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| Room 69: The Hotel Chantelle Way |
Showing posts with label tansy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tansy. Show all posts
Jan 24, 2011
Room 69 @ Hotel Chantelle
I keep saying I am not going to produce or start a new show but I just couldn't say NO to Hotel Chantelle! This place is absolutely GORGEOUS inside w/a vintage-inspired Parisienne wallpaper that's very Art Nouveau, big tall red leather banquettes (watch out stilettos!), a beautiful curved bar and delicious tasting and sounding cocktails such as "The Bramble" and "The Whiskey Tango." PLUS - the real bonus is that it's close to my house which also makes me happy cause it saves on transportation cost to and from. The flyer is below. As you can see, the line-up is pretty fucking killer. I am stoked to work with these ladies all under one tin-stamped roof. The show is free and there will be specialty $8 cocktails available during the show. Charlie Gunn will be our kitten and I'm excited to work with her. She is new to the scene and it's always great to meet new burlesquers. PS: for those who don't know the term "Blind Tiger Hour" its an old term for "speakeasy". I hate "happy hour" - it makes me think of boring guys in suits from Wall Street.
Jul 1, 2010
Eager to Lose @ The Tank, Nurse Bettie, Suicide Girl
Wednesday night I performed at Tansy's show "Eager to Lose: A Panto Burlesque" at The Tank. The show was basically a burlesque show but with an element of theater to it with back stories of the dancers and the skivvy cabaret owner. It was quasi-Christopher Isherwood short story, like burlesque meets Amistad Maupin. It has a lot of room to grown into something really other worldly especially if you are stepping off from tourists central on 45th street and 8th avenue. Tansy picked a group of really great people for her inaugural show. Gemini Rising, Albert Cadabra, Grace Gotham, two new hot gogo dancers (Lambchop and Tipsy Rose Lee) who I have already recruited to gogo at the next Beatles Burlesque show on Monday, July 12. They both have such cute names! Lambchop! Just makes you want to say it over and over again. Mint and lambchop. Chutney and lambchop. Sauteed lambchop. Lambchop on the parilla. YUMMM!!!!!!
The Tank did have a really nice black box stage and I was smitten with the floor! It was cushier than the usual shit so dancing on 5inch heels did not hurt my knees. There was a proper dressing room two flights up but the stairs are a fucking nightmare!!! Five minutes before show, Tansy almost slipped but caught herself and ended up ripping her shoulder. She did 4 acts and could barely lift her arm but she toughed it out even though she was clearly in a lot of pain. Last I heard, she's in a sling and is okay. But what a bummer, cause she was supposed to be in my Thursday night Nurse Bettie show but I had to find someone else to step in, and fortunately Scooter Pie was available.
I like this picture in particular because of how creepy Albert looks by the door. He's like, "...I'm gonna CUT CHOO fool!" Then he's like:
"WHAT! Whatchoo lookin, at fool!?"
I did my black fan number and the nun. The black fan is what I'll be doing at the Colorado Burlesque Festival NEXT weekend!! I am so excited! One of my best gf lives in Boulder and she just bought a new swanky house so I'm also excited to see her new pad, and pig out on some seitan and vegetarian food that's plenty easy to find in Boulder. I know...I really should just abandon this meat thing but I love chicken and fish too much! Altho... I do love faux-chicken too so much. Agh!! It's an existential food crisis!
I renewed my contract at the day job for another two weeks cause they really are massaging my brain in a major way that's really stimulating. But I negotiated a new term where I will not be working more than 10 hours a day, and if I go over, I can leave early the next day. This is much better. And will allow me to do my shows and see my non-burlesque friends which is becoming rarer and rarer - my guy friends don't seem to mind as much as the girl friends. I just don't have time to sit at a bar drinking for hours and I can't really eat out at restaurants 3x a week because A) it's expensive and B) restaurant food makes me gain weight in the blink of an eye. Oh well. All in all though, I am happy pursuing this path wherever it'll lead me. I'm definitely having more fun, excitement, glamour, and crazy shit than ever in my life!
Last night was the Nurse Bettie show with ALL girls, so fun! I intro-ed Weirdee Girl as "The Martha Stewart of Burlesque" because I keep seeing her do acts where she uses food on her body. One time it was cheese, last night it was cranberry sauce. Rosebud did a new act that is a fetish that really turns her on, mummifying and restriction. She used saran wrap and rolled herself into it to Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" - it was pretty awe-inspiring. I did an easy act last night, the red tequila priestess act. Craig took some photos with his phone.
Those of you who have been around the scene long enough may notice that this costume and music (Tito & Tarantula's After Dark) is exactly the same as Jo Boob's Aztec act. I did not know this when I came up with the act, which really isn't original like my equestrian act since I basically ripped off of "From Dusk til Dawn" and copied Selma Hayek's headpiece. But just for the record, I did tell Jo that I accidentally did the same act. In hers as she described in her new burlesque handbook, she wears red flame contacts. I've never seen her do this act myself, but she being the diplomatic educator, said I can go for it because she doesn't do this act very much anymore.
After the show, I met Sauci Calla Horra from Toronto! She's the one who produces the Toronto Burlesque Festival happening in a week! We talked for a long time about the different scenes, and other shows and people we knew in common. As you may or may not know, I did not get in the Toronto festival as much as I wanted to, and she and I talked about my application. She was so nice about it, even almost apologizing to me about how close I was in the process. I in turned felt bad about making her feel bad about not accepting my number. I should have submitted my nun act or hello kitty or even the equestrian bondage act, but at the time of application, I didn't have any of those acts ready. Rosewood did say to me to submit and act that is beaten up, tried and true, and not submit a new act. I should have listened to her! Anyway, I told Sauci I will definitely apply again next year and if I go to Toronto, I would love to perform anytime she wants me to. She and her partner went to see Rosewood at The Box after wards, and I texted Rose and she said she is doing a "blackface" act!! I've been dying for someone to do blackface. It's kind of an obsession of mine. Bella Balls and I joke about her doing it. So I may stop by Saturday night to see Rose do blackface - its the last frontier!
I also applied to be a Suicide Girl and was accepted. I know they are soooo late 90's but they've grown into a huge corporate money-making business selling "alternative erotica". It'll increase my visibility and get some extra money and gigs. I will be working on my set (70-100 photos) with Michael as soon as he comes back from Toronto. They have a VERY strict set of rules when it comes to the kind of photos they want. Like NO dudes. Even if they are blurry in the background. Or touching, spreading. I'm excited by this new SG venture!
The Tank did have a really nice black box stage and I was smitten with the floor! It was cushier than the usual shit so dancing on 5inch heels did not hurt my knees. There was a proper dressing room two flights up but the stairs are a fucking nightmare!!! Five minutes before show, Tansy almost slipped but caught herself and ended up ripping her shoulder. She did 4 acts and could barely lift her arm but she toughed it out even though she was clearly in a lot of pain. Last I heard, she's in a sling and is okay. But what a bummer, cause she was supposed to be in my Thursday night Nurse Bettie show but I had to find someone else to step in, and fortunately Scooter Pie was available.
I like this picture in particular because of how creepy Albert looks by the door. He's like, "...I'm gonna CUT CHOO fool!" Then he's like:
"WHAT! Whatchoo lookin, at fool!?"
I did my black fan number and the nun. The black fan is what I'll be doing at the Colorado Burlesque Festival NEXT weekend!! I am so excited! One of my best gf lives in Boulder and she just bought a new swanky house so I'm also excited to see her new pad, and pig out on some seitan and vegetarian food that's plenty easy to find in Boulder. I know...I really should just abandon this meat thing but I love chicken and fish too much! Altho... I do love faux-chicken too so much. Agh!! It's an existential food crisis!
I renewed my contract at the day job for another two weeks cause they really are massaging my brain in a major way that's really stimulating. But I negotiated a new term where I will not be working more than 10 hours a day, and if I go over, I can leave early the next day. This is much better. And will allow me to do my shows and see my non-burlesque friends which is becoming rarer and rarer - my guy friends don't seem to mind as much as the girl friends. I just don't have time to sit at a bar drinking for hours and I can't really eat out at restaurants 3x a week because A) it's expensive and B) restaurant food makes me gain weight in the blink of an eye. Oh well. All in all though, I am happy pursuing this path wherever it'll lead me. I'm definitely having more fun, excitement, glamour, and crazy shit than ever in my life!
Last night was the Nurse Bettie show with ALL girls, so fun! I intro-ed Weirdee Girl as "The Martha Stewart of Burlesque" because I keep seeing her do acts where she uses food on her body. One time it was cheese, last night it was cranberry sauce. Rosebud did a new act that is a fetish that really turns her on, mummifying and restriction. She used saran wrap and rolled herself into it to Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" - it was pretty awe-inspiring. I did an easy act last night, the red tequila priestess act. Craig took some photos with his phone.
Those of you who have been around the scene long enough may notice that this costume and music (Tito & Tarantula's After Dark) is exactly the same as Jo Boob's Aztec act. I did not know this when I came up with the act, which really isn't original like my equestrian act since I basically ripped off of "From Dusk til Dawn" and copied Selma Hayek's headpiece. But just for the record, I did tell Jo that I accidentally did the same act. In hers as she described in her new burlesque handbook, she wears red flame contacts. I've never seen her do this act myself, but she being the diplomatic educator, said I can go for it because she doesn't do this act very much anymore.
After the show, I met Sauci Calla Horra from Toronto! She's the one who produces the Toronto Burlesque Festival happening in a week! We talked for a long time about the different scenes, and other shows and people we knew in common. As you may or may not know, I did not get in the Toronto festival as much as I wanted to, and she and I talked about my application. She was so nice about it, even almost apologizing to me about how close I was in the process. I in turned felt bad about making her feel bad about not accepting my number. I should have submitted my nun act or hello kitty or even the equestrian bondage act, but at the time of application, I didn't have any of those acts ready. Rosewood did say to me to submit and act that is beaten up, tried and true, and not submit a new act. I should have listened to her! Anyway, I told Sauci I will definitely apply again next year and if I go to Toronto, I would love to perform anytime she wants me to. She and her partner went to see Rosewood at The Box after wards, and I texted Rose and she said she is doing a "blackface" act!! I've been dying for someone to do blackface. It's kind of an obsession of mine. Bella Balls and I joke about her doing it. So I may stop by Saturday night to see Rose do blackface - its the last frontier!
I also applied to be a Suicide Girl and was accepted. I know they are soooo late 90's but they've grown into a huge corporate money-making business selling "alternative erotica". It'll increase my visibility and get some extra money and gigs. I will be working on my set (70-100 photos) with Michael as soon as he comes back from Toronto. They have a VERY strict set of rules when it comes to the kind of photos they want. Like NO dudes. Even if they are blurry in the background. Or touching, spreading. I'm excited by this new SG venture!
Jun 29, 2010
Surgery
Don't worry it wasn't a big deal. It was an ugly cyst I have had on my back, on my left shoulder, for many years now. It kept getting bigger over the years and I didn't have health insurance to cover it. Finally, what drove me over the edge was constantly having to Photoshop it out of all my pictures!! That's really the only thing I have to retouch and it drove me nuts. And also having people ask me if I'm "ok" - it kind of ruins the whole glamorous night life mirage when this tumor-like thing is on your back and solicits concerned questions from strangers who are just out having a good time trying to forget reality for a night.
So it's gone! Dr. Harrison is top notch! He gave me anesthesia around the cyst then another shot that lasted longer. When he was cutting, I couldn't feel anything at all. I could feel my skin being tugged and some slight pressure, and at times, it felt like he was threading a fishing line through my skin, but there was absolutely no pain. So weird and a bit scary. It made me think of horror films (The Ruins, Tourista, two of my personal favs) where you have a few drinks somewhere and you wake up with one kidney missing! The whole thing was finished in two hours. Then when I looked on the tray, I saw my cyst!!!
It looked like a small bloody pearl onion with all this tissue wrapped around it, all gooey!! SO GROSS!!! Parts of it looked "cooked" because Dr. Harrison used a mini scorcher to stop the bleeding, and it looked, seriousy, like cooked pork chop. Same color. Same texture. SO GROSS. I had to take a picture of it! I got 4 stitches and a bandage which will come off on Thursday along with the stitches.
I'm still performing in Tansy's theater play, "Eager to Lose: a Panto Burlesque" tmrw night at 8PM, bandage and all! It sounds like a Fellini-esque production, a "behind the scenes", the makings of the makings of something, like Michael Winterbottom's Tristram Shandy - cause Tansy said it was okay for me to have the bandage and perform. I can't wait to see what this play is about! Gemini Rising, Grace Gotham, and Albert Cadabra are all in it - so I know this is gonna be fun!
So it's gone! Dr. Harrison is top notch! He gave me anesthesia around the cyst then another shot that lasted longer. When he was cutting, I couldn't feel anything at all. I could feel my skin being tugged and some slight pressure, and at times, it felt like he was threading a fishing line through my skin, but there was absolutely no pain. So weird and a bit scary. It made me think of horror films (The Ruins, Tourista, two of my personal favs) where you have a few drinks somewhere and you wake up with one kidney missing! The whole thing was finished in two hours. Then when I looked on the tray, I saw my cyst!!!
It looked like a small bloody pearl onion with all this tissue wrapped around it, all gooey!! SO GROSS!!! Parts of it looked "cooked" because Dr. Harrison used a mini scorcher to stop the bleeding, and it looked, seriousy, like cooked pork chop. Same color. Same texture. SO GROSS. I had to take a picture of it! I got 4 stitches and a bandage which will come off on Thursday along with the stitches.
I'm still performing in Tansy's theater play, "Eager to Lose: a Panto Burlesque" tmrw night at 8PM, bandage and all! It sounds like a Fellini-esque production, a "behind the scenes", the makings of the makings of something, like Michael Winterbottom's Tristram Shandy - cause Tansy said it was okay for me to have the bandage and perform. I can't wait to see what this play is about! Gemini Rising, Grace Gotham, and Albert Cadabra are all in it - so I know this is gonna be fun!
Jun 22, 2010
Two Worlds Become One
Phew, I am finally coming up for air! I can't believe it wasn't that long ago when I was lounging around the pool in Mexico with nothing to do but finish reading that annoying book "A Reliable Woman" - and now, two new monthly shows done and successfully underway, and I'm in my second week settling in at the new freelance gig.
First up, the Coco de Mer show. Exquisite. So special to me. That's the only way I can describe it. The intimate salon setting of 35 people, the delicious open bar by 42 Below served by the handsome, lady-fav Masa, the acts by Madame Rosebud (Story of O, Venus in Fur) and Amber Ray doing my two favorites of her acts which also happened to be two of her heaviest acts, as she was quick to inform me upon arrival with luggage in tow. :) Romina and Abby made the night go very smoothly and with Matt and Michael doing AV/sound, I couldn't have asked for a better crew. Michael gets special kudos for assisting me in, er, getting into gear, let's just call it that, for my new equestrian act. There was some gear malfunction that Rosebud warned me about but all in all it was very amusing to everyone who knows about it. I don't want to give it away cause I will be doing this act frequently - it is my new favorite. The next Coco de Mer show is July 24th. I will be integrating more and more Coco de Mer products into the acts. My vision for this show and partnership is to give the outside world a glimpse of the secret language of fetish by utilizing objects to tell a story through the use of burlesque theater. I've got my eyes set on this beauty:
Second, last night, was Drunken Dragon Nights at Macao Trading Company. This was a tremendously energetic and enthusiastic crowd!! So much fun and all without a stage! Having the open bar for two hours before the show did not hurt getting people all roused up. Or, rather, I should say, AROUSED up. This was a horny crowd!!! I guess that's better than being an ornery crowd. Mwah ha ha. It must be all the erotic Asian posters on the hallway and in the bathroom, the jade dildos in the display case, and the dim red lighting. When I was strutting around pre-show, many people asked when the show was starting so I knew that a lot of people there stayed late to see the show. I did a two-in-one act where I stripped out of my new MC-ing dress (see here) to a song from the classic striptease CD that every burlesquer has - then it segways into my usual fan dance number, the 1930s Japanese cover of "St. Louis Blues". This was actually the first time I've danced to a song from the classic striptease CD and I can see why it is so popular! Such a big sound for strutting and bumping, such attitude. Even if I was full of a bag of cheese puffs (my favorite guilty time snack!) and a Chipotle burrito, I would still feel sexy rehearsing to this CD.
I spoke to several people afterwards who all said they loved the show. I knew about ten people in the crowd, but the rest, I didn't know. It was on the sausage festival heavy side. But it was a great room to be in. All the boys at Macao (Igor, Brian, Karato, Rizo etc) are so gallant and knightly. They definitely make a girl feel safe performing there and we were lushed on with the specialty Don Julio Tequila cocktails all night. Thanks Don Julio! I was especially pleased when a group of Chinese girls thronged me after the show and complimented me on how much they loved the fan dance. They took photos with me and I was so happy to see that not all Chinese females resort to high turtlenecks and making babies and rice at home. Holla sistas! I hope they come back again and eventually join me on the dark side. WA HA HA. One of the audience members, male, asked me where I got my boobs being Asian and all. My reply? "Your fucking American diet, that's where."
Day time work wise, I found myself saying, "I'm looking forward to going to work on Monday!" which I have not heard myself say in a good few years! This new place is so awesome. I am definitely creatively stimulated. A part of my job consists of designing web sites and fancy Facebook applications, and another part is coming up with event planning. Hello!? Is that not like my night time job? The best part? Everyone knows about my burlesque career and loves it. Finally, two worlds become one. Ah...
I have a couple nights off then it's Nurse Bettie Wednesday and Thursday night, and on Saturday, I'm at BadAss! Bettie Page Tribute at Arlene's Grocery at midnight. I am so excited about this show because so many great performers are in it and it's hosted by World Famous BOB!
On Wednesday, June 30, I will also be doing something with Tansy at her theater play at The Tank called "Eager to Loose: a Panto Burlesque" - I don't know what that means but she's a pal and I'm happy to do an act or two at her play!
First up, the Coco de Mer show. Exquisite. So special to me. That's the only way I can describe it. The intimate salon setting of 35 people, the delicious open bar by 42 Below served by the handsome, lady-fav Masa, the acts by Madame Rosebud (Story of O, Venus in Fur) and Amber Ray doing my two favorites of her acts which also happened to be two of her heaviest acts, as she was quick to inform me upon arrival with luggage in tow. :) Romina and Abby made the night go very smoothly and with Matt and Michael doing AV/sound, I couldn't have asked for a better crew. Michael gets special kudos for assisting me in, er, getting into gear, let's just call it that, for my new equestrian act. There was some gear malfunction that Rosebud warned me about but all in all it was very amusing to everyone who knows about it. I don't want to give it away cause I will be doing this act frequently - it is my new favorite. The next Coco de Mer show is July 24th. I will be integrating more and more Coco de Mer products into the acts. My vision for this show and partnership is to give the outside world a glimpse of the secret language of fetish by utilizing objects to tell a story through the use of burlesque theater. I've got my eyes set on this beauty:
Second, last night, was Drunken Dragon Nights at Macao Trading Company. This was a tremendously energetic and enthusiastic crowd!! So much fun and all without a stage! Having the open bar for two hours before the show did not hurt getting people all roused up. Or, rather, I should say, AROUSED up. This was a horny crowd!!! I guess that's better than being an ornery crowd. Mwah ha ha. It must be all the erotic Asian posters on the hallway and in the bathroom, the jade dildos in the display case, and the dim red lighting. When I was strutting around pre-show, many people asked when the show was starting so I knew that a lot of people there stayed late to see the show. I did a two-in-one act where I stripped out of my new MC-ing dress (see here) to a song from the classic striptease CD that every burlesquer has - then it segways into my usual fan dance number, the 1930s Japanese cover of "St. Louis Blues". This was actually the first time I've danced to a song from the classic striptease CD and I can see why it is so popular! Such a big sound for strutting and bumping, such attitude. Even if I was full of a bag of cheese puffs (my favorite guilty time snack!) and a Chipotle burrito, I would still feel sexy rehearsing to this CD.
I spoke to several people afterwards who all said they loved the show. I knew about ten people in the crowd, but the rest, I didn't know. It was on the sausage festival heavy side. But it was a great room to be in. All the boys at Macao (Igor, Brian, Karato, Rizo etc) are so gallant and knightly. They definitely make a girl feel safe performing there and we were lushed on with the specialty Don Julio Tequila cocktails all night. Thanks Don Julio! I was especially pleased when a group of Chinese girls thronged me after the show and complimented me on how much they loved the fan dance. They took photos with me and I was so happy to see that not all Chinese females resort to high turtlenecks and making babies and rice at home. Holla sistas! I hope they come back again and eventually join me on the dark side. WA HA HA. One of the audience members, male, asked me where I got my boobs being Asian and all. My reply? "Your fucking American diet, that's where."
Day time work wise, I found myself saying, "I'm looking forward to going to work on Monday!" which I have not heard myself say in a good few years! This new place is so awesome. I am definitely creatively stimulated. A part of my job consists of designing web sites and fancy Facebook applications, and another part is coming up with event planning. Hello!? Is that not like my night time job? The best part? Everyone knows about my burlesque career and loves it. Finally, two worlds become one. Ah...
I have a couple nights off then it's Nurse Bettie Wednesday and Thursday night, and on Saturday, I'm at BadAss! Bettie Page Tribute at Arlene's Grocery at midnight. I am so excited about this show because so many great performers are in it and it's hosted by World Famous BOB!
On Wednesday, June 30, I will also be doing something with Tansy at her theater play at The Tank called "Eager to Loose: a Panto Burlesque" - I don't know what that means but she's a pal and I'm happy to do an act or two at her play!
Mar 17, 2010
A whole lotta stuff
Tomorrow night at Nurse Bettie is going to be crazy! I can see the show becoming popular on a week to week basis. Last week, it was so packed I couldn't even move around the bar during intermission. Tomorrow night I have booked Akynos, Lil Miss Lixx, Tansy, and Brassy. I also know that my friend Kelli is having her birthday drinks there so you know it's gonna be a mad house! Maybe I should take Friday off from work? I love going out to grab a bite to eat and a few drinks to wind down after a show. Ummm tempting tempting.
Saturday night I'm doing two shows back to back. First is Alter Ego at Cain in Chelsea then right over to Floating Kabarett. I am doing Enter Sandman at both plus 2 other numbers. The act has finally come together and I am very pleased with it.
Sunday night at Dim Sum Burlesque I am having Jezebel Express, Honi Harlow, and Minnie Tonka, all new to the show at Chow. I am SO excited about this powerhouse combo and can't wait to see what they'll come up with. Honi is also in my Beatles Burlesque show at Public Assembly on April 12 - I love her! She's so great.
Saturday night I'm doing two shows back to back. First is Alter Ego at Cain in Chelsea then right over to Floating Kabarett. I am doing Enter Sandman at both plus 2 other numbers. The act has finally come together and I am very pleased with it.
Sunday night at Dim Sum Burlesque I am having Jezebel Express, Honi Harlow, and Minnie Tonka, all new to the show at Chow. I am SO excited about this powerhouse combo and can't wait to see what they'll come up with. Honi is also in my Beatles Burlesque show at Public Assembly on April 12 - I love her! She's so great.
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