Tag Archives: Fire Island Pines

Edge Media reports: The drama in Fire Island Pines now officially spans two continents. The Ascension Party, a staple of the circuit scene for nine years, is packing up and leaving Fire Island Pines and traveling to Mykonos this August, citing the recent boycott against OUTpost Fire Island Pines properties as the impetus for the move. The announcement marks the …

The New York Post reports that beleaguered Manhattan hotelier Mati Weiderpass was tossed out of the Fire Island Pines nightclub Sip-N-Twirl on Sunday after being confronted by patrons furious about his meeting with Sen. Ted Cruz. Customer Evan Lobel said, “One guy got up and asked him what the rationale was to have dinner with Cruz. They got kind of …

Via press release from Queer Nation: A plane trailing a banner reading “Boycott Hi/Lo Tea! Fight For Full LGBT Rights!” will fly above the beach at Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines on Sunday, June 7, between 2 pm and 3 pm. The action will underscore the LGBT community’s outrage over the April 20 meeting between Republican presidential candidate Senator …

Via the New York Times: When the gay hoteliers Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass found themselves under siege for hosting a dinner for Ted Cruz, the Texas senator who is running for president and has been vociferously opposed to same-sex marriage, they repeatedly stressed that the event was not a fund-raiser. “There were no checks given, it was nothing like …

“I’m the only gay man I know who has never been to Fire Island. I have not made a point of staying away — its charms are legendary, of course — but the occasion has simply never presented itself. Now, it’s quite likely that I will remain forever virginal in that regard. Or at least until these guys are no …

Per the president of the Fire Island Pines Property Owners Association, the below apology from Manhattan hotelier Ian Reisner was read at the group’s meeting over the weekend. Dear Members of our Community, First I want to clear up that Mati Weiderpass has zero involvement or ownership in the Pines. Now let me state unequivocally that I made mistakes. While …

“Since hosting a discussion with Texas Senator Ted Cruz in my home, I have been inundated with hateful, biased social media messages, and attacks from gay extremists (do I dare say the word?) who demand inclusion, but do not believe in dialogue. I know in my heart that these attacks do not represent the rich culture and diversity of the …

Longtime Manhattan nightlife promoter John Blair took to Facebook this weekend to react to beleaguered hotelier Ian Reisner’s declaration that his club is losing money because gays are cheap. Gays, like any group, will spend their money when you give them something that they want or need. Do not blame the community for any of your failures to make money. …

Posted yesterday to the Facebook page for the boycott of hoteliers Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass: STATEMENT – LGBT CAUCUS – NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL “Owning businesses that cater to the LGBT community comes with a heightened level of responsibility. For the proprietors of the OUTnyc and Fire Island Pines, hosting anti-LGBT politicians like Senators Ted Cruz and Ron Johnson …

Similar headlines can be found across Teabagistan.

From the executive director of Broadway Cares: It is with regret that we have decided to cancel this year’s edition of the Broadway Bares Solo Strips fundraiser, which was scheduled for May 10 at the NYC club 42West. We cannot in good conscience hold an event at a venue whose owners have alienated our community, as reflected in an April …

Earlier today the New York Times reported that Sen. Ted Cruz held a fundraiser this week in the Manhattan penthouse of multimillionaire gay hoteliers Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass (above). As you can imagine, that report has caused a furor in Teabagistan and tonight Cruz had to rush out a reassuring statement. Ted Cruz was forced to reiterate his stance …

Via the New York Times: A strip of commercial real estate along the harbor in Fire Island Pines sold for $10.1 million at auction on Thursday to developers with plans to continue the revival of a former mecca for closeted gay men. The sale price was well below the $25 million the previous owners sought when they placed it on …

Five years ago three young hotshots bought the bulk of the commercial district in Fire Island Pines for a reported $17M.  Later this month that same group of businesses goes up for auction for a considerably lower opening bid. Maltz Auctions, a leading full-service auction company serving the New York metropolitan region, announced today that it will auction The Fire …

This life-sized Superman statue guards the front gate of one of the oceanside houses in Fire Island Pines.  The first time we walked past it, it was quite dark out and we thought somebody was going for some cosplay action.

Circa 1957.

This afternoon Father Tony and I dropped in at the 14th biennial Fire Island Pines Art Show, where my pal (and former NYC Eagle bartender) Joe Hepworth was showing some of his photography.

This (I think) is the third Fire Island Pines Pavilion, which contains two bars, a nightclub, a gym, and several retailers. It’s rainy and grey here today and most folks haven’t yet ventured out of their houses.

I’m with Father Tony as the guests of the hamlet of Fire Island Pines for a weekend press junket. I’ll have more photos tomorrow and Sunday should the FSM provide me with reliable internet, something that Fire Island is notoriously short on.

Yesterday my pal Jerry accompanied me to the Invasion Of The Pines, the 37th annual marking of the day in 1976 when a drag queen was denied service at a restaurant in Fire Island Pines. Every Fourth of July since then, hundreds of drag queens board a chartered ferry in Cherry Grove and “invade” the Pines for a day exploding …