Amy Winehouse, Michelle Obama Invade Fire Island Pines

Amy Winehouse and Michelle Obama were among those attending the annual Fire Island Pines Invasion over the Fourth of July holiday. The event was documented by Pines Punch.

The history, or so they say: "According to legend, in 1976 a Cherry Grove man in drag (Teri Warren) was denied service at the Botel, a Pines restaurant & bar owned by John B. Whyte (who died at 75 on March 22, 2004). Upon hearing about this blatant discrimination against one of her sisters, the newly crowned Homecoming Queen of the Arts Project Cherry Grove, PANZI (Thom Hansen) took it upon herself to lead a small group of 9 brave Cherry Grove girls in a water taxi into the Pines harbor one hot afternoon for what they expected to be a confrontational welcoming by the Pines men. On the contrary, the Pines men were so surprised and entertained by this “Drag Queen Invasion” in the middle of the day that they welcomed them all to drinks at the Blue Whale bar for what now is a yearly celebration and tradition."

Invasion [pines punch]

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Park Service: Fire Island Citations 'Not Part of a Targeted Raid'

An update on the earlier report of arrests on Fire Island, courtesy of Next magazine, which has kindly given us an advance of this info, which will be published in their Friday Pride edition:

"The big buzz on the beach last weekend was about the 'raids' taking place at the notorious Meat Rack. A call to the National Park Service that polices the cruisey passage between The Pines and Cherry Grove revealed that over the past two weekends there have been two incidents with park rangers and five citations have been given out — two on June 15, one for disorderly conduct and one for possession of a controlled substance, and three on June 21, all for disorderly conduct. Both incidents involve men having sex in the area properly known as Carrington Tract. A rep for the Park Service said that no arrests have been made and that this is not a part of a targeted raid, but that the Fire Island National Seashore received more funding for personnel this year than in the past so there are more patrols of all areas, not just the Meat Rack, and that no directive has been given by the superintendent to crack down on any illegal behavior in the area."

Previously
Gay Men Arrested for Public Sex on Fire Island [tr]

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Gay Men Arrested for Public Sex on Fire Island

At least three people have been detained or arrested and charged with lewd conduct on Fire Island for activity taking place between Cherry Grove and Fire Island in the area familiarly known as the "meat rack" since June 13.

Radar Online reports: "Few details are known—the National Park Service has not yet confirmed the arrests or said why they have now begun patrolling the land. On the weekend of Friday, June 13, at least one gay man was detained in the small wooded area popularly called The Meat Rack, which is both a cruising ground and also a thoroughfare between the two gay towns of Fire Island, Cherry Grove and The Pines. The following weekend, at least two were arrested. In the first event, an eyewitness said he saw five or six rangers with a gay man (described as somewhat overweight and clad in khakis and a polo shirt) on his knees and in handcuffs. The men were searched after their arrests. In the other event, a man was stopped and 'panicked and tried to get rid of the drugs,' according to a second-hand report by one Cherry Grove resident; that man was either charged with possession or detained further and charged. The man arrested with him was given a citation for $125 for engaging in lewdness, that resident said."

According to Choire Sicha at Radar, the arrests are the first of their kind on Fire Island.

Last week I reported that the National Park Service had announced it would be cracking down on public sex in the dunes outside Provincetown, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod.

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Lunar Eclipse Over Fire Island, New York

I'm out at the beach and shot these photos around 5 this morning as the moon experienced its second total eclipse of the year.

The earth's shadow began to cover the moon beginning at the top and slowly made its way down at moonset. There was not enough light to capture the moon once it was fully eclipsed, and it was so low to the horizon that there was a bit of haze.

The sun rising at the opposite horizon prevented us from seeing the moon emerge from its eclipse, but that too was beautiful.

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Lock Your Doors: Burglary on Fire Island

Fire Island, perhaps because of its distance from the mainland (a 25-minute ferry ride) and perhaps because of the sense of camaraderie that pervades the summer season, is not the sort of place where you hear about a lot of crime.

Sometimes houses are rented out for the summer to large groups of people. Because of this, properties are sometimes left unlocked for ease of entry during long weekends. Some housemates stay out late, while others head home early, etc. There's also a sense of trust that pervades the place (at least from my experience), and it's not often that you hear about incidents like the one that happened to a group of my friends last weekend.

And it happened while all 12 of the housemates were in the house, asleep.

At about 4:30 am on Sunday, someone entered the house, which had been left unlocked. The intruder then proceeded to enter each of the rooms where they were sleeping. The thief/thieves grabbed a backpack of clothes and filled it with nine cell phones, 4 wallets, six iPods, three cameras, and one laptop computer.

The total value of the items stolen was $7,600. Nobody saw a thing. And there were no outside guests in the house — nobody had gone out and brought a "friend" home for the night.

The police said that they had heard similar stories from Cherry Grove, but not the Pines, although there was a burglary reported during the recent Pines Party and another report of BlackBerrys being stolen from a house last weekend as well.

So, a piece of advice for those of you spending any time in the Pines for the remainder of the summer: be vigilant, and lock up your valuables.

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About the Banner #20

The last banner was shot early in the morning on Fire Island over Memorial Day weekend. There was a cool mist over the calm water and whomever had set up this beach chair had gone elsewhere.

I enhanced the saturation a bit for the banner, but I do like the more muted tones of the original, and especially the way the ocean and sky come together in an ambiguous horizon. Unfortunately, given the horizontal nature of the banners, that part of the picture was lost.

For other past banners, click here.

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Fire Island: Constructions of a Dancefloor

I'm blogging today from Fire Island where we're experiencing intermittent torrential downpours. The inclement weather hasn't stopped crews from beginning construction on the dancefloor for next weekend's annual Pines Party benefit, which is apparently taking place directly in front of the house where I am staying. It should be interesting watching this take shape, as the ocean is already encroaching upon their work.

On Saturday, before the bad weather hit, we were treated to a fairly breathtaking sunset, which I now share with you.

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Fire Island: L'il Slice O' Nature [tr]
Weekend Filmstrip [tr]

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News: Versace, Bush and PBS, Bully, Boston DJ, Hairspray

George W. bush tries to eliminate the $420 million federal subsidy for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. House rejects his bid by a vote of 357-72.

The NYT' Cathy Horyn recalls the days surrounding the Versace murder: "Ten years on, I asked [publicist Ed] Filipowski what stands out in his mind from that week. He and his partner, Julie Mannion, were inside the house the whole time, and Ms. Mannion had stayed with Versace’s body in the morgue, at his sister’s request, until she and her brother Santo could arrive from Italy. Mr. Filipowski thought for a moment and said: 'How personal and private they kept everything — that’s what I remember. With everything that was going on outside. It was: 'Our brother is dead.''"

Bonding: John Travolta's dance with 007.

Was NYC's steam explosion caused by human error? "CBS 2 HD learned that on June 10th, Con Edison was doing work at the very corner of 41st Street and Lexington Avenue where the explosion occurred. Crews were called to replace an eight-inch section of steam pipe that had sprung a leak."

Rockstar's Bully videogame coming to the Wii.

Good Morning Baltimore: Hairspray hits its home town.

Gay Boston DJ Barry Scott brutalized as police attack, claiming DJ "incited a riot" among partygoers following the officers' arrival on a noise complaint. Lawyer: "What it was motivated by was clearly rage that was out of control, and virtually every witness that I've interviewed thus far would confirm and corroborate that. This officer and his companion acted out of complete rage." More here and here.

Is this really artist Jenny Holzer's "Twitter" account?

Hillary Clinton cancels West Virginia campaign appearances at gay businesses, citing logistical problems.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith to host "Welcome to L.A." party for the Beckhams at L.A.'s Museum of Contemporary Art this weekend.

Fire Island dance festival opens this weekend: "Fire Island Dance Festival 13, running this weekend, will feature six world premieries along with emcees Whoopi Goldberg, Michael McElroy and Phylicia Rashad. Battleworks Dance Company, CorbinDANCES, MOMIX, Tapaholics, Trey McIntyre Project and choreographer Darrel Grand Moultrie will each present a world premiere. Other performers include Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Chase Brock Experience, Jorge Guzman & Willem De Vries, Pascal Rioult Dance Company and Travis Wall & Ivan Koumaev."

How Michael Jackson might look today without all the plastic surgery.

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News: Pete Burns, John McCain, Cherry Grove, Bill Richardson

John McCain's campaign manager and chief strategist exit: "In statements, Terry Nelson, a veteran of President Bush's successful 2004 re-election effort, said he resigned as campaign manager effective immediately and John Weaver said he stepped down from his post of chief strategist on Tuesday. But other officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid discussing private conversations, said Nelson was fired."

Capturing the cherry at Cherry Grove, Fire Island.

Former Dead or Alive singer Pete Burns got hitched: "This is the second marriage for Burns, who was married for twenty-five years to his wife Lynne. During Burns' stint on Celebrity Big Brother on live television, he announced the couple's wedding engagement. One break-up and reconciliation later, the two scooted themselves down the aisle."

Bill Richardson apologizes for using "maricón" slur after being goaded by Don Imus in 2006: "Almost exactly one year before Imus was to lose his show for using a slur to describe the Rutger’s women’s basketball team, the shock jock used the Spanish word 'maricón' in an on-air exchange with Richardson. 'Bernard on the staff here has been claiming you’re not really Hispanic so-- that you're just claiming that for some sort of advantage or something,' Imus said to Richardson, tongue clearly in cheek. 'You can just answer this yes or no and this will answer that question. Would you agree that Bernard is a maricón?' Without missing a beat, Richardson replied in Spanish, 'Yo creo que Bernardo, sí — es un maricón si él piensa que yo no soy hispano. [General laughter] Was that good enough or what? [General laughter]' 'That’s good enough for me,' Imus replied."

Groove Armada's Andy Cato says they'll lead Kylie Minogue back to the top of the charts: "Ours is the best tune. The track we've done is a killer. It's sort of Blondie pop with a stripped-back sound. I'm quietly confident about it."

Desperately Seeking Susan coming to the London stage.

Victoria Beckham reality show to air July 16th: "It's funny. People really get to see what I'm really like. I have quite a dry sense of humor, which I hope is going to translate to Americans. I'm incredibly blessed and I wanted to show that to everybody."

Former communications director at 10 Downing Street reveals in diary entry that Tony Blair laughed when he learned of the gay mugging of then Welsh Secretary Ron Davies: "We took him (Blair) into the dining room and told him what we knew. "He looked surprised but not shocked and then, as I had, laughed. 'Bloody hell' he said."

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About the Banner #19

The most recent banner was taken from a photo I shot over Memorial Day at Fire Island. I manipulated the image, bringing the planes slightly closer together and tweaking the color slightly, then reversing it altogether. I'm assuming the planes were part of some military airshow, but I really have no idea.

For more banners, click here!

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Small Craft Warnings

Our off-season correspondent on Fire Island sent us this image taken during yesterday's powerful Nor'easter, which dumped more than 8 inches of rain in New York City. Long Island fared a bit better but it appears the beach on Fire island has been left a bit ragged. For those interested, a view looking the other direction follows after the jump...
(thanks karen!)

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Fire Island Pines Pavilion Resurrected

It looks as if windows are in on the Pavilion at Fire Island Pines, according to the latest shot from their blog. I'd be interested to know what kind of outdoor space there will be, since this photo doesn't seem to reveal much of that. It's pretty quick work for six winter months, though.

There's also word out now of a reality show being filmed in the Pines this summer, centered around the staff of the 2007 summer season. They're beginning to cast for it now. Details are here.

You may have missed...
Fire Island: Holidays on Ice [tr]
Last Dance: What's Left of the Fire Island Pines Pavilion [tr]
Historic Fire Island Pines Pavilion Razed [tr]

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Fire Island: Holidays on Ice

Occasionally I hear from friends on Fire Island and yesterday I received this chilly shot!

Those of you familiar with New York summers may have a hard time recognizing this as the entrance to the harbor at Fire Island Pines. With a brutal chill in the air, however, summer seems a long way off...
(thanks, karen!)

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News: Sundance, Fire Island, Gavin Newsom, Andre Boisclair

Openly gay Parti Quebecois leader Andre Boisclair "fighting for his political life" as he is reprimanded by members of his own caucus. Begins new push for referendum on sovereignty.

Jennifer Hudson on being an American Idol contestant: "You've been abused, misled and brainwashed to believe whatever they want you to think. You become a character – I became the girl in the turkey wrapping."

AIDS Project Los Angeles and New York's Gay Men's Health Crisis launch Tweakends, a site intended to provide information and generate discussion about the dangers associated with the use of crystal meth.

Blogger receives threat from Philadelphia meat man over TV appearance: "Your (sic) a fag, and that fine, but keep it to yourself. Trust me, if I ever walk by you on the street with my kids and I see you kissing or holding hands with some dude, I'll brake (sic) every bone in your gay little body. Keep your shit behind closed doors, so children can't see you."

SF Mayor Gavin Newsom caught in affair with wife of friend and campaign manager Alex Tourk: "The details of the months-long 2005 affair, widely rumored at City Hall for sometime, have not been confirmed by Newsom's team in much detail. And neither the campaign manager nor his wife returned several phone calls from the Mercury News...But friends and City Hall insiders say Newsom, at the time in the middle of his divorce from Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Ruby Rippey-Tourk, had the affair while she worked as his appointments secretary -- a job last year." Apologizes: "I want to make it clear that everything you've heard and read is true, and I am deeply sorry about that."

Fire Island's Pavilion rises again.

Wisconsin gay marriage supporters spent a record amount of over $4 million in their battle to fight the proposed anti-gay amendment, but still lost.

The Bay Area Reporter takes a look at what was gay at Sundance, reporting on films Save Me, For the Bible Tells Me So, Life Support, Tuli, An American Crime, Smiley Face, Trade, Year of the Dog, A Very British Gangster, and Protagonist.

The Italian Prime Minster Prodi and the Vatican are headed for a showdown over gay marriage: "The last time church-state relations were this strained was more than 30 years ago, when the Vatican, a city-state in the center of Rome, lost back-to-back battles against divorce and abortion, both of which voters approved in popular referendums."

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About the Banner #14

My latest banner was a random house I shot on Fire Island over the summer, using a long exposure. I wanted a spooky-ish autumnal shot for October and this fit the bill. After flipping the image, saturating it a bit, and did altering of the windows, it was ready to go.

Check out more of our past banners here...

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News: Seann William Scott, Gaysbians, Pavilion, South Africa

South African parliamentary committee clears way for passage of same-sex marriage legislation: "The civil unions bill will go to a full session of parliament Tuesday. Despite the unease in the ANC ranks, it is expected to pass as lawmakers have been ordered to follow the party line and told there is little room for maneuver...South Africa recognized gay rights in the constitution adopted after apartheid ended in 1994 - the first in the world to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. But the government long opposed attempts to extend the definition of marriage in court to include same-sex couples in the mostly Christian country."

I vote 'yes' for Seann William Scott as porn-stached Gary the Tennis Coach.

Virginia Senator George Allen in hiding: "A senior Allen staffer tells CNN that the senator is 'sequestered in his home, ‘shell shocked,’ and going through ‘a nightmare,’ during this period of limbo.'"

Voting for the Gay Bloggies ends today!

Fire Island Pines Pavilion begins to rise again...

Is Darwin, Australia becoming a new gay Mecca down under? "While the streets are not exactly lined with rainbow flags or feather boas, the legendary Northern Territory friendliness now seems to extend to the complete range of human beings, regardless of sexual orientation. With all the Paul Hogan wannabes running around in Outback drag, gaysbians are hardly remarkable on the streetscape. It's hard not to arouse a johnson for the easy styles of living in Australia's north."
Um, gaysbians?

Beyonce and Eva Longoria to play lesbian lovers in Sofia coppola-directed film adaptation of Tipping the Velvet: "Longoria says, 'Yes it's true, we're talking about doing that. It's such a wonderful novel, a beautiful love story.' Knowles adds, 'We've had Brokeback Mountain so the time is right for this divine novel to get the same treatment.'"

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Fire Island Pines Pavilion Down, But Not Out

The folks over at the Fire Island Pines Renovation blog seem to be a little upset that I used the word "destroyed" in my reports on the taking down of the bar/dance club structure. In my post I was simply referring to the weathered, gray structure that has been there for years. I didn't intend to imply that the Pavilion was going away forever.

In any case, construction has begun on the new Pavilion, and shots from that can be seen over at the Pavilion blog, the Phoenix rising from the ashes...

Previously
Last Dance: What's Left of the Fire Island Pines Pavilion [tr]
Historic Fire Island Pines Pavilion Razed [tr]

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Last Dance: What's Left of the Fire Island Pines Pavilion

Here are a few more shots (courtesy of Karen Boss) to add to the ones from last week of the deconstruction currently underway in the harbor at Fire Island Pines.

As Andy Warhol once noted, "They always say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." And so it goes...

One more shot after the jump...

(thanks john!)

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Historic Fire Island Pines Pavilion Razed [tr]

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Historic Fire Island Pines Pavilion Razed

A legend is destroyed.

Crews began taking apart the historic Pavilion nightclub at Fire Island Pines over the weekend of September 23 in preparation for the construction of a new structure which will incorporate retail shops, a lounge, and a new nightclub. It is set to be finished in time for next year's summer season.

Towleroad correspondent Dean Kurth sends the following exclusive shots, which to those who have spent many a night cocktailing at the Pavilion at tea and late night dance parties, may prove to be quite a shock.

For a short history of the Pavilion, which was built up around a former club called The Sandpiper (one current Pines resident told me that as the workmen were destroying the walls of the current structure, the walls of part of the old Sandpiper began to reveal themselves.

There's a discussion about the Sandpiper and Pavilion and some of its past ownership history here. If anyone has anything to add about the Pavilion's history or reminiscences, please do so in the comments!

The Pavilion is really the architectural and social anchor of Fire Island Pines. It (or its predecessor, the Sandpiper) has been mentioned in several novels from Andrew Holleran's Dancer from the Dance to Edmund White's Forgetting Elena. I'm sure there are others as well.

Shots above by Towleroad correspondent Dean Kurth. (Must credit both).

I was able to see the beginning of the destruction when I was out there (when it looked much like the shot below, sent to Towleroad by Karen Boss)

A few more interior shots after the jump.

Photo by Karen Boss.

And the following photos were sent to me anonymously:

Note the famed chandelier in the final photo, surely a relic that deserves preservation.

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Weekend Filmstrip [tr]

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News: Aiken Bush, Meat Rack Art, The Killers

Anti-gay harpy Ronda Storms breezes through the Republican primary in Tampa's Hillsborough County.

Drag isn't just a gay thing. Some straights take it very seriously. A visit to Casa Susanna, a 60's retreat for crossdressers in the Catskills: "These men had one foot in the mainstream and the other in the margins. I’m fascinated by that position and their paradox, which is that the strict gender roles of the time were both the source of their anxiety and pain, and also the key to escaping that pain."

Tim Burton shot the latest video for The Killers upcoming single, appropriately named "Bones".

Clay Aiken to serve Bush: "The White House says Aiken is in line to be named to the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities."

From greaser to hair hopper! John Travolta as Edna Turnblad.

The Wire kicks off its new season this Sunday on HBO. Michael K. Williams, who plays a "modern day Robin Hood" who happens to be gay, talks to AfterElton about how his character's sexuality is just one part of a larger masculinity issue he hopes to challenge with his portrayal: "We (black men) can't communicate to each other, so we acquaint everything with being a man [and] show no emotion and nothing weak. You know, a man can't cry, a man can't show vulnerability and we definitely can't be gay. … We are still working on that as a black community. To love ourselves and to communicate with each other and accept each other and our differences. We are still calling an educated brother with proper diction an Oreo cookie. What I am saying [is], it is a lot deeper than the gay issue."

One photographer looks for art in Fire Island's famed Meat Rack.

Clive Davis says Whitney Houston is on verge of comeback but warns fans "against fans having unrealistic expectations about the album's music production and lyrics."

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About the Banner #11

The last banner came from a series of photos I shot over the first weekend of June on Fire Island. This is the view from the harbor, looking toward Sayville, NY.

It was just after sunset and the atmospheric conditions produced this mystical blue glow over everything. I was lucky to have my camera along.

For the banner, I flipped the image and squeezed it a bit.

For previous About the Banners, click here.

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NYT: The New or Not So New Wave of Gay Destinations

The New York Times today covers the lesser-known gay destinations: Douglas and Saugatuck, Michigan; Ogunquit, Maine; Eureka Springs, Arkansas; Guerneville, California; Rehoboth Beach, Delaware; Asbury Park, New Jersey; Pahoa, Hawaii; Asheville, North Carolina; and Sullivan County in upstate New York, noting that the internet has caused these pockets of gay culture to become more well-known.

The Times makes sure to note, of course, that despite the far-flung aspect of some of these destinations, there's still the requisite go-go boy, which is either sad, hot, or hysterical depending on your perspective.

So, if you're not up for the well-trod destinations of Provincetown, Key West, Fire Island, or Laguna Beach, and you're looking to be around gay people you may have more choices than you think. It's great to see these smaller destinations covered. I grew up in Chicago and visited Saugatuck a handful of times when I was a child, but I've always wanted to revisit.

Anybody know of other small gay destinations around the country that aren't covered in the article? If so, or if you'd like to voice your opinion about some of the places covered in the article, please do so...

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Greeted at the ferry: Gays angry at the Senators' positions on same-sex marriage may protest a July 22 fundraiser for Chuck Schumer and Barbara Boxer on Fire Island.

High Commissioner in Fiji says gays will not be arrested for consensual sex. Last August a Fijian court overturned an Australian man's two year prison sentence for having consensual sex with a Fijian man.

Some wishful thinking: Is Matthew McConaughey getting it on with Lance Armstrong behind biking buddy Gyllenhaal's back?

Marriage vs Civil Unions: Connecticut Superior Court judge rules that gays and lesbians have not been harmed by being offered the latter rather than the former: "Civil union and marriage in Connecticut now share the same benefits, protections and responsibilities under law. The Connecticut Constitution requires that there be equal protection and due process of law, not that there be equivalent nomenclature for such protection and process."

Flashback: A short, very wrong clip from Carrie, The Musical.

"Are pre-pubescent children capable of erotic thoughts? I am NOT an expert. I only know about my own early erotic, for lack of a better term, feelings. And they had nothing to do with penises or breasts or vaginas or even kissing and any other human being." A meditation on first-time turn-ons.

New Zealand MP moves to extinguish use of "gay panic" defense.

New York's Splash Bar angered by Kathy Griffin's price tag: "We offered her $5,000, but she wanted 30 grand plus a $10,000 rider. On her show she's always like, 'My gays' and 'I love the gays,' but it's totally opposite in real life. We were taken aback by her response. If she had love for her gay fans she'd do it. I mean, J.Lo just performed at Gay Pride for free. I guess it's all about the money."

Confederate flags invade the Jersey shore: "Explain to me how this doesn't turn its back on humanity and progress. I'm all ears. Really." (via cityrag)

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Fire Island: L'il Slice O' Nature

Some folks stalk celebrities. I stalk deer. Spent another rain-drenched weekend on Fire Island recently and happened to catch this just-too-cute-not-to-share teeny-tiny fawn with its mother.

The mother was no doubt off to teach her child the joys of garbage looting.

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Weekend Filmstrip

A breaking wave, an outdoor shower, deer visiting, the serenity of an empty harbor. Last weekend was spent quietly on Fire Island with my boyfriend and co. The sun never appeared. Somehow, I didn't miss it.

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