The first historic MASKANOO celebration took place last  year on the 27th of December to resounding success and enthusiasm.  This event, aimed at showcasing the islands’ cultural heritage with the incorporation of activities indigenous to the TCI including “Masses”, Junkanoo, food, drink, arts, crafts and local entertainment (including ripsaw, drums etc), comes again this year, on December 26th!

The celebration will take place along Grace Bay Road between Seven Stars Resort and Salt Mills Plaza, creating a close‐knit environment in the”Tourist capital”of Providenciales.

MASKANOO will run until midnight, with vendors selling local food and beverage, arts and crafts along the route. A variety of entertainment will be scheduled every hour on a main stage to be located opposite the Regent Village Entrance.

A grand finale with fireworks will take place on the beach at mid‐night.

Don’t miss this historic cultural event!

For more information contact:

Caesar Campbell – manager@turksandcaicoshta.com

Shernelle Blackman – Shernelle@bornewellmarketing.com

Provo Ponies is a small riding stable owned and operated by horse woman extraordinaire, Camille Slattery.

The stables are located on the southeast end of the island of Providenciales in the Long Bay area, offering two guided rides per day; the morning ride at 9:30 am and the afternoon ride at 3:30pm during the winter season, 4:30 during the summer.

Camille accepts all experience levels from 6 years old and up; if younger, however, they must be experienced riders. There is, however, an extra charge if someone must be led.

Everyone rides their own horse or pony, with no double riding allowed as there is a 200 pound weight limit. The groups are never more than 12 riders.

And for those of you looking for a more personal experience, private rides are available for an additional fee.

Helmets are available and are required for all children and young adults, aged 17 and under.

The guided rides (not the nose-to-tail variety of ride commonly experienced!!) are wonderful, tracking along quiet dirt roads and trails to the 4 mile stretch of the secluded Long Bay Beach.  Depending upon the tides, more experienced riders are given the chance to trot or canter along the beach. The shallow waters of the Caicos Banks off Long Bay make it an ideal place to experience the joy of riding your horse into the ocean.

To book either a one hour or 90 minute ride, you must make a reservation, securing it with a Visa or Mastercard. At the time of reserving, you will be asked to provide the accurate weight of each member of the group and provide a realistic assessment of the experience levels of all riders so that horses can be properly assigned

And finally, vacation villa renters will be provided directions to the stables and transportation to and from hotels can be provided by this fully insured, licensed, and long-established TCI business.

TO RESERVE: (1-649) – 946-5252 or 241-6350

The Turks and Caicos National Museum is pleased to announce that the week of July 11-15 is “Bird Week”. The Bird Walking and Driving Tours will officially open  that week.

These tours were made possible by a grant from the Carnival/TCInvest/TCIG/Infrastructure Fund.

Both tours can be self guided, with the help of the Bird Guide Cards that are available for sale at the Museum. Once officially open, these cards will also be available at other outlets.

Many activities are planned for this week, including a Bird Driving Tour with Leading Ornithologist Dr. Mike Pienkowski, a student Bird Walking Tour with Dr. Mike Pienkowski, a movie night at the Museum, and the grand opening of the tours on Friday July 15, 2011.

The Museum will also be working with DECR’s Junior Warden Programme to show the importance of the Salt Ponds/Wetlands and how they attribute to the many species of birds found in TCI.

The birds of the Turks and Caicos are an intimate part of the wetlands ecosystem.  Birding here is exceptionally good, as one can see many species of birds very close up. This is a very rare occurrence and makes TCI one of the world’s best places to bird watch.

For information on the times of these activities, please contact the Museum at info@tcmuseum.org

In Villa Catering with Chef:   High Season Pricing (November-May)

Breakfast – $25.00 Per Person; Lunch – $35.00 Per Person; Dinner – Per Menu Selection Per Person

+11% Government Tax, 18% Catering Fee and Applicable Chef Fee

In Villa Catering with Chef:   Low Season Pricing (June-September)

Breakfast – $20.00 Per Person; Lunch – $30.00 Per Person; Dinner – Per Menu Selection Per Person

+11% Government Tax, 18% Catering Fee and Applicable Chef Fee

Prix Fixe Villa Catering** High Season Pricing (November-May)

Breakfast 1-5 People – $95.00 Per Person; Breakfast 6+ People – $75.00 Per Person

Lunch 1-5 People – $100.00 Per Person; Lunch 6+ People – $80.00 Per Person

Dinner 1-5 People – $125.00 Per Person; Dinner 6+ People – $110.00 Per Person

Prix Fixe Villa Catering** High Season Pricing (June-September)

Breakfast 1-5 People – $75.00 Per Person; Breakfast 6+ People – $50.00 Per Person

Lunch 1-5 People – $80.00 Per Person; Lunch 6+ People – $60.00 Per Person

Dinner 1-5 People – $115.00 Per Person; Dinner 6+ People – $100.00 Per Person

**Up Charge for Lobster, Crab or any other changes made to Prix Fixe Menus

Villa Drop Catering:    High Season Pricing (November-May)

Breakfast – $25.00 Per Person; Lunch – $35.00 Per Person; Dinner – Per Menu Selection Per Person

+11% Government Tax and 10% Delivery Fee

Villa Drop Catering:    Low Season Pricing (June-September)

Breakfast – $20.00 Per Person; Lunch – $30.00 Per Person; Dinner – Per Menu Selection Per Person

+11% Government Tax and 10% Delivery Fee

Looking to plan a fabulous BEACH BBQ??  LOOK NO FURTHER!!

PLEASE VISIT THE CAICOS CATERING WEBSITE at  www.caicoscatering.com

Bike Rentals

Mountain $30-$50/day (styles vary)

Road and Cross Bike $80/day

Carbon Fiber Road bike $100/day

Beach Cruiser $25/day

Tubes, Clear Bottom Kayac, Stand up Paddleboards

Tubes $20/day includes rope

Clear bottom Kayac $75/day includes Paddles

Stand up Paddleboard $75/day includes Paddle

Inline Skates

K2 inline Skates $25/day all sizes available

Kites

7 meter – 17 meter Kites $75/day

Harness $25/day

Kite board $50/day

Total package with all 3 items $125/day

Wakeboards/waterskis/Snorkel Gear

Wake boards $25/day

Waterskis $25/day

Rope $5/day

Snorkel Set (mask, snorkel, fins) $20/day or $18/day on 3 days or more

PFD $5/day

Beach Cruiser

Boats “Captain Yourself” (proof of Boat Worthiness required)

Edgewater 188 cc with Yamaha 150 hp 4 stroke, includes PFDs, GPS, Tube and rope.

Boat Charters for waterski, wakeboard, tubing and snorkeling

Mastercraft X Star

Max 10

$350/hr, $900/1/2 day, $1500/full day

Mastercraft BF 200

$300/hr, $750/1/2 day, $1250/Full Day

(Instruction included)

*50% deposit required on all activities and rentals

*refund on deposit outside 48 hours

*24-48 hours cancellation, surrender of deposit

*0-24 hrs cancellation. 100% billed

Web: www.nautiquesports.com

Mail:nautiquesports@tciway.tc

Mail for bike rentals only: caicoscyclery@tciway.tc

Contacts:

Bike Rentals-Sales-Service -Tyler Dutton 649 431 7544

Watersports bookings/rentals -Doug Camozzi 649 431 6890

Shop phone 649 941 7544

Last week, my family and I – including 2 grandchildren ages 4 and 3 and their best friend who’s also 3 –  went to Mango Reef at Alexandra Resort for dinner.  What a stunning setting!

As we enjoyed an amazing sunset, the kids had fun playing on the beach and we enjoyed refreshing libations.

The service was terrific and the food – tons of it!! – as great! The ribs, in particular, were mouth-watering!

To add to our pleasure, Candy Barrotti, one of our favorite songbirds, was crooning her fabulous tunes!

So when you’re here visiting our extraordinary island and have a yearning for scrumptious local cuisine and superb entertainment, don’t forget to add Mango Reef and Candy to your to-do list!

My husband Antonio and I had the infinite pleasure to lunch at the newly opened Garam Masala, the latest addition to our magnificent restaurant scene in Providenciales.

Located in Grace Bay (across the road from Salt Mills, on the right hand side of the cul-de-sac just before the entrance to the Renaissance Resort – there’s no sign up yet as she’s only been open one week), the locale is prettily appointed and evocative of India.

For appetizers, we enjoyed delicious samosas, pakoras, along with a mouth-watering tandoori style Seekh Kabob; all served with a yummy spicy mint sauce!

Stuffed already, the entrees that followed (mutton vindaloo and chicken tikki masala) were so amazing that we gobbled those down, along with garlic buttered freshly baked nan bread. We thought we’d explode, but that didn’t stop us!!

To complement the meal, we sipped (should  I say guzzled??) a delicious well-chilled Riesling (Oriel) that perfectly complemented the  meal.

As for Vinnie and his crew,  the chef’s are brilliant, the service lovely, and Vinnie made one and all feel like they were guests in his home!

While the food does take time to come out – everything is freshly cooked on the spot – any delays were well worth every delicious morsel!

Sadly, these gluttons had absolutely no room to even consider trying dessert, but Antonio had the Masala Chai (superb) and I was astonished to drink one of  the most perfect cappuccinos I have ever had on island!

What else can I say besides congrats to Vinnie and Jay and see ya’ll there!!!!!!!!!!

For reservations, call Vinnie at 344-4622 or 941-3292.

Travelocity’s travel experts have done their research when it comes to summer family travel!

After digging into the website’s summer booking data, the team has discovered where most families will be vacationing for their 2011 summer getaway.

Not surprisingly the United States and Caribbean top the list, with Turks & Caicos  coming up as #9 in the world!!

“Talk about an island that just keeps getting more and more popular – Turks & Caicos climbs up the list of top-booked destinations each year.

Caribbean vacations are always popular for families and this island is proving to be a top pick.”     Travelocity, May 14th, 2011

From the Airport

Taxis are available at the airport.  When you exit Customs, there will be airport staff on hand to call one for you or you can pre-arrange prior to your arrival. Expect to pay around $15 (plus tip) per person for a taxi ride from the airport to the Grace Bay area.  Rates do, however, vary.

Rental Cars

Because the island is long and some villas, restaurants and activities far-flung,  a rental car is very useful on Providenciales. If you’re coming in high season (Nov through May), please make sure you book your rental at the same time you book your flight or you may find all the agencies fully booked.

A distinct advantage in renting a car is that you can easily tour the island, go to shops, eat out and not have to walk long distances to get places or worry about relying on taxis (especially in the evenings).You can pick up supplies and food (especially if you have self-catering capabilities) from the Graceway IGA and other food suppliers with ease.

In the British tradition,

cars on all the islands drive on the left

. You only need a valid driver’s license from your home country to rent a vehicle.

There are multiple international agencies working on island, such as Hertz, Avis, and Budget.

We also have excellent local companies, such as Grace Bay Car Rentals and Sales (tel. 649/941-8500; www.gracebaycarrentals.com),  Scooter Bob’s, Turtle Cove Marina (tel. 649/946-4684; www.provo.net/scooter), which rents jeeps, vans, and SUVs; and Turks & Caicos National Car Rental (tel. 649/946-4701).

As per our client polls, the particular favorite to date is Grace Bay Car Rentals, with your rental awaiting your arrival at the airport and the convenience of drop off there as well.

Taxis

If you decide to forgo a rental car, you may find yourself needing a taxi. Please note that there are no designated taxi stands. If you need a taxi, you’ll have to call one. We recommend Virgil  or Velma (tel. 649/231-0199 or email hughlou@tciway.tc) or Sonny (tel. 649/242-5287).

If you find another taxi driver you like, ask for his or her card or jot down the number on the side of the van, and avail yourself of his or her services throughout your trip (taxi drivers are also happy to show you around the island — for a fee negotiated upfront, of course). Otherwise, most places are happy to call a taxi for you.

On Foot

The 12 miles of Grace Bay Beach make for lovely strolls, and the paved roads along Grace Bay have sidewalks so getting around on foot is much easier than before. But once you get started, particularly with the tropical sun beating down, keep in mind that the distances are longer than they appear on a map, so please remember to hydrate before walking and carry fluids with you while walking, such as Gatorade or water mixed with Diuralyte (available at Flamingo Pharmacy in the Graceway IGA Plaza on Leeward Highway).

Traveling on to the Other Islands

If your final destination is any of the other islands in the Turks & Caicos chain, or you’re interested in planning a day trip to another cay during your stay on Providenciales,  you will be taking either a domestic flight on a small plane from the Provo airport or traveling by boat.

Caicos Cays

North Caicos

You can fly to the North Caicos airstrip on Air Turks & Caicos (www.airturksandcaicos.com) or call Ritchie at the charter company Caicos Express (tel. 649/232-1982 ; caicosexpressairways@tciway.tc).

Caribbean Cruisin’ Ltd. (tel. 649/946-5406, cellphone 649/231-4191; www.caicosproperties.tc/TCIFerryService.html; round-trips, cash only) offers a new ferry service that travels between Provo and North Caicos five times a day from Monday to Saturday and makes three trips on Sunday.

Otherwise, you can get to North Caicos by chartering a water-taxi from one of the many tour-boat operators in the area, such as Silver Deep (tel. 649/946-5612) or Big Blue Unlimited (tel. 649/946-5034. Their boats can accommodate up to eight people); the trip takes around 35 minutes.

For ground transportation, call Gardiner’s Taxi (tel. 649/946-7141).

Middle Caicos

You can fly to the minuscule Middle Caicos airstrip on Air Turks & Caicos (www.airturksandcaicos.com) or call Ritchie at the charter company Caicos Express (tel. 649/232-1982 ; caicosexpressairways@tciway.tc). The flight is about 15 minutes.

You can take the ferry from North Caicos. For ground transportation, island and cave tours, boat excursions, and fishing expeditions, call Middle Caicos native guide Cardinal Arthur (tel. 649/946-6107.

South Caicos

You can fly with Air Turks & Caicos (www.airturksandcaicos.com) or call Ritchie at the charter company Caicos Express (tel. 649/232-1982 ; caicosexpressairways@tciway.tc). The flight is approximately 15 minutes.

Taxis are available at the airport.

Grand Turk

Most people fly into Providenciales and then take a short flight on a domestic airline into Grand Turk International Airport (also known as J.A.G.S. McCartney International Airport).

Several daily flights between Provo and Grand Turk are offered by Air Turks & Caicos (www.airturksandcaicos.com) or call Ritchie at the charter company Caicos Express (tel. 649/232-1982 ; caicosexpressairways@tciway.tc).  The flight from Provo to Grand Turk takes 20 minutes.

On Grand Turk you can rent cars (as well as scooters, bicycles, and snorkeling gear) at Tony’s Car Rental (Grand Turk International Airport; tel. 649/964-1979; www.tonyscarrental.com).  Tony’s also offers scooter tours of the island.

Taxis are always available at the Grand Turk airport, and drivers are more than happy to give visitors a tour of the island. Remember to negotiate your price first.

Salt Cay

To get to Salt Cay, there are Monday, Wednesday. Friday flights with  Caicos Express (tel. 649/232-1982 ; caicosexpressairways@tciway.tc). You can also charter their planes to get there with your own group.

A government-subsidized ferry runs between Grand Turk and Salt Cay, weather permitting, every Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday (leaving from South Dock — the island’s only dock, in the morning and returning in the afternoon). The trip takes an hour.

You can also hire a private boat operator to take you between Salt Cay and Grand Turk (as long as the seas aren’t too rough). Contact Debbie Been to organize a boat charter with Salt Cay Divers (tel. 649/241-1009; www.saltcaytours.com).

Cruise-ship passengers who arrive in Grand Turk can continue to contact Salt Cay Divers to arrange their snorkeling or diving day trips to Salt Cay, same as always.

No one needs a car to get around Salt Cay, which has more donkeys than cars to begin with; it’s the perfect place for getting around on foot, by bike, or by golf cart.

For everyone coming to vacation in Providenciales, there are incredible day trips to Salt Cay, such as scuba diving, boat trips,  snorkeling or whale watching. Don’t hesitate to contact Debbie of Salt Cay Divers dive shop (cellphone 649/241-1009 or email scdivers@tciway.tc). Debbie can organize your flights, charter or even an overnight stay!!

WELCOME TO OUR BEAUTIFUL BY NATURE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS!

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks and Caicos – Lemon Café is a Moroccan oasis amid the hard, dry landscape of Providenciales. It is the brainchild of owner Natalie Zaidan, 35, a Canadian expat who visited the island as a child. Zaidan, who has lived here for 12 years, does high-end landscaping and owns a nursery. She designed and built Lemon Café a couple of years ago.

Chef John Tsavalas, a childhood friend of Zaidan, has created a superb Moroccan menu with tapas treats such as spicy calamari, rice-stuffed tender merguez, silky couscous, and perfectly prepared baba ghanoush. Exemplary entrees include North African moussaka with eggplant, lamb burger with yogurt mint cucumber sauce, and the most popular dish, lamb prune tagine, simmered for hours with such ingredients as honey, cinnamon, and clove. Tsavalas’s most recent creations include a sumac-rubbed rib eye roast and lobster with preserved lemon.

The place is dimly lighted and wonderfully moody with bench seating on the perimeter of the open-to-the-elements sides, smaller tables and communal ones in the middle, a glitzy, soft-orange-lighted bar at one end, and gauzy accent drapes billowing from the high ceiling.

The most popular place to eat at night is the elegant courtyard, with two-foot stone squares surrounded by lush grass and draped by ficus trees, from which small white lights shine. Entertainment includes regular “Arabian Nights” with belly dancing, tarot card readings, and Tsavalas doubling as a fire spinner on occasion, delighting diners by whirling lighted poi balls.

Zaidan planted a garden to furnish the restaurant with fresh vegetables and herbs. The organic meats are flown in regularly, said Zaidan, who opened the restaurant to “provide a change of food down here. A lot of it was sort of the same, I wanted to do something different.”

PAUL E. KANDARIAN

Lemon Café, Village at Grace Bay, 649-941-4059, www.lemon-cafe.com. Mon-Sat lunch and dinner, noon-3 p.m., 6-10, Sun 6-10, entrees from $17.

© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.