My Anniversary!

Thursday was my 3 year anniversary with my wonderful man! It's hard to believe that it's already been 3 years. Time flies by so fast!

We went out to an incredible meal at Paley's Place here in Portland. If you are looking for fine dining in this city you should definitely give them a try! I have eaten at restaurants of some of the best chefs in the world, Thomas Keller, David Boulay, Todd English, Traci Des Jardins, just to name a few. But the meal I had at Paley's Place seriously rivaled the best I've ever had! I had heard wonderful things about the Portland food scene, but I had no idea there were places that good! Chef Vitaly Paley is dedicated to serving the most fresh, local, sustainable foods he can procure and the ever changing menu reflects that. He definitely has a love and an incredible understanding of food and it comes through on your plate!

After dinner, my honey whisked me off to a rooftop garden spa suite at the Hotel Vintage Plaza! Once again Portland exceeded my expectations! Who knew there were gems like this here? We had a fabulous terrace overlooking downtown Portland complete with hot tub and the room was gorgeous! And my man had taken the time to make sure everything was perfect as well! Rose petals on the bed, champagne chilled and waiting with strawberries. And he managed to pull all this off without me having a clue he was setting it up.

It was the most fabulous anniversary of my life and I really realized how blessed I am to have someone as wonderful as my man! I truly am one of the luckiest people in the world!

Queen of the Week - Candi Shell

Name: Candi Shell

Age: 32

Location: Brooklyn, NY

Single or taken? Still looking for my Prince Charming.

What is your drag style like? Sort of like Dolly Parton meets Jem and the Holograms. I write my own songs, along with my band SHE-DICK (myspace.com/shedickband). SHE-DICK is composed of another drag queen (Carrie Cash) and an actual biological female (Teresa Nasty)! Sometimes we do parodies of other people's songs, but, for the most part, it's all original material. We're a gender-bending, glam-pop girl group, and honey we are taking over the air waves!

How long does it take you to get ready in drag? Apart from the shaving process (cause ooh! I shave everything), about an hour.

Do you have a favorite number you perform? Performing with the group, I really love the song "SheDickulous". As a solo number, I adore singing "Under the Knife". It's all about plastic surgery and set to the tune of "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. I often start the number in bandages and a hospital gown, and Carrie and Teresa play my surgeons.

Where can we see you perform? SHE-DICK is being featured in the BAM Showcase, happening this year on February 6 at Sputnik in Brooklyn.

How did you first get into drag? I've been trying to get my butt into a dress since I was very young, but it wasn't until college that the bug really bit me. My roommate Jessie (a girl) and I were asked to perform in this charity drag show. We wrote these funny songs and called ourselves Portia and Jolene (I was Jolene), and we won!

Who have been your biggest inspirations? My Mama and my Granny. Mariah Carey and Madonna. And of course RuPaul! Who could forget her??

What would be your three biggest tips for a new drag queen? Be yourself. With drag queendom changing constantly, the one thing you can rely on is the originality of your own personality. Also, if you've never seen it done before, try it! You never know what people are going to respond to. Lastly, be nice. Bitchy queens are so 10 years ago. We are the modern geishas, and we should behave as such, oozing grace and the feminine wiles of times gone by.

If you could perform anywhere in the world where would it be and why? Ooh.. That's tough. Madison Square Gardens? Tokyo? So many of my dreams have already come true with SHE-DICK. Last week we opened for Joan Rivers at the Gramercy Theater, and that was positively surreal. I'm just taking it one day at a time and doing my best to stay true to myself in the process. The process being becoming a big star!

What is something that might surprise us all about you? As a boy, I released a self-titled solo pop album. It's available now on iTunes. Just go to http://itunes.com/danpaul to find out more!

What makeup items could you not live without? My MAC liquid foundation and powder fix. Liquid liner and a good lip pencil. Oh--and glitter.

Do you design any of your clothes, create any of your wigs, etc? Having monthly themed parties keeps the Ladies of SHE-DICK on our toes. We're constantly traveling to the dollar store, fabric outlets and costume warehouses to come up with new creations. Fortunately, Teresa knows how to sew. Also I love sticking two wigs together to create a GIANT wig, and I'm a big fan of spraying all my hair pink. ;)

What has been your all time greatest moment in drag? It was really exciting when SHE-DICK played the Peaches' after party, and Peaches gave me a signed copy of her new single. She is a huge inspiration for us, with her non-traditional take on pop music and her crazycool style.

What else should we know about you? As well as being a singing/dancing tranny, I am also an illustrator! I've drawn caricatures at parties, just had my first New York art show, AND I'm putting the finishing touches on a 40 page, full-color SHE-DICK comic book entitled Galactic Tranny (Available on Lulu.com August 2009).

Happy New Year!

Ok, ok, I know I'm a few days late posting my happy new year blog. But literally the very first thing my ever so graceful self did at about 10am new years morning was to spill a glass of water all over my computer keyboard. That left me with the inability to type o, p, l, space, delete, return, and almost all punctuation. I spent about 10 minutes attempting to get something somewhat legible typed up by cutting and pasting letters and punctuation from other documents, but finally gave up when I only had a sentence done and it looked like something from a 6th grade typing class. Needless to say, all liquid is now banned from my office! So if anyone knows where to get about a 4 foot long straw that will stretch from my computer chair to right outside my office door that would be fabulous! A girl needs her martini to accompany late night blogging sometimes. And I am shameless enough to drink one through a straw!

Other than starting off the year as a total klutz it has been a truly fabulous new year so far! I did the unthinkable this year and stayed in for a mellow new years eve at home with a few friends. We even watched the ball drop (which is sooo lame when you live on the west coast and it's not even live). But it was actually very nice to just hang out with the people I love for the evening and reflect on the past 10 years and what I hope to achieve in the next 10.

I am incredibly excited about what this year is going to bring! I spent most of 2009 really adjusting myself to living in Oregon again, figuring out how to survive in the suburbs, learning to drive, and attempting to immerse myself in the ever so strange world of Portland's marathon drag shows (although I still think 3 and 4 hour shows are RIDICULOUS!). But now I'm settled and I'm ready to rock this city in 2010!

I am starting the venue hunt for my own weekly show and am hoping to have something going by the beginning of March. I will of course still be hosting Blow Pony every month, which has become the biggest joy of my drag career! And then you will see me doing guest spots for all the fabulous queens I have grown to love like Bolivia, Honey, and Ginger @ The Superstar Divas Show, Adrienne Alexander and Poison Waters @ The Red Cap, and of course Vegas Platinum @ Embers.

My biggest goal this year however is to focus on bringing as much entertainment as I can to all of you online! There will obviously be all my usual blogging, covering Rupaul's Drag Race as it airs, and the reinstitution of my "Queen of the Week" series. But I also am going to be bringing you funny, entertaining, and sometimes downright ridiculous videos of performances, interviews, sketch comedy and so much more! There are going to be sides of me you never knew existed, so watch out!

All in all I am incredibly excited about everything to come in 2010! But I never forget that without all of you, my readers, fans, and friends, none of this would be possible! So thank you for all the support and love you continue to send my way! It truly means the world to me and it is for all of you that I continue! So please keep sending me emails, posting comments, and letting me know what you like (and dislike), what you want to see more of, and anything else I can do to keep you all entertained and coming back for more!

Happy new year everyone! It's going to be a fabulous one!

Sherry Vine's Bad Romance Parody

I always loved Sherry Vine while I was living in NYC! She's a hilarious drag queen, talented musician, and an all around sweet person. But her new video parody of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" is the best thing I have ever seen her do!

Rupaul's Drag Race Season 2

That's right everyone! The time is almost here for season 2 of Rupaul's Drag Race! The contestants were finally announced in November and it is set to premier on Feb. 1st! Many of you know I've been dying to talk about who got on ever since I found out 3 months ago, but out of respect for the show I've kept my mouth shut. Well now it's time to DISH!
I'm very excited to see that the show has been given a bigger budget this time around! The set looks more professional, the challenges look more interesting, and best of all we get 12 queens battling it out this time instead of 9. Hopefully that means we get 3 more weeks of shows (although you never know with reality programming). Check out the promo video below for a quick look into the season!

Watch Gay Video & Lesbian Movies

Now on to the contestants! I am incredibly impressed with the group of queens they put together for this season! Granted there are no fabulous redheads (hint hint producers...you really do need me next season!), all in all it looks like a fabulous group of ladies!

Jessica Wild - 28 - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Jessica was the winner from the Rupaul's Drag Race casting website and deservedly so with the army of people promoting and voting for her. While of course I wanted to win, she was a very worthy opponent and I'm very happy for her! Jessica is a fabulous dancing diva and hopes to one day be a drag singer like Rupaul. I have heard numerous people say that they think her language skills are going to be a problem for her on the show. To all those people I have one thing to say...Nina Flowers. Just because someone is not a master of the english language does not mean they can't be a drag superstar! And if being a gorgeous queen is not enough, she is HOT as a boy!

Jujubee - 25 - Boston, MA

I don't know a lot about Jujubee. But she is absolutely stunning to look at! Her bio on the RDR cast page says that she is "everyone's best friend...but will read you to filth if you cross her." Let's hope she gets to read someone at least once on the show for a little dramatic entertainment!

Morgan McMichaels - 28 - Mira Loma, CA

This season there are a lot more queens that I've heard of before and Morgan McMichaels is one of those. She is definitely a professional and is a member of "The Dream Girls Review", the longest running drag show in Southern California. She is drop dead gorgeous and incredibly diverse in the looks and characters she brings to the stage. My personal favorite is her Pink impersonation which is the best I have ever seen any queen do! Morgan is definitely one of the queens I am very eager to learn more about on the show!

Mystique Summers Madison - 25 - Bedford, TX

I love big queens! This is probably due to the huge influence Sweetie in NYC had on the beginning of my drag career. But I just can't get enough of a fabulous full-figured queen serving it on stage! So Mystique...don't let me down! Show the world that the big girls are just as diva as all us little skinny bitches! I want to see some body shaking, titty bouncing, earth shaking EXTRAVAGANCE!

Nicole Paige Brooks - 36 - Atlanta, GA

I thought for sure Nicole was going to be on the first season of RDR. But for whatever reason she wasn't chosen until this time around. She is an incredibly experienced performer and a definite professional in the world of drag. Some viewers may not be drawn to her mouthy personality, but I absolutely love it and can't wait to watch as she says exactly what she thinks every step of the way! And god damn! Look at that body!

Pandora Boxx - 37 - Rochester, NY

I am SO excited that Pandora is on this season of the show! Aside from myself, she was the person I wanted to see on the show more than anyone else. I became friends with Pandora while we were both competing on the casting site for season 1 of RDR. I was instantly impressed with her hilarious personality and the array of comedic characters she brings to the stage! I promise to be fair in my critique of everyone once the show has started. If the queens who are my friends end up bombing on the show, I'll be honest about it. But at this point, based on my current knowledge of all the contestants, Pandora is definitely my choice to take home the crown!

Raven - 30 - Riverside, CA

Raven is another queen I don't know a lot about. She looks like a supermodel, so should do quite well in the image department. But other than that I can't say much about her. Her bio on the RDR site says she is "Striking, edgy and foul-mouthed." So I will probably love her! God knows I love a queen who's not afraid to swear like a sailor!

Sahara Davenport - 29 - New York, NY

Sahara is the second friend I have on the show this season! She and I used to compete against eachother about 6 years ago at Starsearch @ Barracuda. And she beat me more times than I would like to admit. I am so happy to see her on the show though and you all better believe this girl is DIVA! She is trained in ballet, jazz, and modern dance and can tear up a stage like no other! But she brings more than just glamour and dance moves. She is also one of the sweetest people I knew in NYC and has a radiant personality that you can't help falling in love with!

Shangela Laquifa Wadley - 28 - Studio City, CA

Shangela has only been doing drag for about 4 months the RDR bio page says. But she must have been practicing a long time in her bedroom, because I've never seen a 4 month old queen looking and acting as well as she does! I'll be very eager to see how she does up against the more experienced performers.

Sonique - 26 - Atlanta, GA

Sonique is another queen I have heard wonderful things about! She is a former gymnast which means she probably has all the fabulous flexible moves that I get so jealous over! And she is another stunner in the looks department! My only fear is that Morgan McMichaels and Sonique look a LOT alike from what I've seen. That is often a detriment on reality shows (take Kathryn and Noelle on So You Think You Can Dance as an example). But hopefully once on the show they will both be unique enough to make us never forget who is who.

Tatianna - 21 - Falls Church, VA

I have thought Tatianna was adorable ever since I saw her on the RDR season 2 casting site. She has a very approachable image which should be a benefit for her with the viewing audience. But she is young and has less experience than most the other contestants. But experience isn't everything on a show like this, so I'll be very curious to see how she does!

Tyra Sanchez - 21 - Orlando, FL

Tyra Sanchez looks like a supermodel and from the sounds of it knows how to act like one on the runway too! I was very impressed with some of her pictures on the RDR season 2 casting site and am very eager to see more of her interesting and avant-garde looks!

So there you have it...12 dazzling divas, ready to win over the hearts of the viewing public and hopefully take home the crown! I believe that this season is going to blow season 1 out of the water! And of course I will be along every step of the way, keeping you up to date on everything, talking about the show, and hopefully getting some input from the contestants with their thoughts as they leave the show! So make sure you tune into Logo, Feb 1st 9:00pm for the premier of Rupaul's Drag Race season 2!

New Look!

As I am  competing to get on Rupaul's Drag Race it has been inspiring me to experiment with a variety of new looks.  This past Saturday I did a FABULOUS photo shoot with Brian Patrick Photography featuring one of these looks.  Here is one of the images that we got!

There will be much more coming in the next couple months as I continue experimenting with new looks and ideas! 

Xavier Toscano's "Mighty Real" on Logo!

Hey Darlings!

My dear friend Xavier Toscano just had his video for "Might Real" debut on Logo's Click List at number 10! Now he needs our votes to push him up to the top! So if you wouldn't mind, take a moment and stop by THIS LINK to vote for him!

Queen of the Week - Ginger Snap

Name: Ginger Snap

Age: 31

Location: TenderNob area of San Francisco

Single or taken? Single

What is your drag style like? Happy Pop, Pretty Queen with BIG features. T&A baby. Curves in all the right places.

How long does it take you to get ready in drag? I can do the makeup process in 35 minutes if need be, but I prefer to take up to 2 hours.

Do you have a favorite number you perform? I've had many favorites over the years... From Christina Aguilera's "Come On Over Baby" to my new favorite, Rihanna's "Please Don't Stop The Music".

Where can we see you perform? Deco Lounge for my show Snap-a-licious, Truck for Cocktailgate, The Cinch for Charliehorse.

How did you first get into drag? Like a lot of the queens I know, Ginger was born on a Halloween; specifically, Halloween 1998. Freshly out of the closet and feeling GAY AS HELL, I had to try it and instantly loved it.

Who have been your biggest inspirations? Grizilla Prestley, Daffney Deluxe, RuPaul, Varla Gene Merman.

What would be your three biggest tips for a new drag queen? Don't wait until the last minute to style your wig and rehearse your music. Be organized and on time. Never leave the house without hairspray, eyelash glue, and a few CD's.



If you could perform anywhere in the world where would it be and why? Las Vegas, New York, Australia. Vegas because you can make some serious money doing drag there (I've been told). NY because I've never been. Australia because some of my favorite queens are from there and I've always wanted to visit... plus "Priscilla: Queen of the Desert," duh!

What is something that might surprise us all about you? From 2002 to 2006 I took a break from drag and San Francisco and did construction. I can pour your foundation, fix your plumbing, wire your light switches, paint your ceiling, and fix your leaky roof.

What makeup items could you not live without? Spirit gum, long lashes, MAC Bombshell Lipstick, Kryolan Purple Shimmer Shadow and Shaboie Foundation.

Do you design any of your clothes, create any of your wigs, etc? I used to make most of my stuff. I have very little time to make all my own costumes, so I get a lot of stuff off the internet, then re-work things to make them Ginger. I can style my own wigs and put in hairlines, I just don't like to. I would rather pay someone to do it for me: less frustrating that way.



What has been your all time greatest moment in drag? Oh my! There are 3 moments that stick out in my mind.

Number 1 is the first time I did my Cher number with a back up video produced by my friend (named "3") and outfit made by another friend, Mr. David. This performance was at Cookie Dough's Monster Show at Harvey's in the Castro. In the backup video, there were 2 Ginger Snaps backing me up.

The second Moment was performing in the Desperate Diva Pagent 2008. This event was put on by the Aids Housing Alliance. I won Miss July 2009 and I'm in a calendar produced in connection with the event, on people's walls all across America! I didn't win the pageant, but had the most fun performing another favorite artist of mine, Yma Sumac!

The third moment is more like 7 months of moments. In June of 2008, Deco Lounge asked me to start my own show, and I created Snap-a-licious! February will be my 8th show there, and I'm having the time of my life!


What else should we know about you?  My full performance schedule and all the details are on my website: www.GingerSnapSF.com

Queen of the Week - Bolivia Carmichael

I met Bolivia shortly after moving to Portland.  I was out having cocktails with a couple friends and she came over, introduced herself, and shortly after invited me to perform at her "Superstar Divas Show".  She has been nothing wonderful every time I've seen her since!  Not only is she an incredibly talented performer, she is also an extremely sweet person!

Name: Bolivia Carmichaels / Daniel Elliott

Age: 34

Location: "No-Po" Portland, Oregon

Single or taken? Single

What is your drag style like? Like no other :)

How long does it take you to get ready in drag? I like to take just over an hour or so, but if I'm in a hurry I can get it done in 20 minutes.



Do you have a favorite number you perform? Not really. I love to perform all of the numbers I do.

Where can we see you perform? C.C. Slaughters' Superstar Divas - Sunday Mega Show - 8:00 p.m. - No Cover!!

How did you first get into drag? I was watching an entertainer by the name of Lady O at The City Nightclub in 1993 or so. She inspired me to give it a try. Little did I know that it would lead to so many years of joy.

Who have been your biggest inspirations? Lady O, Monica Boulevard, Tiara Desmond, Patti O'Dora.

What would be your three biggest tips for a new drag queen? Blend your makeup - Know the words to the music you are performing - Remember: It's not about YOU. It's about your audience. So get over YOURSELF and have fun.



If you could perform anywhere in the world where would it be and why? Besides Portland, I guess I would love to perform in Hawaii. I hear it's beautifull there. :)

What is something that might surprise us all about you? I'm kinda boring at home.

What makeup items could you not live without? foundation, powder, eyeliner, lip liner, eyelashes, eye shadow, contour, lip stick, lip gloss, eye lash glue, mascara. Yes, these are things I CAN'T live without! lol



Do you design any of your clothes, create any of your wigs, etc? No. I'm creative, but not in that manner.

What has been your all time greatest moment in drag? Passing a field sobriety test right in front of the old Silverado. ;) It was stellar!

What else should we know about you? I don't like to yell, I don't like to hurt peoples feelings, I don't like to hang around with people that say mean things about other people, and I think that if when you're faced with the choice between doing the right thing and the wrong thing, it should be easier to do the right thing. :)

To find out more about Bolivia check out her Myspace page as well as the Superstar Divas page!

Queen of the Week - Adrienne Alexander

I met Adrienne through Myspace when I was getting ready to move up to Portland. She was incredibly friendly and welcoming and it was wonderful to finally meet her in person! She is a very fierce queen and I'm looking forward to getting to know her better as I get more involved in the drag scene up here.

Name: Adrienne Alexander

Age: 38

Location: Portland, OR

Single or taken?  Terminally single I am afraid...Unless there are any readers out there willing to take a chance on a big girl! LOL

What is your drag style like?  Hi-Drag Glamour - Old School - Big Hair - Rhinestones, feathers, sequins....

How long does it take you to get ready in drag?  About an hour and a half from shaving to stage....

Do you have a favorite number you perform?  Oh most definately. "A Woman's Got The Strength..." and my crazy "Serial Mom" mix...just to name a few.

Where can we see you perform?  I am the co-hostess of the Friday night show at Ember's Avenue - and I also perform occasionally at CC Slaughter's and Darcelle XV's.

How did you first get into drag?  I started "drag" on a dare for a Sunday night lip sync show with a cash prize....and I left broke! I had alot to learn.

Who have been your biggest inspirations?  Everyone inspires me in some form or another. You can learn WHAT to do from someone just as easily as you can learn WHAT NOT to do from them. I tehd to watch the "WHAT NOT" to do - so I can avoid that from being me. LOL



What would be your three biggest tips for a new drag queen? 1. Understand why you want to do this...there could be many reasons. Some of them may not be not meant for stage.

2. Be who you are - not who someone else is. Not everyone's style works for another. Find your own niche.

3. Let the creativity come out! This is about self-expression. Don't hold back!

If you could perform anywhere in the world where would it be and why?  There are many revues I would love to be a part of....for the exposure. However I am limited as I am not a "character" kind of performer - so a "LaCage" style review is out for me. But there are still other places calling my name....LOL

What is something that might surprise us all about you?  I hate the bar scene. From being around in the clubs for so many years it has become stale. I go in, do my thing, and get out.

What makeup items could you not live without?  OMG -Well, being a lover of the black eyeshadow as I am - I could be a LaFemme Cosmetics Spokesperson! I also could not function without my Krylon TV Paint Stick & Coty Powder....Definate MUSTS in this business!



Do you design any of your clothes, create any of your wigs, etc?  I create all of my own wardrobe....I do all of my own mixes....I come up with all of my own concepts. I HATE DOING HAIR!!! My sisters Guera from Phoenix and Topaz from here in Portland take care of that for me!! LOL

What has been your all time greatest moment in drag?  Getting some free cheeseburgers in a McDonald's drive through just because they thought I was pretty! LOL - Just kidding. No - seriously. I have some great moments and memories that I will always cherish....the night I won Miss Gay Tucson America was a shining moment for me. I had just had a break from doing drag for 3 years and it was my first pageant experience after the break. That crowning moment is one I will never forget...hence why the video is on my MySpace. LOL

What else should we know about you?  I have been around for 18 years as an entertainer and I have seen many come and go...but you know what?? I AM STILL HERE!!!

To find out more about Adrienne check out her myspace page.