Sparkle 2011

• Posted by Pauline Smith July 10, 2011 2,322 views
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  Just some personal thoughts on Sparkle 2011 which Friday nights rain didn't spoil in any way, and the sun came out on Saturday as did so many of our friends and lots of visitors too.  Have to say it was a supadupa weekend with lots of woohoo moments.

   

  Friday night started with me taxiing in from chez P in Salford to meet my friend Marianne at the Britannia and then walking round to the Place to Beckie C's for a private party - we had to go via Tesco Express to pick up some wine.  No one looked at us in our finery - a common sight in that part of Manchester most Friday nights - not just Sparkle weekend. The rain was a constant so I had made in advance the decision to wear boots (practical girl if not pretty), easier to walk in too than court shoes. Marianne has made a short video of the event - which should be posted later in the week (dear readers we hope but you never know as the girl doing the filming took several shots of the wall and the floor !!!!).  For a Beckie do it was very low key and private - just her close London friends and few others - including Paula, the very glamorous Mrs C and an extremely tall German girl, plus of course M et moi.  The odd glass or two of various beverages were consumed between about 8.30 and 10ish - and then we set off to visit the various hostelries on Canal street - with our wigs protected by brollies.

   

  Marianne and I lost the BC group at some stage but consoled ourselves with trying different places like Via and Naps for liquid refreshment and lots of chat with other girls and guys...and just having fun.  I headed back to the hills of Salford with a friendly mini cab in the early hours with the windscreen wipers swishing away - though Marianne continued to party at a wedding at the Britannia till 4 am.

   

  Saturday - I managed to get up at 9.30 and had a huge mug of tea to come to and decide what to wear for the day...and then the evening.  Around 3 ish taxied in again to meet Marianne in the park - simple summer skirt and top with flat shoes (all that wet grass). The park was pulsating with lots of stalls - Dee Selecta to Beaumont to Labour Party - plus some food and drink stalls and live music.  It was busy but not mobbed, so space enough to stand and move around.  We saw an stunning girl in a red and white polka dot outfit (very 1950s with a bolero top and dress with a circle skirt) - M took pix  - hopefully we will have fotos of this event too very soon.  Played telephone tag with Julie H - but no actual contact made.  Later we strolled down Canal Street - thronged with an eclectic mix of girls and all sorts - and met Amy and a group of her friends outside Velvet. Here we had some liquid sustenance - rose wine for me + a Stella for M - and watched the world go by and had some chat.   Lots of chatting with us two....smile.  Then around 6 - found a friendly mini cab and back to Salford for food, a welcome shower and a change of outfit.

   

  Saturday evening - its 8.15 with yours truly in a turquoise maxi dress + gladiator sandals - outside Paddys Goose waiting for M.  Paddys was full so we went round the corner to sit outside Via - we found the last table in the street (a deffo woohoo momento).  Lots of pluses - M could smoke, we both could drink and chat and watch world go by ....lots of hen parties (how unusual!!!).  By about 10.30 it was getting a but nippy round the bippies so we went inside - to the upstairs karaoke bar.  Julie H had been playing phone tag all night...we kept missing each other shades of Scarlet Pimpernel crossed with the Blues Brothers...and when we were on our 2nd drink there there was an announcement from the Drag DJ - is there a Pauline in the house.  Ten men stood up claiming to be me - but yours truly managed to find Julie, Mrs J and the delectable Barbarella. So now we were 5 .....but music was getting louder so around 11.15 we moved to Naps....to see if they had an liquid refreshments.

   

  The queue for the ladies was so long that this writer used the mens -one of the pluses of being a T girl. When I came back to meet the others there was a group of Yorkshire trannys + partners and Kelly (who had an asthma attack - but is OK now) + Mrs K.  After some more imbibing it was time for this girl to get into her pumpkin coach and head back to chez P. The two days of fun were over. But as the taxi driver said as we left the Village at 12 ish the area is full of people still...the weather makes such a big difference....and everyone seems to be having fun.

   

  Thats my recollections of a wonderful weekend. I met some old friends, made some new ones and met without exception wonderful people; and it was nice to meet so many wives and partners. I am sorry that I didnt mention the Yorkshire girls by name...I am hopeless with names (hence Mrs C and Mrs J and Mrs K) - so dont take it the wrong way (its just a Paulineism caused by too much liquid maybe?) - it was great to meet all of you.  Like all of us Sparklies I will be recovering today and facing a new week with lots of happy memories and soon with pix courtesy of my dear dear friend Marianne - the gem of Liverpool.

   

  Big hugs and kisses to all of you

   

  Pauline xxxxxxxxxxxx