Thank you so much Robert Melani and Norma De La Fuentes (General Manager, Castro 24 Hour Fitness) for inviting Vanessa to entertain at Saturday morning Zumba class this weekend, in celebration of Party In Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness month. What a gas! And I can officially check off performing at a gym from my bucket list! At Robert’s request, Vanessa sang Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” and “Colors Of The Wind” from Disney’s Pocahontas — each song reminding us of how much stronger we are together. It was a delight to be part of this fun event, and I did not miss the chance to mount a cardio machine in my crystal stilettos before leaving the gym — no pain no gain, darlings!
It was my great honor to appear as both an entertainer and model for the first annual Hair To Stay on the Runway fundraiser this October, at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco. A wonderful organization that allows low-income chemo patients to keep their hair during treatment, the Hair To Stay crew knows how to throw one FANTASTIC party! In addition to all the delectable food and libations, the evening featured an incredible live auction that raised over half a million dollars.
My dear friend, Dr. Laura Esserman, invited me along for the evening to join her in singing a duet from the musical Hairspray, to which she wrote chemo-specific lyrics for us to dazzle the crowd. The standing ovation was most delightful!
But the highpoint of the event was unquestionably the brilliance of David More’s sensational runway couture. I was blessed to wear three of his fabulous looks throughout the evening. The sumptuous fabrics and the genius of his draping technique are hallmarks of his clothes, and the aesthetic beauty of his designs is matched only by his magnificent heart. At every step of the process David was magnanimous, fun-loving and so generous of spirit. I was mesmerized by his love of each and every one of us who modelled for him and how that translated into the most amazing backstage comradery. Truly this was a splendid evening not soon to be forgotten!
No witch can do it all alone — no matter how powerful her spells! And Vanessa was joined at our Martuni’s Bewitched! show this month by two of the BEST fellow witch sisters any diva could wish for. Thank you to the fabulous Carol Hull for so expertly inhabiting her role as our BEE Witching door hostess — you know that I absolutely adore you, Carol, as we all do. And brava to the exceptional Vandana Bali for dazzling us with her amazing vocal prowess. Power was at every turn of this show with my witchy friends always at my side. I love you ladies!
“Like something that seeks its level, I wanna go to the devil. I wanna be evil…” And indeed, a most bewitchingly glamourous Vanessa appeared at our 2018 Halloween bacchanal, Bewitched! at Martuni’s.With songs from the spookier side of the American songbook, the show was rich with mysterious harmonic color and lots of startling vocal surprises. Special thanks to the amazing Tom Shaw on piano and Roberta Drake on drums for setting the eerie atmosphere so well. I cannot get enough of singing and jamming with you two lovely ones! And a call out to the wondrous Vandana Bali for sharing her powerhouse vocals with us a guest soloist. A delightful evening was enjoyed by one and all. Thank you everyone for coming out!
Back-To-School has never been so much fun as at my Oasis debut show with Tom Shaw piano & Roberta Drake drums. Special thanks to Heklina & D’Arcy Drollinger for inviting me to appear at the club, and to my adorable Steven Satyricon for playing the perfect “Teacher’s Pet”. I hope everyone remembers our fundamental lessons in divahood: be gorgeous, be cultivated and be KIND! Divas are goddesses, so keep the standard celestial, darlings. See you back at Oasis soon!
On the Thursday evening of San Francisco Pride weekend 2018, Vanessa, Erik and Tom Shaw at piano debuted at Feinstein’s nightclub at Hotel Nikko to a sold-out house. What an extraordinary moment! I shall never forget walking into that room full of friends and fans and feeling all of that genuine love and support. We keep it real, darlings! I love you — every single one of you — and I cannot thank you enough for giving me the opportunity to sing for you, time and time again.
Special thanks also to my dear friends Steven Satyricon and Krissy Dorn for your beautiful guest soloist appearances. What a lucky diva I am to be surrounded by such talented people. “Forever Friends, bound by love that time can’t take away, Forever Friends, caring in a special kind of way. Heart to heart and hand in hand, we will stand until the end. Love’s forever when you’re Forever Friends…”
“Somewhere beyond the sea, somewhere waiting for me, my lover stands on golden sands and watches the ships that go sailing…” Act Two of our April H2O show took us to the beach – what fun! With fabulous TOM SHAW at the keys, I sang some of my very favorites songs to perform — certainly while wearing a swimsuit! “The Love Boat” Theme Song, “Beyond The Sea”, “Surfin’ U.S.A.”, “Under The Boardwalk”, “Yellow Polka Dot Bikini”, “The Boy From Ipanema”, “Blue Hawaii”, “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” from South Pacific, “Rubber Ducky”, “Splish Splash” and so many more. Thank you to everyone for joining Vanessa’s beach party at Martuni’s. See you at our next show!
Our H2O April Showers show this year was definitely WET enough to bring us lots of gorgeous flowers in May! A very special thank you to wonderful TOM SHAW at piano, and to everyone who came out to celebrate this fabulous chapter in the American Songbook with us. There are just so many beautiful songs for a water-themed show. And what a delight to premiere my new “Raindrop Couture” gown! “Don’t know why there’s no sun up in the sky, Stormy Weather…”
DiVanessa returned to Martuni’s in 2018 with Hearts & Tarts Valentine’s cabaret. Special love to co-star Steven Satyricon, pianist Max Schroeder and our fabulous Queen Of Hearts Page, Carol Hull. Camping up the royals from the nursery rhyme was a hoot. Being glamourously tyrannical seems to really suit Vanessa!
Our first annual TT Christmas Cabaret show at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church was a big success. Thank you to all who came and supported with your generosity of money and contribution of talent. What a variety show we had! I am so grateful for the opportunity to represent a charitable organization like Tenderloin Tessie that does such tangible good for others.
