Been through any cardboard rabbit holes lately?
If so, chances are that you were at St. Joe’s annual BASH, a fund-raiser par excellence, this year called “A Knight in Wonderland.”
If you saw the Red Queen (aka Delaney Carr) chatting with the Mad Hatter alongside a huge and charming tea party table, you were definitely there.
You could not have missed the huge Cheshire cat, grinning with glee and illuminated with green lights, hanging from the rafters.
You had indeed arrived in Wonderland, amid giant mushrooms, one of which harbored a large caterpillar with a (gasp) hookah!
This trip to storybook land (tickets a mere $125) occurred on Saturday, March 12. The event featured Tobin James champagne, appetizers truly from another realm, silent and live auctions, dinner, and a very popular hosted bar.
About 200 turned out (30 more than last year) according to Laurie Gonzalez, co-executive director of BASH, along with Elizabeth Vega.
The irrepressible Chef Rick fashioned Wonderland’s menu. Appetizers were billed as “Things That Go Well With Tea.” There was “mushroom forest soup,” “a salad of much muchiness” (three-bean salad), and “Tweedle Yum” (grilled black angus sirloin steak on andouille maque choux). Oh, that andouille maque choux (Cajun corn stew to you), it was so good.
Hancock graphics student Jenna Verbryke designed the enchanting fold-out invitations and catalogue art work.
Former executive director Sandy Buchanan was circling a silent auction table when I came upon her.
“Sandy,” I cried, “do you miss BASH?”
“I do miss BASH,” she retorted, “but not the craziness.”
And a lot of craziness there must be in planning and executing this annual exercise in creativity. The decorating crew is always on the prowl for the new, different, and provocative. For the past four years, Julie Carr has been in charge of decorations.
Alas, as daughter Delaney prepares to graduate in June, so, too, does Mom. The decorating torch passes to Laura Badenell.
Eleanor Byars, Terry Mastrup, and Stacy Verbryke are the other BASH girls (as they call themselves) on the executive board, headed by Father Ed.
Photographer and St. Joe’s dad, Luis Escobar, was the charming waiter at our table. He stopped serving drinks long enough to let us know that he will be coaching St. Joe’s cross-country team this coming season.
St. Joe’s parents are active in the fundraising activities of the school. I spotted computer whiz Mandy Schultz in the kitchen, dwarfed by a big apron, her hands dripping with chocolate. Who says having kids isn’t fun?
Former Lt. Gov. Abel Maldonado was all smiles all night long, while wife Laurie chatted away with friends.
BASH is a two-night affair. On the Friday before the big dinner, there are silent and live auction items, a no-host bar, and food to buy. The gym and BASH-goers are in a more informal mode. None of the big-time decorations are out, and definitely no one is in black tie.
County supervisor Joni Gray and George Wittenberg and the Stowassers—Bob and Darlene—dropped by for the pizza and salad from the a la carte dining forum run by Bello Forno. The meatballs and penne dish for $8 was a great deal. Loved it!
Can’t wait for next year’s BASH. I know it will be a hoot.
If you want to hobnob with Helen, you can contact her at helenthom232@yahoo.com.
This article appears in Mar 24-31, 2011.