To Miss Pixie: That was not the biggest mistake of your life. After you have had some time to get some distance from it, I hope you will find some reasons that you are glad you went.
Thank you Hippo for your kind words.  I agree that I need some more time to distance myself from the event.  I regret going because after the initial excitement of finding out KAKA would be nearby and I could just walk in and see her, I thought that the setting/type of function would not be my cup of tea and that I should pass.  However, when I mentioned this to my friends/family they were aghast that I would pass up this opportunity. So I let myself get talked back into going.  When I went and immediately hated it I was more mad that I didn't listen to my well-tuned instincts of what makes me uncomfortable.  And, it was actually more awkward/stilted/snobby than I even imagined it would be, which made me madder.  On top of that, there is no good side to the whole Hurl & Yack vanity project, you know?