Progressive Dinners

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 442, 25 August 1928, Page 21

Progressive Dinners

London's Bright Idea

One House , One Course !

THERE are many amusing parties being given these days to add to the tributes paid to the lovely debutantes of the season. These vary from progressive dinner parties, for which a number of hosts and hostesses make themselves responsible for different items of the menu, and have these ready as the call comes from the house where the last dish was served, to parties with the revival of childish games.

One of the former began with special cocktails at a bachelors’ flat, from which the gathering went on to a house where the specalite de la maison was “borsch” soup prepared by a woman cook. Gathering up the hostess and her brother from this house, the party went on to another table for its sole mornay; then again gathering up the young hostess and a brother or dancing partner, the increased cavalcade sped on to a house where chicken a la Americane was awaiting them With further additions they passed on toward nightfall in search of a wonderful sweet made of maroons, ice cream and pears, and from there, without any loss of energy, they travelled now in great numbers to another house, where there was dancing ancl a buffet till the small hours, after which they all went to the house of an early rising artist, who had a studio breakfast of coffee and kidneys find bacon and kippers ready on an improvised refectory table. Only youth could have accomplished such a strenuous search for food, and it might be noted that at each house the gramophone was turned on for a dance or two. At this party the dresses were all youthful; one of the loveliest was designed by an English artist, now attached to one of the big houses which specialises in suiting the particular flair of the girl to be dressed. It was for a sleek-haired dark beauty, and was a picture frock made with wavy panniers in cyclamen faille with a long side sash of powder-blue velvet and pipings in petal shape of the velvet between the hem of the dress and the tulle hem which is on so many frocks. It had a dipping skirt at the back and achieved its smartness in its graceful fitting bodice made with a Spanish point in front. There were j many flowered chiffon dresses, which have the merit of not showing creases, | embroidered frocks and a great num- ; ber of the new little sequined coats I worn over light dinner frocks, which | are having a great vogue. A lovely party was given recently | by Mrs. Somerset lyffaugham, the wife j of the novelist. She has the most Use Radium Floor Polish and your floors ami furniture will reflect your wisdom. Save the Coupons. 13

:- thrilling room in London. It is all 1 white, the hangings, the ceiling, the 1 walls, and even the floor, which is of r scraped pine, being white —and, of course, the furniture. r It was decorated with white flowers ’’ for the party, and a more wonderful \ setting for the coloured frocks, which ■ are such a feature of the season, could , not well be imagined. \ The women looked like drifting flowers in poppy reds, sapphire blues I and wonderful hyacinths, with an oct casional bright orange strewn among , them. Mostly chiffon was worn with ’ jewelled embroideries, and the hostess I was one of the few who wore black . and white. : LUNCHEON SETS FROM OILCLOTH For ordinary use in the nursery or schoolroom, luncheon sets made of good quality American cloth, or the new table oilcloth, are invaluable. They are strong, clean and hardwearing; they save the table and the laundry bill; also they may be made to look most attractive. TO MAKE THE MATS Choose a pretty coloured American cloth which will harmonise well with the room in which it is to he used; or, if you like, use white table oilcloth. Cut out the table mats, using an existing linen one as pattern, and buttonhole stitch all round them with wool in a contrasting colour. This done, you may care to crochet an edging all round each, taking the buttonhole stitching as your foundation. This really looks better than braid, but, for nursery use, braid may be employed | to bind the mats. TO CLEAN | To clean these mats wash them j with warm water, but do not use soap, | as it will injure and in time destroy , ; the surface. To give a nice finish go ■ over the cloth with a rag dipped in skim milk. Dressing table covers, kitchen table < covers, pram covers for rainy days. , and even baby’s bibs, may be fash- J ioned from this useful material j 1 C.A., j

CLEANING RAINCOATS A SIMPLE HOME PROCESS Make some strong, warm soap suds in a good-sized tub, first adding a little soap powder to the water if it is hard. Do not make the suds too hot, and be sure that every soap flake is thoroughly dissolved, or it may stick to the coat. Dip the mackintosh in cold water, lay it out flat on a clean white wood table and, using a clean, soft brush, scrub it all over with the soap suds. Start at the front of the coat and work round, scrubbing both sides of the arms and collar. When this is finished, treat the inside of the coat in a similar manner, then leave it in the. soap suds for 5 or 10 minutes. To rinse the coat, dip it in several

lots of water, first lukewarm and then cold. A little acetic acid in the last water will set the colour. Be sure not to wring the mackintosh, but hang It upside down to drain out of doors, in a good wind. The correct amount of acid for the last rinsing water is about 1 teaspoonful to the gallon of water. A handful of soda added to the first rinsing water will help the process. The points to remember, when renovating your mackintosh are: (1) Be sure to rinse away every trace of soap, or a streaky apperance will result. (2) On no account apply heat or direct sunlight to the mackintosh when drying, or the rubber will be affected. If the garment is merely a proofed raincoat, shred half a cake of soap and dissolve it in 1 quart of boiling water. Apply this to the soiled and greasy parts and wash clean with a piece of flannel. Then go over the whole coat in the same way and dry before pressing. C.A.

THE VALUE OF IDEALS A much-quoted aphorism Is, “Think well; do well will follow thought.” Like many another aphorism, it takes a great deal for granted. It presupposes an unswerving co-ordination of thought and the will to act in concert. We frail human beings know only too well, alas, how often ~he act is alien from the noble impulse, the cherished ideal. As we make our hesitant pilgrimage down the long road of Life, we find another watchword more helpful; a gem from old Confucius, who in one immortal sentence bids us take heart of grace: ‘*Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” That, surely, is the real Always keep “NAZOL” bandy—the surest safeguard against colds and coughs. 60 doses, Is 6d. —19.

value of ideals. No matter how often and how sadly we fall short of them, in the ultimate sum-total of our conduct they are bound to have their effect. That is why the world is so full of valiant, unacknowledged idealists. It is beautifully and profoundly true that our greatest glory is not in never falling. If we never fall, how should we be able to visualise and formulate ideals, as distinct from our limited human standards if actual attainment? “Everything,” as Emerson has somewhere said, “is a matter of degree.” And by the degree cf our comprehension of human limitations are we enabled to amplify the degree of our idealistic vision; and to gird ourselves for the upward and onward march of human progress. J.H.