I started planning for my big birthday about eight months ahead of time. Of course I changed my mind about four times before I finally settled in early March to celebrate my July birthday the same way that I did 10 years earlier…by traveling to sunny Jamaica.

Remembering my earlier birthday and the great time we had helped me to quickly return to the scene of the excitement, the fabulous Tryall Resort in Montego Bay Jamaica.

Tryall is a private resort set amongst acres and acres of land, a beautiful golf course that borders the ocean, and the mountains of MoBay, as the travel agents call it.

After numerous emails, phone calls and conference calls with Lisa, the leasing agent at Jamaican Treasures, the Tryall staff and my favorite event designer, LaSalle Wright, the plans were set. Me and eight of my best friends (only one of which was a male) paid deposits and eventually final payments and bam!...we were set to embark upon this truly wonderful vacation.

As five of us disembarked the plane in not-so-sunny-at-the-time Jamaica, I could only hope that the 10 day forecast, which called for thunderstorms daily, was oh so wrong!

By the time we cleared immigrations and customs—two hours later, we were a bit weary, but more anxious to begin our adventure. As we found our driver and van and made our way to the resort, the day began to clear and so did our heads.

As we traveled the dusty roads the landscape changed from fairly rugged to oh-so civilized. And, as the gate lifted at the guardhouse of the estate, it was evident that this was really “the place”. After a brief check-in and arrangements with the staff to hurry ahead to the villa to place my welcome beach bags in each of the bedrooms prior to our arrival, anticipation and our hunger started to build. As we pulled up the steep drive and first cast our eyes on the estate, we were greeted by the incredibly gracious and hospitable staff, (10 out of 13) each introducing themselves as they stood in formation and extended their hands.

Out of the corner of my eye and certainly within clear earshot came an earlier arrival to the estate, looking fresh and tropical and not at all like the rest of us, who looked battle weary. She arrived several hours earlier and had showered, freshened up and checked out the property with the skill of an expert surveyor. Since the staff held lunch until my arrival, we were all whisked away to the outdoor dining terrace of the villa for a delightful lunch of chicken Caesar salads and fresh tropical fruits…and of course, fresh limeade. This was certainly a precursor to the wonderful meals that were to follow—expertly created and prepared by our personal chef, Desmond, and expertly served by our Butler, Kevin , with different themes and place settings each morning, afternoon and evening.

The grounds were magnificent and could only be imagined if your imagination could take you somewhere that you’ve never been. The grounds were sweeping and lush with tropical vegetation of all types--flowering trees, shrubs, plants and more varieties of palms than I could count or identify. Bright and deep pinks, yellows, reds and oranges, heavy ripe fruits falling from trees and aloe plants that looked like they belonged in the little shop of horrors, not a tranquil pathway.

The villa itself was a sight to behold—22,000 sq ft of palatial splendor that included gigantic common spaces with a 1200 sq. foot great room, with a ceiling that soared over 40 feet and opened to the warm breezes on all four sides with floor to ceiling folding glass paneled doors. The rooms were finished with custom furnishings that ranged from fine ultra suede sofas and silk damask seating of beautiful pale blues and creams, beautiful marbles, wood and linen accessories, beautiful artwork, sculpture and paintings and the most unique Balinese inspired iron light fixtures throughout the villa, including the large incense burner inspired lanterns that lined the open air corridors with warm citronella scented candles to light the way and ward off mosquitoes.

Each of the seven oversized bedrooms were adjoined with sitting rooms with luxurious sofas and chairs, complimented with coordinated furnishings immediately outside of the sitting areas on open air terraces shared by two of the bedrooms.

Of course the seventh bedroom suite, the master, had it’s own private terraced patio and gym. Each of the sitting rooms had paneled walls that concealed it’s own air conditioning unit, water heater and refrigerator stocked daily with bottled water and whatever beverage requested. The living area sized bathrooms ensuite, were equipted with either large and extremely deep soaking tubs and showers, or individual barrier free showers stalls and adjoining tubs.

All had individual water closets for privacy and double sinks with fully stocked fine, thirsty Christy towels, washcloths and all other matters of finery. The housekeepers and laundresses were amazing as my white linen pants were hand laundered and ironed to bright white perfection and one of the housekeepers spelled out Happy Birthday in flower petals on my white fluffy bath mat!

After taking in the infinity pool that was bordered by three other shallower kiddie pools and a large pool size heated Jacuzzi that could easily seat 25 people and the large patio that extended across the rear of the villa, we stood and just tried to take in the sweeping vistas of the manicured golf course and ocean that stretched out to meet the horizon, where we could salute the sun’s rising and setting without ever moving. Over our eight day stay, we saw 1 freighter, a cruise ship and 2 small vessels…but, most of the time the ocean was uninhabited, and peaceful.

Over the next three days the rest of the crew arrived and we continued our days filled with morning workouts, yoga, golf and more golf, catamaran rides, trips to the beautiful beaches of Negril (a mere 45 minutes away by car), a quick shopping trip, a trip to the historic “Pork Pit”, where we ate the best jerk chicken ever; but we spent a lot of time simply languishing by or in the pool, trying to decide what the “cocktail du jour” would be and planning lunch and dinner menus as the staff whisked off to buy fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables at the Tryall Commissary or the market in Montego Bay. Our nights were filled with wondrous meals and wines, a birthday gift and cards every night that ranged from the sentimental to the hilarious, music, uproarious laughter in the Jacuzzi and various and sundried conversations because, of course, we were all filled with opinions.

The true meaning of vacation was something we openly embraced, although there was the occasional project or assignment that called for the ceremonial opening of the laptops. Aside from that, the laptops were used as oversized iPods as we connected them to the sound system that filled the house and pool areas. We listened to yoyo ma, Bonnie raitt, tupac, mary j bilge, Miles and pat metheny, and the occasional house groove. While our music was varied and schizophrenic at best, it suited us all just fine….the mortgage financier, the two medical doctors, the attorney, the 2 former workaholic turned golf-freak retirees, the 3 corporate Vice Presidents and the IT Consultant.

The week culminated in my Birthday party which was beautifully staged by the Tryall staff, which took the concept of a lovely dinner on the beach, and made it breathtakingly beautiful building a bamboo framed canopy draped and gathered on each of the four corners, with white gauze sheer fabric and benches covered in white satin skirting seated at the rectangular table draped in white and accented with Tiffany blue runners and white dinnerware silver and crystal. The centerpieces of lush huge white perfect orchids spilled out of vases and white candles suspended at various levels from the open canopy completed the ethereal feel of the evening.

Chef Kai prepared and served Muscovy duck breast and blue cheese spiked waldorf salad, roasted island pumpkin soup and grilled spiny lobster tails with garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus and finished the evening off with an incredible dark chocolate birthday cake set on Jamaican rum cream sauce. Of course, being allergic to glutens, he prepared a special desert for me of caramelized pears surrounding a lemon coconut sorbet—which was astounding. After the stuffing of the faces the singing and the gift opening, we walked down the beach as a bonfire roared in my honor. It couldn’t have been more perfect….the warm night, the stars bright above and the ocean…Earth, water, wind and fire….all of the elements. …And let us not forget good friends, all united in one perfect vacation.