Have you met my coworker/frenemy, Adele Chapin? She may look nice and innocent, but believe me, she's not to be trusted. About a week ago, she invited me to a happy hour that her roommate was organizing at the Metropolitan Club. It was for Haiti or some other good cause like that. The important info was that there was going to be an open bar and free appetizers.
I was excited because Adele sent me the invite over gchat because she also writes for a local magazine so she usually has the hookup for good parties that famous people attend. Maybe I would meet Pdiddy or Katie Couric and then they could introduce me to Wyclef and then maybe we could hang out on a boat in the Caribbean or something like that. Oh yeah this is gonna be great.
My dreams, however, we dashed seconds later. In the one minutes it took me to respond. Adele had already uninvited me and invited another friend. In case you don't believe the time frame, I've posted a screenshot. Yeah, I know. Adele at her worst. No Diddy, No Boat, nothing.
Adele actually felt bad about this, so she managed to get another invite, so I was officially on the list. The boat party was back on.
Anyway, she assured me that me wearing jeans and sneakers would be ok. Before I left work I put on a blazer I got from H&M. You know... just to be on the safe side. I mean, how could they deny me? I was wearing a stylish blazer. They should be so lucky to have me there drinking their free drinks and eating their free food.
So we get off the metro and walk over to the place and I notice that it's like a block away from the White House and everyone walking in was very, very well dressed. We walk through the front door and Adele and her friend tell the door man that we are there for Haiti. When I try to walk through he tells me to wait to the side. After the people behind me all walk in, the tells me that my jeans, white sambas, t-shirt and blazer are just too casual to get in. After hearing this Adele and her friend walk back and the doorman notices that she's wearing jeans too. Hers are deemed 'dressy' enough and she is allowed to stay.
While writing this post, I decided to go to the Metropolitan Club's website where I found that they do have a dress code:
"Members and their guests must wear appropriate attire at all times while in the Clubhouse public spaces. For gentlemen this means the wearing of a suit, jacket or blazer and neck tie (string ties, ascots, and turtlenecks are not acceptable), and for ladies this means the wearing of commensurate attire, often defined as business attire. The only acceptable exceptions are national-dress, military, or religious attire. During weekdays, Members and guests in athletic or casual attire must use the Club’s side entrance or enter through the rear of the Club"
I guess I could have gone in through the side entrance, but that just sounds altogether embarrassing, so I'm glad I didn't.
To her credit, Adele actually did feel bad and promised to invite to something else. I can only hope.
