HOW YOU SEE IN THE YEAR…

The New Year of 2008 has started, the Year of the Land Rat. The saying, "the way you greet new year is the way you'll spend it," remains pertinent to this day. After all, New Year celebrations can be seen as an indicator of your prosperity. Those who are better-off are unwilling to welcome the year 2008 at home and make arrangements with one of the many restaurants in the capital. Others, those with more modest revenues, have to settle for a New Year party with the traditional champagne and Russian salad. However, both former and latter notice that on the eve of the holiday season food and restaurant prices rise appreciably, which of course affects family budgets. However, the expense of ushering in the Year of the Rat, it seems, will not be the only one this season. As we know, the Azerbaijani cabinet, using Paragraph 7 of article 105 of the Labour Code as a guideline, decided to transfer the weekend of 29 and 30 December to 3-4 January 2008. As a result of this disruption, the population will enjoy a whole week off, from 31 December through to the 6 January, so everyone wants to take full advantage of the festive week and forget, at least for a while, about their everyday problems. Besides, there are plenty of restaurants in our capital today.

"Five-star" restaurants

It must be said that the price hike in Azerbaijani restaurants peaks on New Year's Eve, on the night of 31 December to 1 January. The per-person price of a dinner in so-called first-class restaurants may exceed by several times the monthly salary of an average Azerbaijani citizen. Let us note, for example, that New Year's Eve at upmarket restaurants in Baku costs from AZN 200 (US$237) to AZN 500 ($592). This price includes a gala dinner and live music. But if you want to dance at a disco, you will have to pay a price five times the minimum salary in our country - AZN 250 (US$296).

The prices in the leading entertainment centres of the capital are roughly the same - from AZN 250 to AZN 500. The price includes food and an entertainment programme with the participation of local pop stars. The organizers say that the price is so high because performers are invited from Turkey or Russia specifically for this occasion. Some residents of Baku say that tickets to New Year shows at entertainment centres were sold out some weeks before, which shows that the population is better-off this year than just a few years ago.

The smaller restaurants, which are very popular among the residents of Baku, decided not to lag behind in their pricing policy: their prices vary from AZN 100 to 250. It is evident that prices are driven up dramatically on New Year's Eve and then return to previous levels, but they do remain quite high for the first week of the year. The reason is simple: People will continue to celebrate throughout this period.

To find out how much the visit to a restaurant would cost during the festive week, we went to a number of upmarket restaurants. It has to be said that, although compared to the highpoint of the festivities, that is to say, the night of 31 December to 1 January, prices in Baku restaurants were somewhat lower; they were quite steep even then. For example, a family dinner in upmarket restaurants will cost about AZN 70 per person. The "post-New-Year syndrome" at these establishments, which includes not only dinner, but also Azerbaijani pop stars, will cost about AZN 100. As Ilqar Safarov, manager of one of the capital's popular restaurants, told us, restaurants raise their prices by 100% or more for this week, which is why their week's profits sometimes equal their profits for the rest of the year.

Not too numerous middle class

Of course, there are a number of restaurants which cater for the less well-off clientele (incidentally, there are very few so-called middle-class restaurants), but even their prices are far from moderate these days. For example, the karaoke restaurants are open to all lovers of song during the festive period. For the quite acceptable price of AZN 30, guests can not only dine, but also try out their singing voice. These establishments are ideally suited for family dinners with children. The Russian restaurants are good, as always, and guests can enjoy live guitar music too. The party will cost AZN 40-50, although the price largely depends on what you order. Azeri restaurants might turn out to be good "shelters" for those who want to enjoy themselves and treat their friends and families to local cuisine.  As we were told there, during the holiday season the party will cost you from AZN 30, including alcohol.

There is yet another option which enables citizens to have fun for the whole week and save some money.  The point is that many companies are organising so-called corporate parties. Following in their footsteps, a group of friends or acquaintances might as well rent a small restaurant or caf? in the city. This will be much cheaper than a visit to a high-class restaurant, but there will be less entertainment. Firstly, there will be no live music, so you will have to settle for a stereo system, and secondly, the menu in such establishments offers a more limited choice.

Going back to prices, let us not forget that the average rental price for a small caf? in the city will be about AZN 40 per person - if the party is for no fewer than 30 persons. As for those who do not want to go to a restaurant, they can always celebrate New Year's Eve at home or go to their friends. This will be much cheaper and more entertaining. Besides which, we should not forget that the coming year is the Year of the Rat, an animal which is traditionally considered economical and inclined to gather reserves. This is precisely why astrologers advise you not to waste money next year and seek to economise; otherwise you might find your pockets empty by the end of the year.