Betty Ashley parties up a storm with former national security minister Colonel Trevor MacMillan at a party last year. - File
After the fabulous Easter holidays and parties, the hunt is now on for the next big escape. For many, it can't come soon enough, in these times of economic depression and that awful word - belt-tightening. That is such a '70s throwback, it causes some to shudder in dread, knowing that we have now come full circle.
In fact, my dears, while for some retro is in, belt-tightening is definitely not what the Olint and CashPlus crowd signed up for. So, as things gets leaner and meaner, more and more 'financially embarrassed' have thrown caution to the wind as they party up a storm, their new mantra being 'if we must go down, let's go out with one great last hurrah!'
Last hurrah or not for the party hearty, this weekend all roads and private jets will be heading for Jamaica's North Coast, the Hedonism III Resort, in Runaway Bay, St Ann. Some of the finest females ever to grace a pole anywhere, will be in house strutting their stuff and then some, in a definitely one-of-its-kind outing!
Changing guard
Meanwhile, there has been a changing of the guard at the helm of the American Chamber of Commerce of Jamaica, as the charming philanthropist and socialite, Diana Stewart, is the newly elected president. She succeeds the lovely Audrey Marks.
And speaking of charitable organisations and causes, the hottest ticket in town for this Mother's Day, is definitely the Mother's Day fund-raising brunch being hosted by the Association of Friends and Families Against Substance Abuse, at Betty's Orchid Gardens, 12 Norbrook Drive, St Andrew, on May 10.
The organisation needs the money to assist with establishing facilities to host a drug court as well as counselling centres for substance abusers.
Dears, talk about a fabulously worthwhile cause! Well, my dears, this is one and if supporting worthwhile causes is not your thing, then y'all can and should avail yourselves of the opportunity to browse one of the modern botanical wonders of the contemporary world, as indeed, Betty Ashley's Orchid Gardens, over there on Norbrook Drive, is nothing if not a masterpiece!
SOME Honours
And with tickets for the do being a mere $1,500 per person, you know we are talking eminent value for money here. And, honeys, this here scribe would not miss it for a week of parties on the North Coast.
Come May 16, it's off to Miami, where the American Friends of Jamaica (Miami chapter), will be hosting its fifth annual Peacock Ball and fund-raising gala, in Coconut Grove at the Ritz-Carlton. Befittingly, Michelle Rollins will be this year's recipient of the organisation's International Humanitarian Award.
My dears, the black-tie affair promises to be a social humdinger and nothing but, with a number of high-profile celebrities, politicos and the very wealthy expected.
Then, my dears, it's the only talk on the international social circuit and among the literati and little wonder as, the latest literary exploit of two very endearing and engaging women. They are Cynthia Wilmot and Marguerite Gauron, she being a social pillar of Port Antonio society and environmentalist, who co-authored Falling in Love After Fifty ... The Best is Yet to Come.
They have not only taken the literary world by surprise, the tome is doing more than raising eyebrows, as the authors are just back from promotional tours and book-signing.
Wilmot in Canada and Gauron in The Cayman Islands have tapped into the psyche of the ageing baby-boomers, many who are questioning themselves and their capacity to love again after tragedy has taken their first love.
Case histories
Described as a "witty and yet practical guide for men and women to find love after age 50", this scribe has decided on waiting to get there before actually reading the book, (wink-wink), but my dears, it comes highly recommended.
It documents case histories of mature women who have all overcome what they thought were insurmountable obstacles to attain happier, healthier and more successful lives.
And y'all have heard about How Stella Got Her Groove Back, well, my dears, the talk now is all about How Stella Lost Her Groove! Sweet-things, it is the hottest picture now being circulated in cyberspace. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then, my dears, this one clearly spells it all out and it says 'The ex-Mr Stella has definitely found his groove, and then some!'
Birthday wishes to businessman Brian Chung and friend of long standing, Marshall Peterkin, who celebrate their birthdays today but with the celebrations to follow at a later date!
Special do
The debonair Winston Passley will celebrate his birthday tomorrow, April 25, at his home in the Big Apple, and it promises to be a special do and nothing but!
The fabulous Bren Ann Chin, will also celebrate in New York, on the 28th, with plans afoot for a mega Jamaican celebration to follow. And businessman and man-about-town, Eddie DePass, will celebrate his special day, next Thursday, the 30th.
The lovely Tanya Rennals will make it her very own special day come next Friday, May 1, as the former resident of Linstead, St Catherine, celebrates her birthday at her Atlanta, Georgia home.
And belated birthday wishes to Commissioner of Police Rear Admiral Hardley Lewin, who celebrated his birthday on Monday of this week.
A special belated wish to the indefatigable Edith Jarbeau, mother of the wife of former Canadian High Commissioner Mrs. Louise Valle, who celebrated her 85th birthday on April 7. The buzz is it was a Jamaican-flavoured celebration with her favourite libation, Red Stripe, very much the belle of the ball.
And a word of advice to Prime Minister Bruce Golding. Mr Prime Minister, your role is not that of 'alarmist-in-chief'. You are there to soothe our fears and apprehensions, not create them, and your address to the nation on Wednesday evening created a ripple of panic across the nation, leading to people cancelling events, not to mention the inconvenience of traffic pile-ups as people rushed to service stations to fill their tanks in an effort to beat the anticipated increases. In the future, simply put the security forces on alert!
Audrey Marks (left), past AmCham president, and Diana Stewart, new president.
Rollins