London nights pt. 2

Some of the things that I loved about the gay nightlife scene in London is that it's diverse and plentiful. Yes the usual dramas are there (who's avoiding who? Where can we get drugs? did you know he's sleeping with so and so? He's so cute, I see him everywhere, he doesn't know I exist....) but the Montreal club scene has gotten so small in comparison it was refreshing to attend so many parties in all its potential, trashy, glittering, hot-mess glory.

Some quick observations: Just because you're a Bear and are into Bears it doesn't mean your club needs to look like a dungeon or that you can't like Britney Spears remixes. Amazing London DJs are approachable: I was so happy to meet Superchumbo (the one and only Tom Stephan) and also reconnect with Larry Tee at his party at East Bloc.

Good Music and big beats can be played in small venues: pumping DnB coming from a dark bar on Brick Lane at three in the afternoon, Garage at a Deli in East London, East Bloc looking more New York with its Keith Haring decor than, well, New York...who says a small lounge can only play lounge beats? DJs f*ck up and (gasp!) no one cares!: We saw Honey Dijon spin at Summer Rites when her CDJ suddenly stopped working. Horse Meat Disco killed our buzz with its classic, vintage disco, Larry Tee mixed electro and electro hip-hop, two DJs played the same track at Fire Afterhours and one of them failed to match his beats in one transition. It all made me realize that maybe in North America we take this DJ job way too seriously. Maybe I take this DJ job too seriously. Does it really matter if you play the same track as someone else in one night or if you screw up a mix or your equipment messes up? Why do some people feel it's important to make you feel like less of a DJ if you don't use Vinyl when all these superstars are on their usb keys or laptops, syncing beats and making people dance? How come I doubt my musical taste when I DJ here only to find that half the tracks I bought on beatport are being played out and loud across the pond? Thanks London for making me feel like maybe I can really be a DJ after all.

London Nights pt 1

Perhaps it's a good thing that I don't have a lot of pictures to document all the shenanigans that happened at night in London. One thing I can say for certain is that London has a thriving nightlife. That's one of the joys (and pitfalls, I suppose) of living in such a dense and diverse city. There's something for everyone and something is always going on. Nightlife has always fascinated me. People let their guard down. They make mistakes, make messes, get drunk. People bare their souls at night and get dressed up. They become fully expressed. There is something magical about nighttime. Anything can happen. My limited budget meant that I couldn't party in Ibiza, but just as well. London has many interested hotspots and Ben and Arthur were determined that I get a good sense of what London nightlife had to offer. Arthur took us to a members only club in the West End that looked a bit like multiple floors of a chic hotel Lobby bar. Members only clubs seem to be important in a big City such as this one where too many tourists or unwanted guests can drastically determine how fun your night can be. Memberships can mean writing an essay, having an interview and having the right referrals. It's terribly snooty and exclusive but does feel quite nice when you're invited behind the velvet ropes. It's part of the allure of night life. People want to feel special.

with Devon

Ben and Arthur

City lights, city nights. If it's part of a City's culture to start drinking as early as two in the afternoon what is the definition of an alcoholic? Are you a drug addict if you're a Professional Doctor during the week and a party boy on the weekends? What's too much? What's excessive? Another night we headed to Vauxhall in the very trendy East London area. Nightjar won't allow people in if they're at capacity (it's a small drinking hole that has live Jazz and the decor has a bit of an art deco feel) There's no standing room at Nightjar and every group needs to be seated at tables.

The service was exquisite and the drinks were creative elixirs made by bartenders who took their jobs very seriously and performed the making of each martini like a choreographed dance or precision voguing. Our group was made up of a select group of Lion King performers after a night show and we couldn't help and gawk at the couple at the next table who seemed to be on a very hot and heavy third date. They're sloppy make out session turned out to be the highlight of our night.

Things were looking dire after leaving Nightjar around two in the morning trying to find the 'next spot' for our night adventure. Our hunger beat out our will to dance so we ended up at a chic hotel that served all night meals which we gladly ate between shared laughter about embarrassing dance stories. Five in the morning and Ben, Arthur and I were in a cab heading home. We left a few people at the Hotel who decided to have one more drink. It was nearly six. Arthur received a text from one of the Lion King girls that read "It's 6am and I am drunk and hung over at the same time."

"Iphone is a useful tool when planning a night out in London. Saves on time in case one gets lost."

What the eye sees.....

I love walking around big cities. It's a feast for the eyes. Ever since I was a little boy growing up in Toronto I always felt inspired just by walking around and looking at people, buildings and street art. There's so much beauty in London. I love the blend and contrast of the old with the new. In New York there are moments where I feel the building feel oppressive in their magnitude. London feels majestic but also quaint. At night the city came alive with new energy, but I never felt in danger.

where skateboards go to die

Ben and Arthur on Brick Lane

London Days

I can't believe I only have two more days left in this beautiful city. Coming here I had no idea what to expect or what I was even doing here. It certainly wasn't a destination chosen for rest and relaxation. I was sort of comparing what I knew of big city life to New York but London does have a different vibe. It does have the hustle and bustle (in fact I saw the paramedics aiding a fallen business man during evening rush hour as I followed the current of people towards my train) but the sense of urgency seems to be a little more even-keeled than in New York. London is vast and dense but it doesn't seem to have the heaviness I often get when I am in New York. Certainly I am a bit fatigued but no more so than when I am having a full day in Montreal. I have often thought I would go back to New York if I ever wanted big city life again. But I think it could be London.

Royal Albert Hall

Victoria and Albert Museum (Museums are always great to go to because they're free though full of tourists. On this occasion two exhibits that were going on were a Ballgown exhibit and a Design exhibit

Arthur admitted that in all his years of living in London he'd never really walked through Hyde Park. Having me around was a great excuse to do the tourist stuff in his own city

french boys playing football in the park

Arthur getting the shot for some tourists

inside the Tate Modern

London 2012

I can't say I'm singing in the rain per say but I thought this was pretty fitting considering it's quite rainy and grey here. I left Montreal in the middle of a heat wave so it feels like I've jump started my Fall by being here. Thankfully I brought my umbrella but there is a bit of chill in my bones. I am slightly under dressed. So far my goal is to conquer this jet lag. Arthur and Ben live in Brockley which is only a few stops from the heart of the City's West End. Last night I surprised myself by pushing through the London rush hour to see Sweeney Todd. I read an amazing review about Imelda Staunton's performance in the NY Times (she was brilliant) and I was particularly happy to see Michael Ball in the lead role since I have been a fan of his since he was the original Marius in Les Miserable. The show was strong and dynamic with exceptional performances overall. Great way to cut through my fatigue. Grey and rain are great for Gallery walks but brain still lacks the clarity to soak in anything in a meaningful way. Despite my lack of direction (what am I doing here?) I have to admit it's refreshing to be away from my normal surroundings even though it's not a very relaxing choice. The pace of this place means the trip will go fast. Already by tomorrow I will have just a week left and my days are slowly taking some structure with possible club dates, shows and Zumba class(!)

I'm determined to fight the urge to do what I know and eat and shop at the same places I would in Montreal in order to feel safe and comfortable. It's a bit difficult now that every major city is starting to look the same. It was cool to have a coffee at The Crypt at St. Martin's. But my Starbuck addiction continues to be my anchor.

London Fashion outside the Lyceum

"because sometimes the first thing that needs doing on a trip to London is dirty laundry"

my flatmate

What's Blooming

This is one of my favourite times to be in Montreal. The Winter has finally dissolved and the city is all a bustle with primping and cleaning and planting to get ready for another great summer of non-stop festivals, concerts and fireworks. I love how these flowers are so rich in colour under a grey sky. They are so luscious and deep. What can I say about the past few months? The winter was manageable though I have to say it is still one of my goals for next year to be some place hot and sunny for at least some of the cold months. I did my best to remain active and positive and overall I'm happy that I made it with very little sinus, aches, sniffling and shivers.

A lot has shifted in my career. Over the Holidays I lost an important DJ gig which accounted for a lot of my finances. With the help of Daniel, my financial advisor, I was able to stay on track and turn to Zumba for more of my steady pay. It's been an interesting transition and pretty organic in a lot of ways. Through all of this it became even more apparent that my love of both Zumba and DJing both fulfill a basic need of mine and that who I am as a contribution is a space for people to be fully expressed through movement.

Two things I wanted to share about that before I sign off. Recently me and my partner Veronique Pierre created our first Zumba Party at an after-hours club in Laval. It was such a joy to see so many men and women of all ages and sizes fill that club with love, passion and energy. Some of those ladies were in their sixties and it truly was a powerful moment. I cannot wait to do it again. That same weekend I DJed at Sky in the Village. Sky Club Complexe is one of the oldest gay clubs here in Montreal. Through my whole process of losing my other DJ gig this really opened the door for me to take on other opportunities and now I am at Sky twice a month. There is such a rush when you're getting ready to drop a song and you have an idea and a hope that the people respond to it positively but you're not entirely sure. Finally you play the song and people go crazy! It's so awesome. I look out onto a sea of young boys and girls having fun with their friends or starting new romances and I can recall not too long ago how that was me. Even though I am in the shadows I can see everything. And for a moment, everything seems beautiful.

touching base

Weather seems a bit mild for December. It makes me worried that we're in for a pretty long and gruesome winter. We shall see. I've been taking lots of naps since all this grey weather tends to suck all my energy. I'm not a fan.

I've been trying to think up new Artist's Dates for the next couple of weeks. Me and my friend Billy have decided to tackle the book "The Artist's Way" which gets you in touch with your Creative Self. Along with weekly exercises there is an Artist Date where you take yourself out by yourself. So far I've seen two movies, gone on a few walks, procured a Library card and taken myself out to The Laurier for some amazing Fried Chicken and Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake. I'm thinking of taking a Swing Dance Class and possibly checking out a Jazz Bar during the Holidays.

I've been trying to avoid the shops as much as possible. During Christmas time the consumer frenzy makes me nauseous. Slowly I am succumbing to the desire to stay in and watch mind-numbing television for hours. I rented the complete series of Rome from the Library and even the Librarian asked, "Are you sure you're going to watch all of this dear?"

Money seems to come and go with a little more fluidity and ease. I'm playing this game to increase my monthly income and as of yet I have no idea how it's going to manifest itself. Bold actions and requests will need to be taken and made. I have a few projects I would like to do in the New Year that all are quite costly but may prove to be a wise investment. Let's see how creatively I'll be with my money over the next few months. I have no interest in doing extra work that I don't like to increase my income. But even extra Zumba classes and DJing can take its toll even both those things are my passion and career.

The idea of finding a boyfriend right now seems further and further from my mind. I've been enjoying this time getting to know me a little better. But who knows? Maybe now that I feel more secure in who I am, perhaps he's just around the corner. I'm expecting 2012 to be a year full of pretty awesome surprises...