Just a little note, if you have not noticed I like to begin my posts as if we are having a conversation, or in the middle of one, which if you have ever seen "You've got Mail" that is a line Meg Ryan's character emails to Tom Hanks. Yes, besides being a TV junky, I am also a snob when it comes to movies.

Last night, my husband and I went to a business afterhours, and we won a few door prizes, I won a dinner for two and he won gift cards to the bar we were in, which of course we felt obligated to use then and there (not a good idea on a Thursday night). After that we went to another bar/restaurant called 6th and Vine in Winston-Salem, NC. We have both been in the restaurant business and are picky on food and wine. This was excellent from the moment we walked in, we felt comfortable. It has couches, shelves of wine, a huge bar and then in the back tables. We choose to sit at the bar, we enjoy talking to people and just mingling. Food was so good, we started with Escargot which we were both fighting over it was in a puff pastry and a cream sauce, and mushrooms melted in our mouths. Then he had Pork Tenderloin and I had Steak Marinated, both so good we could not believe it, and did not talk (rare for me) and just ate and enjoyed it. I did pair my dinner with a Red Zinfandel and Stephen did a nice German lager beer. I would reccommend this to anyone who is in town. When my friends or family come down we are so going there.


About the business after hours, when we lived in Connecticut we were memembers of the Mystic Chamber of Commerce, Norwich Chamber and Eastern Connecticut Chamber, so in (1) week of every month we would have 3 after hours to go to, which when you are cash poor, is great because it is usually open beer/wine and food. Down here in the bible belt no food and cash bar, what is that? People are better at networking with a few drinks and then they can eat if they are nervous and need to do something with their hands. I can tell you the Chambers in CT are very involved in the whole community and it was always packed and we both did very well at getting business out of it. I am trying to figure out the system down here, on how people meet and mingle and bring business to each other.

We have looked into the Winston-Salem Chamber but there after hours are 4pm-6pm,not 6pm-8pm, who can leave work early? I have to think because they want you to be able to get home to your loved ones or my other suspicion is that they are cheap and do not want to have to provide anything. I am not saying all southerns are cheap, but these after hours seem to be, is it because of lack of participation or lack of funds? A think to ponder.

We also used these after hours to build friendships, because face it unless you are in school or work for a huge company, making friends at a certain age is hard. We would love to have couple friends, again not easy. I feel like we have to force people to hang out with us or come right out with we would like to be your friends. Does anyone have any ideas on how to make friends? When we were out visiting in Illnois, our friends we stayed at, had friends come over with their kids and we laughed, played cards and enjoyed each other, it was great.

I love entertaining and for once in our life, we have the room and a great place to do that an no friends. I think my husband has made a friend with someone he tried to sell a car too, and we are supposely meeting up with them next week, so that would be cool.. I have met a few people at work, but alot of them are very stand offish, have a circle of friends or don't live in Winston-Salem, so it is very hard for me. Yes, Southern's are very friendly but in a polite way not a get to know you type of way.