The 2011 Ballroom Fiasco

10:01 am Thursday, March 10th
(Click)... Hung up from The Hotel du Pont after they informed me that the Saturday date for Frank's Golden Wine Event benefitting The Children's Tumor Foundation has been cancelled.

10:01 am - 10:05 am
Total meltdown with f-bombs flyin' everywhere...

10:06 am
Nina: "Why don't you call Harry's Savoy Ballroom to see if they can accommodate?"
Frank:"If there's anyone who could pull it off it's Harry's, but I'm sure
they've been booked for a year."

CLICK HERE to read what happened next....

My many thanks for your comments; I am humbled by your support. I just wanted to convey to everyone that I chose to host Frank's Golden Wine Event at The Hotel du Pont for 13 consecutive years because their staff has always been top notch from their management to their culinary team to the valet guys out on the curb. The Gold Ballroom is second to none in our region for the mere beauty and elegance which became synonymous to my annual charity wine event. Their presentation and quality of food is simply awe-inspiring. I am saddened that the current management team was not more flexible this year. I'm sure they have their reasons and perhaps it was more profitable to have an empty ballroom than to host my 250 guests on March 12th. Harry's Savoy Ballroom sure didn't think so.

I raise my glass and make a toast to the 13 successful years in The Gold Ballroom. But, it's now time to move on to other venues.

CHEERS to GM Kelly O'Hanlon, Director of Special Events Erica Engstenburg, Chefs David Banks and Patrick D'Amico, our Captain Barbara Bradley and Xavier Teixido's entire staff for pulling together to make our 14th Frank's Golden Wine Event the miracle that it turned out to be. Our Rare Wine Silent Auction netted a total of $19,026 which benefitted the The Children's Tumor Foundation. What a shame to think that almost didn't happen.

Next Spring will be our 15th Annual Frank's Golden Wine Event... and we are going to blow it out! Over the top in every way!! I have to sift through many comments and suggestions and yours are certainly welcome... please send me a personal email Frank@FranksWine.com The 2012 date and venue will be announced this Summer.

I was overwhelmed by the 37 comments and 43 Likes on both my personal and FranksWine.com facebook pages. And besides the hundreds of positive emails I've received Gene Blum - catering executive from Drexelbrook Catering - summed it all up nicely in his blog, thank you, Gene!

CHEERS to all ~ Frank Pagliaro

Harry's Rescues a Night Cont....

10:10 am
(Ring, ring, ring)... "Hello, Harry's Savoy Ballroom, Erica speaking."
Frank:"Hello Erica, this is Frank Pagliaro. Do you by chance have the ballroom
available this Saturday?"
Erica: "Let me check." (15 second pause) "Yes, looks like it's one of the few
Saturdays in 2012 that it's empty."
Frank:"Can you accommodate 250 guests and vendors on Saturday for
Frank's Golden Wine Event?"
Erica: "We can do anything!"

10:15 am
(Ring, ring, ring)... "Hello, Delaware Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission, Therese speaking"
Frank:"Hi Therese, this is Frank Pagliaro...blah, blah, blah. Is it possible
to get a transfertoday of the Gathering License that was issued for our charity
event at The Hotel du Pont to Harry's Savoy Ballroom?"
Therese: "Let me check on that for you, can you hold?"

11:15 am
(Ding.) Email arrives in in-box with file attached containing the transfer
of Gathering License.

11:16 am
(Ring, ring, ring)... "Hello, Dave's Limousine, Kelly speaking"
Frank:"Hello Kelly, blah, blah, blah. Do you have a limo bus available for this
Saturday night to shuttle folks from The Hotel du Pont to Harry's Savoy Ballroom?"
Kelly: "Yes, we do."

11:30 am
(Ring, ring, ring)... "Hello Deep Blue, Paul Bouchard speaking"
Frank:"Hey Paul it's Frank, blah blah blah. Can you and Chef Matthew Crist put
together a 5 course menu for tomorrow night for our Winemaker Dinner that was supposed to be held at The Hotel du Pont?"
Paul: "Absolutely, Frank. Can I send Chef over to taste the wines so he can properly pair?"

11:45 am
(Ring, ring, ring)... "Hello, Chelsea Tavern, Joe van Horn speaking"
Frank: "Hello Joe... blah, blah, blah. Can you and Chef Sean McNeice put together
a 5 course menu for Saturday afternoon for our Champagne Brunch that
was supposed to be held at the Hotel du Pont?"
Joe: "Of course we can, Frank... how many are you expecting?"

12:00 noon
Begin drafting email to vendors, staff and guests about change of venue

1:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Fielded over 150 emails from vendors, staff and guests.

9:00 pm
Arrive home for dinner and a big fat glass of Pinot Noir!

So, that's how it pretty much went down. I feel so fortunate that everyone at Deep Blue, Chelsea Tavern and Harry's Savoy Ballroom went above and beyond to create impressive menus and were so willing to make things happen. We had a total of 4 cancellations from folks who didn't want to switch... I was expecting 100 or more cancellations. I am humbled by the everyone's willingness to trust me on the change. Once I received confirmations from all three venues I had total confidence in them that it would be a flawless weekend.

The Rare Wine Silent Auction so far netted $17,308 to benefit
The Children's Tumor Foundation!