(Queen Mary, 2004 Founding Member on the trolley after her photo shoot at the Andrew Low House)

I do not know the exact answer to this question.  I do know the world needs more laughter, more joy, and simply put, more FUN.  October 8th was a fun time.  It was not what I expected, which these gathering never ever are!  Honestly the MJQs are not the group that I thought it would become.  When we started this “club” (and I use that word very loosely)…when we started this “women’s only” club in 2004, I had visions of it being a vehicle for to me find dozens of like-minded, party loving, character creating, slightly outrageous, costume wearing, silly and fabulous girlfriends who would gather in one big ol’ loud party and romp through Savannah.  A Ya-Ya Sisterhood.  A Sweet Potato Queens thing. 

My expectation and my need for dear friends who love being Queens and returning to the childlike wonder of wearing swishy dresses drove my desire to keep this group a different kind of “club.”  I have learned to see  it for what it is and at times I still forget.  So I am reminding myself right now.  It is a group of diverse interests, diverse needs, diverse likes and dislikes.  One lady’s definition of a Fun Event is sitting talking to one queen all night long.  One Queen’s idea of a fabulous time is visiting MJQs over a light lunch and then returning home to children and husband.  Another needs to dress up in wild attire and is a driving force of Royalness, while yet another lady absolutely hates dressing up and does not like calling attention to herself. 

The Membership Directory Project is turning out to be different than my original expectations, too.  Just the way the MJQs themselves have formed a group that is unique, personal, and encompassing many different personalities.  The Project I started this year in June was to be a wonderful adventure of our escapades during the next 12 months.  I saw it happening with bubbling enthusiasm and excitement, as each MJQ had her photo made for the Membership directory.  I imagined each queen supporting the others when they had their turn to have a photo shoot .  I was projecting my needs onto the group again.  Silly me!

Today I am looking at a morning glory vine.  I see it outside my kitchen window.  Grown from seeds back in May, its seed packet advertised a glorious array of sky blue blossoms.  All summer I have looked at that big crawling vine and wondered what I could do to make it bloom.  Bloom, darn you! BLOOM!  It refused.  I have searched Google and asked gardeners.  Every time I look at it, the voice in my head says,”Why is that thing not blooming? What can you do to make it bloom?”  The vine coming out of the ground is the size of my thumb and the leaves are lush and tropical, all hanging in a thick canopy on the corners of the porch.

Today I see that I need to love the leaves for their beauty, for the shade, the texture and the simple greenness they add to the brown of the trellis, much the way I need to accept the Queens and the group for what it is.  It may not be packed with show stopping blossoms, but it is truly a miracle plant to have grown so much and to be so incredibly happy in the heat and humidity of Savannah hottest summer. The Queens are my morning glory.  Wonderful.

This does not mean however, that I have stopped looking for Blossoms on the Morning Glory. I just know I can’t make it bloom if it does not want to, any more than I can make the Queens be excited and enthusiastic if they do not want to be. We still need 5-10 new MJQs to keep the group growing and healthy.

A Flounce and Tiara Time on Saturday is a much deserved break from the everyday.  Good-ness, I need that…Plus Mary’s photo shoot and maybe the Jr mints photo…

This Membership Directory and Calendar project is going to be wonderful. I hope.

So the Membership Project is continuing in a way I am surprised about.  Actually I am so cynical I am not that surprised, but frankly I had expected a little more enthusiasm.  Just a really teeny tiny small bit more. But that requires buy-in and buckets of Royal energy of which, we as a group are suffering from a shortage.  Oh well, we do have a core group.  Thank God for that! 

The core group of outrageous, laughing, joyous MGQs will represent in Savannah. Represent-Represent Represent-Savannah!  Of 30 MJQs, we have 7 who will be attending the flounce on Saturday.  They will bring 5 Jr. Mints. Mary will have her photo made and we will get on the trolley. A few Core group members will miss it, and are deeply saddened that they are not available.  (If you are a Fun Queen, a Key Queen, or part of Core group, you know who you are. Wink Wink nudge-nudge. This blog post is not about you, dear.) 

The excuses I have heard remind me of the party Leslie Ballenger designed the invitation for way back in 2006 I believe it was.  The “Not a Good Time of Year to have a party, Party.”  Then, as now I find the same problems and the same success.  I have found out over the years who loves being a Queen and who does not!  I have seen people stay in the group for years and not attend a thing. (I have had one dear Queen TRY to quit because she felt she did not fit in and was too busy, but I am too selfish to let her quit.  So I paid her dues and she is in.)

I have discovered who is always willing to try something fun (Dottie) and who will rain on the parade.  I have learned what excuses people rely on to avoid doing anything.  And unfortunately, I have learned that no matter what balance of cash value the Treasury has in the Royal Bank, we need more cash. 

Thankfully, I would write a check everyday of the week for a chance to laugh, so donning a tiara and chiffon is a priceless experience and I am truly fortunate to have the disposable income to throw at the evening.  Hell-o!  It is really a bargain.  For a mere One hundred dollars I can plan a Queens’ event.

So even though we have a dues requirement, (which I wish we had not even put into place), I have learned that you can spend thousands on a party or nothing on a party and the level of success in totally, completely, utterly, irrevocably, (any more -ly words?) linked to the level of enthusiasm of the Attending Queens.  So having seen that, I challenge each MJQ (each Queen Who frankly my dear, Gives a damn) to find one human being…preferably female, who possesses a deep vein of joy and energy and loves being Royal. 

I want at least 5 new MQS by next year, but I have always asked for that and it does not happen.  Why?  Because you have to have that sparkle to see it in others.  You have to CULTIVATE that in yourself or it will wither and die.  If You really start thinking that you can’t possibly be seen in a costume dress out in public, because “What would people think?”   When you start being concerned about what people think when you are simply having a tad bit bit of innocent fun, then just close the coffin, honey.  Close the damn coffin!  It is over. Or at least, your love of youth, innocence, frivolity and swishing about in great skirts of happiness is over.   Close the coffin on your reign as Queen.    

Now you may say, “Queen Erica, You sound like you are being too critical of people who have found their joy somewhere else.  They have other demands.  Other interests.  Other Friends. Maybe the MJQs are just not fun for them. What is the matter with that?’ 

My answer, dear one, is, “That is the point!”   They HAVE found their joy with other interests and other friends.  If the MJQs never see you and you never participate, why are you in this group?  If it is not fun?  What are you doing?  The core group will party on with or without those missing Queens, but why pretend to care?  Why even be in the group at all?  Become a retired Queen.  Label yourself a sustain-er. 

But if you tell me you are a member, and I plan a get together, I figure you might, (right around the time hell is cooling off a few degrees,) you might grace us with your presence and then some of the younger Key Queens will come up to me at the party and ask “Who is that lady over there?  Is SHE a Queen?  I have never seen her.”   We have a hand full of ladies who never come to anything. EVER.  If we have not seen you at an event in a 2 years period…you are too busy.  If you have not attended a flounce in 3-4 years, you need to retire.  I am not your mother and I will not just kick you out of the group.  That is not my job. 

Which brings me to the one of the myriad of reasons the Membership Directory is in need.  If you claim to be a Queen, you at the very least should know who the other queens are.  Maybe not know their darn NAME.  That would be asking too much.  But you should be able to look over at someone and know that they are a member of our group. So if you never attend a function, you are required, (Yes, I said It!)  Required to participate this year when we plan a photo shoot for YOU. So your darn picture can be in the directory. Crazy as it seems. 

And no!  Do not hire your own photographer.  This is NOT a competition to see who can take the best photo.  That is one thing we do not do: Compete with each other.  It is not going to be at your home. I have hired someone to do all the images so it will have a cohesive look and we will not get into competitive photography.  It will be in Public Downtown, or goodness maybe at Tybee (and definitely at Wormsloe because Emma called it first.)

(opps. ) I feel another rant coming on.  On the nature of female relationships and the combative thread that all people innately possess and the one-ups-manship and how we need to stop trying to out-do each other. Stop trying to be the top dog and compete on every darn thing in every location in every moment, in the world and in our community and at schools…And why do I have to send out 4 emails?  FOUR to get people to RSVP and some still have not Responded.  Really.  If I mail an invitation the same thing happens.  Mail OR email; it is the same story.  So how do I plan a party if I can not get a proper count of who is in and who is out? 

I think we need 60 damn Queens so we will have a core group of 20 who can a party at any given time.  20 is a good number for a party downtown and to get 20 in attendance, we need 60 MJQs. And where in the world do we find 30 more queens to join.  This is not the Ya-Yas or the Sweet Potatoes. Hell-o! They only had a core group of 5 or 6 . AND the Ya-Yas where are all fictional friends and do were the Sweet Potato Queens. That is mission impossible right there.  This is crazy that you can’t find enough great Royalty lovers to be part of this.Enough friends who enjoy this kind of thing.  Darn they do not have to even BE friends.  Just ladies who like being silly.  How many times to you have to go over this stuff?  You are like a dog with a bone.  Just let it be what it is.  What it is.  Be what it is…opps.  This rant is beginning to give me a tad bit of headache.  I better stop now and have a cup of something. Something to calm my nerves.  Tea?  Sure. It is rather early in the morning. Tea will have to do. Big Rants are always followed by Tea. Or a martini, I forget which…

 Click for the lovely nice big pic of Queen Becky C in a special tiara and Karen G Lady in Waiting

www.rhinestonejewelry.com is having a 500$ contest for reviews of products submitted with images.  Let’s win this ladies.  We could buy ourselves new crowns and have money left over for pins.  We could by a special set of tiaras just to give away to serving commoners who praise our beauty and applause our clearly regal nature. 

Remember at every event we give away at least one tiara.  I gave away an incredible price several years ago to a lady who was Miss Thunderbolt, 1975.  She was working at the Six Pence Pub and we were there having a burger after getting the worst service ever at the McMansion on Forsyth park.  Remember?  Sue, Carolyn, Kelsey, Linda and Jeanne and somebody else were there…Well honey, this waitress clearly needed a lift of her spirits (and not to mention any other kind of lift she may have really needed.)  That would be rude of me.  But when she saw our amazing crowns, she was taken down a trip to memory lane in her glory days of wearing tiaras, which was at least 30 pounds ago.  Opps.  Did I say pounds?  I meant years.  YEARs ago.  So we gave her a tiara!  And yep, it was a GOOD one.  It was at least a 3 incher.  From THIS site.   

Just think.  The party we could have: “Tiara Shopping with the MINT JULEP Queens”  . 

Find the product you purchased and click on it.  Down at the bottom there are the reviews for that item.  Follow the instructions and submit your review with an image!  Many of you have trouble with computers, so please do not fret if you can not figure out how to do this. If we were meant to win, some Queen will get it done!

Reign On!

 Click for the big image! Our Dear Queen Kim is pictured right by her mum who flew in from Pittsburgh to see her dear daughter and grandaughter, Olivia  I say, “Sashes for everybody!”)

I have two big project in the works.  No! That is more like three big projects in the works.  One.  I am doing right by myself and the others I have asked Kim and Lee Ann to assist.  They are going to drive the Royal Carriage and get the thing moving. 

Lee Ann will look into starting a competition with local bartenders to discover the best new signature drink for us.  “What?  It is not a Mint Julep?” I can hear you asking.  (So if I can hear you, please lower your voice and ask again.  I am right here.  Ok. Go ahead. Ask again.)   “May I ask your Royal Highness a small matter of clarification?”  Yes, my dear.  You may.  “Royal Highness, in your infinite wisdom, I am sure you have thought of this, but the group’s NAME IS the Mint Julep Queens, so since I am mere commoner, I am really confused when you announce that there will be a contest to discover a signature drink for the queens.  I thought the signature drink was the JULEP”

OH dear me!  I can understand how you became mildly confused.  Allow me to explain.  Not every Queen likes bourbon.  I know it is beyond imagination since The Julep is the epic, iconic Southern Cocktail and WE as a group are the finest example of fabulous flouncing females in Savannah, who it seems would love a nice Marker’s Mark toddy.  BUT we need a cocktail that every barkeep can mix and not screw up.  There are very few good juleps to be had in Savannah.  The one at Elizabeth’s is the nicest.  The Rocks on the roof at Avia can be good, if the right barkeep is working and to my knowledge the one at the Pink House is ok.  But since mint is vital, a capable barkeep a necessity, and a love a bourbon a prerequisite, we need a drink all the MJQs will love.  I suggest the Name:  A Mint Julep Queen.  Maybe by Leap year we will have that completed.

Next.  Queen Kim, who just had a birthday TODAY. (And no dear, I am not telling her age.  That is not wise nor it is Queenly of you to even ask. )  Our Queen Kim and I are looking at developing a relationship…maybe relationship is too familiar…an association with SCAD so their Costume Department and their other brilliant young students might benefit from our Royal Glory and we benefit from their artist talents.  It is a win-win, n’est pas? (That is French for: ”Isn’t that so?” Or in the case of a deep South translation “Ain’t dat rite?”)  So honeys, It IS a win-win!  Ain’t dat rite?

I am working on the MJQ Calendar Project and Membership Directory and writing and blogging.  Hopefully all this is will make the world a more fun place and give someone…anyone…a reason to don a rhinestone tiara and go forth into the world to spread joy and charm and sparkles.  No matter your hardship,  celebration of your own Royal nature is a valuable endeavor, ain’t dat rite?

So Lee Ann, Kim and I have popped the cork on the same bottle of enthusiasm and all I have to say is, “Cheers!” 

1. Queen Mary Membership Directory photo shoot 6:00 in front of the Andrew Low House on

2.  We will get onto the trolley at 6:30. If you are running late, call me 655-6007.  You can meet the trolley at another drop off. There are no true plans at this point other than; Trolley rental is for 2 hours. Sunset is at 7:00, I believe.

3.  I will have a small cooler with small water bottles and wine and cups.

4.  Next photo shoot/event… Linda selects the date since it is her photo!November or December, Photo of Linda at the new SCAD  museum. Helpers and suggestions for this?

The next event we have scheduled is October 8th.  I booked a trolley and the treasury will go broke paying for it, but fun is priceless so why not do it?!  I sent out a note to see if we can fill a trolley and I have heard from the queens with daughters and from 2 queens with grandchildren.  I believe it can be done. Mary and Becky will have pictures done and Holly will have some done in September.  Sundown is 7:00 on the 8th of October, so hopefully Stacy and Sue will join us for the evening.

Junior Mints will be included and Ladies in Waiting who have expressed interest in joining our group.  Please invite a friend to see if she thinks being Royal is fun.  If so, she may be Queen Material.  After she has attended several parties, (we want to make sure she enjoys us and we enjoy her), she will be invited to a coronation. I think next year we will have several new MJQs so if we have not seen you in while, please join us for this event, and if you can’t , please send us the dues you owe (50.00 per year) so we can continue having fun with your money.

The letter below was sent out Octuber 20, 2011:

Hi Royal Highnesses, the MJQs! 

How do you feel about another Flounce with Jr. Mints, Mums and Ladies in Waiting?   (Several MJQs wanted to do another party after having so much fun at the one Jennifer hosted in April.  I can not express how much I appreciated Jennifer’s queenly spirit that made the last Queen Mum and Jr Mint function possible. And since a couple of Jr. Mints missed the event they are just dying to have another party so THEY can go flouncing with us. )   Saturday, October 8^th looks like a good night for a little Flounce and photo shoot for Queen Mary and Maybe Queen Becky C and one other???.  

After the Photo Shoot, the original idea was to have a trolley ride around downtown with assorted stops along the way. This might be a good time to do a Jr Mint group shot as well.  Additionally we have a very enthusiastic lady in waiting (or two) who would like to flounce with us, meet and chat with some of the other queens.   The White trolley line was booked (Rats!) so I called the green and orange trolley line.  They have an opening.  Cost runs around 400.00 plus tip and tax for a 2 hour rent… (Last time, the white trolley was only 50.00 less.) It holds 36 people. (The treasury would pay for the trolley.  I would request MJQs to tip the driver.)  

Do you think we can get 25-36 MJQs, Friends, Mums & Jr, Mints to come? If you have any suggestion, PLEASE feel free to share it.

Reign, on.  Queen Erica 

PS. Hopefully, when Holly is in town in September, Paul can do a nice image of her for the Directory.

(click for the full picture Royal effect)

Paul Suszynski did a lovely job with these photos!  2 down and 28 to go:)

Now if I can just figure out how to post them in a bigger size.  Rats. Where is my I.T. guy?

So I have figured out how to post Iphone photos if I save them on my PC and then I post them.  While Paul took Photo for the MINT JULEP QUEEN Calebndar Project and Membership Directory I stood off to the side and tried to get a few nice images. Queen Kim is looking royal.

Dear Royal Highnesses, the MJQs,

I am starting a project. I ask each of the MJQ to be photographed near a Savannah Landmark, or historic building or square that means something to them.  It has to be in Historic Downtown. Except for Stacy who has asked for Tybee Island.  

I have an idea of a few locations already and a few MJQs have already requested certain locations!  With a tad bit of simple biographical information, our group membership rooster alongside your picture will be complete. This project will take about a year or so to complete and once it is done, it may be a good calendar, or even a fun book. No matter what,  in the end, we will have a nice collection of MJQs portraits for a membership directory.

August 4^th we will meet to have drink (Dutch Treat) and appetizers (Treasury) at Cha-bella.  The treasury will pay for the appetizers and tip for the waitress. I am paying for the photographer. We may go to Leopold’s and/or to a nearby square.

Please wear whatever you want!  I am wearing a green and white polka dotted sun dress, with silver shoes and white gloves.  Or at least that is what I think I will wear. 

Sometime during the next 12 months, tell me where you would like your portrait to be.  Wear something that exudes Queenly-ness and we will plan drinks around your photo shoot. I hope to get 2 MJQs photographed at this event!  Maybe Kim and One other?????

Locations –Areas that I suggest (or that have been requested by an MJQ):

 Holly: Telfair Square and/or Telfair Academy

Mary : Andrew Low House- Lafayette Square-September or October

Annie - Forsyth Park- March or April

Emma- Wormsloe 

Carolyn – Ellis Square? And the fountain

Sue- ?Monterey Square  (Mickve Israel)

Becky C- Johnson Square- September or October

Patty G- Johnson September or October

Stacy- Tybee

Kim- the swing at cha bella – August 4

LeeAnn – Cha bella and action shot…running  or sitting having a drink August 4

Tricia –City Market Belfords. Month to be determined

Lois -Owens Thomas house

Barbara G –Forsyth (March or April)

Linda – The Museum November

Dottie-Telfair arts and science (jan or feb)

Glenda- Telfair (jan or feb)   

Please let me know if you are available to do this. I truly hope so!  I look forward to hearing from you and hearing what location you have selected! 

Reign on!  Queen Erica  

The Jr. Mints, our daughters and granddaughters, who have not forgotten (yet) how fun playing dress-up can be will get to Flounce with us at the April 29 Coronation.  Sage and Selia have wonderful green pettiskirts and madras Polo tennis shoes to express their inner Princess.  They don’t know her, except from Project Runway judging, but I think it will be a totally Betsy Johnson look. I am hoping they will go have Fro-Yo’ afterwards with me and greet the common folk. 

Sage, my 13 year old, will guest blog about the experience.  She doesn’t know it, but the assignment is , “Why do some 13 year old girls (and GROWN women) fear wearing a crown in public and is there anything you can do to change that fear?  Discuss.”  (She will get extra bonus points from me if she is willing to write a post…