“Go do it! Don’t wait for another day, another hour or another time… go and do it now!” - Kyrzayda Rodriguez | 8.18.78 - 9.9.18  This blog is called The Return. It’s a return to something I truly love, a return to sharing the things I’m passionate about, the culture and lifestyle I feel privileged to be a part of and the people who inspire me. I write this blog after news of the tragic passing of Fashion Blogger, Kyrzayda Rodriguez (@kyrzayda_) who lost her battle with cancer. Kyrzayda continued to create beautiful content that inspired bloggers around the world through all the heartwrenching changes caused by chemotherapy. Since 2013, she has motivated and inspired us all, a true lover of fashion with an unmatchable ability to compose stunning lifestyle shots until the day she left us. Her last words to her dedicated following included the quote above. It was a reminder to continue to do the things I love every day because no excuse beats the ability to stay motivated and consistent while fighting a life-threatening disease. So here goes… A Day at Maca Bana Resort + Aquarium Restaurant Following the IG feeds of bloggers and content creators you admire is like having hundreds of digital besties. It’s one of the reasons so many cherished Kyrzayda. If you ever get the chance to meet your digital best friend, the hope is that you hit it off in real life. That was me and Melissa Frusco, lover of all things fashion, travel, beauty and founder of lifestyle blog, The Incogneatist . We instantly connected after a conversation about her views on Grenada. Here’s a snippet… “It’s pure paradise!  Everywhere you look there is something beautiful. Grenada embodies everything that makes me happy! This is my seventh trip, apart from visiting…

"A natural skincare brand that's good enough to eat" It was a so-called summer day in London. As I contemplated getting my calves out, I looked down on skin resembling a dreary-looking grayscale Google map. It was in that moment that I developed an immense appreciation for my ‘Island Gal’ glow. Cue, my long-awaited desire to find a product that bottles Grenada’s goodness so I could take it with me anywhere in the world! That product is Numad, namely my Nutmeg and Tangerine Body Butter infused with actual nutmeg, cocoa and essentials oils. It saved my legs that day! When Grenadian Designer, Developer and Digital Marketer, Kenroy George approached me with Numad, a newly launched all-natural skincare brand, it was luxury at first sight. Some years of commercial bombarding from skincare brands later, I can’t pretend that pretty packing does not appease me. So it was refreshing to see a Grenadian product with branding that would hold its own in the beauty hall of a high-end department store. Upon the first scrutiny of my Numad products, there was no mumbling, and confused squint trying to sound out ingredients. I was able to identify every single component, and you can bet your money that I’m one of those people who loves a hair and skincare product that’s good enough to eat. Ladies and gents, let me tell you! When I unscrewed the lid of Numad Chocolate Body Butter for the first time, I had a throw your head back and closed eyes moment. The smell was overwhelmingly amazing. After all, it contains real dark chocolate. And as the natural aphrodisiac should, I felt like a goddess after one layer of lathering. It gave my skin a radiant, hydrated and healthy glow, and with alluring aromas, it’s quite addictive, probably the next…

"Rum is a stitch in the fabric of Caribbean culture" The irony of a non-drinker loving a retreat dedicated to rum and relaxation is an entire post within itself, and if you’re a teetotaler who’s not into discussing your favourite tipple, don’t bounce off this blog just yet, because Rumboat Retreat is much more than the indulgence rum. It’s the steamed snapper with juicy okra bursting out the seams of a banana leaf. It’s the gum burns after an eager bite into a fluffy fried bakes filled with saltfish. It’s the wooden tipi hut cocooned by lush dewy vegetation creating a coolness and sense of calm. And, it’s Lisette Davis, the owner, romancing you with talk of her latest homemade mango stew and chocolate bonbon concoction. Are you there yet? Can you see, smell and taste it. Rum lover or not! Get yourself to Mount Nesbit in the parish of St. John and check in to a cosy guestroom at Rumboat Retreat. Kiki: I love the Rumboat Retreat concept. Tell me more about your career as a Rum Connoisseur and what inspired you to set up this business? Lisette: Rum is a stitch in the fabric of Caribbean culture, so becoming a rum connoisseur was a natural curiosity for me. At first, I just set out to understand the science of making rum, but I found so many variables that it became art in liquid form. It made my heart pound and had all of my attention. Every day it gives me great pleasure to teach rum tasting etiquette and provide a fun and interactive way to learn about the spirit of rum. The Rumboat Retreat concept came about from the many rum stories I would hear, and the voice of patriotism from each island who all believe their blend…

“They desire what I had as a boy growing up. The eight acres of wild farmland, the rawness of the river, nature hikes and most of all they want to eat from the land like I do and enjoy the fresh catch of the day from Gouyave” - Mr. Bridgeman Me and Mr Bridgeman sit on seven acres of land, surrounded by several hundred cocoa trees and another 200 soursop trees as we celebrate the 7th of February 1974 (when Grenada became a sovereign nation, ending over 200 years of British Colonial rule). We converse over the antidotal sound of rushing river water and crackle of dried shells from Nutmeg, our islands primary agricultural export. One People, One Country, Our responsibility is the theme of today’s 44th Anniversary of Independence. Mr Bridgeman, a tall, gentle man and the co-owner and operational manager of Fort Wolf, St. John gives me his undivided attention. Fort Wolf, St. John consists of three eco-cabins and Brother’s Bar and Grill Restaurant located on Brother’s Estate. He barely lets me get a question in, evidence of his willingness to share more about this enchanting hideaway. I manage to squeeze in a few. Kiki: Why do you see it as your responsibility to share The Island Experience? Mr Bridgeman: We do this because, believe it or not, there are people out there who want the rustic Grenadian experience. They come from Russia, England, Canada, Germany, Poland and as far as Australia. They desire what I had as a boy growing up. The eight acres of wild farmland, the rawness of the river, nature hikes and most of all they want to eat from the land like I do and enjoy the fresh catch of the day from Gouyave. Kiki: The Eco Cabins are very simple, like authentic…

There’s a place in the far north of Grenada, where mosquitoes don’t stand a flying chance. You can swing into the rugged shores of Saint Patrick Parish and listen to the sensational sound of conscious music. You can crack open a cold one and sweat it off on a beachfront gym or just meditate on matters in this mellow setting. I know, it sounds too good to be true, but it’s real, hence the name De Real Bamboo Bar located on Mt. Rodney Beach in Sauteurs. I spent a good bit of time with owner Lazarus Roderique a.k.a Laza after stumbling upon his bamboo clad beach bar that day. Laza, as he is known, is an unassuming but hospitable rasta. I drank a Carib while we held a profound meditation on the matter of realising our wealth as West Indians and encouraging the older generation to trust us with taking entrepreneurial risks that will break the cycle of poverty. I’ll never forget the wise things Laza shared with me. “Believe in yourself, because it doesn’t matter what you start, you’re always going to get bad advice” - Laza "Kiki, I opened this bar about two years ago, and it took me two years to build it. I’m not finished, but everything you see here has taken some time because I built it with my own hands. I had to learn how to work with Bamboo, now I have a better understanding of it, I’m going to do more. Tourist from all over the world pass, and they love it. They love the natural look. It’s peaceful, quiet and scenic. It’s for my people too, my community. I even built up the gym on the beach; it’s for anybody. It has a nice vibe here. You see, when I travelled to…

“Love the life you live, live the life you love” – Bob Marley

I’m excited to introduce the best gift I ever gave myself… my very own URL. In the digital age, this is something special. Launching it today has me reliving the excitement of GoDaddy confirming it wasn’t ‘taken’. So let me give you eight reasons why you should bookmark, follow, like and share. (more…)