FAT BASTARDS: A Russian New Years

When the temperatures start to plummet, all other cravings are supplanted with an insistent predilection for thick meaty borscht topped off with a generous dollop of sour cream. Combined with Abby's one-time characterization of my persona -

' people mistake Alyssa for sunny because she smiles a lot, but her veins are pure vodka'

- the theme for this year's Fat Bastard pre-party new year's eve dinner was clear: a Russian extravaganza. Of course visions of rich buckwheat blinis topped with decadent caviar -- like the New Years Eve parties of my youth -- also swayed the vote.

The nebulous plans for the evening soon began to take shape on December 30th when Aaron, Brandon and I picked Mary up from the airport and embarked on an epic journey (Mary’s words describing our musical selections) to Brighton Beach. After a mini -feast of perogies and cabbage salad, we purchased smoked fish, bread, cabbage and potato pastries, an assortment of pickles, perogies and of course an adequate selection of vodkas. There was collective laughter both that day and the following in my choice of honey pepper vodka. But fuck yall - it is damn tasty! During our brief stroll down the main street, Mary and I were further inspired by the furs and dresses in the shop windows.

New Years day: Aaron marinated mushrooms, cooked the perogies with caramelized onions and offered up his beautiful home. Mary purchased sequined bras to complete our Brighton Beach ensembles and composed a cucumber salad. Friends contributed desserts, cheeses, bread, potato pastries and sausages. I made blinis with sour cream/smoked fish, braised short rib borscht and a cabbage based vegetarian borscht. There was a collaborative effort poaching pears with- much to Aaron consternation -dried sour cherries.

After several proper vodka shots -- including taking a bite of a pickle and smelling white bread (i may very well be responsible for ocmpletely concoting this procedure, but i swear someone once told me this is the proper way to drink vodka) -- the personas of Demetri, Natasha and Olga were born...

Natasha and Demetri

Demetri's flawless performance unanimously charmed the guests. Later at Chris's party, Mary's 'elegant yet crass' gyrations and 'intentional' midnight kisses won the hearts of all the boys...