Tag Archives: 1920s costumes

What Would Clara Bow Have Done?

Posted on October 5, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

I was about to title this one Post Rehearsal Post, but then I thought it might be a Non-Sequitur Thursday, in which case, the title ought not directly reflect the content of the post. Oh the conundrums of the daily blogger!

I just returned from the first rehearsal for A Trivial Murder, the murder mystery we are putting on to benefit Herkimer County Historical Society. It will be Saturday, Nov. 3, 6 p.m. (doors open at 5), at the Ilion Moose Lodge. The cost is $25.00/person. To purchase tickets, stop by the Society, Monday-Friday, 10-4, or send a check in the mail and they’ll send your tickets to you – HCHS, 400 N. Main St., Herkimer, NY 13350. For more information, call 315-866-6413.

I brought my Tablet to take a couple of pictures, but neglected to actually take any. Instead, I offer a picture of a previous murder mystery for the Historical Society.

That was a fun cast, yes, but this one will be great, too!

Before rehearsal, my friend Kim and I went up to the costume rooms at Ilion Little Theatre (ILT) looking for a 1920’s costume for me for the Ritz and Ragtime at Rutger Park fundraiser on Saturday. We and a other members of LiFT (Little Falls Theatre Company) are volunteering and must look the part. I did not want to wear the dress I wore last year (also borrowed from ILT) (and returned); I wanted to wear the dress worn by another character in Rubbed Out at Ruby’s (a murder mystery presented by LiFT last year).

This is what I wore last year; some people thought I looked pretty fine.

I was looking for the black dress on the girl sitting next to me who is NOT strangling me.

However, after looking for a while, I just wanted to find ANYTHING that worked. Eventually I found a black velvet gown that will do. Alas, it does not look like a flapper dress. Maybe I’m a little too old to be a flapper. SAY IT AIN’T SO!!! After rehearsal (which went pretty well), I went home and sought out accessories to make the gown 1920’s ready.

So this is my Non-Sequitur Thursday post. At least I plugged two upcoming local events, and included a couple of pictures. I call that respectable. Happy Thursday, everybody.

Oh crap, I still have to think of a title.

Memories Before Murder

Posted on April 20, 2018 by mohawkvalleygirl

Today I am going to do a Throwback Thursday post, but I will call it Non-Sequitur Thursday, because that is what I like to call my Thursday silly posts. I am in kind of a bad space lately, and I think some happy memories would help me out. And this will be an easy post, so I can get back to watching 20/20 on OWN. A little murder and mayhem always cheers me up.

I need a new 1920’s outfit.

This is my friend, Kim, and me at Gerber’s 1933 Tavern last year. It was their Prohibition Party. Good times. Kim is the tall, gorgeous one. I am wearing a tiara.

I miss that cute little doggy!

I mix things up a little with a picture of our late, much loved Spunky. That is my crochet basket he decided would be a good bed for him. Naturally I let him keep it, although I removed the unfinished afghan.

Now there’s a cast of killers!

And I zip back to the 1920’s with the cast of Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, the interactive murder mystery LiFT, the Little Falls Theatre Company, did at The Overlook Mansion in Little Falls last year. Yes, that is me being strangled. No doubt I was asking for it.

Not a murderer amongst them!

One more happy theatre memory: the cast of Leading Ladies, the play I directed at Ilion Little Theatre in 2016.

Well, I think with this post I managed to be both Throwback and Non-Sequitur. Yay me. Now for some murder and mayhem. I hope to see you all on Lame Post Friday.

Ruby But Not Rubbed Out

Posted on September 15, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

What an awesome poster!

I thought I would use today’s post to plug a fundraiser I will be privileged to participate in on Saturday. “Ritz and Ragtime” will benefit the Landmark Society of Greater Utica on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Roscoe Conkling House, 3 Rutger Park. There will be food, drinks, and entertainment. I will be part of the last mentioned.

I’m in the red dress, being strangled.

Longtime readers may remember a little event called Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, which was presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls. I wrote it and was featured as Ruby Van Rensselaer, a rich society lush, uh, I mean lady. I am going to reprise the role on Saturday. We aren’t going to present the murder mystery, or even a real story. We just get to dress up and interact with the crowd in 1920’s character. It should be fun!

I’m not sure how many of the original Ruby’s cast will be there, but I know some of us are really looking forward to it.

We are rather a suspicious-looking lot, aren’t we?

I wonder how it will be to mingle in character and not have to be dropping clues or even talking about the murder. I’m sure my improvisational skills are up to it (in other words, I like to make shit up). And if I miss the dead body, I’m sure there will be other murder mysteries. In fact, I may have a blog post about one soon (preview of coming attractions). In the meantime, here’s a chalk outline to dream about:

Alas, no chalk outlines on Saturday!

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Posted in humor, personal and tagged 1920s, 1920s costumes, acting, blog post, community event, costumes, fundraiser, in character, Landmarks Society of Greater Utica, preview of coming attractions, Ritz and Ragtime, Rubbed Out at Ruby's, theatre. Bookmark the permalink.

Pre Prohibition Party Post

Posted on April 8, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I get by with a little help from my friends. That is a profound lyric, I find, and I would go so far as to say it is true for all of us. Anybody who says they do not get help from their friends is either kidding themselves or leads a very sad life. I try to avoid speaking in absolutes like that, because I am no hand at argument, but I feel strongly about this.

Could this be some half-baked philosophy suitable for Lame Post Friday?

As a matter of fact, I started out to post the silly story of me getting ready for the Prohibition Party at Gerber’s 1933 Tavern (I keep forgetting the year; I want to call it 1834, like the jail in Herkimer). Now, having recently participated in a murder mystery with a speakeasy setting, you might think I had a prohibition era costume ready to hand. Not so much. Ruby’s dress was, well, Ruby’s. It was perfect for the character. For me going to an event at a local tavern, I wanted something else. Oh, all right, something sexier. Don’t middle-aged ladies ever get to feel attractive? Who makes up these rules anyways?

To be honest, I don’t think my gyrations getting ready are all that interesting. However, I did come up with an outfit I think it passable. The reason I put the opening paragraph is that I am waiting for my friend Kim to come over and offer her input and encouragement. She is pretty awesome. I hope she will approve of my outfit, or at least tell me something better to put on. If anybody takes any pictures, I may post one in a future post. If I don’t look too ridiculous.

Happy Friday, everyone.

Getting Ready for Ruby’s

Posted on February 21, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I thought I would share a few pictures from Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, the interactive murder mystery to be presented by LiFT Theatre Company at the Overlook Mansion in Little Falls, NY this Saturday. We had rehearsal Sunday, to which some of us wore our costumes. So I guess this is kind of a preview.

Yes, that’s a flask tucked under the garter on my sexy leg.

This one turned out kind of blurry, but here I am, as Ruby Van Rensselaer, wealthy socialite, investor and lush. The basement of the Overlook will become Ruby’s Rathskeller, the hottest speakeasy in Little Falls. Ruby does not run the place, but she fronted George Raffles the money to open it and he named it after her in gratitude.

Full disclosure: I found this dress in Ilion Little Theatre’s costume collection and wanted to wear it myself.

This is Vivian Velasquez, who runs a recently-opened rival speakeasy. What’s she doing at Ruby’s Rathskeller? Sounds suspicious to me!

Isn’t she hot?

And this is Mavis LaLonde, George’s girlfriend. She runs the bordello upstairs from the speakeasy.

Incidentally, those are fake cigarettes. We’re not going to blow smoke in anybody’s eyes. Not literal smoke, at any rate. As for figurative smoke up, you know, other body parts… well, that is a vulgar expression. I don’t think Ruby would use an expression like that.

Rubbed Out at Ruby’s will be this Saturday, Feb. 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Overlook Mansion, 55 Douglas St., Little Falls. Tickets are $25, available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2840239. For more information you can call the Overlook at 315-823-1907, or you can visit their Facebook page.

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Posted in humor, personal and tagged 1920s costumes, costumes, LiFT Theatre Company, Little Falls NY, murder mystery, Overlook Mansion, photos, Rubbed Out at Ruby's. Bookmark the permalink.

Snow, Costumes and Oolong Tea

Posted on February 5, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Well, I am going to try to make my Scattered Saturday post before Steven comes home and we go out to meet good friends for dinner. For one reason, I thought I would refrain from drinking and typing, as I sometimes do on a Saturday. At least for my blog post. About Facebook I make no promises (note to self: make a Facebook page for Mohawk Valley Girl, in case my readers would like to Like me there).

Mmm… I paused to sip my Oolong tea. I LOVE Oolong tea. Why have I not been drinking it every day? Points to ponder. Then I paused again, because my laptop told me the battery was low. Silly me, not plugging it in between Facebook breaks. I moved to a different chair, plugged the damn thing in, moved my tea, which necessitated moving a piled up lace dress (that I’ll tell you about in a few), sat down, remembered my mouse, went back across the room to get the mouse… I tell you, it’s not easy being me.

We slept in this morning, because Steven did not work till 10:30. Oh, the laziness of staying in bed till almost seven o’clock! It was great. It was after eight when Spunky indicated it was time for his first business meeting. I put on a bra (do NOT tell me TMI!), my flood boots and my warmest coat. It was still pretty frigid out, and snowing. Spunky barked at a neighbor as she came out of her house. We exchanged good mornings, and I told Spunky he was a silly dog (he already knew).

Steven had sensibly put off clearing the cars since more snow would fall before time to leave, but I saw that we also had to shovel. After I got Spunky back inside, wiped his paws and gave him a treat, I went back out and started. Steven soon joined me. At least the snow was lightweight. Pushing it worked fine. Our neighbor shoveled the sidewalk in front of our house and started helping on the driveway! How awesome of her! I thanked her profusely, and Steven and I introduced ourselves. After she left and Steven and I had finished up, I paid it forward by doing the walk in front of the house on the other side.

After showering and getting dressed, I wrote my weekly postcards. My first stop on leaving the house after Steven was the post office. Then I gassed up, got some money from the ATM and a drink at the Nice N Easy. The drink took some debate, since I am avoiding sugar (on a doctor’s suggestion) yet wanted more than mere water. I finally got Poland Springs Sparkling, black cherry flavor. That stuff is awesome! It tastes like soda only not sweet (I often don’t enjoy sweet soda after the first few sips), but there are NO calories! Score!

I drove to Ilion Little Theatre, where a few people were hard at work on the set for Steel Magnolias. I hope to show you a photo of the beautifully painted backdrop when it is finished. I went upstairs to look for 1920s type costumes for the upcoming murder mystery, Rubbed Out at Ruby’s, to be presented by LiFT Theatre Company in Little Falls. I did not have a whole lot of hope, because I went through every dress in that place when we were doing Leading Ladies and I did not remember anything I thought would work. However, I was mistaken. I found a few things I liked, including the lace dress I mentioned some paragraphs ago (was that mention even worth foreshadowing?).

After those exertions, however, I started feeling not too well again. How stupid of me! Why can’t I just be healthy? And why do I have to be such a baby about it? And here I am, troubling my readers with my complaints. So sorry. This is what happens, though, when I’m typing away with one eye on the clock. I have to plug in the curling iron and do my hair (an unaccustomed chore, to be sure). Well, I hope you have been moderately entertained by my Scattered Saturday gyrations. As for me, that Oolong tea has given me my first hot flash of the day and all I can say is, Thank God for menopause! I have been freezing! Happy Saturday, everyone.

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Posted in humor, personal, Scattered Saturday and tagged 1920s costumes, blog post, hot flash, Ilion Little Theatre, laptop computer, Leading Ladies, menopause, murder mystery, Oolong tea, Rubbed Out at Ruby's, snow, Steel Magnolias, weather. Bookmark the permalink.

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