What A Night! What a Morning!

What's a girl to do when all five of her Gentlemen are all clamouring to escort her in to Willow Manor? Well, take centre stage, of course....two lovely lads on one side and three on the other.  There were a few gasps when some of the ladies in the ballroon recognised Frederic Chopin (Polish pianist and composer extraordinarire) and Thomas Hampson, handsome American baritone.  Of course, David Lean, (visionary film director), Erich Wolfgang Korngold, (passionate composer of Operas, Symphonies and Academy Award Movies) and E.R. Eddison, author of the unusually powerful and romantic "Worm Ourbourous" books) were also greeted with affectionate hugs and raised glasses.


Frederic, who had promised our beautiful hostess, Tess, to play a few Sonatas on her Bossendorfer Piano, readily sat down (after downing a glass of Champagne) and began to play.  The air was heady with the scent of  the many yellow roses displayed around the ballroom.  The candles glowed like the Baritone Moon we all could see shining through the Ballroom Windows...




Applause all round....  and time for some of Tess' delicious food!  (Mr. Hampson and I DID fly all the way from San Francisco...then jumped into our 1931 Studebaker with David  - who insisted on driving well OVER the speed limit - sometimes I think he thinks he IS *Lawrence of Arabia* and E.R. - as he prefers to be called).   Eric K and Frederic drove the Bugatti.... so you know they were not just cruisin'... Amazingly, we were NOT stopped by the Highway Patrol this year.... 

Anyway, we all were ravenous and were sampling the Scottish Quail Eggs and Caviar, when we ran into the incomporable Suki Poet and W.B. Yeats.  Suki looked ravishing with her new, short, spikey *do*....Mr. Yeats was so happy to see the Beatles had also arrived and couldn't wait for an introduction.

I couldn't resist a trip down to the wine cellar , where my *Twin*, Amanda and I had a rather *adventerous* adventure with John Fowles last year.....lots of "Waiting Room" jokes were bandied about.....if you read "The Magus", you understand.  Ah, memories....  no Amanda, no John, but someone was inside, pounding vigourously...and saying some unrepeatable words.... 

Tommy H and I finally strolled out into a pinkly-lilac dawn....the Baritone Moon waning silver in the West.  We both had a great chuckle about *Baritone Moons*.....

Tommy wanted to sing one of Erich's poignant arias from "Die Tote Stadt"..(The City of the Dead)....  for those in the crowd who were sipping Espresso and eating some of Ms. Blue Sky's elegant desserts.  I thought it was sweetly appropro to end another magnificent Willow Ball.



Brava to our FANTASTIC Hostess!!!!  No one can create such ambiance.....

Oooo....the sun is rising, my feet are aching (Manolos look great...but are hard to dance in....)  Tommy is driving me in the Bugatti back to the airport....
I have to be back in San Francisco tonight for the Final Dress Rehearsal of *Don Giovanni*....  Thankfully, I can sleep on the plane.

What a night!  What a Morning!

Love to all,

♥ Robin ♥