Belle Of The Pall
Belfast and the Antrim Coast of Northern Ireland make for good times both urban and rural—no matter what the weather.
Gay and Irish. Imagine the deliciously humorous remarks resulting from THAT genetic combination. Self-effacing as always, the locals would probably say they are merely normal. If that’s the case, there’s no hope for the rest of us would-be comedians. (more…)
ChillOUT In Daylesford 2010
ChillOUT, Australia’s largest regional Gay and Lesbian festival, is back for the thirteenth time. Held in Daylesford from the 5 – 8 of March, The festival draws around 20,000 people from all over Australia. Past festivals have raised $100,000 for charity. Southern Star’s Nick Bond took a look at this year’s ChillOut beneficiary. (more…)
California Casual At Venice Beach: As Laidback As It Gets
The charms and clotheslessness of the Southern Californian lifestyle have beckoned to gaysbians for decades; they still exert a strong pull today. If you’re thinking that gay LA means West Hollywood and nothing else though, think again.
Where to go for the apotheosis of laidback lads and ladies laying back a bit further than their straight friends? Try Venice, where everything Californian worshiped by the locals comes to life along the streets and canals of one of the most eclectic neighbourhoods on the planet. Long a beacon for alternative lifestylists, writers, musicians, and actors, even a few ordinary people have called Venice home for more than a century. It was back in 1905 that visionary conservationist Abbot Kinney created a planned community to incorporate the arts into daily life of the residents of Los Angeles and Santa Monica. With the original Venice as inspiration, Kinney built canals and lined them with Venetian-style public buildings and row after row of classic California bungalows, some of which are now beautifully restored. The classic bungalows now jostle for elbow room with modernist lofts built in the most recent reincarnation of Venice. Mr. Kinney’s legacy lives on in one small area to the south of Venice Boulevard where the few remaining canals are located (the others having been paved over by the municipal government in the 1920s and 30s), though his name is now more familiar to people thanks to the growing popularity of the high-quality shops and restaurants along his eponymous avenue. Venice is the closest spread-out LA comes to having a village in its midst. The chic shops and hipster restaurants are accompanied by Venice’s very own gay bar, Roosterfish, where all are welcome in the heterofriendly establishment, named by LA Weekly as ‘Best Escape From West Hollywood’ in 2009. (more…)
Sandy Claus, Snowy Claus
Beach or Blizzard: Which Christmas is Yours?
Christmas holidaymakers come in two varieties: those who revel in the Australian summer and those who enjoy European-style celebrations rugged up and cosy while schussing down the slopes or sipping hot liquids in front of the fireplace. Whatever your orientation, there are ample options to make you happy. (more…)
Erection Day
The results of last November’s US presidential election was met with unrestrained joy around the world. How quickly the time passes as we now observe the one-year anniversary of Mr. Obama’s victory as the first man of minority voted into office.
The hysteria of the past administration may have receded somewhat, but Washington is a city where emotions always run high. It is one of the most interesting cities in the United States and one of the gayest. Don’t think for a minute that conservative government employees put a lid on rousing gaiety; if anything, they add to it. There is a splendid sordidness to gay sex in the land of pinstripe suits; with people from all over the US and the world living in Washington, there is a hugely diverse gay and lesbian population residing here. A lot of very handsome men and women from less-open parts of the United States come to Washington to work and play. The result is a menu for all tastes, from the farm-raised, blue-eyed All-American to the suave, urban African-American. The city is far more open-minded and multicultural than headlines lead us to believe. Indeed, there is very little written about the city of Washington NOT related to government, which makes it all the more of a pleasant surprise for the visitors who go there. (more…)
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
It is the Pride event of Australia. Attracting hundreds of thousands of people from across the nation, it’s the only GLBTI event in Australia that gets live televised coverage and widely publicised news coverage.
More importantly it has created integration among the rest of Australian society that is prided on a world stage. (more…)
Midsumma
Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival is a three-week extravaganza of queer arts and culture held annually in late January and early February.
Midsumma was created in 1988 by the Gay Business Association in conjunction with other community groups such as the ALSO Foundation and Victorian AIDS Council. The very first festival included a film festival, a writers’ week, two art exhibitions and a sporting carnival but has since grown to include over 100 events each year. (more…)
ChillOut
In the twelve years since its inception the ChillOut Festival has become the largest regional GLBT festival in Australia. Held annually on the Labor Day long weekend in Daylesford Victoria, festivities include a Carnival Day, Dance Party and a Street Parade.
When it started in 1997, ChillOut was a one-day event held at a winery with 10 stalls and 50 to 100 visitors. The 2009 festival spanned three days, attracted over 25,000 people and almost 100 stalls registered at Carnival Day. With steady growth in attendance each year, numbers are expected to rise again for 2010. (more…)
Feast Festival
Watch as the Feast Festival takes over Adelaide for its 13th year of ‘flirty and funky’ fun.
Running from November 14 to 29, this year’s theme is HomeGrown and highlights include Australia’s first queer poker tournament as well as superb visual performances and musical line-up.
Among the must-see performances are the bisexual-bilingual workings of Berlin chameleon Bridge Markland, the new erotic show by Sydney’s Gurlesque troupe, comedian Anthony Menchetti’s sell out show Gay Conversion, Cabaret sensation Nick Christo in the Fabulous Frances Faye and the latest stage hit from Focus Theatre, Bison. (more…)
Tropical Pride Cairns
With its tropical climate, pristine beaches and plethora of natural wonders to explore, Cairns is a great place to visit at any time of the year. The most popular time for tourism however is the months of June, July and August when the weather is still warm, rains are less frequent and stingers are less present in the waters. (more…)
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