Devon House -FILE
Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer
A FEW MONTHS ago, the only talk among the coveted classes was the absence of palatable alternatives for those who wished to be out and about at nights for dinner and or a spot of drinks with family and or friends! A sad state of affairs that led to a new order that saw Kingstonians heading out of the city, at every given opportunity to enjoy the rich and abundant nightlife and culinary delights to be found in the tourism centres across the North and South coasts of the island.
In recent weeks however, Kingston has seen a reversal of the trend. Quite a number of new establishments opened their portals to complement the existing handful of premier establishments where the vulgar were not to be found holding court! And even though there is much talk of an economic crisis, many are venturing out to enjoy the beauty and fabulousness that is Kingston.
Well, in its heyday, Kingston was not only abuzz with fabulous eateries and tres chic nightspots, it was also ablaze with a fabulous sense of its history and boasted a number of establishments to bolster its claim to being one of the hottest capitals of the world!
THE DAYS
Dears, those were the days (and nights) when Port Royal, Harbour View, Hellshire and Old Harbour were not seen as an obstacle course to be tackled at one's peril, but as an extension of greater Kingston and St. Andrew. There were many and varied recreational entertainment offerings, not just casual places of leisure for the fabulous, as there was also a keen appreciation for their historical reference and reverence.
One such place that has stood out over the years as a beacon of fabulous living and as a historical point of leisure and interest has always been Devon House, and more particularly the Grog Shoppe.
This quaint little place, styled in the mode of an old traditional English pub, but with the ease, and grace of a modern day café, has always been a hot spot among the expatriot communities and the upper echelon of snob-society, and yet managing to still appeal to the taste of the happy-go-lucky, but civilised young, has always made it fabulously chic.
Located in the historically rich Devon House complex, located on the corners Waterloo and Hope roads, the history of Devon House is one intricately interwoven in the very cultural fabric of Jamaica. As the story goes, the house was built by Jamaica's first known black millionaire one John Stiebel, and was such a joy and splendour at the time of its construction, that the then Governor's wife took grave exception to a 'Negro' not only having such a fine house, but one that was literally a stone's throw away from hers (the Governor's Mansion, King's House) that she nagged her husband into commissioning Lady Musgrave Road, to avoid the 'ignominy' of having to drive by Hope Road where she would have been forced to cast her eyes upon Steibel's mansion.
Sometime in the modern era, the Government acquired the property and decided to make it a sort of cultural sushi in that the mansion housed a fabulous museum showcasing period furniture and other such artefacts, while the grounds and out houses were converted to cabana-styled kiosks merchandising collectibles and primarily things fashionably Jamaican. The Grog Shoppe was created to lend itself to this new socio-economic and cultural ambient.
STYLE AND TASTE
From its very inception, the Grog Shoppe was a hit among those with that more discriminating sense of style and taste. A very potent concoction an admixture of several rums and other spirits came to be known as the Devon Duppy, celebrating the ghosts of the legendary spirits that kept the company of those who frequented the jaunt in the mid-'80s became a celebrated rite-of-passage for visitors and nationals alike who frequented the trendy spot.
Doves, a few Monday evenings ago, a number of the city's leading citizenry as well as members of the diplomatic and consular corps, were invited to attend the historical Grog Shoppe. It was the reopening cocktail reception under the auspices of its new proprietors/managers Messrs Rear Admiral Peter Brady and Bruce Chen, and sponsored by the Appleton Estate V/X. Dears, not only was the do abuzz with its traditional signature elan, it was a hot bed of fabulousness, signalling that indeed, the Grog Shoppe is back, and then some!
Dears, it was like a charm and then some, as the fab were out in fashionable numbers, and dressed to the nines to welcome the new proprietors, and to celebrate the recommissioning of one of the city's finest landmark leisure spots. And they did so in fine style, as the evening buzzed with the excitement and cache of a premiere, as only haute-society and the chic, truly know how to!
Dears, with the evening loaded with personalities, libations flowing like from a gushing fountain as a contingent of staffers made the rounds with trays laden with fab-finger-food. Guests greeted each other in warm felicitations, it was clear that indeed it was Prime Time, and nothing but! Tourism Minister Aloun Assamba toasted the venture in her official remarks, and there were a few other speakers who invoked the spirit of goodwill on the occasion. By and large, guests were out to celebrate the reopening of the restaurant and pub, and the fabulous option it represented and so they did and it made for a fabulous evening.
The reopening of the Grog Shoppe will just add yet another dimension to complement not only the existing premier spots, but a fillip to the many others spots sprouting up around the city at this time. Among those out celebrating the reopening of the chic Kingston landmark, included: Transport and Works Minister Robert Pickersgill; Junior Tourism Minister Dr. Wykeham McNeil; Chief of Staff JDF Rear Admiral Hardly Lewin; Ambassador Douglas Saunders; US Ambassador Sue Cobb; Head of the EU
Delegation Ambassador Gerd Jarchow; French Ambassador Pierre-Antoine Berniard and Mrs. Luisa Berniard; Spanish Ambassador Rafael Jover and Mrs. Lola Jover; out-going Chilean Ambassador Fernando Pardo and Mrs. Alix Pardo; Argentinean Ambassador Gonzalo Fernando Medrano and Mrs. Medrano; Ambassador Dr. and Mrs. Kent Francis-James of Colombia; Trinidadian High Commissioner Dennis Francis; Deputy British High Commissioner Phil Sinkinson; Head of the USIS the charming Orna Blum; David McConnell; David Muirhead QC; Charles Johnston and wife Lisa McGreggor; Honorary Swiss Consul General Peter Bangerter; Captain Michael Lyn and his wife Mrs. Thalia Lyn, she being the Honourary Consul General of the Thai Kingdom; Francis "Paco" Kennedy and wife Marjorie; Ian and Celia Levy; Larry Watson; Colonel Trevor McMillan and wife Dr. Olivia McDonald; Laurie Hussey and his charming wife Ruth Hussey; Anthony Bell; Ian and Brenda Wong; JDF's Col. Stuart Saunders; the lovely Carlene MaxBrown and her fabulous daughter Sophia MaxBrown; noted attorney Earl DeLisser; Captain David McRae; the charming Judith Douglas; businessman Peter Couch; Valerie Veira; Dr. Christopher Tufton and wife Mrs. Nadine Tufton; the charming Marilyn Bennett; celebrated musician Carl Brady of Dragonnaires fame; the lovely Kathryn Phipps; the lovely Lisa Bell; JDF's Captain Christopher and Mrs. Annamunthodo; the charming Barbara Clarke; Mr. and Mrs. John Pickersgill; Yasmin Chung; Carlos MaxBrown, was out too; Louise Finnegan; Barrie Chisholm; and Ace Radio Jock Francois St. Juste; plus many a others. Indeed, it was a swell reopening, and then some!
