Partying Like It's 2010

Any idiot knows better than to turn down a party invitation from a friend who is both a wine shop owner and a talented cook, especially when the guests are a cross-section of interesting types.

Tonight's final fling at our hostess' recently-sold house provided the opportunity to mingle with assorted people in the wine biz, both new and familiar, a fellow art geek from VMFA, a vegetarian I've known since she was in her teens, a fellow Marionette fan, a butcher and a pizza maker, to name just a few.

And even at this late date, I ran into someone who hadn't heard about my status changes.

Sigh, will I never have to stop sharing that series of unfortunate events?

And the food was to die for.

Pork scallopini with tuna sauce, truffled popcorn, curried oysters, probably the best hummus I've ever tasted, meats from Belmont Butchery, sesame noodles, sweet potato and onion salad and cheese, glorious cheeses and that's only a partial list.

I won't even attempt to list the wine smorgasbord because there were so many wine geek types there, all trying to outdo each other with interesting bottles, benefiting us guests greatly.

Our hostess had made a killer party mix tape, making finding her house a snap because of the booming bass line emanating from it.

Her mix ended up being 11 hours, but she edited it to 6+, so we were constantly hearing good stuff.

Between the well-chosen music, the local gossip and the food scene tidbits I heard tonight, I'd have to say the party was practically perfect.

But then I'm a Gemini, like our hostess, and we're known to be enthusiastic party people.

We just bring both of our selves to the party.