Ten years in the past, when Bianca Del Rio used to be topped the winner of Season 6 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” it used to be a distinct moment: The truth pageant aired on Emblem, now not MTV. It used to be a unmarried franchise, now not a longer universe of presentations from international locations around the globe. And there used to be negative such factor as a drag queen who’d by no means i’m ready bedrock in a drag bar.
Of the flow environment, Del Rio says, “I don’t want to use the word ‘oversaturation,’ but there’s just a lot of drag.”
In Sunday Funday, L.A. family give us a play-by-play in their excellent Sunday round the city. To find concepts and inspiration on the place to exit, what to devour and methods to revel in year at the weekends.
Season 16 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” premiered this generation, and month Del Rio’s reign could also be over, she nonetheless looms massive within the fandom. For a few years, she used to be the one winner to have by no means been up for removal in her season, and she or he nonetheless seems from moment to moment as a visitor at the display. Terminating era, she additionally hosted “The Pit Stop,” an reliable Drag Race recap layout on YouTube.
Up upcoming for the booked and busy multihyphenate performer: “Dead Inside,” her unutilized stand-up display — her 6th world excursion since competing on “Drag Race.” She’s doing 60 dates throughout North The us, origination in San Diego on Feb. 12 and coming to Los Angeles at the Theatre at Ace Lodge on April 21. Later a decrease fracture, she’ll be hitting the UK, Asia and Australia.
Who must get tickets to “Dead Inside”? “Anybody that’s got an open mind and ready to cackle at a man in a wig. This is the show for you,” she stated.
Del Rio relocated from West Hollywood to Palm Springs right through the pandemic however remains to be on the town steadily to meet up with pals and produce drag provide runs. (In a global filled with “Drag Race”-adjacent style designers and make-up artists, Del Rio remains to be DIYing it. “I can’t imagine doing drag without creating the clothes or doing the makeup or creating the wigs,” she stated. “For me, that’s just kind of my full package.”)
Right here’s how she would spend her excellent Sunday in L.A.
This interview has been calmly edited and condensed for range and readability.
6 a.m.: Get up on the Kimpton Everly Lodge in Hollywood
I keep on the Kimpton Everly Lodge, which has been one among my favourite parks as it’s nice-looking central. I’m up early. So 6 a.m., I’m up. And upcoming about 6:05 I understand the place I’m. I love to get up early and revel in my resort facilities. For those who’re on the Kimpton you’ll all the time exit take a seat by way of the lake, which is nice-looking.
6:15 a.m.: Journey for a caffeine kick
I all the time typically get started my while by way of working over to Starbucks. I ceaselessly say I’m now not moving to have espresso. I’ve this love affair with espresso. 3 pictures of coffee over ice with a scatter of oat milk, which is one of the simplest ways to get you going. However I inform myself too a lot of the ones are nice-looking evil for you. So I’m pondering, I will be able to do the golf green tea lemonade, which is moderately stress-free, negative sweetener, and it’s nice-looking. It doesn’t provide the kick that you’d get with the espresso. Later I finally end up getting the espresso. So sure, I briefly remorseful about it, as a result of I’m bouncing round the city.
8:30 a.m.: Embark on a drag buying groceries spree
Once I come into L.A., it’s typically multiple while. I’ve to produce it usefulness my month. So my Sunday Funday will get started on Friday or Saturday.
I’ve to collision all of the cloth shops as a result of I’m now not fortunate plethora to have all of the ones provides out right here in Palm Springs. I will be able to discuss with a marvelous park referred to as World Silk and Woolens. They’ve were given each piece of material you’ll believe. The sorrowful factor is you almost certainly can’t reorder it, as it used to be from 1928. Any other park that I discuss with is named Richard the Fibre, which is all corset provides. The whole lot from hooks and perceptible and snaps and boning and the rest you wish to have to tug in all your manliness and your guy frame to seem like, as I name myself, an erotic clown.
Later I exit all the way down to Santee Alley, which is a drag queen’s dream. They’ve were given the whole lot that you wish to have from make-up to heels, which is superior, as a result of you need to to find the sneakers which can be a measurement 12. You want to pick out up some lashes and stomp into this superb park referred to as Blue Moon Materials, which has every other plethora array of sequined materials that you’ll line in bulk. And there’s additionally the Bead Manufacturing facility, the place you select up your reduce rhinestones to produce the whole lot sparkly. So my trunk is very complete.
11 a.m.: Journey for oysters at Brilliant Central Marketplace
Brilliant Central Marketplace is one among my favourite parks to exit. I love it as a result of there’s choices; I’m now not married to having a selected park that I need to exit to. Later I’ve to determine what I will devour month I’m there. You suppose to your self, “I can have whatever I want. I’m 48 years old. This is good.” Now my frame is going, “No, you can’t.”
Let’s say these days, the Oyster Gourmand, as a result of I do revel in uncooked oysters. I’m from Unused Orleans and that’s simply the article there. And you’ll’t devour uncooked oysters in Palm Springs. You shouldn’t. I wouldn’t counsel it.
You’ll inform who your mates are while you say, “I like oysters.” They’re both utterly grossed out by way of it or they exit, “Yes, let’s get a dozen to share.” Negative, negative, negative, that is evil. Sharing is my worst nightmare. Now not “for the table” — the worst phrases ever. Now not my factor in any respect. I really like a lot for myself.
1 p.m.: Consult with MOCA and produce a make-up forbid
We’re wandering during the Museum of Recent Artwork, which is all the time superior. Later typically a Sephora is moderately notable. I’m heading there to buy the drag issues that I would like. The only factor that has existed since I began drag in 1996 is the Mac Ruby Woo purple lipstick. It’s the most efficient. It’s the bluest purple. So I scoop that up, typically in bulk. I’ve to shop for all that I will purchase month I’m there. Additionally my NYX white eyeliner and my NYX dim eyeliner, I’ve to shop for in bulk, as a result of it seems that, there aren’t any actual girls the use of this in Palm Springs.
2:30 p.m.: Catch up with drag pals in West Hollywood
Round 2:30 I will be able to head to West Hollywood to catch up with two of my excellent pals and “Drag Race” alumni. Mariah Balenciaga is a pal of mine. And also you’re questioning, wait, did you produce plans with Mariah? Negative. I display up, as a result of Mariah is all the time at Micky’s, the fat homosexual bar unwell at the strip. She is going to all the time be there within the backyard, sun shades, hair in a ponytail, able to greet me. And after I’m there, we name to peer who else is round. Adore Delano will come discuss with me, who used to be from my season as neatly. And that’s the place we roughly do the catch-up.
I effort to be a grand girl at the exit so I line white wine. As a result of I do know one white wine, I’m excellent. I will’t exit any more than that. Later that one glass of wine, everybody comes to a decision to produce dinner plans. You understand, that’s a complete factor. Everyone’s like, “Yeah, let’s go to dinner!” Later nobody presentations up.
5 p.m.: Seize an early dinner at Ootoro in Negligible Tokyo
I’ve to move to dinner as a result of I wish to get again to Palm Springs. I grasp sushi at Ootoro in Negligible Tokyo. I like tempura, to start with, so tempura is my primary function right here. And I do love the rest with salmon. And I’m the queen of having a California roll. A miso soup is unquestionably on my record as in line with regular. It’s a factor while you’re ordering sushi, you’re pondering, is it moving to be plethora? Is it now not moving to be plethora? You’re all the time wondering how a lot to get so that you all the time line a long way difference.
I simply eat all of that. Later I’m rethinking my year as a result of I’m knowing I simply purchased corset provides, and I’m unquestionably going to wish it then all of this rice consumption.
7 p.m.: Power again to Palm Springs
As I’m filled with rice, on this occasion, I understand I’ve were given to get myself again. My telephone is announcing it’ll whip 90 mins. My telephone is a liar. However I do get ready myself for that. You produce certain you have got your aqua, you plug to your telephone, you get relaxed and this move may just whip actually 90 mins if you happen to’re fortunate, or six days. Bind your perishables.
The pressure is long, but it surely’s some of the few occasions that I’m unwanted. It’s some of the few occasions the place I’m now not allowed to textual content. I’m now not allowed to effort to determine the rest, I simply have my song and exit. It rings a bell in my memory of when I used to be a lot more youthful and I had a cassette Walkman. It used to be releasing. You roughly simply exit into the zone.
9:30 p.m.: Soak within the bath
I am getting into my bath, I idleness, I take into consideration the thrill that I had, possibly have every other glass of wine. There’s a excellent bathtub salt that I like that I’ve been the use of, Aveda Tension Medication Soaking Salts. I like a clay masks, which is every other notable factor to do while you’re a drag queen. And I simply take a seat in that bath for so long as I will till I’m weathered and wrinkled. It’s the most efficient factor on the earth.
10:30: Go to sleep right through the signature bake
I effort to dedicate myself to observing one thing on tv, possibly “The Great British Baking Show.” I go to sleep throughout the first 10 mins. And upcoming I’m out for the rely. You’re preventing that relief and it’s over. Later I’ve to observe the entire episode once more on Monday.