MOCA Gala

I've been partying like a rock star...actually not like a rock star...like someone who had two parties to go to in two weeks.  This past saturday I went to a "gala" for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Tucson, Arizona.  It was black tie optional so I chose the option of not wearing a black tie...actually Dan chose that option.  It honored local geniuses and there were really interesting artists and one fellow involved in the Mars lander there.  Pretty cool.  By the way, the Mars lander is a pretty big deal out here because of the University of Arizona's substantial involvement with that program.  They put it on billboards and everything.  I've learned a lot about the U of A from those billboards actually.  They also perfected the artificial heart, they invented tree ring counting or something and they did something with pima cotton.  Yahoo!  Oh yeah, and their men's and women's swimming teams were national champions this year.  Billboards are highly educational.

 

First, let me tell you about the shirt Dan initially brought up to wear.  It was made from some type of polyester blend sateen material and it was deep, dark purple.  Yes...you read that correctly.  It looked like something that Tony Soprano would wear.  The tie options he brought only made it look more like a selection from Mr. Soprano's wardrobe.  Dan played golf with some buddies on Saturday morning so I took his shirt to my mother's house -- because she really had to see it to believe it.  My brother was there and we all agreed that I needed to get myself down to the mall to rectify that situation immediately.  I mean, I could probably avoid standing next to him for a long time but eventually people would figure out that we're together....  I went to Banana Republic and, with my brother's substantial input, bought him a pale grey shirt with a really cool tie that had lavender and purple stripes (trying to tie in his earlier choices).  To his great credit, Dan was happy to wear our selection and he looked very handsome.

 

The gala was on the rooftop of a downtown garage.  You parked under the party and got a little red "superball" as your proof of admittance.  When a few people asked us what we were supposed to do with the superballs, Dan told them that at midnight we were all going to throw them off the roof at cars below.  Ahhh Dan does not disappoint!  After getting our balls (that really doesn't sound that great), we headed to the elevator but not before we saw this woman who had the most enormous fake breasts I've ever seen!  I mean, these things were so large they looked painful (because her skin looked like it was stretched to its limits).  Of course, she was wearing something that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.  I tried to fake taking a picture of Elizabeth and Autumn where I would focus on her chest and blur out their faces because it was that unbelievable.  Unfortunately she moved before I could snap the shot...damn.  The stuff of legends...

 

The rooftop was really cool.  I also mean it was cold.  Fortunately there were a lot of heat lamps around and I, being a thin skinned West Coaster these days, planted myself near one while Dan got drinks.  Dan had to be the groundbreaker in the smoking department because there really was no place for those guys to go.  Although, when you're on a rooftop can't you smoke anywhere?  There's probably something about being a certain distance from the building but this building is a parking garage...oh well.  He found a corner and started a trend.  My nicotine addicted trendsetter.

 

When we were told to take our seats, I was pleased to know that a heat lamp was right beside me and my mother was on the other side.  Dan was opposite me on the table and we had to lean over and yell to talk to each other...making conversation a bit difficult.  It was a fun time though although the acoustics of the roof of a parking garage in downtown Tucson are not very well suited to hearing speeches.  Something that had never occurred to me before.  Afterwards Dan and I met some of the local geniuses and, by touching their hands, hoped to receive a little of their wisdom and geniusness(?).  We had a great time! 

Comments

[Dena]

Why are there no pictures up of this? I bet you guys looked fantastic!

Also, there is a part of me that really wishes you would have let him wear the other shirt, and spent the night taking pictures of people trying not to react to it.

[Destructo]

I completely agree that it would have been awesome to take pictures of people trying not to look at Dan's shirt...heh heh. Dan read the blog and has threatened to post a rebuttal defending his "Soprano's" shirt. I told him to go ahead...I would just take a picture of the shirt and that would be the end of that story...Actually I might just post a picture of that shirt anyway...

[Todd not Toad]

Dan 1, Tanja 0. Dan managed to get himself a new shirt and tie for free, just by strategically wearing a shirt he knew would give Tanja fits. Good work Dan.

[Destructo]

Dan must never ever learn that that comment exists...