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When the pandemic hit, stylist Mecca James-Williams says she found herself “stuck in New York, trying to put the pieces of my life, career, and happiness together daily.” So shortly after Jamaica’s borders reopened last summer she quickly booked a flight to the island country that she’s grown to love and has frequently visited over the last half decade. “I knew it would be a risk to travel during a health crisis, but I planned every safety parameter possible and stayed in a secluded cabin with my best friends for a week,” she tells Vogue. “We cried, laughed, and enjoyed the solitude of being on the beach outside of our apartments.” And it was on this trip that it dawned on her: I want to move to Jamaica.
While James-Williams hopes to buy a home within the next couple of years, she has since continued flying back and forth to the island country, and knew it would serve as the perfect location for her birthday celebration. So this past August the stylist packed her bags—with tropical looks, curve-accentuating swimwear, Supergoop sunscreen, and a custom Bob Marley tee by Bandé—and brought along her family and closest friends. For the four-day extravaganza the stylist chose to stay at the boutique Geejam Hotel in Port Antonio, Jamaica. In each of the rooms she left her guests custom gift bags with all of her most cherished travel essentials, including a scarf that she collaborated on with SVNR, where a portion of the proceeds supports Winnifred, one of her favorite public beaches on the island.
The days to follow were filled with fun and adventure. By day, the group beach hopped while channeling their competitive side with games of uno and dominos; took a boat tour from the Blue Lagoon; rafted down the Rio Grande while taking in the lush environs; savored local fare like curry goat at Belinda’s Riverside Restaurant; and grooved to a blend of reggae, hip-hop, funk, and R&B at a pool party where the dress code called for “bright and bold” attire. By night, there were family-style dinners, sunset bonfires, plenty of dancing, and an epic birthday bash that ended with an impromptu jump into the pool. The best part of all, though? “Seeing my friends from different parts of my world connect over the beauty and culture of Jamaica,” says James-Williams.
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