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The Zoom Inn cocktail Bar – Hanging at a new level

Zoom InnPersons looking for a cool place to hang out away from the regular bar scene may find a new spot in the Cocktail Bar. Located on the bottom floor of the Zoom Inn international Hotel, it’s a public bar but at present is the best kept secret probably for exclusivity.

Entertainer happened upon this location by chance and by confession is now hooked for the extremely homely atmosphere where one can sit, sip and chat privately while taking in a movie or the latest sports action on cable TV.

The music is soft and ideal for unwinding after a hard days work. Save for four tables, the seating arrangements include two plush sofas with pillows and several bar stools at the international cocktail bar that also offers the best in local beverages. Its ideal for the alone time that one might need with that special someone or slected friends looking to connect, reconnect or simply hang out at another level in a mostly dimly lit atmosphere that’s fully air-conditioned.

Additionally the menu list allows for a freshly prepared serving of seafood such as prawns and Lobster or golden brown fried fish cutlets. It’s a Calamari (Squid) lovers delight. The meat variety is unending and includes such delectable as steak, and Buffalo wings as well as many other offers aside from the regular. On Saturdays it’s mostly Guyanese Creole cuisine such as black and white pudding, souse and real a Guyanese soup with dumplings and ground provisions.

Notable is the personal attention that each customer gets from the in house staff and on Friday nights one may enjoy live, solo serenading from a singer strumming an acoustic guitar. To some its the ideal home away from home experience of royal treatment.

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First Born focused on Family and Self Development

“Once financially lucrative or relevant we will be there”-Troy Azore

Contrary to some interpretations of an interview with  one First Born member Trayon Garrett, another member Troy Azore in clearing the air says ” the group has not split-up we are now under self management instead and no matter what we remain “Forever Inspirational Reaching Souls Teaching Brotherhood, Obedience Righteousness Naturally.”

In an interview to be aired on the Caribbean Music Box programme he said “As individuals we have all taken a decision to make time to deal with our personal and family lives but will find time when required to be the group that the people, our fans want to hear from and see”.

For 13 years he said the group has been entertaining and touring places such as Jamaica, the USA, Barbados and other Caribbean islands and has had little or no time for “our personal lives but based on my knowledge as a member we have not.”

The final decision to remove the group from the management of Vision Sounds was made upon return from the USA in mid of 2008. “Then we made a conscious decision that we will have to find time for our families and this was agreed to by all members of First Born but the group appeared after that at several shows such as the United for Haiti concert at the National Park earlier this year.”

He noted that as a group the members agreed that some members would have a chance to pursue solo careers doing recordings and videos as it is easier to do this “wherever you are as an individual.”

As a group they have produced five albums including Exodus, Confident, Wake up call and Irits as well as a remake of Exodus with five additional songs and countless singles but it did not make economic sense. “We have not benefited financially in any major way so the walk thus far has been more of experience and exposure. We have gained knowledge and wisdom regarding the industry that has helped to inform our decisions about the way forward” Azore said.

What of the other members?

One member Lambert Semple is with his family in Trinidad which had migrated there months earlier. Those in the know would recall that Semple’s first daughter had passed away early last year and as such he wanted to be there for his other baby born while he was performing in America. Reports are that he is still into music solo under the name First Born and like all the other members Azore said “once there is a booking that proves financially lucrative we will come together for public performances”. Further he noted that we are also still very much together pushing our musical career as First Born internationally.

Setting the record straight Azore said Rawlston Richmond (Lead singer of Irits and Black Joint a.k.a junkie is in Linden focusing strongly on creating a foundation for his family taking on his role, as a father should, for his two children.

He is also engaged in some amount of small scale farming but and is still very much involved with the music business working on some singles in addition to others he has already produced. “No matter what single is done it goes as a First Born venture” Azore assures.

Shawn Williams a father of two is in Berbice on a short term basis with his family and is further engaged in promoting music development in that County.

Treyon a father of one is in Georgetown working on his album as was reported and is also working on his land scaping venture under the Vision Sounds Label.

By Mondale Smith

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Guyana Folk Festival US activities galore for 2010

Call for Nominations for Guyana Cultural Association awards

AwardeesUnder the theme “Diversity in Our Villages, Harmony in Our Culture”The Guyana Folk Festival committee in the USA has commenced planning for the 2010 Folk Festival Activities that celebrate things Guyanese.

This year committee officials have informed that emphasis of this years celebrations  will be placed on recognizing and celebrating Village and Home town communities that enrich the Guyanese society.

The event that is organized to celebrate individuals and entities whose work in our villages and communities exemplify diversity in our villages, harmony in our culture.

They are inviting persons to submit nominations for the 2010 GCA AWARD before July 16 by logging on to www.Guyfolfest.Org. .

2009 AwardeesThe Guyana Cultural Association of New York Awards committee in issuing a call for Nominations stated on its website that the 2010 Awards ceremony will take place in Brooklyn, New York on September 1, 2010 and will recognize individuals and entities whose work in our communities exemplifies Diversity in Our Villages, Harmony in Our Culture. “We also plan to acknowledge the contributions by youth aged up to 25 years, and business entities, as well. This year we will especially acknowledge individuals from villages and village communities who enrich Guyanese society.” Accordingly the invitation for nomination are specifically for three categories of awards which include the Cultural Association Lifetime Achievement Award: reserved for presentation to Guyanese nationals; the Guyana Cultural Association Award and Guyana Cultural Association Exemplary Award. The latter two can be offered to any individual or entity and all honorees will have demonstrated by their individual or organizational action a sense of purpose in promoting positive Guyanese traditions.

Youth nominations must detail the academic and extra curricular accomplishments that position the nominee above the average in his or her area of scholastic and cultural activities.

A selection committee will evaluate each nomination considering originality, scope, impact / influence, integration, pioneering spirit, challenges and achievements.

Every Awardee’s work must meet a distinction considered an exemplary model that can inspire others. Each contribution will have impacted cultural attributes that Guyanese admire, or honor, or preserve.

In keeping with GCA selection criteria and tradition, the Awardee villages would be expected to represent cultural attributes at a high level of skill. The range of activity can cover a wide array of positive deeds.

The emphasis is on community group actions that have initiated and sustained something worthy. The action or conduct could have been a precursor to what we have today.

“We are particularly interested in honoring village groups that are respected in their local communities but largely unknown to the Guyanese public at home and abroad,” the committee stated on its website.

Persons are advised to submit nominations by e-mail to [email protected] including the nominee’s name, a photograph, contact information, and a summary explaining why the nominee deserves to win the award in a particular category. Hard copy (paper) nominations can be mailed to Ms. Goring at the New York address.

More nomination details, including eligibility and selection criteria, are available at www.guyfolkfest.org/awards_nominations.htm

Last year Magda Lois Muriel Pollard was the recipient of The GCA Wordsworth McAndrew Lifetime Achievement Award while Donna Ramsammy-James, former Guyana President Janet Jagan and Western Union Company received The Guyana Cultural Association Award.

Meanwhile  the groups 4th Literary hang and 9th Symposium will be combined this year into one exposition of discussions, readings and promotion of books, film and other artifacts.

And according to committee members “We especially welcome all members of villages of all ages to take part” and that “participation may be by paper or video presentation, by poster exhibition and other displays’. This event is set for staging on September 4 at the LADY OF VICTORY CATHOLIC CHURCH AUDITORIUM McDonough & Throop Avenues, Brooklyn, New York. Papers submissions can be sent to Dr. Juliet Emanuel

Via email [email protected].

As part of efforts to gather as much information as possible persons are being advised to submit village information for the website so that the features would be part of the

“52 Weeks-52 Villages” for a possible weekly feature. The feature should be no more than 100 words.

Those who are seeking the true village folklore experience and will be in the USA for the Folk festival are also being advised to get “your Kwe Kwe Groups and represent your village at the “Kwe Kwe nite” slated for Friday September 3. Also as part of the Folk festival activities persons are advised to support their village at the Folk Festival Family Day on Sunday September 5.

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Glamorous concludes and Guyana Fashion Weekend auditions begins

GlamorousEven as Guyana’s top models 2010 male Steven Baggot, female Allana Phoenix and plus size Latoya Whitehead  are  celebrating their win and have secured their place on the 2010 Guyana Fashion Weekend Catwalk.

Auditions for the Guyana Fashion Weekend are set for July 17 & 18 at the Water Chris from 14:00hrs to 15:00hrs. This is the statement from Sonia Noel the Guyana Fashion Week CEO who is advising that all interested female models are advised to wear heels as they pursue a chance to be part of the premiere fashion event in Guyana.

Last weekend Sonia Noel proved yet again that she means business in her quest to build Guyana’s Fashion Industry. Last Sunday evening after weeks of preparation several winners and runners up were decided on in her just concluded Guyana Model Search 2010.  The event staged at the Pegasus Hotel on Sunday night offered much excitement and jaw-dropping fashion and created much room for conversation.

From delicious collections to fierce attitudes; the night exploded with a string of new creations from fresh, young designers proving that fashion has a future on the local shores.  The participants included models, designers and stylists’ aspirants as well as this year’s addition of the culinary arts.

The ideas were mostly fresh and while some proved rough around the edges there were more who have grown from the training and nurturing they received from Noel’s team.

Patrons to Sunday’s event also got a glimpse of the new faces with varying body types who are likely to be seen strutting local catwalks hence forth. In the end the top models were crowned and the runners up named.

Steven Bagot ruled the male models line up while the other models were Tyrone Hamid, Esau Humphrey and Osafa Dosantos.

Alana Phoenix was queen of the pack in front of Gericia Francis Fiano Spencer and Alisa Williams in the female top model’s category.

A welcomed addition was the full figured models category and Latoya Whitehead proved the best over Pamela Vaughn, the effervescent Lucia James and Mishon Pertab.

In the culinary line up the chefs were Samantha Mosley, Kester Hinds and Gail Davidson.

For the team competition Team pumpkin led by Chef Deon Tasher and designer Micheal De Abreau won for the best design. Jomal Larose led the team that won the creative category with designs made from Victoria Lily and paper.

Natisha John Won best Arabian night outfit while Lucia James won the advertisement challenge along with Anthony Staman and Alicia Kiston while the winners of the photo shoot competition are Steven Baggot, Jonelle Dugall and Lotoya Whitehead.

Last year winners Jamain Victor and Yolanda Kerr were featured in pink in the opening number signify breast cancer awareness and will be a big part of fashion in October.

The top designer this year went to Nekisha John whose fierce collection of leather and tiger prints clawed its way to a top finish. The audience was buzzing about her collection from the opening presentation when she unleashed jungle fever.1st, 2nd and 3rd runners up are David Clarke, Micheal De Abreau and Micheal Kellman. The top stylist in the competition was the very flamboyant Mark Adams followed by Ryan Berkley and Kevin Singh.

Assessing the event Noel dubbed it major success. Noel noted too that she is pleased with its turned out and the overwhelming support that the young people received. “I am particularly happy that Guyana is emerging as a regional front runner for fresh, young talent” Noel said last Sunday at the shows conclusion. She further noted that the focus of the models, designers, stylists and chefs in the competition was “unbelievable” and she praised the hard work of the behind the scenes personnel. Expressing gratitude to the sponsors and the persons who contributed in various ways; she was high in praise of

Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud and his ministry’s endorsement of the culinary arts challenge.

The large audience embraced the models who battled it out on stage for a place in the top four in the respective categories and while the popular models were well supported by various fractions with the audience, but it was the plus size models who electrified the room.

For more info call 2263099 of email [email protected]