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Jazz Age Lawn Party

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One group activity that we’ve long wanted to do, but our schedules or memories never quite lined up, was the Jazz Age Lawn Party. After the Plague Year where we couldn’t, we were lucky that Lauren caught a reminder for this year where we could and did.

So on Saturday we boarded Byron and then took the train down to Wall Street before heading to the ferries where we took the brief trip across the East River to Governor’s Island. The island is a lot like SF’s Presidio: it had been a place for officers to be stationed adjacent to a major urban area and was a place to stage troop movements during times of war. Since late-20th century it had largely sat idle due to military budgetary constraints before being turned into a preserve for the citizens of the city and state. So the end result is several historical buildings built in military barracks style, beautiful old trees, parks, and quiet.

It’s common to hold musical festivals on the island the the JALP is one of those. Upon arrival, we were directed through to the main quadrangle, past several taco trucks providing refreshment to the main lawn. There, a large dance floor had been lain on the grass and a live band was playing ragtime, jazz, and even some Latin tunes.

We brought a picnic (in the awesome new insulated backpack Lauren got me!) and listened to music, appreciated the costume and creativity of our neighbors, and danced in the big dance floor. After a few hours we were ready to head home. We stopped back past the taco trucks and had refreshing home-made mint-lemonade and Korean tacos. After a quick and breezy ride back to the ferry terminal we were on our island again and we headed back home.

Main dance floor and surrounding buildings
Main dance floor and surrounding buildings
Promenade alongside the lawn
Promenade alongside the lawn
Lauren with her wedding-day vintage parasol
Lauren with her wedding-day vintage parasol
Yours truly
Yours truly
Heading back after a day of dancing
Heading back after a day of dancing
Back to bedlam...and a shower, please
Back to bedlam…and a shower, please