Who does this?

We went to a fabulous St. Patrick's Day party last night, given by a truly remarkable couple.  Irish and dirt-poor born, these folks have done very well.  Do they give back?  You bettcha.  They support charities all over the world and always include many local priests at all their parties.  Many were there.   

There must have been 1,200 at The Ranchmen's Club, but everyone felt like an intimate of the host and hostess.  Food stations and bars were everywhere on every floor, featuring the very best genius Chef Kenneth Titcombe had to offer.  Filet, Asian fusion of a million sorts, lamb, oysters.........you name it, it was there by the bucket load.  And no "house wine", nothing but the very best; every time I turned around, my glass was filled.  The top floor featured nothing but fruits and desserts -- capped by a chocolate fountain. 

But what I enjoyed most was meeting a slew of young, accomplished professional women.  Chatting with a number of them, I learned one was an architect, another a banker, another a CBC reporter, another an engineer, another a geologist.  It was such a treat to talk to "with it" women; no housewives or slackers here. 

As a nod to St. Paddy, most of us were in some form of green duds.  I wore a beautifully beaded green jacket from Shepherd's, which I had bought about 10 years ago, and my wonderfully classic black suede 'Nine West' high heels, purchased for a song at DSW.  I have to say, my footwear held up stalwartly against the thousands-of-dollars Manolo Blahnik's and Jimmy Choos I spotted.  I would never pay such prices for a pair of shoes.  Never.  Paying that kind of money is a dumb and unimaginative nod to status and an admission you can't put-it-together yourself with a pair of 'Shopper's' cheapo earrings and forget about the shoes. 

Also put on my custom-made, beryl drop(dead) earrings, which were a topic of conversation at more than one table. 

Speaking of Shopper's, as I schlepped through one that morning I came across green nail polish.  Bought it.  If nothing else, it was a conversation starter, not that I ever need one!  As I have said, Calgary is a great town -- lots of money and energy.  So why is Alberta's economy so screwed up?  No sales tax and an inept government headed by the stubborn and deaf Redford.  Period, the end.