Goan for the Jocular by Cecil Pinto -------------------
Journalist ETHEL D'COSTA started the trend, in Goa, of writing about celebrity parties using BOLD and CAPITAL letters for people's names. Rather like shouting. MARGARET MASCARENHAS took it a step further by naming all her new-found neighbours in Madel, Tivim, in her excellent column 'Urban Goenkar' in Goa Today. Can be quite frustrating for common folk like me who: (a) Don't ever get invited to these celebrity dos and (b) Don't live in Madel, Tivim.
I'm going to write about one of the rare parties I got invited to and hopefully many more invitations will follow.
On 22nd February - there was just one party worth going to in Goa - if you were invited, that is. The wedding party of KENNETH RIBEIRO (ex-Ucassaim) and his lovely Danish wife SOPHIE. Yes she's actually from Denmark. They met a few months back at a cybercafe in Panjim and after a whirlwind romance got married in Denmark and are now back holidaying in Goa. Hopefully that last sentence should revive the sagging cybercafe business in Panjim.
The small party was held at JOHNAS CORREIA's house in Carona, Aldona. Built in the post colonial style of pre-Portuguese architectural….. I can't do this! It's just a nice big old Goan house. FRANKIE ALVARES was one of the first guests to arrive who along with Danish architecture student ANDREAS, a friend of Sophie's, put up the series lights and some crepe paper buntings. The party slowly swung into action by about 9 p.m.
GORDON LOBO was his usual exuberant self, mixing cocktails, which involved putting something, that resembled cabbage leaves, in everyone's glasses. His talkative wife FLAVIA was the self appointed photographer for the evening and was all over the place with her compact fixed focus Minolta. Aldona's celebrated photographer HESTON SEQUEIRA was present but without his camera. But his bald head provided enough reflected light from Flavia's camera flash. TONY FERNANDES compered the function with a mike connected to the CD player. KENNEDY & TINA PEREIRA were down from Kuwait with their lovely three month old CHILD. It can be most embarrassing when you can't remember a child's name, or whether it's a boy or girl. "How's the little one?" is a safe bet in such circumstances. Then play it by ear depending on the response.
After enough drinks had been served an impromptu toast was raised by JOHNAS CORREIA (I've highlighted his name twice so far. He owes me big-time now). This was the cue for STEVE RIBEIRO to sing one of his operatic songs. FORTUNATO & LIRA PINTO were present too but fortunately there was no ballroom music playing and so they could not give one of their dancing demos. Fortunato sang a humorous ditty which paved the way for a lot of lively, and suggestive Mandos and Party songs which everyone joined in and Tony accompanied with his box-guitar.
Kenneth's brother DJ YURI turned up later in the night with his sensationally beautiful GIRLFRIEND (I was introduced but was too awestruck at the time - plus Gordon's cocktails were taking effect). Yuri was cajoled into playing some of his CDs which were then immediately rejected and the Mandos started again. Sophie's tall, sexy Danish friend, CAN'T REMEMBER HER NAME, sang a Danish love song which everyone appreciated but nobody understood. With a figure like that you don't need to sing to be appreciated. Just be!
BRUNO FERNANDES was there with his WIFE. So was GREGORY CARVALHO and WIFE with RITA their charming daughter. ERIC & LYDIA D'SOUZA too seemed to be having a good time with Gordon's concoctions. Delicious grub was prepared by DIMI and his ASSISTANT (How does Ethel remember all the names at the parties she attends? Must be keeping sober and going around with a notepad). Kenneth's mother MARGE and lovely sister TANYA were present but not doing much interacting (read drinking!). GORDON and FLAVIA LOBO were all over the place. Mentioned them already? So what? I did say it was a 'small' party.
Must say Kenneth has come a long way from throwing up at parties to throwing a good party. Keep in mind that I attended the party with my ever smiling wife BEATRICE and sons DESMOND & FABIAN. We were given extra special attention because we had carried along a huge gift.
REMO FERNANDES, MICHELLE, SANJEET RODRIGUES (who lives close by in Carona) WENDELL RODRICKS, JEROME, COLIN CURRY, DONNA, ETHEL D'COSTA & MARGARET MASCARENHAS were not even invited! So there!
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The humour column above appeared in Goa Plus, the Friday Magazine section of The Times of India, on 7th March 2003.
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