Hallowe'en Debauchery 2007

Happy Hallowe'en All! (two of you!)

Hallowe'en this year took the cake. Harry and I hosted our 3rd annual partay on Friday, October 26th and it seriously rocked. Pure fun and a shooter luge!

Click here to view all the pics on Flickr.
The Maria Von Trapp costume was a success! I managed all 4 costume changes although #4, the 'naughty-nun cherry-popped honeymoon Maria' costume took on a form I did not anticipate. I ended up in fishnets, corset, black leather boots, black and white dress, white sash binding my hands behind my back... and the final touch, not a nun's habit but a cow bonnet! Nice improvisation!
Luckily I have a trip to NYC Nov 1st to 6th so I won't suffer the post party blahs like usual. The weather is supposed to be incredible!

xox

d

Preparations underway...

So the Hallowe'en Partay committee (Harry, D, Andrea, Elizabeth, Mary, Mike, Fiona) hauled over all the pumpkins, supplies etc. and decorated up a storm for Friday's Hallowe'en party at Harry's place.

YAY! This is the most prepared we have ever been. Here are some of the highlights:

Decor and Party features:
- Huge shooter luge where shooters travel down a winding ice track into the mouths of partygoers
- 2 gigantic ceiling spiders with tiny spiders (bay-bays!!!) and webbing draped all over
- Scary hands coming out of the oven
- Sensor witches and skeletons and
- Over 12 pumpkins - some of them are (get this) ... white!!! Have you ever seen a white pumpkin before? Very cool but harder to carve.

D's Costume:
- So I've got almost everything for all 4 costumes in my homage to Julie Andrews as Maria Von Trapp. The postulant, the fralein, the bride, the popped cherry... all coming along very well. The most impressive is the postulant which is a very accurate costume. I found a sheet that looks exactly like the apron she wears and am paying $40 to have it sown into shape!
- I have carved 7 pumpkins as the 7 Von Trapp children. You will see pictures but I can't help telling you the funniest thing: Liesl's mouth is carved into a big 'O' like the o-face on the blow up doll that men like to penetrate. I'm going to put red lipstick on her too! :) Also I used curtains almost exactly like the movie to make 'playclothes' for the children.

Stay tuned...

scary d

Post Climbing Euphoria

I am in post climbing euphoria. Like a star I want to explode with how much I love climbing.

My Hallowe'en Costume

I am so freakin' stoked for Hallowe'en this year. I have two parties: One that Harry and I are hosting on Friday night and one that my friend (and equivalent Hallowe'en enthusiast) Tasha is having on Saturday night.

Clearly I can't have the same costume for both parties so here's what I'm thinking:

1) Friday Partay: Maria Von Trapp (Julie Andrews inspired) from The Sound of Music reflected in four different costume changes:

i) Postulant
ii) Fraulein
iii) Bride of Captain Von Trapp
iv)Naughty nun honeymoon Maria (How do you a solve a problem like Maria? There are ways... ;) ... ) I think it would be funny if she was wearing her huge nighty as she did throughout the movie but I will likely take this one to the dark side a bit more... Still TBD if I will feel too guilty hooching up Maria.

PLUS seven Von Trapp child pumpkins! I even have the curtains to make their 'play clothes'!

These photos plus a great plot summary are found here if you need the Coles Notes. The image credits are here.

2) Saturday Partay: Trinity from the Matrix. Hot! I did this one year but there were only a few people who got to enjoy it so I'm bringing sexy back.

Stay tuned for prep stories and pics...

xo

sparkly d

Holiday in Bohemia Part Two

so where did we leave off?

Mic's bathroom was flooding, I joined the rest of the unwashed on the subway... and I was off to visit Gillian in her new Bachelorette Pad: Loft Edition (BP:LE) which she shares with three others.
It was only about 15 mins to get from Mic's to Gillian's. So easy. When I got off the subway I was in a very loud area with lots of trains, bridges and underpasses... I milled about wondering where to go for a while. Incidentally, I was also wondering if taking a pee on the street would be neighborhood appropriate because I had to go so bad. I called Garth to get help with directions and he directed me. The first thing I saw was an interesting concrete park. See the green painted grass?

It wasn't long before I found Gillian who, to my pleasure and envy, has attained hotbody through marathon training. She has a specific category of hotbody: hotlegs!!! I need to run a marathon to get these legs. Check them out.

Stepping into Gillian's loft was quite a contrast from Mic's tiny East Village apartment. It was a huge 3000 square foot loft! Gillian lives with a photographer, a painter and a musician (Anna, Leigha, Daniel) I spent about 30 minutes walking around in complete awe of their cool pad.

Luckily Gilly was up for an adventure. The Prosecco began to flow so the adventure started in her living room (well the couch part of the one gigantic room). Gillian's friend Chad was in town. He looks such a lot like Colin Firth that after about 1.5 glasses of Prosecco, I started calling him Colin. It was quite rude, yes, but don't you think he looks exactly like a younger Colin? He really does. (Chad + Prosecco = Colin)

After drinking and talking with Colin and Gilly's roomies we all went out to dinner at Superfine. I had a steak dinner and Colin and I were partners at pool. I think I was drunk at Superfine because I have vague memories of a small child buzzing around our pool game...but who knows? After the superfine food (it was really good!) we visited a studio for an exciting private viewing of Leigha's paintings. Leigha is the woman on the right in the picture.

The next leg of our adventure (with some prompting and pleading from a certain Canadian visitor who loves sing-alongs) was a sing-along at this park which has views of the Manhattan bridge and the Brooklyn bridge. Daniel brought his guitar and Gillian and I brought mugs of sparkling wine. (Adventure = drunk) Check out some pictures of the antics. (Antics = sitting on the grass)

After that we went out to a dance club called Rebar. As you can see I was dressed for success and spent the time that I was not dancing (ie the whole time) chatting with a cute bartender. For me, the highlight of this leg of the adventure was being told by a young black man with dreads that I looked like Ellen DeGeneres. Let's face it. He was really, really right. I still felt like I needed a comeback so I said 'yah well you look like Milli Vanilli.' I (like Ellen DeGeneres) have been blessed with the quickwit and usually find myself making a joke or comeback before I even consciously think the thought of it. Well the timing was excellent but it is not until this very moment that I realize how much he DID look like Milli Vanilli (either guy really because of the hair and skin tone). Good one!

We closed the place, went for snacks at Peas and Pickles, witnessed a store clerk hit a complaining patron in the mouth and headed home to the BP:LE.

The next afternoon I was back in Toronto with my head just full of ideas about film and the arts and community development. I was really inspired by the holiday. (Inspired = want to quit my job) Anyway, that was holiday in Bohemia. Thanks to all who made it possible.

My next adventure in NYC is Nov 1-6th when I will cheer Gillian on at the NYC Marathon and enjoy New York with Shirley, my friend and Gillian and Garth's mum.

Things I'm looking forward to in this next visit:

1) Seeing Gillian's hotbody legs in action at the marathon and cheering people on. I really love marathons. The energy is incredible.

2) Bonding with Shirley. Shirley was the 'designated mom' who dropped off and picked up Garth and I at Oktoberfest. The pickup was hilar because everyone was drunk outside Concordia club and they all started cheering 'Mom!!!' and Shirley got out of her red convertible so someone could take a picture. The police told her to move along. THEN didn't we take the cake?! Shirley, Garth and I went through the Taco Bell drive through!

3) Seeing Odd Todd in Brooklyn. I've tried twice already and he has blown me off but I can't give up because it is on my list to find him and his dog Roscoe.

4) Going to a museum with Chetan (previous Northwater coworker) - either the Museum of Natural History or the Guggenheim. TBD.

5) Seeing Mic again. We are doing so well with the visits. She is a consultant so she can fly to Toronto easily for free. We've got a plan for that in the hopper too. I'm hoping we can have a painting party with Anthony too. This was something we ran out of time for last visit...

Stay tuned for an update after my next trip to NYC... In the meantime, it's time for Hallowe'en!

xo

d

Immortality

So everybody likes a good partay game, non? Well I have the stuff. The crack cocaine of partay games. I discovered Mafia in San Francisco when I worked for GE several years ago. My crowd got addicted to the point that we would reserve a conference room at 4 pm and find ourselves still there hours after work!

Once you play it, it kinda makes you crazy. I remember I was once forcibly shoved against a piece of cubicle by my friend and mafia nemesis, Laurie. She now denies the ultraviolence. She was mad because she had to choose to believe me or some other sucka. She chose me and of course I was a member of the pirate mafia (I just threw in pirate because I'm into the piratia lately!) I took over the town and won the game!!! (Glory days alert)

Anyway, check out what I got from a past colleague in Oakville (thanks Facebook!):

Hi Denise...you'll be happy to know that your legacy at GE lives on. On our
last offsite management meeting, all we did was play Mafia. There was 9 of
us on
the trip, we were in Montreal, the city was at our disposal and we
just looked
for a watering hole that didn't mind the noise and would let us
play until the
wee hours. We're addicted!!

I worked as a Finance manager with these cats three years ago! This...this is the type of lasting change I facilitate in my corporate career. Please remind me when I get down about not making enough of an impact, k?
Have a great day everyone!
xo

d

Holiday in Bohemia

To celebrate Thanksgiving, I headed to New York City... centre of the universe! The theme of the weekend: Creativity! Photography, film, poetry, music, painting, and of course, Fluevog.
My trip allowed visits to two friends: Mic in the East Village and Gillian in Brooklyn (formerly Park Slope, recently relocated to DUMBO) I was there October 5th - 8th but the weather was what you'd expect on the hottest weekend of August. Mic still managed to shop like a trooper but I was put off buying sweaters!

The weekend was so much fun, I must give the play-by-play!

Friday I flew in and took a cab to Mic's place in the East Village. I buzzed and upon entry began to carry my bags up the stairs to the fourth floor. Immediately, I heard a huge racket of running and stomping, stomping and running. I thought it must be kids playing upstairs. Still, a small part of my brain played out an 'imagine if' (does anyone have a brain that generates scenarios ranging from marginally to completely unlikely several hundred times per day?) and I imagined: "What if that stampede is actually Mic running down cuz she's so excited to see me?!?" Well believe it or not... (and this never happens with imagine ifs)... it was! In seconds Mic and her roommate Anthony were there whisking my bags away from me and carrying them up, up, up. I can't say why this sticks out so much but I guess I just felt welcomed. This hospitality was to set the tone for my whole visit.

Mic and I has some Prosecco (drink of the weekend) and I got meet Anthony and his brother Paul. Now these were two bantertastic high brows brothers of the highest order of funny and I was immediately relishing the richness and colour of the conversation. Mic and I decided to mission out in the East Village. Since the theme was Bohemia, we started out at the Bowery Poetry Club. Since it was Friday night, there was no poetry, only a dj spinning some sounds with video in the background. Very cool but we could not hear our own conversation very well so we moved on. Next we tried to find the Korova Milk Bar, inspired by A Clockwork Orange. Sadly, it had been relocated to White Plains, NY! Dammit! I had my heart set on a little of the ol' in-out in-out along with some ultraviolence! Instead, we went to KGB Bar, which was a lot of fun. Still, the conversation in Mic's own apartment clearly stole the thunder...

Saturday morning, Mic and I got up and went shopping in SoHo. I bought two new pairs of Fluevogs, in the spirit of artistic expression. Seriously, these things make me happy, happy, happy. Mic is always a healthy shopper. She bought a dress, a sweater, some lingerie, a green purse, some cards... I am apparently a good catalyst for her in shopping situations!


At 3 pm we headed back to the apartment to help out Anthony, and his business partner Martha with a segment for their way cool project: The Greatest Living Writers Project. They film poets performing their works and then provide the video to schools so students get exposure to a broad range of spoken word. The poet they filmed was Nikki Batin. The filming was done on the rooftop of Mic and Anthony's building and I even got to help with lighting and one of the cameras. Nikki's work was amazing. It really resonated with me (many of us I suspect) as one of her themes is body image. After the filming, we ate and drank with Nikki and her partner Brooks in the surreal pink light of sunset. As far as moments of appreciation, this was way up there. I felt happy, thankful, and inspired.

Back in the apartment, after the guests had left, Mic, Anthony and I had a groove session including a keyboard (Mic and D), a guitar (Anthony) and a harmonica (Anthony again). That Anthony... so full of tricks! I became addicted to the keyboard and really started to find my groove. Next time I will heighten and explore ;) Mic and I went out to a bar in the West Village called the Ear Inn and met up with some of her friends from North Dakota.

Sunday morning (hungover, second night in a row!) Mic and I headed out to brunch (NoLita Cafe? To be confirmed) and by 'brunch' I mean a huge burger, fries, 3 coffees and 2 sangrias! Mic and I were giggly since we had not slept much and were weak. Then we walked around and did some window shopping but our anticipation of a shower got us back to the apartment quickly. Sadly, no shower was forthcoming. While we were out, a toilet above had continuously overflowed and was leaking water all over Mic's bathroom including the window sill, toilet and part of the shower. Not only were we not taking a shower, we couldn't even pee!

This was when one of my favourite Mic traits emerged... (and there are many!) Mic just took the whole leak thing in stride. She called Anthony, called the super and then... just chilled. I honestly don't remember her dropping an f-bomb or anything! She is so freakin' cool like that.

Unshowered, full-bladder be damned, I was packed and on my way to visit Gilly in Brooklyn...

Stay tuned for holiday in bohemia part two...

xox d

suddenly she got busy

OK guppies. You are circling hungry and won't take your freaky unclosable fisheye off me so here here, a pinch of food.

Suddenly she got busy. You'll have to fill in the details using your imagination.

YAY - Pie fight with crazy artists... I am finally bohemian.

BOO - Egocide (termed by Mike) committed while climbing with Darren-Bodhi and some other more experienced climbers. Horrible horrible display of ineptitude followed by two day pity party. Theme: It isn't easy being athletically pathetic.

YAY - Attended first class for first course for M.Ed. "Organizational Democracy" (Does this make you laugh? For me sometimes yes.) Course and prof seem very interesting. Classmates? Sketchy. I don't trust them. All facial ticks and goiters and such. Just kidding.

YAY - Got a trainer named Dan. (Dan's kinda pudgy which is not jiving with my GI Jane bit. Lord love that Master Chief.) But Dan comes highly recommended by Neil, the most fit guy at Northwater. We've met twice and set some goals. I'll share them another day - there are some funny ones. Dan will come climbing on Tuesday the 9th and make me a monkey with just the right program. So although I will be training to complete a one-armed push-up, I will more importantly be training to climb better. And get hotbody.

BOO!!!! - Hallowe'en approaching. Very excited! Harry and I on Friday the 26th and a rager on Brunswick St. hosted by Tasha on Saturday. She has already given out blood spattered invitations with a Thriller theme.

YAY - Andrea moved in on the weekend! She is the newest and Slovakest princess in the princess pad. If you haven't been by, we are three, living on Markham St. in the Annex: Andrea, Avital, and me, D. Andrea is my friend from Northwater and Avital is my friend from Wellness School. (It wasn't really called that but it makes it funnier, no?)

YAY - Melanie served up a delicious annual dinner (I think fifth annual) and Heather, Shawna, Mel and I had a wonderful, giggly evening.

YAY - Clothing Show! Got some great stuff as always.

YAY - Avital participated in some edgy performance art at Nuit Blanche, the second annual all night art bonanza in Toronto. Heather, Shawna, Melanie and I watched her show but in spite of shots of Rockstar we couldn't stay up all night!

OK this is all I have time for guppies. Please point your freaky fisheye elsewhere!