Browsing Category:

Outings

Buena Vista Street – Grand Re-Opening!

This post is overdue but fun, so only slight apologies for the delay! 😉

After long anticipation, Disney’s California Adventure opened its newly retrofied Buena Vista Street and Carsland on June 15th, and the day before they closed the park for final preparations and a private party for press and employees. To add some fun to the street inspired by Los Angeles in the 1920’s & 30’s, Chris & I joined some friends in dancing to Dean Mora’s Modern Rhythmists. So much fun to be there at the re-opening of Buena Vista Street, dancing to LA’s best and most authentic early jazz band!

Chip & Dale dancing the Charleston

Dancers en route to California Adventure
Twilight on Buena Vista Street

Chris and I joined dancers from Pasadena Ballroom Dance 
and the Hollywood Hotshots for the event
Hollywood Hotshots Minn Vo & Stefanie Klausman performing “Campus Capers”
After the first band set I changed outfits and got a quick photo with the Red Car Trolley. 
So neat to see this bit of LA history recreated!
Chip (or is it Dale?) dancing with some visitors.

With Katie, Hollywood Hotshot and fellow FIDM graduate!
Pluto getting down!

Back on Track

I’m alive! I’ve never been the most frequent blogger, but the last few months have been particularly slow. I don’t usually talk about very personal things here, but things have been a little tough for me since last fall, both personally and professionally. Family illness, new job, not feeling at my best in general…but things are looking up and I’m starting to feel rejuvenated and like my old self again. 🙂

We’ve been getting out dancing a little more frequently, which is great – in addition to our regular social dancing, we taught a lindy hop workshop last month and participated in a fundraiser for the USO as taxi dancers at Rusty’s Rhythm Club. I feel so blessed to have so many opportunities – sometimes too many, even! As hard as it is for me to turn down things I really want to do, I’m trying my best to know my limits and not overextend myself. But that’s a good problem to have, right?

I just finished a sewing project for a friend that I can hopefully share here in the next week or two, and right now I’m taking a sewing break. I’m taking the time to do some spring cleaning, starting with my sewing room, then my closet and garage (not sure which one is the bigger task!). I never really finished those spaces after we moved last year, and my clothes/costumes are in dire need of some organization and TLC. We’ll see how far I get before the new project bug bites – Costume College *is* coming up, after all!

The Rendezvous Cup

I have a confession to make. I like dancing more than I like blogging. 🙂 At costume events, there’s always a lot of time for picture taking (which is at least 50% the reason for going. The other 50% is eating tea and cookies). But at a REALLY FUN dance event, it’s hard to remember to take pictures. I get wrapped up in the music and people and just forget. So it’s embarrassing that after Balboa Rendezvous, I walked away with zero photos.

BUT! We did come away from the event with The Rendezvous Cup this year! 🙂 We have to give it back next year (unless we win again 😉 but it’ll have our names and some witty saying added for 2012.

Giant thanks to Joel Plys for putting together the 9th Annual Balboa Rendezvous. As I mentioned in a previous post, Chris and I attended as in-class instructors, and we were in the Level 1 classes all day on Saturday, dancing with and working one-on-one with students. For Level 1 there were 8 in-class instructors, which sounded like a lot at first, but it worked really well – the students got a lot of personal attention, and they learned the material much faster. The main instructors were top-notch, and I recommend putting this event on your list if you’re interested in Balboa.

And the MUSIC!! Oh my goodness. We’re spoiled here in Los Angeles with our fantastic bands and frequent live music, but Glenn Crytzer and His Syncopators came down from Seattle and — holy smokes, they’re incredible. Every time I walked into the ballroom I thought a (remastered!) vintage recording was playing. The band’s balance was just perfect and the rhythm section felt like the Heartbeat of Balboa. Pop over to their website for a free listen!

And ok, here’s a contest photo I dug off Facebook. I guess the back of my head’s better than nothing?!

Photo by Douglas LeClair

Lanterman Ragtime Tea Dance

Last weekend we attended the Lanterman Ragtime Tea Dance – this event is held annually at the Lanterman House, a 19-Teens home in north Los Angeles. The event consists of a dance lesson, live music provided by Ian Whitcomb, and afternoon tea. (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – I can get Chris to go just about anywhere if there are good cookies!)
I made my first attempt at a Teens outfit – like everyone else, I’ve been drooling over the Downton Abbey costumes, and this event gave me an excuse to make one. I didn’t have nearly as much time to work on this outfit as I normally like, so there are some fit issues that I’d like to correct. But considering this is basically my mockup, it turned out pretty good!
I bobbed my hair a couple weeks ago, so I gave a go at a curled Irene Castle bob. Not bad for a new era! Chris’s outfit blew mine out of the water, though – I’ve wanted him to wear a boater for years. Good look for him, yes?
Lanterman House – the tea was held in the center courtyard, and the ballroom is upstairs (where the tallest roof peak is) and runs the length of the house.
Downton Abbey Publicity Still? 
No, silly! It’s Cait from Curse Words and Crinolines and Lauren from Wearing History.
Cait is wearing an original Edwardian Suit, and if you ask her real nice I bet she’ll post some photos of the amazing details and beautiful lining. Lauren is wearing a late teens outfit she made herself.
Yes, right after I took this photo Chris *did* bust out some tap steps.
A wrinkled mess! Just look at the cute sailor collar instead. 🙂
An original WWI Liberty Loan pin, found at a local flea market. I added the ribbons.
Buttons! My favorite trim of the era. 
But really I just wanted to show you my white lacy shoes – my favorite part of my whole outfit!

Trying out some Vernon and Irene Castle dance steps…
…which quickly dissolved into the popular animal dances. 
Who can resist the “Grizzly”?

Ian Whitcomb and his Bungalow Boys provided the music.
Sheila Murphy-Nelson sang several songs with the band.
Walter Nelson gave the dance lesson and was on the floor the whole event, asking all the lovely ladies to dance (don’t worry, this photo proves he didn’t neglect his wife!)

More dancing…

Diane and Sheila
Dapper.

Relaxing on the balcony after we got tired of dancing.

Cait and Michael on the balcony. 
I love how you can see her tattoos through her original Edwardian blouse.
Time to go home? Oh no!
Trying to get a photo of the boys…easier said than done.

The Great LA Air Raid – 2012

As I mentioned in my last post, this weekend we attended the Great Los Angeles Air Raid of 1942 (2012 edition). We had a great time – the weather was beautiful, the band was great, and I had a new outfit! 😉 Other than dyeing my shoes I didn’t have time to make anything new, but I picked up a few new pieces recently that luckily went together nicely.

I’ve never been a hat person in the past because they’re usually awkward on the dance floor, but I’m challenging myself to wear them to more events. This turban hat was great though – it stayed put nicely the whole night!

Dancing to Dean Mora and The Fort Macarthur Officers Orchestra
Photo by Dave Welch – follow the link for more pics of the event!






There were tons of military vehicles and displays. I think it gets bigger every year!
Cait, Lauren and me – offering a little morale boost for the troops!

Heading to watch the Sherman Tank demonstration.

With Rusty Frank, one of our favorite local swing instructors. She taught a free lesson before the band started.
Sirens with the siren. 🙂

Climbing up to the top of the Sherman tank was a huge highlight – we felt like conquering heroes. Or at least really tall!

In addition to the military vehicles, there was a vintage car display – Lauren’s husband Matt made the clever display below with vintage tires. 
With Joshua Curtis, the author of Sunkissed. Love that book.

V for Victory! …-
—————————————————
Gloves: MartasRose
Hat: antique store
Shoes: Aris Allen, dyed by me

Jane Austen Evening 2012

This past Saturday Chris and I attended the 14th Annual Jane Austen Evening in Pasadena, CA. This is our 3rd time attending, and I think we have a better time every year! It’s such a fun event – we see a few people regularly at other events, but lot of attendees we only see at the dance practices and the event, and then we all disappear for 11 months until the following January.
I got a fancy-pants camera for Christmas, and I’m still just learning how to use it (where’s the zoom again?), and this was it’s first official outing. Hopefully this means I’ll have lots of fab pictures for you in the future!
This year we were greeted by the rabble protesting us 1% who are high-falutin’ enough to attend a sumputous tea and ball…

Chris and I shared tea with Post-Captain Paul and his lovely partner, Kendra. 
(hope I got the rank correct! I’m hopeless about military things.)

Chris wore the same ensemble I made for him last year – I was hoping to make a pair of trousers for him this year, but didn’t have enough time. That’s why the photo is from the waist up. 😉

My dress was inspired by a gown from the exhibit Napoleon: The Empire of Fashion. I fell in love with this gown when I bought the exhibit catalog, and when I found the sheer striped fabric I knew I had to give it a try. It’s not intended as an exact copy, but I guess it turned out pretty darn close – several people recognized it from the original, which was a pleasant and unexpected surprise!

I did take some process shots of creating my dress – I guess I should post those soon, right?
The hall filled with dancing.

Lauren looked amazing as always, and had a new turban and accessories to go with a dress from last year. I’m so glad she wore this dress for another outing, it’s just stunning!

Beautiful lineup of costumers and their creations, including Katherine of The Fashionable Past, Loren of The Costumer’s Closet, and Lauren of Wearing History. Chris saw our group of ladies lined up for a photo op and spied all the cameras sitting on a table, quickly grabbed all of them and started shooting. And who says that chivalry is dead? 😉
All in all, the Jane Austen Evening was a huge success, like always. It’s growing more and more popular every year, and tickets sold out this year in less than a week! The date for next year is already set for January 26, 2013, and if you are interested in attending I recommend joining the email list and buying tickets as soon as they go on sale!