I'm Ian Lipner. I run the DC office for a technology PR agency, but more relevant here, I started the Capitol Case Club for DC-area wine collectors (http://www.capitolcaseclub.com).
Although I come from a food-friendly town in Chicago, Washington is the place where my palate truly developed. And here is where I fell in love with food on an entirely different level, in 1997.
I was dining at Cafe Atlantico when the epiphany hit me - that food could not only be something transcendent, but that it was a logical and rational pursuit to make nearly every meal truly experiential.
Later, Michel Richard taught me that every single bite could be experiential.
And now, I think that I'm learning from folks like Dean Gold that one can find something culinary in nearly every experience.
I'm trying my best to bring this spirit to my lifestyle.
Thanks for helping with that, Don. Seriously.
Ian