Jack Mackenroth – Guide to Gay New York
Jack Mackenroth is not only a popular fashion designer and hot reality TV star, he’s also a successful World Outgames 2009 swimming competitor, having taken home a staggering eight medals from this year’s games held in in Copenhagen.
“I was really not expecting to win medals in all eight of my events,” said Mackenroth. “Needless to say, I’m ecstatic. However, it’s not just about winning medals. One of the most fun events was the Random Rainbow Relay where the meet organizers randomly picked swimmers from all different teams and we swam in a friendly relay with colored rainbow swim caps. It was a great way to meet swimmers from different countries.”
He recently chatted with PLANET OUT
about living in NEW YORK CITY.
What is the best date you ever had in this town? Why?
A guy took me on a midnight helicopter ride around Manhattan. We got pretty close to the buildings. It was pretty amazing to fly around the Statue of Liberty.
What are some of the things you love most about your city/town?
I love that you can get anything you want delivered to your door at anytime. I can get a hooker, a bamboo plant and a diet coke all at 2 AM. Then I can make that hooker water the bamboo while I drink my diet coke. Good times.
I also love the subway. Manhattan is so compact that you can get anywhere in the city on the subway in less than an hour. Plus you can sit next to a crack whore and a supermodel in the same ride. It’s a great equalizer.
What are some great restaurants for a night out with gay friends there?
Well almost all restaurants in New York are gay friendly. If they are not they are stupid. I like Buddakan in Chelsea and all the BLT restaurants. BLT Prime is my fave. www.bltrestaurants.com/. I also LOVE Freeman’s in a little alley way downtown. Cool scene and morbid decor.
For a big gay scene Elmo and Cafeteria are hot messes for Sunday Brunch. Bring your healthy liver and some sunglasses.
What are your favorite gay bars and/or dance clubs? What do you like about them?
There are so many bars here its hard to pick a favorite. For a tourist I would suggest picking up a Next or HX magazine that lists every thing going on each night and lists all the bars and clubs. There really aren’t any big dance clubs anymore since the Roxy closed. I like a more intimate bar like the Phoenix in the east village. No pretense or attitude.
If you had gay friends visiting from out of town for the first time, what are some “musts” that you’d recommend they see or do?
Skip the tourist sites and just buy the postcards. If you absolutely have to do one touristy thing I suggest the top of the Empire State building. On a clear day the view is redic. Also if you can splurge a little bit the helicopter ride around the city is incredible during the day or night.
They charter them from both sides of the island and they are not outrageously expensive. Definitely see a broadway show or two. I would reccomend going to see Central Park. It’s beautiful in the spring.
And you can trick in the bushes.
Check out Jack Mackenroths blog – Memoirs of a Gaysha! and his main site Jack Mackenroth.
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