Every once in a while, I'll be invited to a fundraising gala and I almost always attend. I'm sure after going to a number of these events, the charm may wear off, but I think they're spectacular!
So Monday night, Chiara and I were fortunate enough to attend Prep for Prep's Lilac Ball to celebrate 25 years of incredible work. It was held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, so it was uber fancy and everyone dressed up (except me, cause I felt lazy that morning).
Prep for Prep is a truly unique leadership and development program that offers promising students of color access to a private school education and life changing opportunities. All the teens were there, looking like they were going to prom and celebrating their success together. It was awe-inspiring and made me feel like a lazy bum.
I'm not sure how many of you out there have attended one of these fancy-pants galas, so I thought it would be fun to take a peek at the food they served.
They started with a cocktail hour, which was funny since Chiara and I checked our bags and didn't have our IDs to prove we weren't still in high school. The bartender assumed based on our drinks that we weren't under 21 (she went for white wine and I enjoyed my usual vodka soda with lime). At least he asked? Ahh, how young I feel when someone assumes I'm under age.
They eventually herded us to our tables where appetizers were already waiting. This was by the far the largest gala I have been to, as you can see here. Chiara and I were seated at a table on the balcony which was nice for the view and it wasn't as noisy up here since they seated all the students on the ground level.
When the program started we dug in to the appetizer, which was really good! The shrimp were very tasty with a crisp thinly sliced vegetable or fruit, I couldn't figure out what it was. There was also a chopped beet salad, which I did try and liked. I don't usually eat beets cause they're freaky, but I was hungry and willing to give it a try. The sushi-like roll was a roasted veggie roll wrapped in cucumber.
A tiny appetizer, but tasty!
They served a roasted chicken breast, which was really juicy and flavorful, with a side of sauteed spinach and creamy mashed potatoes. Most galas don't serve huge portions, but its a nice, tasty dinner.
Chiara and I were definitely part of the clean plate crew!
They took away plates and served dessert promptly. There were cookies on the table, along with coffee that was self-serve. The dessert was good, but I was already too full to eat any more.
The dessert was interesting and good.It was a thick brownie-like oatmeal raisin cookie and it was way too big for me to finish.
There was a dollop of whipped creme with chocolate shavings, which we picked out and ate. And then the classic scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was a glorious dessert made even better when we learned that a recent graduate of the Prep for Prep program made the dessert at her start-up vegan bakery! These kids are amazing!
It was a wonderful night and it was an honor to have taken part in the festivities. The gala raised over 3.2 million dollars to ensure promising under-served children across NYC have the opportunity to shine!
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