The Ungisphere - Primer

On Monday nights for 10 weeks from June to August Bryant Park plays host to a film festival of sorts, screening old and classic films at sundown on a giant screen overlooking the lawn.

The screenings are very highly attended by what very well may be the biggest collection of yuppies in the smallest amount of space in the world!

The event is free, open to the public, and space is claimed on a first-come first-served basis. The movie begins at sundown (which can be close to 9 PM) and the lawn opens at 5 PM. Invariably there are crowds of people lining the periphery ready to claim space on the lawn, well before 5.

Ungie, Loren and a group of deputies and support-crew customarily organize, claim, and set up a large area on the lawn for themselves, friends, and friends of friends, who then enjoy the luxury of ambling in at their leisure and still having ample space in a prime location.

In order to stake this territory the crew must arrive at 4:30, and set up immediately as the lawn opens

... at 5 PM... leaving some 4 hours to kill before the movie begins. Having done this for over 15 years they have developed strategies to cope with the wait. Ungie makes and serves homemade strawberry daiquiris.

In recent years other items have been added to the "menu", such as sangria (by Elisha)...

... cupcakes by Anne...

... the Live Mozzarella-Tomato-Basil Sammiches... of Doooom...

... others bring various assorted food and drink...

... Akil juggles people on his feet...

and yet others relax hobnob or otherwise waste time.

This ritual has evolved to a state that it is itself the reason that people come; with many leaving before the movie begins (Who goes for the movie anyway? I mean really!)

I call it the Ungisphere.

See also:
F.UK.U.P.s
How To Find The Ungisphere