Dinner at High Table

So to the unitiated (and that would include me) I am going to tell you a bit about the big event that we will attend on the very evening of the day of our arrival in Oxford. It is called High Table, and if ever there was a nod to the glorious past and tradition, this would be it.  I'll find out how often this occurs during the school year, but I do know that since Sunday the 21st kicks-off the start of Trinity Term (my guess is they don't use the phrase "kick-off", but football habits die hard), there will be High Table to mark that. It is a pretty elaborate dinner where men wear black tie, I believe the higher-level academics wear their academic gowns, and there is a different wine served with each course of the meal. And there is "second dessert"! But let's face it, you had me at "black tie" - if I swoon, it won't be clear whether it's jetlag or the sheer critical mass of gussied-up men, my husband foremost amongst them. And speaking of that . . .

We just bought Greg a beautiful suit last night, and it occurred to me that this was the first suit we had bought for him in our 25 years of marriage. He's a casual guy, who is also almost exactly the same size as my brother David. And Dave has been his used-suit supplier over these years. But this seemed to call for something special. It's not a tux, but I did feel swoon-y when he tried it on.

While I won't know the details first-hand until Sunday evening, I read a very fun blog about one young woman's experience in the link below. It gives a pretty good picture of what we're up for.

http://www.eatori.com/2011/12/dinner-at-oxford-high-table.html

I still haven't quite figured out what to wear myself. But it will probably be black. Keep ya posted.