Today I had an opportunity to attend the Eighteenth Annual New England Wine Spectacular! Since the event didn't start until the evening, I teleworked at my condo until 1530. In anticipating of (hopefully) good weather in Maine, I packed up my car for a full weekend away and left Hanover about 15 minutes later. On the way to Manchester (via I-89), I stopped in Grantham for gas. Normally, I have no trouble filling up at the Irving station on the west side of the highway. Today, though, that place had a mad rush, with very little order, for fuel. As a result of some unpleasant experiences (people not waiting their turn, people parking in non-standard ways, etc.), I gave up on the lower price and drove to the Irving station on the east side of the highway. This ended up being quicker but more expensive - oh well... By 1555, I was on my way south again and listened to some audiobooks. At the end of I-89, I decided to use I-93 toll lanes (for the first time since living in New Hampshire) and figured out it saved 10 minutes of driving time for only paying $1 (through by 1635). I'll have to remember that! After getting off I-93 and onto I-293 (on the north side of Manchester), I drove along the river until I was close to the Fisher Cats' Stadium (Delta Dental Field). That was a landmark I remembered visiting and was pleasantly surprised to find that my hotel (Hilton Garden Inn) was the one I'd remembered seeing during the game I attended in 2022. I found the parking lot mostly full when I finished my drive (1650) - there was a baseball game going on so was lucky to get a parking spot. After checking into my room, I touched base with my Jesse's happy hour friend, Denis, and his wife. They were sitting in the bar and it was a real treat to discover that it overlooked the outfield! I stayed with them until 1730, when we left for the Wine Spectacular at the nearby Doubletree. Our own hotel offered a free shuttle ride, which worked out extremely well for people who really wanted to enjoy the wine tasting! After getting a large bag full of swag, I spent the next hour hanging out with Denis and Casey (his wife) in the Bellman’s Cellar Select VIP room. The experience was awesome - I tried so many fancy/expensive wines and snacks - and everything tasted great! Another nice thing about the event was that I met interesting people, including tasters like myself and some of the vendors. Selections ranged from domestic and Canadian wines to more exotic locations overseas. Later, Denis told me that we should have reviewed the selection list beforehand to find the best tasting opportunities. The VIP room was interesting but I was even more impressed when we moved into the larger auditorium - that place had even more amazing selections! Frankly, there was too much to see/eat/drink... During this phase, I found some good macaroni and cheese, delicious meatballs and ice cream. I also picked up some good coupons, discounts and other goodies. As the night wore on, I parked at a few different tables and tried everything they offered. The pours were kind of small but the variety was unrivaled against anything I'd seen before. Denis told me he'd won raffles/giveaways, all supporting fundraising for the New Hampshire Food Bank, before but things must have changed since COVID-19 - he said he wasn't as impressed this year. As we got ready to leave (2200), we watched the vendors pouring out all the partially finished bottles of wine - sacrilege! We were able to get a shuttle ride back to the Hilton Garden (2215) and went to the bar to watch the end of the second game of the Fisher Cat Double Header. Out seats had a great view but, unfortunately, poor service. Eventually, Denis got me and Casey some drinks... As the game progressed, the baseball stands seemed to empty out and we were very surprised when the fireworks display began (2245)! I bought one more round for everyone (2300) but we never heard a "last call." Instead, the bar just closed and the lights turned out on us at around 2330. Undeterred, we stayed a little longer before heading to our rooms. After such a wonderful evening, I didn't go to bed until around 0030. Overall, I had a great time and definitely recommend this itinerary for June evening entertainment in the Granite State!
