Colour theme parties seem all the rage this season from Los Angeles to London. Pink and white, peach and cream and other summer colours have been the mainstay of festivities. The pink and white party in Los Angeles was thrown by Hasa, a gorgeous Saudi, as a surprise 41st birthday party for her husband, who happens to be the nephew of Kind Saud of Saudi Arabia. Though we'd just met the previous night, she generously made a couple of extra places for her seated surprise party and hence, I accepted. On the appointed night we were escorted by my gracious friend Yasmina and Alan Joelson and got to the venue just on time. The whole house, set in the lovely Beverly Park area of Beverly Hills, was awash with pink and white -- the colours of the night. Pink margaritas and cocktails kept up the spirits and pink champagne in tall flutes set the pace for a night of fun and laughter. Suzie, another girlfriend, was prancing around in a sheer, see-through pink and white Valentino dress. Asshe'd just had her assets augmented, she was proud to tell her little secret to anyone who would listen. Her spontaniety and honesty threw me. Where in the world but America would you get such a personal, in-your-eye brand of truth. The Birthday Boy came just before 10 pm and we proceeded to a beautiful conservatory for a magnificent dinner. I had a charming table full of Hasa's friends. We all nattered and chatted like we'd known each other forever. The mandatory speeches were short and crisp but despite all efforts the Birthday Boy didn't oblige with a speech. The pink and white theme was echoed through the elegant tableware, the floral arrangement and even some of the food courses which were also colour co-ordinated. But the hostess's lovely, long pink dress was the most striking sexy colour match of all. After dinner we were entertained by a gypsy band with flamenco dancers, flown in from Europe. Hasa, our hostess, showed her dancing prowess from the Samba to the Salsa to finally Belly Dancing. Sheenthralled us with her grace and sensuality and her keen sense of timing. Soon we were all trying our variations of dance routines till the host started plying everyone with tequila shots. We made a quick but graceful exit at this point as my friend was driving and, with the drink and drive laws being as tough as they are in the US, didn't dare take a risk.

London was the venue for the other colour theme party I was invited to. It was hosted by Geeta and Ashok Tandon at their peach and cream home in Barnet. As it was a housewarming party and the colours echoed the colour theme for their home, we all dressed the part. Iqbal Mubarak, the charming owner of the Bond Street Jeweller Dainoor, Farida, Meena Hingorani, Krish, Shiv and I got well and truly lost and a 40-minute drive took us almost two hours. When we finally did get to Geeta and Ash's home most of the other 250 guests were there. The house is like a recreation of the JR's home in Dallas -- acres and acres of land with a house that goes on and on andon. The peach and white house though big was too Marla Maples Georgia Peach for my more sober taste. I believe this labour of love had been painstakingly put together by none other than the hostess herself. A feat by any standard. Some of Bombay and half of social Delhi were there. Aarti and Ashok Kapoor, Rekha and Aroon Purie, Malika and Chiray Amin, Dilip Piramal, the Hinduja's, Rita and Karl Mehta, Atulya Mafatlal and Sheetal Bhagat and a host of other friends, I greeted before we were ushered to the peach and white marquee for dinner. Meeting Norma and David Smith with daughter Lara and friend Marcus with his wife Inge made for light entertainment as the evening wore on. Fearing we'd get lost on the way back as well we took to the road early and yet got home well past two in the morning. With peach and cream marquee dreams spinning through my head I climbed into bed. Life'snot a trifle but a bit of fun never hurt anyone -- especially on holiday. So folks if you're planning a summer party don't forget thecolour theme. HAPPY ENTERTAINING!