By Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer
Mayor of Kingston, Desmond McKenzie, receives congratulations from Yvonne Grey at a cocktail party at the Terra Nova Hotel last Thursday night. - File
LUVS, IT is the only talk about town, security conglomateur and international bon vivant, Kenny Benjamin, turned 50 yesterday, but the celebrations will be on Saturday at his posh residence tucked away up there in one of the more exclusive neighbourhoods to be found in the generally ritzy Stony Hill locale.
Now please, if you have not received an invite, it simply means you are not expected, so enough already, as the last of the invites went out over the weekend and indeed, if you did not make the cut, then come Saturday night, turn your lights down, even if you are at home, so you can tell those who ask why you were not in attendance, that you were away for the weekend as this one promises to be an "A-crowd' humdinger and then some!
And chiles, you have simply got to see the invite, as it is the only keepsake; and we are talking art, here! Now, if you can, add to this, the simply dee-vine line 'No Gifts please' and you know we are cooking with elan here, and nothing but! Doves, you have all heard the line: 'It's' the thought that counts'. Well in this case, Dovecakes, it is like that and then some, as indeed the invite is nothing short of precious, with publicists and agents working overtime to make sure their clients make the cut! And Pumpkins, aam-a-telling-yah, it is like that, and then some!
But pssst, more anon!.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Speaking of birthdays, NCB's Aubyn Hill celebrated his last Thursday.
And Peter Fraser flies in for his on Wednesday, the party to follow on Saturday as well.
HIS WORSHIP
Last week, however, it was all about His Worship the Mayor, Councillor Desmond McKenzie, and his installation and reception at the now, oh so buzzing Terra Nova Hotel!
Now, if you ask moi, and I noticed y'all did not, Kingston and the State in general has been suffering from a lack of sophistication and or a sense of style for umpteenth years now! Remembering: it's not what you do, but how you do it!
A for example - jerk pork and or poultry can be two very delicious dishes. If however, served on Styrofoam at an official occasion, then we are talking Bhutto business here! And frankly, My Dears, there's been far too much of that around over the last decade or so! And after all, we are out of many one, so why must we continually tilt the scale towards the lowest common denominator?
Anyways, there is a new breeze a-blowing and with it enter, Councillor Desmond McKenzie, the new Mayor of Kingston, and with his arrival, we dare hope for a new dispensation, that will include: a cleaner city; more style and substance to the office of Mayor; and a celebration of style, elegance and panache! But if nothing else, please give us a clean and organised metropolis!
Please! And pretty Pleeaase! Doubly so!
Over to you Mr. Mayor!
ANDREW SEAGA'S WEDDING
And as Andrew Seaga and Amanda Cross tie the marital knot this Saturday, the word is that another one of snob-society's more eligible bachelors, Sebastian Cartade, will be tying the knot with his belle, a Texan beauty early next month in what promises to be one simply dish of a wedding over there in Texas. More to come as indeed this promises to be a big one!
TEXACO'S HEAD
And it is now official, as the former head of Texaco Jamaica, Dave Slaughter and his fabulous wife Marilyn Slaughter are now official residents of Nassau, Bahamas, as the couple who had made Jamaica their home over the last four years have now relocated to that fabulous multi-island state following upon Dave Slaughter's transfer to that Caribbean state earlier this year.
Well, to say goodbye to the Slaughters, last Saturday evening, the Head of JPSCo., Charles Matthews and his fabulously charming wife Brunetta Matthews hosted a rather intimate little Do on their behalf at their breath-takingly fabulous Stony Hill residence, that saw a number of friends in attendance to share felicitations as well as to bid the Slaughters a fond farewell as indeed, the Slaughters were quite a charming couple who during their stint here endeared themselves to all those with whom they came in contact and proved fabulous hosts as well.
Sadly for their many Jamaican friends, they will no longer be here in Kingston, and Beverly Hills society will be the poorer for it. But as one guest offered: 'Nassau is only but a hop, jump and skip away'.
EMMY-WINNING
Then the Emmy-winning Craig Lyn, (the famed son of Capt. Mike and Thalia Lyn) made famous for his technological exploits in the arena of computer generated special visual effects for the silver screen and television is all set to score another humdinger next box office season as he is currently in production working on an action adventure named ThunderBirds, starring famed Gandhi actor, Sir Ben Kingsley.
The young Lyn, who now resides in the UK, where he works with the Soho-based production house, Frame Store, specialising in digital effects, is definitely in the hot seat when it comes to being in demand for his creative genius as following upon his team winning out over Steven Spielberg, Band of Brothers with Dinotopia, worked in California for Industrial Light and Magic where his credits included Amistad, the first of the Stars Wars Trilogy and Pearl Harbour, before moving to the UK where his credits now include the second Harry Potter series.
An accomplished digital expert, Lyn, who is due in Kingston, in late summer is also the author of the best-selling The MacIntosh 3-D Handbook, that is now in its third reprint and available in three languages.
Now wait for ThunderBirds, as the buzz is this could be a toaster!
And then looking her trademark sense of elegance like only she does, the oh, so grand, former parliamentarian Dr. Mavis Gilmour Petersen was spotted in Kingston, last week.
GRACE JONES FOR ORACABESSA
And the word is that another famous daughter of the rock, the internationally acclaimed star of the silver screen and stage diva, the gender bending Grace Jones will be at the famous Oracabessa property for the summer. More anon!
And there is a gem of another scandal brewing that will not only take the cake it will shatter lives and egos all around! Will keep you posted! Until such time then, party on, my dears!
