Gay Travel Buddy

Profile and LoProfile in London – gay bar, lounge, and house music

If you want to get down low and dirty till the early hours of the morning, LoProfile Club and lounge in SoHo is a viable option. Located close to everywhere else worth going in London’s trendiest gay district, the club is open Mondays, Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays from 10pm till 4am, perfect for the post-bar, pre-sunrise time span.

Above LoProfile is simply Profile, a more casual bar and lounge where you can relax before the party or catch up with friends before entering the milieu of music below. Both are decorated in a questionably chosen pink and yellow motif, but after enough cocktails, the colors blur and you don’t care anymore.

There was a line to get into LoProfile every night we went, which is annoying at the time, but better to have too many people wanting to get into a place than an empty inside.

The scene is a little British circuit party meets trashed and trashy go go dancers, but it can’t be denied it’s a fun place to lose oneself in for a while. House music is what you’ll find bumping in the air, and a slew of gliterati guys is what you’ll find bumping on the dance floor.

The bathroom situation is worth mentioning. Let’s just say, don’t wait until the last minute to go. Give yourself a solid 10 at least to make it through the line. Signs on the doors of the stalls ask that only one person at a time occupy the space, but it doesn’t always hold up – and what happens in a bathroom stall, better stay in a bathroom stall. There is, however, a slew of colognes in case you need to freshen up your stench before heading back out to the trenches to rub up against some more (probably) shirtless boys.

The club throws a number of regular themed parties like BearTrap – an evening for bears and their friends. Polar bears, panda bears, black bears, brown bears, every kind of bear welcome. Fridays are Playtime, a weekly party which claims to bring the sexiest pornstars within a patron’s reach. Described as a red light district wonderland, host Jay Roberts controls just who gets in to the special playtime bedroom to mingle with the mighty.

One of my complaints with this place was a few of the bartenders were either too drunk to move quickly, didn’t care enough to deliver quality service, or simply didn’t want to help a girl out in a predominately male gay scene. Regardless, expect to wait for a drink like you’ll have waited for the bathrooms or coat check. You’ll have to wait as long for the latter once you’re inside the club as you did to get in in the first place – especially on those cold and rainy London nights when no one, no matter how hot they are, can leave their jackets at home.

Entrance to get in ranges from 5 pounds to upwards of 15 depending on the party.

84-86 Wardour Street, London, UK

Gay Salt Lake City

A hermaphroditic, golden angel blows his/her trumpet towards the imposing mountains, offering reassurance and religious guidance to the worker bees residing in the suburban sprawl below her/him. This is Salt Lake City, once declared “the place” a couple hundred years ago, and now instills feelings of trepidation and curiosity in gays the world over.

You may ask yourself, “Can I drink there?” or, “Do gay people live there” and “Are there places for me?”  These can be tough and confusing questions, but I’m here to answer them.

Though you may willingly travel to Salt Lake for a fabulous ski vacation a la Wham’s “Last Christmas” music video, you will probably find yourself here because of a strange layover or business conference. Never fear, the gays are here. There are plenty of gay bars to tide you over until you are back in whichever megalopolis you come from, and has enough lisping to confuse Marcus Bachmann and alcohol to heavens. In fact, Salt Lake City was recently ranked “The Gayest City in America” by The Advocate magazine.

From a sociological standpoint, gay bars in Salt Lake are interesting and unique insofar as every type of gay mixes together. The city has a large enough gay population to support a number of different gay bars but unlike other cities, you won’t find the segregated “muscle bars,” “bear bars,” “hipster bars,” etc. Everyone gets down together in Salt Lake! But just remember to bring your scannable ID because it’s strictly 18 to come, 21 to swallow.

Club Jam  – The hippest of the hip, the coolest of the cool. This is the place for the young and the beautiful A-Gays of Salt Lake. From the minute this bar-turned-nightclub opened to the public, its been in the headlines. First, for protesting the city’s refusal to administer a liquor license (that has since been handed out – there is a full bar) and then, for being one of very few nightclubs to be eco-friendly, with recycling, composting and even a bamboo dance floor. But none of that really matters with music this good. There is no Top-40 here, only the best from the undergrowth of dance and electronic music to make you shake your skivvies off. If you go anywhere in Salt Lake, go to Jam.

Located in the Marmalade District at 751 North 300 West (That’s “Seven Fifty-One North, Third West”)

The Tavernacle Social Club – No, this is not the Tabernacle, the famous Mormon-owned music hall whose choir tours the world. This is the Tavernacle, a dueling pianos and karaoke bar that lets anyone in, but has a particularly strong following from the gays on Saturday nights. The pianists take any requests, as long as someone is up there to play their best Jessica Rabbit. Other than the martinis, the best part about this place is the secret requests where friends can have others from their group brought up on stage to sing their terrible rendition of whatever evil song you choose, from “Poker Face” to “Love Shack.” And trust me, the embarrassment of not getting on stage is much more than the embarrassment waiting in the spotlight.

Located downtown on 201 East 300 South (That’s “Two-Oh-One East Three-Hundred South”)

Club TryAngels – Not so much club as bar, but there is a small dance floor nonetheless. You may go here if you feel like going out in the simple jeans-and-t-shirt frock so you can “hang.” The people are friendly, if older, and the drinks are big. If a relaxed atmosphere where you can “be yourself” is your thing, then this is your place.

Located south of Downtown at 251 West 900 South.

Püre – Let’s keep this simple: if you like underaged, drunken, skinny youths whose bodies are ripe with the smell of “Fierce” from Abercrombie and Fitch and whose polo from the same retailer was taken off and stuffed under the gogo-boy’s cage when they entered, then go here.

Located Downtown at 579 West 200 South

Pago – One needs food to absorb alcohol, either before, during or after. Pago is the best place for a morning after brunch. The restaurant is part of the farm-to-plate trend going on across America and has an evolving and revolving menu. Some of the mainstays to try are the Croque Monsieur or Madam or the chicken hash (as you please) preferably with a locally-brewed St. Provo Girl Pilsner. Hair of the dog.

Located in the 9th and 9th district on 878 South 900 East

Coffee Garden – Hang-out spot of yours truly, circa 16 years old, this place has been where the gays get caffeinated for years. The locally-roasted coffee and the playlist of Brahms and Vivaldi makes the Coffee Garden a step up from Starbucks.

Located in the 9th and 9th district on 878 East 900 South

Are you planning on a trip to San Diego?  Undoubtedly you will wind up in Hillcrest at some point, the majority of the gay bars and clubs are located in Hillcrest with a few in Down Town, North Park and Old Town.

Hillcrest has a great selection of restaurants, coffee shops and boutique shops to keep you busy for days.  There is an abundant supply of furniture shops, however much of what you see will be nearly impossible to take back on the plane with you and may be a bit pricey to ship.  There is a nice selection of clothing shops that have a nice array of lightly used clothing and new designer labels.  There have been higher end shops that have come and left over the years, the average gay resident in San Diego cannot afford such clothing.  As beautiful as San Diego may be it is not known for big industry due to its high cost and lack of quality talent, I have hired many people in San Diego and have found them to be very lazy and without experience.  I am originally from San Diego myself.

The majority of gay bars, clubs and restaurants are centrally located on University Ave, the range stretches from 3rd ave to Park on the far other end.  The West end of Hillcrest has Urban Moe’s a fun lively large bar with generous outdoor seating and a large range of diverse events every evening, check their site for details.  Fiesta Cantina is also near Urban Mo’s on the West end and is a very open bar with great drinks and a lively crowd.  The Brass Rail is also on the West end on 5th St, this bar is one of the oldest and has a difficult time creating an identity for itself so I cannot tell you what crowd you will find as it changes all the time.  #1 5th Ave is also on the West end, it is a large venue with outdoor seating in the back, the staff is friendly and they service a wickedly strong cocktail, this bar typically serves a more mature crowd but has a wide range of patrons.

The south end of Hillcrest has a gay hotel called the Park Manor Hotel, there is a very large bar on the roof.  Every Friday early is a happy hour that starts around 5pm and gets packed!  They have great views of Hillcrest and downtown, I highly suggest if you are not staying at this hotel to stop by for the happy hour, it is a ton of fun and you will likely meet some fun locals or tourists.  Some of best hotels are in the Gaslamp District, I suggest hotels from the Starwood chain like the W.

Centrally on University you will find Flicks a small video bar that has a pool table and has a nice range of events nightly.  I have had some great times at this bar over the years.  Just steps away is Rich’s a large dance club that tends to fill up after 10 or 11pm, there is commonly a cover charge and their drinks are a bit on the pricey side.  Recently a club called Universal was just across the street with a mix of Metro Sexual’s and twinky 20 something gay boys.  This place had attitude and the staff was very snooty, I was not sad to hear they went under.   Baja Betty’s a wonderful restaurant and gay bar is also in the center of Hillcrest with great food, service and a fun crowd.  Baja Betty can be quite a mess during Cinco de Drinko or Cinco de Mayo the 5th of May a big Mexican holiday.

On the East end of Hillcrest is Numbers, a large multi room dance club.  Numbers is generally your 20 something crowd and has great music, usually a cover charge and pricey drinks on Park.  Just across the street is the Flame another dance club with a nice range of events depending on the night, check their website to see what is going on as it changes.  100% worth the trip, my absolue favorite gay bar is on the other end of Park is called Bourbon Street. my personal favorite bar that has a generous patio out back and multiple bars, this is not a dance club but is a ton of fun.  Bourbon St now serves food as well, their events change from night to night so check out their website to find out what you are into.  Just around the corner is Cheers a small gay bar with a pool table, the staff is friendly and the crowd is a nice range of both younger and older.  You will also find Lei Lounge a bar/restaurant right next to Bourbon St.  The food is really good, the service is great, there are some really hot waiters there!

Like many gay centers, Hillcrest has a nice selection of gay gym’s.  You can find 24 hour fatness err fitness which is located on 5th near University, I went to take a picture of Gold’s and found it to be closed.  Also, I been asked several times if their are any Gay Bath Houses in San Diego, there is a very large one centrally located in Hillcrest called Club San Diego, on 4th ave.

Hillcrest Restaurants

While visiting Hillcrest you must eat at either the Tractor Room or Hash House a Go Go, located right across from each other on 5th.  They get PACKED! be sure to plan on getting their early in order to get a table.

San Diego Pride is a very large event, the celebration is found all around Hillcrest but the focus of the event will be found in Balboa Park, just south of Hillcrest.  The pictures below are of the part of Balboa Park where they setup the festival.  Balboa park is very large so be sure you know where you are going.  During pride taxi’s are a commodity that is very scarce, you will see tons of rickshaws around.  A word of warning, these guys are not cheap and you could pay 3-10x a normal taxi fare.  Make sure you ask how much before you hop in, they will try to lure you in.  Some of these guys are rather hot, and may be fun to watch sweat while you get a ride to your next bar.

The Ritz Hell’s Kitchen NYC

The Ritz is a definite must-see spot for any one passing through the Hell’s Kitchen area.  Whether you’re looking for a relaxing afternoon happy hour or a packed Friday night dance scene, the Ritz has it all.  You’ll find a mix of both local regulars and new visitors any time you visit.  The crowd is very relaxed and friendly and usually consists of lots of attractive 20-somethings and plenty of professional guys in their late 20′s and 30′s as well.  During the day the guys tends to be slightly older, but on busy nights the younger ones take over.  The bar staff are friendly and efficient (and usually quite attractive), and will make strong drinks if you tip them well.  Prices are typical for the area ($6 beers and $8 wells), and well worth it if you’re in good with the bartender.  If you meet one of the nightly promoters you can usually score a free drink ticket or two as well.  The bar accepts all major credit cards at all times and it’s dangerously easy to start up a tab (two drink minimum).  There’s a very cheap happy hour all-day Sunday, but it’s cash-only at night.  (Make sure you bring some cash if you plan to pay in that because the ATM is always broken.) Talk to the staff if you plan on showing up with a large group of friends, and they might set you up with a free bottle.  There’s usually a professional photographer in the bar Thu.-Sat. nights, so get a picture with your friends if you have the chance.  You can find it on the Ritz’s Facebook page a few days later.  Best of all, there’s never ever a cover.

369 West 46th Street (212) 333-2554

Stallions Harrisburg – Gay Bar and Dance Club

So heading to Harrisburg to visit family or just go for business?  One of the most popular and by far the largest gay bar in Harrisburg is Stallions, on the lower level its a bar with very friendly bar tenders.  On the upper level is a dance club that is not open every day, when I was there it was pretty empty due to the flooding.  I suggest if you are driving to drive around back, as the entrance is on the back side and they have parking.  Especially with any small town, you should always be extra careful and keep the possibility of having issues down to a minimum.  This bar is located essentially downtown across from their court house.  As it was pretty empty when I was there, its hard for me to give any decent details around the vibe.  I did feel welcome and met some very smart, attractive people while visiting.

They do have a pool table and the drinks are very reasonable.

If you are staying in a hotel, please do not use the Sheraton as this particular one is ANTI GAY!

706 N 3rd St  Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17102 This links directly to Google Maps

OM Guadalajara – Gay Club

This club got recently renovated with a brand new speaker system to keep the party going strong. It’s just one large room with a balcony overlooking the dance floor and the stage, which usually tend to get pretty crowded. If you are the dancing queen type, you’ll be grooving shoulder to shoulder for a majority of the night. Not that that’s a bad thing. After a couple of “copas” the most audacious boys take to the stage where they display some hot moves, and if you’re lucky maybe shed some clothing too.

OM has a resident DJ and a resident drag queen to get the party started at 9pm and until 4am. The club is only open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. On Sundays they are open to underage kids from 5pm to 10pm, so they don’t miss their curfew because of it being a school night. So it should come as no surprise just how popular this place is with the younger crowd, especially boys. Despite the fact that some seemed down right prepubescent, there were a bunch sporting the Mexican version of Eurotrash, and with those tanned bodies, it just comes off more “guido” than anything. So steer clear if you are allergic to Armani Exchange tees and gelled hairdos.

Ocampo 270

Angels Guadalajara – Gay Club

Angels Club is big. But despite its size, it still packs in the crowds on the weekends. And let me tell you, once the clock strikes midnight, Angels Club becomes for of a playground for devilish men. This is like the grown-up version of OM, which means there are even more men walking around shirtless. Angels Club is located in the Zona Rosa, which is Guadalajara’s major gayborhood. So you can feel comfortable and safe coming here. This dance club plays a mix of electronic music and pop music, so basically remixes of Britney Spears and whoever is her Mexican equivalent at any given moment. They must be doing something right since they have been around for over 15 years. That’s older than some of the guys that go to OM! Just kidding. Angels Club is only open on Fridays and Saturdays.

Another thing that draws devils to Angels Club is their after party. Going strong starting at 6 am on Sunday morning until 1pm, the after party at Angels Club is a favorite destination among gay men in the city. Despite being an overwhelmingly Catholic country, these “angels” have other places they’d rather be than Sunday Mass.

Lopez Cotilla 1495-B

+52 (333) 615-2525

Lujuria Guadalajara – Gay Club

The owners of 7 Sins now bring you a more kinky alternative to gay nightlife in Guadalajara. Promoters refer to Lujuria as a “dark mind club” – which I think got lost in translation a little bit. The club has two floors where you can find a room playing house dance music and a burlesque room where all the performances take place. This is not your grandma’s burlesque however. The shows often incorporate strong elements of kink and leather fetish and a bit of S/M. However despite the fact that Lujuria wants to be taken seriously as an underground fetish playground, the guys and girls who come here are more mainstream gay nightlife party goers than kinky Tom of Finland-like leathermen or any other type of sex perverts. So in those terms, kind of disappointing. In fact, besides the performances and go-go dancers, no one really gets into the leather gear here, so definitely not a “leather club.” Think more Rihanna, less Folsom Street Fair.

One interesting aspect of Lujuria that sets it apart from other gay clubs in Guadalajara is that it has two dark rooms – one exclusively for men and another exclusively for women. There is also an S/M red-lit room, but when I went there it was oftentimes empty, so I doubt anything really crazy ever happens here.

Juan Manuel 482 (cross street Santa Monica)

52 (161) 418-74

Avalonn Guadalajara – Gay Club

Owned by the same gay nightlife company as Circus and Black Cherry, Avalonn is the most sophisticated of the three. When I went in there it was a nice relief to see mid-to-late twenty year olds as supposed to the underage crowd that is typically drawn to gay clubs in Guadalajara. Avalonn may not have all the foam parties or laser shows but the older clientele is beyond such cheap amusement park stunts. Still there is a lot of fun to be had here. In my opinion, they have some of the hottest go-go boys in town. And make sure to check when they’re having their “Boy Games” party. Who can resist a boy in a jockstrap?

Like most gay clubs in Guadalajara, Avalonn also has three distinct areas: a large dance floor, a smaller, more intimate “chill” bar, and a terrace where you can take your smoke break. Unfortunately, Avalonn is only open on Friday nights starting at 10pm and going until 5am, so make sure not to miss this one out. Especially if you want to see where most of the attractive guys and girls in Guadalajara hang out. Dress to impress!

Lope de Vega 325 (cross street, Agustin Yañez)

Babel Guadalajara – Gay Club

I always made sure to skip Bible study, so I’m not entirely sure whether this club fits the theme or did they just want an excuse to have hunky men walking around in linen clothes. Anyway, at that they’ve done a good job so far. Babel recently opened in March but it has already attracted some top DJs to come spin here. The Biblically-inspired club has four spaces: the lobby bar, the terrace, a pop music room, and an electronic music room. Not to mention VIP rooms and video screens playing erotic (a.k.a. porn) videos. The terrace is where people go to smoke and chill-out with several beds spread out so you can really get comfortable and relax. Things can get pretty sweaty in the dance rooms. While guys and girls sweat it out, the go-go boys get even wetter underneath the indoor shower. Isn’t that one of the lines from the Bible, wetter is better?

It is unfortunate that security is something that clubs have to brag about nowadays but Guadalajara is an increasingly larger, more urban city, one of the biggest in Latin America and the second biggest in Mexico. With size come more alarming situations and crime. Clubs tend to be the hotspots for this kind of activity. Fortunately Babel boasts top of the line security team with 30 security cameras all over the area.

Morelos 741 (intersection, Av. Federalismo)