Photos By Lia H. & Rae L.

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Hey y'all! In NYC we're well into the fall season, so everyone is all bundled with fabulous scarves, hats, coats and boots. It's quite crisp actually. I arrived at the venue early to meet up with L Boogie and Mix Juice. It took me a good 15 minutes to thaw out and the next thing I knew the place was buzzing with folks checking out the art on the walls, networking and sipping on the assorted Alize flavors during the cocktail reception. Soon the food followed. There were mini rotis, coconut corn soup, phoulorie, bake and shark nuggets and mountains of black cake! Feel bad for me folks as I was too busy and only sampled just one shark nugget and may I say it was indeed the best fried shark I have ever had!!!

You know I must talk about the fashion. Whoohoo ... everyone looked fabulous with a capital F!!! There were sport jackets, suits, cocktail dresses and flirty silk blouses! Trust the shoe game was also hot (photo)! Btw ... two ladies in the same dress! Yikes!

Anyway, while I was busy macoing what everyone was wearing, the ballroom officially opened and it was like the running of the bulls, but on a bougie scale. I guess everyone had enough of the Alize and was ready for some heavy stuff. The bar was crammed out in less than 5 minutes. The bartenders were beyond busy!!! The setting was very very sexy, with tables lit by soft candlelight and beautiful high ceilings covered in elaborate designs.

Everyone's favorite international deejay, DJ Spice, kept the crowd moving and grooving to soca, hip hop and reggae while waiting for the costume presentations from TnT mas bands Spice, Elements and Island People. Rhel nice vibes man.

There were also a lot of celebs in the house! I first peeped Shaggy and famed photographer Jonathan Mannion slipping into the VIP. Haitian sensation and also of the Fugees, Wyclef Jean was also in the building. He was having a time let me tell you folks. And well you know AJ of Extra, he loves a good fete too! Of course, everyone's favorite soca artistes; Kees and Rupee also chillin in V.I.P and an appearance of Miss Trinidad & Tobago 2008 Anya Ayoung-Chee.

To set things off, we were treated to two sexy samba dancers accompanied by live drummers smack dead in the middle of the crowd, together with a surprise performance by Trinidad and Tobago rapper The Mad Stuntman (Mark Quashie) singing Madagascar theme song "I Like to Move It".

Kees (KES The Band) then hit the stage performing a medley of his hits. It just made you want to hold your head and wine up a storm! Spice presented their costumes first. Next up was Mr. Rupert Clarke and Element. Ahhh yes, gotta love Rupee ... Jump around de place! The finale was Island People's presentation followed by Wyclef smashing up the stage with tons of energy as he invited all the models & ladies from the audience to join him on stage as he performed "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)". Clef was fyah!! And fellas, the models were hot hot hot ... made my narrow behind think about my treadmill/clothes rack! Lol!

Anywho, by this time the crowd was all a buzz over the costumes and performances. Fah-hab-bu-lous!!! And just when we thought it was going to slowly wrap up Mr. Shaggy entered left stage! I thought we would have to call 911 cuz dem ladies went bananas!

This event was a smash! Stay tuned for the next fabulous Antilia event! Two words ... "Rum Festival"!!

-Le Petite

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