Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer
Local Government Minister, Portia Simpson Miller and Opposition Leader, Bruce Golding, had much to laugh about at the testimonial banquet in honour of The Most Hon. Edward Seaga, held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Knutsford Boulevard, New Kingston, on Friday, May 27. - PHOTOS BY WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
WELL, MY dears, last weekend was definitely all about Edward Phillip George Seaga, and how!
Pumpkins to begin with, the former political firebrand was honoured by the party he headed for over 40 years with a spectacular gala of a dinner last Friday, that was so fine, those who were guests at the affair hosted at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, are still singing its praises!
Dears, the buzz is it was a smasheroni of the highest order, and oh-so-fabulous, that this here fine city has not seen its like before!
GREAT JAMAICAN
Dovecakes, we are talking haute-swelleganza here and nothing but, and deservedly so for one truly great Jamaican, who gave of himself unstintingly in service to his country. Mind you, the way his detractors went at him and after him, y'all would be forgiven if y'all thought that indeed Seaga's contribution to this great nation state was nought.
Lest we forget, it was Seaga's determination that derailed the communist flirtations of the '70s. His legacy of institution building and reverence for same has seen no equal, to date. And yes, now that that Albatross, named the JLP, is no longer around his neck; and now that Tivoli Gardens is no longer there to consume his energies as he was wont to in rising to the defence of that enclave, Edward Seaga, can now be the intellectual property and legacy of not just Jamaica, but the Caribbean.
POLITICAL HYPOCRITES
And so it was, that even though there were a number of the back-stabbing political hypocrites who continues to speak with forked tongues on the subject of Edward Seaga, not even their presence and pronouncements could put a damper on what was truly a remarkably fabulous do! And what made it even more so was the sense of bi-partisanship, which attended the affair, with the piece le résistance being Mr. Seaga sharing his birthday cake with Finance and Planning Minister Dr. Omar Davies, with whom he shares the same birthday.
Saturday however was their actual birthday. And fresh from the gala lauding him and his contribution to the building of this nation, the former Prime Minister and his lovely wife decided on making his actual birthday celebrations a quiet and intimate affair.
And so it was that joined by a family friend, they made it a fabulous birthday outing as their choice was that darling of a fine restaurant named Velisa's, over there on Devon Road.
Dears, we are talking fine food here and flawless company and a very intimate celebration attended by fine wines and exotic dishes that was fine testimony to his 75th birthday.
Luvs, it was like that fabulous to the core, and wait, as the celebrations are not yet over as indeed, the family do will follow.
FLAVOUR OF THE SEASON
And speaking of birthdays and Velisa's Restaurant: Dears, the place is definitely the flavour of the season and nothing but, as when Prime Minister P.J. Patterson celebrated his birthday on April 10, Velisa's was the venue for the celebratory dinner, that had in attendance a critically handpicked shortlist of family and friends, and dears the buzz here that it was all fab and then some, then too.
Anyways, champagne wishes and caviar dreams all around!
Champagne wishes also to the fabulously lovely Kaili McDonnough, who celebrated her birthday on Monday, in Brazil, but jets in early next week for the Jamaican leg of those celebrations.
The fabulous Anna Chin of Jo-Jo's market over there on Waterloo Road, celebrated on Tuesday. Oswald Hines, Howie, to his family and friends, celebrated on Tuesday as well; but American businessman and Teens For Technology benefactor Mark Jones will blow out the candles on his cake come Sunday. Serena Williams of Hedonism blew out the candles on her cake last night as she marked her birthday with friends at a party in her honour hosted at the North Coast hotspot Tek-It-Easy, in Salem, near Runaway Bay.
And the preferred drink for style icon and pop guru Pulse King, Kingsley Cooper, as he celebrates his special day today is nothing but Crystal, and lots of it, so let the partying begin!
And speaking of Hedo III: dears, it's all about living La Vida Loca, this weekend as the world famous Playboy TV hot adult stars the oh so fine Julie Ashton and her co-star, the flamingly hot Nautica Thorn, and crew all jet into the island this weekend for a week of fun and games at the world celebrated Hedonism 111 resort.
FUN AND MADNESS
Honeys, y'all know we are talking one mighty fine week of unadulterated fun and madness here and dovecakes believe you moi, when this here scribe say, not even wild horses can keep him away!
And with the onset of the hurricane season on Wednesday, Dennis and Jane Joslin's multi-million dollar yacht, the Lady BJ, left Port Antonio, two Tuesdays ago under the able command of its fine Skipper Kevin Hernandez. But dears, this was not before some fine partying on board as the fine vessel, did the rounds as it docked in Negril, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio and naturally Kingston, before setting off for safer waters at this time of the year.
HERE IN JAMAICA
Darlings, the buzz here with this region's history of hurricane hits and near misses, the insurers of the fabulous pleasure craft will not cover the boat if its docked here during the season and so the Lady BJ and the Joslins will spend half of the year here in Jamaica and the other half, cruising other fabulous locations.
And speaking of the fabulously wealthy and their playthings! The word is that the fabulous Alligator Head property in Port Antonio, the summer home of the uncommonly wealthy Thyssen family, his daughter, she being the fabulous Baroness Fiona Habsburg of the Austrian bluebloods, is all set to get a multimillion dollar face-lift as Baroness Habsburg, spruces up the place in time for her annual summer holidays.
And dears, we are talking the entire works here, as in high-end leisure.
And dears, with the British High Commissioner HE Peter and Elisabeth Mathers and their daughter Phillipa Mathers and their Spanish counterpart Ambassador HE Rafael and Lola Jover all set to leave our shores this summer, the farewell doos are on and in earnest.
Luvs, if y'all did not make the cut, then you would have missed the oh so fab invites sent out by Robert MacMillan for his farewell do, to be hosted tonight at his fine residence; that of Anthony and Jeanne Watson for theirs next week and that of Capt. Mike and Thalia Lyn to follow next week.
Luvs, simply fabulous are how these very creative invites are being described and dears they are, so more definitely anon!
