My Favorite Favorite

MikWright  When I began the site in 2006, I had an idea for this "Favorite Things" page and the first thing I wanted to put on was MikWright. (As I've always loved their cards and gifty items.) Being a nice Jewish boy, I wrote and asked them if I could include them on my site. I was more than amazed when both Phyllis "Wright"-Herman and Tim "Mikkelsen" (the creative and warped minds that are MikWright) contacted me with a resounding "yes" to being my first ever "favorite thing" and an open invite to cocktails whenever they're here or I'm there. This was the start of a beautiful friendship. As if the friendship wasn't enough (and let's face it, the prizes...they've MikWrighted me up but good), they've immortalized my mother and me on cards (see below) and buy a lot. There are many imitators out there but if you want the real funny and to support two fabulous kids, you'll boycott the rest and buy the best, MikWright!  (click on their logo to go to their site) Click Below To Purchase! card #549 inside: so i pee a little when i get excited. give a kid a break, santa! happy holidays. card #340 inside: let's just start with her "do" and then we'll work on her "dont's." card #343 inside: morty, it's time to have a word with your son...again.

My Favorite Charity Gift Card Site

My nieces are wonderful girls who have been blessed with parents who work hard and give them just about all the advantages that life has to offer. So when it came to the holidays this past year I was a bit stumped. I wondered if there was a way to give a gift that they in turn could give to someone else so that they would learn how good it feels to give as well as receive. I was fortunate to come upon this site and I was delighted that both girls were thrilled with their gift cards and the fact that they could read about the different charities and decide who they wanted to give their money to or what causes they wanted to help. It's a great way to give and I suggest it for anyone on your list who has enough of everything in their life. You can even go "green" by sending the gift online so that no paper or plastic has to be printed. Can you tell I love this site? Click on the logo to be transported there now.

My Favorite Quotes

And the Favorite Sung Musical Theater quote goes to... "From three faces that could cause ya to have temporary nausea" Mrs. Brice from Funny Girl And the Favorite Quote By A Grandmother goes to... "You're going out looking like that? That shirt is so wrinkled it looks like you pulled it out of a chicken's ass!" My grandmother And the Favorite Movie Quote (this week, anyway) goes to... "Oh goody, we're going to talk about me, are we?" Katherine Hepburn from The Philadelphia Story And My Best Quote That Ever Just Came Out Of My Mouth Without Thinking... "Oh God, look at that, it's so ugly it's ugly squared!" Me

My Favorite Mints

Although anyone who reads or visits my site knows that the last thing I am is subtle, thanks to these mints there's help even for me. Because now without having to have a potty mouth myself, I can tell someone off and freshen their breath all without saying a word! Each mint is beautifully engraved(tone on tone)with phrases such as, "You Suck", "Buzz Off" or my personal favorite, "Bite Me"! These fabulous mints were sent to me and it was love at first sight/taste. (How many things can you say that about, huh?) So click the tin above and order some right away so you can start offending and freshening those around you!

A Few Of My Favorite Musical Artists

An Evening With My Guy, My Parents and Liza With A “Z” When it came in my email that I could get four free tickets to Liza Minnelli I couldn’t log on fast enough. I don’t care what people say about us gays and our female icons, for weeks my mother had been hounding me about getting tickets to Ms. Minnelli’s concert and I just let it pass as it was an hour outside of Vegas where she would be playing and I didn’t know the auditorium, etc. But when fate presented tickets (and free no less) what kind of gay man or Jewish mother’s son would I be not to take the tickets? You see, there’s a site for us Vegas locals called, “House Seats” where they supposedly give the best seats in the house (normally saved for press or VIPs) once the box office releases them (usually the day of the show when they know that no celebrity wants to use the tickets). It was really the first time I had used the site for an event that was to have reserved seats so I was excited to think I’d be close enough to see whether or not Liza would be donning her “Sally Bowles” from Cabaret’s beauty mark or not (but more on that later). My parents picked us up at around 6pm to begin our double date. Though the show didn’t begin until 8pm, there was the hour drive and I needed to pick up the tickets from the box office by 7pm. So we arrived only to find that the line to pick up your tickets at the box office was almost out the door. As I traversed the line to make sure that this was indeed the line to just pick up tickets, I couldn’t help but notice the diverse crowd in line. Most had an oversized postcard (probably from the casino’s player’s club) to pick up their tickets but the “house seats” crowd found one another soon enough. I, of course wasn’t surprised by the forty to fifty-something gays with their mothers in line but what I was surprised to see was a younger crowd in this same line. Did they know who they were going to see? When I finally got the tickets I was delighted to see that we were in row “H” (I quickly counted on my fingers to get to the fact that we would be in the eighth row) immediately I thought that I probably wouldn’t have to ever give my mother another gift as long as I lived, the eighth row at Liza Minnelli? I was in, big time! We entered the venue where the concert was to take place and immediately my heart went into my throat. It was an arena. A huge arena that was barely full but still had a lot of people in it. In my heart (that was still in my throat) I knew what was coming. The usher showed us to the upper most section of the arena. Sure the seats were dead center to the stage but they were so far away that we all knew immediately that unless there were large screens (which were not in evidence anywhere) that this was a job for binoculars and none of us had them. The orchestra came out and played some familiar song associated with Liza Minnelli and I had to wonder if the small child (couldn’t have been more than eight) seated in front of me knew or cared who was about to enter the stage. To tell the truth I thought the same thing of the others around us too. Oh, not the man who had to be in his mid-fifties who was wearing red jeans and a sleeveless top that had a floral pattern encrusted with rhinestones and sequins. His hands were covered in silver rings on almost every finger and only his sandals seemed to be out of place as he clutched the hand of what most likely was his partner for years. The partner was dressed in jeans and a faded shirt and although they looked as though they were going to two different events you could feel their excitement. There was no mistaking the iconic sequined pantsuit that walked on the stage complete with long scarf hanging down the back as she made her entrance but honestly, it could have been anyone in that pantsuit and we would never have known the difference. You see, from as far back as we were sitting it just looked like a sixty year old pair of eye lashes attached to a Liza wig. I was suddenly reminded of a time when I had another brush with Cabaret greatness that turned into a less than great experience. Joel Grey was starring in a tour of Cabaret in the 90’s and my mother had gotten us tickets to see him in Philadelphia. I was beside myself to think that I would see my idol, Joel Grey in the role that made him famous. (Never mind that years previously my father had filled a prescription for him and had begged for an audience with him for his son who was an aspiring actor. Mr. Grey did not respond and I never met him. I should also say at this point that my father has hated Joel Grey ever since.) As the lights began to go down the announcer made the usual announcements but then he said something I couldn’t quite believe, “As you may have read, Mr. Grey has been very ill however he did not want to disappoint you so Mr. Grey will be performing in this evening’s performance however his role will be sung by his understudy.” What?!? Are you kidding me? The “Emcee” is a role that is completely sung, has no lines whatsoever. We sat there stunned, as Mr. Grey lip synced his way through two hours of Cabaret and his understudy trying to sound his Joel Grey best singing on a mic in the wings. I can’t tell you the first or first three songs that Ms. Minnelli sang because frankly she sounded so hoarse and was clearing her throat so much that all any of us could do was hold our breath and be very frightened for her. I do remember that in one of the first numbers she went to hold a note out and her voice cracked pretty badly, in a voice that wasn’t her usual “on” Liza she said, “Dammit” almost seeming as if she didn’t realize she had a mic on that was catching every word, breath and clearing of the throat along with her singing which was more like warbling I’m sorry to say. I looked over to my father (who seemed completely bored and was probably thinking about where he parked, how soon he’d have to get out of there after her last number to get the car to avoid the crowds and whether or not there would be traffic on our way back to Vegas). My guy was sitting there telling me that we may as well have watched one of her old specials on television as who could even see her, even with all our squinting and glasses. And then there was my mother, her cheeks stained with tears as she sat so close to the edge of her seat I thought she’d fall off. She was just so delighted to be in the same room with Liza. The whole concert timed at about two hours and during the course of the two hours, Liza did four or five costume changes and even brought out four singing/dancing boys who helped her recreate the nightclub act of her godmother, Kay Thompson. What was interesting was that while Liza seemed horribly winded and in vocal trouble at the start of the show but by the end of the show she actually sounded like Liza and was even able to belt out her signature New York, New York like the Liza we all know and remember. Which could only make me think that she hadn’t warmed up before the show and it took the hour and a half for her to get vocally warm, only problem was we were sitting there watching the whole warm-up/performance and it was downright painful until she got to that last half hour or so. After her rendition of New York, New York I could feel my father next to me watching everyone and the exits all at the same time to make his getaway. My mother sat there wiping her cheeks from tears as she looked over and said in a whispered tone, “She’ll do an encore, just wait, I know she’ll do an encore.” And so she did, a couple of them. The last thing she sang was sans orchestra, just Liza on the stage singing “I’ll Be Seeing You” – it was poignant and sweet and she sounded pretty good. And as we left the arena (passing all the Vegas gays in their full makeup that had gotten a little shiny from sweating in the less than well air conditioned arena and perhaps from a little crying) we dished about how Liza sounded in the beginning of the evening, how she got better, how lousy our seats were and finally my mother vowed to get great seats the next time Liza played Vegas. All in all, I’d say it wasn’t the evening that I expected to have (especially the seats we had) but as Liza sang herself, “What good is sitting alone in your room, come hear the music play…” It may not have been a Cabaret, ol’ chum but my mother saw Liza Minnelli and I smiled to myself thinking what a good Jewish gay son I was, am and will be when I pay for good seats next time! Comment on this essay at... http://hubpages.com/hub/An-Evening-With-My-Guy--My-Parents-and-Liza-With-A-Z KJ Denhert A truly one-of-a-kind artist (just like the Urban Folk & Jazz genre of music she created), I was delighted when someone told me about this amazing artist. Once again proving that out artists are truly amazing in their ability to resonate with gays, straights or anyone who appreciates true artistry. Whether it's one of her original pieces or a cover like Ticket To Ride, her artistry is best described by the many critics who have reviewed her work. "She personalizes the James Taylor and Joni Mitchell influences in her original songs with funk beats and soulful vocals that sound both streetwise and sophisticated." - Acoustic Guitar "[Denhert’s] instrumentation and impeccable vocal timing keep everything interesting and alluring." - Performing Songwriter “That infectious happiness of K.J. Denhert captivated a packed house at The 55 Bar. The crowd spoke of the ability of Denhert’s unique fusion of jazz and folk to transcend genres and ages… She channels a myriad of influences, from Joni Mitchell and James Taylor to Carole King and Sergio Mendes, to deliver a surprisingly high-energy performance.” - Relix Click her photo above to go to her website or click her to be transported to her MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/kjdenhert Workout: Pumping House! Click on the cover to be transported to the official site! Workout: Pumping House is the ultimate companion to countless New Year's resolutions and a motivational tool for listeners to acheive their fitness goals. The complete package includes a double-disc set featuring 16 heart-pumping tracks, a bonus "interval workout" inspired 72-minute megamix and a 7 day guest pass* to Bally Total Fitness. The album cover art displays Sidney-based personal trainer and fitness model Vinny Gough, courtesy of men's underwear and swimwear brand teamm8. (They asked me but you know how busy I am!) The compilation includes songs such as RuPaul's "Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous" which was used as the theme song for NBC's Biggest Loser and was a #1 dance download on iTunes; "Everybody Rise Pt. 2" featuring dance legend, Muriel Fowler, which just debuted at #5 on Billboard's Breakout Dance chart; a cover of the 1989 Billboard chart topping song "Send Me Angel", skillfully remixed by one of the best DJ's on the scene today, Georgie Porgie; "Mindbuster" featuring the first lady of house music, Jocelyn Brown and the title track, "Workout", a remake of Frankie Knuckles' dance classic, which is also sung by RuPaul and features back up vocals from superstar Chris Willis. This new "must have" is being released by UPhonic Records which was founded in 2001 by seasoned dance music recording artist, writer and producer Darrell Martin. Available at Best Buy, Borders, Virgin, Barnes and Noble, etc. Also available for download purchase at iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, etc. *Guest passes not included with digital purchases  The Village People  If you’re like me at all, you find yourself watching things on cable that you would never have gone to a theater to see or gone to a video store to rent and yet when it comes on you can’t help yourself. Like some awful car accident, you just can’t look away. I remember the first one of these that I had to watch every time it came on. I’m not proud of it but I have seen the movie Notting Hill more than anyone in the world. If you ask me why I can’t even tell you really, it’s awful and the acting is awful and yet I watch it whenever it comes on. There, I’ve gotten that off of my chest and feel a little better. Well currently on cable they’re playing You Can’t Stop The Music. That awful 80’s film starring none other than the Village People. If you’ve never seen it, I tell you that when it comes on you must stop and watch it. It’s the worst movie in the world – not helped by the Village People themselves (who can’t act) but they get a run for the worst acting award in their co-stars of Valerie Perrine and Bruce Jenner. (Yes, I said it, Bruce Jenner – wait ‘til you see him in a crop top and shorty shorts!) The very odd thing about this movie is that it is amazingly gay for its time. The YMCA number where they show completely naked men in showers and Valerie Perrine’s naked breasts in the Jacuzzi are enough to make your jaw drop (as mine did). Sure in today’s movies and television this may seem tame but remember people that at the time you had a President in office who was ignoring the AIDS crisis, passing it off as the “Gay Cancer” (Which sounds like someone I dated once who had his birthday in July – but I digress) and gays were not as “out” as they are now. The other reason to watch this movie is to help the guys in the movie. As a once “supporting” actor in a horrible movie in the late eighties, I still get residual checks when it plays on cable. Sure one was for 17 cents after taxes but the last one was a whopping $67! So support the actors, the days when gays were really gay and I dare you not want to get your groove thing on while listening to the soundtrack! I loved her when I saw her in "Wicked" on Broadway and have loved her in everything else. So of course, she gets featured artist this month - especially with a new album out that you must buy immediately!! Click on the pic below to visit her website and further below to buy you some Idina. Karen Carpenter  Hey look, I like to find "budding artists" just like the next gay but on a recent plane ride I rediscovered an artist on my Ipod that I think gets looked over in this day and age that we should all be listening to on a regular basis. I don't know that you could really call her a "gay artist" as she wasn't gay (though that brother of hers always seemed a bit suspect, didn't he?) but she spoke to the angst ridden girl in everyone. We weren't attractive enough, in love enough and if that wasn't enough to make her a gay icon then the fact that she literally starved herself to death should appeal to the gay thin crowd. (God love her, so much talent and so much inside that no one was ever able to help her figure out) All kidding aside, she was and is one of the greatest artists ever because she has a voice that you could listen to all day (or for at least a five hour plane ride) and never get tired of her lush full sound. I loved her back when I wore out the "Singles" album and I love her just as much today (and you should too). When I listen to The Carpenters it's yesterday once more! Natalie Gelman   Finding established artists is easy, finding the newcomers is a bit harder but thanks to a pal, I'm really excited to have you meet Natalie Gelman. This amazing young artist not only creates fabulous music but she's a humanitarian as well having recently finished a roller blading tour from Miami to New York for charity. Visit her website by clicking the album cover above, listen to her music by clicking below and learn more about her from the links... www.nataliegelman.com www.famecast.com/nataliegelman www.youtube.com/nataliegelman www.myspace.com/nataliegelman Darren Hayes  Darren Hayes who we all first fell in love with when he entered the scene as a part of Savage Garden quickly became an amazing solo artist too. We love him because he's talented and we embrace him because he's gay. Click on his pic above to be transported to his website or on one of the links below to learn all about Darren Hayes! www.darrenhayes.com www.myspace.com/darrenhayes www.youtube.com/darrenhayes  http://www.darrenhayesnet.com/articles.html Click on any of the album covers below to buy Darren Hayes music through amazon.com! M'Lisa Alonso Who is she? She's a fabulous singer that I had the fortune to meet. Boys, she's perfect for us, while she's gay thin her voice is as soulful as a large black woman in church. You won't believe this lush voice can come from such a tiny body (with such great hair, I might add). This young singer is so swell it was tough for me to pick only one of her songs so I have the whole album on my Ipod and you should too. Click on the album picture to go to her MySpace page or click here to go to her website. Either way, just click somewhere and buy the album immediately! www.mlisaalonso.com

You're Listening To...

"My Favorite Things" from The Sound Of Music