Lafayette Art and Wine Festival - 18 Sept 2011

Today I attended the Lafayette Art and Wine Festival in Lafayette, CA. and thoroughly enjoyed myself. This was the first time of attending and I almost didn't go due to it being a lazy Sunday. But we got ourselves up and headed on out. We arrived at 11:30am and left at 2:57pm and it didn't seem like we there that long which is a good thing and says a lot about the festival - that it was that entertaining that we weren't bored.




Our first stop was at the ticket both to get a beer ticket and mug. They also have these for wine as well along with a commemorative wine glass. There is a choice of getting one ticket or four or more tickets. I choose the four tickets. Yeah I'm a lush. My secret is out (insert laughter). How the ticket thing works is, you find places where they are serving beer (or wine depending on which ticket you have) and you present the ticket to the server and you get your beer. Most of the beer booths were run by companies and they were serving a certain brand of beer. It wasn't like a bar where walk up and have a choice of beer, which made it great because you could discover new beer. Before getting some beer I got something to eat which was Mike's Pizza which for $3 a slice they should make sure the pizza is nice and hot. They didn't have an oven to keep the pizza warm. The pizza were sitting in the delivery bags. I wasn't happy about the mediocre pizza, but at least I had something in my stomach before drinking.
I first tried the Longboard by Kona (KW Builders) which I didn't care for. While walking around I came across two gentlemen that played Italian love songs. One was on a classical guitar and the other on a mandolin (hearstringsmusic.com). We sat on the curb behind them and just listened to the music. After a few minutes, we walked around and came across a booth that had Stella Artois (LoveBugs) and enjoyed it a great deal. After getting my beer I spotted a both selling pens. Now let me just tell you that I am pen hound. The name of the company is Pens 'n Stoppers "handcrafted wood writing pens and wine stoppers by Ron Geren". The workmanship on these pens are amazing. You would have to see them in person to appreciate it. We ended up buying a pen and are having him make us mechanical pencils. He stated that mechanical pencils don't sell that well so that the reason he doesn't make many of them or bring them out for sell. They seem to be a sort of supplied as requested. To contact Ron, you call 925-292-1922 or email pensnstoppers@yahoo.com.

We walked around some more and looked at the other things they had there from wood carvings, to metal sculptures and clothes. On our way back to the main area I stopped at Trumer Pils (Nerd4Rent Computer Service and Training www.nerd4rent.com). This was another beer I didn't care for. We walked back to the Italian music makers and sat down and just watched people, which is one of my favorite things to do. After I finished the beer I wanted to try some dark beer. I told you I was a lush (insert laughter with a strange look). But let me add that I usually don't drink like that. It's usually one beer and I'm done. But since I did purchase four tickets I felt like I had to use all four.

While walking around trying to find dark beer I came across a man holding Stuffed bulldog with a Mini shirt on from the Mini Cooper of Concord. I skipped the beer and went to tell my partner that I found the Mini of Concord booth. We walked over to the booth and found the most unfriendly people on the planet. We looked at the cars that were there and then I wanted a stuffed bulldog but instead I got some stuffed shirts so we left with a bad taste in our mouths. However, this is not the first time we have encountered unfriendliness from the folks at Mini of Concord. The BMW side of the company is fine, but I digress.

I had one more ticket left and decided to try the Wildmer beer at the KW Builders both where I got the Longboard beer and I did like the Wildmer. By that time we decided it was time to head out but not until I finished the beer so we found a place to sit and I drank my beer and we headed out.

Now for the two activities I participated in in between the walking and beer drinking. First was the UFC Gym booth that allowed you to spin a wheel and win a prize. I won a backpack. Sweet. Then later down the line a clock booth (clocksetc.net) had a wheel and I spun that and won a pop out clock. I had to go to their store to get it which was right around the corner from the booth.


The festival was crowded which was a good thing to see. There's nothing like going to an event to find it a bit void of people. Makes you wonder about the event and not want to return. But this one was packed with not only people but dogs as well. All kinds of dogs were there and they were all adorable.
I am looking forward to attending next year.