The White Orchid Salon & Spa at The Jamaica Pegasus has been open since late 2015. Since then, I would visit every few months to treat myself. It is truly a quiet oasis on the ground floor away from the busy lobby and 24 Seven Cafe upstairs.
It is probably one of the few Salons/Spas I have been to do my nails with no waiting time and it doesn’t matter who does them if the person I am familiar with is not there because they are all professional and thorough. When I say thorough, I mean it. Do not expect to just go and spend an hour to an hour and a half there. They take their time and give you a relaxing experience with the perks of tea and a huge, satisfying cookie from the Cafe upstairs if you are doing a few treatments.
That must be why they now have flash treatments/services for 30 minutes if you are having a busy schedule and the experience is just as rejuvenating in a shorter space of time.
Towards the end of February a few weekends ago, my husband, Randy and I were approaching 10 happy months as Newlyweds and he also just completed a few exams in his part-time Masters Programme. So I thought he deserved a Spa Day! He has never been to the White Orchid Salon & Spa that has been consistently refreshing for me, so I figured it was just the right place for him this time.
My spoilt husband was at the Spa from 3pm to 7:30pm and from all of what he had to say I decided I had to share his as well as my previous experiences this time.
See Randy’s short Interview with Suga telling you which Services he had done, how he found the whole Experience compared to other Salons & Spas and more by clicking on the video below:
Watch “White Orchid Spa Jamaica Pegasus Experience” on YouTube here
Consider the White Orchid Salon & Spa at The Jamaica Pegasus next time you would like to treat yourself or someone special. You can get treatments together too!
White Orchid Salon & Spa, The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel
First of all, Suga would like to Congratulate Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavs for joining the 30,000 points club and being the 1st International Player to do so. He joins Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. Who is the closest NBA player in line to try and join the club? LeBron James. He may take about 63 more games to do so based on average points per game. Other players are way off with hundreds of games more to go.
Photo: SLAMonline
Now to the meat of the matter. It’s almost Playoff time and teams on the chopping block are striving for every win they can get.
How are The Finals looking?
Eastern Conference
Suga believes the Cavs are going straight to the Finals again. The teams on the East continue to be weak and King James and the Cavs are just too good right now. Despite their last 3 consecutive losses, they turn it up when they need to. The closest contenders, currently a close 2nd in the East are Isaiah Thomas and the Celtics. They beat the Warriors Wednesday night without KD but they aren’t consistent enough. They should give the Cavs a run for their money though.
Main concern for the Cavs
The main concern for the Cavs has been not enough time to rest their star players. The plan to do so got a dent with them obtaining Warriors’ Andrew Bogut.
How so?
Photo: Black Adam Schefter
He’s so fragile. Bogut fractured his tibia within minutes of his team debut and will be out for the rest of the year. Kevin Love is still out and J.R Smith is just returning after an injury to his finger. However, they added Deron Williams and Kyle Korver. Coach Lue has already started to implement a system to trim minutes for Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson whose defense game has stepped up majorly this year with 70 blocks and he still has more games to go this season.
Suga Finally Anoints LeBron James as King
Oh and yes I said it earlier, King James. The rain is going to pour and the gates are going to open because I have finally put some ‘respek’ on his name and anointed him. Timing is everything though and he anointed himself before his time, that is, before he even got a ring. I still do not think he is better than MJ, so let us not get carried away folks.
If and when LeBron and the Cavs reach The Finals this year, it would be LeBron’s 7th straight Final! I’m sure everyone would agree that is quite commendable.
There may be many times he may not be able to hit the game-winning shot and a lot rests on Kyrie but Kyrie and the team could not keep winning without him.
The best players are usually arrogant but they aren’t usually babies crying, falling to the floor and begging for calls from the Ref after every little hit or shove. So quit being a baby LeBron and you will get some more respect from Suga.
Photo: USA Today
Western Conference
The Warriors have acquired Matt Barnes but at the same time have lost Harrison Barnes, Andrew Bogut, Festus Ezeli, Leandro Barbosa and Marreese Speights. They therefore have no BIGS in the paint. The Splash Brothers are no more because Steph Curry and Klay Thompson no longer play in sync as they used to and they are not unstoppable. Both Klay and Curry have been very inconsistent with scoring and something seems off with the overall chemistry of the team. Even with Kevin Durant (KD), Suga doesn’t see a Super team. I see a weaker team.
Hold up, I should say without KD because right now KD is sitting it out with a Grade 2 MCL Sprain after his teammate, Zaza Pachulia fell on him while his knee was hyperextended in a game on February 28th. Grade 2 MCL Sprains normally take about 6 weeks to heal but the Warriors say he will be re-evaluated in 4 weeks and could return before the end of the season.
Following KD’s injury, the Warriors suffered back to back defeats, which hasn’t happened since 2015. They suffered back to back losses again Wednesday night after they lost to the Celtics. KD was shooting the best in his career and led the team in points and rebounds per game. Sadly he can no longer be in the race for MVP because of his injury.
Suga thinks karma will come around to bite KD for going to the Warriors and all the players they sacrificed just to get him will go in vain.
If not the Warriors then who?Â
The San Antonio Spurs of course. They are currently in 2nd spot close behind the Warriors. They had a tough loss against OKC last night, especially when Kawhi Leonard had to go to the Locker room after getting hit in the head. They weren’t themselves last night but you have to keep in mind they were on a 9-game winning streak. They play the Warriors tomorrow night at 8:30pm!
Once the Spurs play to full potential they are quite hard to beat. This was proven on Wednesday night when they beat the Kings after overcoming a 28-point deficit with both LaMarcus Aldridge and Kawhi out resting. That win showed their Coach, Gregg Popovich all fired up. A sign they are going for that #1 spot in the West.
Also note that with veteran Gasol, Aldridge and Kawhi, they have BIGS in the paint.
The Spurs clinched an NBA record with their 18th straight 50-win season on Wednesday night.
Current Eastern & Western Conference Standings
Photo: ESPN Scorecenter
Race for MVP
Photo: www.foxsports.com
LeBron is in the race for MVP with James Harden of the Rockets, Russell Westbrook of OKC and Kawhi Leonard of the Spurs. It depends on how they define MVP but Suga thinks all roads lead to LeBron James for MVP, the Stats King.
To break it down briefly, let’s look at LeBron vs. Harden.
LeBron has better numbers from the field and 3-point line over Harden. He is actually better than KD and even with Steph Curry at the 3-point line. Let’s not even talk about Harden’s record for turnovers this season. Rockets’ defense improves when Harden is off the court. No MVP for him this year.
LeBron vs. Kawhi
Despite averaging 0.4 points more per game than LeBron, Leonard is a less efficient scorer. He shoots 5.1% worse from the field and 1.3% worse from the 3-point line.
Kawhi is known for his strong defense but surprisingly, the stats show that the Spurs are better defensively without him on the court.
Since the stats show that Rockets and Spurs do better and/or still win with Harden and Leonard off the respective teams, that rules them out for MVP in my books.
That now leaves LeBron vs. Westbrook.
Kudos to Westbrook for not crumbling after a bad break up. He has shown tremendous effort and focus in every game he plays and as a result, has led OKC to a spot they are likely to keep or move up by one to head to the Playoffs without KD. He does not have a good team and regardless of if they miss shots or good opportunities he hasn’t cursed them yet. He has shown he has prepared mentally for each and every game.
Steven Adams, Victor Oladipo and Enes Kanter showed their potential last night in a win vs. the Spurs. When it’s Playoff time, could OKC rise a dark horse? We’ll see because that was just one game and they played versus the Spurs’ bench in the 4th. This puts us back to the MVP race between Russ and LeBron.
Last night Russ tied Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 31 for the 2nd most Triple-Doubles in a season. Congrats to Westbrook but LeBron’s shooting is still better at 53.8% vs. 41.9%. LeBron is first for Field Goal Percentage in the league and Westbrook is way behind.
Also keep in mind that Westbrook is on a team that may not make it to 50 wins this season. MVPs are usually on teams that made 50 or more wins during the regular season
LeBron is universally accepted as the best NBA player in the world and the fact remains that when LeBron takes a breather, especially if Kyrie’s game isn’t on point, the Cavs fall flat. The same occurs with OKC without Westbrook. The difference? The Cavs are an excellent team with LeBron and OKC is a good team with Westbrook.
Excellence wins the race and so may LeBron for MVP.
Let’s see how it all plays out. Don’t you just love this game?!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Suga returned to Fromage Brasserie that opened recently in the Market Place for dinner with hubby two Saturdays ago at 8pm. I hoped to have better quality food after being disappointed with the first visit.
If you would like to refresh your memory with the experience of my first visit, click here:
It was night time and diners were out. The Restaurant was full and we had no reservations so had no problem with being seated in the Courtyard. The hostess was quite pleasant and accommodating and it was refreshing to see such bubbly, courteous staff compared to the last visit.
We skipped appetizers and went straight for the main and ordered at 8:15pm. I appreciated the waitress coming to inform us that they were plating at 8:35pm, the point at which we would be expecting the food to arrive. The food came out literally 2 minutes later as promised.
The quality of food was better this time around, but different types of dishes were chosen. At the end of the day with a full tab plus G.C.T and Service charge, I think the items are too pricey for the mediocre standard of food you are getting despite the Restaurant being at a bigger and better location. I have to revisit Fromage Gourmet Market on Hillcrest but if memory serves me correctly, the quality of food was much better there and I know for a fact the prices for some of the same dishes were much less. So for now, I will stick with the original Fromage.
Fromage Brasserie
Location: Market Place- 67 Constant Spring Road. Kingston.
Ph: 876-649-0820-1
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Suga found it easy to narrow down the winners for the Men – Andrew Garfield and Mahershala Ali who looked sharp on the Red Carpet! What are these dapper men featured in?
Check out Andrew in Hacksaw Ridge. It’s a good one. I saw Andrew play a War hero without using a gun in the war. Interesting angle. Good movie directed by Mel Gibson.
Mahershali Ali is featured in the controversial, Moonlight.
Quite a few ladies took it to the Red Carpet but the winners for Suga were Karlie Kloss (model) and Viola Davis who won her first Oscar for Fences that also features Denzel Washington.
Special mention goes to the following ladies:
Lastly, we cannot forget two of our favourite couples with the ladies looking lovely post pregnancy – Justin Timberlake with Jessica Biel (L) and John Legend with Chriss Tiegan (R).
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Suga and a friend visited Fromage Brasserie that opened recently in the Market Place. It is a bigger location for Fromage Gourmet Market on Hillcrest that we know and love. They are one of my favourites.
I loved the elegant, modern decor from the ceiling to the floor. The hostess was pleasant and the waitress was professional. Seating was comfortable but not so sure about the 2-seater tables. They looked a bit too small.
Lobster Bisque ($700JMD +tx)
I ordered the Lobster Bisque ($700JMD) recommended by the waitress that came out quickly but it was not in the usual Bread Boule that Fromage offers. However, I realised that I did not specify mainly because the waitress did not ask. The salt seemed to have gotten away in the soup so I was disappointed.
The Bacon Shrimp Chowder would need half an hour more to be ready so my friend didn’t bother to order it.
For the main I had trouble deciding because they had so many items on their menu. I think less items should be on the menu, similar to the Fromage on Hillcrest. Sometimes less is more.
I was deciding between the Seafood Risotto that I had seen pictures of and the Lobster Ravioli. Again, the waitress recommended the Lobster dish, saying the Risotto tends to be a bit heavy because of the Saffron cream sauce and I wasn’t in the mood for that so ordered the Lobster Ravioli ($2300JMD).
I recommended that my friend who loves Shrimp Pasta have the Pesto Pasta with Shrimp ($2000JMD).
Pesto Pasta with Shrimp ($2000JMD+tx)
When the food arrived in reasonable time I wish I recommended that for myself because I clearly made the wrong decision. My friend’s Pesto Pasta with Shrimp was delish. I started to wonder if the waitress just recommended Lobster dishes because it had Lobster. She had seemed confident with her recommendations but she was wrong this time.
Lobster Ravioli in a subtle Lemon Cream Sauce ($2300JMD+tx)
I’m not sure if the Chef was having an off day but I know the kitchen wasn’t pressured. There were other diners but the Restaurant was far from full.
As you can see, the presentation was poor. I saw no evidence of a Ravioli wheel or stamp used to properly shape the pasta. The Ravioli was overcooked and/or it had too much flour. It had a doughy taste and the taste of the Lobster was absent. The sauce wasn’t much to be desired for either. It needed more of a lemon zest and perhaps some chopped basil, fresh parsley and a touch of garlic.
The inside of my Lobster Ravioli
I told the waitress it was horrible and not to recommend it again. Hopefully the Chef gets it right soon or it should be removed from the menu.
I couldn’t let my first visit end on such a bad note after expectations were high. So I ordered the Lobster Mac and Cheese that looked salivating in pictures and on plates passing my table to other diners.
Lobster Mac & Cheese ($1000JMD)
The Lobster Mac and Cheese ($1000JMD) came out quickly and definitely saved the day. Presentation got 10/10 but the quality got 7/10. Believe it or not, it actually didn’t taste as good as it looked. It was tasty but lacked flavour. I think it needed a more pungent cheese and some garlic and herbs to spice it up. The Lobster Mac and Cheese at The Regency Room, Terra Nova is still a winner.
It was a disappointing visit and I felt robbed paying for that Lobster Ravioli but it is still early days for the Restaurant and I know given the history of the owners they will keep striving for better quality and service. The new Brasserie seems a bit pricey but I shall return in the near future to try some meat dishes such as the Feta Crusted Lamb ($3050JMD), Steak and Frites ($2000JMD) and the Korean BBQ Pork Ribs ($2450JMD).
Stay tuned for Part 2!
Fromage Brasserie
Location: Market Place- 67 Constant Spring Road. Kingston.
Ph: 876-649-0820-1
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Patriots QB Tom Brady celebrates with the Super Bowl LI trophy [Photo: AMP – Koin 6]What a game!
Punt after Punt for both the Falcons and the Patriots left the 1st Quarter scoreless.
The Falcons then went on a 21-0 run and dug a 25-point hole for the Patriots to be ahead 28-3 in the 3rd. The Patriots answered with a Touchdown but missed the Field Goal (FG) kick to reach 9-28.
The Patriots went on a roll in the 4th and although they were unable to make it to the endzone, they got the score to 12-28, never quit and went after each play.
I think the turning point of the game was a rookie mistake by Falcons’ QB Matt Ryan and their coach not to run the ball when they were in FG range that led to a fumble and him getting sacked. They missed the chance of a 3-point cushion that would have sealed the deal for them. The Patriots already have the record for the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history versus the Seahawks, where Falcon’s Head Coach, Dan Quinn was on Seahaeks’ coaching staff and the Seahawks lost after they did not run the ball. Quinn clearly did not learn his lesson. So now the Patriots had a chance to tie the game with a Touchdown and run for 2 which they achieved.
Another highlight and defining moment was the Patriots’ Julian Edelman’s catch off a defender’s shoe. He had been double teamed by defenders all night and was surrounded by 3 defenders for that play and was finally able to make a spectacular catch. That definitely pumped up their esteem and deflated that of the Falcons.
Then of course, Tom Brady went on a roll. After underthrowing then overthrowing the ball all night, he finally got his mojo back after erasing a 25-point deficit. Which star QB wouldn’t?! Â The game was now tied at 28-28 with 57s left in the final quarter after a 19-0 run.
Falcons failed to reach FG range and for the first time in Super Bowl history, the game would go into Overtime (OT).
Patriots had the option to choose first and won the coin toss. The current OT rules give both teams the opportunity to possess the ball at least once in OT unless the team that receives the OT kickoff scores a touchdown on its first possession.
So, if the team that received the OT kickoff, which would be the Patriots scored on its first possession, they would the winner.
Brady’s pass to James White created a 2 yard TD run in OT and just like that the Patriots won 34-28, the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.
James White scored 3 TDs and a 2-pointer. Tom Brady scored a record 466 yards, 2 TDs and got his 5th ring and Bill Belichick is now the 1st Coach with 5 Super Bowl Crowns.
Well done Patriots. Well done. A win well deserved. Congrats to Tom Brady, Belichick and the Patriots!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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