National Gallery of Jamaica Christmas Cards

The National Gallery of Jamaica has once again produced Christmas Cards showcasing Jamaican Art. Please support them by giving Christmas cards from The National Gallery of Jamaica to your family members and friends this Christmas. Ho Ho Ho!

For more information, please contact:

Tiffany Martin
Gift Shop Manager
National Gallery of Jamaica
12 Ocean Blvd. Kingston Mall. Kingston.
Tel: (876) 922-1561/3/4. Fax: (876) 922-8544
Email: National.Gallery@cwjamaica.com
Website: http://www.galleryjamaica.com/

Every country is great, especially Jamaica.

Bonita Jamaica
Beautiful Place. Amazing People.

See you in Jamaica.

Connections, By Ian Forrest

Ian Forrest, a Jamaican from the Parish of St. Mary, has an awesome radio show on WBAI 99.5 FM, Your Peace and Justice Community Radio, based in New York City, USA. The show is called Connections and is aired 3:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. on alternate Monday mornings. The last show was on October 13, 2008, so please do the math for future shows.

The October 13, 2008 show starts with a musical journey called "The Musical Connection" (3:00 a.m. – 4:00 a.m.), with sounds of the Caribbean street, featuring the late, great, Alton Ellis (reggae artiste who died recently). Then the show moves into "The Extended Play" (4:00 a.m. – 5 a.m.), where former Jamaican First Lady, Beverly Anderson Manley, reads from her latest work, The Manley Memoirs. Then in the final hour "The Here and There" (5-6am), current and topical issues within the Caribbean and Caribbean-American communities were discussed.

You can either stream or download the show by clicking the links below. For more information on WBAI 99.5 FM visit: www.WBAI.org

Connections: Stream it
Connections: Download it

To view the archived programs on WBAI 99.5 FM visit: http://Archive.WBAI.org

Big up Ian Forrest. Keep doing you thing and keep the Jamaican flag flying sky high. Bim!

Then God made Jamaica, REVERED.

Bonita Jamaica
Beautiful Place. Amazing People.

See you in Jamaica.

The 9th Annual Epicurean Escape

The Epicurean Escape is a very special food (yum yum) festival that is hosted annually by Grand Lido Negril, the perfect resort. This year saw the festival celebrating its ninth year. And what a celebration it was. Five days (June 25 – 29, 2008) of food festivities being presided over by some of the world’s finest chefs.

Many celebrities, dignitaries, students, guests, media houses, and food fans converged upon Grand Lido Negril, the perfect resort, to eat, party, relax, and then eat again. Our favorite events were the cooking classes, the beach party, the grand gala banquet, and the cook-off (cooking competition). So many treats, so little time.

Special thanks to the management and staff of Grand Lido Negril, the perfect resort, for hosting such an awesome world-class food festival. You did Jamaica proud, yet again.

Cooking Class - Day 1

Corporate Executive Chef Michele Mazza, of Il Mulino (Restaurant in New York City, USA), with guest/volunteer while teaching a cooking class

Welcome Cocktail Party - Night 1

Robert Pelliccia, General Manager of Grand Lido Negril, welcomes everyone and officially opens the 2008 Epicurean Escape


Cheryl Moore (left), Entertainment Manager (Grand Lido Negril), talks with Norma Shirley (right), Executive Chef / Owner of Norma On The Terrace (restaurant in Jamaica)


Jose Riquelme (left), Corporate Chef of Sunset Jamaica Grande (Ocho Rios, Jamaica), talks with Sharon Parris-Chambers from Positive Tourism


Treats, Grand Lido Negril style

Beach Party

Robert Pelliccia (left), General Manager of Grand Lido Negril, opens the beach party, with Ginger (right), Entertainment Coordinator


Beach party fun


Beach party fun


Beach party fun


Beach party fun

Grand Terrazza (Dinner Party) - Night 2

Gran Terrazza party fun


Gran Terrazza party fun


Hugabe (group/band) rocking the Gran Terrazza party


Gran Terrazza party fun


Gran Terrazza party fun


Gran Terrazza party fun


Gran Terrazza party fun


Gran Terrazza party fun

The Cook Off (Cooking Contest) - Day 3

Jean-Francois Bonnet (right), Executive Pastry Chef of Tumbador Chocolates, New York City, USA, and his wife (left)


Melvin Toledo (right), Executive Chef of Posh Restaurant, Atlanta, USA, and his partner (left).


Michele Mazza, Corporate Executive Chef of Il Mulino (Restaurant in New York City)


The heat is on...


Students look on as the competition picks up...


Sharon Parris-Chambers from Positive Tourism getting that interview


Adding a pinch of salt...


The heat is on...


Michael Price (CVM TV News, Jamaica) interviewing Suzanne McManus, Vice President Public Relations (SuperClubs)


The heat is on...


Grace coconut milk, the world's finest coconut milk


The heat is on...


The heat is on...


The three Judges


One of the Judges sampling...


Staff members and onlookers


Gal Kotzer (right), Executive Chef of Grand Lido Negril, talking with Jean-Francois Bonnet (left), Executive Pastry Chef of Tumbador Chocolates, New York City, USA


Chef clowning around...


Efisio Farris, Executive Chef of Arcodoro (restuarant), Houston, Texas, USA, clowning around with partner


Jean-Francois Bonnet (right), Executive Pastry Chef of Tumbador Chocolates, New York City, USA, clowning around...


And the winners are Jean-Francois Bonnet (right), Executive Pastry Chef of Tumbador Chocolates, New York City, USA, and his wife (left)

Photo Galleries
The 9th Annual Epicurean Escape Photo Gallery 1
The 9th Annual Epicurean Escape Photo Gallery 2
The 9th Annual Epicurean Escape Photo Gallery 3
The 9th Annual Epicurean Escape Photo Gallery 4

For more information on Grand Lido Negril and on the Epicurean Escape, please visit: www.GrandLidoNegril.com

Every country is great, especially Jamaica.

Bonita Jamaica
Beautiful Place. Amazing People.

See you in Jamaica.

Stonelove Sound in Concert, Jamaica 1994

Stonelove Sound has been in the sound system business for over 35 years. They know dancehall reggae and they are dangerous in combat (sound clash). They have been a model for sound systems all over the world. Today, there are a zillion sound systems all over the world, from Turkey to Chile. All these sound systems are doing a great job in spreading dancehall reggae music all over the world. Big up all sound (they know what we mean). Yeah man!

Find out more about some of these sound systems by visiting the Dancehall Reggae Sound Systems Network. You are going to be surprised by the many places in the world that have thriving dancehall reggae sound systems.

Find it here: Dancehall Reggae Sound Systems Network

p.s. - Big up the Wray & Nephew calendar. Straight! Wray & Nephew makes the greatest white rum in the world. Google them. Bim!

It's beautiful to be revered (Jamaica).

Bonita Jamaica
Beautiful Place. Amazing People.

See you in Jamaica.

The Dignitary Badge (Jamaica)

Carry it in your wallet and present it where ID cards are requested. Bim!

The Dignitary Badge Photo Gallery

Then God made Jamaica, REVERED.

Bonita Jamaica
Beautiful Place. Amazing People.

See you in Jamaica.

RIP Alton Ellis (Dead at 70)

Alton Ellis, the smooth Jamaican singer and songwriter known as the Godfather of Rock Steady, died early Saturday morning (local time) in London. He was 70 and had lived in Middlesex, England, for nearly two decades.

The cause was multiple myeloma, a form of bone cancer, said his business manager, Trish De Rosa.

Starting in the 1950s, Mr. Ellis helped lay the foundations of the Jamaican recording industry, singing songs that would profoundly influence global pop music.

Read on here: The New York Times

Every country is great, especially Jamaica.

Bonita Jamaica
Beautiful Place. Amazing People.

See you in Jamaica.

Chelsie White for Bonita Jamaica

Every country is great, especially Jamaica.

Bonita Jamaica
Beautiful Place. Amazing People.

See you in Jamaica.