These are the things that plague me.

I catered for the first time in a long time last night.

I have not missed it.

The dripping bags of wet garbage, the invasive goo of half-eaten food, the giant slop buckets filled with a mixture of leftover soup, red wine and backwash... It's impossible for me not to feel defeated halfway through the night.

And I will never cease to be amazed at the money in New York. Last night's event took place in the uber-trendy meatpacking district. (For those not in the know, the meatpacking district was once a sketchy area filled with slaughterhouses and whores. Now it's filled with incredibly expensive boutiques, spectacular restaurants - and slaughterhouses and whores.) It was a small wedding held in a florist shop/event space. Befitting a party held in a florist's, the blooms were beautiful. Black lilies (my favorite), French tulips (my other favorite) and in the center, a gorgeous chandelier that showcased artfully drooping tulips suspended in midair. But the real showstoppers were the orchids. Because I have an eye for beauty (and I'm nosy like that) I started wandering around and noticed a tag on the side of a vase of mustard colored orchids: "$100 per".

So I asked the guy working there if the sign meant that the arrangement went for $100. He gave me a small, sympathetic smile - as one would give to a person who was clearly retarded - and said that no, the price was per stem.

There had to have been 30 stems in that arrangement alone.

Here's my question: If the bride is paying $100 a stem for one flower arrangement, HOW MUCH DID THIS FUCKING WEDDING COST?!