BIRTHDAY BUNNY

I'd be remiss if I didn't wish my old old, old, and I do mean very old drag friend and club sister, and all-around cow and clown a very Happy 59th Birthday! As I told her she doesn't look a day over 80.

As a regular visitor will tell you, Lady Bunny for me is the all and end all of drag, the Grandest Dame, the Grand POOBAH, the Queen of all Queens. She is loud, flashy, filthy as hell, wears the biggest hair I've ever seen, and puts on one hell of a show. I can remember the first time like it was yesterday, when my good friend and sister David Dust and I were at the legendary Palladium in New York City. My first time there. I saw Bunny from across the lounge area we were in and asked who it was. I knew right then I needed to do drag!!! So he introduced us, and the rest is history.  She got me good and tight I couple times when she did DJ sets in New Hope. It was ugly. Good times.

But Bunny carved a career in drag without the help of shows like RuPauls Drag Race. She has remained the doyenne of New York City through the New York club scene alongside RuPaul, but she kept to her underground scene and dj-ing and grass roots if you will. And Bunny is known as much for her outspoken personality as she is for her mile high hair. Bunny always said her future in frocks was fairly set by the time she was 6, growing up in Chattanooga, where she would intimate Barbara Eden. As a rule also, Bunny is NEVER seen out of drag!! Like ever. It's impossible to talk about the impact and evolution of drag without mentioning the name Lady Bunny. Bunny opened the doors to a new crowd of fans with her Wigstock, and has used her fashion, comedy, performance and art to not only introduce drag culture into the mainstream, but also to symbolize the significance of drag as a form of pride and protest. And talk about the outspokenness. She will rip on Republicans as much as Democrats if they aren't doing their jobs. One of the most politically active queens I know. But overall, it's her completely over the top fasion and complete filth I enjoy.

Happy Birthday you old bitch!

GARGANTUAN EFFORT

 

It's no secret that I have a great love of animals and Mother Earth over humans. I have long been a advocate for animals, and my soft spot is especially for that of elephants. I have no idea where my love for them came, except it's been there since my wee youth. If I could, I would sell all my earthly belongings to an elephant sanctuary, and then volunteer my time in loo of food and board to be able to work and be a caretaker at one. It's been a long dream of mine. I hope someday, to up and leave and head off to Kenya and do just that. But this is to raise awareness for World Elephant Day! Today is World Elephant Day, August 12th. The inaugural day was launched to bring attention to these highly intelligent, gargantuan, yet little babies, of the plight of Asian and African elephants. The elephant is loved, revered and respected by people and cultures around the world, yet we are on the brink of seeing the last of this magnificent creature, like so many other species.

The escalation of greed, sport hunting, habitat loss, human-elephant conflict and mistreatment in captivity are just some of the threats to both variety of elephants. Working toward better protection for wild elephants, improving enforcement policies to prevent the illegal poaching and trade of ivory, conserving habitats, better treatment of captive elephants and when appropriate, reintroducing captive elephants into natural, protected sanctuaries are the goals that numerous conservation organizations are focusing on around the world.

These creatures are highly social and do indeed have very long memories. Our dear and very generous Agnes Goldberg-DeWoofs two Christmases ago, gifted me with a membership, and a choice of elephant to adopt at the very important Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, in my name. It's my go too, and usually give a donation to them several times a year since. What a great organization.  It operates an orphan elephant rescue and wildlife rehabilitation program in Kenya and was founded in 1977 by Dame Daphne Sheldrick to honor her late husband David Sheldrick and to this day still run by their daughter Angela. They do amazing work and have rehabbed 100's of elephants, to be released back in the wild. It's a tight run organization, and I have learned a lot just by their Instagram and their live feeds which I never miss. Dame Daphne was the only person to finally perfect a milk recipe to be like that of mother elephants, that they could raise the baby calves on. Some elephants, once released, years later will drop by and still remember their human caretakers.

I've witness one of their elephants named Murera, who walked on a poisoned dart as a baby, beat the odds simply by surviving this grisly injury, let alone becoming the leader of her own elephant herd. But matriarchs don't let another walk alone. Murera knows her limitations. Her hind legs will always be compounded and cannot move as fast as the others. So every day, another matriarch named Lima Lima, acts as Murera's deputy, and will lead her and the herd in the approved direction, while Murera will not let another elephant go behind her, and bring up the rear with her caretaker.  It's humbling to see such teamwork.

This above is a very special family portrait. If you can believe it the rescued Icholta, left, one of my adoptive elephants was rescued last century. Over the last 24 years, she's faced a lot. After a near death poach gone wrong as a baby, she spent her infancy at the trust. Over the years she was taught how to become a wild elephant. Since then, she became a mother, and had Inca in 2016, and barley a day into 2022, she came back to the trust to show off her newest calf, Issy, the littlest one. It's so rare for a three-generation family to happen anymore. And it's nice to watch the family flourish. And these creatures never seem to forget their caretaker, even after years of not seeing them, just be scent!!!

 

So, on World Elephant Day, why not get educated on this wonderous species. Learn about them. Spread the awareness of the threat they face, and express your concern, share your knowledge and support solutions for the better care of captive and wild elephants. The Sheldrick Trust Instagram never ceases to amaze me daily, with laughter and sometime tears... and is a good example of an account doing some good and what social media should be here doing. And if your so inclined to go further, you can go to Support World Elephant Day to see ways and organizations doing good work and places to give, or I highly recommend donating to The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.

I've never seen such a large creature that can be still so gentle.

IT'S CALLED FASHION

 If it stays hot like this, I just may be wearing this the rest of summer at the beaches and glamping.

And as you may be aware, I adore an opera length glove.

 

From the mind of the fabulous Patrick Church. 

And yes, Patrick could tap me.

NO VACANCY

I love me a good Entrepreneural drag queen. But unlike Ru, who did fracking on the side, oh shit I went there...Trixie Mattel is probably the most entrepreneurial of all the queens drag race as seen, right beside the Queen herself. Trixie doesn't only performs drag shows, but has expanded into her own vintage clothing line, make line, eye lashes, writes and produces her own music albums, owns a honky tonk nightclub, and has now expanded into the hospitality field with her very own, very Trixie, motel. But this is not your dumpy no tell, motel. It's as bright and effervescent as the queen herself. After the long haul, the Trixie Motel is finally open, but if you're looking to stay, some rooms are open for a brief day or two days, but it's mostly booked almost solid till March of 2023.

The Trixie Motel resides in Palm Springs, CA in the Old Las Palmas neighborhood, walking distance from all the city's main attractions. Back in February of 2017 it all began, just months into dating Trixie and her beau David went to Palm Springs together for the first time, and they discussed the idea of a Trixie Themed vacation rental. The idea came up every time they returned to Palm Springs. Over time they looked at properties, but years went by till they finally found the current motel, and completely gutted it and did a major Trixification on the place. They then contacted the Property Brothers and interior designer Dani Dazy and the rest was history. Of the suites, each one has its own theme. For me it would be hard to pick a favorite, but with a place like this, it would make for an amazing stay. 

 Now I don't know about you all, but I could go and stay at this motel, check in and never leave the property for anything!!! I'd be at the poolside all afternoon. The only thing better could be lifeguards in pink speedos!!!!! 

Who's up for a road trip? 

If you are in Palm Springs or will be going in the future, why not check it out? Trixie Motel reservations can be made here. You can also check out the motel's Instagram. Like I said though, they are booked solid. Everyone wants to experience Trixie!

But that poooool!!!!!