New Paltz Nation - NPN First Party

NPN Launch Party - Great Success
by Erin Quinn

I hate parties. The only thing I like less than parties, is actually throwing one myself. But this time, I got off easy.

We had been wanting to have an official “Launch” party to celebrate New Paltz Nation’s third month on line. There were several reasons for this. The first being to thank the hard work of all of our contributors, editors, web maestro and assistant web maestro for making the damn thing happen.

“Green Party Gathers” Malachy McCourt, Deputy Mayor of New Paltz Rebecca Rotzler, Dennis O’Keefe and Rachel Lagodka

Second, we wanted to meet one another. The great thing and the bad thing about cyber space is that you don’t have to ever meet the person you’re corresponding with-- decide you hate their cologne, their hairy knuckles, the way they talk about themselves compulsively or their poor sense of humor. But on the other hand, you miss out on meeting people that you might actually enjoy getting to know. Such is the case with the NPN contributors. Many of them I know, some of them I know well, and some of them, well, I wouldn’t recognize them on an empty street corner in stark daylight.

NPN Blogger Robbie Robinson So, we wanted to meet and greet and shake hands, hairy knuckles and all.

Third, I wanted to invite our readers. The people who keep the enthusiasm going for the site, the ones who tell others to read it and call me up to say “that was hysterical!” or “so and so made an excellent point!” We wanted to let more people know about it, we even considered inviting the press, but then, in the end, I thought “nah,” we’re our own best press.

NPN Webmaster and NPN Associate Editor Ryszard and Rachel Lagodka When I first floated the idea of a Launch Party, everyone was excited about it, which was fine, but it wasn’t going to be at their house, now was it? Then, out of the blue, Teresa Thompson, our awesome travel writer, who spends so much time traveling I have no idea how The Bistro keeps running morning, noon and night with lines around the corner—offered the use of her and her husband’s restaurant for the party.

“You don’t say?” I played coy, thanked her profusely, hung up the phone and kissed my dirty floor with gratitude that this time, I wouldn’t have to CLEAN MY HOUSE.

Teresa doesn’t mess around when it comes to a party. The spread was delicious, the wine was flowing, the keg was tapped, the seltzer was bubbling, and the people just kept coming.

I’m going to use this little piece of blog space just to say “thanks,” once again to Teresa and her husband Doug for allowing us to throw a party at the best place to throw an NPN launch party, in the heart of downtown New Paltz, at the best damn Bistro in town.

It was great meeting most of our contributors, friends of NPN, having our political [qualify that “progressive”] leaders out to celebrate with us and of course, the star of the evening, Malachy McCourt.

I don’t think Malachy, our Green Party Gubernatorial Candidate for Governor, stopped talking the whole night, except for when he sang, and boy, can that Irish lad sing.

“The Fighting Irish” Malachy McCourt and NPN Publisher Erin Quinn Although there were some steadfast Democrats in the crowd that said to me “If you could win a race with charm, he’d knock em all dead,” or “I love his principles, but my vote’s wit Spitzer,” I think everyone enjoyed Malachy’s speech, his song and the compassion that just oozes out of him.

So I’ll leave you with a few pictures that highlight some of our contributors and our fete. And rumor has it, we have a technically savvy friend who will load up the video tape of my brief speech and Malachy McCourt’s performance on the website within a few days. That will be a fun one to watch [not my part, Malachy’s!]

Thanks contributors and NPN friends. Blog on bloggers, blog on! Read on readers, read on!

More pictures from the party:

“Erin Thanks Contributors”