I have been blessed in so many ways, and the greatest blessing of all is my son, Whitney Sudler-Smith. My thanks to him, and to my dear family and the many friends who have enabled me to enjoy such a wonderful life. I am especially grateful to the extraordinary Mario Buatta, Georgette Mosbacher, Carolyne Roehm, Katie Lee, Cathy Horyn, and Carson Kressley for their generous contributions to this book. Thank you Bravo, Kathleen French, Aaron Rothman, Jessica Chesler, my fellow cast members on Southern Charm, and the show’s devoted fans—you are my extended family. Thanks also to John Paul Horstmann, Bobby Kenner, and Roeg Sutherland. At home, I depend on Michael Kelcourse and Joan DiPietro for everything, and I am thankful every day. I’d also like to acknowledge Luzanne Otte, Karen Thornton, and Madison LeCroy. And I extend my deepest appreciation to my friend and co-author, Deborah Davis, whose eloquent writing has brought my story to life.
I am grateful to my husband, Mark Urman, my mother, Jean Gatto, and my children, Cleo Davis-Urman, Oliver Davis-Urman, and Oliver’s bride, Jessica Caroline Cox, for being such a loving and supportive family. I would also like to thank the wonderful team at Diversion—Jaime Levine, Nita Basu, Sarah Masterson Hally, and, of course, Scott Waxman, for their dedication and enthusiasm. Finally, my thanks to the one and only Patricia Altschul for turning work into play, and for teaching me all about charm and the magical powers of caftans and cocktails!