Nor'Easter Be Damned!

Second Paradise Lost come and gone!

Last night was another successful party with more people than last time! Robert and my friends came back and had an amazing time again (I assume--correct me if I'm wrong). Robert added even more music to our ever growing playlist. So all the boys were dancin' hard to classics like Rod Stewart's "If You Think I'm Sexy" and to new songs like Annie's "I Don't Like Your Band" (yeah, I know it's not supposed to be released till next month, but Robert's just that good).

It was a personal achievement for me, as I learned how to run the DJ board. It was very nerve-wracking, but exhilarating as well-- especially since we were having sound system issues early in the night.

Around 1am, the crowd started to thin, much to my dismay. However, at that point, a group of about 25 fratboy-looking gay football and soccer players showed up on a Christopher Street Birthday Bar Crawl.
Yeah. It was as hot as it sounds. All the sudden, we were back in business. All the then-tired patrons woke up and started paying attention to the eye candy that happened upon our party. Goooood times.

So now, here I sit--back at my day job after a scant 3.5 hours of sleep. Good thing I'm a seasoned party monster.

We're looking forward to the next Paradise Lost on October 30! There's going to be a costume contest, as is appropriate on Halloween Eve.
There's $100 cash going to the first place winner. Second place gets a
$75 bar tab, and third gets a $25 bar tab. Pretty sweet deal. It's too bad that I can't win! But if you're competing, be forewarned--my costume will be setting the bar high. ;-)

So hopefully I'll see you all then! This time, I'll remember the camera.

Keep on dancing on!

Monday, Monday...

What a crazy night we had this past Friday! The first Paradise Lost was a huge success. Boots & Saddle never saw it coming. The place was packed, and the beer was flowing like wine. Robert was treating that DJ booth like it was his bitch (which basically, it was—in fact, it was really hot… the way he flipped those discs and bounced to the music… and putting drunk patrons in their place… very sexy indeed…).

Um… anyways! Everyone had a great time, and it’s thanks to them that we got to set the laid back, non-pretentious attitude we were looking for. Hundred of you packed into the historic bar while giving a giant “F--- you!” to the rain that threaten to ruin your perfect hair. The Malibu rum girls were there handing out free drinks, and there $5 Stoli drinks all night!

Robert and I had a touching moment with man who has owned Boots & Saddle for the last 3 decades. He was so happy to have so many young guys in his bar who were having a genuine in good time. He said it reminded him of what it was like when he first opened the place. Even the regulars were happy to see the bar being rejuvenated, if even for one night. The bartenders were very excited as well. Tom jumped over the bar at the end of the night to give Robert and me a giant hug of gratitude.

So can we get back to Robert and his sexy DJing? I mean, people were making silly song requests just to be near him. We had to kick some people off the stage for excessive flirting through the DJ window. What a hard life that Robert has! ;-)

Okay, enough of that. All in all, a great success! Hopefully all of you will come again on Friday, October 16 to keep the party going! As for me, I have another week and a half before once again having to sacrifice my beauty sleep. But let’s be honest… I don’t really need it anyway.

Dance like you mean it!

The Inaugural Gala

Well, folks, tonight is the night. It seems like just yesterday that I was washing my hair making coffee laying in bed doing laundry brainstorming while listening to a totally sick live Madonna song that incorporates "I Feel Love" into "Future Lovers" (Have I ever typed a gayer sentence? Let's throw something about Liza, throw pillows, and track lighting into there and call it a day.) when I thought, "God, there is really no dance party in this city that I want to go to." I've been to Santos and found it overwhelming, especially since I don't do party drugs (unless you count accidentally inhaling whip-its while getting ready to eat apple pie); Hell's Kitchen bars play nothing but grinding pop remixes of Heidi Montag songs; and there's nothing we found that we liked in our favorite neighborhood, the West Village.

I knew that I wanted it to be disco, I knew I wanted it to be in Greenwich, and I knew I wanted it to be intimate. I started thinking about doing something that was a nod to Paradise Garage when Austin, who I'd quickly brought on board to be my collaborator, suggested the name: Paradise Lost. It was perfect: not only did it dig up all kinds of Biblical issues, it eluded to something that made me want to throw the party in the first place: places like Paradise Garage have completely died out in New York City. A DIY, underground temple to dance doesn't exist in today's New York, with its 24-year-old hedge fund babies and secret Marc Jacobs warehouse parties. Paradise (Garage) has been Lost.

If all of this seems like so much heady bullshit that will be completely lost in the swirling melee that is actually throwing a dance party, well, you're probably right. But it's why our first poster features a picture from a dance held at the Firehouse, the headquarters for the Gay Activists Alliance, and why we're playing everything from "Don't Leave Me This Way" through The Gossip and Sam Sparro, emphasizing music that's been important to queer people--especially when those queer people want to sweat--for 30 years.

If nothing else, it'll be a wonderful experiment: to see if we can get people to come back down to Greenwich Village, get them to come to a bar they don't associate with dancing, get them throw off their inhibitions and dance their asses off, shooting up a positive energy the likes you don't often see in New York City. Someone has to.