CARLOTTA, THE BINGO QUEEN

Another part of the Mistress's early gay years comes to an end. The legendary flapper girl bobbed, redheaded drag queen, and Philadelphia legend, Carlotta Tendant is putting away the Bingo balls and hanging up the heels. A sad day for Philly indeed. Across almost four decades Carlotta has called hundreds of games all while performing tomfoolery, eliciting laughs, along with wise cracks, a pinch of profane and a healthy dose of silliness, all while being donned in anything from retro looks to Chicago musical looks, to Eva Gabor gowns and sensible high heels. In that time and fun Carlotta has managed to raise almost over $5 million for people living with AIDS/HIV, and numerous gay charities, and helped steer a community through crisis, providing a respite to those experiencing immense loss and stigma. This swan song came to the closing of the cities 30th season of Pride month, The man behind Carlotta, Micheal  Byrne hung up his heels, packed the wig and bid adieu to his drag persona and his longtime gig hosting Philly's Gay Bingo. Now at 65 arthritis stifles her strut in stilettos and says drag is a young girl's game. 

Even as medicine has advanced and HIV/AIDS has become manageable, she's crafted a safe place for years for Philadelphia's queers. For one night each month for over 30 years she's been an entertainer and equalizer, responsible for uniting gay and straight alike. When I first moved to the Philadelphia about the only two queens I can recall were her and Brittany Lynn and have such fond memories of both of them...everyone knows Carlotta! All I can say is thank you Carlotta for all the good you have done for future queens, who have up and came, and coming, and all the tremendous things who have brought about for the community...$5 mil ain't bad for a queen in a bob calling bingo. It's going to be really different without Carlotta. No one's going to fill her heels, but I think that the vibe and her energy is going to live on.

A short snippet from the news.

MARTHA GRAHAM CRACKER

As Prides season is upon us, another drag legend heads to the grand stages of Fabulon. Philadelphia has lost one of its most beloved of drag queens, Martha Graham Cracker brought to life by Dito van Reigerberg, a drag queen, artist, actor, singer and theater director. Martha co-founded Philadelphia's acclaimed Pig Iron Theatre Co and used his theater background to craft the wildly popular, 7in platform wearing alter ego. I can recall seeing Martha as far back as the early 90's where she was already well established, in standing room only venues, with people sitting on people to watch the show. Martha Graham Cracker was famously inspired by the pioneer of modern dance Martha Graham as well as renowned drag performers Joey Arias and Raven O. Always a very strong advocate in Philly's LGBTQ community, hosting drag shows all over Philly and as far as NYC and Pride concerts-adding his signature mix of sincerity and sass. Once billed as the world's tallest and hairiest queen, forget what you know about drag... Martha often let it all out with her shaggy legs and arms on full display. And to think it all started because he liked to try on his mother's makeup as a kid. Known for his campy, drag on a dime looks, and booming, soul baring singing voice rather than lip synching, Martha packed venues for years, blending chaotic cabaret, humor, wise cracks and heart. This year will be the first of Pride concerts with the Philadelphia Orchestra without Martha. Last year she gave a showstopping performance with the song Rainbow Connection. Tragically, Martha passed away this week at 53 following a battle with leukemia. Spread your magic in Fabulon girl. 

Dito van Reigersberg 

AKA- Martha Graham Cracker

October 7 1972- June 1 2026

EARTH DAY

Today is Earth Day, a day many people get involved in Earth activities or it gets swept under the carpet. I have always loved the day. It's a day to celebrate annually, though we should be caring for Mother Earth daily It's a day to highlight environmental protection and promote sustainability. The day can feature many things to get involved with, or we can just change our ways to protect and serve, like neighborhood tree plantings, creating a bird or bee habitat, liter pickups, or just unplugging things not in use frequently or turning off lights and things when not in a room, using grocery reuseable bags or a market basket INSTEAD of those dreaded damn plastic bags! I never go to the farmers market without my trusty basket to put everything in. Or it could be as simple as donating to so many various animal and environmental charities and agencies. I got a small group of us at work to go today to a park in Mechanicsburg to do a litter pick up, and once home, it's a day to make an extra contribution to several of the charities I belong to. Since I was in Philly for the weekend, another great way to have a fun day and do something to make a difference is look into your local parks!!!

I'm amazed at the parks in Philadelphia, which has almost over 63 park spaces in and around the city...Fairmount Park being one of the largest urban landscaped park systems in the US. So, this year I decided my new charity to give to this year is Friends of Rittenhouse Square, since I can't be there in person. I saw a booth this weekend and signed up. Rittenhouse Square, which is the fourth oldest park in the US, is like many other parks in the county. They need care and help, maintaining and improving to keep them around for our respite. Friends of Rittenhouse work tirelessly to help transform the Square into a place of peace and inspiration like litter removal, cleaning graffiti, planting flowers, weeding, and tending to gardens, clearing leaves, mowing lawns...or just donating or volunteering time, to a fund or group if they have one, and some parks even have benches you can buy and have placed in memory of someone. Our parks are more important than ever, what with urban crawl and development, or funds being cut off completely to maintain them. All these photos are fine example of parks in Philly I have taken over the years.

So many ways to give, or donate money or time too this Earth Day. Time to protect the environments and our animal and insect world before it's too late. Here are my primary groups I usually give too on Earth Day.

 

The Sheldrick Trust

The Nature Conservancy

National Audubon Society

World Wildlife Fund

And if interested in parks, check out your Parks and Recreations section of your local or city's website to see if they have a donations section or have a volunteer program.

And Happy Earth Day!

🌳🌼🌳🌼🌳🌼🌳

GIOVANNI'S ROOM

Nice to see some main stay and things of the past continue on. While in Philly this weekend, I can never pass on a chance and never will miss a trip into Giovanni's Room. Founded in 1973, the bookshop is named of course after James Baldwin's gay novel of the same name. During it's initial establishment, the shop included works of all gay and lesbian authors, and works by James Baldwin, Gertrude Stein and Wila Cather and many others...and still does, but is has now more than 30,00 titles dedicated towards not only gay men and women, but also feminist, transgender and bisexual topics, biographies, nonfiction tell all's, safe sex books and a section of "artistic" skin books and magazines for men and women and even a decent music selection of cd's and vinyl's. There's even a 99 cent section!!! For years now its been on the Historical and Museum Commission registersry as a historic location when the bookshop, was the first LGBT bookstore in the country,  and now the final one still operating.  The place has always been a mainstay, and haven for the community to come, hang, gather with others and search out help , services and reading interests just for us.  When the last owner, Ed retired after 48 years, the community worried, I recall posting way back then with worry what would happen to the place... but thankfully the Philly Aids Thrift took over. And it is glorious to see how well the place is doing. I love taking people there...just ask Sixpence! The girl I talked to said they are busier than ever, and she has seen a huge uptick in people wanting their money to stay IN THE COMMUNITY and not to big box and online presence. I couldn't agree more. I only get books through them, and if they don't have it, they can get it. The place was jumping on Saturday.

I have always loved this chandelier.

Good times! I have spent hours in there at a time back in the day. Had great conversations, bought to many books to recount, possibly some of my skin mags, got some great art, and cards learned, great source of information and community events, not to mention maybe even got cruised and taken back to some gent's abode on a couple of occasions!!! It's all part of the experience after all. But again, great to see the place was packed on both floors.

PAT at Giovanni's Room

345 S 12th and Pine Streets

SCENE IN PHILADELPHIA

A glorious weekend!!!! The weekend jolly was nothing more than a mere weekend getaway, spent with a few friends just to get out, drink and be merry. It also became a small celebration of sorts as I learned Thursday I got a company award for Visual Showroom Manager of the year! Quite a surprise!  Who knew my Joan Crawford standards and OCD would pay off?  I got back to the Casa this morning met with cooler temps, some drizzles and cool gales. Yesterday was warm and sunny and we even caught a glimpse of the Obama's, and Clintons arriving at the Kimmel Center. Earlier at lunch at my favorite Cuban eatery, we had seen a huge motorcade and had no idea what or who it was, but no fear it was the dump. He hates Philly and would never show his face again. It was later while walking we caught the glimpse of the Obama's and Clintons at the Kimmel Center. I learned later all four former presidents were present along with Jill Biden and the likes of Tina Fey, Kate McKinnon, Nicole Kidman, Hoda Kotb, Garth Brooks, Tom Brady and many others were all present for talks and interviews on American History, the past and current times, immigration and what it means to America, democracy, social justice and healing division. The event was apparently sponsored by the History Channel. Again, in Philly one never knows who you'll see. Anywho...some nice sights on a wonderful spring walkabout. Most of our time was spent in the fabulous Rittenhouse Square neighborhood this trip. 

Rittenhouse Square one of my favorite places to hang out was planned in 1682 by William Penn and his surveyor Thomas Holme making it the fourth oldest park in the US. Of the five Philadelphia parks they planned, Rittenhouse is the only one to continuously retain it's original intent: an urban square to be used as as a place of retreat and respite. And the park is very well tended to. If you live there no doubt you've seen the staff and volunteers cleaning benches and weeding and other chores to keep the park a lovely place to visit.

And no visit to Rittenhouse is complete without dinner and cock-a-tails at the Parisian inspired brasserie, Parc!

Lobster cocktail

There's always time for a cock-a-tail!

And dessert...profiteroles.

Enough said.