The Waltz

From the first moment I knew that Ann-Katrin's New Year's party was going to be extraordinary. In the kichen she said, "Choose a glass that best expresses your personality." All of the glasses were decorated. I chose a white leaf. Then she gave me two small cards, a slver one and a gold one, She said "On one card write what you wish to leave behind and on one card what you want to have in the new year." The cards were threaded through with a red ribbon.

The loft is dominated by Ann - Katrin's spectacular art photographs of Prince Edward Island. There were interesting things everywhere - the most wonderful sculptures and party hats - a tree with handmade ornaments - everything was perfect and creative. The women were wearing extremely progressive , one- of- a -kind dresses and jewelry - things like asymetrical peplums and gold wire accessories. Katrins mother wore a fascinating turban as she played the Djembe. Katrin was wearing a long black taffetta ball gown and a beret! And each girl had her little cards pinned or dangling from her dress. Charming!

Everyone I met was brilliant - her teacher from Parsons School of Design, her trainer, and of course, Count Petrokov, an extremely tall man from Georgia....

Barnaby read my Tarot Cards. I was represented by the Moon card and the next card drawn, the most important - The Lovers. My future was looking very rosy indeed, until....

at the end, the card that is not you, but effects you all the time -a dreadful card - someone weeping, someone very sad. And then Barnaby drew the last card and said, and this card shows that none of this sorrow exists. Your karma is your own! Oh the person on the card looked so terribly terribly sad - Barnaby said "Do you know who it is?" and I recognized them instantly. Barnaby gave me with a beautiful drawing collage as a New Years gift..


Then it was time for New Years. We gathered in a circle on the floor and Carolyn, a beautiful brunette, started ringing a Tibetan bell and guiding us through a meditation. We could hear the raucous celebrations in the distance, but it seemed irrelevant. It was exquisite to meditate silently as the year changed over.

Then, because Katrin and Her mother often spend New Years in Vienna, we walzed to Stauss. Count Petrokov took me in his arms and started to twirl me. We were looking into each others eyes and the room was swirling and we were twirling and the world was a blur all around us, the only thing in focus was the Count's beautiful face, his dark eyes flashing and his sensual Slavic mouth smiling with all the ecstacy of a perfect moment.

Ann-Katrin called us out to her terrace, which hangs over the Hudson River. Katrin had a decorous little bonfire where we burned the things we wished to leave behind and kept the things we wanted for the New Year.

Then a big improvisation where I got so inspired I the spirit of God came on me and I started to dance, I must have danced for 20 minutes, leaping and spinning, I felt so good. Suddenly the people started to leave and it was time to say goodnight.

As I walked throught the West Village, which I adore with a lovers passion, I thought, " this has been the perfect New Years Ever. I've only had a few glasses of Champagne, I'm not drunk, and I feel clear and strong. It's time to go home "

I fell by Sweet Basil's and met a Jazz Promoter, went to another club called Employees Only, now seriously into a new mode,
some guy identified me as a celebrant and followed me all the way home begging me to go home with him. A good guy, handsome, clean, obviously employed, he said something about Hedge Fund, and I almost cracked but did not. I must have given him my card because he called me when I got home.

Stopped off at Ruby Fruit. ( girls club) I was really warmed up for dancing by this time and did some with a girl who looked like Gwenth Paltrow. Her girlfriend was not pleased.

Oh boy, I was deep into a New Year thing by this time.