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Pink Apron Ja joined House of Loaves’ Pop-Up Mobile Truck last week!

by Chefs, Bakers and CaterersFoodpornRestaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot
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Persons waiting to get their Mexican craving satisfied last week Thursday at the Pink Apron Ja|House of Loaves Mobile Truck on Garelli Avenue

 

You’ve seen it in the movies but now it’s here in Jamaica, popping up more and more at different locations – Food Trucks!

Three weeks ago, Thursday Life in the Jamaica Observer checked in with some local chefs and caterers and compiled their thoughts for ‘Culinary trends for 2016’. Quite a lovely piece. If you missed it, check it out on www.jamaicaobserver.com.

Pink Apron Jamaica’s caterer, Charissa Henry’s thoughts about Mobile cuisine peaked my interest, as I thought that it’s about time! There has been an influx of mobile eateries or trucks but from what I have seen, mainly junk food and hardly anything gourmet.

Social media plays a big part in the success of these mobile eateries in Jamaica and it was tested and proven last week. I follow Pink Apron Jamaica on Instagram (@pinkapronja) and was excited to see that they were doing a pop-up shop with the increasingly popular, House of Loaves Mobile Truck on Garelli Avenue (beside NCB’s Atrium), quite a central location.

What was on the Menu for the advertised Tex Mex Taco Truck?

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Photo: @pinkapronja on Instagram

Suga’s Experience?

I love the concept and enjoyed my lunch. Change and Craving were satisfied at once. Packaging was neat, the truck looked clean and staff were pleasant. Good service.

The truck was open from 11:30am-3pm. My lunch was at 1:30pm, so I got there just in time at about 12 minutes to 2pm. There were persons already in line but not a lot. Upon joining the line you receive a ticket number, a pink ticket of course. I made my order when my number was called and within literally 2 minutes I received my Grilled Chicken Bowl. Persons behind me were not so lucky though. The Chicken was almost finished when I got mine and I heard the Pork Belly finished as well. Just Sausages and Elote were left close to 3pm.

However, I saw that they noted the time when items were running low and would more than likely make the necessary adjustments for the next pop-up shop.

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Pork Belly Tacos and Elote           Photo: @pinkapronja instarepost

I overheard someone saying that they would like to call in their order but I think if that was put in place, it would stray from the concept. Other than that, feedback was good in the streets. The masses enjoyed the Pork Belly and the different cheeses and spiced used for the Corn cob (Elote).

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Suga’s Grilled Chicken Bowl.           (Not pictured- Tomato salsa was served in a separate container)

My Grilled Chicken Bowl was filling. The chicken was bland but there were a lot more flavours in the bowl to make up for that, for instance, I am a cilantro, lime and rice combo fan so I enjoyed that along with the added tomato salsa flavour.

Affordable drinks were also on sale, from about $75JMD and up.

Follow @pinkapronja on Instagram to find out when and where their next pop up lunch will be with @houseofloaves that caters to your cravings. I can’t wait!

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Panthers versus Broncos for Super Bowl 50!

by SportsWhat's Hot

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Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos deflated Tom Brady and the New England Patriots’ dreams of going to Super Bowl 50 yesterday in the AFC Championship with a 20-18 win.

Hyped up match ups in the NFL are usually disappointing for the most part and this Manning-Brady match up was just that. Brady and the Patriots were not impressive at all. However, both teams had difficulty running the ball. But it was the Broncos who struggled all season and were considered as the underdogs that came through with the right plays and completed passes that Manning delivered!

It would be easy to say that the missed FG attempt in the first quarter could have costed the Patriots the game in the end but the Broncos also failed to convert a TD opportunity after acquiring an interception in the 1st half as well. The Broncos just were not going to let the Patriots win last night from the looks of it either. The Broncos stopped the Patriots from going for 2 after their TD with 12 seconds left in the game, then recovered the ball after the on-side kick. It was surely over then. Well done Broncos!

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Panthers QB Cam Newton jumped over Cardinals fearlessly to score his own TD to increase the lead to 34-7 (Photo: www.charlotteobserver.com)

Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers booked their spot in Super Bowl 50 much easier than the Broncos with a blowout 49-15 win over the Arizona Cardinals last night.

The Panthers had a fast start again, scoring a TD after an 86 yard completion, leading 17-0 after the 1st Quarter and 24-7 HT.

Cardinals QB, Carson Palmer had horrible passes resulting in most of their turnovers. Larry Fitzgerald was not as impressive last night either or didn’t have a chance to be and had a few incompletions. In total they had 7 turnovers! The Panthers were too fast, too hungry and just too good.

The Panthers will face the Broncos at the Bank of America stadium in Santa Clara, CA for the Lombardi Trophy at 6:30pm ET on Sunday, February 7!

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Jamaica National’s New Year of Giving Cash Prize

by CharitiesWhat's Hot

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With just 3 clicks, help the non-profit organization, Rotaract Club of Kingston win Jamaica National Foundation’s New Year of Giving cash prize!

Vote for the Rotaract Club of Kingston by just clicking on the link below, selecting ‘Rotaract Club of Kingston’ and clicking ‘Vote’:

http://woobox.com/7hfnxv/gallery/

 

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NFL Weekend Roundup!

by SportsWhat's Hot

The fight to play in the Conference Championships was on over the weekend!

The Patriots booked their 5th consecutive AFC Championship with a 27-20 win over the Chiefs on Saturday.

The Cardinals-Packers game was the highlight Saturday night. Very exciting game. It all came down to a coin toss to head into OT. There was drama where the coin did not flip and had to be tossed again (See video below). Packers QB, Rodgers was quite upset that it came down to that, saw that it was on heads so called tails, then it didn’t flip. Then he did not get the chance to make another call before the coin was quickly tossed again. This situation stirred up talks of changing OT rules so the teams can play out a certain time for a chance of another Hail Mary. But it was clearly fate for the Cardinals who scored the TD first and therefore won 26-20, with Larry Fitzgerald having a huge game and scoring a TD.

Camera focusing on NFL coin that didn’t flip in Packers-Cardinals game:

https://youtu.be/Luxqxj_3riQ

The Panthers sent home the Seahawks yesterday, totally blowing them out in the first half. The Seahawks haven’t been handled like that in a long time. The Panthers scored 31 in the first half with 2 interceptions and it was enough to hold on to without scoring in the second half and despite a full force comeback by the Seahawks. The game ended 31-24.

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Photo: www.nfl.com

Panthers QB Cam Newton stated that they just stuck to their game plan and it worked. The Panthers will face the Cardinals in the NFC Championship next Sunday at 6:40pm.

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Photo: www.nfl.com

After a slow start, the Broncos overcame the Steelers 23-16 to book what is likely to be the final Manning-Brady face off chapter in the AFC Championship with the Patriots next Sunday at 3:05pm.

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Photo: www.google.com.jm

 

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In the Streets Fast Food Update

by Restaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

Apologies to the Fitness junkies, but this is an update for the carb loaders, those who are maintaining their awesome weight so they can afford that 1 cheat day of the week and for the parents feeding kids who are fortunate to have such fast metabolisms.

The people have spoken. It seems Jamaica is finally moving away from ‘KFC’ country. After Taco Bell and so many other franchises have come and gone and only one location of Popeyes was left open, a new location of Popeyes is now open!

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Photo: Popeyes Jamaica Facebook Page

Words of the people:

‘Wi tiyad of KFC undacooked chicken. Popeyes taste betta n dem cook dem chicken. Di new place ram!’

Speaking of new locations or fast food joints popping up, the new Pizza place, Pizza Please is now open for the New Year in Village Plaza. Suga went to try it out last Saturday in the middle of the day but looked and took a U-turn. I needed to sit down and eat. It was small, so limited seating available. Understandable but the AC was either not working or not on! So the place felt congested and uncomfortably hot. I love the concepy of what I saw though. We finally have a Pizza spot that offers more of a variety of toppings for pizzas such as eggplant, spinach and more. Similar to say a Whole Foods in the US. Personal pans, flatbreads, slices etc. were all laid out so you can see your options and they seemed ready to go once you said the word.

Suga will revisit one day.

Until then, finishing the week with healthy food. Look out for a health and fitness tip tomorrow! 🙂

 

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NFL’s Wild Card Playoff Weekend Roundup!

by SportsWhat's Hot
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sbnation.com

In the AFC Wild Card Playoffs, the Chiefs smoked the Texans, 30-0. 17 out of 22 passes were completed by Chiefs QB, Alex Smith, while Texans QB, Brian Hoyer threw 4 interceptions. The Chiefs will face the Patriots next Saturday at 4:35pm.

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www.cincinnati.com

The Steelers edged out the Bengals, 18-16. It looked like the Bengals were going to win but turnovers costed Bengals the game. The Steelers will face the Broncos next Saturday at 4:40pm.

For the NFC Wild Card Playoffs, the Seahawks recovered from a 9-0 deficit in the 4th quarter to beat the Vikings 10-9! The turnover forced by Chancellor and the TD conversion after Wilson recovered from a fumble were turning points in the game. The Vikings had many missed opportunities and then the Seahawks lucked out in the end of the game when Walsh of the Vikings kicked the Field Goal far left of the post, handing the game to the Seahawks. The Seahawks will face the head of the division, the Panthers, next Sunday at 1:05pm.

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www.nj com

The Packers got off to a slow start trailing the Redskins but Rodgers found his throw, defense and offense were strong thoughout the second half of the game. It just kept getting better and better for the Packers to the point where Rodgers was smiling from ear to ear, which isn’t a frequent sight. Lacy had exceptional runs, with both him and Starks scoring touchdowns. Cobb and Adams had some good catches and kicker, Crosby was consistent. A total team effort. Great end to the NFL’s Wild Card Playoff Weekend!

The Packers will face the Cardinals next Sunday at 8:15pm.

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Who is going straight to the NBA finals, who can beat the Warriors and more!

by SportsWhat's Hot
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Photo: www.nba.com

With Tuesday night’s win over the Lakers, the Warriors are 33-2, 1 game ahead of NBA’s previous best, the Chicago Bulls at this point in their 1995-1996 season. Their next game is tonight at Portland. MVP Steph Curry has been playing through the pain with a shin injury that he should rest for 4 weeks but if he doesn’t rest it he is not in any great danger. According to ESPN Scorecenter, he attended full practice yesterday and will be playing tonight.

Even when a key player like Curry or Klay Thompson are out of the game, their line-up is big and they have other key players like Draymond Green who will step up big time and they still win. Green just won player of the week for the Week of December 28th. An average team will have to play GREAT to beat them says former basketball player and ESPN analyst Tim Legler, and the majority of their remaining games are versus average teams. They seem relaxed but hungry at the same time. Only a serious injury to one of their main players can stop them. Will Matthew Dellavedova kick Curry in the shin and just end his season? If the Warriors break the Bulls 72-10 record, it would only be right that they go for and win the NBA Championship title based on pure logic and historical statistics.

So which other teams are in the mix and who actually poses a serious threat?

To date, considering both the Eastern and Western Conference, the League standings for the Top 10 teams are as follows:

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Photo: www.espn.go.com

So for the West, if Warriors meet the San Antonio Spurs it will not be easy. At the looks of it now, only the Spurs pose a threat to the Warriors in the West and vice versa. The Spurs probably still have the deepest bench in the league. Their bench alone scored 70 points in the 123-98 blowout win over the Jazz on Wednesday. Screenshot_2016-01-07-23-50-59-1.png

They also finally have some young, fresh players that Coach Pop is giving time on the Court. There is Past Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills and more. Then the Big Old 3 are still present. Old Man River Walk, Tim Duncan is still looking good, not to mention Manu Ginobili who looks like he got his act together. Tony Parker is forever talented but hardly ever consistent. Perhaps he has his young baby on his mind.

Even though Suga gives the Spurs and Warriors the edge in the West, OKC is not to be forgotten. Past MVP Kevin Durant is back! He is on form after a broken bone in his right foot that needed 3 surgeries and after spraining his big toe last week. Hopefully he doesn’t continue to break a leg. No pun intended. He returned Tuesday night to beat the Grizzlies 112-94 and note that OKC went 12-3 in December. Westbrook is great, Ibaka and Adams are good, but without Durant, OKC will lose.

Now where all my LeBron James haters at? Sorry folks, he won’t go away. He has won player of the month 29 times now and his stats keep buzzing, equalling and breaking record after record. He scored 9 points in 1 minute Wednesday night versus the Wizards at Washington. It’s a pity he isn’t pretty to watch though. Suga predicts the Cavs will go straight to the NBA Finals again this year. All eyes are on the Warriors, so no immense pressure on LeBron, which is good because we all see how he buckles under pressure. There is also no serious threat on the East side. The Bulls are doing well but the Cavs will still destroy them. The Cavs are the kind of team that elevate their game based on their opponent. They are confident, arrogant, hungry and some bitter.

I would say LeBron’s partner in crime is back, but LeBron is a lone, selfish soldier on the court. Kyrie Irving is back yall! Now HE is pretty and exciting to watch, just 23 years old and full of energy. He is back on form, scoring well, up to 32 points Wednesday night versus the Wizards compared to LeBron’s 34 points and these are under restrictions in minutes he is allowed to play, which the Cavs will soon remove. The Warriors beat them on Christmas Day 89-83, but with a healthy Kyrie Irving and no minutes restrictions, it will be a whole new ball game. The Cavs also have a good starting line up and bench with dangerous players like Matthew Dellavedova and J.R. Smith. When teams feel excited about catching up with the Cavs or lessening a point deficit, J.R. will just burst their bubble with a 3-pointer. Then they also have Tristan Thompson, Kevin Love, Timofey Mozgov and Sasha Kaun.

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Sad to say but Suga believes if the Cavs meet the Warriors in the Finals again with a now healthy Kyrie Irving, they will get the formula right this time and get revenge. But if somehow the Spurs, a team with a totally different dynamic and ball movement make it to the Finals, they may actually make a more exciting match up versus the Cavs and LeBron could have a Finals nightmare all over again. But we just have to wait and see. It is just January and there is still time for players to grow and teams to make adjustments. Don’t you just love this game?!