Another Gay Disney has come and gone and once again it was a colossal success. Both the Gaydays and Mark Baker hotels were sold out and of course there were many other hotels that were packed with the gay and lesbian community. I arrived in Orlando early Friday evening, changed and headed out to Typhoon Lagoon where the crowd seemed to have…
Last Week in Review
Another Gay Disney has come and gone and once again it was a colossal success. Both the Gaydays and Mark Baker hotels were sold out and of course there were many other hotels that were packed with the gay and lesbian community.
I arrived in Orlando early Friday evening, changed and headed out to Typhoon Lagoon where the crowd seemed to have doubled from last year. This party has returned to the success it was years ago.
The pool parties at Buena Vista and Doubletree were packed Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Gaydays Expo was even more successful then in previous years and more then a few vendors told me they made more money then ever before. Mark Bakers Saturdays at Universal and Sunday at HardRock were once again packed and his new after hours “Tunnel” at the Buena Vista did incredibly well in its inaugural year.
Also, the inaugural T dance at Epcot (brought to you by the Lets Go Play Guys) sold out. Having said this all the local big clubs, Parliament House, Mister Sisters, Revolution and Pulse were also packed all weekend long. Orlando’s gay life was just pumping. Cant wait for Gay Disney 2012!!
LGBT Events in South Florida
Thursday, June 9
The Pride Factory presents a “create your own sale” event from today until June 15th where if you spend $50 you get $5 off and if you spend $100 you get $15 off. The more you shop, the more you save!
Friday, June 10
Bubble Gum Fridays at The Manor presents the Underwear Party with a $500 Sexiest Underwear Contest in cash and prizes. The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale presents an Underwear Fashion Show Charity Benefit for Out of the Closet.
Saturday, June 11
Mona’s Bar is throwing a retirement/fundraiser party for one of Fort Lauderdale’s most favorite bartenders, John “Mary” Lyons starting at noon. At 3 pm they will have a great cookout. John has been a pillar of the gay community for so many years so I urge you all to come out and support this very special person!
In conjunction with what has come to be known as “Pride Month,” Bloomingdale’s in the house wares department on the 3rd floor in the Aventura Mall presents “Cooking with Pride,” a culinary demonstration, at 1 pm. Victor Cardenas Pasos of the Palace, Ocean Drive’s first and only gay restaurant/bar, will utilize Bloomingdale’s state-of-the-art cookware and equipment as he demonstrates preparation of two of the Palace’s favorite dishes. One of the Palace’s legendary drag divas will assist Victor, making for a unique and entertaining presentation. The event is free and open to the public, and all who attend will be able to sample the fare and receive a copy of the recipes. For further information, please call 305.792.1288.
Bigger Saturdays at Score presents Summer Sessions starring DJ/producer George Figares and hosted by Chyna Girl.
Sunday, June 12
Trannie Palace at Bill’s Filling Station presents the annual Mr. & Miss Stonewall Pageant with registration at 7 pm and show time at 10 pm. The categories for competition are Gay Pride Presentation and Q&A (both) evening gown (miss), evening/club wear (mr.), underwear/swimsuit (mr), and talent (miss).
Tony Lima presents Bear Nation’s monthly T-Dance at The Manor celebrating Bear Pride 2011 starring DJ Bill James with Dancers and Flaggers. The T dance is from 7 pm to midnight and is no cover!
The Alibi Wilton Manors invites everyone to celebrate the Tony Awards at 7 pm hosted by Florida’s own Dame Edna in the Manchester room with prizes and giveaways.
Monday, June 13
Georgie’s Alibi Wilton Manors cordially invites everyone to the 14th annual Miss Alibi Turnabout Pageant where they warn you to expect the unexpected. This year’s theme is The Battle of the Burlesque Beauties and is produced by Great Scot Enterprises and is a benefit with this years proceeds going to the Wellness Center of South Florida. For more information see the feature in this week’s magazine.
Hot Stuff
Summer is just around the corner and with all of the fun socializing opportunities it brings, it’s a great time to find love. Who doesn’t fantasize about dreamy walks on the beach at sunset, cuddling in the drive-in, or dancing on the bistro patio under the stars?
Instead of just waiting for love to find you, take charge and attract it with the Feng Shui For Love iPhone app. With this easy-to-use app, you can assess your home and lifestyle and find out what might be holding you back from finding love. Then, make the recommended adjustments to open yourself up to embracing love. The fixes can be easy. Maybe your sofa is facing the wrong way or maybe your home is too cluttered with memories from the past. Or if you’re moving into a new place for the summer, start off on the right foot by using the app to help design, decorate and arrange it in a way that brings Mr. Right into your life. For those who have already found love, the app’s suggestions can help you embrace, strengthen and nurture your relationship. Feng Shui For Love ($3.99) has versions compatible with iPhone 3 and iPhone 4, as well as iPod Touch. The app is available from Apple’s App Store.
Joe Granda, CEO and President of Granda Entertainment, appeared on NBC 6’s local morning show, South Florida Today, to discuss his experience in the music business and the current trend in celebrities “coming out” in support of the LGBT community. During the interview, host Trina Robinson got the inside scoop on Granda Entertainment’s behind the scenes work in pairing some of the biggest names in Latin music with the LGBT community.In recent years, the mainstream market has seen a major influx in the number of chart topping artists actively reaching out to the LGBT community, but this is nothing new for Granda Entertainment and the various artists it has worked with. For more than 10 years artists, record labels, and managers have utilized Granda Entertainment to increase awareness and album sales among one of the most sought after demographics in the country – the gay community. “In the majority of the cases many of the artist, managers, record labels, or a combination of all three hire us for the marketing and promotion of the artist’s music and videos at the street level through club partnerships, DJ collaborations, social networking sites, and such,” explains Granda Entertainment CEO/President, Joe Granda. Granda Entertainment is currently working with the some of the biggest acts of the Latin Market including Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Juanes, Daddy Yankee and rising Latin Stars such as Sohanny, Anamor, Grupo Treo, Lanka and more.
June will play host to hundreds of gay-oriented events taking place across the country to commemorate the Gay Rights movement. The LGBT community has come a long way from the days of protesting against the unlawful treatment of homosexuals to a much more triumphant tone where gay men show how proud they are to have been born this way! Sensis Condoms with QuikStrips is a partner of the LGBT community and what more could you want than the must-have “safer sex, better sex” accessory for the month-long festivities? Sensis Condoms with QuikStrips (SensisCondoms.com) is the must-have “safer sex, better sex” accessory of the pride season as well as the strides that the condom brand is making to become a wellness partner of the LGBT community.
Sensis was created to ensure that the condom goes on quickly and properly while protecting the passion of an intimate moment. The patented QuikStrips work like the tabs on a band-aid, which make it easier to apply the condom properly. The ridges on the FDA approved QuikStrips aid in proper use, acting as a guide and indicating the condom’s right side even in the dark. Got Pride? Sensis Condoms with QuikStrips does!
