Escaping the tension of the dance floor, I made my way to the buffet—a grand display of culinary artistry. The table was a long stretch of polished mahogany, groaning under the weight of delicacies.
Silver platters were arranged with geometric precision, each bearing a different gastronomic delight. There were towers of canapés, each a tiny masterpiece: smoked salmon with dill atop pumpernickel bread, caviar nestled in miniature blini, and tender slices of roast beef rolled around crisp asparagus spears.
Crystal bowls cradled exotic fruits, their vibrant colors a stark contrast to the monochrome elegance of my evening. Cheeses from around the world formed a mosaic, accompanied by an assortment of nuts and dried fruits.
The centerpiece was a sculpture of ice, a phoenix rising from its ashes, water droplets glistening on its wings like diamonds in the chandelier's light.
