The Hangover Report: Best of Rhode Island Party

We're a little late posting today.
It has absolutely nothing to do with wine.
Jenna and I are trying to cobble together an account of last night's party. It's tough, because all the people who organized it are (deservedly) out of the office today. They are resting. This is why:
More than 1,200 people showed up to the Best Of Rhode Island party at PPAC last night, the most ever. By several hundred.
By the end, there was no vodka left. Or Narragansett beer (thanks, guys! You rock). That's never happened before. Obviously we will need even more booze next year, which is impressive, because there was a LOT. Apparently we Rhodies know how to party.
The guy from Flo's Clam Shack stuck Flo's stickers on most of our staff members. Thanks, tanned guy.
People ate 1,500 cupcakes. And roast beef and turkey, lobster mac and cheese (yum Pinelli's!), cheese and chips and veggies and black olive tapenade and other food that we both missed, which was not a good thing. Luckily Red Fez (a Best Of winner! Ah the Ginger Gent. And everything else for that matter) took us in and fed us later.
But back at PPAC, the whole thing was documented by ABC6, who will somehow be filling an entire hour of air time with a special on the collective shenanigans. Of course, there are lots of stars amongst the winners and they'll get their chance to shine. Or look tanned. (Flo's, you know who I'm talking about.) That airs Sunday night at 9 p.m.
The event, which is a fundraiser for ArtReach, raised more than $10,000 to support visual and performance art in local schools.
We handed out 343 prizes, both editors' picks (that means we think they're great) and readers' poll (you think they're great - and we of course usually agree). More people than ever took part in the online readers' poll, upwards of four thousand. So it really means something. And as for us editors, we truly make a huge effort each year to highlight what's new, awesome and fun - we take Best Of very seriously (and for you skeptics, we get absolutely no pressure from our sales department or publisher to highlight advertizers - which is one of the many reasons it's great to work at Rhode Island Monthly). Check out the list of winners so you can check out  the winners themselves, from restaurants to fishing charters. They're the thing that makes Rhode Island so special. Thanks to them all.
Oh, and having mentioned our publisher, John Palumbo, I'd like to add that even more exciting than the proclamation he received last night from the mayor of North Providence honoring his work, is the fact that he signed the sales agreement to buy the magazine today. Congrats, John!