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On a whim on Friday, I suggested to Chuckro that we go to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden this weekend. I vaguely remembered there were some cherry trees and lilacs, and since the ones in our neighborhood were blooming, I figured it would be a good time to go.
When I checked their site, I noticed that they were having some kind of cherry blossom festival. Nifty.
We get there, and the place was mobbed. Because this isn't just some random minor thing - this apparently is one of their biggest events. They had giant tents set up on the Cherry Esplanade and dozens of Japanese events all day. And the gardens were spectacular. All the trees were in full bloom, and they have them planted on either side of a long grassy meadow. And more all over the gardens. And the lilacs were indeed in full bloom - dozens of colors, every shade of purple imaginable. Totally stunning.
We ended up sitting on the grass, eating a lunch from bento boxes (sesame noodles, chicken skewers, vegetable dumplings, and a California roll) while the trees showered pink petals on us. We saw people doing really amazing taiko drum demos and Okinawan dances. There were bonsai exhibitions and a bunch of seminars that we mostly skipped, and Japanese flower arrangments and cherry blossom paintings and calligraphy exhibits. A guy was making sugar cranes - he had slivers of colored sugar glass that he melted partway and made into origami style cranes. The gardens themselves were gorgeous. Amazing tulip displays and a bunch of early peonies were my favorites (besides the trees).
Only two downsides - I didn't bring my camera, because we were planning to go to laser tag without going home first. Laser tag subsequently fell through, so I could have brought the camera after all. Also - despite my being on Zyrtec and Chuckro being on Claritin, we both had nasty allergic reactions. To the point that we left by three because of sinus headaches. It was bad enough that we both ended up with nosebleeds.
When we left, the line to get in was out the gate and around the block. And more people were pouring off the subway. So glad that we got there early...
When I checked their site, I noticed that they were having some kind of cherry blossom festival. Nifty.
We get there, and the place was mobbed. Because this isn't just some random minor thing - this apparently is one of their biggest events. They had giant tents set up on the Cherry Esplanade and dozens of Japanese events all day. And the gardens were spectacular. All the trees were in full bloom, and they have them planted on either side of a long grassy meadow. And more all over the gardens. And the lilacs were indeed in full bloom - dozens of colors, every shade of purple imaginable. Totally stunning.
We ended up sitting on the grass, eating a lunch from bento boxes (sesame noodles, chicken skewers, vegetable dumplings, and a California roll) while the trees showered pink petals on us. We saw people doing really amazing taiko drum demos and Okinawan dances. There were bonsai exhibitions and a bunch of seminars that we mostly skipped, and Japanese flower arrangments and cherry blossom paintings and calligraphy exhibits. A guy was making sugar cranes - he had slivers of colored sugar glass that he melted partway and made into origami style cranes. The gardens themselves were gorgeous. Amazing tulip displays and a bunch of early peonies were my favorites (besides the trees).
Only two downsides - I didn't bring my camera, because we were planning to go to laser tag without going home first. Laser tag subsequently fell through, so I could have brought the camera after all. Also - despite my being on Zyrtec and Chuckro being on Claritin, we both had nasty allergic reactions. To the point that we left by three because of sinus headaches. It was bad enough that we both ended up with nosebleeds.
When we left, the line to get in was out the gate and around the block. And more people were pouring off the subway. So glad that we got there early...
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Date: 2006-05-01 04:16 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2006-05-01 04:26 pm (UTC)From: