Health. Fitness. Wellness. You.
It was the lure of the environment that encouraged Nicolette Choo Quan, in late 2013, to move her practice from Mucurapo Road in Port of Spain to its new location at Hibiscus Place in Petit Valley — where it now shares a location with the Adult Day Centre for Seniors and the WOW gym for mature women.
With birds chirping overhead as you lounge in a recliner on the verandah and absorb the cool breeze and expansive view of the mountains, it certainly feels more like a home instead of a “home” – that dreadful word we fear as we become more and more wary of our aging parents.
A short stroll through the large and airy home, past the verandah where a few recline in easy reflection, past the kitchen filled with laughter as a birthday cake is being prepared, and through the garden and gazebo where the tables are being set…
The buzz in your brain, the humming in your veins, the swell of your heart as your favourite song comes on… We all know that music can have a physiological effect on our bodies.
“Come on, you’re better than that!” It is the encouraging shout urging you to go faster, harder — to challenge yourself. Even if you choose to remain seated, amp up the resistance and hold your form to achieve a more efficient stroke.
“Once you have land, you have health and wealth.” It was her father’s motto, and one she lives daily as she puts food on the table that was grown with her own hands.
“To watch a child come in stumbling… and then be able to stand and go straight into a pose — to go from barely being able to balance, to being so graceful — it takes your breath away.” – Johanna Simon
“I had to stop competing — we didn’t have any more space to put the trophies,” he jokes, gesturing at the shelves of fame, laden with the milestones of the sporting careers of his family.
“Some people come to fall in love…” Various paths have led his faithful to him — whether one is seeking a good lime, a fitness challenge, a stress-less wind-down, or merely the opportunity to step out of the ordinary and meet new people.
“Your mind is the most valuable tool you have in any confrontation… as long as you’re still alive you’re a winner… don’t give up on you… you owe it to yourself to fight to stay alive!” – Major Sarwan Boodram
“It’s about love… if you don’t love what you do, your energy could never be transferred to heal someone else’s pain.” – Amir Ali
It began with a dream, and a well-timed opportunity. “Our contracts were all coming to an end where we worked at the same outpatient clinic, and my brother was about to rent a facility in El Socorro and only needed the upstairs,” Lorraine explains. “I said to Nicole: I have this opportunity… do you want in?”
Hair. For those with bouncing, lustrous locks is just a word… but if you’ve ever looked in dismay at strands in your brush, on your pillow, or swirling down your bathroom drain, you will understand the stark horror and embarrassment that a simple thing like ‘hair’ can cause.