Lucy Chocolate Dipper and Lucy Hollywood Glamour Girl with Ricky Looking On
Halloween in Collingswood is very quaint but not what I remember from living in San Francisco or LA, where it is a celebration. Here, in the little village center, children get dressed up and go for treats to the commercial shops and hundreds if not thousands show up because it is Collingswood. Unfortunately, few show up at doors anymore because they have already gotten their bounty at the shops and because parents are leery from what is out there.
Not too far across the Delaware River in Philadelphia a tradition more akin to that I experienced in California is alive. Here city dwellers, mostly adult, regale themselves at this time of year living out fantasies of their childhood or? One of the biggest parties, a Costumed Ball celebrating its 40 plus anniversary, in the classic tradition, is put on by Henri David. Henri, a jeweler by trade, is a character larger than life all year and at Halloween he is as big as a Galaxy in wonderful costumes and platform shoes, but he is bigger than life because he loves a great party and loves to get a great crowd.
This year’s Ball attracted some 1500 dressed and undressed individuals who were photographing each other and who kept running in and out of the dance floor to check the score of the Philly-Yankees game or catch a smoke. The costumes ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous and all levels of taste and propriety. The reality is that two in the morning came and we lived it over again as it was daylight savings. It was a wonderful evening that even included Pennsylvania’s Governor Rendell paying tribute to Henri for his yearly gathering loved by Philadelphians. Enjoy the show!
The following are a few images from the Ball. If you are interested in seeing more check out my Picasa Web
Album: http://picasaweb.google.com/renelctorres/HalloweenAtTheHenriDavidBall2009?
Glamour Heathen
Chiquita and a Carmen
Guess who?
All Seeing
Hello, Dolly!
Divine
Governor Rendell and Henri
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That looked like it was a lot of fun!
ReplyDeleteWish I was there, Hope you had a great time
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