I have a confession. I roll out late. The fete was to begin at midnight. Judging from the crowd I met there, people arrived at midnight. I showed up....later.
Well, one benefit of a late arrival is that people are definitely in the mood for a great time by the time you reach...and the dance floor is on fire. We were at the Grand Palms Resort for a DJ party catering to a grown-up predominantly Trini crowd. I hope I blended in! Probably not....After all, patrons were meant to wear Black and White and I had on RED...go figure.
I wasn't the only not Trini in the house. I had the pleasure of meeting Mario Zamora, a Miami-based business man, originally from the Dominican Republic who sits on the board of Broward Carnival. I have to hand it to him. Mr. Meringue definitely knows how to keep pace when it comes to soca
I started really having a great time when Back to Basics started playing some back in times chunes. It was very hot inside the hotel, but that didn't dampen the spirits one bit!
Back to Basics bringing the musical sugar
Kudos to whoever coordinated the whole bar set-up. There were ample stations to get watered, the line-ups were short and quick, and the drinks were mixed well...from all reports. I just had two...not that you're counting.
Great party. For a little icing on the cake...I got to meet Ghetto Flex. I interviewed him about a year and a half back for WE Magazine. It was over the phone since he was in Trinidad and I in Toronto at the time. It was nice chat, we both discovered that we share Vincy parentage...which for some reason is like a bonding experience or something! Ghetto currently has a video on Canadian TV with a Toronto-based Rap artist.
Ghetto Flex and the Nurse...this picture makes me laugh aloud.
About 4 am, the posse made a move to Miami for the International Flag Party. Um...yeah...late, right. In this case too late. We were parked up on the causeway listening to Machel's set. At the end of the fete Giselle the Wassi One announces that HD was the last act...and party done.
Giselle de Wassi One, and Yours Truly at a party called F.R.I.E.N.D.S (the next night)
To most people reading, there would be no complaints if a fetes wraps at 5 am, right? Well...Miami wasn't having that. IFP was scheduled to end at 10 in the morning. They announced that tickets would be honoured at the next Trini South Boyz Sovavivor event. That seemed like a good plan. But what I didn't know then, is that the gate people collected tickets from all patrons on their way in. hmmm....sticky!
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