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on the Web for March/April 1998
Feature Stories
Barebacking: Sex Without a Net
Domestic Partnership Beneficiaries: A Monterey Couple's Experiences
Attackers of Gay Man Sentenced
Local News
E-Group Meets Off-line: Joint Gay AOL/Internet Group Forms in Monterey
America Online (AOL) is well known as a virtual meeting ground for gay people. Now AOL users in Monterey County can mingle without using a keyboard thanks to Monterey's newest gay social group.
The yet unnamed group had its first meeting February 18th. Nineteen men and women met at the Lighthouse Bar & Grill in Monterey to discuss common interests, mingle, and move beyond hardware handshaking.
Those who arrived in time for the meeting that evening voted on the following agenda items:
- When creating a member chatroom, AOL users should try to use "GAYMONTEREY" Standardizing the name makes it easier to find. A Java-based chatroom is available on Monterey's Gay Website for non-AOL users.
- The group should be open to anyone who can send and recieve e-mail, including those using other Internet Service Providers such as MBAY or Netcom.
- The e-mail list will be limited to those living within Monterey County.
- The format of the meetings will remain the same until it is more established, i.e., sign-in, mingle, break for a short meeting, mingle some more.
Most of those who arrived in time for the meeting were from Salinas.
Organizer Wes Kashiwagi decided to trying starting the group after exchanging messages with locals in an AOL chatroom. "I think it will be a great addition to the community," said Kashiwagi, especially since it isn't limited by geography, the major stumbling block for county-wide organizations. Plus I've always wanted to see what an entire room full of men with swimmer's builds, 10" penises, and bubble butts looks like," he said, laughing.
Meetings are held the third Wednesday of every month starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Lighthouse Bar & Grill in Monterey. E-mail wes@mbay.net or "stickyrice" for America Online users.
Monterey's Gay Website Wins CW "Best of" Award
Monterey's Gay Website (www.mbay.net/~wes/monterey/) was voted "Most
Popular Website" by readers of the Coast Weekly magazine. The Paper
congratulates itself and thanks everyone that voted for us.
Lesbians Rap Starts
The women's program at the Monterey County AIDS Project is offering a space
space for lesbian, bisexual and questioning women to come together and talk.
Topics will include what it means to be a woman today, the media's portrayal
of women, favorite flowers, tastes great vs. less-filling. Begins March
26, 7-9 p.m. at MCAP's Seaside office at 780 Hamilton. For more info call
Jen at 408/772-8206
Gay Movie Nights Begin in Salinas and Monterey Peninsula
Not into the bars but still want to meet people? Movie nights for gay men
begin in March. The group meets six times a month at various locations in
Monterey and Salinas.
According to coordinator Craig Wenzl, the movies aren't all about gay issues, and recommendations for future movie nights are welcome. Refreshments are provided. For more information contact Craig at 408/772-8200.
Gay Running Group Kicks Off the New Year
The local gay running group will begin meeting again this month. E-mail
NoPain@aol.com
Monterey Bears Start Dinner Nite, Game Day
No hibernation this year for gay bears in Monterey. The Monterey Bay Bears
have started two new activities every month. The first Tuesday will be "Dinner
Night" where a group will get together at different local restaurants.
The third Sunday will be "Game Day" from noon til "whenever".
Regular group potluck meetings will still be held on the second Tuesday
of the month. Call Tex at 408/392-1482.
A.D. Sign A.W.O.L
The 21 year-old original sign for the After Dark in Monterey (pictured above)
disappeared mysteriously from the nightclub's back patio in February. The
owners would like it returned, no questions asked. Anyone that has seen
the sign should call the After Dark at 408/373-7828.
Red Ribbon Status Report
The three-year old Red Ribbon Benefit Shop which supports local AIDS organizations
sent an open letter to the community to local organizations regarding its
financial status and planned expansion. In 1997, Red Ribbon raised enough
money to cover its rent and monthly expenses and startup costs.
According to executive director Laurie Loomis, the thrift shop donated "thousands of dollars" in office equipment to two two local AIDS agencies, and gave clients a $1,000 in food gift certificates. The shop's year end financial statement is available to the public. Call Laurie Loomis at 408/647-7100 for a copy of the report.
The Dakota Opens Gay: 2nd Bar Brings Style to Santa Cruz
After years of thumb-twiddling, Santa Cruz finally has its second gay bar. The Dakota (1209 Pacific St. in downtown Santa Cruz) opened in April. Owners Stefan Hanegan and Geoffrey Stout, both of Santa Cruz, renovated the former pawnshop into a sophisticated, San Francisco-style nightclub with a large bar, table seating, and a dancefloor.
How has the reaction been from the gay community?
"90 positive," said a gay man at the bar the Saturday afternoon
The Paper visited. Another patron, who has lived in Santa Cruz since the
70s said, "It's like what the Blue [Lagoon] was 20 years ago. A place
where we can hear each other talk. Civilized."
DJs spin seven nights a week, the music changing accordingly. When asked to describe it the bartender offered "dance music you can sing to."
The bar serves food from the Pearl Alley Bistro, located on the second floor of the same building. The appetizer menu is available at the bar, and the entire menu is available to go.
Contrary to rumors circulating that the Dakota would follow the Blue Lagoon and start catering to straight patrons, the owners are definite about what kind of bar they are running. "This is a gay bar," said Hanegan.
The Dakota is one of the few bars in the area to allow smoking in the bar. Cover charge is $3. There is a coat check at the front of the bar and a handicapped accessible restroom at the back of the dancefloor. Low seating for wheelchairs is provided at the front of the bar.