[ohliz]

OT..this is a group with a band that travels with its fans fairly regularly, this was their 6th trip to Jamaica starting from 1999. "Herding cats" would be a good way to put organizing anything there, but it's always a blast

[oldtimer]

How could it not be a blast and a half !!!
 

[ohliz]

My birthday happened while we were there. I wasn't trying to make a big deal about it but my friends had other plans. If you want to see all the photos that go with this, use this link: http://www.travelsinjamaica.com/2014/04/birthday-at-blue-cave-castle-teddys.html

I copied the text here, too:

One of my favorite days on a trip with many, many favorite days, was my birthday. I woke up that day to my friend Nene bringing me coffee and suggesting a mimosa at LTU Pub for breakfast. Lovely start to the day.

After relaxing around the pool at Catcha Gardens for a bit we decided to visit friends staying at Llantrissant, a beautiful private villa located between the cliffs and beach in Negril, with its own private beach. The group gathered into a van while I rode my scooter behind them and we enjoyed a lovely afternoon swimming, playing croquet and just being together.

As the afternoon waned we made our way back up to the cliffs to get ready for evening. We talked about going to Just Natural, a restaurant I really enjoy that has moved from the mid-cliff area out to Hylton Avenue in the deep west end. I went by on my scooter to check it out. It's lovely, but the largest table I saw was for 6-8 and even though we have only 6 people talking about coming to dinner, I know from experience that this is likely to change. Also, rain threatened and Just Natural has few covered areas as tables are set out in a garden.

So I remembered that a place I have loved for years and stayed at several times - Blue Cave Castle - now has a restaurant called Teddy's Hideaway. We decide to go. I call ahead and speak with Petrona, the hotel manager. She informs me that only Teddy (the chef) is there, no other staff, but to please come on down for dinner if we are cool with that.

As it happens we are gathering at Catcha Falling Star for sunset and our group of 6-8 turns into 17...not surprised but definitely pleased We get two vans together and head down. As we arrive at Blue Cave I tell Petrona how our group grew (Petrona actually doesn't work at the restaurant but at the hotel, but jumps in to help us right away) and we all assure her we will do everything we can to get us all drinks and dinner, and so it begins. Some of the guys move the very heavy wooden tables and chairs into one huge table by the sea. You can see the area where we sat in the left of this photo, by the sea wall.We moved ALL of their tables to that spot.

It was dark and Petrona brought out lanterns for the tables and between those and the rope lights on the wall we had a beautiful setting in the yard of a castle by the Caribbean sea looking out towards the beach. If that setting sounds hard to beat, then you are picturing it right.

My friends - who are all just amazing, awesome people - are helping Petrona and Teddy take drink orders, getting menus and bringing out table settings. A few of my friends have brought instruments to dinner - guitars, mandolin, ukelele, and play and sing. I didn't see many guests at Blue Cave, if they were there they were probably out to dinner, but I did see the silhouette of two guests up by the penthouse and tower room, dancing and hanging out listening. I hope they enjoyed our invasion of the castle for the evening

I didn't bring a camera with me but thank goodness some friends did....

One of the friends helping out here is Jenn, who evidently had a latent unfulfilled desire to wait tables because she was AWESOME. I mean, look at her with that tray. She took over orders, helped in the kitchen, and brought all of our food out (with help from good friends Lisa and Genean). (My favorite line of the evening as she brought out our food: "Be careful, the plate is hot....no it's not really, I just always wanted to say that!")

The group walked down into the cave for a bit to check it out. When it's calm you can go down here and swim out from under the yard.

In a week of concerts, weddings, engagements and at least two other birthdays, I wasn't trying to have a "birthday party". This was just a group of friends spending the evening together. But when Teddy found out it was my birthday, Jenn tells me he literally sprinted down to a bakery to get me a cake. And so a toast was made, candles were lit, Happy Birthday was sung, and the night is one I will always remember.

A final few photos from the night.After 3-4 hours, we headed back up the cliffs to make the night last a bit longer with music and one more dip the pool.

I DO have some of the best friends ever. I love you guys

[rootswoman]

Happy Belated Birthday Ohliz!

I am loving this report - such great fun.

[ohliz]

Thank you rootswoman!

A little one on eating around the deep west.

http://www.travelsinjamaica.com/2014/04/eating-in-deep-west-end-of-negril.html

And perhaps a little intro would help:

This year I once again came to Jamaica with a hundred or so good friends. Some are in an amazing band (ekoostik hookah, or Oakhurst, or Rumpke Mountain Boys, or Midnight Railroad), some came to hang out, some came to get married, and all came to celebrate a birthday for a friend. It was a fantastic 10 days and I will write about some of it here.

[oldtimer]

It sure sounds like your friends are " GREAT SPORTS !!!! "
 

[ohliz]

No doubt OT!!

Here is another, Jam at 3 Dives, in which all of the bands and friends come to 3 Dives to play music together, eat, drink, hang out, and enjoy the vibe. The band does it every time they go to Negril and it is always amazing. Not only the bands playing together (acoustic, casual, bonfire sort of thing) but the Jamaican artists and ex-pat artists who come and join in. Free and open to all (which the stage shows are not), it's a great vibe.

Of course I worked for 3-4 hours, but enjoyed my part nonetheless!

http://www.travelsinjamaica.com/2014/04/jammin-at-3-dives.html

[Coconut]

Enjoying every moment OhLiz

[jitterbug]

hey liz, it was great to see you again. always a pleasure.

[booger]

Your Tree Dives night was killer. Nice to see Ms Ann and Paulette having a great time as well as everyone else in attendance. Really wish I was in town on that night.