At last, the long awaited hour of Midwinter Dinner was upon us...an hour which proved to be as magical as a fairytale, even more delectable than we thought possible and as delightful as any event of such magnitude could promise to be.
From the glory of the glistening and glowing decorations to the sudden air of elegance and kinship, Midwinter Dinner became a taste of heaven within our own microcosm. Here, on the darkest and longest of nights in the cold and harsh unforgiving womb of Antarctica, safe in our amniotic sack of generously flowing wine, we danced and dined like celebrities...
Each of our wine glasses was adorned
with a souvenir Erebus crystal.
My place setting at the table.
Yep, that's me!
The tables turned out beautifully, thanks to a lot of hard work and
countless hours of decoration making.
Ahhh the salad line...
Decorative Oregano Flowers!
The Salad Bar Spread with a very lovely Rachel in the center.
If there is one thing anticipated the most at Midwinter Dinner...
it's the amazing salad and freshies from the greenhouse!
Dinner Rolls!
Soup and Parmesan toasted crustinis.
Now that is a harvest, just LOOK at all that green!
Cucumbers, tomatoes, sprouts!!!
FOUR kinds of salad dressing!
Fancy spreads.
Oven Roasted Cornish Game Hen and Beef Wellington.
Risotto Croquette and Crab Stuffed Lobster Tails!
Top Chef: Justin Lardy.
Looking dapper in his blue owl bandana, Patrick serves it up right!
Josie with her amazing dessert creations!!!
Three kinds of homemade icecream! Chocolate, Butter Pecan and Mango Sorbet.
Homemade truffles:Mint, Brandy, Bailey's, Peanut Butter, Oreo and Caramel.
Mousse Pyramids.
Mousse Flowers.
Decadent chocolate cake.The White Knights and Fairy Godmothers of the evening were the Galley Staff who are nothing short of incredible. They worked long and hard for days and even weeks to prepare all the food. Not only that, but they also worked through dinner, making sure there was never an empty pan of food. We have a wonderful galley crew this winter. Their work is hard, repetitive and seemingly low-brow. I hope they know they are appreciated and loved for nourishing us all (despite the constant grumbling - blame the ingredients, not the chefs). For their sacrifice and endless hard work, I am truly thankful.
Perhaps the most wonderful part of Midwinter Dinner was the opportunity to relax and mingle with my fellow winterovers. Having been at the helm of so many events over the years, it was a delight to be a participant rather than a committee chair.
The evening danced on like one of those magic movie moments, when all conflict has been resolved, all story lines tie together and the characters revel in the blissful ambiance of the falling action. Nothing in the room lacked shine: from our reflective white skin, sparkling jewels and snazzy ensambles (carharts and work clothes were traded in for fancy duds - many of which were hand fashioned out of the most interesting materials), not a inch was matte or dull. New friendships were formed with people I'd only peripherally known all season while existing friendships seemed to grow stronger. For me, the evening was serendipitous.
Brooks and Megan,both looking sharp and oh so cultured.
Three lovely ladies: Audrey, Chantel and Corrine, dressed to the nines!
Allison serves up some delectable appetizers.
Sean, Shandra and Lisa pour the wine and hand out the beer.
Jason entertains the crowd with his mellow strumming.
Who is this guy? I sure haven't seen him all winter.
Oh wait - it looks like Rob got a spray-on tan!
No rest for the wicked.
The beautiful and badass Channie and Me.
Keri looks absolute smitten with her wine while DJ and Karen swish their way across the dance floor.
D-Ski and his homemade suspenders (made from upcycled cargo straps) and bowtie.
Quite impressive.
The Infamous Michael Davis and Me.
My dining companions.
Good food, good wine, excellent company.
Scott is overly excited about the deliciousness of this meal.
Craig in his homemade kilt (made from upcycled parachute material).
Allison and Jason -by far the most adorable couple on station.
Gettin' my groove on at the dinner table!
Lisa, Lisa and Shandra!
Midwinter Painting No. 1 by Izzy.
Midwinter Painting No. 2 by Izzy.
The Debutantes: Genevieve, Keri and Susan.
Darling Karen and Me.
Scott and Craig!Hmmm...Midwinter Dinner or Braveheart Battle?
Karen, Anita and Bethany: charming, glamorous, timeless.
Positively Bodacious: Cedar, Sarah and Me.
Trouble and Double Trouble, also known as Robyn and Allison.
The Girls: Rachel, Cindy, Me and Cynthia.
The tan man entertains us with bubbles!
Me and my nemisis: Jack Krick.
Dan and Karen Simas - so cute! Karen upcycled an old tent fly to make her lovely dress!
Scott and I pay homage to Ob Hill.
New and colorful Antarctic Explorers: Allison, Me, Jason and Ken!
The Winter Supply Crew!
Rainbow Brite and the Color Kids. We all dyed our hair for Midwinter Dinner!
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