Living in the Caribbean...

Is way cheaper than living in the USA. This of course is dependent on a few scenarios, for instance, which state you live in, what job you have, where in that state you live and if you rent or own a home.

For instance, in Trinidad and Tobago these are the average monthly expenses, and by average I mean in a general term:
Car Installments to the Bank - Republic Bank (Barclay's), Royal Bank of Canada, Scotia Bank
Mortgage
Health Insurance - Sagicor, Algico, Guardian Life, etc
BIR - Board of Inland Revenue
NIB - National Insurance Board

These are the bills that are paid otherwise, and if you rent, it can either make or break you:
Water Rates - every three months (WASA)
Electricity Bill - every two months (T&TEC)
Car insurance - every year
Land Tax - Every year

Compared to North America and Europe these are quite cheap. We don't have to pay heating and oil costs, and our homes are built from a lot less materials. For example, a typical caribbean home in the early 20th Century was built out of quarry stone (river stone), red brick, wood (mahogany, pine, teak, green heart, purple heart, etc), mud (these were plastered to a wood foundation and painted) galvanize/tin roof, and depending on the wealth of the owner, a slated roof made of various stones.

Today, the average home in the caribbean consists of materials like red brick, concrete brick, some wood (bathroom, kitchen counters, furniture), PVC pipes (water systems and waste removal systems), etc. What was interesting is that new homes are no longer built with a soakaway. A soakaway in the Caribbean is usually a hole about 6 feet or more deep, with some large stones and then some small stones, or is it the other way around? Somewhere, the explanation is that when the waste comes from the toilet, it goes into the soakaway area where it is broken down naturally by the earth. Now we have plastic sewer tanks, I am not sure if that is a new building code requirement. In addition, there are more sewer truck presence, especially in my area, and around Port of Spain.

In the early 20th Century, most homes had an outside latrine far away from the house, sometimes it was up a hill (I really want to know why? I can think of a thousand reasons why this was a really bad idea), and when you wanted to go, you had to light a candle, and I am guessing that during those times, with folklore like Lagahoo (local werewolf) and Papa Bois (local satyr), you really had to be brave to go out there alone. Later, with the advent of electricity, many latrines were fitted with electric bulbs, even to this day. I used one a couple years ago... on a hill... it was rickety... wooden and old... and I was so scared, that everything happened quickly. On some of the smaller islands off the North-West coast of Trinidad and down south inland, there are still some of the original homes, latrine and all. I am going to have to get a picture, because the internet does not have what it looked like in the tropics.

Ok, I sort of went off-topic, and I forgot what I was going to say.

Right.

In the US I found that they pay bills every single month, the State of New York
Car Insurance
Car installments
Property Tax
Health Insurance (Medicare?)
Mortgage
Electricity
Fire Insurance
Water Rates
Heating Rates (for winter months)
Sewer Bill (yep, when you go to the toilet)
Then if you don't really keep at the top of your game, you can be cited for violations, like: Health, Environmental Control Board, etc.
And some more bills

One time, in New York, I guy I knew ran a red light, he thought he would not be found, after all, Brooklyn is home to millions of inhabitants. Just to be sure, he skipped town for sometime. Later, when he opened a special envelope on his return home, there he was in a series of pictures, speeding from a red light, wheels a-blazin', and he was summoned to appear in court. Once, I witnessed nine cars, two panel vans, an SUV, a truck hauling a 20 ft trailer, and a motorcycle, running past a red light. Who is going to find and summon these "drivers" here?

While it seems that we get away with almost anything here, I must admire large countries and continents like the USA and Europe and Australia, who have to keep at the top of their game in the best way they can to keep law and order, because like my 'run-the-red-light-friend', I don't know who else would take the time and track down a few errant drivers. Maybe, that is why they have so much bills to pay? I don't know.

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte

Thinking about many things...

One thing I cant figure out is harmonizing this design, I am so confused I can't figure it out! Meh!

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte

Returning to Strong Emotions

Why do we return to the very things that upsets us? When you bring it up, you bring back the emotions, and the pain. Sometimes its better to let them lie and die... really.

In more positive news...

I am not one for lending out books, but I may have to practice. My sister's friend loaned me a book:

Justice by Dominic Dunne. It is fantastic, beautifully written and I can't get enough! So much goes on behind the scenes of the rich, famous and the truly blinging! I won't say more, but it certainly feels good to turn paper pages rather than turn iPads!

Anyway, get it its worth the price!

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte

I heart New York - Real thing

I was looking through some images I took in NYC, trying to imagine the smells, sights and lights. It was a lovely experience, though it my not happen again, I'd again  love to see/feel what being a New Yorker is all about. Its one of those places I personally feel you must visit before you die... oh and bring lots of money, trust me you will need it... and always, always have your Metrocard, it will be the most valuable piece of plastic you will ever own there.

Church Avenue

If you must know I believe it is the Q train to Manhattan

A poster I made, it is VOID!

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte

Last year, we went up North Coast Road which is a couple of minutes away from where I live. From there you can see most of Diego Martin and some of Westmorings.

Unfortunately, greed is driving Trini's mad, and they seek to hoard the everything for themselves. What we saw before in 2006, can no longer be seen now. Fortunately, I have some shots, its not really going to make a difference, because even if I shot raw, there was not much I could do, the area is being spoiled by crappy houses. Sigh.

Petit Valley on your left, and Diego Martin on your right.

Sad. I had to shoot this pic between a crappy house, that was not there before.

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte

Your Moment and Interview

What better time to start the week than with an interview! On CafféLatté magazine, there will be a monthly new feature called Your Moment & interview#.  This is where I scour Trinidad & Tobago for interesting folks who do interesting stuff, and love what they are doing!

For the month of January 2012, I have Shelly-Anne who is the Owner and Chief Baker of Simply Edible. We went to high/secondary school together, and with the almost invaluable Facebook (networking site), we have been in constant contact! It seems almost overnight Simply Edible took off, and soon, Shelly-Anne was baking custom ordered desserts. As a result, the feedback was remarkable and folks were raving for Simply Edible goodies. I "simply" had to interview this entrepreneur who also lives in my hometown!

Q: Briefly, what is the name and nature of your business

A: The name of the business is Simply Edible,Trinidad W.I. The nature of my business is catering desserts and custom cakes and cupcakes for any event.

Q: What is your current state of mind right now?

A: Excitement!

Q: I saw your website and your delicious treats, who/what influenced you to start baking?

A: My brothers came into my life unexpectedly due to my parents divorce. I had to find the means to balance the bills with my husband. Everyone used to rave over my food, so I thought of the options that I could venture into as I was pregnant with my second daughter at the time. Then, I started baking breads and cooking box lunches for support to put food on the table. Since then it has been a whirlwind of non-stop goodies.

Q: Your creative cake art is excellent, did you go to classes to learn how to do it.

A: The only courses that have helped me in my cake design, were CXC* Art as well as Graphic Design which I did as a Certificate Course. Everything from mixing colors and blending ideas has come from that. As for learning how to create fondant characters, it is all freehand and the more work I get the more I improve.

Q: Do you have a favourite cake design?

A: Wow that’s a tough one. If I had to choose one I would have to say it would be the Finding Nemo theme cake.

Q:What is your favourite cake flavour?

A: My favourite cake flavour is Banana. 

Q: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

A: I see myself in a small store front for my company.

Q: What would be the best event to happen in your life as a baker?

A: Wow, there have been so many blessings to come my way. The best event thus far would be having a photographer use my cupcakes as subjects for their photography. It was wonderful to see how they put together everything and made it into a piece of art.

Q: Apart from your baking, what are your other hidden talents?

A: Hmm, that would have to say dabbling in photography by taking photos of the desserts I make.

Q: As an entrepreneur, who/what will be your ideal client?

A: I think my customers are far more intriguing to me over any famous/local talent. I meet so many characters on a day to day basis and I get to share in their special moments each year as their family grows. That is what makes me happy.

Q: When you are working, what type of music do you listen to, and whom?

A: When I am doing assembly line work I tend to listen to Soca or any live tempo music to keep the energy going. No specific artistes.

Q: If you have a comment for CafféLatté magazine, what would it be?

A: Keep up the amazing work!

Thank you Shelly-Anne and Keep on truckin'!

# See here for Allenoel's interview in November

* Caribbean Examinations Council now called, Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE)

2012©Lisa Marie Bonaparte

Simple Quotes

Some of us simply talk too much. Locally, we call it "Run yuh mouth!" I will give it a science name Runyomouitis. It is a term used to describe a condition that affects the majority of us. It can happen in happy or angry moments. However, I think it would be best used for sad moments, because talking out your problems can help you.


The following is some quotes I found on the internet. They are pretty simple to understand and they don't take up much space. Some of them are pretty hilarious. I am starting off with one of my most favourite persons, Eleanor Roosevelt. She may not be a beauty queen, but in my book she can win the crown on brains, bravery, and loyalty. I am referring to the the person Eleanor Roosevelt, and not the politics.


In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.
Eleanor Roosevelt


I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Maya Angelou


We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot.
Eleanor Roosevelt


We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don’t know.
W.H. Auden


Hollywood is the only place you can wake up in the morning and hear the birds coughing in the trees.
Joe Frisco


She doesn’t not understand the concept of Roman numerals. She thought we just fought World War Eleven.
Joan Rivers


Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at it destination full of hope.
Maya Angelou


Everyone should be respected as an individual, but no one idolized.
Albert Einstein


It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.
Confucius

It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.
Maya Angelou


Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Confucius



Hating people because of their color is wrong. And it doesn't matter which color does the hating. It's just plain wrong.
Muhammad Ali



And no, we don't know where it will lead. We just know there's something much bigger than any of us here.
Steve Jobs



Taken from Wikipedia: 
When a well-known Washington senator was discovered to have been having an affair with a young woman less than half his age, Alice Roosevelt Longworth (italics ours) quipped, "You can't make a soufflé rise twice."



There are so many quotes in the world, and there is only so much CafféLatté magazine can put. I hope these have perked you up in some way.


2012©LisaMarieBonaparte