looked damp.There is one rule to throwing a New Year’s Eve party at home. Don’t leave the supermarket shopping till 31st December! As Dani was saying into her mobile in the check-out queue, “I’m here with God, the world and all the world’s dogs”. It was raining all day and for several days and the potential celebrations lloked damp.
While Dani (cleverly) arranged to have her hair cut that afternoon, the rest of the girls (Natalia, Liza, Isa and I) chopped, stirred and cooked our way through a gorgeous menu of kibe, quiches, salads, cheese cakes and more. It was hot work but great fun and as the first guests arrived, one by one we went ofr our heavenly showers, emerging in white (as is Brazilian New Year’s custom) and doning our super chic 2010! glasses.

The last few daysof 2009 and first few of 2010 were spent with Dani and her friends and Subhas, a skate client of mine from 3 years ago who is now back in London and heard I was in Rio coinciding with his holiday. We had spoken but hadn’t met up and did so by accident (othing is ever an accident) in a beautiful coffee shop a few days before new year. Subhas, Dani and I had numerous examples of synchronocity and universal laws conspiring to have us spend time together, creating a wonderful and spontaneous effect. Subhas thus features heavily in the following posts. We miss you Subhas!

We chilled at home, drinking champagne and enjoying the food and then headed out into the streets to walk the 4 blocks to Copacabana beach where the best fireworks are. The energy in the street was amazing. Hoards of people all wearing white. It was pertty hard not to loose your friends. There were 3 million people on the beach at that moment and yet it felt lively and not overwhelming. We had several bottles of cold champagne with us which we popped at regular intervals. There was allot of hugging and kissing and wishes for peace, health, love and happiness for all. I do so love these sentiments at new year and wish we could wish them always for eachother.

We walked back home for more supplies (in my case nibbles) and then headed out again for Ipanema beach and a beach party of several hundred people, where we danced in the sand till 7.30am. This isn’t as easy as it may sound, wearing flip flops and on a slight beach gradient. I discovered after a while that it was best to dance without lifting feet from the ground as every step was otherwise an unpredictable adventure. It was hard to know who was overly drunk and unable to walk and who was just having dancing sand issues. Again, it was easy to lose your friends and we lost Subhas, but the photos he took of his solo sunrise are enouh to warrant the split. I will post them here when he makes them available.

Sunrise 1st January 2010 was special. At first it looked likeit would be just plain light but soon the sky started to turn pink and I was silenced in tiredness and awe and total happiness.

This sentiment was taunted the next day by hearing about the disastrous effects of the heavy rain further down the coast in Angra, where landslides killed over 70 people.

I usually spend my new year’s eves at home, quiet and tranquil,writing, talking, reviewing and planning. This year felt like real celebration for this new year coming in which feels full of promise after a tricky 2009. I am happy to report (via my Brazilian astrologer) that 2010 holds many fortuitous new start possibilities, considering 4 planets are beginning new cycles now (of 8, 30, 64 and 248 years respectively). That’s some powerful universe energy we can harness if we want to make any changes this year. I wish that these energies assist you in wahtever needs changing for your life to become more nourishing and full.