Washington D.C.

A couple of pics from the Rally to Restore Sanity. I made a quick trip down to D.C. followed by an excruciating long trip back up to NYC. Was stuck on a bus in several traffic jams between there and here. Proof if you ask me that travelling by car is woefully inefficient, given the amount of cars forced to use an aging infrastructure. In short, I think there are far too many cars on the road, and the time to come up with some alternatives to the traditional travel methods we use is now. It's only going to get worse.

In any case, I enjoyed being in Washington D.C. as much as I thought I would. Wonderful buildings, landscaping and people of interest to photograph and usually slightly better, warmer weather than we have in NYC. I will definitely be going back for a longer visit in the near future.

Miles And Miles And Miles Of Art

Sent this photo from a shoot last year off to the printer and got back a gorgeous 24X36 print that I framed for the bedroom. I bought a poster sized frame from Bed Bath & Beyonce that felt kind of flimsy, so I broke down, crossed the boycott line and bought a sturdier frame at Target. I know. We're not supposed to be shopping there. I try to be politically correct, although I loathe knee-jerk political correctness. I tend not to just react to every boycott or letter writing campaign or Facebook posting that pops up on the Internets, as I find that frequently the whole story, with the correct facts, doesn't come out for a few days. I also find that things that outrage other gays many times don't bother me at all. And I often find them quite amusing.

So while I support the boycott Target kerfluffle in the abstract, if I really need something at a reasonable price that I know Target sells, like a sturdier frame, I will put on a pair of sunglasses and a hat (to avoid the paparazzi) and do what needs to be done.

I ended up hanging the picture up late one night last week. Then I took Riley out for his last walk. When I returned, the sturdier (heavier) frame had fallen off the wall from where I had badly secured it and shattered into several pieces. So I ended up spending an extra $25.00 at Target with nothing to show for it. The picture is back on the wall, in the flimsy original frame, which I have grown to actually like better.

Yes Please ...

More! NYC Pride 2010

This was our section leader. I would have followed him off a bridge.

Spectator that caught my eye.

NYC Pride 2010 (Part 2)

I almost jerked off right there on the street when I saw this one...

Stair Bears

NYC Pride 2010 (continued)

Chicken ordering ... chicken.

NYC Pride 2010

I've taken about 150 or so photos of the parade and the Pride festival. Some of them are for the new issue of the newsletter I'm putting together for Callen-Lorde. A few of them I've edited and sent out to a couple of on-line publications in the hope I'll get another photo credit under my belt. Some of them suck and won't be seeing the light of day anywhere. And because you, my tens of readers, have remained faithful for the last 7 years or so that this here blog thingy has been in existence, you get the first, and in some cases exclusive look, at the hottest guys and the greatest photos before they go on to my Facebook page and before I put them in a Flickr album. Enjoy.








More to come ...

If It's Friday's It Must Be Gay Pride

Just got back from a hot (in more ways than one), humid Gay Pride parade. I joined the group marching from Callen-Lorde at around 11:30 this morning and we were penned in to our holding area until we joined the parade close to 2 hours later. I snapped some pictures of the parade as it moved past our barricaded side street, and the police, who couldn't have been nicer, offered to let me move in to the street to get closer, but I decided to go snap some shots of other groups waiting their turn. In case you can't tell from the pictures I post, I prefer more candid, "in the moment" photography. More voyeuristic, which appeals to me on many levels. I marched with my group until around 14th street and then decided I was missing too much and broke off running ahead. Considering it was about 1 million degrees on the street I was a sweaty mess in no time.

I ended up "setting up camp" as it were on a stretch of Christopher Street between 6th and 7th Ave, were I got some great shots. As I finally started to wilt in the afternoon heat and the parade appeared to be winding down I moved over to the Pride festival, which seemed bigger and better organized this year. I refueled with a sausage and pepper sandwich, free ice cream courtesy of Ben & Jerry (thanks guys) and free hydration courtesy of Fuze. It's good to be gay.

I've already started editing pictures, but I literally have upwards of 150 to look at. So this could take a while. But I had to show you the sign under the awning at the brand new Friday's that opened in Union Square. As I walked by this morning on my way to the parade they had set up a big round table outside and a staff meeting was going on. I overheard something about "getting ready" and "shirts off" (I swear!), so apparently that's one more corporation that has decided a little pandering goes a long way. And who am I to argue with shirtless wait staff?

Real pictures throughout the next day or so as they are finished.

Hot Enough?

Real Estate Porn

Interesting article and great pictures from a property nearby on 14st. For years the top floors had been vacant while the bottom housed a grimy check-cashing joint. Several years ago the space was gutted and re-done. The street level facade was interesting and mysterious. I always wondered what was behind it. Turns out it was a ridiculously cool brownstone project where the entire second floor wall facing the street opens up. I'm assuming you need to at least wear clean undies at all times. I would. Probably. Here's a shot of the outside and the gorgeous living room. I love that couch!


-via New York Magazine

Eye Candy

Meanwhile ...

As I strolled around Union Square before the pillow fight event, there were already hundreds of people making great use of a sunny spring Saturday.

I wandered up to this group of men putting on a demonstration of the Afro-Brazilian dance Capoeira. Hot men in a circle will always get my attention. Just for the possibilities.




And one more of this man because ... well ... jesus.



And finally, in what may be my favorite picture of the day:



Gorgeous bod, great hair, sexy without really trying and smart to boot! (you can tell by the glasses)What's not to love?

Fight!

Saturday I had planned on taking a trip across town to spend the afternoon photographing from the High Line. As I was getting my camera and supplies ready the night before I came upon a link to a happening in Union Square which seemed a much better bet. They were advertising the World's Largest Pillow Fight. Over 150 cities participated this year, and the New York crowd was estimated at 5000+. If you count the observers in and around the park, 5000 was on the low side.

The site published a Facebook page, and there were rules. Among them:

+ Soft, feather-free pillows only!
+ Swing lightly, many people will be swinging at once.
+ Do not swing at people without pillows or with cameras.

Well, the feather pillow ban was good in theory, but thank goodness that it was ignored by some, as the crowd roared whenever a feather pillow burst open and disgorged feathers to the wind.

People did in fact swing lightly, especially at first as there were many young kids in the crowd, Nobody was beating down children and in fact, some people made it a point to engage them and have little mini-fights with the kiddies.

But after about an hour and a half, as the event started to thin out a little, things got a little rougher. It started innocently enough, as people began to target certain participants. One young guy near me climbed on a friend's shoulders and called out to "Increase the peace! Put down your pillows!" He was attacked in a fusillade of foam until he fell.

Pretty soon it became less of a pillow fight and more of a pillow fatwa. As people were targeted for wearing costumes, having helmets, climbing light poles or any other infraction. Quite funny.

But as these things are, eventually it was taken over by a more aggressive pillow fighter, mostly boys with anger issues and free testosterone. And while I made good use of the opportunity to try and capture some of them sweaty and beating each other with pillows ( I know!), it soon became apparent that anyone was fair game and liable to be hit or knocked over as collateral damage. My cue to exit.

As a social experiment, and a way to have a fun Saturday in an urban setting on a sunny day, I would declare it a resounding success.

Coming Soon To Photoshop - Amazing!

Here's a video that the people at Photoshop Labs have posted, showing some unbelievable photo editing software that will be rolled out in a future version of the program.

I downloaded a bunch of pictures from my camera and was pleasantly surprised to find a few more shots from the last winter storm. Including this jaunty fellow contentedly watching the world go by from a park bench. Although judging by the way the sun is bearing down on him, his world-view seemed about to get quite a bit more fluid. After the last four or five days of sunny and unseasonably warm weather we've enjoyed here in NYC, it already seems strange that this was only a couple of weeks ago.

Way Back When?

Here's something new. I've decided to horrify or delight you (you pick) with some pictures that no one has seen for decades. This picture is me from a production of The Lion In Winter, where I played King Phillip. Oh, she loved her faux fur collar and big puffy sleeves.

This was when I still lived in Western New York, and according to the bio in the program, I was a student at SUNYBuffalo at the time, which would make this about 1982-83 or there about. Here is the Wikipedia description of the King Phillip character from the play:

(Male, 18) He has been King of France for three years. He is not initially as accomplished as Henry in manipulating people, but seems to acquire greater skills at this during the play. He is impressive and handsome without being pretty.

I have always loved this play, and if you ever get the chance to see the movie version, it's wonderful, with exceptional performances by Peter O'Toole and Katie Hepburn. It was nominated for 7 Academy awards including Best Picture.

The reason I even have the scrapbook out is because I'm trying to decide if I should join the lemmings going over the cliff and get a Facebook account. I recently found a Facebook page dedicated to my upcoming 30th High School reunion, but I can't decide if I want to go or even to contact the Facebook page with my info. And then just the other day I stumbled across a Facebook page dedicated to a nightclub revue called Bravo Broadway that I appeared in during my early 20's. The cast rotated in and out periodically as did the band members, and I occasionally look back on those days with a wince and a smile.

Part of me wants to reach out and re-connect, even if only through The Internets, with some people, but part of me is afraid to find out just how much, and how many of them, I really don't remember.

Medical Update: Doggystyle

I took Riley in today to have his staples removed from his belly, and I snapped a picture beforehand so you could share in the grisly goodness. He got a clean bill of health and is free to be as obnoxious and stubborn as he has always been. First thing I will do on my next day off is give him a bath, he stinks like dog. Sorry that I couldn't get a picture of his scar without also including his enormous wiener. But he has a big one.

Today On My Front Porch

Sometimes, just changing your shoes can make you so ... damn ... sleep ZZZZZZZ

Animal Kingdom

Here's a shot of poor little Riley that they took of him at the animal hospital post-surgery. You can see his undercarriage got shaved and he's wearing the bandage on his leg where they hooked him up to the IV for fluids and such. That got shaved as well. This is how he looked at me all weekend until I got him to the hospital. "Help me, Daddy!" Is it any wonder I borrowed $5,000.00 to get him his operation?
Not to be outdone, here's a picture I snapped with my phone cam of the infamous Cat back in December when I was visiting the family. Every morning and night when I prepared to brush my teeth, Cat would jump on the sink and stare at me until I turned on the water. For a cat, he drank a lot of water, but I suspect he actually just enjoyed the service.

The Cone Of Shame

Here are a couple of shots of the patient sporting the latest in Elizabethan neck wear. This was last night and he was still mighty groggy from the pain meds. I was a little concerned as he was still not very interested in food or drinking but once he got comfortable back at home that changed. Today he finished an entire can of dog food in three installments. He probably would have eaten more but I am taking it slow since I don't think he had any solid food for almost 5 days. He is already able to make it up and down the five flights of stairs without any obvious problem. He is still on pain meds and will be for at least a week so he spends a lot of time sleeping.

They also sent him home with a pain patch on his skin and I would be lying if I didn't say it occurred to me I might get really high if I slapped his patch on for a while. Needless to say that sent me out to a Gay-A meeting. Just in case. And I'm obviously not the only one that has occurred to as his post-op instructions came with a very specific warning to not handle his pain patch without gloves and to resist the urge to eat it. I'm not kidding and I'm not the least bit surprised that some (other )crack head tried to get fucked up off his doggy meds.

In other good news, my back isn't nearly as fucked up as I originally thought, although it does hurt. But it's a recurring injury, I've done it before, and after some rest then stretching then heat I expect I'll be right as rain in a few days.