A Frenchwoman, my mother’s friend, Aga, had taken me under her very chic wing when I was 21. My Alice-in-Wonderland look was transformed with visits to Chanel for shoes - "Always wear sexy shoes, Tina." She taught me how to choose clothes with good lines, good fabric. She told me I must exercise daily and taught me about men. Her husband, Freddy, was too interested in an upstairs neighbor -- the other woman. So, Aga befriended this woman and asked her over one early morning for a girl time - no makeup, no hair done, just in bathrobes. Aga said Freddie was away, but she orchestrated for Freddie to walk in and see this femme fatale in her tattered look. It worked, of course.

Aga and Freddie helped start the wonderful Crazy Horse Nightclub and took me, Alice in Wonderland, to see these strippers, glorious, chic women unveiling, tantalizing. They fed me on oysters at Maxims, introduced me to everyone, stressed the joy of flirting. Aga had numerous affairs with great men but said you never left your husband. Your reputation was too important. She was childless -- no time with all the skiing, parties, flirtations. She was boundless energy and took the young me and shook me and rattled me till I became a bit interesting. My bland white bread veneer was touched by her impulses and taught to be non-judgmental. She made life fun; it was an adventure, Parisian style.

By Tina