Dating service is all about love – & safety
Adults, come one, come all to a meet-mix-and-mingle affair next Sunday officially launching the new Royalty Rendezvous dating firm. The six-hour kickoff affair — which features the the sultry, sharp and confident Caribbean-rooted Royalty Rendezvous CEO Jennifer Johnson and potential daters — will be held at the Krystal Lounge, 1534 University Ave. in the Bronx, starting at 4 p.m., with great expectations and opportunities touted for patrons seeking partners.
“We have a unique, diverse host of events that cater to all ethnicities and sexual orientations,” said Johnson, who added that there will be games, raffles, demonstrations and more at the launch event.
She added that upcoming events will include speed dating, single and couples activities, blind dating and bachelor/ bachelorette competitions.
Johnson says she plans to counter statistics that only “17% of online dating users actually go on dates,” romance scams and other downsides of the dating business, touting her firm’s new approaches and its goals of putting “fun” back into dating and helping people find the love of their lives.
Johnson — whose father, Lionel Johnson, and his father of the same name both hail from Jamaica — said she thought hard before deciding to embark on the dating service business and the Royalty Rendezvous concept.
“When starting a business, the first thing they always ask you to consider is, ‘What are you passionate about.’ The only things I thought about were helping others and love,” recalled Johnson.
The result was the creation of a dating company that seeks — in fun, safe and creative environments — to “reignite face-to-face contact in a society where that interaction has diminished,” according to its website.
“Dating has become such a serious business when, in all actuality, it is supposed to be fun,” said Johnson.
The launch event features a $20 open bar for two hours, appetizers and the opportunity to sign up for future happenings.
Visit royaltyrendezvous.com to register for next Sunday’s launch party and check the site for future events.
Final rites for photographer
A final farewell for the late Trinidadborn, New York-based photographer Hayden Roger Celestin was held Saturday in Tunapuna, Trinidad, the town where he was born.
The Trinidad memorial — which followed a New York service held Dec. 21 — took place at Good Shepherd Anglican Church in Tunapuna.
Family members and longtime friends gathered for the service, which featured oversize photographs of Celestin
and samples of his work.
He covered New York and traveled internationally to document news and sports stories for UPI, AFP and Getty wire services and publications such as the Daily News.
According to his sister Arlene Thomas, after the church service, Celestin’s ashes were taken to the nearby Tunapuna Cemetery and buried with his mother, Emeris Bayne.
In Brooklyn on Dec. 21, friends and family from Trinidad joined New Yorkarea friends and colleagues at the Frank R. Bell Funeral Home in Prospect Heights to say goodbye to Celestin.
Suffering from multiple organ failure after a severe, paralyzing stroke, Celestin, 64, died Dec. 14. Remarkably, Celestin — who was on dialysis for 40 years and got the treatments three times weekly — never let his condition interfere with his work.
Celestin also made a point of contributing his international skills and expertise to community-based enterprises, such as Everybody’s Caribbean Magazine, the Caribbean Women’s Health Association and the international News Americas Now network website.
Play evokes Eartha Kitt
The spirit of Eartha Kitt — the late singer, actress and activist — is being evoked in the one-woman “Down to Eartha” play at the Dwyer Cultural Center, 258 St. Nicholas Ave at 123rd St. in Manhattan.
The show, which stars Dierdra McDowell and debuted this year at the WOW Cafe in Manhattan’s East Village, is produced and directed by Marishka Phillips, who has roots in Panama.
“I was first inspired to play Eartha Kitt by acting coach Susan Batson in 2010,” said McDowell. “After performing an animal exercise in class, she simply stated, ‘I see Eartha.’ From there, I felt the need to tell Kitt’s story.”
The singer-actress was known for her recording of “C’est si bon” and her sexy “Santa Baby” Christmas song.
“Down to Eartha” will be staged on Jan. 17 at 8 p.m.; Jan. 18 at 8 p.m.; Jan. 19 at 5 p.m., and Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.
General admission ticket prices are $35 on Jan. 17 and $30 Jan 18 through 20. Senior admission is $25 and student admission is $20. For tickets, visit dwyercc.org/events.
This production is in association with the Dwyer Cultural Center and is sponsored by Miss Jessie’s Original natural hair products.