Cheers to Ten Years!

The Annual Bacchanal

 

Let’s Get Lit! What a clever title for a post about books- how to encourage friends to read more, including ways to share favorite books with friends, or good sites for book lovers. Ready to discuss fine literature?

Oops…this post is not about “literature” or “books”, it truly is about “getting lit”.

 

But it’s even more about sharing special times with people who have become cherished friends.

 

My husband met an amazing couple during his work life. They can only be described by these adjectives preceded by the loftiest of superlatives:

Talented

Creative

Generous

Welcoming

There truly aren’t enough words to describe their special brand of magic, fun, energy and kindness.

 

Nine years ago, they invited a group to their home to celebrate the end of the main work season for their industry. The good news is my husband and I were invited to their first “Let’s Get Lit” affair as they named it, and the better news is that we were invited back nine more times. The best part- each and every year was the ultimate feast to friendship, not just a work connection.

 

The host collects fine wine and so the original plan for the event was for him to open his wine cellar and share his favorite sips with us. Do you picture a sedate and refined wine tasting with nibbles? Our host and hostess spoiled us and treated us to so much more.

Each Let’s Get Lit was a special event, with a theme for the tasting menu and wines. We savored the best wines and elegant edibles for an experience that lasted at least six hours. Here’s some highlights of what you missed:

 

Let’s Get Lit 4: Takin’ into the Street 8 wines were featured and we enjoyed them as we munched from Food Trucks that came to their house for the evening. Yes, a wine tasting paired with street food! Still not impressed? What if I told you that they covered their living room floor with Astroturf and we ate inside on picnic tables.

 

Let’s Get Lit 5: Road Trip! The invitation for that year teased us with a theme of “lime”. For my husband and me, that conjured visions of Mexican or Caribbean delights. Instead, what awaited us was a big lime-colored bus. Yes, we rode on a bus. First we were presented with appetizers on the bus and then we stopped at three restaurants for our main courses. Our host acted as sommelier and served us our wine on the bus.

 

Let’s Get Lit 7: Puttin’ on the Ritz  We were treated to wines of the rich and famous as we ate and dined in a beautiful heated tent in their lovely back yard. We had been told to dress in our finest, and we entered the tent via a red carpet and photographers.

 

Lets Get Lit 9: A few months before the event, our hosts mailed each couple a…slow cooker! We were instructed to bring a dish to share. What fun we had sampling the appetizers, main courses, and even desserts that our “Top Chef” friends brought.

 

In one of the wine notes they provided, is a quote from Sir Winston Churchill,

 

My tastes are simple, I am easily satisfied with the best.

 

For my wine connoisseur friends, here is the wine list from “The Last Hurrah”, Let’s Get Lit Ten that was held a month ago.  (Turns, out this blog post does feature a bit of literature- look as these word pictures!!)

2008 Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne- opens bright, super clear, fresh, pure- a great Cristal

 

2012 Verite La Joie Cabernet Sauvignon-shows oodles of creme de cassis fruit, incense, licorice, crushed rock and a provocative full-throttle mouth feel

 

 

2009 Promontory Cabernet Sauvignon- notes of burning embers, scorched earth, black fruit, hints of camphor and background oak.

 

2013  Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon- full-bodied with classic notes of forest floor, and pen ink.

 

2012 Maracassin Pinot Noir- a sweet nose that is supple, dramatic, and even flamboyant

 

2010 Colgin IX Estate Napa Valley Syrah- staggering aroma of melted asphalt, pepper, and liquified steak au poivre

 

2006 Screaming Eagle Second Flight- classy with a compelling melange of savory herbs, spices and minerals that come alive in the glass

 

Tar, asphalt, forest floor, and then we moved on to the Dessert Wines.

 

You may have noticed that our festive table was elegantly adorned with shades of silver. Our hostess has a gift for design and decorating that truly showcased the event. The traditional gift for a tenth anniversary year is tin or aluminum, hence the silver tones.

I no longer drink alcohol, but my husband did allow me to “sniff” his wines. The featured wines were beautiful to look at and so interesting to learn about. But, I didn’t miss the imbibing because the whole evening was a full carafe of camaraderie and friendship. What a festive way to celebrate years of work, with its good times and challenges, and years of sharing the joys of warm connections. Each year we bragged and rejoiced about our kids accomplishments and the arrival of beloved grandchildren. We shared funny stories of house projects gone sideways, and vacations that became too thrilling. Best of all, our hosts gave us, hard-working and regular folk, the gift of being pampered and spoiled.

 

I hope to keep the spark of Let’s Git Lit glowing in my own life.

 

What memories of special occasions light up your life?