Burning Man

This guy Mark came into my friend Estrella's studio at Saffron Rare Threads to custom-make a reversible velvet-nylon cape for Burning Man week. I have heard people mentioning the term in passing on numerous occasions but not until Mark spends $300 on a cape for this event do I get on my mutter to find out what the hell Burning Man is all about.

So according to the official website, Burning Man is "an annual experiment in temporary community dedicated to radical self-expression and radical self-reliance." Participants at Burning Man must bring all necessities to the desert: food, shelter, water, fuel, and basic first aid supplies. And ha! This is a no dog event so don't expect you will be admitted at the gate with your puppy. This is the funniest part: the potty. As the event takes place in the middle of nowhere, portable potties are provided. These facilities are only for their intended purpose - not for dumping garbage or personal potty bags. Participants should only put human waste and one-ply toilet paper (they say 2-ply is a big no-no lol) into the portable toilets makes pumping nearly impossible and threatens the survival of the Burning Man event. This includes tampons, trash, and handy wipes. That also means no tampons, trash or handy wipes in the portable toilets. Okay everybody, put the lid down when you're done, it helps keep odors under control.

Burning Man is much more than just a temporary community. It's a city in the desert, dedicated to radical self reliance, radical self-expression and art. Innovative sculpture, installations, performance, theme camps, art cars and costumes all flower from the playa and spread to our communities during the event. Sounds like fun eh? But I would choose to express myself in a different way, at least not in a desert with only portable pottie! If you're interested, gates are open now until 11 am on August 31. It locates in Black Rock City, 120 miles north of Reno, NV.