Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

US Ambassador Brenda LaGrange Johnson (right) with her husband, J. Howard Johnson, and their daughter, Heather. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

My daahlings, when the historians and sociologists look back on this September, it will go down as a September to remember!

Chief among the events that will help cement the month in the annals of history was the drubbing the People's National Party (PNP) president, Portia Simpson Miller, gave to her challenger and would-be pretender to the PNP's throne, Dr Peter Phillips!

My dears, they say timing is everything, especially in the art of politics. And the Phillips camp could not have got its timing any worse than it did.

Simply put, many a comrade and party delegate thought that the Phillips camp did not do enough to shore up the party's fortunes in the last general outing, and to reward them now with the presidency would be immoral. And on top of that, there are those who still believe that the 2007 General Elections are still not yet decided, and so any challenge at this time would be an attempt to rob Simpson Miller of the belated victory they hope will soon be hers through the courts!

And so it is that while the very able and capable Phillips will, and is expected to, survive what some comrades considered an intemperate challenge, some of those who supported his candidacy will not be so lucky and are expected to fall on to the sword. And as events on the ground have highlighted, there are many comrades who have readied the sword for them to fall on. Indeed, we are living in interesting times!

October to remember!

Bolt

Then, if y'all think that indeed this was a September to remember, then fasten your seatbelts as October is fast approaching and it promises to be an October to remember! To begin with, the much-celebrated star of the Beijing Olympics, Usain Bolt, is not only the man of the moment, he is proving to be the flavour of the season, as his countrymen queue to pay homage to his remarkable and historic achievement at the 29th Olympiad.

Ranking as one of the hottest post-Beijing celebratory doos, is the much-anticipated 'invitation only' (no free-for-all here) to be thrown in his honour next weekend, at arguably the sprint phenom's favourite hot spot - The Quad in New Kingston. Honeys, this one promises to be a star-studded all-time fabfest!

Most fabulous party

And speaking of fabulous parties, people, places and things, the invitations are out for one of the most-talked-about dos of the season, a premier reason why this October will be remembered. It is the social buzz in international circles and most certainly here in Kingston. The buzz is all about the swelleganza that United States Ambassador Brenda LaGrange Johnson and husband, Howard, are hosting in early October for their daughter Heather's 35th birthday.

Dubbed 'Roctober', the affair promises to be a stellar event of socially eloquent proportions, with well over 100 guests expected to jet in from all over the continental USA and a critically hand-picked shortlist of friends from Jamaica. We are talking five days and nights of sixes and nines here, climaxing with a three-day and night celebration. The celebrations are set to unfold at the ultra-exclusive and very chic, make that trés chic property, known as the Tryall Club and Hotel, west of Montego Bay!

You know that indeed we are talking nothing but haut and grande snobissimo here! And just what the doctor has ordered in these dreary times, amid talk of economic downturn, hurricanes, political drama and all.

Age of Virgo

Then the age of Virgo gave way on Tuesday to the age of Libra. And celebrations there are aplenty as Librans mark the ascendancy of their age.

Among those celebrating this season are British High Commissioner Jeremy Cresswell, who celebrates his birthday next Wednesday, October 1. The following day, celebrated businessman Tanny Shirley will take the celebratory honours. Next Friday, businessman and engineering consultant Steve Ashley will be celebrating his birthday with a special twist as the buzz is the celebrations are expected to take the form of a Team PNP victory celebration to toast the victory of the party president.

And the week will end on Saturday with businessman Ian Garbutt taking the birthday honours. And the buzz is that it will be an intimate do, as in a party for two as he and his fabulous companion Sonia Khan will be dancing to their own music!

Tomorrow night, however, music lovers and the music industry powerplayers will all be heading over to the always happening Carlos' Café on Belmont Road, for the Smokin' Jacket Virgo/Libra bash hosted by the prolific Steve Wilson of Mystic Urchin Music. He will be celebrating his birthday with the opening party of the Libra season, and it promises to be a spectacular outing!

Tanny Shirley celebrates his birthday next Wednesday. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

Simpson Miller