MPI Benefit Dinner in Denver, CO

Last night we had the MPI Benefit Dinner in Denver, CO. It was so fun... and a huge success.

John, Annie and I (all Colorado natives) were there and Zak flew in from NY for the event. We spent Saturday (the day of the benefit) cooking paella while listening to Gypsy Kings, figuring out the projector system, hanging out in Boulder (had some lunch on Pearl Street), shopping at Whole Foods for last minute groceries and talking about how ready we are to just GO TO ECUADOR already.

The actual event was great- it was at Crestmoor Pool, so it was laid back and perfect for summer. We put out tiki torches, candles on every table, a projector screen where we played both music and a running slide show of pictures from Quito and Nicaragua. The bar (decorated with a red table cloth and vase of bright yellow flowers) was stocked with red and white wine, sangria, and a keg. We set up a silent auction with all sorts of stuff: artisan goods that I brought from the Nicaraguan markets, donated cooking classes from the cooking school where Annie works, Nicaraguan jewelry, a painting that John's artist friend donated, nice wine and liquor, etc.

About 60 people came, we sold all the silent auction items, and raised in total $3,095!

After the event, while we were counting all the money and eating leftover fruit from the sangria, we all decided that we'd do it again in a heartbeat. It really was a lot of fun.

And now we're one step closer to actually going to Ecuador...