Conch, Conch, and more Conch!

February 15, 2020

This will be the welcoming cry to all visitors to Union Island, St. Vincent’s southernmost Grenadine island, from Friday, February 28 to Sunday, March 1. On these three days the island will feature its first-ever Conch Festival, a celebration of everything conch. Most of us recognize very easily the protective outer shell of the conch, […]

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Creoles of the Caribbean

January 31, 2018

Originally written for Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine. Re-printed with permission. In my travels across the Caribbean, I’ve often wondered why the accents across certain islands are so different despite their shared language. Why the sing-song of Trinidadian prose and playful ebbing and flowing of Virgin Islanders while the swift gallop of Jamaican Patois? Surely a similar […]

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Learn Latin Dance in SVG

October 29, 2017

The closure of LatinPassionSVG, St. Vincent’s first official Latin dance school, has paved the way for some exciting new options to learn Latin dance. Now, with 2 options on the mainland plus 1 on Bequia (and more to come in the other Grenadine islands), there’s no excuse not to get out there and try it. […]

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Small Island, Big Dreams

October 27, 2017

Originally written for Mélange Magazine. Re-printed with permission. Union Island is a teeny tiny Grenadine island roughly 30 miles south of its mainland, St. Vincent. Tourists will find the usual paradise experience in its sunswept beaches, crystalline waters perfect for snorkelling, laidback atmosphere, and tranquil hideaways like Sparrow’s Beach Club, but what of the locals? What’s […]

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From Husky Coconut Shell to Unique Jewellery Piece

August 26, 2017

On a recent 3-day getaway in Union Island, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, I happened on Chic Unique Boutique, a locally-owned souvenir shop on the island’s waterfront. Stepping up into the small rectangle of relief from the broiling sun, the colours immediately jumped out at me: vibrant blues and greens, brilliant reds, and bright whites brought […]

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Union Island’s Animal Shelter: Bittersweet Update

August 5, 2017

It’s a sad story with a bittersweet ending. Union Island: a mother and two litters of puppies are abandoned by an owner who has just left Union and the mother is later found dead, presumably poisoned. The puppies are rescued and brought to the Southern Grenadines Animal Kindness (SGAK) animal shelter, where they are slowly […]

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2-Day Escape to Union Island

July 6, 2017

It was the end of June and after months of waiting, the time had finally come for my Union Island getaway! I rose early that morning to be greeted by windy, rainy, grey skies, but they could not dull my anticipation. This was my getaway: the brief pause in my vacation where I actually relaxed […]

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Neglected Dogs Steal Hearts at “Animal Kindness”

February 9, 2017

It started out as a regular flight home: leave St. Vincent, stop in Union and Canouan Islands, and then on to Barbados. Settled in my seat and ready to dive into my latest Spanish novel, I looked up as the flight boarded in Union to notice a man take the seat next to me and […]

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Latin Style Weekend Fiesta in St. Vincent

October 11, 2016

It was the end of September and finally that most anticipated event on our calendar had arrived: the LPSVG-LPTT Latin Fiesta Weekend, where we hosted our sister school, Latin Passion Trinidad & Tobago (LPTT), for 4 days of dancing, workshops, performances, and…. did we say dancing? First of all, who are “we”? “We” are LatinPassion […]

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The Latin Dance Secret in St. Vincent

October 11, 2016

What´s the first thing that comes to mind when someone says ¨St. Vincent¨? Sparkling (black sand) beaches, deliciously refreshing water sipped out of coconuts with the tops cut off, maybe even views of colourful houses dotting rising terrain in the countryside? How about tasty local dishes and bustling markets teeming with brightly hued fruits, vegetables, […]

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