Gay Tourists Cross the Finnish Line

Photos (top and bottom) courtesy Q Life; photo of Pride courtesy Visit Helsinki; photo of bartenders courtesy A21; story by Nif Leder and Ed Salvato

You might not think of Finland as a gay hot spot, but its atmosphere is more like its average summer temperatures: comfortable.

Helsinki makes its debut on the gay radar with the introduction of a gay-friendly travel network. Tourism officials thread a rainbow string through retail stores, hotels, restaurants, and even taxis to provide gay-friendly service to LGBT tourists. Use the Q Life traveler’s guide available for free at the Tourist Office or online (click here).

(Helsinki Pride)

Why flock to Finland? Beautiful Art Nouveau buildings line waterways, and there’s a a maze of bridges connecting over 300 islands that compose greater Helsinki. Heat up your experience by stepping inside one of the 2 million saunas the country offers. With a population of approximately 5 million, (that’s nearly more than 1 for every three people)! Europe’s northern most capital is also the second most populous city on the continent.

Wash down a day of adventure at A21 Cocktail Lounge (left), a trendy spot that holds tight to their motto of, “Cocktails are culinary experiences.” Sick of gay bars that are simply a scene, because you can’t hear over the music? Like many European cities, Helsinki offers a number of gay cafés. DTM is the first and biggest cafe and disco combo that keeps the music going until 4AM, as DTM chants, “’cos we love to party.” When a hangover hits, head over to Bear Park Cafe for a hot coffee or homemade ice cream.

Click here for a cool OutTraveler story on dogsledding in Finland.

Girls do Toronto proud

Story by Aefa Mulholland. Photos by Aefa Mulholland (1, 2, 3) and Sian Davies (4).

There are some places girls really come out on top during Pride. After last weekend, I can happily report that Toronto is up there with San Francisco, New York, and Sydney for girl Pride antics. With hot girl bands aplenty, a lesbian pie eating competition, and a staggering slew of women’s parties, Toronto gets my vote as the top pride for girls. This year saw the boisterous Dyke March take over the streets on Saturday afternoon. Thousands thronged Yonge Street as the march strutted south in the sun. The 519 beer gardens teemed with hundreds of women all afternoon and until 11 p.m.

While the cast responsible for producing practically my entire back catalogue of 45s (from ABC to Wang Chung to Cutting Crew) graced Sunday’s stages, The Cliks, Esthero, Ferron and local garage rockers Dance Yourself To Death entertained the masses on Dyke Day. Gorgeous playwright Catherine Hernandez took to the stage as part of the Proud Voices Readings and read from her Dora-nominated (the Canadian equivalent of New York’s Tony Awards) play, Singkil. 

(Below: playwrights Mark Shyzer and Catherine Hernandez at the Proud Voices Readings)

Toronto’s is definitely not the Pride for indecisive Sapphic socialites. The list of girl parties on offer this weekend was incredible; Snatch, Apples, Lick-it, Libido, Girls with Grills, Cherry Bomb, The S-word, Concrete and Diamonds. On Saturday we hit Cherry Bomb – the official after party -- where 1200 queer women, gay boys, trans people, and friends milled, mingled, and cavorted to the sounds of DJs Denise Benson and Cozmic Cat, M.C. Benni E, and Philadelphia’s Fuse DJs Phoenix and Kit. The sounds were thrilling, the women stunning, and the atmosphere electric.

(Below: Hillary and Maggie at the 519 Beer Garden)

Sunday, my accomplices and I hit the the Beaver, a sliver of a bar in my neighborhood, West Queen West. A hot crowd of West End hipsters milled in the tiny bar and on the packed back patio, including local, queer indie names; singer Gentleman Reg, rapper/MC Nolan Natasha, Owen Pallett (of Final Fantasy), Katie Sketch and Jenny Smyth (formerly of the Organ), and writer Jennifer Code.

 

 

Doing Toronto Proud

Story and photos by Aefa Mulholland

(Above: Ahmed and Evan on Church Street, Toronto's Gay Village)

Without any doubt one of the world’s absolute top Pride celebrations, Pride Toronto celebrated its 29th thrilling year at the weekend with an astounding run of parties, parades, and events.

(Above: Hot bodies on Church Street)

Despite a rainy start to Sunday, the parade sashayed off in style and drew up to a million spectators. LGBT fire fighters, police, and representatives of all armed forces paraded down Yonge Street alongside politicians, Quebec’s Cirque du Soleil, and a fantastically, outrageously colorful slew of others.  

(Below: Toronto bike cop at the parade)

Air New Zealand's Naked Flight Attendants

Air New Zealand really wants you to pay attention to their air safety video. So they're shedding more than their shoes in their new onboard video. The flight crew drops trou’ to reveal their new “Bare Essentials” in-flight safety video. Wearing only a fresh coat of body paint, a very attractive crew demands your attention as part of Air New Zealand’s “Nothing to Hide” campaign. So sit back, relax, and direct your attention to the YouTube clip below.

For more information on New Zealand click on the latest dispatch from our write, Dennis Hensley: A Crash Course in Kiwi

New York Gay Pride 2009

Jake Walden's Hair-y Visit to New York

Story and photos by Jake Walden

We are excited to welcome Jake Walden, a multi-talented singer/songwriter (who happens to be gay) from Northern California as a guest blogger. Jake occasionally sends us dispatches during his travels. Click here to read about his adventures in Montana. Click here for Las Vegas. And here for Boulder. Seattle and Portland. Orefonia. Back home in Cotati.

Jake in New York City.
I walked into the elevator on the penthouse level alongside two interns both dressed as any 23 year-old intern at a giant NYC PR firm would be (queue "Devil Wears Prada").  They smiled. I pretended to be British and said, "Have a nice evening ladies" in an accent I'm sure doesn't. After the doors opened, like a true British gentleman, I swept my hands and let them exit. I was smiling like an idiot wondering what had come over me. What a dork. What balls. Maybe it's that feeling you get in that city, with the notion that each time you step out your door you can be whoever you choose. Some run to NYC, some run away. Everyone, it seems, is running.

Michael met me outside a fancy building next to the park. It was my last night of a six day stay in the area. The night before had brought me onstage at Rockwood Music Hall located on Allen Street at Houston in the Lower East Side, a kind of home for me in the city, the kind of place where a few dozen people can sit feet from the baby grand as people pass by the window and the smell of wood and comfort take over. Where after a confidence "altering" performance the week before, I needed to find "that place" and remember just what it is I can do with this music, these rare moments to sway a warm crowd into my world, only to leave them reflecting on theirs. And so many friends.

Michael and I walked towards the theater and decided to eat at a hole-in-the wall Mexican place before the big event I had waited my whole life to be a part of. Across from me two giant young women sat, laughing. One got out a camera to take the others picture realizing that the word, trash, on the garbage bin behind them would be on top of her head.  There was even an arrow pointing down right to her. Why I didn't take a picture myself is beyond me. At this moment I realized they were speaking Danish, a language that once had burrowed itself into my mind while I was an exchange student in Denmark too many trips around the sun ago to say, and I couldn't breathe, suddenly translating my every thought and trying hard to hear theirs without staring. I'm sure in a million years they never thought that crazy guy in a vest next to them could understand every other other word they said.

As we approached the theater the tie dye and  Birkenstocks appeared. We were here, on Broadway getting ready to see Hair, Tony winner, legend of my parents' time and precursor to immense revolution, honesty and celebration of spirit in our culture. We took our seats, me jumping up and down, the woman in front of me crying already having to tell me how she had seen the original. P.S., my friend Michael saw the original as well, in fact he is friends to this day with some of the 1968 cast members and the writer of the show (how we got our perfect house seats). Anyhow, this woman sang every song, and at times during the touching moments or love songs she would nestle her head in the nape of her husband's neck. It really touched me. 

Five minutes before the show, Whoopi (yes, Goldberg) arrived and the theater buzzed.  She sat a few rows in front of us and Michael and I just looked at each other. What could we say? Did we need to tell each other how serendipitous this was? As we spent days at his place, me recovering from too much travel, and he, sharing stories of his life and making me feel so welcome.  Did we need to talk about how we had watched old Whoopi stand-up routines and relived every moment of "A Color Purple" declaring her out mutual hero and bona fide genius? 

No. We just laughed, knowing that this week was meant to be. Music had brought us together, friendship brought me the chance to spend those days entrenched in the history of Broadway, politics and music Michael played and preached about these days. I felt so honored to know him and to share Hair which was so much like a dream, so perfect for so many reasons I still can't talk about it.

I walked the new High Line, a converted raised railway track running through the city now as a park.  Later, I accidentally wandered into the famous Chelsea Hotel. I saw Time Square as I never had before, with sections of no cars, as if they were experimenting making it one of those pedestrian streets in the middle of Manhattan. To me it was just freaky, but I am no Bloomberg and certainly not a New Yorker, so what do I know? The tourists seem to like it.

Some say NYC can be a lonely place, and maybe it can. but to me, for a moment at least it felt like a dream, only it wasn't. It was my life, in the dawning of my own age of Aquarius. Let the sunshine in.

Jake Walden willl be submitting occasional updates. Keep checking back here.

Click here to learn more about Jake and hear his gorgeous music.

Click here to read a recent interview with Jake on Out.com.

Click here to listen to his tunes on our OutTraveler player.

French Tapas: We Dish about Bar Artisanal's Petits plats

Story by Ed Salvato and James Wang; images courtesy of Artisanal

Celebrity chef, Terrance Brennan, (below right) has done it again with the April '09 opening of his  chic French restaurant, Bar Artisanal in New York's trendy Tribeca neighborhood. Conveniently located at the intersection of West Broadway and 6th Ave, just south of Canal St, (located at an A, C, E subway station), the prime location gives French food and wine connoisseurs a break, if the commute to Paris is too much of a hassle.

The gay-popular bar and restaurant has already received rave reviews from local press, including  the New York Times and Time Out New York, noting that the “shareable nibbles are what this place is about.” The value-oriented menu, with no dish over $20, offers a variety of authentic French small plates and entrees ranging from pizza-like pissaladieres for sharing to lamb burgers and duck gizzard confit, as well as an extensive list of special cocktails, scrumptious desserts, and an assortment of fine wine and cheese platters, which are also available when the restaurant is open late night. This is a great place for lunch, dinner or just drinks and some small plates.

The restaurant's tall ceilings and huge windows help the space to transition from fun French Bistro to romantic evening spot as the lighting changes. We like this spot for a solo lunch, business meeting or for a romantic evening dinner.

Details
Bar Artisanal
268 W. Broadway @ 6th Avenue, 1 Block South of Canal St.
New York, NY
212-925-1600
http://www.barartisanal.com/location.php
Price Range:
Small Plates: $10-20
Entrees: $10-20

Value Watch: Hotels & Spas in Scotland

Photos courtesy of Luxury Scotland: The Old Course Hotel (1), The Gleneagles Hotel (2), Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa (3, 4)
Story by Olga Bas

Though the Scottish gay scene is liveliest in Edinburgh and Glasgow, it does benefit from the U.K.'s progressive attitude: same-sex couples received the right to register civil partnerships in 2005. If you've got romance on the brain, it's hard to find a more majestic setting than staying at a hotel that resembles a medieval castle or regal manor house, but has all the modern amenities. The following scenic Scottish properties are currently upping the romance factor even further with special spa packages:

• The Gleneagles Hotel, located in Auchterarder, in the heart of Scotland, has a new Spa Essence  Package offer for those wishing to escape from the bustle of the city. The package includes accommodations in a classic room, full Scottish breakfast, prix fixe dinner, 55-minute spa treatment and full use of the club's leisure facilities. Available through September 30, the package price starts at $730 per night, valid Sunday-Thursday. The Spa by ESPA is modern marvel with crystal steam rooms, tropical showers, cooling ice rubs, and a two Michelin-starred restaurant, Andrew Fairlie -- serving French cuisine with a Scottish twist.

• The Marcliffe Hotel & Spa situated on 11 acres of wooded grounds in Aberdeen, has two specials for its visitors, which can be combined. The Sunday Suite offer comes with a full a la carte menu, including Russian King Crab, Bed and Breakfast in one of our Junior Suites with a bottle of Pommery Champagne in your suite upon arrival for $478 (based on double occupancy), inclusive of VAT and service charges. The hotel's Spa Offer gives guests 20 percent off all spa treatments every Monday and Tuesday. The spa boasts multiple treatment rooms and extensive services ranging from mani/pedis to the Baleno Therapy Room -- a hydrotherapy bath unique to Scotland that relieves muscular tension and arthritis. The hotel is minutes from Aberdeen's city center, and there are at least 50 castles and 30 malt whiskey distilleries in the vicinity.

 • The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa of Northern Scotland overlooks the beautiful Scottish coastline at West Sands beach. This prestigious five-star hotel has 144 rooms including 35 suites. The hotel's Kohler Spa, with relaxation treatments based on the healing properties of the earth’s mineral-rich waters, is currently offering the 24-hour Spa Escape. The package includes a one-night stay, full Scottish breakfast, 25-minute Kohler Massage, 25-minute Burst of Radiance Facial, a two-course spa lunch and unlimited use of the Kohler Waters Spa facilities; cost is $441 per night. The offer is good until March 2010.

• The six-story Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa in Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, is in a prime location for sightseeing and hitting the bars. It also features the ONE SPA health and fitness complex, which is one of only five spas in Scotland to offer the new Super Active treatment from ESPA. The 80-minute treatment works on calming and soothing while repairing and restoring skin – including aging, dehydration and environmental stress is tailored specifically to each client and costs $177. When you book two consecutive nights through July 31, you'll get the third night free; the daily rate is $280 based on double occupancy. The hotel also features an outdoor rooftop hydropool, Finnish sauna, thermal suites, and a state-of-the-art gym.

The 7: W Atlanta-Downtown

 

Story by Aefa Mulholland. Photos by Ben Rahn, AFrameStudio.com

The 7 Reasons I Love W Atlanta-Downtown

1. The good kind of lush. W Atlanta-Downtown’s lobby is a thing of beauty. The hotel's incredible interiors are courtesy of Canadian interior design superstars, burdifilek. Taking its shimmering influences from the lushness of the Peach State, sumptuous textures, eye catching sculptural elements, and stunning installations bedeck the space. Admire undulating, hand-carved walnut walls, a tree canopy mobile with hundreds of metal leaves, and a custom-designed metal sphere before you even get to your room.

2. Pods and ‘port. It’s hard not to love a hotel with luminous check-in pods and a private heliport.

3. Haute-lanta. Sexy enclaves nestle behind bent-wood screens and curved seating merges with planting beds in the sultry Living Room lounge. Soothe away the heat of the Hotlanta day by the 22-foot water feature with its metal lilies and onyx reflecting pool. If you’re in need of more substantial sustenance, sashay to the hotels’ BLT steakhouse and tuck into Laurent Tourondel’s classic Transatlantic fare.

4. Room to thrill. A palette of mulberry, teal, or indigo greets you in the sultry guest rooms and suites at the W. Rich Makassar wood and glossy acrylics create slick sleeping quarters. Signature W beds, High Speed Internet Access, Bliss amenities, and W’s legendary Whatever/Whenever service make every overnight a star stay.

5. Bath and beyond. When you want to relax, choose from your sumptuous bathroom with Bliss Spa amenities, the decadent, hip Bliss Spa (home of a brownie buffet!), and the gorgeous WETBAR, with its infinity edge pool, views over downtown Atlanta, and enticing signature cocktails.

6. The perfect address. You couldn’t get better neighbors; the W basks downtown adjacent to soaring skyscrapers, the CNN Center, the Georgia Aquarium, and Centennial Olympic Park.

7. Hot rates. Rooms start at $135.

W Atlanta-Downtown; 45 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard, Atlanta; 404-582-5800; StarwoodHotels.com

Pridewatch: Montréal

Photos in order (2, 5, 6) Courtesy of Montréal Pride, (3,4) courtesy Divers/Cité by Aydin Matlabi
Story by Joseph Alexiou

There's no denying it: we here at Out Traveler love Montréal. Quebec's premier gay destinations is holding two super LGBT events in the upcoming months: Diver/Cité in July 26 to August 1, and the main Pride, also known as Celebrations de la Fierté, from August 13 to 16. Originally one big Pride festival, the arts and music festival was so popular that it was split became its own unique event.

Divers/Cité, translatable French wordplay for "Diverse/City,"  bills itself as an modern, avant-garde arts festival. 55 hours of live shows, concerts and cinema screenings will run alongside photo exhibitions. Talented drag performers Joey Arias and Justin Bond (featuring Our Lady J) will perform in the Cabaret de Minuit's "New York Series." If that's not enough drag, Mascara, La Nuit des Drags features 80 performers, outdoors on the night of Saturday, August 1.

Spinning at various parties that night are world-class DJs David Morales (playing the Sunset Party and opening the D/C Party) and Peter Rauhofer, who will play the late night set at D/C from 4 to 10 a.m. For the ladies, Lesbomonde features all night partying, from the 7 p.m. Cocktail hour at Suco Lounge featuring DJ and vocalist Sandy Duperval, to the club night at Musée Juste pour rire. This features DJs Betti Forde, circuit fave Alyson Calagna, and JD Samson from Le Tigre (yet another New York visitor).

The numerous pride events begin officially on August 13, but the parties begin Friday with the loungy Bring Your Own Lesbian POP Fiesta. Saturday is all about the BBCM party in Altitude 737, a restaurant-club on top of Place Ville-Marie—these experts de la fête have brougth the kickoff to one of the city's biggest skyscrapers. Beginning at 1 p.m., the all-day event includes beautiful panoramic views and DJ Alain Jackinsky, Stéfane Lippé, and Patrick Guay. Those looking for free events can easily hit up Place Émilie-Gamelin, including the Café des Arts presentation of Per7eption and the work of Yvon Goulet and Kat Coric, who will perform live painting.

The parade itself begins on Sunday at 1 p.m., at Lorimier Avenue and René-Lévesque Boulevard East. The westward procession of leather and feathers will finish at Saint-Hubert Street, and celebrations continue at Parc Émilie-Gamelin (for a T-dance featuring, DJ Mark Anthony, Mexican sensation Oscar Belazquez and more Stéfane Lippé) and also Sainte-Catherine St. between Saint-Hubert and Papineau.

We could all use a few relaxing days in Montréal's very agréable summer climate and laid back culture—alors, allez-y directement, especially now that the U.S. dollar is worth $1.15 Canadian again—enfin! (finally!)