The last Monday in May is Memorial Day in the United States. The holiday is meant to remember those who died while serving in the US Armed Forces, but for many the holiday will be spent by the beach or with friends and family since it officially kicks off the summer season.
If you are lucky enough to have Memorial Day as a holiday, I hope you can enjoy the time off and have a fantastic weekend. Blogging will be a bit lighter this weekend than normal.
Creative Direction: Ricardo Rodriguez
Photo: Joel Benjamin
Hair: Salvatore Malafronte and Jon DeMar for Salon Mario Russo
Make-Up: Tavi de la Rosa and Grace Sheikh
Recently I was contacted and asked to help promote the AIDS Walk & Run Boston. I worked for The AIDS Action Committee for three years from 2001-2004 so I was flattered and only too happy to help – Sergio and I have walked in nearly every AIDS Walk since my time at the AAC.
I’d encourage you to check out the sweet pledge page that the AAC has created for me, but what I’d really like to ask is if you would consider coming to the AIDS Walk. Make a modest donation to yourself and come down to do the walk. If you have any questions about The Walk, feel free to reach out to me. I’ll be talking about this event over the next week+ to try and raise awareness and encourage people to participate.
Much Thanks
Okay, maybe not my worst nightmare but that would be pretty awful.
Periodically I like to remind people that Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) is open and free to the public each Thursday from 5 – 9 pm. If you don’t have plans this evening perhaps you should check out this fantastic local museum.
Institute of Contemporary Art – Boston
Located in the Seaport district, you can easily head out to a restaurant or bar if you’d like to extend your evening. Let me know if you need any recommendations.
Last week while I was reading local blog, We Love Beantown, I stumbled upon Boston Flummox. This online game asks you – How well do you know the Boston MBTA subway?
You have 60 seconds to unscramble as many MBTA subway stops as you can. It is a fun distraction if you’ve not tried it yet – check it out.
Not from Boston? The game also exists for the metro systems in Chicago, Toronto, San Francisco, London, Manchester, Perth and Sydney. Let me know how many stops you unscramble in 60-seconds.
Last week the MBTA announced that for the first time, weekend commuter boat service will be provided between Hingham, Hull, Georges Island and Boston beginning Saturday, May 24.
Each Saturday and Sunday, there will be 14 round trips between Hingham and Boston’s Long Wharf, with stops at Hull, Georges Island, and Logan Airport – boats will depart hourly. On Saturdays, there will be two additional round trips at night with the last boat departing Boston at 11:15 p.m., and arriving in Hingham at midnight.
Mark your calendars if you are looking for a new place to go out dancing. DJ Taffy and Guest DJ Brent Covington will be at Kingston Station near Downtown Crossing (at 25 Kingston Street) from 10PM – 2AM starting Saturday, May 31st.
Want to learn more? Check out the Facebook Page – The Metro.
Cafe Jaffa is a great cheap eats alternative in the Back Bay on Gloucester Street between Boylston and Newbury Street that has been serving authentic Middle Eastern food since 1991. When I lived in the Back Bay, I regularly came here for a quick lunch or dinner.
Cafe Jaffa’s menu is fairly large with plenty of options under $15. Keep it simple and stick to the many options in the sandwiches, salads and kabobs section of the menu and I promise you will enjoy your meal. On this visit I opted to have the chicken kabob salad for $9.75 with a tall glass of Lemonana for $2.50 (homemade lemonade with mint).
The kabob salad is served over a packed Greek Salad and a warmed pita that is briefly grilled prior to serving. As you can see from the photo above, the chicken is piled high and the bowl full of delicious feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce. While beer and wine is available at Cafe Jaffa, I’ve always opted for the Lemonana because the minty lemonade is so good. If you’ve never had it and you like lemonade, give this a try – it is rather addictive. You can also get it by the pitcher for $4.75.
Cafe Jaffa is open Monday thru Thursday 11AM – 10:30PM; from Friday thru Saturday 11AM – 11PM; and Sunday from 12PM – 10PM. 
Is this a lame attempt to feign interest in fashion or just another excuse to post photos of handsome men on my blog? I’ll let you make that call.
Last week The Boston Globe was commenting on David Colman’s WSJ fashion article about how men’s shorts seem to be getting shorter. The subtitle reads, Long for so long, men’s shorts are showing up in a range of inseams – from short to shorter to shortest.
I dress fairly conservatively so it isn’t likely that I’ll be wearing anything similar to the shorts I first wore back in the ’80s, but I’m more than happy to encourage other guys (esp the guy below) to follow the trend.
By comparison these don’t seem all that short so maybe I’ll wear these.
This is the second year I’ve attended The Theater Offensive (TTO) annual fundraiser and celebration, climACTS! TTO celebrated their 25th Anniversary by throwing a fantastically fun party and acknowledging Tony Award-winning star, Billy Porter, by presenting him with their OUT on the Edge Award.
TTO works to present the diversity of the LGBT community through art to help break through personal isolation, challenges and status quo. If you’ve never attended one of their programs, check out this video then like their Facebook Page and attend an upcoming TTO event.
You know what two words strikes fear into the hearts of gay men?
Bachelorette Party
Growing up it would have been inconceivable to think I would read an article like the one David at Wicked Gay Blog wrote, Please Don’t Host Your Bachelorette Party at my Favorite Bar. The sad fact is David’s post is not the first nor is it likely to be the last on the subject and as much as I want everyone to be welcome at a gay bar I wish bachelorette parties would be banned.
The hordes of overexcited drunk / annoying friends dressed in preposterous attire have a way of making gay men feel marginalized in gay bars. I agree with David that we don’t want to listen to your crappy Top 40 requests that are played at your neighborhood bar (BTW – that is where you should be celebrating) and we don’t want to kiss you or feel your boobs just because of some ridiculous list your friends created for you. Your presence at our bars ruins the experience for the men who have come to what they thought was a gay bar. If you don’t believe me, come back some other night (preferably sober and with one friend rather than an entire sorority). You’ll see that gay bars still play an important part in gay life where friends connect and romances (for one night, one summer, a lifetime) still manifest. However, none of that is possible when a busload of obnxious women in penis tiaras crash a gay bar.
So I’d like to reiterate David’s message to all the future Bridezillas and their Maids of Honor who plan these evenings out – Please go elsewhere.
Mr. Teddy is a full length play being produced by a new LGBTQ theater company in Boston called Smartguy Productions Inc. This is their first full length play. It explores the dynamics of three gay men who have decided to make a family with each other.
Tickets are available for shows on June 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 at 8PM and June 15 matinee show at 3PM.
About Mr. Teddy: Alec, Mark and Teddy found true love two years ago when Alec brought Teddy home for a three way and Teddy never left. Like everyone, Teddy comes with some baggage, namely a Teddy Bear and a desire to call Marc and Alec his “Daddies”. All is bliss until Alec’s friend, Allison, insists that Teddy is suffering delayed development and he must be pushed to grow up and leave his Daddies behind if he is ever to find true happiness. Patrick, a friend of all three men, finally sees his chance to steal Teddy away for himself. The resulting confrontations have explosive consequences for everyone involved.
The hangover from all the parties following Oregon’s ruling yesterday, legalizing marriage for same sex couples hasn’t even faded and another state has said Adios to marriage discrimination.
Today Pennsylvania became the 10th state where a federal judge has struck down a marriage ban since the historic US Supreme Court decision. Welcome to the 21st Century Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, The City of Brotherly Love, just got a bit more lovely in my opinion.
BosGuy 