On an airplane today, we heard a woman tell her child that tonight was a holiday. She quickly qualified the statement with "but not a meaningful one." We've never heard it put more succinctly.
We're going to a party tonight. There, we will post up in a corner with a tall glass of bourbon and ginger ale and hopefully, against all odds, by midnight, run into some meaning .
We hope you'll join us on our mission to meet 2008 bleary-eyed, tired and drunkenly courageous.
If you're in Hollywood, ring in the New Year at the parties detailed after the jump. Or not. (For a New York guide, check out Jossip.)
Still not over raves? Still? Well, alright, try the Giant Maximus New Year's Eve party in Downtown LA. DJ Tiesto is spinning! BYOE!
Hollywood not spot LAX is having what will probably be a terrible party. For $1,250 you and five friends can have a table, one bottle of liquor and one bottle of champagne. Waitresses will periodically drop by to offer more alcohol. Take her up on that offer, because you'll need to be very drunk to piss away 2007 in this place. Last time we were there, Paris Hilton was standing on a banquette and moving her arms all snaky and weird. Fun fact: If it's your thing, they let you smoke weed on the patio here.
Micky Avalon and Travis Barker are performing at Les Deux. Tickets for this can no longer be purchased online. Don't worry, this time you snoozed and won. If you do finagle some tickets, expect LAX but worse, because on the patio here the music doesn't drown out the mediocrity.
If you're insanely bored, try out Universal City Walk. They're having a free party there, billed as "LA's choice to celebrate New Year's." According to an LA native told of this, that should be edited to read "crappy weirdos from the Valley's choice to celebrate New Year's."
If you're not into any of that, these people are throwing a party in Dubai. They're promising camel rides and something called a "Henna Lady." If you head out immediately, you'll be there well after midnight, but all the Russian mobsters will be chugging vodka into the early morning hours. Tickets are only 4 grand!
Have fun out there, guys. And be safe. Seriously.
Editor
So, no commies today Cord? Your too busy getting loaded.
Have fun getting smashed and depressed tonight, everyone?
And a happy new year to you too, Cord!
Hey hags! Hope you all have a safe and happy New Year. Party at my place and you're all invited!
~Sugar Magnolia
While New Year's Eve is celebrated around the world, the Scots have a long rich heritage associated with this event - and have their own name for it, Hogmanay.
Historians believe that we inherited the celebration from the Vikings who, coming from even further north than ourselves, paid even more attention to the passing of the shortest day. In Shetland, where the Viking influence was strongest, New Year is called Yules, from the Scandinavian word.
It may not be widely known but Christmas was not celebrated as a festival and virtually banned in Scotland for around 400 years, from the end of the 17th century to the 1950s. The reason for this has its roots in the Protestant Reformation when the Kirk portrayed Christmas as a Popish or Catholic feast and therefore had to be banned. Many Scots had to work over Christmas and their winter solstice holiday was therefore at New Year when family and friends gathered for a party and exchange presents, especially for the children, which came to be called hogmanay.
There are traditions before midnight such as cleaning the house on 31st December (including taking out the ashes from the fire in the days when coal fires were common). There is also the superstition to clear all your debts before "the bells" at midnight.
Immediately after midnight it is traditional to sing Robert Burns' "For Auld Lang Syne". Burns claimed it was based on an earlier fragment and certainly the tune was in print over 80 years before he published his version in 1788.
An integral part of the Hogmanay partying, which continues very much today, is to welcome friends and strangers, with warm hospitality and of course a kiss to wish everyone a Good New Year. The underlying belief is to clear out the vestiges of the old year, have a clean break and welcome in a young, New Year on a happy note.
"First footing" (that is, the "first foot" in the house after midnight) is still common in Scotland. To ensure good luck for the house, the first foot should be male, dark (believed to be a throwback to the Viking days when blond strangers arriving on your doorstep meant trouble) and should bring symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and whisky. These days, however, whisky and perhaps shortbread are the only items still prevalent (and available).
"Handselling" was the custom of gift giving on the first Monday of the New Year but this has died out.
Happy New Year hags!
Happy New Year bitches (and A-holes)!!!
Sugar why did you change your name….its freaking me out!
I just got some nice fillets, opened a good bottle of wine, and had a pretty nice little evening at home.
Jus' kidding. I wish I had. Cheap champagne leads to dirty hangovers. Me and my couch are soulmates today, ain't no one gonna come between us.
Happy 2008, hags. Hope you all had a fun and messy night, to kick off what will hopefully be a fun and messy year. Now, does anyone have any Advil?
blah, that is too much reading for the day after a hangover. Owwwwwwww, austi spumanti, you dirty bitch.
Happy 2008 Hags! Sorry Juje and Janice, that is why I stick to burbon rocks. Zane Lamprey already debunked the no-hangover-with-champagne myth (on Three Sheets).
Cord, isn't an old fashioned more of a summer drink? That being said, they are delicious.
A few things:
1. I also drank bourbon and ginger ale for NYE!
2. I learned something today. I had no idea said drink was called an "Old Fashioned."
3. I have something in common with Cord! YAY!
Looks like 2008 is already off to a stellar start.
Ugh. I meant highball. I have no excuse for that mistake - both involve whiskeys and had glass shapes named after them? I will say that old fashioneds are generally yummers.
Bourbon/ginger ale isn't what you're likely to get if you go to a bar and order a highball. Instead you'll get more questions - since this is akin to going to a deli and ordering a "sandwich".
I've pretty much given up trying to order drinks by name, since there are so many variations that I seldom get what I wanted. Of course, these days I'm just as likely to just drink my bourbon "neat" when at an establishment that carries the good stuff. It takes considerable stupidity to mess that up (just pour it in a clean glass).
True BN and forget about trying to do it all old timey and getting rye. The first time I ordered an "old fashioned" the bartender said something like, "I can put whatever you want in an old fashioned, but what do you want to drink." The exception was when I went to the Capitol Grill. They had Canadian Club, didn't ask what I was talking about, and spritzed a little sour. Yums. Wow, telling that story makes me feel like a pretentious prick for order an OF by name. I guess I should go tend to the hounds, or something.
I get my burbon on the rocks. Then spoon most of it out. Easier than going through the whole, "just a little ice. Um, like one big cube, or the equivalent in your mini chips."
Coot… I was at home and couldn't remember my password. Fear Not! I have returned!
SG-Thank God! All is good again now Boo Boo.