AUSTIN, TEXAS

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy, It's the New Year!

Howdy Ho again from the Capital City of the Lone Star state and welcome to the 16th anniversary year of Ambush Mag 2000. For those of you that may not have noticed, Ambush Mag 2000 has fantastic web sites with over 18 million hits last year. Check out each and every issue of this past year as well as other great Gay and Lesbian sites around the country on Ambush onLINE @ www.ambushmag.com.

It's not too late if you didn't get a chance to buy that New Year's gift or belated Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Festivus gift for your favorite loved one. Why not hop on over then to either Sparks on 6th St. or N8 on Lamar or Lobo Bookstore up on Guadalupe and pick out that special present for your New Years' man or woman in your life. Hungry? After you finish shopping, come on out to Momma's Restaurant on Congress for some fine home cooked vittles that will make you beg and ask for seconds. They are open everyday from 10am till 9pm and on Sundays from 10am till 3pm.

It's the New Year and I am glad to live in Austin where Austin's Gay and Lesbian families help out one another and get involved! Below are just a few of these to attend or volunteer your time or money this year. Just do it!

A IDS Services of Austin (ASA) provides quality care for those infected by HIV and their loved ones. They offer and sponsor a food bank, nursing home, information line, legal services, and space for seminars and training. Other services provided by the center are a dental clinic, financial assistance, nutritional workshops, and an extensive referral service. Educational outreach is also a priority of the center which reaches the community through workplaces, health fairs, and by handing out information on the street. One great annual event was the tenth annual "From All Walks of Life" fund-raising walk. AIDS Services is currently located in the Fountain Plaza off Airport Blvd. but they're moving soon. Their address is 825 E. 53-1/2 St., Suite E101, Austin, TX 78765-4874; phone: 512.451.2273; Fax: 512.452.3299 or visit their web site at: http://www.asaustin.org/.

I n this day and age, it is important to have safe sex and stay negative. Staying Negative is a support group sponsored by ASA for HIV-negative gay and bisexual men. The group meets 7pm to 9:30pm the first and third Thurs. of each month at the Cornerstone Gay and Lesbian Community Center on 1117 Red River. For More Information, contact ASA at 512. 406.6165

T he HIV Wellness Center provides alternative and holistic care for people who have AIDS or are HIV-positive. Treatments, which include massage therapy, nutritional and physical conditioning and acupuncture are administered with the intent to boost the patient's immune system. For more information, contact them at 4301 N. IH-35, Austin, TX 78722 cross street: IH-35 and Airport; or, phone: 512.467.0088.

W anna become an Octopus? Planning a party? The Oc topus Club can always happen with you! To become a member of the Octopus Club, you just need to know how to have fun. The Octopus Club specializes in throwing parties and raising money for charity. Every dime the club raises at its parties go directly to the Paul Kirby fund, which serves as an emergency fund for people with AIDS. Here are the guidelines. Decide what kind of party you want to throw. Invite all your friends. Ask your guests for a donation, any amount is accepted. Next, have your party. Take the money you raised and donate it to the Octopus Club. One hundred percent of the money will go to the Paul Kirby fund. That's it. It's that simple. Contact the Octopus Club at 512.452.7210, Mon. thru Fri. or write them at PO Box 4874, Austin, TX 78765-4874.

F or our sisterhood, there is a great Lesbian Support Group. The Center for Battered Women offers support for lesbians who feel threatened, controlled, or humiliated by their partners. Counseling is completely confidential. Call 512.385.5181 for an appointment or 512.928.9070 for immediate telephone counseling.

I nforme SIDA helps the Latino and African American communities protect themselves against the AIDS virus. This bilingual/multicultural AIDS/HIV education organization is a branch of the Austin Latino/a Lesbian & Gay organization. If you would like to join or just help out, please contact them at Informe SIDA1715 E. 6th Street, Suite 112, Austin, TX 78702 cross street: E. 6th and Chicon or phone: 512.472.2001.

T he HIV-Negative Gay & Bi sexual Men's Group discusses the unrecognized needs of HIV-negative men through an HIV-Negative Gay & Bisexual Men's Group. For more information, phone 512.406.6165 or write to PO Box 4874, Austin, TX 78765.

O ut Youth, headquartered within Cornerstone Gay and Lesbian Community Center at 1117 Red River Street, 512.708.1234 provides the youth of Austin their own place in this world. Out Youth is a support group for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and questioning youth, ages 12 to 22. Facilities include a drop-in center and teen hotline (477-HELP or 800-96-YOUTH, every day 5:30pm to 9:30pm).

T he Cornerstone Gay and Lesbian Center is the first gay com-munity center in Austin. Funded by private donations and the leasing of office space to a number of diverse businesses. Also housed at the center are OutYouth Austin, and the offices of the Metropolitan Community Church. Carrel space is available for rent in a common area, which shares business machines with several small businesses. For more information, go by 1117 Red River Street, or phone 512.708.1515. Their web site is listed as: http://www.io.com/~cnrstone/.

P roject Transitions is dedicated to the provision of supportive living services and hospice care for persons living with HIV/AIDS. For more information, contact them at 512.454.8646, PO Box 4826, Austin, TX 78765.

P ediatric Aids of Austin - Pediatric Aids Founda- tion Funds is an HIV prevention program for youth. For more information contact 512.892.4776, or write to PO Box 9930, Austin, TX 78766.

L esbian Avengers - the direct action political group focuses on lesbian visibility. The group urges anyone with information about injustices against the queer community to contact them. Meetings are every Sunday at 7pm at Cornerstone, 1117 Red River Street, Austin, TX 78701 cross street: Red River and 12th Street. For more info, phone 512.469.2915.

T he Care Program, a Journey Outpatient Treatment Program, is available for all persons afflicited with HIV or the AIDS. Their new HIV Support Group meets every Tues. from 6-8pm. For more information, please go by 1633 East 2nd St., Austin, TX 78702 or call Leigh or Janet at 512.473.2273 x 113. As for the rest of Austin, here's what's going on around town at the clubs.

H op on over late night to Area 52 where one can find a great Mix Dance/ House Music Party Place going on. Open late Wed. - Sun 10pm till? The weekend of Jan. 3-4, was quite a fun surprise for all patrons at Area 52. At press time, details were still unknown. The Fabulous Ms. Paris Chanel hosts weekly Amateur Drag Queen Contests on Wed. at midnight. Paris also hosts drag comedy shows on Thurs. starting at midnight.

O ver and up at 'Bout Time, a mixed neighborhood "Cheers" type cruise bar, is the Super Bowl Sunday Party on Jan. 11th. Come hang out at `Bout Time cheering on your favorite team on their big screen TV. On Tues. at Bout Time, the festivities begin, with their weekly Dart Tournament for cash prizes starting at 9pm. Also on Tues., Bout Time gives away cash every other hour or so 3 times a night to lucky patrons. On Thurs. at BT's, come watch all the balls go by with their weekly Pool Tournament starting at 9pm for cash prizes. Don't forget Bout Time is the only bar in Austin open at 7am every day Mon-Sat. Come on out for your morning wake-up at `Bout Time. Happy Birthday this month to Bartenders Tom Tolliver and Jerry Walters.

L et 'er rip over at Chain Drive, a men's only leather bar. Chain recently hosted their "Brand Spank ing" New Year's party where Father Time spanked the hot little behind of the New Year's Boy-Little Robert. Needless to say, his cheeks were red. On the 11th of this month, Super Bowl Sunday, come enter their Full Moon Contest at 11pm and win a $50 gift certificate to City Grill. All contestants will receive a $10 certificate for Chain Drive. Tuesdays at the Chain are $1 well and schnapps all day and night long. In late Jan., look for their Lunar New Year Party. Come on out and visit bartenders Paul, Roberts 1 & 2, Randy, Mike and Brett. While at the Drive, don't forget to visit the Leather Chest inside, open Weds - Sat 8pm - 1am for all your leather needs. Happy Birthday this month to Robert T, Valdo and Paul.

C heck in at Charlie's, a men's dance and cruise bar. Over the holidays, lucky patrons received free turkeys and Charlie's 1998 calendars as giveaways. Luckily, Mr. McDonald and I won one of those turkeys each and have been eating well ever since. Thanks Daddy Wayne! The Super Bowl Sunday Party is on Jan. 11, with door prizes and some free food. Charlies requests, however, for you to bring a cover dish to share with all while watching your team on the big screen. Tuesdays at Charlie's is steak and chicken dinner night from 6-8pm. Charlie's "Predication Party" was hosted recently where many wild predications for 1998 won prizes. Coming up on Jan. 21, Charlie's hosts their "White Sale" where all white liquors are featured at reduced prices. Happy Birthday this month goes out to Ron and Steve I and a belated birthday wish last month to Jerry who turned 40ish?

C ome out and live on or at The Edge -the dance/ attitude free/ no drama lounge bar. Coming up on Sat., Jan. 24th, DJ Darin Arrowood from Atlanta will rock the house in Ben Parsley's & Slash Productions Circuit Night Austin. Cover is $10 at the Door. Net proceeds will benefit persons living with AIDS through Helping Hands for Life, Inc. Mondays are known as Tragic Lee Mondays with Camp Lounge Night featuring retro spun and happy hour all day long. A $5 dollar buy-in provides patrons with $1 well, domestics and schnapps. Tues. is Karaoke Night from 7-11:30pm as well as "Beat the Clock." Happy Hour Specials are from 4-5 with $1 Wells and Schnapps. From 5-6 it becomes $1.25 and then turning into $1.50 between 6-7pm and $2 from 7-8pm. On Wed. it's their Classic Disco Party with happy hour all day. It's time to play Beat the Clock again on Tragic Lee Thursdays with retro spun all day. Fri. and Sat. gets hopping and patrons get off with dance music by Don Engle. On Sun. The Edge features a High Energy Dance Party all night long.

B oot scoot and boogie at Country Edge--Austin's new est all county dance bar. The Country Edge would like to welcome the voluptuous-but same old-Ms. Pam Webster as their new happy hour bartender Tues. - Fri. Pam comes to the business as no newcomer with stits at Bout Time and other establishments throughout Texas. County Edge is closed on Mon. but gears up every Tues. - Sun. from 3pm - 2am. On Tues. come out for happy hour all day long, from 3pm - 2am. On Thurs. it is Classic Country with $1.50 domestics and well and free pool. Fri. and Sat. are dance nights at County Edge. Drink `em up at County Edge.

W hile at The Forum, the best men's dance and cruise bar, they are still recovering from their 2nd Annual "Black and Blue Bash" hosted New Year's Eve. Happy hour at the Forum from where the boys and girls can drink $2 well, $2 domestic and $3.50 calls from 2-9pm 7 days a week. On Fri., happy hour is extended till 11pm with a buffet from 5-9pm. Every Wed. night, it's "Back to the Boathouse" night, with music from the 80's and very early 90's. Optional buy-ins provide great drink specials for $1. Due to press time, we were unable to obtain the Star Search show finalist held on New Year's Day; however, the winner from Christmas was none other than Kayla Ticket Taylor who took home $100 for her talent that night. Come out and have a drink or two or several and chat with bartenders, Christopher, Eric, Jerry, Ryan, Biff, Garold and Kendall or say "hi " to the great barbacks Jessie, Cooper and cutie pie doorman Aaron.

C ome change your attitude at OilCan Harry's, Voted the #1 Gay Cruise Bar in Austin. Coming up on Jan. 12, all you hot asses have another shot at winning $250 in cash for your best full moon. Patrons of Oilcan's can come out and eat, drink and be merry every Mon., Thurs.and Fri. at Happy Hour where free buffets are served from 5pm till it's gone. Every Wed. night is Oilcan's MailBox Review where all can play postman and send that special someone a hot mail message from 10pm till closing. Also on Weds. Oilcan's pours out their specials with $2.50 well and beer all night long. Don't forget that for your entertainment and delight, Hot Male Dancers are featured on Thurs. from 10pm till 1:30am, Fri. from 6pm-8pm and Sun. from 6pm-8pm and then again from 10 pm till 1:30am. Also on Sun., it's Hangover Harry's Day with Mimosa's for a buck and Bloody Marys for only two dollars from 2pm-7pm. Lastly, say howdy next time to the unsung heroes of the bar who make it happen for those sexy bartenders - the barbacks, Jonathan, Matt, and Aaron.

T wo step over to the Rainbow Cattle Company, "the only gay owned and operated county bar in Austin," and come shuffle your boots to the music. Featured all this month is Hot Brandy January at RCC with all new drink specials. Coming on the 11th, it's their Super Bowl Sunday Party. Tuesdays at RCC are free County Dance Lessons to all beginning at 8 p.m. with Dancing at 9:30 p.m. On Wednesday's at RCC, come out and feature your best voices with their weekly Karoake at 8:30 p.m. Proceeds from the night go to benefit the United Court of Austin Charities. It's Steak and Grilled Chicken Night on Thursdays from 6 p.m.- 8:30 p.m. Don't Forget that RCC features Shuffleboard, Pool and Darts with Tournaments stating up this month. Check the bar for details on each tournament.

The Gentlemen's Club is at Midtowne Spa. Experience it! On Mon. at 11pm and every Fri. at 12 pm there are Male Dancer(s) for your delight. Every Tues. is "Chicken Night" where 18-25 year olds will receive Free Lockers. On Wed., all patrons receive half price rooms and lockers. On Fri. and Sat., Midtowne suggests that you come and get your room(s) rented early before 11:30pm because they always get "packed". In and out passes are available for these nights. Coming up on Jan. 24, it's the "Return to Atlantis Party" from 8pm till 2am. Come dive in and get wet!

A mbush Magazine 2000 is distributed bi-weekly through out Austin and the World with a distribution to its readers of over 650,000. You may reach me at Ambush Magazine 2000 calling 1.800.876.1484 or email at OzParade@aol.com for any and all updates, comments and feedback. WRITE! The deadline for Austin for the Jan. 23-Feb. 6 1998 edition is by the end of Mon., Jan. 12, 1998.

R emember that coming up is another New Year - The Chinese Lunar New Year will begin on Jan. 28. Until then, have more fun. Caio, Eric