Happy (late) New Year

I decided to go with something a bit different for New Year's 2013. In previous years I've been to countless boring parties in some stuffy apartment with hors d'oeuvres and champagne at midnight, everyone making polite small talk. Or, ended up in some jam-packed bar in the village, everyone drunk and stupid. Nope, this year I asked my friend Ingrid to go to Central Park for fireworks at midnight. I read about it awhile ago but never considered it until weighing my options. She made her way up to "the hinterlands" of northern Manhattan where we started off with Prosecco and ate hummus, carrots and flatbread preparing for our night. The original plan was to do a quick photo shoot with her wearing crazy masks I made, but after the "pre-festivity" treats we bailed on that idea.

Filling a few old Pepsi bottles with 18-year-old Highland Park scotch ($125 a bottle) and ginger ale, we were on our way, without knowing what was in store.

What we found was 5000+ people all dancing, snapping photos, drinking and having a wonderful time to 80s rap music and a laser light show. Most everyone appeared to be from somewhere else...

Then the fireworks started. Who knew this went on in Central Park every year at midnight? Not me. It was actually a big show and quite impressive. It wasn't horribly cold and it had sort of a vibe you might get in the town square of some small New England town in Vermont or New Hampshire. (Aside from the laser light show and the 80s rap music.) All it needed was a bonfire.

After the fireworks we walked down to Columbus Circle, then continued down 9th Ave to Hell's Kitchen. We went to a few bars and ended up in one less crowded place that was warm and talked and drank until closing.

 I've never seen a train this crowded at 4:00am headed uptown. Ever.

A long night for everyone. Ingrid and I parted ways at 59th Street and I stumbled home. In bed by 5:00am. A nice way to bring in 2013. Happy New Year.