She's Baaack!



I turned the corner on my way home Thursday nite, and what did I see? A little funky RV in front of the house! Which could only mean one thing; Nina was in town! And so she was... I knocked on the door and she popped out and we hugged and said all the "I'm sooo glad's" and she pushed me back a bit a looked into my eyes and said, "Oh, my, god, you're happy!"

She's so perceptive... hehe.



The pic above involved getting all the dogs to look at the camera at the same time and get a good shot of Nina. That was all very funny... but I think it turned out O.K. She'll be here until after Mardi Gras, so I'll have more chances to get a better shot.

I worked this ayem; went in at six and chugged through the day, finished around three and grabbed a few bottles of decent, but cheap champagne and some OJ and hit the road for home. I had just enough time to pull out my tux and press it, take a shower and get dressed in time to jump into Robert's car and head out to the glamorous Chalmette Civic Auditorium for the Amon Ra Ball. I think I'm only going to two gay balls this year... (luca and I will be going to one of the balls on the weekend before Mardi Gras)... but this was the first MG event of the season. After all the work I've been doing I was really looking forward to a very social event.

And I was not dissappointed.




We sat at the table of the incredible Opal Masters, who is in the center of the pic above. On either side, are Joel and the ever lovely Peaches, a former Queen of Amon Ra. These are people that I have been sitting with at gay balls for many years. They are brilliant costune designers and wildly funny and witty people; it's always a joy to see them again!



Robert sat on my left and this very charming guy Tim, (on your right in the pic) sat next to me on my right, with his lover. Tim owns a gay bar in Mississippi and he was just a lot of fun to talk to during the presentation of all the costumes. Robert, in the meantime was talking to the two guys on his left, who were from Alaska... it was their first MG ball... It often happens. You meet the most interesting people and have such a good time.

There were some very good costumes! But as always, no pictures are allowed during the ball. (They do videos of the ball, and sell them later, but the original reason for no cameras was that sooo many people were "in the closet". Not really true anymore.

The theme of the ball was "Games People Play", and the costume that I liked the most because it was the most suggestive without being blunt, was this guy who came out dressed as a very flambouyant Confederate General, (War Games). He had this 8 foot silver cannon sort of pointing at an upward angle from his "groin area", hehe, and on either side, two cannon wheels. No matter which way he pointed the cannon, you couldn't help but notice the symbolism. It was a very funny costume; it suggested a huge cock and balls... and in a very clever way. We ran into this guy later on the stage...



Now a bit of Gay Mardi Gras Ball procedure... once all the costumes have been presented, and the King and Queen have come out and everyone has seen the costumes from every angle, they stand on the stage and a "call" is put out for their special guests, (which always include members of other gay krewes, and also include family members and friends) to come up and greet them. After that, it is "open court", and everyone else can go up on stage to pay their respects to the king and queen. I always go up then and take my camera with me..



oh, that's me with the Queen of Amon Ra... O.K., it's not such a big deal, but I happen to know all these people... it's always great fun to go up and make a fuss over them, especially when they have done a really good costume and a really entertaining ball.



And, of course, it wouldn't have been a complete and fabulous evening without running into Princess Stephanie! If you have followed this journal over the last year, you will know that she always shows up every where! And this evening was no exception, but what kind of look is she giving the queen? hehe.


I had a wonderful time, and I have to thank Robert for getting my tux shirt ready when I was too busy with work to take care of it on my own. And, as always, I must thank him for being such a good friend and companion on these very unique New Orleans kind of adventures...



And you know what cher!


It's Carnival Time! Soon, luca will be here, (and he will be bringing his tux... and a costume, I think.) Nina is already here, and parked out front. Things are going great at work, and we are closed on Mardi Gras Day...

...life is good.


durlx