New Year's Eve 2011: A Theory and a Dip

Can I just say that I’m a little bit pleased to be DONE with the holidays? When the holidays are done correctly, they are absolutely exhausting! I know we all have moments in life where you feel like there’s just not enough time. But, from mid-December to January 1, there seriously isn’t enough time. Between the cooking (eating), shopping, and partying (drinking), you really kind of need a vacation from your vacation.

But, I’d be lying if I said that this wasn’t one of the best holiday seasons I’ve had. It was great. I loved every single moment, even the 10-hour shopping sprees where I made a rule that I could not buy a single thing for myself.

Now, I have a theory on New Year’s Eve. Allow me to share. NYE is like your high school prom*. That is, it is never, ever as good of a night as you think it’s going to be. It can’t ever live up to the hype. And because it can never live up to the hype, you have no other option but to set your expectations low. Better yet, don’t set expectations. Just see what happens. Don’t overspend on an outfit, don’t update your Facebook with statements like “New Year’s Eve 2011: It’s gonna be the best night everrrr!” You’re setting yourself up for a loss if you do. Don't say I didn't warn you.

So this year, my friend Kathy mentioned that she was hanging out at this hole-in-the-wall bar. So, that’s what I went with. I figured that, no matter what plans we make, we’ll find a way to have fun. So, we grabbed a quick bite and then met up with Sarah to pregame before the party really got started.

It turned out to be a really good time, all things considered. The drinks were cheap, which was super nice. I was in good company, which was great. You know how in movies there are times where all the characters are badly (drunkenly) dancing with each other looking all carefree and fun-loving? I think that if there was a camera crew filming us that night, that’s what we looked like. There was a cover band playing “90s angry chick music” (think Alanis’ “You Oughta Know” and Meredith Brooks’ “Bitch”) and I love that stuff.

Here’s a pic from that night, taken before the drunkenness and the dancing:

I'm not a sequin girl by nature but I feel like NYE = sequins.

Now, everyone knows what you’re supposed to do on New Year’s Day, right? Eat black-eyed peas! It’s a rule. You must eat them on New Year’s Day to ensure good luck in the coming year. Well sooooomeone (Ray) doesn’t like black-eyed peas and swears they taste bitter. So, I did what any good girl would do. I got on Pinterest and found a recipe for black-eyed pea dip. It renders the peas (beans) virtually unrecognizable and is actually really good.

Here’s the recipe. I definitely recommend giving it a go even if it isn't January 1. The image above and the recipe are both courtesy of The Pioneer Woman.

All in all, I’d say that the New Year shaped up pretty nicely. Today, I’m back to the normal routine, including yoga, and couldn’t be happier.


* My theory on NYE also applies to movies like Anchorman and Avatar.