After having a fantastic time last year, I’ve officially made Pastel Brunch an Easter tradition. And when I heard this year’s theme was an homage to the Pacific Northwest’s ’90s grunge era, you better believe I wasn’t going to miss it! Don’t believe me? I actually cut my birthday vacation short so I would make it back in time! Wyatt Waishkey, the brains behind Pastel Brunch, has been hosting this since his days in Williamsburg, carrying on the tradition wherever he and his partner call home, including NYC, Seattle, LA, and Portland. This year he moved it to a larger venue, Dig a Pony, where we sipped on signature ’90s drinks like the “Jagged Little Pill.” And just like the last go-round, Portland fragrance company Olo created a custom scent (this time called “Eden”) to set the party mood.
Also in attendance: the fabulous Pepper Pepper (who you may recognize from Drag Queen Brunch or “Critical Mascara”) serving as door person; Henreid (Haywire Fusion Live) performing an operatic rendition of Radiohead’s “Creep”; and Havania Whaal, performing “Violet” by Hole, “Drain You” by Nirvana, “Jelly” by the Flaming Lips, and “Today” by the Smashing Pumpkins. The $10 ticket price was more than worth it for those performances alone, but it didn’t stop there: Madame Richard Tucker came all the way from Central Oregon for their first PDX performance of “Cult of the Tuck,” the premiere drag show in Bend (yes, you read that right). And if that wasn’t enough, Yuko, Bouton, and Dee Lyrium did an amazing mid-Pastel Brunch dance performance to get the crowd going again, as if they ever stopped. Seriously, if you guys don’t attend next year, you’ll be missing out! xo, PP