The Gold Standard

This weekend my wife and I attended the 82nd running of the Virginia Gold Cup steeplechase race in Virginia. A fixture on the greater Washington metropolitan area social calendar, the Gold Cup draws more 45,000 spectators for races that begin with Jack Russell Terriers and end with seven hurdle and timber horses races. Invited to attend with some dear friends from D.C., we positioned ourselves right along the fence where we were able to watch the steeds thunder past.













Despite nearly constant rainfall and an egregious degree of old-world pretension (a friend described it as “NASCAR for snobs”), it was a load of fun. There was a strict dress code--ladies had to wear spring dresses and hats while the men had to don their best spring formals or seersucker suits. We dined on a menu that included mimosas, quiche, deviled eggs, a trifle, a cheese plate, Bloody Marys, chicken salad, pecan pie, chocolate tarts, Mint Juleps, and more. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday, if I do say so myself.














In fact, it’s a good week overall for Stephanie and me. Today, she was at the White House for the arrival of the Queen of England. And Thursday she’ll be back in New York where we’ll take in a Yankees' game. Come to think of it, that's not a bad way to spend a week!