Whewwwwww bessie. What a weekend!

Truth be told, I’m exhausted and looking rather disheveled at the moment. Who knew a weekend of wearing fancy hats, barbecuing, and sipping cocktails could be so tiring? It’s because I’m getting old, huh? I just can’t hang like I used too. Sigh. 
Thankfully it’s raining like cats and dogs outside today  so I have an excuse to lay low and recover. Before I plunk down onto the leather couch and start watching Mean Girls like it’s my job, I need to give you the 411 on the Derby Party. 
Let me start from the beginning…
Saturday’s weather was a clear indication that summer has finally arrived, eighty-five and sunny. Perfect for an outdoor party, but not the ideal conditions for wearing a large hat with an obscene amount of faux flowers glued on top. Even though I would have gladly strolled around all day without the “mega” hat, as they say, the show must go on. Plus, I wasn’t going to let that hot glue gun have the final word. 
We gathered at AC and Nicks’ apartment to kick off the days festivities by drinking a little bubbly, and of course, toasting to the fact it was Cinco de Mayo. Talk about a two-fer holiday! Everyone was in a cheerful mood and looked positively smashing. I thought each of the ladies did an excellent job on their DIY Derby hat. 

After a quick group photo, we hit the pavement.

The Derby Party was conveniently located downtown this year by the Opera House, which worked out perfectly because all we had to do was walk to the mall shuttle that dropped us a block away, and viola! Party time. We arrived early in fear of having to wait in line to actually get into the event. Did you know that the Denver Derby Party is the second largest party in the U.S. outside the actual Derby Party at the Churchill grounds? Crazy, right? Thankfully the line was short and we didn’t have to wait long.

Friends, I have to tell you, for this being a charity focused event with a bazillion people attending, it was lights out fantastic. They had three huge white tents with swank cushioned seating, fake grass, and large T.Vs streaming the party. A smorgasbord of food and a plethora of full stocked bars with all you can drink wine, beer, champagne, and mint juleps. Impressed is definitely an understatement.
The highlight of the day for me (besides drinking mint juleps and people watching) was getting my first signage picture! Yes, I realize it’s lame, but I didn’t care. We snapped far to many photos, but here are a few of my favorites. 

With the weather being so hot, we mainly hung out under the tents and inside the Opera House to stay cool. But that didn’t stop us from having fun, enter the photo booth! 
Once the real Derby race started on TV, we headed back outside to watch it live on the big screen. I completely forgot to bet on a horse, but Katie ended up picking the winner, I’ll Have Another. {Napolean Dynmaite voice: Lucky}. 

After the race, the afternoon seemed to zoom by and just like that, it was time to leave. The following hours after the Derby Party were a little hazy, but we did manage to end our night at a local Mexican hot-spot for dinner. Chicken tacos never tasted so good.

I definitely give the Denver Derby Party a major High-Five. They put on a flawless A+ event and the best part, all the proceeds went to scholarship fund. I highly recommend going if you’re ever in the Denver area on Derby weekend. 
Now the only question I have, how am I going to fit my giant pink hat inside my closet? 
#derbyproblems