Yesterday Sergio and I drove up to Northern Vermont for the day. The camera shots taken by Sergio as we whizzed up Route 89 don’t do the foliage justice, which was particularly beautiful in New Hampshire near Hanover, Lebanon, and Enfield. The bright colors blanketing the valleys, rolling foothills and mountains made the 3.5 hour drive enjoyable and reminded me of Robert Frost’s poem, Nothing Gold Can Stay.
I’ve been faithfully posting this poem since 2009 each October in part because I love it but also because Frost’s poem is so accessible – even to those who claim they “don’t understand poetry”. Inspired by the fall foliage of New England, Frosts’ words weave a visual that is easy to follow. The underlying meaning of also reminds me to make the most of each day and to try and take nothing for granted – a good message for all of us in these times.
Nature’s first green is gold Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay.
This poem, which was first published in the Yale Review in 1923, would go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1924. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
ADAM & ANDY is set in the fictional New England town of Woodfield, CT. You can learn more about Adam and Andy and purchase a copy of “the definitive collection of Adam and Andy” by visiting, adamandandy.com.
Each Friday, I post a riddle to get you to think outside the box and exercise your brain. If you are stumped, share it with a friend or colleague and see if you can figure out the answer together.
Leave your answer in the comment section. I’ll approve responses later in the day to give people a chance to respond without seeing any spoilers.
This week’s brain teaser: How do you spell the word candy in two letters?
Men of Melanin Magic & Gay Mafia Boston host Bussdown Fridays @Legacy
Below is a list of what is happening in Boston and Provincetown. Show your love by supporting our gay bars and businesses. If you have an event you want included, email bosguymail@gmail.com.
SUNDAY: OUT & ABOUT Roxbury Tea Dance w/ DJs Lanena & Kerry Quirkfrom 4PM – 8PM to celebrate National Coming Out Day – with some great drag performances by Sham Payne, MT Hart, Heather Rose & Larissa Montes – No cover charge for entry!
Drag Brunches in Boston
Some drag brunches require tickets purchased ahead of time. Click the event links shared below for ticketing and reservation information.
I haven’t a clue when or where this drag party took place but I love this photo.
I dedicate this weekly post, featuring vintage gay photographs, to the men and women who lived in a more critical time where being true to yourself and loving who you want wasn’t always an option and came at a great price. Do you have a photo you would like to share? Email me at bosguymail@gmail.com.
Two Nails, One Love by Alden Hayashi is a quick and thoroughly enjoyable read about a gay Japanese-American man and his complicated relationship with his mother. In full disclosure, I know and consider the author a friend.
Hayashi’s novel opens with the main character, Ethan (or Ken-chan as his mother calls him), at Newark Airport nervously awaiting his mother’s arrival from Hawaii. Born and raised in the tropical paradise of Hawaii, Ethan now lives in New York City, and this is his mother’s first visit to the East Coast. While he waits for her plane to land, he replays the last time they were together. The harsh words spoken and hurt feelings that erupted, while planning the funeral of Ken-chan’s father, fill him with anxiety.
As the story unfolds, Hayashi smoothly switches between present day and the past (both Ethan’s past and his mother’s, which we learn much more about). Ethan reminisces about his childhood in Hawaii, how his parents and to a lesser extent Ethan culturally straddle Japan and the United States. That duality is the source of a lot of misunderstanding and hurt feelings, and as Ethan grows into a young man he often finds himself at odds with his parents and in particular his Mom. It is this disconnect that leads him to keep his passion for music, plans for a career and his feelings for men to himself. Feelings of duty and shame run deep in this family and Ethan feels it profoundly as a weight he doesn’t always want to bear.
At its core, the novel centers on the loving (and somewhat complicated) relationship between mother and son. As you read the story, you can’t help but marvel at the most extraordinary life Ethan’s mother lived. She grew up as a child of priviledge in Honolulu’s Japanese American community, but was subjected to unimaginable difficulty following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. While the mother-son relationship is complicated the novel is most definitely not, and I found myself staying up late reading well past my bedtime caught up in this relationship told from the perspective of a dutiful and somewhat rebellious son. I highly recommend getting yourself a copy of Hayashi’s debut novel.
If you’re interested in purchasing this book and open to supporting local bookstores, try one of the links I’ve shared. The links below will take you right to the book so you can order it online in just a couple of clicks. You can also learn more about the author and this book online at aldenmhayashi.com.
Hopefully the caption I’ve shared below inspires you to offer up one or two of your own. Leave a funny caption in the comment section, and I’ll approve it for readers to enjoy.
Georgantis Design + Development recently filed their Small Project Review application with the city of Boston, outlining their plans to replace the existing one story building and commercial space at 1395 – 1405 Washington Street in the South End with a new $23 million, seven-story condominium that includes 35 units. You can read their application, 1395 Washington Street.
The single story building, which was formerly the home for Harry O’s, Morse Fish and The Gallows is now mostly vacant with Union Pizza now the only operating restaurant in this space. The other commercial spaces are now empty. The plans call for retail space to be reserved for the ground floor, and include studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom units. The building design does not include on-site parking.
Wednesday October 27th from 6:00 – 7:30PM the Boston Planning & Development Agency will host a virtual public meeting to discuss and take public comment on this Small Project Review Application. The meeting will include a presentation followed by Q&A and comments from the general public.
All are welcome but you must register, here. Webinar ID: 160 753 6365 || Toll-Free Call-in Number: 833.568.8864
A Grinchley Christmas Carol runs from December 2 – 19th
The always hysterical and wildly inappropriate Ryan Landry and his cast of misfits better known as The Gold Dust Orphans will be returning to the stage in Boston this Christmas, after nearly a two year absence.
Returning to the Iron Wolf Theater in South Boston’s Lithuanian Club, Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans will host their annual Christmas spectacular with “A Grinchley Christmas Carol”. The media release describes the show as “All new, fun loving, fast paced fruitcake, full of all things ‘holiday’ (spiced with naughtiness that could only come from the Orphans), based on the holiday classics of Charles Dickens and Dr. Seuss.“
A Grinchley Christmas Carol will feature Orphan favorites Ryan Landry, Scott Martino, Delta Miles, Tim Lawton, Bubbles Goldberg, and many more familiar faces! Tickets start at $50.00 before service charges and are on sale now. These shows will sell out so make plans today to get your tickets.
BosGuy 
