Such News, Miss Woodhouse! Join JASNA-NJ for a Box Hill Picnic on June 18th at Allaire State Park

Of course, hopefully the picnic will be more filled with real shade than the type of shade at the cringe-inducing picnic in Austen’s Emma:

‘Oh! very well,’ exclaimed Miss Bates, ‘then I need not be uneasy. ‘Three things very dull indeed.’ That will just do for me, you know. I shall be sure to say three dull things as soon as ever I open my mouth, shan’t I? (looking round with the most good-humoured dependence on every body’s assent) Do not you all think I shall?’

Emma could not resist. ‘Ah! ma’am, but there may be a difficulty. Pardon me, but you will be limited as to number — only three at once.’

Miss Bates, deceived by the mock ceremony of her manner, did not immediately catch her meaning; but, when it burst on her, it could not anger, though a slight blush showed that it could pain her. (Emma, Chapter 43).

No need to limit our numbers, thankfully, given this is an outdoor event, and no pressure to be witty!

We will meet at the picnic area at Allaire State Park at 12:00 PM at the restroom station (long, brown building):  

• Please remember to bring your own lunch/beverages, dessert will be provided by JASNA-NJ
• For your comfort, you may also want to bring your own chair
• Following the picnic, we can visit the Historic Village (for a possible charge of $5 per person)
• In keeping with the Box Hill theme, we will borrow from Jane Austen’s Emma and invite a piece of cleverness from each member of the party, asking them to produce either “one thing very clever . . . or two things moderately clever; or three things very dull indeed.”

There will be a 1864 old-time baseball game between the Monmouth Furnace and New York Mutuals played in the village starting at 11:00 AM.  Tickets are $5 each (children 3 and under are free). 

For directions to Allaire State Park, please click this link to their
website: https://www.njparksandforests.org/parks/allairestatepark.html.

Period dress is admired, but not required.  If you plan to attend, please RSVP at jasnanewjersey@gmail.com.

We look forward to seeing you there!