Dining at the “Link”

Friends and family came into this long narrow room set with tables for a sit down dinner, set with beautiful floral table centre stands. The tall Candlebra with candles flickering at the top in opaque glass holders set in a snowball of blossoms in shades of red and yellow was an attraction in itself.

Among her invitees were politicians, socialites and men and women from many walks of life who met old friends and made new ones and were entertained by an exotic cabaret done by a slender young woman, besides music for dancing some of the guests enjoyed. Among those who did were Ananda Warakawe and his wife Marilynne, who was in a ivory satin dress with a corsage of black satin roses on one shoulder. Sithara’s aunt Soma Edirisinghe wore a salwar kameez in black and turquoise, while the other aunt Sushila Fernando, who was Belle of the year and went on to the “Miss World” contest in London creating a sensation with her long hair the Newspapers dubbed the Girl with hair like the Niagara Falls several decades ago, wore a red saree. Kanthi Fernandopulle was the leading light towards the success of daughter Sithara’s foray into designing and beauty culture.

Among her friends were Akemi Alles soon to be her sis-in-law, Anusha Jayawardene in a striking striped could shouldered dress and Niro Waidyaratne in a saree in aquamarine printed in splashes of firework like patterning. Sithara was joined by Ruwan Wijewardene to cut a cake as both birthdays fell on the same day, as loud cheers and voices lifted in song.