Sunnyside really turns it up for St. Patrick's Day and always starting early. This once predominantly Irish neighborhood started the first inclusive parade to honor the Irish of all orientations and now it has morphed into quite a little festival of music and celebration. The fact that anyone is welcome to join in and march only makes it better, in my opinion. So with Carolina napping the afternoon away, I took Elisa out to enjoy another year of getting our jig on to the music and watching the dancers stomp and sway down Skillman Ave. I didn't realize ahead of time that our new Mayor, Bill De Blasio, would be joining us. I think the fact that he showed up to speak about inclusion and being on the right side of history was a nice touch. Of course, Dublin's own Panti Bliss might have stolen the show from him, with her larger than life eyelashes and lips. The kids were all trying to guess if he/she was really a man or a woman. Elisa couldn't be tricked, but she did want to know why he dressed like that. Ah yes. We have lots more confusing days ahead. But for yesterday at least it was fun to just bounce around and try to stay warm. With temps hovering in the 30s, it wasn't the best day for standing around waiting for a parade to start. The speeches carried on too long, and by the time the thing started our toes were already numb. Funny enough, a reporter from NY1 interviewed Elisa and Leonardo, who proved uncharacteristically subdued. I haven't seen it on air, and probably won't. But it was fun to watch them come alive after the camera stopped rolling. "I'm going to be on TV!" Elisa kept shouting to no one in particular. Yes, my little starlet was having fun. And so did I. Thanks, Sunnyside for another great year carrying the Irish banner for all.
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