What a Swellegant, Elegant Party This Is!!

My darling pal CC had this on her blog a few weeks ago - the weird thing is that the day before she posted it I had been thinking that I would like to blog about my ideal dinner party! Great minds think alike!!!

This was something that did the rounds of conversation within my circle of pals in London in the early 90's. I remember many a happy conversation over a bottle of Pinot Grigio deciding on our dream guests. Although there are a few alterations to my list, it is still predominately made up of people no longer "with us" - and I also have a fair number of alcoholics I am afraid! I am seeing these people before the booze/depression took over their lives and they were at their peak! I really think that this would be the most amazing collection of people and I truly think that they would all get on together. Although I adore Jane Austen, The Brontes, Beatrix Potter, Anne Frank, Shirley Temple, Charles Dickens and others ... I wasn't sure how they would cope with the other guests I invited. Everyone here is quite able to hold their own!

So here are my eight men and eight ladies whom I would love to invite for dinner! By the way, I insist on a grand piano for after dinner entertainment!!

Firstly, Richard Burton - Welsh, with the sexiest speaking voice ever and simply one of the best actors ever. I lost my heart to him when I was about twelve when I had a tape from the library of him reading poetry. We could sing Welsh songs together for the rest of the party :-)

My second guest would be Judy Garland - again someone whom I have loved since I was a child. I have read lots of biogs on her and one thing that is abundantly clear is that she was a fabulous story teller and one of the funniest people to spend time with.

Thirdly - Dudley Moore. I always loved him to bits. He just had that special something. I adore "Arthur" and another, much lesser known movie of his, "Six Weeks" with Mary Tyler Moore. Gosh, Liza and John Gielgud would be fun to have too - maybe next time!!! Apart from being hilarious he was also very intelligent and a master pianist!!

Okay, now I will add two living British men! Stephen Fry and Michael Palin. I adore them both. Stephen Fry is one of the most intelligent people alive - and is so charming, funny and so very "real" which is rare for someone of his fame. I would LOVE to share a conversation with him. Michael Palin - who doesn't love him??? Think of the travel tales he could share - not to mention leading us all in "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" after the port has been passed!!

Okay, I have thought long and hard about my next choices - and I just can't choose between them so ... I am increasing the guest list and inviting the six Mitford Sisters! Those of you who know me well will know how much these women fascinate me! Nancy, Diana, Pam, Unity, Decca and Debo were the daughters of Lord and Lady Redesdale. Eeek, how to condense my love of The Mitford Sisters in one paragraph??? Although I had heard of them before and, of course, had read Nancy's "Love in a Cold Climate" and "The Pursuit of Love" many times, I didn't really know much about them until I read Mary S Lovell's biog about 4 years ago. It was one of the few books that I have literally finished reading and within a few days started it again - and certainly the only biography! They were related to Winston Churchill and between them counted Hitler, The Late Queen Mum, Evelyn Waugh and Maya Angelou as friends! I am going to steal a quote from journalist Diane Shipley here as it just says it all .... "the Mitford sisters were kind of proto-Forrest Gumps, always on the edge of history and sometimes actively involved." They were avid letter writers and last year I was pleased as Punch when a book of their letters to each other over eight decades was published. Nancy wrote "Love in a Cold Climate" and "The Pursuit of Love" both very loosely based on their early family life. Pam was the most normal of the sisters - "The Rural Mitford" or to her sisters "Woman". Diana, regarded as one of the most beautiful women ever, was the wife of Fascist Leader Oswald Mosley. Unity is famous for her adulation of and friendship with Adolf Hitler. Jessica, or Decca as she was always known, was a member of the Communist Party. Deborah or Debo married the Duke of Devonshire and lived in and restored the grand Chatsworth House and is the only sister still alive. Wow!

Eeek, I know I need more men - but here is another woman, Clarissa Dickson Wright - one of the infamous "Two Fat Ladies" cooking team. I always liked her but just read her truly amazing autobiography and if it hadn't been a library book I might well have reread it again! She has had the most incredible life and is such a widely acclaimed after dinner speaker - she has to come!!!

Okay, next would be Charles Chaplin. I am fascinated by the early days of Hollywood and the way this little Cockney boy became such an important part of the film industry pioneers was incredible. I'd love to hear some of his stories!

Evelyn Waugh would have to be there - I would love to hear Nancy, Diana and him reminisce about their days as "Bright Young Things. He was so incredibly witty - I think he and Stephen Fry would get on really well!

Last but one would be Johnny Depp. I think he is a wonderful actor and I don't think he has really reached his peak yet. He seems to be charming, artistic and I think that he would fit right in - I especially think that he and Charlie would get on.

I think I would have him on one side of me and Richard the other :-)

And last, but not least, I would choose Cole Porter the amazing songwriter and composer. Apart from penning such greats as "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love", "De-lovely", "Anything Goes", "True Love" and "I Get a Kick Out of You", he was very much a party lover and I think he would fill the missing chair perfectly - and he could share piano duties with Dudley!! :-)

So that's it. I could go on and on and add Larry Olivier, Bette Davis, Mandy Patinkin, Judi Dench, Geoffrey Palmer Winona Ryder, Rober Downey Junior, Bernadette Peters ........

I'm off to arrange the catering and order the wines and champagne! There is room for a few more so let me know if you want to come :-)