A New Year

Well, here I am; it’s the first morning of 2012.  What am I doing?  I’m hungry believe it or not!  We need bagels so the car is warming up and Romeo and I are going to go to Einsteins to pick up some fresh warm bagels.  Then I can begin my day!

Last night for the first time since we can remember, we spent New Year’s Eve by ourselves, sort of.  Us and 1,000,000 people in Boston,  mostly there for First Night.

Our New Year’s Eve festivities began in Kenmore Square at Hawthorne Bar.  We got there at 4:52.  It opens at 5.  Island Creek Oyster Bar was open and busy so I said let’s go there but Roy had his mind set on the Hawthorne Bar.  He had a plan. I needed to argue about it on the steps of the Hotel Commonwealth for a minute and then we looked at a photo exhibit in the hotel which by the way is outstanding and by the time we were finished the bar was open.  We were the first people there!  The staff was busy stocking the bar, straightening their bow ties and getting themselves geared up for the big night. We ordered two Kir Royales.

The first time we had Kir Royales was in Megeve, Switzerland on one of our ski vacations.  I can still remember the bar in the beautiful alpine hotel, all pine, big plush sofas and antelope heads on the walls.  Like something out of a Ralph Lauren photo shoot.

Along with our Kir Royales at the Hawthorne, we had some knibbles with our drinks; a cheese plate with Stilton from Nottingham, quince and apricot/thyme jam, toasts and crackers; warm mixed olives, marinated mushrooms.  Just enough to hold us over until Chinatown.

We hopped the train to Boylston Street where all the action was taking place.  The parade, ice sculptures, people.  We stopped into Dunkin Donuts for a coffee before heading over to the theatre.

We saw Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.  I’ll save you the money.  Don’t bother; yes, it’s critically acclaimed but it’s a snore.  Bo-ring!  Oh well, can’t win them all.

After the movie we walked over to Chinatown for dinner at New Jumbo Seafood.  Is there a better way to bring in the New Year than having a feast in Chinatown?  We’ve done it so many times over the years.  We were going to be alone but some friends joined us after seeing Mavis Staples at Symphony Hall. Why didn’t we do that?

Lobster with ginger and scallions, house fried rice, clams in black bean sauce, pea pod stems.  No leftovers!

We took the train back to Kenmore.  It was about 8 minutes to midnight so we decided to go back to the Hawthorne for the countdown.  It looked totally different.  The room was packed, music blasting, balloons stuck to the ceiling, champagne being served gratis; quite a different atmosphere than 5PM.  We found a corner with 3 big leather chairs, sipped some champagne, the boys had a couple of after dinner drinks and we counted down the minutes.  I thought we’d be tucked away by midnight but here we were celebrating the New Year!

So what will the New Year bring?  We’ll keep you posted.

See you at the bar….

Oh, and P.S. – I’ve changed my header picture – the wheels of cheese – that’s in Sardinia, the home of Pecorino!

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