Let the Party Begin!

The drive to Edgefield was not a long one. No longer than half an hour later we had arrived at the place that would later be referred to as the Adult Disneyland. The weather was beautifully hot and sunny, especially considering that is was already October. It is not often that you are able to get away with a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops and still be hot in the Fall. It was a welcomed surprise considering the weather we battled on the way down last year.

As we pulled into the parking lot I also spotted my dream vehicle...the Toyota FJ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_FJ_Cruiser)!! A couple months earlier I had read a self help book about making your dreams reality, and they recommended acting and thinking like you already possess whatever it is that you want in life. Now I don’t know how often people would pose for pictures with a vehicle they already own, but that is what I decided to do. I was happy to see it and if me showing my appreciation towards it will bring me closer to driving one of my own sometime in the future, what’s the harm J. One more happy picture to include in the Dirty Thirty Bday Album!!

Once the parking lot photo shoot concluded, we shuffled on over to check ourselves into the hotel. I do not know if it has been mentioned yet, but the first night’s accommodations were a bit old school. Because we were not able to book far enough in advance to get each couple their own room we had to improvise and go with what they still had available.

The only accommodations that were available were his and her dorms for 3 out of the 5 couples. Two couples shared one big room and the other three were to split up for the night and retreat back to his and her bunk beds strangely reminiscent of the summer camps that we used to attend as school children. Oh the nostalgia J.

Before we made it to the check in desk we ran into one of the couples that we were to spend the weekend with. The others were not supposed to show up until later but we were not going to let that get in the way of us having all the fun we could until they arrived.

I suppose our friends had a similar idea in mind because they had anticipated our arrival and had a couple of ice cold birthday beers waiting for us. What a lovely surprise! I also do not recall if I had previously mentioned this, but Edgefield is a big piece of property owned by the McMenamin brothers. They own the entire plot of land so therefore once you arrive you are allowed to wander anywhere you choose with no restrictions. How this works with the drinking of alcohol is they will give you to-go cups for your beer or the cork for your bottle of wine and you can walk anywhere you want.

At this particular moment we decided that much like in Alan Jackson’s song “Where I Come From” to do some front porch sittin’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV292aZuYEo) while we consumed our first drink of the day and damn was it good!! Nothing like sipping a cold beer on a hot day while lounging in a rocking chair on a nice big front porch. Life was good and it was only going to get better J.

After catching up a bit and inquiring about each other’s journeys, we started to think about what was next on the agenda. We decided to do first things first, and check in. Checking in was a bit different than what we are usually used to, since we did not have our own rooms. So we decided that we would get our keys, claim our beds but leave our stuff in the car until we needed it.

With that out of the way we then set our sights on something a little more extravagant. We had already sampled some of the beer up for offer but now it was time to class it up a bit and give our palates the opportunity to show their sophistication. We headed down to the wine cellar to be impressed by their extensive wine menu (http://www.edgefieldwinery.com/).

I believe their wine selection has grown in the year since we last visited because I do not remember them having so many to choose from. The white wines were divided into two different samplers, as were the reds, and they also had a dessert wine option. With so many different options we were faced with the decision of whether we should all pick the same one so that we can experience them all together, or should we all do something different so that we, as a group, could get a taste of everything they had. In the end all strategies were thrown aside and we all just ordered what we liked best lol, why complicate matters too much!!

And so the wine tasting began. Many props to the woman working the bottles at the bar, she was quite generous, not only with her pours, but her memory of how many glasses she had poured for us. It was the same woman that Shannon and I had met the last time we were there. She had not seemed like the friendliest of people but I think this time around we realized that she had a sarcastic sense of humor and lacked telling facial expressions. Sadly, these types of people often get unfairly judged and are often get undeserved bad reps as being no fun. I am glad that we were able to get to know her better and discover that our initials attitude towards her was inaccurate. She soon became one of our favorite employees rather than one that we thought was giving Edgefield a bad reputation.

As the drinks flowed our moods started to transform from pleasant, relaxed, and happy to party mode. Not that conversation was awkward with our friends but atmosphere has a tendency to loosen up even more, no matter how loose it was to begin with, once the alcohol starts to pour...probably why alcohol is the first guest invited to many parties, no matter how important some of the other guest might be.

 I also find that sharing a few drinks seems to speed up the reacquainting process no matter how long or how short the time since you last saw your friends. Well this situation was no different. We were each other’s best buds again in no time and just as things started to wrap up with our tasting, they rest of the crew was set to arrive. The timing could not have been any better!! Once again we were headed back to the front porch to welcome the rest of the crew with open arms.

Now it was officially party on! We said our hellos and birthday wishes, and shared stories about what sort of trouble we had gotten up to the night before. The other three couples had also spent the night before in a hotel, though they were in Seattle and we were in Portland.

After everyone was caught up and the other couples did the check in thing, we all headed down to the restaurant for some lunch/dinner. It was at this meal that we discovered the house garlic aioli sauce....soooo good!! The rest of the meal was good as well but the aioli really caught our attention.

One of the things that is fun about eating at Edgefield is that much of the food they serve is made fresh and is grown, either on sight, or close by, and it is grown specifically for the McMenamin establishments. Fresh home-made food is a reason to get excited, in our opinion, and excited we were!!

Once our bellies were full and our lovely meal had reached its conclusion, we decided to take in some post meal beverages on the back patio. It was less of a patio and more of an outdoor restaurant but there is no need to get to technical. All you need to know is that we were outside enjoying the heat as the sun started to set. It is not often you get such a chance once October rolls around and we wanted to soak up as much of the experience as we could.

As the sun started to sink down behind the trees that encircled the patio we figured it best to move the party up to the distillery/club house where we could make a tee time for one of the two 9-hole par 3 golf course that runs along the edge of the property (http://www.mcmenamins.com/881-edgefield-pub-course-home) while sampling some of the fine spirits that are concocted on-site.

Our first order of business was to make a tee time for the following day. It was a bit of an ambitious task considering how late in the day it was by this point. There were a few available tee times to be had but none that really suited our schedules. No one showed much keenness for an early morning round and Shannon and were the only ones not embarking on a journey home the next afternoon, so our options were few.

We made the decision to take the early morning tee time just in case we all magically felt no desire to sleep in on a Sunday morning after a late night out. I don’t need to tell you that the round of golf did not pan out. I actually was up and raring to go, but I was alone in this feat, and was not the least bit surprised that it was the case J. I believe there is a limit to the things that people will do special for you on your birthday and I think driving down to Portland for one night of partying is where most people would draw the line.

With that piece of business off the table we set our sights on a distillery tour. It turned out that we had arrived to tardy for the final one of the day, so instead we took it upon ourselves to do our own tour of their distillery by sampling all they had to offer at the club house bar and cigar room. The drink of choice was the Old Fashion and the freshly squeezed Greyhound. I believe the Greyhound was popular mostly due to the fact that each drink was made with its very own grapefruit squeezed right before our eyes. Seems like a simple thing but it was very enticing! Everyone vowed to purchase their own press juicer for their home, though I don’t believe anyone has made good on that promise at this time.

With drinks in hand we made ourselves at home at the picnic table overlooking the practice putting green, soaking up the last of the sunlight. A putting competition soon materialized but I think those involved were more concerned with putting one handed so their drinks didn’t spill, rather than taking home the imaginary Putting Championship belt.

As the sun started to set our picnic table was approached by a gang of girls who appeared to be on some kind of mission. We soon found out that they were there for a Stagette party and we looking to cross a few more items off of their scavenger hunt list. One such item was to convince someone to give the bride to be a piggy back ride. Being somewhat of a guest of honor myself, it was no surprise that I was the one the group selected to be the pig in the above mentioned piggy back ride scenario.

Being one for fun at most costs, I was game. Onto my back she hopped and we were off to the races. I believe they were looking for something short and sweet but I decided to give her her moneys worth and took a full lap around the putting green with a victory lap to follow.

Once all involved were satisfied that what had just taken place qualified a worth of a check mark, I was thanked for my participation and offered a drink in return for me services. I politely declined since I was more than happy to be a participant in their celebration, but when it was insisted I conceded. When asked about my preference I responded with “surprise me.”

In my experience it is not often that one is truly surprised with the type of drink they receive after a comment like that, but I admit top shelf brandy was not something that I would have guessed in a million years. It was generous and definitely not necessary. I do not have the slightest clue what would qualify as a top shelf brandy, and therefore think that the upgrade was wasted on my unsophisticated palate.

Nevertheless, I was still thankful for the sentiment and accepted the drink as a token of appreciation. One of my buddies told me at that point that he considered himself to be somewhat of a brandy connoisseur and after a sip of my prized drink he reassured me they had gone the extra mile to show their gratitude. In all good conscience I could not drink the rest of the fine brandy  myself knowing how my buddy felt about the elixir, so I decided to let him share in the joy and we finished it off together.

In the process of finishing the drink, much like many of you I’m sure can relate to,  we started to consider ourselves to be old experts. We started to verbalize the tastes we were experiencing in a borderline douchebag fashion. It was at this point that I was informed that a good brandy should taste more like a vapor than a liquid and let me tell you, I did feel like I was inhaling more than I was drinking. Much like any stiff drink, the second half was significantly more tolerable that the first half. But enjoyable it was!

As we began to be consumed by the pending dusk we made the decision to move the party to Ruby’s Spa (http://www.mcmenamins.com/389-edgefield-ruby-s-spa-home) for a dip in the heated soaking pool. So we went back to our rooms to strip down, swimsuit and robe up and waltz on down for relaxing soak.

The boys did their thing and reunited outside the woman’s dorm to wait for the girls to join them. What was meant to be a short waiting period ended up taking longer than expected, with a little bit of awkwardness mixed in.

An interesting part of the experience in Edgefield is that because of the hotel being a transformed poor house, the rooms do not have their own private bathroom and shower facilities. So this being the case, one of the female guests decided it was more convenient for her to walk from the shower back to the room to get ready, rather than haul everything she would need to the bathroom with her. It sounds like a good plan, and would have been if it were not for a bench of unexpected guests waiting outside of her dorm room.

We tried our best to look away and act like we didn’t notice that she was there in front of 5 guys and 2 girls that she had never seen before in nothing but a towel, but no matter how great of actors we were it was impossible not to pick up on the strong air of uncomfortability. When she saw us her eyes dropped and her feet transitioned into an accelerated shuffle J and no one could blame her.

After an extensive wait the last of our crew finally emerged from the dorm. We were all waiting for an explanation and we were not disappointed when we got it.

So the first thing that happened was that there was a mix up with the lockers. One of the girls (I will not name names.....Shannon) was able to convince another guest that she was in the wrong locker and even got her to remove her things and find another one to put them in. Why did she do this you ask? Well there was a mix up with the keys that they were assigned, the old 6 or 9 mix up. Funniest part about the story was that Shannon was the one that was incorrect, not the other girl. But she must have been quite convincing because she got her to move her stuff from the correct locker (which she would have known because the key worked in the lock) to the incorrect locker (which the key that she possessed did not fit into). So after all was said and done the conflict was resolved by both girls having their stuff in the wrong lockers that would not lock because the keys did not match...since they were the wrong lockers lol.

The other funny part of the story was the older woman that was just sitting in the corner of the room with her ipod earbuds in, knitting in hand and.....watching all the other guests getting changed. She probably did not set out to be creepy but one cannot ignore the fact that there are literally hundreds of other places, not only in the hotel, but on the grounds outside the hotel that would have been a better and more peaceful location to knit. The only thing that was clear was that she did not share the same opinions as we did about what was the best place to knit and listen to music J.

Now it was time to hit the soaking pool. Though I do not believe that there is ever a bad time to go for a soak, there is clearly sometimes that are better than others and this seemed like a great time for one. Off we went donning our complimentary robes, looking like the least intimidating gang you would ever meet.

Shannon and I were no strangers to the soaking pool, we had been there before, but we had talked it up all evening and it was time to see if the pool lived up to the expectation that we built up in our friends minds. The answer was unanimously “YES”!!

It’s a beautiful spot. It uses salt water at a hot tub temperature, and the pool is surrounded by tropical plants and bamboo fencing giving it an exotic feel. The pool also includes an island of plant-life with a shower nozzle dripping down and creating relaxing ambient noise and a small ornamental bridge that allows one to cross the water without getting wet. It does an amazing job of creating your own private piece of paradise to relax and enjoy life......and it has a straw hut bar! Edgefield always does it right by making some that is already fun, that much more fun simply by adding a bar J.

Our time at the soaking pool was divine. It was great to have the hot tub experience with friends without having it feel like a human version of Tetris. As fun as it can be to treat a hot tub like a clown car and fit as many people as possible into a tub meant for 4 people, having a similar experience in a big open pool has its own type of charm. Invigorating conservation was had, delicious hand crafted drinks were consumed, muscles were relaxed and it was an all around blast of a time!

We did not spend too much time in the pool because we did not want it to drain all of our energy for the rest of the night. I have been in that situation before and it does kill the party vibe. I, one time, was so tired after a hot tub session that I had to crawl up the stairs and I barely made it to my bed before I was out. This was before I was old enough to drink and when I was still young enough for it to be acceptable for me to sleep over on my best friends floor....now imagine if you mix alcohol into the equation....ohhhh boy!!

Once again we all retreated back to our rooms to change out of our swimsuit and into something more appropriate for the remainder of the evening. Our plan at this point was to reconvene at the one room that our friends were able to book and from there we were to head to the theatre for a movie, food, and you guessed it, more refreshments.

Things ended up being delayed by a surprise birthday cake that was waiting for me in the room. I was excited and also a bit confused because I could not figure out how this homemade cake was able to make it all the way down to Portland. I soon learned that is was iced and decorated in the back of the car on the way down. How is that for a birthday gesture?! There is some merit in having a beautifully decorated cake from someone’s well stocked kitchen but the love that was put into the one that was decorated in the back of a car on a road trip, sets the bar pretty high! I was truly flattered J.

By the time we made it to the theatre we had missed most of the movie and therefore decided to entertain each other out on the patio. We still had our food (an amazing pizza!!) and our drinks, and friends to talk with rather than a movie to watch. You can watch movies anytime (like the next evening when it was just Shannon and I) but friends are not always around....and if they are, you sometimes wish they weren’t (dude we need some space!!) Staying consistent with the rest of the day, a large amount of fun was once again had J.

We spent a good amount of time out on the patio but the inevitable finally happened. The first members of the group started to bow out. I completely understand why they would, it was late, many drinks had been drunk, and we had spent a large amount of time in the spa. It had to happen at some point, and that was the point.

Slowly but surely the group started to shrink until there was only three. What to do now? Had we not seen a fire pit up by the distillery/club house? Indeed we did and that is where we decided to do next and I am very happy that we did.

There was a group around the fire that were a bunch of old friends. There were very inviting to our group and in no time at all we were sharing funny stories from our pasts. They had a number of good ones but they all seemed to revolve around a certain theme. There was one guy in the group that everyone seemed to enjoy giving a hard time. It was not unfair, and he was a good sport about it all. It was not malicious in the least, but rather a fun dynamic. Interestingly enough, it was not long before we were right in there with the other guys. It was an interesting time. It is not every day that you meet a group of randoms that you hit it off with so well after such a short period of time after meeting.

As the hours past we realized that we are no Energizer rabbits and as much as we would have denied it if asked, we did need some sleep. We gave in to our bodies and finally let them have their ways. Off to bed we went.

We crept into our dorm room and found our way into our top bunks as stealthy as possible, which in reality, was probably not stealthy at all, and in was no time we were asleep.

Since that day was the only day that the whole group would be together for we wanted to squeeze every last bit of fun out of it before it came to an end. We packed a lot of things into a short period of time and the result was a birthday for the ages. It was all that I had hoped it would have been, and much much more.

Everything worked out better than I ever would have thought and I will remember all the fun we had for a long long time. Think about it, this was almost a year ago, since I am so far behind on my blog, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Great memories!!