Friday, October 12, 2007

The art of crashing a party...


I wrote a first-person story in today's Seattle P-I about my daughter's budding modeling career, which started with a chance meeting in Memphis. We crashed a party at a famous designer's fabulous penthouse, riding in on the coattails of our dear friend, party columnist for The Commercial Appeal, Michael Donahue.
This was fairly standard practice, and one of the many things I loved about living in the South, where people are gracious and generous and don't throw you out if you show up without an invite. Let me tell y'all, Southerners know how to throw a party!
I'll never forget when the designer approached me at that party and asked if I thought my daughter Claire might like to be in her fashion show. I said I didn't think so, but urged her to ask Claire. As I wrote in the story, I was just happy she didn't fall down during that fashion show. Ms. Pat Kerr Tigrett later asked Claire to be a presenter at her annual Blues Ball, an over-the-top shindig that honored the wealth of talent from that area. Her Dad and I crashed that party, too! Well, OK, we actually made it onto the guest list.
Anyway, that's the long story even longer. That really has nothing to do with food... except that I clearly remember what was on the menu at the original fete, Corky's BBQ! The party was during the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.

4 comments:

Kristie Lauborough said...

I still find Corky's incredibly overrated. It's passable, but there are just so many better places in Memphis. Corky's just has the distinction of being the big name.

Darn it, now I want to go home again.

Kristie Lauborough said...

I also just read the article and saw the photos. Your daughter is stunning, Leslie. Absolutely stunning.

Leslie Kelly said...

Thank you Kristie! And the worst Corky's is still better than the "best" bbq out west... LK

Kristie Lauborough said...

Too true, I'm afraid. BBQ out here just isn't the same. I brought some Neely's sauce home with my from my last trip to visit the family, though, and I've been making my own. Feel free to come down and eat at my place :)