Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
From left, Honorary Consul to Thailand, Thalia Lyn, with Archbishop Lawrence Burke and Ambassador to Thailand, Snanchart Devahastin, welcome their guests to Chinese New Year party in Stony Hill, St. Andrew, last Saturday. - Photos by Barbara Ellington
They are formidable hosts, their parties and dinners quite the coveted affairs, but it is their annual celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year that is one of the most eagerly anticipated social events of the year.
Captain Michael Lyn and his fabulous wife, Thalia, are not just fine examples of our National motto, 'Out of many, One people', they are the personification of the very essence of the Jamaican spirit, embodying the charm and hospitality for which Jamaicans are celebrated.
While he pursued an active career in aviation, she opted to marry her duties of motherhood with that of an active career in the world of business.
Rachel McClarty (left) hangs out with Thyra Heaven.
Well, Thalia is no shrinking violet, and while the home is where a lot of women find fulfilment, she had other worlds to conquer. With the support of her husband, she ventured into the world of business, first in confectionery/pastry, and later in creating a formidable and distinctly Jamaican fast-food chain.
Active role iin business
Today, the Island Grill brand is celebrated nationally as one of the better and healthier franchises in the marketplace. Little wonder then, that a couple, whose roots are intertwined in the deep and historical evolutionary processes of China and Jamaica, have emerged as one of the nation's most revered couples.
Recent years have seen Thalia playing a more active role in the consular corps as the honorary consul general of the Royal Thai Kingdom. And so it was that with last week being celebrated in Kingston as Diplomatic Week, the Lyns joined with the non-resident Thai Ambassador to Jamaica, Canadian-based HE Snanchart Devahastin, to host their annual Chinese New Year celebrations.
Guests dressed in red to toast the occasion at the Lyns' Old Stony Hill residence.
Now, Mike and Thalia do not know how to throw a bad party, and for their joint do with the visiting Thai Ambassador, they simply went into overdrive and it was simply spectacular.
Anthony Watson (left) makes a point to Dr Oswald Harding.
My dears, we are talking an absolutely fabulously refreshing smasheroni here and nothing but - ladies dressed to the nines, their attending gentlemen equally impressive in their more relaxed attire.
From left, Steven Chang, wife Shelly and Anthony Chang relive memories of their visit to Thailand, at the Chinese New Year party hosted by Thalia Lyn and Thai Ambassador Devahastin.
Oh, what a night! Definitely a world-class act and then some! We are talking a faultless outing here and nothing but, as, my dears, earlier that evening Captain Lyn had donned his apron and took to the kitchen. And as the evening wore on and dinner was rolled out, there was scarcely a palate that was not humming in appreciation of the simply marvellous fare.
Among the notables were Prime Minister Bruce Golding and his wife Lorna; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ken Baugh and his wife Vilma; President of the Senate Dr. Oswald Harding and wife Marigold; Ambassador Douglas Saunders and wife Angela Robertson-Saunders; Ambassador Derrick and Thyra Heaven; Director of Protocol Sandra Grant-Griffith; Most Rev. Archbishop Lawrence Burke; Monsignor Father Richard Albert; Father Gregory Ramkisoon; Greg and Jan Christie; head of EU Delegation HE Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi-Alemanni and his charming wife Fiela Mazzocchi-Alemanni.
More guests
Captain Lyn slices up some of the roast suckling pig he prepared.
Also out were Chinese Ambassador HE Chen Jinghua and Madam Jinghua; Russian Ambassador HE Viktor Zotin and his wife Olga; Canadian High Commissioner HE Denis Kingsley and his wife Jo Ann; Argentinean Ambassador HE Mario Pino; Cuban Ambassador HE Gisela Rivera and her hubby George Crespo; Deputy Chief of Mission German Embassy Maria Friedrich Borger and husband Antoine; Consul General US Embassy Ed Wehrli and his charming wife Rose; Second Secretary Royal Thai Embassy Sairoong Dhamacharoen; Pensri Jutidharabongse, director at the Thai Trade Centre, Miami.
We spotted Ambassador Madge Barrett and husband 'Tunty' Barrett; The Hon. Dennis Lalor; Kenny Benjamin; Chris and Michelle Bovell; Earl and Beverly Levy; Jeanne and Anthony Watson and their son James; Susan Alexander; Robert MacMillan; Jennifer Stanigar; Jennifer Lim; Peter and Beverly Rousseau, her brother Dr. Ren Holness in from Canada; Robert and Barbara Henriques; Paul and Melanie Bitter; George Fatta; the supremely elegant Lorna Myers; Yehuda and Avil Rauer; Charley Johnston and his wife Lisa; Donovan and Andrea Lewis; Alston and Judith Douglas; Howard and Linda Mitchell; Arnold and Patricia Foote; Prakash and Anita Vaswani; Willie and Sandy Worton; Geoff Messado; Lolita Evans; Norman Wright and wife Jean Anderson Wright; Herman McLarty and his daughter Rachel McLarty; Patrick and Marguerite Lynch; Laurie and Ruth Hussey; Hubert Chin and wife Jean Lowrie-Chin; Captain David McRae; Anthony and Jeannie Bell; Ronnie Coke and wife Ethlyn Norton-Coke; Grantley and Judith Stephenson. Leo and Irena Cousins; Charmaine Chin-Loy; William and Sandy; Chris Issa and his fab wife Kimberly Mais Issa; Laurence Heffes; Kingsley Cooper and his companion Romae Gordon; Capt. Ludlow and Grace Johnson; Stephen Lyn kee Chow; Wayne Chen, his siblings Dr. Robert Chen and Richard Chen; DJ and Christine Johnston; Jasmine Chong; Barry and Charmaine Byrne; Annette Burrowes; Anthony Chang; Kingsley Chandler; Steven and Shelly Chang; the lovely Shamena Khan; and sisters to the hostess, Jo Anne Chang and Lily Lubianski, in from Toronto, plus several others.
