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CHSWFF: Out of the Lowcountry with Reem Assil

February 4, 2020

Get ready folks because we’re just about a month away from the kick off of my favorite time of the year: The Charleston Wine + Food Festival! This year’s festival is slated to be bigger than ever, and while I’m always excited to see my favorite Charleston chefs, having moved to DC recently, I am especially excited to get to meet all of the out-of-town chefs coming in for the festival.

And to see all my friendsssss

In that vein, I took the time to speak with James Beard Award semifinalist Reem Assil of Reem’s in California. Reem is a Palestinian-Syrian chef who uses her blended heritage to and talent for baking to bring together her three passions: food, community, and social justice. I had a wonderful time speaking with her and can’t wait to meet her in person at the festival!

Growing Up On Hummus and Mac + Cheese

Reem: I grew up in Palestinian-Syrian household. My parents emigrated in the early 80s. Mom grew up in Lebanon most of her life… that’s where my parents met. My household was very Arab growing up, but I lived in a little suburb outside of Boston. It was a fascinating juxtaposition of Arab and Americana. I always say that I grew up on hummus and macaroni and cheese.

Breaking Into Baking

Reem: I grew up with that traditional value that you go to school to be a doctor or an engineer… so my parents were very concerned when I said that I wanted to be a baker. Originally I got a job at a non-profit but, food has always been the backdrop of everything I did. I got into baking recreationally and then decided to quit my job and pursue it full time. I enrolled in a baking & pastry 2 year program and landed a job about 1 year in at a bakery co-op where I learned how to be both a baker and an owner. I aways knew I wanted to start my own thing and used everything I learned in those contexts to learn about my own cuisine and how those techniques overlap.

International Inspiration

Reem: Going to Lebanon and seeing the bakeries there… I just fell in love with that feeling. Those street corner bakers are anchors in the community. The matriarchs in the family were always the alchemists, creating something out of nothing. That’s what baking is all about. The thing that really sets the bakeries in Lebanon apart is the theatrics of everything. It’s like a party. You go into a bakery and it’s not serious, it’s an extended part of your family, very communal, something that is rare to find in the US anymore.

Baking Without Borders

Reem: Bread is my inspiration because every culture has some way of breaking bread. It’s a lifeline in the history of my culture, but there are so many elements of bread that transcend any culture: the smell, generations of people going in and waiting for their pastries, kneading dough… you see those things in a lot of cultures. I wanted to create that in a way that spoke to my culture specifically.

Putting On A Show

Reem: When I started, we were in farmers markets. It was literally an open kitchen in front of everyone, and I think part of the attraction is getting to see your food being made from scratch, You see people stretching the dough, putting it on a pillow, and then cooking on the griddle, and then you wrapping it around fresh veggies. Customers get to see everything happening and all the workers working together, with the Arabic music playing… it’s very immersive. We wanted it to be accessible to more people but still be a very high level, high quality food experience.

More Than A Restaurant

Reem: When I started, I was very intentional. Having come from a social justice background, I’ve seen how people, especially immigrants from the Arab world, were hiding their food and marketing it as Mediterranean to be more palatable to American sensibilities. I made a conscious decision to market my food as Arab, which some people think of as being a “bad word,” but I really wanted to emphasize that it’s not a bad word and make Arabs feel proud to be Arab and celebrate our culture. I feel like I succeeded in helping to make the word “Arab” more mainstream. For better or for worse, we’re in a time when people really want to work for social justice and become galvanized. We now have allies and supporters and we’ve benefited from people wanting to understand the intersections between food and culture and social justice. I have a platform. My food is not just the food, it’s everything around the food: the story behind it, the spaces I create, it all makes a difference.

First Time at CHSWFF

Reem: I’m really looking forward to my trip to Charleston. This region of the country is super fascinating to me. I took a trip to the deep south when I was young, and I am so fascinated by the history, the struggles, and especially how that history is told through food. I haven’t met a lot of folks through the food world from that area, so I’m really looking forward to that. I’m excited to be having these harder conversations about food and access and race–these timely conversations that people are starting to have–and to be able to have the space and avenue to share my perspective is very exciting. These events are always interesting, as you never know what to expect. All of these opportunities, I use to learn and grow as a person and a chef. I hope to learn and be inspired and bring that back with me to my restaurants.

Tickets for Reem’s Breaking Bread workshop during the festival are still available, so get them before they sell out!

*Note: this interview was edited for clarity and space*

Charleston Wine + Food

Charleston Wine + Food 2018

March 9, 2018

Another awesome Charleston Wine + Food festival has come and gone, and I’m only just now overcoming my too-much-eating-and-drinking-and-not-enough-sleep hangover enough to come write about what an amazing time I had this year. It was 5 days of tastebud overload and I loved every second of it. Ready for a recap? Buckle your seatbelts; it’s going to be a loooong ride!

Syd was sick the day we took this. So bummed she’s not in it! Just pretend!

Wednesday: Opening Night – $150

Opening night is always a great way to kick off the festival. This year’s opening night was even bigger than last year, with 2 full tents in Marion Square full of food + drink vendors. Some of my favorite dishes came from Trattoria Lucca / Coda Del Pesce, Red Drum, Parcel32, and drinks from Whispering Angel and Mex 1.

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Thursday: Bowen’s Island Fish Camp – $135

Bowen’s Island Fish Camp is always one of my favorite events! When the weather is nice, there’s really no beating the ambiance at Bowen’s. This year’s weather was perfect–albeit a bit windy–and the food and drink were fantastic. My favorites were the pakora fried catfish from Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham, the Smoked Shrimp Sausage Corn Dog from Bourbon in Cola, and the Grilled Oyster from Hank’s here in Charleston, but all the food was fantastic! You definitely get your money’s worth of food, drink, and entertainment at this event.

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Thursday: Winederlust – $95

Marketed as Pinot NV’s younger, hipper cousin, I was really excited for Winederlust. The atmosphere was gorgeous–under a tent at Lowndes Grove–but the threat of rain killed the mood toward the end of the event. The crazy wind and long lines for food and drink were also kind of a buzzkill (literally and figuratively), and having just come from Bowen’s Island, the event was just lacking a certain something. A fun event if you’re into wine, but not worth leaving Bowen’s early for.

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Thursday: That’s Amore – $85

The night events are always among my favorites, and if you’re going debating how to spend money on individual festival events, the night parties are definitely the way to go. That’s Amore was a celebration of Italian food + drink at the bus shed downtown and was a whimsical way to end our Thursday! My favorite thing, hands down, was the Carbonara Pizza from Dough Boyz, made with house-cured pork belly, egg yolk, garlic crema, scallion, fresh mozzarella, pecorino and parmesan.

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Friday: Cooking With Heritage + Joy – $175

This was my first “excursion” event, which has transportation provided by Lowcountry Valet. We were picked up at the bus shed downtown and taken to Sullivan’s Island for a chat with James Beard Award-winning author Toni Tipton-Martin who chatted with us about the importance of African-American culture on Charleston’s culinary evolution. We then traveled to Red Drum in Mount Pleasant for a 4-course luncheon provided by visiting African-American chefs. I unfortunately had to leave after course 1, but wish I had been able to stay, because the food was delicious!

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Friday: Kith + Kin – $195

I would say this was probably my favorite daytime event of the entire festival. It took place at RiverOaks out in Awendaw (again, transportation was provided by Lowcountry Valet), a gorgeous home situated on the Wando River. The scene was picturesque and there were about 20 or so vendors providing food with the theme of recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. My favorite dishes were the Pork Braciole from Purple Pig in Chicago, the cornmeal-fried catfish from Richard’s Southern Fried in Atlanta, and the Lebanon Bologna sandwich with pepper jelly from Josephine in Nashville. But all the food and wine was fantastic; there literally wasn’t a single thing I didn’t love about this event. If it happens again next year, I’m definitely signing up!

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Friday: A Bourbon Affair – $115

So I’m not a huge bourbon drinker (I drink it, but not enough to be able to pick out all the subtle nuances from brand to brand),  so I was worried that this event was going to be a little lost on me. Held in the courtyard of the American College of Building Arts on Meeting Street, it was actually a really fun event that’s perfect for both novice and passionate bourbon drinkers.

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Friday: Pecha Kucha + Choir! Choir! Choir! – $45

Pecha Kucha is one of my favorite events that happens in Charleston (a few times a year), and when they partner with Wine + Food, I love it even more because it focuses on my passion: food (duh). This year, the timing of the event meant that it happened basically at the same time as the Nassau Street Saloon, which was one of my favorite events last year, so I left early to attend that. I was able to see 2 speakers and visit with some of the companies of those speaking beforehand, so I felt like still got a good feel for the event. The Music Halls is the perfect venue, and next year I hope they stagger the events a little more, as it’s such a good one to attend!

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Friday: Nassau Street Saloon – $75

This year, the paired the street saloon with the popular Chicken Shit Bingo event that happened last year, so there was lots of fun things happening at Lewis Barbecue throughout the night. It seems like I wasn’t the only one who loved this event last year, because this year it was packed to the brim (and some of those old folks who attended were mean about waiting in line). I got to try awesome food, like a Bologna Schwarma slider from Holeman and Finch in Atlanta, Deviled Eggs from Fine + Dandy in Jackson, MS, and pineapple cider from Austin Eastciders.

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Saturday: Cast Iron Cookin’ – $135

Spurrier neé Turnquist attended this event, as we only had 1 ticket and I needed some time to recover from Thursday & Friday. She enjoyed learning how to care for and extend the life of cast iron skillets, and the class came together to make a paella to feed the whole crowd.

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Saturday: Shucked – $85

Held at North Charleston’s Riverfront Park, this oyster-focused event is definitely one for those who are really into seafood. There wasn’t a lot of food for non-oyster or fish lovers, but luckily Syd & I love all food all the time, so we had an awesome time. Some of my favorite dishes were the Fried Oyster Steam Bun from Cru Cafe, the Smoked Cod pierogi from Salthouse Catering, and the cocktail from Fine and Dandy (clearly we all need to go to Jackson, bc this place is a winner).

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Saturday: N. Chas Night Bazaar – $75

Ok so this was definitely the best night event of the festival. Held on the lawn of the Garco Mill building in Park Circle, they strung up some lights and setup a DJ and a dance floor and gathered together what felt like 100 vendors to enjoy. There was a constant hum of food and drink, and we definitely tore up the dance floor until they kicked us out. The food was “globally-inspired” and it was a fun change to be able to enjoy things like curries, steam buns, duck tacos, and the spiciest hot dog I’ve ever encountered.

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Sunday: Queens on King – $125

The festival definitely went out with a bang, a flash, and a flurry of feathers with the event Queens on King, a drag show brunch that felt like it was made specifically for me. Upon entry at the William Aiken House, we were greeted with pink cocktails with a cotton candy garnish, breakfast nachos, and sequins and feather boas as far as the eye could see. Food was served family-style, and although the food was delicious, I can’t describe anything in detail, as I was too busy watching the awesome drag show to take time to actually taste anything. PLEASE bring this event back in the future, as it was MY FAVORITE EVENT OF THE ENTIRE FESTIVAL AND WORTH EVERY DAMN PENNY. No contest.

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Charleston Wine + Food

Charleston Wine + Food Day 5: The Final Pork

March 6, 2017

Note: Be sure to catch up on our other daily recaps!  Day 1: Rooted in Charleston, Day 2: Seaside Bites, Day 3: Chucktown Gets Down, and Day 4: What the Pho?!

We made it. It was a long 5 days, chock full of too much food, too many drinks, and not enough time to full digest before diving back in. Excuse me while I sleep for 3 days to recover.

Here are the details of the final day of Wine + Food 2017

Of Rice and Rum

This was one of the more unique events we attended during Wine + Food this year. It took place at Middleton Place plantation and included a walking tour of the grounds,

an demonstration of rice harvesting from a guy dressed up in colonial clothing,

and a talk from Glenn Roberts of Anson Mills on the importance of rice in the South and how it relates to Sugarcane, rum, benne, and culture, before we ever got a chance to taste any rice or rum.

Lunch was served in a gorgeous event space at Middleton, and was comprised of 2 dishes using Carolina Gold Rice as a main component. First up was a crispy duck, topped with oysters, over an Italian-style rice dish with country ham and crispy greens.

Then there was quail with another kind of rice dish, which featured garbanzo beans, and grapes (yes, grapes).

Dessert was a soaked rum cake, which probably could’ve gotten you drunk. It was very strong.

After that, we were led through a tasting of Mount Gay’s signature rums, with a representative from the company who was very entertaining and knowledgable.

It was pretty cool, especially if you’re into history and more intimate-type events, as it was very small (12 people, tops).

Sinister Siesta

This event took place at The Royal American and had a lot of fun elements happening. Lots of great food, like Dough Boys Pizza, biscuits, and Chicken Poori.

There was also some awesome music, great DIY piggy banks, temporary tattoos, strong-as-hell cocktails, and more!

Toasted

The final event was a huge block party that took up the entire parking lot of the cigar factory, and featured over 14 restaurants serving up delicious BBQ.

People took the name of the event to heart and were really diving into the cocktails, wine, and beer available at the event. Definitely closing strong!

I was super excited to get to try Rodney Scott’s BBQ for the first time, and it definitely did not disappoint!

Smoke BBQ were serving up BBQ mac and cheese–coincidentally, the only mac and cheese I saw during the entire festival.

One of my other favorites was the ember-roasted sweet potatoes with trout roe from Venkman’s out of Atlanta. It was packed with flavor, and really nice and doubled as a nice handwarmer.

Pitmaster Anthony DiBernardo of Swig & Swine was cutting loose and thoroughly enjoying himself. He asked us “have you had a chance to put my sausage in your mouth yet?” before giggling a lot to himself. We did have a chance and it was satisfactory. That, and the amazing corn pudding!

Lots of pork sliders were consumed between cocktails.

I took a stalker pic of Jim Cantore from The Weather Channel as I munched on some ‘cue.

And the band, Plain Jane, kept us all dancing and singing along by playing some awesome covers of some of our favorite songs.

All in all it was a fantastic way to close out one of the most memorable experiences of my food career! Can’t wait to do it again next year!

Charleston Wine + Food

Charleston Wine + Food, Night 4: What The Pho?!

March 5, 2017

Note: Be sure to catch up on our other daily recaps!  Day 1: Rooted in Charleston, Day 2: Seaside Bites, Day 3: Chucktown Gets Down, and Day 4: What the Pho?!

The weather on Saturday couldn’t have been better for a full day of Wine + Food events. Today was the first day that TQuizzle and I have been really able to spend the whole day together, so we really did it up right.

Here’s a sampling of our day:

Iron Mixology Competition

We slept in a bit and headed to Bar Mash for the iron mixology competition, hosted by the amazingly talented mixologist Charlotte Voisey, Director of Brand Advocacy for William Grant & Sons!

4 local mixologists competed using secret ingredients. Round 1 was passionfruit. Round 2 was beer.

And Round 3 was balsamic vinegar. Although Feathertop, Prohibition, and Proof all brought their A-game, it was ultimately Gin Joint who walked away a champion!

Shucked

An event for all the oyster lovers out there! Basically all you can eat oysters in any style imaginable–raw, steamed, grilled, chargrilled, Rockefeller, with garlic…you name it, it was at Shucked. My personal favorite was from Grand Isle Restaurant out of New Orleans, which were so garlicky, I could’ve killed a vampire, but they were so good.

In addition to oysters, there was plenty of other seafood to be enjoyed, like this seafood stew with nice, crusty bread to soak up all that delicious broth.

When we felt a little parched, it was time for some tequila, as the event was sponsored by Patron. I tried a Nitrogen Margarita, and boy, was it smooth!

And strong!

Pinot NV

Ok so as much as I like to drink wine, I think Pinot NV was my least favorite event of the entire festival. I think maybe it’s directed at a more mature crowd, because other than drinking wine, I didn’t think there was a lot going on.

Snout to Tail

Snout to Tail took place at the beautiful Home Team BBQ downtown location. I’m obsessed with their outdoor patio, with a built-in stage, which is perfect for live music. When we first walked in, we were treated to deviled quail eggs, which were super yummy.

There was also a carnitas taco from Holy City Hogs, and a bunch of other delicious meats to be enjoyed.

What the Pho?!

Getting the party started here at What the Pho? supported by @foodrepublic ? #chswff #chsevents #pho #whatthepho #partytime

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This party took over the parking lot at Le Crueset in West Ashley, and it was bangin’. Tons of Asian-inspired bites, paper lanterns, an amazing DJ, and, did I mention champagne??

We were super excited to taste the amazing soup dumplings from Short Grain, and boy did they deliver!

But did we mention the champagne, though??

Charleston Wine + Food

Charleston Wine + Food, Night 3: Chucktown Gets Down

March 4, 2017

Note: Be sure to catch up on our other daily recaps!
Day 1: Rooted in Charleston, Day 2: Seaside Bites, and Day 4: What the Pho?!

My feet are aching, my stomach is full, and I’m more tired than I’ve been in a long time, but I suppose I can’t really complain because I got to attend a ton of amazing and unforgettable events. Here’s my digest of Day 3:

Culinary Village

A favorite as always!

I love the Artisan Tent, as it always introduces me to fun and exciting new products, like these!

And lets me reintroduce some old favorites into my life!

Snacks are everywhere

Everything from the sweet,

to the savory,

the salty,

the smoky,

and everything in between!

Cajun Meets Lowcountry Boil

This event took place at Salty Mike’s off of Lockwood. Although this type of food isn’t usually my favorite, the weather and the view were so beautiful, you really couldn’t complain!

Also, the music was fantastic, the beer was cold, and there were lots of treats that everyone could enjoy!

A Bourbon Affair

This event made me wish I was more of a bourbon connoisseur! There was so much brown water, I didn’t know where to begin. So I started with a cocktail, before moving on to a tasting of a few ryes, single malts, and even some fancy stuff, which I would’ve remembered the name of, if I hadn’t drank so much bourbon.

The standout from the event, surprisingly, wasn’t the bourbon. It was this amazing lamb tartare from PinPoint Restaurant in Wilmington.

From The Ashes

Basically a giant BBQ celebration in the prettiest location one could ask for.

Runnymede Plantation at sunset is just breathtaking, and the food was pretty killer.

But BBQ wasn’t the only food, there were also lots of oysters (of course).

Plus, I got to try La Morra pizza for the first time, which was amazing.

There was also a lot of camaraderie and fun between festival-goers and chefs.

Pecha Kucha 26

Pretty much always my favorite event, Pecha Kucha brings together important people within the Charleston community to share 6 minutes and 40 seconds worth of wisdom, inspiration, or celebration with a rapt and raucous audience.

Plus, lots of good beer (and a few Callie’s HLBs!).  Basically I freaked out at the chance to hear Corrie and Shuai Wang of Short Grain speak, because I worship them (not an exaggeration).

Magnolia’s Signature Dinner

TQuizzle attended this event without me so that we could maximize our event attendance, and boy was I jealous. She was treated to like 8 courses, lots of fantastic wine from Paul Hobbs Winery, and even some operatic serenades from one of the Magnolia’s chefs!

Nassau Sideshow

Ok, so you’ll have to cut me some slack here. This was the last event on Friday (at Lewis Barbecue) after a very long day. This was my 7th event, and I’d had a bit to drink, so I don’t have any photos saved (curse you Instagram stories!).

Just a quick recap of the last two days… remember that cow luge at @lewisbarbecue for the Nassau Street Sideshow??

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This event was legitimately one of the most fun parties of the entire week, in part because it was so unique and different. There was an 80’s hair band, people on stilts, fire dancers, carnival games, and, as shown above by my friend Miguel at Holy City Handcraft, an ice luge in the shape of a cow. By far my favorite event.

Charleston Wine + Food

Charleston Wine + Food, Night 2: Seaside Bites

March 3, 2017

Another fantastic day of CHSWFF is in the books!

Photo from Bowens Island during the “Hooked on Bowens” event.

Here’s how it all went down:

Tasty Date Night

You know those amazing food videos you get sucked into watching on Facebook? Well, I got to go to a taping of one in Marion Square!

This segment was entitled “Date Night” and featured 2 local couples going head-to-head in a competition on who could best recreate Chef Jeremiah Bacon’s quail recipe. It was thrilling and a ton of fun to be a witness!

SieMatic VIP Lounge

Because I’m such a VIP, I got to rest my feet at the SieMatic VIP lounge, which featured a number of awesome guest chefs/mixologists, including the amazing Ryan Welliver of Cocktail Club.

Ryan made a fantastic cocktail. My second before noon, but who’s counting?

Certainly not me.

I also got to bear witness to Miguel of Holy City Handcraft as he hosted Chef Marvin Woods of the soon-to-open Gentry Bar, who made a delightfully simple dish of Spaghetti Squash marinara.

Hand delivered by Mr. Handcraft himself.

Chef Woods also dropped a couple pearls of wisdom, which I will forever cherish.

Hooked on Bowens

Wow, I don’t think I could’ve dreamt up a more breathtaking event. Chefs from around the Southeast shared with us their seafood-inspired dishes.

Some of my favorites included the grilled octopus on rosemary skewer from Chef Teddy Diggs of Il Palio,

the Wreckfish from Fat Hen,

and the Sea bass from Hanks Seafood.

Additionally, Don Julio was on site to do a tequila tasting.

They also used their tequilas to make 2 dangerously delicious cocktails, the Spice Island with pineapple,

And the Coconut Coast with coconut water and lime.

Fowl Mouth

Hosted at the Cooper River Brewery in Charleston, this event featured amazing live music, generous pours of cocktails, beer, and wine, and fowl-inspired dishes from local and regional chefs.

My favorites–by far–were the Nashville Hot Quail by Salthouse Catering,

And the “Alabama Tamale” (collard green wrap, sweet potato masa, and smoked duck chorizo) from Acre Restaurant in Alabama.

I also got to meet one of my biggest girl crushes: Meghan Deschaine!

After Party at Bar Mash

The after party at Bar Mash was full of delicious Old Fashioned cocktails, and snacks.

That’s a lot to take in in one day! This is going to be a long weekend!

Charleston Wine + Food Events

Charleston Wine + Food, Night 1: Rooted in Charleston

March 2, 2017

Note: Be sure to catch up on our other daily recaps!
Day 2: Seaside Bites, Day 3: Chucktown Gets Down, and Day 4: What the Pho?!

? It’s the mooooost wonderful time of the yeeear! ? Not going to lie, Charleston Wine + Food might be my favorite festival of the year. It celebrates 2 of the things I love most in life: food and alcohol. What could be better than that?

Ok, yeah, CHSWFF could use more cat-themed events. But other than that, it’s the best.

Night 1 was pretty busy, considering it didn’t even get started until 6pm. First up was the Party for the Partners at the fabulous William Aiken House. This was for select media, partners, participants, etc. It was catered by Fish, and featured lots of yummy cheese, wines, savory macarons, sweet crepes, savory crepes, and (of course) plenty of vino!

Well, for me at least. Sydney T is “on a cleanse” *rolls eyes*

The public grand opening party was in Marion Square and featured all things Charleston! Many restaurants and chefs from around the city were featured in 1 giant tent. Picture this: a hundred chefs cooking on hot plates, plus thousands of visitors moving around and drinking alcohol, on a day that was 70 degrees with 94% humidity, in cramped quarters with no air circulation. It was hot. I was sweaty (and I wasn’t alone).

Still lookin’ fly, though.

We tried so much yummy food (and some food that was less impressive, but such is life!) and listened to rockin’ music, while sipping on refreshing cocktails. If it was 10 degrees cooler, it would’ve been the perfect night.

Another tip for next year: better lighting for Instagram purposes.

Here’s looking forward to many more amazing nights to come! If you see me or Sydney T. hanging out around town during CHSWFF, be sure to say hi! We have stickers!

Plus it makes us feel really famous when our fans accost us randomly.