all words: Svetlana
all photos: Liz Shen
Last Sunday Local 16 made us an offer we could not refuse: spend a full day (quite literally: from 1pm to 11pm) frolicking along Whipple Farms in Rixeyville, VA, eating amazing food, drinking great wines (by Boxwood Winery) and beers (by Peroni), shooting guns, playing frisbee, listening to awesome DJs and bands (SEE-I and Funk Ark) all the while getting the all important chance to escape the city and its oppressive heat and humid humidity.
It was like a perfect wedding only with a way better buffet and without the awkward speeches and the unfortunately drunk aunt everyone tries their hardest to ignore (well, there was that one guy, of course...)
The event itself was held to helps showcase the talents of the new Local 16 Executive Chef Erick McKamey (only 25 and obviously both extremely talented and a little unnnerved by all the attention at the event), their partnership to celebrate and use locally grown foods with Whipple Farms, start the early buzz going about the 2 new restaurants Aman Ayoubi is planning to open in the spring of 2010 along the U/14th street stretch and benefit the DC Central Kitchen and Civilian Art Projects.
Mission accomplished on all accounts.
The food (served under a big, flowery tent) included absolutely delicious cuts of tender as the night goat and lamb (roasted whole, resulting in a somewhat disturbing photo by liz below), tomatoes and corn that tastes exactly what you imagine tomatoes and corn tasting when you close your eyes (CLOSE YOUR EYES!), perfect, homegrown vegetables (kudos on those potatoes and egglplants, even now a week later I wish I had them in front of me) and homemade ice creams and gelatos.
500+ guests showed up and had probably the best day of their summer. It was all just a big blur of meats and wines and hugs and children running down hills and me not being able to hold a gun properly in my hands (Liz, however, managed to get 3 out of 3, Cale shot 2 on his first time holding guns ever, Jason as well...) but before I knew it it was 9:30 pm, someone had lit the tikki torches, everyone had built their own personal whipple farm fort and Kalani was spinning the kind of music that made you think you were not even on this continent, let alone a swift hour and a half drive away from your 7th floor one-bedroom apartment in Columbia heights.
And then, when Sue, the Australian dancer/massesuse who had been hanging out with us got up and did the fire dance, we were done and gone and probably could have started a commune there or something. Thankfully, we restrained ourselves, loaded our full and happy bottoms into our ZipCar rave truck and headed back to reality.
Invite us again. Please?
God loves a cheerful giver.
This party was great, and watching Svetlana try to hold a gun was a highlight of the year.
I can't believe there are no shots of you and Svet with guns, Cale. I am going to have to surmise it never happened for reals.
With the sheriff turning up at the closing hours to partake in the festivities proves this was an amazing event, awesome time had.
I'm sad I missed fire dancing and the Sheriff. And still thinking about charred bits of lamb with fresh cucumber salad.
@Michael
The photog got there after the shooting. It most certainly happened though:
quote from Jason:
"I mean, hasn't she seen a movie where someone shoots a gun before?"
the photo above was after like 10 min of fussing around with it
great pics! it was a perfect day all around, the vibes were right! Jah Bless.....
it was a good time had by all! sioux was in grand finale! well done, aman!
Yummoooohhhh
Hi everyone! We're so happy that the vibes were with us to make the day so perfect and that everyone went away with a feeling of peace, well-being, and a satisfied appetite. And Svetlana must have great taste buds to be able to discern how good eggplant and potatoes can taste. I put my heart into growing them. Rootz's jam on Whipple Farms (let alone the rest of his cool music) was fantastic and made me proud. Kalani did an amazing job. And Aman was a genius for insisting on the shooting, even though the lawyer in me was concerned about liability. My hats off to Aman, who is a great guy, good friend and the best farm supporter a farmer could wish for. Let's hope we can do it again next year! Oh, and great photos Liz!
This looks like a great event, if you guys have it again PLEASE invite me.