There Just Ain't a Gay Bar in Nassau

Well, It is January and everything slows down, in the retail business. For our Anniversary Get - Away

we went to Nassau, Bahamas for a week. It was laid back, sunny, beautiful water just as they advertised on TV. We used our trusted Damron Travel Guide to find, well lets say a gay retreat for adult beverages. Four of us West Coasters headed to the land of Fun & Sun. Sir Don V, (The King & I Restaurant) Bryan K, and us, Dishing's Mark & Carrie. We found Club Waterloo but closed Sun - Thursday. Our taxi driver told us of Club Magic, a fun looking well lit colorful place from the outside. It was a $35 taxi hike anyway it better look nice. We were first body searched, buzzed into the first door. Oh boy a night out with Bahamian Bois! We were told that the cover was $20.00. OK then we found out that was per person! Another buzzer. Whoopie just like the old club bath days! Buzz, Buzz, Buzz . Another secret room. Drinks, Yeah drinks.... $12 a piece. Steeeep... Into the next room we headed. Music was playing to our amazement. OHHH, OHHH it was the Mons Venus of Nassau! A Bahamian titty Bar. WHHOOOOAAW!!! A quick tip to the doorman and the outside security guard wanted his tip also. We got into the taxi and zoooomed away. Another great time away from home!Nope No gay bars, but the weather was fine!!! Pics to share....

Bahamaian Policeman

The colorful walls of Nassau, Bahamas

Cruise Ship alley

Shopping the Straw Market with a BIG find!

Never pass up a funny comic

Streets of Nassau, Yup, they drive on the wrong side of the road

Mark, Oh those bar games of tossing the

whip cream!

The Parliament

Happy Valentine's Sweethearts

(Photos of Tampa Bay Couples)

Mark Bias & Carrie West,

29 years

Chuck T. & George B.,

27 years

Bryan & Don, 2 years

Will & Michael, 8 years

Bob P. & Larry K., 30 years

Twat Sisters, Forever Together

Bryan & Tim, 10 years

John & Michael, 4 years

Jack & Dan, 9 years

Bobbi Smith & Kay Thompson, 50+ years

Gene & Mark, 3 years

Trevor & Daryl, 2 years

Robert & Donald, 18 years

Barry & Bill, 23 years

Kelli & Kevin, 10 years

Tim & Dan, 10 years

Louis & Bob, 47 years

Don't Forget the Florida State Fair

Now thru Feb. 19th at the Florida State Fairgrounds. See You There!!!

   www.floridastatefair.com

Canadian Gay Couple make National Canadian News

Two strangers meet and they make National Television coverage in Canada. Jack Murphy & Daniel Poirier met up by chance. Daniel recently divorced after 34 years, raising 2 boys and at 62 met his now mate of 7 years, Jack. They are from a small Catholic Community, Mateghan Center, Nova Scotia. They met by a friend and it was love at first sight! They recently got married at a Gay B&B, McKinnon- Ken B&B in Yarmoth, NS by a Universal Unitarian Minister. News carried about the small town of the 2 guys getting hitched. It is OK and legal for same sex marriages in Canada. The problem comes when the 2 go to their Catholic Church for services and are told they can't receive communion any more. The priest received word from Archbishop Brendergast of the Halifax Roman Catholic Diocese, "They were not to receive any more communions." In contact with the archbishop they said that "they were life long Catholics" and the Archbishop said " But you went public about being gay! It is 'sinful." Thus the media has been making a very big deal out of the tolerance level of the Catholic Church and its leadership. The 2 love birds were at Suncoast Resort to get away from the chilling northern Canadian subzero temps! Their story has been on almost all the national Canadian TV and media press networks. A Professor from Ottawa University said during a TV interview, "The Catholic Church is way behind the Protestant Churches and it is very hard to move a large block of granite (catholic church)."

"OUT" Spoken Gay Canadian Catholic Couple

Jack & Daniel

"Brokeback Mountain", It Was A Year Ago!!

The world was proclaiming this picture to be a sweep at the Oscars. It already shoed its colors by winning the Screen Actors Best Picture Award and the Golden Globes for Best Picture. The motion picture all wanted to see, " Brokeback Mountain" the sweet short gay love story of 2 cowboys and their long love relationship. The parties were from one side of the bay to the other. Buses were chartered to transport the many cowboys from Pinellas to see the movie at the Historic Tampa Theatre. The lines were long. The movie theatres sold out every showing for weeks. It seemed there was a shortage of movie screens to show the famous western gay love story. WOW that was already a year ago. How the sun sets earlier these days!!!!

"Dying to Come Out: The War On Gays in Iraq"

Jake Gyllenhaal on the cover of GQ Magazine caught our eye! Inside was an incredible Gay article. "Dying to Come Out: The War On Gays in Iraq" by David France. Read this article yourself on line at http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_5304

DYING TO COME OUT: THE WAR ON GAYS IN IRAQ

Ali Hili is a gay Iraqi whose government forced him to spy on other homosexuals. Now, after a daring escape from his home country, Hili is doing everything he can to make up for the past

By David France; Photograph by Gareth McConnell

GQ, February 2007 Issue

An insert from the GQ article...

Ali Hili tears through the extravagant mass of CDs that line the walls of his messy home office and fill every horizontal surface with corkscrews of jewel boxes. He collects rare recordings of diva vocalists, from Aretha Franklin to Edith Piaf, but he’s looking for something by his favorite, Dalida, the Franco-Arab sensation known for her emotional lyrics and tragic life. Like other singers of a certain pathos, Dalida enjoyed a huge gay following throughout the Middle East and especially in Baghdad in the 1990s, when Hili worked as a DJ in gay-friendly clubs at the Palestine Hotel and the luxurious al-Rashid Hotel.

“Gay men are really, really into her in Iraq,” he says with great animation. “She’s very icon.”

He finds the disc he has in mind, but before he can play it, his cell phone rings, and he checks the caller ID and quickly snaps the phone to his ear. Hili, who is 34 years old and ruggedly handsome, doesn’t say much beyond a few greetings in Arabic. And then he kind of moans, and tears soon form in his eyes. “It is Hussain,” he finally whispers to me, “the Baghdad correspondent for our group.” (The names of some Iraqis have been changed to protect them or their families.)

"GANYMEDE" , a divine comedy
February 16-18
Friday and Saturday, 8:00 pm
Sunday 1:30 pm

"A Love Story of Olympic Proportions"

by Dewey Davis-Thompson wherein narrator Pan, queer Ganymede, jealous Hebe and nymphomaniac Eos share gossip, anxieties and drinks at Cafe of the Gods and Club Bacchanalia with Castor, Pollux, Chronos and Bacchus. Ganymede’s tryst with Zeus is just one of many revelations resulting in his banishment to Aquarius.

FEBRUARY 16, 17, 18, 8:00 PM Friday and Saturday, 1:30 PM Sunday, Host: Gypsy Productions Inc., Suncoast Resort, 3000 34th St. South, St. Petersburg, Florida
Tickets are $18 and can be reserved by calling box office 727-456-0500.

The Flamingo Florida Flock-In

Mark your calendars now! May 4-6 will be "The Florida Flock - In" at the Suncoast Resort. All three car clubs will be coming together for this statewide event. On Friday the caravans will all meet at the Suncoast Resort then off to a classic car show at Georgie's Alibi. On Saturday will be the main car show at the Suncoast Resort, an event not to be missed. On Sunday the caravans will depart for Ft. Lauderdale & Orlando. To RSVP FlamingoCarClub@aol.com

Winter Pr!de Tampa Bay

February 24th

at Lopez Park in Tampa, www.wptb.org

"The Bitch is Back" from Tampa Brad

Yes, the rumour is true! The Bitch is back!! Travis is back working at Kikiki. He is there 5 nights a week, Sat - Wed. He is as much a institution, as the bar is itself. He even looks well rested. Stop by and see him! Not only is Travis a grateful addition to the bar, but also all the new bar stools around the bar, direct from Mid Town! They might be second hand stools, but they are first rate at Kikiki. Wonder if Cowboy will be able to sit on one of the new stools upside down, as he did the old ones!

Mid Town is also looking good!! They cut the bar in half and made it so you can sit on 4 sides. With the new bar, new bar stools, it gives Mid Town a much cozzier feeling. And if you haven't been by to check out Adam, it is a must. He is one hot bartender with a great personality also. If you are nice to him, he might invite you to go skinny dipping when he gets off of work!

St. Pete PRIDE Community Survey '07 "Pride In Paradise"

Dear Friends of St. Pete Pride:

In preparation for St. Pete Pride 2007, the Board of Directors has compiled a few survey questions. We ask you to take a moment to answer them at your convenience. Your responses to this survey are anonymous and will help us in making your 2007 St. Pete Pride Celebration "the biggest and best yet."

Thank You for your time and candid response. We look forward to seeing you at St. Pete Pride Street Festival & Promenade on Saturday, June 30, 2007.

Click Here: http://www.stpetepride.com/survey1.php

Thank You!

2007 St. Pete Pride - Board of Directors

The Queen of All Queens

It was 20 years ago this week that we lost one heck of a piano player and a dreamer of all dreamers, Liberace.

Walter Valentino Liberace

May 16, 1919 - February 4, 1987
For decades, Liberace was known for his music, candelabra, charisma, rhinestones and dazzle. And most worldly known as "Mr. Showmanship."

www.liberace.com

Gay & Lesbian AOL

A fun web site that will enjoy visiting is http://gayandlesbian.aol.com/big-gay-7 On this site we found a link to the "Top 10 Gayest Super Bowl Performances" http://www.cracked.com/index.php?name=News&sid=1569

John Epperson returns to D.C. with a rousing homage to Joan Crawford
It’s been 25 years since drag artist John Epperson introduced Lypsinka to Manhattan’s then-edgy East Village scene where she was an instant hit at spots like the Pyramid Club. But little did Epperson know at the time that his flame-haired, manic creation would go on to make him a name, p...
- PATRICK FOLLIARD February 2, 2007

Not to be Missed "You Tube" from David S.

Especial interesting were the comments on Dick's daughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mark & Carrie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLZ-FDaBWf8

Video Description

On The Daily Show last night, Jon Stewart broke down Dick Cheney's interview with Wolf Blitzer, then reached out in an act of solidarity and offered some helpful advice for the embattled VP.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpfzdupLHaE

Video Description

Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) recites his poem about himself, with Liberace accompanying. From the Jack Par television show

The First Friday Night Cool Down (Drool Down)

Mr. Gulf Coast Florida Leather

"The Mr. Gulf Coast Florida Leather 2007 Contest is over. What a fantastic weekend!! The contest weekend began on Thursday, 25 January, with the "Meat and Greet" on Friday and the contest Saturday night, all held at the platform bar in St. Petersburg, Florida. Tom Stice was an extraordinary MC for the weekend which included at least 5 performances by Chicago-based spectacular performer, Cyon Flare. The crowd at the platform bar was filled to capacity Saturday night and quite heavy on Friday night as well! We had three contestants. Our judges were presidents of some of our local leather clubs, local leather men, and the visiting, Freddie M., Mr. Olympus Leather 2005. The contest had the formal leather with 90 second speech, a fantasy, and the jock strap competitions. With Lincoln's step-down, thank yous, 2 performances by Cyon Flare and Tom's incomparable wit and whimsy, the contest began exactly on time at 10:30 pm and ended an amazing 1.5 hours later! And the new Mr. Gulf Coast Florida Leather 2007 is Bill "Trooper" Boyd, of St. Petersburg, recently moved from Tampa, Florida after 14 years. He will prove to be a dynamo in the St. Petersburg leather community and looks forward to his all-expenses paid trip to Chicago, from the contest producers and the platform bar, so he can compete in the International Mr. Leather 2007 contest in Chicago. While we had many past titleholders at the event, the current visiting titleholders to the event included the current Mr. Pittsburgh Leather, Tom, and the current Mr. Ramrod Leather, Bill Hoeppner, of Fort Lauderdale. The producers, Terrell Ray and Todd Crutchfield wish to thank everyone for their time, talent, and energy. Lincoln wishes to thank everyone who supported him during his 18 month title period. Onward and Upward. Leather Regards."

New Club Opens

Harry Potter Nude

Two months after the release of the charged Equus poster, 17-year-old Daniel Radcliffe has galloped further from his Harry Potter image with a set of salacious promo photos for the West End production.

Considering Radcliffe's age, the photos have sent shock waves out to some loyal Potter fans, although the play's producer David Pugh, had an entirely different reaction: "There was no hesitancy about taking his clothes off - he has a confidence in his own appearance. With the performances that I've witnessed, when that boy takes his shirt off, Harry Potter has flown out of Hogwarts for good. We had never seen Dan with clothes off before. We all went 'wow!'.

Dali Museum Opens New Exhibition

New Orleans AIDS (NO/AIDS) Task Force

Dear Friends;

Before I came to work at ASAP I lived outside of New Orleans for approximately 5 months. I left barely two months before Katrina hit. Since then I have wanted to do something to help a fellow HIV/AIDS service agency in New Orleans. I have learned first hand of the troubles they’ve had to deal with through friends who were stranded without medication, flooded facilities, displaced employees. As you all know, a true nightmare. With that in mind I want to ask for your help in bringing some funds to the New Orleans AIDS (NO/AIDS) Task Force.

I ask for any donation you can spare $1, $5, $20, anything you can. If you are able to help, please make sure your donation reaches me by Thursday, February 15,2007. You can interoffice donations to me or mail them to: P.O. Box 15613 St. Petersburg, FL. 33733. Make checks payable to NO/AIDS Task Force. You can visit their website www.noaidstaskforce.com. I will present the donation on behalf of the staff, volunteers and supporters of AIDS Service Association of Pinellas to NO/AIDS Task Force when I visit New Orleans on February 16, 2007. Feel free to pass this information along to those who may also want to help.

Below is an excerpt from a press release on No/AIDS Task Force, their challenges and the creative ways they are utilizing to continue helping those with HIV/AIDS. I thank you in advance for your support and ask you that you don’t forget the suffering of our brothers and sisters in the Crescent City.

Peace and love,

Carlos Milán

Americorp-Vista Volunteer

FACT Community Liaison

AIDS Services Association of Pinellas

The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast

Tel:(727) 328 - 5518

Fax:(727) 328 - 3265

carlosmilan@asapservices.org

www.diningoutforlife.org

E mail from Our readers

From Cliff in St. Croix

Hey you two, Glad I get the gossip. Keeps me informed. All is well here. Enclosed pics of my two children, rescued from the dumpsters (seperately) The cat is 4 times as big as he was when I got himThe dog, has torn out box spring lining and sleeps in the othe half while the cat sleeps at my feet. They both know when it's bedtime and do accordingly. . The dog. . or whatever he thinks he is, will always be this size. The two are best friends and play or clean each other or walk ( on a leash) together with me all the time. Encourage your readers to adopt. WOW what great pets, family, they become. Best wishes to all of you

Cliff