ISES DC May Dinner

JA Gem of an Event
Jenna Lordo, Eventology LLC

Neptune Nectar - A Cocktail Lounge Aboard the Pintail Duchess Yacht offered a rare glimpse of Baltimore and was noteworthy because members from our Philadelphia chapter and Baltimore NACE members also attended. The cross-pollination of ideas and organizations offered a fresh accent to our monthly event.

The event opened with an impressive array of specialty cocktails. Champagne delicately laced with Midori liquor was elegantly displayed in a tall flute garnished by a large round of honeydew melon doubling as a stir stick. A steady stream of hors d'oeuvres pleased the palate with the likes of a lacy Parmesan shell topped with Proscuitto, lemongrass skewered scallops, avocado and spinach mousse, shooters of cucumber soup and a spicy tomato sauce with scrimp. A personal favorite in the dessert category was a tartlet of key lime pie. Guests were delighted to see Jerry Edwards of Chef's Expressions in action preparing his unique creations while hobnobbing with the crowd.

For Love of Wine offered a guided tour of six quality wines and ideas on using wine tastings to take corporate events from good to great. It was a rare moment to stop and savor some new wines and talk with a knowledgeable expert.

Elements' Travis-Lee Moore's décor had a nautical feeling, yet was bold and vibrant. The first deck introduced a sophisticated lounge-lizard atmosphere with brightly-toned, silk pillows with elaborate beading and tassels. Candlelight flickered from slender, clear glass cylinders, of varying heights. Floral arrangements, accented with spikes of greenery, were also set in glass cylinders. Six Ink's unique cylindrical menu cards illuminated the culinary delights and captured the Neptune feeling with colorful strands of seaweed and waves.

Each level of the vessel had its own delights. The second deck had a very chic lounge feeling with colorfully draped couches and more silk pillows sensually tossed about. The specialty drinks there were a raspberry-tainted martini in a classic glass rimmed with raspberry-colored sugar and a crème di cacao drink topped with an orchid garnish. NYX's band brought everyone to the dance floor for some late night revelry.

A finely-chiseled, mermaid ice sculpture on the upper deck seemed to reflect the stars while we sailed past a beautiful view of the Baltimore harbor into the twilight.

Thank you to our generous contributors for making our event so special. For their kindness, please consider them for your next event.

To view photos from Neptune's Nectar, please visit the May Dinner photo album.