Posted by Monica Danna on Mar 3, 2009 in
arts + events March Madness with Dr. Sketchy!!
All right, lads and lasses. Can you really think of a better way to spend a Sunday than with some crazy artists and a really awesome life model?
What: Houston Sketchy March life drawing
When: Sunday, March 8th 2-6pm
Where: upstairs at Avant Garden (411 Westheimer)
We’ve got another AMAZING male model (the rock star Shawn – local coffee guru, man about town and seasoned life model) to get your drawing chops into gear!
Wear your St. Paddy’s Day green (or we WILL pinch you and you know it’s true), watch out for sneaky leperchauns and prepare for one kick ass afternoon of sketching and chilling.
Tags: arts + events, dr. sketchy
Posted by Monica Danna on Jan 9, 2009 in
arts + events Yes, our little baby Sketchy will be one year old this weekend. And what a year it’s been! Whew! Check out some of our sketchy pics from the last year.
Join us this Sunday, January 11th as Houston celebrate one year of Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School at Avant Garden. Check the flyer for all the deets.
Our model is taking us back to the Wild Wild West days, so get ready for some hat throwing, boot stomping, lasso tossing good times 
Bring those sketchpads and get ready for a whole new Sketchy year!!
Tags: avant garden, dr. sketchy, houston sketchy
Posted by Monica Danna on Dec 31, 2008 in
arts + events,
health,
personal,
social media issues 
December: Holidaze
December started off the way November ended: SICK. I was still trying to kick the sniffles, allergies, virus, etc. And with the weather jumping around like a pogo stick, it didn’t make it any easier. Eighty degrees one day, 40 the next. Not my idea of a winter, not even for Houston.
Due to sickness I completely missed Mustaches for Kids this year, and Spacetaker’s WHAM–two events I look forward to each year. However, I made up for it the first weekend I was well, as Andrew and I completed a marathon session as we hopped from a Sean Carroll opening at The Julia (Montrose), to a CD release party for Diane Landry at Tommy’s Steakhouse (OTL), to my sister’s Birthday at Norton’s Bar and Grill (waaaay OTL), finally ending up at Lindsay’s ugly sweater Christmas party (east side), only to find we had just missed the judging by 15 minutes! As we were told, we would have been contenders. Thanks, Matt, for the sweaters. We returned them the way we borrowed them: unwashed and stinky. 
Probably the most exciting part of December, besides Baby Jesus’ Birfdae, was SNOW! Yes, it SNOWED in Houston this year. And I’m not talkin’ about no freezing rain, slush, or frost on the grass. It. Freaking. Snowed. Here. Y’all. The night it snowed, Andrew was over to cook some din din and help me decorate the infamous Kick Arse Christmas Tree. It did help to have a six foot plus man put the topper on (albeit, upside down). It was a great night of decorating, singing (him, not me, for Christ’s sake), crepe making (oh hell yeah i made the crap out of some crepes), and of course playing in the snow! | Full crepes, guitars, and snow set here.
Sway, by emmiegrn
December also celebrated the 12th month of Dr. Sketchy Houston. I still can’t believe it’s been a whole year. So many sexy Sketchy memories! Big props to the lovely and immensely talented, beautiful, kind, and wonderful HappyKatie for having the vision to bring Sketchy to Houston, and for doing such a phenomenal job of keeping it up every month all year. Don’t forget to join us Sunday, January 11th at Avant Garden from 2-6pm for the Houston Sketchy Birthday Party! Check out more December Sketchy fun here.
Although December was filled with many fun parties, I have to say, the one I look forward to each year is my Kick Arse Tree Viewing Party, and this year was no different. It was great timing, as the incomparable Gwen Bell was visiting Houston for the Hands On Kirtsy + Mom2Summit party at Caroline that same week, BONUS!
Image: Ed Schipul
We had some yummy Vietnamese bites from Les Girval (thanks in part to Jenny, who saved the day!), about a kabillion bottles of wine, which by the way, only 3 were left over, and about 60 of my favorite people. It is a night i look forward to each year. And this party did not disappoint. Andrew played a few acoustic sets, and Ed snapped a pic of the whole crew. Thanks, Ed! | view Ed Schipul’s party pics here. & view Paul Galland’s pics here.
Christmas was extra special this year, as we got to spend it with Baby Kailey. She kept us all entertained, as did my sister’s BF’s boys with Rock Band for Wii. I swear, I have the worst voice in the world, but I totally got 100% on vocal for Beastie Boys “Sabotage” the first time! True story. | View full Christmas set.
I ended the holiday season at Mark and Amber’s place for a casual party with the peeps for some iPhone lessons and Christmas / Beauty & the Beast carolling. Margot totally rocked that shizz.
These recaps have been an amazing way for me to remember 2008. I stil can’t believe how much I packed into this year. I truly found out the meaning of community this year, and consider myself one of the luckiest girls alive to be surrounded daily with the family and friends I have. This city, this amazing, beautiful, hot, muggy, fantastical city that I call home, My Houston, you are the love of my life, and I wouldn’t be the same person without you.
And to that I say…”PEACE OUT, 2008! and bring on 2009!”
Peace Out, 2008!
love to you all,
Monica
Tags: 2008 wrap-up, dr. sketchy, yearly recap
Posted by Monica Danna on Jul 15, 2008 in
arts + events,
video Kristin2Go stopped by Dr. Sketchy this Sunday to crash our little party. Here’s what she found.
[vodpod id=Groupvideo.1394753&w=425&h=350&fv=videoId%3D1662583102%26playerId%3D716758716%26viewerSecureGatewayURL%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fconsole.brightcove.com%2Fservices%2Famfgateway%26servicesURL%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fservices.brightcove.com%2Fservices%26cdnURL%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fadmin.brightcove.com%26domain%3Dembed%26autoStart%3Dfalse%26]
Tags: chronicle, dr. sketchy, kristin2go, video
Posted by Monica Danna on Mar 17, 2008 in
arts + events 
photo: CosmoPolitician
Another great Dr. Sketchy event yesterday, what a turn out! No doubt thanks in part to the Chronicle’s coverage in last Sunday’s paper.
If you missed the event yesterday, you can catch some of the Sketchy action over at our HoustonSketchy Flickr Group
Be sure to check the site for upcoming dates and to sign up for the Sketchy Newsletter.
photo: groovehouse
About Dr. Sketchy
Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School is everything you wish all of your old boring art classes could have been. That is, chilled out afternoons full of beautiful people, killer beats, booze and ridiculous contests / draw-offs. Dr. Sketchy’s is what happens when Cabaret meets art school. When saucy models meet costume-themed boozefests. When artsy kids meet hip hop sketch clubs.
Houston Sketchy brings our steamy slice of the world a slew of stunning strumpettes to pose for and astound the masses – as well as pass out cool prizes and make fun of people. All that is expected of you is to sketch as you have never sketched before. And maybe have a couple of drinks, too.
Join us next time!
Tags: arts, avant garden, burlesque, cabaret, dr. sketchy, houston, houstonsketchy
Posted by Monica Danna on Feb 19, 2008 in
arts + events,
travel So i’m home for a few days. Um, yeah, jet lag is a beeatch. But think I’m finally back on track, although my appetite has not returned. Not that i’m complaining.
I arrived home Friday night to a super clean and floral apartment, and yes, the paint in the bathroom was all done. Thanks to Matt for taking care of all of that. Now, each time I leave, I check the shower nozzle. It’s created an OCD behavior. Great.
Sunday was February edition of Dr. Sketchy at Avant Garden Another wonderful turnout, a beautiful model, amazing sketchers, and a blast was had by all. Were you there? Upload your pics to the Flickr group and remember to tag with “houston sketchy” and “dr. sketchy”. Below are a few of my favs from the the Fabulous Fayza and Groovy Groovehouse. Hope you call can make it out in March. date coming soon, check the site for more details.
My next leg has been jumping back and forth, but looks like I’m headed to Amsterdam on Friday, then to Bahrain, finally returning on March 6th.
For now, back to resting up and rocking out.
photos: groovehouse + fayza
Tags: amsterdam, dr. sketchy, houston sketchy, jet lag, photos, travel
