Kingston 24/7 | City Guide | 69
exchange also featuring work from visiting artists. The oldest gallery of art established in the Caribbean, the National Gallery of Jamaica features a permanent collection of art made in Jamaica from the 1600s to present day. Temporary exhibitions tend to highlight periods and movements of fine art and material culture in Jamaica, and also often feature art from artists within the wider Caribbean diaspora. The former home of Jamaica’s first black millionaire, George Steibel, Devon House is squarely located in the centre of Kingston and is beloved by locals and visitors alike as a popular green space for lounging on the grass and enjoying a selection of small boutiques with locally made fashion, jewellery, craft, artisanal chocolates, coconut sweet treats, smoothies, juices, a distinctive signature styled savoury pastry called a patty and home to the world famous Devon House I Scream.
Kingston’s Blue Mountain range features the highest peak in the Caribbean, part of the incredible variety of terrain that makes Jamaica so special. At this cool altitude, the world famous Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee farms allow java lovers a chance to savour the bean from craft to cup. Listen Kingston became a designated “Creative City” by Unesco for it’s unusually intricate connection to music: with makeshift recording studios on every street corner Kingston is the capital of the only country to produce seven different genres of music all in the last century. This means that for those who love reggae as well as those who love popular culture Kingston’s rich music scene has something for everyone. On Orange Street in downtown Kingston, Rocker’s International record shop is a treasure trove for many a reggae pilgrim looking for vintage or brand new reggae and dancehall pressings. Kingston comes alive most nights with turntable DJ led dancehalls that highlight the latest and greatest in dancehall culture. The fashion, dance movies, jerk chicken vendors, and of course DJ’s battling on the mic make these experiences one of
Rockers International