Africa "The Next Contender" was a conference hosted by the Darden African Business Organization where they invited guest speakers including the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of African Affairs, a world renowned professor who is the founder and editor of Jenda: Journal of African Culture and Women Studies, representatives from the International Monetary Fund, and entrepreneurs who are taking advantage of investment opportunities in Africa. My biggest takeaway from the conference is the importance of Africa in the global marketplace. Africa is a continent under construction with immeasurable opportunity. Did you know that Africa had 4.5% economic growth last year or that 60% of the arable land is in Africa or that there are 52 African cities with a population of at least 1 million people? To learn more, I encourage you to read (or at least skim) the McKinsey Report "Lions on the Move: The progress and potential of African Economies".
After the DABO conference, I joined the Wine and Cuisine Club. Mark Thompson, the founder of local craft brewery Starr Hill (I truly enjoy their Amber Ale, Northern Lights, and Dark Starr Stout) spoke to our group about the growing craft beer market and the explosive growth his company has experienced during the last 3 years. This is music to my ears because I truly enjoy good craft brews and Blake and I spend much of our travel time hunting for brewpubs and sampling the local fare. He also shared exciting news that they will have 4 limited releases this spring including, Smoke Out (German Bock), Crypitical (Imperial Stout), Monticello (a beer made with hops from Monticello), and a Double Platinum India Pale Ale. They are featuring many of these news beers at their brewery in Crozet. I need to mark my calendar for a beer tasting, anyone else? I really enjoyed the conference and even impressed Mark with my knowledge of Simcoe Hops...thanks Mom!
I spent last evening with our good friends Marty, TyAnne, and Melissa. Marty and TyAnne are from Washington State (so we have the Northwest connection) and were my very first friends in Charlottesville. Marty was a groomsman in our wedding and TyAnne fixed my wedding-do. They have two of the cutest boys in the world (Caleb who is 4 and Brayden who is 7 months). Melissa and I have also been friends since my first summer in Charlottesville and we have spent many nights deep in conversation sharing a bottle of wine. We had a lovely dinner together (Mona Lisa Pasta Ziti!) and played XBox Kinect Soccer. Our time together reminded me not to forget old friends. I have a tendency of packing my schedule with dinner parties and social events with new friends but I need to make more of an effort to spend time with this amazing family who took us in when Blake and I were alone in Charlottesville. Plus, they are really fun and I have great memories of Mexican Train Dominoes! Are there old friends that you need to reconnect with? I encourage you to call, text, or e-mail them today!
Tonight, I am throwing a Fiesta for those brave enough to participate in Dancing with the Darden Stars so I should have some great content for a future blog!
On the menu tonight:
Black Bean Enchiladas (see previous post)
Chicken Enchiladas
Southwest Salad
Homemade Vanilla Ice cream
Berry Crisp
Happiness goals for today: keep learning, enjoy good craft beer, remember old friends, and throw a fiesta!!!
i'm making curried chicken spaghetti squash. if it's good, i'll pass the recipe. when you come to starr hill, call me...it's only a mile away.
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