| NEWS 04.17.08 3:30 PM |
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| SurReal Vodka Launches in Intimate Embassy Row House |
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The main room, with dark wood beams, included a three-foot-tall ice sculpture of the vodka bottle and small florals in red and white—the colors of the Latvian flag.
Photo: Jim Folliard/Gearshift Productions L.L.C. |
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It wasn’t easy getting onto Embassy Row last night (at least for this reporter’s taxi driver), as Massachusetts Avenue was shut down for the pope’s motorcade, en route to the Vatican Embassy. That didn’t sway SurReal Vodka owners (and husband-and-wife team) Derek and Lisa Olson, who launched their brand at the Embassy of Latvia, prominently located on Sheridan Circle.
The duo picked Washington as their first stop to reach the city’s international crowd and local restaurants (30, including Restaurant Eve, Brasserie Beck, and Citronelle, have already signed on to serve the liquor). They chose the historic venue—once owned by the Smithsonian and complete with dark wood beams and stained-glass details—because of the vodka’s Latvian origins and to create a more intimate launch for their product. “We can have a quality interaction with everyone who comes through the doors,” said Lisa Olson.
The evening’s 200-person crowd sampled cocktails made with the boutique vodka’s four flavors, including the Samurai, made with SurReal’s ginger peach, champagne, apple, and crystallized ginger. Menu items included fried goat-cheese balls and mac-and-cheese bits topped with barbecue chicken from Occasions Caterers. Some guests also took over a separate candlelit lounge for late-night cigar pairings.
—Danielle O'Steen
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