“YESSSS!!! I secured the package!”

Piper is a strong-willed, precocious 11 year old with big ideas, who dreams of becoming a party planner when she grows up. Or a vet like her mom, she isn’t so sure yet.

But one thing she does know is that she loves her belly! Whenever Grandma Bev asks her to “taste” something, she is bound to say “more please!”

And like her Grandma, she loves bringing people together with a good party. She also believes that things just have a way of working themselves out. They just have to!

Piper is a natural leader but can be pretty stubborn when she gets an idea she wants to pursue. Her mom Paula hopes she will soon learn to accept that there are some things she cannot change. But when everyone around her loses hope, a determined Piper believes a mission is only impossible until it’s done.

“I can vibe with this!”

Sam is the high energy member of Party Crew. She is athletic, easily excited and always up for a challenge.

But don’t give Sam monotonous tasks unless you want to punish her. She gets bored very easily. She doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up. She just knows it’s gonna be wicked!

Sam’s loudness and chattiness sometimes annoys Piper but she doesn’t mean any harm. And Piper admires her grit, because Sam is the Party Crew member who is not afraid to get things done.

When you have an out-of-the-box plan, call Sam. She pushes boundaries, and is willing to do the most daring things to get the mission done.

“Happiness level set to infinite!”

12 year old Lilian is a studious, detail-oriented problem solver who wakes up earlier than all her friends because there just aren’t enough hours in a day.

If it were up to Lilian, she’d stay indoors most of the time focusing on her own dream of programming computers.

But she helps plan Piper’s big party ideas because they encourage her to get out of her shell. Her life would be a lot more boring without Piper’s energy and ‘can do it!’ mindset. Plus it also helps that they both have a soft spot for saving animals.

Lilian is the Party Crew’s voice of reason and calmly helps Piper see things from a different perspective. When Piper gets carried away with her wild ideas, Lilian is there to hold her down.

“Hey… ah… so.. umm…”

10 year old James is polite, neatly dressed and loves to build lego models indoors when he’s not riding his bicycle. But he can’t help feeling nervous around Piper, the most popular, brave, and confident girl he knows. The trouble is, that’s when he’s most fidgety and talks a lot even when it is not warranted. And this annoys Piper to no end.

James has a kind heart and is willing to do anything to be a part of the Party Crew, and he will go as far as embarrassing himself to prove it.

He’ll just have to figure out how to show Piper that he isn’t just the anxious, jittery kid she knows him to be.

“Pickney, you don’t have something to do?”

40 something year old Paula is hardworking, practical, and caring. She is a protective and watchful parent, who has built up a successful veterinary practice in Florida.

She does all this while being an active mom to Piper, who she encourages to explore her passions. Within reason, of course. She sees much of herself in Piper, and has no doubt influenced her love of animals.

Paula enjoys creating order. She finds it difficult to relax, and often feels on edge. She relies on her husband Mike to help keep her grounded as he’s her trusted confidant. Even though he’s a little too relaxed sometimes.

Grandma Bev and Piper might say that Paula could loosen up just a little. But Paula believes that making sacrifices and tough decisions are a big part of being a good mom. And well, she isn’t wrong.

“What you having today, mi fren?’

When you’re Mr. Brown’s friend, you become family.
This jolly lover of all things food has found a family with Grandma Bev, her children, and the lifelong customers of the Dutch Pot restaurant.

Mr. Brown is hardworking, reliable, and more observant than he seems. He’s the kind of guy people talk to freely and trust with their secrets over a nice big bowl of soup.

He may not always have the answer, but folks always feel better after a helping of kind words from Mr. Brown.

Mike is a down to earth Southern guy with a big heart. His laid back approach to life often lets others think he’s not serious, but his wife Paula loves that he’s a cool, calming presence for her, and a loving, insightful father to Piper.

He’s a great host when friends come over for games nights, and has taught Piper a thing or two about southern hospitality. He enthusiastically embraces the Jamaican culture and considers himself an adopted citizen, though he’s still working on his accent.

At times he can be a bit too idealistic for level headed Paula, and even sneaks Piper treats when her mom isn’t looking. But Mike is open-minded and likes to see the big picture. For him, every moment matters, so treasure it. Generous with his time and resources earned from his startup, he wants to see those around him do well.

“See? Me tell you man!”

Event planner Michelle is 35 years old, a huge part of the Caribbean scene in South Florida and is the typical Jamaican that you would see “jumping” carnival.

She adores her niece Piper, but always tries to get her to wear dresses and comb her hair properly. She is Piper’s cool aunt and in many ways, Piper hopes she can be as cool as Aunt Michelle when she grows up.

Michelle shares a close bond with her mother and sister. However she can be very feisty and a bit quick at the tongue. She doesn’t quite understand her mom or much of their struggles growing up. So when she makes family decisions, she is driven more by logic and less by emotions. Or so she thinks.

She often acts like the older sister and butts heads with Paula when they disagree on how to manage Grandma Bev and her affairs. But in the end, she only wants what is best for the family. And some time to do her nails, of course!

“The pot sweet!”

Grandma Bev is plump, full of spunk, and always ready to jump into the kitchen. She has a unique gift of feeding people’s spirits. Everyone feels loved and alive when they ‘taste Grandma Bev’s hand’!

Grandma Bev believes that nothing makes people feel better than good food, though she can go a bit overboard. While she treats those around her (and herself) to rich meals, she doesn’t pay that much attention to her own health. For that, she depends on her two daughters to keep her in line.

Grandma Bev cherishes her loving family. What’s left of her heart belongs to the Dutch Pot Restaurant, which she has been running for much of her life after starting it in Jamaica. She knows she’s getting older but prides herself on being able to take care of not only herself, but those she loves. Grandma Bev wants to live out her days on her own terms. When her family tells her she must slow down, she is going to prove them wrong.

Though she’s been living in Florida for 30+ years, she never leaves her sweet sweet Jamaica behind. She brings the island’s vibe everywhere she goes in her nostalgic food and delightful folk songs.

Chances are, you’ll hear Grandma Bev before you see her. Her hearty laughter and spontaneous songs swell to fill any room.

“We just have to set our intentions, guys!”

May is a free spirited 10 year old with a kind heart. May wouldn’t hurt a fly if you paid her; it would bug her for days.

As a natural giver, May enthusiastically helps her Party Crew friends with the artsy tasks. While she’s a great painter, she isn’t so good at organization so the others have to step in to help her with making sure she doesn’t get carried away while creating decor for the parties. She is also a decorated people pleaser, accepting tasks she may not know how to do.

May goes with the flow and only puts in her two cents when needed. She is game for anything, especially when she gets a good feeling that the stars are aligned.