The Office Christmas party

Initial impressions weren't too good - the entrance was down a lane beside a multi-storey car park.    Then security people ushered us into a lift.  The lift doors opened a couple of times on the way up to reveal the upper levels of the car park.  But at the top, there was a lavish function area with views towards the city.

Laneway

Not my photo, but you get the idea

It was the office Christmas party.   For as long as I can remember, the format was a sit-down dinner.  However, this year, it was a stand-up drinks function.    Nevertheless, there was lots of food and plenty of places to sit, if you so desired.  Not only was food handed around (including mini-fish & chips, sushi and chicken sandwiches) but there were food stations as well - sushi, pizza slices, dumplings and paella.  Hence, the advice not to eat before arriving was definitely well founded.

The formal bits of the evening were handled early on (a couple of speeches and the graduates video), so the cocktail party format gave lots of opportunity to mingle.  Once the disco music started, it was hard to talk of course, but the rain had stopped so many people went out on the deck where it was quieter.    As usual, I didn't stay late, but on the whole, I thought it worked quite well.

Deck area