The Aussie Dinner Party

I remember reading and article once about a New York Upper East Side Socialite who was on a quest to assemble the correct participants for the ultimate dinner party. He met and interracted with the brightest and most interesting minds in politics, art, philathropy, science, finance, fashion... and was on a mission to host the perfect dinner party.

It was then that my desire to also participate in the ultimate dinner party** was born.

(Side note on the "ultimate" dinner party: Of course, this would have to fit my definition of the ultimate dinner party, which I would hazard to guess is vastly different from Mr. Socialite's definition. Some of the Manhattan 8th Ward dinner groups that I've attended have reached truly great heights in their combination of fascinating people and interesting conversation. And it is also true that I have often been suprised by people's contributions to the converation, indicating that I am perhaps not the ultimate judge of conversant abilities. However, interesting though they are, ward dinner group does lack a certain degree of finesse, that which without they cannot attain true dinner party greatness.)

So this idea of the sophisticated, grown up dinner party, was a part of my idealized image of the young professional New York lifestyle. And on Saturday, I actually attended one. And not just any dinner party, I attended a 100% Aussie Dinner Party.

Several weeks ago I made friends with some Australians down at O'Flaherty's (my previously oft-mentioned favorite hang out.) I beat them at pool and we've been friends ever since. This eventually resulted in my invitation to dine with the lot of them at an awesome apartment in Murray Hill last Saturday.

We arrived at 6 and stayed 'til past midnight. The food was amazing, Adrienne out did herself with brie and crackers, spinach salad, salmon, chicken, cous cous and baked straberries. We sat around chatting for at least 15 or 20 minutes between courses. They used strange Aussie vocabulary that I had to have decoded. They told hilarious and embarassing stories about one another, since they've all known each other for years. And by the end of dinner, they had pretty much decided that I was coming home to Sydney with them for Christmas. We teased, we joked, we laughed until we cried.

Not bad for my first NY dinner party.