http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=214637031881837

I’m looking forward to jetting off to a beautiful  Orlando vacation and getting my pamperage on at a resort. I turn into an eleven year old the minute I see the entrance to Disney and I plan on spending very little time behaving like a grown up. Did I mention the resort? Because it’s completely kick-ass and when I’m not squealing with unrestrained glee on the Tower of Terror, pretending I’m an astronaut on Space Mountain, or taking home pet ghosts from the Haunted Mansion, I’m going to be  relaxing poolside and protecting my own ghostly pale skin with some SPF 110 sunblock. Really – I couldn’t find higher and I don’t want to mar this ice-queen thing I have going on with tan lines.

After spending some quality time avoiding getting a tan in the Florida sun with my sisters and our families, I’ll be kicking off an eventful May with a performance at the Sci-Fi Double Feature show Saturday May 7th at The Brewery. That’s at 3009 Hillsborough St and the show will feature Miss Rachel Riot, SINister Red,Sassy Frass, Tiger Roxxx, Bonnie Voyage, Cookie Chestnut, and a surprise female-fronted musical guest. I’ll be getting my geek on and making references to pony-monkey monsters and the sexiest scene every browncoat wishes they were a sponge in.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=195488117156394&notif_t=event_update

On May 14th, I’ll be performing in Fayetteville with several  other burlesque beauties for a fundraiser for Flags for Our Fallen Military, hosted by The Rock Shop Music Hall. I’m honored to be a part of the benefit.

http://www.flagsforfallenmilitary.org/

On May 21st, I’ll be teaching a Belly Dance workshop at Motorco and performing in the Beautiful Freaks show later that night. You’re going to love the theme (I do! *happy dance! wiggle wiggle!*):  LABYRINTH!! Check out this poster!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=210099232351906&set=t.100001660834599&type=1&theater

I’m also completely thrilled to be performing at The Charleston Burlesque Festival on May 28th. (The day before my birthday! What a good omen for my new year).

http://charlestonburlesquefestival.weebly.com/

My new belly-q contemporary fusion workshops and beginners burlesque workshops have begun at Aradia of Cary and I’ve had a lovely time with the ladies who have signed up and danced with me. http://cary.aradiafitness.com/ The Hipgnosis Dancers have been holding our collective breath in hopes that Wake Forest Yoga will not go the way of so many small business have during this economic down turn and we’ve just heard the fantastic news that the studio will be STAYING OPEN! Yay! They’re simply a wonderful little studio and the owners treat the instructors like family. It’s been a real pleasure to teach there for the past 2 years. http://www.wakeforestyoga.com/

On April 16th, a devastating series of tornadoes struck NC. Tornadoes are one of my greatest phobias, but thankfully everyone in my family is okay and our home was untouched. Many  were not so lucky; the tornadoes created a great deal of damage and claimed the lives of at least 23 people. I’ve been pleased by the response that has been shown by people who have done everything from forming chainsaw brigades to clear their neighbors’ property of fallen trees, volunteering to clean up storm damage, collecting or donating supplies, to holding fundraisers. Aradia Fitness of Cary is holding one such fundraiser this Saturday at 1:00. The address is Aradia Fitness:  8420 Chapel Hill Rd (Suite 117) Cary, NC.  To attend, they ask that you bring at least $20 in gift cards to grocery stores, department stores, and hardware stores. You’ll get to sample classes, see performances (Amara is an amazing belly dancer!), and get a Mary Kay makeover. Follow the link for more details:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=213706745322488

I hope to see you at one of these shows or events soon! Viva Spring!

I experiment quite often with hair and make-up styles and colors, as well as skin care products and regimens, so my list of “favorite” products or techniques is certain to change. This is what I have found that not only works best for me and has, thus far, proven to give tried-and-true positive results, but which also appeals to my budget shopper side for “starving artists” like myself.

*Shampoo:*

My favorite available-anywhere shampoo is L’Oreal’s “EverPure Sulfate-Free Color Care System.” At the moment, I’m using the Volume and Smoothing shampoos. When my hair was dyed with Manic Panic Vampire Red (great color, a bitch in the shower. Every time my hair got wet as long as it was in my hair, it washed out and stained my tub, shower curtain, skin…) all of the other shampoos I tried washed a great deal of the temporary dye out of my hair – so much that the suds were always bright pink. Loreal’s EverPure shampoo, however, washed out the least amount; the suds would be barely pink. I developed a trust in it and still use it with my professionally dyed blonde hair with good results.

Skin Care.

Skin care is fundamental to good make-up. I have sensitive skin that’s prone to break-outs and it can be difficult for me to find a face wash and make up that work for me for any significant length of time. Some of my favorite products for their look also are my least favorite for what they do to my skin (I won’t be listing those without a disclaimer).

My favorite Facial:

Honey. Not the border-line fake uber sweet clover honey that is sold in mass quantities on the supermarket shelves, but real honey – the stuff you get at your local farmers’ market. Speaking of honey and favorites, my favorite is Bill Lord’s. His bees hail from my home county, Franklin, and his honey is labeled “Woodleaf Pure Honey.”  It has that dark taste of good wild flower honey with tulip poplar, black berry, and clover. I can taste the summers of my childhood in it, I swear.

What you do is warm a few table spoons of honey and spread it on your face and leave it on for about 20 minutes. Leaves my skin soft and clear and the best part is that it tastes great when I lick my lips.

My favorite Face Wash:

Garnier Skin Renew, The Brusher gel Cleanser. Garnier says that this product with the unique soft rubbery bristled brush at the nozzle “deep cleans and gently exfoliates to eliminate impurities, instantly revealing refined pores, smoother and more radiant skin.” I use it in the morning during my shower. Face washes tend to work for me for a matter of days or a few weeks before I begin to experience breakouts. So far, this product has worked for me for the longest. I like the little scrubby brush that comes attached to it and it doesn’t seem to over-dry my skin the way that many face washes (even other Garnier products) do.

My favorite moisturizers:

I’ve tried plenty, but the ones that seem to work the best for me for the longest amount of time without a reaction are Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Firming Butter with Q10 and Porcelana skin lightening night cream.  Palmer’s is cheap, it lasts just about forever, and it (supposedly) helps tighten, improve elasticity, moisturize, and soften skin. I can’t really attest to the claims as far as it improving my skin, but it hasn’t caused any reactions or breakouts as many lotions do for my skin. It’s what I use in the morning to moisturize my face before I put on my foundation.

Porcelaina, I am convinced, helps prevent and eliminate breakouts as well as even skin tone. This is just my opinion and my experience with it, but I do think that it has lightened some of the sun damage on my face from a life time of not properly using sun-screen. I’m so convinced that it helps with blemishes that I dab it on any at night to help speed healing. The 3 oz jar that I bought originally has lasted for a few months and it’s not half used up yet. My only complaint is that it doesn’t absorb into my skin well – it seem to form a thin layer or mask, so I’d not suggest using this night cream under your make-up during the day, just stick to putting it on before bed and wash it off in the morning.

Anti-Wrinkle Product

Call me paranoid, but I’m turning 29 soon and I am a very expressive person; I’m starting to see fine lines around my eyes, mouth, and forehead. I wanted to head these off, so I decided to give an anti-wrinkle product a try. I’ve tried a couple of creams, but didn’t see any noticeable improvement until I tried Garnier Ultra-Lift Pro Deep Wrinkle Roller. I like that this is a roller (reminds me of the old roll-on deodorants that I thought were cool when I was a kid) and I like that it feels cinnamon-y on my skin (guess that’s the Pro-Xylane from beech tree extract), but I really like that you see instant results. It doesn’t seem to have quite as big an effect on the fine lines around my eyes as it does on my forehead and on the lines around my mouth, but it I love that it’s obviously working. I don’t use this every day (though I could) because I don’t have much wrinkling to begin with, but it makes an excellent pick-me-up before going on stage or in front of the camera.

Makeup

Foundation:

Which foundation I use depends on whether I’m going for every-day make-up or performance makeuup. The two products that I like the best and which have had the least impact on my skin are Covergirl Clean Sensitive Skin and L’Oreal  True Match Super Blendable Makeup.

I usually wear the Covergirl Clean for sensitive skin as every-day foundation (my color fluctuates depending on the season and sun exposure, but I currently use #205: Ivory) and the L’Oreal True Match (my color is C1: Alabaster) for camera, stage, and when I just feel like going all out. Sometimes, to get the right shade or texture in all spots, I may use a combination of both. For professional application and performances, I apply it with a foundation brush – it gives me a better texture& is cleaner than using my fingers and it wastes less than a sponge. (a hint: I use E.L.F. brushes from Target. They’re around $1 to $3 each and they work very well).

Eyeliner:

My favorite eyeliners are gel liners. NYC has a dry-to-wet liner called ”Smooth Mineral Loose Eyepowder Kit with waterproof sealer for lining.” that is inexpensive and looks great. I haven’t been able to find it again, though, and, alas, my supply is low. The next best thing is an eyeliner felt tipped pen. E.L.F. (the Target brand) has water proof eyeliner pens with a felt tip for just $1 and they are fabulous – maybe the best dollar makeup product you’ll ever find. No, I take that back – the Dollar Tree eyelash glue is the best (I’ll get to that), but this is right up there!

Eye Shadow:

ALMAY intense i-color with light interplay technology for hazel eyes is, hands down, my favorite eye shadow. My eyes are grey (they fluctuate between green and blue), but this eye shadow is still great for my eyes. The bottom color (the largest amount of shadow) in this color trio is pearlized white. That one is the base shade and it’s great for brightening the eyes. The top color is a pearlized pink with hints of gold and goes on the lid. The middle color is a shimmery purple-brown for the crease (though I’ve also used it with an angled brush for liner and with an angled brush as a brow liner when my hair is dark).

Mascara:

Maybeline The Falsies Volume Express is excellent mascara and gives the illusion of longer lashes.

Eyelash Glue:

This is the greatest make-up discovery I’ve made to date. I almost don’t want to share it b/c I want to buy up all the supplies for myself *lol* The Dollar Tree sells a simply packaged ”Fashion Eyelash Adhesive” in white that works magnificently. In fact, not only does it hold my eyelashes on better than the glues that I’ve gotten at beauty supply stores (I can wear individual eyelashes for a week through showers with this stuff), but it holds my pasties on when I dance, as well! The down side should be obvious: it’s sticky and it can be difficult to get off, but it DOES come off. I get it off my skin with soap and a wash cloth and off my eyelashes with makeup remover and by peeling it off. It’s easier to remove than spirit gum  (though not quite as firm a hold).

Chapstick:

I’m a chapstick fiend. I don’t think I’ve found one I DON’T like yet. My favorites are Blistex Deep Renewal, Blistex Silk and Shine, and Absinthe Lip Balm (you can buy it at Davenport and Winkleperry’s in Pitsboro or at Edward McKay’s in Raleigh)

That’s all for now, folks! I’ll be adding to this list as I discover new things! If you have a suggestion, feel free to comment but keep this one rule in mind: it has to be inexpensive – this list is for budget shoppers and starving artists.  Enjoy trying these products!

- xoxo Tallulah

 I feel so honored to be able to perform with not only such talented performers, but fine people. These are people that I can relax around, be goofy and geeky around, who I am comfortable experimenting with my performances in front of, and who I feel complement each other and lend variety to a show. I think this is a group that will lead each other to continually push themselves and renew their creative forces in a supportive environment – something that is so important for a group of performers.

 A special thanks to Rose Blood for her dedication in coming to rehearsals with me to work on our piece – she worked hard and was a reliable, wonderful partner who put her all into developing her character. Thanks, especially, too to Jay and Kegan for their effort in putting this together and to all of the performers (Rachel, Mindy, Sara Phoenix, Phoenix, Lolly, Matt, Rose Blood, Kegan, Porcelain, and our emcee Rich) for your work and bringing your personalities and talent to the stage. And thanks, too, to Nico for his technical wizardry during our music near-crisis and to Scott for coming and doing our portraits and photos!

 Some, if not all, of the performances will be available at some point in the near future for your viewing pleasure in case you missed or want to re-hash the show…but let me warn you: if you think it’s good on video, it was 100 times better in person. There is always something lost on film – the dynamic of the performance, the energy of the performers, the shared energy of the crowd, the emotion in the room and on stage, always makes the live experience better.

 The rest of the weekend was just as fabulous. Saturday I got to have date-day with the spouse and after teaching my morning dance class, we went to the fairgrounds flea market in Raleigh to browse and spend time in the sun where I found a little GAS MASK for a pittance. Score! I got a craving for Cracker Barrel (specifically chicken and dumplings & fried okra), so we searched for the closest spot and found one in Garner. Wake County needs more Cracker Barrels. Our server, Lesley, made us laugh – she seems like she’d make a good emcee. She had a great, easy-going personality and a quick wit. She’s a young dark-haired woman so look for her & ask to sit in her section. The food was great, too; pure Southern comfort food.

 We moved on from there to the highlight of our Saturday evening: The Clockwork Ball at Davenport and Winkleperry’s in Pittsboro, NC. First off, I love Davenport & Winkleperry’s. It’s a cool little art gallery focusing on steampunk art with a coffee shop in the back. The art itself is neat as hell & the drinks are yummy, but the women who work there are terrific. Emmett and Mingan are DJs on the popular steampunk radio program “The Clockwork Cabaret” (go here for their podcasts http://clockworkcabaret.podbean.com )  and Nancy is the house seamstress (check out that Edwardian corset she has on display when you’re in there. Pretty cool). Every other month or so, the space becomes host to The Clockwork Ball – which is only the best party in the region. The cover charge is only $5 a person and it’s a BYOB event. Dress up in steampunk/neo-Victorian attire or don’t (but it’s more fun to dress up, in my opinion) and come dance like a mad (wo)man to some really fun music. Everyone is so wonderfully friendly and welcoming…someone just may grab you and dance with you, spin you around the room, or teach you some steps. “The Interpretive Whale Dance” is NOT to be missed; it’s near the top of my list of favorite things. Picture this: a crowd of people (mostly dressed like air pirates or Vernian adventurers) gathered on the dance floor simultaneously interpretive dancing to the almost 9 minute long song “The Mariner’s Revenge” by the Decemberists . SOOOOO much fun! (go here to listen to the song: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4474199396236003326# : Another thing near the top of my favorites list.)

 This month, special guest Eli August opened the party for us with some very interesting tunes. He had a great voice and I’m looking forward to familiarizing myself with his music. His CD display tickled the heck out of me. It was an attractive set-up and I liked what I heard. Seemed like a really decent fellow, too http://www.eliaugust.com

 The Spouse (that’s Captain Gideon Merryweather Fawkes to you) and I imbibed on a most pleasurable drink: absinthe and lemonade. Holy Moley, it tasted like Good and Plenties, which are my favorite candy! This weekend’s list of favorites covered is just growing and growing! There was a trio of folks who came up for the ball all the long way from Fayetteville and were a lovely bunch. I hope they visit again (alas, I plan on being in Orlando for the April event.  We had several new folks and plenty of the tried and true (and OH so fun!) regulars. To top it all off, best of all bests, The Spouse actually danced through the evening.   

 All in all, it was a most remarkable (epic, even) weekend. I can’t wait to do it all again!

My first visit was paid to Edward McKay’s – more fuel and this time the litterary kind. A few weeks ago I found several copies of “Trickster Makes this World” on their shelves and was duly intriqued, but not familier enough with the title to invest in a purchase instead of a library request. The more I read about it later on the internet, though, the more I wanted to read it. Mythology and archetypes have a special place in my world view and I’m particularly drawn to the various incarnations of the trickster character.  According to Michael Dirda of The Wasington Post, the book “persuasively celebrates the need for the kind of paintings, music, books, and ideas that society initially finds unpleasant…[A] hymn to the gods of mischief, who are also the gods of artistic and cultural renewal.” Oh hellz yeah! That’s what I’m talking about! So, I got my coffee and the spouse and I went to Edward McKays to get my hands on that book.

Edward McKay’s is awesome – seriously, check the place out if you never have and make it a preferred spot to buy and trade your books and such - but it just figured that I couldn’t find a single copy in all the store today. I guess I’m not the only one who wanted to read it. Another title caught my eye as I browsed the Eastern Thought section. Sex, Sin, and Zen: A Buddhist Exploration of Sex from Celibacy to Polyamory and Everything in Between by Brad Warner. Now, Warner sounds like my kind of guy: someone I’d like to hang out and share some  fabled honey lattes with, but my bookshelves are all full of serious sounding Buddhist titles and serious sounding Eastern names – none of which are Brad Warner’s brand of “Hardcore Zen.” I’m just too academic and serious a practitioner for that, dontcha know….or I was until I got over myself a little bit. This Sex and Zen book sounded intriquing…and the cartoon chicks on the bottom of the cover surrounding an illustration of Brad Warner were fascinatingly disturbing. I said that right – not disturbingly fascinating, but fascinatingly disturbing. I wonder if the illustrator really knew what he was doing when made them look like zombie pin-up and zombie goth girls. They’re all highlighted with great swaths of blueish skin (an allusion to bodhisattvahs?) except for the one robust, tanned girl on the right who is lazily winking an eye and holding a finger to her lips. Shhhhhhh Brad Warner  is surrounded by hot girls but they’re really zombies! Watch what happens when he cops a feel of that green haired one’s ass. Om Mani Padme…BRRRAAAIINNSSS!

I had to buy it – and it assuaged my longing for Trickster Makes This World for now. It’s pretty darn good so far. That Warner-sensei is a funny guy – definitely the type of sensei with whom I’d like to go on a quest for honey lattes (the holy grail of flavored coffee drinks).

There concluded the good part of my day for several more hours. I found no desirable article of vintage costuming or accessory in any of the many stores and thrift shops I visited. The universe ran my tab and collected on some karmic debts, so most of the afternoon was less than pleasurable. Ahhhh – but then Scott messaged me for a photoshoot. And the subject was right in line with my mood – morose. My hair went on strike, but we worked out an amicable agreement and I zipped over to his place to change into a wedding gown.

The site Scott chose for the shoot was a house which had been burnt down for firemen’s practice.  Scott pointed out the shell of a dresser for a pose. It was relatively untouched except for a layer of debris and dust and I thought that there was something poetic about the way that it sat there just beyond the charred remains. There was something poetic about the whole burnt-house scene, even without me standing there in the wedding dress. It brought to mind the death of a thing that had served a purpose, echos of the people who had once lived there, reminding one of funeral pyres, saddness, controled violence….

A perfect location for post holiday winter – bleak, not yet any sign of new life, just the withering of the old. Can’t wait to see the pictures.

More Champagne? Let me pour myself a glass.... A fun New Years special effects photoshoot with Warren Scott Studios. Happy New Years everyone

Where was I when the the count down started? Why, changing my costume, of course! I have a little superstitious streak and I think being in the process of getting ready for your next number as the ball drops is is a good omen for the new year…but as the crowd started calling out 10..9..8..I didn’t want to start the new year alone in a stall! You’re supposed to be kissing somebody and I can think of no one better to kiss than Cutler K. so, I threw on my top, slammed my dressing trunk closed, and ran out with laces untied to search the crowd. Just as the coutdown finished, we locked eyes and blew kisses across the room. SAFE! Just barely, but what a thrill! 

A shout out goes to the lovely dark haired lady from Richmond, VA and her aunt who sat beside us. I hate that I missed your names, but keep practicing that figure eight! You’ll get it! You ladies were fun; thanks for being part of my New Years Eve. I had a good time chatting with you as I waited to go on.  In general, the crowd was lovely – they all made me feel appreciated, were free with the compliments, and I loved how they were ready to dance along with me to Raks Africa by Paul Dinletir. I was tickled pink when someone in the crowd started playing drums along with my music. Can’t wait to dance at Solas again.

2010 was a wonderful year. I met a lot of wonderful people, I had a lot of fun, I pushed myself and learned new things, and I got involved in some great new projects. I’m looking forward to a 2011 filled with creativity, adventure, performing, and friends new and old.

Happy New Year! Make 2011 your best yet!