Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

Left: Bernadette McKinley and constant companion, Joseph A. Matalon, will tie the knot this weekend. - Winston Sill / Freelance Photographer   Right: Kingston Restaurant Week ended on a high note, last Saturday, at Acropolis Restaurant and Gaming Lounge. Here, Stephanie Scott of SSCO Event Management (left), and fellow foodie, former Olympian, Juliet Cuthbert, paused between courses to smile for our camera. - Contributed

Luvs, kudos and then some to the ever so charmingly gracious Stephanie Scott, cause Kingston was busy like everybody's business last week and all because of her inspired Gleaner sponsored Kingston Restaurant Week (KRW).

My daahlings, the world, his wife and concubines were all out enjoying the fabulous fare at participating restaurants, diners and eateries, that form a critical element of the city's social milieu.

Talk about buzzing, well sweet-things, it was like that all over the place, but especially so at Velisa's; The Hilton's Palm Court, The Regency Room, at the Terra Nova, and Café Aubergine, at the Market Place, on Constant Spring Road.

And, when Sunday morning rolled around, after one very hectic week, dears, the fabulous simply could not get enough of a good thing so this time, the place of choice is the ultra-fab and oh-so-chic Sunday brunch spot in Liguanea.

Best kept secret

Oh my word, and then some!

Luvs, it's undoubtedly one of Kingston's best kept secrets, and how! But for those in the know The Gallery Café, operating out of the Contemporary Art Centre, at the corner of Liguanea Avenue and Hope Road, across from Sovereign Centre, is the most happening place in Kingston on a Sunday. The lovely Diane Watson, not only serves up one mighty fine Jamaican fare with a cosmopolitan flavour - the place faultlessly decorated as it is in a divine antique mode, with a number of Jamaican masters and some contemporary players adorning the walls of the establishment, y'all know we are talking haute-fabulissimo here!

Yes my dears, it's hot like that and then some! And we mean lava like hotness honeys and nothing but! And children, when y'all go brunching next Sunday, you simply must have the hominy corn dessert. Pumpkins, in the name of all that's fabulous - it is to die-for!

Luvs, calories be damned because my dears, resisting this diet bustingly fabulous treat if anything would be sinful, and y'all know, it's not that kind of a party!

And then there is nothing like fabulous company to make the dining experience that much more pleasurable. So, with the stunningly fabulous Sonia Witter, looking fabulous in summery whites; Karlene Walters and mom, Louise Walters; poetess and personality extraordinaire Cordella Lewis; restaurateurs, Norma Shirley, Johanna Thwaites and Betty Delfosse-Ingleton, among the fab ladies brunching - y'all know that Mrs. Watson is on to a darn good thing!

Surprise party

Then, last Saturday, in the midst of all the happenings with KRW, businessman, Michael Muirhead, hit the big five-O, and was pleasantly surprised as his friends and colleagues threw him a lovely 'little' surprise party to mark the occasion.

Now, tomorrow being the 25th, National Gallery Curator, Dr. Jonathan Greenland, will be celebrating his birthday, but with him being just one year shy of 40, the celebrations this year will be restricted to immediate family and friends.

Come Wednesday, the 29th, however, it will be all systems go in Southern California and Long Island, New York as the charmingly lovely Cherise Francis-Windle will be partying up a bicoastal storm, as she celebrates her birthday with family and friends. And with hubby, Dr. John Windle, promising a smasheroni, that will carry over into their Christmas holidays here in Jamaica. Honeys, it's going to be a fabfest!

And speaking of fabfests, my luvs, people are still talking about the fab event that was the Kingston premiere of the latest 007 flick - Casino Royale. Honeys, it was all black-tie, red-carpet, couture mode and precious stones, gems and dazzling rocks as the fab and the well-to-do were out in fine mettle for the premiere.

Now, that was Wednesday. On Thursday my daahlings, it was all about the Gardens of the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on Knutsford Boulevard as this was where the Kingston leg of the international partying sensation ushering in the annual Beaujolais Nouveau, was unfolding this year's newest version of the popular wine festival celebrating the harvesting of the now celebrated wine.

It has now become an annual outing my dears as the third Thursday of November is now synonymous with international revelry as wine enthusiasts the world over celebrate the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau, and here in Kingston wine aficionados and oenophiles, not to mention the chic were in attendance to toast and celebrate its arrival. Copious amounts of this elixir later, the reviews are in and yes, Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!

A Chain of Hope

Then, Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub and his team from A Chain of Hope - that group of international volunteer doctors, nurses, medical technologists and social workers, are on the island conducting a series of clinics. The clinics are designed to enhance the lives of a number of children who otherwise would possibly not survive without this annual intervention.

And congratulations are definitely in order and extended to Dr. Badhi Shoucair and his bride of 50 years, Sissie Shoucair, who celebrated their golden anniversary, last Saturday with an intimate do attended by immediate family and very close friends.

The buzz is, it was all that and then some - exactly as it should be.

And word out this week is that 'A-crowder' Joe Matalon, and his constant companion, the fabulously lovely Bernadette McKinley-Morin, have jetted off to Florida, where they will be tying the marital knot in a private wedding ceremony, planned for this weekend.

Luvs, it's all hush-hush, but the buzz is, it promises to be one fabulous affair and intimately so, with no more than a short list of a critically handpicked guests expected to be in attendance for the ceremony and reception. No word yet, if another Jamaican reception will follow, but next week when the couple returns to Kingston, it will be as Mr. and Mrs. Joe Matalon.

Mes félicitations mes amis, Champagne toasts and caviar treats all around!