I was invited to attend a ‘Soiree’ this past weekend, which isn’t something that happens often around here. In fact, this wasn’t just any ‘soiree’; this was The Bell Sens Soiree, an event that sees the entire Ottawa Senators line-up and their wives/fiancées/girlfriends in attendance. It’s a charity event that benefits various charities in the city and I was happy I would have a night out with pro hockey players and a possible Carrie Underwood sighting.
Of course with any ‘soiree’ type event comes the dreaded shopping for said event. After I ruled out the fact that Lululemon did not in fact sell evening wear I set off on the dreaded task of finding something to wear to this black tie ‘soiree’. For the record – Ottawa has the shittiest shopping options ever. I finally settled on something that I ended up feeling slightly bridesmaid-ish in but really – I was in a room with Carrie Underwood – no one was looking at me!
So the thing about this event was that all the members of the Senators hockey team each sat at a table. Aside from everyone wanting to sit with the Fishers (that’s Mr and Mrs Underwood to the rest of us) my husband told me he really hoped we would get to sit with Nick Foligno (I blame the Italian connection) and was nothing short of giddy when that is exactly who was escorted to our table. As Nick and his fiancée Janelle are walking to our table to take their seats, Lino rhymes off to me every single fact about Nick and his family that he can possibly think of. But all I could focus on was the fact that I was going to be sitting beside his drop dead gorgeous fiancée – good times.
Now let’s just say that I feel kinda bad for these guys because this is a charity event so they have to sit with a table of total strangers who they basically have nothing in common with and make small talk all night. But both Nick and Janelle were incredibly nice and charming and a pleasure to have dinner with. They took pictures with us and Janelle was even nice enough to show me her engagement ring (note to self – in my next life I am totally marrying a professional athlete). But as soon as dinner was over those players were outta there, probably because coming off a 10 game losing streak there weren’t in the best party mood ever.
The evening was hosted by Ottawa’s own ‘Stuntman’ Stu Schwartz (otherwise known as our very own Mr. Connie Bernardi) and did a wonderful job as the master of ceremonies for the evening. And since Stu takes his job very seriously he showed up to the ‘Manhattan’ themed evening dressed as Donald Trump – but with even better hair. Connie is a good woman.
So yes, I did see Carrie Underwood, but no, I didn’t get my picture with her. Mostly because I didn’t really care to, and also because she kept disappearing so even if I wanted to I couldn't. And yes, I get that the night wasn’t about her, but you can’t expect to be an international superstar and go to a charity event and not expect to be asked to have your picture taken. That is all.
BUT, Connie did get her picture with her. Carrie is much smaller in person that I thought she would be, and by that I mean short! She’s pretty tiny too of course, but I always thought she was taller than she really is. She was also very pretty and she had on the most gorgeous shoes I have ever seen (which Connie has a picture of on her blog)!!
All in all it was a great night with great company. The players were charming and accommodating, the host was funny and the The Ottawa Senators Foundation ended up raising more than $360,000 for their charities, which really was the point of the whole thing after all. And I got to enjoy a night out with some of the best people watching I’ve seen in a long time. So the next time any of you are having a ‘Soiree’, count me it, because a girl could get used to those!
Scene and Heard
Confessions from a Pop Culture Mummy
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