Correspondent Update: When In San Diego, Do Ask, Do Tell

Screen Shot 2014-03-04 at 3.30.39 PMManAboutWorld Correspondent Paul Teixeira recently visited San Diego with his fine-tuned ear to the ground for what’s new and exciting and worth traveling for.

Rich’s nightclub in San Diego, CA is one of the longest running and favorite gay circuit clubs in the city, and quite possibly even in California. This large two-room venue holds constantly updated state-of-the-art sound, lighting, and effects along with numerous regular and special themed parties all throughout the year.

Oh, and did I mention they have a super hot staff of bartenders and gogo boys? This past Saturday, Feb 22, 2014, was one of their semi-regular military themed parties called “Active Duty.” San Diego has a  relevant current and past history of local military service, and this party both honors that and satisfies the hot gay military fantasies many of us have. It was extremely satisfying to see how the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has propagated into daily life. Rich’s asks, and the military personnel proudly tell, showing their IDs to get in for free. The club is transformed and decked out with a military themed atmosphere and even has a body painter on staff for those wanting a little camouflage. Check out their facebook profile for details and great pictures of all the fun this club brings to town.

Baltimore Queer Film and Media Festival

birthdayBy ManAboutWorld correspondent Aaron Drake.

This Sunday night, the Baltimore Queer Film and Media Festival gets audiences warmed up with a screening of Chad Darnell’s mockumentaryBirthday Cake. The B’More QFest, which takes place June 12-15, 2014, will feature LGBT films from around the world — with a hat tip to Maryland, of course — special performances by the loveable Leslie Jordan (Will & Grace) of his one-man show Fruit Fly: Do Gay Men Become Their Mothers?, and queer-themed art exhibits.

Birthday Cake’s Darnell recently made the rounds on the gay film circuit with his prequel short, Groom’s Cake, which swept up many festival awards. The next preview event for this year’s B’More QFest will be the Del Shore Southern Tragic Humor Double Bill on April 6, featuring the gay cult classic Sordid Liveswith Leslie Jordan and Olivia Newton John.

For more about B’More QFest, this year’s film lineup and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.Bmorequeer.org.

Europe’s Top Gay Travel Destinations

This article samples one originally published in Iberia Airline’s blog Love2Fly. To read the rest of this article, click here or the link below.

When it comes to LGBT travel, few experiences are as rewarding as travel to Europe. There’s such an amazing variety of cultures, environments, climates, and experiences – all on the most liberal continent on the planet, thanks to the encouraging social (r)evolutions of the 21st century, making most of Europe an ever more gay-friendly destination. There are hundreds of welcoming cities large and small, as well as towns and rural areas, which I could steer you to, depending on your interests, but let me start off by highlighting a handful of the top most prominent, and you could say gay-friendliest:

AMSTERDAM

Say ‘Amsterdam’ and your mind conjures contradictory images, both sublime and profane: Rembrandt and peep shows, coffee shops and cannabis, cobbled streets and red light districts, historic canals and sleazy bars. After all these years, the city remains the godfather of gay pride and the birthplace of LGBT rights, rebellious and uninhibited, and as effortlessly beautiful as ever. The world’s first legal gay and lesbian nuptials were officiated here, and the Homomonument first gay monument was constructed here more than a quarter century ago. The queer scene in Amsterdam is one of the largest in Europe and boasts more than a hundred gay and lesbian bars, clubs, saunas, shops, and hotels. Though summer is the most crowded and fun, Amsterdam attracts visitors all year with gay-oriented events like Pink Christmas in December and King’s Day in April (we of course preferred when it was called Queen’s Day (ahem), but it’s still way popular with gay girls and boys). Flights from Spain, from the USA.


BARCELONA/SITGES

As an urban destination, the capital of the Catalonia region is as close to the total package as it gets – a stylish culinary, cultural, nightlife, and design capital with its own spectacular architectural flavour (hello, Gaudí!) and great beaches even right in town, not to mention nearby: The fetching Mediterranean seaside town of Sitges (above), a half hour south, is one of Europe’s top gay resorts. Barcelona has arrived on the gay circuit with a party called, well, Circuit, which attracts thousands of men every August, and following that there’s Girlie Circuit Lesbians for las chicas. Then of course there’s Barcelona’s “Gaixample” – ground zero for a large, diverse (twinks to bears and beyond), and active LGBT scene and community. There are scores of fabulous places to stay, eat, and play gay – but virtually the whole city is welcoming, so spread your rainbow-hued wings. Flights from the UK, from the USA.

Click here to discover the other fabulous destinations Ed wrote about.

Ed Salvato is editor in chief of ManAboutWorld, the world’s first gay travel magazine created for iPad (and soon Android tablets) only. Click here for a special three-month free subscription offer.

images | Mike Slichenmyer, Captn_Jack, Jörg Kanngiesser

The CheckOut: Oasis Sens Hotel In Cancún, Mexico

Oasis Sens 4 gays at poolOur ManAboutWorld correspondent Paul VanDeCarr visited the Oasis Sens, an adult-only, all-inclusive resort in Cancún, Mexico. Was it as gay friendly as they promoted? Read our new column CheckOut and, well, check it out.

Basics
An “adults-only” resort hotel on the beach featuring outdoor pools, multiple restaurants with various cuisines and a friendly but not obsequious staff. Plenty of entertainments and activities such as Spanish lessons, yoga sessions, stage shows at the “Kinky Club” and cheesy but fun Mayan dance performances out by the pool. Small-to-moderate complaints like problems with the key cards or untidy spots in the common areas prevent the Oasis Sens from being a luxury hotel, if that’s what you’re looking for. The feel here is of folks splurging on a little easygoing beach vacay: the straight lady from Kansas who seemed to relish going topless, the college boy recommending “Dude, you totally have to go into the ocean wasted!!”, the middle-aged Russians in on the direct flight from Moscow, the trash-talking dykes from Dallas and the cute queeny 20-something gay friends from New York.

Continue reading “The CheckOut: Oasis Sens Hotel In Cancún, Mexico”

A Future Of Travel So Gay Kathy Griffin Loves It

This is normally the boring bar in a mainstream casino.
This is normally the boring bar in a mainstream casino.

By Boston-based Global Correspondent Allister Chang

Boston-based The Welcoming Committee is bringing an innovative spirit of lighthearted activism into the world of gay travel. The TWC’s recent “take overs” of ski resorts, casinos, and other destinations have brought together a range of gay Bostonians. “Soon we’ll take over Cancun for Spring Break,” says Ashley Lucas, a recent hire who spearheaded the “Flannel Takeover” movement (GQBs organized specifically for our lesbian sisters).

TWC has reshaped the landscape of gay nightlife in Boston with their monthly Guerilla Queer Bars (GQB). On the first Friday of each month, TWC “takes over one of the douchiest bars in Boston.”  What Daniel initially began as a joke with 20 friends expanded to over a thousand participants by the 5th event.

TWC was named “best gay bar” by Boston Magazine in 2012.  “The funny thing about this award,” the founder of TWC Daniel Heller joked, “is that we aren’t a bar!”

Continue reading “A Future Of Travel So Gay Kathy Griffin Loves It”

Welcome To Our Newest Correspondent Andy Keown

andy2

Andy  is a tourism PR professional and frequent business traveler. In his job as communications director for Visit West Hollywood, he seeks to make connections with media and travelers around the world. He frequently visits New  York, Sydney and London, and loves seeking out up-and-coming neighborhoods and getting a feel for how people live. He’s an avid fan of anywhere with beaches, sunshine and people who know how to mix business with pleasure.

Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Traveling Gay Dads: Winter Wonderland Vacation in the Colorado Rockies

DSC_0013Haven Caylor is a ManAboutWorld Global Correspondent, father to two incredibly cute kids and one of our “Gay Traveling Dads.” He and his husband recently took Ammon and Carter to the Colorado Rockies for a family ski vacation.

I almost fell (it would have been worth it) as I looked over my shoulder at Carter and Ammon skiing down behind me on Fairway Run at Copper Mountain on February 7, 2014.  I skied ahead another 20 yards, slowed way down, started a wide turn so they could hear me and yelled up, “Great job, Carter! Great job, Ammon!” I then turned down the hill and couldn’t stop smiling. When we all stopped at the Kokomo Ski Lift, we celebrated with high fives and a group hug. We were so proud! We had another sporting activity we could enjoy as a family.

Continue reading “Traveling Gay Dads: Winter Wonderland Vacation in the Colorado Rockies”

Our Gay Agenda: This Museum Is So Gay

PhillyThatsSoGayPhiladelphia’s Library Company  opens a gay history exhibit today: That’s So Gay: Outing Early America, that looks at the questions of how we can know whether a person who lived in the past would be called lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender today.

While there’s no way to definitively answer these questions, the exhibit looks at the evidence of individuals who took part in same-sex relationships, wrote poems and novels celebrating such relationships, deviated from gender norms, and suffered for transgressive behavior in ways that are well-documented in the historical record. No surprise it’s happening in Philadelphia, the city that tapped Miss Richfield to demonstrate its dual appeal of history and gay nightlife.

PhillyThatsSoGay2

The exhibit is open weekdays through October 17th, but ManAboutWorld suggests visiting in early March, so you can also attend the LGBT party at the Philadelphia Flower Show on March 2.  For more information on where to stay, eat and play in Philadelphia, check out the most recent coverage in this month’s ManAboutWorld Magazine.

If you’re visiting it may be tempting to hop back on a train to New York, Baltimore or DC if you’re from one of these nearby metropolises but the city really is more fun when you stay over. The thoughtful team at VisitPhilly  has made it easier with the enticing VisitPhilly Overnight Hotel package, including (among other events and benefits) the incredibly fun PHS. Philadelphia Flower Show.

Photos courtesy: Library Company.

IGLTA Foundation Announces New Board Members, Including Editor Ed Salvato

Ed_whiteshirtI am very proud to announce that I have been appointed to the Board of Directors of the IGLTA Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender tourism globally along with Richard Gray.

“We are thrilled to have Ed Salvato and Richard Gray join the IGLTA Foundation Board of Directors,” said Board Chair Charlie Rounds. “They each bring unique skills that will allow us to better educate both travel professionals and the traveling public about the value of LGBT global travel.”

For details, please click READ MORE below to read the press release sent by the IGLTA Foundation .
Continue reading “IGLTA Foundation Announces New Board Members, Including Editor Ed Salvato”

Welcome To Our Newest Correspondent: C.F. Cooper

Chris at Gothafoss for MAW
C.F. Cooper inherited the travel itch from his globetrotting grandmother and has been on the move ever since. His exploits have been chronicled in Out & About, Gay.com, and Witchvox and have spanned six of the seven continents. Based in his native Manhattan, Cooper will go anywhere for a rare bird, a mythic insight, or the grist for another of his wild stories. Or he’ll sit in the dark and watch a movie.

You can connect with him at www.cfcooper.net or on Twitter @cf_cooper.