Queerespondence: More Pride!
Pride month, we hardly knew ye. It always seems that June whizzes by in a colorful blaze of glory! With so many fabulous events to attend, Douglas has passed the reigns to me, Lauren Gulbrandsen, his partner in Queerespondence First Saturdays at Bar 4, to describe my ideal, and real, Pride weekend. As a Park Slope native girl who likes girls I know a thing or two about my own stomping ground and beyond and am glad to give you my take on why this year's Pride is going to be better than ever. Lets get to it!
Thursday|6.17
CITY: So we begin in Manhattan (I know, I know – but it’s for a great cause!) at the Stonewall Inn for the 2nd Annual Happy Hour Benefit for the Dyke March. Doors are open at 6 and it’s $5 for entry and 5 raffle tickets (more can be purchased if you want them!). You can win awesome sex toys from Babeland, Circle Line Cruise tickets, US Open tickets, restaurant and bar tabs, L Word stuff, and a 6-day pass to Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival! And that’s just the beginning of the over 35 prizes. They’ll start pulling tickets at 8, so you’ll have plenty of time to win many fabulous things, get your drink on, and then head back to Brooklyn just in time for…
BROOKLYN: Rebel Cupcake 2: Queer Root! Bevin Branlandingham presents the second installment of a monthly flamboyant queer dance party for all shapes & flavors at Sugarland in Williamsburg. For only $5 you can get an eyeful of burlesque, butchlesque, bearlesque, drag and cabaret. The show starts at 11pm and then leads into an all night dance party featuring DJs Shomi Noise and Sirlinda. Performances by Rosie Lugosi, the Femme Vampire Queen, from England; SirMamSir and the Missus, butchlesque; Axon D'Luxe, Electro Text Wordsmith; and Lola Dean, Burlesque, in her FAREWELL NYC PERFORMANCE!
Famous Birthday: Venus Williams
Drink of Choice: Jack and Ginger
Friday|6.18
Do you have a thing for sexy librarians? The Desk Set is kicking off Pride Week with Que(e)ry, its first-ever dance party for queer librarians and their lovers! The party is from 8 – 4am at Blackout Bar in Greenpoint. All proceeds from the party will benefit the Tom of Finland Foundation in Los Angeles and the Lesbian Herstory Archives in Brooklyn. There will be DJs, raffle prizes, gogo dancers, and queer-lit drink specials! As a volunteer for the Lesbian Herstory Archives, this party excites me like no other.
Famous Birthday: Paul McCartney
Drink of Choice: Bloody Mary
Saturday|6.19
This will be the first Mermaid Parade in Coney Island that I’ll actually be able to attend since it’s not on a day that I’m working or conflicting with the Dyke March! You can find me in the gold body paint and booty shorts and bubble wand – I love dressing up! Starts at 2pm and features Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson as King Neptune and Queen Mermaid! Afterwards, check out the Mermaid Parade ball from 6-11:30pm. It’ll have some of NYC’s finest burlesque and sideshow superstars in all their aquatic themed glory!
Late night at Williamsburg’s Bruar Falls a super kickass Pride kickoff called BOYFRIENDZ will feature host’s Balls to the Wall and House of Ladosha. A hip moving goodtime with DJ's Helen Harris and Designer Imposter playing all kinds of danceable tunes for you to groove to with your current, new, or ex- boy or girlfriendz. For only $5 it’s a great deal for all and you might just find some more FRIENDZ.
Famous Birthday: Gena Rowlands
Drink of Choice: Cheap Champagne
Sunday|6.20
Lastly, a little shameless self-promotion – I’ll be teaching a Lesbian Pleasure Workshop at the Lesbian Herstory Archives at 2pm. If this is something that you’re interested in learning about, you should RSVP (check out the event page) because there are only 30 spots available! It’s a $15 – $25 sliding scale and all ticket sales go to the Archives. The copy is just too good so I’m going to post it verbatim: “Can’t find your copy of ‘The Joy of Lesbian Sex’? Stop by the Lesbian Herstory Archives to for a lesson in lezzie lust! We will show mind-blowing finger and tongue techniques to awaken the clit and g-spot, discuss the joys of strap-on play, explore anal activities, and talk about ways to make communicating with your partner about sex fun! This 2 hour class is open to single people as well as couples. Toys will be available for sale!”
After your lesson in lezzie lust, you can take your newfound knowledge to the Femme Family Pin-Up Pride Party and Date/Services Auction at The Stonewall Inn! Doors at 8pm, show at 9pm, dancing and mingling ’til 2am! $5-$10 sliding scale. Bevin Branlandingham femmecees with fabulous cabaret performance, great music at a level perfect for dancing AND mingling. Dress: Pin-up Pride for all genders, sizes, expressions! The money raised will go towards getting members of the Femme Family to the Femme Conference in SF this year!
Famous Birthday: Olympia Dukakis
Drink of Choice: Dry Martini with Extra Olives!
-Lauren Gulbrandsen
