Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor

Beres Hammond - Claudine Housen/Staff Photographer

Daahlings, it is the season for temptation, and tempting it is with all the seasonal goodies everywhere. The fabulous are partying and they are doing so from New York through Montego Bay, via the nation's capital. And precious angels, it is making for one absolutely smashing season.

A few weeks ago, it was all about the Big Apple, as this was where Long Island socialites and philanthropists Sydney and Sylvia 'Sunny' Engel hosted their 60th wedding anniversary at the historical Garden City Hotel. Family friends and well-wishers jetted in from all over the globe for the occasion, and what a to-do it was too. Nothing but grand style would do for the black-tie dinner and dance.

Among the jet-setters who flew in for the celebrations were the fabulous Jennifer Lim; Richard Russell and the divine Sophia MaxBrown; Jamie and Camille Delgado; Jeremy Millingen and Lisa Stoddart; Courtney Hamilton and Judy Farmer, and Dr. Margaret Karr, who along with former US Embassy Chargés d'Affaires Lacy Wright and his wife Jackie Bong-Wright, joined the Engels in commemora-ting their fabulous union.

Engels charity

Indeed, the Jamaican contingent was not only celebrating the magic of the Engel union, but also the friendship that has led to many Jamaican charities benefiting from the Engels' charity, which has embraced Jamaica and its many causes through their support of the American Friends of Jamaica. They were indeed celebrating the Engels and their humanity!

The Engels have long been friends of Jamaica and have for years, maintained their summer home in the fashionable and trés upscale Half Moon neighbourhood of Montego Bay. But that friendship took on a more meaningful and intimate relation-ship after Sydney suffered a heart attack some years ago while summering in the exclusive enclave called their home away from home.

Unfortunately, there were no medical facilities to offer him the medical care he needed and so he was airlifted from Montego Bay to Florida, where he not only received the appropriate medical treatment, but made a full recovery.

Well, that was pretty nigh over 14 or so years ago. It was an experience, however, that saw the Engels recognising the need for a full and competent medical facility in the Half Moon/Montego Bay neighbourhood. They established, equipped and staffed the MoBay Hope Medical Centre, a fully equipped and modern facility offering the latest in diagnostics, cosmetic surgery, radiology, colonoscopy and endoscopic surgery, cardiac laboratory, 24-hour ambulance service and emergency treatment facilities, as well as immunisation services, U.S. immigration physicals and general surgery.

10th anniversary

A first of its kind, the centre first opened its doors in December of 1997, and so is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The anniversary celebrations, however, will get well and truly under way in January.

But there was no denying the 60th wedding anniversary celebrations!

And speaking of wedding anniversaries, on Monday the 17th, it was all about the charming couple Lincoln and Barbara Robinson, who celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary on that day. Celebrations here were muted and restricted to immediate family as the anniversary came before the couple took off for Canada for their annual Christmas holidays.

Candles

Now, come tomorrow, their daughter, the lovely Renée Robinson, will be blowing out the candles on her birthday cake as she celebrates another year of the charmed life.

On the 18th, the charmingly lovely and fabulously wealthy Texan, Jane Joslin, wife of Texas-based millionaire and former head of Dennis Joslin Incorporated, celebrated her birthday with family and friends with an intimate soirée, with word being expect a Texas-style celebration this time next year as indeed, it will be a milestone of a celebration.

Come Christmas Day, however, while Christians everywhere will be celebrating the birth of Jesus, friends and family of the simply gorgeous Sophia MaxBrown will be blowing out the candles on her own birthday cake as she readies herself for her new home in Montego Bay.

Also celebrating her birthday on Christmas Day is the fabulous Carol Bourke. And hubby Richard Bourke has promised one fabulous to-do to mark the occasion at the couple's Runaway Bay beachfront residence.

Now on the 29th, international 'A-crowder' and hotel tycoon, pioneering head of the SuperClubs chain of fine resorts, the illustrious John Issa, will be celebrating another year of the fabulous life. And it will be a family affair and nothing but.

And the invites are out for legal diva Monique Cohen's January 5th birthday celebrations, and this too promises to be a fab-fest.

Then, Jamaica's first lady of the runway, the iconic Audrey Burgess-Barakatt arrives in the island tomorrow from her California home for the holiday season. Colette Garrick also arrived from California earlier this week. Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Jarchow are expected in from Paris early next week. Anthony and Jeanne Watson are off to their annual trek to St. Bart's to see in the New Year. The lovely Betty Delfosse-Ingleton will celebrate Christmas in Vietnam and see in the New Year in Thailand and criss-cross Asia before returning to Kingston in late January-early February.

And the party of the season is on at Villa Ronai this here Christmas Eve, and it promises to be a 'sin-sational' blast, and then some! No wonder the party-hopefuls are doing cartwheels in the hope of attracting an invitation!

And speaking of a good thing - Beres Hammond's 'A Moment In Time', scheduled for next Sunday, promises to be a fabulously good thing and is a definite must-do for those with an appreciation for fine music and a kinder, gentler sense of entertainment.

Luvs, wouldn't miss it for the world and his wife, so see you there!

Left: Hotelier John Issa. - Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer Right: Sylvia and Sydney Engel. - Photo by Claudine Housen/Staff Photographer

Left: Jane Joslin - Winston Sill /Freelance Photographer Right: Betty Delfosse-Ingleton - Contributed