Drink #5 Sangria Blanca
1.10.2012
If you read my 2nd blog on my first mimosa, then just know that everything I said about Brunch in DC is basically the exact same for Happy Hour in DC. If you’ve never done HH in DC then you’ve only just gotten cheap drinks and discounted finger food.
You might as well have been at an Applebees. Yes, I went there.
But in all seriousness, Happy Hour in DC is pretty much exactly what you envision it looks like: people in power suits mingling with international hipsters, drinking wine, beer, mixed drinks and on the occasion, throwing back the ceremonial shot. There the crowds spend time talking boasting at length about politics, business, politics, non-profit cultural rubric formations, politics, for-profit revenue streaming analytics, politics and occasionally politics.
Politics.
So in the spirit of this drinking Adventure and in keeping with my love for DC, I decided to throw a little HH for me and a few of my friends. It was also a good chance to buy a few pitchers of sangria and have myself a glass.
We were at La Tosca in Chinatown–a run of the mill place for a HH but a great spot for sangria–and I decided on a blanca as my drink of choice.
So… ok, look, brace yourself. While I only had my standard 1 glass, I wanted 3.
Maybe 4. (But more on that later)
This first drink was fantastic. A touch dry, very fruity. My hands-down favorite drink on the adventure so far. Their blanca is a mix of peaches, white wine, cinnamon and peach schnapps and every element came together perfectly for me. It was literally like drinking a peach pie.
No complaints. None.
Admittedly, it’s not a classic HH drink. But this won’t be my only HH on this Adventure. That said, it’s a great group drink when ordered by the pitcher and then followed by a variety of tapas–calamari, garlic chicken wings, eggplant chips–to snack on.
So for my 10 friends who were able to make it (and thank you all so much!), the evening was delicious and communal. The atmosphere gave way to great conversation about politics and a general good time was had by all.
And yet.
And yet simultaneously–in my head–an entirely different event was taking place. On the outside I was talking national politics, non-profit upstarts and water-cooler office gossip.
On the inside, however, I was focused on the drink. I wanted a full pitcher all to myself. It was that good.
It was like drinking a peach pie!
I only had one drink, of course. Not completely because of my self-imposed 1 drink per drink rule, but also because no one was really drinking heavily, it’s a Tuesday night and, well… because I wanted to drink the whole pitcher.
I knew this day would come. Just not the 5th drink in the Adventure.
Did I mention I love peach pie? Not as much as love raspberry pie, mind you, but it’s my 3nd favorite just behind lemon meringue.
[think about re-working this section, don’t lie to people and tell them I rank pies after raspberry, when I know I’ll eat any pie, anytime. I’ve been publishing photos, people have seen my stomach. I can’t pretend I have some sort of rank-based limits.]
As a very good friend reminded me a few days ago, I’m well known for making rules, but I’m also well known for breaking them. Especially the ones I make for myself from time to time.
But this is a whole new world. This is meant to last a year, to be an Adventure. I have a very long road ahead of me. And I’m working hard to dip my toes in before I jump in head first.
So I told myself just 1 drink of the sangria. And I respect myself for that. For what it’s worth.
So for those of you who are dying to read about me getting shit-faced, feel free to take a moment to gloat that I indeed wanted to drink much more than intended.
But I didn’t. Last night, anyway. Mmmm, pie.
Another night, another drink perhaps.
Cheers, Ben
PS: Up next will be some moscato wine on Thursday–an apparent favorite of many of you–then another first beer this weekend. A beer I hope to have decided by a group vote… details to be involved in the vote coming.
PPS: Just joining the Adventure? Check out all the other first drink posts and join me on Facebook and Twitter.