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I don’t think you can ever really underestimate the joy of sharing a meal with friends.  There is something special about being gathered around the table, sneaking bites off plates, laughing too hard, and hearing those stories that only seem to come out over a nice meal.

I’m sure some of you are sick to death of hearing about The Blathering but when I think about my best restaurant moment of 2009, it springs to mind immediately.  After spending a great day wandering around Sacramento together, the whole lot of us gathered at one of my favorite Sacramento restaurants for a nice dinner.  We kicked off the meal with Blackberry Margaritas, one of the most delicious drinks I’ve ever encountered, EVER before settling in for some delicious chips and dip.

Sure, the meals were delicious and the drinks were free-flowing, but the best thing was the MAGIC! of The Blathering.  We laughed, we shared stories, we got to know one another, and we created long-lasting relationships.  Perhaps my favorite moment of the whole evening came in the bathroom, when Emily and I were discussing the after-party and I casually mentioned the awesome gay dance club down the street, with the hip-hop room and the dance music and the general AMAZINGNESS of the bar.  I saw the glint in her eye, and when she grabbed my arm and said, “Yes, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING!” and assured me that the rest of the group would agree, I knew they were winners.

That dinner will remain in my mind as the best of the year; the one where I laughed the hardest, had some of the best conversations and met some of my favorite people.  It was a special night, one I’ll remember long after 2009.