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Responsible traveler: “Blue Flag” beaches - Bavaro

by Waldo Tejada

In the age of recycling, global warming, organic foods and non-GMO’s, becoming a responsible consumer seems to be the solution for most of us who believe in a brighter future. In the past few decades, we’ve seen an increase on responsible labeled products. “USDA Organic," “Fair Trade," “Cruelty-Free” and “Certified humane” are among many in a so ever escalating trend. In the hopes of making a small contribution to a greener and better planet, we also have increased our consumption of certified labeled products. Ideally we would consume responsibly, most of the time, but more often than not, we still indulge in many guilty pleasures inherited from our recent not-so-green 20th-century behavior.

When it comes to our ideal vacation, we rarely consider greener options. Most of us find it too difficult to choose from so little responsible offers; more often forgoing our commitment to the planetary cause and ignoring certified responsible labels when picking our destination. Fortunately, more and more certifications are popping up in the travel marketplace making it easier to incorporate greener options into our vacation plans. One of these certifications is the “Blue Flag”. Awarded to beaches where the water’s quality is constantly monitored by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). The international non-profit organization, travels throughout the world analyzing the conditions of beaches in many popular destinations. In the Dominican Republic, the Foundation is represented by the Environmental Rights Institute.

I’m a great believer in consumer power. The fact is, by consuming more responsible labeled services we can tip the scale of offer and demand, thus affecting the final price tags on socially responsible products. Here are more recommendations for “Blue Flag” beaches in the Bavaro area:

Grand Palladium Palace Resort Spa and Casino - All Inclusive. For more information please click here.

Barcelo Dominican Beach - All Inclusive. For more information please click here.

Barcelo Bavaro Palace Deluxe - All Inclusive. For more information please click here.

Be Live Grand Punta Cana - All Inclusive. For more information please click here.

Natura Park Beach Eco-Resort and Spa - All Inclusive. For more information please click here.

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Responsible traveler: "Blue Flag" beaches. Punta Cana: Arena Gorda

by Waldo Tejada

Recently, I have seen an increase in travelers who ask for my advice when putting together vacation packages with “ecological” or “green” options. I would like to share with you my recommendations for greeners spot in the Dominican Republic; encouraging you to support environmental accountable options while becoming a responsible traveler.

In the Bavaro beach area the “Blue Flags” flies high. This certification is awarded to beaches that meet environmental, safety and cleanliness guidelines established by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). When a beach displays a Blue Flag it means that the beach is clean, safe and its water quality constantly monitored. Arena Gorda in the Bavaro beach area, houses three major hotel complexes. World-famous for its white sand, turquoise water and palm trees, this vacation spot is a paradise in which three types of ecosystems converge - the mangrove forest, coral reef and sea grass. Here are my top hotel recommendations for this "Blue Flag" beach:

Grand Bahia Principe Bavaro - All Inclusive

The hotel is surrounded by lush tropical gardens with species native to the region, inviting long and relaxing walks, with two large lake-style swimming pools with a children's section, a large sun terrace, hammocks, beach umbrellas, towels for the pool and beach and bar service. Gastronomy is another of its strengths, with its international buffet and a variety of a-la-carte restaurants. For reservation and more information please click here.

Grand Bahia Principe Punta Cana Resort - All Inclusive

The hotel has all the necessary amenities for perfect a vacation. Its two large lake-style swimming pools are surrounded by large sun terraces with deck chairs and, just like its fantastic spa, they are perfect for relaxing. Gastronomy is another of the hotel’s strengths with buffet-style restaurant and five a-la-carte restaurants offering cuisine from different countries. Guests also can enjoy some of the services at the nearby Gran Bahia Principe Bavaro. For reservation and more information please click here.

Luxury Bahia Principe Ambar Don Pablo Collection -Adults Only - All Inclusive

This unique complex has all of the luxury services exclusive to hotels with the Don Pablo Collection seal. Guests receive exquisite treatment from a staff that has been specially trained to meet the guests' highest demands. An exclusive pool with spacious sun terraces, gardens and three outdoor Jacuzzis complement the adults only resort. In addition, guests will be entitled to enjoy the numerous pools and all of the facilities of the Gran Bahia Principe Bavaro Resort complex. For reservation and more information please click here.

Iberostar Dominicana All Inclusive

The all-inclusive hotel sits directly on Playa Bavaro in Punta Cana. The resort forms a complex with the adjacent Iberostar Punta Cana, creating the opportunity for guests to use all facilities at both locations. The complex offers a spacious building with reception, lobby, bar and buffet restaurant. Guests can enjoy dinner at any of five specialty restaurants, reservations required. All the entertainment and activities are included. For reservation and more information please click here.

Iberostar Bavaro All Inclusive

This hotel consists of a main building and 74 two-storey bungalows, each containing 8 comfortable Junior Suites. All guest rooms have a balcony or terrace. The hotel offers a delightful variety of specialty restaurants featuring international cuisine, including Japanese, Mediterranean, Cajun, Gourmet and a Steakhouse. This hotel offers 24 hours room service and all the entertainment and activities are included. For reservation and more information please click here.

Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana - All Inclusive

The elegant all-inclusive luxury hotel is located in one of the most beautiful beachfront locations in the Caribbean. The resort offers 11 different outdoor pools with gorgeous views of the Caribbean Sea and a secluded lagoon. The hotel also offers a magnificent state of the art Spa and an elegant full service Casino. And when you're hungry, you'll have a choice of 11 different restaurants & 12 bars/lounge and 24-hour room service. For reservation and more information please click here.

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#dominican vacation #all inclusive #all inclusive hotels #all inclusive vacations #punta cana #caribbean all inclusive #iberostar #iberostar dominicana #iberostar bavaro #Hard Rock Hotel #Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana #the dominican specialist #The blue Flag Programme #blue flag #foundation for environmental education

The Best Baseball in the World

By Waldo Tejada

Baseball and the Dominican Republic are almost synonymous words in the world of sports. Most Dominicans are more devout to their team than to their church. Dominicans love “La Pelota” and most of them dreamed to become a baseball player at one point of their lives. I, in the other hand, always feared baseball. The national sport was something forced upon me when growing up. I disliked most sports anyways, with the exception of biking for transportation or fun and occasional game of volleyball. Considered by most a geek, I made sure to exalt my imposed title and flaunted my dislike for the game and its fanatics. This might not have been the wisest decision in high school or at home when we got news of my uncle been signed by the Pirates to be a second base.

Later on in life I have the privilege to live with my uncle Ramon for many years and he became a second father to me. My uncle, who only spent a year with the Pirates, was an avid consumer of baseball games on TV and played with the local Midwood team for years in Brooklyn. From living with him and the almost 24 hours baseball television broadcast going on at his house, I started to know the in and outs of the game. I still didn’t comprehend the fanatic part of it, but I got the rules down and was able to make small talk with Tio Ramon about his emotional outburst when something significant happened in the game being televised. For years, I always felt Tio Ramon thought there was something wrong with me because I did not enjoy the game as most Dominican do. As we both grew older, Tio Ramon became less judgmental of my lack of fanaticism for the national sport and I have honored his friendship with extensive research about the game and its cultural influences in the Dominican identity and society.

Part of my research included the couple of dozen historical movies and documentaries made about the game in DR and the many new movies being shot currently, including the ones produced in the country. This research recently opened the door to a great experience when Road Scholar, a mayor educational tour operator in USA, asked me to develop a Baseball themed vacation for their catalog of educational adventures. Coincidentally my good friend Laura Garcia-Godoy was casted as a supporting actress in “El Pelotudo," a movie about an Argentinian boy who dream to play professional baseball and has to fake his identity to train and play in one of the main teams in DR: Las Aguilas Cibaeñas. Laura and I have had similar destiny crossovers, but this was quite extraordinary as we, both Dominicans who were not fanatic about baseball, had to learn a lot about the game to the level of enjoying ourselves in the process and maybe becoming fans of our national sport.

Comparing notes with Laura, I asked her what was the most remarkable experience she took with her from the movie. She commented that as an actress she was humbled "to have ventured into the world of baseball, not what people see during games, but to what happens behind the game and we do not know. The human side of the MBL players, their sacrifices, frustrations and the internal struggle they go through to see their dream materialized; something entirely different from the adrenaline we as the audience experienced in a stadium.” I relate to this statement, as I had been very moved and humbled during the process of designing the vacation program for Road Scholar by discovering the process young Dominicans go through in order to achieve their dreams. In the end my team at Tequia Experiences and I created a vacation package called “The Best Baseball in the World: Life and the Great Game in the Dominican Republic” a 8 days 7 nights program highlighting the history of baseball in DR, including the process of becoming a professional player and the influence of the game in the Dominican culture.

For more info on this vacation package please visit Tequia Experiences or/and Road Scholar.

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#dominican baseball #baseball vacation #laura garcia godoy #El Pelotudo #The best baseball #pittsburgh pirates #dominican vacation

Punta Cana: Giving the All-Inclusive another chance.

by Waldo Tejada

Planning a trip for friends or clients to Punta Cana it is very difficult for me, mostly because the destination is predominant an All-Inclusive paradise and I usually don’t care much for these types of hotels. I’m always searching for the next secret spot to visit, where authenticity meets local and one is left to wonder, to discover what makes the destination special and unique. Although in recent trips to Punta Cana I’ve found wonderful local joints to eat, great day activities to do and really fun nightly parties, I have a hard time getting around (I don’t drive!) and ever so often too lazy to get out of the hotel if the resort is far away from town.

Punta Cana is well known for its many resorts and most of them are All-Inclusive. During my last trips, I decided that instead of fighting my aberration to All-Inclusive I would explore the possibility of indulging in this form of holiday and see what happens. In this job, it is easy to visit hotels to “inspect” their property and services in order to recommend it to future clients. So armed with a resigned attitude I went around to visit as many All-Inclusive resorts as I could fit in my short stays and where the administration welcomed me; asking myself, is the authentic part of Punta Cana the All-Inclusive resorts?

There are plenty of regular resorts with cheap prices and average service to choose from when planning a Punta Cana vacation, but trust me when I say you get what you pay for. In the other hand, an All-inclusive package in a great hotel could be a dream come true, but a costly one if you booked it during the most popular season. If you have a limited budget (like me), my advice for you is to make reservations with ample time in advance, try to travel during the off peak months and keep your vacation sweet and short whenever you can to get the most of it. I was genuinely impressed with some of the hotels I visited and I believe an All-Inclusive vacation is a great deal if it is spent at a good hotel. Out of the dozen or more hotels I visited in Punta Cana, these are the ones I think are the most unique and the one where I really enjoyed myself:

Our top 5 list of All-Inclusive hotels in Punta Cana:

Iberostar Grand Bavaro Adults Only All Inclusive. Ranked #1 out of 100 hotels in Punta Cana and the recipient of Traveler’s Choice® 2014 Winner of the All-Inclusive (2013) Luxury Top hotel by Trip Advisor, this beachfront, luxury all-inclusive resort is an elegant Adults-Only hotel (18+). It boasts some of the finest resort inclusions including meals, premium drinks, mini bar inclusions, and room service - as well as menu style dining throughout your stay at all 5 restaurants - are all conveniently included. Guests enjoy full access to all neighboring hotels within the Iberostar Bavaro Resort complex too - including all restaurants & bars. For More information click here.

The Reserve at Paradisus Punta Cana Resort - All Inclusive. Ranked #3 out of 100 hotels in Punta Cana and the recipient of Traveler’s Choice® 2014 Winner of the Family All-Inclusive (2013) Luxury by Trip Advisor. A resort-within-a-resort offering exclusive access to separate, sparkling new pools for kids and adults, a private lounge, and an all-new, all-luxury collection of suites, One-bedroom Master Suites and One Bedroom Suites; each spacious, beautifully designed and elegantly appointed. The resort also features its signature Paradisus Family Concierge Suites, renowned for their comfort and irresistible array of family-friendly amenities. For More information click here.

Royalton Punta Cana All Inclusive. Ranked #5 out of 100 hotels in Punta Cana by Trip Advisor. This luxury resort is ideal for families and groups, and features a separate section dedicated to adults-only vacations. With its All-In Luxury™ concept, regal furnishings, and laidback island atmosphere, the hotel is sure to awaken your senses and treat you to a luxury vacation unlike any other. “Dreambed” exclusively designed for Royalton Resorts, Unlimited free calls to Canada, USA and Europe, Free Wi Fi throughout the resort, 24 Hour Room Service, Unlimited Reservation Free dining 24 hours, Rain Shower, Bluetooth audio station, USB recharge station and Concierge service around the clock. For More information click here.

Luxury Bahia Principe Esmeralda Don Pablo Collection- All Inclusive. Ranked #9 out of 100 hotels in Punta Cana and the recipient of Traveler’s Choice® 2014 Winner All-Inclusive (2013) by Trip Advisor. The colonial style and exquisite decor with its large garden areas with species native to the region and truly luxurious rooms makes this hotel perfect down to the last detail. It has a lake-style swimming pool with hammocks, beach umbrellas and bar service. Guests have access to use of the facilities and services of the Gran Bahia Principe Punta Cana, Gran Bahia Principe Bavaro and Gran Bahia Principe Premier hotels. A luxury destination for an unforgettable vacation. It is charming and intimate, with Junior Suite Deluxe rooms located by the sea with splendid terraces or balconies. For More information click here.

Excellence Punta Cana Luxury Adults Only - All Inclusive. Ranked #12 out of 100 hotels in Punta Cana and the recipient of Traveler’s Choice® 2014 Winner All-Inclusive (2013) by Trip Advisor. Its architecture is in the classic colonial style, and two enormous pools wind through the grounds. The Excellence Club provides an exclusive level of luxury and amenities at each of the Excellence Group Luxury Resorts. The private meet and check-in, the hotel’s private Excellence Club beach and lounge, complete with complimentary Internet access, buffet & bar service make this a real luxury experience. At Excellence Punta Cana, dining is truly international, and you have a total of eight irresistible restaurant options and ten different bars complete the experience. For More information click here.

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Photo resources:

thegrandcollection.com, royaltonpuntacanaresort.com, visithotel.net, excellence-resorts.com, bahia-principe.com.

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#dominican vacation #all inclusive #all inclusive vacations #punta cana #caribbean all inclusive #caribbean vacation #all inclusive hotels #excellence punta cana #iberostar grand bavaro #the reserve at paradisus #royalton punta cana #bahia principe esmeralda #Bahia Principe Esmeralda Don Pablo Collection #the dominican specialist

Las Terrenas: Small hotel paradise.

by Waldo Tejada

Some of my fondest memories with friends belong to Las Terrenas. The unforgettable paella with Devon in 1988, my first vacation with Henry, the many adventures with Cara, Uma running behind Marcos and Cary, the emotional New Years Eve with Felix, Jose Oscar and Luis; the last sunset with Santiago, the sunrise with Sandro and the infamous 50th birthday of my friend Pepe are forever imprinted in my cerebral cortex.

This north coast fishing village was virtually unknown to outsiders about a decade ago. Situated in Samaná Province, in the country’s northeast coast. This unique part of the DR was known for its incredibly pristine beauty and strong Caribbean traditions. Before it became a favorite spot for expats from France and Italy in the 90’s, Las Terrenas was a quiet fishing village surrounded by coconut and cocoa plantations since its pirates and French colony days. Today, Las Terrenas has become the perfect vacation spot for independent travelers looking for easy going people, beautiful beaches, great small hotels, delicious cuisine topped with an excellent selection of beach-front locations, bars and lounges.

The town is now dotted with bed and breakfast inns, small and large hotels, luxury villas and condos. An example is Balcones Del Atlantico or the Sublime Samana. Most hotels have an intimate and friendly atmosphere making Las Terrenas the perfect antidote to the all-inclusive big resorts and one of my all-time favorite places in DR to make memories.

Our top 5 list of hotels in Las Terrenas for all taste and budgets:

Balcones Del Atlantico:

Once you step into the complex, an authentic luxury setting will surround you and will offer an upscale resort experience, as well as residential units. The resort exudes simple luxury with 35 one-, two-and three-bedroom villa suites, a three-meal beachfront restaurant, beach front Spa, Fitness Center, three swimming pools, swim-up beach/pool bar and water sports offerings. Guests are able to take advantage of the following offerings: personal butler and chef services; on-site wine steward; a Kid's Club with activities and babysitting services; gym and a beachfront spa; as well as a full-service concierge who can arrange island excursions and more. For Information click here or visit: http://bit.ly/1jh341T.

Sublime Samaná:

A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the hotel features 26 one/two/three bedroom apartments. Although the hotel is known for its luxury details, it manages to provide guests with a home away from home feeling. Each unit features a terrace with a private Jacuzzi. The hotel’s spa and the main restaurant, run by Chef Cristian Baez, are situated right on the beach. For Information click here or visit: http://bit.ly/1nuXc9E

Hotel Alisei:

Luxury beach front apartments, located right on the magnificent and famous “Las Terrenas Beach," with many kilometers of golden sand beaches, crystal clear waters and coral reef banks. For short or long stays, meal plans are available in our restaurant “Baraonda." Wellness spa on premises, and a large swimming pool with sunken pool bar will roundup our services for a perfect stay. For Information click here or visit: http://bit.ly/1nuXdKL

Hotel Playa Colibri:

Located directly on the beach and close to the centre of Las Terrenas. Most of its 45 spacious apartments, suites and studios have an ocean view. It is a great place to spend a Caribbean vacation and encounter the Dominican experience. After a day or two of adapting to our unique tropical way of life, you'll love it. For Information click here or visit: http://bit.ly/1o7EyrI

Residencia del Paseo Apart-hotel:

Welcome to Paradise, Residencia del Paseo Apart-hotel is a real hidden oasis, offering a high level tranquility for those who enjoy hotel service but with the privacy that garden apartments allow. Located in the heart of Las Terrenas, Samana. Only 50 meters away from, bars, restaurants, beach. All apartments are equipped with: bathroom, individual terrace, kitchen, free Wi Fi and TV with cable. For Information click here or visit: http://bit.ly/SJ1n6G

Photo source:

http://www.coastalliving.com/travel/samana-vacation/samana-las-terrenas

http://www.pueblo-de-los-pescadores.com/

http://www.sublimesamana.com/residences.html

http://www.newcondosonline.com/intl_properties/request-brochure.php?i_propertyID=307258

http://aliseihotelspa.com/

Additional resources: www.accessdr.com

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#las terrenas #samana #dominican republic #5 top #hotels #sublime samana #hotel alisei #balcones del atlantico #hotel playa colibri #Residencia del Paseo Apart-hotel #small hotel #caribbean paradise #hotel paradise #best vacation ever

My Ultimate Traveler’s Gift Guide/Wish List for 2014.

by Waldo Tejada

I travel many times during the year; especially to DR and sometimes the actual airplane travel time and airport waiting periods could be the most uncomfortable part of my job. I always think about what would be the 5 essential things I would like to have during the airport and flight time. Well after careful consideration I have put together my ultimate wish list based on items I really want to get as presents for this holiday season, hint, wink ;)

I must have the weirdest ears on the planet! I tried numerous earbuds (headphones) including some costly ones, and they all bothered my ears to the point that it always hurts after a short time or when I lean onto them while trying to sleep on the plane. I’m not a music and sound equipment fanatic; honestly, I hardly can distinguish between a good top of the line headphone or the one that comes with your phone. Additionally, on top of hurting, they always fall out of my ear when I fall asleep on planes or on the waiting area around the gate at the airport, waking me up in the process! This is one of those things that I only think of when I’m in the plane or trying to steal a nap before a delayed flight or when I’m stuck in an airport because of a blizzard or something like that. I know I’m a little more finicky than the average traveler, but ever since I starting using earphones with my Sony Walkman, I always wanted to have more comfortable ones. Needless to say, once I land I procrastinate and forget this problem. This year I decided to do something and started to look for custom molded earbuds. I was afraid they may look like hearing aids and together with my salt and pepper hair may increase the number of “sir” directed at me while traveling. Most of the ones I found needed a “sir” to pay for them! Finally, I found a new affordable and cool DIY one on Kickstarter made by Decibullz. I want them!

Sleeping is my biggest problem when I travel. I make sure I get a window seat, not for the view, but to lean on in order to go to sleep. Trying to balance and keep in place the tiny pillow is more than a challenge and becomes a huff and puff re-adjustment fight ending in me not sleeping at all! Recently I saw what looks like the solution to my problem. OSTRICHPILLOW®LIGHT by Studio Banana Things (cool name eh?!) Recently a successful campaign in Kickstarter the makers of the weird astronaut helmet looking Ostrich Pillow just released a light version of this gadget. Looking more like a turban I see myself wearing this in all my flights next year.

The cabin in an airplane could be a very dry environment leaving you with parched lips. Living in New York one becomes addicted to chapstick and very self aware of flaky and cracked lips. In my last post I recommended Steve Aoki’s Buddha Balms. These balms make the perfect travel companion for dry lips and vane middle age men like myself. Besides it is for a good cause! Visit Steve Aoki’s Charitable Fund page for more info on how to get involve and get a year supply like I’m going to. Check out Aoki’s Performance at ORO Nightclub on December 26th at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana on our page.

I’m constantly working from my computer or my laptop. Reading off the screen from a desktop or my mobile devices has been very hard on my eyes, and they seem to be getting no truce from my endless techno addiction. My eyes are suffering in a way even books are proving to be challenge after a while. This year I discovered Audio Books from Audible and I can’t tell you what a different it made. This is a great way to relax, catch up with some of the classic books I never had the chance to read, the newest titles and give my eyes a well deserve rest from the constant bombardment I put them through. I will make sure I stock-up on titles before my next trip.

Last item I wish for this year addresses a topic most people may find difficult or funny to talk about, but when I’m on a plane I get very gassy. I feel the pressure to pass gas; yes I said it! I hear all sorts of complaints about flying but hardly anyone talks about this. I believe is from the pressured cabin so other people must be experiencing the same thing. Seating by the window it is very uncomfortable to go to the bathroom every time I need to flatulate. As an omnivore man who enjoys Latin food I don’t need to tell you the consequences; so flying becomes a very self-conscious affair for me and sometimes for my neighbors. I recently read an article on CNN by Jarrett Bellini that caught my attention about fart-filtering underwears that reminded me of “Bragas Ponte” right out of Almodovar’s film Pepi, Lucy y Bom. A dozen Shreddies flatulence-filtering underwears seem to be my dream come true and are my ultimate wish item for these holidays.

My 5 ultimate gift guide:

1- CUSTOM MOLDED EARPHONES WITH REMOTE from Decibullz.

2- OSTRICH PILLOW ® LIGHT from Studio Banana Things.

3- Steve Aoki’s Buddha Balms from Buddha Brand.

4- AUDIO BOOKS from Audible.

5- AWARD WINNING FLATULANCE FILTERING UNDERWEAR from Shreddies.

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#CUSTOM MOLDED EARPHONES #OSTRICH PILLOW #Steve Aoki Charitable Fund #steve aoki #steve aoki's buddha balm #Buddha Balms #audio books #shreddies underwear #bragas ponte #gift ideas #gift guide #wishlist #wish list #traveler's gift

The World Needs More: EDM

by Waldo Tejada

Last Friday we (New Yorkers) were treated to a great show when the United Nations teamed up with producer and DJ David Guetta for its "The World Needs More..." to launch their World Humanitarian campaign and projected it's video on the UN Building! The awareness stunt will raise funds for relief efforts. It is so cool to see EDM artists get involved in Social Responsible projects. I’ve been following Steve Aoki’s Charitable Fund since last years Aoki B-day Bash and this year’s campaigns. I have to say that we at iLoveDominicanRepublic are very happy to be promoting Aoki’s December 26th and David Guetta’s (together with Calvin Harris!) December 30th end of the year concerts in DR.

Since I’ve been involved in promoting the Dominican Republic I have met so many wonderful people trying to raise awareness for responsible tourism. I believe that it is everybody’s duty to support and promoted activities and events which are responsible in their practices or at least are accountable for some positive actions geared at making the world a better place. I love dancing and I have being promoting EDM events in DR through our site. Honestly attaching a Social Responsibility component to these parties were proving more than a challenge and it have left me with a bittersweet guilty feeling. Inspired by last Friday’s release of the "The World Needs More..." and the continued efforts of Aoki’s Fund I will make a pledge (as my way to make a change) to prioritized and highlight the responsible practices of the destinations in DR and those people who are trying hard to make the world a better place. To quote myself “A responsible tourism offering should be focused on one goal: to bring together visitors and destination in a manner beneficial to both."

I would like to encourage y’all to participate in both efforts. For David Guetta and UN all fans are directed to post on Twitter and Facebook using a double hashtag: #TheWorldNeedsMore #YourWord. The "YourWord" portion of the hashtag should be replaced with a word one of the following sponsors has chosen: Barclays Bank (#Inclusion), Western Union (#Education), Gucci (#Strength), Crescent Enterprises (#Entrepreneurs), KT (#Dreams), Intel (#Empowerment) and GlaxoSmithKline (#Healthcare) and the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation (#Dialogue). Guetta himself has sponsored #Love. For every tweet, the corresponding sponsors will donate $1 to humanitarian aid.

Aoki’s Buddha Balms (I got one for myself!) make the perfect stocking stuffer for the upcoming holidays. Visit Steve Aoki’s Charitable Fund page for more info on how to get involve.

Support this 2 EDM artist in their efforts to make a change and visit our page iLoveDominican Republic for more info on their concerts.

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Coffee High

By Waldo Tejada

The days are shorter now. I remember how we have tried to copy the north a couple of times during my childhood and for a brief period the clocks were set back an hour in DR to mark of the end of summer; even though the heat in the Caribbean usually intensifies by the humidity in October and November just before it gets a bit cooler by Christmas. The lack of interim holidays like Halloween or Thanksgiving made the families start Christmas decoration early in November and some crazy competitive moms would even start hanging wreaths in October. Personally the holidays brought me many anxieties and disappointments as my birthday falls too close to the holidays and most relatives would merge the two occasions to give me just one present. Stores would set their windows with toys by October and I would stare for hours at the Star Wars action figures, fancy robots or chemistry sets on my way back from school, always hoping the next December would be different. There was always that aunt who would think a child would be happy with fabric for a pair of pants as a gift. In what I could only describe as a complot to ruin my holidays, she would tell all other aunts, cousins and even my mother about the early-bird fabric sales at the main department store La Casa Amarilla and I would get, not just two yards of black summer wool from “Corte Inglés” but enough fabric to make my tailor Mr. Ureña a happy man and to dress me up in nerdy pants until next Christmas. I would be furious and sad when right after opening the presents I was forced by my mother to say thanks; “what do you say, to your tia? - Gracias!”

Now in the States, the end of Daylight Saving Time brings with it cooler nights and harder-to-wake-up mornings, nurturing a lazy love affair with my duvet. Aiming at interrupting the unproductive liaison with my comforter, I decided to try different Dominican coffees. I started my search for online Dominican coffee resellers thinking this would serve a triple purpose: alleviate my morning laziness, act as a muse for writing this blog and in the process buzz me enough so I wont have to think about the upcoming holidays blues. I liked the buzz part! I grew up with coffee grown at my grandmother’s farm roasted by her cook and given to us, together with the rest of the agricultural commodities, every Sunday when we visited her. I was partial to the taste of her dark brew having learned to roast it myself; I even picked some beans during my stays at the farm. During the last decade, I was introduced to the different coffees of DR while I worked with farmers in the mountains of the south of Dominican Republic developing some tours to fair trade coffee initiatives with FEDECARES. While I could identify the coffees that I like I don’t consider myself a coffee cupper or connoisseur, not even an aficionado.

I ordered 3 types of organic fair trade coffees and some traditional brands. Every morning in October and now part of November I have woken up to a different coffee or a different combination of the morning brew; concocting in the process my own anti-sluggish formula and the perfect excuse to get high on coffee. You can find all the coffees here. My favorite was the one called Café Femenino! (Feminine Coffee) Go figure! I heard of the term before when I worked with the coffees cooperatives but to be honest I expected a pink, more curvaceous package or a delicate tasting coffee. This coffee was great (no affected mannerism or weakness!) full of strong caramel aroma and a great balance between its acidity, bitterness and sweetness with just a hint of saltiness. I don’t like high acidic or strong bitter coffees and I prefer a medium dark roast with more chocolate tones. I tried Jamamucito from Karoma Mundo (produced by the same manufacturer of the world famous Karoma Estate Coffee), although not organic or fair trade certified, I met the owners and visited their farm where I saw they care enough about responsible practices that in my opinion their coffees are socially accountable. This brew was more like the fancy coffees you taste at coffee houses, rich and creamy with dry fruit undertones a hint of chocolate and just the right amount of acidity leaving a great aftertaste. I could not talk about Dominican Coffee without reviewing Café Santo Domingo or its fancy version Induban Gourmet. Café Santo Domingo is the most popular coffee in DR and the easier to buy here in USA, its taste is similar to the famous Bustelo but it’s lighter in flavor and the one sold on the internet tasted milder than the one I bought in the island; beside its nostalgic value I prefer a coffee sourced with more responsible practices and with a better social track. The Induban Gourmet and Café Don Jorge were ok coffees and price/value are the best commercial coffees available online. I expected to find more Organic or for that matter more Dominican coffees available online here in USA, but that was not the case. I went to Porto Rico in Manhattan and found the same origin Café Femenino as online but freshly roasted and still think this is the best coffee for a proud Dominican caffeine addict.

For Coffee vacations plans in DR write to iLoveDominicanRepublic or Tequia Experiences. Find Coffee selections reviewed here at ilovedominicanrepublic.com/store.

Additional photos from www.goodstuffnw.com and www.santodomingocafe.com.

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Dominican Brooklyn: Day 4

Chocolate state of art By Waldo Tejada

This fall, waking up early in the mornings is proving to be more challenging than I remember from last years. I enjoy the cool autumn nights so much that getting the comforter peeled from me in the mornings is becoming a chore; I’m starting to hate it! Aspiring to write one of these blogs and in order to counteract my pereza matinal or morning sluggishness, I have purchased different type of coffees from the Dominican Republic (I’ll review them in later entries). Tasting the coffees was not enough of an incentive to get me out of bed last week. I think being a barista is not my thing. One morning laying in bed and checking my Facebook I read a post from one of my FB friends, Clara Gonzales, about one of my favorite morning drinks: Chocolate de Agua. Yum! Clara, known as Aunt Clara in the blogosphere and from the title of her book – Aunt Clara’s Kitchen, writes the best Dominican Recipe Blog ever: dominicancookbook. I remember I have purchased two Dominican dark chocolate bars at the Brooklyn Museum a week before and thought to test her recipe with both brands this morning. Ha! That is a good reason to get out of bed.

I had two cups of the non-dairy Dominican hot beverage made according to the recipe. One made with half of a Mast Brothers Dominican dark chocolate bar and the other with another half of a Cacao Prieto 72% Dominican dark chocolate bar; Both manufactured in Brooklyn with organic cocoa from DR. The recipe worked best with the Mast Brothers one but I felt the urge to sample more and decided that day I was going to have a chocolate day. I took my bike and rode to Red Hook’s own Cacao Prieto. I’ve been to this chocolate, rum, bourbon and liquor factory before but the ride and the reward at the end of it made me feel like a first-timer. I took a short tour of the facility and ended sampling some amazing cacao rum and cacao liquor paired with some of their smoothest dark chocolate with dry fruits and nuts. Red cheeked, a little buzzed and carrying a bounty comprised of one of each of all the bonbons they sale, I walked my bike until I sobered-up enough to ride to Williamsburg. More chocolate tasting and double the bounty, now in Mast Brothers bars; I reached my limit on cacao ingestion for the day. It all worked out pretty well as I remembered I had to meet my friend Monica at her studio later that afternoon in East Williamsburg.

I don’t remember how I met Monica Ferreras, but I’m certain we known each other since the late 80’s; cementing our friendship in the early 90’s when she lived in New York. I was so happy and proud when I found out she was the recipient to the first Davidoff Art Initiative Residency at ISCP (International Studio & Curatorial Program) here in Brooklyn. I sat down with her at the studio and we started reminiscence about old times and our life’s turn of events. I asked about her freshly painted canvas by the window and the paintings leaning on the walls. I started to get drawn towards the layers under the surface; somehow this was talking to me! Like a turbulent past, the background made me uncomfortable, intrigued and moved at the same time. I tried to belittle my emotions with questions about the raised surface treatments, something new in her paintings. She referenced to some of her life experiences, her current state and how these white impasto dots and lines may represent points of lights; her coming out of a dark background. I’ve always loved her paintings full of intricate interconnecting shapes and surfaces, but this time, her work was pulsating with my own interpretation of tormenting symbolisms and capturing me in a dark seductive space between the bright surface and the dark background, my own background! I loved the roller coaster feelings; I wanted more!

We finished the visit with me adoring a series of watercolors and color pencil drawings. In the small paper pieces, she drew more of the shapes of the background on the paintings, but this time they themselves were bright and dark at the same time. There was no background or foreground. I felt energized by these drawings. I could not help but to think of my own existence full of bright, dark, clearness and nebulousness all taking frontal stage at the same time. I rode home reflecting on how much I enjoy deliberating about art in all its forms and how it affects my state of mind - be it a movie, a painting, a poem or a piece of music. I got home rushing to have some more chocolate with some Barceló Imperial rum I had in the freezer and feeling very happy that I had a chance to see Monica and her work.

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You could see Monica's work at ISCP: fall open studios preview.

For Cholcolate Tours in DR visit: tequiaexperiences.com For Ron Barceló Tours in DR visit: tequiaexperiences.com

For additional information on any of the post's activities write to [email protected]

Dominican Brooklyn: Day 3

Finding the Dominican in the museum.

by Waldo Tejada

A couple of weeks ago I got excited to know about a new show at the Brooklyn Museum called Behind Close Doors: Art in the Spanish American Home, 1492–1898. I thought what a great opportunity for my Dominican Brooklyn blog entries! I was convinced I was going to find many pieces from Hispaniola, knowing it was there where the first Spanish American homes were built. The literature for the show promised a comparison between the upper class dwellings of the colonies, including a contrast/evaluation between British households to Spanish ones in the Americas. I thought I would have too much to write about on this blog since Santo Domingo is so close to all of the other colonial enclaves and the first city built by the colonizers. I went opening day and searched like an explorer who is hunting for a treasure. At first glance the show looked cozy enough and exquisitely curated along three major rooms; I thought to myself: piece of cake, I don’t have to search for long. Well, after reading each piece’s description in English and Spanish and after my second round through the exhibition my Dora moment was gone and I started to get a little annoyed. To my disbelief there wasn’t any art from Hispaniola, Santo Domingo or for this matter anything Dominican. Well that was a little inconvenient for my blog! But, at most, historically inaccurate and a bit weird; it is hard to believe that no pieces could be found in one of the collections from where the curators pulled art from for this show - The Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Collection is well known for its Dominican pieces.

I left the show with one mission: find Dominican art at the Brooklyn Museum. I googled, googled and googled some more! Finally! I found an artist who has a piece in the permanent collection of the Museum. With little more than just the name of the artist I went back to the information booth at the Museum to ask directions to find Mildred Beltré’s piece. The lady at the information booth clicked the keyboard for about ten minutes and came to the conclusion that this artist was not on the museum’s database. From the web I learned Beltré was part of a community art initiative called Brooklyn Hi Art! Machine but this information was of no help with the staff at the museum and I decided to view every single piece on exhibition that day. Tired and dizzied I asked every person with an id or an uniform and went from floor to floor and from gallery to exhibition hall ending up at the Museum’s store asking a librarian looking lady if she knew about any Dominican art or artist at the institution. To my amusement she pointed out some chocolate bars made with Dominican cacao – but no pictures please!

After following many leads from different artists directories and blogs I found Mildre Beltré’s contact and decided to write to her directly to see her work and to talk about her piece at the Museum. Mildred and I met on a Sunday afternoon at The Dutch Boy on Frankly Ave. and immediately started to talk spanglish in the most natural way only Dominicans from New York can do. I recounted my Diego and Dora moment exploring the museum in search of her piece and she told me about her work with Brooklyn Hi Art Machine. We walked to where the group had intervened a fence near her home and I felt the power of tagging with this piece. Seeing the powerful message and the way it was weaved on the fence captured my inner social activist. I could see the layers of the piece from its public art stance to the community identity interwoven right there for all to see. Later on, in her studio she showed me a piece that made my day! Knitted out of her own hair was a “redecilla” (hairnet) that gave me goose bumps! For a split second I forgot who I was and got totally entangled in the net and it trapped me for a nanosecond feeling like I knew the artist, her history, her complexity - I felt connected. Rarely I get moved like this and in such refreshing way. It is those moments that inspired me, that make me want to seek out more work like this and meet the artists, hopefully become their friends. I’m so grateful to her to have taken the time to meet a total stranger and to share her work with me...I finally found the Dominican in the Brooklyn Museum!

A page from the book at the Brooklyn Museum called Pa'qui/Pa'alla.

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Last day of summer

Art…and all that jazz!

by Waldo Tejada

I welcomed the summer with a trip to Governor’s Island, riding the free ferry with my bike in tow. I just realized, that I took the same trip, coincidentally, on the last day of summer, bike and all! Life in New York is full of magical coincidences like this and I get a kick out of realizing stuff like that. I met my friends Lizzie and Carlos and rode around the now partially under construction ghost town in search of Dominican artist Raquel Paiewonsky’s show with Yellow Peril Gallery at the Governors Island Art Fair. The fair itself was a big disappointment as we rode our bikes and walked around looking for Raquel’s work, most of the fair's shows were very naïve and I felt a déjà vu from a summer art program exhibition right on the same island 20 something years ago. I was so relieved and happily surprise when we found her show. I’ve only seem the installation of the wall of nylon stuffed tits on pictures posted on the Internet and was dying to see it live. Walking into the room made me sigh, a powerful feeling took over; I was able to experience that intimate space between the spectator and an art piece in a way sculptures and installations facilitate. For me that personal moment between one, the piece and the artist is the most precious part of going to see any art exhibition. At a risk of sounding too corny or sentimental it is this split second of awe that brings me close to the divine. The show included some of the best conceptual photography I’ve seen in a while, a video and more tits in a form of a great cluster of felt and nylon stuffed soft sculptures which dominated the second room. I’m so happy I went to see Raquel’s work and very proud to know her.

Fall could not have entered in a better way! I was invited to the launch of the Dominican Republic’s Jazz Festival at Taina Café sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic. I’ve been a loyal fan of this Cabarete music event for the last decade and have featured it at iLoveDominicanRepublic.com for the last three years. My fan loyalty comes from seeing the festival grow from an informal event at the beach to a multi city event all made with a labor of love unmatched in DR. I had a chance to meet famous jazz musician Rufus Reid enjoy some Dominican rum and listened to a great music preview with Ramon Vazquez (director of the festival), Ivan Renta and Edsel Gomez. I went to the festival last year and loved every minute of it. Benefiting music education through FEDUJAZZ and DREAM Project, this year’s festival will have a great line-up including artist such as former New York Yankee and critically acclaimed jazz musician Bernie Williams, along with jazz legends Abraham Laboriel, Sr. (Mexico), Marco Pignataro (Italy), Ramón Vázquez (Puerto Rico), Grammy Award winner Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez (Cuba), Rufus Reid (USA), George Garzone (USA), Billy Drummond (USA), Alex Acuña (Peru), Richie Flores (Puerto Rico), and the Latin Grammy Award winners Johnny Ventura (Dominican Republic) and Milly Quezada (Dominican Republic).

The first week of fall was a perfect combination of tits and jazz leaving me wanting more art in all its manifestations. Summer have left me reconnecting with old-time artist friends and their work, inspiring my search for that special relationship I had and have with art. Like a very dysfunctional couple (art and I), our love has gone through rough times and it is at that period of rekindling where the relationship is at. I hope things workout for us this time and we could be friends and maybe a little more, friends with benefits? Who knows.

For more info and tickets to the DR Jazz Festival visit iLoveDominicanRepublic.

Additional photo credits: GalaNora

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Dominican Brooklyn: Day 2.

Sancocho Blues.

By Waldo Tejada

The weather started to change and a cool breeze began to creep-in from the window right next to my computer’s desk - announcing the fall - but most importantly the approaching winter. Although I love sleeping during cold weather nights, I don’t really like the blues that come with it. Like an episode of Game of Thrones, images of winter invaded my mind and I started to think of the short days and the impending pressure to feel jolly during holidays, making me prematurely long for those summer days with their bike rides, picnics and outdoor seating. As summer dwindles down my bike days become scarcer and the bliss I feel from riding becomes harder to achieve. It didn’t help that I drank a bit more than I wanted last night and the date I was on didn’t end too well. Feeling a little hung-over and blue I decided to treat myself to my ultimate comfort activities: biking and eating.

Nothing erases a hangover (moral or physical) like a good plate of Dominican Sancocho; I took my bike “Canilla” on a quest to find the elixir for sadness. I’ve been meaning to try a Dominican restaurant that I’ve always seen when riding my bike to the city but never get the chance to stop because the ride never coincides with dinner or lunch time. Headache pounding and cotton-mouthing I headed to El Nuevo Cibao on Smith Street. I didn’t know what to expect but I knew that if they named their eatery Cibao they would have Sancocho. As soon as I walked in and heard the i replacing the r in the waitress’ spanish I knew I was in for a treat. The Sancocho hit the spot but what really made me feel happy was the authentic clientele eating lunch at this time. I follow the example of the sexy construction workers who ordered Presidente beers with their lunchs and asked for a fria myself. Inhibitions aside (erased by the beer) and feeling very cibaeño, I found myself asking my neighbors, a group of Dominican nannies with obvious Brooklyn Heights’ babies on strollers, what were they eating? Bacalao con mangú! Although I have just finished my Sancocho, I couldn’t resist when she asked me if I wanted to try some. Soon enough I tasted (spoon fed) everyone’s lunch on that table! How could I say no to rice and beans with stewed beef or stewed chicken with moro? fed to me by a nanny!

I still felt a little moral hung-over from the outcome of the night before, but now I was re-hydrated and headache free. I rode up the hill with a big smile on my face as I chased happy thoughts around Prospect Park planning my next Sancocho and thinking to myself “winter is coming”.

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Yellow Plantain Fashion.

Fashion Week: Academy Of Art University RTW Spring 2014 Show and Taina Café.

By Waldo Tejada.

I have a bittersweet relationship with fashion. My fascination with the craft goes beyond the in vogue aspect of it and is more about the artistic part of it. I understand fashion design as one of the ultimate art forms as it require craftsmanship, dedication, creativity, vocation and talent; not unlike any of the other arts that I enjoy so much. I see fashion and attire expression as one of the most prominent representative of public art, the one that truly epitomizes the genre and the true meaning of “accessible for all to see”. But my personal experience with it is painted with those relationships I had with people in the industry, some of who are real prima donnas reminding me of the bully part of it; the arrogant designers, the mean girls, the skinny models, the fashionistas, the assistants, the obnoxious queens and the groupies. Been caught myself in the industry for a short period of time in the past; I have battled my enthrallment with the beautiful creations of a lot of emergent designers and some of the masters of fashion - whom I admire very much - with my apprehension toward the less glamorous part of fashion. It doesn’t help this dichotomy the fact that I consider myself more of an activist nerd, feminist gay guy who struggles with his body image and loves science fiction movies.

Two weeks ago when I received an invitation to attend one of the most popular student shows during the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York. I felt torn between my excitement to go to the iconic Lincoln Center event and my rebellious instincts toward mainstream. Weak in principles, as always, I decided to go! More of a peace offering from a friend, the coveted invitation was a welcomed one, as it represented my only chance to attend this very famous New York attraction. I genuinely enjoyed it! I felt the familiar pre-show anticipation, now from the audience side. I saw many young people taking their photo-op with the celebrities, some more famous than other, and the buzzing of proud relatives as the show was about to begin. The Academy Of Art University’s show itself was a delight, characterized by a wonderful mix of the work of ten designers who combined raw edged, tri-color dyed, textures and layers with intricate patterns in slouchy shapes in white or muted colors leaving us, the audience, in awe with each collection.

I walked out of Lincoln Center feeling as much of a celebrity as all New Yorkers do after attending a Fashion Week event. Sprinkled with some of the star dust from the show’s audience and dressed to kill I decided to do a little walking myself trough the beautiful catwalk that is the city. The weather was perfect and I wanted to extend my pseudo-celebrity feeling for as long as I could. I walked down Broadway, cross over to the East Side strolling my Louis Vuittons with a skip on my step, like a true New Yorker…or not! Once on 5th Ave I decided that I had enough of the attitude and needed some grounding food and most of all: a drink!

I have heard of a Dominican restaurant in Midtown. I've been meaning to try it, but always forget the address or that such place exists in this part of town. I found Taina Café on Lexington after blistering both of my feet with the fancy shoes. On arrival the bartender offered me a Tamarind Mojito, a delicious take on the classical, but too sweet for my taste. I opted for a red wine to start. Following the lead of my fellow bar eaters I decided to try the Picadera Taina. Unaware the dish was meant for 2 people, I stared in disbelieve as the waiter placed the huge platter on the bar! Consisting of a sampling of most of the appetizers on the menu, it was crowned by a yellow plantain gondola in the middle. I’ve tried Platano Maduro in as many ways as you could possible cook it and always loved it, but this yummy codfish stuffed yellow plantain is now my favorite. I asked for a digestive and drank the recommended Mamajuana wishing I could walk barefooted to the subway.

iLoveDominicanRepublic, Tequia Experiences and Taina Café have partnered to bring you a preview of our new dance vacations in Dominican Republic this month of September, please visit http://ilovedominicanrepublic.com/xiomarita-nyc.htm for details.

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Additional photo credit: Rodin Banica for WWD

#fashion week #fashion week nyc #academy of art university #Taina cafe #Platano maduro #Yellow plantain #Mercedes benz fashion week #Fashion #lincoln center #Dominican Restaurant #Dominican restaurant nyc

Dominican Brooklyn: Day 1

Roberto’s Barbershop and Puerto Viejo Restaurant. By Waldo Tejada

I cut my own hair since I was 20. If I‘d put the money I saved on haircuts into a bank account, I would have about $23K plus interest by now. But I have a hard time making financial commitments like that; anyway, I didn’t do it for the savings, I did it for the convenience of the DIY haircut and to save the time you usually have to wait in a hair salon. This all changed not too long ago when I decided to grow a full beard. The beard proved to be more of a challenge to keep well groomed and at the same length without shaving a little bit every time and having to start over every other week. I like the way the beard looks on me and after more than 20 years having just a goatee it was a refreshing change for my forties. Since I moved to Crown Heights, Brooklyn, I’ve noticed a variety of Dominican hair salons all over the neighborhood but only one Dominican barbershop. Roberto’s Barbershop is conveniently located on Nostrand Avenue on my way to the supermarket. The Dominican flags on the backs of the attendants’ shirts were enough of a curiosity to pull me in and to put my waiting pet peeve aside I went in and requested a full service: haircut and shave with beard trim. I asked for Roberto himself, I figured if you are trying out a new place you should always try to meet the owner. I never felt too keen about barbershops, but Roberto has terrific hands, interpreting my crazy instructions and treating me to an experience which included the classical warm towel beard soak that has proved to be as addictive as chocolate itself. Needless to say, Roberto has become my weekly connection to the motherland and to that perfect dosage of Dominican slang and music I need to stay grounded, not to mention very well groomed.

After getting my haircut and my beard trimmed I decided that I was going to start discovering other Dominican places around my neighborhood and headed to Puerto Viejo Restaurant to try this well recommended Dominican restaurant. Tucked away at the fringe of Prospect Heights, Puerto Viejo might be the best-kept secret when it comes to Dominican food and ambiance in Brooklyn. After a short walk through my common eating grounds on Franklyn Avenue, I found the restaurant just in time for happy hour. Run entirely by family members, this Brooklyn jewel is considered the coolest Dominican joint in the city. I ordered the $1.00 empanadas on the happy hour menu and washed them down with some Presidente Beer. When eating alone, I like to seat at the bar to engage in conversation with the bartender and my fellow lonely eaters. Also, it is a great way to get a peek at the neighbor’s choices from the menu and inquire about what they’re eating and drinking. Right next to me was a young guy with long hair and a long, rowdy beard looking really cool.

While spending part of the afternoon getting my beard trimmed, it became an easy icebreaker topic for a conversation. He happened to be one of the Abreu brothers who run the place, and after realizing we’ve met before (without beards), we started to talk. After a while, Eduardo introduced me to the rest of the family: the whole staff – brother, mother, father, uncle, aunt, cousins and we were joined later by Maritza, his sister who’s friends with my good friends who recommended the restaurant. The evening turned out to be an unforgettable one with one of the best mofongo I had in New York accompanied by a glass of Panarroz (Jumilla). More wine, this time Protocol (Tempranillo) to pair with Eduardo’s recommendation and my favorite of the night the Rabo De Res Guisado a Dominican version of Ossobucco that felt right off the bone and melted in my mouth. A little tipsy from the wine I left the restaurant feeling like I just went to a family dinner. Since then I’ve been there for dinner once, and I’ve gone back twice for the very economical and delicious $6.00 lunch special and to get my Dominican food fix. The experience has inspired this blog and my search for Dominican places in Brooklyn. Follow I<3DR here, on Facebook and Twitter, to know more of my Dominican Brooklyn.

iLoveDominicanRepublic, Tequia Experiences, and Puerto Viejo have partnered to bring you a preview of our new dance vacations in the Dominican Republic this month of September, please visit http://ilovedominicanrepublic.com/xiomarita-nyc.htm for details.

#Tequia Experiences #puerto viejo #Puerto viejo restaurant #Puerto viejo Brooklyn #Roberto's Barbershop #Dominican Brooklyn #dominican food #dominican food brooklyn #dance vacations #dominican dance vacations #merengue brooklyn #bachata brooklyn #salsa brooklyn #xiomarita perez new york #xiomarita perez Brooklyn #xiomarita perez dance #xiomarita perez dance classes #xiomarita perez dance workshops

A Day at El Choco: Plunging into Las Ranas.

Tales of Estela Ros, Lady Explorer.

Today I would like to share an experience that I enjoyed so much it became a real revelation. Right in Cabarete is the National Park of El Choco. To my surprise the park is right around the place we always stayed at while in the area. I would say more like right at the backyard! We are a trio of girl explorers … well more like lady explorers who enjoyed seeking out new places and challenging ourselves to new adventures. This time Tequia Experiences’ own Rocio Oller told us about the existence of a National Park in Cabarete and proposed that we should explore it... so we dumped our hiking shoes in our backpacks and off we went! We are so grateful we did -thanks Rocio, it was so worth it!

We were so amazed of how in such a short distance there are two very different environment, these rarities are the real treasures of our island.

We arrived and were greeted by the park rangers, immediately were introduced to Levy Martinez, our guide. We followed him down a wooded trail and excited commenced our adventure. Back in the 80s the park was the home of some Canadians nationals who operated a bar from within the property. One can still see some of the infrastructures, they look like ruins and they give the sensation of a much older and mysterious site. I applaud who ever took the initiative to help create the park, which later achieved National Park status, bravo! The place is slowly recovering ... and all those trees and animal populations which in the past migrated given the nature of the type of business and the impact of the loud music, inadequate lighting and human traffic are making their way back. The native flora and fauna are reclaiming their rightful place amongst the ruins of what used to be the bar, dance floor, pizza oven, amphitheater and more.

Levy, our guide took us through spectacular caves – what a sight! The stalagmites and stalactites, aided by the faint reflections of the flashlights, were forming figures in the dark like clouds on a sunny sky releasing the reins of our imagination. We were like little girls making out images in the rocks from ET to the Virgin of Guadalupe. The ojos de agua or eyes of water (cave lagoons or cenotes as they are known by many) within the cavern seemed to reflect the whole surface of the caves and making it easy to tread land believing it was terra firme.

After walking the last cave, the one called Las Ranas, with the help of a flashlight we discovered a spectacular ojo de agua! Wow! It was like a reward to our eyes for finishing the walk. I asked for a beer! Conveniently there is a small cafeteria right there where they offer everything, but actually have nothing, another one of those things that make this country unique.

We have no other choice than to plunged into the eye of water. Clothing and all! What a liberating experience! According to Levy, I deserve a Guinness World record for being the first Dominican woman to have plunged from the top of Las Ranas cave.

I invite you all to try it at least once. It is a real treat! I know you will be calling me after to thank me and to tell me how much fun you had. Tequia Experiences can make all the arrangements for you from transportation, access to the park, to accommodations. Ah! One final, very important detail, upon exiting the park your body will beg you for a Presidente! If you like beer the way Dominicans drink their beer: ceniza (real cold, frosted on the outside but not frozen in the inside). You won’t find them in the colmados or bodegas of El Callejón (the name of the street on your way back), go directly to “Janet’s” and find the white haired man; I believe he is the manager. Tell him you were told he knew where to fetch the Presidentes cenizas and that the Lady Explorers told you. Again thanks to Rocio for the tip. Keep tuned in; follow Tequia Experiences on Facebook to know about our next experiences and to read our Lady Explorers adventures.

Edited and translated by Waldo Tejada.

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#Estela Ross #Tequia Experiences #El Choco National Park #cabarete #Puerto Plata #Lady Explorer #Las Ranas Cave #Rocio Oller #Dominican Republic #Dominican Adventure

Biking NYC: The Perfect Picnic.

By Waldo Tejada

This summer has been characterized as a bicycle one for me, full of friends and family visiting and requesting bike tours of New York City. I always loved riding my bike! Honestly it is my favorite form of physical activity; the one I really enjoy. Although I would try any activity at least once or twice, it is on my bike that I find that elusive moment of bliss and happiness that most people talk about when they exercise. You know, that mysterious and obnoxious phrase: “it releases endorphins! It makes you happy!" Blah, blah, blah! Producing an instant eye rolling on my face and a lack of interest from my brain. Sincerely I always thought it to be total BS. Most times after going to the gym I feel tired, achy and not really happy at all. Even thou I continuously fight an eternal/internal battle with my body image as a response to peer pressure and the media (yes! We guys are just as susceptible to magazine covers as women are!) it has never been enough to last more than 2 or 3 weeks at a time or to give it a chance to convince me that it will make me happy nor has my brain released the infamous "endogenous morphine" or endorphins that most people talk about. And mind you, anything with the word morphine in it should be enough of an attraction for me to stick around!

I’m not a bike aficionado, neither an enthusiast like some friends are, and definitively if it becomes just an exercise I probably won’t do it. But riding my bike as a means of transportation and as a way to have fun has proven to be the best motivation for me. So I started to find ways to make it fun, and to mask the exercise aspect of it I gave it a purpose. It all started earlier this past spring when after a great night of enjoying my favorites places in NYC with some friends from DR and after showing off with the spicy drinks during happy hour, putting tons of condiments (really spicy!) at dinner and topping it all up with more show-off spicy drinks later that night; I ended up in the emergency room! I spent a week in the hospital recovering with the prognostic of a surgery in 6 weeks. My good friend Cara suggested I get in shape before the surgery and because I really didn’t see myself going to the gym I started riding my bike. I stopped taking the subway and biked every day as a way to go from point A to B. Needless to say Cara was right! Recovery time was a breeze and I was on the bike again in 2 weeks after surgery. In the last two months I have given more than 10 bike tours to friends and family and had put together many ideas into routes that visited my favorite spots in my city.

One of my favorite things to do in NYC is picnicking! I like to end my rides with great food and wine, sitting on the green at one of New York’s parks. A couple of weeks ago I wanted to put together the perfect picnic to commemorate the visit of one of my friends and fellow traveler from our Tequia Experiences trip to DR earlier this spring: Mary Ann Been. At the same time I wanted for her to see some of my favorite spots in my city. I met travel blogger Erin Marie from The World Wonderer and my friend and travel influencer Mary Ann from Jetset Extra at the designated meeting point for the day: Abraçao on East 7 St. This well kept East Village secret serves the best cortadito coffee and a delicious Olive Cake. Caffeine and sugar loaded, we rented City Bikes and embarked in our hunt for New York’s perfect local picnic ingredients.

Away we went to the East Side where I wanted to show them the new East River Park. Although not as famous as its counterpart the Hudson River Park (ERP is still under construction) it has some beautiful gardens and some spectacular views of Brooklyn and its bridges; it is one of those places I like to go to think and to take in the city without the constant traffic of bikes and pedestrians. On our way to the East Side Erin Marie had a close encounter with the sidewalk and fell from the bike in the most graceful way a lady could fall and we experience the best of New York: the kindness of strangers; As we picked up Erin from her fabulous pose, a man approached us and gave us a bunch of Band-Aids (that he happened to be carrying in his pocket!) Thankful for the nice man’s first aid supplies our trip continued without setbacks to our next stop: The Pickle Guy in the Lower East Side. We each picked one ingredient from this historic place and with our pickles, turnips and sweet gherkins packed, made our way to The Essex Market. I’ve been dreaming of some bread from Pain D’Avignon to pair it with some of the Graviax (Smoked Salmon crusted with dill) we later got from one of the most authentic NYC places for picnic ingredients in the area: Russ & Daughters. But we didn’t make our way to the West Side without stopping at Katz’s for their legendary brisket and pastrami on rye.

After getting a local rosé wine from Astor Wines we found ourselves surrounded by the most wonderful selections of cheeses at Murray’s Cheese Shop on Bleecker. We tasted an assortment of soft, cured, aged, hard and fresh locally produced as well as imported cheeses and we loved a sample of Manouri with jam on top before deciding our final choices: Hudson Red Twin Maple Farm, Ossau-Iraty Vielle and Ardrahan all cave aged. Making our way to the West Side and amidst the perfect weather we finally settled down on Battery Park under the shadow of the new Liberty Tower with the Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty as our background. Uncorking our wine we toasted to ourselves, for making this Perfect Picnic as unforgettable as the company we were with and to the promise to do something similar soon while we gorged ourselves in our precious bounty.

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Additional Photo Credits: murrayscheese.com omnivoreexperience.blogspot.com pickleguys.com arkitipintel.com abraconyc.com

#Jetset Extra #The World Wonderer #bike tour #Bike tour NYC #murray's cheese #abraço #Astor Wines #russ & daughters #katz's #Essex Market #Pain D'Avignon #Bike Picnic #Waldo Tejada #Tequia Experiences

A brief history in 3 words: Cuco, Bacá and Fukú

I meet people from many different cultures in my line of work and my tribe of friends is like a small gathering of nations. Many times my friends have heard me struggled as I try to translate some weird Dominican word only to keep wondering where do we find such a plethora of idioms and crazy words without solid translations. During a recent trip, Angie Orth from angieaway.com asked me about “Fukú” and made me think about other cool representatives of our very irreverent and cultural rich vocabulary. Here is my attempt to explain some of my favorite words in “Dominicanish” (term made famous by the title of my friend Josefina Baez’s book).

My family has lived on a farm in DR for many generations and had the perfect mix of Old World traditions blended together with African believes and New World legends. Since early on I was introduced to the magical surrealism of familiar words like “Cuco”, “Bacá” and “Fukú”. The use of these words with their respective European and African roots mixed with a New World charm echoed the country multicultural heritage and depict my own mutt upbringing.

I remember being very young when I heard my grandmother’s stories about witches and spells as I questioned the Azabache pendant (a perfect fist with the thumb positioned in between the index and middle fingers carved out of jet mounted on gold) pinned on my new baby sister’s shirt in order to protect her from “el mal de ojo” or evil eye. Later on, during my college years, I was deeply intrigued by my ancestors’ origins as I traced them through their travels from Europe to Santo Domingo then Cuba and Puerto Rico and back to DR during almost four centuries. I compared the similar childhood songs and legends from my European friends and found how deep into the Judeo-Christian traditions some of my earliest experiences were. Like most of my friends, “El Cuco”, a version of the bogeyman or the nightmarish Spanish character “El Coco”, haunted my childhood. I find myself using “más feo que un Cuco” to define a very ugly thing or person and in worst case scenario to refer to my deepest fear.

My childhood was surrounded by magic adapted to the tropics and coming from many different countries like the Dominican people themselves. Joining the medieval legends, characters and words were the Taino’s own magical beings like Ciguapas and the many different African traditions ever present in our life from sunrise to sunset, but specially during the magic of the night. I was terrified of our neighbor’s supposed ownership of a “Bacá”! This evil spirit or demon is a direct descendant of the devil itself and capable of granting its host many riches and unlimited wishes. In order to keep the riches and “good fortune” the “Bacá” provided, its host must feed it human life, sometimes even members of their own family! If it would have not been for the killing of one’s family, I confess that at times of slim pickings owning a “Bacá” has crossed my mind.

In time I incorporated these words into my daily vocabulary, but until these days the one that stuck and I used the most is “Fukú”. The catchy word refers to a thing or a person that has been jinxed or cursed. Many times during my life I have believed that I may have had a “Fukú”. Right after graduating college I really believed “que me había caido un Fukú”. I was unemployed for almost a year and went on many daily job interviews and concluded the “annus horribilis” with more than two thousand sent resumes and homeless! Eventually having to perform the most famous Dominican “Fukú” cleansing ritual: moving to a different country. When asked by travelers about the meaning of the word (made famous now by Junot Díaz’s book “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”) I say that it is the perfect blend of bad luck mixed with mayhem that one could fall into or get thrown at by the biggest sorcerer: life.

Now as I bask in my fourth decade and with the advent of my circle of multicultural friends I can reflect on how the mix of words in our daily Dominican language represents a cultural log throughout our history and a perfect record of my own heritage. Similar to these words coming from different parts of the world I can see my own journey and that of my family from their towns in the Old World far ago picking up many words, traditions and stories in every port they landed; acquiring many friends and new family members until finally becoming undoubtedly Dominicans and cementing their own vocabulary in the history of this island.

By Waldo Tejada

Check out our website for cultural tours of DR at iLoveDominicanRepublic.

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#El cuco #Cuco #Fukú #Fuku #fucu #Bacá #Baká #baka #baca #azabache #in dominicanish #dominican words

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