Yesterday started and felt as though it wouldn't end. I worked last night as a party server. A friend of mine is opening a store in Clarkesville right behind the flower shop. It will be gourmet everything. It is a hospitality store, so it will also have things like invitations and wedding gifts, housewarming gifts and anything you could imagine to throw a party. It is called Manna, bread of life. I thought that was pretty good considering the type store it will be. Last night was the beginning. The store its self is being renovated at this time. It will open at the end of July. The party was at my friend's home. She has one of the first homes in Clarkesville. It was the coolest feeling kitchen I have ever been a working part. Everything was compact and low and small. The cabinets were the original cabinets in the house. There was something in everyspace of the counter, cabinets, closet. There was a closet, but if you ask me it was probably originally a service entrance because it leads into the dining room if the door wasn't sealed on the far side. Everything was old in her kitchen. It took everything I had to find tupperware, which still had the packaging on it. Everything was crystal, glass, antique. Everything was so breakable.

The dinner was tremendous. The apetizers were all the foods to be sold in the store. The wines were also possibles for the store. Initially, everyone was critiqueing the food. Then when they sat down for dinner, there was a crown rack of lamb with cherries and roasted potatoes. There was fresh trout from Hiawassee with a peppercorn cream sauce. There was ten hour smoked bbq, texas toast, organic squash, salad with (the dressings will run in the store) organic baby cucumbers, fresh radish and fresh baby tomatoes. It was a regular smorgasboard. The people who came to dinner were amazing. There were professors and business owners and ceo's. The were all speaking about politics, religion, cultures. Their ideas flowed freely and debate was welcomed. There was laughter at politicians, seriousness at the ideas of interstates in Habersham, tinkering of wine glasses and silver against china. The best was when the dessert was served. Oh the dessert!

The dessert will be carried in the store as well. It is an italian ice cream that says "Ciao Bella" on it. It is not ice cream though. It is gelato. It is amazing. It is better than any ice cream I have ever had. The first one I tasted was lemon. Oweeeooooo. It made my lips pucker it was so lemony. There were eight in all: strawberry, blackberry, rasperry, lemon, orange, chocolate, espresso and chef's choice (mint chocolate chip!). We served it in crystal sorbet glasses. It was awesome. The whole room lit up from the light in their eyes. You'd have thought all these well accomplished people were children entering a Hogsmeade candy shop! It was so much fun!

The thing that I liked the most though was that no one said I was stupid. No one believed me to be less than or not a part of the party even though I was serving and not sitting to eat with them. No one thought that I was any different than they were. I don't know if it was the way the sun hit in the kitchen or the smells of the food or the chatter of the people or all of it mixed together. I felt like I was in a movie somewhere in New York. A book signing perhaps, maybe just a simple dinner party. My head tells me upper west side. It moved just like that. It reminded me of. . .something real. It was a wonderful night.