Tag Archives: NYC

Without fanfare or press conferences, two lanes of Broadway from 42nd Street south to Herald Square have been permanently closed for the construction of a 7 block-long public esplanade to be outfitted with planters, seating, and a bike lane. In a surprising reshaping of the urban landscape, the city is creating a public esplanade along a portion of one of …

In what may be the best thing to happen to Gotham’s waning nightclub scene in many years, Mayor Bloomberg’s office has announced that he is looking into repealing New York City’s nightlife-stifling cabaret law. That 82 year-old restriction prevents three or more people from dancing in a bar or restaurant unless that establishment has a city-issued cabaret license, a treasured …

There’s a great story in the NYTimes today commemorating the 25th anniversary of NYC’s LGBT Community Center. There’s also a fun 17 photo slide show of the Center’s history, including a copy of the above story written 25 years ago by the author of today’s piece, David W. Dunlap. Dig the headline!

A beloved Episcopal priest and several transgender youth were attacked Monday in a possible hate crime outside of a shelter for LGBT youth in Queens. A priest who runs a shelter specializing in outreach to homeless transgender youths was beaten with construction equipment and paint cans by a group of teenagers in a possible hate crime, authorities said Tuesday. Two …

“They say it’s a celebration of heterosexuality, but really it’s a promotion of straight supremacism. The organisers are semi-literate frauds and liars. They falsely claim that the Stop Murder Music campaign was an attack on reggae music. Nonsense. It was an attack on a small number of reggae singers who have perverted reggae’s message of peace, love and justice. They …

Via Good As You comes word of a “Straight Pride Parade” to be staged in Brooklyn on August 31st. The parade is being organized by a reggae music label who is pissed off because a hit song by their artist Stapler, Hit Them Hard, has been banned by some radio stations because it encourages violence against gays. From the press …

Queerty is reporting that this lovely sign appeared in the window of a West Village Rite Aid yesterday. Rite Aid simply ain’t right. A reader sent in this image from one of the pharmacy’s New York City locations (on Sixth Avenue at West 13th Street) and, as you can see, it’s not the most welcoming message. This isn’t the first …

I finally found my memory stick from Pride 2008, so here’s a quick photo recap of the day. Our gang gathered at the corner of Christopher & Gay, as always, and while the intermittent rainstorms drenched the crowd and the marchers, each crack of thunder only brought a joyous roar from attendees and nobody seemed to flee. Below are the …

One of Manhattan’s few remaining lesbian nightspots, Rubyfruit, is closing. RUBYFRUIT, the beloved West Village lesbian bar and restaurant, is closing after 15 years – a victim of rising rents and smaller crowds. “It was the first of its kind as a meeting place for local lesbians and those visiting New York from all over the world,” owner Debra Fierro …

Remember all the hullabaloo about Leona Helmsley leaving $12M for the care of her bitey little Maltese, Trouble? Well, that’s just puppy chow compared to what Helmsley’s estate may providing for the dogs of America. According to unnamed insiders, from $5-$8 billion dollars, her entire estate, has been left for the “care and welfare of dogs” in a mission statement …

The big story buzzing through the crowds on Pride Sunday was the Friday night closures of some major Manhattan nightclubs – including Pacha, which was to host the official Heritage of Pride closing party, an event which was promoted here on JMG. The NYPD shut down two of the city’s most popular clubs – in the middle of Pride Week …

Via the NY Times: If there was ever any doubt that gay people form one of Gov. David A. Paterson’s most loyal and enthusiastic constituencies, that doubt was erased on Sunday by the howl of a drag queen on Fifth Avenue. The drag queen, standing at the foot of the steps to the New York Public Library dressed in a …

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the creation of the rainbow flag by Gilbert Baker, who will head the 38th NYC Pride March on Sunday as a Grand Marshall. The use of a rainbow flag actually goes back for hundreds of years, but it was Baker, the “gay Betsy Ross”, who turned it into a globally recognized symbol of …

The Trevor Project, the nation’s only suicide prevention hotline for LGBT youth, will stage a fundraiser gala this Monday at Manhattan’s Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Hosted by comedian Alec Mapa, this year’s gala honors Alan Cumming with the Trevor Hero Award. Sandra Bernhard and Idina Menzel will perform. Presenters include Cheyenne Jackson and Rosie Perez. Get tickets here.

Michelle Obama spoke at the Democratic National Committee’s Gay & Lesbian Leadership Council dinner last night at the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan. A week after her smash appearance on “The View,” Michelle Obama returned here Thursday night to win more kudos – this time from well-heeled gay activists at a Waldorf-Astoria party fund-raiser. The wife of Democratic candidate Barack Obama spoke …

After several hundred breast-beating and wailing posts from the gay and foodie blogosphere (including here on JMG), not to mention a zillion-word eulogy from the New York Times, today comes word via Eater that Florent is not closing this weekend after all. Except it is. But not really. Though the MePa institution Florent will close this Sunday night, landlord Joanne …

Artist Olafur Eliasson’s Waterfalls installations on the East River have begun flowing today, but probably don’t give quite the intended thrill when the weather is as dark and gloomy as it is right now. The four waterfalls will run through October 13th, 7am -10pm. Via Gothamist, here’s some good viewing spots. I’ll put up some pictures later as they come …

An interesting proposal from NYC leaders: The city is planning to step up HIV testing in The Bronx, in an aggressive campaign to have all adults in the borough screened over the next three years, officials said yesterday. The initiative, set to kick off tomorrow, will target the estimated 250,000 untested 18- to 64-year-olds in The Bronx, which has the …

Richard Davis at the NYC Gay & Lesbian Community Center sends us this wonderful clip about the very first gay pride march in June 1970: The Christopher Street Gay Liberation Day March. Watch members of SAGE reminisce. It’s lovely. Watch the entire show here. Tomorrow night the SAGE members featured in this clip will appear on a panel to discuss …

Not to be outdone by the Union Square Pillow Fight, yesterday thousands of people crowded Times Square for the Bubble Battle. More pics and videos over at Gothamist and on Flickr. The pillow fight seems more fun, but at least there’s no cleanup from millions of bubbles.