Love all -- From Wimbledon to Windsor

Love all -- From Wimbledon to Windsor

We finally sat down to a sumptuous launch followed by strawberries drowned a with copies flood of buddly. We then meandered on the center court and the best seats in the house, opposite the royal bo, on eye level with the Duchess of Kent, to watch the champion of all time Pete Sampras beat the hell out of his pre quarter finals partner.

My daring to accept two formal invitations to two events vritually equal-distance from one end of London-Wimbledon, to the other Windsor would be .... to the same but being more adventerous and being on a holiday I'd committed so it was that I dived into `diva' mode sari, jewels, big hair the works and rushed to Smith's Lawn at Windsor for the charity event, of the season 1001 Arabian nights. The lovely Norma Smith and her dapper husband David were my hosts for the evening. As my car pulled into the event area, I was overwhelmed by the effort the organisers had put into the event to create an Arabian fantasy, though disappointed I'd missed the Dubai polo team playing and having missed the .... display I made it in time or the coktails on the lawns and then into a beautiful white Arabian tent set with about twenty something tables all discorated with Fez caps, silver hair for arm ornaments and coloured rose water glass flasks. The tables had mirrored lazy suzy's that ensured the guests could help themselves toa second round if so inclined. I met up, with a host of friends from my `days in the sun in civilized London, my neighbours, the share, .... AL Suaidi and his goregeous `Texan rose' wife, spindrift, Mr and Mrs. Khemka, Mr & MRs Riarchi, Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Charioll. To my utter surprise I was greeted by a warm voice calling `Nina' `Nina' only to see a vision in purple and gold waft towards me, the reigning Miss World Yukta Mookhey, in all her splendour honoured our table with her graceful charm as she chattered with me. Wonderful ambassadress'es of beauty with IQ, these girls do India proud, as they represent the chic glamourous side of our nation especially at events like the one I was at, where some of the items at auction raised more than envisaged for a noble cause, crammed as the room was with surnames and bounty.

Our table was fun yet sophisticated, I was setaed between Paulo an Italian court, now a merchant banker and the dapper Phillipe Charioll, who kept me entertained with his ..... and one liner's Norma and David Smith had yet again proved wonderful charming hosts, close friends as they are, I had been invited to a barbecue dinner and a ladies .... at their lovely home in Chester Square earlier in the week, but the night at Windsor was special in that it topped a day at Wimbledon which was won game, set and match by Ashwini Khakkar in the hospitality stakes. To have great friends lessens the burden of living and gives life that glow of purity. WIth my son Krish, finding a friend in Laura, the vibrant gorgeous daughter of Norma and David. I feel perhaps life is more destiny and less luch than we believe, the Karmic wheel of Friendship throws up permutations and combinations that defy every notion except that of goodness and spiritual warmth. From Wimbledon to Windsor I spun and danced ont he gossamer wings offriendship and kinship and revelled in the glory of a true and generous hospitality -- to life!