Yo, big day for us here! You may already be familiar with our growing family of foreign-language phrasebooks for hooking up and getting laid, Gay Spanish (and Italian, and French, and German) for Love & Hookups.

But what if you could combine all of those sexy tongues, plus a couple more,  into one convenient book that can be used in more than 76 countries, colonies, and territories in every continent? That’s over a billion people, guys! Half of those are men, 10% are gay, who knows what percent are bi… you do the math!

To help you score on the go, our new Gay Translator (318 pages, $14.95) easily fits in your pocket and uses our unique “zebra-stripe” format to render one phrase on each page from English to Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, and Czech, including easy pronunciation guides. It works from any of those languages into any of the others, so whether you’re hanging – or having sex – with that Italian stallion, the boy from Ipanema, a Stuttgart stud, some Cancun cutie, a manly Moroccan, or a porn star in Prague, that same dude can use it right back atcha — just as easily as you can, because The Gay Translator is really 7 books in 1!

If you’re planning to go abroad this year (or even visit a place like our home base of Miami, which often feels like a sexy foreign city), the Gay Translator is sure to up your trip’s sex factor and make all your gay travel even gayer. I’ve found it’s a surefire conversation-starter in a bar, and it’ll cut down on misunderstandings – after all, who wouldn’t benefit from knowing how to say “pull out before you cum”? It’s all about serious M2M sex, dating, and relationships, with a few touches of humor but a minimum of the “faaaabulous, miss thing!” campy-type stuff that makes other gay phrasebooks fun to read but not exactly useful in the sack. Want proof? Sneak a peek inside the book!

And here’s a heads-up: our product line will soon be expanding. Next up is The Hot Translator, for straight guys and girls (hey, why should we fags have all the fun?), and – rice queens take note – a version of The Gay Translator which will include Mandarin Chinese. Both will be out early this summer, in time for this August’s summer Olympics. So – Peking, duck!

Yours truly,

Dave

Happy St. Paddy’s Day, begayrrah! In observance, here’s a few thoughts and notes re one of those European countries that few would’ve ever believed would escape the brainwashing of its burn-the-witches Catholic Church (which has perpetrated centuries of priestly pedophilia, among other outrages) to embrace greater diversity, along with a legal climate starting to approach equal rights for all. There’s still a long way to go, especially in the smaller towns and out in the boonies, but consider that faggotry was still officially a crime in Eire up until just 15 years ago, and this year parliament’s expected to give the nod to same-sex civil unions (Northern Ireland already does ’em). Trust me, Sister Mary Charles is bloody having conniptions these days.

And though the Emerald Isle’s always been fetching as a destination – verdant hills and vales, castles and fortresses, quaint villages, spectacular coastlines, the literary trail, of course pub crawls – in the 21st century you might say it’s also really put the “gay lick” into Gaelic, with several of its metro areas evolving into fun – even fairly hip – homo havens.

Being the capital and largest urb, Dublin (pop. 1.5 million) is of course in the lead, and while it’s hardly, say, London, the nightlife, dining scene, and gay life in general can be kinda kickin’. A lot of it goes on in and around the Temple Bar area just south of the River Liffey, with some spots north of the river and spread out elsewhere in central Dublin. The city’s oldest (and after 23 years still the biggest and famousest) gay spot is also in Temple Bar: The George (89 South Great George’s Street, 478.2983), plus its three-year-old offshoot nearby, the Dragon Bar (64-45 South Great George’s Street, 478.1590), is pretty cool, too. Other spots worth a gander include the Front Lounge (33 Parliament Street, 670.4112) and Centre Stage Café (6 Parliament Street, 670.3390). For cutting to the chase, there’s also a pair of saunas, The Boilerhouse (12 Crane Lane, 677.9578) and The Dock (21 Upper Ormond Quay, 872.4172). Plenty o’ places to stay, too, and most are pretty queer-friendly these days. For central and gay all the way, try Inn on the Liffey (21 Upper Ormand Quay, 011.353.1/677.0828), which is connected to the Dock Sauna, and Nua Haven (011.353. (0) 87 686-7062); for a feed, stylish and nouvellish Odessa (13-14 Dame Court, 670.7634) is one of more than a dozen gay-popular spots. And by the way, if you can swing a trip as early as this June, Dublin Pride (June 13-22) would be well worth your while. Get more info on the Dublin scene at a great web site called QueerID.com.

Other cities worth checking out bentwise include picturesque Cork down south (Blarney Castle’s nearby, for stone-kissing); Galway, with lots of students and spots to take in some traditional Irish music; and believe or not even Belfast up in Northern Ireland (one of its clubs in particular, Kremlin, is quite the hoot, comrades).

For more info, check out GayIreland.com, Gay Community News, DiscoverIreland.com, and Shamrock.org, and DoChara.com. And Erin go soon!

Yours truly,

Dave

Whew, what a relief. The right-wing that brought you the murderous, backward dictatorship of Francisco Franco — updated and drolly renamed the “Popular Party” (PP) — was defeated in national elections yesterday for the second time in a row by the governing Socialist Party (PSOE), which among many other humane social reforms have legalized same-sex marriage and gay adoption in Spain (and most Spaniards agree with them on these issues). In fact, under the current PSOE administration, this country has become a trailblazer, one of the most progressive countries in Europe — actually the entire world. Bottom line: in 2008, Spain is far more of a beacon for gay people and progressives than is the United States.

But in case you somehow haven’t heard, my single favorite country on the planet is also an amazing place to visit as a tourist and especially a gay tourist, thanks to its first-class history, culture, beaches, cuisine, nightlife, shopping, and architecture. I’ll be covering it much more in detail for you this year and beyond, but in the meantime, here are some highlights:

Gay Beach Resorts This summer, join gays (and some lesbians) from all over Europe and the world as they gather in marvelous resort towns and areas like Sitges, on the coast just south of Barcelona; Ibiza, Europe’s party island par excellence; and Gran Canaria, one of the Canary Islands.

World-Class Big Cities Spain’s capital, Madrid, and its main port, Barcelona, have not just sizzling queer scenes but some of Europe’s best museums, restaurants, nightlife, shopping, and cutting-edge architecture. And Barcelona throws in the astounding Art Nouveau masterpieces of Antoni Gaudí. Big second-tier cities like Valencia and Seville are pretty exciting, too.

Ancient History Prehistoric caves and sites dating back to the 9th century in Asturias, up north. Roman and Greek amphitheaters and sites in Catalonia, Segovia, and Extremadura. Medieval Islamic mosques and palaces in Córdoba, Granada, and Seville. And of course more cities and towns with gorgeous medieval old quarters than you can shake a stick at.

Nature & the Outdoors Every part of this country (the size of California plus South Carolina) has something to offer, but the north’s Asturias, Santander, and the Basque country, especially stand out, with emerald forests, mountains, and a raft of adventure possibilities including skiing, hiking, rafting, caving, and more.

There’s plenty more, but that’s just a taste. In short, ¡Viva España!

Get more info at Spain.info and GayInfoSpain.com. And book those tickets…

Yours truly,

Dave

L’amore in the afternoon, from Michael L. of New York City

Just a few minutes after seeing the pope, I got lucky in the Sistine Chapel, under the outstretched hands of God and Adam. I was in Rome for World Pride, the first one, in 2000, the year of the Catholic Church’s jubilee. What intrigued me about the man I met at first was his shirt and its stylized American flag. As I stared at it, I realized he was staring back at me. It took a few moments for me to get it: he wasn’t annoyed at me – he was cruising me.

Slowly I moved towards him, eyeing the guards and doing my best to ignore the thousands of camera toting tourists in the room. Turned out his name was Gianluca, he was from Milan and he’d come to visit a friend, one of the hundreds of gay men who help keep theVatican running.

As it also turned out, he was staying at the home of another friend (whose name I won’t divulge), a prince who’d been married to one of the world’s most famous fashion designers of the 1970’s. The apartment, really a sort of palace, was just nearby, and we walked there past the Castel Sant’Angelo and other dramatic ancient monuments.

A servant let us into the dark interior of this opulently baroque home, where mostly I remember lots of red brocade couches and lots of photographs of the famous designer – I was actually staring at one of these as I entered my new friend. We were both careful to make sure not to make a mess on the carpets and furnishings, and wiped off our lube-slicked handprints from the top of a table near her picture when we were done. As we stumbled back out into the bright afternoon, Gianluca commented that in Italy and the rest of Europe, no one really cares who sleeps with whom – men, women, mistresses, misters, whatever. La dolce vita, indeed…

In this forum, we’d like to hear about your hottest, most memorable, funniest, most romantic, or otherwise superlative date, instance of falling in love, or just good ol’ sex, with someone(s) from another culture—either abroad or in your home country.

Howdy this time around from my hometown, Miami, Florida. Just 45 minutes ago, one of the hottest homo hootenannies in America just got started: South Beach’s annual Winter Party (305.571.1924). So before I head out to boogie with the boyz for the next five or so hours, I thought I’d lay a quick “SoBe 101” on you in case you decide you want to check it out this year’s White Party (305.576.1234) this coming November 26-December 1, or just the buzz that now goes on year round down here.

The gay stretch of beach where the party’s poppin’ is centered around Ocean Drive and 12 Street, and besides this hot sand and hot shopping, there’s plenty to keep you busy during the day, incluing world-class museums like the Bass and the Wolfsonian.

For dropping your bags at a great-quality spot in the thick of the action, specifically gay spots include Island House (1428 Collins Ave., 800.382.2422, 305.864.2422; $-$$), simple but comfy and presentable—and a block closer to the beach. The European Guesthouse (721 Michigan Ave., 305.673.6665; $-$$) is a few blocks inland but throws in a nice landscaped courtyard with jacuzzi (can get frisky late at night), while the 10-room Deco SoBe You (1018 Jefferson Ave., 305.534.5247; $$-$$$) is a little pricier but has a full pool.

In the mainstream, the budget-minded will want to try the Clay Hotel (1438 Washington Ave., 800.379.2529, 305.534.2988; $) a historic spot (both Al Capone and Desi Arnaz partied here) great especially if you’re into meeting young Euros; though it’s partly a hostel, it also offers great deals on great —even stylish — private rooms. In the middle range, The Townhouse (20th St. @ Collins Ave., 305.398.1806; $-$$), a half block from the beach, boasts a boutiquey-white feel and cool scenes in lounges on rooftop and in its Bond Street basement sushi joint. I’m also a fan of The Pelican (826 Ocean Dr., 800.773.5422, 305.673.3373; $$-$$$), a 30-roomer owned by the hip Italian rag house Diesel, flaunting themed rooms like “Best Whorehouse” and “Bang A Boomerang.”

More boodle to blow? The Delano (Collins Ave. @ 18th St., 800.697.1791, 305.672.2000; $$$), SoBe’s first “design hotel” and its Blue Door eatery (1995), are, amazingly enough, still A-list—though management’s finally given the nothing-but-white thing a bit of a rest. Pretty boyz still flock to the lobby bars and head back past the classy pool to the outdoor Rose Bar (305.672.4322); Tuesday eve’s especially good, and there are now live tunes on Thursdays. Just down the street, at The Sagamore (1671 Collins Ave., 786.594.3344; $$$), all-white is still more than all right in a minimalist-chic flop-house cum mod art gallery (paintings/installations left and right). The smallish back area is popular for shindigs, and the tasty hallway restaurant Social is just that — one of SoBe’s prime see/be-seen spots (especially Friday eves). Another block down is the Ritz-Carlton South Beach (Lincoln Rd. @ Collins Ave., 800.241.3333, 786.276.4000; $$$), a Mormon-owned prop with in-room porn, ha-ha, and near the top in luxe (376 great rooms, hot upscale cocktail lounge and Bouley restaurant), and pretty happening poolside, too. Meanwhile, the star on Ocean Drive is the 91-room Hotel Victor (Ocean Dr. @ 12th St., 888.591.1234, 305.428.1234; $$$), with a great indoor-outdoor bar/lounge scene (Thursday’s A+) and a fab restaurant called Vix. Just don’t tell anybody—it’s a Hyatt.

Socially, I’d have to say the most promising eateries for wallet-watchers have to be Pasha’s (Lincoln Rd. @ Jefferson Ave., 305.673-3919) — mod, with tasty, South-Beach-Diet-friendly Mediterranean sandwiches and platter—because of its outdoor seating on the fabulous runway that is Lincoln Road. Slightly more out of the way but popular with lots of cute locals, Lime Fresh Mexican Grill (1439 Alton Rd., 305.532.5463) probably slings the best comida mexicana around; check out the excellent sandwiches and Puerto Rican grub at Jimmy’z Kitchen (1542 Alton Road, 305.534.8216); and the solid Cuban food at old-timey Puerto Sagua (Collins Ave. @ 7th St., 305.673.1115) is popular with the boys in general—and maybe especially post-midnight.

You’ll find plenty of other restaurants with gay followings throughout SoBe, especially along and near Lincoln Road. These include Balans (1022 Lincoln Rd., 305.534.9191) and Tiramesu [sic] (No. 721, 305.532.4538), right next to the gay club Score. A block away, there’s El Rancho Grande (1626 Pennsylvania Ave., 305.673.0480) with passable burritos and margaritas, and Miss Yip’s (1661 Meridian Ave., 305.534.5488) with decent Cantonese. A few blocks south, the Palace (Ocean Dr. at 12th St., 305.531.7234) is a rainbow-flagged fave serving good, solid American chow right in front of the gay beach, while nearby Front Porch (1418 Ocean Dr., 305.531.7234) does a swell job with breakfast and lunch. That’s also the kind of fare served at the 11th Street Diner (Washington Ave. at 11th St., 305.534.6373), a real 1940’s chrome jobbie open 24/7 right next to another popular fag bar, Twist (see below).

For nightlife, let me start by saying that some of the best tickets in town are the weekly floating parties arranged by promoter Edison Farrell’s SoBe Social Club, whose web site you should definitely check out before heading down here; you’ll also get info here, at CoolJunkie.com and MiamiClubEvents.com on which of the mainstream clubs are having gay nights when. Score (727 Lincoln Rd., 305.535.1111) is what passes for a big gay club here these days, and has outdoor seating, too; a block north, Laundry Bar (721 N. Lincoln La., 305.531.7700) has more of a co-ed crowd (and real washing machines). A few blocks south, the above-mentioned Twist (1057 Washington Ave., 305.538.9478) sports a low-key front bar, a crowded stripper bar out back, and a jam-packed (and sometimes very frisky) upstairs area with dance floor. Last year we finally got a sleek newcomer, Halo Lounge (1625 Michigan Ave., 305-531-8181), which has been pulling in a nice and often pretty mix of chaps just off Lincoln Road.

Finally, keep in mind that a copy of our Gay Spanish or even our about-to-be-released, mulilingual Gay Translator will come in plenty handy here, because we’re awash not only famously in Latins from all over but tourists and expats – chances are you’ll also run into French mecs, Kerle from Germany and Austria, Italian ragazzi, and more.

In another post soon I’ll have more to say about Miami outside South Beach. In the meantime, get more SoBe and Greater Miami info at MiamiandtheBeaches.com and GoGayMiami.com.

Yours truly,

Dave