Friday, July 29, 2016

An A-list party, Wyoming style.

I attended a really great party last night at the home of a local attorney who hosts the event every July. It's the 5th year now and referred to as the Swollen Liver Ranch Reggae-fest. It started at 5pm and I drove through the park about 15 miles from the ranch to get there.

Driveway parking was scarce, so I parked on the street. I'm not sure why I found this amusing or photo-worthy, but seeing my car in all that wide open space was a lot different from east coast parties where cars are parked end to end and people in big cities or crowded neighborhoods where I've lived worry about parking between signs and not getting ticketed, towed, etc. And then of course, there are the mountain views in Wyoming.... most people here drive trucks, SUVs or Subarus. My car is always covered in dust!
 
 












                                                             Taken at 9PM as I was leaving...


The home wasn't visible from the street, so I proceeded down a long driveway and followed the frolicking dogs and sound of music to the party. It was a catered outdoor affair, with croquet set up on the lawn and two bands. The first was an excellent local quartet that played Sinatra type music.



There was plenty of beer, wine and liquor. Appetizers included shrimp cocktail, an assortment of cheeses, smoked salmon and local trout with capers and onions. After about an hour, the second band started to play.



The party was referred to as a reggae-fest on the Evite, but the band was a very "white" 7-8 person group with lots of brass instruments. I think they all play music on the side in addition to their day jobs... they were excellent, and people were dancing. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a black person since I arrived here last May. Not one... hmm.





Dinner was then set up and served buffet style. In addition to beef tenderloin and juicy pork ribs, there was tender quail which I hadn't eaten in years, and PLENTY of delicious lobster tails swimming in butter! What a treat... I had 3 and not much else! ;) Then came desserts...


The best part? Dom Perignon bubbly!


I met a fair haired, blued eyed retiree with a thick accent named Pablo who is from Chile and has a 2nd home here. It appears that many Jackson residents have 2nd homes in Chile or Argentina or at least spend part of our winter months there fishing before returning here to ski. I was also introduced to a super nice guy with a prosthetic leg who offered to take me fly fishing on my day off. As it turns out, he was a guide for 20 years, so I won't need to splurge on a pricey excursion now. I told him I'd bring the sandwiches and beer ;) He's also a friend of the manager at the ranch where I work, and her husband. He has a drift boat which I wasn't familiar with, having gone on my my one fly-fishing excursion in Alaska in 1992 using waders and/or fishing from shore. They're kind of cool looking, curved up at the bow and stern. Found this online:


The party host is an attorney with east coast roots and represents companies like Sony in music and publishing litigation. The Dornan family was also there. They own and operate the little "town" I posted about a few weeks ago, with its bar, restaurant, cabins, trading post, adventure sports, wine shop, gas station and more. The party was a great way to meet a lot of colorful locals and Jackson's movers and shakers, and the setting was perfect. A rare warm summer night at a casual yet upscale outdoor party with kids, dogs, croquet, food, views, booze and live music. Not many cowboy hats at this soiree... great time!




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