By Chester Francis-Jackson, ContributorLUVS, THIS National Heroes weekend is indeed socially one of the hottest weekends on the Jamaican calendar. And we are talking red-hot and flaming here! It is the pre-Christmas season's busiest time on the party roster!
Dovecakes, the 'A' crowd has already set up in their country homes over there on 'Millionaires Row', in Discovery Bay. And with the scions in town, all bets are off, but the word is Discovery Bay and its environs will be in the throes of smasheroni, and then some, as everything is in place for the mother-of-all get-togethers!
The Frenchmen are all set to take Ocho Rios Reggae Beach by storm with their 'Foreplay' mega-party on Sunday. Word from the fabulous resort town of Ocho Rios is indeed that there are very few rooms left at any of the 'inns', to accommodate the throngs of partying city dwellers expected to flock to the coast this weekend!
And that's the picture, pretty much stretching from Portland in the east, through to the west, with the resort enclaves of San-San and Silver Sands being the destination of choice for the jaded and where the uberclass flee to evade the polloi. In Negril where rooms are a premium at this time of the year, word from Hedonism III is that there are definitely no rooms at that there fabulous resort of fun, frolic and in-your-face-adult entertainment. Party society is indeed in a tizzy and then some!
With FAME FM set to be rocking that oh-so-decadently-fab resort mecca of Negril, on Saturday, the word out of Hedonism III, is that it's all systems go for a weekend of riotous partying and then some!
And so it is that as the fabulous get set to ease into a long-lazy-weekend of fabulous relaxation and premium entertainment, mere mortals are busy, scurrying desperately, trying to find somewhere to oh, so belong!
FASHION HOPPING
And daahlings, speaking of things hot and fabulous! Sweethearts, Pulse king, Kingsley Cooper and his newly-appointed general manager, glamour-puss and one-time runway and print diva, Romae Gordon have just returned to Kingston.
They were on working visits to the fashion capitals of the world that saw them both visiting New York, London, Paris and Milan, for those cities 'Fashion Weeks' and meeting with such hottentots as Paul Rowland, Eric Dubois and Dejan Markovic fashions' leading king-makers in New York, Paris and Milan, in that order. New deals were entered into with regards to the marketing of Pulse models as well as the now annual 'Caribbean Fashion Week' and Caribbean fashion designers. This should herald a new break through for all things Jamaican in the wider world of fashion!
And pumpkins, already, the place is buzzing as the news from the European season is that the fabulously hot Jaunel McKenzie is the current toast of the hot designers there. She has done a record 35 shows, showcasing the designs of such icons as Dolce and Gabbana, Ungaro, Stella McCartney, Kenneth Cole and the everlastingly hot Gucci!
But perhaps the coup of the season is the fact that the Bible of modeling Models.Com, has listed the simply fabulous Miss McKenzie in its lead 'story of the minute'. The online magazine dubbed Jaunel McKenzie as 'Jamaica's Finest'!
Pumpkins, not to be outdone, fashions' reigning sweetheart, was also strutting her fabulous stuff across Europe over the season, as 'Miss Thang', herself, Nadine Willis, was blazing trails across European runways and strutting right into fashion history as she is now ranked as the 26th hottest model, in the world!
And Dovecakes, it does not stop there, as the buzz is that a number of Hollywood talent-spotters are showing more than a keen interest in the shooting star! Wait for this one as the news continues to be made!
The now-breaking news is, however, that the absolutely fabulous Janelle Robinson is all set to be the new Jamaican diva, strutting the catwalk and doing the pages of every fashion mag across Europe! Doves, wait on this one as there is more, definitely anon!
100 YEARS YOUNG
There once was a time, in the minds of the inexperienced that the ages of 40, 50 etc., were thought of as being old, as in ancient! With time how, those so blessed by the gods, with the distinction of living beyond youthful flights of fancy, have not only come to appreciate the beauty of life, but more so the joys of abundant life!
Indeed, longevity is now generally regarded by all as a blessing in this the age of live fast and die young, those so blessed are envied for the endowment of long life, and not scoffed as fuddy-duddies any more!
And so, whom the gods bless, let us toast!
Luvs, last Friday, October 3, was a special day in the life of the very charming Lena Marion Partridge, (Sadie, to family and friends). It was the day, the very elegantly regal lady celebrated her 100th birthday, and how!
Born in Fiji in 1903, her father was the late Norman Hodgson MacDonald, (cousin of the late Sir Herbert MacDonald) who left Jamaica in the late 1800s on his way to India, but ended up on a ship bound for the Fijian islands instead. There he met and married a young Fijian named Mary Boehn, who bore him seven children. It was in 1917, however, when she was a 14-year-old, that she accompanied an older sister and her husband, who had planned a visit to their father's homeland, that she first came to Jamaica. It turned out to be a trip of a lifetime, which saw her never returning to Fiji.
Upon arriving in Jamaica, she sought out and found her uncle Ronald MacDonald, and stayed with his family for a while before venturing to Cuba, where she lived for eight years, before venturing on to the US and New York, before returning to Jamaica, at the outbreak of hostilities leading to WWII. Upon her return, she was employed by Jamaica Tourist Board and Pan American World Airways, during which she met her future husband, Britisher Gordon Partridge. Marrying in 1946, the couple enjoyed 40 years of togetherness until his death in 1993.
With her husband gone, the charming lady, known among friends for her kind words and good-naturedness, was comforted and nurtured by the many friends and relatives of many a years. It was these friends and relatives who gathered at her St. Andrew home last Friday, on the occasion of her 100th birthday to celebrate with her! It was one of the most charming of occasions!
There she was, as charming and as radiant as you please, relaxed in her recliner greeting the many guests who jetted in or motored over to her very charming cottage , not just to wish her well, but also to celebrate with her, the gift of the gods. It made for a very beautiful and emotion-packed celebrations as guests simply toasted the centenarian. It was poignant! It was inspiring! And it was beautiful, as indeed, it was charmingly so made that much more appreciative by the wit and zest of the birthday girl!
And so, amidst the toast, the bountiful fare of delightful finger food, and a flowing bar, friends and relatives spent the night into the evening toasting and reminiscing over the beautiful times shared and the blessing that beckoned.
It truly was a most beautiful way to celebrate, made that much more exciting by the fact that despite the invitation requested 'no presents', presents there were a-plenty, with the birthday cards from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II; and His Excellency, Governor-General Sir Howard Cooke wishing birthday felicitations, being among the more memorable.
Among those jetting in for the celebrations were: John and Shirley Kings, and their daughter Janice Kings, from Austin, Texas; Niera Rounds, from Honolulu, Hawaii; Chris and Margarette Laletin, also in from Hawaii; Marie Pusinelli from Oakland, New Zealand; Emily DiFazio, from Orlando, Florida; Betty Traufield, also from Orlando and Captain Ernest Cousins, who left Jamaica for the UK, some 50 years ago, but returned for the special celebrations.
Also present were: Jenny Greeves; Peter and Dawn McCauley; Nancy Jones; Peter and Helen Myers; Dr. and Mrs. Richard Whitelock; George and Pat Simmonds; Al Niazi and Charmaine Johnson Niazi; Donald Lindo; Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Winter; Mr. and Mrs. Tom Harper; and Jimmy Oliphant; plus a number of others.
Indeed, it was a memorable occasion, reverently so!
