Eva Myers' 70th splash

Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

Well, my dears, when the invitations went out summoning a critically hand-picked shortlist of friends to attend the 35th anniversary of the 35th birthday of bon vivant philanthropist, socialite and restaurateur, north-coast powerhouse, resident of the exclusive Tryall Estates, and Ocho Rios businesswoman, there were very few who received the coveted invitation who thought the celebration would be anything less than a coronation!

And why not? After all, at 70, Eva Myers is queen of all she surveys as hers is a charming and full life, given to celebrating the bounties and blessing of life, and always ready to extend not just a willing hand, but herself and resources, to the needy and/or any worthy cause or causes, for which her friends and membership in various charitable and or civic organisation enlist her assistance.

And so it was that, on Sunday last, the social centre of Jamaica was her Ocho Rios hideaway, the simply fabulous Villa Viento, sitting quite pretty in Harmony Hall, for what was indeed, the social event of the season!

Known and celebrated for her culinary skills and charm at her Evita's Restaurant in Ocho Rios, Eva Myers is indeed an iconic figure in the annals and history of Ocho Rios - and the north coast, in particular.

Her years of advocating best practices have endeared her to the many, and along the way, naturally, Eva Myers made and kept a great many friends. And so it was for her 'coronation,' last Sunday's celebratory do was more akin to a family reunion for many, as the occasion was the first time in many, many moons that many a long-lost friend would be actually be in virtual touch, and it made for one fabulous tsunami of love and camaraderie!

Luvs, forget all the clichés about 30 being the new 40 or 50. Or that 70 is the new 60! Such throwaway lines are for those whose lives are empty and devoid of the character-building challenges, and as such, are now based on the fatuous premise that one's life is not to be measured by one's looks, instead of the totality of one's character, contribution, and the life in one's years, instead of merely existing!

NO WALLFLOWER

Eva Myers, my dears, decided that she was no wallflower - no bystander in her own life - but would be the authoress of her own destiny, and that destiny would include living and loving life and extending a helping hand whenever and wherever possible.

My darling dears, it was quite the celebration as indeed the invitation did advise the party would be: " From 2 p.m. until sunset … or sunrise!" And dears, with a fabulous concert-size stage set in the middle of the sprawling lawns of Villa Viento, with the blazing blue of the Caribbean Sea framing the backdrop, y'all know we are talking prime time here - and nothing but!

And so it was, my darlings, that guests jetted in from all across the globe, while others motored in from all across the island for what was expected to be an outing for the times, and honeys, that it was and then some!!

We are talking 300-plus guests here, and Villa Viento done up by Dominica-born decorator and costume designer Ernesto Castro and his team; and with Suzanne Couch doing the catering honours, y'all know, we are talking haute culinaria here and nothing but! And with a pop concert-size bar offering premium libations and a small battalion of wait staff on hand catering to guests, y'all know this was styled for fabulousness!

SPECTACULAR

Well, it was like that, pumpkins, and then some, as dears, there were dancing girls - and boys - and all spectacularly fabulous; an 11-piece musical band, led by Peter Couch, with wife, Suzanne, as lead vocalist; toasts and roasts; not to mention desserts by award-winning (gold medallist) pastry chef 'Ging', to add to the celebratory embrace of this special milestone of a birthday, and it made for a simply marvellous do!

My dears, think the very best of Jamaica; add the glitz and glam of Vegas; throw in the charming and celebrated style of Eva Myers, and then you will begin to get the picture!

My darlings, the world and his wife were out; and fabulously, as the magnificent Villa Viento was buzzing with national, regional and international cognoscenti, the quoted and misquoted, the photographed and the lauded, and it made for a social humdinger of the finest order!

Oh my word, what a celebration! What a party! And all in the name of and because of Eva Myers! My dears, it was good and then some, with those sharing in the fabulous day and night event including former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson; Custos of St Ann Radcliffe Walters and wife, Norma; Belgian Ambassador to Jamaica Godelieve Van den Bergh; The esteemed Professor Orlando Patterson; Tony and Sheila Hart; J. Lester Spaulding and wife, Dr L.W. Kogengeter; Winston and Denise Dear; the oh-so-elegant Betty McGann; Dr Derrick and Maureen Aarons; Onesto and Josie Maffesanti; Lolita McGann-Evans; Eran Spiro; Dr Cliff Bradford; Horace Anderson and his trés elegant wife, June Anderson; artist extraordinaire Judy-Ann MacMillan; Kermit and Yvonne Tucker; Peter and Anabella Proudlock; Stafford and Marilyn Burrowes; Gina Pinder; George and Judith Meikle; Rupert Bent and wife, Cindy Breakspeare-Bent; the iconic Maxine Walters; David and Ellie Rickham; Odette Rose; Jeanine Tribley, Victoria Chung; Maura Watson; Clive Baker and wife, the charmingly lovely Iva Walters Baker; Huntley and Jennifer Martin; I-Nancy Burke; Brian Jobson; Janna Brascht; Sam Crichton; the fabulous Tobi Phillips; the fabulous Vanna Taylor; Dennis Rappaport and Ludovica Gabrielli; Judy Schoenbien; the lovely Elisabeth Millar; Joey and Asha Issa; Bruce Hart; Andrew and Sarah Todd; David Pinto; Alex Ghisays; Bobby and Indu Chandiram; Dr Osmond and Anna-Kay Tomlinson; Dr David Lambert Brown; the charming Jenny Woods and her fab daughter, Claire Woods; Michael-Anthony Cuffe and wife, Dana; the celebrated journalist and former educator Franklin McKnight; hotelier Brian Sang; the west's leading journalist and social arbiter Janet Silvera; James and Shelle Tweedie; president of the St Ann Chamber of Commerce, Oral Heaven; Paul and Sandy Goldsmith; Alexi Russell and wife, Sabrina Cesolini, and her niece, Michela Mazarini; Larry and Kajal Thakurani; and Jeanie Dixon, who compered the evening's proceedings. Oh what a party!