I actually saw Village Voice columnist Michael Musto at the Urban Bear Weekend Fair, so that makes three “celebrities” I saw in an 11-day visit in New York. Gallery and (PG-13-rated) video below:
Some of us did the Dining for Life at Alexi’s Grill in downtown Phoenix Thursday night.
I got a nice tan at the pool parties at the hotel, saw a lot of old friends and made some new ones. I got to speak a little Italian, Spanish and ASL (something I’m definitely an extreme amateur in). I really like the dry heat and climate of Phoenix, not to mention the wonderful topography that is visible from almost every horizon.
The luau they we had was amazing with authentic dancers and a fire/sword tosser. The music gave me chills and the dancers were stunning. Unfortunately it started to get dark toward the end of the video, but I’m so glad I got the video footage that I got. The (authentic?) and exotic buffet was awesome and I got to wear my barely ever-used Hawaiian shirt.
Also see my blog on going to Sedona with my niece to see my uncle.
His friend, Phil, is a chef here in SF, and he recommended this cool place near my job which I never heard of. Former SF Mayor and state congressman and speaker of the California House Willie Brown was among the patrons at the time (we saw him walk out). Paolo took this picture of me.
To my friends and family in Arizona –
I’ll be staying primarily with friends and I will be visiting friends, my niece and my uncle at various times (that’s what the trip to Sedona is for on Monday). I’d like to see as many of you as I can when I’m there, even if you are not going to the Phurfest activities, which is what prompted me to take my first trip to Arizona. My dad grew up there and I have family scattered all over the state. I’m renting a car and arriving Phoenix on April 29 at 530pm. My departure from Phoenix is May 3 at 8pm. Please make sure I have your mobile numbers and that you have mine (917-330-6105). I check texts much more than voicemail.
Just got terrible news about losing one of my closest gaydad friends in the world, Gene Baugh, in Columbus, who raised his five kids. I read his autobiography, although I don’t think it was ever published. He was a huge fan of the Spanish language and had spent time in Spain in his youth. I flew to Columbus to be in his marriage to a man in 1998, and he and I also spent time together at various gay parenting conventions around the country. We originally met in 1996 in Minneapolis and stayed in touch quite regularly the whole time, sharing the drama of our kids and our lives before and after coming out. He was only 56, and a big bear of a man (also very tall).
His daughter, Ruth, who lives on the West Coast now, as I do, went with my daughter and me to our first Provincetown Family Week. Ruth and I recently got back in touch with each other and today she emailed me with the news that he had been taken off life support as he had requested be done if he should ever be in this state. He had a stroke on Friday.
My friend Aaron is going to Holland for an internship for his Ph.D. in chemistry so he had a going away party last weekend. There was great food, great music and a lot of fun people with a good mix of gay and hetero folks in San Leandro.
Some dancing (that I actually participated in)!
I’m traveling to Phurfest and hoping to see friends and family in Arizona in late April/early May. It’s a state I’ve never stepped foot in, to my knowledge, but which my family has a long history in, apparently. I’ve seen a lot of relatives going back generations move and return to Arizona, and I know my dad lived there for a time as a kid. Ancestry.com has helped prove the links I have to the area, but I’m also looking forward to some pool parties and dry heat, which is one of the reasons I moved back to the West Coast.
I met a lot of new friends and got to see many old friends. I made a new friend who stared taking insulin just a few weeks before I did, so we had that very new experience in common, which made watching ourselves a bit easier.
Just as shocking as ever, with an amazing cast, I’m glad they were renewed and happy to hear that they won an Emmy!