black tie and Tales

Both the sun and my sinus are emerging from their wet fog just in time for the opening night gala for Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City: A New Musical tonight at the American Conservatory Theater.

We got our gala tickets over the weekend, with pretty awesome front row balcony seats (I imagine the seating selection was complicated for their development officers—Kevin and I are big ACT supporters, but with enthusiasm more than enormous donations.  I think that translates to balcony not orchestra, but the best we can get up there.)

Instructions with the gala tickets encouraged us to put our own Tales of the City spin on black tie.  I intended to tie dye a tux shirt light blue and paint the Golden Gate Bridge across the front of it, and perhaps cable car studs.  After various consultations I am toning it down just a touch with just the blue tie-dyed tux shirt, no Golden Gate Bridge, but floral studs and cuff links.  I was reminded that while Tales of the City is very much an extended love letter to San Francisco, and perhaps is the best if not only narrative to truly capture the soul of this place at that time.  And while one might think visually that SF = Golden Gate Bridge, the GGB actually has zero to do with Tales.  I don't recall characters even crossing the thing.

However, 70s and tie-dye and flower power are aplenty, and so I go.  Pics, for sure, tomorrow.  Kevin is wearing his western tuxedo, which may not be thematically appropriate but is certainly quite handsome and  a twist with personality.

Oh yeah, it's June already.  Pride months and SF Summer in full swing.  I'll be spending about half of it back in Nashville hanging out with Dad and the family, but I could stand a week or two off of the rolling SF bandwagon (which you just know runs on a mixture of beats and glitter).

Other things going on this week:

Tomorrow (Thursday):  
• Pride Kick-Off Party Celebrating the Fag Hags: The Fairy Princess Party starring Debbie Gibson and Pollo Del Mar at the Phoenix Hotel
• YouTube It! Viral Videos Brought to Life at Cookie Dough's Monster Show, at the Edge

Friday:
• Golden State Gay Rodeo Association state-wide/local meet and greet big gay rodeo party at Marlena's
• Nasty, the monthly filthy fundraiser for the AEF at the Powerhouse

Saturday:
• the SF Movie Bears take in X-Men: First Class at the Metreon
• the Cowpokes, Gunslingers and Outlaw Country show at Slim's
• Bearracuda at Club 8