Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Wednesday Needs Title

Laguna Beach: Festival of ArtsI'm stuck. In normal times I'm never stuck for something to say. Well these aren't normal times I guess. That's an idea I'll blame it on the times.

You have anything to say? Leave a comment.

Water Temp: 59

Tides:
05:02 AM -0.56 feet Low Tide
05:48 AM Sunrise
11:30 AM 3.77 feet High Tide
04:03 PM 2.28 feet Low Tide
08:04 PM Sunset
10:17 PM 5.83 feet High Tide

at 6:00 AM

Laguna Beach:

5 comments:

  1. Roger von BütowJul 8, 2009 07:44 AM
    OK John, you got me wondering about these last few postings: On the one hand you seemed hopeful regarding sales at the FOA, then in the next shot you reveal a seeming ghost town on the FOA grounds----So what's really going on in this DOWN DOWN DOWN economy? The festivals, the Chamber of Commerce, Visitors Bureau and probably the LBCC will paint a HAPPY FACE, chin up and all of that tommy-rot, and they'll not reveal real sales stats. Now combine this conundrum with the increasingly restrictive/oppressive public park decisions (including curfews) you've mentioned---Well, is someone going to admit we have a problem or not? In February, our City Manager told the world that we were in fine shape, then 90 days later at the Budget Meeting said we are upside-down almost $1 million. Worse, he got our city employees to either take a cut or freeze their wages. The highest paid CM in California per capita, do you think he's frozen his pay? There's so much BS, so much smoke & mirrors, it's hard to tell the propaganda from the truth. Obviously, gloomy projections can create fear, cause panic, but I don't personally observe a healthy thriving CONSUMING group of visitors this year, in fact it's been winding down for several years. Maybe we're not as cool or bitchen as we think we are. Maybe in spite of all of our self-deceiving hype, PR and advertisements, our billionaire Sister City Menton France, this IS the new reality, time to get our heads out of the sand and deal with it instead of whistling through a veritable economic graveyard. Then again, with all of the kitsch in our tinker-toy shops Americans will flock to our now highly regulated police state. Don't fish, don't drink, don't walk at night...Let's adopt that Elvis hit tune as our anthem: "DON'T", or maybe post at our City Limits signs using a bastard version of Nike's mantra: "Just DON'T Do It!" or the disco band, one hit wonder Frankie Goes to Hollywood: "Relax, DON'T Do It."
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  2. Roger the photo was taken at 6:30 PM two hours before the Pageant begins and late in the afternoon for the day trippers. Also remember this is a weekday and the crowds tend to be small on weekday mornings and afternoons. For that reason I have always encouraged visitors to visit the festivals in the late morning.

    And yes the artists are selling. Don't let the small crowds in this photo fool you. An hour later you couldn't walk through this section because of the crowds.
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  3. Roger von BütowJul 8, 2009 12:38 PM
    John:
    Aren't those crowds one hour (7:30 PM) later only folks perusing because they are on their way into the Pageant, the FOA grounds a free tune-up or walkabout included in the ticket?
    I get one story of a multi-year trend in lowered expectations/sales from the artists, another from the PR, spin & damage control flunkies. Maybe none of them knows for sure as cash does change hands in this type of untraceable fiscal structure. It's always been like that, the IRS will never be able to track sales accurately as many also take place off-site at artists homes and studios. On the other hand, artists are some of the most poorly paid demographic we have. Writers, musicians ditto. The purveyors and protectors of our culture, they along with teachers get little $$$ acknowledgment. Oh, and photojournalists too!
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  4. I say you should title this: The loner table.
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  5. Roger crowds don't buy art people do. And you should re-read my post of promising art sales because I never used the work CROWD in that post.

    Weekday mornings and early afternoons are always the best time to view the art at the festival because the CROWDS are small and many of the artists are on site.
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