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MAY 2008
May has arrived. This
month is the start of the summer season here. While yes the last few
weeks have been gloriously sunny and warm, it’s still not really the
season. Well May kicks it off with gusto for the lower Russian River
area. It’s time to break out the sunscreen, dust off (or just buy a
new one at that) the swim shorts and get fired up for summer.
Crab Rolls & Drag Balls
First off I want to talk about the changes they are doing over at
Club Yamagata. The new sushi menu is quite nice. Key points I want
to touch on are the Craigers Roll; it’s a crab, cucumber, avocado
with crème cheese; toped with prawn at $11.00. Another fun one is
the River Roll. A marinated tuna roll, with jalapeño, cilantro,
sprouts and avocado at $10.00. And finally I want to mention the
Submission Roll. It’s all about you pay for it, sit down, shut up
and eat it. Also I want to let everyone know about the Russian River
Closet Ball (yeah I’ts true this is the other event with this name
this year). This time around it’s not just a benefit for the Sisters
of Perpetual Indulgence, but they are also putting on the show. At
Club Yamagata on Friday May 23rd. Now this event is the same rules
as always; come out and cheer on the boys as they become girls and
the girls as they become boys.
Mz. Alice Dee’s Home Away
From Home
And of course keeping with food, can we touch on the RRR? I am so
excited to see the TIKI bar back up and going. The back pool bar is
just the place to get a wonderful drink while soaking up the rays
around the pool or just hanging out with your friends. So I’m sure
I’ll be seeing you around the bar soon. Also did you know that they
are doing brunch? Yes it’s true. And it’s a lovely brunch buffet
Saturday and Sunday starting Memorial Day weekend. Oh and a quick
note: they are doing some wonderful pizza every day of the week so
you can eat, drink and be merry at the RRR seven days a week during
the summer. And with the TIKI Bar, the back BBQ will be returning.
Though I do want to say how much I enjoyed the Sunday Comfort
Supper, and I look forward to its return in the fall.
Dropping the Soap
Keeping with the theme of local business, I want to let everyone
know that our local soap maker Caz Gal whom you may have seen
selling her wonderful hand crafted soaps around town has now started
up a little store front business. She is working with Wayne Skala's
Jewelry & Gifts offering along with his vintage jewelry and fine
gifts a great selection of her soaps. Stop into the store and check
out all the new offerings. The store is located just off the plaza
next door to the Visitors Center.
Ladies First
The event weekend that starts things for the season is Women’s
Weekend. While not an event that I do personally (I’m a drag queen;
still just a boy in a dress really), I love the fact that we have
this event. And I’m so happy to see the community get involved to
make this event a stronger and more inclusive weekend. A few of what
I would consider to be key points are as follows in no particular
order of importance. We have the talented Marga Gomez, who beyond
being a truly funny woman had the pivotal film role as a computer
expert and muffin maker in Sphere. Our local Soul Diva Gwen Avery is
also on the bill for performing. Another performer that I’m very
excited to announce is Vixen Noir. She is a vision on stage with her
own unique mix of a burlesque stage show; including excerpts from
her one woman show “Sweet” Deliverance, which will have its first
showing at the San Francisco National Queer Arts Festival in June!
Also I wanted to let everyone know that one of my personal favorite
DJ’s Lori Z. will be spinning at the RRR. Along with the talent
there are a few great events to talk about. Of course it wouldn’t be
Women’s Weekend with out a Drag King Contest at FAB on Friday
the16th from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m.
Also on the schedule for Saturday the 17th is Lollies Pleasure
Paddle and Treasure Hunt. Starts at 10 10am - Pre-Registration
Required - $75 per canoe. Meet at Buck’s parking lot near the corner
of 4th & Mill. This is an eight-mile three to five hour paddle on a
quiet class I float on the scenic Russian River. You will receive
the Treasure Hunt map which will show where X marks the spot for the
many prizes to find along the way. Only $75 per canoe (seats 2-3).
No VIP Passes. Check in for Shuttle at 10am in Guerneville. Please
call in advance to reserve and for event details. Hosted by River’s
Edge Kayak & Canoe Trips (The Most Thorough & Friendly Excursion
Service on the Russian River). Call 707-433-7247 to Reserve. Or
visit: www.riversedgekayakandcanoe.com. I don’t have the room to
touch on everything here; but do check out the website at
www.russianriverwomensweekend.org
Tids and Bits
Now the event weekend that I am working on is Memorial Day Weekend.
The 24th through the 26th of May. This weekend is always such a
powerhouse of fun. The talented Kim Kuzma is going to be keeping
with tradition and performing at the RRR. And Gregory (the Summer
General Manager who is a dear friend of mine and a great guy) has
shown the amazing foresight to hire everyone’s favorite trashy drag
(yes you guessed it I’m referring to myself) to host the t-dances at
the RRR’s Pool. So we have Kim Kuzma and drag queens for the
weekend. What more could you ask for?
And of course Rainbow Cattle Company is doing their Give Back
Tuesdays. Every Tuesday of course they give 10% of the bar sales
back to the community. On May 6th we are having a little get
together for the local Metropolitan Community Church of the Redwood
Empire. It’s also the kick off party for the church team for the
Human Race. So come out from 6 pm on and have some good food, a
drink or just hang out with the friendly folks from the MCCRE.
Speaking of Drag; the Russian River Sisters are doing BINGO on the
Saturday May 10th: "101 Damnations Bingo" benefits Dogs for
Diabetics. And just to let everyone know, Coffee Bazaar is bringing
back iced coffee for the food service at BINGO. So you can have all
the caffeine that is required to keep up with the seniors at BINGO
and keep cool at the same time! The games start at 7 with doors
opening at 6, so get in line early if you want to get in.
One quick final note; anyone that knows me has seen me I’m sure
walking up and down river road for the last few years. I want to
publicly thank my friends Leslyn and Doug Dooly of River Pluming
(You can reach them at 707-869-0660 for all your plumbing needs) for
giving me the opportunity to purchase a small motorcycle from them.
So you may not see me walking as much but as the Russian River
Social Director having wheels is a good thing.
So keep an eye out for June events around town, and vote Mz. Alice
Dee for Strawberry Queen. (Basically you vote with your donations,
so feel free to give me any small or large bills you would like to
donate.) It’s a benefit for our local radio station KGGV 95.1 L.P.
FM which as you know I have a radio show on Sundays at 9 p.m. all
but the forth Sunday of the month. As always feel free to send me
email at mzalicedee@gmail.com
APRIL 2008
Spring has sprung (Ok, so yes you are correct in thinking I say that
each year at this time, it’s one of the things I love saying. So I’m
going to keep saying it). And so it is April. Spring is in full
force and the flowers are blooming. But enough of the sappy stuff,
let’s talk events and happenings.
Get to the Village, People
Just up the road from Guerneville is the lovely Village Inn and
Restaurant. It’s one of my favorite places to dine with lovely river
views and a wine list that has won many awards. In April the big
thing I want to talk about is some really fun dinner theater. The
fist of the two shows is The Daddy, the Diva & the Detective. This
show is high camp and interactive. Join Absolute Empress XXX Donna
Sachet and Lenny Broberg celebrating their latest blockbuster movie.
Anyone alive at midnight shares in the $20 million dollars in
royalties. This happens on Saturday April 12th and Thursday May
15th. I’ve heard so many good things about this show. And as a true
fan of Donna’s loveliness I have to recommend this show. And you are
encouraged to dress as a daddy, a diva or a detective when attending
the show; I hear they may have a costume contest to add to the fun.
The other show they are doing at the Village Inn is The Detectives’
Club. The Detective Club members gather to split the $5 million in
royalties from their best-selling book. According to the terms of
their contract, anyone alive at midnight shares in the royalties.
This show is on Saturday April 19th, and Thursday May 28th. Both
shows are $85 per person, and cocktail time kicks in around 6:30.
Now keep in mind folks come from all over the bay area to see these
shows so reservations are essential. You may call the Village Inn at
707-865-2304 or visit them on line at
www.villageinn-ca.com And just because I love the web and
fun pages, visit Donna’s web site at www.donnasachet.com
Get Up, Dress Up & Save Up
Looking at a couple of events here in Guerneville we first have the
annual Pajama Sale on Saturday April 5th. This starts at 7 am and
runs until noon. Now I’m sure anyone who knows me is aware I am not
normally a morning person. Heck 7 am is a good time for me to be
crawling into bed, not wandering around downtown Guerneville. But
this is one of the few times a year I’m up, about and looking
fabulous. The main reason is the fact that many of the merchants on
Main Street do some great sales and discounts. More often than not
this morning it’s a progressively lowered discount starting at 7 and
dropping off as the day grows. So come out in your best sleep wear
and save big bucks. And of course there is a costume contest at the
end of the day at the Coffee Bazaar. So after a morning of shopping
stop by the Bazaar and have a lovely latte and perhaps win a prize.
Stumptown at the Rainbow
On Tuesday April 8th we have a fun evening at the Rainbow Cattle
Company. Its give back Tuesday. Now as you know they do this every
week for a different worthy cause. This week the cause du jour is
the Stumptown Daze Parade. Stumptown Daze of course is one of our
amazing events during the summer that really makes Guerneville such
the fun place. So come out from 6 p.m. till about 9ish and buy
raffle tickets and such to support this event. Oh and of course the
bar donates 10% of the days sales to the event, so have a drink if
you so desire. (Or you can donate to run the train; this for the
entire week also goes to the event).
You Spin Me Right ‘Round
And I’m pleased as punch to announce that my friend Mr. Russian
River Leather 2008 Hunter is back in the DJ Booth again. Now if you
don’t know Hunter, he is such an amazing person. He is one of the
folks working on Sonoma County Pride (along with everyone’s favorite
trashy river drag queene yours truly) and our current leather title
holder who is going to be representing the River at IML (but that’s
a story for next month). Anyway back to details, he is going to be
the DJ at the Russian River Resort’s Wednesday night Disco Leather
Party. Every Wednesday from 9 p.m. Hunter is going to be spinning
all of our favorite disco music at the lovely RRR. And of course you
can catch Hunter on our favorite local radio station KGGV 95.1 L.P.
F.M. The Bridge on Monday at Noon with his show “Thriving with HIV.”
And Saturday at 4 p.m. with Classic Disco Hits (Streaming on line at
http://kggvfm.org).
On to New Business
Next I just want to touch on one of the new businesses in town. My
friend Dr. Steven Schlais has opened his office of chiropractic
care. He is such the nice guy and has a great touch to this work.
His work can help you achieve a higher lever of health through
natural pain relief, which is gentle and effective. And he keeps the
price very affordable with his work. You can reach him at
707-799-7004 or check him out at his website
www.harmonychiropractic.org
Then of course we have the monthly BINGO game with the Sisters of
Perpetual Indulgence (Congrats girls on seven years of great
work.) Saturday April 12th: "Hats & High Heels Bingo" benefits
Friends Outside. You know the details, doors open at 6; game at 7.
SOS
Now I want to get a bit serious for a moment. If you haven’t heard
the Governor has talked about closing some state parks to save
money. Our Armstrong Woods is one of the parks that have been
targeted. I urge everyone reading my column to take the time to call
the Governor and let him know how devastating this would be. Not
only just because of the fact that Armstrong Woods is something that
really does bring people to the Russian River area; it’s something
that is an investment in our community. His contact information is
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, State Capitol Building, Sacramento,
CA 95814, Phone: 916 445-2841, Fax: 916 558-3160, Email:
governor@governor.ca.gov. You can find out so much more
information than I have space for by looking at
www.stewardsofthecoastandredwoods.org. I again urge all
of my fans to take the time to contact our elected officials and let
them know how important the state park system is to us. We are the
ones that they were elected to work for and without our important
voices being heard by them we have no power.
Well I think I’ll sign off for the month with that important
message. Feel free to send an e-mail message to me at mzalicedee@gmail.com
or tune into my weekly show on KGGV 95.1 L.P. F.M. The Bridge (all
but the 4th Sunday of the month) Sunday at 9 p.m. for all things
dishy and swishy on the River. Streaming of course at http://kggvfm.org.
FEBRUARY 2008
February has such the allure doesn’t it? All right it may just be
me, but I love this month on the River. It may be warm, it may be a
bit not so warm and perhaps wet; but it’s still so lovely. Just a
hint of spring in the air, knowing that it's just around the corner.
Though it still may be a touch off season (hint you can get some
great rates at many of the resorts around town if you are looking
for a room), it’s a great time to visit. But let’s just jump into
the great things going on around town.
Anyone a Poet and Know It?
The first thing I want to let you all know about is the poetry
contest titled “Love on the River” sponsored by Hemp and Chocolate.
It’s about love and the river in any way you chose to express such.
Write a one page poem in this topic and drop it off with your name,
address and phone number to the store (Located at 16222 Main Street
and while you are there pick up some truly amazing truffles or
perhaps some new clothes) and enter the contest. The only thing to
keep in mind is that you may only enter once. It’s open to all ages,
with prizes to the following groups: Children ages 1 to 11, Young
Adults 12 to 18 and Adults 18 and over. Entries must be turned in by
the 8th of February. The next part of the contest is going to be on
Friday the 15th at Coffee Bazaar from 6 to 7:30 p.m. To hear live
performances of some of the best poetry entries and share in the
excitement of awarding prizes to the entire contest winners. It will
be a fun event, and hey – have some coffee while you are in
attendance. And as a final bonus the winners will have a chance to
read their work on our local radio station KGGV though the air time
at press time is yet to be announced.
Sing Out Louise
On other news of the night life around town, Club Yamagata has
started every Wednesday night open mic. If you have had the chance
to make it to the last couple that they were doing monthly I’m sure
you will be just as excited as I am about this change. While on the
subject of Yamagata lets talk about another monthly event. Every
third Thursday of the month the Russian River Sisters of Perpetual
Indulgence are hosting a Bad Movie Salon starting at 7 p.m. With a
different fun, fabulous film that shows the extreme lack of taste
that we have come to know and love about those Sisters. It’s a
small suggested donation of $5.00 for an entire evening of fun,
cocktails, food and friends.
Good (Pot) Luck
Speaking of food, fun and friends, let’s touch on the 11th Annual
Rodger Gibson Hump Nights at the Rainbow Cattle Company (www.queersteer.com,
16220 Main Street in Guerneville, 869-0206). On February 6th it’s
all about Comfort Food. The 13th is for Chicken and Chocolate. The
20th is German and French foods. The 27th it is all about Vegetarian
food. Into March we have the 5th Asian and the Grand Finale on the
12th. So whip up something yummy, either an entrée or dessert. The
fun starts at 5 p.m. with tickets for the Wheel with a new addition
of a travel package for one of the prizes. The first spin on the
Wheel is at 8 p.m. and the food starts at 7 p.m. Oh and just for
fun, did you know that the Rainbow offers a text message service?
You can sign up by sending a text with the word RAINBOW to 41411.
The service is free, and standard text messaging rates apply. You
can unsubscribe at any time. For those who sign up for this service,
they do send special deals ever so often. For instance, you may
receive a 2-for-1 drink coupon as a text alert. Show it to the
bartender, and receive your 2-for-1.
Get Cookin’
So you can’t cook you say? Well let me tell you about some great
classes for cooking at the lovely Charisma Wine Lounge. (www.charizmawinelounge.com,
16337 Main Street in Guerneville, 869-0909). The classes are a ton
of fun with some of the best cooks around. On February 13th they are
hosting Mexican Cooking. Helena and Marisol will teach you how to
make authentic Mexican dishes. The 20th is a perfect class if you
are vegan, vegetarian, health conscious or just looking for a
healthy diet. The class is all about Raw and Vegan Dishes. The final
class for the month is on the 27th. Soups, sauces and Dressings;
learn how to make yummy healthy soups, easy sauces and creative
dressings. All classes are from 6-9 p.m. Prices are $40 per person,
$30 for seniors and students. They also offer package deals; four
classes for $120. The classes do fill up so call in advance and make
your reservations.
Tired of Cookin’?
Keeping on with food. Have you had the chance to try the new
offerings at the RRR Bar and Grill (at the corner of 4th and Mill
just in case you didn’t know)? Well, let me tell you about how
fabulous they are. Starting on the starters menu, the Poached Pears
– goat cheese, candied pecans, arugula, pickled onion with brown
sugar balsamic. All I can say about these would be oh my goddess are
they good. There’s the new Pesto Farfalle, with bowtie pasta,
mushrooms, onion, garlic, sun dried tomato, pine nuts in a pesto
cream sauce. It’s a truly divine vegetarian experience; though if
you are a meat eater it’s fabulous with grilled chicken. Now my
personal favorite of the new offerings is the Chicken Carbonara
Pizza (grilled chicken with mozzarella, mushrooms, bacon and a white
cream sauce. And it is just as good as it sounds. And just for your
information, on Valentines Day the Restaurant is having an Amazing
preset menu for you and your special someone.
So the end of the month has my personal favorite event of the
season. With the Russian River Resort on Sunday February 24th I am
hosting my annual Oscars Party. It’s a wonderful night of the glitz
and glamour of the awards. Even if something happens and we don’t
have a live broadcast the party will go on. For a $5.00 donation
you get a ballot to vote on which films and actors you think will
get the awards, with the person who scores the highest winning our
grand prize package. Also there is going to be a separate raffle
though out the evening. So even if you aren’t good at picking
movies, you still have the chance to be a winner. The benefit is
again for the LGBT Guild and Positive Images, the Sonoma County
LGBTQQI Youth Group. They are an inspiration and vital part of our
community. I’m honored to host this event for them. You can find
them online at www.posimages.org if you would like more information
about them. And of course since it’s a Sunday night, you know
Country Dan is doing karaoke after the party.
And oh just to finish this month. The Sisters are doing the BINGO on
the 9th. Doors open at 6 with fun nibbles and such. With the games
starting at 7 p.m. Price is as usual $15 for one card $20 for two.
And when you get there, please let Sister Vanna T. Fair know what a
wonderful job she is doing as BINGO Chair Nun.
So should you have any questions about the river, prophetic thoughts
to share or just want to ask a drag queen out on a date feel free to
send a message to mzalicedee@gmail.com You may also want to tune
into Owen’s show on KGGV 95.1 L.P. F.M. The Bridge all but the
fourth Sunday of the month from 9 to 10 p.m. or streaming live at
www.kggvfm.org for all things dishy and swishy on the river.
JANUARY 2008
Now we come into 2008.
Is it just me, or does it anyone else take until oh….about June to
get in the habit of writing checks with the New Year on them? Well,
not that it’s important. Anyway let us talk about Guerneville and
not my personal banking issues.
Big Bottom
So the first thing I want to really talk up, my dear friend Mary has
an art show up in the dining room at the Russian River Resort. Her
work is all about the Big Bottom. Oh come on you know that’s what
they used to call this area way back when. The show is full of great
photos and reproductions of old pictures of Guerneville, the Russian
River and all that makes this a fabulous place to live. The prices
are very reasonable for the charming framed historic photos.
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Bathing in the Russian River at Guernewood Park Circa
1905-1920 from Big Bottom Photo |
A New Nest
Oh and while we are on the subject of business can I let you in on a
little secret? Did anyone beyond me notice the new addition to the
plaza? I’m sure you noticed that Sonoma Nesting Company moved into
their new digs. The store is simply divine and full of just fabulous
things. The store has been around for a bit; it’s just a new
location here in town for them. You can find all the lovely things
that anyone would need to make there house into a space to call
home.
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Old Habits Die Hard with a
Vengeance
I’m stepping away from my usual form for this space. I’m going to
share with you my New Year’s Resolution. Oh, don’t worry – I’ll
mention a few things and get back to the usual next month.
So of course I make all the usual resolutions, quit smoking (maybe,
but most likely I’ll still be sucking on those cancer sticks next
year…), to start exercising more (I do yoga, but not enough really),
to try an be less caustic to some folks (you know who you are and
while one could make the case that you deserve it, I’ll try and be
nicer to ya), and finally to lower my carbon footprint (something I
can and actually am working on doing).
Now as everyone knows, I walk all the time. I don’t actually own a
car, and I do enjoy the walking. Even with that, there are a few
things I can do to lower my impact on the local environment. I want
to share a few of them with you dear reader. First I shop locally.
This might sound a bit odd from an environmental stand point, but
think about it. I don’t use gas to drive into another community to
buy things. This also keeps all of us going. It’s a tough economy
right now. Every dollar I spend in a local shop goes back into the
local pool so to speak. If I were to order books from say, a web
site, rather than going into River Reader (which has a new owner by
the by….her name is Susan Ryan. Oh and they are having an open house
January 19th all day. With food and store-wide discounts you should
think about stopping in and saying hey) at 16355 Main St. or Twice
Told Books at 14045 Armstrong Woods Road.
I’m in the Mood for Food
Now food is one of my top five things, (good wine also is up there;
and I’ll not go into the others since this is a public paper.) I
just wanted to mention a great book by a friend of mine on this
subject “The Revolution Will Not Be Microwaved” by Sandor Ellix
Katz. It’s all about food and getting in touch with where it’s from,
how it’s made etc. A wonderful book for anyone to read, and I can’t
recommend it enough. And yes, you can get it from River Reader. They
are more than happy to order anything you might want that they don’t
have in stock. Goodness knows I’ve annoyed them with more than a few
odd off the wall book orders over the years.
The next thing I try and keep in mind is my dining habits. If I were
to go out and say have a cup of coffee or a light lunch, where is
the food I’m eating coming from? Is it locally grown and or perhaps
organic? Organic coffee is easy to get here in town. Both of the
local coffee shops carry organic roasts. Kaya is a wonderful place
to pop in for a quick espresso drink located at 16626 Hwy 116. And
of course the shop you read about quite a bit in this space is
Coffee Bazaar at 14045 Armstrong Woods Road. They – beyond organic
coffee - carry locally made baked goods from Raymond’s Bakery,
locally made ice cream from Humboldt Creamery and recently started
carrying sandwiches and treats from Helena’s Kitchen (aka Charisma
Wine Lounge). A few of the other things that the gang at the Bazaar
do to keep the ‘green’ theme going of course is recycling,
composting of organic waste (it is donated to a great local
gardener), limited use of packaging materials (and using for the
food boxes when needed a bamboo rather than paper box). So beyond
being a great community resource (and a space for WIFI if you didn’t
know), Coffee Bazaar takes keeping the community eco space as well.
Speaking of food for a moment, I want to bring up the restaurant at
the Russian River Resort. Just a quick mention along the lines of
local food. The head chief Mary is so amazing with her use of
locally grown, organic as possible (they don’t say they use organic
produce since some of the produce isn’t), and all this while keeping
the prices reasonable for everyone. Now of course you all know about
the big giant grocery store on Mill Street. I’m not saying that they
are a bad guy in town; I’m just saying that I’d rather focus my
shopping and eating habits on food that wasn’t shipped from
somewhere else (as much as possible), though I do have to give the
company credit for the amount of products that are part of their in
house organic line. Where I try and shop as much as possible is our
heath food store Food For Humans. Not only do I love the produce
they have (one of my best friends is the produce manager and
Danielle is such a lovely person), but I’m happy to say that as much
as possible it’s locally grown and gotten directly from the farmer.
So you never know what exactly they may have, it’s worth just taking
the time to check in and see what’s in stock at the moment.
The other items that I buy from them all the time are cleaning
supplies. They carry some totally environmentally friendly and well
priced cleaning and personal care products. It’s a great place to
shop, and again it supports locally grown farmers and keeps some
great folks employed; while giving us the options to buy food,
vitamins, herbal supplements and tons of other stuff from a store
that cares about the community,
So to wrap up this conversation, eat locally, shop consciously and
with awareness. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is just a small part
of a few things we can all do in 2008 to make a difference.
And to wrap it up, let’s talk about the big event of the month. The
monthly game of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence BINGO is on
January 12th. It may be a new year, but it’s the same game folks.
$15 for one set of cards and $20 for two gets you into the best darn
game of BINGO here on the River. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the game
start at 7 p.m. Oh and stop by the kitchen and grab some great
snacks and such. While there say hey to your favorite Trash Drag
Queen who will be helping out in the kitchen again this month. Humor
me and tell me my dress is pretty.
Feel free to send Mz. Alice Dee a short email message about how
much fun you have had reading this feature over the last year. Or if
you have questions about Guerneville or the Russian River area send
them to mzalicedee@gmail.com. Or you may want to tune into Owen’s
weeklyish radio show (all but the 4th Sunday of the month) on KGGV
95.1 L.P. FM The Bridge at 9 p.m. for all things dishy and swishy on
the river.
DECEMBER 2007
Here we are in December. It’s the time of the year when we think of
Christmas, Hot Buttered Rum and all the holiday parties around the
River. Of course you should know that this time of year Country Dan
Karaoke at the Russian River Resort lets you sing Christmas Carols
(Between Thanksgiving and Christmas we do them. But don’t even think
about signing up for one after Christmas day, he will read you for
filth… Trust me I know, really I do). As always I’ll be here
telling you all about the Christmas and New Year parties, but I want
to mention a couple of other things first.
Give (to me) ‘til it hurts
As we think about the holidays, a few things come to mind. The art
of giving gifts that are loved by everyone comes to the top of my
mind. And I want each and every one of my many fans reading this
article either in print or online that yes, I do accept gifts. (I’m
registered at Vine Life in Guerneville). Speaking of Vine Life, they
always have some fun kitchen wares, gourmet food and amazing wine.
You really should check out the selection of kitchen towels they
have. The other holiday must have that they offer is a single plug
in bubbler night light; and who wouldn’t want one of those? Hint,
hint.
The other thing that I know comes to mind for many people is a
Christmas tree. Now you know the gang at End of the Rainbow offer
Trees, but did you know they are from Silver Bells Farms? This is a
fully organic tree farm that raises the trees totally sustainably
and is a family owned business with three generations working the
farm.
Take my advise and give some advise
Now of course another great Christmas gift idea is a psychic reading
with the talented Russian River Psychic. Now you can find her
contact information on line at www.rrpsychic.com or stop by the Game
Room at the Russian River Resort Wednesday, Friday through Sunday
weekly. And for that special end of the year wonderfulness from
Christmas night through New Years Eve she will be at the RRR from 8
p.m. non stop for that week. I can’t think of a better way to start
the New Year. Her rates are really very good starting at a low ten
bucks for fifteen minutes of tarot or palmistry work. If you are
really interested in getting some in depth insight, you should
consider booking a numerology reading which is a bit more but still
well worth it. She does gift certificates in any amount for any of
her work. And it’s worth noting that should you want to have a
psychic party, Christine is more than happy to schedule something
for you!
Give back
One quick event that I want to make sure to highlight is Give Back
Tuesday December 4th. I’ll be hosting the evening with some good
food and yummy deserts (for a small donation of $5.00) from 6 to 8
p.m. And as always 10% of all drink sales go to the charity. This
night is benefiting the Metropolitan Community Church of the Redwood
Empire’s World AIDS Day event (which was on the 1st…) so come out,
have some dinner and join us for a drink.
Give a toy
The other end of the year event going on is as always the Annual
Christmas Community Dinner. On Christmas day it’s a great way to
spend time with your friends and family. Location is the Guerneville
Vets Hall. Oh, and of course I usually end up helping out at the
event. This event is also one of the toy drives give away. So come
on out for this dinner and toy give away for the kids. And speaking
of toy drives, feel free to drop of a new unwrapped toy at any
number of locations around town; the Russian River Chamber, The RRR,
Club Yamagata and Rainbow Cattle Company to name a few.
Take a shift
And then, we wonder around the corner to the Russian River Resort
for the annual Celebrity Bartender Marathon. Starting at Noon and
running until midnight. It’s a great way to hang out with your
friends and make new ones at the same time. The point behind this
event is to raise funds for various charities. All of the tips
raised during the day go into the fund. Not that it’s a contest to
see who raises the most during the shift, but many people do keep
that in mind. I have done this now for years and it’s always such
fun. This year I’m planning on sharing my thirty minutes yet again
with Art of Russian River Getaways. So if you would like to aid this
queen in her goals of world domination, media domination or
whatever, feel free to help me stuff the box. I’m not sure at press
time what shift I’ll be getting, but (wink to the RRR I really would
like this shift…) I’m hoping to get the 5:30 to 6 p.m. shift. Feel
free to check in with the resort to make sure you can have a
cocktail during my shift. I’m told that since we aren’t real
bartenders, it’s expected that we pour a stiff drink.
I’ve also heard rumor that Mama’s Family is going to be doing some
events around the area and I expect to see Mama at both the
Community Dinner and the Bartending Marathon. (I hear that Mama is
doing the 8:30 shift at the RRR. And of course you want to be good
to Mama…) for the details, check out www.mamasfamily.org
Give a buck
Of course the holidays are not just about the events, but enjoying
time with your friends over wonderful food or a great cup of coffee.
I’m really excited to let everyone know about some of the new menu
additions at Coffee Bazaar. Which by the way, offers ‘Bazaar Bucks’
valued at five bucks each to stuff in your loved ones stocking. But
the exciting news is the addition of Raymond’s Bakery of Cazadero to
the offerings. If you haven’t had a moment to make the trek out to
Cazadero to enjoy some of the wonderful award wining offerings they
have, you can now just pop into Coffee Bazaar. I personally have to
recommend their mini bear claw, which is chocolate filled but oh my
goodness is it good. The other sweet treat that I have to stop
myself from eating all the time is the apricot square. The variety
of things they do at the Bazaar is always changing, so you really
might want to check in often to see what the gang has each day.
Take a memo
The other good holiday nibble that I would like to touch on is the
Sushi that my friends at Club Yamagata do. Oh and of course I just
want to thank Valerie from Memories that Linger and the crew at the
Club for the great Disco Event we had in November. A good time was
had by all and funds were raised for the Special Events fund with
the Chamber. Now back to the Sushi; Yamagata does such a great job
with a varied list. You have the more traditional offerings, paired
with some great rolls. My personal favorite is the Redwood Roll. A
vegetarian roll with Shitake Mushrooms Cucumbers and Sprouts offered
for $6.75. Another great offering is the White Tuna Sashimi priced
at $10.50 for 6 pieces. And a quick note, did you know that
Yamagata has started doing a open mic nights on the second Wednesday
of the month? Well they are.
Now the Sisters Bingo this month is a on the 8th and is a benefit
for the Russian River Senior Center. It’s something that I find I
have a hard time wrapping my mind around; how is it that every time
I’ve been at Bingo, I never see a senior miss call a Bingo. Or is it
that the rest of us are just to busy wondering how Sister Sparkle
walks in those shoes to pay attention? Usual price and times apply.
And finally we find ourselves at the end of the year. New Years Eve
on the River is such the event. Every bar & restaurant in town is
pulling out the stops for you. It’s a great night to get a room (so
you don’t have to drive after drinking). Come out with a group of
friends (so you can have a designated driver…hint, hint). And have
a truly amazing evening of fun as we ring in 2008. Oh and do
yourself a favor, if you have a midnight toast, don’t get behind
your wheel after your done. I’d like to have all my adoring fans
still with us in 2008!
And well I hope that everyone has had a good year. 2007 was good for
me and I hope that we as the varied and diverse community that we
are can look forward to a great 2008.
As always tune into We the People Radio every Sunday but the 4th of
the month for Owen’s spin on local nightlife, happenings and
political musing. On KGGV 95.1 L.P. FM the Bridge on line at
www.kggvfm.org And if you have any comments, questions or need the
advice of drag queen on fashion topics send a e-mail to mzalicedee@gmail.com
NOVEMBER 2007
I always find myself caught off guard
by November. It seems like just yesterday when I was thinking about
pumpkin pie and all the holiday action. But yes it’s true ‘tis the
season again as they say. And of course you know what that means,
Turkey and all the fixings. So let’s get right into it.
MCC is XXV
First and foremost I want to say a quick word of congratulation to
the Metropolitan Community Church of the Redwood Empire on
twenty-five years of service to the Russian River Community. Last
month they had a grand gala out at the Highland Dell in Monte Rio.
The MMC-RE is one of those groups that never stops to amaze me. They
do some great community work around homeless issues and all the
things that you would expect of a church, with no judgement on who
you are. As an open communion group, you need not be a member of
their congregation or any to take of god’s blessings. They meet
every Sunday at 10 a.m. at Oddfellows hall in Guerneville.
You make me feel like
dancin’
All right so let’ talk about some of the events shall we? On
November 16th we are having such a wonderful event at Club Yamagata.
It’s Staying Alive Disco Party. Now I know you all have something
hiding in the back of your dresser or closet (though the gods know I
never have been in the closet but that’s a different story.) that
dates from the 70’s. So wear it loud and proud sweetie and have a
good time. The event is a big old disco party and we are doing
prizes for the best dressed (and no I’m not going to be part of that
contest, so no worries) disco diva and guy. It’s a fundraiser for
the Russian River Chamber Special Events Fund. You know all those
parades and things that happen like the Fourth of July Fireworks
aren’t free to put on. And this queen for one wants to make sure
they keep happening. Come out and party with Guerneville’s favorite
trashy drag queen. For the small cost of twenty in advance and
twenty five at the door you get a evening of disco, nibbly bits;
with beer and wine included. Oh and I almost forgot to mention the
raffle through out the event. We start the party at 8 p.m. and keep
it going until the disco ball stops. Advance tickets are available
at the Russian River Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center at 16209
First Street. Club Yamagata is located at 16225 Main Street.
Mama’a Coming to Town
Now this weekend is the weekend to be out about town. It’s also the
Russian River Leather Weekend. And let me tell you, oh how do I love
those leather boys and girls. Now while I’m not a ‘leather’ person
(ok I do own a leather purse, but that doesn’t count really), I do
need to honor Mama and her tribe. Gentle reader you may not know,
but Mama, her boys and girls have done some amazing work around the
Bay Area and beyond. You may know about the amount of work they do
every year for the toy drives around Guerneville and beyond. But do
you know that one of the big charities that they raise money for
with the annual Leather Walk in San Francisco is the Breast Cancer
Emergency Fund? Mama’s Family isn’t just about wearing leather
(though they do that quite well let me tell you), but they are about
supporting the greater community though good works. Guerneville’s
Leather Weekend will be the 17th and 18th of November. The loose
schedule of events is 11/16 RRR at 9:00 pm for the Official
Contestant Number Draw; 11/17 – RRR at 10:00am for Contestant
Interviews, Club Yamagata for the Meet and Greet between
2:00pm–6:00pm, RRR for the Judges Dinner between 6:30pm-8:30pm, RRR
for the remainder of the evening to meet and participate in the
prejudging and in the Contest; 11/18 – RRR at 10:00am for the
Victory Brunch.
Let the Eating Season Begin
So the next big event coming up is ‘Stuff that Turkey Day’ as I call
it. You may know it as Thanksgiving Day. Now for many of us (myself
included), we don’t spend this day with our biological family. But
we do spend it with our chosen family. And I really want to let
everyone know that the new head chef at the Russian River Resort
Mary Durham is going to be pulling out all the stops for her
Thanksgiving Dinner. If you haven’t had a chance to join them for
dinner lately, you are in for a treat. The new “back to basics” menu
is just divine. I personally am absolutely in love with the crab
cakes. They are some of the very best that I’ve had in years. The
new menu is focused on local produce from Sonoma County. With prices
that are reasonable and food that you will love to eat. Another
fabulous addition to the make up of the restaurant is the addition
of Sunday Comfort Supper every Sunday from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The
dinner is just that, comfort food. With a three course meal, your
choice of entrée and desert, you can’t beat the price of $16.95 with
a stick. The main course includes choices like fried chicken,
lasagna, meatloaf or spaghetti and meatballs.
Read This Part and
Participate!
Now keeping with the food theme, I want to touch on a great event
that has been going on now for six years. The annual Dining out for
Life is the 29th of November. This is a great benefit for Food for
Thought. It’s a great way to support them, you simply go out have a
wonderful time dining out and the restaurant donates 25-50% of your
bill to Food for the Thought. Some of the restaurants also donate a
portion of alcohol sales as well. There are places to eat all over
the area that are part of the event. Notable here in Guerneville are
Charizma Wine Lounge & Deli, The Roadhouse Restaurant at Dawn Ranch
Lodge and the Triple R Bar & Grill. Just a hop skip and a jump up
the road at the Village Inn in Monte Rio they are also in on the
event. Though if you really want to venture out and make a grand
night of it, check out the web page at www.diningoutforlife.com for
restaurants all over that are part of the night.
Speaking of holiday wonder on Thanksgiving - if you are hosting a
group of friends and family at your table but find you need a quick
break from the home. Head over to Coffee Bazaar. We are open from 8
a.m. to 8 p.m. to fulfill all you caffeinated needs on this holiday
(Our normal hours of 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. will return on Friday.). Oh
and be sure to let us tempt you with a lovely pumpkin spice mocha.
Back to the MCC
Just a quick note about the first of December before I sign off for
the month, World AIDS day is December 1st. The Metropolitan
Community Church of the Redwood Empire is hosting a small gathering
of panels from the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The quilt I’m sure you know
represents the love that many of still have for our friends and
loved ones who are no longer with us due to AIDS. It’s a powerful
reminder for me each time I see even a small portion of the quilt on
display that we can never forget. This year the MCC-RE is hosting a
display at the Guerneville Veterans hall to mark this day. Feel free
to stop in at the hall and view the display through out the day.
Latter that night on the first, is the Annual Parade of Lights. You
can’t beat the light up parade as a fun small town event for the
entire family. Also that night at the Oddfellows hall you would have
the chance to see the Second River Home Companion show. This is an
event put on by your fiends at KGGV 95.1 LP FM the Bridge. Last year
a good time was had by everyone in attendance and I think this year
we are looking toward an ever better show.
Oh and I almost forgot, the November BINGO by the lovely Sisters of
Perpetual Indulgence is on November 10th (The second Saturday of the
month as usual.) and benefiting Bokb Burke’s Kids.
So have a great Holiday Season and I’m sure I’ll see you around at
all the fun festivities.
Mz. Alice Dee can be reached at mzalicedee@gmail.com with
questions about the river, Guerneville or for make up advice. It’s
also well worth turning into “We the People” radio on KGGV 95.1 LP
FM The Bridge every Sunday but the fourth of the month at 9 p.m. for
Owen’s witty social commentary or a chat with guests about the LGBT
community of West Sonoma County. Streaming at www.kggvfm.org.
October 2007
Fall is into full swing here on the
river. It’s a perfect time of year to reflect in front of a
fireplace, share a glass of wine with friends over dinner or plan
that perfect Halloween costume! Even if it’s the one day a year you
think about doing drag (Yes it’s true, there are some folks who only
do drag once a year, I know it’s hard to understand why anyone
wouldn’t want to be glamorous more than once a year...). Halloween
is in many ways one of the high holy days of the L.G.B.T. community.
And we do pull out all the stops for this one. I’ll be getting into
Halloween later in the article.
Happy Trails to Ya
The first event I want to touch on is
the Art Trails. This year is the 22nd year that the Sonoma Arts
council has hosted this event. I find it’s a great way to support
our local arts. You get the chance to spend the afternoon touring
the wine county around Sonoma County and supporting local artists.
Personally I enjoy visiting our local west county artists; between
Forestville, Guerneville, Graton and Occidental you have quite the
plethora of artists to visit. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the
day. The dates for the event are the 13th - 14th and the 21st and
22nd of October from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. More information can be
found on line at www.artrails.org. You may also want to download a
copy of the full program from the site, which includes a map of all
of the event in case you want to go beyond West Sonoma and check out
the rest of the county’s arts.
On Gourd
Another really amazing and fun event
around the arts is Calabash: A celebration of Gourd Arts and the
Garden. Now this event is all about the Gourd and the truly amazing
variety of things the creative artist can do with one. This event is
also a fund raiser benefiting Food for Thought and the Occidental
Arts and Ecology Center. Both of whom do some great work around
Sonoma County. The Gourd art takes center stage in a silent auction
through out the event. Over 100 artists from around the bay area
have been invited to feature there work. The event also features
musicians playing gourd instruments. Live demonstrations in creating
gourd art and organic food and wine from Sonoma County’s bountiful
harvest. Of course you have the chance to tour the amazing organic
gardens the Food for Thought has. This event is Sunday October 7th
from 1 p.m. through 4 p.m. 6550 Railroad Avenue in Forestville.
Tickets for the event are $30 in advance and $35 at the door and my
be purchased in advance tickets by phone from Food For Thought at
707-887-1647. Also check out the web site for the event at
www.calabashartfest.org
Now on the local scene; I wanted to let
all my readers know the Rainbow Cattle Company is keeping up on
doing the famous “Give Back Tuesdays”. Each and every Tuesday they
host a different group and give back to the community. 10% of the
bar sales for the day go to the group, and many times the group
hosts a evening event that night. Check out www.queersteer.com for
the details on up coming nights. Or better yet, just pop into the
bar on Tuesday and see what’s up. It’s always for a good cause and a
heck of a lot of fun. Located at 16220 Main Street in downtown
Guerneville.
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The 2006 Costume Contest Winner at all locations – Stuart as
Marie Antointte |
Bingouls & Fools
And another event that we have all the
time is the wonderful Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence BINGO. This
event is on the second Saturday of the month. This month the theme
is Goals and Fools BINGO. So I’m going to guess that the drag is
going to be scary and silly; above and beyond what we normally have
with the Sisters. I know I’ll be doing my best to be in something
amazing or at least silly (though this isn’t really a stretch for
me...) The doors open at the usual time of 6 p.m. with games
starting at 7 p.m. With tickets at $15 for one set of cards and $20
for two. This month’s games benefit Food for Thought. Oh and I
almost forgot to bring it up, but myself and the rest of the kitchen
crew wanted to make sure that everyone knows about the yummy treats
and light dinner that we serve every month. Also featuring hot
coffee this month; graciously donated by Coffee Bazaar. So bring
more than just your appetite for fun.
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2006 Contest Hostess Sharon Stone |
Batman & Robin show their faces (almost!) |
Annual Progressive Halloween
Costume Contest
Now of course the high holly daze of
Halloween is upon us. And I know many of my readers spend days,
weeks perhaps even months planning the perfect outfit to wear. I
just wanted to say that while I love his outfits, Stewart of the RRR
has won pretty much (I can’t personally recall a year where he
didn’t win since I’ve been living here full time.) every year for at
least ever. Come on folks! Somebody give him a good run for his
money! The main party’s around town are taking place on the Saturday
before Samhain (I always like throwing in a few fun woods, don’t ya
know. Basically Samhain is Gaelic for Summers End. And is used by
the neo-Pagan Community for Halloween...) So on the 27th of October
we start the evening off with festivities at the Russian River
Resort, corner of 4th and Mill. Starting at 8 p.m. with the first
Costume Contest of the evening. This contest is as tradition fro
the last few years hosted by the River’s version of Dame Edna
Everage, though I hear rumor of a special guest co-host. So it’s a
great way to start the evening with cocktails and costumes.
We then continue the event at the
Rainbow Cattle Company at 16220 Main Street. Starting at 10 p.m. So
it’s over the river and through the woods (Not really, it’s just a
couple of blocks to be honest.) to this contest. The key thing to
keep in mind with the Rainbow is the mason jars of Long Island Ice
Tea, though don’t have to many of ‘em since your going to want to
keep the party going.
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Now we finish to fruit loop of town
with a the final stop at Club Yamagata. Just across the street at
16225 Main Street. At midnight they are doing the final costume
contest of the evening. And for a special treat (or just a trick I’m
not going to admit to it.) everyone's favorite trashy drag queen
will be hosting the contest at 1 am. Of course I’m speaking about
myself. Now of course this event as the others of the evening will
be audience participation on the voting so it isn’t worth trying to
bribe the host (though hey a cocktail for the emcee could only
enhance your chances ya know..) Anyway it’s a great way to end the
night. Though keep in mind the best part of the evening is always
seeing who wins at all of the bars and who took a moment to hide in
some dark corner around town and change costumes at some point
during the events. It’s been known to happen that the same person
while changing costumes still wins more than once during the night,
or even all three times with the same costume. And I do feel the
need to say that while I enjoy a great party and a drink or two
during such a party I always try and take care of myself and my
friends. So feel free to have someone who is your designated driver
or call our wonderful local cab company Bills Taxi for a ride home.
You can reach Bills at 869-2177 all hours of the night. And while I
hate to say it, if you see your friends thinking about driving after
drinks, please do them a favor and take their keys please.
And that’s my story and I’m sticking to
it for the Month of October. If you are planning on coming out for
Halloween or any other event this month, the resorts around town
have plenty of rooms. So take a look at www.gayrussianriver.com to
get the details on all the places to stay around town.
Feel free to tune
in on Sunday at 9 p.m. for Owen’s show “We the People Radio” on KGGV
95.1 L.P. FM all but the 4th Sunday of the month for one hour of all
things dishy and swishy around the Russian River. You can get the
show streaming at www.kggvfm.org. And of course fan mail is always
encouraged at mzalicedee@gmail.com
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