My best friend in Baltimore forwarded me an email invitation to the Italian Embassy in Washington, D.C. It was hosted by Gambero Rosso, the global authority on Italian wine. I was pretty excited when I got a return email that said I was accepted to the tasting. I even went out and bought a new outfit from Men's Warehouse. I had to go with the bow tie look. Two of my mentors in life wore them. I had to represent.

I guess it worked. I was stopped by a vendor upon arriving in the embassy atrium. She needed help. "Don't you work here?" she asked. Score one for the bow tie! Several hundred wine lovers were in attendance, including distributors, wine shop owners and other media. I had the opportunity to taste more than 200 wines, if my liver would permit. Just for the record, I didn't come close.