Page 4 December 29, 2016 TORRANCE TRIBUNE TerriAnn in Torrance New Year’s Eve in Torrance Story and Photos by TerriAnn Ferren As 2016 comes to an end and we take stock of a year gone by, we also look forward to New Year’s Eve, with all its traditions, and look ahead with fresh expectation to life in another year. Have you thought about what you will do or where you will be on New Year’s Eve? Ella Fitzgerald sang a sultry song, “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” The songwriter, Frank Loesser, wrote the tune in 1947 and many artists have sung the classic, from Lena Horne and Rod Stewart to Johnny Mathis and Harry Connick, Jr. Even Barry Manilow took a turn with this most famous tune, but somehow Ella’s hits the mark for me. What are residents of Torrance doing New Year’s Eve? I decided to find out. Born and raised in Torrance and a graduate of North High School, Ellen Hutcherson was happy to tell me, “I am going to my sister-in-law’s house in Lakewood, and we are going to stay up all night with the kids and they are going to have a sleepover, and we’ll relax and play games and have good times. We switch houses…and this year, it’s their turn. I have one daughter who is eight and my nephew is six.” Lauren Lesnick told me, “I’m not 100 percent sure because I work until five and probably will meet up with some friends and go out with them. We went out to the bars last year and it was pretty fun, so we’ll see.” Did you stay up until midnight when you were small? I tried. My sister Linda and I would manage sometimes, but more often than not we fell asleep. As an adult, I usually ended up at a relative or friend’s small house party. Our ritual now? Although the tradition began in Spain, eating 12 grapes--one grape for every stroke of the clock at midnight--is my family’s tradition. My mom would give everyone a small bunch of grapes well before midnight, so when the clock began to strike everyone would be ready with their grapes. This tradition wasn’t something we grew up with, but was something that developed along the way. Now the grapes are here to stay. Actually, it is fun to eat 12 grapes in a minute. I highly recommend you start this tradition because children can join in and it is fun. My friend Carolyn Chun told me, “On New Year’s Eve, my family eats ‘good luck noodles.’ That pretty much consisted of soba--a buckwheat noodle with a soy sauce/chicken base soup with all the trimmings of green onion, kamaboko, sliced scrambled egg and shredded chicken. According to my mom, this was supposed to give us good luck and prosperity, and I think health too, all year long. My mom would make it and we’d go over and eat it for dinner. Yum.” Carolyn also told me a vigorous housecleaning was part of the New Year’s ritual also. Carolyn went on to explain that on New Year’s morning they would make Ozoni (mochi soup), a rice paddy with some kind of sauce--either soy sauce, chicken soup or plain. The mochi could be steamed, fried or cooked in a soup. Later that day I asked Tyesha Thompson what she had planned, and she told me, “On New Year’s Eve, we usually start off with a big breakfast and then later on before 12 my whole family throws a party and we do the countdown.” I asked Tyesha if she makes New Year’s resolutions and she told me that she doesn’t anymore because she usually breaks them. Leah Hamilton said, “On New Year’s Eve, I celebrate East Coast time because I can’t stay up until midnight and I like staying home on New Year’s Eve where I am safe and comfortable and celebrate with my loved ones. Oh, and at 9 p.m., Pacific Time, we bang pots outside. My dad used to do that when we were kids and we still do it. We bang pots as loud as we can--at 9 p.m. because we can’t stay up until midnight.” I hope their neighbors are in on their tradition, because it would seem a bit different if they weren’t. And instead of making resolutions for New Year’s, the Hamilton family cleans out the garage. You heard me right. They clean the garage on New Year’s Day. According to Leah, they figure that if you start off the year with a clean garage, it symbolizes a clean start to the New Year. “Starting off the year with something that makes you feel fresh and have a new slate--and your garage is a good place to start with that--and it sets your New Year off with being more organized and I love it,” added Leah. Actually, that is a great idea and I tried convincing Leah she was more than welcome to come and clean my garage, but she wasn’t too keen on that. Leah had a twinkle in her eye and I found out why when she beamed, “I was proposed to a week ago and this will be our first New Year’s together, so we might even stay up until midnight to celebrate! His name is Duff Conrad.” Then I asked Katrina Arnold about her plans and she smiled and quietly told me, “I don’t have plans as yet, but we are thinking of going to San Diego. We usually go to Las Vegas or Palm Springs, so we are thinking San Diego. On New Year’s Day, [we usually] get together as a family and cook. It is really Lauren Lesnick. New Year’s Eve where we go out and party and ring in the New Year. I haven’t [made New Year’s resolutions] in the past three years, ‘cuz they kind of go astray.” With all the many traditions we have for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, the toasting, the kissing, the parade-watching, the parties, and dinners with friends, we share one thing in common: reflecting back on the year that has passed and forward to the year ahead with hope, anticipation, love and joy. Last year was filled with memories for each and every one of us, and this year will be another filled with even more surprises. And as Frank Loesser wrote, “…Ah, but in case I stand one little chance, Here comes the jackpot question in advance, What are you doing New Year’s Eve?” Happy 2017, Torrance! • Ellen Hutcherson. Katrina Arnold. Tyesha Thompson. Leah Hamilton showing off her engagement ring. Visit us online: www.heraldpublications.com We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Herald Publications Holiday Schedule Our offices will be closed the following days for the holidays. 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