The Vampire's Lair
The Henri David Halloween
Ball Turns 30Many of you are probably younger than the ball itself, but absolutely none of you can
argue that one of the best Halloween parties on the East coast happens to be in little ol' Philly. Henri David,
owner of a unique jewelry shop called Halloween on Center City's Pine Street, has been running his
ball every year to an increasing number of partygoers, young and old. Henri outdoes himself each
year. His costumes can best be described by one of the ball's contest categories: "Most
Spectacular." His mastery of showmanship and zest for life shines through in everything he does.
Imagine a man dressed in a spider costume crawling on a 12 foot square web or dressed as a giant peacock
with 1,500 real peacock feathers for a tail! Five years ago, for the ball's 25th anniversary at the newly
constructed pennsylvania Convention Center, Henri had an industrial crane moving him around three stories
above the crowd.  Kalina the Sexy
Vampire |  "The Queen" all decked
out |
 The singing quartet of
Titanic |
"From a very young age, I always put a lot of
time and effort into my costumes and then there would be nowhere to wear them," Henri
said."So I decided to create an event where I could wear my costumes." Over the years,
the annual party has grown from a modest 300-person 100-percent gay attendance to a healthy crowd of
3000 that is 70/30-percent gay/straight.The ball has found a new home in the Wyndham Franklin Plaza
Hotel, but the space is getting more congested every year. At midnight, costumers compete for trophies and
prizes. A live band improvises theme music for each contestant.The contest judges include a famous female
impersonator and local radio personalities. Sometimes a famous celebrity shows up (like John Astin
last year). The mayor of Philadelphia also makes a guest appearance. "I've been to Henri's Ball
every year," said one attendee."It just keeps getting better every
year." Throughout the years, I've seen people dressed in all sorts of great homemade
costumes: The Tick, M-and-M's, the cast of Star Wars, The Village People, Buzz Lightyears and Bo Peep from
Toy Story, and Statue of Liberty Barbie. This year's entries include a singing quartet dressed as the
Titanic and Dorothy (in ruby slippers) in the tornado from the Wizard of Oz. "We have every
human being you can imagine wander through our doors,"Henri states. I married an alien! | Cher wins Most Beautiful | Dorothy in a
tornado! |
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 A bevy of Asian beauties |  Sharing a drink with
Henri |
Notes on My CostumeThis year I went to the
ball as myself, Kalina the Sexy Vampire. My costume was to be a cross between Elvira and
Morticia Addams. Researching the half a dozen or so gothic clothing designers, I came across one
name that stood out above the rest: Jeannie Nitro. This San Francisco-based designer produces
clothing you swear you've seen in gothic-themed vampire movies. I purchased Jeannie's
"Batgirl" top and skirt, new for this fall season, in black velvet with black lace trim and a
burgundy accent (inner lining). The top is actually designed to show a lot of midriff, but I decided to
enhance the look by adding a black corset to make my waist look even smaller than it is. The skirt is
designed as a "mermaid-style"so it follows the leg line up until the calves and then flairs out. I
used ample hip padding to give myself a very curvaceous shape. Instead of wearing my Mirage breast forms,
I taped my chest up so I looked like I had real deep cleavage. Many people thought I was a woman the instant
they saw me and swore I had breast implants (one guy kept ogling over me and asking me to dance with him).
The vine-like "Jade" tattoo around my neck and shading between my breasts accentuated the look
of deep cleavage. For my hair, I bought a "showgirl" wig and had my wife,
a professional hairstylist, shape the wig to look more like the coif of famed femme fatale, Elvira. Makeup color
was suitably burgundy all the way to match the accent of my costume. I used Prescriptives
foundation as a base and patted a very light coat of talcum powder on top of it to give myself a ghoulish cast
(what a cute ghoul!). My lipstick color was L'Oreal's Plum Brulee. Deep
burgundy-bordering-on-black-painted nails that extended almost an inch beyond my fingertips made for one
helluva hard time in the restroom.They looked great, though, especially when wrapped around a drink
glass!(Don't think nasty thoughts!) My shoes were six-inch open toe black velvet platforms by
John Fluevog,which were quite a challenge to walk in. With my hair teased about four or five inches
high, I stood at a towering six-and-half-feet tall. Compared to most female impersonators that night, I was
still on the short side! Special thanks to Rachel Harlow, one of the contest judges
who personally walked up to me and told me I looked very beautiful. I remember you from three years ago at
the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Film Festival's showing of The Queen. Super Drag
Tip: Line your lips while smiling. This will stretch the skin around your lips just right so that the pencil
product glides on smoothly. You may end up looking a little funny in non-smile mode, but you will look
awesome when you do smile. Drag queens aren't supposed to be
frowning anyway! Down With High Heels!A 1994 study by the
American Podiatric Medical Association shows that 33% of women wear high heels because they
think they make their legs look good. Vanity declines as a rationale after the age of 45 but rises again after
70. Only 7% of women wear heels because they are required at work. Black and Hispanic women feel
nearly twice the pressure to wear high heels on the job as white women do (11%, 11% and 6%). 31% wear
heels even though they hurt their feet. More Hispanic women (38%) wear heels despite pain than white
women (31%) or black women (28%). 39% of women wear them despite knowing they are damaging
to their feet. 27% of people have shoes that are uncomfortable but look good, but there are three times as
many women in this category as men (big surprise, huh?).The younger the respondents, the more likely
they wear uncomfortable but good-looking shoes. Nine out of l0 women wear shoes that are too
small. More than seven out of l0 have developed foot problems. Even if you escape severe foot
injuries, no devoted high-heel wearer gets away without shortened Achilles tendons (the tendon connecting
the back of the heel to the calf muscle). And when the ankle can no longer bend properly, the arch begins to
break down. "The national obsession with beauty has created a demand for shoes that make the
foot seem smaller, daintier and narrower," says Dr. Carol Frey, director of the Orthopaedic Hospital
of Los Angeles Foot and Ankle Clinic. "Narrow, pointy-toed shoes and high-heeled shoes that make the
foot look smaller by placing it in a more vertical position... can be devastating." Despite the
disheartening news, high heels are still very much in demand by sexy women in the media, in nightclubs, and
in drag. I agree that high heels should not be the only shoe a woman should wear. A mix of different heel
lengths will give your feet and legs different kinds of workout, from relaxing muscle relief in low heels to
the equivalent of thousands of calf raises in high heels. So long as you mix it up, you shouldn't exhibit
the kinds of problems the women I've mentioned experienced. Kalina's TV
TipsAdd gold or silver glitter lip gloss on top of your favorite lip shade.Gold is a
"warm" color that looks good on top of reds and browns.Silver is a "cool" color that
looks good on top of pinks and burgundies.Victoria's Secret mall shops sell special combo packs of lip gloss
and body gel in these shades. Keep an eyelash curler in the package it came in to prevent dirt,
dust,and other nasties from contaminating it. Be sure to wash the curler with soap and water and allow it to
air dry after every use. Ardell has a false eyelash starter kit for under $4. It includes a pair of
eyelashes, eyelash glue, and a lash applicator. Teamed with an eyelash curler and your favorite drugstore
mascara for another $8 and you have a great long eyelash solution. After painting your nails, cap the
polish bottle tightly and shake it vigorously to keep the polish smooth. Wearing a short style wig is
very chic nowadays, but it is very important that you hide all of your own hair if it is a radically
different color than the color of your wig. Keep your hair neatly tucked away with the clever use of
bobby pins. If a makeup product doesn't feel as soft, silky, or smooth as the first day you tried it on,
that product is probably stale. Dump it and buy a new one. The same goes for wigs. Most wigs look great up
to ten wearings. After that, they can end up looking anywhere from very good to kind of ratty.A
professional hairstylist who knows how to deal with wigs can extend the life of your wigs. Factor in the cost
of a good hairstylist with the purchase of any new wig. Victoria's
SecretAnyone catch the new Victoria's Secret Christmas Dreams and Fantasies catalog?
The 11x11 format is truly beautiful. Check it out, especially the back cover with "the $5 million
bra." Who the h*ll is going to buy a $5 million bra? If you've ordered anything from these guys in
the past year, you'll be bombarded with their catalogs around this time of year.I've been getting a different
catalog every other day for the past two weeks! Kalina's Cool Colors of the
MonthA fashion faux pas for these months is wearing any shade suitable for the spring and summer
(but you knew that, right?). This includes any neon color, bright white, yellow, tan, orange, pink, fuschia,
lime green, baby blue, and others. If you think a color might look bad for the fall and winter,you are
probably right and should avoid wearing it. Safe colors are black,light and dark grey, red, burgundy,
medium and dark green, and medium and dark blue. I know some of you may rag on me for this tip, but there
are many people who like to break this rule. Street Wear is Revlon's bold and experimental
color line hosting such dramatic shades as Midnight (a striking blue), Stain (a blood red),
Chick (a canary yellow), and Toad (a drab green).I've been touting this color line since last
March. These colors are not for everyone. In fact, stay away from them if you're not a clubkid or
dragkid.Some of these colors would go head to head with colors from Hard Candy for coolness
factor. The recently introduced Red Glitter shade by Revlon is also a winner, especially for
the holidays and Valentine's Day. I love it! I Love L'OrealWhy do I love
L'Oreal products? Not because of their inhumane animal testing practices, but because of their
excellent quality and value.L'Oreal quality consistently beats out anything put out by Revlon. Sure,Revlon
has neater colors and prettier spokes models, but L'Oreal stuff doesn't smell like cheap wax and feels very
silky against your skin. Because there is a healthy competition among all of the major drugstore
cosmetic manufacturers,you, the consumer, benefit by getting more choices of neater-looking shades each
season. To the person who keeps sending me e-mail about not wanting me
to"endorse"L'Oreal products: Please do not read my column any more. Also, please do not visit
my Web site. I give every product a fair shake. There are probably practices that Revlon, Maybelline, and
other companies prescribe to that wouldn't agree with you, too, if you found out what they were (I know
cuz revlon was a client of mine). For all I know, having more lab animals tested on could prevent cancer in
certain individuals from surfacing (those who know me know to whom and to what I'm referring to). I guess
we should all limit ourselves to drab stuff like Almay, right? Here, then, is the first part of a
two-part mini-review of the complete L'oreal line for your reference. I'm sure it will be more helpful than
not to most of you. As a consumer, please go down to your local drugstore, check out all of the product lines,
including L'Oreal, and buy the products and colors that you like. COLOUR SUPREME LONG
WEARING LIPCOLOUR (grey case with gold trim)is a long-wearing lipstick that actually holds color to
the lips as it provides a semi-shine finish. Its special anti-feathering complex keeps lipstick perfectly in
place. Colour Suprême also contains natural emollients to help prevent drying of the lips. Colour
Suprême is available in a sophisticated range of 30 wearable shades in creme and
perle. COLOUR SUPREME LONG WEARING MATTE COLOUR (grey case with gold trim) offers
the long-wearing benefits of Colour Suprême Lipcolour without the shiny finish. This product offers a
matte finish as well as the soft comfort and natural emollients of the Colour Suprême
formula.Available in three shades. Moisturizing lipcolors such as COLOUR RICHE HYDRATING
LIPCOLOUR(deep violet case with gold trim) contains French grapeseed oil and moisturizers which allow
the product to glide on and to keep lips soft and smooth. The formula is so moist that it actually improves the
condition of the lips as it provides a high-shine finish. Colour Riche will not bleed, fade or change color. The
wide range of forty-eight creme and perle high-fashion shades makes it easy to find the perfect
shade. SHEER COLOUR RICHE HYDRATING LIPCOLOUR SPF 15 offers the same moisturizing
benefits of Colour Riche Lipstick. SPF 15 provides UVA/UVB protection. These twelve sheer shades include
both creme and perle. Stay-on lip colors such as COLOUR ENDURE STAY-ON LIPCOLOUR
(slim grey case with gold trim) is a transfer-resistant lipcolour that glides on effortlessly in just a single
stroke. The new state-of-the art formula leaves lips incredibly moist & creamy so lips feel soft,
smooth, and comfortable. Colour Endure is a smudge-proof, fade-proof, and water-proof to stay on lips all
day long. Color holds endlessly without feathering or bleeding. After applying, wait for lip color to
"set" to a soft,matte finish that lasts, and lasts, and lasts. Available in thirty-six creme and
perle shades. NEW CRAYON GRANDE LIPCOLOUR PENCIL (unsharpened pencil) is the ultimate
in convenience because it lines, defines, and colors lips for an extraordinary soft, matte finish. The creamy,
non-drying formula contains vitamins A, E, and Shea Butter to leave lips soft and smooth. Crayon Grandeis
fun, easy to use, and available in trendy yet sophisticated shades. Collect all ten, some in a creme finish,
some in a perle finish. CRAYON PETITE: AUTOMATIC LIPLINER (self-sharpening pencil)
precisely lines and defines lips and prevents lipstick from feathering and bleeding.The formula is
aloe-enriched to provide conditioning benefits. Crayon Petite comes in ten assorted shades to blend with all
lip-color families. Don't be fooled by the term "self-sharpening." For best results, twist the
pencil to expose more of the crayon, but swipe the tip at an angle against a piece of plain bond paper to
"sharpen" the tip to a chisel-like point. L'OREAL LONG WEARING NAIL ENAMEL is
a long-wearing, ultra-high-shine enamel in an extraordinary range of 77 high fashion colors. The
chip-resistant formula goes on smoothly, dries quickly and protects nails from peeling and cracking. The
creme shades have a soft, long-lasting glow, while the perle shades provide extra shimmer and wear. Unlike
its main competitor,Revlon, L'Oreal makes one brand of nail enamel so there is little confusion in the product
line. The 77 different shades ensure a wide variety of colors to suit even the most discriminating
woman. COLOUR ENDURE SMUDGEPROOF STAY-ON MASCARA (blue tube with gold trim).
L'Oréal's newest mascara, is specially formulated to resist smudging for up to 24 hours. The
patented lightweight formula sets quickly so you can build and lengthen lashes for a lush and luxurious look.
Our patented Precision-Comb brush evenly coats each lash with rich, intense colour without clumping. Colour
Endure wears without smudging or flaking and removes easily with soap and water. This allergy- and
ophthamologist-tested mascara is fragrance free and is safe for sensitive eyes and contact lenswearers.
Available in black, soft black, and black-brown. LASH OUT EXTRA EXTENDING MASCARA
(red tube with gold trim) is a breakthrough formula that lengthens every lash without using fibers.
Our exclusive state-of-the-art "teddy bear" brush separates and lengthens every lash for lash
length beyond your expectations. Lash Out is allergy-and ophthalmologist-tested and is fragrance and fiber
free. Lash Out is available in black, soft black, black-brown and blackest blue. NEW VOLUMINOUS
VOLUME BUILDING MASCARA (grey tube with gold trim)builds lashes in a single application. The unique
maximizing formula instantly builds lashes 3X or more their natural fullness. Voluminous with Panthenoland
Ceramide-R protects and conditions lashes leaving them soft and supple to the touch. The custom designed
plush brush (now with a straight or new curved brush) is specially designed to quickly and evenly build
lashes,while resisting clumping. The result is incredibly thick, yet naturally soft and weightless lashes. This
ophthalmologist- and allergy-tested mascarais available in black, black-brown and soft black
shades. ACCENTUOUS PRECISELY DEFINING MASCARA (black tube with gold trim)is
L'Oréal's answer for a separating mascara that prominently defines each and every lash to its
ultimate length. The patented co-activating complex bonds with individual lashes to provide smooth, even
lashes without clumping.The patented "sculpting" brush builds and separates lashes by evenly
distributing the ideal amount of mascara. Ophthalmologist and allergy tested, this formula is available in
black, soft black and black brown. SENSITIQUE (white tube) is hypo-allergenic,
non-irritating and fragrance and fiber free. This ophthalmologist and allergy tested formula was made
especially for women with sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers.Sensitique's water based formula is
pH-balanced and contains an exclusive lash amplifying complex that helps build incredibly full, long lashes.
The patented Super soft brush provides safe and gentle lash building with flexible,curved bristles to ensure
maximum building of each lash. The mascara is also formulated to be smudgeproof, flake proof and easy to
remove. Available in black, soft black and black-brown. I Told You My Penn Quakers
Were GoodOkay, so this may seemingly have nothing to do with transgender issues,but some
months ago I mentioned to people that my alma mater's men's basketball team was en route to win the Ivy
League championship this year. Big friggin'deal, right? Pansy league and all that. Well, hold on, because
Penn is poised to capture a lot more than an Ivy League title with an upset win over Temple this week and a
standstill fight with Kansas last week, two nationally-ranked top Ten teams. I was at both games (in boy
mode) and I can tell you that they were among the best college games I've ever seen. Okay, now for
the Kalina observation: If you were watching the Penn-Temple game on ESPN, you may have noticed the
iridescent red/blue midriff-displaying tops the female Penn cheerleaders were wearing during their halftime
show.From one angle, the tops looked red. From another, they looked blue. The cheerleaders also wore
black hip-hugging pants and taped up their butts so their butts would point skyward. It was kind of
mesmerizing watching these girls dance... well... except for the one chubby girl in the center of the pack. Get
rid of her and the squad would look perfect. Hey, I'm a drag queen. I criticize!
Did you enjoy this column? If so, you may wish to visit
Kalina's Website, which is chock full of fun and
games, sights and sounds, and other interesting things to do. It's better than an amusement
park!
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