Hope yer enjoyin' the funky seasonal music I have up. Not into the traditional stuff, but I wander here, gee I wonder if the Navan had anythin' to do with it. heheheh.

Really have to learn not to blog when drinkin'. I can see the posters now, "Friends don't let friends blog slogged". heheheh.

Went to the Anime Fest. at the Javits Center in NYC today. Damn that was an expensive shoppin' trip. Got to meet one of the web comix artists I read at least. Bought some of her wares and got an autograph in the process. Gee, maybe in 20 years they will still be worth what I paid for them. heheheh.

Just like at faire, some folks really need to learn that spandex is a privilage and not a right and I also realized that my garb is better than 3/4ths of the cosplay folks wanderin' around. Harrrr. There were a few good ones there. Gotta love the Japaneese school girls. Yarrrr.

Alright, as ye can tell, I be jonesin' fer faire. So much so that me and the Captainwill be attendin' a Pirates and Pancake night at the IHOP in Bloomfield NJ tomorrow night. Tis a benefit as well, but jeez, I really must be missin' faire to go to this. heheheh.

_{(me an' the Captain)}

Then nothin' till January, when a few of us from NYRF/FoF and other "Rennie" friends will be havin' a Robert Burns dinner, complete with neeps and tatties, Hagis and other good solid food. We usually have a "Scotch" tastin' as well, along with other fave beverages, so a good time is always had by all.

Then in February, Wicked Faire in Edison NJ. At least I think thats Edison. Tis at the Raritan Center Holiday inn of Edison, so yeah, Edison. Heh. Hey, inebriated here, spatial reference is impaired. *hic*

Ded Bob and Sluj want us to go out to Arizona this season. Me Niece bellydances out there as well, so we are thinkin' about goin' out there. Will have to be sans weapons though. The airlines really get upset with us with the amount of blades we travel with. After that Sluj also suggested we do the Georgia Faire as well, but this is all dependant on the dreaded "Budget" monster.

So, anywho, all of ye, have a very happy, merry and safe holiday season and a very good New Year.

Caire vie me hearties.

Well, it has been a while since I've blogged and I don't really miss it, as I really am a terrible writer and I do this more for my friends then anyone else, so, that being said, time to beat the dead horse a bit. heheheh.

It's been a busy time for the Captain and  the First Mate of the "Diamond's Rule". Since NYRF closed it's gates for the season, we have been traveling around to other shires, to meet new folks, see old friends, meet new friends and drink lots of ale. Yarrr. It doesn't get any better than this... well it does, but I won't go there here. heheheh.

First was the Cloisters, which I have already written about.

Then we went and visited Iron Molly Black and some of our NYRF/FoF friends up at CTRF. I think I wrote about that as well, if not, it is a nice little faire that is growing in the right direction, or so I feel anyway.

Next was MDRF. The "Rennies Mall" as some of my friends like to call it. We went for the last weekend and it was PACKED. It really is a nice faire, but it is kind of distracting when you have to fight your way through crowds, just to walk around the place.  Still, they do put on quite a party and we had a lot of fun despite the crowded conditions.

Then a well deserved weekend off. Time to do laundry, rest up and plan.

Off to the closing weekend of PARF. A 2 day, giant Halloween party and us stayin' at the hotel, directly across the street. We got there friday night, parked the car and partyied like it was 1665 all over again. Arrrgggghhh. We ended up buying 5 cases of wine that weekend. It was really a good thing my daughter and her bfriend drove themselves to the faire, because we would have had to tie them to the roof to get them home if they hadn't. heheheh. For those of you that don't know, PARF is owned by the Mount Hope Winery and the faire is held on their estate grounds. It is a permanent site and they use it year round for other things like Celtic Flings and such. The free wine tasting alone is worth the price of admission, but be warned, the real life, Sheriff's department deputys that works the gate, will make you bring your flasks back to the car, or dump them out if they see them. This faire has always been a fave of mine. We have a lot of friends there as well, so it is always a pleasure for us to be there.

What, another weekend off? How did we do that? Heheheh.

Then it was a 14 hour drive to my sister's house in NC. We went down to kill two birds with one stone. Visit my sister and invade CRF on invasion weekend. We stayed at my sister's house and drove to the faire each day. She lives about 40 minutes from the faire so it isn't to bad. We got down there early Friday afternoon, so that we could spend some time with my sister, before we went to the faire the next day. Since we know one of the performers, we got comped in. Gotta love that. heheheh. Saturday, we get there, get garbed up and enter the faire. This is the 2nd season we have gone and I must say, this is also a very nice faire with a lot of potential. We found out that there was a pirate garb contest  that weekend and several of the faire denizens encouraged us to participate. Having been burned in things like this before, we were a tad reluctant, but since it was a pirate themed contest and we bein' the consumate pirates that we are, decided to do it. That and my sister proddin' me and the Captain to do it. Well, our friend the "Mad Irishman" helped my sister prod us a little too. heheheh. So, I finally come to the point of this post.

We were at one of the pubs, refillin' when me sister calls me and says that the contest is about to begin and we need to get over there right away. So we get our refills and head over and see at least 25 other piratical types gearin' up to participate. Bein' that we are strangers to this faire, I didn't see our chances as to good here, but, we lept into the fray anyway. I was just hopin' that the judges were goin' to be objective and not play faves to the locals. They had 3 of the Captains on the cast as judges and a 4th person who I be not sure what she was to the faire. She was in 'danes' so I can only believe she was part of the crew somehow.

We were told that we would be judged on our garb and our 'Swagger'. Once I heard that, I started to get into me character, Macko, that I use for our street theater at NYRF/Tuxedo. The Captain and I, Captain Lizzy, me wife fer ye that do not know, ended up bein' the last ones to go on. I bein' on next to last and me wife was last. Now, as we were waitin' our turn, bein' the pirates we are, we cooked up a plan that we were goin' to bribe the judges. Next time we need to keep convos like that more secretive, because many others in line before us heard that and said, "Hey, what a great idea" and like true pirates, stole our idea and did it as well. Which was fine, but it was funny that once I did get on and introduced meself to the the crowd with a shower of dubloons, I walked over to the judges and they all already had their hands out. heheheh.

Well, to my ultimate surprise, I actually won and the Captain took 2nd. YARRRRR. The judges told me it was me swagger that won it for me. Heh, Thank ye NYRF improv classes. Heheheh.

It was odd though. At first I thought I had lost because they said, in first place, the pirate, Tobacco... Ah crud I thought. Ah well, I tried. Then I noticed everyone was lookin' around sayin', who was Tobacco. Then me wife yells out, "Do ye mean, Macko?" and the judges said, "Oh, yeah, him. We meant, Macko". Damn that was a good win. heheheh.

I would like to thank CRF, because that was a really sweet prize package I got. It was definitely one of the better prize packages I have ever seen for something like this at faire. That was also my first win ever at this, which made it even sweeter. I, the pirate, Macko, walked into Black Beard's home state and walked off with the booty. Yarrrr.

If things work out, we might be able to swing a trip out to Arizona and Georgia next year and Sludge really wants us to go to his home state of Minn. next year as well, but I fear we may only be able to swing one of those faires, along with all of our other usually trips.

Next up is a Robert Burns dinner in January, with friends from NYRF and then Wicked Faire in Feburary. Looking forward to staying home and trying not to spend any money for the next month or so. heh.

Caire Vie me hearties.

What be left of me piratical soul anyway. Harrrr.

Went to the Midievil Festival at, Fort Tryon Park/The Cloisters, yesterday. Do not let anyone tell ye that NYC does not know how to throw a party. Yeeeee HAWWWW. heheheh.

Fer those that have no inklin', the festival, is a one day, jumpin', FREE, street faire/party in Fort Tryon Park, which is just north of the George Washington Bridge in Washington Heights. A very northern section of NYC proper. The park is located on a hill that commands stunnin' views of the Hudson River and the GWB. at the very pinnacle of the hill is, The Cloisters. A museum comprised mostly of authentic Midievil cloisters, built in the 12th century. It was shipped over from Europe, stone by stone. Tis an amazing' collection of things to look at. Gardens, tapestries, crypts, statuary, alters, gold artifacts, etc. etc. Admission to the cloisters proper isn't free though. There be a donation required to enter, like most NYC museums.

Tis also an amazin' place to have yer picture taken, while in garb. Gives ye a feel for what it truely looked like back then, if yer garb is fairly true to period.

Anywho, back to the festival. Tis also a last seasonal huzzah fer us NYRF/Tux'ites. One last chance to get together and reminisce about the past season, before we all go mostly our seperate ways till next NYRF season. Tis also a chance to see cast members playin' different parts.

There be food and strong drink, there be song and joustin'. There be street theater and shoppin'. Good friends and lots and lots and lots of people. They have run this festival fer 9 years and they average over 40,000 people attendin' for just the one day. IT IS INSANE. The cameras, OMG/WTF all the cameras. If yer in garb, even if yer in, first attempt home made garb, there would be at least 20 cameras aimed at ye, at any given time. Stop to talk to a friend, or a patron and expect to have at least a dozen folks come up and ask to have their picture taken with ye. Heheheheh.

Of course, I really do not mind the cameras, as ye can tell from me profile pic. heheheh, but it is just crazy.

The weather was perfect, the crowd, mostly friendly and havin' a good time. The local law enforcement was out in force, but they looked like they were enjoyin' the show and weather as much as everyone else was.

If yer ever in NYC towards the last weekend of September, check to see if the festival is on that Sunday, because yer goin' to want to attend.

Where did the season go. NYRF is over??? Already???? WTF????

I was there everyweekend, but it seems like it only opened last weekend.

I can't believe how fast it went by. I had sooo much fun. Hangin' with my fellow FoF'ers, Rogues, friends, wenches, cast members and 'danes'. It just went by way to fast.

At least I will get to sleep in for a little this saturday, thats a plus, but I have a Tennants Assoc. picnic later in the day and I am the pres of said Assoc. so I can't skip it to go to another faire*sob*.

At least I have the Fort Tryon Park Medievil Festival to go to on Sunday, so I won't be stopping "Cold Turkey". heheheh.

For those that care, my schedule for the next 2 months.

Sunday, 9/30/07: The Medievil Festival at Fort Tryon Park. A must if you want to get your picture taken, in garb, in an actual midievil Cloister. The Festival is free and the museum asks for a small donation to enter. Weapons must be peace tied in the park and no weapons are allowed in the cloisters proper. You will be asked to check them at the door. If you have ever seen pictures of the "Unicorn" tapestry in art books, this is the place to see them for real.

Sat. Oct. 8th: CTRF. Only been to the new site once. Tis very nice and I thought I read that they have alcohol now. Could be wrong, but is a good faire anyway.

Oct.20, 21: The Maryland Renaissance Faire in Annapolis MD. The one they call the "Rennies" mall. Prepare to shop. Great stuff at great prices. The food and drink are very good and very reasonably priced as well.

Oct. 27, 28: Closing weekend at PARF. This faire is a must. Dedicated grounds, owned by a Winery estate and used year round for many "Rennie" friendly events. The free wine tasting alone makes the trip worthwhile. heheheh.

Nov. 10, 11: Final trip of the year for me. CRF. North Carolina. A very nice faire and you can't beat the weather in NC in November, unless you live way south, or south west. Heheheh.

Oh, on another note, check out my new profile pic. Out of all the candid pictures taken of me over the last several seasons, I really, REALLY like this one. This photog caught me in character, whenI was really bein' me inner pirate. Harrrr.

So, caire vie, me hearties. Mayhaps I shall blog again soon.

*caire vie bein' Manxie fer fair winds.*

One of the local papers came up to NYRF/Tuxedo on Labor Day weekend.

Of course, the one day that the photog decided to take a picture of me and me piratical wife, would be the Day of Wrong, when I am wearing a Cowboy hat and boots. Heheheh.

The caption was something like, Patrons dressed in period costumes lead cheering at the joust.

Cowboy hats and boots were period??? Hmmmm. :P

Part of our duties as FoF at NYRF is to help cheerlead at the 2 daily jousts. We usually cheer for Sir Frances "Ducky" Drake. I think in that picture, we were taunting Sir Walter "Don't ask me about Roanoke" Raliegh's(spelling?) crowd. Most likely something along the lines of "Hey Tobacanist. What happend at Roanoke?". As you can see from the photo, the crowd wasn't quite into cheering yet. They were a tough bunch but we got them going eventually. Made us work for it. heheheh.