Party time!

I'm trying to describe how much I enjoyed the Longwood Rotary Gala at Longwood Gardens last night, and I think the best way to do it would be to just list some of the features at random while they're still fresh in my memory:

• Champagne and plenty of it
• Blackjack ("Wow, you really need to be able to add quickly!" exclaimed a friend, a gambling newbie who almost "stuck" on a 12, to the amusement of the patient croupier)
• Delicious food: Mini-crab cakes, a terrific assortment of Mexican food, roasted vegetables, tomato cakes and lemon risotto cakes with lobster bisque sauce. And I don't think I even made it to all the food stations! Cannolis, little tarts and chocolate hazelnut creme brulee for dessert.
• The magical, dimly lit and divinely warm conservatory filled with the marvelous scent of orange jessamine. 
• I exchanged my uniform of jeans, boots and fleece for a cream-colored, fringed dress that I wore to my high-school prom; talk about vintage! (A few of my friends demanded photographic proof that I was actually not wearing my day-in, day-out fleece.) The ladies were very glamorous -- one woman rocked a red ballgown with a full skirt worthy of Scarlett O'Hara, and there was some big hair going on -- and the gentlemen donned everything from magnificent full Scottish regalia to "creative" black tie.
• I caught up with friends I hadn't seen for a while and met some fun new ones (including a woman who shares my "real" name -- which as her practical husband pointed out could have posed problems had we gotten our silent-auction bids mixed up!). 

It was a great party and a lovely evening, and the proceeds help support the numerous local charities that the Rotary Club has adopted. Thanks to my hosts for the kind invitation!
Oh, and in the spirit of learning something new every day, I learned that it's really tough to pump gas at Landhope while wrapped in a voluminous full-length evening cloak. Fastening your seat belt isn't real easy, either.