Monday, June 30, 2008

Chicago Pride 2008


Chicago's Pride Parade was yesterday and we were really happy with our Asians and Friends float. It was funny because the parade stopped for about 20 minutes (someone fell off a float somewhere in front of the line and the firefighters had to come take her to the emergency room--she broke her leg from what I hear...) and soon we had 20 people on our little float dancing. Well, the parade started again and they just stayed on with us. It was a blast! I have more pictures that I'll put up later. I'm still getting caught up with posts from my San Francisco-Los Angeles trip!

A San Fran Wedding





Here are photos of my cousin's wedding I went to last week in San Francisco. Gobs of fun with all the relatives, but it was insanely hot and the wedding itself was outside. So if you can imagine 80 seats lined up in rows out in the sun and everyone standing in a narrow line of shade next to the building. No one moved to the chairs until it was absolutely time. But everything worked out. It was beautiful and my cousin is a real stunner of a bride.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Night on the Castro





Just got back from my San Francisco-Los Angeles trip and have a lot to share. When Bob and I first got to San Fran, we headed to the Castro district to meet up with old friends of mine from Hawaii and Chicago. We had tapas at Lime, where Bob encountered some feminine hospitality. We later roamed the area and encountered an HIV-awareness game show. You must see the clip through the end! And there's even a guy dressed as a pig roaming in the background. More adventures to come as I post my other photos!

And FYI, the question of the night is: What does it mean when someone says, "Woof?"

Friday, June 20, 2008

Off to the West Coast

Just a moment to say I'm off to San Francisco this weekend for a wedding. My cousin is getting married. And Bob's coming too! But then my family and I head off to L.A. for a few more days and Bob comes home because of work. Anyway, it'll be a lot of fun and my San Fran friends are meeting me at a bar called Lime in the Castro District. More info and pics to come when I return ...

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Extra Work ... in a Film!




Several friends joined me in a film shoot last night--we were extras in a independent movie about a spy in Hong Kong. We were at @mosphere and were pretending to be bar patrons in a Hong Kong night spot. We were reacting to what was going on on the stage (something quite unusual apparently). It'll be fun to see. The filmmaker is Hornbill Films. We're invited to be at the screening later this year. Red Carpet here we come!

Monday, June 16, 2008

Deano's Visit


This weekend was packed with stuff to do that here it is Monday and I'm truly wiped. Friday night, I went to my friend Robert's play about two lesbians making a gay porn movie on the Bikini Atoll the night before the bomb dropped. It was interesting. Nudity--whee--and a leather man. Then Saturday, our friend Dean and his boyfriend Neil came back into town (Dean's now in San Diego). I have a funny clip of them when we went to Wishbone for breakfast.

Then later that day six Asians and Friends Chicago members came over to help me paint the signs we're putting on the truck we rented for Pride Parade in a couple of weeks. Later that afternoon Elliot from AFC and I went up to the Andersonville street fair which is getting gayer every year (yahoo!). So many muscular man boobs and knobs.

Finally, I saw my friend Chip in Gigi, which was Light Opera Works' latest. That was well done as usual with wonderful voices and that R. Kelly cover, "Thank Heaven, for Little Girls."

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Sea to Shining Sea





My friend Kristine just took a phenomenal journey cross country on a bicycle. It took her two months starting late March. I saw her last night and she looks toned and tan. She said it was really a fantastic experience--sometimes frightening along narrow roads with big tractor trailers whizzing by. She started in San Diego, went through New Mexico and Texas, along the Gulf and then to Florida. It was a planned journey with 16 other bicyclists. She said the maps were "empowering" considering she could have gotten lost at any time (and she said she got turned around a couple of times). In any case, one amazing trip.

Monday, June 09, 2008

More Benefit Footage







More footage from Missy Young's birthday benefit. It took me a while to post more than one video, so I thought I'd add more pictures too! My former Urinetown castmate did a benefit on her birthday earlier this month. She got her friends together who sang show tunes. It was a blast!

Friday, June 06, 2008

My Friend Michael From L.A.


My friend Michael from Los Angeles visited me this week. We went together to Sidetrack last Tuesday to see the PBS debut of "Out and Proud in Chicago." Had a great time catching up--he's trying to break into the movies in L.A. Here's a picture of him and his boyfriend in Los Angeles.

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Capless, Gownless Graduation



My co-worker Greg sent me these photos of his daughter's graduation ceremony this week. No caps and gowns! In any case, he's very happy to see his daughter graduate from high school and is dreading her move to college in the fall.

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Proof of Volunteerism


Last Sunday, my friend Harry and his friend R.J. stood in front of Crew and talked to people about the one-year anniversary of the Center on Halsted. Here's proof of their volunteerism.

Monday, June 02, 2008

I Might Be on TV!

Our PBS station here locally (Channel 11) will premiere a new documentary, "Out & Proud in Chicago," on Tuesday, June 3, at 7:30 p.m. It's a history of gay life in Chicago, told largely through a few people's personal stories. Right before the premiere, the producers will be interviewed on Channel 11's "Chicago Tonight" at 7 p.m. A short clip from the documentary is online.

Later in the summer, the documentary will be joined by a colorful new book, "Out and Proud in Chicago," edited by Tracy Baim, the editor of Windy City Times. Tracy has also just soft-launched an ongoing Web project at http://www.chicagogayhistory.com.

I don't know if I'll make the cut, but I did get interviewed for this documentary.

Besides the June 3 premiere, it will be rebroadcast by Channel 11 on Monday, June 9, at 8 p.m. and on Sunday, June 15, at 8 p.m. (If you get Channel 11's digital channel, which is Channel 191 on Comcast's cable service, it will also be rebroadcast on Wednesday, June 18, at 9 p.m.; Thursday, June 19, at 1 a.m., 5 a.m., 9 a.m., and 1 p.m.; Friday, June 20, at 10 p.m.; and Saturday, June 21, at 3 a.m., 8 a.m., and 1 p.m.)

The Channel 11 show will be part of the station's pledge drive, and for the first time in the history of such pledge drives, the pledge breaks will include remote live segments on Tuesday night (6/3)-- from Sidetrack, where a crowd will gather to watch the show and take part in the pledging. Sidetrack says everyone's welcome to join the crowd Tuesday night and maybe be on TV.

I'll be there to see if I made it in or if I'm lying on the cutting room floor (oh, they don't do that anymore) ... er, if I'm in digital Neverland ...

Seasons of Song


This is a bit of song from the fabu benefit that a former Urinetown cast mate organized to coincide with her birthday ...

Weekend Reunion





The cast of Urinetown got together to watch one of our former cast mates in a musical benefit performance for Seasons of Concern this past weekend. It was a great afternoon at Steve's who graciously made dinner and then we hopped over to the performance, which of course was fab!