Of country escapes and hearty parties

Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer

My daahlings, it's simply that time of the year again, a season of fabulous Easter soirées. From the nation's capital - the ackee-pod - to glorious Negril, with detours through Port Antonio, Ocho Rios and, of course, the always buzzing Montego Bay!

Dears, it was another fab and gloriously long weekend that saw the fab packing kit and caboodle and heading out for their coastal and/or mountainside homes to enjoy the bank holiday to its fullest, while the young and party-hearty, spend the weekend party-chasing.

Anyway, my dears, it's definitely taking on the attributes of a fabulous rave of a weekend, with a number of private and public events running the gamut. With the National Dance Theatre Company Easter Sunday Morning of Movement and Music, (and what a show it was too), to the wild abandon of Bacchanal at James Bond Beach on Saturday, where soca star Destra Garcia is all set to make the Beach J'ouvert a fête to remember and then some!

And it was not all about Jamaica, either. As while the world is seemingly gung-ho about today's royal wedding, last weekend was all about the wedding in the Cayman Islands where the daughter of Hugh and Pam Hart, the lovely Belinda Hart, tied the marital knot with her beau, Englishman Jonathan Murphy. The buzz is it was an intimately fab do and then some. Among those jetting in from Kingston for the 'A-crowd' smasheroni were her uncle, Edward and Carla Seaga and their daughter Gabrielle; from Montego Bay, uncle Tony Hart and wife Sheila headed the shortlist of family, friends and who's who in attendance!

brief visit from the kalras

Meanwhile, back here in the Ackee Pod, former business executive and United Nations diplomat, Anil Kalra, and his oh-so-fab wife, Nilofer, were decidedly the toast of snob-society as the couple, who were visiting from their home in India, were in the nation's capital. But on such a tight social schedule of dinners and receptions, time did not allow them to facilitate and or accommodate all invitations extended to them!

And little wonder, as Anil and Nilofer Kalra are not only the consummate hosts - as they have been welcoming and hosting their Jamaican friends at their homes in Geneva and India since leaving Kingston to return to their native India some 15 years ago.

Two Friday evenings ago, the Kalras hosted a swanky and intimate soirée and dinner here in Kingston. And it proved quite the to-do and then some, as it was a gathering of old friends, pouring of fine wines and other premium libations, a flawless fare and some simply marvellous stories, stretching over the years and touching two and a half continents!

Dears, talk about a good time being had by all - this was so and then some!

And as the Kalras were all set to take their leave, Claude Fletcher arrives for his annual holiday, with a slew of dos planned in his honour. It all begins with a snazzy little do in Ocho Rios and will move to Kingston this weekend, to coincide with the climax of the carnival activities, with the staging of the annual road show

And speaking of holidays and hot spots, Ocho Rios and Negril were the preferred spots for the Easter holiday weekend, with Sunset Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios being the resort of choice for the young and hearty. It was Couples San Souci, for those opting for a more laid-back getaway. And in Negril, it was definitely all about the always fabulous Hedonism II, for the party hearty; and Breezes Negril, for those with a discerning sense of haute style!

Then happy birthday wishes to parliamentarian Dr D.K. Duncan, who celebrates his birthday today, Friday, the 29th. As does the fab Kerry-Ann Clarke; Roxxan Francis-Hemphill, in Rochester, New York; and Emiel Martens in Amsterdam.

Her Excellency Ambassador Audrey Marks celebrates tomorrow, the 30th, businessman Eddie DePass, NDTC dancer Orlando Barnett and the lovely Pauline Porteous in London, England.

On Sunday, May 1, internationally acclaimed singer Ernie Smith, MegaMart's Denise Burke, Tee Rennalls, formerly of Linstead, St Catherine, now in Long Island New York, will share the same birthday.

On Monday the second, famed photographer Ingrid Zacca, the lovely Jade Suzzane Lee, Alicia Brown of Sandals and Jassett Morgan-Harris, formerly of Bog Walk, St Catherine, now in London, England, will also share the same birthday!

On Tuesday, May 3, hotelier Richard Bourke, general manager of Breezes Starfish Trelawny, Leslie-Ann Masterton Fong-Yee, Conny Zahner of Swiss Stores, Digicel's Fiona McGloin and North Coast habitué Eric Petersen of German Town, Wisconsin, will be partying up their own storms!

birthdays across the globe

On the fourth, Peju Wilson of Beverly Hills, the fab Suzanne McKenzie-Constantine, the lovely Dr Tammy Haynes-Robinson, the elegant Bina Ramchandani, the charming Jennifer Barrett, Hedonism II entertainment manager Nickoy Lindsay and the affable Patrick Watt, on the west end in fab Negril, will celebrate; as will the lovely Asheka Rodney, and Clive Outar in New York!

Next Thursday, the fifth, socialite Suzanne Levy Louis, now in Florida; celebrity chef Colin Allen, now in Trinidad and Tobago; and attorney Courtney Kazembe, in Toronto, Canada, celebrate their birthdays across the globe!

Then, my dears, warm belated birthday greetings to the lovely Gloria Moodie, the fabulous Bernadette Barrow of NCB; TVJ's Rohan Powell, and John Dowling in the United Kingdom, who all celebrated their birthday last Friday, the 22nd.

On Saturday the 23rd, businessman and antique dealer, newlywed Wayne Nasralla, Andrea Holmes-Seymour of Standrea and Chin Multimedia Communications, the lovely Denise Lyn in Florida and Zarine Nandan, wife of former head of the ISA, Ambassador Satya Nandan, all shared the same birthday.

On Easter Sunday, The Gleaner's very own Dianne Francis, entrepreneur and impresario Ribbie Chung, the charming Carol Campbell of Revolution Gallery, the lovely AnneMarie Stewart of Digicel, and the beautiful Nicole Shirley of Nicole's Sweet Temptations all celebrated. The lovely Shelly-Ann Dixon, in Runaway Bay, the very charming and lovely Dr Vonnie McGowan, the lovely Nodia Chambers in New York, and former model and fab beauty Susie Crosbie-Bridges, now in New York, also made it a very special Easter Sunday.

easter-week celebrations

On Easter Monday the 25th, former parliamentarian Phyllis Mitchell, Beverly Junor-Levy, consul general at the Venezuelan Embassy Madhai Hernandez, Pauline Channer in Manchester, Duane Bennett of REVE Jewellery, the enterprising and beautiful LiLi Stephens-Henry in New York and architect Valerie Garnier in Montpellier, France, made it a very special Easter Monday.

On Tuesday the 26th, among those celebrating were the lovely Jennifer Cape of Couples Negril; the fab Sandra McKellop, formerly of Montego Bay, now in the UK; author, Caroline Bell-Foster and the lovely Kate Carter, both now in the UK; and entertainer par excellence, Spike Stewart, for-merly of Hedonism III, now in Australia, all shared the same birthday in different time zones across the globe.

On Wednesday, the 27th, the minister of youth sports and culture, the charming Olivia 'Babsy' Grange; fashion designer Lubica Slovak; model Kemesha Empty; the lovely Nadine Clarke, of the Ritz Carlton, Mo-Bay; the beautiful Glenda Andrew, in the UK; and Liam Norris in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Yesterday, Thursday the 28th, the venerable Ed Wallace, environmentalist Diana McCauley, autism activist and spokesperson Maia Chung, Karl Vendreys, now in Fort Lauderdale, the fabulous Bren-Ann Chin in the Big Apple and the lovely Sue Buchberger in Wisconsin celebrated their very special day.

Belated birthday wishes to former police commissioner and retired head of the JDF, Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, who celebrated yesterday.

Many happy returns all around with champagne toasts and beluga treats.