Girl-on-World: Aloha Spirit Fingers In The Hawaiian Sky

Early on in our relationship I promised my girlfriend Marni that although my career choice of Professional Lesbian was unlikely to bestow great riches upon us any time soon, she’d at least get a few free vacations out of it. Unfortunately, the onset of our relationship seemed to correspond precisely with a tightening-of-the-purse-strings amongst lesbian travel/event companies that previously had been relatively generous with their press passes and accommodations. Needless to say, we were all surprised when it was her job, and not mine, that landed us in Honolulu this February, with a meal allowance and everything!

I’m a big overplanner when it comes to vacations but Marni is pretty much down for “whatever” as long as it doesn’t involve olives or walking up a hill.  I’m not even remotely easygoing and require advance preparation for all activities (such as proper footwear and adequate budgeting). So needless to say I had five days of packing anxiety and had carefully marked up several maps of Hawaii in anticipation of our arrival.

“You have to embrace the Aloha Spirit,” Marni reminded me on our first day as we lay on a beautiful beach while I was trying not to think about whether or not we should make dinner reservations within the next 25 minutes. I pointed out that arguably she embraces the Aloha spirit every day of her life, and thought to myself that it’s possibly this attitude that enables her to tolerate my neurotic existence and, you know, be in love with me and stuff. Obviously embracing the Aloha Spirit would be a Character-Building Experience, which I also consider to be a time maximizer.

Needless to say there were a few situations that attempted to demolish my Aloha Spirit — but they did not succeed.

(Sidenote: This is supposed to be a normal travel article but obviously I can’t pull off a normal travel article because I like reading about history too much.)

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Friday – Traveling & Beaching & Eating

Marni’s employer was putting her up at the Outrigger Reef On the Beach, one of three Outrigger hotels within a ten minute radius of one another. This is really confusing if, for example, your itinerary includes dinner at the wrong Outrigger hotel. The Outrigger Reef is located smack-dab in the nexis of Tourist Central, which means everything is really expensive and heterosexual.

Because Marni had picked a crack-of-dawn flight, our room wasn’t ready when we arrived in Hawaii so we charged down the beach in our airplane clothes in search of nourishment, and eventually plopped down at The Edge (at The Sheraton, 2255 Kalakaua Avenue) where we had a super-cute dyke waitress (unfortunately this was not a beacon of future cute lesbians to come) and a sandwich I couldn’t eat because it was super-gross and I am super-weird.

Hawaii’s got these ABC Stores everywhere which are basically for tourists to load up on macadamia nuts and overpriced toothpaste. They also sell alcohol for the low low price of your left arm, your first-born child and a pint of blood. Thus we spent the next few hours on a magical journey deep into less hyper-sanitized parts of Honolulu in search of inexpensive alcohol, suntan lotion, and moleskin for the blisters I acquired during said magical journey.

Here’s the thing I learned quickly about Waikiki: it’s the most expensive place I’ve ever been in my life. And I lived in New York City for six years and currently live in The Bay Area. So.

After getting our room, we managed to sneak in an hour or so of Beach before sunset. Waikiki Beach is crowded but it’s also the backyard of our hotel. It’s just so fucking beautiful there, even with all the tourists everywhere. Every twenty minutes or so it would rain — it never got dark, there were just these little windows of sprinkling misty rain, cutting through the sun like something on its way somewhere else.

Later that night we got lost three times looking for the highly-recommended Duke’s Waikiki (2335 Kalakaua Ave), which turned out to be hiding inside another Outrigger Hotel, several blocks down on a street crowded with tourists, fancy hotels and luxury shopping like Tiffany’s and Versace. We’d called for reservations but they were booked and recommended coming in anyhow, the wait would only be 30 minutes or so. It was 90 minutes. (Always make dinner reservations in Hawaii!)

Across the street was the International Marketplace, a cornicopia of booths schilling various tourist-friendly wares, like pearls and Aloha shirts, stores with names like Rainbow Gift Shop, Sunshine Fashions & Gifts and Island Gift Outlet. We dipped inside an outdoor bar/restaurant with decor reminiscent of a Disney ride that’s fallen out of favor, where a friendly waitress plied us with Mai Tais and peanut-butter-stuffed pretzels at the tiny bar. It was called Tiki’s (2330 Kalakaua Ave // Honolulu). About twenty minutes after our arrival, a bunch of straight guys showed up to shamelessly flirt with the waitress and talk loudly about sports, television and women, at which point we figured our table was probably ready, paid the bill, and fled the premises.

Duke’s was recommended by TripAdvisor, Yelp and everything else on the internet and so it seemed like a good choice and it was, if an outrageously expensive one. I had a super-buttery “Mac Nut & Herb-Crusted Tilapia” and Marni liked her Sirloin.  The restaurant’s aggressive surfer-kitsch was, allegedly, intended to reflect the spirit of the restaurant’s namesake, Duke Paoa Kahanamoku. Simply based on my knowledge of interactions between white people and brown people throughout history, I was 95% sure before even looking it up that this restaurant somehow involved white people exploiting brown people and that it was unlikely Duke has a hand in “Duke’s Famous Salad Bar.” Which brings us to…

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History Break #1: The Story of Duke Paoa Kahanamoku

Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, descendent of Hawaiian royalty and the man Duke’s restaurant is named after, was only three years old when 129 white Americans decided to execute a charge on his people’s kingdom to better exploit natives and improve their fortunes in the region. For twenty years, the “Father of International Surfing” represented the United States in the Olympics, winning gold medals for swimming while spreading surfing’s gospel worldwide. He moved to Hollywood in the 20’s and appeared in over 30 movies and, while living in Newport Beach, executed the “most superhuman surfer rescue act the world has ever seen” when he rescued eight fishermen from a capsized fishing vessel in heavy surf. He then served in various government positions and became the states Official Ambassador of Aloha before his death in 1968.

Steve Pezman, publisher of Surfer’s Journal Magazine,said the following about Duke to Honolulu Magazine: “He traveled the world and introduced that concept to other cultures. He was in many ways pure of heart—a very simple, loving person who had this huge bunch of charisma that became commodified by everyone around him.”

Of course, the story of how Duke’s name ended up on this restaurant is complicated. In 1962, along with Honolulu DJ Kimo McVay, Duke opened Duke Kahanamoku’s Restaurant and Nightclub (they hired Don Ho as the entertainer) and trademarked his name in hopes of preventing others from capitalizing on it. But in 1973, his widow Nadine Alexander sold the name to a swimwear company in California who eventually would go bankrupt before utilizing the trademark and sell the trademark to a man named Charlie Carr in 1993. In 1986, Nadine gave the trademark to the Outrigger Canoe Club to develop a nonprofit in Duke’s name. The Outrigger Canoe Club was where Nadine, who Duke met in California, felt most comfortable on the island, even though her husband was one of the only Hawaiians granted membership back then due to its race-based exclusionary policy. When Carr came on the scene in 1993, Outrigger sued him for ownership of the trademark, claiming it had been “abandoned” by its prior owners.

The charitable foundation established in his name, overseen by a board that’s two-thirds Outrigger Canoe Club members, has given scholarships to its wealthy members’ children and gives its largest grant to the Outrigger Canoe Club’s yearly canoe regatta. They also granted permission to TS Restaurants to open a restaurant using Duke’s name in Kaua’i and Waikiki. Carr continued battling Outrigger for the rights to Duke’s name, a conflict which bears “an undercurrent of long-standing ethnic tension.”

For some reason none of this information was available in the menu?

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Queer Girl City Guide: Toronto, Canada

By: Camilla, Melisa & Meredydd

Feature image via zazzle.ca

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To put it bluntly, Toronto is a big city, and there is a whole heck of a lot going on here. No guide could cover all of the amazing things that occur on any given week/month so just consider this our take on the best of the city, especially the queer, West-end leaning aspects. We have all come to Toronto with really different backgrounds, and there are probably countless other people who could write another totally distinct guide but we volunteered so you are stuck with us!

Meredydd

I have lived in Toronto for most of my life. First in the suburbs but I moved downtown as soon as I could. I have traveled extensively but never found a city that makes me as happy as this one, even on the coldest day of winter.

Melisa

I’m a Torontonian by birth, but grew up in and still live in the suburbs. As a kid I spent many Saturday mornings in Parkdale gallivanting with my family at BiWay to buy Rockets and Cherry Blasters, go to fabric stores on Queen Street and thrift shop nearby (I’m still just as short, buy Rockets and Cherry Blasters and thrift shop, so not much has changed there). I didn’t truly appreciate Toronto’s general quirks and its not-so-subtle queerness until I went to school and began working downtown and even just talking about the city with Camilla and Mere for this guide. We’re incredibly fortunate that, for the most part, being queer is largely incidental. People here are usually on the go, but when the neighbours and curious tourists have time to stop and mind each other, we’re incredibly accommodating, friendly and have lots of feelings and opinions we’re willing to share about coffee and food.

Camilla

I’m a transplanted British citizen, having arrived in Canada three short years ago to work – I have been dubbed a “Britadian” by my friends. In all honesty, Toronto was never a city I had on my radar until the hoards of Brits in Vancouver and an East Coast American (now ex) girlfriend convinced me to rethink where to plant my new roots in this glorious country. I came to the city imagining this gritty, hollow, concrete metropolis but Toronto, completely and unexpectedly, reeled me in. Having lived in a handful of fairly exotic cities during my transient and wanderlust-ful early twenties, Toronto is actually the first city that I’ve not gotten itchy feet over after 12 months plus. There are a lot of things to be said for the wildly multicultural character of the city (half of the population was born outside of Canada) but through my own happy accidents and researching for this guide, there’s also a ridiculous amount to be said for the raging queer character of the city, which is integrated so seamlessly into the whole. In my experience, Toronto has the distinct ability to bend and flex to be everyone’s home. It still makes me cheesy-grin that I can call it mine.

More than just queer friendly, in Toronto queer culture mostly feels totally integrated into the fabric of the city. It is very much a city where you have to make your own community. Put in the effort, put yourself out there and you will be rewarded with a really, really good time.

The Gaybourhood, and Neighbourhoods That Might As Well Be

It’s telling that the first time any of us had been to the Gaybourhood in the past six months was to write this guide. In Toronto the epicentre of the traditional Gay Neighbourhood is the corner of Church St. and Wellesley St. and extends North and South down Church. In years past, Church was pretty much all there was – gay clubs, bars, restaurants, cafes and shops dominated primarily by gay men (but with a lesbian and trans* presence). The atmosphere in Toronto has changed in recent years however, as many queer-owned businesses have opened in neighbourhoods across the city and queer bar nights take over mainstream bars.

Part of Toronto’s charm is also its overall queer-friendliness. Although there may once have been a real need for a queer-specific area, now it is less necessary and furthermore, the community doesn’t demand it. That doesn’t mean that there is no place for Church St. However, it just means that the city has lots more to offer the queer resident or visitor than what’s contained in the Gaybourhood.

Parkdale is in the West end of downtown and stretches from Dufferin to Roncesvalles (mostly along Queen St. West). It is one of the most queer-friendly parts of Toronto and is a quickly and eternally gentrifying neighbourhood full of fun bars, cafes, restaurants and shops mixed in with families new to Canada, amazing roti, jerk shops and cheque cashing places. Don’t let the apparent lack of patios fool you – many places have full ones in the back, like Cadillac Lounge (1300 Queen St. W. 416-536-7717 open daily 11am-2am). Other places worth checking out are Grand Electric (1330 Queen Street West, 416-627-3459 open daily 6pm-late) for hipster tacos and Bacchus Roti (1376 Queen Street West, 416-532-8191 open T-F 12pm-9pm, S 2pm-10pm) for Guyanese-style Roti.

In summer, walk a little east on Queen, stopping first on Ossington St. Ossington is a relatively new stretch of excellent restaurants and bars. The best of the street is Pizzeria Libretto (221 Ossington Avenue, 416-532-8000 open daily 11:30am-11pm) home of the only real Neapolitan style pizza in the city. End your visit to Parkdale with a break in Trinity Bellwoods Park (Queen St. W. at Strachan St.). If you want another snack, Nadege (780 Queen Street West, 416-368-2009 open MTW 8am-8pm, ThF 8am-9pm, S 8am-8pm, Su 8am-7pm) has macaroons and cakes almost too beautiful to eat.

Kensington Market is on all of the “must see” lists of Toronto, with good reason. It’s eclectic, unique, charming, and so very weird. ‘Pedestrian Sundays’ during the summer are the pinnacle of how appealing Kensington Market can be, but on any given day you can watch street performers, catch secret gigs, get lost in the vintage stores, people-watch whilst consuming a burrito bigger than your head at Big Fat Burrito (285 Augusta Ave. 416-913-7487 MTW, Su 11am-9pm, Th-S 11am-10pm), and be part of a drum circle/interpretive dance-off at Bellevue Square Park. It seems to attract hippies, hipsters and queers like nowhere else. Other Kensington Market highlights include Kid Icarus which is a stationary and print shop with incredible custom work (205 Augusta Ave. 416-977-7236 M-S 12pm-7pm, Su 12pm-5pm), Urban Herbivore (64 Oxford St. 416-927-1231 open daily 8am-sunset) home to the greatest avocado sandwich, Global Cheese (76 Kensington Ave. 416-593-9251), Kensington Cornerstone (2A Kensington Ave. 647-343-1597 MWThF 12pm-9pm, S-Su 10am-9pm) a 100% gluten-free resto with great Sangria pitchers.

The Annex is equal parts student grunge and professor fancy thanks to its proximity to the University of Toronto, which means that you can reap the advantages of both whilst being neither (like me). Fiesta Farms (200 Christie St. 416-537-1235 M-S 8am-9pm, Su 9am-7pm), the neighbourhood’s independent grocery store, is ripe with foodie lesbians buying their organic hummus and local kombucha. The Bloor Cinema (506 Bloor St W. 416-637-3123) is a recently-renovated, fully licensed theatre exclusively showing documentaries. I get my yoga on at Kula (304 Brunswick Ave. 416-922-5852), which gets all the points for $8 community specials including Queer Yoga (every Monday), Brown Girls (every Wednesday) and the most rocking Live Music Flow. In terms of coffee/food/drink, I could go on for days but I will limit my recommendations to the board game café, Snakes and Lattes (Bloor St W. 647-342-9229 open daily 11am-2am), Sam James Coffee Pocket (688a Bloor St W. 647-341-2572 M-F 6:30am-7pm, S-Su 9am-5pm) which is the tiniest and best, Tacos el Asador (690 Bloor St W. 416-538-9747 MT, Th-S 12pm-9pm, W 1pm-9pm, Su 2pm-9pm) pick up their pupusas and eat them with a cute girl whilst watching Timbits soccer at Christie Pits Park, Southern Accent (595 Markham St. 416-536-3211 Tu-Su 5pm onwards) with its excellent cajun cooking and bourbon tasting and Fresh on Bloor (326 Bloor St W. 416-599-4442 M-F 11:30am-10pm, S-Su 10:30am-10pm) where I never fail to have cyclical crushes on all of the wait staff bringing me quinoa-battered onion rings and the best sweet potato fries with miso gravy.

Laid back and pretentious-free Queen Street East, especially east of the Don Valley Parkway, doesn’t get as much attention as its younger, hipper sister (West) Queen West. Young families, older retirees and 20-something day-trippers tend to dominate the area. The vast majority of mostly local businesses cater to this mix of locals. Grab a cheeseburger and shake at Dangerous Dan’s (714 Queen St. E open daily 12pm-midnight) before heading to a live music show across the street at The Opera House (735 Queen St. E). With the exception of a Starbucks at Queen and Logan, neighbourhood cafes dominate the area including the original Dark Horse location (682 Queen St. E 647-436-3460 open daily 7am-8pm), stroller-friendly Te Aro (983 Queen St. E 416-465-2006 M-F 7am-6pm, S 7:30am-6pm, Su 8am-6pm) where the Kiwi owners also roast their beans in house, and Mercury Espresso (915 Queen St. E, 647-435-4779 M-F 6:30am-8pm, S 7:30am-8pm, Su 8am-8pm), who also supplies the beans for the espresso ice cream at Ed’s Real Scoop (920 Queen St. E 416-406-2525).

Torontonians are brunch fanatics, and the east end is where some of city’s best brunch places call home. The wait lines on weekends are a scandal (no reservations), but the blueberry pancakes at Edward Levesque’s Kitchen (1290 Queen St. E 416-465-3600 Tu-F 5:30pm onwards, S-Su 9am-3pm brunch, 5:30pm onwards), or huevos rancheritos at Lady Marmalade (898 Queen St. E 647-351-7645 M-F 8am-4pm, S-Su 8am-3pm) are worth the early morning call. Ceili (kay-lee) Cottage (1301 Queen St. E 416-406-1301 M-Th 5pm-12am, F 5pm-2am, S 12pm-2am, Su 12pm-11am) is the cutest little Irish pub with a white picket fence and patio and a healthy selection of whiskeys that’ll make you forget you’re actually in Toronto. Riverdale and Leslieville are in close proximity to other quirky neighbourhoods– you have Chinatown East and Little India to the north and the Beaches to the east.

Full disclosure: Old Town, Toronto’s oldest neighbourhood, is my home away from home. I attended school in Old Town, I work in Old Town, I love eating, drinking, frolicking and passing out in Old Town. St. Lawrence, in the heart of Old Town, is dotted with Victorian and Edwardian era buildings and row houses mixed with new housing developments (Toronto is a condo city, after all). Come the world famous St. Lawrence Market (93 Front Street East). From Tuesdays to Saturdays, you can get everything from the best and widest variety cheeses from around the world to fresh apple cider at the Saturday Farmer’s Market (from 5:00am!) to cooking supplies to yummy Chinese food from that somewhat sketchy-looking vendor in the lower level. But for those that eat meat, Carousel Bakery is the only place to clog your arteries with Toronto’s famous peameal bacon sandwiches (Canadian back bacon, for those that don’t know). Their version with a fried egg is highly recommended by me and not by your GP.

Chopped and Cropped

The Aveda Institute (125 King St East. 416-921-2961) tricks you into thinking that you’re at some seriously fancy salon with aromatherapy scalp massages, unlimited herbal tea and makeup touch-ups (consensually, of course) before you leave. They are staffed by a never-ending stream of eager, exceedingly well-coiffed students who are, more often than not, straddling the divide between hipster and queer. More than once I’ve chosen my cut by pointing at the cute crop of a student. It’s effectively an Alternative Lifestyle Haircut Menu in real life, is what I’m saying. Bonus points for starting at $21. Open M 12pm-6pm, TW 9am-6pm, ThF 9am-8pm, S 9am-6pm

Jamie at Shampoo (32 St. Andrew St (Kensington Market). 416-542-1576) is fantastic (although not cheap, but you’re worth it). She can do everything from the basics to bold, brilliant colour and she is a huge Star Trek geek too. Open T 10am-6pm, W-F 10am-8pm, S 10am-7pm, Su 12pm-6pm

Coupe Bizarre (710 Queen St. W. 416-899-6058) is probably the best known and oldest “alternative” hairstyle salon in the city. Not queer owned but definitely queer friendly! If you don’t trust the Aveda students with your precious locks and Jamie at Shampoo is all booked up, Coupe Bizzare is a commendable choice. Open M-F 10am-8pm, S 10am-6pm, Su 12pm-6pm

Fuss Hair Studio (1093 Queen St. E. 416-469-0006) – Stacey Lipstein and Kristin Rankin are the owners and hair stylists by the queers and for the queers! Ok, they cater to straight people too, but these girls and their stylists have the know-how on classic and modern cuts and are very honest and helpful with their clientele. Open T-F 10am-8pm, S 9am-4pm

Tattoo Me Now

Speakeasy Tattoo (299 Harbord St. 647-378-2481) is a small, mom and pop shop with zero attitude. They have great female tattooists, guest artists from all over the world and a ridiculous Pomeranian pup, Wilma, who will absolutely sit on you until your nerves are calmed (if you require that kind of assistance). Alternatively if you need a caffeine buzz to power through an inking session, they are right next to (arguably, because Torontonians have so many feelings about this) the best coffee in Toronto, Sam James. I have utilized both methods here, and Wilma wins.

Right in the heart of the Gay Village, Passage (473 Church St. 416-929-7330) is one of the city’s most popular tattoo shops, primarily having reached that status through word of mouth and recommendations. The owner was recently voted the Best Artist in Toronto by the Now Magazine Reader’s Poll. A friend once fell asleep whilst getting her inner bicep tattooed here, although I’m not sure if that’s a remarkable feat in her sleeping abilities or a remarkable testament to Passage.

A tattoo parlour that’s clean and clear and under control! Blackline Tattoo (577 King St.W 416-850-8227) is one of the nicest and cleanest parlours you’ll find around the city (you’re welcome, discerning hypochondriacs), also reflected in their above average pricing. The artists and guest artists here are very skilled and accommodating, and there’s tons of clothing, accessories and jewellery for sale.

Sexy Supplies

Come as You Are (493 Queen St. W 416-504-7934) is a co-operative sex store, which makes it even more awesome than it otherwise would be. They have genuine core values, a good sense of humour and a truly epic selection (for lack of a better word), especially since moving into their new digs. Come As You Are is the most fun, at least until you get home and take your pants off. Open M-W 11am-7pm, Th 11am-8pm, F 11am-9pm, S 11am-8pm, Su 12pm-5pm

Instructions On How To Get Some, or Dating a Torontonian

The dating scene in Toronto is very reflective of Toronto in general. In this city people don’t tend to make the first move and often appear ‘too cool’ or cold. In fact most people are friendly as long as you make even a little bit of effort. The queer scene can be a bit cliquey though, and it makes it harder to break into new social groups (unless they’re the Toronto Straddlers who already love you by default). Unfortunately OKCupid is not really a big thing in the city, so you really do just need to get out there. Despite the challenges, Toronto is massive with the distinct advantage of containing lots and lots of people, constantly coming in, of all types. You look cute. Ask her out. And once you do, there are a ridiculous amount of sweet and quirky options for where to go on dates (like everywhere mentioned in this guide).

So a Lesbian Walks Into a Bar…

The two standouts in a city that has one lowly lesbian bar* are The Beaver (1192 Queen St W. 416-537-2768 open daily 10am-2am), and The Henhouse (1532 Dundas St W. 416-534-5939 Tu-Sa 6pm-2am). Whilst they cannot be categorized as lesbian bars, both are the right amount of lady queer and neither are dominated by gay men, which otherwise is the case for the vast majority of categorically gay bars. The Henhouse was started by Katie Sketch and Jenny Smyth, former Vancouver rockers in The Organ. Katie’s personal record collection is housed in the jukebox, high school yearbooks coat the walls of the bathrooms and the venue hosts a wide range of events including Tits and Toques (a monthly indie girl party) and Dinner and a Drag Race (weekly screenings of RuPaul’s Drag Race). The Beaver is a Parkdale/Queen West café that regularly morphs into a wild dance party for varying alternative weirdos like ourselves. Interestingly, Henhouse was recently voted the Best Gay/Dyke Bar 2012 by the readers of Now Toronto, with The Beaver coming in as runner up. I wrote this before I knew that, honestly.

*Slacks (562 Church St. 416-928-2151 Tu 5pm-12pm, W-S 5pm-2am, Su 5pm-12pm) is the only actual lesbian bar in Toronto and it is located in the Gay Village on Church St. Every other queer/lesbian event takes over a mainstream bar for the evening but Slacks is (pretty much) all lesbian. It is a restaurant during the early evening and then converts to a bar atmosphere with a DJ later on. Slacks has a lot of regulars and it can be hard to meet anyone new there, although the vibe is very much about hooking up.

Crews/Tangos (508 Church St. 647-349-7469 open daily 8pm-2:30am) is a mixed queer bar with drag shows every weekend downstairs (plus a patio and another dance area in the back) and a lesbian-oriented bar upstairs. The downstairs tends to attract tourists and bachelorette parties and the upstairs is dark and it feels like the dance floor might cave in. Despite the evident drawbacks it is still possible to have a fun night here as long as you start drinking early.

Taking Over TO, One Girl Party At A Time

Cherry Bomb (at Andy Poolhall, 489 College St.) happens on the second to last Saturday of every month. It’s definitely a hot, sweaty club party, geared towards younger queer women and friends (although open to all) in its promises of filthy dance-your-ass-off fun. Free before 10pm, $7 cover after.

Toastr (at the Riverside Public House, 725 Queen St. E) happens every second (or third) Saturday of the month and is one of the few queer events in the East end. The event caters to a (slightly) older crowd and features rotating house/electro DJs. It is somewhat less cliquey than other Toronto monthlies and lots of people dance especially later in the night. Get there after 11. $5 cover.

Centres, Organizations and Services that are Relevant To Your Interests

The 519 Church Street Community Centre (519 Church St. 416-392-6874) is the biggest and best queer resource centre in the city. It offers all the programs and services you would expect from a good neighbourhood community centre, targeted at LGBTTQ individuals, allies and friends. In addition to programs for Newcomers to Canada, counselling, family services and anti-poverty, the 519 also offers space for meetings, events and parties (including the park beside the building). The 519 is really the centre-piece of queer services in Toronto and can also help you find any other support or connection you might need in the city.

LGBT families in Toronto are distinctly unremarkable, but the sight of them never fails to warm the cockles of our hearts. It’s safe to say that almost any kind of non-nuclear family unit can be found in the city, and many variations of gay parenting have won equal treatment under the law in Ontario. The 519 Community Centre and the Sherbourne Health Centre (333 Sherbourne St. 416-324-4100) have been running Queer Parenting Workshops for years (Dykes Planning Tykes, aww). Queer-Positive Prenatal Classes are a thing, as is Queer Family Camp and Gender Independence Groups for kiddos from K – Grade 4.

Sherbourne Health Centre offers primary healthcare services to the citywide lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, two-spirited, intersex, queer and questioning community, alongside residents of South-East Toronto. The service is supported by the classically-named Rainbow Health Ontario, a province-wide program designed to promote access to healthcare services to LGBT communities.

Toronto Pride

Toronto Pride (June 22-June 30, 2013) is one of the best in the entire world, according to some completely unbiased, unmentionable source. But really, over a million people attend the week-long festival every year and it is one of the city’s biggest tourist events. There are actually three huge parades over the course of the weekend; The Trans* March, The Dyke March and the Pride Parade. Pride spirit takes over the entire city, not just the Gaybourhood. It is probably the one time all of Toronto’s neighbourhoods and cliques and interest groups all get together to celebrate collectively. Plus the parties are AMAZING and the weekend is always sunny and hot. Pride week is a bit of a marathon so pace yourself, choose your events wisely, come up with some sort of count-off/buddy system for your crew and don’t hold back.

Books, Arts and Culture, Eh.

The LGBT Arts and Culture scene in Toronto is heavily integrated into the city-wide scene, but there are numerous community-based organizations and non-profits that work to the advancement of the Queer-centric performing arts. Queer West, and the Queer West Arts Collective, is perhaps the most active non-profit, running events such as the Annual Queer Arts Festival, the Queer West Film Festival, and the Smash Words Festival (poetry and Cabaret). Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (12 Alexander St. 416-975-8555) is a not-for-profit, LGBT, professional theatre company that has been operating since 1979.

The TorontoStraddlers are lucky enough to have a resident comic/performer/event wrangler in our midst, Catherine. She hosts the weekly ‘Laughs at Slacks‘, a free women’s and LGBT comedy open mic night with rotating guests. ‘Storytelling at Caplansky’s‘ occurs every Sunday and while it’s not exclusively queer, it attracts a lot of queer storytellers who are keen to hang out in a deli, eat smoked meat and share their stories. ‘Write Club Toronto‘ at the Garrison is a new, monthly literary smackdown straight out of Chicago and according to Catherine, it’s a good place to get your queer crush on, so there’s that.

The Inside Out Film Festival is the largest event of its kind in Canada, regularly attracting crowds of 35,000 across the 11 day, early-summer festival. It is an excellent place to catch films with LGBT content (not just coming out movies, or stereotypically gay storylines) from all over the world, and is a lot more accessible than other film events in the city, such as the Toronto International Film Festival.

Toronto’s LGBT/Feminist literature scene has had a hard time thriving and even just surviving of late. In a city as commercial as Toronto, independent bookstores in general but specialist bookstores especially struggle to compete with the mega chains. Whilst the November closing of the Toronto Women’s Bookstore, a feminist institution and all-round women’s collective for the last 39 years, is disappointing, the city still has an LGBT champion in Glad Day Bookshop (598A Yonge St. 416-961-4161), which is the oldest gay and lesbian bookstore in North America -open M-W 11am-7:30pm, Th-F 11am-9pm, S 10am-9pm, Su 12pm-6pm. Glad Day is nothing if not committed to its market. Sadly for lady homos, that market is mostly gay men according to the absolute plethora of shirtless and sometimes pantless men on magazine covers that grace your eyeballs soon after entering. It’s ok. Power through, and you will find the best lesbian fiction selection in the city.

Safety In The City

In all honesty, the vast majority of the downtown core is so busy, basically all the time, that you don’t need to worry about avoiding anywhere but at the same time, don’t wander down shady alleys and deserted backstreets like a crazy fool. The sheer presence of people and vehicles on the street has its advantages. I have been scared more often by my own shadow walking down the quiet residential street of my home town in rural England than by anything on the big, bad streets of Toronto. The places where your safety could be compromised are on the outer fringes of the city and in certain neighbourhood pockets; places where visitors are unlikely to stumble. In terms of LGBT safety, we’ve never experienced any negative attention or harassment based on our presentation, who we’re with or the places that we frequent. That’s not to say that Toronto doesn’t have its safety issues and like any North American city, we’re grappling with sporadic acts of violence and gang-related crime has been seeping into the downtown core on occasion in the last few years.

The Financial Reality of Living Here

Rent = expensive for Canada, not overly expensive for a major metropolitan city. No matter what your budget is you can probably find something although it might be a bit of a dump, or in the boonies. Adjust your standards accordingly. Roommates are highly recommended as a money saver. There is also ridiculous amount of condo development all over the city.

Food = there are so many good food options at every price point that downtown dwellers will typically eat out as opposed to cooking. Cheap and cheerful abounds in Chinatown(s)/Koreatown. Groceries seem to be more expensive than in the States, as a whole. Cheese is especially killer, so congratulations if you’re vegan.

Booze = due to legal requirements all booze has to be purchased at quasi-government stores. The Beer Store is the actual name of the store where you buy beer. Taxes make drinking more expensive than most other places in North America but with the sheer amount of bars in existence across the city, you can be picky as to where you choose to spend your drinking dosh.

Public transportation = one of the most expensive public transportation systems in the world, made up of a network of subway trains, streetcars and buses. It can get you where you need to go, reliably and fairly quickly, especially if you’re navigating the downtown areas. Walking or cycling is highly recommended if you don’t want to deal with the smell of breath on the subway. Bixi bikes come highly recommended! Whilst the city is not especially pedestrian or bike-friendly, the sheer number of people doing anyway it is a sign that it’s one of the best ways to get around. You can get a much better feel for the diverse neighbourhoods and all of the little gems that they hold by foot.

Universities and Colleges

Toronto is not a University town but several of the countries biggest and best schools are located here:

University of Toronto
24 Kings College Circle
416-978-2011

Ryerson University
350 Victoria Street
416-979-5000

York University (not downtown but still a major Toronto school)
4700 Keele Street
416-736-2100

George Brown College
200 King St E
416-415-2000

You’re Fit (And You Know It)

The team thought it would be funnier if the non-Canadian introduced this section. Perhaps because, unlike them, I’m slightly less disillusioned by the years of consistently being let down? Who knows. The four big shot franchise teams are the Maple Leafs (hockey), the Blue Jays (baseball), the Raptors (basketball) and TFC (soccer), all of whom have had their worst seasons ever, pretty much. Apparently the chances of teams collectively not making the playoffs in their respective leagues for 2+ years in a row is more than 1 in 1600. I guess that means we’re overachieving in our underachievement. The Leafs’ genuine fan base (as in, aside from the corporate sponsors) deserves special mention for their utter commitment to astronomically high ticket prices. My lack of dealings with the corporate world means that I may never see a Leafs game, and I’m cool with that – the tribes of neighbourhood kids playing pickup at every city park rink are enough entertainment. Each summer I have urges to drop by a Blue Jays game, more to drink beer at an altitude that’s almost as high as the A-Camp Mountain (cheap seats!), marvel at CN tower and guiltlessly not pay attention to the game because, quite frankly, Brits have absolutely no clue about baseball. Toronto also has the Argos (football), the Marlies (AHL), and the Rock (lacrosse). And now for sports news far more relevant to your gay interests…

In Toronto there is a gay or queer-friendly sports league/activity for virtually every interest – especially if that interest is hockey. Women’s Hockey Club of Toronto is explicitly queer friendly. Recreational soccer is also popular, as are softball and swimming. For something really, really Canadian, check out (gay) curling! Roller Derby is a queer thing here but it’s not quite as popular as it is south of the border. Boxing also has its own women’s only space in the way of the Toronto Newsgirls Club.

In Conclusion…

What are you waiting for? Come and fall in XO with TO. Seriously, people thought that should be the city slogan for a while. Whilst we are not quite so cheesy, it’s entirely possible for that to happen. Pop that toque on your head and get over here already!

Queer Girl City Guide: Nashville, Tennessee

By: Alexis, Amelia, Erin F., Erin M., Jordan and Kendra

Other Contributors: Lindsay Hayes, Jesse Lafser, Megan Johnson, Hannah Epelbaum

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Where the Queer Girls Are

PLAY (1519 Church Street) This dance bar and lounge caters to an all ages crowd in a sprawling Sex In The City-urban-minimalist club space. Except you definitely don’t feel like you’re in Manhattan. Between the grand stage, a separate dance room, two full bars, performance staff, VIP reserve seating and a limited kitchen, Nashville’s “only true dance club” is a pretty standard go-to for some. The crowd is typically male-dominated and leans toward the preppy, twinky, young, tan and sassy. Nightly events like Playmates & Dancing, Ladies Night, Amateur Drag King Night, College Night and SINdustry Night, ensure that fun can usually be had by your average queer. If you’re looking to get frisky with someone, you can probably find that in the men’s restroom, but if you actually need to just use the restroom, go wait in the ladies’ line. If you get tired of dancing and scream-talking to your friends over drag queen renditions of “Private Dancer” and “Bad Romance,” walk next door to Tribe. Look For: Pitchers of PLAY’s signature blue “jungle juice” cocktail floating around

Tribe (1517 Church Street #A) This smaller, “mature older brother” of next-door neighbor PLAY is for the young professional or individual who isn’t looking to do much other than sit and drink. Great for dinner and cocktails after work or as a precursor to karaoke and dancing on the weekend, you won’t find this swanky joint hoppin’ much past 9pm on weeknights. If you take into account the shirtless, ripped bartenders and the alluring music videos played on flat screens around the room, this bar isn’t totally unadventurous. Show Tunes Sundays are always a gay old time as all the TVs display carefully selected music videos and excerpts from Broadway classics. Between singing-alongs and answering trivia questions about each clip, the night gets pretty entertaining. If that’s not your cup of tea, show up on Monday for karaoke, or any other night for whatever themed TV programming they throw at you. For the white-collared, older, sophisticated or lazy types, Tribe is probably your best bet. Look For: Hundreds of cocktail napkins getting thrown into the air in celebration of a theatrical climax on Sunday nights.

Canvas (1707 Church Street) Just a stroll down the block from PLAY on Church Street is Canvas, Nashville’s newest addition to its queer bar scene. This hip lounge draws a similar crowd to Tribe, but, to use a mullet metaphor I just came up with, Tribe is the businesslike front and Canvas is the party in the back. Local artwork and modern decorations adorn the walls and are changed monthly. Novelty cocktails are served and always seem to be really strong, and relatively cheap, (especially compared to PLAY’s overpriced drink menu). There’s weekly live entertainment as well from local musicians, as well as dance nights and DJ sets featuring electronic, dance and house music. During the summer, they open up the massive front windows and it turns into a lovely patio. It’s like a PLAY and Tribe compromise. Sort of. Look For: The Razzmatazz—my drink of choice.

Blu Gene’s (1715 Church Street) Years ago, Blue Gene’s was a dark, dingy, gay karaoke bar populated mostly by service industry patrons letting off some steam. A remodel (which coincided with the opening of several classier establishments on the block) has left the low-key vibe in tact while welcoming a larger segment of the queer population. Walking into a sea of cowboy hats and country ballads at 10pm, it would be easy to mistake the place for a karaoke version of a lower Broadway honky tonk. As the night wears on, however, and the cowboys start kissing each other while one elderly transgender woman sings a love song to another elderly transgender woman (her partner), a warm fuzzy feeling prevails. Blue Gene’s also, for the record, has the most queer-friendly karaoke book and best karaoke sound system in all of Nashville. Look for: The one-woman Blue Gene’s welcoming committee, known to all simply as “Momma.” This adorable elder-stateswoman greets regulars with hugs and first timers (if she approves of your karaoke performance) with an enthusiastic thumbs up.

Lipstick Lounge (1400 Woodland Street )Though advertised as a “Bar for Humans,” for the past ten years, East Nashville’s lesbian-owned Lipstick Lounge has served as a haven for queer ladies throughout Middle Tennessee and beyond. Mingle a little, and you’ll likely speak with ladies that have driven over an hour from small towns in Kentucky or Alabama just to be at this legendary bar. This is why, despite a predominant meat market-y feeling (especially on weekends), Lipstick serves an important, almost poignant, purpose. It’s the only lesbian bar for hundreds of surrounding miles. This fact, combined with Nashville’s unique status as Music City, makes for some pretty entertaining karaoke, which Lipstick offers 5 nights a week. Look for: Owner Jonda’s boozy karaoke renditions of “Faithfully” and “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”

Beyond the Edge (112 S 11th Street) This place is kind of gross, yet remains a favorite for many a Nashville lesbian and sports fan. Lying on the outskirts of 5 Points in East Nashville next to 3Crow Bar and Drifter’s BBQ, Beyond the Edge is the collision of a sports bar and a dive bar. There are pool tables and dart boards, TVs flashing trivia questions and at least 10 flat screens playing a variety of sports programming. It generally smells like a men’s restroom, but it has a back and a front patio that are supreme when it’s warm outside. The food is pretty damn good — especially the curly fries and chicken wings. The staff is super friendly and are primarily lesbians or girls that look like lesbians. On Sundays and Thursdays for some reason, you can count on seeing long tables filled with gay girls wearing sports paraphernalia, slamming down Miller Lite and sharing baskets of hot wings. (All the old ones congregate down the hill at 3Crow.) If you like sports, smoking, bar food and limited annoyances in a laid back environment, consider Beyond the Edge any time of the week. They’re pet-friendly too! Look For: Distant sounds of someone singing a shitty rendition of “I Got Friends (In Low Places)” at Drifter’s BBQ next-door.

The 5 Spot (1006 Forrest Avenue) The 5 Spot isn’t a queer bar per se, but it’s notable for hosting the weekly “Keep on Movin'” dance parties, and the monthly queer dance party, QDP. More recently, it made a 5-second appearance on ABC’s “Nashville” TV drama where it was sorely misrepresented as a “trendy” music venue. (It is, indeed, one of East Nashville’s only great music venues, but just not the kind they made it out to be on that dumb show.) Besides being the epitome of a dive, this friendly, offbeat joint is appreciated by locals for its diverse crowd and excellent entertainment value. Look For: My friends and me, congregating on the back patio at a friend’s show.

No. 308 (407 Gallatin Avenue) When you have a little cash, don’t feel like coming home reeking of cigarettes, or you want someplace with swanky “East Nashville feel,” consider 308 on Gallatin Avenue. The vibe is mixed, channeling urban, rustic, retro and chic all in one darkly-lit space. Their drinks border along the lines of old-timey “mixology bar” drinks but are ordinary enough to appeal to broke artists. But the crowd consists of not so many broke artists as it does intellectuals, East Nashville yuppies, yuppies who don’t live in East Nashville but “venture there” on the weekends to fulfil their “hipster urges” and attractive people. There are usually a lot of attractive people, including all of the gorgeous bartenders and staff. It’s basically queer-allies central. They also host Sunday brunch that is newly becoming the Sunday brunch go-to for classy Nashville queers. Look For: Brit, the hot lezzie bartender serving someone a Bukowski–a shot of whiskey and a 6 oz. sidecar of Miller High Life.

Dino’s (411 Gallatin Avenue) This is the dive-iest of East Nashville’s dive bars with the very best jukebox in town. Adjacent to the swankier, unaffiliated No. 308, Dino’s serves beer (only) and burgers, both of which are, even by Nashville standards, extremely affordable. Local rocks bands grace the tiny “stage” occasionally, but Dino’s is best when utilized as a quiet, cozy retreat from the often-crowded 5 Points bars. On Monday nights, however, Dino’s offers an atypical karaoke night hosted by some of Nashville’s most colorful queer personalities. Don’t miss it. If you are sensing a trend, you are correct. Karaoke seems to be the drinking activity of choice for the musically inclined/literate in Nashville, queers included. Look for: Jovial owner, Rick, forcing someone to play Captain Hook on the jukebox.

Purple Heys (1401 4th Avenue) In the unassuming, industrial area surrounding South Nashville’s Fairgrounds lies this off-the-beaten-path hangout, perfect for nights when a girl wants to be in a queer friendly environment without any pretense. This seems to be the destination of choice for those who are trying to be a little more discreet, so Purple Heys’ers tend to sustain the laidback vibes. Look for: Bears.

TRAX (1501 2nd Avenue) This is probably the bar least frequented by Nashville lezzies, but the staff is friendly and so are the patrons. It is usually described as a bar for daddies, although there are usually a couple drag queens and random locals too. Pool tables and a great happy hour add to the appeal, unless you count the erotic photos of men all over the walls too. The name comes from the bar’s physical location – directly underneath some railroad tracks – but a lot of jokesters usually blame the alleged tendency of patrons doing HeROiN in the bathrooms. We’re pretty sure that’s just hearsay and conjecture though. BUT, if you’re into furry fandom, this may or may not be one of Nashville’s FF meet-up locations. The last time I was there, the regular I spoke to for a while was wearing a shimmering, white foxtail attached to his wallet chain.

College Connection

Vanderbilt University (2305 West End Avenue) Vanderbilt, known by southerners as the “Harvard of The South,” is a research liberal arts university that also has a medical school and a hospital system throughout Nashville. Some of the best LGBT-friendly doctors can be found within the Vanderbilt Medical system and the university serves as a host to many LGBT student organizations. It is also host to a broad range of faculty who research and teach gender and LGBT studies. You may remember the New York Times story about Everett Moran, the gay Vanderbilt student who ran for homecoming queen at? He did not win but was elected to their court and attended it in drag.

Belmont University (1900 Belmont Boulevard) Belmont University – (which might ring a bell if you recall the 2008 Presidential Debate being hosted there) – is a private Christian university that has moved away from its previously strong Baptist affiliation and roots. The majority of their students are involved in the Music Business, Music, Performance or other related Arts programs, which harbor a solid population of LGBTQ students, allies and faculty. As a privately-funded university with a board that still consists of predominantly conservative Baptists, however, they still will not hire openly LGBT professors. Nashville heard a public outcry in 2010 when Belmont fired their pregnant female soccer coach after she told her athletes she would be raising her child with her female partner. Although the decision was not overturned, the campus still united in favor of the coach, proving that even though Belmont has its fair share of rich, white, uninformed conservatives, a vast majority of the community are LGBTQ allies. Bridge Builders (formerly SAGE) is the student-run campus organization that serves as a gay-straight alliance, community and resource for queer students.

Lipscomb University (3901 Granny White Pike) Lipscomb University is a private Christian college with the same hiring practices as Belmont University, but considerably more strict. Their students and faculty tend to align more with the university’s intolerant policies regarding the LGBT population than Belmont, whose students and faculty are generally supportive of the music school’s beloved queers. Members of the Lipscomb community, on the other hand, are expected to live a “church life” full time, or risk getting outted, fired or expelled by students or other faculty who are encouraged to report “forbidden activities,” (e.g. consuming alcohol or tobacco, fornicating, breaking curfew, etc). Lipscomb has a clause in its student handbook forbidding homosexual activity of any kind. Despite the conservative and moralistic reputation it has earned, there are some amazing professors and students at Lipscomb who are LGBT and friendly to the community.

Watkins College of Art, Design & Film (2298 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard) Watkins is the local art school with lots of hip kids, talented artists and weirdos, many of whom remain in Nashville after graduation. They add to the culture of our city and add artistic women to our community.

Middle Tennessee State University (1500 Greenland Dr. Murfreesboro, TN) MTSU is the largest and oldest public university in Middle Tennessee. Located approximately 40 miles southeast of Nashville in Murfreesboro, the university is a popular option for undergrad and graduate students who commute to and from Nashville. Some wish to be near enough Nashville for its music scene and city life while enjoying the cheap rent of “The ‘Boro.” Many others simply want a quality education but don’t want the high expense of Vanderbilt or Belmont, or perhaps desire a more expansive curriculum than what some of Nashville’s smaller schools offer. There is a thriving population of artists, thanks to MTSU’s excellent Recording Industry, Music Business and Music Industry programs. Alternately, a sizable number of LGBTQI students and allies major in Gender Studies, Women’s Studies, Sociology and all those other great areas of study that seem to attract queers far and wide.

Tennessee State University (3500 John A Merritt Boulevard) Tennessee State University (TSU), located in downtown Nashville, has a large African-American student body and seems generally tolerant of the LGBT community. They also offer a rich arts program and excellent marching band.

Fisk University (1000 17th Avenue) Nashville was nicknamed “Music City” by Queen Victoria, who after hearing the Fisk Jubilee Singers perform said they hailed from Music City. Fisk University is a historic black college in Nashville, and has many ties to famous artists, writers and poets.

Sports: The Classic Lesbian Pastime

Lesbians have always and forever will be associated with SPORTS, and Nashville lesbians are no different. (You can find many a girl in cargos and a sports visor in Music City.) Whether you’re a spectator, an athlete, or totally uninterested, you’ve got some options. Nashville is home to two professional teams, the Tennessee Titans (NFL) and the Nashville Predators (NHL). The Predators’ stadium, Bridgestone Arena, is downtown and the Titans play just across the Cumberland River at LP Field. Titans games in particular create an influx of older, stern-faced, jersey-wearing lesbians to nearby 3Crow Bar and Beyond the Edge on Sundays when games are taking place. During the summer, check out Throwback Thursdays at Greer Stadium for the Nashville Sounds, our minor league baseball team. TTs offer deals on concessions and locally brewed Yazoo beer for something like $2 per cup. You will get drunk. Vanderbilt women’s basketball games are always a hotbed of tense lesbians, especially when they play UT Knoxville. Lastly, the infamous Nashville Rollergirls attract throngs of queer girl fans at Municipal Auditorium to watch crowd favorites Lady Fury and Maulin Monroe duke it out on the track. For the queer girl athlete in Nashville, there is no shortage of activities to partake in. Join the East Nasty Running Group (11th Avenue and Holly Street) every Wednesday at 6pm for a three to six mile run through East Nashville, gaytown central. With over 300 participants of varying running paces, the Nasties welcome all. Every run ends at 3Crow Bar where you can buy that cute girl you were trying to keep up with a beer. (If you’re lazy like me, just skip the exercising part and camp out at 3Crow to watch the girls run by while you stuff your face and enjoy a few drinks.) Nashville Sports League (NSL) offers tons of team sports, although kickball and soccer draw the largest number of gay ladies. For the truly hardcore, queer girls can join the Nashville Women’s Rugby team – they compete throughout the mid-South during the fall season. If you just want to stick to the gym, Nashville has an awesome collection of YMCAs that rival any private workout center. You’ll find a ton of queer girls sweating it out in the local gayborhood YMCA, the Margaret Maddox Center.

Snack Attack

Bagel Face Bakery (700 Main Street East) is probably the queerest breakfast you can have in Nashville. The last two Autostraddle meet-ups took place there, with the queer lady owners and employees taking part. They have the best bagels in town by far, and their coffee is strong, locally roasted, and very good. But seriously, make sure to go early. They close at 1:30pm and I always seem to forget and drive over around 2:00pm.

Café Coco (210 Louise Avenue) I would be remiss to not mention Café Coco in the Nashville queer restaurant category because this place is queer in every sense of the word. Music venue, restaurant, caterer, coffee house, beer seller and takeout option all describe this eccentric Nashville meeting establishment. They are also one of the only 24/7 establishments in the city, and the countless items on their menu are always good, all the time. They have a lot of queer staff members, and the patrons are as varied as you get in Nashville. They have a sandwich with spinach and artichoke dip on it and use croissants for the bread. Have it delivered to you and save yourself the hassle of dealing with their incredibly shitty parking situation. You basically can’t park anywhere without, like, getting towed. Snack attack: Veggie Rockefeller / Crinkle Fries

 Suzy Wongs House of Yum (1517 Church Street # A) Attached to Tribe and owned by Top Chef contestant and Nashville restaurateur, Arnold Myint, Suzy Wong’s is probably the “gayest” restaurant in Nashville. This Asian fusion restaurant is owned, run, and attended by predominantly queer people. It’s pretty tasty and has a nice selection of food and cocktails on its menu, but the appeal is mostly found in the atmosphere. The upper patio area is tranquil in the summer and the inside features cushy booths, swanky decor, and accommodates a karaoke stage. And boy has that stage seen some karaoke… *cue Jordan’s heated rendition of “I Dreamed A Dream.” They’re open really late too so if you somehow get dragged into getting drunk at one of the Church Street bars with your gay boyfriends, you can stumble into Suzy Wongs and chow down on some tofu fried rice to sober up, or just keep getting drunk. Snack Attack: Edamame / Spicy Tofu w/ Vegetables Mitchell’s Delicatessen (1402 McGavock Pike) A fantastic, versatile deli located in Riverside Village in East Nashville. Buy a delicious sandwich, create your own lighter lunch at the salad bar (my favorite in town), or buy local produce and farm fresh eggs from a friendly staff of queers and musicians. Snack Attack: Banh Mi / Turkey, Avocado & Bacon Sandwich / Grilled Veggie Sandwich

Mas Tacos Por Favor (732 B McFerrin Avenue) This humble, eclectically-decorated restaurant in East Nashville’s Cleveland Park area began as one of Nashville’s first mobile food vendors, serving, among others, the hungrily intoxicated. Now, as a brick and mortar shop, Mas Tacos offers not only authentic, delicious, creative tacos (with excellent vegetarian options), but also delicacies such as elote, plantains (both savory and sweet) and a killer chicken tortilla soup. A quick and cheap lunch option in a very convenient location. Once you taste most anything here, you can expect regular cravings for a long time afterwards. Snack Attack: Elote / Fish Taco / Black Beans & Plantains Silly Goose (1888 Eastland Avenue) A boutique couscous and sandwich shop that does it right. Local, organic ingredients make these sandwiches worth braving a crowded semi-annoying shopping center. The staff, populated (again, another trend) with queers and local music luminaries, is friendly and focused, creating a top notch dining experience. It’s the kind of place you take your parents to when they are in town. Snack Attack: King Kong / Flower Shop / SEX

Wild Cow (1896 Eastland Avenue) Serving vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free fare, this East Nashville restaurant is sort of in a realm of its own in Nashville because there are hardly any vegetarian restaurants. The hip, health-conscious crowd boosts its cool reputation, but if you judge it based solely on the cuisine, it’s a little sub-par. They make a lot of vegan or vegetarian versions of food that just shouldn’t be meatless or dairyless, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a few options that are consistent and satisfactory. Their menu changes frequently enough to merit giving them a couple tries before deciding if it’s the right place for you or not, especially given the lack of strictly vegetarian restaurants in Nashville. If you hate it, you can always wander around the corner to Silly Goose for one of their vegetarian sandwiches. Snack Attack: Buffalo Grinder

3 Crow Bar (1024 Woodland Street) This quintessential 5 Points bar serves up decent food and a popular 2 for 1 night (Wednesdays and Sundays). Every East Nashvillian (that drinks) seems to visit this bar, if only occasionally, making for an excellent cross-section of the community as a whole. Snack Attack: Jalapeño Poppers / Potato Salad / Bushwhacker

Mad Donna’s (1313 Woodland Street) With a largely queer staff and a bevy of queer regulars, Mad Donna’s is probably the gayest restaurant on the east side. This is aided, in large part, by its proximity to the Lipstick Lounge. Regular drink and food specials also make this eatery popular with bargain hunters. Snack Attack: Bottomless Mimosas / Bloody Mary Bar @ Sunday Brunch

Marché (1000 Main Street) This Euro-chic market, restaurant and popular breakfast destination is loved by most for their simple, seasonal cuisine. It’s a great option for crepes, pastries, espresso and fine meats and cheeses. It’s kind of fancy but mostly feels casual, and the servers are very knowledgeable. Take your girlfriend’s parents there when you meet them for the first time. Snack Attack: Steak & Eggs @ Sunday Brunch

Margot Café & Bar  (1017 Woodland Street) One of the more upscale restaurants in Nashville, Margot is worth the cost every time for its original, weekly-changing menu offerings and enlightened, gay friendly staff. Owned by lezzie chef Margot McCormack (the same owner of across-the-street hang Marché), the food is fresh and simple, described as “rustic French and Italian cuisine with an emphasis on the regions of Provence and Tuscany.” That sounds about right. They have a full bar, an extensive wine selection, and a Sunday brunch that is out of this world. Reservations are typically a must. Margot is always included in local “Best Of” lists as well, for whatever that’s worth. Snack Attack: Fried Fish Sandwich / Chicken & Artichoke Casserole / Paired Wine

Coffee Shop (G)Round-Up

As any queer traveller knows the best way to discreetly scope the queer scene in a city is through its coffee shops. Nashville has many. Some are better than others. Here’s a veteran Nashville barista’s guide to coffee in our fair city.

Barista Parlor (519B Gallatin Avenue) Coffee meets craftsmanship in this brand new addition to Nashville cafes. A true destination for coffee connoisseurs, BP features multiple roasters and brewing methods by the cup on one of those impressive gadgets used in Walter White’s “Breaking Bad” meth lab. They also work with a lot of other local purveyors so their offerings are ever-changing.

Portland Brew (1921 Eastland Avenue) This unassuming shop features the best atmosphere and second best queer people-watching in town. The house coffee is not great, but the baristas here can make a mean latte.

Bongo Java (107 S. 11th Street) The Bongo staff is notoriously snarky (with a few exceptions) and the coffee has an overall burnt taste, but, located in the heart of the gayborhood, Bongo East is prime real estate for getting the lay of the land.

Sip Cafe (1402 McGavock Pike) Queer-owned and (partially) queer-staffed, this friendly little hole in the wall is the most underrated gem in town. Serving locally roasted Drew’s Brew’s coffee and homemade Mike’s Ice Cream, Sip is a charming neighborhood coffeeshop at which most customers are neighbors and friends – a rare combo these days.

Crema (15 Hermitage Avenue) Best coffee in town. It’s a little off the beaten path with regard to other queer activities, but this place is worth a trip if you don’t mind paying a little extra for an expertly made drink.

Bongo West (2007 Belmont Boulevard) Though the original Bongo lies dangerously close to Belmont University’s campus – who has patience for college students?! – this prime hangout spot with a sprawling porch seems to be the headquarters for a portion of the Nashville DIY/punk/bicycle communities. If you are familiar with these sub-groups, you probably know that this means there are queer ladies involved. Other than Bongo, West Nashville’s coffeeshops are a bit of a queer wasteland and a pain in the ass. I would advise avoiding them.

It’s For Your Health!

Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee (412 Doctor D.B. Todd Junior Boulevard, Phone: 615-321-7216) In addition to providing comprehensive income-based sexual health care for men, women and teens, PPMET has strong ties to the LGBTQI community of Nashville. PPMET values locally-owned LGBTQI businesses across Nashville and hosts annual fundraisers with these businesses to support LGBTQI-specific health and wellness programs across the state. To find out more information about these fundraiser events, check out the PPMET facebook page. Email jessicad [at] PPMET [dot] org for volunteer and local event information.

Nashville CARES (633 Thompson Lane, Phone: 615-259-4866) An established non-profit group since 1985 and Nashville’s only dedicated HIV/AIDS awareness center. Working closely with Vanderbilt University to help develop an HIV vaccine, Nashville Cares also provides a myriad of activities, free HIV testing campaigns and more to the Nashville community at-large for HIV/AIDS education and prevention.

Oasis Center (1704 Charlotte Ave, Suite 200, Phone: 1-866-975-FREE (24 Hour Youth Crisis Line) or 615-327-4455 (all other calls)) Since 1970, the Oasis Center has tirelessly devoted countless hours to the development and enrichment of area youth. Their work focuses on at-risk groups and provides a safe place for LGBTQI teens. The Oasis Center hosts an annual LGBTQI Prom for area teens who do not feel welcome to bring their dates to their own school. The Oasis Center also hosts an after-school LGBTQI teen group called “One-in-Teen.”

Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center at Vanderbilt University (PMB 351513, Nashville, Phone: 615-322-4843) The largest and most comprehensive women’s center in Nashville proper. This organization closely collaborates with the LGBTQI community and student organization on Vanderbilt’s campus and has their own dedicated women’s and LGBTQI library.

Office of LGBTQI Life at Vanderbilt University (The K.C. Potter Center / Euclid, 312 West Side Row, Phone: 615-322-3330) A cultural center and a place of affirmation for individuals of all identities, The K.C. Potter Center is a great resource for information and support about gender and sexuality for all members of the Vanderbilt community. Check out the calendar of events for the LGBTQI student life group for live performances, movies with panel discussions and activist/community events. Other LGBTQI Vanderbilt-affiliated clubs and organizations of interest include: Office of Women’s Concerns (OWC), Take Back the Night at Vanderbilt (TBTN Vanderbilt), Vanderbilt Womanists, V-Day Committee (VDC), Delta Lambda Phi (LDP), LGBT MD, Medical Students for Choice (MSFC), OUTlaw, Vanderbilt Lambda Association (Lambda).

Votes For Women!

Stonewall Bar Association (Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7708 Atlanta, GA 30357-0708) This Nashville-based non-profit corporation works to promote diversity and inclusion for LGBTQ legal professionals and community members. Its roster includes: LGBTQ attorneys, paralegals, law students, and straight allies in the legal profession. The organization meets quarterly at various times and locations which can be found on their website. Annual fees are $50 for attorneys and $30 for students or others in the legal profession. Contact Sam Felker at 615-742-6219 for an application for membership.

LGBT Chamber of Commerce (Mailing Address: P.O. Box 330971 Nashville, Phone: 615-507-5185) The Chamber was founded in 1998 as a networking group for professionals. Initially it was called the Nashville Association of Professional People (NAPP). As of January 2007, the group became an official LGBT Chamber of Commerce and an affiliate member of the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. The categories which fall under the programming of the Chamber include: entrepreneurship, non-profit organizations, general business skills, and Nashville updates. In recent years, program offerings have included events like “How to Apply for a Small Business Loan” and “Email Marketing, Presented by Emma.” The chamber aims to drive member businesses to each other to stimulate opportunities within the community, advocate for diversity and inclusiveness in the workplace, and recruit new businesses to Nashville.

Nashbeepbeep – This closed membership Facebook group was started in early 2012 by a group of queer girls in Nashville. It’s a great social-networking resource with over 200 lesbian/queer/bi-identified members as of November, 2012. Some days it functions as a queer Craigslist with members posting desperate pleas for a queer-friendly room or roommate, bikes for sale, or inquiries about queer-sympathetic gynecologists in town. It’s also a message board for updates about queer dance parties or gay-fronted bands to check out in a generally over-saturated music scene. It has been responsible for at least a few members meeting and dating after attending Nashbeepbeep-advertised events together. So it’s not officially a springboard for hookups but it makes it easier to scope out cute queers and gay-friendly events you might otherwise never find through Facebook/chance public encounters alone. If you’re new to town, add yourself for admin-approved membership today!

Education For The Modern Family

Popular elementary schools are Eakin Elementary School (2500 Fairfax Avenue), Julia Green Elementary (3500 Hobbs Road) and Sylvan Park Paideia Design Center (4801 Utah Avenue). Magnet Schools like Head and Meggs are growing in popularity among public school families as well. If you are looking for a private school, University School of Nashville (2000 Edgehill Avenue) is expensive but is inclusive to diversity and is an outstanding school. Many religious private schools in the area have a Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell type of policy, so make sure when a school says it is inclusive of LGBT parents it is also inclusive of LGBT children.

The Gayborhood

Nashville’s gay community is fairly diverse and thriving. East Nashville is definitely considered the gay “hub” as its population consists of hippies, those who lead “alternative lifestyles,” musicians, and queers; A LOT of LGBT singles and couples live in the area. The 5 points bars are also a great spot to meet other local queers – especially Beyond the Edge, aka “Beyond the Lez,” and 3Crow. The 5 Spot hosts a dance party every Monday night called “Keep on Movin’,” which is a very gay-inclusive event as well and tends to bring out all the straight girls or bisexuals who like to get drunk and make out with lesbians. There’s fun to be had for all. Other neighborhoods that are pleasant and gay friendly include the 12th Ave. South area near Belmont, Hillsboro Village near Vandy, and Sylvan Park in West Nashville. If you don’t care about going to bars and being within walking distance of schools, businesses and restaurants, live wherever you find cheap rent and choose in proximity to your job. If you are looking for the most supportive LGBT community and coolest gay hangouts though, East Nashville is your best bet.

It’s MY Body!

Since the sudden bloom of Nashville’s hipster and garage-punk scenes, tattoos and piercings are now fiercely abundant in once-conservative Music City and we’re boasting some amazing work, folks.

Lone Wolf Tattoo – If you live in the area and are planning a large, complex piece get in touch with Brandon Hanna of Lone Wolf Tattoo. Hanna is in a league of his own when it comes to custom work and recently opened a small, 2-artist shop on the East Side. He specializes in literally everything, but only books 2 appointments per day, 3 months in advance, so be sure to plan ahead.

Sheri Matlack – For those of you more comfortable lying down under a lady’s hand, (and let’s be honest, queers), pay Sheri Matlack a visit. Sheri has a knack for realism and is a wizard with both color and shading.

Music City Tattoo – If you’re looking for American Traditional with a shorter wait-time, check out Mike and/or Laura at Music City Tattoo. All aforementioned artists work by appointment only, but are WELL worth the wait!

Kustom Thrills – For anyone visiting the city looking for a walk-in shop, stop by Kustom Thrills on Gallatin Road in East Nashville. Prodigy “The Kid” is arguably the shop’s most talented artist, but for walk-ins you really can’t go wrong with any of the artists here.

Icon – In the mood for a mod but don’t want a life-long commitment? Icon, located on the 19th block of Broadway, is the place to go for piercings. The staff is clean, professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. They also have access to high-end jewelry and gladly fill custom orders. Piercer Betty Ann is my personal favorite–if you luck out and get her as your piercer, enjoy the view.

They Don’t Call It ‘Music City’ for Nothin’!

Nashville In Harmony – Two words: GAY CHORUS. NIH is Middle Tennessee’s first and only musical arts organzation specifically created for the GLBT community. According to their website, their mission is to “use music to build community and create social change,” but more importantly, they have a lot of fun and are impressively talented. (Positions are by audition only to weed out the talentless…there aren’t too many of those in Nashville though, which probably explains why our city can have a specifically gay chorus with 50+ members.) They perform all styles of music and choral literature, from classical to pop, world, jazz, and (of course), seasonal arrangements.

Belcourt Theater (2102 Belcourt Avenue) Nashville’s only independent movie theater, The Belcourt is often the only place in town to see a queer-themed film. The theater also features an eclectic staff, including musicians, models, knowledgeable movie buffs, and, of course, queers. Located in the heart of the walkable Hillsboro Village, it’s easy to make a night (or day) out of a Belcourt trip.

The Women’s Art League – Formed in summer of 2011 by Vanderbilt University Assistant Professor of Art & Film Amelia Winger-Bearskin, this support group of artists exists as an activist group for women’s issues and also a social group of ladies who lunch. More specifically, the collective gathers to “curate, create, critique, book club, wine and dine, teach, share and workshop.” W.A.L. also publishes a zine that can be accessed here.

Art Crawl (The Arcade, Downtown / 54 Arcade, Every 1st Saturday of the month, 6pm – 9pm) This is a night to look forward to once a month for several reasons. 1) It’s free; 2) Most of the participating galleries give away free wine and refreshments; 3) It’s probably the non-douchiest thing you can find to do downtown ever, and it’s a safe distance from Broadway and the honky-tonks; 4) You can’t help but feel at least slightly cultured strolling through one of the most historic, charming streets of Nashville while checking out awesome artwork from new artists at local galleries; 5) It can be fun for a group of sophisticated friends or romantic for you and a lucky lady.

The Owl Farm (811 Dickerson Pike, Unit I) Formerly known as Little Hamilton at its Fairgrounds-vicinity location, this DIY-style space in East Nashville hosts a variety of shows and performances that are often connected somehow to Nashville’s queer community. The owners are Jazzi Bennett and Rose Marie Pink, two gals who enjoy promoting theatre, comedy, poetry, rock shows, book clubs, dance parties, and anything else that might qualify as “underground” or could potentially belong in a house show environment versus a traditional venue. The Owl Farm also sells books, art, queer-related things and zines. There isn’t really anywhere else like this in Nashville, and aside from its rather out-of-the-way location, it’s a pretty alright establishment.

The Urban Music Project is a community marching band that aims to not only play for as many unique and fun events as they can, but to also create a space where adults can participate in a stress free marching band. You can find them playing anywhere from at QDP to a downtown wedding. All ideas and members are valuable, the group is extremely LGBTQ inclusive, and welcomes all allies. Some member haven’t picked up instruments in 15+ years, but they are doing beautifully; besides, that’s not the point. The point is fun.

Things to do When You’re Feeling…Gay

QDP – Je Ne Sais Queer: Queer Dance Party @ The 5 Spot (1006 Forrest Avenue, Every 3rd Friday of the month, 9pm – 2:30 am) DJs J/K and La Force are the stronghold of this hip monthly dance party held in East Nashville. It’s the only one of its kind and features drink specials, gender neutral bathrooms, a photo booth, and plenty of beautiful, sweaty, queers. It’s a great way to meet people who you don’t always see out at bars. The website also functions as a “queer calendar.”

Drag Queen Bingo @ Mad Donna’s (1313 Woodland Street, Every Tuesday, 8:30pm) This is not your grandma’s bingo. The MD Loft at Mad Donna’s hosts frequent events: live music, salsa nights, etc., but most famously is Drag Queen Bingo night. Hosted on Tuesdays by Jenna Saqua or Paige Turner, the loft features drink specials and a snarky, rowdy drag queen calling your bingo numbers.

Trivia Night @ Lipstick Lounge (1400 Woodland Street, Tuesday, 7:30pm) Trivia at Lipstick boasts 2-for-1 drink specials and a $50 gift certificate if your team wins. If you want to come but don’t have a team, that’s no problem; the regulars are very inclusive and often ask new faces to join them for the evening. If you sit at the bar, Christa (the owner) will totally help you out on those tough questions. (If you’re super smart, go to 3Crow’s trivia.) Lipstick Lounge is Nashville’s lesbian bar, but the crowd is always eclectic.

Karaoke @ Lipstick Lounge (1400 Woodland Street, 5 nights a week, 8pm) This may be the most famous karaoke in Nashville. Well, maybe not, but it’s almost always the most fun. Performers range from American Idol contestants and current or former country stars to the freakishly untalented and tone-deaf, but everyone has a good time. Expect lots of Melissa Etheridge, country hits and Lady Gaga.

Ladies Night @ PLAY Dance Bar (1519 Church Street, Thursdays, 9pm) For the politically correct, Thursday night is “Ladies Night” at PLAY, although most of us lovingly refer to it as “Dyke Night.” Ladies get in free until 11pm, and there’s a drag king show at 10:30 pm. Yes, there’s always a Justin Bieber, but she’s usually hot or endearing. The dance floor opens up after the show and if the crowd is right, these nights can be a good time. They are primarily attended by younger lesbians who wear baseball hats and Abercrombie polos or by the lesbians that date them. This night simultaneously attracts a sizable group of well-dressed, extremely attractive African American queers. If you go with a bunch of friends and just want to dance and watch some drag kings, you’ll have a good time.

Guerrilla Gay Bar Nashville – Once a month, Thursdays, 7 pm. Nashville’s pop-up gay bar that announces it’s location about 2 hours before the event starts. The Facebook description reads ‘A meet-up group with the objective to “meet at random straight bars and turn said bars into packed-house gay bars for a night. Nothing but love and fun.’ These are new to Nashville and have been very successful. Join the Facebook group for further details on when the next one will be!

Nashville Pride

Rainbows, boobies, men in assless chaps, and glitter. Yep, Nashville’s got it all, only hotter, stickier, and sweatier because it’s always really humid by the time Pride rolls around. Nashville Pride, held downtown along Riverfront Park, seems to get bigger and gayer every year . Held on a Saturday in June, Nashville Pride attracts visitors from all over the mid-South. For a $5 cover you can check out local food and booze vendors, pretend to learn about queer activities to get free condoms and other supplies, listen to live music, and people-watch galore. The event is pet friendly too – Nashville lesbians love their rescue pups. There are a ton of activities leading up to Pride as well – drag competitions, fashion shows, fundraisers, dance parties like QDP, as well as after parties at the usual hot spots – Tribe and Play on Church Street, and more recently, the alternative/hipster crowd heads to No. 308 for late night east side pride. Mark your calendars for next year’s 25th Anniversary celebration on Saturday, June 15, 2013. In addition to Pride in June, Nashville holds an annual Black Pride in October. Next year marks the Ten Year Anniversary. The event is organized by Brothers and Sisters United (BASU) and offers an array of activities during the weekend-long festival, including live music, spoken word, panel discussions, faith based events, film screenings, drag shows, and dancing.

Diversity

Nashville is more than just country music and cowboy boots, trust us! One of the largest cities in the Southeast, the Nashville Metropolitan area boasts over 1.6 million residents, about 30% of whom are African-American and 10% of whom are Latino. The latter is the city’s fastest growing demographic. Music City is also home to the largest population of Kurds in the United States. Given the low cost of living and robust job market, Nashville’s foreign born population has skyrocketed in the last 15 years. Home to three historically black colleges and universities, (Fisk, Meharry Medical School, and TSU), Nashville has a strong and vibrant African-American history. Although the Republican party can always count on Tennessee’s electoral votes in a Presidential election, Davidson County (which includes Nashville, the state capital), has long been a Democratic stronghold. Within Nashville, East Nashville is by far the most progressive, accepting, and eclectic neighborhood. The queer girl scene is reflective of the rest of the city – mostly white, however, the monthly dance party QDP tends to be more diverse than other nightspots. Although not officially a gay venue, Lucy Blu, a predominately black live music spot has started to attract groups of black and brown queer girls. 

Safe Places

Nashville Metro Police Department (200 James Robertson Parkway, Phone: 615-862-7349 or 911) If you are a student and are the victim of sexual assault or something similar, you may choose to go to the Metro Police if you feel as if your school or place of employment are not doing enough to press charges or keep you safe. The good news is the Nashville Metro Police are generally kind, polite and fair when it comes to LGBT matters. NMPD officers are generally well-paid and their jobs are quite competitive compared to many other cities of Nashville’s size. This means that the officer working with you beat out many others competing for his or her position and is likely a very qualified resource. Below are some other Nashville safety resources in the areas of counseling, legal and medical concerns. Counseling: Bethany Christian Services Crisis Hotline – Phone: 800-765-7335 Crisis Intervention Center Hotline (24 hour) – Phone: 615-244-7444 Domestic Violence Hotline – Phone: 615-356-6767 Sexual Assault Center – Phone: 615-259-9055 (Information) or 800-879-1999 (Crisis Line) YWCA Domestic Violence Program – Phone: 800-334-4628 (24 Hour Hotline) or 615-242-1199 Legal Concerns: Metropolitan Police Adult Sex Abuse Unit – Phone: 615-862-7540 Metropolitan Police Domestic Violence Division – Phone: 615-880-3000 Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee – Phone: 615-244-6610 Mary Parrish Center – Phone: (615) 256-5959 Medical Concerns: Metro Nashville General Hospital at Meharry Emergency Department – Phone: 615-341-4357 (Emergency Room) Metro Public Health Department Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic – Phone: 615-340-5647

Music City = Cheap Town

You’ll find many people here who say they only planned to move to Nashville for six months, or maybe a year, and five years later they’re still here. Music City is an incredibly easy and affordable place to live. You’ll find a variety of housing options to fit your budget and needs — rent a room in a house for $300 or gather some friends and pay $1200 for a three bedroom place with a porch and a backyard for your rescue pup. Check out Craigslist and the East Nashville neighborhood listserv for availability. Sylvan Park and parts of 12th Avenue South offer cheap rents in pretty safe parts of town. If you live anywhere near Belmont or Vanderbilt though, you can generally expect your rent cost to be significantly more expensive. Hillsboro Village is cool, but again, quite expensive to live there compared to the rest of Nashville. Given the plethora of service industry jobs, Nashville isn’t an impossible place to just show up and find a job in. Vanderbilt, Nissan, Dell, Gaylord Entertainment, and the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) are some of the city’s largest employers. And of course, there’s the music industry — which spans much more than just country. Unfortunately, you’ll need a car. Don’t come here without one. Despite its size, Nashville has crappy public transportation and is terribly bike un-friendly. Fortunately, the city is taking steps to improve both. 

Nashville Queer Friendliness

The South is notoriously friendly. It is also notoriously bigoted. In 2006, the year I (Jordan) moved to Nashville, an anti-marriage equality proposition passed by a 4:1 margin. It felt like a slap in the face and a sign to leave. Six years later, I couldn’t be more happy that I stayed. Having toured the United States and spent time in every major American city, I can safely say that I’m never more comfortable as a queer person living my queer life as I am in my own neighborhood. East Nashville is a haven for queer people from all over the south, and I am proud to call it home. Why the dramatic shift? What queer organizers in Nashville realized was that the queer community was there, it just needed outlets from which to blossom. Over the years, queers have been trickling into this city, but never felt they had a place to go. Mostly, we took over straight spaces with our 20 friends (like this). The traditional gay bars existed but were so gender-segregated and hook-up oriented that anyone with a progressively political outlook avoided them. What it took was a unifying force. Enter QDP, our burgeoning dance party, and suddenly 500 queer people are in a room together celebrating. Most queers I know, including myself, wouldn’t have guessed there were that many queer-identified people in the entire city. And now we know. It can only get better. Due to tons of national press and the fact that Nashville is home to the nation’s best music scene, young, progressive people are moving here. People in other cities don’t grunt or say “I’m sorry!” when I tell them where I’m from. We read each day of new queer friends and friends of friends moving here looking for housing. IT’S HAPPENING. I couldn’t be more excited about it. In April 2011, the Nashville Metro Council approved a bill to include LGBT in the current nondiscrimination ordinance (requiring contractors with the city to agree to follow Metro’s rules barring discrimination against gay, lesbian and transgendered people). Unfortunately, it was overturned by Governor Bill Haslam in May 2011. The Tennessee ACLU, however, is extremely active in cases of gender and sexual orientation discrimination.

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About the authors: Erin Manning is a musician, writer and editor originally from Louisville, KY who moved to Nashville in 2005. She is a graduate of Belmont University with a passion for living and her little dog, Murphy. While she believes Nashville holds a quality queer scene, she will be departing Music City for the sprawling queer badlands of Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Jordan Caress is a singer/songwriter, touring musician and barista, as well as a freelance writer and graduate of Bard College. After living in Nashville for 6 years, she is a veteran of the local music AND queer scene.

Alexis Hoag is a federal defense attorney who moved to Nashville from NYC over four years ago for a one-year gig and never left. She lives in East Nashville with her partner, who moved here from Miami to open a family business (No. 308). Nashville has everything you’d find in a big city, plus small town charm and friendliness.

Amelia Winger-Bearskin is an Assistant Professor of Art and Film at Vanderbilt University, a performance artist, writer and speaker, as well as the founder of Women’s Art League. After moving here in 2008, Amelia has become very involved in continuously enhancing the queer community and the art scene with her work.

Kendra Schirmer is a Vernon, New Jersey native who should probably be crowned “Nashville Queen of DIY Projects.” The Bard College graduate spends her time making pizzas at Bella Nashville and improving her quality of life through a variety of home projects, recipes and healthy activities. While the Nashville queer scene could never contain Kendra, she still embraces it.

Erin Fagot is a women’s health nurse and feminist activist from the Washington D.C. area. She has lived in Nashville for over 10 years and is currently a member of the Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee’s junior board.

Queer Girl City Guide: Minneapolis, MN

Be prepared to delve into the eclectic and exciting city that is Minneapolis. Experience the vast queertopia where I have resided for nearly five years. Try to hide your excitement as you realize all of the queer opportunities this beautiful city provides. From the homeland of Paul Bunyan comes gayborhoods, queer dance parties, and burlesque shows, OH MY! I like things measured, so I decided to rate each section in this guide with 1 to 5 “you betchas!” I dare you to try to find a section that’s under 3.

Datin’ and Hookin’ Up

The Minneapolis queer girl scene is fun and exciting with a wide variety of girls to meet. Alas, like most queer scenes, you can get a case of “it’s a small world” real quick. One great think about Minneapolis is that I’m constantly amazed to find new queer “groups” and people that I never knew existed before, even if they somehow still know everyone you know. There are a lot of beautiful northern people up here too, just so you know. Our different events host a variety of different queer girls, so if you’re not into one scene you can try a different one out. Just follow the guide below and you’ll be well on your way to having a great time in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Bars

Minneapolis has lots of “gay” bars, but you have to be kind of specific if you want to find the ladies. The list below tends to have the most queer girls hanging out just on regular, non-event nights. Use the google to find some of the other gay bars if you exhaust this list.

The 19 Bar (19 West 15th Street) is probably where I spend most of my time in barlandia. It’s nestled in the Loring Park neighborhood (see below for gayborhoods) and is one of the oldest gay bars in town. It’s definitely more of a dive, it’s dimly lit from the ceiling, but I honestly think most of the light comes from the jukebox (packed full of Madonna and Prince). This is one of those beautiful bars where you can get a bag of popcorn for $1; yes, the microwave kind. They host pool tournaments and have a smoking porch out back, which is fantastic in the summer and offers lots of natural light when day drinking. Open Mon-Sun 12 pm to 2 am.

Lush (990 Central Ave NE) is a fairly new bar in NE Minneapolis. They host a weekly lesbian event and have a really cool space. They have a patio where you can do a variety of things…smoke, make out on one of the many seating arrangements, drink, fill in the blank. There is an open fire bar to keep you warm (which is sometimes important in Minnesota), but be very careful for loose clothing, scarves or long hair near the flame. I would assume you understand why. Open Tue-Fri 4 pm to 2 am and Sat-Sun 10 am to 2 am.

The Town House Bar (1415 University Ave W.) is in St. Paul (I know, shhhh), but it’s one of the only bars in the Twin Cities that was at one point deemed a “Lesbian Bar”. The crowd can be kind of weird sometimes and my typical mode of transportation is bike, so I rarely go here. They host a monthly event called Dragged Out that is featured below and totally worth seeing. Open Mon-Weds 3 pm to 1 am, Thurs-Fri 3 pm to 2 am and Sat-Sun 12 pm to 2 am.

Events

Soul Friday is held on the first Friday of every month at Hell’s Kitchen (80 South 9th St.). Hell’s Kitchen is another queer friendly great place to hang out. Soul Friday was created for queer women of color and friends. It’s a dance party with local DJ’s spinning great R & B, old and new hip-hop, house and more. The place is usually packed and it’s a great time.

Berlin is held the last Saturday of every month. It was originally held at Club Underground in NE Minneapolis, but is currently moving to Hell’s Kitchen. Berlin is an Indie Queer Revolution Dance Party (say that three times fast). The music typically strays from top 40 stuff you’ll hear at most other clubs. It showcases alternative types of music, which makes it my favorite event of them all.

Blush is held every Friday at Lush (listed above). This event can sometimes be a bit of an amateur night, but it’s a great option if there’s not much else going on. Like I said it’s a really cool space and there’s bound to be lots of girls every Friday.

Dragged Out is held on the third Friday of every month at The Townhouse Bar (listed above). Dragged Out is a diverse cast of LGBT members that give amazing performances to great music. This event packs the Townhouse Bar. Every time I’ve attended it’s hard to even walk around. Bring lots of ones though, you’ll want to tip the performers. They’ve been travelling to perform as of late, but will always call The Townhouse their home.

Booby Trap used to be a monthly event held in the basement of a bear bar. Unfortunately it has now been changed to a quarterly event. During Pride this event is a blow out though. The Booby Trap Girls are always performing. Scantly dressed beauties dancing and swinging from poles. I really wish it was still a monthly event, or a weekly one for that matter.

I give this section 5 “you betchas!”

Gettin’ Smart

Minneapolis houses many different colleges. You can choose from a variety of technical schools, art schools and universities. Schools also range in price, from very affordable to stupid expensive. I think you would be hard pressed to find one without a LGBT community or club/group to join though. We even have our very own all women’s school, probably can’t go wrong there.

I give this section 4 “you betchas!”

Gettin’ Yo Game On

Minneapolis has a hidden gem called the Minnesota Machine. It’s an all women’s tackle football league. It would be a great way to meet new people and play a sport that isn’t available in many other places. They’re always looking for new players and no experience is necessary.

I feel obligated to mention the roller derby league, because it’s such a woman centric sport, BUT if you’re looking for a girl to date look in the stands, not on the track. I think there are typically more girls looking for girls in attendance than actually participating in the sport. Either way it’s still fun to watch girls in tight clothes hit each other. Minneapolis has two different leagues, the Minnesota Roller Girls and the North Star Roller Girls.

Biking is a very big deal in Minneapolis. The queer girls like it A LOT too and Minneapolis hosts two very unique bike races. Babes in Bikeland is an all women’s bike race hosted in the summer and Cirque Du SoGay, which is run by Queer Bike Gang in the fall. Cirque Du SoGay is a bike race for the LGBTQA crowd and is a fantastic time and it has a bitchin name.

I’ll mention our WNBA team the Lynx too. In one word… gay.

You can probably also just stand at any softball field around 4 o’clock and find a pack of sporty dykes pumpin iron or “throwin the pig skin around”. You know, like they do.

I give this section 5 “you betchas!”

Eatin’ And Drinkin’ In Style

RESTAURANTS

Bryant Lake Bowl (810 W Lake St) is an awesome queer friendly restaurant/bowling alley. They have amazing brunch and a great list of Bloody Marys to choose from. They also host a cheap date night, you’ll look real thoughtful and savvy when you bring your date to this ambient atmosphere, especially if they don’t know you’re only spending $30 on both the entrees, appetizer, bowling AND a bottle of wine. Open from 8 am to 2 am every day.

Muddy Waters (2933 Lyndale Ave S) You can find Muddy Waters laced in Atmosphere’s lyrics, if you’re into that mid-western hip-hop that’s become so popular. This coffee shop turned restaurant is one of my all time favorites. They have a classy coffee bar running parallel to the real bar. Any time of the day is good at Muddy Waters. It’s also a great place to bring a date with amazing dinner entrees and a fantastic beer selection. Open Mon – Fri 7 am to 2 am and Sat-Sun 8am to 2 am.

Seward Café (2129 E. Franklin Ave) is a punk, vegan/vegetarian, sit down and have a discussion about the intricacies of destroying the system or where you got your black boots type of place. The food here is AMAZING and it’s one of the oldest collectively run businesses in Minneapolis. Open Mon – Fri 7 am to 3 pm and Sat-Sun 8 am to 4 pm.

CAFES

Spyhouse (2451 Nicollet Ave) is a very well designed coffee shop. They have an adorable patio and standing coffee bar outside and comfortable and squishy things to sit on inside. Their trade-mark black cup makes you look extremely stylish when you drink the concoction of your choice. It’s a popular place to study and meet up with people during the day or night. They have delicious baked goods that are baked locally at one of our many co-ops. I would advise you to only go to the Nicollet location though – hence me only posting that address. Open Mon-Fri 6:30 am to 12 am Saturday 7 am to 12 am and Sunday 8 am to 12 am.

Café Southside (3405 Chicago Ave) is a fairly new coffee shop. Nestled next to the Trans Youth Support Network this is an amazing place for LGBTQA people to feel comfortable and accepted. It’s a queer owned coffee shop and while the owners said it’s not a LGBTQ specific spot they are definitely “really queer.” Exactly the type of place I like to spend time. It’s situated in the Powderhorn Neighborhood, which is one of our listed gayborhoods. With space for local artists to display their artwork and a garden right outside their doors this is a fantastic place to spend your time and money. Open Mon-Sun 7 am to 7 pm.

Cafettos (708 W 22nd St) isn’t really a queer coffee shop, but you can find this queer chick named Meg here all of the time. She’ll be in the back booth waiting for you. Open Mon-Sun 6:30 am to 1 am.

May Day Café (3440 Bloomington Ave) is an adorable café in the Powderhorn neighborhood (see gayborhoods). It has a completely welcoming atmosphere and a great selection of food and beverages. This is a very suitable place to bring that vegan girl you just started dating. She’ll think you’re real hip to her socially conscious diet. Open Mon-Sun 7 am to 6 pm.

Queer Girl City Guide: Pensacola, FL

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I’ve lived in Pensacola for seventeen years, although there was a big gap between the first 10 and the latest 7. As an out lesbian in high school, I hated everything about Pensacola and left for Atlanta after my junior year. But the beach and my family called me home, and I’ve been back here since 2006. I run lesbianpensacola.com, am a workout fanatic and spend most of my free time playing outside.

I love Pensacola’s natural beauty — there’s water everywhere — and the progressiveness of the everyday gay scene has come a long way in recent years. Florida was a anti-gay-marriage state, and Pensacola is part of the conservative panhandle. We’re the home of the court decision that inspired the documentary Unfit: Ward vs. Ward, in which a judge granted custody to a murderer rather than a lesbian. That said, we’ve hosted a massive annual gay Memorial Day celebration for many years.

Pensacola is a complicated place for queers. While we play host to tens of thousands (some say more) of LGBT tourists on Memorial Day weekend, that weekend is not representative of everyday life. There’re many queers in prominent careers in Pensacola, and a visibility of out LGBTQ people has increased in the last few years. The community here is fairly close-knit, and many friendships span a decade or more.

Drink, Drank, Drunk

The Cabaret (101 S. Jefferson Street), Emerald City/The Otherside (406 E. Wright Street), and The Roundup (560 E. Heinberg Street) are Pensacola’s gay bars. The Roundup is mostly men and the others are mixed. Florida laws still allow smoking in bars, so expect a lung-full of cigarettes if you go to a bar here. The Cabaret is my favorite of the gay bars. Emerald City, which is club-like, dark, and usually loud, is the place to dance. The Otherside is literally the other side of Emerald City, and is more of a traditional bar. The Otherside often hosts Drag Queen Bingo on Fridays. Seville Quarter is the traditional drinking sector of downtown Pensacola, and lately the younger queer crowd seems to have made a place for themselves among the usual Seville partiers. Most women I know meet potential dates through friends, not at bars. The dating scene can feel a little incestuous at times, but it can be nice to get a full background workup on your newest love interest.

The Beach!

The beach is Pensacola’s trump card. The sands are as white as sugar and the Gulf of Mexico stays warm almost all year. Pensacola Beach isn’t actually within the city of Pensacola, but we still consider it ours. Fort Pickens is an 1800s military installation within the National Seashore, and it’s a huge draw for tourists and locals. Within the National Seashore, there are incredible nature trails, campgrounds and pristine beaches. The actual fort is an amazing piece of history, and the beach around the fort is gorgeous.

No matter what part of Pensacola Beach you choose to visit, you’ll find unique beauty and wildlife. Obviously, the undeveloped parts are more natural, but none of Pensacola Beach is as overrun with development as many other beach towns. There’s a public boardwalk with several shops, restaurants and bars almost immediately after you cross the bridge to the beach, as well as ample public beachfront with quick access to food and drinks. When you visit, pack your sunscreen and get ready for a full day of bikini-clad fun.

Get Educated

The University of West Florida is the main four-year university in Pensacola. Its campus boasts a gorgeous nature trail and miles of mountain biking trails. Pensacola State College, formerly Pensacola Junior College, has several campuses and tons of degree and technical programs. Pensacola Christian College is a four-year university for people who think women should wear long skirts and go on chaperoned dates. PCC is definitely not a queer-friendly place.

Boys and Their Sticks

Pensacola recently got the Blue Wahoos, a minor league baseball team that plays in the most beautiful baseball stadium you’ll ever see. The newly constructed Maritime Park (301 W. Main Street) is their home field, and it overlooks Pensacola Bay and downtown. People from all walks of life are Wahoos fans, but I’ve never been to a game without seeing at least a dozen other lesbians. Even if you don’t like baseball, the stadium is a fun place to catch a sunset and people-watch, and tickets are fairly cheap.

The Pensacola Ice Flyers is the latest hockey team to play at the Civic Center (201 East Gregory Street). If men skating around, whacking pucks and getting in fights turns you on, an Ice Flyers game will feel like home. I’ve heard of some not-so-friendly locals hassling queers in the past at Ice Flyers games, but I also know several happy lesbians who enjoy the games every season.

Baked, Fried, on the Side

Downtown Pensacola is home to tons of good restaurants. If you stay in downtown proper — mainly Palafox Street and surrounding areas — you’ll find something tasty. The downtown area has become more energized lately, and the thriving restaurant culture is evident by the multitude of eateries almost on top of each other. Pensacola Beach has lots of food choices, too, and almost all of them have a flip-flop-friendly atmosphere.

Cactus Flower Cafe (3425 N. 12th Avenue) My favorite restaurant in Pensacola is on 12th Avenue in historic East Hill (the gayborhood). Cactus Flower is women-owned, and has delicious, upscale Mexican food that can be made vegetarian, vegan or unrestricted. New locations have popped up recently, but the mothership on 12th Avenue is my sentimental favorite.

Ozone Pizza (1010 N. 12th Avenue, Suite 111) Ozone hosts Ladies’ Night every Thursday evening. You can score an inexpensive personal pizza and drink specials just for being female. Pizzas can be made conventionally or can accommodate vegetarians and vegans. Asked to be seated in the “board room,” named after the surfboards on the wall, if you want a quieter experience.

Ever’man Natural Foods (315 W. Garden Street) Ever’man Natural Foods is Pensacola’s health-centered co-op. It’s currently under renovation to become bigger and better, but is still open for business as usual. In addition to supplements, groceries and household products, Ever’man has a mostly organic deli and juice bar inside the store. Deli hours are much shorter than store hours, but in general, if it’s lunchtime Monday-Saturday, the deli is open. Prepared food is also available from deli coolers during regular store hours.

World of Beer (200 S. Palafox Street) If you’re walking around downtown and want a bar with plenty of outdoor seating and a huge beer selection, check out World of Beer. It’s a chain with a local vibe. The drinks are pricey, but you won’t be fit to drive for a while after just one glass of Delirium Tremens.

Joe Patti’s Seafood (524 South B Street) Joe Patti’s is an iconic Pensacola business. You will know it from the road by the giant neon shrimp sign and huge American flag. It’s a working wholesale seafood warehouse, and a hugely popular place to buy freshly caught fish, shrimp, crabs and everything else edible from the ocean. There’s also a wine store, sushi counter and deli in the building. When you walk in, expect huge crowds no matter what time you’re there. Frank Patti himself is often calling service numbers and cutting tuna for sushi. If you don’t have a clue how to prepare seafood, you can request that your shrimp be steamed to your spice preference. Although the atmosphere is not at all romantic or peaceful, Joe Patti’s sushi counter has the best and cheapest sushi in town, and you can order it to go.

Peg Leg Pete’s (1010 Fort Pickens Road) Beer and seafood on the beach can be found at Peg Leg Pete’s. The grouper nuggets are delicious, and the beer is always cold. Peg Leg Pete’s is the last restaurant before the National Seashore.

Paradise Bar and Grill (21 Via de Luna) Paradise Bar and Grill usually draws a mixed crowd, but a lot of local lesbians swear by Paradise for a good time. Like Peg Leg’s, it’s not actually in the city of Pensacola, but we locals throw Pensacola and Pensacola Beach together all the time.

Sluggo’s Vegetarian Restaurant (101 S. Jefferson St. Suite A) Sluggo’s is a great vegan/vegetarian restaurant, full bar, and music venue. The bar still offers friendship tabs and has indoor and outdoor seating available.

End of the Line (610 E. Wright St.) End of the Line is an awesome vegan restaurant and coffee shop. Sunday brunch offers heaping plates of creative food, and daily specials compliment a fantastic menu.

Health

While I don’t know of any LGBTQ-specific health services, Pensacola’s neighboring city, Gulf Breeze, is home to the Andrews Institute. The Andrews Institute is one of the most respected sports medicine facilities in the nation, and in addition to patching up famous athletes, they fix up the rest of us weekend warriors, too. Bonus: they’re at the foot of the bridge on the way to Pensacola Beach.

All in the Family

PFLAG has an active chapter in town and they meet every third Monday of the month at 6 pm at Ever’man Natural Foods co-op. Pensacola’s Metropolitan Community Church has traditionally offered a safe place for LGBTQ people to worship.

Want to tie the knot (although not legally) while vacationing at the beach? Legacy Event Design can help plan your wedding. Get in touch with them at (850) 332-7505.

The Gayborhood

East Hill is Pensacola’s gayborhood. By no means is it completely queer, but it’s the closest thing we have to cluster living. The parks are beautiful, the neighborhood borders lovely (but polluted) Bayou Texar and same-sex couples abound.

East Hill is a mostly historic neighborhood with fantastic parks, most notably Bayview Park. Bayview has public tennis courts, paved walking paths, multiple boat launches, picnic facilities, and a fenced-in dog beach. There’s also a playground for the little ones, a senior center, and a community center onsite. Bayview is Pensacola’s Central Park.

Faux Hawks and Tats

Hula Moon is the most hyped tattoo parlor in town. They’ve inked colorful designs on tons of satisfied customers throughout the years.

Hair-wise, most lesbians in Pensacola go to whatever salon fits their budget and career needs.

Putting on a Show

The Saenger Theater (118 S Palafox Place) hosts pretty good concerts and shows and is the home of the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra. Most shows at the Saenger are a good opportunity to meet well-dressed women.

Vinyl Music Hall (5 E. Garden St) is a cool, small venue in the heart of downtown Pensacola. Events are almost exclusively standing-room-only, with various age restrictions depending on the show. Vinyl’s prime location makes it easy to grab dinner, drinks and watch a show within the same city block.

Pensacola is a military town. We’re home to the Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy’s flight demonstration team. If you’re interested in military history, the Naval Aviation Museum is an awesome place to connect with top-notch exhibits. The museum is located at Naval Air Station Pensacola. If military museums aren’t your thing, at least try to catch a Blue Angels air show or live practice. The pilots are famous, talented and iconic to Pensacola.

Memorial Day Weekend

The event — the one a lot of local queers look forward to all year — is Memorial Day Weekend. If you haven’t been down here for it, make your plans now. You’ll learn what it’s like to live in a gay party city, if only for three days.

There’s a downtown Pride event that gets bigger every year, but it’s nothing like Memorial Day Weekend. Pride usually draws protestors, and while Memorial Day Weekend does, too, the sheer number of LGBT people easily overtakes the negativity. Businesses, the “graffiti bridge” (a train trestle over 17th Avenue on the way to the beach), and the beach get covered in rainbow flags. Guest rooms sell out everywhere, and bridges become rainbow parking lots. If huge crowds of queer people on the beach make you happy, Pensacola should be at the top of your list.

Queer Girl City Guide: London, Baby!

Feature Image Via Maria Holmer Dahlgren

I’ve lived in London on and off for about a year total, once at 21 and then again at 26. Now I’m pottering around in Brighton, but still go up to London every week. I do love London for many reasons and I think it’s a fantastically queer place, but I am slightly bitter about the price you have to pay for being a Londoner. London can be brutal when the rent is due, but it’s also incredibly exciting, creative, glittery and beautiful any day of the week. You will definitely either love or hate it and if you come with an open heart and a couple of pounds in your purse, you will make memories to last a lifetime.

London at Night and How to Get Laid

Dalston/East London, Vauxhall or Soho are the main options for queer nights out. The Most Cake and Planet London are both good sites if you want to make plans and there are generally multiple options even on school nights.

DAD (20 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 7XN) Stav Bee’s newest adventure and a queer night for people with more advanced musical taste, – think rock n’ roll, with 60s garage, garage/punk, psychedelia and some 60s R n’ B – DAD is the kind of place where you wear your good shoes. Fourth Friday every month.

Candy Bar (4 Carlisle Street, London, W1D 3B) Since its opening in 1996 in Soho, the bar has established itself as “one of the most infamous girl’s bars in the world” and attracts popular female DJs. You can still watch previous episodes of the “Candy Bar Girls” show on channel five to get an idea of the madness. Monday – Thursday 3 pm – 3 am, Friday & Saturday 1 pm – 3 am, Sunday 1 pm – 12:30 am

Unskinny Bop The Unskinny Bop collective was formed at Ladyfest 2002 and is one of the nicest, most welcoming indie nights in the city. Expect soul, rock’n’roll, country, hip hop, punk and many many cute queers. Every third Friday of the month at Bethal Green Working Man’s club (42-44 Pollard Row London E2 6NB)

Southbank Surfing is an amazing networking night for grown up queer women and their friends. Every third Friday of the month hundreds of nice ladies meet up to get drunk, see old and new friends and dance. Since Benugo’s bar was stretched to its absolute limits, the London Wall Bar & Kitchen is the new home of Southbank Surfing. Third Friday of each month, starting at 7pm.

Bar Wotever (Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane,Vauxhall, SE11 5HY) In a way, I can’t quite imagine a world pre-Bar-Wotever. This weekly night has touched so many queer hearts around the world and is the safest go-to haven that anyone with feelings about gender could ever wish for. It’s not just about drinks and snogs, it’s very much also about performance art, music, poetry and all the feelings. Every Tuesday night from 6pm, free entry.

The T Club (Dalston Superstore, 117 Kingsland High Street, E8 2PB London) “a club for trans, genderqueers and all in between with their women and men as guests.” Probably the most beautiful, colourful and eccentric crowd on a Thursday night in London. Come as you are or dress up, enjoy too many drinks and dance to various DJs who seem to always know what you need. Every third Thursday monthly, 8:30 pm.

Blue Monday (312 Archway Road, N6 5AT London) is a wonderful way to meet arty, creative queer women in north London. The live music is kindly provided by emerging and established female acts and the Irish pub Boogaloo gives the whole thing a very cozy feeling. You can drink mulled wine by the fire place and smile at cute people. Second Monday of every month

London’s Student Bubble

Being a financially challenged student in London is an interesting adventure that should not be explored by the faint-hearted. However, there are plenty of amazing universities with diverse LGBTQ groups. They are scattered all over the city, so there is no specifically student-y area, although Dalston is known to be the home of hipster art students with experimental sexualities. The LGBTQ groups of Goldsmith and Birkbeck University are known for excellent parties and much debate about queer theory and feminism.

Sports

Oh god, what do I know? I would have totally let you down on this one, so I asked my clever friends. Be safe, little rabbits, sports are for tough people.

Goslings Lesbian & Gay Badminton Club Training on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays

London Team Cruisers Basketball Ten years ago, the Cruisers formed a women’s team to play in the Gay Games in Amsterdam. Now they have four teams, including two for men, which participate in league games. Experienced players are always welcome. Women Bethnal Green Technical College (8 Gosset Road, E2 6NW) / Men Britannia Leisure Centre (40 Hyde Road, N1 5JU)

Dykes On Bikes On- and off-road lesbian cycling group with regular meet ups in and around London.

Ginger Beer also has a more extensive listing of lesbian and bisexual sport groups

Food, Coffee, Daytime Dreaming and Venues for First Dates

Look mum no hands (49 Old Street, EC1V 9HX) This is such a fantastic idea – the combination of a cafe and a bike workshop! It’s not officially a lesbian thing, but gravity pulls all the cute queers to this place. I once had a non-date with the most amazing yellow-hat wearing person there who turned out to be an endless crush and I bet you’ll be equally lucky at this place. It might be a good strategy to go there with your bike and look helpless.

Monday – Friday 7:30 am – 10 pm, Saturday 9 am -10 pm, Sunday 9:30 am – 10 pm

Dalston Superstore (117 Kingsland High Street) There is no way around this place if you are queer and somewhat close to East London. It’s full of cute, sweating hipsters in the night and a more relaxed cafe with wifi and pretty coffee during the day. Try the sweet potato and feta burger. Monday 12 am till late, Tuesday to Sunday 10 am till late

The Book Club (100 Leonard Street) is the best place if you want to write a novel with artistic inspiration. You can literally spend all day there looking at beautiful people if you have the time and cash. There are various music and art events and so much light and space and feelings. Awww… Monday – Wednesday 8 am – 12 am, Thursday & Friday 8 am – 2 am, Saturday & Sunday 10 am – 2 am

Vitao Organic Restaurant (74 Wardour Street) This place is so ridiculously amazing, I make all my friends eat at Vitao at least once in their otherwise malnourished lifetime. Everything is beautiful, yummy, fresh and organic and you can eat all you can stuff into your face for relatively little money. The buffet is rich and varied all day so you don’t have to eat things you don’t like from a set menu. They also do take aways for dates at the Thames, just saying. Monday – Saturday 12 am – 11 pm, Sunday 12 am to 9 pm.

Physical and Emotional Queer Health and Well-being in London

London has quite a few charities and resources for LGBTQ healthcare, but then even the tube can be really depressing, so there is much need to balance everything out.

PACE is promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender well-being in London and can direct you to other services that might be useful.

Galop aims to “make life safe, just and fair for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people” and can provide support and services around all the complicated areas of life. Their resources and safe spaces for survivors and victims of abuse are extremely important for the community and have saved many queer lives.

Pink Therapy is your best bet if you want to find a queer-friendly therapist in London or the rest of the UK. They also provide training and resources in various areas around gender and sexual diversity. Their amazing research papers are freely available on their website, definitely worth a look!

elop is a holistic centre for mental health in the LGBT community based in East London.

Activism, Feminism and Protest in London

Dyke March 2012 has seen the first Dyke March in London for 25 years with amazing speakers in Soho Square, a march through the city centre and a rather exciting after party. You can get updates for future marches on twitter @dykemarch

Storm in a Teacup is an amazing feminist art collective with a fanzine, club nights and a record label in the pipeline. You can check for updates and events here

Reclaim the Night: The London Feminist Network organizes an annual march to protest all forms of male violence against women since 2004. It’s usually the Saturday night closest to the 25th of November. The Feminist Network is an umbrella organization for various feminist groups around London, some of them are known to exclude trans women and sex workers, others are more open.

Slutwalk London: Slut Means Speak Up is a campaign that developed out of Slutwalk London with a broad platform for activism against rape culture. You can join the network here.

Support for LGBTQ Families

Many facilities, especially within the NHS, are unfortunately still not trained and equipped to deal with specific issues that are relevant to queer families. Families Together London can provide support for families with LGBTQ members and Galop is a good starting point if you are looking for more long term support for your queer family.

Gaybourhoods and Communities in London

One might argue that your choice of neighbourhood is a political statement in London, but I’d say its more a questions of what you can pay and who you meet when you first try to get your foot town in the city. Hackney, Dalston, Camden and Vauxhall are popular places for queers, but this is changing all the time anyway. Best to do a quick poll at your favourite club to see where all the cute people live. Being north or south of the river is an important choice too – one that can make or break relationships. Really, real estate in London is just straight from hell. Get a caravan and park it up in Hackney.

Haircuts, Tattoos and Equipment for Queer Mating Rituals

Open Barbers (154 Tollington Park, Finsbury Park) is a hairdressing service for all genders and sexualities led by Greygory, Klara, Felix and Clancey. The weekly pop-up salon can make all your hairy wishes come true and has a queer and trans* friendly attitude. Check their website for hair cut Sundays!

Barberette (Red Scissors, 65 Chalk Farm Road) offers gender-neutral, affordable hair cuts at the Red Scissors salon. Tuesdays to Saturday, 10 am – 7:30 pm by appointment

The Sh Womenstore (57 Hoxton Square) is your best bet for toys, lingerie, costumes, dental dams and all that jazz. It’s not exclusively for lesbians, but the Sh Womenstore is known to be a hot spot with queer friendly, knowledgeable staff. Open 12 – 8 pm every day

The Happy Sailor Tattoo Studio (17 Hackney Road, Shoreditch) is the platform for a diverse range of tattoo artists and has decorated plenty of cute queer ladies before you.

Queer Book Stores and Art

Gay’s The Word (66 Marchmont Street) is probably one of the best places in London if not the world. It’s a heaven for queer book-lovers and is stacked with everything you need to read ever. Monday to Saturday 10 am – 6.30 pm, Sunday 2 pm – 6 pm

The Feminist Library (5 Westminster Bridge Road) is a large archive collection of Women’s Liberation Movement literature, particularly second-wave materials dating from the late 1960s to the 1990s. Tuesday 10 am-6 pm and Thursday 6.30 – 9.30 pm

There is a beautifully diverse and exiting community of queer artists in London and you should definitely check out some exhibitions and readings when you come for a visit. Have a look at the listings of art school LGBTQ societies and check the Camden LGBT forum.

Pride in London

This is a rather controversial subject. Like London itself, Pride in London is big and many people from around the country and the world come to enjoy it. 2012 became a bit of a disaster with a last minute funding shortfall and the cancellation of floats and music. However, it’s great fun and there are plenty of art events and parties around the actual march. June/July every year.

Diversity, Safety and Queer-friendliness

London is diverse and so big that you can find like-minded people for any kind of weirdness, but its overall feel is not as liberal and open minded as Brighton, for example. There are, however, support groups and networks for people of any background, ability, gender identity and sexual orientation – you just have to find them, stay close and hold hands. The queer community is big, so you won’t run out of dates anytime soon unless you have an astronomical consumption rate.

You might be very surprised to hear that it rains a lot in London. This does not necessarily contribute to a friendly, cheerful atmosphere, but British people make up for it by being very expressive and friendly when drunk which is often. Pub culture is a big deal in England, especially in London.In fact, you will be able to observe Londoners racing to “their” pub after work to meet friends. It’s easy to make new friends in a good pub and you will probably be welcomed with open arms. On the tube on the other hand, it’s strictly forbidden to look at people or dare to smile. If you fail to stare at your shoes you will immediately out yourself as a tourist, so remember my words!

In terms of safety – as usual – common sense helps a lot. Since the public transport system is so complex in London, especially at night, you should definitely plan your way home and write it down before you go out. I can’t tell you how many times I ended up drunkenly staring at time tables and maps in utter confusion and it still took me three hours to get home because everything is so so complicated when I have too much wine.

The Metropolitan Police has a special LGBT liaison officer in every borough and I encourage you to report any kind of hate crime.

Cost of Living

Living on minimum wage in London has to go hand in hand with a certain level of masochism, be warned. London is one of the most expensive cities in the world with rent prices for a tiny, tiny single room in the outer areas starting from 400 pounds a month. If you want a grown ups double room in a nice area with an actual living room within reach of a zone one or two tube station you are more likely to pay 800 – 1200 pounds a month. Public transport is unfortunately equally expensive, a day pass can cost you 8,40 pounds just for zones one and two. But hey, it’s really exciting and you can see Big Ben!

If you want to really settle in London, you should plan ahead and be prepared to spend a couple of weeks in a hostel or on someone’s couch till you found a cheapish room. In some professional fields your earnings might be considerably higher in London than elsewhere in the UK, but hospitality jobs will keep you and your money on your toes.

If you’re just coming for a weekend you should have a good think about what you really want to see and do and where you want to stay to avoid long travel time. Pack some sandwiches and you’ll be fine.

Harmony of L, G, B and T Communities in London

I guess because London is so big, you are never really alone, even if you are a really extra special unicorn. Many clubs and bars in Soho are more dominated by gay men than the more queer-friendly places in East London or Vauxhall. Especially in the last years, a very strong counter-movement to mainstream and commercial club culture that seems like a race to the bottom at times has developed with new alternative nights and clubs springing up all the time. I think that awareness for real diversity in gender and sexuality is increasing, although there are unfortunately still “radical feminist” groups that will exclude trans women or clubs who have turned cute gender queers away. Hold the vision, trust the process I say!

London really is awesome and there is so much more to see and do than Big Ben and red telephone boxes. It might be a bit more expensive, but London definitely has everything you need for your queer adventures.

Queer Girl City Guide: San Francisco

By: Carissa and Erin

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Here is the guide of guides for the city of cities. San Francisco is held on such a pedestal for us gays and while it’s true that the numbers of gays here are vast (something like 1 in 3 people are homos!) it’s easy to forget that it’s also just a big city with all kinds of people living in it. What makes it one of the best cities in the world, besides its natural beauty (guys, I’m serious, sometimes I catch a glimpse of the bay, and find myself breathless) is its diversity.

The authors of this guide are die hard San Franscicans (one went to Lincoln High School. Go Mustangs! and the other spent her teen years in the Castro’s gay clubs), but we definitely don’t pretend to be experts and if the comments sections of other queer guides are any indication, we will have left your favorite joint out. Why? Because San Francisco is so friggin’ gay sometimes that if we included every spot of “LGBT” interest we’d have have to write up every restaurant, shop, pop-up, park, back alley and service in the whole damn town! So, we apologize in advance for not including your favorite. We really, really do. Let us know which ones we missed!

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Neighborhoods

Be warned — for a tiny-ass city we have a lot of neighborhoods and – don’t even question it – you’re defined by where you live here. While in many cities the first question a stranger asks you may be “So what do you do?” here you will be asked, “So where do you live?” In the interest of steering you in the right direction, we’re here to offer a rundown of The Hoods of San Francisco:

The Sunset: Very residential. Nobody will visit you if you live here, but you may have a chance of actually finding an illegal in-law unit to rent.

The Richmond: On the opposite side of the park from The Sunset. Up and coming in terms of people who want to live in the Mission but can’t find an apartment are moving out here. Good bars, dim-sum everywhere, Green Apple Used Books, and did I mention dim sum?

The Mission: The place to live if you’re queer, arty, a hipster, into ethnic food, live music, dive bars or are in a tech company and want to live near the cool kids. Used to be cheap until the techies started actually buying places here. Now it’s a mix of Latino families, down & outs, hipsters, queers and the young gentry.

Potrero Hill: Adjacent to the Mission. Did you used to be a hipster Missionite? Do you have a kid now? Boom.

The Castro: Are you a white, gay male between the ages of 30 and 90? You live here.

The Marina: If you’re blond, hetero and really into French manicures and boys who party like they are still in college but work in Finance now, this is your jam.

Nob Hill Russian Hill/Telegraph Hill: Like the Marina, with fewer solo cups and more strollers. Sort of like graduating college.

Tenderloin/Nob: In general, Tenderloin is one of the city’s more unsafe neighborhoods and has a reputation as a hot-spot for violent crime, drugs and liquor stores. It’s also home to Little Saigon and some good bars and is looking to promote local tourism about the city’s history with historic renovations and a booming art scene in the area. (If an apartment ad says TenderNob — that is not a place.)

North Beach: The Little Italy of SF. Think tourists, strippers and old Italian restaurants.

Pacific Heights AKA “Pac Whites”: Unless you have an incredibly large trust fund and you’re 70, you’re most likely not ever going to live/go here.

Western Addition (recently called NOPA by real estate types): Definitely a difficult ‘hood to define these days. A real mix of hipsters, old-time residents, upscale restaurants and hole in the wall bbq joints.

Presidio: The country. Want to go hiking from your front door? Great! N.B. You will need a car if you live here.

The Haight (Upper & Lower): Once hippie-land, The Haight is now all designer shoe stores and gentrification. Upper is very different from Lower; tour buses drop people off in the Upper and Lower has locals bars and a good mish-mash of shops.

SOMA: Night clubs, leather joints, industrial condos. Folsom Street Fair calls SOMA home.

Noe Valley: Strollers. Cafes. Strollers. Dogs. Organic juice. Strollers.

Hayes Valley: Now-gentrified area now filled with edgy fashion, high-profile galleries, restaurants, bars and indie shops.

Bernal Heights: Once you and your lady love decide to settle down and get that golden retriever, this is your destination. Lots of subarus and organic veggies.

The Getting on of Your Groove

El Rio, Mission District (3158 Mission Street) There is so much to say about El Rio that I don’t know where to start. It’s the place to find dandies serving up vegan chili, glitter-covered gayboys in hotpants shaking their stuff, older lesbians enjoying conversation with a trans* biker, bikini-clad femmes wrestling in lube, cute baby bois making out while playing shuffleboard, punk boys thrashing out some music on the live stage, burlesque beauties and daytime drag queens all downing cheap drinks, and a true sense of community.

Wild Side West, Bernal Heights (424 Cortland Avenue) The big outdoor garden is the real draw here. Grab a Bloody Mary and find yourself a cozy spot in the sunshine.

Stray Bar, Bernal Heights (309 Cortland Avenue) A true neighborhood bar run by a dog-loving gal! Bring your pooch and saddle up for the big game and a drink special.

The Cafe, Castro (2369 Market Street) While back in the day this was a ladies-only location, The Cafe has evolved into an all-inclusive danceteria. Go shake that booty.

QBar, Castro (456 Castro Street) Mostly boys, but girls are welcome to shake their booties too—especially on Tuesday nights.

Toad Hall, Castro(4146 18th Street) An outdoor patio and strong drinks.

The Lexington, Mission District (4146 18th Street) The last standing lesbian-only bar in San Francisco. The clientele can be pretty cliquey and territorial, but the Lex is a must as a queer-gal-in-SF rite of passage.

Public Works, SOMA (161 Erie Street) This space holds revolving parties, many of which are queer friendly if not outright gaytastic. You know that queer hip-hop artist/DJ/performance artist you love? This is where they’ll throw a party.

The Attic, Mission District (3336 24th St between Bartlett & Osage Street) One of the darkest, diviest, dingiest (sometimes stickiest) bars in town. And one of the best. Cheap drinks and a good happy hour. Not necessarily an overtly queer bar, however its a mixed crowd and all are welcome.

Dolores Park, Mission District (566 Dolores Street) There is an entire section of the park known as “Gay Beach” – ’nuff said.

Party Time

Mango – 3:00 p.m. on the 4th Saturday of every month at El Rio (3158 Mission Street) A “sweet & sexy” dance party packed with girls, dandies and ladies of every persuasion.

She Said… – 4:00 p.m. on the 3rd Saturday of every month at Slate Bar (2925 16th St) “Back by Popular Demand For all you Beautiful Queers. Always a Queer Affair”

Hard French – 2:00 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month @ El Rio (3158 Mission Street). A seasonal soul dance party like no-other. Definitely a scene where you want to be seen.

Cockblock – 10pm every 2nd Saturday @ Rickshaw (155 Fell Street) A hot & sweaty dance party for the girls. Crowd is generally on the younger side but the drinks are strong and plentiful.

Sissy Strut – 10:00 pm every 4th Friday @ Underground SF (424 Haight Street) Wear your dapper best for the awesomest queer soul night in San Francisco.  Dance to your favorite soul, oldies, doo wop, motown and R&B. At $3-$5 sliding scale (no one turned away for lack of funds) it has to be one of the cheapest nights in town.

Feel the Bass

Whether you’re into Tegan & Sara, The Gossip, Scissor Sisters or an obscure folk duo from Atlanta, San Francisco has a world-class venue that will be featuring your fave. You’ll find that most venues used to be bordellos, speakeasys or both. Most are historical, all are fantastic. Try hitting up:

The Warfield (982 Market Street), Cafe du Nord (2170 Market Street), Slims (333 11th Street), The Fillmore (1805 Geary Boulevard), Regency Ballroom (1300 Van Ness Avenue), Great American Music Hall (859 O’Farrell Street), Bimbos (1025 Columbus Avenue), The Chapel (777 Valencia), Dolores Park (566 Dolores Street) (No really. There’s lots of live music here. Concerts (generally in support of something political or activist-style ) take place more often than you’d think.)

Get Your Noms On!

Oh my god noms.  SF has all the noms you could ever hope for.  Here are just a few:

Radish (3465 19th Street) Cute tattooed alternative girls and serving up local organic American food with a southern twist. Bottomless mimosas and waffles for Sunday brunch are always a winning combo.

Mosto (741 Valencia between 19th & 18th) – Sexy bar area, outdoor seating, a crazy-thorough tequila bar, killer margaritas and $1.50 tacos.

Sycamore (2140 Mission Street) A backyard beer garden where you can sip a belgian-style blond while playing Cards Against Humanity with a group of strangers at one of the picnic tables. Fast friends are made here over plates of delicious sliders and pork belly donuts. Also, the kale dip is amazing.

Herbivore (531 Divisadero Street) For the vegetable-inclined, this outpost of the small chain has everything you could want from veggie lasagna to hand made veggie burgers. Plus booze!

Gracias Madre (2211 Mission Street) Vegan mexican food in the heart of the Mission. One of the few vegan places you can drag a carnivore to for margaritas and chips with to-die-for guacamole. The tacos filled with butternut squash and mushrooms are a must.

Arizmendi Bakery Panaderia & Pizzeria (1268 Valencia Street) A bakery? A co-op? A Latina-owned-and-operated business? Amazing food and great coffee? CHECK! Stop in for an award-winning pastry and linger to chat with the girls in yoga pants and dads with babies strapped to their chests.

Super Duper Burger (2304 Market Street) This small San Francisco chain makes everything in house, including their addictive pickles. The burgers are the star here, but I happen to know from experience that their already delectable milkshakes can be spiked with an adult beverage if you ask nicely.

Cafe Flore (2298 Market Street) A meeting place for the community since it’s inception, Cafe Flore features lots of outdoor seating and cute boys with even cuter dogs vying for attention.

Emmys (18 Virginia Avenue) A tiny place that looks like a roadhouse and features one exceptionally-well-done dish: spaghetti and meatballs. Don’t knock it. Head over for a mason jar full of booze, a crisp ceasar salad and a heaping bowl of the house special.

Humphrey Slocombe (2790A, Harrison Street) Two words: Secret Breakfast. Its bourbon and cornflake and delicious. Just a tip, the line bouncer does not take bribes. When it time to close, they close!

Off the Grid Food trucks have become super popular in SF. Off the Grid is a roaming street food extravaganza. Different trucks participate every day allowing for a wide variety of food from Korean BBQ to burgers to cupcakes to a truck entirely dedicated to bacon – chances are you will find something yummy to eat. Check the website to see where in SF they’ll be on any given day and what trucks are participating.

Udupi Palace (1007 Valencia Street) Another vegetarian option, this one with flavorful South Indian dishes. It’s reasonably priced (cash only) and has really friendly staff.

Burma Superstar -(309 Clement St, between 4th & 5th Avenue) With three locations in the Bay Area, this is the go-to for Burmeese cuisine (influenced by shared borders with India, China, Loas & Thailand) and a favorite for locals and visitors. Prepare for a wait — they don’t take reservations. But waiting is worth it.

All of the Taquerias (Located everywhere between 15th and 25th streets on Mission and Valencia) Taquerias are where the burritos come from and the Mission district is full to the brim with them. Each one of them has its merits. I cannot even presume to list the “best” taqueria here because it’s such a hot button issue around here. Everyone has their favorite taqueria and everyone thinks that they’re right. For some, taquerias are more important than politics, I’m serious. But honestly, I haven’t been to a taqueria that wasn’t tasty. They mostly serve the same types of things: burritos, tacos, nachos etc. with vegetarian choices as well as meaty choices. Some have salsa bars, some don’t, but all seem to make their salsa fresh. Most taquerias will have bottled beer, aguas frescas and coca cola and other sodas in glass bottles. I usually order a super vegetarian burrito, with black beans and everything which includes salsa, sour cream, cheese and guacamole.  I like to wash my burrito down with a negro modelo beer, if I’m not feeling the beer, I will usually get an horchata (a Mexican cinnamon-rice drink) or a coke. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with taquerias, they are usually a nice cheap option.  Try them all.

Coffee

Almost as contentious a topic as taquerias in San Francisco are coffee purveyors, but again, you can’t really go wrong here. Blue Bottle and Ritual are the big two, but there are up-and-coming roasters like Four Barrel and Sight Glass, as well as the ubiquitous Philz Coffee. All do pour-over coffee, that takes a little longer to brew than your regular cup of Joe, but not that much longer. All have competent baristas that can whip up great lattes, cappuccinos and macchiatos. Of particular note are the Blue Bottle locations at the Ferry Building and near the Old Mint, and the original Ritual in the Mission. Go in, have a great cup of coffee and kick back for a while.

Blue Bottle (1 Sausalito – San Francisco Ferry Building) Try the New Orleans style iced coffee, it’s seriously the best. All the Blue Bottle locations are less for reading/studying/writing, and more for social coffee drinking. All of the staff tend to be really helpful, they treat coffee much like wine. Get ready for long lines on the weekends.

Ritual (1026 Valencia Street) At first glance this place is too school for cool with all the hipster baristas and customers, but the good coffee and the free wifi it make it a good place to get some work done. Also always crowded on the weekends.

Four Barrel (375 Valencia Street) The coffee is good. No wifi, so it’s a good place to get reading done as well as writing that does not require the internet. They have lots of bike parking and they built an outdoor patio which is awesome for sitting, thinking and people and dog watching.  Also also always crowded on the weekends.

Sightglass Coffee (270 7th Street) The only one of this short list that doesn’t have a location in the Mission.  If you find yourself out of the gayborhood and in SOMA (south of Market), definitely give this place a whirl.

Philz Coffee (3101 24th Street) Considered a San Francisco institution, this place boasts a wide variety of roasts. They also do pour-over coffee and will cream and sugar it for you, with sometimes a mint leaf? The mint always confuses me, I usually just order it with cream.

The Gayborhood

The LGBTQ community is everywhere in SF, but is highly concentrated in the Castro and the Mission District. On the surface the Castro and the Mission seem to have segregated themselves (Castro for gay boys and the Mission for the rest of the queers) the two neighborhoods have something to offer to everyone and are so close together that it’s almost a moot point.  The community tends to be all-inclusive and welcoming no matter gender, color, gay, straight, queer, questioning, poly, etc. And even though the Castro/Mission (ugh, misstro?) are where there are a lot of gays all the time, the gays can be found most everywhere in San Francisco, and generally speaking no one is going to think twice when you and your honey walk down the street hand in hand. That being said here are some community centers that offer a wide variety of things for the LGBTQ community:

LGBT Center
A community center that hosts a number of groups, group meetings and events for LGBT folks of all different backgrounds.

Lyric (127 Collingwood Street) Builds communities for LGBTQQ youth and their families and allies.

The Women’s Building (3543 18th St #8) This place is hard to miss. Situated in the heart of the Mission with its beautiful murals, it’s hard not to want to go inside to see what community is happening here.  The Women’s Building mission is “to provide women and girls with the tools and resources they need to achieve full and equal participation in society.” Though it’s less LGBT-focused it’s definitely worth a visit.

GLBT History Museum (4127 18th Street) Billed as “A Home for Our History” and located on 18th St. in the heart of the Castro District, the museum focuses on over a hundred years of history and is the first museum in the U.S. dedicated solely to the history of the GLBT community in San Francisco. With both rotating and permanent collections, the museum always offers an enlightened insight into our past.

Tops and Tails

Damn you look good.

Kabuki springs (1750 Geary Boulevard) Nothing makes you more confident about your body than shuffling around a zen, water filled atmosphere surrounded by naked women of every size, shape and persuasion. Take a hot steam, a warm soak or a cold plunge. Get a massage then relax all day if you like. You’ll never feel better.

Glama-Rama (304 Valencia Street) The owner, Deena Davenport, has got quite a magical thing going on here. Part art gallery, part salon, part community center, all fabulous. From alternative chopped cuts with swaths of pink to ultra-glamorous up do’s, Deena and her staff will treat you right.

Black & Blue Tattoo (381 Guerrero Street) Turns out both me and my fellow collaborator have gotten work done here. For me it was my first and I wanted my tattoo-virginity taken by only the best in SF. They bill themselves as “A Woman Owned, Gender & POC Inclusive San Francisco Tattoo Shop” and they don’t disappoint; they are highly regarded, queer-centric, and ultra-clean.

Public Barber Salon
Don’t worry about not feeling cool enough in this salon/art gallery, just have a complimentary beer and relax while getting your hair did.

Lost in the Stacks

Writing the bookstore section honestly made me a little weepy. This city used to be chock a block full of LGBT-specific book stores. Now, we have to be content with “Gay Lit” sections in integrated stores and one “progressive” store.

Books Inc. (2275 Market Street) These guys have been around since 1851 and are very proud of being The West’s Oldest Independent Bookseller. My favorite location is the Castro location because their clearance section is massive and stacked with great stuff. If gay interest lit is your thing, this is the place.

Modern Times Bookstore Collective (2919 24th Street) In its newly-opened location Modern Times offers tomes on politics, sexuality and gender, Latin@ history and culture, children’s books and everything in between.

Dog Eared, Phoneix, Red Hill & Alley Cat (900 Valencia Street) All owned by Kate Rosenberger, these are amazing neighborhood shops. Selling used, collectible, new and discounted books along with magazines and hard to find ephemera these are among my favorite bookstores in the city.

City Lights (261 Columbus Avenue at Broadway) – Alternative culture’s only “Literary Landmark,” founded in 1953 and still going strong, is best known for its press’s key role in Beat Culture. The all-paperback bookstore has an amazing literature selection, as well as an extensive ‘zine nook and a second-level chock-full of poetry as well as City Lights Press publications and entire sections devoted to Beat literary icons. Check their blog for events, they have a lot of them.

Good Vibrations (603 Valencia Street) A bookstore in that it’s a great book resource if you’re interested in 101 new strap-on erotica tales, anal sex instruction, how to keep the spark alive in that three way you’ve been living in. You can find everything from The Whole Lesbian Sex book to Best Bondage Erotica.

Needles and Pens (3253 16th Street) Art gallery, zines, books, homemade goods, I never leave empty-handed when I walk into this store.

Green Apple Books (506 Clement St (@6th Ave) – While other bookstores keep imploding, this one continues chugging along  — it’s got 8,000 square feet of new and used books, including a notable children’s book seciion and lots of indie touches.

Go Buy Some Stuff

Community Thrift (623 Valencia Street) This is my father’s favorite shop in the city. Here you can pick up a disco instructional album, a ’60s Hawaiian shirt, an Art-Deco dresser and that 8-track player you were looking for. All proceeds go to various community charities that are chosen by each person who makes a donation. Plus, c’mon…. it’s got a giant rainbow painted on the doorway!

Buffalo Exchange (1210 Valencia Street) It’s a nationwide chain, but whether you’re selling a few pieces for quick cash or picking up a new outfit for a night out, Buffalo can be a great resource. They’ve got designer stuff, basics like jeans and jackets, vintage and retro plus shoes & accessories, all ‘gently used.’

Crossroads Trading Co. (2123 Market Street) Started in San Francisco in 1991 another national chain with a local feel is Crossroads. They focus on being green and keeping clothes in the recycle cycle. The shops buy & trade used designer clothes that are in great shape and cost a fraction of retail.

Clothes Contact & Mission Thrift Both owned by Retro City and my two favorite vintage shops. Clothes Contact shop sells vintage finds by the pound! My go to for vintage dresses and leather. Mission Thrift is where you go when you’re willing to hunt for the perfect 60s cowgirl shirt or 80s tweed blazer.

Rainbow Grocery (1745 Folsom Street ) Founded in 1975, Rainbow has a mission to provide affordable vegetarian food while caring for the members of the Co-Op. Lentils by the pound, organic locally sourced tofu, vegan tamales, and everything else your hippie-health food loving-cooperative grocery could ever have. It’s a mecca for healthy eaters around the city.

BiRite (3639 18th Street) As much a community center as a grocery store, BiRite is stocked with local, organic, amazing products served up with community spirit and sustainable ideals. BiRite has become world-famous for changing the way we shop. ** Also drop in to their community center 18 Reasons for some food themed events and education.

Tomboy Tailors (50 Post Street, Level One, Crocker Galleries) – This brand new spot specializes in custom-made suits and shirts for “butch/boi lesbians, trans-masculine individuals, and women of any identity who have a strong sense of self-expression and like to wear fine custom-made clothing.” The friendly owners genuinely delight in getting you into your spiffiest state of affairs.

Sex Shops

For when you’ll need them.

Good Vibes (603 Valencia Street at 17th Street)

Glass Kandi (569 Geary Street)

Madame S (385 8th Street)

Performing Arts

In terms of performing arts, the city has a lot to offer.  It just depends on what you’re looking for. Some queer-specific performance companies are listed below, however, if the performing arts are your thang, definitely check out the SF Opera (they do sometimes have tickets available for $10), SF Ballet, SF Symphony, American Conservatory Theater, SF Playhouse, The Cutting Ball Theatre, Magic Theater, The Marsh, Z Space, The Dark Room, ODC Dance and so many many many more.  A lot of them do special LGBT nights so check their calendars.

Theatre Rhinoceros (1 Sansome St. Suite 3500) A queer theatre celebrating its 35th season and is (according to the website) “the world’s oldest continuously producing professional queer theater.”

THE OFFCENTER (848 Divisadero Street) THE OFFCENTER is a performing arts group focusing on queer identities and definitions. Experimental, diverse and definitely worth a gander.

Trannyshack Drag Queens performing episodes of the Golden Girls?  Um, yes please! (This performance is seasonal, but still, rad)

Fresh Meat Fresh Meat produces different performances including dance, theatre, music and more all focusing and exploring the trans experience.

The Castro Theater (429 Castro Street) Even though the Castro Theater is a movie theater, there is still a surprising amount of performances that happen here. The performances usually go along with a particular film that they are showing. They host a variety of films from different film festivals throughout the year as well as special events like the Sound of Music Sing-A-Long, or the Little Mermaid Sing-A-Long both of which are exactly what they sound like. Also, the theater has a pipe organ and before most showings there is live organ music played, it sounds cheesy but it is one of the things that makes The Castro Theater unique and awesome.

All Gay All Day!

Surprise! There are a lot of gay events in this place.

Pride
Officially “The San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride,” it takes place at the end of June. A three-day event that’s been going strong for over 40 years, the event is considered the largest Pride event in the country. Friday afternoon kicks off with the trans* picnic and march. Saturday is the all-day festival, comprised of dance floors, performance stages, food, events, and general gayness. The parade itself is held on Sunday morning and it’s a long one, usually from about 10am all the way to 2pm ending up at the Civic Center. In 2013 the event will be June 29th & 30th. Be sure to catch the Dykes on Bikes who are always the first contingent!

Trans* march
It all starts with the trans picnic and march on the Friday of pride weekend in, you guessed it, Dolores Park. The trans* march is a fairly new addition to the Pride celebration, but it gains more and more support every year.  And it’s one more day to get together to celebrate pride.

Dyke March
Takes place the Saturday of Pride in Dolores Park. There are speakers and performers all afternoon followed by a rally in evening. The march itself starts later in evening (usually around 6 or 7) and makes it’s way through the Mission.Pink Party

An unofficial, raucous street party in the center of the Castro district (Market, Castro, Noe and 19th streets) following the Dyke March. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence have been throwing this shindig for 15 fabulous years. Wear your best pink fashion, grab your new friend that you picked up at the march and party in the streets.

Frameline
Frameline is the premier LGBT film festival in the nation (shh, don’t tell New York). Beginning a week before Pride, Frameline showcases the best the world has to offer, from docs to shorts. They also put on year-round film and educational programs.

The Queer Women of Color Film Festival
Sponsored by the Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project, this annual weekend-long event, which showcases shorts as well as feature screening programs, takes place in June and last year was hosted at the Yerba Buena Center for The Arts.

Folsom Fair
Held on the last Sunday in September, this is an event like no other. While not specifically a GLBT event, it’s very heavy on the GLBT, specially for those in the leather, BDSM, and other ‘subculture’ sexuality interests. It’s the culmination of Leather Pride Week and has evolved into a huge charity event that happens to feature public spankings and bondage demonstrations.

Castro Street Fair
Founded by Harvey Milk in 1974, this is like the gayest county fair you’ve ever been to. It’s a big rainbow colored street party, that feels a lot like a more casual Pride. Held in October when the weather gets nice and warm around here.

No Insurance?  No Problem! (No Excuses)

San Francisco Department of Public Health/Healthy SF
One of the really awesome parts of living in SF is that the city puts its money where its mouth is, to mangle a saying. The Department of Public Health (DPH) encompasses a network of health services for everyone inside San Francisco, from immunization to urgent care. Programs like Dimensions, a clinic for queer and trans* youth (under 25) and the Tom Waddell transgender clinic are overseen by the city, and operate on a sliding scale through Healthy SF and SF PATH. It’s a real boon to those of us who can’t afford to get insurance on the open market.

Lyon-Martin Health Services
If you haven’t heard of Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, that’s a tragedy as their work is damned important. The health nonprofit named after them started in 1979 and continues to provide health services to (according to their website) “lesbians, women of color, low-income women, older women, women with disabilities & transgender people.”

Bay Area Health Collective
Alternative medicine practitioners who come together in pop-up clinics for the LGBTQI and allied communities. Check the website for upcoming dates.

Shout it Out

It’s San Francisco, there is activism, and there’s a lot of it.  There’s so much that it’s impossible to list all of the groups, but here are the biggies in town. Even though it is San Francisco and LGBT rights and things are usually a way of life here, there is still a lot a lot to do so, go out, and get involved!

Human Rights Campaign (HRC) (575 Castro Street) Now located in what used to be Harvey Milk’s camera shop, a simple visit reminds you how far we’ve come. (For better and for worse)

National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) (870 Market Street Suite 370) This is an important one, focusing on a wide range of issues like marriage equality, immigration, healthcare and so much more.

Transgender Law Center (TLC) (870 Market Street, Suite 400) Focusing on trans issues such as healthcare, housing, identification documents, as well as trans inmate issues in prisons.

Equality California (EQCA) (2370 Market Street, 2nd Floor) Working so that the gays can get married right here in California, long overdue.

GSA Network (1550 Bryant St., Suite 800) One of the many queer youth organizations in the city.  This one empowers youth to fight homophobia and transphobia in their schools. I had one in my high school and it literally changed my life.

Support for families

Our Family Coalition
For more than a decade, Our Family Coalition has been serving LGBT families with children in the Bay Area and beyond.

San Francisco Recreation & Parks
Though maybe not as glamorous as Pawnee, SF is not too shabby in the parks and rec department. There is a metric ton of classes and activities on offer for kids and adults, and a number of community and early childhood services run through the recs and park office.

Family Caregiver Alliance
Has online support groups for different communities in addition to caregiver services.

Young and in College

There are a ton of schools within the city limits of San Francisco and I’m sure the that the big schools here have a college life feel to them in and around their campuses. Because San Francisco is such a big and well-established a city, it isn’t your classic college town. It is, however, chock-full of young people so there’s always something to do if you get bored with school. Here are the big ones (just remember that there are a lot more than are listed here).

San Francisco State University (1600 Holloway Avenue) One of the big schools in the city with a large campus and a large student body. Offers a bunch of programs, both graduate and undergraduate.

City College of San Francisco (50 Phelan Avenue) Another big one in the city. It used to be that you could pick up a class or two at City just to expand your education, but as tuition prices have gone up at other Universities, more and more people have decided to attend City as it tends to be the more affordable option. With the increase in matriculating students as well as its own budget being cut, City has become a lot more strict about who can enroll. Not only that, but it has had to cut down on its class offerings due to its own budget being slashed. That said, it’s still an excellent school. There is a great transfer program between this school and into the University of California program. Think, UC Berkeley or UCLA.

University of San Francisco (2130 Fulton Street) This is a private Catholic University, but it offers a lot of different programs from nursing to law and you are sure to find other queers attending here.

University of California San Francisco (505 Parnassus Avenue) A premiere medical school.

The Free University of San Francisco There are also a lot of non traditional learning opportunities and The Free University of SF is one of them. According to their Facebook page “The Free University of San Francisco makes the highest level of education available, completely free, to any individual who wants it, regardless of color, creed, age, gender, nationality, religion or immigration status—a university free of money, taught for free.” Worth a look, though I don’t believe that they are currently in session for spring.

YAY Sport!

The Giants. What can I say? We won the series! San Francisco is Giants territory. Oh and Niners, and Golden State Warriors and A’s and Bulls. We love us some sports. Whatever you’re into (hell, we probably have a curling team kicking around) – we’ve got a team to suit you.

Bay Area Derby Girls: Flat track Derby where hot, tough broads have been showing off their skills since 2004. Grab a seat, a PBR and shout your lungs out for your favorite badass on wheels!

Fog Rugby Club: I don’t play sports, but I know a lot of the gays who like to play rugby. Check this league out, it’s for gay men and women as well as other groups of people that they consider traditionally under-represented in rugby.

San Francisco Bay Blades: Rowing anyone? Just don’t fall out; it’s freezing in the bay.

Dolores Park: Whether you want to watch, play or just look like a jock Dolo has it all: tennis, basketball, soccer, jogging, frisbee, hula hooping…

There are a lot of unofficial leagues as well. Check out www.meetup.com for all of the other sports opportunities.

Getting Around

First, get yourself a clipper card, it will make using public transport that much easier.

MUNI
Like most public transpo in major cities, MUNI has its problems, but for the most part it can get you where you need to go. There is the underground subway along with the above ground electric buses. You might want to download their MUNI+ app for maps, schedules and arrival info.

BART
Our other subway, the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), goes all over the Bay but can be a quick way to get through parts of the city too. Just hit up m.bart.gov for maps and schedules on your phone.

Homobiles
(415) 574-5023
A not for profit service who’s motto is “Moes getting hoes where they needz to goes!,” can make sure you get where you need to go safe and harassment free. The rides are donation-based, available 24/7 and available by text!

Lyft
Download the app. Now. I’ll wait…. ok here’s the deal. You tell the app where you are and confirm a pickup. The app tells you how long it will take the driver to get to you and shows you a picture of them and their car. They roll up in a car, fronted by a giant pink moustache. Yes. Pink moustache. Get in the front seat, fist bump, and off you go. It’s more like a friend giving you a ride than a cab. You pay through the app so no cash on hand is not a problem!

City Carshare
A non-profit carshare service in the spirit of Zipcar. Reasonable rates and reliable vehicles with lots of pick-up locations.

Cost of Living

High. No seriously. Like really, really high. According to Kiplers, San Franciso is 3rd most expensive city in the U.S. Be prepared to pay $1500 a month for a studio in a not-great part of town. Unless you’re loaded, plan on lots of roommates. Lots. For those of us that live here the tradeoff for paying 35-50% (no really) of our salaries in rent is worth it. Then there’s always the East Bay.

Safety

San Francisco is a city, it’s fairly small in size compared to NYC, however you should be of aware of what’s going on around you no matter what part of it you find yourself.  Since the city is so small, if you happen to find yourself in a not-so-nice area, chances are if you keep walking you will get yourself out of the not so nice area just as fast.If I had to choose, the following are the neighborhoods you should be hyper-aware in:

The Mission:
Unfortunately this neighborhood is part of the gayborhood. Most of what we talked about in this guide can be found in the Mission and while it’s not the safest, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hang out in the Mission, you just should be aware of what’s going on around you while you are getting your gay groove on.

The Tenderloin (The Loin, TL, Lower Nob Hill)
It covers the ground between Union Square (which is the downtown fancypants shopping area) to VanNess Street. The trouble is, that there are some great things going on in the Tenderloin, some of the places that we have recommended are located there. But again, just try to be aware of where you are, who’s around you, and you should be fine.

Bayview/Hunter’s Point
Same deal.

For quick safe rides, if you ever need one remember Homobiles and Lyft as mentioned above.

Diversity in San Francisco

It is an odd thing, but everyone who disappears is said to be seen in
San Francisco. It must be a delightful city, and possess all the
attractions of the next world.
— Oscar Wilde

There is some truth to Mr. Wilde’s statement. Everyone is here. Anyone is here. This is truly one of the most diverse cities on earth. It’s a town where old Russian women share bus seats with lesbian moms, Cambodian cooks, gender questioning emo punks, Latino cowboys and homeless men. San Franciscans pride themselves on their diversity. There is no place in the city where members of every race, gender, color, ability, height and hair color aren’t represented. If you are an East-Asian, gender-queer, stilt walking, OBGYN, with a shaved head, there is a meetup group having a drink in the vegan Thai place around the corner. Here are just a few:

SF Bay Queer Women of Color Meetup

Aguilas

Asian Pacific Islander Queer Women and Transgender Community

Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project

The Center for Young Women’s Development – Nelly Velasco Project

And there a lot more groups for women of color that are not necessarily for queer women.

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San Francisco For Tourists & Visitors

by riese

There’s obviously heaps to do for tourists in San Francisco and what’s especially nice is that we have no weather, so really any time of year is appropriate for any type of activity! It gets a little cold and rainy in December, but 75% of the time, our days are sunny, bright, and between 65 and 70 degrees. (But it gets cold at night, so bring hoodies/jackets!)  Most of what you’ll wanna check out is mentioned in other parts of the city guide, but here’s where I fill in some of the gaps for non-residents.

Basics:

If you’re a gaymo in the city for the first time, you’ll definitely want to set aside a day or half-day for The Castro/Mission — checking out the aforementioned shopping and restaurants, chilling in Dolores Park and taking a quick jaunt to the super-small-but-worthwhile GLBT History Museum. You should also consider taking a day or two to head up north to wine country — Napa or Sonoma — it’s ridiculously gorgeous up there with lots of cute hotels and shopping but the point is obviously the wineries, so make a plan for which vineyards you wanna hit up and then drink until you feel like a human grape. This city guide is specific to San Francisco, there’ll be a separate Oakland/Berkeley guide, but there’s also shit-tons to do and see in the East Bay!

I also recommend picking up a Walking Tour book or, better yet, these handy waking tour cards, San Francisco is an awesome place to walk because there’s so much to look at and the weather is so nice.

Museums:

SF MOMA (151 Third Street, between Mission & Howard) (Adults: $18, Students w/ID $11) – The MOMA is planning a big renovation starting June 3rd, 2013, scheduled for completion in 2016, and in the meantime the “SF MOMA will be on the go, presenting new art experiences around the Bay Area as our building is transformed.” But if you can pop in to its present home before that happens, it’s definitely worth a visit for its innovative exhibits and consistently awesome permanent collection (lots of photography!). Admission is free the first Tuesday of each month.

California Academy of Sciences (55 Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA 94118) (Adults $29.95, Students $24.95) Honestly I’ve never been here but it sounds neat, like it’s “the world’s only aquarium-planetarium-rainforest-living museum.” Virtual safaris! The depths of a Philippine coral reef! Magic and wonder!

The Beat Museum (540 Broadway  San Francisco, CA 94133) – If you’re a book nerd and obsessive-Beat-lover like me then this hidden gem will rock your socks off: staffed by wiry hipster boys and replete with a topical gift shop, the museum itself contains a seemingly endless supply of Beat memorabilia and history, set up like the best school project ever.

Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf has become more and more touristy over the last few decades, shedding some of its inherent charm in favor of a more commodified experience, but it’s still super-fun. You can stroll (or jostle, depending on the crowds) along Pier 39, which’s packed with great waterfront restaurants, as well as some kitschy shopping, sea lions, and the truly fun Musée Mécanique Penny Arcade. At Hyde Street Pier you can check out some historical ships, if that floats your boat. (GET IT??)

Food-related spots to hit on the wharf include the legendary Ghiradelli Square Original Ice Cream & Chocolate Manafactory (900 North Point Street), the Boudin Sourdough Bakery & Cafe or Bistro (160 Jefferson Street) for a quick lunch or a teddy-bear-shaped loaf of bread, Normans Ice Cream & Freezes (2801 Leavenworth Street) for innovative flavors and an authentic experience not available at the adjacent Coldstone or Ben & Jerry’s locations and Asian-Fusion restaurant Butterfly (Pier 33 at Bay Street), which has a kickass happy hour and amazing waterfront views.

Alcatraz (Alcatraz Landing at Pier 33) ($30) – Okay Alcatraz is honestly kinda creepy and overrated. If you feel at all slightly conflicted about the romanticastion of American hyper-masculinity, the prison-industrial complex and the instutitionalized racism that fuels our crime/punishment system, then you will feel conflicted at Alcatraz and totally weirded out by the 2.5 hour audio tour, complete with “prisoner’s voices” and dramatic sound effects. You can get a great view of the bay from Alcatraz however and the boat ride sure is pretty! The only way to visit Alcatraz is by purchasing a ticket for an Alcatraz tour, and they truly do sell out ahead of time so MAKE A PLAN.

The Great Outdoors:

Twin Peaks – Oh, Twin Peaks. You can see the whole g-damn city from up here, it’s lovely. The drive up is twisty and can be really spooky if it it’s dark, rainy or foggy, but if you like to sit on top of a city and smoke a joint while watching the sun set, then this is probably the best place ever to do that. They film a lot of car commercials here.

Point Lobos/Land’s End/Ocean Beach/Lincoln Park – This is a pretty significant area of land that I’m attempting to compact into one paragraph. So, if you’re more into eating than hiking, you should definitely come here, have some clam chowder at the Cliff House (1090 Point Lobos) and enjoy the view of Ocean Beach. You’ll undoubtedly become intrigued by the bathhouse history on display at Cliff House and then you’ll want to visit the ruins of the Sutro Baths. Land’s End is a much-adored three-mile walking trail offering spectacular views of the ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge. The Legion Of Honor Museum (34th Ave & Clement Street) is out here, too.

Filbert Steps (Sansome St & Filbert St) – The next day your calves will hate you, and the day after that you will love your calves! While actually walking the Filbert Steps, you will love the secret garden feel and the spectacular views.

Golden Gate Park – You can easily spend half a day or more here, it’s super-gorgeous just for biking or walking, but there are plenty of things to see within the park, like the Japanese Tea House & Gardens, the Botanical Gardens/Strybing Arboretum and the old-school Carousel.

 

Also Worth Mentioning:

Lusty Lady (1033 Kearny at Broadway) – This is a feminist landmark ’cause it was the first strip club/peep show to unionize (there’s a documentary about it called Live Nude Girls Unite!). It’s mostly private booths, where you put money in a slot and then the screen is lowered and there’s the girl!

Chinatown– Chinatown in San Francisco is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia and has some really amazing dim-sum. I had a friend who took a guided walking tour of Chinatown and said they got to visit a fortune cookie factory and stuff so you know, look into that.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival – If you can coordiante your visit to be during Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, then you ought to. It’s held in October in Golden Gate Park and is free, thanks to venture capitalist Warren Hellman, who also wanted to eschew corporate sponsorship. It’s not just bluegrass anymore. Frequent performers include Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Earl Scruggs and Steve Earle. I think The Indigo Girls played one year, even.

Hotel Mirabelle (1906 Mission St between 15th & 16th street) – If you’re low-maintenance and looking for a cheap place to crash in the city for less than $100/night, try the Hotel Mirabelle. This super-cute, tucked-away place in The Mission “is a quiet Victorian guesthouse” with a nice outdoor patio area, continental breakfast and a friendly staff. It’s similar to a hostel in that the bathrooms are shared and the other guests are often looking to make friends, but it’s like a B&B or hotel also for the comfortable, clean and well-furnished private rooms and other amenities.

Now it’s your turn to let us know what this guide is missing!

Queer City Guide: Perth, Western Australia

I grew up in Perth in the 1990s. Back then, it was a tough place to be for a young lesbian. It wasn’t until I went to uni and got taken to the Court Hotel and Connections in Northbridge that I had any idea that there was anything resembling a lesbian culture in Perth. Fortunately for you, that’s all changed. While there’s still no scene to rival lesbian Brunswick in Melbourne or Newtown in Sydney, there are heaps of places to hang out and meet likeminded “Perthonalities”. Not to mention the beaches and forests here are goddamn beautiful. Just make sure you bring a nice full wallet – there’s a mining boom on.

Going Out 

Connections Nightclub (81 James Street in Northbridge) – Perth’s gay nightclub is pumping out disco and top 40 every Friday and Saturday after midnigh. Arrive early for free entry, otherwise you’ll be stung with a $20 door charge. The doors are open Wednesdays through to Sundays from 10pm on – plus the local drag queens host a seemingly endless array of special events and theme nights; POP on Thursday night’s is a reliable staple. To some, Wednesday night’s Lesbian Mud Wrestling is an unmissable part of the queer calendar. To sourpusses like me it’s a tasteless, cheap event aimed at titillating gay men. I’ll let you be the judge.

The Court Hotel (50 Beaufort Street) – The Court Hotel is THE gay bar in Perth. While there’re gayish bars and one off nights popping up more and more, this is the only bar that’s flying the rainbow flag 24/7. This well-stocked bar serves ordinary steaks and disconcerting pizzas (béchamel sauce instead of mozzarella??) so I recommend eating out in Mt Lawley or Northbridge before heading down to party. Expect to see oodles of gay guys and their straight lady friends tearing up the dance floor on the weekend and a small army of baby dykes looking sulky and jealous by the sidelines (occasionally getting ejected for fist fighting over the 4 femmes in town). If you’re after a more mature crowd you’ll find a smattering of the old lesbian guard playing pool mid-week from 8pm. I’ve heard reports that their Traffic Light Parties are really fun, though I find this hard to believe.

Luxe Bar (446 Beaufort Street) – Luxe bar is a bit gay, especially on LOVE Sundays. You’ll need a small fortune to spend a night sipping cocktails at this bar, but if you’re after a bit more sophisticated venue to take a date, I reckon you could do a lot worse. For the record, I really enjoyed a tall cocktail I had there called the Wibble Wobble.

Bent Bar (138 Barrack Street) – Bent Bar was the great new hope for many who wanted a bit more variety in their weekends. Sadly, it’s on hiatus due to a lack of interest from Perth punters. They promise they’ll be back soon though at a brand new venue so if you are heading to Perth check our their facebook to see if they’ve come up with something.

Disco Incorrecto (566 Hay Street) – Disco Incorrecto is really doing a great job of livening up the Perth scene. They throw their own parties and often raise money for Perth. Lead by DJ Rob dB and inspired by the likes of Horse Meat Disco and the NYC Downlow in London they promised that “their disco tunes and cheeky antics are sure to have you partying all night long.” This summer they have re-launched with a new home at the Loton Park Tennis Club to provide a series of Summer Sundowners. I haven’t had the opportunity to go to Disco Incorrecto yet, but the Loton Park tennis club is a bit of a laid back gay haven so I reckon it could be a lot of fun.

Brief Encounters (The Royal Chambers Rear 87 James Street, Northbridge. Entrance from Nick’s Lane, Chinatown) – Having had two wildly successful parties last year, Brief Encounters is popular amongst the alternative straight crowd and queers alike. Hosted by The Monarchy, the night is known for its eclectic music and performance troupe Voix de la Villie who provide bizarre entertainment throughout the night. For punters who are looking for alternative night, Brief Encounters is the go. Make sure you dress up or you’ll be left on the street with the rest of us peasants.

Queer Activism

The best place to start would be at the WA Cross Campus Queer Network. The CCQN works together with University Guilds, community groups and activist organisations (both Queer and non-Queer) to provide representation, advocacy, support and activism for all LGBTTIQ students in Western Australia.

This group is for any WA student that identifies as an individual of diverse sexuality or gender, including (but not limited to) Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Genderqueer, Transgendered, Transsexual, Intersex, Queer, Questioning and Queer-friendly supporters are also more than welcome.

Pride WA Festival

The Pride WA crew put on a festival celebrating Western Australia’s LGBT citizens each October, with a fun family Fairday in Russell Square, a Parade in the centre of Perth CBD which attracts some 80,000 spectators, a huge after-party and many more cultural events. Importantly they also host a monthly lesbian event called Plush.

Universities

The University of Western Australia is a clear winner for prettiest campus, and it’s pretty well connected by public transport. They’ve got the most active student union, though like most other student bodies in the country it’s been decminated by Voluntary Student Unionism (ask a politically minded local for more info). The Queer Department runs Pride week during week 11 in Semester 2 every year.

Curtin University of Technology is where I hiked over to for 3 long years. It’s got the biggest carpark in Western Australia and some of the ugliest buildings to boot. Curtin Uni is well regarded as being one of the leaders in the Australian Ally program. The Art Department also put on some great shows at their annual graduation show in December and it’s worth checking out if you are in town.

Western Australian Performing Arts Academy (WAAPA) at Edith Cowan University in Mt Lawley is a highly regarded performing arts school and often puts on shows you might like to check out.

Sports

Perth is an Aussie Rules footy town. You either go for the West Coast Eagles (yellow and blue) or the Fremantle Dockers (Purple, Green and another ugly colour that clashes with the aforementioned colours). Everyone hates the Collingwood Magpies. That’s all you need to know.

If you wanna play a bit of women’s footy there is a league here! The team to beat is the Coastal Titans.

Bookstores

Planet books (Beaufort Street in Mt Lawley) is a must, and there are plenty of good bookshops in Fremantle including a chain called Elizabeth’s Books which is a reliable source of decent reads. If you are into rare, out of print books Serendipity (West Leederville) is the place to get to.

Arts

The Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) is a great place to start as it’s great and has an awesome rack of guides to other art shows and performances that are upcoming in the Perth cultural scene.

Legal Rights

Western Australia was especially progressive in 1984 when its Equal Opportunity Act was passed, ensuring LGBT people/couples were not discriminated against in a variety of situations and businesses. More recently, same-sex couples were allowed to jointly adopt children, and de facto gay couples are legally recognised, though no formal partnership register exists yet.

The Gay and Lesbian Equality WA group works hard to promote LGBT equality across Western Australia. Like many similar groups around the country at the moment, they hold regular rallies to push for law reforms which would allow gay marriage.

Community

The Freedom Centre (Brisbane Street) – Freedom Centre (FC) is for young people (under 26) to support each other and their communities to be informed, happy and healthy about their sexuality, sex and gender. The drop-in centre is a safe space to hang out, have fun, meet other LGBTIQQ young people and get peer-support and info if you need it.

Gay and Lesbian Community Services – Volunteer-run organisation Gay and Lesbian Community Services provides an information and support phoneline staffed Mondays to Fridays 7-10pm. The group’s speakers visit schools to tell their coming out stories, and run workshops for same-sex attracted or questioning people.

Aboriginal Culture/Colonial Resistance

I hate to say it, but Perth is pretty racist. Australia has a horrible history of genocide and a rich history of Aboriginal resistance which continues to this day. I suggest checking out the excellent Aboriginal magazine Tracker to get your head around this stuff if you are travelling in Perth. If you are travelling on January 26th try and avoid anything billed as an Australia Day party; for many Aboriginal people this is a deeply offensive tradition that celebrates the brutal dispossession of their forebears. And believe me, hanging around drunken Aussies wearing Australian flags on is a recipe for a bad night out. Any event billed as Survival Day or Invasion Day is a much better bet. For a local take on these issues have a chat with the mob at the Noongar Language & Culture Centre Aboriginal Corporation (23 Moore St, East Perth).

Local Media

Out in Perth is Perth’s printed guide to what’s happening in the city. It’s free to pick up monthly from gay venues and queer-friendly cafes in the CBD. Out In Perth also has a website with a comprehensive guide to what’s on. The national queer website samesame.com.au is also a reliable source of what’s new and happening in Perth.

Cinema

For the best arthouse cinemas in Perth check out this website. My personal favourite has always been the Luna in Leederville, but you can take your pick. During Summer there are a bunch of outdoor film screenings. I personally recommend the Somerville at the University of Western Australia.

Queer Girl City Guide: Tampa, Florida

I have lived in Tampa all of my 20 long years and have traveled a lot in my life, but still always classify Tampa as the best place to call home. When most people think of Florida cities, they seem to think Miami, but always seem to forget about Tampa who just sits up here located on the water like “hey guys I’m pretty fab too!” Tampa is totally fun and fierce and fabulous and is super gay and then there is the beach and you are located like an hour and a half away from Disney! In addition, people living in Tampa are often lovingly called Tampons which is amusing and also the perfect label for this lady-loving city.

Foxy Foxy: Lesbian Nightlife in Tampa

Not gonna lie, the first thing I check for when I am traveling to an unknown city is the club scene. Because come on people, dancing with the ladies is fun! Thankfully Tampa has a pretty good lesbian club scene, so your needs to get out and party are pretty much covered.

Gbar (1401 E 7th Ave.) Open: 9pm-3am – Gbar and Honeypot, two of Ybor’s main LGBT clubs, are under the same management and are the top spot for lesbians who are 18+ to club in Tampa. The clubs flip flop with who gets to host the gay boys and who gets to host the queer ladies which night. Friday nights at Gbar are Lesbian “tease” nights and is usually jam packed. Everyone from super femmes in pretty dresses to butches, bois, soft studs, punk rock girls, and everyone in between, all get hot and sweaty on the dance floor together where guest lady-DJ’s from Miami frequently spin awesome dance mixes. Gbar also tends to host a pretty good number of wet t-shirt contests where anyone can enter and the winner gets a $200 bar tab. These are my favorite nights because titties. Local tip: go before 11 and get free cover!

Honeypot (1507 E 7th Ave.) Open: 9pm-3am – Honeypot, sister club to Gbar, hosts their lesbian night on Saturday nights. I must say this club is my favorite. It is bigger than Gbar and hosts larger events such as glow, foam, pinup, and fetish parties. There is a drag show with both kings and queens at 12:30 am every Saturday and the casts are usually from Ru-Pauls Drag Race or other noteworthy competitions. Music is generally top 40’s with a focus on rap. After the drag show there is generally a bit more techno dance stuff as well. There are always tons of cute girls out in droves and it doesn’t hurt to strike up a conversation with that attractive queer leaning over the railing. Like Gbar, cover is free before 11pm.

Georgie’s Alibi (3100 3rd Ave North, Saint Petersburg) Open: 11am-3am – Known to natives as “the happiest place on earth,” Georgie’s Alibi has the best dance-techno music in the area. This club is 21 and up and mostly caters to gay men, but let me tell you, that sure as hell does not stop the ladies. I can safely say that pretty much every queer identified woman I know gets all giddy to go party at Georgie’s and come on, who doesn’t like a cute go go dancer and a good drag show?

The Ybor City Social Club (1909 North 15th St.) – The Social is usually where Tampa lesbians tend to hang out on Thursday nights. It is a two story club with one floor more dancey and one floor more rap. It’s a LGBT club with an emphasis on the boys, but the lesbians have no fear of going out and partying with other like-minded gals. It is 18 and up there’s no cover on Thursdays.

The Castle (2004 North 16th St.) – My analysis of the best Tampa clubs would not be complete without a mention of The Castle, which was my first club experience on the day I turned 18. Dark, punky, grunge, and just a little bit goth, The Castle has been a favorite club destination for lesbians in Tampa for years. 80’s night on Monday, Pop and Wave night on Thursday, and a variety of industrial themed nights the rest of the week, The Castle is awesome if you want to change up your dance music a little bit. They recently added Sundays as lesbian night although most of the girls I know get down on Thursdays. Thursdays are also the most crowded with the best chance of meeting people.

And the Best Place to get Shitfaced Award Goes to:

If dancing really isn’t what you do best and drinking is more your style, Tampa has something for you too.

Coyote Ugly Tampa (1722 East 7th Ave.) – Ladies drink free on Wednesdays which, as you can assume, draws a pretty good female crowd. Any other night of the week, girls who get up and dance on the bar get free drinks too. They play good music, the atmosphere is saloon style, you dance on the bar instead of the floor, and you can take body shots off of one of the hot bartenders.

The Dogs Bollocks (1704 East 7th Ave.) – An English style pub, The Dogs Bollocks is a popular drinking destination in Tampa and has hosted derby girl oil wresting in the past. Enough said.

The Hub (716 North Franklin St.) – The Hub is a super awesome local bar known for their triple pours and is a favorite hangout of bicyclists in the area. They also host a variety of local bands.

Dating Scene

Like anywhere, you will meet potential partners usually one of two ways. 1. Doing a lot of stuff and meeting tons of people and being generally friendly in public. 2. Dating websites! Make yourself visible. My suggestion would be to go to fun local events, join your local roller derby team, audition for theatre, host a cooking class, volunteer at an organization close to your heart, talk to people at clubs/bars etc. Or go stand on the Ybor City street corner and you may just end up meeting your girlfriend like I did. If you are more of a dating website kinda gal, plentyoffish.org and OKCupid are the most popular ones used by the lesbians in Tampa. I know a TON of lesbians who use dating websites and have met their friends/partners through them so I have proof that they work too. Not every method of dating is for everyone. Find yours and then run with it!

Lesbians Who Learn

USF P.R.I.D.E. Alliance – University of South Florida is home to the largest pride alliance in the area and is run by a personal friend of mine. Every day of the week, especially Thursdays, you can find a large group of LGBT students gathered together at the college. USF Pride hosts all sorts of awesome events such as a queer proms and formals, Trans* Day of Remembrance, National Coming Out Day parties, and a hate wall smashing on the day of silence.

University of Tampa, Hillsborough Community College, and Saint Petersburg College offer a friendly and safe environment for queer students as well but are a little less active in the pride department.

Let’s Play Ball! Or Roller Derby!

If professional sports are your thing, you may like to know that Tampa is home to the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team, and the Tampa Bay Lighting hockey team. You can usually purchase tickets to any of these events for as low as $35.

If you are more of a grassroots lady-sport kind of person, then you must check out Tampa Roller Derby.

Hot girls, hard hits and fast skates? Check! I ref for this league and I must say that there is an epic amount of awesome, strong, and queer women who skate for Tampa Roller Derby. The Tampa Tantrums are Tampa’s travel team and they are ranked fourth in the region, Quad Killers are where all the new gurls start off (no experience necessary!), and Tampa has three interleague teams as well as a recreational league to boot! Bouts are the first Saturday of every month and perfect for a first date or a night out with friends. Make sure to sit trackside and risk a hot skater being thrown into your lap.

Where to Eat… Out

Tampa really does hold its own in the restaurant scene, and that is coming from me, a vegetarian. There are so many little awesome gems to check out in Tampa and there is no way I could list every single one but let me introduce you to a few of the most popular places around town.

Thai Temple (5306 Palm River Rd.) – There is really no way I can possibly describe to you what Thai Temple is until you go for yourself the first time. Thai Temple, in the simplest of terms, is a giant outdoor event held on every Sunday from 11-2ish (lunch hour). The proceeds go to benefit the real Thai Temple that is on the property. Served by the faithful of the temple, the food includes pretty much every Thai/Asian dish you love as well as a few things you didn’t even know existed. My girlfriend and I always get the Pad Thai and fried rice which is ah-mah-zing but there are so many options out there to please every dietary requirement from vegans to die-hard meat eaters. Hipsters, queers with kids, cute lesbian couples, and your mom are all frequently spotted eating lunch on the picnic tables of this riverfront event.

Café Hey (1540 North Franklin St.) – Owned and operated by a local roller derby league member, you know that Café Hey must be all kinds of special. Located in the heart of downtown, Café Hey offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as a variety of baked yummies and lots of soups. Check out their soup of the day and their giant chocolate chip muffins, which are almost enough for two people. Local activist groups and students meet here often and the wall displays are an ever-changing local art show.

The Bricks of Ybor (1327 East 7th Ave.) – Like to sip beer served by cute lesbian bartenders? Like some dinner or sliders prepared by local chefs to go along with that beer? Want to play games, dance, or jam out with a local band? You do? Well, The Bricks is perfect for you. Located in Ybor city right across the street from one of Tampa’s lovely gay clubs, the Bricks is a cute little local bar and restaurant that is housed in a brick building and filled with fun mood lighting. The menu is labeled with a multitude of vegetarian specific items and the friendly wait staff will cater to you vegans as well. While you are there, I would definitely recommend checking out the Bricks’ “Peanut Butter Specialty” section of the menu because come on, you don’t see stuff like this all the time, as well as the Portabelly burger, because Portobello mushroom burgers are awesome and yummy and should rock your world. The Bricks also have a huge beer, wine and cocktail selection for your sipping pleasure. Don’t forget to tip your bartender.

Hamburger Mary’s (1600 East 7th Ave.) – Loud, proud, and pink, Hamburger Mary’s is about as gay as a restaurant as you have ever been to in your entire life. They have drag shows around dinner hour, drag queen bingo, talent shows, cabarets and all sorts of other events. It is definitely gay boy/drag queen oriented but an LGBT place is fun for everyone! Best item on the menu is the mac and cheese burger. Like, literally, a hamburger, with mac and cheese on it. You can also substitute the meat patty for a number of vegan patty options so yay! For dessert, make sure to order the DIY s’mores where the waiters bring you a little personal flame so you can roast your own marshmallows and build your own smores. Who needs a campfire and the great outdoors when you have Hamburger Marys?

Taco Bus (913 East Hillsbrough Ave.) – Any good Tampa citizen will stare at you in shock if you ever tell them you haven’t been to Taco Bus and then will volunteer to escort you on your virgin taco bus trip. The BEST Mexican/Spanish food ever ever ever in the entire area is served out of a legit bus and it is like a food orgasm. I have never met a person who hasn’t fallen in love with the place. They have vegan and vegetarian options such as tempeh and vegan steak strips and my favorite is a veggie and tempeh bean burrito. If you get a taco, make sure you get two because they are pretty small. This is THE place to go for late night eats when you’re all drunk.

Queer Girl City Guide: Madison, Wisconsin

The old joke is that Madison is “77 square miles surrounded by reality,” a conservative dig at Madison’s well-earned reputation for being an exceptionally progressive community. But gosh darn it, we like it here for a reason. Though it certainly has its problems, the truth of the matter is that Madison is a great little city. Or a great big town. We can never really decide which.

I’ve lived here since 2000, when I sort of randomly picked a school (Edgewood College) in the city because I wanted to live with two of my older friends who were already at the university and because I’d been living in Oklahoma for the past two years and walking through downtown Madison for the first time, with its coffee shops and feminist bookstore and alternative lifestyles on vivid display, was a bloody revelation.

This was the first city that I chose for myself, and I’ve never looked back. This is home, and for good reason.

Nightlife/Dating: Events on the reg’

It’s not a stretch to say that things can get a little… incestuous… in our dating scene. It’s a city of just 237,000, so narrow that down to the queer percentage and, well, some swapping/overlap is to be expected. If you’re younger, however, the constant rotation of college and grad students through the town maintains a nice mix. And if you’re older, Madison is a great place to put down roots. In fact, I’d say that’s the main thrust of queer life here – demographically we have far more female-identified LGBT residents than men, and a lot of people cohabitating and/or raising children.

Cheers With Queers (1524 Williamson St.)
Pretty much is what it says: A monthly happy hour (usually with a theme – the last one was “Golden Girls”) at one of the most notorious/awesome east side watering holes, Mickey’s Tavern, which also hosts a lot of live music (always free) and serves remarkably good food. The crowd generally at CWQ skews toward younger queer women. Held on the first Thursday of each month.

Nightlife/Dating: Nightclubbin’

The good news is that you and your alternative lifestyle are going to be perfectly welcome at almost any establishment in Madison (barring a few of the more heavily college bro-oriented places along University Ave. on campus, or some of the stuff on the outer fringes of the city). There are a number of great venues for live music, too: The High Noon Saloon, the Majestic Theater, the Barrymore Theater, the Frequency, Mickey’s Tavern, and the list goes on and on. The bad news is that in terms of more specifically LGBT-friendly and/or LGBT-specific spots the list is short but relatively all-inclusive. We simply don’t have the population size to support gender- or orientation-specific clubs.

Plan B (924 Williamson St.)
It’s a beautiful club with a hit-or-miss vibe. Lots of straight folks cruisin’ up in here, especially on “Ladies Night” (first Fridays). Music tends toward Top 40 dance hits, though the occasional touring (or local) DJ will come in and shake things up (like when KittyBump comes in from MN, and aaaalll the queer ladies come out). Also features regular drag performances from the talented Davina DeVille and her crew, and several other area performers, a “dirty” trivia night on Tuesdays, and an 18+ college night every Thursday.

The Inferno (1718 Commercial Ave.)
Venture a mere 5 minute drive from downtown to the near North Side for this great “alternative” club, which has the reputation as being our resident goth bar, but also does a whole lot more. Yes, you can catch the latest and greatest electronic/industrial/EBM acts at the Inferno – but also monthly shows from the Peach Pies Caburlesque troupe, first Saturdays “Leather & Lace” intro-to-fetish parties, punk shows, stand-up comedy nights, and let’sbehonest I’m producing a queer dance party every third Saturday of the month starting in January called REAL QUEER, so you should probably check that out.

Five Nightclub (5 Applegate Ct.)
Formerly known as Club 5, this baby lives a little further off the beaten path, toward the South Side, and has been around for what feels like forever. The crowd tends to lean toward the male end of the spectrum, and often hosts some of the bigger name drag queens when they come around on tour.

Woof’s (114 King St.)
It originally billed itself as a gay sports bar, but it’s pretty much a bear bar. There are carved wooden bears out front, in case you weren’t sure. They don’t hate on ladies who come in for drinks (unless you act like a jerk, I guess), but you will be very much in the minority here and might earn a side-eye or two.

The Shamrock (117 W. Main St.)
It wouldn’t be right if Madison didn’t have its own gay dive bar. Which isn’t to say that this place is gross – it’s just, well, it looks a lot like the other million dive bars that dot the Wisconsin landscape, but filled with queers, and I kind of love that about it. Get your Friday fish fry fix here, too, as well as surprisingly good brunch on Saturdays and Sundays – dance parties, friendly bartenders, and a generally good/mixed vibe. Also apparently the place has been around since 1898? I did not know that until I just looked it up. History!

Restaurants/Cafés

Madison boasts an incredibly high number of restaurants and, yes, bars – with a big focus on local vs. chain. My list below skews heavily toward the downtown/near east ‘hoods, but if you want a bigger picture check out the Isthmus’ online dining guide (Isthmus is our local alt-weekly rag), which has reviews but also a way to search for restaurants by location, meal type, and cuisine.

There are good options for every meal/drink you might be hankering for, but I have to say that what we excel at is breakfast/brunch. So, y’know, pretty queer. We’ll start there and work our way through the day:

Lazy Jane’s Café (1358 Williamson Street)
Mon-Thu 7am-3pm, Friday 7am-2pm, Sat & Sun 8am-2pm
Situated in the heart of the hippie/bohemian near east side, this breakfast (and lunch) spot is an absolute institution in Madison. It’s cozy as all get-out (basically a converted house), has great food and bakery (including a few vegan options), and the cooks positively scream your name out when your food is ready. Resist the urge to give your name as “Stella” or “Adrian” (or don’t). Cash only, totally worth it.

Manna Café & Bakery (611 N. Sherman Ave.)
Mon-Fri 6am to 5pm, Sat 7am to 3pm, Sun 7am to 2pm (brunch only)
OK so full disclosure, I sometimes work here. But I can say with certainty that the breakfast/brunch is one of the best in town, and just about everything is made from scratch, no punches pulled. Try the oatmeal pancakes, or one of the eggs benedicts, and pretty much anything from the also-from-scratch bakery (which features several super tasty gluten-free items). If you’re Jewish and/or have been exposed to/fallen in love with some traditional Jewish foods, this is also a great place to be: bialys on weekends, challah and brisket and matzo ball soup on Fridays, rugelach all the time, and a lovely lox and schmear sandwich at lunch, among other things.

Monty’s Blue Plate Diner (2089 Atwood Ave.)
Mon-Thu 7am–9pm, Fri 7am–10pm, Sat 7:30am–10pm, Sun 7:30am–9pm
My personal take is that this place is a little overrated, but I know I’d get yelled at a whole lot if I didn’t include it in this list. The food is perfectly good, don’t get me wrong, and it’s a generally nice atmosphere—very retro chic—but it can also be insanely busy on any given day and the food is mostly standard diner fare. Very vegetarian friendly, though. Try the milkshakes – that’s where they really shine.

Willalby’s Café (1351 Williamson St.)
Daily 6am-1pm, plus 11pm-4am Thurs thru Sat.
A vegan-friendly, punk rock greasy spoon with very little pretense (so sometimes service is a little slow, but always friendly) and one of the only non-Denny’s places in town to grab a bite in the wee hours of the morning after you’re done getting crunk but aren’t yet ready for bed. Giant pancakes, vegan French toast, and the “bomblette.” Do it.

Weary Traveler Freehouse (1201 Williamson St.)
Mondays 4 p.m. to bar time, Tues. through Sunday 11:30 a.m. to bar time
The place without a sign out front – don’t worry, though, it’s worth finding. Lovely atmosphere, delicious late-riser brunch on weekends, and killer lunch and dinner (late-night, too) of mostly local and/or organic deliciousness. Suffering from a cold? Get their tom-ka tofu soup. It’ll (gently) kick the snot right out of you. Cold winter’s day? Order their homemade grog. Seriously.

Green Owl Cafe (1970 Atwood Ave.)
Mon. closed, Tues. through Sat. 11am – 9pm, Sundays 9am-2pm
Madison’s only vegetarian/vegan-specific restaurant (which is kind of weird, but then again, a lot of our restaurants have plenty of veggie/vegan options) – this place focuses more on meat-substitute cooking, but all of the food is tasty, and it makes for a great place to bring those squirrely, uncomfortable-around-vegetarian-food members of your family. The desserts, all of them vegan, are insanely delicious.

Merchant (121 S. Pinckney St.)
Mon. through Fri. 11am – bar time, Sat. 2pm – bar time, Sun. 5pm – bar time (with Saturday brunch during Farmer’s Market season, 9am – 3pm)
I cannot stress enough how amazing the cocktails at this place are. They call their bartenders mixologists for a reason (other than just to be a little pretentious). Lots of a great local spirits and taps, plus inventive drinks. They also serve super tasty, locally-sourced food. On the pricey side*, but worth the splurge. Great place for impressing the hell out of a date.

*When I say “on the pricey side” I mean “for Madison,” which means like $8-12 for a fabulous drink, which is peanuts in a most bigger cities.

Café Porta Alba (558 N. Midvale Blvd. – Hilldale Mall)
Mon. through Sat. 11am – 10pm, Sun. 11am-8pm
I had to give something on the West Side a shout-out, but this place doesn’t need to pull anyone’s arms. Great Italian food overall, but the gold medal goes to their authentic Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pizzas. Holy moly. Don’t share, just order one for yourself and go nuts.

The Willy St. Co-op (East – 1221 Williamson St., West – 6825 University Ave. in Middleton)
Daily 7:30am – 9:30pm
We love our coop (now with two locations). It’s one of the biggest co-ops I’ve personally ever seen, and features tons of great, Wisconsin-grown/produced products. There’s a juice bar, bakery (lots of vegan and gluten free options), and a deli where you can pick up all sorts of goodies, including a daily vegan entrée, sandwiches and wraps, fresh sushi, and so much cheese. Excellent salad bar, too, plus a large natural/homeopathic/groovy health and wellness section.

Honorable Mentions: Alchemy, the Old Fashioned, Brasserie V, a la Brasa, Lao Laan-Xang.

Queer Girl City Guide: Tacoma, Washington

Tucked between the big queer paradise known as Seattle and the little queer paradise known as Olympia you’ll find a resplendent medium-sized queer paradise: Tacoma, Washington. Equally damp and flannel-friendly as its neighboring cities, it’s pretty much raining lesbians in Tacoma.

Tacoma hasn’t always had the most gleaming reputation, but over the past 15 years it’s become home to a hearty arts scene and a panoply of great bars and restaurants. And whaddya know, it’s a brilliant place to be a gay lady!

I’ve spent 20 years of my life in Tacoma. So please, allow me to give you the lowdown on this seriously queer little locale. And hey! You can get gay married in Washington now. So maybe you’ll want to move here some day? Think it over.

Where to Live/Be

In lieu of a gayborhood (as gay as it is, Tacoma doesn’t have one), take a gander at these three neighborhoods.

6th Avenue (Roughly between Proctor Street and Sprague Avenue) Not all, but many of Tacoma’s worthwhile bars and restaurants can be found along 6th Avenue. Many of Tacoma’s young people/queers live off of 6th Avenue: it’s cheap and convenient to lots of the places they hang out. Rental options are abundant here: quaint apartments and cute historic homes are available in this area for a decent price. If you’re looking to live alone, expect to pay about $600-700 for a studio or small one bedroom. Got a girlfriend? You and your lady can probably find a spacious one bedroom for around $800. If you’re super thrifty and want to share a house with roommates, you can probably plan on spending about $500 per month, maybe less depending on your situation.

Stadium District Named for the area around Stadium High School. Okay, remember 10 Things I Hate About You? If you saw it, you probably spent the whole time wishing Julia Stiles’ guitar-playing, Sylvia Plath-reading character would just make out with a girl already. Well, that movie was filmed on location in Tacoma. That big castle school? Yeah, that’s Stadium. ANYWAY. This neighborhood is a little quieter than the 6th Ave area (less bars) but still convenient to most places and reasonably priced. The Stadium District is home to the 27-acre Wright Park which is absolutely gorgeous all year long. It’s an amazing place to run, jog, walk, picnic, feed ducks, etc.

Hilltop Hilltop is undergoing massive gentrification currently. This is probably the cheapest neighborhood to live in that’s still close to civilization. Hilltop is diverse in all ways imaginable, so it’s definitely a cool place to live. Great ethnic food, and new/cool bars can be found in this hood.

Nourishment: Coffee Shops, Restaurants and Non-Gay Bars

Satellite Coffee (817 Division Ave) In the Pacific Northwest, there’s no better place to see/meet cute girls than at a coffee shop. Actually, that probably applies to every region of the world. In the tiny Satellite Coffee seating is at premium, but if you can find a spot to post up, it’s the perfect place for an afternoon of reading/studying/tabbed browsing (there’s free wifi, of course). Satellite brews Stumptown coffee, which many consider the holy grail of legal addictive stimulants. Not only is it delicious, Stumptown also practices direct trade, ensuring that their bean farmers earn a true living wage. Satellite is a mini milk-alternative heaven. If you’re not down with dairy, this place offers soy, almond, rice and coconut milk. Open Mon-Fri: 6:30 am – 8 pm, Sat-Sun: 7 am – 8 pm

Bluebeard Coffee Roasters (2201 6th Ave) Bluebeard serves great coffee in a really cool space. It doesn’t get much better than that. Located on the hip and happenin’ 6th Ave, this relatively new coffee shop is a great place to hang with friends, work on homework, sit around and look cute, whatever. During the three months of warmth we get in Tacoma, come here and enjoy the afternoon—their big garage door window allows for maximum summer breeze enjoyment. Open Mon-Fri: 6 am – 7 pm, Sat-Sun: 7 am – 7 pm

Shakabrah Java (2618 6th Ave) In my humble opinion, this is the best place to grab breakfast in Tacoma, especially if you’re rolling with a diversely-palated crew. They have meaty options, vegan options, and everything in between. Plus the portions are huge. I like to think of myself as a pancake expert, and this place has some of the best I’ve ever tasted. Shakabrah has a homey, lived-in vibe and is basically just a super comfortable place to nurse your hangover. The crowd is a mixed bag; babies, grandpas, hot girls, they all love Shakabrah. Open Mon-Sat: 7 am – 4 pm, Sun: 8 am – 4 pm

Over the Moon Café (709 Court C/Opera Alley) Okay, I have to admit, there is nothing particularly queer about this place. You’re more likely to run into your mom here than your future girlfriend. But I can’t think of a better place for a food-centric daytime date. Take a girl here, it’ll be cute/unexpected! It’s super cozy and romantic. Their Seasonal “Moon Style” Mac & Cheese is delish. Last time I went, I had the Mediterranean tuna sandwich on Dave’s Killer whole grain bread. The tuna is blended with extra-virgin olive oil, kalamata olives, sun dried tomato and seasoned with scallions, basil and Italian parsley. WHAT. It was so good. Open Tue-Thu: 11 am – 8 pm, Fri: 11 am – 9 pm, Sat: 11:30 am – 9 pm

Red Hot (2914 6th Ave) Queers, you’re gonna like it here. Red Hot does two things: beer and hot dogs. As Seattle Beer News put it, “It’s so simple, yet works out so freaking well.” It’s true. Their tap list is seriously impressive, and their dogs are the best under the sun. There’s even plenty of veggie/vegan options! Red Hot caters to those looking for a divey/hipster vibe (i.e. queers welcome), but you’ll find all types of folks here. Make your experience authentic, and go for the Tacoma hot dog and a pint of Old Tacoma Lager. Oh, and FYI: Red Hot is a 21+ establishment. Open Mon-Thu, Sun: 11 am – 11 pm, Fri-Sat: 11 am – 12 am

Puget Sound Pizza (317 S 7th St) Puget Sound Pizza is a popular spot among Tacoma’s hipster elite. By way of being loosely related to an alternative crowd, it’s also a good place to find other queers. Overall, the patrons are young and fun so it’s hard not to have a good time. They do karaoke here, too, so if that’s your jam, this is a good spot to check out. Oh, also, the pizza is pretty damn good. Open Mon: 11 am – 10 pm, Tue-Fri: 11 am – 2 am, Sat: 9 am – 2 am, Sun: 9 am – 9 pm

1022 South (1022 South J Street) This bar is literally the best. Its atmosphere/aesthetic is on point, and the cocktails are to die for. They make their own bitters and botanical infusions, resulting in an unconventional and marvelous menu of craft cocktails. My favorite drinks are the Twentieth Century and the PDX, but there’s something for everyone. Seriously, tell the bartender what you’re in the mood for, and he/she will whip something up just for you. In terms of people, you’ll find all types at 1022. It is, however, popular among hip 20somethings, so it’s one of the more gay friendly spots in town. Open Mon: 4 pm – 11 pm, Tue-Wed: 4 pm – 12 am, Thu-Sat: 4 pm – 2 am

Booze & Babes

Okay so you wanna spit some game in Tacoma? You’ve got a couple options.

Club Silverstone (739 ½ St. Helens Ave) Affectionately known as “The Stone,” this place is really something you need to experience for yourself but I’ll try my best to describe it for you. Half dance club and half dive bar, The Stone is Tacoma’s gay nightlife headquarters. Shirtless gay boys, flocks of dykes, your middle school P.E. teacher and her partner, all converge on the same dance floor to the siren songs of Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, Kelly Clarkson and the like. Tacoma lesbians have a can’t-live-with-it-can’t-live-without-it relationship with this place. While it might be a tragic little establishment, it’s hard not to have a fucking blast here. Be warned, the drinks here are notoriously strong, so sip your liquid courage slowly my friend. Then go dance your ass off, I promise you’ll have fun. Open Mon-Sun: 11 am – 2am

The Mix (635 St. Helens Ave) Tacoma’s other gay bar option. Relaxed and friendly, you’ll feel right at home here. There’s karaoke, but when that’s not happening they tend to play pretty decent music. Like Silverstone, The Mix is a queer grab bag: on any given night you can booze alongside drag queens, baby boomers, femmes, butches, leather daddies… you name it. The Mix may not be the most, um, glamorous place you’ve ever been drunk at, but the bartenders are nice and the crowd is kind of hilarious. Open Mon-Sun: 2 pm – 2 am

A Few Notes About the Scene

In Tacoma’s LGBTQ universe, there’s not much tension/segregation between the G’s and the L’s. For the most part, they congregate together without incident. Contrast this to Seattle, where you’ll be hard pressed to find groups of gay men and groups of lesbian women mingling willingly with each other. Just in general, Tacoma’s gay scene is very friendly. It’s also super welcoming of newcomers. If you go out where the lesbians are, you shouldn’t have trouble making/finding friends. Like any lesbian community, there’s that “everyone knows/has slept with/has dated everyone” thing, which can be intimidating if you’re an outsider, but you’ll be on the inside in no time.

Werk Your Lewk

Supernova Hair & Tattoo (817 Division Ave) So, I have long brown hair, no tattoos, nor any piercings beyond my ears (I once went on a date with a girl who said this made me a “unicorn” among lesbians). But those who are in the body mod know have told me that Supernova is the place to go. In terms of hair, they specialize in looks that are modern and edgy, i.e. alternative lifestyle haircuts. And from what I hear, their tattoo work is definitely worth checking out. Open Mon-Fri: 10 am – 8 pm, Sat: 10 am – 7 pm

Places Where You Can Learn About Stuff

In Tacoma’s North End is the picturesque private college, University of Puget Sound. It’s super expensive and not necessarily the queer-friendly capitol of the world, but its campus is a great place to let your dog run around off leash. So there’s that.

The Tacoma campus of the University of Washington is located right in the heart of downtown Tacoma. UWT’s urban campus is actually really cool, and with an ever-growing offering of degree programs, it’s a great place to get educated. The student body tends to be pretty non-traditional (older, part-time, lives off campus, etc.), so if you’re looking for a “normal” college experience, this might not be the place for you. Because the student body is more “adult,” UWT also has a more tolerant/inclusive vibe than your average college. Inevitably, this is what happens you filter out all the heterosexual eighteen year olds you normally run a university.

There’s also Tacoma Community College and Bates Technical College. Both are great places to get a jump start on your higher education, or learn/hone a special craft.

Arts & Things

Music Tacomans are nothing without their live music. The city is super nurturing and protective of its local music acts, so there’s lots of support here. Thanks to a bumper crop of talented artists, tons of incredible venues, and loyal fans, there’s never a shortage of good shows. Jazzbones on 6th Avenue and the New Frontier in downtown Tacoma often play host to quality live music. Lesbian singer-songwriter extraordinaire Vicci Martinez got her start playing music in Tacoma. Even before she was a contestant on The Voice, Martinez was a big deal here. When/if you’re in town, be sure to check out the events calendar in Tacoma’s free alternative weekly newspaper, The Volcano.

Film Home to the Tacoma Film Festival, The Grand Cinema (606 S. Fawcett Ave) is the best place in town to catch an independent/foreign flick. It’s a non-profit, run by volunteers, supported by patrons, and is just all around incredible. Their film selections are consistently mind-blowing, and it should be said that their popcorn is the fucking best. Check them out at www.grandcinema.com.

Get Involved

There’s plenty of opportunities to work your way into Tacoma’s arts scene, but you might want to consider getting involved with Fab-5. This non-profit cultivates community through urban arts education. They have programs designed to allow youth to develop and explore their unique voices through a variety of different urban arts mediums, including DJing, legal graffiti, breakdancing & lyric writing. They’re always looking for mentors, volunteers, guest instructors and the like—so if you’re interested, hit up info [at] fab-5 [dot] org.

Sports & Things

Tacoma’s minor league baseball team, the Rainiers, has a pretty solid following. Their fan base is made up of mostly families and young straight guys, so a Rainiers’ game might not be the #1 place to make out with your girlfriend. That being said, Rainiers’ games are fun. Even if you don’t like baseball, head to Cheney Stadium (where the games are, 2502 South Tyler) on a warm summer night, drink a beer and watch the sunset. Last time I went to a game, a bunch of Sara Lee workers were outside the gates giving away free loaves of bread. So, if you’re lucky—and not gluten intolerant—maybe that’ll happen when you go!

The Seattle Sounders FC’s U-23 league (formerly known as the Tacoma Tide) is based here as well. If you’re a soccer fan in Washington, the Sounders’ games in Seattle are definitely worth your time, but this U-23 team has great talent and the games are pretty fun to watch. Our city also just resuscitated its Major Indoor Soccer League team, the Tacoma Stars.

Want to get in the game? Lady soccer athletes can play in women’s or co-ed leagues through Tacoma’s Pacific Sports Center. Depending on your skill/commitment level, you can join a competitive or recreational team. Visit their website for more info.

Also: Tacoma’s parks and recreation agency, Metro Parks, offers some great rec league options for adults. For a pretty reasonable price, you can get in on ultimate frisbee, co-ed soccer, volleyball, basketball and more. If you’re new to town and an athlete, this would be a great way to meet some buddies. For info on pricing, registration and session dates, visit www.metroparkstacoma.org.

Pride

The Tacoma Pride Festival is our city’s annual Gay Pride thing and takes place each summer. The main weekend event is “Out in the Park” an all-day event put on by Tacoma’s Rainbow Center (www.rainbowcntr.org). It’s family friendly and alcohol-free, so if you want to celebrate your LGBTQ-ness with booze, plan to hit up one of the aforementioned gay establishments later in the evening. Tacoma’s Pride offers a whole week of programming that includes panel discussions, film showings, book talks, art exhibitions, parties, etc.

Queer Girl City Guide: San Diego, California

I was born and raised in San Diego. I’ve played tour guide to plenty of visitors and the more I learn about San Diego, the more I love it. The majority of the city is gay friendly, but like any city, the best part is the gayborhood. About three miles north of downtown sits San Diego’s own gayborhood, Hillcrest. Hillcrest is home to some of the best restaurants, bars and thrift stores in the city. The neighborhoods surrounding Hillcrest are also vibrant little gems as well. It’s where my heart is happiest.

The Gossip Grill (1440 University Avenue) Like many cities, the LGBT scene is male dominated. Gossip Grill is the one bar/restaurant where the ladies always outnumber the dudes. They have a full menu and dining area and an amazing happy hour. Every day from 2-7pm and from 2- Close on Wednesday when you buy one drink, you get a token for the next drink FREE. The best part is you don’t have to use it the same night. There is no expiration date. It goes without saying that Wednesdays at Gossip are very popular with the female loving set. Seriously, it gets packed. Arrive early to grab a table or stake out your territory. Every other day Gossip Grill has theme nights and drink specials. Theme nights change often, so be sure to check the website for the latest updates in the Events section.

Manic Monday at Brass Rail (3796 Fifth Avenue) Just another Manic Monday? Not with $1-$2 wells and the best 80’s dance music at Brass Rail! Brass Rail is the oldest gay club in San Diego and Manic Monday is by far the best night to go. Mondays are not exclusively a ladies night, but there is never a shortage of women. I love this place. Cover is $5.

Repent at Rich’s (1051 University Avenue) Repent is lesbian night at Rich’s. Every Thursday you can come pelvic thrust to your gay little heart’s content. Music is the usual top 40 and hip hop. Cover is in the $5-10 range, depending on the event.

Juicy at Bourbon Street  (4612 Park Boulevard) My Sunday fundays end at Juicy at Bourbon Street. After a full day of imbibing, all I want to do is shake my ass until early Monday morning. And the best part: NO COVER! Woot! Save that money for your Monday morning hangover latte.

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A few words about San Diego and Beer:

Lesbians (and San Diego as a whole, really) love their microbrews. While I usually stick to lambic in these establishments, I do enjoy the bars and pubs that specialize in microbrews and imported beers. The bar food is particularly awesome and there are vegan options at all of them! I recommend you pop into Small Bar (4628 Park Boulevard), Hamilton’s Tavern (1531 30th Street) or Toronado (4026 30th Street) for a brew.

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Brunch

Let me start by saying: I love day drinking. Bottomless mimosas are a huge draw on weekends and Sunday funday is kind of a big deal in San Diego. My lovely girlfriend loves breakfast; I hate it. So weekend brunch solves a lot of our adorable lovers quarrels.

R Gang Eatery (3683 Fifth Avenue) If you like bottomless mimosas with Tang and tater tots that taste like they dropped from the heavens, come to R Gang.

Baja Betty’s (1421 University Avenue) What’s that? You don’t just like bottomless mimosas? You desire and all-you-can-eat buffet as well? Baja Betty’s is your answer to that, serving Mexican food and some traditional breakfasty things. The best thing at Baja Betty’s are the margaritas. You heard it here first, best margaritas in town. They have big ones, small ones, sweet ones and sour ones. Give the pomegranate margarita a go; you’ll be glad you did.

Snooze Eatery (3940 Fifth Avenue) I know Snooze isn’t a uniquely San Diego restaurant; I believe they originated in Colorado. But everything I have tasted here is yummy. The only downside is that, since it recently opened, the lines are ridiculous. We’re talking 2 hour waits. So if you have the time to kill and have a lot of patience, go to Snooze.

Deli Llama (3702 Fifth Avenue) This place is cute, has fresh ingredients, and is my favorite deli in San Diego.

Sushi Deli 1 (228 W. Washington Street) Remember Goldilocks and the Three Bears? Well, I am Goldilocks and the three Sushi Delis are the three bears. Sushi Deli #2 is too small. Sushi Deli #3 is too big. But Sushi Deli #1 is just right. It’s also close to the gayborhood, and therefore more convenient for bar hopping afterwards. They have delicious food and very affordable prices and dollar beers are a delightful plus.

Hillcrest Brewing Company (1458 University Avenue) Remember how I told you San Diegans loves their microbrews? Well, it’s no surprise that the first gay brewery opened right here in San Diego earlier this year. I have had a sampling of some of their liquid offerings and I’m here to tell you that they are tasty and potent. But even I have to admit, I don’t come here for the booze; I come here for the food. And by food, I mean pizza.

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Caffeine and Desserts

Lestatís Coffee Shop (3343 Adams Ave. & 4496 Park Blvd.)  I love this café. The coffee and tea are yummy, there’s plenty of seating indoors and some seating outside and an eclectic crowd gathers at either location. It’s great for people watching or awkwardly staring at people you find attractive.

Filter Coffee House (1295 University Ave.) The brownies here are delicious. I am pretty sure there is ground up unicorn bone and liquid rainbows in the batter. They’re THAT good. Actually, everything (coffee, paninis, teas, hot chocolate, etc) is all really tasty. And it’s open late in case you have studies and whatnot.

Extraordinary Desserts (2929 Fifth Ave.) Got a date in San Diego? Bring her here to this delicious little cottage of wonder in Hillcrest. There are amazing desserts on intimate candle lit tables. Very romantic.

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Universities

There are three major universities in San Diego: San Diego State University, University of San Diego, and University of California San Diego. In addition to these there are nine community colleges.

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Sports

San Diego has a couple of Roller Derby teams: San Diego Derby Dolls and San Diego Roller Derby. There is also an LGBT softball league, America’s Finest City Soft Ball League. Professionally there is an NFL team, the Chargers, and MLB team, the Padres. San Diego Pride even has an event with the San Diego Padres, Out at the Park, which gives the LGBT community a chance to show support for the local baseball team.

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Neighborhoods

You’ll usually find me in Hillcrest, University Heights or Normal Heights. North Park just underwent some major gentrification. Pro: much safer at night. Con: lost a lot of my favorite neighborhood bars and gained a lot more college douche bags. I usually steer clear. Little Italy is where you will find a load of Italian restaurants. (Surprise!!) There are also a lot of galleries, an amazing art store and adorable cafes. It’s a great place to take a date. Gaslamp District is downtown,and I tend to avoid it. It’s very touristy which translates to overpriced drinks and food, ridiculous cover charges at bars and nightclubs with dress codes.

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 The Center and LGBT Support

The Center (3909 Centre Street) I have to admit, I was not aware of half of the services that The Center provides for the San Diego LGBT community. But now that I know I am impressed: there are all sorts of group meet ups that occur at The Center, from Coming Out/Questioning Support Groups, to transgender counseling to substance abuse counseling. In addition it is a great resource or LGBT friendly health services, provides HIV testing and can recommend fertility clinics. The center is also home to the Toni Atkins Lesbian Health Fund which assists low income and uninsured lesbian, bisexual and transgender women in accessing health care.

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Pride!

The first San Diego Pride was in 1974. It included a pot luck (I wish this still existed because yum!) and an informal parade. Today, San Diego Pride is much larger; festivities take place over three days. SD Pride was the stage for awesome historical moments in more recent years. Last year, hundreds of military service members marched for the first time in the parade after the repeal of DADT and earlier this year the Department of Defense gave their approval for branches to march in uniform.

Pride festivities kick off with the Stonewall Rally — new this year — the Hillcrest Block Party. The Parade pops off on Normal Street and travels down University Avenue and down Sixth Avenue ending at Balboa Park, the location of the Pride Festival. The festival runs for two fabulous days with a variety of music, booths and of course, beer.

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LGBT Books and Reading

UCSD Women’s Center  (9500 Gilman Dr. #0096) Has an amazing feminist library and has a feminist book club that meets once a week. If you prefer to purchase, make sure you check out the Controversial Bookstore (3063 University Ave.) and Bluestocking Books (3817 Fifth Ave.). For some sexy time reads try The Rubber Rose (917 E Street). I friggin’ love this store. It calls itself a “sexuality boutique.” but it’s not your usual sex shop. It has toys, yes, but it’s inclusive of all orientations. So, you won’t feel like a creep when you go in to purchase goodies with your partner or have some creepy dude in the corner staring at you. And it’s not just toys, it also has some good reads, hence my filing it under the books and reading section. You’ll find a variety of topics including erotic reads and stuff specifically for bisexuals, threesomes, lesbians, etc.

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Performing Arts

Wanna get your artsy on? Try catching a play at Diversionary Theater (4545 Park Blvd.). It gets +10 points for being San Diego’s premier LGBT theater. It’s dedicated to providing the community with plays that portray LGBT characters as multidimensional. For film, the Birch North Park Theater (2891 University Ave.) is the place to go. It’s home to FilmOut, San Diego’s LGBT Film Festival.

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Salons

Hair Drezzers on Fire (3463 Adams Ave.) and  Mary Jane Salon (3919 4th Ave.) will get your hairs happy

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Tattoos and Bod Mods

Try Enigma Piercing  (3041 Adams Ave.), Vital Lines (2183 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.), and  Full Circle Tattoo (2312 30th St.).

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Other Good Times

Just when you think your liver has fully recovered from Pride, your sun burn has healed, and you have shooed off the last of your Pride admirers, it’s time for City Fest! City Fest is the gayborhood block party, also known as Pride Light. And it ends up being exactly that: a baby Pride. Because one is just not enough for SD LGBT crowd.

Comic Con International It’s every year. It’s internationally known. And if you’re a huge geek, you’re gonna feel right at home. Even if you’re not a geek, this increasingly mainstream convention will have something to interest you whether it’s Star Wars, cosplay, horror film trailers or just ogling booth girls.

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Places to Avoid

I find San Diego to be a safe place. Please use some common sense. The buddy system doesn’t hurt (Unless it is your ex. Then that might be painful.) Stay out of dark, spooky alleys. Most of the uptown neighborhoods (North Park, South Park, Hillcrest, Bankers Hill, Normal Heights) are gay friendly. I would stay away from City Heights as it can be a little dodgey in places. The beach areas (La Jolla, Ocean Beach, Coronado) are picturesque and safe as well.

San Diego is full of friendly people; it must be all the sun and tacos. The LGBT community gets along pretty well for the most part. I have a diverse group of friends and I have never encountered any discrimination or bad vibes from anyone within the LGBT community. San Diego is a great place to visit an amazing place to live.

Stay classy, Autostraddlers.

Queer Girl City Guide: Baltimore, MD

Baltimore has always been an important city for me. My stepdad grew up here, and my family took regular trips here years before I started college at the Peabody Conservatory, a Johns-Hopkins-affiliated music conservatory in the city. In my sophomore year, my mom took a job teaching at a private school here and my parents followed me, though, really, they’d been looking for an excuse to move here since long before I chose a college. Far from the violent cesspool depicted by crime dramas like The Wire, Baltimore is mostly a fun, vibrant and large city with a quirky flavor. While you may or may not agree with the city’s motto emblazoned on its benches — “The Greatest City in America” — it’s hard to visit this place and not concur with Baltimore’s other, far more popular nickname: Charm City.

BALTIMORE NEIGHBORHOODS TO KNOW

Mount Vernon: Both Baltimore’s main cultural district and the closest thing it has to a “gayborhood.” Also this is where my alma mater, Peabody, is so it’s the area I know the best. Very scenic: lots of parks, marble buildings and cobblestone streets.

Hampden: A working-class neighborhood that has since been colonized by hipsters without fully losing its roots. The Avenue, the four blocks of 36th Street east of Falls Rd., is Hampden’s “main street” where you can find lots of bars and quirky boutiques.

Homewood/Charles Village: The most student-y neighborhood as it’s where the main Johns Hopkins campus is. Like most college towns, expect bars and cheap eats.

Station North: Mt. Vernon’s edgier northern cousin, centered on Penn Station. Lots of bars and clubs, and underground/indie music venues. Home to the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) on one end and the University of Baltimore on the other.

Inner Harbor: The tourist center of Baltimore, the Inner Harbor is dotted with chain restaurants and other attractions for out-of-towners, like the National Aquarium, the USS Constellation and the Harborplace/Gallery mall complex.

Harbor East/Little Italy: Harbor East is kind of swanky, with lots of upscale boutiques and fancy restaurants. Its main landmark is the Katyn Memorial, honoring the Polish generals and intelligentsia killed by Soviet secret police in the Katyn Forest in 1940. Walk a little further east and you’ll find the culinary heaven that is Little Italy, where you can also see where Nancy Pelosi grew up.

Fells Point and Federal Hill: The city’s two biggest bar scenes. The former is in the southeastern part of the city and is one of its oldest neighborhoods, with buildings dating back to the colonial era and cobblestone streets. The latter, south of the giant hill of the same name, tends to be a favorite home for young marrieds and other affluent but non-student young people (since it’s kind of far away from most of the universities).

Roland Park: One of Baltimore’s wealthier neighborhoods, it’s also home to Loyola University of Maryland. And lots of cute cafes. You’ll find more natives (and “Bawlmer” accents) here than you will further downtown.

CULTURE SHOCK

Baltimore isn’t usually thought of as a big city for the arts, and it’s certainly no New York or LA in those respects. But it has way, way more going on than you think, especially music-wise:

Let’s start with my area of expertise: classical music! If you like it, or even if you don’t, really, you should definitely check out The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral Street) at some point. It’s one of America’s premier institutions of classical music, and its music director, Marin Alsop, is a queer lady. If a symphony concert sounds expensive, don’t worry: if you have a student ID with you, you can get $10 “student rush” tickets starting at noon the day of a concert. And it’s a fantastic way to impress the ladies! If you’re more into having words with your music, the Lyric Opera Baltimore (Modell Performing Arts Center at the Lyric, 140 W. Mt. Royal Ave) is the city’s main destination for grand opera. Because the Lyric is also used for musicals and big traveling performers, the opera company only does a few productions per season, but it’s well worth checking one of them out if you can. If you’re on a budget, Baltimore also has countless little chamber opera companies, mostly started by Peabody voice grads; one of my personal favorites is Figaro Project, who in the past have tended to go for contemporary operas (such as one-act operas by Peabody composition students and faculty) and quirky adaptations of traditional fare (like Don Giovanni as a murder mystery). They usually do one big production a year at the University of Baltimore, and a bunch of smaller aria selections concerts at area restaurants.

Peabody just about always has something going on, and while the large ensembles, operas and visiting artists will usually cost you money, most smaller concerts — like degree or departmental recitals — are free. Another popular destination for chamber music is An Die Musik (409 North Charles St.), a small, easy-to-miss little venue that also has a good CD store for classical, jazz and world music. An Die Musik is a particularly great place for contemporary classical and early music concerts; for fans of the former, I strongly recommend the Evolution Contemporary Music Series (currently hosting a Kickstarter campaign).

As for non-classical music: Baltimore is renowned nationwide for its indie music scene. Where to go for underground music varies a lot, although generally the bars and clubs in the various central/south Baltimore neighborhoods, especially Station North, are good places to look. There’s also the Ottobar (2549 N. Howard St.) a haunt for Hopkins and MICA students that features both local and traveling indie acts. And proving just how eclectic the city’s music scene is, there’s even a Baltimore Rock Opera Society. The free underground newspaper Baltimore City Paper can keep you constantly updated on the city’s music scene. As for where to buy it, check out Fells Point’s The Sound Garden (1616 Thames St.), which also has a wide selection if you’re into more mainstream rock/pop fare and is just all-around awesome, and Celebrated Summer Records at Hampden’s Atomic Books (3620 Falls Rd.). For bigger names, check out the concerts at 1st Mariner Arena (201 W. Baltimore St.) or Merriweather Post Pavilion (10475 Little Patuxent Pky., Columbia).

If the stage is more your thing, Baltimore’s two main professional theater companies are CenterStage (700 N. Calvert St.), located in Mt. Vernon, and The Everyman Theatre. Both offer a mix of works by big-name playwrights, old and modern, and those by local talents, including new works. For the truly out-there, though, you’ll have to check out Baltimore’s underground theater scene in Station North, including the Single Carrot Theatre (120 W. North Ave.) and the women-centered Strand Theater Company (1823 N. Charles St.). As for touring Broadway productions, you’ll find most of those at the aforementioned Lyric Opera House and especially The Hippodrome Theatre (12 N. Eutaw St.).

What about movies? Serious film buffs should head to The Senator Theatre (5904 York Rd.) and the Charles Theatre (1711 N. Charles St.) in Station North, both sites of John Waters premieres. The Senator only shows one film at a time, but the Charles features a number of indie films, foreign and short films, as well as the usual Oscar bait. The main conventional theaters in the city are the Rotunda Cinematheque (711 W. 40th St.) near Hopkins and Harbor East Landmark Theatres (645 S. President St.).

As for the visual arts, Baltimore has a ton of great art museums. The main one is the Baltimore Museum of Art (10 Art Museum Drive), located near Hopkins. This is where you’ll find your big-name artists: Warhol, Matisse, the impressionist masters and so on. If you’re more into older art, like from ancient Egypt or Renaissance Europe, you’ll find plenty of that at the BMA but your main destination should be the Walters Art Museum (600 N. Charles St.) in Mt. Vernon, which specializes in art from antiquity to the 19th century.

Both the BMA and the Walters are totally free, but you’ll have to pay for Baltimore’s most unique art museum, the American Visionary Art Museum (800 Key Highway) in Federal Hill. The AVAM specializes in “outsider art”; it’s particular notable for its works made out of unusual materials, including intricate busts carved from Styrofoam cups and a totem pole created by blowtorching plastic bins. If you have to visit one art museum while you’re in Baltimore, make it this one, because you won’t find anything like it elsewhere. As for galleries: they can be found all over the city, particularly more upscale and artsy neighborhoods like Mt. Vernon or Harbor East, but the center of underground art is in northern Mt. Vernon and Station North, that is, near MICA, which itself hosts numerous showings and performances throughout the school year.

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY

Okay, so now that you’ve been jamming to some great tunes and looking at some great art, you’re probably feeling your tummy start to grumble. Not to worry, Baltimore is a fantastic restaurant city, too!

Crabs: Obviously, the main culinary draw to Baltimore is its famous Maryland blue crabs. Whether you like them hard-shell, soft-shell, or fried in a crab cake, Baltimore is the place for all your crustacean needs. Crab cakes are available everywhere, every place bills themselves as “Baltimore’s best crab cake” and you basically cannot go wrong with one in this city. It’s steamed crabs where you have to dig a bit more; for those, my family tends to favor the suburban Ocean Pride (1534 York Rd., Lutherville) and harbor-front Canton joint Bo Brooks (2780 Lighthouse Point).

Other seafood: Good seafood, in general, is not hard to come by in this city. Two popular tourist destinations for seafood, near the Inner Harbor, are Phillip’s (601 E. Pratt St.), which recently opened a deck for steamed crabs, and The Rusty Scupper (402 Key Highway). Both are on the pricey side by a long shot, but are worth checking out if it’s your first visit to Baltimore and have some money to throw around. One of my seafood essentials is Bertha’s Mussels (734 S. Broadway) in Fells Point, which has the BEST mussels you will find anywhere. You can order them with a variety of sauces, or you can get one of the specials, such as one with a Thai coconut sauce or beer-battered with Old Bay seasoning. Baltimore also has a million sushi restaurants; everyone has their personal favorite, and mine happens to be Chiu’s Sushi (608 S. Exeter St.) in Harbor East. With its wide selection, there’s something for just about every palate (including vegetarian sushi!) and if you’re feeling adventurous, you can get a side of baby octopus or jellyfish.

Vegan/Vegetarian: I often find myself chowing down on the vegan sandwiches and soups at Milk & Honey (816 Cathedral St.); this extremely veg-friendly cafe has something on every section of its menu to accommodate herbivores, including a variety of vegan pastries from local bakeries like Dirty Carrots. It’s also a mini-grocery store filled with organic and locally-grown goods. Another one in Mt. Vernon is Red Emma’s (800 Saint Paul St.), an anarchist coffee shop/bookstore where vegan fare is more the rule than the exception. And Hopkins student favorite Carma’s Cafe (3120 Saint Paul St.) always has at least a few delicious vegetarian or vegan options among its daily specials, while the nearby One World Cafe (100 West University Parkway) seems to specialize in vegan desserts and cheap lunch eats. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Soup’s On (11 W. Preston St.) near the University of Baltimore campus has a wide variety of cheap soups and open-face sandwiches, a huge chunk of which are vegetarian or vegan. And while I’ve mostly had their burgers, my friends tell me that Hampden’s Golden West Cafe (1105 W. 36th St) has a lot of tasty vegan selections as well.

International Flavors: Afghan restaurant The Helmand (806 N. Charles St.) is owned by the brother of Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai, and man, is it delicious. It’s also fairly healthy and veg-friendly, but make sure you stay for dessert and try some of the cocktails. Helmand’s block in Mt. Vernon has a wide variety of South and Southeast Asian restaurants; across the street, check out the $10 weekday lunch buffet at Indian restaurant Indigma (801 N. Charles St.). And only a stone’s throw away, you’ll find chic French bistro Marie Louise (904 N. Charles St.) and Ethiopian favorite Dukem (1100 Maryland Ave.). If Italian food is your forte, look no further than Little Italy; it’s probably quicker to list the Italian restaurants here that aren’t good than those that are, so you really can’t go wrong. You must check out the dessert menu at Vaccaro’s (222 Albemarle St.), especially its gelato and cannoli. The latter are so good that even my sister, who normally hates cannoli, adores them. If you’re more into Mexican, Holy Frijoles (908 W. 36th St.) in Hampden has a huge and varied menu, including massive burritos served with a fresh, spicy house salsa. Lastly, nestled among the cookie-cutter chain restaurants of the Inner Harbor’s Harborplace pavilions, check out the Irish-themed sports bar Tir Na Nog (201 E. Pratt St.), with entrees like shepherd’s pie and “Irish-style” bangers and mash alongside traditional bar fare.

Other Cool Places to Eat: Coffee shops! Baltimore has a lot of them. Many of the places I’ve already mentioned (Milk & Honey, Carma’s, One World and Red Emma’s, for example) are also good for coffee; some others popular with students-on-a-budget are Mt. Vernon’s Koffee Therapy (6 E. Franklin St.) and Donna’s Charles Village (3101 Saint Paul St.). XS (1307 N. Charles St.), one of my favorites, is an interesting blend of coffee shop, sushi/Asian fusion restaurant, bar (with tasty, but potent cocktails) and art gallery. Iggie’s (818 N. Calvert St.) and Kyro Pizza (900 Cathedral St.) are great pizza joints, but be prepared for something a bit more interesting than just pepperoni or cheese. Local chain Sofi’s Crepes has a variety of very cheap savory and sweet crepes, and multiple locations in the city: in Station North by the Charles Theatre (1723 N. Charles St.) and at Belvedere Square near the Senator (5911 York Rd.). Lastly, if you need some place to impress your parents and don’t mind spending a lot of money, try some inventive, locavore gourmet at Woodberry Kitchen (2010 Clipper Park Rd., No. 126).

Drinking/Nightlife, Queer: While there are scattered gay bars and “lesbian nights” all over the city, most of Baltimore’s queer nightlife is centered around Charles and Eager Streets in Mt. Vernon, where you’ll find the two most popular gay nightclubs: Grand Central (1001/1003 N. Charles St.) and Club Hippo (1 W. Eager St.). The Hippo has a generally older clientele than its counterpart across the street. Grand Central is where most of the younger queers hang out, especially gay dudes, but it has a good mix of queer ladies, too, and even has a special lesbian lounge, Sappho’s, open Fridays and Saturdays. Grand Central’s drinks can be crazy expensive if you don’t go when they have specials (like Wednesday’s $1 drinks), so keep an eye on your wallet; it’s easy to let money slip through your fingers as you order drink after drink when you’re there on a crazy weekend night. Lastly, while more of a hipster bar than a gay bar, Club Charles (1724 N. Charles St.) in Station North has a proud reputation in the queer community as one of the supposed haunts of John Waters.

Drinking/Nightlife, General: The Brewer’s Art (1106 N. Charles St.), one of Baltimore’s most famous bars; it serves a variety of local brews as its house beers, most famously the Resurrection Ale, and the food is pretty good, too. The Power Plant Live (34 Market Place) complex near the Inner Harbor is one of the most popular and biggest places for drinking and dancing all night. Or you could just head over to Fell’s Point or Federal Hill and crawl through their numerous cheap bars. If you’re interested in history, go to the former and check out The Horse You Came In On Saloon (1626 Thames St.); while it looks like just another typical Fells Point sports bar (and pretty much is), it holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously-operating bar in the U.S., open since 1775 and even during Prohibition. Edgar Allan Poe himself was a patron and according to legend, he had his last drink there before he died. Spooky!

OTHER BIG ATTRACTIONS

Sports: Baltimoreans are absolutely crazy for their sports teams, especially the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. M&T Bank Stadium (1101 Russell St.) tickets are not cheap or easy-to-get, though, and in 2010 a lesbian couple was ousted from the stadium for kissing. However, you shouldn’t have trouble seeing the city’s other major-league sports team, the Baltimore Orioles (unless they’re playing the hated Yankees or Red Sox). Oriole Park at Camden Yards (333 W. Camden St.) is one of the country’s nicer baseball stadiums, and 2012 has been on of the most successful seasons for “the O’s” in years, so get out there and show your orange! For those who prefer the other kind of football, Baltimore has a men’s indoor soccer team, the Baltimore Blast. If you’re into horse racing, you probably already know that Baltimore is home to the second jewel in the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes. Lacrosse is one of the region’s biggest high school and college sports, with some of the best teams in the country, like Johns Hopkins and men’s national champions Loyola University, in the area. And of course, it’s impossible to write a queer girl’s guide to Baltimore sports without mentioning the Charm City Roller Girls, the city’s roller derby league. The first bout of the 2012-2013 season, with the Mobtown Mods vs. the Night Terrors and the Junkyard Dolls vs. the Speed Regime, is Sept. 8th, 6:30 pm at Du Burns Arena (1301 S. Ellwood Ave.).

Educational Attractions: The National Aquarium in Baltimore (501 E. Pratt St.) is a must for any visit to Charm City. With special exhibits ranging from jellyfish to sharks, from the Amazon to Australia to Maryland’s own aquatic species, it’s got something for every sea lover. For general science geeks, there’s also the Maryland Science Center (601 Light St.) which, while often billed as a kid-focused museum, has plenty to offer adults, too, including a state-of-the-art planetarium and an IMAX Theatre. If you’re interested in African-American History, check out the Smithsonian-affiliated Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African-American History & Culture (830 E. Pratt St.) near the Inner Harbor. One of my favorites is The Baltimore Museum of Industry (1415 Key Highway), where you can discover the city’s labor history and the technologies behind those industries; exhibits cover everything from an old-fashioned pharmacy to print shops to canneries, and much more. Classic lit lovers will likely want to visit some of the city’s many sites associated with Edgar Allan Poe; this website has a list of them, the most notable ones being the Poe House and Museum at 203 Amity St., and his gravesite at Westminster Hall (515 W. Fayette St.). And of course, American history buffs will want to see Fort McHenry (2400 E. Fort Ave.), the place that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the U.S. national anthem, though expect it to be extra-busy this year due to the War of 1812 bicentennial.

The City That Reads: This used to be the city’s motto, and it’s demonstrated through Baltimore’s variety of interesting bookstores. The Inner Harbor boasts a huge Barnes and Noble in the location of the city’s former Power Plant (601 E. Pratt St.); there’s also a sizable one in Towson (1 E. Joppa Rd. #100, Towson) across the street from the Town Center mall. In terms of smaller and used book shops, one of my favorite drains on my wallet was Salamander Used Books (519 N. Charles St., Lower Level) in Mt. Vernon. The neighborhood also boasts The Book Escape (10 N. Calvert St.), which includes both new and used titles and has a second location in Federal Hill (805 Light St.), and the previously-mentioned anarchist bookstore/coffeehouse collective Red Emma’s, which has a great selection of queer- and feminist-related books (along with ones on any other progressive topic your bleeding heart desires). The LGBT/queer section at Red Emma’s particularly has a lot of books on trans* and gender-identity issues; they take up about half of that shelf. If you’re out in the suburbs, there’s Ukazoo Books (730 Dulaney Valley Rd., Towson), which seems to give out a free book coupon every year at the Baltimore Book Festival. But what if you want to read but don’t have any money? Well, you could always go to the Enoch Pratt Free Library (with locations throughout the city, but the nicest is their Central Branch at 400 Cathedral St.), but if you want free books to keep, there’s the legendary Book Thing (3001 Vineyard Lane), where you can take or leave all the free books you want.

Shop ‘Till You Drop: If you’re a mall rat, your main two destinations will be The Gallery and Harborplace Pavilions (200 E. Pratt St.) at the Inner Harbor, and Towson Town Center (825 Dulaney Valley Rd., Towson) out in the suburbs. The latter is much bigger, and a tad more upscale in its selection than the former. But Baltimore also has tons of downtown window-shipping: you’ll find quirky boutiques in Hampden, upscale boutiques in Harbor East, cultural artifacts in Mt. Vernon, etc. – the city is your oyster!

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Baltimore has a number of festivals throughout the year. Some of my personal favorites are:

JHU Spring Fair (Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus) weekend in mid-to-late April: Basically Hopkins’s biggest party during the year, the Spring Fair can give you a full day of fun: from every type of carnival food you can imagine (and some you probably didn’t), to a bazaar full of local crafts, to booths for Hopkins student organizations, even rides! The best-known part is the JHU Beer Garden, where Hopkins student organizations ranging from Greek organizations to the College Democrats line up to sell you cheap draft beers to raise funds.

Flower Mart (Mount Vernon), first weekend in May: A small but cute festival, Flower Mart floods the area around the Washington Monument with stalls dedicated to every kind of greenery you could imagine, not just flowers as the name suggests, but also vegetables and herbs, and even carnivorous plants! The fair is almost just as notable for selling lemons with peppermint sticks, a favorite summer treat.

HonFest (Hampden), first weekend in June: In the Baltimore accent (“Bawlmerese”), “hon” is a popular term of endearment. In this festival dedicated to Baltimore’s “hons,” women come dressed in beehive hairdos a la Hairspray and feather boas to compete for the honor of “Bawlmer’s Best Hon.” You can check out the costumes or wear one, or just peruse the many booths and enjoy the live music and carnival foods.

Baltimore Pride (Mount Vernon and Druid Hill Park), mid-June: Baltimore’s Pride Festival is relatively small compared to other large cities, and easy to ignore if you live outside of Mount Vernon, but if you’re in that area at all, don’t expect to go anywhere near Charles Street without being bombarded with rainbow flags, especially on Saturday, the day of the Pride Parade. The weekend also includes huge dance parties in many of the city’s gay bars, particularly those in the Charles and Eager St. area; the area hosts a giant block party the night of the Pride Parade. On Sunday, the action moves to Druid Hill Park in the northwest part of the city where the Pride Festival includes booths, live music, carnival games and even family events.

Artscape (Station North, mid-July): Artscape takes up a huge chunk of the area around Penn Station with a massive free art fair, live bands and carnival rides and food. Unlike more typical art fairs, though, Artscape doesn’t limit itself to the visual arts; Mt. Vernon and Station North’s various arts venues also use it as a chance to flood the area with concerts, theatrical performances and film screenings, many of them featuring new or experimental fare.

Otakon (Baltimore Convention Center), weekend in July or early August: Otakon is the second-largest anime convention in the U.S. and the largest on the East Coast; you might remember the article I wrote about it this year. The next Otakon is scheduled for August 9-11, 2013. While the registration fee can be steep, you’re guaranteed to have fun if you’re interested in just about any aspect of Japanese pop culture, even if you’re not quite dedicated enough to brave the heat and humidity in full costume.

Baltimore Book Festival (Mount Vernon), last weekend in September: Every major local bookstore makes an appearance, and it’s easy to throw away tons of money on used books, but that’s not the only reason to go, the Book Festival also includes talks and signings by local authors. For example, in the Children’s Tent two years ago I got to meet two of my adolescent literary idols, Margaret Peterson Haddix and Scott Westerfeld.

Lighting of the Monument (Mount Vernon), first Thursday in December: During the holiday season (and often throughout the winter), Mt. Vernon’s Washington Monument (older than the one in D.C., as locals will tell you) is strung with bright Christmas lights, and when the lights officially go up, one of the parks surrounding it hosts a festival filled with food stands and choral performances of holiday music, including by the renowned Morgan State University Choir. The festival starts at 5:30 pm, while the actual lighting happens at 7:30, accompanied by a display of fireworks. The event more or less signals the beginning of the holiday season in downtown Baltimore.

Miracle on 34th Street (Hampden), December and early January: Every year during the Christmas season, one residential bloc in Hampden’s 34th Street goes all-out for the holidays, with every resident draping their house in elaborate light displays and holiday sculptures.

GETTING AROUND

Within the city:

The Charm City Circulator will take you through most of the touristy sections of the city and is generally much safer than the money-charging MTA buses.

For other free buses, you can check the various college-specific shuttles, although some of them will require proof of school ID. There are two main multi-campus ones: the first is the Baltimore Collegetown Shuttle, which goes between the campuses of Johns Hopkins (main Homewood campus), Goucher, Towson University, Loyola, Notre Dame of Maryland, Morgan State and MICA, as well as the Towson Town Center mall and Penn Station. The second option is the JHMI Shuttle, used to transport Hopkins students between the Homewood campus, Peabody and the medical campus, as well as Penn Station. Officially, you are supposed to be a Johns Hopkins student or faculty member in order to use it, but I have never seen them check IDs except with people who look suspicious. And it’s fairly reliable as long as you know the schedule (it can have strange times, like 20-25 minutes past the hour instead of 15 or 30).

The MTA Buses can be hit-or-miss; they aren’t free ($1.60 one-way, and you have to use exact change) or fast. And depending on which route you take, safety can be an issue. You’ll need to check with a local to make sure that the route you want to take is one that’s safe to use, or, at the very least, look at the whole route map to see if it goes through any unsafe neighborhoods. It can also be somewhat unreliable, especially on days with special events that block up traffic. Even on regular days, drivers will sometimes skip your stop entirely if there are only a few people waiting at it, whereas the Circulator and JHMI Shuttle will almost always stop. On the plus side, the MTA Maryland website has a really nifty “trip planner” for when you need to get someplace by a specific time, telling you all the specific details of when/where/which bus you need to get on and off.

Out of the city:

One of my favorite things about living in Baltimore is how close it is to so many other large cities. Going by car, Washington, D.C. is about 45 minutes to an hour away, Philadelphia is about two hours, New York City is three and a half and Pittsburgh is four and a half hours. There are just about always trains going to and arriving from those cities at Penn Station, as well as a number of cheap bus options for trips to the first three, especially for D.C. If you take the Bolt Bus on the right day, it can cost as low as one dollar.

Two popular summer destinations for Baltimore residents are the Eastern Shore’s resort town of Ocean City, with its 10-mile beach and boardwalk, and Pennsylvania’s Hershey Park, a theme park that’s basically a giant ad for the chocolate company. They’re about three hours and two hours (respectively) from Baltimore by car.

LGBT RIGHTS IN BALTIMORE

Baltimore is a pretty good city to live in for LGB rights. Maryland state law officially prohibits job discrimination based on sexual orientation, and marriage equality was passed by the state legislature and signed into law here by Governor Martin O’Malley (D) on March 1st of this year. Maryland’s political climate generally runs blue; the western Applachian foothills and the Eastern Shore are more conservative, but most people live in the liberal Baltimore and D.C. metro areas in the middle. But if you’re interested in LGBT rights political activism, 2012 is a big year for that; anti-gay forces in the state have successfully put marriage equality on the ballot this year, and Maryland has a good chance of being the first state where the gays win at the ballot box. You can get involved with Marylanders for Marriage Equality to help ensure that happens (and make sure to vote “YES” on the ballot question this November)!

Baltimore also has an LGBT community center, The Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore (GLCCB) (24 W. Chase St.) which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Some of its unique features include The LGBT History Project, a video series focusing on the lives of older LGBT Baltimoreans; a special Baltimore travel guide and website for LGBT visitors; and a special youth support group, SAIM (Sufficient As I Am), for queer people ages 24 and under. The GLCCB presents Baltimore in its travel guide as a gay-friendly city, and I would agree; as an out queer woman whose social circle is mostly queer as well, I’ve never felt unsafe in this city, and have usually felt accepted for my sexuality when I’m open about it.

Unfortunately, trans* rights aren’t quite as secure in the Old Line State. The state’s anti-discrimination laws have no protections for gender identity, and recent attempts to move bills securing those rights through the state legislature have failed, with the typical transphobic tropes about “men crossdressing to peek at women in bathrooms” popping up in floor discussions. And the bill in question, while supported by “mainstream” gay rights groups in the state like Equality Maryland, was largely opposed by trans* activist groups for failing to protect homeless trans* Marylanders. Rosedale in Baltimore County was also where trans woman Chrissy Lee Polis was attacked last year for using a women’s bathroom at a McDonald’s, a hate crime which galvanized the trans* community to push for change in Maryland and nationwide. As a cisgender woman I can’t personally speak for the trans* community here, but that incident alone leads me to think that Baltimore isn’t quite as safe for the T in LGBT. If you want to get involved to make things better, Trans Maryland is one of the state’s biggest trans* rights groups; the GLCCB also has a list of support groups that meet at the center regularly, including specific ones for trans men and trans women.

THE SAFETY ISSUE

I’m a native of Detroit, so I grew up associating big cities with danger. But unlike the Motor City, Baltimore doesn’t really fit the violent reputation it’s been given by pop culture; while The Wire may be a realistic account of life in certain parts of the city, it’s very easy to visit Baltimore or even live here for years without dealing with that part of it at all. But the “unsafe” marker isn’t wholly undeserved. Here are some tips I picked up from my four years in “Harm City”:

All the basic stuff applies: There’s safety in numbers, don’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself, don’t leave any valuables visible in a parked car or apartment window, etc.

Certain neighborhoods are safer than others, but no neighborhood is 100% safe in Baltimore. Always be aware of your surroundings. Don’t go walking around listening to music or texting, and if you don’t have your wits about you (like if you’re drunk, high, super-tired or whatever), make sure you have a sober friend nearby to keep an eye on things.

Trust your instincts.

Get to know some locals and find out where the parameters are for where you shouldn’t go, as they vary by neighborhood. In Mt. Vernon, the rules of thumb were “don’t go west of Howard Street, east of the highway, or to the area between Station North and Charles Village.” In general, though, stay out of West Baltimore or northern East Baltimore unless you have a specific reason to be there (like if you’re a student at JHU’s medical campus, which is located in the latter).

Walk confidently and with purpose! Looking scared or lost will make you look like an easier target.

Check out this safety primer from City Paper’s 2010 College Guide. Did you know that if you’re on a one-way street, it’s safer to walk on the driver’s side? The more you know!

So whether you’re here for college, for good or just for a week of fun, I hope I’ve given you enough info to make your stay in Baltimore a success. While I’m excited to get to know a new place, I’m very sad to leave this one behind, so be sure to say hi for me!

Queer Girl City Guide: Pittsburgh, PA

By: Casey, Hannah, Caitlin & Iliana

Pittsburgh is known as The Steel City – but it also has an emerging arts scene and DIY culture. It is an incredibly affordable place to live and has been hailed as the “new Portland” although some are angling for it to be the next Hollywood. It’s one of those in-between cities that is so characteristic of the Mid-Atlantic region. Not quite Northern, Southern, East Coast, or Midwestern – it’s a place all its own. In any case, Pittsburgh is trying to BE something, we just haven’t figured out what yet.

Casey: Although I grew up in Baltimore, I moved to Pittsburgh from Seattle exactly one year ago for graduate school at CMU. Before I got here, I was very concerned that there would be no gay people and I was making a huge mistake to leave the gay mecca of Seattle. Turns out, Pittsburgh is awesome! I have quickly fallen in love with this city and the queer community that I found here.

Hannah: I moved to Pittsburgh four years ago for university. I spent my first two years relatively isolated from the queer community – I went to a politically apathetic tech school (no names mentioned!) that kept me busy with actual organic chemistry rather than organic fruit markets and relationship chemistry. Starting two years ago, I began to expand beyond the Oakland neighborhood where school was and venture out into the queerer, greater Pittsburgh, and have found that the city has a surprisingly robust queer population. (Although it is still small enough that you basically know everyone in whatever corner of the city you’re in.) I have found a large divide between the gay/lesbian and queer communities, so that’s something to watch out for and probably not unique to Pittsburgh!

Caitlin: I’ve lived in Pittsburgh for about six years. I originally moved to Pittsburgh for school, but since graduating I have come to love this “City of Bridges.” A West Coast girl at heart, I have come to find Pittsburgh can be West Coast-esque (a San Fran if you will) for the East Coast, in that you get a little bit of everything – from culture to the sights and sounds of a beautiful city to ridiculous weather. After all, Pittsburgh is not called the “Paris of Appalachia” for nothing. I have managed to live and/or work in just about every bit of Pittsburgh from East Liberty to Shadyside to Bethel Park to Bloomfield. In all of these places, I’ve always felt safe and welcomed before and after coming out. Until last winter, I identified as straight so I’m newly out as queer/pansexual, but have found the queer community in Pittsburgh to be very accepting and super fun. Since coming out, I have met and befriended so many people, have been dubbed the unofficial (or maybe it’s official now) spokeslady for Impulse Pittsburgh and even marched in the first Pride Parade I attended!

Plus bonus comments from Iliana!

Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood Was in Pittsburgh

Side note – remember how a lot of cities did that thing where they chose an animal and local artists made sculptures with different themes? Pittsburgh is kind of a big deal for dinosaurs (and T-Rex in particular) because the Carnegie Museum of Natural History has a super intense Jurassic exhibit.

Hannah: Bloomfield and Lawrenceville tend to be very young, hip, and queer areas, but there are a fair share of families and older people mixed in as well. Polish Hill also has a number of queer folk, as well as the queerest city pool in Pittsburgh. As a student, I lived in Oakland (most students live in the Oakland/Shadyside/Squirrel Hill areas), but I wish I had moved out to Bloomfield, where I am currently living, sooner! However, the small size of Pittsburgh means that no matter where you are located, there are either queer close by.

Casey: Transportation can be a touchy subject for those of us without a car – I live in Squirrel Hill, which you may have noticed includes the word “hill”. Since my bicycle is my primary mode of transportation, I find the number of hills between me and my destination to be a primary factor in determining how much I want to go. There is also a bus system (that you can bring your bike on!) but it is in a funding battleground and seems to be constantly having service reductions.

Meeting People: There is Always the Internet

Casey: Now that I have lived in Pittsburgh for a year, I feel like it’s possible to meet people without the internet. When I first arrived, I hit up OkCupid constantly. In fact, that’s how Hannah and I met. My first gay friend in Pittsburgh was someone I randomly messaged on Facebook because I needed a ride to an Impulse party. In fact, one of the most interesting things I have discovered about Pittsburgh is that everything is on Facebook – not “the internet”, just Facebook. If you are queer and live in Pittsburgh, you are probably friends with Pittsburgh Queerlinker or at least you should be. I find out about everything going on from crafting groups to book clubs to dance parties from Facebook.

Are You Ready to Dance?

Impulse Pittsburgh
Casey: I’m friends with the woman who organizes Impulse – so it’s no surprise that this is my favorite monthly lesbian dance party. It’s definitely the most racially diverse party and an excellent place to find “sporty dykes” and “the femmes” if you are into people-watching. It is hosted at a rotating location (almost always a sports bar located on the North Shore of Pittsburgh) on the last Saturday of the month. DJ Stef plays top ’40s and the dance floor is usually roomy (i.e. not a packed/sweaty mess).

Hannah: While I appreciate that Impulse exists, I don’t necessarily feel like the attendees are “my homies,” so to speak. Impulse fills a particular gap in the party scene, it’s just not my scene. The primary type of gender variance in the crowd is a throwback to butch/femme of yesteryear, and I sometimes feel like a queer outsider at a straight bar at this party. That being said, it is large, has way more age diversity than Sappho, and it tends to occur at roomy venues, which some consider a plus. Impulse is also well organized and occurs on a regular schedule.

Operation Sappho (4104 Penn Ave)

Casey: This is where you go to find the hipster/artsy queers. The music is definitely superior if you are into actual lesbian bands with actual lesbians in them. The dance floor is the best kind of hot/sweaty mess where you rub up on everyone in your vicinity.

Hannah: I have to respectfully disagree with Casey and say that Sappho is the best party you will find in Pittsburgh. There is no question that this is where the more political, activist, gender non-conforming queers go to hang out and get their groove on. (The party is also trans and gender-nonconforming friendly.) I have also found the music to be more to my taste (think anything from Rihanna to riot grrrl tunes) and the dance floor is crowded enough so that my awkward dance isn’t easily observable. Sappho takes place at Brillobox, a bar/concert venue in Lawrenceville.

Or Maybe You Are Just Into the Drinking Part?

Lez Liquor Hour (LLH)
Iliana: LLH is great if you’re tired of going to the same old places. Every month this lesbian happy hour takes place at a different location. There’s never a cover and they always have specials. Great to check out if you want to drink right after work or if you simply want to pre-game before meeting up with everyone else afterwards.

Cattivo (146 44th St)
Casey: This is the only “real lesbian bar” in Pittsburgh. However, it is important to note that Pittsburgh is one of those cities where they haven’t 100% banned indoor smoking. As a result, I tend to rarely hang out at Cattivo since it can be on the smokey side. However, sometimes they host non-smoking events downstairs. They have a burlesque show and I occasionally entertain myself with dreams of competing in their amateur Drag King Contest.

Hannah: I’m a fan of Cattivo, if only for the variety of inclusive events the place holds. It is home to Pittsburgh’s first trans dance party, has drag shows all the time, as well as trivia, karaoke, pool, etc. They often also hold charity events for various Pittsburgh organizations. I am also partial to bars on the divier side, so while I wouldn’t consider Cattivo a dive bar, it is definitely unpretentious. Cattivo is located in Lawrenceville, where a ton of queer people live, so it is pretty convenient.

5801 (5801 Ellsworth Ave)
Iliana: I feel like this is everyone’s second home. 5801 is so welcoming. You’re bound to run into someone you know or leave with a few new friends. The best deal is on Sundays when they offer $5 hurricanes. If you’re a smoker you can hang out on the first floor or on the patio. If you’re not a fan of the smoking scene, then you have the whole 2nd floor to yourself complete with a dance floor and private booths. The food is also pretty good. All in all, this place is great!

Hannah: 5801 is primarily a bar for gay men, so I tend not to frequent it. It’s also too classy for me and the drinks are pretty expensive. It definitely has a cleaner, more sophisticated attitude than Cattivo. . . but the grime is part of the reason why I love Cattivo! 5801 is in Shadyside, which has a pretty upscale shopping district, and this bar kind of fits that vibe.

For Eating and Drinking All the Delicious Things: Top 5 Places (in no particular order)

Hannah: Before we get to all the restaurants, let’s take a moment to address every queer person’s favorite place: a food co-op. Pittsburgh has the East End Food Co-op (7516 Meade St), which, while slightly inconveniently located, boasts a wide selection of products as well as a vegetarian hot food bar and smoothie bar.

1. Cats and Dogs Coffeehouse (4059 Penn Ave)
Hannah: I basically live in this coffee house in Lawrenceville – it is the closest thing to a queer mecca of coffee that you will find in Pittsburgh. The owners are super friendly and queer positive (and the bathroom is unisex!) and receptive to people hanging out and having political conversations. I always get into some type of discussion when I go, but I never feel forced to interact if I need to do work. The eye candy that comes in and out isn’t bad either. The shop is also involved with some community projects: there was a pop up bookstore in May, and there is street cleaning every Sunday. There is also a room in the back that can be reserved for private meetings. The shop serves up your normal coffee shop drinks as well as pastries (try the scones!). Downside: only open until 6pm, though that may change in the not-too-distant future.

2. Quiet Storm (5430 Penn Ave)
Casey: This is a great vegan/vegetarian cafe. I’m not actually vegan (or vegetarian for that matter) but I loooove their vegan gingerbread pancakes. It’s also a great place to go hang out and study. My other favorite vegan hotspot is Zenith (86 South 26th Street), an antique store/vegetarian cafe that serves an amazing vegan brunch buffet on Sundays.

3. Smoke Taqueria (225 East 8th Ave)
Casey: This is my favorite place to eat in Pittsburgh. Whenever I find someone who has never been, I immediately come up with an excuse to take them there. It’s not uncommon to show up and find that there are no seats available. It’s a small place, so I recommend doing an early dinner there on a weeknight. They have the best horchata I’ve ever had (the secret is lime zest!), creative tacos, and a delicious mac & cheese topped with chili.

Hannah: I love me some Smoke, and their tacos are a delicious treat. However, at many dollars a pop, it can be an expensive option for Pittsburgh eating! A taco alternative is a small taco food stand in Oakland on Atwood Ave, outside of Las Palmas Carniceria y Supermercado. At $2 a taco (with many different filling options, including a vegetarian option) and unlimited toppings, this is an amazing little taco bar. They also have a location in Brookline.

4. The Library Bar (2302 East Carson St)
Hannah: For cheap eats and a bountiful beer selection, I have to recommend the Library Bar on the South Side. I always go to the South Side Goodwill, which is a great Goodwill and located just a few blocks to the east of The Library, then hit up this bar. Disclaimer: The South Side gets SUPER bro-filled late on Fridays and Saturdays, so beware. I only go to The Library between 5-7pm and 9-11pm, when they have happy hour which includes drink specials and half off small plates, such as nachos, hummus, wings, quesadillas, etc. Their specialty is a fabulous beer cheese – find it on the nachos or a cheese and pretzel combo. With the half price deal, the food is super cheap and delicious. (There are many vegetarian options but very limited vegan, if that is a concern for you.)

5. Square Cafe (1137 South Braddock Ave)
Iliana: This place is crawling with lesbians. It’s even owned by lesbians. Great for a hangover and the specials are constantly changing. It can be a little pricey but luckily they use the loyal tree app which scores you a free drink upon enrolling.

Hannah: I love me some breakfast at the Square Cafe. The lemon ricotta pancakes are to die for. The cafe is located in Regent Square, which is also home to a great independent theatre. Square Cafe reminds me of another great breakfast place located on the other side of the East End in Lawrenceville, called Coca Cafe (3811 Butler Street), which is equally delicious.

For the Love of Crafts

Casey: Unblurred (Penn Ave) is an eclectic gallery crawl on the first Friday of every month that ranges from performance art to paintings to live demonstrations to sculpture. While there, you can stop by the Pittsburgh Glass Center (5472 Penn Ave). I’ve done both the glass-blowing and mosaic workshops and highly recommend them. It’s a great place to learn about glasswork yourself, or just watch others make intricate sculptures.

Hannah: Pittsburgh has many resources for the crafty among us. The Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse (PCCR) and Construction Junction (214 North Lexington St) are two amazing re-use shops located next to each other in the East End. Construction Junction has bigger items – furniture, flooring, etc – while PCCR tends towards smaller craft things. Due to the nature of my own DIY projects/the amount of space I had in my room, I tended to frequent PCCR more often, and have gotten everything from rubber stamps, to fabric scraps, to old National Geographics, to book binding supplies. PCCR also holds Meet ‘n Makes on every second Thursday of the month, where you can come and craft with other crafters. Recently, Wildcard (4209 Butler Street), a shop in Lawrenceville that sells local crafts, has also started having a craft night on the third or fourth Thursdays, to alternate with PCCR.

In addition, Pittsburgh is home to two great craft markets. The I Made It! Market happens at various locations and times around the city, while Handmade Arcade occurs around the winter holidays. I always find great crafts here – from picture frames made from reclaimed wood, to woodblock prints, to buttons and pins.

Finally, Pittsburgh also has a great little arts center (appropriately named Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (6300 Fifth Avenue) that offers a variety of arts classes, from printmaking to weaving to metal working.

Caitlin: Free Ride (214 N. Lexington Street) is a bicycle co-op located next to/inside of Construction Junction where you can go use bicycle tools and take mechanics classes. They host a bimonthy Women and Trans Nite specifically to create a supportive environment for women, genderqueer, and trans people to work on bikes.

Random Other Cool Stuff to Do

Hannah: The Warhol Museum (117 Sandusky Street) is dedicated to the art and life of Carnegie Mellon alumn, Andy Warhol. However, the museum also has a number of queer events throughout the year. I’ve been to Sister Spit, a queer spoken word/performance group, as well as a queer political porn, both in the auditorium of the museum. You have to keep your eyes on the museum calendar though – the events tend not to be very well marketed.

The Pillow Project is a jazz/dance performance group and on second Saturdays, they invite the public in to watch and interact with them. Second Saturdays occur at The Space Upstairs (214 N. Lexington Street), which is located right by PCCR, Construction Junction, and Free Ride. The Space Upstairs also hosts BYOP (bring your own paint), a night where you can come watch dancers, listen to live jazz, and paint or draw what you see. I get so absorbed in watching the dancers that I forget to draw!

Pittsburgh also has a fabulous independent film community, which shows foreign, independent, rare and old films at three venues throughout the city. If you’re a student at some colleges (including CMU), tickets are only 4 dollars! The filmmakers society also offers a variety of classes on film related topics, including taking video, writing scripts, etc. There is also an annual Pittsburgh Lesbian and Gay Film Festival that occurs in October of each year.

About once a month, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center (210 Grant Street) holds bingo at a local synagogue in Oakland. OUTrageous bingo is like regular bingo, except more fun, with drag queens, and the money raised goes to the community center. Oh yeah, and there is a lot of fuss on “O 69.”

Last but not least, Hot Metal Hardware is a gender bending and drag performance group – they often put on shows at Cattivo and, more recently, at There Ultra Lounge (913 Liberty Avenue) downtown.

Caitlin: The Cultural District in downtown, Point Park, Lawrenceville/ Bloomfield, and Shadyside are the best places to find festivals, live entertainment, and/or art crawls to your heart’s desire. Some of my favorite festivals include the Venture Outdoors Festival, PA Microbrewers Festival, and the Pittsburgh Regatta.

Also, Gay for Good is an organization that brings queer people together to support a different cause/non-profit each month.

Casey: Fallingwater is about 1.5 hours outside of Pittsburgh in Ohiopyle, PA. However, this house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright is totally worth the drive. It is literally built into a waterfall and studied by architecture students everywhere!

The Best Time of the Year: Pride!

Casey: I am partial to small Pride celebrations and that’s exactly what you find in Pittsburgh. It’s not as big as NYC or DC, but you run into everyone you know and you never have to worry about getting lost. This past year, I was in the annual Pride Flash Mob and marched in the parade with Impulse Pittsburgh. The parade was incredibly short – in fact, I was super surprised when it ended. The festival is also fairly small, but it was at the same time as the Three Rivers Arts Fest so it was kind of like getting two festivals for the price of one.

Hannah: The Dyke/Trans march goes through Friendship and Bloomfield, and ends in Friendship park, where there is a community potluck! This past year, post-march, there was an afterparty at Free-Ride.

LGBT Services

Caitlin: Persad (5150 Penn Avenue) is “the nation’s second oldest licensed counseling center specifically created to serve the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community.” I am sure they are a fantastic center to get the help you need, however it is extremely difficult to get a hold of a person, let alone make an appointment there.

Casey: The state of Pennsylvania does not recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships, however the city of Pittsburgh does provide domestic partnership benefits. There is currently no hate crime legislation that covers LGBT people in PA because the 2002 bill to include it was struck down on a technicality. No new legislation was ever passed to replace it. However, on a more positive note, second parent adoption recently reached the milestone of being legal in PA for ten years!

Getting Your Diploma

Pittsburgh is home to seven universities including one women’s college, Chatham University (Woodland Road). However, Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh are the most well known.

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) (5000 Forbes Avenue)
Hannah: I attended CMU for undergrad, and never had an outwardly unpleasant experience as a queer person. I find CMU very accepting, but also very politically apathetic (which is unfortunately expected for tech schools). That being said, the school actually has many pro-queer policies, such as a “preferred name” policy, many gender-neutral bathrooms, and some gender neutral housing. There is also a queer undergrad/grad organization called Allies, but meetings and events tend to be under-attended.

Casey: As a graduate student at CMU, I have found few resources for connecting with other queer lady students so I started a mailing list. That being said, some of the schools within CMU have graduate-oriented LGBT organizations including the public policy school, Heinz College, and the business school, Tepper.

University of Pittsburgh
Hannah: It is Pitt school policy that trans* people are required to use the bathroom of the sex listed on their official identification. You’re a trans man or trans woman and want to use the bathroom of the gender you identify with, but not the sex listed on your ID? Tough luck.

Caitlin: Pitt has a queer student organization called Rainbow Alliance that does advocacy work on campus. They also have a Center for LGBT Health Research.

Wave Your Terrible Towel

Casey: There is a huge (note: understatement) sports culture in Pittsburgh. I’ve never been much of a sporty person, but I do love me some roller derby. Pittsburgh has kind of a lame venue for roller derby (it’s in a roller rink, so no alcohol is allowed on the premises), but it’s still a super fun time. In addition, I have several friends who play for the Steel City Softball League, the oldest running GLBT sports organization in the Pittsburgh area. Also, the 2012 Women’s Football Association Championships were recently held in Pittsburgh at Heinz Field, which marked the first time the Women’s Football Championship was hosted at an NFL stadium. The Pittsburgh Passion, our local Women’s Football team, is pretty popular among the lesbian community.

Iliana: Everyone should go to a roller derby match at least once in their lives. The crowd usually consists of an eclectic mix of people ranging from punks to families with small children. No matter what your scene is you’ll find nothing brings people together like watching violence on roller skates.

Makeover! Where to Go for Haircuts and Tattoos

Hannah: I am a big fan of Eddy at Salon Cercone (5894 Ellsworth) in Shadyside. I am always super wary about going to a new place to get my haircut, as I have had many a bad experience. Eddy has never given me a bad cut, and gives me awesome, edgy, and more experimental styles. He’s a member of our community as well, so maybe he just gets what a queer gal wants in a haircut!

Caitlin: There are approximately 80 different places in Pittsburgh to get tattoos and piercings. Jester’s Court (1410 East Carson Street) located in Oakland was my stop for my first and second tattoos. The shop is very cool/clean and the artists are super chill and friendly. Also, Scott Cichowicz at Tried and True Tattoo & Body Piercing (755 E. Warrington Avenue) is a pretty rad dude – he started out doing auto-body art/design and continued his artistic talents with tattoo design.

For your ALH I recommend Cardamone’s Hair Salon (300 Forbes Avenue), very professional and clean, stylists are super friendly and I’ve always been pleased with the results. Also Evolutions Salon (1201 Broughton Road) is a super classy and sassy place to get your hair and nails done. The stylists and nail techs are super friendly, witty and fantastic at their job.

Pittsburgh in a Nutshell

Hannah: To conclude, Pittsburgh is definitely a city that grows on you! Most of the great things about Pittsburgh are not well advertised, so it can take some searching to find your niche. Don’t give up too quickly, as many great queers are out there waiting for you.

Queer Girl City Guide: Birmingham, United Kingdom

Whenever the United Kingdom is mentioned, images that tend to flash in peoples’ minds are often of the Royal family, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament–all iconic imagery of the UK’s capital city, London. It’s rare that people living outside the UK will have even heard of Birmingham. But Birmingham happens to be a colourful and vibrant city, with culture and diversity rich enough to rival London’s.

So here’s a few interesting facts about Birmingham:

• It’s the second most largest and populous city in the United Kingdom (the first being London) with over three and a half million people. So obviously it can’t be too bad here!
• It’s one of the UK’s top three gay destinations.
• During the Industrial Revolution it was hailed as “the first manufacturing town in the world.”
• To fans of literature and theatre, the fictional setting of “Brumley” in An Inspector Calls (J .B Priestly) was inspired by the City of Birmingham.
• To fans of heavy metal, all the original members of Judas Priest, Napalm Death and Black Sabbath came from Birmingham.

I’ve lived in Birmingham all my life. Well, in actual fact I have lived in a small town twenty minutes just outside central Birmingham called Sutton Coldfield (where the only claim to fame we have is being the birthplace of former American Idol presenter Cat Deeley, but I regress). As far as I can remember I have always loved visiting different places in Birmingham and truly believe there is no other city in the world like it. I also think it is important to set the record straight and bring to light some of Birmingham’s positive points, as some British people do tend to have a harsh, unfavourable view of this city. Then again, British people usually have an unfavourable view of everything!

Lesbian Bars/Nights and Cafes/Restaurants

Hurst Street is the keystone to the Birmingham gay community, as well as being a fundamental aspect of the UK’s LGBT history. It’s where the LGBT community lives and plays, but there’s something here for everyone! There are many clubs, lounges, and cafes to choose from whether you want a relaxing daytime drink with a friend, or to party long into the next day. I’ve narrowed it down to some of my favourites:

The Nightingale Club (Essex House, Kent St) Nightingales first opened in 1969, making it the oldest running venue of the gay scene. It is also the most popular venue, and LGBT people from all over the country will flock to Birmingham just to visit it. The place is absolutely HUGE—it has three floors, a balcony, an outdoor smoking area, stages, dance platforms and even a games arcade area! A warning to heed though—if you present more femininely, there is a chance you might be approached by some desperate, inappropriately behaved men. I’m not saying it’s a general occurrence, but nearly every time I have been to Nightingales I have had a crude comment from some creep who thinks he can get me and my girlfriend in a three-way. Nevertheless, I have not let those experiences prevent me from visiting Nightingales again as the fun and friendly atmosphere and positive energy that radiates from the place is one that anyone—gay or straight—would enjoy.

The Loft Lounge (143 Bromsgrove St) If nightclubs aren’t your style, then I would also highly recommend another personal favourite, the Loft Lounge. This place also holds sentimental value to me as it is where I took my girlfriend for dinner on her eighteenth birthday, back when we had only been dating a few months. Speaking of dinner, the food is both affordable and delicious (the potato wedges are to DIE for!) and the staff were really helpful and attentive when me and my girlfriend dined there. Apart from a dining area, there are sofas and booths where you can relax with friends and coffee during the day, and a large outdoor area for when it gets too hot. The Loft Lounge open every day all week, and also offers services for stag/hen dinners and civil ceremonies. Although the Loft Lounge has appeal for all ages, I have noticed that it does tend to attract the more mature LGBT generation.

Missing Bar (48 Bromsgrove St.) The Missing Bar is exactly what it says it is—a party bar. Imagine your typical English pub combined with a small dance club… then throw in a bunch of gays, lesbians, drag queens and everyone else under the LGBT spectrum. It tends to be where most of the punters start off their night before heading to the big nightclubs. On Saturday nights it opens its upstairs bar and function room, or as it’s more commonly referred to, “The Attic.” It has a stage and pole dancing podiums (for anyone who feels like showing off their skills) and is right next to an outdoor smoking area. One of the best things about The Attic is that it is FREE to hire the room for private functions (though you may have to pay a refundable deposit and for the DJ).

The Fox (17 Lower Essex St) The Fox is the only bar that markets itself mainly to lesbians, as most venues tend to be mixed with all kinds of people from the community. However, that’s not to say that others aren’t welcome! The Fox reminds me of how I’d have imagined a dyke bar to be in the 50’s. The posters of pin-up type ladies on the walls, the chortling butches that hover around the pool tables holding bottles of beer… something about the place just makes it feel kind of retro. Personally though, the thing I like most about the Fox is the effort they’ve made with their garden, as you can see below:

Purple Bar and Lounge (10-11 Hurst St.) If you fancy sipping cocktails in a modern yet stylish environment, then Purple is the place for you. It’s a fun addition to the gay village as it has loud, brash drag acts. My girlfriend and I only recently discovered Purple whilst researching for this article, but I decided to mention it because it was the ONLY place where the staff gave me a warm smile when I came in with my camera, rather than look at me like I was a mad tourist.

Sidewalk (125-127 Hurst St) Sidewalk was previously known as a popular venue called “The Angel,” but has recently been refurbished. The interior design is intended to replicate a San Francisco warehouse (not that I know what one of those look like). It is a place me and my girlfriend have not yet checked off our lists (because we like to eat out a lot, mind the pun!) however it seems to be quite reasonably priced. For example if you want a three course meal on a Sunday it only costs £10.95!

Other places worth mentioning:

Eden Bar (116 Sherlock St) Was voted the best bar at the Birmingham Zone Awards 2010 and also features DJ Dan, whom won Zone’s best bar DJ

Bar Jester (42 Holloway Circus)

Club Chic (28 Horse Fair)

Equator Bar (123 Hurst St)

Local or Professional Sports of Interest

British people are famous for their sentimentality and patriotism over the sport of football (soccer, in America). However, although women footballer clubs do exist, and there is a very popular gay men’s football club, Birmingham Blaze, I am yet to find one specifically created by and for lesbians. We do have a Gay Outdoor Club branch, which provides recreational sport activities and organises walks on the first and third Sundays of the month. There is also a Midlands Out Badminton Club which meets every Saturday in Perry Barr.

College Life in Birmingham

There are nine universities located in the West Midlands: Aston, Coventry, Keele, Staffordshire, Birmingham City, Warwick, Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Worcester. It is also home to three university colleges, which are Harper Adams, Newman College and University College Birmingham. As far as I know, every one of them has an active LGBT society. In fact, it would be considered highly unusual if one of them didn’t! This is because, from my own experience as a student of Wolverhampton, the university environment is the most comfortable and accepting place to be out as LGBT. In my entire first year of Uni, I have not once experienced any form of homophobia, although I could just be lucky.

Activities that University LGBT Societies will organise vary. For instance, I know that Birmingham City University tend to arrange sit down meals as a way to meet up, whereas the society at Wolverhampton University are more prone to organise pub crawls to all the LGBT venues in Wolverhampton.

Many of the popular clubs in central Birmingham will reduce their drink prices on Student Nights, with Thursday night typically being the popular night for student clubbing. Places like Nightingales and Missing will reduce some of their alcoholic beverages to as little as one pound! (That’s about $1.56 in American equivalents.) For this reason, I highly recommend Thursdays as the ideal night for clubbing, as although the clubs shut a little earlier than on a Saturday, prices at the end of the week can be a little expensive.

Gay Pride

Birmingham is known to have a COLOSSAL Gay Pride that is visited by people from all over the country. It is usually held during the bank holiday weekend in May, however in 2012 was moved to June in order to avoid clashing with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The highlight of Pride is the street parade that travels throughout central Birmingham, and includes a colourful mix of street performers, drag acts, costumes, stilt walkers and gigantic floats representing different venues or local LGBT activist groups. Every year the Pride takes a different theme—2011’s Pride celebrated the diversity of age groups, cultures and ethnicities within the LGBT community, whereas in 2012 the theme was inspired by the It Gets Better campaign. The parade finishes in Hurst Street, where there are hundreds of souvenir stalls, as well as a massive street party that literally doesn’t stop for two days!

Sadly, I could not attend 2012’s Pride as I was away at the time, however I was told by people who had been there that it was a major disappointment compared to the other years. This is likely down to the UK’s current economy, which has forced the organisers of Prides around the country to raise the costs of attending Pride. Many sections that would have previously been free to enter were now limited access (unless you had pre-bought a special wristband). I am hoping that in the future this scheme will be dropped, as for years I have become accustomed to attending Pride for free and this is extremely off-putting, but only time will tell.

SHOUT Festival

Another queer event held in Birmingham is the SHOUT Festival, which celebrates LGBT art and culture. If you’re into your music, dance, art, photography, comedy, theatre etc. then this is definitely an event worth checking out. It also showcases local talent, so if you are interested in participating go to shoutfestival.co.uk for more details. Like Pride, every year SHOUT adopts a theme; for instance 2011 was centred on groups in the LGBT community that are frequently ignored or marginalized, such as people of color. Last year’s festival also welcomed speaker April Ashley, who was the first person in the UK to undergo gender reassignment surgery. The organisers seem to have skipped 2012’s festival, apparently to re-strategize the event.

Dating Scene

Although I haven’t been on the dating scene for a while having been with my girlfriend for coming onto two years now, from what I have experienced it is very easy to meet people. Although I like to think this is due to my amazing wingman skills, two of my friends that I have taken out to Hurst Street have managed to at least get a phone number from someone in one night. The pattern usually goes like this—you spot someone, you start edging closer by doing a sexy dance, you make eye contact, you buy them a drink, you make the typical small talk before sucking on their face, and then three weeks later you’ve moved in with them. I’m kidding of course. But you get my point.

LGBT Bookstores

The only book store that comes to mind as being LGBT is Prowler (29-30 Stephenson St). Oddly, it is located at quite a distance from Hurst Street at a place called Stephenson Street, which for those not familiar with Birmingham’s geography is a stone’s throw away from Birmingham New Street Station. It stocks a small collection of lesbian filmography, magazines (it is the only place I know of that stocks Curve magazine) and books, however today it is a franchise marketed more towards gay men than lesbians, which is a shame as it used to be quite accommodating to both.

Best Tattoo Artists

The tattoo place that is often visited by LGBT people is, unsurprisingly, one that is located in the Gay Village. With the owner Jake having nearly forty years of tattooing experience under his belt, Tattooing by Jake (147 Bromsgrove St) is one of the longest running and finest tattooing parlours in Birmingham. Jake also happens to be my great uncle, and tattooed the shoulder piece I had for my eighteenth birthday.

 

LGBT Health Services

Healthy Gay Life (HGL) (Centre for Community Health, Frank St) is a health clinic located in the Gay Village. It claims to that some of their services are available for lesbian and bisexual women, for example counselling, psychotherapy and access to support groups. However, it does seem to have more resources for the sexual health of men than it does women; it has very little information or advice on protection for lesbian sex i.e. dental dams. That said, the clinic has won Zone’s “Best Achievement for a Community” award twice, so it must be doing something right.

Social Groups

Acting Out—an LGBT theatre group for those who want to show off their acting skills, or simply help out backstage.

Bi Women’s Discussion Group—held on the fourth Saturday of every month at the HGL Centre. Gives bisexual women the opportunity to meet and discuss topics such as personal experiences, biphobia, the media, bi and trans issues etc.

Brum Bi Group—open for both men and women and held during the second Tuesday of the month. Is where bisexual people from around the Midlands can meet for a gathering and to organise social events.

Fox Film Club—a film night held by the Fox pub every third Sunday of the month. Worth going as admission is free!

Older Lesbian Network—meets every second Saturday of the month at the HGL centre. It is where older lesbians can meet, socialise, and bring food as a way of showing off their culinary skills! Apparently they also meet for theatre outings and meals. Meetings also include open discussions over a pre-arranged topic.

Outskirts—a trans* social group that aims to increase confidence and self-esteem in women. Will often arrange social meals, followed by a night of clubbing.

Places to Avoid

Be careful not to venture too far out of the Gay Village into the neighborhoods surrounding it. The surrounding area is mainly industrial sites and, not only is it dull and looks unattractive, it can also be dangerous if you are on your own. Of course, every city has its areas best left avoided, however there are two towns that I will mention in particular to avoid, and these are Erdington and Kingstanding. This is because, from my own personal experience, they are hostile environments (and thats in general, not just to LGBT people) violence and gang crime is common and drug use is at large. And if ANYONE on here I from either of these places, I apologise in advance as I know not all people from these areas are bad. I just wouldn’t recommend them to tourists. Luckily, you would have to get the train from central Birmingham to reach these areas, so I doubt any of you would accidently stumble across them.

Other places worth mentioning

Birmingham Hippodrome (Hurst St) A theatre best known as home to the Birmingham Royal Ballet (which I highly recommend, as I saw a performance years ago and it was FANTASTIC). However, even if ballet isn’t your cup of tea it also hosts performances of opera, touring West End shows, pantomime, drama and stand-up comedy. If that isn’t enough, the Hippodrome also welcomes people to take part in their dance programme Dance Xchange.

Electric Cinema (47-49 Station St) The oldest cinema in the United Kingdom. I love it because it has stayed true to the Art Deco style it was built in, and truly is the finest place to see a film. The experience you get here is unlike any other cinema chain—you can hire sofas in order to watch the film comfortably, and there’s a waiter service available where you text them what snacks you want and they BRING THEM FOR YOU! Doesn’t get any better than that right? If you don’t believe me, just ask Katy Perry. She spent her 27th birthday there.

Birmingham Back to Backs (55-63 Hurst St) If you are interested in a history lesson on the people who made Birmingham what it was, the Back to Backs is a good place to start. You are taken on a guided tour around the back to back houses—which are literally old houses that were built back to back around a court yard. It covers the lives of ordinary people ranging from the 1840s to the 1970s, and the organisers have really done their best to make it as interactive as possible. They have even tried to make it smell like it would have when people were residing there. What was even more interesting, not long ago the company did a collaboration with Gay Birmingham Remembered and theatre groups to research to history of four LGBT people from Birmingham. This was developed into performances on the site, and explored the social and political issues these people faced in their time. These performances were eventually published on a DVD.

Queer Girl City Guide: Atlanta, Georgia

By Joy and Brooke

We are recent Atlanta transplants who actually met at Atlanta’s unofficial meetup for Autostraddle’s International Brunch Day who bonded over the fact that we’ve been exploring the city and its lesbian offerings all by our respective lonesomes. So we decided to join forces, share our collective knowledge of the city, and co-write this guide. Atlanta is a very diverse city with a rich history that includes the civil rights movement. However, parts of the city remain highly segregated and also has the highest income disparity in the United States.

But not all is gloomy in Hotlanta. The city boasts one of the largest LGBTQ populations in the U.S., and there are more and more resources and opportunities for LBT ladies in the “A.”

Nightlife

My Sister’s Room (1271 Glenwood Avenue) is the only lesbian bar in the city of Atlanta and also one of the oldest in the Southeast. As such, it does its best to partner with diverse promoters to offer a wide variety of theme nights and parties that appeal to lesbians of all ages and musical and cultural tastes. Wednesday nights feature karaoke and the bar hosts a comedy show Saturday evenings. Other popular nights include drag shows featuring the “Lee family” and Friday night old school dance parties for more “mature” lesbians. The bar is located in LGBTQ-friendly East Atlanta Village.

Like many cities, the queer nightlife scene in Atlanta is dominated by the guys, but there are several promoters who host monthly and weekly events to supplement the ladies’ social scene. Ladies at Play caters to the 25+ crowd and hosts monthly parties at various upscale venues around Atlanta. The crowd at Ladies at Play events include a diverse mix of ages and gender expression from high femme to dapper stud.

Traxx Girls holds weekly parties at different clubs in Atlanta. The promoter also hosts My Sister’s Room’s Friday night dance parties.

Sports

With two eastern conference championship wins in the past two seasons, the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream is arguably the most successful professional sports franchise in the city. The team is largely made up of veteran favorites like Erika de Souza and Armintie Price. Three-year Dream veteran and fan favorite, Angel McCoughtry is led the US Women’s Basketball team to a Gold Medal in the 2012 London Olympics.

The Atlanta Roller Girls roller derby league is a founding member of the WFTDA and features four home teams as well as three travel teams. Bouts, which are held at the Yarab Shrine Center, 400 Ponce de Leon Avenue, frequently sell out days in advance. Plan ahead and purchase tickets online at the Atlanta Roller Girls’ website.

The Atlanta Xplosion are a women’s professional full contact football team. The team’s season runs April through June.

If being a spectator isn’t your thing, you can get hot and sweaty with the Hotlanta Softball League. The city’s LGBTQ softball league has a women’s league with teams that accommodate all playing levels. If you are a beginner, you may want to start with the Fall league, which is purportedly more laid back.

Though technically not in the city of Atlanta, the Decatur Women’s Sports League provides competitive sports teams for women including softball, volleyball, tennis and bowling. While the league is not specifically targeted to queer women, it must be said that Decatur is known for having one of the most dense populations of queer women in the greater Atlanta area.

The College Scene

Emory University (1518 Clifton Rd NE), located in the North Druid Hills neighborhood, scores a 5/5 on the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index. Their Office of LGBT Life has been around since 1991 and sponsors a number of organizations for undergraduate and graduate students. Plus, the Center for Women at Emory hosts the following weekly discussion groups: Queer Women, Queer People of Color, and Queer Interfaith.

Larger, more urban campuses include Georgia Tech (225 North Ave) and Georgia State.

All-women’s liberal arts colleges in the area include Decatur’s Agnes Scott College (141 E. College Ave) and Spelman College (350 Spelman Lane SW), America’s oldest historically black college for women.

Furthermore, the Atlanta University Center Consortium (440 Westview Drive Southwest) is the largest consortium of African American higher educations, allowing students to cross-register for courses across its institutions. Its members include Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman. (Notable alumni: Martin Luther King Jr., Alice Walker, and both of Joy’s parents!)

Pride

Atlanta Pride is the largest pride festival in the southeast. Established in 1971, it’s one of the longest-running in the U.S. as well. It recently moved from early July to the 2nd weekend in October to coincide with National Coming Out Day (and so less people pass out from the heat). The weekend begins with a number of kick-off parties, Dyke March, Trans March, Atlanta Pride Literary Showcase, and a non-denominational Commitment Ceremony for couples who want to publicly pledge their commitment to each other. Sunday features the Annual Atlanta Pride Parade and the Pride Marketplace in Piedmont Park.

Atlanta Black Pride occurs annually during Labor Day weekend, and features community empowerment seminars and workshops, as well as what we can vouch for are pretty much the best dance parties ever. This is one of the largest Black Pride celebrations in the world, drawing a huge out-of-town crowd from the U.S. and beyond.

Pride entertainment information hasn’t been officially released yet, but past performers have included Brandy, Ciara, Nicki Minaj, and The Voice’s Beverly McClennan.

Places of Worship

Atlanta is a great place to participate in LGBT-friendly religious life. Official Pride partners include Saint Mark United Methodist Church (781 Peachtree Street NE), Trinity United Methodist Church (265 Washington Street SW), Virginia-Highland Church (743 Virginia Avenue NE), and Unitarian Universalists of North Georgia (11420 Crabapple Road, Roswell, GA).

The Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (48 Martin Luther King Junior Drive SW) hosts regular LGBT Pot Luck Socials to promote connectedness among their LGBT parishioners and welcome any LGBT person interested in knowing more about the church.

The Rainbow Center (4549 Chamblee Dunwoody Road) is a congregation of Jewish LGBT individuals that has been operating since 2001. They are located at the main office of Jewish Family & Career Services and features services addressing adoptions, homelessness, domestic violence, career counseling and more.

Community Resources

As the name suggests, Charis Books & More (1189 Euclid Avenue NE) is much more than a bookstore. Charis is the largest and oldest feminist bookstore in the South. Much of the programming at Charis Books is hosted through its Charis Circle not-for-profit arm. Charis Circle hosts the Cliterati Open No-Mic poetry night every third Thursday night, drawing some of the most talented local and national poets as well as a facilitated writers’ group. Other community-oriented programming provided by Charis Books and Charis Circle include T&F Transitionz for teens and young adults interested in exploring gender and a series on raising families in the black lesbian community.

The Health Initiative is dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of Georgia’s LGBTQ community. A new and notable program sponsored by The Health Initiative is Real Boi’s Talk, a program that focuses on the health issues of African American masculine-identified gay women. The Health Initiative also hosts Fourth Tuesday, a social network for women that hosts happy hours (ironically) every second Friday at Mixx (1492 Piedmont Avenue NE) from 6-8 p.m.

Restaurants

Atlanta has tons of great restaurants that can’t all be named, so the following is a list of queer-friendly or queer-owned restaurants. And it’s probably no coincidence that most of the restaurants on this list specialize in brunch!

Highland Bakery (various locations) is lesbian-owned and one of Atlanta’s most popular brunch spots. There are three locations in Old Fourth Ward, Midtown, and Buckhead neighborhoods. The original, Old Fourth Ward location is the most popular and the busiest – 655 Highland Ave NE #10.

The Flying Biscuit Cafe (various locations) has many locations throughout Atlanta, but the Midtown location (1001 Piedmont Avenue Northeast) is easily identified by the rainbow flag that hangs prominently from its facade. The is a popular queer meeting spot, especially for Saturday and Sunday brunch.

Einstein’s (1077 Juniper Street) (not the bagel chain) is another popular brunch spot for queer ladies. Like The Flying Biscuit Midtown, Einstein’s announces its gay-friendliness with a large rainbow flag.

Joe’s on Juniper (1049 Juniper Street) is another restaurant owned by the same restaurant group as Einstein’s, and is a popular watering hole and bar foot joint. While Joe’s appeals primarily to the guys, many queer ladies also frequent this Midtown gathering place.

Atlanta Lesbians on the Web

Atlanta boasts not one but two webseries dedicated to lesbian life in the city. Between Women is a fictional lesbian webseries that chronicles the relationships, friendships, and, of course, drama of a group of lesbian friends.

The Other Women of America is a reality webseries that features a diverse group of lesbians living in the Atlanta area. At one point, Atlanta Dream veteran Chamique Holdsclaw was listed as a cast member, although she does not currently appear in the promotional material. While the website features some clips and previews, the first season of the series seems to be still in production.

This article was brought to you by the hardworking people of Autostraddle, the world’s leading independently owned queer-lady website! If you loved it, you should donate to our bitchin’ fundraiser and be part of the revolution! We’ve got until September 7th to reach our new fundraising goal and you can read more about what’s in it for you here. Every little bit counts. Thank you!

Queer Girl Mini Guide: Miami, Florida

I’ve been to Miami once before. But it wasn’t like this.

I’m on this guided trip with other journalists, which is funny because I’m not a journalist. It’s the week of Aqua Girl®, a charity party week (not just any — the biggest) that we’ve covered here many times but I had never personally been to. I was excited to experience it, particularly because I’m a five-time Dinah Shore veteran and wanted to compare the two.

These other journalists are from other various queer publications and are here, like myself, to be shown the “new” Miami and how much better-than-before it is for us gays. There was Edgar from Colombia, Walter from Argentina (where gay marriage is legal, his partner and him have been together for 20 years, two years married now), Dana from Germany, and Lucy from England who was writing this piece for Diva Magazine.

We all had about 4 or 5 glorious days together. This is the breakdown of our trip:

Hotel Accommodations

The Lord’s Hotel, South Beach

A bright, welcoming, cozy hotel that caters specifically to LGBT market — the Lord’s Hotel is the only “gay” hotel in Miami! Though they welcome everyone obviously. This was my room:

I seriously loved this hotel so much. It’s colorful rooms, quaint size, awesome decor, intimate pool area, these room keys.

An added note: The Lord’s Hotel has “charity rooms” (which happens to be one of the rooms I’m staying in) where a percentage of the cost, when rented, goes back to the community. We’re here, we’re queer, and that’s how we fucking roll.

Surfcomber Hotel, Miami

A more central and better location situation than Lord’s, and much bigger. The Surfcomber Hotel has a beach area and a huge pool too, which is why it was the host hotel to the Aqua Girl pool parties.

Restaurants

The Dutch, at the W Hotel

The Dutch is a restaurant inspired by local cafes, country inns, corner taverns, neighborhood bistros, seaside shacks, roadside joints and the same mix of cultural influences that make Miami Beach great. We split a selection of appetizers around the table, all were awesome. And I had an Old Fashioned Blossom cocktail because I’m a gentleman like that. Dana and I bonded over this shared whiskey experience. They had a great selection here. She loved it so much she ended her meal with a fancy whiskey straight-up which was delicious and made me ashamed to have ever had whiskey with ice before. (New rule: don’t do that.)

Wynwood Kitchen & Bar

Killer. Located in a former warehouse, Wynwood Kitchen & Bar right in the heart of the up-and-coming Wynwood Art District which boasts crazy awesome amounts of street art in the area. When you eat here, you’re right in the middle of an art park surrounded by murals created by some of the coolest and most notorious street artists in the world. Even Wynwood’s 12 original drinks are named after the artists that contributed to its walls. The food is a variety of tasty small plates.

We got here by taking a vespa street art tour of the Wynwood area (details below), which I would highly recommend to anyone who plans to be in the greater Miami area. I was so happy to have seen a non-touristy cultural up-and-coming arts district — this other side of Miami I didn’t know existed.

Lantao Kitchen + Cocktails at The Surfcomber

Lantao‘s menu is based on Southeast Asian street food, served family-style so the idea is to share stuff among the table. Which is my favorite thing because I get to taste ALL the things. Specifically, the blue crab spring roll is probably the best spring roll I’ve ever had. I’d definitely come back to eat at Lantao, it’s a great dinner spot. Not too expensive (all dishes are shareable and most are under $20) and the cocktails are good.

BLT Steak, at the Betsy

The. Best. Tuna Tartare. Ever. I know we came here for steak, and of course it was like the best steak ever. But when you’re at a steak place you don’t assume they’ll have the best tuna tartare. I swear I would go to this place just for that. Do you know what tuna tartare is? Cause you really should! Also, BLT Steak automatically gives you cheese popovers to start your meal and this is important.

Here is a collage of all the various drinks (and one sandwich) I ingested at these restaurants and more in Miami:

Between Eating & Drinking

Miami’s LGBT Visitor Center

Miami’s LGBT Visitor Center is doing great things. The center exists inside the historic Old City Hall building and is a one-stop destination for information, publications, wireless internet access, LGBT events and they can give you attraction/accommodation recommendations for your stay.

We were brought here for a tour of the Miami LGBT Center space and met Cindy Brown, the center’s Executive Director who is also involved in most of the major gay events and activities in Miami. She is a longtime AIDS and arts activist, a member of Aqua Foundation for Women and for several years has co-chaired the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s Miami Recognition Dinner.

Wynwood Vespa Art Tour

By far my favorite thing we did on our trip was the Graffiti Vespa Tour of the Wynwood Arts District. Here the wall murals are legal and commissioned works of art. I’ve seriously never seen so much street art concentrated in one neighborhood. You get to ride a vespa for two hours and learn about the artists behind the work; famous artists like Space Invader, Shepard Fairey and others. The tour ends with lunch at Wynwood Kitchen & Bar (mentioned above).

Tour of Miami

This was such a great way to see the whole entire greater Miami area and learn some of its history. I love the History Channel so this was my jam. We went to Coral Gables, The Biltmore Hotel, Coconut Grove, Little Havana, Downtown Miami and walked along Miami Beach which is the best way to get a look at all the art deco-style architecture.

Aqua Girl Parties

There are two things about Aqua Girl® that sets it apart from other weekend girl parties you may or may not have been to:

1) Aqua Girl® is a 100% charity weekend, the biggest of it’s kind, which goes to benefit the Aqua Foundation for Women. Literally every dollar you spend here at any party or show or activity goes right back into the community. We’ve written about it in depth before, so for a complete break-down of the week’s terrific activities, check out: Miami is Nice for Aqua Girl®.

2) It happens in the heart of South Beach, Miami. Which is great because if you’re like myself and your threshold for partying maxes out at more than one party within 24 hours, then it’s cool cause you’re in Miami and can chill on the beach or go do the millions of other things that you can do in Miami. Drop in for a night or pool party, or go see the comedy show and you support a great cause at the same time, and you get to explore an amazing city the rest of the time.

I had an amazing time and I don’t even like party weekends. This one had a great vibe, the women so friendly and welcoming. I hear most of the ladies at this party come from the northeast (New York, New Jersey, etc.) down to Miami for the week to attend Aqua Girl® and get their vaycay on. I mean, in a city as great as Miami, I don’t see how you can’t have a good time. If you need to get away from the party scene, the beach is literally steps away. I’m not sure if Miami is the new gay mecca destination, but I’m excited to see what it becomes in the future. A lot has changed there and as the city grows (and grows outward) it will naturally become increasingly more gay-friendly and it’s definitely a fantastic gay-friendly vacation destination that I would totally put on my “getaway” list.

Queer Girl City Guide: Melbourne, Australia

I’ve been out in Melbourne since my early teens and I’ve danced, shopped, laughed, eaten, drank and smoked my way into my early 20s without ever losing my love for this city. Melbourne is safe and queer-friendly on the whole, with fantastic grungy areas to shop and eat scattered around the CBD. We’re a bit of a melting pot of British, European and Asian cultures and so our café culture is competitive which amps up the quality of coffee and food. Public transport can get you just about anywhere. I could never tell you everything that there is to do/see/adore because I still don’t know everything even after 23 years in one place.

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First and Most Importantly: Where to Dance

Melbourne queer venues and events are mostly mixed for lesbians, gays, trans* and their friends. We’re very attached to our lesbros here and any bar that tries to deny men entry quickly goes out of business. The key to a rich social life here is definitely to have the right facebook friends — all of the events and a few bars have their own pages that advertise when/where/what is on. Some of the best dance nights are not on regularly and they don’t always stay in the same bar so if you want to be where it’s happening, get on facebook!

There are several dance nights that are more or less once a month, on the north side of town or in the CBD.

Danceteria Party Every third Friday at Laundry (50 Johnston Street), this queer dance party packed to the hilt with hipsters in beanies and flannel shirts plays mostly RnB and Hip-hop.

Grouse Parté (various locations) Has a few different types of events and moves around a bit so definitely check their page. They’ve got more varied music ( think a mix of indie, retro and RnB) and thus different types of women for different tastes!

Lick (various locations) Lick prides themselves on unique events, so it’s different every time.

Pinkalicious (various locations) They hold varying events, but their Sundaylicious parties usually attract a slightly more mature, better-dressed crowd. Not to mention that their parties are always held at gorgeous venues. Check out their Facebook.

Tomboy The opposite of Sundaylicious. Tomboy is still finding its feet but is bound to improve.

Q: Is there an underage Dance Party?! A: Yes! Even the under-18s have a place to go and let it all hang out. Minus18 (various locations) has been operating for at least a decade now. I went as a miniature queerling and it’s still going strong with huge support from the community.

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Bars

Sircuit (103-105 Smith Street, Fitzroy) Free pool. Cheap drinks. Fab drag. Women are only allowed entry on Thursday and Sunday nights.

A Bar Called Barry (64 Smith Street, Fitzroy) They’ve got IQ Thursdays and queer dance night.

DnM Nightclub Bar (119 Commercial Road, Prahran) Open all week, DnMM does a packed Bounce RnB on a Saturday night. Other nights have food and themed shows.

Libation (302 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy) Looking for a laid-back Sunday evening drink? This is not it. I’m always surprised by how many people want to get their dance on, even on a Sunday.

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Now That You’re Danced Out…Other Events

ButchFemmeTrans a monthly catch-up at Hares and Hyenas (63 Johnston Street  Fitzroy) LGBTI book store.

Queer Melbourne Stitch’n’Bitch (various locations) a knitting group!

Lesbian Open House (681 Sydney Road, Brunswick) a lesbian discussion group on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of every month.

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Where To Eat and Shop

We don’t have a designated Gaybourhood in Melbourne, but with the obvious exception of 3am on the weekend (when it’s a bit dodgy to be on the streets alone regardless of your gender and sexual orientation), I’ve always felt safe walking the streets of Melbourne holding hands with a beautiful lady.

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Brunswick Street, Fitzroy

Easily accessible with the 112 tram, there’s lots of shopping to be done on Brunswick Street. For something that you won’t find anywhere else in Melbourne check out Polyester Books (330 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy); you’ll see the sandwich-board with an aroused manga schoolgirl in bondage out front). Vegie bar (380 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy) has some of the most interesting vegetarian and vegan food around and Bimbos (Corner Brunswick Street & Rose Street, Fitzroy) is a seriously awesome pub with cheap pizza and a hipster vibe.

Sydney Road, Brunswick

For the one-and-only lesbian café in Melbourne you’ve got to jump on a no. 19 tram in the city and head up Sydney Road to Empire Café (295 Sydney Road, Brunswick). They do a mean hangover breakfast and are conveniently located across the road from the Retreat (280 Sydney Road, Brunswick), a laid-back pub with fake grass, a pool table and occasional live music. Also on Sydney Road is the Cornish Arms (163A Sydney Road, Brunswick), where monthly Grouse queer dance parties are sometimes held.

Smith Street, Collingwood

The 86 Tram will get you to Smith Street, a grungy street that’s home to A Bar Called Barry (64 Smith Street) and Sircuit (103 Smith Street) for all your drinking/dancing/pool needs and a variety of vegetarian restaurants, $2 shops, vintage stores and In.cube8r, a store that sells jewellery by up-and-coming designers. Wilde Yak (97 Smith Street) has vegan food and designer beers. It’s a short walk to the Peel, the only gay bar that refuses women entry. Avoid it at all costs!

Chapel Street, Windsor

Chapel Street will forever hold my heart as the most wonderful place to be young and fabulous in Melbourne.

Just off Chapel on Commercial Road is DnM Nightclub/Bar (119 Commercial Road), one of Melbourne’s few bars that is equally friendly for gays, lesbians and trans* people all week round.

Eating on Chapel includes Tusk (133 Chapel Street), Yellow Bird (122 Chapel Street), Tyranny of Distance (147 Union Street) and Buddah’s Belly (75A Chapel Street) for breakfast, lunch and dinner, all with vegetarian options and great coffee. Lucky Coq (Chapel Street & High Street) has cheap, delicious pizza in the evenings and afternoons. Borsch, Vodka and Tears (173 Chapel Street) has spectacular cocktails and hearty Russian food. Mad Mex (129 Chapel Street) has the best Melbourne has to offer in Mexican food.

Many of the cafes as well as the bars have happy ‘hour’ from 4-8, such as Wonderland (right next to Windsor train station on the Sandringham line) which also has outdoor heaters and couches, and Holy Grail which has sneakily circumvented the smoking laws and basically allows you to smoke inside.

The next best things to eating and drinking are the Op Shops (thrift stores) which are scattered along the Windsor end of chapel street and have fantastic quality clothes, and make looking your best a very cheap prospect.

Important tip about Australian dining: Tipping is not a thing here. If you go somewhere really top-notch then you might tip 10%, but regular cafes and restaurants don’t expect you to tip. Drop some pocket change in the tip jar at the register if you’re feeling generous.

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Get fit! (or watch people doing it, and feel fitter)

The Australian Football League, or AFL, is locally known as Aussie Rules or ‘footy.’ Professionally, it is our national pastime and is sexist and gross but word on the street is that the Victorian Women’s Football League is where the hot fit ladies play. It’s a winter sport so for us that’s the middle of the year. To join a club with known out ladies, check out the St Kilda Sharks.

Roller Derby has taken off in Melbourne and the games were selling out so fast that they had to move the matches further out of the city to a bigger stadium. There are massive waiting lists to get onto teams and it’s virtually impossible to get a ticket unless you know a player. If you’re really keen, though, best of luck to you!

Other sports reported to be packed to the brim with queers:

Touch Football
Hockey (a cool article about equality in hockey)
Soccer (the website says ‘football’ but it is actually soccer)

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College! (or as we say down under, Uni!)

Rather than listing the numerous educational institutions that are accessible from the CBD by public transport (there are so many and most major universities have multiple campuses all over the state) I’ll give you UniLodge, the easiest way to find accommodation right next to the place you want to study. As far as cost, well, it’s affordable by Melbourne standards. (If you’re not a student check out Gumtree, our version of craigslist.)

All Unis that I’m aware of have a queer department of varying amazingness and life on campus could not be more queer friendly. Look to the union building or campus centre for info.

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Health

The Gay and Lesbian Switchboard (9663 2939) is a valuable telephone counseling, referral and information service for the LGBTI community. They also provide specific support for other minority groups within the community and for family and friends.

Drummond Street Services (177 Drummond Street, Carlton) is basically a mental health service with a primary focus is on youth and family relationships.

The Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (580 Swanston Street, Carlton) is the place to go for testing and treatment of STIs.

The Northside Clinic (370 St. Georges Road, Fitzroy) is a General Practice specifically focused on the health of the LGBTI community.

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Midsumma and Pride

Our Midsumma Pride celebration is not just about marching and partying, it’s a full-on arts and culture festival with theatre and visual arts at the centre, book-ended by Carnival on the 13th of January and Pride March on the 3rd of February. Carnival includes performers, stalls and grassy hills to picnic on and Pride March ends with a very chilled party by the bay.

So, now that you’ve danced, eaten, played, gotten healthy, bought books and clothes and hopefully met some rad people along the way, the last thing you need to know is that the joke Melbournians make about living in Melbourne is that our city has “four seasons in one day.” So grab a jumper (sweater) and don’t be surprised if you leave the house in the rain and come home sunburnt.

Queer Girl City Guide: Sydney, Australia

After a four-year stint in Autostraddle’s top American lesbianish city (the incomparable Northampton, Massachusetts), I thought I had developed impossibly high queer-friendliness expectations for every future place I’d inhabit. Then I found Sydney. Indeed, the land of adorable marsupials, rugged and beautiful beaches, and (almost) constant great weather is also a magical land of lesbians. Added bonus: many of them have cute accents and enjoy surfing. Of course, Australia shares the U.S.’s regional disparities on queer acceptance and many people, particularly in the country’s vast rural interior, are very socially conservative. Gay marriage remains illegal here. Nevertheless, it’s tempting to forget that any queer-unfriendliness exists when you’re in Sydney’s Inner West: a group of neighborhoods right outside downtown where lesbian couples often seem more the norm than heterosexual ones (okay, that may be slight hyperbole, but you certainly don’t have to think twice about walking hand in hand with your partner).

Of course, like any city, the Sydney lesbian scene has its drawbacks. I’ve heard many complaints about the disconnect between young and older queer populations. Because the legal drinking age is 18, you’ll come across lots of baby dykes at most girls’ events, and by their mid-20’s, many women have burned out on the scene. Although some events are designed specifically for slightly older women, these are dominated by the 30-plus crowd and it can be difficult to find women in their mid- to late-20’s. The perennial complaint — that it’s impossible to meet anyone at a club — still rings true. But I’ve found that options for meeting women are varied and plentiful here if you look hard enough: the party rages on Oxford Street and at many monthly girls nights and a few low-key events also cater to those who prefer to socialize over a cup of coffee rather than tequila shots. Even the online lesbian community is active and welcoming. Although I have only called Sydney home for a year, I can confidently proclaim this among the top lesbian-friendly cities in the world and certainly worth a visit for far more than the Opera House.

But first things first: it would just be wrong to begin any description of Sydney without mentioning the number one activity you just have to do as soon as you arrive here. Take the ferry from Circular Quay (pronounced key) to Manly. At 30 minutes and $7 one-way, there’s no better way to see (and photograph) the Opera House and Harbour Bridge from every angle. You’ll end up in the delightful, if touristy, suburb of Manly, where Aussie surfing culture is plentiful and beautiful tanned people abound. To escape the crowds, do some bushwalking around Sydney Harbour National Park (59-61 Goulburn Street) and discover elevated points with some of the best views of the Sydney skyline. If you can manage a ferry trip during sunset, even better. I’ve been on the ferry dozens of times now and views of the stunning skyline get me teary-eyed every time.

Okay, now back to (queer) business.

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The Best Lesbian Neighborhoods

With a central business district that is surprisingly small and at times devoid of character (besides, of course, the spectacular harbor and surrounding area), Sydney’s charm lies in its surrounding neighborhoods (or suburbs, as they’re called here, despite being totally urban). Fortunately, there are just way too many gay-friendly neighborhoods to describe without expanding this post into book-form. I’ll highlight a few of my favorites, but the list is by no means exhaustive.

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Newtown/Enmore

The local mecca of lesbians, Newtown boasts weekly girls nights (see below), funky coffee shops, organic markets, several independent theaters (live and movies), some of the best Thai food in Sydney and all-around queer-friendliness. Although it’s just a 10-minute train trip or bus ride to the city’s center (the central business district or CBD) and under half an hour to some of the city’s most famous beaches, it’s tempting to never leave this virtually perfect neighborhood.

King Street serves as Newtown’s major artery, beginning at the line of St. Peters (another queer-friendly, but not as exciting area), and ends just before the University of Sydney. On it — and the streets that shoot off it it — you will find everything a lesbian would ever need. You can drink the night away at one of the many pubs, grab a “recovery” brunch (Thick Aussie bacon, eggs, toast, and chips — french fries) at one of the cute cafes the next morning, take your dog to Camperdown Park (Federation Road) dog park (frequented by many an attractive androgynous lesbian), take in a movie at the Dendy (261-263 King Street), and just about anything else. Newtown has a distinctive alternative and hipster flare, so it’s also a fabulous place for people watching.

Among my favorite haunts are Berkelouw Books Café (6-8 O’Connell Street): part new and used bookstore, part café (with some of the best coffee in the area) and part ramen bar. Live jazz on Wednesday afternoons always draws a crowd. Newtown Thai (177 King Street) serves up some of the best Thai in the Newtown (for just $6.50 for a heaping mound of noodles or stir-fry during lunch). Gould’s Arcade (32 King Street), near the top end of King Street, is a monstrous warehouse-sized used book store that requires a full day to fully experience. King Street is also home to Vinnie’s (187 King Street), the op shop of the St. Vincent’s society, where it’s possible to find many hidden gems in with the dowdy stuff (if you’re on a budget, buying used is one of the only ways to avoid Australia’s ridiculously high prices on items such as clothing and books). There’s also more hipster clothing than you could possibly ever need. Ever.

No fewer than 15 pubs, each with a unique culture and patronage, line the 2-3 km expanse of King Street: some are dives that mostly play host to seedy older men who enjoy daytime gambling (or the pokies, as they’re called here), others are more hip and hold weekly trivia nights and cocktail happy hours (which are necessary in such an expensive place). Most see their fair share of queers. Right off King Street, The Courthouse Hotel (202 Australia Street) has one of the best outdoor beer gardens in the area, is home to weekly crab racing on Wednesdays and is usually full of lesbians. It also serves up a great pub meal. For a good drink in a fun and more intimate atmosphere, steer clear of the pub and head to Jester Seeds (127 King Street), Kuleto’s (157 King Street), or Corridor (153a King Street).

Adjacent Enmore is more alternative than Newtown, but I’ve lumped it in here because, like it or not, it’s also gradually losing its edge. Here you’ll find the best cheap Indian food in Sydney at Faheem’s Fast Food (194-196 Enmore Road), where cabbies line up late at night after they finish their shifts. Enmore is also home to some of the best artisan gelato in the city: at Cow and Moon (181 Enmore Road) there’s a gelato-making lab in the back and they switch their flavors often. If you’re looking to impress a date, take them to the swanky Green Room (156 Enmore Road), where bartenders get creative with dozens of funky and tasty cocktails (be prepared to spend about $20 a pop, though). There’s usually live music going as well.

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Erskineville

Newtown’s neighbor to the South, Erskineville (referred to as Erko by people in the know) serves as home to many older lesbians and those seeking a more subdued pub scene with small-town charm. Although its center is less than a 10-minute walk from busy King Street, Erskineville feels like a world apart with relaxed cafes that spill out onto streets and bars that tend to close much earlier than their Newtown counterparts. Its small one- or two-bedroom homes make it a family friendly locale.

The Erskineville Pub (102 Erskineville Road) serves up some of the best pub grub around and has several tragically hot queer bartenders you can lust after while waiting for food. Erko is also home to the famous Imperial Hotel (35 Erskineville Road), featured in the cult movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. It’s a three-floor gay venue that’s frequented by lesbians and hosts a monthly girls night on the basement dance floor, complete with stage and stripper poles. Although the Imperial is far past its golden days (it used to be the Sydney party spot for gay men), it can still be a fun night out, even if it’s not as busy as one might like.

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Darlinghurst

The neighborhood that is home to the gay club hub, Oxford Street, is expectedly dominated by gay men. Although the Oxford strip itself is lined with pubs, clubs, sex shops, and late-night kebab stalls and not especially pleasant in the daylight, some of Darlinghurst’s residential areas are beautiful. Its proximity to the city and nightlife make it a highly sought-after and quite expensive area. It can get a little seedy at night, however, especially at its border with Kings Cross: Sydney’s notorious red light district. Increasingly, queers are abandoning Darlinghurst in favor of the Inner West as Oxford Street venues become increasingly mixed and straight yuppies move in.

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Marrickville

Marrickville is everything that Newtown used to be, namely (fairly) affordable, artsy, alternative and ethnically diverse. Though it’s farther West than Newtown and Enmore, and therefore less convenient to the city, it comes highly recommended by many lesbians. A small Portuguese enclave serves up some of the best food in the city, and the main strip is reminiscent of Newtown’s. The Marrickville Organic and Farmers Market (142 Addison Road), held every Sunday, is among the most popular in Sydney and full of delicious produce.

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Leichardt

The former Newtown, and affectionately called Dykehardt, Sydney’s Italian quarter has seen better days. The major strip is a short section of Norton Street, which, in my view, doesn’t have much worth recommending. There are still plenty of lesbians around, but they tend to be older.

As for the rest of Inner West — you really can’t go wrong, it’s all gay-friendly.

Next: Nightlife, Pride, bookstores and more!

Queer Girl City Guide: Philadelphia, PA

By Laura, Kaitlyn, Lynne, Megan and Kara

Oh Philadelphia, you strange, wonderful city. You toy with our hearts. For every reason we adore you, there are four more things we despise. We love you even when we don’t love you and always try to see the good in you.

Kaitlyn and Lynne grew up with you and learned how to handle your whims early on. They see you differently than the rest of us do; you’re part of them. When we’ve talked about you, it’s hard not to see you as that two-faced family member; familiar but distant, loved but not always loving, able to light up a room but man, when the lows hit, they’re low.

I grew up in Northeast Philly. It’s a predominately white, working class/middle class area. Northeast Philly actually attempted to secede in the 80s, due to racial and income differences. I grew up in Mayfair and went to Catholic grade school and my family participated in the white flight to the suburbs, where my parents still live. I love Philly. It’s hard to explain. I know it’s shitty in parts and messed up a lot, but I truly think that overall it still tries to be good. (Kaitlyn)

Megan and Laura came later, and then left. Kara learned how to handle you and stayed on.

I came to Philadelphia on the wings of my righteous indignation at having been forced to be born and grow up in small-town Virginia. Philly is a tough, tough city, but when I visited for my college auditions, all I saw were the lights. I still remember looking out onto Broad Street from my hotel room — it was probably midnight, but there were people! And cars! And people in cars, and coming from the subways, and leaving the jazz club, and it all just seemed too great to a kid who used to hang out with her girlfriend in the parking lot of her high school theatre, ’cause there was nowhere else to go. When I walked through what I would later learn was the Gayborhood, there were murals with women holding hands. There were gay dance clubs. Hell, there were rainbows on the street signs. I heard angels singing.

I left Philly last summer, after I graduated from college, and by the time I bounced, I fucking hated it. I had seen through the lights into the problems that are both universal to cities and uniquely Philadelphian — shitty public transportation, absurdly high crime rates, and crumbling infrastructure in the parts of the city where white people don’t live and tourists don’t go (yeah, North Philly, I’m looking at you). I’m in DC now, about to start grad school, and while I miss Philly now that I’m gone, I’m glad to be starting a new chapter. At the end of the day, though, I’ll never forget how I felt when I saw a gay newspaper for the first time; I was walking down the street on my first ever visit to Philly, and there it was, sitting in a newspaper box on the sidewalk, like it was any old thing — like it was normal for gays to have a paper just for them. For all the shit Philly gave me over the years, I’ll never forget that the paper was astonishing, a revelation; that the murals on the buildings were revolutionary, and that the rainbows on the street signs felt like home. (Megan)

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Hoods Galore

The Official Gayborhood (Chestnut to Pine, Broad to 11th) Philadelphia’s got a serious Gayborhood. We’re talking rainbow street signs, bathhouses, and a florist named PHAG (that’s Philadelphia Home and Garden in case you were wondering). As is the case with plenty of gay places, the Gayborhood is pretty boy-centric, but that’s never stopped me from having fun there. It’s got bars galore, gay pizza, and is home to most of the gay organizations around the city. The Washington West Project offers free walk-in HIV/AIDS testing which isn’t a bad way to spend a Saturday morning if you ask me. After talking with a friendly/ understanding/ knowledgable counselor for a few minutes and getting your instant results, you can head next store to More Than Just Ice Cream to celebrate your responsible decision-making.

Center City (Market to South) Center City is home to the inarguably-beautiful city hall, Sesame Street-esque brownstones in quiet neighborhoods and some categorically nasty rich people in the swankier parts. It’s definitely one of the more expensive parts of the city, but with easy access to public transportation and a million and one options for things to do, it’s a good place to meet up with friends from across the city.

Northern Liberties/Fishtown (North of Spring Garden, East of 5th) Fishtown is hipster paradise in Philadelphia. Directly northeast of Center City, it’s definitely not to be confused with Northeast Philadelphia. The area’s undergone relatively recent gentrification, which means it’s a mix of brand-new 20-something-occupied apartments and obviously abandoned decrepit buildings. Overall, Fishtown occupies two conflicting polls in its residents.  Long-time residents tend to be conservative and at times closed-minded while newer, younger residents tend toward the opposite. Like most gentrified areas, Northern Liberties and Fishtown are home to plenty of bustling bars and restaurants.

South Philadelphia (South of South) While Center City and Northern Liberties/Fishtown tend to be overwhelmingly white, South Philadelphia is home to a little more ethnic diversity. It’s always been a neighborhood of immigrants, which means that Polish and Italian enclaves have given way to Mexican and Chinese neighborhoods as patterns in immigration have changed. That’s not to say everything’s a rainbow of happiness; Joey Vento of Geno’s Steaks, a Passyunk institution, is well-known for his English-only policies and has been seen (and heard) driving around the streets in a truck covered in signs that announce his xenophobia. But don’t let that scare you away; South Philly’s got neighborhoods full of families, schools that are doing all the right things and — most importantly — the Italian Market.

West Philadelphia (Across the river) West Philadelphia is a world unto its own. It’s got a vibe that’s totally different from the rest of the city, UPenn and its surrounding institutions/mythology and a crazy system of trolleys to make up for the total lack of subways. I’ve heard great things about it, but unfortunately never spent much time west of the Schuylkill.

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Snack Attack

Bonte (multiple locations along Walnut) Once upon a time, I was 20 and needed something to take girls out to since “drinks” was off the table and “coffee” is boring. As it turns out, asking girls on dates to waffles does the trick. Bonte makes gooey Belgian waffles that you can top with fruit, syrups or ice cream and is as good of a place to study as it is to flirt.

Chapterhouse Café and Gallery (620 South 9th Street) This place could easily become a home away from home. Half art gallery/half coffee shop, Chapterhouse is where I go to daydream, to study, work on freelance gigs, or share a few laughs with friends. Pets are just as welcome as people, and the drinks and snacks are the perfect pick-me-ups. From healthy wraps and sandwiches to fruit smoothies and magical combinations of assorted caffeinated beverages, Chapterhouse will leave you wanting more. One down side: make sure you have cash; there’s a ten dollar minimum for cards. Also, if you like noisy coffee shops filled with chatter and organized chaos, this place is probably not for you. While I have seen my fair-share of knitting circles and small group meetings, more often than not Chapterhouse will feel like a study hall (you know, if study hall had large beautiful windows, wood floors, brick walls and cool background music).

Little Baby’s Ice Cream 
Little Baby’s Ice Cream was born in May 2011 when three Philadelphians with no background in food decided they wanted to make ice cream. In the summer months, the guys of Little Baby’s ride their custom tricycle around the city offering fun and delicious hand-made flavors to excite your taste buds like Earl Grey Sriracha, Balsamic Banana, Strawberry Pink Peppercorn, Peanut Butter Maple Tarragon, Birch Beer Vanilla Bean, Bourbon Bourbon Vanilla and Yerba Mate. This summer they’ll be replacing the coat check at Union Transfer and setting up a pop-up ice cream shop to scoop up delicious treats for sweaty show-goers.

We also like The 
Franklin Fountain (116 Market Street) for old-fashioned fancy desserts, Leotah’s Place Coffeehouse (2033 East York Street), Red Hook (
765 South 4th Street), Good Karma Cafe (331 South 22nd Street)
 for a mood-lifter, Cups and Chairs
 (703 South 5th Street) for a cup of tea tea and The Milkcrate Cafe (400 East Girard Avenue) for a coffee shop with a personality and a blog.

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Too Much On My Plate

Audrey Claire (276 South 20th Street) Want 5 good reasons to go to Audrey Claire? I’ve got them. 1: It’s owned by a woman. Do you know how rare that is in the world of Serious Food? 2: It’s BYOB and right across the street from one of the only places in Philadelphia where you can buy a 6 pack of beer at a decent price. 3: It’s in one of the prettiest little neighborhoods in the city. 4: The food is really, really good.

Lorenzo’s (900 Christian Street) Sober, Lorenzo’s has one of the best slices of pizza you’ll ever eat. Drunk, Lorenzo’s is an oasis of cheap and delicious food that is totally worth the entry into what I can only describe as the establishment’s antagonistic house-of-mirrors decor.

Sabrina’s (910 Christian Street) On weekend mornings, the line for Sabrina’s wraps around the block. But that’s only because it’s worth getting up for. Their french toast (which is made out of two HUMUNGOUS slices of challah bread stuffed with bananas and cream cheese and covered in vanilla syrup) is hands down totes praise god almighty the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth.

PYT (1050 North Hancock Street) PTY specializes in burgers of any and all persuasions. I’ve eaten all of the vegetarian burgers offered on the menu and can honestly say that they’re all delicious. Adult milkshakes are $10-$12 each, but they are so worth the cash. At night, the fun, loud atmosphere explodes and it turns into a bar with a dance floor

Cantina: Dos Segundos (931 North 2nd Street) and Cantina Los Caballitos (1651 East Passyunk Avenue) ( If you like Mexican food and margaritas, this is the place for you. Dos Segundos devotes an entire page to various brands and types of tequila and margaritas and mojitos are available by the glass or pitcher.  Kaitlyn recommend the nachos with vegan beef for dinner and mango mojito for your cocktail. Laura recommends the prickly pear frozen margarita and lots and lots of chips and salsa verde. On Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant is packed, but if you don’t mind waiting they’re usuallybe able to seat you quickly. Laura’s special hipster alert: If you’re friends with the servers, you’re golden; otherwise, watch out. My roommate used to get free margaritas by the pitcher while I was once served tequila and water when I ordered a whiskey sour because, according to the bartender they’re “a mexican bar.”

Other options for sustenance include Morning Glory Diner (734 South 10th Street) Royal Tavern (937 East Passyunk Avenue) which I hear has a bangin’ grilled cheese, the Memphis Taproom (2331 East Cumberland Street) and  Honey’s Sit’N’Eat (800 North 4th Street) for bubbe-style eating.

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Dance, Drink, Play

Sisters (1320 Chancellor Street) The lone lesbian bar in the city isn’t necessarily our fist recommendation. The first floor is the mainly just a bar and some tables while the second floor has the dance floor. Being the only lesbian bar, it’s where lesbians tend to go to meet a hookup/girlfriend/anything between. For that reason, it’s a bit of a meat market.  When I’ve gone, I have always felt as if I was being watched.  If you decide to brave it, aim for Thursdays and Saturdays as they’re busiest nights.

Tavern on Camac (243 South Camac Street) My best friends during my last two years of college were 3 gay boys which means we spent a lot of time at Tavern. The bottom floor is a piano bar filled with wonderful queeny older guys while the upstairs is home to a very tiny and very packed dance floor. It’s tricky to find, but as long as you follow the little groups of people you can’t go wrong.

Woody’s (1309 Sansom Street) Home to the only 18+ night in the city, Woody’s tend to draw a sizeable crowd. You’ll have to pay a $5 cover ($10 if you’re underage) if you want to dance, but I’ve always had a good time.

Stimulus (every 3rd Friday at different bars) Stimulus bills itself as the largest and most diverse women’s party in the Northeast. They’re not just talk; the couple of times I’ve been it’s been bursting at the seems with every type of women (and a few men) you could imagine. And not just women, fine women. Fine women who wanted to talk and dance and do more than play the age-old game of lesbian stare-down.

Vixens and Vagabonds: Queer & Kinky Cabaret by Liberty City Kings (Tabu, 200 South 12th Street) Vixens and Vagabonds is a bimonthly drag and burlesque show. It’s sexy, funny, raunchy, and a million other things. It’s hard to explain in words how much fun I’ve had there. Just go if you’re in town.

Kraftwork (541 East Girard Avenue) This is the place to go if you like beer.  The beers on tap and in bottle change all the time so I suggest ordering a flight to try new beers. The atmosphere is awesome and Kraftwork definitely merges the young and the old well. Customers are of every age and long-time residents are mixed in with newer ones. It definitely does a good job of catering to everyone in the neighborhood.

Barcade (1114 Frankford Avenue) What started as the result of a group of nostalgic 20-somethings in New York looking to start their own business, Barcade combines the friend’s favorites: craft beer and classic arcade games. In 2004, Barcade opened in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and in 2011 opened it’s doors inPhiladelphia. Barcade has a solid beer menu of reasonably priced drinks and offers a trip back to your childhood for 25-cents per game. What more could you ask for?

Frankford Hall (1210 Frankford Avenue) USA Today called Stephen Starr the “it-guy” of the Philadelphia food scene. It’s pretty accurate; his quirky tightly-branded atmospheric restaurants can be found in almost every pocket of the city. Starr’s newest venture, Frankford Hall, branches into the Fishtown, an area of the city previously untouched by the Starr enterprise. The indoor/outdoor beer garden is the perfect way to pass away the afternoon. Play an intense game of jenga, drink an oversized German beer, and roast $1 smores with your friend’s around a fire-pit.

We’ve also been known to hit up iCandy (254 South 12th Street), the Gayborhood’s newest bar, Tattooed Mom (520 South Street), Lickety Split (401 South Street), Bob and Barbara’s (1509 South Street) for drag shows and National Mechanics (22 South 3rd Street) for dancing and karaoke.

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Sha-Sha-Shake It

World Cafe Live (3025 Walnut Street) Overlooking the Schuykill River and sitting comfortably close to University of Pennsylvania’s campus, World Café Live is home to WXPN Radio studios as well as a restaurant and music venue that is unique to the city. Upon entering World Café Live, the upstairs portion of the space is home to a ritzy café with a small stage for an intimate dining and entertainment experience while the downstairs stage houses larger acts and accommodates more people. Events include music acts, story slams, neo-burlesque shows, dance parties and more! Most recently, World Café hosted an adult Easter-Egg Hunt and hid 12 plastic eggs around the city, each including tickets to upcoming shows.

Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden Street) Philadelphia music venues hold a special place in many local’s hearts. Newest to the scene is Union Transfer, located in the well-known “old Spaghetti Warehouse” at 10th and Spring Garden Streets. The venue, which maintains an enormous amount of  character and furnishing from the original building combined with a kick-ass sound system brings an amazing new concert space to Philadelphia, fully equipped with air-conditioning (that’s a big deal!), multiple bars, cheap tickets (averaging 15 bucks)  and all-age access.

You can also check out shows that Johnny Brendas (1201 Frankford Avenue) in Fishtown and the North Star Bar (2639 Poplar Street) in Fairmount.

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Shopping for Your Insides

The Italian Market (9th Street from South to Passyunk) Ahhh, the Italian Market. It’s got a little bit of everything. The east side of the street is filled with mostly fruit, vegetable, meat and seafood vendors while the west side has mostly shops. The food runs the gamut from Jamaican to Vietnamese to Mexican (not to mention Italian) which means that if you can find it in Philadelphia, you can find it here.

Reading Terminal Market (51 North 12th Street) If I can find a market half a good as this in the cities I move to, I’ll be lucky. I come here to buy most of my produce (Iovine’s near the back right corner has everything plus granola, dried fruit, and nuts and gives a student discount on Wednesdays and Sundays) but they’ve also got at least two cheese shops, a spice store, bakeries, honey, jewelry, ice cream, handmade soaps, bookstores, and dozen of little restaurants that serve every cuisine imaginable.

Food and Friends (1933 Spruce Street) This place has got a great name and it’s probably one of the prettiest grocery store I’ve ever visited. Despite Pennsylvania’s asinine liquor laws (which make it so that you can’t sell beer and wine in the same store, beer is only available by the case or carry out from bars at bar prices, liquor stores are closed on Sundays, you can’t sell beer or wine in grocery stores), Food and Friends somehow managed to squeeze in an entire aisle of beer by the bottle so that you can create your own six pack or just buy a single bottle on your way home at night.

Trader Joe’s (2121 Market Street) I know it’s a chain, but knowing where the closest Trader Joe’s is is an important thing to know about any city. The food and the prices are the same all over the country, so if you’re dying to get that three-layer hummus while you’re on vacation, you know you can find it here.

Green Aisle Grocery (1618 E. Passyunk Avenue) It’s easy to fall in love with Green Aisle Grocery, and not because the brothers behind the tiny boutique supermarket are sweeter than pie. It’s my neighborhood go-to for cooking necessities. Why? I like shopping and eating conscientiously and that’s what they’re all about. While they manage to stock locally sourced staple items like seasonal produce and pastured eggs (laid just a few miles outside the city), Green Aisle also does a respectable job of supporting other local small businesses by carrying a selection of their favorite goods.

Sexploratorium (62o South Street) We mostly just think we’re hiLARious. But yeah, check it out.

Essene Market (719 S. 4th Street) Essene Market is like a small mom-and-pop Whole Foods, but better. Definitely shop here if you’re a health-nut searching for natural and wholesome foods, but if you’re natural style of living extends far beyond your refrigerator, don’t fret, Essene has got you covered.  From locally made, fair trade and organic soaps and beauty products to  stainless steel lunch containers and earth-friendly shoes, Essene is sure to delight. However, do be warned, you’re likely to spend a pretty penny in here. My suggestion? Save money and buy your staple items a few blocks away at the ever-so-wonderful and cheap Italian Market, and buy the extra special and hard to find items at Essene.

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Shopping For Your Outsides

Sazz Vintage Warehouse (60 North 3rd Street) Sazz sells mostly men’s vintage clothes, although they’ve recently added more women’s stuff to their collection. They have an “emphasis on disco and rockabilly shirts,” which sounds to me like the right place to go if you’re a flamboyant boi in the market for something fresh.

Coeur (132 South 17th Street) Coeur is a bit of a mystery to me, but in the best way possible. I’ve never made it there, but I’ve heard storied of women who walk into the shop, only to be accosted by a woman who demands that they strip from the waist up, looks them up and down for a minute or two, walks away and then returned with an armfull of perfectly-fitting bras. Sign me up!

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Pressed In A Book

Mostly Books (529 Bainbridge Street) Mostly books it just what is sounds like. They’ve got stacks on stacks (on stacks) of books along side random family photographs, a couple of odds and ends and more cassette tapes than I’ve seen since the ’90s. If you’re looking for a new hobby but aren’t sure where to start, Mostly Books probably has something for you; their non-fiction section is expansive and, to be honest, weird. I’ve found everything from Arabic language workbooks to books on how to tell if your cat is depressed.

Giovanni’s Room (345 South 12th Street) You’ve heard tell of such places—places where gay section isn’t sandwiched between Cultural Studies and Sociology, but is, in fact, the entire store. Places where every gay movie you’ve ever heard of and all the ones you haven’t are sold, where the trans literature is next to the gay, which is next to the lesbian, which is next to the queer history—we have a history!—that you never learned but have been dying for.

My friends, welcome to Giovanni’s Room. Giovanni’s Room is the oldest gay bookstore in the country. That’s right—New York and San Francisco can step aside, because as far as queer literature goes, Philly has had you covered since 1973. Named for celebrated gay author James Baldwin’s second novel, Giovanni’s Room has more than 7,000 titles in the store, and a database of over 48,000. You didn’t know there was that much gay stuff in the world, did you?

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Maintaining Your Alternative Lifestyle Look

Infinite (626 South 4th Street) Infinite was one of the country’s first shops devoted exclusively to piercing and man do they take their craft seriously. I’ve had my last 2 piercings done by the guys and gals here and I can tell you that they are approachable, professional and badass. Like any piercer should be.

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Get Schooled

After Boston, Philadelphia’s the city with the most universities in the country. In north Philadelphia, you’ve got Temple University, the city’s largest. Down in center city, there’s UArts, Ai, PAFA, and Moore for the artsy kids and the Community College of Philadelphia. West Philadelphia’s got Drexel and UPenn (which share a campus) as well as USP, and Villanova and Philadelphia University are over in the suburbs.

Your People

GALAEI: Gay and Lesbian Latino AIDS Education Initiative GALAEI devotes its time raising awareness on the issues that affect the Latino LGBT communities. It provides HIV/STI testing and counseling, sexual education for LGBT youth, LGBT sensitivity training for Latino organizations as well as many other services.  All services are free, confidential and bilingual.

The Mazzoni Center Besides functioning as a health center, the center offer support groups, trans* care, educational services, and legal services.

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Festivals and Celebrations

National Coming Out Day/Outfest (October) Philadelphia has more gay festivals than I can even count. While other cities get out all their gay joy in the summer, October brings the homos back into the spotlight in Philly. It’s one giant block party that celebrates with parties, community groups and food.

Trans Health Conference (May) The Trans Health Conference is an annual conference put on by Mazzoni Center for transgender people, their families and allies. Its emphasis is primarily on the accessibility of quality healthcare for transgender people. The conference is held over three days and is workshop based. Attendees can pick and choose which workshops to attend and it’s recommended to register for desired workshops. This year, the conference offered a ‘Transgender Education Certificate Course’ for healthcare providers interested in the primary care of adult and pediatric transgender patients, which is pretty cool.

Equality Forum (May) In addition to regular big-city Pride events, Philly sports an educational LGBT organization: Equality Forum. While no gay group would be complete without a festival of some kind, EQF fields a group of free panels every spring before they host their throwdown. Panel topics range from politics and family planning to law and religion. EQF also hosts a fancy dinner before the festival which attracts all the wealthy Philadelphia/New York gays and always features a big name speaker. If you like to hobnob with fancy people but don’t have $200 to spend on a dinner at which you’ll be the youngest attendee by 10+ years, EQF sponsors roughly 100 college students per year. Wine is included.

Finally, and best of all, the EQF LGBT History Month website features a different LGBT icon for every day of said month. They’ve been doing this since 2006, and haven’t run out of people yet—that’s 186 icons and counting, which is more gays than I knew existed when I was a kid.

Pride (June) Obviously. Philly Pride takes place on Penn’s Landing following a parade that runs through the city. I’ve never actually been due to a combination of the $10 entrance fee and my work schedule, but Pride is Pride, right?

Philadelphia Science Festival (April) It’s not gay per se, but it’s super nerdy. This year was its the second year and it. Was. Wonderful.

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The Bad and the Ugly

SEPTA = INEPTA Septa is terrible as far as mass transit in major cities goes.  The subway system is a cross with ‘regional rail’ trains going around it. It sucks. I hate it, but it’s all there is in Philly.  What major city transit system provides paper transfers and operates on tokens? Seriously. What are we, an arcade? On the bright side, they finally did away with the gendered TransPasses which were the most nonsensical, heteronormative, gender-policing stupid thing ever.

Flashmobs were also a pretty serious thing in Philly for a few years. A bunch of high schoolers will call a twitter flashmob, but instead of doing a choreographed sing-a-long or doing some fancy magic trick, they would just tear shit up and block roads.

Philadelphia’s pretty diverse, but it’s also pretty racially divided. See all those little pink dots? Those are white people. And blue dots? Those are black people. You can basically pick out Broad Street on this map even though there’re no actually roads drawn on it. Le sigh.

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Museums and Other Joys

The Philadelphia Museum of Art (26th Street Benjamin Franklin Parkway) Everytime that I have gone, I have cried. I love going. It may not be the biggest art museum, but it is fantastic. The first Sunday of the month is free. Well you pay what you want, but still.

Art After Five (PMA) Every Friday, the Philadelphia Museum of Art hosts Art After Five, a live entertainment series. The first one I went to was Bhangra night, which involved a rad DJ, shows from local dance studios and lots and lots of dancing. Coming soon are an all-women’s chamber ensemble and a Brazilian dance night. It’s fun in the name of culture.

The Franklin Institute (222 North 20th Street) It’s science, you guys! The Franklin Institute has a giant heart that you can walk through, an exhibit on electricity and travelling exhibits on everything from the Dead Sea Scrolls to Star Wars. &PICTURE

The Mutter Museum (19 South 22nd Street) If morbid curiosity’s your thing, Philly’s got the museum for you. The Mutter’s full of medical oddities from the 18th and 19th century which mostly means lost of bones and plasticized bodies. It’s weird and wonderful and makes you glad that you live in 2012.

Penn Anthropology Museum (3260 South Street) The Anthropology Museum is, in a word, cool. It’s a mix of science, art and history and hosts travelling exhibits from all over the world.

Story Slams (L’Etage and World Cafe Live) Have you ever listened to The Moth? It’s amazing, right? Well, Philadelphia has it’s very own story slams the 2nd Monday and 4th Tuesday of every month. Every slam has a theme and storytellers from the audience put their name in a bucket, drink a few beers and hope that they get called up to the stage. I did it once. It was terrifying. It was fun. I was in first place until I got edged out by the other storytelling homo.

The Magic Garden (1020 South Street) This is art you can get in to. Literally. This guy built a porch and house out of found objects that twinkles in the sun and keeps you cool even on hot days. The $5 entry fee is more than worth the couple of minutes of shade and art.

The Free Library (1901 Vine Street) The Free Library is the very first public library in the U.S. and you can get a tour of it. I hear they have the bird that inspired Poe’s The Raven taxidermied in the basement. Speaking of Poe…

The Edgar Allen Poe House (532 North 7th Street) Remember how you felt reading Tell Tale Heart & The Raven for the first time? Go to the Edgar Allen Poe house!

Street Art (Everywhere) The city’s got some great murals and street art. It’s just one more little thing to keep your eye out for when you’re walking around.

First Fridays (Old City and Northern Liberties) This would make a cute first date, just saying. The first Friday of every month a bunch of galleries open up to the street, so wander around & take it all in. Artsy girls, unite! http://www.visitphilly.com/events/philadelphia/first-friday/

Parks & Rec Leslie Knope would be proud; Philly has been getting greener. Have a picnic, nap under a tree, read a book, walk your dog!  My Favorites are Rittenhouse Square and the new Penn Park In University City. Also read up on the proposed Reading Viaduct, I think it’s an awesome idea and would be such a cool green space.

The Pretzel Ride All around the city, you can buy a Philly soft pretzel (which are different from normal soft pretzels because they’re smashed into compact little rolls and because they taste good cold) for 50¢. It’s a glorious thing, especially when you need a snack and are craving an apple and a pretzel. Anyway, on Tuesday nights you can ride your bike to the Center City Pretzel Soft Pretzel Co. at midnight and get fresh pretzels for the low low price of 30¢!

PHILLY SPORTS FANS ARE ACTUALLY NICE PEOPLE OKAY?! I, Lynne, will personally take you to a Phillies game to prove this to you. So our main pro sports teams are The Phillies (baseball) The Eagles (Football) The Flyers (Hockey) and The 76ers (Basketball).  ALSO! You know Tasha Kai? You probably do, she’s an out athlete and you’ve probably seen this picture&. Or this one&. She plays for the Philadelphia Independence, Philly’s pro women’s soccer team. Unfortunately, due to some shady business, the league is suspending the 2012 season. But when it comes back, be sure to support your local female athletes; they deserve it.