g (1996-2016)

We went during the final week so it's hard to believe this. (My friend Larry always used to call it G's, perhaps because he was used to saying JR's in Washington, where we both came to NYC from!) Once the epicenter of the Chelsea Boy scene, g -- like Chelsea's bustling gay scene -- is now history. 

With Damian and Greg during g's final week in business.

Barracuda Celebrates 20 Years in Chelsea

Excited to announce that Barracuda -- where Jackie Beat got her start and Candis Cayne got her boobs and nose job -- will be celebrating its 20th anniversary on Sunday, Oct. 18, with a celebration featuring both ladies, plus Sherry Vine, Shasta Cola, Shequida and others!

From a release:

Barracuda, the ground-breaking club that set a new standard for gay nightlife, will celebrate two triumphant decades with a massive anniversary celebration on Sunday, Oct. 18. Some of the world’s most innovative drag queens – who became superstars on the Barracuda stage - are scheduled to perform. Among them, Candis Cayne, Sherry Vine, Jackie Beat, Shasta Cola, Hedda Lettuce, Sweetie, Edie, Peppermint, Tina Burner, Marti Gould Cummings, Busted, Al & Patty, Pixie Aventura, Flotilla DeBarge, Miz Cracker, Bob The Drag Queen, and Shequida. There will also be special tributes to the late greats Cashetta and Stephen Heighton. Barracuda’s 20th Anniversary Celebration takes place on Sunday, Oct. 18th from 7 p.m. to midnight at 275 W 22nd St.  

Barracuda opened in October 1995 by best friends Bob Pontarelli and the late Stephen Heighton, the same team behind the legendary Crowbar on Avenue B; Elmo Restaurant in Chelsea; Industry, the leading gay bar in Hell’s Kitchen today; and Leshko's, the former East Village staple landmark.

Hope to see you there!

Chelsea's G Lounge Set to Renew Lease -- Source

Well, finally some good news from the gayborhood: A source close to the situation tells me G Lounge -- one of Chelsea's few remaining gay clubs -- is set to re-up its lease. The bar -- which signed a confident 20-year lease when it opened back in 1996 -- has remained consistently popular as Splash, Rawhide, The Break, Champs, View Bar and others faded away. This is news I like reporting -- and I don't mind eating crow on this one!

H-Otter After Midnight

DJs James Mainiero and Kevin Graves turned Rockbar out Friday with sexy otters getting flirty into the morning.

Didn't even know what an "otter" was until I finally checked out my pal Jim's H-Otter party Friday night in the (way) West Village. Apparently I am one -- I guess it's a leaner version of a bear/c and can be any age -- so far be it for me to refuse acceptance into a fringe group. My pals Chad and Greg came too.

Full gallery HERE

John, who is one of the first guys I met when I moved to NYC, and Daniel 

  Greg and me

UPDATE: A friend pointed me to a website that determines "what" you are -- and according to it, I'm a daddy (below). Find out what you are HERE.

UPDATE 2: Or maybe not.

Maximum Awesome writes:

Bears are chubby, hairy, masculine gay males who like beer and flannel shirts -- but that's just the superficial definition. There's more to it, which you'll learn if you read the link.

Cubs are basically young bears.

Otters are slimmer and less hairy bear admirers.

And wolves are bears that are more aggressive and overtly masculine.

Watching Every Move at Private Eyes

Michael used to tell me how much fun the video bar Private Eyes was.

It was his first gay bar -- Madonna, Grace Jones and everyone went to this Flatiron hotspot -- right next-door to the famed Danceteria, which appeared in "Desperately Seeking Susan" and is where Madonna debuted "Everybody" to the world a couple years before.

Madonna and Sean Penn reportedly stopped by on their first date

I never made it there -- Palladium, Lure, Tunnel, King, Limelight, Club USA, the Works, Uncle Charlie's and the Works are as far back as my NYC bars/clubs experiences go -- but from the looks of this 1989 clip, he sure was right! 

I'm told a shorter version of this used to run as an ad on public access' Channel J.

More deceased bar info HERE.

Eighty-Sixed

After 60 Years in Hell's Kitchen, Smith's Bar Is Closing This Week

This was actually one of the first bars I ever went to with coworkers when I moved to NYC in the 1990s. While it's not exactly my local watering hole, this totally sucks -- the victim of another greedy landlord. The only person who might not be sad to see it go is Ted Koppel. 

LOVEGUN Opens With a Bang!

Well, this photo of Benjamin Maisani and me didn't turn out so great, but the opening night soiree for his new bar in Williamsburg -- LOVEGUN -- was a clear success. My friend Allen and I got there just as things were beginning to get going, and got to spend some time chatting with Ben about his newest baby. He said that coming up with a location and a concept is his favorite part of his work -- "it's when you get to be really creative" -- and that he was shooting for a sleek, late '70s/early '80s disco look with LOVEGUN, which features a retro-looking neon sign on the back wall, and a giant neon MORE MORE MORE above the first-floor bar, a connection to the late dance queen Andrea True. The upstairs overlooks the main floor and has its own bartender, canoodling-friendly banquettes, plus the DJ booth. 

My friend Micah with the couple voted most beautiful

Before long, Andy Cohen arrived (I thanked him in person for the blurb he gave me for my book), then Anderson Cooper showed up (in glasses) and Kelly Ripa and her hunky hubby, Mark Consuelos. By 11, the guest-listed opening party was over, and the doors were open for business -- and business did they have! (The line was wrapped around the block.) I later saw photos showing a half-dozen of my friends there, yet I never saw one of them. (Micah got proof, above!) 

You couldn't see two people in front of yourself -- but you can be sure a fire marshal was not in attendance. The bar is hip and casual and has all the right things going for it to be a big success. (Just two stops into Brooklyn on the L train, boys.) I spoke to the bartenders at nearby Metropolitan about it and they all agreed that they were happy to have another bar in the area. They think it makes Williamsburg more of a destination now, and figure both bars will benefit for guys bar-hopping in the 'hood. If Friday night was any indication, Williamsburg is officially on its way to becoming the country's newest Boystown.

P.S. Since Ben told me he's always looking for his next project, I suggested Inwood and Hamilton Heights. Be on the lookout, guys!

UPDATE: People are telling me that Kelly Ripa mentioned the party on "Live! With Kelly and Michael" this morning!

New Gay Bar LOVEGUN Shoots Into Williamsburg This Friday

As Chelsea's gay scene fades into the distance and Hell's Kitchen's blossoms, nightlife fixture Benjamin Maisani and his business partners are taking a chance on a new bar in the bustling but not quite fully gay Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. I caught up with Anderson Cooper's better half to find out why he decided to cross the river this time around, what the boys can expect from his latest venture -- the subtly named LOVEGUN -- and if it was really him I saw eating sweet potato casserole at Boston Market all those years ago.

Great to talk to you, Ben. You've already got your hands in three bars in New York City -- Eastern Bloc, Bedlam and Atlas Social Club -- what made you decide to open a new one in Brooklyn? 
Opening a bar in Williamsburg seemed like a logical step for me and my partners after Eastern Bloc and Bedlam, where a lot of our customers come from that neighborhood. On top of that, there's a relative scarcity of gay bars in Williamsburg, and we felt that there was room for growth in that regard given how many gay guys already live and go out in that part of Brooklyn. Unlike other neighborhoods with a sizable gay community like Hell's Kitchen, Chelsea or even the East Village, Williamsburg isn't saturated with gay bars, which made this project that much more exciting. Finally, there's something quite thrilling about stepping out of Manhattan for the first time after almost 10 years of operating bars there to open shop in Brooklyn: it's such a different environment out there, and it feels like a totally new experience as a result.

What can the Williamsburg boys expect to find at LOVEGUN that they don't get get at Metropolitan and This 'N That? 
I think the main difference between LOVEGUN and the other gay bars in Williamsburg is that our space is quite versatile because of the high ceilings and the width of the main room. There are 2 floors, with a mezzanine overlooking the main area. The semi-private area upstairs is the perfect spot for a bit of people watching, while the floor below offers a great amount of elbow room for dancing and getting down and dirty. Also, we're putting a certain emphasis on our DJ programming, and are planning to have rotating guest DJs on the weekends, to keep things fresh and fun.

You're opening this bar with Pablo Raimondi, Darren Dryden and Chris Canon. You and Darren co-own Eastern Bloc and you co-own Bedlam and Atlas Social Club with Pablo and I believe Josh Wood too at ASC. How do you decide who to partner with on each project? 
Josh is indeed one of the partners at ASC, along with Pablo and Asi Mazar. All three are old friends of mine that I've known for many years, and we had been talking about doing a bar together for years (Josh was one of the people I initially approached about opening Eastern Bloc back in 2005). As you pointed out, Darren and I started Eastern Bloc together nine years ago, and I've been eager to do another bar with him ever since, as I like his style. LOVEGUN marks my third collaboration with Pablo since we opened Bedlam four years ago, he's becoming like my right arm at this point. It's also my first official collaboration with Chris Canon, even though Pablo and I have worked with him since Bedlam (he was the previous owner of that bar who sold it to us and subsequently helped us a great deal during our renovations there, and then at ASC when we were building that bar last summer). I like having partners, it's always nice to share the burden and challenges of running a business with other people, especially with those guys that I've been friends with for over a decade. I've always been told not to go into business with friends, but personally I found the opposite to be true: there's an element of trust that's inherent to such a relationship that makes it very reassuring for me to partner with those guys. Also, we each bring something different to the table, everyone taking care of different aspects of what it takes to operate a bar, and we work well as a team. I keep using the same people that I love and trust on all my bars, but I also like to shake things up a bit by changing the configuration of each partnership: for Eastern Bloc, it's just Darren and me, for Bedlam, it's Pablo and me, for ASC, it's Josh, Asi, Pablo and me, and for LOVEGUN, it's Darren, Pablo, Chris and me. The difference in the make-up behind each bar guarantees that the dynamic is different from one place to the next, which keeps things fresh and prevent all four places from being too similar or feeling stale. I would hate to repeat myself, so I try hard to make each of my bars quite distinct from each other -- starting with the decor -- and having different cooks in the kitchen is just one more way to achieve this.

What are the unique challenges of running a gay bar in New York City? 
I think one of the unique challenges of running a gay bar in NYC has to do with the importance of location. If you think about it, most gays bars tend to be concentrated around a few spots in Manhattan and Brooklyn: Hell's Kitchen primarily, Chelsea -- although that neighborhood as a gay mecca is definitely on the wane -- the East Village, and Williamsburg in Brooklyn. It becomes really tricky to open a gay bar outside of these areas, because by definition such bars are a bit of a niche market, so it makes business sense to stick to a neighborhood that already has a sizable gay community. Because there aren't that many neighborhoods in the city where one can open a gay bar and hope to be successful, location is key, even more so that with a regular bar. It's too bad because I love what I do, and I would like to be able to keep opening gay bars in various spots, but I'm somewhat limited by the reality of this situation. I already have one bar in HK, two in the East Village, and one in Williamsburg, so now I wonder where I'm going to go next. Already Hell's Kitchen feels like it's about to reach saturation point, so I'm very interested in figuring out where the next gay destination in the city will be.

Can we expect anything special on opening night in Brooklyn? 
Opening night on Friday, September 12, is shaping up to be quite a special evening. We're kicking it off with a party for friends and family only with a guest list from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., and then LOVEGUN will be open to all from 11 p.m. with a $5 cover for the launch of Frankie Sharp's weekly party "Girls," which promises to be insane. I think all the celebrities will come during the first part of the evening, and hopefully some will stay when Frankie and his crew bring out the real shenanigans to the dance floor!

And finally, I'm pretty sure you used to be a waiter in the back of Barracuda back when I was a youngster going there all the time. Am I imagining this, or did you and I share an affinity for Boston Market around the corner? 
Yes, I did use to be a waiter at Barracuda a billion years ago, funny that you remember that! Back then I was going to school at Hunter College while working full-time at the Morgan Library, and Barracuda was only a side job that I did on the weekends, not knowing at the time that I would end up making a career out of nightlife! And yes, I did go to that Boston Market on 23rd street -- and still do every once in a while -- as I love me some cheap comfort food!

Thanks, Ben. Sounds like you've got another hit on your hands! 

LOVEGUN is located at 617 Grand Street, within walking distance of the Lorimer Street subway station on the L train

Paper Names 30 Best Gay Bars in NYC

A number of these are after my time, but I've gotta respect a list of New York's best gay bars that puts Julius' on top. Read HERE.

Rain Hat Recommended

Noticed this new establishment near the intersection of 18th and 8th in Chelsea over the weekend. Hilarious name aside, something about a combination "sex" shop, cafe and bar/lounge sounds a bit amitious -- not to mention unsanitary -- to me. But the venue has been a dozen things in the past decade, so why not be a dozen more now?

Atlas Social Club Coming to Hell's Kitchen

With Splash closing this weekend I'm reminded of that old saying: When God closes a door he opens a gay bar. Next month, uber promter Josh Wood is slated to open the Atlas Social Club, described as "a gay speakeasy crossed with a retro athletic club." Wood is partnering with Benjamin Maisani (co-owner of Eastern Bloc and Bedlam), Pablo Raimondi (co-owner of Bedlam) and Asi Mazar (Splash). A.S.C. will be located in Hell's Kitchen at 51st and 9th Avenue. The partners say they are looking to bring a "downtown feel up to Hell's Kitchen."

Wood, of Josh Wood Productions, says:

"Atlas Social Club brings downtown uptown. The DJs. The vibe. The sensibilities. Hell's Kitchen has exploded as a nightlife hub in New York City, but there has not yet been a bar to bring that cool, edgy, downtown culture to the neighborhood. I'm thrilled to be opening this bar with three of my closest friends. We created A.S.C. as place for us and our friends to go."

A schedule will be announced for the fall season focusing on up-and-coming New York DJs with international guest DJ sets.

Should be interesting ...

Last Splash

As widely reported, New York's famed Splash Bar will be closing on Sunday, Aug. 11.  To commemorate the bar's 22-year run, the owners have just released a calendar of 10 Countdown Events, leading up to the final night.

Ben There, Done That

Anderson Cooper’s Lover Inked Deal for a Restaurant and Bar in Hell’s Kitchen

Was just at Antoine “Benjamin” Maisini's Eastern Bloc on my birthday. Sounds like he's tired of bars and is ready to try something new now. Read HERE.

Rawhide Set to Close at End of Month

More evidence of the death of gay Chelsea: Jeremiah's Vanishing New York reports that the Rawhide -- a staple of the 'hood for decades  -- is closing.

He writes: Opened in 1979, the Rawhide is one of the last of a handful of old-school, unpretentious gay bars left in New York City. It is a survivor. But it won't be for long. The building that houses it on 8th and 21st in Chelsea was sold a couple of years ago and the new landlord has jacked up the rent, nearly doubling it from $15,000 to $27,000 a month. The Rawhide has officially been evicted. Their last day will be March 31.

The Rawhide was never my "scene," yet this breaks my heart. Can hardly wait to see the new nail salon/bank branch/chain restaurant that takes its place.

Day/Night Book

Don't forget: tomorrow night is the grand opening party of Swedish porn star (Tag Ericcson) turned real estate broker to the stars (Fredrik Eklund)'s big gay party at Duvet in Chelsea. This interview from HX makes it sound like Duvet Thursdays are going to be a lot of fun, with some gay Real Worlders co-hosting. Tyler Duckworth from Key West is confirmed, but Fredrik says "several" others will be there. Might it also be this one -- or this one? Only one way to find out ...