I will admit, that’s not Apple juice. It’s Scotch on the rocks. I think it is ok to bring a little vacay or holiday spirit back to work. Let’s be real, some of us think it’s 2020 all over again and need a strong one. Let’s try not to think that way though.
Of course numbers will sky rocket for January. Try to ignore it. We just concluded the biggest holiday of each year with lots of travelers. Continue to wear your mask and sanitize. Arrange to get your booster if you haven’t yet and remember that we can’t put our lives on hold until 2025 or however long this will last. You will be left behind. Notice I haven’t mentioned what ‘this’ is. We are moving forward.
For those of you like me with a never ending ‘To Do’ List. Let’s not obsess over it. As you check things off, more things will naturally replace them. Get to it when you can. Be confident you are doing your best.
Oh and I really hope they keep the kids in school. Cheers to Monday and have a great, productive week! 🥂
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.
Happy New Year from Suga Lifestyle Directors, Randy and Gabby Burgess who dined at Coppers Jamaica Restaurant to ring in the New Year.
Happy New Year Suga Bears! Let’s get it 2022!🎉🥂
Covid or no Covid, you can’t quarantine the Hustle. Let’s do the best we can to keep safe, healthy and just keep moving and striving. Time isn’t waiting on us and we have to make the best of it and the best of life.
Suga Lifestyle plans to continue bringing to you what Brand Jamaica has to offer with GW Art, other talented local artisans, Health and Fitness, Restaurant Ratings and Reviews, Charities and Sports.
We expect a lot of growth from Suga Lifestyle Charities this year. We can’t wait to simply share, collaborate with other non-profit entities and give back to communities in need while advancing health care, art and education.
Please continue to support Suga Lifestyle events. An exclusive shopping experience in comfort, with the best showcase of the island’s creative industries, confectioneries and the opportunity to sip, taste and shop in a cool, cosy setting, with others that enjoy shopping for unique, high quality locally made products.
Have a Blessed, Healthy and Prosperous 2022! XoXo, Suga💖
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.
Oxtail and Beans with Rice and Peas (white rice can be requested instead)Escovitch FishSeafood BoilShrimp Fried Rice Sweet and Sour LobsterÂ
Suga Taster, Jehan’s Breakdown:
Suga Taster, Jehan in Kingston 21, Florida was wowed by Krystal Powell’s Dynamic Cuisines Food Truck again!Â
Just when I think Krystal Powell cannot get better, she continues to create waves. So I couldn’t let a week in January pass before ordering.
Dynamic Cuisines Food Truck was launched on August 6, 2020 and since then I have been a faithful, weekly patron.
Once you follow her Instagram page, @kookinwithkryssi, you will realize that she posts the weekly “Pull-Up Schedule†that showcases where she will be with a particular day and time. She is no stranger to Pembroke Pines, Miramar, Davie, North Lauderdale, Margate and Miami.
Once you “pull up†to her food truck, please be prepared to always encounter a long line (yes… that is how good her culinary skills are) and once you place your order, you will have to wait 15-20 minutes as all meals are cooked to order. Still Reasonable!
I am yet to be disappointed and I usually place two to three orders at a time. Suga Bears in Kingston 21, go check out Krystal Powell’s Food Truck today!
Krystal Powell’s Food Truck Team: Shantel, Masseney and Joe
Ph: 954-516-3537
Instagram: @kookinwithkryssi
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.
Suga Taster, Taraja Jackson’s Blue Mountain Lemonade from Cafe Blue, Irish Town last Sunday.
TGIF to the Blue Mountain Lemonade from Cafe Blue!
It’s Summer Time and we have been so locked in. Take a drive this weekend up to Cafe Blue in Irish town and enjoy their Blue Mountain Lemonade along with adjoining Restaurant, Crystal Edge’s Jamaican eats.
Take note of the last day for this deal too, ONLY at Fontana Fairview, Super Valu Constant Spring and Sovereign Center locations.
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.
Suga Tasters, Ash and Ten’s Ratings for Chef Bingy
Date of Delivery: May 16 & 24, 2020
Orders for 2 Adults
NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum
Speed: ★★★☆☆
Food quality: ★★★★☆
Serving amount: ★★★☆☆
Packaging: ★★★★☆
Value for $: ★★★★☆
Suga Tasters, Ash and Ten’s Breakdown!
Chef Bingy definitely met and even exceeded our expectations, particularly with the explosion of different flavours in relatively simple dishes. We first experienced this with Chef Bingy’s Pumpkin Chicken Soup, which Jamaicans expect in a Pumpkin soup, but with welcomed notes of coconut milk and ginger. Chef Bingy definitely defied the ‘usual’ by also adding nuts such as Almonds to her marvellous Soup.
Chef Bingy’s Pumpkin Chicken Soup
We had ordered a Salad as well, which was deliciously enhanced by a crunchy texture from added Walnuts and Pears to the Kale. Sweet and earthy were definitely the predominant flavours!
Chef Bingy’s Salad
After our very satisfying Soup and Salad experience, we recently tried Chef Bingy’s Curried Chicken, which was extremely rich and flavourful. This, served with roast and fried Breadfruit, definitely hit the spot and was reminiscent of my beloved Nanny’s cooking in a ‘dutchie’ on the cold stove. For $800JMD, along with generous slices of Avocado and Plantains, this meal was well worth it!
Chef Bingy’s Curried Chicken
Chef Bingy’s Breadfruit and Plantain
The personal delivery from Chef Bingy herself was also a nice touch, but if she continues cooking this way, she may be confined to the Kitchen whipping out more and more delicious soul food!
Edited 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.
Suga Taster, Kimberly Nesbeth’s Ratings for TOOKSIE’S CANTEEN by Tooksie Kay Catering
Date and time of order: April 29, 2020
No. of orders: 4
NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum
Speed: ★★★★★
Food quality: ★★★★★
Serving amount: ★★★★★
Packaging: ★★★★★
Value for $: ★★★★★
Suga Taster, Kim’s Breakdown!
Suga Taster, Kimberly Nesbeth
During Love in the Time of Corona, some of us are getting tired of cooking. All foodies know Alexa Von Strolley is that culinary artist who’s never afraid to wow our minds and surprise our taste buds, leaving her patrons wondering how she thought of this while leaving us begging for more. When I heard about Tooksie’s Canteen, I browsed the Instagram page and started to order.
Â
Tooksie’s Canteen operates Wednesdays to Fridays. The menu options change weekly. For each day there is usually one light option, such as a Salad or Flat Bread, two heavier options and a sweet treat. You order and pay online, which helps significantly with reducing human interaction, and you pick up at noon. I ordered on Instagram, received an email with the invoice and made payment via Sagicor e-banking.
Â
I ordered the In-n-Out Burger and Crack pie for Wednesday, Oxtail and Fish tacos on Thursday and Tuna Tataki Pizza and Tea-ramisu for Friday.
Â
Wednesday
In-n-Out Burger – Double stacked Beef Burger with American Cheese ($1400JMD)
The In-n-Out Burger was a tasty juicy American burger with lots of American cheddar cheese and fries. The fries and bread were clearly done on my arrival. Despite the juicy, cheesy burger, no soggy bread ‘roun here! Also the crispiest fries I’ve had in years. I expected the burger to be something out of the ordinary, but it was ordinary.
Sidenote: The Burger I had from Alexa the week before though, was heaven!
Double stacked Beef Burger, Crispy Pork Belly, Caramelized Onions, Cilantro Garlic sauce, Monterrey Jack Cheese with Fries – $3000JMD
Crack Pie with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
The Crack Pie was amazing! It tasted like danish butter cookies made into moist sweet indulgence. So addictive. I immediately understood how this American dessert got its name.
The Oxtail taco was perfect! Tender meat and a loud flavour with a kick of something I couldn’t put my finger on. It was delicious.
The Fish taco had too much batter for me, but once I squeezed the lime provided on the Fish, the bold flavour combinations completely outshone the batter.
Â
Friday
Tuna Takati Pizza
The Tuna Tataki Pizza was fresh and exciting, spicy but not peppery. I wish I ordered more! This dish was a reminder of Alexa’s versatility as a chef.
Tea-ramisu Chai soaked Lady Fingers with Dulce de Leche Mascarpone and Matcha Powder.
The Tea-ramisu was like a green tea tiramisu. Very interesting, unexpected and refreshing.
Â
Chef Alexa Von Strolley is as cute as her logo, but her food is LOUD, BOLD and BRAVE. Each meal tasted fresh and specially prepared. Her prices are comparable to mid-priced restaurants and the wait time is five minutes or less.Â
TOOKSIE’S CANTEEN by Tooksie Kay Catering Ph: 876 – 537 – 5443 Email: [email protected] Instagram: @tooksiekaycatering
Edited 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.
Do you remember that Kimberly’s favourite dish is Smoked Pork Chops?! Let’s see how she enjoyed a plant-based meal from The Plantry!
Suga Taster, Kimberly Nesbeth’s Ratings for The Plantry
Date and time of order: April 1, 2020
No. of orders: 2
NB. Ratings fill 5 stars maximum
Speed: ★★☆☆☆
Food quality: ★★★★★
Serving amount: ★★★★★
Packaging: ★★★★★
Value for $: ★★★★★
Suga Taster, Kimmy’s Breakdown!
During Love in the Time of Corona, many of us bought snacks we know we should stay away from, then binge ate them. Me? GUILTY!
After one week of this I was craving something healthy, but different. THE PLANTRY had been popping up on my Instagram and I took this opportunity to give them a try.
Their plant-based food options change weekly. Soups, salads, main dishes and sweet treats. You order and pay online, which helps significantly with reducing human interaction, and the food can be delivered or you can pick it up.
I ordered on Instagram, received an email with the invoice and made payment via squareup.com.
The menu was titled, ‘An Ode to Mexico’ the day that I ordered.
For JMD $1400, I got a small Split Pea Soup and Prickly Salad, a Nopales (type of cactus) Burrito, Elote (Mexican Grilled Corn) and Non-Dairy Mango Ice cream. A starter, main course and dessert for $1,400! Value for money already.
I decided to pick up the order myself because I needed a little drive out after watching too much Corona news. I was promised it would be ready at noon. I got there at 1pm and it still wasn’t ready. For damage control she made me a small Jerked Jackfruit plus Bean Wrap with fresh Mango Chutney. It was so tasty that I actually stopped half way so I could give the other half to my boyfriend. All of a sudden, instead of anxiously waiting I was patiently and excitedly anticipating receiving my order.
Jackfruit Burger (Instagram photo: @the.plantry)
At 2pm I was delving into my meal, so apologies, but no pics. The Soup, Salad, Elote and Burrito were DIVINE! Tasty, flavourful and filling!
So good I would definitely order again, but do delivery instead and plan for the delay.
What happened to the Ice-cream? The Ice-cream was not ready until two days later. Smooth and refreshing; as sweet as the perfect mango.
If you’re in office and still tied to a restricted Lunch time, this may not be for you. If you’re working from home, THE PLANTRY is definitely worth your time. Just mentally prepare for a possibly long wait.
The Plantry Location: Kingston, Ja. Ph: 876.518.1642 Instagram @the.plantry
Edited 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.
Crispy Wild Boar Ribs Appetizer (USD$16) with honey and sambal, buttermilk blue cheese dressing, celery and daikon slaw.
Suga Taster, Taraja Jackson was pleased to visit Lamberts Barbecue Restaurant and not get typical BBQ platters, but gourmet BBQ and other meaty fare instead.
You can also enjoy live music at Lamberts’ upstairs Bar too! Feast your eyes.
Country Style Pork Ribs (USD$21) with fennel and coriander rub, maple chili glaze.
Lamberts Barbecue Restaurant
Location: 401 W 2nd St, Austin, TX 78701, USA
Ph: 512-494-1500
Menu: www.lambertsaustin.com
Opening Hours: Mondays to Sundays @ 5pm – 10pm
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Suga Taster, Taraja Jackson enjoyed Japanese Cuisine in Austin, Texas a few days ago. She had a memorable experience at Lucky Robot Japanese Kitchen.
Cheers to that and Happy Thursday!
Lucky Robot Japanese Kitchen
Location: 1303 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704, United States
Ph: 512-444-8081
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Sunday’s cool, breezy afternoon was perfect for savoury bites and bubbly to celebrate International Women’s Day and contribute to the Canadian Women’s Club of Jamaica’s outreach projects.
Chez Maria’s Vegetarian Pumpkin Kibbeh Cups with hummus on top was both healthy and scrumptious. The winner for seconds if watching your calories. They were paired with Select Brands’ Primal Roots California Red.
Cannonball’s Antipasto Skewer with Lomo, Olive, Tomato, Mozzarella and Mushroom Tortelini was a myriad of flavours that balanced each other well and even further with Harbour Wines’ Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon.
Suga’s husband, Randy Burgess about to enjoy the Lomo & Mozzarrella Skewer along with the Sliced New York Strip Steak with Caramel Onions and Tomato Jam.
Chocolate Dreams
Pistacio Chocolate Bites from Chocolate Dreams.
You have to top off the evening with some sweet! I didn’t mind the spicy either. Chocolate Dreams outdid themselves with their Scotch Bonnet Caramel Fudge and Pistacio Chocolate Bites. Their entire spread was worth the calories. If you like sweet wines, the Roscato Sweet Red courtesy of Harbour Wines was a great choice.
Sweet Red Wine Pairings courtesy of Harbour Wines with Chocolate Dreams’ Scotch Bonnet Caramel Fudge
Great evening filled with Vino, Savoury bites and Beautiful Women. Value for money with Proceeds to a great cause. Well done Canadian Women’s Club of Jamaica. #SugaEndorsed
Suga Tasters and cousins, Gabrielle Burgess and Kimberly Nesbeth enjoyed celebrating International Women’s Day together and all things good that paired with wine last Sunday, March 8, 2020 at The Matalon House in Long Lane, St. Andrew.
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Blog, follow Suga Lifestyle Online, on Instagram (@sugalifestyle), Twitter (@sugalifestyleja) or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
