Evening star., 1953-04-13
Society News
Society News
Wife Of New Envov
Attractive Addition
Husband Was Chilean Consul General
In New York When They First Met
By Kothorine N. Brooks

py NotnoTIn
Sonora de lara, wife of the
new Chilean Ambassador, has
blue eyes and light brown hair
and the fair complexion which
goes with them. She is a native
of Chile, though her parents,
Emilio Rodriguez-not related
to Mario, the Chilean Minister
and Sonora de Rodriguez were
Spanish.
The Ambassadors wife said,
in an interview at the Embassy,
that she and her parents moved
back to Spain when I was
scarcely a year old. When I was
not yet in my teens, we came to
New York to live" That is the
reason for her excellent English
with a fascinating tinge of an
accent.
Wos q Business Womun
The Ambassador and Sonora
de Jara met in New York when
he was Chilean Consul General.
a post he held for some years.
Up to the time of her marriage
twelve years ago she was a buSi-
ness woman in New York. Liv-
ing there she was able to indulge
in her favorite form of music,
the opera. She and the Ambas-
sador expect to attend both eve
ming performances of the Met
ropolitan April q and %.
She did not learn to know her
native land until after her mar
riage to Anibal lara. Then he
took her home and although she
spoke Spanish as the SpaniardS,
she had difficulty. at first, to &C
custom herself to the Chilean
phraseology and intonation. She
notices a difference in almost
all of the Latin Republics, each
having its own distinctive dialect.
The Jaras' home in Santiago
is out some thirty-four blocks
from the center of the city and
she says there is never so hot
a night that blankets can be dis
pensed with. She is very fond
of the out Of doors, though not
a sportSwoman. When in Chile
she spends much time in their
charming patio where it is very
warm in the sun but indoors a
sweater or scarf is needed.
When calling on Sonora de
lara, I was met in the hall by
Cototo, the Sealyham, who un-
derstands Spanish as we'll as
English and will celebrate his
18th birthday next month. He
was present to Esta Rodriguez
from Anibal lara before their
marriage. After the wedding they
planned to fly to Chile as the
then Consul General was called
home for conferences. It was
war time and no pets could be
taken by plane. So little Cototo
was entrusted to a friend sailing
for Valparaiso. Chile, from New
Orleans.
Rough Sailing
The ship put out to sea, had
a submarine scare and went back
to it's dock. Cototo was As days
aboard ship before reaching VAL
paraiso! However, when he went
ashore he seemed not to have
lost his land-legs but was glad
to find his own people waiting
for him. Cototo is not, as his
name, implies, Chilean or Spanish
but. says Sonora. de lara, "a
Connecticut Yankee"
There appears to have been
little change in the interior of
the embassy, except in the up
holstery of some of the chairs
which needed renewing. Sonora
de lara already has put new
covering on the seats of the 18
chairs in the dining room. They
are off-white with stripes of
French blue. One of the occa-
sional chairs in the smaller draw
ing room has been done over in
a soft shade of blue brocade.
Sonora de lara denies that she
knows how. 1T had to be done
and I did it," she says. Each
chair has 500 nails, the replac-
ing of which cost her at least one
well-shaped finger nail. Another
chair is in the process of being
done over.
She also can WELD a needle
in the making of a dress for
herself, or remodeling one she
finds in a shop to suit her own
taste, figure or style.