Cruising on an Airboat, a Yacht, and Some Darvocet...Part III: The Darvocet

August 23, 2008 - The Three Ds ... Dining, Drinking, and Drugging

I would have loved nothing more than to lie down and take a nap once we returned from the yachting excursion, but it was already 4PM and we had to be downstairs for the cocktail hour by 6PM so that Jay could have his anniversary picture taken with the guy running the company who probably had no idea who most of the 500+ people in attendance were anyway...even with those ugly name tags they provided us with. And since I was determined not to embarrass my husband in front of his peers on this evening and only had two hours in which to work a minor miracle on my appearance, I headed for a nice hot bath to help ease the pain in my back while washing away the grime of the day and allowing that darvocet to work its magic.

According to our itinerary we had to show up for our picture with the Big Whig at 6:15PM (SHARP!). The sharp notation was a running joke all weekend - it was on the back of everybody's name tag in capital letters along with their scheduled photo time. When we arrived (SHARPLY) we just joined the line and had our picture taken and no one was even paying attention to the time. So what was the point?

I think that the SHARP notation must have been a reminder to all of us that the pin on the back of the tag could draw blood if not handled carefully.

Luckily we got through the photo session really quickly and then made our way to the bar for a couple of drinks. I ordered a Manhattan since a Kir Royale wasn't an option and Jay got himself a Heineken. The staff was passing around all kinds of tasty hoovers doovers ... spring rolls, beef carpaccio, little toasts with brie and grapes (those were the best), shrimpies, and some other treats that I can no longer remember. We hung around and chatted with some folks we knew and were dazzled by the harpist that the company hired to "entertain" us during the hour before dinner.

This dude was jamming! He had a crowd around him the entire time and it was absolutely amazing to watch him play. He was super-fast and was playing really cool versions of songs by the Doors and Led Zeppelin. Jay managed to take one picture before the area got too packed with people. We've never seen anyone play a harp like this guy!

Gives a whole new meaning to the term: harping on it!


A view down the long hallway outside of the banquet room.


Handsome hubba and his tasty beer!


Me and a too-tight dress ... suck in the gut and then take a drink!


Here's a picture of Gary and his wife Brenda (yes, another Brenda) ... I worked with him when I was employed by the company way back when. They're a super nice couple and always wear their name tags, unlike some people who shall remain nameless.



The doors opened promptly at 7PM and we all herded in to find a table. The first two shots are just general overviews of the banquet room, which was elegantly decorated in black and white. There were also video screens set up which ran a continuous slide-show loop of employees during dinner. Jay said that a few months prior to the trip the celebrants were asked to submit a photograph that showed them doing something they really enjoyed / or on a trip / or with family members. Imagine my surprise when a picture popped up that included me with my lovey! He submitted the picture that I use here on the blog, which is a self-portrait we took last fall at WDW.




The tables were especially attractive with white satin tablecloths patterned in black velvet florals and the flowers used as centerpieces were stunning. If I could have brought them home with me I would have.




The salads were already on the table when we entered the room. I didn't eat much of mine, but I thought it was the prettiest salad I've ever seen.

First Course: Bundle of Baby Romaine served with Blistered Asparagus, Vintage Tomatoes, Spiced Walnuts, and Feta Cheese with Roasted Tomato Banyus Vinaigrette.


The feta cheese was really tasty with the asparagus, although I'm not sure what the term blistered is supposed to mean in relation to vegetables. I didn't try the salad dressing, either, but Jay said it was pretty tasty and had just a little zing to it.

Next up ...Second Course: Butter Poached Lobster Ravioli "Gigantoni" with Lobster Chive Essence.


This was probably my favorite course of the evening, although we were a little surprised by the presentation. Based on the menu description we thought the lobster was going to be stuffed inside the ravioli; instead, the ravioli was crammed full of creamy cheese and there were lobster chunks scattered around the bowl with some peas, squash, spinach leaves, and light tomato sauce. We all agreed that this was an excellent and tasty dish!

Time for the main course!

Third Course: Charcoaled Petite Filet of Beef with Carmelized Shallot, Thyme Fond, and Pinenut-Parsley Prawns. This was accompanied by Whipped New Potatoes with Garlic, Criss Cross Beans, Softened Baby Spinach, Baby Carrots, and Pan Roast Squash and Petite Mushrooms.


There's a whole lotta stuff happening on that plate! The filet was cooked medium and was tender enough that I barely needed to use a knife to slice it. The shrimpies were generously-sized and did taste good, but I'm not a big fan of breaded shrimp ... I like 'em nekkid! The best part of this dish, in my opinion, was the mashed potatoes which were light and creamy and silky smooth. Yum, yum yum!!!

And to finish the evening, some freshly brewed coffee and some sweets.

Fourth Course, also called Dessert: A Key Lime Tribute ... Graham Crusted Key Lime Tart with Mascarpone; Key Lime Cheesecake; Key Lime Lacquered Fruits.


Absolutely gorgeous presentation ... too bad I didn't like any of it. It was just too tart for my taste, but Jay really liked it, both his and mine! Once dinner was over there was a rather long set of speeches and video presentations ... after a while I was beginning to wonder if it would ever end and the room was getting kind of warm, which means in Jay's world it was boiling hot. We made our escape almost as soon as they were done talking ... there was an after-hours room that they had set up along the lines of a private club, but Jay and I wanted to go visit our buddy Bill who had been so generous with the whisky the previous evening.

A few more shots before we departed ... one of Jay's co-workers and his wife.


Jay and me just before heading off on our whisky run.


The hotel and the bar were much busier than they were Friday night. And we were disappointed to find that Bill wasn't working when we finally made it to his bar. The bimbo pouring drinks in his absence wasn't nearly as generous so we had to make do with a single glass of Balvenie, which was just as good as he had said it would be. We took it back to the room so that we could enjoy it in private and found one last surprise from the company waiting for us.

Tuxedo Strawberries!!!




These were quite tasty and really paired well with our whisky. It was just one more in a long line of thoughtful gestures that helped make the weekend truly memorable. Only five more years until we can do it again!