By Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer
Nanita Chopra, wife of the Indian High Commissioner; Barbara Matalon; Venezuelan Ambassador Rocio Maneiro-Gonzales; hostess Jennifer Lim and Elizabeth Mathers, wife of the British High Commisssioner, at a recent social. - Contributed
SEASON'S GREETINGS, and beyond y'all! Now daahlings, there is no place like Jamaica, under the sun at Christmastime!
Dear hearts, its like unto a round-robin celebration each year from December 25 through to the dawning of the new year, and how!
Luvs, forget 'White Christmas' as there is absolutely nothing like the warmth of Christmas celebrations here on this fabulous island as we are talking 'open-house', brunches, dinners, soirees and family get-togethers punctuated with sorrel, egg punch, rum punch, Christmas pudding, and hefty doling-up of the traditional fare, the gift-giving and merry-making.
Oh, my fabulous partying soul, what a way to celebrate!
Doves, it is a uniquely Jamaican experience and then some!
My dears, such is the warmth and fun-filled nature of these outings and sharing, that little wonder that thousands of Jamaicans return each year to these shores from their overseas domiciles, for their moment in the sun!
Luvs, it's been one fabulous season, with one fabulous do after another, as the celebrations simply continue!
Pumpkins, the season opener is undoubtedly the annual Christmas Eve shindig hosted by Kingsley Cooper of Pulse and this segues into a festival of fabulous affaires that represents the very acme of good-taste and fabulous living, known to civilised man, anywhere this side of the universe!
SWELLEGANZA
Daahlings, one of the season's finest hour(s) is definitely the swelleganza of a most charming Christmas Day brunch, socialite Jennifer Lim hosted at her swanky St. Andrew home for family and close friends. Luvs, this one was an 'A-Crowder' and then some, highlighted by faultless society, a regal fare and bonhomie that was priceless.
Then there was the Christmas Eve do of Brent Ciurlino and his fiancee Dr. Kim Brown at his Norbrook condo!
DEE-VINE
Cindy Breakspeare's dee-vine little affaire at her posh Old Stony Hill residence! Brian Rosen's snazzy Yuletide affaire! Roy and Sylvia Collister's double! Kenny Benjamin's Christmas dinner party! George and Shirley Harrison's family shindig!
Plus a whole lot more - making for an absolutely fabulous season of goodwill and good cheers!
Oh, my word, the beauty of it all! Oh for a year of Christmases!
Then there were the birthdays of Mutabaruka; Rupert Bent and Dawn Ritch - all adding some more cheers to the season. And, children it is a season of fabulous cheers!
So prost! And here's to life!
There are calendar events, and then there are calendar events!
Now, of the two, the latter is obviously the stuff of which urban legends spring from; reputations are made - and lost! The players are revered as icons and mere mortals look on in awe and wonderment, hoping to make the transition from being bystander to player!
FASHION AND BEAUTY
Twenty-plus years ago, trained attorney-at-law, Kingsley Cooper, decided on walking away from the practice of law, to forge ahead in the business of being an impresario/and or the promoter of fashion and beauty events, many thought him mad.
Today, however, the name Pulse is synonymous with international modelling success of Jamaican girls; the fashion and or beauty pageants hosted under the auspices of this organisation synonymous with opportunity! As indeed, Kingsley Cooper has made an industry of the world of fashion and beauty and its essential supporting role in the world of advertising and or product placement and or endorsement!
ESTABLISHED
Anyway, in its twenty-odd year history Kingsley Cooper's Pulse, has not only re-ordered the society, he has established himself as the pre-eminent fashion and style arbiter! His soirees, and celebrations, legendary affaires - the stuff of fabulous social anecdotal encounters and reportage. And above and beyond everything else, coveted affaires!
My dears, its now nearing its 20th anniversary, but the Kingsley Cooper-hosted annual Christmas Eve party is one of Jamaica's leading calendar event, and how!
Now, an invite to the annual Kingsley Cooper/Pulse Christmas Eve celebration is the stuff of which dreams are built. And so over the years, the parties have grown from fabulous intimate little numbers, to an almost frightening crush, of mostly loud and affected wannabes!
To restore the dignity and the reverence of this socially sacred Christmas Eve outing, last year, Now, an invite to the annual Kingsley Cooper/Pulse Christmas Eve celebration is the stuff of which dreams are built. And so over the years, the parties have grown from fabulous intimate little numbers, to an almost frightening crush, of mostly loud and affected wannabes!
POLLOI
To restore the dignity and the reverence of this socially sacred Christmas Eve outing, last year,the astute Cooper suspended the legendary do. Doves, it was a stroke of genius as this year's staging saw the absence of the polloi (they are everywhere now), with the style conscious, the chic, the avant garde, the quoted and the noted, out a tout le force to celebrate and so they did!
THOSE OUT PARTYING
Among those out partying were: MP Mike Henry and his wife of weeks, the lovely Dawn - fresh from their fabulous north coast wedding and honeymoon; Senator Dr. David Panton and his absolutely gorgeous wife Lisa; the Honorary Consul of Lithuania, artist and businesswoman, the lovely Lois Lake-Sherwood; James Samuels; the fabulous Kathryn Phipps; Dr. Michael Banbury; the purr-satingly gorgeous Dr. Saphire Longmore; Lenny Little-White; Courtney Rattray, in from Washington, D.C. for the holidays;
Richard Lake; celebrated photographer Ken Ramsay; Dr. and Mrs. Leachim Semaj; Dr. David McBean; the gorgeous Lisa Marzouca; Tara Playfair-Scott; Wain Iton; Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln 'Happy' Sutherland; Andre Hylton; banking diva and dish of fabulousness Tanya HoShue; Oliver Magnus; Johnny Hamilton and his wife Amanda Saulter Hamilton - and people are still raving over their summer wedding; the charming Peyju Wilson; Robert Haughton and his steady, Heather Blanco; the gorgeous AnneMarie McNeil;
Artist Andy Jefferson; the ageless Dawn Eckval; Mr. and Mrs. David Minott; the charming Sandra Samuels; TVJ's Simon Crosskill and Neville Bell; the simply and fabulously hot Kaili McDonnough; FAME's Francois St Juste; CVM's Winford Williams; the Sunday Herald Pure Class' R. Christene King; the Observer's Novia McDonald-Whyte; Steve D'Agostino and his Russian companion; the fabulous Nicole Haughton - in from London for the holidays; the beautiful Sanya Hughes also in from London, her mom, June Hughes, also out; Miss Hotness Herself, Nadine Willis; Jaunel McKenzie currently the face of American Vogue; the buzzing Carla Campbell; the hot and trotting Clifford Warmington; the lovely Michelle-Ann Campbell; the hot new Cindy Wright and Rochelle Watson, being touted as the hot new faces of Pulse; the beautiful Dionne Gordon; the charming Donna Bruff; reggae recording star and pin-up sensation Andru Donalds; and the absolutely fabulous Romae Gordon plus several scores others.
