Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
Mr. Caribbean 2005 contestants at Hedonism III in Runaway Bay, St. Ann. - CONTRIBUTED
MY DEARS, it's that time of year again. You know, the time when the chic go party crazy and the ultra-fab, and the very well-to-do head off for their preferred weekend homes.
Well me-daahlings, the word from those in the know is that the destination of choice for this heroes weekend, is decidedly Ocho Rios, as with the Frenchmen, staging their annual chic-fest at Reggae Beach on Sunday. Saturday night, the young and restless will party hearty as Cable and Wireless sponsors the Jamaican launch of Caribbean Rising, a star-studded reggae extravaganza, at the fashionable James Bond Beach, in Oracabessa, St. Mary.
Luvs, being staged to launch MTV's Caribbean Channel Tempo, heralding a series of concerts across the region, Saturday night's show promises to be one spectacular event, showcasing the old and the new, something borrowed and something stolen, with a musical line-up that boasts some of the hottest names in the music biz, and dears, we are talking something sensationally fierce here.
Dears, Jimmy Cliff, Toots and The Maytels, Barrington Levy, Luciano, Bushman, Bounti Killa, Wayne Marshall, Elephant Man, Kiprich, are among the leading artistes down to perform and ya'll know we are talking one red-hot outing here. Now, if there's ever any criticism to be levelled, it is the fact that Angie Stone, Wyclef Jean, and Doug E Fresh, will not be making an appearance on the Jamaican stage.
But dears, from James Bond Beach through to Margaritaville, at the new Ocho Rios Plaza, in the town centre, through to Runaway Bay, parties there are a plenty, not to mention some fine dining offers from Evita's, overlooking the Bay of Ocho Rios, to Café Aubergine, just up the ways a bit near Moneague, where those with that discriminating and or discerning palate, can dine on the finest of foie gras, and now, there's a fab fondue dish on the menu.
Sweet-things, now, not only is the fondue here, mmmm good, Café Aubergine serves up some of the finest lamb, ever prepared for the civilised palate, and my word, how! Me daahlings, aam-a-telling-y'all, we are talking lamb that is to die for here, and sweet holy macaroons, how!
FINE FOOD
Dears, stopped in at the fab and decidedly upscale Café Aubergine a few Saturdays ago, and dears, it rained cats and dogs, and there was some awfully mean lightning and thunder, accompanying the downpour, and we are talking thunder and lightning so close, y'all could feel the earth move, as the elements asserted their primacy.
Anyways, with a near storm prevailing on the outside and water gushing every-which-way around, their was no gainsaying the absolutely fabulous fare that all but eclipsed the near monsoon conditions that prevailed outside. And when the rains and thunderstorm finally subsided, all the more reason to continue to feast on the fabulous fare and imbibe on some faultless libations concocted by the bartending staff for their patrons.
ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCE
Pumpkins, it made for one fabulous outing, made that much more so by the fact that a fellow patron provided a most pleasant and impromptu concert, singing like a songbird of the classical kind. Dovecakes, when it was all over, the air was fabulously crisp, the mountain range looked refreshingly green and even the mist and heavy fog that hovered over the Mount Rosser/Mount Diablo roadway, that is normally dismissed as a potential hazard, was welcomed.
Mind you, all of that was over two or so Saturdays ago, for this here upcoming weekend, not only are the owners and management of the very highly stylised (for period effect) café, promising to serve up more of the same fabulous fare, they are promising to make the experience a one-of-a-kind number.
And speaking of hot parties premiering in the Ocho Rios area come this weekend, pumpkins, it was equally hot and sizzling like 10 coalstoves, this weekend here, just ending.
Dovecakes, from Ocho Rios straight into Montego Bay, the North Coast was buzzing like everybody's business, and then some!
My dears, y'all have heard the saying: too many parties, so little time? Well it was like that - a party here, a party there, in fact, there was a party everywhere, and this was only on Saturday night.
Dearhearts, in Runaway Bay, there was no room at the tres chic Hedonism 111 resort, as the Mr. Caribbean International contest was underway, and this saw the Toronto based contest hosting some 12 Caribbean men, drawn from the Diaspora and competing over a two-three day period for the right and title of Mr. Caribbean International, and the various modelling contracts and appearances that go with the title. Not to mention the cash prize and or the five-night return trip to the resort.
Meanwhile, over in Montego Bay, the chic and fabulous gathered at the oh so fab Half Moon Hotel for the fundraising concert being hosted at the resort complex's shopping district, transformed into a major concert venue for the high-riding king of reggae crossover, Mr. Bombastic himself, The sensational Shaggy, who was in house for another of his sold-out performances.
And so it was my luvs, that hotness reigned supreme, from Ocho Rios to Montego Bay, and for those not already settled in, at the faultlessly luxurious Half Moon Resort, getting past Runaway Bay and Hedonism 111 for the Mr. Caribbean International Contest, was going to be a chore and then some, and even if one succeeded, then getting by the allure of the Best of Jamaica Gastronomic Feast, that was on at the fabulous upscale Grand Lido Braco, resort, over there Trelawny, would have required more willpower than could be found in lovers of fine food and fab music. And so, many who left the nation's capital heading for the tourism mecca of Montego Bay, but alas, it proved way too much to negotiate past Hedonism 111 and or The Grand Lido Braco.
Dears, three fabulous events, unfortunately all happening on the same night, and within the same time space, and they all sizzled like everybody's business.
And so, a fine weekend of fun, frolic, and some royal partying are ahead for this here Heroes weekend, and it does not stop there, as some fab people will be celebrating their birthdays over the next week or so, and dears, invites are out for some more partying, as the lovely Monica Robinson will be blowing out the candles on her cake over this here weekend, and come the 20th Texan millionaire Dennis Joslin, will be partying over there at the family ranch; on the following day however it is all about the charmingly fab Michelle Hussey's birthday, here in Kingston, as the invites are already out and fab society is all set to mark this special milestone. And then two days later, (the 23rd) her aunt, style doyenne and premier socialite Jennifer Lim, will mark another year of the fab life; as will Pepsi's David Burton. And so ends the age of the Libran, and begins the age of the Scorpion.
Dears, champagne wishes all around and caviar toasts. And now that they partying has begun, long may the continue!
