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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Updated info from Ms. Niecy's Custom Mas Footwear

I told you guys about Niecy in this post and this post...here's an update, but as always check her Facebook group page for the most current info.  Also check her out on Twitter!

From Niecy:
FOR THE TNT 2K11 CARNIVAL SEASON:

A DEPOSIT OF $25.00 IS DUE ON ALL ORDERS.

THE BALANCE MUST BE PAID UPON PICK UP. ALL DEPOSITS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

ORDERS PLACED AFTER FEBRUARY 1ST, 2011 WILL BE CHARGED A $35.00 LATE FEE. 

IF U WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE YOUR DESIGN, YOU WILL BE CHARGED AN ADDITIONAL $30.00 PLUS THE COST OF ANY EXTRA MATERIALS (IF MATERIALS MUST BE REPLACED). NO CHANGES CAN BE MADE TO EXISTING ORDERS 2 WEEKS BEFORE SCHEDULED PICKUP DATE.

PICK UPS WILL BEGIN ON FEBRUARY 1ST, 2011.

PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL/VOICEMAIL/TEXT MESSAGES FOR PICKUP LOCATIONS AND TIMES AS WELL AS PERIODIC UPDATES. 

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BOOTS AND DO NOT HAVE A PAIR, HERE ARE SOME WEBSITES THAT OFFER INEXPENSIVE OPTIONS. (I RECOMMEND YOU ORDER A SIZE BIGGER THAN YOUR FOOT FOR MAXIMUM COMFORT).

For narrow size 5 - 10:
HTTP://WWW.SHIEKHSHOES.COM/
HTTP://WWW.SHOEOCEAN.COM/
HTTP://WWW.AMICLUBWEAR.COM/
HTTP://WWW.BAREFEETSHOES.COM/
HTTP://WWW.GOJANE.COM/
HTTP://WWW.PAYLESS.COM/

For wide width feet and/or extremely wide calf:HTTP://WWW.TORRID.COM/
HTTP://WWW.AVENUE.COM/
HTTP://WWW.PAYLESS.COM/


Ms. Niecy's Custom Mas Footwear
Contact info: 347-458-2733, msniecymasfootwear@gmail.com


GROUP RATES:
a) $60.00 per person – Spray paint color of your choice (make selection above), rhinestones and feathers.
b) $80.00 per person – Spray paint color of your choice (make selection above), rhinestones, feathers, glass bead fringe and feathers. 
c) $95.00 per person – The works (all choices provided if it applies to your costume

Ms. Niecy's Custom Mas Footwear
Contact info: 347-458-2733, msniecymasfootwear@gmail.com
Thank you for your support... SEE YOU ON DE ROAD! 

In an email, please send:

1) Your name

2) Contact #

3) Band and Section name

4) Large pics of the costume (preferably with close ups of the waistband and headpiece)

5) The carnival you will need footwear for (i.e. Labor Day, Boston, Grenada, Trinidad, etc.)

6) A list of the embellishments that you will like to see on the boot.

7) The grand total (including the mandatory service charge of $5.00 for sneakers/low sandals/booties ($10.00 for high boots/high sandals)
As far as payment is concerned, you have the option of:

A) Dropping your footwear and payment off to me at a location of your choice...

B) Mailing the footwear and paying via paypal- my address will be provided to you via email.

If you do not have footwear and are ordering online, order a size bigger to ensure that they will fit, and have them shipped directly to me.

RECEIPTS WILL BE GIVEN/MAILED BACK AND SIGNED BY ME FOR ALL MONIES RECEIVED (IF PAID ELECTRONICALLY, PLEASE PRINT YOUR RECEIPT)

2) There is a deposit of $25.00 required on all orders unless otherwise discussed.

3) There are absolutely no refunds.

4) Changes made to footwear after job is complete will result in a $30.00 charge in addition to the complete balance that must be paid at pickup.

5) The full balance must be paid upon pickup.



ALL DOWNPAYMENTS WILL NOW BE MADE VIA PAYPAL:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=A9EZHK4N8ZBTW

Balance for merchandise can either be paid in person with cash or via paypal (invoice will be emailed to you with pay now link).

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Got big feet and a small pocket? Carnival boots up to size 13, $34.99 on sale now!

There are sites that have big sizes, like Torrid, but they tend to have extra wide calves as well and if you're like me with slim calves (or even normal ones), those boots are going to be falling off your legs.  But, maybe you're not Paris Hilton and don't feel because your foot big you should spend $100 on boots you lucky if you get to wear for longer than a day or two!

In that case, one option is Payless, which is having a sale on boots in various colours, and best of all they go up to size 13, AND they should be available in stores for you to try on before you buy, unlike many online shoe sites.  Below are my picks based on looks, note I am not endorsing quality or anything of the boots, just how they look, and the fact that they are readily available up to size 13, in regular and wide widths, and in regular and (for at least one style) extended calves!


extended calf version








In addition, until tomorrow, October 27, 2010, Payless is giving an extra $5 off any online purchases of $25 or more!

Don't forget to protect and comfort your feet on the road with inserts (both insoles and heel cushions) for those boots.  Walmart has them for men and women, and I am sure the men's will go up to a larger size than the women's.  Check out Dr. Scholl's and other options here.

Dr. Scholl's gel heel cushions

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Bike Bible: Everything a first time motorcycle rider needs to know about getting into riding!

The question was asked and I answered with such detail I think it's best I preserve the answer as its own blog post.  Because anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE bikes!

Lessons:
http://online2.msf-usa.org/msf/Default.aspx


Bikes:
First of all if you want to die or end up looking very ugly with road rash (the burns) and something broken or something between your legs sliced open...get the Busa.

If you want to actually do things the normal way, start smaller and work your way up. The first bike is never the last bike, so don't think you have to get THE bike of your dreams NOW NOW NOW.

My dream bike is a Yamaha R1 Raven...but I'm nowhere near it yet.

You're SUPPOSE to start on a 250 (and the motorcycle courses provide the bikes for you to train in the course on, they are tiny --cc wise-- cruisers). But no higher than a 600, and not one of the TWITCHY 600s that easily wheelie when you don't want to, either.

Kawasaki Ninja 250:


My first bike,and one of the ones recommended by bigger/older heads than me:
Yamaha YZF 600R:


Another guy I use to ride with had the blue one of that ^^^ solid bike, and looks good too.

Suzuki SV650 (a next guy had this one and he rode/stunted the life out of it!):


You COULD if you want get a Suzuki Katana but that thing is a dinosaur and is as HEAVY as one! So I say don't...


I am partial to Yamahas so I recommend that one.

GEAR. Don't even ride the bike til you buy the gear, and when planning how much you can spend to buy a bike the GEAR and the INSURANCE need to be part of your budget!

You need a SNELL & DOT (not just DOT--Dept of Transportation) approved helmet!

Arai is the best!


HJC and Scorpion are the next most popular ones far as I can tell. I had two HJC, a CL-some-number Fuse and a Dragon. (The helmets all have hype names, like Arai made one I liked called a Corsair, but just pick a colour scheme to match your bike and you good).

You need a THICK (I forget the millimeters you should look for, I think 3mm or thicker) LEATHER jacket. And you can get one that has mesh to breathe but leather at the joints, but if you can only afford one, get the leather. Either one should have ARMOR inside it at elbows and some kind of extra cushioning along your back/spine. You can buy a spine protector too but I find guys use that to look sexy and have all their skin out a door except for the spine protector...so don't bother try look cool cause them other guys probly riding longer than you or see a casket they love somewhere and want to be in it. Buy the leather!

ALPINESTARS and DAINESE are the best! And theirs are usually track-quality leathers that zip with the pants so you when you ready to race on the track (don't need to be professional to do that, just pay for a track day) you are already ready. (A lot of people, including me, use Teknic jackets with no problems)



You need leather motorcycle PANTS especially when you are NEW. Most people skip them after a while except for long rides or track days, but when you are new is when you are most likely to fall off...you want to wear the rookie scars forever? Alpinestars or Dainese again. I got Alpinestars track quality pants with the knee pucks (and heard I was kneedragging sometimes going around curves but lol that wasn't on purpose). This should also have armor over your knee and hip joints.

You need excellent leather MOTORCYCLE BOOTS. Alpinestars is all I recommend and the only one I wore. They sound loud and squeaky like I don't know what, which was kind of embarrassing, but I could go down any day and not twist off my ankle...foot bones are hardest to heal from don't play with this... they have "cool" looking motorcycle boots too but for a beginner I say your first year at least you need to be in proper boots. Longer if you actually care whether you walk or not. 


You need HIGH quality GLOVES. Preferably the gauntlet style that comes down on your forearms. If you go down (fall off the bike) the first instinct is to put your palm out to break your fall...you don't want some cheap ting ripping and then your skin tearing. I went down slow speed in some cheaper Icon Pursuit gloves and the thing ripped in one palm right away. I was lucky my palm only scraped a little bit, but that was less than 30mph! Next time I got the nice solid gauntlets like I should have had...

Other things you need to know:

1. Take the MSF course.

2. PASS the MSF course.

3. Get the endorsement on your license

4. Get a bike + gear + INSURANCE that is inside your budget, so check out how much it would be to INSURE a certain bike before you buy! I didn't repeat this one by accident!

5. WEAR the gear. 

6. Learn how to strap your helmet on CORRECTLY. I see nuff eediat out there wearing the helmet half azzed and first thing as dem crash, dat ting going to fly off dem head. 

7. The helmet is not going to protect your head if you strap it to your bike and ride off. Yes, nuff people do this, and it's stupid.

8. Find a large parking lot or other paved area that has times in the day it's empty, and practice practice practice everything you learned in the MSF course...especially at SLOW speed because that is when the bike's balance is harder to maintain! Friction zone, figure 8s, U-TURNS (both times I dropped my bike, was U-turns, one to the right and one to the left...that second one though was at night and I went over a hump in the road I didn't see, it sent me wide and I dropped...and wished I had worn my leather pants cause my knee got bruised...again at slow speed!)

9. Ride BY YOURSELF for the first 3 months at LEAST. There is a pack mentality that takes over when you are with a group and feel that pressure to keep up, and it makes you go past your skill level.

10. Don't ride with every and anybody when you start doing group rides...some people are more dangerous to ride with than your bike will ever be, avoid them.

11. Figure out what you plan to do and practice doing it somewhere safe! Don't try to stunt in the middle of traffic...practice somewhere isolated and wait for shows or appropriate times or places. Same things with racing...at least wait for open deserted country roads and not a weekday in the middle of city traffic!

12. DO NOT TAKE PASSENGERS until you have ridden by yourself for a good while, like at least 6 months! They are often BAD with following directions, and they MOVE around right when you need to do something important! They change the amount of force needed to move the bike off, and the amount needed to bring the bike to a stop, and that can mess you UP if you not ready for it. If girls ask learn to say no. Tell them you don't have an extra helmet and jacket and you don't ride passengers without one. I use to just tell guys (and the occasional weird GIRL who still wanted a ride even after she found out it's a girl's bike she was looking at) straight up I just don't ride passengers. I didn't take a passenger til nearly a year of riding...

13. Sometimes braking is exactly what will make you go down. I saved myself from a HIGH speed crash once by GIVING IT GAS and holding my position still on the bike. Especially going around a curve or if someone is about to change lanes into you and you didn't check recently what's behind you! Slowing down too suddenly in a curve will make you drop the bike...either hold the speed you have and lean harder into the curve, or be willing to let the bike go and jump off. If someone changing lanes you can see ahead of you right away, it takes time to check behind you cause you need to turn your head, so speeding up out of their way can save you.

14. Be ready to let GO of the bike and let it crash if it's going down...that way it won't fall on one of your legs. The first time i went down I felt it going down and didn't save it. I scratched my fairing (and they are expensive!!!) but the bike was fine. The 2nd time, i tried to save the bike, and me AND it went down with it still between my legs, hence the bruised knee.  Oh, and the reason my ANKLES didn't feel a thing is because of my Alpinestars motorcycle boots!

15. Everybody goes down at some point, so if you only riding if you DON'T fall of, you will stop riding eventually, or don't bother starting. I did and I lived past it, and I have a friend who got a testicle split when a woman in an SUV left turned in front of him, and he still rides! I also know of someone who got a criss bike and not even 2 weeks in was trying to stunt like one of my friends who had been riding since he was a baby, and has parents who ride...and that guy's bike 12 o'clocked on him, threw him off, slammed from one side to the next, and threw up SPARKS from the tail as it skidded cross the pavement. His skin got road rash so bad it scraped down to the meat, and that was traumatizing for me to LOOK at and pour the rest of my drinking water on trying to wash the gravel and dirt out of it, I don't know what that felt like for him. But he was being STUPID.

16. Learn how to pick your bike up off the ground BEFORE it drops out in public on you! You don't want to find out when you out on the road in traffic that you dropped your bike and have to wait on someone to help you get it up! I didn't take my bike out til I could put it (gently) on its side and lift it up by myself. I turned my back to the kickstand side, one hand on the sissy bar by the passenger seat and one hand by the handlebar, and while in a squat but kind of leaning on it, pushed up with my LEGS and once it was almost straight up, balanced it against my hip so I could change positions and throw my leg over.

Trinidad Fete Tickets blog responds on fete ticket pricing

So after the blog I just wrote on Trinidad Fete Tickets and their 2011 Trinidad Carnival schedule of events, I emailed them about the pricing (thought I could maybe find out totals, but not yet). Below is their response.  Good luck and don't hitch, I have read in more than one location that Valsayn Sanctuary fete, for example, is nearly impossible to get into!  I assume that is if you try to wait a while to reserve, so don't think that the fete lineup and deposits being released before prices are even final is some kind of accident, get MOVING!
TRIBE Ignite

From Trinidad Fete Tickets:
Thank you for contacting Trinidad Fete Tickets.

Please see the following information that should address your question.

Note:  The schedule we have provided in this email only lists the  events we supply tickets to.

TICKET PURCHASES:
In order to make a deposit/purchase for your selected events, please go to the site www.trinidadfetetickets.com and select your events and insert your ticket quantities from the two available fete drop down lists - (all inclusive / general -vip)
These can be locate in the column located on the right hand side of the site.

All payments are processed via Pay Pal which accepts most major debit and credit cards.


GENERAL INFORMATION


Please Click here for the Frequently Asked Question guide so you can make the most out of the site and service.

TFT Fete Tickets Event List 

The following is a list of the fetes/events T.F.T will be providing tickets for in 2011.
These days and dates are not guaranteed and are subject to changes, etc by the relevant promoters.  Please use them as a guideline only.  Confirmations on days/dates/times as per the usual each year will be provided closer to the event - generally 2-3 weeks prior, the same applies to the final official cost of tickets.


ALL INCLUSIVE
Salybia - Thursday 3rd March 2011 (2pm)
Beach House - Thursday 3rd March 2011(2pm)
Sunny Side Up - Sunday 6th March 2011  (4am)
Dancing in the Sanctuary - Sunday 6th March 2011  (2pm)
Lara - Sunday 6th March 2011 (2pm)


REGULAR EVENTS
Eyes Wide Shut  - Tuesday 1st March 2011 (9pm)
SOS Dutch Party - Wednesday 2nd March 2011 (9pm)
Blue Range Cooler Fete - Friday 4th March 2011 (7pm)
Girl Power - Friday 4th March 2011 (9pm)
Insomnia - Saturday 5th March 2011 (11pm)
Dawn  -  Sunday 5th March 2011 (1 am)


Should you need any further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely
TFT Communications Team
EMAIL: islandcarnival@gmail.com or trinidadfetetickets@gmail.com
MOBILE: +44 781 118 6566, (TT number to be advised in 2011)
SKYPE: trinidad.fete.tickets (skype i.d) (SKYPE button also on website)
WEB SITE: www.trinidadfetetickets.com
FREE VOICE MAIL: if you use the Google Talk service, you can leave us a voice mail via that programme.
Salybia

Who seh FETE? The Trinidad Carnival 2011 schedule of events has arrived!

Thanks to the Islandmix poster who made me aware of this!

From the Trinidad Fete Tickets blog site comes the 2011 schedule of events, including, of course, FETES!  The last major part of the carnival planning left for you/your group to sort out! (Because I KNOW at this late stage of the game with only FOUR MONTHS left to go, you have already gotten airfare, housing, and costume out the way, right? RIGHT? hm!)

The entire schedule is there, and you should check THEIR site for the most current version of events going forward, but since I'm excited about the March events, I am copying and pasting here courtesy of the Trinidad Fete Tickets blog:


******MARCH 2011******

Tuesday 1st March 2011

* Eyes Wide Shut – Queens Park Oval – 9pm
* Zante – Macqueripe Rd, Chaguaramas – 4pm

Wednesday 2nd March 2011
* S.O.S. -Dutch Inclusive (La Flor)– The Anchorage 
* Bacchanal Wednesday

Thursday 3rd March 2011
* Beach House – All-Inclusive – 2pm -8pm
* Escape to the Sanctuary – All-Inclusive Salybia – 11am 

* TRIBE Ignite – Venue to be announced - 9pm
* UWI Splash - Chaguaramas
* New night time fete - more info soon

Friday 4th March 2011

* Island People Girl Power – 9pm
* Privilege ‘RISE’ – All-Inclusive – Moka, Maraval – 9pm
* Blue Range Cooler Fete – Diego Martin - 9pm
* Break Biche -2pm 
* Soca Monarch Finals

Saturday 5th March 2011
* PANORAMA FINALS - 7pm (steelband competition finals)
* Trini Posse Fete – Bowen Marine Hanger, Chaguaramas
* Island Style INSOMNIA – Midnight
* Dawn, Sunrise In The City – Jenny’s Car Park - 2am 

* Lions – All-Inclusive – Lions Civic Centre (Port of Spain)

Sunday 6th March 2011

* D’Original Breakfast Party – Diamond Vale, Diego Martin – 3am
* Mania 2010 – Free Drinks - Country Club – 10pm
* Sunny Side Up Breakfast Party – Palm Avenue West, Petit Valley – 4am
* Dancing In the Sanctuary – All-Inclusive - Windsor Road, Valsayn – 11am
* Brian Lara – All-Inclusive – Chancellor Hill, Queen’s Park West – 2pm 

 * Harvard Club All-Inclusive Fete – Harvard Club, St. James – 4pm
* Is Just A Fete (TASA) – Queen’s Hall, Port-of-Spain
* Cotton Tree Foundation – All-Inclusive – Spanish Acres
* DIMANCHE GRAS - calypso finals, king & queen of bands costume finals

CARNIVAL MONDAY 7th MARCH 2011

*Various pre-J'ouvert fetes - 2am
* J’Ouvert (4am)
* Parade of the Bands - bands meet at various locations at approximately 11am
Major Viewing areas & Judging points: Adam Smith Square, Downtown –South Quay, Piccadilly on the Greens, Queen’s Park South.

* Monday Night Mas - St James & Woodbrook (8pm)



CARNIVAL TUESDAY 8th MARCH 2011

* Parade of the Bands- bands meet at various locations at approximately 7:00am
Major Viewing areas & Judging points: Adam Smith Square, Downtown –South Quay, Piccadilly on the Greens, Queen’s Park South.

* Pan Trinbago Pan on the Road – Victoria Square and Downtown Port of Spain
* Pan Trinbago Las’ Lap – Western Main Rd, St James

 * Various Las Lap fetes/events


Read more: http://trinidadfetetickets.blogspot.com/2009/10/t-carnival-fete-listing-2010-tentative.html#ixzz13JI7Nyqw
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
Aaaaaaaaaand WE'RE OFF! Tell a friend!  Start planning which fetes you going to and getting the fete budget ready!

DISCLAIMER! *images courtesy of the sources noted on the pics, via Google Images!* 
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