selection. “H is for Hawk” won the Samuel Johnson Prize in 2014 and the Costa Book of the Year award. The book tells the author’s story of the year she spent training a hawk after her father’s death. NPR in a book review last year described “The Girl on the Train” as perfectly paced, from its arresting beginning to its twist ending; it’s not an easy book to put down.” “Seveneves” is a science fiction thriller that tells the story

Behind Closed Doors’ is gripping domestic thriller review The domestic thriller genre is based on a simple theme — sometimes the worst terror comes not from strangers but from those closest to us. That premise receives a gripping workout in BA Paris’ terrifying and often realistic debut. “Behind Closed Doors,” a best-seller last year in the UK, is now receiving its US launch. Grace Harrington expected a happily-ever-after ending when she married successful, charming and handsome Jack Angel after a whirlwind romance. Besides, they aren’t the only couple who decided to wed a few months after

they met, nor are they the only ones who married without having first slept together. Jack seems perfect, especially because he genuinely seems to care about Grace’s 17-yearold sister, Millie, who has Down’s syndrome. But Grace discovers on their wedding night that Jack is only interested in the facade of perfection that his new wife brings to the marriage. By day, she is a virtual prisoner in her bedroom in the couple’s pristine mansion in Spring Eaton, England. Grace knows she has to obey Jack’s every demand and keep up appearances, especially

Publishers Weekly best-sellers The Associated Press (Week ending 8/7/2016, powered by Nielsen Bookscan)

of efforts to preserve human society in the wake of apocalyptic events on Earth. The White House traditionally releases Obama’s reading list as the first family vacations in Martha’s Vineyard. They are about halfway through the vacation that began late Saturday. FEATURES WRITER Associated Press when they have guests for dinner. “Behind Closed Doors” alternates between the couple’s past and present, showing how relentless intimidation has affected Grace. Once a bright, independent executive whose job took her around the world, she is soon reduced to timidity. Jack has made it clear that he will hunt her down and harm Millie if Grace leaves him. Jack’s constant haranguing sometimes makes him resemble a villain from a melodrama who has come looking for the rent. One expects the cape and moustache to appear at any moment. Still, the sense of believably and terror that engulfs “Behind Closed Doors” doesn’t waver. OLINE H. COGDILL Associated Press

Hardcover fiction 1. “Bullseye” by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge 2. “Sweet Tomorrows” by Debbie Macomber 3. “The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead 4. “Truly Madly Guilty” by Liane Moriarty 5. “The Black Widow” by Daniel Silva 6. “The Woman in Cabin 10” by Ruth Ware 7. “Dark Carousel” by Christine Feehan 8. “Smooth Operator” by Stuart Woods 9. “Magic” by Danielle Steele 10. “The Girls” by Emma Cline Hardcover nonfiction 1. “Liars” by Glenn Beck 2. “Hillary’s America” by Dinseh D’Souza 3. “Crisis of Character” by Gary J Byrne 4. “Armageddon” by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann 5. “Hamilton: The Revolution” by Jeremy McCarter and Lin-Manuel Miranda 6. “Spartan Fit!” by Joe De Sena 7. “Bill O’Reilly’s Legends and Lies: The Patriots” by David Fisher 8. “The War on Cops” by Heather MacDonald (Encounter) 9. “Hillbilly Elegy” by J.D. Vance (Harper) 10. “When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi Mass market paperbacks 1. “Rogue Lawyer” by John Grisham 2. “Friction” by Sandra Brown 3. “X’’ by Sue Grafton 4. “Brotherhood in Death” by JD Robb 5. “After She’s Gone’ by Lisa Jackson 6. “The Bone Labyrinth” by James Rollins 7. “Alert” by Patterson/Dedwidge 8. “Me Before You” (movie tie-in) by Jojo Moyes 9. “The Solomon Curse” by Cussler/Blake 10. “Arizona Wild” by Linda Lael Miller Trade paperbacks 1. “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins 2. “See Me” by Nicholas Sparks 3. “After You” by Jojo Moyes 4. “Rogue Lawyer” by John Grisham 5. “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur 6. “Chase” by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge 7. “Me Before You” (movie tie-in) by Jojo Moyes 8. “It Gets Worse: A Collection of Essays” by Shane Dawson 9. “Harry Potter Coloring Book” 10. “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hoover

20 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

society

The Hamptons meets the Bahamas Second annual White Party is a success in entertainment and exclusivity

HE mysterious aura that surrounds Nassau’s luxury White Party is the special ingredient that makes the event so successful. For the second year in a row, realtors Ryan Knowles and Shamon Campbell had the island’s society abuzz with speculation for weeks leading up to the invitationonly event. With flyers posted a little over a month prior to the party giving no clue as to the secret location or the entertainment to be offered, anticipation increased. Invitations were finally sent out just days before the big event this past Sunday, and the venue was revealed at last: The Palms at Fox Hill Creek. Dressed head to toe in white, hundreds of guests arrived at the mansion via shuttle service to a party extravaganza which organisers described as “the Hamptons meets the Bahamas”. “The White Party is just two individuals and business persons that came

By ALESHA CADET Tribune Features Writer acadet@tribunemedia.net together to really offer something special that is not being offered on the island,” said Ms Campbell. “We brand ourselves by putting both names at the forefront. We wanted to make certain that beautiful guests wear all white and enjoy themselves at a beautiful property. Also, every property that we host the event at is for sale, so we wanted to bring our clients and friends together to experience it.” There were a few new features this year, as well as live performances by local performers such as Tebby and Judah Tha Lion. And DJ Safire kept the crowd going all evening and throughout the night. Highlights also included a live painting by artist Monty Knowles and a water attraction show by Jet Link Adventures. One guest told Tribune Weekend: “This is my kinda thing right here. I enjoy attending events where I am comfortable, surrounded by good people and having all around fun. The breeze is blowing but the weather is nice; a nice Sunday evening out.”

The Tribune | Weekend |21

Friday, August 19, 2016

Another guest said she is already looking forward to next year’s White Party. “Most times there are events that come around and then that’s it; it’s over and done with. I am hoping this can stick around a little while longer. I like the concept and the vibes the organisers aimed for; it is really nice. White isn’t my favourite colour, but I don’t mind pulling it out once a year.” Ms Campbell said she hopes they will be able make the White Party an annual occurrence that just becomes better over time, but she does not think it will grow in size. Keeping attendance to a few hundred guests ensures the exclusivity of the event. “We want to keep it at a maximum of 300 guests per year. It is very exclusive and will remain an invitation-only event. The experience itself will grow and the number of partners that we have come on board will grow,” she said. “We always have premium sponsors and partners. This year we have Mercedes Benz, Grey Goose, Patron, One Ocean Paradise Island, Oh Paparazzi Photo Booth, PINK by Yellowgen, Bahamian Escapes, and Wildflowers Events and Occasions.” One way the event could be elevated next year is through the aspect of transportation, said Ms Campbell. While a shuttle service was employed this year due to the fact that parking at the mansion was limited and many guests were unfamiliar with its location, next year could see transportation on another level. “Maybe we will fly everyone in,” said Ms Campbell.

22| The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

film

review

New ‘BenHur’ stands in shadow of Wyler’s 1959 epic ben-hur running time: 124 mins

Remaking a film that won 11 Academy Awards invites inevitable comparison, but the latest adaptation of “Ben-Hur” distinguishes itself from William Wyler’s 1959 epic by retooling key character and story elements. It’s still a big, biblical-era tale of power, loyalty and vengeance, only refocused through rose-coloured lenses with an eye toward appealing to the lucrative

Toby Kebbell as Messala Severus faith-based audience. Produced by the power couple behind “The Bible” miniseries, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, this “Ben Hur” is like an abbreviated, more Christ-centered take on Wyler’s film. It boasts similar sweeping desert landscapes, well-dressed Roman armies and heart-pounding equestrian action. Some shots pay clear homage to the Oscar-winning classic. The violence here is far more graphic, thanks to modern special effects (and sensibilities). This film is also an hour and 40 minutes shorter than Wyler’s epic (thank goodness). But where Wyler’s version is ultimately about family and unrequited ro-

mance, director Timur Bekmambetov is more interested in redemption and the words of Jesus Christ. Jesus was silent and his face unseen in Wyler’s film. Played handsomely by Rodrigo Santoro, Jesus has a lot to say here. Screenwriters Keith Clarke and Oscar winner John Ridley (“12 Years a Slave”) start with the premise and characters from the original 1880 novel. Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) and Messala (Toby Kebbell) are like brothers until Messala becomes a Roman officer who falsely accuses Judah of betrayal. Messala condemns Judah to slavery and jails his innocent mother and sister. After years of captivity and an unlikely escape, Judah befriends a Photo/ Laika Studios/Focus Features

review ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ strums stop-motion wonder Kubo and the Two Strings running time: 101 mins

Early in “Kubo and the Two Strings,” our hero meekly strides into an ancient Japanese village marketplace the way Toshiro Mifune might have entered a Kurosawa film, but with greater bustle.

Kubo, a young boy with bangs draped over his patched eye, is no traditional warrior. He sits down, pulls out his shamisen (a three-stringed Japanese lute) and soon his strumming sends the paper sitting in front of him spinning through the air and folding itself into fantastical origami forms. A yellow chicken, flapping its wings; Kubo’s samurai father, in red, slashing his little sword. “If you must blink, do it now,” Kubo announces before commencing with his story, one acted out by the dazzling, folded figures to a crowd of rapt onlookers. The scene typifies the wonder of “Kubo and the Two Strings,” the latest from the Oregon animation house Laika, whose president and chief executive, Travis Knight makes his directorial debut with the stop-motion animated film. The film’s dramatic first scenes show a baby Kubo and his mother washing

Monkey (voiced by Charlize Theron) and Kubo (voiced by Art Parkinson) up on shore. The journey leaves Kubo’s mother feeble; years later, Kubo (Art Parkinson) is largely caring for her. The story he tells at the market, of an evil Moon King, come from his mother’s murmurings, yet he understands his past only vaguely. But, by staying out past dark, Kubo accidentally summons spirits from their past, unleashing his spooky twin aunts (both voiced by Rooney Mara) and

horseman who insists he exact vengeance against Messala during the celebrated Roman chariot race. The action of that horse race is just as thrilling and exquisitely choreographed as any present-day movie car chase. The sprawling sets of Roman amphitheaters and hillside villages are as sumptuous here in as Wyler’s film, but somehow less magnificent. In the age of the “Hunger Games” and everpresent CGI, massive scale just doesn’t have the impact it once did. Beyond that basic framework, the writers have taken many creative liberties with the source material. There’s no yearning romance between Judah and Esther (Nazanin Boniadi) as in the original story — or even between Judah and Messala, as in the 1959 film. Judah and Esther are married early in the first act of this “Ben-Hur,” and there’s none of the homoerotic hinting Charlton Heston’s Judah and Steven Boyd’s Messala shared in Wyler’s film. The role of Sheik Ilderim, which won Hugh Griffith a supporting actor Oscar, was expanded here for Morgan Freeman. Unfortunately, the character’s humour was removed in the process. This film bests other recent biblical dramas with more inclusive casting. The message here is a good and timely one, coming straight from Jesus: Lay down your arms and love your enemy. SANDY COHEN AP Entertainment Writer

later the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes), himself. Kubo flees his village, but soon is joined by an unusual pair. Monkey (Charlize Theron) is his solemn guide, a furry sage who materialises overnight from a small wooden monkey charm. The other is Beetle (Matthew McConaughey), a part insect, part human warrior who pledges to defend Kubo. As Kubo unfolds both his mysterious past and his destiny, they offer guidance and — especially on Beetle’s part — comic relief along the way. “Kubo and the Two Strings,” sometimes straining for quirkiness, isn’t without fault. Still, the handcrafted textures and wry self-awareness of “Kubo and the Two Strings” make Knight’s film resolutely its own tale, one that folds into its own exotic shape. JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer

The Tribune | Weekend | 23

Friday, August 19, 2016

film ‘A Star is Born’ remake to feature Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper

review

‘War Dogs’ tells a crazy story of young arms dealers

Warner Bros. Pictures via AP

war dogs running time:114 mins

Miles Teller, left, and Jonah Hill in a scene from, “War Dogs” a struggling massage therapist who takes up with Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) in a moment of desperation. A much shadier figure but a childhood friend nonetheless, Efraim has the plan to game the government contracts system and make a few bucks from the war. David gets to play the family guy who just wants to provide for his beautiful partner Iz (a one-note Ana de Armas) and newborn daughter. The audience has to care about someone after all, and it was never going to be Efraim, a schemer who fetishises “Scarface,” money, women and guns, and who goes from general creep to all out sociopath as the film progresses. Things do get substantially darker (and more over the top) when the guys take on the $300 million contract that

will eventually be their downfall. “War Dogs” seems to want to be everything from “The Social Network” to “The Big Short” and while it flirts with moments of greatness, the script just can’t compete with the brains of those other films. Or maybe that’s because the audience is getting the story straight from David, whose real-life version has a cameo in the film and is far too valorised to be believable. In the end, this rendition of Efraim and David’s wild story probably plays a lot like the movie version they would be likely to fantasize about. It’s an entertaining lark when it could have been a shattering indictment — of America, of these dudes and the military industrial complex. LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer

Lady Gaga

Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File

“War Dogs “ is too good of a true story not to get the Hollywood treatment, even if the end result doesn’t entirely do justice to the moral ambiguities and larger geopolitical implications of one of the craziest hustles in modern American history. Essentially, in 2007, a couple of 20-something stoners from Miami Beach landed a nearly $300 million contract from the Department of Defence to supply ammunition to the Afghan military. And, unbeknownst to the US government at the time, many of the supplies they were selling were over 40 years old, manufactured in China and basically unusable. It’s an absolutely insane story of the ambition, delusion and megalomania of a few young strivers who managed to find a lucrative place in the international arms game. The events have been chronicled extensively in the press over the past eight years, including by journalist Guy Lawson, whose Rolling Stone article “The Stoner Arms Dealers” and book became the basis for the film. Director and co-writer Todd Phillips, best known for chest-thumping comedies like “The Hangover” trilogy, reaches beyond his comfort zone to tell this complicated and fraught tale. The film struggles to find the right tone, and instead of consistency goes for a more disjointed kitchen-sink approach that juggles satire, bro fantasy and highstakes thriller with varying results. Miles Teller stars as David Packouz,

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper are starring in a remake of “A Star is Born.” Warner Bros announced Tuesday that the film will mark the singeractress’ first leading role in a movie and the directorial debut of the “American Sniper” actor-producer. Gaga will compose and perform new songs for the musical drama. The “Bad Romance” and “Applause” singer recently appeared in the fifth season of the FX series “American Horror Story.” Her other acting credits include filmmaker Robert Rodriguez’s movies “Machete Kills” and “Sin City: A Dame to Die For.” Cooper is best known for starring roles in such films as “American Hustle,” ‘’Aloha” and “The Hangover.” He served as on a producer on his movies “Silver Linings Playbook,” ‘’Limitless” and “War Dogs.” The original “A Star Is Born” was released in 1937 and featured Janet Gaynor as a budding actress entangled in a relationship with an established Hollywood star played by Fredric March. “A Star is Born” was remade as a musical drama in 1954 with Judy Garland and James Mason and again in 1976 with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. los angeles Associated Press

24 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

literary lives arne naess

The suicide birds A conversation with a renowned Norwegian mountaineer on the urge to flirt with death left a lasting impression on Sir Christopher Ondaatje

Arne Naess Jr (centre) leads an expedition to Mount Everest in 1985

he birds plummet out of the sky without warning in their thousands, perhaps hundred of thousands (no one knows the true number), they hover, and then they crash into the hillside. They come every autumn, at the end of the monsoon months, always on a moonless and foggy evening between 6pm and 9.30pm, and only to Jatinga, a tiny village on a ridge in the North Cachar Hills district of southern Assam, India. Almost 50 species are involved, including doves, pigeons, bitterns, herons, kingfishers, and eagles, some of which are rare and exotic: the redheaded trogon, the spangled drongo, the blue-breasted quail, the khalij pheasant, the paradise flycatcher, the maroon oriole, the veenal hanging parrot, the scimitar babbler, the silver-eared mesia and the blue-winged minia. To begin with, the local Jaintia tribal people of Jatinga assumed that

Arne Naess Jr (right), with the uncle he was named after, philosopher and mountaineer Arne Næss Sr spirits had descended from the sky to terrorise them. Then they began to kill the birds for food, using long bamboo poles to bring them down as they hovered and torches to disorient them further. But still the birds returned - year after year. No one has yet been able to explain what drives them to commit “suicide” at Jatinga. Presumably winds at high altitude, fog and lack of moonlight all contribute to their abnormal behaviour, but despite research by naturalists this unique and extraordinary phenomenon remains a mystery. The person who first mentioned the

‘suicide’ birds to me was a friend from my Canadian publishing career, the Norwegian mountaineer from Arne Naess. We were booked together on a flight to England from Bermuda in 1985. The hills and mountains of India were then much on Arne’s mind, because he had just returned from leading a highly successful Norwegian assault on Mount Everest, which strangely included the English mountaineer Chris Bonnington among its 17 members, all of whom made it to the summit and back. Although Arne was in a very weak state, having lost a lot of weight, we

“On Everest, death is always around you: frozen bodies, discarded oxygen tanks, graves. Oblivion is only inches away, And endless exhaustion. You are forever fighting the elements and yourself. There are others there, but this a lonely business. You know that if you do not have the will survive – it is a simple matter to choose death over life.” - Arne Naess talked through the night, his voice sometimes dropping to a faint highpitched whisper. “You know, Christopher, they say you have to give 100 per cent in order to climb Everest. But they are wrong. You have to give 120 per cent nearly all the time. And death is always around you: frozen bodies, discarded oxygen tanks, graves. Oblivion is only inches away, and endless exhaustion. You are forever fighting the elements and yourself. There are others there, but this a lonely business. You know that if you do not have the

The Tribune | Weekend | 25

Friday, August 19, 2016

Forgotten facts Paul C Aranha

After meeting in the Bahamas, Arne Naess Jr and singer Diana Ross married in 1985. The couple had two sons, Ross Arne Næss and Evan Olav Næss, before divorcing in 1999. will survive – it is a simple matter to choose death over life.” Arne Naess, born Arne Raab in 1937, was the son of a German ski-jumping coach and Kikki Naess, from one of Norway’s most prominent families. His uncle, Arne Ness Sr, after whom he was named, was a famous mountaineer, ecologist and philosopher who, in 1950, led the first ascent of Tirich Mir in Pakistan. When his parents’ marriage broke up after the Second World War, Arne moved to Norway with his mother, and changed his name from Raab to Naess. Although his German birth meant that he was picked on at school because of the wartime Nazi occupation of Norway, he eventually won the admiration of his peers with his daredevil exploits. His uncle introduced him to climbing in his teens. Rumour has it that Arne celebrated his last day at school in 1956 by climbing the National Theatre in Oslo and leaving his school cap on the building’s spire. Eventually he left Norway to work in New York for another uncle, Erling Naess, who taught him the shipping business. By the late 1960s, when he became a director of my Canadian publishing company, he was estimated to be worth $100m, and by the time of his death he was said to be a billionaire. Something about the Jatinga birds clearly fascinated Arne. As a climber, he had several close encounters with death. At one point in our long night-time

conversation he asked me point blank whether I had ever contemplated suicide. I said I hadn’t, although I had written about it in a novel, “Fool’s Gold”, the story of a young financial adventurer who loses everything on the stock market. He seemed fascinated. In reply he said he too had never considered suicide, but like the Jatinga birds, he forever felt the urge to flirt with death. It was like magnet for him. He had never thought the Everest expedition would succeed, he said. Or if he were to get to the summit, he had thought he would never be able to return to base camp. We remained friends, even after I sold all my North American business interests in 1988 and returned to England to concentrate on exploration and writing. By then, Arne had left his

first wife to marry the American singer Diana Ross, whom he had met in the Bahamas. He once brought her along to my publishing company’s annual meeting, causing quite a stir among the shareholders. Their turbulent marriage ended in 1999. I met Arne Naess for the last time in London in 2003 at a screening of the Royal Geographical Society’s 50th anniversary movie about the first ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. As usual, we talked about the good old times together, the turmoil in the financial markets and his climbing and my writing ambitions. He told me he had met and fallen in love with a Norwegian girl, Camilla Astrup, but had no intention of giving up his mountaineering career. “There are still more peaks to conquer,” he laughed. “Some of them have never been climbed.” He seemed very happy and at ease. So it was a real shock for me to hear a report on the radio in England in January, 2004, that Arne had died in an accident on a hitherto unclimbed ridge in the Groot Drakenstein mountains near the town of Franschoek outside Cape Town, South Africa. According to the report, he had gone climbing alone, having refused a local guide. There was fog on the ridge, so he had decided to return by abseiling down a cliff, as he told his South African host in a phone call. According to the police, his anchoring equipment came loose from the crags and he fell to his death. Arne Naess died doing what he most enjoyed in his life: flirting with death. As he once told an interviewer: “If I hadn’t liked risks, I would rather have played tennis or golf.” When I heard the news, I immediately thought of his emotional reaction to the Jatinga birds. Both the birds’ urge and Arne’s drive struck me as equally mysterious. • Sir Christopher Ondaatje is an adventurer and writer resident in the Bahamas. A Sri Lankan-born Canadian-Englishman, he is the author of several books, including “The Last Colonial: Curious Adventures & Stories from a Vanishing World” in 2011.

Why black is the colour for mourning

o follow up on my articles about graveyards, let’s consider some of the reasons why we bury our dead the way we do. So much is based on nothing but ancient fear and superstition. When somebody died, the living believed that the dead person’s spirit was capable of taking possession of any living body that the corpse could see. To protect themselves from being seen, people tried to stay indoors where they believed it was too dark to be seen easily. If they had to go outdoors, they dressed in black to make themselves harder to see, so they dressed in black for the funeral, too. During the funeral, the coffin was covered with a rectangular piece of heavy black cloth, called a pall, to minimise the chance of the casket-bearers being seen, and this gave us the word “pallbearer”. The body was buried in a deep hole, which was then covered with a lot of earth, on top of which a heavy stone was placed. All of this, to make sure that the spirit could not rise from the grave. Before embalming became the norm, it was not unknown for someone to “die” and then “come back to life”. In fact, he or she was not dead, but in a catatonic state. The American poet/author Edgar Allan Poe, was so deeply afraid of developing catalepsy and being declared dead, then being buried alive, that he designed a special coffin from which he could escape and call for help. This type of precaution gave rise to the expression “graveyard shift”, still used today to the shift workers who are on duty in the small hours of the night. Originally, it described the watchman who spent the night in the cemetery, listening for shouts or screams from the grave. One of my favourite childhood stories was of an Eastern-Roader who died, and while the undertaker was preparing the body for burial, the deceased stood up and walked downstairs (preceded by the undertaker, who moved much more quickly). As he reached the bottom of the stairs, however, he died again, and did not recover. A few weeks ago, I asked one of the descendants whether there is any truth to this story, but she had never heard the family talk about it. In Christian burials, the body is placed with the head to the west and feet to the east so that on Judgment Day, when Christ appears in the east, the dead can rise and stand facing him. • islandairman@gmail.com

26 | The Tribune | Weekend

STEPS (across) LIGHT (down)

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

HOW many words of four letters or more can you make from the letters shown here? In making a word, each letter may be used once only. Each must contain the centre letter and there must be at least one nine-letter word. No plurals or verb forms ending in “s”. TODAY’S TARGET Good 13; very good 19; excellent 25 (or more). Solution tomorrow. YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION bend bled blend blued bucked buckled bulked bundle bunked clued clunked cubed cued debunk deck duck duel duke dunce dune dunk kudu lend lucked nude nuked UNBUCKLED undue

Call 0907 181 2585 for today’s Target solution *Calls cost 80p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

*SP: Spoke – Helpline 0333 202 3390

the alphabet is used. *Calls cost 80p per minu

Both today’s words in a moment

you to complet Chambers and lasthave 2.5 minutes. Lines Friday, August 19, 2016 grid too! Use the giv

*Calls cost 75p plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

TARGET

T A N A C I H G T

A C I H GALPHABEATE T THE

Halve your Target Time!

21st Century Dictionary (1999 edition)

www.express.co.uk

CANHOW you crack the words ofAfour letters many 40 38 19 Alphabeater? or more Each can grid you make B from the number represents a letter letters shown here? In making a – or black square. As in C be 1 used 22 35 word, each may Alphapuzzle, everyletter letter of only. Each theonce alphabet is used. ButmustDcontain the letter and must 31 be at 32 youcentre have to complete the there E 35 one word. No gridleast too! Use thenine-letter given F letters and black squares plurals or verb forms ending in “s”. below the grid to start. The G 12 26 19 gridTODAY’S is ‘rotationally TARGET H symmetrical’ in other Good 13;– very good 19;I excellent 32 10 2529 words, looks the same if tomorrow. (or itmore). Solution you turn the page upside J down. Solution tomorrow.

K 21 YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION 36

Yesterday’s bend bledsolution blend blued L bucked Black squares: 5, 6,bundle 7, buckled bulked bunked 36 38 15 13, clued 17, 22, clunked 23, 24, 27,cubed 29, Mcued debunk 30,deck 31, 35,duck 40. duel dukeN dunce dune Across: dunk Crown, kudu lend lucked nude26 15 Princess, Dwarf, Latex, O 34 nuked UNBUCKLED Pundue Copyright, Irk, Ably, Flop, Jug, Jamborees, Q 28 39 9 Queue, Azure, Revamped, Grief. Call 0907 181 R2585 for Down: Raw, User,TargetSsolution 39 11 13 today’s Plague, Wordy, *CallsJemmy, cost 80p per T minute Fringe, Smoked, plus yourKnelt, telephone company’s 5 U 32 7 access charge. Razor, Triple,network Isle, Rue.

V W 302029339039 Extra letter clues 0333 *SP: Spoke – Helpline 0907 181 2560 X (Deduct three minutes for Y 24 16 32 each extra clue letter heard) Z Full solution

0907 181 2558

*Calls cost 80p per minute 21 plus your telephone company’s network access charge.

letters and black squ below the grid to sta grid is ‘rotationally symmetrical’ – in oth words, it looks the sa you turn the page up 12 Solution 18 13 down. tomo

Yesterday’s solu 17 squares: 33 8 5 Black 13, 17, 22, 23, 24, 30, 31, 35, 40. 4 6 Crown, 18 Across: Princess, Dwarf, L Copyright, 11 23 Irk,14Ab Flop, Jug, Jambo Queue, Azure, Revamped, 38 35 Grief. 34 Down: Raw, User Plague, Wordy, Je 20 15 2 K Fringe, Smoked, Razor, Triple, Isle

Extra letter c

0907 34 36 18111 25

(Deduct three minu each extra clue lette

13 solution 21 Full

0907 181 25

17*Calls cost 30 80p34 per plus your telephone co network access ch 33

35 20MORE 39 PLAY 7

■

■ 3

● Alternatively, for six Extra Letter clues to your mobile, t

PLAY MORE CROSSWORDS AND GAMES A

The Tribune | Weekend | 27

Friday, August 19, 2016

animals Animal matters Kim Aranha

Slinky Slim

By The Bahamas Humane Society

ne of the most frustrating things about being involved with animal rescue and animal care, especially here in the Bahamas, are two assumptions that are frequently made: 1. Because you are an animal lover and rescuer you do not do anything else whatsoever for humans. 2. If you are involved in animal rescue you should immediately be criticised for not – apparently in the eyes of the accuser – helping the AIDS Foundation, the Red Cross, the Cancer Society, children’s homes, etcetera. What compounds the frustration with these assumptions is that the persons behind such comments have not even bothered, let alone tried, to get to know you or ask you if you are involved with any other charities. You know what they say about assuming... Because we love animals does not mean that we do not love or help humans and other organisations. Does the love of a dog stop you wanting to buy a wheelchair for a sick child or old person? Why would it? In fact, I would go as far as to say that people who are kind, caring and want to help animals are probably the kind of persons who will show compassion towards fellow humans... that is if you would all stop slapping us in the face long enough to find out what we do. The Bahamas Humane Society is an organisation that is known to help animals, shelter them and find them homes. However, have you ever stopped to think what the services we render do for humans? By having a very active spay and neuter programme for cats and dogs we help to control the growing population of roaming dogs and feral cats on this island and in other islands in the Bahamas. Fewer “stray” dogs and cats makes for a more peaceful neighbourhood, with less barking at night, less knocked over garbage cans with litter all over the place.

lim is a one-year-old tabby female who is one of the many adorable adoption cats and kittens available at the Bahamas Humane Society. While she likes to do her own thing at times, she’s eagerly awaiting a home of her own and a family to love. She’s sure there is enough time left this summer for her to settle in before the kids go back to school. Do you have the place in your heart for Slim? If so, come to the BHS to meet her and the other cats and kittens, or

PATRICIA VAZQUEZ

The frustration of assumptions call 323-5138 for more information. Adoption hours are 11am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, and 10am to 4pm on Saturday. Slim looks forward to meeting you!

• The Bahamas Humane Society Thrift Shop will be holding its next jewellery sale on Saturday, September 3, from 10am to 2pm. We have a large assortment of jewellery at a wide variety of prices. All proceeds go to the BHS, so come out and indulge while at the same time helping the animals.

False assumptions are often made that animal lovers to not care for or help humans to the same degree Fewer roaming dogs and cats means less offensive dog messes to step in just after you got all dressed up for that important meeting.

Fewer stray dogs and cats means fewer sick animals in your community, fewer animals dying, and then rotting, smelling bad, and bringing rats.

All of those scenarios benefit people. Many people have pets, animals who live with them, animals who provide comfort and unconditional love,and companionship. Not all owners are wealthy. Some need help. We step up and assist them. We tailor payment plans for them. We help raise funds and awareness for expensive surgeries, and lo and behold, that animal survives, and the human has his companion back, and the human is smiling. The Bahamas Humane Society also has a thrift shop. Aside from selling clothes at an amazing low price to people on a very small budget, we also send box loads of free books to libraries around the country. We send clothes to communities in need, we send school supplies, paper and toys for free. We share our abundant good fortune. We share the generous donations that we receive. We help humans every day. Just the other day I was on a radio show and the questions were being texted into the programme. Within seconds the pre-requisite questions came: “Why does Mrs Aranha bother with animals when there are children needing (pick one) care, food, love, housing, clothing?” These people are just showing that they are not thinking. We are on a programme to talk about surrey horses. Why would we branch off onto child care? There appears to be an automatic switch that if you say animals they have to bring up children. If you tell me that you are a lover of painting, I do not assume that it means that you hate sculptures. If you love music and attend concerts, does that mean that you refuse to go to the movies? So folks, when you meet an animal lover, an advocate for animal rights, a conservationist, or an anti-cruelty advocate, do not automatically assume that our love of nature and God’s creatures makes us exclude all humans and culture. Most animal folks do it for the love of caring for and helping those who cannot help themselves. We feel no need to cry it from the rooftops and publicise it. When we lend a helping hand to our fellow man (which we all do frequently), we do it because we want to, not to be praised. Judge us a little more fairly, come to conclusions more carefully, and above all, engage your brain before uttering falsehoods about us. Please.

28 | The Tribune | Weekend

Friday, August 19, 2016

gardening

A new season begins If you have made the decision to grow tomatoes as soon as possible, Jack Hardy says now is the time to start.

omatoes take 100 days from planting the seeds to slicing into ripe fruit. Do the math and you will see that seeds planted this weekend should produce ripe tomatoes towards the end of November. In case I make the process seem too simple I should point out that starting tomatoes in August is much harder than, say, in January. Temperatures are high, days are growing shorter, and plant diseases are at their most active. These factors must be taken into consideration in order to be successful. I would suggest that your first sowing of tomatoes be of a vigorous early hybrid. Leave the heirlooms for a month or two. Seeds can be started in flats – boxes or plastic basins with drainage – filled with new potting mix. Allow plenty of space between the seeds so they can be removed easily at transplanting time. Once the seedlings are sturdy and about six-inches tall they can be transferred to gallon pots. You can, of

course, start your seeds in gallon pots from the start but any seed failure will leave you with an irritating empty pot. Seed companies usually tell you to plant two or three seeds to a pot and remove the weakest but this method automatically introduces wastage. At this time of year young seedlings can be attacked by a fungus disease called “damping off”. Once you have planted your seeds it would be beneficial to spray the surface of the potting mix lightly with a fungicide. One application will be enough. Potting mixes often have no fertilizer added to them so during this time you should water with a liquid fertilizer at half strength. If you use a potting mix like Miracle Gro that has fertilizer added then this will be unnecessary. The transfer from flats to gallon pots will take place after about a month. It will take another month for the plants to develop a root system that fills the pot. In mid-October the plants should be removed from their containers and transplanted into the garden. At least a week before the transplant the garden should be well fertilized and the fertilizer watered in. Bury the roots as deeply as possible; if part of the stem is underground it will develop roots and add to the vigour of the plant. Add a sprinkle of time release fertilizer around every tomato plant and this should provide all the nutrients the plant needs to produce a good crop. Some gardeners may question the

need to allow the tomato plants to develop in a gallon pot. I feel it is very important because it allows the roots to be fairly mature at transplant time. Tomato plants are attacked by nematodes that infiltrate the root system and block the ability to transfer water from the soil to the foliage. Large, strong roots allow the plant to produce a crop of fruit before succumbing to nematodes. Young seedlings placed in the garden early will immediately attract nematodes and the plant will often die at the small fruit stage. Tomato plants are sprawling vines and need support. Tomato cages are fine but poles work equally well if the vines are tied to them securely with plastic ribbon. I prefer plastic ribbon to twine because it can expand under pressure from a growing plant while twine cuts into the plant. By this stage your tomato plants may be putting out trusses of flowers. They certainly should by the end of October. Tomato plants need a nighttime temperature lower than 68 degrees F to self-pollinate and this tends to occur towards the end of October. A month later and you will be preparing your first salad, sandwich or salsa of the season. If you are not into tomato cages, poles, and serried ranks you may wish to grow your tomato vines the natural way, by allowing them to sprawl. When doing the final transplant, pick off all growth from the lower part of the stem and bury both the roots and the defoli-

ated stem at a shallow angle. Many tomato plants hold their fruit trusses well above the ground; those that do not will have to have the tomatoes supported. Milk crates are fine for this job but there are many other substitutes. This method may seem untidy but those gardeners that grow the largest tomatoes use this technique. The roots that form from the stem increase the amount of nutrients the plant receives and the flow of nutrients is easier in a recumbent plant than a vertical one. Once a tomato plant is established, all dead or dying stems and leaves should be removed regularly. Use rose clippers for this job because pulling stems off by hand often leads to stripping of the main stem. Let’s go back to September. Once your first set of tomatoes is under way you will need to start a subsequent crop. Do not forget there are different types of tomato such as paste and cherry that can be grown in addition to your slicers. Paste tomatoes have less moisture than slicers but have great flavour. Cherry tomatoes love to sprawl and can be sown individually in spots around the garden where vegetables are not normally grown. They can also be grown in large pots and trained against verandah railings, fences and such for ease of picking. Next week we will look at other vegetables that can be planted early.

• For questions and comments e-mail j.hardy@coralwave.com

Allow plenty of space between the tomato seeds so they can be removed easily at transplanting time.