Saturday, April 30, 2011

Continuation of Viva Blogs...Thursday Night!

I think I left off with Frankie's Tiki Room...here's another couple photos from Frankies:

With Teresa an a man I totally LOVE, Patrick
 I ran into my friends, Aaron and Mel

After Frankie's we went back to the hotel where I changed for the beginnings of the festivities! Thursday was my "Hawaiian" day, so I changed into a dress that I had to trade a LOT of vintage for. It is a strapless sarong, rayon, with a bolero, that I LOVE. I was thrilled that my friend Renee, who is a dealer was willing to do a trade. 

With Renee, who has the most fabulous wardrobe!

I didn't get any photos of bands...Lil' Mo and the Dynoflos opened the show to a packed ballroom and put on a FANTASTIC show. I also enjoyed Los Straightjackets, Hi Qs and Modern Don Juans. I did get a few photos of the Hi Qs with Matt on vocals.


Here are some random photos from the night with Jessica, Dorian, and also Alex Vargas and my friend Real


One last photo from the night with Dollie aka The Rockabilly Socialite
  I was up until at least 5:30, closing down the hops that night/morning. While I was sitting out a song at the hop, my dear friend from Germany hugged me from behind and spilled a whole glass of whiskey on my dress! I think it will be fine after a cleaning, I want to bring it to England with me when I go to the Rave. I love her and have known her almost 10 years, so I wasn't mad. She was being cute and drunk and bought me a coke because she felt bad. I hope to see her in the UK without a drink! hehe...

Thursday, April 28, 2011

This Saturday! The 13th Booze Broads and Hotrods

This is the club I belong to, the Bombshell's annual party. We love to have it the week after Viva, and it is the perfect cure for the post Viva Blues. For more information about hotels and our show, please visit our website: The Bombshells

Viva....Thursday Afternoon

I had to get up early Thursday morning to pick up my good friend Tanya and her husband, Woody at the airport. While waiting in line for my coffee, I ran into Lisa Fremont Street and had the opportunity to see her beautiful new baby girl. I wish I had my camera with me so I could have snapped a photo. I know I have said this before, and I will say this again, most likely, but I greatly need to remember to capture moments if I am going to blog about them.

The day kind of rushed by, and since I had plans to meet a bunch of people at Frankies, I hung out by the bars a bit. Jess, Dorian and I went up to the Bowling Alley to obtain the bowling pin spill proof cups. I was really surprised and disappointed that there was no "boot" this year.



Since it was the middle of the afternoon, we had to hit up Sweetpea's "Hooch 'N' Smooch" where we ran into the Rockabilly Socialite


We made name tags for ourselves using our "Trucker" names. Dorian is "Ginger Fox," Jess is "White Minx" and I'm "Black Bootie."

Next, I met up with the Swedes, Woody and Tanya and we headed over to Frankies...got a lot of cheeky photos while we were there with the well hung Tiki...








Wednesday, April 27, 2011

My first post-Viva blog...Wednesday

I kind of wanted to knock out the whole weekend in one blog, but alas, horrible social blogger that I am, did not get pictures of myself on Friday and Saturday night! I got photos of bands, but I have to wait until someone who caught hold of me running from room to room actually tags me in a photo.

Dorian, Jess and I set out about 6 AM Wednesday morning, with the grandiose plan of attending Ronny Weiser's party in Vegas that afternoon. After pulling away from the gas station with the gas pump still in my gas tank, and breaking the hose, we were well on our way to the promised land. Our grandiose plan fell through, when by the time we got to Vegas, unpacked, etc...it was about an hour until I had to meet my dad for dinner. After a fattening, but delish dinner at Canal Street at the Orleans, we got decked out to go to the Wild Records Showcase.


Dorian and Jess had not eaten yet, so while they went to partake in sushi, I trolled the bar. I ran into a guy from Sweden that I met in LA a few years ago, Nick "Camtwister" of the A-Bomber's car club. He is one of the organizers of the A-Bomber's Old Style Weekender in Sweden. I invited him and his friend, Hans, to go to the Wild Party with us.
Nick and I at the Bar

The Show was down on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas. After wandering around, we found the joint. I saw my good buddy, Patrick there!

I didn't get any photos during the show but it was a great show. Saw so many people I know there, and had a nice long chat with my old buddy Matt, who used to play with Arsen Roulette. He's now playing with Texas Steve and I am really excited about it. 

Here is a photo of the Swedes on Fremont Street next to a big neon sign:

We got back to hotel about 2:30 or 3 and went to bed since we had been up since 5 AM.

I'll write more soon...

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Coming soon....

My post Viva Blog, or my first post Viva blog...

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Thoughts on vintage, rockabilly and "the scene"

Reading Mary Deluxe and Temperamental Broad's recent blogs where they discuss Rockabilly, scenes, vintage snobbery, got me thinking and analyzing myself. Am I viewed as a "vintage snob" or a shallow "scenester?"

I bought my first vintage dress when I was only 16. I had borrowed a dress from a girlfriend and put my waist length hair up in a french twist one fateful night in 1983, and headed out to Mother's Disco. Mother's was an underage nightclub and when there wasn't a party or something fun to do, I would frequent the venue with friends on a Friday or Saturday night. While hanging out with a friend, she was trying to explain what creepers were. You know, the suede shoes with thick crepe soles that were popular with Teds, and later with punks. She looked down and said "Those shoes there, those are creepers!" We both scanned our eyes up to a very handsome face and she said, "It's Dave Burks!"

I did not know Dave, yet, but we became very good friends. Perhaps I had a little crush at first, who wouldn't? Check out his drivers license photo taken around that time:


That night, Dave told me I should never cut my hair. Did I listen? Of course not, and bobbed my hair not long after we met. Dave also introduced me to the world of thrift store shopping. He influenced my impressionable mind when he told me "You should always wear vintage dresses, you look better in them." That advise always stuck with me.

I started collecting and had a fine collection of beautiful silk and tulle that I wore to underground clubs in the 80s. I can remember being so frustrated with the clothing they sold in retail stores, nothing looked as good or was as glamorous as the vintage dresses I found at the thrift store. When I started getting into punk rock, I still wore a lot of the vintage dresses and made alterations to some of them. I think my favorite was the black velvet fitted top that I attached garter straps to and fastened fishnet gloves to. That top was inspired by Siouxie Sioux.

I lost that collection when I was pregnant. I was living with a girl (she is now on my facebook and might read this!) and when I moved out, I only took one dress with me and when I returned to get the rest I discovered she had sold them. I probably owed her rent, and besides, I would never again have 36-26-38 measurements!

I did not start buying vintage clothes again until the mid 90s, when I started attending some swing shows. I was about the size I am now, but after the birth of my younger two children, I never thought I would be able to wear them again and sold them around 2001 or 2002. I do regret that now!

In 2002, when I started venturing out to shows again, I ran into so many old friends. This is more than 10 years after I got sober, and I felt right at home. I weighed about 250 pounds and finding vintage was a challenge! My first Viva, I had a few vintage dresses but nothing was very special or very cute. Luckily there was good old Stop Staring, and Torrid had a great selection of rockabilly clothing. I started loosing a lot of weight in 2005, and by fall of 2006, I was about a size 14-16 and could find a vintage piece here or there, but also I discovered Whirlingturban. I bought about 8 Whirlingturbans that first 18 months after my first. I still have most of them, but I started gaining weight back through the end of 2007 and into 2008, so that the latter were made bigger.

I was back at weight watchers in September of 2009 when I started working at Time Zone Vintage. In a very short time I amassed a very nice wardrobe as I lost weight. I developed better style, obtained quality pieces that I had only dreamed of wearing in 2002.

Am I a vintage snob? I don't think so, aside from the fact that the vintage must be cute and flatter my figure. I don't care what other people wear, as long as they are looking the best they can. It's all about finding your style, what is flattering, and what fits. If it's modern clothes from H&M or vintage, or repro...it doesn't matter to me. I don't do much 60s or 70s because I don't think it looks flattering on me, or I don't like the feel of synthetic fabrics that were manufactured during that time. I don't like 80s, since after all, during the 80s I didn't like what the retailers were selling then!

Regarding the scene...my social life revolves around rockabilly music. There is a scene that surrounds rockabilly music. Therefore I am active in "the scene." I appreciated the music even more after I learned to dance, which only happened 3 years ago! I did go to shows for years before I learned to dance, but loved it even more after I learned. Now, any excuse to dance is all that is needed to get me out of the house. Here is proof...me at a Yelp Elite dance. No, I am not a "yelper" but my friend was hired to DJ so I took advantage of his invitation so I could dance.



In 2006, I was inducted into a group of girls called "The Bombshells." The Bombshells are a social club and we sponsor an event called "Booze Broads and Hotrods." Because I am a fan of rockabilly and psychobilly music, I would travel to a lot of shows. Being older, and a non drinker, I made friends, maintained friendships, and became acquainted with many people in bands or other lovers of music. I went to Viva, LA for the Hollywood Showdown weekenders, and many, many roadtrips to LA just to go to a good show. Between the club, and my personal relationships I started producing and promoting my own shows. I then started promoting rockabilly shows at two local clubs owned by good friends that I've known since the early 80s.

For anyone that had questions about me, or made assumptions that I was a snob or total scenester because of my posts about the bands I've worked with, shows and events I go to, or the clothes I wear, I hope this clears it up. Over half my wardrobe I got on trade at the vintage shop, and most of my ebaying has been done in the last year and a half, and I still find great deals! I have paid a lot or traded a lot for something really special, but I think it's worth it if it makes me look and feel fabulous!

My name is Kim and I am an ebayaholic

God, grant me the serenity to say "NO" to that which I can not afford...
The funds to bid when I can...
And the wisdom to know the difference!

Monday, April 11, 2011

I love shiny stuff...confetti Lucite!

Must see and do at Viva

These are my suggestions of bands and happenings that you don't want to miss during Viva. Some are suggestions, like the Jive lesson, but the music acts are what I am not going to miss while I am there.


Thursday
2:00 PM                         Sweet Pea's Hooch-n-smooch                         Bienville Room
8:00PM                          Lil' Mo & the Dynaflos                                   Ballroom
11:30 PM                       Modern Don Juans                                         Ballroom
12:00AM                        Hi-Qs (I know it's an overlap!)                       Bienville Room
1:00 AM                         Los Straightjackets                                        Ballroom

Friday

1:00-4:00 PM                Sophia Wolff's Jiving Class                             Ballroom
5:00 PM                         Charles Pheonix Slide Show                           Showroom
                                       (tickets at box office during the day) 
8:30 PM                         The Horton Brothers                                       Ballroom
10:30 PM                       Jessie and the Orbits                                       Beinville Room
12:15 AM                       Big Sandy and Los Straightjackets                 Beinville Room
1:45 AM                         Sureshots                                                        Ballroom


Saturday

4:00 PM                         Blasters                                                           Car Show
6:00 PM                         Jerry Lee Lewis                                               Car Show
8:00 PM                         Rhythm Shakers                                               Ballroom
9:00 PM                         Gizelle                                                              Ballroom
11:00 PM                       Sonny Burgess and the Pacers                         Ballroom
2:00 AM                         The Caezars                                                     Ballroom

Sunday

Daytime:                        Tiki Pool Party                                               The Pool
6:00 PM                         Roy Rapid and the Rhythm Rock Trio              Brendens
6:30 PM                         Jive Contest                                                    Ballroom
9:30 PM                         Kim Lenz and the Jagauars                            Ballroom
11:30 PM                       Rockabilly Stars                                              Ballroom

This is my preferred list, although I will probably skip the jive lesson and I will squeeze in Frankie's Thursday late afternoon. Sorry burlesque fans, I would rather be watching bands play.

If you are getting into Vegas on Wednesday, try to get to the Wild! Records Pre-party at The Las Vegas Country Saloon, 425 Fremont Street, Downtown Las Vegas.


Sunday, April 10, 2011

Cockgrease girls needed at Viva Car Show!

Cockgrease is looking for 2 pin-up models to work at their booth at Viva Las Vegas Car Show. The primary duties would be talking to customers, passing out stickers and postcards, posing with the "Cock Rocket" custom motorcycle.

The hours are Saturday only, from 10AM to 5PM and the pay is $100 each. Cockgrease will supply the shirts and you would need a black skirt, shorts or pedal pushers.

They are looking for someone who is between the ages of 20-30 (or who looks it) has a bust that is at least a C cup, and tattoos are acceptable, but not required. MUST have an outgoing personality and not afraid to talk to people.

Please email Rea at extrastiff@cockgrease.com with at least one full body shot and a head shot.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Another Etsy Rant...

Really, who on earth is playing over $400 for a simple vintage day dress!? I keeps seeing things like this! $400 for a Shaheen (which are hardly selling at that price anymore) or Ceil Chapman, but even Suzy Perette is selling for less than $300 when auctioned.

I posted this dress on facebook, asking who would spend almost $400 for a day dress, and checked it today, she had raised the price $30!!! Is it the seller or the idiots who buy the dresses?

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Feelings about my absence and my favorite hair-do!

It will take a while for me to catch up on reading everyone's blogs, but I will try to find some time this weekend. 


Having my oldest daughter back in my life is a wonderful feeling. I missed her so much in the last couple years while she was off "living her life." We have reconnected in the last couple weeks and she even asks my advice and seems to trust my judgement. This, just in time for my younger daughter to enter into her teens. 


Since I haven't written an interesting blog in weeks, let me share with you my new favorite hair do :-)

Start with dry hair

Next, part your your hair on the side, part the front forward and pull the sides back in combs

Put three small hot rollers in the front hair that is out of the combs, and roll the rest in rollers to the nape of your neck.




After 10 or 15 minutes, remove the rollers

Comb out the curls, maybe back-comb the front a little and spray and shape. If it is hanging a bit low on one side, use one hair pin to pin it up...voila! Simple and cute!




 

 

Made by Lena