What do you get when you combine thousands of sexy masqueraders, endless jumping and wining in the streets, a steady flow of island drinks and blaring soca tunes? Answer: Carnival in Trinidad. Known as THE GREATEST PARTY ON EARTH, the celebrations around Carnival takes place annually on this tiny cultural melting pot of an island.

This years festivities officially kicked off on the weekend of February 13^th and didn’t end until Beyonce’s final performance of the “I AM…..” world tour in Port of Spain on February 18^th, 2010.

During Carnival, there are so many parties, events, things to do, and things to know that I decided to go through Antilia (www.Antilia.com) which offers a variety of all-inclusive packages to experience Carnival like a true VIP!

As soon as I touched down, I was greeted by my driver who drove me to the new, chic and modern Carlton Savannah boutique hotel. My room was gigantic and gorgeous with every amenity I could ask for. The best surprise upon my arrival was the pretty rectangular box that contained my sexy Carnival costume along with a detailed itinerary and invitations to the exclusive parties, excursions, and events surrounding Carnival.

Sunday Evening, 2.14.10

I arrived just in time in time for the exclusive party thrown by Brian Lara  (world famous cricket player and businessman) which was thrown at his elaborate mansion.  The champagne was flowing, the top soca artists performed and there was roti, doubles, and all the other delicious food you could imagine.  His party was full of the “who’s who” of Trinidad including the President of T&T, George Maxwell Richards, Wendy Fitzwilliam (Former Miss Universe) Anya Ayoung Chee (Miss Trinidad & Tobago 2008), and other famous foreigners including Actor Malik Yoba, TV personality AJ Calloway, Jamaal Magloire (NBA player), etc. Every aspect of the party was fabulous and fun!

Monday, 2.15.10 (2:00 AM – 8:00 AM)

J’ouvert time!  I was up by 2am in preparation to get dirty with the Dirty Dozen J’ouvert band.   I chose to wear some old clothes that I didn’t mind throwing away. There were thousands of revelers out on the streets dancing, jumping up, wining, and having a good time, while covering themselves and each other in mud, paint, chocolate, and powder.  I met up with T&T born model Sandhurst Miggins, who showed me how to get down and dirty at this world famous nighttime fete.  This exhilarating street party is for everyone. From the richest businessman to the local farmer, people come out to express themselves and enjoy the music, camaraderie, drinks and good vibes.

(11:00 AM – until) Carnival Monday

After just a few hours of sleep, I put on a few pieces of my costume and went out to play mas with the Island People Carnival group.  The energy was amazing, the drinks were great and the music was blaring!  I learned how to “chip down the road” which basically means shuffling your feet with your knees bent while keeping the beat.  I also jumped up, “wined” (a circular thrust-like grind) with random people and “palanced” which is the new craze where you free your arms and legs and jump up and shift your body from side to side to the song entitled Palance by JW and Blaze (winner of 2010 Soca Monarch & Road March).

After playing mas with the Island People Carnival band, I wondered off to see some other carnival bands and ended up running into Malik Yoba and photographer Jonathan Mannion who were practicing their “wine” on a few of the pretty Trini masqueraders.

Tuesday, 2.16.10 (11:00 AM – until)

On Tuesday morning, I outfitted in my official Island People costume and arrived a little too late to cross the main stage with the other masqueraders.  I ended up playing mas with my new Trini friend, Ginette Eduardo.   We partied with “Harts” which is a predominately a white Carnival band.  Ginette taught me how to wine and introduced me to her friends as we chipped down the road.   Towards the end of playing mas, I ran into the beautiful Wendy Fitzwilliam (former Miss Universe) who was absolutely stunning in her dream costume.

Carnival Tuesday was amazing, but exhausting. Towards the end, we were so tired that we couldn’t bear to walk back to our hotel, which was wasn’t really that far.  It was too far for feet that had been chipping down the road, jumping up and dancing for two days straight.  Click here to read about how Laura (Antilia host) bartered into a ride back.

Wednesday  2.17.10

After Carnival Tuesday, it’s tradition to go to Maracas Bay to cool off and relax from the past few days of partying.  I headed to Maracas Bay and immediately got some bake and shark from Mom’s.  The line for the well-known Richard’s was way too long and I was starving!  The bake and shark was tasty and was perfect for a nice day at the beach.

After liming in MB, I headed back to the Carlton Savannah to prepare for the Antilia Sunset party being held on the rooftop.

The party was perfect!  All of the elements for a chic, jet set cosmopolitan fete were right on.  This private party was catered with delicious bites from the Carlton Savannah’s Relish kitchen, which is run by local award winning chefs.

I watched the sun set, mingled with the “Trini in crowd” and had the pleasure of meeting the charming JW, writer and singer of Palance.  At dusk, the party moved downstairs to the WOW suite that was incredibly beautiful, sexy, and perfectly intimate for cocktails, conversation, and post Carnival partying.  Tyson Beckford was the official party host who admitted that the people of Trinidad are nicer than the people of his native Jamaica.  I also caught up with Mya (singer, actress), Clinton Portis and Edgerrin James (NFL Players), Jonathan Mannion (photographer, director), Anya Ayoung Chee (Former Miss Trinidad, Fashion Designer), AJ Calloway, Malik Yoba, and lots of other beautiful people enjoying life.

Thursday, 2.18.10

I finally got a chance to sleep in, in preparation for Beyonce’s final performance on the “I AM…..” world tour at Queen’s Park Savannah. There were tens of thousands of people who came to see her perform for the first time ever in Trinidad.  The concert was incredible, but the best part of the night, was when Beyonce PALANCED!  The crowd went wild, and started palancing as though Carnival hadn’t just ended.

This was by far the perfect ending to five intense days of fete after fete, chipping, wining, and socializing with a bunch of new amazing friends who are among those special individuals to have experienced this year’s Carnival in Trinidad.