Some people have anxiety at the thought of giving a dinner party. For me it is a passion. I love the planning, the shopping, the preparation, and most of all seeing the expressions of enjoyment as my friends get to know each other around a table of good food and drink. I usually invite people who are strangers to one another, but at the end of the evening they’re like a family.
I have been fortunate to share my passion with many people I work with in the advertising world where I have been a creative director for many years. At my dinner table I have entertained corporate chiefs from Revlon, Norton Simon, and Halston (the designer himself); photographers Elliot Erwitt, Milton Greene, and Henry Wolf; magazine publishers, fashion designers, and film stars. Sophia Loren served me spaghetti alla carbonara straight from the pot during a photo shoot.
I have been fortunate to share my passion with many people I work with in the advertising world where I have been a creative director for many years. At my dinner table I have entertained corporate chiefs from Revlon, Norton Simon, and Halston (the designer himself); photographers Elliot Erwitt, Milton Greene, and Henry Wolf; magazine publishers, fashion designers, and film stars. Sophia Loren served me spaghetti alla carbonara straight from the pot during a photo shoot.
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| Sheila, with the Actress Sophia Loren |
Anything can be an excuse for a dinner party- the first Spring tulips, the summer solstice. My operating theme is fun. Once a party is over, I’m planning the next. Entertaining for one special guest or many fills me with joy because every occasion is an opportunity for adventure, which can take me to Italy, India, France, Mexico, or any faraway culture as I’m cruising through the many cookbooks shelved in my kitchen.
When my house is enveloped in tantalizing aromas, I am in heaven. I love to see herbs and spices laid out, ingredients waiting to be called for their turn. Pots at the ready. Knives sharpened. Wooden spoons, mixing bowls, and chopping boards lined up. It’s like a symphony gathering before a performance and I am the conductor.
