The mister and I attended their Christmas party hosted by the company he works for for close to 25 years.
The event was held at a hotel about close to an hour away, closer to Washington D.C.
Like I always prefer, I wore something old. In fact I already wore my dress at an interment of ashes of a dear friend last May. This ensemble...
And because I am being economical, I wore the dress again last Friday. I bought this from a thrift store near our house. I honestly find it pricey for $12.99, but then I didn't realize that it was discounted.
Paid $9.99 for it, a 2010 - 2012 (not sure of the year) Oscar de la Renta dress.
This was my ensemble for the party.
Most of what I wore were, of course, from my vintage boutique, June22 at Etsy.
DRESS: 2010's Oscar de la Renta, thrifted for $9.99.
MINK FUR STOLE CAPE: 1950s White's
HANDBAG: 1950s - 1960s Ande's
BLACK BEADED SHORT GLOVES: 1940s - 1950s Penney's
WHITE PEARL NECKLACE: a gift from the big sister, Ate Aimee.
Shoes, belt, eyeglasses, Pearl bangle and earrings are from my closet
Lastly, I would like to thank June22 Vintage Boutique and their curator (that's ME!) for my outfit, and my daughter for my new haircut.
Here is also a photo of me with Mr. Fahrenheit. :D
December 16th, a Friday, was the mister's annual office Christmas party held in Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Bethesda, Maryland. It's about 45 minutes to an hour drive from our home. We wanted to leave right after picking the boy up from school around 2:45 p.m. We didn't want to get caught in traffic.
Unfortunately, just as I was about to turn to an avenue going towards our home from the boy's school, there was a collision. Everybody involved was fine though. Thank God.
And it happened when you're really in a hurry! *sigh. Sat in traffic for awhile. Tik. Tak. Tik. Tak. Tik. Tak.
We arrived at the hotel about 4:30ish. Oh! Did I tell you that overnight accomodation was paid for by the company. (((Thanks CPI!)))
We got a room on the first floor, and our window view was the parking lot.
Loved the reading light by the bed. I think we need a pair in our room since I love to read or answer puzzles before I sleep at night.
Cocktails started at 6:00 p.m. When we entered the hall, I was so happy to see faces I only get to see twice a year.
I think the mister got me a Cosmopolitan. Hors d'oeuvre were scallops wrapped in bacon, cream cheese filled phyllo dough, shrimp cocktail, and I forgot the other one. It was a bite size crispy roll filled with meat. Not sure if it was tuna or pork. What I was sure of though was that I didn't like it. It was sour. No wonder I forgot what it was called. However, I loved the cream cheese filled phyllo dough. It was absolutely love at first bite. Then second, third, fourth, fifth. I think I had six. Or was it more? Rey, one of the mister's colleague kept on calling the server who served that hors d'oeuvre for me. It seemed like he knew people there, or maybe because his wife used to work in that hotel.
(((Rey, salamat!)))
Dinner started at 7.
It started with bread and butter, then a serving of salad with nuts and cheese. The salad dressing was delicious.
Jay had chicken and a side of broccolini.
Guess what was mine?
Hehehe. It's vegetable lasagna, served with some potatoes and broccolini too. In our table, most of them had steak. A few had salmon. I was the only one who had the vegetable. *Pats in the back.
This was dessert. I didn't not know what kind of cake it was, but the filling tasted like caramel. And guess what?
It was the first time that I have tasted the sweetest raspberry ever. Sadly, the plate came with just one piece.
After dinner was the awarding of a few loyal employees. The big boss and some employees who were December celebrants blew their candles on two birthday cakes. I did not have a slice of those cakes. The cake I had for dessert was enough for me with my coffee.
Then, there was dancing. As always.
Some left early. Jay and I left the venue before the last dance ended. He was already in pain that night. (More about it here.)
Our OOTN (Outfits of the Night) Mine:
1950s beaded fully-lined rabbit's wool black cardigan made in Japan - thrifted
Suede black shoes - Nine West
gold handbag - from my mother that she wanted me to sell in my shop but I kept it
Chunky pearl jewelry set - bought at a small pearl shop in Davao City
charcoal gray midi pleated dress - Julian Taylor The Mister:
brown leather double strap monk shoes - Giorgio Brutini
silk tie - vintage Christian Dior from June22
white shirt - Thompson Shirtings by J.Crew
gray suit - J.Crew
Then the following day, everything outside was covered in ice. Because we were roomed at the first floor, we saw people walked like penguins. A few people slipped too.
Jay had to break the quarter inch thick ice to get in the car.
I turned the engine on. Then, I turned the heater on to the highest setting to melt the ice from the inside.
I attended the mister's company Christmas party last Friday. I thought of sewing my dress for this year's event, but I ran out of time, and aside from that, I don't know what design to make. Finding a dress has always been a problem. Good thing that I found a dress at a store near our home at the junior department that didn't look like it's for early to late teens.
We left our house around 5:00 p.m. because cocktails start at 6:00 p.m. It was an excellent idea to go early because parking was kind of a problem there, especially since it was a Friday evening. We were parked at a parking garage across the street on the second floor which was just a couple of parking spaces away from the elevator. That meant that there wouldn't be a lot of sashaying in 4-inch ankle strap, pointy heels for me from the parking lot to the venue.
The party was held at the 4935 Bar and Kitchen in Bethesda, Maryland. It's about a 45-60 minute drive from Frederick. The place used to be Tragara Ristorante. A few years ago, the mister's office party was also held here.
I didn't have any alcoholic drinks that night but had ginger ale instead. I wanted to have room temperature water, but I thought why not have a little soda pop just for the night. It's a party, you know! Hors d'oeuvres were shrimp cocktails, skewered breaded chicken, and beef wellington (or was that what it was called?).
Dinner started with a fresh salad. I really wished the mister's office dinner gathering would always start with soup. But this was okay. I think the salad was a wise idea though. Gorgeous greens would make you feel full because it contains a gas-producing starch. Hehehe.
While waiting for the main course, people got to catch-up, talk, and take photos of each other.
Joey with wife, Gigi, Cris with husband Clent
Rhett, Pinky, and Leo (walking by)
Gigi and Cris
some of the Filipinos of CPI
It took long, and at last, the main course came. See! The salad was a wise idea, instead of the soup. The main course didn't come right after the salad, and the portions were a bit small. I heard from friends that they were still hungry after the dinner. Hehehe.
This was mine, Butternut Squash ravioli. The mister, and a friend, Arlene who sat beside me, laughed at my plate, while I felt so sad looking at it! For me, it wasn't eyegasmic at all.
The verdict: as sad as it looked, it also tasted sad! It was sweet, and the clear sauce at the bottom of the plate was oil. I was pretty sure there were just a few of us who ordered the veggie dish that night. They could've added cheese on top of it to compliment the sweetness of the butternut squash. Who wants to eat something sweet as a main course? Not me! That's always reserved for the siragana (dessert)!
This was the mister's. Some had five slices of chicken. Some had eggplant with it. He had three slices and no eggplant at all. Hahaha!
The best part, foodwise, were the ((( desserts! ))) The chocolate mousse was the bomb. Next was the brown-in-the-outside-yet-green-in-the-inside French macaron. The red one had a sour filling, and I didn't like it. The one on the spoon was a super tiny bite size of tres leches (I think.).
What was in my clutch: Car key / driver's license / credit card / lip stick / rescue inhaler / toothpicks rolled in tissue.
The party ended at 11. You really know that it was time to go because the lights turned bluish from red, and the DJ stopped playing and started packing his stuff.
I wore a bell-sleeved shift dress in soft black fabric.
Instead of going straight home, we went to the young lady's apartment to pack her things. She'll be studying abroad for six months!
I was the designated driver, and I needed to dress comfortably warm---pyjamas and Ugg boots! The mister wanted to go to Pho14 (if it was still open) near the young lady's apartment for junk drunk food---a large bowl of piping hot pho.
Overall, the night was marvelous! The food didn't matter as much because I went for the company. I got to see friends. I was able to chat with a fellow Boholana, Niriza. I had a photo taken with Esil, and Dayang. I got to sit with Gigi, Cris, Pinky, and Arlene at the dinner table with their husbands. I also got to business chat with Rhett. Talking with Fe was lovely too. We talk a lot when we see each other. Her mother-in-law is my mother's close friend. These are a few people that I became friends with that I seldom see.
And oh, I got to meet the new wife of the big boss. Allegedly. She's Boholana too.
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