this is fyf

Patti Smith wants to talk with you tonight at St. Mark's book shop.

Have you read Just Kids?  It's been my holiday read, but I'm only on page 130 or so because of assorted distractions.  The tale is lovely and florid with precise prose that just puts you there in the room with these two amazing people finding their way in a Manhattan of another time.  It's a reintroduction to a time of legends, written from street-level.   While not the type to go for the autograph, I would like to hear her accounts first-hand.  (Side question:  do people with Kindles and Nooks and iPads get those signed or something?  Another reason to keep buying books!)

Going out tonight?

For those of you going out for more tonight on this extended holiday weekend, we salute you. There are lots of things to do, but maybe a trip to Westside Tavern for the Third Annual New Year's Day Potluck and DeeJay Showcase would be in order? And since you're in the neighborhood, stop into The Eagle as all you survivors can enjoy the beer blastings of Mister Paul Ferrer. Then skip (literally as it's good skipping weather out) down to Vandam for basemental shenanigans with Mister Michael Magnon. And do head upstairs to see what Susanne Barsch is wearing (since you can't always ready her amazing fashion diary in the Times every week). Or just go all the way east to Nowhere where the long running Beetlejuice carries tonight.

But seriously, Happy New Year. Let's get to the gym.

There's stuff happening this weekend. Some you might find fun.

Get IN! as I briefly throw events at you that I will - in all likelihood - not be attending because...well...I'm a total misanthrope these days. I hope you can forgive me.

1) For anyone who hates the idea (because I've never been and thus have no basis for my hatred) of Toys for Tots as much as I do, or else for those who don't necessarily hate it, but who aren't friends with whomever bought all the tickets to it the first second they were available, there's this alternative. It kind of sounds cute.

2) The Awl is a major blog and is having a holiday party tonight at...wait for it...Flaming Saddles! It's from 6-9pm and is a bit outlaw (how a propos!) so get there earlyish. Just for fun, here's a walk down FYF's Flaming Saddles memory lane (What's that stench!?)... Post 1 & Post 2.

Just in! Flaming Saddles is holding Open Auditions for dancing bartenders on Tuesday, December 13 at noon! 

3) Spank! is celebrating its 4th birthday tomorrow night at 12-turn-13 in Ft. Greene. Our favorite Spanish artist émigré, Bubi Canal is doing something in a tee-pee in the exhibition space (other artists are involved as well - within THEIR tee-pees.) for the occasion and our favorite sequined platform boot-wearing host, Alberto Cortes will join several other favorites (including resident DJs Will Automagic and Sean B.) in celebrating four years (hard to believe that's it?!) of Spank!!

And there's more! (Particularly if you are in Miami for Art Basel. To you I say, "Good luck!") Don't forget to check the FYF Calendar for complete listings. After all, it is "for you"!

May your Halloween bring lots of tricks that turn out to be treats!

It's Gay Christmas next Monday and, as Christians are wont to do with "the real" Christmas, we (gays) are viewing the fact it's on Monday as a chance to celebrate (if we choose to join this year, which I wasn't!!...and now am?! ...But that's another story.)  ALL WEEKEND.

What to do, you ask? Happy to help! Here's some options:

1. Go to a concert!
   
   For CMJ having been last week, this weekend's line-up of bands is pretty snatch! The Pixies, Danzig and The Misfits? Christmas (gay or straight!) for us 80s-genarians! Add appearances by Spank Rock and The Black Lips and I have to believe someone's really in our heads. Let's reverse that, shall we?


2. Drink some vodka on us!
   
   Not literally on us, but "on us" (Note the space, making that two words.) in the sense that it's gratis. And it is! FYF is hosting the vodka open bar at Pussy Faggot! at The Delancey on Thursday night from 9 to 10 pm. That's how long the open bar goes, I mean. The party itself goes from 8 pm to 4 am and is a parade of one performance by a crazy, wacked-out, amazing downtown denizen/artist/performer after the other. Check the event page for the complete run-down, but Pussy Faggot! is a big artistic/autistic/auteuristic/voyeuristic situation thrown regularly by Earl Dax. Pinay extraordinaire Edwin Ramoran is guest-curating this particular installment.


3. Consult our calendar!
   
   Unsurprisingly, there's slew of events to choose from (It's a "holiday!"). Here's just a taste: there's a Xanadude, a MasquerAID where you can help raise money for a good cause AND celebrate The (Patrick) Christ's birth, and - for you circuit queens - I'll be hosting Peter Rauhofer's WORK!/Freakshow! by some strange twist of events. Awkwardly, those are all on Saturday night, as are a Cheryl (Cherylween), a Double Fanged Disco and - not surprisingly (again!) - a Mister Saturday Night... Sunday? More! Monday? EVEN MORE! I just hope your costume(s)'s durable. And stain-resistant.

Regardless of where you end up or what you look like, have a great one! Happy Halloween!

 Photo via Paul Vitale's Behance

This weekend, take a mustache ride!

Okay, so there is an event Sunday at Public Assembly called the Brokedown Throwdown and, well, I'll be out of town so I really haven't done much research.  What I do know is that there will be something called the Mustache Ride and that it looks super fun (or at least sounds super fun).  Based on the concept art above all I can possibly do is endorse this Mustache Ride and hope that you can take a ride on this moustache or something similar. 

If you want to meet men that like books and art and art books, then you might want to go to the NY Art Book Fair at P.S. 1 this weekend.  You will find art and books and art books and men that like them. 

PRIDE 2011: BLOWOFF - Friday night at Highline Ballroom.

My friend, Amir, is really looking forward to this. He's never been and is in need of escort. He is smart, as can be evidenced by the following exchange between he and his boss:

Amir: "In Tel Aviv, if you see someone who's on steroids, you know he's gay. Here everyone is!" 

Boss: "Gay or on steroids?"

Amir: "Both!"

Besides being a quick study (he just moved here!), he's attractive, gainfully employed and single. He appreciates - very generally and non-offensively - an aesthetic in keeping with that being sold by the Bear/Not Bear guy.

Best comment on this post gets his number and an introduction tonight at The Highline Ballroom.

Happy Pride, Peeps!