• by Kelly Samardak , February 4, 2011

Waggener Edstrom Party, New York
February 3, 2011

Last night I popped out of the 4 at Grand Central around 6:15 p.m., a time at which I really don't like to be caught in that beautiful old travel hub.  The key is to plant your head aggressively forward, your feet unwavering, and your shoulders at the offense -- and you just GO.  It helps to harness a little crazy eye to part the sea of people in front of you.  At least until you connect with another crazy eye and it becomes a duel of wills, but that's a story for another day.

The invitation for the Waggener Edstrom New York popped in right about when more snow was threatening New York.  Their celebration? 2011.   So a "it's the new year" new year's party.  Leading up to the event, the hosts teased possible undecideds with promises of tiny meat stacks, sandwich rolls, and blood orange cinnamon mojitos. 

I arrived to the sound of thrumming conversation in a room down the hall, where I poked in after checking my coat.  Their gathering area was half-lit, with the munchies blanketed in darkness on one end, and the bar in darkness on the other.  In the middle of the room was a fireplace on the floor.  Fire pit?  Fire square?  I'm not sure how that thing worked, but I do know that whoever decided on that piece of décor may not have added an open bar into the equation.

The vibe was a little odd.  Possibly because it was my last event and I was having that checked-out feeling, possibly because it felt like I had walked into an office party uninvited.  I'm so used to designated greeters from the host agency/company welcoming me (not just me) and giving the party run-down or office tour, and that didn't happen.  I kept peering around to see if someone looked like the comms director or perky PR rep, but no one stuck out.

I did find braised pork tenderloin, though.  And Adam Emery, Nadina Guglielmeffi, Marianne Allison, and Kathy Cripps.

It was the perfect end to my experience with this column.  It was a little awkward.  It was a little surreal. I felt, as I left down the dark hallway, I had been a ghost this whole time, popping into parties undetected, observing, taking notes and names, pilfering canapés, and leaving undetected.   I have been a soul in party purgatory, not really part of the party, but not really an outcast.  And these parties, networking events, cocktail celebrations, all of it, they will all go on with or without me.

It was just my time to go.

I have one more post in the pipes, with details not only on where you can find me if you're so inclined, but also a little info about the future of this column, which I would hate to see die -- I mean, don't you guys enjoy a little levity to go with your usually daily reads?  Seriously, how will you know where to find the best mini burgers in this town?