Sparkle 2017

• Posted by Pauline Smith July 13, 2017 Filed in Member's Blogs #sparkle  #  1,493 views
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  I had intended to write this earlier this week, whilst the happy memories were still there; but I have had to work this week so I have not had very much free time really.

   

  Sparkle 2017 was in my view the best ever, there were minor glitches but the weather was dry and sunny without being too hot, which meant nothing got rained off, like last year when the Saturday was a disaster.

   

  There are now so many different events during Sparkle, plus the Manchester International Festival was on - which means there are lots of things were happening outside of the Village.  I booked my hotel last August and even though I live in Greater MCR its easier to go to events if you only have to walk or stagger back to the hotel after imbibing too much!!

   

  This is what my Sparkle was like.

   

  I arrived mid afternoon Thursday after a taxi ride...this year I had so many outfits I needed 2 cases and 2 bags!!! Thursday evening I met up my 3 oldest friends at Via at 6pm for drinks and then we headed for the Northern Quarter where we had a super meal in a tapas place.

  

   

  And we had a pleasant walk back across the renovated Piccadilly Gardens for a final drink and then back to our hotels

   

  

   

  Friday Jo (Jo is the blonde with the fabulous teeth) and I had organised a series of make up makeovers at Boots Market Street, with Jess the manager of the No7  cosmetics range. For all of you please be aware that Boots are very pro trans and will do a makeover in private if you ask - they start by using a device for checking which foundation shade suits your skin. The makeovers were all in Boot's training centre above the store - so none of the 12 ladies being made over were madeover in public.

   

  I went along for the first session where Jo was finding out how to achieve a daytime look...and there were 5 other ladies there being made up on an individual basis. It was so lovely to see so many happy smiling faces - both the Boots ladies and the special ladies....and we all got a red rose!!

   

  Jo and I had brunch in the Koffee Pot, which now has 22 bees on the outside as a mural...in remembrance of the people murdered at the Arena. And then we went back to check out the afternoon session as someone very special to me - Gillian - was having her first ever trip out and a makeover. As with the morning it was very emotional and lots of happy ladies again.

   

  Here is a photo of Gillian and I in the evening at Velvet where there were 8 of us for cocktails and dinner. So only 2 changes of clothes on Friday.

  

   

  We meet as group of 5-6 girlies every Sparkle and we also meet again in late November or early December for a pre-Xmas dinner, and we either hunt for Santa's sack or his elves....not sure what the Hunt will be for this year. Here are a few photos of us enjoying our evening at Velvet

   

  

   

   

  

   

   

  

   

  And after dining we went to Napoleons so that some of us could dance; dancing has never been my forte or high up my wish list so I didnt stay long.

   

  Saturday is when Sparkle officially kicks off - at 12 noon, which means the Village is very quiet in the morning. I had to buy some cosmetics and Gillian and I had coffee in the Goose - everywhere else was closed. The small goose in the window has different knitted outfits all year around, Sparkle weekend it was in rainbow colours. As 5 of us were going to Sparkle tea at Velvet in the afternoon (2 pm) I went back to the hotel and changed into my "tea" outfit (see below the vision in purple)

  

   

  We met in Sackville Gardens (see photo) and enjoyed a few chats and I had a late lunch as my diet means I cannot eat cakes!!!. And then off to Velvet (sadly no pix of the fab food or the gathering)....it was really scrummy with a peach cocktail and then finger sandwiches and lots of small cakes, and even strawberries dipped in dark chocolate - served with tea. All very elegant.

   

  Back to the park for a while and then return to the hotel to get changed for the Sparkle Ball. We all met at the Goose, as its a short walk to the Mercure Hotel where the ball was taking place. I cannot find the official photo of all of us so have shown 3 of us in the reception area of the gathering.

  

  I have to say this was for me my least enjoyable time at Sparkle. It was too much like a "bubble" for me, in a room with 250 other transwomen..plus I don't like dancing (so i was the bag watcher for our group for most of the evening). The food was very ho hum - chicken or salmon was fine...but only potatoes or rice...no vegetables and no sauce or gravy. And the salad was served with tuna ....a weird choice of food.

  Here is yours truly with her plate...we were on the next table to the buffet!!

   

  

  As we could only buy wine by the bottle we all seemed to overindulge so I woke up Sunday morning with a thumping head, only to remember that Jules and I had agreed to go the Sparkle in the Cathedral service at 10.30

   

  

   

  Sunday morning arrived all too soon and even though I was up a 8 am it took me ages to pack as I had to check out at lunchtime latest, and though I could leave all my bags at the hotel it was 10.25 by the time I checked out. So a quick taxi ride across MCR meant I was at the cathedral for 10.35, luckily all I missed was the opening stuff. I guess out of about 150 people there were probably 15 trans people; it was a moving service ( both Julie and I got emotional) and the first time I have ever taken communion as Pauline. Talking to the Dean afterwards he said there were more of us than last year, and it seems the Church of England is becoming inclusive for our community.

   

  And that was really it, though I did pay a visit to the LGBT Foundation - who had been busy on Saturday in their building and also in the park. And then home - to put up my aching feet and enjoy a large gin and tonic.

   

  It was for me the best Sparkle I have ever been to; my first one was 2009. It has grown from a small one day event to 2 full days. If you can put it in your diary for 2018 - it is a key event for the trans community.

   

  hugs

   

  Pauline xxx