Taureans take centre stage

Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer

And so my daahling dears, as Taureans everywhere celebrate, we laud and extend birthday greetings to: Opposition MP Olivia 'Babsy' Grange; designer Lubica Slovak; Gershom Bailey; the lovely Savion Pinnock; Pulse model Kemesha Empty; Marlon Lewis, now in Negril; and the charming Glenda Andrew in the United Kingdom, who all celebrate their birthday today.

Government MP Dr D.K. Duncan, the illustrious Ed Wallace; environmentalist and author Diana McCauley; the eminent Karl Vendryes; the fabulous Roma Binns; the lovely civic-minded autism activist Maia Chung; the enterprising Kenton Ayr; the lovely Sadida Mills; the charming Darcia Bennett; the simply fabulous Bren Ann Chin, now in New York; north coast habitué Sue Buchberger, from Appleton, Wisconsin, will all celebrate their birthday tomorrow, April 28.

On Sunday the 29th, the fabulous style diva Kerry-Ann Clarke; the lovely Kathy Lawson; Ivel Lewis; Kerry Downer-White, in Spaldings, Clarendon; Melecia Collie, now in Rochester, New York; and Emiel Martens, lecturer in media studies at the University of Amsterdam, in Holland, will be among the birthday celebrants.

Come Monday the 30th, businessman Eddie DePass; NDTC dancer Orlando Barnett; Kenneth Salmon; Adrian Sharpe, now in Orlando, Florida; the fab Kim Alvaraez in Huntsville, Alabama; and the charmingly lovely Pauline Porteous, in London, England, will all share the same birthday.

On Tuesday, May 1, those celebrating will include: the celebrated singer/entertainer and legend Ernie Smith; Karl Miller; and the lovely Tee Reynolds, in Rose Hall, near Linstead in St Catherine, will make it a very special day of celebration.

Wednesday the 2nd will see: the charmingly fab Donnette Ingrid Zacca; the fab Jade Suzanne Lee; Dwayne Forbes, in Ocho Rios, St Ann; Alicia Brown, in the Second City and tourism capital; Beverley McCully, now resident of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Jasette Morgan-Harris, in London, England, will be partying.

And on Thursday the 3rd, hotelier Richard Bourke; the fab queen of polo, Leslie Ann Masterton Fong-Yee; Conny Zahner of Swiss Stores; Latoya Hanson; Dorothy McCloud; Errol Britton, now in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Digicel's Fiona McGloin; and north coast habitué Eric Petersen, from German Town, in Wisconsin, will be among those blowing out their birthday candles, as they celebrate a new year.

Many happy returns all around, with champagne toasts and beluga treats!

Then my daahlings, rain or no rain, the party calendar in Kingston is set to be a social humdinger this weekend and then some, with the event most being talked about is the literary arts festival, set for Boone Hall Oasis, by the river banks in salubrious Stony Hill, on Sunday.

Cultural side of Kingston

Luvs, we are really talking an umbrella festival, showcasing the literary arts, and including the visual and performing arts and culinary treats, as the organisers are set to showcase the cultural and more stimulating side of Kingston, as against the much more publicised underbelly of poverty and its attendant ills.

And dears, based on the success of the inaugural event, staged last year at the very same location; and the current response by fab society, the artsy, and social profilers, Pon Di River is definitely one of the preferred outings this here weekend.

And speaking of preferred outings, my dears, yet another is definitely the polo outing slated for the Caymanas polo field, come Sunday, as this promises not only to be a fashionable outing for lovers of the game, it promises to be social tenner with all the fab names in the sport of polo, all set, if not to participate, will definitely be on hand to soak up the atmosphere, not to mention the promised gastronomic delights.

And dears, the buzz is: rain or no rain, the show goes on, so you know we are talking all that's hot here and nothing but!

Dears, definitely not a weekend for an escape to the north or south coast, as its all about Kingston this weekend, and with part proceeds from the Literary Festival slated for the Ward Theatre Foundation to assist with restoring the historical theatre, you know we are talking about a fabulously good cause here and nothing but!

And speaking of good causes, the annual Association of Family And Friends Against Substance Abuse (AFAFOSA) Mother's Day brunch is all set for Sunday, May 13, in the courtyard and gardens of the lush Guardsman Group headquarters at 107 Old Hope Road, right next door to the offices of the police commissioner, who donated the grounds in support of a good cause.

Now dears, if ever there was a good cause, the AFAFOSA Mother's Day brunch is indeed one such outing, as AFAFOSA is a most worthy grouping of individuals, chaired by businessman and philanthropist Steve Ashley. It is dedicated to the prevention of substance abuse, especially narcotics, and when this abuse does occur, stage interventions, to ensure that the substance abuser is given the opportunity to seek professional intervention via therapy and counselling, and where these individuals are successful, instead of facing imprisonment, are allowed to seek counselling as an option.

For such a worthy programme, the annual brunch is the organisation's signature fund-raising event, staged to fund the intervention's programme, so you know we are talking a very good thing!

And luvs, with SuperClubs providing an all-inclusive weekend getaway as one of the event's main prizes at Breezes Grand Negril Resort, you know we are talking giving back to the community, but with the opportunity to get something back here, and thus making for a marvellous gesture of support and community building all around.

And dears, at $2,000 per ticket, it's a steal as the very best of Jamaican cuisine will be an offer.

Dears, a must-attend for the socially conscious, as it provides a double opportunity to honour mothers at a special brunch and support a very worthy cause in one action, so y'all know this is where this here scribe will be celebrating Mother's Day, and with the event running from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. you know we are talking one fine lyme here.