Craving What?

Early last December, Jen and I were just starting to come out of our "working moms of two young kids" cacoons. We had been in there for awhile. So when an ad for Seattle's much-hyped Crave party caught my eye (actually, I believe it was an expensively-produced colored flier on cardstock), it sounded right up our alley. Food, drinks, pampering, and shopping at fabulous botique-style vendors was exactly the kind of thing we wanted to do. The more vendors the better, because we have little time to meander through all the upcoming burroughs trying on the latest kitten-heeled shoes. So, we bought tickets--an apparent bargain at $15/piece.

This is what we got for $15:
-20 minutes driving around Fremont looking for parking.
-The chance to enter multiple drawings that offer lame prizes but many years of e-mail spam.
-The opportunity to pay $7.95 for a taco by Baja Fresh (did I mention that we were in Fremont, where many more appealing options were blocks away for the same price).
-Two drink coupons that could be used in the VIP Lounge...wherever the heck that was?

Now, I might not be the most observant person, but Jen is, and neither of us could find the VIP Lounge, complete with margarita bar we were hoping to see, or a waitress wandering around with crystalline Cosmos. After asking multiple people (the person at the home made jewelry booth, the person at the home made scarf booth, the person at the spoon holder booth) we eventually learned that the "bar" was behind a curtained wall. We made our way past a tartan-clad woman who was hoola-hooping (this was the entertainment--did I mention the all-women crowd?) into the cavernous enclave where a few other lucky souls had managed to find their way. Firemen were circulating the place, and maybe this would excite some, but my wildest dreams are kept in check when I picture the firemen seeing me naked. I digress... Jen took our drink tickets and secured us two plastic cups of wine. Swanky. Now I'm feeling special. Granted, the conversation was good, but this is because I was talking to her, and not anyone else in the place. We decided that as soon as we were done using up our drink tickets we would make a run for it--and this was the right decision, I assure you. We ended up having a delightful time at the 35th Street Bistro (but this is another blog entry in waiting).