FRANZISKA OUT AND ABOUT

The “Kammeroper Frankfurt e.V.”  (chamber opera, as opposed to a full-orchestra opera) is a non-profit organization that performs opera, operetta, musicals, and comic opera exclusively in German and at numerous venues in and around Frankfurt. One of their regular summer events is an open-air performance at the “ Musikpavillon”  in Frankfurt’s “Palmengarten”. In August 2019, Franziska visited the performance of Gioachino Rossini‘s “Die verkehrte Braut (L‘equivoco stravagante).” Portrait of the evening. Outfit of the evening. At the “Palmengarten” in Frankfurt.

I know, this wig needs urgent styling. Still, is a “bad hair day” a good enough reason to pass up an opportunity for an outing? No – and I am sure you’ll all agree – and especially not with such gorgeous weather as I’ve had on this day. Portrait of the day. Franziska posing for a picture at one of Frankfurt’s top tourist locations, the Römerberg, the square in the city center, where Frankfurt’s town hall (the “Römer”) and other timber-framed houses (such as those in the background), dating back to the 15 th   century, are located. Enjoying a light Italian lunch and a glass of pinot grigio. It will always stick to my mind that my first ever e-scooter ride was “en femme.” Ever since, this has become a frequent mode of transportation around town to me, mostly in “drab”, though.

Following the visit to Wiesbaden, there were no specific plans for the evening. After a change of outfit, Franziska headed out on her home turf in a fun summer dress to have dinner.  Portrait of the evening. Outfit of the evening. Dinner at a seafood restaurant in the “Westend” of Frankfurt, where I had made reservations. At the table next to Franziska sat a group of 8 women, some of whom had looked at Franziska, but there was no indication that they were suspecting anything as to her nature. I took that as a compliment for my transformation skills 😏. Late in the evening at a popular wine bar in Frankfurt-Sachsenhausen, lucky to have gotten a place to sit outside. Franziska’s male alter ego has frequented this bar for over 10 years, while Franziska has been here several times over the last three to four years. I am sure the waiter (whom I had asked to take this picture) knows that I am a crossdresser, but I am also sure he does not make the connection between the two personas.

I know you are out there, because I see the blog statistics. I hope you enjoy reading about Franziska’s adventures out and about as much as I enjoy experiencing them. To write, to maintain, and to develop this blog is somewhat fun as well, but it would make it a total thrill to me if I would receive your feedback: it can be anonymous, it can be a single word or a request, such as “write more text/stories, please, that go with the pictures”. Just keep it friendly, please. Love    Franzi

It being summer and quite warm, called for a short skirt – one of the shortest Franziska owns – a thin sleeveless blouse, and the long hair being tied back. Portrait of the day. Franziska spent the day visiting the Hessian state capital of Wiesbaden, some 40 km to the west of  Frankfurt and the weather was just perfect to take my wife's convertible. Outfit of the day.

The LBD, combined with a bright red blazer, was to compensate for the pants worn during the day 😀. The cultural event that evening was somewhat of an adventure, as I had not been to the Gallus Theater before and I had no idea what to expect from the AMP Dance Company and its “Muse 1” dance performance in three acts. Portrait of the evening, without glasses. Portrait of the evening, with glasses. That do YOU (dear visitors to my blog) like better? Unfortunately, I don’t have a good full-length picture of this outfit. So this will have to do.

I love dresses, skirts, and blouses, they scream “feminine” and – besides them being so much fun to wear – it feels like they are more “convincing” if you want to create a feminine image. To look convincingly feminine in a pair of pants feels more challenging. That was the challenge of the day.   Portrait of the day. Outfit of the day. Early dinner again, Italian again, and at a place where Franziska had been several times before and is being recognized as a regular guest.

The so-called Old Opera Frankfurt is nowadays used for concerts and musicals, rather than operas, as it was rebuilt - after severe WW-II damage - only in the 70’s and after the new Frankfurt Opera House had already been established. It provides very good acoustics and possesses a huge and beautiful pipe organ, that I have yet to hear in action. Portrait of the evening. Leaving home and heading for the “Alte Oper” in Frankfurt. The performance that evening, “Bodyguard”, was on the lighter scale of Franziska’s cultural spectrum, but also fun. In the picture below, Franziska was enjoying a drink before the show.

I love those full days of femininity: getting up, enjoying a cup of coffee in a dressing gown and slippers, showering, shaving, moisturizing, applying press-on nails and eyelashes, putting on make-up, creating curves, getting dressed, brushing out the wig, selecting and putting on jewelry, sprinkling myself with perfume, spending the day out on the town, prowling around boutiques and shoe stores, trying on and possibly buying clothes, lunch or an early dinner with attentive Italian waiters, stylish evening wear, culture & arts, visiting a wine bar, coming home late, unwinding, falling asleep in a silky nightgown. So much fun!   Portrait of the day. The first stop that day was at Franziska’s hairdresser, to let him see how his creation looked on her. It was a surprise visit and he had never met Franziska before. Until that day, he only knew Franziska’s male alter ego and the wigs.   This picture – obvious for everyone that knows Frankfurt a bit – was taken in front of the (old) Euro

I started this blog in October 2022 and decided to begin with pictures of Franziska’s days out and about from the year 2020 and the little there was to report about in 2021. The year 2022 was a year full of new experiences for Franziska, foremost due two extended weekend trips, three days in Stuttgart and four days in Munich that this blog will report about in due time. But now we’ll first look back in time to Franziska’s days out and about of 2019. These were also a lot of fun. Love,    Franzi

More than one year had passed since Franziska’s last day out and about, more than one year for the new gray knit dress to be worn. I was a little nervous - more so than usual - heading out as Franziska. Even getting ready felt unfamiliar after such a long time. Portrait of the day. Dinner at a French restaurant, facing COVID-related restrictions upon entry. I was ready for my ID to be checked. But they were fine with a proof of vaccination on my cellphone alone.

The last day out and about that year, shortly before the long and dreadful COVID-related winter lock-down 2020/21. Franziska took the train to Aschaffenburg, a medieval city some 40 km from Frankfurt. That is in Bavaria and the clocks are ticking differently in smaller cities anyway, as you might know. People tend be both shorter than in large cities and more suspicious – in particular of tall (big city) women.   Portrait of the day. A different wig, as I am sure you noticed. In recent years, I have used two wigs, both made from natural hair. This was the first time Franziska was wearing this brunette wig and it was yet straight and un-coiffed. You'll see it styled in different ways in later postings. Lunch at a traditional, local restaurant, where Franziska’s male alter ego had been several times before. Outfit of the day. A knit dress I bought. Dinner at a restaurant close to the Stadttheater (Municipal Theater), followed by – you may have guessed – a visit to a (nice traditional