Shimmer and Party Time (This week's Photo Hunt themes)

This was one of those weeks where I had tons of photos for one Photo Hunt theme (in this case, Sandi's) but found the other theme (Gattina's) so difficult -- for while I have taken many shots of light shimmering on the water, I have almost zero snaps taken at parties because, well, I just am not much of a party person at all!  (In fact, on New Year's Eve, I'll only be attending my second party of 2013... and when you consider that the only party I've attended this year was a work-related one which I felt obliged to go to rather than really wanted to...)

But while going through my photo archive, I came across pictures from an occasion where I had a great time in the company of a bunch of really nice folks -- and reckon it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to consider a party!  Technically, it was a barbecue get-together with some friends.  But especially considering I told another friend later that I hadn't laughed so much as I had there for some time, I think that fun occasion should qualify to be described as party time!

As you can see by the food pics, we had plenty of good stuff to eat at the barbecue.  And while we did have some great steaks (which we ate as part of steak fajitas together with an amazing avocado concoction), we also had some Boerewors (courtesy of one member of the party being South African) and -- even more unusually, I thought -- razor clams (something that few of us would think of putting on a grill but that idea makes so much sense after we tasted how the Hong Konger in the party prepared them!).

As for the drinks: well, when you have a sake samurai and certified sake sommelier in the party, there can't be anything but a plentiful supply of great sake to be had!  Even so, this was a group that -- ahem -- really could drink, so the majority Japanese contingent (all told, there were seven Japanese, one South African, one Hong Konger and one Malaysian at the party!) also had brought cans of beer and whisky cocktails!

With so much delicious food and delectable drinks on offer, and fun people to talk to, it was inevitable that it'd still be party time even after the sun went down and lights went on in the streets and various apartments in the area.  And while there wasn't as excellent a display of shimmering as I've seen courtesy of sunlight dancing on the water, it still wasn't a sight to scoff at -- and, to my mind, was worthy of at least one picture. :)