“Bags and Bottles” Event for Gilda's Club a Huge Success

Women of all ages (and a few men) flocked to the Grand Ballroom of the downtown Seattle Westin last night to bid on handbags by designers like Kate Spade, Balenciaga and Chanel. The silent auction was held in honor of Gilda’s Club Seattle which provides free support to those affected by cancer. One of the highlights of the evening was the live auction featuring handbags signed and donated by celebrities including Marcia Cross, Olivia Newton-John and Mad Men's Elisabeth Moss. Dale Chihuly’s custom design garnered the highest bid of the night, selling for a whopping $2050. A further ploy for donations gave one lucky bidder the opportunity to take the shirt right off a firefighter’s back for the winning bid of $225.

32 local wineries were present offering shopper’s a taste of their latest selections including Sojen Cellar’s fantastic Cabernet Blend and Madsen Family Cellar’s delightfully smooth Merlot. Intrigue Chocolates of Seattle offered samples of their delicious French truffles in flavors like “pear lavender” and “framboise” while recommending the best wine and chocolate pairings. Cancer survivor Mike Abella added to the fun by providing complimentary photos through his company PMPhotobooth. Profits from the evening’s sales were donated to Gilda’s Club.