DEAN IRBY
DEAN IRBY
DEAN has acted and directed on Broadway and Off Broadway, for the New York Shakespeare Festival and for many regional and university theatres and television shows. He is the recipient of two Audelco Awards for directing. Dean is also the former acting coach for The Cosby Show and has appeared in more than 30 television commercials.
Cassandra: When you think of Caribbean – what’s the first thing that comes to mind?
Dean: When I think of the Caribbean the first thing that comes to mind is golf.Cassandra: Really. Why?
Dean: Because the Caribbean is my favorite place to go for a golf vacation and because of so many other things to do there – such as all of the water sports, like skiing and just getting out in the water.
Cassandra: I know you play a lot of golf in New York, do you think of the Caribbean when you out on the golf course there?
Dean: It depends on what type of hat I’m wearing. If I’m wearing my white witch hat from Monterey Bay then Yes, I’m thinking of the Caribbean. Monterey Bay has one of the best courses in Jamaica and my white witch hat takes me back to Monterey Bay.
Cassandra: New York has so many great restaurants especially Caribbean restaurants, what’s your favorite place to get good Caribbean food?
Dean: Well there’s a place that I like in terms of Cuban food. It’s on McDougal street – it’s called Cuba. The food is good. The atmosphere is good. There’s good music and a guy sits there and rolls cigars.
Cassandra: Sounds like fun.
Dean: It is! In fact, I just went to a Cuban place last week on Columbus. Some friends came in town and they chose Calle Ocho.
Cassandra: Calle Ocho? There’s an area in Miami called Calle Ocho.
Dean: Yes! I remember going to Calle Ocho the last time I was in Miami. My nephew was there doing a play and we hung out there.
Cassandra: What’s your favorite Caribbean style music?
Dean: Arturo Sandoval – I love Cuban jazz. I really love the influence of Africa on the Cuban music.
Cassandra: What’s your favorite Caribbean meal?
Dean: Oh no! Unfortunately, it’s Paella. Although, I’ve developed an allergy to shellfish. So if I can’t have Paella, I would have to say my second favorite Caribbean meal is Estivis Fish. It’s kind of a stewed fish with peppers and onions. It’s a Jamaican dish.
Cassandra: Sounds delicious. So, what do you do when you want to have the Caribbean wherever you are?
Dean: If I want to get that Caribbean feel. It would have to be with music. I’m very music –oriented. I will listen to some reggae, some Ska, some Cuban Jazz and Marley – Bob Marley!
{singing}
“I wanna love you and treat you right;
I wanna love you every day and every nightI wanna love you and treat you right;
I wanna love you every day and every night”I go there instantly. Marley takes me there instantly even more so than Cuban jazz.
Editor’s Note:
The White Witch hat Dean refers to is from “The White Witch Golf Course” in Rose Hall, Jamaica.
Also, most people think Paella is from Spain, but it’s actually very popular in Cuba.
Filed under: Caribbean Cafe, Wherever You Are
by Cassandra
Celebrity Interview, Dean Irby, Jamaica
7 comments so far
KIM BORIO
KIM is a celebrity makeup artist and a host of the hit radio show, BEAUTY BY KIM on www.Healthylife.net. Kim specializes in airbrushing for high-definition TV, commercials and informational. You can find Kim working in all the major studios in Los Angeles, such as NBC, FOX SPORTS, The CW, CBS, CNBC and ESPN.
Cassandra: What is the best and healthiest way for men and women to get that Caribbean Glow without baking in the sun?
Kim: A spray tan or airbrush tan. A spray tan is done in a booth by a machine (mystic) and an airbrush tan is done, in detail, by a human, which I personally prefer. An airbrush tan is also best for men, especially if they are hairy because it is done by hand and there is more control with application -The spray tan can streak. An airbrush tan is also better for very light skin tones and darker skin tones. It creates a beautiful golden glow and a more natural look for the face, feet and hands.
For more information on tanning tips from the experts, go to www.healthlife.net and listen to my radio show-BEAUTY BY KIM. Click on ARCHIVES and listen to the show with Melanie Mills-Head makeup artist for Dancing With The Stars (GREAT tips on tanning) and the other show I recommend is TANTALIZING! Everything you need to know about “Safe Tanning” are in those two shows.
Cassandra: What’s the number one thing to have for a day out in the sun?Kim: SUNSCREEN, SUNGLASSES and a HAT!!! I know those are three things, but they are all equally number one! You always want to protect your skin, eyes and head/face.
Cassandra: How could a women look natural but still have good coverage and a nice made up face?
Kim: Achieving a natural look with good coverage is more about makeup application then the makeup itself. It’s all technique. BLENDING,BLENDING and more BLENDING! Always blend the jawline, hairline and anywhere else that needs it. That’s the real trick. You never want to look like you’re wearing a mask. Also, invest in good brushes. They will last you a lifetime if you take care of them.
I also tell people to not buy anything they haven’t tried on first Choose a base (foundation,tinted moisturizer) that matches your skin. Go outside when selecting your color and make sure it looks good in natural light. Use concealer slightly lighter then your skin-tone and blend it. I also recommend an eye cream 1st before applying concealer under the eyes and then patting it with your finger, gently. That will soften the look. A little bit of loose powder applied with a puff or brush (using downward strokes or it could catch on to tiny hairs on the face and look cakey). I recommend a good bronzer, applied lightly around the face,neck and cheeks.
A little peach/corol blush looks good on everyone. Apply it on the apples of the cheeks, where the sun would normally give you that sun-kissed look.
A soft lipliner that’s BLENDED – Hard lines on the lips will make you look dated and can ruin a natural look.
A peach or pink lipgloss also looks good on everyone and is very sexy but still natural.
For eyes, a pretty eyeshawdow base for the lid and soft colors for the eyes. A little bit of eyeliner applied close to the upper lashes and smudged with a good mascara will pop your eyes. Use a eyeshawdow color (soft black or brown) applied with a smudge brush, for a eyeliner.
Use a powder to fill in your eyebrows instead of a pencil. Don’t forget to brush your eyebrows! It blends it all in.
Cassandra: What’s the “hot ” look or product for makeup right now?
Kim: RED lips are back! False eyelashes are “in” now. Both individuals and strips
Cassandra: What’s your favorite place to visit in the Caribbean?
Kim: BARBADOS. I spent a lot of time there and miss it everyday.
Cassandra: We both love good foods and have had some great meals together- What’s your favorite Caribbean food?
Kim: Plantains. I LOVE Plantains. I practically lived off them years ago. My second favorite is Jerk Chicken. I can’t forget the Rum Punch. I know it’s not a meal, but I think there were times in Barbados where I forgot to eat and survived off Rum Punch! (LOL)
Cassandra: What do you do when you want to have the Caribbean wherever you are?
Kim: I always want the Caribbean wherever I am so I’m always playing reggae music.
Whenever I visit the Caribbean, I always buy CDs from the Local music stores and musicians. I play them in my car all the time. It prevents road rage – Just kidding, but it does make my commute to Los Angeles much easier and fun!Contact Kim: www.kimthemakeupartist.com
Filed under: Caribbean Cafe, Wherever You Are
by Cassandra
Beauty, Kim Borio, Makeup, Rum Punch, Skin
6 comments so far
GUAVA DELICIOUS
BECAUSE guava comes from the distinguished Myrtaceae family, you may already know some of her cousins. They include: allspice, arrayán, feijoa, eucalyptus, and cloves. Myrtles are often fragrant and sport an attractive trunk. Guava seeds are small enough to crunch through undeterred, but large enough to be less than charming -like eating shrimp with the shell. For this reason, guavas are often strained of seeds for their pulp.
Although, I have never had one, the bright color and perfume of Guavas makes them a good candidate for a sorbet…Has anyone out there made or consumed a guava sorbet? I have had them as a fresco, a fruit juice plus pulp plus sugar plus water that is common throughout the tropics. A generic term might be “fruit-ade” (like in “lemonade”).
Also, the pinker the better seems to be a good rule of thumb for the different varieties of guava. The inner core is more gelatinous and sweeter –and has the seeds. The outer core is grainier, has no seeds, and is more acidic.
Let’s go back to the scent. Even if you cannot figure out how to use guavas, just letting them rot in your kitchen is pleasurable…but I digress.
There is a solution: buy a guava jelly.
If your city of residence has even one denizen of Cuban origin, you can find it, somewhere. Gourmet versions are also available online. The Cruisine Team has not tried any of these, but I suspect the subtle distinctions may not matter once you add chilies, lime, and beer into a slow simmer to coat meat. Guava jelly is the perfect medium for a sweet, spicy, and savory style of food. Like fig jam, it is a fine foil for funky cheese as well.
Filed under: Caribbean Cafe, Cuisine
by Cassandra
Caribbean Fruit, Guava
4 comments so far
MY CARIBBEAN FAVORITES
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1. COCOWATER OR COCOLOCO |
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WHY? Coconut water is fabulous by itself – add Vodka and the Loco is…well..you understand. |
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2. MANACURYA |
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WHY? Because it’s passion fruit! |
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3.FLORIDA DECA |
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WHY? Priced affordably & focus is on good rum as opposed to ads. |
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4. MINT & PUMPKIN |
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WHY? Growing like wildflower in my Caribbean garden. |
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5.CRUISE DEALS |
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WHY? Do you have to ask? |
Filed under: Caribbean Cafe, Wherever You Are
by Cassandra
Caribbean Favorites, Top 5
6 comments so far
MOJITO MADNESS!
THE key to a great Mojito is the fresh mint and LOTS of it.
Ingredients:
1 cup Fresh Mint Leaves
3 Limes
2 cups Ice
2 cups Light rum
½ cup Guarapo
½ cup Club soda
1 Teaspoon of Chambord
Gently muddle the mint. Make sure you don’t shred the mint you only want to release minty oils.
Add the limes, Rum, Guarapos, club soda and ice. Shake vigorously for five seconds. Finally, top with the Chambord, a bit of mint leaves and a slice of lime on the glass.
Filed under: Caribbean Cafe, Cuisine, Wherever You Are
by Cassandra
Cassandra's Minty Mojito
5 comments so far
CARIBBEAN JAWS!
For many SCUBA divers, nothing is more awesome than spotting a SHARK!
This was snapped by my good friend, Ian Drysdale,
in Roatan, Honduras.
Filed under: Caribbean Cafe
by Cassandra
Caribbean Sharks, Roatan
4 comments so far
GUATEMALA IN LITTLE HAVANA
Antigua Guatemala Named after Guatemala’s most beautiful city –and maybe one of the most beautiful cities in all of Latin America- Antigua Guatemala, from the inside, does feel like you could be there, among high volcanoes, the air… cool, the food… simple and well-executed, and affordable and prompt and in the middle of Little Havana.
And since 9 out of 10 customers have actually been to Guatemala, they have no choice but to be true to the name.
Visit Antigua Guatemala 2741 Flagler Street, Miami, Fl 33135 (305) 643-0304
Filed under: Caribbean Cafe, Cuisine, Wherever You Are
by Cassandra
Antiqua Guatemala, Little Havana, Taste This
2 comments so far
THE BEST OF CUBA
ENTER OUR FIRST CARIBBEAN CONTEST FOR A CHANCE TO WIN
THE BEST OF CUBA!
ONE LUCKY WINNER WILL WIN THE BEST SELLING BOOK
“EAT CUBAN”
PLUS
THE BEST OF ARTURO SANDOVAL
SOME OF HIS BEST MUSIC FROM THE BEST OF CUBAN JAZZ!
THE CONTEST ENDS DECEMBER 1st – SO TRY AS MANY TIMES AS YOU LIKE. JUST HEAD TO CONTEST PAGE AND PICK THE RIGHT ANSWER!
Filed under: Caribbean Cafe
by Cassandra
Arturo Sandoval, Cuba, Eat Cuban
2 comments so far
EAT CUBAN
Eat Cuban: Judy Bastyra, Andy Rose
Sprinkled with socio-economic commentary, historical synopses, and cursory food policy judgments, this book offers a modern version of Cuban food with recipes taken from Rose’s Floridita restaurant. I assume the name is a reference to the Spanish translation of “floridita” (the little florid place” or “the flowery spot”) and not Miami, Florida –the capitalist version of Cuba. In fact, Floridita has a branch in London, Madrid, Dublin, and Moscow but not one in Miami, where the authors’ views on Cuba would cause considerable indigestion among many exiles.
That said, any book that is about Cuban food in the abstract –as if it were not from a very unique and fiery island- that took an apolitical posture would be like going to the Kentucky Derby and not betting on a horse. So kudos to the authors for being themselves.
And an enormous high five for the illustration of this book. The illustration oozes the beauty of the Cuban people, Cuban ingredients, the Cuban calle, and the resulting recipes. ..sort of. Not all the recipes are Cuban. In the introduction, Mr. Rose states: “Although Cuba is geographically in the Caribbean, I discovered that many Cubans feel that they are both Caribbean and Latin American. So, on that basis I have widened my ingredients to include some Latin American produce and imagined how Cuba’s cuisine would have developed, had its history taken a different course, enabling a greater variety of ingredients available to its cooks.”
Translation: there are recipes in my book that are definitely not Cuban but maybe they would be if the ingredients I use in London were available in Havana. For example, on pp. 50-51, there is a recipe for “Chilean Sea Bass with Shrimps and Clams in a Beurre Blanc Sauce” that, besides the origin of the fish, is not at all Latin American and about as Cuban as coffee without sugar. I would rather the author said, “I love Cuba, but I am not confined to it.” No apologies required, especially when you are a talented chef.
Top on my list of must-try recipes are the: pineapple sage mojito, the guava duck breast, and the pumpkin salad. Mint is widely called for and there are more vegetables in this book thank in all the menus of Little Havana combined. All of the recipes are accessible and conveniently rated in terms of preparation time. Most could be easily altered to suit the tastes of the executer. Finally, there are recipes for all courses. Three out of five stars.
Filed under: Caribbean Cafe, Cuisine
by Cassandra
Book Review, Cuba, Eat Cuban
2 comments so far
ISLAND SPOTLIGHT – BOCAS DEL TORO
BOCAS DEL TORO
In the north-western top the” S” fallen the left that compose the contours of the southern conclusion to the Central American isthmus lies paradise. A flight to Panama City and then another to Bocas Del Toro gets you there quick. But, please, take your time. Panama City’s Casco Viejo is worth at least a night. One of the first cities of the new world, it is a World Heritage Site. In other words, a good glass of wine is not a challenge.
If time only allows for Casco Viejo or the Panama Canal, chose Casco Viejo. If the Panama Canal fascinates you, we recommend Getting to Know the General, one of the greatest drinking buddy essays of all time. If you have ambition, try David McCullough’s The Path Between the Seas. Unless you are the type who brings zeal to zen, you may find your appetite for 1,000 pages of imperialism, malaria, slavish labor, and muddy triumph has withered as you hover in a hut above clear shallow water, the breeze dismissing your anxieties.
Bocas has surfing, SCUBA, beer, food, white sand, blue water, blah, blah, blah. Mostly, like so much of the Caribbean, it makes a living of hello and good bye without ever feeling contrived or clichéd. That is why you will not remember what you did or when you got there or when you left. You will just remember how it felt, like a beautiful stone to rub when the world is not a beach.
Filed under: Caribbean Cafe, Islands
by Cassandra
Bocas Del Toro, Caribbean Island, Island Spotlight
2 comments so far