Deliver us from dinner party hell

From: The Scotsman | Date: March 27, 2003| Author: | Copyright information

Margaret, the infamous Duchess of Argyll, had strong views on dinner parties; they were not for the squeamish. But sometimes, during another unutterably boring dinner party conversation on the subject of house prices, I believe she may have had a point. In her definitive work, My Dinner Party Book, Margaret goes for the throat: "With people you must be ruthless. Rule one - no bores. The men must all be interesting and the women must be intelligent, witty and/or beautiful." Margaret then adds, "She may be your best friend, but if she's plain and dull, too bad - she does not come to the party."

Read all of this article with a FREE trial to HighBeam Research

Related newspaper, magazine, and trade journal articles from HighBeam Research

(Including press releases, facts, information, and biographies)

Is the dinner party a thing of the past?; Well,it depends who you ask. Hilary Duncanson uncovers conflicting opinions about our favourite home-made socialevent.(Features)
; ...complete with candles and cafetiere - has the dinner party now come back into fashion,or is attempting...incompetent party hosts on how not to hold a dinner party in the new Channel 4 programme,believes that throwing a dinner party is an entirely enjoyable and rewarding pastime...Far ...
TV chefs in stew over dinner party cheats
; ...into a nation of dinner party cheats who are duping their dinner guests by pretending they...do it. Because dinner party guests expect their hosts...when throwing a dinner party using ready meals...you greet your guests and putting unused...
Dinner party without the stress
; ...The day of the dinner party, Boland arrives...Boland serves it to guests and cleans up...Boland launched The Dinner Party in May 2002, deciding...can offer its guests, she said. She...intimacy of a dinner party is left at the...typically six to 12 guests, and the ...
DINNER PARTY 101.(Home Front)
; ...Following is her best dinner-party advice. Q: When should...A: If it's a small dinner party, up to 12 people, I...can fill in with other guests if they can't make it...the ideal size for a dinner party? A: Eight to 12 people...How do you select your guests? A: If you're ...
How to have fun and make a meal of it; Has the formal dinner party had it? Penny Fray looks at the future for this great British tradition.(Features)
; ...she arrived at a dinner party to find it full...the image of the dinner party than, well, cheese...shows that the dinner party is alive and even...says that the dinner party is a thriving social...crockery out, but now guests are just happy...monthly informal ...
FEATURES: Vote for The Dinner Party! Election Table Talk
; ...justification for another dinner party. Guests are divided, however...take part. Some guests think that his...few things. The Dinner Party DP-goers' political...homosexuals leave most Dinner Party devil's advocates...Tony Blair. Many guests doubt that Sun...
Having TV to dinner - and getting a roasting; The guests are gauche, the food is fussy and the conversation dire. One dinner-party host gets the 'Trinny and Susannah' treatment.
; ...HART-DAVIS THE scene is a dinner party in a first-floor flat...long-lost sister. The guests have barely begun on...first episode of The Dinner Party Inspectors, Channel...arrive before the guests, set up shop in another...emotionally exhausting dinner party I've ever ...
Dinner's a great time to dish out my revenge; Tasting success ... Jessie Wallace and Lee Evans as the newcomers in The Dinner Party.
; Byline: Jaci Stephen The Dinner Party BBC1, Sunday **** The IT...C4, Wednesday The worst dinner party I ever hosted was when...his backside, while my guests (who includedcelebrity...she spoke of a dreadful dinner party she had attended where...like TonyGrounds's The Dinner ...
DELIGHT IN DINING STAY FLEXIBLE, HAVE FUN, KEEP THE `PARTY' IN DINNER PARTY.(Home Front)
; ...Editor At an important dinner party some years ago, Katie...That was quite a dinner party,'' says the former radio...anyone for tales of that dinner party that didn't quite come...agree that throwing a dinner party can be an affair of...food consultant. ``The ...
Dinner party season
; ...disagree on what refreshments we should take to a dinner party. Should we take only enough to cover our own...Albans Dear Thirsty, Should you be attending this dinner party at all? A man who takes along his own (let alone...something on it. Is it acceptable to throw a casual dinner ...