Friday, June 27, 2008

Frost Park Chalk-off Hat Mania (aka The Mad Hatters) ... corrected version

I was innocently enjoying watching my children and the many other chalktastic folks at this week's Frost Park Chalk-off when I realized that Frost Park folk are rather inclined to wear hats, and not just because it's sunny out. So I decided to document. I went up to old friends and new, introducing myself and asking for a picture of them in their hat. Unfortunately, I was acting on faith. Faith that my cellphone camera actually worked following yesterday's update, but apparently I hoped for too much. I'm sure it's user error, but I'm still trying to figure out the problem.

In the meantime, I share chalktastic hat-mania with you by pure memory and description and googlery, with some cribbed pics (mostly from Mr. Urbanist), some commentary and a bit of random what-not.

Let's start with my first two victims, and the inspiration for this crazy Mad Hatter post (note: I did not notice Angela Jossy's Mad Hat Tea Co. chalking until halfway through this quest. Angela: I feel a strange bond with you this week ... )

jcbetty: Miss Betty arrived once again in biker (bicyclist) gear, sporting her spandex skorts ... and a bike helmet! In lovely silver-gray and black, she chose to keep the helmet rather than exposing helmet hair. And inspriration struck when I spotted her chatting away with the new and improved ...

Can't find a pic of Miss Betty in a bike helmet, so here is Dawn in a bike helmet
Frost Park Chalk Off Episode VII: 5/23/2008

izenmania: Izenmania shocked the chalk-off world and Tacomaniacs in general, including his dad, and his recently-went-back-to-London lady friend by chopping his locks, shaving his beard, donning a signature look and making himself utterly unrecognizable. Luckily, I have a photos to share of this.

stolen picture of Mr. Izenman's new hat, and new look


And the hat in action
0627081205.jpg

From there, I cornered chalk-off founder RR Anderson: with his signature and close-to-my-heart TAGRO hat (a gift from the Tacoma Gnome). And with that, for those who are super-swift, you may pick up a theme among he and the next two hat wearers.

Former Frost Park pic of RR in his TAGRO hat (by the Urbanist)
Frost Park Sidewalk Chark Sketch Off-Challenge 4/18/2008

RR is a man of many hats ...
John Hathaway gives RR Anderson Historic Fedora for Safekeeping for Victor of Episode VIII


Pat Brown, I believe formerly of the Outlaw Carnies and definite current driving force behind Satellite Coffee and Supernova Hair & Tattoo (along with Supersuckers' Ron Heathman, who are/were playing in Seattle tonight), was also out and about at Frost Park and sporting a really super-nifty hat from a buddy's record shop in Walla Walla: Hot Poop. Seriously. Hot Poop. Did you get the connection yet?

Photo of Pat in his Hot Poop hat (taken from Satellite Coffee's MySpace site)

Hey! Check it! It's my laptop's twin!

The Outlaw Carnies in action


The Supersuckers in action ... (any excuse for me to post music videos, I know)



Then, prolific and fantabulous chalker Mark Monolux was also wearing a hat that, if you really stretch, also fits into the above category. Upon Mark's curly locks was a (I believe yellow) baseball cap, upon which he pointed to it's theme: The Puyallup Fair. (If I'm wrong, don't sue me. I'm working from memory, which I was not expecting to do. I would have taken notes had I known ...)

I think this is the hat ... (from a former chalk-off)
Frost Park Chalk Off Episode VII: 5/23/2008

Ok, that completes my poop joke. On to more hats!

Adam the Alien was wearing his signature topper, so that's an easy one to find.

From a long ago rainy chalk-off ... (by the Urbanist)
Frost Park Chalk Off Episode IX

Andrea was paying tribute to her Indiana Alien with a fedora.

Prize Transfer Ceremony for Frost Park Chalk Off Episode XI

Andrea also likes her hats ...
Frost Park Chalk Off Episode VII: 5/23/2008

Ariel's significant other John was also sporting a wide-brimmed hat of sorts.

You can always spot John and his hat.
Frost Park Chalk Off Episode VII: 5/23/2008

Stowe was topped off by a paint-stained baseball cap. (His UrbanXchange doohickey sidelined for the day due to hot-hot weather.)

Stowe in a different hat, last week ...


Another former Stowe hat ...
Frost Park Chalk Off Episode VII: 5/23/2008

Stowe and "the hat" on his selfmade trading card ...



Local artist Linda Danforth and her gal pal took turns with a very red wide-brimmed hat.

OK, so it wasn't this widebrimmed ...


And then, to wrap up my tour of today's chalk-off's 11 hats, is my own munchkin, The Boy, who managed to swipe The Eldest's visor for the day. He looked rather sporty.

But he won't pose for it now.

So ... next week ... anyone want to up the hat anty? I'll bring an actual camera. :)

And here's to you Ms. Jossy ...

6 comments:

Duchess of Downtown Tacoma said...

You are awesome! Despite the technical difficulties! I'm sure what you presented here took much more time and effort so its therefore worthy of much higher praise.

I knew there would be hats today but I wasn't thinking of that when I chose my subject matter. I guess it was the magic of the universe that inspired us both to give a nod to the mad hatter. Those last two lines rhymed accidentally. Woh.... that's creepy... (insert twilight zone music here)

Alicia said...

It did take a lot longer. To the husband's chagrin. I think the children are starting to drive him batty. Off to the rest of my homework before tomorrow's post-anniversary family adventure ...

NineInchNachos said...

funny post. nice work.

I hear Tagro is coming out with a new version of hat. Maybe a future chalk prize? I love TAGRO merch!

Alicia said...

Hmmm ... that sounds like a plausible and good idea. Maybe we could arrange a TAGRO prize for the best veggie/plant/flower/food chalking or some such odd-ball topic. Or something else. Whispering will have to begin. ...

NineInchNachos said...

I filled my grandpa's ford with 3 cubic yards of TAGRO POTTING MIX, the stuff is great. My potato patch is HUMONGOUS!

CV said...

Quite the post! :) Love your style, always informative and entertaining.

New blog address: http://mesmers-eyes.blogspot.com/