DUMBO (which stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is located on the Brooklyn waterfront between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. In the early 1800s, steamed power ferries offered service to Fulton Street, which became a bustling commercial thoroughfare. Industrialists built manufacturing facilities on the waterfront at DUMBO – a location that served as transportation hub where goods could be easily shipped by boat, road and rail throughout New York and beyond. For more information about the history of DUMBO, visit the Brooklyn Historical Society website.
The Best of Gay New York
Category Archives: Brooklyn
NYC Opens Stonewall House LGBT Senior Housing
Stonewall House in Brooklyn, NY is the city’s first LGBT-welcoming senior housing opened recently. Its population will be roughly 50 per cent LGBT and 50 per cent straight.
Occupying the prominent corner of Myrtle Avenue and St. Edwards Street in Fort Greene, Stonewall House is the largest LGBT-welcoming elder housing development in the country. The 17-story mixed-use building will consist of 124,000 SF containing 145 apartments and a 6,800 SF SAGE community facility space on the ground floor.
The massing of the building, using brick as a design feature, abuts the existing St. Edwards and St. Michael’s church rectory to the north and steps down from the corner of Myrtle and St. Edwards with three setbacks that provide common outdoor roof terraces. A cantilevered canopy marks the entry to the SAGE space off Myrtle Avenue and the residential entry off St. Edwards Street. ISR reconnects the Stonewall House campus and holds the corner, creating a safer and friendlier sidewalk experience.
Bushwig in Brooklyn New York
BUSHWIG THE BIGGEST DRAG & MUSIC FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD 2016 IS HERE
BUSHWIG is holding its fifth annual festival of drag, art and music this year (Saturday, Sept. 10th and Sunday, Sept. 11th) at The Knockdown Center (52-19 Flushing Ave, Queens), a departure from Bushwick–the Brooklyn neighborhood that inspired the name of the event. Since its creation 5 years ago by Brooklyn artists Horrorchata and Babes Trust, BUSHWIG has pulled an international audience in and has curated lineups with some of the most well-respected names in the alt-drag community. Bigger names are set to perform and larger crowds are expected to show this year at the new venue. Headlining acts this year include legendary Lady Bunny and RuPaul icon Latrice Royale with music from Tim Sweeney (Beats in Space), with even world renowned artist Wolfgang Tillman on deck duties!
The ambitious programming for this year includes art installations, projection art mapping, international DJs, live music and diverse food offerings on top of more than 150 drag performances. At BUSHWIG 2015, Lady Bunny (close friend to world renowned RuPaul, who has brought drag to the mainstream), handed off ‘the torch’ to Horrorchata–symbolic of passing the legacy of drag down to a new generation of NY performers. The festival is going on strong as it marks its 5th anniversary and continues on to becoming an NYC iconic event likes its predecessors (Studio 54, Warhol’s Factory, Wigstock, etc) while also engaging a wider and more diverse audience.
“Right now we are in a drag explosion. BUSHWIG is part of this revolution; the new wave of drag and the next generation of queens. The creativity in New York is always evolving and what really matters is the art will always be here. We are beyond excited to celebrate our fifth year,” said Horrorchata, co-founder of Bushwig.
BUSHWIG takes great pride in being a celebration of anyone for everyone. Founded by a group of artists deeply involved in the Brooklyn drag scene, the festival provides a creative safe space for everyone to get involved. The drag community has grown immensely as television show RuPauls Drag Race, just nominated for three Emmy Awards, has brought it to the mainstream. The festival functions first and foremost as a community event, giving all a part of the stage and an opportunity to get involved. The artists at BUSHWIG travel far to showcase their very best work, with some acts traveling from Europe. The festival was founded in 2012, its original lineup had 60 acts and 5 years later, more than 150 acts will perform this year during the two-day festival.
Official Website
Link to Purchase Tickets
Facebook page HERE
Watch videos HERE of past performers!
Jose Rivera JR Does Adele
NYC-based Puerto Rican-American performing artist and choreographer José Rivera, Jr. has released a gorgeous, immersive video cover of Adele’s song “When We Were Young,” directed by Blake Pruitt. In the video, he grapples with his feminine and masculine identities while reflecting on memories of a past lover, seeking to address his own body dysmorphia through physical expression.
Says Rivera, “I create accessible work in a digital, shareable format to inspire change and encourage conversation on how we perceive our physical selves. The response to my live work OF CAKE & VANITY (inspired directly by my dysmorphia) created a dialogue on mental health between friends, family, and me. Seeing live performance is a privilege. Theater and most live performance was not accessible to me as a +60lb overweight gay Latino teen with an abusive, controlling father. Videos on my computer and smartphone were an escape for a physically and emotionally trapped kid. By queering traditional narratives, my work provides visibility for bodies of all backgrounds, ethnicities, shapes, sizes, and identities in an effort to merge them with pop cultural norms i.e. ‘making difference mainstream.'”
WATCH AND LISTEN
Video credits:
Directed & Edited: Blake Pruitt
Choreography: Ali Perkins
Band: Jordan Auber, Percussion Steve Conroy, Bass Albert Goold, Keyboard Max Yassky, Drums
Dancers: Alexa Andres, Andrew Chung, Becca Co, Rebecca Marie Hidalgo, Justin Robert Thomas Smith
Camera: Dan Rodriguez
Mobile Recording: Cesar G | cesargmusic@gmail.com
Choreography: Ali Perkins
Band: Jordan Auber, Percussion Steve Conroy, Bass Albert Goold, Keyboard Max Yassky, Drums
Dancers: Alexa Andres, Andrew Chung, Becca Co, Rebecca Marie Hidalgo, Justin Robert Thomas Smith
Camera: Dan Rodriguez
Mobile Recording: Cesar G | cesargmusic@gmail.com
Experimental Bitch Presents
JOSÉ RIVERA JR is a Puerto Rican-American multimedia performing artist, director & choreographer based in Brooklyn, NY, merging techniques in music, fashion, technology, visual art, and theater. NYC: OF CAKE & VANITY: A Musical Painting (The P.I.T. NYC, Dixon Place, SCENESPACE NYC), Dangerous Curve Between Jerusalem and Jericho (DP), Emily Dickinson: OUTER SPACE! (Bushwick Starr). BFA, NYU Tisch 2014
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CHER in Brooklyn May 9th
The tour not to miss in 2014!
CHER Dressed to Kill – with Cyndi Lauper in Brooklyn May 9th. 2014.
More than 40 years of show business success Cher is that rare entertainment industry icon that defies classification. Continually referenced, adored, and examined, she belongs in the exclusive pantheon of performers who have not only outdistanced all of their contemporaries, but have, decade in and decade out, stubbornly navigated the transient whims of public taste and carved a permanent place for themselves in the hearts and minds of cinema, television, music and pop culture enthusiasts everywhere. The new CD is HOT! The show will be HOTTER!
Tickets and info online!
WE Bike New York City November 6th
WE Bike NYC is holding their 2nd annual event, WE PARTY featuring live music by Bugs in the Dark and Wise Girl!
WE Bike NYC is a group based in New York City open to all women,
transgender, and gender nonconforming people who enjoy biking (or think
they might). WE Bike NYC aims to break down barriers to cycling by
offering social rides, training rides, mechanics workshops and ride
scholarships. Through innovative programming on and off the bike and
partnerships with local communities, WE Bike NYC creates a supportive
environment for women, girls, transgender and gender nonconforming
people to get where they want to go.
WE Bike NYC is a group based in New York City open to all women,
transgender, and gender nonconforming people who enjoy biking (or think
they might). WE Bike NYC aims to break down barriers to cycling by
offering social rides, training rides, mechanics workshops and ride
scholarships. Through innovative programming on and off the bike and
partnerships with local communities, WE Bike NYC creates a supportive
environment for women, girls, transgender and gender nonconforming
people to get where they want to go.
Wise Girl is led by the powerful vocals of frontwoman Abby Weitz, Wise Girl’s 10-track debut LP entitled You’ll Just Have To Wait
is filled with power chords, driving beats and authentic lyrics ripped
straight from the band’s personal experiences. Check out their latest
single, “So Broken,” HERE.
WE’re having our 2nd
Annual WE PARTY!! Help us continue doing what WE do and offering our
programming free of charge by attending this party/benefit for $15. IT’S
OPEN TO ALL GENDERS and yes, there’s BIKE PARKING thanks to
Transportation Alternatives’ NYC Bike Ambassadors
Annual WE PARTY!! Help us continue doing what WE do and offering our
programming free of charge by attending this party/benefit for $15. IT’S
OPEN TO ALL GENDERS and yes, there’s BIKE PARKING thanks to
Transportation Alternatives’ NYC Bike Ambassadors
EVENT INFO
WHO: Wise Girl
WHAT: We Party 2
WHEN: November 6th, 2013
WHERE: The Grand Victory
245 Grand Street/ Brooklyn, NY
Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/203002579868291/
Eating My Feelings Gay Author Mark Brennan Rosenberg in Brooklyn August 14th
Ever since MARK BRENNAN ROSENBERG was a foul-mouthed,sass-spouting, overweight teenager, he knew his life was one for thebooks. And he was right: with the publication of his first memoir
Blackouts and Breakdowns, Mark became a self-published sensation,touring across the country and winning over fans from small towns to big cities.
Now Mark’s back with a new book; EATING MY FEELINGS: Tales of Overeating, Underperforming and Coping with My Crazy Family (Three Rivers Press paperback original: August 2013). This
collection of comic essays delves into Mark’s outrageous childhood, recounting his struggles as a
fat, sassy, soon-to-be-gay kid, relating to the world through his beloved idols from All My Children, Melrose Place, and Clueless.
From battling his evil stepmother (with an arsenal of unprintable insults not suitable for your
average 10 year old), to attempting to blackmail his counselor at fat camp, and shamelessly sporting blackface on Halloween, Mark’s adolescent misadventures set him up perfectly for an equally flamboyant adult life. Things don’t slow down when Mark emerges into the image-obsessed world of gay New York, and he raises as much hell as he did in the sleepy Baltimore suburb of his childhood. Whether he’s hiring the personal trainer he only wants to sleep with, or blogging his way to fame with an X-rated twist on Julie & Julia, Mark’s life is anything but.
For a guy who describes himself as a whiter, skinnier, gayer version of Oprah, EATING
MY FEELINGS is Mark’s metaphorical wheelbarrow full of fat. No emotional stone is left
unturned—or potato chip left uneaten—as Mark gives us an uncensored and uproariously funny look into every one of his food and body issues.
MEET HIM August 14th with the first book tour stop at Word Bookstore (126 Franklin St) in Brooklyn.
MARK BRENNAN ROSENBERG is the author of Blackouts and Breakdowns and writes the blog The Single Life. He currently resides in New York City and is single—so if you know of anyone, let him know. Visit him online at markbrennanrosenberg.blogspot.com
2nd annual GUMBO New York City Pride Pool Party June 29th
SATURDAY, JUNE 29 [rain or shine] 2PM to LATE
complimentary ABSOLUT® cocktails [2-3PM]
THOMPSON LES HOTEL
ROOFTOP POOL
+ launch of
THE BENDER LOUNGE in the ABOVE ALLEN indoor/outdoor terrace
190 Allen Street [at E. Houston]
a special GUMBO Give-Back
to ATHLETE ALLY [portion of all admission donated]
GUMBO NYC has been reinventing and reimagining gay nightlife in New York City with its signature “pop-out” parties since 2009.
Something new is brewing…sign up to find out where. Let’s be friends!
“one of the hottest new parties in NYC” – OUT
“voted five pink crowns” – BestGayNewYork.com
“a place for grown up gays to play? pencil us in!” – NEXT
“pioneering party…#1 critics pick” – TIME OUT NEW YORK
Gay Pride New York 2013
HOW COOL IS THAT PHOTO? Such CELEBRATION!
I think it’s pretty hard to beat Gay Pride in New York! 40+ years since the Stonewall Riots…and LOOK how far we have come!
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Two Years Following the Passage of New York’s Marriage Equality Act, NYC Remains Nation’s Most Popular LGBT Travel Destination, Attracting Visitors From Around the Globe.
Nearly 2 Million Expected to Attend Flagship Heritage of Pride Events this June.
NYC & Company,
New York City’s official marketing, tourism and partnership
organization, is highlighting several annual gay pride events taking
place throughout the City as the summer travel season begins.
Recognized as the number one LGBT travel destination in the United
States, New York City will be brimming with energy, diversity and
excitement. From the flagship Heritage of Pride events in
Manhattan—where nearly 2 million people are expected to attend—to
the diverse pride events and celebrations happening in the boroughs
outside Manhattan, New York City is the ideal destination for visitors
seeking a unique and festive pride experience.
“New York City is an
iconic destination for LGBT travel, particularly during our annual
Pride Week celebrations,” said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC &
Company. “Following the legalization of same-sex marriage
in New York two years ago, the City remains the most popular gay travel
destination in the United States. We encourage visitors from around the
world to book their travel now and experience the many pride
festivities taking place throughout the five boroughs.”
A full listing of NYC 2013 pride activity can be accessed at nycgo.com/gay. Highlights of activity taking place throughout
the City, organized by borough, follows:
Manhattan
Heritage of Pride,
which organizes the City’s flagship LGBT events and
commemorates the 1969 Stonewall riots that sparked the modern
gay-rights movement, features the theme “Rain to Rainbows” for its
lineup of pride events this year.
“After
years of inequality in this country we are finally turning the course
toward receiving full equality. While this won’t be achieved overnight
we
are proud of our community’s accomplishments over the last decade and
look to the future with a positive stance on the state of LGBT rights,”
said Chris Frederick, Managing Director of Heritage of Pride. “With the
Supreme Court deciding on same-sex marriage
days prior to NYC Pride’s largest day we are projecting an increase in
attendance to nearly 2 million individuals and are excited to welcome
the world with open arms.”
The PrideFest street fair, now in its 20th year, will take place on
Sunday, June 30, 11am–6pm. Thousands of visitors attend the event at
Hudson Street between Abingdon Square and West 14th Street each
year, joining locals, corporate sponsors, community leaders and business
owners.
With Edith Windsor (the central figure
in the case challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act), Harry
Belafonte (singer, songwriter and longtime social activist) and Earl
Fowlkes (president and CEO of the
Center for Black Equity) as the grand marshals, The March will
take place on Sunday, June 30, at noon. The parade, which has taken
place to celebrate the gay community since 1970, begins at 36th Street
and Fifth Avenue and ends in Greenwich Village.
Free registration is now open online.
Three events will take place at Pier 26 (on the West Side Highway; attendees should cross at Laight Street) this year:
·
The Rally will take place on Friday, June 28, 7–10pm, showcasing speakers and well-known
performers in honor of the first NYC pride rally that occurred one month after the Stonewall Riots.
·
Rapture on the River,
one of the nation’s largest ladies-only dance events, will celebrate
its 10-year anniversary on Saturday, June 29, 3–10pm. Tickets
are available online.
·
On Sunday, June 30,
Dance on the Pier is back for its 27th year with
award-winning DJs and the world’s longest-running LGBT fireworks display
along the Hudson River. The event, 3–10pm, is the official close to NYC
Pride events. Tickets are available
online.
To purchase tickets, register and access a comprehensive list of all events, visit
nycpride.org or follow Heritage of Pride on Twitter (twitter.com/nycpride)
or on Facebook (facebook.com/nycpride).
Bronx
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., in partnership with Boogie Down Pride and Brainpower, will host the third annual
Bronx LGBT Allies Award Ceremony on Thursday, June 20, 2013, 6pm,
at the Rotunda at 851 Grand Concourse. The event will honor individuals
who have made positive contributions to the LGBT community in the
Bronx. For more information, go to
bronxboropres.nyc.gov/.
Brooklyn
New
York City’s most populous borough celebrates gay pride with events on
Saturday, June 8. Brooklyn Pride 2013 features the 16th annual
Brooklyn Pride LGBT 5K Run through the historic Prospect Park. Runners must sign up at
nycruns.com (limited to 500 participants). Runners can check in at 8am; the
race starts at 10am.
Also on June 8, visitors and locals can attend the
Brooklyn Pride Festival, 11am–5pm at a new location, on
Fifth Avenue, between Third and Ninth Streets. This year’s festival will
feature two stages for local performers and LGBT–friendly sports teams
that will be playing behind the Old Stone House
at J.J. Byrne Park.
At 7:30pm, the Brooklyn Pride Parade will begin at a new location, at Sterling Place, and march down Fifth Avenue, ending at Ninth Street.
For more information, please visit
brooklynpride.org.
Queens
On Sunday, June 2, Queens Pride, which promotes education and awareness of LGBT issues in the borough, hosts its
Parade and Multicultural Festival, noon–6pm, in Jackson Heights,
with the theme “Equality. Everyday. Everyone.” The parade starts at
85th Street and 37th Avenue at noon, and will follow 37th Avenue through
75th Street. Also starting at noon, the festival
will take place through 6pm on 37th Road between 74th and 77th Streets.
Parade participants will have the opportunity to win “Queenie Awards,”
ranging from the best use of color to the best drag performance.
For more information and to register for the events, go to
queenspride.org.
Staten Island
The Staten Island LGBT Community Center hosts the
LGBT Pride Parade & Festival 2013 in the St. George
neighborhood on Saturday, June 1, noon–5pm. The parade kicks off at noon
at on Central Avenue at Slosson Terrace, ending at Tompkinsville Park,
where the festival will feature LGBT–friendly entertainment,
amusements and vendors till 5pm.
For more information and to register for the events, visit
silgbtcenter.org or
facebook.com/
Brooklyn Dad Starts Alternative Scouts Troop
YEA for Brooklyn dad Todd Schweikert!
The Boy Scouts is an antiquated sinking ship losing funding left and right! So Todd wanted to look for an alternative.
DNA Info reports:
Schweikert, a 33-year-old Windsor Terrace
resident whose son goes to P.S. 154, researched several alternative
scouting options, including groups like Camp Fire. He settled on the
Baden-Powell Service Association to be the parent organization of his
troop. Like other traditional scouting groups, BPSA teaches “woodcraft,”
or how to survive outdoors. BPSA troops also use what’s called the
“patrol method” to divide scouts into teams that each have a leader
nominated by other scouts.
BPSA troops are open to both boys and
girls, and unlike the Boy Scouts of America, there is less talk of God
and religion in official scouting laws, Schweikert said. The troop
welcomes kids as young as 5 years old, who are known as Otters. At age
8, scouts graduate to Timberwolves.
His 7-year-old son is a charter member of the 5th Brooklyn Scouts,
which accepts boys, girls and all sexual orientations while believing
that prejudice is best snuffed out like an untended campfire.
“The tipping point was the BSA’s approach to gay scouts and the gay
and lesbian parents,” Schweikert wrote in an email to The Huffington
Post. “Any form of discrimination, no matter how small, is never ok and
not something I can endorse and wish to teach to my children.“
Schweikert told HuffPost that he has received a “great response from gay and lesbian parents, as well as straight.”
Schweikert’s troop, to be called the
Fifth Brooklyn Scouts, will meet weekly at the Brooklyn Society for
Ethical Culture on Prospect Park West. The location is well-positioned
for excursions to Prospect Park for “nature observation,” but scouts
will also embark on overnight camping trips and weekend hikes. The troop
will learn classic scouting skills like knot-tying and community
service projects, and they’ll earn badges after they accomplish specific
goals.
Gay Pride all over New York City and Beyond
Gay pride Month all over NEW YORK!!
Brooklyn Pride June 6-9, 2012
Long Island Pride June 9
Maplewood NJ Pride June 9
Rockland County June 10
Hudson valley Pride June 15-17
The Big Rally NYC June 16
Garden Party for The Center June 18
Dyke March June 23
Harlem Pride June 23
The main events – New York City Pride
aka Heritage of Pride
Rapture on the River June 23
The March! Biggest in the world! with Cyndi Lauper June 24
PrideFest June 24
The Pier Dance June 25
Barbra Streisand to Play Brooklyns Barclay Center
BARBRA STREISAND COMES HOME: Brooklyn’s Favorite Daughter to Perform at Barclays Center.
The Brooklyn-born and raised, world-acclaimed superstar will perform a
concert on Thursday, October 11th, in Brooklyn at Barclays Center, the
new 19,000-seat sports and entertainment venue.
Streisand will be making a triumphant return to her native borough.
Raised in the Flatbush neighborhood and a graduate of Erasmus Hall High
School, Streisand will perform publicly for the first time in Brooklyn.
Streisand stated, “Brooklyn to me means the Loews Kings, Erasmus, the
Yeshiva I went to, the Dodgers, Prospect Park, great Chinese food. I’m
so glad I came from Brooklyn‚ down to earth. I guess you CAN come home
again.”
“When I first thought about building an arena in Brooklyn, I always
envisioned Barbra Streisand coming home to take center-stage in her
native borough,” said Barclays Center majority owner and developer Bruce
Ratner. “It’s humbling and almost surreal to welcome arguably the
greatest entertainer of all-time to Barclays Center. Barbra is Brooklyn
and there’s nowhere more fitting for her to perform. This will be a
night to remember.”
“Barbra Streisand in Brooklyn will be a huge moment and a defining
experience for Barclays Center,” said Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark.
“We are truly honored to bring Barbra full circle, to the borough where
it all started for her, just down Flatbush Avenue from her old
neighborhood. We are continuing our goal to bring the best of everything
to Barclays Center. Brooklyn, after all, deserves nothing less.”
Tickets for the Streisand concert will go on sale shortly. You can sign up here for an opportunity to get exclusive access to tickets now.
Tickets will also be available through Ticketmaster or by by calling 800-745-3000. NETS All Access ticket holders will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for the concerts before the general public. Tickets will be available to the general public on May 21 at 10am EDT.
http://brooklyn.
World AIDS Day Event: Spotlight on The Starlite Lounge Dec 1
World AIDS Day Event:
Spotlight on The Starlite Lounge
Recently closed Black-owned Brooklyn gay bar gets new life in this documentary screening featuring talkback with the bar’s owners and former patrons
On Thursday, December 1 at 6:30 PM, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center commemorates World AIDS Day by proudly presenting documentarians Kate Kunath and Sasha Wortzel in conversation with Dennis Parrott and Linda King, owners of the legendary Starlite Lounge.
In 1959, a decade prior to Manhattan’s Stonewall riots, the Starlite Lounge opened in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, as a non-discriminatory establishment for gay people of color.
A half-century later, the neighborhood and the gay community were shocked when the oldest, Black-owned, LGBT establishment was given notice to vacate and was ultimately forced to close in 2010.
In honor of World AIDS Day, The Center will focus on how the Starlite became a refuge and organizing point in response to the AIDS epidemic. The filmmakers will share key excerpts of their documentary-in-progress, Starlite, and talk with former resident performer Lady Jasmine and long-time patrons about what the Starlite meant to the community, especially in the early days of the epidemic.
Also featured will be the organizers of the AIDS Memorial Park and learning center currently being proposed for the triangle site opposite the former St. Vincent’s Hospital. The proposed location sits in the middle of the neighborhood, the site of significant AIDS epidemic organizing: from the first AIDS ward at St. Vincent’s Hospital to the founding of ACT UP and other advocacy organizations at the Center.
More at Queer History Alliance
Documentary Excerpt Screening & Talkback
Thursday, December 1 @ 6:30 -8:30 PM Cost $10
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center
208 West 13th Street
New York City
My Parents Were Awesome by Eliot Glazer April 5th
NEWSFLASH:
Your mom and dad weren’t always parents.
They used to be people—and they were awesome. Eliot Glazer visits The powerHouse Arena (Brooklyn) with his new book based on his popular blog
MY PARENTS WERE AWESOME
to convince you that your parents were once Awesome, too.
TUESDAY, APRIL 5th, 2011.
He’ll be joined by Rachel Shukert, Rachel Sklar, and Dave Itzkoff with stand-up from Giulia Rozzi.
About “My Parents Were Awesome”:
They bathed you. They fed you. They raised you to become the person you are today. Your parents are an integral part of your story. But guess what? They have a story too—one that started long before you entered the picture. Before embarrassing fanny packs and Lite FM, there was a time when Mom and Dad were young and carefree—just like you. They were also fun and flirty, full of hope and desire and effortlessly cool.
Based on the wildly popular website, My Parents Were Awesome shares heartwarming and hilarious essays by sons and daughters—including Jamie Deen, Christian Lander, Dave Itzkoff, Katherine Center, Laurie Notaro, and Holly Peterson—who tell tales of their folks before babies, mortgages, and receding hairlines: the mom and dad who traveled by VW bus to see Led Zeppelin for $1, the grandmother whose halter top and shorts belied her perfect demeanor, the father whose wanderlust passed down to his equally nomadic daughter. Accompanied by treasured vintage photographs, these stories will make you laugh, melt your heart, and spark your own reflections of Mom and Dad.
Best Gay New York.com
Your mom and dad weren’t always parents.
They used to be people—and they were awesome. Eliot Glazer visits The powerHouse Arena (Brooklyn) with his new book based on his popular blog
MY PARENTS WERE AWESOME
to convince you that your parents were once Awesome, too.
TUESDAY, APRIL 5th, 2011.
He’ll be joined by Rachel Shukert, Rachel Sklar, and Dave Itzkoff with stand-up from Giulia Rozzi.
About “My Parents Were Awesome”:
They bathed you. They fed you. They raised you to become the person you are today. Your parents are an integral part of your story. But guess what? They have a story too—one that started long before you entered the picture. Before embarrassing fanny packs and Lite FM, there was a time when Mom and Dad were young and carefree—just like you. They were also fun and flirty, full of hope and desire and effortlessly cool.
Based on the wildly popular website, My Parents Were Awesome shares heartwarming and hilarious essays by sons and daughters—including Jamie Deen, Christian Lander, Dave Itzkoff, Katherine Center, Laurie Notaro, and Holly Peterson—who tell tales of their folks before babies, mortgages, and receding hairlines: the mom and dad who traveled by VW bus to see Led Zeppelin for $1, the grandmother whose halter top and shorts belied her perfect demeanor, the father whose wanderlust passed down to his equally nomadic daughter. Accompanied by treasured vintage photographs, these stories will make you laugh, melt your heart, and spark your own reflections of Mom and Dad.
Tuesday, April 5 · 7:00pm – 9:00pm @ The Powerhouse Arena
37 Main Street in D.U.M.B.O. Brooklyn, NY
There will be a Q&A, as well as readings from Dave Itzkoff, Rachel Shukert, and Rachel Sklar, and stand-up comedy courtesy of contributor Giulia Rozzi.
There will also be wine!
Free wine! Like Ancient Greece!
· Originally created as a website with over 10,000 submissions, 1,600 postings, and 1.2 million unique visitors myparentswereawesome.com is an Internet phenomenon; The site became an instant hit, with features on NPR’s All Things Considered, Fox News, ABC News and more. And now Glazer combines the spontaneity and nuance of old photographs with stories by sons and daughters in a heartwarming collection of essays.
· MY PARENTS WERE AWESOME is now a book published by Random House and includes 40 essays with pictures of moms and dads from authors including the son of Paula Deen, New York Times columnist Dave Itzkoff, Onion News Network writer Aaron Khefeits, Christian Lander (the author of Stuff White People Like) and many more;
Eliot Glazer is a gay writer, producer, and comedian. He blogs for MTV’s Buzzworthy and is an editor at the humor website Urlesque.com. He performs regularly at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade.
BUY THE BOOK!
Best Gay New York.com
Blaine Anderson Solo Show in Brooklyn
SHO Gallery will present
the work of Brooklyn based
artist Blaine Anderson ,
in a solo show from January 2nd to Jan 16th with a reception on Jan 7th, free and open to the public.
Blaine Anderson Sublimation, Jan. 2-15. Artist Reception Fri, Jan. 7 from 7-10pm.
SHO Gallery @ The Loading Dock
170 Tillary St. Brooklyn NY 11201
Gallery Hours: Tue-Fri, 11-3 & 6-10. Sat-Sun 11-4 & 6-10.
Blaine Anderson’s work draws on the writings of Jean Genet , drawing parallels in the artistic method of personal revelation as a political act. Anderson’s ongoing search for relationship to mentors of an historical nature is performed through an immersion in the works of a particular writer, poet or artist that then affects his drawing and imagery painted in and on the gallery, in an attempt to connect to and collaborate with those who have gone before.
Genet was one of the first writers to use his identity as a homosexual and a thief as a theme for his work. His ability to plumb the depths in order to shed light on those shunned aspects of his personality show courage and strength. His poetic prose was instrumental in his release from prison, when Sartre and Cocteau argued for him and helped publish his work, and helped him transcend and process the gritty experiences that were instrumental in shaping his identity. Genet is duly credited with a major role in the forging of public gay identity through his role in creating many of the stereotypes and fantasies that gay men, to this day, find ourselves identifying with and attracted to even as we attempt to break those molds.
Despite the major changes brought about by events since Stonewall and the progress made by activists though recent decades, society is still confused at how to deal with issues surrounding sexual identity. Anderson works to understand the roots of homophobia, both within and outside of himself and society. Recent events such as the spotlight on school bullying and California’s struggle with gay marriage and Prop 8 confirms the deeply troubled relationship between the troubled homosexual of the past and the proud queers of today. The work on display at SHO Gallery is the visual result of an ongoing attempt to reconcile and confront those political and personal issues and desires that affect each of us.
Best Gay New York.com
Actor Michael Brea a Murderer?
An actor who had bit parts on Ugly Betty and in Step-Up 3D has allegedly murdered his mother with a samurai sword, according to reports.
A black 55-year-old woman identified as Yannick Brea was found dead in a Brooklyn apartment with multiple stab wounds early Tuesday morning, the NYPD confirms.
A black 55-year-old woman identified as Yannick Brea was found dead in a Brooklyn apartment with multiple stab wounds early Tuesday morning, the NYPD confirms.
According to the NYPD, Brea, 31, was overheard screaming bible passages and yelling “repent” during a confrontation with his mother, Yanick Brea, 55. Shortly after, she was found dead of multiple stab wounds.
“EMS responded and prounounced her dead at the scene,” said a police spokesman. Brea, who also had a bit part in Step Up 3D, was taken into custody at the scene and transported to the hospital.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that Brea was holding a Bible when cops arrived at the bloody scene.
The investigation is ongoing. Charges are pending.
Free Gay Comedy in Brooklyn with Chris Doucette
Tickle Me Brooklyn
is a stand-up comedy show hosted by Chris Doucette (NPR/FOX) featuring the best comics in New York City – many of whom have been on Comedy Central, HBO, and more! Everyone is welcome!
The show is FREE.
Our cast for
SEPTEMBER 16 at 8pm:
Ophira EISENBERG!
(Comedy Central)
Calvin CATO!
(Comix Comedy Club)
Jess WOOD!
(Def Comedy Jam)
Nick TURNER! (College Humor) and Nick COBB!(Last Comic Standing)
Each month will feature gay and gay-friendly comics!
The show is on the THIRD THURDAY of each month at 8pm.
Our 2010 dates are:
Sep 16
Oct 21
Nov 18
Dec 16
And it’s all FREE! Such a deal!
The venue is:
Linger Cafe & Lounge
533 Atlantic Avenue
Brooklyn, NY
Phone: 347-689-4813
Linger offers $5 drafts, $4 bottles, and $6 Sake, Champagne, and Sangria. Sandwiches and snacks are also available. It’s swanky/casual – a perfect place for a super fun comedy show.
Take the A/C/G to Hoyt-Schermerhorn or the 2/3/4/5/B/D/M/R/Q/N to Atlantic.
Linger is a 1/2 block away from Atlantic stop!.
TICKLE ME BROOKLYN
Chris Doucette
GUMBO One Year Anniversary with Scott Herman
GUMBO (Gay. DUMBO. Party.) THE ONE-YEAR CELEBRATION
FRIDAY, AUGUST 13 10PM-4AM
Galapagos Art Space 16 Main Street, at Water Street, DUMBO, Brooklyn
F to York Street / A to High Street
$5…. $10 after 12AM
FEATURING: Scott Herman (The Real World: Brooklyn) GUMBO Bartender-for-a-Cause
Benefiting Brooklyn Community Pride Center
DJ Scotty Rox 2 bars + 2 floors + Stage Dancing
Resident Stylist Lynsey Free Haircuts til Midnight
Photographer Michael Popp ‘Popp Pics’ on Stage
The House of Ninja & Mykel Special Midnight Floguing Performance
2-for-1 drinks [10:30-11PM] + [12-12:30AM]
GUMBO Guest Birthday Party
E-mail: birthday@gumbonyc.com
if you’ve got a birthday in August – and WIN a party on August 13 at GUMBO!
Gay Blogger Nathan Manske Hits The Road with 50 State LGBT Stories Tour
New Yorker Nathan Manske,
creator of
Im From Driftwood.com
and one of The Advocate’s Forty Under 40,
recently announced a 50-state “Story Tour” to collect, publish and broadcast true LGBT stories from across the country.
The IFD team will set out in September on a 4-month tour of the U.S. with the goal of bringing IFD off the computer screen and into America. Along the way, they will meet the many faces of LGBT America, bringing their stories to the world through videos, audio stories and written word.
IFD is an award-winning website that collects true LGBT stories from all over the world–from the smallest towns to the biggest cities–to help gay youth feel not so alone.
Throughout the 50-state tour, IFD will have readings at cafes, bookstores, bars, community centers, college campuses and other venues where they will share stories from IFD and talk about the site and its purpose. Along the way, they will be filming and recording video and audio stories from LGBT people they meet across the country.
Throughout the journey, IFD will have a regular blog page chronicling their adventures. (and possibly we’ll be posting some things here as well!) Marquise Lee, IFD’s Video Editor and founder of Crush Deviant Productions will film the journey and make short YouTube videos about their progress. As the Story Tour progresses, they will publish regular video webisodes as well as written updates about their journey.
But first…they need your help.
In order to fund the story tour, IFD has launched a fundraising campaign, where they hope to raise $15,000 through small donations and fun incentives (check out their KickStarter page for more details). That won’t be enough money for the entire 4-month Tour but it will be enough to get started. They’re also hoping to make the entire experience as interactive as possible. The IFD team is taking requests of where to visit and even asking people to open up their guestroom or couches.
IFD knows LGBT people are everywhere.
You know LGBT are everywhere.
After this Road Trip, LGBT youth will know it, too.
We have been watching Nathan’s site for over year now, and this guy is going places!
Please help him out and support this project!
Nathan Manske is the creator and editor of the gay, true-stories website I’m From Driftwood. He was recently named one of The Advocate’s Forty Under 40 in 2010 for his work on the groundbreaking blog. Nathan is indeed from Driftwood, Texas, but has lived in Brooklyn, New York since 2003. Before creating I’m From Driftwood, he spent 4 years as a full-time copywriter, working first at Hanft Raboy & Partners, then Berlin Cameron & Partners, and has fortunately been able to combine his personal passions with his profession.
His Chemistry.com television commercials raised awareness as well as eyebrows by taking on eHarmony’s discriminatory policies towards gays and lesbians. eHarmony has since changed their policies. He also found a way to actually get paid for being a geek by writing the third X-Men film’s interactive website for 20th Century Fox. Find him on Facebook !
GUMBO – First ever Gay Party DUMBO in Brooklyn August 13th
Thursday, August 13th
Party: 8pm-1am
Admission: FREE
@Galapagos Art Space16 Main Street
(@ Water Street)
DUMBO, Brooklyn
F train to York Street
A train to High Street
Located at the first stop in Brooklyn, GUMBO is DUMBO’s first gay party! The offbeat Galapagos Art Space welcomes all guys and girls for this fun, anti-scene, night out. “Manhattanites” welcome.
Hosted by Ben Harvey, Matthew Kelleher & Andrew Urankar
With Hedrick-Martin Institute (HMI)
Music by DJ Nomi (of Jessica 6 and Hercules & Love Affair).
*2-4-1 drinks from 8pm-9pm.
*Free haircuts all night by the Galapagos resident stylist.
New York Photo Festival May 13-17 – Gay Men Play with Chris Boot
The goal of the New York Photo Festival is to document the future of photography in all its forms. The group of internationally-respected curators will deliver their personal vision of the newest and most important trends in contemporary photography, each exhibited in their own pavilion and promising to draw the attention of the entire photographic community.
“This year, we are thrilled to introduce an exciting new three-part series of daytime programming called “GAY MEN PLAY – with Chris Boot” led by the NYPH’09 Curator, Chris Boot. Seating is going to be very limited, so book early!!” Gay Men Play, promises to be provocative, charged and unlike anything else exhibited during the Festival. Of course, I am limited as to what I can show you here! You can see more of the exhibition and presentation at NYPH
Boot cleverly mixes the work of established photographers and artists with that of non-professional photographers. There are portraits by Stefan Ruiz, who documented gay party weekends from a mobile studio on the streets of San Francisco and Berlin. There are also images culled from gay networking websites by Chris Clary, whose exhibition also features images by another 10 photographers shown on digital screens.
Chris Boot is a London-based publisher and editor of photography books who explores the contemporary photographic representation of gay sex and gay recreational sexual identities.
(Photo-“Charles”, by Stephan Ruiz, from San Francisco Berlin curated by Chris Boot, New York Photo Festival 2009)
For complete programming, schedules and tickets please visit
NYPH.
The New York Photo Festival HQ is located at:
37 Main Street
Brooklyn, New York directions
The neighborhood: Dumbo
What is DUMBO?
What is DUMBO?
