Coney Island Mermaid Parade 06/19/10

Another Mermaid Come and Gone...

As you can see from these photos, Roni and I are more delighted with ourselves than anyone has a right to be.

On the Boardwalk



Mike, or Mitch, or something.  I am so pleased with myself here, and even I don't know why!


And neither does Roni!... But we will permit you to buy us beers.


Ma'am, the Mermaid Parade is not the place to bring your existential angst. Sorry! LIGHTEN UP!

 
Mermaid bride (of Frankenstein?)



Maybe the last Gulf Shrimp?



Samba Mermaid



No one's flying colors these days. These are interesting times for bikers on the East Coast.


Tommy. Of COURSE he's a retired firefighter. Doesn't he just LOOK like a retired firefighter? Blue-blue-blue eyes. Actually knows an old friend of mine from the job.  And best of all, a hockey fan. We spent a good half hour deconstructing how Glen Sather is a huge idiot and is ruining, absolutely RUINING the Rangers.




I don't have the energy to put these photos in order. Back to Roni's house to get ready.


It's almost like getting ready for a wedding...



Finally, ready to head out. But not before Roni has to do something else. Oh, wait! No! She forgot to do another thing! Oh, shit! Something else! To get her out of the house, you practically have to drag her by the hair.


Trapped in the subway by one of those "investigations."  Why not take pictures?


At Lola Starr -- Doesn't everyone need a Beethoven action figure?


More of being pleased with ourselves.


There's always that one weird guy who hangs around. Every time I lifted my camera to take this shot, this one darted in. Wish I could have gotten his shoes in the shot. They were the best part of his outfit.


Mermaid neophyte who approached us and said, "It's my first time!"  A mermaid virgin, how sweet!


Betty Boop mermaid. Or maybe Bettie Page?


The hot dog girl at Ruby's gets into the spirit of it. Look how freakin' adorable she is!


Derek and Eric, who slept on the beach on Friday night so they wouldn't miss a minute. This was at about 3:00 and my man Derek (r) was already HAMMERED. They coined the phrase for my outfit, "Fak-ed," as in "fake naked."


There was a parade. Somewhere in this scrum are Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, the King and Queen of the day.


Proof that there is entirely too much self esteem in the world. Too mean? TOO BAD. Or as my brother would say, "Oh, man, cover that shit up. PLEASE."


Gothic, undead mermaids...


And their sharkbit victim... I'm not sure what the blue-faced guy is supposed to be. Blue?


Oh, wait, we haven't taken a picture of ourselves for a while. Yep, we're still having more fun than you.


We were definitely having more fun than her. Every time I saw her, she looked more miserable.  Not sure how this is possible on Mermaid Day.  Another shitload of existential angst caught in a net? "May I take your photo," resulting in a mug shot like a ten dollar hooker. She needs to work on her mermaid attitude.


Ok, my girl with the sandcastle on her head? I LOVED her. Look at the gleam in her eye. She GETS it -- Life is supposed to be a fucking banquet and most poor sons of bitches are starving to death. (everything I've learned in life I learned from -- Auntie Mame?) I wanted to make out with her.



King Neptune and his Lingerie Mermaid. I thought he was a Roooooosian, because he was speaking with a flawless Roooooosian accent, until he dropped it and was just another white guy.



Random sea creatures. Man, there are an awful lot of beer bottles in this shot, aren't there?


I loved this little Nellie Forbush corn-fed girl -- she's also delighted with herself!  "Look how cute I am!!!"  I have a cat who does that.


Stilt-walkers on the boardwalk. Now THIS is the way to see a parade. I commend them for stilting in this crowd, on this crappy boardwalk surface.


Stilt-walker II


Damn, I wish I had gotten her whole seahorse getup. Instead, my camera focused on what looks like her freakishly large hand.


You know what? You either get the Mermaid, or you don't. Another one who gets it. If I had her body, I'd totally go tits-out on Mermaid day.



God, look at her profile. How exquisite is she?


Scary sea creatures through the crowd.  Very dark and Marianas Trenchy.  Wish I could have gotten close to them to get a better shot.


Janis Joplin mermaid. Love the beer and ciggie.

Some hot Scot. End of the evening. Babysitter mermaid and her assistant.