This year for halloween, I was feeling the pressure of trying to top the previous year’s costume.

I had no ideas for weeks, but luckily at the last minute– inspiration struck.

A quick trip to the nearest vintage store later, I had everything I needed to be Frida Kahlo.

If you’ve been reading this blog, and you know anything about Frida, then you know that this is probably the most appropriate costume I could put together.

I went out on Friday with Melinda and Marie, and even won the Cat Club halloween contest.

Can’t wait to do it again next year!

Hey everyone!
I hope all of you had a super great Halloween!

Last year, I went as Velma from Scooby Doo, so this year I felt like doing something a little more elegant.
After talking some costume ideas over with Tim, we decided to be silent film stars!
On Friday, I went the The Rocky Horror Picture Show & won 2nd prize in their costume contest.
Last night, on Halloween Proper, I went to the party at the Rickshaw Stop, and Tim and I narrowly missed winning their costume contest.
We were beaten out by a girl with a sweet spacesuit– who had an awesome gun that shot bubbles. I wish I had a picture to show you!

I just love Tim’s retro suit!
Also– I’m amazed that we managed to find black dry-erase boards.

I got this amazing wig from the awesome folks at Retro Fit.
I’m pretty sure that I will never buy a wig elsewhere, as long as I live in SF!

What were you guys for Halloween?
What did you do?

Last weekend was the world famous Folsom Street Fair. I have always thought of Folsom as one of those wholly San Franciscan institutions, that serves as a reminder to me that I am lucky to live in such a freethinking city. While some of what happens at Fulsom isn’t exactly MY bag, I’m glad that it exists for the people who are into it!
Leather folks– rock on with your bad selves!

For those of you who don’t know about the folsom street fair, here’s what wikipedia has to say about it:

The Folsom Street Fair (FSF) is an annual BDSM and leather subculture street fair held on the last Sunday in September and caps San Francisco’s “Leather Pride Week”. The Folsom Street Fair, sometimes simply referred to as “Folsom”, takes place on Folsom Street between 7th and 12th Streets, in San Francisco’s South of Market district.

The event started in 1984 and is California’s third largest spectator event and the world’s largest leather event and showcase for BDSM products and culture.[1] It has grown as a non-profit charity, and local and national non-profits benefit with all donations at the gates going to charity groups as well as numerous fundraising schemes within the festival including games, beverage booths and even spanking for donations to capitalize on the adult-themed exhibitionism.

When they say “adult-themed exhibitionism” what they’re saying includes, but is not limited to, a lot of this:

Folsom is one of the few times of the year where I find my day job overlapping with the rest of my life, and this year was no exception!
I modeled for the poster for the official afterparty (see first photo) and after seeing my face all over the city I felt especially obligated to seriously get my rage on.

My friend Space lion is fierce. For real.

Ramon loves lion hugs!

Robin Hood for Folsom? Awesome.

I got a new corset from Timeless Trends at the fair. Not the one pictured, this was just for fitting.
Oddly, I have the one in this picture, which I bought from them at New York Comicon 4 years ago.
The same man did my fitting.
The performance of that corset over the past 4 years was what convinced me to get another.

Reverend Luc keeps it classy.

Let us pause for a moment to marvel at this ray gun vibrator! Okay. Done.

Young coconut. Sounds like a euphemism.

Bondage giraffe girl! Adorable!

At the end of the Fair, one is to expect large piles of trash and also trashed people.
Both pictured above.

That’s all folks!
If you want more Folsom, check out the video I made about Folsom’s Prim Queer Tea, from last year!

We decided to go to this party at the 3rd Ward for New Years, based solely on the the invite:

A City of Grit:
Dark + Sultry + Dramatic. Three warm floors of a former factory have been
converted into a party paradise with hidden tea lounges, reckless rides,
live art, cheap liquor and dark dance-floors. The music here is a
throw-back to the classic loft-parties where live afro-beat mixes with
stellar hip-hop and dj’s meet in the middle to keep the people moving.

A City of Glamor:
Gorgeous + Lush + Provocative. Intelligent techno to breaks to deep dark
house join in this seven thousand square foot loft lined with dripping
video projections and female chandeliers (yes, there will be fire). The
outdoor terrace will be heated with a wood burning stove and constant
conversation.

A City of Ice:
Hidden + Festive + Insolent. One hundred fifty cubic feet of false snow,
Santas and seditious elves mix with The Modern Dance Awareness Society to
create a winter wonderland that is equal parts absurd and beautiful.
Expect spiked cider.

A City of Fire:
Captivating + Indulgent + Dangerous. This is where beauty meets vice.
Stripper poles, piano lounges, aerial acts, casino games and brass bands
blend into a tribute to the forgotten underbelly of New York City that has
existed long before any of us know, and will continue beyond when any of
us will be remembered.

The Most Important Midnight:
Two Thousand Ten will begin with: champagne bottles, fire acts, brass band
explosions, dance-floor countdowns, kisses from strangers and, for the
chosen few, a three course meal at the center of it all. This is the
start of the best year of your life.

Sadly, the party did not live up to the hype. I do, however, want to hire the person writing their copy.

We did manage to find the 3 course meal part, which was actually kind of cool.
There were also some swings set up in the middle of the party that people were swinging on, and clearly things were pretty hopping.
But there was something missing at this party, we just couldn’t quite put our finger on it.

At midnight everyone lit sparklers and it was probably the highlight, because shortly thereafter it became so crowded that it got uncomfortable.

I managed to find Amelia in the crowd, but sadly, shortly thereafter we all got stuck in the hallway in the mass of bodies.
It was not unlike being trapped in an elevator.
I remember thinking to myself “This is the kind of situation where people get trampled and die.”

We made it out alive, but we never found the room full of fake snow, and the night ended anticlimactically when we left the party, gave up, and went home.

The next day we fared signifigantly better, hanging out with Lola and Nick at this weird mexican/chinese joint in Ft. Green. The menu was the best part, with the whole “Every sip will bring you closer to heave.”

The highlight of the trip was going to Brooklyn Bowl to see some burlesque and watch Paul Pope spin.

This contortionist girl was totally amazing

Her act, however was nothing short of upstaged by performance artist Mat Fraser’s set.

Brooklyn Bowl is totally my favorite New York show venue at the moment, and the swankest bowling alley I’ve ever been in.
It’s a huge space, but it has all the details you’d find in a more intimate setting.
Most importantly, they had a boubon milkshake so good it brought tears to my eyes.

Many thanks to Jeff Newelt for inviting us out!

Until next time!

Almost a month after the fact, I’m finally getting around to posting my holiday photos.
This year, I attended a number of gettogethers, and with the help of my new wig, I decided it would be fun to show up in the guise of a Who from Dr. Seuss’s Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

One of these parties was thrown by none other than Miss Mary Bee.

Melinda and I arrived with out best footwear forward. I love the bows she put on her shoes! They look like little presents!

The party was full of all sorts of curious creatures.

As we’ve previously established, at any good party, there are fake mustaches involved.
This party was no exception.

We watched Christmas horror classic, Jack Frost, and I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the screen as one totally absurd thing happened after another.
Check this bathtub/snowman/sex/murder scene out:

It was a very good night, all told.

I also hosted my own, low key, orphan xmess gettogether.

The night was mostly spent eating delicious food and playing Wii. I owned at bowling.

Jeremy and Zuey clearly liked the mittens Tim got her.

Hope your holidays were as festive as mine!

Every year, the ol’ day job throws a pretty happening holiday party. This year was no exception, and I came prepared to rage.
Just before the party, I decided to take a little trip down the block for some food–and low and behold, I returned with both pizza, and a wig. Not just any wig, mind you, but a wig of clearly epic proportions, from RetroFit.

Little did I know that my Tim & Melinda would do me one better, by arriving with several pairs of mustaches on a stick. Mustaches on a stick THAT THEY MADE! The red and white ones were inspired by the pringles guy, while the blue one was fashioned in the likeness of the dude from Amazing Horse. (click it, I dare you.)

Obviously, we spent the evening inviting people to pose with them on.

Later in the evening, there was an epic burlesque show, starring Lady Satan, Pin Key Lee, Bunny Pistol, Alotta Booty, Ruby White, and Sparkly Devil.

Afterward, there was a raffle thing & I ended up winning a gift certificate to a local fancy restaurant (the food was, incidentally, not very good…which is why I won’t bother mentioning who they are).

The end of the night came quickly in a flurry of blurred smiles and mustaches.

Until we rage again!