TGIF! Introducing Ja’s New 24 Karat Premium Beer to the World!

Taste is Everything! The NEW NEW 24 KARAT Premium Beer, is an ALL NATURAL Beer distributed by Miracle Corp. on Collins Green Ave. in Kingston.

A 100% JAMAICAN owned Beer.
Brewed to a full bodied Beer with a medium golden colour, a blend of German hops and Canadian Malt.

Not too light, not too harsh. Just right. 24 Karat Premium Beer (Ig: @24karatglobal) is #SugaEndorsed.

The Stout has a good balance too!

By: Gabrielle Burgess (Founder/Owner, Suga Lifestyle)

If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter & TikTok (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.

Freshly made Food, Local Beer and Good Coffee from Ragamuffin Coffee Bar!

Earlier this year, hubby and I enjoyed Ragamuffin Cafe’s freshly made Miso-Hungry Beef and RFC (Raga Fry Chicken) Burgers, local craft Beer from Trouble’s Brewing (Ig: @troublesbrew) and some good Coffee from Deaf Can! Coffee (Ig: @deafcancoffee) !

Miso-Hungry Beef Burger (J$1800 incl. Tx)
RFC (Raga Fry Chicken) Burger (J$1500 incl. Tx)
Sweet Potato Fries (J$400 incl. Tx), regular Fries (J$400 incl. Tx) and local Craft Beer (1 Pint – J$1000 incl. Tx) from Trouble’s Brewing.

They also have healthy options from Dream Bowls Ja (Ig: @dreambowlsja) and more.

Cute, cosy café to sit down away from it all with decent customer service. Ragamuffin Coffee Bar is #SugaEndorsed.

Ragamuffin Coffee Bar

Location: 74 Lady Musgrave Road. Kingston, Jamaica

Ph: 876-332-9876

Instagram: @ragamuffincafe

Open 8 AM – 5 PM, Mondays to Saturdays

By: Gabrielle Burgess (Founder/Owner, Suga Lifestyle)

If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.

TGIF to these Macarons from the Newest Hot Spot in Town!

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Strawberry and Vanilla Macarons from the AC Lounge at the AC Hotel Kingston.

The Macarons at the AC Lounge are delish.

The AC Lounge at the AC Hotel Kingston is the newest hot spot in town and is great for light food and cocktails. Stop by and have a great weekend!

AC Hotel Kingston

Location: 38-42 Lady Musgrave Road. Kingston 5. JA. W.I 

Ph: 876-750-3000

Website: http://www.achotelkingston.com/

By: Gabrielle Burgess

If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.

 

Italian Job, the first Stop for Suga’s Weekend in Portland

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Suga’s Ratings for Italian Job

Date and time of visit: Friday, February 15, 2019 at 8:45pm

No. of diners: 2 adults

NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum

Parking: ★★★☆☆

Ambience: ★★★☆☆

Décor: ★★★☆☆

Comfort: ★★★★☆

Service: ★★★★★

Speed: ★★★★☆

Food quality: ★★★★★

Serving amount: ★★★★★

Plating: ★★★★★

Value for $: ★★★★★

Suga’s Breakdown:

Last weekend was filled with sun, sea, food and rum for Suga and husband, Randy in the scenic parish of Portland.

Our first stop last Friday night was The Italian Job owned by Chef Gianmaria Pedroli who calls himself, The Pizza Man.

It’s a quaint restaurant on the side of the road on Harbour street that seemed to attract a lot of Europeans visiting the island. The Pizza Man was hospitable and made us feel quite comfortable. He seemed to have two local Chefs working for him that night, who he checked on from time to time after he took our order.

Randy started things off with a classic Italian Minestrone soup and I had Bruschetta, where the bread was toasted just right. The tomato was fresh complemented well with herbs and a light touch of vinegar.

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Bruschetta – Toasted Bread topped with garlic, olive oil, freshly diced tomato, vinegar and herbs

Our mains arrived theatrically with steam still coming off the plates. We thoroughly enjoyed our flavourful pastas, mine a little less loaded with seafood than Randy’s. Lobster was still abundant throughout my dish and the shells served with the dishes weren’t just for presentation, but contained meat as well. The sauce was not heavy, so despite the size of the dishes, we did not feel gluttonous at the end, but fully satisfied with its lightness, freshness, flavour and authenticity.

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Linguini con Aragosta ($3000JMD incl. tx) – Pasta with Lobster, white wine, tomato, parsley and garlic

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Linguini The Italian Job ($3000JMD incl. tx) – Pasta with Lobster, Clams, Shrimps, Mussels, Calamari, freshly diced tomato

Prices were beyond reasonable and Dessert was available too.

The Italian Job is definitely #SugaEndorsed. We returned the next day to pick up our Pizza order!

Stay tuned to see other foodie stops we made for the rest of the weekend!

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Chef Gianmaria Pedroli a.k.a The Pizza Man and Randy Burgess after Randy was served his Linguini Italian Job with steam abound.

The Italian Job Pizzeria and Restaurant

Location: 29 Harbour Street. Port Antonio.

Ph: 876-573-8603

Opening Hours: 12pm – 10pm; Closed on Sundays and Mondays

By: Gabrielle Burgess

If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.

Save the Date!

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Oktoberfest has been teaching locals and visitors everything they need to know about German spirits and food for over 30 years. This year it starts from Saturday, September 22nd and lasts for 2 weeks, ending on Sunday, October 7th.

The Jamaican-German society usually celebrates years of existence with an annual beer and food extravaganza in Kingston. However, Simo’s Bread and Catering will be hosting an Oktoberfest event with Beer on tap, Meaty and Vegetarian food options on Sunday, September 23 in Trelawny! With the delicious and decadent treats that Simo’s will be offering, #simosoktoberfest is definitely Suga Endorsed.

***SPECIAL***

Buy 5 tickets and get 1 FREE until September 6th!

For more Information:

Christina M.B. Simonitsch

Location: Montego Bay

Email: [email protected]

Catering, Cooking Lessons & Staff Training

By: Gabrielle Burgess

If you liked this Promo, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.

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Personal Pizzas at The Pegasus Blend Bar!

Suga’s Ratings for The Blend Bar!

NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum

Parking: ★★★★★

Ambience: ★★★★★

Décor: ★★★★☆

Comfort: ★★★★★

Service: ★★★★☆

Speed: ★★★★☆

Value for $: ★★★★★

Suga Endorsement: ★★★★☆

Comments: Perfect Bar and Lounge for a mellow evening or night. Good environment for conversation and a business meeting. The music is not loud.

Personal Size Pizzas (~8″ on a round plate) are now at the cosy Blend Bar at The Jamaica Pegasus!

Suga had a tasting last Friday night of the Pizzas that they now offer. There was Ham and Pineapple, the Pegasus Pizza and Vegetarian.

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Ham and Pineapple, The Pegasus and Vegetarian Pizzas from the Blend Bar at The Jamaica Pegasus

They were filling, flavourful flatbreads. I couldn’t identify my favourite. My friends and I enjoyed all of them with Beer, Wine and Cocktails.

Each Personal Pizza costs $1012JMD including tax.

Go and get your Pizza fix from the Blend Bar and have a few drinks as well over some great conversation.

Happy Hump Day!

Blend Bar

Location: The Jamaica Pegasus, 81 Knutsford Boulevard, Kgn. 5

Ph#: 876-926-3690-5

 

By: Gabrielle Burgess

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

 

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Cruising out to Pelican Bar!

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Pelican Bar is a rustic bar that was built from wood by a fisherman, Floyd Forbes in 2001 on a sand bank in the middle of the sea. It is half way between Black River and Treasure Beach.

Of course it was named after the flocks of Pelicans that used to rest on the sand bank.

It is now an established attraction as the hotels quickly recognized what a nice get away it is. Local fishermen will ferry you over from Black River and Treasure Beach, that are about 20 minutes out.

Suga enjoyed the Catamaran Cruise about a month ago with Island Routes from an hour and a half away. The boat was anchored about 2 minutes away from the Bar and we were carried over the low waters by a small motor boat that would collect us in an hour.

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Island Routes Boat anchored 2 minutes away from Pelican Bar

Upon arrival we were greeted by the local fishermen that took orders for fish and drinks from the bar. They keep it simple as they are literally out in the middle of the sea so options are limited. For food, the only meal of the day was Brown Stew Fish and rice an peas. Rice and Peas? Yes. Asking for a side of Bammy was a special order. That’s it. As a tourist attraction and for the experience, I found $15US for the food to be quite reasonable. Tourists mostly enjoyed Rum, Red Stripe Beer and Heineken and the food was ready by the time you explored a little and had a drink.

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A man walked around that would etch your names in the wooden floor of the bar, who I am sure collects a lot of tips.

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Some tourists did a bit of swimming and snorkelling and collected sea eggs and sea urchins while I enjoyed chilling in the water, chatting and drinking beer. Before we knew it, it was time for those who came by Island Routes to head back to land.

It was not an oh so spectacular place but it was all about the experience and it was definitely an opportunity to get away, relax and enjoy the simplicity offered. One thing that could really amp up what they had to offer? It’s St. Elizabeth, so they could get some Shrimp aka ‘Peppa Swims’ at that bar!

Awesome, Picturesque Beach Day. Lovely spot to enjoy with family and friends. Explore Jamaica! Suga endorsed.

Pelican Bar

Location: ‘Di middle of di sea’ – St. Elizabeth

Ph: 876-354-4218

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Can you Drink Alcohol and Still Lose Weight?

 

As Christmas Day quickly approaches, it is a question that is on the minds of weight loss hopefuls. The answer is much more complicated than counting calories. Unlike carbohydrates, protein, and fat, alcohol is not an essential source of calories, nor is it significant source of vitamins and minerals your body needs to function. However, many people who are in good shape swear by a drink or two every now and then. Are they the exception or the rule?

 

Calories in Alcohol

 

Pure alcohol serves up 7 calories per gram, almost twice as many calories as carbohydrates and close to the 9 calories in a gram of fat. That makes that cocktail, margarita or Mai Tai a heaping mound of calories in a small glass. Just a 1.5 oz shot of 80-proof gin, rum, or vodka can add 100 calories to any drink. When you think of the addition of fruit juice, soda, or grenadine (a liqueur), you’re looking at a calorie-infusion that could add up to meal-size calorie counts. If you want to save calories, have alcohol straight with fresh fruit, or mixed with club soda, or stick to plain old wine.

 

Lowering Your Inhibitions

 

Beyond calories, something else to consider is alcohol’s ability to lower inhibitions. To keep yourself from overindulging, eat a well balanced meal with protein and fiber before you start drinking. It will also help you steer clear of searching for a late-night meal, when your only options may not include low-calorie foods like fruits or vegetables. Research shows that drinking before a meal may increase your caloric intake by 20%.

 

Alcohol’s Impact on Metabolism

 

A ‘beer belly’ is not caused by alcohol alone, but there are some direct correlations between alcohol and fat metabolism. When you drink alcohol, your metabolism slows down its energy conversion of fat and carbohydrates to first get rid of the alcohol in your body. Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD, CSSD, a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics shares, “Drinking alcohol stops fat metabolism in the liver causing it to build up around the waistline.” Of course this “build up” only happens in the presence of excess calories. In addition to staying under your calorie limit, rev up your metabolism by staying active and not skipping meals.

 

Alcohol’s Impact on Your Sleep

 

Even if you do control your alcohol calories, and keep your metabolism revved, consuming alcohol can have a major impact on your ability to have a good night’s sleep if you consume it right before bed. Michael Breus, PhD tells WebMD that even if alcohol helps you go to sleep, it’s detrimental to your sleep experience. “It will keep you in the lighter stage…it will also wake you up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, it will also dehydrate you which can affect your sleep.” He explains that alcohol consumption inhibits “deep sleep” stages 3 and 4, “where we see the increase in growth hormone, the cell repair, and the overall damage-from-the-day repair.” He continues that the resulting fatigued feeling can rob a person from feeling refreshed in the morning. Lack of sleep could affect not only your ability to workout effectively, but it could also hinder your well-intentioned eating habits. Just as you should aim to not eat 2 to 3 hours before bed, you should give up the glass or bottle within this time frame to enjoy a good night’s rest.

 

The Bottom Line

 

All things being equal, if you continue to burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. However, if lowering your caloric intake of food to accommodate 1 or 2 glasses of alcohol, ensure not to cut out essential calories from complex carbs, healthy fats and proteins. Also, while drinking on its own will not inhibit weight loss, depending on the frequency and level of consumption, the effects of drinking alcohol could have a negative impact on your ability to eat good food, sleep well, and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Source: Caloriecount.com; 

Edited by Rachel Berman 10/21/2013; Gabrielle Williams 28/10/13