Last Week: Episode II "Old Friends, New Friends, Private Jets and Grand Marnier"

In the days leading up to our trip to DC, Mollie, JSH, Jody, and I had a pretty extensive email thread going about logistics, krewe responsibilities, wardrobes, etc. for the weekend. Inevitably, this turned into a JSH/Mollie exchange of emails that this weekend was similar to a fraternity formal in college as follows: sharing a hotel room; formal dresses; not knowing who your date is; bringing the beer bong (or other bong); and discussion of the alcohol marathon on which we were about to embark. JSH and Mollie are both Chi Omega advisers so maybe it was the recent rush activities that brought this attempt at humor to life. Anywho, Mollie and JSH had an hour(s) long exchange re: fraternity formal jokes. After the 25th email, I sent the following picture:













Whilst I was feeling like I had some comedic genius in me (and also feeling a little smug) because of my "beat the dead horse" email, it would come back to haunt me by Friday morning. But we'll get to that later.




We get to the Hilton-Washington (aka the "Hinkley Hilton" for obvious reasons) around 11am and are able to check into our room immediately. Within 3 minutes of being inside of our room, Mara and her husband Reuben knock on our door. Mara is Jessie's old roommate and best friend from Tulane.




I am pretty certain that Mara and JSH share a brain. They are both self-proclaimed book worms. Whatever they doing....Wherever they are........somehow, some way it involves reading or a discussion of what they just read. However, for all their intellectual pursuits in life, each is a sucker for crap reality TV.



For those that know JSH, we all know that she communicates through Jessie-speak using the following words: traumatizing, scarring, deench, deets, obvi, truly, and fully, etc. Of course, all of it is done in that sweet Southern accent (at least she has an accent to me). Mara has a similar language that uses her Wisconsin roots as follows: toootally, dooooode (dude), rooobs or rooby (Reuben), I know, right?, and your name will be shortened to its first letter if appropriate (so in my case, I am "B"-which I love).



The interesting thing about Jessie-speak and Mara-ese is that the two languages somehow mesh together to form this organized chaos of a dialogue that usually results in Mara's Pee Wee Herman laugh and Jessie snorting. I love it and I love to see Mara and Reuben. They are the best. Last but certainly not least, Mara and Reuben have 6month-ish old baby boy--Daniel --but we will get to that little doood later (complete with art).





Now that we have made the appropriate introductions for future blog post purposes, we (Mollie, JSH, Mara, Reuben, Jody, and I) went to Old Ebbitt for lunch. It was fantastic---I love DC.





After lunch, Mollie and JSH went to get their nails "did." Jody and I walked back to the hotel to enjoy the atmosphere of the Hilton lobby during this specific weekend. If you are a lobbyist, part of the Congressional delegation for Louisiana, a state or local politician, or just a political enthusiast, this might be your Disney World. Wow. I am not in that world but it was impressive to watch all the activity in that lobby.





After a few drinks over the course of the afternoon, we moved from the lobby area bar to the 'real bar' behind the elevators. At that point we met up with my friend Matthew and JSH and Mollie had also returned from the nail "didding." After a few more drinks, JSH, Mollie, and Jody head up to the room to get ready for the cocktail party that night. Matthew and I stay to have a few more drinks (picking up a pattern here?). Anyway, as Matthew and I are leaving, we run into a young lady that Matthew knows and her husband. Matthew introduces me to this couple and tells the husband ("Husband") that I had recently visited wine country. Apparently, Husband grew up in wine country and his family owns multiple vineyards in Sonoma/Napa. So, Husband and I strike up a brief conversation about wine country before Matthew and I move on to get ready for the cocktail party.





The cocktail party at DC Mardi Gras is definitely an interesting event. It is held in the same ballroom as the actual Mardi Gras parade/ball and it is filled with corporate sponsors, their "boxes", and sampling tables from a variety of fantastic Louisiana/New Orleans restaurants. Basically, people walk around drinking, talking and eating. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.





There are also Louisiana/New Orleans bands, and many Mardi Gras-type "cooky" things (see picture below). Needless to say, we had a great time.





Because the party ends at 9pm, the lobby and the "real bar" become the after parties for many--- that would include JSH, Jody, Mollie, Matthew, and I. In addition, our friend Blackwelder also met us after his multiple happy hour events. On a side note, Blackwelder is friends with Andy Baldwin (the Bachelor) and Matthew knows the young lady he chose. Both Matthew and Blackwelder are from DC and bonded over their DC-ness. I always like it when friends from different parts of your life meet each other and are able to find some type of common link or form a new friendship. It's amazing how small the world can be. I am pretty sure Blackwelder is invited to Matthew's family dinner during Mardi Gras.





At this point it is getting late in the night and we start discussing a game plan for the next day, when Husband shows back up at the 'real bar'. Between shots of Grand Marnier, discussions of wine country and pretentious people, Matthew, Blackwelder, and I have somehow negotiated a wine country trip on Husband's private jet whenever I decide the time is right. I am not sure how I was granted this power but I'll take it. In exchange for this trip, I have offered Indianapolis 500 tickets to Husband for 2009--which of course---we will be attending via his private jet. Sounds like a win-win for me.





Two things to take away from Episode II:





1) Grand Marnier might be the worst thing you could possibly decide to shoot. GOO.





2) In my Grand Marnier- induced stupor, I told Jody/Mollie/JSH at least 25 times on Thursday night/Friday morning that we were all taking a private jet to wine country. Thus, Mollie and JSH started teasing me about the following:






what goes around..........comes around.














Below are some pictures for your enjoyment
















Blackwelder met us in time for the private jet conversation and Grand Marnier shots























Interesting














A video sampling of the festivities from Thursday Night---I think you may see Jody for a few seconds











This Weekend: Episode III "All Day Happy Hour, Black Ties and French Fries"; Episode IV--TBD