| Author | Message | ||
     Paul Sarrubbo Citizen Username: Psarrubbo Post Number: 10 Registered: 2-2006 |
Hey All, just curious to see if there are any gay and lesbian friendly: businesses, bars, or other places in Maplewood or S.O...? just moved here and wanted to get an idea of what's around...thanks | ||
| max weisenfeld Citizen Username: Max_weisenfeld Post Number: 18 Registered: 9-2001  |
Are there any gay-unfriendly places in Maplewood? | ||
| max weisenfeld Citizen Username: Max_weisenfeld Post Number: 19 Registered: 9-2001 |
Sorry, should expand.... I think you will find that alternative lifestyle is so interconnected within the fabric of these communities that to try to single out any businesses as gay-friendly would require a very long list. Unless you are looking for places that are gay-priority? | ||
| Jersey Boy Citizen Username: Jersey_boy Post Number: 245 Registered: 1-2006  |
Paul, are you single and looking for a gay only place? Because that's a different question. And I don't know of one. If you want to go out and sit with your partner and hold hands and not get comments, go anywhere you want. If you're looking to only spend your money at gay owned businesses, that's weird. J.B. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 6800 Registered: 5-2001  |
We're so integrated into the community at this point that we don't notice gay/str8 when we are out & about. We've never been treated differently than str8 couples around town. If there are any ungay friendly businesses in town, they've been smart enough to keep it to themselves. Actually, I can think of one local business owner whose spouse as been rather unfriendly towards gay members of the community, but I won't charge that person with guilt by association. | ||
| Paul Sarrubbo Citizen Username: Psarrubbo Post Number: 11 Registered: 2-2006 |
thanks | ||
| Valley_girl Citizen Username: Valley_girl Post Number: 115 Registered: 12-2004 |
I know what you mean; I can't think of any place with a rainbow flag, but there is a really big gay community. When we went on the tour of homes, I think everyone was there! (I'm going to invite friends from the city next time!) I guess people just go to the neighborhood spots, or have dinner parties! ;) | ||
| Kent Gibson Citizen Username: Kentgib Post Number: 1 Registered: 2-2006 |
Hi, We just moved to M/So as well and were wondering how to meet other gay folks in the area. This may be a new thread, but it seems in the same vain. My husband and I would really like to connect with the community, but alittle at a loss as to how to find it, the gay community here that is. Thanks for you advice | ||
| Jersey Boy Citizen Username: Jersey_boy Post Number: 253 Registered: 1-2006 |
Kent, I'd like to introduce Paul Sarrubbo. Paul, Kent. Ta da!  J.B. | ||
| LibraryLady(ncjanow) Supporter Username: Librarylady Post Number: 3051 Registered: 5-2001  |
Maybe a gay-focused F2F? We did it once before and it was very successful. A poster opened her house for a summer bar -b-que and we (gay/straight/other) all had a fine old time. | ||
| Oldstone Citizen Username: Rogers4317 Post Number: 597 Registered: 6-2004  |
ok, pet peeve. paul and kent, first of all, welcome to a great town, i hope you enjoy living here as i do... but why must there be gay-oriented places at all here? you can't be content connecting with other humans in the maplewood community? isn't that what maplewood is all about, integrated diversity? you can meet your gays at the supermarket, in the park, in the neighborhood. why the need to call out sexual preference, ie. rainbow flags? isn't sexual preference a private matter? it is to me. is it so you can be sure others will appreciate the sense of humor? is it because you don't feel comfortable in a venue where the majority are str8? enlighten me please. btw, gay guy here so don't jump all over me please or call me a homophobe. it seems to me that gay people moved here to get away from the gay ghetto in some city. most gay people have a good sense of gaydar, you should be able to pick us out (if you have to) and start up a convo based on that assumption if that is your desire. who needs special gay or gay friendly places !? any place i go is automatically gay friendly, in my opinion...i'm there and i'm gay. noone sneers at me, noone refuses to serve me...and what would my sexual preference have to do with getting a hot dog or having a drink? | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 6809 Registered: 5-2001 |
Oldstone - Some of us don't like to be seen with people who wear polyester or use plastic cups to serve wine at parties. Less risk of that in predominantly gay-frequented places.  | ||
| dougw Citizen Username: Dougw Post Number: 737 Registered: 3-2005 |
Oldstone - you read my mind. | ||
| Eats Shoots & Leaves Citizen Username: Mfpark Post Number: 3080 Registered: 9-2001  |
Greenetree--so THAT'S why I am straight? Phew, always wondered what it was about me that made me straight. Thanks for "straightening" that out for me.  Your friend, ESL | ||
| dougw Citizen Username: Dougw Post Number: 738 Registered: 3-2005 |
Greentree thanks for the insult. Also I bet my stemware and cellar are nicer than yours. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 6810 Registered: 5-2001 |
Dougie- Don't bet what you can't afford to lose. Clearly you are not gay; you don't get dry, sophisticated humor. ESL, OTOH, does, even tho he is not gay. It's a Venn diagram sort of thing. All fruits are not apples..... Oops, bad analogy. | ||
| eab Citizen Username: Eab Post Number: 108 Registered: 10-2001 |
St. George's Episcopal Church in Maplewood (Ridgewood at Woodland) welcomes people of all stripes and has a large and active gay population, including staff. Please join us for a service (8:00 and 10:30) and for meeting people, do join us for coffee hour after the 10:30 service. | ||
| dougw Citizen Username: Dougw Post Number: 739 Registered: 3-2005 |
Greentree another insult to straight people. Imagine if I was allowed (by society and the PC MOL police) to insult you on a level field? What other groups do you avoid intereacting with in order to assure a better wine experience? Mexicans? Arabs? Low income people? | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 6812 Registered: 5-2001 |
Why, yes, actually. How did you ever guess? Although, I have found that by excluding people of Mexican heritage, you miss out on some very nice sangria variations. | ||
| Meandtheboys Citizen Username: Meandtheboys Post Number: 3105 Registered: 12-2004  |
Oldstone, glad you (a gay person) said it. I'm sure if I (a str8 person) said it, I would have been flamed left and right. Lord knows I was thinking it. Kent, just get out and connect with the community at large. Eventually you'll find some members of our community who are gay, and all the pieces will fit in to place. In the meantime, you'll also probably connect with a lot of really great straight people as well. The reason there is no specific, compartmentalized "gay community" is because--as others have said--we all get along just fine, gay and straight alike. | ||
| dougw Citizen Username: Dougw Post Number: 740 Registered: 3-2005 |
Paul Sarrubo - if you find a place that is not friendly to gays (as opposed to some places that are not friendly to everyone) please post it and let everyone know. If you are looking for a bar or resturant that excludes straight people I doubt you will find one around here. Toro Loco has pretty good sangria. | ||
| Oldstone Citizen Username: Rogers4317 Post Number: 598 Registered: 6-2004 |
come on people, i'm interested to hear from paul and kent. my post was serious ! greenie, don't throw stones at dougw...been on a visit to cherry grove lately? not exactly an exclusive haven of sophistication and exquisite taste. and i could definitely expound... we all (humans) have different taste levels, etc. thankfully. otherwise, how would you gauge your own sophistication level? gays do not have the market on good taste cornered by any stretch of the imagination. | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 10837 Registered: 5-2001 |
Greentree, I must say I resemble you very anti-straight remarks. Some of us like polyester pants, with white plastic belts and white loafers. Plastic glasses are also very practical. Consider our friendship over!!!!!!!!!!!! | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 6814 Registered: 5-2001 |
Bob - you bring up something that has been bothering me for awhile. I always thought that Clinton from TLC's "What Not to Wear" was gay. But, in their logo, they focus on a sign that says "White Shoes OK After Labor Day". I mean, what gives? Lost credibility, if you ask me. I wonder what Carson Kressley has to say about the shoes..... | ||
| doulamomma Citizen Username: Doulamomma Post Number: 1130 Registered: 3-2002 |
I can see both sides - I agree that just getting involved in the entire community & meeting everyone will likely be a great experience... On the other hand, I can see seeking to find own's tribe/personal community and assuming that will be easier to do if finding folks with some stuff besides home ownership in common with you. I'm not gay, but I imagine that if being straight were considered a lifestyle by some rather than just how I am, my sexual preference might become more politicized whether it needed to be or not. I choose to generally support (except when avoiding them!) places that are kid friendly, that are nursing-mom friendly, that are eco-friendly (Bush-bashing and nice aesthetics a plus!) etc. because that's where i'm likely to meet others with whom I will naturally feel connected, and where I prefer to spend my money - eg., I tend to try to buy coffee/tea drinks from Pen & Jen's or Dancing Goat rather than Starbucks not because I hate Starbucks & don't think it's a fine place, but because I like the small, groovy, woman-owned vibe & want the businesses to thrive...it seems sort of the same as what Kent is saying to me... Welcome, new folks! | ||
| Eats Shoots & Leaves Citizen Username: Mfpark Post Number: 3082 Registered: 9-2001 |
Paul Sarrubo and Kent--welcome to S/MO and to the fey fray that is MOL. It takes a while to get to know who is kidding around, and the inside jokes are as rife as in any self-absorbed in-breeding population. To specifically answer your question, I have it on good source from other MOL threads that most gay men in S/MO drive Miatas. | ||
| Robert Livingston Citizen Username: Rob_livingston Post Number: 1602 Registered: 7-2004  |
Dougw: Do you honestly think you're being insulted because you're straight? No other reason that you can think of as to why people might insult you? That's it? Think real hard now... | ||
| dougw Citizen Username: Dougw Post Number: 741 Registered: 3-2005 |
Robert I thought you were banned? | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 10841 Registered: 5-2001 |
Greenie, I don't care what Clinton and Carson say, I would never be caught dead in my white shoes after Labor Day. On September 1 I always change over to my dirty bucks and tartan golf pants!!! | ||
| CFA Citizen Username: Cfa Post Number: 1584 Registered: 5-2001  |
Thank goodness I live in Florida. I can wear white all year long! | ||
| Kent Gibson Citizen Username: Kentgib Post Number: 2 Registered: 2-2006 |
I just wanted to respond and say thanks for some constructive advice. Doulamomma hit the nail on the head. We decided to move here precisely because M/SO is promoted as being gay family freindly. Since this area is reported to have many gay parented families, we were hoping to connect with folks who are sharing a similar experience to the one we are planning. This is not at all to the exclusion of meeting everyone in the community, just looking for a common experience to share and support. I think I may have asked the question in the wrong thread, because I wasn't really looking for a specific place, but more of an entry into some of the circles in M/SO. I think Librarylady's suggestion of an open house and barbeque is a great idea. So, maybe when the weather is warmer we'll consider something like that. We are really loving it here, sands getting used to the commute, and hope to become integrated into the community ar large. I will say this about the message board, I'm rather new to participating in them (first posting ever) and realize I have to be alot more careful in crafting a post. It seems that responses can come from all angles. | ||
| SoOrLady Citizen Username: Soorlady Post Number: 3037 Registered: 9-2003 |
Welcome Kent... no matter how you craft your post, MOLers will find a way to spin it. Since you're looking for families, I'd suggest you take eab's advice and stop in at St. George's. A few years ago we had breakfast in the MapleLeaf next to two dad's and their newly adopted Asian daughter who was going to be baby Jesus in St. G's Christmas pagent. The three of them were just so damn cute! | ||
| Kent Citizen Username: Kentgib Post Number: 3 Registered: 2-2006 |
SoOrLady. Thanks for reminding me of EAB's post. St. Georges would be a great idea, except my husband is jewish. We are looking for a nice open jewish congregation in the area if anyone has any suggestions. and thanks again. I will keep the spin in mind in future. | ||
| ess Citizen Username: Ess Post Number: 1235 Registered: 11-2001 |
You should visit Beth El, in South Orange. It's a very welcoming congregation, and I know you would find other same-sex couples and their families there. | ||
| Lucy Supporter Username: Lucy Post Number: 3004 Registered: 5-2005  |
Kent welcome to South Orange and MOL is a great family to be a part of. Come to the next F2F looking forward to meeting you. | ||
| Amateur Night Citizen Username: Deborahg Post Number: 1774 Registered: 5-2001  |
Welcome Kent! I went to the f2f Library Lady mentioned and it was lots of fun. No one laughed at my black socks, sandals, and white undershirt, either. Long live Maplewood-SouthOrange! | ||
| Jersey Boy Citizen Username: Jersey_boy Post Number: 261 Registered: 1-2006 |
Also, Kent, there is the Maplewood Newcomers meeting. There are special interest groups that it subdivides into: cigars, football, bunco, reading. They're always looking for new Newcomers. You could start a group about gay parenting or gay parents adopting. Or whatever. By the way, have you heard about the Maplewood lesbian couple whose daughter kept getting hassled by some classmate in the kindergarten class because they didn't have a father in the house. They scheduled a parent teacher meeting with the parents of the offending child, and in walks the child with his two dads!  It's a joke, but there's a reason why people call it Gayplewood. Welcome. J.B. | ||
| Valley_girl Citizen Username: Valley_girl Post Number: 116 Registered: 12-2004 |
Hi Kent! Welcome! Isn't there a club called Rainbow Families at one of the schools, People who have lived here for a while? | ||
| doulamomma Citizen Username: Doulamomma Post Number: 1136 Registered: 3-2002 |
If you have kids (or even if you don't & just like to dring coffee to the sounds of children playing & laptops being typed etc.) & either of you is home during the week, check out the Dancing Goat - Wed. mornings (& a few other times) there are gatherings of parents & others: moms & dads, gay & straight... | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 6817 Registered: 5-2001 |
You can also try PLing C Bataille; she & her partner have a child or Frodo (he & his partner are having a baby). They can probably hook you directly into the GP network. |
