Cecile Levee Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer
My dears, the word is, whenever you want to catch up with the chic and happening of Montego Bay, the place to do that is Fairview Plaza, but moreso, at the Fontana Pharmacy, at the Bogue Industrial Complex. And for those who you failed to catch up with at the pharmacy, just strut across to the Super Plus super-store just across the way and here you will find those you missed.
Little wonder really as the Fontana Pharmacy is a fount of all goodies, and then some! The Ann Chen Sayoux, Super Plus super-store, is a virtual one-stop shopping haven for tired and weary souls, grown tired of having to make several stops in order to make a few purchases, especially with the state of traffic. And when it rains, it is a horrendous and time-consuming experience!
Well, daahlings, if there were ever any doubts about the claim that Fontana Pharmacy and or the Super Plus superstore were the place to be on a Saturday, then last weekend's visit to both these establishments erased all doubts as to the veracity of the statement!
Pumpkins, we are talking the fabulous here, out shopping and laa-de-dahing, like everybody's business. My dears, y'all would have to be there to believe it, but the place was buzzing, and little wonder as with the fabulous likes of such happening personalities as the always-fab Vanessa Taylor; Dr. Greg Thomas and his companion, elegantly fab former high-fashionmodel Karen Neita; cabaret star and recording songbird Karen Smith; the head-turningly handsome entrepreneur Howard Owen (brother to Kathy Owen); Yvonne Hayles; model and adult entertainment actor, and Nubian Prince Miguel Bernard, as well as the fabulous Cecile Levee, and her two daughters, Kennedy and Spencer Levee, along with their grandmother, Glestina Neita, were all out and making it happen.
Oh sweet-things, suffice it to say, Montego Bay was buzzing and crackling like ten-coal-stoves! And that was only mid-morning. By nightfall, my dears, the action had moved from the Fairview Plaza to the Hip Strip and that it is, in name, nature and essence!
Never mind the near bikini-clad buxom young ladies parading their stuff in the vicinity of the better-known night-spots; the place is what Red Hills Road used to be, say about 12 years ago - fabulously and hauntingly happening.
Hauntingly, because unlike Kingston's so-called Hip-Strip, patrons to Montego Bay's hip strip are blessed with a plethora of activities and or businesses to patronise, as against the few that are de rigueur over there on Knutsford Boulevard.
Well, my daahlings, with Margaritaville always the star attraction when it comes to night-time fun and entertainment, and with the Coral Cliff Gaming Room, providing a the gaming alternative, and the addition of Blue Beat Jazz Bar.
Latest addition
And so it is with the latest addition to the celebrated strip, as Cecile Levee's Wine With Me is a fabulous wine bar and restaurant located in th West Hotel. It is justifiably the rage of the Hip-Strip not to mention those with that discriminating palate. Wine With Me serves up some of the finest wines known to the oenophile's palate from arguably one of the best wine lists, this side of the wine countries.
There's an equally elegant menu of tantalising, and oh-so-satisfying selection of fine dishes to choose from, the experience is tantamount to an outing with the gods!
Sweet-things, the Romans never had it so good! In fact, we are talking of such a fab experience here, it is the very best! Daahlings, we are talking tres chic here with eleganza as its over-riding motif, but very unpretentiously so, as indeed, the decor is very minimalist in a contempo, but really indulgent mode, as is made clear by the almost cafeteria-style dining and seating component, set against plush wing-chairs for cocktails, not to mention two divan-styled beds laid out casually out back in the courtyard, made that much more wholesomely inviting. Its rare, but cosmopolitan ,sense of elan is highlighted by the exotic pieces used to lift and transform the area!
We are talking art here - Jamaican, Balinese, Moroccan, Indonesian and Egyptian - and not in gauche amounts or pieces or style to detract, but done to complement.
Here the café owner operator turned interior designer, now restaurateur and purveyor of fine wines, in her decorative and esoteric elements.
And last Saturday night was one fine night to be there too, as among the notables spotted were the faultlessly gracious and lovely Ann Chen Sayoux; bachelor-at-large Donahue Jarrett, looking his dapper self; the stunning Sandra Kennedy (she has dropped the Lyn), her mom, the lovely Yvonne Hayles; businessman and social profiler, Ravi Daswani; Barbadian Olympian Carl Oliver; the lovely Kim-Marie Spence; Brett Wong and his fab companion ,Neisha Chen-Young and others.
But what a fabulous place to while away the evening, night and/or early morning!
Birthdays
And speaking of beautiful people, on Sunday, the absolutely stunning study in beauty, Shelia Benjamin McNeill celebrated her birthday, and apropos, it was hubby Junior Tourism Minister Dr. Wykeham McNeill, who donned the apron and served up one fine brunch for the family.
Also celebrating on Sunday were the Head of Immigrations Services, the charmingly lovely Carol Charlton; dancer, choreographer Bert Rose; the fab Renee Menzies McCallum and George Overton. Kevin Levee and daughter Spencer Levee will celebrate tomorrow.
Former Prime Minister and Distinguished Fellow, Honourable Edward Seaga, and son, Christopher, will celebrate on Monday. Also, Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies will celebrate his big day on May 28. Happy birthday y'all and champagne wishes with beluga treats!
Crab fest
And, one of Sav's most anticipated fundraising socials, Busha Clarke annual crab fest gets under way tomorrow over at the family Paradise Acres estate, in Westmoreland. The word is it will be all about king crab - curried, stewed, run-dung, garlic, broiled or simply boiled. Nothing but crab on the menu, with proceeds from the affair going to Rotary Club of Savanna-la-Mar charities. And as is usually the case, it promises to be one fab social!
Kevin Levee, general manager of Hedonism III. - Contributed
Ann Chen-Sayoux. - Contributed
Sheila Benjamin-McNeill
Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies
