John and I made a stop last evening at our favorite wine store, MacArthur Liquors (aka Addies) on MacArthur Boulevard in Washington, DC. Great store at every price point.
You wouldn’t have believed the buzz in the store: it was like Christmas Eve and New Years Eve wrapped up in chocolate truffles and fois gras. Customers were buying Proseco and Cava and Champagne and expensive Burgundies and buying and shopping an laughing with that peculiar abandon and disregard of cost that glamourous weddings and the winter holidays induce. (We were not exempt from this mood, although our purchases ran more in the direction of Chile than France.)
Washington is gearing up for the best party ever. Restaurants are full. They were full last night–6 days before the inauguration! You can’t find a parking space. There was a line out the door at Black Salt, the terrific fish joint adjacent to MacArthur Liquor. Out of town guests have arrived! And people are dining and partying. Its damned cold outside, but here in sober Washington, it is as if an ocean of champagne bubbles have been released into the the winter air.
WOW!