Atlantic City

J and I went to Atlantic City Sunday. Not to gamble, but to go to an anniversary dinner at Carmine's, which is part of the Tropicana Casino/Mall. The mall is like Disneyland, with an indoor courtyard and a painted ceiling made to look just like the twilight outside, a fountain, and outside Cuba Libre, a big statue of Lenin,( who would no doubt hate the fact he was now a Capitalist Tool.) There is also an awesome ceiling as you go out towards the casino: a steampunk version of palm-leaf ceiling fans, about 50 all arrayed together, turning slowly. I haven't seen a casino since the 1960's, and the modern one was a grave disappointment. It looked like a New Jersey scratch-off lotto card, with lights. Slot machines no longer take or deliver coins. Everyone looks like a Hooter's customer. I did see a mermaid, though--she was wearing a tail and a bra of turquoise sequins and was talking languidly with a handsome young man, which seemed in character. I assume two big guys carry her from place to place. Outside was nicer; a real sunset, a fine wooden boardwalk, black-capped terns soaring about, beautiful dune grass and a fine mist and a pearl-grey ocean. (The boardwalk gets noticably rougher when the sun goes down). We walked as far as the convention center before it got really dark and we decided it was time to go. I do want the convention center for my supervillain lair, though--art deco in front, airship hanger in the back.

Because of pickpockets, I didn't bring my camera, but I wished I had. Instead here is a photo of the purple coneflowers we stuck a couple of days ago in the backyard.