The News Page 3
January to April 2006
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Monday 2nd January Shopping at Bluewater
Once all the Xmas presents had been unwrapped and found new homes, and all the turkey sandwiches had been eaten, it was time for a gurl to do something else and what better than shopping.
Quite close to me is Bluewater, which I believe is the biggest shopping centre in the UK, Jodie was also at a lose end so we both agreed that a shopping trip was needed. As it was a public holiday and therefore the shops were going to be busy, I decided to go shopping in guy mode rather than as Nicola. I had a few items on my list such as make up and shoes and a couple of guy items, Jodie had a full list and an armful of gift vouchers to spend. We got there around 11am and immediately started shopping, the shops were as busy as I thought they would be and in the first department store we went into I managed to lose Jodie, luckily we both had mobile phones and we were able to find each other again. We then went to spend Jodie’s vouchers and I was playing the roll of the bored boyfriend standing there saying “that’s nice” or “not sure about that one”. We then went off to find my make up from the Mac shop before stopping to have a healthy lunch of salad and diet cokes. Suitably refreshed we set off again to spend the rest of Jodie’s vouchers and I managed to get myself a guy top from the newly opened Guess shop. I was tempted by a handbag in there also, but decided to give it a miss at the last minute. It was then time to leave go home and get ready for work the next day.
Saturday February 11th Valley of the Dolls
After my usual January hibernation, in which I had been trying to lose weight, eat more healthily and do some running, I was itching to put on my short skirt and high heels again and get back out with the gurls.
I had received an email from Jodie telling me what was happening in February and a trip to a new venue called Valley of the Dolls appealed to me the most, it’s always good to try somewhere new and I was looking forward to the trip.
During my month off in January, Jodie and I have both been eating healthily and visiting each other’s flats to exchange recipes, and on the day of Valley of the Dolls, Jodie told me to get to the Boudoir early and she would try out her latest recipe on me, before she started on the make up. Lunch was chicken soup followed by a spicy casserole with mixed vegetables which was very nice. When the make up started Jodie told me that there were only two other gurls out this night Belinda and Amber, both of whom I am good friends with. As there were only three of us Jodie could take her time getting us ready and we could take our time getting dressed. I decided on a pink top, Jeans and pink shoes.
Once we were all ready it was time to get into a car and shoot across to South London to find the venue, Amber is a South London gurl and she had already left her car outside the club, she was also in charge of navigating us there which she managed successfully. The club was an old pub which had been converted into a TV friendly club.
I’ve got to admire anyone who tries to set up a club and we definitely need more of them, but unfortunately I do not think that the Valley of the Dolls will be a hit (I hope I’m wrong) There were about 10 TVs in the club when we got there and about the same amount of TV admirers, we were warmly greeted by the organiser and then made our way to the bar (a regular Boudette Occurrence). Although there was music being played I could not see anybody on the dance floor. Jodie sat down and started talking to a girl that she knew, and Belinda, Amber and I got into a discussion about Indie/guitar based music, rather than the usual dance stuff which is favoured by most of the Boudettes.
After an hour or so we decided it was time to move on and as Amber had her car. She offered to drive us to the Way Out Club, where once again the music related talk continued, it must have been the diet coke influencing us all as at 1 point we agreed to form our own band “Scratch and Smith”, we worked out the names of all our albums, tour dates and who was going to have a solo career. I t all sounded ideal, the only problem, is that none of can sing, dance or play musical instruments, but hey three talent less TVs could be the new spice girls.
After working out the details of our comeback gig we decided to hit the dance floor for the final hour or so of the night, I think we left slightly before closing time at 4am, and we firstly got a cab back to the Boudoir before I eventually drove home.
Saturday February 18th Make up Lesson
Whilst I am fairly confident about applying my own make up for certain events. It is always good to have a refresher lesson every now and again, to ensure my technique is still passable and also to ensure that the colours I am using are ok. It is also good to pick up different tips and techniques from the people teaching you and for this particular lesson it was Nas.
We had originally agreed the lesson on the Thursday night, but switched to Saturday lunchtime as there would be more time available, this was then further switched to late Saturday afternoon, when the demon drink effected Nas. When I got there she was much better and was her usual bubbly self, after whinging that my make up box was too tidy, we got to work. Rather than Nas do half my face and me do the other half, we went straight for me doing the face and Nas sitting there watching and making constructive criticism. Its always difficult for me to make up in somewhere other than my own flat, but I managed to apply my foundation ok, we then went on to eyes and Nas showed me a couple of different things to try. We then moved on to other areas and finally ended up doing the lips, which is another area that I have struggled with in the past. After I was made up to Nas’s satisfaction she went through my make up box and I think for the first time did not suggest I replace anything. Either Nas is mellowing with age or I’m getting the hang of this tranny stuff. Once we cleaned up it was time for another cup of coffee before going home.
10/11th March 2006 Transfandgo Ball Manchester
Friday 10th
After a year’s postponement the Transfandgo Ball was back in Manchester and the Boudettes were out in force to welcome this popular event back. The ball was taking place in a hotel and we had arranged accommodation for both Friday and Saturday nights. As there are a few of us living fairly close together we decided to drive up together in two cars, Sara drove one car with Tess and me as passengers and Rebecca drove the other with Jodie and Maureen in attendance. The journey itself was pretty uneventful, the highlight being finding a Wimpey bar at the motorway service station, at which Sara and Tess indulged. Upon returning to the car Tess was put on navigational duties and proceeded to do a fine job delivering us exactly to the hotel. Rebecca had driven the whole way without stopping so had already checked in when I got there, had unpacked and was comfortably seated in the bar with a few of the other gurls.
The original idea was that on Friday night we were all going to do our own make up and go out along Canal Street, however, after getting comfortable in the bar, and having a few drinks I along with a few others decided to stick with guy mode.
The hotel was close to Canal Street and, we made a slow walk there and found a restaurant to eat in. As it was a little it late we were slightly rushed at the restaurant as they wanted to clear the tables ready for turning it into a dance floor later on, from what I remember the food was ok, soup and chicken salad was what I ordered followed by a couple of beers., once we had finished eating we decided it was time to move on to another bar.
Whilst we were sitting there we received texts from Jodie allocating makeover times for the following morning. I was persuaded to be first makeover which meant a fairly early start and therefore I had to take it easy on the beers, a few of the other gurls must have had similar early starts as by 1am we were back in the hotel ready for bed.
Saturday 11th
My head felt slightly fuzzy on Saturday morning when I woke up, but after spending 20 minutes in the shower I was ready to face breakfast. We took our time over breakfast and by the time we had finished, I only had just over an hour before my make up time. I made a quick trip to Sainsbury’s to stock up on provisions to get me through the afternoon, before shooting off to Jodie’s room, as I was first to be made over it was fairly calm in Jodie’s room. After Jodie had done my make up, I sat about talking to a few of the other gurls, waiting for my turn for nails and by the time they were dry, I was ready for my hair.
Jodie had got the service of Gordon to do our hair and he suggested we did something different from my usual straight style. He then proceeded to comb my hair and then put curlers into it, after about 40 minutes he had finished and then decided it would be best if I went back to my room for a few hours with the curlers still in.
I managed to get back to my room, without bumping into anyone in the lift or corridor and once back into my room, to await the return of Rebecca, eventually she did return and as her make up time coincided with the time I was due to have the curlers taken out, we set off together back to Jodie’s room. Gordon then took the curlers out and styled my hair, and the results were amazing, my only worry was keeping it in place whilst I got dressed and for the rest of the night, but after what seemed like a can of hair spray, Gordon assured me the hair would stay in place.
Once back in the room again, we had an hour or two before we had to get ready, after another quick nap I got dressed, but had a problem with dress the zip only went t ¾ of the way up and would not go any further, I asked Rebecca to help and she managed to get it a bit further, but it still would not budge, after a bit of help from the other gurls and a safety pin I managed to get by.
I then grabbed my handbag and we all then set off for the Champagne reception and the chance to mingle with the other ball attendees, the reception was in the basement of the hotel and it was difficult negotiating the stairs in a ball gown and heels so once we got there we had to indulge in a few glasses of champagne.
As in previous balls the Boudoir had two tables, I sat on a table with Stacey, Sarah, Rebecca, Sara and Tess amongst others. Before the meal began Richard O’ Brien gave a welcome speech and a film was shown by the charity as a way of explaining why we were all at the event. I always get a bit forgetful as to what the food was so again digging deep in my memory bank I think we had goats cheese to begin with, followed by chicken, but I can’t for the life of me remember the dessert.
After dinner it was time for all the pictures, once all the pictures had been taken it was the time for the entertainment to begin, to begin with there was a guy who sang big band numbers. Next up was Richard O’ Brien himself with his guitar he played a few numbers and then played the Time Warp which completely filled the dance floor, then there were two girls from coronation street doing a few numbers. After this there was another band followed by a Disco, by which time all of the Boudettes were up on the dance floor, dancing away, or as best they could in their heels.
At around 1am the entertainment came to an end so we gathered our bags, and headed upstairs to the bar, where we stretched out on the sofas took more pictures and continued to drink the night away. At around 3am I decided it was time to go to bed, so I took my shoes and staged in a ladylike fashion to the lifts and then up to bed. This is a shortened version of events to read the full report and see pictures look at Boudoir Nights 17
Saturday 18th March
Photo Shoot
This years photo shoot took place on Saturday 18th March which was sandwiched between the Transfandgo Ball and my trip to New York. This was going to be my first photo shoot, using my own hair rather than a wig, and the day before the shoot I visited Amanda my hairdresser and had Caramel highlights put into my hair, which looked great.
In addition the week before my shoot Nas had done, my waxing and this time she also painted my roe nails and put these great sparkly diamonds on them, it’s a shame you cannot see them in any of the pictures. The waxing before the photo shoot is always painful as I choose to do an underwear set, then the waxing involves the bikini line.
As usual I had a fairly quiet time the night before the shoot, just me and a bottle of red wine, the idea was to have a glass or two then pack my bags, but I ended up drinking the lot and leaving the bag packing until the next morning. I drove round to Jodie’s flat, switched my bags and then we drove off to the Boudoir, where I unpacked whilst Jodie made the coffee, and we were then ready to start the make up.
Soon after Jodie had finished the make up, Mike arrived, as usual it always takes me a bit of time to get into the shoot, as I don’t relax that well, therefore we try and start off with the most casual outfits so we can ease into it. Once I got relaxed the first three outfits flew by, in a blur of cameras, changing of clothes and touching up of make up. After the third outfit it was back into the make up chair to have my hair put into curlers so that it would look different for the last three outfits.
I was again amazed how different the hair looked after being in the curlers, then it was back in front of the camera, for the next three outfits, Mike told me afterwards that it was like taking pictures of a completely different person once the hair had been changed.
Eventually we had done all six outfits and it was time for me to change back into a casual outfit and pack my bags, I had arranged to go out in the evening with Jodie and we drove back to her place, where she changed and we then drove off to Milton Keynes and had dinner with Stacey.