Transition Period

The WEB NYC

There is a chance that my review of this bar/club is tainted by the fact that I have worked there on two occasions and in two different capacities: 1. As a original queen in 1990-1996 for like 5 months, 2. As an original for like 7 months. So first off, let's not do this "It's the only place for the gaysians to kick it" bullshit. This place is FAR from politics. It's actually located in Bobby Trendy's gay-ass bunghole. The Web isn't a place "we call our own." It isn't a locale of solidarity and brother/sisterhood. It's literally a hole in the ground--and I mean, you have to walk down a flight of stairs to get inside. This is a place where the gaysians are doing whatever it takes to nab the best looking white man. Here is a place were being HYPER-cunty and HYPER-competitive is what to expect. And if a gaysian is stupid enough to bring his rice queen boyfriend there, then watch him become a lioness and rightly, become territorial and mean. Again, this is what we do to each other, so if you're not Asian, this place might just well be a hoot!

The first thing you will notice is that it's a dump. It's not wretchedly decrepit or in need of the housing authority to condemn the space, but when you walk in, you say to yourself, "Oh! What a dump!" Though I can see how people--especially if you lived through the late '70s and early '80s--would really like the place. It has the feel of an underground 1970s lounge where guys would boogie in Bass Weegens and comment on each other's mustaches and crotches. The tiles on the floor are probably from that era in fact. Now don't get me wrong, I know for a fact that this place has gone through renovation, but dag, change the floor tiling!

On the floor below, there is a cage and a small stage with a mirror backdrop, which you can see from the floor above because the first subfloor is actually like a mezzanine to the second subfloor. The stage reminds me of a hustler "cafe/bar" that I went to in Bangkok once where all these DISGARSTING, old white sex tourists in search of "boys" where fulfilling their orientalist fantasies.

On the weekdays, the strippers do their thing on the stage and cage. It's sad. In retrospect, I am glad that the mirror background wasn't there when I was stripping there, because I might have gone homicidal. But yes, the strippers are friendly (durrr!) because THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE if they want more or better tips! In my day, I worked the room so well that I was one of the best tipped drag queens of all. The last time I was there, a stripper was so hard up on my jock, he followed me around the bar.

Relatively speaking, the drinks at The Web are cheap. Top shelf drinks don't exceed $10, but ghettorrifically, many are served in plastic cups. PLASTIC CUPS!!! I mean, are we at a church picnic or something?! But they don't make anything special. The Web won't be considered in Time Out New York or New York magazine's best of editions for their mixology.

So who and why would anyone go here? Well the answers lies in the clientele: gaysians and the men who like gaysians. Anyone else there is for a sociology project.

Vlada NYC

OMG! finally visited this place with friends, came in around nine PM, right after the happy hour. It was pretty empty. decided to stay for a while and in about an hour, by 10 the people started to come in. the most beautiful guys , I mean GORGEOUS!!! bY 10:30-11 the place was packed with awesome people. I saw the winner of the Top Model competition come in with an entourage, many familiar faces from the broadway scene, etc. what really blew me away was the flavored vodka! You must try the cranberry or peach martini!!! they have about 15, but I will try the rest on future visits. this place is a gem! I am a true fan! will make sure all my friends check it out. the place is sooo hot, they even have an ice bar to keep the drinks cold.

Virtual Pet by FooPets.com

5 Months and 29 Days...

It was November 15, 2008 I arrived at Mc Carran International Airport Las Vegas Nevada at 5:30pm Central Standard Time. I really hated it when Mom agreed to Tita Luz that I should be in Vegas because of the abundance of jobs here and transportation would not be the issue because she will lend me her other car. Okay fine! so I agreed to go to Vegas eventhough my choice was San Francisco, LA or New York, but of course Mommy knows best!!! or should I say "Tita Luz" knows it all! 

Going back, okay so I was already in Vegas! Tita Luz picked me up, she said I will be living with her in Lenoir Street. I never had an idea where that street was but then she said that it was near the Vegas strip. She said she will show me all that I need to know about Vegas. From the Airport I already saw the Vegas strip but we already passed it, and then freeway after freeway, road after road and avenue after avenue, and suddenly we went inside a subdivision it was around 25 minutes drive away from the strip. Okay so thats far! Tita Luz said "Where Here!" Okay so were here. I asked Tita Luz is this where you live? She said, no this is where you are going to live. 

Tita Luz: This is my friends house my friend said that her son is living here with roommates. Come on I'll introduce you to him.

OMG... I was so speechless Mom said that I was going to live with Tita Luz and it will be near the strip, and near to everything, accessible, a good neighborhood,. So okay I sort of just played along with her and met this guy. Tita Luz's friends son, he's name was let me see... I wrote down somewhere, ahhh hmmm it was Geoff Avilla this guy was really straight and when I met him he looked like he was expecting a much straighter version of me.

Geoff was explaining everything like I was already going to move in, she showed me the room Im going to stay in, the TV room, the library, the bathroom, 2 cats and a large dog, and one of my roommates who was a white guy, and then he just suddenly discussed the method of payment it was $400 utilities not included. Tita Luz said that she paid the first month so I don't have to worry about it. But Geoff also said that I can move in tomorrow because he needed to fix my room to be. So in short I will be staying at Tita Luz's real house for the night.

Hello?! what does she think of me? What I come here without even having a plan "B" of some sort! 

Tita Luz: Let's go to Richie's house, i just have to introduce you to his wife

Charles: Okay, I just have a question? Where is your house?  

Tita Luz said that Richie his son is living there now with his wife and roommates. So in other words, she lied to my Mom and said that I will be living with her but the real story was Richie seemed like he didn't want me to live there with them.

On the way to her house I just needed to use my plan "B". The good thing I booked myself at Marriott Renaissance at Paradise Road off strip. 

Charles: Tita Luz, since that I will be moving to Geoff's house. Actually I have a reservation at the Marriott renaissance las vegas tonight till the December 4th. Mom gave this to me as a going away present.

Tita Luz: Oh so do you want me to drive you there after we eat?

Charles: Please! thank you.

Tita Luz: Ang bait naman ng Mama mo to give you that. Mahal yan ah...

Charles: No she earned it from her time share so everything is free.

After dinner I checked-in Tita Luz said she'll come back tomorrow to see me but she never came back. kesho there was a fire in California, kesho they were affected, kesho emergency. Sige fine Okay lang. So in short iniwan lang nya ako.

That same day I went online and checked friendster for friends who live in Vegas. There was one but not so friend of mine back in high school. I contacted Queenie Manimtim so that she can help me find a place to stay here in vegas. Queenie was my not so very close classmate in High School. She was one of the class nerds who really was the Valedictorian in our batch. I was never really close to her since that her friends were all geeks. all they knew was to study and participated in math and science clubs in school.

I left a message at her friendster account saying that I was staying at the Marriott after that morning she called my room number of course walang kaaboabog i told her that i will be staying here she said since that she took a weeks off she will help me with everything that i needed like SSN, accommodations and everything. it was Saturday so we cant do our government stuff we had to schedule it during the week.

Well it has been ages since we last so each other. She and her husband picked me up and showed me around Vegas. That time Vegas was still cold because it was already the beginning of winter. 

Our first stop: We went to this Chinese restaurant called the orchid the food was great but the interior looked like Ding Hao this Chinese restaurant that we go to in Calamba Laguna. Before going back to the hotel, we stopped to seafood city this store that if your filipino you should shop there. While i was shopping for toiletries she said she got me a newspaper where all the listings for apartments and room for rent etc etc. On the way to the hotel she said she'll pick me up at 10am so we can go to get my SSN. 

Monday Morning: Queenie and Orly picked me up to go to DMV to get my state ID then we went to SSO to get my SSN because I lost the SSN card that I have before. After that we went to AT&T so that i can get a prepaid sim so I can call them anytime I need help.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: Was spent around the local parts of Vegas.

Saturday Morning: I decided to just go on my own to explore the Vegas Strip and also bars and gay places. At the FO I got myself a 24hour pass for the monorail so I can tour the Vegas strip. I started at 10pm and ended at 3pm. I was so exhausted grabe super lakad and all. 

TO BE CONTINUED...

  

My Friend Is Sinking.

Sitting here unaccompanied, concerned and not knowing what to do. 

Should I attempt to save you, what have I got to prove? 

I’ve already waded my way through a life packed with addicts. 

Can I live through one more? Through all the pain you inflict? 

Lives have been lost. People I loved, trusted, and admired. 

All lost in addictions, what all has transpired? 

You forget your friends, and family that care. 

All you care about is drinking and dancing while flipping you hair. 

When you see video of you entoxicated you think it's funny and laugh with glee.

All the while the rest of us are hoping you can just f***ing see! 

See how you are, the way you act! 

You act like a moron and physically attack. 

How can you continue when you almost lost me as a friend? 

I guess 10 years mean nothing when you get to the bottles end. 

Why do what you’ve said you would? Acid is so much more fun! 

I can’t go on watching you drown, maybe the addictions already won. 

What should I do? Should I cut my losses? Just walk away? 

If I asked you to stop to save our friendship what would you say? 

Would you tell me it’s you life and to go to hell? 

Would you see you need help or just f***ing bail? 

I’m at my wits end; I can’t even answer your call. 

The drugs and bottle have got you enthrall. 

What do I do, dear God what can I do? 

When you see a friend drowning and are unable to rescue.

Untitled

Like beacons in the darkness
We must all stand alone
Waiting for the sunrise
That will lead us on our journey
As we take the path home

The dawning of a new day
Brings us to a new
A journey on a new path
And this is where I come to you

As friends on the path of life
Our lives will twist and turn
Although we may separate
It's only time until we turn
And meet again

Friendship
So sweet
So innocent and pure
All because of you

Coming Soon...

The Taste of Chocolate is Vegas...

Take On Me

Just a Thought...

I Remember - Kaskade

Move for Me (KASKADE)

4am. by KASKADE (my new favorite song)

Sleepless gliding

Over the city lights

Watch us flying

Over the streets tonight

And I say

There's a way, there's a way

I knowThere's a way, there's a way

I knowThere's a way, there's a way

I know that someday we will surely find it

There's a way, there's a way

I knowThere's a way, there's a way I know

Someday, there's a way

Someday, there's a way

I know itSunday morning

Watching the city sleep

Dreams are shining

Finely they're within reach

Those Were The Days... I mean the real one.