The Gala

My mother is the Executive Director of the Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce. It's the perfect job for her, since it mainly seems to require schmoozing. Every year they have the 'Chamber Gala', and this year The Fran requested our presence. Because it was a black-tie event, the first order of business was figuring out what dress to wear. I didn't want to waste money on a new dress, so I went with another approach. My sister and I handed down all of our prom/homecoming dresses from high school on to our younger cousin, so we called to get them back. It was a blast trying on all those sparkly and fancy dresses, and surprisingly they all fit (for the most part). Leo enjoyed the parade of dresses and helped me pick out the winner, my sister's senior prom dress, a blue sequined gown with slits up the sides. Since it was backless I couldn't wear a bra, but the dress was so heavy it was pushing the girls down. I went out and bought the adhesive tape cups that are supposed to hold your boobs up. It was hilarious trying to put them on, first of all the ones I bought were way too big, so I had to trim them a little. Then half-way through the night they started falling off... not so adhesive after all, but they got me through the night ok. I just had to keep running to the ladies room to press them back on and into place. Sexy huh?

My sister and I spent the day of the Gala at the Fila Academy, which is a Paul Mitchell cosmotology school. We had our hair and make-up done, which took FOREVER but was fun. When we were finished and looked in the mirror, we were horrified to see this super fancy hair and tons of eye make-up, but realized it was really the fact that it was paired with t-shirts and sweatpants that made us look so ridiculous. Once I got home and put on the dress and shoes, I was happy with the overall look. Leo looked very handsome in his dark gray suit and newly shaved face.
As we arrived, they had a red carpet set up, and a photographer taking pictures of each incoming couple. We got there a little late (surprise) and my mother was already in full Fran mode, running around talking to everyone, introducing people... so Leo just made sure she always had a drink in her hand. She had a freakin blast. We had dinner, there were some boring awards, and then the band (Oracle) started. The band was really good, but they were funny. It was a very ethnically diverse band, but the music they played was completely American. An Asian violinist rocking out Charlie Daniels Band... very fun. There were gaming tables set up, and we were given fake money to gamble with, at the end you would take your winnings and buy raffle tickets. Everyone wanted to win the Southwest Airline tickets, or the basket filled with restaurant gift certificates... but it didn't work out that way. Leo won an Avon basket filled with lavender bath and beauty products and I won car wax... from my father's auto parts store.

By the end of the night I was a little tipsy, my feet were killing me, and getting out the door was taking entirely too long. Leo and I went home, took off our fancy clothes, and enjoyed the rest of our evening.