<p>

[caption id="attachment_2443" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Who needs Reindeer when you have Creepy Holiday Bunnies? "]<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/tempebunnies.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2443" title="tempebunnies" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/tempebunnies-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>[/caption]

</p>

<p>Day 69 Art in the Park may have been a bust as far as actually gazing upon art.  As I mentioned yesterday, the compliment to end all compliments made up for the lack of...well...art. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Day 70's <a href="http://tempefestivalofthearts.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Tempe Festival of the Arts</strong></a> more than made up for it.  This was an art festival on steroids.  225,000 visitors were expected. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Luckily, I had my friend and masseuse extraordinaire, Melody, with me or I would have been lost in a sea of white tents never to emerge (let alone blog) again.  Yes, it was THAT BIG. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Melody and I basically taste-tested our way through the streets.  I purposely had only a smoothie for lunch to save room for festival junk.  I think the "experts" recommend the opposite:  eat a hearty and healthy lunch so you're not tempted to eat the junk, but this strategy has never worked well for me.  It's not like I'm eating this stuff on a daily basis.  It's more like once in the bluest of moons.  Moderation in all things, my friends. </p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p>Much to my dismay, there was no funnel cake in sight.  I am not sure how this is possible since the festival swallowed so many streets in downtown Tempe that I lost count.</p>

<p><br class="spacer_" /></p>

<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>HOW DOES A FESTIVAL NOT HAVE FUNNEL CAKE?!?!?! </strong></span></span></p>

<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong> </strong></span></span> </p>

<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">Luckily, I partook last weekend at the Festival of Lights so there was no need to go on a depraved rampage.  </span></span><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;">Melody can attest that I behaved quite nicely as I settled on the most mediocre kettle corn of my life.   </span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;"> </span></span> </span></p>

<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;">Besides the crap kettle corn, Melody bought a few pre-Columbian flutes (too detailed to explain what the heck they are here) for friends, and I (selfish wench that I am) purchased a piece of pottery for me.  </span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;"> </span></span> </span></p>

<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;">Melody felt guilty for leaving emptyhanded from the other 398 booths.  As she said goodbye, she apologized to the artists for not buying their wares.  I almost guilt-bought from the honey vendor after he fed me several samples, but Melody pulled me away just in the nick of time.  </span></span></span></span></span></p>

<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="color: #000000;"> </span></span> </span></p>

<p><span style="color: #ff0000;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now that I think of it, I never saw any cotton candy either.  Oh, well.  The Renaissance Festival will be here before I know it.  Now THERE'S some serious festival food.  </span></span></span></span></span></p>