A group photo of the ladies at the event.
The grand American special meet of the International Ladies Potluck Group put together by its American members, in association with the American Women’s Association of Qatar (AWAQ), was further enhanced by becoming part of and being the first event of the week-long Discover America Week celebrations organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar and the US embassy.
Ladies turned up in outfits that had a smattering of red, white or blue, or cowgirl denims and hats, or any sort of western attire that encapsulated the quintessential Americana coolth. All the ladies could be seen wearing red, white and blue plastic garlands, through the morning full of festivities as the American members of ILPG and AWAQ had arranged everything from a group of beauty and health experts who let ladies in on how to glam it up to the choicest assortment of American food.
Hosted by ILPG’s American members, headed by Pleunette Monaghan, Joanne Blakemore, Amany Eid and Sahar Khawaja, in association with AWAQ, the event buzzed with the collective excitement of those gathered. Blakemore told Community, “The best part for us, Americans, is to see all these ladies of different nationalities come together and be part of this American picnic and do line dancing, which is a uniquely American dance. It’s so wonderful to see such enthusiastic response and participation from an international community.”
The event flagged off with Monaghan explaining the meaning and symbolism of the US flag, while Joanne Blakemore shared with the ladies some rare information on the US in the form of a trivia quiz.
Monaghan shared how the 13 equal horizontal stripes of red (top and bottom) alternating with white, represents the original 13 colonies, and a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 50 small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars (top and bottom) alternating with rows of five stars, represents the 50 states.
“The blue stands for loyalty, devotion, truth, justice, and friendship, red symbolises courage, zeal, and fervency, while white denotes purity and rectitude of conduct,” Monaghan explained, “The US flag is commonly referred to by its nickname Old Glory.”
Blakemore engaged the audience with some fun trivia on America, such as: “Fourth of July fireworks were begun as a mockery of the tradition of fireworks for British royalty. The Fourth of July wasn’t an official US holiday until 1941. ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ is set to the tune of an old English drinking song. Lincoln logs were named after Abraham Lincoln and his childhood log cabin. No president has been an only child. Longtime friends John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day, July 4, 1826. The national capital was originally Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. President Lincoln kept important notes and papers tucked in his famous top hat.”
Given the theme American Beauty Day, beauty brands like Diva Lounge Spa, Glow Salon, and Clinique from Salam Store had set up stalls at the event and assisted the ladies with their health, skincare and make-up queries. While some women could be seen having a ball getting their make-up done at the Clinique stall, some turned to Nina Johnson, who specialises in nutrition, to glean some precious wellness advice.
The Trinity Talent had set up a photo booth where the ladies posed for photos donning cowboy hats and masks representing American icons. What got the ladies grooving to their hearts’ fill though was line dancing as Chela Radi from Bollywood Dance Entertainment and Classes acted as the line dancing caller and DJ Zack Petersen spun some interesting western and country music.
While there were ample samples of healthy breads and other delicacies available for tasting, the food reserved for the hearty breakfast comprised typical American goodness. The highlight, of course, was buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken with side dishes like macaroni and cheese. The ladies had whipped up some salads on their own, such as potato salad, bean salad, and coleslaw, while a wide range of scrumptious sweets, from scones to chocolate fudge, completed the feast.
As with all ILPG events, the customary raffle was held as the day’s lucky ladies jumped up in joy and picked up some cool prizes donated by the stall holders and the regular sponsors Salam Store, Sawasdee Spa and Bellezza Salon. The ladies also took away some “goody bags” from Diva Lounge Spa and a host of samples distributed by Clinique.
Theresa Backus Dunn, Executive Director, American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar, said, “The American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar was very excited to partner with the American Women’s Association and the International Ladies Potluck Group to put on the first event of this year’s Discover America Week – Qatar 2016 calendar. Attendees at the American Beauty Breakfast enjoyed expert advice from health and beauty professionals, giveaways and an American-style picnic.”
Given the verve and spirit on show throughout the event, it would be hard for anyone to not have felt rejuvenated. “When all the ladies got up and danced, it showed just how involved they all were in this celebration,” Blakemore said, “It was heartening to see an international group embrace an American festival.”
Shriani Burley, Co-president of ILPG, said, “With this, ILPG has completed another exciting and enjoyable event. Thanks to the ILPG’s American members and the AWAQ members, we could all come together and make this gathering such a huge success.”
ILPG consists of 422 members from 65 countries. The group has been a torchbearer for expat ladies in Qatar, boasting of over 400 members from more than 65 countries. ILPG celebrated its 11th anniversary, last year.
The annual Discover America Week Qatar celebrations began on Monday with a host of special events and attractions. The series of events celebrate the US-Qatar partnership. Running until February 22, it will highlight American business and innovation, travel, food, music, fashion, art, education and culture.