Traffic for Napa added by Google maps

Image from Google

I know this isn't really gay news, but I don't know where else to share this...

Google Maps added live traffic conditions for Hwy 29 (and 101 North, Santa Rosa, etc.) to their site. Take the guesswork out of your cross-town travel time for hookups--errr--I mean, running to that grocery store across town to get baking ingredients.

Miley Cyrus boots gays from Disneyland this weekend

GettyImages

As we mentioned a while back, this coming weekend is "Gaydays" at Disneyland in Anaheim. I've been planning and excited for months! My partner and I are heading down this Thursday, and while I've been to Disneyland many times in the past (almost yearly), my boyfriend hasn't been for almost 10 years and neither of us has gone for gaydays.

And then I heard this rumor on the blogosphere today, as only Perez could spread it:

"Ewww what a betch! In a move that would shock the spoiled brats on MTV's My Super Sweet Sixteen, little Slutty Cyrus is kicking the gays out of Disneyland for her birthday party! On what is known as the annual Gay Day celebration at Disneyland, Miley has decided to commandeer the park for her sweet 16th birthday bash, charging screaming tweenies $250 a pop to attend. Closing early to accommodate the Disney slut, members of the LGBT community will be forced to celebrate elsewhere. Lame!" [PerezHilton]

So, before I totally lost it I decided to do what I always do when I get a nasty email forward-- check the facts on the internets.

Thankfully, it's not completely true.

According to the official-nonofficial gaydays website, Miley's only buying out Disney's early park closure on Sunday evening. That's when all of us are supposed to be at California Adventure, which because of her fiesta, will be open later than usual. Good. So our gay-cation isn't ruined.

"NOTE: Yes, Miley Cyrus is having her birthday at Disneyland on Sunday, October 5 and Disneyland will be closing at 5pm that day. That's our scheduled day at Disney's California Adventure so we don't forsee any changes to Gay Days Anaheim. Although we would love her to come sing for us!" [GaydaysAnaheim]

Don't forget to wear your red shirts! Are you going? Let us know! Let's meet up!

Top tips for gay-cationing in Seattle

[Note: this post has been updated with some minor (but important) corrections from Bill W. of SeattleGayScene. Thanks for the email, Bill! Anytime you are coming down this way, feel free to get in touch and we'll give you a big Valley welcome.]

So I was first going to give you all a long writeup about my trip to the Pacific Northwest over the last week and realized that for the Fruit's general audience it might be a little too involved. If you want to know more, hit me up on the personal and I'll fill you in or even set you up with a small-group showing of my sideshow--all 400 something photos of it.

Instead, however, I thought I would just encapsulate the best gay bits of the trip for your use if you ever happen to travel to Seattle or Washington State.



I snapped this shot when walking up Pike Street in Seattle towards Boulevard, the gay epicenter (according to some) of Seattle's gayest neighborhood, Capitol Hill. This was my first queer sighting on the trip, so I got a little excited. All of Seattle is great to visit and (if you're not in deteriorating health) easy to walk (especially when sunny--my boyfriend and I were blessed with gorgeous weather last week!).

I won't bother with generic travel info to Seattle, etc. (I'll leave that to the Seattle Weekly), but here are my Top Tips for gay-cationing (or traveling while gay) to Seattle, etc:

1. The gayest part of the City seems to be Capitol Hill, a large neighborhood that stretches between I-5, Interlaken Park and E. Pike/Madison and 23/24th.
2. The gayest part of Capitol Hill (see tip #1) seems to be the corridor (that's what a local merchant called it) on Broadway between Pike and Pine. I would even expand it to include nearby streets...
3. In my opinion (and according to aforementioned locals), for drinks start off at Purr (a chill bar with mood-lighting, nice vibe and a small upstairs lounge) or if you prefer a pub (queer style), hit up Madison Pub
   
4. For an amazingly fun clubbing time, check out Neighbours (especially on Thursdays for 80s/90s, Fridays for dance on the regular level and latin night in their "Underground") and alternatively R Place (three levels, hip-hop dancing on weekends and is frequented by both lesbians and gays) or Re-bar
5. BONUS from Bill W., author os Seattle Gay Scene (see tip #7): Cuff is also a great place to dance on weekends, 100% gay (but no lesbians) and open till 3 am...people usually choose between either Neighbours or Cuff on any weekend night.
6. If you can't make it too long without your "gay soundtrack" (a.k.a. dance music, a la Energy 92.7), spin the dial to "commercial free" 89.5 FM. Driving up interstate 5, I was flicking through stations and as soon as I heard "the night is young...we break the dawn..." I felt comforted and at home in distant land, and I knew that whatever happened, I'd be okay. (Also, take note that the signal is pretty good and we could hear it on our full drive up the Sound and even on the San Juan islands, more than an hour north of Seattle!)
   
7. If you have web access and want current, extensive, up-to-date and entertaining info about Seattle's queer scene, click through to (appropriately enough) www.SeattleGayScene.com, a local-gay-blog by a local Seattle gay (kinda like us!)

And, for fun, some photos (click 'em if you want to see them bigger or go through one at a time):

So, what about your travels? Any tips, pics or stories from your latest queer vacation? Use the comments section to share liberally.

Oh the funny things you hear when Traveling-While-Gay

Says the (female) flight attendant to me in passing,

"Oh, I've never seen a guy reading that book!"

I smiled and nodded that, yes, goddamit, I'm a guy reading that book.

And enjoying it.

Now, please prepare your seats for landing.

SFGate: Vegas is the gay destination

According to a front page article on SFGate this afternoon, Vegas ranks ahead of San Fransico as the number two gay travel destination (just under New York City)...

They shouldn't have been surprised. The Rat Pack ethos, with its thinly veiled - or sometimes blatant - homophobia has long been relegated to nostalgia. There's a gay nightclub on the Strip, and plenty of others scattered around the city. Mayor Oscar Goodman, a former mob lawyer, marches in the annual gay pride parade...

..."Vegas is big and glitzy and exciting," said David Paisley, the firm's senior projects director, "and gays and lesbians are drawn to that."...

"For a long time, Las Vegas has been perceived to be an inclusive destination," said Terry Jicinsky, a gay man who is the convention authority's senior vice president of marketing. And, unlike some destinations, it doesn't need to remake its image for this audience. Gays and lesbians are attracted to Vegas for exactly the same reasons everyone else is. The agency, said Jicinsky is "not attempting to position Las Vegas as a destination for a 'gay experience,' such as Key West or Palm Springs might try to do."

Sounds fun to me! My partner has been talking up Vegas for a while now. Knowing that there are not only gay-friendly staff and destinations around the city, but also a gay-exclusive resort and other clubs makes it sound worthwhile instead of having to watch out for the urge to hold hands or sneak a kiss.

I've written before about Napa's gay paradox--having great gay destination worthy things such as decadent food and wine and amazing scenery and spas, yet a fairly invisible gay scene. Do you consider Napa to be a gay destination? Why? What would it take to bump up Napa's gay friendly status?

Ever heard of a queer mouse?

Dang-it! Of course, I'm always missing important anniversaries (just don't get my boyfriend started):

May 25, 1978 - The first "Gay Day" at Disneyland is held. More than 15,000 people attend and it's the largest private party ever held at Disneyland.

Anyone planning on attending this year? I know my bf and I are... Gay Days in Anaheim are going to be held October 3-5, 2008. They are expecting 30,000 LGBT peeps at the Magic Kingdom's celebration (which, incidentally, isn't actually hosted by Disney...it's just kind of allowed).

I heard you're supposed to wear a red-shirt, which solves a problem I have been complaining about since the early days of the blog. :)

Any other secrets we should know about Gay Day at Disneyland?