Non-resident ambassador of Iceland Hjalmar Hannesson, left, and his wife Anna express their delight at receiving a Jamaican painting from Honorary Consul to Iceland Robert MacMillan. Mr. MacMillan hosted a reception for the couple who were in the island to celebrate Diplomatic Week.
-Winston Sill photoChester Francis-Jackson
Contributor
MY DEARS, Montego Bay was jumping last weekend, at the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival and this was where the fabulously hot Betty Delfosse-Ingleton, chose to spend the weekend celebrating her birthday last Friday.
Also celebrating a birthday last Saturday was the absolutely charming Phillipa Mathers, who turned 18, and gathered with a number of friends and family at Trafalgar Club, a la-poolside, at the British High Commission.
Also on Saturday night, visiting Cuban national, the charming Raina Perez, celebrated her birthday. To mark the occasion, her daughter, the absolutely lovely Aloima Suarez, threw a fab little dinner-party that was indeed a family effort as Dad (Jorge Perez), was the man in the kitchen and he cooked up one fabulous storm that saw guests simply going to town on the fare.
My dears, it was one charming do, too, as the lovely Ms. Suarez's swanky St Andrew condominium was buzzing and saw a number of haute-society leading citizenry out, and sharing in the merry occasion. And my word, dears, the chocolate birthday cake was calorie-busting delicious, and then some!
By Sunday evening, however, it was once again all about Kingston as the Indian High Commissioner, Inder Choper and wife, Nanita Choper, hosted a 'swelleganza' of a reception at India House, over there on East Kings House Road, on the occasion of Republic Day of India. And, doves, this was a stellar event, and then some, with people still going gaga as they rage about its fabulousness!
On Tuesday, it was all about siblings Nick and Liz McAdam, as they celebrated a shared birthday, with a party restricted to family members and close friends.
On Wednesday night, it was Dr. Napoleon Ochoa's turn to celebrate, and celebrate he did with a party at his home, as he marked the 60th anniversary of his birthday with a Cuban fiesta that had friends who gathered at his St. Andrew residence for the occasion rocking way into Thursday.
WELCOMING A DIPLOMAT
The Republic of Iceland has appointed a new Permanent Representative to the United Nations, who will also serve as non-resident ambassador to the region. The new man is Hjalmar Hannesson.
During Diplomatic Week, the ambassador and his charming wife, Anna Hannesson, paid an official visit to Jamaica and the region, stopping in Havana and the Bahamas, before flying into Kingston.
Here in Kingston, amidst the very many courtsey calls and official engagements on Ambassador and Mrs. Hanneson's itinerary, was most naturally, an official visit with the Honorary Consul of Iceland, Robert MacMillan.
To welcome Ambassador and Mrs. Hanneson to Jamaica, Robert MacMillan threw a most engaging reception at his swanky home. The affair was indeed as charming as it was fabulously relaxing!
Now, last Saturday evening would have been a rather difficult time for mere mortals to be staging a cocktail reception in Kingston, as conventional wisdom would have been that the island's capital would have been a social ghost town with the staging of the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival and all.
Not so, however, as although the annual music festival enjoyed a bumper attendance, and from fabulous society to boot, Kingston was indeed its usual buzzing self.
And, after all, when "A-crowder" Robert MacMillan throws a party, his is not merely a party, but an event!
My dears, it was one very civilized evening, rich in repast; characteristically elegant and buttressed by flowing libations and finger food that was fit for the gods. Mmm, dears, the fish mousse, was to-die-for, and then some.
And then there was the society. Faultless and beyond, as the night went into full throttle on anecdotal bon mots and delicious tales. It made for one fab and intimate affair.
In between the sips, spills, thrills and peals of laughter, there was a brief official interlude, used by the host, to welcome the guests of honour, as well as to present him with painting of a traditional basket of fruits by rising Jamaican artist Andy Ballentine.
The visiting ambassador used the moment not only to laud the hospitality of his hosts, but to thank those present for the outpouring of warmth and friendship bestowed upon him and his wife.
Among those out welcoming the new diplomat were Glynne Manley; Opposition Member of Parliament Delroy Chuck and wife Pat; Head of the EU Delegation Ambassador Gerd Jarchow; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation Edward Malayan and wife Marion; Canadian High Commissioner Claudio Valle and his fabulously fashionable wife Louise; the Honorary Consul of Denmark John Ramson; Honorary Consul of Ecuador Clelia Barreto de Hunter; the Honorary Consul of Belgium, Robert Cartade; Honorary Consul of Switzerland Peter Bangerter and wife Faye; the Honorary Consul of Nicaragua William Tavares-Finson and wife Sandy; Roy and Sylvia Collister; Radio talk-show king Wilmot 'Mutty' Perkins and his tres elegant wife Elaine; fashion grande dame Beverly Levy; Paul and Oriente Issa; Pokar Chandiram; Charles Hanna; celebrated artist Judy-Ann MacMillan squired by Rudi Schoenbein; Dr. Charles and Corina Meeks; George Fatta; Jennifer Lim, looking as elegant as ever; the charmingly elegant Valerie Marzouca; Peter Millengen and the beautiful Stacy Barbar; Romi Subocki; famed photographer Brian Rosen; Gordon Watts and Maxine McClure; Cleto Parkinson; R. Christene King; Keith Collister; the lovely Ann McNamee; Maurice Gabay; Chris and Michelle Mitchell; Robert Stephenson; Janet Farrow; siblings Travis and Elliott MacMillan; the happening Anna Chin; Madhu Vaidya; the lovely Mara Mandara; Ricardo Moncardo; Jennifer Mahfood; Sandy Walter; businessman Mickey Hill; and the charming Rosa Ramsay, widow of late legal luminary, Ian Ramsay and Kingston's only known Icelandic national, and others.
