Category Archives: News and Happenings
I’m From Driftwood Launches 50-State LGBT Story Tour
Nathan Manske,
creator of ImFromDriftwood.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. 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!
New Gay Travel Guide
Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner Promises Passengers Arrive at their Destination Refreshed
While not everyone can afford a private jet for their next vacation, thanks to Boeing’s revolutionary technology passengers can travel in luxury without the additional costs.
Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner, whose anticipated launch in late 2010 is expected to revolutionize airplane travel, has found a way to actually reduce passenger fatigue and increase passenger comfort in flight – all through using innovative carbon composite materials.
The carbon composite exteriors can sustain a lower cabin pressure at higher altitudes than previously used aluminum can, and can sustain higher humidity levels, which has been shown to increase passenger comfort.
Higher sweeping ceilings, dynamic lighting, larger lavatories, more spacious luggage bins (not a good idea in my opinion! Passengers now are already trying to bring on luggage that is TOO BIG, to save the checking fee) and larger windows, also made possible by the carbon composite exterior, give a greater sense of welcome to the passenger. Windows, made with electrochromatic glass, can dim with the push of a button.
Boeing Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Albaugh promises that “passengers flying on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner (compared to flying other aircrafts) will feel better when they land.”
I for one am anxious to see this!
Iceland Volcano Grounds Gay International Travelers at Dallas Media Trip This Week
What does the Iceland Volcano
and Dallas Texas have in common?
We were just talking about Iceland and gay marriage 2 weeks ago – now Iceland has taken over the top news stories.
We just got back from an amazing International Press Trip in Dallas, this past Sunday. The Dallas Tavern Guild and various sectors of city flew 9 journalists from all over the world out there and showed us an amazing and informative 5 days and nights.
Three journalists were from overseas, and two of them are still grounded in Dallas because of the chaos the Iceland volcano has caused all over Europe.
Jens Burnicki from Exit Magazine in Germany and JD Van Zyl from Leeds, UK, both got an unexpected extended stay in Texas. But thanks to good old southern hospitality, the guys have made lots of friends and staying with nightclub owners in Dallas and I am told, tomorrow have plans to head to Austin Texas. Hey, as long as they are grounded, they might as well enjoy Texas!
Luckily for Alex Bernardes with VIA G Magazine in Sao Paulo Brazil, he was cleared for take off with the rest of us Sunday. Alex, by the way, will be doing some guest posts for us soon talking about Gay Pride in Sao Paulo, which is the BIGGEST in the world.
Dallas was an amazing time and we’ll be covering the city from different angles and perspectives. We were so impressed by the culture, restaurants and nightlife, we are excited to share all we learned with you, in coming months.
Hope you get home safe soon guys!
Michael Snell and Derrick Sorles
New Gay Travel Guide and Best Gay Cities
Gay Polo Tournaments in Florida and California this Month!
Three years ago Chip McKenney
launched the Gay Polo League because other gay groups bored him — gay lawyers associations and gay business associations, to name a few.
Since then, the Gay Polo League has blossomed into an international organization — the only known gay polo league in the world — with four chapters: Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and one it established in Wellington, Florida, two months ago.
“We are an athletic, adventurous, dedicated and fun loving group. GPL™ members represent a cross section of ages, abilities, professions and physical types. Some of us have been riding for years and some of us never sat on horse before joining the league. Our common ground lies in our shared desire to meet and engage with other gay men and women while enjoying the challenging and beautiful sport of Polo. We are the Gay Polo League.”
On Saturday April 3rd, the first International Gay Polo Tournament will take over fields at Grand Champions Polo Club Palm Beach. Four teams will play, culminating in a championship game at 3 p.m.
“It’s the first event of its kind — that’s huge,” said Mason Phelps, who runs an equestrian media company based in Wellington. “It’s even more important that we’re doing it in Wellington. It’s another venue, another audience.”
More events in April in Los Angeles!
Gay Cruise Heads to the Homophobic Caribbean
My partner and I never want to support or give money to those who don’t have our best interests at heart.
Now I don’t go crazy, trying to verify that every single company I do business with is gay friendly. However, when I know a company is homophobic, I will refuse to spend my money with them.
This week in the news again is the homophobic Caribbean nations. Coming up in April is a cruise to the Bahamas benefiting Miami Beach Gay Pride, that is once again calling attention to the appropriateness of visiting Caribbean nations that appear to be homophobic.
Source Events, a company that specializes in LGBT tours, is donating proceeds to the organization from a cruise aboard the Norwegian Sky that will make stops in Grand Bahama, Nassau and Great Stirrup Bay. The cruise embarks two days after the second annual Pride Parade and Expo in South Beach. – Why they would choose these destinations, is beyond me. And I for one, would refuse to go on this cruise. The Carribean has made it quite clear they do not like gays!
-In 2004 they picketed a Rosie O’Donnell’s Family Vacations cruise.
-In 2006 they baned the film “Brokeback Mountain,”
-In 2007 there was a police raid on a gay cruise party.
-In 2009 there was a jury acquittal of a man who used the “gay panic” defense in the murder of an HIV-positive male.
So if towns are this homophobic, why would we want to stop there? Why would I want to give them my money?
EDGE BOSTON reports, “Representatives of Source Events and Miami Beach Gay Pride acknowledged the problems with anti-gay discrimination in the Bahamas, but defended the cruise.”
“Neither I nor Miami Beach Gay Pride are blind to the fact that homophobia exists in the Bahamas,” Sharon Kersten, a Source Events spokesperson, told EDGE in e-mail. “Perhaps we can be part of the solution, rather than punishing an entire nation for the fears and heinous acts of a small portion of the population.”
“While, yes, it is true there have been incidents of homophobia in the Bahamas, I suspect that whatever town you live in it happens there, too,” Cindy Brown, Miami Beach Gay Pride operations director, said in a phone interview. “There are pluses and minuses to anywhere one could possibly visit. I believe that if we want to make a difference in the way people view us, we can only do that if we allow them to see who we really are.”
There are HUNDREDS of places to take a cruise? Why pick the Caribbean? W T F ?
Read More at EDGE BOSTON.
The BIGGEST Gay Party in The World – Sydney Gay LGBT Mardis Gras
and Europe
are freeeeezing…..
Things are hotter than ever in Australia, as anticipation builds for the 2010 Sydney Gay Mardis Gras!
More than 80 events that span about 3 weeks! With the majority of the highlights taking place the weekends of the 27th February and 6th of March.
Outdoor picnics, dance festivals, John Waters, Whitney Houston in concert, film festivals, Harbour Party, and of course the BIG PARADE with over 100,000 participants!
Mardi Gras knows how to go out with a bang, and in 2010 they are saving the best for last. Sheer queer glamour and unforgettable party mayhem explode over four spectacular venues at the Entertainment Quarter for an all-night, dance-til-dawn fiesta that’s unrivalled worldwide. 20,000 people are expected!
Every year there is usually a famous celebrity to lead the parade. This year is the one and only AMANDA LEPORE! “I’m thrilled and honoured to be invited to be Chief of Parade,” said Lepore in a statement released today. “I can’t wait to be part of the Mardi Gras and celebrations of our community,” she said.
Mardi Gras Party is your wildest night of the year, and 2010 is no exception. Apart from our frenetic lasers, our gorgeous design and the beautiful party people, the DJ line-up is set to treat you to such an aurally delicious and irresistible night that you’ll never leave the dancefloor.
Legendary French house DJ and producer David Guetta will keep you dancing – plus DJ Carl Cox. Voted No.1 DJ of the past 25 years by MixMag and No.1 DJ in the world by DJ Magazine, his night Carl Cox & Friends has been held in Space Ibiza and Heaven London alongside Freemasons, Fatboy Slim and Pendulum.
ART
March 1st. Create a moment in history by shedding your clothing and taking part in The Base, a new large-scale work by internationally renowned installation artist, Spencer Tunick.
This is your chance to participate in Tunick’s first large-scale installation in Sydney, developed especially for the Mardi Gras Festival.
He is best known for his installations that feature large numbers of nude people posed in artistic formations. These installations are often situated in urban locations throughout the world, although he has also has done some “Beyond The City” woodland and beach installations and still does individuals and small groups occasionally. His models are volunteers who receive a limited edition photo as a reward. – Check out the HBO documentaries – available thru Netflix also. THIS WILL BE HUGE!
There are lots of free events to attend and some cost as much as $150 per ticket! So you will want to plan accordingly.
Everything you need to know is online at MARDIS GRAS.org
You can also be their fan on Facebook.
The Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras is Australia’s premier GLBTQ arts, sports and cultural festival. 3 weeks of fun and festivities!
It’s a must-see, must-do for your bucket list!
WATCH THIS VIDEO AND YOU WILL WANT TO RUN BOOK A FLIGHT RIGHT NOW!
The Best Gay Travel Guide
Gay Space Travel – One Step Closer For Mankind Thanks To Richard Branson
Outer Space Travel with VIRGIN
and Richard Branson 1 year ago.
Now it is one step closer!
As Britain’s most visible showman-entrepreneur unveiled his latest creation in the southern California desert this week – a giant fantasy of a flying machine that promises to take tourists out of the Earth’s atmosphere into outer space as soon as 2011 – everything was in place for the aviation equivalent of a glitzy Hollywood premiere. Except the weather.
The Guardian reported, “What he didn’t have, though, was the kindness of the elements. The temperature hovered somewhere just above freezing. Driving rain gave way to howling winds of 50mph and even the occasional flurry of sleet and snow.
VIP guests and “future astronauts” – the 300 or more people who have pledged $200,000 (£122,000) each for a place on board SpaceShipTwo and the chance to boldly go where only a handful of professional space travelers have gone before – were gracious and filled with excitement, nonetheless.”
Branson claims their technology is 50 years ahead of NASA’s. Burt Rutan, the engineering genius who figured out how to build a craft that could re-enter the atmosphere “carefree” without the need for nerve-rackingly precise piloting by either humans or computers, was also on hand.
“This is the sexiest spaceship ever,” Branson declared, mustering what must have been his last few drops of enthusiasm.
Governor Schwarzenegger and Richardson each broke a champagne bottle over the ship’s nose, bestowing upon it the name VSS Enterprise (pure Star Trek, as Virgin Galactic acknowledged), then retreated for the evening.
It’s really all a bit amazing that this project is finally a reality – in under 5 years! Not that we ever doubted the fruition of a project backed by a man such as Richard Branson. The guy is an iconic legend of our time!
SEE MORE AT SE7EN MAGAZINE
Best Gay Travel Guide
HIV Travel Ban to be Lifted January 2010!
As it was, the ban stopped people who have lived legally in this country for years from going abroad out of fear that they would not be allowed back in. The U.S. has been among a dozen countries that bar entry to travelers with visas or anyone seeking a green card based on their HIV status. The law effectively has kept out thousands of students, tourists and refugees and has complicated the adoption of children with HIV.
The ban was put into place in 1987, when it was widely thought that HIV could be spread as easily as a cold. Now many more treatments for the disease exist, and there is no reason to fear that allowing people with HIV into the country will significantly impact its spread.
On a bigger scale, after 22 years, the biennial International AIDS Conference will return to the United States in 2012.
The six-day summit has drawn in recent years about 25,000 HIV/AIDS researchers, medical professionals, activists and policy makers. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced the decision to bring the conference to Washington in 2012 during a White House event on the eve of World AIDS Day.
During the event, Clinton’s condemnation of laws that criminalize being gay drew applause.
“We have to stand against any efforts to marginalize and criminalize and penalize members of the LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender] community worldwide. It is an unacceptable step backwards on behalf of human rights, but it is also a step that undermines the effectiveness of efforts to fight the disease worldwide,” she said.
Immigration Equality, a group that advocates on behalf of LGBT immigrants, said the ban took a heavy toll on the U.S.
“The United States has paid a heavy price, in terms of its reputation in the scientific community, because of its antiquated policies on HIV-positive immigrants and visitors,” Steve Ralls, director of communications for the group, told On Top Magazine in an email.
The new rule goes into effect on January 4!
Researchers in Texas May Have Found a Way to Kill the HIV Virus
Researchers in Texas say they may have found a way to kill the HIV virus. The idea would be used, not only to control the disease for people already infected, but actually prevent infection for anybody who might be at risk!
There is going to be a HUGE piece of news released on December 1st – World Aids Day!
And check this out – Actors, performers, comedians, HIV activists, and scientists come together for this PSA to show support for Covalent Immunology, and Dr. Sudhir Paul. The Cast includes Lady Bunny, Justin Bond, Ben Andrews, Angie Pontani, Kristen Renton, Thea Gill, Wilson Cruz, The Pixie Harlots, and Hydeia Broadbent.
$5 is all it takes – lets face it, a cure and vaccine isn’t gonna come from the big pharma, its gonna come from a brilliant scholar/researcher…DR. PAUL!!
WATCH THE VIDEO
END HIV Covalent Immunology Foundation
READ MORE AT FOX NEWS
Commentary by Lyndon Evans – Focus on the Rainbow
Vote For Tyrone Nell – The Next Mr. Gay South Africa?
The board of directors of Mr. Gay South Africa (Pty) Ltd have announced the launch of the registered and trade-marked Mr. Gay South Africa™ / Mnr Gay Suid-Afrika™ competition in South Africa. This will be a very exciting and most probably the richest pageant of its kind in the country.
The CEO, Mr. Cor Jansen van Rensburg, an MBA-graduate who is based in London, said that the company is looking for a candidate who does not only possess beauty on the outside, but also from within. A gay man of impeccable character, taste and style – and of course – a temple of a body to house these admirable qualities. A candidate of whom the LGBTI community – in all it’s diversity – can be proud of.
The other directors of the company are Juan C. Lerm, well-known in the gay community for launching and organising the annual Pink Loerie Mardi Gras in Knysna and Coenie Kukkuk, Pretoria-based attorney and editor of online magazine, Gayspeak.
Juan as Director of Operations is heading up all operations for the competition including the regional finals, the sponsors, the candidates and of course, the glamorous final event at a very upmarket venue in Gauteng. Details will be announced closer to the event. The final is planned to be before Christmas of this year. Mr Kukkuk is responsible for the media and legal division. The three directors bring many years of experience of events in the gay community to the table.
Candidates who want to enter, can do so online. The first three regional finalists for the Eastern Cape were chosen during the Pink Loerie Mardi Gras. The three outstanding candidates, Chris Macgregor, Tyrone Nell and Leo Jan De Beer, qualified for the final by virtue of their achievement in Mr Mardi Gras. The rest of the regional competitions will be announced soon – keep an eye on the website!
The final event will be something that will attract national attention. It will be stylish, glamorous, packed with celebrities and major sponsors – and of course, entertainment of the best that South Africa can offer.
The Directors said that nothing but the best will do – candidates, prizes, sponsors and the final crowning night.
This is event the LGBTI community will be proud to be associated with.
We are proud supporters of Tyrone Nell, face of Pridebook, Model and role model to the International Gay Community.
Tyrone is 21 years old and lives in Durban, South Africa. He is a business solutions consultant and specializes in implementing quality, health and safety and environmental management systems into organizations.
Tyrone was born in Cape Town and matriculated in Pretoria, he then traveled to London where he started off his modeling career. ‘I still have a lot to achieve and I have set my goals and work towards them every day’.
With a keen interest in the fashion and media industries, Tyrone is set out to reach new heights.
South Africans are able to cast their public votes for Tyrone by texting “GSA Tyrone Nell” to 35215 and if you live abroad then get a friend in South Africa to cast your vote for you!
Let’s help him win!
Mr. Gay South Africa on Facebook.
Tyrone on PrideBook
(Read how he stays in shape!)
Gay Marriage Moves Forward in Vermont! Plus, BEN and JERRY Rename Ice Cream to Celebrate Gay Marriage!
VERMONT!
now becomes yet another progressive state which has risen above the political dogma and says to all Vermonters, welcome, you are all equal in our eyes when it comes to sharing your life with a loved one!
“I think we’re going to look back at this week as a moment when our entire country turned a corner,” said Jennifer C. Pizer, the national marriage project director for the advocacy group Lambda Legal. “Each time there’s an important step forward, it makes it easier for others to follow.”
The issue is also advancing in New Hampshire, where it has passed the state House and is awaiting action by the Senate, as well as in Maine and New Jersey, which are debating same-sex marriage legislation.
BEN AND JERRY, those right-on! US ice-cream makers, have renamed their Chubby Hubby ice cream Hubby Hubby . . . in celebration of the legalisation of gay marriage in the company’s home state of Vermont.
“At the core of Ben Jerry’s values, we believe that social justice can and should be something that every human being is entitled to,” said Walt Freese, CEO of Ben Jerry’s.
Watch Betty Degeneres talk about gay marriage with others…..
Celebrate Gay Pride in Ottawa Canada August 21-30
Ottawa is an open, friendly and welcoming destination for gay and lesbian travelers. Canada’s Capital has an LGBT pedigree that extends back to the first-ever gay and lesbian public demonstration in Canada (1971), and that in recent years included perhaps the most public gay marriage of all time between two gay stars of the TV program The Amazing Race.
Today, Ottawa is home to a proud and active gay and lesbian community with an ever-expanding variety of clubs, organizations, activities and events – including a very boisterous annual Pride Week celebration – that reflects the diversity of the local community.
The centre of gay and lesbian life is the area around Bank Street and Somerset in the downtown core. The growing gaybourhood has shops and bars and is the home base for local institutions serving the LGBT community.
Explore it by day—or by night. But don’t feel you have to limit yourself to one neighbourhood. There are things happening all over. On Sunday evenings, for example, there’s a lesbian coffee club in suburban Barrhaven. You’ll find gays and lesbians all over the city, doing the active things Ottawans do. Check publications such as Capital Xtra for listings and up-to-date information.
CAPITAL PRIDE, Ottawa’s most colorful event, takes place August 21st – 30th, 2009. More than 50,000 people are expected at the week long celebartion!
Highlights of the 2009 festival include:
· The annual and highly-anticipated Capital Pride Parade on August 30, which is historically well-attended by members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, two-spirited and questioning (GLBTTQ) community and their friends and allies;
· The 2009 Capital Pride festival at Ottawa City Hall immediately following the parade, featuring music, entertainment and an information fair;
· New and expanded events including the Pride Family Street Fair, the Diversity Fun Run, Rainbow Party 10, and youth events hosted by the new Capital Pride Youth group (CPY-A set of “Spy’s”).
Capital Pride has geared up with several community partners to bring the community a more diverse set of events, providing something for all demographics of the GLBTTQ community.
Capital Pride also announced that the 2009 Parade Marshal would be long-time community and trans-rights activist Joanne Law. Capital Pride also officially launched its first issue of its new quarterly Capital Pride newsletter, helping the community stay more connected to their Pride committee.
The theme for the 2009 festival, “Capital Pride on the Map”, recognizes the significant place the festival holds in the Ottawa–Gatineau festival season.
The Capital Pride Festival has made leaps and bound throughout its 20-year history, growing to be Canada’s fourth-largest Pride celebration. Also incorporated into the theme Capital Prides new logo, whose purple star is the symbol marking a capital city on a map.
Ottawa is blessed with a natural setting offering boundless opportunities for outdoor recreation. Paved recreational paths welcome cyclists, inline skaters and joggers across the region and on Sunday mornings from May through September, several streets are closed to cars for Sunday Bikedays. The region’s many waterways are ideal for kayaking, canoeing and boating, and the upper Ottawa River offers some of the best whitewater rafting anywhere. And nearby Gatineau Park offers hiking, rock climbing, camping, exciting zip line aerial experiences and more.
Ottawa is also city of museums, galleries, and theatres showcasing the best in Canadian and world culture. 5-Diamond dining, a vast selection of international cuisines, relaxed, casual fare – Ottawa offers restaurants and culinary experiences to suit every palate, with a thriving local culinary scene and local chefs making names for themselves at home and abroad.
Dining districts include the courtyards and outdoor cafés of the historic ByWard Market, great Asian dining along Somerset Street West, Italian along Preston Street, and a mix of culinary treats along Elgin Street, Bank Street and surrounding neighbourhoods.
Ottawa is just a two-hour drive west of Montreal, just a one-hour flight from Toronto and New York City and a two-hour flight from Chicago. Superb air, rail and road connections make Canada’s capital easily accessible.
CAPITAL PRIDE OTTAWA LGBT TOURISM
ARC THE.HOTEL is proud to sponsor Capital Pride 2009 and is offering a special Capital Pride rate beginning at $119 for a Classic Room with Queen-size bed*. Comfort and luxury are paired with contemporary design in the serene and sophisticated ARC The.Hotel Ottawa. The premier design boutique hotel in Canada’s capital offers luxuriously appointed rooms in an intimate atmosphere to ensure you feel energized and relaxed. Minutes away from Ottawa International Airport and close to all major Ottawa attractions.
Please contact the hotel for details and availability, or visit www.arcthehotel.com.
*Rates quoted are for double occupancy and do not include applicable taxes and fees.
Reserve your room today at 1-800-699-2516 – Be sure to ask for the special RAINBOW RATE.
BEST GAY CITIES New Gay Travel Guide
Speaking of Gay Barcelona…. ES COLLECTION WILL BE HEATING THINGS UP THIS WINTER! New Underwear Collection Unveiled!
ES COLLECTION just unveiled their hot new line for Winter 2010! The models and photo shoots
are just amazing! Plus the underwear rocks! and fits like a glove! Much like their summer 2009
collection, the styles are eye-popping, the designs unique, and they make you NOT want to wear
clothes to cover them up!
STOP BY THEIR SITE AND SEE more underwear and more models!
PLUS – Very Steamy Videos!
New Gay Travel Guide Besy Gay Cities
CIRCUIT FESTIVAL Returns to Gay Barcelona August 1 – 9
Circuit Festival is back and here to stay. Powered by Matinée Group, Europe’s hottest Gay & Lesbian event will take place in Barcelona from August 1st to 9th, ready to make a difference on the scene. Nightly, the best names in the gay circuit ready to dish out the best rhythms. But it doesn’t end with the clubbing.
During the day, an incredible set of tempting activities and venues will surely get you out of bed: specially our very own Gay & Lesbian Day at the Water Park – a field trip including steamy parties and refreshing water rides. Still need more facts? Take note: more than 30.000 people from over 30 different countries partying wildly for 9 days in a row. The best Dj’s (over 30!) and performers from all over the world lined up for you partygoers delight.
And to top it off: sunny Barcelona and its beaches to make your stay one to remember.
One summer week… Are you gonna miss it?
12 Years strong! Barcelona’s MATINEE GROUP is bigger than ever overseas! The group now hosts some of the biggest parties in the world! Everywhere from Spain to London to Italy. – And CIRCUIT is their crown jewel!
For the first time in Europe, Circuit Festival brings you the biggest gay party of NYC. Its star Djs, Peter Rauhofer and Offer Nissim, will offer you the best worldwide clubber sound of the planet. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to life the session if this truly stars at the decks playing at their most international party.
The Gay Day at the Waterpark is one of the most popular parties. And this year, you get 2 parties in one!
Wednesday 5th you will enjoy again the sun, the music and the best company in a fun, different and – above all – very refreshing environment. From 10 am you will enjoy a very special day at a water park open only us, with amazing rides, themed areas, sunbathing and relaxing spaces and – of course – the most innovative rides around. Starting at 15:00 get ready because the park will become an outdoor club where you will be able to dance in and outside the water to the sound of Matinée’s best Dj’s: J.Louis, Taito Tikaro, André Vincenzzo, Enrico Arghentini and Lydia Sanz.
Then, from the closing of the Water Park until 5am, get the strengths because the night party will begin: Bravo, the most spectacular party of Madrid, arrives to the disco of Isla Fantasia with all the power of its mega animation and production…
the Djs Francesco Belais, Danny Verde and Nano will make you dance the night away. Of course, during all day and night there will be available restaurants, chill areas and dressing rooms so you will have the chance to rest, change clothes and enjoy a revitalizing meal.
I am going to need a LOT OF COFFEE, or something, to make it through that week!
I will need a week in SITGES to rest afterwards! See you there!
If you don’t know who Matinee Group is , check out their MySpace page and watch the video.
Watch some highlight videos from last years Circuit Festival, on their site!
.
Gay Brazil – HOMOPHOBIA Must Stop!
Last year, Brazilian chief Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, held the First National Conference of Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Transvestites and Transsexuals to condemn the biblical belief that homosexuality is wrong!
Brazil Without Homophobia is a national program run by the Lula administration that teaches that homosexual orientation is unchangeable, and seeks to construct a culture in Brazil that is “affirming” towards homosexuality.The president of Brazil says “opposing” homosexuality makes you a sick person, and he believes such thoughts need to be criminalized.
LAST WEEK, during Gay Pride in SAO PAULO – At least 21 people were injured when a homemade bomb exploded at a spot where participants gathered after the gay pride parade in Brazil’s largest city.
A 17-year-old boy who took part in the parade remains in a coma at a Sao Paulo hospital after being attacked by a group of unknown persons who found him alone on an empty street after the nearly eight-hour parade.
Another youth was attacked in Roosevelt Plaza where the march ended, and a third was stabbed in Largo do Arouche Plaza.
Calling for “the criminalization of homophobia,” Lulu said opposition to homosexuality is “perhaps the most perverse disease impregnated in the human head.”
If the bill was to pass, violators will face up to five years in prison!
Brazil is very much a country of contrasts. When someone hears the word Brazil, one thinks of the great Amazon forest, fantastic beaches, great soccer players, Carnival time – and that’s all.
Brazil, the most important country in South America, certainly has MUCH more to offer – warm people, great cities with everything from slums to high technology, a wide range of weather patterns, an awesome mixture of cultures and races – and much more!
Celebrate Diversity and Gay Pride This Week!
Celebrate Diversity!
Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Pride this week!
from New Gay Travel Guide and Best Gay Cities guides!
Gay Ottawa Canada and Capital Pride in August
Ottawa is an open, friendly and welcoming destination for gay and lesbian travelers. Canada’s Capital has an LGBT pedigree that extends back to the first-ever gay and lesbian public demonstration in Canada (1971), and that in recent years included perhaps the most public gay marriage of all time between two gay stars of the TV program The Amazing Race.
Today, Ottawa is home to a proud and active gay and lesbian community with an ever-expanding variety of clubs, organizations, activities and events – including a very boisterous annual Pride Week celebration – that reflects the diversity of the local community.
The centre of gay and lesbian life is the area around Bank Street and Somerset in the downtown core. The growing gaybourhood has shops and bars and is the home base for local institutions serving the LGBT community.
Explore it by day—or by night. But don’t feel you have to limit yourself to one neighbourhood. There are things happening all over. On Sunday evenings, for example, there’s a lesbian coffee club in suburban Barrhaven. You’ll find gays and lesbians all over the city, doing the active things Ottawans do. Check publications such as Capital Xtra for listings and up-to-date information.
CAPITAL PRIDE, Ottawa’s most colorful event, takes place August 21st – 30th, 2009. More than 50,000 people are expected at the week long celebartion!
Highlights of the 2009 festival include:
· The annual and highly-anticipated Capital Pride Parade on August 30, which is historically well-attended by members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, two-spirited and questioning (GLBTTQ) community and their friends and allies;
· The 2009 Capital Pride festival at Ottawa City Hall immediately following the parade, featuring music, entertainment and an information fair;
· New and expanded events including the Pride Family Street Fair, the Diversity Fun Run, Rainbow Party 10, and youth events hosted by the new Capital Pride Youth group (CPY-A set of “Spy’s”).
Capital Pride has geared up with several community partners to bring the community a more diverse set of events, providing something for all demographics of the GLBTTQ community.
Capital Pride also announced that the 2009 Parade Marshal would be long-time community and trans-rights activist Joanne Law. Capital Pride also officially launched its first issue of its new quarterly Capital Pride newsletter, helping the community stay more connected to their Pride committee.
The theme for the 2009 festival, “Capital Pride on the Map”, recognizes the significant place the festival holds in the Ottawa–Gatineau festival season.
The Capital Pride Festival has made leaps and bound throughout its 20-year history, growing to be Canada’s fourth-largest Pride celebration. Also incorporated into the theme Capital Prides new logo, whose purple star is the symbol marking a capital city on a map.
Ottawa is blessed with a natural setting offering boundless opportunities for outdoor recreation. Paved recreational paths welcome cyclists, inline skaters and joggers across the region and on Sunday mornings from May through September, several streets are closed to cars for Sunday Bikedays. The region’s many waterways are ideal for kayaking, canoeing and boating, and the upper Ottawa River offers some of the best whitewater rafting anywhere. And nearby Gatineau Park offers hiking, rock climbing, camping, exciting zip line aerial experiences and more.
Ottawa is also city of museums, galleries, and theatres showcasing the best in Canadian and world culture. 5-Diamond dining, a vast selection of international cuisines, relaxed, casual fare – Ottawa offers restaurants and culinary experiences to suit every palate, with a thriving local culinary scene and local chefs making names for themselves at home and abroad.
Dining districts include the courtyards and outdoor cafés of the historic ByWard Market, great Asian dining along Somerset Street West, Italian along Preston Street, and a mix of culinary treats along Elgin Street, Bank Street and surrounding neighbourhoods.
Ottawa is just a two-hour drive west of Montreal, just a one-hour flight from Toronto and New York City and a two-hour flight from Chicago. Superb air, rail and road connections make Canada’s capital easily accessible.
CAPITAL PRIDE OTTAWA LGBT TOURISM
ARC THE.HOTEL is proud to sponsor Capital Pride 2009 and is offering a special Capital Pride rate beginning at $119 for a Classic Room with Queen-size bed*. Comfort and luxury are paired with contemporary design in the serene and sophisticated ARC The.Hotel Ottawa. The premier design boutique hotel in Canada’s capital offers luxuriously appointed rooms in an intimate atmosphere to ensure you feel energized and relaxed. Minutes away from Ottawa International Airport and close to all major Ottawa attractions.
Please contact the hotel for details and availability, or visit www.arcthehotel.com.
*Rates quoted are for double occupancy and do not include applicable taxes and fees.
Reserve your room today at 1-800-699-2516 – Be sure to ask for the special RAINBOW RATE.
BEST GAY CITIES New Gay Travel Guide
New Zealand Air – CEO and Staff Go Nude!
Air New Zealand has just come up with an advertisement that features the airline CEO and staff appear in nothing but body paint. The point they’re trying make is that “they’ve got nothing to hide” with their all-in prices, as opposed to budget carriers. The fares Air New Zealand advertises include baggage allowance and refreshments. In an age of rising ala-carte styled pricing, this is indeed refreshing.
The company has a history of fearless innovation – be it the introduction of an in-flight conceirge at a time when other airlines were cutting service levels, or now this advertisement, which is bound to catch people’s attention. And with all the buzz such videos create on social media these days, there’s a very high chance of this going viral too!
Who would mind that? Probably just Air New Zealand’s competitors.
The carrier says that the aim is to differentiate Air New Zealand from competitors “who levy additional charges if a passenger wants to simply check a bag or have a drink”.
And what better way to do this than to simply, bare all.
Enjoy the advertisement below ON YOU TUBE video.
Sure looks very cold down under to be shooting that advertisement!
Big Gay Travel Road Trip! Driving Equality in 100 days with Chris and Chris!
Driving Equality is a 100-day, 16,000-mile, 48-state 35 city trek across America to collect stories from LGBTQ people in an effort to raise awareness of the various forms of discrimination faced by our community in each state of the nation. Highlighting the differences in rights, laws, and amendments between the states will shed light on the current social standing of queer individuals today. I hope to create a dialogue about the disparities across the nation, and what can be done to end discrimination for all.
The guys (Chris and Chris) hit the road this past Sunday and began their trek across America!
The van is packed full of film equipment, camping gear, clothes, food, books, a bullhorn, a guitar, and a mini buddha; everything one needs for a 100-day road trip / queer film project. We are off to a good start and excited to be on the road. For the next three months we will be experiencing the country in a way that will allow us to understand the progress being made, and the discrimination faced, by LGBT people across the nation.
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Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California
Perhaps it’s the scenery — listening to music on a grassy polo field surrounded by swaying palm trees and craggy desert mountains. Or maybe it’s the thrill of discovering new artists and rediscovering old ones standing shoulder-to-shoulder with friends, strangers and the random Hollywood celebrity. Like Paris Hilton!
Always lots of eye candy!
The three day event takes place every year in India, California, just outside of Palm Springs. Organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Fields . The event features many genres of music including alternative rock, hip hop, and Electronic music as well as large sculptural art.
The event has several stages/tents set-up throughout the grounds, each playing live music continuously. This years BIG NAME was Paul McCartney. Previous year names ranged from Madonna to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
Despite economic times, promoters say the turnout exceeded expectations, and this year’s attendance figure might be the third largest in the festival’s 10-year history.
The three-day ticket price may have been steep — roughly $300, including service charges — but when divided among the 131 acts on the bill, that breaks down to less than $2.50 per act.
Each year, the festival also features interesting installation art and sculptures. Most of the pieces are interactive, and provide entertainment and eye candy for attendees walking throughout the Polo grounds.
Some of the works were initially created for the Burning Man festival. In contrast to the largely non-repeating roster of musical artists represented at the festival, a few of the visual artists, such as Robochrist Industries, the Tesla Coil (Cauac), Cyclecide, and The Do LaB, have appeared during several consecutive years at Coachella.
EVERY APRIL, COACHCELLA draws in thousands from around the world.
The evening dance event and visual light presentations are like nothing you have ever seen. WATCH THE YOU TUBE COACHELLA CLIP.
And see ya there next year!
