Taking Some Time For Me

Has it really been this long since I have blogged?

I guess that’s not a bad thing. Over the past several months, I had thrown myself into community initiatives and am now taking a little time for myself.

If you are one of the diligent readers of the sparsely commented-on blog, you know that I have a few different on-going life projects that I have been plugging away at over the past few years. After making my 2011 New Year Resolution, I vowed to finally take most of them off of my plate, and so far had done a pretty good job.

Now I am ready to make the final push to get it all completed, and the “it” that I am spaking of is finally completely at least one of the novels which I have been writing for the past 10 years. I was thinking about taking some time from work and taking some sort of self inflicted writing sabaticle, combining it with a mini-vacation; some place that I have been dying to go, but never seem to quite have to time do get away and do so.

Here are my top few choices:

Montreal, Canada - I have been to the gay Mecca once before and fell in love with its European appeal. Not only was I able to speak French without crossing any major ocean, but I was also able to use my Korean on a regular basis….who knew? There are a few beds & breakfasts there that would be perfect to stay, while completing my novel, and without breaking the bank. Toronto may be another place to look in to as well.

Barcelona, Spain – Never been, but I have a good friend that lives in this city and visits here in Cincinnati a few times a year. Most recently, he was here visiting family during the week of St. Patrick’s Day and emphatically kept taunting me with a free place to stay if I were able to flip the bill to make it across the Ocean. Bad thing is, I do not speak Spanish and never really enjoyed visiting a county which I was not fluent in the language. Spain still tops my list though.

The Netherlands - Similar circumstances as Spain, but I am sure that it would be a lot cheaper once I got there. In this county, I have two different set of friends who live in cities about 20mins from one another (by train…so cool) I would have inexpensive places to stay in two different great European cities.

Of course there are great hideaways here in the States, and even more here in Ohio, but even though Cincinnati is my love, the city is disappointing me right now. I may get over it once I take a little hiatus, but the sore spot that is sticking in my side is the amount of opposition to the city’s street car. I am sick and tired of living in such a conservative city, where even proven economic stimuli is considered too radical….but I digress…this post is about where I will be taking my next sabbatical.

I am sure that there will be more places meander on and off of the list as I do my research, but I would love to hear your thoughts about the cities that I have named so far.

More Fairey 2 See

Now that the weather is gotten a bit warmer, I decided that it was finally time to stop driving my gas eating car the few blocks to the gym or to Coffee Emporium and finally purchase the bicycle which I have been vowing to do for years.

In doing so, I have so much more time to take in parts of the city which I would normally miss because my eyes were always on the road.

I found two more Shepard Fairey murals.

Alley next to Arnold's Bar

The corner of Walnut St. and 6th St.

Gone But Not Forgotten

No I have not forgotten about the Nasty Nati.

Currently, I am sitting on the beach on the Northern Coast of The Dominican Republic, taking in the sun and chillin' like a villin (no pun intended).

Not only is this time on the beach being used for a much needed vacation from opening my company BookMark! Online, but it also is giving me some time to write down on paper the stories which have been swimming in my head for the past few months.

In attempts to keep you wanting more, pictures of the vacation/sabbatical will be posted upon my return to Cincy next week. Needless to say that they will be well worth the wait...cheers!

Guide To Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Part 4): Where To Play

In the throws of all that is holy, one of the only reasons why we 'homos' travel half way across the world is to get away from the conservative restraints that our own country (wink, wink) has put on us and let out hair down. Most would be aghast if, in my last installment of this Mexican guide, I were not to mention some of night clubs where you can dance all night without the worry of waking up the next morning and dragging yourself into your mundane 9 to 5.

On any given night of the week, the club scene does not 'pop off'' until mid-night so if you do not want to wait that long to begin your night, you may want to check out either La Noche or Stereo.

Both places are hip, and play the latest in urban/hip hop music. Though they both are small, your ability to mingle with other vacationers without becoming offensive coupled with their great drink selection (mixed drinks and cervasas alike) make either of these venues a great jump off to the evening.

Puerto Vallarta prides itself has possession some of the most beautiful people in the world, and it is ever omnipotent at Club Manana. This semi enclosed dance club, fully equipped with a viewing platform elevated over a wading pool and a stage where you can either dance and watch a drop dead gorgeous Drag Queen impersonate Cher.

In addition, the club boasts of an indoor stage located in the rear and three separate bars where you can purchase libations making this a perfect spot to party.

As mentioned in previous posts, Puerto Vallarta has been popular with movie goers for decades, and, in recent years, has become one of the most sought out destinations in North America. I would definitely suggest visiting this ocean side resort town before you leave this world. Following this guide will not open the entire Pandora's box that Puerto Vallarta has to offer.

There is definitely more to see and do (no pun intended) in Puerto Vallarta then the above mentioned, but using these helpful hints and ideas, fun is sure to follow.

Guide To Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Part 3): Where To Eat

In the third installment of my travel guide to the southern most country of our continent, we delve into where to satisfy you taste buds.

With a plethora of burrito stands splattered on the streets coupled with the current exchange rate of the Mexican peso to the American dollar (14 Peso to 1 dollar as of the day of release) you can minimally satisfy your appetite for just pennies on the dollar for no more than $3 to $5 (American).

For your daytime manage, you should definitely check out the beach chair side service provided to you at the Blue Chairs. For an afternoon of cocktails and a mid afternoon lunch and snack, you will leave the beach before heading out for the evening without spending more than $25!

It's gay infused sea-side location couple with its selection of fresh seafood and Mexican/American grub is a perfect addition to your margarita on the beach while you take in the glorious view that the ocean side spot has to offer.

If you are looking for a more flamboyant fare, you will want to sink your teeth into what you can find at the Kit Kat, a hip, upscale restaurant located in the midst of Puerto Vallarta's old town and just a block away from the beach. Definitely not a place to frequent every evening for dinner (entrees are around $15 American), this eatery is a perfect example of how a sleek, uptown New York bistro can find its niche in Mexico.

With appetizers as extravagant as those found in the most posh LA restaurants, and the eye candy which goes along very well with its décor, you will find this a perfect place to begin a night on the town.

Guide To Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Part 2): Where To Stay

Only second to air fare, where you rest your head takes up most of the time when it comes to planning your trip. To us gay men, the three most important questions that we think about when deciding on which hotel to book are the following:

- How close it the hotel to the beach?

- Is there an open bar located in the hotel lobby?

- How attractive are the pool boys?

Though these are top concerns for most gay men, I am a bit more frugal than some of my counterparts. So when choosing a hotel I settled for looking at its proximity to the beach, price of the hotel and hotness of the cabana boy (I make my own drinks, thank you very much).

For those who are looking for a safer, high end stay, you will find your best find with Blue Seas Beach Resort. Located steps away from the famous gay portion of Puerto Vallarta's beach front, for a price range of $180 to $235 (American) per night you can stay in a hotel that claims to be the only luxury beach front hotel catering to the gay and lesbian community in Puerto Vallarta.

For those who are looking to stay in a place with a bit more "naughty" clientele, the Vallarta Cora is the place to lay your head. For a not so subtle fee of $85 to $120 (American) per night, and with its combination of hotel, bar and 'men only' spa, one would not have to leave the premises to satisfy all of one's needs (unless of course you wanted to eat, but who needs to do that).

For an even mix of the two extremes mentioned above, my best pick would be Boana Torres Malibu. Its location is just steps away from the afore mentioned Blue Seas Hotel, coupled with its affordable rates (ranging from $45 to $190 American per night) and on site swimming pool make it a great spot for any gay minded individual wanting to make the most of their visit (and the pool boy is not half bad looking either).

Guide To Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Made famous more than four decades ago with Elizabeth Taylor's infatuation for this seaside oasis, over the years Puerto Vallarta, Mexico has morphed into a vacation destination, with its popularity mostly lying with North Americans. This, coupled with its location on Mexico's western coast and its close proximity to cities such as Guadalajara, make it one of the most desired vacation destinations in the world.

These facts have not been lost on the gay Cincinnatians. With our love of tropical locations and scantily clad male genitalia, coupled with out afinity of spending our summer months at indoor water parks (isn't that a oxymoron?), Puerto Vallarta has quickly risen to one of the most sought out destinations for us to let down our hair and let loose from some of the conservative mentalities found in the States.

As with many tourist spots, Puerto Vallarta is not unlike them when it comes to cheesy attractions and shifty eyed con-men, but the following will serve as the gay men's guide to navigating the city of Puerto Vallarta the next time that you decide to visit. In turn, by following this guide found in the next few day's posts, your next Mexican vacation may very well find yourself in the arms of a bronzed behemoth on the sandy beach rather than in a cold damp prison cell.

A "Down South" Weekend

I have been out of town for the past weekend. I left town moments after I ended my work day last Friday and drove down to Gatlinburg, TN, meeting some friends from the Nati who had moved to Asheville, NC (G-Burg being a nice in-between town for us to meet up).

Nine of us shared a cabin just outside of G-Burg and it was great being in the midst of these friends again. Friday, since we did not get into town until 10pm or so, most of the night was spent catching up on old times.

It was not until Saturday that I got out into town to see what the town was all about. The mountains were spectacular! We even got to do a bit of hiking. Good thing I grabbed my camera on the way out the door that morning. After the brief hike, we ventured into town.

Due to the warm spell and the fact that it was Saturday afternoon, the city was packed! We did not stay in town too long, but did not pass up the chance to have a drink and wings at Corky's. All in all, it was a great weekend (though I lost $40 on the Pat's performance on Sunday night). Here are some pics from the weekend: