Dear Constant Reader,
On Wednesday we performed at the Sand Bar in Oak Bluffs as part of their Full Moon party. We were only on the Vineyard for about 18 hours, but they were terrific ones.
We arrived by ferry in the late afternoon and unloaded our trunk of costumes at the venue — fortunately very close to the ferry dock, because of the aforementioned trunk of costumes. Figured out where we were going to perform (indoors or out) over a delicious dinner. They’re supposed to have the best sushi on the Vineyard. Betty & Devora thought it was rather amazing. Scratch and I were more traditional with a lobster roll and crab cakes, respectively.
Then went to the hotel to rest before the show. Our contact at Red Bull had booked us into the Wesley Hotel. I had seen the building from the ferry and fantasized that it was our hotel, but knew we couldn’t get that lucky. But no, we did. I should have known from the sign that I was expected to stay there. 
The show was what I think of as a typical bar show: less than optimal performance space with less than optimal lighting, using the manager’s office as a dressing room, &c. But we’re used to that and made the best of what we had.
Our first set was classic burlesque. Devora danced to “Blue Prelude” with her new blue boa (which she named Grover), Betty performed to “Night Train”, her standard, and I did a fan dance to “Harlem Nocturne”, my standard.
Then we changed both costumes and mood for the second set, a sampling from The Wrathskellar. I started with Mackie Messer. Devora and Scratch did Creepy Doll, and Betty performed her Knife Dance.
A photographer from a local magazine was snapping away and said it was the best show he’d seen. The manager seemed pleased, so maybe the bar will book us again. We’d love to come back.
We were staying on the edge of the Campground and in the morning I strolled around taking pictures of the fabulously painted gingerbread cottages. Each one was wonderful — the use of color, ornate woodwork trim, architectural details. I was inspired to embellish Stately Babydoll Manor just a little bit more. While not of the same vintage as these, it’s still technically a Victorian house.
After a nice breakfast, we had just enough time for a ride on Flying Horses Carousel, the oldest carousel in America. It’s quite beautiful and relatively recently restored. The horses don’t go up and down, but you do get to try for the brass ring! I was so excited since I thought there were no carousels left with rings.
Every time you go around, you can try for a ring, which are just ordinary metal, held in a wooden arm. There’s one arm for the outside horses and one for the inside horses. There’s a spike sticking up out of the horse’s head on which to stack them. During the last round, they announce that the brass ring is in the mix. And I got it!
We didn’t have time for my free ride, but that was okay. Really, just getting the ring was a huge thrill and the ride would have been a little anticlimactic. I bought a souvenir brass ring instead. It makes me smile every time I see it.
On my way out, one of the carousel attendants politely asked if I was a burlesque performer. He’d seen me, not at the Sand Bar the night before, but at The Devil’s Carnival in Boston. Fame!
Another smooth and quick ferry ride back and our whirlwind trip was over.
Oh, The Glamourous Life! 
