Tonight sees the start of the Respect Jamaica 50^th concerts in celebration of Jamaica’s 50th independence and over the next 12 days London’s IndigO2 will host some of the most iconic reggae, ska and dub artiste from Jamaica. The Complexd team and me are excited about covering tomorrow night’s performance headlined by Grammy award-winning artist Damian Marley alongside his brothers Stephen and Julian Marley. Keep posted on my diary for updates.

Complexd’s Contributing Writer Heike Dempster based in Miami recently watched Damian Marley’s passionate performance at Reggae Sumfest 2012, the largest music festival in Jamaica and here’s what she had to say about the exciting week of performances from national and international artiste there.

Reggae Sumfest 2012 in Montego Bay, Jamaica had a lot to celebrate this year. The 20th staging of this annual event coincided with the celebrations of Jamaica’s 50th independence anniversary leading up to Independence Day on August 6th.

With the aphorism ‘Looking Back – Moving Forward’ the promoters gave patrons a line up incorporating the past, present and future of Jamaican music. Looking back at the legends of reggae music, Sumfest honored the likes of John Holt, The Mighty Diamonds, Leroy Sibblies, Yellowman and Shabba Ranks, who treated the audience to some of the best of Jamaican music.

There was no shortage of young and upcoming talent such as Conkarah and Raine Seville as Sumfest presented some of the hottest artiste in reggae and dancehall music today. Protoje, Tarrus Riley and Tessanne Chin were some of the highlights on the two international nights while the ever-popular Dancehall Night featured artistes ranging from Romain Virgo to Popcaan, Tommy Lee, Konshens and I-Octane who were setting a few outrageous dancehall trends.

The veterans of dancehall delivered as expected with Bounty Killa, Beenie Man and Elephant Man setting the stage ablaze. Lady Saw was officially crowned the Queen of Dancehall, wearing a one of a kind gown by British designer Gavin Douglas.

The international acts for this year’s event, albeit not as highly anticipated as other artistes in previous years, convinced with good performances. Trey Songz had the ladies screaming and dreaming on Friday night as they sang his songs word for word while R Kelly’s performance seemed to be bit lackluster. It helped that he had an extensive catalogue of hit songs that the audience enjoyed nevertheless and the most exciting part of the performance was when two female fans got carried away and tried to take home his shoes, but the police ordered them to return Mr. Kelly’s property later that evening.

Overall Reggae Sumfest 2012 was still another outstanding experience, showcasing Jamaica’s finest. The Jamaica 50 Tribute was an old school treat while Shabba Ranks stole the show after 18 years of absence from the Sumfest stage.

Damian Marley also delivered one of the best performances at the festival and Bunny Wailer closed off three days of musical greatness with the love for reggae music and his fans shining brightly on his face.

By Heike Dempster 

Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Skye, a pint-sized revolutionist draped in African fabric, Kenyan beads and donning a military jacket that says Gay & African. I won’t give too much away as you will be able to read her compelling story in the next issue of Complexd, but she has been selected to take part in a project in London that is extremely Complexd.

 Skye from Zimbabwe Photographed by Zanele Muholi

Over the last three years, The Photographers’ Gallery has been commissioning photographers to take portraits of 204 Londoners for a major public art project, called The World in London.

India Dane Ngatama May from Cook Islands Photographed by Charlotte Player

Coinciding with the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the portraits will present Londoners who originate from each of the competing nations and showcase the diverse cultural mix found in London. Large-scale posters will be exhibited at two sites close to Olympic venues and on a website dedicated to offering access to the personal stories behind each portrait. (www.theworldinlondon.org.uk)

Pimjai Ponsawan from Thailand Photographed by Albrecht Tübke

The project will feature individuals from all cultures, classes and creeds that contribute to London’s unique population. Fashion Designer, Alexander McQueen was photographed by American photographer Andres Serrano to represent Great Britain, a year before his unexpected death.

The project is supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, whose founder Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian, was a Multicultural and multilingual art collector who spent his career bringing people from different cultures and nationalities together. Andrew Barnett, the current Director of Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in the UK hit the nail on the head when he said:

‘The 204 portrait photographs of this innovative public art project challenge cultural stereotypes and help us to explore the rich diversity of our City, and fits squarely as part of the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Movements.’

Ana Lavekau& Takenivula Rakei from Fiji Photographed by Salvador Brown

Exhibition Info: The World in London

1^st Location: Victoria Park, London, E3

Dates: 27 July – 12 August 2012

Admission: Free

2^nd Location: Park House, 453 – 497 Oxford Street, London, W1

Dates: 27 July – 30 August 2012

For more info click here 

If you are not in London you can view the exhibition online here

Last week I stumbled upon what I consider to be the most distinctive nail bar in London. Located just off Commercial Street in Old Spitafield Market, MWnails, nail bar cleverly imitates the interior of a vintage plane. With fixtures from American Airlines Boeing 737 and Air France, it fits in perfectly with the one-off boutiques found in and around the market.

As soon as we entered I noticed the tilted caps and uniforms of the nail technicians as-well as airport style arrivals and check-in signs; finishes touches which made the experience even more authentic. And, just when I thought it couldn’t be more true-to-life, a friendly manicurist named Afia popped our handbags into an overheard cabin.

Seen as I won’t be flying out to the Caribbean this summer, this was the next best thing so I figured I’d treat myself to some island prep anyway. Just like a holiday-maker deciding on an exotic destination, I was completely spoilt for choice with their island inspired treatments like Nassau Non-stop and Trinidad Trio. In the end I chose to island hop by going for the Caribbean Combo bespoke treatment. My nail technician Jacqui who is also a talented nail artist, happened to be from the island of St Lucia so we laughed and joked about our island hopping memories, which is probably why I ended up going for a hot orange by OPI (Rolling in the Hague).

By lunchtime it was brimming with customers, but nothing the very efficient, thorough and precise technicians couldn’t handle. And, just like Air Hostesses managing a busy flight of passengers, they kept up their composure, warmth and friendliness.

It just goes to show how innovation coupled with high standards of customer service really makes a business in a competitive market stand out. I was curious to find out from Managing Director Henrietta Flynn how the idea was conceptualized and what they have planned next.

Who came up with the concept/design and how did you manage to source the authentic fixtures from the airlines?

We knew there was an opportunity for a different type of nail bar – one that filled the gap between the no-frills approach and the full-on spa experience. Somewhere you could have a New York style express treatment or 101 minutes of unadulterated luxury. All in a relaxed, accessible place that really looks after its clients, but doesn’t take itself too seriously. We also knew we wanted everyone to feel special and pampered and what makes you feel more special than turning left on a plane. Once we reached that conclusion we then knew we simply had to recreate a first-class airplane! We have a strong team behind MWnails with an excellent creative designer on board – we began developing the concept in early 2011 and then hunted for the right suppliers to help us make it all real. It’s amazing what you can find when you put your mind to it, but it certainly wasn’t all plane sailing!

What do the customers think?

We have incredible feedback from customers – about the whole MWnails experience. From arrivals to departure they know they will receive First Class service and treatments. We also always listen to feedback because we know that’s the best way to keep improving what we do. We’ve also had a great response to the private and corporate events people have held with us. It’s a fabulous location for Hen Parties – and much cheaper than actually jetting off somewhere!  We’re already looking to grow our fleet and are currently searching for our next flagship premises.

www.mwnails.com

Over the past 3 days there has been a grand scale of celebration in London marking 60 years of The Queen’s reign. The Diamond Jubilee Pagent in Windsor Castle organised a showcase titled, Around the World 
in 60 Years and 90 minutes, featuring performances from the 7 continents of the world.

The show was a reflection of The Queen’s State and Commonwealth visits starting from Great Britain to The Americas, Australasia, Asia, The Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Indigenous dancers, musicians, military personnel and horsemen put on a stunning and captivating cultural display. Russia showed off their impressive acrobatic skills atop galloping horses, dancers from the Cook Islands charmed the Queen with their quick hip gyration by performing the traditional Hura dance and Africa presented all the tribes of the continent to the backdrop of the beautiful sound of a young African choir.

There are 54 countries in the Commonwealth and Queen Elizabeth II has visited every country except 2. I was proud to see the flag of my island Grenada (a member of the Commonwealth) in full view at the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.

At the age of 86 she continues her duties as Queen of England and Monarch to 16 Commonwealth countries with so much poise, making her an extremely well travelled cosmopolitan Complexd Woman. The celebrations over the past couple of days have made me very proud of my British Caribbean heritage.

I’ve never regretted the day I decided to feature more than just an airbrushed beauty shot on the cover of each issue and what satisfies me the most is the positive response I get from the cover of each issue.

Jazz Browne photographed by Frederique Rapier 

The women featured on the 2^nd anniversary issue cover are very significant to me, but most importantly they are the definition of Complexd Women who have lived; loved; and learnt.  Jazz Browne who features on the right side of the cover is, the mother of my best friend of 14 years. She offered her guidance and advice in my most crucial years of self-discovery and just as supportive and encouraging of my dreams as my mother. For many years I have heard through my best-friend about all the amazing things she has done and it was my pleasure to finally feature her.

Portrait by Frederique Rapier/Make-up by Nishi V 

Vintage portrait of Terry Irwin 

Terry Irwin, who features on the left side is the mother of our Creative Director Rachel Irwin. Up until this issue I had no idea how Complexd Rachel’s mum was.

Terry and Rachel Irwin 

Since Rachel joined the team, Terry has been a big fan of the magazine and what we produce as it reminds her of the unique experiences she has had living in different parts of the world. We enjoy sharing stories about our experiences in the Bahamas and I love seeing old photo’s of Terry’s fantastic sense of island style.

Vintage portrait of Terry Irwin 

In a recent interview on a popular morning show in Grenada, I was asked if my team was also Complexd and I am proud to say that whether it’s directly or indirectly they believe in the concept as much as I do because they understand what it means to be Complexd. This cover is a tribute to the fact that in the 2 years I have been publishing Complexd magazine, I have always been surrounded by Complexd Women whether I’ve known it or not.

We have enjoyed our family holiday so far, but today I felt like me and mum needed a break away from the boys to spend some quality time. Five minutes away from the popular Grand Anse beach we found an intimate spa tucked away in the Fit for Life Health Club called Massagical Bliss.

I spend most of my time hunched over a computer reviewing, writing and editing copy and mum does a lot of running around. After listening to our body complaints spa owner and Massage Therapist Lynnel Gilbert, who was very approachable and concerned recommend a back and shoulder massage for me and a reflexology foot massage for mum.

I relaxed in the capable hands of Lynnel acutely unaware of the intensive workouts going on in the gym outside. Before the treatment we had a quick chat about her path into the profession and she admitted it was the encouragement of friends and family who told her to put her healing hands to good use. Throughout my treatment Lynnel had a firm but gentle consistency in her massaging technique. She was thorough and fearless with her hands, working through the tension in my body by using a hip twist technique to stretch my back and ease my muscles. After my treatment I believed in her gifted hands just as much as her friends and family and was as pleased as a proud relative that she made the decision to study Practical Massage at Trinidad & Tobago College of Therapeutic Massage.

‘I love my job! It’s a pleasure to wake up every morning and go to work knowing that I am going to make a difference in someone’s life with my hands and the knowledge I posses to help heal and soothe their body, mind and soul back to balance’

What I have appreciated the most about this trip is the Complexd Women I have had the chance to meet. Lynnel is not only a fantastic masseuse, she is also a bold business woman. After her training she started out working for resorts on the island until she took the plunge and opened Massagical Bliss in 2008. At just 26 Lynnel is an audacious business owner who knows that to ensure steady growth she needed to expand the business. She recently enlisted a team of beauty experts so that she could offer manicures, pedicures, waxing and hair care, while treating her clients and dealing with medical conditions, sports therapy and rehabilitation treatments.

When she spoke about her business she was very confident in the fact that her success boils down to good quality customer care and services. Massagical Bliss recently joined the Caribbean Spa and Wellness Association and Lynnel’s overall vision is to educate people on the importance of good posture in the office, at school and when sleeping to help them realise the benefits of looking after their body.

It was the most relaxing mother daughter experience we have had in Grenada and I highly recommend experiencing a treatment with Lynnel. If you’re based in Grenada check out her mother’s day treatment specials here

It was my first time visiting Spice Basket and I personally believe it is a long-awaited, but much needed educational and cultural experience for locals and tourist visiting the island. Spice Basket presents traditional Grenadian lifestyle complete with a theatre, restaurant, museum and gift shop through an assembly of authentically designed colourful wooden huts situated in such a way that it mimics a village environment.

Coming to life every Wednesday and Sunday, A Slice of Spice is a vibrant dance production that enlightens its audience about the myths, legends and spirit tales told through many generations in Grenada. During the show I would look over at my mother’s reminiscent gaze when the dancers swept away the she-devil La Diablesse with their wide white skirts enacting the tale of a beautiful woman who lures unsuspecting men deep into the woods only to reveal her skeletal face and cloven hooves. She laughed as she remembered the myth my great-grandmother used to tell her and lit up when the skillful dancers performed a traditional stick dance she enjoyed watching when she was growing up.

There were numerous costume changes and energetic routines so it worked out really well that dinner was served before the show. The mango crumble with coconut ice-cream washed down with tropical fruit juice was heavenly and the service exceeded it’s standards. Our waitress was just as entertaining as the show and truly personified the nature of Grenadian people.

The only two male dancers in the cast stood their ground amidst the collective of animated female dancers.  Passionate dancer Shanique Strachan exaggerated her moves with so much vivacity that I felt every twist, turn and hip rotate, while dancer Aniona Hamid delighted the audience with her bright beautiful smile and alluring charm.

Photographed by Vin Su

Dancing as an extra curricular activity for seven years and fitting the demanding rehearsal schedule around her everyday life, Aniona described performing weekly at Spice Basket as an escape from everything else. I was most impressed by the energy all the performers put into the dance sequences and it was evident that they live by the words of Choreographer and Artistic Director of Conception Dance Theatre Cecilia Griffith, who advises them to leave all their troubles behind and just dance!

Find out more about Spice Basket at www.spicebasketgrenada.com 

It’s my second week in Grenada with seven members of my family, so to make sure we kept the peace and unity, we went to events, spaces and places that everyone could enjoy. Over the weekend the Sunday lunchtime barbecue at Petite Anse Boutique Hotel was the perfect choice for a combination of family, food and fun and while travelling up to the North Coast of the island we got a chance to see the breathtaking exterior of Grenada’s mountainous terrain.

Back in 2010 we ran a feature in Complexd Travel on Petite Anse Hotel on page 66-69 of the Caribbean issue. After a brief visit in 2009, I was mesmerized by the unrivaled view of the Caribbean sea and neighboring islands Carriacou and the Grenadines. After anchoring off the southern coast of Grenada, owners Philip and Annie, who at the time were sailing around the Atlantic for fours years, spotted a piece of land with a private beach and had the right amount of determination and courage to build a charming hotel where no one had dared to go before.

‘We didn’t choose Grenada, it chose us!’

The drive from Grenada’s capital St. Georges to Petite Anse in the parish of St. Patrick was a long journey, but things got exciting when we drove deeper into the countryside and roads that were once lined with palm trees became lined with juicy ripe mangoes. They looked juicy and tasted even juicer when we got the chance to sample a few offered to us by a group of young men prodding the trees with sticks. It kept our bellies at bay in anticipation of the barbecue ahead.

Obscured by tall trees and vegetation there was no sign of the coastline until we walked onto a nicely paved pathway and under a neatly trimmed bush, which revealed the stunning view that I was captivated by on my first visit. Kids jumped in and out of the pool, clusters of people congregated around the bar, and restaurant and a group of dedicated domino players had set up table right in the middle of everything. It was like gate crashing a family gathering, but upon entering we were instantly embraced as part of the clan.

Every Sunday Phillip and Annie host the barbecue with a choice of Chicken; Fish; Ribs and Pork, served with classic barbecue sides like potato salad and fried plantain thrown in for good Caribbean measure. Their new chef Maxwell joined the company a few months earlier, but was already well acquainted with the large Texan grill, which the couple sourced on Ebay. The focal point was the stunning view from the restaurant balcony, but the restaurants vintage furnishing – collectibles from Phillip and Annie’s Worcestershire home in England added to the warm family friendly atmosphere.

I was genuinely pleased to hear from Phillip and Annie that business was going very well since they opened in 2009. With a fair share of visitor from Europe, North American and weekend visits from locals, they place their success on being a family-oriented business and go out of their way to be hosts rather than just hotel owners. Guest are even invited up to their plantation home for cocktails and a taste of country life as-well as a guided tour of the land where all the produce for the restaurant is grown.

They acknowledged that adapting to life in Grenada was fairly easy because of the friendliness of the people and their willingness to support the local community. During our time at Petite Anse we didn’t just enjoy the food and beautiful surroundings, we got a chance to experience what a regular Sunday might be like for a large Grenadian family who cook, share and laugh together and that intimacy is what makes Petite Anse so unique.

‘In life there are wants and needs and although we may not get everything we want, we have everything we need to life a perfectly healthy life’

– Phillip & Annie – www.petiteanse.com