New Year, old favourites
Like Madsen, I spent New Year’s eve in London. Two recently-graduated friends were hosting a party in their Elephant and Castle flat. With Canary Wharf’s towers just visible from the window, it seemed an excellent setting for a party.
Food was to come later, but as the varied guests arrived we sat and chatted and drank the various beverages different guests had brought. I decided to start with beer: a mixed case from Marstons – their “Double Drop” is a particular favourite of mine. The hosts had provided a veritable banquet of buffet foods. There were sausage rolls and cocktail sausages, dips, crudites, freshly sliced baguettes, and – excitingly – slices of gammon baked that afternoon. In addition to the savoury delights, there were home-made cakes and little reminders of our childhood parties: party rings, iced gems, and pink wafers! With all suitably lubricated and fed, the chocolate fountain was pronounced ready. Fresh fruit and marshmallows were provided to coat in the sticky goo, and the more chocoholic guests enjoyed my fudge with a warm milk chocolate coating!
With midnight fast approaching, we headed out towards the river. We ended up stood opposite Parliament, with the Eye visible through trees and a side-on view of the fireworks. As midnight tolled we popped champagne corks and drank glasses of the stuff from plastic cups during the display. Afterwards, as the cold crept up, we headed back to the flat and carried on till we were too tired to continue. I spent the night tightly wrapped in a sleeping bag, and New Year’s day with my hosts helping to clear up, eating bacon, and playing War on Terror: The Boardgame. An excellent way to usher in 2008.