NEW YEARS EVE 2008 : THE YEAR OF HONG KONG

2008...

Year's end is the time when we all get reflective and take stock of what we've achieved in the past 365 days, what we could have done better and what we've learned. 

Its funny that it takes this one little day for us to make promises to ourselves and say we will change and improve when really, this can be done on ANY day.  It doesn't take the end of an arbitrary "year" to make the changes we need and do the things we need to do TODAY.

When I first came to Hong Kong, I really had no intention of staying.  My reason for coming were two big family events: cousin's wedding and my grandfather's 80th birthday.  I really had no idea what I was getting myself into.

What I found, once I got settled and really started connecting, was that Hong Kong is a very community based industry.  Every sector has their own circles and these circles were pretty SMALL. Once you met one person, it would not be long until you met everyone.  Hong Kong is just THAT close knit.  Which is great, just be careful who you piss off!

In a short amount of time, I've managed to meet and connect with people who have become every close to me.  I find it hard to imagine the time when I did not know them.  Looking back, it feels like I've known them longer than I've actually known them.  That's when you know you've clicked with the right people.

As I step into the New Year, fresh with hope and brimming with possibility, I know that there was a reason I came to Hong Kong and that there is a bigger picture that has yet to be revealed.

THERE ARE NO ACCIDENTS.

Here are some highlights of New Year's Eve:

Before the party, we all headed over to Fiona's house for some good ol' HOTPOT!

The CB FRESH boys were ready to EAT!

VMC showing off his cooking skills.

Homemade Pina Colada is NEVER a good idea...

Stuffed, we got dressed and CB FRESH was ready to rock and roll!

The party was at RACKS and the night's theme was School Girl/Boy and the tickets were grad certificates!

Several peeps got up to sign the board:

Also around the venue, fellow partygoers could be seen:

Over at CB FRESH CENTRAL:

Then came time for giving away prizes, hosted by JBS & Daniel Wu:

The time finally came to COUNTDOWN:

Damn...That's one HAPPY new year~!!!

And so the party continues...

The RACKS Trifecta.

Several latecomers finally make their way to center stage:

Ana R.

Ankie

Terence Yin & Etchy

Andrew Lin looks like he's having fun...

Finally it was time to call it a night and hit the sack:

2008 was an influential year and here's hoping that 2009 will build on that and become monumental.