CURRENT MISSION

We're out to tag the streets with our sidewalk chalk!

ABOUT ME

xander and elliot met in the streets of baltimore and fell in love aboard a clusterballoon heading for the moon! Their aliases are Socks and Mittens (derived from a saying: you are socks and I am mittens, put it together and we're smitten) they have tagged American, Canadian and European streets with Socks and Mittens in various shades of sidewalk chalk.
They both love to dance and people watch. They have been known to spend countless hours in the studio, xander sewing elaborate costumes and hats, and elliot works on artwork avant-garde.

They are a queer couple who enjoy queer environments, gender discussions, architecture conversations and impromptu dance parties (esp if there is a theme!!!)
We are both involved in queer and gender bending/fluid groups such as the Charm City Kitty Club, The International Drag King community Extravaganza (IDKE) and the the Charm City Boys
We are also Vagabonds as of current. We are in month 8 of traveling. We both quit our jobs in early 2011, gave up our apartment, loaded a friends basement with our stuff and hit the road of what we are calling : "The Dandy Vagabond Adventures!"
We first traveled to and around Europe, riding double decker busses at all hours throughout the streets of London,practicing circus moves in a circus squat in Barcelona, hitchhiking in the South of france, hiking the most gorgeous limestone cliffs: the calanques, watching Rocky Horror Picture Show in french in Paris, seeing brilliant art and eating delicious Felafel in Berlin, biking down the Amstel river only to find 16th century windmills and albino kangaroos in Amsterdam and taking a night boat back to London to meet up with old friends. ..the best of it, that was on ly 2 months of our adventure!! We then came back to the states, joined the BEST circus camp in the world: Wisefool New Mexico, played trapeze, stilts, silks, acro and clown for 2 months and then started our roadtrip across America.
I write right now in Chicago, we are in out 18th state, 8 month of traveling, and so excited to keep on going!

PHILOSOPHY

work hard to play hard..and pancakes!

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

We have stayed with amazing people throughout Europe, and thus far only one CS experience in the states with 2 wonderful sisters in Minneapolis.
We have yet to host, but that is only because we are homeless living on the road, and as soon as we find ourselves with a home and a couch we will start hosting in Baltimore.

Interests

acrobatting
sewing
painting
people watching
sidewalk chalk!
farmers market
dancing
making forts and sleeping in tents
letterboxing!!!
gender performance
stripes and polka dots, argyle and plaid!
rusty objects
pimple popping

• arts
• performing arts
• architecture
• dancing
• polka
• partying
• clubbing
• boating
• shopping
• traveling
• painting
• cycling
• hiking
• camping
• hitchhiking

Music, Movies, and Books

Queen
Iron and Wine
Dark Dark Dark
Joanna Newsome
Dr Suess
Water for Elephants
Kate Bornstein
You Me and Everyone We Know
John Waters

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

xander: I was in Rome when Pope John Paul II died. It was amazing to watch the city burst at the seams with travelers!
I have also co-organized the largest Drag King conference of the world, and choreographed routines and designed costumes and props for this adventure!
Elliot: getting to work behind the scenes on the Jim Henson creature project at the Smithsonian...and getting to see the real Kermit the Frog!

Teach, Learn, Share

We would both love to learn more about each of the cities we are visiting through the eyes of a person who lives there. Xander is excited about window shopping and poss shopping shopping in fabric stores!
Xander is also excited about learning a few phrases in each language of the city they are visiting.
Elliot is excited for open markets and new patterns and colors of new surroundings.
Xander is excited to share their knowledge of ASL and sewing and board and card games! They are also excited to bake some yummy treats for their hosts!!
Elliot is excited to share their skills of letterboxing and stamp carving!