New Year's Eve 2024

Sharon's brother Tom came over about 6:45 pm. Tom has joined us for dinner and a movie on New Year's Eve in 2018 (Roma), 2019 (The Irishman) and 2022 (Tár).

Sharon served an interesting cocktail before dinner.

Although we had some drama getting the duck delivered, everything came together. Sharon made a great dinner of spiced orange duck, rice and squash bombe and a leafy winter salad.

After the late dinner, we ended up watching The Substance. I will post my thoughts on the movie later this week.

The movie was over about 11:40 pm. After I walked Tiber in the neighborhood, we crashed about 12:15 am...

New Year's Eve 2023

The plan for the evening was for Sharon's brother Tom to come over for dinner and then the three of us would watch a movie. We celebrated New Year's Eve this way in 2022, 2019 and 2018. Unfortunately, Tom called in the late afternoon and cancelled. He had just gotten back from an "eventful" trip to Disneyland with his two boys and their families...

Sharon made a nice dinner of prime rib, roasted potates and ceasar salad.

The two of us watched May December on Netflix. My thoughts about the movie are here.

Walking Tiber after the movie, I came across one of our neighbors who had locked himself out of his house. Sharon and I both crashed before 11:30 pm. We didn't make it this year to midnight to watch the firewalls from the master deck.

While I have enjoyed retirement over the last five months, we still haven't lived into a rhythm. I haven't made as much progress on my novel about 1991 as I hoped.

New Year's Eve 2022

Sharon's brother Tom came over in the early afternoon. Tom, Sharon and I spent some time booking hotels for our trip to England and Scotland in May and June. We will be hiking Hadrian's Wall for ten days and then doing a loop around Scotland.

Sharon made a nice dinner of prime rib, roasted potates and creamed spinach. We had Rumeli Mantısı (Filo Roses) as a first course.

The three of us watched Tár. My review of the movie is here.

Sharon and I finished the night watching fireworks from the master balcony. By the night I walked Tiber and got to bed it was 1 am.

2023 is going to be an extraordinary year of change...

New Year's Eve 2021

I have always counted New Year's Eve as my least favorite holiday. Originally, we were planning to have a late dinner at Ella's with Sharon's brother Tom. With Sharon feeling under the weather, we cancelled.

After dinner at home, Jack and I played a couple of games of cribbage. I won both games, including pulling a 39 point hand and crib in the first game!
Jack, Sharon and I ended up watching Being the Richardos.

We finished the night watching fireworks from the master bedroom balcony. I am fascinated by the number of different large fireworks displays visible across the valley. There were more than ten different fireworks displays that we could see.

New Year's Eve 2020

I have said in the past that "I have always counted New Year's Eve as my least favorite holiday." This has changed in recent years. With Drew and Shannon and Morgan and Lee close by this year, it has been a very different holiday season.

I had originally proposed going to Rattlesnake bar for a hike. Sharon counter-proposed going to Bannister Park. Jack, Drew, Sharon, Tiber and I ended up hiking 4.2 miles from Bannister Park across the American River and up river to the Fair Oaks Bridge. We headed back across the river into old Fair Oaks. We stopped for a beer at the Fair Oaks Brew Pub. Afterwards, we wound our way back to the car. I will post a map of the week in the future.

Jack, Drew and I finished the afternoon playing Game of Thrones Catan. I think that Drew won.

In the early evening, we watched the end of the Kings verus Rockets basketball game. The Kings fell just short and lost by the score of 122 to 119.

Sharon made a great dinner of prime rib, baked potatoes and brussel sprouts. We had Tiramisu for dessert.

After dinner, we ended up watching Rounders. More on the movie in a future post.

We finished the night watching fireworks from the master bedroom balcony. I continue to be amazed at the number of fireworks shows spread around the valley.

New Year's Eve 2019

Like last year, Sharon's brother Tom came over. After some hors d'oeuvres, we started watching The Irishman. The Irishman is on a number of lists as an Oscar Best Picture favorite. Jack took off to meet up with his friends before we started the movie.

We took a break and had a late dinner. Sharon made a nice dinner of individual beef wellingtons, roasted potatoes and green beans.

After a couple of different intermissions, we eventually finished watching the movie after 11:30 pm. At 3 1/2 hours, it is a load. My notes on The Irishman are here.

The three of us finished the night on the master bedroom balcony. There were almost dozen different fireworks displays visible across the valley. It is always fun to listen to the turkeys respond to the noise. A great horned owl was also very talkative!

New Year's Eve 2018

Sharon's brother Tom came over. Sharon made a nice dinner of osso buco, risotto and green beans. Jack joined us for dinner before he and Jason took off for El Dorado Hills.

Sharon, Tom and I watched Roma on Netflix. Although it is foreign film with subtitles, Roma is on a number of lists as an Oscar Best Picture nominee. You can find more on the film here.

Sharon and I made it to midnight. We finished the night watching fireworks from the master balcony.

New Year's Eve 2017

While I have always counted New Year's Eve as my least favorite holiday, we had a nice evening. We went with the Sanborns to a New Year's Eve Celebration at the Catta Cerdera Country Club. It was a very nice dinner, including a first course of braised boneless short ribs over manchego polenta cake, fried leeks and pan jus, a second course of tomato basil, a third course of petite filet mignon & shrimp scampi with au grain potatoes and roasted carrots and a fourth course of grand mariner cake. I need to go on a diet.

We ended up heading back to the Sanborns' house about 11:00 pm. We celebrated the New Year in their hot tub!

Sharon had gotten Phil a birthday cake. We ended having a piece and celebrating Phil's birthday about 1:30 am. By the time we got to bed in their casita, it was almost 2 am... We stayed in their casita once before.

New Year's Eve 2016

Like last year, we had a late dinner [8:45 pm] at Paraguay's. The Sanborns joined us.

The four of us had a very nice dinner. The parts of the fixed menu we had included: Duck Confit & Citrus Salad; Maine Lobster & Coconut Milk Soup; Grilled Filet of Beef; Meyer Lemon Meringue Tart; and, Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bar. They had some very nice wine pairings, including 2013 Maison L’Envoye ‘Fleurie’ Gamay, Beaujolais, France with the salad; 2014 Pahlmeyer Winery ‘Jayson’ Red Blend Napa Valley with the beef; and, 2013 Paul Jaboulet & Aine Winery ‘Le Chant des Griolles’ Muscat Beams de Venise, France with the tart.

We finished the night on the master bedroom balcony watching some distance fireworks displays to the south. While we heard the turkeys gobbling due to all of the noise, they didn't seem as loud (as close?) as they have been in the past.

New Year's Eve 2015

Sharon and I had a late dinner at Paragary's. They had a very nice set menu including duck confit & local chicories, roasted chestnut & celery root soup, maine lobster & gnocchi, tenderloin and sea scallops. It was one of the better meals that we have had recently.

We arrived home about the same time as a large group of teenagers that were apparently abandoning a local party for our house. Leaving the house to the kids, Sharon and I walked down the street to a New Year's Eve party at Mitchell and Greg's.

When we wandered back a little before 1 am, the house was empty except for Jack and a friend. We crashed about 1:30 am...

New Year's Eve 2014

Dropping Jack at the Foys, Sharon and I had a late dinner at Scott's Seafood on the River. Sharon had Macadamia Nut Crusted Barramundi [Asian Seabass], while I had Jerk Seasoned Pacific Swordfish and Coconut Prawns. We spent the evening talking about some goals for 2015.

After dinner, we headed back to the Foys to celebrate New Year's Eve. By the time we got home and to bed, it was after 1:30 am... While I count New Year's Eve as my least favorite holiday, we had a nice evening.

New Year's Eve 2013

New Year's Eve is my least favorite holiday, but this year was at least varied.

Taking off in the morning, Sharon and I hiked the South Fork American River Trail. We did it as a through hike from Magnolia Ranch to Skunk Hollow. We took two cars and dropped a car at Skunk Hollow. Hitting the trail about 10:15 am, we covered 11 1/2 miles in almost exactly five hours. My RunKeeper app showed that we were hiking for about 4 hours and 5 minutes. We stopped for lunch near the old movie set. Maps and Google Earth views of the hike are here.

Getting home and cleaned up, we wandered over to one of our neighbors [Dan and Deborah] for a small get together. From there we went to a late dinner at Plan B. We took a bottle of Sea Smoke Pinot Noir that I had given Sharon for Christmas last year. Sharon had duck comfit, while I had rack of lamb.

We finished the night like we did last year watching the fireworks from the upstairs deck and listening to the turkeys gobble.

New Year's Eve 2012

Sharon, Jack and I had a late dinner at the Firehouse Restaurant in Old Sacramento. We didn't realize that they were having fireworks shows at 9 p.m. and midnight. As a result, Old Sacramento was packed and parking was a struggle. Nevertheless, we had a nice leisurely dinner. Sharon had a filet, Jack had veal and I had scallops. Some neighbors of Sharon's parents were sitting at the next table.

Leaving the restaurant a little after 10 p.m., we walked into a major crime scene. There were cops, police cars, fire trucks and ambulances everywhere on Second Street. The police were in the process of closing off the street. As a result, we had to take a circuitous route back to the car. With helicopters walking overhead, Sharon remarked that it seemed like a war zone. It turned out that there had been a fight and a gun battle in a sports bar half a block from the restaurant. Two people were killed and three injured. The police ended up canceling the midnight fireworks show and shutting down Old Sacramento.

We finished the night on the master bedroom balcony watching some distance fireworks displays to the south. The most interesting thing was listening to the turkeys in the park going crazy from all of the noise...

New Year's Eve 2011

Sharon, Jack and I celebrated New Year's Eve at Sharon's brother Tim's house. The group included Tim, Kathy, Tom, Becky and Kevin plus the three of us. We had salad and pizza for dinner with cheesecake for dessert.

After watching the end of Jaws, Kevin put on the DVD of Big Trouble in Little China. I did not enjoy this much. Starring Kurt Russell and Kim Cattral, about the best I would say was that the movie was absurd.

While I count New Year's Eve as my least favorite holiday, we had a nice evening.

2012 is going to be an extraordinary year of change...

The King's Speech [New Year's Eve 2010]

Sharon, Jack and I went to see The King's Speech. I recommend the movie, but have to admit that both Sharon and I walked away just a little disappointed. The story and the acting is solid, but not as compelling as it was hyped.

We finished the evening with a late dinner. As I have often said New Year's Eve is one of my least favorite holidays. It seems anti-climatic.

New Year's Eve 2009

Up very early, I drove to the Carmel Valley to take Morgan to brunch. We ate at the Chatterbox in the Carmel Valley. It was very nice to see her!


By the time I got back to Elk Grove, it was late afternoon. With Sharon extremely under the weather, we had a very quiet New Year's Eve.

As Morgan and I discussed at lunch, New Year's Eve is one of my least favorite holidays. It always seems anti-climatic. Ten years ago, on December 31, 1999, I worked New Year Eve's in a command center that Sutter Health was running as part of the Y2K preparations. Sharon and Jack spent the evening at a party at her brother Tom's house.

New Year's Eve 2008

For the first time, Sharon and I hosted a New Year Eve's Party. The group included her two brother's families (Tom, Becky, Kevin, Eric, Tim, Kathy and Eileen), the DiGiorgio's (Brun, Kim, Sarah and Velta) and Jim Dunn. Sharon served a late dinner of prime rib, a couple of ducks, green beans, caesar salad and rolls.

Continuing the tradition started last year, we watched Dinner for One. We have also started showing Dinner for One at our dinner parties. Afterwards, everyone headed out to the backyard to set off a few fireworks. By the time everyone left and we got to bed, it was after 1:00 a.m.

New Year's Eve 2007

Leaving Jack with his cousins, Sharon and I went with Tommy, Becky, Tim and Kathy to the New Year's Eve Gala at the Sacramento Turn Verein. It was an odd evening. Tommy and Becky are taking German language classes and heard about the party in their class. Most of the people were either older German-Americans or transplanted German nationals. The night included dinner and dancing. Although I grumbled over the course of the evening [especially after several hours of German music], I enjoyed the company.

For me, the highlight of the evening was a short film that they showed just before midnight. Apparently, it has become a tradition in Germany and a number of other European Countries to watch Dinner for One on New Year's Eve. The short embedded below starts after a 2:20 minute introduction in German.

New Year's Eve 2006 (San Francisco Day 1)

In 2003 and 2004, we have spent part of the week between Christmas and New Years in Tahoe. We decided last year that there were too many people and it was too much of a rat race. For a change of scenery, we decided this year to spend the New Year's Eve weekend in San Francisco.

Taking off in mid-day, we headed down to the city. Sharon and Jack had done a jigsaw puzzle of San Francisco recently and were interested in going to a number of places highlighted on the puzzle. We drove down Lombard Street and then headed to Telegraph Hill.

We were able to get a spot in the lot on the top of Telegraph Hill. There are some great views of the bay from the small circular parking lot. We toured Coit Tower and its murals. We ended up taking the elevator to the top. From the top, the views of the bay and the city are spectacular.

Next, we headed to the hotel; we are staying at the Argent Hotel. After lounging in the room, we headed to Ghirardelli Square. Sharon had made a dinner reservation at McCormick & Kuleto's Seafood Restaurant. Sharon had prawns for dinner, while I had Opah. We also had a Matanzas Creek Chardonnay.

Finishing dinner, we wandered along the streets to Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 before taking a taxi back to the room.

New Year's Eve 2005

Sharon, Jack, Morgan, Drew and I had dinner on New Year's Eve at Lucca's; the dinner was very good. Afterwards, while Morgan and Drew wandered off to separate parties, we went to visit Brun and Kim. We got home about 11 p.m. and Jack actually stayed up until midnight to ring in 2006 with Sharon and I!