13 February - Surprise 40th

Went to a surprise 40th for an HR guy at Gucci's. I didn't know him and 4 other people I was with didn't know him either (we were tagging along with one official friend of this guy), so yes very surprise to him and to us (I was roped along after an early dinner). Distinct shaky voices when feted boy arrived and who had gathered as instructed before 9.30pm wathershed, all intoned the happy birthday song, as when it came to the name it was a garble. His name is R. I know that now, he's Brazilian and his other friends were extravagant 7ft tall trannies in all their finery and an almost naked go go dancer man also 7ft tall in heels who was the oddest thing to watch on a podium as did all the pole dancer moves a woman does but when you see a man moving like that, it's just odd. The entrance had been decked out with cinema size projection of R.'s face in tasteful b/w and sort of model pose. We, the guests, were all photographed too at the entrance. I got the distinct impression that civilians these days want to live like the models/actors/showbiz people they see in magazines and this was his chance to be transformed into his own icon. Well, his organisers friends thought he deserved the BRITS entrance red carpet style at least.

We had lady with us who owns or runs the textile factories in Como from where all the top designers buy their fabrics. She's 60 and modern but pointed out the scene in Como is not like here and not even in Milan would they have a 90 % gay guests party so dressed up (venue was extravagant space you hire for parties. Very not all taken up by us so it sort of felt the 100 people there were lost in space for 500. Or did he have 400 friends who didn't come? I asked Como lady if they show all the fabrics to all the designers or if there's a pecking order and Versace rings and says 'keep the best one for me' or ?? She said it's first come first served and who places the order first. She said they all ransack the archives though of course her company designs new patterns all the time too. But the archives. there you go, nothing new but re-workings of this and that from the fifties, sixties and so on.

We also had an Italian actress A. with us who's in London to lean English as according to her own legend she lost the part that went to Marion Cotillard in Nine (and also a part in James Bond) becuase of lack of English. mmmmmhhhh... I watched her on youtube following day and her output so far not really in the Marion Cotillard bracket. No , no, no, that woman is one serious amazing actress. Though James Bond different story. Anyway, actress was bored as no men there paying her any attention. Too funny. Tried to talk to her to keep her company, but clearly I didn't figure in her plans for the evening and she didn't engage. Everytime the girlfriend she was with went to the loo (and she was gone a long time) this one sat there and never thought of asking me any questions. Well, yo bitch, good luck with London, but you looked over 35 to me so, not really in line for that much any more you know? She looked sort of Penelope Cruz style so that alone may have not got her the part. Wife/Mistress looking-likey? One had to look less man-eater and this one had that look indeed whereas Cotillard can do the put upon wifey a lot better. But what do I know, that's what make up and acting training are there for...