Star and I in bed with a couple of our ladyfriends, Mary Bee and Larissa, at the Madonna Inn last fall. Photography by Evan Hayden.

The Carrie Nations - Sweet Talking Candyman

When I was writing the retro bathing suit post, I came across pictures of Jayne Mansfield’s famous Pink Palace, which I always heard of but for some reason never took the time to research. Why did it take me so long to see photographs of this wondrous place?!

I can’t deal with this black and gold bathroom. Are YOU seeing this? AMAZING.

I’m fainting right now:

Floor to ceiling cotton candy carpet? I’d go insane in the loveliest way. Like a genie in a bottle bo. OMG

Could you get work done in an office like this? I probably could. Well, I’d get a lot of things done in that office. WINK HELLO

Her husband Mickey Hargitay built the famous heart-shaped swimming pool.

I’m really bummed this was demolished seven years ago. But at least I have the Madonna Inn to get my fix. I wonder if Jayne visited the Madonna too?

Siouxsie and The Banshees – Kiss Them For Me

Sources: The Selvedge Yard , Interior 4 U, http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovelynerd

Related posts:

+ Just A Quickie
+ This Girl Can’t Help It

Photo by Robyn Von Swank.

I have never done one of these tagged posts before but I am taking a cue from the lovely Gina Marr and presenting you with sixteen fun facts about yours truly.

+ I have severe Wanderlust and always want to escape to far-off places. I always say it’s due to a case of the gypsy flu. I’ve been to Beijing, London, Amsterdam, the Bahamas, New York and love running off to San Francisco and Vegas any chance I get. I really want to go to Paris, Italy, Tokyo and GREECE (so I can be all disco dewy like in Mamma Mia!)

+ I was extremely shy and one of those smart kids growing up but also kind of an asshole because I wouldn’t give the class nerds Valentine’s Day cards! For some reason I keep thinking about that lately and feel very guilty. I’m so sorry, nerds.

+ I was also really boy crazy back then too. I had a crush on Fred Savage and once wrote him a four page fan letter in yellow highliter. I was also enamored with Bastian and Atreyu and fantasized I was an indian princess in The Neverending Story named “Chrysanthemum.” ( I know you are so jealous.)

+ I totally spelled Chrysanthemum correctly right then because I am a spelling nazi. This is because of my favorite toy, the Speak & Spell. Sadly, I feel as though my internet usage these past five years has made me really dumb and lazy.

+ When I drink too much whiskey, I sometimes recite Catholic mass, including the priest’s part. GAH! I also like to rap old TLC.

+ I wanted to be a writer for Jane magazine and once applied as an intern (which I did not get.) I miss that magazine. RIP Jane magazine.

+ I’m Filipino and Italian. Growing up was tough because I didn’t know anyone else like me. YOU FEEL ALL ALONE AS A HALFBREED. OH CHER. I still absolutely hate it when you can only choose one box for your ethnicity.

+ I’ve tested out almost every type of clothing style and hairdo. Raver, semi-goth, MY PENNY HARDAWAY FROM ORLANDO MAGIC JERSEY WTF?!, grampa plaid pants and little boy’s thrift store tees, etc. Ironically my current style is the same as when I was five. ELLO KNEE SOCKS, DRESSES AND BANGS.

+ The people I choose to spend most of my time with are fuck.ing. amaz.ing. I’m in love love love love love with my friends. I hope I can find someone as sweet and hilarious and sexy as them that I can also bone. WHAT.

+ I love singing old jazz and plan to retire at 65 as a leathery tan and blonde lounge singer at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in beautiful Las Vegas crooning old Doris Day and Peggy Lee. I will see you there and be wearing a gold camel toe. OMG I will host The Gold Camel Toe Awards ceremony. (WTF? Sounds catchy though, no?)

+ The reason I am the way I am is because of Oona Goosepimple and Mae West. If you understand what this means about me without a GOOG I will french you.

+ I’m really into the supernatural and aliens and the occult. I like WEIRD SHIT. I grew up on alien books and Coast to Coast AM.

+ My favorite place in the world is the Madonna Inn. When we first went into the Love Nest room I told my friends, “This is what I feel my insides look like.” My second favorite place in the world is the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. Sigh.

+ Bjork. That’s all you need to know. It’s too personal to talk about here.

+ My favorite book is Story of the Eye. My favorite poem is “She Walks in Beauty” by Lord Byron. I am obsessed with Hans Christian Andersen’s The Red Shoes. I am STILL in the middle of the third Twilight book. Since…August. Everyone hates me.

+ I’m a huge romantic in every single way. I am always dreaming. It gets me into a lot of trouble but I wouldn’t have it any other way. This is most likely why I’m bad at math.

It’s my birthday today! I was going to do a wish list post, but I need to get some sleeps. So I’m going to make this quick and wish on a star for those hot ‘lil Corso Como wedges that both Nubby and Poochie have. Momma wants to get ‘dose babies on her hooves, too!

The picture up above of my BFFs and I having a tea party was shot this past weekend by Robyn Von Swank at Madonna Inn, which was our third venture to the infamous hotel this year! I love that place so much. The cake was delicious too. I will have stories to tell soon!

Today I want to thank my amazing friends who make my heart swell and my belly fill with laffs and potato tacos. And a very big gracias to all of you sexies who read my blog and who are even nice enough to say hello! I really appreciate it more than you will ever know.

And before I bid goodnight (ooh shit past 1am, I hope someone gets me a birthday coffee in the morning)….here are the people I share my birthday with.

Can I get a Thighmaster for my birfday too? It’s only natural.

Helloooo sexies. I wanted to share the finished Madonna Inn photos seen through Miss Robyn Von Swank’s lovely eye. There will also be an interview with her coming soon!

These group shots are like alternate universe Gossip Girl promos…(btw I suck and missed the season premiere! MAWR! Depressionville x 1,000!!)

More can be seen at my flickr!
Just a mini TiLT today since I haven’t posted since the last one! Good things: Still OBSESSED with Fan Death. I listen to them all the time and have slowly been spreading the obsession to my friends; satanic schoolgirls (keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming post about that), RAGIN’ with my girlfriends, walking by the harbor during the night, and GOING TO NEW YORK CITY NEXT WEEK TO MEET WITH THE LADYBLOGGERS AT THE GALA/NUBBY EXTRAVAGANZA. WHAT THE F!!!! Last minute wanderlust decisions are so awesome. Somehow Star is always involved in those with me. Haha. YAY!!!

xo

Marie

I wish someone would invent a kind of machine that would scan Polaroids so you wouldn’t have to go through that whole ‘scan, crop, rotate, crop more, stand back, save as and repeat’ routine. Or maybe just a robot to do it. Or maybe I am just a lazy asshole. Anyway, I finally have the Polaroids from Madonna Inn uploaded and ready for viewing. The good ones at least.

I brought four Polaroids cams with me that weekend. My trusty Sun 660, which is the most common and simple out of all my cameras, yet it has also produced my favorite pictures. My Spectra, which didn’t get too much usage since I prefer shooting with it outside and playing with the filters. My Holgaroid, which is also best for outside use, and my SLR 680, which also unfortunately didn’t get too much play. It’s just so simple to grab the Sun 660 when there is complete chaos going on!

Let us peruse together shall we? Let me make you a mimosa…

Dizzy Von Damn! and Robyn Von Swank looking SEXY 4 U

Nikki!!

and Nicki!

A couple of Miss Von Damn..

This is a Polaroid that Shaun took of Joz and Dizzy Von Damn. So HOT!

The next morning, Shaun, Robyn and I went to the pool for a morning swim. The Holgaroid was perfect for it.

Majestic!

Glorious!

Why HELLO THERE

On the way back home, I forced everyone to make a quick stop in Solvang, the land of mystical delight, so I could venture back to the store I like to call “Jody’s” but is really “the store that time forgot,” where I had found outdated 90′s clothing during the first trip. This time, Jody’s failed me and I was flabbergasted! I tried on a red and blue elastic-waisted jumper as well as a red and black shoulda-padded business suit number but no such luck. DAMN YOU JODY! I will do fifteen-hundred jumping jacks and come back to you my tacky, tacky Solvang love. So instead we had treats and Polas.

YAY! Welcome to Solvang!

So I have this idea (DON’T STEAL IT) of writing a script called “Solvang, Land of Wonder and Mystical Delight” in the key of my favorite show Wonderfalls. Basically it will be about a small tourist town where unexplained phenomena is experienced by one girl who lives there. Okay, so it really is just Wonderfalls part 2. Man, I miss that show.

Actually this show you are watching right now is called “Marie and a Giant Lollipop.”

ICE CREAM IS GONNA SAVE THE DAY

Goodbye Sweet Solvang! Until we meet again…

Muscles – “Ice Cream”

Me at the Madonna Inn Steakhouse. Photo by Robyn Von Swank

This past weekend the gang and I had our second Madonna Inn adventure…and it was QUITE a delight. My glorious friend, Robyn Von Swank, professionally shot us in a variety of looks and outfits. If you recall our first trip to the Madonna Inn was in February and we absolutely fell so in love with the hotel so we made it a goal to stay and shoot there as much as possible.

This time, we booked the Love Nest as well as the Old Fashioned Honeymoon Suite. I was already excited about the Love Nest from the pictures I saw online, but it didn’t do it any justice. When we stepped in I felt my heart explode. Everything I feel on the inside is materialized in that lil’ Love Nest. All that whimsical tackiness bubbling over in my guts was finally manifested!

There was a pink spiral staircase leading to a little scenic area where you can enjoy a view of the entire property through rainbow-tinted windows. In the morning when everyone was sleeping I tip-toed up there and peeked outside. It was so lovely. I just needed Tangina up there making me a cup of tea and it would have been perfect.

And now a few of my favorite shots…

Dizzy Von Damn and Robyn Von Swank switching roles.

Mikkay and Mickay [Nikki P and Nicki H]

Dizzy Von Damn! as Rollergirl

Italians Do it Better

Ello mum may I have another?

Here is a sneak peek at some of Robyn’s photos from this weekend… I will be posting more as I get them! Thank you Robyn!

Comin’ to getchu

The fabulous Shaun!

Burlesque Goddess Dizzy Von Damn!

My gal Nikki P of Danger Baby!

I also took a bunch of Polaroids and Holga shots at the Inn, as well as during our stop in the wonderful land of Solvang and will post ‘em in an entry soon enough!

Xo! [i really need to get one of those signature things, no?]

PS. Regarding some website stuff= We fixed the navigation on the bottom of the site so you should be able to clearly view past entries now! Also, I added my lurky links to the About page! Let’s be BFFs!

Here’s a mini photo-novella from our time at the ol’ Madonna Inn…

The poses were Shaun’s [the thief!] idea. I can’t wait to do some more! Next time we’ll have to make a video like this. And yes, I know it’s completely lame I haven’t ever seen Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! yet either. I’ll Netflix it soon so I can really see what everyone is telling me.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

I have a post or two planned later but I just wanted to say ‘ello in the form of more Madonna Inn fun.

My friends and I have always found simple joy in dressing up in costumes, props in hand, for out-of-town hotel photoshoots, so naturally we have wanted to visit the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. The Madonna Inn is a magnificently gaudy hotel with over a hundred rooms, all with various themed decor. I was able to book The Crystal Room, which is an explosion of pinks and golds, and even had pink velvet-flocked wallpaper! If Liberace and Barbie had a baby, it would be The Crystal Room.

I had a few key looks in mind, and the post-Valentine’s Day sales helped with acquiring the right props.

Cotton candy baby love!

Feeling oh so blue…

Master of magic

Mermaid in the mirror

Playing dress-up can leave a gal exhausted!

We had such a wonderful time even though there were certain factors going against us: crap weather, a two-hour power outage, ghosts!, being sick, no food aside from cookies, and a chorus of frogs outside the window. I can’t wait to go back. In fact, I have started a personal mission of doing a themed photoshoot in every single one of the rooms at the Madonna Inn. A hefty goal indeed but I have faith! Wouldn’t that be amazing?

Also amigos, please take a look at the set on Flickr, as I will be adding more through the next week!