HUFFINGTON POST AOL TRAVEL TV SHOW, COOLHUNTING WEIRD WISCONSIN. VIDEO: MARS’ CHEESE CASTLE NEAR MILWAUKEE.
As you know, I’m hosting a new video series for Huffington Post Travel / AOL! I scout out what’s hip and happening — starting with Wisconsin.
Gothic hair accessories: Red and silver choker necklace gifted from Gloomth, black flower clip gifted from Sourpuss. The velvet terrier hair clip is something I’ve had since I was a kid.
For the video intro, I skipped through the streets of Milwaukee.
Black leather bag: gifted from GUNAS
Pirate dress: gifted from Lip Service
Cut-out boots: Leche by Yosuke, from Marui One Shinjuku’s “shoe heaven” floor
Arrr.
In the new episode of my Huffington Post Travel TV show, two guards yell “Halt!” as I try to enter Mars’ Cheese Castle. The tension mounts to an epic stare-down. But in truth, the family members that run the store are the friendliest folk you’ll meet.
Mars’, a family business since 1947, specializes in all things cheesy, from aged cheddar to cheese hats. Last March, the family unveiled the renovated space — 24,000 square feet, including turrets and drawbridge.
Tyson Wehrmeister whisks me around his kingdom, insisting that I try a taste of everything. The video captures my surprise at chicken soup cheese and squeaky curds.
The decorative cheese, shaped and colored like cows, was too cute to eat. For Brewers fans, there were even cheddar baseballs and gloves.
I’ll admit I was hesitant about “chudge,” or chocolate cheese fudge. (It tastes better than it sounds.) And turtle kringle, a Nordic pastry. (Not actually made from turtles, thankfully.)
Pain and Suffering, Submission… these hot sauces would have been a great gift for Sebastiano, no?
With blow-up cows and hand-puppets, the gift shop was the cheesiest part of the castle. Or should I say…wait for it…“udderly ridiculous.”
What makes the castle a gem? The Ventura family, who keep it personal: handing balloons to kids, hanging at the bar, passing around generous samples. Despite the big new location, Mars’ still feels like the warm family shop from 1947. Now that’s cool.
Stay tuned for my next Weird Wisconsin video! Please take a second to watch my Mars Cheese Castle adventure here. Thank you for the Likes, Shares, Tweets, Comments.
What’s the strangest cheese you’ve ever sunk your teeth into?
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HELLO KITTY BIRTHDAY PARTY AT MR BLACK HOLLYWOOD CLUB. VIP TABLES, GLAMOROUS MAKEUP, BEST LOS ANGELES NIGHTLIFE.
This year, I had the best birthday to date… a Hello Kitty party at Los Angeles’ glammest nightclub! Huge hugs for Luke and Lenora, who collaborated with me on the event.
And thanks to LA Weekly for featuring my bash in a slideshow, titled La Carmina’s Super Cute Birthday @ Mr. Black LA.
It’s my birthday, and I’ll pile on the makeup if I want to. Glitter, gems, gloss. Two layers of eyelashes.
Seba took the same approach to his hair. Forceful spikes and loads of hairspray.
Doesn’t he look like Cloud from Final Fantasy?
Earlier that day, we made our usual pilgrimage to Toni and Guy, where they styled my hair into a Hello Kitty hair bow. My red dress is by our friend Ako, designer of Blablahospital.
Outside the club (Bardot Hollywood), I met the incomparable Jeff Paice — who made an accessory inspired by my kitty, Basil Farrow!
Ladies of the night: Lenora Claire, La Carmina, Melissa Brown.
Thank you to everyone who came, and got down with dressing up for the theme.
So many creative interpretations of Hello Kitty.
We had VIP table, with a vodka bottle.
Mr Black is infamous for its bare-butt servers. For my birthday, this fellow affixed a Kitty-tattoo!
Yes, my hair is crimped.
So good to see friends, old and new.
Wild things.
A joy to be reunited with Clint Catalyst and Zoetica Ebb.
Thank you to Shannon Cottrell for photographing La Carmina’s birthday for LA Weekly.
Funny story… at first, we didn’t recognize our friend in the middle! Can you guess who it is? Hint: we hung out at the alternative New Year’s party in LA.
What’s the best birthday party you’ve ever thrown, or attended? Wish you were at mine? Maybe next year!
Song of the Day: Air Supply – Making Love Out of Nothing At All (why not? It’s a karaoke favorite for me.)
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LA CARMINA
