“roaring twenties.”
st. germain cocktail: st. germain, champagne, lemon twist.
On Sunday, I exited my apartment building into a sweltering early afternoon, taking in the summer sun and heat that had thankfully returned to us. My hair was adorned with a feather; my clothes mixed plaid and stripes. A few blocks later, two friends and I stepped aboard a ferry: they wore black and ruffles, oversized earrings, statement headbands of peacock feathers and shine. We had all painted our lips a deep red.
The steamy August day marked my first trip to the automobile-free Governors Island. It is not quite a tourist ground like those other islands south of Manhattan, and it is not a place for dwelling like Roosevelt or Staten. On the ride across the East River, barely long enough to take in the city view, the passengers were a sight for confused eyes: half dressed in comfortable tourism clothes, American flag stickers fixed to their lapels – a sign of their ticket for the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the boat we all shared. The other half, like my friends and I, were playing dress-up, 1920s style.
I wasn’t sure where or when I was as I entered the island’s rectangular green, fencing in a jazz band, a dance floor, a handful of ancient yet sparkling Fords, a few booths peddling cloche hats and cameo rings. I gazed over the expanse, brimming with countless twentysomethings lounging on picnic blankets, elderflower cocktails in hand, picnic baskets strewn to their sides.
It felt like a film set, a time warp, and old-fashioned fun all in one. Men in vests and flat hats led modestly-dressed women onto the dance floor. At one point, there was an actual game of tug-o-war; at another, a parade of period swimsuit-clad “bathing beauties.” The only indication of the modern day came from digital cameras: an occasion such as this begged for photography.
Everyone was drinking, whether they lined up at the makeshift bar for champagne cocktails or pulled bottles of wine from their picnic baskets. No one seemed to mind the 90+ degree heat. We were all too content.
My friends and I lounged at a picnic table later in the afternoon, sipping our second round and discussing just how wonderful this day had been. In the sun, we celebrated the roaring twenties – the twentieth century decade that we never experienced, and this decade of our lives that we are so thrilled to be living.
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Sounds so lovely!
hey! i just found your blog through lilveggiepatch, and i’m really enjoying reading it, so i just wanted to say hi. the party sounds so cool! i’ve never been to governors island…i guess i’ll have to explore it someday.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Lola! I highly recommend Governors Island – it was really beautiful, it’s free to get there (and it’s literally a three-minute trip), and there are tons of wonderful events every weekend. I’m already on the lookout to make a trip back!