Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
Gerd Jarchow and wife Mara.
SOOOO MANY parties, Soooo little time! And yes, the fabulous keep on jetting in!
Luvs, Dave and Marilyn Slaughter, he being the former head of Texaco Jamaican-Caribbean operations, are on a week-long visit to the island, to catch up with golfing pals, friends and colleagues, and naturally a few parties and cocktails, before returning to the United States, this Sunday.
Also visiting last week was Blake Magnus, who popped in the island for a bit of bonding with dad, Oliver Magnus.
More Virgo birthdays to come as: Peter Proudlock of Harmony Hall fame will celebrate his birthday come this here Sunday; Jessica Marzouca will turn 18 on the 12th; Fashionista Gracia Whyte, will celebrate on the 16th; famed restaurateur Mario Machado of the fabulous Mac's Chop House, in New Kingston, and his gorgeous wife Fiona Machado will both celebrate on the 22nd, as will media doyenne R. Christene King.
BREAKING OUT THE BUBBLY
Now, businessman Chris Nakash actually celebrates tomorrow the 3rd, with the toasts to being in Hamilton, Bermuda, as the family is off, for a little rest and relaxation Today, however, they will be breaking out the bubbly at the Guardsman Group Old Hope Road Group headquarters, as the svelte Sonja Sutherland will pause to share her special day with friends and colleagues, with the oomph and panache known only to the style-perfect. And Michelle Facey will also be celebrating today, at her Florida home.
Champagne wishes all around!
Tony Constantine's birthday celebrations last Sunday, at the fab Velisa's, over there on Devon Road, was all that and then some, so much so that people are still talking. And the buzz here is that it was made that much more fab, as the affair had a critically hand-picked shortlist of friends in attendance - a friend for each year of this talented architect's life, a touch which added just the right sense of élan, and thus making it perfect.
On Friday last, however, the Virgo party of note was the surprise do, for the fabulous Roseanne Delfosse-Neuman-Thomas, as family members and friends turned out in celebratory numbers for the little party her hubby Everton Thomas threw to celebrate her life.
Doves, the dish here is that it was one fabulously intimate little do with lots of goodwill and good cheer, and a love fest even, as guests simply turned on the charm and toasted the birthday girl like none other, making it a memorable occasion, and then some.
MID-MORNING SHINDIG
And people are still talking about last Saturday's mid-morning shindig hosted by head of EU delegation HE Ambassador Gerd Jarchow and wife Mara Mandara-Jarchow, at their official residence.
Me daahlings, naturally high-society was out for this one, as were a number of short-listed members of the diplomatic community, but dears, the buzz is all about the fare that Ambassador Jarchow served up for their guests as he donned his apron and commandeered the kitchen and served up a traditional German fare and then some, for their guests.
Sweet-things, the buzz is - it was all that!
And speaking of charming diplomats - dears, Canadian High Commissioner HE Claudio Valle and his oh-so-charmingly fabulous wife, Louise Valle, have both returned from their European holidays, and dears, the lovely Madam Valle is positively glowing and then some and simply raving about the homeland of her hubby, especially Venice.
Dears, it's like that!
And then, socialites Roy and Sylvia Collister celebrated their 43rd wedding anniversary on Wednesday, by jetting off to Dublin, Ireland.
There was no escaping the blessings from friends, however, as the telephone calls poured into that famed city from Kingston and all over the world as friends reached across the oceans with their love and good wishes.
Then the word from the publishing world is that there are at least two books being penned about the political life and times of former Prime Minister and long-serving leader of the Opposition and JLP, The Most Honourable Edward Seaga.
Luvs, no date yet as to when exactly these tomes are expected to hit the shelves of a bookstore near y'all, but this here scribe will be first in line to pick up a copy, as the intrigue and back-stabbing attending the now Distinguished Fellow's departure from political office will make for fabulous reading!
JUST IN TIME
Then, on a dramatically sadder note, dears, attorney-at-law Arthur Kitchin just made it out of New Orleans, in time before disaster struck. And dears how! Luvs, the buzz is the noted attorney was in the Big Easy to settle his offspring in college and with that accomplished the former columnist returned to Kingston, on Friday, just ahead of the disaster that visited itself upon that famed city.
Well me-daahlings, the heart bleeds when one views the absolute devastation and sense of hopelessness that Hurricane Katrina visited on the folks in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, in particular, but all the affected folks in general, but more so for the people of New Orleans. Dears, what a disaster! Luvs, not only does the heart bleed, but the tears flow at the unending human drama and dislocation that abound and continues to unfold with each passing minute!
Now, we are our brothers' keepers and it behoves us to help in whatever way we possibly can, so let us set up a hurricane victim relief fund, for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, so we can give material assistance to the dislocated; and as soon as the US embassy here deems it fit to open a condolence register, in memory of those who the hurricane caused to make an early transition, let us queue to sign with the same alacrity with which those who queue for visas do.
But the disaster so does tug at the cockles of the heart.
