Summer and smoke

 
  The blessed sunshine of an early Memorial Day weekend was still in abundant supply at 7:30 p.m. While the evening was a little too cool to feel quite like summer, the air over the picnic grounds near Ninth Street was thick with the perfume of starter fluid and charred meat. And the ground was thick with people and their mobile campsites, many of which included balloons celebrating various events.



As I cycled around the park, I pondered the subtleties of selecting a picnic spot. Grilling is allowed in only a few sections of Prospect Park, and those areas lay under a haze of mouthwatering smoke, with what looked like thousands of picnickers feasting in closely packed quarters. But even non-grillers tended to cluster in crowds. Some chose areas in jarring proximity to the hubbub of the Coney Island Avenue traffic circle, just inside the fence.

When I was young, my family took perverse pride in seeking out the most remote and scenic location possible for the old cooler and blanket. Triumph was secured when we managed to find a Perfect Spot out of sight and earshot of another human being. Looking back, I realize we carried this (and many other preferences ) a bit far. But I still find myself baffled by picknickers who seem to put no premium on seclusion, despite their evident good cheer.

AYITP ON TV!

My park explorations are featured on a segment of "A Walk Around the Blog,"  Monday, May 26 at 9 p.m. on Cablevision channel 69 and Time-Warner Cable channel 56. It will be rebroadcast Thursday at 1 and 9 p.m. and Friday at 3 and 11 p.m., and is already posted on their site. (Thanks to Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn for the heads-up.) They do a nice job with these little features, in which bloggers explore their communities on camera.  I look okay aside from my curious gait (or as some concerned observers call it, my "limp"), but as yet I have been blessedly spared knowing what the heck I said, because Charlie the Kitten seems to have chewed through my computer's speaker cable. I will have to trust that Prospect Lefferts Gardens blogger Charles and I engaged in sparkling banter about development issues. Thanks to the producers for the opportunity!

Comments

[Rob Lenihan]

I was in the park today for the first time in years and I had a blast. And btw--terrific video.

:)

[BestViewinBrooklyn]

I love the "old-time" photos. You inspired me to search the archives for fun Sunset Park photos. Thanks for that!