Miss Mina Murray

Dear Constant Reader,

I’m at the New York Burlesque Festival! But I didn’t want to forget your tip.

When you travel, try to go to a burlesque show.

Not only is it fun to attend shows, it’s good to get outside your usual stomping grounds. Unfamiliar performers and acts are inspiring in multiple ways. Regional differences in performance and production are always interesting (at least I think so!) and may give you some good ideas. And do try to meet the folks involved — you might make a business contact, or a…

Dear Constant Reader,

This is it! Voting for the Golden Pasties ends tonight! It would mean so much to me to win one of those oversized pasties (made by Canova Studios), especially for the 20th anniversary of the festival.

I’m a finalist for the Dorian Gray Award, for the performer who looks younger now than when they started performing and the Producers Dream Award, for the performer who is never late and always sends their music on time (it’s true!).

Voting is super-easy, barely an inconvenience! You have…

Dear Constant Reader,

A quick reminder to vote for me for the Dorian Gray Award and the Producer’s Dream Award Golden Pasties!

Here’s your tip!

When using magnets in a costume remove, slide them apart instead of pulling.

If you try to pull magnets apart, depending on the strength, you could end up tearing your costume before you separate them. Sliding them breaks the hold more easily. I’m sure someone could explain the physics, but that person is not me.

These writings and other creative projects are…

Dear Constant Reader,

[I wrote this in January 2020 and apparently it’s been sitting in my drafts all that time. It’s been well over a year since I shared a historic recipe with you and most of what I’ve been cooking this year is from the 1914 project. I can’t find a picture of the finished cake so you’ll just have to imagine it.]

It has been a while since I did any historic cookery. When our local medieval/Renaissance cookery group was having a joint meeting with a gaming group, that was enough to get me…

Dear Constant Reader,

A quick reminder to vote for me for the Dorian Gray Award and the Producer’s Dream Award Golden Pasties!

Here’s your tip!

When everything is a rush, you need to slow down. 

Things seem to always go wrong when we’re trying to beat the clock. We miss a turn on the way to a gig. We sew a seam wrong side out. We forget to pack something important. We break things. We lose things. It ends up taking even more time and energy.

Stop. Take a breath. Yes, work quickly, but not in a panic. Take…

Dear Constant Reader,

I’m a finalist for two Golden Pasties!!! Thank you so much for your help getting me nominated. I had a terrible day yesterday, but it ended with this news, so at least I could go to sleep on a positive note.

Now I’m counting on you all to vote for me the Dorian Gray Award and the Producer’s Dream Award. I’ve got some really stiff competition!

We’re encouraged to make silly campaign promises. I haven’t come up with any yet (I’m working on it!) but I do promise you all a treat if I win…

Dear Constant Reader,

Before we get to your tip, I just want to remind you that nominations for the Golden Pastie Awards close on Sunday. Please nominate me for the Producers Dream and Dorian Gray awards. You can vote once a day! If I’m one of the nominees, I’ll have some silly fun for you in the next couple of weeks.

If you know the dressing room at a venue is small, arrive with hair & makeup done.

It frees up the space for active costume changes and you all won’t be piled on top of one another trying to…

Dear Constant Reader,

Before we get to your tip, I just want to remind you to nominate me for the Producers Dream and Dorian Gray Golden Pastie Awards. If you already have, thank you!

It’s not yet officially fall, but some are already buying pumpkin spice everything and planning their Halloween decorations. Others are trying to enjoy the last of summer. Both groups tend to snipe at one another. This brings me to my tip:

Let people enjoy what they like. It may not be your cup of tea, but there’s no reason to…

Dear Constant Reader,

Last month I had a most wonderful experience. Stephanie May of La Photographie put out a Muse Call with the theme of Vintage Glamour. I met Stephanie (aka One Chance Fancy) at Stripper’s Holiday and then won a virtual photoshoot with her at a fundraising auction. I had wanted to do an in-person shoot with her ever since. And I had wanted a boudoir shoot for my big birthday back in 2020 (we know how that turned out). So, I jumped at the chance. I picked two themes: Hollywood Glamour and…

Dear Constant Reader,

I believe I neglected to tell you that I had been selected to perform at The New York Burlesque Festival. I am incredibly excited! There’s a lot of competition for a relatively few slots and this year happens to be the 20th anniversary.

I’ll be performing Thursday night at The Bell House (where I’ve performed at previous NYBFs) with Whole Lotta Mina, which you may have seen if you were at the most recent Expo or if you’re one of my Patrons.

This all means I am eligible for a Golden…