I went to the VFF Opening Night Gala, and it was Classy AF
Free booze and food, what more could you ask for?
On Thursday night, I, along with two friends, went to the Opening Night Gala for the Virginia Film Festival. In dresses and heels for the first time all semester, we called our Uber and rolled up like rock stars in a Volkswagen Jetta.
The Gala, which was held at the Jefferson Theater, is an industry affair meant to celebrate the start of the Festival, an event where producers, directors, actors, Festival staff, and plebeians (like us) are able to rub shoulders in the same space for a couple of hours.
Luckily for me, I was able to get tickets because of my father’s involvement in the festival.
Upon entering the Jefferson, my friends and I were greeted with flutes of French 75’s and probably a couple of questioning stares being the obvious college students we are.
We decided to do a quick loop around to scope out the scene. There were three bars, which was awesome, and free alcohol provided by Trump Winery, Silverback Distillery, Bold Rock Cider, and Starr Hill Brewery.
Not to mention an ice sculpture that doubled as an ice luge for the white and red sangria to be poured through.
It’s hard to tell which was better: the drinks being served or the food, because the food was incredible. In preparation for my favorite type of meal – hors d’oeuvres, aka tiny, delicious food – I ate a light dinner, ready to gorge myself on whatever would be waiting for me at the Gala.
That was not a mistake. There were tuna tartare tacos, spinach artichoke dip, mini sandwiches of Serrano ham & manchego cheese, and enough shrimp to make Forrest Gump rich.
I think I ate enough of the tuna tacos to give myself mercury poisoning, but definitely worth it in the scheme of things. The scheme of things being how delicious those tacos were.
As if all of this weren’t already enough to make the event awesome, there was a band, whose equipment was blazoned with their name in “bowling alley font:” Big Ray & the Kool Kats, and let me tell you, they did not disappoint.
I tried to take a video of their rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” but the song ended right as I started filming because I have terrible luck.
Overall, it was one of the classiest affairs. Definitely classier than my friends and I are. My friends and I who kept returning to the ice luge for more sangria solely for the sake of utilizing the ice luge.
Despite being the only ones who didn’t seem like fully functioning adults, we hammed it up with Charlottesville’s film-loving demographic and got free food and booze to boot.
Not a bad way to spend a Thursday night which otherwise would have consisted of overpriced drinks on the Corner and cheesy bread from College Inn.
My Uber home had Coors light in the cupholders. Couldn’t think of a classier way to end the night.