We know Sandals Spring Reunion Week was a blast…so why not show it off? Send us your reunion week photos and get a chance to be featured right here on Snapshot Boulevard!

We look forward to hearing from you,

The Sandals Select Rewards Club Team

Widely acclaimed as earthy, inspirational, daring and diverse, the programming of this unique event has even been accredited by The Wall Street Journal as being, “all that’s right with Jamaica.” For three days every May, this inter-continental festivity attracts travelers from all over the world who go to enjoy spirited music, readings from celebrated authors, publishing seminars and writing workshops, a film series and of course, delectable Jamaican dishes—a winning combination that often compels visiting festival-goers to make reservations for the following year before leaving the island.

Since 2001, Calabash has been a celebration in Jamaica that showcases established writers of fiction, literary non-fiction and poetry, and also highlights the works of new writers looking to establish a voice in the literary arts.  This year, with a Jubilation! 50 theme, the festival will feature a selection of authors and performers from around the world, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, South Africa, the UK and US. Acclaimed novelist Chimamanda Adichie from Nigeria; award-winning sisters Sadie and Melissa Jones from the UK; and Jamaica’s Olive Senior, are just a few people who will grace the festival with their artistic talents. This year’s program will aslo bring in writers with a strong connection to Jamaica in order to help commemorate the island’s fiftieth anniversary.

The festival’s producer, filmmaker Justine Henzell, believes that the spirit of Calabash will be in full force this year due to the exciting inclusions and performances surrounding the event’s theme.

“We wanted to continue our mission in a focused and selective way, and Jubilation! 50 does exactly that!” Henzell said. “Jubilation! 50 is a celebration of Jamaica’s literary achievements as we commemorate this milestone anniversary of our independence from Britian.”

Along with Calabash International Literary Festival Trust, Henzell has been part of the show’s production since its inception and her support of the arts in Jamaica is widely celebrated. Henzell says the event is much more than a literary festival and the Wall Street Journal agrees:

“The words ’literary festival’ apply to Calabash only because there’s no neat phrase for reggae-fied, rootsy-intellectual, interdisciplinary extravaganza for those who worship words, abhor pretension and believe that ‘smart’ and ‘fun’ need not be mutually exclusive. Calabash is, in a nutshell, all that is good about Jamaica.” ~Wall Street Journal

Planning a trip to Jamaica in late May? Stay at Beaches Resorts in Negril, Jamaica, Sandals Negril or Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa to be within close proximity of the historic festival held from May 25-27, 2012 at Jake’s Resort in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth.

People all over the world struggle to find just the right gift for their mother on Mother’s Day. This year is sure to be no different. But, for guests of Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts, this task is made easy with the plethora of unique options available at the resorts that give mom the royal treatment.

One glowing gift for mothers is available at Red Lane^® Spa. A facial treatment at the spa allows mom to enhance her natural glow with nourishment from the botanical products and essential oils used exclusively at Red Lane^® Spa.

Facials are known to tone and clarify the skin and can give skin a quick boost since the products used contain high concentrations of antioxidants and vitamins. Facials also typically involve massages which aid in blood circulation and in the relaxation of the facial muscles which can slow the onset of wrinkles in the face.

Here are two amazing facials available at Red Lane^® Spa that nourish the skin and detoxify for a natural-looking glow:

About Face

Dermalogica’s Core Treatment is customized to your skin’s needs by starting with a thorough, zone-by-zone Face Mapping analysis. The analysis is then followed by a series of effective enhancements designed to treat the core of your personal skin concerns and help you achieve a radiant glow! This facial is 1 hour.

Recovery Lane Treatment

This pampering, 1 hour and 20 minute treatment starts with a super-cleansing facial that removes impurities from your skin. A gentle exfoliation of the back is also given and the treatment concludes with a stress-relieving massage that focuses on areas of tension along the spine.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8oz light rum
• 1/2 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup pineapple (canned or fresh)
• 3/4 cup coconut milk (canned or fresh)
• pinch of ground cinnamon
• ice to top of blender
• pineapple chunks for garnish

Preparation:

Blend until ice is smooth and the drink is a fine slush. Pour into frosty glasses and place a couple of pineapple chunks on top. Serve immediately.

Though moms are people we should celebrate at every chance, Mother’s Day is that hallmark holiday that reminds us to admire mom and also remember the useful lessons and values she instilled. My mother encouraged me to follow my conscience and do what I believe to be right regardless of what others think or say. I’ve got a lot of her fighting spirit.

Along with my father, my mother also gave me something that stuck with me until now… my nickname, “Butch.” They said I had a “rough-and-tumble” nature that reminded them of a playful bulldog called Butch on a popular cartoon at the time. But mom gave me much more than that. No matter where I travelled or how far I had gone, coming home to a mother’s love was like nothing else.

There is something about this day that reminds me of you, our Sandals Select members around the world. Year after year, you come home to your favorite resorts again and again, knowing that you will be received with open arms. Though nothing can compare to a mother’s love, we strive to create a feeling that makes you anticipate coming “home” and building lasting memories in the Caribbean. Knowing you always have a place here at our resorts, as well as in our hearts, is like a mother’s love—warm and inviting.

Coming home to mom and home cooked food was the best feeling in the world—absolutely amazing—we hope to emulate this same spirit every time you return “home” to Sandals and Beaches.

Until next time,

Gordon “Butch” Stewart

Poetry and expressive writing can be therapeutic. According to Andrews, therapists and researchers tend to focus on the use of poetry to help people cope with traumatic or stressful experiences. Andrews says that through the ages, poetry has been used to express the whole spectrum of human experiences, including positive ones: the exhilaration of a new love, the peacefulness of a lazy day at the beach, the marvel of a gorgeous sunset—perhaps that’s why a trip to the Caribbean always seems to soothe the soul!

“If you ask someone to express her feelings about a recent heartbreak in a four-line poem, the person may freeze up. But that same person might have no problem pouring her heart into a 140-character tweet.” ~ Linda Wasmer Andrews

SL: Have there been any new developments or findings regarding therapists who use poetry reading or writing to facilitate healing?

LA: In a recent study published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing, therapists analyzed women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer within the last two years. For the early breast cancer survivors in this study who wrote about either their feelings or the facts of their cancer experience, saw an improvement in their overall well-being when compared to those who wrote about any traumatic event they chose and those who didn’t write at all.

SL: Do therapists generally tend to read works that pertain to their patients’ specific situations and feelings, or are they more randomly selected?

LA: In bibliotherapy, or reading with the aim of deriving some therapeutic benefit or solving a personal problem, the therapist selects a particular work for their patients to read and discuss because it relates to some experience or feeling they’re working through. The reading material might be poetry, but it might also be a novel, a play, or even a self-help book.

SL: What are some of the specific ways that poetry could help someone?

LA: Expressive writing that discloses challenging experiences can lead to improvements in moods, immune cell counts, liver enzyme levels, and antibody response to vaccines. Studies regarding expressive writing, however, have mostly looked at structured, narrative writing, not unstructured, non-narrative poetry. Poetry therapy can be a healing experience. Through devices such as metaphor and imagery, it taps directly into feelings that might otherwise be hard to put into words.

SL: Have you made any new discoveries in regards to poetry being therapeutic?

LA: I think a lot of people are put off by the word “poetry.” It conjures up bad memories of red marks on English papers. But writing poetry is really nothing more than the use of language to distill the vital essence of experience and emotion. You’re summing up a lot with a little, and that’s a very natural fit for the way people communicate in the age of social media.

If you ask someone to express her feelings about a recent heartbreak in a four-line poem, the person may freeze up. But that same person might have no problem pouring her heart into a 140-character tweet.

More of Linda Wasmer Andrews’ healthy knowledge can be found in her Psychology Today and Yahoo! Health blog posts.

Seeing that poetry and expressive writing can be therapeutic; for your health, enjoy this classic poem by Derek Walcott, a native of St. Lucia and Nobel Laureate:

Love After Love

The time will come
when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
and each will smile at the other’s welcome,

and say, sit here. Eat.
You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you

all your life, whom you ignored
for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,

the photographs, the desperate notes,
peel your own image from the mirror.
Sit. Feast on your life.

A destination wedding in paradise can be one of the most memorable, romantic adventures of a lifetime. With new and exciting additions to the WeddingMoons® catalog, the wedding of your dreams is possible, as well as customizable, at Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts.

Sandals Resorts International’s Director of Resort Sales, Marsha-Ann Brown, says the added value of the new wedding enhancements is in the variety of choices and customization now available to the bride and groom. With the new program, guests can personalize their weddings with additional colors options, wedding accessories, and unique experiences.

“We aim to create an experience for couples that is just as unique as their love,” says Brown. “No two brides are exactly alike but they all have certain things in common, such as the desire to tailor their wedding to befit their specific personal preferences.”

WHAT’S NEW?

The $500 Wedding Credit is an all-new perk that has brides around the world talking! Wedding bookings that meet a 6 night minimum stay requirement can choose between a Free Beautiful Beginnings Wedding or a $500 Wedding Credit that can be applied to design a customized destination wedding or a pre-designed theme. Certain restrictions do apply.

“We realize that there are couples who want to take care of specific details before arrival, so all they have to do is enjoy their special day once they get to the island,” Brown says. “The new, exciting wedding initiatives, that allow for more targeted customization are perfect for them.”

The Sandals Destination Wedding Designer, an all-new, redesigned wedding section of the Sandals website is available to guests at no extra cost. This interactive website features a slideshow of the wedding locations, an online catalog of wedding items, the wedding and honeymoon gift registry, and more.

According to Brown, this new tool provides a creative foundation where couples can enjoy designing their unique wedding with the support of an amazing inpsiration tool–the designer.

“Today’s brides and grooms are tech savvy and prefer customizable options,” says Brown. “Our new enhancements such as the destination wedding designer certainly compliment that.”

To learn more, visit the new Sandals Weddings page at www.sandals.com

Apply Now Take Advantage of Great Benefits Including:

* No Annual Fee†

* Instant Response available

* Earn one point per dollar spent on everyday purchases§

* Double points for purchases at any Sandals & Beaches§

APPLY HERE

Sandals Spring Reunion Week, held April 9-13, was a big hit with members of Sandals Select Rewards, rewards club of the Sandals family.

Sandals Resorts around the Caribbean hosted their most valued Sandals guests who traveled from all over North America and the United Kingdom to partake in this special event. Over 1,500 returning guests headed to 14 Sandals Resorts across the Caribbean to enjoy the luxurious inclusions and exclusive rewards, activities, parties, and gifts of this exciting week. From the chic all-white party and beach parties, to the special Gala Dinner and award ceremonies, members had the time of their lives while being recognized for their continued loyalty.

Highlights of the event were the complimentary group vow renewal ceremony as well as the specially arranged Sandals Foundation outreach activities in Antigua, the Bahamas, Saint Lucia and Jamaica.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT REUNION WEEK!

Jamaica’s Observer Newspaper talked to several of our returning guests who came out for Sandals Spring Reunion Week in April. Here’s what they are saying:

“We had an amazing time! Once again Sandals outdid itself. The activities, particularly a visit to Laughing Waters, just never get old. This year has been extra spectacular. We appreciate the effort that Sandals puts out for its guests, making us feel special and right at home. We definitely feel a part of the Sandals family.” ~ Bob and Renee Larance

“It has been an excellent and adventurous occasion! Not only were we pampered and treated like royalty but we were also afforded the opportunity to give back, and that was huge for me. The visit to the Lucea Infirmary gave me the chance to interact with those I consider so wise and that will always be one of my most treasured moments.” ~ Kimberly Resch

DOUBLE-CLICK ON THE PHOTO BELOW TO BEGIN SLIDE SHOW

UP NEXT: From May 7-11, 2012, members of the exclusive rewards club can again gather for a family reunion at Beaches Resorts in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos Islands for Beaches Spring Reunion Week.

Alfred Stuart

Watersports Supervisor at Sandals Royal Bahamian

Bahamian Labour Day: May 9

Alfred joined Sandals Royal Bahamian in 1996. He ensures that all the pool decks and boats are well maintained. He also assists with beach activities such as kayaking and paddle boating. Alfred is a certified diver so he also escorts dives and snorkeling trips.

Why I love my job: “In my role I get the opportunity to put smiles on the guests’ faces as they enjoy participating in activities that they love. It’s a great way to interact with guests and share the knowledge of the activities that I have with them.”

Den Sosia

Weddings Consultant & 2011 Team Member of the Year at Sandals Halcyon

St. Lucian Labour Day: May 1

Den plans and executes the most romantic wedding experiences for couples. She specializes in making the bride happy by relieving her of all the small details and
fulfilling her dream wedding.

Why I love my job: “It’s always a special day here at Sandals Halcyon. Every big or small thing that I do for a wedding couple, I know I’m helping someone…and that makes me feel good. Many brides are similar, yet each one unique. I try to be creative in every way to make their dream come true.”

Mandy Wong

Soon Come Back Agent at Sandals Grande Antigua

Antiguan Labour Day: May 4

Mandy works with Soon Come Back, the resort extension of the Sandals Select Rewards program. She helps guests with future bookings and is considered one of the resort’s resident “travel agents.” In addition, Mandy is a liaison for Sandals Select guests and provides them with their own personal concierge service.

Why I love my job: “I am a people person and helping others is my passion so I love what I do because I make people happy and I help them to have a memorable vacation. I think this is why they keep coming back…and I love that!”