This New Year's Eve was one of the most joyous and memorable we've had. Tynan and Elena (and the kids, Alexander and Paula) hosted us at their house, along with their dear old friend Jim.Elena, from Bilbao, cooked her traditional fish soup, the only fish soup I have ever liked. It's unbelievably good. Elena also served an excellent meat/potato pie (because Tynan was having a craving). And there was a feast of tapas before dinner.
Elena was working in the kitchen when we arrived and greeted us in an elegant (not) Fuengirola-style (definitely) outfit.
Tynan had a beautiful fire burning in the fireplace — on the TV screen. He briefly changed it to Darth Vader's funeral pyre, which apparently burns for five hours. But we only lasted five minutes before begging him to change it back.
After dinner, and before the countdown to midnight and the traditional consuming of 12 grapes to bring good luck in the New Year, San Geraldo led us in a rousing rendition of "The 12 Days of Christmas."
We then turned off the "fireplace" to join in the television countdown. One of the presenters created quite a stir with her bizarre get-up. She was all over the newspapers on New Year's Day — after being all over on New Year's Eve. It would have worked much better had her co-presenter worn something similar (well, maybe not). (Click the pictures to see them in all their glory.)
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| WE MADE THE SAME FACE. |
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| PAULA DOESN'T KNOW I MANAGED TO GET A PICTURE. (DON'T TELL.) |
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| I SUCCESSFULLY DOWNED ALL 12 GRAPES. |
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| JUDY NEEDED SMALLER GRAPES (OR A BIGGER MOUTH). |
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| AND THERE'S SAN GERALDO AND HIS HEAVENLY GLOW. (REALLY THE GOLDEN GLOW OF THE FIVE RINGS.) |
Since I accidentally deleted my video of our final verse (dammit),
here's another non-traditional rendition of the song.
Holy cow! The presenter and Mariah Carey must have the same dresser... different colors, but both with the bathing-suit-style with sparkly stuff and fishnets or something like that. :)
ReplyDeleteAnyway... looks like ENORMOUS fun! Friends! Best thing in the world :)
Judy:
DeleteIt was such a wonderful, relaxed, joy-filled, love-filled, laugh-filled night! Next year, I'm going to wear a Speedo and a mesh body suit!
I can see that it WAS a great time for you all, Mitch!!
ReplyDeleteLOVE that 'starry' outfit too!! He looks fine the way he is!!
Always good to spent happy times with friends.
Jim:
DeleteYeah, despite the fact that I though her outfit was ridiculous, she could carry it off much better than her co-host.
What a fun new year eve!!!! It's been interesting reading everybody's different new year eve traditions around the blogosphere.I hope you both have a wonderful New Year!!!!
ReplyDeletemistress maddie:
DeleteI'm so amazed that you're already out of bed after your New Year's Eve! Or maybe you're not...
12 grapes...interesting! HNY to you and SG and the cats!
ReplyDeleteanne marie:
DeleteThe 12 grapes tradition is so much fun. Important things we've learned from experience: Make sure to get seedless grapes and, although big juicy grapes are delicious, they make New Year's success a bit more difficult to achieve.
What fun! We were asleep by midnight here, but we were probably still awake for yours! ;-)
ReplyDeleteWilma:
DeleteWe were so adult this year, making well past midnight. Last year we were like you. And in the States we always watched the ball drop in Times Square and were asleep by 12:10.
Happy New Year to you both - glad you had a fun New Years!
ReplyDeleteCheapchick:
DeleteWishing you the same for 2017!
I could never get past the eleven lords a-leaping. But then, how can six geese lay five golden rings [scratches head]?
ReplyDeleteWalt the Fourth:
DeleteAnd as you might have noticed from the series of pictures, our group DID have six geese laying five golden rings while a lord or two was leaping.
I had just heard about the Twelve Grapes thing about a week ago and now I'm hearing about it everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThe only grapes I had New Years Eve were in a champagne bottle ... does it count if I had twelve glasses???
Bob:
DeleteWell, some people I know would say your version does count. I know someone who hates fruit. He eats 12 grape jelly beans every New Year's Eve. Somehow, I don't think it's the same thing.
What a good time! I would love to attend a party like that on NYE!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of tv hosts, we watched Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin in their NYE special in New York. Those two always make me laugh!
Jennifer:
DeleteI DO miss watching the ball drop in Times Square, but it wasn't quite the same once we moved to the West Coast anyway.
It sounds like you enjoyed a wonderful New Year's celebration. I hope 2017 brings you excitement and joy.
ReplyDeleteStephen:
DeleteWishing you the same... and perhaps a bit less stress.
May 2017 be a marvelous year for you both.
ReplyDeleteSpo:
DeleteWishing you the same!