Thursday Night Fever: A 70's Disco Party

Featured Reader: Priscilla lounging  outNabout in Kent,  Washington (State)



One time… the ad agency I work for, decided to throw our annual holiday party at the end of January! We were so busy with a huge business pitch this past December, that the powers that be decided to postpone the party till the end of January (1-29-09). Was it worth the wait? Totally.


It was a 70’s Disco party held at the Tribeca Film Center in NYC. A costume party! Having just worked the Studio 54 party as a dancer at the Hollywood Casino for New Year’s Eve, I knew exactly what I needed to wear: A John Travolta-esque tight fitted pants (that showed off my ass); long sleeved unbuttoned shirt with a gold chain (showing off my hairy chest);  a vest; slicked back hair and dark shades.

The Tribeca Film Center is the perfect venue to throw a 70’s Disco themed party. Loungy rooms both upstairs and downstairs with bars that were big enough to hold our entire company, yet small enough to create the intimacy of a chic nightclub. They even had a movie theatre, and... A large spinning disco ball!



Desiree, Herbelicious, AnnMarie and I got to the venue early to take pictures (before the crowds came) as well as to get changed. Once we were dressed, the staff of the film center (decked out in their tie dye T-Shirts) confused us for the band that would be playing that night (I think that is why they let us put our things backstage rather than in coat check). I was decked out in my Saturday Night Fever get-up; Desiree in her 70’s Go-Go Girl dress; Herbelicious in his “Rico” costume complete with Afro and feathers for his hair; and AnnMarie in her 70’s Flower Power outfit.

In the main bar, we began snapping pictures of the venue for the event planner.




We had a hard time just taking pictures of the venue. We were too cute. We started posing: Charlie’s Angels; the staircase; and of course, some scandalous Studio 54 shots of Desiree’s legs.


We headed downstairs to the Bacardi Lounge to the FREE photo booth! First Herbert and Desiree, Then Me and Herbert, then Herbert and AnnMarie, then me and Desiree (And later me and Geia).
The Bartender downstairs offered to take some of the margarita salt and make some lines for us on the bar to do some “authentic” 70’s cokehead pictures. We decided to pass on those types of pictures. Don’t want that kind of "gossip" being passed around the work place.

After the photo booth fun, people started arriving for the party. We headed back upstairs to the main party room. Coming up the stairs, Herbelicious and I realized that people did not recognize us.

They especially didn’t recognize Herbelicious under all that hair, and no one seemed to be looking at my face while I was wearing those tight pants. “Nice Pants” people shouted to me from down the hall (lucky I was wearing a dance belt so that it wasn’t too vulgar—well maybe my ass was).




Not too many people came in costume, but those who did went all out. Big Afro’s seemed to be the theme of the night. My favorite afro was the big blonde afro worn by Chauncey-- she could have been Beyonce straight out of the Austin Power’s movie. Chauncey won the contest for the best outfit.


After a couple of announcements by Herbelicious (shouting RICO!) and Desiree pretending to be a singer,  the “real” singers came out. They started off with "Disco Inferno".
The dance captain from my New Year’s Eve Casino gig was right. Every time I heard that song, I would feel the intense need to perform the choreography. Herbelicious and Desiree took to the floor jive dancing and go-go dancing. Herbelicious in his wig and funktified clothes looked strangely real and natural.



The lead girl of the band looked strangely like Drag Goddess/Sex Kitten Heather Daniels from the Atlanta gay scene; who also looks like Paulette from the movie Legally Blonde!

After a quick bite to eat of the really greasy food, on our way back downstairs to the Bacardi Lounge, Herbelicious and I ran into my boss. She seemed to recognize Herbelicious, but not me! I swear I heard her say “Nice Pants!” (Later she put 2 and 2 together).


Back upstairs, the band brought out two of their own go-go dancers decked out in gold-outfits and gold wigs. I must say, that I was a little jaded that my own company didn’t hire me to do this gig. The company I danced for would have had 8 dancers and did choreography, not just shake our asses like these girls did. They brought out hula hoops but couldn’t seem to spin them. Desiree showed them up! She not only did one, but 3! I too had to show these go-go girls up-- I decided to flag.

I flagged on the side as the band performed YMCA and Macho Macho Man. But then the lead singer came down to me and said “I want you with that-- up here on stage”.  Being the attention whore that I am, I put on a show. Pictures were snapped left and right because straight people aren’t familiar with this gay dance form. Someone in the audience said “that boy has Broadway skills”. Another person said “He use to spin fire in a hula show in Hawaii”. Our finance guy moaned “this is turning into a gay club!”

The party was in full swing now. People were drinking and dancing and having a dynamite tubular time. They even had the movie “Saturday Night Fever” playing up on the video screens. People were snapping pictures of Desiree’s and my gold chains: Sexy and Single.



It was starting to get late, and since Tribeca Film Center is near the Bottom of Manhattan, and Herbelcious, me,  and Desiree live in the Bronx, we decided to head home.
We went backstage and changed our clothes. There was no way we could head home on the subway like that. Desiree commented that we were like models just finishing a funky photo shoot.

On our way home, Herbelicious commented that he had nothing to eat at the party because the food wasn't so great. We decided to grab pizza at Famiglia on 44th and 8th, one of the usual pizza stops after a late night of partying. We so hungry! We WERE like starving supermodels who had just finished a funky photo shoot. We took the train to 145th street before Herbeliciouis said “screw this, let’s take a cab the rest of the way”. That is what we did.


For Real. Seriously.

25 Random Things about William: As Reported on Facebook

One time....On Facebook, I received a tag from friend listing 25 random things about them. It then asked me to create a list of 25 random things about myself and to tag 25 people with it. I did and it caused a stir! So.... for those of you who missed it on Facebook, here are 25 Random things about William:

1. I have stripper envy. I wish that I had such an amazing body that I could just dance in my underwear on a bar and get tipped for it.. tipped enough to pay my bills.

2. I have always wanted an Australian Sugar Glider for a Pet.

3. My mother was right about EVERYTHING. About my Career, Relationships, EVERYTHING. I should have listened.

4. The love of my life who is constantly at the back of my mind is Jamie. He stole my car and I lost everything to him. The only reason I wouldn’t be with Jamie is because I shouldn’t. My mom thinks to this day, that Jamie was a girl. I don't know where he is today

5. I wish that I could have kids.

6. My favorite television show is Bones. My ex BF loves to watch it too so I say that I hate it or that I don’t watch TV. I watch Bones.

7. I am not the sweet innocent Naive boy from Hawaii that I lead everyone to believe I am.

8. I love the color red. I get more attention when I wear red than when I wear any other color.

9. I can wear any color. My skin tone allows me to wear any color I want.

10. In high school I wanted glasses to be trendy, but after I got them, hated them, and still hate them, but I’m terrified of Lasik.

11. I never wore shorts to school from the age of 5 until my freshman year of college. I was always embarrassed that my legs were more hairy than everyone else's.

12. When I was 9 I found a pair of handcuffs in an abandoned car and cuffed my grandfather not thinking that we didn’t have the key!


13. I wish I could speak another language Fluently

14. I have sold my underwear on the Internet before. Used underwear.

15. I was offered to do gay porn twice in Atlanta, but turned it down because it’s not respectable. I secretly wanted to do it!

16. From Age 18-21 I had a fake ID with my picture on it but my older brothers info. I went clubbing in Waikiki all the time. When I turned 21 and threw my 21st Bday Party at the Blue Zebra, the owners and managers were confused saying “he has been coming here for years!”

17. I have never had sex with a woman. Not even foreplay. When I told my mom I was gay, she said “You didn’t even try!

18. I have a story for everything, and every situation.. and they are all true. Some of my friends think that I’m making this stuff up.. I’m not… I have lived that colorful a life.

19. I don’t really understand football. Like my mom did in high school, I just cheered when everyone else cheered. I understand baseball and hockey though.

20. I always get confused by other ethnicity's to be their own! Latino, Arab, Indian… you name it.. I have been asked If I was one of them.


21. Everyone thinks that I'm this amazing Cake baker. I use recipes from the CakeMix Doctor and do exactly as the recipes say! I do have a few cake tricks up my sleeve though that are not in the book.

22. I have secret fetishes that I care not to discuss.

23. I have never broken any bones. (knock on wood).

24. I have never ever gotten a traffic ticket for a moving violation (Knock on wood).

25. The City that I love most is Atlanta.

For real.
Seriously.

Battle of the Hawaiian Take-out Joints: NYC Edition

Featured Reader: Brian outNabout shopping in Texas!

One time.....In Hawaii, when I was a freshman in college at the University of Hawaii, I lived behind an L&L Drive Inn (the one at Pucks Alley). L&L is a chain in Hawaii and California that specializes in Hawaiian plate lunches. Hawaiian plate lunches are basically what is served in restaurants and lunch wagons at lunchtime throughout Hawaii. It consists of 2 scoops rice, one scoop of macaroni salad, and some kind of protein on a bed of lettuce. The protein is often barbecue chicken or Hawaiian style beef (teriyaki). My apartment in college smelled like Teriyaki barbecue--It was heaven. My favorite plate lunches are Loco Moco (hamburger steak with eggs over rice), Chicken Katsu (breaded chicken cutlet) or Kalua Pig (Hawaiian roast pork cooked in an underground oven). I also love Huli Huli Chicken (Hawaiian rotisserie chicken) but L&L doesn't have that.

Living here in NYC, if I want Local Kine Grinds (Local Style Hawaiian food), I have to make it myself, or settle for Teriyaki Boy which comes close but not quite.

2 years ago L&L opened up! One on 37th Street and one at South street Seaport on Fulton Street. I was so happy. I ate there every day on 37th street for a month. L&L also sells my favorite soft drink: Passion Orange from Aloha Maid!

The one on 37th street didn't do well and within a year was closed. But the one at South street is still going strong servicing all the People from Hawaii who live in NYC that are homesick for Hawaiian food.. I decided to take Herbelicious to lunch there one day.

Herbelicious had a taste of Hawaiian cuisine at my luau two years ago. Robert and I cooked everything including the Spam Musubi (Spam Sushi). It was kind of exciting for me to take Herbelicious to L&L Barbecue, but also kind of embarrassing. What if he thought this food sucked? This is what we call good food in Hawaii: Plate Lunch.

The L&L Drive in at South Street Seaport is not exactly like the L&L's in Hawaii. In Hawaii, everybody knows the food and they don't have to lure you in with pictures, or Hawaiian decor. It's just a straight up take out joint. This place in NYC is decked out almost to the point of tacky with their bright yellow and red signs; pictures of the different types of plate lunches; surfboards; and Hawaiian words on the walls.

They do have beautiful photos of Hula Dancers by Kim Taylor Reese (a well known Hawaiian Photographer). One of the pictures of the girls looks like my friend Candace (who is also from Hawaii and lives in NYC) and so whenever I go to L&L, I tell people its Candace.

Despite the Tacky Decor, the food is pretty much the same as in Hawaii. I love it. I ordered the Kalua Pig plate along with Lau Lau (chicken, fish, and pork wrapped in leaves and cooked in the underground oven). I also ordered Spam Musubi.

Herbelicious went for the Kalbi Ribs (Korean Ribs) since he had them at my house several times (I have a kick-ass recipe). And of course, I just had to get my favorite drink: Passion Orange from Aloha Maid.

The food was amazing to me as usual. Herbelicious complained about all the carbs. This was all comfort food to me. Comfort food is so much nicer when you don't have to make it yourself. The L&L down at South street Seaport also has a sushi bar if you are so inclined.

So let me tell you how successful L&L can be. My friend from college, Vicky, Apparently bought into the franchise and owns three of them in California. She is living the fine life in a mansion from what I hear.

On our way home, the most funny coincidence happened to us on the train. In walked a boy with a surfboard. Where was he going surfing at? This is NYC? the Hudson and the East River is nasty. I wouldn't even put my little toe in it. Herbelicous just laughed at me as I tried to inconspicuously snap a picture of this guy for the blog.

On another day, Quinta emailed me a link with a photo of a sign: Hawaiian Island Grill. I got so excited. Another Hawaiian restaurant! Herbelicious and I decided to make it an outNabout adventure. When we got to restaurant row in Midtown East, we found the Hawaiian Island Grill closed. It was a Saturday. A lot of these places in business districts only cater to lunchtime crowds during the week. Maybe this was the case. They had no hours posted on their door. We also noticed that the same door for Hawaiian Island Grill was also for Hakata Grill (A Japanese take out place).

We tried again for lunch on a weekday, when I had to make a Home Depot run for my boss. It was about 2 PM on a Thursday. Again it was closed. This time though, we noticed that there were people inside. Some were cleaning, and some were asleep on the floor! How odd. Maybe they were only open weekdays for lunch 11 AM to 1 PM. I wish they would post hours.

Finally, one day after work, while on our way to a bar for drinks with co-workers, we decided to stop in and check (since it was on the way). It was 5:45 PM on a Thursday. They were Open!



First off, Hakata Grill and Hawaiian Island Grill AND Gordon Chen’s Kitchen of American-Chinese food are all the SAME place. They share the same kitchen and counter space, and are run by the same people. When you walk into the Hawaiian Island Grill you will realize it is a take-out place only. There are no tables to sit at like L&L, only 2 chairs under a palm tree where you can wait for your order. Unlike L&L’s which features local style plate lunches, this place features a variety of dishes (not really plate lunches though they do have them) of Japanese, Korean, and Spanish foods. They do not have any authentic Hawaiian food like Kalua Pig or Lau Lau (though if you asked someone from Hawaii what people eat in Hawaii, they would probably say Japanese food). The most authentic they get here, is that they use Hawaiian Salt (I read that on their menu). I do like that you have a choice of sides unlike L & L which simply gives you 2 scoops rice and 1 scoop macaroni salad. Here, you can have brown rice, steamed veggies, potatoes, salads, or fries.

I decided to go for the Huli Huli chicken (huli means to turn in Hawaiian so Huli Huli chicken is rotisserie chicken Hawaiian style)—Something L&L’s doesn’t have on their menu, and I have been craving for years now. The sides I chose were brown rice (in accordance with my New Year resolutions) and steamed veggies. Herbert ordered the Hamburger Steak Honolulu Style.



As we waited, I took in the décor. The waiting area was so tiny, about as big as my cubicle at work. I love their Hawaiian decorations. No pictures of the food like L&L’s cheesy stuff. Now that I think of it, Hawaiian Island Grill’s décor was more like L&L's is in Hawaii. My favorite picture was of the beautiful woman in the taro patch (taro is what Poi is made of-- the staple of Hawaiian cuisine). Herbelicious fell in love with the black and white photo of the surfer paddling to shore.. actually he fell in love with the boy’s ass… I must admit.. it was kind of a hot picture... the surfer's ass was. I also loved the black and white photo of the surfers posing with their surfboards.


Other pictures included panoramic views of Diamond Head, The Ko’olau Mountain Range, and of Waikiki beach from the air. About the food. Though I had read on the Internet rave reviews about Hawaiian Island Grill’s food, I was not all that impressed with my Peruvian Rotisserie Huli Huli Chicken. Peruvian? I should have read the menu more carefully. The rotisserie chicken at my grocery store (Foodtown) taste better. This chicken was roasted over the fire (you could taste that), but it was like like it didn't get to marinate long enough before it was cooked. I think Hawaiian Island Grill needs to check out "Huli Huli Marinade" which you can order off the internet-- its way better. Herbelicious liked his Hamburger Steak Honolulu Style. I didn’t get to try his, and I can’t trust Herbelicious to know what good Local Kine Grinds taste like since he is not from Hawaii. I’m sure it was good but not Local Kine good.

In order for me to make a fair assessment of this place, I will have to come back again (and hope to catch them open), and maybe order something like their beef stew or Maui Onion Chili. Their prices averaged around $10 twice that of L & L's, but they did have a lunch menu that was about half that (we were there at dinner time, so the lunch prices didn't apply). I'm going to have to say that for good reliable Hawaiian Plate Lunches in NYC, go to L&L, they are always open, and the food is always ono! (Ono means delicious in Hawaiian!)

For real! Seriously!

The Pintchik Oracle: A Resolution

FEATURED READER: Nani OutNabout in Virginia next to the Presidents Limo at the secret service training area!



RESOLUTION( rêz’e-lōō’shen) 1. A solution. 2. A course of action determined or decided on.

2008 was a rough year. I broke up with my partner of 3 years, and my new apartment was the site of a home invasion. 2009 I vow to be a better year. To ensure this though, I made some New Year’s Resolutions. But before “determining my course of action”, I decided to seek the “solution” from THE ORACLE.

Throughout history, people have sought the advice of oracles (a wise person). One such oracle was the Oracle at Delphi- a priestess in the classical Greek world through which the god Apollo supposedly prophesied and spoke through. People went to the oracle for advice about their futures.

I had heard stories and rumors about such an oracle in Brooklyn: The Pintchik Oracle. Pintchik’s is a hardware store on Flatbush Avenue. Supposedly the oracle worked out of some hidden room from within the hardware store.

The story goes that for over 10 years now, a telephone in a wooden box would appear across the street from Pintchik’s hardware store from time to time. Upon picking up the phone, a voice—“The Oracle” would ask you to tell him the question to which you were seeking an answer. After hanging up the phone, the answer to your question would appear displayed in red letters on the giant electronic board outside of Pintchik’s for the entire world to see. 

Living at the end of the D train line in the Bronx, and not wanting to trek to (the other end of New York) Brooklyn over some Urban Legend, I decided to do some research on the internet. Sure enough, numerous sites and stories appeared regarding the Pintchik Oracle. Some sites even had photographs of the phone as well as the board displaying answers to questions. I decided to do it, to go to see The Pintchik Oracle. I convinced Herbelicious and Jose to come with me.

Upon exiting the Flatbush Avenue train station, I immediately recognized the area from the pictures on the Internet. I even located (very easily) the message board, right next to Pintchik’s Hardware store. Currently it displayed a message for RICKY’S (a costume/wig/make-up variety store) saying that they were having some sort of sale. We looked for the phone. It was nowhere to be found. We crossed the street. Still no phone. The sun was setting and Pintchik’s was closing for the night so we couldn’t go into the hardware store to ask. After 20 minutes of crossing and uncrossing the streets trying to locate the so called “phone in a wooden box”, Herbelicious decided to go into RICKY’S and ask (because I was too embarrassed to go myself and ask about an oracle).

He came out with a sheepish grin. “It’s a hoax” he exclaimed. “I went in and said: This is going to be an unusual question. The clerk immediately said-- about the phone? It’s a hoax. Tons of people come in here asking about the phone and the oracle and I have no idea what they are talking about. I have been here a while now, and have never seen a phone. It’s a hoax.”

I couldn’t believe it. All the websites and all the pictures. I stopped a young man walking by the hardware store. “Do you live around here?” I asked. “Yes” he replied. “Do you know about the Pintchik Oracle or the phone in a wooden box?” I asked. “Have no idea dude” he replied. We went home disappointed.

I did an Internet search again and found an article saying that the phone was actually on a stick that Mr. Pintchik himself stood holding outside on the street. As of May 2008 the Oracle was back! So where was he when I was there?

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2008/05/07/2008-05-07_tough_times_call_for_oracles_return.html

Maybe it wasn’t a hoax. Maybe when business is slow, Mr. Pintchik stands outside with the phone to drum up some business. When we were there, the store was closing for the night. Maybe Mr. Pintchik is doing well for right now and so there hasn’t been a need for the Oracle to appear in quite some time. That would explain why no one had a clue about the Oracle or the phone. Hmmm... Maybe with this recession the Oracle will make an appearance again to bring Mr. Pintchik business, AND to help answer our questions about the tough economic times ahead. I hope so.

With no oracle to help me, I came up with resolutions myself. Here are my 2009 Resolutions:

1. I want to see my abs peek out again. I don’t necessarily need to see a 6-pack, but at least see a few of them start to peak out. I know this is possible because in the last 6 months I went from

     This
                                                    To this!

To help my abs peek out, I will have to
A. Go to the gym AT LEAST 3 times a week.

B. NOT eat white rice (I’m Asian, this is a very hard for me!),
only brown rice and in very controlled portions.

C. Little or NO alcohol- meaning that when I go out, I should not have
any drinks, or if choose to do so, then have a maximum of only
2 drinks.

D. Watch what I eat and limit carbs and junk food-- EVERYTHING IN MODERATION!

2. I want to put away a nice amount into my savings account this year
(let’s say $3000 if not more). I need to stash money in case the abs plan doesn't work-- then I can get lipo! To do this I need to:


A. Eat at home more . I spend way too much money on food eating out.

B. Pack a breakfast and lunch at least 3 times a week (this will also
help me watch what I eat to help me see my abs again).  I  spend too much money on breakfast and lunch while I'm at work.

3. I want to take this blog to the next level (I have already purchased the domain name so you can now find it at outnaboutnewyork.com) To do this, I need to:

A. Advertise more—Tell your friends about my blog! Maybe I will have a professional company print up flyer's and cards so I can leave them all over the place.

B. Get you all to COMMENT! COMMENT! COMMENT! So that I
know you guys are out there, and so I can get feedback to continue
writing about things of interest. Even just one sentence from each of you for each blog from here on out.

C. Get all of you to follow my blog publicly (to do this all you need to
do is hit the word “follow this blog” to the right--> SO DO IT NOW!
It’s free, you won’t get junk emails, and if you have a Google
account, you can use that account --> SO DO IT RIGHT NOW (before you read any further!). It will also make it easier for you when you leave your "one sentence" comments for me.

Thank you to those of you who emailed me your resolutions. Here are a few of the interesting ones:

1. Sing Karaoke in Public
2. Learn Spanish
3. Travel out of the country at least once this year
4. NO PROCESSED SUGAR
5. Lose 10 lbs (which is doable and we all should do it!)
6. Buy my daughter a car--(Buy William a car!)

Lastly, email me pictures of you doing something fun and interesting OUTNABOUT in your own city so I can feature you in my blog. Send pictures to outnaboutnewyork@gmail.com

Now go follow my blog AND leave a comment!