Dallas is proud of some of its stereotypes. The “Big D” is, after all, where you’d head to find big hats and big cowboys wearing them, most of them sporting big appetites to boot. Then there’s football, another Big D, the silver-starred Cowboys. Even the classic TV show Dallas is something locals are proud to call their own, and not just for the big hats and big hair that made it the ultimate, iconic melodrama of the 1980s.
On the other hand, there are quite a few Dallas cliches ready to get bucked. Top among them is that this city is too conservative to have much LGBT culture. On a recent visit to Oak Lawn, one of the state’s, and perhaps all of the South’s, busiest gay neighborhoods, it was plain to see that queer folks are also pretty big in Dallas.
Of course, where there’s a vibrant gay community there tends to be a strong dining scene. In Dallas, that’s true both in the gayborhood and around town. From staples like Tex-Mex and barbecue, to spicy send-ups and restaurants with soul, it’s time to refresh our notions about what Dallas has cooking.
LOCKHART SMOKEHOUSE
Vegetarians beware: This may not be the restaurant for you. The first tipoff are staff T- shirts that read, simply, “Wood fire meat beer.” The second is a menu that lists chick- en and turkey under “TX Vegetarian.”
By Kelsy Chauvin – Full Story at Passport Magazine
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Hoboken as they put on a variety show to earn much needed funds for their parish. With Nuns that were once circus performers, ballerinas and puppeteers, the show includes singing, dancing, an audience quiz and comedy that might send you straight to confession. NUNSENSE is the second longest running musical in Off-Broadway’s history. And it’s no surprise that this show has become an international sensation as it’s a habit that’s hard to break. Don’t miss an exceptional evening at the Palace Theatre February 11 – 13.
Book your Palace Theatre accommodation at the romantic Glynn House Inn. Guests enjoy gracious surroundings, delicious food, uncompromising service and genuine hospitality. A multi-course gourmet breakfast is served at separate tables in the Victorian dining room. A full gluten free breakfast menu is always available. Afternoon refreshments and early evening wine and cheese are offered daily. Bring your favorite four-footed canine pal. Reserve one of five pet friendly rooms. Pamper yourself and book an in-room massage – available in most guest rooms.
Are you looking for other winter activities during your visit to New Hampshire’s spectacular White Mountains and Lakes Regions? Venture away from the Inn and enjoy art galleries, fine dining, hiking, historic sites, skiing, sleigh rides, snowmobiling, tax free shopping or simply experience the delightful winter countryside. Inn guests enjoy savings on many winter activities. View the Glynn House website 
As you can see, I was jumping with joy this week when I finally arrived at the beach! I admit, it’s not my best jumping photo, but I tried 🙂 It was probably right then when I was jumping around, frolicking in the sand when my bungalow in Palomino was broken into, in bright daylight.
Luckily I didn’t lose much, but I am still shaken up by the experience of returning to all my belongings strewn across the floor of my bungalow, thinking how different this could have ended (we assume the burglar was interrupt and had to flee). I will talk more about it in my monthly round-up, but here’s a short version of what happened.
Other than that, this past week has been amazing. I hiked in Tayrona National Park, where jungle forests stretch along the Caribbean coast, tempting me into a 5-hour jungle hike. I also went to Bahia Concha, a beach that also belongs to Tayrona, but wasn’t part of my sweaty hike.
Most people travel to Las Vegas for the infamous strip and glittering nightlife that never ends. But what about Downtown Las Vegas? That tiny little core city where the story all began? I travel to Vegas twice a year for business and while I’ve stayed at a lot of hotels on the Strip (Trump, Vdara, Wynn, Caesar’s), I always make a trip downtown. It’s seedy, a little ugly around the edges and just being there can make you feel better about all your choices in life – but it’s an experience you can’t get anywhere else in the world. And it can be a lot of fun if you’re traveling with the right crowd.
A trip from the strip to downtown Vegas will cost you $30 – but the drinks are cheaper here and so is the food. And while you won’t get the glitz of the strip, you’ll get a slew of stories to tell when you get home.
Strolling the Fremont Experience can be ridiculously cool and depending on the time of night, make you happy – or a little sad – for humanity. There are no filters here and you’ll see all kinds of street entertainment vying for your attention and spare change. Please note, even though you’ll see lots of families, this is no place for young children (or anyone under 20 for that matter).
Photo by Dennis Dean[/caption]
In old Havana there is a tree that’s said to be older than the city itself. It was here, though it was very young, when the Taino people would worship, venerate, and respect her as Ancient Mother. It was here too, though a little older now, in 1519 when the Spanish first established a settlement. The land was claimed, right beside her growing roots, as San Cristobal de la Habana. She provided shade for the first mass and bestowed a breeze for the first council meeting. And as she reached toward the heavens, so did a city. Becoming resilient and strong, prosperous and wealthy, devout and ideological–she soon had a home overlooking churches and plazas, statues and mansions that rivaled those of Europe. She felt the breeze of independence and briefly felt it taken away from her. As times changed, though, she witnessed the plight of the Cuban people under a dictatorship and felt the mumblings of revolution brush through her leaves. Then, in 1959, as winter drew to an end she was here still to feel the rumbling of a tank shake her roots to usher in spring and a new hope for her land. More than half a century later, the wind again sways her branches and one of her leaves falls in 2014, twirling like a Sky Dancer, landing flatly on my head.
I am about to visit Havana, Cuba for a whirlwind three-day trip, and I decide before boarding a charter flight from Miami to Jose Marti International Airport, to drop the veil on my parochial American upbringing, to observe and reflect on a country that has persevered through difficult times, and embrace (not criticize) its convictions. Of course, actually being in Havana, exploring, and meeting the people, I am forced to modify this original declaration. Havana lends itself to open-minded tourists who should be curious about the political system, who want to question the state of the city, and who will dig deeper into the country’s modern-day ethos while understanding its past. And once you find yourself sharing a mojito with a local, you may be surprised to see just how open and honest they are about their lives and their country. As my journey unfolds, I find the city to be a living testament of its history and ideals, and I meet a proud people who have the strength to overcome obstacles that the modern-day traveler may not realize still exist.
I am able to visit Cuba because of loosened travel restrictions on citizens of the USA thanks to a recent change in policy encouraged by President Barack Obama. Now, tour companies are allowed to operate in the island nation as long as they are licensed through the juggernaut education-based travel program called People to People. My trip is booked through Pride World Travel, a member of the IsramWorld portfolio of brands, which is beginning their LGBT-focused tours of Cuba in 2015. Because these are educational trips, Americans are still at the mercy of the Cuban government that works to organize specific itineraries for each group. If you don’t feel like going along with the plans, too bad. As long as the official government itinerary is in play, you’re required to be with your group. But as I learn during my trip, there is a leniency depending on your guide. Luckily, my itinerary is relaxed and filled with a steady stream of good food, fascinating people from the LGBT community (including my guide), and even time to relax at the gay beach.
Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay.
I had my own walking tour in Abu Dhabi. I figured it out using Google Map. My Lonely Planet Guidebook didn’t even have one–which I understand because Abu Dhabi is not a walkable destination. You’ve got to have a car to go places of interests. While they have public bus transport, good luck seeing all the things you plan to see in one day. On a backpacking budget? Sigh. Good luck with that! 🙂
I told my brother to drop me off at the gate of the Presidential Palace early morning on his way to work. No, not that early, really. At 9. Though it’s late November, the sun could still be a bit hot–I’m Asian, remember? We use skin whitener! Hahahahaha… At 21C, I thought it was tolerable.
I started at the gate of the Presidential Palace. No visitors are allowed inside, so, I just stood there and took a photo. As I left and turned my back away from the Presidential Palace, the luxurious 5-star hotel, Emirates Palace is on the left. You can actually go inside but make sure you’re properly dressed–no shorts and sandals. They’ll allow visitors starting at 10 in the morning.
I’ve traversed the European continent more times than I can count, yet somehow Spain’s marvels had managed to elude me all these decades. Iberia has long been first on my bucket list and the prospect of an 11-day cruise hugging Spain’s Mediterranean coast, with Nice and Gibraltar as beguiling bookends, was the perfect way to finally take in the renowned Alhambra, Calatrava’s bridges, the staccato strains of Flamenco, platters of seafood paella, Seville’s magnificent Alcazar, and, what I’ve been longing for years to see, Gaudi’s fantastic architectural wonders.
My previous cruise experiences were limited to river boats with 50-60 cabins, so initially I had qualms about larger ships, but the 500-passenger Azamara Quest (www.azamara.com) proved the perfect way to test the waters. Special touches emblematic of a luxury line were in ample evidence: exemplary service, bottled water at the gangplank, excellent wines paired at dinner, meals served on your schedule and in perfectly sized portions, so you still look forward to a dessert of vanilla creme brulee with raspberries. Yet, as classy as the Azamara Quest was, its ambiance remained friendly and casual, perfect for those like myself who prefer to leave the formal jacket at home.
Aboard the Quest, my friend Rob and I unpacked and stowed our suitcases in our 175-square-foot Club Veranda Stateroom, replete with comfortable furnishings and handy extras like a pair of binoculars, fresh-cut alstroemerias, and complimentary shoe shine. The self-service laundry room down the hall proves crucial to those on longer voyages. Paying extra to enjoy the passing view through the sliding glass doors is well worth it, and we loved eating breakfast on our veranda and sleeping with the door open on warm nights.
Periodically we’ll feature one of our properties here to let our readers know about some great gay friendly places to stay.