First #6 - Greet, Eat, and Meet (GEM) at CLC

This is a small first but worth mentioning.  For the last year or so, College of Lake County has been  hosting what they call GEM or Greet, Eat, and Meet receptions.  They have been held about once per semester and they are co-hosted by a department or division on campus and the culinary arts program.  I've been meaning to go but something always seemed to come up.  However, yesterday I finally made it to my first GEM and it rocked.  Thanks to Kelly C who also had never been before and reminded me to get a ticket.

Basically, it was a really awesome happy hour--scheduled at the end of the work day (4:30 -6:30 pm) and featuring amazing food prepared by CLC culinary students.  Plus, the whole thing is a fundraiser for CLC student scholarships so it was a win-win.  I meant to take pictures but forgot because I was so busy enjoying various small plate delicacies including a little lamb chop that none of us initially identified as lamb, pulled pork with a blueberry glaze, and an array of tasty appetizers.  I discovered that I like beets, thanks to a bruschetta with yellow beets and goat cheese.  Holy crap, it was good and I haven't even mentioned the dessert table.

However, even better than the food was the atmosphere--a lot of CLC staff and faculty and their families as well as community members mixing and mingling.  It just felt like a community--a feeling that's been a little lacking at times at CLC because we've gotten so darn big.  I left at 6:00 pm to go pick up Polly and I felt relaxed, full, and grateful that I work at CLC with so many good people.

This may have been my first GEM reception but it will not be my last.  Come join me next time!