R Bar Vallejo closed indefinitely

[Update: we've added a little bit of expanded information]

It's confirmed--as per our reports from a few weeks back, R Bar in Vallejo has closed and as their MySpace explains:

"[it's] all boarded up and sad looking, *tear*:...

and

..."It is official, while we were expecting to remain open current circumstances require us to close.... We want to thank each and every one of you who make us the family we were.... We will keep this page active and let you know if anything comes up or any other info!"

Which leaves only the Townhouse in Vallejo as a semi-gay (or at least very queer friendly) bar in Vallejo and Napa. That is very sad indeed.

So when's the next queer bar going to open? I'm definitely down to promote and become an ongoing patron.

Townhouse in Vallejo New Year's Eve: Details arrive

Townhouse sent us some details on their New Year's Eve plans for the North Bay celebration:

Going out for New Years Eve?????

How much were you planning to pay for a cover?
TOWNHOUSE COVER = 0, that’s zero, nada, a null set

How much were you planning to pay for your drinks?
TOWNHOUSE has Cheapest prices around and kick ass cocktails.
And FREE HOT SEX SHOTS And FREE JELLO SHOTS And FREE MUNCHIES

And the Best DJ’s in the Bay Area spinning all your hot tunes.

TOWNHOUSE, 401A Georgia Street, Vallejo

The fun starts when you arrive.

I've never been to their New Year's Eve celebration, but have been to Townhouse before and enjoyed it...

Big gay parties for fabulous New Year's Eve 2008

[Update: Townhouse sent us some more details on what's happening at their cocktail lounge in Vallejo.]

Here are the celebrations I'm hearing about (please use the comments or the tipline if you know of others):

• Black Cat Club (@ 1746 Yajome St, Napa)
  "Ring in the New Year with hot boys". Come out and party at the north bays hottest private club for men, this wends the Black Cat in Napa is having its New Years eve party. The cover for the night is $15 but you will get $10 back in drink tickets, so if you dont want to deal with the high cost of cover charges at clubs, or the crowds in them, or even the drama, then the black cat club is for YOU!
  
  
• Saphire Lounge (@ Double Tree, Rohnert Park)
  Sapphire New Year's Eve Bashbr /for LGBTQ peeps and our Evolved friends...br /at the Beautiful DoubleTree Hotel
  
  
• Townhouse Lounge (401 Georgia Street, Vallejo)
  Food/Drink specials! Music by Clusterfunk Collective!
  
  
• Faces/Bojangles/Headhunters (Sacramento)
  Come out & join Faces, Bojangles, & Headhunters as we celebrate the coming of a new year!
  Faces 21+ & is having a buffet, cash balloon drop, & $5 cover b4 8pm. Bojangles is hosting a 18+ New Years Party with a $10 cover for under 21 & a cash balloon drop. Headhunters will be serving gourmet food & Specialty Cocktails. Advance Tickets Available At Club or Online @ Faces.net

More on gayday at Discovery Kingdom

[Update: read our post-gay day write up of Discovery Kingdom's Out in the Park!]

Energy 92.7 finally updated their info page about "Out in the Park" at Discovery Kingdom (formerly Marine World) in Vallejo:

Join Energy 92.7 for the first annual 'Out in the Park' on Saturday, September 20th at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo!

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is THE theme park of the North Bay, and Energy 92.7 has teamed up with Six Flags for a day of LGBT pride in the park, and we want you to enjoy all the fun!

If you were'nt lucky enough to win tickets onto the Big Gay Bus (provided by Evans Transportation), then Six Flags and Energy 92.7 want to give you the chance to get discounted tickets for this special event. Click here to purchase tickets for 'Out in the Park' for just $25.99 using the promo code ENERGY. $1 from each ticket will be donated to Project Open Hand.

Energy 92.7 will have our own special area called The Grove in the park from 5-7pm. DJ Righteous Trash will be spinning live, thanks to Six Flags. Energy's own Kid Loose will also be spinning on site in the park. Beer and wine vendors will be on site, as well as Faces nightclub from Sacramento.

The only* gay bar in Vallejo is R Bar, and they are hosting the official afterparty to 'Out in the Park'. Check them out while you're in Vallejo!

Also be sure to find Greg & Fernando and all their hilarious antics in the park!

If you don't want to drive back that night, stay at the local Marriott Hotel, as they are offering a $99/night special exclusively for 'Out in the Park'!

*Obviously this is a promo: sucks that they didn't mention Townhouse (so it's not a gays-only bar, but they're very gay friendly, and definitely deserve support as well). If you do head into town for the after party check out both R Bar and Townhouse for good people.

Out on the scene: All are welcome at Townhouse Cocktail Lounge

After receiving several messages on the tipline that we should check out the scene at Townhouse Lounge in Vallejo, we did. A small group of us went together on a recent Friday night and were quickly greeted by an outgoing and friendly bartender who's specialties included a "sour-apple jack" (we're guessing Sour Apple Pucker, J.D, and ?) and a drink simply known as "the gay" (of course: it was pink, fruity, and the life of the party). While Townhouse doesn't bill itself as a "gay bar" it's definitely a bar where all the gays are welcome (according to their posted philosophy: "wear your sexuality or personal identity proudly and publicly - but keep your genitals in your trowsers"). On a side note, a straight friend of The Other Fruit was glad that soft-core was not playing on the bar's TVs as had been her awkward experience at another gay-friendly bar.

When you walk in, the large, comfortable, wooden bar takes up most of the first room and stretches almost all the way back. They did leave room for a few tables and an ATM in the back (which is good because Townhouse is cash only in spite of their VISA sign), all of which are located under the glowing light of a flat screen, which on Friday night was playing the Miss America Pageant. Not to be too gay, however, John Stossel of 20/20 was competing (silently) on a smaller screen on the opposite side of the room. Mixed crowd indeed! (well, unless it's just cuz some of the gays in Vallejo have a thing for Tom Sellec looking news guys) Midways down the bar, a door to the left opens into another room (not much bigger) that appears to have a couple video games, a stage and a piano. While the Townhouse was fairly tame the Friday night we stopped by, apparently they have quite the events on Saturdays:

• 1st Sat: Leona's Cabaret, 9:30pm, $5 cover
  
• 2nd Sat: Comedy Night (uncertain on the details)
  
• 3rd Sat: Drag Show feat. Hollotta Tymes, 9:30pm, $5 cover
• 4th Sat: ?
• ...and God knows what debauchery ensues when there's a 5th Saturday in the month
• full calendar on their Myspace
  

The night we went was mild but very friendly and welcoming. If you're looking to remain anonymous, go prepared with a fake name because the Townhouse isn't as dimly lit as some other bars we've been in and the other patrons are friendly enough that they will probably say hello...it's a very relaxed place that has a neighborhood feel in spite of being in the middle of a quiet business section of downtown Vallejo. Drinks were good (not expensive) and if it weren't for the 30 minute drive, I could see myself stopping in more often just to see what everyone's up to or to check out one of their events.

Summary: Townhouse Cocktail Lounge (click for Myspace info)
Location: 401 Georgia Street, Vallejo
Genre: neighborhood bar with events
Food: n/a (none served that we could tell)
Drinks: average, full bar
Price Range: around $6/drink (cash only), no cover except for some events
Environment: diverse, friendly, comfortable, brightly lit, events on Saturdays, ages: late-20s+
Gay Scene: mixed (LGBTQ/straight), PDA's okay