IN THREE WORDS

In this weekly feature, I'll share a guest with you all each week, and you tell me in only three words what come to mind.

In Three Words..

Prime Minster Justin  Trudeau

ALEERA

Aleera Verushka is one of the drag queens who makes me take notice, even if I have to pick up my jaw off the floor. She's not just a drag queen, but she's a transformation queen. Her flamboyant and above all, very artistic make up is breathtaking...done with such a precision ... and a waist line snitched for the gods,  that could even give Violet Chachki a run of her money. Aleera is a real glamazon. Although I'm mixed on social media and the queens on there who are popular, but then can't perform with worth shit,  Aleera is a case of where social media created the queen first,  and she is a testament to the power of social media in the contemporary drag world. But not because it made her famous, but because it gave her the strength to launch a drag career. Aleera is gifted make up artist living in Montreal Canada. But you see,  never had the guts to go out in drag. She slowly created looks and content and had amassed a collection of stunning visual creations that expressed her obsession with fantasy films, and won over huge numbers of supportive fans and friends. She finally felt she had the confidence to step out after battling anxiety and panic attacks at the thought of doing a show, so she took a trip to NYC where she further drew inspiration from the queens there. For over two years now, Aleera has been a fixture of the Montreal nightlife scene and drag shows and competitions. It's a unique story where a queen was created online first, then fruitioned. After so much support, she was like listen bitch, you can do this. And she did! Beautifully.

Aleera Verushka

THOUSAND ISLANDS

 
Back in the 90's after all my foray's in Canada, my fathers cousin and his wife had sold their huge motor home, for a house boat. They invited me on two nice floats on it. One  summer, they took me down the St Lawrence from Canada, and into New York, and toured the Thousand Islands. I was thinking right now with many countries not open for travel yet, this could be a nice get-a-way, at least for us in the east and upper mid-east, who are looking to get out, travel, and to enjoy a new experience. Much to see, and without really encountering too many people. The 1000 Islands is another of the gems between New York and Canada. The border between the two wraps around some 1,800 islands in this archipelago so that each belongs to one county or another. Situated along the St Lawrence River, one can enjoy a wonderful breeze and picturesque scenery. I enjoyed both trips very much. And the cruise is a great way to enjoy.  George Pullman, the inventor of the Pullman sleeping car, was the one who brought attention to the area when he invited President Grant and General Sherman to visit. It soon grew as a resort area for the Gilded Age magnates. Rent yourself a boat or do a cruise. It makes for a great afternoon. Many of these picture I have scanned from pictures my father took of the trip there. 

Thousand Islands Bridge

Boldt Castle was amazing! It was built by hotelier George Boldt, who was owner of the Belleview Hotel in Philly, and a manger of the Waldorf Astoria. The home was a 120 room dream home, no expense spared, and had it built on the island that he had reshaped as a heart, and renamed the island Heart Island. It was intended to be a Valentine's gift for his wife Louise. It was then unexpected that she died at their home in NYC, before it was finished. The heartbroken Boldt abandoned the unfinished castle, and it sat unfinished for years, till it was acquired and restored and finished by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority and opened to the public.

Singer Castle was also nice to see. It was built by Commodore Frederick Gilbert Bourne who was the fifth president of the sewing machine company. Cool to see... it had turrets, dungeons, secret passageways, yacht house and a two story icehouse for entertaining. The family lived there to well into the early 70's.

This place is indeed abandoned. Another sad story. The grand estate was originally designed as a summer house for William O Wyckoff, of typewriter development fame... to give to his wife.. It was located on Carleton Island, where the Ontario flows into the St Lawrence River. Wyckoff's wife also died unexpectedly of a heart attack a month before they moved in. Once Wyckoff moved in and on his first night in the mansion,  Wyckoff himself had a heart attack and died. The youngest son inherited the mansion, but the family lost much of their fortune during the Great Depression and the home was sold to General Electric,  who planned on demolishing it to build a retreat, but plans were abandoned. Since then, the mansion has been left to the elements.

My cousin's houseboat. Big enough for four comfortably. I felt just like Sophia Loren floating down the St Lawrence and into the islands. If you want a trip of a different type, it's a great two to three day trip. Such fun, fond memories.

QUEBEC

Before I was blogging, my family and I used to spend whole summers in Canada. Over three summers, I've been to the major cities and toured the country extensive. I've only been back once with friends I have now, and the gay experience was much different, then with the family. While Vancouver and Montreal I enjoyed, Montreal was one of the most fun gay cities I've been...but I'd have to say Quebec City was,  my favorite, being a old soul at heart, with it's charming taste of France without leaving the continent. Just strolling the cobbled streets, popping into boulangeries, cheese shops, and tucking into little nook and crannies was great fun. Old Quebec was great. The Chateau Frontenac is no doubt the crown jewel of the city. Although I found the interior rather dated. I wondered if they ever updated the interior? The streets of Petit-Champlain was a favorite of mine for shopping and drinking. The funicular, I believe it was called, was an incline dating back to 1879, and linked the Dufferin Terrace with the Lower Town. It was fun to ride and offered wonderful views of the neighborhood and St Lawrence River. I need to get back again. So many places, so little time...these brought back some fond memories.

Moisan...one of the best cheese shops I've been in outside Amsterdam.

QUEENS OF THE NORTH

It seems Rupauls Drag Race just won't stop this summer... with the current season still airing, a celebrity edition which ran, and now,  another all stars season is getting ready to air, which I don't really watch, RuPaul's Drag Race is about to go international once again, as the show's latest spin-off series gets ready to air. Here's a glimpse at the new judge and the introduction of its new Queens. Canada's Drag Race sees RuPaul's Drag Race season 11 runner-up Brooke Lynn Hytes as the main judge on the panel alongside American Horror Story actor Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman and supermodel Stacey McKenzie – and the judges are already promising great things from the new series. While RuPaul won't be on or lending a hand in this series, hence why his name isn't on it, has given the new panel his blessing. Nothing has been done like this before in Canada to date  and there are no big goals like RuPaul's Drag Race in Canada for drag queens, unless you moved to the States and uproot your whole life. Now there's something for queens in Canada to strive for, and motivation is so important. I was really excited for two queens I know who got on this show too, Lemon and Anastarzia  Anaquway. I am also famialir with BOA...Bitch on Arrival. She is a trip! Im gonna make sure Steven gets on the second season. I will get him ready and I've already deemed him Carmen Geddit.

Enough chatter.... speaking of those Canadian Queens, here's a first look at all of the new contestants who'll be vying to take home the crown during the first-ever Canadian series

Monochromatic, polished and elevated.

She will put on a 4'inch block heel and she'll high kick and cartwheel.

Majestic, polished and unapologetic.

Young, spontaneous, and unfiltered.

Classic , imaginative and ambitious

I always said she was sour, sickening and stunning.

Bodacious, bizarre and intoxicating.

trickery, extravagant and a chameleon

Confidence, strong and dominate

Sexy, silly and flirtatious

Unpredictable, regal and infectious

Ring the alarm, and bring the heat , this one.

The series is set to premiere on July 2 on Crave in Canada, while international viewers will be able to watch the competition unfold on WOW Presents Plus.