Charles Winters

(Katy Perry)
 
"PEACOCK" PRIDE
Do you remember what you did on Pride Sunday? We know what Katy Perry did—Sporting kicky blondish-red hair, the "Fireworks" singer popped into Rockbar to party with her dance crew. Hubby Russell Brand was nowhere in sight but witnesses said she had a blast. We wished we were there—actually we might've been and just not remembered. It was a crazy night!
 
BIRD BRAINS
The gay revolution started when queens got harrassed by cops at a gay bar, but we didn't think the NYPD wanted to re-create the experiece just to commemorate Pride!  Everyone has their own theory on the buzzed-about bust at The Eagle Friday night, mere moments after the state Senate voted to allow gays and lesbians to marry their same-sex partners,. The po-po say it was a routine inspection, but some bargoers say its the start of increased scrutiny of the bar now that the second section of the family-friendly Highline goes right by it. (There were already complaints about last Sunday’s Folsom Street Fair) 
 
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(Vodka Stinger @ Pieces)

PENTHOUSE PAVEMENT
While the rest of New York’s party animals danced and drank the night away at the opening night of Amanda Lepore's Penthouse party, promoter Kenny Kenny made an abrupt exit from his own party. Our source told us the host spent the better part of the night trying to get the Gansevoort Park Avenue’s management to re-open the venue’s rooftop pool deck, which they’d closed at the geriatrically early hour of midnight. When the staff refused, Kenny made his exit, vowing never to return.

PIECES OF OUR HEART
West Village watering hole Pieces is looking to move from its current Christopher Street location to nearby West Eighth Street. The holdup, unfortunately, is that  Eric Einstein is having some trouble convincing the West Eighth Street Block Association to sign off on the idea. The Village Voice’s Michael Musto is reporting that at least one association member has vowed to fight the move due to concerns about Pieces’ noise levels and operating hours.


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(Tyra Allure, Louis Loca M and Anthony Lamont @ Trip)
 
We thought we'd get through 2010 without another gay bar closing, but we just recieved word that Trip, the nightclub formerly known as Elevate (and Access for a hot minute) ceased operations last night, with its owners unable to keep up with the costs of operation. A statement from owner Rickey Mercado and promoter Charles Winters spells out the details:


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(Nicho Mendez, Charles Winters, Yuhua Hamasaki, Scotty Rox & Vlad @ Trashed)
 
390 Eighth Avenue (formerly Elevate) still doesn't have a new name, but that didn't stop Scotty Rox, Nicho Mendez, Vlad, Yuhua Hamasaki and Charles Winters from rolling out a new weekly Tuesday night party, the elegantly titled  Trashed. The place was packed—even tighter with Steel Gym muscle man Ken Steel and his bevy of buffed boys in the hizzy. Also spotted dangling from the chandeliers were Lady K and Odyssey’s Frankie C.
 
In the spirit of the party’s name, we decided to find out what crazy shenanigans the Trashed family has gotten up to when they were "trashed." “It must have been when I was walking almost naked out of Hiro one night,” Mendez hazily recalled. “My friends were putting me in a cab, saying, ‘Nicho you have to go home!’ as I was still trying to make out with some guy. My friends finally got me home and I woke up in my undies the next day wondering ‘Where are my clothes?’” Unsure if that little anecdote could be topped, we turned to Yuhua. “I fell off the DJ Booth at HK Lounge—it's about two stories high—and hit the bar with my head. I ended up with a concussion for about a month,” the dragon ladyboy told us with an arched eyebrow. “The entire party stopped and they were about to call the ambulance so I got kicked out. But I got re-hired the next week. It was fierce!” Thankfully, the former Elevate's highest point is the bar so Hamasaki’s head should be safe for the foreseeable future.  –Christopher Dilley

(The halycon days of mr.Black)

BLACK OUT
While we’re all still waiting for the next incarnation of mr.Black, the naughty dance den’s founder Stuart Black is collaborating with Doojee NYC for a one-night-only affair. The Dirty Crew Sessions sees mixmaster DJs Dirt Crew and Todd Bodine, Holmar Filipsson , Alexander Technique, Nita and Miss Honey Dijon invading Love on Macdougal Street on March 13. Stuart promises us the party will have that same dark sensual energy that permeated his original venue. He also tells us mr.Black L.A. is still going strong, and there’s even plans for Boston and Miami branchs in April. Say hi to the kids at Vlada Miami, Stu!

AWARDS SEASON
Speaking of Vlada, we were on the exercise bike this morning skimming through New York magazine’s Best of NYC issue, when we read that the Hell’s Kitchen gay bar was named the best place for vodka in the city.  Well, we’ve certainly downed enough of the infused stuff there to knock out a Siberian caribou! A hearty “nazdarovya!” to our friend Vlada von Shats.

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(Keoki, Charles Winters & Mike Averaert @ Red Velvet)
 
 
“Alright, I want a good clean fight.Now get your claws out!” exclaimed Charles Winters as we (along with  Next Magazine editor Dan Avery) were introduced to publisher Mike Everaert and editor-in-chief Keoki Ty Tavares of Odyssey the new gay mag in town. Luckily, no blood of our self-proclaimed "red-headed stepchild" was shed on the yet-to-be-opened Red Velvet’s couches, where Winters hosted his birthday bash last night.
 
The cozy Rivington Street bar—so long and sleek one guest said reminded them of the inside of a limo—will play host to Winters' new Wednesday-night party, Cupcake, which will also feature Micah Jesse, Jason Preston and King Ralphy.
 
Heading west, we passed Su Casa, which had a line around the block. Evidently the police were manning the scond-story club's velvet rope at one point, due to overcrowding upstairs and along the sidewalk. In the old days, the gays would've just invaded the Qdoba on the ground floor and made their own party. Things ain't what they used to be! –Christopher Dilley continue reading »

(Sherry Vine & Raven O at Indochine)
 

• LUCY LAWLESS AT THE DUPLEX. That’s right, Xena herself, in town to promote her new Starz drama Spartacus: Blood & Sand, was seen Friday night drunkenly belting out the Grease song “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” alongside club kid pal Richie Rich at the West Village Piano bar.

• OPENING NIGHT: Josh Wood and Gaydar.net have announced they will be throwing the opening bash, The Health Club for a brand new Manhattan event space on Friday, February 12 with The Freemasons and a special performance by Kelis. While we have been sworn to secrecy on its location we can guarantee you that the event space is not The Roxy.

• NEW PARTY: Micah Jesse, Jason Preston, King Ralphy and Charles Winters will commence a party named Cupcake at Red Velvet (174 Rivington St) starting Wednesday, February 3rd. The release for the party states: “Cupcake will be a weekly Wednesday night party at Manhattan's hottest new venue, Red Velvet. Not even open to the public, this quaint swanky lounge—and the sexy guys it will attract—provide more than enough reasons to join us on the Lower East Side for liquor infused cupcakes and the tastiest cocktails in town!”

• ON HIATUS: Brooklyn Heights long-running party, Last Monday at Floyd has announced it is taking a brief hiatus.

• CLOSING: Linda Simpson’s Eastern block themed bingo night, Bingo-ski, hosted at Ukrainian East Village Restaurant (140 Second Ave) will have its final night on February 11th and include a Valentine’s fashion show featuring the likes of Shequida, Sequinette and Claire de Loon.
• Fashionistas Gone Wild is officially a no-go according to Malik So Chic.

• LADY GAGA! Brandon Voss filled us in on the rumors that Lady Gaga might show up at his popular Saturday night party last weekend, saying that the rumor was originally perpetuated by Michael Musto in the Village Voice. Once it had built up momentum they contacted her people to see if they could make good on the rumored appearance and were excited when some of her dancers showed up that night, but Gaga never did. The “surprise performance” was always to be an aerial act in the main room. “We all know the girl has been exhausted lately and had another show Sunday night so we won’t hold the no-show against her,” said Voss.

Vandam’s one-year anniversary truly took the cake Sunday night with a crowd raging to DJ Johnny Dynell’s beats in the upstairs and a pulsating downtown crew grooving to soul, disco and house beats in the downstairs. Spotted in the crowd were Ladyfag, host Dirty Martini, Dina Marie, Charles Winters, Ronnie B., One-Half Nelson, Demanda Darling and table maven Myra. Winters commented on the Trevor Project fundraiser he and Steel Gym’s Ken Hunt hosted at Vlada the previous Friday saying “It was great to see the elite of nightlife taking the opportunity to give back. We raised a lot of money and it was an overall success.”
 
The energy generated by the appropriately named venue Greenhouse was a big theme when talking to the varying nightlife regulars. Host and proprietor Susanne Bartsch said, “The energy when you walk in here. The people, the makeup, the music. They make the party last. Happy Valley went for over a year and we’re well on our way.”

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The crowd at Ken Hunt's fundraiser for the Trevor Project Friday night at Vlada got quite the show as young bachelors were auctioned off by the lovely and spirited Dina Marie. The fundraiser benefitted the suicide prevention hotline who has,  since 1998, provided a toll-free hotline for young people coming to terms with their sexual orientation.
Mr. Hunt has hosted similar events privately, but this was his foray into hosting at a nightlife establishment in New York. “The response has been great," says the Steel Gym owner as the bachelor auction was being prepped and donors sipped on beverages compliments of Akvinta Vodka." We've been very lucky. Many people who could not come tonight have already offered money"
“These are kids, and they’re on the verge of contributing beautifully to the world" adds Dina Marie. "That is so tragic, I’ve lost so many friends to HIV and we don’t need to lose anyone to suicide. Especially now with a lot more gay-bashing occurring, kids are afraid. Kids in Middle School are afraid of being gay.”
Also working the event was Charles Winters of GaySocialites.com. continue reading »