Twilight Hot Road Show Take 2

Rocklea Showground - March 18th, 2012

It's been a while between blogs and that's because most of my writing about my adventures tends to end up in my Vintage Caravan Magazine these days!

But, every now and then I get to let loose, forget about work for a bit and just go to an event for the fun of it. Not that events aren't always fun, but I often spend so much time taking photos, talking to customers, selling mags and taking notes for future stories, that I sometimes feel like I just want to chill out some more and enjoy it for no other reason than because I can...

Twilight Take 2 was that moment. Having literally just sent our bumper 1st birthday issue to print hours before, and having pulled off a series of mammoth all-nighters to do so, this little editor needed to shake her sillies out and switch work mode off for a change.


Big Sandy and the temptation of the dancefloor saw me cruise down to Brisbane with assurances that the rain would not interrupt play. I picked up my partner in outrageousness; Miss Pinup Australia finalist Scarlet Tinkerbell who was also decked out in a sensational black, white and red number that nicely complemented the red & white polka dotted ensemble that I had chosen. (I can't help it, I'm dotty for dots!)

We had great fun hitting up all the fabulous market stalls and checking out some very cool cars and Scarlet introduced me to her Friend Xymantha Marie who, with her Mum Marianne runs Rockababy Couture - makers of some very tempting retro gear. I couldn't resist this fluffy leopard print shawl with a big black satin bow for only $25 - who says polka dots and animal print can't work? I'm all for mixing things that you'd never expect to see together - anyone who's seen inside my caravan will tell you that! Besides, it went with my dancing shoes!

I also bought a super cute pink and white spotted dress from another stall that I wore the next day and when I spotted (get it? spotted!) this hot EH on the way back from the printers a hilarious sneaky photo opportunity was too hard to resist. I'm cracking up because I was hoping the owner wouldn't see me do it!

Anyway, I had a blast at the Twilight Hot Rod Show and the weather held off for us too. I shopped, I met some very cool new people, and I really enjoyed Big Sandy's 80's rockabilly style - very danceworthy!  Although some of the slower stuff I found a bit too "country" for my liking... I know there's a fine line between rockabilly and country, and the overlap is there, but to my ears and feet they are a world apart! Give me a decent beat, some happy rhymes and a cute rockabilly man to lead me and I'm twirling like a manic Dervish!

Custom car shows rock!

My new boss can't work out what it is about the whole custom (or if you wanna be really cool, you can call it "kustom") thing is all about. He knows that I want to write a heap of articles about my obsession with custom culture; restored classic cars, caravans, the whole rockabilly, retro, pin-up girl, burlesque thing. He swears that I'm the only nut that is even interested in that kind of thing and I'm doing my darndest to convince him otherwise. It's only been two weeks - give me time!

Anyway we went to the Morayfield Custom car Show on the weekend and I got to see some of the sweetest looking rides around. I'm not sure what was contributing more to the general humidity - the days of incessant rain we've had, or the combined drool of hundreds of jealous punters like me seriously contemplating ditching the late model Commodore for something a bit more stylish and original like a restored EH - in hot pink of course!
I'm no bogan and I'll admit that my knowledge of mechanics doesn't extend much beyond the ability to change a tyre and check the oil and water, but seeing goregous rides like that makes me want to learn. I was really impressed with how many of the owners of these restored beauties did a lot of the work themselves, and no, they weren't all mechanics, spray painters or professional upholsterers - to most of them this was their hobby -something they did on the weekends and in betwen working at regular 9-5 type jobs - a very expensive labour of love. Now where do I find myself a man like that? And if I did, would he love the car more than me? Would I get jealous of the amount of time he spent tinkering in the garage instead of tinkering on me?
Hmmmm...

Note to self: must look up basic mechanics courses for chicks.