Wine, chat flow at Sacto athletes party, but servings disappoint
An athletes party for the ages was promised. It didn’t quite deliver, especially at $50 a head. Despite the presence of dozens of food and wine booths (and some beer), 1,000 guests of Sacramento worlds were left to create their own festive atmosphere Wednesday night. They succeeded, as old friends reunited and new ones connected at an outdoor party on a dirt lot adjacent to the California State Railroad Museum. But lobster at Maine nationals and the Lahti buffet were far superior. Fearing summer heat, organizers set up tents over tables. But a delta breeze cooled off the itsy-bitsy entrees in high 60s temps. (See my photo gallery for a taste of the event.)
Toasting friends, 1,000 athletes had a wide variety of wines to sample.
I wolfed down one edible while waiting in line for the next micro-course. I sampled a Zinfandel but sipped water otherwise — from the same kind of dispenser used at the track. (I’m not a drinker.) A graying cover band had some pep. But in the first 90 minutes, few got up to dance.
You had to work hard to overeat at the Old Town Sacramento athletes party.
Two years ago in Lahti, John McCasey of the Sacramento Sports Commission told me that the 2011 athletes dinner would be far better. The vibe tonight was OK, but I left early, having had my fill of looking for a short line at a food booth.
Essentially, the event was a promotion for sponsoring restaurants and vintners. If the organizers followed the format used at the Taste of La Mesa (which I covered here), the LOC paid nothing for the wine and food. But the La Mesa Chamber of Commerce charged only $30 a pop, and 28 food/wine companies delivered better fare.
I had nice chats with W80 Earl Fee (noting that his new book’s chapter on tantric sex was especially popular), W90 Olga Kotelko (describing her amazing lack of soreness after events), vaulter/400 runner Steve Hardison, Joy Upshaw and a former college classmate, Martha Mendenhall, Liz Palmer, Amanda Scotti, Tom Hartshorne, Richard Watson and his jumper daughter, and others. They helped take my mind off the chilly breeze and small servings.
Wearing Kiwi colors, one couple kept warm outdoors with a close dance.
10 Responses
I am reading your report from home Ken, having bailed out early from the meet. I see I missed another not quite so fine WMA athlete’s party. It sounds to me that the party organizers did not recognize that masters athletes like to eat. Having itty bitty bites of food may be fine for a tasting but just does not make the grade the likes of us who are physically active. What a shame especially given the high price of the party ticket. (which I did not buy having long since given up on WMA parties after too many disappointing ones- I did not go to the one at Lahti – probably the only one in recent years that was well done.)
Perhaps the winning bidder for 2013 will take note – perhaps not. Wine from a water cooler – ughhhhhhhh- Brazil – take note.
Glad to know that the temps have cooled down, best of luck to all for the remainder of the meet.
And btw – no detail schedule up yet for Ohio meet – oh well it is only July 14 and the meet takes place in 2 weeks. Entries are long closed. Hum –
The band was fun, the atmosphere was lively, the wines were excellent (Mary, not from a water cooler!), and the food was delicious….what there was of it. Athletes eat more than just “tastes!” A group of us kept the party going at a local lounge and were discussing buying peanut M&Ms on the way home because we were still hungry.
I had a hard time believing anyone would serve wine from a water cooler! Even Gallo uses glass jugs for their “less expensive” stuff.
But the tasting plates – good grief – what were they thinking – oh i know – if they have big plates the first 100 will load them up and there will be nothing left for the 900 other people. For $50 I would expect much bigger serving. This was not billed as a tasting menu with profits going to charity. Glad to hear the wine was excellent. But $50 for a glass or two of nice wine and a snack!
Did you know there is a Subway’s in Old Sac maybe you could have stopped in a gotten a big sandwich – although it might have been closed by the time you left to go hunting for M & M’s.
I have never responded to any of your negative rants and cheap shots. You exceed the threshold of worthless bloggers and your handful of fellow negative pen pal clowns. Regardless of how wrong you are at least you were there but for Christ sake be there Mary Harada before you make comments on something you never attended. What a bunch fools.Oh Ken by the way you are welcome for the two freebie tickets we gave you. So at least you didn’t need to spend your hard earned cash we paid you for your worthless website advertising (another joke). Thank God the negative people are soon to be in our rearview mirror and that they are a very minor element of this overall wonderful group of people. Sorry you didn’t have as much fun as we did but I suspect you have never learned to enjoy anything.
The Athlete party was very festive and the wine and food was plentiful and enjoyed by ALL. By 9pm the food was still being served and each vendor had enough left for everyone still in attendance. The wine was from some of the best wineries in the world, and never once did I see it served out of a cooler. I felt the $50 was well spent due to the retsaurants and wineries represented.
1) Mary: since you were not there and seem to be all about hearsay, you are not allowed to comment.
2) Ken: you walk around expecting VIP treatment and freebies, and then you just dish unfounded negative comments. How long were you there? I know that myself and 99% of the people there loved it! You should look at the pictures you posted that showed people having a great time and those plates all seemed to be occupied with food. You said Lahti’s food/buffet was superior?!?!…get real!! That party had only 200 athletes and the food was inferior to what we provided, you had to pay for drinks there, and there was a wannabe Shakira performing on the stage.
You are a very select track and field blogger, but overall a very minute player in the news source field. Do not fool yourself for who you really are, and do not just write to write. (this last paragraph actually stooped down to your low level of credibility)
Response to John McCasey:
Yes, I accepted two freebie tickets. One went to a friend recently laid off at work. But I didn’t ask for the comps. When I inquired earlier in the week if tickets could still be purchased, I was told I could have a pair. I may be dumb, but I’m not stupid. I accepted the freebies.
Sorry your banner ad disappointed. But rest assured the money is going to a good cause. Every cent was committed months ago to help pay the way of David and Linda Pain to Sacramento. They had a blast at tonight’s General Assembly, and WMA President Stan Perkins presented David a plaque. I’ll be honored again to accompany them to Sacramento State this weekend.
Two sorry comment from two different respondents. Mr. McCasey – very unprofessional of you.
Mr. Robinson – nice of you to “put me in my place” and no doubt hope to shut me up. If you object to blog comments – do not read the blog.
Negative rants, I don’t like. Back home from an overall wonderful experience in Sacramento, I only have one big gripe. Many of us athletes stayed at the Doubletree Hilton in Sacramento last year during the Nationals. Back then it was promised that shuttle buses would run from the Doubletree to the main venues. This promise was heard not only by me; athletes like Earl Fee and many others confirmed it. Well, the promise was not kept. Every day, I overloaded my car with very old athletes from around the world who waited at the front door looking bewildered and lost. Mr. McCasey, promises should be honored, at least in my world. Oh, Earl is still in Sacramento. If you meet him, ask him. And don’t forget to apologize.
I went around to each food booth 3 times; from a little before 8 pm, when it was really crowded, until 9 pm, when food was still being served but getting darker and the “dessert” vendor on the right hand side had packed up. I had several tastings of wine, and everything was poured by a person out of a wine bottle- the “water cooler” remark is really puzzling- is that true?
I loved the mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, basil from Mulvaney’s B & L, I liked to the tomato soup from that stand next to them, I really liked the pulled pork sandwich and the quesadillas near the start of the food booth over on the band side, because at 9 pm they were WARM as the breeze was getting cool. The rice and sweet and sour from Fat City was filling. Oysters! The ultimate finger food! That was cool! I remember the chocolate in the paper “reeses pieces” crimped edge paper, but sadly they ran out of those before my 2nd circuit.
Personally, it was my first ever World Championships; during this meet I have met several interesting new Americans and some of the international competitors in my age goup, but I went to the party to eat and drink and listen to the enthusiastic, crowd interaction, rockin’ band play danceable lively American music; I’m a thrower and weigh 195 lbs., and I had enough to eat and drink because I didn’t go there to talk and re-connect with friends.
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