It is not often that an unexpected pleasure arises as result of work, but today one such perk materialised completely out of the blue. I was invited by the outside counsel that we work with in NYC to join them at the NY Intellectual Property Law Association 90th Annual Dinner in Honor of the Judicuary at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue http://www.waldorfnewyork.com/. The event is the largest hosted by the hotel in the year with approximately 2,500 professionals joining together for a black tie dinner held in function rooms throughout the building. The evening started with a cocktail reception on 18th floor laid on by my hosts - many of the major law firms were holding similar events throughout the hotel and I hadn't anticipated the queue for the lifts as all the smartly dressed glitterati manoeuvred themselves to the right networking session. For the meal of beet and mango salad, tournedos of beef and peach meringue tart I was seated at table 900 and something in the Starlight Roof Centre. The meal and speeches were followed by more networking as the law firms suites re-opened for dessert receptions and the gathered throng shimmied from one to another catching up into the early hours. Unfortunately the exterior of the hotel itself was being renovated but the interior architecture and 1930's design is amazing - great glass chandeliers, wooden panelled lifts with bell boys, a mirrored reception room with a gold painted ceiling and even beige marble and gold rimmed mirrors in the rest rooms. I enjoyed the company of our counsel, their interesting friends and some of my in- house colleagues and it was fun to get dressed up and participate in one of the legal social events of the year. Thank you very much - it was a special treat. On the way back to the train station the next morning, I caught up with the latest windows at Macy's - recently redesigned for their 2012 flower show on the theme of Brazil - great, but I do think they have something to learn from Nason's in Canterbury.
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