I’ve had New Year’s Eve’s where I partied till the wee hours, flitted from party to party and made very merry. There were New Year’s Eves at fancy restaurants (and overpriced menus) and some that were just dinner at home for two, with stone crabs, steaks and champagne at midnight.

We celebrated New Year’s Eve for a while with our friends Jay and Catherine, at cozy dinners for four. One New Year’s Eve, Jay said “We should always do this”, but then they started hosting New Year’s Eve parties at their home for a large group.

Lately, we’ve gone to our friends Martha and Luis’s house down the street for gourmet dinners, cooked by both of us, with recipes usually out of an Ina Garten cookbook I’d been gifted for my birthday. We would eat 12 grapes at midnight, throw water out the front door and wheel suitcases around the pool, to ensure lots of travel in the new year. Red underwear optional.

This year, we were in Key Largo, at our condo The Sanctuary for a little pot luck party. I wore my ‘Bout Time sweatshirt and yoga pants with sneakers to the get-together. Thinking about one of the years I flew for Air Florida (in the 80’s) and attended parties in my gold mesh halter top, black silk pants and stiletto heels, I thought how things have changed. It was cold here and I just wanted to be comfy.

The party, held at the clubhouse, was VERY tame. In the past, our potlucks had left tables groaning with food. This year, there seemed to be barely a squeak. Most residents just passed by before heading to other parties or dinners out, or at home. We just planned on eating there and going home to watch the University of Miami football game.

I did want to sample good food, so I brought some of my appetizer favorites- Spinach Artichoke Dip with toasted baguette slices, Bacon-Wrapped Dates and Smashed New Potatoes with sour cream and caviar. For me, New Year’s Eve isn’t complete without champagne and caviar.

Unfortunately, my Spinach Artichoke Dip got burned on top, while I went in search of a basket to carry it in. My bacon-wrapped dates were quite good. The dates were huge, so I cut them in half and stuffed them with a toasted almond (toasting the almond is essential), wrapped them with thin bacon and soaked them in a little soy sauce before broiling them. I love bacon wrapped anything- dates, scallops, chicken livers- and the dates can be stuffed with a variety of options, like other nuts or soft cheeses (blue or goat). The soy sauce, while not necessary, adds umami to the appetizer and cuts the sweetness of the dates.

I had planned on boiling little potatoes, slicing them in half and adding a dollop of sour cream and caviar to the top. This is a very easy and elegant appetizer, but the potatoes I bought were a little big for that idea, so I smashed them, sprayed them with olive oil and baked them until crispy. I then topped them with sour cream and caviar and it worked well. My friend Martha does this with tostones and it’s one of my favorite appetizers. The caviar is just one bought at Publix, not an expensive one.

Not many people brought food to our little pot luck, but someone did bring delicious deviled eggs and a lovely charcuterie platter. Steve- one of our faithful residents who is a cheerleader for our condo- brought the most food- ham slices, rolls, black-eyed peas and sautéed Kale. It was more New Year’s Day fare than New Year’s Eve, but I made a little ham sandwich and was happy with that. Someone had also made a Pecan Pie, that I had a slice of because I never eat pecan pie, except at Thanksgiving.

A neighbor, inexplicably, brought chicken salad with grapes. I found it a strange item to bring to a New Year’s Eve party; it seemed more like something that was in her fridge than an item made for a festive party. She took it with her when she left early, for another party (probably to go back into the fridge). I left my bacon-wrapped dates and the rest of my appetizers when we left to go watch the UM game, at 8.

Number 10 UM played number 2 Ohio State in Dallas, at the Cotton Bowl for the College Playoff game. We had actually been invited to go, since my husband has a friend who lives there and said we could stay with him and we are season ticket holders. But I thought- “What if we lose and then we’re in Dallas on New Year’s Eve?” That would be depressing. Well, we won- 24-14- much to many’s surprise. Watching all the ecstatic UM fans at the end of the game- including Jimmy Johnson (a Keys resident) and Micheal Irvin- I was regretting my choice.

“We should’ve gone!” I said to my husband.

“You didn’t want to!” he said.

He was right, of course, but I didn’t want to admit it. I went up to take a bath and get in my PJ’s, happy UM won but sad we weren’t there celebrating with the masses. I flitted between New Year’s Eve coverage on TV and turned the lights out at 12:05, with fireworks bursting outside.

The next UM game will be at Arizona’s Fiesta Bowl against Ole Miss on January 8th. We will be in Key West. Oh well, one must make choices in life and one must live with the choices, right or wrong.

I hope 2026 is a year of no regrets (or at least making peace with the choices), lots of meaningful connections and, of course, lots of good food.

“…into the great wide open Under them skies of blue Out in the great wide open A rebel without a clue.”

Into the Great Wide Open by Tom Petty