I can just hear the rumors now…”if you retire from GRACE, they give you a car.”

Right….

For those of you who don’t know it, Snopes.com is where you check out the truth to certain urban legends. But because I am a full-service blogger, I will save you the trouble. GRACE, the non-profit agency otherwise known as Grapevine Relief and Community Exchange, hosted its sixth annual black-tie gala Saturday night at The Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center.

Lovely affair…men in tuxedos…floral centerpieces…all the bells and whistles, you know…and a raffle. For a car. Anyone could buy a raffle ticket, including a certain former executive director. Even the founding director.

So when the winning ticket was pulled out of the hopper Saturday night…drum roll, please…it belonged to Tricia Wood, now the retired founding executive of GRACE. How nice of her to be wearing a red dress to match the red of her new Chevy Camaro.

For those not lucky enough to win the car raffle, there was plenty of entertainment at this party organized by co-chairs Darla Dennison and Shirley Schollmeyer. Besides being served a dinner that included both beef and shrimp, the very cool band Inside Out put on quite a show for our dancing pleasure. Seems a rendition of Beyonce’s “All the Single Ladies” was quite popular.

The dancing was preceded by the auction, of course, and no one worked harder at the auction than GRACE’s current executive director, Shonda Schaefer. While auctioneer Andy Dunning pushed bids into what should be a very successful fundraiser, Shonda was on her feet thanking bidders for their contributions to the charity dedicated to the less fortunate in Northeast Tarrant County.

Seen at the party were Robin and James Hall, Jack Fleming, Gayle and Glen Christensen and Judy and Tom Hund, this year’s winners of the Angel of Grace Award.

Even with Shonda reluctant to reveal just where the final numbers were for this fundraiser (and she was happy), the party must have been deemed a success. Plans are already underway for a 2010 “Angels Among Us” fundraiser.

Fifty million bucks. Fifty million greenbacks. Fifty million smackeroos.

No, not a government bailout…it’s the price tag for the Hyatt Regency DFW’s new re-do.

I was lucky enough to be included in Thursday’s big reveal of the ballroom and executive conference areas. It wasn’t a exactly a red carpet the Hyatt people rolled out but a new, very contemporary carpet with some red accents we got to see in the ballroom, which was all dressed up for the big occasion.

While the band Inside Out (heard the group’s already booked to be the Hyatt’s New Year’s Eve entertainment), played, we got to sashay around the decorated ballroom. In one corner, there were very chic banquettes. In another, contemporary bar stools. In the center of the room was a divider, strung with glass crystals I’m told came from the ballroom’s former chandeliers–very clever.

Red was the color of the evening. Hotel employees all wore at least a little, the banquettes were red and the walls were accented with some cool red lights.

Two things to remember, party planners. Rooms don’t seem complete these days without some special lighting, and the seating doesn’t have to be the standard 60-inch round with straight chairs.

We also got to try some tasty food at this cocktail party–everything from baby veggies to lobster polenta to beef tenderloin to a cupcake terrace. But the best part? On the 11th floor–the executive level–the mix of cocktails included a complimentary chair massage. Now, that is how to end the day!