{"id":11537,"date":"2018-01-19T17:15:45","date_gmt":"2018-01-19T22:15:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/daily-planet-arthur\/?p=11537"},"modified":"2018-01-20T11:32:52","modified_gmt":"2018-01-20T16:32:52","slug":"the-chickens-come-home-to-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/daily-planet-arthur\/2018\/01\/the-chickens-come-home-to-party\/","title":{"rendered":"The Chickens Come Home To… Party!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hattie’s Annual Mardi Gras Raises $94,878.86 for AIM Services, Inc.!<\/em><\/strong>
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\nColorful Flamboyance Vanquishes a Dreary Winter<\/strong>
\nCarrie Rowlands Johnson<\/em>
\nSARATOGA SPRINGS – Purples, yellows, greens\u2026 masks gently yet deliberately hiding features; feathers standing elegantly and proudly, staring down at shades of blonde, brown, black; delicate wings clinging to elastic bands, where in a world of adult make-believe they give flight to their wearer; beads dangling playfully from necks, long and short and in-between sizes.
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\nA face turned upward, glancing joyfully at a friend; a head thrown back, its wide open mouth releasing laughs from deep within the belly.<\/p>\n

Ties wrapped around masculine necks, a dash of color against a sea of white. Red, gold, green, black, grey, blue dresses conforming to the shapes of women, hugging and accentuating curvy lines.<\/p>\n

A flash, capturing each and every tiny moment for eternity, or for as long as digital images survive.
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\n(Photo: Heather Bohm-Tallman –HBTphoto.com)<\/a><\/em>
\nBare-faced and winged, I throw a pink-clothed and heeled leg over the arms of my blogging partners. Beaded Mandy Mittler and top-hat-decorated Lisa Champagne support its weight, props in what we all know and love as Hattie\u2019s Mardi Gras, a benefit to raise money for AIM Services.<\/p>\n

Deep smiles and encouraging words accessorize Heather Bohm-Tallman\u2019s party wear as she expertly snaps photos of fun-loving attendees.<\/p>\n

Each room in the Canfield Casino a separate stage: a cash bar, drinks flowing; gift-laden tables filled with spoils from the silent auction, humming to the jazz tunes of The Dylan Perillo Orchestra; so much yum, courtesy of Hattie\u2019s Restaurant, spread out for foodies and the just plain hungry to devour; Soul Session, pumping out entirely danceable tunes; and hundreds of bodies from Saratoga and beyond colorfully dressed, grateful for an excuse to escape cabin fever.
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\nAs a Saratoga society reporter, now with saratoga.com, I am honored to donate my writing and attend dozens of charity events with my blogging partners and our fearless leader, Arthur Gonick. We each play a pivotal role in the production, mine to facilitate the transformation of words into painted pictures describing the ambience of each event. Sometimes, it\u2019s difficult to differentiate one gala from another. Pretty decor, yummy foods, open bar, pretty dresses, and a dance floor are all standard. <\/p>\n

But Hattie\u2019s Mardi Gras, with its colorful flamboyance in the middle of a dreary winter; with its playful homage to the festive and indulgent carnival that marks the beginning of the sacrificial lent; with its generosity toward AIM services; with its namesake \u2013 and the dispenser of grand beneficiary, Saratoga\u2019s own beloved New Orleans-style Hattie\u2019s restaurant\u2026 Hattie\u2019s Mardi Gras is deserving of a special nod, a free set of beads, the baby in the King Cake, a peek under the mask as it rescues us all from the doldrums of winter and transports us directly into the throes\u2026 of Bourbon Street.
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FLASHIN’ FASHION!<\/em><\/strong>
\nLisa Champagne<\/em>
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SARATOGA SPRINGS – Hattie\u2019s 19th Annual Mardi Gras Soir\u00e9e was a fabulous success! Mother Nature herself couldn\u2019t deter close to 400 guests who braved the cold (even by upstate NY standards) who came out to celebrate + support this year\u2019s beneficiary – AIM Services, Inc. <\/p>\n

Valet parking more than appreciated on this night! As my friend + blogging teammate Mandy Mittler and I made our way into the event, we were welcomed with warm temperatures + Southern hospitality. The historic Canfield Casino was transformed into the \u201cBig Easy\u201d- a more refined + subdued version of Bourbon Street, if you will. But the energy and spirit of Mardi Gras was captured!
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\nMoving through the crowd\u2026 thick. Mandy and I stopped to grab a Tito\u2019s Mardi Gras Mule, the \u201csignature\u201d drink of the evening. We entered the parlor, a server stopped and offered us a passed hors d\u2019oeuvre, the first of many bite sized delights that made my mouth water. The sounds of Dixieland played by the Dylan Perillo Orchestra got everyone in the swing of things, and guests formed a line to receive a free tarot card reading from Psychic Mary.
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\nAnd it seems the stars may have aligned for Mandy!
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\nThe cards showed she may have some pretty good luck coming her way in the near future (GO girl!!) but I don\u2019t think even Mary\u2019s crystal ball could have predicted the overwhelming support AIM Services would receive on this chilly January evening!<\/p>\n

AIMs Services, Inc. is a not-for profit organization that provides residential and community-based services to people with disabilities, including those with traumatic brain injuries and those looking for nursing home transition or diversion. The organization was formed in 1979. They provide services in Saratoga, Warren, Washington County and beyond.
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\nChris Lyons, Senior Director and Counsel for AIM services said, \u201cIt\u2019s all about our mission. I\u2019m very passionate about what we do and what people have accomplished through the support of this organization\u2026\u201d AIMs mission is dedicated to supporting the \u201cpower of potential\u201d in people of diverse abilities through community based services, advocacy and education. They are focused on supporting challenged individuals in achieving their personal goals while promoting a sense of self-confidence and independence. (Check out their site for more info or to make a donation Here.)<\/a> <\/p>\n

Partial proceeds from tonight\u2019s ticket sales, the silent auctions, as well as event sponsorship (from Hattie\u2019s as well as Tom and Beth Flynn, Independent Support Services, Inc., CDPHP, The D.A. Collins Companies, MVP Healthcare, Enterprise Fleet Mgmt., Wilcenski + Pleat PLLC, etc.) will support this fantastic organization!<\/p>\n

We\u2019re just getting started. <\/p>\n

Guests made their way into the ballroom where full-tilt Mardi Gras was in effect!
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\nSilk, gold colored fabric draped the casino and multi colored masks, beads, + floral arrangements added to the ambiance. Dinner was a grand buffet of Creole cuisine and authentic New Orleans style dishes soulfully prepared by Hattie\u2019s. The taste was tantalizing and rivaled some of the best dishes I\u2019ve experienced in the French Quarter! Jambalaya, grits, ribs, gumbo, red beans, shrimp sliders and a fantastic raw bar. <\/p>\n

My blogging buddies joined other party-goers on the dance floor, and enjoyed the live performance by Garland Nelson + Soul Session. The end to a wonderful evening! <\/p>\n

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