Holly
11-07-2005, 08:58 PM
If you missed part one, you can find it here. (http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17220)
The light of the dawn disturbed the darkness about 6AM. HTGurl and I missed it, as we were still fast asleep from the night before. It was almost 10AM before we woke up to begin day 2 of the adventure. We showered and began the ritual of getting ready to go out to meet the public and have some fun. HT was ready first. I put on my jeans and a pink top. Then it was time for makeup. HT is so wonderful. She applied my makeup and fixed my hair. It was girlie time once more.
We were starving so off to the hotel coffee shop we went. As we walked in a few heads turned. At over 6’4” even in short heels, it’s hard not to draw some attention. I just smiled and acted as if I owned the place (with as much money as we’ve lost there over the years, we should at least have a controlling interest)! HT had eggs benedict and I had a bowl of oatmeal with fruit. While we were eating, we decided that we needed a few items for the rest of the trip. I didn’t have any spare hearing aid batteries, we were almost out of cold cream, I forgot my moisturizer, HT wanted some different shampoo, just little stuff like that. We decided to go to WalMart to pick them up. But first we wanted to see Amy at Glamour Boutique. The store is literally five minutes from the hotel.
We picked up our car at the valet and made the short trip to the Boutique. When we arrived, we were surprised to see Shelia and her wife Jennifer were there as well. We had met them at last year’s party. They are a very sweet and special couple. They had traveled from another country to be here for this weekend. I think they win the prize for the couple that traveled furthest. The five of us visited and got caught up on each other’s lives for well over an hour. It was so much fun. Then Shelia made the big mistake of telling us about a store in town that sold pretty, sparkly, colorful jewelry… lots and lots of rhinestones in all kinds of colors. The name of the place is Du Barry’s. Well that was it! We just had to go and see for ourselves. We found out that the store was not all that far away from WalMart so after we confirmed our dinner date with Amy for later that night, we headed out.
We arrived at WalMart mid afternoon. It was one of the Superstores and it was jammed with people… old people, young people, moms, dads, kids, and from all walks of life. As we walked in, the greeter smiled and said hi… I smiled back, grabbed a basket, and off we went. We must have walked down almost every aisle in the store (except the menswear). In all, we must have spent the best part of an hour in there looking for the things we needed. We found the shampoo and batteries in the pharmacy section, the cold cream and moisturized in the cosmetics section (along with 3-4 new lipsticks), plus a few other incidentals. The whole time I was there, I felt like the invisible woman. Everyone was so interested in doing what he or she was doing, they didn’t have the time or the inclination to be bothered by me. I was simply another lady looking for the things I needed to make my own life more comfortable. Not one single person went running from the store screaming, “There’s a crossdresser in there!” Of the handful of people that took any notice of me whatsoever, not one of them said or did anything that made HT or me uncomfortable in ANY way. We paid for our merchandise and left.
<Activate Soapbox Mode> I was absolutely giddy inside. It wasn’t that I had pulled anything off or fooled anyone. I’m not a passer… but quite frankly, I really don’t care. I was there, I was being myself, and people were responding to me positively and in a way that I was comfortable being received. If you’re reading this and don’t get anything else out of it, please hear this one thing; more than your hair and makeup, more than your clothes, the attitude you have towards yourself will do more than everything else combined in winning your acceptance while out in public. It’s happened to me time and time again. It WILL work for you as well. Be confident, not cocky, be respectful, not arrogant, and be poised, not apprehensive. This same truth holds up if you’re out and about in the general public, one-on-one with your SO in the privacy of your own home, or spending time by yourself. Celebrate and explore this drive within that causes you to search for answers down this strange and unexpected path in your life. Revel in the new discoveries you make and challenge yourself to make positive changes in your life as a result of those discoveries. <Deactivate Soapbox Mode>
Five minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot at Du Barry’s. From the outside, it looks much like any other strip mall storefront. But once inside… O-M-G! I have never seen that much bling-bling in one place in all my life. There were sparklies and shinny things everywhere! Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, belts, shoes, headpieces and all matter of fashion accessories are for sale in colors you can’t even imagine. I felt almost like I was in a trance as I walked around the store, mesmerized by all the beautiful things inside. I oohed and ahhed with other customers in the store at each and every display. HT and I headed to the section where all the red jewelry was. I could still use a little something for my showgirl costume. We consumed every piece with our eyes, drinking it all in to the point of glamour intoxication. Suddenly and without warning, “the necklace” presented itself to us. It was stunning and captivating and would not allow us to resist it. I picked it up and cradled it in my hands as we made our way to the cashier. The lady complimented us on our fine taste, I think. I was too busy admiring the necklace to be bothered with her words… that is until she said, “I have just the perfect thing to go with that.” I lifted my eyes just in time to see her pull down a box from a shelf behind the counter. Inside the box was the most exquisite pair of red rhinestone, heart shaped earrings I have ever seen in my entire life… over 4” long from top to bottom. The heart itself was over 1½” with a deep red heart shaped stone in the center, surrounded by an outline of light colored rhinestones, itself surrounded by a heart shape of bright red stones. I was immediately hooked as if having been injected with massive amounts of narcotics. I just HAD TO HAVE IT! The cashier was more than happy to satisfy my craving. She rang up the purchases and I floated out of the store, content and at peace.
We arrived back at the hotel and the valet re-parked our car for us. We went up to our room, put our purchases away and then made our way back down to the casino for a little more gaming. We sat content as a couple of girlfriends having a good time, each sharing her desire to hit the big one and daydream of the things we would do if that reality ever came true. Sharing dreams together is so much fun! <note to self- must do more of that in drab as well>.
About 7PM we headed back to our room to freshen up and change for our dinner date with Amy. I changed into a cute blue skirt with silver sequins sewn on it, a black top with some detail outlined in black sequins around the neck and down the front, and a blue cardigan sweater. HT freshened my makeup, we snapped a few pictures, and off we were to Glamour Boutique to pick up our friend Amy.
It was just about closing time and Amy was finishing with some customers. Carmen (another Tgirl friend we had met on previous trips) was there with her wife Carol. This is another couple we enjoy seeing whenever we are in town. We visited for a bit while Amy closed out the register and prepared the store for closing. HT and I had a special place picked out for dinner and were anxious to share it with Amy.
When Amy joined us in the parking lot, we told her we were having dinner at the Macaroni Grill. It wasn’t far from the shop. When we walked in, again it was nothing spectacular… just three girls out for a nice dinner and talk. We were seated by the hostess right in the main dining room and our waiter, Eddie, soon came by to introduce himself. They have paper on the tables and he took a crayon and wrote his name upside down so that we could read it. It’s not as easy as it sounds. We all tried it and laughed at our inability to write our names upside down like Eddie. That was just the start of a lot of laughter that evening. We enjoyed a leisurely meal, Eddie attentive to his ladies all the while. He was so sweet and so kind. Amy, HT and I chatted about all matters of life… work, play, kids, relationships, hopes, and heartbreaks. It was all so natural and wonderful. We communicated on a level I have rarely, if ever, experienced before. My emotions were at the surface and I felt vulnerable, yet safe with these girls. Is this what it is like when girls talk? No need to put up a front; no need to pretend I’m something I’m not; no need to fear reprisal, judgment, or ridicule. I like this… a lot. And as much as I did not want the evening to end, it was time for us to part ways. I paid the bill, making sure Eddie was well taken care of, and we all walked outside. We talked a few minutes more in the parking lot. I so wanted the evening not to end… I hope the others felt the same. HT and I hugged Amy goodbye and headed back to the Sahara.
By now it’s nearly 11PM and the casino is just starting to get busy. HT and I find a couple of machines to play. We didn’t win big, at least in the way of cash. But we seem to be growing closer together. As the TV (no pun intended) ad says, “Gambling, $200.00. Two new outfits, $300.00. Falling deeper in love, priceless.”
Neither of us was up for another 4AM session so we head for the room just a bit after 1AM. This has been the best day yet! Sure, I’m sad that it’s over, but grateful for all that I have experienced today… seeing old friends, lots of fun shopping, a most meaningful dinner, and a whole day with the one I love the most. I hope heaven is half as nice.
The first two pictures were taken from the balcony of our room. It's what I wore on Saturday during the day and the evening. Picture 3 is me playing Keno in the casino at the Sahara. The last two pictures show the jewelry we purchased at Du Barry's. How much did it cost? Don't ask!
Next time public transportation, new friends, out of gas, trying something new, and pictures with some people who made our stay in Vegas so much fun! I hope you’re having as much fun reading this as I am having writing about it.
The light of the dawn disturbed the darkness about 6AM. HTGurl and I missed it, as we were still fast asleep from the night before. It was almost 10AM before we woke up to begin day 2 of the adventure. We showered and began the ritual of getting ready to go out to meet the public and have some fun. HT was ready first. I put on my jeans and a pink top. Then it was time for makeup. HT is so wonderful. She applied my makeup and fixed my hair. It was girlie time once more.
We were starving so off to the hotel coffee shop we went. As we walked in a few heads turned. At over 6’4” even in short heels, it’s hard not to draw some attention. I just smiled and acted as if I owned the place (with as much money as we’ve lost there over the years, we should at least have a controlling interest)! HT had eggs benedict and I had a bowl of oatmeal with fruit. While we were eating, we decided that we needed a few items for the rest of the trip. I didn’t have any spare hearing aid batteries, we were almost out of cold cream, I forgot my moisturizer, HT wanted some different shampoo, just little stuff like that. We decided to go to WalMart to pick them up. But first we wanted to see Amy at Glamour Boutique. The store is literally five minutes from the hotel.
We picked up our car at the valet and made the short trip to the Boutique. When we arrived, we were surprised to see Shelia and her wife Jennifer were there as well. We had met them at last year’s party. They are a very sweet and special couple. They had traveled from another country to be here for this weekend. I think they win the prize for the couple that traveled furthest. The five of us visited and got caught up on each other’s lives for well over an hour. It was so much fun. Then Shelia made the big mistake of telling us about a store in town that sold pretty, sparkly, colorful jewelry… lots and lots of rhinestones in all kinds of colors. The name of the place is Du Barry’s. Well that was it! We just had to go and see for ourselves. We found out that the store was not all that far away from WalMart so after we confirmed our dinner date with Amy for later that night, we headed out.
We arrived at WalMart mid afternoon. It was one of the Superstores and it was jammed with people… old people, young people, moms, dads, kids, and from all walks of life. As we walked in, the greeter smiled and said hi… I smiled back, grabbed a basket, and off we went. We must have walked down almost every aisle in the store (except the menswear). In all, we must have spent the best part of an hour in there looking for the things we needed. We found the shampoo and batteries in the pharmacy section, the cold cream and moisturized in the cosmetics section (along with 3-4 new lipsticks), plus a few other incidentals. The whole time I was there, I felt like the invisible woman. Everyone was so interested in doing what he or she was doing, they didn’t have the time or the inclination to be bothered by me. I was simply another lady looking for the things I needed to make my own life more comfortable. Not one single person went running from the store screaming, “There’s a crossdresser in there!” Of the handful of people that took any notice of me whatsoever, not one of them said or did anything that made HT or me uncomfortable in ANY way. We paid for our merchandise and left.
<Activate Soapbox Mode> I was absolutely giddy inside. It wasn’t that I had pulled anything off or fooled anyone. I’m not a passer… but quite frankly, I really don’t care. I was there, I was being myself, and people were responding to me positively and in a way that I was comfortable being received. If you’re reading this and don’t get anything else out of it, please hear this one thing; more than your hair and makeup, more than your clothes, the attitude you have towards yourself will do more than everything else combined in winning your acceptance while out in public. It’s happened to me time and time again. It WILL work for you as well. Be confident, not cocky, be respectful, not arrogant, and be poised, not apprehensive. This same truth holds up if you’re out and about in the general public, one-on-one with your SO in the privacy of your own home, or spending time by yourself. Celebrate and explore this drive within that causes you to search for answers down this strange and unexpected path in your life. Revel in the new discoveries you make and challenge yourself to make positive changes in your life as a result of those discoveries. <Deactivate Soapbox Mode>
Five minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot at Du Barry’s. From the outside, it looks much like any other strip mall storefront. But once inside… O-M-G! I have never seen that much bling-bling in one place in all my life. There were sparklies and shinny things everywhere! Necklaces, earrings, bracelets, belts, shoes, headpieces and all matter of fashion accessories are for sale in colors you can’t even imagine. I felt almost like I was in a trance as I walked around the store, mesmerized by all the beautiful things inside. I oohed and ahhed with other customers in the store at each and every display. HT and I headed to the section where all the red jewelry was. I could still use a little something for my showgirl costume. We consumed every piece with our eyes, drinking it all in to the point of glamour intoxication. Suddenly and without warning, “the necklace” presented itself to us. It was stunning and captivating and would not allow us to resist it. I picked it up and cradled it in my hands as we made our way to the cashier. The lady complimented us on our fine taste, I think. I was too busy admiring the necklace to be bothered with her words… that is until she said, “I have just the perfect thing to go with that.” I lifted my eyes just in time to see her pull down a box from a shelf behind the counter. Inside the box was the most exquisite pair of red rhinestone, heart shaped earrings I have ever seen in my entire life… over 4” long from top to bottom. The heart itself was over 1½” with a deep red heart shaped stone in the center, surrounded by an outline of light colored rhinestones, itself surrounded by a heart shape of bright red stones. I was immediately hooked as if having been injected with massive amounts of narcotics. I just HAD TO HAVE IT! The cashier was more than happy to satisfy my craving. She rang up the purchases and I floated out of the store, content and at peace.
We arrived back at the hotel and the valet re-parked our car for us. We went up to our room, put our purchases away and then made our way back down to the casino for a little more gaming. We sat content as a couple of girlfriends having a good time, each sharing her desire to hit the big one and daydream of the things we would do if that reality ever came true. Sharing dreams together is so much fun! <note to self- must do more of that in drab as well>.
About 7PM we headed back to our room to freshen up and change for our dinner date with Amy. I changed into a cute blue skirt with silver sequins sewn on it, a black top with some detail outlined in black sequins around the neck and down the front, and a blue cardigan sweater. HT freshened my makeup, we snapped a few pictures, and off we were to Glamour Boutique to pick up our friend Amy.
It was just about closing time and Amy was finishing with some customers. Carmen (another Tgirl friend we had met on previous trips) was there with her wife Carol. This is another couple we enjoy seeing whenever we are in town. We visited for a bit while Amy closed out the register and prepared the store for closing. HT and I had a special place picked out for dinner and were anxious to share it with Amy.
When Amy joined us in the parking lot, we told her we were having dinner at the Macaroni Grill. It wasn’t far from the shop. When we walked in, again it was nothing spectacular… just three girls out for a nice dinner and talk. We were seated by the hostess right in the main dining room and our waiter, Eddie, soon came by to introduce himself. They have paper on the tables and he took a crayon and wrote his name upside down so that we could read it. It’s not as easy as it sounds. We all tried it and laughed at our inability to write our names upside down like Eddie. That was just the start of a lot of laughter that evening. We enjoyed a leisurely meal, Eddie attentive to his ladies all the while. He was so sweet and so kind. Amy, HT and I chatted about all matters of life… work, play, kids, relationships, hopes, and heartbreaks. It was all so natural and wonderful. We communicated on a level I have rarely, if ever, experienced before. My emotions were at the surface and I felt vulnerable, yet safe with these girls. Is this what it is like when girls talk? No need to put up a front; no need to pretend I’m something I’m not; no need to fear reprisal, judgment, or ridicule. I like this… a lot. And as much as I did not want the evening to end, it was time for us to part ways. I paid the bill, making sure Eddie was well taken care of, and we all walked outside. We talked a few minutes more in the parking lot. I so wanted the evening not to end… I hope the others felt the same. HT and I hugged Amy goodbye and headed back to the Sahara.
By now it’s nearly 11PM and the casino is just starting to get busy. HT and I find a couple of machines to play. We didn’t win big, at least in the way of cash. But we seem to be growing closer together. As the TV (no pun intended) ad says, “Gambling, $200.00. Two new outfits, $300.00. Falling deeper in love, priceless.”
Neither of us was up for another 4AM session so we head for the room just a bit after 1AM. This has been the best day yet! Sure, I’m sad that it’s over, but grateful for all that I have experienced today… seeing old friends, lots of fun shopping, a most meaningful dinner, and a whole day with the one I love the most. I hope heaven is half as nice.
The first two pictures were taken from the balcony of our room. It's what I wore on Saturday during the day and the evening. Picture 3 is me playing Keno in the casino at the Sahara. The last two pictures show the jewelry we purchased at Du Barry's. How much did it cost? Don't ask!
Next time public transportation, new friends, out of gas, trying something new, and pictures with some people who made our stay in Vegas so much fun! I hope you’re having as much fun reading this as I am having writing about it.