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| 3/4 of our dance troupe take over Gatsby Afternoon |
Each year, the Art Deco Society of California has their annual Gatsby Picnic at the famed Dunsmuir Historic Estate in Oakland, CA. It is an afternoon transported back to the Jazz Age when music and entertainment was at its apex. It is an afternoon to enjoy the days when ladies and gentlemen dressed in their Sunday bests, feasted on homemade picnic goodies, enjoyed a foxtrot or charleston on the dance floor and interacted with myriad patrons scattered across the lawn.
I chose to wear my vintage chiffon gown; a light fabric to keep the body cool on a steaming hot day. My picnic items consisted of vegan sandwiches, vegan potato salad and sliced watermelon. I met with my fellow chorus girls and established a seating area where we set our blankets/sheets and emptied our picnic baskets of sandwiches, deserts, fruit and mixed drinks. We sat enjoying friendly chatter while a live band played period appropriate jazz music. There was an endless parade of patrons walking about the grounds toasting their champagne glasses and making small talk before venturing off to the next picnic area.
Later, the DecoBelles performed their number and sad to say, I was less than impressed. Here we are kicking our butts with our rigorous routines, and theirs was just a number prancing about in circles.
I walked about admiring the vintage fashion and auto show all the while grasping my iPhone for the latest 49er game updates. I am a 49er Faithful and it pained me to miss the home opener. Following this entry are the pictures I snapped of the picnic. Would I do this again? Perhaps, but to shell out $50 just to sit on a lawn where we have to provide our own food seems a bit ridiculous. Though I definitely enjoyed the experience with my dance troupe. We'll see what I decide next year.
