It was early in the day at the Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase race when I received a very important piece of advice from a friendly stranger: mint juleps are supposed to be sipped. As an elegant woman with a gentle southern accent handed me a cup filled to the brim with ice and garnished with a fresh sprig of mint, she explained that the true mint julep is meant to be sipped throughout the day and cool the imbiber down until the last ice chip melts. It is this kind of attention to detail and respect for tradition that makes the Gold Cup a special event in the DC spring season.
The full charm of Virginia’s horse racing culture was on display at the 88th Virginia Gold Cup on Saturday, May 4th. On a perfect, cloudless, 70-degree day at Great Meadow in The Plains, DC professionals and Virginia horse-lovers converged for a day of springtime revelry – in style. The shorts were short, the hats were big, the outfits were colorful, the tailgates were elaborate, and the drinks were flowing.
photo credit: WashingtonPost.com
My new found friends with the mint juleps seemed to know a thing or two about running a classy tailgate. Their rail-side plot was demarcated by a full-blown white picket fence, and they served their drinks from engraved silver pitchers. While my first reaction was one of disbelief that anyone would put so much time and effort into setting up a tailgate (folding chairs and paper plates have worked just fine for me in the past), I came to appreciate why they did it as I slowly sipped my mint julep. The effort they put into creating a beautiful experience was an expression of love for their friends, their family, and the random blogger they were spending the day with. And that, my friends, is the essence of southern hospitality.
Over at University Row the crowd was rowdier, but the alumni in attendance put as much effort into decorating themselves as those on the South Rail put into decorating their tailgates. This year’s 15th University Row featured over 80 alumni chapters, making it the largest inter-alumni social event in the Mid-Atlantic. Sponsored by the DC Bocce League, the WAKA Kickball Union, Union Jack’s of Ballston and Rock Bottom – Arlington, the Row was packed with convivial young alumni working in DC, with particularly large delegations from schools in Virginia, Florida, and Michigan.
Contestants for Best Dressed (School Colors)
As one of the judges for the University Row Best Dressed Contest, along with our good friend Brian Johnson from the Hungry Lobbyist, I got to help select and give prizes to the top three male and female contestants in three categories: Best Hat, Best School Colors, and the most-coveted Best Dressed.
Since everyone was dressed to the nines, the winning ensembles showed that it was all about the details. Did her hat have a monogram? Was his all-white seersucker suit perfectly pressed? Did her statement necklace perfectly compliment her eyelet top? Were his argyle socks his exact school colors? Were her shoes the same pattern as her dress? Did an entire ostrich have to go bald to make that hat?
A female patron for Best Dressed.
In the end, as the first, second, and third place winners danced happily away with tickets to DC United Games and gift certificates to Brooks Brothers, the day was all about spending carefree time with friends in the rolling hills of the Virginia countryside. With very limited cell phone service, everyone was able to disconnect, slow down, and get into a julep-sipping state of mind. And for those of you who want to know which horse won the race, you’ll have to look it up, because I didn’t even notice.
Best Dressed
Winner – Female Best Dressed 2013
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