There is No Place Like Home

I know some of you have waited weeks for a new blog entry. I’m sorry. I took a little vacation down to Atlanta and then when I got back, I got really sick with an upper respiratory infection that took me out for a few days. I’m still exhausted actually. I know that some of you are saying that since I was at home, I should have been able to write. But really, If I wasn’t asleep; I was sulking over the fact that I could not be Out N About. And while I was in Atlanta, I was so Out N About that I didn't have time to write.

I love Atlanta. It was my home for 5 years, and every time I go for a visit, I return to NYC feeling extremely depressed because I miss Atlanta so much. I guess I love it so much because it’s the city where I came out. The friends I made there were the first friends who knew the REAL me. They say that the best friends you make are the ones you make in college, probably because you discover yourself in college. I think for a gay man, the best friends you make are the ones you make when you come out. Atlanta feels like home to me. I know all the streets, and all the back roads. I know the gay bars, and it seems everywhere I go there is a familiar face. People in general are just more polite and have manners. I have not been able to make New York feel the way Atlanta feels to me. Ultimately, I know that I am probably going to end up there again. Just not sure when....because just as I always get homesick for Atlanta, once the homesickness passes, I get all excited about living in such an amazing and busy city like New York. Its like being a kid going away to camp. The first day I'm on the verge of tears missing home, but once the activities begin I forget about home and start to enjoy camp!

I know that this blog is called Out N About New York, but Atlanta is one of my homes and so I'm going to blog about it. One of the first Gay places that I encountered when I first came to Atlanta almost 10 years ago, was a tiny coffee shop and bookstore on the corner of Piedmont and 10th Street in Midtown.

When I say bookstore, I don’t mean the seedy darkroom porn shops with sex taking place in back, kind of place that people associate with Gay Bookstores; Rather this place is warm and welcoming. The name of the place is “OutWrite” and they specialize in books dealing with Gay subject matter, Gay authors, or anything associated with the LGBT community.



Though they carry a small collection of erotica, the majority of their merchandise has nothing to do with porn. It is primarily a coffee shop with a cute place to sit and read (or blog), and be social. I have yet to discover a place like this anywhere else, not even in New York City (The Big Cup came close, but they closed). Sure NYC has coffee shops and bookstores, but I have yet to discover one that is both and specifically catering to the LGBT community. My friend Tyler and I spent a few minutes at OutWrite reminiscing about when I used to live in Atlanta.

Now let me tell you the Barista there is sort of an Idiot. Blond girl who insisted on trying to speak Spanish to Tyler and me though neither of us speaks Spanish. Not only did she mistake us for being Spanish, she was just bad at speaking Spanish saying things like “pour fay-vor”. We told her to speak English but she continued to try to speak in Spanish. She was completely deaf to our orders. "May I have a vanilla latte with soy milk please" I ordered. "And what kind of milk would you like" she replied. "SOY" I answered. "And would you like a flavored syrup?" she asked. "ah yes, VANILLA!" I replied "Hence a soy vanilla Latte". "Per dona me.. oops there I go in spanish again" she laughed.

The coffee was good, and Tyler and I proceeded to browse. Coffee Table books of hot men in black white photos, The Damron guide to Gay travel, and even “The Cunt Coloring Book” for those of us who feel the need to color cunt (does crayola make such colors or is it just pink or carnation?- we're all pink on the inside honey).
The atmosphere is very lively and friendly, somewhat cruisy I guess. It's a lot of fun. They sell fun knick knack items like sin soap,Jesus Dashboard statues, and even CD's and Movies. Tyler and I don't remember why we didn't hang out here as much as we had liked. One thing about OutWrite is that everyone is welcome. I use to get annoyed because a lot of high school students would hang out there after school. But I realized that other than gay bars (where students are too young to go), what other place do young gay people have? I'm glad they have OutWrite.

Across the street and down a block from OutWrite is one of my favorite parks: Piedmont Park. Just think about Central Park in NYC, and then thinks of it as being way cleaner, and less crowded. I use to spend hours in the park with my dog, or walking after lunch or dinner, or just strolling with a date. It’s such a calm peaceful place. Rolling hills with trees and the Atlanta skyline in the back. Even the dog park tucked in the far back corner is great. The dog park is as big as some of the regular parks in New York with hills and rocks for the dogs to explore.

Both OutWrite and the park were just blocks from my old Apartment in Atlanta. First the 2 bedroom apartment upstairs of the old house on Myrtle street, and then the 2 bedroom apartment in the complex on 7th and Piedmont. Great memories with great friends there. Meeting at my house for drinks, and then off to the park for the dogwood or gay pride festival. Speaking of drinks, Tyler and I decided to meet our friend Catherine for drinks at a place called Joe's which is also near the park. It was a nice way to end a day and start and evening.




My friends who live in Atlanta think its such a boring place that has no night life. I don't see it that way. Sure if I moved back I'd probably bored out of my mind since New York always has something going on, but still, Atlanta feels like home. I think that sometimes in order for you to truly realize how special something is, you have to give it up. Now that I live in NYC, I'm homesick for Atlanta. Give me two weeks, and I will realize why I am still in NYC. Oh, and in two weeks.. my friends Tyler and Catherine from Atlanta are coming to visit me here!

Learn Spanish: Casa - House, Home
Congratulations - Felicidades

Felicidades to my friend Theresa and the new addtion to her Casa: her new baby Annie Masae Pualanikai'imiponoinameaapauloa Kuehu (Hawaiian meaning The royal child who strives for righteousness in all things)- thats 31 letters folks!