Independence Day
Here I am actually not referring to Bolivia’s Independence
Day on August 6, but the 4th of July – not so much the holiday
itself, but the party I need to co-organize with the Embassy staff.
I am assigned to head the committee for drink – a task I thought should rightly be mine, given my knowledge of drinks (alcoholic, in particular), and my background as a bartender. At the last 4th of July party, we ordered enough drinks – three different types of beer, two types of wine (red and white), and the champagne for the toast, not to mention the non-alcoholic drinks that, at these events, take the rank equivalent to what the lettuce is or the sesame seeds on a Big Mac. Not surprisingly, people had drinks last year, but there would plenty left over, since the guests were not necessarily lining up for seconds. That would change this year.
Many people are only too familiar with the logistics and
intricacies that circumvent the preparation for parties. Whether it’s a
birthday party, a baby shower, or a simple social barbecue, a lot of planning
goes into these events, all geared to ensure that all guests have a good time
and the host can come out of the whole deal with his or her reputation still intact.
Organizing the 4th of July party for over 700
guests is another animal altogether, as I have discovered. Here the organizers
are split into committees – head of food operations, drink, entertainment,
security, etc. Here you are not only trying to impress your neighbors but
foreign dignitaries, five star generals, and possible future heads of state.I am assigned to head the committee for drink – a task I thought should rightly be mine, given my knowledge of drinks (alcoholic, in particular), and my background as a bartender. At the last 4th of July party, we ordered enough drinks – three different types of beer, two types of wine (red and white), and the champagne for the toast, not to mention the non-alcoholic drinks that, at these events, take the rank equivalent to what the lettuce is or the sesame seeds on a Big Mac. Not surprisingly, people had drinks last year, but there would plenty left over, since the guests were not necessarily lining up for seconds. That would change this year.
This time, we celebrate America’s brewing skills and
order a dozen different beers from ten different states, most of them
gourmet, top shelf beverages whose origins are pinpointed on maps. Add to
this the six different wines from the state of California, and we are sure
that the guests will find something palatable this time around. There will also be Jack Daniels and Maker’s Mark on request, drinks I myself will dispense of. All I can say is that the guests certainly were not disappointed.
We quickly discover that it makes a difference whether you
are offering Sierra Nevada or Bud Light, Red Hook or Miller High Life. Here,
the most respectable people within La Paz society line up for seconds and
thirds, and the suds are gone with an hour to spare.
Whereas some people drink a beer or two, others regularly return to the bar to get loaded, literally.
One dignitary to go unnamed here returns to the bar to
test all twelve beers we've procured, and although his conduct is still
nothing short of exceptional, there is no doubt he has balance issues when he
leaves the premises.
I’m guessing that people certainly appreciated the food and
the native American dancers and the jazz singers putting on a special
performance for their benefit, but I am equally confident here that the bar
more than held its own and gave our guests a taste of America altogether
different from what they’d had in mind when they first arrived.
People often measure social events by the drinks served, and I think that still holds true, whether it's at a frat party, or in this case one of the biggest social events to be organized in La Paz.
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