- This topic has 29 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 1 year ago by
.
- Posts
Hi girls
I am planning a trip to a new location, for some quality Laura time, because Brighton has become fearfully expensive, post-lockdown.
Last year, I was able to get a central hotel room for £100-140, which, for 1 night, was expensive compared to other places, but worth it for the experience of Brighton en femme.
This year, the cheapest I can find is £250-300, and it’s really hard to find somewhere central – everyone seems to be having a staycation this year, unsurprisingly.
So I settled on Bournemouth as a new location, and, the more I think about it, the more it seems a good idea.
Brighton is a very special and safe place for CDs, and all LGBTQ people.
Bournemouth is a much more conservative seaside town, yet seems to have plenty of drag shows. This year, there’s an explosion of shows, thanks mainly to RuPaul’s Drag Race – the UK ladies are performing at practically every resort in England.
Is this the year that CDing goes viral?
I am going to play my little part, and get out there, talk to people and DO nice things for them, and do whatever I can to elevate the position of CDing in the eyes of people I meet.
It’s a bit scary – I have no idea how people will react during the day, but I have booked a drag show in the evening, which is something to look forward to – not the show itself, as I still find drag performers rather disgusting in terms of subject matter, and more focused on the outfits and presentation than actual content – but the ambience, and the total acceptance of the audience of guys wearing dresses is priceless.
As with my previous trips, I will follow this post with write ups of my experiences, and hope these serve as encouragement to those who wish to go out into the big, wide world.
I’ll refrain from using the term “CD in public”, as that has connotations that don’t sit comfortably with me – like it’s something naughty or erotic.
It’s neither – it’s claiming space and freedom that rightfully belongs to us.
Although that sounds altogether too heroic and declamatory for what is, after all, just a day by the seaside.
Currently planning my outfits, having booked hotel and show – and identified some lovely looking vegetarian eateries.
I will definitely be doing some shopping in the morning – that’s the scariest part!
Part I to follow – next Saturday!!!!
I am sooo excited 😍😍😍😍😍
Love Laura
Thanks, Sandra
It’s probably the opposite of bravery – I am so worried about viewing myself as a disappointment that this is my motivation.
I only realised this 3 years ago, when I made my first tentative steps outside as Laura.
I chickened out of following up on this initially, and realised that I constantly viewed myself as disappointing, due to so many childhood hangovers that I won’t bore you with.
This was a game changer.
I still do stupid things, but that doesn’t make me stupid.
Simple, I know, but when you live in that space and don’t see it, it’s a revelation.
So it doesn’t take bravery, it simply takes willing – and good planning.
If going out is something you really, really want to do, what’s stopping you?
Name them.
How can you mitigate those things?
Or just enjoy CDing at home – it’s lovely!
Love Laura
I think you are so brave – paying those prices!! I am sure you will find Bournemouth as good as Brighton. I have been to Brighton a few times and the only thing I am not keen on are the crowds. Towns don’t have to be openly LBGTQ to be friendly as I have found. You will probably seamlessly blend in and I do hope you don’t get crushed in the crowds, covered in candy floss or attacked by gulls.
I look forward to your updates and piccies. Enjoy.
Hi Angela – true, while Bournemouth is cheaper to stay in than Brighton, it’s a far cry from last year’s prices.
Mind you, I capitalised on the previous lockdown by booking early, and got Saturdays in June, July and August for £105 total.
I know nothing about the LGBTQ scene there, but have a ticket for a show at Rubyz, which looks interesting and includes a meet and greet with the performers, which will be fun – I have only ever had lovely comments from queens off stage… onstage is a different matter, when I become a natural target and source of jokes and roastings – which is something I expect and find both funny and complimentary in a twisted way!
I’ve been to the town many times as a convenient day trip for the kids, but never as Laura.
Thanks for the encouragement – I will seek out LGBTQ meeting places during the day.
It always pays to make friends when out en femme!
Love Laura
Hi Laura
Bournemouth has a good TG community with lots of TG friendly venues and lots of lovely sea side walks to enjoy as does Weymouth.
Further west in Exeter and Weston are other nice resorts where you can enjoy some fem time, as well as lots of fabulous national trust properties for days out with lovely gardens and tea rooms …. perfect for a single girl in the area.
Enjoy and be proud of who and what you are and you will be fine. Being an ambassador for our community is a great thing to do.
Hugs
Dawn x
Thanks for the words of encouragement, Dawn!
As in my reply to Angela, I will look for LGBTQ places and make a few friends, if possible
As always, I will dress for the occasions, and present myself as beautifully as I can manage, given the raw material!
I will be watching Bournemouth for general attitude and friendliness – and rating!
I also hear that Portsmouth and Bristol have lively scenes – and further south in Devon, Exeter and Torbay.
All are on my “hit” list 😁😍😍
Love Laura
Hi Laura, good luck, I hope you have a lovely time. I’m looking for places to go for a girly mini break and was considering Brighton after school holidays now. I would love to hear how you get on in Bournemouth.
I’m planning mini breaks in Manchester, Stratford, Leeds and York for now as seaside resorts will be too busy.
Can’t wait to get out again.
HugsHi Fiona
I hear good things about Manchester – it’s at the far edge of my list, in terms of distance.
Please write about any excursions you make to those cities!
Love Laura
Hi Laura, I went to Manchester 2 years ago for the Sparkle weekend. It was amazing. Stayed en femme all weekend, dined, danced, chatted to supportive people. It didn’t happen this year or last, but I will be there next year, when it should be bigger and better. Check out the website. July 9th next year I think.
Leeds first Friday is on my must do list. As the name implies it happens every month on the first Friday. I will probably go in September.
I’m also planning trips to London, and Stratford on Avon.
Enjoy your trip.
Hi Laura
Very sorry to hear that Bright on has priced itself out of your femme experience visits. All the more so as my needing to get mores firmly back in the closet for the time being meant that we never got to meet on one of your Brighton visits.
I hope you manage to increasingly enjoy your femme experience excursions wherever they end up being.
RachelHi Rachel
It’s probably a good thing – every time I think about going somewhere else, I feel drawn back to Brighton like some kind of spiritual magnet!
We’ll definitely meet there, if it’s meant, but for now I am recalling the purpose of my first trip to Brighton – to explore the feminine side and figure out where I want to go with this.
Enjoying the journey is paramount – it’s better to travel than to arrive, so finally I get to explore somewhere else!
I know that Brighton will continue to exert a pull on me – I have some lovely friends there now, including our lovely HildaRuth, so, in my best Arnie accent, “I’ll be back!!”.
Love Laura
[quote quote=518743]identified some lovely looking vegetarian eateries.[/quote]
I have some friends down there. Twelve Eatery and Mad Cucumber come with local recommendations.
Good luck on your adventures; jealous as ever!! 🙂
Thanks, Jen – yes, Mad Cucumber is my first choice, although it won’t let me book a table for one.
Also, Rubyz rang me to check that I actually only wanted one ticket, and that I wasn’t going to wait for a bunch of others to join me.
I didn’t shout “Yes, I want one ticket because I’m a loner – is that OK?”, you’ll be glad to hear… But it’s curious how venues see solo flyers.
Oh well – 2 years of going to Brighton alone should help!
Love Laura
Alas and alack!!!
Heavy thunderstorms are predicted for tomorrow and Sunday, with the highest chances (80-90%) during both travel windows.
So I thought I had better cancel – I have driven in “torrential” rain before, the first time in an old jalopy – but now I have a modern car (Audi, 1 year old) – but I don’t like the idea.
It’s other drivers I’m most scared of!
So I went to Hotels.com to cancel the booking, and the app told me I would still be changed for 1 night.
I never book without checking the cancellation policy, and, when I double checked the hotel’s website, it clearly states that the 1 night charge applies within 24 hours of the booking – 14:00 today (it even states day and time, so there’s no doubt).
I read Hotels.com policy, and it says that any charges are entirely dependent on the provider.
But I really don’t feel like paying for a stay I won’t be having, because Hotels.com has got it wrong…
Has anyone else had difficulty going via a 3rd party like this?
What did you do?
I’ve messaged the hotel directly, and will be calling them later (it’s 6.50am, and I am about to start work).
I tried Hotels.com’s Chatbot, but it was useless, so will be calling them too.
…and now I need to plan another outing… D’oh!
Love Laura
Well, it’s 6.35 on Saturday morning here, it wasn’t raining when I awoke quite naturally at 5.45, but it’s very overcast, a few drops have sporadically fallen, and I can hear the distant rumble of thunder, and feel in my belly the kind of tension in the air, somewhat electrically charged, that always comes before a storm.
The sporadic drops are more persistent now than when I began typing, and, more importantly, I have selected a white and blue knee length Marks and Spencer dress to travel in.
I will change in the layby around the corner from my house, as I don’t dress in front of the family.
For some reason I have fragments of “Supper’s Ready” by Genesis going through my head – mostly parts of “Apocalypse in 9/8”, but the first fragment was the line “And they’ve given me a wonderful potion
‘Cause I cannot contain my emotion.
And even though I’m feeling good
Something tells me I’d better activate my prayer capsule…”
Strange day!
I just heard the first definite rumble of thunder, and am wishing “Supper’s Ready” was on my car playlist… maybe I’ll download it before I go – that’ll provide 25 minutes of entertainment!
Go away rain, come back sun,
Laura’s going to Bournemouth and would love some fun 😍😍😍😍😍
Sooo….
The rain and thunderstorms did not materialise.
Not only that, but the day got hotter as it went on, and my dresses got skimpier and skimpier, inspired by the women I saw. When in Rome…
However, today was a day of the most beautiful karmic feelings – it was a case of if it could go right, it did.
I am sat, at Bournemouth beach, at 00:40, still buzzing from the show, and a teensy bit woozy from drink, but I look out at the mirror reflections on the sea, and feel the cool breeze in the warm air, and reflect myself on the beautiful moments of today.
For those considering a visit, I can’t promise the moments, but at no point did I receive anything but politeness and positivity.
I didn’t locate an LGBT scene, but that wasn’t the point – just wandering around the town, going about my business, I had a few smiles from men and women alike, and no-one had anything negative to say, and I think I only heard 2 bouts of laughter.
It was very comfortable to go around en femme, and do everything I wanted to – including paddling in the impressive waves and sunbathing in a beautiful new turquoise swimsuit – a first for me!
No-one fitted, moved away pointedly, or directed their children to another spot away from the crazy CD – and no child asked why that man was wearing a swimsuit – or dress, for that matter.
I first located a parking space – my usual area was rammed, as was my backup. Fortunately, there was a single space in my backup to my backup – and it worked out better, because the part of my usual route from the other locations was closed.
A beautiful moment!
I then located my hotel – but didn’t go in, because checking in time was hours away.
So I then located the venue for the show (walked to it, so I knew the route) – then back to the car to change my heavy travel dress into a knee length summer dress, because of the heat.
Wow, this felt so good – a couple of years since I last wore something so light out. The material felt so good, and the wind teased at the hem, but wasn’t strong enough to worry about – but my legs really thanked me.
I saw women in similar dresses, and felt the familiar, almost in-bred, habitual feelings of envy, before it kicked in again – I was really, really doing this at last, in Bournemouth, where I’ve felt these emotions so many times – and the euphoria rose!
I went back to the hotel to check parking arrangements, and was told I could find a space straight away, which I did, brought the ticket back to pay the excess, and was told I could have my room, 2 hours early!
So in came the cases, and the nect priority was lunch, at a lovely cafe in the Central Gardens, with live music, which was a treat!
I’m noticing that my writing style is not very interesting – all this stuff felt really amazing, but there were so many moments, I’m not able to wax lyrical – or maybe it’s the drink..
The show I will give an overview of – I arrived, and there were 3 gorgeous ladies on the doorway, one in a stunning red sequined dress. She admired my blue sequined dress and I asked if I had found Rubyz (the venue), and quipped that she looked like rubies!
She was so beautifully made up that I kind of assumed she worked at the venue, and, as I went in she said to her friends “Looks like it’s going to be a great night!”.
I sat on my little table for one, with a couple of drinks, then in came the lady in red sequins and friends (6 of them), and they insisted that I join their party!
Well the show was great – much better than the shows I’d seen in Brighton – and there was dancing, and a great time was had by all – and now I am going back to my hotel.
Bournemouth at night somehow feels a little more hostile than Brighton – I passed a few fights, and there are groups of teenagers everywhere.
I have nothing against teenagers, but, as I was one once 😚, I know how unpredictable they can be, especially when full of alcohol and other things.
And it’s now 1.10, and I am not as young as I was, but I did impress myself and a lot of ladies (The entire audience circa 100, was female except for 3 men, the queens, and me.
It was kind of surreal – and no-one treated me like anything but a girl all night.
Just wonderful.
Night night.
Laura
Hi Laura,
Thanks for the post on Bournemouth & Brighton – big help 🙂 xxx
Had a date booked at Legends this weekend as it goes but that went pear-shaped not least because the makeup lady in West Worthing shut-up-shop 🙁 (& remember that previously had had a job to find her). Can’t believe there’s a shortage of makeover places in/around Brighton !Bournemouth seems to have at least two that leap right off the interweb atcha & its closer for me which works (the train to Brighton stopped everywhere after changing at Soton lol).
However, a whole load of gay-friendly hotels spring out from the various hotel-review sites for Bournemouth & was wondering (hope you don’t mind the request) if you can recommend any partic good ones for CDs ? or generally fun ones .. 🙂
Hope this finds you having a fab time,
Tanya xXxHello Tanya, and thank you for responding!
I haven’t been to Legends, but a lot of people tell me I should!
Bar Revenge is my soul centre in Brighton – always have a fantastic night there, always meet old friends and new, and I love it!
Try Poppy Tallulah in Brighton – she’s a bit off the beaten track, but she did a fab job on me.
I’m much more confident in my own skills these days, mostly thanks to her.
I have stayed at Park Central Hotel many times now, and it’s expensive, but awesome – staff couldn’t be nicer.
A cheaper option, and a very diversity friendly one is Hotel Celebrity, which won’t jump out at you, but the couple who run it organise Pride in Bournemouth and are super lovely.
Hotel Celebrity is where Rubyz Cabaret are based, and you won’t find a better drag show on Bournemouth. Beats most Brighton shows too.
Aruba on the pier is a pretty cool club – but loud!!! DYMK is the obvious other place – the area known as The Triangle is packed with diverse places – my favourite is the cafe bar Flirt.
I’ve also been to Portsmouth, where the Royal Maritime Club has proven to be an excellent place to stay, Hampshire Boulevard is Portsmouth’s only diverse club as far as I know, and it’s amazing. I also like The Ship Anson along the Hard, but I will go anywhere these days. It’s a scary, football supporter type of pub, but has karaoke on Saturday nights, which is a total blast.
My other favourite new haunt is Bristol, which is very diversity friendly.
OMG bar and Club are must-visits (I am going there on April 15th), and Queenshilling is just across the road and wonderful, so I will be going there too.
I’m also into busking, and will be attempting to light up the streets of Bristol (or get banned for life, lol) on 15th and 16th.
Would be amazing to see you there – I should be perfectly recognisable, as I only know one other CD in Bristol, who I am arranging to meet there.
Oh, and Hastings is great too – much better than I expected. The Queer on the Pier festival in summer is just amazing!
Laura has a fab time every time she goes out.
I don’t mean to sound gloaty, but male me never, ever gets the kind of attention that Laura gets – it’s wonderful, truly wonderful how accepting and interested people can be. I am humbled by the wonderful experiences I’ve had, especially in places not traditionally assumed to be diversity friendly.
Assume your rightful place in the world. Society will learn if you represent the heart and soul of cross dressers.
We are humans who love to dress a particular way and take pride in our appearance, love that others love us for it, and understand that they may be very curious (not rude) – or frightened (in which case they may be rude, poor dears). They simply need to understand that we’re not a threat, but super-lovely! 😍😍😍😍😍
Love Laura
Hi Laura and THANK YOU !! xxx
Huge help – Park Central looks very promising & isn’t too costly when one considers what is payable for a total fleapit in London lol. There’s gotta be a better place than TL round the corner from The Scala for TG when I get there … 🙂
And mebbe I will get to Legends after-all now that you’ve mentioned Poppy Tallulah (haven’t googled her yet but am sure she will show up somewhere).
Info on Portsmouth, Bristol & Hastings too ! – you’re a darling – Could see me getting to the first two but if was heading towards Hastings, would prob be going to Brighton 🙂 Have had a few queries from guys in Bristol but they often don’t seem to know aything about the scene there lol. Typical.
Will close with a big hug – secretarial today as April 5th approaches – short vinyl skirt, blouse, 5″ heels – the usual suspects 🙂 Hope to catch you in one of your many haunts …
Kisses,
Tanya xXx
Thank you, Lisa
I don’t really see these excursions as holidays, more explorations of the feminine side – journeys of understanding of the reasons why I do this, and discovery of what people really think about us vs what our imagination and social history tells us.
So far, Brighton has destroyed most myths, so now I hope to find out how far this goes.
Will I be accosted by dancing girls in the street?
Will expensive boutique shops encourage me to try on beautiful dresses?
Will random strangers shout obscenities or tell me nice things?
I need to know!
Love Laura
Nothing wrong with lurking in the woods, Steph – I’m sure we’ve all done it – I know I have… what?
I recall a long-haired, 18 year old version of myself struggling out of a tracksuit in the woods, to reveal a beautiful blue dress.
I then walked a long way in it, only to hide behind trees if I thought I heard someone coming.
And later, 3 years ago, funally walking with my head held high through local woods and trees, saying “Hi” to the 2 people I did meet (and getting lovely smiles).
It’s a dream away.
If you want the dream enough, then live it.
If what you already have is enough, then you are blessed.
Love Laura
Erudite, hopefully – verbose, certainly!
Now modelling dresses in a street in Glasgow.
There’s bravery, right there. I must admit that the former city of culture is not on my list – mainly because it’s a bit further than a couple of hours drive for me, but also because Glasgow contours up images (probably unfair ones) of an admirable people who have their own ways of looking at life, for which they are prepared to fight first and ask questions later…
The dancing girls reference is to my last month’s Brighton adventure, when that actually happened.
In my opinion, ladies should dance with CDs on a regular basis.
Love Laura
The first time I drove in a thunderstorm that I would describe as “torrential”, I had been driving less than a year, and had a Renault 5 that was well past it.
I discovered, in that thunderstorm, as I was approaching Rainham, Essex on the M25, that the car’s natural tendency, when there was more than a millimetre of water on the road, was to drive sideways.
It’s a front wheel drive – I mean whut duh?
The back end kept creeping onto the hard shoulder, or worse, into the adjacent carriageway like it was twerking.
And the traffic wasn’t light or slow-moving – Essex, and particularly Rainham – is home to the UKs main boy racer community, and I don’t mean the girls go about in suits.
I also discovered that the driver side windscreen wiper stuck at the top of its stroke, so had to drive with the window open to dislodge it every time, in order to see.
Add to that the brakes, having precisely the same effect as a flea bite on the speed of the car when wet, and it was a jolly little game, wasn’t it?
The rain was coming down in sheets. Although the sudden tidal waves caused by passing lorries added pillows to this watery bed of nightmares.
The curious might like to know that “ham” is an old English word for town. Hence Hampton – town of towns (ton also means town), Southampton, Littlehampton, Euston… probably…
So Rain town is exactly what it was, and I have had an aversion to thunderstorms ever since.
And Essex too, of course – although that particular aversion is common to anyone who doesn’t actually live there.
Then there was the time I was driving home from work, in a 1980s Volkswagen Scirocco (around the year 2000), and the thunderstorm suddenly hit, and visibility suddenly became zero.
The guy in front of me jumped on the anchors, and he had an Audi.
Audi’s have ferocious brakes, as a visit to the scrap yard confirms – count the number of rear-ended Audi’s vs those with frontal damage. Right. Zero in the latter category.
So, checking my side mirror, with my foot jammed hard on the brakes, I swerved into a gap only just bigger than my car, missing the Audi by the width of a Rizla paper.
Carrying on my merry journey, the traffic slowed a bit more modestly, to rubber neck a 5 car pile up in the contra flow carriageway.
Past that, speed up, slow down – a 7-car shunt.
And so it went on.
Pile up after pile up.
Carnage, you might very well say.
The last one was worst – a lorry had jacknifed, and a car had it’s flaming bonnet firmly inserted into the boot of the vehicle it had collided with, like a, like – well I think any metaphor kills the seriousness of the situation… how long until the tank went “Boom”?
I didn’t stick around to find out.
Why do I hate driving in thunderstorms?
😁😋
I can’t drive down tonight, and Hotels.com’s rat trap of a policy means I can’t cancel, despite the hotel’s own policy. Don’t use Hotels.com without reading ALL the small print (I am NOT saying don’t use them at all, just be careful!).
So it will be quite the adventure – but this time in a reasonably solid, modern car that was only serviced a month ago or so.
With a decent stereo and a femmetastic playlist, of course!
Watch out, Bournemouth, said transport is now packed with dresses, shoes, wigs, make-up and Rain coats (yes, a transparent umbrella too – couldn’t resist).
Laura is on the prowl – in the nicest way possible – and I will be making copious notes. My imagination and memory does most of the work, so a bad impression will be lambasted, while a good one will be praised like manna from heaven.
I am so excited – I will plan my voyage outfit in a nice bath, which is running now, shaving all the nasty male stuff off, using lots of perfumed soaps and stuff (wife approves), and setting the groundwork for a feel good festival of (probably rather damp, if not moist) fun…
To be continued 😍😍🤗😍😍
After all the sun it now comes to storms. I am in the South East and am enduring them too. I just loved your reference to Suppers ready and love that track. Genesis with Peter Gabriel was the best they did. In the live shows he would come on with a red dress and a foxes head to sing Suppers Ready.. Interestingly in the previous album, Nursery crime, There is a song called the Fountain of Salmacis about hermaphroditis. If you have it read the cover notes. Hermaphrodites?red dress? I wondered about Peter Gabriels mind back then.
I hope you avoid the storms and have a great time. If you do start to aquaplane
- Don’t hit the brakes. Slowly ease off the accelerator, making sure you hold the steering wheel straight and steady with both hands and pray.
- When you feel yourself gaining more control of the car stop at a service station and change your panties………….
Thanks, Angela
To date, I have never driven in such conditions that an Audi aquaplanes – and my previous 2 vehicles were Audi A4s, both of which I took to the quarter million mile club before electrical faults became BER – and hope I never will, but will bear that advice in mind.
As it turned out, the thunderstorm didn’t take off, and the day just got hotter and hotter – which was just perfect!
I’m a big fan of Genesis up to Duke, and know most of the songs pretty well – especially Selling England by the Pound, which I had on repeat in my 20s.
Every time I listen to Supper’s Ready (and the rest of Foxtrot, especially Can Utility and the Coastliners), I hear something I seem to have missed previously.
It’s fantastic music/lyrics, and definitely not pop music!
Love Laura
- The forum ‘Personal Crossdressing Stories’ is closed to new topics and replies.
Recent Comments