Time Travel: Mark Twain at Lake Tahoe, and Rendezvous in Carson City

So for all my complaining, I love this dress (now).  It wore really quite well!

The events of the day included a trip up to Zephyr Cove, Lake Tahoe, to scout a new event called “Mark Twain Western Days.”  It was SO tiny, with just a couple craft booths, a stage, a band, a cowboy poet, and some gunslingers, but it was such a lovely little place to be.  About 7-10 of us GBCS ladies (and our one gentleman), spread out on the lawn, listened to the band, and had a picnic lunch.  We then flounced around taking photos, looking pretty, gathering strange looks for the “normal” people there to ride the Tahoe Dixie and play volleyball.

After our lunch we all piled into our automobiles, hoops and all!, and drove back down the hill to Carson City, to check out the Rendezvous.  I had never been to a Rendezvous, and I am SO impressed!  It might become my new “thing,” (like Renaissance Faire was years ago), and I’ll have to change the name of my blog! (never!).  We shopped – both my mother and I bought hair – we slurped lemonade, we watched the battle, which was really quite riveting, cannon and all.

What a lovely day.  The weather was nice (thank goodness), and the entertainments were many.  There were no major problems with the dress, save that it wants some hooks and bars on the waistband, to keep the bodice and skirt together, and I need to hem the skirt up a bit, as I was stepping on it all day.

My mom and I on the beach at Tahoe,
 planning something mischievous, I’m sure.
My mom in a “tin type” I tried to make a la Photoshop

I’m going to do a full-on informational post about the bonnet next, but I want to let you all know a bit about it first.  I did NOT make this bonnet, but instead commissioned it from a friend, Maggie, who has a magical way with hats.  I paid $50, which included all supplies and shipping, and she made the thing super-fast, and got it to me by the next weekend.  It’s exquisite, fits perfectly, and is exactly what I asked for – a straw day bonnet, with a palette of sage green, creams, and browns, rather understated, and with some flowers.  She had never seen my dress in person, and the bonnet matched EXACTLY.

This is an ad I made for Maggie, just for fun – she doesn’t actually run
a “shoppe” but she ought to!  

Maggie is open to taking more commissions, and I encourage you to take advantage of her skills while her prices are still so low!  Her e-mail is [email protected].  She also runs a blog: http://serendipitousstitchery.blogspot.com/, though not often updated, but you can contact her there too.

6 Comments

  • Anonymous

    June 15, 2010 at 11:23 PM

    Your site is great & your costumes even greater. I do have a question for you….how do you find all the wonderful costume events you attend? I live outside of Philly, PA and there seems to be nothing like that here, save for the few Revolutionary battle reenactors. One would think that living on the East coast and around the nation's first capial there would be plenty of such things but no.

  • American Duchess

    June 16, 2010 at 6:09 PM

    Thanks everyone! I'm glad it turned out at all passable, lol.

    "Anon" – how do I find all these costume events. Some of them I already knew about from growing up in this area, and many I found by searching on the internet. I don't know if all areas have reenactments and faires, but I do know that Renaissance Faires, for instance, seem to be all over the united states, so if you do a search on Google for "Renaissance Faire Philadelphia," I'm sure you'll turn up something. It also helps to get a little niche group of costumers together – this could be just bloggers in your general area – and network. Also try looking up historical attractions in your area and seeing if they have any special events. If all else fails, make your own events! Gather your costumer friends, even if it's just two or three of you, and "invade" a historical place, like a park or a museum.

  • Anonymous

    January 21, 2013 at 4:09 AM

    Hi Lauren,
    My name is Jane and I'm with Dwellable. What fun photos! I bet it was an awesome shoot!
    I was looking for blogs about Zephyr Cove to share on our site and I came across your post…If you're open to it, shoot me an email at jane(at)dwellable(dot)com.
    Hope to hear from you!
    Jane

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