such a good new year's

here's what's good: a home full of friends. like, real true friends, who have sincere admiration for each other, have known each other for years. who take care of each other.

i never have high expectations for new year's eve, but this year was really great. we conquered with great success the logistical mindbender of getting 3 people from 3 different locations to 2 parties across this public-transportation-less town with minimal driving (a feat which included The Last Great Miracle of 2006: i flagged down a cab on a los angeles street. that's right people.). we ended up at a very special party. dozens of people, decked out in swanky finery, many of whom were from some of my closest circles of friends, and plenty whom i'd never met before. but the whole room seem filled with love (i mean, a generous liquor cabinet didn't hurt either, but still). the host and some of the other guys had been friends since high school, and their mutual admiration was palpable, and spread to everyone else. it was just such a warm vibe. i could go on about the First Great Surreal-acle of 2007: the dashing gentleman who came out of nowhere to serenade me, then quickly disappeared (ok, it was karaoke, and the serenade was Boyz II Men, but still). but the real highlight occurred long after the party.

we got back to my apartment, me and 2 friends -- one i generally never seen because toy design school sucks away all her time, and one who has moved to brooklyn, whom i only get to see during vacations. while i have a roommate i am quite fond of, it's rare i get my own friends staying in my apartment. i love it when it happens though.

so, we shuffled in and Toy Design went to groggily take out her contacts, and i went to get a couple blankets to throw on the couch for Brooklyn. i walk past the kitchen to see Brooklyn standing at the stove. four o'clock in the morning, and he's making eggs for the three of us! i loved this idea of, he knew where the pan and olive oil were in my kitchen without asking, he even found some veggie sausage to throw in. a simple gesture, but he created a very special moment: we sat at the kitchen table, utterly spent but very content, and together had some eggs.

it's interesting what happens to friendships: they start out light, superficial, fun. but years pass and they mellow into something far more complex. the edges soften, the flavors deepen, and before you know it, you've got something exceptional. here's to more time spent with people we love this year.

i could post a recipe for fried eggs here, but the recipe is not the point. the instructions are simply this: go to someone you love. make them eggs.

[incidentally, towards the end of the movie Big Night, there is a great scene involving love expressed through fried eggs. worth checking out -- very fine movie.]