CPBI Benefit Ball - Mardi Gras

The company I work for had three tables at the 2010 CPBI Benefit Ball (the CPBI is Canadian Pension and Benefits Institute) tonight ... the theme was Mardi Gras.

It was held at the Liberty Grand, which is a grand old building not far from home.

Money raised by the annual CPBI Benefit Ball has helped fund research to find the cure and provide education about Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC). There was a silent auction with lots of stuff from theatre and sports tickets to paintings to jewelry and draws for prizes.

There were more than 320 people in attendance and it was fun running into people I used to work with but haven't seen in ages.

The emcee for the evening was Zaib Shaikh of Little Mosque on the Prairie. Sherry Holmes (daughter of Mike Holmes) has Crohn's and said a few words.

The meal was fancy (I'm kinda fussy and don't do fancy well). The appetizer was jambalaya ... but not how I'd ever seen it before. Instead of everything mixed together, there was a small slice of sausage, a rice croquette and a shrimp (I don't eat shrimp so Steve ate mine). The main course was steak with some kind of cheese on top, sweet potatoes, some stuff I didn't recognize and duck confit. All I ate was the steak after I scraped the cheese off it. Knowing how much Gord love love loves duck, I asked the server if she could wrap it so I could bring it home. She was horrified (ha!) but got it done. Gord inhaled it as soon as I gave it to him so it was worth it. Dessert was pecan pie along with a small scoop of ice cream in a chocolate cup. Yum!