On Dec 16, the La Jolla Brewhouse was brimful of surfers looking to enjoy the La Jolla Shores Club Xmas Party of 2007. Indeed, about 100 familiar faces slowly but surely made their way through the doors of the Brewhouse, a crowd that ensured the party would be a lively one.

Upon entering the room, one could not help but notice the "nursery corner," where Michelle Connely, Karen Welch, and a few other moms gently coddled and quietly fed the Shores locals of tomorrow. Turning to the center of the room, where the paralleled tables formed long aisles, the older crowd--most of whom were not accompanied by their moms--sat shoulder-to-shoulder to discuss matters apart from (and perhaps less important than) those occupying the "nursery corner." Those involved in this more "adult" conversation were some of the usual suspects, e.g., Dale Glaser, Dave McLeod, and Bill Andrews. Finally, at the bar, on the opposite side of the room, the wild pack perched themselves upon tall stools. Ryan, Matt, and Tom, together with a few others, hoisted their drinks high and were cheerfully rowdy all the night through.

The event began with an open format. Once through the doors, one scanned the room, picked a seat, and started the chat. As surfers, spouses, and their children filled the room with chatter, the catering crew began setting the dining dishes. A buffet table stocked with chicken and ravioli, and much more, had the crowd quickly on its feet. Al Niemeyer, father of Andre Niemeyer, was one of the front-runners in the race to the feast. When the danger of standing between food and a hungry mob subsided, Louis Fehrensen and Stephanie Hoffman took the floor to make a few announcements. Shortly after that, My Local Lineup featured a movie called "La Jolla Shores: The Surf Community," the first volume of our movie series on local surf communities. Surfers, in a spirit of genuine comradeship, cheered and booed one another during the screening. Following the film, Hoffman once again took the floor, but this time to conduct a raffle. With prizes in hand, the lucky ones, along with the rest of the satisfied party people, made their way home, no doubt looking forward to the good times the following morning at the Shores held in store.

PHOTOS OF THE EVENT