Ringing in 2012 in Niagara

2012. Wow. It’s hard to believe that it’s finally here. It’s rather exciting actually.

2011 was a great travel year for me. I was given the opportunity to travel in Africa with Intrepid Travel, I spent a few months relaxing and soaking up the sun in Penang, I explored Singapore and spent a summer in Banff. I drove from Banff to Toronto, twice. I made a handful of trips to Vancouver. I did a road trip to Seattle, Portland, Reno and Vegas. I spent a spring weekend in Seattle & Portland with friends, and I met some great travellers and bloggers. But, travel aside, 2011 was also the year when I not only spent time with my wee nieces, but it’s the year when my nieces finally began to recognize me as their Aunt. I saw my youngest niece take her first step on her 1st birthday, and my 3yr old niece actually screams my name when she sees me. That is something I will treasure forever.

I have never been a huge party girl. Don’t get me wrong, I can party with the best of them, I just prefer quiet spaces over loud and crowded spaces. That being said, I thought that 2012, the year I take on my biggest travel adventures, should be a year that I celebrate. So, on Thursday morning I made the decision to drive down to Niagara Falls to ring in the New Year with friends.

In 2008 The Wild Mushroom was my go-to bar in Niagara Falls. The drinks were cheap, the food was good and the staff were fun. Three years later the drinks are still cheap, the food is still good, and the staff are still fun, plus the bar is now owned by my friend Sherry. So, spending New Years Eve at The Wild Mushroom was a no-brainer.

New Years Eve is the busiest night of the year for any bar in Niagara Falls. It’s the night when 50,000+ people descend on the city, locals dress up and bars offer champagne, music and a night full of memories.

At 7:00 p.m. the doors were locked. It was time to get ready for the night. For 2 hours we took the bar apart, dismantling booths, platform flooring and tables and taking to a back storage room. A secondary bar was built on top of the pool table, and D plugged in his MacBook Pro and started playing music which took him three days to download as there was no DJ and he’d be busy bar-tending and not able to select music throughout the night.

The cover for the night was only $15. A steal of a deal in Niagara Falls which included champagne at midnight. With everything in place, the doors were opened at 9:00 p.m. and the party began.

The Wild Mushroom is one of those bars that attracts people for all walks of life. Social divides don’t real happen there, and on New Years Eve, it’s like walking into a high school. It’s one of the few places I’ve been where Goth is seen in the same place as Sorority girls. Where guys with colourful mowhawks drink next to guys who think that everyone should iron their underwear.

One of the things I love about hanging out at The Wild Mushroom on a weekend or holiday are the American girls. I realize that I’m about to stereotype here, but seriously, the party girls from the US are intense and not in a good way. Actually maybe the word intense is too strong. They are entertaining. Like, really, really entertaining. First of all, the ones who show up in Niagara are usually 70% naked. I swear, the border guards confiscate their clothing when they cross into Canada. Truly, it is amazing to see the outfits these girls wear. But, it doesn’t stop there. Oh, no, there is also the over-the-top flirting which is borderline porn-star-audition-performances. This is especially present on New Years Eve, and no, I am not lying. It’s hard to lie about that stuff when it happen less than a foot in front of you, especially when the girl in question puts her hand on your ass while she’s in mid performance, expecting you to join the “fun” -which I definitely did not do!

So yeah, slutty American girls are all the rage in Niagara Falls, especially on New Years Eve.

It was hours of pur entertainment. My favourite part was not the girl getting her porn star audition moves down, my favourite part was watching these drunk foolish girls attempt to dance. I’m not saying I’m an amazing dancer. I actually suck at dancing, which is why I don’t do it. These girls however, felt the need to share their special moves with the entire bar.

I sat on the steps leading down into the bar as Jill worked the door. As it so happens we were in the perfect spot for viewing the most amazingly bad moves I have ever seen in my life. I watched arms and hips popping out slightly offbeat, I saw some old school dirty dancing moves that should have been left in the movie and not brought to life at a New Years party. I saw moves I never thought possible. Jill and I couldn’t help but laugh. It was that entertaining. Seriously.

When I wasn’t watching and laughing at the girls who couldn’t remember how to dance in public, I was roaming around the bar snapping photos and drinking cocktails. The place was full of people and that there was only one fight didn’t deter anyone. It was New Years Eve!

As much as I loved watching, laughing and shaking my head at the foolish girls in the bar, my night was more focused on hanging out with friends. I met Sherry, D and Jill in 2008 when I would bring backpackers to the bar. All three of them have been great friends and I truly love hanging out with them when I can, which is why I chose to spend my NYE with them. It’s why I wanted to help the bar get ready and it’s why I stayed until 6:30 a.m. to help put it back together -although I don’t think I was that helpful at the end of the night, thanks to a drink with a triple shot of Kraken.

Countdown Video (unedited)

Warning, this video is completely unedited, poorly lit and a wee bit jumpy. That’s what happens when it’s slightly impromptu, inside a bar and I’ve been drinking. lol

More NYE Photos

Kira!

Charlie?

Jill and Sped

Yes, we're Canadian and watch sports on NYE!

A unique view of the bar

Party Goers