8

We were based at a hotel for the New Year. It wasn't my idea, but it was a great one and meant we were within easy staggering distance of the various festivities. Starting with a room already supplied with Champagne and where coffee arrived almost as one thought of the idea.

Then there were the afternoon cakes, which were somehow designed to look like fashion items from the current season. Kind of Hermes handbag shaped sponges and Nina Ricci inspired slurpy things - about ten designers were featured in this little procession of cakeness. There are pictures but they are on another phone and may take a while to extricate. Suffice to say "Yum".

A little later it was time to wander across to the Apollo for the New Years Eve performance of Wicked, playing to a packed house and one of the few shows in London starting at a normal mid evening time of seven thirty. Already by this time, the effects of gentle imbibing were beginning to be felt and at the end of the show it was a decision about whether to head for the Thames in the drizzling rain or to find another venue. the Blue Bar won and we decided to experiment with the cocktails which came in tall and rather exquisite crystal glasses (or in one case complete with the shaker which contained another full measure of whatever it was in every round). Pacing was important because as the midnight hour approached, the clubby dance atmosphere flicked up a notch as the waitresses in their glittering masks started to dispense party crackers and complementary champagne.

The arrival of midnight was probably something of a guess, but we all celebrated together, whether it was the right time or not and then after the flip into 2008, we continued for another hour or so before deciding to head for the hotel room.

Luckily Brunch was served until one p.m. today. They must have known.

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