Tonight I was required to work as it was our March Reception at the Consulate.
Much like the many ALIA events held in the past, this involves name tags, finger food and lots of people networking. The consulate has some stunning views of Manhattan with the Monash Room looking right over Grand Central Station and from the other corner of the room, a stunning view of the Empire State Building.
Here is Alice, Katie and I on the registration desk –
There was actually a guy there from Melbourne who it ends up, went to underage Metro back in the day (as in the 1994 day…) and who does the artwork for the Astor Theatre movie calendars! The meat pies and sausage rolls were a hit with the obligatory huge bowl of tomato sauce for dunking.
After we packed up, I ended up getting a cab within 5 seconds on Lexington Avenue. This turned into the cab ride from hell with a crazy driver from New Jersey who looked like some banker-type-guy with his bluetooth headset and loud voice. For three intersections the cab driver and the Jersey guy traded swearing, yelling and abuse through the windows. I told the cab driver “Will you just ignore him?!”… of which he didn’t. I was about to jump out of the cab when the Jersey guy yelled “I’m gonna get out and kick your ass!!!” to the driver. Eeeeekk… my driver just sped off. Enough was enough – today had been long enough without this rubbish! Then the driver proceeded to tell me about how “Those idiots for Jersey don’t know how to drive… they don’t know NUTHIN’!” I just ignored him and felt blessed when the ride was over!