Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

58

description

Celebrating people making an impact worldwide.

Transcript of Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

Page 1: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

2 | Seasoned Magazine

Editorrsquosnote

For the second time we have fulfilled our promise to bring you stories of exemplary people excelling in their individual fields of work Through all the stress and delays we have experienced along the way the seasoned

team has relentlessly worked hard to bring you amazing and inspiring stories of people making a difference not only locally but internationally This second issue is indeed packed with a wealth of content for your digest

We begin with the story of a young rising fashion mod-el with just one aim to make it to the top We had a short chit chat with Ekow Barnes about his experience so far in the modeling industry as well as his dreams for the future Akosua Kaalayire shares her knowledge and experience about beads in her piece she calls lsquoEverything you need to know about beaded accessoriesrsquo She touches on their history how they are made and even how to rightly accessorize yourself with them Ghana meets Naija 2014 is one of the events we choose to feature in this issue for the year 2014 Photographs of the event published are kind courtesy of Kwabena Awuka photography Almost all of our readers engage us or access this magazine via one social media outlet or another Irsquom pretty sure even you are on at least one of the multiple social media outlet in existance Did you know they directly or indirectly affect you Social media strategist Irene Donati explains why your presence on social media has changed your public self in an article titled lsquoHow social media has changed our public selfrsquo Adwoa Hagan-Mensah has an interesting story that would excite you She is a seasoned chef who holds a degree in Business Administration Combine the two and you can imagine the outcome Adwoa Hagan-Mensah graces the cover of our second issue with her amazing story of how she created Eat Jollof London a high end cater-ing service in London In the first issue you saw photographs of Radford University Collegersquos 2013 Graduate Fashion Show and tipped you off about this yearrsquos Graduate show As usual they pulled it off magnificently at the Moevinpick Ambassador Hotel and you can find the runway photos inside We know him as Dee money but his real name is Desmond Amoah In this issue Dee money lets us in on his life and music career If you want to know him better I suggest you read every word of the interesting interview done by Faisal Mohammed We stay in Jamestown to bring you photos from one of the most mod-ern and creative art festivals Ghana has ever seen The Chalewote Street Art Festival is this issuersquos on the map feature The 2014 edition of the annual festival was themed lsquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrsquo and was simply a joy to behold especially if you love art and fashion like I do Did you know paintings sell for hundreds of millions of dollars today I am pretty sure you do but if you donrsquot then read on because I have personally included the 10 most expensive paintings ever sold in this issue The 2014 Fifa world cup held in Brazil was a great one despite the delay in preparations prior to the event but then again it cannot be discounted that the campaign of the Ghana Blackstars team was in com-plete shambles From alleged fighting in camp to refusing to train the whole world cup experience was a nightmare to fans abroad and at home Read as Faisal again dissects the performance of the Blackstars and tries to identify what went wrong and how we can improve the beautiful game of football in GhanaFinally Vanessa Marbell writes about the dreaded hair condition dandruff and easy ways to keep your hair dandruff-free She doesnrsquot leave out food too Join her make some sumptuous Funfetti cupcakes in the food section If you canrsquot now then try it in your spare time

My deepest gratitude goes to the whole Seasoned team all the contributors and especially to Sheila Bempong for the time and patience Once again I say enjoy your copy of Seasoned and have a good read

Yaw BineyEditor

seasonedghgmailcom

Irene Donati is a digital strategist working in Accra She has gained a wealth of experience in Social Media and advertising through all the years she has worked in the digital industry

Faisal Mohammed is the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Seasoned Media Group He is an avid reader and a die-hard Arsenal football club supporter

Oriel Barbara Sackey popularly known as Akosua Kaakyire is a third year student of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology She loves to make beads accessories and is currently managing Kaakyire Creations

Vanessa Marbell is a writer and co-editor of Seasoned Magazine She is currently studying Human Resource Management at Central University College

Curtis Osei-Owusu is an Accra based event wedding event and newborn portrait photographer He is the face behind Kwabena Awuku Photography

Yaw Biney is the founder of Seasoned Media Group He is a photographer and blogger who has authored a few blogs His most successful blog is Humans of Accra which has earned him media coverage and recognition both locally and globally

4 | Seasoned Magazine

Content

6

12

14

2656

36

30

People Rising Ekow Barnes

Fashion Everything you need to know about beaded accessories

Entertainment Ghana meets Naija 2014

Fashion Show Radford Graduate Fashion Show 2014 Runway Photos

Chalewote 2014 Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Interview Dee Money the Ga Boy

Art 10 most expensive paintings ever sold

Recipe How to make Funfetti Cupcakes

Health Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R

P U B L I C S E L F

18

Technology How Social Media has changed our public self

BLACK STARSFailure

RealizationRebuilding

53

Sports Black Stars Failure Realization Rebuilding

55

42

Cover Story Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and Eat Jollof London

20

6 | Seasoned Magazine

EKOW BARNES21 year old Ekow Barnes a student of Ghana Tech-nology University College is a fast rising talent in the model and fashion industry His modelling ca-reer started by chance when he had to be a make-shift model for a photo shoot The model booked for the shoot failed to turn up and Ekow had to relieve his assistive role to Idona his photographer friend and take up the posing role ldquoThe outcome was awesome Idona told me lsquoyou are going to be a great model if you take this seriousrsquo rdquo he said So he did and now Ekow is an accomplished model mostly doing runway and editorial modelling His love and passion for his work makes it easy for him to express himself in an extraordinary way

Ekow is currently the Brand ambassador for Na-mibian Menrsquos Bespoke Brand Loux by Lourens Loux Gebhardt and has worked with brands like Wusu-waahrsquos Diary Doneal Collection by Neal Davids for the Androgynous Summer Collection among many others He has so far walked the runway of the Mer-cedes Benz African Fashion Festival and has recently been featured in the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin as a result of the lookbook shoot he did for Loux The Vintage Guru ldquoI still hope and pray to grace runways like Milan and London Fashion Week and also cover international magazines like Vogue and GQrdquo hinting his future plans for his career

Publications that have featured Ekow include the UK Travel Magazine Suit Magazine Gentlemanrsquos Valet Magazine and a host of others Asked if he had hobbies he answered ldquoYes I watch Fashion TV and reads a lot of magazines I love soul music as well I listen to Efya Irene Logan and Tiwa Savage These ladies are everything they have soul soothing voices and are making Africa very proudrdquo Ekowrsquos modelling career is inspired by Atta Junior a South African based Ghanaian model Fernando Cabrel and his cousin Traval Mensah

Ekow Barnesrsquo last words of advice to young folks were ldquoNever give up on your dreams Whatever you dream or even think of achieving surely you are going to attain it just believe in God Prayer is the keyrdquo

8 | Seasoned Magazine

10 | Seasoned MagazinePhotographs by Manuel Lensman Nii Sackeyfio

12 | Seasoned Magazine

B eaded accessories are worn by people of all ages They are very valuable in our society and anyone can purchase a beaded item re-gardless of their status in the society Beads

serve many purposes They are used in fashion art-works and for adornment They are also worn as a form of identity There are beaded accessories made for and worn by people in high status to identify their position in the society Some people wear beads to in-dicate the tribe or town they come from

Beads play a significant role in the traditional Af-rican society They can be worn for every occasion - naming ceremonies weddings funerals parties and many others There are various colours of beads that are suitable for such occasions White symbolizes newness and victory Therefore it would be suitable to wear white beaded accessories to a naming ceremony Bright colours are suitable for wedding ceremonies Dull and dark colours like black and brown represent

sorrow any death These are suitable colours for beads that can be worn for funerals

Beads are made of glass bones animal teeth sea-shells and tusks while beaded accessories are produced using materials like twine wire and elastic thread Beads are highly produced in Africa especially Ghana South Africa Mali Egypt Nigeria Sudan and Kenya Nigeria and Egypt are noted for producing glass beads of very high standards Recently the Indians and Chi-nese have started producing glass beads that look very shiny and come in various sizes and shapes These beads have become very common on the market and are used in making bracelets waist beads necklaces and other accessories They are also used to decorate plain dresses to create outstanding designs

As a bead maker who produces accessories on the request of my clients I consider certain factors before making an item I consider their complexion their weight (sometimes) the particular function they need to wear the accessories to the colour of their dresses and the time of the day the accessories will be worn This helps in producing the right accessory for the cli-ent I help my clients to select the best materials and best designs that would suit them Personally I think everyone must have a beaded item in their possession Even if they do not fancy beaded accessories a beaded bracelet is a must-have Depending on the occasion a beautiful set of beaded accessories can compliment a personrsquos dressing Bead making is a very lucrative business and a high percentage of the youth are get-ting involved This has created some sort of compe-tition in the market I have seen many shops on the streets of Osu in Accra that are lined up next to each other having in stock the same accessories or similar accessories for sale This is a typical example of a com-petitive market There are also a number of people on the street who do not own shops but are sported

Everything you need to know about beaded accessories

-Akosua Kaakyire

hawking selling beads to earn a living These items on sale are similar but attractive

This really makes it difficult for me to purchase items from a particular shop or hawker I may not be the only one with this problem The only thing that will motivate me to buy any of these products is the quality and the packaging they come with I will be willing to pay more for beads that come with quality and attractive packaging Some students in the sec-ondary schools and tertiary institutions who see the bead making business to be very lucrative have been making accessories for sale to generate income

I did not learn how to make accessories It is a talent that I worked on When I realised I had such talent I felt reluctant to make accessories for sale Lat-er in secondary school I felt the need to make acces-sories for sale in and outside the country I would like to add that bead making can be a lifetime job that will fetch an artist a lot of money depending on the type of materials being used and how products are packaged and advertised I patronise beads from Dodowa in the Greater Accra region Krobo in the Eastern region of Ghana and imported beads from Mali and Kenya This is because high quality beads are produced in these places Mali and Kenya are some of the countries not-ed for producing recycled beads The use of recycled beads is a way of using traditional inspiration to bring new use to old materials The Makola market in Accra is a popular shopping centre which is famous for the various trading activities that take place there At the Makola market I buy other beads and materials for making accessories that are imported into the country from all over the world There are cheap beads on the market that are made out of plastic I choose not to patronise these beads because they do not last long Their colours fade out within a short time and they become useless I always want my clients to have value

for their money and always feel the need to pay more and that is why I go in for quality beads and materials

It is right for people to know who they are and the accessories that suit them best before buying them Designers should assist customers who are not certain on what would suit them in selecting the best acces-sories Customers have the right to request for specific finishing materials that they want It is always advis-able to purchase materials of high quality standards Quality finishing is very essential Without excellent finishing I personally consider an artefact useless The type of finish and the materials used in producing the artefacts will tell if it will last long or not Durable materials must be used to create the perfect finish for a product

Akosua (left) and models showcasing some of her jewellery

14 | Seasoned Magazine

Organizers of the Ghana meets Naija Concert Empire Entertainment once again lived up to expectation this year as they hosted the 4th edition of the concert at the Accra International Conference Center Over ten artistes from Ghana and Nigeria graced the occasion and gave the concert goers a thrill of their lifetime The aeroplane themed concert welcomed attenders onboard with Chris Attoh as the pilot for the night Artistes who performed include Sarkodie Guru Edem Mz Vee Dee Money Castro and Artiste of the year award winner Shatta Wale among many others from Ghana Nigeria also represented with Wizzboy of Wizolingo Fame Davido and Kcee

16 | Seasoned Magazine

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H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

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D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

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you

r scr

een

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ays f

or th

e co

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f the

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44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

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you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

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you

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1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 2: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

Irene Donati is a digital strategist working in Accra She has gained a wealth of experience in Social Media and advertising through all the years she has worked in the digital industry

Faisal Mohammed is the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Seasoned Media Group He is an avid reader and a die-hard Arsenal football club supporter

Oriel Barbara Sackey popularly known as Akosua Kaakyire is a third year student of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology She loves to make beads accessories and is currently managing Kaakyire Creations

Vanessa Marbell is a writer and co-editor of Seasoned Magazine She is currently studying Human Resource Management at Central University College

Curtis Osei-Owusu is an Accra based event wedding event and newborn portrait photographer He is the face behind Kwabena Awuku Photography

Yaw Biney is the founder of Seasoned Media Group He is a photographer and blogger who has authored a few blogs His most successful blog is Humans of Accra which has earned him media coverage and recognition both locally and globally

4 | Seasoned Magazine

Content

6

12

14

2656

36

30

People Rising Ekow Barnes

Fashion Everything you need to know about beaded accessories

Entertainment Ghana meets Naija 2014

Fashion Show Radford Graduate Fashion Show 2014 Runway Photos

Chalewote 2014 Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Interview Dee Money the Ga Boy

Art 10 most expensive paintings ever sold

Recipe How to make Funfetti Cupcakes

Health Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R

P U B L I C S E L F

18

Technology How Social Media has changed our public self

BLACK STARSFailure

RealizationRebuilding

53

Sports Black Stars Failure Realization Rebuilding

55

42

Cover Story Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and Eat Jollof London

20

6 | Seasoned Magazine

EKOW BARNES21 year old Ekow Barnes a student of Ghana Tech-nology University College is a fast rising talent in the model and fashion industry His modelling ca-reer started by chance when he had to be a make-shift model for a photo shoot The model booked for the shoot failed to turn up and Ekow had to relieve his assistive role to Idona his photographer friend and take up the posing role ldquoThe outcome was awesome Idona told me lsquoyou are going to be a great model if you take this seriousrsquo rdquo he said So he did and now Ekow is an accomplished model mostly doing runway and editorial modelling His love and passion for his work makes it easy for him to express himself in an extraordinary way

Ekow is currently the Brand ambassador for Na-mibian Menrsquos Bespoke Brand Loux by Lourens Loux Gebhardt and has worked with brands like Wusu-waahrsquos Diary Doneal Collection by Neal Davids for the Androgynous Summer Collection among many others He has so far walked the runway of the Mer-cedes Benz African Fashion Festival and has recently been featured in the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin as a result of the lookbook shoot he did for Loux The Vintage Guru ldquoI still hope and pray to grace runways like Milan and London Fashion Week and also cover international magazines like Vogue and GQrdquo hinting his future plans for his career

Publications that have featured Ekow include the UK Travel Magazine Suit Magazine Gentlemanrsquos Valet Magazine and a host of others Asked if he had hobbies he answered ldquoYes I watch Fashion TV and reads a lot of magazines I love soul music as well I listen to Efya Irene Logan and Tiwa Savage These ladies are everything they have soul soothing voices and are making Africa very proudrdquo Ekowrsquos modelling career is inspired by Atta Junior a South African based Ghanaian model Fernando Cabrel and his cousin Traval Mensah

Ekow Barnesrsquo last words of advice to young folks were ldquoNever give up on your dreams Whatever you dream or even think of achieving surely you are going to attain it just believe in God Prayer is the keyrdquo

8 | Seasoned Magazine

10 | Seasoned MagazinePhotographs by Manuel Lensman Nii Sackeyfio

12 | Seasoned Magazine

B eaded accessories are worn by people of all ages They are very valuable in our society and anyone can purchase a beaded item re-gardless of their status in the society Beads

serve many purposes They are used in fashion art-works and for adornment They are also worn as a form of identity There are beaded accessories made for and worn by people in high status to identify their position in the society Some people wear beads to in-dicate the tribe or town they come from

Beads play a significant role in the traditional Af-rican society They can be worn for every occasion - naming ceremonies weddings funerals parties and many others There are various colours of beads that are suitable for such occasions White symbolizes newness and victory Therefore it would be suitable to wear white beaded accessories to a naming ceremony Bright colours are suitable for wedding ceremonies Dull and dark colours like black and brown represent

sorrow any death These are suitable colours for beads that can be worn for funerals

Beads are made of glass bones animal teeth sea-shells and tusks while beaded accessories are produced using materials like twine wire and elastic thread Beads are highly produced in Africa especially Ghana South Africa Mali Egypt Nigeria Sudan and Kenya Nigeria and Egypt are noted for producing glass beads of very high standards Recently the Indians and Chi-nese have started producing glass beads that look very shiny and come in various sizes and shapes These beads have become very common on the market and are used in making bracelets waist beads necklaces and other accessories They are also used to decorate plain dresses to create outstanding designs

As a bead maker who produces accessories on the request of my clients I consider certain factors before making an item I consider their complexion their weight (sometimes) the particular function they need to wear the accessories to the colour of their dresses and the time of the day the accessories will be worn This helps in producing the right accessory for the cli-ent I help my clients to select the best materials and best designs that would suit them Personally I think everyone must have a beaded item in their possession Even if they do not fancy beaded accessories a beaded bracelet is a must-have Depending on the occasion a beautiful set of beaded accessories can compliment a personrsquos dressing Bead making is a very lucrative business and a high percentage of the youth are get-ting involved This has created some sort of compe-tition in the market I have seen many shops on the streets of Osu in Accra that are lined up next to each other having in stock the same accessories or similar accessories for sale This is a typical example of a com-petitive market There are also a number of people on the street who do not own shops but are sported

Everything you need to know about beaded accessories

-Akosua Kaakyire

hawking selling beads to earn a living These items on sale are similar but attractive

This really makes it difficult for me to purchase items from a particular shop or hawker I may not be the only one with this problem The only thing that will motivate me to buy any of these products is the quality and the packaging they come with I will be willing to pay more for beads that come with quality and attractive packaging Some students in the sec-ondary schools and tertiary institutions who see the bead making business to be very lucrative have been making accessories for sale to generate income

I did not learn how to make accessories It is a talent that I worked on When I realised I had such talent I felt reluctant to make accessories for sale Lat-er in secondary school I felt the need to make acces-sories for sale in and outside the country I would like to add that bead making can be a lifetime job that will fetch an artist a lot of money depending on the type of materials being used and how products are packaged and advertised I patronise beads from Dodowa in the Greater Accra region Krobo in the Eastern region of Ghana and imported beads from Mali and Kenya This is because high quality beads are produced in these places Mali and Kenya are some of the countries not-ed for producing recycled beads The use of recycled beads is a way of using traditional inspiration to bring new use to old materials The Makola market in Accra is a popular shopping centre which is famous for the various trading activities that take place there At the Makola market I buy other beads and materials for making accessories that are imported into the country from all over the world There are cheap beads on the market that are made out of plastic I choose not to patronise these beads because they do not last long Their colours fade out within a short time and they become useless I always want my clients to have value

for their money and always feel the need to pay more and that is why I go in for quality beads and materials

It is right for people to know who they are and the accessories that suit them best before buying them Designers should assist customers who are not certain on what would suit them in selecting the best acces-sories Customers have the right to request for specific finishing materials that they want It is always advis-able to purchase materials of high quality standards Quality finishing is very essential Without excellent finishing I personally consider an artefact useless The type of finish and the materials used in producing the artefacts will tell if it will last long or not Durable materials must be used to create the perfect finish for a product

Akosua (left) and models showcasing some of her jewellery

14 | Seasoned Magazine

Organizers of the Ghana meets Naija Concert Empire Entertainment once again lived up to expectation this year as they hosted the 4th edition of the concert at the Accra International Conference Center Over ten artistes from Ghana and Nigeria graced the occasion and gave the concert goers a thrill of their lifetime The aeroplane themed concert welcomed attenders onboard with Chris Attoh as the pilot for the night Artistes who performed include Sarkodie Guru Edem Mz Vee Dee Money Castro and Artiste of the year award winner Shatta Wale among many others from Ghana Nigeria also represented with Wizzboy of Wizolingo Fame Davido and Kcee

16 | Seasoned Magazine

18 | Seasoned Magazine

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 3: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

4 | Seasoned Magazine

Content

6

12

14

2656

36

30

People Rising Ekow Barnes

Fashion Everything you need to know about beaded accessories

Entertainment Ghana meets Naija 2014

Fashion Show Radford Graduate Fashion Show 2014 Runway Photos

Chalewote 2014 Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Interview Dee Money the Ga Boy

Art 10 most expensive paintings ever sold

Recipe How to make Funfetti Cupcakes

Health Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R

P U B L I C S E L F

18

Technology How Social Media has changed our public self

BLACK STARSFailure

RealizationRebuilding

53

Sports Black Stars Failure Realization Rebuilding

55

42

Cover Story Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and Eat Jollof London

20

6 | Seasoned Magazine

EKOW BARNES21 year old Ekow Barnes a student of Ghana Tech-nology University College is a fast rising talent in the model and fashion industry His modelling ca-reer started by chance when he had to be a make-shift model for a photo shoot The model booked for the shoot failed to turn up and Ekow had to relieve his assistive role to Idona his photographer friend and take up the posing role ldquoThe outcome was awesome Idona told me lsquoyou are going to be a great model if you take this seriousrsquo rdquo he said So he did and now Ekow is an accomplished model mostly doing runway and editorial modelling His love and passion for his work makes it easy for him to express himself in an extraordinary way

Ekow is currently the Brand ambassador for Na-mibian Menrsquos Bespoke Brand Loux by Lourens Loux Gebhardt and has worked with brands like Wusu-waahrsquos Diary Doneal Collection by Neal Davids for the Androgynous Summer Collection among many others He has so far walked the runway of the Mer-cedes Benz African Fashion Festival and has recently been featured in the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin as a result of the lookbook shoot he did for Loux The Vintage Guru ldquoI still hope and pray to grace runways like Milan and London Fashion Week and also cover international magazines like Vogue and GQrdquo hinting his future plans for his career

Publications that have featured Ekow include the UK Travel Magazine Suit Magazine Gentlemanrsquos Valet Magazine and a host of others Asked if he had hobbies he answered ldquoYes I watch Fashion TV and reads a lot of magazines I love soul music as well I listen to Efya Irene Logan and Tiwa Savage These ladies are everything they have soul soothing voices and are making Africa very proudrdquo Ekowrsquos modelling career is inspired by Atta Junior a South African based Ghanaian model Fernando Cabrel and his cousin Traval Mensah

Ekow Barnesrsquo last words of advice to young folks were ldquoNever give up on your dreams Whatever you dream or even think of achieving surely you are going to attain it just believe in God Prayer is the keyrdquo

8 | Seasoned Magazine

10 | Seasoned MagazinePhotographs by Manuel Lensman Nii Sackeyfio

12 | Seasoned Magazine

B eaded accessories are worn by people of all ages They are very valuable in our society and anyone can purchase a beaded item re-gardless of their status in the society Beads

serve many purposes They are used in fashion art-works and for adornment They are also worn as a form of identity There are beaded accessories made for and worn by people in high status to identify their position in the society Some people wear beads to in-dicate the tribe or town they come from

Beads play a significant role in the traditional Af-rican society They can be worn for every occasion - naming ceremonies weddings funerals parties and many others There are various colours of beads that are suitable for such occasions White symbolizes newness and victory Therefore it would be suitable to wear white beaded accessories to a naming ceremony Bright colours are suitable for wedding ceremonies Dull and dark colours like black and brown represent

sorrow any death These are suitable colours for beads that can be worn for funerals

Beads are made of glass bones animal teeth sea-shells and tusks while beaded accessories are produced using materials like twine wire and elastic thread Beads are highly produced in Africa especially Ghana South Africa Mali Egypt Nigeria Sudan and Kenya Nigeria and Egypt are noted for producing glass beads of very high standards Recently the Indians and Chi-nese have started producing glass beads that look very shiny and come in various sizes and shapes These beads have become very common on the market and are used in making bracelets waist beads necklaces and other accessories They are also used to decorate plain dresses to create outstanding designs

As a bead maker who produces accessories on the request of my clients I consider certain factors before making an item I consider their complexion their weight (sometimes) the particular function they need to wear the accessories to the colour of their dresses and the time of the day the accessories will be worn This helps in producing the right accessory for the cli-ent I help my clients to select the best materials and best designs that would suit them Personally I think everyone must have a beaded item in their possession Even if they do not fancy beaded accessories a beaded bracelet is a must-have Depending on the occasion a beautiful set of beaded accessories can compliment a personrsquos dressing Bead making is a very lucrative business and a high percentage of the youth are get-ting involved This has created some sort of compe-tition in the market I have seen many shops on the streets of Osu in Accra that are lined up next to each other having in stock the same accessories or similar accessories for sale This is a typical example of a com-petitive market There are also a number of people on the street who do not own shops but are sported

Everything you need to know about beaded accessories

-Akosua Kaakyire

hawking selling beads to earn a living These items on sale are similar but attractive

This really makes it difficult for me to purchase items from a particular shop or hawker I may not be the only one with this problem The only thing that will motivate me to buy any of these products is the quality and the packaging they come with I will be willing to pay more for beads that come with quality and attractive packaging Some students in the sec-ondary schools and tertiary institutions who see the bead making business to be very lucrative have been making accessories for sale to generate income

I did not learn how to make accessories It is a talent that I worked on When I realised I had such talent I felt reluctant to make accessories for sale Lat-er in secondary school I felt the need to make acces-sories for sale in and outside the country I would like to add that bead making can be a lifetime job that will fetch an artist a lot of money depending on the type of materials being used and how products are packaged and advertised I patronise beads from Dodowa in the Greater Accra region Krobo in the Eastern region of Ghana and imported beads from Mali and Kenya This is because high quality beads are produced in these places Mali and Kenya are some of the countries not-ed for producing recycled beads The use of recycled beads is a way of using traditional inspiration to bring new use to old materials The Makola market in Accra is a popular shopping centre which is famous for the various trading activities that take place there At the Makola market I buy other beads and materials for making accessories that are imported into the country from all over the world There are cheap beads on the market that are made out of plastic I choose not to patronise these beads because they do not last long Their colours fade out within a short time and they become useless I always want my clients to have value

for their money and always feel the need to pay more and that is why I go in for quality beads and materials

It is right for people to know who they are and the accessories that suit them best before buying them Designers should assist customers who are not certain on what would suit them in selecting the best acces-sories Customers have the right to request for specific finishing materials that they want It is always advis-able to purchase materials of high quality standards Quality finishing is very essential Without excellent finishing I personally consider an artefact useless The type of finish and the materials used in producing the artefacts will tell if it will last long or not Durable materials must be used to create the perfect finish for a product

Akosua (left) and models showcasing some of her jewellery

14 | Seasoned Magazine

Organizers of the Ghana meets Naija Concert Empire Entertainment once again lived up to expectation this year as they hosted the 4th edition of the concert at the Accra International Conference Center Over ten artistes from Ghana and Nigeria graced the occasion and gave the concert goers a thrill of their lifetime The aeroplane themed concert welcomed attenders onboard with Chris Attoh as the pilot for the night Artistes who performed include Sarkodie Guru Edem Mz Vee Dee Money Castro and Artiste of the year award winner Shatta Wale among many others from Ghana Nigeria also represented with Wizzboy of Wizolingo Fame Davido and Kcee

16 | Seasoned Magazine

18 | Seasoned Magazine

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 4: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

Cover Story Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and Eat Jollof London

20

6 | Seasoned Magazine

EKOW BARNES21 year old Ekow Barnes a student of Ghana Tech-nology University College is a fast rising talent in the model and fashion industry His modelling ca-reer started by chance when he had to be a make-shift model for a photo shoot The model booked for the shoot failed to turn up and Ekow had to relieve his assistive role to Idona his photographer friend and take up the posing role ldquoThe outcome was awesome Idona told me lsquoyou are going to be a great model if you take this seriousrsquo rdquo he said So he did and now Ekow is an accomplished model mostly doing runway and editorial modelling His love and passion for his work makes it easy for him to express himself in an extraordinary way

Ekow is currently the Brand ambassador for Na-mibian Menrsquos Bespoke Brand Loux by Lourens Loux Gebhardt and has worked with brands like Wusu-waahrsquos Diary Doneal Collection by Neal Davids for the Androgynous Summer Collection among many others He has so far walked the runway of the Mer-cedes Benz African Fashion Festival and has recently been featured in the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin as a result of the lookbook shoot he did for Loux The Vintage Guru ldquoI still hope and pray to grace runways like Milan and London Fashion Week and also cover international magazines like Vogue and GQrdquo hinting his future plans for his career

Publications that have featured Ekow include the UK Travel Magazine Suit Magazine Gentlemanrsquos Valet Magazine and a host of others Asked if he had hobbies he answered ldquoYes I watch Fashion TV and reads a lot of magazines I love soul music as well I listen to Efya Irene Logan and Tiwa Savage These ladies are everything they have soul soothing voices and are making Africa very proudrdquo Ekowrsquos modelling career is inspired by Atta Junior a South African based Ghanaian model Fernando Cabrel and his cousin Traval Mensah

Ekow Barnesrsquo last words of advice to young folks were ldquoNever give up on your dreams Whatever you dream or even think of achieving surely you are going to attain it just believe in God Prayer is the keyrdquo

8 | Seasoned Magazine

10 | Seasoned MagazinePhotographs by Manuel Lensman Nii Sackeyfio

12 | Seasoned Magazine

B eaded accessories are worn by people of all ages They are very valuable in our society and anyone can purchase a beaded item re-gardless of their status in the society Beads

serve many purposes They are used in fashion art-works and for adornment They are also worn as a form of identity There are beaded accessories made for and worn by people in high status to identify their position in the society Some people wear beads to in-dicate the tribe or town they come from

Beads play a significant role in the traditional Af-rican society They can be worn for every occasion - naming ceremonies weddings funerals parties and many others There are various colours of beads that are suitable for such occasions White symbolizes newness and victory Therefore it would be suitable to wear white beaded accessories to a naming ceremony Bright colours are suitable for wedding ceremonies Dull and dark colours like black and brown represent

sorrow any death These are suitable colours for beads that can be worn for funerals

Beads are made of glass bones animal teeth sea-shells and tusks while beaded accessories are produced using materials like twine wire and elastic thread Beads are highly produced in Africa especially Ghana South Africa Mali Egypt Nigeria Sudan and Kenya Nigeria and Egypt are noted for producing glass beads of very high standards Recently the Indians and Chi-nese have started producing glass beads that look very shiny and come in various sizes and shapes These beads have become very common on the market and are used in making bracelets waist beads necklaces and other accessories They are also used to decorate plain dresses to create outstanding designs

As a bead maker who produces accessories on the request of my clients I consider certain factors before making an item I consider their complexion their weight (sometimes) the particular function they need to wear the accessories to the colour of their dresses and the time of the day the accessories will be worn This helps in producing the right accessory for the cli-ent I help my clients to select the best materials and best designs that would suit them Personally I think everyone must have a beaded item in their possession Even if they do not fancy beaded accessories a beaded bracelet is a must-have Depending on the occasion a beautiful set of beaded accessories can compliment a personrsquos dressing Bead making is a very lucrative business and a high percentage of the youth are get-ting involved This has created some sort of compe-tition in the market I have seen many shops on the streets of Osu in Accra that are lined up next to each other having in stock the same accessories or similar accessories for sale This is a typical example of a com-petitive market There are also a number of people on the street who do not own shops but are sported

Everything you need to know about beaded accessories

-Akosua Kaakyire

hawking selling beads to earn a living These items on sale are similar but attractive

This really makes it difficult for me to purchase items from a particular shop or hawker I may not be the only one with this problem The only thing that will motivate me to buy any of these products is the quality and the packaging they come with I will be willing to pay more for beads that come with quality and attractive packaging Some students in the sec-ondary schools and tertiary institutions who see the bead making business to be very lucrative have been making accessories for sale to generate income

I did not learn how to make accessories It is a talent that I worked on When I realised I had such talent I felt reluctant to make accessories for sale Lat-er in secondary school I felt the need to make acces-sories for sale in and outside the country I would like to add that bead making can be a lifetime job that will fetch an artist a lot of money depending on the type of materials being used and how products are packaged and advertised I patronise beads from Dodowa in the Greater Accra region Krobo in the Eastern region of Ghana and imported beads from Mali and Kenya This is because high quality beads are produced in these places Mali and Kenya are some of the countries not-ed for producing recycled beads The use of recycled beads is a way of using traditional inspiration to bring new use to old materials The Makola market in Accra is a popular shopping centre which is famous for the various trading activities that take place there At the Makola market I buy other beads and materials for making accessories that are imported into the country from all over the world There are cheap beads on the market that are made out of plastic I choose not to patronise these beads because they do not last long Their colours fade out within a short time and they become useless I always want my clients to have value

for their money and always feel the need to pay more and that is why I go in for quality beads and materials

It is right for people to know who they are and the accessories that suit them best before buying them Designers should assist customers who are not certain on what would suit them in selecting the best acces-sories Customers have the right to request for specific finishing materials that they want It is always advis-able to purchase materials of high quality standards Quality finishing is very essential Without excellent finishing I personally consider an artefact useless The type of finish and the materials used in producing the artefacts will tell if it will last long or not Durable materials must be used to create the perfect finish for a product

Akosua (left) and models showcasing some of her jewellery

14 | Seasoned Magazine

Organizers of the Ghana meets Naija Concert Empire Entertainment once again lived up to expectation this year as they hosted the 4th edition of the concert at the Accra International Conference Center Over ten artistes from Ghana and Nigeria graced the occasion and gave the concert goers a thrill of their lifetime The aeroplane themed concert welcomed attenders onboard with Chris Attoh as the pilot for the night Artistes who performed include Sarkodie Guru Edem Mz Vee Dee Money Castro and Artiste of the year award winner Shatta Wale among many others from Ghana Nigeria also represented with Wizzboy of Wizolingo Fame Davido and Kcee

16 | Seasoned Magazine

18 | Seasoned Magazine

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

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you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

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1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 5: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

6 | Seasoned Magazine

EKOW BARNES21 year old Ekow Barnes a student of Ghana Tech-nology University College is a fast rising talent in the model and fashion industry His modelling ca-reer started by chance when he had to be a make-shift model for a photo shoot The model booked for the shoot failed to turn up and Ekow had to relieve his assistive role to Idona his photographer friend and take up the posing role ldquoThe outcome was awesome Idona told me lsquoyou are going to be a great model if you take this seriousrsquo rdquo he said So he did and now Ekow is an accomplished model mostly doing runway and editorial modelling His love and passion for his work makes it easy for him to express himself in an extraordinary way

Ekow is currently the Brand ambassador for Na-mibian Menrsquos Bespoke Brand Loux by Lourens Loux Gebhardt and has worked with brands like Wusu-waahrsquos Diary Doneal Collection by Neal Davids for the Androgynous Summer Collection among many others He has so far walked the runway of the Mer-cedes Benz African Fashion Festival and has recently been featured in the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in Berlin as a result of the lookbook shoot he did for Loux The Vintage Guru ldquoI still hope and pray to grace runways like Milan and London Fashion Week and also cover international magazines like Vogue and GQrdquo hinting his future plans for his career

Publications that have featured Ekow include the UK Travel Magazine Suit Magazine Gentlemanrsquos Valet Magazine and a host of others Asked if he had hobbies he answered ldquoYes I watch Fashion TV and reads a lot of magazines I love soul music as well I listen to Efya Irene Logan and Tiwa Savage These ladies are everything they have soul soothing voices and are making Africa very proudrdquo Ekowrsquos modelling career is inspired by Atta Junior a South African based Ghanaian model Fernando Cabrel and his cousin Traval Mensah

Ekow Barnesrsquo last words of advice to young folks were ldquoNever give up on your dreams Whatever you dream or even think of achieving surely you are going to attain it just believe in God Prayer is the keyrdquo

8 | Seasoned Magazine

10 | Seasoned MagazinePhotographs by Manuel Lensman Nii Sackeyfio

12 | Seasoned Magazine

B eaded accessories are worn by people of all ages They are very valuable in our society and anyone can purchase a beaded item re-gardless of their status in the society Beads

serve many purposes They are used in fashion art-works and for adornment They are also worn as a form of identity There are beaded accessories made for and worn by people in high status to identify their position in the society Some people wear beads to in-dicate the tribe or town they come from

Beads play a significant role in the traditional Af-rican society They can be worn for every occasion - naming ceremonies weddings funerals parties and many others There are various colours of beads that are suitable for such occasions White symbolizes newness and victory Therefore it would be suitable to wear white beaded accessories to a naming ceremony Bright colours are suitable for wedding ceremonies Dull and dark colours like black and brown represent

sorrow any death These are suitable colours for beads that can be worn for funerals

Beads are made of glass bones animal teeth sea-shells and tusks while beaded accessories are produced using materials like twine wire and elastic thread Beads are highly produced in Africa especially Ghana South Africa Mali Egypt Nigeria Sudan and Kenya Nigeria and Egypt are noted for producing glass beads of very high standards Recently the Indians and Chi-nese have started producing glass beads that look very shiny and come in various sizes and shapes These beads have become very common on the market and are used in making bracelets waist beads necklaces and other accessories They are also used to decorate plain dresses to create outstanding designs

As a bead maker who produces accessories on the request of my clients I consider certain factors before making an item I consider their complexion their weight (sometimes) the particular function they need to wear the accessories to the colour of their dresses and the time of the day the accessories will be worn This helps in producing the right accessory for the cli-ent I help my clients to select the best materials and best designs that would suit them Personally I think everyone must have a beaded item in their possession Even if they do not fancy beaded accessories a beaded bracelet is a must-have Depending on the occasion a beautiful set of beaded accessories can compliment a personrsquos dressing Bead making is a very lucrative business and a high percentage of the youth are get-ting involved This has created some sort of compe-tition in the market I have seen many shops on the streets of Osu in Accra that are lined up next to each other having in stock the same accessories or similar accessories for sale This is a typical example of a com-petitive market There are also a number of people on the street who do not own shops but are sported

Everything you need to know about beaded accessories

-Akosua Kaakyire

hawking selling beads to earn a living These items on sale are similar but attractive

This really makes it difficult for me to purchase items from a particular shop or hawker I may not be the only one with this problem The only thing that will motivate me to buy any of these products is the quality and the packaging they come with I will be willing to pay more for beads that come with quality and attractive packaging Some students in the sec-ondary schools and tertiary institutions who see the bead making business to be very lucrative have been making accessories for sale to generate income

I did not learn how to make accessories It is a talent that I worked on When I realised I had such talent I felt reluctant to make accessories for sale Lat-er in secondary school I felt the need to make acces-sories for sale in and outside the country I would like to add that bead making can be a lifetime job that will fetch an artist a lot of money depending on the type of materials being used and how products are packaged and advertised I patronise beads from Dodowa in the Greater Accra region Krobo in the Eastern region of Ghana and imported beads from Mali and Kenya This is because high quality beads are produced in these places Mali and Kenya are some of the countries not-ed for producing recycled beads The use of recycled beads is a way of using traditional inspiration to bring new use to old materials The Makola market in Accra is a popular shopping centre which is famous for the various trading activities that take place there At the Makola market I buy other beads and materials for making accessories that are imported into the country from all over the world There are cheap beads on the market that are made out of plastic I choose not to patronise these beads because they do not last long Their colours fade out within a short time and they become useless I always want my clients to have value

for their money and always feel the need to pay more and that is why I go in for quality beads and materials

It is right for people to know who they are and the accessories that suit them best before buying them Designers should assist customers who are not certain on what would suit them in selecting the best acces-sories Customers have the right to request for specific finishing materials that they want It is always advis-able to purchase materials of high quality standards Quality finishing is very essential Without excellent finishing I personally consider an artefact useless The type of finish and the materials used in producing the artefacts will tell if it will last long or not Durable materials must be used to create the perfect finish for a product

Akosua (left) and models showcasing some of her jewellery

14 | Seasoned Magazine

Organizers of the Ghana meets Naija Concert Empire Entertainment once again lived up to expectation this year as they hosted the 4th edition of the concert at the Accra International Conference Center Over ten artistes from Ghana and Nigeria graced the occasion and gave the concert goers a thrill of their lifetime The aeroplane themed concert welcomed attenders onboard with Chris Attoh as the pilot for the night Artistes who performed include Sarkodie Guru Edem Mz Vee Dee Money Castro and Artiste of the year award winner Shatta Wale among many others from Ghana Nigeria also represented with Wizzboy of Wizolingo Fame Davido and Kcee

16 | Seasoned Magazine

18 | Seasoned Magazine

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 6: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

8 | Seasoned Magazine

10 | Seasoned MagazinePhotographs by Manuel Lensman Nii Sackeyfio

12 | Seasoned Magazine

B eaded accessories are worn by people of all ages They are very valuable in our society and anyone can purchase a beaded item re-gardless of their status in the society Beads

serve many purposes They are used in fashion art-works and for adornment They are also worn as a form of identity There are beaded accessories made for and worn by people in high status to identify their position in the society Some people wear beads to in-dicate the tribe or town they come from

Beads play a significant role in the traditional Af-rican society They can be worn for every occasion - naming ceremonies weddings funerals parties and many others There are various colours of beads that are suitable for such occasions White symbolizes newness and victory Therefore it would be suitable to wear white beaded accessories to a naming ceremony Bright colours are suitable for wedding ceremonies Dull and dark colours like black and brown represent

sorrow any death These are suitable colours for beads that can be worn for funerals

Beads are made of glass bones animal teeth sea-shells and tusks while beaded accessories are produced using materials like twine wire and elastic thread Beads are highly produced in Africa especially Ghana South Africa Mali Egypt Nigeria Sudan and Kenya Nigeria and Egypt are noted for producing glass beads of very high standards Recently the Indians and Chi-nese have started producing glass beads that look very shiny and come in various sizes and shapes These beads have become very common on the market and are used in making bracelets waist beads necklaces and other accessories They are also used to decorate plain dresses to create outstanding designs

As a bead maker who produces accessories on the request of my clients I consider certain factors before making an item I consider their complexion their weight (sometimes) the particular function they need to wear the accessories to the colour of their dresses and the time of the day the accessories will be worn This helps in producing the right accessory for the cli-ent I help my clients to select the best materials and best designs that would suit them Personally I think everyone must have a beaded item in their possession Even if they do not fancy beaded accessories a beaded bracelet is a must-have Depending on the occasion a beautiful set of beaded accessories can compliment a personrsquos dressing Bead making is a very lucrative business and a high percentage of the youth are get-ting involved This has created some sort of compe-tition in the market I have seen many shops on the streets of Osu in Accra that are lined up next to each other having in stock the same accessories or similar accessories for sale This is a typical example of a com-petitive market There are also a number of people on the street who do not own shops but are sported

Everything you need to know about beaded accessories

-Akosua Kaakyire

hawking selling beads to earn a living These items on sale are similar but attractive

This really makes it difficult for me to purchase items from a particular shop or hawker I may not be the only one with this problem The only thing that will motivate me to buy any of these products is the quality and the packaging they come with I will be willing to pay more for beads that come with quality and attractive packaging Some students in the sec-ondary schools and tertiary institutions who see the bead making business to be very lucrative have been making accessories for sale to generate income

I did not learn how to make accessories It is a talent that I worked on When I realised I had such talent I felt reluctant to make accessories for sale Lat-er in secondary school I felt the need to make acces-sories for sale in and outside the country I would like to add that bead making can be a lifetime job that will fetch an artist a lot of money depending on the type of materials being used and how products are packaged and advertised I patronise beads from Dodowa in the Greater Accra region Krobo in the Eastern region of Ghana and imported beads from Mali and Kenya This is because high quality beads are produced in these places Mali and Kenya are some of the countries not-ed for producing recycled beads The use of recycled beads is a way of using traditional inspiration to bring new use to old materials The Makola market in Accra is a popular shopping centre which is famous for the various trading activities that take place there At the Makola market I buy other beads and materials for making accessories that are imported into the country from all over the world There are cheap beads on the market that are made out of plastic I choose not to patronise these beads because they do not last long Their colours fade out within a short time and they become useless I always want my clients to have value

for their money and always feel the need to pay more and that is why I go in for quality beads and materials

It is right for people to know who they are and the accessories that suit them best before buying them Designers should assist customers who are not certain on what would suit them in selecting the best acces-sories Customers have the right to request for specific finishing materials that they want It is always advis-able to purchase materials of high quality standards Quality finishing is very essential Without excellent finishing I personally consider an artefact useless The type of finish and the materials used in producing the artefacts will tell if it will last long or not Durable materials must be used to create the perfect finish for a product

Akosua (left) and models showcasing some of her jewellery

14 | Seasoned Magazine

Organizers of the Ghana meets Naija Concert Empire Entertainment once again lived up to expectation this year as they hosted the 4th edition of the concert at the Accra International Conference Center Over ten artistes from Ghana and Nigeria graced the occasion and gave the concert goers a thrill of their lifetime The aeroplane themed concert welcomed attenders onboard with Chris Attoh as the pilot for the night Artistes who performed include Sarkodie Guru Edem Mz Vee Dee Money Castro and Artiste of the year award winner Shatta Wale among many others from Ghana Nigeria also represented with Wizzboy of Wizolingo Fame Davido and Kcee

16 | Seasoned Magazine

18 | Seasoned Magazine

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

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sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

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f the

pai

ntin

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3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

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1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 7: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

10 | Seasoned MagazinePhotographs by Manuel Lensman Nii Sackeyfio

12 | Seasoned Magazine

B eaded accessories are worn by people of all ages They are very valuable in our society and anyone can purchase a beaded item re-gardless of their status in the society Beads

serve many purposes They are used in fashion art-works and for adornment They are also worn as a form of identity There are beaded accessories made for and worn by people in high status to identify their position in the society Some people wear beads to in-dicate the tribe or town they come from

Beads play a significant role in the traditional Af-rican society They can be worn for every occasion - naming ceremonies weddings funerals parties and many others There are various colours of beads that are suitable for such occasions White symbolizes newness and victory Therefore it would be suitable to wear white beaded accessories to a naming ceremony Bright colours are suitable for wedding ceremonies Dull and dark colours like black and brown represent

sorrow any death These are suitable colours for beads that can be worn for funerals

Beads are made of glass bones animal teeth sea-shells and tusks while beaded accessories are produced using materials like twine wire and elastic thread Beads are highly produced in Africa especially Ghana South Africa Mali Egypt Nigeria Sudan and Kenya Nigeria and Egypt are noted for producing glass beads of very high standards Recently the Indians and Chi-nese have started producing glass beads that look very shiny and come in various sizes and shapes These beads have become very common on the market and are used in making bracelets waist beads necklaces and other accessories They are also used to decorate plain dresses to create outstanding designs

As a bead maker who produces accessories on the request of my clients I consider certain factors before making an item I consider their complexion their weight (sometimes) the particular function they need to wear the accessories to the colour of their dresses and the time of the day the accessories will be worn This helps in producing the right accessory for the cli-ent I help my clients to select the best materials and best designs that would suit them Personally I think everyone must have a beaded item in their possession Even if they do not fancy beaded accessories a beaded bracelet is a must-have Depending on the occasion a beautiful set of beaded accessories can compliment a personrsquos dressing Bead making is a very lucrative business and a high percentage of the youth are get-ting involved This has created some sort of compe-tition in the market I have seen many shops on the streets of Osu in Accra that are lined up next to each other having in stock the same accessories or similar accessories for sale This is a typical example of a com-petitive market There are also a number of people on the street who do not own shops but are sported

Everything you need to know about beaded accessories

-Akosua Kaakyire

hawking selling beads to earn a living These items on sale are similar but attractive

This really makes it difficult for me to purchase items from a particular shop or hawker I may not be the only one with this problem The only thing that will motivate me to buy any of these products is the quality and the packaging they come with I will be willing to pay more for beads that come with quality and attractive packaging Some students in the sec-ondary schools and tertiary institutions who see the bead making business to be very lucrative have been making accessories for sale to generate income

I did not learn how to make accessories It is a talent that I worked on When I realised I had such talent I felt reluctant to make accessories for sale Lat-er in secondary school I felt the need to make acces-sories for sale in and outside the country I would like to add that bead making can be a lifetime job that will fetch an artist a lot of money depending on the type of materials being used and how products are packaged and advertised I patronise beads from Dodowa in the Greater Accra region Krobo in the Eastern region of Ghana and imported beads from Mali and Kenya This is because high quality beads are produced in these places Mali and Kenya are some of the countries not-ed for producing recycled beads The use of recycled beads is a way of using traditional inspiration to bring new use to old materials The Makola market in Accra is a popular shopping centre which is famous for the various trading activities that take place there At the Makola market I buy other beads and materials for making accessories that are imported into the country from all over the world There are cheap beads on the market that are made out of plastic I choose not to patronise these beads because they do not last long Their colours fade out within a short time and they become useless I always want my clients to have value

for their money and always feel the need to pay more and that is why I go in for quality beads and materials

It is right for people to know who they are and the accessories that suit them best before buying them Designers should assist customers who are not certain on what would suit them in selecting the best acces-sories Customers have the right to request for specific finishing materials that they want It is always advis-able to purchase materials of high quality standards Quality finishing is very essential Without excellent finishing I personally consider an artefact useless The type of finish and the materials used in producing the artefacts will tell if it will last long or not Durable materials must be used to create the perfect finish for a product

Akosua (left) and models showcasing some of her jewellery

14 | Seasoned Magazine

Organizers of the Ghana meets Naija Concert Empire Entertainment once again lived up to expectation this year as they hosted the 4th edition of the concert at the Accra International Conference Center Over ten artistes from Ghana and Nigeria graced the occasion and gave the concert goers a thrill of their lifetime The aeroplane themed concert welcomed attenders onboard with Chris Attoh as the pilot for the night Artistes who performed include Sarkodie Guru Edem Mz Vee Dee Money Castro and Artiste of the year award winner Shatta Wale among many others from Ghana Nigeria also represented with Wizzboy of Wizolingo Fame Davido and Kcee

16 | Seasoned Magazine

18 | Seasoned Magazine

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

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you

r scr

een

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ays f

or th

e co

rrec

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f the

pai

ntin

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44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

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3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

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you

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1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 8: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

12 | Seasoned Magazine

B eaded accessories are worn by people of all ages They are very valuable in our society and anyone can purchase a beaded item re-gardless of their status in the society Beads

serve many purposes They are used in fashion art-works and for adornment They are also worn as a form of identity There are beaded accessories made for and worn by people in high status to identify their position in the society Some people wear beads to in-dicate the tribe or town they come from

Beads play a significant role in the traditional Af-rican society They can be worn for every occasion - naming ceremonies weddings funerals parties and many others There are various colours of beads that are suitable for such occasions White symbolizes newness and victory Therefore it would be suitable to wear white beaded accessories to a naming ceremony Bright colours are suitable for wedding ceremonies Dull and dark colours like black and brown represent

sorrow any death These are suitable colours for beads that can be worn for funerals

Beads are made of glass bones animal teeth sea-shells and tusks while beaded accessories are produced using materials like twine wire and elastic thread Beads are highly produced in Africa especially Ghana South Africa Mali Egypt Nigeria Sudan and Kenya Nigeria and Egypt are noted for producing glass beads of very high standards Recently the Indians and Chi-nese have started producing glass beads that look very shiny and come in various sizes and shapes These beads have become very common on the market and are used in making bracelets waist beads necklaces and other accessories They are also used to decorate plain dresses to create outstanding designs

As a bead maker who produces accessories on the request of my clients I consider certain factors before making an item I consider their complexion their weight (sometimes) the particular function they need to wear the accessories to the colour of their dresses and the time of the day the accessories will be worn This helps in producing the right accessory for the cli-ent I help my clients to select the best materials and best designs that would suit them Personally I think everyone must have a beaded item in their possession Even if they do not fancy beaded accessories a beaded bracelet is a must-have Depending on the occasion a beautiful set of beaded accessories can compliment a personrsquos dressing Bead making is a very lucrative business and a high percentage of the youth are get-ting involved This has created some sort of compe-tition in the market I have seen many shops on the streets of Osu in Accra that are lined up next to each other having in stock the same accessories or similar accessories for sale This is a typical example of a com-petitive market There are also a number of people on the street who do not own shops but are sported

Everything you need to know about beaded accessories

-Akosua Kaakyire

hawking selling beads to earn a living These items on sale are similar but attractive

This really makes it difficult for me to purchase items from a particular shop or hawker I may not be the only one with this problem The only thing that will motivate me to buy any of these products is the quality and the packaging they come with I will be willing to pay more for beads that come with quality and attractive packaging Some students in the sec-ondary schools and tertiary institutions who see the bead making business to be very lucrative have been making accessories for sale to generate income

I did not learn how to make accessories It is a talent that I worked on When I realised I had such talent I felt reluctant to make accessories for sale Lat-er in secondary school I felt the need to make acces-sories for sale in and outside the country I would like to add that bead making can be a lifetime job that will fetch an artist a lot of money depending on the type of materials being used and how products are packaged and advertised I patronise beads from Dodowa in the Greater Accra region Krobo in the Eastern region of Ghana and imported beads from Mali and Kenya This is because high quality beads are produced in these places Mali and Kenya are some of the countries not-ed for producing recycled beads The use of recycled beads is a way of using traditional inspiration to bring new use to old materials The Makola market in Accra is a popular shopping centre which is famous for the various trading activities that take place there At the Makola market I buy other beads and materials for making accessories that are imported into the country from all over the world There are cheap beads on the market that are made out of plastic I choose not to patronise these beads because they do not last long Their colours fade out within a short time and they become useless I always want my clients to have value

for their money and always feel the need to pay more and that is why I go in for quality beads and materials

It is right for people to know who they are and the accessories that suit them best before buying them Designers should assist customers who are not certain on what would suit them in selecting the best acces-sories Customers have the right to request for specific finishing materials that they want It is always advis-able to purchase materials of high quality standards Quality finishing is very essential Without excellent finishing I personally consider an artefact useless The type of finish and the materials used in producing the artefacts will tell if it will last long or not Durable materials must be used to create the perfect finish for a product

Akosua (left) and models showcasing some of her jewellery

14 | Seasoned Magazine

Organizers of the Ghana meets Naija Concert Empire Entertainment once again lived up to expectation this year as they hosted the 4th edition of the concert at the Accra International Conference Center Over ten artistes from Ghana and Nigeria graced the occasion and gave the concert goers a thrill of their lifetime The aeroplane themed concert welcomed attenders onboard with Chris Attoh as the pilot for the night Artistes who performed include Sarkodie Guru Edem Mz Vee Dee Money Castro and Artiste of the year award winner Shatta Wale among many others from Ghana Nigeria also represented with Wizzboy of Wizolingo Fame Davido and Kcee

16 | Seasoned Magazine

18 | Seasoned Magazine

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 9: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

hawking selling beads to earn a living These items on sale are similar but attractive

This really makes it difficult for me to purchase items from a particular shop or hawker I may not be the only one with this problem The only thing that will motivate me to buy any of these products is the quality and the packaging they come with I will be willing to pay more for beads that come with quality and attractive packaging Some students in the sec-ondary schools and tertiary institutions who see the bead making business to be very lucrative have been making accessories for sale to generate income

I did not learn how to make accessories It is a talent that I worked on When I realised I had such talent I felt reluctant to make accessories for sale Lat-er in secondary school I felt the need to make acces-sories for sale in and outside the country I would like to add that bead making can be a lifetime job that will fetch an artist a lot of money depending on the type of materials being used and how products are packaged and advertised I patronise beads from Dodowa in the Greater Accra region Krobo in the Eastern region of Ghana and imported beads from Mali and Kenya This is because high quality beads are produced in these places Mali and Kenya are some of the countries not-ed for producing recycled beads The use of recycled beads is a way of using traditional inspiration to bring new use to old materials The Makola market in Accra is a popular shopping centre which is famous for the various trading activities that take place there At the Makola market I buy other beads and materials for making accessories that are imported into the country from all over the world There are cheap beads on the market that are made out of plastic I choose not to patronise these beads because they do not last long Their colours fade out within a short time and they become useless I always want my clients to have value

for their money and always feel the need to pay more and that is why I go in for quality beads and materials

It is right for people to know who they are and the accessories that suit them best before buying them Designers should assist customers who are not certain on what would suit them in selecting the best acces-sories Customers have the right to request for specific finishing materials that they want It is always advis-able to purchase materials of high quality standards Quality finishing is very essential Without excellent finishing I personally consider an artefact useless The type of finish and the materials used in producing the artefacts will tell if it will last long or not Durable materials must be used to create the perfect finish for a product

Akosua (left) and models showcasing some of her jewellery

14 | Seasoned Magazine

Organizers of the Ghana meets Naija Concert Empire Entertainment once again lived up to expectation this year as they hosted the 4th edition of the concert at the Accra International Conference Center Over ten artistes from Ghana and Nigeria graced the occasion and gave the concert goers a thrill of their lifetime The aeroplane themed concert welcomed attenders onboard with Chris Attoh as the pilot for the night Artistes who performed include Sarkodie Guru Edem Mz Vee Dee Money Castro and Artiste of the year award winner Shatta Wale among many others from Ghana Nigeria also represented with Wizzboy of Wizolingo Fame Davido and Kcee

16 | Seasoned Magazine

18 | Seasoned Magazine

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 10: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

14 | Seasoned Magazine

Organizers of the Ghana meets Naija Concert Empire Entertainment once again lived up to expectation this year as they hosted the 4th edition of the concert at the Accra International Conference Center Over ten artistes from Ghana and Nigeria graced the occasion and gave the concert goers a thrill of their lifetime The aeroplane themed concert welcomed attenders onboard with Chris Attoh as the pilot for the night Artistes who performed include Sarkodie Guru Edem Mz Vee Dee Money Castro and Artiste of the year award winner Shatta Wale among many others from Ghana Nigeria also represented with Wizzboy of Wizolingo Fame Davido and Kcee

16 | Seasoned Magazine

18 | Seasoned Magazine

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

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you

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44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

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you

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3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

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1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 11: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

16 | Seasoned Magazine

18 | Seasoned Magazine

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

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you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

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f the

pai

ntin

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44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

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3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

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you

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or th

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1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 12: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

18 | Seasoned Magazine

H O W S O C I A L M E D I A H AS C H A N G E D O U R P U B L I C S E L FA behaviour created by smartphones and social networks has become the word of the year and like everything that happens on social networks it is influencing people As a strategist in advertising it is pretty clear to me that we should all understand how social media is changing our lives

Every end of every year the Oxford Dictionary announces the international word of the year It is a word the use of which has become predominant in the last

twelve months The use of the word chosen for 2013 has increased by 17000 That is a lot Any idea why The 2013 word of the year was SELFIE And still this is one of the most used and (let me say) abused words

The Oxford Dictionary research shows that the word selfie was in use since 2002 it made its first appearance in an Australian online forum post on ABC Online but its usage wasnrsquot widespread until around 2012 when selfie was being used commonly in mainstream media sources

Michelle Obama took her first selfie in South Africa in July 2013 after deciding to join Instagram to describe her family trip to Africa

Therersquos even a backstage video showing the first lady taking her first selfie on YouTube and if that

was popular her latest selfie was even more so Michelle took a picture of herself and her dog Bo One of the comments ldquoThe first lady takes selfies

sheistoocoolrdquoSo Michelle in her branding activity has

Irene DonatiDigital Strategist

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 13: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

probably decided that she needs to be cool and more appreciated by young people people who can maintain a high opinion of Obama during his second term and who can be the next Democratrsquos voters Shersquos pushing the Obama brand in many ways also with selfies Yes because when a celebrity goes public their image is nothing but a brand image and what they do on social networks is what brands should do take their values be it controversial or not and share them with people in order to increase their awareness and most of all to become not only appreciated or liked but loved

The Pope took a selfie with some young Italian pilgrims in the St Peterrsquos Basilica Vatican City The Telegraph noticed ldquoSince the Pope was selected he has made clear his intention to connect with young people and to move the Papacy into a more modern informal agerdquo- Branding

Beyonce and the Kardashians are the most followed celebrities on Instagram Their profiles are full of selfies And what about Neymar the most vain football player on earth champion of selfies When Beyonce put up this selfie with her new short haircut online it became one of the most debated topics on the web for two days

So why do people who normally hate paparazzi

decide to put their private life on Instagram every day Because when you are on social networks you show what you want people to see You show what improves your public image You chose the value you think will appeal most to your fans followers or friends and you make it public This happens even if you are not a celebrity Check the hashtag selfie on Instagram and you will find more than 50000000 posts

As Mashable says in a very interesting

psychological review on this cultural revolution our self-images represent how we define ourselves and how we want to be perceived by others But again the social networks changed the game Instagram filters on pictures have determined a new condition you are not putting your real image online but a better one an improved version of you

Huffington Post underlines the fact that this is an expression of the new generation They define it as the ldquoMe Generationrdquo seeing a sort of self-centeredness behind this attitude But it can actually be considered the exact opposite To show off is what young people want They want to share and to connect with other people which is exactly what social networks are about

Once again these media are influencing not only

our online behaviour this is how we interact with people this is how we talk this is how we define ourselves

And this of course is advertising look at these famous photos reframed as cellphone selfies created for the South African Cape Timesrsquo print ads

The tag line says rdquoYou canrsquot get any closer to the newsrdquo

Last but not least as usual we have to notice that these digital behaviours hide a creepy sidehellip This video shows how a group of young people pose in front of a camera thinking theyrsquore having a picture taken but unfortunately it was a video Remember it next time you want to show off in front of a camera

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 14: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

20 | Seasoned Magazine

ADWOAHAGAN-MENSAHWest African food is gradually making waves on the

international scene Whether it is for the nutrition taste or physical appeal food lovers have a wide array of choices to select from when it comes to West African

foods West African cuisine are typically characterized by their heavy and starchy nature however one woman is creatively working to change this perception Adwoa Hagan-Mensah through her brainchild Eat Jollof London is promoting the concept of light and tasty West African dishes that meet fine dining standards and appeal to food enthusiasts who want to have a feel of the redefined West African food experience Eat Jollof London was created out of the need that Adwoa saw in the UK market to cater for Non-Africans I had an interview with Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and this is her story

Adwoa is the second of five daughters of her parents and lives happily with her husband and two young daughters in Kent England Growing up she remembers being influenced by her mother and grandmother in the lsquokitchen momentsrsquo they often shared This allowed her to learn many Ghanaian recipes she would later find useful With a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the University of Greenwich

A new WEST AFRICAN FOOD

experienceHer love for cooking and the need to cater for Non-Africans ignited the Eat Jollof London Today she is showcasing and serving redefined West African

food on the international scene

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 15: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

Adwoa decided to merge her administration skills and her love for cooking into a business and that was the beginning of Jollof Pot Jollof Pot was a catering company set up by Adwoa and her husband Llyod Mensah which specialized in modern Ghanaian food with a twist introducing Ghanaian food to Londoners and foreigners alike in a fresh simple light and definitely less spicy form After 10 years of operating Jollof Pot Adwoa and Lloyd decided to separate business but still in the food industry Adwoa concentrating on fine dining - Eat Jollof London and Lloyd on street food Spinach amp Agushi (market stalls) Adwoa was approached by investors who are equal partners of Eat Jollof London and together they have been able to create a high end West African catering company to cater for the African and Non-African markets and ultimately make West African food mainstream and easily accessible in London

Eat Jollof London commenced officially in August 2014 and since then Adwoa Hagan-Mensah and her team have succeeded in creating a defined brand of tasty and light West

African food that meet global standards as a result of their relentless effort A combination of seasoned chefs administrators and a strong public relations team form the structure of Eat Jollof London They are responsible for that last meal you enjoyed at Eat Jollof London if you are a patron The company uses a unique social media approach to stay in touch with its customers and potential clients Their presence on Facebook

Twitter and Instagram ensure that they take advantage of these growing online social communities to promote their brand and gain new followers every day

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splendid showcasing of West African food in a beautiful and modern way means that they are constantly contracted to cater for events such as weddings and parties Their great customer service coupled with their mode of

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos splen-did showcasing of West African food meets fine dining standards across the globe

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 16: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

22 | Seasoned Magazine

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 17: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

24 | Seasoned Magazine

serving with custom made oak bowls has earned them a hefty client list of celebrities and charites such as charirites Street Child and Feed the Minds amongst others They have also catered for private parties like the 80th Birthday celebration of renowned Ghanaian artist Ablade Glover at the October Gallery London this summer Individuals and families have also attested to the services of Adwoa and her team and continue to urge others who are yet to experience West African food to give it a try

Eat Jollof Londonrsquos menu is unlike the usual catererrsquos menu A lot of hard work and research goes into making it Adwoa and her team of handpicked chefs with Michelin experience spend time working with West African flavours and textures to come up with the best ideas for the market and for each event They have also decided to adopt the practice of making canapeacutes which is unknown to their traditional roots of presenting food The dynamism with which Eat Jollof London uses to transform the concept of heavy and starchy West African cuisine to light but tasty meals has succeeded in appealing to many and offered them a great opportunity in the global market

Adwoa and her business have come a long way and she has no intention of

Tangy chilli prawns on wholemeal croutons

Guinea fowl coco yam shallot and scotch bonnet rosti

Grilled plantain with beans

Jollof risotto with sea bass

Canapes

Mains

Fried ripe plantain grilled mackerel shito amp dill

Seared scallops with mango

Menu Ideas for your EVENT

BY EJL

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 18: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

stopping now As she goes through her day meeting with corporate clients introducing and discussing West African fusion cuisine with tailor made lsquoEat Jollof Londonrsquo taster boxes as well as researching and developing trends within the catering industry she does not neglect her family duties She loves the outdoors and spends every break away from her busy schedule with her young family From camping and discovering the beauty of the English countryside to entertaining dinner parties and family gatherings Adwoa makes sure to bond with every member of the family

Adowa Hagan-Mensahrsquos plan for the future is to have a range of cook books that will give ideas and inspiration to people on how to cook delicious West African food gradually making it a must-have delicacy for every home around the world I look forward to following the exciting journey of Eat Jollof London down the line and I definitely cannot wait to get my hands on those cook books to try Adwoa If you want to join me then follow Eat Jollof London on eatjolloflondon on Twitter and Instagram email them at infoeatjolloflondoncouk or simply call them on 02089848437 to book your event or to just say hi

Chocolate mousse with mint

Ghanaian cocoa chocolate pudding

Vanilla mousse with amaretto and almonds

Desserts

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

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1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 19: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

26 | Seasoned Magazine

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 20: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

RADFORD GRADUATE FASHION SHOW 2014

Radford University College prides itself as the leading University when it comes to Fashion in Ghana In June they hosted another Graduate Fashion Show at the Moumlvenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra The works of graduates Afua Anima Biney Anisa Hamid Babara Tetteh Appiah Abigail Adu Naa Amua Offei Hepzibah Naa Adoley Yaa Comfort Tieku Nana Rhoda Narh Anne Owusu Marfo Grace Baffoe Alberta Osae Quansah and Woodin were showcased on the runway for fashion lovers and icons from all over the world to see Afua Anima Biney and Nana Osei were rewarded by Silver Star Autos for being the best student in Fashion and Graphic Design respectively

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

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or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 21: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

28 | Seasoned Magazine

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

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ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 22: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

30 | Seasoned Magazine

D E E M O N E YTH E GA B OY

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

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Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 23: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

Itrsquos been five years or so since the hit mainstream debut of Dee Money titled lsquoKpokpo Bodyrsquo Ever since that release the ar-

tiste known otherwise as Des-mond Amoah has released songs which in the USA or UK would have earned him platinum records Dee weathered the storm brought about by a split from one of Gha-narsquos top labels and now owns his own record label Millitant Mindz records Despite all he has prov-en to be echt driven full of fore-sight whilst keeping his feet on the ground ldquoIrsquom a simple guy I appre-ciate fashion I love music and I am a family guy Irsquom laid back and cool too I schooled back and forth in Ghana and the USA and I also remember attending Achimota Primaryrdquo

Desmond has been seen in the past to make music which caters to only lovers of the Hip-hop genre and also the early social media fa-natics no not the current twitter lovers The entertainer has been making music since hi5 days Yes hi5 ldquoI had been recording with one of my boys in a small studio Wersquod cover the microphone with a sock and the beat would be all over the place but we still thought it was hot Gradually I started doing covers of other popular songs and put it on Facebook and hi5 I had friends in GIS AIS Lincoln and SOS who put my songs on their pages and I started gaining recog-nition That was it I made my first hitrdquo Dee Money is an offspring of the Internet Age With the expo-sure brought about by the Inter-net which he accepted with both

hands mind you he still had to keep grounded and get po-faced so as not to get bypassed by other eager and lsquohungryrsquo up and coming musicians ldquoI had been doing Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get serious with my music I was in South Africa with my pro-ducer then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

ldquoB as i - c a l l y therersquos a point in your life where you think you should move on if probably things donrsquot go as you expect it tordquo This was the terse re-sponse given when the Black Ave-nue Music split was brought up ldquoI personally felt my music wasnrsquot be-ing pushed as it should have been as an artiste You guys should be the judge Compare where I was then and nowrdquo Asked again about the split his answer was ldquoif we keep going back to that topic the answer is just going to drag So Irsquoll just talk about this once I moved on to push my music and itrsquos been good Therersquos nothing like beef in Ghana I think itrsquos a joke I donrsquot understand it At the end of the

day if yoursquore nice to me Irsquoll also be nice with you but therersquos nothing like going back to do business with or shaking hands with anybodyrdquo

In recent times the country has been taken over by the Azonto Wave As a result therersquos been a shift of musicians from one genre to jump on the Azonto bandwagon just to push their music thus mov-ing away from what endeared them to their hard core fans ldquoLike I said in the Ghanaian music industry yoursquove got to be really tough Irsquom originally a Hip-hop artiste but I like to experiment with my sound Afrobeats House music Tech sounds the Pop and the like With the type of music I make and Ghanaians loving the Azon-

to sound there might be the need to follow that trend so my music can be played on the radio But I realized I donrsquot have to do that be-cause Irsquove built a little fan base who appreciate my music you can see from my recently released music Money Talks Marilyn Monroe and even Finish Line Since I do Hip-hop Irsquove just got to keep on push-ingrdquo

Samini Sarkodie R2Bees The FoKN Bois Efya These entertain-ers are amongst only a select few who have been opportune to grace international stages to perform to audiences of various races been nominated for and won monumen-tal international awards all with the view to boosting the brand of Ghana music worldwide Dee is a part of that select few ldquoI was one of the first and youngest African acts to go on Tim Westwood Live the

ldquoI had been doing

Hip-Hop covers and I thought it was time to get

serious with my music I was in South Africa with my producer

then Gafacci We put two and two together with the House sound

and Kpokpo body was the resultrdquo

By Faisal Mohammed

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

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rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

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1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 24: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

32 | Seasoned Magazine

first artist from Ghana to perform in The Indigo O2 Arena in Lon-don I had a sold-out five city tour in America DC Chicago Atlanta New York and I did Ohio too I did a concert in Nigeria One Mic Nai-jardquo Hersquos also friends with the Best Group in Hip-hop according to the BET award they received this year Young Money ldquoDuring the BET awards three or four years ago I was at the mall where I met Lil Chuckeersquos father and told him I was from West Africa Ghana He didnrsquot believe me but we spoke a bit and then I showed him the Ex-cellence Hotel where I was staying in Beverly Hills Later we met at their hotel We were just vibing and later on Twist came then Tyga also came We played a couple of beats and had fun We were both try-ing to expand our brands because they had not met an African artiste yet maybe apart from Akon So I played them my freestyles and vid-eos and they loved it Itrsquos been like that ever since when I go there we hook up and hang out Wersquove got projects but Irsquom waiting for the right time to release themrdquo

Millitant Mindz Records - the brainchild of Dee MoneyAccording to the entertainer this is just the tip of the iceberg he envisions owning a chain of companies because of his love for money and no he isnrsquot selfish he has a vision and it involves the youth of the nation wFor instance I was having an interview on Y FM I think when a lady called and asked in Twi lsquoDonrsquot you attend schoolrsquo So the vision basically is to pave the way and give the youth a face to tell them to wake up and stand up for and be what they want to become I donrsquot think you should be thirty something before you start to record you should start when you are youngrdquo

The Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards are one of the most highly rated in world Desmond was one of the first Ghanaians nominated for an award on that international platform He didnrsquot win the award though Hardwork or success according to Dee Money should not be gauged only by awards ldquoIrsquoll be honest with you when it comes to awards I donrsquot put my mind to it whether the BET awards or it is The Grammys I just work Irsquom not saying donrsquot

pay attention but Irsquom saying donrsquot focus on it because those currently winning might be doing Azonto or House music or Techno that will sway you but Irsquove decided to be me If yoursquore an artist believe and focus on your brand and push it Irsquove got a couple of nominations for some awards since last year but Irsquom just focussedrdquo

ldquoI donrsquot have favourite artistes in Ghana but I like to listen to some R2bees Kwawkese Fuse ODG and

Samira (former member of The D3 Group) I will be honest I listen to myself a lot and sometimes to Ayigbe Edem as well In the United States I like Ludacris Jay Z and Nas but my favourite rapper of all time is Big L I donrsquot want to mention the clicheacutes like Kanye West Rick Ross Lil Wayne but I love Kanyersquos attitude on his songs because when Irsquom recording I donrsquot just want the lyrics I want the attitude on it But my biggest influence is Big Lrdquo

Desmond Amoah is an avid basketball player who stopped playing because he injured someone during an altercation in a game sometime back He backed the Miami Heat to beat the San Antonio Spurs (The Spurs inevitably sucker punched the Heat in 5 Games in The Finals) Hersquos also a huge fan of EA Sports Fifa franchise especially Fifa 14 but according to the lsquoGa Boyrsquo he doesnrsquot play the actual game anymore Dee Money doesnrsquot drink

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 25: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

The vision I have is too big I came up at a time when there wasnrsquot a young act like myself People were complaining asking wonrsquot you go to school

ldquo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KWABENA AWUKU

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 26: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

34 | Seasoned Magazine

or smoke but likes to have fun I asked about his favourite hangout and this turned out to be one of the most serious moments of the interview when he brought up his tightly- knit group of friends ldquoYou see to me the best hangout can be in this room As long as my favourite people my friends are around me and wersquore chilling wersquore chatting having fun then itrsquos my favourite spot But when Irsquom outside the country I love Miami I love Beverly Hills I love up-state New York thatrsquos about it maybe the clubs but most of the time I like to have my lsquopeoplesrsquo around me playing games listening to music making freestyles thatrsquos when Irsquom having funrdquo

In an industry where having a faccedilade to lure more fans to your base is the modus operandi Dee Money was plainspoken and candid beyond belief Certainly a nice turn from musicians who say one thing in interviews only to be doing another in reality ldquoIn the Ghanaian industry honestly therersquos no one I go to for advice Basically to me God is everything All the decisions that got me here were by God not I When I came up I was too young to be able to strategize and to do stuff on my own so all the steps I took I think itrsquos Godrdquo And about that special someone ldquoCharlie I donrsquot have a girlfriend oh to be honest Irsquove spent too much time on all that when I started the record label I didnrsquot need any extra drama from anywhere because the work is too demanding Imagine I have a corporate meeting with these investors then this girl is hitting up my phone saying Irsquom not replying her texts and all that I canrsquot deal with the extra dramardquo

Dee Money rebounded from the split with Black Avenue Music

remarkably and hopes to use that experience to nurture his brain child Millitant Mindz Records ldquoI love music so if an individual has potential and makes good music Irsquoll sign the person but right now it is just me Before I sign any act I want to be in a position where no promises are broken then give the artist the push because in Ghana record labels sign you and rather rip you off You canrsquot sign an artist and not do much for the artist they pay for their clothes to perform and all that I donrsquot even call them labels because they donrsquot do what a label is supposed to do Itrsquos a commitment you donrsquot just sign an act and con themrdquo

A pair of all-black Nike Air Max a pair of jeans ripped at the knees lsquoKanye West stylersquo a white tee teamed with a classy gold chain and a snapback The ensemble put together by Dee money for this sit-down Hersquos been known to be ec-centric in his fashion sense but hersquos definitely got the youth following some of his trends ldquoAm I a fash-ion freak (Laughter) I like to put things together abstract stuff I used to match denims when I was young jeans top and jeans trousers I paint as well so the artistic men-tality of putting colours together is stuck with me I was a sneaker head too I love the Jordans the Nike Huaraches The Chuck Taylors the Classic Reeboks Timberland the Air Max too My favourite Jordans are the tensrdquo

Yoursquove got to admit at a certain point this is an entertainer who is honest and wants to give the best to his fans always ldquoEvery artiste will say this but I think I have the best fans I have fans that send me lyrics of my song on Facebook and Irsquom touched Sometime ago a fan was singing lsquoDJ bring it backrsquo to me and to have heard that song you had to

be a Dee Money fan from the in-ception You had to pay attention to realize it so my fans make me feel great and I appreciate it I al-ways go hard for them because I donrsquot want an lsquoagainstrsquo person to sit somewhere and tell my fan Dee Money doesnrsquot do this right or do that right thatrsquos why I always go hard So Irsquod like to thank my fans my family and God and any other person who appreciates my musicrdquo

Dee Money

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 27: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

36 | Seasoned Magazine

CHALEWOTE2 0 1 4

Death An eternal dream into limitless rebirth

Art music and fashion was displayed in abundance at this yearrsquos Chalewote Street Art Festival at Jamestown on the 23rd

and 24th of August This edition which happens to be the 4th was themed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless rebirthrdquo Numerous artworks of artistes were showcased along the streets of Jamestown turning the oldest district in Accra into a beautiful colourful work of art The two day festival also saw performances from music artists like Wanluv the Kubolor Mutombo da Poet amongst a host of other musicians

Fashion was not left out as fashion de-signers and clothe makers also showcased to the hundreds of people who thronged the streets of Jamestown A few designers also had their works paraded through the streets and were warmly received by onlookers Oh and before I forget photographers were there in their numbers so Irsquom sure you may have already seen most part of the festival from the comfort of your screens But

if you havenrsquot then this is what we saw through our lens

Every year Accra[dot]Alt hosts the Chalewote Street Art Festival in Jamestown Accra This yearrsquos edition dubbed ldquoDeath An eternal dream into limitless re-birthrdquo was the fourth of its kind to be held

Kodak moment A quad catches fire after numerous stunts

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 28: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

38 | Seasoned Magazine

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 29: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

40 | Seasoned Magazine

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 30: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

42 | Seasoned Magazine

10MOST

EXPENSIVEPAINTINGS

EVERSOLD

Source Wikipedia

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 31: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

10

Annarsquos LightPainter Barnett NewmanYear 1968Price $1057 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 32: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

44 | Seasoned Magazine

Nude Green leaves and BustPainter Pablo PicassoYear 1932Price $1065 million Buyer UnknownYear sold 2010

9

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 33: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

FlagPainter Jasper JohnsYear 1954Price $110 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2010

8

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 34: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

46 | Seasoned Magazine

The screamPainter Edvard MunchYear 1859Price $1199 million Buyer Leon BlackYear sold 2012

7

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 35: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer IPainter Gustav KlimtYear 1907Price $135 million Buyer Ronald Lauder Neue GalerieYear sold 2006

6

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 36: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

48 | Seasoned Magazine

Woman IIIPainter Willem de KooningYear 1953Price $1375 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2006

5

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 37: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

No 5 1948Painter Jackson PollockYear 1948Price $140 million Buyer David MartinezYear sold 2006

4

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 38: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

50 | Seasoned Magazine

Three Studies of Lucian FreudPainter Francis BaconYear 1969Price $1424 million Buyer Elaine WynnYear sold 2013

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

3

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 39: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

Le RecircvePainter Francis BaconYear 1932Price $155 million Buyer Steven A CohenYear sold 2013

2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 40: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

52 | Seasoned Magazine

The card playersPainter Pablo PicassoYear 189293Price $259 million Buyer Qatar Eoyal FamilyYear sold 2011

Turn

you

r scr

een

sidew

ays f

or th

e co

rrec

t vie

w o

f the

pai

ntin

g

1

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 41: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

BLACK STARSFailureRealizationRebuilding

Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Neymar Mesut Ozil the household names James Rodriguez Joel Campbell Toni Kroos the youngsters who came into their own These

stars converged in Brazil the worldrsquos spiritual football home to compete in a World Cup never seen before Africa sent her representatives as well chief amongst them our own Ghana Black Stars the surprise package at the last mundial in South Africa The team who were stopped from making history by the cheating biting racial abusing Luis Suarez Ghana was in a group alongside European powerhouses Germany and Portugal and a USA team coached by the fearless Juumlrgen Klinsmann Despite this fact there was a palpable sense of belief amongst us all We believed in the scoring abilities of Africarsquos highest World Cup scorer in history Asamoah ldquoBaby Jetrdquo Gyan the assuredness of Dede Ayew the passing mastery of Kwadwo Asamoah and the levelheadedness of the pair of John Boye and Jonathan Mensah Alas in the first minute of the first match against the vindictive Americans it all fell apart the problems which have plagued our national team since we last lifted an international trophy magnified for all to see Before the World Cup had even began there were problems between the national teams of Nigeria and Cameroun and their associations money-related as usual There

was a refusal to travel to Brazil in some circles But hold on this article would rather veer away from the hubbub surrounding the financial triangle involving the Sports Ministry the GFA and the national team which definitely played a part in our exit though It is rather about accepting our flaws realizing where we erred and how we can return Ghana to the apogee of African football There is none better to draw lessons from than the winners of the just ended mundial GermanyGhanarsquos illustrious opponents in the World Cup Germany whom we almost beat were eliminated from the group stages of the Euro UEFA Championships in 2004 This result was seen back home as a complete failure and saw to the total overhaul of the German football structure There came Juumlrgen Klinsmann and Joachim Low The association that runs German football saw it as a blemish to the footballing standards upheld by the football crazy nation and immediately took steps to ensure it never happened again For the decade Germany took to finally find itself atop World football this has been their record Semi-final in the 2006 World Cup Final in the 2008 Euros Semi-final in the 2010 World Cup Semi-final in the 2012 Euros and on the grandest stage in Brazil 2014 they became Champions This record has taken place during a period where they are rebuilding the national team

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

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E RECIPE A

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OM

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E RECIPE A

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Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 42: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

54 | Seasoned Magazine

mind you On the European continent immense attention is given to building from the grassroots level and seeing to it that those to whom time and attention was given to refine their talents give it their all on the international stage for their nations Ghana led by the mercurial Andre Dede Ayew in 2009 to surprise of the whole world beat Brazil to the World Under-20 Championship Amongst the crop of young talents who took the world by storm then only a handful now belong to the fold of the national team a whole half a decade later This shows a clear problem for the hopes of our future in the game if we canrsquot see to the progression of talents to the big time Meanwhile Germany in 2009 won the European Under-21 Championships with a team consisting of Manuel Neuer Benedikt Howedes Jerome Boateng Sami Khedira Mesut Ozil and Mats Hummels six starters in the 2014 Final of the World cup The contrast in tales with the Ghana team where only Andre Dede Ayew from the world beaters in 2009 can stake a claim for a starting spot is immense There ought to be clearly defined path from the youth levels to the national team A proper structure would be great to keep the talented ones in the sights of the national team at all times whilst ensuring they mature with the style of play decided upon for the teamThe former coach of the Black Stars team James Kwesi Appiah was handed a new contract before the team left for Brazil to take on the world This is not a slight to the work he has done but again let us look to the Germans for comparison ldquoWe lost 4-1 to Italy in a game three months before Germany 2006 and everybody wanted my blood Three weeks later against the USA we won 4-1 that victory saved my jobrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann made this statement in March 2006 ldquoThe German federation had been ready to make a change They wanted a conservative approach again not the revolutionrdquo Juumlrgen Klinsmann one of the worldrsquos most talented coaches even had his job hanging by a thread after a FRIENDLY MATCH loss Not a World Cup match but a friendly against Italy After this cataclysmic showing by the national team definitely a thought at least should be given to changing the whole or at least a part of the technical setup of the team This team played without a particular style there were numerous claims of nepotism in camp (some of which I believe such as against Kwarasey) and it was blatant the coach lost control of the team at a point in time I believe change must occur be it a foreign coach or not someone who is firm a disciplinarian and has a compendious plan to take the nation forward Some might argue against bringing in a foreign coach but

letrsquos be honest there really is nothing wrong with one if he can deliver Colombia and Costa Rica and even the USA this yearrsquos surprise packages are not headed by their countrymen but they were dedicated to the cause and have both made themselves proud with the standard of performances they put up Also it isnrsquot like the Ghana is bursting at the seams with coaches of the highest calibre Germany has 34970 UEFA licensed coaches I shudder to think of how many CAF licensed coaches our nation boasts of Germany began addressing the problems in their game by grappling with a case of lack of identity style and grassroots development They are now serial achievers and rightly so They are dynamic and attack-minded but with a balance Hans-Dieter Flick Germanyrsquos assistant coach is a strict advocate for the practice of set pieces unlike his boss Joachim Low Since 2006 theyrsquove placed bets on if their team can score from a corner kick The loser buys a quality bottle of red wine for the other After the Confederations Cup chief scout Urs Siegenthaler made a report The Germans couldnrsquot play their high tempo style all tournament long due to the incredible heat in Brazil As a result they needed to take advantage of set pieces especially corner kicks Thus they started extra sessions mainly for set pieces Now Germany one of the worst set piece takers scored from set pieces against Ghana USA France and Brazil Not bad at all This type of innovation astuteness and overall a high level of football IQ is lacking in the Ghana fold We conceded terribly from set pieces couldnrsquot create a balance between attack and defence and simply put lacked innovation Itrsquos clear that such an extensive scouting mission as undertaken by the Germans would cost a lot of money but honestly money spent on the so called Ambassadors John Dumelo et al could have been better appropriated The FA must decide on the philosophy needed to ensure triumph Should we play a possession-based game Should we adopt a counter attacking mind-set A decision should be made and that philosophy should run from the lowest level of the national youth team through to the senior teamThis is Ghana Our beloved country We know the mindset all too well of ldquoall talk and little or no actionrdquo It has to come to a stop now Progress has been made since 1982 when we last triumphed in the African Cup of Nations but we still need a clearer blueprint a plan which the Football Association makes public to the whole nation so we know where we are headed in the beautiful game It could have been Asamoah Gyan and co the world would have been watching on that fateful Sunday It seems impossible but never say never in Jogo Bonito

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

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OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

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OM

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KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 43: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

Scratch scratch and scratch till itrsquos sore Dandruff is common It is a scalp disorder that affects most people and often causes itching It has been

well established that keratinocytes play a role in the expression and generation of immunological reactions during dandruff formation There is actually no true cure but some specialized Shampoos help Dandruff has several causes mostly mild and severe Such includes dry skin psoriasis seborrhoeic dermatitis shampooing too often eczema being sensitive to hair care products etc Dry skin is the most common cause of flaking dandruff Mythically dandruff has been linked to the rapid growth of hairtherefore the more the dandruff you get in your hair the faster your hair grows and the longer it becomes but it has not been scientifically proven

How is dandruff is formedItrsquos caused by yeast like fungus called Malassezia globosa and it goes pretty wild on your scalp This microscopic fungus is a normal inhabitant on your head it feeds on fattyoils secreted by hair follicles in the scalp Itrsquos said that itrsquos when their action goes out of control that you experience the uncomfortable irritable sensation you go through that makes you want to tear your head off

How do I deal with itbull Ciclopirox is widely used as an anti-fungal dandruff agent in most preparationsbull Some shampoos use a combination of ingredients to deal with dandruff For example anti-fungal containing Ketoconazole ZincPyrithione and Selenium Sulphidebull Coal Tar causes the skin to shed dead cells from the topmost layer and slows down skin cell growth But if itrsquos the coal tar Irsquom thinkingurrI will just stick to my shampoobull In Indian Japanese and Chinese traditional medicine egg oils are used as a treatment for dandruff but there isnrsquot any clinical evidence to itI know dandruff gets tiring scratching the life out of your hair but please go easy on it because no amount of scratching actually solves it it only makes your scalp red-hot and sore

Dandruff my worst lsquohairmarersquo

Vanessa Marbell

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 44: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

56 | Seasoned Magazine

Funfetti CupcakesDonrsquot we all love that mm When the icing just melts in your mouth Irsquom talking about that heavenly feeling that lasts until the last bite Who doesnrsquot love bright colors and sprinkles Itrsquos so festive and fun and totally appropriate for any birthday party Funfetti cupcakes are to-tally easy to make right at home All you need is basic vanilla

INGREDIENTSFor the Cupcakes1frac34 cups cake flour1frac14 cups all-purpose flour1frac34 cups granulated sugar2frac12 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup unsalted butter at room tem-perature cut into frac12-inch cubes4 eggs1 cup whole milk2 teaspoons vanilla extractfrac12 cup rainbow sprinkles

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frost-ing

2 cups unsalted butter at room tem-perature5 cups powdered sugar2 tablespoons vanilla extractRainbow sprinkles for decorating

Recipe

DIRECTIONS1 Make the Cupcakes Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F Line a cupcake pan with pa-per liners set aside

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer add the flours sugar baking powder and salt and mix together on low speed for 1 minute With the mixer on

low add the butter a few cubes at a time continuing until all the butter has been added and the mix-ture resembles coarse sand

3 Keeping the mix-er on low speed add the eggs one at a time scraping down the sides of the bowl between additions Slowly pour in the milk and vanilla and

mix until combined Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes until batter is smooth scraping the sides of bowl as needed Using a rubber spatula gently stir in the sprinkles

4 Fill the liners two-thirds full (about frac14 cup of batter) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the centers are set and

a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting

5 Make the Frosting Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar Once all of the powdered sugar is in-corporated increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla mixing until incorpo-rated Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes scraping the bowl as needed

6 Frost the cupcakes as desired and garnish with additional sprinkles Frosted cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 45: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

BASE CU

PCAK

E RECIPE A

DA

PTED FR

OM

COO

KIESA

ND

CUPSCO

M

Read Issue 1 of Seasoned Magazine here

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom

Page 46: Seasoned Magazine Issue 2

58 | Seasoned Magazine

To submit editorial content to Seasoned Magazine please visit our website or send an email to seasonedghgmailcom