Holiday Party Play-by-Play

If you didn’t happen to attend IWOC’s Holiday Party at Marcello’s on December 12, bet you’re dying to know the details. If you were there, here’s your chance to relive them!

First, the food: As you see in the photo, showcased by IWOC’s Parliamentarian Tom Lanning with a flourish worthy of P.T. Barnum, the meal was served buffet style. What can I say. Every course was non plus ultra. All 30 guests started off with a deep dive into warm homemade Italian bread and Marcello’s signature focaccia chips with garlic herb butter. (Oh, that butter!) These were the perfect sidekicks to the mixed green salad, chockfull of crunchy cukes, ripe tomatoes, carrots, and seasoned croutons. If the meal ended there, I would have been happily sated.

Making their way down the hedonistic display, guests treated themselves to picante chicken piccatta, lusty spinach lasagna and savory oven-roasted seasonal veggies. Was there dessert? Was there! Gourmet turtle, raspberry thumbprints and melt-in-your mouth dusted wedding cookies. Several guests made return trips for seconds. Of everything. I saw. I counted.

"I've been to a lot of IWOC get-togethers, but this was the best."

With plates piled high, we all retreated to three tables and between mouthfuls of gastronomic delight, engaged in lively (and often witty) conversation and laughter. As I looked around like a proud parent, it appeared everyone was having a grand time. It was a perfect mix of people – new and long-standing members, but also in attendance was Scott Winterroth, our November “WordPress” program’s presenter. Some non-members joined the festivities to get the feel of IWOC’s whole gestalt. They had to be mightily impressed. Let’s hope they become members. We’d be honored to have them.

For the grand finale, member Betsy Storm played “elf” – as she does every year, bless her heart, distributing charming gifts to each guest, compliments of IWOC. A warm touch typical of Betsy – and frankly, of IWOC!>

Eloquently summing up the evening was IWOC board member and Program Director Jeff Steele. “I've been to a lot of IWOC get-togethers, but this was the best. Everything from the way the room fit our group to the fantastic entrees (spinach lasagna, yeah! let's have the same thing next year!) to little touches like the hot coffee dispenser and the timing of the gift-giving to the way people mingled and got to know others was letter perfect.”

I agree wholeheartedly!

- Laura Stigler

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