Pride Travel Section

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SEATTLE GAY NEWS PRIDE ‘07
Travel
June 15, 2007 - Issue 24, Volume 35
New Grand Canyon Skywalk
Gay weddings
in Victoria, BC p. 4
Yes - Paradise
in Oahu p. 16
Staying around
hometown Seattle p. 15
You Bet. . .
Vegas, baby p. 22
p.12
2
Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
June 15, 2007
Dallas earns many gold stars as it
becomes a GLBT-friendly destination
DRINK
Buddies II
4025 Maple Avenue
(214) 526-0887
I’ve never had so much fun at a Lesbian bar
as I did at Buddies II in Dallas. My friends
and I danced to music by Justin Timberlake,
Ciara, Pussycat Dolls, and Missy Elliot until
last call on a good-sized floor. The drinks
were really affordable and the atmosphere
was cozy and super friendly. I wanted to
bring everyone there back home with me.
This is a great drinking hole to mingle with
local women, and some Gay men too, and
let your hair down. Buddies II has a sand
volleyball court and patio outside, plus a
second bar in the back.
Texas may be a red state, but Dallas is
definitely in the purple – and getting bluer.
With a united, determined core of GLBT
community members and support from
locally based companies (i.e. American
Airlines), Dallas is making an honest and
credible effort to accommodate Gay and
Lesbian tourists. The ninth largest US city
is proudly meeting its goal to be a GLBTfriendly city, so it’s with great pleasure that
I recommend it highly for future travel.
Granted, Dallas is no San Francisco or
Seattle, but it’s made tremendous progress.
And it could become the first major American
city to elect an openly Gay mayor with Ed
Kaliente
Oakley considered a frontrunner in the race.
4350 Maple Avenue
Dallas celebrates its Pride festivities on
www.kaliente.cc
Sunday, September 16 with the theme “United
The hottest Latin non-heteros shake it at
for Equality”. This would be a perfect time
to head South for a long weekend, and here’s Kaliente, Dallas’ premier nightclub for Gay
a rundown of places to sleep, drink, eat, and Hispanics and their amigos and amigas.
Kaliente boasts a high-energy environment
visit while in Dallas.
with a large dance floor and the best
contemporary Latin music all night long.
JOURNEY
American Airlines offers direct service Hunky guys, some in cowboy hats and tight
between Seattle-Tacoma International and jeans and others in Abercrombie & Fitch
Dallas-Fort Worth International airports. My gear, parade around the club until close. So
flight time was 3 hours and 45 minutes getting even if you don’t dance, drop by Kaliente to
there, 4 hours and 15 minutes coming back. check out the flesh. This place is muy, muy
American Airlines has a strong reputation bueno!
of working with GLBT customers. Alaska
Airlines is now affiliated with American, so
frequent flier miles can be honored between
both airlines. Visit www.aa.com for airfares,
schedules, and online specials.
SLEEP
Hotel Belmont
901 Fort Worth Avenue
www.belmontdallas.com
For a panoramic view of Dallas and a haven
away from the metro grind, stay at Hotel
Belmont. It feels like a celebrity retreat, a
place where indie filmmakers and young,
wealthy stars might dash to for privacy. Willa
Ford (soon to portray Anna Nicole Smith in a
TV movie) and her hockey player-boyfriend
hosted a party in the Terrace Suite days before
I strolled through the property. Overlooking
the Oak Cliff district, every room is a suite,
including garden rooms and two-story lofts.
Hotel Belmont is a re-vamped 40s motor
lodge, with individual parking coves turned
into patios. Complimentary valet parking,
daily continental breakfast, heated pool
overlooking the city, lounging lawn (movies
shown frequently for guests, projected off a
wall), and Kiehl’s bath products complete
your accommodations at Hotel Belmont.
Hotel Palomar
5300 E. Mockingbird Lane
www.hotelpalomar-dallas.com
Across the street from Mockingbird Station,
within walking distance of restaurants, bars,
shopping centers and the SMU campus, is
the retro-hip Hotel Palomar. Operated by
the uber Gay-friendly Kimpton Hotels, this
198-room property underwent an extensive
facelift and came out looking fabulous. It’s
art deco all the way with eye-popping colors
and sleek touches throughout, like the outdoor
infinity-edged pool and Jacuzzi. Flat screen
TVs, DVD and CD players, comfy bathrobes,
padded headboards, complimentary coffee,
daily newspaper, and top of the line bath
products (L’Occitaine) further enhance your
stay at Hotel Palomar.
Tin Room
2514 Hudnall Street
(214) 526-6365
The most adorable Gay bar with a Dallas zip
code is the Tin Room, my personal favorite
from my bar crawling experience in the city.
The décor is eccentric and bubbly cute, a
tribute to 80s kitsch and trash disco, and it
bizarrely includes a basketball toss machine
in the back. The vibe is comfortable and
upbeat, the dance floor is small but not too
small, and everyone from staff to clientele is
cheery and open to outsiders. The Tin Room
is not in the Oak Lawn area, though it’s
definitely worth a cab ride to blend in with
locals and hang out in a bar with a whole lot
of charm.
kaliente
by Albert Rodriquez
SGN A&E Writer
Hunky men vie for “Mr. Kaliente” title
at Dallas Gay latin bar Kaliente
I was born, although it impacted
my family for years afterwards.
The Sixth Floor Museum is an
important, must-visit attraction
for everybody, not just history
buffs or political followers.
Located in the former Texas
School Book Depository, believed
to be where Lee Harvey Oswald
staked out and fired his rifle at the
president’s motorcade, has now
been converted into the museum.
Chilling video footage and
original photographs provide an
emotional path of events that led
up to Kennedy’s death in Dallas.
The most heartfelt part is looking
out the window directly to the
exact spot, marked with a big X,
where Kennedy’s final moments
were before being rushed to a
nearby hospital. A visit here is
highly recommended.
bagel piled high with sausage, eggs, and
cheese, are served in action-figure lunch
boxes. The beverage menu is as big as the
deli menu, featuring various lattes, teas,
smoothies, and chocolate-based drinks. Buli
Café is a terrific place to read the morning
paper with a fresh cup of coffee. It offers
free wireless Internet, indoor and outdoor
seating, and a wide assortment of pastries,
cookies, and snack items. Lunch boxes are
available for purchase, as are the shop’s cool
blue, see-through mugs.
Nasher Sculpture Center
2001 Flora Street
www.NasherSculptureCenter.org
Artsy-types should make a beeline to the
Nasher Sculpture Center, adjacent to the
Dallas Museum of Art with 10,000 square
feet of gallery space and 62,000 square feet
of outdoor exhibition space. The collection
includes master works by Picasso, Rodin,
Matisse, and Giacometti. I was particularly
impressed with the gardens, a tranquil area
with remarkable displays, manicured lawns,
and wooden benches to sit and relax. On
DO
the afternoon I visited, young boys dressed
The Sixth Floor Museum
in suit coats, dress pants, and neckties from
at Dealy Plaza
a local private school listened attentively
411 Elm Street
during a guided tour. Hence, art is a vital
www.jfk.org
John F. Kennedy was assassinated before part of everyone’s education.
JR’s Bar & Grill
3923 Cedar Springs
(214) 559-0650
Everybody seems to love JR’s Bar & Grill,
named after the famous TV character (Sue
Ellen’s, a Lesbian bar, is at the opposite end
of the street). JR’s is your average men’s
bar with Top 40 pop music, video screens,
karaoke machine, busy happy hour, two levels
of space to roam around, and a balcony on the
second level to cruise passers-by below on
Oak Lawn Avenue. JR’s makes a stiff apple
martini and it’s the only place I’ve witnessed
Gay boys karaoke’ing to Keith Urban.
EAT
Stephen Pyles Restaurant
1807 Ross Avenue
www.stephanpyles.com
Before I stepped foot inside Stephen
Pyles Restarant in the Dallas Arts District,
everyone had assured me I’d love it. Indeed,
I did. I must admit, however, that it’s too
swanky for my taste buds and my thin
wallet. But for a great meal in a gorgeous
setting, this is where to go. Openly Gay and
heralded throughout the Southwest, Pyles
takes Tex-Mex to a new dimension with such
inventive dishes as lobster in coconut-serrano
broth, chile-braised pork “osso bucco”, and
chermoula marinated split-roasted chicken.
Call me spoiled, but the part I enjoyed most
Warwick Melrose Hotel
was dessert. The “coffee and doughnuts”,
3015 Oak Lawn Avenue
consisting of mini doughnut holes with a
www.warwickmelrosedallas.com
Location, location, location. The Warwick coffee-flavored dipping sauce, was divine.
Melrose Hotel is a dated property in serious
Buli Café
need of a pick-me-up, but it’s the closest
3908 Cedar Springs
accommodations you’ll find to the Oak
(214) 528-5410
Lawn Gay district. Literally, the Gay bars
Centered in the Oak Lawn district, Gayare within skipping distance. If you want a
owned
Buli Café is a convenient, affordable
comfortable, quiet place to crash and be near
spot
to
eat
before walking down the block to
the action, this is it. Hipster travelers, look
the
Gay
bars.
Sandwiches, like a breakfast
elsewhere.
June 15, 2007
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Seattle Gay News
3
It’s June, the traditional
month for weddings, and –
just like at a Pride parade –
love is in the air. Only when
it comes to Gay weddings,
that air is in Victoria, British
Columbia! It’s so easy to get
there via the Victoria Clipper
(www.clippervacations.
com), and more convenient
than establishing residency
in Massachusetts. I like the
idea of a small and informal
wedding, maybe just the two
of you on a weekend jaunt.
You don’t tell anybody
– except your wedding
planner, of course, so he
or she can arrange for the
marriage commissioner and
witnesses – and when you
get back to Seattle, voila!
You’re legally wed! Then
again, there’s something to
be said for bringing along
your friends and family.
Villa Marco Polo
Okay, maybe just your
friends. If you’re serious
about getting hitched in
Victoria, here are a few recommendations Gay or Straight, it’s ridiculously easy to both sets of parents. Only one person needs
for your special day.
get married in British Columbia; you don’t to apply in person, but he/she must provide
even have to be a resident. You’ll need to get the information for both parties. Once you
BLAME CANADA
a marriage license, but there’s no waiting have the license, which is good for three
Maybe the guys from South Park were period and are no medical tests. Bring your months, you will need to find a person
thinking about the skyrocketing divorce ID and the full names and birthplaces of authorized to perform the ceremony, either
rate when they penned that song? Because,
civil or religious, and you’ll need to have
two witnesses. The Registry Agent Office
where you obtain your license can provide
you with a list of marriage commissioners,
and I’m told they can even find you the
witnesses. Many hotels, including all of
the properties listed here, are happy to
help you with the arrangements. For more
information on Gay marriage in Canada,
check out the Gay & Lesbian Advocates &
Defenders website at www.glad.org.
courtesy of villa marco polo
by Lorelei Quenzer
SGN A&E Writer
Ring those Gay wedding bells
in neighboring Victoria, BC
arbor. The Marco Polo
was recently selected by
Conde Nast Johansen’s
2007 guide, one of only
four properties in British
Columbia recommended
by that publication. You’ll
want to come back for your
anniversary, I guarantee.
TRADITIONAL
Abigail’s Hotel
906 McClure Street
www.abigailshotel.com
Give the folks atAbigail’s
three short weeks and they
can arrange everything but
the marriage license (for
which you must apply in
person, remember?). You
can bring all of your inlaws, or, I should say, inlaws to be, as the Hotel
has 23 rooms. No? Well,
they have an “Elopement
Package” that includes
a wedding cake and two
witnesses. For a little extra
you even get a horsedrawn carriage ride and
photographer. Abigail’s
can provide you with onsite spa services for that special pampering
you deserve, whether it’s for your wedding
day or honeymoon. If you book your stay
in one of the Coach House rooms you can
even pamper your pooch!
Laurel Point Inn
680 Montreal Street
www.laurelpoint.com
So you’ve got a lot of friends coming over
for the party, and you want to go with a big
hotel? I have to admit, there’s no location
more convenient, via foot, to the Victoria
Clipper than the Laurel Point Inn. And
there’s no better view of the Inner Harbour,
either. Every one of the Inn’s 200 rooms has
a great view of the water – don’t ask me
how they did it, ‘cause I’m still not sure.
INTIMATE
You can arrange to use one of their smaller
Albion Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn
meeting rooms, or you and 250 of your
234 Superior Street
friends can party the night away in the Inn’s
www.albionmanor.com
banquet facilities. Personally, I think you
Gay owned and operated, the Albion is should have your ceremony in the Japanese
a prime example of Victorian exuberance, Gardens.
both inside and out. Located in the James
Bay neighborhood – sorry, I guess that
FANTASY
should be neighbourhood – the Manor is
Hatley Park
only 5 minutes walk from the Seattle and
National Historic Site
Port Angeles Ferries. You’ll appreciate the
2005 Sooke Road
house’s vibrant colors and period details,
[email protected]
as well as its beautiful private garden. But
Imagine the commitment ceremony in the
the authentic décor, replete with antiques, movie Four Weddings and a Funeral. You
is only the tip of the iceberg. There are remember: when kilted cutie Simon Callow
also Jacuzzi tubs and inviting fireplaces for pledges his love to yummy John Hannah.
those cozy nights in. Enjoy a sip of sherry You can recreate that scene at Hatley Castle!
with your charming hosts!
The beautifully preserved Edwardian estate,
located 25 minutes outside of Victoria, was
Villa Marco Polo
built in 1908 by coal baron and former BC
Bed and Breakfast Inn
premier James Dunsmuir; his family also
1524 Shasta Place
built the better-known Craigdarroch Castle.
www.villamarcopolo.com
Hatley has several venues for your wedding
You’ll find the Villa Marco Polo in the and reception, and can accommodate up
quiet, ritzy Rockland neighborhood, but to 250 guests. The views from the terrace
you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled. are spectacular, and you can have your
This elegant Italian Renaissance mansion pick of the Italian garden, croquet lawn or
is tucked in among its peers but doesn’t Japanese gardens for your wedding photos.
announce that it’s a B&B. Sumptuous The Park has an exclusive arrangement
interiors and beautifully appointed rooms with a catering company. That means that
provide romantic settings for wedding you can’t choose to have your favorite
couples and honeymooners, and the staff Victoria restaurant provide the food, but it
are only too happy to help you navigate does mean that your event coordinator will
the licensing and ceremony requirements. be intimately familiar with your dietary
They’ll even provide the witnesses! The details! If you have a large party and want
terrace and gardens are large enough if to spend the weekend, there are residences
you’d like to invite a few friends, and if (both dormitory style and ensuite rooms)
their breakfasts are any indication your dating from when the grounds were used as
wedding supper will be a meal to remember. a military college.
Personally, I’d get married under the
4
Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
June 15, 2007
10 great women-owned inns of the East
by Andrew Collins
SGN Contributing Writer
fire. In summer, the sun porch, decorated
with wicker furniture, is the perfect spot
for complimentary breakfast and evening
You might think primarily of Provincetown refreshments. The inn is centrally located, a
when you consider where to find Lesbian- short walk from many bars and restaurants.
owned and -operated accommodations in Clientele: Mostly mixed Gay/Lesbian.
the eastern United States. Indeed, you’ll
Highlands Inn
find several Lesbian-owned B&Bs and inns
Bethlehem, New Hampshire
in that favorite Gay getaway. But other
New Hampshire’s only Lesbianpopular GLBT vacation spots, including
Rehoboth Beach and Key West, have exclusive resort, the Highlands Inn also
women-owned inns, and you’ll also find ranks among the most popular and wellthem in a number of surprisingly rural and
remote communities, from Bethlehem, in
the White Mountains of New Hampshire, to
Saratoga, in upstate New York. Here’s a look
at 10 of the more appealing women-owned
accommodations east of the Mississippi
River.
Battlefield B&B
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Whether you’re a Civil War history
buff or you’re just looking for a romantic,
secluded getaway in the country that’s
within an afternoon’s drive of Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington,
D.C., this 1809 farmhouse inn makes an
excellent choice. This women-owned
property sits on 30 acres of meadows and
woodland just a mile from Gettysburg
National Military Park. Accommodations
are in six handsomely appointed rooms and
suites, some with working fireplaces and
rustic wood-beam ceilings. Some rooms
can be connected, and other accommodate
up to four guests, making this a great option
for friends traveling together or parents
with children. Rates include a hearty
full breakfast, where you might dine on
apricot French toast with kielbasa and farm
potatoes. Clientele: Mixed Gay/straight.
Mariana DiToro and Rosemary Jensen. The
airy rooms, some with canopy beds, provide
guests with a mix of creature comforts such as individually zoned heating and A/C
- and fine art and antiques. Fragrant gardens,
verdant meadows, and rustic farm buildings
surround the inn. Clientele: Mixed Gay/
straight
Sea Witch Manor Inn
Rehoboth, Delaware
This cheerful compound of three
neighboring houses is in the famously Gay
resort town of Rehoboth Beach, a popular
weekend destination with Washingtonians
and Philadelphians. Each house is different,
from a high-style Victorian manor to ‘60s
retro-hip clapboard beach house. Rooms
are named for characters from the campy
sitcom Bewitched - you might stay in the
Abner & Gladys Kravitz or Dr. Bombay
room, for instance. Innkeepers Inez and
Kathleen have clearly had a great time
developing this whimsical property, and
their enthusiasm is apparent, from the
festive decor to the delicious breakfasts
their staff serves each morning. Clientele:
Mixed Gay/straight
Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor’s
Gay Guide to the USA and eight additional
travel guides. He can be reached care of this
publication or at OutofTown@qsyndicate.
com.
The Little Black Book
operated women’s inns in the country. It’s
been serving the community since 1983
and consists of a main inn (with 13 guest
rooms), a farmhouse (with five guest rooms
and a full kitchen), and a secluded cottage
that can sleep up to four and has a sleeping
loft, fridge, microwave, and dining area.
The antiques-filled, pet-friendly Highlands
is nestled in the woods with hiking and
cross-country skiing trails, a huge outdoor
heated pool, two hot tubs, and an inviting
library-living room with a guest computer,
WiFi, a fireplace, and extensive book and
video collections (all guest rooms have
TVs and VCRs). The Highlands is in quaint
Bethlehem, and there’s great downhill skiing
in winter or scenic hiking in summer within
a 20-minute drive. Clientele: Lesbian.
Bywater B&B
New Orleans, Louisiana
Set inside a rambling “double shotgun”style 19th-century cottage in the Big Easy’s
up-and-coming Bywater neighborhood, this
B&B operated by Marti Burt and BettyCarol Sellen is also a gallery of folk and
“outsider” art collected from throughout
the South. The inn lies about a mile
downriver from the French Quarter, in an
intriguing residential historic district, and
has four art-filled rooms with well-chosen
country antiques. With rates starting at just
$65 nightly, this is one of the best bargains
Inn at Cook Street
in the city (as long as you don’t mind that
Provincetown, Massachusetts
the four rooms share two baths). There’s
Friendly Connecticut transplants Lisa
a terrific collection of Louisiana-music
CDs in the cheery sitting room, which is Feistel and Doreen Birdsell bought this
where Continental breakfast is served each wonderful B&B in winter 2006. It had been
owned by a Gay couple, who had sold it to
morning. Clientele: Mixed Gay/straight.
a developer, who planned to convert it into
condos (as has happened to many inns on
Charles Street Inn
the Cape in recent years). Lisa and Doreen
Boston, Massachusetts
One of Boston’s swankiest and most stepped in at the last minute to keep it
luxurious small hotels, the Charles Street running as a B&B. They’ve not only done
Inn is in the heart of regal Beacon Hill, a a good deed by keeping the Inn at Cook
short walk from Boston Common and steps Street open, they’ve also improved the
from countless boutiques, galleries, and place with a beautiful makeover. The guest
restaurants. The nine guestrooms here are rooms in this 1836 Greek Revival house in
over-the-top sumptuous, with whirlpool which author Michael Cunningham wrote
tubs, antique European armoires, Turkish A Home at the End of the World are done
rugs, and cable TV with DVD players. with upscale antiques and contemporary
Each is named for a local luminary, such as pieces and have such cushy amenities as
Henry James and Edith Wharton. This is the flat-screen TVs, high-thread-count linens,
perfect urban oasis when you’re planning and handy reading lights. Some units have
a Boston getaway with someone special. private entrances and fireplaces; two have
decks. The house is surrounded by colorful
Clientele: Mixed Gay/straight
gardens and a short walk from the many
cafes and galleries in Provincetown’s East
Fairbanks Inn
End. Clientele: Mixed Gay/straight
Provincetown, Massachusetts
This atmospheric old house is one of the
Newnham Suncatcher Inn
oldest in town, dating to 1776. Apart from
Saugatuck, Michigan
the main house - which has several lovely
Poised on the eastern shore of Lake
old rooms with four-poster or canopy beds,
Oriental rugs on wide-board floors, and Michigan, roughly a two-and-a-half-hour
antique furnishings - there are outbuildings drive from Chicago and Detroit, the dapper
containing larger and more modern units town of Saugatuck has become one of the
(some have fireplaces and kitchens). premier weekend getaways among Gay
Bathrooms aren’t especially large here, but travelers in the Midwest. On the edge of
they’re in keeping with the home’s history. this attractive village of inviting restaurants
On cool days (the inn is open year-round), and boutiques, you’ll find the Newnham
you can relax inside the parlor, with its Suncatcher Inn, a courtly brown clapboard
18th-century wallpaper, and warm up by the house with a wraparound porch. Everyone
June 15, 2007
is welcome here, but hostesses Barb and
Nancy make an especially strong effort to
encourage Lesbians and same‑sex couples
traveling with children. They treat guests
like old friends, yet afford them plenty of
privacy. The inn is decorated with whimsical
touches, such as stuffed animals, toys, and
trinkets, and comprises eight rooms and
suites, including a two-bedroom cottage
on a nearby street. Clientele: Mostly mixed
Gay/Lesbian.
Pearl’s Rainbow
Key West, Florida
This sprawling 38-room resort built around
a former cigar factory is Key West’s only
Lesbian-exclusive accommodation, and it’s
a beauty, following major renovations and
improvements in recent years. The rooms
have rattan and wicker furniture, freshly
painted pastel-hued walls, large TVs, and
refrigerators. Many configurations are
available, from simple budget-oriented units
set away from the noise of the pools and
decks, to more spacious rooms closer to the
action, some with kitchenettes or separate
sitting areas. There are two heated pools,
spacious sundecks, and lots of opportunities
to chat with other guests. This is a wonderful
hideaway, whether you’re looking to make
new friends or enjoy a little peace and quiet
with your honey. Clientele: Lesbian.
Saratoga Farmstead
Saratoga, New York
Just outside the sophisticated, collegiate
town of Saratoga Springs - long famous
for mineral spas, the Saratoga Race
Course, Skidmore College, and Saratoga
Performing Arts Center - this rambling late18th-century farmhouse inn is operated by
206-842-4578
Battlefield B&B (2264 Emmitsburg
Rd., Gettysburg, PA, 717-334-8804 or
888-766-3897, www.gettysburgbattlefield.
com). Bywater B&B (1026 Clouet St.,
New Orleans, LA, 504-944-8438, www.
bywaterbnb.com). Charles Street Inn (94
Charles St., Boston, MA, 617-314-8900
or 877-772-8900, www.charlesstreetinn.
com). Fairbanks Inn (90 Bradford St.,
Provincetown, MA, 508-487-0386
or 800-324-7265, www.fairbanksinn.
com). Highlands Inn (off U.S. 302,
Bethlehem, NH, 603-869-3978 or 877LES-B-INN, www.highlandsinn-nh.
com). Inn at Cook Street (7 Cook St.,
Provincetown, MA, 508-487-3894 or
888-266-5655, www.innatcookstreet.
com). Newnham Suncatcher Inn (131
Griffith St., Saugatuck, MI, 269-857‑4249
or 800-587-4249, www.suncatcherinn.
com). Pearl’s Rainbow (525 United St.,
Key West, FL, 305-292-1450 or 800-7496696, www.pearlsrainbow.com). Saratoga
Farmstead (41 Locust Grove Rd., Saratoga
Springs, NY, 518-587-2074, www.
saratogafarmstead.com). Sea Witch Manor
Inn (65-71 Lake Ave., Rehoboth Beach,
DE, 302-226-9482 or 866-732-9482, www.
seawitchmanor.com).
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287 Winslow Way. E., Bainbridge Isl., WA 98110
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Seattle Gay News
5
72 hours in Atlanta
by Andrew Collins
SGN Contributing Writer
The cultural and commercial capital of
the Southeast, Atlanta has also rapidly
become one of the nation’s true A-list
Gay destinations, with its hugely visible
and dynamic GLBT scene and a wealth of
accommodations, nightspots, restaurants,
and shops with strong ties to the community.
As the major hub of Delta Airlines, it’s also
an easy city to reach from most of North
America, making it an ideal destination for
a long weekend.
Atlanta’s a sprawling metropolis that
can feel a little intimidating to first-timers,
especially those with just a few days on
their hands. With this in mind, here’s a
detailed itinerary for enjoying the perfect
Gay Atlanta weekend.
Your first night, consider dining
somewhere simple yet sophisticated, such
as One Midtown Kitchen, a stylish and
contemporary restaurant just northeast
of Piedmont Park that serves some of the
city’s most memorable regional American
fare, but at easy-to-digest prices. Highlights
at this handsomely transformed warehouse
space include wild sturgeon wrapped with
country ham and served with grilled shrimp
and risotto, or traditional char-grilled
“steak frites” topped with blue cheese. The
restaurant also boasts a superb wine list.
Depending on how worn out from you
are from your travels, you might just want
to retire early to your hotel to get a head
start on the next day. But Atlanta does
have a nice mix of relatively easy-going
Gay bars where you can simply relax and
sip a cocktail or two. Try Burkhart’s video
bar or Amsterdam sports bar in Midtown,
or Mary’s, a fun-loving and quirky lounge
in the artsy neighborhood of East Atlanta
Village. A less obvious but enjoyable afterdinner social option is Outwrite Bookstore
& Coffeehouse, the city’s highly successful
6
Seattle Gay News
source of GLBT books and literature that
doubles as a cozy java joint. It’s steps from
one of the city’s most popular Gay cocktail
bars, Blake’s on the Park, which is the
perfect place to carry on into the wee hours,
if you’ve the energy and inclination for latenight schmoozing, boozing, and cruising.
Plan Saturday as your opportunity to
partake of Atlanta’s several must-see
attractions. If you’re up to it, you could take
in three or four sights, spending a couple
River and known for such deftly prepared
contemporary American cuisine as
pistachio-seared goat cheese with lemonolive-oil-and-rosemary dressing, and ciderbraised pork belly with polenta, grilled
endive, roasted apples, and gorgonzola.
Revelers can take to the town on
Saturday night, checking out some of the
jumpin’ Gay Atlanta dance clubs - there’s
something for every taste. Looking for
the best country-western dancing around?
Head to Hoedowns, which draws a mix of
women and men dedicated to the art of twostepping. Club 708 is your best bet if you’re
of hours at each one, or just focus on one
or two. The city’s most exciting draw is the
phenomenal Georgia Aquarium, the largest
such facility in the world, at 8 million
gallons. Some 500 species of fish live in
this dramatic downtown aquarium that
opened in November 2005. Another must
is Midtown’s High Museum of Art, which
recently underwent a spectacular expansion
and began a three-year partnership with
the Louvre in 2006. During this period,
several exhibits are staged at the High each
year featuring portions of collections from
the Louvre (there’s also a terrific Annie
Leibovitz photography show running
through September 2007).
If you have time on Saturday (or some free
moments during another day of your visit),
try stopping by some of the other intriguing
museums in town, such as the Martin
Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, the
Margaret Mitchell House & Museum, or
the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum
- all excellent places to learn about 20thcentury icons with close ties to Atlanta. If
the weather’s cooperating, do not miss the
15-acre Atlanta Botanical Garden, which
adjoins leafy Piedmont Park (a favorite
haunt of the city’s Gay sun-worshipers
and outdoorsy types) - here you’ll find one
of the world’s most important displays of
tropical orchids. Fans of soda won’t want to
miss the new (opening in May 2007) home
of the World of Coca-Cola, a giddy tribute
to Atlanta’s most famous export. Or take
a tour of Anderson Cooper’s professional
domain, CNN Studios. Atlanta does not
lack for engaging diversions.
At some point during the late morning or
early afternoon on Saturday, set aside an
hour or two for a festive brunch at one of the
city’s definitive Gay brunch spots, perhaps
Einstein’s or the Flying Biscuit, both of
which are in Midtown. Flying Biscuit has
the edge when it comes to food - the turkey
meatloaf sandwich with roasted red peppers
and the organic oatmeal pancakes topped
with peach compote are both sublime.
But the food at Einstein’s is plenty good,
and this historic bungalow with hip decor
and a breezy patio has the more appealing
setting.
For dinner on Saturday night, you might
go with a venue that’s loud and campy,
such as the tres Gay purveyor of top-notch
sushi and Pan-Asian fare, Nickiemoto’s. Or
instead opt for a romantic, swell-elegant
dining room that’s more appropriate for a
special occasion. In this case, book a table
well in advance at Canoe, a refined restaurant
set on the banks of the Chattahoochee
looking for the city’s top Gay AfricanAmerican hangout, while Heretic Atlanta
attracts the leather-and-uniform crowd.
And for the best overall Lesbian danceclub scene, the Jungle has a popular ladies
night (which also draws plenty of guys) on
Saturday nights.
One perfect way to spend Sunday is to
explore Atlanta’s many cool neighborhoods,
several of them generating plenty of
buzz these days for their mix of inviting
neighborhood cafes, edgy art galleries, and
indie shops and boutiques. Start off in the
rapidly up-and-coming Castleberry Hill
area, just west of downtown. This patch
of handsome warehouses and industrial
buildings has grown into a hip arts district,
with a number of provocative galleries,
mostly set along Walker and Peters streets.
You can begin your explorations with lunch
at the superb (and Gay-owned) No Mas
Cantina, a festive Mexican restaurant that
serves tantalizingly good tortilla soup and
fish tacos. It’s attached to a dramatic homefurnishings store filled with stunning,
handcrafted furniture and decorative arts
from Mexico.
There are plenty of other neighborhoods
of note. Inman Park, Atlanta’s first suburb,
lies just east of downtown. The area had
become run-down and derelict before Gay
and African-American gentrification took
hold in the early ‘80s, with the restoration of
many of its elaborate Victorian houses. More
recent targets of Gay-fronted gentrification
include Grant Park, Cabbagetown, and East
Atlanta Village. And then there’s arguably
the city’s best district for funky browsing
and window-shopping, Virginia-Highland,
which also abounds with terrific restaurants.
Some fine bets for a memorable Sunday
dinner include Mary Mac’s Tea Room
(for wonderfully fattening and delicious
traditional Southern fare) and Shaun’s (a
chic contemporary spot in Inman Park
known for stellar regional American
cooking).
As you decide on where to roost for your
Atlanta weekend, keep in mind that the
city’s most Gay-popular neighborhood,
Midtown, also has a nice range of hotels,
including a smattering of popular chain
properties - Courtyard by Marriott,
Hampton Inn, and Wyndham among them.
There’s also a W Hotel slated to open here
(the former Sheraton Midtown) late in
2007. For the ultimate cushy experience, go
with Midtown’s skyscraping Four Seasons,
a striking, 20-story hotel that’s a short walk
from Piedmont Park, Gay nightlife, and
Midtown museums. The massive rooms,
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
which underwent a major makeover in
2006, have marble bathrooms with deep
soaking tubs, and a handful of units have
private terraces with expansive city views.
The hotel’s 12,000-square-foot spa is one
of the finest in the state - opt for an organic
green-tea-and-Dead-Sea-salt body scrub
for the height of pampering.
In a city with relatively few historic inns,
the Gay-owned Gaslight stands out for its
regal accommodations and its mix of the
old and the new. The eight guest rooms
are divided among three buildings: the
Craftsman-style main residence, a carriage
house, and a small Victorian cottage. The
Gaslight is in the enchanting VirginiaHighlands neighborhood, close to great
dining and shopping. Nearby in charming
Inman Park, the King-Keith House B&B
occupies a dramatic 1890s “painted lady”
Victorian with four period-style guest rooms
plus a charming detached cottage with its
own whirlpool tub for two, gas fireplace,
and leafy garden. It’s one of the city’s more
romantic choices.
A sleek, smart, and affordable hotel option
in Midtown is the whimsically decorated
Hotel Indigo. Intercontinental Hotels has
developed this stylish boutique-hotel brand
and has made a enthusiastic effort to market
it strongly to the Gay and Lesbian market.
With weekend rates among the cheapest in
the neighborhood, the Indigo nevertheless
offers plenty of perks: artful, modern rooms
with Nantucket-inspired blue-and-white
furniture; high-speed Internet, dual-line
phones, and well-designed work spaces; and
miniscule but cleverly designed bathrooms
with high-end bath products. There’s also a
24-hour gym and a dapper little coffeehouse
with comfy seating off the lobby.
The Indigo is right across the street from
the city’s historic Fox Theatre, and beside
another outstanding hotel, the imposing
Georgian Terrace Hotel. This 1911 grande
dame hosted the opening reception for
_Gone With the Wind_ in 1939, has served
the likes of Tallulah Bankhead and Rudolph
Valentino, and contains some 300 spacious
suites filled with reproduction antiques. If
at all possible, time your stay when there’s
a musical or comedy show at the Fox. This
ornate and lavishly restored 1920s theater is
one of the few places in thoroughly modern
Atlanta to get a true sense of the city’s rich
heritage.
Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor’s
Gay Guide to the USA and eight additional
travel guides. He can be reached care of this
publication or at OutofTown@qsyndicate.
com.
The Little Black Book
Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau
(404-521-6600 or 800/ATLANTA, www.
atlanta.net). Burkhart’s (404-872-4403,
www.burkharts.com). Canoe (770-4322663, www.canoe-atl.com). Castleberry
Hill Neighborhood Association (www.
castleberryhill.org). Club 708 (678296-0678, www.legendaryclub708.
com). Einstein’s (404-876-7925, www.
einsteinsatlanta.com). Flying Biscuit
Midtown (404-874-8887, www.
flyingbiscuit.com). Four Seasons (404881-9898, www.fourseasons.com).
Gaslight Inn (1001 St. Charles Ave.
NE, Atlanta, GA, 404-875-1001, www.
gaslightinn.com). Georgian Terrace Hotel
(404-897-1991 or 800-651-2316, www.
thegeorgianterrace.com). Heretic Atlanta
(404-325-3061, www.hereticatlanta.
com). Hoedowns (404-876-0001, www.
hoedownsatlanta.com). Hotel Indigo
(404-874-9200 or 800-972-2404, www.
hotelindigo.com). The Jungle (404-8448800, www.jungleclub.net). King-Keith
House (404-688-7330 or 800-728-3879,
www.kingkeith.com). Mary Mac’s Tea
Room (404-876-1800, www.marymacs.
com). Mary’s (404-624-4411, www.
marysatlanta.com). Nickiemoto’s (404253-2010). No Mas Cantina (404-5745678, www.nomascantina.com). One
Midtown Kitchen (404-892-4111, www.
onemidtownkitchen.com). Shaun’s (404577-4358, www.shaunsrestaurant.com).
June 15, 2007
Summer vacation ideas for every mood
As summer approaches we get the urge
to travel. Whether you want to make the
trek to your favorite tourist attraction, or go
somewhere and try a new activity, summer
is a great time to travel.
“With the ideal weather we see increases
in individuals, couples and families
traveling during the summer months,”
says Arnold Angeloni, CEO of AmericInn.
“Travel is a great way to create memories
that last a lifetime and to fulfill every type
of vacation need.”
Here are some great travel ideas for every
summer mood:
than Colorado. During the winter, ski
bums around the world visit to experience
the slopes, but during the summer the
mountains offer just as much for the
adrenaline junkie.
Imagine rock climbing one of Aspen’s
world famous peaks. Instructors can be hired
for excursions from several hours to days
and are available for all levels of climbers.
Experience world class whitewater rafting
on the Cache La Poudre River, located in
Fort Collins. If you want a milder adventure,
try hiking at one of the thousands of trails
located in the beautiful mountains.
RELAXATION
If some rest and relaxation is what you
are looking for, you’re sure to be satisfied
with the sunshine and beauty of Florida’s
beaches. You can spend some time enjoying
the sun and a good book, nap your days
away or even take long walks along the
beach looking for seashells. For a little
adventure, try boogie boarding. You can
purchase a boogie board quite affordably at
many beach stores and practice catching the
waves and riding to shore.
Deciding on where to stay in Florida can
be difficult. Some prefer popular tourist
destinations like Disney World and Busch
Gardens. Places like Fort Myers with its
slower pace will feel more like a getaway.
Others might prefer to visit a quainter town
such as Bonita Springs. Located north of
Marco Island and just between Naples
and Fort Myers, this community offers the
unique and inviting Old Florida lifestyle of
a charming small beach town.
CITY LIFE
For those who want a taste of the city and
everything it has to offer, there is no better
place than Chicago. With its museums,
restaurants, cultural activities and night
life, you really can’t go wrong.
The Art Institute of Chicago boasts an
extensive collection of world-famous art.
The Shedd Aquarium is a favorite to locals
and tourists alike. The Magnificent Mile
offers enough stores to satisfy anyone’s
shopping addiction. And don’t forget to
grab a slice of famous Chicago-style pizza
when you need a break from it all.
MOTHER NATURE
For those who want to get back in
touch with Mother Nature, or perhaps
just experience the outdoors and breathe
in some fresh air, heading up north is the
perfect way to see it all in the midwest. Try
visiting the surrounding areas of the Great
Lakes. Head to Duluth, Minn., for access
to many outdoor activities and one of the
ADVENTURE
largest ports in the Midwest. Head further
For those seeking lots of opportunities north for the legendary Iron Range and
for adventure, look to the mountains! And Boundary Waters.
there is no better place to visit for adventure
To see some of the best of the untouched
north woods visit the Superior Hiking Trail,
a 205-mile long footpath that follows the
rocky ridgeline above Lake Superior in
northeastern Minnesota. Look for a variety
of wild animals including deer, water foul,
fox, and even bear and wolves. Try packing
a picnic lunch, sit on the lake shore and
listen to the waves crash on the rocks.
To ensure a great stay be sure to plan ahead
and prepare for activities you will be doing
each day. Generally, wearing comfortable
shoes, drinking lots of water and wearing
sunscreen will help you feel great through
your whole trip. Make sure you get a good
night’s rest by staying at a reliable and
quiet hotel. For example, AmericInn hotels
are built with AmericInn SoundGuard
construction which reduces sounds and
vibrations. With this in mind, you’re sure to
have the perfect summer trip.
For more information, visit www.
Americinn.com/ara.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
Five tips for healthy summer vacations
The temptation to abandon healthy eating
habits is especially strong during vacations,
when we are diverted from our normal
routines. Away from home and on the go, it’s
so easy to grab a candy bar from a vending
machine or stop at a fast-food drive-thru
for a burger and fries. With even a small
amount of planning, however, you can
continue to eat healthy and feel great! Here
are some valuable tips to help you make
the best choices this summer. Remember,
family members will mimic what you do,
so it’s important to lead by example.
STOCK YOUR HOTEL FRIDGE
The simplest tip for avoiding unhealthy
munching is not to have bad-for-you snacks
around. Make a shopping list and take just
a few extra minutes to head out to the local
grocery store to fill your hotel mini fridge
or beach house pantry with choices that are
still delicious and satisfying for the entire
family. Snacks such as Del Monte Fruit
Naturals Red Grapefruit, crackers and nuts,
will ensure you’re arming your family with
healthy snacks that will help fight off junk
food temptations!
“Fruit Naturals are a convenient and
portable way to get just one more serving
of fruits into your diet and to help you meet
the recommendations for the daily value of
vitamin C” according to Laura Molseed,
MS, RD, LDN, and nutritionist for Del
Monte Foods. Fruit Naturals are available
in seven varieties including Red Grapefruit.
“Research also suggests red grapefruit may
help to fight certain types of cancer, as well
as have an effect on weight loss.”
DRINK LOTS OF H20
Experts recommend drinking at least six
glasses (48 ounces) of water per day and
eight glasses (64 ounces) if you are active
or exercising. Long trips on airplanes, car
rides to distant destinations, or busy days at
the beach, however, often prevent us from
getting enough fluids. A good tip is to start
June 15, 2007
hydrating in advance and keep plenty of
water on hand throughout the day.
“Airplanes tend to be extremely dry, with
an average of 10 percent humidity -- that’s
drier than the Sahara desert,” says Trisha
Calvo, executive editor of Shape magazine.
When you are on a plane, be sure to drink
at least one cup of water per hour of flight.
As soon as you land, buy another bottle
of water to drink while you wait for your
baggage or during the ride to the hotel.” For
a different twist, Calvo recommends adding
a slice of lemon or lime for flavor, or trying
a seltzer or club soda (zero sodium only) as
a great alternative to soda.
NEVER SKIP MEALS
Vacation is an ideal time to catch up on
sleep or read a book. But for most of today’s
busy families, it means spending long days
chasing the kids around the amusement
park -- where meals are missed or fast food
is the only available option. Regardless of
your plans, don’t forego regular meals. This
doesn’t mean you have to eat according to
the clock -- physical hunger is our body’s
way of telling us its time to eat. However,
listen to your body’s signals -- keep your
energy level up throughout the day by
adding three healthy, on-the-go snacks such
as nuts, which are filled with fiber to satisfy
your hunger. Unlike candy or chips, these
types of snacks help prevent energy crashes
and avoid playing havoc with your blood
sugar.
than fried choices. Furthermore, portion
control is extremely important, as well
as eating slowly and mindfully. Ask your
waiter to bring a take home container along
with your meal, and immediately put half
of it away. “If an appetizer or extravagant
dessert is calling your name, order it for the
entire table to share,” Shape’s Trisha Calvo
advises. “Limit yourself to three bites and
savor them slowly, one at a time. It’s OK to
indulge a sweet tooth once in awhile. You
can actually prevent cravings that may later
lead you down the wrong path.”
MOVE MORE
Who needs rest? Even on vacation, it’s
crucial to get your heart pumping for at
least 20 minutes every day. Most hotels and
resorts have fitness centers, pools, tennis
courts and golf courses. But movement
can also be accomplished by long walks at
sunset with your spouse, or during a day of
sightseeing with the kids. In both instances,
you also benefit from building lasting
memories.
Bring an easy-to-pack pedometer to track
your daily progress; if you and your family
can cover approximately 10,000 steps a day,
you’ll be doing great! “Cardio is important
because it helps keep your mind alert so you
can enjoy your vacation more,” says Calvo.
“Keep your energy level up with protein or
fruit, such as Fruit Naturals.”
Bottom line: whether you are heading
off for a week at the seashore or a monthlong adventure across the United States,
always stay hydrated, plan meals ahead,
make smart choices, exercise, and last but
not least -- have fun! You’ll definitely feel
the satisfaction of knowing you followed a
healthy living plan along the way.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
DINE SMART
Don’t panic! You don’t have to give
up healthful eating or feel threatened
because you are trying new and unfamiliar
restaurants. Simply learn how to make the
best choices when dining out, and have a
truly rewarding experience.
For example, try local fare including
organic vegetables, exotic fruits and fresh
fish. Always stick to baked and grilled foods,
which are typically lower in fat and sodium
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Seattle Gay News
7
Fort Lauderdale: Florida still going strong
by Ed Walsh
SGN Contributing Writer
NIGHTLIFE
Wilton Manors is next to Fort Lauderdale
and is right up there along with West
Hollywood and Palm Springs as one of the
Gayest cities in the country. It’s also where
most of the Gay nightlife is centered.
The two most popular Gay nightclubs
in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area are
Georgie’s Alibi and Boom. They are part
of the same strip mall in Wilton Manors
on the 22-hundred block of Wilton Drive.
Georgie’s features two separate bars and a
cabaret space. Boom is two bars in one.
One side has a dance floor and stage and the
other is a cruise bar.
Wilton Manors is also home to the Lesbian
bar, New Moon. It’s on 2440 Wilton Drive
across the street from Rosie’s restaurant,
which used to be a Hamburger Mary’s.
The VooDoo Lounge, an otherwise
heterosexual dance club, goes Gay on
8
Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
ed walsh
hasn’t happened. Many of the Gay resorts other Gay resorts, the pickup potential is
were hard-hit by Hurricane Wilma in 2005. still there but on a more subtle level.
The newest Gay resort in Fort Lauderdale,
Ironically, the reconstruction that followed
Mary’s
Resort, opened just before Wilma
made
them
better
than
ever.
“If you look up you will see the state bird
Nearly half of the 30 Gay resorts are in and had to shut down for weeks while
of Florida. You see them everywhere here,”
said the tour guide on the Jungle Queen
boat as it cruised along the canals of Fort
Lauderdale “It’s the crane,” he added as he
pointed to a construction crane.
In the Fort Lauderdale area, that state
bird appears to be undergoing a population
explosion. A new W Hotel and a pair of
Trump luxury towers are under construction
along the Fort Lauderdale waterfront. A
massive Hilton resort recently opened and
Florida’s first St. Regis Hotel opened May
1.
In the late 80’s, Gay people led the way
for the renaissance in Fort Lauderdale that
is fueling the current high-rise construction
boom. Fort Lauderdale’s tourist board
recounted that when they asked a Trump
executive why they decided to build in the
city, the response was that it was because
Gay people were already there setting a
positive trend that they expected would
continue.
With 30 Gay resorts, Fort Lauderdale
claims to be the Gay resort capital of North
America. While you will get an argument
from Palm Springs over that claim, no
one would dispute that Fort Lauderdale’s
Gay resorts offer something for just about
The Gay/Lesbian mixed La Casa del Mar resort
everyone. With many changes over the
past few years, the overall quality of the
the beach area of Fort Lauderdale. To get repairs were made. There’s no sign of
Gay hotels has remained top-notch.
to the beach from the other Gay hotels, you any damage now and its lush vegetation
will need to drive, take a cab, or bike. But has grown back. Mary’s is in a residential
SLEEPING AROUND
The owner of the Royal Palms resort, many of the resort grounds are destinations area and is a beautiful and quiet oasis away
Richard Gray, set a high standard for in themselves; so you may not want to even from downtown. It’s just a short drive to
the city’s Gay nightclubs and beaches. By
quality when he opened his hotel 17 years go to the beach.
Almost all of the Gay resorts are clothing the way, it’s named after Mary, a friendly
ago. He opened just after the city’s only
Gay accommodation, the Marlin Beach optional, at least in a pool or Jacuzzi area. Boston Terrier who delights in welcoming
Hotel, closed. Since then, more Gay people And the Gay resorts provide you with a visitors. As you might expect, it is also pet
took Gray’s lead and transformed many of social atmosphere that you won’t find in friendly.
Another example of a Gay resort in Fort
the rundown small mainstream hotels and the bigger mainstream hotels. The resorts
Lauderdale
that’s come back from Wilma
apartment buildings into the jewels they run the range of sexual temperature. The
better
than
ever
is the Elysium. The beachWindamar
is
probably
at
the
highest
of
the
once were.
There is a concern that some of the massive sexual temperature range. The beach-area area property had to replace an upper floor
beachfront hotels in the city will eventually resort is open for day passes and has a porn of one of its two buildings after the roof
swallow up the Gay resorts but, so far, that playroom on the first floor. At most of the blew off. That floor had to be gutted and
completely replaced. With 36 units, the
Elysium has the most rooms of any of Fort
Lauderdale’s resorts. You’ll find it easy to
meet fellow travelers by one of the resorts
two pools or its huge Jacuzzi.
The Grand Hotel is across the street from
the Elysium. It has the only full-service
spa of any of the Gay resorts. The spa is
open to non-guests as well. It opened a
couple of years ago and is already drawing
a devoted following among tourists and
residents alike.
La Casa del Mar continues to be a good
choice for Lesbian travelers. Although it
is mostly men, its manager estimates that
about 40% of guests are Gay women.
The Worthington is now merged with
the neighboring Alcazar resort but the
properties kept their names and individual
style. Guest will have access to both hotel’s
pools and hot tubs. Day passes are also
available.
Sunday nights. First, it’s a very popular tea
dance, and later a totally different crowd
arrives for the famous late-night drag show.
It is open until 4 a.m. It’s on 111 SW Second
Avenue in Fort Lauderdale.
The Ramrod and Jackhammer are popular
choices for the Levi leather crowd. The
Ramrod is on 1508 NE 4th Avenue in Wilton
Manors and the Jackhammer has recently
moved to 1951 NW 9th Avenue (Powerline
Road), Fort Lauderdale.
The expansive video dance club, Steel, is
where the Eagle used to be on 1951 NW 9th
Avenue (Powerline Road), Fort Lauderdale.
Since it was purchased by Jackhammer, the
space alternates events on different nights.
Sundays are always popular when it is
Jackhammer. Be sure to check out the local
bar rags or www.steelftl.com for specific
events and details. By the way, Steel/
Jackhammer is the new home to the popular
Wednesday club, Hump Wednesday.
The Sidelines bar is a Gay sports bar
on 2031 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors. It
opened in 2006 in place of Circuit. It’s
already drawing a loyal following.
The Coliseum is Fort Lauderdale’s biggest
Gay dance club. It’s on 2520 S. Miami
Road. It’s open Fridays and Saturdays. It’s
open until 5 a.m. but liquor sales stop at
3 a.m. The club sports several bars and a
balcony that overlooks its expansive dance
floor.
The bathhouse, Club Fort Lauderdale, is
popular with locals and visitors alike. The
upscale club boasts Gay Fort Lauderdale’s
biggest pool and a large and very well
equipped gym.
Daylife
Fort Lauderdale’s unofficial Gay beach is
Sebastian’s beach, where Sebastian Street
meets the ocean. It draws a crowd even on
the cooler winter days. A second Gay beach
more popular with the locals is farther north
at NE 18th Street.
The aforementioned Jungle Queen is a
three-hour riverboat tour of the canals of
Fort Lauderdale. You will see first hand
how the other one-percent live. The super
rich with money to burn have built their
castles all along the canals. Before turning
around and going back, the boat makes a
stop at a small island zoo that includes an
alligator show.
Eating Out
Fort Lauderdale’s super rich have to eat
somewhere, so there’s no shortage of highend eateries in the region.
Sage French Café on 2378 N Federal
Highway in Fort Lauderdale is a very
popular and upscale but not stuffy French
restaurant.
Casual diners will find a lot to love about
Rosie’s on 2449 Wilton Drive. It used to
be Hamburger Mary’s. And because it’s
across the street from the Lesbian bar, New
Moon, and is particularly popular with Gay
women, it’s also a popular Gay lunch spot.
Also in Wilton Manors, the Gay-owned
Chardees on 2209 Wilton Drive features
both dinner and dancing.
The aforementioned Georgie’s Alibi, like
Rosie’s, is a great casual restaurant and
features outdoor seating, which is especially
popular for lunch.
The Hi-Life Café on 3000 North Federal
Highway in Fort Lauderdale is a must stop
for foodies. If you’ve watched the Bravo
series, Top Chef, you will recognize HiLife’s chef, Carlos Fernandez. He owns
the restaurant along with his life-partner,
Chuck Smith.
Thai and sushi lovers will love Galanga
Restaurant. It’s on 2389 Wilton Manors
Drive in Wilton Manors.
“Simply Delish” is a cute place that
serves great food on 2287 Wilton drive, a
block from Georgie’s Alibi. They are open
Tuesday -Sunday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
For more information, check out these
websites:
www.sunny.org/rainbow;
www.Southfloridafun.com;
www.
nakedconcierge.com.
June 15, 2007
June 15, 2007
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Seattle Gay News
9
Journey-themed DVDs
just in time for summer travel
focus features
by Ron Anders
SGN A&E Writer
Journeys, both geographic and emotional,
are today’s topic - and what better medium
to explore them than cinema.
Our first traveler is Felix, a gay Arab
dockworker living in Normandy with
his partner in The Adventures of Felix.
Recently unemployed, he decides to take a
trip to Marseilles to track down the father
he never met. Hitchhiking through the
French countryside, he meets a rich array
of characters that transform his trip into an
expedition of self-discovery. His encounters
– sometimes erotic, sometimes warm, often
funny – create a sense of family for our
journeyman, largely filling in the absence
of his missing father. The film makes a
point of his HIV-positive status, but treats it
casually – itself a rarity in movies. There is
a playful sweetness to Felix that makes it a
delight to watch.
The film adaptation of Under the Tuscan
Sun bears little resemblance to Frances
Mayes’ mega-bestseller, instead becoming
a lesson in romantic self-realization. It
is the story of a divorced writer who
goes to Tuscany to soothe her loneliness.
She is cheered on by her lesbian friend,
played by a comically exasperated Sandra
Oh. How refreshing to see a film that
examines a friendship between a lesbian
and a heterosexual woman! The somewhat
predictable film is saved by Diane Lane,
10 Seattle Gay News
Gael Garcia Bernal takes a personal journey through South America
in The Motorcycle Diaries
an extraordinarily beautiful actress whose
quicksilver vulnerability has rescued many
an otherwise ordinary plot. This is another
entry in a long line of lonely-women-findlove-in-Italy films, which includes A Month
by the Lake and Enchanted April. The
most glorious example of this mini-genre
is David Lean’s Summertime, based on gay
playwright Arthur Laurents’ story about a
lonely middle-aged woman’s trip to Venice,
which gave Katharine Hepburn one of her
signature roles.
Under the Tuscan Sun and The Adventures
of Felix both have protagonists who are
actively seeking transformation: Frances
looking for a lover to erase her grief and
Felix looking for a father to give him a
sense of belonging. On their respective
journeys, they meet the people needed to
fill their gaps.
Based on the journals of Che (then
Ernesto) Guevara, The Motorcycle Diaries
traces a 5,000-mile trip across South
America by Ernesto and his friend Alberto
Granado. In a beautiful lead performance,
Gael García Bernal plays a young man
whose political consciousness is just being
formed, later to become a revolutionary
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
icon. The journey starts as a motorcycle
trip in which the friends jockey for food
and women. As their odyssey continues,
they are forever changed – and politically
charged - by the poverty and disease, which
they find everywhere. The film is stunningly
photographed, presenting us with indelible,
haunting images of the Latin American
landscape and stark pictures of its people
trying to survive.
The centerpiece of Horton Foote’s The
Trip to Bountiful is Geraldine Page’s
magnificent Oscar-winning performance as
Carrie Watts, a widow living with her hapless
son and hostile daughter-in-law, who wants
nothing more than to see her hometown
of Bountiful, Texas once again before she
dies. Carrie gets her wish, running away
from her prison-like apartment and, through
sheer force of will, finding her way to her
home, now abandoned and crumbling. Her
trip, filled with anxious anticipation, brings
her in contact with people whose initial
skepticism gives way to great kindness,
helping Carrie along her journey. Bring a
hanky for this one: it isn’t sticky sweet, but
incredibly moving. The story itself has had
a long and distinguished trip through the
media: it was written for television in 1953,
had a Broadway production that same year,
and countless other productions before and
after the film version premiered in 1985.
Finally, what more spectacular sight is
there than drag queens whose long, silvery
gowns flash and billow over the caverns
of the Australian outback? I am referring,
of course, to The Adventures of Priscilla,
Queen of the Desert – which triumphed
at the 1994 Seattle International Film
Festival, winning for best picture and best
actor (Terence Stamp). Those fabulous
costumes also snagged an Oscar. Traveling
across Australia for a cabaret gig are our
three heroes/heroines: Mitzi (Anthony)
and Felicia (Adam) are two queens in need
of work. When an opportunity comes up at
Anthony’s ex-wife’s bar, the two pile into
a broken down bus (which they christen
Priscilla) and set off for parts unknown.
They are joined by Bernadette, a nononsense transsexual played with worldweary compassion and sarcasm by a superb
Stamp. This is a road movie to end all road
movies. An “Extra Frills” edition, with
added bonuses, was just released on June 5.
These films will inspire wanderlust, so
pack your bags and get a ticket.
June 15, 2007
June 15, 2007
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Seattle Gay News 11
Spectacular brand new Grand Canyon Skywalk
brings a new dimension to Grand Canyon tourism
LAS VEGAS – Experiencing a record brought by travelers on their way to visit
number of 3,000 visitors daily since The Grand Canyon West. Unaffiliated with
Skywalk’s public opening on March 28, the National Park Service, Grand Canyon
West is a travel destination offering
all-inclusive tour packages and
activities. Available tours vary from
a Wild West experience, spectacular
Canyon views, Native American
performances and an all-you-caneat lunch. Some of the packages
include overnight lodging,
but there are also day tours
by helicopter, airplane, boat
and Hummer. Grand Canyon
West’s newest attraction,
The Skywalk, gives visitors
the sensation of standing
suspended 4,000 feet above
Grand Canyon West is adding to the appeal the Colorado River at the Canyon
of one of America’s premiere destinations. floor.
“The Skywalk has not only
Grand
Canyon
West’s
location
conveniently links Arizona and Nevada, two brought people to Grand Canyon
leading U.S. travel destinations, to create West, it’s renewed interest in the
the perfect travel itinerary. Surrounding Grand Canyon as a whole,” said
communities such as Kingman, Dolan Sheri Yellowhawk, CEO of Grand Canyon
Springs and Meadview have already Resort Corporation. “It’s great that people
begun to benefit from increased commerce are discovering they have a choice of Grand
12 Seattle Gay News
“The response to
the opening of the
new Grand Canyon
Skywalk has been
wonderful; it’s a great
way to experience
the Grand Canyon.
We have had a lot
of requests from
visitors
wanting
to experience and
connect with both
rims of the Canyon,”
said Irit Langness,
Vice President of
Sales, Papillon Grand
Canyon Helicopters
and Grand Canyon
Airlines.
Grand Canyon West looks forward to
working with Grand Canyon National
Park and their business owners to provide
multiple opportunities for tourists who want
to visit both parts of the Canyon.
Due to the overwhelming interest in The
multiple tribes; The Hualapai Market; and
The Hualapai Ranch, a western town with Skywalk, resources have been doubled
at Grand Canyon West to accommodate
horseback and wagon rides.
the tremendous growth. More coaches are
being utilized to shuttle visitors from point
to point and additional ticketing stations are
now open to increase the ease and efficiency
of ticket sales. Although the area is cultural
and remote, there are ample restroom
facilities and water to accommodate the
increased visitation. The Skywalk has
helped Grand Canyon West exceed one of
its primary goals by more than doubling
employment opportunities for the Hualapai
and other tribal members.
The Hualapai Tribe, consisting of
approximately 2,000 Hualapai, owns nearly
one million acres of land throughout the
Grand Canyon’s western rim. The Hualapai
operate the only one-day white water rafting
trip through the Grand Canyon as well as
run a Lodge on Historic Route 66.
“We have worked very hard and long on
this project to benefit our people and raise
the quality of life on the reservation,” said
Ms. Yellowhawk. “The Skywalk is doing
wonders for us—just like we hoped it
would.”
Satisfied visitors regularly contact Grand
Canyon West to show appreciation for the
incredible experiences they had. “We were
on your wonderful tour on March 29, 2007.
We thoroughly enjoyed your beautiful and
spectacular tour,” said Richard and Judith
Pape of Neshkoro, Wisconsin. “Thank you
for sharing your land with us.”
Travelers from around the world have
left their thanks and well wishes in
multiple languages on the walls of The
Skywalk’s temporary entryway, some even
commemorating the lives of their loved ones
by spreading ashes from The Skywalk.
“It was the best of our vacation,” wrote
Josue and Mariana of Miami, Florida. “We
love it!”
In addition to boat tours on the river,
Hummer tours are available along the rim
of the canyon and through private areas
that are otherwise inaccessible to the
public. There are more than 30 tour and
transportation companies servicing Grand
Canyon West from Las Vegas, Phoenix and
Sedona by airplane, helicopter, coach, SUV,
and Hummer. Park & Ride services are also
available from Dolan Springs, Arizona,
a one-hour drive from Las Vegas. Grand
Canyon West is located approximately
120 miles east of Las Vegas, Nevada, and
72 miles northwest of Kingman, Arizona.
Reservations are not required, but visitors
are encouraged to learn about tour packages
and pricing prior to their arrival.
To book reservations, view a complete
list of activities or receive maps and
directions, visitors may log on to www.
destinationgrandcanyon.com or call 1(877)
716-WEST (9378).
Canyon destinations.”
Grand Canyon West is the only location
throughout the entire Grand Canyon where
visitors can access the river and water
recreation activities at the bottom of the
canyon via helicopter tours. The tours
and activities are open seven days a week,
though hours may vary throughout the year.
Available attractions include: The Indian
Village with authentic dwellings depicting
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
June 15, 2007
June 15, 2007
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Seattle Gay News 13
14 Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
June 15, 2007
Can’t get away?
Take a day off and stay in Seattle
My friends Jeffrey and Brian celebrated
their 8-year anniversary in a hotel right
here in Seattle, a growing trend amongst
same sex couples and young urbanites who
want a quick, affordable getaway. If you
can’t escape to Mexico for five days or rent
a cabin in the woods for a long weekend,
consider booking a suite at a nearby hotel
and/or trying out a new local restaurant to
mark that big birthday, anniversary, work
promotion, or other special occasion. Better
yet, do it just for the heck of it. A little selfindulgence never hurts. Here are tips on
where to stay, eat, and visit in our fine city
of Seattle, and surrounding areas.
hotel 1000
Be pampered like a star at Hotel 1000
STAY
Hotel 1000
1000 1st Avenue
www.hotel1000seattle.com
Grammy-winners John Mayer and John
Legend stayed here. Hard rockers Velvet
Revolver made good use of the golf
simulators on the basement floor, hours
after performing to a sold out crowd. Pink
Floyd’s Roger Waters chilled out in the
gorgeous, ample penthouse that comes
with a recreational room, conference table,
automated toilets, and an unbeatable view
of Elliott Bay. The place I’m referring to
is Hotel 1000. And everyone’s flocking
to it, not just A-list musicians. Almost
a year-old, Hotel 1000 is already setting
itself apart from the increasing number of
boutique hotels popping up in downtown
Seattle. The independently owned property,
located on the corner of First and Madison
Avenues, is both luxurious and chic with a
whole lot of wows.
Your stay at Hotel 1000 begins with VIP
check-in, providing you with a detailed
orientation of the establishment and a
personally escorted walk to your room.
Once inside, the first thing you notice are
the generous views. Waterside rooms invite
views of ferries scurrying to neighboring
islands and the white-tipped Cascades
miles away, not to mention a direct peek
into Qwest Field. City-side views, while
not as glamorous, jazz up the downtown
metro experience. Complimentary Internet
and wireless service, hi-tech phones that
allow you to check flight status on all
major airlines, large ceramic bathtubs with
overhead spouts, 40-inch flat screen TVs,
Starbucks coffee, 24-hour room service,
access to a small fitness center and golf
playroom, and big, comfortable beds with
fine Thai linens make your stay here even
more enjoyable. At Hotel 1000, you don’t
have to be a star. You just have to want to
be treated like one.
June 15, 2007
EAT
Marazul
2200 Westlake Avenue
www.marazulrestaurant.com
Fusion restaurants either work or they
don’t.
At Marazul, they work quite
well. Next to the lobby of the newly
constructed Pan Pacific Hotel, this calm
and sophisticated spot marries flavors from
Asia and Latin America for interesting
eats, like jerk pork pot-stickers, Havanastyle Pad Thai, salmon ceviche, and a
fabulous Jamaican-style curried chicken
served with coconut sticky rice, which
does wonders for stubborn sinuses. With
an open, splashy cool setting that actually
makes one think of the Caribbean, Marazul
has quickly become a stomping ground for
local power-lunchers and upscale foodies.
The bento boxes, which include house-fried
plantains, are fun and filling. A snazzy
Rhum Bar keeps the tropical theme afloat
with refreshing cocktails, such as coconut
daiquiris, strawberry mojitos, raspberrymint margaritas, and orchid martinis. And
do leave room for dessert, like the oh-soyummy mango profiteroles. The Eastmeets-West menu designed by head chef
Bruce Dillon is reasonably priced, almost
hard to believe when you see the portions.
The elegant-yet-casual atmosphere is prime
for a memorable meal. You can work off
lunch or dinner by shopping the aisles of
Whole Foods just below.
Serious Pie
316 Virginia Street
www.tomdouglas.com/serious
What to do with leftover bread dough?
Shape it into flatbread, load it up with
unusual suspects, dust sea salt on it, and let
a brick oven do the rest. At Serious Pie,
the newest addition to the Tom Douglas
family, pepperoni and Canadian bacon are
being out-topped by sweet fennel sausage,
penn clove clams, truffle cheese, and Yukon
gold potatoes. Each pizza is large enough
for two, though I doubt you’ll entertain
the idea of sharing after you bite into one,
especially the Green Eggs and Ham – a
mouthwatering medley of soft egg, spicy
coppa and freshly grated arugula. Starter
plates include rustic bread soup, organic
mixed salad, and roasted asparagus. The
simple and to-the-point menu changes
seasonally, but the already-popular Cherry
Bomb and aforementioned Green Eggs and
Ham pizzas are mainstays. Downtowners
pack this place for lunch, while hipsters and
socialites are making it a favorite stop on
their way to a live show or evening movie.
The coziness and laid back atmosphere of
Serious Pie, which occupies about as much
space as a living room, is a perfect meeting
locale for a date. If you manage to squeeze
into Serious Pie on a lunch break, it may be
noisy – after all, there is a lot to talk about.
sam
by Albert Rodriguez
SGN A&E Writer
Electrifying entrance at newly renovated SAM
the very North end of the waterfront-pier,
is a first-class outdoor exhibit that looks
out to the Cascades and Puget Sound. It
will take you about 20-30 minutes, if that,
to stroll through the exhibit that features
some interesting displays. Visitors can sit
on the park’s mini-terrace, and an on-site
café has light meals and beverages to go
with the incredible view. SAM charges for
admission, the Olympic Sculpture Park is
free.
Museum of Glass
1801 Dock Street in Tacoma
www.museumofglass.org
The joke is over, Tacoma is getting cooler.
Long overshadowed by Seattle and made
fun of because of its smelly reputation,
the city down south is improving its
overall appearance with new hotspots and
attractions, such as the diverse and cleverly
designed Museum of Glass. Celebrating
its five-year anniversary, the indoor and
outdoor museum presents the making and
existence of glass as an art form. Stunning,
especially on a sunny day, is the Chihuly
“Bridge of Glass” that connects visitors
from the Museum District’s parking lot
to the MOG. Inside, you can go directly
through the exhibition space or peek inside
the “Hot Shop Amphitheater”, where glass
workshops take place. Grab lunch in the
café, or ask for a take-out bag and eat al
fresco in front of Tacoma’s Thea Foss
Waterway. This is a rather pleasant escape
on a summer afternoon.
RELAX
Spaahh
at Hotel 1000
www.hotell1000seattle.com/spa
A massage is a massage? Not so, after
you’ve been to Spaahh at Hotel 1000.
Tucked in a corner end of the hotel’s lower
level, this massage sanctuary is the perfect
way to relax or refresh, or both, in complete
privacy. It’s a great escape from the metro
blahs. The service menu is loaded with the
usual, from facials to pedicures to waxing.
Unique to Spaahh is their Monday-Friday
“Happy Hour”, from 11:30am to 2:30pm,
with 30-minute express facials ($45),
pedicures ($32), and aromatic back relief
massage ($44). If you prefer a longer
session, try the 60-minute expert facial for
men ($100) that comes with a beverage
of choice in the “Ahh Room”, 15-minute
back massage, neck and shoulders rub, and
an extensive face treatment that will leave
you glowing for days. The Apres Sports
Massage and Executive Pedicure are also
recommended for men. Couples can book
side-by-side massages. Parties of two or
more, like a birthday boy and his friends,
might consider a group pedicure in a sealedoff room, where you can be a bit louder than
in other parts of the spa.
DO
Seattle Art Museum
and Olympic Sculpture Park
1300 1st Avenue
and 2901 Western Avenue,
www.seattleartmuseum.org
We’re so fortunate to live in a city with the
panoramic scenic beauty of Seattle. Many
urban residents don’t enjoy the mountains,
water, and natural green landscape as we
do here in Seattle. And, we’re extremely
spoiled to live in a metro area that
appreciates the arts. A wonderful way to
take in both the picturesque view of our city
and the thriving visual arts scene is a visit
to the newly renovated Seattle Art Museum
(SAM) and Olympic Sculpture Park. SAM
gained four floors, 70 percent of gallery
space, and a restaurant (SAM TASTE)
with its recent expansion. Artistically, it
now puts Seattle on the national map – we
finally have a real museum to boast proudly
of. The Olympic Sculpture Park, located at
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Seattle Gay News 15
Paradise does exist
and it’s Oahu
by Ron Anders
SGN A&E Writer
and political) of welcoming Gay men and
Lesbians, both as individuals and couples.
Consider these options if you’re planning a
For years, a good friend of mine has been trip to the island of Oahu soon.
asking me to accompany him to Hawaii.
JOURNEY
It’s not like I didn’t want to go – the lure of
Getting to Honolulu from Seattle is an
fragrant leis and hunky surfers was always
tempting - but something always seemed to easy prospect: most major airlines fly there.
come up. My first trip to the islands, as I I chose Northwest Airlines, which has nonhoped it would be, was enchanting. I spent stop flights daily at 8:55 am. Those wanting
my time chiefly in Honolulu on the island an almost-full workday, I recommend taking
of Oahu – where the water is baby blue and the 5:20 pm flight. Non-stop travel time is
the “aloha spirit” welcomed me with open about 5 ½ hours. Watching the islands pop
arms. Hawaii has a long history (social up out of the Pacific was quite a goosebump
16 Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
experience. Getting to Honolulu from the
airport is also easy: a 20-minute ride to
downtown Honolulu via shuttle (less than
$20) or taxi.
SLEEP
I stayed in two of the Aqua Boutique
Hotels in Waikiki (www.aquaresorts.com),
which debuted in 2001 and are still adding
to their fleet. The Aqua Bamboo and Spa,
a 94-room/suite hotel - was my first stop.
I enjoyed my spacious, quiet suite, which
included a bedroom, LCD wide-screen TV,
(the suite also had a conventional TV in an
alcove with a sofa), bathroom with separate
bathtub and shower, and desk/work area.
There was even a bamboo plant to assure
me that I was indeed in a tropical paradise.
Rooms start at $111. The Bamboo is within
walking distance to local Gay bars.
I also stayed at the larger Aqua Palms
(262 rooms/suites). I had a smaller, more
conventional room but had a great view
of Diamond Head and the ocean. It was
an easy walk to Ala Moana Park and Ala
Moana Mall. Rooms start at $155. The
aqua/water theme was played out nicely:
the rooms were pleasing to the eye and I
luxuriated with the room’s high-grade bath
products. Both hotels have balconies, small
refrigerator, microwave, hi-speed Internet
access and are a short walk to the beach.
They each served a continental breakfast.
I especially enjoyed stretching out on the
large sundeck, cooling off in the swimming
pool, and partaking of the pleasures of the
spa (which I’ll talk about later). The staff
was very friendly and unfailingly helpful
– even giving me a phone number for
their Internet service help-line when I had
a question about hooking up to the web.
Reasonably priced, you will get a lot of
bang for your buck at these resorts.
DO
There is a wealth of activities to partake
of in Honolulu. One of my favorites was
the luau at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel,
dubbed The Pink Palace of the Pacific
(www.royal-hawaiian.com). This beautiful
Oahu landmark (now in its 80th year) has
a rich, celebrity-studded history as an
elegant playground for the wealthy and
famous. The hotel holds its famous luau
for us mere mortals also – a three-hour
food and entertainment party. Set on the
hotel’s expansive lawn, with Diamond
Head and Waikiki Beach as a backdrop,
a few hundred of us sipped mai tais and
helped ourselves to a luscious gourmet
meal. The feast was followed by the Royal
Polynesian Extravaganza, a stage spectacle
with singers, hula dancers, a fire breather
and just the right blend of enjoyable kitsch.
It was like being at a fabulous wedding
without having to deal with your family.
For those of us who shop-till-we-drop,
there are ample opportunities to spend your
cash at the International Market Place. I
had a happy shopping romp at this open-air
mall with dozens of booths and carts chock
full of local crafts and souvenirs - located
on Kalakaua Avenue (the main drag next to
Waikiki Beach). I also visited Ala Moana
Mall - for those who desire more upscale
shopping at chic boutiques representing
all major designers. In Waikiki, you will
find 80% Straight, a small boutique store
serving the Gay community with tee shirts,
swimwear and unmentionables.
About 45 minutes from downtown
Honolulu is Kualoa Ranch (www.kualoa.
com), a huge natural preserve with some
of the most breathtaking scenery I have
ever seen. Although I loved Honolulu, it’s
still a big city – and this was a wonderful
opportunity to get into the wilderness. Of
the six tours available, I took the movie
set tour, which visits the lavishly beautiful
Travel
June 15, 2007
oahu cvb
Emmy-winning TV series “Lost” is filmed on Kualoa Ranch
Ka’a’awa Valley featured in TV’s current
mega-hit “Lost” and the now-classic
Jurassic Park. Next on my list was the jeep
tour, which took us on a very bumpy ride
(we were warned ahead of time) through
some gorgeous jungle paths. A delicious
self-serve lunch was provided before I
wound my way back to Honolulu.
If you’re in the mood to ride the waves and
work on your tan, take the Gay catamaran
ride sponsored by Hula’s Bar & Lei Stand
(www.hulas.com) every Saturday.
A native Hawaiian friend took me to
a local treasure: Gulick’s Delicatessen
& Coffee (1512 Gulick Avenue) - an
inexpensive Japanese eat-in/take-out joint
with an endless supply of succulent side
dishes to choose from. I happily devoured
the teriyaki mahi mahi, sweet/sour spareribs
and vegetarian fritters.
Waikiki’s three Gay bars are all within
walking distance of each other. Hula’s is
a friendly place where the shirtless dancers
may distract you from your tropical drink.
courtesy of the hula bar
Cute guys at the Hula Bar
EAT & DRINK
My taste buds are still tingling from the
great meals I had in Honolulu. Indigo
Eurasian Cuisine (www.indigo-hawaii.
com), at the intersection of downtown and
Chinatown, provides a mouthwatering
array of dim sum appetizers (a meal in
themselves, in addition to full lunches/
dinners).
My favorite was the goat
cheese wontons filled with chevre, sundried tomatoes and sweet peppers, served
with a tangy fruit sauce. I relaxed in the
atmospheric outdoor courtyard dining room
surrounded with bamboo umbrellas and
Japanese lanterns. There is also an elegant
indoor dining room.
Chai’s
Island
Bistro
(www.
chaisislandbistro.com),
in
downtown
Honolulu, is another indoor/outdoor;
innovative Pac-Rim cuisine restaurant. For
appetizers, I sampled the tangy lobster and
shrimp tortellini and the crusty Alaskan
King Crab Cake. My main course of braised
boneless shortribs was tender and juicy. For
dessert, don’t miss the macadamia nut tart
with vanilla ice cream and fruit.
For a less pricey treat, try the Rainbow
Drive-In (3308 Kana’ina Avenue), a
popular casual eatery favored by locals
that will satisfy even the most voracious
appetite. I got the combination plate lunch,
which featured (for a mere $7) barbecued
ribs, fish and chicken, a generous portion of
rice and macaroni salad. Comfort food was
never this comfy.
June 15, 2007
Fusion’s claim to fame is the drag show on
weekends that attracts a big crowd. Finally,
there is Angles, which locals told me is an
old standby.
RELAX
After I had toured, shopped and hiked,
I was ready for some serious relaxation –
and didn’t have to go far. I arranged for
a deluxe spa treatment at my hotel (www.
aquaresorts.com), which began with a
footbath, followed by a soothing hour-long
massage – ending with a cup of tropical tea.
If you want to dip your feet in the Pacific,
head to the Gay beach, dubbed Queens Surf
– a small strip of sand under the palms.
Sandwiched between downtown Honolulu
and Waikiki, Ala Moana Park gave me a
good view of Waikiki. For a refreshing
walk, I headed to Ala Moana Park, where
I wandered blissfully among its 76 acres of
lush greenery. Perfect for a picnic under the
Hawaiian moon.
COMMUNITY
For a list of Gay community activities on
Oahu, grab a copy of Odyssey or DaKine,
glossy Gay mags that have all the details.
If you want to combine a vacation with
Gay Pride, Honolulu’s Pride celebration
gets underway the first week in June. Right
before that, the Honolulu Rainbow Film
Festival (which I filled you in on last week)
unspools at the end of May.
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Seattle Gay News 17
“Mancations” now
available to Gay and
Lesbian travelers through
Out in Alaska
Options and activities include wilderness
rafting, hiking, fly-in fishing, sea kayaking,
glacier walking, and more.
“Man-cations”, in which vacationers
engage in fun, unabashedly male activities
like fishing, outdoor sports, camping, and/or
beer drinking, are one of the hottest recent
trends in travel. Mancations are popular
because of the mix of great activities, group
camaraderie, and the relaxed un-judgmental
atmosphere where guys are allowed to be
themselves. Nothing beats a mancation for
some male bonding with your friends.
Now Fairbanks, Alaska based tour
operator Out in Alaska offers mancation
adventure excursions in Alaska for Gay and
Lesbian travelers that feature fun and highadrenaline activities in combination with
an accepting, non-judgmental atmosphere.
According to Out in Alaska’s owner and lead
wilderness guide Tim Stallard, “Just like a
mancation, on an Out in Alaska adventure,
our guests are free to be themselves away
from an often hostile larger society while
enjoying awesome activities like whitewater
rafting, hiking, fishing, or kayaking to a
coastal glacier.”
“We had three experiences of a lifetime in
one week,” exclaimed Bill Manuel, an Out
in Alaska guest from Los Angeles.
In keeping with their inclusive
philosophy, Out in Alaska’s mancations
are not necessarily all men and are open
to Gay men, Lesbian women, and their
friends. The small 6-10 person group size
on an Out in Alaska adventure means that
one trip could be all Gay men, a mix of Gay
men and their straight male friends, a mix
of men and women, or all women. Stallard
says, “Based on my reputation in Alaska
for planning and leading great wilderness
trips, dozens of straight friends have asked
if they can come too.” Guests can pick
an adventure based on the composition
of their Out in Alaska mancation group
if that matters to them. Custom/private
excursions across Alaska are available if an
existing group of friends wants to explore
the wilderness together.
“Due to societal pressures, Gay people
tend to be more introspective than the
general population. What better place to
reflect than the pristine wilderness of Alaska
while walking on a glacier, kayaking in the
ocean, rafting through the wilderness, or
enjoying a glass of wine around a wilderness
campfire with a great group of people?”
asks Out in Alaska’s Tim Stallard.
For additional information on Out in
Alaska’s mancations and adventures for
Gay and Lesbian travelers, contact Tim
Stallard or visit www.outinalaska.com
Printed by permission of Out in Alaska
Popular Gay-friendly
event draws international
participants
When Larry Dickinson started FurFest 12
years ago as a small get-together in his back
yard he never dreamed the event would
grow to become Canada’s largest bear party
and an international event. FurFest, named
after a close encounter of the bear-hug
kind, is a giant, gay-friendly family reunion
with the opportunity to meet some kissin’
cousins.
The yearly event, which takes place in
downtown Fredericton – New Brunswick
overlooking the beautiful St. John River at
the Crowne Plaza Lord Beavebrook Hotel,
will be held on August 2-5, 2007. Each year
the event draws “bears” (generally larger
hirsute men) from across the world and this
year is no different with bears attending
from the UK, Denmark and France.
“FurFest is more like a family reunion
of old friends for many participants” says
event chair Larry Dickinson. “We see many
return visitors from all over Canada and
the US. One couple from Rhode Island has
only missed one year since the event started
18 Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
in 1995. A couple from the UK will be
coming to Fredericton a couple days prior
to FurFest to marry before the event”.
Over the years the event has also
expanded to include many Fredericton
activities for participants such as a tour
of Kings Landing Historical Settlement,
a downtown walking tour, cruises along
majestic St. John River on the Carleton II, a
tour of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery and live
entertainment in Fredericton’s Historic
Garrison District. New for 2007, FurFest
will be adding a Friday Downtown
Adventure to include the Changing of the
Guard Ceremony and tours of the YorkSunbury Museum and Science East.
Registrations are still being accepted
for 2007 FurFest (August 1-5, 2007). For
additional information visit the website at
www.furfest.ca or contact Larry Dickinson
at (506) 455-2856.
Printed by permission of East Coast
Bears.
June 15, 2007
Chicago: America’s third-largest city
by Andrew Collins
SGN Contributing Writer
Chicago has become one of the top Gay
destinations in the country, known for its
exceptional museums, restaurants, hotels,
architecture, and performing arts.
Set aside at least an afternoon to visit a
few key attractions in the Loop, the central
business district that contains Chicago’s
most noteworthy museums and architectural
marvels, including the leviathan Marshall
Field & Co. department store, the Chicago
Architecture Foundation Shop and Tour
Center (which gives excellent walking
tours), and Grant Park. Don’t miss the
superb Art Institute of Chicago, whose
astonishingly comprehensive collection
spans more than 40 centuries and includes
the most impressive display of Impressionist
and post Impressionist works outside of the
Louvre. Other Grant Park musts include the
John G. Shedd Aquarium and the similarly
humongous Field Museum of Natural
History.
North of the Loop, you’ll find a collection
of lively and eclectic neighborhoods - some
rich with galleries and nightclubs, others
known for shopping and fancy apartments
and hotels. In River North, Michigan
Avenue (aka the Magnificent Mile)
compares with the finest American and
European shopping districts. Still farther
north you’ll find 1,200-acre Lincoln Park,
which has several museums as well as the
small but impressive Lincoln Park Zoo. To
the west, Bucktown and Wicker Park are
white-hot centers of avant-garde arts and
offbeat dining and shopping.
Chicago’s
Gayest
neighbor-hoods,
Lakeview and Andersonville, lie well north
of downtown and pulse with hip shops, seeand-be-seen restaurants, and chic lounges
and clubs. In hopping Lakeview, Matsuya
serves excellent sushi and Japanese fare,
including such knock-out starters as deep
fried chicken wings and whitefish with smelt
roe. Although many imitators have opened
nearby, Mia Francesca remains the best
place in the neighborhood for sophisticated
but simple Northern Italian fare. HB is a
cozy spot that features the creative downhome cookin’ of the Food Network’s muchloved “Hearty Boys,” Steve McDonagh
and Dan Smith. X/O is a swanky newcomer
that serves up a tantalizing three-course
champagne brunch, plus such innovative
creations as grilled short ribs with
Vietnamese cabbage salad, and seared sea
scallops with pumpkin dumplings. Moxie
is a trendy place for tasty tapas, designer
cocktails, and great people-watching - it
draws a mix of the neighborhood’s Gay and
straight folks.
You could survive solely on the flaky,
freshly baked cinnamon rolls that accompany
every meal at the hallowed Swedish diner
Ann Sather, which has several Gay-popular
locations. Athletes seeking healthy food
should head for the Chicago Diner, which
specializes in creative vegan and vegetarian
fare and serves delicious baked goods.
An attractive little Thai restaurant where
the rice and noodle dishes are delicious
and cheap, Joy’s Noodles serves a terrific
ginger chicken with a fragrant bean sauce.
If you’re a java junkie, keep in mind that
the cozy Lakeview outpost of the Caribou
Coffee chain is known locally as “Cari boy”
and “Queeribou” - that should tell you all
you need to know about the crowd.
Boys’ Town is the heart of the city’s
Gay-male nightlife scene. The guppie
bar Roscoe’s is practically a Chicago
institution, fun for dancing and cruising
any night of the week. A guy guzzling Bud
longnecks and another sipping cosmos can
feel right at home together at Cocktail, an
intimate storefront bar where friends often
meet up before heading out to larger clubs.
Chicago’s classic stand and model video
bar, SideTrack has plenty of rooms for
mingling. Hydrate is one of the hippest Gay
bars in town, great for after-work cocktails
or late-night dancing and cruising. A swank,
June 15, 2007
smoke-free lounge known for its colorful
cocktails and slick crowd, Minibar opened
in fall 2005 and has become a favorite
after-work spot. A circuit-boy favorite on
weekends, Circuit pulses with a feverish
late night dance crowd even at midweek,
when Latin nights are a hit. The stylish
Berlin disco draws a decidedly funkier and
more alternative crowd than most of the
preppy haunts in Lakeview. Nearby Spin is
an eclectic Gay club with an all-ages crowd
bathhouse and decorated like a motorcycle
garage. If you have a place in your heart for
fitted jocks and Tom of Finland drawings,
don’t miss the city’s Leather Archives and
Museum, which is packed with erotica,
fashion, and fascinating memorabilia from
various international leather contests.
Until recently, standard chain hotels
dominated the lodging landscape in
Chicago, but quite a few hip hotels have
opened in the past several years, including
and fun dance music.
Charlie’s brings in fans of country-western
music, while the Gentry on Halsted is a
Boys’ Town branch of downtown’s popular
piano bar. (The original is called Gentry on
State, and if you think the trading is heavy
at Chicago’s Commodities Exchange, check
out the cologne dipped suits milling about
this dressy cabaret.) Leather and Levi’s types
cruise the Cell Block. North of Boys’ Town
you’ll find one of Chicago’s friendliest and
most diverse bars, Big Chicks, which draws
an eclectic mix of hipsters, artistes, and
jocks - devotees flock here from all over the
city to soak up its inviting atmosphere. Next
door, the same owners run the fabulous and
hip restaurant, Tweet, which is known for
its festive brunch and for tasty organic fare.
Another fun Uptown hangout is the Crew
Bar, which draws sports fans (there are 16
televisions airing big games) and serves
delicious food, too.
One of the granddaddies of Chicago
clubs, the Jeffrey Pub anchors the South
Shore African-American Gay community.
In the artsy, alternative Bucktown and
Wicker Park neighborhoods, virtually all
of the area’s smoky, hipster-infested bars
draw a share of the lavender set, especially
the Rainbo Club, a favorite of art students,
rockers, and slackers. Cafe Absinthe draws a
grunge-y bunch but ranks among Chicago’s
most esteemed neighborhood eateries.
Francophiles swear that Le Bouchon cooks
up the most authentic French bistro fare this
side of the Atlantic. For delicious Cuban and
Latin American food, book a table at kicky
and Gay-popular Cafe Bolero. And head to
hip del Toro for tasty, relatively affordable
Spanish tapas in an snazzy space with Art
Nouveau-inspired decor.
Funky Andersonville is the heart of the
Lesbian scene - as well as just being an
all-around-cool neighborhood with a fastemerging dining reputation. A lively and
atmospheric bistro with a decidedly Queer
following, Tomboy serves tempting fare like
pan seared duck with crimini mushrooms
and a port glaze. T’s is a friendly, Gaypopular restaurant and bar - its Retro ‘80s
Women’s Night on Tuesdays is a hit. You
could spend the whole night at Star Gaze,
the neighborhood’s top Lesbian club, which
serves dinner and also has DJs on weekends,
Lesbian comedy and live-music nights,
and a convivial beer garden. And there’s
Atmosphere, a lively Andersonville dance
bar and lounge with a mixed Gay male and
Lesbian crowd.
The neighborhood also has a few men’s
(mostly hard-core) leather bars, such as
the Chicago Eagle, which is attached to a
three run by the Gay-friendly Kimpton
group: the French deco inspired Hotel
Monaco, the stylish and musically themed
Hotel Allegro, and the swell-elegant Hotel
Burnham, which is set in the historic 1894
cast-iron Reliance Building. The superb
Atwood Cafe occupies the ground floor.
Another option that offers style and luxury
plus a fun attitude is the Hard Rock Hotel,
which is set inside the landmark 40-story
Carbide and Carbon Building, a fashionable
property that’s also home to the popular
China Grill.
Up near Boys’ Town there are fewer
lodging options, but an excellent resource is
the Gay-friendly Neighborhood Inns group,
which runs a trio of boutique hotels with
charming rooms and great locations. City
Suites sits along busy Belmont Avenue,
closest to the dining and club action, while
the more romantic Majestic and Willows
hotels are set along peaceful residential
streets a few blocks from the action. The city
also has a handful of great inns and B&Bs,
including the Gay-owned Flemish House of
Chicago, a restored 1890s row house with
five handsomely furnished bedrooms in the
city’s tony Gold Coast neighborhood.
Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor’s
Gay Guide to the USA and nine additional
travel guides. He can be reached care of this
publication or at OutofTown@qsyndicate.
com.
The Little Black Book
Ann Sather (929 W. Belmont Ave., 773348-2378; 3411 N. Broadway, 773-3050024; 3416 N. Southport Ave., 773-4044475; 5207 N. Clark St., 773-271-6677
Atmosphere (5355 N. Clark St., 773-7841100). Berlin (954 W. Belmont Ave., 773348-4975). Big Chicks (5024 N. Sheridan
Rd., 773-728-5511). Cafe Absinthe (1954
W. North Ave., 773-278-4488). Cafe Bolero
(2252 N. Western Ave., 773-227-9000).
Caribou Coffee (3500 N. Halsted St., 773248-0799; 3300 N. Broadway, 773-4773695; 3025 N. Clark St., 773-529-6366).
Cell Block (3702 N. Halsted St., 773-6658064). Charlie’s (3726 N. Broadway, 773871-8887). Chicago Diner (3411 N. Halsted
St., 773-935-6696). Chicago Eagle (5015
N. Clark St., 773-728-0050). Chicago
Office of Tourism (312-744-2400 or 877CHICAGO, www.877chicago.com). Circuit
(3641 N. Halsted St., 773-325-2233). City
Suites (933 W. Belmont Ave., 773-4043400 or 800-248-9108, www.cityinns.
com). Cocktail (3359 Halsted St., 773477-1420). Crew Bar (4804 N. Broadway,
773-784-2739). del Toro (1520 N. Damen
Ave., 773-252-1500). Flemish House of
Chicago (68 E. Cedar St., 312-664-9981,
www.chicagobandb.com). Gentry on
Halsted ( 3320 N. Halsted St., 773-3481053). Gentry on State (440 N. State St.,
312-836-0933). Hard Rock Hotel (230 N.
Michigan Ave., 312-345-1000 or 866-9665166, www.hardrockhotelchicago.com).
HB (3404 N. Halsted St., 773-661-0299).
Hotel Allegro Chicago (171 W. Randolph
St., 312-236-0123 or 866-672-6143, www.
allegrochicago.com). Hotel Burnham (1
W. Washington St., 312-782-1111 or 877294-9712, www.burnhamhotel.com). Hotel
Monaco (225 N. Wabash St., 312-960-8500
or 866-610-0081, www.monaco-chicago.
com). Hydrate (3458 N. Halsted St., 773975-9244). Jeffrey Pub (7041 S. Jeffrey
Blvd., 773-363-8555). Joy’s Noodles
(3257 N. Broadway, 773-327-8330). Le
Bouchon (1958 N. Damen Ave., 773-8626600). Majestic Hotel (528 W. Brompton
St., 773-404-3499 or 800-727-5108, www.
cityinns.com). Matsuya (3469 N. Clark St.,
773-248-2677). Mia Francesca (3311 N.
Clark St., 773-281-3310). Minibar (3341 N.
Halsted St., 773-871-6227). Moxie (3517
N. Clark St., 773-935-6694). Rainbo Club
(1150 N. Damen Ave., 773-489-5999).
Roscoe’s (3356 N. Halsted St., 773-2813355). SideTrack (3349 N. Halsted St., 773477-9189). Spin (800 W. Belmont Ave.,
773-327-7711). Star Gaze (5419 N. Clark
St., 773-561-7363). Tomboy (5402 N. Clark
St., 773-907-0636). T’s (5025 N. Clark St.,
773-784-6000). Tweet (5020 N. Sheridan
Rd., 773-728-5576). Willows Hotel (555 W.
Surf St., 773-528-8400 or 800-787-3108,
www.cityinns.com). X/O (3441 N. Halsted
St., 773-348-9696).
D I G N I T Y / S E AT T L E
P R I D E PA N C A K E B R E A K FA S T
$5 Donation
ALL YOU CAN EAT
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Proceeds go to
Multi-Faith works,
Verbena,
and Dignity/Seattle
Raffle
Prizes!
S AT U R DAY, J U N E 2 3
8 AM - NOON
@ CENTRAL LUTHERAN CHURCH SOCIAL HALL
1710 11th Ave. (Capitol Hill) Seattle (near Cal Anderson Park)
Travel
Seattle Gay News 19
Yosemite and the Sierras, magnificent scenery
by Andrew Collins
SGN Contributing Writer
California is so unbelievably rich with
magnificent scenery and sophisticated
vacation destinations, it can prove
challenging to set aside time to see them
all. For example, plenty of travelers
who regularly visit Los Angeles and San
Francisco still haven’t explored one of the
state’s most stunning locales, Yosemite
National Park, which makes for a fantastic
weekend adventure. There’s plenty for
nature lovers to see and do here (from
river rafting to skiing to camping), but
Yosemite also sits close to several charming
communities in the foothills of the Sierra
Nevada mountains, where you’ll find Gayfriendly inns and historic hotels, excellent
but underrated wineries and art galleries,
and a smattering of intriguing historic
attractions.
Two of the region’s counties make
particularly good bases for exploring:
Calaveras (where Mark Twain penned “The
Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras
County”) and Tuolumne (which rhymes,
more or less, with “follow me”). Although
set high above the San Joaquin Valley and
accessed via twisting mountain roads, the
region is relatively easy to reach from
several major California cities, including
Sacramento (100 miles) and San Francisco
(130 miles). From Los Angeles, it’s a longer
drive (360 miles), but, at about five or six
hours, still manageable.
Sonora, founded as a mining town in
1849, is the largest community in the
region, with a population of about 5,000.
Here you’ll find a handful of appealing
hotels, some good restaurants, and a firstrate theater scene you might not expect in
such a rural area. You can see top-notch
plays produced by the Sierra Repertory
Theatre company, which stages plays
throughout the year at both the East Sonora
Theatre and Columbia State Historic Park’s
Fallon House. Downtown Sonora’s Stage 3
Theater is another excellent venue.
Sonora also has several cool and funky
antiques shops and galleries, such as
Antiques Etcetra and Jake + Lulu’s Pet
Boutique. Legends is a cute bookstore and
antiques shop with an inviting coffeehouse
upfront, where you can stop for ice cream
or espresso. With its mix of no-nonsense
workaday businesses and up-and-coming
boutiques, unpretentious Sonora feels
a bit like Guerneville, in the Russian
River - inviting but free from excessive
commercialism. On Saturday mornings
from mid-May through mid-October, the
town hosts a farmers market where you’ll
find everything from local honeys and
20 Seattle Gay News
preserves to baked goods produced by an
area Mennonite sect.
Visitors can also check out a handful of
attractions, such as Railtown 1897 State
Historic Park (whose vintage trains have
appeared in countless movies) and Columbia
State Historic Park, whose preserved Gold
Rush-era commercial district abounds with
exhibits interpreting the park’s many
natural features. Although you don’t want to
miss viewing such dazzling icons as the El
Capitan granite cliff, Sentinel Rock dome,
or 2,424-foot-high Yosemite Falls, set aside
some time to visit some of the park’s lessvisited sights. One such off-the-beaten-path
gem is Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which was
shops and eateries, plus two hotels and a
theater. You can even pan for gold at the
California Gold Co., where a guide teaches
you everything you need to know about
becoming your own prospector.
Calaveras County has developed an
increasingly strong reputation of late as
a winetasting region. In the small town
of Murphys, you can tour the area’s most
renowned winery, Ironstone, which occupies
a former gold-stamping mill set in a lush
green valley. Have lunch (perhaps a panini
stuffed with smoked salami, red peppers,
and provolone) in the excellent deli, and
sample wines in a handsome tasting room
anchored by a 42-foot limestone fireplace.
The garden-laced grounds are popular for
weddings and commitment ceremonies, and
an amphitheater hosts pop and rock concerts
in summer. Other notable winemakers in
the area include Twisted Oak Winery and
Chatom Vineyards.
Undoubtedly, the region’s signature
attraction is Yosemite National Park,
whose magnificent landscape has been
immortalized in photographs by Ansel
Adams and paintings by Albert Bierstadt
and Thomas Moran. The park, which was
established in 1890, comprises an amazingly
varied terrain, from the peak of 13,114-foot
Mt. Lyell to the valley floor, which sits at
an elevation of 4,315 feet. In April 2007,
Yosemite unveiled a new $1.2 million
visitor center with imaginatively rendered
built in 1923 to provide water and electricity
to the 2.5 million Californians who reside
in San Francisco and surrounding counties.
This part of California has experienced
something of a dining boom over the past
decade, with several restaurants in the
region specializing in local produce, game,
and wines. In downtown Sonora, you’ll
find Banny’s Cafe & Wine Bar, an airy spot
where California-inspired Mediterranean
fare awaits. Try the spinach salad topped
with Humbolt Fog goat cheese, pancetta,
and sherry-mustard vinaigrette, or chorizoand-clam paella with roasted red pepper. A
15-minute drive east of town, the Tuolumne
Me-Wuk tribe opened Black Oak Casino in
2001. As gaming facilities go, this one is
airy, pleasant, and well-ventilated (there’s
even a smoke-free section, as well as a
state-of-the-art bowling alley). But it’s also
home to the stellar Seven Sisters restaurant,
which you shouldn’t miss even if you’re
not a fan of gambling. Typically memorable
dishes include smoked buffalo tenderloin
wrapped in bacon with red-currant sauce,
and sake-glazed char-grilled prawns with
tangerine vinaigrette.
You weren’t seriously hoping to find
a Gay bar in this part of the world, were
you? Indeed, the area is bereft of Gay
hangouts, but you will find some funky
and fun saloons drawing an eclectic bunch.
Downtown Sonora’s lovably raffish and
weird Servente’s is the kind of place
where groovy hippies and rowdy bikers
knock back cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon. In
tiny Groveland, the nearest community to
Yosemite, check out the Iron Door, which
is the oldest continuously operated saloon
in the state, drawing as diverse a crowd as
any joint in Tuolumne County.
There are a number of hotels and B&Bs
in these parts that enthusiastically court
the Gay market. For sheer romance, it’s
hard to beat the McCaffrey House, a
beautifully furnished, contemporary (and
pet-friendly) mountain home with eight
elegant but unfussy rooms decorated with
Amish quilts, well-chosen antiques, and
pine and iron beds. Super-friendly, welltraveled innkeepers Stephanie and Michael
serve a lavish breakfast each morning. In
downtown Sonora, the handsomely restored
Gunn House contains 12 reasonably priced,
nicely kept rooms with period antiques.
Perks include a substantial breakfast and
use of a heated pool, and downtown shops
and restaurants are a short walk away.
Just a 25-mile drive west of Yosemite’s
Big Oak Flat Entrance in the charming
village for which it is named, the Groveland
Hotel is the only Monterey Colonial-style
building in the Sierras, an adobe structure
built in 1849 and meticulously restored
by engaging owners Peggy and Grover
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Mosley in 1990. Opt for Room 15 if you’d
like a chance to visit with a resident ghost,
Lyle (all of the warmly furnished rooms
are named for quirky and mostly local
characters). The Groveland’s intimate
Victorian Room restaurant is another of
the Sierras’ truly great dining destinations,
with a superb wine list and well-crafted
contemporary fare - try the mixed grill with
venison, quail, duck-and-foie-gras sausage,
and a blueberry-balsamic glaze). Another
Gay-friendly option in the same village,
the Hotel Charlotte has simple but pleasant,
moderately priced rooms.
For sheer opulence, it’s hard to beat
Yosemite’s famed Ahwahnee Hotel, which
was built in the late 1920s and contains
99 plush rooms (plus another 24 adjacent
cottage units) with NativeAmerican-inspired
decor. Many rooms take in classic Yosemite
views, from Half Dome to Yosemite Falls,
but keep in mind that you’ll pay more than
$400 nightly to stay here. Just outside
Yosemite’s western boundary, for as little as
one-fourth the price, you can stay at one of
the region’s better-kept secrets, the secluded
Evergreen Lodge, a pine-shrouded, 15acre compound consisting of 70 rustic but
casually chic cabins set around a rambling
1920s restaurant and tavern serving very
good food. New, enthusiastic young owners
poured $10 million into a major renovation
in the early 2000s, but the real draw here is
the friendly, knowledgeable staff, who can
set up every imaginable type of adventure,
from guided bike trips to fly-fishing lessons.
Evergreen even offers a “custom-camping”
experience - one to four guests get their own
sprawling, mesh tent with comfy air-beds,
linens, and a full slate of amenities (plus
use of all resort facilities). It’s the perfect
way to gaze at the stars over Yosemite, even
if you’re a bit squeamish about encounters
with nature.
Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor’s
Gay Guide to the USA and eight additional
travel guides. He can be reached care of this
publication or at OutofTown@qsyndicate.
com.
The Little Black Book
Ahwahnee Hotel (Yosemite National
Park, 559-253-5635, www.yosemitepark.
com/Accommodations_TheAhwahnee.
aspx). Banny’s Cafe & Wine Bar (Sonora,
209-533-4709, www.bannyscafe.com).
Black Oak Casino and Seven Sisters
(Tuolumne, 209/928-9300 or 877747-8777, www.blackoakcasino.com).
Calaveras Visitors Bureau (209-736-0049
or 800-225-3764, www.gocalaveras.com).
Calaveras Winegrape Alliance (866-8069463, www.calaveraswines.org). Chatom
Vineyards (Douglas Flat, 209-736-6500,
www.chatomvineyards.com). City Hotel
(Columbia, 209-532-1479 or 800-5321479, www.cityhotel.com). Evergreen
Lodge (Groveland, 209-379-2606 or 80093-LODGE, www.evergreenlodge.com).
Groveland Hotel and Victorian Room
(Groveland, 209-962-4000 or 800-2733314, www.groveland.com). Gunn House
Hotel (Sonora, 209-532-3421, www.
gunnhousehotel.com). Hotel Charlotte
(Groveland, 209-962-6455 or 800-9617799, www.hotelcharlotte.com). Iron
Door Saloon (Groveland, 209-962-8904,
www.iron-door-saloon.com). Ironstone
Vineyards (Murphys, 209-728-1251,
www.ironstonevineyards.com). Legends
Coffeehouse and Bookstore (Sonora,
209-532-8120). McCaffrey House (Twain
Harte, 209-586-0757 or 888-586-0757,
www.mccaffreyhouse.com). Serventes
Saloon (Sonora, 209-532-7833). Tuolumne
County Visitors Bureau (209-533-4420
or 800-446-1333, www.thegreatunfenced.
com). Twisted Oak Winery (between
Murphys and Angels Camp, 209-7369080, www.twistedoak.com). Yosemite
National National Park (209-372-0248,
www.nps.gov/yose).
June 15, 2007
Ohio’s Amish country
beckons families
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Summer is family vacation season. Soon
the kids will be out of school and feeling the
wanderlust inspired by warm weather. But
families bored by the beach or tired of the
theme parks can find themselves looking for
something different - a vacation that blends
family-oriented fun with education, modern
excitements with the best of bygone days.
They’re finding it in Ohio’s Amish
country, home to the largest population of
Amish in the United States (not Lancaster,
PA, as many assume). Convenient to both
the Akron and Cleveland airports, the area
draws tourists from all over the country
as well as from neighboring states within
driving distance. Visitors can enjoy the
area’s scenic farmland, old-fashioned
dining, and of course the sights and
handicrafts of Amish life.
And families don’t have to break the bank
to find fun in the region. Here are six ideas
for things to see and do in Ohio’s Amish
country - many of them free:
1. The Midwest has the legendary Wall
Drug Store and Ohio has Lehman’s, an oldfashioned hardware store founded in 1955
by Jay Lehman. Established in Kidron, the
central marketplace for the Amish country
area, the store started out by serving the
needs of the Amish community. While it’s
evolved considerably since then, the store
and its online outlet still emphasize oldfashioned items like non-electric appliances,
hand tools, hand-cranked housewares, oil
lamps and museum quality antiques.
Recently, the family-owned business
purchased an historic barn built in the
1840s, moved it to the store site and rebuilt
it (with the help of an old-fashioned Amish
barn-raising) in preparation for expanding
its operation. When completed, the new
store will be more than 30,000 square feet
- over twice the size of the original store and will offer interactive displays, historical
information, product demonstrations,
café and coffee shop, indoor and outdoor
seating and a high-tech theater. The handhewn barn will also serve as an historic
landmark for Wayne County. You can visit
the store’s Web site, www.lehmans.com, to
learn more.
2. Your family may not be in the market
to buy a prize-winning heifer, or even a
few chickens, but the kids will still enjoy a
turn through the Kidron Auction Livestock
Sale and Flea Market. Held every Thursday
(except on Amish holidays), the auction
is Ohio’s oldest consignment livestock
market. Admission is free and food vendors
June 15, 2007
are on hand with traditional Amish country
fare as well as kid-friendly cuisine.
On special days in spring and summer,
large machinery sales also take place. For
sale dates and more information, call (800)
589-9749 or (330) 857-2641.
3. Shrock’s Amish Farm in Berlin, Ohio
offers a unique window into the Amish
lifestyle with guided home tours, a farm
animal petting area, Amish buggy rides and
shopping. To learn more, call (330) 8933232.
4. For a real taste of Amish tastes, dine
at the Amish Door Village restaurant. The
30-year-old establishment serves hearty
Amish-style meals for breakfast, lunch and
dinner. Closed on Sundays, the restaurant
serves delicious fare that’s great for kids who often crave familiar and simple foods
while on vacation. Two locations serve
travelers and locals alike in Wooster and
Wilmot, Ohio. Carriage rides are available
and the restaurant also offers a bed and
breakfast.
5. Public gardens or plant nurseries are
great places for kids to either blow off some
steam with free run of the grounds or quiet
down and learn something about botanical
life. Quailcrest Farm, located in Wooster,
Ohio, offers both gardens and greenhouse.
Visitors can stroll (or frolic) through the
gardens then stop by the 12,000-squarefoot greenhouse for some gardening advice
from the farm’s professional growers.
Special events and programs take place
throughout the year. Call (330) 345-6722
for more information.
6. Vacationers know shopping is not a
spectator sport and Ohio’s Amish country
offers diverse wares in rustic as well as
modern environments. At P. Graham Dunn
Woodworking and Laser Art Gallery in
Dalton, visitors can watch craftsmen engrave
inspirational messages on wood items,
tour the laser room and browse a beautiful
gallery filled with great gift ideas. In Mt.
Hope, Homestead Furniture showcases high
quality hand-tooled hardwood furniture in
a 27,000-square-foot showroom. Coblentz
Chocolates in Walnut Creek provides tours
and samples of hand-dipped confections,
from chocolates, homemade caramels and
truffles to nuts and a great selection of
sugar-free items. Finally, drop in to Walnut
Creek Cheese for a variety of locally
made cheeses, meats, jams, jellies, kitchen
supplies and homemade ice cream.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Seattle Gay News 21
Las Vegas bets on Gay visitors
by Ed Walsh
SGN Contributing Writer
The sights
Las Vegas tries to be all things to all people
and it does a pretty good job of it.
In the past few years, the only things that
you will find less of in this city of excess
are family-focused attractions. The Strip’s
water park and MGM’s amusement park
have closed, and Treasure Island’s pirate
show has been updated and now features
the sexy “Sirens of T.I.” But Circus Circus,
and to a lesser extent, the Excalibur and the
Luxor, still provide attractions with kids in
mind.
For adult adventure-seekers, there is
still plenty to do. The Stratosphere tower
provides a great overview of the city and
while you are up there, you take your choice
of three thrill rides. A couple leave you
literally hanging over the edge of the tower.
Roller coaster fans can get their fill nearby
at the Sahara Hotel and Casino and on the
other end of the Strip, New York-New York
features a coaster that glides through the
faux NYC skyline.
Each of the casino resorts on the four-mile
Strip is a destination in itself, from the shark
tanks in Mandalay Bay at the south end of
the Strip to the Stratosphere tower on the far
north end.
Downtown Las Vegas, where it all began,
is about two miles north of the Strip. It’s
home to the city’s oldest landmark hotels.
It’s mandatory, by the way, for every queen
who visits downtown to have a picture
taken in front of the Four Queens Casino.
A giant canopy covers the historic section
of Fremont Street where the Four Queens
is located. The canopy comes alive for the
spectacular Visa Vision light and sound
show. The free show is nightly at 8, 9, 10,
11 p.m., and midnight. To get to downtown
Las Vegas, follow Las Vegas Boulevard
about for about two miles north of the
Stratosphere.
The shows
Openly Gay entertainer Frank Marino,
a Joan Rivers impersonator, headlines the
long-running “An Evening at La Cage”
at the Riviera Hotel and Casino. Besides
Rivers, you can see impersonations of Gay
icons Cher, Diana Ross, Bette Midler, and
Madonna on stage in the same evening.
Mandalay Bay features the ABBA musical,
Mamma Mia! If you haven’t seen the show,
it includes a Gay character who reveals his
orientation in the last act.
New York-New York Hotel and Casino
showcases Zumanity, a sexy and partly
22 Seattle Gay News
leather crowd. The Gay bookstore, Get
Booked, is next to Buffalo and stays open
on Friday and Saturday nights until 2 a.m.
The Commercial Center strip mall located
on the 900-block of E. Sahara Avenue
includes three Gay bars: the Spotlight
Lounge with slots, pool, and appetizers
ed walsh
homoerotic Cirque du Soleil show. Caesar’s
Palace features the very Gay-friendly Celine
Dion in a theater built especially for her
and Elton John. John, by the way, performs
Las Vegas wants you.
America’s city of lights has long had a there off and on when Celine is on vacation.
well-deserved reputation for its over-the- The musical, The Producers, premiered in
top heterosexuality. But the love that dare February at the Paris Casino/Resort with
not speak its name has remained mostly
hidden in plain sight amid the glitz and
glamour that put Vegas on the map. But
despite its low profile Gay community, Las
Vegas has long been a favorite destination
for Gay travelers. Now the city’s business
community is finally beginning to capitalize
on that fact by aggressively going after the
Gay and Lesbian market.
In 2006, the city’s convention and visitor’s
authority for the first time produced a
promotional brochure targeted toward Gay
travelers. The city’s biggest hotel-casino
players, MGM Mirage and Harrah’s, have
marketing campaigns that target Gay
visitors. And for the past three years, the
Las Vegas Strip has been home to its very
own Gay nightclub, Krave.
In recent years, Las Vegas has seen
fewer attractions geared toward families
and children and more to the upscale adult
market. Many resorts feature luxurious spas
including Mandalay Bay’s Bathhouse and
the Venetian’s Canyon Ranch Spa Club.
You may have to search a little harder now
to find a 99-cent hot dog but you will find no
shortage of upscale restaurants supervised
by some of the world’s greatest chefs.
restaurants to fill some of the void.
The Border Grill at Mandalay Bay is a
great place to eat Mexican food while you
sit near the resort’s pool. It’s owned by
celebrity chefs Susan Feniger and Mary
Sue Milliken. Feniger is openly Gay and
Milliken is married to her ex-husband.
Mandalay Bay’s Burger Bar features a
create-your-own burger menu where you can
get just about anything, including lobster,
to top your burger. If you are in the mood
to splurge, check out the food and views at
Las Vegas welcome sign with Mandalay Bay in the background
David Hasselhoff playing the flamboyant
Gay director, Roger DeBris. Hasselhoff will
be replaced by veteran stage actor Lee Roy
Reams on May 7. Hasselhoff is going back
to television to work as a judge on NBC’s
“America’s Got Talent” reality show.
Expect to pay close to $100 or more to
see Celine, Elton, or the other very popular
shows in Las Vegas. You may be able pay
less if you purchase a ticket through a halfprice ticket outlet. The catches are that you
have to buy your ticket on the day of the
show, you will often be faced with long
lines, and you probably won’t find the
most popular show tickets available there.
For more information and locations of the
half-price ticket outlets, call 888-4-tix2nite
or 877-tix4tnt. By the way, La Cage tickets
start at $71 but there are often ads with a
$10-off coupon in the free Gay magazine,
Q Vegas.
Nightlife
As soon as you get into town, be sure to
make a pit stop and pick up a copy of Q
Vegas. It’s the city’s excellent Gay/Lesbian
glossy and it includes a club guide and map.
Its sister entertainment magazine, Out Las
Vegas , and its competition, Las Vegas Night
Beat, also include maps and club guides.
The publications are a must to keep up with
the ever-changing club scene.
There is no Gay neighborhood in Las
Vegas but the biggest concentration of Gay
business is in the so-called Fruit Loop. It is
along Paradise Road, near the Hard Rock
Hotel and Casino, about a five-minute drive
from the Strip. On one side of Paradise are
Gipsy and its sister clubs, Piranha Nightclub
and 8 1/2 Lounge. Piranha Lounge includes
a women’s night on Wednesdays. The
dance club Gipsy is open every night
except Tuesday. Gipsy charges no cover
on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays – it
stopped charging a cover on those nights
to attract business away from Krave, which
does charge a cover.
Freezone is across the street from Gipsy.
As its name implies, there is no cover charge.
It’s Gay/Lesbian mixed but Tuesday night is
ladies night, and Thursday nights are malefocused with a “Boyz” night, featuring a
male strip show. Buffalo is in the strip mall
across the street from Freezone. Buffalo is
popular with pool and slot players and the
nightly; Ramrod with dancing, slots, darts,
and pool; and the country western Badlands
Saloon.
The Goodtimes bar at 1775 E. Tropicana
Avenue lives up to its name seven days a
week. Be sure to check out its wildly popular
Monday night liquor bust; all you can drink
for $15.
Flex, at 4371 W. Charleston Avenue,
features a ladies night on Thursdays and
hip-hop music after midnight on Saturdays.
Flex is also particularly popular with the
city’s large Latino population.
Krave, the only Gay nightclub on the Las
Vegas Strip, is located next to the Planet
Hollywood Hotel/Casino. Latin night is
Tuesdays. It includes a separate “girl bar”
section on Saturday nights.
The city’s newest clubs include the
country western themed Charlie’s at 5012
South Arville Street and Barcode at 5150
Spring Mountain Road. Charlie’s has a
popular beer bust party on Sundays from 4
to 7 p.m. Barcode is most popular on Friday
and Saturday nights.
The Las Vegas Eagle at 3430 East
Tropicana Avenue is best known for its
underwear parties on Wednesday and Friday
nights. You will get free drinks if you check
your clothes. If you’re not ready to “go all
the way,” so to speak, the Eagle gives free
drinks to the shirtless on Saturday nights
from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
The oldest bar in Las Vegas is Snick’s
Place. It’s been going strong for three
decades. It’s also the only Gay bar in
downtown Las Vegas. It’s located at 1402 S.
3rd Street, off Las Vegas Boulevard. It gets
you coming and going with happy hours
from 2 to 4 p.m. and 2 to 4 a.m. While you
are checking out the light show downtown,
be sure to check out this piece of Vegas Gay
history.
If you would prefer to mix more with
locals than with tourists, you will find a
higher concentration of Las Vegans if you
venture away from Krave and the Fruit
Loop.
Restaurants
First, the bad news. Las Vegas’s Gayest
restaurant, Hamburger Mary’s, changed its
name to Toucans in 2006 and then shortly
after went out of business. But take heart,
there are more than enough Gay-friendly
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Mix, atop Mandalay Bay. For a taste of San
Francisco, check out the upscale Nob Hill
Restaurant at the MGM. The Aladdin Spice
Market Buffet continues to be a favorite for
buffet lovers.
Accommodations
The Blue Moon Resort is a great choice
for the Gay male traveler. The 47-room
hotel features a waterfall that cascades over
a Jacuzzi grotto and into a kidney-shaped
swimming pool. Late last year, Blue Moon’s
owner-manager John Hessling completely
remodeled all the rooms to put the resort’s
rooms on par with some of the more upscale
hotels on the Strip. Other changes include
a free shuttle to the Strip, room service,
and, yes, you can even order booze now.
The resort is cruisy but at the same time
comfortable and friendly for couples or
others not looking to hook up. The Blue
Moon has two features not found in the
mega-resorts: a pool and Jacuzzi that are
open 24 hours (most of the others close by 6
or 7 p.m.) and free wireless Internet access.
But if you didn’t bring your laptop, there’s
a free terminal for guests to use. Blue Moon
rates start around $119, but as is the norm
in Las Vegas, rates vary widely depending
on the demand; weekdays are almost always
cheaper than weekends. A day pass good for
up to 11 p.m. is $25 and includes a locker.
The resort’s pool is clothing optional.
How would you like to get up every day in
Las Vegas and have your breakfast made to
order by Liberace’s former personal chef?
You can. Just book a room at the Lucky
You Bed and Breakfast. It’s Las Vegas’
oldest Gay bed and breakfast. It’s part of the
upscale John S. Park Historic Neighborhood.
Its four rooms are beautifully decorated
with antiques. Ole Borresen, the chefowner, said that his visitors often tell him
that his house feels like a Victorian home
in San Francisco. In fact, a couple doors in
his home are antiques from San Francisco.
Rates are $59-$79, including breakfast.
It’s clothing optional and features a quiet
secluded pool, sauna, and Jacuzzi. You can
also hang out on a day pass for $10. His
clientele is mostly Gay male, but he says
he gets some Lesbian visitors. In deference
to his neighbors who want to maintain the
neighborhood’s noncommercial atmosphere,
Borresen doesn’t have a Web site. See the
June 15, 2007
ed walsh
“Paris” as seen from Bellagio
“For more information” box for his contact
information.
The
Gay-friendly
MGM
Mirage
corporation has more than 30,000 rooms
in Las Vegas and twice as many employees
to run its ten casino-resort properties. The
spectacular Mandalay Bay, Mirage, and
Bellagio hotel-casinos have long been
popular with Gay visitors. The MGM Mirage
welcomes same-sex couples at its wedding
chapels for commitment ceremonies. The
corporation also offers domestic partner
benefits for its employees. Rates at MGM
Mirage’s least-expensive property, Circus
Circus, start at $39.
The Gay-friendly Harrah’s corporation
is actively promoting its Paris Hotel and
Casino to the Gay and Lesbian market.
It often features Gay getaway packages
that include admission to the Gay Krave
nightclub, just a short walk from Paris. Hotel
staff can also set you up with a commitment
ceremony. By the way, like MGM Mirage,
Harrah’s offers domestic partner benefits to
its employees.
complete public transit information, visit
www.rtcsouthernnevada.com or call 1-800228-3911.
For more information
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors
Authority’s visitor info site: www.
VisitLasVegas.com.
For a free package from the LVCVA that
includes the LGBT brochure, a city map,
and a general Las Vegas guide, e-mail Carol
Ann Shanks at [email protected] and
be sure to ask for all three items. You can
also call 1-877-VISIT LV (847-4858).
Gay info site: www.GayVegas.com
Las Vegas LGBT Center: www.thecenterlasvegas.com
Q Vegas LGBT newsmagazine: www.
qvegas.com
Blue Moon Resort: www.bluemoonlv.
com
Lucky You Bed and Breakfast: Call
Ole Borresen at (702) 384-1129 or e-mail
[email protected].
MGM Mirage: www.mgmmirage.com
Getting there and around
Harrah’s/Paris Gay Web site: www.
A monorail runs along the backside of most
of the Strip. You can also ride “The Deuce” Gayparislasvegas.com
bus all along the Strip and to downtown. For
June 15, 2007
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
Seattle Gay News 23
24 Seattle Gay News
PRIDE ‘07 Summer
Travel
June 15, 2007