To the Pink Ball

No we are not going to a gay event. About 20 of us from Penyffordd Wine Society are supporting a Cancer Research Charity Dance organised by John and Gynette. One needs to turn up wearing a pink item of clothing.
Lisa has bought me a pink hand made silk dickie bow off Ebay to go with my DJ. Then we have to buy another two for others.
Six of us are sharing a taxi. Joe Le Taxi turns up a bit late but its no problem. The man himself takes us (he's French). He's muttering about unreliable staff. I think he needs some Polish people.

Outside the Springfield Hotel there are a group of males drinking and smoking. They looked a bit downmarket. Inside we meet the organisers. Hotel staff are courteous and friendly. The bar was a bit stretched. Lots of people have made a big effort especially the ladies. Everybody has a drink in the bar which looks over the Dee Estuary. Hotel staff are encouraging us to go into the main room so they can start the food. The mandatory raffle appears. Its for charity so everyone buys a ticket.

Seating is a bit tight, can't get my feet under the table, no wonder! there is a BQ carpenters trestle in the way. Nowhere to put anything on the table. At one stage I was eating lazy style with my fork in one hand and wine glass in the other.
Vegetable soup arrives very acceptable. Then a fair wait. The logistics of running an event for maybe 200 eaters to me is highly unattactive. The Maitre D looks a little stressed.

Main course arrives, plenty of food, chicken stuffed with panchetta, very acceptable.
Lisa and Sue are vegetarians. Hotels and eating houses do poorly in general with veggies. The veggy option is wild mushrooms raviolli. The sauce had a bite. It looked colourful on the plate. Why not include the vegetables all us carnivores had?
Too boring on its own. I gave most my veg to Lisa. Sue had the hotel man over for some earache as Pete had a clean plate.
Cheesecake base needed a hacksaw.
The singer was class. I could not tell him apart from Jamie Cullum. Very good indeed.

The dance floor! It was sticky. Probably some new EU Directive on slippy dance floors. Reminded me of Liverpool pubs with sticky carpets. Toilets are 1st class.

The DJ. Needs to try harder. I have heard his selection 10 million times before. Very lazy. There are lots of good modern dance songs.
The second raffle didnt go down well. 2 quid a ticket. Pissed up punters as cannon fodder. Didnt bother. Who was running that raffle?
The lads who were staying there were let in to this do which was private £23.50 a ticket. Do I want 20 virile males with drink eyeing my wife up and blocking the way to the toilet? No, not really.
A good night , really enjoyed it. The Springfield Hotel requires to up its game.

link sent to Hotel(no it hasn't can't find an email address)