The first mixer of the year for the LA CRA was last night. Hosted by the Chivas team @ the Honda Center, the environment was amazing.

(From out front)

Like a good little attendee, I went on the tour of the facility:
(from the soccer field)

The event was hosted up there (great view, lemme tell you!) overlooking 27,000 seats.

The Chapter seems very robust, and while I only knew one person walking in, I did get to meet quite a few people. I had forgotten how inclusive the restaurant industry can be – and what it feels like to be the “new girl” in a group. On a high note, I had missed those same things – what a tightly knit group restaurateurs are, and how familial. This is what I fell in love with about the industry back in high school when I decided to go to UNLV in the first place.

All in all, I liked the event, and the people I met. Blair Salsbury was great, so much that I went up and said hello at the end of the event. He is an engaging public speaker and was so nice to keep checking in with me for the event – I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone more, and attending more events in the future.