Goodness gracious! Where did the weekend go? I was part of an incredible team to make a wedding awesome on Saturday, that's where! Oh and my dad made Dinosaur BBQ pulled pork, baked beans, and collard greens, so when I got home from said event there was a hot meal with my awesome family. Today was pulled pork sandwiches with my homemade pickles from a couple posts ago...great on the pork, the acidity cut right through that fat!
Time travel back to DC...
I woke up last Sunday and was at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel by 7am (if you're on time you're late) for an 8am start. There were barricades set up and tweens holding posters of One Direction - finally got their name right, I was referring to them as New Edition - apparently they were staying at the hotel and these tweens were trying to stalk all day long both days of the course. There were 100 people in the class and I would say I was in the top 20% age bracket (35 yo), which was a little shocking although I have to say I wanted to do this when I was 22, so I get it.
From 8am-5:30pm we went through power points with 4 master sommeliers, who were awesome and very entertaining btw, learned how to blind taste, and broke for lunch. During lunch at the hotel restaurant, which we preordered, I met a lady from the Sanctuary Hotel where I used to work! Crazy! She was in the class and her boyfriend and I used to work together and he was here too site seeing - he already has his level II certification. After class he met us we had a few cocktails at the lobby bar of the hotel, then I suggested we go to Joe's Stone Crab for dinner. I love Joe's! They just opened in DC, but I have been at the other locations in Chicago and Vegas and it has always been a truly delicious and memorable experience.
The three of us went and Erika (my new friend) ordered an AMAZING bottle of Vouvray (Chenin Blanc) and I was floored...really. I believe it was a Domaine Huet "Le Haut-Lieu" but I have to check...damn why don't I take the time to write things down?!? Oh yeah because I'm busy having fun! I'll have to check with Erika and get back to you.
We ordered oysters Rockefeller - my favorite besides my own ;) tuna tartare and fried oysters. Awesome! The fried oysters could have been hotter, but still were amazingly delicious. Then we got stone crab claws to share, I had the scallops with crispy braised pork belly, cabbage, and kale-sounds odd I know, but it was melt in your mouth extraordinary and Erika got the filet with mac 'n cheese and creamed spinach, which was also unbelievable. I love this place. After the bottle of Vouvray was gone we each had a glass of Syrah from the Languedoc region in France...yummmmy. It was called Hecht & Bannier.
After we destroyed everything on our plates and had a nice red tinge to our teeth, we got to speak to the resident Sommelier. He was super approachable and friendly, unpretentious and our favorite - geeky. That's what makes great sommeliers, non-traditional, down to earth, and excited about introducing new things to guests. It's not about making a sale or upselling it's about that wow moment when you have helped a guest discover something new and exciting. I felt right at home during my time and felt that I was absolutely doing the right thing by continuing on my wine knowledge and education - which never ends :)
The next morning (Monday) I arrived at 7:30...still early, but I needed better coffee than what was at the Hilton Garden Inn (no offense here, the Hilton Garden Inn was actually perfectly delightful). Today was test day then I had to catch a 7:30pm flight, so I was a little anxious seeing as the class ended at 5:30. We flew through the rest of the power points and then it was test time, yay! I took the test and as soon as I handed it in knew exactly what I got wrong - they tried to tell me that they weren't trying to trick us, but with multiple choice I'm always paranoid that they're trying to trick us - but oh well. They really weren't. So it was after 4:30 once everyone finished and they still hadn't invited us in to cheers our pass and now I was starting to get anxious about my flight. Finally the doors opened and we all gathered in the room and they made speeches and thank yous and started to announce the people that passed - they just don't mention those who failed. In no particular order about 30 people are getting their certificates and pins and still no me...finally for what feels like an eternity they call my name, yay!!! Felt amazing! See ya, gotta catch my flight!
I got a cab immediately and am through security drinking a glass of my new favorite wine, Vouvray well before 6 and have almost 2 hours to kill. Figures. The bar at the Jet Blue terminal had an amazing wine list actually, shocking.
That's all folks! Trip to DC was fast and furious and well worth it! I am starting to eat heathy starting tomorrow so stay turned!!!
Good Night,
Jody
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