Last night here at TMC's Internet Telephony Conference & Expo I had dinner with Andy Abramson and a group of the movers and shakers in IP communications. I was invited to a similar dinner at TMC's VoIP Developer (now called Communications Developer).
Now I should start out this post by saying I had heard of Andy's legendary dinners before I joined one. Andy is a wine connoisseur. I am not. I am fairly clueless when it comes to the world of fermented grapes.
But once again, Andy is responsible for me having a dinner of lifetime.
Andy assembled a who's who in IP communications/voice 2.0 market. There were large companies who are name brands as well as start-ups at the same table. All of this with some great media and blogger participation.
This is a group of people I wish I had a day to spend with.
The food last night was amazing, exquisite and something you just don't eat every day. There was pork that tasted unlike anything I have ever eaten. The pork, lobster and scallop courses all melted in the mouth.
The culinary experience was surrounded by fantastic wines Andy supplied from his personal cellar of over 10,000! Not a misprint. Andy paired the wines and courses and in every case he could tell more about the wine than you remember about your prom date in high school (even if you married her/him).
In some cases he was at the vineyard when it was started and in other cases he can tell you in detail the condition of the vines. In every case he knows how much sun the vines have had, the air the grapes breathe. It is quite amazing. Even if you are at the low end of the wine appreciation scale like yours truly, you feel like you are friends with each bottle before you sip it.
Although so far ITEXPO is doing better than ever -- more exhibitors and conferees than ever before -- and we have already received numerous testimonials -- I am just as happy to have had a chance to connect with IP communications movers and shakers while having incredible food and drink I will likely rarely have the opportunity to sample again any time soon. Thanks Andy!
Now I should start out this post by saying I had heard of Andy's legendary dinners before I joined one. Andy is a wine connoisseur. I am not. I am fairly clueless when it comes to the world of fermented grapes.
But once again, Andy is responsible for me having a dinner of lifetime.
Andy assembled a who's who in IP communications/voice 2.0 market. There were large companies who are name brands as well as start-ups at the same table. All of this with some great media and blogger participation.
This is a group of people I wish I had a day to spend with.
The food last night was amazing, exquisite and something you just don't eat every day. There was pork that tasted unlike anything I have ever eaten. The pork, lobster and scallop courses all melted in the mouth.
The culinary experience was surrounded by fantastic wines Andy supplied from his personal cellar of over 10,000! Not a misprint. Andy paired the wines and courses and in every case he could tell more about the wine than you remember about your prom date in high school (even if you married her/him).
In some cases he was at the vineyard when it was started and in other cases he can tell you in detail the condition of the vines. In every case he knows how much sun the vines have had, the air the grapes breathe. It is quite amazing. Even if you are at the low end of the wine appreciation scale like yours truly, you feel like you are friends with each bottle before you sip it.
Although so far ITEXPO is doing better than ever -- more exhibitors and conferees than ever before -- and we have already received numerous testimonials -- I am just as happy to have had a chance to connect with IP communications movers and shakers while having incredible food and drink I will likely rarely have the opportunity to sample again any time soon. Thanks Andy!
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