Readers, this is actually the last column About Town is ever going to write for the Hoboken Patch. That's breaking news. Not even the Hoboken Patch editor knows this. See, About Town is leaving for L.A. with a ten-year, $254 million dollar contract. We're eager to become an aging, overpaid DH with diminished skills who people suspect is secretly five years older. Also, we're still drunk from last night.

More on that later. The holiday party season has begun, and About Town is making the rounds. On Wednesday night we went to Teak on the Hudson for the Hoboken Shelter's annual silent auction.

Todd Kinney, the auction organizer, said it raises over $20,000 every year. That money goes far. Jacyln Cherubini, the Shelter's director, said this year the Shelter helped 134 people find permanent homes. “We can only do that with the support of the community,” she said.

Kinney said this auction offered the most items ever, including ones from among others, Club KO, Court Street, Elysian Cafe, Iconic Fashion Lounge, 10th & Willow, William Howard Home, Work It Out, plus sports stuff and the Hoboken Batman's original hat and glasses. Midtown Authentic clothier Rory Chadwick donated several items from his luxury boutique.

Chadwick gives a lot to the Shelter because he was once homeless. “People were there for me, and now I'm doing what I can to give back,” he said.

About Town left before Mayor Dawn Zimmer arrived, but we did see Freeholder Anthony Romano, politicos Phil Cohen and Deirdre Wall, and parishioners from St. Matthew Trinity Lutheran Church, including Patch writer Katie Colaneri. Cherubini asked us if we know Stick Romano. Know him? He's practically About Town's father.

The next night, Thursday, About Town went to the Madison where Party With Purpose was having a party to raise money for the holiday party it will throw on Dec. 20 for almost 150 kids at the Boys & Girls Club. The group does this every year, and last night it raised almost $2,800.

About Town saw notables from the Hoboken Rotary, including Laura Brayton, Christopher Mackin and Ryan Mitchell. We also saw several Party With Purpose board members/volunteers including Colleen Cingel, Jillian Dodge and Melissa Gitlitz. This is the first time ever those names have appeared here, and it's nice to bold some new names other than the usual Councilperson Blah Blahblah. It's like baseball in September when rosters expand and teams add extra catchers and obscure relief pitchers.

Earlier in the day, Party With Purpose presented the Jubilee Center with a $9,000 check, raised from its annual 5k race.

Party With Purpose founder Scott Delea talked to About Town about wanting to help places like the Jubilee Center survive in a down economy with less opportunities to get grant money and other donations. “We need to do more this year,” he said with a determined look.

After the Madison About Town hit the big one-year birthday bash for our most cherished bar, the Village Pourhouse. One year already? Seems like only yesterday we were at their grand opening party, chugging Coors and wildcatting for chicks by promising to mention them in an article.

The party was open bar, invite only. We walked through the door with the joy of Terrence Mann entering the magic corn in Field of Dreams. Once inside we saw all of the Pourhouse regulars, like tall guy with a hat, and shorter guy with a hat.

The party was for regulars, light on VIPs. Supposedly Joba Chamberlain and Curtis Granderson from the Yankees were there, but About Town didn't see them and wouldn't even recognize them because we don't watch baseball.

Albie Manzo, Chris Manzo and Greg Bennett were there, but really just as guys from the neighborhood. About Town had a couple of shots with them – their Tributo Tequilla – and we all talked about topics unprintable in any chaste news publication.

About Town talked to multiple attractive women we'll never see again.

Our favorite ladies in all of Hoboken, the lovely ones behind the Pourhouse bar, all looked glowingly lovely.

Otis Day & the Nights – the band from Animal House – played, but it was very late in the night and regrettably we were too drunk to actively notice.

That was only a few hours ago. We got home after three and started writing this at seven. About Town sleeps poorly after drinking. And, we had to get to work writing. Now and in general. Lots of parties this week, lots more to come.

Alan Skontra was a big dork who never went anywhere. Then he started writing the About Town column for Patch, and now he's everywhere. Have a hot tip on an event in Hoboken? Send an invitation, questions and comments too, to alanskontra@hotmail.com, and peep his tweets @alanskontra.