Samantha at Keystone part 2

[Samantha G…..]

Part 2 (Friday-Sunday)
Friday March 9th was another full conference day. I’m glad there were no early morning sessions I was interested in as I’m not really a morning person. I went to Amanda Richards 10:30AM session on feminizing the male face without surgery because I’m all about NO surgery. After that session most were gathering around the main ballroom lobby for the luncheon with guest speaker Mara Keisling. I know I don’t eat out a lot in my daily life but I must say the meals they served at the hotel luncheons and dinners were all pretty good considering how many meals they had to prepare.

The Sheraton and their staff were excellent hosts and I see why Keystone has been using this hotel for the past 10 years. After the lunch I went to a different wig session at 2pm but I got there late and it was standing room only (apparently this community likes wigs or something LOL ) I stayed for a few minutes but didn’t feel like standing in heels for an hour so I went back to the vendor booth area and ran into Cloe who was getting a touchup session, lucky girl, from Beth Taylor. So I just hung out there for a while chatting with Cloe and Beth watching the master face beautifier do her work and trying to soak in some of the magic skills.

After her makeover Cloe and I went to the 3:30 session of Feminine Body Language. Good things to know so I don’t look like a gorilla flopping around in a dress. After this session Cloe mentioned she had an invite to go to Beth’s hotel room for a wine tasting session and said there was room for me if I wanted to go. Sure why not. This gal (Beth) is serious about wine !!!  Now up until this point I had never tried a Merlot that I liked. I’m a Pinot Noir, Cabernet kinda gal. Well she changed my mind about Merlot, this one brand was great. We tried 3 or 4 different red wines and by the time we left I had a serious buzz on. It was hard to maintain a straight line with a buzz and 5 inch heels on but I think I did ok. Next time wear flats to a wine tasting !!!

Next up at 6pm was dinner out night. Keystone had lined up several area restaurants with shuttle bus service to and from. Well apparently the bus for the restaurant I picked left a little early and I missed it. I was a little bummed but one of the coordinators there found me space for the Lancaster Brewery bus. We had eaten there before on Wed. but it was a good meal so I knew there was something I would like there. It was nice to talk with other gals I had not met before on this dinner out. We all have so much in common no matter where we are in our journeys, it’s just great for me to get out of the closet and do stuff with similar minded folks. After dinner back at the hotel I believe I met up with Cyn, Cloe & April and we hung out at the bar area and chatted some more, you know girl talk.

Saturday last day. Got to the Sheraton for the 10:30AM session, noticing a pattern here no 9AM sessions for me, session on The woman within- Finding your feminine style. I think i’m still looking for that style but got some good pointers. Then it was the Sat. luncheon at noon with guest speaker Kristina Olsen. Another good meal with an even larger group gathering. I think many gals come here just for the weekend session and gala dinner. I honestly don’t remember what we did after lunch, there were no workshop sessions I was interested in, I think we just hung out.

I brought my gown and other accessories with me in the morning and kept them in Cyn, Cloe & April’s room so I wouldn’t have to drive back to my hotel and change there for the gala. Plus I don’t think I was ready to try driving in a floor length gown and heels. I think we all started getting ready for the gala dinner around 3:30-4pm the reception started at 6pm. This was only the 2nd time for me wearing the gown (first time at SCC in 2016) and it still felt amazing and so very feminine. If you haven’t seen my pics of it, in my media section, it is a blue lace and sequin, floor length, long lace sleeve gown. That hotel room was quite busy with activity of 4 gals getting ready for a gala dinner. It was quite fun and there were no fights over the mirrors, we were all behaving nicely.

When we were finally ready we took the elevator down to the ballroom lobby and OMG the gals here dressed to the 10’s forget about the 9’s !!!  There was every type of gown or fancy dress you could imagine. I’m sure the hotel staff is still vacuuming up the lost sequins to this day !!!  They had a small band playing at one end of the reception area and there were bar stations set up for those wanting to get drinks. They opened the doors to the ballroom around 7pm and unlike the lunches this time there were no divider walls up. They used the entire huge ballroom for the gala dinner with a bandstand and dance floor set up on the back wall for the after dinner part of the evening.

All in there must have been 500+ folks there for the dinner and again the Sheraton staff made it run like it was a dinner for 20. From my point of view I didn’t see any issues. The guest speaker for the dinner was Carmen Carrera. A stunningly beautiful trans woman who has done a lot, but her speech was kinda all over the place and most thought she just kinda winged it from maybe a few outline points. I still give her credit because there is no way in hell I could speak in front of that many people without seeming like Don Knotts and shaking so hard I vibrate the podium right off the stage. The rest of the evening was drinking and dancing to the live band if you are into that, I’m more the wallflower type but had fun watching.

Sunday was pack up and move out day. After packing up and checking out of my hotel I headed over to the Sheraton to help Cyn, Cloe & April. Cyn’s car was packed with her and April’s stuff and my car was pretty full with mine & Cloe’s stuff. Before leaving Harrisburg we had lunch at Chili’s right near the hotel. They were all in femme mode I was the slacker back in goober mode. I am the worlds laziest crossdresser. We had one little adventure left before Cyn had to drop April off at the airport. We stopped in Baltimore to check out the waterfront area and see some sights and have a drink. But soon it was time to say goodbye to April as she and Cyn headed for BWI and Cloe and I headed back to Cyn’s house in Virginia. Like I said the week went by too fast but we had a great time. I loved meeting April and the 4 of us hanging out together. I hope we can do it again soon.
And I hope all of you get to go to a conference like Keystone at least once, it really is an amazing experience.

Luv & Hugs,
Samantha

[Sara Marie Franklin (SMF)]

Samantha,  Loved you recap of Keystone.  I have wanted to do that for many years, I hope I get to some day soon.  That is if I can talk the wife into me going LOL.  Thanks again great story and so glad you girls had a great time.

Sara

[Stephanie Flowers]

Enjoyed your adventures  ,truly good times with good people. Thank you for sharing  🌹

[skippy1965 Cynthia]

ho said you can’t write? Oh yeah-that was you ! LOL Well that shows how little YOU know! You captured all the excitement and glamour of Keystone and I was there with you so I know what I’m talking about! We did INDEED have a fabtastic time and I am SO looking forward to returning next year! Thanks for going with me!
Luv,
Cyn

[Anonymous]

Sounds like an amazing event and you appear to have enjoyed. Definitely on my things to do list. Thanks for sharing!!

[Samantha G…..]

Allyson, definitely make plans to go at least once. If it’s your first time out there is no better place I think. You are among so many sisters and the venue there is great.

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