The ALLY Foundation

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A gorgeous Saturday in Boston Harbor played host this past weekend to the 9th annual Flip Flop Regatta. Each year, The ALLY Foundation and friends organizes this weekend of sailing and partying to raise awareness for a very important cause.

This year, we were kindly invited to enjoy the regatta from a very special spot, aboard the boat carrying The ALLY Foundation founders and Ally’s family and friends.

Our day started in the Constitution Marina where we boarded the 61 foot yacht, Makin’ Way.Flip Flop Regatta

Charlestown Marina

The spacious vessel featured a beautiful kitchen and living room as well as an upper deck, back deck, and bow deck, a bathroom, and more rooms below, which we did not see.

yacht

Flip Flop Regatta

As we drove out of Charlestown Harbor, we passed right by the place where the Flip Flop Regatta evening festivities would take place, decked out in ALLY Foundation pink and green.

Flip Flop Regatta

Flip Flop Regatta

In addition to enjoying a relaxing day on the water with gorgeous views, there was also an array of gourmet delights on board.

shrimp

Chef and owner of Carmen ( a fabulous little restaurant in Boston’s North End, one of my favorites), Jeff Malloy, spent the afternoon whipping up delectable treats including grilled shrimp, clams with grilled garlic bread, sausage, meatball sandwiches and pasta salad.

Carmen, Boston

pasta salad

And there were also, of course, North End baked goods for that sweet tooth.

baked goods

The food was incredible, and it was made more impressive by the fact that the chef was cooking while standing on a rocking boat. There were some waves out there!

Sailing for a Change

Luckily, for the sailors, that also meant there was wind to bring them from the outer harbor back to Charlestown. 70 sail boats all vying to get across that finish line was quite the lovely sight.

Flip Flop Regatta

Our hosts were warm and wonderful, as always, and we spent the day meeting many interesting and fun new people. I am so grateful to have been a part of their day and will definitely be marking my calendar to attend the Flip Flop Regatta tent parties next year.

Did you have a fun weekend? Do anything special?

Tags: Boston, events, Food, sailing, The ALLY Foundation

If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I ran the 2010 Boston Marathon on Team ALLY for The ALLY Foundation. If you missed it, check out my marathon recap; it is one of my proudest days 🙂

In the 10 months or so since I decided to join Team ALLY, the foundation’s work has become very important to me, and I jumped at the chance to buy tickets for their Pink for a Change Gala at Beacon Rock Mansion in Newport, RI.

The dress theme of the event was festive pink attire, and believe me, I stressed about what to wear. In the end, and at the last second on the day before, I found a dress that ended up being just perfect, if I do say so myself 😉

On the way to Newport we stopped at Travessia Urban Winery in New Bedford, MA for our wine club event and to catch the heartbreaking last 30 minutes of the US World Cup game. I’m still proud of how our team played, and when Americans catch on that soccer is way more athletic and interesting than our national pastime, we will have an even better team!

We arrived at Beacon Rock Mansion after driving through downtown Newport which is one of my favorite places to spend a summer day.

The mansion had a long driveway that eventually led to this view.

Newport Harbor

Beacon Rock Mansion  

Each side of the palatial home was flanked by harbor views for miles around, to the left, Sail Newport, straight ahead, Goat Island, and farther off, downtown Newport. We stopped for a photo op.

Newport Harbor

Newport Harbor Newport

And had another once inside

Pink for a Change Gala

The Beacon Rock Mansion was decorated simply for the event in The ALLY Foundation pink and green, and there were photos of Ally, her friends, and foundation supporters throughout the downstairs.

The ALLY Foundation

Part of the fundraising efforts for the evening was a silent auction, and I was so grateful when Cakebread Cellars responded to my request for a donation with this cookbook, apron, and hat. The ALLY Foundation included me as part of their Gala Committee, and I was glad to be able to help in some way.

Cakebread auction donation

The food for the event was FANTASTIC. It was cocktail party style eating, my favorite way to go, and there were passed hors d’œuvre like Kobe beef sliders, puffs filled with brie and jam, shrimp, clam cakes, spanakopita, and sushi rolls passed all evening long.

There was also a raw bar with a constant supply of delicious oysters, littleneck clams, shrimp, and lobster.

Newport raw bar

Littleneck Clams

Inside there was a station set up with crudite, cheese, and baskets of grilled bread with various spreads. Don’t worry, I spilled some amazing olive tapenade on my dress. You can’t take me anywhere. . .

chesse platter crudite

delicious food station

The party was fun and festive, and while rain threatened and I felt a few drops, it never poured, at least as long as we were there. Luckily, we got to spend the entire time outside, and we were entertained by a really great cover band, The Rolling Who?. I may have even danced a little.

 

Beacon Rock Mansion

I am so grateful that the weather held off, because it would have been a shame to have to miss views like these.

Beacon Rock Mansion

 Beacon Rock Mansion

Newport Harbor

All in all a very lovely evening was had by all, and I look forward to this event next year. If you live in the Boston area, The ALLY Foundation’s next event is their Flip Flop Regatta in Charlestown. It looks like quite the party, and I am hoping to attend.

I hope you all enjoy your Sunday. There will be more World Cup watching for us as well as wine tasting at Bin Ends Wine and some family visits. Our adorable nephews are visiting from Italy, and they are SO much fun!

Have a good day everyone!

Tags: Food, fundraising, Newport, party, The ALLY Foundation, wine

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