West Hollywood Addict

High&Sober: Episode 1

2011-05-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

High&Sober: Episode 1

Check out my latest collaborative effort. A news and culture show, High&Sober.

Also my video blog, "Because I'm there for you."

The Shutter: West Hollywood Addict

2011-04-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately WeHo Addict is shutting down. I'm thrilled that this space will not be as missed with so many new West Hollywood oriented media outlets like a revamped WeHo News.com, a saucy WeHo Confidential and West Hollywood Patch. Also, my favorite guide on what to do in the only place that matters, wehoparty.com is still exceptional.

So it is with a heavy heart I retire the WeHo Addict concept.

However, please look for me, personally, in a new project that I'm calling "Because I'm there for you." Of course West Hollywood will remain a topic of most high interest for me.

Thanks for stopping by! More news on the next project soon.

West Hollywood Addict: Palm Springs 2010

2010-06-05T17:50:00.000-07:00

Rapid fire ramblings on an early summer romp in my favorite gay-lovin' desert city, Palm Springs!

I am not dead!

2010-04-25T23:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of activity friends! New vlogs coming very soon!

Industry Review
"I am NOT fat!" White Party in Review
The Bitch is BACK. How to dispatch flakes, freinemies, and mooches with ease.

Weho Addict Excursions: WHITE PARTY! WOOT

2010-04-08T23:06:00.000-07:00

Weho Addict is hitting the road to Palm Springs for White Party. I'm going to try to upload special White Party vids while on location!

Weho Addict Excursion: Krave Nightclub Las Vegas, NV

2010-04-02T17:31:00.000-07:00

I recently ventured into Sin City and let's just say... what happens in Vegas... ain't a WHOLE lot in terms of the gay scene on the Strip.

Krave Nightclub
Steep Cover -20
Sleepy -10
Sweet Layout +5
Eclectic Crowd +10
Live Shows +10

Grade -5

Voyeur Nightclub in WeHo makes the news! In a BIG way.

2010-03-31T22:14:00.000-07:00

Popular, expensive, and notably raunchy Voyeur Nightclub located in central West Hollywood has been popping up in the national news quite a lot recently. The drama relates to a Republican National Committee sanctioned shindig in the "lesbian themed" bondage club where a few rowdy GOPers rang up a $2,000k tag (presumably on drinks, dancers, and ... special favors?! We can use our imagination). But seriously 2k will not go far during the capacity nights at Voyeur where elite heterosexuals must pay a hefty sum to buy bottle service in order to see the highfalutin burlesque circus. Scandal and cries of fiscal irresponsibility follow.

West Hollywood's own politicians have even taken the opportunity to cling to the faux-scandal by making their own "outraged" appeals. The faux-drama!

View a Huffington Post Article Here

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

2 Girls 1 GOP

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Reform

West Hollywood needs more awards!

2010-03-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

This town has a lot of award shows. From the big (Oscars) to the small (some indy something or other) so why not have a NEW award show?

In the wake of the controversial "WeHo Awards" which ironically took place outside of West Hollywood, I have decided to host the West Hollywood Addict Awards. In short, the WHAwards!

OMG! Stay tuned.

SBE Wants You To Name Its Bar

2010-03-20T13:39:00.000-07:00

SBE, Los Angeles' prolific nightlife conglomerate, wants YOU to name its newest club in Hollywood (the former Halo/White Lotus. Give it your best shot. You have 3 chances and the contest ends March 30.

Also I check in with SBE flagship "Area" nighclub's demise and the gourmet burger bar infused "Industry" Nightclub to take its place.

SBE's Name Your Club

DEATHWATCH: Don Tonos' reign of terror is over + 411 on "dive" Mexican Restaurants

2010-03-07T16:29:00.000-08:00

This entry I share a secret about ordering at "dive" Mexican restaurants in Los Angeles. What is a dive? Well, a dive is term usually to describe a bar that is dark, dank, and cheap. Not to say "dives" are bad but you should be fully cognizant of what you are getting into (and pay special attention to that dept of health rating!).

But some dives, are indeed a nightmare. Enter, Don Tonos Tacos of Santa Monica Blvd a few steps away from Motherlode. This taco shack that had a beautiful mural painting of Mexico on its wall couldn't serve as pleasant of meals. Especially, American Tex-Mex favorites. Onward to sweeping generalizations!

The Problem with 24 Hour Fitness: The Competition

2010-02-27T21:21:00.000-08:00

24 Hour Fitness West Hollywood is one of boystown's most recognizable (and frequented) landmarks. This sizeable gym that is actually not open 24 hours a day certainly has a reputation among Wehoans mostly for the negative. The gym has tried to turnaround that image but due to questions remain about the gyms overall cleanlieness, equipment selection/availability, tawdry lockerrooms, and upkeep.

Some of the complaints hurled at 24 Hour Fitness are legit, others not so much. In this latest vlog entry I talk about one problem, the competition! In a city obsessed with health and fitness there are few competitors in boystown with their scope right at 24 hour fit (ie. Gold's Gym, LA Fitness, etc).

One likely foe is about a half a mile north on Sunset Blvd. Equinox. This ulta-luxury gym is large and fully equipped. However the clientel Equinox lures are monied and will let you know it. No wonder there is a large price of admission to step foot into the gym. Does it measure up? Can it replace 24 Hour Fitness? Not exactly...

Tender Greens: West Hollywood's Old New Eatery!

2010-02-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

Tender Greens aka Rough Yellow is under the microscope in today's latest entry.

Yes, I am about 8 months late to this party (TG's has been open for what seems like awhile now). But do check it out. Regardless of some, reservations, it is a nice addition to the boulevard.

West Hollywood Addict: THE VLOG!

2010-02-20T18:08:00.000-08:00

OMG OMG OMG!

BIG NEWS.

I'm on VIDEO ya'll!

So the exciting "news" for this blog is that it is now turning into a ... vlog! Don't you just love internet-lingo. But don't fret. The reviews and West Hollywood 101 will still come in article format. But we'll get more consistent and kooky commentary through video.

So subscribe to the YouTube feed! And buckle up... things are... quite ROUGH around the edges so far as I get used to using video. But hopefully it's more entertaining because at the end of the day that's what this is all about. Clogging the internets!

Watch the intro:

A Brave New World

2010-02-19T19:18:00.000-08:00

Exciting changes are coming to WeHo Addict (in like a few days/hours)! Please stay tuned.

:)

Weho Addict Excursion: Hula's in Waikiki Beach, Honolulu Hawaii

2010-02-07T13:23:00.000-08:00

Greetings! Apologies for the month off of R'n'R but Weho Addict has had his hands full... more on that later. Also, for more up-to-date ramblings you can follow me on twitter @grandolbaz

In January I took another cross country trip that allowed me to sample a new "gay scene." This time rather than crossing the fly-over states I went west to beautiful Oahu.

What the state of Hawaii has in natural beauty (a lot!) it lacks in a vibrant gay scene (abysmal). From a few social encounters with locals the bar/club scene is often in flux and pretty "tame". There is only one true hotspot that locals and tourists must check out and that is the hotel bar, Hula's.

Hula's is a mix between dive bar and makeshift thumpa-thumpa club. Sort of like the more ragged looking dance parlors of Long Beach, it appeals to a large spectrum of the gay community. A very diverse landscape of twinks, daddies, tourists, female flight attendants, a mix of races, etc etc.

The crowd as diverse and pleasant as they were was sparse by West Hollywood standards. I arrived to Hula's on a friday at 9pm (early) and the place was deserted. Things picked up as the night progressed but there was plenty of room to swing a cat and not hit anyone.

Another shocker I was in for was the more conservative nature of the place. The go-go dancers arrived on the box in blue jeans. ATigerheat-esque show of young-somethings gyrating nearly fully clothed was not what I was expecting from a beach city like Honolulu. It is somewhat odd that this well known gay hotspot is located in a mild looking family hotel. This may have an affect on the "culture" of the bar.

The true pleasure of Hula's is that the staff and vibe from the patrons is incredibly friendly. During my evening I received several free drinks from bartenders and revelers! It was also clear these gestures of kindness were not predatory but fully hospitable.

Music was good too.

Ultimately, when you go to Hula's don't expect to be transported to Ibiza... not even Eleven Bar and Lounge in Boystown. You are going to get a more sedate hometowny disco with cheap drinks, friendly people, and a great view.

It's hard to fault Hula's for it's more laid-back vibe though since it does that part very well. It is just unfortunate that Honolulu cannot seem to support a more vibrant and varied gay scene.

WeHo Addict's unannounced sabbatical

2010-01-22T19:32:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of updates Wehoans and friends. I've taken a short break but will be back very shortly with some new posts including but not limited to!

West Hollywood 101: NYE in Weho: It's a hot mess.
WeHo Addict's adventures in Honolulu
Review: Fresh Meat Friday's @ MJs

Club 21 @ MJ's Bar, Silverlake

2009-12-17T22:00:00.000-08:00

WeHo Addict makes a very special excursion outside of Boystown to visit the new Wednesday night at MJ's bar in Silverlake. Tthe new Wednesday night, Club 21, has been in operation for a month.

Club 21 promotes itself as all about twinks in Silverlake. No, that isn't a typo. Twinks in Silverlake.

OK, even my Grandmother would know that "Twinks in Silverlake" sounds like an oxymoron. The eastside community is more well-known for it's leather crowd, bears, and manly bruttish types. So a Tigerheat-esque environment in the epicenter of gay Silverlake, MJs, sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen.

In actuality Club 21 is mostly successful in luring a younger crowd to MJs. The multitude of booming pop music videos and prepubescent looking go-go dancers successfully changes the usually older and cruisier MJs vibe to the bubblegum chewing (near-statutory) feel of Rage. Although you won't find kids drinking Pepsi here, it is still a 21+ only night.

I was pleasantly surprised to see about 100 younger folks say 20-30 file thought the front doors. The crowd, mostly attractive, was something you'd see at Fiesta Cantina and not typically Silverlake. So twinks in Silverlake do exist (albeit not in huge numbers). The bar nor the dance floor was ever crowded but there wasn't a desperately empty feel either.

The music was pop heavy and a plethora of makeshift projectors broadcasted everyone's favorite pop videos.

I did leave with some concerns. The go-go dancer for the most part looked about 16 and seemed more comfortable auditioning for a backup part in a Britney single than working for dollars. Perhaps this is "cool" for some guys but I was not entirely enthralled by the effeminate twirls and kicks by Justin Bieber look-alikes. But let me retract my claws. This is a generalization, there was some eyebrow raising hotties stomping on the box but the typical MJs buffet of eye-poppin dancers.

Cover was also disheartening. I am always disheartened by covers but it does cost money to put these shindigs on so I'm not going to pull a diva tantrum when asked to cough up some cash. Unfortunately, the flyer says free until 11pm. I arrived at 10:58pm and was asked to pay! Ok, I'm not going to be a stickler and ask for the nearest atomic clock but a dick-move by the gatekeeper like that kills goodwill. Cover was $5, priced right.

In the end, Club 21, much to my surprise succeeds in creating a young pop-centric party environment. However it is not very rowdy due to only a small contingent of local twinks. Certainly worth checking out if you live in the area and want to get your pre-pop party on before Tigerheat on Thursday.

The Verdict (the top 6 takeaways) :
Clock watchers (-10)
Tweens Dancing for Dollars (-5)
Room to stretch (not crowded) (-3)
Boys Boys Boys (few women) (+3)
Cuties on the dancefloor (younger crowd) (+10)
Hot Pop Music with Video (+10)

Grade: +5

Stalkery Stalkings: JB French Dry Cleaners

2009-12-17T18:32:00.000-08:00

A new feature of WeHo Addict, Stalkery Stalkings, are short FYI's about the people of Boystown worthy of stalking. All in good humor and tounge-in-cheeck. Actual stalking is a form of harassment and gernerally not cool.

The male attendant at the JB French Dry Cleaners, 805 Palm Avenue, is FINE. F. I. N. E. Prices are adequate.

Epic Weho Bar Crawl to benefit charity

2009-12-10T18:47:00.000-08:00

The Tervor Project, a fantastic national suicide prevention hotline for GLBT youth, will be holding a "Bar Crawl" fundraiser in Boystown. But this is no ordinary bar crawl it is an EPIC BAR CRAWL. As a veteran of a many bar crawls they usually hit up about 4 to 5 establishments throughout a night. However this charity-driven liquor tour will hit up all the major watering holes in Boystown starting at 4pm (lawdy!) to Midnight. The total bar count is 12 bars (impressive!)... seriously, even Java Detour is inclduded in the action for some sauce or presumably expresso.

The expedition starts at GYM and the final destination is Ultra Suede's Cherry Pop @ 11:30 (after hours at Micky's 2am+)

Be sure to grab some food in between if you expect to be sipping along the way because this could be a recipe for major intoxication.

What a fantastic idea. Getting sloshed for a good cause and pretty much covering all of the spots in historic boystown that has a ABC liquor license. Score!

More info on official Facebook Event Invite here

Andrew Christian Model Search Los Angeles

2009-12-04T21:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Andrew Christian hosted a "Model Search" competition at the Abbey in Boystown. Overall the production values were not that outstanding but it was a fun event hosted by Marcellas Reynolds and the namesake designer. The crowd of restless men and women oogled the 20 or so locals that were allowed strut around on a stage in underwear. After a few Q&As, chit-chat, and audience "participation" the eventual winner was chosen.

The winner is a young big-bodied bartender at Motherlode, Jon Foehl (supposedly single!).

According to Andrew Christian this model now has the chance of being the face of AC Underwear for their 2010 Summer Campaign.

A highlight of the evening was Marcellas snapping at an apparently drunk foreign woman who would try to jump on stage and take pictures with the models... yes... while the event was taking place! He brought her down a few notches.

Atlas Underwear Party: December 5th 2009

2009-11-29T20:09:00.000-08:00

A night filled with ripped club bunnies in their skivvies? Serious.

Curious? Check it out.

Atlas Underwear Party

What's an underwear party? Check out: West Hollywood Addict 101: Underwear Parties.

Voyuer Nighclub: The Abbey on Steroids

2009-11-29T19:51:00.000-08:00

Love it or hate it, the Abbey in West Hollywood was recently rated #1 Gay Bar in the World, and there is a reason for that. The Abbey combines cool Hollywood chic, with hottie bartenders, hottie patrons, and decadent decor. But with the good comes the bad according to some barhoppers. The Abbey has $$$ drinks, the attitude is considerably pretentious, and dancing does not take precedence over the preening and mingling. Now take that Abbey and shoot it up with steroids and you'll have a taste of what Voyeur Nightclub is.

Voyeur is all about style. A great attention to detail was taken transforming the once non-descrpit dance hall into a baroque looking parlor house. Clearly a good bit of money was spent into upgrading the furnishings and fixtures. Giant globe like light fixture hang from the ceiling not to mention a large circus type net where go-go dancers (women and men) would roll around/crawl over the crowd below. Aside from the elaborate decor the "wow" factor of Voyeur is the erotic dancing.

I hesitate to call the dancers, "go-go dancers," as these aren't your typical go-go routines (ie. thrust, shake, repeat). The dancers often are part of "erotic" shows amongst one another. For example there was one show where a Lady Gaga inspired female dancer was leading a shirtless muscled up gentleman with a leash.

Another show took place in the center of Voyeur, in a glass box. This show was beyond surreal. A topless woman wearing a Darth Vader Mask was writhing around with a shirtless heartthrob of a man and another scantily clad woman. Too bizarre to describe and oddly arousing.

Voyeur is all about pushing the limits of decadence, eroticism, and style with of course not being a strip club. An attractive crowd was on hand, DJ Derek Monteiro was spinning electronic beats, and Lady Gaga made a quick post-AMA appearance.

With the over-the-top dramatics on stage there is plenty of high-maintenance theatrics on the floor amongst the crowd. I personally witnessed three near-fights that ended with drink throwing and arm shoving attacks. Many individuals circulating in the crowd definitely had an "air" to them that was pretentious and aloof.

Cover was $7, but the flyer said $5. I wasn't going to nag but dick moves like this hurt goodwill. Give Voyeur a look, every other Sunday and expect something much different than what currently exists in Boystown.

The Verdict (the top 6 takeaways) :
Attitude Factor (expect 'tude from bouncers to revelers) (-15)
Sardines (crowded) (-5)
Bring a catheter bag (small bathroom) (-3)
Hotties on parade (attractive crowd) (+5)
Nice Digs(quality bar design, decor, and layout) (+15)
Exotic Dance Show(Entertainment) (+25)

Grade: +22

Ps. Be sure to check out the backroom! A gorgeous little nook with another bar that many people are not aware of (ie. no lines!).

Voyeur 7969 Santa Monica Blvd: West Hollywood's Newest Upscale Lounge

2009-11-22T20:27:00.000-08:00

After posting about so many shuttered bars like Numbers and Apple I am happy to announce a new kid on the block. Voyeur is a new upscale lounge/club that blatantly tries to woo celebrities, pseudo-celebs, and their admirers. Similar to the recently departed Apple.

On most nights the club/bar has extremely restrictive door management. Only open to the public on sporadic days and almost exclusively for private parties or well-funded bottle service.

Fortunately, Jeffrey Sanker and crew has set up a bi-weekly "gay night" every other Sunday, which is more accessible to the common man. Knowing Sanker this night will likely cater to a house and electronic-pop dance crowd (fine by me! See: Deathwatch House in WeHo).

Tonight I will take my first visit to Voyeur and bring back the lowdown.

Excurison from Weho: Long Beach's Executive Suite

2009-11-21T23:08:00.000-08:00

I decided to stop by a new bar scene Friday by checking out Executive Suite (E.S.) in Long Beach.

Now the Long Beach gay club scene is far different than WeHo, Silverlake, etc this I was aware but I had never actually been to E.S. before so I didn't know what to expect. In actuality E.S. was not far from the Long Beach scene norm.

It was extremely similiar to "Club Ripples" another popular gay spot by the ocean in LB in:
1) Crowd: The crowd was very diverse, especially compared to the typical Hollywood club. Diverse in both race, age, and personal aestetic (is that putting it delicately)
2) Music: Top 40 hits to get the boys and girls jumping.
3) Layout: No drinks on the dancefloor (this must be an LB thing). Dancing on the top level and a more relaxed pool hall on the bottom floor.

All in all it was a great little getaway. Executive Suite provided a lot of fun for my friends and there were some smokin' hot gogo dancers (and some unusual offerings). A big plus for the diversity that ranged from asian, latino, white, black, etc. Friendly crowd and well priced drinks ($4.50 for specialty beer, $3 domestic, $3 well drink). Of note, there was a very limited number of women (presumably straight or lesbian) on this night.

If I'm back in LB (which is rare) I wouldn't mind stoping by the Suite to get my Pop music groove on.

Sexing up Halloween 2009

2009-11-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

This past Halloween Carnaval in West Hollywood was a spectacular sight to behold. Like I would imagine the streets filled with some 400,000 costumed revelers but what I did not realize was just how SLUTTY the costumes would be.

Perhaps it was the trifecta of events that led to such a jaw-dropping display of half-nude (to nearly nude) men and women (mostly men!).
1) Halloween was on a Saturday (how cool was that!)
2) The weather was outlandishly pleasant. The temps propbably were at a low of 70 degrees.
3) The bad economy (more handmade costumes... saving money on fabric???)

Whatever the case my silly-costumed clan where definietly outstaged the the ounslaught of sexy, slutty, to the downright raunchy outfits on display! Mental Note: Check the weather and the day of the week because sexy trumps silly when you have 400k boozed up partiers rocking Boystown in crazy warm weekend weather.

Night Owls Rejoice. Elleven & Bossa Nova go After-Hours

2009-10-30T16:05:00.000-07:00

Things were looking pretty dire for Eleven after Mickey's opened. The crowd of 30 something drinkers streamed across the street and back to Mickey's leaving Eleven's weekly lineup of club nights desolate in comparison.

But finally some good news come to the bar on the corner of Santa Monica and Larabee... After Hours! Weekends at Eleven are now open to 4am. Cool. Sadly, last call remains 2am until the state legislature decides otherwise.

Even more good after hours news for those with the late night munchies. Bossa Nova's Brazilian Restaurant across from the Abbey will be open until 4am on the weekends as well.

Now let's hope there will be a day when the entire strip is bustling until 4am! Sleep is for when you're 40.

West Hollywood 101: The West Hollywood Halloween Carnaval

2009-10-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

A MUST DO for all Los Angeles area folks and even out-of-towners need to consider converging on West Hollywood this Halloween. Every October 31st, Santa Monica Blvd (SMB) is shut down from La Cieniga to Doheney, and this is where the West Hollywood Carnaval takes place. This year it will overtake Boystown from 6pm-11pm.

The Carnaval is a massive street gathering/parade that attracted nearly 350,000 people in 2007 (according to Wikipedia). Yes 350,000 people! That is greater than the number of people living in Pittsburgh, PA all converging on SMB dressed up in costume. Estimates for the number of people expected at the event range from 350k-500k! Considering this year Halloween falls on a Saturday be prepared for it to be a record setter.

The Carnaval is the LA areas 2nd largest event (Tournament of the Roses is #1) and is the largest Halloween festivals in the World! So how do you make the best of it?

Tip #1) Bring your camera. There is a mix between the sexy, the funny, and the truly outrageous garb so make sure to bring your camera!

Tip #2) Dress up. I nor did my friends dress up the first time we checked out the West Hollywood Carnaval. While we were not shouted down by the frenzied masses we missed out on a lot of the experience. We didn't make that mistake again. Dress up and be as crazy as possible. You'll see some twisted #$@! so you don't have to worry about being "too much" trust me.

Tip #3) Don't bring your kids. Seriously, you'll see some twisted #$@. Leave the wee ones at home.

Tip #4) Expect the mother of all traffic jams. 350k+ people will be converging on a one mile parade route. 95% will be coming in cars! Expect huge traffic delays reaching WeHo and parking will be an absolute nightmare. Budget at least 1 hour to find parking/sitting in traffic once you are IN the WeHo proximity.

Tip #5) Pregame. I cannot condone drinking in your car while sitting in the mother of all traffic but expect the bars of Boystown to be SLAMMED with people. It is virtually impossible to get inside any of the bars. That is the truth. Even Java Detour has a line queue! If you want some libations it is best to do it early. There are a few makeshift beer tents erected for the event but they close early and last year one of the tents ran out of beer (wtf!?).

TIP #6) Skip the drinks if you have a small bladder. Or a complicated costume. Not only will it take you 30+ minutes to wait in line for a Rum & Coke it will take that or longer to use the restroom.

TIP #7) Have fun! This is a crazy festival that brings out all sorts of people from all over the coutry and even the world. Have fun and let everyone else around you know you are having fun. Cheering, hi-fives, thumbs ups are all acceptable. :)

Weho Addict's Adventures in Pennsylvania

2009-10-16T20:43:00.000-07:00

My trip to Pittsburgh & Harrisburg was filled with nostalgic joy. Technically there for a friend's wedding but also a great oppurtunity to check out the keystone state's scene. I visited 3 different gay bars in the Pittsburgh area as well as 1 in Harrisburg.

The Link
91 Wendel Rd., Herminie, PA
http://www.thelinkbar.com/
Todo, we are not in West Hollywood anymore! The shack looking structure is home to some of the most provacative dancing in the state. I went on a Sunday, the must go-to night, where "male strippers" perform. Now these dancers are not the chiseled porn-stars and go-go's you may find thrusting about at Here Lounge but these more homely peformers get nude. Yes. Full frontal, unabashed nudity. I nearly chocked on my $3 domestic draft. All I could wonder was, "damn! I wish I knew about this place before!" Older crowd that was much homelier than the dancers but were very respectful and cheery.

5801 Video Lounge & Cafe

Shadyside - 5801 Ellsworth Ave., Pittsburgh, PA
http://www.5801.us/
The Shadyside district of Pittsburgh is the de facto gay mecca of Steel City. Although this is Pittsburgh we are talking about it is not quite the Castro or Boystown but I was surprised by the number of walkable gay-friendly establishments in this neighborhood. 5801 was a spacious place that was moderately packed on a Wednesday. Friendly crowd and bartenders that catered towards a younger crowd, 20s-30s. I really liked the easy going vibe and it was like a cleaner, younger version of Trunks.

SPIN
Shadyside - 5744 Ellsworth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA
http://www.spinbartini.com/

Someone combined the decor of Here Lounge and the vibe of Motherlode (as well as the music video soundtrack). This was the quintessential video bar. Dozens of plasma screens lined the walls blasting dance/techno songs from "Promo Only". SPIN's decor was very modern and very chic bar and it was located only a few steps down from 5801. This bar felt the most like "home" and I was pretty impressed by its design. Marketed as an "ultra lounge" it is not as obnoxious as that moniker would suggest. Best of all they had Vox Vodka (the best vodka!) so instantly fell in love. Unforunately, the place was dead when I stopped in. I chatted with the bartender for a few to find out that is is indeed a pretty popular hotspot on the weekends. I could imagine. If this bar existed in WeHo. It would make bank.

Stallions
706 N 3rd St, Harrisburg, PA
http://www.stallionsclub.com
Live like a king in one of Central PA's ONLY gay clubs. When I learned that drafts were $2 and shots were $3 I nearly slapped the bartender for playing games with my emotions. The drinks here are dirt cheap. Stallions is a 3 story complex split into seemingly 3 different bars. The first floor is your laid back lounge with many tables, darts, billiards... think Trunks. The second floor is the Rage-esque dance club and the top floor is another pool hall bar that was dominated by lesbians. Tragically the place was pretty dead for a Friday. The dance floor "filled" with about 5 twinks at any given time and the more casual bar downstairs had about 20 or so regulars sipping drinks at their tables. Friendly crowd but using the term crowd seems laughable. Where are all the H-burg gays at?!

So my adventures of Pennsylvania are over. Nice folks and cheap booze. But so happy to be back in West Hollywood!

Going through Withdrawls: Weho Addict goes to heartland

2009-10-03T05:13:00.000-07:00

I will be traveling to the deep country. Western and Central PA to be exact. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I brave the rural countryside for 9 full days!

Follow me on Twitter to get the latest WeHo Addict whereabouts. @grandolbaz

Random: Jessica & Hunter... the worst of Hollywood.

2009-10-01T00:10:00.000-07:00

Epitomizing the worst of Hollywood (and West Hollywood) in hilarious fashion. We all know someone like these two (unfortunately). If you don't know anyone as self-absorbed, obnoxious, and tweaked out as this pair I would suggest just showing up to WeHo on any given Saturday night lurking amongst the crowd. You'll find them. (NSFW Language)

Jessica & Hunter Youtube Page

DEATHWATCH: Numbers Bar & Restaurant.

2009-09-29T22:53:00.000-07:00

When the lord bringeth he taketh away! :(

Just as "Gym" is opening up in the Coffee Bean/Pet Store plaza on Santa Monia Blvd and Hancock Ave the infamous hustler gathering spot, Number Bar & Restuarant, has abruptly faced the shutter! Tragic. That is the only way to explain this turn of events.

Numbers, a 'fine dining' establishment, was as legendary as it was infamous. It was no secret that the pricery eatery (that actually served good food) was teaming with rent boys, porn stars, hustlers, and their daddies. The bar was a must-see for locals and tourists alike. Truly something straight out of Amsterdam. Where else could you be dining on a spectacular grilled chicken panini while a 60' something man was enjoying a 20' something boy in a jock strap riding his lap.... Numbers!

Not only where the "boys" who serviced Numbers incredible friendly (the reasons for that may vary) but the bartenders were also very fun. The crowd of men that trended towards 40+ and monied was also good natured even when me and my friends had to inform them that we were not "part of the experience." It was a great hangout whether you be old or young to stop by every once in awhile.

Sadly, Numbers has obviously been on the brink since its name change to "Digits" then subsequent re-birth as Numbers. Then the economy collapsed. I guess disposable income for lap dances, "conversation", and eye candy has been drying up in West Hollywood. Now the daddies will be left scrambling to rentboy.com et. al. to find hunky gentlemen callers willing to entertain for a certain fee.

RIP Numbers Bar & Restaurant. You will be missed.

Getting to know your new bar nights: Popcat & Jock Strap

2009-09-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

Two new bar nights have descended upon Boystown you may want to check out...

1) Popcat @ Rage Nightclub. Don't let the flyers sporting an animated feline-beasty wearing a trenchcoat confuse you. Popcat is Weho's newest Monday night, which features Pop and Hip-Hop mashups. An interesting mix of music that should get the true partiers all in a tizzy. The inaugural opening was yesterday, 9/28/09. I was only there briefly but the crowd was pleaseantly raucus for a Monday. But alas some of us must work on the weekdays so I made my exit relatively early!

2) Jock Strap "The Club" debuts at Ultra Suede, October 8th (Thursday). Gym bunnies and their admirers are beckoned to the Factory's backside neighbor to a night that seems to be ~~blatantly copying Rough House @ Eleven~~ particularly familiar to Rough House @ Eleven. No need to call the copyright lawyers just yet; this new jocktainment night has been created by Rick K whom previously birthed Rough House. I suppose Rick feels that Boystown could use more muscle-head infused nightlife. According to the promotions for Jock Strap "The Club" there will be oil wrestling. Interesting. Also, $3 domestic beers. Very interesting! But these goodies come with a small price of $5 for entrance.

Jock Strap's Facebook Page JS "The Club" seems to have compiled quite the listing of good looking friends.

DEATHWATCH: House in Weho. Starf*kr and Anthem close up shop.

2009-09-24T22:14:00.000-07:00

In what must be demographically fueled shift in music tastes it seems that Electronic Dance Mixes are out of favor.

Two recent nights that catered to a more high-energy dance crowd have shuttered in record time and rather quietly at Rage. Rohan Bisset's Starf*kr and Jeffrey Sanker's Anthem on Saturday and Sunday's respectively at Rage Nightclub have both folded and have been relaunched as "Rage Saturday" and presumably "Rage Sunday."

The extraordinarily blasé titled Rage Saturday & Sunday will focus solely on pop music. How will this help Rage differentiate itself from say, Cherry Pop, or Red (with more Pop!), Fresh (lots of Pop) etc etc remains to be seen but club promoters and bar owners must feel that today's 18-35 Boystown market wants more pop... In addition to music videos with said pop!

Obviously I am none to thrilled with the eradication of house music in WeHo. What made me a Starf*kr regular was because they played *gasp* Offer Nissim!

There will still be Atlas and Reflex that provide the "thumpa thumpa" bass that real house and electronic dance lends itself to. But having regular nights of hot DJs spinning even hotter house, electronic dance and circuit music was a nice treat. Unfortunately after massive openings for both nights the attendance dropped off a cliff (the steep covers probably didn't help) and the two nights just could not sustain themselves.

Hopefully Boystown will not have to wait long for more electronic dace music to come.

GYM preps opening in WeHo. Gay sports fans rejoice over newest sports hangout.

2009-09-24T00:07:00.000-07:00

Eleven, Trunks, and Fiesta Cantina sort have catered to gay sports fans in the past but we all know that these are not truly sports bars. No memorabilia on the walls, no real enthusasium towards whatever ESPN was broadcasting, and no hesitation to change the channel to Headline News or a pop-video compilation.

Well sports fans wanting to catch the game in a decidedly homosexual environment are in luck. According to Outsports.com's Jock Blog, GYM, the popular New York based bar will open it's first West coast location October 2nd. GYM's original spot in Chelsea is touted for it's casual atmosphere, bustling crowds, and good service.

GYM Sportsbar, will be located in the old Normandie Room, 8737 Santa Monica Blvd as reported earlier. Currently the space is going through renovations and an outdoor patio is also planned. Maybe this will really energize that plaza, which is already home to a busy Coffee Bean and Numbers Bar & Restaurant.

I personally hope that the owners of GYM invest in a meaty sports package (apologies for the innuendo there). A pet peeve of mine is going to a sports bar to find out they only have basic cable. A sports bar should have the money and desire to spend an extra $100 a month to get ALL the sports channels including Versus, CBS-C (formerly CSTV), FSN-Prime Ticket, etc.

Also, while it seems that GYM has a good deal of positive press not everyone is a fan. Yelpers, in general seem to have a more critical opinion of the bar (and the crowd it attracts).

Read More about the opening at Outsports here

Random: Kayne West Interupts Flood terrorizing American Southeast

2009-09-23T18:51:00.000-07:00

Completely random and a little insensitive but very funny. I had to share.

Credit:

malik_photog

Factory VIP Card Night rolls into town

2009-09-17T23:02:00.000-07:00

When I was new to the West Hollywood scene there was a group of "regulars" who would giddily flaunt their Factory VIP card in my face.

I would enviously imagine the legnths they had to go through in order to obtain these "exclusive" passes. The cards were more than just a flamboyant marketing device they allowed the card-owners free or discounted entrance into the popular club nights (restrictions do apply though). This seemed quite valuable when the average cover for Friday Popstarz is $10. So while I was busy sifting through my dollar bills in order to gain entrance they would just breeze past me flaunting their cards and shooting toothy grins to the bouncers.

But I was far to timid to ask them how they obtained the VIP passes. Where they actual VIPs?

Doubtful.

Did they drop serious cash one night and get this little perk to ease the pain?

Doubtful.

So I just practiced my self-management and accepted that they were in a different class than me. They were Factory VIPs and I only a Factory pauper. So imagine the shock when I was flipping through an Odyssey Magazine one day only to see a large obnoxious ad announcing the return of "VIP CARD FRIDAYZZ @ the FACTORY!!"

The betrayal. These so called VIPs were just Odyssey readers who showed up to the Factory early on a random yet well-publicized day to grab promotional goodies with the rest of us peasants..The glamorous appeal of these cards that I had internalized instantly plummeted.

To hell with glamor; I just don't want to pay cover! Get in line early.

Words you'll never hear in West Hollywood....

2009-09-09T17:38:00.000-07:00

"Welcome to Walmart." The 3 words that are muttered out by a drone like Walmart greeter in America's most loved/hated retail mega-giant.

WeHo isn't devoid of the behemoths' big box nemesis, Target. Nestled in the far eastside of town is the uber-convenient big-box mashup of Target, Best Buy, BevMo and other smaller national retail outlets and eateries. The hodge-podge looking shopping center is always slammed with people so there is definitely a thirst for cheap goods in the greater Hollywood region.

But alas, it is probably safe to say that America's #1 retailer, Walmart, will never be setting up shop in West Hollywood in the foreseeable future.

This comes to mind as Walmart unveils its "Project Impact" a company-wide initiative to increase sales aka wipe-out the competition aka dominate the global economy from toilet paper to Cheerios to LCD TVs and all that in between. I'd bet ON Walmart personally as it has already shown that domination is a specialty it is quite capable of, regardless of a dicey public perception.

But if you REALLY want proof of why Walmart will never come to WeHo (and is likely not welcome) look no further than the oddly hypnotic and bizarre blog, The People of Walmart. TPoW blog encourages readers to go to Walmart and snap pictures of the unsuspecting crazies that patronize the discount retailer. Perhaps this is unethical at the very least indecent but I can't seem to stop looking.

The horrors. If this is what Walmart brings to the table... I'm happy living without it! For those brave souls out there. Pack up a camera and hit the nearest Walmarts located in Pasadena, Crenshaw, and Torrance.

Visit The People of Walmart for more.

West Hollywood 101: Underwear Parties

2009-09-03T23:29:00.000-07:00

West Hollywood 101: Giving you the skinny, the 411, the lowdown, [insert more synonyms here] on all things WeHo and stuff.

Labor Day weekend is here!

There are several circuit parties to join in including but not limited to!

1) Scandal's Underwear Party @ The Music Box at Fonda on Saturday
2) Atlas' Labor Day Night @ the Factory on Saturday
3) Hard Labor @ the Mayan (Downtown) on Sunday
4) Labor Party @ Avalon on Sunday

I have no idea which party I will partake in (if any!). Unfortunately, this WeHo addict has been under the weather and may be shut-in all weekend. Tragic!

But there is one party in particular I wanted to highlight. That is Scandal's Underwear Party. What is an underwear party?

Now for newbies that have never partied in their skivvies this may sound VERY intimidating.

But fear not.

I would highly recommend checking an underwear party out. Seriously, what club haven't we been to when we secretly wished we could see a few hotties in their under-garments. At an underwear party that wish comes true 100x fold.

You arrive at the club wearing some loose clothes (or something easily removable because your outer-garments will not be on long!). At the door it is customary to check in your clothes much like a coat check and hitting the dance floor in only your, underwear, so wear something cute underneath. It looks a little silly at first but thankfully you also have your socks and shoes on.

Some fellows decide to keep their undershirts on. This is not advised. Even worse some guys decide to keep ALL their clothes on. While I don't think someone would be kicked out for not stripping down, they come across as frumpy buzzkills. Don't be bashful. Underwear parties are DARK and jam packed with gyrating men of all shapes and sizes. You also are not required to wear the skimpiest of under-gear. Actually thongs likely may be "too much" unless you are sporting a god-like body or you are Borat.

Excellent review of last year's Scandal Underwear Party here.

So show up, strip down, and dance! There are not many chances to party like this in such a large venue. Plus, I'm sure the hotties will be in full force! ... oh God am I really going to miss this!?. @_@

Remember to check out WeHo Party for all the hot events this weekend.

Whatever you decide have a fun, relaxing, and safe labor day weekend!

Station Fire is bringing the HEAT to Hollywood Hills

2009-08-31T18:40:00.000-07:00

By now all residents of Los Angeles are aware of the giant forest fire blazing nearby in Station/Azusa. Here is a particularly amazing time-lapsed video taken from Playa Vista that shows the mushroom cloud of smoke flowing over the Hollywood Hills.

The following youtube timelapse video has a quick view at night which is pretty shocking.

New York Times Article on Watching the Station Fire Online here.

No shame in Hollywood "Proper"

2009-08-28T22:04:00.000-07:00

My apartment's laundry facilities really annoy me. The machines are small and inefficient yet they cost $2.50 to wash and $2.50 to dry. Because of this fact I still haul my dirty clothes to the laundrymat like my days as an undergrad. I'm not sure if I really save any money given the added time and annoyance but it makes me feel better.

Enter: The Hollywood Laundry (7395 Sunset Blvd), the gathering spot for all that makes Hollywood unique.

This particular visit included Grandpa the Pornoholic.

When I arrived to the laundromat I noticed an elederly gentleman (around 65-70 easy) was rather caught up in the makeshift computer lab. There are only 2 pay computers and stools available but I had my laptop in order to take advantage of the free wifi.

When I was ready to set up my MacBook next to one of the computers Grandpa was not using he all the sudden switched computers.

"Interesting," I thought until I noticed a naked woman hovering over a rather large black dildo on the screen he just vacated. As I sat down he informed me that, "oh that computer is froze".

"I just need to use this table for my laptop, it's ok" I informed him. He went about his business on his new computer, immediately launching into more girl on dildo smut. Mind you the PC screen he was using faces the laundromat, there is no "privacy" screen.

He didn't mind! Hi feverishly surfed the raunchy girl-on-girl girl-on-latex toy porn and even dabbled a bit into some transexual action (oh Grandpa is a little kinky!).

About 25 minutes of more unadulterated XXX fun his new computer froze. He then was scolded by the laundry attendent for trying to go behind the counter to unplug the computer. Grandpa eventually retreated to wandering around the launromat looking for his "lost socks," after he was done accusing me of having taken them.

It's always interesting in Hollywood "Proper".

Starf*kr Night @ Rage Nightclub, West Hollywood

2009-08-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

The inaugural Starf*kr night at Rage in WeHo was a great time. Dj Derek Monteiro kept it high-energy with some great circuit mixes and Dangerous Muse brought it.

The cover is at a premuim for the recession ($10) but considering the place was packed with gorgeous go-go's and featured a live performance it was well worth it.

The crowd was mixed with older and younger gays and a higher than normal percentage of females than I'm used to seeing. They made out about 15-20% of the crowd.

The Verdict (the top 6 takeaways) :
Top shelf cover (-5)
Ladies Night (0)
Palpable drink prices (+1)
Hot dancers (+10)
Hotter music (+10)
Hottest dancing in Town (+10)

Grade: +26

Apologies for Blair Witch type quality but you've got to love WeHo.

OMG: Dangerous Muse to perform live at Rage

2009-08-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

Sexilicious up-and-coming pop group Dangerous Muse is to perform live for the inaugural Starf*kr night at Rage, Saturday August 22.

Who is Dangerous Muse?

DM is a sexually ambiguous (gay? bi? try?) electropop duo (ty Wikipedia for the genre). What makes DM standout is the uber-sultry vibe of the music and videos thanks to steamy lead singer Mike Furey and cutie-pie Tom Napack maning the keytar. The duo's self-described "heteroflexible" lifestyle also leaves the door open for hope.

You are not going to want to miss a chance to see these young stars up-close and personal, surrounded by throngs of tipsy gay boys.

Check out the teaser for their upcoming single (and presumably 1st full album)

@_@ ! *clears throat*

See you there.

The Rejection Music Video

Starf*kr Official Site

Old News: Lesbian Hangout the Normandie Room is closed!

2009-08-20T22:24:00.000-07:00

Edit: I walked by "The Norm" 8/21 and there were a few girls sipping cocktails in there. Seems like the hideout had a few more weeks left in it. As of 9/16 the glowy neon sign was removed and paper was placed in the windows to announce the coming of... "GYM".

The Normandie Room (8737 Santa Monica Blvd 90069) has been shut down! And it has been kaput since July 31st.

The Normandie Room was one of two lesbian dominated bars in Boystown and has become the latest victim of a flat lining economy. Sad news for those that appretiated the diversity of gay and lesbian bars in WeHo. Now only The Palms remains to give our lesbian sisters a place to get their drink on all week long with fellow lady lovers. But even the Palms has been testing man catering nights like Hot Dog...

In Normandie Room's wake though is rumored to be a gay sports bar, "The Gym" an east coast concept. How will "The Gym" level up and get along with it's hustling nieghbor Numbers Restaurant & Bar upstairs?

The Gym NYC website here

Shewired Article on Normandie Room's closure here

The Normandie Room Official Website here

Cockpit rises from the dead and appears in Silverlake.

2009-08-18T22:37:00.000-07:00

There is a "new" CP Powerplant in town! This is perhaps the 3rd or 4th CP Powerplant but who is counting. It is a highly mobile powerplant...

Cockpit re-opens @ MJ's in Silverlake on Friday Nights. It looks like CP will merge with the existing night, Fresh Meat. A very good match imo. A dark and flirty bar on a good night and Cockpit's appeal should go well with one another.

Not sure if the "Fresh Meat" hook of having 19 pretty boy dancers and 1 ugly dude will make the cut after the refresh but giving the flyer a once over it seems the night will be plenty raunchy. @_@ !

The sound system should be much improved too. This should bode well for the quirky and go-go giddy night.

Opening Night, August 28th.

MJ's Bar

HIM2 PRODUCTIONS needs to work on its production value

2009-08-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

Public Service Announcement

HIM2 Productions (H2P) is a popular urban/black party promotion group that holds events around Los Angeles. I have been trying to attend one of its events for sometime but it has been difficult. Not having a connection to the H2P hierarchy I needed to rely in vague party flyers and an extremely outdated website in order to find what events were happening and where.

So that brings me to the point of this post. What is up with H2P's website! The thing is straight out of 1997 geocities a nightmarish train-wreck of html codes and images. I know websites are being replaced by blogs, facebook, and myspace because they are way easier to setup, maintain, and make pretty but come on. When your job is party promotion and marketing you really need to exploit the "internets" and the HIM2 Productions website sets us all back a good 2 decades.

To make things worse the myspace is outdated.

H2P would certainly benefit from a more coherent and useful online presence. I'm rooting for it.

HIM2 Productions

I did recently pop into the inaugural "Zodiac" pool party, The Leo Party, but more on that later. In short. It wasn't much of a pool party per se.

Jamie Pressly Peeing in Boystown. The new lockness monster.

2009-08-15T16:53:00.001-07:00

Perez Hilton, infamous WeHo blogger, has heavily promoted the "did she, didn't she" account of Emmy-winning actress Jamie Pressly urinating outside the Abbey.

Her take on the situation disputes any public urination charge. According to her this was a "dare #8," part of her bridal shower party and the illusion of urine streaming from her crouched body was acutally done with a water bottle. Just harmless H20! Perez and other shocktainment bloggers are not so convinced.

The incredibly vague and ultimately pointless video. If you look closely perhaps you can also see Big Foot sipping a mojito near the back bar.

Somewhat hard to believe the My Name is Earl star would just pop a squat in broad daylight while an ambulance is hanging out (presumably police as well) on one of the most trafficked streets in West Hollywood... but some nearby spectator sure thinks something BIG went down.

News Link

Buddah Lounge returns to Ultra Suede

2009-08-13T10:32:00.001-07:00

Buddah Lounge is the magical act of club nights. It teleports. It disappears. Then it reappears.

After a 3 or 4 month hiatus the 'WeHo to Silverlake to Long Beach to WeHo' dance party catering to the Asian persuasion is back in West Hollywood. Buddah Lounge is a notable night out for one reason, the GO-GO boys. If you are not particularly a fan of gaysian nights such as Gameboi at Rage then a visit to Buddah Lounge may not be of interest but I'd suggest you at least give it a peek.

Buddah Lounge back in the day (and I hope in the current) used to be home to some of the most ripped hotties in SoCal. Not only are the cuties out in full force they are extremely friendly. You can't argue with that. The drawback was a pricey cover at $8, which means if you want to check it out you'll likely have to commit!

Check out westhollywood.com's interview with the founder about one of BL's many "re-openings" here.

Also the official myspace here.

DEATHWATCH: Apple Restaurant & Lounge on Robertson Blvd closes shop

2009-08-05T12:34:00.000-07:00

Apple Restaurant & Lounge, the upscale club/restaurant attached to Ultra Suede & the Factory and across the street from the Abbey and Here Lounge has closed its door after not even being open for more than a year (*gulp*).

In short, Apple was located in the wrong place and at the worst of times. Unfortunate because the actual space was pretty nice. Before it opened to the public I had an opportunity to tour the lounge and it was very impressive. The decor was modern, subdued and tasteful. The outside patio was very chill and great for people watching. 2 dance floors with all the modern fixin's. But alas Apple's determination to bring celebrity-style Hollywood nightlife to the epicenter of boystown was destined for disaster.

Rule #1: Straight-Bars don't play in Boystown
The lightly promoted gay night "Temptation" that Apple originally debuted with was quickly shuttered in order for the lounge to take on a different brand. VIP straights only complete with obligatory long lines and extreme 'girl to guy' ratio mandates.

Yes, straight bars/clubs can exist "around" Boystownbut not necessarily in the heart. There is a level of awkwardness, lets face it. Who can forget the controversy when Here Lounge began testing out straight nights and the push-back from the community. Apple suffered from similar discomfort. It is not a coincidence that the very open patio with glass partitions allowing patrons inside to look out into the street freely were quickly boarded up (yes, with large boards!) so it resembled an upscale fortress. How rude.

There was absolutely no "synergy" between Apple and the nearby nightlife. The thousands of gays and lesbians roaming around Apple's gates were not even the target market! Talk about ignoring the low hanging fruit *groan* no pun intended.

Rule #2 Your fortress of wood planks is not cool
The bouncers were notoriously rude and arrogant. Unfortunately this is a problem for many Hollywood clubs but Apple's staff was going for the gold. It isn't acceptable to terrorize patrons when the lounge hardly had any history. Access to the "exclusive" list was also prominently pimped out on citysearch.com's message boards. That's hot.

Rule #3 Your celebrity chef is not above the recession
Even Obama is now feeling the heat for the worst recession since the Great Depression. Something tells me Los Angeles was not ready to support another $ restaurant and lounge with all the other problems attached to Apple.

So starlet wannabees and the like will now have to return back to the Sunset Strip to get their spendy straight party on in WeHo. It was fun while it lasted... maybe?

Yelpers take on Apple Restaurant & Lounge and the results look mixed.

DEATHWATCH: CP Powerplant's Cockpit

2009-07-31T10:27:00.000-07:00

... a moment of silence please for a recently deceased club night. Cockpit at "CP Powerplant" a.k.a. The Palms is no longer with us.

I previously blogged (my 1st acutal post) about visiting Cockpit and the sense of both unease and curiosity that it created. Unfortunately I never got around to writing a proper review for the quirky off-the-beaten-path bar night before it made its untimely demise. And for those that area really "in the know" of WeHo's party scene will sense a bit of deja vu. Cockpit originally debuted in the central WeHo watering hole Fubar before closing up shop and moving westward.

While I'm sad to see the night could never really take off *cough* no pun intended at either location I cannot say I'm shocked.

My first impression of the night was positive. The military theme was prevalent and the decorating budget was high. The atmosphere was dark, dank, and flirty much like the MJ's I think this night was trying to emulate. Another pleasant surprise were the a combination of beefy and twinky go-go boys with revealing outfits and rocking bodies.

But unfortunately for all of us... there were about 20 people in the awkwardly shaped bar. The Palms, for those not familiar, is a long bar with the dance floor tucked in the far end and cannot even really be seen from the front 60% of the space. This "dead zone" filled with older gentlemen gazing about with their beers. The hidden dancefloor housed 3 to 4 go-go dancers strutting in camouflage garb and a single dancing 30'something who was just happy to be there (or perhaps high?).

*gulp* things were now starting to look bad. Eventually the crowd would change but it mostly consisted of 30-50 year olds who were not in the mood to get funky (ie. dance, or tip the dancers!).

But the lack of a energetic or alluring crowd was not the lowest point of the night that would come from the soundtrack. And by soundtrack I do mean a CD.

This would be the first "club" that I have experienced that had a mixed CD stand-in as a DJ. To make matters worse the said Mixed-disc skipped, multiple times. It became so bad that the scratched DJ Disc had to be removed, presumably wiped off, and then put back in the discman to provide some beats for the gogo boys. This too happened several times and I was only there for about 1.5 hours!

There is nothing worse than seeing a scared and confused go-go boy thrusting to a skipping Christina Aguilera shoutdown.

Ultimately the night seemed like somewhat of a train wreck. With a scratching, scraping, skipping "oonce-oonce" soundtrack to the older and somewhat frightened patrons. BUT after all that it was hard to ignore the gorgeous go-go's, very cool Vietnam War-esque theme, and cheap drinks. I did plan on going back with my entourage with a fistfull of dollars but alas.... DEAD. :(

The Verdict (the top 6 takeaways) :
Cheap Drinks/No Cover (+5)
Several patrons missing teeth (-2)
A club with no dancing (-5)
Mood Lighting/Decoration (+2)
Please use an iPod next time (-3)
Hot sloppy dancers (+5)

Grade: +2

West Hollywood Pavilions is here! Store hours and more...

2009-07-23T16:34:00.000-07:00

Dry those wet eyes Wehoans, the Pavilions on SMB and Robertson (8969 Santa Monica Boulevard) is finally operational. An hour and a half ago the doors swung open for the preview event (@ 3pm) and tomorrow (Friday the 23rd) is the first full day of operations.

The normal store hours are 24 Hours a day, 7 days a week so that gives us nighttime shoppers plenty of time to procrastinate and early birds something new to do before the sun comes up.

No word on what other tenants will move into the newly built plaza.

Business Wire Article on WeHo Pavilion's Grand Opening

WeHo Party's founder to celebrate like rockstar.

2009-07-22T23:55:00.000-07:00

Jesse Perry, the patron saint of WeHo Party.com, is having a birthday bash fit for a gay rockstar. Not only will he and his extended posse be crashing Eleven's Rough Trade (think Coyote Ugly/Truckstop for gay men) but the party will go after-hours at Reflex @ Ultra Suede. The open invite is posted on West Hollywood Party.

Plight of a West Hollywood Parking Permit

2009-07-20T18:56:00.001-07:00

In life sometimes you have to learn lessons the hard way.

I learned that it is NOT a good idea to give up your visitor parking permit to blind dates. If you are going to host a blind date in WeHo and want to give them a fighting chance at parking without fear of spending precious quarters or getting ticketed (towed!) then please take the time to get disposable parking permits from the Sheriff's Station.

This becomes critical when the blind date concludes. If the date went great then there is no fear that your valuable $22 plastic visitor permit is in danger. But things become incredibly awkward if the date fizzles.

You can be ...

A) faced with scorned date wondering why there is no invite upstairs. Only a hasty goodbye pat-on-the-back and a request to relinquish the permit. This could have particularly "dramatic" implications.

B) departing scorned date flees WeHo with parking permit in his/her possession!

C) Awkward and painful next-to-car chat is extended in order to ensure parking permit retrieval.

Is it really worth it?

NO. Please don't make the mistakes(s) I've made. In the past 3 weeks all the above has happened to me. From needing to explain for over 10 minutes "why" I am not inviting the gentleman caller up to my apartment to a now AWOL parking permit.

Lesson learned.

Go disposable for blind dates.

The economy does not seem to be keeping Outfest down.

2009-07-16T00:20:00.000-07:00

Outfest, the annual gay & lesbian movie festival is one of my favorite "GAY!" events of the year. But this year I have noticed that the crowds are bustling and I have even been turned away from a few showings (ok I may have a problem showing up to events "early" see: ATB).

The economy is clearly not hampering the glbt movie-lovers. But I did find it somewhat off-putting that during one show a lady was trotted out begging for cash to be placed in a jar outside the theater doors. Is this a film festival or a Sunday morning evangelical.

Thankfully the Outfest overlords allow for the mythical, "student discount" so my bank account isn't in shambles after hitting up many showings. Thank you Outfest overlords!

More Outfest Info Here

Paradiso Girls to perform at Rage's ANTHEM

2009-07-12T19:14:00.001-07:00

Pussycat Dolls, I mean, the Paradiso Girls will be performing live at Rage tonight, 12am (midnight). The new reccuring Sunday night at Rage, Anthem, emphasizes high energy 'diva' anthems.

The girls single "Patron Tequila" was my personal anthem for Los Angeles Pride 2009. I blasted the song on endless loop throughout my pre-party festivities. I'll be sure to make my way down to Rage to check out this new night.

Listen to the track: (Explicit Language)

West Hollywood Pavilions to open late July (finally!)

2009-07-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

... and the crowd rejoices.

WeHoans will likely note that the construction of the new Pavilions shopping center has come a long way in recent weeks. When browsing my favorite weho blogs I stumbled upon the opening date at Walking WeHo.

Friday, July 24 at 6:00 am !!! With a preview at July 23rd @ 3:00pm.

So rejoice! West Hollywood Pavilions returns after a long absence.

I for one have been tired of shopping at the horrendously overpriced Bristol Farms on Beverly, the equally overpriced but pleasantly empty Gelsons on SMB, and the parking lot clusterf*** of a Ralphs on Beverly when I need to get my big box grocery on.

More at: Walking WeHo

At The Beach Black Pride: The early bird gets the worm, literally!

2009-07-07T15:21:00.001-07:00

Black pride was mostly unsuccessful for this WeHo Addict. Not only did I have to battle personal illness throughout the 4th of July weekend I also made some disastrous miscalculations.

Namely, you do not want to show up too fashionably late for ATB events.

I figured that the beach and pool parties would start much later than their opening times suggested. No, I was incorrect. The beach and pool parties got jumpin' early on and cleared early out with little fanfare. By the time I came strolling in (entourage in tow) the party pretty much was over and all that was left were a few crushed cheetohs, frumpy security guards, and sad faces of other shell-shocked tardy folk.

Lesson learned!

I can report back that the finale events (Mansion Party & Radisson Hotel) were large and in charge and the crowds were A+. I'll set my clock early in 2010.

Beachy Alternative

2009-07-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

This 4th of July plenty of the WeHo gays are said to be flocking to gayish Laguna Beach for, Independance. This is a large scale circuit dance-a-thon that will not dissapoint. So if you happen to want to leave LA county for our more conservative neighbor to the south stop by Independence. The venue, 7 degrees, is something of a modern wedding hall (think expensive fire hall of the future?) but is highly reviewed by descerning Yelpers. 7 Degree's Yelp Review

Oh yes, and throughout the day the gays will be converging on Laguna's beautiful beaches for the usual strutting, volleyball, and gawking. Got to love the 4th of July.

Is Black Gay Pride... Scary!?

2009-06-29T22:40:00.000-07:00

This July 4th Holiday Weekend sees the return of Black Gay Pride to Los Angeles (Officially know as At The Beach Los Angeles Black Pride). Last year due to some controversy with the city of Malibu the festivities were unceremoniously squashed. But it seems that someone has played nice and Men of Color and their admirers will once again be frolicking with scandalous bikinis/tanks/unitards/trunks and the sort.

West Hollywood Addict will be leaving the fabulous borders of WeHo to partake in some of the "ATB" festivities that stretch from Malibu to Culver City to Downtown to West Adams. Not quite as condensed nor convenient as Los Angeles Pride but it'll do and I'll provide the 411 for all those who cannot attend.

The title of this post relates to a conversation I had with a friend about Black Gay Pride. I asked whether he was going to go to the beach party on July 3rd and he responded "oh heavens no! I'd be a mouse!" Complete with a grief-stricken expression splashed across his face. I guess I shouldn't be too shocked by this response seeing my friend is caucasion but it is sort of sad. Yes I understand that BLACK pride sounds intimidating and unwelcoming but it anything but. People of all ethnicities are welcome and would be greeted with as much kindness (gropes if you will) as their darker peers.

So if you either fan of hip hop, hip urbanism, men of color, the beach or any combination I would definitely give it a look... even if you "feel" it is something outside your domain.

More info @ At The Beach Black G ay Pride Official Website

RIP Michael Jackson. The King of Pop.

2009-06-25T23:16:00.000-07:00

It is a sad day for America and an even sadder day for West Hollywood. The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, died today at age 50 in a tragic saga that played out this afternoon. I was alerted that MJ was headed to UCLA after suffering from a cardiac arrest by following twitter (which was much more accurate and timely than the mainstream media). Ultimatly I was sadden to hear about his eventual death.

No matter what personal issues may have clouded MJ's life his legacy is his music and what he brought to the stage as an entertainer and that will never be forgotten. RIP Michael Jackson, you will live on in the hearts and memories of millions.

West Hollywood's Factory Nightclub will be hosting a tribute night to MJ, Saturday Night, corresponding with the usual Popstarz Night. MJ faithful will likely be flocking to dance their respects. I'm sure the all WeHo Haunts will be dusting off the old Jackson mixes and classics as well.

Cockpit Tuesdays at CP Powerplant ... An Introduction

2009-06-24T11:23:00.001-07:00

It's Tuesday and you are looking for a place to go out.

First of all, congratulations on living a life of leisure. Secondly, your best bet is to go to the raunchy and dimly-lit environ of MJ's in Silverlake for its infamous "Rimjob Tuesdays." But for us West Hollywoodites a trip to Silverlake is not usually viewed favorably, especially on a weekday. Enter Cockpit at CP Powerplant (which is actually the Palms on Santa Monica Blvd aka the Lesbian Den).

Cockpit fashions itself as a raunchy, quirky, and fun-loving destination with a quirky military theme. The posters are filled with partially nude beefy young models wearing army apparatuses and making overly dramatic facial expressions. Truth be told, my interest has been high to check out Cockpit ever since it debuted at Fubar (file under revelation: sex sells).

The problem was that I have not had much luck getting myself pumped to party on a Tuesday. I just couldn't seem to muster the energy or excitement to wander down the street to see what the fuss was about. A far cry from my younger days in LA when I was always up for the 30 mile drive to MJs in order to sheepishly oogle and grope the dozen or so dancers at Rimjob.

Well that all changed June 23rd. I finally decided to chug a beer and get my ass to Cockpit so I could FINALLY form an opinion about the "not so new" night that is taking place in my hood.

What I found there was 1 part disturbing and 1 part promising.

Stay Tuned for the Review.

Birthing West Hollywood Addict

2009-06-23T18:53:00.000-07:00

It ain't pretty but well worth it.