Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
( L - R ) Bev Cork, Oliver Magnus, Dapper Glen Kaisse - File photos
Luvs, if you missed this one, y'all missed one absolutely fabulous blast!
We are talking onehot smasheroni here, as this was more like a class reunion than anything else except, instead of a class or school, we are talking about the decade of the '80s, and then some!
Dovecakes, it all started as a celebration of life, friendship and, above all, tenacity. When Joshua Hunter, Oliver Magnus, Dr. Michael Banbury and Lennie Rose - social, business, and party icons of the '80s - got together and decided to throw a little bash to celebrate their friendship and their individual success over the years, one can hardly imagine that they thought their intended party would have struck such a responsive chord.
But pumpkins, that it did and with the passion of a steaming cauldron just simmering and waiting to explode last Saturday night at The Durham, home of Oliver Magnus, located in the Liguanea/Barbican area.
Kingston in the '80s
Dear hearts, now for those who opted for political, social or financial exile to Florida or some other port during the '80s, Kingston back then was one booming metropolis, the party capital of the Caribbean.
Those in the know will recall hot spots such as Flannigans, Rumours, Epiphany, Illusions, Godfather's, International Yard, and Revilo as uptown haunts. Plus spots such as Centre Pole, Tit-For-Tat, Sombrero, Lady Pink, Duchess, Girls-Girls and a plethora of like-minded areas that dotted the then hot and happening hip strips of Red Hills Road and Molynes Road and the Half-Way Tree areas of the city.
Fashion was king, with designers and boutique owners such as Peggy McLean, Ivy Ralph, Francis Keane, Annie Lopez, Elaine Dreyer, Layne Witter, Norma Soas, Melody Dostey, Thomas Garwood, Rupert Edwards, Patrick Waldemar and Leighton Ashley, Josie Buchannan, Sandra Kennedy, sisters Gail Nicola Bell and Sharone Grant all being the best in the fashion trade.
The hot models were Audrey Burgess-Barakat, Bev Corke, Rowena Christene King, Nancy Martin, Jacqui Tyson, Karen Neita Judith Gould Laing, Glen Kaisse, Michael Leroy, Weston Haughton, Garth Sinclair, Bill Brooks- and they all ruled the runways and catwalks.
Gallery Makonde and Yvonne McClymont were the toast of the chic; the Orchid Colony was the hip place to live and/or work; Michelle Swan and Johanna Thwaites ran the Orchid Restaurant; Norma Shirley was the prima donna on Belmont Road; Winston Chen's Pagoda was the best Chinese food in town; Hellshire was a novelty, Lime Cay even more so.
Barry Moncrieffe and Christopher Morrison were the NDTC's bigwigs, with Melanie Graham and Denise Robinson the premier danseurs. L'Antoinette Stines was attracting attention with her L'Acadco ensemble.
Well, if y'all can recall all the aforementioned social titbits, then y'all will remember that some of the people who made Kingston happen, by way of style, parties, and substance, were the aforementioned gentlemen. If ever there was a rat pack here, these gentlemen would have been serious contenders for that title.
Partying oasis
And so it was that in throwing their 'Friends of Distinction' party, it was akin to a reunion of the '80s with people literally jetting in from all over the region and North America, not to mention motoring from all over Jamaica to attend - and that they did, and partied up a bruising storm to prove it!
My daahlings, The Durham is one of those traditional St. Andrew homes -- beautiful house and spacious lawns, designed for elegant entertainment. Well, the summer heat is on and so the lawns were a bit parched, but the lovely Paulette Harris did the designing honours, and luvs, she went to town and in the process created a most civilised partying oasis.
Luvs, we are talking cute marquees housing giant bars and food stations. And when we say food, we are talking food as in from the ethnic to the continental cosmos. And with a battery of waiters and waitresses only a discreet nod away, you know we are talking as fine as it gets here.
And then there was the music!
My dears, Bobby T was the celebrated Groove Master of the '80s, and it was he who was packing them in at thefamed Epiphany nightclub and dancing into the wee hours of the mornings. Last Saturday, he once again showed his mettle and superb class for those guesting, who simply took to the music like a swan to her lake and partied the night away on the dance floor.
Friends all over again
Doves, some friends and party acquaintances had not seen each other in over 20-something years! Old flames hit it off all over again! Fren-enemies! Ageless divas! Pin-up poster boys and girls, now adults but no less gorgeous than 20 years ago when they first bared it all for a thong and legend!
The substance challenged! Dancing queens. but no mincing princesses! And beautiful lassies and hunks buffed to perfection all made for fabulous eye-candy everywhere!
"Are we having fun yet?" was one of the hosts' favourite refrains for the do - and my dears, they were! Now, if only we could get the organisers to make it an annual do.
Among the notables out were Senator Dr. Trevor Munroe and his wife Ingrid; Kingsley Cooper who danced up a storm with the fabulous Katherine Phipps; Mark Jones and his wife, lovely Julie, and his sibling Cherie Jones; the elegant Carol MacMillan; Rupert Bent and wife Cindy Breakspeare; Jeffery Dujon and wife, the lovely Sherida Sharpe Dujon; hotelier James Samuels who flew in from Barbados; Paddy Magnus in from Florida; Bunny Francis; Chiquita Hunter; Ronnie Barakat; the fabulous Betty Delfosse-Ingleton; DJ Johnston; Annette Goffe and Patrick Bailey.
Also spotted were the oh-so-fab Sandra Kennedy; Michael Fox; Debbie Viera; Bobby Smith, Junior Lincoln; Sondra Griffiths; sisters Virginia and I-Nancy Burke; Jackie Samuels Brown; Mutabaruka and his Empress Jackie Amber Ola Bisi; the celebrated Tommy Cowan; Maureen Shaw and beau, Hurd Kennedy; Jennifer Armond; Frano Francis and Empress Diane Francis; Arthur Kitchin and his belle, fashion designer Valerie Deans; Marshall Peterkin; the always fab Sydoney Massop; siblings Marcia and Carol Reid; Arthur Philpott; Gilou Bauer; Ian and Brenda Wong; Dave Simpson; Holger Waehling; Ingrid Green; Patrick Wong; Dr. Andre Foote and his lovely wife, Gina; 'Ribbie' Chung; the charming Stephanie Scott; Karl MaxBrown; Brent Ciurlino and wife Dr. Kim Brown Ciurlino; Margaret McGhie; Liz McAdam; Seyon Hanson; Mr. and Mrs. Tony Munroe; Francesca de Majo; TV personality Anthony Miller, partnered with the lovely Allison Stewart (and danced up a fiesta); her sibling Peter Stewart; CVM's video jock and hostess, Milk; Saffrey Brown; Joseph Bush and Lisanne Hammond; Sulan Smith, and scores more.
