I still remember when the first trendy restaurant opened on Smith Street in Brooklyn (yes I am that old) and they had a wood burning stove on the outdoor deck so patrons could dine al fresco in February. All of us twenty something Carroll Gardens hipsters would huddle around this major fire code violation while we ate our steak frites shivering.
Before we had the farmette, we did what every other New Yorker without a weekend place did in the summer: We went to every free outdoor event there was. This was fine before kids when you could lie on a blanket sipping your smuggled in wine out of a coffee mug while listening to the Philharmonic or Metropolitan Opera, but once the kids came, this all changed. For every 200 people who were at these events to eat and drink outside with friends and see fireworks, there was one who was there just for the music. Yes, I did feel bad as Prince and James Dean chased each other around and around the picnic blanket as the people next to us tried to hear the music, but if you really wanted to hear the tenor hit that note, you probably should have gotten here at noon with the rest of the opera aficionados instead of 6pm with the unwashed masses.
The straw that broke this mama camel's back was when we decided to take the boys to see the original "Superman" in Bryant Park. To this day, one of my fondest memories of my years in New York City is when the Bryant Park film series first started (again, dating myself). I went with some friends to see "Casablanca." Since the film series was new, there was plenty of room to spread out and watch this amazing movie under the stars. I think this may have been my first outdoor movie experience ever. It was magical. Fast Forward 15 years and the magic was gone. Thousands of people crammed into the park to watch a mediocre movie. When the French guy with the lawn chair planted himself on top of James Dean in his superman costume, I knew my summer days in the city were done.
So what do we look forward to doing on summer evenings upstate besides BBQ's and the Drive-In? The Otsego County Fair!!
This is our fourth year going to, "The Best Six Days of Summer." It should probably be called, "The Most Expensive Six Days of Summer."
I liken the fair to childbirth. Every July you forget about the pain of the previous year and assure yourself that you will not drop $100 in the first hour and every year you remember that that is impossible.
Scrappy Doo and I went opening night and though there was the momentary lapse in judgement as we paid $6 for an unimpressive face painting I could have done myself as a myriad of shirtless men who would never make it as Abercrombie and Fitch models wandered around the fairgrounds, it was a wonderful night.
We started out in the Poultry Hall which is my favorite 4H hall. There were so many crazy beautiful looking chickens, though I did not see any hens as beautiful as Chicky Rivera or any roosters as ridiculous as Kyle. I think next year I will take at least two poultry blue ribbons.
Noelle will also win Best in Show next year. I know she is not "technically" a pure bred Jersey, but she is so much prettier than any other heifer out there that she will surely win.
When we ventured into the Food Hall, I realized I will surely win all of the top prizes for jams, breads and muffins. Strawberry Rhubarb Jam? Boring! Try some Umami Blueberry Jam with fish sauce and Sriracha. Buyah! Or maybe the Blueberry Bacon Jam? I am pretty sure I figured out how to avoid that pesky botulism problem. I can hear Martha Stewart's people calling me now to appear on her show.
After we visited all of the halls and I realized I would be taking home every blue ribbon next year except for possibly the singing competition, Scrappy and I headed over to the Fire Service and School Band Parade. This is one of my favorite events of the fair. While I will admit to enjoying the Demolition Derby as well, watching all of the volunteer firefighters and their rigs parading around the racetrack is the greatest thing about small town America.
Scrappy managed to scoop up some of the treats thrown by Miss Junior Fire Princess and we sat down on the grass to suck on some maple candy. After the last of the fire trucks passed, the antique tractors came by. You would have thought I was front row at a Jason Wu fashion show, it was amazing! I am not a car girl. I have three kids. I drive a mini van. End of story. These tractors were gorgeous. 1937 Farmall is the new Ferrari.
As the sun set we ate our $4 hot dogs and waited for the fireworks. Scrappy snuggled up in my lap and we had a great view of the show. We headed home around 9:30 and I had to scrub the Green Lantern mask off of a sleepy Scrappy Doo. Today his greenish pallor makes him look as though he may have tasted some botulism tainted blueberry bacon jam, but we both have some great popcorn bowl memories.
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