Monday, April 29, 2013

First-Time Dinah Staff Member Tells All!


The Dinah 2013 might now already be three weeks behind us but the memories still live on.

Today, DANIELLE PORTERA, one of our Dinah Staff members who attended her first Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend EVER, tells it all!

Discover how and why her Dinah experience was not only an unforgettable one but also a life-changing moment: 





"To start off, I wasn’t sure I should write a blog since I’m practically a main character in my roommate Danny’s (read Danny DiMeglio's blog) . 
 
Danny Portera & Danny DiMeglio

Our staff affectionately gave us the nickname D-squared and was highly entertained by our constant banter. 
Danny and I spent months talking about Dinah and speculating what it would be like. We talked about it so much a friend started keeping a “Dinah tally” and my phone now recognizes “Dinah” as an actual word. “Dinner” auto-corrects to “Dinah” and I’m not even mad about it. That’s amazing.

Julia Yates and Danny Portera

Putting my Dinah 2013 experience into words is really difficult. It was a lot of firsts for me. My first Dinah. My first time in California. The first time I have felt 100% accepted and carefree in my surroundings as a gay woman. I had a really hard time coming out and gaining acceptance from my family so for me Dinah is so much more than a party with lots of beautiful women. 




There were several times over the weekend that I became so overwhelmed with happiness because I have never seen anything like it. To say it was a dream and a privilege is an understatement.
The most meaningful part of Dinah, for me, was all the amazing women I met from all over the world! Being on staff allowed us to interact with all the guests, hear their stories, and share in their excitement. 


There were so many wide-eyed Dinah virgins and even more returning guests who plan their entire vacation for the year around Dinah Shore. 
 


I also bonded with our amazing staff that not only welcomed two slightly obnoxious New Yorkers, but never made us feel excluded. 
Danny and I can’t wait to see all of our new friends the next time we’re in Cali! 

###


 

 Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend 2014 is April 2-6

Ticket and hotel information will be available June 1, 2013 on our official website at www.TheDinah.com






Friday, April 26, 2013

The Dinah Diaries: Confessions of a Club Skirts Insider!

Continuing our "Dinah Diaries" blog series, today HOLLIE GLEICH, one of our staff wranglers, shares a few of the many memorable moments that made her Dinah 2013 working experience special:
 

Hollie Gleich & Jackie Monahan



Dinah 2013 was a highly rewarding challenge for me!  It was my first year working with the production team.  Fast paced, lots of running back and forth, yet heavily rewarding when you get to see performers such as Diana King blow the crowd away with both her amazing voice and her touching story. 

My favorite moments include: having comedian Jackie Monahan ask me to have a dance off with her during the white party.  She was always a bundle of fun energy to be around.  

Watching Josh Kane and DJ Amara rock out at the Sunday closing pool party!  All of the staff is always sure to catch their set.  I love watching Josh drum along and seeing how much it boosts the crowd's energy.  


Josh Kane of Uh Huh Her



I had the pleasure of wrangling the lovely and talented Diana King.  It was her first Dinah experience.  She shared a personal moment with the crowd, explaining that in Jamaica where she's from it's very hard to be out publicly and that nothing like Dinah exists over there.  


Diana King


I know that is true for a large majority of those attending, and it is something I found humbling to be reminded of, since I have the luxury of being out in my everyday life in LA.  To top it off, her voice really blew me away.  

I think it is moments like that, which set The Dinah apart.  Not only is it a safe space to party with your friends and a thousand strangers, it's also brings together a diversity of talent and performances we will remember forever.  


DJ Amara & Diana King


This year's team was THE BEST and I have the honor of getting to work with the most talented and dedicated individuals - Briana and Veronica being just two of MANY that I look forward to seeing next year!



Hollie Gleich, Briana Stockton & Veronica Cruz-Martinez









Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend 2014 
is April 2-6



Ticket and hotel information available on June 1, 2013
Keeping checking our Facebook Page & Official Website


 

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Dinah Staff Member Brings Confessional Tales to Life!

Today we open our blog to DANNY DiMEGLIO, one of our brand new Dinah Staff members.

She shares with us what it was like to attend the biggest lesbian event in the world as not only a Dinah Virgin but also as one of the many faces who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make all the magic happen for YOU, our Dinah attendees.


Danny DiMeglio




"My Dinah 2013 was unforgettable!

Dinah Virgin here and I have to say I had no idea what awaited me when I arrived to Palm Springs in April. As my poster size 60-day Dinah countdown neared T-1 Day, I have to admit I was nervous. Not only was it going to me my first Dinah but I was also heading west from New York to be a part of the Dinah 2013 Staff!! Lucky for me, my roomie in NYC was about to embark on the same adventure with me.

Dani and I barely slept the night before our early morning flight to Cali. The excitement to finally get there had me all flustered, to the point where I had Dani and I dropped off at the wrong airport terminal. Thanks to Dani we made it to our destination and so it began…


  
Of course the first thing you think of when you hear Dinah Shore is WOMEN, thousands of women! Women from all over the world coming together for five glorious days of sun, music, and of course the famous pool parties. But Dinah is a lot more than just a party! It is a place where women can go and be themselves and not worry about being judged or criticized. One thing that was constant throughout the Dinah weekend was smiling. Everywhere you looked you were surrounded by pure happiness. It was almost infectious.



What was the most meaningful to me was being able to experience my first Dinah as part of the staff. I hate the word staff because the women I met and worked with became more or less like one big family. Dani and I really didn’t know anyone because we were coming from NYC and most of the staff was returning from previous years. One thing we never felt was excluded. Not only did we take away an experience that can never be replaced or forgotten but also we took away a group of new friends, who better have their couches ready for all the Cali visits I have in the works. 




The biggest Dinah challenge I faced was having to unpack after getting back to the east coast. Dani and I left our suitcases packed in full denial, in hopes that we would magically wake up in Cali. 

The only question now is, Dinah 2014 countdown, too soon?! "








CLUB SKIRTS DINAH SHORE WEEKEND 2014 


IS APRIL 2-6


TICKET & HOTEL INFORMATION 
WILL BE AVAILABLE JUNE 1, 2013

DON'T MISS IT!









Monday, April 22, 2013

Club Skirts Attends The 75th Birthday of Palm Springs, The GLAAD Media Awards & The Outfest Women's Soiree!



The road to Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend is always & continuously paved with good intentions!




Socially responsible, The Dinah sees to it that this “consciousness” permeates everything it does year after year. Stepping up its efforts with increasing effectiveness and productivity, its commitment to “give back” and advance goodwill has successfully translated into community activism, famously partnering with a variety of activist associations and charity organizations such as GLAAD, NOH8, Love is Louder, Equality California, The Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center and HRC among others. 



As the biggest All-Girl Party in the world, The Dinah also prides itself in giving back to the LGBT community remaining faithful to its “party with a purpose” theme to remind everyone that while we have made a lot of strides, we’re still fighting for our rights!

Actively travailing to support the LGBT community by championing social and political causes directly affecting it, Club Skirts' philanthropic involvement extends beyond the actual Dinah Shore Weekend to an all year-long participation into a series of local and national events. 

 And this past weekend certainly kept all of us at Club Skirts more than busy as we attended 3 high-profiled celebrations: the 75th Birthday of Palm Springs, The GLAAD Media Awards and the Outfest Women's Soiree.



photo courtesy of Gay San Diego




The 75th Birthday of The City of Palm Springs:

On Saturday, April 20, 2013,  Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend celebrated the 75th birthday of the City of Palm Springs joining the dynamic and creative festival dubbed " Palm Springs Through the Decades" with a special booth representing 1991 - the inception year of The Dinah. 





Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend's tent


Monica Salamy (Club Skirts' Sponsor/Vendor Coordinator)










The 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards:




In the evening, back in downtown Los Angeles, we attended the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the J.W. Marriott hotel. The event, hosted by Drew Barrymore, boasted such Hollywood heavyweights as presenters  Charlize Theron, Betty White, Toby McGuire and Leonardo DiCaprio, to name a few.  

The highlight of the soiree was marked by Harvey Weinstein and Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence presenting the inaugural Advocate for Change Award to former President Bill Clinton.









 
Alex Pettyfer & Betty White



"Chelsea Lately" comedians: Heather McDonald and Fortune Feimster (Dinah 2013 Headliner)


Mona Elyafi (Publicist for Club Skirts Dinah Shore Weekend) and Kali Londono (producer of the newly released "Coming Out For Equality" PSAs for GLAAD, directed by Brett Ratner)


 
KAT GRAHAM (Dinah 2013 Headliner)


 
Charlize Theron & Leonardo DiCarpio




Jennifer Lawrence & Bill Clinton


Drew Barrymore

Kacy & Cory of "The Real L Word" (Dinah 2012 Celebrity Guests)

 
Andrea Krauss (SheWired)



The J.W. Marriott Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles



Harvey Weinstein and Jennifer Lawrence present at the GLAAD Awards




President Bill Clinton speaks out against DOMA






Outfest Women's Soiree:

On Sunday April 21 Outfest held its annual "Spring Women's Soiree" as a thank to all Major Donors for their tireless support.  

The event was held at the home of famed comedian Suzanne Westenhoefer and greeted filmmakers, actors and celebrities in the likes of Meredith Baxter, Jill Bennett, Page Hurwitz, Tabatha Coffey, Rolla Selbak, Guinevere Turner and Cathy deBuono, among others.

Club Skirts, who just premiered its first annual "Dinah Film Series" at this past Dinah Shore Weekend premiering Jill Bennett's sitcom "Second Shot" as well as Page Hurwitz's Dinah documentary "Out in The Desert", attended!





Suzanne Westenhoefer, Meredith Baxter, Cathy DeBuono and Victoria Person





Jill Bennett, Tabatha Coffey, Heather Schuster & Page Hurwitz
 



Guivenere Turner and Andrea Krauss




Our Dinah 2013 Photographer Team: Vanessa Dubois and Connie Kurtew


Rolla Selbak, Brit Brujstorm & JP


Special cake for Jessica Clark and Andrea Krauss who both celebrated their Birthdays on Sunday!
 
Maile Flanagan







 ###








CLUB SKIRTS DINAH SHORE WEEKEND 2014 

IS APRIL 2-6


TICKET & HOTEL INFORMATION 
WILL BE AVAILABLE JUNE 1, 2013



DON'T MISS IT!