Island Soul City Dreams

I reflect. I analyze. I speak my mind. ~ I Keep it Irie ~

29 Apr 2012

Love That Iron But De Man Ent Easy

This past week I fitted comfortably into a maxi skirt I bought 13 years ago. I distinctly remember being on vacation in New York, May 1999 and seeing a cute grey skirt with an A-line cut, posing in a show window. It whispered, “Buy me, buy me.” The skirt was fashionable at the time. But even when it went out of style, I couldn’t bring myself to part with it and as I packed to move to New York a few years ago, I resisted the temptation to leave it in Barbados. There’s just something about that skirt. One day, I could match it with a strapped-top and go for sexy. Another day, I could pair it with a business-like button down shirt, add some pumps and wear it to the office.

Since I’ve been living in New York, there’s hardly been an opportunity to wear the skirt, so I practically forgot about it. Then last spring when I was preparing to go to Israel, I went rummaging through my wardrobe in an almost hopeless attempt to find “very conservative attire.” I came across my trusty skirt and sure enough, it was a perfect combo with any number of sweaters for my visits to synagogues and other holy places of the Jewish and Muslim faiths. The first time I wore that skirt I weighed about 110 -113 pounds. Today, I am about 10 pounds heavier and feeling FAT. As flattering as it is to be able to fit into clothing I bought more than a decade ago, it’s also revealing the areas where the fabric is clinging much closer than before. More so, it brings to light the issue of diet and exercise and the importance of maintaining a healthful lifestyle. Read more…

Posted in Tropical G-Spot and tagged Diet and Exercise, Fitness and Nutrition, Healthy Living, I Keep it Irie, Maquita Peters, Neighborhood Gyms in Brooklyn, Pumping Iron, Q-Fitness Brooklyn, Quinn Q-Fitness, Vegetarian lifestyle, Weight Training, Working out in Brooklyn

22 Apr 2012

19 Comments

Sometimes A Girl Gotta Use Her Hands

I have always been a Do-It-Yourself (DIY) type of girl. Perhaps, it’s my adventurous spirit or the fact that I just love a challenge. I remember visiting the woodwork room at secondary school during my junior years and beholding the most magnificent sculptures created by the senior boys. Marveling at their works of art, I often asked a few of them to teach me. But they refused, saying that a little girl like me would be better off taking a home economics class. I had already completed the mandatory year of home economics. And with a mother who was boss in the kitchen from whom I was already learning, I thought it silly to invest any time over the school’s stoves.

I wanted to get my hands on a piece of wood. The very thought excited me. I imagined holding it and going to work till it took shape in my hands. You know, something big. Memorable. Like a bird. I mean, after all, what’s wrong with a girl learning how to take a piece of wood and turn it into something useful? Read more…

Posted in Tropical G-Spot and tagged Caribbean Homemade Coconut Oil, Coconut Oil, diy, Homemade coconut oil, I Keep it Irie, Making coconut oil, Making Coconut Oil Over Heat, Maquita Peters, nature, Virgin Coconut Oil

15 Apr 2012

14 Comments

A Part of Me Died Today

I had today’s blog post all planned. Over the past couple of days I had been preparing another product – Caribbean-style to share with you. And while it’s not exactly a culinary treat, I’d hoped it would have brought some cheer. But this morning, I awoke to the sad news of the death of my Uncle Moses in Barbados. As my mother asked the words over the phone, “Are you sitting down?” I started screaming, “It better not be my Uncle Moses, not my Uncle Moses.” It’s no secret to anyone in our family that among my mother’s 10 siblings he was my favorite. He was my grandparents’ third son and the child born just a few years after my mom. Had he lived to see his birthday on May 9, my Uncle Moses would have turned 52.

I struggle to find the words to write as I eulogize my Uncle Moses. My tears today could fill an ocean. Whenever I think of my Uncle Moses, his perfect smile first comes to mind – glistening white enamels against pretty pink gums and a dimpled cheek.

Yes, he loved to smile, especially when he saw me. I’d walked into a room and from the moment Uncle Moses noticed me, he would exclaim, “My niece. My beautiful niece, come and give me hug.” Read more…

Posted in Sugarcane Sentiments and tagged I Keep it Irie, Losing a loved one, Maquita Peters, Moses Peters Barbados, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Barbados

08 Apr 2012

8 Comments

Of Spooky Caribbean Easter Traditions And Hot Cross Buns

Putting the final touch on my freshly made hot cross buns.

There was a time when I could not reflect on my childhood Easter celebrations in Barbados without getting the chills. Of course, there are many joyful memories too. Still, there’s a specific recollection of an Easter tradition in the Caribbean that is beyond spooky. As a little girl, my Sundays were spent at church and while I don’t recall the exact age at which I first heard about The Passion of the Christ, I know that for many years whenever Easter came around, I cried when the story was retold. It was hard to fathom such suffering. Obedient to my Sunday school lessons, I accepted from early on, that I had to be very special for someone to die for me.

Bajans like to boast that we have a church on almost every corner and given our predominantly Christian nation, Easter is indeed a most hallowed occasion. As thousands of congregants are reminded of the crucifixion, we traditionally adhere to certain observances like not going go the beach on Good Friday (due to a belief of higher chances of drowning); avoiding meat on the day, eating fish instead; wearing black to Good Friday service and white to church on Easter Sunday; and kite flying for both children and adults. But, clearly, those aren’t the things that evoked fear in me. Read more…

Posted in Roots & Culture and tagged Caribbean Christians, Caribbean Easter Traditions, Caribbean Easter Traditions in New York, Caribbean Hot Cross Buns, Christianity, Christians and Easter, Covering Religion, Covering Sacred Ground Columbia Journalism School, Easter in Barbados, Easter in New York, Easter in the Caribbean, Eggs and Caribbean Easter tradition, Good Friday Traditions in Barbados, Hot Cross Bun, Hot Cross Buns, I Keep it Irie, Maquita Peters, Passion Week, The Cross, The Passion of the Christ

01 Apr 2012

12 Comments

I Am Looking For A Man

I have been trying to find a man. I’ve also been trying to find a job. Not necessarily in that order and not just any man or any job. I have them both on my 2012 to-do list as: Find My Dream Man and Land My Dream Job. Little did I imagine how similar these two searches would be! On the job front, since completing my masters last spring, I have been doing whatever freelance work I can discover in this ultra competitive job market for journalists, while persistently seeking that elusive full-time position. This past year, I have been blessed with the opportunity to work with and contribute to The Root at The Washington Post and I am currently freelancing at Black Enterprise Magazine on a special project – reassuring me that I still have something to offer the field of journalism. While I am at the point where I desperately need a full-time job, benefits etc., I am much more patient in my search for love. Read more…

Posted in Tropical G-Spot and tagged Being a journalist in New York, Freelance Journalism in NYC, I Keep it Irie, IvyDate, Job hunting in NYC, Looking a dream job in NY, Looking for a dream man in NYC, Looking for a man in NYC, Looking for journalism jobs in NYC, Looking for love online, Maquita Peters, Online Dating, Online dating in New York, Trying to find a job in NY, Trying to find a man in New York

28 Mar 2012

4 Comments

My Little Track Star

My nephew Nicholai, the third fastest Under-11 boy in Barbados.

In a recent post, I spoke about the handwritten letter my nephew, Nicholai wrote to me from Barbados. I’m still over the moon about that. Then today, one of my best friends from back home sent me a photograph via WhatsApp. I am here beaming as I relive that euphoric moment of seeing a snapshot of Nicholai from today’s Nation’s newspaper. I am incredibly proud of him and because I could not help myself, I beg your indulgence as I share this moment with you. After success at his school sports, Nicholai competed in the zone events where he qualified for the semi-finals of the National Primary Schools Athletics Championship (NAPSAC). He made it to the finals in the 100m, 200m, 400m and team 400X100m, placing third in the 100m and second in the 400m at the Barbados National Stadium. His performances earned him an overall second place in the Under 11-boys at NAPSAC. This accomplishment came a mere two weeks after he celebrated his 10th birthday! Congratulations to Nicholai!:-)

~ I Keep it Irie ~

Posted in Roots & Culture, Sugarcane Sentiments and tagged Barbados National Stadium, Barbados Primary School Sports, Barbados Track and Field, I Keep it Irie, Maquita Peters, NAPSAC, NAPSAC Barbados, National Primary Schools Athletics Championship (NAPSAC)

25 Mar 2012

6 Comments

Freshly-Baked Homemade Bread, Anyone?

Bajan salt bread hot out the oven.

It is rare for me to buy bread. Not because I don’t like it or as some folks would say, “I’m trying to not eat too much flour,” but because I bake my own bread. It is a family tradition dating back several generations. My maternal grandparents hail from lovely St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where unlike my homeland Barbados, it is commonplace for families to bake their own bread. All 11 of my grandparents’ children and their children bake bread. I grew up watching my mother make every type of Caribbean bread, cake, pastry etc, and her skills were so stellar, neighbors offered to pay her to bake. Baking thus became a key aspect of her livelihood. Mommy didn’t sell everything she baked though; she would often take some to church and share with members of the congregation, drop off a few by a friend’s house or call and invite them over for the freshly baked goodies. If that wasn’t enough, she’d cut me a handful of slices to take to school and share with my friends, and package some for my favorite teacher or the principal. Years later, when I started working as a reporter, she would send similar treats for my colleagues, many of whom became her loyal customers.

I can still remember my first time baking bread. Read more…

Posted in Roots & Culture and tagged Bajan Salt bread, Caribbean Baking in Brooklyn, Caribbean Breakfast, Caribbean Cuisine, Caribbean Diaspora in New York City, Caribbean Doughboy, Caribbean Homemade Bread, Caribbean Johnny Cake, Coconut Bread, Doughboy and saltfish, I Keep it Irie, Maquita Peters, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Vincent Doughboy

23 Mar 2012

15 Comments

I Got Mail – A Handwritten Letter!

Dear Aunty: A handwritten letter from my nephew, Nicholai.

As I do most days, as usual, I got mail today. But it wasn’t the usual mail. Okay, maybe my Verizon mobile bill was part of the usual mail, as was the alumni correspondence from grad school, but the “via air mail” envelope with a postage stamp from Barbados – that was definitely unusual. Breaking the seal, I opened far more sunshine than beautiful Barbados boasts in its 365-day-a-year of sea and sun. I opened a handwritten letter from Nicholai, my 10 year-old nephew. The first thing that grabbed my attention was his impeccable penmanship. From the carefully poised address and date in the upper right corner, to his salutation, “Dear Aunty,” to his endearing sentiments and descriptive storytelling, I marveled at Nicholai’s expertise with ink. But what impressed me most was the clarity with which he expressed his feelings and his command of the English language: grammar, syntax, punctuation etc. In this digital era where crafting thoughts can now be encapsulated in tweets of 140 characters via a computer, tablet or mobile device, these skills exhibited by Nicholai and in particular, the handwritten letter are almost seen as a dying art. Read more…

Posted in Roots & Culture and tagged Bridgetown Barbados, Handwritten letter, I Keep it Irie, Jul-Be-Art Interiors, Jul-Be-Art Interiors Barbados, Julie Benn, Life in New York, Maquita Peters, Penmanship, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, The art of the handwritten letter, The Barbershop Barbados, Trinidad, Via Air Mail

19 Mar 2012

Trayvon: Oh Jah, How Many More?

Trayvon Martin

I am about to sign a petition. But first I want to say why. In a few minutes, when I have finished writing this, I am going to support ColorOfChange.org in asking the Department of Justice to arrest George Zimmerman for killing Trayvon Martin. It is a petition that also calls for an investigation of the Sanford, Florida Police for misconduct in handling the matter.

Since Trayvon’s tragic shooting on February 26, I resisted writing about it because I think I write too much about death; well at least on this page. But this is not just a story about death; this is nothing short of a cold-blooded murder. And there should be justice. Read more…

Posted in Roots & Culture and tagged Civil Rights, ColorOfChange.org, George Zimmerman, I Keep it Irie, Justice, Justice For TrayvonMartin, Maquita Peters, Sanford Police, TrayVon Martin | Leave a comment

13 Mar 2012

6 Comments

What’s The Big Sucking Deal?

My mother told me that I stopped “wetting the bed” when I was about nine months old. Apparently, I was so disgusted by the feel of damp pampers, that as soon as I “had to go” I cried up a storm. To this day, mommy swears no other baby was potty trained faster than her first-born daughter. But it would take her almost another year to wean me off breastfeeding. Apparently, I made up for all the time she didn’t have to change my diapers by clinging to her bosom for far longer than she would have hoped. From the stories she and other relatives have told me, I consumed enough breast milk to render me an addict. With such over indulgence, it’s a wonder I’m not now among the 75 percent of black adults in the US who are lactose intolerant.

My mother stopped breastfeeding me well over three decades ago and she proudly recalls that she often did so in public – just like millions of women throughout history. It is a natural occurrence I see whenever I’m back home in the Caribbean and even here in Brooklyn. I mean, what is so unnatural about a healthy lactating mother feeding her baby the milk her body created for that purpose? Read more…

Posted in Roots & Culture and tagged Beyonce and Blue Ivy, Beyonce breastfeeding Blue Ivy, Beyonce breastfeeding in public, Black women and breastfeeding, I Keep it Irie, Maquita Peters

Island Soul City Dreams

I reflect. I analyze. I speak my mind. ~ I Keep it Irie ~

Love That Iron But De Man Ent Easy

Sometimes A Girl Gotta Use Her Hands

A Part of Me Died Today

Of Spooky Caribbean Easter Traditions And Hot Cross Buns

I Am Looking For A Man

My Little Track Star

Freshly-Baked Homemade Bread, Anyone?

I Got Mail – A Handwritten Letter!

Trayvon: Oh Jah, How Many More?

What’s The Big Sucking Deal?

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