Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend.

Tempe is hosting a movie night for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. One Kitty Gone, an amazing local band will be playing during the night. The night is asking for people to come dressed in their 50's finery! I know exactly what I will be wearing. My silver wiggle dress... which I have named, The Marilyn. Oddly enough, I found out about this event from costumers of Hollywood Regency. I am hoping that we can get a group together for the fun evening. So if you iare in the metro Phoenix area or near by (HINT HINT Hamilton Honey) come on out for the night! Seating and Parkin are limited so lets get this figured out!!!

Here is the info from the night:

On April 24th, venture back into the 1950's with a classic event featuring the live music of local band One Kitty Gone, in "Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend". This home grown band is inspired by the 40's and 50's, studio era Hollywood and pinup girl glamour. The bands influences come from artists such as Gil Elvgren, Andrews Sisters, Cab Calloway, Peggy Lee, Vicki Carr, The Ventures, The Big Bopper, Glen Miller, Chuck Berry, Vaudville, Burlesque, Julie Andrews, and Shangri Las. The band also features 7 different musical instruments used in the performance.

In addition you will get the chance to sit down and experience the movie "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" staring Marilyn Monroe, which really captures the theme of the show. This will sure to be an evening to travel back to 50's with music, film and traditional cocktail gatherings. In attendance will be the local Artists of AZCulture.

Come as you are or dressed to fit the era!

Due to the fact that there are only a certain number of seats available in the theater, SPOTS ARE LIMITED. Your RSVP here does not hold your space. Please purchase tickets today at: http://www.madcaptheaters.com/events/viewevent.aspx?eid=192

Hope to see you all there!

* Remember, parking prices vary in downtown Tempe depending on the other events going on around Mill Avenue. Please plan accordingly.

Please do not park in the circular drive.

MADCAP does not validate.

http://www.millavenue.com/GH-ParkIt.aspx

Parking:
FREE parking for MADCAP performers and staff is available at:
o Hayden Square Surface Lot at Ash between 3rd and 5th Streets (FREE after 4pm)
o Farmer Ave. & 5th St. Surface Lot (all day)
• Paid parking near MADCAP is available at:
o Centerpoint Garage on Ash just north of University:
$1.00 20 min, $12.00 all day
o Centerpoint Surface Lot on Maple and 5th St.:
First hour FREE
$1.00 ½ hr, $8.00 all day
o Brickyard Garage on 7th St. just east of Mill Ave.:
First hour FREE
$1.50 ½ hr, $12.00 all day
o Hayden Square Garage on 3rd St. just west of Mill Ave.:
First hour FREE
$1.00 ½ hr, $8.00 all day
o City Hall Garage on 5th St. just east of Mill Ave.:
First hour FREE
$1.50 1 hr, $12.00 all day
• Parking is also available at other garages, surface lots, and metered parking spaces throughout the Mill Avenue District.
• Disabled parking is always free and is available at all garages, lots, and meters.

A Night in the 40's Dance Review

Let me start off by saying that last Saturday was a most fantastic evening shared with my sweetheart and friends. I am so blessed to be surrounded by beautiful people who love vintage such as I do.

From my last post you will know that I was "working" the event. Snapping up pictures and pretty much running from one side to the other and back. So there aren't many photos of me from the night.

Perry and I arrived later than I had planned. Almost 2 hours. I wanted to get there at the start of the night, but trying to finish up my dress in time and a napping Pierre didn't agree with me on our time of arrival.

A quick side note... I was unable to finish my dress, but had enough of it done that I could wear it as a tie top and safety pin the skirt closed. Hidden pins of course. So what you will see in the photos is the not yet finished dress. When it is complete, it will be a button up front and bowed detail at the closure of the skirt. I also had to battle static cling all night. Unfortunately I didn't realize the fabric would do this until we got to the event!

When we arrived I was mad hungry. I hadn't eaten a bite all day so I was looking forward to the bbq they were serving. I was pretty much Grumpy McGrumperson until I was finished eating. I ate so fast that I wanted another one right away! Thanksfully they were a bit pricey so I passed and that made the one just perfect and me not stuffed.

I got straight to work. Now event photography isn't my thing, so the photos will be less than spectacular. Now I am awful and didn't get the names of either group providing entertainment. I suppose I could look it up in the program, but ah, it is way over there and I am way over here. Hrmph. Anyway, the night's entertainment started out with a small band and 3 ladies singing. I didn't think about it at the time, but looking back I am a bit disappointed that they weren't more vintage. It doesn't always happen, but I think the entertainment should help set the mood for the evening visually as well as entertainimently. I snapped some photos of the crowd dancing and just took in what lay ahead of me.

Dancers

Kathy Donald Jazz Ensemble


More sweet dancers
Perry remark how it was starting to get dark so we should take photos outside of the planes before it gets too dark. Well, it got super dark super quick so the outdoor shots didn't turn out, unfortunately. We did get a photo of me by a plane. I look pissy. Not sure why... I guess I wasn't up to playing "pinup" that night.

Me in front of Miss Murphy


Crowd shot

I ran into a good friend of mine who was here with his gal. She was off taking photos with people so we chatted a bit about "band issues" and parted ways. He looked quite handsome that evening! Around this time I noticed some more friends waiting in line to get their photo with Sentimental Journey so I snapped a few of them in line, before having to rush in to capture the costume contest.

Max

Doc and Jodey


More people.




More people dancing.



Soldiers honored.

I really enjoy the costume contest. People showing off their finest finery. Jenny and Louis entered and I thought for sure tehy would make the end cut, but alas the top three were the Queen Mum and her beau in 3rd place, 3 sisters and a brother in 2nd, I thought they were so cute showing up together. Not the best examples of 40's wear, but at least they were dressed the part. And of course 1st place went to a little missy who desearved it most of all! Little Rosie the Riviter! Now normally, I scoff at kids who win, but she was so freaking adorable, happy, and boy was she working the crowd with her arm flex pose! So yeah, she was worth the win I think. :) There were a few in there that I thought got robbed for the final 3... Jenny and Louis naturally, the Brisitish Evacuies, and Indiana Jones and the evil guy. Here are some highlights!



Jenny and Louis.

Doctor Jones's parents.

Contestants.

Cute couple.

Joyce and her husband. We at Hollywod Regency outfitted her head to toe!


Contestants


Evacuies


Contestants

3 sisters and a brother.



Contestants.

indiana Jones and the Baddie

Contestants



Rosies!





Plenty of kisses all around!

After the costume contest, Pierre and I made our way out to the plane to get our photo by Sentimental Journey. The line was long so he and I proved to be quite entertaining with our "Honeymooners" style bickering. We took the photos and wha-la...

My beau and me!

I took more photos throughout the night of people dancing and it was during this time our group met up with 2 AZ Ghostbusters. No they weren't hear to blast the ghosts of the past, one was in uniform and the other was Indiana Jones. We all became quite friendly with one another and had a great time getting to know each otehr. I also met Dixon Cannon from the Fedorka Lounge that everyone else knew from previous years, but I had yet to meet. It was at this time I got the crazy idea to have us girls pose around Indy in a Conan the Barbarian sort of way. To my surprise all 3 of the girls went for it! I knew Jenny would, but I was a bt worried about Jodey and Max. We decided to do practice shots inside and then do it again out at the plane. Our group also wanted to do one nice one of just us, so we planned on that too. I had to shoot the dance contest when they annouced last call for photos by the S Journey. Oh no! I have 15 mins to the dance contest... I asked/told Doc to run out and see if they could hold it. I knew the linewould be too long and I would miss the dance contest, but I wasn't sure if the line was long enough for the dance contest.





misc

Time for the dance contest. It was broken up in 2 categories, 41+ and 18-40. Earlier Perry pointed out that because of this, we couldn't dance together if we wanted. Hahahaha. The more respected generation went first. It was a clear winner. 2 folks who are always a hit at the swing dances won because they like to shake it! Congratulations! The less experience group, went next. Another clear winner!! A married couple who just started dancing in the last 2 years were doing aerials and really wowing the crowd! It was so much fun to watch! Boy, swing dancing is a hard hard thing to photograph!! Congratulations to all the winners!





















Dance Contest and Winners!

Now it was time to zip out for photos. It was originally intended for just our group of friends to be in the first shot, but we like Dixon Cannon and Indiana Jones so much that we were more than happy to have them in the photo with us!! It was a tight tight tight squeeze to get us all on the platform but some how we managed to! Then it was time for Indy to get his girls! What a blast! Poor him, he had to stand there with all of us wrapped around him while the photographer set up shot. Hah! What fun!



It was the end of the night and Perry and I managed to squeeze in a third dance with each other. Thank goodness I got to steal kisses too! They were closing down shop, so we all said good night and was on our ways home.


It is such a magical experience. I can't believe it is only once a year! It makes me want to host one of my own dances! So until next year!