Sunday, September 30, 2007

Rumpy's Tavern is the place to be.....

If you are in the fabulous Berkshires of western Massachusetts, Rumpy's Tavern is the place to be on Thursday night. The Countess' picture is on display in a place of honor and this past Thursday, The Countess Herself made an appearance.

Troy, the bartender who makes it all happen, and The Countess behind the Rumpy's bar...


What a great night! So many good friends showed up to say hello. Stew and Erin from the Berkshire Theatre...



The very handsome Ricky Fromeyer, one of my favorites....




Steve, BTF Stage Manager, the very beautiful Vickie (Vickalick on Myspace), A gorgeous tall redhead whose name I did not catch, and the delightful Ryan Chittaphong also came to the party.


You have to love a place that encourages The Countess to wear a crown...




Or Sophia to wear angel wings....




Sophia says that you can't have a bad day when you are wearing wings and I believe her.

Steve, from Shakespeare and Co. put on Sophia's wings. Beau, the wonder dog, also showed up for a special guest star appearance.



Davo and Bryce, two sistahs who are both so fab, entertained me at the bar. I hope I see these two again soon.....


One of my favorite people, the incredibly beautiful Amelia, was there with her brother and friends....



Everyone should be hanging at Rumpy's with Troy, bartender extraordinaire. Plus you never know when The Countess will make an appearance!
Countess Bedelia 9/30/2007 01:07:00 AM | 2 comments |

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Bennett Harrington is coming to a town near you....


So, are you ready?



Bennett Harrington has performed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts but now he is expanding his horizons and going to our nation's capital, Washington DC.



Check out the Pasha Lounge at the Marrakesh Palace on P Street. If you are local or just want to take a trip to the capital for a little sight seeing, check out Bennett's show. You just might meet The Countess there.



Bennett & The Countess at Mirabar in Providence, RI 6/30/07


You can check out Bennett's musical sound at his MySpace Page.


Break a leg, Bennett. We love you!

Countess Bedelia 9/26/2007 07:15:00 PM | 3 comments |

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Welcome Home, Captain Jeremy!


Today is the day that Captain Jeremy, Captain of the 7th Calvary & Captain of the Royal Guard of the Southern Court, returns home to Miami after his 6 month tour of duty in Bogota, Columbia.



WELCOME HOME, JEREMY!



I couldn't help reminiscing about our wonderful Thanksgiving weekend that we all spent at The Castle Bedelia last year. What a merry crew!



Bennett, Brian, Jeremy, Jose, Mark, and The Countess duBarry (standing) at the Thanksgiving dinner table.


Handsome Jeremy and The Countess


A tour of Salem, home of the ancient witches, was in order. Of course that meant a tour of the Hathorne Hotel Bar. We also had a carriage ride around town. (It's not like we spend ALL our time in bars....!!!)



Jeremy and Mark at the Hathorne Hotel Bar in Salem

Then it was off to Club Cafe in Boston where we were joined by several of Jeremy's pals.




A wonderful time to remember. I will be making new memories when I see Jeremy in SoBe in October. Can't wait to see you again, darling!
Countess Bedelia 9/22/2007 01:06:00 PM | 0 comments |

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

A beautiful fall day in New England.....


On Sunday the sun was shining, the temperature was in the low 70s.....What a great day to be outdoors by the ocean!


The Countess duBarry was catering an event for the AARP at Colt State Park and Mimi Hines was going to sing a few songs. What I didn't know was that Kellie Hajjar would be there. I first heard Kellie's CD "Kellie Hajjar is Swinging" during the summer. duBarry brought it with her when she visited the Summer Palace in the Berkshires. I promptly put it into my car CD player and hoped she would forget about it. No such luck! She took it back.....and so it went....back and forth. In the end, duBarry took the CD back to Newport with her and I went through withdrawal for a few days as I was deprived of the opportunity to listen to Kellie's golden voice.


Peter (Countess duBarry), Mimi Hines, The Countess Bedelia

So I was surprised and delighted to see that Kellie was singing at the event also. When I told her I was a big fan, she got a big kick out of it; probably wondering how I ever heard of her. She is so delightful and such fun that we all ended up going out for a cocktail and a bite to eat later in the day. Kellie and her partner, Gail, were celebrating their 7th anniversary on Sunday. Congratulations to you both!

Mimi Hines and Kellie Hajjar


Mimi sang three songs including the opening number from Funny Girl, "I'm the Greatest Star", a role that Mimi took over from Barbra Streisand on Broadway in 1965 and played for 18 months. She also sang her signature song, "Til there was You", which she dedicated to her late partner Phil Ford.


After both Mimi and Kellie wowed the crowd and duBarry lulled them with a delicious meal, we decided to depart to the Lobster Pot in Bristol for a little libation and some seafood.


At the Lobster Pot: Mimi, Michael, duBarry, and Kellie

And it wouldn't be a 'Countess Blog' if she didn't meet at least one handsome young man. Here is Zee, the Bulgarian bartender at the Lobster Pot. Isn't he adorable?


A fun day with friends to share it with. Life is good!

Countess Bedelia 9/19/2007 06:09:00 AM | 3 comments |

Monday, September 17, 2007

Fabulous Newport....

The Countess is just back from a wonderful weekend in Newport, RI, land of the rich, the super-rich, and the even richer. It was a beautiful weekend as you can see by this photo that I took on Sunday as we sat on the deck enjoying cocktails and lobstah...





duBarry is the only Countess in our Royal Circle who lives in an actual castle. Here she is in the window of her Royal Turret. All she needs is a 30 foot braid to dangle and maybe a passing Prince will climb up and rescue her from a life of drudgery.





The Countess duBarry gave a cocktail party in honor of his special guest, Mimi Hines, the legendary star of the Broadway stage and such television shows as Ed Sullivan and Jack Paar. Mimi and her partner, Phil Ford, were always on television in the early days. People like Tony Bennett, Red Skelton, Frank Sinatra, Barry Manilow have been fortunate to call themselves her friend....and so is the Countess duBarry.



The Countess (wearing Mimi's BIG Diamond ring!!), Mimi Hines, The Countess duBarry


Like all of duBarry's parties, the guests were interesting and handsome, the food was delicious, and there was just too much fun to be enjoyed.



Jon and Jason are the "hottest gay couple in Newport" according to Jason. They are engaged to be married on October 4th, 2008. Congratulations!!



Jon & Jason, Hottest Gay Couple in Newport

Stephen, who played the piano for the Dreamgirls Cabaret that I posted about last April, wants me to tell Bennett that "he wants to see you again". He must want to hear you sing again!!


Stephen, the fabulous piano player

Joe apparently throws a fantastic Christmas party every year that duBarry is supposed to invite me to attend. Luckily for me, Joe invited me personally for this year's festivities. Here is Joe and his friend, JJ.



Joe, The Countess, & JJ

Just to show you the kitchen in duBarry's castle, here are KimLee, Jason, Kara, and Jeff...


It was such a treat for me to meet Mimi and spend time with her. She is a delightful, fun-loving person; so kind and nice to everyone. Her assistant, Michael, traveled with her. We all had a lot of fun together.

Tomorrow, a glorious day in the sun beside the ocean. Mimi sings. We meet Kellie. Good Times Keep on Coming!!

Countess Bedelia 9/17/2007 06:38:00 PM | 2 comments |

Friday, September 14, 2007

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!


The announcements have gone out. The invitations are being delivered by the Palace footmen.

The Countess Bedelia and the Countess du Barry will be attending Halloween festivities at the Southern Court of Mrs. Astor at The Palace on Ocean Drive in South Beach. The Royal Coach will carry us in triumphant procession through the land until we reach the southern shores.

You may click here to read about the excitement that has been generated at the news of Our visit.

Here is Mrs. Astor and The Countess on the occasion of Our last visit to the Southern Court...


The Countess du Barry presented a jeweled "thing" to Mrs. Astor in honor of the occasion...



Mrs. Astor was so excited with this token of esteem, that she immediately rushed out (surrounded by her royal guards) and displayed the gift to the cheering peasants.

Let the parties begin!
Countess Bedelia 9/14/2007 08:23:00 PM | 2 comments |

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Ass Thursday

My blogger pal, Hoss, The Old Horsetail Snake, has a thing about butt cracks displayed in public and I thought I would post this for him so that he can pass on this handy hint to any butt crack offenders that he meets.


Credit for this Duct Tape ad goes to the Countess du Barry’s sister who shall remain nameless in the interest of family harmony.


Hoss recently posted this picture and challenged his readers to find a better caption than the one he gave it....."Moon River". I think that says it all.




Now for the most perfect ass to ever grace the television screen....


















Did you know that there is a blog called HorseAss.Org? Go there to read all about the asses who are running our country.


And here's a horse's ass who just doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut; especially when he's talking about kicking ass....


And finally, a joke to end this post:

Bush Country


A man walked into a cowboy bar and ordered a beer just as President Bush appeared on the television. After a few sips, he looked up at the television and mumbled, "Now, there's the biggest horse's ass I've ever seen." A customer at the end of the bar quickly stood up, walked over to him, and decked him. A few minutes later, as the man was finishing his beer, Mrs. Bush appeared on the television. "She's a horse's ass too," the man. This time, a customer at the other end of the bar quickly stood up, walked over to him, and knocked him off his stool. "Damn it!" the man said, climbing back up to the bar. "This must be Bush country!" "Nope," the bartender replied. "Horse country!"

'Th-uh-th-uh-That's all folks!!"

Countess Bedelia 9/13/2007 07:08:00 PM | 2 comments |

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

The Grand Duke makes an appearance....

The Countess had dinner with her grandson, The Grand Duke, the other night. He's moving to Florida soon and I will miss him. I've posted about how he was Captain of his high school and college baseball teams; Captain of the high school football team too. I've been watching him play ball for almost 20 years. Where does the time go?


When I was in the Berkshires, I met a beautiful girl named Carrie who I think would be perfect for Ryan. She reads my blog so maybe I can do a little matchmaking here. I've shown her picture to Ryan and he was impressed.....maybe she will be too.




Here's a picture of him pitching a college game last spring. His pitches have been clocked at 90 MPH.




Here he is showing his newest tatoo. He'll kill me for showing this one...LOL!!



Ryan with his cousins, my two 15 year old granddaughters.


Last year in Ft. Myers when Ryan was pitching for his college in the Collegiate Classic games, his friend Jose went out with us to a Mexican restaurant that had 50 kinds of Margaritas on the menu. I think we tried them all!!! This picture was taken before we got to the 10th one.

So, Carrie, give me a call. I have his number!!

Countess Bedelia 9/12/2007 09:45:00 PM | 2 comments |

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

A Moment of Silence for Janis....

It is 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time at my house and that means that 9/11 has arrived once again.


We all remember exactly what we were doing and where we were when we first heard the news about a hijacked plane crashing into the World Trade Center. Some knew immediately that people they loved were in danger; some of us found out later that terror was knocking at our door closer than we thought.


I knew Janis Lasden casually over the years. We met because we both liked country dancing. It's funny how even a casual acquaintance can affect your life so deeply because of tragedy.


Janis and her boyfriend, Don DiTullio, were on their way to Palm Springs for a vacation. Their trip ended when Flight 11 slammed into the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. on a beautiful September morning.


I always take a moment to remember Janis on this day. A very nice, fun-loving woman who loved her dogs and loved to country dance. Rest in Peace.
Countess Bedelia 9/11/2007 12:01:00 AM | 1 comments |

Monday, September 10, 2007

Do you think I'm Sexy??????

The Countess went into Boston for a couple of nights last weekend with my BFF, the Lady Alice.
It was the national convention for the AARP at the Boston Convention Center and they were offering two concerts that we wanted to attend.

The Westin Waterfront Hotel connects to the Boston Convention Center via an enclosed walkway. Bill, the bartender at the Birch Bar, was kind enough to keep the Glenlivet stocked and ready.



Lily Tomlin and "Earth, Wind, and Fire" seemed like an unlikely pair to be on the same bill but both acts were wonderfully entertaining. Lily did a whole monologue on Dubya in addition to her standards of Ernestine, the telephone operator, and Edith Ann, the 6 year old. The best line was how Dubya had been "leaking intelligence" for the past few years. Get it? Haha....so that's why he can't speak two words properly!

Earth, Wind, and Fire did a medley of their hits like "After the Love has Gone", "Got to get you into my life", and my favorite "September".........
Ba de ya - say do you remember,
Ba de ya - dancing in September,
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day .
The crowd was rocking and rolling with them. They've been around for 35 years.....fantastic!!
The real draw for the weekend was the Saturday night concert by Rod Stewart. For a 62 year old, he is still very Sexy!! He rocked out for two hours singing "Maggie May", "Do You Think I'm Sexy?", and several songs from his American Songbook album.
When he sang "Hot Legs", he shared a picture of himself in drag in a short dress with Very.Hot.Legs!!!
The Countess didn't get to meet him but that didn't stop me from dancing in the aisles!!
Countess Bedelia 9/10/2007 08:11:00 AM | 5 comments |

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Andy Borowitz "Breaking News"



Several days a week Andy Borowitz (Winner of the first ever National Press Club Award for Humor) sends out his Breaking News report. I thought I would share today's column with you, dear readers.


Craig: I Will Not Blow This Job
Idaho Senator Withdraws Resignation

Less than one week after announcing his intention to resign from office, embattled Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) changed course today, telling reporters in Washington, “I will not blow this job.”

Over the past few days, there had been whispers in Republican circles that Sen. Craig had, in the words of one of the Idaho senator’s associates, “pulled out too early,”

“At the end of the day, Larry does not want to blow this job,” the associate said. “He will do whatever it takes to win back the support of his constituents, even if it means getting down on his knees.”

Another associate of Sen. Craig’s agreed that the Idaho senator announced his intention to vacate his Senate seat too hastily: “I think Larry now feels that to leave office on September 30 would be a premature evacuation.”

Sen. Craig got a key vote of support from Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn), who held a press conference at the Senate today to call the charges against the Idaho senator a “bum rap.”

But even as Sen. Craig picked up the support of Sen. Specter, a source close to the Republican caucus indicated that most Republicans are “backing away” from Sen. Craig.

For his part, Sen. Craig told reporters that he would take whatever steps are necessary to find favor with his Republican colleagues: “I will absolutely bend over backwards.”
Elsewhere, after a B-52 pilot flew over several U.S. states carrying nuclear warheads, the Air Force said that it would discontinue its use of Mapquest.


If you want to get the Borowitz Report in your email, sign up here.
And just in case you think there is a celebrity I haven't met.....LOL! Here is Andy and The Countess at a book signing in New York City.
He's a tall one!!
Countess Bedelia 9/06/2007 10:39:00 AM | 3 comments |