Liming Hotspots

Coco Lounge, one of the many nightclubs and bars on Ariapita Avenue in Woodbrook. Photographer : Trevette Ramlakhan

   

  The word “lime”, as used in T&T, appears in the New Oxford American dictionary. It is defined as doing anything, anywhere at all, in company and in a way that de-stresses.

It is part of Trinidad’s culture , that we Trinidadians always look for an excuse to party and lime . It is in our nature , and makes us who we are . The picture above captures people standing outside Coco Lounge , one of the  hotpots in Port of Spain .This picture was taken on a Tuesday evening ,just before the Spiritual Baptist holiday , the following day. Additionally, it must be noted that there are a lot of hotpots areas in Port of Spain , and a lot of them being nightclubs, Coco lounge just being one of the many.

  There is a variance in the social groups who anxiously await entry into the zone , which is an environment of cultural diversity and hybridity .

This image captures the different social groups engaging in  interactions moments before entering one of the nightclubs or lounges on the Ariapita Avenue, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Photo taken by: Trevette Ramlakhan
     
 "The central and significant fact about the city," as Geddes and Branford pointed out, "is that the city... functions as the specialized organ of social transmission. It accumulates and embodies the heritage of a region, and combines in some measure and kind with cultural heritage of larger units, national, racial, religious, human." (Mumford, 1938)

    “De Avenue” found in Woodbrook on the outskirts of Port-of-Spain, offers international dining and nightlife paradise. In any given day of the week, you'll find a lot of social and face-to-face interactions bringing both local and foreigners alike, barhopping up and down this trendy thoroughfare. Bmobile has also introduced their Bzone, free 4G wireless internet enabling individuals to capture unforgettable moments with friends and families and share them on social networks at lightening speeds creating ideal conditions for a "creative buzz".

  What impact does this have on current events? Some of the largest nightclubs now host concerts with both local and foreign artists. The party market has evolved immensely and there has been the  growth of mega-clubs whose various levels and special VIP areas are packed out all weekend. Some present popular international acts would include Trinidad-born Nicki Minaj, One Direction, Beyonce, Maroon 5, the Marleys and many  others.

  When there are big fetes, these are held at the arenas such as the  Queen’s Park Savannah,in order to accommodate the massive crowd of people attending .

These big party and concert events are concentrated around Carnival time, public holidays and school vacations. Mega fetes can be packed with over 10,000 jumping and gyrating party animals. At public fetes you pay for food and drinks, while all-inclusive parties provide food and drinks as part of the ticket price.

    

References

New Oxford American dictionary: Lime.  Accessed 6 April 2016.

Broadbridge, Stephen. " Trinidad's nightlife and entertainment scene." Discover Trinidad and Tobago. MEP Publishers ( Media and Editorial Projects Ltd). 8 September 2015. Accessed 6 April 2016.http://www.discovertnt.com/#axzz46N2CrI1x

Mumford, Lewis. "Culture of Cities." Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York. 1938, pg 6 lines 34-37. Accessed 6 April 2016.