Into the Pines Kitchen contains 200 recipes from 100 contributors, including Pines notables Scott Bromley, Gilbert Parker, and Hal Rubinstein. As a nod to bygone days, the book also features a posthumous contribution from John Whyte, one of the Pines' founders. The book includes original photography of the island from Pines artists William Karam, Mark Lonsbury, and Barbara Sahlman. •More About this Book»
"Drag Queens Can Cook-Recipes to Sync Your Lips Around" is a new cookbook, being sold for a tax deductible $25, created by doctors and life partners Rick Byrd, PhD, and Patrick Fratellone, MD, as a benefit for the Elmer A. Lindsay Memorial Medical Center, the Cherry Grove Doctor's Fund. •Read More»
Miss Fire Island 2009-Transformation Perfection: Renée Flaming, Electra & Logan Hardcore Take Top Honors
by Sherri Rase |
photo by Sherri Rase
Miss FI 2009 Renee Flaming
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Cherry Grove celebrated 44 years of transformation perfection on September 12 with the annual gala Miss Fire Island Pageant at the Grove Hotel/Ice Palace. Categories included Miss Fire Island, featuring day wear and evening wear; Ms. Fire Island for the more mature Queen; and Entertainer of the Year, which features the crème de la crème of drag entertainers from, literally, all over the country and all over the world.
I spent the day poolside in weather that was tailor-made for our Queens. While gray clouds and rain rolled over Long Island, cool breezes here furrowed the water and smoothed the brows of the onlookers. The high bright overcast was not too taxing upon fabulous make-up creations, and the brightly colored gowns of the three poolside MCs seemed all the brighter.
The show began with a rousing rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner," sung by Broadway at the Beach producer and vocalist Brandon Cutrell and led by the Color Guard of the Cherry Grove Fire Department. Immediately afterward, MC Ariel Sinclair, gorgeous in her baby doll turquoise sequined gown, brought the reigning Miss Fire Island, the gorgeous and talented Coco Love, to the stage, followed by Miss Fire Island winners from 1968 and 1969 respectively, the gracious Charity and New Orleans girl, Rita George, who then introduced local and national celebrity judges Dr. Joan Curtis, Hugh Hayes AKA Kimberly Turner, Miss FI 2001, Robert Novo, Valerie Perez, Lillias Piro and Miss FI 2000 Viva Sexx, worthies who would judge contestants on style, talent and that certain je ne sais quoi, with Dennis McConkey given the unenviable task of being Tally Judge. Ariel then performed the song then that the straight men were humming all day and even on the boat home-Storm Large's "My Vagina is Eight Miles Wide". One can only imagine!
The field for Miss Fire Island began with day wear and included Regine in a casual slacks and a black floral blouse outfit, Lee Ann Feathers in a luscious spring green flowing gown with coordinating picture hat, Lola Galore bedazzling in her mermaid gown complete with tail, Jo Jo Gerard in a lovely shiraz Capri set with orange floral overskirt, Aurora Stone looking very Krystal Carrington in a '70s inspired flowing robe with feather adornments at collar and cuffs, and Martina Skyy rolling out in an '80s style outfit of black tights, pink blouse and roller skates! That took a lot considering she was rolling onto a runway floating on the Ice Palace pool! Next came the lovely China in a coordinating polka dot mini dress with coordinating accessories, Renée Flaming as our lovely flight attendant who had literally thought of everything, and the lovely Kareema Wheatz in a darling checked mini dress who blew many kisses to the audience.
Entertainer of the Year 2008, Shi-Queeta-Lee, roused the crowd to a fever pitch with her rendition of "We Don't Need Another Hero" as Tina Turner from "Beyond Thunderdome". Holding the crowd in the palm of her hand, Shi-Queeta-Lee knows how to please!
Then the first round of Entertainer of the Year 2009 brought us Heaven in an orange and white robe over a white iridescently-sequined gown with a Charo medley-"Ole!" Hazel Nutt wore tight white jeans(!) and a white jacket and treated us to her rendition of "River Deep Mountain High," while working the entire runway. Finally Julie in her signature Jessica Rabbit-esque siren outfit wondered "Why Don't You Do Right (and give me some money, too)." Madison Mansfield in steampunk drag then brought us both a strip tease and Lady GaGa's "Poker Face." What a beginning! We needed to cool off a bit with a short intermission.
Next, we had Bella, glowing and beautiful in her orange hombre chiffon gown, as Mistress of Ceremonies for the second wave of contestants for Entertainer of the Year. Leading off this round, we had Epiphany, resplendent in a shocking pink gown limned with black to let us know that "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend," then changing from a blonde to a redhead, in a slinky black gown, going from class to crass in one fell swoop, showing us- ahem-"what happens when you wake up in Vegas." Kika Couture, in a bronze spangled dress and wrap, treated us to her salsa-flavored "Fever"-¡ay Caramba! Delfina Best wowed the crowd with her Bette Midler, beginning by "Going to the Chapel" in a white sequined wedding gown, and performing a quick change to a blue sequined patriotic uniform for "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy"-with a surprising costume finish!
Fransacci then asked us to let her entertain us, while she did a literal strip tease, complete with pasties, from her gorgeous black gown with delicate light blue flowers. Logan Hardcore chewed up the runway with her signature splits that had men and women alike going, "that's gotta hurt,", but beauty is pain, and starting her run letting us know "it's not right, but it's okay," she left the crowd roaring for more! Using every inch of the runway, Billy Little began her performance in a beautiful java-feathered robe, then whisked it away to reveal a red sequined gown, the perfect complement to her "Bitch is Back" and "Proud Mary" ("Rollin' on the River") medley. Victoria James came out in her sexy Bauhaus look-with black pageboy hairdo and light purple short nightie and robe, she looked like something out of a naughty German postcard-as she begged the audience, "Don't Tell Mama." The last performer in the second round was the amazing Rebecca Glasscock, who strolled out in her punk dishabille, showing her version of Pink's "Rock Star." Rebecca, expert at working the crowd, gave the second round a big, big finish.
When we returned after a short intermission, MC Porsche took the ramp looking like Buxom Barbie in her fuschsia strapless gown. She presided over the third round, which began with Priscilla Desert singing, live, "Last Dance," dazzling in her bodice made of silk sunflowers that augmented what looked like a vintage '70s jumpsuit. Her headpiece was a floral arrangement and her parasol consisted of a series of ribs with floral décor. Next we had Dallas Dubois initially playing the classic young, dowdy girl coming to New York and transforming into her own dream girl-she "want[s] to be a Rockette!" Dazzling in her Radio City garb, Dallas' kicks went up to the sky. Next was Jason Cozmo as Dolly Parton, doing a medley that included "9 to 5," "Rocky Top," and of course "I Will Always Love You." Dolly is spot-on - you need to see it to believe it! And in a different rendition of "Poker Face," Mirkala Crystal contributed a futuristic mirrored strip tease of her own. What a field! How would the judges ever decide?
Next up, Ms. Fire Island 2008, the dazzling Nikki Starr, took her final walk before Porsche introduced this year's field. Gorgeous in a white beaded body-clinging nearly nude-colored dress, Nikki seemed to float across the pool in white-boa'd elegance. Ms. Fire Island contestants included Ambrosia, in a sunny yellow gown that flashed brilliantly against her coffee skin. Next was Victoria Weston, a legend for her performances and her graciousness, in a Cabernet colored elegant beaded gown. Then blonde and beautiful Ginger Moore in a baby blue satin gown with white boa wafted serenely across the pool. Finally, afternoon becomes Electra when she took her walk, Titian hair and a gold and black beaded gown hearkening back to Mae West. Again, glad I was not be a judge!
The afternoon was drawing to a close and, while sun sparkled briefly through the high cloud cover from time to time, billowing dark grey rain clouds marched across Long Island over the Great South Bay. After the Ms. Fire Island contestants did their promenade, the great Garbo, Miss FI 1979, took her 30th Anniversary walk. Then, came the final round-Miss Fire Island contestants in evening wear!
Leading off once again was Regine, in a basic sparkly black strapless sweetheart neckline number with a slit lined with black chiffon ruffles to a bit above her knee-classic! Next came Lee Ann Feathers in a gamine pale lilac with silver accent on top with ruffles that had men and women alike on the edge of their seats-would it fall in the pool?!? Wait! She removes the outer dress to reveal a lithe, slender silver sparkle strapless dress with a beautiful top detail-again, classic and classy! Lola Galore was resplendent in her turquoise hand-beaded gown, looking like a Hollywood red carpet habitué. Next was Jo Jo Gerard, in a strapless merlot-colored gown, with a coordinating large print draped sleeve detail-sexy, while not revealing. She knows how to keep the mystery! Then Aurora Stone strode out in regal purple velvet with contrasting lavender feathers framing cuffs and face with a smile that's any Queen's best accessory. Martina Skyy had a jewel-toned hombre gown, with jeweled asymmetrical details, that hugged her figure like it was in love with her, the patterns of the fabric artfully draped to make the most of the view. China showed her showgirl roots with a cleverly beaded, somewhat revealing flesh-tone dress with perfectly beaded and perfectly placed floral designs accentuating her charms, all accented by a large jeweled pectoral-type collar that was like a museum piece. Blush colored feathers augmented her robes. Next, Renée Flaming had a classic Barbie-style dress-matte black accented with mint green satin-looking like Brunette Barbie. Kareema Wheatz was just delectable in a smooth pink halter gown revealing beautiful shoulders with the pink in the dress giving way to a sherbet orange on the border of the draping. All of our Queens are lovely, but which one to choose?
While the judges made their final decisions and tallies, Charity strutted her stuff to demonstrate how she's "Big Blonde and Beautiful" and we believed every word. And then, our three MCs and Brandon Cutrell, who would sing Johnny Savoy's "Miss Fire Island" anthem to the top winner, assembled the bevy of beauties all along the wings of the main Ice Palace Stage for the awards we were all waiting for! Here's the final grouping: Sponsors' Awards, from Coors Light, Absolut and more, went to Delfina Best, Heaven, Jason Cozmo and Rebecca Glasscock. The Judges' Award went to Epiphany. Most Popular went to Dallas Dubois and the highly coveted Entertainer of the Year, to the amazing Logan Hardcore.
The anticipation was building as the weather was lowering and the fog gathered and then we learned that the new Miss Ice Palace, second runner-up to Miss Fire Island, was Lee Ann Feathers, Miss Cherry Grove, the first runner-up, was our own Martina Skyy, Ms. Cherry Grove, runner-up to Ms. Fire Island, is the lovely Victoria Weston, Ms. Fire Island is the electrifying Electra, and Miss Fire Island is none other than Renée Flaming! What a glorious day, filled with great entertainment, three intermissions, two bridal parties and one helluva good time. If you missed this, there will be a DVD available soon and it's not too early to reserve your seats for Miss Fire Island 2010! Many thanks to Wendy Lewis, Sal Piro, DJ Chuck McTague, Carlos and the entire security force and staff at the Ice Palace for making the day safe and happy for all.
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