it's official

Where on the screen I am invariably a sonofabitch,
in life I am a dear, dear boy.

George Sanders

George Sanders rang me up from the other side, and in that gorgeous velvety voice, graciously agreed to be my date for the Third Annual Willow Manor Ball. I sent invitations to several wonderful men, including Trevor Howard, Charles Simic, and Robert Osborne, but sorry guys, Mr. Sanders, ever the perfect gentleman, was the first to reply.

Did you know that Sanders was actually born in St. Petersburg, Russia, of English parents, and lived there until he and his family were forced to flee to England after the revolution of 1917? Since he is, in fact, a dear, dear boy, maybe he'll bring me a new Zhivago hat, since the season is almost upon us? I hope it's nice and chilly the evening of the ball, so I can wear my favorite woolly socks beneath my gown. Maybe a little fur trimmed number would be nice, in honor of George's birthplace. I'm still undecided on exactly what I'm going to wear, but I've noticed many of you are already busily cyber shopping for that perfect gown and accessories. This week, I met with the same fabulous caterers as last year, and all is set for tons of wonderful food and exotic drinks.

Just in case you haven't heard about the biggest cyber event of the year, make sure you mark your calendars. There will be a Mr. Linky widget provided for all who wish to share their dates and what they're wearing to the ball. And there will be door prizes chosen from everyone who attends (leaves a comment) here at Willow Manor on

Thursday, September 30, 2010.

One of the most fun things about a cyber ball is that we all dance like gods and goddesses. Make sure you have your dance cards ready, because we are rolling up the carpets at Willow Manor! Just to give you a taste of the festivities, here's a clip of one my favorite tangos.