- CONTRIBUTED
From left, Ruth and Michelle Hussey, Christelle Harris, Jennifer Lim, Donna Reynolds, Valerie Marzouca, Anna Ryan and Hyacinth Davidson at the New Year's eve party held at Terra Nova Hotel.
Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
MY DEARS, and so it was that with 2005 coming to a close, the only question on the minds of minor socialites and would-be celebutants, was where exactly to see out the old and ring in the new?
Now, for the status conscious, the choice in the nations' capital was definitely the annual power-party hosted by Kenny Benjamin of Stony Hill.
For the young and chic, however, the preferred invitation was that of young Paul Lalor, whose 40th birthday celebrations coincided with the New Years' Eve party and revelry, and that made this another hot ticket in the nation's capital.
A new trend, however, is adventure celebrations! My dears, adventure celebrations is the new way to go, as more and more of the well-to-do and the international chic pack up and simply take-off round about Christmas time returning only after the hoopla and revelry surrounding the season have totally subsided.
'GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL'
Sweet-things, it's called 'getting away from it all', and with each passing year, more and more of the 'in' set are opting to do just that - at the end of the year and party season, simply jet, sail or motor to a location away from home, away from family and friends, and simply let it all hangout!
Now luvs, y'all know that this here island boasts some of the finest resorts to be found anywhere in the world! But no where else in the world is there any resort with the reputation for haute-partying like that of the Hedonism Resorts, located in Negril and Salem, near Runaway Bay.
Now, nothing beats a ride through the St. Mary foothills en route to the North Coast, as along this route the scenery is not only faultlessly picturesque, but provides vivid imagery and snapshots of a time when this island was the playground of the gods. Anyway dearhearts, another of the fab reasons for traversing this route is the absolutely fabulous jerk pork to be had just outskirts of Port Maria.
Now, some weeks ago, while making this journey through St. Mary, upon nearing the district of Whitehall, I noticed a sections of the main roadway, breaking up in a rather curious manner, suggesting there was an underwater flow at work there. Well my dears, horror of horrors this here roadway has now given way, creating some kind of a sink hole in what was, until this development, the main roadway, and the fissuring is not finished done yet. So y'all know we are talking some scary stuff here.
LEADING PARTY RESORT
Anyway, and so it was, with concerns for an impending disaster, (they always seem to occur around the Christmas/New Year's), we journeyed to the party at one of the world's leading party resorts!
Hedonism III needs no introduction as this resort has a reputation for fabulousness. The hotel was in faultless form on New Year's Eve. With its celebration reflecting the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, and dubbed Hedowood, the resort threw yet another of the fabulous parties for which it has earned its enviable reputation.
My darlings, the New Year's Eve shebang started out with a feast of Romanesque proportions on the resorts' grand terrazza. And sweet-things, Emperor Caligula never had it so good, as the resorts Executive Chef, Mark Cole, and his able team served up a culinary feast that was as mouth-watering as it was breath-taking!
Dears, the grand terrazza (sandwiched between the beach and party pool) ringed by a number of beautifully decorated kiosks, each offering its own speciality cuisine, running the gamut from the continental, Americana, Asiatic, Middle-Eastern and off course, Caribbean, and my luvs, it made for a sensational fare!
Pumpkins, think fabulously succulently grilled lobster-tails, Alaskan king crab, jumbo shrimp, sirloin, glazed ham, roasted suckling pig, peking duck, tempura, sushi, pasta, creole curry, soups du jour, stir-fry vegetables, fresh-garden vegetables, garden ensalada, Cesar, kiwis, peaches, pears, apples, watermelon triangles, lemon-sized grapes dipped in chocolate, éclaires, white and brown chocolate orbs, truffles, tiramisu, Yule-puddings, cheeses, dips, espresso, cappuccino, Blue Mountain coffee, Earl Grey, - dears, it was all on offer but for this here scribe, the dish of the fare, was the oxtail and broad beans. Luvs, it was to-die-for, and then some!
The evening's entertainment began with the very impressive high-wire circus and trapeze act led by the very talented head of the resorts circus department Vladimir Barreiro, who along with his team, had guests enthralled as the executed the feats.
And, talk about making an entrance! Well dovecakes, cabaret performer Tammy T, did just that, her booming voice filling the grand terrazza moments before the live-wire entertainer made her appearance borne aloft the shoulders of four nubian godlings, clad in the barest minimum of clothing with Roman slave sandals completing their steamy outfits.
Well dears, after an entrance like that, y'all know that the little missy better knew how to sing? Well she could and she did, and she brought the house to its feet as she belted out a number of popular arias, to a jam-packed house just rearing to go.
And when the Chocolate Dolls, of Washington D.C., took to the stage, their oh-so-very talented leader, burlesque performer, Israel, sporting nothing but 'A Girls Best Friends' all strategically placed to titillate rather stimulate, y'all can well imagine the collective temperature soared straight into the stratosphere! We were brought back under control, by master trumpeter Richard Stubbs, who blew his way into the hearts, minds and party soul of those gathered.
COUNTDOWN INTO 2006
Now it was left to cabaret singer Kevin Clarke and the Hedonism III dancers, to manage the countdown into 2006 and honeys, while Mr. Clarke held his own, the dancers were simply hot to trot and trot.
And then came the absolute fab-fest of a dance-a-thon in the resort's Octopussy Disco!
Dearhearts, with its doors opening just after 1:00 a.m guests were queuing to get on the dancefloor, and when they did, there they stayed until Monday morning.
Dears, it was kicking like a jackass gone wild and it was all good; it was better than the doctor had ordered! And honeys, the music is still a-rocking in them here bones!
But what a way to party! And they all came led by GM Kevin Levee and his fabulous wife, Cecile Levee; Hotel Manager, the charming Donna Grant-Clarke; Mayor Delroy Giscombe, of St. Ann, leading the list of dignitaries out for the do; his colleague councillor Carol Jackson; as were: ACP and Mrs. Burrey; Mr. and Mrs. Pat Stevens; St. Ann Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association Chapter President Vanna Taylor; Stafford and Marilyn Burrowes, of Dolphin Cove, their son Gregory Burrowes and his lovely wife Kristin, also out the lovely Tanya Myers; Anthony and Joan Salmon; Ned Wong of Caribbean Destinations; Eaton and Pauline Haughton; Daisy Chin of Piper Cove; Elsa Wong; the lovely Tayhdeen Oliver; Freddy James; international singer Andru Donalds and his Armenian companion Liana; Alan Milbourne; the lovely Leasanne Quan-Kep; plus several scores more.
