Gay Travel Destination: Richmond, Virginia

When it comes to authenticity of place, no destination delivers more than the Richmond Region. The city is old, but the vibe in Richmond is new and its 400 years of history live on through magnificent architecture, monument-lined cobblestone streets, and world-class dining. Richmond boasts big-city amenities without big-city fuss. Its small-town charm combined with exquisite art, elegant architecture, unique boutiques and upscale shopping, lush gardens and a thriving nightlife make it the perfect destination for a weekend or long weekend getaway.

His­toric homes and neighborhoods, Civil War and Revolutionary War sites and museums, gardens and nature centers, science and art museums, sports teams and the James River offer countless things to do throughout the Region. And it’s so easy to get there. The Richmond Region is with­in a day’s drive of more than half of the U.S. population. It’s easily accessible by train and two low-cost air carriers fly into Richmond International Airport, a 10-minute drive to down­town.

Eat: Godfrey's offers popular Drag brunch on Sundays before transforming into night-time hot-spot. Gay-friendly New York Deli is located in funky Carytown just a couple doors down from the historic Byrd Theatre. Catch a movie after dinner for $1.99. Nacho Mama’s in Carytown is gay-owned and offers killer margaritas.

Sleep: TAG-certified Linden Row Inn, housed downtown in old Victorian-era row homes, is a historic urban hotel with a European style. The Linden Row boasts a beautiful winding garden courtyard (where famed Master of Macabre Edgar Allan Poe played as a child) and partners with nearby 1508 gallery to host rotating satellite exhibits. The Maury Place B&B is also TAG-certified and located on Beautiful Monument Avenue (the only street listed on the National Historic Register) in the heart of the Museum District.

Shop: Carytown is Richmond’s nine-block “Mile of Style” where independent shops and restaurants reign. Grab a quick bite at Galaxy Diner, sip lattes and people watch at Bin 22 or peruse the antiques and boutiques. Nearby is Diversity Thrift, an all-encompassing thrift store whose proceeds are used to support the Region's gay community.

Night: Babes has a great patio and great entertainment. Feildens is a private club, but if you know a member, you can go as a guest. Barcode and Godfrey’s downtown are also great night-time spots.

Arts: Virginia Commonwealth University, known for its top-ranked arts programs, serves as the anchor to a thriving arts scene that continues to grow. Home of the largest art collection in the Southeast, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is currently undergoing an expansion that will place it among the top-ten comprehensive art museums in the U.S. When all galleries re-open in May of 2010, the VMFA will welcome the popular traveling exhibit “Tiffany: Color and Light.” Don’t miss Richmond’s many fantastic galleries.

Sweat: The scenic James River distinguishes the Richmond as the only urban setting with Class IV rapids – just one form of outdoor recreation for thrill seekers. Local company Riverside Outfitters offers bike rentals, kayaking, tubing and even tree-climbing excursions.

Scream: Nearby amusement park Kings Dominion this spring will add the Intimidator 305 – all about crazy speed and intense G-forces.

Events: The Gay Pride Festival is an annual celebration held each fall in one of the area's outdoor parks, and each summer, Gay Day is held at Kings Dominion, the area's amusement park. For more gay-friendly events, happenings, and discussion, check out GayRVA.com or the Richmond Metro CVB’s GLBT page.

For more information about the Richmond Region, go to www.VisitRichmondVa.com.

Gay-friendly Hawaii Accomodations

We came across this link for the Aqua Hotels' diversity page (they are members of IGLTA and are TAG Approved). I've heard from some gay travelers via Twitter that they are fun places to stay. There are some excellent deals going on for Aqua's local chain of boutique hotels in Hawaii--their Waikiki hotels are centrally located, and though I've never stayed at one, their lobbies make them look fun!

Have you stayed at any of these? Here's a listing of Aqua Hotels on OutAdvisor--write a travel review and let other LGBT travelers know what you think!

For more info on Aqua Hotels' Diversity Program: http://www.aquaresorts.com/aqua-programs/diversity-program.aspx

You can also find 60 listings & gay travel reviews for LGBT businesses in Hawaii on OutAdvisor.com! We cover all the islands. Aloha!

"You look very nice, you're wearing your c-cksucker" -- Sophie Zawistowski, European Discount Traveler

For anyone on a tight budget who has to make the heartbreaking Sophie's Choice between a pampered, non-stop, private bed-cabin, double-decker Airbus A-380 flight or a silk sheet, 5 star service, marble steam bath and jacuzzi soaking tub hotel suite, you do have options if you decide to hand over your transportation dreams to the economic reality Nazi.

If you are traveling to Europe from North America, it's no secret that there are now a plethora of homegrown discount airlines flying between European cities at cutthroat prices. And the the same phenomenon is spreading now to Southeast Asia, too! Soooo, what does this mean for the fabulous gay or lesbian or transgendered traveler on a budget who needs to save every penny for those $14 cocktails, $30 cover charges, and $300 hotel rooms in Rome, Berlin, Bangkok, or Hong Kong? Fly to major hub and then book a separate connecting flight on one of those discount airlines! In Europe, THE hub is London. In Southeast Asia, it's Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Singapore. It's often easier to find steeply discounted ticket prices to these cities than other comparable cities in Europe and Asia. Then once you get there, you continue on a flight they may cost you just another 10 extra euros or Singapore dollars!

Say you can only find a roundtrip flight to Warsaw (and with connections still!) for $800. A flight to London, however, is only $500. Then say a discount airline like Ryanair or Easyjet is offering a roundtrip flight from London to Warsaw for just $15 dollars. That's a total of $515 dollars versus $800.

What are the downsides? Well, the flight schedules may not always mesh, which means you might have to stay an extra day in London or Singapore -- which may be a plus for some; but these are not cheap cities. This is more likely than not, since you have to book the flights separately, so you have to leave yourself plenty of time to make your connection -- especially if you check bags. This brings up the other risk that if there is a delay in either flight, the other airline will bear no responsibility in getting you to your destination if you miss your connection.

Then there's the question of "how in the world do these airlines make money, just charging $15?" (sometimes even with promotions of -$1! Yes, the airline is paying YOU to fly them). Well, first of all, these prices do not include taxes and fees, which is usually another $20 to $40. Second, nothing else on the flight is free. Be prepared to shell out money for drinks, food, pillows, priority boarding, assigned seats, and the biggest kicker of all -- checked luggage. Checking luggage can set you back upwards of $50 each way (Still, a $155 ticket ain't bad, depending). The discount airlines can also be particularly fascist (like a camp guard) in their ruthless search for efficiency, when it comes to checking in "on time" (another reason to budget in lots of connection time). I once arrived at little Ciampino airport in Rome barely after the 45 minute check-in window for Ryanair, but they utterly refused to budge (it's not like security and the terminal were a logistical challenge). In a word, be prepared to be treated not as a human being, but as faceless cattle.

BUT, if you travel light, and your connections work (and it IS do-able -- I've been doing it for years), you can save several hundred dollars with which you can pamper yourself and wash away the frustration of getting where you want (and deserve!) to go.

http://www.easyjet.com/

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/

http://www.tigerairways.com/

http://www.airasia.com/

http://www.euroflights.info/

http://www.travelsuperlink.com/asiadiscountair
  

 

An American in Gay Ireland -- Impressions by Haiku

AerLingus alights.
Empty stomach greets sunrise.
Just juice, the plane lands.

Drive Burren dreamscape. . .
Back to the left! TO THE LEFT!
Death is averted.

A Bar in Temple
Spirits flowing, straights glowing . . .
Where is Pantibar?

Dublin welcomes you!
See George, Enter the Dragon
Eire, I will come.

Black hair, blue eyes, hard,
Single, White, O'Callaghan
You go Brách! You go!

Here is black pudding.
What did you say was in it?
I have to lie down.

AerLingus alights.
Service requests disappear
Into the dark void.

Favorite Travel iPhone Applications

Most of my iPhone apps center around travel (what's around me?) or take the place of apps on my computer (Facebook, Kindle, etc.). There are more apps for the iPhone than you could ever look at--from currency converters, to museum tours, to restaurant reviews. Apple even has an entire page devoted to Apps for Traveling. Oh, and did I mention I typically download the free ones?

Here are some of my recent favorites; more are sure to come.

AroundMe: When I'm in a part of town I'm not familiar with, I use the AroundMe app to find where I am on the map, then use the menu to find places of interest that are, well, around me. It's one of the better geolocational tools I've used, with listings on Bars, Restaurants, ATMs, Hospitals, Theaters, Supermarkets and more. So it can be used when you and your friends need to find a place to hang out or for more every-day activities like finding a gas station or checking the weather. There's even a Nearby category, which is kind of like putting your finger on a map and seeing whatever listings pop up.

Public Radio Player: I downloaded this app this morning when I rolled in to work to find they've blocked me from streaming NPR news on my desktop! The app has a cool 'local' tool that uses GPS to find the local station in your area. You can search for others, say WBFO from my home town, and star as many as you like as favorites. One of my biggest frustrations with Apple music players has always been the lack of radio tuners, but now NPR can go wherever I do. And the coolest feature? On Demand programming that'll allow you to listen to your favorite programs--This American Life, Talk of the Nation, Fresh Air--any time of day!

TweetDeck: Similar to the desktop application, TweetDeck is the best Twitter app I've used on the iPhone. It allows multiple accounts and can display multiple keyword windows. Plus I can quickly check our OutAdvisor tweets while standing in line at the store, in between meetings, or waiting for the Metro! Don't forget to follow us a twitter.com/outadvisor!

What I'm still looking for is a photo app that does geotagging of my photos. Know of one? Let us know, and let us know what other travel apps you like!

--Jeff

Social Networking Survey

Social-networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have gained huge amounts of momentum in recent years and are a great way to promote your travel-related business. By posting articles, pictures, or updates, you can keep in regular contact with your customers who connect with you online. More importantly, your updates will be seen by an even larger audience: by people whose searches match your information or by friends-of-friends who see your information when it is reposted or commented.

The National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce posted the results of an online survey asking partcipants how they used social-networking tools. 100% of respondents used the tools for networking, 94% for marketing, and 61% for contacting customers. Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter were the most popular tools.

OutAdvisor regularly updates our tools with the latest travel-related deals, articles, reviews, tips, and more! Here are some free resources:

• twitter.com/outadvisor
• outadvisor.com/facebook
• outadvisor.com/linkedin
• outadvisor.com/blog
  

Shanghai Surprise 上海驚奇

“Communist China” – not the type of place you'd expect to find a thriving gay scene. But China today is about as Communist as the Old Party is Grand (though Republicans ARE old and getting even older). Shanghai today is a brash, flashy, neon-percolating city of excess, and out to party like there's no tomorrow. I was there during the week of the longest solar eclipse of the century, and I can assure you that the parade of celestial bodies wasn't only in the sky.

Shanghai Eclipsed

Nowadays, as long as you don't criticize the government and shy away from politics, it seems like anything goes in China, especially if you're trying to get people to spend money. And gays . . . spend . . .money. So naturally gay bars and night clubs have started sprouting up all over the city. That's actually a problem, in that the two most popular gay nightspots are on opposite sides of town (well, opposite sides of the older inner city – Shanghai is a megalopolis of 20 million people).

One cluster of bars is located in the so-called “gay triangle” on the western edge of the old French Concession district of the city. The closest subway station is the Henshan station on the number 2 line, but it's still a bit of a walk, so a taxi would probably still be the better bet (and taxis are cheap – only 11 to 14 RMB (around US$2) for the first 3 kilometers). It took me a good 10 to 15 minutes to walk the distance from the metro station, and that was speaking Chinese and asking for directions twice.

I visited two of the more frequented watering holes – Eddy's and Shanghai Studio. Though both of them have addresses stating they're on Huaihai Road, they're both actually just off the Road at a major, but quiet, intersection where several streets meet. Eddy's red sign is visible looking down one of the intersecting streets, while Shanghai Studio is especially well hidden down a wide alleyway (walk down and look to your right). The décor color of choice in Chinese clubs, it seems, is red. Red glowing lights, red glowing bars, and red stylized posters of Mao – all very chic and Sex and the City a la chinois.

Eddy's is a smart, but small bar, and was packed. Dress code – summer casual. Drinks – beers and tonics. Boys – Asian with a sprinkle of White. More “scenic” than cruisy, it seems to be one of the must-stops for expats and tourists in Shanghai.

Eddy's

Shanghai Studio was a little more unique. After entering at ground level, you descend down a long, warmly lit, twisting art gallery passageway until you reach a warren of chambers. Here you have a bar, there you have a dance floor, here you have a lounge, there you have another bar, oh wait, here you have an underwear store, oh, and then another bar . . . It's an intimate and cozy affair, but with the maze of rooms, you can easily lose yourself in the crowd.

Shanghai Studio

After drinks and cigarettes (yes, they do smoke a lot in the Middle Kingdom – so Europeans, make yourself at home), it seems that half the gay triangle clientele up and treks across town to D2 – THE place to be on Saturday nights. In the renovated “Cool Docks” (or “Lao Ma Tou” (Old Docks) in Chinese) retail/shopping complex on the Huangpu River, it is a thumping, giant warehouse style dance club that could easily be at home in London or New York.

D2 (Thanks to Im Stone for the pic)

With a typical large dance floor flanked by a floor length balcony and topped with a giant bar lounge, this is the place to be for shirtless, Asian beefcake sightings (even though a sign at front prohibits “shirtlessness” in public areas).

Celestial Body (Thanks to Im Stone for the pic)

Standing in the midst of all the colored lights; flashing strobes; gyrating, muscled bodies; and thumping music with drink in hand, I couldn't help but wonder what Mao would have made of all this. A Cultural Revolution indeed. 上海同志们万岁万万岁！