Have you ever wanted to join the cast of Friends at their favorite neighborhood haunt, quirky Central Perk? If you’re in Paris and in the Les Halles district, you’re able to do the next best thing—settle in for a cocktail, coffee or snack at L’Imprevu, an eclectic, laid-back venue that certainly delivers on its name, which translates to “unpredictable.” Continue Reading →
No one pampers their pets more than gay men and lesbians, and Paris’s LGBT animal lovers make a beeline for Moustaches, a large dog- and cat-specific emporium offering everything imaginable to spoil Fido or Fluffy. Sure, the boutique carries the basics, but with more than 3,000 items available, you’ll find plenty of fun merchandise—including hundreds of toys—that make fantastic gifts for your furry family members. Continue Reading →
Straddling the eastern tip of Ile de la Cite just behind Notre Dame is the Memorial de la Deportation, a tribute to the more than 200,000 French men, women and children—including homosexuals—who died in Nazi extermination camps during World War II. The memorial is a poignant reminder of the role racism, antisemitism, homophobia and flat-out hatred played in the deaths of nearly 50 million people worldwide during WW II. Continue Reading →
The amazing Le Loir dans la Theiere in the Marais is among my very favorite dessert spots in all of the City of Light. This funky, gay-friendly tea room offers a daily changing menu of homemade tarts and cakes, usually with five or six choices available for €8.50 and discounted to just €6.50 after 4 p.m.—if any are left. There’s usually at least a couple of desserts remaining, but if you don’t want to take a chance on missing out, show up around lunchtime when the selection is abundant. Delicious! Continue Reading →
Radisson Blu hotels, part of the renowned Radisson Hotel chain of properties, is currently conducting an outreach campaign to gay and lesbian travelers. They recently interviewed “Oui Always Have Paris” blogger Bob Adams about LGBT destinations in the City of Light. Bob drew from his experiences through many visits to Paris as well as his upcoming book “Gay Paris: An LGBT Travel Guide to the City of Light,” currently being presented to U.S. publishers for publication in 2016. Continue Reading →
The city of Paris will celebrate Gay Pride month with a massive parade on Saturday that will wind its way for two hours from the Left Bank to the Place de la Republique, and will culminate with a massive free concert that will be broadcast live on Radio Nova. Paris Pride is like no other LGBT gathering in Europe, drawing hundreds of thousands of people (estimates of the annual crowd range from 600,000 to 1 million) for a weekend of nonstop, raucous celebrating with their peers, friends, families and allies. Continue Reading →
Madonna is set to release her 13th studio album, titled “Rebel Heart,” early next month. And possibly the very best place in the entire world to purchase the Material Girl’s newest CD is Lucky Records, a quirky, Madonna-centric shop in Paris’s Les Halles district that is Nirvana for fans of her Madgesty: Virtually every Madonna remix and international music release is available for purchase, as well as posters, magazines, calendars, concert videos and even her films on disc. If there’s a Madonna collectible out there, you’ll likely find it at Lucky Records. Continue Reading →
Two gay men who were burned alive in 1750 in Paris as punishment for the “crime” of homosexuality were honored over the weekend with the unveiling of a plaque marking the spot on the city’s popular Rue Montorgueil market street where the couple was arrested. After a sham trial in which prosecutors said they wished to make a public example of the pair, Jean Diot, a 40-year-old domestic employee, and Bruno Lenoir, a 20-year-old shoemaker, were burned at the stake at the Place de Greve, now the Place de l’Hotel de Ville–the site of Paris’s City Hall. Their executions marked the last time gay men or lesbians were sentenced to death in France due to their sexual orientation. Continue Reading →
It’s a chilly winter Sunday in Paris, but that wouldn’t stop me from being out and about in the City of Light. From beautiful churches to what the French call “window licking,” here’s my plan for a fantastic Parisian day. Continue Reading →
Here’s exactly how I’d be spending my Sunday in the City of Light. Continue Reading →