The U.S. Cultural Affairs Attache and the cabernet sauvignon

Last Friday, I attended a reception to welcome the new U.S. Cultural Affairs Attache, Alan R. Holst, and Assistant Cultural Affairs Attache, Joseph Tordella. The invitation came in the mail more than a week before the date of the reception and I accepted (I declined the invitation to the reception aboard the USS Blue Ridge because the invitation came really late). As an aside, Mr. Tordella looks like Andy Garcia in The Untouchables. Ooh la la. I didn’t take photos (but wait until you reach the end of this entry) although I had my Powershot G10 in my purse.

It was crowded; very much unlike the cozy welcome dinner for Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. a couple of months ago which I enjoyed very much. You know me. If you don’t, let me just say that I’m not one to step up and say hello to some name-droppable I’ve never met before with the concomitant, “Can we have a photo together?” Not my style. Yes, lots of name-droppables in the reception. Artists, showbiz personalities, sports personalities, politicians, government officials… It was, after all, a reception for the new Cultural Affairs Attache — cultural, or culture, being the operative word. So, the guests was a cross-cut of the various sectors representing the many aspects of Philippine culture.

So, what does a Cultural Attache do, exactly? Promote his country’s culture, of course, in the host country. A “citation needed” reference in Wikipedia says, “The position has been used as an official cover for intelligence agents.” Hmmmm… That reminds me of a party scene in Spy Game.

Anyway, did I say it was crowded? Oh, yes, I did. And I wasn’t exactly in my element that night because my mother-in-law was in the hospital and Speedy and I were supposed to drive there directly from the reception to see how she was doing. But that’s another story and one that doesn’t belong here. You’re probably wondering already what the cabernet sauvignon in the title is all about. I’ll get there. Let me just say first that it was good to re-connect with some lawyers I hadn’t seen in ages and to meet lawyers who know my food blog better than this one. Isn’t that weird? It was just as great meeting artists whom I have admired for a long time.

As cocktail receptions go, the guests converged into small groups. I spent a lot of time with some lawyers — not surprising although the conversations dwelled more on fashion, interior design, house-hunting and retirement. No one wanted to believe that I’m retired. Ha ha. The food was divine, as usual — the reception was held at Rick Nelson’s house, the venue of the welcome dinner for the ambassador. I suppose that Rick Nelson, Counselor for Public Affairs of the U.S. Embassy, has been in this country long enough (I hear it’s his third posting here) to know just what makes Filipinos tick. It was open bar too and here’s where we get to the cabernet sauvignon part.

While the guests milled around and engaged in party chit-chat, drinks flowed. Would I say no to that? Of course not. I had red wine and I liked it so much that I had refill after refill after refill… Around the time of the fourth (or was it the fifth?) refill, I went straight to the bartender and asked him to read the label on the wine bottle. I could see “Hardy’s” but where was the wine from? I guess the bartender’s eyesight wasn’t very good. I sat my wineglass down, took the bottle from from him and read the back label. Australia. Hardy’s from Australia.

I later told Speedy about Hardy’s.

Earlier today, Speedy went out to have some dry-cleaning done and he came home with a bottle of Hardy’s cabernet sauvignon. And I’m drinking it while I compose this entry. Fitting, don’t you think?

What’s in the blue bowl? Parmesan chips that didn’t turn out so well but which were still delicious when paired with the cabernet sauvignon.

To complete the story, read the part about Parmesan chips. Good night, I think I finished the bottle of cabernet sauvignon.