Camarooned in the City: Part III

Sunday was another recovery day, not only from the previous night's festivities, but in preparation for for The Dinner Party to come. Marooned mustered up the courage to leave the building and go for a long walk around noon, and then we dressed and departed the house.

The Blue Fairy and the Vintner hold an annual holiday party, in Portland, in Iceland, and this year, in New York City. The invitations are hand written, in (and I'm hazarding here, because I know she'll correct me with kindness) the style of Emily Post, circa 1922, and I always reply in kind (except this year, when I did so via email, but only because the response would never have arrived in a timely manner, I swear!). The dress code is black tie optional, the wines are fantastic, there is home made gingerbeer and egg nog, and the company is always a delightful combination of longstanding friends (the Artist) and newcomers who feel like familiars (some more than others =P) by the end of the evening (click here for details). The Fairy wore an exquisite new vintage dress in a colour I believe we decided was blush, I wore a green and white cocktail dress I adore, and think is festive without being holiday sweater-esque, and my favourite red coat. We even encountered a fellow attendee in our subway car - she'd begun her journey in Brooklyn and we joined her in the East Village - which is rare, and contributed to the growing evidence that I do live here. It's been a year, I know.

We stood in the hallway drinking and cruising the cheese platter, completely in the way of our hosts and arriving guests, told and re-told stories, examined a papier-mache heart, and laughed until we ached - my cheeks had that post-photo session feeling.

The Menu
Baguette and Challah rolls
Cheese plate with Mobay, Goat Gouda and Goat Brie
Green salad
Garbanzo Pomegranate Salad
Key Lime Green Beans with Thyme
Baby red potatoes with garlic and gorgonzola
Spinach, artichoke heart casserole
Butternut squash, eggplant, mushroom and chestnut lasagna
Shrimp Curry and rice
Apple tart

We stayed late, but not too late, as Marooned was heading to Montreal in the morning.

Except that his plane was unable to leave Montreal in the first place, due to the weather. He rescheduled himself for the following day, direct to Vancouver, and returned to the East Village. We ordered Indian food from my favourite, Brick Lane, and played cards. And the next day, he was gone.