Every year people ask me how I am going to spend New Year's Eve. My reply is always "with my family". This usually surprises people. Why with my family? I am not going out to a bar? No huge party? No craziness? What people do not understand is that when I say "with my family", it involves at least 20 fun-loving Mexicans who eat really well and love me a lot. Why would I stray from that good time? I have spent maybe a total of 3 New Year's Eves away from my family in my lifetime, and they have never been half as fun as my most boring New Years at home.

Last night was one of the most spectacular nights of the year, and I felt so blessed to say good bye to 2009 in the way I did. We started the celebrations off by going on a boat ride off the tip of Cabo San Lucas, Baja California (also known just as "Cabo"). We set out at around 4 pm and headed past the Playa del Amor and the famous Arco that the town is so famous for, champagne and white wine in hand. As we headed into the Pacific Sea, we saw two groups of whales off the port side of the boat coming up for air, blowing water out of their spouts. I am not quite sure about the symbolism of seeing a whale, but we all decided that it meant good luck for us. I always say that you are guaranteed a gorgeous sunset every night in Baja, and last night was no different. The sun set in the most beautiful array of oranges and yellows, which slowly turned into pinks and purples before it was completely gone. When we turned the boat around to return to the marina, the blue moon was rising over the Sea of Cortez, and it looked like a huge orb, triple its normal size. There were three colors at that point: the navy blue of the sea, the gray-blue of the sky, and the yellow of the moon. At that point, which was only 7 pm, my New Year's Eve was complete. We returned home to a barbecue style dinner with some Argentine influences and a bonfire on the beach. We didn't play as many games as we normally do, but sitting on the beach in a circle around a fire under the full moon doesn't really call for additional entertainment.

Blue moons only happen every 18 years, and I hope to be in the same place at the same time the next time it comes around.