GOOD TIMES: GANT AND LINA, REUNITED

Though I was never happy with the idea of downtown DJ hero Gant Johnson moving to Denver, I now realize that if he hadn't moved, he wouldn't have come back to play at last Wednesday's East Village Throwback Good Times at Eastern Bloc, where Gant invited Lina, his partner in crime from yesteryear, to join him on the decks.

I tried to get a photo of Lina and Gant's five-minute reunion hug when Gant strolled in to Good Times and even though I missed it, you can still see how much these two were beaming after not seeing each other for a hot minute.

Everyone loves an early evening show and this patron did not disappoint.

Yes, she took it there, and by there I mean she made her friends hold her in the air while she performed a split. As Dionne Warwick would say, that's what friends are for, hussy.

Once they got settled in the DJ booth, Lina and Gant started up with the shows, first with Gant slipping into sandals so Lina could grasp for his toetrix, which, as you can see, she very much did.

DONKEY (me, left and Mikey Fuentes) had a production date earlier in the evening that night to work on some original music and square away some tracks for the upcoming SESSIONS 002 mixtape we'll be putting out very very soon.

Apparently sprained ankles and foot fractures are very much in style at the moment according to Nana (left, who really knows how to work a crutch) as well as Nita and Severino. Global crutch trend!

SHOWS!

Since we heard that some Boy Bar royalty might be passing through, we tried to get Keisha's drag mother Princess Diandra to roll through as well (I have yet to meet this mysterious Diandra) but to no avail.

Classic Linish and College cuddling, courtesy of the ORIGINAL DJ/photographer combo, Gant Johnson, whose photos you can always identify by the swirl of lights. 

The DJ/photographer snapping a photo of the DJ/photographer while being photographed. META!

Did I mention that EVERYONE came out to catch a glimpse of the dynamic duo of Gant and Lina in action, including Charles, Trani and Gant's main squeeze, Lars (on the right).

Really looking forward to seeing what House of Ladosha Dad Michael Magnan (left) has in store for the Ladosha gallery opening of The Whole House Eats this Thursday. Also really looking forward to having guest DJ Colby B. (right) on Feb. 13th for some kind of Valentine's Day lovefest Good Times.

Peter (right) says Obey! or he will hypnotize you and put you to sleep just as you're about to get your photo snapped.

I'm pretty sure that Mr. David aka Glamamore and Connie showing up at my little old Wednesday night party while Gant Johnson and Lina were DJing might be one of my crowning achievements in life. Love you both!

And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, in rolled Michael T. to pose for this soon-to-be super legendary photo.

A nice place to perch and watch the evening's activities unfold.

Apparently there were shows going on at both ends of the bar, but such behavior is expected when so many sensational showgirls gather together.

If you squint your eyes, it almost looks like these two are serving up some kind of Abby and Brittany conjoined realness.

Dressed in all black like the Omen. (Have your friends sayin' 'This is for my homey.')

At some point, I lost track of all the legendary friends and family of Gant and Lina's that rolled through last Wednesday but if you can't tell from the photos, love was in the air.

Stories for DAYS.

Big Scot literally started crying when Glamamore showed up at the door since apparently those two go back to the prehistoric era together.

Shalom and chai, hello, nice to see you Ari Gold.

I smell trouble with these two but I see smiles all around.

LEGENDS OF THE EAST VILLAGE, now playing.

Usually I steer clear of posting "I blinked" photos, yet it somehow seems okay to post 'em when both parties are caught in the act.

Things I learned last week: Trani LOVES the Ha Dance. In fact, Trani loves lots of 90s house music, which Lina and Gant turned out in droves.

Nana really worked the crutch prop for all it was worth and goddamn did she do a good job. PS - Linish, we see you on the mic! And we love it.

Alvin and Lars seemingly waiting for a bathroom moment. Or were they just catching up about the good ol' days at the Boiler Room? The world may never know.

SHOWS!

It's never too cold for a black tank top, especially with yet another fashion week looming right around the corner.

Our guest coat checker, Sable Scities, is one of the nicest, sweetest and most talented coat checkers I've ever met.

Nana and Sparber lovefest.

The whole evening was actually one big lovefest, with Gant introducing me to all of the most important people in his life, many of whom are also the most important people in New York nightlife.

Late night shows with Eastern Bloc owner Darren (left) and Frankie, who just had me DJ the backroom at his Westgay party and my oh my was it a good time.

"Call me!" Or just come back to Good Times next week when we celebrate all things Brazil in honor of Carnival, my upcoming trip to Sao Paolo and...do you really need me to spell out all the reasons to celebrate Brazil? Gustavo is DJing and the atmosphere will be warm and sexy. Trust.

Charles and Danilo, getting ready to drop it low and make that ass pop.

Stay queer of here is not just a cute Eastern Bloc design elements. It's actually where bartenders like Sam (pictured) enter and exit the bar area so yeah, steer queer of here.

Late night Latin hunkiness.

It may have been torrential outside but the sun was certainly shining inside the bar that night. Thank you to Gant, Lina and everyone who passed through for our East Village throwblack party. We must just do another one real real soon. Stay tuned and see you next Wednesday with Gustavo for Brazilian Good Times. xo

LONDAGE & BERLAGE WITH LINISH

In addition to our annual Led Zeppelin lovefest that Lina and I DJ every year on the occasion of her birthday (all Zep, all night!), we flew to London and Berlin to DJ and celebrate! Well, Lina didn't actually make it to Berlin, but we'll get to that.

The night after we DJed Good Times together, Linish and I hopped a Thursday evening red-eye to Londage, where Lina not only gave flight attendant realness but also exchanged phone numbers with our flight attendant and invited him to our gig in London the night that we arrived.

Obligatory tourism phone booth shot, mostly because Lina hadn't been to London in years and because last time she was here, people actually used phone booths.

A few hours after we landed, we headed up to Vogue Fabrics for our DJ gig, where Lina and Leon fell in love with each other and Lina dubbed Leon "London Education" because he was giving Mike Ackil effect.

We also had the chance to DJ with Dave Kendricks, who is not only super handsome and super sweet but quite an incredible DJ who used to be a resident back at the Hacienda. GAG.

 

The lovely Vogue Fabrics barmaids, who didn't hesitate to yell CHOOOOOOON! every time we threw on a classic.

Our flight attendant! Lina's witchy magic can work wonders, even when traveling 30,000 feet in the air transatlantic.

Dan (right) and Yaniv, who wore the most appropriate thing he could possibly wear: a Lina tshirt.

We advertised our party as the Miss Fire Island party in London and Orlando came dressed in his best beach get-up.

Lina and a lovely lady named Suzana. The two of them really hit it off (to say the least).

 

Suzana, makin' it clap.

Yes, she schlepped that entire case of CDs with her but it was well worth it.

The owner and brainchild of both Vogue Fabrics and the Sparbish-Linish London invasion of 2012, the oh so lovely Lyle.

You know its a good party when Lina climbs onto the DJ console and bar and doesn't remember any of it the following day.

British dancefloor shows.

 

British bearded shows part one.

British bearded shows part two.

 So many London love connections and we hadn't even been in town for more than 12 hours.

Just another ordinary evening at Vogue Fabrics.

Lina had the good fortune to stay with her buddy Dan (center), who she met on Fire Island last summer and played tour guide this time around for Lina and even convinced her to take...PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

Yet another love connection!

 

Pretty young things. 

Instagram celebrity Oscar (right) and a random tranny that I don't think he knows but wasn't too shy to pose for a picture with.

It isn't truly a proper London throwdown until Jacqui Potato rolls around on the bar. THANK YOU VOGUE FABRICS! We can't wait to come back and do it again.

The following night, I DJed this cool mixed gay and lesbian party called Dick & Fanny that now happens at a club space on Old Street.

My London sister Alex, who throws Dick and Fanny and was mega-swamped with the Fringe LGBT film festival that weekend since he is one of the principle organizers.

 

One of the co-DJs for Dick & Fanny was none other than New York's Lauren Flax, who is pretty awesome and needs to come and DJ Good Times one of these Wednesdays soon when she's not busy touring the world with her music project, CREEP.

Sunday, Lina's birthday celebrations continued with a big brunch at the Cambria down near Brixton, where we caught up with Ashlee (left), Harriet (right) and I had the enchanting opportunity to meet Victoria James Wilson (second from left).

Victoria and Lina both hail from the same planet, wherever that planet may be, and have the same energy, same beliefs and same seated dance moves.

Champagne for breakfast, at Orlando's insistence.

The Cambria is a hidden gem of a pub with lots of trans employees and an afternoon cabaret show, which is why we attended in the first place.

 

The Sunday afternoon cabaret show is helmed by an old, dear friend of Lina's named Miss Kimberly, who sings live and changes outfits and has even been referred to as the London Lina

Miss Kimberly's pregnant nun look.

Miss Kimberly's Wonder Woman on rollers skates look (and my favorite look of the afternoon).

Singing Sweet Transvestite to an audience of English folk and tourists.

Miss Kimberly apparently has guest performers each week. Ours was this lady in the playboy bunny outfit who was quite entertaining.

 

At the end of the performance, Miss Kimberly invited Victoria and Lina up to the stage and had everyone sing happy birthday to Linish.

Though you can't really tell in this photo, Lina and Miss Kimberly even have strikingly similar profiles.

DEBZ! Me and Debz sat next to one another and got super friendly and drunk and chatted about DJing and promoting and her London roots in Islington.

Later, we headed back to Orlando's flat in Notting Hill for, ummm, more champagne and kiki time.

 It's real and its like, 25 inches or something.

 

Harriet actually lives in Athens but was back in London for a few weeks visiting family and reciting poetry for me and the Linish in the taxi and back at Orlando's apartment.

The cuteness that is Orlando's pooch.

During the week, Lina lured me into a few shopping extravaganzas in Oxford Circus, including Topshop (seen here) but not including SELFRIDGES, which Lina has never been to but is already planning on spending a week there in November.

A family that shops together sticks together.

The upstairs suit display at Topman, which I quite enjoyed.

 

Lana Del Rey-inspired 13-year-old Topshop modelling campaign?

Ahhh, Londage. We had such lovely weather which was a first in my many visits to New York's sister city.

Proof that Lina has in fact rode public transportation in her lifetime.

An AIDS awareness bathroom display at the George and Dragon I believe.

That very postmodern moment when a sign from the Cock in New York City is photographed, printed and posted in a bathroom at a gay bar in London.

 

We may or may not have had a late night look at the McDonald's in Islington, which has knock-off designer chairs and lots and lots of late night litter.

That time that I introduced Lina and Severino.

That time that I introduced Lina and Luis.

After a failed attempt at flying to Berlin on Tuesday (fuck you RyanAir!), Lina and I spent two more nights in London Town. On our final night (Wednesday), I took Lina to the George & Dragon, where Jacqui Potato and Jon Benet were the choice DJs/performers.

Our hunky London friends.

Lina became besties with these two and may even be hosting them at her hut on Fire Island this summer, which should be a kiki.

 

My two favorite witches in the whole wide world (besides Stevie Nicks. But maybe she's number 3).

Spanish beardiness is one of the best things London has to offer. Go figure. 

I would have started a Jacqui Potato fanclub on facebook but somebody already beat me to the punch.

By the end of their set, everybody in the entire bar was up and dancing and singing and cheering and it was then and there that Lina decided that its time for us to move to London.

Sexy back.

 

He wasn't snoring. I swear.

See! Everyone was up and dancing to like, the theme song from Titanic or something. London, you never cease to impress me.

On Thursday, we said farewell (again) to London but not before a fireman photo opp. Lina was ready to jump in the firetruck with them but they actually had a fire to put out and turned the siren on and sped away.

Our farewell food photo shoot in London. Lina didn't want to fly to Berlin for two days so she headed back to New York City.

I, on the other hand, booked a last minute ticket with EasyJet (fuck you again, RyanAir!) and headed off to Berlin for a long weekend.

Condom machines at the airport, just in case you plan on joining the mile high club on your upcoming flight.

 

In Berlin, I stayed with my buddy Roman, who lives on Alexanderplatz and actually faces the Alexanderplatz tower, which is a rather spectacular view morning, noon and night.

Thursday night, Roman and I headed to perennial beardy hang out, Mobel Olfe, where I met up American transplant Kyle and we investigated East German canned bar snacks.

Superstar DJ Giovanni (right), leaning up against the freshly planted grass that grows up against a vertical wall in the front of Mobel Olfe.

The strange East German elevators in Roman's building, which only stops on floors 1, 2, 5 and 8 for German, energy-conserving "efficiency purposes," according to Roman.
 

ROMAN! In addition to being a great host, Roman got all geared up Friday night and took me to Lab.Oratory for my first Lab experience. (No cameras allowed inside. Sorry! But there's lots of slings and people making use of said slings.)

Roman's friend Eric also joined us at Lab and showed me the sights and sounds of Schoenberg, Berlin's rainbow-flaggy gayborhood.

No caption necessary.

 

Much like my previous trips to Berlin, I was forced to dine on the German delicacy of white asparagus and hollandaise sauce.

Over the weekend, another American buddy of mine, Spencer, who moved from New York to Berlin to be and artist and party around the clock, showed me around his corner of Kreuzberg.
 

 

MDMA rooftop graffiti, as seen from a park in Kreuzberg. And I don't think Madonna's latest album had anything to do with this.

Roman (seen here peeing behind a billboard. No shame!) and I checked out a monthly party called Homopatik on Saturday afternoon. It actually started Friday at 10pm but we went at 2pm on Saturday.

As you can see, 16 hours after the party began, things were still in full swing.

Roman (right) and Spencer, proving that plaid pleases gays in all cities around the world.

The youth of Deutschland.

The space that houses the Homopatik party actually has a sprawling backyard, as well as a dark, indoor club space where the only afternoon light comes from the sun shining through tinted windows.

Lots of the people had been partying since the night before, including this hunky shirtless guy who was only semi-coherent for most of the afternoon (I stayed till 9pm!).

A cute little Italian named Emiliano in an even cuter Vacation In Michigan teddy bear shirt.

Requisite coffee and catchup with Eastern Bloc fixture Dirk (left. He dates bartender Darren) and his buddy Leo.

 

My new Grindr handle.

And finally, on my final night in Berlin, Eric and I headed to another perennial fave, GMF because 1) I hadn't been there in forever and I love looking out the windows at Weekend, the club where its housed...

2) It was Gloria Viagra's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GLORIA!

and 3) New York City's Sherry Vine was in town! (also for Gloria's birthday).

Eric, getting frisky with another drag queen who I'm pretty sure I saw perform in Mykonos last summer but much like this photo, that evening is a bit of a blur.

Me and Christos, who also works on Mykonos all summer, which is kind of like the Fire Island of Greece / Europe but not at all.

 

And then we got really drunk.

And Eric harassed Sherry.

 

And then I flew back to New York...TILL JULY, when I'm back in Berlin for two more weeks. Whoohoo! xoxoxo