Daytime Drinking = Fabulous!

Anyone who lives in the fabulous city of Seattle has to admit basking in the gorgeous summer sunshine for three months totally makes up for the dreary, gray, rainy months during the rest of the year. The patio bars, outdoor restaurants, parks and concerts provide more than enough entertainment to fill one’s schedule each day from May to October.

But without a doubt, Seattle’s summer festivals make life in the Pacific Northwest all worthwhile. I attended one of my favorites this past weekend: Fremont Summer Solstice Festival, or the Fremont Fair.

I set my alarm Friday night for 9 a.m. in anticipation of the next morning’s parade in the funky Fremont neighborhood. Upon waking, I spent the next 15 minutes gazing dejectedly out my window at the rolling black clouds that threatened to ruin what I had considered to be the first day of summer. I glared at the sky, daring the raindrops to fall, before sighing and heading for the shower. My friend arrived at 10 a.m., coffee and rain jacket in hand. Too stubborn to admit defeat yet, I just grabbed a light hooded sweatshirt and we headed out.

One $14 cab ride later and we arrived in Fremont, which was already crawling with people who had come to watch the parade. The air was muggy and oppressive, and I kept glancing nervously up at the sky, convinced it was going to pour at any second. We pushed our way up the road to our destination, and stood around people watching until two of our friends rolled up on their bikes.

Ignoring the fact that it was not quite 11 a.m., we decided that the only way to start the day off right was with some $1.99 white zinfandel from 7-Eleven. Classy, I know. But not quite as glamorous as how we cleverly hid our booze in paper bags while we drank it. But not to worry, no one noticed, because the parade was beginning!

Have you ever passed a car accident and you don’t want to look, but it’s like once you glance over, your stare is locked and you can’t look away? That was how the beginning of the Solstice Parade was for me, as probably a hundred butt naked, body painted men and women rode by on their decorated bicycles. I’ve never seen such a display of confidence in my life! I started giggling hysterically as I cracked open my second mini wine bottle, and as the sun began streaming down, I knew I was in for a fabulous day.

After the parade, I wolfed down half a chicken Caesar pita to stop the sloshing of coffee and cheap wine in my stomach, and we sat down to re-evaluate. The consensus was clear: We needed more alcohol. Two of my friends jumped on their bikes and headed for the nearest liquor store, while another friend and I headed back to 7-Eleven for slurpees, the perfect summertime treat. Especially when the shaved ice is mostly melted down with vodka.

We wandered down toward the festivities and sat by the water for a while, just enjoying the sun, giddy with the feeling of being drunk in the middle of the afternoon, outside, underneath the sun’s glorious rays. Finished with the slurpees, we somehow obtained icy lemonades and dumped in the rest of the vodka. We spent some time at the main stage, and then found yet another grassy knoll to relax on, underneath the trees, since the sun was really starting to bake. Rapidly starting to become sleepy, we pulled one another up off the grass, brushed ourselves off, and headed for the beer garden. A few beers later, and our drunken attention spans couldn’t take much more – we decided to go for another walk.

Our destination? Where else but back to 7-Eleven for more booze! I grabbed another white zin, but this time had a fabulous idea: If VODKA tastes good in a sour watermelon slurpee, wouldn’t anything? Eh, I was too buzzed to notice, so I mixed them together anyway. It was good… I think.

Now, there was only one possible conclusion to this day filled with friends, sunshine and alcohol… BEER MUNCHIES!! Feeling a sugar headache coming on, we headed to the only place we know that is almost guaranteed to head off a hangover… Dick’s. Two greasy burgers and two orders of fries later, we gulped down ice water and headed home, a little sunburned, but really no worse for wear.

My only thought as I threw myself down on the couch… “I can’t wait for next weekend!”

See you at Pride...