Do you remember 1st time Rae Town sessions … not what is going on now … I mean like back in the 70s … Well think of this month’s shindig as Rae Town with dining for uptown, downtown and crosstown.
In the southwest corner of the square is the wonderful old upstairs building which is certainly one of the oldest bar sites in the island, destroyed and rebuilt a few times well. It’s called the Anglers Club now. Upstairs is the room in which I did a Malibu Rum ad starring as one of the 2 chief dancehall queens such that when I descended back into the bar, I was complemented as “de real ting” .
Well, it’s been under new management by a team of two gents and their lady friends (one lady a real worker and the other a plumptious show piece whose legs look like they are wearing stockings) for the last 8 months. And you know the Jamaican opener, “An dem have a man yu see…!” Well they certainly have one. Tafari is very well tipped in money and drinks (purely voluntarily) because “im can play from Mario Lanza to dancehall” … and he really can… I bought him a beer. Longtime I haven’t heard that breed of dance music. All 19 of us took at least one whirl … even though Jamaicans have lost their twinkletoes. I was shocked to discover an old high school tegereg colleague who could cut a serious rug!! WARNING … AFTER 11PM MUSIC & CROWD MORPHS TO DANCEHALL ‘STYLIE’ & FEEL FREE TO DECLINE THE MARGARINE IN PREPARATION OF YOUR DISH!.
The strategy is to take your vegetables and gourmet snacks like red vino and go in a group. When you get there, tell one of the bar proprietors you want a maitre d for the evening. When the elected arrives, send him to any of your favourite eateries around the square area and he will sort and relay menu prices and listings, your currency, change and food. (Give him a mini percent for his trouble). Dig in and enjoy then dance to Tafari who plays a lot like an older generation Merritone crossed with Gibbo in his day
This photo of Port Royal is courtesy of TripAdvisor