Haute Coature

Unexpected gifts can come with a fantastical night out in New York. At Vlada, Kyle (pictured above to the right of Nancy Nosecandy) brandished two from his visit to Barracuda just beforehand: fancy, expensive coats, both with rabbit fur. I can't remember the labels now; but I loved how Kyle kept referring to his coature all night. For example, at Vlada, when he was off to get another round, he asked, "Keep an eye on my coature, OK?" Walk, walk, fashion baby Kyle!


Of course, Kyle and Nancy were dancing and posing up a storm all night. So was I, apparently, from looking at the pictures from the night shot by Eric Halliwell (pictured below on either side of Demanda Dahling).

It was that kind of night. The crowd was feeling DJ Nita Aviance and fêting Ongina (pictured below left), who was there celebrating her birthday (whenever that may be).

I was certainly feeling the vodka--and was happy that three of my de la Blanca family members were there: Celso (pictured below right), Ricky, and Dallas DuBois (pictured below center with Kyle).

It seems that Celso and Jonté (pictured above left) were feeling the fur fantasy that Kyle's winter coat caller supplied him with. Kyle managed to lose one of the $200 gloves in his coat pockets. I managed to lose track of time when all of a sudden it was after 3:00 a.m. and Celso and I were still dancing away. We weren't sure where everyone was. We could see host Jackie Birdy (pictured below) off to the side. No matter. Celso and I headed out to Posh an then Urge to walk home after 4:30 a.m.

The Glammyrous Life

Next Sunday December 6th at Splash, Cherry Jubilee presents the eleventh annual Glammy Awards. Last year's Awards show had fantastical performances. This year's will, too, with Daisy Spurs, Mimi Imfurst, Narcissister, Peppermint, Dallas DuBois, Skyla Versai, and Sahara Davenport entertaining us. I'll be there sipping and snapping away--and cheering on the nominees, including Dina Delicious (pictured above, from one of her infamous Circus parties last January, from which all the pictures in this post come). Dina's up again for Best Host/Hostess. Everyone in New York nightlife will be there, including Jordan Fox (pictured below, posing with the gorgeous 2009 Glammy Calendar), I'm sure.

As will Epiphany (pictured below), who's up for Entertainer of the Year and Best Vocalist. Of course, there's more to look forward to than watching the performances and seeing everyone in their Sunday best, so to speak.

It's always fun watching people win their awards, too. Hands-down, the best acceptance speech last year was Acid Betty's for Best Alternative Artist. (Check out the video below that I took of Mimi Imfurst giving it to her).

Acid Betty (pictured below) also won Best Dressed last year. She's up for both again this year. Other double nominees include Celso and Bianca del Rio, and Britney Houston. Triple nominees include Mimi Imfurst, Peppermint, and Sherry Vine.

The only quadruple nominee is Logan Hardcore (pictured below), who's up for Entertainer of the Year, Best Dance Performer, Best Lip-Sync Artist, and Best Alternative Artist. We'll see if Logan can become the Glammy Michael Jackson and walk away with all four.

Tuesdayifying

"Karaoke tells the truth about who you are," Mimi Imfurst (pictured above) told the crowd at Barracuda last night. What I learned about the crowd was that they like Morrissey and The Smiths. I guess they were still happy that Moz was OK after he collapsed onstage at the start of a concert last month, just after he opened with "This Charming Man."

The crowd learned a couple of things about me, too--namely that I used to be Mimi's DJ (check), and that I'm a great one (thanks, Mimi!). She pulled me onstage to chat when there were technical difficulties with the lyrics monitor that took more than a few minutes to fix. "That's what I get for coming early. Like Cazwell," she joked. Such a kidder, that Mimi.

Mimi assembled two distinguished judges for Karaoke night: Logan Hardcore (pictured above), who was giving her best Bianca del Rio impersonation, which consisted of "Hola" and "Si"; and Chandelier Period, who left the wig at the cleaners. It was quite the look last night: Dallas DuBois, Nancy Nosecandy, and Demanda all came sans face. Well, a painted one. All the while, I was trading texts with Celso (pictured below, from February, with my pensive Wonder Twin Brian Mills), who was lamenting that I wasn't spinning that night; she wanted to walk to my beats. She told me that she was coming to meet me. I sat tight.

Mimi and Logan were doing backup for one of the karaoke regulars when Celso arrived with the House of De la Blanca. They were off to see James Coppola (pictured below, from February, also with Brian, less pensive now) around the corner at The Gates. I finished up my cocktail with Nancy Nosecandy, Demanda, and Kyle, my favorite bar back (whose Jason mask I forgot to bring along after taking it home last Friday night), and head out.

The Gates was packed--and it was gorgeous. The DJ was working some fun mashups, like mixing the a cappella of Corona's "Rhythm of the Night" with the beat to Green Velvet's "Shake and Pop." It made me think of the time I saw Green Velvet spin at Mr. Black years ago and left a sweaty, fantastical mess. I thanked James for generously sharing his bottle with me and headed home because I had a mix CD to make--in the morning, I told myself by this point in the night.

I decide to pop into BOYBOX Tuesdays at G Lounge just for a minute to catch the last go-go boy set before I headed home. As I walked in, I saw DJ Drew G. on the phone in the foyer. I waited to say hello. We shared a drink--or 12. We were laughing so hard that suddenly it was 2 hours later and I was in a cozy bar underneath Coffee Shop in Union Square, mesmerized by a friend of Drew's who was cutting up a storm, bouncing like a rubber band man. I came to enough to realize that I had spent all the money I had on me and that I had to walk home. I made a nice discovery along the way: the 24-hour Best Buy in Union Square is open.

High Noon Videophone showdown

Beyoncé's new, extended version of Videophone featuring the Alexander McQueen-fitted fembot Lady Gaga offers a spaghetti Western soundtrack with just enough booty in the pants. Tumbleweeds scatter during the song's 50-second cinematic opening; then B's unnh-unnh's lead us into the song's usual snares, finger snaps, and rolling bass line. The sparse bounce brings into focus once again the fantastical Miss Sasha Fierce.

Unexpected is the way Gaga glides so well into the groove and holds her own in the diva duel. Her cameo on B's Videophone earns the "hubba hubba" she uses to praise her own "phone star." Gaga struts on through, much like she does in McQueen's 10-inch hoof stilettoes in her "Bad Romance" video. Smoothly, without a Naomi Campbell fall.

"Can you handle it?" B asks throughout. I was as breathless as B at the song's end. I can't wait to watch on my own videophone what Hype Williams, B, and Gaga have done together. Hopefully, someone will work out those technical difficulties soon.

I also can't wait to see the routine that Beyoncé-crazed Logan Hardcore (pictured below at the Ice Palace on Fire Island this summer) will do after it debuts. Maybe Logan's new partner in crime Dallas DuBois for VIEWtube Thursdays at the Stonewall Inn could do Gaga?