Florida Agenda

By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN

Crab legs are coming to the Alibi and you heard it here first. After a super successful summer promotion of Tuesday night all-you-can-eat lobster at $39.99, the outside patio at Wilton Manor’s most established gay gathering spot is looking to shake things up with crab. Lobster is out and crab is in on all-you-can-eat Tuesday nights for the next few months, we’re told. We will, of course, be leading the crush to get a table, bib in hand.

A few years ago, when Alibi eliminated tortilla-wrapped sandwiches from its menu, we were openly disappointed. The café replaced its lighter fare with bigger plates for heartier appetites—a trend that continues still. Heavy on burger entrees, Alibi does make an admittedly amazing assortment of flavorful hamburgers. It’s no wonder that their 10-ounce 100 percent Angus beef patty has been repeatedly named the Best Burger in Fort Lauderdale.

Our favorite of the selection is the Bleu Moon Burger ($11), with blue cheese and bacon on an artisan Challah bun. We always get ours with caramelized onions, and a side of cole slaw, though you can request fries, potato salad or potato chips on the side if you prefer. The Classic Alibi Burger ($10) comes with lettuce, tomato and raw onion, and has its share of fans.

A carry-over from the old menu is the White Chicken Chili ($4). This is a superb chili, full of chunked chicken meat and beans, topped with a dollop of sour cream and colorful tortilla chips. It’s the perfect compliment to the Chicken Cobb Salad ($11.75), with its large helping of romaine lettuce mixed with bacon, tomato, egg, avocado, red onions, and grilled chicken breast, all tossed with a ranch dressing. Yum. If fish is your favorite, let your fingers do the walking down the menu to the Ancho Mahi Mahi Club ($10) which features toasted thickly-sliced white bread surrounding a hearty cut of Mahi Mahi rubbed with Ancho chilis, and served with lettuce, tomato, bacon and guacamole. Or, the place makes an awfully tasty Albacore Tuna Salad Sandwich ($9.50) on multi-grain bread. Savor the house-made mix of capers, lemon juice, and pickled red peppers on a leaf of romaine, and you’ll discover perfection.

While the full menu is available until 11 p.m., the kitchen stays open until 1:30 a.m., serving late-night specialties including its Baja Chicken Breast Sandwich ($9.50) plated on a ciabatta roll. What makes this choice so special is the caramelized onions, melted provolone cheese, jalapeno peppers and slash of roasted garlic mayo. If that’s too much of a good thing, eat lighter with Tezza’s Southwestern Eggrolls ($7), which blends corn, black beans, Jack cheese, jalapenos, red peppers, spinach, and grilled chicken breast—all wrapped in a fried flour tortilla.

An excellent size for a late-night graze. On Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., a Jazz Brunch takes center stage. There’s a special menu for the occasion (although the regular menu is available as well). A good choice for healthy eats is the Breakfast Burrito ($9), which dishes up scrambled eggs, housemade chorizo, cheddar cheese, and salsa. Olé. Should originality prove too difficult for a Sunday morning, your fall-back position can always be the Steak and Eggs ($12), a rather predictable slab of beef known as a Flat-Iron Steak topped with two overeasy eggs and Béarnaise sauce, served with oven-roasted potatoes and arugula. Wash it down with a Bloody Mary ($2.50) and tell them The Agenda sent you.

ALIBI
2266 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors, FL 33305
954-565-2526

Georgie’s Alibi

By Bob Kecskemety

In many ways, the Wilton Manors of today is not the same city it  was 15 years ago, and the same  can be said of some of its most iconic landmarks. In the 1990s, the Island City was a two-square-mile bedroom community, and its main drag, Wilton Drive, ran through a “downtown” that was plain and drab. When a local bar called Georgie’s Alibi opened its doors on “the Drive” in April 1997, there was little to help predict the sea-change to come.

Today, the Alibi’s owners, Jackson Padgett and Mark Negrete, note with amusement that the city and their landmark establishment have “come a long way.”

“We try to run our businesses by always doing the right thing with the highest integrity and ethics,” said Padgett “and not stepping on other people’s toes.” Together with Negrete, his life and business partner, the pair also own Bill’s Filling Station just across the Drive.

Among other things, Padgett says that he and Negrete recognize the importance of patronizing other local gay businesses. “These are local ‘mom and pop’ operations and they are self-employed, as Mark and I are. Together we try to insure that money spent on necessity items are spent within our community.” That includes working with neighboring merchants in helping to create the highly successful “Rockin’ New Year’s Eve” which has benefited all the businesses located in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors.

The national spotlight first shone on Wilton Manors and its LGBT community just three years after Alibi opened its doors, when the 2000 U.S. Census data showed that between 11 and 17 percent of couples sharing homes in the Island City were “unmarried partners,” thinly-disguised official language to describe same-sex couples.

When the iconic establishment opened that spring, fifteen years ago, the property it occupies was boarded-up and had no electricity to power the lights. Most of the neighborhood’s stores were empty, although some businesses lined Wilton Drive: a lock and safe shop, a nursery, a vending machine company, and a couple of offices -not exactly what you’d consider an entertainment district.

The 2000 Census was a signpost that signaled the beginning of the area’s gay gentrification. Wilton Manors became the heart of South Florida’s gay community and Alibi undeniably became its heartbeat. The power couple of Padgett and Negrete, now celebrating their seventh year together, have been charged with the awesome responsibility of keeping the heart beating.

Negrete, who comes from Chicago, had a background in nightclub management both in Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach. Padgett, originally from Charleston, South Carolina, helped build the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, and became its first director of operations.

Immersing themselves as they have in the community means recognizing the importance of working with local LGBT organizations, especially during hard economic times. Alibi and Bill’s remain major sponsors of the annual Stonewall Street Festival and Parade, as well as Wicked Weekend in October, and the spring PrideFest. In addition, they support Kids in Distress, GLAAD, the Gay American Heroes Foundation, Broward House, Care Resource, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and Tuesday’s Angels.

Padgett and Negrete also credit their staff for their success and relationship with the community. “[The staff] works very hard with Mark and I, and they do a great job. Our annual Turnabout Pageants are huge successes, and the staff does everything from decorating to entertainment,” says Padgett. “They’re also what make Alibi and Bill’s so inviting, so customers keep coming back. We thank [our customers] for being part of our family and hope to have them for many years to come.”

Both Alibi and Bill’s have fared better than many small businesses during the current downturn. Padgett says that there are good indications that the economy is picking up, including the opening of new food and drinking establishments on the Drive. He is philosophical about the competition.

“Obviously, when any competition comes in, there is a percentage of market share that goes away, so it certainly does affect you,” notes Padgett. “But why do you think furniture stores and car dealerships are always located in clusters together? It’s because they feed off each other. Sometimes it hurts, sometimes it works. In order to build your business, you need to form strategic partnerships
and those partnerships may include the competing businesses. If you work well together, both businesses
are enhanced.”

Part of the continuing success of Bill’s and Alibi is the owners’ insistence on world-class entertainment. Famous names that have performed at their establishments include comedian Leslie Jordan and recording artist Lady Gaga. For  New Year 2013, Padgett and Negrete are planning special events and guest performers at both Alibi and Bill’s. For the power couple, the future is a welcome, if still undis-covered, country.

“We’re forging ahead,” says Padgett. “Everything’s going very well and we’re looking into expansion. Although it’s been a rough few years for everyone, we’ve just had to work a little harder and a little smarter. And we’ve made sure to continue to put the money  back into the community where it belongs. Our patrons loyal know we’re doing the best we can to make sure the community has what it needs to flourish.”

Photo: Jackson Padgett (Left) and Mark Negrete (Right)-  This pair of hearts credits their staff for making their club an ace.

Bob Kecskemety is a videographer, journalist and founder/producer of QueerChannel. www.QueerChannel.net YouTube.com/QueerChannel

BY BOB KECSKEMETY

Halloween, the unofficial gay national holiday, is upon us.

Your costume is all ready. Each stitch has been crafted with the care of Susan  B. Anthony or Martha Stewart. The BeDazzler is all but worn out making sure all the bling is in the right place. Each feather has been carefully placed in the proper position and correctly fluffed. And, if you’re planning on showing a lot of flesh, you’ve already visited your favorite tanning salon for “just the right look.”

You may even have accidently glued your glue gun to the coffee table. You’ve been planning your costume for this year since November of last year and now it’s all come together nicely. The best part of Halloween? The more trailer-trashy you look, the more fashionable you are so put away those designer labels for the weekend.

There has been much confusion this year as to when Halloween will be  celebrated – or if Halloween will be celebrated at all. For the last two years, Halloween has fallen on a weekend evening but this year, it’s falling on a Monday. Some places are celebrating on Saturday, others are Sunday, some more are celebrating on both nights. However, a party is a party so many are celebrating all three nights which means three nights of costume contests.

Then there are the other pertinent questions. Will there be a large block party? The answer is yes. Will Wilton Drive be closed? The answer is no. However, as last year proved, you can have a great and safe time on Wilton Drive without closing down the street.

WilMa’s finest will be out in force making sure the traffic yields to the ghosts and goblins and peacocks that are certain to line “The Drive.” (But it is still your responsibility to cross the street with care.) The WilMa City Commission even voted NOT to charge for parking on Monday night. The city has also extended drinking hours to 3 a.m. It can’t get any sweeter than that.

The following is perhaps the most complete list of parties, costume contests, and themes available anywhere.

THE PRIDE CENTER

Halloween at The Pride Center will be held on Saturday, October 29 with both day and night time events.

During the day will be a Sheriff’s Department Community Outreach Day and a Kid’s Costume Contest. The Broward Sheriff’s Office will be out to show off their finest equipment to the kids from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will also be a fire truck, snow cones, a bounce house, MacGruff the Crime Dog, music, food and a sketch artist. Come out to meet BSO personnel and Quiggley, the BSO mascot.

Free child fingerprinting will be provided by Crime Stoppers of Broward.

While BSO activities are being held outdoors, a Kid’s Costume Contest will take place inside the Main Hall. Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes at 2 p.m!

From 7 p.m., to 11 p.m., there will be a Halloween Youth Bash titled “Halloween Madness.” In addition to the dance, there will be a costume contest, food and drinks, music, prizes and more. Admission is $10 per person, $15 per couple ages 14 – 21.

“A LITTLE NAUGHTY”

“A Little Naughty” is the annual art exhibit and fundraiser to be held at the Broward Art Guild Gallery, 3280 NE 32 Street in Fort Lauderdale, FL. “A Little Naughty” is a one-night-only, multi-discipline erotic art event, with alluring art and installations, tantalizing treats, provocative performances, and an audacious raffle to benefit the programs of ArtsUnited on Saturday, October 29 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Costume contest judging starts at 9 p.m. with a $100 prize for Best Naughty Costume sponsored by LeatherWerks.

MANORS MASQUERADE

Two Halloween events are being held on Sunday, October 30 in Hagen Park in Wilton Manors.

From 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., “HOWL-O-Ween,” a Halloween party for your pets and their best friends. Include a pet expo, various pet activities, entertainment, trick or treat bags for people and their pets, food and beverages plus the highlight of the afternoon, a HOWL-o-Ween pet costume contest starting at 2:30 p.m. Admission and parking in Hagen Park is free for this event.

From 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., Hagen Park is transformed into “OUTrageous Fantasy,” this year’s Manors Masquerade theme with DJ Roland Belmares. Includes dancing, a lounge tent with food, beverages, raffle and café seating, trick or treat bags. The costume contest will be judged by celebrity host and judge, fashion designer Jay Carroll, the winner of the first season of the television series, “Project Runway.” Admission is free, closed-in VIP parking in Hagen Park is $10.

“WICKED WEEKEND”

Alibi – Proving that you can’t have too much of a good thing, Alibi’s Halloween festivities begin on Thursday and continue through Monday. That’s five full days of fun using the theme “Horror High.” Thursday night, Alibi is having a theme party called “Guy Spy.”

GuySpy.com is the newest cross-platform, all male location-based mobile social networking app for iPhone and Android. Users who download the free mobile gay dating app are able to find, meet and chat with men seeking men faster, easier and with more features than any other dating app. Friday night is the “Pep Rally from Hell.” Saturday is “Horror in the Halls,” costume contest at 10 p.m. hosted by Nichole Halliway as Elvira, 1st place $500, 2nd place $300, 3rd place $200. Sunday night’s theme is “Detention” with a costume contest at 10:30 p.m. hosted by Nichole Halliway again as Elvira. Finally, on Monday, Halloween night is “Prom Night,” with a costume contest at 8 p.m. hosted by Florida’s own Dame Edna, 1st place $500, 2nd place $300, 3rd place $200.

Bill’s – Bill’s on Wilton Drive will be celebrating Halloween for four nights, Friday through Monday with the blanket theme, “Cirque de Freaks” where anything can happen. Friday night is “Growl O’Ween” in conjunction with GuySpy.com. Saturday night is “Sideshow Freaks” with a costume contest at midnight. Grand prize $350, 1st runner up $250, 2nd runner up $150. Hosted by Nicole Halliway as Elvira. Sunday is Misty Eyez’s “Trannie Palace – Nightmare on the Drive.” Show and costume contest at 11 p.m. Grand prize $250, 1st runner up $150, 2nd runner up $100. The big night, Monday is “Cirque de Freaks” hosted by Jennifer McClain. Show and costume contest at 10:30 p.m., Grand prize $250, 1st runner up $150, 2nd runner up $100.

Boardwalk – Friday through Monday is “Angel Rock” at Boardwalk presented by JetSetMen.com. On Monday, Halloween night, is a fundraiser for Bernadette from 7 p.m. to midnight with a drawing for the Allure Cruise at midnight.

Boom – Boom will be celebrating Halloween on Monday, October 31 with a “Haunted Forrest” theme and a costume contest at 8 p.m.
The Depot – “Hallo-Bear-Ween” T-Dance/Costume Contest poolside as special guest DJ Barry Thomas Huffine spins the spooky hits for our first “Hallo-Bear-Ween T-Dance” on Sunday, October 30 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. with the only poolside costume contest in Ft. Lauderdale with cash prizes. Hosted by guest Anita Barr.

Johnny’s/Ft. Lauderdale – Friday, October 28 is a “Scorpion Halloween” hosted by Cire Citron, Mr. Situation, Sushiman and others. Free admission before midnight, free drinks 11 p.m. to midnight, $5 drinks all night, $69 Moscato Bottles, DJ TPromix spinning. Sunday, October 30 is “Super Hero Halloween Event,” no cover all night long, MC Gemini Stone, $5 Margarita Madness midnight to closing, Florida’s largest strip contest, $1,000 prize.

The Manor Entertainment Complex – The Manor is planning their own block party which includes their newly paved parking lot on the west side of the building. On Friday, October 28 at 10 p.m., “Lost in the Devil’s Triangle,” $1,000 cash & prizes for best costume contest, DJ JPS, M.C. Daisy Deadpetals, $3 drinks 10 p.m. to midnight, $100 Rokk Vodka VIP bottle service all night, live band at 9 p.m. in the lounge. Saturday, October 29, it’s “Mutiny” with DJ Oren Nizri. Sexy pirate dancers with big shows and surprises. Noche Latina Room hosts Salsa music and drag shows. Live band entertainment at 9 p.m. No cover, extended liquor hours. Costume contest at 1:30 a.m., $500 in cash and prizes. Free raffle for a basket valued at $500 with DJ Larry Larr. For Sunday, October 30 at 9 p.m., it’s “Survivor Island” with DJ David Knapp, no cover. Finally on Halloween, Monday, October 31, 6 p.m. it’s “Pirates of the Manor” an indoor/outdoor block party. $2,500 cash and prizes, best costume contest, MC Daisy Deadpetals, DJ Kidd Modonny, no cover, extended liquor hours.

Matty’s on the Drive – Saturday, October 29 from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., don’t miss DJ/comedian, “Cazwell Live!” performing his hits, “Ice Cream Truck” and “I Seen Beyonce at Burger King.” With DJ Jared Michael, mixing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday, October 30 and 31, costume contests both nights at 10 p.m., $250 cash and prizes each night.

Mona’s – For Halloween, Monday, October 31, Mona’s presents its “Halloween Extravaganza,” karaoke with Freak Boy Freddy at 9 p.m. “Burlesque or Cabaret,” dig into your closets and put together your most fabulous outfit. “Hallow Weenee Cookout” from 6 p.m. 11 p.m.

New Moon – Saturday, October 29, 8 p.m. don’t miss “Night of the Living Dead,” get your Zombie on or any other costume your rotting little brains can come up with Saturday night for a down right creepy Halloween Weekend. $500 in cash and prizes. Sunday, October 30, another costume contest with $500 in cash and prizes.

Ramrod – Monday, October 31, costume contest at midnight. Two categories: best costume and butchest costume.
Rosie’s Bar and Grill – Monday, October 31, “Villains & Vixens.” Costume contest at  9 p.m.

Royal Palms Resort – For fun on the beach, the new Royal Palms Resort will be celebrating on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, October 28 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. they are having a “Best of Rio Headdress Contest.”  Bring your best headdress and you can win $200 cash. With DJ Jason Gonzalez and hosted by Nikki Adams. Giveaways all night long. Saturday, October 29, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., don’t miss “Zombie Lane” hosted by Twat LaRouge with DJ Lydia Prim and giveaways all night long. Enter their costume contests and you can win a two-night stay at The Royal Palms.

Scandals Saloon – On Saturday, October 29 don’t miss “Muppet Ranch” with your favorite bartenders dressed as your favorite Muppets. Lady Fancy will be holding her “Gospel Jubilee” on Sunday, October 30 starting at 6 p.m.

Shoppes of Wilton Manors – The parties at Boom and Alibi spill into the parking lot with music and shows on Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights. The block party includes outdoor costume contests, bars and food and all the great stuff as Java Boys, Humpy’s and the other stores and restaurants in the shopping center join in the fun. Festively decorated, outdoor stage and plenty of good times.

Sidelines Sports Bar – Sidelines typically enjoys a “Parade of Costumes” for Halloween and his year will be no different. This year is no different as, Sidelines presents “A Ghoulish Weekend at Sidelines” on Sunday and Monday, October 30 and 31. Costume contest on Sunday, October 30 at 10 p.m. Don’t miss out on the prizes and games and drink specials.

ALIBI

2266 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
Gayborhood tradition since 1997. Comfortable, inviting
atmosphere with indoor video bars, outdoor drinking and
dining. Drink specials all week, with mammoth 22-ounce
Long Island Iced Teas for $3 on Thursdays

ATOMIC/BOOM

2232 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
The bar with two names features a dance club and
Gayborhood bar. Drag Bingo on Mondays, karaoke
Mondays and Tuesdays, dance music Fridays and Saturdays,
and (indoor) Sunday T-Dance.

BILL’S FILLING STATION

2209 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
Videos, pool tables, dart boards, dance floor, happy hour,
live shows, Tuesday and Thursday karaoke – and great burgers,
to boot. Fun and friendly truck-stop-themed bar.

BOARDWALK

1721 North Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale
Over 100 of the sexiest men from all over the world. Go-go
dancers, cages, billiards, 2-4-1 Happy Hours. Drag emcees
and did we mention the Boys?

CORNER PUB

1915 N. Andrews Ave., Wilton Manors
Friendly atmosphere, unpretentious clientele and staff.
Next to Island City Pizza (so you can get your drink AND
your slice on).

CUBBY HOLE

823 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale
Butch bar and grill with a rockin’ daytime crowd (and a fun
nighttime one, too). Fifty cent pool, 2-for-1 drinks all day
every day, video games, hot movies on HDTV and DirecTV.
Thursdays it’s Bare Bear Chest Night, and every Friday and
Saturday the fur flies with Hot Bears on Poles (where their
Grizzlies Grind)!

DEPOT CABANA BAR AND GRILL

2935 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale
Adjacent to the America’s Best Inn and Suites (in case
things go really well during Sunday and Wednesday
karaoke). Friendly vibe, poolside.

DUDES

3270 N.E. 33rd St., Fort Lauderdale
Men dancing for men. Hot go-go boys in an upscale
atmosphere, piano lounge for more quiet interludes. Steamy
shower shows.

JOHNNY’S

1116 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Club, bar, lounge. Male dancers and the men who love (to
ogle) them. Sunday amateur strip contest (and karaoke!).

LIPS

1421 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park
The Ultimate in Drag Dining. Dinner and shows six nights a
week. Sunday Gospel Brunch with the Sisters of Sequins.

LIVING ROOM

300 S.W. 1st Ave., Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale Arts & Entertainment District meets South
Beach. Friday nights they’re here, they’re queer, and they
drink free from 10:30(ish) to Midnight. Only House Music
club in town with its own Classical (and classicallychiseled)
violinist.

THE MANOR

2345 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
WeHo vibe (think: LA’s The Abbey) in the heart of the
Gayborhood. Dine, drink, dance, play, mingle. Theme rooms
(salsa and meringue every weekend in the Latin Quarter!).
Live dancing and dining.

MATTY’S ON THE DRIVE

2426 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
Drink specials, billiards, and a chill gayborhood vibe. 75
Cent drinks on Wednesdays. No Drama, No Smoking.

MONKEY BUSINESS

2740 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale
Cozy neighborhood bar. Karaoke, drag shows, Patio Bar –
and open at 9 a.m. daily.

MONA’S
502 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Cocktail Lounge in the heart of Searstown. Fun customers,
fun bartenders and fun proprietor (the Legendary Jerry).
Outside patio. Wednesday karaoke, Thursday Speedball
Tournament.

NAKED GRAPE
2039 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
Relaxing, friendly, hip, unique – the alternative gathering
place on Wilton Drive. Wine tastings and events. Tuesday
and Wednesday Late Night In the Biz.

PJ’S CORNER POCKET
924 N. Flagler Drive, Fort Lauderdale
Interracial Private Social Club. Bottle club memberships.
Get your groove back on Wednesday nights with $2 drinks.

RAMROD
1508 N.E. 4th Ave., Fort Lauderdale
Voted World’s Favorite Leather Bar. Pig Dance first Saturday
of the month – South Florida’s Busiest, Craziest Monthly
Party (with caged hunks at Midnight on Saturdays – is there
a downside to this?).

ROSIE’S BAR & GRILL
2829 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Nexus of the A-Gay List. Be Seen in the Scene (without
making one). Food, folks, libations, and a killer Sunday
Funday.

SCANDALS SALOON

3073 NE 6th Avenue, Wilton Manors
A line-dancin’, tight blue jeans-wearin’ good time. Country
and western music, two-steppin’, three-steppin’, pool
tables, and themed events year ‘round. Cowboys and
Indians was never this much fun, Pilgrim.

SIDELINES
2031 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
Where Sports come first. Nationally known destination
sports bar with TVs streaming NFL, MLB, NBA and college
games. Pool tables, dart boards and large indoor (and
now smoke-free) facility. Outdoor patio features area for
smokers. Mixed crowd of gay men and women (who would
have thought?). Featured in Bloomberg Businessweek and
recommended by LOGO.

STABLE

205 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Levis-and-leather neighborhood bar, where the bears line
dance and the cowboys are VERY friendly.

SMARTY PANTS
2400 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Cozy neighborhood bar with daily happy hour, and regular
patrons. Show night Thursdays at 9 p.m. Karaoke Friday and
Saturday nights, and with matinee on Sunday afternoon.

TORPEDO
2829 W Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
Dance, shoot pool, drink til 4 a.m., 7 nights a week. Doors
open at Midnight; dance til Dawn.

VOODOO LOUNGE
111 S.W. 2nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale
Gay and mixed every Sunday, with afternoon T-Dance and
drink specials, then the popular Life’s a Drag show with
gobs of female impersonators, hot dudes and the chicks
who want to change them.

WHISKEY BLUE
401 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
In the W Hotel on Fort Lauderdale Beach, downstairs it’s the
elegant Whiskey Blue, upstairs the luxe Living Room: hot
dance and social settings in a distinctive atmosphere with
signature cocktails and upscale patrons.

Indoor and outdoor
lounges.

Grammy’s Peter Rauhofer Headlines Weekend!

By Brad Casey

Photo: DJ Manny Lehman will headline the Annual White Fort Lauderdale at Revolution Live

One of the pleasures of our long warm summer months are the three 3-day weekends we have: Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day weekends. Memorial Day weekend is here. Let’s take a look at some of the FUN this weekend.

FORT LAUDERDALE

Alibi: Hawaii comes to the Alibi for the annual Memorial Day Weekend Luau sponsored by Bacardi Rum! Alibi will have plenty of leis to hand out. Jennifer McClain on Friday night and Florida’s own Dame Edna on Monday night in the Manchester Room. Also, drop in for an award-winning burger and fries over the weekend.

Bill’s Filling Station: Friday night is Bear Appreciation Night and a jammed club it will be.

Boardwalk: Erotic film star Josh Logan will make appearances this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Also, grab a bite at Beefcakes Café. Boardwalk has a stable of beefy male dancers to keep your eyes entertained all weekend.

Adult film star, Josh Logan, will be appearing at The Boardwalk

Depot: A true indoor/outdoor Sunday T-dance – the way it used to be – this Sunday poolside from 2PM to 6PM. A pleasant way to spend Sunday afternoon cruising a bevy of beauties with your favorite beverage… pinkies up, please.   DJ Scott Mann will keep the energy flowing. The Depot offers the only indoor/outdoor Sunday Tea Dance, poolside. Bring some tanning gel!

Gryphon at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino: One of the main attractions this weekend is the Sunday night performance of Grammy Award winning producer and renowned DJ Peter Rauhofer at the Gryphon night club located at the Hard Rock Casino complex. This state-of-the-art dance/cruise club is like no other in South Florida. There is a fabulous light show and acoustics and plenty of room. Doors open 11 PM. And you may want to visit the casino while you are there.

Johnny’s: Plenty of men on the floor this weekend. The In crowd is talking about Saturday nights! Watch out… anything goes!

Living Room: Join Renee Graziano from VH1’s hit show Mob Wives at Living Room this Friday night. No cover and enjoy open bar from 10:30 – midnight.

Mob Wife Renee Graziano will be at Living Room this Friday

The Manor: Warms you up for the White Party with a White Toga Party this Friday night. A $500 cash prize for the sexiest toga, plus cabaret shows throughout the night starring Kitty Meow and others. On Saturday, DJ David Knapp will electrify a packed house for a White Party official event, White Angels.  Doors open at 10PM.

Matty’s on the Drive: One of Ft. Lauderdale’s HOT neighborhood bars.  Kick off the long weekend at its  jammed Friday Happy Hour till 10PM where drinks are half priced. Also, a great Sunday spot for Bloody Mary’s, Screwdrivers and Mimosas … “light on the Tabasco, please …”

Mona’s: Fort Lauderdale’s most eclectic neighborhood bar. Fashioned from the wood of church pews, this bar is always busy with eclectic people: Doctors, lawyers, carpenters, plumbers and the like and everyone mixes well. Owner Jerry Schultz is cool!

Grammy Award winning producer and renowned DJ Peter Rauhofer will spin Sunday night at Gryphon

Ramrod: A cruisy bar for the levi-leather crowd. You take a walk on the wild side when you enter this bar.  Sunday, the Cast Party for Two Boys in a Bed on a Cold Winters Night! (boy, that’s a long one)! The party is from 9 to 11PM.

Revolution Live: Gary Santis and Hilton Wolman present the 13th annual White Fort Lauderdale Festival this Sunday with DJ’s Tracy Young, Manny Lehman and Kidd Madonny. This spectacular event will feature members of  the New Century Ballet Company, Kitty Meow with Red Carpet coverage by Joe Posa as Joan Rivers. Channel 7 news anchor Craig Stevens hosts the event.   Doors open at 8PM and limited general admission tickets ($25) can be purchased on line. Google: White Fort Lauderdale.

Rosies: Always a busy weekend for this jewel on the Drive, especially this Sunday and Monday, Memorial Day.

A great menu and fabulous frozen drinks makes this a sure stop over the weekend.

Tea Cruise: A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon cruising the waterways of Fort Lauderdale. The party boat  begins boarding at 12:30 PM and sails at 1PM for three hours of FUN. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 day of cruise. Call Peter Burke, cruise coordinator, at 954-649-1107 for advance ticket sales.

MIAMI

Some of the best beaches in the country, Key Biscayne, Ocean Drive and Haulover Beach make the long Memorial Day Weekend a bit cooler and refreshing. Let’s take a look at the happenings in Miami/Miami Beach.

Discotekka: This mega downtown Miami club knocks ‘em out on Saturday nights. This week, the original creators of the White Wear Party Ft. Lauderdale,  presents White Wear Party Discotekka style. Entertainers TP Lords leads a list of entertainers. Music is fabulous, lights are from the universe and the club hops!

DJ Tracey Young will headline the Annual White Fort Lauderdale at Revolution Live

For more information on other events and bar happenings this weekend, visit www.jumponmarkslist.com

Have a SAFE?and HAPPY?Memorial Day!

By Brad Casey

For the second year in a row, Georgie’s Alibi has taken top honors in the second annual Riverwalk Trust’s Burger Battle.  The Alibi beat out the popular Capital Grille by a half point to be crowned

The Best Tasting Hamburger in Broward County.

A sold out crowd of 800 hamburger lovers jammed the private yard of the Riverside Hotel on East Last Olas Boulevard last Friday night to sample hamburgers from 15 top notch eateries in Broward County.  Seven distinguished judges, including Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler, Chef Bill Mitchell of Publix  Apron’s  Cooking School and Chef Jack Kane, program director of Culinary Arts at the Art Institute of  Fort Lauderdale were among the judges.

Restaurants that were invited to participate included Morton’s Steakhouse, Capital Grille, Pelican Landing at Pier 66, Hard Rock Café and Big City Tavern.

Last year’s win for the Alibi was a PR bonanza with the gay themed bar and café serving an estimated 250 Champ burgers a day for several weeks after the competition.

Alibi General Manager Vincent Frato said, “It’s very gratifying to see our hard work recognized at such an event and doing so in back to back years says a lot for our staff and dedication to doing the best we can.”

Last year, Alibi won the Best Burger Battle by a unanimous decision of the judges.

Photo: Chef Ron Kerr Proudly accepts the Riverwalk Trust’s Burger Battle award for the second year in a row.

By Cliff Dunn

Tonight, May 12, Juiceblendz hosts its Pride Center Night from 6 to 10 p.m. The event will be held at the Juiceblendz store in the Shoppes of Wilton Manors, 2248 Wilton Drive, with 20% of all proceeds from the purchase of smoothies, wraps, or sandwiches benefiting the Pride Center at Equality Park. Order up – it’s for a good cause.

There’s Life in the  Old Girl Yet

One of Greater Fort Lauderdale’s few unchanging landmarks – no, not Miss Kitty from Bill’s – celebrated its 61st Anniversary last month. While most of us have noted the passage of time upon our own visages, the heritage Gateway Theatre – at the curve where Sunrise Boulevard meets Federal Highway – has remained (largely) unchanged through the decades. (Yes, she’s showing her wrinkles and there are sights and scents only to be found in a building designed during the Truman Administration, but still…)
Opened in 1950 by the once mighty Miami-based Wometco Enterprises as a single screen venue, its acquisition in the 1980s saw its conversion into a four-theater Cineplex, although much of its original style has been preserved. Among other cinematic events past and present, the Gateway was the site of the 1960 world premiere of “Where the Boys Are”, the movie that helped put Fort Lauderdale on the cultural map.

Georgie’s Alibi Fights to Keep its “Burger King” Crown

A year ago, Georgie’s Alibi in Wilton Manors brought home the gold when the restaurant and bar was voted “Best Burger in Fort Lauderdale” during the Riverwalk Trust Burger Battle. This year’s Slaughter on the Water – sorry, Burger Battle II – takes place on Friday, May 13, from 7 to 10 p.m. on the lawn at the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. As with last year, Alibi is the competition’s only gay restaurant (unless you count the majority of servers who work at the other competing eateries). Best of luck to the Big Kahuna Burgers themselves, owners Jackson Padgett and Mark Negrete, and Georgie’s G.M., Vince Frato.

Mars Needs Men

Camp Mars, South-central Florida’s premier private membership campground for gay men, is swimming – literally – with events and activities to make your May more memorable. The camp, opened in 2002, is just two hours from most large Florida cities and attractions. Owners Tom Costello and Dale Dunston host guests with 40 acres of green pastures, lush tropical foliage, nature trails, ponds, creeks, oak hammock and heated in-ground pool, as well as free Wi-Fi throughout the campgrounds.

Among the events and activities happening through the rest of this month are Prom Weekend, May 13 through 15, Spring Camp Weekend, May 20 through 22, and wrapping up the month, Memorial Day Weekend on Mars, May 27 through 30.

Tom and Dale invite you to enjoy a true camping experience, from primitive tenting to unique rental cabins, as well as huge 30 and 50 amp full hookup R.V. sites.

Passages

Our deepest condolences to South Florida Gay News CEO and principal Piero Guidugli on the loss of his partner of many years, Jack, who passed last month after a lengthy illness. A gentleman and a gentle man in all senses of the words, his loss is felt by many, and our thoughts go out to his loving partner and family. “What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” – Helen Keller

Quotable

“Osama bin Laden. Unless we think he’s dead by now, in which case that guy who holds up the ‘GOD HATES FAGS’ sign.” – Tina Fey, in the May issue of Vanity Fair, asked “Which living person do you most despise?” (This interview occurred months before bin Laden’s much-deserved Exit-Stage-Dead: is Fey psychic – and if so, can she get Open for Business this week’s winning LOTTO numbers?)

Networking Event with the Most Intelligent People: Mack Mixer

MACK coined the term “Gay Owned, Straight Friendly” by launching their first business networking groups for the South Florida business community in March 2005 – the Power Lunch and Mack Mixer. Five years later, MACK continues to be a trusted name for the gay and lesbian business community and its supporters. With monthly sold-out lunch events and fun – yet professional, cocktail socials in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Boca/Delray Beach – there’s no doubt MACK continues to redesign how business people create new relationships and establish friendships – regardless of sexuality.

Most Entertaining Happy Hour: Alibi (Wilton Manors)and Alibi (St. Pete)

The two Alibis in Florida share this distinctive honor. It’s obvious that careful planning of both locations have made them both winners in this category. So, whether you live in the St. Pete or Ft. Lauderdale area, Alibi is a must for happy hour. In both locations, Alibi is one of the most popular gay nightclubs (actually, more of a destination) and they’re always busy. Happy hours often include karaoke and drag shows. Comedy clips from shows like Will and Grace often play on the video monitors, and the VJ’s spin current Top 40 with some blockbuster and oldies thrown in.

Sexiest Lounge: Mova

Mova Lounge is a very unique, contemporary boutique lounge situated on Michigan Avenue and Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, featuring a completely smoke-free environment, plush comfortable seating, state-of-the-art lighting and video walls. Mova features a variety of events nightly including Drag BINGO and World House Music on Tuesdays, College Night Wednesdays, Ladies Night on Thursdays and the best pop/dance grooves on Friday and Saturday.

Best Place to Hook Up: Ramrod

Ramrod is a Levi, leather and uniform cruise bar with a significant difference. The DJ’s are incredible, which attract South Florida’s finest cruising hunks. Friday and Saturday nights the house is packed. Ramrod’s monthly Pig Dance is very popular as the packed bar spills into the parking lot. There’s usually a line to get in the door on weekends, but don’t let that sway you. The wait is well worth it.

Best Place to Get Your Drink On: Matty’s on the Drive

Long-time resident Matty Auslander opened his bar on Wilton Drive right across from Rosie’s Bar and Grill and next door to Carol Moran’s New Moon in the summer of 2009. Matty’s on the Drive was a quick hit with locals and visitors alike. It became such a hit that he doubled the size of his bar and is getting ready to make it 50 percent larger in the coming months.

Best Music Hype: Fridays (Miami) and Pulse (Orlando)

Edison Farrow’s South Beach Social Club hosts weekly events and occasional parties that are a favorite way for South Florida’s gay and lesbian artists, professionals and jet set to meet and network in relaxed settings that vary from ultra-chic to ultra-urban. His Hype Fridays at Bar 721 is a well-attended favorite of locals with a few fresh faces (out-of-towners) every week.

Pulse Nightclub provides the greater Orlando area with a high-end establishment for the LGBT community. The club consists of three connected rooms: The Adonis Room, the Jewel Box and the Ultra Lounge. The Adonis Room is a darkly lit area with an industrial feel. This room houses the biggest bar, complete with male dancers towering over patrons. The Jewel Box is the main dance floor, which blasts current hip-hop and dance hits and also has a stage. The Ultra Lounge is a colorfully lit room where the main theme is white. This provides for an upscale environment, and the lights can change the room’s color and atmosphere throughout the night.

Best LGBT Place to Bring Your Straight Friends: New Moon

More laid-back than many of its male bar equivalents, New Moon is a lesbian addition to the Wilton Manors nightlife scene and has a more urban flavor. While most of the bars and clubs in Wilton Manors are directed at gay guys and welcome lesbians, New Moon caters to lesbians and welcomes gay guys. This large bar fills a niche long missing from the main strip in Wilton Manors.

Best Drag Show: Palace (Miami Beach) and Parliament House (Orlando)

Those that love drag performances love The Palace on Miami Beach, which features drag entertainment almost every night of the week. At The Palace on South Beach, you’re right in the middle of one of the most fun parts of Miami Beach’s famed Ocean Drive. If you’re into celebrity-watching, keep your eyes open because you never know who will walk through the doors as the performances keep getting better and better. Every queen needs her palace, and that palace is on South Beach.

The Parliament House Resort is an internationally known landmark that houses the Footlight Theater, which in turn houses some of the best drag performers and performances in the Southeast United States. Some of the shows, though more “adult” than what you will find in the nearby Magic Kingdom, are equal to or more fun.

Club You’re Most Likely to Run into a Celebrity: Living Room (Fort Lauderdale) and Score (Miami)

The concept of Living Room came from the idea of a house party – a place where you are an invited guest, a place you feel at home. Living Room is a venue where people can truly escape from life’s daily stresses. It has been influenced by nightclubs all over the world while bringing the best of them to Fort Lauderdale. Living Room can be described as innovative, contemporary, sexy, comfortable, warm, zen, inspiring, powerful, electric and spectacular.

Score is located in the heart of South Beach, in the thriving and famous promenade, Lincoln Road. For more than a decade, Score remains the quintessential, gay nightclub experience for both locals and visitors. No other club offers so many variables. People watch on their outdoor terrace while trying their potent frozen drinks or lounge in Score’s ultra-chic, modern lounge and chat with friends. Enthusiastic club revelers experience state-of-the-art lights and sound as some of the world’s most renowned DJ’s visit and draw hundreds to the dance floor. Muscle boys, trendy fashionistas, Latinos and even polo-clad boys find their own niche among the other beautiful people.

Best Dance Club: Discotekka (Miami) and GBar (Ybor City)

Discotekka in downtown Miami is terrifically decorated, nicely lit and huge with a friendly staff — and that’s not always easy to find anymore. The patrons are generally young, attractive and not at all formal. The music is Latin house, classic house and hip house and the drinks are fantastic. If you’ve never heard of a Blue Long Island Iced Tea, try one at Discotekka. This place is gay clubbing at its best.

Tampa Bay nightclub promoter Steve Donahue opened his own full-time gay night club/video bar and named it Gbar, which is located in a turn-of-the-century factory in historic Ybor City. This 8,000 square foot venue boasts 20 foot ceilings, a state-of-the-art video system with plasma screens throughout, a huge dance hall complete with all-intelligent lighting, laser projections, and L.E.D. ambient lighting which promises to provide an experience not found anywhere else in Central Florida.

Best VIP Area: Manor Entertainment Complex (Fort Lauderdale) and Honey Pot (Ybor City)

You’d be surprised what all is inside the Manor: great dancing, great food and great people. So it’s no surprise that this hot night spot has the best VIP area you’ll find.

Honey Pot, located in the heart of the Ybor entertainment district, is your place for the best VIP area.

Take the elevator upstairs to their upscale blue room, with plush seating, intimate performance stages for their world-class male dancers, and a massive balcony overlooking all of the excitement of Ybor City’s main street.

Best Theme Party: Gasparilla (Tampa) and White Party (Miami)

The annual Gasparilla Festival is Tampa Bay’s unique pirate-themed festival, which features the Gasparilla Invasion, Invasion Brunch and Parade of Pirates, a tradition that goes back to 1904. It starts with the Invasion when the Jose Gasparilla tall ship first enters Hillsborough Bay and their band of marauding buccaneers descend on the City of Tampa. Then it’s over to the Tampa Convention Center for a hearty meal. Later in the day, there’s the Parade of Pirates and a street festival complete with dancing.

The annual White Party Week is one of the nation’s oldest and largest HIV/AIDS fundraisers with five days (and nights) of parties, music, dancing, hot men and much more. The centerpiece of the week is the official White Party at Vizcaya. This is the Crown Jewel of the week where thousands dress in white to dance under the Miami moon on 10 acres of the most breathtaking renaissance gardens in the country — featuring live performances from Cirque Dreams, sample tastings of Miami’s hottest restaurants, favorite local bars and nightclubs, silent auction and the Viva Las Divas Casino Lounge with games, prizes and live entertainment.

Sexiest Severs (tie): Cole and Grant at Alibi

Click on Thumbnails to View Fullsize

GRANT

COLE

Hottest Bartender: Hugo at Alibi

Hugo

Best DJ: DJ Abel (Salvation Saturdays at Score)

DJ Abel is one of the hottest DJ’s in the country. When he’s not spinning at Salvation Saturdays at Score, you can find him keeping the dance floor going at any number of circuit parties or other special events in the United States. Salvation Saturdays with DJ Abel is hosted by Hilton Wolman with performances by notorious drag diva Power Infiniti.

Best Charitable Event: Winter Party

The Winter Party is an annual fundraiser for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in which two-thirds of the proceeds are donated to other community charities. The Winter Party invites everyone to put away their sweaters and put on their swimsuits and enjoy five days of great fun. The Winter Party Festival offers something for everyone. Whether you’re dancing under the sun on Miami Beach, partying all night to the sounds of your favorite DJ or enjoying cocktails and brunch with your friends, they guarantee an experience that will keep you coming back year after year. The line-up includes: more than 10 dance parties with the best international DJ talent, cocktail receptions in some of South Beach’s hottest venues, four events designed specifically for women, a night of shopping along the famous Lincoln Road and the spectacular Winter Party Beach Party.

Best Sports Bar: Sidelines

Not many people thought that the gay and lesbian community would support a real gay sports bar. Boy, were they wrong. Four years later and going stronger than ever, Sidelines Sports Bar is the place for athletes and athletic supporters — not to mention both the soft-core and hard-core sports fanatics. Sporting events are constantly being shown on the multiple flat screen monitors and a lively crowd is always there cheering on their favorite teams. The friendly, supportive staff at Sidelines makes sure that waiting is at a minimum so you can get back to your favorite team. Sidelines also sponsors numerous gay athletic teams who have brought home several national championships.

Best Late Night Gay Venue: Torpedo (Fort Lauderdale) and Twist (Miami)

Torpedo on West Broward Boulevard is a great late-night venue, open until 4 a.m. every day, seven-days-a-week. Torpedo is a 20,000 watt dance club with go-go boys, dancing, cruising, and billiards. It’s not surprising that after partying at other bars until they close, the in-crowd always end up at Torpedo to keep the party going.

Twist is a South Beach institution where there is never a cover and always a groove. Twist is open seven-nights-a-week and features some of the hottest local DJ’s in the area. The drag shows at Twist are unequaled and the club is known for its hot customers and the go-go boys in the World Famous Cabana Bar.

Best Stripper Bar: Johnny’s

Not many people still remember the original Johnny’s Village Inn, a small stripper beer and wine club that used to be located at Riverwalk. But with the redevelopment of the area, Johnny’s moved to its current location on Broward Boulevard and is now equipped with a full-liquor license. Since those early days, Johnny’s has become a destination in its own right and is Fort Lauderdale’s, if not all of South Florida’s, longest continuing gay bar. The hot guys on stage keep the audience so hot that the ice quickly melts in their drinks. But that’s OK, because their friendly attentive staff are quick with a refill.

Best New Bar or Club: Manor Entertainment Complex

The Manor Entertainment Complex is a little tricky. From outside, it doesn’t look that large, but once you step inside you’re amazed with how rooms and different spaces it has. A person can dance in their nightclub to some of the latest acts and greatest bands. Someone could enjoy a martini in its martini bar. One can also people watch, looking down from the upstairs patio overlooking Wilton Drive. Plus, if you get hungry, they serve great food from a full menu or a quick desert from their desert station. Stop by the Manor once and you’re sure to be coming back again and again.