High Pride, Low Energy

So here's the lowdown on Gay Pride Sunday.

I woke up early as usual, having slept early and canceled all my plans the previous night. I did some chores and decided to attend Nick Kenkel's dance class at Equinox (something amazing happened and I'm glad I didn't miss it). I was supposed to meet my friends OT and John at Christopher St for the parade but John, upon checking the forecast of thunderstorms and rainshowers, opted not to come. Rain or shine, I was psyched to show up there sans umbrella to make it even more fun. It did rain in buckets and I sought refuge from a nearby Starbucks while waiting for OT.

OT showed up around ten minutes later and the sun decided to make another reappearance. It was still crowded at Christopher St when we got there and most people seem unfazed with the downpour. Which happened in wild torrential increments. It was OT's first time to witness the parade and both of us were just having a ball. I think we were there towards the last third of the parade.

After the parade and the rain simmering down before making a complete halt, we hit the Pridefest fair at Hudson St. The fair wasn't quite as interesting as it was two years ago. Not a lot of booths and participants this year. No shirtless calendar boys selling their wares and offering an autograph or a photo-op. Then we had Thai food at Kobma Thai, the same restaurant that Lucy and I went to last year at about the same occasion. I feel like a tradition is in genesis -- offering virgins to the parade and dinner at Kobma.

Around dinner, my friend Roman called me up and invited me to Dance at the Pier, which actually solved my post-dinner "where to/what now" crisis as OT was dependent on me to usher in the flow of our night. The great thing about it was we're getting in for free. Roman scored free tickets for being a volunteer. The price for Dance at the Pier is around 55 bucks and more if bought at the day of.

It was my first time to attend the Dance and I wasn't aware of the dress code or lack thereof: shorts, flipflops or sneakers, and shirtlessness! I have not seen a sea of shirtless men ever! Like literally! If I chugged a dozen cocktails, I would have joined the multitudes and go shirtless as well but my sobriety got the best of me. I think I should make that a life-long goal: going shirtless at the Pier Dance. Hmm...someday.

To say that it was packed was an understatement. Bodies were within centimeters of one another and everybody seemed cordial. Or drunk. Or high. Some guy was peddling ecstasy as he squeezes himself amongst the crowd. Why am I not surprised? God knows what other "chemical enhancements" were being used that night.

I saw a couple of celebrities: Jack MacEnroth from last season of Project Runway and Cory Bautista, the judge from Bravo's Make Me A Supermodel. OT saw a doctor from St Vincents and I met familiar faces from the gym and a couple of friends. I could have danced the night away, which was my sole intention and desire in all this madness, but my battery blinked red when it hit 9pm, 3 hours more than the usual. My legs were just giving up on me. But still I managed to have fun. I guess it doesn't have to be an all-nighter for it to qualify as a fun night. We left the pier at 10:30 and called it a night. Next year, I swear I'm doing things differently.