The News Page 1
1st May – 30th Aug 2005
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Saturday 7th May Shopping
Although I speak to Alison almost every week, it is a while since we had been out shopping together, we were both shortly to go on holiday and therefore decided that a shopping trip was needed. We agreed to meet up at Kings early on Saturday morning, but just before I was leaving my flat Alison called and put the time back an hour. Knowing Alison’s time keeping I knew an hour could mean a bit more, so I took my time getting there and was 25 mins late, but there was no show from Alison. I decided to wander amongst the shops and about 40 minutes later I got a call from Alison she had arrived, after leaving her house her heel snapped and she had to go home and completely change her outfit.
After the appropriate amount of sympathy from me we set our plan in action to hit the shops, I think we were both looking at buying shoes. I told Alison the type of Shoes I wanted and she just wanted everything. We walked up one side of Kings Road and I spotted a pair of shoes, I liked they had them in the correct size for me, but unfortunately not in the colour I wanted so, it was onto more shops. Although I found another pair I liked my mind was set on the first pair, so after lunch we went into a large department store, where Alison managed to get herself some clogs, but unfortunately for me that did not have the shoes I wanted. So we moved on again this time to Victoria, where once again I was unable to find my shoes, but we met a great lady on the Benefit make up counter where Alison purchased lots of stuff for her forthcoming holiday. As we were quite close to Alison’s home she decided to go home, and I decided to try one more shop before giving up. I went to Selfridges along Oxford Street and I finally found the original pair, the woman in there was great and had no problem with m trying the shoes on. I rang Alison to tell her the good news and then made my way home.
Monday 9th May More Shopping
Is was first introduced to Gemma, by Nas a few years ago, and now I visit her shop on a regular basis when I need to update my wardrobe, as the holiday was close by it seemed an ideal time to visit. Gemma is great as I was given a 1 to 1 shopping lesson, her shop was closed the shutters were down and it was just her and me in the shop.
She starts off by asking me what I want, but then picks out various items from the rails that she thinks will suit me, as it was for summer I was looking for tops and short skirts, I told Gemma I was not keen on the Gipsy look which is at the moment, but she insisted she was going to make me try a gipsy skirt on, as well as a few other trendy items.
I just went into the changing rooms and Gemma just passed me various outfits and then asked me to come out and show her each outfit, I don’t know if it was the style of this years tops, or I’ve put on weight, but I looked overweight and pregnant in a lot of tops and it took a long time before we found two tops. Finding a skirt and a pair of Jeans was much easier and for a change I actually got a white skirt, as promised Gemma made me try on a Gipsy skirt which was not as bad as what I thought, but I was not convinced enough to buy it.
Trips to Gemma’s are great and I really appreciate the time she takes to make you feel comfortable and is brutally honest about how I look in the clothes. Thanks Gemma
Saturday 14th May Make up lesson
Over the years I’ve managed to get away with doing my own make up for certain events, but as Gran Caneira was coming up it was time to have a refresher lesson with Jodie. Jodie had always said I looked pale and gaunt when doing my own make up so we were going to try and get more colour into my face as well as sort out my brushes and make up.
The day of the lesson Jodie rang me up and told me she had problems with her car so the lesson was moved from the Boudoir to her flat. I got there about 10 in the morning and after having some coffee and greeting Spike it was time to begin, I had the choice of standing up and doing the make up or sitting down, as do my make up at home standing up I stuck with this option. Other than the aforementioned Colour I have always had problems with my eyes so under Jodie’s expert tuition we devised a colour scheme for the eyes which was simple but included three different eye shadow colours. I had also had a problem with eyeliner and had found a way of getting round this by wetting my brush and then using eye shadow, whilst Jodie did not like this technique she agreed that the results were ok and so my technique could stay.
After eyes we moved onto bronzing powder and blusher and again, my lack of colour previously were commented on, Jodie had got me a couple of new Mac blushers and we put those into immediate use. Jodie showed me a couple of tips and by this time the make up was looking pretty good and for once I was determined to remember the things she taught me. When then moved on to lips where my lip liner had been letting me down in the last, but I think this was due to a to light coloured pencil.
We were both happy with the final results and we then spent a bit of time re organising my make up box, throwing away some of the older make up and brushes. Once I cleaned the make off we then went out for lunch.
May 23rd to 28th
After a two-year absence the Boudettes returned to the sunny paradise of Gran Caneira. This years there were 12 of us including Jodie and Maureen (Jodie’s Mum). Rather than repeat myself go to Boudoir Nights 16 and you can read the full report.
Saturday 25th June Sparkle
The sparkle weekend was I believe the brain child of Kim Angel and the idea was a whole weekend of transgender events to be held in Canal Street in Manchester. The idea of the event was transgender awareness and various events had been laid on including talks and lectures, followed by parties and finally a Miss Sparkle competition which I was entered in.
Due to work commitments I was unable to attend the Friday night, and intended to drive up on Saturday morning, but the week before my windscreen wipers on my car started playing up and as Manchester is famous for rain, I got the train up. I arrived about 10am in the morning called Jodie from the train and got directions to the hotel, Jodie made me a cup of coffee and I could see she was already hard at work with the early makeovers. Although Jodie was bright and breezy, when I met some of the other girls I could see it had been a heavy session the previous night.
I waited a while for the rest of them to get ready and then it was decided that we would walk into the centre of Manchester to get some breakfast, I had already eaten on the train so just had coffee and watched the girls soak up their hangovers. After that is was time to wander around the shops and a few of the girls made some purchases, which were to be worn later in the day.
Once shopping was completed we then made our way over to Canal street which was where most of the events were going to take place over the weekend, I could tell the girls were still suffering as I was the only one to have a beer in the pub, the rest of them were content to stick with coke and then sit outside in the sun. There were a couple of events going on outside and we sat and watched them whilst having our drinks, after a few hours sitting outside I had to make my way back to my hotel to be made over by Jodie. The smooth oiled Boudoir machine was in full flow when I got back to the hotel and I patiently awaited my turn for the make up chair, after which Jodie also styled my hair using my new ultra effective GHD straightners, I was going to put tiara on there and then, but decided it was best to wait until later in the evening. I made my way back to my hotel room and whilst I waited for the others to be made up, I practised my cat walk walk ready for the evening’s competition.
Eventually Sara and Tess came back to the room, got ready and we then decided to have a meal in the hotel restaurant, it was a really nice meal, but as I was taking part in the competition I was a little bit rushed and was concerned about getting the cab over to the competition venue. Luckily we managed to get a cab fairly quickly and Sara went with me across to the pub where the competition was taking place. Whilst she made her way to the bar I went to register and then had to sit in a room, put on my jewellery and wait for the competition to start.
The Miss Sparkle competition was divided into two sections, for the under and over 50’s and it was the older girls who went first, and from the dressing room we watched them walk along the stage until it was our turn to come out. There were about 20 of us in the competition and one by one we had to walk along the stage smile at the audience and answers to questions that we had been previously sent were read out. I must admit I was a bit nervous about going up on stage, however when my name was called I just got up there walked to the end tried to smile and then just walked off
We had to wait about 20 minutes after the final competitor, before the results were announced, my friend Michaela took third, place, but unfortunately I did not make the top three and therefore decided to retire from future beauty competitions. Once the final results were in, I quickly grabbed myself a drink and then walked back to the hotel with Tess where I took off all my sparkly jewellery and dress, and put on my short skirt and heels ready for a night at the clubs which went on until 4am.
Saturday 9th July Way Out Club
I had arranged to go to the Way Out Club with Sarah and Stacy as it had been a few months since , I had been there, before going to the club we had arranged to meet up for a meal in a restaurant on Tower Bridge. I had been to the Boudoir in the afternoon and was driving from there to the restaurant. I don’t have the greatest sense of direction at the best of times and when I’m driving dressed I get a bit panicky, and also this happened to be the weekend after the London bombings and when I finally got close to where the restaurant was a lot of the roads were closed off.
I somehow managed to get onto Tower Bridge, however there were no parking spaces, so I ended up driving back to the Way Out club, parking outside there and getting a cab across to the restaurant. There were about 6 of us meeting at the restaurant Stacy and Sarah my friends together with a few people that I had never met before. The meal was really nice, I had a baked avocado as a starter which I had never had before which was really nice, my main meal chicken in a mushroom sauce which was again very nice, as I was driving I had to miss out on my usual red wine, but hey I’ll make up for that another day.
Once we had finished eating we somehow managed to get ourselves into two very small cars and made our way across to the club, which was not that busy or we had gotten there earlier than usual. The entertainment at the club this evening was something very different it was a show by two American Transsexual Porn stars Allanah Starr and Gia Darling. The show was very different from the usual Way Out entertainment to begin with Gia took most of her clothes of and sang to us, then the pair of them sang a duet, this was followed by a magic show. I don’t think they are ever going to be compulsive television viewing, but I thought they were funny and they both did not take themselves to seriously.
At about 3am, I began to feel really tired and said goodnight to my friends and made my way home.
Saturday 20th August Way Out Club
A sad night at the Way Out Club as Steffan who as been a performer at the club for as long as I have been going there had sadly passed away the week before, as this evening would have been his 40th birthday the club decided that they wanted to make it a tribute night for Steffan. There had been a remembrance night the Monday before which I heard was very tearful, but Vicky wanted this to be a happy event.
During the day I had been to the hairdressers to get my ever growing hair trimmed, and when I arrived at the Boudoir it was nicely shaped and therefore much easier for Jodie to style. I had a nice bright pink, denim mini skirt and pink shoes to wear for the evening to which I added to some pink jewellery. There were about 6 of us going from the Boudoir and I think we must have set a new record as we left the Boudoir by about 9.30 and was at the club by 10pm, which meant we got the cheap entry fee and we also managed to find a table to ourselves in the seating area and grabbed a quick snack.
We also managed to get a prime spot to watch the show, as it was a tribute to Steffan all the performers wanted to appear in the show this evening and so the show was much longer than usual. After the show had finished we had a few hours of talking and dancing before finally leaving for home at 4am