Fiddle Dee Dee
Cocktail dress or denim was the quandary presented by the “Cowboy Couture” attire edict on the Hemangioma Treatment Foundation gala invitation. Dubbed Cowboy Couture: Fiddles and Vittles, the invitation called for hats, boots and rhinestones, so I had a hunch from the very beginning this would not be an ordinary black tie affair. That suspicion was confirmed upon arrival when I spotted a large black horse– albeit a fake one, but life-size and realistic nonetheless– standing watch over the cocktail hour bar flanking the northern end of the portico.
Held Thursday night at the State Port Authority, the sweet and somewhat acrid smell of pluff mud and hay wafted across the breeze as I made my way toward the gala. Tis the season for multiple events on the same night (the Lowcountry Open Land Trust’s Blue Moon Barbeque, an art opening at Redux, and the Trident United Way’s Battle of the Bands also played out on Thursday), thus I arrived just as the cocktail hour was winding down and guests were taking their seats for supper. Within a mere five minutes, I was enveloped in the essence the the gala’s theme thanks to fiddlers Bob Culver and Hazel Ketchum and mouthwatering vittles courtesy of J.B.C. Catering.
The dinner encompassed two courses, rainbow trout followed by flatiron steak, and the meal was topped off with a flour-less chocolate tort that was served with a double shot of Joe and Fool’s Gold. When Hemangioma Treatment Foundation Director Jane Milner acknowledged sponsors and donors from the stage, the loudest applause was appropriated for Jim Beam.
I had swapped emails earlier that day with another attendee* and discovered we’d interpreted the dress code in vastly different ways; however, the room was filled with several hundred people who were festooned in a dazzling array of attire. From jeans and well-worn boots to voluminous satin ball gowns, everything was suitably fashionable for the evening’s festivities. (*She arrived in a fabulous cowgirl hat and jeans, while I opted for a blue dress and cowgirl boots.)
Jim Epper and Richard Coen executed the tuxedo shirt, bow tie and blue jeans look with aplomb. Dashing bachelor Jamie McAlister kept me entertained throughout the evening, and he spilled the beans on the vast number of gentlemen who made the trip to the Boot Jack the day before the gala. I can only wonder how Jamie came to know this tidbit of information. By the way, his sparkling new lariat looked mighty spiffy.
For Dr. Marcello Hochman, founder of the Hemangioma Treatment Foundation, it was a family affair. Hochman’s mother Marta, parents-in-law, sons, and wife Shelley were on hand to support the cause, which, for the children and families the Foundation helps, is truly a life-changing experience.
A fierce bidding war netted $11,000 for the Foundation and granted one lucky man the chance to appear in skirt! magazine wearing a skirt for the “He’s So Original” feature page.
When it came time to auction the pimped out Club Car with custom upholstery, burlwood dash, gold pinstripe detail, and chrome rims (yes, rims on a golf cart!), it took a feat of skill to maneuver the four passenger cart through the building’s double doors, around the stanchions supporting the fabric-draped decor and onto the dance floor where the cart and its driver received thunderous applause.
And finally… the return of good schwag
I have not received such delightful party schwag since the Gibbes Museum or Art’s fall bash two years ago (chocolate, vodka, chapstick, and I don’t remember-what-all spilled forth from a handy blue keepsake tote). As I was departing the Fiddles and Vittles gala, a woman in the parking lot handed me small makeup bag filled with sundry Trish McEvoy items. Love it!
The gala has come and gone, but you can still support this worthy cause. Taylor Guitars has donated a Big Baby acoustic guitar, which has been signed by Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, George Strait, Lonestar, Julie Roberts, and Buddy Jewell. The guitar will be posted on Ebay.com for auction on Monday, September 25, with the title Country Couture Acoustic Guitar. All proceeds will go directly to The Hemangioma Treatment Foundation to help children who are in need of surgeries for vascular deformities. To learn more, visit the Foundation’s website. Click.
To view the rest of the photos from this event, Click.
Caritas.
Ida
