How the Other Tenth Lives...

Last Saturday The Bob and I went to a benefit for Wellness Place in Barrington. Barrington is one of those towns that you might drive through on a Sunday afternoon to see the mansions -- except you can't see them, hidden as they are behind trees and fences. Barrington is new money and new homes. The North Shore is old money and old mansions. Wellness Place is a place for cancer patients, survivors and families to come for education, empathy, and support. It runs on donations -- hence the benefit. "Tasting D'Vine" was held at one of these very mansions. It was limited to about 450 people since the owners didn't feel as though their grounds would handle many more than that.

So why are we coming from the hinterlands to attend this gala affair? Bob is -- are you ready for this -- Chairman of the Board. I'm quite sure this is the first time they've had anyone from as far away as lowly Wheaton on their board, let alone Chair...

When Bob goes to meetings, Madame Blueberry (the Saturn) is rather out of place among the Jags, Beemers, Lexus, Lincolns, Mercedes, and all the rest of them. For this one I told him we really needed to take the Beast. The Beast is my 1997 Lincoln Town Car which we bought off the funeral home parking lot nearly 3 years ago. It had 140,000 miles on it, and we figured as long as it would get us through Tim's graduation, it would be fine. It holds 6 in the car and 4 in the trunk, quite comfortably.... But I digress.

The gala was appetizer sized tastings of foods from restaurants around the Barrington area -- there must have been 25 or more represented, plus wine tastings. Then there was the auction -- 12 donated items, auctioned to the highest bidder. The dinner with some amazing chef coming to your home and cooking for 10 people went for $10,000. I can't even imagine.... What on earth would you even begin to eat and drink that would approach that kind of money? Doesn't matter -- it is a benefit. There was the evening sail on Lake Michigan anytime between June and September with appetizers and cocktails. (I'm sure I should call them hors d'ouevres, but I can't spell it....). I think that went for about $5,000. The evening in LA at the Tonight Show sitting where you can high five Jay Leno....airline tickets and hotel included. Two large and very nice (I presume) bottles of wine. A golf outing. A plum seat to watch the Cubbies defeat the Tigers. (Well, we can always hope). And a trip to Tuscany to stay in a villa for a week. That one went for over $20,000. Airline tickets NOT included.

Just in case you were wondering, no, we didn't bid on any of these.

I'm always a little uncomfortable at these gigs. We've now been to three of them -- last fall it was at the Arlington Race track, and the year before that it was at another mansion. At least that time we were allowed to tour the house which was amazing.

I never know quite what to wear. And while Bob hugs and air kisses all the ladies he knows, I shift from one high heeled sandal to another (never again, let me assure you), smiling and hoping I look really really interested. It IS interesting seeing what the women are wearing at these affairs -- sorta like a fashion show. Some wear more, um, than others. The gaudy diamonds are fun. I wonder if anyone noticed that I was wearing my $15 "amythest" ring?

We have another of these in July -- it's a golf outing with a dinner. Since all The Bob and I do is putt putt and that's not what it is, we are going to the dinner.

I still don't know what to wear.

I wonder if anyone will want to talk about breastfeeding?

Whaddya think?