Then We Were Off
Following the meeting, our stomachs dictated that we eat so Carmi suggested a restaurant nearby called Pike's Old Fashioned Soda Shop. We left after our meal and Eliana was fascinated with some butterflies on bushes outside the restaurant.

Carmi said that a scene in the movie "Shallow Hal", released in 2001, was filmed in this restaurant. I didn't know that. Seems that the two main characters, Jack Black and Gwnyeth Paltrow, shared a large milkshake at Pike's. Rumor has it that Gwyneth enjoyed her peach milkshake so much that she wanted to reshoot their scene multiple times.
Then we were off to Festival in the Park, an annual event held at Freedom Park in Charlotte since 1964. Eliana got to ride a pony...

Stalk some ducks...

Wear down dear old dad...

And then sleep on the way home...

Oh, and we bought this cool painting from a Chinese artist. Eliana picked it out herself so it will be displayed proudly in her room. The artist, I discovered, is from Guangzhou.


Seeing Eliana on the pony reminded me of a black and white picture my father took of me about 1950 as I rode a pony at a small “circus.” I loved horses, ponies and mules!