There was lots going on this weekend in the Slope; Seventh Avenue was the usual weekend carnival and the side-streets had their share of stoop sales and block parties. The Brooklyn Pride Festival was on Prospect Park West near the Pavillion and on Saturday night at 9 p.m. the annual Gay, Lesbian and Transgender parade took over Seventh Avenue.

Traffic was atrocious. I was only in a car once – my brother-in-law drove me from Seventh to Eighth  Avenue on Union Street and what a mess that was.

Seventh Avenue was bumper to bumper as was Third Street. My neighbors kept asking, "What’s going on? Why all this traffic on Third Street?"
But I sort of sleep walked through most of it as I was in a slow-motion frame of mind due to the humidity and the exhaustion from a busy week. I was aware of all the activity but sort of oblivious. Excuse me, could you move your stroller please. Excuse me. Just passing through. There was so much to do – but I chose to avoid it for the most part; just did my errands and got home.

Chilling out and staying cool was my M.O. Lots of iced coffees and an expensive Mocha Chip cone from Haggen Daz. My daughter and I caught some air conditioned air at Lisa’s Nail Salon upstairs on Union Street and Seventh. The place was packed with a multi-generational mix of women in need of manicures, pedicures and waxing. Chartruse was the color my daughter chose for her nails and the manicurist painted tiny flowers on two of her nails as a treat.

The rain cooled things off a bit Saturday afternoon and I was able to nap on the sofa for an hour or so. When I woke up it was torrid again and my daughter and I walked over to the Pavillion to catch the 8:30 show of "Madagasgar." Outside the theater, the Brooklyn Pride Parade was forming – a colorful display of flags, floats, costumes, and signs. I was sorry we had to miss it – but being inside at the movies seemed a better way to go.

I enjoyed the film immensely but it might have been the air conditioned air that had me fooled. My daughter seemed to like it to, too. We walked home down Seventh Avenue after the parade was over and everthing was cleared away. We did see a woman wearing a snake around her neck and a Gay Pride t-shirt in the donut shop on Seventh Avenue near Ninth.

That was cool.