When you hear the words “Work Christmas Party”, what do you think of? Maybe it conjures up images of cheap food served in a tacky hall to a bunch of people you don’t like spending time with at work let alone outside of it . But you subject yourself to all of it for the sake of free beer and a night out. Well my husbands work parties are nothing like that. Thank God! Last year’s party was a Vegas themed event held on a boat on Lake Union with free beer and wine, great buffet style food and a pay bar. The party came complete with table games and hard thumping music. It was fun even though my husband was the only one I knew. Normally I hate social functions like these. They make me nervous. Small talk with strangers is SO not my thing. But toss in some free booze and I’ll talk to anyone….or flirt. Now that is fun. My kinda party.
This year it was in the Arctic Club Hotel in Downtown Seattle. The hotel was all decked out in it’s holiday finest. White, gold, silver and greenery everywhere. Very classy. They called it a Red Carpet Event and required semi formal attire. We checked our coats at the door and made our way up the stairs to the red carpet. There was literally a red carpet, small group of paparazzi and a wall mural behind us littered with the company’s name on it. Just like a real red carpet photo op. Way cool! I wore a short black number with a sweet jeweled cardigan. Hubby was lookin fine in all black with a sexy black and silver tie. Very sexy. All that was missing was a visit from Brangelina and maybe a wardrobe malfunction.
The ballroom was decorated in gold, white and silver and dimly lit with small Christmas trees in the corners of the room and candles on the tables. The food was first rate. No cheap “pigs in a blanket” or veggies and dip here.
- Appetizers: Crabcakes, spring rolls, stuffed mushrooms, carmelized onions with beef on toast points, full cheese and fruit tray with home made crackers
- Main Course: Three kinds of pasta (seafood ravioli, mastacioli marinara and a rigatoni with a cream sauce) and t0ppings like pinenuts, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, shredded parmesan cheese, olives and more. Caesar Salad.
- Desserts: An assortment of mini desserts like banana cream, lemon merange, tiramisu, chocolate mousse and more (sinfully good!)
- Drinks: Water, Chardonnay or Pino Noir (FREE – a nice Pino Grigio or White Zin would be better but who am I to complain?)
- Bar: Full bar $10/drink (spendy but good sized – so of course I had four of them…mmmmm drinkey goodness)
The band played loud classic rock while we all drank ourselves into a stupor. By the time they played “Hurt so Good” I was grabbing hubby’s tie and singing along in my best “naughty milf” voice. Too fun! I dragged hubby into a corner and made him make out with me. I know, totally Jr High but so what!? I flirted shamelessly with him and a couple of his workmates (and his boss…he was a yummy one!). I got the evil eye from one of the wives. I think it’s because I was the only woman standing in a huge group of drunk men, Patron in hand, laughing it up with them. Hubby thinks it’s because I hugged her man twice and called him cute to his face. Could be both. Im fairly sure I hit on three of his friends, including his boss. That’s what happens when you let me drink four vodka and cranberry, a sip of bourbon and a big shot of Patron. But hell, it was fun! Oh, and the girl that all the guys think is hot… SO not! She’s small, cute and Asian. But that’s it. No ass… boobs are barely a mouthfull and wearing a tiara? You’ve got to be kidding? I bet she is a high maintence Princess who thinks going down is “yucky”. Im just sayin….
