promotion

Since the next D20 Burlesque show is fairly soon (Saturday, August 24th) I spent today walking around NY putting out postcards for the show.
Although this is a tedious task, it is fun because it gives me a chance to really walk around the city, find new stores, and get to eat delicious vegan food noms I don’t usually get to eat! Today consisted of checking up on the raffle prizes from the Compleat Strategist near Herald Square and then heading down to Union square/Bowery area and walking to various areas to drop off the postcards.  

The exciting part of the trip today was a stop at Atlas Cafe (on Bowery Between 4th and 5th ave) where I finally got to try Vegan Treats’ canollis! Danielle Konya, the head of the Vegan Treats Bakery , posted about this new addition to their list of delicious baked goods about a month ago, but since they are located in PA, and only have limited runs to NYC for certain  treats, I wasn’t sure when I would get a chance to try them.

Well, it was today.  Sitting in Atlas Cafe while reading, having just finished a vegan philly steak sandwich, sipping a Boylans root beer and then biting into one of these was definitely the pick me up I needed to finish the postcard placing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hufflebuff burlesque 2

Last tuesday I got to perform in NY Pinup Club’s second edition of Hufflbuff Burlesque which was a ball since this will be some of my last chances to perform Harry Potter themed burlesque.

Photo by Sean Patrick Hale

I got to perform my Dolores Umbridge act again, and came up with a new Partronus act which I absolutely love.  Hopefully the video of it came out well so I’ll be able to show it around in case I never get to perform it again.

Next D20 show flyer!

Sorry I have been MIA for awhile.  Having a job plus doing burlesque is making blogging a hard priority to put first.  But, in happier news, here is the flyer, featuring Luna Chase, for the next D20 Burlesque show!

next D20 burlesque show flyer

 

talk nerdy to me…….plus another burlesque legend

My burlesque show, that had it’s first show in March (A Night of Role Playing Games)  has ballooned on the internet, catching the attention of many blog, geek websites, and even more mainstream sites.

I am of course delighted, though this constant promotional work I am doing has become my life.  I can’t complain too much though as it allows me to spend days on the internet looking for new websites that match the theme, that are also my own interests,  that I can promote the show on.  In this process I have found many new sites that I love, especially NerdNYC, a forum based site for self proclaimed nerds to get together and discuss news, but also organize game nights and RPG campaigns! It is like a dream come true for me and some members of the NerdNYC group have really helped me and D20 Burlesque out! This past weekend I unfortunately missed the NerdNYC picnic but I look forward to more events in the summer, though I’m finding many gigs are conflicting.

An example of this is happening tonight, where I am missing NerdNYC’s game night at Think Coffee  (at 248 Mercer street) because of my participation in the Rhinestone Follies’ Benefit for April March. Of course I would love to see you at this benefit, but if games, coffee, and delicious vegan desserts are your thing, the game night is a great evening as well.

This Benefit, put together by the Rhinestone Follies, is to help raise funds for April March, the First lady of Burlesque,  to attend the Burlesque Hall of Fame weekend where she can perform in the legends show.  This is a similar sort of thing to the evening I went to with Bambi Jones at Coney Island.  I am extremely lucky to get to perform in this benefit which includes many of NY’s top burlesque performers.  This show is tonight from 8pm-10pm at the R Bar (218 Bowery, LES, NY), $15.

everything I always wanted in lingerie

Today on facebook someone linked an amazing corset.  Now, along with this corset being beautiful, it was amazing to me because of the company that made it.  Purrfect Pineapple s is a cruelty-free lingerie company that makes bras, underwear, garters, corsets and accessories.  Along with their etsy site, they have a webstore where you can see a much larger selection of their wares, including ones that are specifically geared at vegans!

Another reason why this brand is so amazing is that when they say cruelty free, they mean for all animals, including humans. On their blog they sum it up quite nicely:

Purrfect Pineapples is a cruelty-free fashion label, designed and produced in Toronto, Canada. Cruelty-free means that everything we produce is sweat-shop and animal free. This is where you can read about upcoming Purrfect Pineapples events, new items, vegan food/recipes, and funtimes.

So along with all of that they are also offering you vegan recipes on their blog.  Oh my gosh, I think I’m in love.

Sure, the prices are higher than buying something off ebay or in a stripper store, but with this company you can be sure your purchases are vegan, you know they weren’t made in sweatshops, you are supporting the workers making the garments and you are also supporting a vegan company.  Definitely worth saving up for in this girl’s opinion!

steam punk bars and vegan ice cream

Last week I made the trek down my street to attend a burlesque show.  That’s right, a burlesque show in the Prospect Heights area of Brooklyn!  The recent addition of The Way Station, a steampunk themed bar, has become the home of “Wasabassco at the Way Station,” monthly show that takes place in the venue side of this wonderful nerd bar in my neighborhood!  Doc Wasabassco, who is also one of the people running this bar, hosts as emcee for the evening, which has been showcasing 4 performers an evening, each doing two acts, giving the audience a chance to see the performer’s breadth of talent.

The venue side

the bar side

This bar, which is a great haven for those who want to have a charming place to imbibe without having to endure the stereotypical bar douche dude, is split in to two areas, the bar side and then a venue side which has booths and a small stage.  This section can also
be curtained off to create privacy, something that is helpful when hosting a burlesque show.  I’ve been to two of these burlesque evenings, and I have to say that the crowds have been welcoming and the performers are fantastic. It is quaint and gives the performer a chance to really connect with the audience.

Another reason I love going to these shows is I get to stop by Natural Blend, a vegetarian (possibly all vegan?) Caribbean food place and juice bar located nearby.  Not only does Natural Blend offer great patties filled with your choice of veggies, soya or fake meat, they also have all kinds of vegan baked goods as well as vegan meals.  But what I am really jazzed about? Non-dairy hard scoop ice cream!!!  It is this that allows me to walk, a short distance, to a burlesque show, and pick up a vegan ice cream on the way.  HEAVEN!

If you are in the area, you should definitely check out The Way Station and Natural Blend.  Here is a link to Natural Blend’s menu  so you can check out their food options so you aren’t overwhelmed by all the tastiness upon entrance.

a magical night

photo by Norman Blake. Jo Weldon interviews Bambi Jones, April 14th, 2011

Last night I attended Bambi and Bambi: Classic Burley-q meets the New Burlesque at Coney Island USA, the museum and theater that houses Burlesque at the Beach and Sideshows by the Seashore. It was truly an amazing evening that included talks about burlesque at Coney Island, in interview by Jo Weldon with Bambi Jones, a burlesque performer who started performing in 1949 and worked with many famous performers and hob knobbed with Errol Flynn (who said said was a “nasty man”).

The show also included 2 other Bambi’s: Bambi Galore a wonderful neo burlesque performer  who plays a lot with gender and queer culture and Bambi the Mermaid who is one of the main neo burlesque performers who is responsible for the NY scene.  This plus Little Brooklyn (a NY burlesque staple) doing her first performance since the birth of her son, Bunny Love (another NY Burlesque staple), current Miss Coney Island Lefty Lucy and the cutie with the booty – Kita St. Cyr made for a magical night.

It was an evening of fabulous performances, great lectures, and I’ll tell you, when Bambi Jones performered, I cried.  The woman is 80 years old, and she was up there, shaking it and the crowd loved her back. Check out the video below to see the powerhouse that she is and check out her book My Journey Burlesque: The Way it Was for more amazing stories about her life

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/9325669″>Bambi Jones Burlesque Hall of Fame</a>

Also, the next two weekends I will be back in Pennsylvania, which means I get to indulge in

shoo fly pie, A-Treat Soda and vegan Girl scout cookies! I love PA!

some of my favorite PA goodies! Note: In the photo you seem me with Girl Scout cookies.  Vegans – take note, there are two companies that make GS cookies.  If you live in an area that has caramel DeLites (and not Samoas) your company is ABC (not to be confused with the vegan Alternative Baking Company) and there are currently 4 vegan friendly cookies: Thanks a lot, the new cinnamon ones, the Lemonades and Peanut Butter Patties.

D20 rpg video recap

Amazing video by Mister Khon!

the pink room: david lynch burlesque

Poster for the show.

Last Wednesday I headed over to Parkside Lounge for a highly anticipated burlesque show that was all over the internet and NYC magazines.  Planned and produced by Franny Fluffer, The Pink Room; Twin Peaks Burlesque was a burlesque showed themed around the ever so popular and ever so kooky David Lynch classic, Twin Peaks. With a line up of Grace Gotham, Gemini Rising, Tansy, Amelia Bareparts, Foxy Vermouth kittening and hosted by Bastard Keith, the show looked so promising, I spent the three days leading up to the show cramming up on Twin Peaks by having my own private marathon.

One of the things I realized while viewing Twin Peaks was the doughnuts. Oh my gosh, so many doughnuts! Lucy really knows how to hook up police team!  So when Franny posted on Facebook that they would be giving out doughnuts at the show, I know I’d have to make sure I could participate in the doughnut feasting.

Special Agent Cooper loves his coffee, I think Truman is in it for the doughnuts.

In order to do this, I made a quick pit stop at Atlas Cafe before heading to the bar for the show. Atlas is a smallish little restaurant that serves both veg and non-veg food, but is known for their wide range of vegan options including crepes, ice cream and desserts from Vegan Treats! Atlas Cafe also has a smaller little store that sells most of the sandwiches and desserts of the main store which is located conveniently closer to Union Square, a subway station that connects to stations near my apartment!

vegan doughnut NOM NOM NOM!

With my doughnut in tow I headed to the show. I got there about 20 minutes before go-go was supposed to start, but they weren’t even allowing people in yet. By the time the doors were about to open, the line for the show was out the door!

It was a strange, interesting and fascinating show.  I mean, what can one expect from a David Lynch inspired burlesque show.  Bastard Keith was hilarious, as always, Franny served us both beautifully haunting and comical in her two acts, Gemini was spot on as Aubrey and her act with Tansy was quite….exciting. Grace brought out her tea cup, the same one I helped her with when we did the Bravo taping, as well as a pie she did some naughty stuff with. My favorite for the night had to be Amelia Bareparts  whose Log Lady act was the character I had been looking forward to the most, and Amelia did not disappoint at all!

(not Amelia Bareparts)

Due to the popularity of the event, I am sure that Franny will be doing another David Lynch Burlesque show, and I highly suggest you attend and get there early to secure a seat towards the front so you can take in the brilliance of the performers!