Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-11
BY BETTY BEALE
star star Writer

CHAMPAGNE AND Or
CHIDS crowned President
and Mrs. Eisenhower's dres-
siest. most be-satined party
of the year.
If you think their dinner
for Queen Elizabeth was a
plush affair, you should have
seen last nights first of two
state soirees for foreign am
bassadors "a highly har-
monious gathering even with
the simultaneous presence
of the French and Tunisian
Ambassadors.
ION the heels of French
bombing across the Tunisian
border. the two ENJOYS had
no conversation when they
met last night but they
greeted each other. Did they
shake hands? "Of course"
said French Ambassador
Alphand.)
The diplomatic corps, that
suffered a Snub when the
President first eliminated the
traditional dinners, then
changed his mind, had full
compensation at the Chief
Executives hands last night.
In fact. their excellencies
were treated to the first or
child decorated table Of the
Eisenhower administration.
1t was Mrs. Eisenhower's idea.
said her secretary Mary Jane
McCaffree. She likes them.
The exotic flowers Haunted
their luxurious exuberance
from gold tureens and gold
epergnes in Is bouquets on
the dinner table. some almost
three feet high.
Sixteen bouquets Of laven-
der carnations continued the
purple and gold richness, in
terspersed with six gold COM
potes containing apples. or
anges and bananas with pur-
pie grapes artistically spilling
over the sides.
Trails of smilax held aloft
by the gold figures on the
mirrored plateau in front Of
the Presidents place. mean
dered gracefully down the E.
shaped table set with gold
fiatware, gold and white por-
celain. gold candelabra. gold
salt cellars and gold nut
dishes.
1T WAS THE RICHEST
TABLE this writer has ever
seen at the White House. It's
no wonder that q color photo
graph of it was taken just be-
fore the guests arrived.
AS for the champagne, 1T
was the fourth wine at dinner
and the bubbly stuff flowed
again during the reception
following the musicale.
It was domestic wine, only
the wine people do not seem
to like that term. They have
called UP newspaper Offices
and complained that domestic
wine sounds like a spaghetti
wine" whereas this is good
champagne from California
and New York State. Still, II
it's not imported. what is it?
Champagne after dinner is
a departure from the Eisen-
howers' custom of the first
five years. It's not that they're
suddenly indorsing the do
mestic grape at the urging
of two States. It's simply
that they rarely had a flock
of additional guests come in
after dinner in the past, and
If they did. the latecomers
didn't get any refreshments.
Now the $50 or so who
show up at 10 o'clock for the
entertainment. after each Of
these State banquets. find
something waiting for them
when it's all over. In
place Of the gold-laden din
ner table, there's q buffet Of
sandwiches. little breadpuffs
full Of chicken salad. cookies,
cakes and to wash 1t all
down, champagne and coffee.
FIVE OF WASHINGTON'S
WELL-KNOWN HOSTESSES
were invited to last eve
ning's musicale-Mrs. Mich
olas Longworth in Chinese
tribute" brocade. Mrs.
Merriweather Post in rose
taheta. Mrs. Robert Low
Bacon in a satin LanvKl gown
shading from coral satin at
the top TO bright red at the