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Yet, to be honest, most of us are not as interested in the winners and losers as we are in the jokes, the dresses and other disasters (sort of like watching Superbowl for the ads). Come Ash Wednesday every year, residents of the Cayman Islands gear up for the excitement of the beginning of the three Agricultural Shows that take place on the Cayman Islands. The biggest party on the far side is set to take place on Ash Wednesday, 22 February, and is definitely one of the biggest events on the local social calendar. The last thing you expect on a small
tropical island is a motor museum featuring an extensive and eclectic
collection of exotic and vintage cars. Yet that is exactly what you will find
at the Cayman Motor Museum. A new
camera is always exciting, yet the size of the instruction book is daunting, so
most never look at it. Here are some important tips for getting the most out of
your new camera. When it comes to hosting successful customer appreciation
events, Island Companies has built up a very solid reputation in Cayman. With
2012 finally here, January is shaping up to be an incredible month for sports, so let's take a look at some of the best sports related movies. You know the drill – every year you make a list of New Year’s
resolutions you never really intend to stick to, because, well, they’re
boring and suck all the fun out of life. So this year, try something a
little bit different – make a list of resolutions you might actually
stick to. And if they’re good for you, even better. Renato Harris has been making a splash in the Cayman music scene for
some eight years now and the DJ says he is only getting started. Everyone in the local music scene, be it a professional, amateur or just an idol wanna-be knows the name Spencer Merren. Here are some tips to help you enjoy taking pictures of your adorable pets! We all have our own vision of Utopia. For me, it’s the ideal place to
be. In other words, Little Cayman: A place where road signs read,
“Iguanas have the right of way”, “Beware Duck Crossing” and a place
where seabirds outnumber humans. Yet Cayman is, in many ways, a little slice of concrete jungle dropped in a tropical setting, which explains why stress-related issues are probably the problem most often encountered by Annie Laux, acupuncture practitioner with Da Vinci Centre. Meet VJ Marz, a classy lady who can hang with the best of them! What’s Hot Magazine caught up with VJ Marz recently to find out more
behind the intrigue and aura that creates the image listeners have
fallen in love with. The Pirates Week Song Contest will be looking to find upbeat Caribbean Carnival music to reflect the true
spirit of Pirates Week. As one of the longest established resort spas in Cayman, the Hibiscus
Spa at the Westin Casuarina has been at the same location since 2001 and
the time has clearly been well spent refining a menu of services that
perfectly complements its location on one of the most famous stretches
of beach in the world. Caviar and 24-karat gold are no longer simply fine accents for a
cocktail party. They now star together in luxurious spa treatments that
are both blissful and affordable. Bodden Town, the pace seems to slow somewhat, and by the time you hit East End, you could well imagine yourself being on a tropical island paradise, one that does not play host to your office. Hailing from the free-spirited party scenes of their respective birthplaces, their mantra is, “doing it for the love of house.” Cayman will come out kicking for the Humane Society at the upcoming Kickball Tournament on 30 July at the Field of Dreams. Prevention is better than cure, and nowhere is this more apparent than when it comes to summer skincare.
Summer is a thirsty time of year, so there can be no better
timing when it comes to launching a new beer. It is not often that Gilligan’s Island can be said to be the inspiration for something impressive. However, a new innovation at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, may well be the first time this has happened. New York, Paris, Milan... Cayman? Some people like to keep their ideas and what they are doing to themselves. If you are one of those, blogging might not be for you. However, for those who share their ideas more freely, a blog, or web log, is a way to share your thoughts and ideas with anyone who cares to read what you write. For most people, being “green” seems overwhelming and time consuming. But even the tiniest change counts and the process doesn’t have to be a hassle. Starting out with a manageable action plan is the key to success. Follow these seven steps and even the least eco-conscious family will be inspired to become regular recyclers in no time. One, two, three....cheese! Gone are the days of the rather stiff, contrived, family portraits, with each person carefully positioned, dressed in their smartest outfits, with not a hair out of place. Cayman’s powdery white beaches might
offer the perfect location for a storybook wedding, but feeling the sand between
your toes in closed toe shoes while your heels sink into the sand inch by
painful inch does not form part of that idyllic picture. Photography has changed a lot over the
last couple of years, with digital taking over from film and post production
work on the computer taking over from time spent in the lab developing film. The Cayman Islands’ popularity as a
wedding destination is growing year on year, in spite of an economic slowdown. Easter is one time of year when people
in the Cayman Islands get back to their roots and celebrate their heritage of
living off the sea and land, as many observe the annual ritual of Easter
camping at various sites around the Islands. With a variety of run/walk events on Island, coming up with a unique
concept can be difficult. However, the Breast Cancer Foundation will be
doing something new on Saturday 19 March when it hosts the Light up the
Night Full Moon Walk. The event will start from Lone Star Bar and Grill
on West Bay Road and see participants walk down to the beach, where they
will take part in a two mile walk along the powdery soft sands of Seven
Mile Beach. Spring is here and in the Cayman Islands that means it is time to showcase the biggest livestock and the healthiest crops. Classic RomComs
March 01, 2011 There comes a time in a man’s cinematic exploration when he must forego
the car chases and explosions; leave behind the questionable sci-fi, bid
au revoir to the slapstick comedies, and enter the realm of the classic
romantic comedy. If you’re one of those fellas who has been asked to
indulge their ladyfriends with one of those films, here are two classic
romantic comedy selections to help make it all worthwhile. Light it up
March 01, 2011 Taking pictures on the beach and around the Island is a natural
activity; it is built in among all islanders. But people are always
surprised to discover that they should use their flash even in – or more
to the point, especially in – the bright sun. There is little doubt that Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest days
for restaurants world wide, with only Mother’s Day maybe coming close. Cayman has become a melting pot for people from all around the globe and
although all of them call Cayman home, there are still times when their
nationality comes to the fore, never more so than during national days.
Two nations with good representation in Cayman, India and Australia,
will be celebrating their respective national days in January. Whether you watch it for the game, for the multi-million dollar ads, or just as an excuse to hang out with friends, the Super Bowl is a major television event. Tablets are all the rage at the moment, and no, we’re not talking about one of those ads you see on late night television. Do you feel like what you accomplish is never quite good enough? Ring in the New Year with a little razzle and dazzle from Bedazzle. The holiday season has come and gone, and if you’re a classic film buff
like me and didn’t quite get the gift you were hoping for, this column
is for you. I recommend picking up some Bogart. Below are two vastly
different Humphrey Bogart movies to satisfy most film fans. Little boy blue
6 January 2011 Anyone who has tried to dress their son in something fashionable will know two things – it can be tough to get boys to put on any clothing whatsoever, and finding something fashionable can b e even tougher. The coming of New Year’s always signals the drafting of New Year’s resolutions, a list that is usually filled with things that have a negative connotation. Giving back
6 January 2011 Every new year is loaded with good intentions – clean out the closet,
save money, give to charity. Fortunately, these three resolutions can be
combined in one easy outing - just hit the thrift shops! Conch season opened 31 October 2010 and will run through 1 March. Five
per person or 10 per boat is the limit, though poachers have little
respect for this law. There is no better date on the calendar for resolving to change bad
habits and face life anew than January 1st. New Year’s Resolution
suggestions can be found all over the internet, just in case you
couldn’t think of any for yourself. The Royal Palms is quite often seen as a tourist hotspot, but the restaurant and bar has a lot to offer locals as well. While many bars come and go, Lone Star Bar and Grill has become an
institution on West Bay road, and no wonder, as the restaurant recently
celebrated its 25th anniversary in December last year. The selection of seafood can be changed, make sure it is very fresh, but you need the snapper for the broth. For more than 10 years DJ Flex has been churning out tunes and spreading good vibes to audiences all over the Cayman Islands. Let’s face it – travel isn’t what it used to be. In years gone by, there was a certain romance, a certain mystique, to international travel. You felt like a member of an elite club when you stepped into the airport building – you knew good things were about to happen. In such an atmosphere there is only one way to beat the odds and that is to be versatile, persistent and to consolidate. Alyssa Granstrand is a pretty stunning blond bartender who decided at quite a young age that she was going to go in search of a different life. A Canadian with gusto, she now serves up the drinks at Royal Palms’ fabulous new swim up pool bar that reminds one of the casual, groovy vibe to be found in South Beach. The sleepy little seaside village of East End will become a whole lot less sleepy when the East End Surf Challenge hits the water this month. A relative new comer to the Cayman Islands watersports scene, Cayman
Style Ocean Adventures is looking to kick things up a notch, and is
already making waves. It might feel like there is still quite a bit of time before Christmas
is upon us, but think again. Do you have your decorating, entertaining
and gifting plans in place? If you’re looking for ideas and inspiration,
why not think green this year? In the two months leading up to Christmas, Americans are expected to
spend approximately $7.5 million every minute on holiday-related items,
including gifts and festive decorations. We are all watching our wallets closely as we begin to prepare for
Christmas. There are children, parents, siblings, friends, teachers and a
host of others for whom we need to purchase gifts. When the Nintendo Wii console was launched, it brought something new to
the market – motion-based controllers. While the games and technology
did not immediately appeal to hard-core gamers, it opened up gaming to a
whole new audience. Holiday time is the perfect time to grab your snuggie, stoke the
fireplace, and curl up with your significant other while watching a
classic Christmas film. Too bad the weather never cooperates here in
Cayman and we end up sweating by the pool. I have a solution… Every year the mention of Christmas seems to come earlier and earlier. I swear that pumpkins, black cats and witches’ hats had barely been cleared away at the beginning of this November before Santa started to appear on the scene. E-books have been around for a number of years. However, whether you
have been reading them on your laptop or your smartphone, the experience
has never been close to reading a real book Hannah Cook is probably one of the best kept secrets on the island. An
incredibly talented and diverse artist, the majority of her works is in
private collections and therefore not easily viewed by the general
public. Even though Grand Cayman is a vacation paradise for many visitors to its
fair shores, those who know it as home often struggle to see the
vacation destination side of the Island through their office windows. So
every now and again, a quick break to a tropical island paradise may
well be in order. Sometime around 1988, a year after graduating from High School, my dad
and I went to the historic Charles Theater in downtown Baltimore to see
The Manchurian Candidate. This 1963 film about brainwashing, sleeper
agents, and the attempted assassination of a US Presidential candidate
stars Frank Sinatra (Major Bennett Marco), Laurence Harvey (Raymond
Shaw), Janet Leigh (Eugenie Rose Chaney) and the great Angela Lansbury
(Mrs. Iselin/Raymond Shaw’s mother). Gather ye ghouls and ye ghosties – it’s Halloween once again! As the
31st of October approaches, we begin delving into the boxes of wigs,
hats and clothes normally reserved for Lady Gaga on the red carpet in
order to dazzle at one of the myriad parties being held island-wide. Many new parents and parents to be are quite uncertain when it comes to
finding everything they need for their growing family. The third annual
Yeah Baby! family expo promises to showcase the products and services
available on Island in one convenient venue. Inception, The recent release from director Christopher Nolan and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy and Ellen Page has resonated with both the casual moviegoer and devoted cinemaphile. The revolutionary Apple iPad is the kind of item that “Q” might have
rustled up for James Bond – a fantastical device; a gadget only
available to members of the Secret Service that 007 fans would drool
over but never expect to possess in their lifetime. Camana Bay
September 7, 2010 With the summer holidays a thing of the past, the kids back in school
and planning for the festive season not yet a priority, September is the
perfect month to slow down and reconnect with friends and family. What lies out East
September 7, 2010 The quiet of the Eastern Districts stakes a strong claim when it comes to attracting locals just wanting to get away for a couple of days. The beaches are empty, only the occasional car passes by on the Queen’s Highway and the office could be on the other side of the world. When Jamaica celebrates its independence on 6 August, Cayman will be celebrating right along with its neighbour. The
official celebration will take place downtown as the festival closes
down Cardinal Avenue for the day with all things Jamaican. There will be
food and music aplenty as the people of Cayman celebrate Jamaican
culture. With a dizzying array of choices in the supermarket, finding the best
foods for your family can be a challenge, particularly in the dairy
aisle. Every shopping trip is an opportunity to re-evaluate your
family's grocery store habits and make changes for a happy wallet and a
healthy body. Well behaved children in a restaurant? This is not a myth! Just because
you have children does not mean that you are restricted to family
restaurants with playgrounds and arcade games, or worse, doomed to
eating at home all the time. Social media is everywhere. It encompasses blogs, social networks (such
as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace), professional networking avenues such
as LinkedIn, and creative sites like Flickr, a photography-sharing
website. Many families may still be tightening their belts this summer, with the
world economy not quite where anyone would like it to be. If your family
has decided to save money by foregoing traditional summer camps, you
can still give your kids a fun summer - by staging a do-it-yourself
summer camp at home. This man is like the energizer bunny – after all these years, all the
bands and all the applause, Charles Ebanks is still going strong. His exuberant and innovative drumming style has placed him on the same
stage with some of the Caribbean’s top soca artists like Crazy, Tambu
and Baron ... Back when Henry Ford started making cars, he said people could have his
cars in any colour as long as it was black. These days, such a statement
would be unthinkable – people want their cars to reflect their
personality. The service offers customers the choice of personalising the ringer
tones that callers hear when they dial Digicel numbers. From the latest
hip-hop, gospel, reggae or jazz, Digicel customers are now able to
change the sound of their mobile ring from the traditional beep that
incoming callers hear. For many, the ultimate lifestyle would be that of fictional secret agent
James Bond. Glamour, danger and international travel combine in a heady
mix that few can ever hope to experience. If you are not on the centre stage, if you’re one of the back-up guys in
the band or a hired studio musician, you’d better be versatile, able to
adapt to most any venue or piece of music placed in front of you. Summer may traditionally be a quiet time for the tourism market, but the
Department of Tourism is planning to make this summer something
special. In the backwoods of Bodden Town, nestled between farms, plant nurseries
and coral rock is a peaceful quiet place. Ten acres with no traffic, no
cement structures and few humans. Anyone who has know Don Foster as long as I have (over 30 years) knows
he has many passions, including scuba, food and music – to name but a
few. Walk this way
April 8, 2010 The Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park ceremonially opened a new attraction
in February – an orchid garden accessible by 600 feet of boardwalk
through indigenous woodland. The site, conveniently located between the Visitors Centre and the
popular Colour Gardens, is now home to several hundred local and
Caribbean orchids and bromeliads. Spring is a time for, well, spring cleaning. However, quite often we ignore all the digital devices that litter the
modern home. It's probably been months since you organised your computer files, or
double-checked the batteries in your emergency devices to make sure
everything is ready to go when you need it. Summer is slowly creeping up again, which makes it the perfect time for
local residents to start looking around for summer staycation getaways. Although the Seven Mile Beach corridor remains a favourite with
tourists, residents who want to break away and put some distance between themselves and the office are much better served by escaping to the
Eastern Districts If diamonds are a girl’s best friend, shoes are definitely a close
second. The bond between a woman and that perfect pair of shoes is one that can
never be broken and once it’s found, the search to form other lasting
‘relationships’ never ends. Around the globe, Earth Day is celebrated on 22 April in an attempt to focus more attention on environmental issues. Have you got a special night out planned, or maybe even the biggest
day of your life approaching on the calendar? It’s February and love is in the air. With Christmas and New Year behind
us, store displays are shifting from Rudolph to Cupid. Here are some
ways to keep the flame going. The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman dominates the Seven Mile Beach corridor.
To many who live here, the restaurants are a familiar haunt, but the
hotel itself remains somewhat foreign. After all, why book into a hotel
when you can just pop in for dinner and then head back home? Cayman Brac has a character all of its own, vastly different from the
corporate hustle and bustle so often found on Grand Cayman. No tall
glass towers or towering cruise ships dominate the skyline – only the
majesty of the Bluff. To many, it represents an echo of the Cayman that
once was. Even if you have never attended a venue to hear Musical Crew there is a good chance that you have seen them perform. For us regular travellers or the visiting tourists, one knows right
away when you are in the Cayman Islands as you exit your aircraft and
in the background you hear the sweet sounds of live calypso or reggae. Going East
December 1, 2009 Getting away without having to pack your passport is a rare thing when you live in the Cayman Islands. Yet with so many people living their daily lives up and down the Seven Mile Beach corridor, breaking away to the more relaxed Eastern Districts can be a real change from the daily grind. Just because we live in paradise doesn’t mean every day is paradise. So it’s a good thing we have places like the Blue Lagoon Resort to escape to when life gets to be more then we can handle. The Barefoot Man
December 1, 2009 The first time I heard The Barefoot Man, I knew nothing about him. I did not even know anything about the Cayman Islands. I was watching The Firm during a television rerun a couple of years after its release. Recently, a visitor to the Cayman Islands asked me how I managed to get any work done, living in a tropical paradise. The truth of the matter is, my wife and I are so busy with our careers that we often have to force ourselves to enjoy some of the aspects of the Cayman Islands that make it so attractive to tourists.
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