Category Archives: Caribbean

Forgive us if the opening of a restaurant called Pirata inspires a moment of musing about our beloved, underachieving Pittsburgh Pirates. The demands of synergy would seem to dictate that Pirata would, at the very least, have its crows nest on the North Shore, but instead it is located in a shiny new skyscraper just outside of Market Square. And while the piratical decor is overt, with treasure-map murals and thatched-roofed gestures toward island architecture, it managed to just sidestep the realm of kitsch.

The front room is dominated by a big, four-sided bar (where, yes, the ballgame was on), but the back dining room, designed to be closed off for private events, was cozier and more intimate, with warm lighting and upholstered chairs. We picked out a corner spot at the bar, the better to let the tender guide us through the extensive rum menu. Reviewing cocktails is outside our lane, so well just say that Pirata offers a starkly different selection from the whiskey bars that dominate the citys cocktail scene these days.

The food, on the other hand, was right up our alley. Spanning from Cuba to South America, with plenty of island stops along the way, this was a thoroughly modern selection that didnt take any of its inspirations too literally. Or perhaps it did; our wallet doesnt cover a sojourn to St. Barts to compare tuna tartare on a taco shell made from a crisp-fried slice of taro. Authentic or not, this was a brilliant combination, creating a delicate, but not bland, envelope for luscious tuna, while avocado built further richness and jalapeo brought suitable heat.

There were five additional tacos served on corn tortillas: two Mexican, two Jamaican and one original with pork belly and smoked sweet-potato puree. We chose arrachera, marinated skirt steak with grilled sweet onions and a sun-dried-tomato chimichurri. It was a lot of flavor in a small package: The meat was chewy but not tough; the chimi intense; and the onion provided a bit of sweetness and, if not brightness, then contrast.

Trinidad salt-cod fritters were a bit too salty for our tastes, but our more salt-friendly dining companion scarfed them down. We all enjoyed the meaty texture, more substantial than fresh fish but not chewy or tough. We also believe you cant go wrong with cilantro-garlic-cream sauce, and Pirata didnt.

The kitchen did take a wrong turn with a side of tostones, double-fried green plantains with mojo de ajo, a slow-cooked garlic and oil sauce. The sauce was flavorful, but where great tostones pair a semi-firm, vegetal interior with a crispy exterior roughed up from smashing, these large, flat disks were tough inside, despite being thin, and had very little crunch.

On the other hand, black bean soup with sofrito salsa and sour cream was superb: supple, savory, and deeply aromatic with sauted onions, garlic and seasonings.

Depending where you go in Latin America, the empanadas vary widely, from crunchy dumplings akin to deep-fried pierogi to flaky, turnover-like pastries. Piratas were somewhere in between, with a wrapper that was a bit breadier than pie dough. It was certainly different from what typically surrounds Jamaican beef patty, which was the filling we tried. The beef was distinctly less fiery than typical Jamaican as well, but also had a better texture, crumbly and meaty, not smooth and pasty.

After all this, there was still more to explore, including half-a-dozen enticing entrees. Barbados fish fry, made with the fish of the day and served with fries and slaw, won out. That sounds like a church-basement menu, but not at any of the churches around here. The fish, a thick slab of red snapper in a dark, crunchy crust that we swore had hints of coconut, was superb flaky and moist and more than substantial enough not to be overshadowed by that crust. Fries were simple shoestrings that ranged from crisp to slightly tender; they were delicious dipped in papaya-ginger tartar sauce that offered more zip than most fries-friendly condiments. The island slaw also stood out with cabbage, peppers, carrots, mango, seeds and berries. It was lightly dressed so that these myriad flavors and texture mingled to the fore, just held together by the hints of citrus.

Piratas pan-Caribbean concept might not be unique, but the recipes were impressively confident and the execution excellent, especially for such a new kitchen.

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New Downtown restaurant Pirata offers a pan-Caribbean fare - PGH City Paper

Astronaut Gordon Cooper was a born explorer. He broke countless NASA space flight records, like the longest single-man space flight, a 122-hour mission. But one of his greatest achievements may not have been unveiled if it wasnt for his willingness to share a secret he had kept for more than 40 years.

During his time in space, Cooper made an incredible discovery anomalies he believed were shipwrecks. He meticulously noted them and created what some are calling a treasure map from space.

When Cooper fell sick with Parkinsons, his longtime friend Darrell Miklos says he gave him his maps to fulfill his explorations. Cooper passed away in 2004.

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I think he knew his demise was coming, so he gave me the information prior to his death and said, Anything ever happens to me, you make sure you finish this, Miklos told Fox News.

Miklos became close with Cooper after years of sharing an office space in California, when they bonded over a shared passion for exploration.

From the mid-90s till his passing, we always talked about treasure, but [it was] not till 2002 that he revealed to me that he had all these files for decades, Miklos said. Im privileged to be the only man with these files.

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Now, Miklos stars in the new Discovery Channel docuseries "Cooper's Treasure."The show follows Miklos as he decodes and follows Coopers maps in hopes of uncovering hundred-year-old shipwreck material and treasure.

The maps were created while Cooper was navigating the globe on his Mercury 9 Faith 7 flight. At the time, he was possibly on a mission to look for nuclear threats during the Cold War era, Miklos said.

They were utilizing some kind of long-range detection equipment to look for nuclear threats. With that, his acute vision [and] possible cameras, he started identifying things that looked like shipwreck material, Miklos said. Once he had written all the coordinates down, he went back to earth and put together this incredible treasure map from space on a sea chart.

JACK THE RIPPER MYSTERY: RESEARCHERS HIT ROADBLOCK

With a detailed map and archival research files, Miklos and a crew of professionals explored parts of the Caribbean searching for the wrecks. The team used a magnetometer to identify shipwreck areas and then dived down for a closer inspection using a metal detector.

We cherry-picked five anomaly readings, did a search and identify mission, and we are five for five for positively identified shipwrecked material and there are hundreds, Miklos said. So the first five, he was exactly right on the money. He had it right from the beginning.

Miklos described the sites as historical shipwrecks of the colonial period.

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"Coopers Treasure" airs on the Discovery Channel on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET.

Additional reporting by James Rogers.

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NASA astronaut's space treasure map sparks hunt for Caribbean wrecks - Fox News

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This week is a big one for Rondell Donaldson and Renee Campbell: Their dream came true.

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Rondell Donaldson and Renee Campbell created the food truck "Caribbean Soul". They serve food that blends the tropical flavors of the Caribbean with the spicy flavors of the South. STAFF VIDEO BY BOB BIELK STAFF VIDEO BY BOB BIELK

Rondell Donaldson and his fiancee, Renee Campbell, are the owners of Caribbean Soul. The couple opened their first restaurant at 233 Chambers Bridge Road in Brick this week.(Photo: FILE PHOTO)Buy Photo

This week is a big one for Rondell Donaldson and Renee Campbell.

The Brick couple own Caribbean Soul, a food truck that has called Lakewood and Asbury Park home for the past year. But on Monday, they opened a restaurant of the same name at 233 Chambers Bridge Road in Brick.

The restaurant will serve dishes that take inspiration from Campbells Jamaican roots and Donaldsons history with Southern soul food. Their menu includes oxtails, smoked jerk chicken, fried whiting, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, rice and gravy, sweet potato fries, banana bread pudding, and Donaldsons signature Bang Bang wings, which are sweet-and-spicy lollipop-style chicken wings that get their heat from a long marinade in jerk seasoning and their sweetness from a secret glaze thats added after they are fried.

For more information, visit Caribbean Soul LLC on Facebook or call 732-300-6156.

MORE:Caribbean Soul food truck serves sweet with the heat

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Caribbean Soul restaurant opens in Brick - Asbury Park Press

PHOTO: Royal Caribbean cruise ships (Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean

Its unclear whether internet gremlins are at work but Royal Caribbean Internationals dress code policy for its main dining rooms seems to be having an existential crisis.

Last week, the eagle eyes at RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com, an unofficial blog managed by fans of the cruise line, noticed that Royal Caribbean had added shorts to its list of approved attire in the main dining room on casual nights. Although the writer wasnt certain when shorts had been added to the text, the blog linked to an archived version of the Royal Caribbean website on WayBackMachine that showed shorts were not on the official attire list as recently as August 2016.

But earlier this week, awriter for the same blog noticed that Royal Caribbean had switched its dress code again, dropping shorts, tank tops and t-shirts from the main dining rooms list of casual, smart casual and formal dress codes.

And fans of RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com are weighing in, strongly, on both sides of the argument.

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A user named Dawn caught the crux of the matter in this seemingly no-win situation for the cruise line.

Nice work Royal Caribbean. Half of us hated you last week when you allowed shorts. Now the other half hates that you changed it back. And both sides hate each other.

Brandon weighed in firmly in favor of the policy.

READ MORE: Formal or Casual: Which is the Future of Cruise Dress Codes?

IMHO, dinnertime in the [Main Dining Room] is a more formal atmosphere and calls for slacks at a minimum. If one does not want to wear slacks, there are plenty of other great food options on board. Having said this, Royal does not even call it "required attire" it is "suggested attire". We all know they don't enforce the "code," but I'm glad it exists to give people a guideline. Will my vacation be ruined when someone walks through the MDR in shorts, a t-shirt and flip-flops? No, but I will not be the person going to a [Main Dining Room] dinner in shorts.

In light of the recent United nightmare in Chicago, Brandon makes an excellent point. Truly enforcing such a code could be a difficult endeavor, especially with a passenger who refuses to play by the rules.

Other passengers made the case for being able to wear shorts on vacation. Adam Harmon commented:

I am on the Harmony right now. I wore shorts with a nice matching polo on our first dinner. Honestly, it felt great. I still felt "dressed up" and not out of place. I understand that people go overboard and don't respect the MDR, but to me, nice golf shorts and a polo constitutes nice casual wear. I'm on vacation in hot weather when I'm used to 40 degree weather back in Indiana. It was great wearing shorts and not sweating through my shirt for once. I think it turns many people away from cruises thinking that have to dress up every night. I understand I can go to the windjammer but it isn't the same experience or quality of food as the [Main Dining Room.] If you want a place that everyone dresses formal every night than pay the money and go to a specialty restaurant.

Others, like James Buswold, recommended an alternative:

"...since most of the [Main Dining Rooms] are 2-3 levels they should have the "formal" people sit in the lower main since that is where the most room is and made the upper levels more "casual" or visa versa. This would have given people a choice.

It is important to note here that neither of the above-mentioned dress code policies were officially announced by Royal Caribbean. Which means the policy switch could be nothing more than the efforts of an overeager staffer who simply cut and paste the wrong text in a web update and Royal Caribbean later rectifying that mistake.

Wed love to know, though, whats your opinion on proper attire when dining on cruise ships?

You may use your Facebook account to add a comment, subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook information, including your name, photo & any other personal data you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment, and may be used on TravelPulse.com. Click here to learn more.

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Fans Weigh in on Royal Caribbean's Dress Code Flip Flop - TravelPulse

WICHITA A Kansas Supreme Court justice invoked material from a Pirates of the Caribbean film in a case that began with a wreck on Bill Snyder Highway.

The case stems from a Riley County car accident in October 2009. After a few beers one night, an 18-year-old rolled his fathers pickup truck across the median of K-177 just north of Interstate Highway 70.

A passerby stopped to call 911. A Riley County Police Department squad car was dispatched to the scene. A police officer, Juan Apodaca, did not see the disabled pickup and slammed into it going 104 mph, seriously injuring himself and an officer in the passenger seat.

Apodaca sued the pickup driver, Matthew Willmore, for negligence.

The main issue is whether something called the firefighters rule applies to law enforcement officers like Apodaca. The rule prohibits firefighters from suing the person who was negligently responsible for causing a fire for injuries they suffer in responding to a fire.

A majority on the Kansas Supreme Court sided with the Kansas Court of Appeals and the Shawnee County District Court by deciding that the firefighters rule should apply to law enforcement officers. And the court ruled that several exceptions to the rule did not apply to Apodacas case.

Justice Lee Johnson argued in a dissent that the majority was denying the right to a legal remedy on the basis of job title.

In a separate dissent, Justice Caleb Stegall agreed that something like the firefighters rule should apply to law enforcement officers in Kansas. But he said the principle shouldnt be considered a rule and that courts are imposing judicial policy preferences as a matter of law.

Stegall argued that the application of a standard still leaves work to be done. As part of making his point, he cited a scene in the 2003 Disney film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

At one point, the villain in the movie, Captain Barbossa, denies releasing one of the protagonists, Elizabeth Swann, after she cites the Pirates Code on letting prisoners go.

The Code is more what youd call guidelines than actual rules, Barbossa tells Swann in the film, which Stegall quoted in his dissent.

Stegall wrote that miscasting a standard of conduct as a rule of law effectively assigns the fact-finding and discretionary function of juries to judges.

We ought to avoid this, Stegall said.

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Kansas justice invokes 'Pirates of the Caribbean' in legal dissent - Salina Journal (subscription)

10 (count them!) international posters forPirates of the Caribbean:Dead Men Tell No Taleshave arrived online (via IMP Awards) which you can check out in our gallery below!

Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the iconic, swashbuckling anti-hero Jack Sparrow in the all-new Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. The rip-roaring adventure finds down-on-his-luck Captain Jack feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devils Triangle bent on killing every pirate at seanotably Jack. Jacks only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has ever faced.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales also stars Kevin R. McNally as Joshamee Gibbs, Golshifteh Farahani as the sea-witch Shansa, David Wenham as Scarfield, Stephen Graham as Scrum, and Geoffrey Rush as Captain Hector Barbossa.

Directed byNorwegian filmmakersEspen Sandberg and Joachim Rnning (Kon-Tiki),Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Taleswill debut in theaters onMay 26, 2017.

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Pirates of the Caribbean International Posters Make Land - Superherohype.com

5 Reasons Why Now is The Best Time To Travel To The Caribbean Forbes Who said that January and February are the ideal months to go to the Caribbean? Smart travelers know that spring brings empty beaches, sublime weather -- and lower prices. Any time after April 15 is considered the shoulder season in the Caribbean ...

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5 Reasons Why Now is The Best Time To Travel To The Caribbean - Forbes

The Caribbean has some of the most beautiful vacation destinations in the world. This makes it popular with tourists worldwide. Many people, however, have trouble deciding which island to visit. Although it may seem that every Caribbean island is equally desirable and perfect, the fact is there are significant differences among them. Lets look at the top ten Caribbean islands and what type of traveler each is best suited for.

Aruba offers a diverse number of activities for people of all ages. On the one hand, its extremely family friendly, with many resorts catering to families with kids. On the other hand, you can find many adult-centered activities, such as nightlife and a wide assortment of casinos. Aruba also has a slightly different landscape from many Caribbean islands, having more of a desert appearance rather than forests.

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Widely considered one of the most beautiful of the Caribbean islands, St. Lucia has long been a popular spot for honeymooners. It features many all-inclusive resorts with lots of amenities, a lush landscape with mountains as well as pristine beaches. The island is also famous for its annual jazz festival, held each spring.

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10 Best Caribbean Island Vacation Destinations - EscapeHere

Back in the Caribbean Easter is a very festive but sacred time of year. There are many Christian celebrations to commemorate the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is also the time that people dedicate themselves to fasting and prayer for faith renewal.

As we celebrate Easter 2017 it is important that as followers of Jesus Christ we recognize the impartation of spiritual power that is available to us through His death, burial and resurrection. If we are open to receive this spiritual power, it can give us the courage and the fortitude to hold our heads high here is this country (our new homeland) to lead our families to reach great heights and not lose touch with the importance of God in our lives. It can encourage us to continue to participate in a broken political system that is now blaming immigrants for many of the problems in America.

Will you walk out of your place of worship this Easter Sunday with a renewed mind that models a Christ-like spirit? Do you believe you already have the power to overcome the pain that results from unfair treatment because of your Caribbean heritage? Do you believe you now have the power to encourage your child who is being bullied at school because of his or her accent? Will you use your power in a nonviolent way and rise above lifes challenges? Will you heed your call to help another person in need starting right here in the United States or will you continue on the path of me, myself and I?

Easter is also a time when Caribbean people spend time with their family and friends by engaging in traditional activities. Regardless of the fact that island activities vary, many of them take place at the beach. In St. Vincent & the Grenadines, for example, some people may participate or be a spectator to the Bequia Easter Regatta. The Bequia Easter Regatta is a sailboat race wherein participants attempt to create perfect harmony with boat, wind and sail. There is also beach activities for the spectators.

In Grenada, holy week celebrations include Semana Santa. This unique celebration is associated with the floats of thrones involving historical religious icons. For example, there is the procession of El Silencio and El Cristo de los Gitanos. In Trinidad and Tobago there are observances on Good Friday, Glorious Saturday, Easter Sunday, followed by Easter Monday. Easter Monday is usually the Buccoo goat and blue crab races. It is said that this is a time when participants can play with their food before eating it. Blue crabs are placed on a straight line drawn in the beach sand. Participants get very excited as they cheer their blue crabs on to the finish line. After the poor creatures have completed this final task they end up on their coachs plates as a yummy meal.

While we reminisce about traditions in our island homelands, many of you may not have the luxury of a weekday off during the Easter season. However, most people do have the weekend off! Take the time to teach your children about the reason why we celebrate Easter. It is not all about the new clothes, Easter baskets and the Easter Bunny. Go to church. Instill the Caribbean culture in them. Teach them traditions. Make a quick run to the Caribbean market and treat them to some bun and cheese or hot cross buns. Escovitch some red snappers so that they can enjoy the traditional foods. It will perk you up and temporarily fill the void that homesickness brings.

This Easter let us go beyond the norm and connect with those individuals who are engaged in service to others following the examples of Jesus Christ. As we tell our Sunday School Students, Be Jesus Followers.

Upcoming events

Team Jamaica Bickle: Penn Relays are April 26-29. The Team Jamaica Bickle organization provides support for athletes from different parts of the Caribbean. The Philadelphia Organizing Committee invites you to the 23rd Annual Fundraising Reception and awards ceremony on Thursday at the PECO Energy Building located at 2301 Market St. from 6-9 p.m.

Our Athletes, Our Ambassadors: There is also a Community Forum that will take place on Thursday, April 27 at Calvary Baptist Church located at 6122 Haverford Ave. The Rev. Garth Gittens is the pastor.

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Time to reminisce about distinctly Caribbean Easter traditions - The Philadelphia Tribune

CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) St Lucia's national security minister, Hermangild Francis, has voiced concerns about terrorism and the possible effect on Caribbean tourism.

In an address to members of the St Lucia Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Francis said he has discussed the issue of terrorism with the Director of the Regional Security System (RSS) and the threat it poses to the Caribbean.

We do not have the exact number of ISIS fighters returning to their countries but we know that between 150 to 400 of these individuals, especially from Trinidad and Tobago, have returned, the former deputy police commissioner who is currently chairman of the RSS said.

He asserted that the situation was very problematic for the Caribbean.

Imagine, most of the islands are depending on tourism and we have an incident with one of our tourist ships maybe in Aruba, Martinique, St Vincent you could imagine the sort of catastrophic reaction that is going to happen to our main export, the minister stated.

Francis say St Lucia will be addressing the issue by going to the primary schools to ensure that young children are not radicalised.

According to Francis, all the evidence indicates that children are radicalised from a very early age.

That is one of the techniques that the ISIS movement uses, he observed.

We are going to make sure, with the help of our minister of education, to put in place programmes so that those young children vulnerable children, can be taught how to deal with radicalisation, Francis told members of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.

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St Lucia concerned about threat of terrorism to Caribbean tourism - Jamaica Observer