random thoughts – Day 1,117 – (Saturday) – Khmer New Year

Angkor Dance Troupe.

Tonight was the Khmer New Year Dinner Celebration at the UMass Lowell Inn and Conference Center. The Bank had two tables and it was a great night out with bankers I rarely see anymore. It was the perfect event for dressing up (sequins!) and it felt like a major accomplishment being out on a Saturday night.

The pre-dinner entertainment featured a band with singers and a performance by  master instructor/dancers from the Angkor Dance Troupe. I’ve wanted to see these dancers for ages and just never made it happen, so it was great to finally see them performing tonight. 

The line at the bar was the perfect spot to see the dancers while waiting for service. The dance movements had so much precision with subtlety and nuance. The toe movements and weight shifts in the feet. The finger dexterity. The head movements. I was mesmerized.

Yummy buffet!

The buffet was yummy. A few of us at our table are open advocates of the “see food diet” (see food and eat it) and we visited the buffet twice. I was full when the dessert was set out, but that didn’t get in the way of having some coconut tapioca. There was also a mango gelato, but I had to draw the line somewhere.

When the dance floor opened with a live band, we were coaxed out there by a fellow banker for the “cha cha cha.” The floor was packed. It was fun.

Despite all the merriment and the advertised party end time of 12:30, I cut out at 9:30 because I know my limits. It feels like some sort of boot camp training will be required for me to successfully be out late dining and dancing. The past few years of hanging out at home have made me very soft.