Naming the Mermaid

Once upon a time, there was a wonderfully and lovingly decorated tiki bar called The Tabou Tiki Room along the Maybachufer here in Berlin. I brought an alter ego - a singing mermaid - into being specifically for this particular tiki bar. The bar itself has now disappeared, but The Singing Mermaid remains - in spite of the fact that she's never really had a proper name of any sort until just recently.

She's gone by the names Laura Lei and Laila Lei in the past (while performing with The Bali Ha'is and Fuzzy Love at The Tabou Tiki Room), and has more recently been called, LaLaVox - The Singing Mermaid, by others, or simply and namelessly, The Singing Mermaid, by me.

But since I want The Singing Mermaid to begin singing again at last, I figured it was high time she finally be given a real name.

Since my online name is LaLaVox, and I also have another alter ego named Lola la Voix, I decided I wanted to stay with the LLV theme for the mermaid too; wanting my mermaid to be named Loralei ...something-with-a-"V"...

About a month ago, I went to one of those baby-naming sites and clicked "V". It was on page 2 of "V" that I came across the first name in the list that appealed to me enough (that seemed "mermaidy" enough to me) that I felt the urge to go find out its meaning; Vanora.

So I clicked the "Vanora" link, and, as it turns out, the name is supposedly of old Welsh origin and means... drum roll, please... "white wave"!...

...Um... Hello? Is it a sign???

So I wrote an email to Carolyn Turgeon - whom I had the pleasure of meeting during her recent stay in Berlin, and who is currently writing her 3rd novel which is called MERMAID - to ask her expert opinion. She approved! And with her approval, it is now official: The Singing Mermaid's name is Lorelei Vanora!

Here's a little collage of photos of her from past and present so that you can get to know her a bit...

(Also pictured here: The Bali Ha'is, Fuzzy Love, and members of a Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School Berlin audience.)

And so that Lola la Voix won't feel left out, here's a collage of photos of her as well...

(Also pictured here: Fuzzy Love, Carolyn Turgeon, and Anne Smith.)


Hugs + kisses,

LaLaVox
www.mildredlovesyou.com

[update: added Aug.6th,2010]
www.mildredlovesyou.com/loreleivanora.html
www.mildredlovesyou.com/lolalavoix.html

[edit: March 28th, 2011]
Because of problems with my current mildredlovesyou.com domain host, I have set my Mildred Loves You site up at an alternate address for for safe-keeping (but am still hoping that my mildredlovesyou.com domain will go back online at some point anyway)...
www.lalavoxbox.com/mildredlovesyou.html
www.lalavoxbox.com/mildredlovesyou/loreleivanora.html
www.lalavoxbox.com/mildredlovesyou/lolalavoix.html

Season's Greetings from your Dr. Sketchy Berlin Team!

As I have mentioned here before, Matthias Pflügner took over Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School Berlin from Hedoluxe this year, and we just had our 3rd Dr. Sketchy Berlin session (aka our Xmas Special) recently. And now Matthias has drawn a very fetching portrait of us in a delightful Xmas card for the Dr. Sketchy Berlin blog...

We be: DJane Strangelove, Matthias Pflügner, LaLaVox, and Rebekka Csizmazia

Ain't we sweet? ;)

xx - LLV
www.mildredlovesyou.com
[edit: March 28th, 2011]
Because of problems with my current mildredlovesyou.com domain host, I have set my Mildred Loves You site up at an alternate address for for safe-keeping (but am still hoping that my mildredlovesyou.com domain will go back online at some point anyway)...
www.lalavoxbox.com/mildredlovesyou.html

Family Portrait and Holiday Greetings (Extra Goody #1)

NEW SERIES
Mildred Loves Extra Goodies
(A Grabbag of Miscellaneous Thises and Thatses)
Extra Goody #1 - "Happy Holidays!"

Happy Holidays from all of us at here MildredLovesYou.com to all of you out there in Internet Land! xoxox


Click this image to see the larger website version (and a who's who name-tag version)...

This Extra Goody features: Mildred Mahler, Edith Backwater, Cinnamon Girl, Kitty Derail, Fleur dee-bee-doo Lee, Midnight In New York, Ivory Towers, Thérèse-Constance van Ticklinckx, Copper Kitten, LaLaVox, Lorelei Vanora - The Singing Mermaid, Candy-Box Rosie, Ruby Slipped, Midnight In Paris, Coco Delish, Lola la Voix, Tamara Toffy, and Twiggy Torpedo!

Holiday hugs + kisses,

LLV
www.mildredlovesyou.com

[update: added Aug.6th,2010]
www.mildredlovesyou.com/loreleivanora.html

[edit: March 28th, 2011]
Because of problems with my current mildredlovesyou.com domain host, I have set my Mildred Loves You site up at an alternate address for for safe-keeping (but am still hoping that my mildredlovesyou.com domain will go back online at some point anyway)...
www.lalavoxbox.com/mildredlovesyou.html
www.lalavoxbox.com/mildredlovesyou.com/loreleivanora.html

Fashion Special #1 - Alien Platforms - Nina Ricci vs Alexander McQueen vs Jochen Kronier

There's been a fair amount of fuss made along the way about the outrageousness and originality of the platforms shown in Olivier Theyskens' final collection for Nina Ricci for Fall 2009, and in Alexander McQueen's Spring 2010 collection. Meanwhile, a fellow named Jochen Kronier has been quietly designing and custom-making fabulously outrageous and original platform shoes and boots in his various studios since 1994. The following is my small way of telling a bit more of the world about Herr Kronier's amazing designs... (And premiering a new series at MildredLovesYou.com while doing so...)

NEW SERIES
Mildred Loves Fashion!
(Cartoon-Pin-Up Characters as Fashion-Illustration Models)
Fashion Special #1 - "Ricci vs McQueen vs Kronier!!!"

Please click this image to see the larger website version!...


Jochen Kronier - custom-designed/custom-made costumes, shoes, props, + head-wear - since 1994


A Jochen Kronier Video Shoe Show from 2005


Olivier Theyskens for Nina Ricci Fall 2009


Alexander McQueen Spring 2010



There you go... Now you know... :P ;)

Hugs and kisses,

LaLaVox
www.mildredlovesyou.com
[edit: March 28th, 2011]
Because of problems with my current mildredlovesyou.com domain host, I have set my Mildred Loves You site up at an alternate address for for safe-keeping (but am still hoping that my mildredlovesyou.com domain will go back online at some point anyway)...
www.lalavoxbox.com/mildredlovesyou.html

p.s. For those of you who may not already know this, Jochen Kronier (aka Joey Love) appeared as a guest star in Mildred Loves Pin-Ups - Pin-Up #34

Mildred Mahler vs LaLaVox

Hello out there. LaLaVox again (as always). Recently, at some sort of party or other, a friend (with whom I was already connected at FaceBook) was telling another friend (with whom I was not yet connected at FaceBook) that I have the most confusing FaceBook profile ever.

She's right of course. But the reason for this is that I do not have a LaLaVox profile at FaceBook - I only have a Mildred Mahler profile at FaceBook.

At MySpace, on the other hand, I have one for myself (i.e. LaLaVox) and a separate one for Mildred. Unfortunately both of these remain woefully unattended to on an on-going basis. I have far too many different accounts online for my particular energy level and attention span in the meantime, and I simply refuse to add another to the list. Who has time for all this stuff anyway? I know I don't! So Mildred's FaceBook account (and this blog) will have to do for both of us simultaneously. It's not as if Mildred could be expected to help out, after all.

So who is Mildred Mahler and who is LaLaVox? Well, first of all let's clarify who Mildred Mahler is not: Mildred Mahler is not the artist who illustrates the cartoon pin-ups that grace the pages of www.mildredlovesyou.com and Mildred Mahler's FaceBook and MySpace photo galleries. That would be me - LaLaVox (surprise, surprise). And now to clarify who Mildred Mahler is: Mildred Mahler is, is my cartoon pin-up creation; the figure head for - the representative of - our Mildred Loves You website, all of the additional cartoon-pin-ups who romp there, and the peculiar mini-universe I plan to continue building around her. She sprang unannounced from my pencil one wee hour in late 2006 looking exactly like this:



My MySpace LaLaVox profile declares that I am a Gemini who grew up in different parts of Mississippi (and other Southern places), and that I'm attached. Mildred's MySpace and FaceBook profiles report to the world that she is a Scorpio and single. They may also mention that she's originally from New Orleans, but I can't remember at this point, and am loath to go and check while in the process of writing this blog entry. Whatever our differences in background, astrological arrangement, and partner status however, we both live in (and love) Berlin these days! - just so you know...

And before I say goodbye for this time around, I'd like to leave you with a little collage of Mildred's development between her impromptu premier appearance in late 2006 and this very tail end of 2009.



...Oh yeah. And here's a bit of me as well...



...Alright then. That'll do for now.

Hugs + kisses,

LaLaVox
www.mildredlovesyou.com
www.lalavoxbox.com
[edit: March 28th, 2011]
Because of problems with my current mildredlovesyou.com domain host, I have set my Mildred Loves You site up at an alternate address for for safe-keeping (but am still hoping that my mildredlovesyou.com domain will go back online at some point anyway)...
www.lalavoxbox.com/mildredlovesyou.html

Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School Berlin, Dec. 2009 + Dr. Sketchy NYC Holiday Greeting!

I very much enjoyed co-hosting another Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School Berlin with our Master of Ceremonies, Matthias Pflügner last week on Saturday, December 12th. It was the 3rd in this series and our Xmas Special. DJane Strangelove was with us once again, and our models this time around were burlesque dancer, fire eater, and fetish model Xarah von den Vielenregen and Lucky Diva pin-up clothing designer Marnie van Helsing! We giggled a lot, they giggled a lot, and a good time was had by all. :)

Here's a peek at some of the pix from this time around...


Click this sneak peek collection to be whisked off to the official gallery to see more. :)

And don't miss Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School Berlin #4 on January 16th, 2010! Our models will be Hamburg's darling and delightful Golden Treasure, and the ever-so flamboyant and fantastic Joey Love (aka Jochen Kronier - who guest starred in Mildred Loves Pin-Ups # 34)! Also, a little birdie has told me that Hedoluxe (Dr. Sketchy Hamburg host - who guest starred in Mildred Loves Pin-Ups #32) will be joining us once again as well! =)

And the mother of all Dr. Sketchy branches (which number around 100 world wide in the meantime), Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School New York (invented for our drawing pleasure by one Molly Crabapple), has just had its 4th anniversary. Here's a little video holiday greeting to celebrate the occasion:

A Dr. Sketchy holiday 2009 from Spooky K on Vimeo.

Happy Holidays from Dr. Sketchy's!
Music by The Two Man Gentlemen Band
Dr. Sketchy's Animation by Smo
Video by Keith Jenson

In other Dr. Sketchy news, Matthias and I were at Le Fete Fatale's Holy Night of Naughty & Nice party last night got to meet Lorigami of Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School Atlanta. As brief as our introduction was, it was fun to meet a fellow Southerner (I grew up in Jackson and Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA, and Mildred hails from New Orleans) who's name also begins with "L", who's also a Gemini, and who is also involved with a Dr. Sketchy's branch. ;)


As for the Fete Fatale party last night, it was mad, bad fun and I can't wait to see the photos; especially of their gorgeous Naughty and Nice Angels, Marz Star and Lady Lou! I'm also curious to see how the photo of Anne and myself sitting on Santa Swine's knees turned out! ;)

Stay tuned for more!
Hugs + Kisses,

LaLaVox
www.mildredlovesyou.com
[edit: March 28th, 2011]
Because of problems with my current mildredlovesyou.com domain host, I have set my Mildred Loves You site up at an alternate address for for safe-keeping (but am still hoping that my mildredlovesyou.com domain will go back online at some point anyway)...
www.lalavoxbox.com/mildredlovesyou.html

Steffi Schütze, Happy Meat (aka Cecelie Ellefsen), Kirsten Ulve, and Gordon Laite

I simply must sing the praises of Steffi Schütze once again (who I've had the great pleasure of finally meeting in the meantime; here's my previous post about her). She's begun doing a fashion series in her wonderful vector technique that I just love! Here are a few of my favorites from her more recent work...



I met Cecelie Ellefsen (aka Happy Meat) several years ago at one of those wonderful Pictoplasma Conferences. Her work is delightful and subtly terrifying (in a charming and disarming sort of way). If you have not heard of her before then I suggest you trot right on over to her her website and her Esty shop posthaste!



And I am a long-time fan of the very wonderful Kirsten Ulve. Her vector illustrations bowl me over again and again. Here's a small collection of a few of my favorites from along the way...



Oddly enough, when I first discovered her work a number of years ago, it reminded me of illustrations from a favorite Big Golden Book of fairy tales from my childhood. The styles are very different really, but something about the coloring, mood, and layering of some of Kirsten Ulve's work made me think back on that book of fairy tales, and made me wonder if she had perhaps been influenced by it in some way. ...These, for example:



I emailed her at the time wondering about this, and was very pleased to actually get a reply. She was not familiar with the book, she said, but thanked me for introducing her to this particular illustrator's beautiful work. The Big Golden Book in question had copyrights for 1959, 1960, 1962, was called FIVE FAIRY TALES, and was illustrated exquisitely and stylishly by a man named Gordon Laite. Here is some of the work from the book that perhaps caused me to think that Ms. Ulve could possibly have been influenced by him (though I don't know if anyone but me will see why I might have thought such a thing)...



I would like to (and intend to) blog in more detail about Mr. Laite at some point in the future, but for now I will simply point the way to two very generous Gordon-Laite-related posts at the Illustration Station blog:

Gordon Laite
pictures from The Blue Book of Fairy Tales - 1959

Gordon Laite
pictures from More Tales To Tremble By - 1968


Cheers, LaLaVox
www.mildredlovesyou.com
[edit: March 28th, 2011]
Because of problems with my current mildredlovesyou.com domain host, I have set my Mildred Loves You site up at an alternate address for for safe-keeping (but am still hoping that my mildredlovesyou.com domain will go back online at some point anyway)...
www.lalavoxbox.com/mildredlovesyou.html

2 Fab Vids by Frisky and Mannish

I've just recently been made aware of the music + comedy duo Frisky and Mannish, and would like to share two fabulous videos of theirs that burlesque, retro, and vintage fans are sure to enjoy.

Here's a nice one for the Christmas Season. Their very own personalized take on Frank Loesser's all-time Christmas favorite, "Baby It's Cold Outside"...



And here's one that Tim Burton fans will get a kick out of; a Turn of the Century Cabaret version of The Pussycat Dolls single "Beep":
"Beep (Have a Banana)"...



Cheers, LaLaVox
www.mildredlovesyou.com
[edit: March 28th, 2011]
Because of problems with my current mildredlovesyou.com domain host, I have set my Mildred Loves You site up at an alternate address for for safe-keeping (but am still hoping that my mildredlovesyou.com domain will go back online at some point anyway)...
www.lalavoxbox.com/mildredlovesyou.html

p.s.
Um... And this doesn't have anything to do with Frisky and Mannish, or with burlesque, but it is a music video with retro flare, and it's also one of my favorite Künstler Treu tracks ever. So...

Treu / UFO Hawaii - FUTURA


p.p.s.
Our Christmas Edition of Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School Berlin this past Saturday proved to be yet another delightful afternoon at White Trash Fast Food, and I hope to be able to post a couple of photo-teasers of the day here soon...