MHVTA
Mid-Hudson Valley Transgender Association
New York,USA

- Beauty and the Beach -
Report By Edie - November, 2004

Hello ladeez, your roving reporter is back from Beauty and the Beach. Beauty and the Beach is JoAnn Roberts new venue since the demise of Paradise in the Poconos last year, a result of the bankruptcy of the resort involved. The new venue is a beachside hotel in Rehoboth Beach, DE, a GBLT friendly resort.

We had a great time at BnB; new venue is miles ahead of the old Poconos location. The event took place in a relatively modern hotel, and we all had suite style rooms with separate sleeping and sitting areas.

What was different? We shared the hotel with others, we were able to walk to shopping during the day, and most of our events took place in the hotel restaurant which is located on the boardwalk with lots of windows, so we attracted passersby and gawkers. No late night sessions, something about hotel policy that to have a meeting room and drinking you must have a bar and bartender. JoAnn will do something about that for next year.

I arrived on Wednesday, in time to change for dinner. After dinner we socialized at the bar. This was a low key evening, and not all the participants had arrived.

Thursday it poured, so I did not venture outside. I checked out the hotel spa and got a very nice, if pricey, pedicure. I also checked out the gender vendor area. Glamour Boutique was there, as was Donna, for hair and wigs, Lisa for nails, Amanda Richards for makeovers, and a local person for photos. In the evening there was a complementary cocktail hour and dinner. After dinner we changed into costume for a fairytale themed costume party. Completely by chance, my dear friend Michelle and I had identical Red Riding Hood costumes, so we tried to sell ourselves as The Red Riding Hood Sisters. Besides us, there were 2 other Red Riding Hoods with different costumes, making it the favorite choice. The costume party was followed by dancing with DJ Randi.

Friday the rain had stopped and, after brunch, I went out walking the neighborhood with friends. Many shops nearby, most of which were open (a few were closed for the off season). Lots of jewelry stores with reasonable prices. I checked out the tag sale (event participants can sell their excess clothes, etc.) in the afternoon. In the evening we had cocktail hour and dinner. After dinner it was time to put on yourbest finery for the Princess Promenade where you are escorted around the room for your debut. Voting for the Princess and her court followed, then dancing with DJ Randi again providing the tunes.

Saturday was a beautiful day, and I ventured out again. The winners of the Princess and her court were announced at brunch. We went out on the boardwalk for a group photo shoot, stopping all traffic. In the evening cocktails and dinner followed by Phantasie Pholliez, a talent show. The talent show seemed better than usual. Reverend Candy, the Minister of Cleavage, Princess of Congeniality, had us rolling with redneck TG humor. Mary Alice did a very heart felt rendition of "I Am What I Am." Alas, I missed the humoristic stylings of Roxy Wilson who did not attend this year. Again, dancing with spinmistress Randi followed.

On Sunday morning, Sunday already, I put together some semblance of a femme personna for brunch, said goodbyes, then turned back into myself for the trip home.

Food was good, but brunch was essentially identical every day, scrambled eggs, homefries, bacon, sausage, various breads and sweet rolls. Every night we had midnight munchies: cold cuts and salads.

DJ Randi played a better mix of music than usual and humored Rita, me, and Michelle by playing "Wig in a Box," to me a cross dressing anthem, every night.

I didn't find the drive too challenging, twice as long as the old drive to Goldsborough, PA. Drove down via Jersey Turnpike, 5 hours (from southern Dutchess, NY), returned via ferry to Cape May and Garden State Parkway. The ferry eliminates about 70 miles of driving, but adds more than an hour to the trip. Personally, I enjoyed the ferry ride.

Regards,
Edie