Well, that wasn't so bad for a year that the astrologers said was gonna be hell. I had a pretty good time of it. Bite that, stargazers.
I was pretty low energy my first week back, but still managed to pull off a decent party that Friday. I think we had thirty to forty guys. It was low-impact: I put up some lights, cleaned the bathroom, and bought a couple cases of beer. Haulani had hers too, and though we were hoping the crowds would merge they never did. My crowd all left by midnight to go to Hulas.
Next up was Fred and Boyd's party. This year Nick and Greg hosted, and their house was mid-century gorgeous. I still don't know how people make enough money to afford places like this. I mean, I think I have a decent salary and I struggle here. You could quintuple it and I still wouldn't be able to afford some of these houses. But I'm happy to be a guest, and they were great hosts and the bartenders were cute and poured me a martini just the way grandma used to drink them - on the rocks and with plenty of vermouth - and didn't blink or make nasty comments. So, yeay. All the gay boys left at midnight to go to Hulas ...
Ah, but the economy and the credit crunch and blah blah blah - this would be the only house on the hill I would be invited to this year. Either the men who live in big houses weren't having their parties this year, or they weren't inviting us working folks. Honolulu club life has sucked for years, but at least we had a great house party circuit ... or so we told ourselves.
Did a North Shore party at Ruby's, and that was fun. The gay guys went to a party in Kahala that I wasn't on the list for, and then all went to Hulas ...
Yes. There is a pattern here. You can be at a fabulous party here, but most of the gay men will make a break for it and head to Hulas, the same tired bar they go to every weekend. And when you ask how it was, the answer is always "it was ok" or "it was fun, I guess." It's not like everyone is making a break for somewhere fantastic. I don't get it, and it's been like that for close to a decade. Gay men like to tell themselves that they have more fun than our straight counterparts, but they're lying to themselves. Or maybe they believe it, and are just deluded.
And so we come to New Years. A few guys suggest doing the Firewater Cruise. I say yes. They back out. Everyone was waiting to see if someone would throw a party, or if a better offer would come along. None did. And so they all either stayed home, or went to H. Ugh. The boat was Steve & Tetsuo, Francisco, Jason (from Austin), Ruby, Sebastian, and their North Shore crew. The rest of the boat was a mix of thugs (there were lots of neck tattoos) and cute young twenty-somethings. The music was awful, there was lots of puking in the bathroom, there was a little bit of unexpected and inappropriate tongue action from some quarters but I was feeling good and did not toss him overboard, and we had fun.
Went to Fusions with Francisco and Jason afterwards, and there the music was good for once and it almost felt like the old days (not so many years ago, but it already feels like a lost age). Walked on the beach 'til we were sober to drive, and called it a night. It was good - the best NYE I've had in awhile, actually.
Nino is in town for a few days, Steven K comes in next week, and Gary comes in mid March. I've budgeted for Black Party at the end of March & it looks like I can pull a whole week in New York City then, so I'm feeling pretty good right now.
My New Years Resolution was to clean no more, and to hire a maid service. And ... that is out of my budget, so here it is day 2 of 2009 and the only resolution I made is out the window.
I was pretty low energy my first week back, but still managed to pull off a decent party that Friday. I think we had thirty to forty guys. It was low-impact: I put up some lights, cleaned the bathroom, and bought a couple cases of beer. Haulani had hers too, and though we were hoping the crowds would merge they never did. My crowd all left by midnight to go to Hulas.
Next up was Fred and Boyd's party. This year Nick and Greg hosted, and their house was mid-century gorgeous. I still don't know how people make enough money to afford places like this. I mean, I think I have a decent salary and I struggle here. You could quintuple it and I still wouldn't be able to afford some of these houses. But I'm happy to be a guest, and they were great hosts and the bartenders were cute and poured me a martini just the way grandma used to drink them - on the rocks and with plenty of vermouth - and didn't blink or make nasty comments. So, yeay. All the gay boys left at midnight to go to Hulas ...
Ah, but the economy and the credit crunch and blah blah blah - this would be the only house on the hill I would be invited to this year. Either the men who live in big houses weren't having their parties this year, or they weren't inviting us working folks. Honolulu club life has sucked for years, but at least we had a great house party circuit ... or so we told ourselves.
Did a North Shore party at Ruby's, and that was fun. The gay guys went to a party in Kahala that I wasn't on the list for, and then all went to Hulas ...
Yes. There is a pattern here. You can be at a fabulous party here, but most of the gay men will make a break for it and head to Hulas, the same tired bar they go to every weekend. And when you ask how it was, the answer is always "it was ok" or "it was fun, I guess." It's not like everyone is making a break for somewhere fantastic. I don't get it, and it's been like that for close to a decade. Gay men like to tell themselves that they have more fun than our straight counterparts, but they're lying to themselves. Or maybe they believe it, and are just deluded.
And so we come to New Years. A few guys suggest doing the Firewater Cruise. I say yes. They back out. Everyone was waiting to see if someone would throw a party, or if a better offer would come along. None did. And so they all either stayed home, or went to H. Ugh. The boat was Steve & Tetsuo, Francisco, Jason (from Austin), Ruby, Sebastian, and their North Shore crew. The rest of the boat was a mix of thugs (there were lots of neck tattoos) and cute young twenty-somethings. The music was awful, there was lots of puking in the bathroom, there was a little bit of unexpected and inappropriate tongue action from some quarters but I was feeling good and did not toss him overboard, and we had fun.
Went to Fusions with Francisco and Jason afterwards, and there the music was good for once and it almost felt like the old days (not so many years ago, but it already feels like a lost age). Walked on the beach 'til we were sober to drive, and called it a night. It was good - the best NYE I've had in awhile, actually.
Nino is in town for a few days, Steven K comes in next week, and Gary comes in mid March. I've budgeted for Black Party at the end of March & it looks like I can pull a whole week in New York City then, so I'm feeling pretty good right now.
My New Years Resolution was to clean no more, and to hire a maid service. And ... that is out of my budget, so here it is day 2 of 2009 and the only resolution I made is out the window.
1 comment:
just for the record, i had a great time at your party - thank you very much - but i didn't leave with 'all' the gay boys to go to hula's: i rarely go there anymore. i moved on to the once-monthly, and quite advanced 'fruitfly' event in chinatown. ['gay guys and their gals' plus some very stylish lesbians and even some pretty hot, not to mention open-minded, straight boys] third friday of the month, these days at 39 hotel - hope to see you there sometime ! =] finished the night off at ke kai's, which was mahulicious as always. nice to groove w/ you a little on new year's eve, happy 2009 !
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