SAN FRANCISCO: TUBESTEAK CONNECTION

I flew into San Fran Thursday night and wasted no time getting acquainted with all the parties that had sprung up since I last visited, which was more than five years ago.


Aunt Charlie's is a gay institution in the Tenderloin with carpeted floors. On Thursdays, they host a disco dance party called Tubesteak.


While the bar's clientele is mostly older men, Tubesteak brings out the young, hipster gays, who like to wear fancy hat and neckerchiefs.


Kevin (left) is my San Fran nightlife liaison. He used to live there and was visiting the same time as me. I had no idea that every drag queen in the city knew him by name.


All the bars here close at 2am, but people still arrive at 11 or 1130, so you have to move fast if you want to hook up. These two met, chatted and were making out all within five minutes, since it was the last five minutes before the lights came up.


The toothless bartender had this vintage Adidas 1952 Helsinki Olympics shirt that I've always pined for on Ebay.


True to the city's free spirit reputation, people here seem way less inhibited, such as multiracial love train that was going on on the dance floor as the smoke machine fogged it up.


Old souls and young souls mixed to the tunes of DJ Bus Station John, such as Hola (pictured above) a crazy and amazing patron who will start dancing for you if you yell out, "Ho-laaaaaaaaaa!" Try it.