Our Gay Hollywood Adventures with Out & About Tours

Last Friday, a group of us had the opportunity to attend the "Pre-Tour" of the upcoming LGBT gay history bus tour that Out & About Tours is putting together here in West Hollywood, making its debut for Halloween 2009!

Offering an in-depth yet entertaining look at LGBT history and its hotspots not found in your average LA travel guide, we undertook one hell of a fun "journey" through LGBT history beginning with LA's pre-Spanish settlement era, continuing through the Golden Age of Hollywood, the gay rights movement of the 60s & 70s and ending in present day.

We began in West Hollywood, continued on through Downtown LA, via Echo Park and Silverlake and then returned through Hollywood. We saw it all... from LA's first gay porn theatre to a Judy Garland performance at The Other Side piano bar in Silverlake. We even had a chance to enjoy a cocktail there as well!

From their website, here are some of the tour highlights:

• Join Out & About Tours as they share with guests the first footfalls of the Los Angeles Gay Pride Parade which occurred on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and McCadden Place in June of 1970.
  
  
• Out & About Tours uncovers LA’s more seedy side of life, as guests tour past Merced Theatre, LA’s first porn theatre from the 1880’s.
  
  
• Guests will swing by one of the last gay piano bars for a cocktail, a song or two and a fascinating five minute clip from a documentary of the same name, “The Other Side: A Queer History” by Jane Cantillon.
  
  
• Was “Stonewall” really the first gay uprising? Out & About Tours will ask guests to share a moment of silence at the site of LA’s “Stonewall,” two years before the riots occurred in New York City. The LA incident fueled many things, including the iconic magazine “The Advocate,” one of the world’s oldest LGBT publications, still in publication today.
  
  
• Many are aware of the phrase “Lipstick Lesbian.” Out & About Tours will take guests past the famous lesbian bar that coined the phrase and changed the way that gay woman dressed and conducted themselves publicly. The patrons of Peanuts on Santa Monica Boulevard put a new twist on the term “liberated woman.”
  
  
• It’s no secret that LA has a heavy Spanish influence but do Angelenos and tourist a-like really know where it all began? Out & About Tours will stop off at “El Pueblo” just outside of Olvera Street in Downtown LA and pay homage to some of the oldest public structures in the area and share with guests their significance in gay history.
  
  
• No tour of LA is complete without a jaunt on the world-famous Sunset Strip; Out & About Tours will show guests the location of the first openly gay bar of the area and show how it influenced the feel and shape of all gay bars thereafter.
  
  
• While the All-American white-boys were building a thriving “Boy’s Town” in the city that is now known as West Hollywood, LGBT Latinos and African American were dancing to the beat of their own drums in other parts of town. Out & About Tours will point out significant venues.
  
  
• If it’s more dirt that guests are looking for, Out & About Tours will show them LA’s oldest bathhouse that still operates today and once hosted many a closeted movie star.
  
  
• Out & About Tours will explore the complex gay underground scene during Tinseltown’s Golden Age for those guests who want the skinny on gay Hollywood.
  
  
• While touring through the eclectic city of Silverlake, Out & About Tours will salute the house high on a hill that hosted the first meeting of the gay movement in America.
  
  
• Out & About Tours prides itself in the fact that their comprehensive and entertaining tour contains more than 100 points of interest.

The tour itself runs on Saturdays and Sundays, as well as every other Friday. It departs from the ONE Archives Gallery & Museum in West Hollywood (which is a treat unto itself). From Out & About Tours, "the tour enlightens, educates and encourages riders to reflect on how history has shaped today’s gay-experience."

Check out this video we made from our trip, at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaCUPmBGsac

Their most recent article:

http://www.pinkbananaworld.com/content-detail.cfm?id=289144

Their official website:

http://www.outandabout-tours.com/

Tennis Channel Signature Series: Martina Navratilova Give-Away

Check out our first giveaway featured on the front page of PinkBananaWorld.com

Enter to win an autographed DVD by Martina Navratilova. This DVD documentary, produced by The Tennis Channel, coincides with both the 40th anniversary of Stonewall and the US Open, of which Martina is a commentator. This DVD is a must have - not only is it compelling and moving, but it also captures Martina talking open and honestly about her "Coming Out" process.

http://www.pinkbananaworld.com/

Inviting you to take a 2nd look at PinkBananaWorld.com

Relaunched with the focus on featuring YOUR GLBT CONTENT to the rest of the world.

We wanted to take this time to invite you to take a look at some of the major feature overhauls we've introduced to PinkBananaWorld.com this month. The site's design is still being worked on, so please forgive some areas where it seems functionality has definitely outweighed design. We'll get to it soon.

We've placed user-generated content front and center... it's like a Facebook News Feed focused exclusively on the gay & lesbian community. We're also featuring some of the best GLBT content feeds from around the world, and we've improved the social network capabilities of commenting on and integrating this content into the social news feed as well.

We're also featuring News Highlights as chosen by YOU, the GLBT Community, on Twitter! Using some of the latest Twitter software available today, we can feature GLBT news and other stories "as it happens," as reported by you, the GLBT world at large.

In the meantime, we invite you to join if you're not a member already, and once joined, tell us more about some of your content you're posting online, including:

• Facebook links you've posted recently
  
• YouTube videos
  
• Flickr Photos
  
• Your Blogs
  
• Your Delicious, Digg and Google Reader favorites
  
• Your Twitters
  

It's all automatic once you let us know just a little bit of information about your accounts online. From this point forward, your content is out there in front of an audience that is now no longer just your friends, but now gays and lesbians worldwide.

So come on by and take a look when you have a chance... we're confident you'll like what you see.
Thanks,
Your PinkBananaWorld.com Team

http://www.PinkBananaWorld.com

Winter in Rio for the Gay Traveler

So it seems that prior to my arriving in Rio de Janeiro for a week in July, EVERYONE had the same two thoughts on their mind... 1) "it's winter time, how could you possibly go there when it's cold and raining" and 2) "you can't go to Rio, it's too dangerous!"

Well, I can tell you that both myths are just that... myths! First, Rio in their winter is a bit like Miami in winter, but just a tad bit cooler. Most days we were there, it was a gorgeous 80 degrees and sunny. There were two days of cooler winter weather, but that meant it was windy and in the 60s, and that was just really one blustery day.

So why go into all of this about the weather in Rio? Because for the gay traveler, going to a destination such as this "off season" is fantastic. There were so few tourists and the majority of hot men roaming the streets were all locals. And they are HOT! Once in a while you'll hear an occasional English or French word heard, but overall, all Brazilian!

We had the opportunity to stay with friends in Copacabana, very near the Copacabana Palace. We ate like the locals, including one seafood hot spot called Shirley. Strolling the beach boardwalk by day, the scenery both on the beach and walking, rollerblading or biking by, was stunning. Shirts off, eyes lingering just a little longer than they should. Stopping for an occasional coconut made for great walking breaks, and we walked a lot... from Copacabana to Ipanema and then further to Leblon. On Sunday they close off part of the street, so renting a bike and taking that tour from Copacabana to Leblon is a ton of fun... and then biking inland a bit to the lake there in Rio is just a cherry on top for a delightful Sunday afternoon.

Heading into Ipanema, the gay beach is really easy to find as it's highlighted with several rainbow flags right at the foot of Rua Farme de Amoedo. Walking up that street any time of the day or evening is a real delight, as "the gays" are all perched in various eating and drinking spots along that street just enjoying the day and the sites. Some of our favorites were Cafeina, a true delight and reminiscent of Le Notre in Paris, just much more Brazilian! Getting a little chicken at the Galito restaurants in the neighborhood, as well as some acai at one of the various Sucos shops in the neighborhood, make one feel like they're living life like the locals.

Nightlife was over the top, even off season. Le Boy never fails to disappoint, and we went both Thursday and Saturday night to a packed club full of friendly and hot locals. One can only imagine the line outside when Rio is "in season!"

Safety-wise, the entire area felt quite safe overall. There were cleaner areas than others in this small ocean stretch of a rather big city that is Rio de Janeiro, with Ipanema and Leblon being a bit more upscale. The area around Le Boy got a little sketchy, but never really unsafe. As anyone will tell you, it's always about being just the tiniest bit street smart in such scenarios and all should work out fine. Walking along the beach boardwalks at night always feels the safest, as there are lots of people and "tourist police" keeping folks in line.

Overall, winter in Rio is when I would return time and time again... it's like being on the beach in LA on a nice, sunny 70-degree January day and enjoying all of the cafes, the boardwalks and the lunch hot spots without fighting the summer tourist crowd. It's like you found your own little hidden gem in life.

Link to photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattskal/sets/72157621001887841/

Pink Banana World at Gay Days Orlando - June 2009

We wanted to update you all on what a wonderful weekend we all had at the recent Gay Days 2009 event held in Orlando recently in June. The weather was mood-setting, stormy and crazy, with lightning and thunder all around. As we all arrived at the event to get set up for the accompanying Gay DaysExpo, with this tumultuous weather, lo and behold the power went out. But turning lemons into lemonade, not only did we all have a great time hanging out poolside waiting for the power to come back on, but the folks putting on Gay Days (thanks Chris and Tommy) arranged for free hot dogs and burgers for everyone waiting. Suffice it to say, hanging out poolside with our friends from Bud Light was one of the highlights of the trip... one never knows where some of the best networking can be had!

Of course, the power came back and the event continued on without a hitch. The Expo itself was a success, as it is every year, since it's one of the key GLBT events held in the US where people truly interact with those of us in the booths. Our fellow "booth mates" included IGLTA, the Grand Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Club Orlando, Instinct Magazine, Centaur Music and a whole host of various GLBT and GLBT-friendly companies choosing this event as one of their top events to attend and exhibit at every year.

The poolside activities went on every day and into the evening, with various DJs entertaining us all along the way. Not only was Bud Light (and the new lemon Bud Light, which was my new favorite) flowing, but poolside our friends Sami and Peter of Pistol Pete Menswear were holding a fun "trade in your swimwear for some Pistol Pete swimwear for free" event which had hot boys going in and out of that poolside suite the entire weekend.

There were so many events going on this weekend it would make your head spin if you tried to attend them all. Between film release parties, lesbian comedians and bear events, there truly was something for everyone. Also partying it up in Orlando was One Mighty Weekend's various events including the House of Blues party on Thursday, the Luau on Friday and the big blowout party they held on Saturday night. Other event highlights of this weekend included the Typhoon Lagoon event, which, just like in years past, had boys frolicking on water slides while dancing the night away late in the wee hours of the evening. For the girls, the Girls in Wonderland event was a huge hit, bringing together some of the hottest lesbians from the US South for a night to remember.

That's it for now, but be sure to check out the photos linked below and stay tuned for upcoming photos from some of the various events we attended this weekend, all going up online and being brought to you here on this blog in the coming days.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattskal/sets/72157619241821525/

IGLTA Gay Travel Symposium in Florianopolis, Brazil

We recently had another fantastic IGLTA Symposium in Florianopolis this past week, March 26th - 28th, 2009.  As you can see from the photos, we had a wide variety of attendees (see list below) and we were well taken care of by Clovis Casemiro and locally by Joceli and Martin Desmaras.

Florianopolis is like a mini-Rio... a local summer playground for folks coming in from Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires.  Officially, it's a

n island connected to the mainland by two bridges.  Gay life there is quite vibrant during this tourist season, with a variety of gay bars and clubs, one of the largest gay Carnival celebrations in the country, and a very cool gay beach at Praia Mole.

I arrived midweek after an incredible overnight flight on TAM Airlines from Miami through to Sao Paolo.  Their business class service was over the top and the way the shell seats reclined, I got a good night's rest on the flight down.

We began our tour on the south side of the island, hiking across a mountain trail (and yes, a big black snake did cross our path... how exciting!) and ending at a remote and beautiful beach tucked away amongst the hills.  We then took a boat to a remote restaurant in Porto do Contrato and had some fantastic seafood and oysters on the half-shell.

We continued the next day, investigating more of the island and then spending some quality time on the gay beach at Praia Mole.  I'm told that during the summer, this beach is packed... off season, it's a very pleasant spot with some hot gay men lounging in the sun and enjoying food and drink from the local beachside restaurant.

The weekend ended with a complete change of pace with a gay travel trade show and a subsequent conference about the state of the GLBT marketplace in southern Brazil as it relates to tourism.  Both the trade show and the conference were well attended, with presentations given in both Portuguese and Spanish to over 100 attendees.

It was another fantastic trip, and it has again highlighted a destination in the world that should be high on anybody's list to return to again.

Symposium Attendees:

Tom Nibbio IGLTA Headquarters

Ylan Chrem Lima Tours

Matthew Skallerud Pink Banana Media

Bryan Herb Zoom Vacations

Kenneth Coolen Alpenglow Productions / GayWhistler.com

Dean Nelson Alpenglow Productions / GayWhistler.com

Roy Heale Freelance travel journalist

Walter Rey Vamos Colombia Tour

Mark Chesnut Passport Magazine - Jornalista

Michael Luongo Jornalista

César Maschmann International Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce

Alfredo Ferreyra Bue Gay Argentina

Gonzalo Eduardo Aja Espil Bue Gay Argentina

Rod Stringer Horizons at Peregian

Jay Allen Mercier Horizons at Peregian

Rodney Dean Kruit Horizons at Peregian

Sam Vella Horizons at Peregian

Jonathan Klein Now Voyager Travel

Ed Cosman FLL Hospitality Consultants

Pablo de Luca GMAPS360

Gustavo Noguera GMAPS360

Jered Barclay Journalist - www.jeredtravel.com

Dane Steele Green Steele Luxury Travel

Pablo Casse Andesescape Ski Tours

Federico Garcia Torres Andesescape Ski Tours

Juan Carlos Villafañe Andesescape Ski Tours

André Fischer Mix Brasil / Revista Junior

Augusto Rossi Guia Gay Brasil

Sérgio di Pietro Revista A Capa

José Roberto Sato Revista Aimée

Valdeck Belarmino de Souza Junior Revista DOM

Alex Bernardes Pereira Revista Via G

Marta Dalla Chiesa Brazil Ecojourneys

Lesley Cushing Brazil Ecojourneys

Ricardo Calache Brazil Tropical Travel

Ricardo Saes Moreira Brazil Tropical Travel

José RC Junior Tam Viagens

Clóvis Casemiro Embaixador IGLTA no Brasil / Tam Vacations

Heitor Ferreira Filho Gay Travel Brasil

Oswaldo Luiz Gay Travel Brasil

Joceli Marina Cardozo IBI / Santur

Martin Desmaras IBI / Santur

Link to photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattskal/sets/72157615956568258/

The Pink Banana Shreds @ Telluride Gay Ski Week

It's been a long time since I've had such a good time on the slopes with a few hundred of my new favorite ski buddies!

I arrived in Telluride on a Saturday, February 21st, just as the Telluride Gay Ski Week was beginning.  Flying in direct from LA made it all that much smoother, and after a relaxing evening of getting settled in, I was ready to shred the slopes on Sunday.... and shred I did, from the sunny early morning slopes to the still sunny late afternoon runs.  I couldn't believe it... the weather was absolutely gorgeous at 10,000' elevation.

But as they say, no rest for the wicked, and that's the way this week began... as Sunday night was Oscar night, the folks hosting the Telluride Gay Ski Week spared no expense in making sure that everyone there had a great time.  With the Oscar party pre-show at the Apres Ski Logo Lounge to the Oscar Ball shortly thereafter, everyone arriving early to Telluride had a great time celebrating Dustin Lance Black's presentation speech for Milk together.

And this is the way the entire week went... ski by day and party by night.  On Tuesday night, the first blowout party was held at Tommy's.  Everyone was there, including the star of the night, Reichen Lemkuhl, debuting his Fly Naked line of jewelry.  Most of us stayed until 2 am, dancing the night away.  The hosts of this week also ensured that there was plenty to do during moments of downtime, including recommended restaurants in town for all of us to enjoy, as well as a special Spa Day for that necessary day off of relaxation from the slopes.

Thursday skiing was fun, as there was a very entertaining "Drag Race," with the winner strutting the finest ski drag costume I've seen in years... Miss Harlot O'Scara!  Thursday night was the biggest party, by far, however... the legendary White Nights party with the Perry Twins Doug and Derek Perry spinning and getting the entire crowd going strong.  This party was a packed house, with locals arriving and mixing with all of us out-of-towners, straight and gay alike.

Of course, like troopers, we were all ready to ski again, and that's the way this entire week went, until by Saturday we were all wiped out but grinning ear-to-ear with big smiles on our faces from having had such a great time and meeting such wonderful people.  And Telluride, true to form, made sure we left with a bang... with their annual Telluride AIDS Benefit Fashion Show.  I don't think I ever saw a fashion show like this... it was the New York chic of Ugly Betty meets some of the most whacked out looks and styles from the edges of Berlin... and all on display for us in the mountains of Colorado!

And that's how I'd like to wrap up this summary of Telluride Gay Ski Week... the people.  I met some of the best people on this trip, and made true lifelong friends along the way.  There were so many different "scenes" to remember... like when the timid straight man with his girlfriend and her best friend all meekly came into the Apres Ski Lounge not knowing what to expect.  By the time they left, they were all posing for photos, sitting on our laps and having a fantastic evening.  That's the way the entire week went, and as the crowd changed day by day with some folks arriving early and others a bit later in the week, the mix of people just got better and better.  There was no one type of guy or girl there, either... it was a very healthy mix of some very cool lesbian skiiers... some hot, young skiiers... some older, muscular bear skiiers... and the rest of us in between!

I can't wait to return next year!

Thanks again to Scott Barretto and John McGill of StraightOut Media & Marketing for putting on such a wonderful event!

Photo link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattskal/sets/72157614641015311/