Return to OUTONLINE.COM

 

Sestak funraiser tops our ‘must do’ list

by John Colombo

August 2010. Temperatures hovered around the 90s most of the month. Days were hot and muggy, and my nights were quiet and uneventful for the most part.

 

However, on Aug. 17 I did attend an important event, a fundraiser held at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts for U. S. Representative Joe Sestak, Democratic Candidate for the U.S. Senate. Lead organizers for the event were Georgia Blotzer, Hugh McGough and his partner Kris Rust. Organizational sponsors included Steel City Stonewall Democrats, Gertrude Stein Political Club and National Organization for Women PAC. Joanne Bostjanick and Lee Marcuzzi catered the event, and Tracy Drach played guitar and sang during the cocktail hour.

 

Although it was not an exclusively gay event, LGBT folks made up most of the leadership for the event and a substantial part of the over 500 people in attendance.

 

A retired three-star Navy admiral, Sestak served alongside lesbian and gay service members, and having seen their dedication and sacrifices, he believes it’s only fair that they receive equal rights when they return home, which is why he became one of the original sponsors for repealing “Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell.”

 

Some of his support for the LGBT community includes: co-sponsorship of the Domestic Partnership Benefits Obligations Act, Tax Equity for Health Plan Beneficiaries Act, Family Medical Leave Inclusion Plan, Employment Nondiscrimination Act and local law enforcement hate crimes prevention act, plus he supports repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

 

Sestak is quite the rock star with people trying to speak and have their photos taken with him. At one point I asked him, “What are you, the fifth Beatle?” “Yeah,” he answered, “I’m that old.” He gave a rousing speech to several rounds of applause, talked with supporters and even signed a few autographs.

 

Former Pittsburgh Mayor Sophie Masloff was in the crowd. Other elected officials included Congressman Mike Doyle; City Controller Michael Lamb; City Council Members Bill Peduto, Natalia Rudiak and Doug Shields; County Council President Rich Fitzgerald. Also candidate for the 18th Congressional District Dan Connelly was in attendance. (Dan is running against the incumbent Republican and opponent of LGBT equality, Tim Murphy.)

 

Also seen: Gene Evangelist, David Rodgers, Kathi Boyle, Beverly Pollock, Judy Meiksin, Fred Peterson and partner Berwyn Clark, Lou Fazio, Brian Rohleder, Chuck Lynn, Anthony Silvestre, Kurt Summersgill, former Out editor Mike Crawmer, Frank and Sandy Gugliano, Theresa Chalich, Dr. Jean Binstock, Larry Tarnoff, Sheila Mozer and Bob Feikema.

 

On a less serious note: Earlier in the month, I spent four days in Parkersburg, West Virginia at a high school reunion where I reunited with old school chums and their spouses. While I never officially “came out” to any of them, this was the year I was officially gay. I spoke freely about my life and sexuality without wearing it on my sleeve, and people who never knew—to my knowledge—acted as if they always knew I was gay. And with Facebook, no one really has any secrets anymore.

 

While in town, I stopped at the local gay watering hole, Woodstarr, which is located in downtown Parkersburg. The space was clean and modern, and since all bars in Wood County are nonsmoking, the people who were there that night wandered in and out to smoke. After a couple of drinks it was home to my father’s house, also a nonsmoking establishment, where I spent most of the evening outside, swimming naked in his Olympic-sized pool surrounded by lush green hills, the sky sprinkled with bright twinkly stars, unlike anything you can see here in the city.

 

Lying in the pool, it was hard not to fantasize about what small town living might be like. Image a world with no bumper-to-bumper Penn Ave, and a bye bye to busy Baum Blvd. But traffic, noise and congestion are also signs of a vibrant city, full of exciting things to do.

 

Like Pittsburgh’s new East End, which is bursting at the seams—endless choices of gyms, bars, restaurants and shopping.

 

On a recent outing to the neighborhood, I stopped by the hot new restaurant Spoon. Located on the site of the former Red Room, Spoon serves up fresh, local American cuisine, plus innovative cocktails and wine. I had a wonderful appetizer, “Ahi Tuna, Two Ways.” Way one was in a crab stuffed roll; way two was mixed with soba noodle salad with Chili Aioli. Since I can only eat noodles with chop sticks or a fork and spoon, I was amused that Spoon provided no spoon! The Spanish Gewurztraminer was divine; the tuna, delicious.

 

I headed across the Highland Ave Bridge to Casbah and ran into former Kelly’s bartender Megan Fitzgerald and Round Corner Cantina co-owners Jesse and Derek Burnell and DJ Ed Um. The four of us sat at the fish-and-grape tiled bar and celebrated Ed’s 35th birthday. (Sidenote: you can’t walk into a bar or restaurant in this city, swing a cake and not hit a birthday.)

 

Afterwards we all headed back across the bridge to Ava Lounge, which is owned by Justin Strong. The vibe there is as Manhattan as you can get in Pittsburgh, minus the posers. Everything was perfect: the smiling, handsome bartender; the mood lighting; the mellow music. It was great fun. It’s located between Abay, the Ethiopian restaurant, and Waffle Shop, a waffle house and reality TV show operated by CMU.

 

The East End is indeed someplace special: Bakery Square recently opened, bringing with it the new hot gym Urban Active; a new hotel, Marriott’s SpringHill Suites; Google’s new satellite office; a coffee shop; and Anthropologie. Both curious and wonderful at the same time, the gym connects to the hotel bar via a walkway! Sweet, an after workout happy hour. See, the East End is vibrant.

 

In mid-August, Paula Jones, former American Leather Woman 2000, celebrated her 50th birthday at the Round Corner Cantina in Larryville with friends to raise funds for the Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh. The group shared some great Mexican food, drinks and conversation. Over $500 was raised in addition to plenty of toiletries and baby items. Andrew Leo Salon of Shadyside (Walnut St.) was one of the major contributors of the event.

 

Paula chose to make the Women’s Center a beneficiary because she wanted to give back. About 10 years ago, down on her luck and out of options, Paula turned to the center for help. They helped her get back into school to obtain a nursing degree and find a good job. At the party: her partner Janice Rensi, Andrew Leo and partner Tony Lucas, local singer songwriter Tracy Drach, Kat Carrick, Cindy Abbott, Brandon Mullens and local playwright Bridget Harris.

 

Meanwhile, not far across town, Master Mike Zuel (a friend of Paula’s who also helped her when she was going back to school) was busy celebrating a birthday himself. Sir turned 56 in early August and celebrated with Randy McPhee, Matt Vertz and the regulars at 1226, Leather and Dance Central. The staff set up a buffet, hamburgers and hot dogs were grilled on the patio, there were three birthday cakes—one for each floor, as well as a leather piñata and champagne. And Mike was buying everyone drinks.

 

At another birthday party: Georgia Bea Cummings celebrated her 26th birthday at Cattivo Sotto on July 17. Georgia performed with some of the area’s hottest drag performers, including Angelique Young, Claire Voyance, the infamous Jezaeble, Shamyabanx from Morgantown,WV, and Akasha LeStat. The event, “Midnight Train to Geogia B,” was hosted by Mark Robert Cash, the evening’s emcee. There were over 200 people in attendance, including Lady Rose Amore, Tiara Collins, Anastasia Browne, Marsha “Monster” Mellow and Kevin King. You can follow Georgia’s adventures as Miss Pittsburgh Pride 2010 on at www. facebook/missgeorgiabea. Her next big show is slated for Oct. 9 at Cattivo Sotto, so mark your calendars now!

 

The Blue Moon in Lawrenceville hosted a tattoo party and burlesque show on July 31 at the back bar. Keith Green of Main Street Ink bartended while Main Street employees Robin Dunbar and Eddie Phoenix tattooed willing patrons. The burlesque performers were Macabre Noir, Cherry Baum, Elizabeth Couteau and Lacey Gaga. Seen: Keith’s sons Brandon Rich and Gary Hartzell, Rachael Medford, Billy Green and James Miles. Turned out it was one of the few non-birthday parties I attended.

 

Email invites, social events and rumors, or just say hi: john@outonline.com