A dream come true for me is to hang out in restaurants, watching the food come to life as servers match diners' expectations with the chef's vision on a plate. It's such a vibrant atmosphere, in a restaurant, and so much happens between the front door and the kitchen.

My friend Kim and I got that chance last May, when a student from our Ditch Your Gear class asked us to attend one of the opening parties for her new venture, The Whiskey Kitchen. The only caveat? That we come cameras in hand.

It was a great evening. Kim and I were both testing our new Fujis, and having the small camera helped me to feel unobtrusive as we shot servers, food and guests. We mingled as the house got ready to open up, and the excitement in the air was thrilling to witness. Neel joined me later for a special Opening Party dinner and we split an appetizer before ordering crab cakes and a beet burger. The strawberry shortcake did. me. in.

After our families left (Kim's family joined her for dinner too.), Kim and I stuck around for the remainder of the evening as the room got more and more lively. People were eating, people were drinking, people were laughing. You could feel the energy and excitement of the new venture thrumming through the air. I was thrilled to be a part of it.

If you're local, The Whiskey Kitchen is located at 2149 General Booth Blvd. in Virginia Beach. They're open seven days a week and in addition to any spirit you could desire, they have an astonishing variety of craft beers on tap.