Going Mad, Man!
I have my friend and former boarding school colleague, Chris, to blame with my obsession with AMC's Mad Men. After dodging the TV series for nearly four years, he loaned me his boxed sets, of which I proceeded to binge watch while on a weekend call. Through a network of bloggers here in Central Florida, I met Sunshine, a local social media maven here in Orlando. In the past, she's put on some seriously fun and fabulous events, but as life would have it, work was primarily keep me from engaging in local activities. I remember seeing the lovely photos from last year's Cupcakes, Cat Eyes & Cocktails Event, and nearly died inside with jealousy, so when the opportunity to attending this year's Mad Men-themed event arose, I couldn't pass it up.
C³ was a fashionably fun homage to Park Avenue Fashion Week, and Sunshine organized a classy and sassy social gathering! I arrived while they were still setting up, but it was neat to peek behind the scenes. It gave me a chance to soak in all the fun without jockeying for prime photo positions. I had the pleasure of sitting upon the throne of the Empress of the Epidermis while she applied some winged liner and freshened up my lipstick for my classic car photo shoot. She made me look absolutely fabulous in less than five minutes!
All hail the Empress!
The lovely ladies at SEE Eyewear Winter Park helped me get on point with my newly painted cat eyes, but requesting that I model a bright red, glittery pair of Cat-eye glasses for the evening! Think Dorothy's Ruby Slippers perched on my nose. Yes, it was that magical! Turns out they do take my vision insurance (more importantly, I am eligible for new frames and lenses), so they already created a file for me for when I save up my pennies to get a pair! Now, I just have to wait for a coupon or two to arrive. ;)
Wetting my whistle in cat eye specs!
Gigi's Cupcakes of Orlando, Florida brought the decadence with an assortment of cupcakes. The large cupcakes were available only in the ever famous Wedding Cake flavor, I opted for two of the itsy-bitsy cakes in Spiced Apple Cider. While many support the Pumpkin-Spiced-Everything trend, this girl grew up in the Garden State with plenty of apple orchards and fresh cider every autumn! The folks at Onli Beverages allowed us not only to sample their product line, but we were allowed to sip on a bottle with paper straws or take one home! My three favorites are Lemon Watermelon, Hibiscus Pomegranate, and Huckleberry Pomegranate, and they're available locally in Publix and Whole Foods! Recipes and serving notes were included in their literature, so I am bubbling with ideas.
I can't get enough Gigi's!
Photographer Jim Hobart of Macbeth Photography made the rounds, snapping up a storm. Marsha ran the photo shoots in the car, and she really made me feel comfortable. Though I am told I am quite photogenic, I typically feel awkward when trying to be foxy or classy. Give me a chance to ham it up and be utterly goofy, and I am your go to funny girl. It was so much fun! I can't wait to see the finished photos! Cole's Classic Cars For Hire rolled in with a smoking hot 1966 Cadillac Deville convertible for the vintage photo shoot.
Sunshine took some ninja photos!
Marsha made me look really foxy!
I even brought my driving gloves!
At 4:30 Dr. Kimberly Wilmot Voss, author of Mad Men & Working Women gave a miniature lecture about the power of women in the 1960s and how the roles of women weren't as transparent as we once thought. I look forward to chasing down a copy of her book to check out from the library because until it becomes available in paperback or electronic formats. I wanted to thumb through a read a bit, but with handling food, I didn't want to be the girl who smeared something on a limited run book.
A great topic for a book club!
Food Network star Emily Ellyn rocked the party, and I am not only talking about the wickedly refreshing cocktails she served up. She mixed up three delicious cocktails and brought the fixings for a fantastically fall-inspired soup. I'm looking forward to her glorious collaboration with Cynthia Lagudi of Cupcake Provacateur, aptly named Cocktails and Cupcakes. (Plus, I am asking Santa Claus for a CP apron in Country Cherry, Los Novios, or the Ice Skating Cuties! The Snack Attack apron Emily had was too darned cute!) She surprised me with a farewell hug, so automatically, I'm her newest fan girl! I can't wait to read more from her web page about entertaining in a retro fab and fun format!
Emily Ellyn is absolutely darling!
I was so thrilled that I was able to recycle my Dapper Day Fall Soiree dress and accessories, so the event only cost me ten dollars for the makeup and a tank of gas. I was reminded that I really need to get some business cards because great events draw bloggers and networking is a large part of that. I was fortunate enough to meet Annie (Annie A to Z), Martiza (Surprise You Are A Mom!), and Irina (Celebrity Chef 4 U). Talking with other bloggers always inspires and drives me to work harder, and now that I have the tools, I just have to work on harnessing my energy! I would love to make C³ an event regularly inked in on my social calendar. I simply cannot wait to see what Sunshine comes up with next! "Zou Bisou Bisou..."