Madame Philipot, whom I had met once at some embassy reception, stood in front of the hearse and defied the driver to turn.

He might have been at an embassy reception.

"Who in God's name do you expect me to meet at an Australian embassy reception?"

Consequently these pancakes are still more at home in the old-time country kitchen than at embassy receptions, boutique openings and so on.

He added, "When I saw him at various embassy receptions he seemed rather aloof and recondite."

Havel's visit to Washington and New York was a triumph, although 2,000 people turned up for an embassy reception to which 600 had been invited.

They met at an embassy reception and shortly began a relationship.

It also included an exercise in which students at a pretend embassy reception sought to recruit "foreigners" to spy for the CIA.

"The day after that embassy reception- " "You've changed your mind about that?"

Charity dinners and embassy receptions grind on, with typical turnout down a bit since the 2001 terrorist attacks, planners say.