Visit their site: ripandmarsha.com
Sixth Annual Dining for Life
to Benefit NO/AIDS Task Force
The NO/AIDS Task Force's sixth annual Dining for Life will be held on Thurs., July 19 when more than sixty of your favorite New Orleans restaurants will donate 25% of the that day's proceeds to the Task Force, the oldest and largest AIDS service organization in the Gulf South.
Sponsored by Abita Brewing Co., Captain Morgan Rum, Ambush, Gambit Weekly, Southern Voice, The Times-Picayune, McGlinchey Stafford Law Firm, Agouron Pharmaceuticals and Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, the complete list of participating restaurants can be found in the ad on page 21, including our favorites the Bombay Club, Bywater Bar.B.Que/Lorenzo's Pizzeria, Petunias and the Quarter Scene.
All Roads Lead to
SDGM XXIX Coronation July 7th at 735
Southern Decadence [SD] revelers are expected to pour into 735 nightclub/bar, 735 Bourbon St., July 7th for Coronation 2001, the announcement of Southern Decadence Grand Marshal[s] [SDGM] XXIX. Set for 10pm, reigning SDGMs XXVIII Tony Langlinais and Thom "Smurf" Murphy have quite a show lined up before the big announcement. Crowd favorites scheduled to perform include SDGM XII Mumbo, SDGM XXVII Errol, SDGM XV Olive, SDGM XXV Miss Love, Tabu, Severe, Kabrina Watson and many other surprise guests.
The new grand marshal[s] will set the tone for Southern Decadence XXX when this year's selected theme and colors are announced. Already loads of phone calls and e-mails to Ambush have been requesting theme and colors so Labor Day revelers can get their costumes and ensembles together. SDGM XXIX will lead the annual SD Parade Sun., Sept. 2, 2pm, beginning at the Golden Lantern, 1239 Royal St.
The rumor mills are churning throughout the city on who will be the chosen one[s]. For many years it was tradition to choose the grand marshal from those participants in the previous year's parade. That tradition, however, has not held true in recent years with the selection of some grand marshals who have never paraded. Your guess is as good as any of your favorite local bartenders, but only Langlinais and Murphy will make that choice. So join the excitement and make 735 one of your stops on July 7th.
For the many Internet savvy revelers out there, Ambush will post the results immediately following the Coronation at the Official Southern Decadence Web Site.
Submission Set For Sun., Sept. 2nd
at the Municipal Auditorium
Johnny Chisholm in association with Oz will present Submission, the first circuit party to be held Labor Day Weekend at the Municipal Auditorium, adjacent to the French Quarter. Submission is set for Sun., Sept. 2nd from 9pm to 4am featuring internationally known circuit DJ Manny Lehman. Chisholm has made quite a name for himself throughout the circuit world for his first class party endeavors. With Abracadabra and Beach Maneuvers in Pensacola, One Mighty Party in Orlando and Icon in South Beach under his belt, Chisholm is noted for producing some of the best parties on the circuit. Last year, Abracadabra was voted Circuit Party of the Year in the Gulf South. Miller Lite and Ambush, sponsors in most of Chisholm's parties, continue on as sponsors for Submission. This circuit party should bring even more revelers to town for the giant Southern Decadence weekend celebration, Aug. 31st-Sept. 3rd.
Tickets are $50 in advance available, through Aug. 31, at ozneworleans.com on the Internet only. The After Hours Party will follow at Oz, 4am-9am, with DJ Barry Harris. Your Submission ticket stub will get you half price admission to the After Hours Party.
Absolut & Harrahs Join SouthernDecadence.COM
as Official Vodka & Official Casino
Industry giants Absolut and Harrahs New Orleans Casino have become Official Vodka and Official Casino of SouthernDecadence.COM through extensive sponsorship agreements. The two companies join Miller Lite and Fosters as co-sponsors of the SouthernDecadence.COM Web site with individual banner ads for the months of July, August and September.
Additionally, the three companies are sponsoring the full page color ads appearing in Ambush promoting Official Southern Decadence XXX.
Although Ambush has participated in Southern Decadence since almost the beginning of the publication, it began promoting what has become the giant end of Summer GLBT celebration, and its grand marshals, aggressively in 1991, when Ambush friend Ms Fly [the late Lee Fetherston] became SDGM XXI. That same year Ambush hosted the first Official Southern Decadence Grand Marshal's Bead Toss from its 828 Bourbon St. balcony. In 1995 when Blanche was named SDGM XXIII, Ambush suggested he choose a beer which became the first grand marshal's beer, Miller Lite. The SD celebration continued to grow through print promos and the "tella queen network."
In 1995 the Internet exploded onto the scene, leveling the playing field internationally, and Ambush joined the effort launching SouthernDecadence.COM in Dec. of that year. The Web site promoted the holiday, the grand marshals and the numerous events held throughout New Orleans. But neither Ambush nor SouthernDecadence.COM can take all of the credit for making the holiday into the huge event it has become. The international marketing efforts of local businesses 735 nightclub/bar, Bourbon Pub/Parade and Oz, as well as the grand marshals network, and "tella queen network," are also responsible for the mega success of Southern Decadence.
Ambush Launches
Outer Loop Bar Crawl Web Site
Ambush, in its continuing effort to support the community which makes it possible, has launched the Outer Loop Memorial Day Bar Crawl Web site, gayneworleans.com/bar crawl. The site promotes the 2nd bar crawl set for Mon., May 27, 2002. More bars and clubs are expected to join the Double Play, Corner Pocket, Ninth Circle, Voodoo and 735 nightclub/bar. These five clubs, along with sponsors Miller Lite and Skyy Vodka, brought out some 500 revelers for the first crawl including those joining crawlers in each bar and the crawlers themselves. The festive afternoon is expected to grow bringing more revelers out in New Orleans Memorial Day Weekend.
Pansies & Dirt
Peppers brought us over to the Westbank for the Miss Gay Crescent City America pageant. Scheduled for 10pm, we figured we would get there at 11:15, closer to crowning time; however, this pageant was on extended drag time and did not begin until 11:30. We did not make it to crowning time, but congrats to winner Amber Nicole Welch and 1st alternate Hunter Holloway, who will represent Miss Gay Crescent City America at Miss Gay Louisiana America. Both contestants gave the huge audience both glamour and talent.
Pageant promoter David Wilson had Miss Gay New Orleans America Dominique DeLorean emcee and entertain along with the talents of Miss Mascara Jazmine Taylor, Sweet Sensation and Infinity Iman.
735 was up next to see mega DJ Ed Bailey. It was even more festive than usual as the pretty Gay boys claimed the front half of the dance floor as their territory, complete with circuit toys and flags. We were surprised to see so many friends of our age out at 3am with us. Guess we all had power naps so we could hang with the circuit kids.
Then it was off to Oz to catch those hunky Men of Manwatch. The boys were a little camera shy this night and would only let us take pix of their back sides. Of course, for many those big ole bubble butts will do the trick every time. Edward and Jude slung cocktails for us, which made the sights here ever mo' better.
Father's Day brought us to the Coast celebrating Marsha's 48th b'day. Yes, Beau Rivage would be host for our evening celebration, which began with the mega seafood buffet - even including sushi.
A little later that evening we took in Lord of the Dance which knocked us off our feet. The hour and a half show was chock full of action. With contemporary ballet, Irish stomping folk dance, violinists and singers, this production emanated Broadway pizazz.
The huge cast was immaculately costumed. For one number in particular, it was an apparition in Pride colors. Indeed, the hightech lighting could be used in any hot circuit party. This show is a must see. You won't be disappointed.
Following the show, and after we lost $70 in the Slots, we had a most amusing incident. We decided to take in one of the bars and have a bottle of White Zin. When we asked the cocktail server for a bottle, she said she thought they only served by the glass. So we asked her to check on the bottle, and if not, we would have two glasses. Well, she came back with the bottle already opened by the bartender. She set down the two glasses and the bottle of wine and apologized because she did not know how to pour wine! So, Marsha, the trouper she is, said, "Honey, I'll do it! You just pick up the bottle, remove the cork, pour and twist the bottle slightly so you won't lose one precious drop." She kind of smiled and walked away. After we had just about finished the bottle, she brought over our check. Of course, we told her we were from New Orleans and one bottle would simply not do for these old winos, so we had two more.
The following weekend it was off to Ninth Circle for the Footloose Showgirls Reunion. It was packed when we arrived just in time for spirits to possess the sound system here. You know, it is Ninth Circle at Congo Square! The CD player was on the blink, and music sometimes played from the speakers near the stage and sometimes only in the back of the club, and sometimes not at all, making it hard for the stars to hear.
But this did not stop these showgirls who continued to do their numbers either partially with or without their music. Veteran showgirl Tiffany Rae Button emceed bringing the talents of TT, Connie Marcelle, Kabrina Watson, Dominque DeLorean, Donnie Jay and Jessica Champagne to the stage. And the lovely Marcy Marcell even looked lovelier with her stylish updo giving her much needed hair. All of the stars gave dazzling renditions, but Kabrina Watson, obviously was the crowd favorite here in her own home bar.
Voodoo was up next for our final nightcaps. Here we met House of Blues restaurant manager Danny. He was out with local singing sensation Sky Covington. Sky only recently had a CD release party for Altered Ego here. The seven songs on the CD simply do not do Sky Covington justice. It's her stage persona, impossible to capture on CD, that makes Sky's music so appealing.
Smurf and Estelle were twirling with an entourage in tow, and had apparently been doing it for some time. The festive group stumbled through and then they were off to terrorize some other club on their post midnight drunken crawl. They wanted us to come, but when they turned their backs, we snuck out of the bar and were off to 828 Bourbon.
Sat. brought us back to 735 for the Depeche Mode Exciter Tour night. Colorful Anthony did the honors, swinging from the ceiling over the giant dance floor, giving away concert tix, T-shirts and posters. DJs Raymond Mattix and Alyson Calagna kept up the groove, highlighting the night with some of the best hits on the circuit.
Then it was a mad dash over to the Corner Pocket and Lisa Beaumann's Sat. night "Corner" all male revue. Lisa was celebrating her b'day and had a bevy of boys in the flesh on the bartop clad only in g-strings or boxers. The festive crowd here was in high gear and definitely were enjoying the sights to behold.
Finally we found ourselves at the Double Play for a nightcap. All the regulars were in for that special late night fix, cocktails and beer, that is. Many of St. Louis St.'s most colorful personalities hang here. You just never know who you might run into. It could be Mother Moses, Dusty, Glenn and Roger or even Ray Cole.
Friend Michael Sullivan joined us on our first trip to Sunday Gospel Brunch at House of Blues. After meeting restaurant manager Danny at Voodoo, we decided to try out the place.
There was quite a selection from which to choose including jambalaya, assorted croissants and muffins, pasta salad, smoked salmon, caviar, garlic roasted potatoes, boiled shrimp, fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, biscuits and country gravy, juicy steamship round, country ham, an omelet station and white chocolate bread pudding with whiskey sauce. As delicious as most of the food was, it paled in comparison to the entertainment.
The Gospel singers with live accompaniment were a delight. They even got brunch goers up and singing, clapping and second lining. This brunch tends to be such an uplifting experience that when you leave you have a new lease on life. Try it out. Adult tickets are $30 with seatings at 9:30am, 11:45am and 2pm. Reservations are recommended. Call 504.529.2624.
After a long day at the office, we head out on our late afternoon, and usually happy hour bar runs. It's time to try and get rid of some of the stress before heading back home for the evening. Some days we pop into the Double Play to see Doc or James, the Corner Pocket to see Jay or Ashley, Orlando's Society Page to see Michael, Ninth Circle to see John or Todd and Voodoo to see Smurf or Jim.
Other days we start off with Clifford or Lady Charles at TT's, then Jackie Mae at Le Roundup ending up with Mark or Jeffrey at Oz.
Then other days it's off to see Red at the Phoenix, Rex at Cowpokes, Chuck at Bywater Bar.B.Que/Outback, Robert or Mike at the Country Club and Timmy or Ted at the Golden Lantern.
And speaking of the Country Club, what better way to unwind than hopping in the pool or lieing around on the deck. The sights here are also good stress release unless you run into Golden Lantern's Cow-Vicky yakking loudly on his cell phone in the pool. Yes, Ted was caught doing just that by roving reporter Wally Sherwood.
Now we can't forget those runs out to the Burbs either. The afternoon and nightlife is chock full of action. You have 4 Seasons, Angles, Elegant Rainbow's, Rainbow's and Zasafon's in Metairie, Billy's in Slidell and Peppers across the River in Gretna.
No matter which venue you choose, you can find stress relief throughout the greater New Orleans area. We are lucky we have such a variety from which to choose. Oh, and please, don't forget Dining For Life Thurs., July 19. See if your favorite restaurant is participating in support of NO/AIDS Task Force.
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