10 Practical Wedding Gifts For Your Gay Buddies
- June 26, 2014 - 10:10am
Wedding season unofficially kicks off this month, and with more and more states deeming same-sex marriages legal you’re bound to receive an invitation to your friends’ fabulous nuptials any minute. And that means you’ll need to buy a gift. Instead of sticking to the registry, however – do they really need more _stuff_? – think outside the Crate and Barrel box and opt for a practical-but-still-thoughtful present that the happy couple can put to good use. Here are 10 ideas to get you started.
1. Date-Planning Subscription
Date-planning services – like HowAboutWe Couples and Kahnoodle Concierge – are tricky because they often only serve a limited area (New York City for the former; San Francisco and D.C. for the latter), but you may be able to find a similar concept in the area in which your newlywed friends live. Date options run the gamut of uncommon experiences like ring-smithing classes, fencing lessons and body-painting sessions to more tame outings like comedy shows and wine tastings. To help keep the first year of marriage fresh and fun for your friends, gift a year subscription to one of these services so the pair can enjoy quality time together while participating in an activity they may never have thought of themselves.
2. Moving Crew
Remember the last time you moved and you swore you’d never do it again without the help of (preferably hard-bodied, shirtless) movers? If your just-married pals are relocating soon, do them a solid and hire the same for them. Granted, this can be quite pricey, so if you can’t afford to hire several hours of full-service moving, get your best group of gays to commit to helping the couple start anew. The only cost of going this route is time and energy, plus you’ll get in a great workout without having to go to the gym.
3. Dance Classes
If the two who are saying “I do” have four left feet, present them with a pre-wedding gift of dancing lessons. Attending several sessions a few months before the wedding will give the rug-cutting duo more confidence on the dance floor when they take center stage as husbands or wives for the first time. This comes with an additional cost, however: It will also be your responsibility to stay alert throughout the night so you can simmer ’em down when they start to get too jiggy with it after the fourth or fifth celebratory cocktail. Just wait; it’ll happen.
4. Home Repair Supplies
Home repairs (even small ones) start to add up quickly – especially if you have to hire someone to do them for you. To help alleviate this necessity and the cost associated with it, surprise the lawfully wedded with a hodgepodge of tools and other household must-haves given in a nice toolbox for convenient and aesthetically pleasing storage. Another helpful around-the-house idea is to gift painting essentials – trays, rollers, brushes and drop cloths – with a gift certificate to a nearby hardware store so they can choose their favorite colors to freshen up their home.
5. Cooking Lessons
Cooking isn’t everyone’s favorite hobby (in most cases because they don’t know how to do it well, so they avoid it), but it’s one of those few daily opportunities of which spouses can take advantage to grow closer by creating something they’ll both savor. If your friends aren’t exactly kitchen savvy, introduce them to the wonderful world of from-scratch satisfaction with cooking lessons. Private lessons can be held in their home, or you can find a local establishment that offers lessons. The latter will be much less expensive than the former, and it’ll give your friends an opportunity to mix and mingle with other couples with whom they have something in common.
6. Home-Brewed Craft Beer
If your pals are known beer lovers, add a personal touch to one of their favorite beverages by brewing a case of homemade suds. To add even more flair, dress the bottles with custom labels that you can order online that celebrates their wedding day. The recipients will enjoy kicking back and relaxing with what you’ve made exclusively for them, and they’ll likely think fondly of your creativity and care every time they crack off a cap.
7. HitchSwitch Gift Card
It’s not as common in gay marriages as it is in straight unions for one partner to change their last name to the other partner’s, but plenty of LGBT couples are traditionalists – and more power to them. To make the name-changing process stress free, set them up with HitchSwitch, an online name-changing service that removes all the hassle of assembling, filling out and filing forms for just $50. True, it’s not a super exciting gift, but it’s one less thing they’ll have to worry about as they start their new life together – and they’ll appreciate that sentiment very much.
8. Frisque Gay Box Membership
There are numerous sex-toy subscription services available these days, but most of them cater to the hetero crowd. Enter Frisque Box, a sensual subscription service that caters specifically to gay and lesbian couples. Boxes filled with bedroom toys and other pleasure products to keep the spark flickering and frolicsome are sent bimonthly, discreetly to their doorstep, for $55 per cycle. If you don’t want to commit to a year’s worth of service, there’s also a Frisque Honeymoon Box, which is a one-time only purchase.
9. Deep Cleaning Service
We gays like to keep a clean house (most of us anyway), and while weekly spot cleaning is a breeze, the twice-yearly deep clean is a burden. Help ease it for your freshly married friends – who should be spending their first year having fun under the sheets instead of sweeping behind the stove – by surprising them with several hours of cleaning services scheduled for the beginning of spring and fall.
10. Language-Learning Software
One of the advantages of your friends being gay and bound by marital law is that they’re likely a DINK (Dual Income No Kids) couple that has money to burn. (No offense to all you gay parents out there, of course, but your days of jet-setting are over for a while.) Thus, they have the incredible opportunity to see the world at their leisure if they’re savvy savers. You can help make their vacation even more enriching and fulfilling by gifting them language-learning software. If you know them well, you probably know which language to choose; if not, pry for some information. The beauty of language-learning software – besides becoming part of an entire population of people with whom they can now converse – is that it’s conducive to couples using it together, which will help fortify their relationship even more.
Québec City
- June 26, 2014 - 9:31am
With its fairytale setting high on a cliff-top overlooking the St. Lawrence River, Québec City ranks among the most romantic and historic destinations in the Western Hemisphere. Although it’s grown over the years into a thriving metropolis of slightly more than 500,000, Québec City’s ancient core, which lies inside a formidable masonry fortification, retains an intimate look and feel that reminds one more of Europe than the rest of North America. Abundant with old-world galleries and antiques stores, cobbled lanes, inviting sidewalk cafes, historic inns and B&Bs, Québec City is a perfect place to steal away for a days with your partner.
Just three hours from Montréal, Québec is also within an afternoon’s drive of such major metropolitan areas as Boston, New York City and Toronto. Québec is a wonderfully intimate city, highly walkable and oozing with history. Geographically, it is divided between two levels, Upper Town and Lower Town – the latter section lies low along the St. Lawrence River, and the former rises high above it, perched atop a magnificent ridge on the city’s eastern flanks.
Just beyond the city’s western wall is the quaint heart of the city’s small but lively LGBT scene, concentrated along Rue Saint-Jean, where you’ll find several bars and boutiques popular with the gay community, and down the hill from here, the once prosaic Saint-Roch district has undergone a considerable renaissance, with a number of hip restaurants, bars, and shops having opened in recent years.
Dominating Upper Town, the city’s most recognizable feature is the 120-year-old Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, whose steep copper roof defines Québec’s distinctive skyline – even if you don’t stay here, be sure to peek inside for a look. Farther up the hill is La Citadelle, an imposing fortress that was begun by the French to protect Québec from the British and, when this failed, completed by the British to protect the city from reprisals by the French. Tours of this regal facility are a must for fans of history.
From here, stroll along Grand Allée, which commences just west of the original city wall, taking in the blocks of trendy eateries and straight but gay-friendly hangouts before eventually reaching the 1930s Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec, which contains more than 25,000 works of most French-Canadian art that span the region’s history. The museum is surrounded by Plains of Abraham Battlefield Park, which is laced with trails and sports fields, with many spots affording expansive views of the river.
Down in Lower Town, much of the fun is had simply by strolling the narrow lanes, visiting the atmospheric Old Port area, and popping in and out of quaint sidewalk cafes and shops. But be sure to set aside time to visit the city’s must-see attraction, the superb Musées de la Civilisation de Québec, a trove of interactive multimedia and computer exhibits that sheds light on every epoch of the city’s fascinating history
In a city famed for its history, many top restaurants occupy old-world buildings with stone walls and low ceilings, where traditional French and Continental fare dominates. Delightful Aux Anciens Canadians (auxancienscanadiens.qc.ca) is a wonderful example of this sort of establishment – it’s in a lovely 1675 house with a red steep-gabled roof. With outdoor tables overlooking a leafy green and Château Frontenac, Auberge du Tressor’s Restaurant 1640 (aubergedutresor.com) is another inviting spot exuding old-fashioned charm.
But make no mistake, Québec City is also home to some of the most innovative and stylish eateries in the country, with a number of creative chefs specializing in regionally sourced ingredients. Among the top draws, Laurie Raphael (laurieraphael.com) turns out some of the most boldly innovative cuisine in town in a bright, modern dining near Old Port. Also in Lower Town, Échaude (echaude.com) serves outstanding modern French fare and has a charming row of tables along a quaint sidewalk – note the excellent wine list.
Within the city walls, Ristorante Il Teatro (lecapitole.com) and Chez L’Autre (lecapitole.com), both near the grand Le Capitole theater, are sophisticated, gay-popular spots with ample outdoor seating. And just down the street, Chez Bouley-Bistro Boréal (chezboulay.com) is a stylish brasserie renowned for wonderfully complex, beautifully plated fare like fir tree-scented salmon tartare with birch syrup, and confit goose and duck leg with garlic-flower pesto and cooking jus.
There are several inviting queer-popular restaurants along Rue Saint-Jean. Try Hobbit Bistro (hobbitbistro.com) for classic French fare and very good breakfasts, and La Ninkasi (laninkasi.ca) for craft beers and light pub fare, and Piazzetta St-Jean (lapiazzetta.ca) serves delicious thin-crust pizza; there’s a branch in Saint-Roch, too. For artisan coffee and lively people-watching, drop by Le Brulerie Saint-Jean (lesbruleries.com), and don’t miss Tutto Gelato (tuttogelato.ca), which is known for its long list of interesting flavors (avocado, chocolate-chili, etc.), or Snack Bar St-Jean (snackbarsaintjean.com), a gay fave for cheap late-night burgers and poutine.
Down in Saint-Roch, Clocher Penche Bistro (clocherpenche.ca) is a smart space in which you can feast on mod Canadian brunch and dinner fare (the saddle of rabbit stuffed with ricotta and arugula is memorable). Brasserie Artisanale La Korrigane (korrigane.ca) is an exceptionally well-regarded brewpub with tasty comfort fare, and and Le Cercle (le-cercle.ca) is an airy live-music venue and restaurant with high ceilings and creative farm-to-table cooking.
Québec City doesn’t have many gay bars, but plenty of nightspots around the city – especially along Rue Saint-Jean and down the hill in Saint-Roch. The most famous gay hangout is Le Drague Cabaret Club (ledrague.com), which is a few steps from Rue Saint-Jean and has a number of appealing attributes, which helps account for its popularity with all types – gay men, lesbians, and straight friends among them. There’s a good-size patio along the sidewalk, a big cabaret lounge with a stage on which some of the city’s top drag divas perform, stylish cocktail bar and a spacious dance floor. A block away, Bar St-Matthew is a cozier neighborhood spot that’s more male-centric and cruise-y, and also caters a bit to the leather and bear set.
Among mainstream bars definitely worth a look, check out La Barberie (labarberie.com) for first-rate craft beers in a slightly out-of-the-way part of Saint-Roch, and Le Moine Echasson (lemoineechanson.com) is a cute wine bar on Rue Saint-Jean.
As is true in Europe, bathhouses play a prominent role in Québec City’s gay social scene. The options include Sauna Bloc 225 (saunabloc225.com), a spacious place inside a distinctive Victorian building in the heart of the Rue Saint-Jean neighborhood; the very popular Sauna Hippocampe (saunahippocampe.com), which is centrally located and adjoins the inviting LGBT hotel, Hotel Hippocampe (see below); and more locally frequented Le Sauna Backboys (backboy.qc.ca), which is in the Saint-Roch neighborhood and pulls in more of a locals crowd.
Where to Stay
There are enough distinctive, and downright romantic, accommodations in Québec to make choosing a place to stay something of a challenge – there are so many options to consider, and many of the best are highly gay-friendly. You’ll find one concentration of particularly cushy and inviting hotels in the oldest section of Lower Town, around the antiques district centered along rues Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre. Here you might consider the luxurious and highly romantic rooms of Auberge Saint-Antoine (saint-antoine.com), which sits next to the esteemed Musee de la Civilisation – a trove of interactive multimedia and computer exhibits that sheds light on every epoch of the city’s fascinating history. Nearby, the Hotel Le Germain-Dominion Québec (germaindominion.com) is a chic and gracious boutique hotel renowned for its stylish guest rooms and personable staff. Set in an eight-story 1912 building that was once the city’s tallest, rooms have tall windows and plenty of historic charm as well as such modern perks as BOSE stereos and connectivity panels.
One of the city’s most famous buildings, and undoubtedly its most iconic lodging, the grand Fairmont Le Château Frontenac (fairmont.com/frontenac-québec) is crowned with fantastic copper-green roof of steep gables and pointy turrets that positively dominates the Upper Town skyline. With more than 600 elegant but contemporary rooms (the hotel completed a massive update and renovation in 2013), the Fairmont overlooks the St. Lawrence River and abounds with amenities, from inviting Le St-Laurent Bar & Lounge to an impressive and extensive fitness center, pool and terrace. Those wanting the vibe of a modern, mainstream hotel that’s steps from the hip shopping and dining in up-and-coming Saint-Roch should consider the TRYP by Wyndham Québec Hotel Pur (hotelpur.com), an 18-story property with 242 smartly furnished rooms with tall windows that let in plenty of light - rooms on the upper floors have amazing city views.
Among LGBT-oriented properties, the aforementioned Hotel Hippocampe (hotelhippocampe.com) has 11 handsome, reasonably priced rooms and is adjoins the men’s sauna of the same name. Situated just inside the Old City walls, the hotel is popular with guys who favor the sauna, but plenty of gay men and lesbians stay here simply because it’s a comfortable, convenient option with a friendly and helpful staff. Some rooms have private bath, but you can save a lot of money if you opt for one that shares a bathroom.
Near the Plains of Abraham parkland and museums, the gay-owned Auberge Aux Deux Lions (aubergeauxdeuxlions.com/en) caters to a mixed crowd and is one of the most charming small properties in the city, with 15 rooms of varying size and configuration, all with private bath. Another fine smaller inn, the moderately priced Auberge Chateau des Tourelles (chateaudestourelles.qc.ca) is set along bustling Rue Saint-Jean and has 10 individually furnished rooms, including some larger suites that can easily sleep four guests. On sunny days, be sure to relax on the hotel’s lovely sun deck, soaking up views of this richly historic city.
Weekend in Philadelphia
- June 26, 2014 - 9:25am
Spring is a wonderful time to visit vibrant Philadelphia (visitphilly.com/c/gay), home to some of the most important and fascinating art museums and historic attractions in the country, not to mention a superb – even a bit underrated – restaurant scene and a rich selection of stylish hotels. It’s a lovely time of year to stroll around Independence National Historical Park, admiring the buildings in which the founding fathers conceived of the United States, and to wander through Fairmount Park, with its groomed paths meandering along the Schuylkill River. Here’s a blueprint for spending a perfect weekend in the City of Brotherly Love.
Friday Evening
On your first night, kick things off with a memorable meal. In Philadelphia, you’ll find a heady mix of international culinary influences, a dedication on the part of many chefs to sustainable and locally sourced ingredients, and a thriving craft-cocktail and beer scene. Chef and restaurant partners (in business and in life) Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran have made an indelible mark on Philadelphia by opening several outstanding eateries, all of them highly popular with the LGBT community – you might even dine at one of their restaurants each night of your visit, or consider making a progressive dinner one evening by sampling one or two items at a few different spots.
Among the Turney-Safran venues, consider cozy and romantic Little Nonna’s (littlenonnas.com) for pan-seared potato gnocchi, grilled pork chop _pizzaiola_, and other classic Italian dishes; Barbuzzo (barbuzzo.com) for beautifully prepared Mediterranean tapas, cured-meat and cheese plates, and pizzas; or Jamonera (jamonerarestaurant.com) for traditional Spanish tapas.
Saturday
Start the day with a leisurely stroll around the City Center – well worth a visit is Rittenhouse Square Park. City-planning guru Jane Jacobs called this tiny patch of paradise the most successful urban park in the United States; indeed, Rittenhouse Square is picturesque, socially diverse, highly safe and largely unsullied by post-World War II architecture. Off the Square's southeast corner is the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, where Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein and Ned Rorem studied, as well as the Philadelphia Art Alliance, which presents outstanding exhibits and art shows.
Stop by La Colombe Torrefaction (lacolombe.com) for an expertly brewed espresso, or if you’re looking for a proper brunch, nearby Honey’s Sit ‘N Eat (honeyssitneat.com) is a terrific option (try the “Honey Cristo”: challah French toast stuffed with Lancaster County double-smoked ham and Swiss, and topped with two sunny eggs).
Depending on how much you’ve eaten during your morning stroll, in the early afternoon, make your way northeast about a mile from Rittenhouse Square to visit the famed and cavernous Reading Terminal Market (readingterminalmarket.org), which dates back to 1892 and contains more than 80 stalls carrying everything from local seafood to Pennsylvania Dutch specialties to decadent baked goods and homemade fudge.
Even if you're not a big history buff, you can't visit Philadelphia and not soak up at least a whiff or two of the city's amazingly rich heritage. The Old City neighborhood, just a 15-minute walk east of Reading Terminal Market, contains the bulk of the city's pre-1800s attractions, most them centered around Independence National Historical Park, which celebrates the very birth of our nation. Most famous is the Liberty Bell Pavilion, site of America's beloved and cracked 2,000-pound bell. Although commonly thought to have played a significant role in Colonial history, the Liberty Bell actually rose to prominence during the 1830s as a symbol of the movement to abolish slavery.
Nearby Independence Hall is where the Second Continental Congress met in 1775, the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776, the Articles of Confederation were signed in 1778, and the Constitution was adopted in 1787. It was also the site of the city's first major civil rights demonstrations (which included the concerns of lesbians and gays). The list of important sights within the park goes on and on – you could easily spend a full day here.
Saturday Evening
As the dinner hour approaches, book a table at one of the restaurants operated by another of Philadelphia’s culinary stars, local celeb chef Stephen Starr (starr-restaurant.com). It’s not easy to choose among the more than a dozen Starr eateries around the city, but two standouts include Jones (jones-restaurant.com), which is right by Independence Hall and serves eclectic Southern- and Caribbean-inspired dishes like fried chicken and waffles, and spicy jambalaya; or, around the corner, snazzy Talula’s Garden (talulasgarden.com), which specializes in artfully plated contemporary American fare, such as filet of beef with foie gras-brown butter and seared local brook trout with garlic-braised guanciale, snap peas and fiddlehead ferns.
The city's compact gay district, nicknamed the Gayborhood, is where you’ll want to go if you’re up for some bar-hopping and clubbing. Favorite gay nightspots include long-running but handsomely revamped Woody's (woodysbar.com), a youthful video and dance bar that’s quite crowded every night of the week. The three-story Voyeur Nightclub (voyeurnightclub.com) is the Gayborhood’s go-to for dancing into the wee hours (it’s open till a little after 3 a.m.), while Tavern on Camac (tavernoncamac.com) is a charming gay piano bar with a cozy restaurant in the basement. Other friendly options in the area include U Bar (ubarphilly.com), an attractive spot with exposed-brick walls and warm lighting; trendy but friendly Knock Bar and Restaurant (knockphilly.com), a great option both for dining and cocktails; ICandy (clubicandy.com), which has an inviting roof deck and hot dancers; and the Venture Inn (viphilly.com), the oldest gay bar in town, set in a historic tavern.
Sunday
Now that you’ve become acquainted with Philly’s rich history, head to two or three of the city’s renowned art museums on Sunday. But first, kick off your adventure with brunch at wonderful Sabrina’s Café (sabrinascafe.com), near the Parkway Museums District. Fave morning dishes include huevos rancheros with smoky chorizo sausage and blue-corn tortillas, and house-made granola with Greek yogurt and berries.
If you have time for just one museum, make it the Barnes Foundation, an internationally acclaimed collection assembled by the late chemist Albert Barnes and moved from his suburban Philadelphia mansion into a stunning contemporary exhibit space in 2012. The collection is rather idiosyncratic, with works from a range of cultures, but there’s a particular emphasis on Impressionist and Modernist artists, especially Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse, and the lesser-known (and gay) Pennsylvania painter Charles Demuth. Give yourself at least a couple of hours to tour this singular museum.
If possible, also try to stop by the famed Rodin Museum, which contains the largest collection of the eponymous artist’s sculptures outside Paris, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which sits within a dramatic Greek Revival building amid 10 landscaped acres. Standouts in the permanent collection include contemporary masterpieces by Picasso, Braque, and Matisse as well as works by a number of post-World War II artists. The outstanding Marcel Duchamp collection includes renditions of his _Nude Descending a Staircase_. Check out the fine collection of photos and paintings by gay artist Thomas Eakins of young, virile men crewing and boating on the nearby Schuylkill River.
And that's just scratching the surface. The museum is adjacent to lushly landscaped Fairmount Park, which straddles the Schuylkill River and comprises nearly 9,000 acres of picturesque gardens, walkways and biking and bridle paths, plus about a dozen historic (mostly Colonial) mansions, which are open to the public.
Sunday Evening
Philadelphia has some outstanding ethnic dining options. For stellar Mexico City-inspired fare, try Distrito (philadelphia.distritorestaurant.com), which serves the creative cuisine of talented chef Jose Garces. Or for delish Asian fare, head to informal Cheu Noodle Bar (cheunoodlebar.com), an inventive Gayborhood favorite for brisket ramen, coconut curry and barbecue pig tails with turnip kimchi.
Where to Stay in Philadelphia
The city has a terrific mix of historic and stylish, design-driven hotels, with quite a few options within easy walking distance of Gayborhood bars and restaurants. Discerning fans of the arts favor the refined Four Seasons Philadelphia (fourseasons.com/philadelphia), on Logan Square, just a couple of blocks from the Barnes Foundation and other top museums. Request a room overlooking the square, and be sure to enjoy cocktails or a light bite in the casually sophisticated Lounge, or dinner in the Fountain Restaurant, which serves nonpareil French food. Another draw here is the hotel’s soothing day spa.
Near stately Rittenhouse Square, the hip and modish Radisson Blu Warwick (radissonblu.com/hotel-philadelphia) occupies a marvelously transformed historic hotel with artfully designed rooms and cushy beds; Tavern 17, off the mod lobby, is a fun spot to meet friends for drinks or dinner, and cozy and stylish Stir (stirphilly.com) gay neighborhood bar is across the street. One of the largest and most inviting urban gay-owned hotels in the country, the reasonably priced Alexander Inn (alexanderinn.com) has 48 warmly appointed rooms and is steps from local bars.
Gay-favored Kimpton hotels operates the dapper Hotel Palomar (hotelpalomar-philadelphia.com), also close to the Gayborhood, as well as the sleek Hotel Monaco (monaco-philadelphia.com), which is in Old City close to Independence Hall – a nice alternative if you’d prefer to be near the city’s most historic attractions. Other LGBT-popular lodging gems include the Loews Philadelphia (loewshotels.com/Philadelphia-Hotel), which occupies the handsome 1930s PSFS Building; and the Hyatt at Bellevue (philadelphia.bellevue.hyatt.com), a 172-room grande dame on the legendary Avenue of the Arts.
WorldPride 2014: Exploring Toronto and Beyond
- June 26, 2014 - 9:18am
The annual Gay Pride celebration in Toronto has long been one of the biggest, boldest and best-attended around, but in 2014, get ready for the city’s greatest festival yet: the annual WorldPride, which moves to a different city each year, taking place concurrently with Toronto Pride. For 10 days this summer, from June 20 through June 29, WorldPride will dominate the city’s famed Church Street Gay Village. Adding the buzz is the fact that this year marks the first time that WorldPride takes place in a North American city.
The 10-day event will include concerts by a slew of A-listers, including Tegan and Sara, Chely Wright, Melissa Etheridge, Deborah Cox, Martha Wash and superstar DJs David Morales and Quentin Harris (expect the lineup to continue evolving between now and the big week). Official events are many, beginning with an opening ceremony on June 20, and culminating during the big weekend (June 27 through 29) with a Trans March, Dyke March, WorldPride Parade, Family Pride, Streetfair and Arts and Cultural Festival, and Closing Ceremony. Check the WorldPride website for further updates and details, and also on news about additional parties, gatherings and performances taking place during the big week.
If you're in town for WorldPride, you'll surely experience Toronto's lively, naughty and nice Church Street Gay Village. It's one of the largest and most centrally located LGBT business and entertainment districts on the globe, with dozens of bars, restaurants, shops and other establishments catering enthusiastically to the community.
But, of course, there's far more to both Toronto (seetorontonow.com/toronto-diversity) and surrounding Ontario (ontariotravel.net) than all the good fun you'll discover on or near Church Street. Here's a look at some cool neighborhoods elsewhere in Toronto as well as a few enchanting vacation spots within an easy drive that would make for charming pre- or post-Pride overnight getaways.
In Toronto
Hanlan’s Point Beach and the Toronto Islands
In summer, Torontonians venture en masse to the small archipelago located just offshore from downtown and known as the Toronto Islands (torontoislands.org). Among the many lovely spots for sunning and socializing on the islands, Hanlan’s Point Beach has the most ardent following among LGBT folks – it’s an officially clothing-optional beach that faces the lake and is quite well-kept and picturesque. You can easily reach the beach via a frequently scheduled ferry service (the ride takes 15 minutes, costs $7 round-trip, and affords passengers magnificent views of the city skyline – boats leave downtown from the foot of Bay Street, at Queens Quay).
Consider bringing a picnic lunch with you to Hanlan’s Point, as amenities are minimal. However, you can also stroll along a paved trail to Centre Island, which contains all sorts of amusements, restaurants and other things to see and do – from here there’s also separate ferry service back to Toronto, if you’d rather not hoof it back to Hanlan’s Point.
Queen Street West
Toronto's most colorful ethnic neighborhoods lie west of downtown, where the hipster-factor is also highest. Walk along Queen Street West to experience the heart of the city's alternative culture – you'll find everything from offbeat antiques stores to vintage clothing boutiques to shops specializing in witchcraft to divey tattoo parlors. Farther west, Queen Street intersects with yet another strip of trendy, hipster-infested bars, cafes and shops, Ossington Avenue, which is definitely worth a tour.
Up until the middle of the 20th century, Toronto endured a reputation as a hard-working, earnest, but rather dull metropolis. The incisive writer Jan Morris once described it as "a small provincial city of almost absurdly British character." A walk through the many bustling ethnic neighborhoods, around the vibrant Gay Village, and past the quirky, counter-cultural businesses along Queen Street West reveal just how dramatically times have changed.
Overnight Getaways from Toronto
Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Shaw Festival
It’s about a 90-minute drive around the southwestern edge of Lake Ontario to reach one of Canada’s most celebrated winemaking regions and most charming historic colonial towns, Niagara-on-the-lake (niagaraonthelake.com), which is also a gateway for exploring Niagara Falls, just 15 miles to the south. Famous for its early military history (the town was a key setting of the War of 1812), the town is home to several battlefields and related sites as well as the excellent RiverBrink Art Museum, and a compact, pedestrian-friendly downtown abounding with gay-friendly country inns and B&Bs, sophisticated restaurants with shaded courtyards and patios, and the prestigious Shaw Festival (shawfest.com), which presents a mix of works by the iconic 19th-century playwright George Bernard Shaw along with plays by other notables (both _Cabaret_ and lesser-known Tennessee Williams play _A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur_ are scheduled during the summer 2014 season) in four theaters.
More than two-dozen wineries are set throughout the Niagara-on-the-Lake region – you can view a full list here: wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com. Most have tasting rooms and some present concerts or other entertainment, especially during the summer months. The wine culture here has contributed to a superb dining scene, with many chefs in these parts sourcing locally and organically and turning out first-rate contemporary cuisine.
Niagara Falls
In some ways the aesthetic and pace of Niagara Falls (niagarafalls.ca), a small city of about 82,000, is the antithesis of Niagara-on-the-Lake, which is relatively quiet and quaint. Downtown Niagara Falls buzzes with souvenir shops and touristy diversions, and, of course, the community is beset all year long, and especially during the busy summer months, by visitors here to view the three immense waterfalls that cross the U.S.-Canadian international border: Horseshoe Falls (the largest, with a drop of 173 feet), American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls.
Stratford and the Shakespeare Festival
A mecca for theater aficionados, anchoring a largely agrarian swath of southwestern Ontario, the friendly Canadian town of Stratford (stratfordcanada.ca) also abounds with art galleries and boutiques, cafes and romantic inns and B&Bs. The community, which is named for the town in England most associated with William Shakespeare, is famous for its theaters – the Avon, Studio, Tom Patterson and Festival – which present a mix of Shakespearian works and classics by both established and emerging playwrights during its April through October Shakespeare Festival (stratfordfestival.ca) season. You can also attend some great music concerts during the summer months. Just a 90-minute drive from Toronto, this spirited community is a must-see for anyone with a genuine love of the performing arts.
Ottawa
Canada’s national capital, Ottawa (ottawatourism.ca), is a bit farther from Toronto than some of the other places mentioned here – it’s a 4.5- to 5-hour drive. But this city of about 825,000 contains enough notable attractions and diverting neighborhoods to be worth a visit of at least a couple of days and ideally three or four. Also, it’s a handy stopover en route to Montreal, which is roughly another two hours east. Keep in mind as well that Ottawa hosts its own well-attended Pride festival in mid to late August.
Downtown Ottawa and its regal government buildings occupy a high bluff looking over the Ottawa River – the picturesque Rideau Canal extends south through the city and is a lovely place for a summer stroll. Neighborhoods of note close to downtown include a compact but lively Gay Village along Bank Street, a hip and bustling dining and entertainment precinct called Byward Market (there’s even a great gay nightspot, Lookout Bar), and – a bit farther afield – the quirky and artsy Glebe neighborhood, which abounds with cafes, galleries, and retail establishments.
Top attractions in Ottawa include Parliament Hill, with its grand government buildings, most of them dating back to the mid-19th century; be sure to ascend the 300-foot-tall Peace Tower for stunning views of the city and surrounding countryside. The Canadian Museum of Civilization, National Gallery of Canada, Rideau Canal National Historic Site and Canada’s National Arts Centre are also all well worth budgeting time for.
Cleveland and Gay Games 9
- June 26, 2014 - 8:52am
The host this summer of the ninth installment of the Gay Games festival, which was established in 1994 (and then known as the Gay Olympics), Cleveland has been the focus of an ambitious, ongoing urban renaissance in recent years. The downtown core, with its considerable stock of stately early-20th-century buildings, has seen an influx of attractions and hotels, while outlying neighborhoods like Detroit-Shoreway, Ohio City, Tremont and Cleveland Heights have become magnets for cool indie restaurants, coffeehouses, theaters, arts spaces and retail shops. This working-class metropolis that suffered through a deep urban decline during much of the second-half of the 20th century is looking better than ever these days, and locals are counting on the Gay Games as a perfect opportunity to show LGBT visitors what Cleveland has to offer.
Gay Games 9
The ninth edition of the Gay Games – which have taken place previously in Cologne, Chicago, Sydney, Amsterdam, New York City, Vancouver and San Francisco – is set to take place in Cleveland as well as nearby Akron from Aug. 9 through Aug. 16. More than 35 different sports will be represented at the games, including beach volleyball, cycling, flag football, golf, open-water swim, rock-climbing, soccer, softball, tennis and many others. There are also two “cultural” events, band and chorus, and all kinds of related gatherings, ceremonies and parties will take place throughout the week at venues around town, including downtown’s Festival Village (the new Mall C park, at City Hall and overlooking FirstEnergy Stadium).
You can learn more about competing, watching events and attending the Games at the official Gay Games site (gg9cle.com), which lists a full calendar of events, travel planning information, a history of the games and even details on how to volunteer to help with this internationally renowned gathering.
Exploring Cleveland
Ironically, the abandonment of downtown Cleveland (positivelycleveland.com) during the 1950s through 1970s helped to preserve the commercial core’s bounty of Victorian and turn-of-the-century commercial and residential architecture, from warehouse buildings that stood empty for decades to gleaming art deco towers that have undergone complete renovations in recent decades. Sports stadiums, theaters and a glitzy casino have all contributed to the current urban buzz.
Action has always and still does revolve around Public Square, a regal park of fountains and statuary over which looms the focal point of the downtown comeback, the completely restored Tower City Center. Built in 1929, this 52-story complex houses restaurants, upscale shops and a commuter rail station. Adjoining the complex, the Horseshoe Casino opened in 2012 inside an impressive Victorian-era department store building and contains more than 2,000 slot machines and about 90 table games.
Walk a several blocks east along Euclid Avenue and you’ll reach the downtown theater district, Playhouse Square, a hub of highly respected performance venues. And a short walk south are two prominent sports venues, Quicken Loans Arena (home to the NBA’s Cavaliers) and Progressive Field (where baseball’s Indians play).
A few blocks north, along the shores of Lake Erie, the pyramidal, I.M. Pei-designed Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is one of the seminal pop-cultural museums in the world, offering visitors an invigorating tour of music over the past 70 years – exhibits touch on the entire history of the rock genre, with special attention given to the nearly 300 renowned artists who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, including LGBT-popular acts like Donna Summer, R.E.M., Blondie, Michael Jackson, Queen, David Bowie, and Elton John. In 2014, famed (and openly gay) Beatles manager Brian Epstein was among the inductees. Nearby cultural highlights include the Great Lakes Science Center and the home of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, FirstEnergy Stadium. Across the marina from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Voinovich Bicentennial Park is a pleasant lakeside spot for a picnic, or admiring the city skyline, and it’s also where Cleveland Gay Pride takes place each year in June.
Abutting downtown is the Warehouse District, a tract of beautifully restored cast-iron buildings that now house several good restaurants, a handful of funky shops and galleries, and dozens of gorgeous loft apartments. Down a steep hill are the city’s once-anemic river flats, which have also been spiffed up with a handful of notable eateries and nightspots as well as the impressive Greater Cleveland Aquarium.
Drive 10 minutes east of downtown to reach the city’s primary cultural and educational center, 550-acre University Circle. Don’t miss the Georgian-style Cleveland Museum of Art, which recently completed a fantastic renovation and expansion that has greatly increased the exhibit space. Within walking distance are such outstanding attractions as the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, the Cleveland Institute of Art, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland and the highly rewarding Cleveland Botanical Garden. From here you’re a quick hop to Cleveland Heights, a diverse and lively community with a sizable gay and lesbian following and a wealth of inviting shops and restaurants, most of them along bustling Coventry Road.
In the other direction, just west of downtown, Ohio City is the name of a historic neighborhood (not a separate municipality) that abounds with fine Victorian homes and has become a hot spot in recent years for trendy eateries and lounges (notably along West 25th Street) as well as one of the Midwest’s great culinary attractions, West Side Market, which was begun in 1840s and is home to some 100 vendors proffering everything from fresh produce to Polish pierogis to local artisan cheeses - it’s really a chance for local people-watching at its best.
Venture a short drive south to another of the city’s more recently gentrified neighborhoods, Tremont, where along main drags like Starkweather Avenue and Literary Road you’ll find dozens of inviting lounges and hipster-favored eateries. Another up-and-coming neighborhood on the city’s west side is Detroit-Shoreway, which contains a cluster of noteworthy cafes and theaters along Detroit Avenue between West 58th and West 75th streets.
Farther west, in the Edgewater Park neighborhood as well as the neighboring suburb of Lakewood, you’ll find a handful of gay-oriented businesses, including bars and restaurants – this area is more popular with locals than visitors, but it is worth checking out if you’re interested in LGBT nightlife.
Dining and Nightlife
Cleveland’s dining scene has long been influenced by its sizable immigrant populations, with restaurants serving Eastern European, Polish, Greek and Italian food especially popular. In recent years, however, sophisticated downtown restaurants and inviting neighborhood eateries have been making their mark, serving regionally sourced farm-to-table fare and ethnic foods from more far-flung cultures.
In the downtown core, don’t miss Cowell & Hubbard (cowellhubbard.com) for a romantic, pre-theater feast, or the convivial Greenhouse Tavern (thegreenhousetavern.com) for exceptionally well-crafted “gastro-pub” dining and drinking. When venturing east, look to locally beloved Tommy’s Restaurant (tommyscoventry.com) for delish vegan and vegetarian cuisine and swell-elegant L’Albatros (albatrosbrasserie.com) – near the Cleveland Museum of Art – for deftly executed contemporary French food. And be sure to stop by artisan-roaster Phoenix Coffee for an expresso drink (there are other Phoenix locations in downtown’s Playhouse Square and on Lee Road). Ohio City food highlights include Bar Cento (barcento.com) for mod Italian fare and neighboring Bier Markt (bier-markt.com) for craft brews, as well as the SOHO Kitchen & Bar (sohocleveland.com), which turns out superb New South cuisine, like New Orleans-barbecue scallops and crisp fried chicken with baked mac ’n’ cheese.
Not far away in Tremont, critically acclaimed Lolita (lolitarestaurant.com) – which is helmed by celeb chef Michael Symon – and Bac Asian American Bistro (bactremont.com) wow visitors with creative cuisine, while trendy but laid-back Fat Cats (coolplacestoeat.com/fatcats.html) is one of the coolest neighborhood restaurants in the city (try to make it here for the wildly popular brunch on Saturdays). Gypsy Beans & Bakery (gypsybeans.com) in Detroit-Shoreway’s Gordon Square Arts District is a groovy coffeehouse, while nearby Luxe Kitchen & Lounge (luxecleveland.com) can be counted on for tasty pizzas, tapas and eclectic small plates. Out in the Cudell/Edgewater area, the Diner on Clifton (dineronclifton.com) is worth stopping by for breakfast, lunch or late-night dining – it’s a favorite among patrons of the area’s nearby gay bars.
The top gay nightspots in Cleveland are include Ohio City’s fun video bar and club Bounce (bouncecleveland.com), which also has a quite good restaurant serving tapas, flatbreads, sandwiches, and the like; the popular Hawk Bar (thehawkbar.com), Cocktails Cleveland, and Twist dance clubs, which are all out west in the Cudell/Edgewater neighborhood (near Lakewood); and eastern downtown’s rough-and-tumble men’s cruise bar, the Leather Stallion Saloon (leatherstallion.com). Not far from the latter, you’ll also find one of the largest gay bathhouse compounds in the country, Flex Cleveland (flexspas.com), which also has a men’s hotel, gym, and bar.
Where to Stay in Cleveland
The city’s leading hotels are mostly clustered downtown around the Tower City, Gateway and Playhouse Square districts, within walking distance of top attractions. Keep in mind that several new hotels are currently in the planning stages, including a boutique property under development by the gay-popular Kimpton brand. Steps from the city’s top theaters, the Wyndham Cleveland at Playhouse Square (wyndham.com) earns high marks for its central location, friendly service, and spacious rooms – book a King Corner unit for stunning views of the downtown skyline. Arguably the poshest accommodation in town, the stately Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland (ritzcarlton.com) rises high above Tower City and Public Market, its 205 rooms outfitted with such cushy creature comforts as marble bathrooms, iPod docks and ultra-plush linens. The hotel’s restaurant, Muse, is one of the top spots in town for a special-occasion feast.
Out by the museums in University Circle, the InterContinental Suites Hotel Cleveland and InterContinental Cleveland (ihg.com/intercontinental) are excellent, high-end choices. While the Hilton Garden Inn Cleveland Downtown (hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com), hip and contemporary Aloft Cleveland Downtown (starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels) and Hampton Inn Cleveland Downtown (hamptoninn3.hilton.com) are all excellent, well-located, mid-priced options.
Additionally, Cleveland has some wonderfully charming, gay-friendly B&Bs situated in historic Ohio City. Consider the grand Stone Gables B&B (stonegables.net), a period-furnished, gay-owned 1883 stunner with high ceilings, numerous fireplaces and five richly appointed guest rooms; and the Wallace Manor B&B (wallacemanor.com), a regal stone mansion with three spacious rooms (two of them with claw-foot soaking tubs). Two other great choices in the neighborhood are the warmly appointed Clifford House B&B (cliffordhouse.com), a three-room, gay-owned inn with reasonable rates that include a delicious full breakfast; and the handsome J. Palen House (jpalenhouse.com), which occupies an old brewmaster’s home, and has nine stylishly romantic, light-filled rooms and suites (including a cottage and a separate guest house).
Beach Bums: 10 Sexy Swimsuits Sure to Show Off Your Best Assets
- June 26, 2014 - 8:26am
Summer is officially here, which means that it’s time to slip into something a little lighter. So you can spend more time soakin’ up the sun instead of scouring the Internet, I’ve compiled this list of the latest and greatest swimwear styles from your favorite brands along with a few new ones that are making a splash. Dive in.
1. Starfish Hampton Swim Short
Just because you don’t have a compound on Long Island to call home doesn’t mean you can’t dress for the beach like the hoity-toity. The mid-length Starfish Hampton Swim Short from 2(X)IST features a sea-life-inspired print available in Sodalite Blue and Blue Aster, an adjustable drawstring waist, and multiple pockets to stash your sunny-day essentials. The No-Show Rise, which allows the waistband to sit two inches below hips, won’t hurt your cause either. $75; 2xist.com
2. Canggu Swim Pant
You’ll have all the boys saluting your shorts when you shimmy into the camouflage Canggu Swim Pant from ES Collection, based in Barcelona. European styling helps these military-grade trunks stand out while blending in, and the quick-drying fabric aims to keep you comfortable as you flit between sand and surf. At ease, soldier. $130; escollectionusa.com
3. A-Frame Speedster Swim Trunk
Who wears short shorts? If it’s you, Timoteo’s A-Frame Speedster Swim Trunks will likely pique your interest. More of a cross between briefs and a traditional trunk, this itty-bitty bathing suit covers the pre-requisites but little else. Probably not an ideal choice if you’re hung, but some people like to live on the edge. $48; timoteo.net
4. Start the Fire Classic Trunks
With a name like Start the Fire, you can almost guarantee a sizzlin’ day at the beach – notwithstanding the temperature. Made from C-Infinity, a color-intense chlorine-resistant polyester exclusive to Funky Trunks, this skin-tight swimmer features a pattern of nostalgic matchbooks collected from the bedside tables of motels back in the day. Here’s hoping you see as much action as they have. $64.95; funkytrunks.com
5. Addicted Square Short Swim Trunk
Get into a collegiate state of mind with the square swim trunks from Addicted, available in four color combinations, like juicy orange and royal blue. The short cut of these trunks will show off all that hard work you’ve put in at the gym, while the Ivy League-like styling – like a two-color contrasting waistband and the Addicted logo shield – sends a loud-and-clear message that school’s out for summer. $82; escollectionusa.com
6. New York Skyline Thong
You’ll need supersized confidence to show off your big apple in this revealing multicolor thong from Vuthy Sim that features scenes from the City That Never Sleeps – but, hey, if you’ve got it, flaunt it. Plus, each pair promises to be slightly different because they’re made to order by hand. (Hopefully by buff little elves.) $36; vuthysim.com
7. Key West Retro Lycra Swimmer
Printed swimwear is totally in this season, and nobody’s doing it better than Sauvage. Cover up your valuables with graphic prints plucked straight from Key West and South Beach on shorts that pop off your bod in bright, brilliant color. Made from supersoft European nylon Lycra and outfitted with a white mesh liner and drawstring, you’re bound to field compliments from a few sun-kissed admirers. $72; sauvagewear.com
8. Crush Trunk
You can’t go wrong with anything you buy from a company whose tag line is “Fun clothing that gets you laid,” but the Crush Trunk from Nasty Pig isn’t for everyone. Well, it is – but it shouldn’t be. These slightly shiny tone-on-tone embossed print trunks create a snakeskin effect that will only fly on dudes named Zeke or Hammer who blow into town on Harleys and who like to play daddy. Yes, they exist, and there’s no judgment here. $80; store.nastypig.com
9. Awning Stripe Rio Swim Brief
You don’t have to set up shop on Copacabana Beach to capture that loose Rio vibe. In fact, you can create your own quaint Brazilian paradise by the hotel pool with a freshly made caipirinha, a spritz of sunscreen and these South American-style swim briefs from 2(X)IST. Available in white and salsa red, they’re sure to spice things up. $55; 2xist.com
10. Reef Garden Boardshorts
Not every gay is into nut-hugging swimwear – and that’s OK. For those of us who like to leave a little more to the imagination, boardshorts are the way to go, and the Reef Garden style are as fashionable as they are functional. Made from recycled double shaka microfiber (high-five for eco-friendly!), these shorts offer a back welt pocket with zipper closure, seamless sides and UV protection. The cute octopi are just a bonus. $50; reef.com
BONUS FIND: You can’t hit the beach without a towel, and this summer you can make a statement with Vertty, a so-right-now brand that’s reinventing the beach towel concept. Available in nine super-fun, something-for-everyone colors, these oversized game changers feature a unique angled shape and – here’s the best part – a waterproof pocket so you never again have to worry about accidentally burying your keys in the sand. Show yourself off on Instagram when you get yours by tagging tryverrty. $89.90; tryverrty.com
10 Super-Hot Sunglasses for Stylin’ and Profilin’ This Summer
- June 26, 2014 - 5:38am
After a brutal winter that left most of us begging for mercy, it’s finally time to enjoy some fun in the sun. To help you step out in take-that-snow-and-shove-it style this season, peep these top 10 sunglass picks for scopin’ babes and throwin’ shade in summer 2014.
1. Fed Thrill
Whether you’re strolling around Baltimore’s famous Inner Harbor, surveying the local scene at a historic municipal market, or retracing the roots of John Waters’ “Hairspray,” it’s best to soak up Charm City’s culture through the many-colored lenses of Fed Thrill sunglasses, named after the Federal Hill neighborhood the company calls home. Available in a wide range of demure and dynamic hues – categories include Classic, Collegiate, Pink Awareness, and Bold Expressions – these affordable, durable specs are as perfect for cracking blue crabs on the back porch as they are catchin’ rays at Camden Yards. ($29-$39; www.fedthrill.com)
2. Mashern
It’s not often you can call something out of this world and literally mean it, but in the case of American Optical sunglasses it’s true. This brand of fashion-forward aviators has a long history of star-studded style, having once traveled to the moon and back; Buzz Aldrin of Apollo 11 fame took the frames to the lunar surface, and the rest is history. Today you can don the same storied shades in several high-quality metallic finishes like gold, silver and chrome. ($45; www.mashern.com)
3. Panda
You’ll love the way Panda sunglasses look and feel – there’s a style and finish to suit just about everybody’s face – but it’s the brand’s ethical modus operandi that’ll keep you coming back for more: For each pair of the bamboo wooden sunglasses you purchase, Panda provides the Gift Of Vision – a free eye exam and eyewear to a person in need. Seeing is believing. ($120; www.wearpanda.com)
4. Moscot
Channel your favorite gay icons of the Beat Generation – paging Mr. Ginsberg! – with The Governor sunglasses from Moscot Originals. Made from block acetate with three dot rivets on the front and temples, a keyhole bridge, and a real seven-barrel hinge, these smart frames provide poetic justice to square-, pear-, and heart-shaped faces. James Franco would be proud. ($295; www.moscot.com)
5. New York Glass
The only third-party supplier on the list, New York Glass (founded to give eyewear titan Luxottica a run for its money) boasts an impressive selection of independent labels that take pride in designing and manufacturing their own unique lines. From wooden frames to vintage styles to vibrant new designs, New York Glass offers options from standout sunglass companies like LOOK/SEE, Quay, Raen, and Randolph. Also on their roster is Proof, the ECO collection from which (including the sophisticated Sawtooth Tiger style) is 100 percent renewable, biodegradable and hypoallergenic. ($39.95-$179; www.nyglass.com)
6. Brooklyn Spectacles
Brooklyn Spectacles – launched in 2012 by optical expert Jenny Ma – is on a mission to design interesting, fashion-forward, technologically advanced eyewear, and it’s accomplishing that goal one quality-crafted frame at a time. Available through a wide network of authorized retailers from coast to coast (check the website for a store near you), this still-burgeoning brand offers four distinct sun styles – Benson, Kent, Monti, and Tilden – in traditional and non-traditional colors, like Moss, Blonde, and Plum. (Prices vary; www.brooklynspectacles.com)
7. Nectar
If you’re in the market for a pair of shades that have pop, pizzazz, panache and a price tag that’ll have you pinching yourself, move Nectar to the top of your list. Dedicated to pursuing and promoting the sweet life, this surf-, sand-, and skate-inspired brand founded by two young entrepreneurs has its finger on the pulse of what’s hot, featuring an eclectic, chameleonic collection of brilliant, burst-of-color frames. You’re guaranteed to find a pair to match every skimpy swimsuit you own – and then some. ($20-$110; www.nectarsunglasses.com)
8. Solo Eyewear
Like several other eyewear companies on the market, SOLO provides eye care for people in need with each pair of handcrafted recycled wood sunglasses it sells. Good form. But unlike its competition, SOLO stands apart with its hand-painted sunglasses that juxtapose bamboo temples with acetate frames – and the result is nothing short of visionary. Each pair is spec-tacular in its own right, but Peacock, Tiger and Jellyfish are the best of the bunch. ($89-$160; www.soloeyewear.com)
9. Anderne
Drawing heavy inspiration from the 1980s (among other decades), Anderne’s Sun Collection harks back to those sweltering days spent hanging out in a pastel-colored sub shop, playing Pac-Mac and lusting over the cutie behind the counter, while managing to remain altogether new at the same time. Splashes of pink, blue and orange pepper this throwback set that’s filled out with Lennon-era rounders and steampunk influences, all of which will have you reminiscing about that one perfect summer, no matter when you spent it. (Prices vary; www.anderne.com)
10. Krewe Du Optic
Every style of KREWE du optic is unisex – yes, even those lavender aviators you’ve got your eye on – which completely eliminates the stress of wondering whether or not your androgynous sunglasses are a shade too feminine. Just accept the fact that they might be – and that’s OK. Besides, nobody can rock ’em like you do. ($145-$205; www.kreweduoptic.com)
A passel of Pride
- June 26, 2014 - 12:25am
Gay Pride Month is June, but the party doesn’t end there. So let’s hoist the rainbow flag, drink a toast (with the alcohol of a gay-friendly sponsor) and honor the LGBT athletes who make us proud.
The biggest – physically, anyway – is Jason Collins. The NBA player made us proud when he came out as the first active male pro sport athlete. Dozens of former teammates – and many opponents – made us proud when they tweeted sincere messages of congratulations the moment the news broke. The Brooklyn Nets made us proud when they signed him to a 10-day contract – not because he was gay, but because they needed a strong, experienced veteran to bring maturity to their locker room. Then the Nets liked him so much, they extended his contract. And NBA fans made us proud by making Jason Collins’ souvenir jersey the best-selling one in all of sports. Let’s go Nets!
Another big story – physically too – is Michael Sam. The University of Missouri star made us proud by coming out publicly a month before the NFL draft. (He’d been out to his team for a long time; they and their coaches made us proud by supporting him strongly, en route to a kick-ass season.) Mizzou fans made us proud (and shattered East and West Coast stereotypes) with their fervent embrace of him. ESPN made us proud by showing him kissing his boyfriend after Sam’s name was called in the draft. And Sam made us very, very proud with that kiss. It – and his tears of joy – were the exact same reactions as all the other macho, straight NFL draftees have. We are proud that all of America saw it.
Robbie Rogers made us proud when he came out, soon after retiring from Major League Soccer. (He had a drink of water with the national team too.) He made us even prouder when he returned to the sport, signing with the Los Angeles Galaxy. And soccer fans around North America – particularly those in the Cascadia region of Portland, Seattle and Vancouver – have made us tremendously proud by their heartfelt, vocal and very clever signs of support not just of Rogers, but of the entire “You Can Play”/gays-in sport movement. It takes a village – or, more appropriately, an entire stadium. And MLS has ’em.
We were proud when English Olympic diver Tom Daley came out – except, some of us were not proud because he didn’t exactly come out. He said, “Right now I’m dating a guy, and I couldn’t be happier.” Then he said, “Of course I still fancy girls.” Of course, there’s nothing wrong with being bisexual – but Daley didn’t use the “B” word either. (Eventually we learned that the “guy” is Dustin Lance Black.) Some members of the LGBT community are proud to have a top-level athlete like Daley in our midst. Others wish he’d embrace his sexuality more fully. Still others point to his non-disclosure disclosure as a sign that times are changing for the better. Labels don’t matter, they say; just be proud of who you are.
We are proud of Brittney Griner, for sure. One of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time plays on our team. But while part of us is very proud of her talent, her competitiveness and her honesty, another part is not proud at the way female athletes are marginalized. Her coming-out announcement should have been huge news, on par with those of Jason Collins, Michael Sam and Robbie Rogers. In her sport, she’s even bigger than they are. But it wasn’t. We’re not proud that female athletes – and lesbians – still have a long way to go.
We are not proud that the Winter Olympics were held in Sochi. Russia’s gay rights record is abysmal, and President Vladimir Putin didn’t even pretend to whitewash it. Instead, he warned gay visitors not to spread “gay propaganda.” We were not proud that governments and Olympic committees around the world did not raise more of a protest. We were not proud that none of the athletes – or their allies – raised a rainbow flag in protest. On the other hand, we should probably be proud that the Russians did not arrest, intimidate or even harass any LGBT folks. Small victories and all that.
But that was winter. Now summer is here, and Pride is busting out all over. Yet with all we have to be proud of, the most Pride-worthy folks are the men and women – and boys and girls – who are out and proud, as college and high school athletes. They don’t get nearly as much attention as the Jason Collinses, Michael Sams and Robbie Rogerses. But they are our true, and very prideful, champions.
‘If you can play...’
- June 26, 2014 - 12:23am
“If you can dribble, you can dribble.” “If you can dive, you can dive.” “If you can coach, you can coach.”
On paper, the words look kind of odd – not to mention, obvious. But when they’re spoken – out loud, with passion, by hundreds of different athletes and coaches, from dozens of different professional, college and high school sports teams – they take on power and meaning.
What those men and women – shown throwing baseballs, juggling soccer balls, skiing down mountains and doing all kinds of other sporty things – are saying is, “If you are an athlete, you can be an athlete on my team. I don’t care about your sexual orientation. I want you here, to help me win.”
That’s a mouthful. How much easier just to say, “If you can play, you can play.”
They say it on camera, in a momentum-gathering and very compelling series of videos coordinated by the You Can Play project. Those clips are online at www.YouCanPlayProject.org. Be warned: If you click the link, you better have time. Each video is only a minute or two long, but you can’t watch only one. They’re addictive.
The first video was posted in March of 2012. It was the brainchild of Patrick Burke, whose brother Brendan Burke – the openly gay and much-admired student manager of the Miami University hockey team – was killed in an automobile accident. The Burkes’ father, Brian, is a well-known National Hockey League and U.S. hockey executive. So it’s no surprise that the initial “You Can Play” video came from the NHL. A dozen pro players said, basically, “If you can skate, you can skate.”
Like the viral takeoffs on “Call Me Maybe,” each “You Can Play” video follows a basic script. But – like their music counterparts – each shows individuality and flair.
Every school (and pro team, like Major League Soccer’s DC United) imparts its own spin to the main message. Some include clever touches, like a mascot. Others do something else to make the video their own.
While many athletes say “It doesn’t matter if you’re gay or straight” – and others add “or bisexual or trans” – Dartmouth College players say, “your sexual orientation DOES matter.” So does “the color of your skin, your ethnicity and faith.”
Why? “It matters because you are my teammate,” the Big Green athletes say. In other words, if something matters to you, it matters to everyone. And we’re there to encourage you.
“It takes courage to perform on the field,” one Dartmouth participant says. “But it shouldn’t take courage to go into your own locker room.”
(Interestingly, very few athletes’ names are used in any video. The idea is that the men and women on camera speak for everyone on their teams.)
UCLA is a storied program, with national championships in many sports. Jim Mora became the first Division I football coach to speak up for LGBT athletes. The Bruins’ quarterback also notched a “You Can Play” video first, with his appearance.
Notre Dame is another fabled sports school. The Fighting Irish video has drawn plenty of attention, because of the university’s Catholic roots and Midwestern location. As a Notre Dame alumnus, Patrick Burke is particularly proud of that one.
Boston College High drew attention because it too is Catholic – and a high school. BCHS athletes truly show what the school – which draws students from miles around – is all about.
Those high school athletes say “I am open to growth.” “I am committed to doing justice.” “I am religious.” “I am loving.” “I love to compete.” “I love my teammates.” And, they add: “It doesn’t matter if you’re from the city or suburbs, are tall or short, speak English as a first or second language, or are straight or gay. If you can work hard, we can work hard together.”
Another high school – Denver East – won a statewide video contest sponsored by the Colorado High School Activities Association. One after another, players from the school – whose alumni include Douglas Fairbanks, Mamie Eisenhower and Judy Collins – face the camera and say, “What matters is heart, talent and skill.” “When my teammates play, knowing they are accepted, they are better athletes.” “And I’m a better athlete. When they win, we all win.” “Not all teams look the same, or play the same way. But we all want to win. Anyone that helps us win is welcome on our team.”
Denver East wins. In fact, this winter they won the state high school boys basketball championship.
At Denver East – and the University of Wisconsin-Superior, Middlebury College, Brown University; on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and Omaha Lancers; all throughout cyberspace, in fact – if your team is open-minded and cool, you can shoot a video.
Gay Games 9 builds on the past
- June 26, 2014 - 12:13am
The past year marked a watershed for LGBT sports. Athletes at every level – professional, college, high school and amateur – at first ventured, then flooded out of the closet. Media attention no longer treats gay athletes as exotic creatures, all but unheard of in the real world; stories now focus on more nuanced aspects of their lives. Homophobes are increasingly marginalized, banished from the sidelines to the back row of the bleachers.
In some ways (though we’re still waiting for that first huge-name pro male team-sport athlete to come out), LGBT athletics has reached the point we’ve long waited for: normalcy.
So does that mean there’s no longer any need for the Gay Games?
Thousands of athletes, a hefty lineup of corporate sponsors, and hundreds of paid and volunteer organizers beg to differ.
Gay Games 9 – the next edition of the event first held 32 years ago in San Francisco – is set for Aug. 9-16 in Cleveland and Akron, Ohio. Patterned on the Olympic Games (but denied use of the “O” word by a legal challenge), the Gay Games are now an international spectacle.
Unlike the Olympics, anyone can participate. The Gay Games are open to all athletes 18 or older, “regardless of sexual orientation, race, gender, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, political beliefs, athletic or artistic ability, age, physical challenge or health status.”
Realistically, of course, an event called “The Gay Games” draws competitors mostly from the LGBT community. Typically, about 10 percent are non-LGBT (most often, friends and family who participate to show support).
And, says Gay Games 9 marketing manager Matt Cordish, despite the increasing visibility, acceptance, even celebration of LGBT athletes in mainstream athletics, there remains a need for an event that is way gay.
“There are still people around the world who are ridiculed or hated for who they are,” says Cordish. “In the Gay Games, there is no judgment. This is an eye-opening opportunity for people who don’t have that acceptance or lack of judgment in the rest of their lives. We’re getting near the point when gay sports is a non-story. But there are still parts of the world where you can be punished, or even executed, for being gay.”
Cordish – who played soccer, lacrosse and baseball as a youth, and whose main sport is now ice hockey – spends a great deal of time on the road. Part of his job involves spreading the word about the Gay Games, urging individuals and teams to register. He hears stories every day about the power of athletics to change LGBT lives.
“One man told me how hard his life was growing up,” Cordish says. “He’s HIV-positive. But he got involved with sports, and he’s doing well. This is his reason to keep going.”
As in previous Gay Games, some participants this year are not out at all at home. Traveling to Cleveland, and taking part in this event, marks an enormous step for them.
Cordish acknowledges the strides made in recent years. Gay Games 9 will draw upon the visibility of newly out athletes, empowering those who are not yet out, while providing one more opportunity to show the general public that LGBT people are indeed everywhere. And, Cordish adds, “We do need an event that showcases the ideal that Gay Games founder Tom Waddell worked so hard to create: an environment free of judgment, where all athletes can perform their best.”
Those performances will take place in a broad array of sports: softball, track and field, soccer, swimming, rodeo, bowling, volleyball, rowing, even darts. Up to 9,000 participants are expected from around the world. Those numbers are on par with the number of athletes in the Summer Olympics. Like the Olympics, there are opening and closing ceremonies, a “Festival Village,” and plenty of parties. Plus, of course, corporate sponsors: Wells Fargo, United Airlines, KeyBank and more.
Unlike the Olympics, there are also “cultural” competitions, in band and chorus.
Organizers expect 20,000 additional guests, performers, spectators and volunteers.
Regular Gay Games-goers may find a different environment than they’re used to. Cleveland and Akron are not exactly San Francisco – where the first two Games were held – nor are they Vancouver, New York City, Amsterdam, Sydney, Chicago or Cologne, the hosts of following events.
“There’s a thriving gay community in northeast Ohio,” Cordish says. “There’s no one defined area, like West Hollywood, the Castro or Boys Town. But we can go anywhere, and be ourselves.”
And the region has something few other Gay Games venues can boast: a PGA Tour stop. That’s Firestone Country Club, site of the golf competition.
Fore!
Registrations are still being accepted for Gay Games 9. Go to http://gg2014.sportingpulse.com; enter “GoAllOut” where prompted, for $30 off the general registration price. Spectator packages are available too.