I read about Françoise Dumas, an 85-year-old Parisian society organiser and legend of the dinner party, who for the last 50 years has been engaged in the country's most important gala dinners, balls and other such rendezvous…

I read about Françoise Dumas, an 85-year-old Parisian society organiser and legend of the dinner party, who for the last 50 years has been engaged in the country's most important gala dinners, balls and other such rendezvous, is acquainted with royal and presidential families, and continues to hold one of the leading places in her niche. Now, Françoise Dumas says that one of her chief principles over 50 years in the business of society receptions is this: never confuse yourself with the guest. A sound thought indeed, and one that not every professional can claim in our day: actors increasingly forget that they are not their characters, journalists that they are not their subjects, and so on down the list