Whew: My book tour is over.

Really, I couldn't have hoped for a better "end of the road" event than LA. The reading was so much fun, the house perfectly packed, and I even managed to drag Andreas on stage to read his sidebar.

Then I dragged Heidi on stage to embarrass her over her antics at our wedding reception.

And then I cut up a penis cake that somehow managed to be even more obscene than the penis cake at the book release party, way back in February … which seems like a lifetime ago.

So long ago that I can hardly remember why penis cake became an offbeat party staple. Who the fuck's promotional idea is this? (…oh yeah: mine.) I bookended my book tour with penis cake and a Wai-Ching dress on both ends. I'm not sure what that means.

Lots of photos over here, including shots from most of the other places I toured.

(Thanks to leahpeah for the photo!)

I'm in LA for a for a few days, on the final stop of my book tour. I'll have a few more appearances here and there, but this weekend marks the swan song of the sock puppet. If you're in Los Angles, I hope I'll see you!

SATURDAY
7:30pm Offbeat Bride reading and drunken farewell to my book tour
@ Tangier Lounge, more info here

(Oh, and I'm also reading at LA Angst on Sunday)

I spent all afternoon yesterday at Vain, where I co-hosted an Offbeat Bridal Shower thang. Dozens of nontrad bridal types came, got their hair played with and make-up done, ate cupcakes and drank fizzy beverages. It was awesome, and thanks to the ladies at Vain for hosting the event.

… And thanks to each of you who came and provided so much gorgeousness! My voice is hoarse from doing so much talking with brides and other awesome women — I even got to meet the bride I've been web-stalking all week.

I took hundreds of pictures yesterday … sadly, many of them turned out fuzzy, but you can still get some great hair inspiration over here. If you were at the event and don't see yourself in the pictures, email me and I'll send you the shots I have of you. They may be out of focus (bah!), but if you wannem, I gottem!

Oh and PS: Totally unrelated to Vain, but I love this hairstyle.

This weekend I'm co-hosting an awesome event at Seattle's VAIN, the salon that gave me my pink braids. If you're in Seattle you must come. Seriously: there will be cupcakes and non-stupid hair styling. How could you not come? Here's all the info:

VAIN’s Offbeat Bridal Wedding Shower
May 19th 2007, 2-6pm FREE
VAIN: 2018 1st Avenue, Seattle WA

As engaged couples across Seattle know, wedding season is almost upon us — and for the Northwest’s growing numbers of non-traditional brides, the looming season means something slightly different. With these nontraditional brides in mind, Seattle’s VAIN Salon has joined forces with local writer Ariel Meadow Stallings, author of OFFBEAT BRIDE: TAFFETA-FREE ALTERNATIVES FOR INDEPENDENT BRIDES, to host a free afternoon of nontraditional primping, wedding planning advice, sweets and prizes for local brides. The free event will take place between 2 and 6pm on Saturday, May 19th at VAIN’s Belltown salon at 2018 1st Avenue in Seattle.

UPDATE: Check out the Offbeat up-do gallery from the event!

I'll be making a run for the border later this week to do a reading at Sophia Books Friday evening. It's going to be more than just a reading though — there will be hula hoops, music, an offbeat bridal fashion show, veils, and god knows what else. More info over here.

Totally wedding unrelated, but if you're in Vancouver I'll be reading some horrific poetry from the late '80s at Teen Angst Poetry night on Thursday. The comedy event starts 8pm at The Annex (307 W. Cordova). More info over here.