GayWay - the gay and lesbian discussion (aka. Any Gays here?)

[MontyZ]

Cool. I just remember how creepy it was. It was like every person in the bar was severely dysfunctional. I had to run away.

Splash creepy? If you think that's creepy, you should go to a place like the Rawhide or Eagle (if they still exist). Scary!

I have not been to Splash in several years, but, it's a decent bar with a small dancefloor. The last time I went out "clubbing," The Roxy and Limelight were the big gay dance clubs on the weekends in nyc. The rennovated Limelight was kind of fun. It always felt delciously naughty to be dirty-dancing with other homos under a disco ball in a church.

 

[wongulous]

God, I wish I could go to Limelight and all of these other famed places for a show and dancing. I'd dress up all clubkid-alig-ritchie-rich-amanda-lepore-esque. How amazing.

 

[MontyZ]

Yes, I agree, but, it's not just gay guys, it's ALL guys that are promiscuous: no matter gay or straight. It's just easier for gay guys to be promiscuous because their partners are other guys.

Many of those religious nuts and politicians that spew hatred against gay people are probably gay themselves. It oftens comes out that they have either hired prostitutes to tie them up and spank them, or are picking up men on the Internet to have anonymous sex.

 

[MontyZ]

God, I wish I could go to Limelight and all of these other famed places for a show and dancing. I'd dress up all clubkid-alig-ritchie-rich-amanda-lepore-esque. How amazing.

You know who Amanda Lepore is, and you're from Omaha???

Well, these clubs are always fun the first few times you go. Eventually you start to see through to the seedy aspect of all of these clubs, but, I've had many memorable clubbing experiences here in the city during the roaring 90s (and even the late 80s...shhh!). I only wish the no-smoking law was in effect at that time. It's positively wonderful now when you go to a bar or dance club and aren't choked out by cigarette smoke. I'm sure smokers will disagree.

 

[wongulous]

You know who Amanda Lepore is, and you're from Omaha???

Well, these clubs are always fun the first few times you go. Eventually you start to see through to the seedy aspect of all of these clubs, but, I've had many memorable clubbing experiences here in the city during the roaring 90s (and even the late 80s...shhh!). I only wish the no-smoking law was in effect at that time. It's positively wonderful now when you go to a bar or dance club and aren't choked out by cigarette smoke. I'm sure smokers will disagree.

Oh, yes. If I didn't know her from the Limelight connections, or from David LaChappelle, I'd know her from the MAC cosmetics ad (by David, I later found), my penchant for awful plastic surgery heroes, or from several friends who have seen or met her at clubs in NYC or Heatherette shows.

I hear that all of the time, though. "How the **** do you know about {amanda lepore|disco bloodbath|electroclash|trends|whatever} in Nebraska, and why are you there?!" -- believe me, I don't want to be here.

But that's so amazing. I can't wait until I can take an awesome NYC trip. Would you be my guide?

 

[scem0]

Nature is full of freaks, and now puts an old head on young shoulders, and then a young heart beating under fourscore winters. Old Age, RWE.
Grey Beard

How fitting. I definitely have an old person's head on my shoulders. And I'm not saying I'm mature or wise, that is something that is never realized - I'm saying I don't enjoy most of the things 18 year old enjoy). I suppose you could call me a 'freak' .

Great, pertinent quote .

But I am far from smart. In fact, I'm quite clueless. I got a 1310 on my SATs on 3 hours of sleep (forgot about them and then remembered at 4AM on the day of the exam after staying up all night), but I am about as quick as a goldfish. I think that I come off as being very dumb, but it's hard to say. I think we all believe ourselves to come off as unintelligent, to some degree, when we speak. I'm very independent intellectually - I don't work well in groups.

I'm a good public speaker, but a bad one to one speaker with people I don't know. So when I talk to a single person, I get nervous and I stumble over words. It's just from 18 years of being shy though, and I'm getting better. I've changed a lot since moving to NYC. I'm a lot more adept, socially.

I ramble when I post, I don't when I talk.

_Emerson

 

[MontyZ]

Oh, yes. If I didn't know her from the Limelight connections, or from David LaChappelle, I'd know her from the MAC cosmetics ad (by David, I later found), my penchant for awful plastic surgery heroes, or from several friends who have seen or met her at clubs in NYC or Heatherette shows.

I hear that all of the time, though. "How the **** do you know about {amanda lepore|disco bloodbath|electroclash|trends|whatever} in Nebraska, and why are you there?!" -- believe me, I don't want to be here.

But that's so amazing. I can't wait until I can take an awesome NYC trip. Would you be my guide?

I've met Amanda at a number of parties over the years, she's a permanent fixture in the downtown club/party scene. She's pretty damn scary in person, but, lovely fake boobs.

I would love to be your guide, but, to be honest, you might want someone who's a bit more current with the gay club scene here in the city (like Emerson), as I'm a bit rusty since the new millennium arrived. The Roxy started to become boring in the late 90s when it was overrun with Chelsea muscle-boys on steroids. Lovely to look for the first few minutes, as long as they keep their mouths shut. It's a huge dance club, which I like because there was usually enough space to actually dance rather than bounce up and down in one spot. Plus, they always had the hottest DJs of the day there, so, the music was great, especially after 2am.

I have no idea what the Roxy is like lately, as I haven't been there in years. In the late 80s, early 90s, any club where Junior Vasquez was the DJ was THE place to go, but, like Madonna, he's become a has-been now.

See, I can tell you a lot about the gay club scene in NYC during the late 80s and 90s if you want a historical tour, but, now that I'm older, I don't go to clubs very often.

 

[gekko513]

Talking about scary nights out. I've seldom been as scared as one night in New York when me and my friend went to eat at a restaurant with a drag show and the drag queens went around flirting with the guests and asking them questions with a microphone ready to broadcast your answer. At least I think they had a microphone ... but microphone or no microphone, I was absolutely terrified that one of them would come to me and sit on my lap or something and ask me something. I just hate getting that kind of attention in public.

I don't remember the name of the place, but it is in Greenwich Village if I remember correctly.

 

[MontyZ]

I don't remember the name of the place, but it is in Greenwich Village if I remember correctly.

Lucky Cheng's?

 

[scem0]

I have no idea what the Roxy is like lately, as I haven't been there in years. In the late 80s, early 90s, any club where Junior Vasquez was the DJ was THE place to go, but, like Madonna, he's become a has-been now.

I don't know the first thing about DJ's but Junior Vasquez was the DJ the first night I went to Avalon and it was amazing. So, I'm impressed with him even if he is a has been .

I haven't been to the Roxy yet. They have the longest running Saturday night gay party in NYC. Maybe I'll check it out tonight .

I really don't have much experience with New York City clubs yet. I've gone to splash 4 times now, Avalon twice, Webster Hall once, Heaven once, The Boys' Room once, and I think that's it. Webster Hall was increadibly straight, didn't like it. The music on the bottom floor was really awesome. That is where a lady came up to me and told me I was an awesome dancer. I was dancing really well at the moment, though. I was really feeling the music . Avalon was amazing both times I went. I am about to call a guy I met at Avalon . Splash is on or off. The crowd is kind of creepy, but the music is mediocre and there is no cover before midnight on Thursdays for students. It's only 2 blocks away from me, so you can find me there every Thursday. Heaven was awesome, but it was too crowded. I had to dance on stage to be able to dance at all . So, that's where I danced the whole time I was there, and my friends laughed at me from below.

I still have a bunch of clubs I need to try out. I really want to try the Rambles, or Brambles, or whatever it was called, recommended to me earlier in this thread by Lee. However, that is on Sunday night, and I love Avalon so much . I want to try the Roxy, and I need a new place to go on Saturday nights. I went to Heaven last week, but I can't afford to go to clubs every week that have covers. I'm not sure if the Roxy has a cover.

_Emerson

 

[gekko513]

Lucky Cheng's?

Doesn't ring a bell ... but I'm terrible with names. I looked up Lucky Cheng's in Lonely Planet and it doesn't seem to be at the right location. I think this place we found is closer to Monster, which is one of the few clubs that are mentioned in Lonely Planet and we were planning on going there later.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Rob and I have caught ourselves in Annapolis here a few times being a little too afefctionate. In DC that's fine (we'd walk all over town holding hands), but here in Annapolis? Nope.

Should not matter, as long as your safety is not placed in jeopardy - like holding hands on Quantico Marine Corp Base.

 

[iGary]

Should not matter, as long as your safety is not placed in jeopardy - like holding hands on Quantico Marine Corp Base.

LOL.

There are some rednecks here, yo.

 

[MontyZ]

I don't know the first thing about DJ's but Junior Vasquez was the DJ the first night I went to Avalon and it was amazing. So, I'm impressed with him even if he is a has been .

I haven't been to the Roxy yet. They have the longest running Saturday night gay party in NYC. Maybe I'll check it out tonight .

I really don't have much experience with New York City clubs yet. I've gone to splash 4 times now, Avalon twice, Webster Hall once, Heaven once, The Boys' Room once, and I think that's it. Webster Hall was increadibly straight, didn't like it. The music on the bottom floor was really awesome. That is where a lady came up to me and told me I was an awesome dancer. I was dancing really well at the moment, though. I was really feeling the music . Avalon was amazing both times I went. I am about to call a guy I met at Avalon . Splash is on or off. The crowd is kind of creepy, but the music is mediocre and there is no cover before midnight on Thursdays for students. It's only 2 blocks away from me, so you can find me there every Thursday. Heaven was awesome, but it was too crowded. I had to dance on stage to be able to dance at all . So, that's where I danced the whole time I was there, and my friends laughed at me from below.

I still have a bunch of clubs I need to try out. I really want to try the Rambles, or Brambles, or whatever it was called, recommended to me earlier in this thread by Lee. However, that is on Sunday night, and I love Avalon so much . I want to try the Roxy, and I need a new place to go on Saturday nights. I went to Heaven last week, but I can't afford to go to clubs every week that have covers. I'm not sure if the Roxy has a cover.

_Emerson

Emerson, Roxy does have a cover, probably similar to Heaven. I was at Avalon several years ago right after it just opened. It did seem like a nice bar/club, but, I haven't been there since. I live in the e. 80s, so, it's a trek to get to those clubs. The dancefloor there isn't huge, if I recall correctly. There was a club that had three dancefloors on three levels one time that was huge and a lot of fun, because each floor had a different DJ with different kinds of music. But I can't remember what the hell the club was called at the time. Probably gone, anyway.

Is there really a club called the Brambles? That's what they call the area of Central Park that is apparently frequented by guys looking for "distraction."

Junior is a really amazing live DJ. He had a big following in the gay clubs in nyc (esp. the original "Paladium" and "Music Factory" clubs) where gay boys who would pay $25-30 covers to be treated like **** by the doormen/bouncers and wait in long lines once inside just to experience his DJing. He knew how to get the crowd worked up to a froth.

Is Vinyl still around? It was a dump of a club that didn't have a liquor license (they only had a juice bar, so, everyone would either arrive stoned or bring their "tonic" with them), but, they attracted some top-notch DJs at one time.

Have fun out clubbing tonight!

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

However, I think that the stereotype of promiscuity in the gay community holds true a lot of the time. I don't think I represent the general community's set of values.

So, in a way, I think the Christian conservatives are actually *gasp* right about a good percentage of us. I think the problem is that they put us all in the same, big box based on our sexualities. It's not fair to me that I get judged based on the promiscuity of other people, whether they are a majority or not.

_Emerson

But I sometimes feel that is a chicken and the egg argument. Promiscuity is just as rampant in the Straight community. Because Straights have so many venues (bars, grocery stores, gas stations, retail stores) to hit on the right guy or gal; I think the promiscuity factor is undervalued for Straights.

Gays on the other hand, because of fear and prejudice, limit themselves to bars, online, and public spaces. And that gives the community as a whole a bad image.

Having come out in the late 70's; I have seen a gradual shift in how we meet for relationships. And now that Gay marriage is a national topic, we have those that are settling down with the hopes of SOCTUS doing the right thing.

 

[MontyZ]

Doesn't ring a bell ... but I'm terrible with names. I looked up Lucky Cheng's in Lonely Planet and it doesn't seem to be at the right location. I think this place we found is closer to Monster, which is one of the few clubs that are mentioned in Lonely Planet and we were planning on going there later.

Lucky Cheng's is at First Street and First Avenue...easy to remember. When it first opened, the food was actually amazingly good there. They had a decent, experienced chef at the time. The catch was that the waitresses were all Asian men in drag. These guys -- with their small frames and thin physiques -- looked pretty damn amazing as women. It was hard to tell at first if you didn't look closely.

I have a funny story about that place. For my dad's 50th birthday a few years ago, I decided to take him to Lucky Cheng's for dinner with my mom. I didn't tell him anything about the place, just that it served Asian cuisine. During the entire meal, my dad was intently studying our waitress with some suspicion. Just before our dessert arrived, the lights went down and the music was turned up, and several of the "waitresses" did a little show near our table, with one drag queen dangling from a pipe coming out of the ceiling. That's when my dad finally said, "are these watiresses guys??" He was amazed when I told him they were all guys in drag. Just at that point, 3 of the drag waitresses arrived at our table with a life-size replica of a Stiletto shoe made out of chocolate, filled with chocolate mousse and topped with a candle, singing "Happy Birthday" to my dad while they draped themselves all over him. At the end of the song, one drag waitress pointed to the candle on the chocolate shoe and screamed "Blow Daddy, BLOW!" My mom nearly wet her pants laughing at my dad's reaction to the whole experience. He took it all in good stride and still talks about it.

But since the success of Lucky Chengs, several other drag restaurants have opened in the city.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Yeah, I remember the first time holding a guys hand coming out of a movie one cold winter night. I twined my arm in with his and snuggled up against him. I'll NEVER forget that.

same sort of thing for me, though it was on Penn. Ave on hot July 4th, heading off to the fireworks like in 78 or 79. Never felt so alive, and so fearful at the same time.

My ex and I would snuggle each other when out with our straight friends in Herndon Va. Fear had passed by then for me.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Does everyone remember 'X' from Avalon last Sunday (Chapter 6)? He was the guy that I had been eyeing the whole night but I thought he was out of my league, but then he approached me and we ended up dancing a long time and then he drove me home. A quote:



He called me! I was asleep at the time, of course , given my weird ass schedule, but he wanted me to go out with him that night. I'm going to call him tonight and see if he wants to go clubbing again tonight.

This is the first time I've ever been in this position of having a guy call me after I gave him my number. I feel like a gidy school girl.

I'm going to try to channel this giddy school-girl energy into my homework now . I have an insane amount of stuff to do this weekend.

_Emerson

Our little Emerson is growing up! He is so cute!

Congrats. Hope you will be able to have a great time tonite.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Good for you Emerson, memories are a very important part of life. Even at your age it's good to know what you'd like to expect. Hell in a hashish hookah,
I don't even remember the guy's name that first screwed me. Actually, I'm not sure I ever knew his name, but it was in a car (mine) as I recall. The second is a bit clearer. A car again and I'd consider it near to rape. Sh*t, I must have been at the begining of the 'mobile laptop generation' At least I can smile about it now, not too funny back then.

What a rave on, anyway Emo, Y'all take good care and learn from someone's earlier follies in life.
Grey Beard

I remember mine, Christopher. We ran into each at the Chess King (a clothing store). He was into photography, and invited me back to his place (actually his parents home) to see his portfolio [OK guys, get it out of your system - "come up and see my etchings" ]. After we looked at his art, he reached out and stroked my arm, saying tht he would love for me to model for him sometime [OK again guys, let the jokes roll. ], but the emotional/sexual energy that went through my body was unlike anything I had ever felt before that time (and yes, I did have some awkward petting scenes with girls up till then - so I guess that still makes me a virgin!).

We ended up dating on and off for about a year and half. Christopher was just a little hung up on the fact that I was just out of the closet, and he had been since he was 13.

Thanks Grey for triggering a wonderful trip down memory lane.

 

[gekko513]

MontyZ: Love your story. The drag queens at the place we found was of another calibre. One was probably more than 6'6" tall and another was probably more than 250 lb. The place was quite small. This was in 2003.

scem0: I forgot to comment on your "giddy as a school girl" feeling. I remember that feeling and it's great. I can still get a little giddy at times , but it seemed more intense and fun when I was 19.

 

[scem0]

Our little Emerson is growing up! He is so cute!

Congrats. Hope you will be able to have a great time tonite.

I definitely will. I'm going to try and get some sleep before going out, I don't want to be tired in the club.

Sleeping for 12+ hours last night has got me all messed up though, I don't know if I should feel sleepy right now, but I do. Technically I should have gotten 16 hours. Oh well, I sleep like I eat. I sleep when I'm tired and eat when I'm hungry .

_Emerson

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Well, I just have to say this- I have no problem with promiscuity as long as the proper precautions are taken. I've had periods in my life when I'm slutty as hell and when I'm in long-term relationships. Both have their ups and downs. I refuse to live my life by straight people's standards. I could care less what they think about me, and IMO I have nothing to prove to them. It's certainly not as if their methods have worked so well.

I know the feelings here. Though I have never been in to anonymous sex (like baths and the such); I'll admit to casual "hookups", but it was with guys that I felt more than just a "physical" connection to. There has to be some sort of "emotional" connection too. The lines there can be pretty gray at times.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Oh no- cute + smart = deadly to leekohler.

Same for ChipNovaMac too.

Though I may be safe since he is not into guys older than 40.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

How fitting. I definitely have an old person's head on my shoulders. And I'm not saying I'm mature or wise, that is something that is never realized - I'm saying I don't enjoy most of the things 18 year old enjoy). I suppose you could call me a 'freak' .

Great, pertinent quote .

But I am far from smart. In fact, I'm quite clueless. I got a 1310 on my SATs on 3 hours of sleep (forgot about them and then remembered at 4AM on the day of the exam after staying up all night), but I am about as quick as a goldfish. I think that I come off as being very dumb, but it's hard to say. I think we all believe ourselves to come off as unintelligent, to some degree, when we speak. I'm very independent intellectually - I don't work well in groups.

I'm a good public speaker, but a bad one to one speaker with people I don't know. So when I talk to a single person, I get nervous and I stumble over words. It's just from 18 years of being shy though, and I'm getting better. I've changed a lot since moving to NYC. I'm a lot more adept, socially.

I ramble when I post, I don't when I talk.

_Emerson

So much me at your age. Though the rambling in posts are a new thing for me, relatively speaking.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Talking about scary nights out. I've seldom been as scared as one night in New York when me and my friend went to eat at a restaurant with a drag show and the drag queens went around flirting with the guests and asking them questions with a microphone ready to broadcast your answer. At least I think they had a microphone ... but microphone or no microphone, I was absolutely terrified that one of them would come to me and sit on my lap or something and ask me something. I just hate getting that kind of attention in public.

I don't remember the name of the place, but it is in Greenwich Village if I remember correctly.

Ah, another trip down memory lane. It was P-Town in the 80's. The Crown and Anchor if I remember. The piano act was a guy that went by Big Ed. He got people going by going in to the audience "fishing" for material. Of course I was made a target. Remember it was the 80's. So there I was in my chino slacks, LaCoste pink shirt, the sneakers, and of course the required blue bandana. He came up to me, and asked where I was from. Of course DC was my answer, and his reply something to effect of AC/DC. And then he siad that I was well dressed for the night, but I did have more color that the NBC peacock on. Not quite the attention I was hoping for that evening.