2010, off to a promising start!

A whole new decade! Wow. Pretty wild, huh? I spent the midnight moments at work, but as it happened there was no where else I would rather have been.

I arrived at 11am, ready for a loooong day, dressed in my NYC finest! Preparations for the evening began almost at once, balloons were everywhere!



Marcos, the fantabulous lunchtime Maitre d', was working lunch and also getting ready to be the musical entertainment for the night. He's kind of a powerhouse.



Raffaelle-- known as Raffa-- and Patrick busied themselves in the absence of ANY lunchtime customers, with tying the party balloons to Marcos belt loops without his knowledge. Thought I knew I should object, I have to say it was just a little bit funny to watch Marcos frantically setting up his equipment whilst dragging silver and gold balloons around. Nonetheless, I told Raffa he should probably sit in the corner for a bit and think about what he'd done. Being the only girl in a room full of boys gives you a surprising amount of clout. I try not to let it go to my head. Sort of.



Little by little things came together. Musicians arrived. Check out this guitar;



And the party was going at last!

Everyone was seated by 10:30, at which point the owner, Lumi and I began to toast the occasion, joining the waiters in a little (ok, a LOT) of Prosecco at midnight! Europeans really know how its done, I must say.

Even David joined the fun!



No place I'd rather have been. Throughout the evening, a feeling of complete happiness filled me up, as though I was with a family of sorts. A mis-matched, haphazard group of displaced people who have all come together in the same place at the same time, far from home, to celebrate together.

Some of us took the celebrations very seriously;


Some of us were a bit silly about it;




Some were just happy the dinner rush was over;


The strength and meaning of the connections that have been forged between me and these crazy Euro-goofballs over the past few months hit me like a ton of bricks. I love these people, and I feel so lucky to be a part of their world. This is a special time and I'm happy to be sharing it with them.



May 2010 bring you all the things you hope and more!