As a ginormous, idealistic faggotta, I of course can't help tearing up at the news that the California Supreme Court overturned the ban on same-sex marriage. As someone who's been with the love of their life for more than three years now, though, I'm suddenly terrified. How the hell am I gonna pull off a fuschia wedding dress in this heat? Thank goddess for Secret antiperspirant, ladies.

Of course, there's still a big fight ahead -- in California, with a heinous, probable November ballot initiative that wants to amend the constitution against love, and the inevitable "why can't I marry this tree?" panicky bullshit from the right. (Well, why can't you, treehugger?). And this is, alas, just a mere blip in changing this weird country's attitude as a whole. But, despite my queer anarchist misgivings about legalized emotional contracts and human property, I'm ecstatic for all the brave lovers who went full in to win this one. Hey, I'm a sucker for romance.

SFBG will have more coverage coming this afternoon.

PS -- yes, Florida: Rainbows ARE sexually suggestive.

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Posted by Marke B. at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

By Justin Juul

Hey! Learn some history, dude.

I don’t know exactly how you’re going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year (or have celebrated it already) , but odds are it’s going to involve excessive drinking, a BBQ grill, and a few of your close friends. I mean that’s what it’s all about right? Drinking Mexican beer in the sun? Well, the simple answer is yes. Cinco de Mayo is one of those holidays, like St Patrick’s Day and Easter, that most Americans use as another excuse to drink beer when they should be working. But have you ever wondered what it’s really all about? I mean, the fifth of May wasn’t just picked randomly by The Corona Corporation was it? The date must signify something.
After a long weekend of cerveza and sun, The Guardian got to feeling a little guilty about its ignorant participation in the traditional (and early) Cinco de Mayo celebration at Dolores Park and decided to ask Paul Ortiz, professor of Latino/African American History at UC Santa Cruz and author of Emancipation Betrayed, to share his insights on the holiday.

SFBG: What exactly is Cinco de Mayo a celebration of?

Paul Ortiz: Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory of a Mexican militia force over Napoleon III's army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862. France sought to take advantage of a nation still reeling from the impact of The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the resulting internal strife. The French planned to install a puppet dictatorship in Mexico and they landed their imperial army in the state of Veracruz to implement this plan. The French expected little or no opposition. Instead, the Mexican people organized a volunteer militia and met the French expeditionary force near Puebla.

The Mexican soldiers were outnumbered and faced troops with superior military training and leadership. In spite of this, these citizen soldiers prevailed over the French and defeated them on the field of battle.

The remarkable victory at Puebla provided a much-needed sense of pride to an embattled nation. The French defeat also prevented Napoleon III from intervening in the U.S. Civil War on the side of the Confederate States of America. After the end of the Civil War, the U.S. assisted Mexico in expelling the remaining French occupying forces. Thus, Cinco de Mayo is a truly American day of celebration!

SFBG: I heard they don’t really celebrate the holiday in Mexico. If that’s true, then why do we celebrate it here?

Continue reading "The Cinco skinny: Drop that Corona" »

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Posted by Marke B. at 02:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

By Justin Juul

So I ran into this really interesting guy at the One Year Anniversary of The Mission Indie Mart at 12 Galaxies the other day…

SFBG: Hey, aren’t you the guy who hangs out on the corner of Market and Sixth with the sign? I pass you everyday on my way to work. What’s your name?
Frank Chu: Yeah, I protest down there. My name is Frank Chu and I was published by the San Jose Mercury news with Dan Greene and also with Tom Brokaw on NBC Nightly News. I was also filmed by some populations of The 12 Galaxies. They are guilty with Bush and Cheney, which gives you a sense of the millions of populations I’m dealing with.

SFBG: Nice! So do you hang out here at The 12 Galaxies a lot?
Chu: Yes. I was a TV Star and a movie star, so they named the nightclub after me. They call it 12 Galaxies and they give me complimentary drinks and free admission to events. So I didn’t have to pay when I met Mark Hamill from Star Wars. I also met Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, and Dennis Kucinich. I told them about my campaign.

SFBG: What’s your campaign about?
Chu: Well, it’s about rocket societies, flying saucers, and space vacations.

SFBG: I don’t get it. How does that all tie in together?
Chu: It’s about the 12 Galaxies that are friends with the White House who are guilty of attempts of murdering the other thousand galaxies.

SFBG: Oh, I see. Your campaign is about aliens and stuff then. I always thought you were one of those God people.
Chu: Well, the 12 Galaxies are advanced populations. They are more advanced than humans and they are friends with The Bush and The Clinton.

SFBG: Are they friends with Barack Obama too?

Continue reading "Frank Chu Speaks, Or, McCain Embezzled My Money" »

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Posted by Marke B. at 05:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

By Ariel Soto

The EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park groundbreaking ceremony was held yesterday, April 22, in San Francisco's Bayview/Hunters Point. The EcoCenter will be the first LEED-certified building in the southern part of the city and first building to run completely off the grid. Heron's Head Park was opened in 1999 to provide an open and natural space for the communities nearby, and since then more than 1,200 volunteers have helped restore the area by removing invasive plants and trash and replacing them with native plants. With the continuous support and effort of the Port of San Francisco and Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ), the EcoCenter will finally open, giving students the opportunity to learn in hands-on programs about issues such as clean air and water, renewable energy, healthy foods and open space restoration. (To get involved in the Heron's Head Park project, contact Laurie Schoeman at: lcprojectmanager@lejyouth.org) Here's some pics from the event.

The entrance to Heron's Head Park with the old PG&E plant in the background that's in the process of being demolished.

Goats are used in Heron's Head Park as a natural method of weed control.

Volunteers gather at Heron's Head Park before the beginning of the groundbreaking ceremony.

A Scrophularia californica, or Bee Plant, is just one example of the many native California plants that will be re-introduced into Heron's Head Park.

Beautiful Heron's Head Park.

Milton Reynolds, a member of Literacy for Environmental Justice, started the day's events at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new EcoCenter at Heron's Head Park.

Continue reading "Pics: Goats and green at Heron's Head Park" »

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Posted by Marke B. at 03:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

It's time to raise a knife and spoon to end AIDS, as restaurants throughout our fair berg are flooded on the evening of Thurs/24 for Dining Out For Life -- a benefit in which 25 percent of all food and drink sales will be donated to StopAIDS. Oh yes, there will be drag queens. Perhaps even breaded and baked. Below are three choice happenings hosted by thirsty trannies aching to shove their meat in your mouth. Reservations strongly encouraged (Click here for 100 more participating restaurants!)

The Crispy Classic

Miss Juanita More dishes out her famous fried chicken with honey goo (plus carrot cake dessert!) at Mars Bar. her scrumptious (and possibly underaged) More Boys will wait on you, hostess Candi Gurl will look stunned but glamorous, and DJ James Glass --= the hottest straight boy into underground disco -- will help it all go down easy.

5-9pm
Mars Bar
798 Brannan, SF
(415) 621-MARS

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The Skewered Newbie

No one skewers the reigning queens of the scene like Monistat -- so appropriately she'll be hostessing, along with Castro Shawn, at the Castro's deliciously healthy skewered meat wonderland Asqew Grill. Don't forget to shishkabob your hair, lady.

6pm
Asqew Grill
3583 16th St., SF
(415) 626-3040

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Just a Plain Ol' Saucy Mess

The fiendishly fingerlickin' Felicia Fellatio -- pictured here with cutie leatherboy cohost Jorge -- will hold glutton court at Memphis Minnie's BBQ in Lower Haight. (Did you know that Memphis Minnie's features a sake tasting menu with it's plethora of roasted flesh? Well now you know!)

7pm
574 Haight, SF
(415) 864-7675
www.memphisminnies.com

PS: It's rumored that Felicia can down a whole rack of ribs without swallowing. Here's proof, at least, that she can down a whole racket:

Anyone for seconds?

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Posted by Marke B. at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

By Justin Juul

I totally got hoodwinked.

Two years ago, I bought expensive tickets to the 2006 Exotic Erotic Expo because the flyer for the event advertised a live appearance by Violet Blue, who is one of my favorite sex writers, and who I’d wanted to meet for a very long time. I never got to meet her though. Turns out there’s a porn star also named Violet Blue, and she was the one appearing. So, instead of schmoozing with a journalist, I spent my time at the expo drinking cheap beer and stalking a porn star. Snore.

The real Violet Blue

Naturally Violet Blue the writer is pretty pissed about this kind of mix up -- she claims the fake Violet Blue is using her name to attract a bigger following -- and the name feud has finally made it to the courthouse. (Full disclosure: I’m a witness for the writer’s side – my story was a direct catalyst for the suit.) It seems after our missed encounter, the real Violet Blue decided she’d had enough and started looking into patent laws and ways to challenge the star of Who Violet Blew, Planet of the Gapes 4, and Beauty and the Bitch. The initial court proceedings went down last October, but the case is far from over. The porn star has been quite successful under her moniker – winning multiple AVN awards, getting countless roles, and even hosting her own radio show -- and she doesn’t want to give the name up (she “officially” changed it to Violetta Blue, but continues to use the original name whenever she appears at events or stars in videos).

The other Violet Blue (not posing with the author!)

What’s the big deal, you ask? Both of these women are involved in porn aren’t they?

Well, yes and no. The writer, whose real name actually is Violet Blue, has dedicated her entire life to showing the good side of the sex industry, whereas the other Violet Blue is just a plain ol’ sex worker. In her award winning blog, www.tinynibbles.com, and in her books, the real Violet Blue tries to show that an obsession with sex is totally natural and that “sex people” can be funny, smart, technologically advanced, artistically inclined, and full of unique ideas. She tours the world holding sex seminars on college campuses and even makes appearances on popular television shows to champion her conviction that any sex is good sex as long as it’s safe and consensual. She also believes that, contrary to popular belief, women like to watch pornography as much as men. Good deal.

But the issue isn’t about whether or not Violet Blue the imposter should be doing porn or whether or not she’s a good role model. The issue is that the real Violet Blue is constantly being mistaken for a so-so porn star and it’s fucking with her career. She can’t even win national awards, like Forbes’ Top 25 Web Celebs of 2007 (in which she won 25th place as the best pornstar/blogger) or get invited to conventions without someone thinking she does double anal for extra cash when her book sales are down. Not that that’s bad in itself, but come on. I’d be pretty pissed as well. Especially about Planet of the Gapes 4.

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Posted by Marke B. at 01:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

By Justin Juul

You never know what kind of crazy shit your brain’s going to tell you to do when Saturn comes back into the picture and starts demanding attention. Some of us start thinking about babies and tract homes while others spin off in the opposite direction and become workaholics or barflys.

My friend, Jason Lewis of Lollyphile, did something even stranger. On the dawn of his 29th year, he suddenly decided to become a confectioner. He spent hours and days mixing flavors in his basement and self-promoting on the Internet until finally, success! His first run of Absinthe flavored lollipops was met with critical acclaim, eventually reaching full-blown awesomeness when the people over at Penthouse Magazine decided to run a review. A less ambitious man may have stopped there, but my friend is “very special” so he immediately started planning a slow takeover of the gourmet candy industry. He’s gonna be the next Willy Wonka. I can feel it.

I tried to get Lewis on the phone to discuss his outlook on candy, life, and world affairs, but he was too busy boiling lard or something. I did manage to squeeze this little e-interview out of him though. Enjoy.

SFBG: What’s your stance on candy from Japan? How can you ever hope to compete with brands like Pocky, Black Black, and Cubyrop?
My bacon lollipops are actually considered to be “sent from god” by a number of people. This wasn't my fault; a FedEx plane accidentally dropped a few cases on a small Pacific Island, and the natives of that island, upon experiencing their first meat-based sugar-high, started sacrificing various animals (note to PETA: I totally didn't sanction this) in an attempt to get their gods to ship more lollipops. Sadly, international shipping rates can't be paid for with any amount of boar's blood (believe me I've tried).

So, while Japan's candies have awesome names, brand recognition, and the loyalty of several billion people, I've got deity cred.

SFBG: What do you do when you’re not turning meat and controlled substances into candy?
Lewis: I reverse the process. Candy into meat and liquor. I transubstantiate stuff all the time.

"Bacon lollipops? Why not!"

Continue reading "Mmm ... bacon lollipops" »

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Posted by Marke B. at 03:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Photojournalists Lisa Pickoff-White and Rhyen Coombs put together this nifty little vid for us of last weekend's 10th annual wild Brides of March downtown invasion:

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Posted by Marke B. at 10:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

By Justin Juul

Remember when the sun finally came out after a long harsh winter and you met up with all your friends in the park? Oh it was awesome! Sure you drank a little too much, but that only made your boisterous and entertaining side shine through. You were the life of the party, dude! Everyone loved you. Even those poor young girls you flashed and that group of five-year olds you made cry. They thought you were hilarious.

Thanks random drunk kid. You make bloggin’ easy!

Ed note: Er, I'd chalk this one up to another OD of GHB, ol' chap.

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Posted by Marke B. at 10:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

By A.J. Hayes

He hasn't made a basket catch since the early 1970s. He's not the best at remembering names. And his pride-and-joy godson has decamped the scene for good. But at age 76, is still the San Francisco Giants MVP - Most Valuable Personality.

Continue reading "SPORTS: Willie A(Mays)ing" »

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Posted by Marke B. at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

"It's okay that I'm alone."
"But maybe there's something wrong with me?"
"Maybe I'm just too picky."
"I'm young, I should be having sex."
"But I hate having sex with people I'm not really attracted to."
"Except when I'm traveling."

Thus were the questions plaguing San Franciscan Sasha Cagen that lead her to coin the term "quirkyalone." It started as a concept, then became an essay, an online community, and later a book, Quirkyalone: a manifesto for uncompromising romantics (HarperCollins 2004). Above all, quirkyalone is a movement.

Quirkyalone, Cagen defines, is "a person who enjoys being single (but is not opposed to being in a relationship) and generally prefers to be alone rather than dating for the sake of being in a couple."

To some, the term "quirkyalone" may conjure the image of an eccentric weirdo who embraces lifelong singledom for lack of dating opportunities. Quite the contrary, Cagen emphasizes: quirkyalones are not loner Jane Eyre-types, she says; they are often active, attractive, extroverts who are simply anti-dull relationships and anti-settling.

Continue reading "Quirkyalone gets quirkytogether" »

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Posted by Marke B. at 05:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Eager-eyed writer Justin Juul continues his Guardian's SF series "Meet Your Neighbors" by interviewing the current reigning Miss Trannyshack (and local journalist) Paul E. Pratt, aka Pollo Del Mar.

Paul E. Pratt is an entertainment journalist who leads a double life as a crazy ass drag queen. So, when he’s not interviewing people like Spike Lee and Oliver Stone he’s getting all fierce and fabulous down at Trannyshack, where he was recently crowned Miss Trannyshack 2007. I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but I wound up spending the better part of a recent quiet Sunday drinking Pilsner and watching a drag show with Pratt at Mecca in The Castro. Here’s what he had to say.

SFBG: Hey, you don’t look like a drag queen at all. Whaddup with that?

Pratt: Well, I like to keep a fine line between who I am in drag and who I am out of it.

SFBG: Yeah, I didn’t know what to expect before I met you. I kind of thought you’d be all dolled up, ten feet tall and scary.

Pratt: Well that’s something you see more of in the Midwest, where I used to live. A lot of the drag queens out there feel sort of forced to live in drag all of the time. You’ll see a lot of transgender people, men trying to become women. The point of the community out there is different in that sense. San Francisco has another side. There’s the pageant circuit -- the Imperial Court thing -- that you’re seeing some of now. And then there’s the Trannyshack crowd. It’s not so serious out here. I mean, there are straight guys who perform occasionally. There are also female drag queens -- we call them faux queens -- and even couples like Landa Lakes and Miso Hornay. You don’t find too much of that elsewhere.

SFBG: So what you do is more just for fun then?

Pratt: It’s for fun and glamour and fabulousness.

Continue reading "Pollo Del Mar explains it all for you" »

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Posted by Marke B. at 01:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)