Almost Normal - A Recap of our 7th Annual Member Appreciation Wine & Food Pairing

Our annual member appreciation wine and food pairing event has become a perennial favorite for members over the last several years.  Unlike other events hosted SIMCAC, where senior technology executives are drawn together based on shared professional ambitions and interests, this special celebration provides an ability to build and deepen friendships and community in ways that our other events simply can’t match.   Whether that’s due to the inclusion of significant others, or simply the flow of good food and wine, it’s part of SIMCAC’s special sauce that makes membership such a beneficial and meaningful investment.
 
That’s why our board couldn‘t imagine skipping this year’s celebration, and why so many volunteers (including spouses) were eager to make sure that wouldn’t happen.  So, after weeks of preparation, long days of hand-etching wine glasses, and hours of packaging and distribution, we were finally able to come together on Saturday, July 18^th for a SIMCAC event that, while virtual, felt almost normal.
 
After a brief period of mingling, our chef (Anna Rendon of the ChiquiChef) and our sommelier (Andy Meyrowitz of Schneider’s of Capitol Hill) guided attendees as they paired Cava and Garnacha with a charcuterie board and desserts.  Favorites included the silky-smooth chicken liver mousse pate and the gorgeous and delicious panna cotta in dark chocolate tulip cups.  Throughout, Anna and Andy answered a broad set of questions about wine and food as members and their significant others laughed and exchanged wine and food stories.
 
It’s an understatement to say that 2020 has been full of personal and professional challenges, but it's times like these when community is more important than ever.  As a board, we are committed to continue to bring you that and more.  We wish you a wonderful rest of the summer, and encourage each of you to continue to leverage the connections this group provides.  As such, if you need help finding a member with a specific specialty or common interest, please reach out to a board member.  We also encourage you to attend our programs through the end of the year, as we have some amazing things planned. 

Special thanks to:

• Anna Rendon (chiquichef@gmail.com) and Andy Meyrowitz (wineharvestnews@yahoo.com) who partnered for the second straight year to deliver amazing food and wine
• Randi and Marty Meyrowitz, the owners of The Wine Harvest in Potomac, MD, who graciously allowed us to use their store for packaging and pick up
• Michael Cannon, Michael Huthwaite, and James Parks, who worked with Andy and Anna to define the menu, select the wines, and organize and execute the event
• Kim Huthwaite, who spent hours hand etching wine glasses with Michael
• Sulav and Lilian Regmi who designed and developed the SIMCAC materials included with the food and wine
• Lawk Salih and Ray Barber who volunteered to help package and prepare the food and wine for pickup

SIMCAC'S August Event: 2020 Virtual Planning Session



Open to SIMCAC Members ONLY

All SIM Capital Area members are invited to join the Board at the annual planning meeting on August 11th at 9am. Our topics will include revisiting our strategic plan, our goals for 2020, the 2020 events calendar, development of our annual budget, and plans for our charitable foundation. This is a great opportunity to get on the inside of Chapter operations, meet your SIM colleagues, and influence the upcoming activities of the Chapter. Hope to "see" you there!