Last year I flew in only for the meetings, but this year I stuck around for the show. I love me a trade show, and it reminded me so much of my experience working a trade show floor in NYC many years ago. When you picture a wine show, you're probably picturing people who sell wine setting up booths and trying to do just that...sell wine. But that isn't what this is. The wine symposium is FOR the people who sell wine. It's for them to come and shop for anything they might need. John Deere tractors, barrels, fences, gardening chemicals, soil, grapes, insurance, banking, labels (enter AD), capsules, bottles, bottling equipment, de-alcoholizers, and oh so many corks. Really, the whole idea of the wine show is fascinating to me, and what a useful event for these wineries.
I asked K (my BFF who lives in Sac and who I was able to meet up with while in town) why they don't have these kinds of things for people of all professions. Writers, for example. I'd love a one stop shop for things like pens, paper, vintage typewriters. K said, "Because they don't have any money," which I suppose is a valid point. There's certainly a lot more cash floating around the wine industry.
At any rate, you can't beat California in January (when you're from Cleveland), and I so loved taking in the sights with K as we went antique shopping, toured the Crocker art museum, went to the Railroad museum, and ate at several ridiculously delicious places. For obvious reasons, I have a lot of love for the west coast, and when I'm there it's hard to battle the forces that have me really wanting to move back. Arriving back in the Cleve last night I did the one thing that can always cheer me up. I went downtown and took in a Cavs game. We played like crap, but to see us come back from a 17-point hole in the 4th to almost win the game was just the 'welcome back' I needed.
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