An Evening at Hogwarts...with alcohol

First, let me explain and try to defend the Harry Potter reference.  If the only point of reference you have for the English education system is what you've read in Harry Potter books, everything resembles Harry Potter.  Every school kid I see in uniform (and that's all of them) makes me think of Harry Potter.

My evening at Hogwarts...Vanessa was invited to be the keynote speaker for the annual formal dinner of Salmond College, a residential college at Otago.  It's basically a residence hall with RAs and residents spanning all years.  Instead of an RD as we know it, it has a Master (aka their Dumbledore) who lives on site with his wife.

We arrived for pre-dinner drinks with the Master and members of the advisory council who are members of the University and local community who help govern the college.  After a glass of wine and some mingling here, we lined in up a procession in the order in which we would be seated at the head table. Yup, just like Hogwarts!!!  All the students were standing as we walked in and stayed standing until we all were seated.  As keynote speaker, Vanessa was seated right next to the Master and as her date (and assistant), I was seated next to her.  I sat next to an associate editor of the Otago Daily Times and his wife and across from a gentlemen who worked as a referee for the New Zealand Football (soccer) Association and his wife.

On our table, and all the student dining tables, were New Zealand Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc plus a sparkling wine.  When dessert came, they brought out a New Zealand Riesling, but since I'm starting work tomorrow, I figured I'd had enough.  It was all, in my lowly wine expertise, delicious!!  After V's fantastic speech and closing remarks by the Master, students were asked to rise as we processed out and back to our pre-dinner drink room for post-dinner drinks...liquors and coffee and tea.

Tomorrow is my first day of work!!  I'm a bit nervous....