My mouth died and went to Heaven.

This weekend Alex and I attended a fundraising event for one of the senators here in NY.  Typically, I don't go to these things because for real, they are so boring.  Alex talks to all of these fancy people and I stand there looking and feeling like a dumb bell, hating my life. 

So, the reason I ended up going was because this particular fundraiser wasn't like the other boring ones Alex usually has to go to.  This one was being held at the Culinary Institute of American in Hyde Park.  I've always wanted to go there for dinner because I've heard that it has amazing food, but you usually have to make reservations about a year in advance unless you know someone.  I am not a year in advance kind of gal. I am way more of a fly by the seat of my pants, call the babysitter 15 minutes before I decide to go to the movies, spontaneous kind of gal.

So anyway, Alex assured me that he wouldn't really know anyone there besides the senator and I believed him.  Sometimes I forget that he is a big fat liar, but whatever.  I went to go put on my little black dress, and wouldn't you know, it was at the dry cleaners.  Either that or hanging in Alex's office because he didn't bring it home from the dry cleaners.  So that sucked because then I had to figure out what to wear and I hate clothes.  I hate having to figure out what to wear to fancy things.  I have been known to cry in my closet on more than one occasion.

Anyway, I found something acceptable to wear, and I felt OK about it.  The drive was really nice, about an hour and a half south of where we live, and right along the river.  We went through a lot of little towns that are really neat.  I wish we had left earlier because I wouldn't have minded stopping at a few places along the way -- particularly the little produce stands that pop up every few miles.  Only in these small towns can you drive past an unmanned produce stand with a sign that says "Help yourself."  You pay using the honor system -- right into an old coffee can with a slot cut out of the top to put your money in.  Gotta love the country. 

So anyway, after a nice drive we arrived at the CIA, and I was so impressed with the campus.  Rolling hills, great housing, gorgeous view of the Hudson River, and this huge building where the fundraiser was being held.  We walked in and chatted with the Senator and his wife for a few minutes, and then of course Alex says to me, "Wow, I know a lot more people here than I expected to!"

Which means, great.  I have to talk to people.  I make a terrible wife of a politician.  So I talked to people and smiled and was pleasant, because I know how to get my fake on as needed.  But I was really, really eyeing all of the crazy awesome looking food stations.  I couldn't help it!  Everything looked and smelled so good!

The students put on the events.  They prepare and cook and serve. They wear their little tall white chef hats and their aprons.  It was so cool.  And oh.  When I finally got to eat I was dying.  Dying.  My mouth died and went to heaven.  There was a party in my mouth and you weren't invited. 

There were several stations set up with all kinds of different foods, and apparently you were supposed to take small amounts, so you could sample stuff.  Whoa,  I sure did sample stuff.  I am not kidding the food was fantastic.  I had a few fancy salads that I wanted to smuggle home, and Tuna steak and Swordfish steak with couscous and rice-ish sides.  I had a pulled pork slider, and man, more stuff that I can't even remember.

Except the dessert table.  I cannot even begin to tell you how insane the dessert table was.  All of the stuff was in mini sizes, so I didn't feel too bad about sampling a lot of dessert.  I love dessert.  And I hardly ever get it so I think I went a little overboard.  I had some chocolate mocha layer cake, some apple crisp and homemade ice cream, some peanut butter cookie thing and a tiny little cheesecake, and then, then, there was this tiny little chocolatey chocolate mousse thing and I almost had a tear in my eye it was so great.

(Wait.  Do I sound hungry?  Piggish?  A little weird about the food?  If so, I apologize.  I was overwhelmed with the awesomeness of it all.)

So the dessert table was pretty much the end of the event.  I asked Alex if he would smuggle a chocolate thing home for me and that dumb loser wouldn't even do it!  So I smuggled one myself.  Because, obviously!  I think I was very sly about it.  Do you wonder why he doesn't take me to I don't attend more events with him?  We headed out and had to stop and talk a few more times, then I pretended I got a call on my cell and excused myself.  It was so great. 

When we got in the car, Alex was so proud that I talked to people and was sociable.   Because he knows being sociable is my worst thing.  Also, I guess he knows someone that can get us a reservation whenever, so I am really excited about going back.   And this time, we'll bring my sister and not have to make small talk with a bunch of fancy people.  And that is all sorts of awesome.

ps:  I ate the chocolate mousse thing on the car ride home like a slob with no fork.  Because I didn't smuggle a fork home.  And it was a long ride and really, who could wait to eat such an amazing little fancy chocolate thing?