The Firefly was definitely the one to follow as far as Banff Night Life was concerned. I don’t know how she did it, but she actually managed to turn the Rundle Lounge into the ‘hotspot’ of the festival, post Tuesday night’s barbecue. It certainly didn’t hurt that she had the English Cherry, a British Cock, the crazy Saskatchewan delegation and the Wild Cowgirl with her entire male entourage in tow. And the pianist, Michael Sicoly, certainly rose to the occasion, belting out a lively array of tunes to keep the room a rock’n. He even played with his feet at one point (at least I think it was his feet – although I must admit my recollections can’t be trust as I was taken up by the moment). Well, and quite admittedly, I was a little distracted by the antics of the Firefly.

The Firefly was literally alight and my guess, was causing a fire in more than one of the fellows. I nearly keeled over with laughter when I entered the Rundle Lounge to find her doing a little number on the grand staircase leading down from the ballroom above. One leg up on the banister, she tossed her hair round in the air and ever so gracefully swiveled her leg off the banister and swaggered her way down the stairs in true wild west saloon gal style! It was a hoot! The men were lined up, clambering to buy her a drink. And to make it even funnier, all she wanted was a water. Teddy, a little bolder than the rest (and with good reason – he knows he is one of her favorites and is loved), grabbed her and tossed her into the air and she didn’t miss a beat, but rather used it to transition into her floor (and piano) dancing number. Even the pianist became a part of the act.

I don’t ever remember seeing the Firefly have such grace or moves. All I can say is I have got to find out who her dance teacher is! Those lessons were definitely worth every penny. And I am thinking that it may be time that the Firefly broadened her horizons beyond the children’s programs. Those moves might be better served on screen in a bit of a different genre.

In festival tradition, the night wrapped up high on top of the Springs, in the Marilyn Monroe turned Oasis Party Suite. I will stop writing here as there is something about this suite that has a habit of turning a movie from PG to X-rated. Just ask Sid and Teddy – they were caught ‘swinging’ from the chandelier in the Marilyn Monroe boudoir last year. Although they might claim that had something to do with the lightning, this writer would suggest otherwise.

Love always,

Emme

PS The two videos below highlight a few of the places mentioned. The Rundle Lounge in the Marilyn Monroe video and ironically, the Marilyn Monroe Suite in the Fairy Princess Video. Both are seen following this post under the category “The Gals”