Lady Gaga Marriage Equality Benefit at House of Blues Showboat Atlantic City
Out in AC, the lesbian, gay, bi-Sexual and transgender signature event brand of Harrah’s Entertainment in Atlantic City, NJ, will feature a “Hands Up for Marriage Equality” benefit on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at Club Worship in the House of Blues at Showboat, hosted by LGBT advocate, Lady Gaga.
Lady Gaga has been an outspoken supporter of LGBT equality, joining the call for full civil rights protections for LGBT people at the National Equality March in Washington, D.C. last October and declaring her opposition to all homophobia and sexism in the music industry.
In a statement today announcing the event Lady Gaga commented “I am honored to be able to continue to raise awareness and money for this cause and these outstanding organizations. Organizations like these are in the trenches every day working on behalf of all of us whether you are LGBT or straight. Equal and full civil rights are supposed to be for all of us.”
In addition to the famed pop star, fans and supporters can take to the dance floor as DJ’s Michael DeCero and Vito Fun will rock the decks at Club Worship.
Doors open at 10pm,
admission is a minimum donation of $20 at the door.
There will be no advance ticket sales and you
must be at least 21-years-old with valid identification.
Most importantly, one hundred percent of admission to this event will benefit Empire State Pride Agenda, Equality Pennsylvania, Garden State Equality, and The Power.
Four organizations whose mission is to advocate and empower the LGBT Community and Marriage Equality efforts in the Tri-State region and beyond.
For more information on this event and the organizations,
please visit the following websites:
Equality Pennsylvania is the leading statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) advocacy and civil rights organization in Pennsylvania.
Garden State Equality is the largest advocacy organization in New Jersey, LGBT or otherwise.
Founded in 1990, the Empire State Pride Agenda is New York’s statewide civil rights organization committed to achieving full equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) New Yorkers and our families.
The Power is an online organizing network that empowers grassroots and netroots activists from every state in the country and from all over the world to fight for equal rights for LGBT people.
About “Out in AC” and Harrah’s Entertainment-
Harrah’s Entertainment participates in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate Equality Index, which rates Fortune 500 companies in offering equal benefits, training, and protections for LGBT employees. We are the first and only gaming entertainment company to achieve a perfect score, which we’ve done twice – making Harrah’s a “Best Places to Work for LGBT” company. Additionally, Harrah’s is the only gaming entertainment company to endorse the Employment Non-Discrimination Act on a Federal Level. Harrah’s also maintains long standing partnerships with organizations such International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association(IGLTA) and National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA). The Harrah’s Foundation has supported the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation for several years.
The Best of Gay New York and New Jersey!
Broadway Hottie of the Month Tyrick Wiltez Jones at Gay Life NYC.org
Started by New Yorker Mike Cavnaugh just this past November, Gaylifenyc.org is a non-profit AIDS Health Resources website with Entertainment News and On The Town updates. It’s also dedicated to helping people getting around, get through and get over the system that hinders timely assistance for the newly diagnosed & people living with HIV/AIDS. And it’s dedicated to entertaining you, and keeping your spirits up where they should be.
“I was diagnosed about 2 years ago and found the system difficult and cumberson,” explains Mike. “So I wanted to bring together all the resources someone would need, under one umbrella. And mix in entertainment and video to provide a fun online experience.”
“It’s really a one-man show right now! But I am growing and volunteers are helping. Jesse Archer is a great friend and he helps a lot with many of the interviews. Our hottie of the month has been really popular and with the upcoming dance season we are expanding to include a dancer of the month. I have been talking with a chef who wants to start a healthy cooking show for people with living with HIV.”
Last month Nick Adams , (who we can never get enough of, and will make up any reason to run a shirtless photo of him!) was featured on their site and this month we meet Tyrick Wiltez Jones from Finians Rainbow. Later today an interview will get posted with the gay comedy writer/actor Bruce Vilanch.
SEE THIS — Arts /Theatre reviews, openings
GET HELP — Resource pages give you quick links and information on getting assistance, free confidential testing and medical services regardless of your ability to pay.
Mike partnered with 5 New York City resources to help people diagnosed with HIV. Everything from getting help with medicine and housing to food assistance is available.
GayLifeNYC is new, but growing at leaps and bounds. But they need help spreading the word and can always use volunteers.
Help us help others! We are looking for dedicated people to help with marketing, filming, promotion, on-air talent, interns, lawyers any anyone else who just wants to make a difference.
DONATE– PLEASE CONTACT MIKE AT 646 872-5239
or email gaylifenyc @ Yahoo.com
Check out GayLifeNYC on YouTube too!
The Best of Gay New York
No Pants Day Subway Ride with Improve Everywhere
The event started 8 years ago in New York City where participants with bare legs were required to mingle with other– equally half-naked– travelers.
Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. Created in August of 2001 by Charlie Todd, Improv Everywhere has executed over 85 missions involving thousands of undercover agents. The group is based in New York.
The annual event encourages riders to strip down to their underwear on the Subway as they go about their normal routine.
The event’s organizers, Improv Everywhere, said that as many as 3,000 people participated in the “No Pants Day” event in New York alone, with more participating in other cities including Chicago and Washington DC. It is estimated as many as 44 similar events took place in transit systems in 16 countries!
According to its official website, Improv Everywhere is a long form improvisation troupe that executes pre-planned “missions” or performances that usually involve socially awkward or unusual situations.
Some commuters who participated in “No Pants Day” said they got phone calls from friends or invitations to join the event on Facebook.
The first Friday in May is another “No Pants Day”. But no pants in the Winter is a little funnier and crazier!
It is said that earlier versions of No Pants date back to the 1990’s.
Justin Utley at the Stonewall this Week! Thursday January 14th
He tells NEXT MAGAZINE, “My music comes before my sexual preference,” he demurs, before listing the various gay-related foundations his album proceeds support including HRC and The Empire State Pride Agenda. “I’m sending my message to anyone who can apply it to their situation.” And, as an ex-Mormon from Utah who spent the first part of his life as a spiritual ascetic and the second discovering himself and his sexuality, his message is clearly one of identity and continuously evolving self-awareness—a message not so foreign to the gay ear.
Catch him live this week
The Stonewall on Thursday January 14th at 9pm
53 Christopher Street
The Best of Gay New York
Remembering Gilbert Stafford…Tuesday January 19th at Hiro New York
Writer, actor, singer and personality, this elegant, witty man brought something to the doors of clubs including Danceteria, Area and Crobar that had never been seen before. He described his own personal style as Gay Brooks Bothers!
A friend remembers…Gilbert was a true NYC legend. He was there at the door of Sanctuary when I walked in in 1972, he was there at the door when I entered through the thresholds of New York New York, The (original) Loft, Cowboys & Cowgirls, Disco Inferno, The Saint, Limelight, Roxy and most every other club that opened or operated between 1970 and 2000. I never saw him be mean or rude to anyone and yet he always told you just how it was. Gilbert was one of the most stylish and sophisticated people I ever met. He made friends easily and kept them for decades. His gentle way and sexy demeanor broke a lot of hearts and he was a true unique and one-of-a-kind man and I know he will be missed by generations of people who were lucky enough to have known him.
Gazelle remembers…nobody could say dahhhhling like Gilbert, he had a sharp wit, he was a writer, he had class and sophistication, he loved hats, good shoes, loved furs, he knew how to work pastel colors, loved yellow, we shared a common taste for opera, boy did he liked cocktails, I loved the way he would roll his eyes… at the door, he was straight to the point, and liked people to be dressed up, to be beautiful. Gilbert understood what is VIP like few do, and he knew how to make people feel like royalty, he knew all the “crowds”, he was theatrical but not over dramatic, one time he surprised me by telling me that he had “the only job where the customer was always wrong”, which it took me a while to understand…
He is being remembered in Los Angeles, Miami and New york City.
The NYC memorial will be held at Hiro Tuesday January 19th at 8pm sharp.
Hiro Ballroom is located within the Maritime Hotel on
9th ave between 16 and 17 street:
Hiro Cocktail Lounge 88 9 Avenue (212) 727-0212
Dress to impress, Gilbert always dressed up for us so lets return the favor.
The Best of Gay New York
Spains AXEL Hotel Brings Their Gay Hotel to New York City
NEW YORK CITY!
The Spanish hotelier Axel Hotels will bring its gay hotel chain to New York City in 2011.
In 2003, Axel Hotel Barcelona was the first hotel in the Axel Hotels chain and the first city designer hotel aimed at the gay community. Axel Hotel Barcelona is a trend-setter and has become an international reference for gay accommodations.
Now with 3 gay hotels under their belt, the company has decided to turn their attention to the United States. Renate Siebenhofer, development director of the hotel chain, confirmed the group’s plans to open its fourth five-star hotel in the U.S.
“We are pleased to inform you that we have been able to identify a site in New York we consider spot-on for our group: The AXEL HOTEL NEW YORK will be located in Hell’s Kitchen and is slated to open its doors to the public in spring 2011,” Siebenhofer said.
Designer chic rooms and outstanding personalized, genuine and professional service catering to guests requirements and anticipating their needs, have earned them quite a reputation in Europe. In fact, Axel Hotel Barcelona has been chosen the “best gay hotel in the world” by the readers of prestigious travel magazine The Out Traveler (USA). Through the annual survey Reader’s Choice Awards, hundreds of readers voted for the Axel Hotel Barcelona to put it in the ranking’s top position.
The hotel chain’s ambitious plans include three additional U.S. hotels to be built in its most gay-friendly cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami.
Amsterdam, London, Paris and Miami are considered high priority projects.
The Best of Gay New York
End of an Era…Tavern on the Green Closes
The legendary New York restaurant Tavern on the Green closed its doors after serving a last supper and hosting a New Year’s party.
The iconic spot on the western edge of Central Park will undergo major renovations under a new operator and may even retain its famous name, but to many patrons, this is indisputably the end of an era. The LeRoy family was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2009 after losing a bidding war for to another proprietor, Dean Poll, who also owns the Boathouse Restaurant in Central Park. Once the restaurant closes all operations, its contents will be auctioned off by Guernsey’s auction house.
As part of the 20-year license to operate the restaurant, Poll is expected to invest $25 million on renovations.
While maintaining the Victorian historic features of the building, Poll’s plan is to incorporate green building technology as well as replacing the kitchen and electrical and plumbing systems. The renovations, which are expected to take four years, will be conducted in phases so the restaurant can remain open.
It was never known for it’s food – but yet the restaurant became the destination for anniversaries, birthdays and family affairs, It served more than 500,000 people a year, an average of 1,400 dinners a night. Tourists eagerly descended upon the eatery for the crab cakes, wedge salad, salmon and parmesan-crusted chicken.
Andrew Knowlton, restaurant editor for Bon Appetit magazine, said the restaurant has never been the greatest venue for foodies. “When you’re serving 2,000 meals a deal, I don’t care if you’re [chef] Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Daniel Boulud, you just can’t put out that much of a volume and have top quality food.”
CNN ran a great historical piece this about the restaurant and the LeRoy Family.
GET FIT in 2010 with Scott Herman Fitness
It’s almost time for those Healthy New Year’s Resolutions!
I hope everything is going well and you’re ready for 2010.
Our buddy Scott Herman has been helping lots of people get in shape.
He has his own Channel on YouTube where he teaches fitness for free. He has At Home routines, demonstrates how to use the machines in the gym, and will help you reach your goal whether it is to gain muscle, tone, or lose weight.
His latest video was #1 top favorite on YouTube last week, “Be a 10 in 2010 with my Holiday Abs Routine (Home & Gym)”.
He has a ton of great information. Here are some of the videos he sent us to start with.
1. How To Maintain Your Body: Video
2. Proper Eating Habits: Video
3. The Alcohol and Fitness Mix: Video
4. The Secret To Great Abs: Video
Just go to Scott Herman Fitness on Youtube and check out the playlists on the right side of the page. He has machine demonstrations, dumbbell exercises, all kinds of stuff.
These At Home workouts are great too:
1. The At Home Thanksgiving Aftermath Workout. Video
2. Homeland Muscularity- With my Military Style Workout (Home & Gym) Video
3. Exercise Ball = Stronger Core: With my Core Workout (Home & Gym) Video
The best thing about it is that you can create a YouTube account for free and subscribe to him and each week and when he posts a new video, it will show up on your YouTube account.
He loves fitness and helping people reach their goals.
Visit Scott Herman’s website
The Best of Gay New York
Michael Aronov’s MANIGMA Returns Off-Broadway
Manigma will be staged from January 15 to March 13, at the Clurman in Theatre Row, located at 410 West, 42nd Street (between Ninth and Tenth Avenue). Tickets are available by calling (212) 279-4200. For more information, visit MANIGMA
Michael Aronov’s MANIGMA was a LGBT favorite in 2006. The show is being reincarnated this month, now directed by LAByrinth Theater’s artistic director Stephen Adly Guirgis (Jesus Hopped the A-Train dir. by Philip Seymour Hoffman).
The controversial solo show from highly acclaimed thespian Michael Aronov (Miss Julie, Mauritius, Spain) will begin at the Harold Clurman Theater on Theatre Row January 15 – March 13.
Manigma depicts six distinct characters-all performed by Aronov: “Chacha” – the saucy and resilient cabaret performer embracing her nasty past; “Sasha” – the beefy old-world immigrant hungry for a companion but stuck in his ways; “Frick” – the introverted penny collector who misses his mom; “T” – the thug from the streets who demands a revolt; “Pinchy” – the vulnerable self-helper hunting for courage; and “Rick” – the uninhibited wild man who urges us to abandon and live. These troubled opposites represent extrapolated versions of the actor’s own personality. The show highlights the inner conflict of these disparities and then embraces them, celebrating the complexities that make us unique.
His diverse look, intensity and multi-ethnic background have allowed him to be a chameleon on stage and screen. From the classics to contemporary cinema, Michael Aronov continues to carve out a career that celebrates the rich character work of the sixties and seventies.
Pam Ann Final New York Shows Just Added For Joes Pub
LAST CHANCE TO SEE HER!
Glitzy airline hostess comedian Pam Ann is returning to the Big Apple and is bringing her popular stand-up show to Joe’s Pub 12/27 thru 12/31.
Pam is very well known within the airline industry. Her targeted audience is usually pilots, flight attendants, travel agents and of course loyal fans who have been following her career.
Pam Ann is the comic creation of Australian comedian Caroline Reid. An emerging icon in pop culture, she portrays the air hostess Pam Ann, a mixture of comedy, camp and glamour and a pun on the legendary airline Pan Am.
Performances tend to emphasis on the vulgarities of air travel including the identifying quirks of various airlines around the world mixed with a generous dose of ribald humor and double entendre.
Pam Ann at Joes Pub TICKETS
Best of Gay New York
Schmitty and Pudge – Yorkies Twittering and Tweeting in Manhattan for Charity
Even more unbelievable – the two cute Yorkies were taking pet trick requests from followers on Twitter who were watching online from all over – even Egypt and Japan.
This Friday and Saturday, Dec, 11th and 12th, Schmitty and Pudge will once again be taking pet trick requests on Twitter in the store window of Lee’s Art Shop in Manhattan to benefit pets in need. Some of the popular requests also include their show stopping “Ring the Bell” trick, hide & seek, play dead, roll over, and speak. Passers-by and online followers alike even enjoy watching them sleep – which they do a lot. Schmitty & Pudge are becoming America’s real live virtual pets.
Besides taking donations, Schmitty’s Healthy Do’s & Don’ts 2010 calendar along Schmitty’s signature New Yorkie products sold at Lee’s Art Shop and online, they are giving a portion of the proceeds to Bobbi & The Strays – a local no-kill animal shelter. Lee’s Art Shop is matching the funds raised during the “New Yorkie In The Window” event.
Schmitty The Real New Yorkie is no stranger to giving back. Through her line of New Yorkie Greeting Cards, this five pound Yorkshire terrier began raising money for the Uniformed Firefighters Association Scholarship Fund after 9/11. Now through the Dogs Who Care Foundation, started in response to Hurricane Katrina, Schmitty The Real New Yorkie raises money to help pets in need find loving homes.
Schmitty has been on The Ellen Show, ACCESS Hollywood, Fox & Friends – even Japanese TV to bark about DOGS WHO CARE. A portion of the proceeds from all Schmitty’s products goes to Dogs Who Care to help pets in need across the country.
SCHMITTY
All I Want For Christmas is … Cazwell and Amanda….. Tonight
The ever-adorable, super-sexy, hot gay rapper is back with TONIGHT – with a little cameo by the seductively sexy Amanda Lepore!
Ever since meeting those 2 in Atlantic City this year, Best Gay New York has been trying to get them to sit down, for 15 minutes! To talk about their projects! Coming soon – in 2010! Watch for it.
For now – (GIVE ME) TONIGHT Cazwell Video from the album WATCH MY MOUTH.
The Best of Gay New York
Adam Lambert Shows up at SPLASH BAR SBNY While in New York for The View
You gotta love Adam Lambert and his PR/Media machine! But poor Kris Allen, who we adore, and was the crowned American Idol winner last season, just can’t keep up with Adam and his antics.
Adam, who was runner-up, has been in the media eye consistently the last few months. Hob nobbing with celebrities, popping into hot spots and WeHo clubs, those outrageous anticsat the AMA, and this week stopping by Splash Bar SBNY.
Michael Musto reports they were making the rounds: “‘He was getting crazy attention,’ reports my friend, who observed and overheard Adam and his group and decided they seemed to be going on to the cruise bar Barracuda!”
A guest at Broadway World gushes: “What I thought was just going to be a regular night at Musical Mondays at SPLASH Bar turned-out to be pretty exciting. Around 9:30pm, none-other-than Adam Lambert himself comes strolling in! With about 3 friends, he moved to the back of the bar into a booth. And… a million cell phones immediately whipped out texting friends and updating their Twitter/Facebook statuses. I got the balls to walk over and say hi (thanks to a great friend who pulled me into the booth). He is much skinnier than I thought he would be. Glam black make-up. Black crow hair coiffed to high-heaven. Black fingertip-less gloves, black shirt and pants, long dangly chain around his neck…. (Love child of Liza and Joanne Worley?!) BUT SOOOO SWEET IN PERSON!
Lambert was in town for THE VIEW. After taking heat from Adam Lambert’s fans and gay advocates for a week, ABC extended an olive branch of sorts to the “American Idol” runner-up who made headlines with his provocative AMA performance.
ABC had canceled Lambert’s scheduled appearances on “Good Morning America” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and stopped considering him for “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” which drew thousands of complaints from viewers and gay advocates who believed the network was retaliating against him because he is gay.
Adam is also on Bab Walters – 10 Most Fascinating People tonight, Dec. 9th. And then on So You Think You Dance, next Wednesday, 16th. – Kris Allen is on So You Think You Can Dance tonight.
The AMA was probably the best thing that ever happened to Adam!
Best of Gay New York
Love and Licenses: Gay marriage and Border Passes – Conquering Love in Israel January 6th
Artists 4 Israel, Inc. (A4I) presents one night of two plays about the finding true love and, then, controlling and regulating it within the political and religious dystopia of Israel.
One night only – New York City –
January 6, 2010 –
Discussing gay marriage and cross-border affairs, Love and Licenses is poised to shock with its honest and unapologetic portrayal of love under restrictions. In this Off Broadway production, Israel is on trial. Tempering the visceral, raw emotion with complex subtleties and nuance, however, Love and Licenses premieres two plays that offer no easy critique. Neither the critic nor the supporter of Israel will find succor for long as the plays offer insightful and thought-provoking reviews of a complex situation. And, that is what theater should do – evoke dialogue and create joyous discomfort.
Te Busco, a solo show written and performed by Amir Levi, is the coming of age story about a young man who discovers that he is destined to be the next matriarch of his family. The play journeys through his mother and grandmother’s stories of how they met their romantic partners, as he discovers how his own story relates to theirs. It’s about love, fate, destiny and most importantly, motherhood. It’s the classic coming-of-age story with a new twist. The show, approximately 60 minutes, revolves around three characters: the protagonist (Amir) and his Mexican mother and grandmother, whose words are taken verbatim to keep the authenticity of the stories.
At A Loss begins with a missing corpse and ends with a beautiful love story for those who believe in fate, albeit two generations delayed. After traveling with her grandmother across America for two weeks, an Israeli woman finds herself stuck in the small town of Goodview, Virginia with a direction-less grocery store manager and the incompetent DHL deliveryman responsible for losing her grandmother’s dead body. To add to her helplessness: they can’t understand a word she says. As the scenes go back and forth in time we learn this trip, the random meeting of the grocery store manager, and the grandmother’s death might not be just coincidences, but perhaps all part of God’s “master plan.”
Both plays are being shown for the first time on stage in their completeness. The freshness of the plays is ably handled by a talented and veteran cast and two senior directors with an eye for detail.
Hosted by Artists 4 Israel, this is a bold move for a young organization to seek such a respected Off Broadway theater to host its inaugural production. However, A4I has already attempted to understand and share the complexities of Israel through graffiti, street art and fashion and proven successful.
“Beautifully Effective, Shockingly Creative”
45 Bleecker Street Theatre
TICKETS –
SPECIAL TO BEST GAY NEW YORK READERS!
Go to Broadway Offers enter code BLEECKER and SAVE!
About Artists 4 Israel, Inc. – Artists 4 Israel is a community of creative individuals working together in an ongoing, collaborative project expressing Israel’s right to exist in peace and security.
The Best of Gay New York
SNAXX Party to Benefit The Center December 11
a seven year anniversary party for SNAXX . The 7EVEN YEAR ITCH featuring DJs Rich King and Gustavo on the main floor and a SNAXX ALL-STAR LOUNGE with past Snaxx guest djs Joey Falcone, Paul Ferrer, Javier Peral and Bill Pfeiffer. Also coming back for the reunion will be SNAXX legend Paul Short on the door. The Best of Gay New York
DJs Rich King and Gustavo and
DSG Entertainment Group announce
SNAXX: the 7EVEN YEAR ITCH
Friday, DECEMBER 11thRebel, NYC
251 w 30th @ Eighth
From 10 pm to 4 am $15
This event is not only an anniversary for Rich and Gustavo’s long running Chelsea party for dudes, it is also a celebration of their new partnership with Derek Scott Graves (DSG) and a launch for their new monthly SNAXX dance event. Look for parties up and down the Eastern Seaboard, in DC, Baltimore, Philly, Pittsburg, Boston and beyond.
Having a seven year history of collaboration with the LGBT Center of New York and their monthly Dance208 parties, the 7EVEN YEAR ITCH is also a blowout benefiting The Center and their continued service to the NYC community.
The boys and Derek will bring the party back to NYC to benefit the Center at Rebel, the outer Chelsea club, home to a broad spectrum of parties gay, straight and in between, every third month.Derek Scott Graves, founder of DSG Entertainment Group has worked extensively with Clubland’s big guns and die-hard legends and organizations: Peter Rauhofer, Junior Vasquez, Saint-at-Large, Star69, Pill Awards, the OutMusic awards, even the Eagle! Now DSG is excited to partner with Rich and Gustavo and SNAXX to form a power triad bringing quality shenanigans to a disco near you.
SNAXX founder, Rich King, has been going at it in NYC for many years. Launching SNAXX at the East Village bar the Hole, he made a brief run at the now defunct Slide then landed in the basement of Chelsea’s Westside Tavern. Shortly there after he pulled in hot Brasilian DJ Gustavo Motta to play for the slightly bigger and hirsute denizens of SNAXX. Working under the tagline FUN, FRIENDLY, FURRY, FOXXY, these two continue to bring a speakeasy vibe alternate Fridays to their burly boite. Together they have a long-standing reputation for bringing new music and a great party to those in need. Besides their regular SNAXX, they have thrown six years of SUPERSNAXX, a gay pride blowout at Cielo. The past two summers have seen them take the show to the shore with SUMMERSNAXX by the Sea gigs at the legendary Ice Palace in Cherry Grove and the Paramount in Provincetown.
Make 2010 Your Best Year Yet With Tips From The Gay Life Coach
As a life coach, it’s not surprising that January is my busiest month. It’s a time of new beginnings and as people begin to fail at their New Year’s resolutions, my phone rings off the hook.
When I’m working with these new clients, I am asked many of the same questions by gay men who want to explore and expand their lives. In the spirit of giving you a head start, here are some strategies I take them through to help them address a few of the big issues.
What Is The Purpose Of My Life?
Here are 5 steps that are a surefire way to start finding out:
- Scour culture for 20 people you admire because of who they are or what they do. Tape their pictures on your bedroom wall and contemplate them every morning and night.
- Email 20 of your friends and ask them what they think your purpose is.
- Study pictures of yourself from birth to the pictures still in your camera and identify themes. Are you leading? Are you helping? Are you joking? Are you creating? You get the idea.
- Write a life purpose statement over and over until it ignites passion every time you read it. Mine is: The purpose of my life is to simplify and amplify lives and have a blast doing it.
- Print out your final Life Purpose statement and hang it everywhere.
- Make decisions based on this statement and soon…you will be living your purpose.
Where Is The Love of My Life?
This is the most frequent question I get from clients. I always make sure that a client’s internal house is in order before sending them out into the dating marketplace. But once you’re clean, clear and confident on the inside, pretty much every man becomes a man magnet. Here are some tricks of the trade in getting you relationship ready:
- List the feelings you want to experience inside a relationship – love, trust, passion, etc.
- Throw away the list of requirements you have secretly stored in your brain or iPhone – physical, financial or behavioral. 90% of my clients say, “I would never have picked him because he didn’t fit my criteria, but he’s definitely the one.”
- Always Be Looking – He may be online, but he’s more likely in yoga class, at the DMV or the post office. Learn to flirt and DO NOT cruise. They serve very different purposes.
- Create a vision board that represents the relationship you want – NOT the man you want. Imagine yourself in that relationship every day as you look at the board.
- Let go of the “when” and the “how.” Your job is to be clear on the type of relationship you want and to put yourself in the path of as many quality men as you can. Your smiling face and the universe will do the rest.
How Can I Actually Reach My Goals?
There’s a simple model that works very well when setting reachable goals called the S.M.A.R.T. method. When creating goals, make sure each of them is:
- Specific
Be precise about what you want to achieve, e.g., make $10,000 more this year or have mind-blowing sex 3 times per week.
- Measurable
You can’t empirically measure the goals “Be happier” or “Worry less.” But you can measure, “Increase my happiness level from 5 to 9 in 3 months by tracking my happiness level in a daily journal.”
- Actionable
Many clients want other people or an external factor to be different. You can only change your behavior. So create goals that reflect what only you can do.
- Reasonable
You will not have 6-pack abs in 6 weeks or double your salary in 3 months. Overzealous goals are disheartening. Dream big but work small.
- Time-Oriented
Every goal (and the individual steps to get there) should be plotted on a calendar. Don’t aspire to “Go to the gym.” Instead, block off time in your calendar to “Go to the gym at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday to do 30 minutes of glutes so I look great naked.”
Regardless of the change you want to make in your life, remember that it takes time, commitment and sometimes a little help to make it all a reality. Have a great New Year!
Mark Strong is a Certified Professional Coach and the founder of The Gay Life Coach. He specializes in helping gay men explore, enhance and expand their lives. For more information on Mark or on how to become a client, visit THE GAY LIFE COACH or call 646.418.0291.
BOYS NIGHT at Made in Heaven Monday November 30th
Made In Heaven, an outrageous new comedy by Jay Bernzweig, tells the story of conjoined twins Max and Benjie who share everything — a life, a career, a penis. But when they plan to propose marriage to their mutual girlfriend, Benjie reveals a secret so big it threatens to tear the brothers apart. Family ties are put to the ultimate test in this irreverent comedy about love in all its various forms — and the messy complications that invariably get in its way.
“A Funny Farce! A Genuinely Silly, Entertaining Romp!“
– New York Post
“A Deliciously Dicey Sex Comedy!“
– TheaterMania
Made In Heaven won the ‘Outstanding Production of a Play Award’ at the 2009 Midtown International Theatre Festival.
BOYS NIGHT OUT Only $39! (includes 2 complimentary drinks*) Monday, November 30th, 2009
- Show at 7PM at the SoHo Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street
- Post-Show Boys Night Reception starts at 8:30PM
- At The Huron Club (directly downstairs from the theatre)
- Includes TWO complimentary drinks (*beer, wine or well drinks only)
Purchase a $39 ticket (reg. $59) to Made in Heaven and receive a voucher for admission to the Post-Show Boys Night reception at The Huron Club, which you will redeem at the party for two drink tickets. Mingle with your fellow theatergoers and meet the cast.
Three Easy Ways To Get Your $39
BOYS NIGHT Tickets to Made in Heaven:
1. ONLINE SoHoPlayhouse.com and enter discount code MHBN
2. PHONE 212-691-1555 and mention discount code MHBN
3. IN PERSON Print this article and bring it to the SoHo Playhouse Box Office, 15 Vandam Street (between Varick St and Sixth Ave)
*If you are unable to attend the Boys Night on Monday, November 30th,
you can still save on another performance by entering code: MHPR2.
THE BEST OF GAY NEW YORK
6th Annual PILL AWARDS Nominees Are Announced!
Underground gay phenomenon ADD-TV celebrates its 6th Year with ‘ADD-TV: Season 6’, with the annual PILL AWARDS.
“The Gay Oscars Have Been Announced:
What a Pill!”-michael musto ’08
Nominees have been confirmed and announced. Presented to you by NEXT Magazine.The PILL AWARDS nominees will be gathered at ARENA nightclub New York City, Sunday January 24th, 2010 where the Voters will determine the winners of the coveted PILL!
PILL AWARDS Season 6 Categories include Best Music Video(several genres), Best Drag, ACTIVIST PILL, SEXY PILL and the VIRGIN PILL. Please check ADD- TV for full Nominations and PILL Categories
*PILL AWARDS: Season 6 -trailer
ADD-TV is billed as ‘Television for People with short attention spans…’ In 6 wildly creative years, this Manhattan gay cable show, has broken into the subculture consciousness of the uber hip gay… prior PILL AWARDS have featured appearances by Cazwell, Peaches Christ, The Ones, and Johnny McGovern, to name but a few. This collection of Gay Performance Superstars and ‘celebgays’ is brought to you by the PILLs Production Team of George Lyter & David P.Morrow from Bi Polar Production, along with Derek Scott Graves of DSG Entertainment Group.
Add Tv on MySpace Add TVYouTube Add TV
“LIFE IS SHORT…TAKE A PILL”
The Best of Gay New York
ZEE BDR and His Blue Flower Project
Someone wrote us recently and asked if we knew what was up with that guy and the blue flower spotted all over Manhattan and this past summer on Fire Island??
Of course darlings, that’s ZEE BDR.
Although we have never met personally, we met through blogging about 2 years ago. He runs a funny blog and the whole thing with the blue flower started kind of a joke, and now has become his trademark!
Bdr moved to New York City eight years ago and since then everyday has been an adventure for him. He sees himself as a “regular gay guy who loves to have fun.” However, Bdr is famous for walking the streets of Fire Island Pines with his digital camera and blue flower in gear. He asks cute, gay men to take a quick picture with his blue flower in their hair and they never turn down his offer. Bdr has become sort of a Facebook sensation as everyone is quick to notice when he adds new photos to his famous “blue flower album.”Bdr also writes a blog where he shares funny, quirky stories about his personal life, his trials, tribulation, romance and drama.
Many of the best idea’s that take off, start out as a joke. And Bdr’s flower project was the same story. “Honestly it started as a joke. I was in Fire Island. My friends wanted to go to a drag show. I had bought the blue flower from a store in case I wanted to use it at the show as a funny accessory. I had a hair pin and it has a clip underneath. I put the blue flower on my head before we went to the show. While we were walking everyone started looking at me and smiling. They were telling me how pretty I looked. My friends wanted to try the blue flower on and I started taking their pictures. At the drag show, all the boys asked me to try it on. After the show we went to Low Tea which is a place for all gay boys to have drinks in the late afternoon in Pines. People went crazy and wanted to try and have their pictures taken. There was literally a line for the blue flower. In two hours, I took over 150 pictures. The process was hilarious and really worth it to watch.”
What does the blue flower actually symbolize? “To tell the truth, the blue flower makes everyone happy. I met so many people through the blue flower… I think the blue flower symbolizes happiness. You don’t need to have expensive things to be happy. One little pretty flower can make you very happy and laugh. It can make your day.” Even with these tough ecomonomic times, Bdr still finds a way to make everyone around him happy. – It’s all about having fun. It’s a conversation starter. Don’t you just hate going out and seeing a room full of gay guys stand and pose, and many of them won’t even return a smile?! Smile, for God’s sake. Be friendly and drop your attitude. Life is too short!
Bdr does not know where this project may take him in the future. “Honestly, I don’t know where this project will go. It is amazingly growing. I did blue flower pictures only in Fire Island. I haven’t even tried in Manhattan yet. So far I have over 400 pictures.
Some people suggested creating a glossy coffee table book. Some others said I should do a blue flower calendar. One blue flower boy a day! I don’t know yet what will happen with my project. I’m just happy everyone loves it. When I walk around Pines, even if I don’t have a blue flower on my head, everyone still notices me. Even if nothing happens in the end, 30 years from now I can look back and say, “Wow! I was the original blue flower boy. I rocked!!”
It’s funny how little things like these can sometimes really take off. Remember the FREE HUGS guy? That concept has now circled the world.
The blue flower photos add to the honesty of Bdr’s blogs. “My blogs name is Z reveals. Through pictures and stories, I’m revealing myself and my life. But you need to know that all the stories are based on true stories, but sometimes to make them funnier, I change some details. ..
I’m writing stories to make my reader laugh, while revealing myself. After I reveal my life, I like to see people’s reactions. I get so many emails from all over the world every day. Some of them are very interesting. Through emails, I become friends with many of them and eventually my readers are turning into my friends because they know so much about me. That’s my most favorite part of blogging. The other favorite part of blogging is that I can get creative the way I want…It is a very great outlook for my creativity.”
Some of Bdr’s favorite blogs include:
“My HOT trainer Adolvis” which is about Bdr’s hot trainer who made him mad, “To the guy who molested me in the subway this morning” and
“All I’m saying, Brazilians have nuts” which is about the time Bdr and his friend got a Brazilian wax.
Bdr states, “There are so many postings I love because there are things I could tell on my blog that nobody could tell freely. It feels so good having this courage and freedom….The persona I created on my blog has as a sharp tongue and no limits to making people laugh.”
Read Z REVEALS
Be his friend on FaceBook!
Photos by Zee Bdr
(portions of this article are from Kevin Casteel and The Examiner)
The Best of Gay New York
