A Good Time to be a Lesbian in SoCal

Beep-beep, ding, tweet, there it goes all day long, my inbox filling up with lesbian invites.

Club nights, bingo, comedy, dinner parties, charity events and while I keep wondering where I'm going to find the time and outfits for all this, I can't help but remember when all we had in LA for the ladies when I was in my twenties was The Palms on Santa Monica Boulevard.

(pictured left, An Evening with Women, 2009)

In those days, everyone had a Palm's story. Generally having to do with some naive, new-to-LA woman cracking open the door and cautiously entering, easing onto a bar stool in what could be described as an atmosphere akin to a biker bar someone just past the train tracks. Followed by a burly woman with her wallet chained to her belt loop leaning over with a gravelly voice saying words that would haunt you for years in your nightmares.

As I traveled around the country to film festivals with my movies, I've managed to eyeball almost every city's version of this. I'm glad we've come out of the bars and the shadowy places, so today in spreading the word of some fun lesbian events coming up, I'll list a few lesbian resources for the SoCal ladies.

LESBIAN ATTACK

next one May 22nd

If you have not discovered this yet, and you live anywhere in SoCal and are a lesbian, go immediately to Facebook and join their group. Now. LesbianAttackonFacebook.

These ladies had the brilliant idea of secretly descending on a local LA hot spot - generally a SUPER STRAIGHT ONE - with over 200 lesbians about once every other month. Sometimes the numbers have actually reached close to 500!

The next Attack will actually be planned and for Charity. Don't miss this, it's a great deal, a tax write off and a super fun time. It's Lesbian Attack Gives Back, and it's cohosted by almost everyone in town to support the LA Gay and Lesbian Center.

SINGLE DE MAYO
Sunday, May 2nd
Every year, the ladies in LA get together to hook up and donate the money to charity.

This is a fun afternoon event with things like a kissing booth, dancing, a photo booth and celeb appearances. All proceeds this year benefit JQ International.

And I admit, it's fun to see lesbians in the daylight.

This year, the event is May 2nd from 2 - 7 pm

667 South June Street,

Los Angeles, CA 90005

With tickets running $15.
Their Facebook page is here.

AN EVENING WITH WOMEN

Saturday, May 1

This is the big, fancy black tie event for lesbians - and has been for decades! It used to be called Women's Night, but then Linda Perry took over and revamped it into an even bigger, glitzier fundraiser for the LA Gay & Lesbian Center.

This year, Heart will be there along with Gina Gershon, Rene Zelwegger, Sarah Silverman and probably some fun surprises, and certainly the entire who's who of lesbians in Los Angeles.

Perry produces the event with buddy Brent Bolthouse of LA nightlife fame, and this year my fellow vegan Shannon Del joined the mix.

Tickets are costly - but hey, that's the price to pay to be in the hip.

It'll cost ya $300 and the event is this Saturday, May 1st at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Cocktails and Silent Auction (and penultimate sappho schmoozing) starts at 6 pm with the dinner and show kicking in around 8 pm. Get your tickets now before they sell out.

For photos and video from last year's event, click here.

My gay boyfriends had so much fun at last year's, they all actually bought tickets this year!

GAYS R US
Every first Wednesday of the month at the historic Improv on Melrose

Big name comics perform here every month at what has to be the best kept secret in lgbt entertainment in Hollywood.

Tickets run around $15, and that'll get you a place to sit and chilax with your buds while nibbling on some fries and kicking back a few brewskies while seriously laughing your ass off (last month I actually for the first time in my life spit out my beer). The friend I brought even told me afterwards, "I feel high from laughing so much with all those endorphins!"

This isn't an amateur or try-out stage. Almost every comic has a Showtime, HBO, Logo or Comedy Central special under their belt.

Next Wednesday night, the infamous Julie Goldman is headlining. Star of The Big Gay Sketch Show, Goldman is in town from NY for a rare LA appearance.

Check it out any first Wednesday night with comics including Andre Kelly, Poppy Champlin, Sandra Valls, Liz Feldman, Bridget McManus, Suzanne Westenhoefer, Justin Martindale, Daniel Leary, Jennie McNulty, Jason Dudey and more. The evening is usually hosted by the producer, comic/actress Erin Foley.



OTHER RESOURCES FOR YOUR LESBIAN SATISFACTION

Didn't find anything interesting here? Well you can always check out the guru of LA lesbian nightlife, The Godfather, over at LA Box Lunch Lesbians. There, you'll not only get a great listing of all the clubs and bars, but sometimes her recaps which are honest and hysterical.

A little older and a bit conservative? Definitely check out the biggest lesbian social circle in the universe over at www.womenonaroll.com

And currently, there are lesbian nights at East/West, Eleven and Crown Bar on Thursday evenings.

SWEET TRAVEL
No matter where you live, you can join hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of lesbians from around the globe at Sweet's travel events. Upcoming: a weekend in Vegas baby, and a Singles Escape for a week - May 7-14 - in the tropical paradise of Isla Mujeres. For more info, check out their web site.

As the Gay Turns for Wednesday

RIP - PlanetOut.com

After here! Media bought almost all the print and internet outlets out there, they've all been slowly folding into one place. Now the former PlanetOut.org folds into Gay.com which is where GayWired.com also lands.

Jenni Olsen wrote about this.

GeEqual.org interrupted yet another political event today:

If you're keeping track, that adds up to three offenses this week!

If you live in Los Angeles, there are two big things going on this weekend:

Showbiz Expo - All day Saturday and Sunday with panels, exhibits, mixers and much more.

and

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. All weekend at UCLA and jam packet with incredible appearances by some of your favorite authors and celebs. Great cultural event for the city!

And here's your gay movie trailer of the week:

As the Gay Turns - Point, Sketch, Choi and Glee

The gay video of the week, below, is tied to the big gay news story of today - Dan Choi returned to the White House today with five other military members to handcuff themselves to the gates AGAIN.


Meanwhile, the police did NOT want anyone to video tape this including CBS news, CNN and so on, as you can see and hear in this clip:


This rally takes place just a day after members of GetEqual heckled the president as he spoke at a political fundraiser for Barbara Boxer. Obama actually acknowledged the hecklers as they chanted, "What about Don't Ask, Don't Tell." He reassured them, "That Barbara did not vote for Don't Ask, Don't Tell!" then followed by, "You want to come up here?"

Both these incidents are receiving the intended news coverage nationally. GetEqual.org is behind both.

Those not familiar, this is a fairly new organization started and run by grassroots activists. They are the antithesis of big organizations like HRC - the later coming into criticism a lot of late for hobnobbing with the White House instead of pressuring. In fact, HRC and GetEqual are constantly at odds and not afraid to publicly bash one another.

If you ever saw Network, GetEqual.org is channelling that whole, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more spirit."

In other gay news - the big Madonna episode of GLEE is on this evening, with the Sue Sylvester VOGUE video being a big highlight. GLEE recently won the GLAAD Award for best comedy show and at that ceremony, creator Ryan Murphy lauded out cast members Jane Lynch and Chris Colfer.

Also on tonight at 10 pm on LOGO is episode 2 of The Big Gay Sketch Show.

Even though the show was taped well over a year ago (LOGO - get your act together) tonight's show has a Glenn Close sketch by Dennis Hensley that comes the day after the last episode (perhaps EVER) of Damages aired.

I know you'll be watching Lost and Glee, but you can either TIVO it or even better, buy the entire season on Itunes.

Monday night, my favorite non profit POINT FOUNDATION had their awards show in New York City and they raised an astounding $600,000. The event honored David Mixner and as per usual, had a big star turn out including Alan Cumming, Jane Krakowski, Andy Cohen and Susan Sarandon.

Here's Sarandon flocked by some Point Scholars (can you blame them for flocking?). Every time I see this woman TO THIS DAY, all I can hear is, "Are you trying to seduce me Mrs. Blaylock?" (Please, call me Miriam).

If you're around this week in Los Angeles, come on down to TheSmokingCocktail.com's monthly LGBT mixer for professionals, artists and activists: