the world is your acorn

I spent the day at school today, trying to get some work done for the busy week ahead. Late in the afternoon I walked over to the museum to meet The Little Red Haired Girl. We decided to go out for a drink, and go somewhere that we’ve never been. So we drove out to the music row circle, agreeing that we would have one drink each and share an appetizer, then come home to make dinner. Clearly, that did not happen. We even chose a pub over some fancy bar where we would be tempted by the menu. We decided on Dan McGuinness, where we ended up getting artichoke crab dip and fish and chips, seduced by happy hour prices. The beer was delicious and at the perfect temperature, the batter on the fish was light and just flavorful enough, the fries were thick and crispy, and the dip was chunky and artichokey. Now we’re stuffed and lazy and certainly not going to make dinner. It was a fun time though, and I think that we should make more of an effort from now on to try new places and get to know this city. Suggestions are definitely welcome!

** SUNDAY MAY 29TH MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND **
HONEY DANCE PARTY

Axis, 15 Landsdowne St, Boston 10pm – 2am
DJ Susan Esthera spinning dance, pop, hip hop
Enter at Axis and at 12.30 am the inside doors will open so you can enjoy Avalon Nightclub as well (with DJ Escape).
19+, $10 cover, $15 after 12.30pm **
** ONLY $5 on the Dyke Night Guest list before MIDNIGHT. Send name and the number in your party BEFORE SUNDAY to dykenight@hotmail.com **

• 12 noon: Flag Raising at Boston City Hall Plaza

Saturday, June 4

• 12-6pm: Boston Pride Day at Faneuil Hall at Fanueil Hall
• 9pm-12:30am: Freedom Womens Boat Cruise around Boston Harbor at 60 Rowes Wharf in Boston

Sunday, June 5

• 9:30am-3pm: AIDS Action Committee’s AIDS Walk at the Hatch Shell
• 3-7pm: Pride T Dance for LGBTs and Friends at Brookline Holiday Inn

Monday, June 6

• 3-4:30pm: Town Hall Meeting for LGBT Elders and Boomers at Sprout Hall at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Boston

Tuesday, June 7

• 7-9pm: PRIDELIGHTS at Boston Center for the Arts Plaza

Thursday, June 9

• 7-9pm: Boston Idol Competition at Club Café
• 10pm-2am: Jammy-Jam at Queeraoke at Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain
• 10pm-2am: 2005 Boston Pride Opening Party at Embassy Nightclub in Boston
• 8pm-2am: Women’s Pride Opening Party at Tribe at Felt in Boston

Friday, June 10

• 6pm: Boston Dyke March starting at the Gazebo on Boston Common
• 9pm-1am: Dykenight’s Dyke March After Party at Toast in Union Square, Somerville

Saturday, June 11

• 10am: Pride Interfaith Worship Service at Old South Church in Boston
• 12 noon: Pride Parade at Copley Square (and around) in Boston
• 12-6pm: Pride Festival at Boston Common in Boston
• 2pm-7pm: Esmé’s Pride Block Party at Boylston Place in Boston
• 7pm-2am: LiQuid at VENU – The Official Esmé After Party at 100 Warrenton St. in Boston
• 9pm-2am: Bounce Pride Party at Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain

Sunday, June 12

• 1-8pm: Stuart Street Block Party at Stuart Street in Boston
• 12-6pm: Pride Women’s Street Party at Perkins Street in Jamaica Plain
• 6pm-1am: Women’s Closing Party at Milky Way Lounge in Jamaica Plain
• 10pm-2am: Pride Closing Party at Avalon in Boston

This Friday at Toast (Dykenight goes Retro) is a Femme Dress-Up preparty. It starts at 8pm, and there is no cover until 9 (I think).

I haven’t decided if I’ll dress up yet, but B has been thinking about it for 2 weeks now

Here’s the blurb:

“Over-the-top Femme Dress-Up Glam Pre-Party” brought to you by MAD FEMME PRIDE
NO COVER before 8.30pm, cocktails & tappas menu (till 8.45)

Calling all femmes and feminine queer grrrls!!!
Get fancy and mingle! Be inquisitive about & indulgent with femininity! Play “dress up” with other fun, smart, silly, savvy gender-performing femmes.
Bring campy, wild, bold (party-store!) femme accessories (rainbow boas, abundant glitter, faux jewels, shocking wigs, anyone?) to wear and share. Let your version of “femme” gender expression shine! Accent your girly punk rock side, your badass femme diva ‘tude, or your always-wanted-to-wear-a-hott-black-dress-to-Toast self!
(more information at http://lgbtfriends.meetup.com/19/)
More questions? Just e-mail the organizers at madfemmepride@yahoo.com.

Some figures from 2005 Guide to Nashville: Nashville Chamber of Commerce

In the year 2000, 67.8% of the population were White, 26.9% were Black/African American, and 2.5% were Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander. The rest of the “races” are confusing to explain. Something about everything adding up to more than 100% because there are mixed folk and whatnot. But you get the general picture.

For every $100 the average American spends, the same goods or services could be purchased in Boston for $137.70, in D.C. for $134.70, in L.A. for $138.20, in NYC for $219.00, and in Nashville for $91.70

The average annual temperature is 59.4°, avg January high is 45.9°, avg January low is 26.5°, avg annual snowfall is 9.9″.

Other info:

There are at least 2 gay bars to go to within Nashville (and others that are more for men):
The Lipstick Lounge, which seems pretty lesbian, although they don’t say so on their site. A Citysearch reviewer seemed to be pretty pleased with the atmosphere though…
Tribe caters to whomever, but it seems to be a really gay-friendly place.

I’ve found 2 gay publications:
Out and About in Nashville and Church Street Freedom Press

There is a nice “womyn’s” resource website (where I’ve found most of my information) called The Pink Flamingo Flash

Also there is a Nashville Women’s Rugby team, which is cool because I’ve been thinking about getting back into it lately.

All in all, these are encouraging finds. The transition will be difficult, but I have to keep an eye on the positives. At the same time I have to appreciate all I’ve got here in Boston and not waste these last few months. It’s a difficult balance, but I’m doing my best to live it up, no doubt.

I started this blog much after we first realized Nashville was going to happen, so I have to catch youall up on some of the research we have done, and other thought processes. First off, my gf (B, or The Little Red-Haired Girl) is excited to go. She is originally from the south, and loves it there. She is not afraid that there will be no gay community. At least, not as afraid as I am. She is stoked for a milder climate, friendlier people, a slower pace, and a lower cost of living. I am afraid to live so far from the ocean, from a liberal majority, from real public transportation, from an abundance of foie gras and good wine, and from a large, open, gay community.

Boston has been good to me as a young dyke. When I moved here I was all of 21, and had never even been to a real lesbian club before. (Partner’s and Gotham Citi in New Haven don’t really count). I was so excited to be out in a city where all kinds of queers gather and be queer together all the time. I was so excited, in fact, that I occasionally went out by myself (which is so not me). That year I started volunteering for Dykenight Productions, and got to meet a ton of people who were behind the scenes in Boston lesbian life. That really helped get me feeling comfortable in my own skin and comfortable talking to people. Kristen, who runs Dykenight, took me under her wing and let me into her life, which is a defining aspect of who I am now.

Back then it was Dykenight at the Midway Cafe, on Thursday nights. It was a small “cozy” bar, where the drinks were cheap and the dj played on milk crates and used a flashlight to see. I’d get there at 10 and start checking ID’s and taking cover, and stay until after closing to pass out flyers and to have one last half-Bass. Sadly, that venture ended recently. Now we do Dykenight Goes Retro at Toast on Friday nights, which is amazing - the capacity is at least 3 times that of the Midway, the dj gets her own booth, there are two bars and 4 rooms, and it’s on Friday, which means I get to sleep in the next day. But I sure will miss those days at the Midway.

Next time maybe I will share some of the research that B and I have done on Nashville.