The Sarasota super-chef takes un-pity on me.
By Hannah Wallace
My typical afternoon doldrums took a decidedly untypical turn last Wednesday. A little after 5, when I was ready to give up on the day entirely, I got a call from Jennifer Ahearn-Koch, publicist for restaurateur extraordinaire (and one-time Sarasota bachelor of the millennium) Paul Mattison. She began the conversation by saying that she’d read my blog, found it amusing and passed it on to Chef Paul. Aw, I love hearing that kind of stuff. How nice.
But then she continued: Chef Paul, it turns out, would like to extend to me an invitation to Friday’s UnParty—the official more-than-media, booze-included preview party for the UnGala. Out-of-the-blue invites to a $50 party? Yay!
MY TICKET IN: Chef Paul gets a gold star for generosity.
(She was quick to add the chef’s clarification that he had no actual UnGala tickets to give—and Mattison’s caters the UnGala. That damn gala is so exclusive I’m actually relieved I don’t have to go embarrass myself in front of Sarasota society. Y’know, again.)
Jennifer went on to say that she’d worked at the Asolo with my parents. Ah, now I understand: My famous lineage and media position have finally come together to hoist me into super-status. Now I am unstoppable. (Anybody sick of the un-jokes yet? Anybody? Yeah, ok, I’ll stop.)
In all seriousness, I do have to re-emphasize that this whole ticket snafu hasn’t exactly weighed heavily with me. In fact, it really hadn’t entered my mind in some time—making my sudden propulsion into the near-gala scene that much more exciting. Check me out: I’m hobnobbing with the big-spenders.
Wait a minute, I’m not going to get there and be charged $50 at the door…am I?
Heh, anyway, in addition to its being a hip young event, the UnParty is the first time $250 UnGala tickets will be available. Y’know, if you’re into that sort of thing…
