Secret Pal Goodness
I have the best secret pal ever!!! They (she?) read my blog and sent me patterns for a toe up sock, which rocks, because I can't see Ms. Gwen Sock Lady until I can go to our meetups again when school lets out.
I think my SP spoilee hates me already. I don't know why. I will get on her good side if it kills me.
Knitting Karma? Heh.
Today, Trey & I went on a date (we went OUTSIDE in the DAYLIGHT and HEAT) and saw Batman Begins. OK, so I'm not really into those movies and I really could hardly choke down the Spiderman movies, but that was the BEST MOVIE!!! Right about now, my friends are thinking back to the "Er, No"-type response they got to their invitation to go see this movie. Rightly so. I am too judgemental, please tell me to shut up if need be. This means you, Hope. :)
In other news, I took my first of four exams in my Math for Retards class, and it went quite well. I may just make it into an actual, credit math class after all.
Also, I am overwhelmed sometimes at all the cuteness. I have THE CUTEST little talking Persian taco-eating cat on my desk, trying to hatch my hand. Is it just me, or do other people's cats hatch things too? Cats are so dirty!
I talked to my friend in FL last night who's coming up with her husband for the 4th. She was trying to buy like 7 tickets together for a cards game and is anti-computer, so she tends to call me for these things and use the internets via phone friend. I was sad to discover her crazy times friend, who we'll just call Drama (I need to come up with clever nicknames for my friends one day), is going too. Bah. I hate telling people I don't want to do something with them because they have unbearable friends. I'm excited to go to the parade and VP fair with them though.
By the way, I have lived in St. Louis for 7 years now and just realized it's called the VP fair and not the BP fair. VP apparently stands for Veiled Prophet, an odd character. I will now post what this is all about, as I am incapable of paraphrasing it properly.
Courtesy of VPParade.org...
A St. Louis Tradition for 127 Years
In 1817, Thomas Moore the Irish poet created the poem, Lalla Rookh: An Oriental Romance. The setting for his writing was Khorassan, a province of ancient Persia and his main character was an eighth-century “war mongering trickster”. Little did Moore know that his Veiled Prophet of Khorassan would become the foundation for a St. Louis tradition that would last for more than 127 years.
In the mid 1800’s St. Louis began hosting the Agricultural and Mechanical Fair. The fair offered St. Louisans a chance to celebrate the harvest season and view prize-winning livestock, crops and produce. Also displayed were industrial machinery and the products for the factories and workshops of the city. The fair was a highly important annual civic event for St. Louis, bringing substantial profit to its merchants, hotels and amusement centers.
Interest in the fair declined in the years following the Civil War, Reconstruction and the depression of 1873. By 1877, a small group of businessman decided the time had come to give the Agricultural and Mechanical Fair and the city of St. Louis a major boost.
In 1878, Charles E. Slayback, an ex-citizen of New Orleans and now an influential St. Louis grain broker invited twenty prominent St. Louis businessmen to a meeting at the Lindell Hotel. His reason for the meeting was simple – “to promote local business”.
On the evening of March 20, 1878, Slayback proposed to his colleagues, an annual event similar to Mardis Gras. He believed such a celebration would spark public interest and boost attendance for the October fair.
Slayback’s brother, Alonzo suggested the activities be organized by a group of the most upstanding businessmen of St. Louis. He also envisioned a mysterious character similar to that of Moore’s Veiled Prophet of Khorassan. Unlike Moore’s “trickster”, St. Louis’ Veiled Prophet would be a benevolent character, traveling the world in search of a suitable location to share his good will.
St.Louis became his adopted city. He believed the citizens of St. Louis were very much like his people of Khorassan; content, with their days filled with hard work. He gathered city officials to inform them of his return in one year, and stated that they must prepare for his arrival. A secretive society was formed called the “Mysterious Order of the Veiled Prophet”. It was established that the festivities marking the Veiled Prophet’s return would take two forms: a night parade followed by a ball.
Charles Slayback contacted Mardis Gras officials and purchased floats for a sum of eight thousand dollars. Captain John Scudder of Anchor Line and the H. C. Harstick barge line offered to transport the parade materials from New Orleans to St. Louis free of charge.
Arrangements for the ball were made at the Merchants Exchange Building. In keeping with their desire to remain anonymous, The Order chose exotic costumes for their Veiled One and Krewe (the attendants of the Veiled Prophet). The Veiled Prophet was selected based on the extent of the individual’s contributions to the betterment of the community.
The news of the Veiled Prophet’s arrival brought families from miles around. Spectators arrived in horse drawn wagons; others took advantage of reduced fares for special trains to St. Louis. Some arrived by steamboats and many walked. City newspapers assured strangers that they were welcome.
The evening of Tuesday, October 8, 1878 arrived. As many as 50,000 onlookers lined the streets of St. Louis. Many were seen waving five and ten dollar bills, competing for the best viewing locations. Every possible spot along the parade route was taken; housetops, cornices and window ledges, every space with a view of the street became a seat.
With a burst of torchlight and sound of whistling torpedoes, crowds found themselves entranced in a land of fantasy. Seventeen horse-drawn floats bounced and creaked over the dark cobblestone streets that were lighted by torches. Floats carried monsters, beautiful maidens and heroes. The parade followed for one and a half miles.
The final float emerged carrying the mysterious Veiled Prophet, holding his magic mirror that allowed him to view the past, present and future. Those along the parade route gazed “goggle-eyed at this strange and beautiful spectacle.” Spectators tried to guess the identity of the Veiled Prophet by judging his reactions when heckled.
The second phase of the festivities followed at the Merchants Exchange Building at 8:00 p.m. One of the highlights of the evening was when the Prophet chose the “belle of the ball”, by selecting a young lady for the first dance. Sixteen year-old Susie Slayback was the first “belle of the ball”. Years later Susie Slayback Wellington Adams wrote the following account of the first ball. “…He descended from his lofty seat to the dance floor where he presented (me) with a pretty pearl necklace. (My) dress was white satin made with a quilted skirt studded with beads and trimmed in lace.”
The first ball and parade was estimated to cost approximately twelve thousand dollars.
Moving into the twentieth century the Veiled Prophet celebration underwent numerous changes. In 1894 a new tradition began with the crowning of the Queen of Love and Beauty. The first crown was modeled after Queen Victoria’s crown. Early queens carried bouquets of American Beauty roses, but beginning in 1924 rare orchids were provided by the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Newspapers did not publicly announce the names of queens until 1885. In 1902, the Veiled Prophet decreed that queens should not marry nor announce their engagement during their reign.
In 1880 fireworks were shot along the parade route, from the Old Courthouse dome and ten other locations. In 1903, the parade route was lit by electricity, and floats traveled along the trolley rail. Floats, however, continued to be horse drawn until 1945 when tractors started being used instead. In 1927 the Veiled Prophet spoke to St. Louis directly via the new medium of radio.
In 1969, the parade became a daytime event and in 1981, the celebration moved to the fourth of July as the opening for the VP Fair. In 1995 the VP Fair became Fair St. Louis that attracts millions of people from all over the country to the St. Louis riverfront on July 4.
St. Louis has become the home of America’s biggest birthday party.
After 127 years, the Veiled Prophet Parade remains a highly important annual event for St. Louis. Thousands of spectators still line the parade route to view the Prophet, his Krewe, spectacular floats and the Queen of Love and Beauty. Little did the Slayback brothers know that 127 years later, their civic minded idea to promote our city would remain an endearing tradition that assures strangers that they are welcome to the great city on the river.
I think my SP spoilee hates me already. I don't know why. I will get on her good side if it kills me.
Knitting Karma? Heh.
Today, Trey & I went on a date (we went OUTSIDE in the DAYLIGHT and HEAT) and saw Batman Begins. OK, so I'm not really into those movies and I really could hardly choke down the Spiderman movies, but that was the BEST MOVIE!!! Right about now, my friends are thinking back to the "Er, No"-type response they got to their invitation to go see this movie. Rightly so. I am too judgemental, please tell me to shut up if need be. This means you, Hope. :)
In other news, I took my first of four exams in my Math for Retards class, and it went quite well. I may just make it into an actual, credit math class after all.
Also, I am overwhelmed sometimes at all the cuteness. I have THE CUTEST little talking Persian taco-eating cat on my desk, trying to hatch my hand. Is it just me, or do other people's cats hatch things too? Cats are so dirty!
I talked to my friend in FL last night who's coming up with her husband for the 4th. She was trying to buy like 7 tickets together for a cards game and is anti-computer, so she tends to call me for these things and use the internets via phone friend. I was sad to discover her crazy times friend, who we'll just call Drama (I need to come up with clever nicknames for my friends one day), is going too. Bah. I hate telling people I don't want to do something with them because they have unbearable friends. I'm excited to go to the parade and VP fair with them though.
By the way, I have lived in St. Louis for 7 years now and just realized it's called the VP fair and not the BP fair. VP apparently stands for Veiled Prophet, an odd character. I will now post what this is all about, as I am incapable of paraphrasing it properly.
Courtesy of VPParade.org...
A St. Louis Tradition for 127 Years
In 1817, Thomas Moore the Irish poet created the poem, Lalla Rookh: An Oriental Romance. The setting for his writing was Khorassan, a province of ancient Persia and his main character was an eighth-century “war mongering trickster”. Little did Moore know that his Veiled Prophet of Khorassan would become the foundation for a St. Louis tradition that would last for more than 127 years.
In the mid 1800’s St. Louis began hosting the Agricultural and Mechanical Fair. The fair offered St. Louisans a chance to celebrate the harvest season and view prize-winning livestock, crops and produce. Also displayed were industrial machinery and the products for the factories and workshops of the city. The fair was a highly important annual civic event for St. Louis, bringing substantial profit to its merchants, hotels and amusement centers.
Interest in the fair declined in the years following the Civil War, Reconstruction and the depression of 1873. By 1877, a small group of businessman decided the time had come to give the Agricultural and Mechanical Fair and the city of St. Louis a major boost.
In 1878, Charles E. Slayback, an ex-citizen of New Orleans and now an influential St. Louis grain broker invited twenty prominent St. Louis businessmen to a meeting at the Lindell Hotel. His reason for the meeting was simple – “to promote local business”.
On the evening of March 20, 1878, Slayback proposed to his colleagues, an annual event similar to Mardis Gras. He believed such a celebration would spark public interest and boost attendance for the October fair.
Slayback’s brother, Alonzo suggested the activities be organized by a group of the most upstanding businessmen of St. Louis. He also envisioned a mysterious character similar to that of Moore’s Veiled Prophet of Khorassan. Unlike Moore’s “trickster”, St. Louis’ Veiled Prophet would be a benevolent character, traveling the world in search of a suitable location to share his good will.
St.Louis became his adopted city. He believed the citizens of St. Louis were very much like his people of Khorassan; content, with their days filled with hard work. He gathered city officials to inform them of his return in one year, and stated that they must prepare for his arrival. A secretive society was formed called the “Mysterious Order of the Veiled Prophet”. It was established that the festivities marking the Veiled Prophet’s return would take two forms: a night parade followed by a ball.
Charles Slayback contacted Mardis Gras officials and purchased floats for a sum of eight thousand dollars. Captain John Scudder of Anchor Line and the H. C. Harstick barge line offered to transport the parade materials from New Orleans to St. Louis free of charge.
Arrangements for the ball were made at the Merchants Exchange Building. In keeping with their desire to remain anonymous, The Order chose exotic costumes for their Veiled One and Krewe (the attendants of the Veiled Prophet). The Veiled Prophet was selected based on the extent of the individual’s contributions to the betterment of the community.
The news of the Veiled Prophet’s arrival brought families from miles around. Spectators arrived in horse drawn wagons; others took advantage of reduced fares for special trains to St. Louis. Some arrived by steamboats and many walked. City newspapers assured strangers that they were welcome.
The evening of Tuesday, October 8, 1878 arrived. As many as 50,000 onlookers lined the streets of St. Louis. Many were seen waving five and ten dollar bills, competing for the best viewing locations. Every possible spot along the parade route was taken; housetops, cornices and window ledges, every space with a view of the street became a seat.
With a burst of torchlight and sound of whistling torpedoes, crowds found themselves entranced in a land of fantasy. Seventeen horse-drawn floats bounced and creaked over the dark cobblestone streets that were lighted by torches. Floats carried monsters, beautiful maidens and heroes. The parade followed for one and a half miles.
The final float emerged carrying the mysterious Veiled Prophet, holding his magic mirror that allowed him to view the past, present and future. Those along the parade route gazed “goggle-eyed at this strange and beautiful spectacle.” Spectators tried to guess the identity of the Veiled Prophet by judging his reactions when heckled.
The second phase of the festivities followed at the Merchants Exchange Building at 8:00 p.m. One of the highlights of the evening was when the Prophet chose the “belle of the ball”, by selecting a young lady for the first dance. Sixteen year-old Susie Slayback was the first “belle of the ball”. Years later Susie Slayback Wellington Adams wrote the following account of the first ball. “…He descended from his lofty seat to the dance floor where he presented (me) with a pretty pearl necklace. (My) dress was white satin made with a quilted skirt studded with beads and trimmed in lace.”
The first ball and parade was estimated to cost approximately twelve thousand dollars.
Moving into the twentieth century the Veiled Prophet celebration underwent numerous changes. In 1894 a new tradition began with the crowning of the Queen of Love and Beauty. The first crown was modeled after Queen Victoria’s crown. Early queens carried bouquets of American Beauty roses, but beginning in 1924 rare orchids were provided by the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Newspapers did not publicly announce the names of queens until 1885. In 1902, the Veiled Prophet decreed that queens should not marry nor announce their engagement during their reign.
In 1880 fireworks were shot along the parade route, from the Old Courthouse dome and ten other locations. In 1903, the parade route was lit by electricity, and floats traveled along the trolley rail. Floats, however, continued to be horse drawn until 1945 when tractors started being used instead. In 1927 the Veiled Prophet spoke to St. Louis directly via the new medium of radio.
In 1969, the parade became a daytime event and in 1981, the celebration moved to the fourth of July as the opening for the VP Fair. In 1995 the VP Fair became Fair St. Louis that attracts millions of people from all over the country to the St. Louis riverfront on July 4.
St. Louis has become the home of America’s biggest birthday party.
After 127 years, the Veiled Prophet Parade remains a highly important annual event for St. Louis. Thousands of spectators still line the parade route to view the Prophet, his Krewe, spectacular floats and the Queen of Love and Beauty. Little did the Slayback brothers know that 127 years later, their civic minded idea to promote our city would remain an endearing tradition that assures strangers that they are welcome to the great city on the river.
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