By Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
DAAHLINGS, THERE'S nothing like the festive season to spur the creative imagination when it comes to celebrating! If the celebrants are from the very pillars of high-society however, then there's more to partying than merely celebrating as then the affair becomes an event.
In a nutshell, my dears, snob-society is, as snob-society does!
Anyway me Daahlings, last weekend snob-society socialite Anthony Watson, he being the heir to the Watson's Off-Track Betting fortune and real estate holdings, celebrated another birthday. To mark the occasion, he and his charmingly elegant wife, Jeanne Watson, both formerly of Ocho Rios and, more recently, Bermuda, decided on throwing a Christmas party, to share their good cheers with family and dear friends. The oh so delightful event was held at their fabulous St Andrew condo, located in the very swanky and gated and exclusive community of Norbury Villas, in the foothills of upper St. Andrew!
Daahlings, the affair proved the high-society snob event of the season with only card-carrying members of the social elite, and then some, in attendance! And My Dears, it was one fabulously-hot-number, as pumpkins, we are talking above and beyond the call to elegance here. Oh, my word, what an evening! Dears, it was an ode to the god Bacchus, and all he and his disciples hold dear!
Dovecakes, we are talking style, my dears, and nothing but! And in the grand vein of those who dare! Luvs, to begin with, there was no escaping the absolute charm and luxury that was the atmosphere that greeted guests entering the simply marvellous community of Norbury Villas. And with each of the villas draped in almost identical festive dressing, heralding the Christmas season, there was an almost fantasy effect occasioned by traversing a path clothed in trailing white lights and fabulous garden spaces, beautifully decorated to reflect the spirit of the season.
At the end of the drive, guests entered the Watsons' domicile through a splay, lavishly draped in a lush orchid garden, in resplendent bloom, the spray of fabulous colours, totally awe inspiring! The line of uniformed staffers presenting each arriving guests with a glass of claret, spiked with an aerated beverage and then garnished with orange slices and mini brollies added, added just the right welcoming touch of élan.
FESTIVE SPIRIT
Claret in hand, guests were then ushered through a garden/villa and unto a fabulously done-up patio, seemingly suspended in mid-air with a near 60-or-so-foot drop. With the patio decked with holly, ivy and poinsettias, there was no escaping the air and festive spirit that was the atmosphere that greeted arriving guests! And with the dress-code being glitz, my dears the night blazed with everything from rhinestones to zirconias and 'Girls best friends'. The ladies not only dressed to thrill in lamé, organza, crepe de chine, silk and velvet, they simply took it to that other level and made it a glitz and glam affair.
For the musical fare however, the theme was ABBA the 70s Euro group that rocked the world with its disco tunes and colourful stage get-up. And with a home-theatre system set towards one end of the deck, a giant TV and DVD player providing the music, the party took on an air of an almost-live performance and guests simply partied to the music and then some, evolving into one fabulous Karaoke sing-along.
And then there was the fare! My Dears, a feast if ever as guests noshed up on roast suckling pig, barbecued jumbo shrimp, skewered-steak, codfish and potato balls topped with ripened banana, stuffed champignons, marlin rolls with mango turkey with sorrel chutney and the belle of the fare ackee curried! Dearhearts, the curried ackee was one fabulous first and my word, it was dee-vine! In fact, the entire fare was flawlessly dee-vine, but little wonder here as the lovely Anna-Kay Ziadie Lazarus, she being private chef to high-society, did the honours, and children, she was on flawless form!
DIPLOMATIC COMMUNITY
My Daahlings, the diplomatic community was represented by such notables as: French Ambassador Pierre Antoine Berniard and his fabulously fashionably wife Luisa; Russian Ambassador Edward Malayan and his charming wife Marion Malayan; German Ambassador Dr. Christian Hausmann and his charmingly elegant wife Mrs. Harriett Huber; Spanish Ambassador Rafael Jover and his very elegant wife Maria Delores; Indian High Commissioner Inder Choper and his wife, the graceful Nanita. Venezuelan Ambassador Rocio Maneiro Gonzales; Chilean Ambassador Fernando Pardo and his fabulous wife Alix.
And then there was absolute snob-society; the plantocrats, the wealthy, the intelligentsia; the chic and all their scions. Dovecakes, it was like unto a roll call of Snaan Andrew's trés grande, and then some! Among those spotted included: Lady John Golding; Richard and Ursula Ashenhiem; land baron Alexander Hamilton; conglomateur Desmond and Peggy Blades; hotel magnate Gordon 'Butch' Stewart; plantocrats Mark McConnell and his lovely wife Diana; David and Fay McConnell; hotelier and celebrated architect Earl Levy and his fabulous wife, Junor heiress Beverly Levy; Dr. John Masterton; Charles Hanna; Dr. and Mrs. Marshall Hall; Dowager Empress and fashion bellissima Lorna Myers, she being the head of the Kentucky Fried Chicken dynasty here; Mrs. PJ Stewart; Ocho Rios social and real estate heavy weights Onesto and Josie Maffisanti; Dr. Dhiru Tanna; Hoppi and Pat Dunn; real estate developer Robert Cartade and his fabulous wife Carole Issa-Cartade; Paul Issa and his oh sooo charmingly lovely wife Oriente Issa; Trevor and Margaret de Leon; the always elegant Mrs. Jennifer Lim; Tony and Patsy Kelly; Richard and Sheila Todd; Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Maitland-Walker; John and Betty-Jo Desnoes; the charming Mrs. Erica Downer; Hugh and Margaret Croskery; Phillip and Christine Gore; Ocho Rios cultural and artistic arbiters Peter and Annabella Proudlock, of Harmony Hall Caribbean Galleries; Mrs. John Owen Hudson; Robert and Carol Henriques; noted Lawyer, George Fatta; Gladys Jackson; Norman Wright and wife Jean ; Daphne Hewitt; Herman McDonald and his bride of a few weeks, the lovely Beth Hyde Parnell McDonald; Mrs. Fabian Lopez; Valerie Levy; Mr. and Mrs. Peter Matthies; the lovely Amber Vicens; the lovely Louise Finnegan; and co-host James Watson, plus a number of others.
Doves, it is the season to be jolly, and jolly it was, and faultlessly so!
