Gay media
The following are a selection of outlets
with up-to-date listings and insider
information on the gay and lesbian scene.
The Advocate
www.advocate.com . National gay and
lesbian newsmagazine.
HX Magazine www.hx.com
. Vital homosexual listings mag.
Metrosource Magazine
wwwmetrosource.com . National gay
and lesbian lifestyle magazine with a
local directory of gay-friendly
professionals and businesses.
Out Magazine www.out.com
. A lifestyle magazine covering
everything from politics to health.
Lesbian and gay resources
GENERAL HELP AND ADVICE
Association of the Bar of the City
of New York - Committee on Lesbian & Gay
Rights 42 W 44th St, NY 10036 tel
212/382-6600.
The committee recommends legal policies
for employers and law schools, and
addresses general policy issues
regarding lesbian and gay rights.
Bisexual Information and
Counseling Services, Inc . 599 West
End Ave, Suite 1A, NY 10024 tel
212/595-8002,
www.bisexualcounseling.org
Offers help on health and relationship
issues; general and professional
discussion groups.
Empire State Pride Agenda 647
Hudson St, NY 10014 tel 212/627-0305,
www.espany.org .
Political organization lobbies
legislature and governor, helps elect
gay-supportive candidates through
financial/campaign assistance, organizes
constituent pressure, educates public
about lesbians/gay life.
Gay and Lesbian National Hotline
tel 1-888/THE-GLNH or 212/989-0999,
www.glnh.org (Mon-Fri 6-10pm, Sat
noon-5pm).
Information, help and referrals.
Gay Yellow Pages PO Box 533,
Village Station, NY 10014-0533 tel
212/674-0120, www.gayellowpages.com
.
Annual directory of gay/lesbian
businesses and resources.
GLAAD-NY (Gay and Lesbian Alliance
Against Defamation) 150 W 26th St at
7th Ave, Suite 503 tel 212/807-1700,
www.glaad.org .
Monitors the portrayal of gays, lesbians
and bisexuals in the media, and
organizes caucuses and discussion groups
on media topics. Volunteers and visitors
welcome.
Lambda Legal Defense and Education
Fund 120 Wall St, 15th floor, NY
10005 tel 212/809-8585,
www.lambdalegal.org .
Active against discrimination affecting
people with AIDS and the lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender community;
publications, speakers and newsletter.
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &
Transgender Community Services Center
208 W 13th St, NY 10014 (west of 7th
Ave) tel 212/620-7310,
www.gaycenter.org .
The Center's free paper, Center Voice
, is mailed to more than 55,000
households, which should give you an
idea of how it's grown since it opened
in 1983. The Center also sponsors
workshops, dances, movie nights, youth
services and lots more.
EXCLUSIVELY LESBIAN ORGANIZATIONS
Astraea 116 E 16th, 7th floor,
NY 10003, #520 (between Park Ave S and
Irving Place) tel 212/529-8021,
www.astraea.org .
National lesbian foundation offering
financial support, education and
networking to lesbian organizations and
projects.
Center for Anti-Violence
Education/Brooklyn Women's Martial Arts
421 5th Ave, 2nd floor, Brooklyn, NY
11215 tel 718/788-1775,
www.cae-bkln.org .
Self-defense and martial arts classes
integrate a political understanding of
violence; not-for-profit, feminist and
anti-racist.
Social Activities for Lesbians
(SAL) PO Box 2270, Church Street
Station tel 212/330-6582.
A social group that organizes dinners,
parties, cultural excursions, video
nights and the like. Call for details
and calendar.
AIDS/HIV-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS
ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash
Power) 332 Bleecker St, Suite G5, NY
10014 tel 212/966-4873,
www.actupny.org .
The first and most prolific of the
direct action groups, ACT UP advocates
group empowerment and action, advocating
that silence will only equal death.
Meets Mon, 7.30pm, at the Center, 208 W
13th St.
AIDS Hotline tel 212/447-8200.
Information, counseling and referrals
available seven days a week, 9am-9pm.
AIDS Treatment Data Network (The
Network) 611 Broadway, Room 613, NY
10012 tel 212/260-8868 or toll-free
1-800/734-7104,
www.aidsinfonyc.org/network .
Not-for-profit community-based
organization provides information on
treatment, counseling and referral
services to people with HIV/AIDS.
Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC)
119 W 24th St (between 6th and 7th aves)
tel 212/807-6664, www.gmhc.org .
Despite the name, this organization -
the oldest and largest not-for-profit
AIDS organization in the world -
provides information and referrals to
everyone.
HIV/AIDS Legal Service Project
153 Waverly Place, NY 10014 tel
212/243-1313.
Free childcare, discrimination, housing
and health planning services for people
with AIDS/HIV.
Accommodation
The following places are friendly to
gays and lesbians and convenient for the
scene.
Chelsea Mews Guest House 344 W
15th St, NY 10011 (between 8th and 9th
aves) tel 212/255-9174.
All-male gay guesthouse. Local calls are
included. $100-160
Chelsea Pines Inn 317 W 14th
St (between 8th and 9th aves) tel
212/929-1023, www.chelseapinesinn.com
.
Well-priced hotel, whose guests are
mostly gay, housed in an old brownstone
on the Greenwich Village/Chelsea border
that offers clean, comfortable,
attractively furnished rooms. Best to
book in advance. Under $100-200; three-night
minimum stay at weekends.
Chelsea Savoy Hotel 204 W 24th
St (at 7th Ave) tel 212/929-9353,
www.chelseasavoynyc.com .
This relative newcomer, housed in a new
building, makes up for a lack of charm
with clean and modern amenities in every
room. $100-130
Colonial House Inn 318 W 22nd
St, NY 10011 (between 8th and 9th aves)
tel 212/243-9669,
www.colonialhouseinn.com .
Economical, twenty-room bed-and-breakfast
in the heart of Chelsea. Also welcomes
straight guests. Boasts a clothing-optional
roofdeck. Under $100, with fifteen
percent off in Jan and Feb.
Incentra Village House 32 8th
Ave (between 12th and Jane sts) tel
212/206-0007.
Twelve-room townhouse, some rooms with
kitchenette. Three-night minimum stay at
weekends. Also welcomes straight guests.
$100-130
Bars
Gay men's bars cover the spectrum:
from relaxed, mainstream cafés to some
hard-hitting clubs full of glamour and
attitude. Most of the more established
places are in Greenwich Village and
Chelsea, and along Avenue A in the East
Village. For women, Park Slope in
Brooklyn edges out the East Village and
Hudson Street in the West as the center
of happenings. Things tend to get
raunchier further west as you reach the
bars and cruisers of the wild West Side
Highway and the Meatpacking District,
both of which are pretty hardcore.
MAINLY FOR MEN
The Bar 68 2nd Ave (at E 4th
St) tel 212/674-9714.
A longstanding neighborhood hideaway
with a pool table in the East Village.
Fairly relaxed on weeknights, cruisier
at the weekend.
Barracuda 275 W 22nd St
(between 7th and 8th aves) tel
212/645-8613.
A favorite spot in New York's gay scene,
and as laid-back as you'll find in
Chelsea. Two-for-one happy hour from
4-9pm during the week, crazy drag shows
and pick-up lines and a hideaway lounge
out back.
Brandy's Piano Bar 235 E 84th
St (between 2nd and 3rd aves) tel
212/744-4949.
Handsome uptown cabaret/piano bar with a
crazy mixed and generally mature
clientele. Definitely worth a visit.
The Cock 188 Ave A (at 12th
St) tel 212/777-6724.
With amateur "talent" contests and strip
karaoke to kill for, it's dirty, sleazy
and a social hodgepodge - and a whole
lot of fun.
The Dugout 185 Christopher St
(at Weehawken St) tel 212/242-9113.
Right by the river, this friendly West
Village hangout with TV, pool table and
video games might be the closest you'll
find to a gay sports bar.
Dusk Lounge 147 W 24th St
(between 6th and 7th aves) tel
212/924-4490.
A place to chill out and unwind, this
Chelsea stalwart is perfect on a weekday
afternoon.
Julius 159 W 10th St (at
Waverly Place) tel 212/929-9672.
As the oldest gay bar in the city, this
quaint, wooden affair deserves at least
one drink.
The Monster 80 Grove St (at
Waverly Place) tel 212/924-3558.
Large, campy bar with drag cabaret,
piano and downstairs dance floor. Very
popular, especially with tourists, yet
has a strong neighborhood feel.
Phoenix 447 E 13th St (between
1st Ave and Ave A) tel 212/477-9979.
This relaxed East Village favorite is
much loved by the so-not-scene-they're-scene
boys and guys who really just want a
drink.
Rawhide 212 8th Ave (at 21st
St) tel 212/242-9332.
Hell-bent for leather, Chelsea's Rough
Rider Room opens at 8am for those who
have beer for breakfast (and closes
fairly late too).
Stonewall 53 Christopher St (between
Waverly Place and 7th Ave S) tel
212/463-0950.
Yes, that Stonewall , site of the
seminal 1969 riot, mostly refurbished
and flying the pride flag like they own
it - which, one supposes, they do.
Wonder Bar 505 E 6th St
(between aves A and B) tel 212/777-9105.
Cramped, festive and lesbian-friendly,
this is a truly wonderful and
unpretentious find for the thinking boy.
Still mainly for the men, though.
MAINLY FOR WOMEN
Ginger's 363 5th Ave, Park
Slope, Brooklyn tel 718/788-0924.
Relative newcomer that's dark and
atmospheric, with a great happy hour.
Henrietta Hudson 438 Hudson St
(between Morton and Barrow sts) tel
212/924-3347.
Laid-back in the afternoon but brimming
by night, especially on weekends.
Lounging, pool and dancing areas are all
separated and guys are welcome too.
Julie's 204 E 58th St (between
2nd and 3rd aves) tel 212/688-1294.
Fairly sedate and couply throughout the
week, except for Thurs nights when the
single girls come out to play. One of
your few choices around midtown or
uptown.
Marie's Crisis 59 Grove St tel
212/243-9323.
Well-known cabaret/piano bar popular
with tourists and locals alike. Features
old-time singing sessions on Fri and Sat
nights.
Meow Mix 269 E Houston St (at
Suffolk St) tel 212/254-0688.
One of the city's hottest girl venues.
Bands or performances most nights, for
which men are welcome if they behave
themselves.
The Rising 186 5th Ave (at
Sackett St), Park Slope, Brooklyn tel
718/789-6340.
A relaxed neighborhood favorite, this
laid-back brunch spot has live music on
Wed, Fri and Sun and a DJ on Sat nights.
Rubyfruit Bar & Grill 531
Hudson St (at 10th St) tel 212/929-3343.
A cozy, friendly place for grown-up
dykes, Rubyfruit is all about
couches, cheap drinks and good company.
Clubs
Gay and lesbian clubs in New York
can be some of the most outrageous in
the world, while many of the city's non-denominational
nightspots have a very open-door policy
(as regards sexuality) and often host
weekly gay parties. Again, check out the
Village Voice (
www.villagevoice.com ) and HX
( www.hx.com ) for the latest in
homosexual hip.
J's Hangout 675 Hudson St (at
14th St) tel 212/242-9292.
Very cruisey late-night spot with very
dark rooms and a "buff" Sat night. Open
nightly from midnight.
La Nueva Escuelita 301 W 39th
St (at 8th Ave) tel 212/631-0588.
Exclusive and elusive, this is also one
of the city's very best gay clubs. It's
all about kitsch, dress-up, salsa and
drag and (wo)men. Expect to wait in line
for a while.
The Monster 80 Grove St (at
Sheridan Square) tel 212/924-3558.
Every night here brings something
different, from Latin grooves to retro
hits and a Sun afternoon tea dance (free
before 8pm, $3 after). Free during the
week, $5 at the weekend.
The Web 40 E 58th St tel
212/978-9988.
A predominantly Asian crowd congregates
here for theme-party nights and drag
competitions ($5-10), as well as Wed
night bingo and karaoke Sun (free).
