Red Dress Party PDX

Tonight, is the Red Dress Party in Portland, A benefit ball with all money going to Charity. Red Dress PDX is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization established and run exclusively by volunteers. Through our events and donations, we support queer youth, help friends, neighbors and family members living with HIV and AIDS, and help to fight domestic violence. This will be my third year going and it is a fun night and a wonderful place to people watch. Now Julie and Trixie invited me which was so nice of them. Now I did paint my nails red today for the night, I actually painted them about 2 as I watched TV. I started getting ready about 4.

It was so fun getting ready, so enjoyable. My Susan time is limited right now so it was wonderful to take my time. It is like most girls go through as they get ready for a big dance of Prom. Such a fun experience. Now I did have a new pair of heels I bought a while back but I didn’t have a chance to go out and get a new dress which was a little sad. It is so fun to experience the simple joys of being female. I was all ready by 5:45 and on my way to Julie’s to pick her and Trixie up for the party.

I got to Julie’s about 6:15 and they were both ready in their pretty red dresses. This really was a great idea they had as I love red so having everyone in red dresses is awesome. Now it didn’t start till 8 so we didn’t need to leave for about an hour so it gave us a chance to sit and talk. It was so wonderful.

We got to where the Red Dress Party was, it has been the same location the last 3 years. We parked ab few blocks away and walked, it was a really nice evening, just the right temperature. We got to the door and only had to wait about 10 minutes as we were a little early. Now our tickets let us in early at 8 so we were one of the first ones here and had a chance to walk around and see things before it got crowded. We walked around and had our picture taken and then stopped so Trixie could get her face painted. Now while we were there Amy and Dionne saw us and came over to talk with us. We met them in 2015 here at the Red Dress Party and again in 2016 and this is the 3rd year we have seen them and of course we had to get a picture together again. It was great to see them again and talk and catch up.

We walked around some more and got something to eat. By now it was getting busy and it was a fabulous crowd, everyone in a red dress. It is amazing how many different styles of red dresses there are. I don’t think I saw the same red dress and there were probably 1500 to 2000 people here tonight. This really is a great place to people watch.

We ran into Jamie and her wife and also Marla as they were also here so I got to talk with them for a little while. It was nice to see them as it has been a long time. Well it was that time yes Julie and Trixie got me out on the dance floor. It was easier to dance here just because it is so crowded. Really all you can do is stand in the crowd and sway and really no one can really see you. It was a lot of fun. After dancing we were walking back through the crowd when we ran into Victoria. We talked for a while, this was her first Red dress party.

We stayed till after midnight before calling it a night. It was such a wonderful evening and so much fun spending it with Julie and Trixie. It was sad to see the night come to an end.

Short notice but a chance for a manicure and pedicure.

Well a lot going on in my life and my free time and Susan time is very limited. Now I have worked it out for next weekend to go to the Red Dress Party with Julie and Trixie so I am excited about that. My plan was to get my nails done next weekend but that would mean going 3 weeks between trips to the nail salon which I thought I could do, that is till I was getting dressed this morning and broke 2 of the corners of my nails off well the acrylic off the top. Now I had my doubt I could make it till next weekend as my nails underneath are thin and week. I wasn’t sure what I could do as I had family things today, my mom is in rehab and my dad doesn’t drive anymore so that was going to be my day. Any way a couple of my parent’s friends called and were coming to see them and as there is limited room I figured it was a chance to get my nails done. It would be another quick outing but better than nothing.

I called Dream nails about 11 to see if I could get in at 12:30 and I could. As one of my parent’s friends had arrived I left and was on my way out with only a slight delay. On my way, out I ran into someone and talked to them for a short while which put me a little behind. Wow I so want to include this in my blog as it is a really funny story but as it mostly deals with my male life I just can’t but you would dye laughing. It was 11:30 when I got home so I had to rush and get ready. I got to the salon just before my appointment as it is only a couple minute drive. There was only 1 lady there getting a pedicure so I didn’t have to wait.

It was so nice to get a pedicure again as it has been a while. It wasn’t long and another woman came in and then a man and a woman. They were getting busy. I guess I picked the right time. I really enjoyed my pedicure although the lady doing it was very gentle when she massaged my legs, but it still felt good and she did a wonderful job. She was just getting ready to paint my toes when 3 women came in turns out the 2 girls brought their mom in for a manicure and pedicure for an early Mother’s Day girls day out. They were seated at the far end and I was in the first seat. Wow this is too funny and I wish I could share, well a little bit won’t hurt. I know one of the woman. Something I have worried about for a long time, wondering if I would run into someone I know here, although she doesn’t live in the area just a chance meeting. She was busy with her sister and mom so didn’t pay any attention to anything around them after all it was all about their mom.

Now it was time for my manicure or rather my fill, yes, I am still wearing a thin layer of acrylic on my nails. I sat at the front table and Anna started working on my nails. Now I could see the 3 of them in the back and it was funny as they had one of the nail techs take a picture of the 3 of them. There were caught up in their own world down there so I relaxed a little and enjoyed my experience. Anna ground some of the old acrylic off and shortened my nails, wow I had let them get a little long. Then she shaped them and put on the new layer of acrylic. It was a relaxing time. Now it was time for polish but first I had to go wash my hands, I forgot about this part. The sink is in the back of the shop where the 3 women were one I know. She was actually in the far back chair almost right next to the sink but this also meant she was twisted towards her mom to talk and not looking at the sink. As I walked back I was looking at the TV on the opposite wall so I could keep my head turned away from them. I washed my hands and walked back to the manicure table and sat down and looked back at them and they were still talking between themselves and of course all attention was on their mom so I am sure they didn’t even notice me.

Anna put the gel polish on my nails my same polish I get pretty much every time, clear with just a slight rose color. My nails look wonderful and next week I am thinking of trying Julie’s trick and putting red polish over the top for the night. That is one of the reasons I wanted to wait for next Saturday as I could have had it all done at the nail salon. Soon my nails were done and beautiful again and I was ready to leave. I got up to pay and was standing by the counter as the three in the back were finishing up on their pedicures and would be moving to a manicure table to get their finger nails done. But it was okay as I was on my way out now.

I left and still had about 45 minutes so I made a quick trip across the street to Starbucks for about a half hour to write my blog and let my toe nails finish drying before heading home and going back to my male self probably till next Saturday. In all it was a quick trip out as I was on my way home by 2:30.

Thanks for reading.

Harvey’s comedy club

It is Saturday and the group is going to Harvey’s Comedy club tonight which is always a fun night out. Now my Susan time is very limited right now do to family health issues so Susan time and b logs will be limited. With that being said, I have been getting home between 7 and 8 at night so I felt I could be to Harvey’s by 9:30 to make the show so I signed up to go. I was really looking forward to it not only as it would be a chance to be Susan again and go out but I would get to see some of my friends who I have really missed. I have been looking forward to tonight all week long.

I got home at 7:15 and I was already, I had the dress I was going to ware all set out and new just how I wanted to do my makeup so I was hoping I would be able to get ready faster, tonight would be about getting out more than the getting ready as my time is limited. I was ready by 8 and on my way. It was so good to be out as Susan again. I got downtown and found a parking spot right across the street.

Laura H, and Lisa were there so I joined them. It wasn’t long and the girls that met earlier at Fox & Hounds showed up. It was so great to see them again, Cassandra, Melissa and her wife, Julie and Trixie, Sophie and her wife Lorna, Bambi and Kris, Kim, Jennie and Amy, and one of our newest members, Janeece. We had 17 here tonight and it was great to see every one of them. I got to talk with Julie and Trixie for a while, it was wonderful to see them. I will see them again in a couple weeks when we go to the Red Dress party.

Now there was a good crowd here tonight, it is always fun when there is a large group here. We always have such a fun night. Now we have a new waitress named Norma and she seem really nice. I think she will be our regular waitress now. We all miss Kim our friend and former waitress who surprised us and showed up tonight to watch the show with us. It was so wonderful to see her again.

The show was awesome, all 3 comedians were good but the headliner was awesome, one of the best we have seen. His name was David Crowe and he was wonderful. If you get a chance to see him you should. It really was a wonderful night even though it was short. After the show, I gave Melissa and her wife a ride b ack to their car as they parked down by Fox & Hounds. The it was time to head home. I am not sure when I will get out again, it makes me appreciate my time out as Susan.

Thanks for reading.