party

from Nicky Haslam's article on ES Magazine : Lord of the Dance

"Harsh lighting can be fatal to the ego, and the face. It's fun to provide dim and dusky corners for dalliance. Never be afraid to go to a party where you don't know anyone. Love can still happen to the most hard-bitten. The whole point is to talk to people you don't know. It's boring when little groups of friends stick together; they can do that on any street corner."

"The main thing is simply to invite your friends, and perhaps a few fashionable people of the moment to add spice. Parties aren't meant to sum up anything or represent a cultural moment; quite the reverse. They're about the continuity of friendship. To have the same people at one's parties over the years is wonderful."

it's actually petrifying to attend a party not knowing a soul. i play it safe most of the time. i go to gatherings where i'm practically on first name basis with almost every one. as always, feeling horribly unctuous all the way. how insipid.