- FILE
The always fabulous Marilyn Bennett hosted August-born friends to a north coast party.Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer
AS MORE and more of the first city's chic citizenry seek to enjoy the bounties of this island, the fabulous, are now making a weekend get-away, or just a day's outing, to the north and or south coasts of the fabulous island, a regular feature.
Mind y'all, the well-to-do, and those to the manner born have always had the greatest appreciation not only for an outing to the north and south shores, but also to the fabulous mountain ranges of the island.
To this end, the hills of St. Andrew, St. Ann and Manchester have always been among the favourite spots for the country homes of the fabulous class.
Now, for the well-to-do and or the chic domiciled in the first city, beset with fluff and/or distress by way of the news and/or vulgar carrying-ons of some of the inhabitants of the city, any outing or opportunity to take their leave of the city, however temporary, is welcome and constantly embraced by those with that discriminating sense of style. Now dears, whilst appearing to be in very short supply here in Kingston, it is always in and very much so.
TAKE TO THE HILLS
And so, the well-to-do and the chic, having grown jaded by the absence of haute-style and/or stylish jaunts in a city overtaken by the culture of the street-side jerk and hamburger culture, yearns for that oasis of civilised fabulousness, where distress is not celebrated but eschewed.
Conversation is an art form that allows for dialogue and not 'tracing'. And above all else, service is celebrated as a noble station, and not as a grudging last employment opportunity.
Now, one of the more beautiful things about the city of Kingston is that it is only a hop, a skip or jump away from most everything. in one hour, one can be way up in the hills at one's country home.
Add a few minutes and one can be on the north coast at one's beach bungalow; or simply lazing with friends anywhere on the island. It is like that - Kingston is all that!
And so, whilst the indolent gripe about distance and settle for the next best, for the truly sophisticated, only the best is good enough.
And so, with more and more properties opening up and/or diversifying their operations to reflect the cosmopolitan taste of their clients, and these properties concentrating their operational bases outside of the loop of Kingston, more and more of the city's cultured set are taking their show, to where the show is on the road.
'OCHIE' LOCATIONS
And so it is, my dears, that whilst restaurants such as Evita's, Toscanini, Café Aubergine, Passage To India, and The Royal Plantation Hotel are all located in the Ocho Rios loop, they all enjoy substantial patronage from Kingston's elite.
The same is true of the Blue Lagoon in Port Antonio; Hedonism III in Salem near Runaway Bay, for its entertainment and culinary packages and the Gap Cafe, up in the Hills of New Castle, overlooking Kingston and St. Andrew. Now, they are successful because of their product and quality control, and the sense of elan they take to the marketplace.
Now, The Royal Plantation Hotel in Ocho Rios has been enjoying some kind of a renaissance in recent times. This started under the guidance of the smashingly beautiful and lovely Jamie Stewart, and is now continuing at full throttle under the guidance of celebrated Hotelier and style arbiter, Peter Fraser, JP.
The Royal Plantation Hotel, located at the easternmost tip of that continuing strip of roadway, which defines Ocho Rios proper, was always a bastion of eleganza and graciousness. A boutique hotel, which caters exclusively to the high-end of the international jet-setting crowd, the place is a gem of a resort.
Hotelier Peter Fraser has the much deserved reputation of being one of the island's foremost hoteliers with that knack for stamping a sense of style and extraordinary service on the properties he serves.
So those in the know are aware pairing of Fraser and his skills, to the historical grandness of the Royal Plantation, would produce one of the more fabulous resorts anywhere in the world.
Now, one of the jewels in the crown of the resort is its monthly champagne brunch, hosted on the last Sunday of each month.
'AUGUST BORN' CELEBRATION
Well, sweet things, with August being dominated by the sign of Leo, the unflappable Marilyn Bennett of J. Wray and Nephew fame, and she being a Leo and all, decided that the only treat befitting her 'August-born' friends and colleagues would be an outing to the Royal Plantation Hotel, for their acclaimed monthly champagne brunch!
Dears, the occasion was last Sunday, and a number of Kingston's finest motored over to Ocho Rios to break bread and make merry.
The outing proved style-perfect! The brunch a lesson in close encounters of the flawless kind as the idea, was nothing short of a stroke of fabulous brilliance and then some.
Dears, the seduction began with valet parking and the meeting and welcoming guests in the foyer/lobby by the manager, who escorted his wards to the hotel's BaySide Terrace, where they were warmly greeted by a pleasant coterie of staff, who offered a choice of mimosas, Kir Imperiale (champagne and Chambord), Mangosas (champagne and freshly squeezed mango) and Bellinis, before inviting guests to either lounge or meander.
It was here that a radiant looking Marilyn, sporting an appropriate white summery ensemble, stood greeting members of her entourage, as she too welcomed her guests.
Sweet things, copious flutes of elixir later, and the party truly assembled, the August-born entourage settled into a day designed for the gods and goddesses of leisure, and for my word, dovecakes, the world never looked better!
We are talking a fabulous buffet of a feast here, and even more faultless society, and it made for one red-hot social enchilada, and pumpkins, of the flawless kind!
Now, not everyone out was August-born, but it was a fine outing all right, and one that not even the mid-afternoon downpour could dampen, and we are talking a three-hour-plus brunch here, enjoyed in the finest spirits!
Among the notables spotted, were Kingston's leading socialites and business and real estate conglomateur Maurice and Valerie Facey; Montego Bay social and business icons Tony and Sheila Hart; John and Jill Andrews; Maurice and Tiny Stoppi; Professor Roy McLeod, in from New York; his nephew Leighton McKnight; Claude Fletcher; Tony and Yvonne Rae; Harry Smith and wife Annemarie; Norma Eaton; Mr. and Mrs. Keith Henry; Una Lambert and her daughter Nicole Lambert; Roy Gascoigne and companion Joy Charlton, his siblings Gayle and Karen Gascoigne, out as well; Rion and Vivienne Hall; the fabulous Kim Edwards; Patrick McDonald; Althea Wolfe; Colin Hylton; Annette Francis and her daughter Angara Sinclair; Major Hugh Blake; social/culinary scribe Novia McDonald-Whyte and her fashionista daughter, Gracia Whyte; Michael Parker and companion Michelle Jones; Peter DePass; siblings Michael Williams and belle Nicola Cunningham and several scores more.
