THIS week was by far the busiest week for me but I also spent more time with my grandson more than any time this year. Jaidyn keeps a smile on my face and I am so thankful for him in my life. He is such a bright kid and the content of his conversation is way beyond his years. Planning and executing two major projects at the same time can be overwhelming and consuming but the gratifying feeling is priceless. Experiencing the growth of some of the exhibitors makes the extreme exhaustion bearable.

A few days ago I was on a radio interview with Renata, who is a first-time exhibitor and Reona who exhibited last year, Reona has grown tremendously over the year and her business has too. She was sharing her success story with us: Last year she had 11 kids in her daycare, now she has over 40. Stories like these are confirmation that the Sonia Noel Foundation For Creative Arts is making a difference. Stories like these sometimes make two hours of sleep worthwhile and there are many more of these.

We are days away from the Expo and the INSPIRE YOU Motivational Event and the adrenaline is at a record high. We have a lot of new exhibitors who are soaking up all the valuable information given by competent facilitators such as Eldom Marks, Eric Phillips, Meleesa Payne, Veronica Glenn and Dr. Raveendranauth Ichlangod. The 10th and 11th at the Pegasus will be bursting with great ideas, creativity and talent.

I feel blessed to have the relationship capital that I have because this event would not be possible without it. Not just this, but with many events that I have done over the years. A few nights ago I decided to take a break from Expo work and Women across Borders to attend the opening of Guyana’s first Art Gallery and restaurant, The Duke. The ambience was classy and the local art certainly added sophistication and creativity to the décor. The art is not just there to enhance décor, it is also for sale.

The creative sector is still underrated although we have so much talent in Guyana. I must commend young Gerry Gouveia and team for giving the young creatives a platform. They have an opportunity to not only showcase but to sell, and as I mentioned in my brief remarks that the Roraima Group of Companies has a large overseas clientele. I’m sure some of them will be dining there so there’s a possibility of some of those masterpieces travelling to different parts of the globe.

I met Young Douglas from my hometown, Bartica, and who has been painting from a tender age of six. I was also very impressed with the cuisine by the chief chef, Kevin Gouveia. We sampled a number of delicious dishes and had some fine wine. The red velvet cake for dessert was too awesome. I think I had a portion for me and someone else! Actual I had Diane’s portion.

I admire how dedicated these two young men are to the family business. Kevin is also a pilot but enjoys running things in the kitchen. His passion for experimenting and creating new cuisines is admirable. I will be dining there soon with the family. My family is dear to my heart and we are very close. I made myself a promise this year to have more precious family time. I am better but nowhere close to what I desire. I am determined to fix that.

Send us a comment about something special that happened to you this week as we continue to enjoy this beautiful Journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY
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