#EdibleDCDrinks Event Recap

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by AJ Dronkers, EdibleDC Digital Editor Garden

Last Thursday, despite what the WaPo Capital Weather Gang called one of the coldest nights on record since 1934, hundreds of eat and drink local advocates turned out for the inaugural EdibleDC Drinks Invitational. We had been dreaming about pulling together an event for some time and after successfully producing four issues we felt an event held in tandem with our January 2015 Drinks Issue was the perfect excuse. We called it an "Invitational" because in addition to inviting a majority of local small distillers and chefs to participate, we wanted to include some of the best artisan producers from across the region. In the end, 30+ vendors were at our event representing VA, WV, DC, MD, PA, MN, TX, and NY!

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Guests arrived at Long View Gallery in DC's Shaw neighborhood to find the gallery space re-invented as a Botanical Winter Park. The art gallery was separated into four distinct vendor sections, Root, Stem, Leaf, and Bloom with accents of roots, green wall and hanging gardens throughout.

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Guests received a nifty guide to help them explore our drink and food vendors, checking them off as they go, and even making a shopping list of any bottles they may want to buy at checkout via our retail sponsor Sherry's Wine & Spirits.

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Here are some highlights from our event you can also follow along online with hashtag #EdibleDCDrinks.

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Toasties

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VIP guests were treated to an after party hosted by La Colombe Coffee, located just behind the art gallery in Blagden Alley. Upon arrival they sipped on artisan coffee, ice-cream by Trickling Springs Creamery and an assortment of delicious desserts provided by RareSweets. Of course our guests were custom ordering affogatos, drowning Trickling Springs ice cream and La Colombe espresso.

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Light snow started to fall as guests left the after party with their picnic box gifts packaged and designed by Welcome to My Wedding. The picnic boxes contained treats including: Cinch Tonics, One Eight Distilling Matches, CHIQS pita chips, RareSweets hot cocoa, Carla Hall cookies, ThunderBeast rootbeer, Cajun Meets Asian ginger cayenne spice rub, two Deep Eddy Vodka nips, a Yelp bottle opener, Element Shrub tonic, as well as Gouter and La Colombe drink coupons.

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It was a wonderful evening! Special thanks goes to the entire EdibleDC team, our incredible volunteers, Operation: Eatery and our event partners Long View Gallery, La Colombe Coffee Occasions Catering, Amaryllis, Elizabeth Duncan Events, GrassFed Media and Welcome to My Wedding as well as all our incredible sponsors/vendors. Stay tuned for our next event...

Drink Invitational Express