Good food, fine wine and quality entertainment. That was what was in store for patrons when they flocked to the southland for a Wine and Cheese cocktail event recently.
Organised by Jamie Hilaire and Xpress Promotions, the event titled Oriental Magic Wine and Cheese, was held on June 28, at the courtyard of the Naparima Bowl, San Fernando.
It was held as a way to help raise funds to enable Hilaire, who has been belly dancing for the past three years, to attend the Rakstar Belly Dancing workshop in Miami, Florida.
Patrons who braved the inclement weather were treated to a wide variety of wines, including red wine, white Zinfandel and merlot, all of which were supplied by AS Bryden’s Franzia House.
Different types of cheese including Anchor, Mainland, Gouda and Edam were also available for sampling.
Starting the entertainment segment of the fund-raiser with the first of her three appearances was Hilaire herself, who captivated the crowd with her smooth, fluid dance moves.
She was followed by the husband-and-wife dance duo of Ade and Kimberly Smart who brought a Latin flavour and thrilled the crowd with their salsa item.
Also performing were Hilaire’s dance teacher Marina Louis, as well as the Trini Fusion Dance Group whose renditions were both well received.
The light rainfall was enough to have patrons seeking shelter but could not come close to extinguishing the flames coming out the mouths of the members of the Paramin Blue Devils fire-breathing group.
With the smell of gas thick, the pair of fire breathers lit up the venue as they repeatedly spit flames high in the air much to the delight of the crowd.
Bringing the curtain down on the entertainment was Hilaire who, after her performance, expressed her appreciation to her supporters.
“This is my first event and it gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent and allowed me to realise just how much support I have” an elated Hilaire said after the show. “Plenty work went into this production and it was amazing.”