Maine's Sweet Spot

Story by Nif Leder; Photos courtesy Camden Harbour Inn

Things are heating up in Maine now that same-sex marriage is legal, so keep it in mind on your list of places to stay and play.

About two hours up the road from Portland, Maine's largest city, you’ll find Camden, a quaint port city that the state calls, "The Jewel of the Maine Coast." The area's peaks and valleys create a unique, beautiful landscape perfect for getting outdoors and doing some hiking and kayaking. Of course, there's nothing wrong with taking it slow, steady and relaxing by simply cruising around town by bike.

Composed of only about 5,000 residents, Camden has the cross-over appeal of being both an artist and farmer community. This also means that camping is decidedly not the only accommodations option. One place to shack up in style is the Camden Harbour Inn, which is owned, designed and maintained by a gay couple originally from the Netherlands who haved earned their inn a Four Diamond rating from AAA and  inclusion in National Geographic’s "129 Hotels We Love" and The New York Post’s "100 Best Summer Destinations."

The Inn's restaurant, Natalie's, dishes up French cuisine with a free side of sweeping views, so take in the sunset while indulging on oysters, herb encrusted lamb, or a classic local lobster dish with brown butter. Yum!

Ed Salvato on Sirius Radio!

 

Photo: courtesy Derek and Romaine, Sirius OutQ

Our editor, Ed Salvato, was a guest of Derek and Romaine on their eponymous show on Sirius OutQ.

It was a lively 45 minutes with lots and lots of calls from listeners. They discussed a wide range of travel topics from a wide range of Sirius OutQ listeners: gay men, lesbians, singles, couples and even a straight couple traveling with their gay friends! Here are a few topics they touched upon:

• Romantic getaways
• Gay-friendly cities in Texas
• Whether it's possible to travel to Cuba as an American
• How safe it is to travel to Mexico
• New Zealand B&Bs
• St. Petersburg, Russia
• Las Vegas
• Costa Rica ... and much more!

Click here to listen to the show. (It's in four parts.)

• Download 01 Track 01
• Download 02 Track 02
• Download 03 Track 03
• Download 04 Track 04

PrideWatch: Antwerp Pride

Images in order: (1) courtesy of Getty Images, (2-4) courtesy Antwerp Pride

Story by Bartosz Jaworski

There is a lot of pride going on in "Europe's gay harbor" this summer. Antwerp Pride is taking place June 25 - 28 and is guaranteed to be an unforgettable weekend on the Belgian coast.

Festivities begin on the 25th with a symposium on gay and human rights, followed by a party at Cafe Den Draak -- a gay venue that donates all of its profits to LGBT organizations.

The following day, check out "A Hard NIght," Belgium's largest fetish party. The ladieS can join the glamorous showgirls at the hip lesbian joint, Cafe de Love. However, if you would like to keep your night PG, there is also a Mamma Mia! singalong scheduled.

A gay cruise-party, Navigaytion, stars on Saturday with thousands of gay men and women. If you still  haven't gotten your fix, there will be more fetish events scheduled near Antwerp's historic port area, thus knocking out fetish and sightseeing with one stone.

After all the parties Antwerp Pride has some low-key events scheduled for Sunday, including a trip to the city's Diamond Museum (the diamond trade is one of Antwerp's main industries) and the Zoo, where there will be a guided tour about diversity among animals.

For a full schedule of events, visit the Antwerp Pride website. And check out our coverage of riverboat cruises in the Low Countries for more sightseeing ideas. With thousands of visitors coming from around the world, this festival is a great opportunity to meet interesting people, celebrate LGBT pride, and enjoy the beauty of Belgium.  

Adirondack Festival of Food and Wine

Story by Bartosz Jaworski
Photos courtesy of the Mirror Lake Inn.

With the warmth of spring already seeping into our limbs, it may be in order to escape the city for nearby lush countryside, and the Adirondack mountains are a stupendous and beneficial place to breathe some clean air (and escape the never-ending sound of cell phones). Best of all, the Adirondack  Festival of Food and Wine is coming up on March 26-29 in the luxurious Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa.

Rated as a "AAA Four Diamond" retreat, the Mirror Lake Inn promises a romantic weekend with the gorgeous Adirondack countryside as its backdrop. In addition to the beautiful scenery, guests will be blown away by the inn's Four Star restaurant, The View (a culinary destination in its own right, the View has received the Wine Spectator Dining Guide Award of Excellence nine consecutive times).

The festivities are centered around food and wine events: tastings, culinary demonstrations, and even a cooking competition presided by The View Executive Chef Greg Michaud (its as if this was invented expressly for those many gays and lesbians who love organic ingredients and have a competitive streak). We're particularly excited by the promised maple syrup demonstration from a local producers, and slightly less so about a visit from the makers of P3, Lake Placid's new vodka . 

The festival costs $1395 per couple and $699 per person, which includes accommodations, gourmet breakfast, and entry to all of the food and wine events. Although it is rather pricey, remember that it's pennies compared to a weekend of gourmet food in New York City, not to mention with fresher ingredients, and the the peaceful quiet and majestic beauty of the Adirondack state park.

The complete itinerary and menu is available on the Mirror Lake Inn's website. 

Italian Riviera Get-a-way

Photos courtesy of Casa Lorenzine
Story by Bartosz Jaworski

We love Italy, especially after recent visits to Florence. But for a scenic retreat from the commotion of urban life, the gay-owned Casa Lorenzine B&B offers a taste of a more rural country along the Italian Riviera. Close enough to the glitz and glamor of high-stakes Monte-Carlo, the tranquil landscape is enough to make you forget about civilization for a while. The inn is managed by a hospitable couple who boast a commitment to an authentic cultural experience. 

Spend a day by pristine beaches, taking walks on an ancient Roman roads, or excursions to the Maritime Alps. Fitness-minded hikers can benefit from nearby close to Cinque Terra, a well-preserved World Heritage Site with stunning trails along steep landscapes overlooking the sea. The location is a rustic dream with a Mediterranean flair.

There are two double rooms available and a two-story suite accommodating up to six, all of which have a breath-taking seaside view.  Al are elegantly and warmly decorated with all the usual amenities, along with lovely Provençale herbal soaps and toiletries, Wi-FI Internet, and even a collection of recent movies and DVD player to watch them with.

The rates are 107€ ($136) per night for doubles with continental breakfast, or add on 20€ ($25) for a large Riviera breakfast. The suite starts at 127€ a night depending on the party and the breakfast preference. Food is prepared fresh with a rich and varied menu daily consisting of Italian regional favorites, such as melon with Prosciutto di Parma, and focaccia with extra virgin olive oil, Taggia black olives and rosemary. Since the Riviera breakfast is rarely ever finished, the friendly staff can prepare a picnic basket for their guests as they venture out into the charming countryside surrounding the location. 

Although we love reporting on big Italian cities (or smaller gorgeous ones) great times and gay inclusiveness can be found off the beaten track as well—although it doesn't hurt that Monaco is a short drive away.

Let's Talk Dirty to the Animals

 

Photos Courtesy the San Francisco Zoo
Story by Joseph Alexiou

Gilda Radner was an inspirational woman who sang this timeless song—if only she were around for The San Francisco Zoo's Woo at the Zoo, the famous guided tour on the sexual behavior of animals, which is taking place just in time for Valentine's Day.

This is the 20th anniversary of this wonderfully fun and informative exploration into animal sexuality. Jane Tollini, the zoo's former penguin keeper, will give an educational and entertaining presentation on the specific behaviors of various animals.

The 'Frisco Zoo is also home to a famous gay penguin couple, Harry and Pepper, who have been together for several years and have maintained a stable relationship (you may have heard of the other famous gay penguins Roy and Silo, of the Central Park Zoo in New York). However according to the zoo's keepers, to the chagrin of some a female penguin has recently wooed Harry away from Pepper, causing a breakup after five years of committed love and affection! Before we get our tails into a twist, we remember that such behavior is natural and it only proves that animals can be bisexual as well as gay, lesbian, and transsexual (some are able to exhibit that characteristic better than others).

This would be a great way to spend a Valentine's date—included in the ticket is a full romantic brunch, including mimosas, eggs, French toast, pastries, chocolate covered strawberries and other surprises. The evening event's menu is beef tenderloin, couscous, sautéed spinch with pine nuts and golden raisins (mmm), salad, and more chocolate dipped strawberries!

Get your reservations now before the event sells out. And a very happy gay Valentine to you all, our faithful readers!

Ice Skating in the Caribbean

Story and photos by Ed Salvato
 
I've been invited by Out Traveler-award winner Atlantis Events on The Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas to experience the word's largest gay cruise with 3,500 passengers (nearly sold out, which indicates how we gays are still traveling!), 1,400 crew, a head-spinning array of optional activities and three intriguing ports of call: Labadee, Haiti; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.
 
The Freedom of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, boasts a number of eye-popping features, including outdoor rock-climbing (starting on deck 13 at around 180 feet about the sea and soaring another 40 feet into the air), a beautiful outdoor miniature golf course, the Flowrider (a fast, exciting surfing and body-boarding feature) and--the most unexpected -- an ice-skating rink.

 This big slab of frozen H20 with seating for up to 500 was the site of an ice show by ship entertainers, an open-skating afternoon hosted by Miss Ritchfield 1981, a signature Atlantis drag entertainer, and, when covered with floor boards, a concert by Andy Bell of Erasure. For me the most fun was just a low-key afternoon of open skating that I went to with Leo (above right), a friend from Moscow. I never thought I'd get to say that I went ice-skating on a ship in the Caribbean.
 
One of the big stories of the trip is the huge number of passengers from outside the U.S., nearly 1,100 or about one third, including hundreds from Canada, scores from big European countries like France, the U.K., the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and surprising numbers from Brazil, Mexico and even Japan. There were a handful from Cuba, Turkey and even the United Arab Emirates.
 
The headline act on Friday was Patti LuPone fresh from her role as lead in Gypsy on Broadway. Following her two performances was the White Party, billed as the largest gay party in the Caribbean ever. It was packed, too, with thousands of white-clad revelers.
  
Regarding the ports, Labadee is a private area for the enjoyment of cruise passengers only so the day we arrived  it became a private gay resort with all sorts of sporting and leisure activities. San Juan, Puerto Rico, is the most  interesting. Established in the early  1500s, the city has experienced a long, rich history. A good use of a short visit is to explore the old city, walls and fortress. This is the only spot in the Caribbean with an established, out, gay community and a robust gay nightlife.
 
I enjoy chatting with the crew to find out their impressions of the gay cruise. The cruise line typically offers the crew the opportunity to take a leave the week they host the gay and lesbian cruises. Surely there are those who opt out but for all the men and women I spoke to on board they unanimously proclaimed the gay cruises their favorite. One woman told me she wished every week was the Atlantis cruise.
 

Value Watch: Tropical Delights at Casa Cupula

Photos courtesy of Casa Cupula
Story by Olga Bas

Casa Cupula in gay-friendly Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, is offering several cool deals, if you're angling for warmer climes. This gay boutique hotel, with views of Banderas Bay and the surrounding green mountains, provides a natural and romantic environment that is small enough for attentive service, but large enough to provide plenty of privacy.

Amenities include a clothing-optional heated pool (three pools in all), Jacuzzis, a home theater in every room, a gym, and a spa. With 24-hour gourmet dining, concierge service, personal massages, and free internet access, Casa Cupula resembles a self-sufficient town and the only reason to step out for a few hours is to enjoy the local color of Puerto Vallarta.

Check the hotel website's last-minute travel deals, where you can currently get deluxe queen and king rooms for US$158 a night -- and rates have gone as low as US$98 a night. If you're sure of your reservation and aren't planning on needing the hotel's "No Worries" cancellation policy that's fee-free up to a month before arrival, you can book under the new "No Refund" reservation at 10 percent off the regular rates. With the dollar gaining momentum, the exchange rate is now more than 13 pesos to the dollar, making Mexico even more affordable.

Money-saving tip: When exchanging money, banks often have better rates. If you're in the airport and need money urgently, exchange only a small amount at the on-site kiosks, because, typically, their rates are not as good.

Dennis Does Curacao

Videos by Dennis Hensley

Our regular contributor, Dennis Hensley, always returns from trips with the best stories, and now that he has a video camera, he's been sharing just about the funniest vacation tips clips we've seen.

From the colorful Caribbean island of Curacao, learn how ATVs and masculinity mix, some gay hotel history, and where exactly that local love potion should go while getting great scoops on Curacao life, culture and travel tips!

The Inn at the Round Barn Farm, Vermont

Photos courtesy of The Inn at the Round Barn Farm
Story by Olga Bas

Located in Mad River Valley, The Inn at the Round Barn Farm is a great Vermont retreat. Surrounded by excellent ski terrain (Sugarbush and Mad River Glen) and eclectic farms (such as yak meat), this 245 acre farm features one of five round barns still standing in Vermont. Restored to its original 1910 beauty in the late 80s, The Inn offers an idyllic escape from everyday life and is a perfect winter getaway.

Harkening back to the time of its inception, The Inn's 12 guestrooms feature period antiques and décor. And you can even get warm cookies in the afternoon in the parlor to stave off the chill for that homey touch. When you're not busy skiing, or you'd rather keep your feet on level ground, you can take one of the snowshoe treks led by Cooper, the farm's black lab.

Not only is the view green at the Round Barn Farm, but it's also run with green in mind: the farm grows most of its own produce, plants herbs in pig pens and fruit groves in a retired hay field. All meals are prepared by the chef and all dishes are seasoned. Flooded areas of the fields were converted to water gardens, one of which doubles as a greenhouse enhanced indoor pool.

If that isn't enough to convince you, we're told that Round Barn Farm is "also a year round wedding and civil union venue and one of the only places in Vermont that can host a winter wedding or civil union - ceremony, reception, and 12 guestrooms of accommodations - in an intimate inn setting." You can hear the bells ringing from here.