December 10, 2012 
Theme: Starry, Starry Night
The Parade of Lights streamed through our harbor last night, some two dozen boats decked in twinkle lights & imagination, their captains and crew singing out Christmas wishes & “vote for this boat” admonitions as they vied for “best costume”, and though I intended to jump on local whale watching boat: the Condor and rock it, too, my seafaring intentions were sidetracked by a bit of en route, retail therapy.
Parade of Shoes…
Revised theme: Shoes & Ships
What can I say? The girl in me needed the balm of new kicks, and with on the spot resourcefulness—aka a fistful of fare dollars—I purchased several pairs at a local outlet store, quickly revising my intended viewing platform to: free. The pier would do nicely I decided, pleased with my “shoes for cruise” exchange. So what if that meant I had to hoof it a half mile or more after parking at City College? I certainly had the footwear to do so!
Besides. Hadn’t I read online about a fabulous “city pier of snow” and “Santa wonderland’ feature? With sunset still a half hour away, there was plenty of time to snap a few pics of the incongruous white stuff before the show, and so I beat well-shod feet to the wharf.
Sure, I noticed the sprawling crowd of folk on the harbor’s fuel dock, but I didn’t for a minute equate that with pseudo North Pole wonder until I reached an all too sandy Stearn’s Wharf. There, with a few other misdirected folk, I stared in wonder across the expanse of water at distant whiteness, belatedly realizing the term ‘city pier’ was the dressed-up name for fuel dock. A regular: I say potato—you say city pier kind of thing—but there was no use crying over iffy semantics. Better to buy a pound of overpriced candy instead, and snap some shots of seasonal flora.
The harborside of the pier makes a likely place for this resourceful homeless person to set up shop…
Spare change for spare fun–a likely enough swap, if you ask me.
Cool tree stand!
High on sugar, and underscored by the sonic boom of either a cannon or weapons-grade firework, the parade commenced—and not a moment too soon. The chilly 60’ish temps had plummeted to the 50’s, and God knows, 50 anything is never good. No matter what its shade…
That lil skiff is red-nosed Rudolph!
But half of 50 is, especially when it tallies the number of blinged-out boats.
Like so many Vegas showgirls they sashayed across a rippling stage.
sirius-ly cool
Not the greatest pik, but to get an idea of the “line-up”.
Pretty spectacular, huh? If you want to know who won, you’ll have to Google it, as the dropping temperatures pretty much froze this always-cold chick back inside. Shivering like a palsied person, I did manage to catch the end-of-show fireworks from my rapidly retreating position, and so I’ll leave you with stars in your eyes—and frostbite on my fingers—as I wish you a merry holiday season, wherever it is your own parade finds you.
Happy Holidays!
Charron's Chatter 
that’s it you need to be hired by the local chamber of commerce you really build the city and all of its festivities up…and make it all so inviting!!! I am sure tourism would sky rocket… beautiful photos, so glad you had retail therapy nothing like a new pair or two for making the good feelings. Love and hugs my soul sister (((xxx))) Merry Christmas!!
hmmm…don’t you mean: “sole-sister” ? Oh hoh hoh hoh…thanks for saying such nice things, Lenny. I’m hoping to wow those powers that be yet. 🙂
LOL YES OF COURSE “SOLE-SISTER
‘I need to find my poem on shoes and reblog you will love it!!!
A quick scan up the comments–and I’m guessing you did! ‘Can’t wait to “try it on”..:)
http://myownheart.me/2012/12/10/12334/ check it out!
Obsession
Tell me true: how many shoes do you have in your closet…RIGHT NOW! Hehehe…I’m thinking triple digits…what a charming and fun poem, Lenny!
OH now remember I used to be in upper management so I had to dress well. I have given about eight bags (lawn and leaf size) to Goodwill so… in pairs I have 31 of long boots, 14 of house slippers, 4 cowboy boots, 8 ankle boots, and 46 shoes which include sandles. this does not include athletics or flip flops but shhh don’t tell hubs some are in my other closet. I really should think about selling on ebay or something I will nor can I wear or walk in most of them anymore. But they are just so pretty to look at!! LOL
like candy for us girls…and I was right! I’m no mathematician, but I’m thinking those digits tally over 100–especially with the sporty kicks not counted. I swear, I have several pairs of shoes that are gor-geous (1 pair even custom dyed!) that I have never, ever worn–but I would no sooner think of parting from them, then I would think of…well…cutting my hair! So seriously! (and don’t worry—your shoe-y secret is safe with me…;)
Parade of lights is beautiful and skies are great.
Thank you for your pictures.
Thank you! I agree; the tones the sunset lent to the firmament were every bit as pretty–if not more so–than the boat parade. Plus, I just got better pictures of it, too. 🙂
You’re never too cold when your heart is warm, thanks for sharing the festivities!
The night-glow regatta show was pretty cool too!
Thank you for sailing by, Zen Lady! And I love the use of your term: regatta…note to self: must remember to implement…
I feel (almost) like I was there with you 🙂
Aww, thanks Christy! I bet you’d have loved it. There is something magical about the water and lights combined…beyond electrocution, I mean…;)
I bet I would have too! If you’re ever here on the West Coast you look me up chickie – I just know we’d have so much fun!
Cool and awesome pictures. You sure had a lot of fun. 🙂
New blog check it out.
Pain can only wax illusions
http://charliezero1.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/pain-can-only-wax-illusions/
Hey Charlie! I was just wondering about you this AM, but had such a busy day I couldn’t come “seek” until tonight. 🙂 Nice to “see” you, Chuck! And I am blog hopping even now…
This is beautiful, a place I’d long to be…