On Friday night we held the annual Australia Day Gala at Cipriani’ Wall Street. This night is a lot different to the Benefit Dinner as it is fun, social and there is lots of dancing!
Last year’s dinner was held at the Waldorf-Astoria and it honored Baz Lurhmann – this year as there was no formal G’day USA sponsored event in New York, so our gala was it.
It meant another night where Bill would don his tuxedo and as I had broken the zip on my other dress and I didn’t look for a new dress in Australia, I was stuck wearing old faithful. As we had to work during the day, I ran home to get my nails done and get ready. I didn’t even bother getting my hair done as I was just going to straighten it but when I started, I ended up doing my own up-do and it was perfect!
After we did the work we had to on registration and in manning the raffle ticket desk, we were able to enjoy the night. We ate lamb… glorious lamb!! Our table was close the the bar so I drank Shirley Temple’s all night – they are as close to raspberry lemonades as I am ever going to get.
Musical entertainment was provided by Caroline O’Connor who sang two songs and then Human Nature… they were perfect for the event and we were soon up dancing to songs that they perform as part of their Motown show on the Vegas strip.
The band even played some Aussie stuff – I ran to the dancefloor when they played ‘Need you tonight’ and then they played ‘Down Under’ and mixed it up a bit. Later in the night we were actually dancing to ‘Beds are Burning’!
It wasn’t until got home that I realised that it was the first time Bill and I had ever really danced. It was lovely to spend a Friday night all dressed up and dancing on a proper dancefloor and dancing how dancing should be done!! Old fashioned Friday night dances! Woohoo! I have marked the night down as my first ‘American Prom’!
Anyway here are some pics from the night – I am so over that silly dress that I promise it will be the last time it will be making an appearance. Best thing… there was no “Oi, Oi, Oi” at all. Bless!
I was caught by surprise here!
Bill and I – prom time!
James, Mavi, Deb and I.
Fran and I. Fran had to make a 7am flight the next morning – eeek!
Katie and I – aka Teen Vogue!
James hanging out with Teen Vogue.
Mavi, Camille, Katie and I.
Camille’s husband, Michael and I. His dancing shoes were from Chapel St!