Kingstonology

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caribbean island fine dining jamaica vacation restaurant review East Japanese Restaurant jamaica

Dec 07

East Japanese Restaurant

(Shops 50 & 51, 67 Constant Spring Rd. Market Place, St Andrew.)

My first official post of the best spots in Jamaica is a Japanese joint (say whaaaat). East Japanese Restaurant, located uptown at the Courtyard, is, in as simple terms as possible…..COOL. Fun little fact, this place is actually a franchise; there is one in New York. It is not your typical “Lucky Fortune”, smiley face styrofoam take out box and plastic chairs Asian restaurant in the plaza, though those are my favs cause you can never finish the food. I’m just saying (please tek off di slippaz and put on some clothes to go to the people dem establishment).

It is definitely more on the, let’s say, upscale side, however, the ambiance and the flavor explosions almost drowned out the annoying leaking sound coming from my purse.

The appetizers were great…spicy shrimp with some kind of nut, tuna casserole and some sort of chicken. I need to start writing these things down. I do remember that everything did bad, as in GREAT. Oh, I didn’t have their sushi but a reliable source says it’s the best in town.

I had the lobster and rice because I’m Jamaican and meat is served with rice, or we feel like the meal is incomplete. It really wasn’t that special of a sensory experience and I ended up wishing I had been more adventurous in my choice of main course. The food I ate off of everyone else’s plate was divine.

(my friend’s stuffed chicken…thats my fork coming in from the left side)

Any whozzle, the verdict is, whether you want authentic or what I’m gonna call “toned down” Japanese cuisine; this place is the bee’s knees, great food, great environment, great service. Grab some friends and go… 2 CHOP STICKS UP!

(extra pic just so you can have a better feel of what the place looks like.)

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flight landing jamaica caribbean caribbean island yaahd jamaican flight

Dec 21

30,000 - Home

I’m finally lucid enough to put fingers to keys in some kind of way that makes sense. I AM HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS! Too bad I left all my money back in Miami, specifically Aventura Mall (Forever21).

Of course it was a gorgeous evening when I got here….when is it never :)

HORRIBLE DEAD OF WINTER.

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fiction fiction nightclub kingston jamaica jamaican nightclub clubs in kingston the market place

Jan 17

Fiction NightClub

Fiction fiction fiction…..My last night home a very good friend of mine decided that we should go out, since over the weekend both her and my bro would celebrate their bday without me. I wanted to write about it while the experience was fresh but sleep was kicking ma backside in and outta town. Its located at 67 Constant Spring Road, Kingston 10, in the market place (same complex that houses ‘East Japanese Restaurant’). I need to mention important stuff like ladies are FREE on Thursdays and yea that about covers it.

Now between the ONE free martini (for women only) and wackness that was the DJ, I spent the night wishing we had gone to ‘Pure’ (a New Kingston club).

I’ll admit my craptastic mood might have amplified what was probably just a little slow, but from breaking out into 5-10 minutes of dancing to screaming “more liquor!” because I couldn’t accept that there was only one free drink (and I wasn’t about to spend JA$500 per drink), I want to say that I hated it and I will never go there again.

Buuuuuuuuuut if I could bracket my contempt for a couple seconds I would force out something like “That was just my experience” or “It had it’s good points” or “I’m sure the same DJ doesn’t play every night”. One thing is FO SHOOW doh…..grab your wallets/purses/bras/socks with money because the drink prices are no joke.

Fiction’s Official Website:

http://www.fictionloungeja.com/PICS/index.html

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Terra Nova Hotel Mothers Day Jamaica Kingston Jamaica Jamaican Dining Caribbean

Jan 25

Terra Nova Hotel

So I was rummaging through old pics, because that’s the kind of fantastic Sunday I’m having, and I stumbled across some pics from Mother’s Day. The place Terra Nova Hotel, located at 17 Waterloo Road, Kingston 10…the cost, let’s just say I have a prosthetic arm and a leg now.

Food, hmmm, I remember stake which I wanted to send back to be cooked but I understand for some if they could have the cow steered in on a rope they would order just that. There was also a pumpkin spice soup which was pretty darn good and I am yet to meet the place that can mess up dessert.

Killing the Meat for it was ALIVE!!

There are different eating areas with different themes and I was on the terrace which was sooooo serene. To think we have lived to see a time when a black person can describe a plantation inspired veranda as serene, LETS HERE IT FOR TIME!!! AWWRIGHT!!! Pretty charming place GO THERE!!

Terra Nova Official Website:

http://www.terranovajamaica.com/index2.php

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The ritz=carlton jamaica Montego bay jamaica jamaica the ritz-carlton golf and spa resort st james jamaica kingstonology

Feb 23

The Ritz-Carlton Golf and Spa Resort

I have the Spring Break Blues, shall I apply for oxymoron of the century? I have no idea what my plans are, which of course translates into, I’m broke and I have no plans. I figured this was as good a time as any to reminisce and fantasize on what could have been…well what could have been in a parallel universe.

In this, My first out of Kingston post, we journey to the other end of the island, second city Montego Bay aka Mo Bay aka Gyal-tego Bay(cringe), to be exactRitz-Carlton Drive, Rose Hall, St. James Jamaica, W.I.

I’ll admit there are places outside of Jamaica that I’ve visited more times than I’ve been to St. James, the parish that hosts number 2 of 2 cities. After a long day and before a long drive back to Kingston my mother and I stopped off for a quick lunch date.

I cant say it was ”totally awesome” but here are the cold hard facts, courteous staff and breathtaking views. It’s located water front, of course, the surrounding places are rich in history (check out the Rose Hall Great House if your ever there, I haven’t gotten around to it, but I intend to). My point is there is a myriad of shhtuff to do so I would definitely suggest you put it on your list of places to eventually end up.

Horrible quality, sorry, however I shall make up with a link to Jamaica’s Ritz-Carton official site to seek your approval in all desperation:)

The Ritz-Carlton Golf and Spa Resort Official website:

http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/RoseHallJamaica/Default.htm

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country road jamaican country road jamaica

Mar 04

can you imagine a road trip by yourself…solitude would ah mad yu!!

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devon house jamaica devon house courtyard devon house ice-cream jamaica

Mar 31

Devon House

Its just about that time of year when everyone starts calling their mothers on a regular basis and scouring the internet to find pictures and videos of their home planets. There is just something about 26 Hope Road Kingston 10, The Devon House Courtyard, that pulls me back to the simplicity and lack of inhibitions of my childhood.

I will admit that I have to all but make love to my friends to coerce them into coming here but this place holds a special place in my heart maybe because it was walking distance from my prep school and we would visit to play on the lawns as a special treat from our teachers or maybe more because of the memories of ice-cream (bought by my daddy) running down my arms.

The courtyard is filled with the cutest little stores and shops. Starting with the most obvious is The Devon House Ice-Cream store, it is Jamaica’s very own brand of ice-cream and the flavors I promise you are unlike anything you’ve ever tasted THEY HAVE MANGO FLAVOR!! not even the vanilla tastes bland. It houses fine dinning Jamaican cuisine restaurants (Norma’s on the Terrace and The Grog Shop) , craft stores, and a souvenir variety store.

a little of our Taino/Arawak Indian history.

»»»My bro. ^_^ (needless to say the sign is a joke…..I think :D)

There is this store that makes its own patties, cakes and pastries all from a brick oven…your grandmother cant make food more authentic :), ok I’m reaching with that…BUT ONE MUST’NT GO IN THERE AND NOT TRY THE CHEESECAKE or the BAKED ALASKA.

The place is actually a courtyard for a Great House which still stands on the premises in mint condition. I don’t have pics of it and I have to fight the temptation to drag one off the net BUT I WON’T. You can arrange to take a tour of the house which has a lot of the original furniture, definitely a nice little look into our history.

Devon House Official Website :http://www.devonhousejamaica.com/index.htm

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Pure Plush Lounge and Club New Kingston New kingston night Club Jamaican Club Jamaica

Jul 27

Keeping Up in New Kingston

The past few, who knows how long, I’ve been feeling like the floor of a “chineie man” Downtown Kingston wholesale store (as if there is any other kind). But today I’ve been disgustingly sappy, walking around ogling and awing at stuff like kids singing and babies cooing.

(above picture ^ current location)

As a result of said ogling I am finally in the mood to throw up a few posts. Plus I HAVE TO do a post while we are still in my birthday month, otherwise this post would just seem lazy.

My Birthday came and went and i did nothing special (word to the wise, the older you get, the more nobody cares about your birthday). Last year I went out with some of my favorite people to Pure Plush Lounge and Club located at 18 Trinidad Terrace, New Kingston. I heard that they closed temporarily because of some electrical problems, which lead to rumors that they were closing permanently…fingers crossed for that being false. Students with Jamaican Uni IDs are usually free, as are women before 12 and JA$1000 for men which is a little over US$10. If your on the guest list you should be good for the night though. Drinks are also free before 1 am on most nights.

Now it could have been my Birthday High but I think the pictures speak for themselves (even though I spared you guys all the wild dancing)…btw, I feel the need to mention the age limit….its 18 and over, same as the legal drinking age. One of the 2-5 perks of being a one time British colony.