Now that the summer is over, and the out-of-towners have begun to vacate our fair city, things can get back to normal (as normal as Asbury Park can be).
And if anyone is thinking that things will slow down around this city, think again.
There are so many events, openings and happenings in store, the city will have so much to offer. Here are some things we can look forward to enjoying:
1) The reopening of La Sierra, now under the name Cascada
As many of us already know, La Sierra closed in the past couple of months to totally renovate and transform itself into a swanky nightclub atmosphere. Being the investigative reporter that I am, I was able to get a peek. And I must say, it looks awesome.
Recently I spoke with CeeMour Cox, entertainer of the year and the host of its Drag Warz, which happens on Monday nights. She was able to fill me in on some of the things on the new club's horizons.
CeeMour says "For Drag Warz, expect the unexpected. The competitions will continue, with upcoming twists and turns that will blow your minds. More drag stars, etc. I just can't wait to start it off!"
With regards to the new night spot, Miss Cox shares, "Cascada will have even better service and it will have more of an ambiance. We're looking to bring a cleaner crowd with familiar and new faces. We don't want to be known as "Oh it's a Mexican bar", or a straight bar with "a gay night" because we are so much more than that. We are going to be a nightclub that is diverse in every way, just like our beautiful town is."
The nightclub will reopen this fall, so let's amp up and support the business.
2) Fun times at Georgie's Bar
Georgie's Bar always holds the excitement for the community. It has always been a place where people can hang out and have drinks served by some awesome bartenders, dance, eat some great bar food courtesy of Pepe's Pit Stop, shoot pool, be throughly entertained by some fierce drag queens, listen to the jukebox and sing a little song or two on the stage.
Here's a rundown on what happens during the week:
On Mondays you can enjoy half-priced drinks with the city's favorite Ginger, Joe Cole;
On Tuesdays it's "Tempted Tuesdayz", when you can watch some very sexy go-go boys from New Hope and Philly while DJ Matty Flip spins the tunes. (P.S. - my favorite is Angel, or who some refer to as Clark Kent)! Yeah boy!!
On Wednesdays and Saturdays, karaoke hostess Jilly Sentino lets us belt out some strong vocals (or for some like me, sing like I'm trying to break a champagne glass).
On Thursdays we have a real treat, as Christy Girlington takes the stage as host of the bar's night of drag. Christy and the rest of the drag queens perform their hearts out as DJ Mick Hale spins the tunes, and at the end of the show, the queens get the chance to Kiki for the Coin to decide who the evening's winner will be. Such fun to watch!
On Fridays musical talent performs for the crowd, and Sundays will be the football on the TV screen while a lot of alcohol flows.
3) Paradise nightclub
So many thrilling things happen at Paradise. You can dance the night away to some great music, enjoy karaoke, stay at its Empress Hotel, enjoy some time in the pool, get some great drinks from some cool bartenders and feel like you are part of the family (unless you get messy, rambunctious drunk and find yourself escorted out by an awesome group of security guards - I never get messy drunk so I'm good! :-)
Sundays you can hang out for drinks and then once the nighttime hits, you can sing as off-tune as you like during karaoke, hosted by Nick Peters.
Mondays are for moviegoers, as Skootie and Fig show some fierce films that run the gamut from "9 to 5" to "Creature from the Pink Lagoon"!
And who says playing bingo is for old ladies? Well Tuesday evenings get out your scorecards and enjoy some "Bitchy Bingo" with its host, drag queen Holly Girlington!
Wednesdays you can enjoy game night with Fig; Thursdays you can work out those frustrations during an all new Rumba-Latin Night, complete with Latin dancers, manager/bartender Jo-Jo and hosted by Verona Voulure DeMornay; and Saturday is the dance party where you can groove to the beats until 3 a.m. with a slew of amazing DJs.
And on Fridays it's on, literally, with some stellar drag queens performing center stage for our excitement, hosted by Miss Paradise 2013 Empress Vizcaya Lord. A don't miss!
4) Hotel Tides Restaurant and Spa
This place sizzles in the summers and doesn't slow down just because autumn is approaching. This is a great place to stay, and during the fall you will still be able to see some great musical performers from all over the map.
And of course, the cuisine served by the fabulous chef and his staff is to die for! And I love to eat a good meal since I don't like to cook myself. The menu is all the buzz; you should definitely check it out. If you do, you will definitely be back for more!
Piano and songstress extraordinaire Barbara Rose; jazz duo Debra and Patrick; music man Josh Zuckerman; rockin' duo Wendy and Lisa; just to name a few. The hotel is always spotlighting talented artists during the art showings, and once RuPaul's Drag Race premieres, the crowd descends on the hotel bar for its viewing parties every Monday night.
5) Booze Bus Crawl
The last one, about a year ago, was a roaring success. So now it's back again this October. Organized by entertainment planner/bartender David Hoffman and Ryan Jimenez, who runs the Hotel Tides, this will surely be a hit once again. What better way to drink and get from bar to bar than to ride on this party bus?
The bus will stop at Georgie's Bar, Hotel Tides, Cascada and Paradise, in that order. The crawl, occurring Oct. 4th from 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., will have drink specials at the stops and the cost is $30.
So contact David or Ryan and get your tickets fast so you don't miss out on this event!
6) LGBT History Month
This October we all will be celebrating the history of those who have paved the way for all of us to get a little closer to full equality. There will be a number of events occurring to commemorate the successes of us all. I am in the process of working with Ryan, attorney and owner of the Kissing Booth Stephanie Hunnell, and LGBTQ leader Christian Fuscarino to make this month one that will not soon be forgotten.
Stay tuned for an upcoming blog on the final plans.
7) Ricky McChesney Tribute
So many of us in the community knew Ricky, and his death has been felt throughout.
Next Sunday, Sept. 8th, his family and friends will be holding a tribute in his honor at Paradise. The event, held from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., will be hosted by CeeMour Cox. A portion of the proceeds will benefit The Trevor Project. Tickets are $25 at the door, $20 advance purchase. For advance purchase, you can contact Barbara McChesney, 732-996-1643. You can also contact Paradise for more information.
Please come out and show your support, as Ricky's family and friends will be sharing memories and honoring his life.
These are just some happenings coming up in the near future. Check out these hot spots and events and support the community. Remember, you get back as much as you give out.
And if I forgot anyone or any events, this will be my disclaimer, as I smile coyly, shrug my shoulders and utter those five little words ... "Good God, getta grip girl!"
No comments:
Post a Comment