Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

Left: The tres elegant Jackie Issa (right) and her equally elegant sister Suzanne Issa, share a toast with long-time family friend Charles Hanna at the first anniversary reception and gala dinner of Couples Sans Souci in Ocho Rios, last Friday. - photo by Chester Francis-Jackson   Right: Cabaret singer, Karen Smith. - Claudine Housen/Staff Photographer

And so, the 2007 partying has begun, and dovecakes, not a minute too soon, with the good thing being - it's all focused on the north coast, and then some!

Daahlings, don't know if y'all missed it, but last weekend, Ocho Rios saw the opening of the new RIU Hotel; the opening of the Hard Rock Café; the first anniversary celebration of the elegant Sans Souci after its first year as the re-branded Couples Sans Souci; and the 29th anniversary of the Couples flagship resort - Couples Ocho Rios; sweet-things, y'all know that 'Ochi' was jumping!

Throw in a hot Latin night at the ever popular Evita's Italian Restaurant; and a visit to a buzzing Margaritaville Ocho Rios, and you know we are talking steaming here!

Well, doves, it was like that, and then some!

Luvs, suffice it to say, like Montego Bay is the place to be for revellers this weekend - with the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival and all. The place was crawling with St. Andrew celebrity! And Ocho Rios is still the flavour of the season, as come this Sunday, it will all be about the fabulous Coco Browns restaurant and their much touted and celebrated monthly Sunday brunch, in the Island Village, right there in the middle of everything, so you know we are talking another fab outing.

Champagne brunches

Peter Fraser is also promising a fab experience to see in the new year with the first of his monthly champagne brunches at the fabulous Royal Plantation Resort and Spa, and you know that this, too, is a social hot-number!

It was champagne toast and crustacean treats on Tuesday night for the fabulous Betty Delfosse-Ingleton, as this oh-so-charming Arian celebrated her birthday in the most intimate and fabulous of styles! And with four dozen or so fabulous long-stemmed red roses arriving via courier, from 'a very special friend', the blushing birthday girl was positively chuffed and then some!

But wait for it, as the public celebrations are to follow!

Meanwhile, in California, John and Cherise Windle threw their daughter Victoria Windle her first birthday party on Wednesday, and this had guests jetting in from across the Continental USA to break cake and make merry with the pride and joy of the beaming parents.

And with many an uncle and aunt not able to make it, there was a telephone satellite link-up provided so those absent in body would be present in spirit, and calls came from London, New York, and Kingston, to pass on their good wishes, and it made for one helluva do.

But back to the north coast, if y'all missed the first anniversary cocktail reception and gala dinner hosted by Couples Sans Souci last Friday evening, then doves, y'all missed one fine do, as this was a showpiece of culinaria of the finest order, and a celebration of the new and expansionist mode that is de rigueur of Couples Resorts.

Those of you in the know will remember that awesomely fabulous resort known as the Sans Souci Hotel, as in recent years, was once managed and operated by the SuperClubs family under its five-star Grand Lido brand.

Well, the subsequent sale of the property to its current owners, Couples Resorts, saw an expansion of the chain of resorts known and celebrated internationally as Couples, and in the process, taking the brand to four resorts, joining Couples Ocho Rios, Couples Negril, and Couples Swept Away.

Well, it's been a year since Couples Sans Souci joined the change, and since its rebranding, Couples Sans Souci has been quietly repositioned from its high-end appeal to attract the e-generation, as well as the traditional honeymooning couple and/or those celebrating that very special anniversary. To this end, while retaining its elegant stature, Couples Sans Souci is essentially different in cast and character.

It was with these changes and new market position in mind that after its first year of operations, which has seen the resort experiencing near capacity booking for the period, a number of specially invited guests were asked to join in-house guests, members of the Issa (Couples) family, and senior executives of Couples Resorts, for a cocktail reception and gala dinner to commemorate the first anniversary.

Culinary showpiece

Talk about putting on the Ritz! Well, pumpkins, Food and Beverage Manger Donald Henry and his staff put on a culinary showpiece that was as delectable as it was aesthetically a resounding masterpiece! Honeys, we are talking one fabulous spread here, and of Romanesque proportions, but not losing the flavour and intimacy that often attends large spreads, and it made for a memorable fare!

What a feast!

Oh my word, what a feast! Think duck! Rosemary roasted lamb! Roasted prime rib! Pan-seared Cornish hens! Grilled swordfish in pesto cream sauce! Ham! Turkey! Cucumber stuffed with lobster, and more!

The dessert station was enough to make even the most sainted of men or women throw caution to the wind and indulge esoteric senses!

And if all that fabulous goodies did not do it, then sweet-things, the libations would, as upon arriving guests were ushered by the Resort's 'social directors' on to the reception area - the resort's seafront lawns, its gigantic pool deck, done up to reflect the theme: 'An Aquatic Enchantment Under the Sea' complete with mermaid and merman, saw premium libations flowing like there would be no tomorrow, and baby-dolls, how!

Entertainment fest

And so it was, that with an entertainment fest that began with Harpist Peter Oban entertaining mellifluously well; and segued into cabaret performer Dennis Malcolm at dinner; the fabulously talented songbird Karen Smith positively enthralling with her artistry and repertoire, that not only entertained but had guests out of their dinner seats and dancing to her groove as she and Dennis Malcolm teamed to rock the house and took guests down and through memory lane, made that much more excitingly tangible, because of her emotive skills and his musical bravado, made for a richly entertaining affair, that only got better and better as with the formalities and celebrations out of the way, guests then gathered at the resort's beach bar and Bella Vista Terrace and jammed at the 'after-party' session that was a peach of a way to crown a fabulous first anniversary celebration, and then some!

Among those out included sisters and glamour mavens and heiresses Suzanne and Jackie Issa; their younger sibling Paul Issa and his fabulous wife Oriente Issa; long-time Issa family friend Charles Hanna; Custos of St. Ann The Hon. Radcliffe Walters and charming wife Norma; Mayor Bobby Montaque; the resort's GM and host Pierre Battaglia and wife Sharon; the famed musicologist Irving Fields and his wife Ruth; Dr. Kumar Rampa; Franklyn McKnight; CEO Couples Resorts Glen Lawrence; VP Operations Gary Stevens; VP sales and marketing Randy Russell; Group PR manager, the lovely Alexandra (Alex to her friends) Ghisays; Mr. and Mrs. Bevon Francis of the House of Issa; Leonard Henry (general manager, Couples Ocho Rios); the fabulous Juliet Smith (group purchasing manager, Couples Resorts; Demetrius Casvogiannis (operations manager, Couples Negril); and Couples Sans Souci PR and entertainment manager Bevon Bennett; plus several scores others!

Left: Pierre Battaglia.   Right: Peter Fraser, general manager, Royal Plantation Hotel. - Contributed