Everyone should experience a true Grand Ball at least once, and when it is infused with some wonderfully creative Edwardian and Steampunk style, then all the better!
Over the weekend we were lucky enough to escape up to San Francisco for the annual Edwardian Ball. The night we went to takes place in the Regency Ballroom, which was once a Masonic hall, and still bears all the ornate grandeur of it's past life.
In a crowd almost entirely in costume (seriously I spotted less than a handful of 'ordinary' folk all evening), the props, booths, performers and decorations merge with the location to create a truly unique atmosphere for a party.
There are all kinds of weird and wonderful displays scattered around, many inspired by the work of Edward Gorey. It makes for quite the sight, and inspires all kinds of thoughts in the mind of a writer. There be undiscovered stories here by the hat-full!
For those with darker imaginations, there were interesting or inspirational vignettes hidden away in almost every corner.
It was of course also a great party! With waltzes to be had (although I fear it mostly highlighted how few people know how to waltz these day. Our attempt, while probably pitiful to any interested observers, was still fun!), and dancing to be done, in-between a series of stage shows, performances, and bands that all fit perfectly with the event. They even served Absinthe concoctions that neither of us was brave enough to experiment with.
I guess that it's only an 'Edwardian' Ball in the loosest sense, in that the costumes had a wide sweep of inspirations. From Steampunk splashes to highlights of 1920's fashion, the Edwardian, the Victorian, and the simply eccentric, were all on show.
As well as being a thoroughly good time, the evening inspired a seed of a story or two in my mind for sure. There will most certainly be words being written (in forms other than this blog post!) that find their inspiration from the sights of that evening's entertainment.
The Ball also has a date in LA as well. I'd definitely recommend going if this sounds like your thing. Just be prepared to be lost in another world, at least for an hour or two!
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