Mayor's Pride Reception and Equality Rulings

I was so honored and thrilled to make an appearance at the LGBT Pride reception and BBQ held and hosted by the Mayor of New York City, Michael Bloomberg on June 26th.  The gala was held in the gardens of Gracie Mansion on the banks of the East River on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.  Bloomberg made his entrance on the stage a spacious and lighted garden tent  to Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" as the crowd went wild.  "It is great to be here at the annual Pride Reception to celebrate two great victories," he said, referring to the fantastic news out of the Supreme Court.  Right after the show, a heavy rain started down-pouring for a few moments and then a beautiful rainbow was displayed, adding to the magic of the historic evening. After the Mayor's reception, me and Lovari headed down to the East Village to Club Element to attend another LGBT Pride reception hosted by dear friends Chip Duckett and Ron Lasko of Spin Cycle promotions.  I ended the evening by going to the birthplace of the modern Gay Civil rights movement, The legendary Stonewall Inn, with my buddy Joe Jeffreys of New York University.  The place was jamming all day with the streets outside closed off with celebrants rejoicing the favorable Supreme Court decisions declaring Equality and Justice for Gay citizens.  On such a historic day for Civil rights and Equality, one celebration was clearly not enough!

Everynight's A Party (or Two)

This is the time when we celebrate Gay Pride and Gay culture.  On the last Sunday in June of 1969, Drag Queens and patrons of The Stonewall Inn, a Gay bar in Greenwich Village, New York City, stood up for their rights for the first time in history by rebelling against a Police raid.  Since then, every year at the end of June, we celebrate and honor their spirit and the contributions Gay people have made to the City and to the world.  On Tuesday, June 25th, I had the pleasure of being part of the Gay Pride gala of the Manhattan Borough President, Scott Stringer, held held a joint celebration with department store, Macy's at their flagship store (also the world's largest department store) at Herald Square in New York City.  Honors were bestowed to openly Gay New Anchor at MSNBC and NBC's Today Show Thomas Roberts, recent Tony-Award winning Broadway dance choreographer Jerry Mitchell, whose dance moves were performed in Kinky Boots, La Cage Auc Folles, Full Monty, Gypsy, Hairspray, Rocky Horror Show and more.  After the party at Macy's we headed up to XL nightclub on West 42nd Street to attend the Gay Pride celebration for Out magazine.  I had a huge blast with Village People Cowboy Randy Jones, NYC Council Member Robert Jackson, Erick Bottcher, Anu Singh, Anuj Singal, Hugh Hysell, producer Adam Weinstock, Gerald McCoullouch, photographers Jason Russo and Andrew Werner, and friends from reality TV Long Island Princesses, Mob Wives, Jerseylicious and more!

Mermaid Parade - Fish Fierceness

It was all Fishy Fierceness as I made my appearance with my creative fabulous friends marching in the 31st annual Mermaid Parade and the Boardwalk stage at Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York!  The gaudy and baudy celebration honors the carnival culture of the legendary seaside resort.  Performance artists, rockers, side-show and burlesque performers and others - including politicians and community leaders, got all decked out in seashells, seaweed, fish-tails, fins and glitter as we strutted our stuff down Surf Avenue and The Boardwalk.  This year was especially appreciated since extensive damage from super storm Sandy threatened to not make the happening possible.  But funds were raised and repairs were made, showing we're stronger than the storm - and the show went on!  The weather was beautiful as ocean breezes refreshed the revelers impersonating Mermaids, Mermen, King Neptunes, Sea Nymphs, Sharks, Fish, Pirates, Sailors, Crustaceans and other assorted creatures and beings from the deep blue sea.  I had an ocean blast with my friends recording artist Lovari, photographer Rod Ordonez, designer Geary Marcello, artists Will Chiapella, Lester Blum, Andres Fabian, Tayler, Jerry, Suzy, Belinda, Lola and many others!  This took place on June 22 and happens every year on the first Saturday after the Summer Solstice. 

New York City Council LGBT Pride

We were all honored and proud to among the guests at the New York City Council's Celebration of LGBT Pride at The Great Hall at Cooper Union in New York City on June 10th.  Out City Council Members, Speaker Christine Quinn, Danny Dromm, Rosie Mendez and Jimmy Van Bramer were perfect hosts along with other Council Members including Gale Brewer, Mark Weprin and Letitia James. Harvey Fierstein was there celebrating, even though he had an exciting evening the night before, winning his fifth Tony award on Broadway!  Honorees included Hudson Taylor, founder of Athlete Ally, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging athletes, coaches, parents, fans and other members of the Sports Community to respect all individuals involved in sports, regardless of sexual orientation.  He's also a Columbia University Wrestling Coach and on the Sports Project Advisory Board of GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian Straight Education Network.)  Honors were also bestowed to former City Council Member and New York State Senator Tom Duane, the first openly-Gay and openly HIV+ member of both the Council and the Senate. 

Yo Brooklyn! LGBT Pride

Beautiful Brooklyn, the NYC borough that gave birth to Mae West, Barbara Streisand, Harvey Fierstein and Nathan's Hot Dogs, recently held its 17th annual LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Transgender) Pride Festival and Twilight Parade on June 8th and I was so thrilled and honored to be a part of it all.  The event honored our beloved friend and supporter, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz as the Grand Marshal.  Both the parade and Festival took place on Fifth Avenue in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn.  Other elected officials also joined in on the celebration including NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, NYC Council Members Danny Dromm and Letitia James, US Congress Member Anthony Weiner, NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Senator Daniel Squardron and many others. I had a blast with dear friends Stephanie Accardo (Miss Brooklyn 2013), Tom Smith (Brooklyn LGBT Community Center), Pauline Park (NYAGRA), John Derrick-Mitchell (Cheer NY), Ron B ("Tina Turner" tribute artist), dancer Noriel Galiano,  Mark Schulte, Fussy LoMein and many others. 

Ferry to Staten Island LGBT Pride

June 2013 finally arrived, marking the beginning of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Transgender) Pride Month.  The very first event in the New York City Metropolitan area is the Staten Island LGBT Pride Parade and Festival and I was thrilled and honored to be a part of it all on June 1st.  The Parade was held on Bay Street and the Festival took place in Thompkinsville Park in the Saint George section of the Island.  I had a wonderful time with NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, NYC Council Members Danny Dromm (Queens) and Domenic Recchia (Brooklyn), NY State Assembly Member Matt Titone (Staten Island), Staten Island Arts Council President and fierce "Bette Midler" tribute artist Donna Maxon, Mr. Boots & Saddle, Miss Greater New York 2013 Jaime Macchia, Tym Moss of Artists Exposed Radio, Erik Bottcher, Michael Mallon and many others.  We all came together to celebrate diversity and growth as a vibrant, positive and integral piece of Staten Island's neighborhoods and communities on a beautiful summer Saturday afternoon.

Oh! You Pretty Things - New Romantic Ball

I had a most exciting evening, making an appearance like Katy Perry, complete with blue hair-do and cupcake bra, at "Oh! You Pretty Things - New Romantic Ball III."  It was a unique, extravagant and super fun party with a guest-list that included revelers of all ages, sexual orientations, genders, gender-expressions and couture costumes.  It was held on May 26th at the hip and grand nightclub, Le Poisson Rouge at 158 Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village in Downtown Manhattan, New York City.  There were amazing live performances including burlesque and music by the incredible twenty-two piece ensemble This Ambitious Orchestra. Special thanks to my gorgeous dear friend Hunteur Vreeland a host and promoter of the fantastic party.

Summer Fashion Kick-Off

I had a chic and stylish time at a grand soiree celebrating Couture Society's start of the 2013 Summer fashion season at the Penthouse of DL Lounge at 94 Delancey Street in the now trendy Lower East Side of Downtown Manhattan, New York City on May 24.  The event also lauded the birthday of famed fashion photographer Roman Kajzer.  Fashionistas, models, designers, photographers and others in the Fashion Couture industry gathered together among the palm trees and spectacular views and welcomed in the sexy, sizzling season of Summer! 

Shaking Our Booty - Studio 54 Recreated

Disco Lives!  On May 18th, Dance 208, the amazing dances held at The LGBT Community Center of New York City, re-created the legendary NYC Discotheque Nightclub Studio 54. DJ Ted Snowdon spun classic disco dance beats from the 1970s and we all had a blast from the past Shaking our Groove Thangs while wearing vintage couture   Among reproductions of the decor that was at the actual hotspot we mingled and danced that night away with tunes by Donna Summer, Abba, Village People, Bee Gees, Sylvester, Sister Sledge, Peaches & Herb, Cher and many more.

NYC Bear Fair with Honey

Bears prowled through the concrete forest when thousands of guys from around the world attended the annual Urban Bear weekend in New York City on May 5th. Big and hairy men and their friends and admirers had a blast with a weekend of partying that celebrated "Bears" "Cubs" "Otters" and all exciting hirsute maleness.  I loved attending the Bear Fair on Little West 12th Street between Washington Street and 10th Avenue in the Meat Packing District of the West Village in New York City.  There were NYC's finest food trucks, artists & craftsmen, community groups, fetish vendors, a pie eating contest and a big belly contest.  All this with live entertainment including Homo Erectus Boylesque with Matt Knife and Brooklyn Irons!  Myself and Lady Bunny, who spun tunes as the event DJ, were the only "girls" but we held our own among all the hot guys.  Had a blast with Anu Singh, Steve Schulman, Mr. Rawhyde-Jed Ryan, Mr. Boots and Saddle, model Eric Alan, photographer Rob Ordonez, fashion designer Geary Marcello, promoter George Hains, John-John Onyx, LeNair Xavier and many others. 

Stonwall Inn Birthday Fun

We all had such a blast celebrating the joint Birthdays of dear friends Alan Anderson and Dylan Ftera at the legendary and historic Stonewall Inn (53 Christopher Street, NYC) in Manhattan's Greenwich Village on May 19th.  The soiree was also the two-year anniversary of Dylan's successful kidney transplant from Alan to Dylan.  They both wore t-shirts with a Ben Franklin 100 dollar bill since their combined ages equal one hundred.  Friends and family, including guys from the NYC Gay Men's Chorus and divas from the "Invasion" Drag show, Tina Burner, Chocolatina Q Dessert and Howie "Cher" all had warm and exciting celebration at the famed nightspot where the rebellion that started modern Gay Civil Rights movement in 1969 took place.  

Visions of Men Make Very Fine Art

I loved making an appearance at the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay Art at one of their sizzling visual art exhibition opening events on May 3rd. The showing was called "Visions of Men" and featured original artwork celebrating the beauty of the male form.  Images and works by Todd Yeager, JC Etheredge, Lucky Sanford, Robert W. Richards, Bill Crist, Darin DeField, Ricardo Francis and Gary Speziale graced the wall of the annex gallery at 127 Prince Street in the SoHo Arts district of downtown Manhattan.  The Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art is the first dedicated LGBT Art Museum in the world with a mission to exhibit and preserve LGBTQ art, and foster the artists who create it. We all had a great time and enjoyed artist LeNair Xavier, who was a hit as a living Vision of Man, tending bar in a sensual, revealing outfit.