Cariwak

TT model
Heidi Walcott
FREE! Issue #02

Contents
Issue #02 (March - May 2012)
* Machels Hat-trick - Page 4
* TT Carnival 2012 - Pages 28 - 39
* Bio - icki Minaj - Page 5
* TT to become C’bean
Fashion capital - Pages 6-7
* Anya gets her spread with
Marie Claire - Pages 8-9
* Cooking With Ria - Pages 10-11
* Health - Pages 12-13, 24
* Home Decor - Pages 14-15
* Makeup By Sathi - Pages 16-17
* Lifestyle - Pages 18, 22, 26-27
* Celine Dion wows - Page 25
* Models - Pages 20-21
* Top 6 shoe collections - Page 23
A publication of
Cariwak Digital Publishing
Email: cariwak@gmail.com
Phone: 1-868-343-1296
Copyright © 2012 Cariwak Magazine®. All rights reserved.
Rihanna stood out among
other celebrities as she wore a
beautiful Giorgio Armani black
backless and front V cut dress
that she co-designed and Neil
Lane gold accessories at the
54th Annual Grammy Awards
Red Carpet Event held on
February 12, 2012.

4
MUSIC
M
achel Montano has copped an
unprecedented soca hat-trick for 2012
as his vibrant Carnival anthem "Pump
Yuh Flag" was proclaimed as the 2012
Carnival Road March. This is Montano's
fifth Road March win.
At a news conference held at the
Queen's Park Savannah Grand Stand
VIP Room in Port of Spain, Trinbago
Unified Calypsonians Organisation
(TUCO) president Lutalo "Brother Resistance"
Masimba announced the results
for the most popular songs played
collectively at all band judging points.
Montano's "Pump Yuh Flag" was played
233 times at the Queen's Park Savannah,
with his closest competitor, Fay-
Ann Lyons-Alvarez's "Miss Behave",
coming in second with 96 plays and Neil
"Iwer" George's "No Pain" rounding out
the top three with 84 plays. Montano
was also Road March king for Downtown
Carnival, with "Pump Yuh Flag"
pumping 61 times.
On Carnival Fantastic Friday, Montano
had been crowned Groovy Soca
Monarch for the tune "Mr Fete" and
Power Soca Monarch with "Pump Yuh
Flag", and this win gives him a hat-trick
of titles.
taking flight at the end of Montano's rendition
of "Pump Yuh Flag". The crowd of
20,000-plus people cheered as a man
with a jetpack
strapped to
his back flew
over them
wearing the
same
clothes
Montano did
during
his performance.
The results of Fantastic Friday's
Soca Monarch 2012 are -
International Power Soca Monarch:
1st Machel Montano
2nd Neil "Iwer" George
3rd Destra Garcia
4th Prophet Benjamin
4th Blaxx (Tie)
Groovy Soca Monarch:
1st Machel Montano
2nd Kerwin Du Bois
3rd Benjai
4th Nadia Batson
5th Kees Dieffenthaller.
Machel Montano successfully defended
his International Power Soca Monarch
title and also dethroned Kees Dieffenthaller
to claim the Groovy Soca
Monarch title at the finals of the competitions
which took place at the Hasely
Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain, on Friday
February 17, 2012 and into Saturday
morning.
Sealing victory for Montano in the
Power category was the Rocketman

PEOPLE - BIO 5
O
nika Maraj (Born in Trinidad on December 8,
1984 and migrated to the US at the age of 5),
known as Nicki Minaj, is a female rapper from
Southside Jamaica, Queens, NewYork. She grew
up in a troubled home, with a father on drugs and
a struggling single mother. Despite her hectic environment,
Minaj went on to graduate from La-
Guardia High School in Manhattan where she
studied singing and acting.
Working as an administrative assistant, she
dedicated all of her free time to pursuing a potential
music career. Nicki Minaj started off singing,
from background vocals, to hooks for local rappers.
Minaj wanted to “stand out” more, from the
average dime-a-dozen, young aspiring singers
and began writing raps. Starting out as the lone
female in a group, (which she left in 2006)
Nicki soon branched out and was noticed on
Myspace by Dirty Money CEO Fendi, who signed
her and put her on the front of his Dirty Money
Label, and his The Come Up DVD.
Appearing on The Carter Edition of the DVD series,
Minaj was noticed by rapper Lil’ Wayne, who
immediately called Fendi to negotiate a meeting
with Nicki. He was convinced not only by her different
style of rapping but also her ability to fullon
write her own material, that she was perfect to
be the face of his Young Money label. The two
collaborated on mixtape-styled remakes of tracks
such as “Sunshine”, “Big Spender,” and, more recently,
a song titled “Higher than a Kite” which
uses T.I.’s “My Swag” beat. In April of 2007, she
released her first mixtape, titled Playtime is Over,
where she posed as a Barbie doll on the cover.
Lil’ Wayne appeared on the track “Can’t Stop,
Won’t Stop.”
Nearly a year later, Minaj released her
second mixed CD, titled Sucka Free. Controversy
surrounded this as Nicki paid tribute
to rapper Lil’ Kim by posing with her
legs spread for promotional posters.
She describes it as something to “pull
people in,” so that they would listen to
what she had to say. Nicki Minaj graced
the pages of the July issue of XXL magazine,
giving a brief overview of her life
up to that point in time.
Originally using her real last name
Maraj, Nicki boasts she started calling
herself Minaj because she started
“eating chicks,” with her vicious
rap skills. Its pronounced as
“menage,” only spelled to
compliment her real last
name with a ‘J’ instead of
the traditional spelling.
Aside from her original Onika,
Minaj also uses an array of
aliases to describe herself,
such as; “Nicki Lewenski,” and
“Sit on your favorite rapper’s
face.”

6
FASHION - TT
T
rinidad and Tobago is poised to become the fashion capital of the
English speaking Caribbean. This year, the Ministry of Planning
Economic and Social Restructuring and fashion industry stakeholders
including Fashion Week Trinidad and Tobago Organisation (FWTT) the
Fashion Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FATT) and the Caribbean
Academy of Fashion and Design (CAFD) will join forces in a bid to boost the
fashion industry and to host the world at a grand fashion week which
according to the Minister of Planning, Economic and Social Restructuring,
Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie, will be hosted in late October or early November
2012.
Tewarie, who at the time was speaking to reporters at a press conference at
the Ministry of Planning at Eric Williams Financial Complex, Port-of-Spain,
Trinidad, last year, said this country is on the verge of a booming fashion
industry.
He noted fashion is on the verge to becoming a successful pillar of economic
diversification.
“One of the commitment of the government is to use fashion on the basis of
developing a serious industry also for creating a cluster that is linked to
other aspects of creative industries.
All of this of course is linked with the tourism industry and the capacity to
developed niche products in a diversified way for export. The governments
commitment is really to build an industry,” Tewarie said.
“In order to make a statement of what is possible in fashion in a Caribbean
country and what is possible for TT in the fashion industry, the industry will
bring together international collaborators from Puerto Rico and France as
part of the discussion to help with a comprehensive plan to make a unique
and successful fashion week in late 2012.”
Tewarie said the fashion industry in TT has become better organised and
much more impactful and effective over time. He noted the talent was
always there, however, admitted that it was Anya Ayoung Chee’s success on
Project Runway which has given the local industry additional momentum.
“Fashion has developed at a point where it is ready to leap to another level.
I think that Anya’s success on an international stage has given us an additional
momentum and we are trying to seize the opportunity to be able to
capatalise on this. The international exposure has also given us an opportunity
because the international players are seeing the possibilities in TT,”
Tewarie said.
Fashion icon Meiling said FATT has always supported fashion week. She
said for the first time the organisation will be collaborating with other stake
holders. She said she is pleased that for the first time the fashion industry
in this country will collaborate for the benefit of themselves and the country.
Meanwhile, fashion icon Claudia Pegus also lauded the government’s
efforts. She said she was happy that stakeholders are going to be assisting
each other in creating a unique product that TT can offer to the world.

FASHION - TT 7
Trinidad and Tobago
fashion designers
Meiling and Anya
Ayoung-Chee takes
the spotlight at
Bombay Dreams
fashion show, held at
the Hilton Trinidad on
October 22, 2011.

8
FASHION - ANYA
L
ocal fashion designer
and winner of season
nine of the American
reality television show,
Project Runway, Anya
Ayoung-Chee is featured in January's
edition of international fashion magazine,
Marie Claire. The fashion spread
is part of her winnings after taking the
title in the popular competition aired
on cable television channel Lifetime.
Ayoung-Chee blew last year’s
Mercedes Benz New York Fashion
Week away with what can only be
described as a cool Caribbean breeze
and local designers are singing praises
to “Tobago Love,” the Caribbean
themed fashion line which won her
the title. Ayoung-Chee’s win was a
great accomplishment not only for the
talented designer, but also for
Trinidad and Tobago. According to
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-
Bissessar the fashion designer’s win
was timely, as in coincided with the
world observance of the 100th
anniversary of International Women’s
Day. In fact, according to Ayoung-
Chee, one of the first congratulatory
emails she received was from the
Prime Minister who also commended
her for her bold and unique style, and
her courage and composure under
intense pressure and scrutiny during
the season.
Ayoung-Chee won the most challenges
during the four-month, 14
episodes run of the show.
For the final she presented ten
designs of “Tobago Love.” In addition
to the fashion spread, her prizes
included US$100,000 from L’Oreal
Paris, a technological suite worth
US$50,000 from HP and Intel, and
the opportunity to design and sell a
collection on fashion and accessory
website, piperlime.com. Ayoung-Chee
was also voted Fan Favourite and got
US$10,000 for it. Since then she has
designed and launched a section
“I really did start
sewing lessons in the
four months leading
up to the show.”
called “The Runway”, in Tribe’s 2012
Carnival presentation "Take Me To."
Here is Ayoung-Chee’s fashion
spread in which she is interviewed by
a Marie Claire writer and talks abut
procrastination, sewing skills and the
legend of “Reggae Jesus”. The magazine
does not say if Ayoung-Chee’s
designs are for sale. It does, however,
list the designers of and the prices for
accessories worn by model Svitlana
Glebova, Ayoung-Chee’s model on
Project Runway, who is also featured
in the spread, wearing designs from
the “Tobago Love” collection.

FASHION - ANYA 9
Marie Claire Magazine
“MC: Has your win sunk in yet?
AAC: It’s getting there. For Trinidad, where I’m from, this has been
the equivalent of the World Cup. One of the first congratulatory e-
mails I got was from the Prime Minister saying what it means not just
for the country, but for the entire Caribbean region.
MC: Last year, Gretchen Jones was blasted for winning over fan
favourite Mondo. What reactions have you seen?
AAC: Ninety-five percent of the comments out there are positive,
with that small dissent of, “Well, Viktor (Luna) was a great tailor,” of
that I didn’t show enough range in my collection. And I one hundred
percent agree with all that. But the reality is, I can’t sew that range
yet. It’s not that I can’t design it, but I wasn’t going to try to sew
things I knew I couldn’t pull off on my own. So I went with my
strengths.
MC: You didn’t have any finished garments to show Tim Gunn during
your home visit. What on earth were you doing during those five
weeks?
AAC: I landed in Trinidad and was completely overwhelmed.
Suddenly the entire country knew I was on Project Runway, and
there was so much anticipation. We’re a country of only a million
people, so it sat very heavily on my shoulders that everyone expected
me to do well. It really got to me.
MC: So you suffered the designer’s equivalent of writer’s block?
AAC: Absolutely! I’d blast music trying to inspire myself. I’d drape
fabric on the form and rip it off. I’d go up to the roof to have a beer or
wine, and then back down again. Nothing was working.
MC: Was Tim’s visit a reality check?
AAC: Yes. He wisely told me to lock myself in a room, ditch the
sketches, and start making clothes. In the end, I came to New York
with ten pieces — I didn’t love them, but at least I had them.
MC: Were you the kid who started her book report an hour before it
was due?
AAC: (laughs) Oh, yes. I come from a last-minute culture, but I’m not
going to pat myself on the back for that. It became such a workroom
joke when people needed to redo a dress last minute, they’d say, “I
have to pull an Anya.”
MC: Halfway through the season finale, were you convinced that you
had lost the competition?
AAC: At that point, I ranked myself in last place. I felt so dejected
because it wasn’t my best work. There was no question Viktor’s collection
was strong; I really thought he would win.
MC: Do you think that you would have won without that extra $500 at
Mood?
AAC: No. I made four brand-new looks in a day — 40 percent of the
collection.
MC: A lot of people don’t believe that you learned to sew just months
earlier.
AAC: That’s a roundabout compliment because that means I did it
well. But I really did start sewing lessons in the four months leading
up to the show.
MC: Favourite critique?
AAC: When Michael Kors called my look for Sam, the musician I
dressed in the band challenge, “Reggae Jesus.” people in Trinidad
actually dressed up as Reggae Jesus for Halloween — I don’t think
Michael knows what he started!
MC: What’s next?
AAC: The truth is, a reality TV fashion designer is very different from
a real one, and I want to prove that I am an actual designer. I’m
incredibly grateful for this win, but I’m still standing in front of Mount
Kilimanjaro. The press is great now, but it won’t last forever.”

10 RECIPES

RECIPES 11
4 scallions, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 bunch thyme
1 medium onion, chopped (about ¾cup)
1 pimento (not hot) or scotch bonnet pepper (HOT!!)
Pelau is a savory one-pot Trinidadian favorite.
Meat including chicken, beef or pigtails is first
browned using “burnt sugar” (little past caramelization
point), to which rice, fresh herbs, peas or
beans, veggies and coconut milk are added resulting
in the most comforting of dishes. A superb marriage
of protein, carb and veggies made in heaven
that makes me wanna say I do, I do to another plate
or two!!
Gatherings sometime revolve around this one pot
dish, whether at someone’s house, a day at the
beach, park or famous Trini “River Lime” where
Trinis set up kitchen on the banks of a river, cook in
the beautiful outdoors and “ole talk”. Heaping
spoonfuls of Trini pelau are loaded onto a plate and
served with a salad of greens (watercress), shredded
carrots, tomatoes or cucumber, accompanied
by home made hot sauce, kuchela (pickled mango),
roasted coconut or vegetable chutney or even a raw
scotch bonnet pepperand “washed down” with
coconut water straight out of a coconut, a cold bottle
of Carib beer or Mauby.
This tradition continues with Trinidadians living
abroad. A good plate of pelau can easily transport
one back to the good old days at home. It surely
gives me a sense of nostalgia and is reminiscent of
the “home sweet home” life.
Hungry yet? Let’s get cooking!!
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked beans or pigeon peas (1 cup
uncooked/if using canned - wash thoroughly
and drain)
3 lbs of chicken pieces (whole chicken cut up,
thighs or drumsticks), washed and drained
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
Salt and pepper (to season chicken)
1 stalk celery, diced (about ¾ cup)
1 medium red sweet pepper, diced (about ¾ cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (about ¾ cup)
2 cups parboiled rice, washed and drained
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 cups fresh coconut milk (dilute milk with water if
using canned or powdered coconut milk)
1-2 cups water or reserved liquid if using.
Salt and pepper to taste
Green seasoning for chicken
(or use your favorite blend)
4 large cloves garlic
NOTE: If using dried red beans, soak overnight.
Drain. Add 3 cups of water to saucepan, bring to boil
add soaked beans or peas and boil until beans are
almost cooked. Drain (reserving any liquid if you
would like to use) and set aside. You can save time
by using preservative-free canned beans or canned
or powdered coconut milk (but there is nothing like
FRESH!!).
1. In a food processor or blender, add garlic, scallions,
thyme, onion and pimento or scotch bonnet
hot pepper and chop finely.
2. To the chicken add half of the green seasoning
(reserving the other half), ketchup, salt and pepper
to taste. Mix well to coat the chicken with the seasonings.
Marinate for at least an hour or overnight.
(The skin on the chicken adds extra flavor but you
can definitely remove before or after cooking).
3. In a dry large deep heavy-bottomed pot or dutch
oven, cook the sugar over moderately high heat,
stirring constantly with a fork, until it is melted completely
and starts to froth, bubble and darken (but
not black and smoking), if black and smoking start
over.
4. Immediately add the seasoned chicken, turning
frequently to coat about 5 minutes.
5. Add the rice to the chicken, cook for 3 minutes;
continue to stir frequently to prevent sticking to the
pot.
6. Add beans or peas, diced sweet red pepper, carrot,
celery and the remainder of the green seasoning.
Mix well. Cook for 1 minute.
7. Pour in coconut milk and water or other cooking
liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix
well.
8. Cover pot and bring to a boil. When the liquid
comes to a boil, reduce heat to low or simmer and
cook for about 30 minutes or until rice is cooked and
all the liquid has evaporated.
Serve this delicious, mouth-watering Trini Pelau hot
or room temperature (with a generous dose of hotsauce)
and enjoy!!
Serves 6-8
http://www.cookingwithria.com

12 HEALTH
Good fats, bad fats...
How to choose?
Eating fat can be heart-healthy if you
pick the right kind. Too many of us
cut fat willy-nilly and replace it with
refined carbs, so we miss out on the benefits
of healthy fats, says Suzanne Rostler, a
registered dietitian and nutritionist in
Framingham, Mass. What’s more, eating
lots of refined carbohydrates — like white
bread and white rice — can increase
triglyceride levels, which can contribute
to heart and blood vessel
disease.
Adults should get 20
percent to 35 percent
of their calories from
fat, according to the
2010 Dietary
Guidelines for
Americans. Here’s
how to make sure
you’re getting
enough of the right
kind.
Trans fat
Goal: Limit or eliminate
Trans fats are liquid oils
bombarded with hydrogen so
they stay solid at room temperature.
They’re found in many processed and fried
foods.
Trans fats increase total cholesterol and
LDL, or bad cholesterol, and lower HDL,
the good cholesterol. Food manufacturers
can say a product is trans fat
free if it contains less than half
a gramme per serving. These
can add up. Check a product’s
ingredient list. If you see the
words hydrogenated, partially
hydrogenated, or shortening, it
contains trans fat; you’re better
off leaving it on the shelf.
Animal or vegetable, saturated fat carries
the same risks.
Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products
to get their key nutrients while cutting saturated
fat.
The Dietary Guidelines recommend no
more than ten percent of total calories
come from saturated fat. So if you eat
2,000 calories a day, for example, keep
your saturated fat intake below 22
grammes.
Unsaturated fat
Goal: Get more
Unsaturated fats are
mostly good guys —
although trans fat is
technically an
unsaturated fat.
However, healthy
unsaturated fats
are liquid at room
temperature, while
trans and saturated
fats are solid. To
increase your unsaturated
fat, replace solids,
like butter, with olive and
vegetable oils, and swap red
meat for seafood or unsalted nuts.
(Seafood and nuts also contain saturated
fat, but usually less than red meat.)
The two main types of unsaturated fats
are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated
fats; their chemical structure is slightly dif-
Saturated fat
Goal: Limit
Saturated fat increases total
cholesterol and LDL, and may
boost your type 2 diabetes risk.
Meat, seafood, and dairy products
are sources of saturated
fat. Some plant foods, like palm
and coconut oil, also contain it.

HEALTH 13
ferent, as are their health benefits.
Cholesterol
Goal: Limit
Scientific understanding of the dangers of
dietary cholesterol has shifted. “It used to
be thought that eating dietary cholesterol,
like in shrimp or eggs, would raise cholesterol,”
Rostler explains. “It does to some
extent, but it’s more important to focus on
not eating saturated and trans fats.”
For people with normal cholesterol levels,
Rostler says, the current recommendation
is no more than 300 milligrammes of cholesterol
daily, while people at high risk of
heart disease should consume less than
200 milligrammes daily. For perspective,
one egg contains about 200 milligrammes
of cholesterol.
Polyunsaturated fats
Goal: Get more
You can find polyunsaturated fats in nuts,
seeds, vegetable oils such as corn and safflower
oil, and fatty fish. This category
encompasses omega-3 and omega-6 fatty
acids, which are known as essential fatty
acids because our bodies don’t make them
— we have to get them from food.
Polyunsaturated fats can help lower your
total cholesterol level, says Sari Greaves, a
registered dietitian and nutrition director at
Step Ahead Weight Loss Center, in
Bedminster, NJ.
Monounsaturated fats
Goal: Get more
Monounsaturated fats raise HDL (good
cholesterol) and lower LDL. Canola oil,
olive oil, peanut oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados
are good sources. Trade sour cream
dip for hummus (which is rich in olive oil) or
guacamole; use veggies or whole-wheat
chips to dip. Try peanut oil in a stir-fry to
jazz up your diet while helping your heart,
says Greaves, who is also an American
Dietetic Association spokesperson and
coauthor of The Cardiac Recovery
Cookbook. Unsalted nuts contain monounsaturated
fat, but they’re high in calories.
Sprinkle them on salads or yogurt, rather
than eating a 170-calorie handful.
Omega-3 fatty acids
Goal: Get more
In the world of good fats, omega-3s are
superstars. They fight inflammation, help
control blood clotting, and lower blood
pressure and triglycerides. Fatty fish like
albacore tuna, salmon, mackerel, and sardines
are good sources, Greaves says.
You don’t have to break the bank to get
them; canned Alaskan salmon and canned
sardines are okay too. Vegetable sources
include soy, walnuts, and some vegetable
oils. There are no specifics on how much
you should consume, but the American
Heart Association suggests eating at least
two 3.5-ounce servings of fish each week.
Omega-6 fatty acids
Goal: Jury still out
Most of us have no trouble getting
enough omega-6s, which are found in vegetable
oils and many snack foods. The
ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s in the typical
Western diet is around ten to one.
Some research suggests that between a
two-to-one and a four-to-one ratio reduces
the risk of death from heart disease. There
has been some controversy over whether
omega-6s can actually be harmful to the
heart, but Greaves and Rostler agree that
as long as you’re eating them instead of
saturated or trans fats, and you make a
point of upping your omega-3 intake, you’ll
be helping your ticker.
(Anne Harding, www.health.com)

14 HOME DECOR
O
pen plan designs are becoming the
modern, must-have option for living
and dining rooms.
Too often, a dining room sits unused, gathering
clutter and dust. So why not combine a
relaxed and friendly living room and dining
room into one area?
Your family will be able to enjoy spending
time, all together in one room - an important
point to consider when modern life seems to
mean so much less time for family life, and
family leisure time.
If you are considering making two small
reception rooms into one open plan area, or
would like to reclaim a bit of that unused
hallway or corridor into a useful living area,
read on for great, practical tips...
* Don't go knocking any walls down without
taking advice from a structural engineer -
particularly for any load-bearing walls!
· Will you keep any structural divides within
the room? Such as a large archway? Or
sliding or folding doors?
* Try to incorporate alcoves into your living
space at the planning stage of your interior
designs for living room/dining room - these
can be very useful for storage - and for creating
the idea of a change of 'role' or 'mood'
in your open plan area. For example - an
alcove under the stairs would be the ideal
spot for a desk - tucked away - with the separate
function and role of studying, or computer
work, confined to a specific area. You
could also use an alcove for a big, comfy
sofa, and create a quiet reading area.
* Consider your natural light sources for
an open plan room - will the only window be
at one end? So creating a dark half to the
room? Can you knock through to create a
porthole, window or glass-tiles, to give more
light, and a feeling of space to the room?
* Think about your lighting carefully as you
plan your interior designs for living room/dining
rooms - use a good combination of task,
mood and accent lighting, to enhance different
tasks and areas, and to create different
moods and feelings in the different parts of
the room.
* One of the main challenges when planning
open plan interior designs for living
room and dining room areas, is whether to
design for one large, single room, or to section
the separate areas for living, dining or
study, off from each other. The ideal is to
create a combination of both, with each separate
area combining to form one unified
room.
* The key to achieving this in your open
plan interior designs for living room/dining
room, is in good organisation, layout, and
colour and style. The layout can be cleverly
devised to create several separate areas
within the whole:
* Don't line all the furniture up around the
edges of the room, with a large, empty
space in the middle.
* Use a modular sofa as a 'divide' to separate
the living and dining areas.
* Centre the living area around a coffee
table, to create a cosy feeling of intimacy.
* Create visual 'screens', with storage
walls and shelving systems (put these at
right angles to the walls) or folding screens,
or beaded door curtains.
* Define the separate dining area with a
low-level pendant light.
* Rugs can also help to visually define
separate areas within your open plan space.
* If your open plan area also incorporates
an area that people have to walk through to
get between rooms, this can cause some
problems in your interior designs for living
room/dining room. People will naturally take
the shortest route between two points - and
this can be very off-putting, if you are sitting
watching TV, and trying to relax, and someone
keeps walking through.
Try to re-arrange your furniture, so that
people will not need to walk through the
actual living or dining areas. You may need
to screen or section off two areas, creating a
kind of 'passageway' in between, so that
your relaxing, studying, watching TV or eating,
does not get too disturbed!
* Although open plan interior designs for
living room/dining rooms create more space,
don't be tempted to fill the room with loads
more furniture. Open plan areas can easily
appear overcrowded with furniture and look
cluttered. If it fits with your style, try glass, or
clear acrylic furniture. This gives you a clear
path of vision, so making your room appear
less cluttered.
* Remember, in an open plan area, you
don't have a room where you can dump a
load of clutter and close the door, keeping it
nicely out of sight. Take care that your open
plan room does not get too cluttered.
* Take your storage options seriously for
your interior designs for living room/dining
room. Include lots of it! Shelves and storage
units can be ideal solutions, and can double
up as screens/room divides. Try to find
shelving units that can be accessed from
either side, so that they will look attractive
from both angles - and you will be able to
catch little glimpses of the room beyond...
* Make sure your open plan room has a
focal point - a window, dining table or attractive
picture. Consider if your room arrangement
actually requires two focal points.
* Keep your separate areas unified by
keeping to one style and color scheme as
you plan your interior designs for living
room/dining room.
One option is to choose one strong colour,
to unite the two rooms. Add white, cream or
neutral colours to any alcoves to add dimension
and interest to the room. Or you can
choose a colour scheme based on two main
colours, for example red and green, (these
are complementary colours). One area could
be decorated in red with green accents,
whilst the other could be decorated in green
with red accents.
* Use the same fabric for napkins and
table-runners, in the dining area, as the fabric
for the sofa, chairs, cushions or throws in
the living area.
* Cleverly thought out, open plan interior
designs for living room/dining rooms, can
create gorgeous, multi-functional areas - but,
before you strike that first sledgehammer
blow, and give up your two separate living
and dining rooms, consider if you are really
ready? Two separate rooms will be far simpler
to create a layout that works, and will
probably fit more furniture in sensibly, as
there is far more wall space. You will have
two rooms with easily defined functions and
roles, and you can create two separate
styles or themes, and get to choose two
separate colour schemes.
Are you prepared to have lots of different,
noisy tasks going on in one place at once?
Lots of people in the same room at the
same time? More mess? Less privacy? And
no really quiet, private little spot to study,
read, listen to music or watch TV on your
own? If you do think that this is the layout
for you, an open plan living/dining room can
give a really modern feel, make the most of
available space and give you a really welcoming,
practical space - so why not go for
it!

HOME DECOR 15

16 BEAUTY
Y
our wedding day is the most auspicious and important
day in any woman’s life. While this day
will be filled with excitement and love it can also
be hectic and overwhelming.
The last thing you want to have to worry about is your
makeup on your most special day. Here are a few tips to
help guide you to choosing the right make-up artist
for you!
1. Do your research.
Search online for a Make-up Artist in your
area or visit your local salons to see what
they may have to offer. You can even ask
friends and family for referrals, as they
may have or know of people who have
had their makeup done in the past.
Each MUA (Make-up Artist) should
have a portfolio showcasing their work,
whether it be an online website or physical
album. Look at the different styles
and techniques of each MUA you find
and assess whether it works for you,
while keeping an open mind. The more
options you have the better.
2. Schedule a Make-up trial.
After you have found a couple MUA’s that
you are interested in, this is the time to contact
him/her to schedule a trial. The trial is the
most important thing when choosing your MUA
and will definitely determine whether or not the MUA
is right for you.
* The Look.
Every bride is different and has a unique style. You may want a
natural, sun-kissed glow, a classic pin-up “cat eye” with red lips or
a bold Arabic inspired look for your wedding day, or you may have
no ideas at all and this is perfectly fine as well.
If you are unsure of what look you want, definitely ask your MUA
what look would be most flattering for you. The key to achieving
your goal is to have an open mind.
Tip: Providing pictures and examples to your MUA will be highly
beneficial to you when you book your trial.
* Technique and Execution
Your MUA should be knowledgeable and be
able to evaluate your needs and wants before
the first brush stroke. Ask questions about
products used and make sure the MUA’s
utensils are clean and sterilized.
Tip: This is also the perfect time to disclose
any allergies or reactions to any
products to ensure that the final product
is flawless.
* Overall experience.
When choosing the right MUA, the
personality of the MUA can be big factor.
During the trial, you just want to
make sure you feel comfortable.
After the trial is complete asses the
skills, products and final outcome of the
trial. How do you feel and look? Are you
happy with the results? You should feel excited
and your makeup should have that
“wow” factor.
Tip: Also, bring a camera with you to the trial and
request that the MUA take a picture of your makeup.
Having the picture will help you to remember the artist and
their work, if you go to multiple trials with other artists. This will
also help you visualize how the makeup looks when photographed.
3. Choosing your MUA: Budget and Arrangements.

BEAUTY 17
At the time of the trial, be sure to go over pricing and packages with the
MUA. The prices and packages may sway you into choosing one MUA over
the other, but remember not to choose quantity over quality! Your wedding
day will be immortalized with pictures and you want to look and definitely feel
your best on this day.
Also go over wedding day arrangements in regards to location(s), time(s)
and date(s).
* Is the MUA available the date of your wedding and reception?
* Do you want your makeup to be done in the comfort of your home,
or at the MUA’s studio/location?
* Do you want your makeup done differently for your ceremony and
reception?
* Do you want your MUA to stay on site for touch-ups?
Tip: You want everything to run smoothly the day of your wedding, therefore
having the MUA “come to you” is a great option. It lowers the risk of running
late and will be less hassle for you. Request that your MUA arrive to
your location at least 10-15 minutes early to set up.
If these are some of the must-haves for your wedding day, make sure your
MUA can make the necessary accommodations, as this can be a deal
breaker.
Each element is essential in creating the perfect wedding day as there are
many factors to consider. But I do hope that these tips help you in finding the
perfect Make-up Artist. Wishing you all the best on your wonderful journey
into wedded bliss!
Divine Beauty ~ Professional Make-up Artist,
Sathi Ganpat
Sathi Ganpat
Divine Beauty
Professional Make-up Artist
https://www.facebook.com/divinebeautybySathi
http://www.divinebeautymakeupbysathi.webs.com

18 LIFESTYLE
Why we fall out of love
By Laura Schaefer
“W
hen the moon hits your eye like a big
pizza pie, that’s amore!” sang Dean
Martin. We all know the delicious
feeling of new love, but what about the flip
side? Love doesn’t always last, and its retreat
can leave us bewildered, confused or downright
depressed.
Even if you were raised on a plentiful diet of
fairy tales, you know that “till death do us part”
can be a rare thing. Even staying with someone
forever is no guarantee of experiencing lasting
love. But why do people really fall out of love?
Is there anything we can do to make love stay?
Do some of us give up too easily? To understand
the phenomenon of love’s end, we asked
the experts’ opinions on the subject. Here are
the top three reasons they shared with us:
1. A distancing “Wave” can topple a good thing
if you let it. Ken Page, psychotherapist and
author of the Finding Love blog for Psychology
Today and founder of the Deeper Dating website,
has identified a phenomenon that can
destroy new love: “The ‘Wave’ occurs when we
unconsciously push a caring and available person
away by inwardly diminishing his or her
worth.” Think about how Carrie Bradshaw
behaved when she first started dating Aidan
Shaw: Aidan was “too available” and Carrie
freaked because she wasn’t used to being with
someone so open. “When someone is available
and decent,” Page explains, “something inside
us knows (this person) can get to our nest, our
soul - the place where we care the most and
can be hurt the most. And our unconscious gets
panicked.” If you find yourself breaking up with
someone awesome for no good reason, check
yourself; you might be acting out of fear. After
all, real love is a big deal. It involves a leap of
faith, and that can be a scary thing. Those who
give in to the Wave fall out of love before they
even give themselves a chance to fall properly
in love, and that’s kind of sad.
2. Unwillingness to discuss relationship problems.
OK, let’s say you’ve taken that leap and
you’re in a long-term, committed relationship.
Good for you! Now, don’t forget to communicate
with your partner regularly. Guy Winch, Ph.D.,
author of The Squeaky Wheel: Complaining the
Right Way to Get Results, Improve Your
Relationships and Enhance Self-Esteem, says
that people fall out of love because they don’t
talk through their relationship peeves with each
other: “Research shows that couples who are
able to voice complaints well and discuss them
productively have greater marital satisfaction
and much lower divorce rates than couples who
are unable to do so.” If you’re in a newer relationship,
iron out the kinks early on to keep love
alive over the long haul. “It is much easier to
address issues earlier in a relationship than
later, just as it is much harder to mold cement
once it has dried and hardened,” explains
Winch.
The key word here, however, is “productively.” It
usually doesn’t help to fight and blame your
partner for all of the relationship’s problems. Dr.
Fran Praver, author of The New Science of
Love: How Understanding Your Brain’s Wiring
Can Help Rekindle Your Relationship, says that
“when couples play the blame game, they wage
a war of being right where both parties lose. It
may seem like a strong personality to insist on
being right, but in fact ‘rightness’ is born out of
rigidity and weakness, not strength.” Couples
fall out of love when they can’t find a way to
make the partnership good for both people
involved. Creativity and open minds are the
stuff of lasting love; silence and blaming,
though? Not so much.
3. People change or get bored with each other.
April Masini, the relationship expert behind
AskApril.com and author of Romantic Date
Ideas, says: “Over time, people can change - or
more often, they become who they really are.
Someone who loved his steady business career
may suddenly realize he always wanted to be a
stand-up comedian and throw caution to the
wind to chase his dreams.” People evolve; circumstances
change - and sometimes, relationships
can’t be sustained as a result. But if you
really know your partner down to the core, the
changes won’t be as shocking. “The kind of
change that leads to love lost is always about a
buried desire to be someone that’s repressed
inside,” continues Masini. “It’s important to really
know your partner to avoid this lost-love syndrome.”
In other words, don’t neglect someone
you care about. You cannot get to know a person
thoroughly right away - rather, it’s a lifelong
journey. There’s a whole universe inside the
person you fell for, and if you don’t check in
with that individual on a regular basis, you
could wake up one day hearing this: “I’m
unhappy. I’m moving to another country to start
my life over fresh, and you’re not invited.”
If you find yourself perusing faraway rental
homes and thinking, “He’s changed!” or “I’m
just so bored with her,” think about holding on
and digging a little deeper first. “At a certain
point in a relationship, according to Imago
Couples Therapy,” says Page, “each partner
feels that the thing they most need from their
partner is the very thing that their partner can’t
give. At that point, many people feel that the
relationship has run its course and they leave.
The reality, however, is much different. This can
be the beginning phase of an entirely new level
of intimacy, if they each decide to learn to grow
and try to give that partner what (he or she
needs most).”
Then again, love doesn’t necessarily have to
last decades (or a lifetime) to matter. Romantic
relationships can also evolve into dear friendships
- and that’s perfectly fine. Dr. Lissa
Coffey, author of the book, Closure and the Law
of Relationship: Endings as New Beginnings,
agrees. “We may come together for a certain
period of time to help each other learn and
grow, and when that has been accomplished,
we’ve gotten everything we were meant to get
out of the relationship. Then it changes,” Coffey
explains. “It doesn’t have to end; it’s just redefined.”

20 MODELS
These promotional
models was captured
by our photographers
at the Panorama
Semi-Finals at the
Queen’s Park
Savannah, Trinidad on
February 5, 2012 during
the Carnival season.

22 LIFESTYLE - VACATION
Top destinations of 2012
By Helga Trim
A
re you planning your vacation for
the New Year and is wondering
where does one start deciding which
destination is the one? What makes
some countries or cities the “it” city while
others waddle along under the radar?
There’re are so many places to see. One
factor that’s certainly a drawing card for
all the world is the Olympics.
Host the Olympics and people will flock
to that city. This year, London is on the
top of all the travel experts’ lists, but
there are other places that may just whet
your appetite for travel. London already
attracts about 14 million visitors but in
2012 the city is poised to see that figure
rise significantly. The city has already
spent nearly US$15 billion on a facelift
that will hopefully keep the visitors and
athletes coming back long after the
games are over. The pageantry, like only
Britain can do it, begins with Her Royal
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond
Jubilee celebrations on June 2. This is
followed by the London 2012 Festival,
which begins June 21 and ends
September 9. The festival brings together
hundreds of artistes and performers from
around the world for a series of events
where all of London becomes a stage.
Many of the events are free. The World
Shakespeare Festival also runs at this
time and many well-known actors will be
a part, so you may not want to miss it.
For the Harry Potter fans reading this,
who may not be overly impressed by the
Olympics or the arts festival, there is
something on offer that will thrill you. This
year, Leavesden Studios will begin The
Making of Harry Potter Studio Tour. All
eight Harry Potter films were shot on
location at the studios. This may be your
opportunity to learn some film secrets.
There are other places of interest on the
experts’ lists. I scoured the internet to
see what sparked travellers’ interest this
year. Some people chose destinations
because they had been flying under the
radar for a while and this year the time
had come to take centre stage.
Other destinations had something unique
to offer. Either way, I based my selection
on these criterion and the fact that they
appeared on more than three lists. Travel
and Leisure Magazine, Conde Nast
Traveller, National Geographic Traveler
Magazine, Lonely Planet, Frommer’s,
TripAdvisor.com and some other lists
were as varied as the specific audiences
for which they cater.
My top destinations for 2012 are in no
particular order. Hope there’s a place on
this list that will interest you even if you
don’t get around to visiting it this year:
Guimãres, Portugal, which is sharing the
honour of European Capital of Culture
2012 with Maribor, Slovenia. Both cities
have medieval towns designated as
United Nations Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
World Heritage Sites.
Curacao, that little Dutch island that
recently became independent, is a destination
which has the travel world abuzz.
The country will celebrate its first independence
this year. This little island with
the colourful capital of Willemstad has
plenty to offer. One of the best private
museums with antiquities and a documented
history of the slave trade that
includes a life-size replica of the section
of the ship where slaves were stored, the
Kura Hulanda Museum is a must see.
Don’t miss the Curacao Underwater
Marine Park either. You will find many
world-class hotels on the beach, but
don’t expect the typical lush tropics of
Trinidad and Tobago. Curacao is very
dry, but that makes for very interesting
vegetation. The beaches are white and
sandy.
Other top destinations include Trinidad
and Tobago, Sweden, New Zealand,
Australia, Spain, China, including Hong
Kong, Turkey and Chile. Colombia,
though it’s still on the US list of countries
under warning, is a country ready to
shake off all the negative images of
drugs and ready to start afresh in 2012.
Mexico and Belize made it to the list for
their Mayan heritage.
Let’s not forget this is the year that the
Mayan calendar comes to an end. Belize
meanwhile, is taking full advantage of
showcasing its Mayan heritage with several
events around the predicted apocalypse
beginning on December 21, 2012.
Happy travels in 2012. As long as we
have life, we have hope and an entire
planet to explore for the good.

FASHION 23
Top 6 shoe collections for Spring/Summer 2012
Fashion for shoes is not as changeable as for clothing but
every season we see certain styles come and go. It is
normal and logical.
For Spring/Summer 2012 designers have offered plenty of
designs to choose from. And it was really hard to pick out only 6
collections from dozens other lovely ranges. But these 6 are
reflections of my own style and they are the sources of inspiration
and dreams for me (Don’t think I’m a shallow blonde! I just
love shoes so much I can barely breathe when I see just another
perfect pair!). So, let’s start - Top 6 designers shoe collections for
Spring/Summer 2012:
www.millionlooks.com
1. Chirstian Louboutin
2. Manolo Blahnik
3. Gaetano Perrone
1. I would start from Chirstian Louboutin shoes.
They are the best for me. I know you would say
it is banal but these shoes are really special.
Yes, they aren’t very comfortable, and those
heels are often hard to walk in but they are
worth the pain we suffer. The designer was
right.
2. Manolo Blahnik shoes are fabulous. They
are more diverse in styles and colors and are
perfectly comfy. Maybe they don’t look as
impressive as Loubooutins but they certainly
do look more feminine and delicate.
3.Gaetano Perrone has released just one collection
under his own name but it has already
found its fans. It is not surprising at all considering
the fact he has been creating footwear for
Alexander McQueen for a few years. His shoes
are spectacular – extravagant but incredibly
beautiful in design they will soon appear on the
red carpet as often as shoes of other exclusive
brands.
4. icholas Kirkwood
5. Prada
6. D&G
4.I was impressed with Nicholas Kirkwood’s
first footwear collection and immediately
remembered the name of a young but very talented
designer. His Spring/summer 2012 range
isn’t as impressive but it is womanly and chic
and features amazing floral prints.
5. Prada has returned us to the ’50s fashion
era with its clothing but shoes with those flame
tips looked like they were ready to transport us
back to the present at any time.
6. D&G Spring/Summer 2012 collection seems a
little out-of-place here due to the fact it is casual
and shoes presented in it are far from being cute
or elegant but don’t we all from time to time turn
to comfier styles – flats, wedges, even sneakers?
We do, and for such moments this range is ideal.

24 HEALTH
H
ow many of you get home from
work so tired you don’t even know what to
do with yourself. Well, one thing you can do
is treat yourself with aromatherapy. If you
have a bath tub at home you can fill your
tub with warm water and add a mixture of
herbs and essential oils and just soak for
an hour just before bedtime to ease your
mind, body and soul.
Many persons don’t know how effective
aromatherapy is for helping many problems.
In fact, aromatherapy is good treatment
for insomnia, stress, anxiety, depression,
muscle aches and pains, circulation,
cellulite, menstrual cramps, inflammation,
heat rash, acne and much more.
You may, however, wonder what mixtures
may work for you. For persons suffering
from insomnia, you can add eight to ten
drops of lavender, chamomile and enroll
aromatherapy essential oils and some fresh
rosemary leaves.
This helps you feel totally relaxed and
allows you to have a good night sleep.
Persons suffering from anxiety and depression
can add ten drops of lavender, eight
drops of chamomile, eight drops of rose
and seven drops of bergamot aromatherapy
essential oil. In addition, you can have a
cup of chamomile tea while you are soaking.
Persons who are stressed out can add
ten drops of lavender, eight drops of
chamomile, eight drops of jasmine, six
drops of neroli and six drops rose aromatherapy
essential oils. Those who don’t
have a tub can still benefit from the treatment.
These persons can use the same
oils, but the required measurement will be
half of the amount mixed in a ½ ounce of
grapeseed oil and applied all over your
body at bedtime. Regular massages with
these oils also help tremendously.
Aromatherapy has been around for many
years and has proven to be one of the
most effective forms of therapy in helping
persons. I have used this form of therapy
on many persons during facials and therapeutic
soaks and they always feel renewed
and energised at the end. It is important to
know that not all oils are pure. Some are
fragrance and perfumed oils.
Pure aromatherapy oils, however, come in
a dark brown, blue or silver-coated bottles,
and one should check the labels for where
it was originated. Aromatherapy massages
are very good for getting rid of toxins that
have accumulated in your body along with
foot detox and an herbal body wrap. Also,
soaking your feet in warm water and
adding five drops of spearmint and Epsom
salts can really help your aching feet.
For those who have never tried aromatherapy,
it is one of the best things you
can give yourself to relieve tension and
pressure from the anxieties of life. We all
know stress is the number one killer, and
we all need that “me” time for ourselves at
the end of the day. Soaking in the tub or
simply massaging our feet at the end of
your day can help to prolong your life. This
may be difficult for some of you to do but
think about this way; if someone told you
that they have a remedy that can extend
your life span for about ten to 20 years,
what would you do? Surely you would take
it. So here is my remedy for you, a little
aromatherapy in your life everyday equals
ten to 15 years added to your life.
Try it.

PEOPLE 25
C
anadian singer Celine
Dion wowed thousands of
fans at the 16th Jamaica Jazz
and Blues Festival held at the
Trelawny Multiple Purpose
Stadium in Jamaica, January 26 -
28, 2012.
The international superstar not
only put on amazing performances,
but looked stunning in her
outfits as well.
What stood out more was a white
and gold short number Dion
wore. Looking fit and toned, the
43-year-old mother of three
showed off her toned figure and
amazing legs. She also gave the
front row seat more of her than
they had hoped to see.
"The short gold dress was
Balmain...was that short
enough?" Dion reportedly told
The Trend, a fashion series on
Zappos Couture. "Because normally
when people are level the
length is fine. But people were
like this (looks up). So it was like
I didn't think of the people downstairs
and me there."
The Jamaica Observer reported
that Dion's splendid performance
has catapulted her to the list of
international acts who have distinguished
themselves on stage
at the Jazz and Blues Festival.
Other international acts that have
rocked the stage included The
Isley Brothers, Kenny G, Patti
Labelle, Erykah Badu, Regina
Belle, Jill Scott and Alicia Keys to
name a few.
Walter Elmore, chairman of Art of
Music Productions, and his son,
Martin, were reportedly brought
to tears by Dion's professionalism.
"I couldn't help but cry when I
looked at my father and saw how
emotional he had become,"
Martin Elmore told The Gleaner.
"He worked so hard to bring this
festival to where it is today."
Canadian singer
Celine Dion gave
smashing performances
at the 16th Jamaica
Jazz and Blues Festival
held at the Trelawny
Multiple Purpose
Stadium in Jamaica.

26 LIFESTYLE
So You Wanna be a Pr
M
aybe you've dreamed of gliding down the
catwalk in Milan, flashbulbs popping all
around, hundreds of people focusing their
attention on your grace and beauty. The closets of
your Paris apartment are stuffed full of expensive
designer clothing, and tomorrow you fly back to
New York just in time to catch a party attended by
your good friends, Kate Moss, Keanu Reeves, and
Ben Affleck. Nice dream. Now wake up.
First things first: you've taken the trouble to do a
little research, so you're not a moron. That's good.
Regardless of prevailing stereotypes, you need
smarts to break into modeling. Those same smarts
will also help you realize that your chances of
becoming the sort of supermodel who lands multimillion-dollar
endorsements are only a little better
than your chances of being killed by a charging rhinoceros
- even if you're beautiful. The success stories
are few; even models represented by the best
agencies in the world often take other work to supplement
their income. Now, if you're still reading,
congratulations. You aren't easily discouraged, and
you're gonna need that kind of pluck to endure the
rejection which is part of every model's stock and
trade. There are several different types and levels
of modeling, and if your expectations are realistic,
you needn't feel discouraged.
1. Learn about the industry
There are many different kinds of models, including
child models, plus-size models, and parts models
(whose hands you see in all those diamond
ring ads). Fashion models must usually conform to
rather rigid physical criteria, but there are others
models called "real-life models," who are often also
actors. They are just what the name suggests:
ordinary looking people used in catalogues and
commercials to represent someone the average
consumer can identify with. The white-haired guy
with the potbelly on the Golf Resorts billboard is a
real-life model. If it turns out that you aren't quite
what they're looking for in a fashion model, consider
this sort of work (or consider becoming a character
actor). There are other paths to the pot of
gold at the end of the rainbow.
For the purposes of this SYW, though, we're
focusing on the model that gets all the attention:
the cat-walking high-fashion model.
What it takes to be a fashion-model
If you're female...
You should be somewhere between 15 and 22
years old, though probably closer to fifteen. Models
don't have careers that last as long as say, doctors,
so agencies tend to want to invest their time
in someone young.
You should be tall, long-legged, and lean. The
minimum height is usually about 5'8", and average
weight for a model is 108-125 lbs. These characteristics
are partly aesthetic and partly practical:
this type of frame looks good on the runway and in
front of the camera (which, they say, adds 15
pounds); and a somewhat scrawny build drapes
clothing nicely and ensures a good fit in the standard
wardrobe. There are always exceptions to the
rule, of course - Kate Moss is 5'7" and Gabrielle
Reece is a giant 6'3" - but, in general, the closer
you are to the industry norm, the better your
chances.
If you're male...
You can start out a little later, roughly between
the ages of 18 and 25. They won't want you to look
too childish. The good news is that a man's modeling
career usually lasts longer than a woman's,
and since ten-year-old boys more often dream of
blowing things up rather than strutting the Hugo
Boss runway, this side of the biz tends to be less
competitive as well.
Average dimensions for a male model are a
height of 5'11"- 6'2" and a weight of 140-165 lbs.
You should also be fit (not bulging with muscles,
but definitely healthy). All right, so let's assume
you've got all of these qualifications. You are, for
example, a willowy 16-year-old girl who's on the
basketball team, could squeeze her body through
a set of prison bars, and causes old men who
shouldn't be ogling you to stumble over their walkers.
That's great. On top of that you have clear
skin, perfect teeth, and your own brand of je ne
sais quoi. Fantastic. It's time for the next step.
2. Make your break
Although there is a little bit of freelancing in the
business, almost all models work through an
agent. Your agent is responsible for getting bookings
and ensuring that you show up on time, no
matter how hungover you may be. Good agents
will also advise you about clothes and hair, and
generally guide you through the various stages of
your career.
There are several tactics you can employ to get
an agent:
Many successful models started their careers
effortlessly. They were strolling through the airport
with mom and dad on the way back from
Disneyland, when a scout from a top agency spotted
them, recognized their potential, and gave
them a business card. Must be nice. Since you
probably haven't been quite this lucky, proceed to
the next method.
Periodically, agencies open their doors to hundreds
of local hopefuls. This is known as an "open
call." You herd together in the hallways of an
agency with all your competitors, you wait and wait
for a turn, and when you finally do get to see
someone, it seldom takes more than 30 seconds
for the pros to size up what they consider to be
your potential. Welcome to the world of big-league
rejection. And the good news is that open calls are
almost always free. Dress casually in form-hugging
clothes so the agent can see what your body is
like. Keep the hair simple, and the makeup naturally
minimalistic. They want you to present a blank
canvass to them-not your glamour look. Don't
waste money on professional photos. If you want,
you can just bring in a few informal snaps: full
body shots (in a conservative bikini or trunks) from
a few angles, one nice head shot, and a casual
clothed shot.
Here are some of the top agencies (all of which
are based in New York):
Elite
111 East 22nd Street
New York, NY
Phone: 212-529-9700
Ford
142 Greene St, 4th Floor
New York, NY
Phone: 212-219-6500
IMG Models
22 East 71st Street
New York, NY
Phone: 212-529-9700
Metropolitan
220 5th Avenue, Suite 800
New York, NY
Phone: 212-989-0100
Email: MetroModel@aol.com
Next
23 Watts Street
New York, NY
Phone: 212-925-5100
Boss Models (mostly for male models)
1 Gansevoort Street
New York, NY
Phone: 212-242-2444
E-mail: newyork@bossmodels.com
You don't have to wait around for an open call. If
you get on the phone and the agency tells you
their open call is six months off, ask if you can just
drop by. Don't stop at one; go around to as many
of the top agencies as you can.
Several large agencies tour the country with a
model search, a beauty contest with the purpose
of finding the next Christy, Tyra or Claudia. Thanks
to events like these, all the seemingly gawky Betty
Sues out there can get a shot at proving their exotic
supermodel potential (they never would've got
off the farm if the fashionistas hadn't come to Pig
Snout, Nebraska). As long as there's a reputable
agency behind it and the entry fees aren't too
extravagant (most, though not all, model search
contests will have entry fees), a model search is a
good way to at least meet people in the industry.
The most expensive option is to attend a modeling
convention. Entry fees tend to be high, but you
get the opportunity to meet representatives from
several different agencies all at the same time (and
the chance to learn more about the industry in
general). If one of these should happen to open in
your city, by all means, check it out.
Register with www.modelsandtalent.com on the
net. This is a well-respected service through which
model scouts browse. It's a place to post an electronic
profile so that the pros can check you out.
Also try Minx Models.
Once the agency gets a look at you and decides

27
ofessional model?
it likes what it sees, an agent will arrange for
you to have portfolio pictures taken, a composite
card printed, and a résumé put together.
Again, you must remember that you are
trying to make money, not spend it (see Step
3), so don't waste cash on portfolios until you
get signed up with a manager. The agency
will probably have a specific look in mind for
you anyway, and they'll want to start from
scratch. A portfolio (or "book") is what you
take along to modeling job interviews, called
"go-sees." In your portfolio are a series of
shots taken by an agency-recommended
photographer, and it reflects the agency's
marketing strategy for you. Composite cards,
or comp cards, are what you leave behind
with the prospective employer: a single printed
sheet of photos to help them remember
you.
3. Avoid scams
There are really two modeling industries:
the legitimate one that pays models a fair
price for their services; and the evil one
which preys on the hopes and dreams of
foolish young people (a.k.a. "suckers").
To avoid getting snookered, you have to
remind yourself again and again that you're
getting into modeling to make money, and
not to give it away. This is business, so be
stingy. There are lots of con artists posing as
photographers, and there are lots of shady
organizations calling themselves "agencies"
and "schools." So here's what you have to
watch out for:
Photographers who try to sell you expensive
portfolio shots before you approach any
agencies. This is a common one. They tell
you that you'll never get anywhere with an
agency unless you have a professional portfolio
to show. Not true. Agencies are connected
with photographers who understand
and express a particular style, and they usually
just end up trashing any pictures you
walk in with. That's why snaps are best. Let
the agency you sign up with arrange all the
portfolio photography for you.
Fly-by-night "agencies" that charge socalled
"registration fees," and are more interested
in getting you to pay for expensive
portfolios than finding you work. In such
places, the phones aren't ringing as they
should be, and the pictures on the walls are
of models that have no connection with their
business. So when you approach an agency,
check them out, make sure they've been
around for more than three months, and
have a nice big ad in the Yellow Pages.
Contact the Better Business Bureau to see if
there have been any complaints levelled
against them.
Modeling schools. Some people believe
that they are an outright scam, while others
believe that they're a pretty good way to gain
a little experience, so long as you have
money to burn. It's your call to make. Just
don't let anyone tell you that you must go
through a school (which always seems to be,
coincidentally, their own in-house school)
before they'll even consider you. No one
absolutely needs to go to modeling school in
order to become a successful model.
Sleazeballs. Flattery, promises to get you
working immediately, unusual fees and highpressure
tactics are all signs of a sleazeball
operation. When they ask you to pose naked
or to have sex in exchange for jobs, then
you'll know you've hit rock bottom.
Alert the authorities. And keep in mind that,
although this sort of thing is more common in
less classy operations, it is not altogether
unknown at a higher level. Recently, two
executives (President Gerald Marie of Elite
Europe, and Xavier Moreau, head of the Elite
Model Look Contest), were compelled to
resign after a BBC documentary caught them
treating their business as a sex farm. Yes,
this was rather idiosyncractic, but it proves
that you should be aware.
4. Build your career
You finally got yourself an agent...good for
you. That's nine-tenths of the battle. It's
sometimes said that if you're serious about
modeling, you should pack your bags and go
straight to New York, and that's partly true.
New York City is the U.S. jump-off point for
the modeling world's Grand Tour, and most
supermodels live in the Big Apple for at least
part of the year. That doesn't mean, however,
that a couple of years in Miami or L.A. are
gonna kill your career. Hard work, charm,
connections and luck all play a part in where
you end up. No matter where you're based, if
you sign with a big agency that's based in
New York (as most of them are), there's a
good chance that you'll end up there. But
also keep in mind that there is still a demand
for models in secondary markets such as
Chicago, Philadelphia and Phoenix.
So as you get ready to embark on your
career, keep the following points in mind:
Be prepared to spend your mornings
schlepping burgers at McDonald's. Well all
right, maybe it won't be that bad, but the fact
is that most models (even at the higher levels)
need a supplemental job to pay the bills.
In addition to that, the average model can't
expect her career to last more than eight
years, so don't skip college! Parties, money
in pocket, and a busy schedule make it very
tempting to bypass the standard education
route, but if you get hit by a bus and one leg
becomes 8 inches shorter than the other,
your modeling career will be in the toilet and
you'll be stupid. So stay in school. Linda
Evangelista may be earning millions a year
well into her thirties, but you probably won't.
Make sure you have contingency plans in
place.
Shenika Hernandez from
Trinidad and Tobago were one
of three models that were
selected to represent the
Caribbean at the Elite Model
Look World competition that
took place in Shanghai, China
last year, on December 6, 2011.
The actual work is never quite as romantic as the dream.
Think endless hours in airports, rushing from appointment to
appointment, shoots that seem to drag on forever, and chaffed
thighs from changing into eighty different swimsuits in two
hours. Yes, there's a lot of great partying. (For some strange
reason models seem to get invited out a lot.) But there's an
obvious potential downside to unlimited fun: the collapse of
your career and a stint in the Betty Ford Clinic.
If your agency uses a contract, take the trouble to have your
own lawyer look at it before you sign. Also, find out what
unions you may be required to join, and whether or not you
are free to sideline at a different agency. Consult an accountant
about which receipts you should be saving, and keep careful
track of the money you earn. A little attention to business
now will save you many headaches later on.
And those are the essentials. Memorize them, get out there,
and take your own personal shot at runway nirvana. The 21st
century needs a new face - it could be yours. Be smart, be
brave, and be beautiful.
http://www.soyouwanna.com

28
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CARNIVAL 2012 MASQUERADERS

Cariwak Photography - Copyright 2012
29

30
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CARNIVAL 2012 MASQUERADERS
Miss Universe
Trinidad and Tobago
2011 and Miss World
2nd runner up 2008
Gabrielle Walcott
displays this beautiful
costume which she lead
Carnival mas band Harts
on Carnival Tuesday
February 21, 2012.

32
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CARNIVAL 2012 MASQUERADERS

34
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CARNIVAL 2012 MASQUERADERS

36
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CARNIVAL 2012 MASQUERADERS

38
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO CARNIVAL 2012 MASQUERADERS
Miss Universe 1998
Wendy Fitzwilliam from
Trinidad and Tobago
displays her costume
on the streets of
Port-of-Spain on
Carnival Tuesday
February 21, 2012.

Models displays
fashion designs by Zadd
and Eastman (Z&E) from
Trinidad and Tobago at the
annual Caribbean Fashion
Week (CFW) held last year
in Jamaica. A trio of
Trinidadian fashion designers
- Meiling, The Cloth and
Zadd and Eastman (Z&E)
represented the country
at CFW 2011.