Errol Flynn Ball 17 Dec 2011

It was the Caribbean party island of choice for the likes of Errol Flynn and his friends, Errol liked it so much here in Port Antonio he decided to buy a house here.

“My dream of happiness: A quiet spot by the Jamaican seashore looking out at the activity in the ocean, hearing the wind sob with the beauty and the tragedy of everything. Looking out over nine miles of ocean, hearing some happy laughter near-by. Sitting under an almond tree, with the leaf spread over me like an umbrella.”  Errol Flynn

If you are in Port Antonio in December 2011 you can rekindle a little of that bygone glamour by attending the annual Errol Flynn Christmas Ball on 17^th December.  The Ball benefits the Homeless Shelter and Rehabilitation Centre in Portland.  Tickets cost  US $35  in advance and US $41 at the door.

Performing will be The Fabulous Five , the band that backed Jonny Cash on the hit ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ and a full buffet service will be available at Norma’s Beach Bar and Grille from 18:30 until 22.00. Buffet price is US $12  for single entrée, $12 for double entrée.

Visit the official website | Facebook page  to find out more

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Capoeira at the Maroons’ Warrior Yard, Charles Town

To honour the famous freedom fighter Zumbi dos Palmares, leader of the Brazilian Maroons, the Charles Town Maroons are hosting a special 2-day Capoeira event in the historic town of Charles Town, Portland, on the 18th & 19th of November 2011.

Capoeira was a martial discipline originally created amongst the Maroons who, under the leadership of Zumbi, formed the republic of Quilombo dos Palmares in what is now Brazil, and who constantly had to fight off the Portuguese settlers. Over time Capoeira developed to comprise martial arts, dance, music and general athleticism.

Charles Town makes the perfect venue for this event, as the town is famous throughout history for its anti-slavery stance, and home to a community of Maroons, whose ancestors were from Ghana in West Africa and who have contributed so much to Jamaica’s culture. 

The event is one of several being held in Jamaica, organised by Capoeira Alafia & Grupo Cativeiro Capoeira Jamaica.

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Celebrating Easter in Jamaica with Mocking Bird Hill’s Artisan Fayre

We love to showcase the best of Jamaica’s artisan producers and due to the success of our last 2 fayres we are holding another on the 23rd April in our beautiful bio-dynamic gardens.  See if you can spot any of Jamaica’s 22 endemics that are regularly found here!

Special Easter treats that will be available will be  home-made Chocolate Fudge by Crum Cottage, we dare anyone to resist!  Being that chocolate & orange as flavours work so well together we’ll also be selling our home-made Orange Liqueur made from local Sour Oranges, it complements the sweetness of the fudge perfectly and would be ideal for any family lunch on Easter Sunday.

For those that have a busy week in the lead up to Easter you could consider buying some of our legendary Jerk Sauce, created and bottled by our very own Junior, the Mille Fleurs Chef who hails from Boston Bay, home of the very best Jerk Sauce in Jamaica.

In addition you will be able select from a range of gourmet foodstuffs, jewellery, stationery and lace as small gifts to offer friends & family over the Easter period.

Our menu will be a la Carte which means that those with a hearty appetite or those or that eat like a sparrow will equally be happy, it’s your choice!

Sweet Potato and Tomato Soup and Cray fish Soup 
Goat’s Cheese, roasted Sweet Pepper, mixed Greens Salad with Nuts
Three Beans and Rice Salad

*** 
Homemade Pizza ( two options with Chicken and a vegetarian option) served with Tropical Spinach Salad with Citrus and Papaya and Garlic Croutons
Wild Hook Quiche with Tropical Spinach Salad with Citrus & Papaya and Garlic Croutons
Jerk spiced Chicken with Rum, Honey Sauce, Callaloo Rice and Plantain and a (side) mixed salad
Baked Fish in Coconut and Garlic wrapped in banana leaf, Callaloo Rice, Plantain and mixed salad

***

Lemon Cheese Cake
Pineapple Crumbles

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Credibility Counts at Christmas

2 weeks ago the Jamaican hotel Mocking Bird Hill was awarded ‘Best Hotel for the Environment 2010’ at London’s World Travel Market.  This annual ceremony that celebrates Responsible Tourism is an annual event organised by Virgin Holidays and Responsible Tourism.

Shireen Aga, Co-Owner of the hotel said:

“We were delighted to have received this award, it is a very large and encouraging pat on the back for our staff and ourselves, proving that our interpretation and efforts at sustainable tourism in which both the local community and environment benefits is internationally credible.

As a small boutique hotel in verdant Port Antonio in North East Jamaica, the services that we provide our guests grow ever more popular as more guests seek intimate holidays that explore their own individuality which combine great service and which enables them to feel that they have made a difference.
 
The hotel’s growing success has allowed us to continue trading without the necessity of discounting or closing the hotel for  ‘quiet’ periods which we believe in recent difficult economic times is another yardstick of credibility and encouraging sustainable tourism in Jamaica.

To help celebrate our achievements we will be hosting a Christmas Fair on Sunday 5th December in our organic gardens.  This will mirror our successful summer fair. Our artisan suppliers will have stalls of gourmet foodstuffs, jewellery and stationery and lace to offer to our visitors who can and buy something a little bit different this Christmas for loved ones."

We've just finalised the menu for Sunday!  It is a la Carte which means you can go for the full works or if you prefer a lighter lunch of just soup or salad that option is available. 

Sweet Potato and Tomato Soup and Cray fish Soup  
Goat’s Cheese, roasted Sweet Pepper, mixed Greens Salad with Nuts
Three Beans and Rice Salad
 
Homemade Pizza ( two options with Chicken and a vegetarian option) served with Tropical Spinach Salad with Citrus and Papaya and Garlic Croutons
Wild Hook Quiche with Tropical Spinach Salad with Citrus & Papaya and Garlic Croutons

Jerk spiced Chicken with Rum, Honey Sauce, Callaloo Rice and Plantain and a (side) mixed salad
Baked Fish in Coconut and Garlic wrapped in banana leaf, Callaloo Rice, Plantain and mixed salad

Lemon Cheese Cake
Pineapple crumbles

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Summer Fair Fun

Our August Artisan fair proved to be a fun day for all, with visitors coming from as far as Kingston to sample the delights of the very best of the hotel’s 12 artisan suppliers.  There was a wealth of variety on offer, from jewellery to goat’s cheese to pottery and handmade paper and much more in-between.  It was a chance to not just share tips from our producers but to make actual sales, which  each stallholder did; a great confidence boaster in the current economic climate! 

As the day was a little mixed weather-wise, we decided to hold the fair itself on the bar terrace, we are hoping our Christmas Fair will enjoy all the benefits of the dry season and be in the gardens themselves.  Choices from our delicious fusion buffet luncheon included:

Starters
Gazpacho| Wild Hook & Sweet Potato Soup |Bruschetta with Herb Goat Cheese

Mains
Jamaican-style Roast Fish | Jerk Chicken, Pork and Pineapple Kebabs| Tofu and Vegetable Kebabs| Callaloo and Goat Cheese Quiche

Vegetables
Spiced Corn-on-the-Cob with Lemon Cilantro Butter | Tropical Coleslaw, Breadfruit Salad | Two Potato and Bean Salad

Dessert
Carrot Cake with Coconut Icing |  Pineapple Bread Pudding with Rum Butter | Orange Cheese Cake |  Homemade Ice-cream with Fresh Fruit Salad

Here’s  just some of the comments from the day:

“Lovely! Nice atmosphere and wonderful products, it was so good to be introduced to these artisan producers, we should do this more often to support them”

“The Fair was great, I am sure it would do well in December”

“Success is the first word that comes to mind when reflecting on our stall at HMH, as well as the taste of that welcoming glass of cool lemonade” 

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August 7th Portland Parish Fair

When Life throws Lemons at you, it's time to make Lemonade!

You're cordially invited to the Hotel Mocking Bird Hill County Fair. 

Where & When

Hotel Mocking Bird Hill Gallery and Garden

Saturday 7th August 2010 @ 11.00am, until 4.30pm approximately

Attractions include: Art Exhibition and stands with artisan products from our partners with music and buffet lunch in the garden. There will be a bar where we will sell beverages, including Lemonade.  

Gate Prize: Weekend stay here @ Hotel Mockingbird Hill (accommodation only) with runner-up prize of "goodies" basket with products from our various partners in attendance

Entrance Fee: J$3,000

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Rain? Well for the Length of Time it Takes to Drink a Jamaican Chocolate Tea

Thankfully, when it rains in Port Antonio it generally pours but only for a very short time; enough, just to keep our precious Jamaican Rain Forest happy and allow our guests to get back to enjoying the main reasons that they come, to explore Jamaica and make the most of the Caribbean Sun!

On the rare occasions when it does rain, we generally advice guests to make the most of some true down time by:-    

• Enjoying a cup of complimentary chocolate tea while watching the clouds pass by from the bar terrace
• Treating yourself to a massage or a pedicure /manicure
• Taking the opportunity to catch up with friends and write those promised postcards
• Playing a game of scrabble and getting to know a couple of other guests at the same time
• Reading the book you’ve been longing to dip into peacefully without interruptions
• Taking a long snooze after lunch  and enjoy doing nothing!

On the rare occasions that a 'front' arrives over this part of Jamaica, and it has been forecast to stay for 3+ days, we will always warn you and check to see if you would like to take a visit to Kingston or perhaps have a Jamaican cooking lesson with our Chef.  Because these take a little while to arrange we won’t ever be able to arrange these the very next day  but you can be assured that we will try our very best to make sure that you don’t get bored when ‘front’ weather arrives.

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What’s on in Jamaica

 

 Our calendar of what's on over the coming months in Jamaica, hopefully it will help you plan and make the most from your holiday.

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Coming Home – A Sustainable Romantic Roots Celebration

 Al Fresco Terrace Dining in February, Mille Fleurs Restaurant, Hotel Mocking Bird Hill

How nice it is to go home to Jamaica and escape those long cold dark winter nights that living in the Northern Hemisphere bring until Spring-time.   The lush land of wood & water is the place to escape back to, where the knockout smell of Thyme-infused fish, Rice ‘n’ Peas brings with it the knowledge that you can relax and switch off.  But how often does ‘going home’ end up not so much a holiday but a catch-up?  How often does going home actually mean the holiday broken up into 2 with you and your family exploring a new part of Jamaica?  

Hotel Mockingbird Hill in Port Antonio could be just the place to stay for those that are considering going home to Jamaica for a family holiday but longing to combine it with a few days away and exploring part of Jamaica’s lush rich North East coast. Quieter and less commercial than some of its West End Resort brothers, the area of Port Antonio is the perfect place to explore especially if you are a Jerk fan – this is where it started after all!

Twice voted the Caribbean’s Best  Green Hotel and recently recommended by OK Magazine, a short break at intimate eco boutique Hotel Mocking Bird Hill, guarantees you and your family not just a green holiday but one which promotes sustainable tourism,  ensuring that members of the local Portland community are benefiting from your holiday in Jamaica.  Whether it is from tucking into the delicious locally produced organic goat cheese supplied to the Mille Fleurs Restaurant, captained by Jamaican Chef Melvin Laidlaw, or at the end of the day enjoying the Chocolate Tea Balls supplied by the ladies of the St Mary Multi-Purpose Cooperative, you will have the tastes of home brought to you whilst benefiting local producers. You may even want to invest in one of the beautiful recycled photograph albums made by the ladies at Fairy Hill – the perfect place to display memories of your ‘holiday’ .

For those who want to explore the Blue Mountains we suggest a day excursion led by Colonel Frank Lumsden, leader of the local Charles Town Maroons.  In between darting amongst the streamer tailed humming birds and mongooses, the ever-so-charming Colonel traces the history of the Maroons, whose ancestors , from Ghana in West Africa, have contributed so much to Jamaica’s culture. For anyone considering a holiday around Valentine’s Day in Jamaica to get back to their roots, a stay at Hotel Mocking Bird Hill could be just that as you can drop in on the nearby 20th annual Fi Wi Sinting festival – a celebration of Jamaica’s African Heritage that is held on Valentine’s Day at the beautiful Somerset Falls in Hope Bay, Portland.  

A short break holiday in February at Port Antonio's Hotel Mockingbird Hill starts at US255 per night for a Garden View Double Room.

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Jamaica’s ‘Lightning Bolt’ Casts Off at the Round the World 09/10 Clipper Race

And they’re off!  This year’s Round the World Clipper Race saw ‘Lightning Bolt’ embark with the other clippers today.  Named after every Jamaican & world athletics fan’s sports hero, Usain Bolt, our Jamaican entry will be covering 35,000 miles across the world’s oceans over the next 10 months.  

The race will have a 6-day mooring at Port Antonio’s Errol Flynn Harbour between the approximate arrival date of 16/18 May and departure on 22 May 2010.  Hotel Mockingbird Hill will host its traditional Clipper Race cocktail party for the Jamaican Team.  

For families wanting to catch up with their nearest and dearest or journalists covering the race, Hotel Mockingbird Hill will be offering its Clipper Break where our luxury ecological hotel offers accommodation and provides day trips that are arranged specifically so that teams and their families can make the most of their stay in Jamaica’s lushest and most peaceful North Eastern corner.

Memories of the stay at Port Antonio by the Clipper Race 07/09

 

Further Reading about the Clipper Race

Official Clipper Race Website & Jamaican Entry

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