New York City is a city of gatherings and happenings and parades. Before Christmas there was the massive Santa event and when I came out of the subway at 42nd street today there were 100s of cops in New York's Finest Fall Fashion Wear. They were gathered, of course, for the Times Square Ball Dropping New Year's event. What was so cool was tourists and the police were having a grand old time taking photos.
It was a great atmosphere there during the day. 
I walked along 42nd Street past Bryant Park and the New York Public Library. I ended up in Grand Central Station. It was the last day of the Grand Central Kaleidoscope Light Show. What good fortune! I had no idea. Essentially it is one of those "You had to be there because it sounds lame if you were not" things. There is grand music and a light show that fills up the great hall. I am a sucker for such things as this. Any lights set to music and I am had. Lovely.
I got home and tried to rest before my big Upper East Side dinner party. As has been the case with about everything since I moved here: I had a wonderful time. Took the 79th Street bus across the Park to the East and the #6 subway up Lexington. Jerry from my work was the most excellent host. I have never seen a calmer one. He was gracious and sat with us knowing he had 5 courses ahead. I would have been chain-smoking with rivulets on my forehead, one for each person multiplied by each course. There were 11 of us for dinner. These are mostly old and dear friends and he asked me to join. I was quite honored. And what a great laugh. The meal was really amazing and a celebration of life, really. I know it seems weird to put things on that grand of a scale, but when someone cooks for his/her friends it always feels like that to me and I think I am correct on this one.
The soup in front of us is a fennel blah, blah, blah with a reduced blah, blah, blah. Delicious.
Jerry with Two Tarts. The candied citrus for the chocolate tart was divine.
After some time we all departed into early morning of a brand new year. I got back to my pad around 3am and went to bed.
Ciao e grazie 2007, CIAO 2008! CIAO!!!!!
Here is what I think is a quick video from Grand Central Station and the lights to music (turn your volume up!):
Happy and Healthy New Year ALL, xo Pat
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