1st Stamp : Barbadian History

The first consignment of the 1/- stamp of the 1861-70 series, showing Britannia, were sent out to Barbados by the printers, Perkins, Bacon & Company of London in April, 1863.

The 50,000 stamps should have been printed in brown-black, but on arrival they were found to be printed in blue, the colour of the 1d stamp, in error.

Almost all of the errors were returned to England, to be exchanged for new stock in the correct colour. A few examples were kept for a postage label album, and one of these is now in the Tapling Collection. Less than a dozen are known to exist today.

Reblogged from muirgil's dream

– SPECIAL INTERVIEW FEATURE – LENE HALL

Barbados’ first real supermodel, Lene Hall, was scouted in 1995 while working at Louis Bailey (now Little Switzerland) in Sunset Crest, Barbados. A friend of George Gallier, a pioneer of the modeling management industry & head of the then agency American Models, spotted the 5’11” beauty and suggested that she leave for New York immediately.

A meeting with Mr. Gallier was scheduled, she was signed to American Models on the spot & sent directly for her very first casting for Prescriptive by Estée Lauder! Undoubtedly, she got the job & became the face of Prescriptive for the next year. She went on to shoot a spread for Marie Claire magazine, walked the runway for Ralph Lauren and covered Sam Fine’s Fine Beauty.

She traveled to Europe after being booked by several couture designers. An experience that she described to me as lonely. “It just felt lonely at that time! Being young and inexperienced, I guess. I didn’t know how to deal with it. So I couldn’t wait to just do my jobs & leave. Back then we didn’t have communications like we do today for me to talk to family and friends,” she candidly revealed. “I could imagine,” I said. ” And it must have been like a circus!” Lene jokingly confirmed, “A fabulous circus though!! With gorgeous women & men, instead of clowns!”

American Photo magazine listed her as one of the top 10 up-and-coming models in the industry. Brands such as Noxzema, Lubriderm, Kohler, Vaniqua, Lafayette 148, and Oil of Olay all scooped her up! Lene also famously appeared in a Revlon Colorstay Makeup commercial with Cindy Crawford and Shania Twain. Harper’s Bazaar, Spanish Vogue, Elle, Oprah, Marie Claire and Essence have all featured Lene as an editorial model.
Hall gives freely of her time to charities to help in their cause to raise funds, in Barbados and internationally, including Jamaica and Africa. She was also a part of the NY fashion industry’s charity event for the victims of September 11, and now spends her time being a loving mother and wife.

 

Sourced: dredecarlo.com

WOMAN CRUSH WEDNESDAY (#WCW) – LIVVI FRANC

Born to an English mother and a Barbadian (aka Bajan) father in North Yorkshire, England, Olivia Waithe always had a love for music. She is no stranger to my blog, as I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Waithe, famously known by her stage name Livvi Franc, on two occasions.

She cites her maternal grandfather, Frank Wilson, as the inspiration behind the name. “He noticed me playing the piano and predicted I was going to be a musician. Sadly he’s no longer here. So, in honour of him, I called myself Livvi Franc; Livvi because it’s my nickname, and Franc because it’s a funkier version of Frank,” she told Flavour Magazine during an interview.

At the age of five, she and her family moved to her father’s native land of Barbados where she would spend her formative and adolescent years. Her love for music became a passion, and soon she penned her first song at the age of eleven and learned the guitar at fifteen. It’s safe to say that grandpa was right. And we’re glad he was.

Livvi attended Queens College (Barbados) where she would perform at various talent shows and pageants at the school. Relentless in her pursuit of becoming a musician. She was quickly taken under the wing of first manager Kerrie Thomas-Armstrong and took up vocal training lessons with locally revered vocal coach and singer Marisa Lindsay. This resulted in demo recordings of Livvi, where she met her next manager. Soon enough, she was meeting labels heads for auditions. After months of negotiating, she signed with the now defunct Jive Records. Known for their pop acts such as Britney Spears & the Backstreet Boys.

Her debut single, ‘Now I’m That Bitch’ featuring Pitbull, was successful. Topping the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart scoring the no. 1 spot and becoming one of the top dance songs of 2009. Also becoming a top 40 hit in New Zealand and the UK. Livvi was featured in countless magazines, including the venerated Interview Magazine, which was founded by the late, great Andy Warhol. Her second single, ‘Automatik’, had moderate success and took the no. 6 spot on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart. But after Jive shelved her debut album, Livvi had enough and left the label in 2010.

She was quickly scooped up by Beluga Heights/Warner Bros., where she was set to finish her debut album. But Franc decided, at least for the moment, to solely focus on songwriting for other artists. As she’s been doing for years. Her extensive writing credits include great names such as Cheryl Cole, Jordin Sparks, Britney Spears, DJ Khaled, Jason Derulo, Cher Lloyd, Delta Goodrem, Leona Lewis, Ciara, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez, Zendaya, Kelly Clarkson, Shakira and the late Michael Jackson.

Livvi releases music occasionally, on her YouTube channel and SoundCloud. Her song ‘Woyoyo’ gained lots of airplay in Barbados and throughout the Caribbean.

YouTube Channel:http://www.youtube.com/user/livvifranc

SoundCloud:http://m.soundcloud.com/livvifranc-1/

Twitter:https://twitter.com/livvifranc

Sourced: dredecarlo.com

Know Your Bajans! Louise Decourcey-Dawe reppin the 246 Barbados !!!

LOUISE OF LOUD 87

It's interesting, but I actually grew up with Louise, we both went to St. Winifred's and I always find myself liking her Facebook posts and following her social media pages! None-the-less, I think some great things are ahead for her, so here’s a little insight into Louise Decourcey-Dawe.

Louise is a London-born but Barbados-raised presenter, model, CEO of LOUD 87 (which specializes in Entertainment, Music & Talent Brand Management) and is also currently an ambassador for Cîroc!

Louise founded LDD Projects in May 2011 in Barbados and soon after formed LOUD 87 LIMITED in both Barbados and in London, England. She graduated from Brunel University with a BSc (Hons) Degree in Broadcast Media (Design and Technology). The young entrepreneur also attended Bournemouth University where she was awarded a Certificate in Advertising and Marketing Communications and achieved an Associate’s Degree in Mass Communication at The BCC in the West Indies where she covered areas such as Radio and Television Production, News & Documentary Writing, Photography, Research, Public Relations and Communication Law.

Whilst studying at Brunel University, Louise also began working at The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC HQ, White City, London) where she worked on television programs including ‘Child Of Our Time’ and ‘Olympic Dreams’ and was later promoted to Production Team Assistant where she managed all of the edit suites at the London BBC White City Main building along with four other team members in the UK.​ Louise went on to work at Clear Cut Pictures (An audio and video post-production facility) in West London and as an Executive PA at an online marketing agency, Quad London.

Louise has also worked closely on projects with music industry mogul, Eric Nicks, (responsible for stars such as Lil’ Kim, Busta Rhymes and LL Cool J) and Azar Bogan at Alpine Music Group based in New York, New Jersey and LA for artists, songwriters and producers including August Rigo, Jaicko Lawrence, P.J. Johnson, Antmaestro, Spinz Beats, Justine Skye, Kelly Sheehan, J.N.I.C.E, JS, Justa Beast and Ginette Claudette. ​ Louise’s recent projects include the Management, Development and PR of Aaron Fontaine (Actor/Model/Radio Host), Amelia (singer-songwriter), Varren Wade (singer-songwriter), Anke Griffith (fitness model), Alyson Holder (Photographer) and Mandy Cummins (make-up artist). Some of her model experience includes Five (5) Cable and Wireless Advertisement Campaigns, Eve Food Products, Circuit Magazine, Caribbean Motorsports, Banks, Heineken, B-mobile, Red Bull, Diamonds International & Colgate.

To sum it all up….

Louise is easily more than your average ‘triple threat’! She’s an entity.

So, keep on the lookout for more from Louise Decourcey-Dawe. ;)

8 Reasons To Travel To Barbados

1. Awesome Beaches

On the west coast of Barbados is the Caribbean sea. The east coast, however, meets the Atlantic ocean. One small island with the best of both worlds is two for the price of one. And who doesn’t love a good deal? Beach bums looking for a relaxing day of sun bathing and water wading can chill on the mild beaches of the west coast. Surfers can head to the east coast where conditions are windy and waves are wild. The sand in Barbados is really white, and thanks to naturally clean, coral-filtered water, the water is an electric blue.

2. Perfect Weather

The temperature in Barbados rarely dips below 75 degrees. Even when it’s hot, it doesn’t go much over 90 degrees. Heaven all-year-round, right? Other Caribbean islands tend to get humid, but Barbados conveniently has steady breezes and short passing showers to ward off stifling heat.

3. Fresh Seafood and Oistin’s Fish Fry

If you like fish, you’re in luck. Barbados is known for flying fish, but the “dolphin”—what the Bajans call mahi mahi—tastes amazing too. Can’t go wrong with marlin, barracuda, or swordfish either. One word of advice: when visiting Barbados, make sure to book the trip over a weekend. Oistin’s Fish Fry opens on Friday and Saturday nights and it’s a huge party for both locals and tourists. Oistin’s is packed with stands offering the grilled or fried fish of your choice with a side (order the macaroni pie, aka Bajan mac and cheese). 

4. Mount Gay Rum

Mount Gay of Barbados is, “the rum that invented rum,” so best believe that this sugar cane spirit has been part of the Bajan lifestyle since 1703. Want a mixer for rum punch, daiquiris, and Piña Coladas? Mount Gay Rum’s “Eclipse” and “Eclipse Silver” should do the trick. Looking for something stronger? The 100-proof “Eclipse Black” brings the heat. The “Extra Old” with notes of bourbon, caramel, and vanilla is an all-around favorite; drink it on the rocks to bring out all the flavors. The “1703” is for the fancy rum drinkers out there—with notes of tobacco and ripe banana, the bottle is well-worth the $103 price.

5. Nightlife

There’s something for everyone in Barbados when it comes to nightlife. There are quaint rum shacks for sipping on Mount Gay XO all night, or chic clubs with VIP and bottle service like Priva. Bar hop along St. Lawrence Gap and dance till late at Reggae Lounge, The Ship Inn, and McBrides. 2nd Street in St. James gets down, too.

6. Sailing

Sailing is big in Barbados. There are regattas every season and sailors from around the world come to show off their racing skills. Plus, Barbados is so small that boats can go around the whole island in a few hours. Don’t know your boom from your starboard? No worries, have the experts do the work while you snorkel with sea turtles or explore old shipwrecks.

7. Extreme Sports

Barbados is becoming a popular destination for travelers that dig extreme sports. The island is perfect for sailing, surfing, and scuba diving. Plus, most beaches on the western coast have stands to rent all the equipment you need. Get on a jet ski at least once while you’re out there.

8. The People

Barbados is on of those great countries where locals accept tourists with open arms. Bajans have an amazing culture that they want to share with visitors. That kind of warm welcome makes a vacation exponentially greater. Don’t know what to order at the local fast food chain, Chefette? The locals will tell you exactly which roti they like best.

Reblogged from Binnie Love: "EVERYDAY IT'S SOMETHING NEW"

Take me there: Top 5 Dream Travel Picks

India 

The sounds, the smells, the colours, the festivals, the religion and the food have always attracted me to India (Maybe not the food, I can’t handle spice!). The people seem so hospitable and lovely and I imagine it to be a photographer’s paradise. Of course you can’t ignore the extreme poverty amongst other social issues but a true traveler must accept a country as it is, faults and all, whilst appreciating what it has to offer.  

Japan

Cute yet sophisticated, the shy Japanese people seem quirky and up for a laugh. Their passion for karaoke is coupled with the love of sushi, photography and Hello Kitty; I’m convinced that this is my kind of place. Japan’s natural and architectural beauty are also interesting with its’ contrast of temples and skyscrapers; an ancient society merging with science fiction. The Ogasawara Islands, also known as the Bonin Islands—and now one of the world’s newest World Heritage natural sites.

Madagascar

This island sounds like a fairy tale dream world found in children’s books, where animals long forgotten have evolved into something magical. The Avenue De Boabab is straight out of a Tim Burton movie and with a culture rich in taboo there seems to be an electric, supernatural current running through every living thing. Bring on screaming lemurs, giant bats and many other creatures you will never find anywhere else.

Cuba

The taste of mojitos, the sound of salsa and merengue, and the hazy smell of cigars in the tropical heat of the afternoon; Cuba is the naughty, charming cousin of the Caribbean islands. The political structure of this island is intriguing and Cuba is going through some changes like a slow process of osmosis as it lets the rest of the world trickle in. Vintage cars and groups of people socialising on the streets inviting anyone to join in. 

Jordan

A great friend of mine from Uni opened my eyes to the wonder that is her homeland; the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Home to the dead sea, the lost city of Petra (famously remembered in Indiana Jones), Wadi Rum (Lawrence of Arabia’s stomping grounds) and the Jerash ruins, to name a few; Jordan sounds like an exciting country where vast deserts meet metropolitan cities and a traditionally Islamic culture is lightyears ahead of the typical cliches of Middle Eastern societies.

—x—

It was hard trying to narrow this down to just 5 countries as I hope to explore every corner of the globe! 

What are your top dream travel destinations?

ISLAND DIARIES: #ILIVEWHEREYOUVACATION

I came across this blog more than once in my reading and absolutely love the stories and photos ...they truly capture Barbadian inspired moments and the fun that Malou Morgan has as she goes about every day life. Barbados is way too small , everyone knows everyone !

Warning: This may potentially be one of those cliche Caribbean dream living posts full of colourful underwater and sunset photos.

I took the afternoon off of work on Tuesday, after a bank holiday weekend spent working, to celebrate a dear friend's birthday.

It was one of those 'Phuck it' moments where I switched off my phone, brought out the GoPro, fully relaxed and really and truly appreciated living in paradise.

This feeling was amplified with the rare sighting of 3 stingrays and 2 beautiful turtles; all playing together and hanging out. I nearly passed out from a combination of sheer excitement and holding my breath a bit too long trying to snap as much footage of these creatures as possible.

After the underwater excitement and the collection of a few beers from the nearby catamaran, we were inspired to attempt yoga poses on our boards.

Thanks to the power of Banks Beer, both Jess and Angie were able to get their poses done after only one attempt.

For any of you who know me well, I am far from a yogi on dry land, so this was a pretty unrealistic attempt for me, and I looked like a drunk penguin even without a sip of beer. The snaps below are a testament to my determination though...even if it took me 10 attempts.

 I finally got a split second tree pose done, thanks to the help of Jess holding my board steady for me but I thought it only fair to include some more 'realistic' shots...

Days like these help to remind me to stop and enjoy the sunshine every now and again. We had friends visiting from NYC, who repeatedly asked us whether this is how we spend every Tuesday.

Thanks to our friend Ryan of WhatSUP Barbados for the boards that contributed to a great afternoon with a great group of people!

Photo cred: Ryan of WhatSUP Barbados

Next Post!

ISLAND DIARIES: SAIL AWAY

Why only spend one day celebrating your birthday when you can do it twice as nice?

We celebrated Jess' birthday again [our first celebration was SUPing on Tuesday afternoon] on Calypso Cruises with a group of friends and I couldn't believe our luck with the weather! The day started off dark and stormy, but eventually the sun peaked through the clouds and gave us the perfect amount of rays. When you're used to sunshine every day, people start to panic when there's 'rainy' weather for more than a day...

I can't believe how lucky I am to live here and I feel even luckier getting to do something like this twice in one week. There's nothing quite as amazing as spending the day on a boat with great friends, eating delicious food and feeling the salt on your skin. 

Having friends visit from overseas is always the perfect excuse to go full out 'tourist' and enjoy the special things that this little rock has to offer. Catamaran cruising is high on the list of things we enjoy most about island living, and Calypso Cruises has been a favourite amongst my group of friends for a long time now. Not only are the crew really cool, but the food and 'vibes' are unbeatable and they offer a local, discounted rate on top of that.

Check out her blog here