Lets see y’alls maneuver this big bobble head at the end of the night. Yeah I don’t care, love being a bit of a ham. Life is about fun.
These are going backward it’s the only way I can save my sanity and get through covering the madness of this event.
RSSR looked at this picture and was like, “Why?” it blew my mind he didn’t know why? “WHY!?” It’s all red matching omfg is WHY!”
The last room where anything was happening at the end of the night, meaning, the only dance party WITH A BAR OPEN. Can you smell the desperation? (Mine?) Lol.
This was a weird conversation and I don’t remember any of it.
That’s my hand. Awkward. This is the smoking area of Theatre Bizarre.
Do you know why masks are creepy? I read somewhere it’s because they are lifelike, but not and we start to engage with the mask, knowing altruistically it’s false human contact and barriered but we’re drawn to it still. Whatever!
Roxi D’lite killed it. She’s phenomenal. A great friend of my great friends. So great!
Lizzy’s awesome bangle.
One of my favourite costumes.
He’s asking if he can pick me up and balance me I’m like no chance bro I have been on a horse before I know how this ends. Maybe if we were in a pool together. Maybe.
That chick rubbed her foot on my shoulder as he was talking to me and now it’s like my favourite thing in the world. Have you ever had a bare foot tap you on the shoulder before? Go ask someone to do it to you but make sure their foot is covered in gymnast chalk first.
I asked if he was uncle Fester? By way of, “Addam’s Family, that guy?” Whatever I said I was wrong and I don’t remember the answer and it’s a girl beneath this cloak which befuddled me cos I am sexist like that. Befuddled!
What’s my mask count at now?
Roxi the renowned burlesque dancer is reason enough to brag here but the top hat guy is Theatre Bizarre creator, man behind the curtains and oh so umble about it blabbitry blah. I guess it’s like patient Zero for Burning Man. Those who know, know, basically. Nobody really applauds anyone for anything in Toronto so I don’t mind fangirling artists, my muses. My blog is basically my diary anyway (and sponsored by Bud Light).
A moment. Yes yes. Raymbo’s always gotta be in there eh.
What am I talking about? Probably nothing at all, which is the way to charm people who “are important”. It has taken me 32 years to figure this out.
My friend told me yesterday I was getting better looking with age and that it was weird. HAHAH Thanks buddy.
If you say you are from Canada you can do anything you want. Hall Pass! Do the mashed potato in the middle of someone’s conversation… lick a girl’s face as seen above. Anything and it’s yours.
I see, I see. This is the lanyard of someone who is scary as well as breathtakingly smart and makes taxidermy animal installations. Lots of prodigies milling about the grounds of the Masonic Temple.
Like this guy. So much went into this party. Sorry you missed it?
It’s very Tim Burton. My fav.
Year of the goat, bro. Plus another mask.
@destroyxbeauty is my Detroit photographer fyi in case that wasn’t clear. When a collab clicks you squeeze all you can out of that shit.
Pumpkin man is my fav.
As you can see we went down to the green room a lot. Lots of equipment gear and other nonsense down there.
More goat. Roxi came in riding that. It was amazing.
Oh hello there Mad Maxine. I’m scared and I like it.
Well hello there.
You know I love to strike a good pose.
Or, two.
Love it. Lizzy got to help volunteer the night before and deck out the Temple. Everybody pitches in. No divas. All equal. The only person who tried to get all things free was from Toronto. Of course. SMH. Sounds a lot like me though to be honest LOL.
Another picture from my travels but not particular to Theatre Bizarre but why not.
Me and David Bowie. I’m striking a Labyrinth pose myself and turned out to twin him, no? YES!
On our way out.
Thanks to the power of hashtags I have found all of these people in my photos for the most part. Ya hear that? Hashtags work.
An idea came to me in the shower.
Zombo is the mascot of Theatre Bizarre. Hail Zombo! That’s what you say when you see him. Lizzy yelled it out. So much weird going on at all times and I had a backstage pass to it.
6’7 kevin and I. He’s a famous Detroit instagrammer. He said VICE interviewed him the day before. I wasn’t jealous at all. Nope. Not me.
I WOKE UP LIKE THIS.
Planking. Peace til next time. There’s more. Which requires downloading uploading etc xo rlw
The captured moment I did the jazz splits on a huge pile of pumpkins and made “a happening” and a hot sexy bondage Nun prayed for my sins, to me while a very happy female Where’s Waldo watched on. Time of my liiiife! Be friends with filmmakers, here’s why.
Ready to see and hear things you’ve not before? Theatre Bizarre is a huge 2 day affair masquerade ball gala (Friday night) and then it is open to the general public Saturday night where you do it all again. Saturday night’s theme was Year of The Goat. You HAD to wear a mask for Friday night otherwise no entry. It was nice to be VIPlease as usual and also have green room access. The Masonic Temple is a maze (actually world’s largest Masonic Temple in the world) and having a home base for all your junk really helps make the night if you’re an insufferable diva. This is the director of costumes and I. I made sure she liked me and this is how the deal was sealed.
This post is overwhelming me. I’m under the gun and there is just so much to say and share as well as process, reflect. I’ve been a bit of a fuck and chucker. Do it, dont blog it. I blog more and have in the past because I felt largely unfilled (bored) by real life and now I’m fulfilled, I do not blog. I tweet and facebook share a lot but I am so behind. I wish I was a brooklyn vegan type blogger. I did actually do a Big Raymi Toronto post before I came to Detroit however. There’s that. I just do a lot of shit, etc. This will be a two part post and that’s that.
After seeing the movie eyes wide shut and being a lifelong hedonistic waste of space, this sort of affair was just my flavour. I saw sacrificial sex shows, altairs, girls being all kinds of thinged on a pedestal with guys in monk robes sitting in thrones silently watching it was super arousing and the best time ever. Frenzied, gorgeous, have you been to a kinky seedy swingers club before? Well it is 500% better and classier than that. When I met my friends they told me Theatre Bizarre was on the horizon and I was like yeah I have heard of Burning Man before I get it bla blah. It’s nice to be a lover and not a hater all I am saying and you heard it here first just you wait. Next year it’s going to be a double weekend affair. You sleep in the asylum if you need to and you don’t have to leave this insane circus game of thrones sex castle bubble.
Lizzy and I prepare for night one. I’ll upload pics from my phone when I am back in Canada. An instagram celeb named good signman Kevin was en route to say howdy pre-TB and drove us there with Terry. They are amazing hippies. omg I have friends in Detroit you guys!
A need to see back shot for my Lizzy and that’s the Kevin guy as previously mentioned he is 6’7 Kevin it rhymes.
That masquerade ball line-up tho. It gave me goosebumps.
Fire performers. I got chills. Remember the scene in Batman when Nicholson Joker shows up and they’re at that ball you could feel the crazy in the air the excitment the pop colour. Lizzy says Theatre Bizarre is like being on a film set and it is because there are actors there. The tickets are not cheap. It’s a luxurious affair.
Something is going on at all times at every minute in every amazing room.
This is a main hall when we first arrived I was clicking pictures like mad because I knew I’d eventually be unable to do so and have my camera down below etc etc etc get them now bro. Go with your heart bro it is always worth it because you notice things you could not while in the throes of it. Wear flats btw as you know I did. You will be on foot quite a bit.
I was basically a victorian Satan. I had many mask changes through the night. Lizzy was her Mad Max Romanian Witch self. We matched as an oddball couple the second night.
Still in the main hall.
For masquerade ball night it was open bar. We met these light up hat chicks later on in the ladies room. L and I were singing a florence and the machine song like ding dongs while fixing ourselves in the mirror.
This one is mostly about the painting behind me FYI.
I’ll clean this post up proper later on.
Redge the ledge.
This became a vestibule of the most colourful characters throughout the night. Hitler Mickey Mouse, Zombo the clown (Theatre Bizarre mascot #hailzombo) and anyway I gotta split and hang with my Detroit Fam one more time before the train so tootle-ooh see you soon 416.
Hello guys its been awhile. Been busy. I’m going to do a massive blog spread here tomorrow I frigging promise.
At the end of the first night of Theatre Bizarre. No wait this is second night cos it’s my second look. Anyway, we was fongry. This is Duly’s diner in Detroit. It is interesting to note that the entire place seems to have cleared out upon our arrival.
Once a ding dong always one.
I’m actually quite looking forward to blogging about my Theatre Bizarre experiences and the lovely people that I met. I am grateful and fortunate it’s still a relatively underground party before the whole world really knows about this amazing experience. Enough already do know about it. It’s over 15 years old just like this blog. Kismet.
Like how I did my leg paint? Yes me too. Last minute addition. Lizzy has this neon paint compact it’s killer and we put a dent in it. This medieval bodice is also hers and just arrived in the mail. Great taste boo.
Calf muscle you betcha.
What would you even call this costume? Mad Max Madhatter blade runner? Nokay?
A motley crew we are, that.
Artists making art.
I woke up like this. Shoulda seen Lizzy, oh man, black paint everywhere.
The greatest thinker of your time.
I even cleaned the sink myself easy peazy. Okay peace for meow.
Hello there blog world. What to say, what to do today. My last day in Detroit. Was supposed to leave yesterday but you know how she goes. Once you’re here you’re here.
This is an MC5 mural by Robert Sestok they’re a band from Detroit. Legends. I saw their doc during film fest when I was 19 years old and was kind of blown the fuck away. They were in the audience too and all stood up afterward and shyly shot the shit. I was dating the Spaniard at the time, uber music elitist that he was and we were separated in our seats, the theatre was packed and it was one of those super theatres at the Varsity cinemas or maybe I am making the room larger in my memory based on the experience alone. Anywho. It’s neat to be here and see this mural and like a dingaling be like, ya I know what’s up.. I got hella more pics of my journey here this trip but it will have to wait til I am back in Toronto cos I ain’t uploading from here also for some reason my instagram doesn’t push to my flick anymore like it should I bet I had to reconfirm the app sync whatever.
We went to comedy at Baker’s lounge and it “was everything”. As the only whities in there it was especially surreal. It completely changes your perspective on political correctness, like absolutely throws whatever I had left of it out the window. If I can take it then I can take it. Makes you feel fearless. People have been horrible enough to me and my life is difficult enough that I really do not care what you think about me or say, cos it has all been done. Toronto is a vaccuum for people like this. Y’all muthafuckers couldn’t handle 8 mile road. Just kidding. The point is I am allowed to fangirl myself, my life, the things I experience. If other people can’t be happy for me, they can just keep being miserable then.
My friends have been rehearsing for an upcoming gig and they have Janin in from Romania while I’m here we’re so bohemian like that. He’s a solid producer, lights, sound, all of that and I am not even going to pretend to talk like I know anything about this shit (although I kinda do) but it has been great to see Konqistador up close and personal. Lizzy is other worldly when she performs. So many times when we are hanging I’m like who are these people, how is this real, and why am I here.
I’m missing the show cos I’m coming back again for a thing next weekend. I’m working this Friday at the pub, DJ Misty is playing it’s going to be intense and yes this is another read between the lines moments, you should roll on by.
Love the smoke break crew. I have a collection of photos of these guys spanning the few times I have been here. They keep me humble and real. The struggle is real. Okay it’s sandwich time smell ya later. I’ll be writing more in-length about Detroit someday soon. It is hot right now. Like. The place is hot. I just have so much to say! Til next time, your pal Raymi.
Hola el duderinos. Follow me and you will see a world of pure imagination!
So sorry if you can’t handle how greasy my hair is I mean, how sexy I am. Bet you didn’t know you loved skids til before today. No judging. The heart wants what it wants.
Last week we went kayaking! It took a bit of cajoling to get me to go because I was totally overwhelmed by my life/schedule however, I am SO incredibly glad and grateful that I went.
Here is an excellent post about our trip last week Rob did: Kayaking the Madawska River, Exploring the Opeongo Road. You can stay here and enjoy MY style sequence of events though, I just uploaded 41 pictures so if you don’t I super hate you.
I had a great time sunbathing by myself, daydreaming, sleeping, listening to Lana Del Rey on the dock such pure zen.
It was just so much win, I died and was resurrected again. I paced in circles. I combed the compound. I crushed some brews, still party from the TIFF party the night before no sleep it was epiiiic.
That doggy had slobber dripping from his stupid smile it was just too much. Someone on Facebook goes, I hear banjos. We got lost on way there and on way out. Meh.
What a ding dong. You love it.
Love it.
We were there for two reasons, Kayak Fishing Magazine (Rob did a talk) and we also had that fish finder device to test out and kayaking the 23 degree Madawaska river too which I got to do solo cos Rob was too beat from driving he just let the current take him and floated away from me LOLOLLLLLL I was like peace. I did the whole stretch of the river up and back down again alone with my thoughts. I loved the view of the trees which reminded me of my Canadian childhood up north listening to Joshua Tree in our Mazda. The trees were still green which was a marvel to me. As I drifted and watched the lone cars and trucks, each passing along the highway splicing through tree openings, it affected me because I am one who gets affected by things that remind me of things. I paddled over to this lonely lawn chair that some old goat likely spent the summer on no doubt watching the water pass by. I kayaked over toward it through lily pads hoping he would come out to greet me. A lot of abandoned homesteads and cottages, gorgeous vantages and moments of life set on pause. I did not take one photo of any of these moments it was purely for me. I was getting a major tan too. I looked down, taking in the sculpted physique and cut of my upper arms, going yes, yes yes with each paddle, each stroke. Then I’d lean back, enjoying the rest and the current taking or fighting me. It was joy. I fantasized about shit. Staring at rock faces, pine trees. What if something happens to me? I don’t have a life vest, a phone, I drank all my beer. Lol. I wrote a nice anecdote on my FB about this at the time the moment I got out of my kayak. The water was golden, the sun created this loner planet lake of fire and I paddled silently through it in circles, maneuvering my amateur hour into novice, am I saying this right? the water dappled, the driplets drippled I needed to tell everyone immediately. I wished I was in a romance novel lovesick for all that glowed around me.
Okay there ya go.
So incredibly early in the morning here.
Do you remember the raft by Steven King?
Oh here we go.
Oh no my contact lens. jk. I’m perfs I don’t need them.
That’s it I am screening Dazed & Confused before it starts snowing and I kill myself from autumn emo.
Love this so much walked through it barefoot it was kind of disgusting.
Jump right in baby.
If you’re ever going to be left alone this is the place for it to be. I felt like I was in heaven. No sounds. Just me and the loud silence.
Lying on bed blanket with pillows outdoors like bed was a floating outdoors was not lost on me it was fantastic especially since the blue velour was heated by the sun it was almost Raymographic.
Cottage mansion.
Lip piercing hole on fleek.
I saw this guy peeking out of the forest. Hello there eccentric friend.
Beautiful place full of great people.
Baby cup came too.
A feast a feast.
Spectacular.
That’s the mag! Get it. Rapids. kayaks. Hyuk.
Could you imagine this. 8 in the morning you are barely awake. A must-do.
Too legit to quit.
It’s never too early for a black panthers salute idgaf.
St. Anns does not f around. Creepy candleholders. Pilgrimage and shit. We drove through the town two days before the triple murder, town called Doymount. Of course we did ughhh O_O!
We were lost, basically in Quebec. Everything was abandoned here. In short it was scary AF.
From Massachusetts of course. Dated a guy from Amherst, also lived in Maine and visited all over New England so I can make jokes like that. Go Pats!
And that, is all I have to say about that.
Thanks for watching and for havin’ us. xo the great rlw much obliged.
Oh me oh my, hello there little ding dongs of the world are you happy? Are you sad? Do you want to talk about it? You know I’m always here right, like, always. Like fifteen years always. You get that by now though, right?
Okay lets look at a bunch of pictures of me and stuff pertaining also, to me until I run out of gas and need to check out gawker or make dinner or something (I wrote this last night obviously then gave up). Oh thank goodness I just remembered my champagne was in the freezer before the bottle exploded, phewf.
Hi it’s Friday now. I have been struggling to blog all morning. Since ten. I think I might try ADD medication. A friend I know takes it and she is super productive and organized so like, get me some of that. The less you blog, or write, the more you think and the more you think, the crazier you become. The more you do and the less balance there is just makes everything seem like a mess. To me it’s organized chaos. I don’t owe anyone anything. I don’t have to explain all of the time. Blog, essentially. Although I feel guilty about it. About not being a writer when I’m a writer. I’m in that creative lull. I’m being creative elsewhere. My TO DO list overwhelms me.
What I’m trying to say is, when I was in Detroit smoking in the window looking at the brick building next door, listening to the wind blowing the trees, to my music, to the sounds of the sign factory workers and the pang felt from the noise of passing trains, the haunt of the locomotive whistle and my impending departure.
I just want to write more about those moments, the minutiae. Honour all of it. I don’t want to be a tortured writer anymore who is like, “I am writing a book.” I don’t even know what I want. I know I want to live in LA, waste a month on a beach in Bali, basically do nothing and everything for my entire life and be terribly dramatic! I think a lot of creatives feel like they are never creating enough. The ideas we have far outweigh completing them unless you are Warhol. I need more bodies.
I am happy to be in a space where I can genuinely, safely, wholeheartedly say that I do not give one iota of a fuck anymore. About who I am. Making excuses for it. Worrying about the outcomes of things. It’s pretty obvious that my life is “moving on”. So much change this summer. I’m not afraid of saying “yes” anymore. I am proactive. I am blazing trails and I do not answer to anybody. If someone disagrees with the “edgy” I go ahead and do it anyway and receive the response I knew that I would. For someone who has always made waves why so surprised when I continue to do so?
Detroit is the new black existed for awhile. Was copied. I saw a Toronto vs Everybody shirt yesterday in liberty village on some guy. Also stolen from Detroit’s label Detroit vs everybody. Safe to say Detroit is hot right now. Taking the train to Windsor then driving over the border is so super easy. Quicker than to NYC. You can’t not flood Detroit now, knowing this.
I was glad to get a break from the train though. At least for one way. The Detroit ding dongs came in to hang while I bartended The Old Laurel then we drove the next day. I do like to eat and drink and be waited on while I travel though. FYI working at The Old Laurel tonight. Read between the lines, you do not want to miss out.
Jesus. As big as my head. We hit Taco Bell a few stops later HAHA.
Samy and I. No idea how to spell it but it 100% rhymes with Raymi. He is awesome. Our door guy. Can’t wait to see what he is wearing tonight.
This is a medley post. A blend. It’s like awesome wine and crappy wine. Got my hair did finally to the collective sighs of relief from every single hair stylist who ever looks at me. You’re mean and catty and you do not at all hurt my feelings. You benefit from the fruits of my labours of growing that ratty ass shit out like a weed. Mi gone mi dun with you. Joking. See you next week.
There will always be that skidly jokey tomboy side to me. Always. It’s the time of transgender so yeah. #justifications #always.
Then I do this look.
I am getting sick of talking about myself right now, believe it or not. Why do I have to write my own fan club copy this is bullshit. Speaking of how hilarious I am, I am building a stand-up set in my dreams. Maybe I should do it in Detroit! Yep I’m gunna. Make goals then destroy them.
This was treated to look more messed up than I was. But yeah we definitely gaver the night before not gonna lie. People on ello were like, Get well soon. LOLLLLLLL
Speaking of ELLO! If you’re ever in a bind jonesing for something to do, check out my ello! https://ello.co/raymitheminx/ I’m almost at 8k followers so I think I know what I am doing over there.
We are going to do another video for Konqistador‘s new song. I have to be darker in it. Less Planter’s peanut mascot. I was just doodling around and apparently “not listening” “to direction”. We still got something good tho bro. They’re big in Istanbul. You what that means? I am big in Istanbul. (My future fantasies tell me so).
That’s Jim Diamond’s diamond. I met him. He’s a producer. He did the White Stripes first two albums. That’s amazing! I saw the WS when I was 19 at the Warehouse. I don’t think it was Koolhaus yet. I just moved to Toronto. It was the first time I rode my bike from Little Italy down there to the venue. Great times.
I love playing dress-up and have been searching for people like these two my entire life to collaborate with I don’t know why this didn’t happen sooner but it is so happening.
Lizzy did great makeup. I could pull an all nighter and she would make me look like Cinderella. Oh wait I did pull an all nighter. I looked like Cinderhella. Compromise. Correct.
The night we got into town we went to Doc’s for drinks and watched a flick. I have never met anyone as passionate about the movie The Professional as myself before and we talked for an hour about it rewinding scenes over and over again and had a photoshoot or two. Drank Absinthe. It was killer. I forgot about my penchant for marionette puppetry. Doc’s place is a wonderland of eccentricities, studio props, outfits. He has a lot of candy. Mini donuts. Sour candies. Ate so much garbage on Saturday it was great and out of control.
Totally.
The next night we did this.
They’re putting in streetcars. I was like, why?? Cool I guess. Because there is no public transportation in Detroit.
Slowly accepting fall. Don’t even get me started on the ding dong standing next to me here.
We strolled to Whole Foods to get Champagne after brunch, Lizzy and I. It was a nice day.
We posed our way there.
Sometimes I get an LL Cool J complex. Yes he is kinda cheesy. But sexy. Just please ignore what I am saying from this part forward thank you.
All joking aside, vegan restaurants have killer food. Plus champagne. Amazing patio and people to watch. Dreamy. That’s a pesto pizza sandwich. The other plate i just poured directly into my mouth.
I killed two wasps. The first death was a loud slam bam on the table and this cute girl goes, did you get it when I looked at her and I felt like such a boss. My fav person on the patio was this Tim Burtonesque goth chick in the corner she was totally goths at the beach. Best. Do not ever think that I am a hater. I am a lover and an appreciator. Amen sistah. I also liked when the kitchen guy came out and gave the wasp girl a potato that he wrote YOU SUCK on and she goes are you serious, “you suck?” Happy as hell. Vegans! Am I right??
Embracing bit of my excellent high shoes lately. Tall like a giraffe or a gazelle.
I feel like Austin when I wear this top hat. Heart him. #BB174EVR.
It’s his Judas hat. He has a degree in romantic..something, plus he’s a wrestler covered in a tattoo that is essentially just tree roots on acid are you kidding me!!!? I’d climb him like a tree.
Another cowgirl one. There’s a lot of material to work with/share.
I’m an Aries. Aries is a Ram. Did you know that? I am not an astrology headcase so don’t get me going.
Adios! T G I F.
Remind me to tell you about this place. It’s called Northern Lights Lounge. Diana Ross did her makeup in the bathroom there. I have more pics. Til next time.
