Jimmy Cliff - Takashi

First, we will answer the question you just asked in your head: Jimmy Cliff is not dead. He's 65 years old and released a Grammy-winning album last year.

When Dave heard Jimmy Cliff was coming to Chicago, and it wasn't a race weekend, he expressed a strong interest in seeing the show. Jimmy was playing a new theater in Chicago, the Concord Music Hall, which appeared to be a nice sized venue for a show like this. Tickets were $34 each after service charges, general admission was the only option.  The show was on a Friday so we'd still have the whole weekend to do other things. With that said, there were some downsides: The venue was in an area of the city we were unfamiliar with and not close to any lodging, Holly needed to get in 12 miles (straight) of running for her upcoming marathon, hotels were pricey that weekend, and reggae shows generally start late. But everything fell into place and we ended up spending two nights in the city.

We cabbed from our downtown hotel to the Bucktown / Logan Square neighborhoods. Good research led us to find that The Map Room, one of Chicago's first craft beer focused bars, was just a block away from our chosen dinner location. This is a fun spot to have a couple of drinks at, but be warned, no kitchen.

Dinner was at Takashi, a Japanese-French fusion Michelin rated restaurant run by Takashi Yagihashi (from Iron Chef and Top Chef). We chose to sit on the sidewalk patio to get that city-dining experience. Within 2 minutes we witnessed a car back into a taxi cab. Fun! We shared three appetizers: tempura roll, scallops and gnocchi, and pork belly. All were excellent and could have been center-plate features on their own.

Our favorite was the pork belly, which was served with pieces of steamed buns, greens, and spicy mustard. Diners were encouraged to make a sandwich out of the ingredients.

Main entrees were next. Dave had loin of veal and Holly had pork two-ways. Both were good, but overshadowed by the appetizers. If we visit Takashi again we are going all appetizers.

Finally dessert: Holly's was right up her alley...butterscotch panne cotta served in an eggshell with a pistachio macaroon. Dave had a chocolate cake with bananas and raisin paste. Both were great.

From setlist.fm

Off to the show! Our plan was to get there close to when the doors would open. With Holly's current foot injuries it would not be a good idea for her to stand for hours. Fortunately the venue had a lot of seating in the back of the theater. The two long rows of booth-type banquettes filled up quickly. We were comfortable and figured once Jimmy came on stage we'd get up for a better view. Luckily, they opened one of two balconies. These areas were little enclosed rooms that offered a side-view of the stage. We were able to move up there and sat at a little table. There were glass windows protecting the people below from our potentially falling drinks. We hung out here for the opening DJ, opening singer (Ethan Tucker), and Jimmy's first number.

Jimmy Cliff and his band started off with a ten-to-fifteen minute medley on the bongos. We couldn't hear too well from our balcony seats so we moved down to the main floor - much better sound. He played for about two hours doing his its as well as some covers of early ska songs. He was in high spirits and danced around a bit on stage.

The audience was one of the most polite group of people we've every seen at a show. We certainly weren't the youngest folks here, but not the oldest by a long shot. There was a good mix of men and women and folks of all races. Towards the end of the evening we walked through the crowd to the front of the stage to get a close look and no one was putting up resistance (see how we worked in a Cliff lyric there?). We stayed close for two songs, then moved back because we were polite like that.

The set list was full of hits, some we had even forgotten about. Cliff and crew put on a great show that night and we had lots of fun. Our pictures from the show are grainy iphone photos so we'll share some from reggaeville.com.

We left the venue close to 1am, found a cab, and decided we wanted one more drink. We weren't sure if our hotel bar would be open so we hit The Wit since Dave knew they had a rooftop bar that would likely be open. We waited at the velvet ropes to talk to the hostess but heard her tell folks in front of us that the cover was $10 ladies and $20 men. Forget that! The main floor bar, State and Lake, was open and very nice. There was a guy playing guitar and singing..... Reasonable prices on drinks and bar snacks. Good way to end the night.

Bob Marley's Grave

Jamaica is one of our favorite vacation destinations. Limited flight hassle from Chicago, great hotels, fantastic food, beautiful and diverse landscape, influential culture, and the friendliest people you've ever met. Since we are in Jamaica now, we thought we'd share one of our favorite Jamaican adventures.

We first visited Royal Plantation in Ocho Rios in 2001. At the time it was a newly acquired Sandal's that was still off the radar. Being a smaller hotel there weren't many activities or any crazy all-inclusive resort newlywed games. This gave us time to get to know some of the staff members well. Those relationships continued over repeat visits.

By our third trip to RP (2003) we knew Sibony and Hensley very well. These were two very fun and caring individuals. They asked if we would like them to take us to Bob Marley's grave - about 90 minutes away from our location. Hensley would borrow a friend's car and asked if we could just pay some money, like a rental. At first we were hesitant, not that we didn't trust them, but what was the condition of the car?ow long of a trip is it? But the chance to go see Bob's birthplace and grave with friends could not be passed up.

Since this trip was technically against policy we couldn't talk about it. We did tell one other couple our in itinerary and to call out a search party if we weren't back by dinner. We walked off-property to the craft market across the street to be picked up in the older model small Nissan. We stopped at a nearby gas station while another staff-friend, Dave, saw us in the backseat with his coworkers. He just gave us that look of "what the hell are you up to."

We didn't realize that our tour would start in Fern Gully. This is a 9+ mile stretch right outside of Ocho Rios where you drive through a forest of giant ferns. We've never seen anything like it. If you are visiting Ochie, you could probably hire a cab for an hour to give you a tour - worth it. As we kept driving, we just kept our faces glued to the windows. This was our first time in the interior of the country. It was very pretty.

About an hour into the trip the car overheats. Luckily, this occurs in a small town. Within a few short minutes we had several people come over to help with water. This would never happen in America. Dave kinda remembers talking to one of the men, telling that guy would not happen at home, and the man replied that they had to help us as guests to their town and to their country. After a bit more time we were off and shortly arrived at Bob's grave. Hensley stayed outside, partly to watch the car, but we think also because he was not very fond of all the "Rastafarians" hanging around. That statement is in quotes because we think some of them were posers just so they could smoke in public. Bob's grave is one place where smoking for locals was tolerated.

So into the complex we go with Siboney. He was a great escort given his size. When we would get a barrage of offers to buy weed he'd wave them off and that was the end of the story.

Bob's grave is up in the mountains and has a great view of the surrounding countryside. We did talk to one or two legitimate rastas while on the property and heard stories about their customs and why Bob Marley was so important to them.

 

I think Siboney was more excited than we were to be there. There were so many points he wanted to stop and have his picture taken. At first we thought this was odd since he had been there before, but then we realized he didn't own a camera. So we snapped away...

Top: Bob's birthplace kitchen Bottom: chair inside the home

Once we were done with our tour we met back up with Hensley and took off back down the mountain. The car stero was playing some ol'its or "old hits" ska and rocksteady. That's when the police pulled us over. Uh oh, Babylon! Apparently two obvious tourists in the car with folks that look like locals leaving Bob Marley's grave is just-cause. We knew we shouldn't worry, but Hensley had time to run an errand...... They approached the vehicle with assault rifles in-tow. Our friends talked to the police in high-speed patois and we were eventually asked to get out of the car. They did a quick check and sent us back on our way. As suspected, a scenario like ours is usually suspicious. Our friends told the cops "not these people" and that seemed to work. On our way back to Ochie we stopped in Siboney's village and saw his soccer field - which was the cow pasture, with a view of the sea.

We were delivered around the corner from our hotel safe-and-sound. As we walked around property the rest of the day the staff asked us how we enjoyed our trip. Seemed like everyone knew our secret.

We're back at Royal Plantation this week. A lot of things are the same, but Hensley and Siboney are long gone. Working elsewhere around the island. Maybe the coconut telegraph can help us find them so we can meet up for drinks?

 

Jamaica 50

Unfortunately the biggest party of the year is being overshadowed by The Olympics.

On August 6th Jamaica will be celebrating its 50th anniversary as an independent nation. If you follow any reggae or Jamaican related websites it's pretty hard to miss everyone's enthusiasm. The parties aren't only in Jamaica. The country's influence has sparked a wave of celebrations all over the world. The largest ones will likely be in New York, London, and Toronto - cities with large Jamaican communities. To share in the fun, here are some links to help you learn a little more about Jamaica and get you into the spirit of one of our favorite countries.

• Visit Jamaica: Once you go, you know. Official Tourism site.
• How Jamaica Conquered the World: Home of a new podcast about Jamaica's influence outside its boundary. Contains a nice history section.
• Top 10 Jamaican Stereotypes / 10 Jamaican Myths Busted: Surprise! Most Jamaicans don't smoke ganja.
• Jamaica 50: Official Anniversary site.
• Jamaicans.com: Online community and resources. Great place for jerk chicken and shrimp rundown recipes.
• Reggae Marathon: Since this is kind of a running blog we had to include this site. Holly ran the full and Dave did the 10k in 2011. Here's our report.
• Negril.com: Check out The Capital of Chill!
• Reggae Train: Great source for all things reggae.
• World Reggae Show: Jack Slater gives you an hour of sunshine reggae each week. This is where Dave first learned about artists like Gregory Isaacs, Dennis Brown, John Holt, and many others.
• Big Up Radio: 24/7 streaming music. Pick your genre: Roots, Rocksteady, Soca.......

To keep in the Olympic spirit, here are a few recent ads for Jamaica with Usain Bolt:

We put a musical tour of Jamaica together for you (may not show up on idevices, which is odd since it's from the itunes widget creator):

Some of our photos from various Jamaica trips.

Reggae Marathon Report

In 2007 I had just finished the NYC Marathon and was recovering in Negril, Jamaica during our annual Thanksgiving vacation. The Reggae Marathon was happening following the weekend we were leaving. Our driver pointed out part of the course heading back to the airport. I said to Dave that this is one marathon I will never do. This course is awful (hilly and hot).

Fast forward to 2011. Due to some circumstances at work we would find ourselves in Jamaica during marathon weekend. Of course I had to sign up, right? Not only that but I convinced Dave to do the 10k!

We got to Jamaica a week and a half before the race and stayed at an all inclusive in Montego Bay. It was a week of overeating and over drinking! Not sure how this was going to work out on marathon day. I did hit the non air-conditioned gym a few mornings and kept up with my taper run schedule. I hoped the heat of the gym would prepare me for the heat of the race.

We got to Negril on Thursday and the race was on Saturday. We stayed at the Sea Wind Resort which was very close to the Pasta Party and a short walk to the start/finish of the race.  The staff was very nice and they had a great bar and very good breakfast.  On Thursday, we went and picked up our race packets.  Just standing at the registration table we could feel how hot is was. Our goodie bags included really nice T-shirts and a drawstring bag as well. 

That night we enjoyed sunset and live reggae at Rick’s Café  then had a great dinner at Xtabi on the cliffs.

Friday was a quiet day for us. I was really getting nervous. I was drinking water all day, trying to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. We went to the free pasta party and it was great. There must have been 20 different types of pastas, salads, and breads. There was a steel drum band as well and they were fantastic. We headed back to our hotel early for a good-night’s sleep since the race started at 5:15am.

Race morning and we are up and out of the hotel by 4am. We started walking to the race start as it was only a half of a mile away. It was a bit dark on the road and we were glad when one of the race’s shuttle buses picked us up and took us the rest of the way. The race area had port o potties that took some getting used to as they flushed and most of us didn’t know this. Use your imagination. The race start was great. There were drums beating and tiki torches lining the course. Reggae music was blaring and we were off. They changed the course since 2007 so I wouldn’t be doing the awful part up the hills that I saw years earlier. This was now a loop course. There was one loop for the half marathoners and two loops for the full marathoners.

It was warm already at 5:15am but at least there wasn’t any sun yet. It didn’t take long for me to get in a groove and I felt pretty good. I was keeping a good pace and felt like it wasn’t hard so I felt ok about making it the full 26.2. I saw Dave at the one turn and he was looking good on his way to the 10k finish. The sun came up around mile 10 and I was still feeling good. They had the best hydration system. They handed out pouches of water and their version of Gatorade (Hi-Lyte). The pouches were plastic and they were cold. I would take two and use them as compresses on my neck and face and wrists to keep me cool. Then rip them open and dump one on me and one in my stomach! It definitely worked to keep me cool. I wish we could have these in all of our races.

Water and sports drink in pouches.  Photo from Reggaemarathon.com

At the end of one loop I saw Dave and said, boy, I wish I was doing the half, I feel great and we would still have the whole day ahead of us. But I kept going. Around Mile 16 I started to feel hot and yucky. I was doing math in my head to see if I could start walking and still make the seven hour cutoff time. But I really didn’t want to walk 10 miles! So I decided to try some of the Hi-Lyte.  I declared it Hi-GREAT! I started to feel better but still dialed back my run walk pattern to 3:1. I saw Dave again at Mile 19 and said that I was really hot and was going to slow it down. At about 20 I went to walk 3 minutes and run 1 minute instead of the opposite. It was just too warm and I wanted to be able to enjoy the race.

I met 3 young Jamaican boys around mile 22 and they were great. They asked me what I was listening to and when I said Tarrus Riley (a reggae artist) they loved that and we became running buddies. Whenever my interval timer went off they said, “it’s time to run!” and we would all run together for the minute. They really helped me. They asked about how easy it is for us to go to stores and get what we want. They asked if we had kids and I said no and one of the boys said I should order one! I said I have a dog and that is enough for us. They loved that his name was Rufus. We had a great time and they left me at mile 24. I am so thankful that I had them along with me, especially at that point as I was struggling. They shared some great tips on Negril and I can’t thank them enough.


The finish was a mile away now and this is Bob’s mile. Named for Bob Marley and they have his lyrics on signs along the way. It was very motivating and inspiring. I passed a reggae band and they started playing the song Sweat by Inner Circle (“Girl I want to make you sweat”), I sung along and laughed.













I finished strong and was pleased with my time 5:46. I got my cool medal and used the wonderful misting tent set up where I was doused with ice water. It was great. The only negative was the race had run out of all food and drink. No bananas, oranges, nor the traditional whole coconut that they talk about. I was very disappointed. You couldn’t even buy a Red Stripe! This is something the organizers have said they will work on in the future.





I did take the traditional swim in the sea and it was great.

We then took the walk down the beach back to our hotel and I pretty much spent our last afternoon of vacation in the water with Red Stripes in my hand. It was a great race and I would recommend it to anyone. If I came back I would do the half but if I didn’t do the full this time I wouldn’t have gotten the real Jamaican experience.












Here's our video from the race

There's a longer version available at our youtube channel: raceandwdw

Back Home

Quick post today.   We're back from our vacation in Jamaica and the Reggae Marathon Weekend.  We had a great time and completed our races:  Dave the 10k and Holly the full marathon.  More on the races and trip soon come, as well as resuming our Disney trip posts.

There's still time to donate to our fundraising efforts against breast cancer.  Follow this link to learn how: Donate

Negril sunset