40 in style

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

It was one of the season's best soirées, and indeed little wonder here, as the reason for celebrating was one of those very special milestones that are celebrated by those lucky enough to attain them, and treasured by those who share in them.

Indeed, birthdays are those very special events which bind family and friends together, even years after they have been celebrated. This can be so, especially if they are milestone celebrations, as most can and will recall, those friends and relatives who were at one's Sweet Sixteen, Twenty-First, Thirtieth, etc., as these ages and the attendant celebration are universal cultural indicators of a rite of passage, and so are treated with a sense of distinction by the celebrant, family and friends.

Well, on Friday, July 6, it was the turn of the honorary consul of Bangladesh, the dashing Michael Subraite, one of the private-sector rising stars, to commemorate a very special milestone. This he did in fabulous style and then some at his family's, Jacks Hill, upper St Andrew residence, with his fabulous wife, heiress Melanie Scott Subratie, and their three daughters, Anna, Christina and Lisa, partying with the best of the revellers, as only children can.

Indeed, the honorary consul of Bangladesh celebrated his 40th birthday on June 27, but the celebration to commemorate this especial birthday followed a week later and, dears, it made for a beautiful outing.

To begin with, the Subraties' Jacks Hill residence is a beautiful estate that is indeed a study in contemporary and urban chic, with fabulous gardens and beautiful grounds, adding to its wholesome charm. It was to this fabulous property that guests joined the birthday boy in celebration and, dears, it was all good. Arriving guests were welcomed to the fortified home by uniformed security guards who, once confirming one's right to access, ushered them on to the grounds of the estate.

Upon entering, guests were guided up the long driveway by paper-bag lanterns that highlighted the path to the entrance of the residence. And if this was not a clear giveaway that guests were in for a fulsome time, then the foyer of the residence, done-up with some imposing artistic floral display, underlined that story.

And from then on, it all spoke to ease of style, manner and sense of occasion.

From the general bar to the champagne and wine bar to the marquees and their various food stations, the lounge areas à la poolside, gardens and uber-deck, overlooking the party area with its oversized armchairs and Ottomans, dears, we are talking primetime celebrations here.

FABULOUS CELEBRATION

And it
was a celebration of the fabulous order too. No grandstanding here, just
a simply elegant outing, made that much more so by the eclectic musical
offerings first offered up by celebrated musicologist and DJ Squeeze
who, after what was initially the cocktail hour, upped the musical ante
with a some popular dance arias and tunes that made for a very smart
musical fare!

No ceremony or speeches here either, as
the milestone was marked with an interlude that facilitated the
ceremonial slicing of the cake. Then it was up to every man and woman to
party for him or herself. And party they did, with fine libation being
served up by a small army of staffers, who were always just a nod away,
and a party fare that was itself a toast to the palate and the
cater(s).

Dears, it was all fab like that and nothing
but. Indeed, between meeting and greeting guests and parenting their
three beautiful daughters, it was the guests who really got into the
party groove, and it made for a fabulous
celebration.

Dears, talk about style-perfect, well
this was, and in the most easy of manner, as they do not only bridged
the generational divide, it was clearly an outing showcasing the future
of Jamaica's professional and entrepreneurial classes and it made for a
sumptuous outing.

Among those out sharing in the do
to mark the occasion were the engagingly fab Mrs Peggy Blades,
grandmother of the Melanie Scott Subratie; her brother Paul Scott, the
honorary consul of Guatemala; the esteemed Chris Bovell and his fabulous
wife, social empress Michelle Bovell; A-lister Robert MacMillan;
Anthony and Jeanne Watson and their son, James; Mark and Julie Jones;
the affable Colin Steele; Manley Drummond and wife Zarna; Dr Jonathan
Greenland and wife, Dr Rebecca Tortello Greenland; Chris Berry and wife
Dr Patricia Yapp; Ravi Daswani, in from Montego Bay; Spencer Chung and
wife Mellissa Loshusan-Chung; Vinay Walia; Bobby Chen and the lovely ;
Captain Noel Lewis and the lovely Emma Subratie; Daniel Sale; Mark
McIntosh; Niall and Sasha Sheehy; Stephen Jones; Bob Sprengers; Nicholas
Scott and his wife, the fab Kylie McDonnough-Scott; Laszlo Bakon; Ricky
Browne and wife Neimy; plus a number of others.

And
dears, it was all that and then some!