Fred Tomaselli at the Brooklyn Museum

by baad lamb
Prescription pills, marijuana leaves, peyote buttons, mushrooms and other psychotropic plant matter are carefully arranged along with brightly colored magazine and picture book clippings of human body parts, flowers and insects. These form beautiful, super-sized collages of kaleidoscopic shapes emanating from the altered states of human forms or floating out of the heads of intricately and accurately patterned birds, all the while suspended in multiple layers of clear resin, blowtorched to a high-gloss sheen, and delicately accented with hand-painted details of swirling, fiery flourishes.

Last Saturday, I went to the Brooklyn Museum to see the mid-career survey of California native, Brooklyn based painter Fred Tomaselli. I had been eager to see this show since its opening in early October, and I was prepared to like it just based on available reviews and on-line photos. I must stress that nothing on the net can compare to in-person viewing of the multiple levels (literally) in these “paintings”. In fact, they are so much more than paintings, as his x-acto knife, blowtorch and green thumb are all employed in the elaborate productions as often as his paintbrush. His love of birds and music prominently colors this collection, and collection is also literal- so much so that perhaps archive is a better word. Just have a look...
(Lots of pics and Tomaselli's own "how it's done" video after the jump)

Playing By The Rules - By QNY's Justin Crockett Elzie.

By Tony Adams

I started reading QNY blogger Justin Crockett Elzie's new book having already known his story. I worried that this would make it less interesting, less gut-wrenching and less angering. Those fears proved to be unfounded. Playing By The Rules is an exciting and captivating read. Remember the folks sitting on the bench at the bus stop listening to Forrest Gump tell his story? Well that was me, long into the night hours and unwilling to put it aside for sleep.

The sections of Playing By The Rules that describe Justin's years as  a Marine provide, for those of us who have never served, a clear and grim picture of the double living of men and women whose honorable and exemplary service is even more admirable given that they achieve so much while burdened with the millstone of dread that their private lives may be exposed.

The sections of Playing By The Rules that describe Justin's childhood and upbringing constitute an extensive and classic manual for any parents who want to malnourish a gay son from the ground up. Lack of communication, stern and hostile treatment, no gift of self confidence, oppressive religious poisoning and loneliness. In short, all the potent ingredients that can turn a gay boy into a suicide statistic or into an overachiever with a mammoth secret seem to have coalesced in his boyhood home.

Stuffed or Dressed

Happy Thankgiving.

Anyone watching the new show, "Raising Hope", with the most wonderful Martha Plimpton, will have some insight into my growing up life.  It wasn't fancy.  And most of my "traditions" are centered around going to my grandparents where there was always a hodge-podge of pot-lucked midwestern, lower middle-class fare: green bean casserole, scalloped potatoes, and my beloved mother's mammoth mound of cheese-ball.

But it wasn't until I met my husband and his mishpokhe that I came into some typical turkey and side-dish traditions.  The huz's mum is one of those fabled Jewish mothers who can whip out a meal with only some water, bread, salt, and good motherly guilt.  I've seriously never seen anyone cook as easily or better than Charlotte.

So on this Thanksgiving day, I'm offering up my all-time favorite T-day food: Charlotte's stuffing/dressing recipe.  So simple and good that I dare you not to just eat it out of the pan when it comes out of the oven.  True confession: I make this comfort food throughout the year and eat it out of the pan, over the stove, especially when I'm blue and just totally want to go there with myself.
Recipe after the jump:

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Tony Adams

When I married the Baad Lamb, I married into a family just 13 generations from the Mayflower. They don't do lasagna as a first course on Thanksgiving, but the BL's Nana who is sadly no longer with us made a wonderful Waldorf salad that was anticipated more than the turkey.

In order to provide the BL with the essence of the holiday when he flies into Fort Lauderdale, I have dared to recreate it. I found this recipe which comes with a few dozen helpful comments that suggest or veto various modifications.

The basics are grapes, apples, celery and walnuts dressed in mayo and lemon juice.

The BL's mother and sister were also consulted. They said that Nana always sliced the grapes to get out the seeds. Even though I used seedless grapes, I sliced them anyway to honor the particulars of tradition. The ladies said that Nana used only Delicious apples and only Hellman's mayonnaise. She would sometimes dredge the grapes in egg white and roll them in sugar and place them on the top because some family members wanted to avoid them. Whipped cream was also part of the tradition, but when I tasted the mayo mixture, it was so good that I kept the whipped cream as a topping with the remembered sugared grape and half walnut garnish. If the BL wants to mix in the cream, it is right there on top. I am now officially a DAR!

Two Rivers

This was shot with my phone on November 6th, in Riverbank State Park.  You're looking at New Jersey, the George Washington Bridge, Harlem/Washington Heights, and finally the Westside Highway.  Though you may not know it, you've seen this park, probably several times, if you watch the Law & Order franchise, Damages, or any number of TV shows shot in NYC. 
Riverbank sits atop a sewage treatment plant, and some days the odor is worse than others.  It was pretty strong that day, which might explain why I mostly had the place to myself, despite it being a gorgeous Saturday afternoon.

A Note to New York Archbishop Tim Dolan

By Tony Adams

[Pope Benedict XVI's book Light Of The World, is due for release today. It is a collection of interviews in which the Pope opens the door to condom use in select circumstances, such as male prostitution wherein the prostitute unwraps one out of benevolent concern for his client's health. The following is my open response to our archbishop's comments on the subject in a NY Times interview.] NYT photo by Ruth Fremson.

Dear Archbishop Timothy,

About this subject, you in The New York Times:

"You get the impression that the Holy See or the pope is like Congress and every once in a while says, ‘Oh, let’s change this law,’ ” he said. “We can’t.”

(Did they quote you correctly?)

You will have a tough time selling American Catholics the idea that some key elements of sexual morality such as condom use are beyond change and are not just policies that can be adjusted. Consider our experience: 

Race to Deliver 2010

by baad lamb

A morning walk in the park with coffee and a bagel unexpectedly turns into cheering on runners for the Race to Deliver, the annual fundraiser 4 mile run for God's Love We Deliver, the volunteer charity organization that provides meals to HIV/AIDS patients and others too sick to care for themselves.

Happily, the camera was at the ready...

As I arrived on the scene, between Strawberry Fields and Wagner Cove, the earliest group of finishers had just crossed the finish line about 200 yards from here. 

More video and photos after the jump...

Colin Quinn: Long Story Short

"Colin Quinn: Long Story Short" at the Helen Hayes Theatre, November 15, 2010

Transferring after a relatively successful off-Broadway run earlier this year, Colin Quinn spends a little more than 75 minutes tromping through the history of the world.  Skipping around the globe, his attempt at a sardonic, cynic's view of how we got to where we are boils down to a simple concept.  There are two kinds of people in the world, smart guys and tough guys.  Smart guys best represented by the Greeks, tough guys by the Romans.  The influences of each are omnipresent today, but overall the tough guys generally win.  He summarizes, "We're the descendants of the pricks."

Autumn on the Highline

 This time last year the plantings on the Highline Park were still new enough that Autumn looked a little spindly and bare.  I liked that too; Autumn is supposed to be austere.  But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the lush colorful displays that have taken root in the past year. 

Actually, these photos are already a few weeks old, so things might be looking sparse again now.  But the design and hard work that has gone into this place continues to impress me, and to provide me with occasional relief from my urban claustrophobia. 

"MARILYN"

New work by artist Robert Richards.

Notes from Underground

"Notes from Underground" presented by Theatre for a New Audience at Jerome Robbins Theatre, November 13, 2010

Adapted from the Dostoevsky novella by actor Bill Camp and director Robert Woodruff, Russian existentialism returns to the New York stage.


In this production, the unnamed Man (Mr. Camp) has withdrawn from society resigning his civil service job after receiving a sizable inheritance.  Torn in a paranoid struggle to accept his mediocrity vs. the noble life for which a man should strive, he confesses his insecurities via webcam alternately whining at his weakness and railing against others.  It starts out like a 19th century Spalding Gray but spins quickly off that track.

Autumn in New York

Our perfect Autumn stroll through Central Park this morning.

Lots more photos (and Ella and Louis!) after the jump.

Financial Firm to Lead Way in Reimbursing LGBT Workers for Benefit Taxes

by Maurice Michaane

Barclays is now the first financial services company in the U.S. to reimburse gay and lesbian employees for federal taxes on health and other benefits provided to domestic partners. Barclays is only covering these costs ($1k+) for same-sex partners, since heterosexual domestic partners have the option to marry, which is recognized at the federal level and thereby waives the federal benefit tax.

Barclays is now one of only three major corporations to be proactive here, the others being Google and Cisco. This is truly a landmark achievement for gay and lesbian employees at Barclays, and I hope the firm's leadership will inspire other corporations to take similar action! I know that this is by no means a substitute in our fight for state and federal recognition of gay marriage, but it does underscore the ways in which corporate allies can foster a fair and inclusive workplace, even when our governments lack the courage or resolve to do so.

Click here for a full story by Bloomberg.

Violet Tendencies

By West Village Bill

Last night, Tony and I caught Violet Tendencies, starring Mindy Cohn as a 40-year-old fruit fly who decides she needs to stop hanging out with her gay BFFs if she's ever going to find a man who loves her pussy too. It's a fun little rom-com that gets some points off for being too predictable. But it offers up a lot of laughs and some hunky eye candy—in particular, Sam Whitten as Riley. And Cohn is delightful as the self-described "oldest living fag hag."

I loved loved loved Cohn as Natalie Green on The Facts of Life growing up, and I kept waiting for one of her gay co-stars to break out with a Mrs. Garrett–like "Girls! Girls!" But that wink to the audience never happened. *sigh* Violet Tendencies has been extended through Nov. 18 at Quad Cinema.

Deficit Commission Co-Chair Report

by Maurice Michaane

How the Deficit Commission Proposal Will Change Your Life

All in all, the proposals by the Co-Chair's would touch almost every facet of American life including, education, home ownership, charitable giving, seniors, and the business world. As it stands, I think this report is DOA (14 of the 18 Deficit Commission Members must approve the report for formal consideration by Congress). Even though the report calls for lowering tax rates and simplifying the code, the third rail issues of American politics are too sacrosanct and will overshadow any good that might be embedded in some of the solutions offered.

One thing is certain (in my opinion), it would be foolish for the lame duck session to tackle any of these issues, as the GOP will sit it out and the Democrats will not get any credit.


For a full description of the report and its proposals visit, click here.

Snow Today in Midtown

By West Village Bill

While walking around midtown on the East Side on my lunch break today, I encountered snow. I knew it had to have been placed there for some movie or TV production. It turns out, Twentieth Century Fox was filming Mr. Popper's Penguins, starring Jim Carrey.

My friend and co-worker Joyce asked, Is Jim Carrey going to ruin every children's book I loved? Yes, he is, Joyce. Yes, he is.

I don't think I ever read Mr. Popper's Penguins, so I've got no sentimental attachment to that story, but if Jim Carrey ever gets himself attached to a production of this book, he's going to have to answer to me.

Two Soldiers

 Posted by riot.

When I was a small child, in the elementary school years, I spent a lot of time living at my grandparents' house.  They had a big back yard full of nooks and crannies that I loved to explore.  I'd construct elaborate fantasy stories and act out parts, using the trees, patio, garage, and spaces between shrubbery as my sets.  Of course, as a kid who loved watching G.I Joe, Transformers, Spiderman, and all those types of hero cartoons, many of my stories featured guns.

I remember the first time I brought a toy gun to my grandparents' house, to lend some verisimilitude to my enactments.  I was on the patio, shooting at an imaginary enemy in a tree, when my grandfather Otto came outside and took my gun.  Now grandpa was the quiet sort who didn't seem to care much for kids and their noisy play, it's true, but he generally left me alone to do my thing, getting involved only if I tried to play around his Steinway grand.  This intervention into my back yard stories was unusual enough to bring me quickly out of the realm of fantasy, so my attention was entirely focused on him as he told me that guns were not toys, he never wanted to see me holding one, and they were absolutely not allowed in his house.

Review: MIX Fest Opening Night

by riot

Last night I attended the opening event of MIX 23 (mixnyc.org), the annual New York queer experimental film festival.  This year's festival is being held at Theater for the New City, which is a venue that works very well for this event.  After the jump I'll give a brief review of last night's festivities.  I highly recommend checking out some or all of MIX's programs!

Marilyn Monroe's Sutton Place Stuffing

The New York Times is reporting that Marilyn's stuffing recipe, dating from the 1950s when she lived in New York City, at 2 Sutton Place, is surprisingly pretty and delicious.

(NYTimes photo by Andrew Scrivani)

THE AMAZING COBY KOEHL TONIGHT........

Coby Koehl: Voice
Eric Simone: Guitar
Yan Falmagne: Piano
Leo Santini: Percussion
Frankie Carroll: Electric Bass
Appearing Wednesday, 343 West 46 St. (8 & 9 Ave) November 10th @ 9:30pm. $12 admission, 2 drink minimum. For reservations call 212.757.0788 or log on to http://www.donttellmamanyc.com
Coby is Out, Gay and an Amazing Singer!

QNY's Perry Brass at Cornelia Street Cafe

Perry will be reading his new unpublished poem, A Life Without Money.
Saturday, November 20th, 6PM. Cornelia Street Cafe, at 29 Cornelia Street (a marvelously quirky little street only one block long, running between West 4th & Bleecker in the West Village.)

GAY ICON CHER ON VANITY FAIR 2010

Cher photographed by Norman Jean Roy, with hair by Oribe and makeup by Francesca Tolot.

Living In The Land Of Yes - A QNY Music Review

By Tony Adams

It's one of those Only-In-New-York things, when your Starbucks barista slips you his new CD. That is how I had the privilege of hearing Dave Rudbarg's premiere album, Living in the Land of Yes.

Because it is not too early to recommend music for holiday giving, I suggest you make note of this album for the day when you find yourself wanting to entertain a friend who likes the rough, bluesy, jazzy sound of Joe Cocker or Tom Waits.

Dave Rudbarg has a voice as big as the dozen songs on Living in the Land of Yes. I'm always surprised at the difference between a person's ordinarily calm demeanor and what is unleashed when he is belting a microphone with a lyric backed by friends who are all experienced musicians. When I mentioned this to Dave, he smiled and admitted to harboring an inner diva.

My favorite performance on this album is Dave's sexy cover of a song written by Randy Newman and made famous by Joe Cocker, You Can Leave Your Hat On. This is the kind of vocal that you always hope to hear when you find yourself in a small cafe featuring live music. Therefore, mark your calendars, Dave and friends will be performing on Saturday, January 15th at The Tea Lounge, 837 Union Street, Brooklyn.

(PS: Dave, please cover Tom Waits' Shiver Me Timbers on your next album. I suspect your version will be halfway between Tom's and Bette Midler's. And why can't we have your album in the rotation at the Starbucks on 67th and Columbus?)

After the Revolution

"After the Revolution" at Playwrights Horizons, October 29, 2010

Amy Herzog's tale of a family's struggle between ideal and reality centers around the legacy of the late Joe Joseph, a Communist Party member who stood up to the McCarthy hearings, refusing to name names during one of the darker political periods of our nation's history.  The story explores idealism vs. reality, truth vs. money.

(Spoiler Alert)

Columbus Circle Turf War in a Tutu

Pausing in Columbus Circle on Saturday afternoon, we watch a ballerina perform and plié around the statue, and momentarily clash with skateboarding kids unhappy with her route through "their" space. The sound is not clear due to the distance and the wind, but listen carefully about 1:24 as she tells them what to do.

Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake

By West Village Bill

Lou and I caught the spectacular return of Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake at City Center Wednesday night. It's running through Sunday, with tickets still available at many price points, and you owe it to yourself to catch it if you can. Or to get all anxiety-inducing about it—and to quote the London Independent's ringing endorsement of the show that's being used in its marketing materials—"See it or live to regret it."

The dancers are all terrific. The main roles have rotating performers; we saw the smolderingly sexy Jonathan Ollivier as the Swan/Stranger. (That's Richard Winsor in the publicity photo that I took from the City Center website.)

The story, based on Tchaikovsky's ballet, is told movingly through dance. The Prince is smitten with a tacky girlfriend whom the alternately icy and hot-blooded Queen strongly disapproves of. He also falls for a sexy swooping Swan, who has a whiteness of violent cobs in tow. And a handsome Stranger seduces everyone, with tragic consequences.

The main negative of this production is the canned music. After it leaves New York, the company, sans orchestra, is flying off to Milan.

Broadway says "It Gets Better"

Over dinner a few weeks ago a dear old friend from high-school, who I've had the greatest  of fortune to reconnect with, was describing her initial pause over what she could do to add to the growing chorus of concern over the recent news of bullying and suicides of gay young adults.

What came out of that her pausing was a reach out to the Broadway elite, gay or not, to add their personal stories of isolation, bullying, sadness, and ultimately their successes to the growing collective voice of a better tomorrow for the bullied, alone, frightened, and questioning youth who are struggling with being different.

Broadway.com's "It Gets Better"

VOTE on Nov. 2nd 2010

by Maurice Michaane

YOUR VOTE COUNTS

With a historic election upon us, what is set to be a 3rd wave election in the last decade, PLEASE exercise your constitutional right and patriotic duty to vote in tomorrow's general midterm elections. The choices for all offices may seem stark and the messages from candidates have been extremely negative this season, but it is paramount that WE the PEOPLE have our voices heard through the ballot box.

If you don't know where your polling place is, check this website supported by the League of Women Voters Education Fund. The moment is now, to have your voice heard, to ensure the march of equality continues!


Empire State Pride Agenda Endorsed Candidates - Pro-LGBTQ Candidates for the 2010 NYS elections [click To see a list of NYS Pro-LGBTQ Candidates]

THE BLOODY MARY PARTY

DFR & LOTFI ~ OCT 30th 2010 Hudson Hotel NYC
(photo by SUE HUYBENSZ)

At the Village Halloween Parade

By West Village Bill

More photos of the parade are here.

One Step Ahead of Judgement Day

Halloween, 5th Avenue, photo by the Baad Lamb

A Classic Glimpse

When I paused to get this photo, the Baad Lamb said that this view of the Empire State Building from DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is perhaps one of the most photographed spots in NYC. Nevertheless.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN QUEER NY!

Fight Back. Vote.

Live With Regis and Kelly Halloween Studio Audience

Usually it's just a long line of Canadian tourists on the corner of Columbus and 67th, but this morning's hopefuls for the studio audience were in costume for the annual Regis/Kelly Halloween show. This always makes going out for coffee a colorful event.

Halloweenix Madness!

by Charlie Vazquez

This just in from the wild East Village...the refurbished Phoenix, the East Village's premier gay bar, will be presenting a Halloween "freak fest" like only the queers know how to make it happen. DJ ChaotiQueer (aka Kirk Wagner) has informed me that his band Skulk the Hulking, an electro trio (see video below) will be joined by the edgy underground comedy troupe Murder Fist (also see below) for a night of irreverent revelry and more. And plus, there will be a costume contest around midnight and I can't wait to see what the neighborhood creatures will concoct for this! I'll be the scared guy drinking a beer in the dark corner...


HALLOWEENIX!
Sunday, October 31, 2010

The Phoenix NYC
447 E 13th St
New York, NY 10009

(212) 477-9979

Doors open at 9pm

"What Is a Gay Book?"

by Maurice Michaane


"What Is a Gay Book?" by David Pratt (Bob the Book)

I recently attended an Alumni event for Hamilton College where I met author and fellow alum, David Pratt. Upon a meaningful conversation, I was intrigued to read his new book, "Bob the Book." Although one might be thrown off by the title, Pratt's work is to the point and sort of reminds me of the movie Trick, where a young gay male is searching for the right "boi". It reads smoothly, but has a lot of allusions not easily picked up by the naked mind!!

The narrative is funny, poignant, lovable, and a great read! I had an instant attraction to the main protagonist, Bob the Book. All walks of life, gay or straight, will instantly connect with Bob and the story he tells. By using a book to talk about life, Pratt transcends the normal everyday boundaries we lock ourselves into. Art does imitate life in this book. As we have seen over the past several weeks, gay teen suicides have been on the rise, and Bob deals with issues of bullying and intimidation. Growing pains, relationships or just life issues in general, Bob deals with an assortment of issues and the book has it all.

According to the publisher "David Pratt, whose new book 'Bob the Book' is an original and fanciful tale of same-sex attraction among books in a bookstore, discusses gay literature inside and out with Christopher Bram, author of Gods and Monsters."

If you would like to know more/meet the author, then attend the Author Discussion/Book Signing with David Pratt:
Wednesday November 03, 2010 7:00 PM
@ Barnes & Nobles - 82nd & Broadway

Bear City - See It In NYC thru Thursday

We attended the New York opening of Bear City at The Quad on Friday. (Check the linked schedule of showings because there are afterparties with the cast at different bars throughout the week.) The 9:30 showing was sold out to an extremely appreciative audience. My husband poked me every time I appeared on screen and  I am delighted to report that this is a funny movie containing an unforgettably hilarious three-way-in-a-shower scene that alone will justify the price of admission.  I hope Doug Langway will make more movies. Here are my photos of the evening.

Haunted House Season in NYC: Blood Manor

by Maurice Michaane

Tis the season to enjoy a good haunted house in your neck of the woods. This QNY blogger paid an enjoyable visit to "Blood Manor" at the old Spirit Club in Chelsea (West 27th). I highly recommend this 30mins adventure (recommend getting the RIP tix to save yourself the wait in line).



Went with my partner Michael last night, and it was very packed. Jim Lorenzo, a party promoter in NYC, does an amazing job for the 7th year in a row in setting up this amazing, fun filled haunted house. From live action actors, to a 3D experience, Blood Manor will leave you SCARED!!

The Final "He's a Rebel" / DJ La Rubia Turns 31!

by Charlie Vázquez

Just in via "cable" from the East Village...

DJ La Rubia (aka Zan Amparan) takes his name from the famous female matador(ess) and for good reason; his audio concoctions of Motown, vintage rock-n-roll, and British Northern soul will swoon and seduce you before going in for the kill. DJ La Rubia turns 31 tonight and he will also stage his final "He's a Rebel" vintage rock party at Nowhere (10PM) before cocooning to reinvent himself yet again. According to his invite/press release (he's also the singer for local queer rock group Little Victory):

"The fun starts at 10 and goes til 4. Late night happy hour is from 1:30 to 2:30. That's half price well cocktails and domestic beers so drink up, Mary."

And see me you will...

Marga Gomez and Mike Albo Team Up for Gotham - 10/28

by Charlie Vázquez

Don’t let the change of season get you down, Queer New York. There’s a fantastic show happening next Thursday at the Gotham Comedy Club—Mike and Marga Make Comedy. These two award-winning, acclaimed performers are teaming up for a night of queer comedy that is sure to make you wet your pants. So bring some extra paper towels and join in on the laughter. I have seen both of these groundbreaking performers do their thing and was left crying in their wake. If you feel like doing something new, this is for you. See you there. Info/tickets here.

STUDIO 54 PARTY IN NEW JERSEY........

How the gays in Jersey do it!

Playwrights Horizons Discount Offer - After the Revolution

Order by November 9 with code ARGR and tickets are only:

·        $40* (reg. $55) for the first week of performances Oct. 21 – Oct. 28

·        $45 (reg. $55) for all performances Oct. 29 – Nov. 28


HOW TO ORDER:

·        Order online at www.playwrightshorizons.org. Use code APGR.

·        Call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 (Noon-8pm daily)

·        Present a printout of this blog post to the Ticket Central box office at 416 West 42nd Street (Noon-8pm daily).


*A limited number of $40 discounted tickets will be available for purchase. Subject to availability. Valid only in select rows.

Rabbi Breaks With Paladino Over Apology From THE NEW YORK TIMES By ELIZABETH A. HARRIS

Well, that didn’t last long.

"The alliance between the Republican Carl P. Paladino and an Orthodox rabbi from Brooklyn has fallen apart, with the rabbi denouncing Mr. Paladino on Wednesday for his apology over remarks he had made about homosexuality on Sunday.

Rabbi Levin said he was especially upset that Mr. Paladino gave him no notice that he planned to back away from the comments.

“I was in the middle of eating a kosher pastrami sandwich,” Rabbi Levin said. "While I was eating it, they come running and they say, ‘Paladino became gay!’ I said, ‘What?’ And then they showed me the statement. I almost choked on the kosher salami.”

Mr. Paladino, of course, had not become gay, but had announced that he wanted to clarify that he embraced gay rights and opposed discrimination. In explaining his views, Mr. Paladino and his aides noted that he had a gay nephew who worked for the campaign."

He discovered now he has a gay nephew? the Rabbi said. Mazel tov! We’ll make a coming-out party! Yeah right!

LOGO Looking for HIV+ Athletes

LOGO is looking to find healthy, active & charismatic HIV+ male athletes to star in an upcoming PSA series to coincide with World AIDS Day.  The details are below.

Click the image to enlarge if it is hard to read.

A Gay Pride Response to Carl Paladino

by Maurice Michaane


As a former Director of the NYC LGBTQ Pride March (Gay Pride Parade as most people call it) for 2 years, I took New York Gubernatorial Candidate Carl Paladino’s recent comments about the LGBT community personally. Paladino’s comments on “Gay Pride Parades” and Gay people were completely and utterly shameful. More importantly, his incendiary and debasing comments have no place in a society that should value equality for all.

In 2003, I moved to NYC as a newly minted college graduate. That summer I volunteered for the NYC Pride March. Having never been to a gay pride march/parade prior to that, I was somewhat overwhelmed with emotions on my way to the event that day. I wasn’t sure what the experience would be like, how the onlookers would react, would there be any protesters, and would I have fun. I can honestly say, volunteering for a gay pride parade is something every person (gay or straight) should do in their lifetime. First and foremost, I learned that the NYC Pride March is one of the largest LGBTQ civil rights marches in the nation, hence why it is called a “march” and not a parade (until the day there is full equality for all LGBTQ individuals). NYC Pride 2003 was an amazing life experience for me in more ways than I can recount, but most importantly it helped me feel confident as an out and proud gay American. The network of friends I made, the diversity of the community and the millions of spectators of all walks of life were extremely reassuring for a timid 22 year old that just moved to the Big Apple.

Two Free Tix To See Dar Williams at City Winery

Hey QNYers, we've got two free tix to see Dar Williams at City Winery this Saturday. (Her Friday show is sold out.) Leave a comment by Thursday at noon with an email address if you'd like a chance at the tix.

I saw Dar Williams many moons ago when she opened for Joan Baez in Northampton.

Dar’s eighth studio album, Many Great Companions comes out Oct 12th (Razor & Tie). Disc 1 is an acoustic collection of her classics with musician friends like Sean and Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Patty Larkin, Motherlode, and Gary Louris of the Jayhawks, who also produced the album.

The bonus disc, Best of Dar Williams, is a musical journey through Dar’s career, following Dar as she transforms from a folk singer just starting out to the seasoned musician she is today.

PS:  Also, she’ll be doing a little intimate performance of a few songs at Housing Works in Soho on Sunday at noon – a little nod to her coffee shop roots!


Update: Don't miss her Friday 12:30PM EST livestream session: www.livestream.com/darwilliams.

Kiss and Say Goodbye. An entirely different meaning of "tighty-whities"

One of the most inevitable aspects of riding the subways (New York or elsewhere), is the busking for bucks by individuals or groups. Want to "see" a collective, but silent groan? Look around when that loud scratchy voice begins "Ladies and gentlemen, I am not a drug addict, but..." The flip side is the enjoyable site of costumed Mariachi bands, holding hats and guitars as they run from their played-out car to a fresh one, or the flip-fantastic feats of b-boys, head-spinning with feet in the air, perfectly missing poles and people as they perform.
Delightfully unexpected this Saturday, Tony and I were on the way to Greenpoint mid-morning, when over the quiet murmur of the weekend workers on the 1 train came a high sweet voice, accurately sustaining and accenting the first word "I.....had to meet you here today..."
As four aged men shuffled through the car, they stumbled over the words and repeated phrases in the wrong order, but the quality wasn't important, the mid-70s flashback had begun, and the tune stayed with me the rest of the day.
Naturally, I wanted to see those giant collars and big-hair heads, and slow, uniformly precisioned steps and hand movements, but also to hear the breathy, quiet spoken-word confessional intro that sets the premise for the song. And then just had to share it. Enjoy.

Christine O'Donnell Gay Ad Parody

by Maurice Michaane

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My Favorite Block in the City: West 10th Street Between 5th and 6th Avenues in Manhattan

By West Village Bill

My favorite block in the city is one I routinely walk along on the way from my apartment to Union Square: West 10th Street between 5th and 6th avenues. It's my favorite mostly for a simple and shallow reason: It's so beautiful in terms of both architecture and greenery. And it feels like home: It's where I would be living now if I'd actually gotten together with that heart surgeon/gourmet chef with inherited Old Money that I was supposed to have met right after I first moved to the city. :-) Oh, and one more thing: hound-dog fence-post statuary!

A Little Night Music 2.0 - A Review

Posted by David
I recently had the pleasure to attend a performance of the current revival of Stephen (can we just canonize him and be done with it?) Sondheim's musical A Little Night Music, performing at the Walter Kerr Theater.  The production originally opened starring Catherine Zeta-Jones along with Angela Lansbury.  These two leading ladies have left the production and their roles are now being assayed by Broadway veterans Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch, respectively.

I did not see the production with original cast of Zeta-Jones and Lansbury, so I cannot compare the current incarnation to the previous, and perhaps that is for the best as I would have hated to have that little comparative voice whispering in my head throughout the performance and spoiling my fun.

The Divine Sister

"The Divine Sister" at the Soho Playhouse, September 20, 2010


Posted by Mondschein

Charles Busch returns to the NY stage with his latest effort, leading his mash-up tale of nuns in a Pittsburgh convent. The Divine Sister plumbs the borders of The Sound of Music, Agnes of God, Doubt, Song of Bernadette, and Nunsense wrapped up in a strong dose of Where Angels Go Trouble Follows.


The jokes are broader than the Hudson, and the "broads" are among the widest Mr. Busch has written to date.


The absurd plot, of a convent/school in early 1960s Pittsburgh on financial skids includes a new member, Sister Walburga (Alison Fraser), imported from Germany to help with fund-raising )or does she have a plan of her own??). Mother Superior (Mr. Busch) and her BFF and second in command, Sister Acacius (Julie Halston) have decided to approach the rich Jewish, agnostic widow, Mrs. Levinson (Jennifer Van Dyck) to donate her home to the order until a new school can be built. One problem facing the order is that the postulant Agnes (Amy Rutberg) has a tendency toward miracles, healings and stigmata-ism, bringing unwanted publicity. Like any good catholic story, there are multiple mother-child relationships hidden behind secret adoptions, accented by occasion musical numbers dubbed as badly as any Italian western out there, and a couple of flashback scenes to Mother Superior's previous life as a crime reporter in the 1940s. Plots twist and all is revealed to a comic effect only conceivable by Mr. Busch - a lost book of the bible, the Gospel of Saint Gladys which tells the story of the Jesus' sister Joyce - the titular Divine Sister. Brilliant!

John Lennon's 70th Birthday. Strawberry Fields in Central Park.

Early in the morning and the crowd had already begun to swell.

More photos, and video of the crowd singing "I Should Have Known Better", after the break.

Newtown Creek Water Pollution Control Plant

Is this not the best thing built in New York City in the last 5 years?

Even with all the starchitect-designed luxury condos that sprouted up along the Hudson and East River waterfronts before the crash, this sewage treatment plant on the shore of the (recently superfunded) toxic sludge pool - quaintly called Newtown Creek, is still the most exciting architectural surprise in the city. I have never been inside, but Open House New York weekend approaches, and plans have been made to tour the "digester eggs".
In anticipation, I dug up some photos I took during previous pilgrimages to this Polshek Partnership (now "Ennead") award winning stunner, New York City's largest waste water treatment plant.

From Long Island City looking across the Newtown Creek.

Lots more photos after the jump; Embiggen them all for full screen display and detail.

Joey Arias in Concert this weekend!

Go see Joey Arias in Concert this weekend at the Abrons Arts Center/Henry Street Settlement, October 8 and 9 at 8:00pm.  Tickets are $25 and well worth every penny.

I saw Joey's birthday show last Saturday.  I was completely blown away.  Joey's voice is an incredible whiskey soprano.  His band for this show is more than just good--they're on the cutting edge.  The guitarist in particular brought a style that I've never heard before.  When he and Joey start vamping together, trading musical growls and squeaks, you'll marvel at hearing something that sounds genuinely fresh and unique, at least to my ear.  The lighting design, while spare, was interesting and did a good job of showing off the bizarrely fascinating costumes, one of which is entirely unexpected.  And on top of all that, Mx. Arias effortlessly delivers in high heels that look taller than some stilts.

Most of all, Joey knows how to enrapture an audience.  No matter whether the song was upbeat, slow and sad, or just off the wall--I couldn't look away and didn't want it to end.  Newer and younger performers would do well to emulate his classic demeanor while telling stories and interacting with the audience--somehow Joey is self-deprecating with pride, filthy with decorum, catty with love, and vulnerable with grace and strength. 

I became a fan when I saw Arias with a Twist, and now I may become a groupie.  Earl Dax pads his reputation for producing solid events, and Joey Arias and his band deliver one of the most musically innovative concerts I've heard in years.  Don't miss it.

Gramercy Tavern and Pure Food and Wine

By West Village Bill

I enjoyed memorable dinners this week at two highly sophisticated yet decidedly comfortable restaurants in the vicinity of Union Square: Gramercy Tavern and Pure Food and Wine.

On Sunday, Bob, Jen, Tony, and I had dinner at Gramercy Tavern to celebrate my birthday, which was earlier in September, and Bob's birthday, which is early this month. Last year, when Bob and I both turned 40, I gave him a bottle of 1969 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges De Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. We said then we'd have to go to a fancy restaurant sometime soon and see whether the bottle of wine had held up as well as us. Or at least me. Ha!

It took us almost a year, but we finally had that dinner, thanks to Jen's initiative. (J&B have young kids, so it was always easier to eat pizza and everyday red wine at their place.) Jen sent an e-mail to Bob and me four weeks ago with the subject "'69 was a very good year": "sept 25 is about in the middle of your birthdays. let's say we go out and drink some 41-year-old wine? invite tony and we'll have a wild and crazy time." Gramercy Tavern has a strict "no wild and crazy time" policy, but we still had a wonderful evening. A day later than that planned date because GT was filled up on that Saturday.