Two long days at the Oyster Festival regally strolling around the grounds, bestowing Royal greetings and welcomes, presiding over the shucking contests, monitoring the cook off, and generally making sure everything was proceeding correctly. Including of course checking the quality of the beverages being offered.
But by a wide margin, most of the Monarch’s time was spent in front of cameras. Nowadays, anybody who can hold one has some sort of device that will capture an image. The King didn’t keep track but the number of times his picture was taken must have been in the hundreds. And, I heard many groups upon gleefully looking at their countenance with his Majesty exclaim: “I can’t wait to get this on Facebook!” I am not savvy enough about “tagging” and all that stuff, but it would be interesting to see how many are out there. Or, maybe not.
The Royal day began with Regal treatment by the local Barristas, helping to reinforce the enthusiasm for the day
It was fun to meet all the people and those that wanted their picture taken. Some were afraid to approach, but when I saw their camera pointed in my direction I immediately posed for them. Everybody was polite and asked if they could have a picture, or if it “would be all right” to get their picture with the King. I am not sure what they thought somebody strolling around in billowing red robes (brisk winds Saturday) and a goofy crown was doing, but of course I always said “of course!”, and the feeder inside kept jabbing the King if he said “Absolutely!”.
I do have to admit that the majority of people wanting their picture taken with me were females of all ages. The ones of my generation were a bit sheepish sometimes, but I know they enjoyed it. It was funny about the little ones. Some were happy to be with the King, others had to be talked into it, and others wanted nothing to do with it. Hiding heads in Mommy’s skirts yelling “no!”. Eventually some were cajoled into reluctantly standing a minute and some never did. Most were entranced with the jeweled wooden scepter topped with the shells, and you could divert their attention to that. “Helping” me hold it turned out to be a good distraction.
So it was a busy weekend. In the cookoff department our local Chef Loic of Café Des Artistes pretty much ran away with everything, winning his category (appetizers); the peoples choice, and the grand champion (or whatever it’s called). We had a repeat National Champion Shucker in Mike Martin of Florida. In the men’s final, he posted one of the lowest (net) times that has been seen in a long time. The raw time was under two minutes for twenty four (reluctant as John Hanson Briscoe would say) oysters. Try that at home!!
A wonderful festival celebrating the oyster, but really a local gathering (well, folks came from all over, even California (the state)) to enjoy the weather, good food, entertainment, and enjoying being outdoors.. Mark your calendars for next year, it’s the 20th of October, 2012. Come see us, and a new King Oyster.
And only a day of rest for (back to the) Feeder, as MFO and I leave Wednesday morning for a week’s vacation in Santa Fe, New Mexico. There may be an outage of the Bottom Feeder, always being at the whim of internet availability. For once we have done a little research and are having some “big deal” meals as well as some local hole in the wall places that are recommended. That’s the plan anyway.
So, now that I am temporarily back into the role of a commoner, the throne will remain vacant for a while
Sigh…..
Packing bags so that we will of course be
DFD
Adios!!
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