GOOD TIMES: BABY JOEY'S BIRTHDAY

Though it was only a few short months ago that Joey Trotto made his DJ debut at our weekly Wednesday Good Times party at Eastern Bloc (he had only DJed out and about a handful of times before that), he's already been flown to Japan for a gig, released a few mixtapes and perfected the look of the rock star DJ. Thus, it only seemed natural for us to invite him to guest at last week's party on the occasion of his 23rd birthday.

Valissa rolled through early on in the evening to wish Joey the happiest of birthdays and to show off that gorgeous dress and coat ensemble of hers, which I was kind of drooling over.

Did you know Good Times is huge in Bombay? Well, not really, but our long-time friend Michael D. (right, with Paul) now resides there full time and still makes our weekly Wednesday party his number one priority every time he returns to New York.

It's been eons since we've seen either Charles (left) or Kevin, possibly because Charles has been inaccessible by telephone or text since September (his last phone was swept away in the ocean) and Kevin has been studying up for his imminent return to grad school. Come back soon you two.

Charles insisted that I snap a photo of Andrew (pictured here) since Andrew is always ready to strike a pose (which is apparently true. Who knew?)

Kevin has been serving some straight-up Pantene commercial hair in the best way possible of late, showcasing those gorgeous locks of love as much as possible.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY JOEY! We are all so proud of how far you've come in such a short amount of time. Keep it up and you're bound for more greatness.

Everyone should have a sweetheart best friend like Shawn Leigh (right), who not only surprised us all with a birthday cake treat but used her New York charm to get the bakery to write "HBD CUNT" on the cake itself, which was apparently quite a feat.

Yes to Gugu giving an 80s codpiece a la Cameo. WORD UP!

 I think I might have even gone over and touched her hair because I found it oh so mesmerizing.

Rich King, Orlando and a lady friend (from left), photobombed by the dude in the blue henley whose blank stare is saying, "work tomorrow? Ain't nobody got time for that!"

Behind every great DJ stands an equally great team of supporters, of which Derek (right) seems to be a vital part of for team Trotto.

Winter warriors Colin (left) and Elliot opted for mid-December tanks and tshirts because a) it gets real hot up in Eastern Bloc and b) they both look great if I may say so myself.

This wasn't how I intended to take the photo but I like the way it came out because it really showcases those peekaboo cut-out undies that became quite a hit in 2012.

 The follow-up photo, which does less justice to Marc's "cleavage" but showcases his handsome face quite nicely.

AMERICA'S NEXT GAY TRAVEL GURU, FRANKIE V.! (we hope.)

Thank god for all the newbies Joey brought with him as part of his birthday entourage for keeping us young and reminding us that the new generation loves Livin Joy's Dreamer just as much as everyone else.

That point in the evening when Good Times transforms into an alternate East Village version of the Robin Byrd show aka now let me see those titties bounce!

When will Rob just get it over with and make a 2013 pin-up Good Times calendar for us with 12 months of cheesecake poses?

Excited to be spinning Rich King's annual New Year's Day potluck again at the Westside Tavern along with some of my favorite New York City DJs such as Dandylion, Ryan Smith, DJ Will and Austin Downey. And of course, Mr. King himself.

It is always a treat when Contessa and her children pop up at our Good Times party to dish on Bushwick, Long Island and the downtown lez scene. Cuntmafia 4EVA!

No mistletoe was available this year so we instructed them to kiss under the deer heads for good luck.

The reality TV fan inside of me got all giddy when Sharon Needles (center) and company came through the door for a 2am nightcap. Then she got a bit sloppy and nasty with numerous patrons, which only reinforced our earlier feelings: TEAM LATRICE ROYALE ALL THE WAY.

I don't remember anything whatsoever about this photo but I am quite happy that so many boys and girls, gay and straight, young and old, black white and beyond are showing face at Good Times these days.

Happy New Year's buddy! Ching ching, darrrrrrling.

Rico is still my favorite tiny dancer in all the universe.

The club ninja known as Damiam, who came through extra late last week but took care of everything he needed to take care of before disappearing without a trace into the night(life).

And since this is the last set of Good Times photos in 2012, here's to another awesome year of Good Times in 2013 with guest DJs from New York to Berlin and San Francisco and maybe even a guest host spot from the one and only Gugu.

CONTESSA ON THE MIC, CHECK ONE TWO. Thanks to everyone who came out to dance and celebrate another evening of Good Times and the birthday of my baby DJ protege, Joey Trotto. See you next Wednedsay, the day after Christmas, for the last Good Times of 2012 and an all-night set by yours truly. xoxo, Sparber

GOOD TIMES: AWWWW, WITH W. JEREMY

Two weeks ago, it got dark around 5pm here in New York City and the temperature dropped below freezing, though we still carried on with our weekly Wednesday Good Times party at Eastern Bloc because that's how we do. Guest DJ W. Jeremy even asked me if I was going to cancel, to which I responded 'HELL NAW' because those frigid winter nights always prove to be the best.

Barman Rob, looking as handsome as ever in his new Nasty Pig hat and no, Nasty Pig has never sponsored our party but I wouldn't be mad at some free schwag (aka socks and jocks).

After my opening set, I chatted up Ru (left, with pretty David) and we brainstormed ways to get more folks involved in his Occupy The Disco movement, a group of music enthusiasts who collectively attend awesome DJ and music performances regardless of whether the majority of attendees are gay or not.

Lulu (right) is headed home to France for the holidays and insisted that I join him one of these days since he assures me that Paris is where its out for New Years festivities.

I am glad Peter (right) has finally forgiven me for standing him in Bethnal Green, London last year, which was completely unintentional and completely shady of me. My bad!

I honestly cannot think of any "licky" caption for this photo that I haven't already posted on another tongue-to-cheek photo in the history of Good Times photos, of which there have been many.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but when it comes to Eastern Bloc, beauty is in the face and bodies of the beer-holders / servers.

Every time someone poses in front of that damn Gaysploitation sign, it always turns out to be the most gaysploitative photograph in the roll (for better or worse. Sorry Andy's friend!)

Ain't nobody humpin' around except for maybe these two to the left.

Good Times: we're always here for you if you need a warm nuzzle or cuddle or five shots of Jaeger.

On slower nights, we ask coat checker Marc to hop up on the bar, pole or coat check table and show us what he's got. Then we play Crime Mob and let him go to town and see what good photos we can get out of it.

LA hip hopper AB Soto (right, pronounced Aye Bee, FYI) did a reverse snowbird thing this year by coming to New York for a few months this winter to share his music and handsomeness and awesome sweatshirt collection. Well, he's not sharing the sweatshirts but you can ooooh and ah at them along with the rest of us. 

Two weeks is now feeling like two years to me, since I headed down to New Orleans for a week (bounce music 4 life!) and then up to Boston this past weekend. Needless to say, I don't remember anything about this photo, including taking it, but I hope these two cuties got it on after last call.

If there's one word to some up guest DJ W. Jeremy and the awesome house set he spun for us, it's "AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW."

BREAKING: We hear Ramon will be debuting his new drag character shortly before New Years, which means 2013 could be the year of RAMONA! (or whatever drag name he chooses. Stay tuned.)

No one works a mesh look like Marc. NO ONE.

Now that I'm back in New York for a good while, me and Mikey F. (left) are hard at work on music production under the team name Donkey. Xander (center) has offered us numerous nights of inspiration, with many more to come in 2013.

We are hoping Frankie (left, with Xander) wins this whole Gay Travel Guru competition he's been competing in for the past month because getting paid to travel, party and document it all is pretty much the best job ever.

We actually intended to maybe close a little early since it was oh so cold outside but alas, the handsome locals and good music kept on coming so we shut it down at 4am as usual.

I think I snapped this (blurry) photo of these two near closing time because who doesn't love a big, burly and bearded guy?

Talk to the glasses, son. See you next Wednesday, December 19th when we welcome guest DJ Joey Trotto at Good Times, who is not only spinning with me but also celebrating his birthday at midnight. Champagne toasts, anyone? xo, Sparber

UPCOMING

VINTAGE CUBAN GAY PORN STARS SAY COME TO GOOD TIMES, TONIGHT AND EVERY WEDNESDAY

GOOD TIMES: PURPLE GRAVY STYLE

Every year around Thanksgiving time, we throw an annual Prince party at our weekly Wednesday Good Times get together at Eastern Bloc and we call it Purple Gravy. Attendees include guest DJ Cameron Cooper (of GAG fame) and fanatics of Prince, Sheila E., Vanity, Jill Jones and other artists produced by the purple prophet.

  

At 10pm, I arrived to find the one and only Gugu giving happy hour shows to the early birds who came to get their drink on after work. Gugu is also game to host an upcoming Good Times so keep an eye out.

House of Field at the House of Good Times!

I think GAYSPLOITATION sums up this photo quite nicely, no?

 We do wish Matty's gloves were purple and paisley to go with the Prince theme of the evening but we won't hold it against him.

Can you guess which Prince production Eastern Bloc owner Darren asked for during our all-Prince six-hour set? The correct guess is....Sheila E.'s The Belle of St. Mark, which I like to think is about St. Marks Place here in the East Village even though it so isn't.

Has it already been a year since Nana celebrated her birthday with us at Good Times? Yes, according to Nana, since she's about to celebrate her nativity yet again and I still swear that she's aging in reverse, Benjamin Button style.

Though this year's Purple Gravy proved to be quieter than expected, it was way worth since I got to geek out to Prince all night AND hang with world-renowned DJs like Will (center), Severino (right) and W. Jeremy, who is also guesting at next Wednesday's Good Times.

Guest DJ Cameron Cooper (sporting the most perfect Purple Rain pin, I might add) played pure Prince perfection as we reminisced about Purple Gravys gone by and how neither one of us can really remember anything about any of them.

A visit from the Ayala brothers of Los Angeles, who finally had a chance to enjoy our little Wednesday party that could rather than photograph it or wait endlessly on a bathroom line that extends all the to the front door of the bar.

The Ladosahs are back from their tour de USA and by all accounts, it was an incredible experience that has prepped the House of Ladosha to conquer the world in 2013.

Hakan, giving handsome Turkish face for days.

Prince is one of those artists that is universally loved, bringing together gay men, Asian women and trannies from Papua New Guinea, though none of the latter showed up last Wednesday.

BREAKING: Alon (right, with yours truly) shaved his entire face and is going back to the basics with his natural good looks and Israeli charm.

Not mad at a leopard print shoe or an organized Scruff and Grindr outreach moment if you get your tricks to come party with us at Good Times.

Buddy (aka Kindbud) invited me and a few other DJs to make a cameo in his latest music video this week, which we shot a few blocks away in Tompkins Square Park. Keep your eye out for it. It's called The Remix Is Dead and I bet its gonna be real cute.

I was all, Let's Go Crazy! and he was all, Gett Off.

In case you haven't noticed (and in reference to his shirt), voguing, ballroom culture and a burgeoning subgenre of called Vogue Dramatics is all the rage right now which is basically Masters at Work's The Ha Dance reworked and remixed 1000 different ways.

Our secret Eastern Bloc glue-huffing stash.

Adam, giving supermodel poses alongside super cement beams.

 Scot is the baddest bitch of all time ever. Period.

And speaking of mainstream ballroom events, apparently the W Hotel (!) hosted some sort of  amFAR ball (?!!) last Wednesday where Kelly Osbourn was a judge (?!?!). The bright side of all of this is that Xander pumped one of his fiercest looks ever and won an award just for sitting there!

I'm not sure what category Jamil walked for at the ball but he is giving Julie Newmar catwoman DOWN.

Frankie and his Harajuku panda bear phone case.

Since we got out a little early, Marc (pictured), Cameron and I hung around for a bit and then caught the tail end of Dicap's DJ set nearby, which was filled with lots of Vogue Dramatics of course.

Barman Rob says see you next Wednesday at our lovely Good Times party at Eastern Bloc, where DJ, producer and record label entrepreneur W. Jeremy will be guesting with me. See you thurrr. xx, Sparber