Fish House Foundation Fundraiser

They say life is all about who you know, not what you know, and our invitation to attend the Fish House Foundation's fundraiser this weekend was definitely a testament to that. Tom and Tracy, who are dear friends, also happen to be distinguished VIP's at this annual event and were kind enough to allow Eric and I to ride their coat tails Saturday night.

When we arrived at the house (technically 'estate', but that's assuming you count the endless acres and numerous home's in one place, belonging to one family), my first reaction was to crawl back into the car and hide, but not before killing Tom. As a woman, I have learned to ask the important things, like 'What should I wear?" So when Tom immediately replied 'Jeans", I should have realized that his answer was the safe, automated reply men always give concerning clothes, and that it lacked the depth of thought necessary to accurately answer such a critical question.

As I stood amongst the sea of foreign cars, I quickly forgot about my clothing conundrum as my attention was now captivated by the glowing white tent, candlelit pathway leading up to it and the roaming tray's of hors d'oeuvres and cocktails that seemed to be perfectly timed...just as I finished my last sip, a full glass took over where the other left off. The inside of the tent was incredibly chic, decorated with a very elegant, urban feel - white couches strategically placed into cozy clusters, candle's and chandelier's illuminating beneath the fall sky and flowing fabrics that created intentional spaces beneath the enormous tent.

With a glass of perfectly aged wine in hand, I was ready to get to work. I let my senses guide me as I moved around the room, past notable attendees, until I was face to face with what I had come for: The Silent Auction. There is something about auction's that stir the same excitement I used to feel as a child on Christmas morning....You know exactly what you want, you're always surprised when you get it, and you feel terribly cheated when you don't. The difference? As a kid, you blame Santa. As an adult, you blame your husband for not letting you bid higher.

This auction featured the usual suspects: Signed sports memorabilia that, according to my husband, we 'desperately need', vacation packages to places I can't pronounce let alone afford, exquisite pieces of jewelry that I always pass on (after all, what woman wants to buy herself jewelry?...hint, hint Mr. Flaim), original signed artwork and a myriad of other unique items that are well worth ponying up for. After all, "it is going to charity, honey". Whenever an auction officially ends, I do my customary victory lap, secretly congratulating myself for 'beating out the competition by giving each bid everything I had.' Tonight was a different story. There I stood, wearing jeans and empty handed, scanning the crowd for the man responsible for my poor performance.

Luckily for my husband, my ADD kicked in and I forgot all about my man-hunt once I heard the applause that signaled the evenings main attraction. I quickly shifted into NY mode and politely shoved my way through the intimate crowd until I was front and center, as if Tom and Tracy's VIP credentials were somehow bestowed upon me. The soothing sound of Hootie and the Blowfish filled the air, and they serenaded us with a performance that surpassed any CD. They played their famous tunes and covered some classic hits, and Darius even responded to my request for 'Time', my all-time favorite running song (that song has always reminded me I need to keep running so that the signs of time, also known as age, will have a harder time keeping up with me. Perhaps I've overplayed it...).

With one more surprise in store, we all stepped outside the tent and looked out at the vast ocean views as fireworks lit up the evening sky. As Eric and I walked back to our car, I realized a few things: The Fish House Foundation is not only committed to helping kids pay for college through scholarships, they also know how to throw one hell of a bash. And second, if jeans are good enough for Hootie, than they are certainly good enough for me!

PICTURES:
1) Marci, Tracy and Tom

2) Eric with Hazel Mae from NESN

3) Eric and I with Dan Patrick from ESPN (who, by the way, is quite a character).

4) Video Eric shot of Hootie playing my favorite song.

5) I don't know who exactly Hootie is, but that's Darius Rucker, their lead singer.