Daniella's Ramblings

Well, that was fun!
As I am sure many of you by now know my amazing spouse (Irene) and I have started a little business called Priscilla’s Services. Our aim is to provide services to the crosssdressing, transvestite and transgender communities. In particular we want to help those people who for whatever reason cannot express themselves at home. A key element of our service offering is organising social events for our community in places and times that provide people with security, safety and privacy.

We held our first ever Saturday night event in collaboration with Mantopia on 22 October. Mantopia shares facilities with a BDSM club and as such the venue could be easily used by us or our purposes. The owners of Mantopia had seen a gap for hosting events for crossdressers and approached us to see if we could work together. As we currently lack a venue this seemed like a good idea. The venue has several rooms with lockable doors that we used as dressing rooms on the night giving our clients a place to get ready in private. They were able to arrive en homme and transform en site before the party, have a fantastic evening en femme and then re-transform before returning home. Of course the venues ‘usual’ function is evident from the various ‘extra’s’ on offer and unfortunately the lighting is on the muted side making makeup application a bit of a challenge but we will be able to fix this going forward. Hopefully none of our guests were too disconcerted by the venue… Who knows, it may have added an extra frisson of excitement to the outing (do you really need that on your first time out dressed? Asking for a friend). There is a fabulous dance floor in the main ‘club’ section with a number of tables and chairs as well as an excellent bar with a number of very competent barmen. There is also a pool table although we did not use it on the night. The view of the Gauteng skyline from the club is phenomenal although, it could, with some remodeling of the clubs wall and windows, be made even more amazing.

After a frenzied final week where a number of people cancelled on us (all due to good reasons that we fully understand) and even more new bookings, we were expecting around 30 people to arrive on the night. Unfortunately a number of people had last minute emergencies and complications and we thus achieved a far lower attendance but it was still a ‘good enough’ turnout and we all had fun.

We had planned on arriving early but as always makeup and getting ready takes longer than expected and we arrived just after 7 pm. Fortunately, T (one of our co-hosts) was already there and showed us around. We set up in one of the rooms. Irene had helped with my make up at home and I was feeling fabulous and we took some photographs whilst we waited for people to arrive.

Irene looked fabulous in her brand new red corset and I just had to capture a few photographs of her as well.

After a short wait our various guests arrived. I was very happy when all of our Priscilla’s guests were accounted for as I know that that first time out is rather nerve racking and the temptation to just give up and not go can be strong. Finally,  another couple, not part of our Priscilla’s group arrived. The crossdresser in the couple went and to get changed in one of the rooms and she emerged in her blonde glory. It is always wonderful to see people transform and to see how much happier they seem when en femme. It was a privilege to see it happen in front of me so to speak…

It is worth noting that apart from one of our guests, one of the Mantopia co hosts and myself all the other gurls were experiencing their first time out dressed. There was a great deal of nervousness and I am sure quite a lot of anxiety. This is to be expected. Your first time out dressed is a time filled with emotions and energies you have never experienced before. You are self-conscious and feel odd… You are simply not used to the clothes you are wearing and often wearing makeup, wigs, heels and unfamiliar fabrics leads to something of a sensory overload. Nonetheless everyone looked and I think felt fantastic and I was touched to see how brave everyone had been.

Irene, T, D (our co hosts) and I circulated regularly throughout the evening and having a cash bar on hand helped people relax. It was good to talk to people and everyone realised that they were not alone. There were other people just like them on similar journeys and with similar experiences, expectations and concerns. It was nice to see so many partners out as well. It is always good to have the support of a close friend or romantic partner and as it turns out they had all had a lot of fun helping their other halves dress on the night: having a transgender significant other is certainly not without its benefits it seems.

We did not have a DJ on the night but T and D had a play list on hand and it was nice to be able to talk without too much competition from a DJ who thinks s/he is the most important person in the room and thus plays everything at the maximum volume. Irene and I were in the mood to dance, a little, and so we did, a little… But everyone else was a little shy so we didn’t push it. The dance floor is excellent in that it is a proper sprung wooden floor, not just a piece of concrete cleared of chairs, which is sadly so often the case in many a club these days.

D had provided some very yummy finger eats, including prawns, meat balls, samoosas and other nibbles. I enjoyed my snacks immensely and the bartender was very skilled managing to make a pink drink (I do love my pink drinks) out of entirely non-alcoholic ingredients (I am not able to drink alcohol any more due to my dodgy liver). So, the food and drink were not only delicious but plentiful as well.

It was lovely to see so many people out and about dressed and it was very brave of everyone to pitch up. The venue certainly has a lot to recommend it to the more closeted person who still wants to get out and socialise dressed.