Burnett vodka cocktails at Taste of the Marianas

EXCITEMENT filled the air as bartenders from different restaurants and hotels mixed drinks and cocktails within a five-minute time frame in full view of the judges and everyone else.

After breathtaking showmanship, the bartenders offered their eye-catching, thirst quenching, vodka-flavored concoctions:

Champion Ronnie Guevarra’s “Beat d’ Heat,” is  this year’s winner. It’s a blend of half an ounce of Bacardi rum, one ounce orange Curacao, strawberry puree, mango juice, fresh orange juice and coconut syrup, all blended with ice until smooth and served in a tall glass. “Beat d’ Heat” was served on a bed of grapes and oranges.

Edwardo Flores of GIG Discotheque’s “Fuzzy Peach of Marianas” contains Burnett’s peach vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice and a dash of coconut syrup, garnished with fresh orange and cherry and served in a tropical glass.

Ramil Eustaquio of One Call Inc. presented his “Citrus Cooler” made with Burnett’s citrus vodka, equal parts of lemonade or sweet and sour cranberry juice and club soda. All are poured over ice in a tall glass and garnished with fresh orange.

Jay Santos of Ocean Bar’s “Marianas Blossom” is a blend of Burnett’s vodka, melon liquor, grenadine, sweet and sour and Sprite, and garnished with lime and cherry.

Alexander Mejia of the Hyatt Regency’s “Micronesian Amzomela” is a blend of Burnett’s vodka, triple sec, peach fruit, pine juice, lemonade, a dash of grenadine and a splash of sprite served in a glass and garnished with a slice of pineapple fruit.

Saipan World Resort’s Dindo Ferrer’s Banana de Marianas is served on top of a banana heart.

“Island Dreams,” by Michael Rosal Benavente of Bossano Bar, is a merry mix of Burnett’s mango vodka, pineapple juice and coconut syrup, poured in a glass and garnished with an orange.

As in past years,  restaurants and hotels are expected to include the winning cocktails in their regular menus.

Best-selling cocktail

If you haven’t yet tasted the Mangorita, visit the Northern Marianas Bartenders Association booth at the 2012 Taste of the Marianas and International Beer Garden Festival at American Memorial Park.

Mangorita is a delightful blend of vodka, mango juice, pineapple, Triple Sec and other ingredients.

A non-alcoholic version is also available for those who prefer it without alcohol, and for minors. Mangorita sells for 4 tokens at the NMBA booth.

May 26 is the last night of the Taste of the Marianas, so head straight to the NMBA Booth and be one of the hundreds of those who have tasted this cocktail and who have been coming back for more. 

Published HERE

Variety honors My Mom’s Story winners

WINNERS of the My Mom’s Story 2012 received attractive prizes during the awarding ceremony held at McDonald’s-Middle Road on Friday afternoon.

Marianas Variety president Laila Y. Boyer handed out the prizes and congratulated the six winners from different junior high and high schools on Saipan for coming up with special stories about their mothers.

Variety received numerous entries from students on Saipan, Tinian and Rota and awarded the six best stories.

The winners were  16-year-old Donald Hocket of Saipan Southern High School; Jose Castro, 7th grader of Marianas Baptist Academy; Kassandra Snodgrass, 12th grader, Kagman High School; Fritz Julian Trinidad, 7th grader, Marianas Baptist Academy; Justina Lee, 8th grader, Marianas Baptist Academy; and Alina Ishikawa,  10th grader, Marianas Baptist Academy.

The winners wrote about their “super-moms.”

For the past years, Marianas Variety has been honoring mothers by inviting junior high and high school students to write stories about them.

The annual contest gives the children a chance to get to know their mothers more, appreciate what mothers do for the family, and develop their creative talents and writing skills too.

The six winning entries were published in the Marianas Variety’s edition on Friday, May 11, and accessible online at http://mvariety.com/special-features/special-events/46343-my-moms-story-2012.php.

This year’s sponsors are McDonald’s Saipan, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Island Florals & Gifts, Rota Mineral Water, Docomo Pacific, Extreme Cuts Salon for Men and Women, Western Sales Trading Company, Taro Sue Store, Happy Market in As Lito and San Antonio Supermarket.

Art from the heart

BROWSING through the various artworks of the items inside the stall of Flower Pot Salas at the recently held Flame Tree Arts Festival, you may think that she is just another one of the artists trying to make some money by selling her products. You are wrong. The intricate craftsmanship that goes into each tiny earring, bracelet, flowers and all other pieces are collector’s items and all priced very affordably.
Salas said that she makes art from the heart, which means every piece of artwork carries a cultural and traditional importance of her origins and of the islands.
An attention grabber at Salas’ booth at the festival was a cream-colored woven mat that served as a covering for one part of the wall. In front of the mat was a maniquin garbed in original Polynesian costumes—the whole works complete with brighly colored feathers.
The mat is no ordinary mat. It is soft and pliant to the touch and Salas said that it was over 300 years old. She said the mat is a family heirloom that has been used in her family for weddings, funerals and other important events.
“It takes about a year to make traditional mats because they are not the commercial type. Much details go into the preparation of the materials until it is woven and finished.
Grass skirts hanging on the wall for sale are not just ordinary grass skirts. Salas said preparing grass skirts require time and effort, talent and skill to gather the barks of trees before they became grass skirts that local dancers use.
The individual flowers that Salas showcased in her booth comes from the barks of trees, or beads for the more modern art. Each one is meticulously prepared and designed by hand. Salas also designs mwarmwar in various designs and colors.
Salas said that each design of the fashion jewelry, costumes and beads tell a story about the origin of the item. An expert can easily tell if a wall decoration has its inspiration from American Samoa, from Micronesia or any Pacific Island.
“It’s not just art. It’s the preservation of culture and tradition in these islands that I want to pass on to the younger generation because that matters,” Salas said.
Salas’ work is showcased during the annual Flame Tree Arts Festival, and at various art exhibits hosted by the Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture each year.
She is willing to teach anyone how to make artwork infused with traditional and cultural origins anytime. For classes or organizations or any group who wants to can contact here through the Commonwealth Council for Arts and Culture at 322-9982/83.

Cancer march raises over $111K

A TOTAL of $111,468.60 was collected for this year’s 2012 Marianas March Against Cancer at the Hopwood Junior High School field from 6 p.m. on Friday to 6 a.m. on Saturday, but the committee is expecting more collections from sponsors.

Juan Vicente Blanco

The event’s overall chairwoman Catherine Attao-Toves said the money raised  during the march alone reached  $41,993.75.

An estimated 2,000 people joined this year’s march, which committee member Reina Camacho described as a “big success.”

One of the march participants, Juan Vicente Ehsa Blanco, 10, touched the hearts of many with a story about his battle with cancer, which started in May 2007. Blanco had to go to Hawaii for treatment every three months from 2007 to July 2010, and now has to have blood tests here every two months.

Blanco told of how he got the chance to meet President Obama at the White House when the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted his wish in Oct. 2010.

Blanco said that his fight with cancer continues, but doctors, family and friends are helping him in his recovery one step at a time.

“It’s been tough, but I know I must get through this. God knows there is no sense in giving up now,” Blanco said.

“For those of you who took the time to come to the Marianas March Against Cancer event, you are my heroes. This is a great cause you are supporting, and each step you take tonight is one step closer to defeating this dreaded disease,” Blanco said.

Team awards

The Best Baton Award went to Team Bodig’s “Kung Fu”-inspired entry.

Team #Free Dave made the Most Laps and had the best tent.

Team Aschocho won the Most Spirit award, while Team Joeten Charitable Foundation/Marianas High School sold the most luminaries.

For the most money raised, Team Knights won in the Napu or school category, while Team Bodig won in the Pulan or family category.

Team NMPASI raised the most money in the Atdao, or non-government agency category, while Team Pacific Islands Club raised the most in the Puti’on, or corporate category.

First published HERE

Asiana Airlines celebrates 20th anniversary

ASIANA Airlines passengers bound for Seoul got a special treat on Sunday afternoon during a celebration of its 20 years of serving the Korea-Saipan route.

Asiana Airlines passengers gather around its 20th anniversary cake just before boarding time at Gate 5 of the Francisco C. Ada/Saipan International Airport on Sunday. Photo by Raquel C. Bagnol

Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos congratulated Asiana Airlines through its regional manager for the Saipan Regional Office, Sung Nam Park, for two decades of service to the CNMI.

Just before boarding time at Gate 5 of the Saipan airport, passengers got to taste slices of Asiana’s anniversary cake.

Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Perry Tenorio, personnel from the Commonwealth Ports Authority, Korean Chamber of Commerce members, tour operators, and other invited guests and officials who attended the celebration distributed flowers and leis to the passengers.

Entertainers in cultural costumes also sang and performed dance numbers for the passengers.

Asiana Airlines launched its first flight from Seoul to Saipan on May 27,1992, operating three flights a week.

Currently, Asiana Airlines operates 14 flights to Saipan each week in addition to a charter flights from Tokyo and other cities in Japan during holidays.

On June 13, Asiana Airlines will start operating the Busan- Saipan route twice a week.

Park said since its inaugural flight in 1992, Asiana has served over two million passengers and they are hoping to serve millions more in the next years.

Asiana  flights depart Saipan at 3:30 p.m. and 2:40 a.m. every day. For more information, log on to www.flyasiana.com.

First published HERE

QUEEN MARY 2 KEPT FROM LANDING AT CNMI PORT
Inclement weather on seas ruins welcome activities

By Raquel C. Bagnol

SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety, March 16, 2012) – Only empty streets and vacant parking lots could be seen Thursday morning at Smiling Cove Marina in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI), which was expected to be the drop-off and pick-up point for the passengers and crew members of the Queen Mary 2.

Due to rough weather, which created six to eight feet swells and white caps, weeks of planning and preparing the island for the luxury ship’s arrival were turned to naught.

By 9 a.m. Thursday, vendors had already dismantled their tents, and Smiling Cove Marina, which was supposed to be closed until 5 p.m., was reopened for normal operations.

In a press conference at the Boating Safety Office at the marina, CNMI Homeland Security adviser and task force security leader Marvin K. Seman said the boat captain informed them that the passengers were not going to disembark because of the rough seas.

The 1,132-foot ship arrived in Saipan’s waters at 4:45 a.m.

Seman said a team of government security and health representatives boarded the Cunard ocean liner for "clearing" purposes after a boat ride that took almost two and a half hours.

Seman said they took a quick tour of the ship.

"She’s beautiful," he said. "It’s hard to describe. It was like we were transported to another place, and there was no sign that it was a rough sea out there."

He said the Emergency Management Office issued a small craft advisory Thursday morning.

Seman said that planning for the ship’s arrival started 19 months ago. Over 50 security personnel from the Department of Public Safety and other agencies worked together to ensure that the land and water area would be safe for the passengers.

"This is one of the biggest cruise ships in the world, and it always attracts media attention everywhere it goes," he added. "We were ready for all contingencies, but the rough weather condition was something we had no control over."

Commonwealth Ports Authority ports manager Mary Ann Q. Lizama said "we know everyone was excited because this is the Queen Mary 2, and disappointment cannot be avoided, but we agreed that the safety of the passengers is the main priority."

Cunard ships, she added, are still interested in making another visit to Saipan in the next two or three years.

"We had the Queen Victoria docking here in 2009, and this is not the last time we will hear from the Cunard fleet," Lizama said.

Asked if the lack of tug boats was the real reason for the decision not to ferry passengers to Saipan, Lizama said no.

"The QM2 has a draft of 33 feet, and there is a section at our turning basin that has a shallow draft of 32 feet, 31 feet, and 30 feet. We did not want to risk having her run aground. She has an extensive length that would not have allowed her to make the turn. So it was decided that she would drop anchor in a designated anchorage that had deep water draft," she added.

"Whether or not the tugs [which are owned by a private company] were available or were lacking, we wouldn’t have had the QM2. The captain and navigator of the QM2 would not have come in dock side," she said.

Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Perry Tenorio said the disappointment everyone experienced, especially the vendors, was understandable.

"We had a really good turnout of vendors who showed up to sell food items, handicrafts and local products. Everyone was excited but we have to take the safety of the visitors into consideration," Tenorio told the Variety.

Except for one passenger who was transported to the local airport for medical reasons, no other passenger was able to set foot on Saipan soil.

Saipan Chamber of Commerce executive director Richard Pierce said those involved in preparing for the ship’s arrival "feel this is a great loss for the thousands of international travelers who will miss the chance to experience our paradise."

He added, "This is indeed unfortunate for all those that prepared for this rare opportunity, and businesses that looked forward to putting Saipan on the map for future international cruise line visits."

But the rough sea did not prevent images of the Queen Mary 2 from being posted by Saipan residents on Facebook Thursday. The Queen Mary 2 dropped anchor about a mile and a half from Saipan’s shores at 5:15 a.m., and left at 10 a.m.

Its next port of call is Osaka, Japan.

Also published HERE

2012 Businessperson of the Year nominees

FOUR prominent individuals from the community will be vying for the Businessperson of the Year Award for 2012.

The announcement of the winner will be during the installation dinner for the officers and directors of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce in the Hibiscus Hall of Fiesta Resort & Spa on Jan. 21.

Saipan Chamber of Commerce executive director Richard A.  Pierce said the selection will be done by former awardees.

Pierce said the judging will be based on the nominee’s community involvement and contributions, support for the local workforce and active participation in the chamber.

And the nominees are…

James T. Arenovski
President
Delta Management Corp.

Arenovski has lived in the Marianas since 1987.  Originally from Yarmouth, Massachusetts, he holds a Master’s Degree in Administration from Georgia Southern University.

Arenovski started his career with The Inter-Pacifica Group as special projects manager for Pacific Islands Club-Guam and then became the area manager for Domino’s Pizza Group in Guam in 1989.

Initially hired by Shell Guam in 1991 as commercial area manager, he was promoted to the position of Saipan area manager and eventually became regional manager for Shell North Pacific, which included Guam, Saipan, and Palau.

Arenovski formed Delta Management Corporation with his two partners in 1998, a management company, which currently operates eight Shell service stations. This year Delta Management took over the operations of Shell Puerto Rico and Shell Highway from IP&E.

Delta Management also owns Prime Group Inc., which is an authorized distributor of pre-paid telecommunications products.

Delta Management was awarded Master Distributorship for DataDot for Micronesia in October of 2010, a microdot technology that is applied to objects of value for authentication and identification is stolen.

Arenovski is the principal of Island Training Solutions a full service training company which provides OSHA and EEOC compliance, customer service and other staff and management development training programs. He is also managing director for Restaurant 360.

Arenovski founded The Bridge Project Inc. in 2011, a non-profit organization that provides entry level job readiness training as well as works with employers in assisting them increase the number of U.S. eligible workers.

Arenovski has served on the board of NMI Crime Stoppers for 11 years and as its chairman, and sits on the board of directors of Crime Stoppers International, the steering group that sets standards, policy for its 1200 plus member organizations around the world.

Arenovski has chaired the Chamber membership and small business committee, education committee and scholarship committee.  He has been director, secretary, president and vice president.

Arenovski helped create two of the chamber’s annual programs: The Saipan Chamber of Commerce fundraising golf tournament, and “You are Graduating Soon, Now What?”  where Chamber members spend a Saturday teaching juniors and seniors about their options after high school.

Arenovski has been committed to hiring local staff for his business since Delta Management since 1999. He is active in the local sport community, participating in Xterra, Tagaman, The Hell of the Marianas and various distance swimming events and is a supporter of various sports and charitable organizations. Arenovski is the father of two teenage girls and married to Jill M Arenovski.

Michael S. Johnson
Managing Partner
Deloitte & Touche
Saipan/Palau

Michael S. Johnson is a long-time resident of Saipan who held the position of chamber treasurer for three consecutive terms in the early 1990’s. He has been the treasurer of the chamber since 2005.

Johnson came to Saipan in 1982 after earning masters of business administration (emphasis in accounting) and bachelor of arts degrees at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

He is a certified public accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a member of the CNMI Society of Certified Public Accountants and current President of the CNMI Chapter of the Association of Government Accountants. Additionally, Johnson was selected by Bishop Camacho to serve on the financial advisory committee of the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa and is a past chairman of the CNMI Board of Accountancy.

Johnson participates in various sports including golf, kayaking, biking and triathlon. Mike is the current treasurer of the Northern Mariana Islands Triathlon Federation and the Over the Reef Yacht Club.

Johnson is married to Betty Hamilton Johnson. They have three children: Kathleen, Sarah and Andrew.

James E. Nelson
General Manager,
Docomo-Pacific CNMI

James E. Nelson was appointed to his position on March 2, 2009.  He is responsible for marketing, sales, administration and the day to day operations of Docomo Pacific in the CNMI.

Prior to his appointment at Docomo Pacific, Nelson was manager of Windward Hills Golf Course and managed golf course operations; as senior business development executive for the Royal Orchid Guam Hotel and was responsible for direct sales of rooms and food and beverage functions before he moved to the Windward Hills Golf Course.

In March 2005, Nelson was the director of marketing and sales for JMSH LLC where he was responsible for the marketing and sales efforts of all JMSH LLC properties, which included the Alupang Beach Tower, Holiday Resort Guam, Garden Villa Hotel, Mai’Ana Airport Plaza and Tumon Horizon Condominiums.

Nelson was the general manager of the Guam Visitors Bureau from 1995 to 2003. His responsibilities also include operational and marketing efforts of the bureau’s branch office in Tokyo, Japan, information desk in Osaka, and marketing representative offices in North America, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

From March 1988 to January 1995, Nelson served as the director of marketing and government affairs for Continental Micronesia Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Continental Airlines.

He began his 11-year tenure in 1984 with the airline’s in-flight department as a passenger service representative.  Two years later, he transferred to the marketing and government affairs department as a sales and marketing/OnePass representative.

Nelson also directed the airline’s efforts in maintaining favorable relations with the government of Guam, the CNMI and the emerging nations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau.

Nelson served as president of the Guam Junior Golf League and as a board member for Guam Junior Achievement, Guam Crime Stoppers, Guam Major League, American Red Cross, Guam Chamber of Commerce, and the University of Guam Endowment Foundation.

Nelson served as a member of the board of directors of the Pacific Asia Travel Association or PATA from 1995 to 2000, and as Chairman of the PATA Micronesia Chapter from 1996 to 1999.  He also served as a member of the PATA Environmental Council.

Nelson studied at Fairfield High School (California), Solano Community College (California), and the University of Guam.  He has one daughter, Nicole.

Anthony Pellegrino
Chief Executive Officer
Saipan Sea Ventures, Inc.

Anthony Pellegrino started his business ventures on Saipan in 1984. He currently owns and operates Saipan Sea Ventures Inc, a boat operation in tourism; Saipan Ice and Water Co., Inc., which processes drinking water and ice; Saipan Aquaculture Inc., shrimp farming; and the Northern Marianas Trade Institute, a non-profit trade school.

He is president and shareholder of Arctic Circle Air; Cargo airline, Marianas Meat Processing and slaughterhouse. Pellegrino developed several projects on Saipan. He was instrumental in having the Joeten-Kiyu Public Library built, in developing and building the Horiguchi Building, developing and building Outer Cove Mariana. He was also the construction manager for Aqua Resort Club.

Pellegrino was a member of the CNMI Board of Education, and during his term of four years was instrumental in building 60 classrooms and five schools. He started the Advanced Development Institute for high school student dropouts to obtain their diplomas, started the Northern Marianas Trade Institute — a non-profit school for teaching trades to the local people.

He also built a large 85-foot sailing catamaran in 1984 in Saipan and is operating the first shrimp farm on island.

Pellegrino attended Kutztown State Teachers College, Kutztown,   Penn. He got his master of arts in liberal arts at the Temple University, in Philadelphia, Penn.

Pellegrino was a public school teacher for 12 years — six years teaching in the United States and six years teaching in Japan. He was an instructor at the University of Maryland, Japan for four years at the Department of Writing and Literature, and two years in Yokohama University, at the Economics Department in Yokohama, Japan.

Pellegrino is the former president of the Small Business Association in Hawaii, former chairman and director of the CNMI Board of Education, former president of the chamber of commerce, and former member of the Rotary Club

Pellegrino established, owned and operated three businesses in Japan for 16 years, and established and operated two businesses in Hawaii.

He was voted as Businessman of the Year 2010. Pellegrino is married to Milagros P. Pellegrino.