Late yesterday morning, we walked over to the Morgan Hill Mushroom Mardi Gras, just to see how the festivities were proceeding.

It was a beautiful day, so we took our time strolling by the various booths selling a wide array of items -- food, wine, beer, arts and crafts, health and beauty products, home improvement products, travel packages, and more. There were rides for little kids and a rock wall for big kids. There were two stages where bands played music throughout the day.

After doing a full circuit, I grabbed a seven-dollar garlic chicken sandwich and M grabbed a serving of cheese-covered mushrooms. (What's the point of going to a mushroom-centric event if one doesn't try a mushroom?) We enjoyed our midday snack on the lawn of the community center.

Afterward, we walked home by way of Monterey Road, through the heart of downtown. It was a ghost town, one of the sad results of shifting the event over a block. Every place seemed closed or empty, with the exception of Rosy's at the Beach, which was packed as usual.

By the way, if you look at the map carefully, you may notice the legend seems intent on pointing out where one can buy drinks. There are large symbols for beer, wine, and liquid in general. At first glance, you may think the map makes no mention of restrooms, but it does; they're just harder to find. One has to waste precious seconds searching for the word "toilets", which is fine when one has seconds to spare, but a nuisance when one is in need of the facilities -- a condition one is likely to find oneself in after consuming all that beer and wine. I think the event organizers would be well-served to give toilets their own symbol next year. I'm just saying.