Famous Ankles

I usually love the Columbus Day Parade.  It’s one of the more prestigious parades in the city and can have some absolutely wonderful sights.  Sad to say, but this year I missed a lot of them.

Blame the General Pulaski Day Parade.  It took a lot out of me as I was there over four hours (even though I enjoyed it thoroughly).  The prospect of another four to six hours for the Columbus Day Parade was too much.  I did make it there for three hours, though.  Only two hours of parade.

Hey, it was supposed to start at 11am!  I got there early.  Great spot:  opposite Rockefeller Center with my back to Saks Fifth Avenue.  A view so grand my camera couldn’t catch it in one photo.  I’m only going to post one of the two it took to capture the building.

If you haven’t seen it before, the building just keeps going and going.

Anyway, getting to the spot was actually almost as interesting as anything else.  I was walking up 42nd Street and I hear sirens and more sirens and a few more sirens.  I looked and I saw what I first thought was a Presidential motorcade as it was so big turning onto Madison Avenue.  Flashers going crazy.

Once onto Madison, they still kept up the sirens, but they were pretty much at a standstill.  By now, I knew what it was:  New Jersey was showing up late for the parade and was enjoying the chance to set off their sirens and flashers in the big city.  Honestly, I felt it was abusive.  Just because you can set off your sirens doesn’t mean you should.  Maybe it’s exciting for them, but New Yorkers hear sirens all the time and really don’t need to hear more.

Anyway, they had a lot of their vehicles getting into place.  Remember, the parade was to start at 11am and this was around 10:15.  Once they pulled off onto the appropriate side streets, they emptied out a number of marchers and they had to go and find their positions.

Anyway, back to Rockefeller Center and my long wait for an 11am parade.  The following picture was taken at 11am.

The crowd was gathering.  And the marchers were…

…walking in the wrong direction at 11:15am.  It’s a northward parade and these folks, who included the Grand Marshall, were walking southward.  Why, I remember the days of the Stueben Parade when it started precisely on time.  I’m not going to do any cheap shots regarding Italians and running on time.  But my feet were hurting and I just wanted to see a few sights.

At 11:35, the first part started (I was only a few blocks north of the starting point around 44th so it wasn’t an issue of travel time from the start).  As usual, cops on horses, although they were preceded by some antique cars (alas, no good photos came of that).  Then the Marine Corp band came.

I haven’t seen them in a while and they’re always good.

Okay, I’ve posted way too many Miss Polonias, but I did get a couple of equivalents at this parade.  Here’s Joella Cuzzo, the Columbus Day Parade queen.

One thing that was different about this parade was the prevelance of official filmcameras.  I haven’t seen many film crews covering the recent parades, but there were a number of them on Fifth Avenue.  The crowds always love them.

Speaking of the crowd; this was a pretty good one.  Nothing spectacular, but almost everyone around me was speaking in Italian.  It’s always a good sign when that sort of thing happens.  The parade did have some calling back and forth, but not to the conversational level that I saw at the Pulaski Parade.  But there was one special moment when a float playing some recorded music was rolling up past us and three or four members of the crowd around me started singing the lyrics to the music.  The music itself had no vocal track, instead the crowd members took it upon themselves to sing it out.  I’ve no idea of the song’s meaning (national anthem? drinking song? children’s ditty?), but the fact that they started singing it out was nice and may have been one of the best moments of the day for me.

Another pleasant moment was when a cop grabbed a flag and started running with it.

The parade started going in earnest.  There were lots of period costumes and the like.

And dignitaries.

And politicians.  Senator Chuck Schumer brought his bullhorn and called out in Italian.  I always get a kick out of the signs some of them have around them.  They want no mistaken identity.

Congressman Anthony Weiner was there…but they must have taken away his bullhorn.  Poor guy.

But Mayor Bloomberg did show.  He always appears in the middle of a huge crowd.  I’ve seen him surrounded by children before, as if daring someone to say something nasty toward him in the midst of kids.

Along with him came some uniformed police.  A couple of female cops stopped near me and I got a kick out of their extra handcuffs.  This picture captures less than half of them.

Another beauty queen came by.  Actually about three of them did, but only one picture came out any good (and not all that good at that).  Miss New York.

And another…beauty queen?  Or is she just a celebrity?  No, she’s Celebrity Queen Sondra Fortunato!  (AKA, Miss Liberty USA.)

But, mostly what I seemed to see were people waving flags.  Not Italian or American ones.  Just generic flags.

(The guys below also threw their flags.)

Okay, the next is an Italian flag and they were just carrying it.

At about 1:40, I left.  I was just tuckered out.

I missed the one thing that I was really after.  I wanted a picture of my favorite parade costume.  It’s always worn by women.  It can be modern or ancient.  It can be square or round.  My favorite Columbus Day Parade costume is…a table.  The women attach it around themselves like a bizarre hoopskirt.  The table is fake, of course, and it always holds food, also fake.  But it symbolizes a wonderful home; or at least that’s how I interpret it.  And who could object to such a symbol?  Not me.  Hey, it’s my favorite costume and I’m really sorry that I wasn’t up to waiting.

-H

It’s time for more Miss Polonias.  They really made my day.

This is Miss Polonia of Bayonne, New Jersey.

Miss Polonia of South Bergen West Hudson Kasia Sudol and Junior Miss Polonia Alexandra Cison.

Next, another Miss Polonia without a designation that I saw.  I don’t know if that’s a Junior Miss Polonia or a member of the “court”.

Miss Polonia of South Amboy New Jersey, Karolina Czarnecki.  I’m sorry to have such a poor picture of Junior Miss Polonia Dominique Macanski (I’m not sure of the spelling, but the sign isn’t clear).

Next, Miss Polonia of New Brunswick Magda Kubasek.

Miss Polonia of Perth Amboy, Krolawa Zjednoclenia.  Obviously, two additional “Miss Polonias” accompanied (one a “Junior Miss” and the other’s title isn’t known to me).

Miss Polonia of Ocean County, New Jersey.

Miss Polonia of Passaic and Vicinity, Monika Pyryt.

This next one is different.  Technically, she’s referred to as Miss ZMP.  But to me she’s Diana Sapinski, another excellent Miss Polonia.

We’ve been going all over New Jersey, so you know there’s a Miss Polonia of Newark.  This is Sylvia Sobcryk.

Next is Miss Polonia of Clark, Julia Bednarczyk.

Clark seems to be a land of relatively melancholic Polish women with large tiaras, who get their own cars to ride through parades.  Here’s a court member of Clark that I caught between smiles and waves.

Next, Miss Polonia of Linden Magda Przybyszewka and Junior Miss Polonia Tiffany Lukenda.

Miss Polonia of Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Miss Polonia of the Polish-American Club of North Jersey in Paramus, Natalia Pierog.

I hadn’t expected this one, a Catholic Church had their own Miss Polonia.  Miss Polonia of Holy Rosary Church of Passaic, Monica Mynaryk.

Now, right after that was another Miss Polonia of Rosary Church.  I believe also of Passaic (the ladies passed by less than 2 minutes apart).  Two Miss Polonias from one place?  Why not?  Here’s Joanna Dziobek.

And so ends my four-part review of the General Pulaski Parade of 2007.  I showed up an hour late and I haven’t the foggiest of what I missed.  Certainly I missed the politicians…well, only in the sense of not seeing them.  There could have been another dozen Miss Polonias, but I shouldn’t even speculate.

Let me end on a more textual note.  I really like this parade.  It has almost everything that a watcher could want.  The crowd, although not a flag waving bunch of wild enthusiasts like the Puerto Rican Parade goers, were a wonderful group as they held conversations with the parade marchers.  It was terrific to see the crowds revel in their history and identity.  There was great humor and excellent music.  I only heard “Roll Out the Barrel” once, but it was sung in Polish!  There’s all the difference in the world in that.

To the marchers and to all of the Miss Polonias (past and present):  you throw a good parade.

-H

I’ve led you on for two posts before putting in my favorite part:  Miss Polonia.  This is the part to the Polish Parade that struck me the first time I saw it last year and I found it very endearing that the community absolutely, positively, totally refuses to say that just one of their young ladies is enough representation for all of Poland.  Why have one pretty girl when the Polish community has so very many?

And, for the most part, they double it by having a “Little Miss Polonia”, sometimes called “Junior Miss Polonia” – not to mention the occasional “court”.  This was the 27th General Pulaski Parade and I have a suspicion that there have been hundreds and hundred of Miss Polonias, each of whom remembers her day(s) in the sun during a great parade.  And I say:  Good for you!

I have no idea of any sort of requirement to become a Miss Polonia.  I presume any and every group participating has the right to name one for whatever reasons they deem appropriate.  About all that was consistent amongst them was a tiara or crown.  During the march, I saw one or two tiara-wearers that weren’t clearly marked with the title, but they’re all “Miss Polonia” to Famous Ankles.

Congrats, ladies.

Miss Polonia – Staten Island

Next, Miss Polonia South Brooklyn Inez Zuska and Junior Miss Polonia Isabella Kwasnik.

Next, Miss Polonia from Our Lady of Consolation Church (with one or more Junior Miss Polonias).

Another Miss Polonia (at least I think she is).

Miss Polonia of Greenpoint (this was a tough one to catch).

Miss Polonia of Utica.

Another Miss Polonia (sometimes there’s no sign for what area or group; and sometimes they have the names).

I love this name:  Miss Polonia of Glen Cove and Vicinity.

And here’s Mister and Miss Polonia.  (The only “Mr. Polonia” I saw.)

Miss Polonia of Manhattan.

Another Miss Polonia.

Next, Miss Polonia of Orange County, New York.

Next, Miss Polonia of Ridgewood NY Sylvia Kruszewska and Jr Miss Polonia Michalle Warunek.

Next, Miss Polonia of Ozone Park, Violetta Chmura and Little Miss Polonia Victoria Nowinski.

Miss Polonia of Maspeth.  There’s a Junior Miss Maspeth there, but not a great photo.  Sorry, as you deserve better, kid.

Miss Polonia of Rockland County, New York.

Miss Polonia of Westchester, along with a Junior Miss Polonia, maybe two of ’em.

Miss Polonia of Stamford, Connecticut.

Miss Polonia of Wallington Sylwia Soltys.

 Miss Polonia of Garfield, Amada Konarski. 

Miss Polonia of Jersey City.  This was disappointing as I had a great shot but an official photographer blocked my picture.

At this point, it’s getting late and I still have many a Miss Polonia to go.  Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post.

-H

The previous post set up the general events around the parade but I’ve barely scratched the surface of what happened.  I’m not going to be particularly encyclopedic about the event, but I will cover some of the major points…or at least the ones that interested me.

There was a scene where one character led in a horse and rider.  They actually ran past me and most of my shots were not that good.  However, the two of them seemed to be having a good time.

I don’t know if the horseman is supposed to be General Pulaski.  If you’re not aware of it, the General is considered the founder of the American Calvary.  He immigrated to the US during the Revolutionary War, after being recruited by Lafayette.  He was killed during the Battle of Savannah in 1779.

The horse display was shortly followed by a bunch of hogs.  Motorcycles, that is.

But mostly, the parade was about native costumes and wearing red and white.  Sometimes both at the same time.  Here are some children from St. Frances De Chantal Church in Brooklyn.

And one young lady from another float.  She was too colorful to ignore.

Entire crowds of people in red and white would often be marching.  Often, they were Church-related, but sometimes they were just a community group.  The crowd below filled up the street.  Almost all were just in red and white, except the two that gave such a good photo opportunity.

The people in native dress were all over the place.

And there were dancers.  Some actively demonstrating their craft…

And others from Joseph’s Dance Studio who appeared very ready to do so…

And more native dress.

On top of all of this, there were multiple marching bands, small groups of musicians, lots of Church groups, and a group of coordinated flag wavers.  There were even a couple of groups of African-Americans, low-riders, and a contingent of kilt-wearing bagpipers.

But mostly, there were lots and lots of Miss Polonias.  I’ll have that in Part 3.

-H