Photos by Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff
LEFT: Christelle Harris with her grandmother Ruth Hussey who hosted the party at her home in Beverly Hills on Friday, June 20.
RIGHT: Birthday girl Christelle Harris (right) is delighted to meet recording artiste Tami Chynn at her 25th birthday party.

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

My daahlings, there are parties, and there are parties. When it comes to throwing parties, the matriarch of the Hussey family of the sport of kings fame, the charming Ruth Hussey and hubby Laurie Hussey are the king and queen of the fab dos!

My dears, the duo has long been the toast of the inner circles of the racing community, but over the years, the family holdings have grown to include the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel on Waterloo Road, farming, real estate and Kingston's leading chain of pharmacies - all owned and operated by closely knit family

The Husseys have a love story spanning more than 50 years and have raised a closely knit family, while maintaining their bonds to their own siblings and other extended family members.

Well, if there were any doubts that the Husseys are stylish and chic, then the June 20 do at their Beverly Hills estate would have erased any such doubt. This one was not only style-perfect, it was hotter than any magma known on the social scene! Precious angels, we are talking the mother of all birthdays here; a party so fine, it will long be the talk of the town. We are talking a cross between a debutante's ball and a coronation!

NO ORDINARY PARTY

Dears, it was the Husseys granddaughter, the beautiful Christelle Harris' 25th birthday, and from the very get-go, it was quite clear that the celebrations planned were not your run-of-the-mill kind of a party. The first sign of what was to come was the little rider on the invitation. It asked guests to make a donation in lieu of gifts to the Harris' charity fund, an organisation charged with providing medical assistance and/or equipment to the Bustamante Hospital for Children.

My daahlings, no cost was spared to make the event flawlessly spectacular. This was achieved and in no uncertain mode! Dovecakes, the fabulous Ann Marie Weise was the decorator of choice and with her winning style made the already fabulous Hussey mansion and its grounds, into a party playground.

From the chic smoking lounge, complete with Turkish-style pipes and imported tobacco and bazaar-style seating, to the poolside lounge complete with floating aroma-enhanced candles, to the cafe-style reception area and the hi-tech disco-flavoured dance area, enhanced by a wall of televisions transmitting the action from the various themed locations around the estate, care was taken to create a sense of magic for the occasion, and this they did in awesome style.

Then there were the bars - one for aperitifs, another for liqueurs, one for champagne, plus two others for party spirits - and with a battalion of staff on hand, libations were always a mere nod away. The fare was an equally impressive offering of international cuisine.

ICING ON THE CAKE

But dear hearts, the absolute pièce de résistance, was the ambulance, discreetly parked across from the Husseys home, fully staffed, just in case of emergencies! Daahlings, this my dears, was the icing on the cake, adding that extra little oomph.

Then there was a fab family moment as the birthday girl was joined by her grandparents, parents, Richard and Angeline Harris; her beau, Justus Arison and his grandmother, Lin Arison (in from Miami), for the cutting of the birthday cake and toasts. She thanked everyone for their presence, and especially her grandparents and parents for their love and support, before songbird Tessanne Chin gave a marvellous command performance to crown the official segment of the affair. Richard Chin, father of the songbird and sibling Tami Chynn, looked on.

Among those out were Gloria Harris; Percy and Eleanor Hussey; Charles and Alecia Hussey; Andrew and Suzette Hussey; Abdulla and Valerie Marzouca; Jennifer Lim; Wallace Campbell; Dale and Henrietta DeLisser; Liz McAdam; the fab Donna Robinson; Mark and Debbie Demitrius and daughter Brittany; Andrew and Susie Hussey; Vance and Michelle Campbell; Myer and Gina Marzouca; Carolyn Carmichael; Matthew Marzouca and companion Patrizia.

We saw Andrew and Paula Harris; Charmaine Harris; Diane Hook; Mark and Margaret Harris and son Yuri; brothers André and Ryan Hussey; Jessica Marzouca; Rebecca Marzouca; Deiter Jung; siblings Jason, Jessica and Victoria Jung; Richard Harris and Michelle Gray; siblings Daniel and Christopher Harris; Matthew Thompson and Tanya Gray; Nathan Campbell; Ian Ganzer and Sarah Arison; Niv Alexander and Cassie Arison.

Also out were Monsignor Richard Albert; Christoper Issa; Tom and Rose Tavares-Finson; Richard Lake and his companion, the gorgeous Lisa Hanna; Elizabeth Langdon; Rupert Bent and wife Cindy Breakspeare and her daughter Leah Tavares-Finson; Khaleel and Nicola Azan and their son Dominic; Mario and Fiona Machado; the charming Leila Younis; Rosa Joseph; Julius and Donna Chin-See; Carlene MaxBrown and her daughter Sophia; and several scores more.