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Usain Bolt’s Final Race on Jamaican Soil!

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If you somehow missed it, the legendary Usain Bolt ran his final race on Jamaican soil last Saturday, June 10 in 10.03s. Ironically, this was the time Usain ran to convince Coach Mills that he could compete in the 100m event.

The crowd at the National Stadium was filled to capacity with 35,000 people!

His Final International race will be at the World Championships in London later this year.

Thanks for everything you have done for Jamaica and Athletics Usain Bolt! Unforgettable. You will be missed.

Watch “Usain Bolt – One last race in Kingston Jamaica June 10, 2017.” on YouTube here:

By: Gabrielle Burgess

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Rafael Nadal wins his 10th French Open and Game 5 of the NBA Finals is tonight!

FRENCH OPEN MEN’S FINAL

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Rafael Nadal defeated Stan Wawrinka yesterday to win the French Open for his record 10th time, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1!

The scoreline was no indication of the quality of the match played. Wawrinka was good but the King of the Clay was spectacular. His coverage of the court was remarkable. Congrats Rafa!

NBA FINALS – GAME 5

The current scoreline of the series after Friday’s game is Warriors – 3, Refs – 1, Cavs – 0.

Lebron James and Kyrie Irving played great basketball on Friday night to end the game with a high scoring NBA Finals record of 137-116, but it was overshadowed by blatant unfair calls from the Refs. The Refs even blundered seriously by ejecting Draymond Green from the game because they had him down for a technical instead of Coach Kerr, who was originally given the technical. So when Draymond actually got his technical later in the game, they attempted to eject him. They had to revisit the call and their records, then realised they made an error.

At that point, Draymond realised it didn’t make sense he even tried to play with how ridiculous the calls were on the court.

Could this be why the Refs allowed the Cavs no chance of getting swept?

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Game 5 will be played tonight at 8pm.

Maybe the brooms persons got can be used to sweep confetti. That is if and only if Steph Curry decides to show up because he legit choked on Friday night. Only KD showed up for the Warriors.

Will Curry and Klay relive the 3-1 nightmare of last year or will the road finally end for the Cavs tonight?

Stay tuned.

By: Gabrielle Burgess

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Unlikely Results at the French Open and Usain Bolt’s Final Race!

FRENCH OPEN Women’s Singles Final

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Jelena Ostapenko wins the Women’s Singles French Open 2017 – Photo: ESPN

Favourite and no. 4 seed Simona Halep was upset by the unseeded Jelena Ostapenko. She beat Halep 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 and got a great Birthday present!

Ostapenko had beaten Timea Bacsinszky in the Semis, who had eliminated Venus Williams.

FRENCH OPEN Men’s Singles Semis

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Photo: ESPN

Stan Wawrinka came back from 2 sets down to beat the no. 1 Andy Murray, 6-7 (6), 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (3), 6-1. He will meet ‘the King of Klay’, Rafael Nadal in the Final who defeated Dominic Thiem in straight sets.

USAIN BOLT’S FINAL RACE

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Photo: AMP Thrillist

Until the Men’s French Open Final, ensure that you watch the legend of Athletics, Usain Bolt run for the last time of his career on home soil at the Racers Grand Prix at the National Stadium in Kingston, Jamaica at 10:10pm!

By: Gabrielle Burgess

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Authentic and Healthy Thai Cuisine in the 2nd City, Montego Bay!

Suga finally got to visit Mystic Thai in Montego Bay with her cousin a little over a month ago. The Restaurant has gotten rave reviews since it opened its doors about summer last year.

It was a rainy Saturday night on May 6th at about 9pm. My cousin, Tina Davis, who is no stranger to their Lunch Specials walked into familiar territory, while I was instantly impressed by the modern décor consisting of elegant Thai silk lanterns and comfortable seating. The heavy rains probably kept away most diners but a few were still there and I appreciated the spacious environment and ambience.

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Photo credit: Christina Simonitsch

Our host and waitress were extremely polite and we were also greeted by the owner, Mrs. Kareena Mahbubani. She offered suggestions according to the pairings of the Curry with various meats and told us that their Green Thai Curry is a favourite amongst her diners. So of course I decided to have it.

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Shrimp and Scallion Dumplings ($10USD)

We started off with Shrimp and Scallion Dumplings ($10USD) and Mushroom Basil Dumplings ($8USD). They take a little while because they are steamed and they came out steaming indeed. They were delicious with the accompanying sauces to add flavour of your liking, whether spicy, salty or sweet.

We then had Crispy Fried Okra infused with Lemongrass, which was surprisingly and absolutely delightful.

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Crispy Fried Okra infused with Lemongrass

We moved on to our Mains of Chicken in Green Thai Curry ($12USD) and Duck in Red Thai Curry ($18USD), along with Rice and Stir Fried Veggies. I cannot forget to mention our Johnny Walker Mojitos from the Bar that were deliciously refreshing.

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A. Chicken in Green Thai Curry ($12USD); B. Duck in Red Thai Curry ($18USD)

Note that I mentioned the Rice, because diners at Mystic Thai and some other Indian Restaurants may notice and wonder why they are charged for Rice separately. Other than wondering what else are you to eat with the meats, there is the comparison to Chinese Restaurants where you get Rice in abundance. Mystic Thai uses Jasmine rice that soaks up the flavour of the gravies and the quality of local rice which is less expensive and used by the Chinese Restaurants is totally different.

Diners at Mystic Thai also like to mix and match their sides, not necessarily ordering Rice. Quinoa for about $6USD is a healthy option as well as Steamed Vegetables. For now, a serving of Jasmine rice is an additional $3USD, but Mystic Thai will give diners the option to decide on their own soon by offering local rice with their Lunch Specials.

With regards to the Curries we chose, the popular Green Thai Curry is a blend of fresh Green Chillies, Galangal, Kaffir Lime Leaves, Lemongrass and Thai herbs. While the Red Thai Curry is the most versatile of the Thai Curries and is a blend of dried Red Chillies, Kaffir Lime Rind, Coriander Root and Cumin.

We enjoyed the exquisite blend of infused flavours that complemented each other so well. The good thing about dining at Mystic Thai is that they encourage Family style dining so the portion/serving sizes are appropriate for sharing and of course treats your tastebuds to so many different flavours. None of the flavours are overpowering either, as they balance each other out.

I was impressed with the attentiveness of the staff and overall commendable service. The owner, Kareena had such a warm and regal presence in the Restaurant, that I was propelled to give her a call for a follow up discussion about my intriguing experience.

Most of you may know that Kareena is no stranger to the business. She is also the owner of Mystic India in Whitter Village, Ironshore, Montego Bay. She studied Hotel Management in Mumbai, India and knew that she wanted to own a Restaurant from a very young age.

Kareena enjoys Thai cuisine so decided to open Mystic Thai in addition to Mystic India.

Indian cuisine is considered to be fattening so as a fitness enthusiast that endures the struggle of being a foodie, I came to understand that Thai Cuisine is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. This must explain why instead of feeling heavy and full as I often do after indulging in Indian cuisine, I felt satisfied but still light after our dinner at Mystic Thai.

What makes Thai Cuisine healthy?

Natural and fresh ingredients are paired with a variety of spices, herbs and vegetables. Examples of such are turmeric, galangal, coriander, lemongrass and fresh chillies that have immune-boosting and disease-fighting power.

At Mystic Thai, everything is made to order and all the spices, herbs and vegetables are prepped fresh every morning. Their gravies are made daily. Note that at least 16 different ingredients are used in every dish so there is a lot that goes into their preparation and she has quite an efficient team. Indian cuisine on the other hand uses five basic gravies that are made and stored.

The meats are usually grilled or put on the wok, which is the pot used for various methods of cooking Asian cuisine, whether it may be stir frying, boiling, steaming, roasting etc. The temperature on the wok is so high that the meats or vegetables only need a minute or two on it, resulting in all the nutrients being preserved.

With all healthiness aside, note that we still had dessert!

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Chocolate Mousse

We closed dinner with a tasty Chocolate Mousse. I didn’t get the chance to have the Fruit and Nut Chocolate Naan from the Restaurant’s Indian dessert menu, so I will definitely be returning for that one, which seems to a favourite as well.

A few weeks ago, Mystic Thai received the award for ‘Best Ethnic Restaurant’ at The Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards along with a favourite of mine in Kingston, Nirvanna Indian Cuisine.

Congratulations to Kareena and her staff at Mystic Thai! Well deserved. It is definitely the place in Jamaica to get Authentic Thai and Asian cuisine. #sugaendorsed

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Happy Diners at Mystic Thai: Tina Davis of the soon to be opened Cafe at the Martha Brae Bamboo Rafting attraction in Trelawny and cousin, Gabby from Suga Lifestyle

Mystic Thai (Asian & Thai Cuisine)

Location: B11 – Fairview Towne Centre Unit, Montego Bay

Ph: 876-633-6535

Website: http://www.mysticthaijamaica.com

Opening Hours: Mondays – Sundays @ 11:30am – 10pm

By: Gabrielle Burgess

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LeBron and the Cavs on the Brink of Getting Swept after Warriors beat them at Home to go up 3-0!

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Photo: Bleacher Report

Despite LeBron James putting up 39 points and Kyrie Irving, 38, it just was not enough to beat the Warriors team. The Warriors beat them at home 118-113 last night to go up 3-0 in the series.

It was a close game throughout and the 3rd Quarter belonged to Kyrie Irving. But the new addition to the Kardashians, Tristan Thompson contributed zero for the entire game and Kevin Love missed too many shots. J.R. Smith contributed a few crucial 3-point shots but it jus wasn’t enough to surpass the fast-paced Warriors team. The Cavs were worn out after the 3rd Quarter.

The Cavs led by as much as 7 points in the 4th Quarter and as much as 6 points in the late part of the 4th Quarter.

What happened?!

With a combined 77 points between LeBron and Kyrie, neither of them were clutch. Kyrie missed a crucial 3-pointer that was a lazy shot, while he should have passed it to J.R who had a hot hand and made himself free. LeBron missed a driving lay-up in the late 4th and had his 3-point shot attempt blocked by Andre Iguodala with 12s left. He made the offensive rebound then stepped out of bounds resulting in a turnover with 10s left.

So as much as LeBron James fans hate to admit it, he isn’t clutch and remains a ‘Stats King’.

Who was Clutch?!

KD! KD broke the Cavs heart with a 3-point hook, line and sinker over LeBron James who didn’t even contest the shot with 45.3s remaining. KD scored 31 points and Klay Thompson and Steph Curry came up big with a few clutch shots of their own with 30 and 26 points respectively.

The Coaching

Props to Steve Kerr for managing and switching up the line up several times as Draymond Green kept getting into foul trouble.

Will there be a Sweep?

Yes. The Cavs are far too demoralised. They can’t manage the firepower, pace and tenacity of the Warriors this year.

After the Warriors messed up 73 wins last year, they are going for a record 16 straight post-season wins with no mercy and a ringless, past MVP, Kevin Durant is at their helm.

Brooms for SALE.

Stay tuned!

By: Gabrielle Burgess

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All Eyes on the Ladies at the French Open! Who’s Still in it to Win it?!

Women’s Singles

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Karolína Plíšková

How could we forget about Karolína Plíšková?! The rankings of players differ on the various websites, but according to the WTA Rankings, Plíšková is ranked closely behind Serena Williams at No. 3.

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Photo: ESPN

The experts have favored Simona Halep (4) to win her first ever Grand Slam title at Roland Garros. Elina Svitolina (6) is also a popular pick. It turns out that Halep and Svitolina will meet in the Quarterfinals and the winner could play Plíšková in the Semis.

Caroline Wozniacki (12) is still in it. She has come close to winning a Grand Slam a few times. Her Quarterfinal was suspended due to rain at a set a piece between her and Ostapenko. 

Timea Bacsinszky (30) who eliminated Venus Williams is also playing in the Quarterfinals today but her match was suspended as well versus Miladenovic. Bacsinszky was up a set.

Wozniacki and Bacsinszky could meet in the Semifinals.

Men’s Singles

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Photo: SB Nation

Although Rafael Nadal (4) is not in his prime, the ‘King of Clay’ is still in it and has been playing well. Of course we know that he could meet Novak Djokovic (2) in the Semis. But Djokovic has the challenge of defeating Dominic Thiem (6) in the Quarterfinals first.

Marin Cilic (7) defeated Gaël Monfils and will play Stan Wawrinka (3) in the Quarterfinals.

World no. 1 Andy Murray will play Kei Nishikori (8) in the Quarterfinals.

Suga thinks we may have a Murray-Wawrinka Semifinal.

Stay tuned!

By: Gabrielle Burgess

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The Weekend at the French Open and NBA Playoffs!

FRENCH OPEN – Tennis

Women’s Singles

There will be a new French Open Winner for the Ladies this year, as Garbiñe Muguruza and Venus Williams were both eliminated yesterday.

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Photo: ESPN

Venus was eliminated by Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland for the second year in a row. Venus now looks forward to Wimbledon.

Men’s Singles

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal continue on their collision course to the Semifinals. They both beat their opponents in straight sets to advance to the Quarterfinals.

World No. 1, Andy Murray advanced to the 4th round.

NBA FINALS – Basketball

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The Warriors blew out the Cavs in Game 1, 113-91 on Thursday night.

Coach Steve Kerr returned to coach the Warriors in the Finals, starting with Game 2. The game seemed close up to Half Time with the Warriors only up by 3. After that, Kevin Durant (KD) was unstoppable with 33 points and Steph Curry stepped up with 32 points to lead the Warriors to a 132-113 win and a 2-0 lead in the series. Even Klay Thompson got to find his rhythm and contributed 22 points.

Cavs’ LeBron James who scored 29 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists, tied Magic Johnson for the most NBA Finals triple doubles. But it wasn’t enough for his team to win, despite 27 points from Kevin Love. Kyrie Irving was only able to score 19 points.

KD’s defense to offense was sensational.

The Cavs are in the same position as last year’s Finals, but versus a team who now has KD. After last night you cannot help but think a sweep is possible, but Suga thinks the Cavs may win Game 3 at home and sees the Warriors winning the Finals 4-1.

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By: Gabrielle Burgess

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What’s Happening at the French Open?

Hello Tennis fans! Suga hasn’t forgotten you!

Women’s Singles

Serena Williams (2) is on maternity leave and watching from the stands this French Open. So who is still in it for the Ladies?!

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Photo of Venus Williams: ESPN

Her sister, Venus of course! Can Venus Williams (10) win another Grand Slam before she retires? It is very possible. She has been on top of her game and already through to the 4th round.

Who will stand in her way?

The Women’s side of the draw is usually a toss up, especially without Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams.

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Photo of Angelique Kerber: ESPN

World #1, Angelique Kerber has been inconsistent and was defeated in the 1st round in straight sets by Tsurenko Makarova. Makarova was defeated in the 2nd round.

Suga thinks Venus’ biggest threat is Defending Champ, Garbine Muguruza (4), who is also moving on to Round 4.

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Photo of Simona Halep: ESPN

Simona Halep (3) was questionable to enter the French Open because she injured her ankle in a tournament before this, but she is already through to Round 3. I don’t think she is in it for the long run though.

Agnieszka Radwanska (9) and Elina Svitolina (5) are through to Round 3.

Rounding off the top 10 ladies, Svetlana Kiznetsova (8) is through to the 4th round.

If Venus doesn’t win the French, my money is on her to win Wimbledon.

Men’s Singles

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Photo of Rafael Nadal (L) and Novak Djokovic (R): ESPN

Novak Djokovic (2) seems to be back in Championship shape and he is now being coached by one of the greats, Andre Agassi. He is already through to Round 4 but may be destined to clash with the clay court specialist and veteran, Rafael Nadal (4) who is also through to Round 4.

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Photo of Andy Murray: ESPN

Andy Murray (1) says he is feeling good again but he is still not at his best just yet. He will play Juan del Potro (29) in Round 3.

Milos Raonic (5) and the Austrian, Dominic Thiem (6) are through to Round 4.

Kei Nishikori (8), Stan Wawrinka (3) and Marin Cilic (7) who round off the top 10 Men are in Round 3.

Gaël Monfils (15), who is usually very competitive is in Round 3 as well.

Suga thinks either Djoko or Rafa will take the French Open for the Men.

Remember the veteran, Roger Federer is sitting this one out to save his energy for the grass and hard courts. If he stays in top shape, I believe he will win Wimbledon. Do we have another vintage Finals coming up at Wimbledon for the Ladies and Men? Possible.

Stay tuned everyone!

By: Gabrielle Burgess

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FREE Yoga, Pilates & Belly Dancing at AFYA this Sunday!

If you are going to miss out on the Free Belly Dancing Class at Chai studios Tomorrow or would like a Weekend of Workouts to tune up that Summer body, check this out!

There will be a FREE Day of a mixture of classes at Afya this Sunday, June 4th.

*Call or Email to Register in Advance

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Afya Jamaica (Yoga, Pilates, Belly Dancing)

Location: 2d Bamboo Ave. Kgn. 6

Ph: 876-977-6735; 876-383-7669

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.afyajamaica.com/

By: Gabrielle Burgess

If you liked this Promo, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.