Last night my girlfriend and I had fun attending Out At Odysea, an LGBT event held by Phoenix Pride at Odysea Aquarium in Scottsdale AZ!!!!!
We got a babysitter for a few hours so we left to get something to eat first. I can't dress where I live so I carried everything out in a grocery bag lol My family knows and is ok with me being a crossdresser they just asked to not dress in front of them.
Just like with my family, I spoke in great length with my girlfriend about the things I'm learning from this website. She feels very bad that I have to hide who I really am and she struggles with supporting me yet telling me to not dress up around our kids. It's the same with all of my family. They know they just don't want to see.
I explained to her how I want to go one night to get food in a restaurant while I'm dressed up and then go out after. She agreed. We both agreed however that I needed to find a place that is LGBT friendly and this place was not it.
The restaurant was all you can eat sushi. Every item on the menu. Appetizers, rolls, single items, dessert. Eat as much as you'd like just eat it all. You're charged accordingly to what you waste. It was delicious and a cool place in general.
After dinner in the backseat, I changed into my black velvet skirt, padded bra and sparkly blue striped tank top style shirt. I just painted my toes so I asked her which shoes, cute blue ladies sandals or my black with sparkly silver flip flops. She chose silver due to how much I was sparkling already lol
I commented on how this is the life of a CD lol and she said hey we're going to have fun tonight and dinner was perfect. She's always right.
Once I parked, I started putting on my makeup. All blue everything. My girl waited patiently as I finished then asked if I was going to use foundation. Huh? I have it. She's bought a couple and given me a free one. Ok I'll take the hint lol so I asked her to apply it for me. Once she was done we smoked our cigarettes as we walked towards the entrance.
I had to use the restroom before we got inside and as I started walking towards the men's room, my girlfriend gave me this look of really? no tonight you're coming with me lol that was just an empowering moment for me.
We entered Odysea Aquarium and it was stunning! Everything was lit up in rainbows and the rainbow flag and banner were everywhere! As we purchased tickets the SA informs us the restrooms to his immediate right were dubbed Best In The World. So I went into the men's to see if there was a difference in the two. Before we left later, I checked out the ladies version, same thing.
I spent the last 2 years ridding myself of my phobias of sharks. I was going to THEIR home so it was put up or shut up time. There was a fish tank for one wall. A shark went by. I was fine lol
The whole place was clean and the staff was very friendly. They allowed the employees to fly their pride so it was nice seeing the full spectrum of LGBT in a full life setting. Some staff had a shirt in rainbow stating I'm straight but I do not hate. Yes! They held the drag show and after party dance in front of another shark tank, amazing! The whole place was lights in the tanks but low in the aisles, DJ music from the dance played from every speaker. Very very cool vibe.
We had a sea lion play with us, I had numerous shark encounters, including staring at one in the dark as it approached me and just really really enjoyed the establishment.
For the rest of the night we just laughed, took pics and enjoyed each others company. Any time I had to use the restroom, which is often, she led me into the ladies room. I felt very privileged and humbled. I only got one sideways look all night but hey that's the life of a CD, right?
As we left we asked if we could have a pride flag to the SA that was sweet from the beginning and he said he wasn't sure he'd have to ask. My girl and I are already shy about stuff like that so we said it's ok no trouble and thanked him and walked away. He comes running around the corner a moment later with 2 flags in his hands as he called out hey ladies....... He. Called. Me. A. Lady!!!! I thanked him and called him a sweetheart, my girl and I just love calling people luv hun sugar and such so it's never an issue. I looked at her and said omg he called me a lady to which she responded I knew you'd love that, you deserve it you look very pretty tonight and I wish you could always feel like this.
Wow I needed a night like that. Just wow lol
