Bling Bling in the ATL

Nice weekend. Sat, went to the Dogwood festival. We were there to support LL, who was promoting her hula-hooping business, but we never saw her - just crowds of people, a Christ the King Bud Lite Karaoke tent, kids singing country on the big stage, and lots and lots of artists booths. Didn't see any dogwoods, either. Maybe they've been cleared for the new parking deck.

I was trying to convince the boy that these summer festivals are an English thing, and even the park - another Olmstead - is a remnant of the English Commons. Not so sure about that claim, though. Poking around the internet, looking for Olmstead's philosophy - seems like he was more influenced by private, bourgeous gardens - the English Picturesque, which I know little about except from reading Jane Eyre in high school, taught by an English nun who'd somehow found herself in Saudi Arabia teaching a bunch of fanatic muslims.

And, when I look at Samuel Pepys description of the Bartholemew Fair, in 1661, well... seems like it was a different affair, possibly more fun.

At home and the office all the morning, and at noon comes Luellin to me, and he and I to the tavern and after that to Bartholomew fair, and there upon his motion to a pitiful alehouse, where we had a dirty slut or two come up that were whores, but my very heart went against them, so that I took no pleasure but a great deal of trouble in being there and getting from thence for fear of being seen. From hence he and I walked towards Ludgate and parted. I back again to the fair all alone, and there met with my Ladies Jemimah and Paulina, with Mr. Pickering and Madamoiselle, at seeing the monkeys dance, which was much to see, when they could be brought to do so, but it troubled me to sit among such nasty company. After that with them into Christ’s Hospitall, and there Mr. Pickering bought them some fairings, and I did give every one of them a bauble, which was the little globes of glass with things hanging in them, which pleased the ladies very well.

Somehow, the boy and I ended up leaving the park on a yellow tandem bike, which did not go so well. The boy is not the best bicycler - he tends to lean all his weight on the pedal he is pushing down, and counterbalance by steering in the opposite direction. So he wobbles. A lot. At one point we almost fell, I cracked up, and he jumped off the bike and said, 'I hate this thing!' But slowly slowly, we made it home.

Sunday, went to J's play, Steel Magnolias, played by 5 southern divorcees with genuine accents. I cried because I'm a big softie, when it all comes down to it. Had a nice time.