SF Pride Week (Take 4 - This is it!)

I had a late start yesterday and didn't head out to the Castro until late afternoon. My friends and I were having some drinks and snacks at Harvey's and hanged out there for a few hours. Situated at the southwestern corner of 18th and Castro, it is a cozy place for brunch and dinner. It's a great place for people watching as the big windows afford unobstructed view of the hustle and bustle of Castro's busiest intersection. But the place is not as cruisy as other bars like Moby Dick and the Midnight Sun, owing to the fact that Harvey's is more like a restaurant and not a club. My friend Brent called from Cafe Flore (he said that is my restaurant!) where he and his friends were enjoying a late lunch in the patio. I could barely hear him, maybe only grasping every three other words he was saying. I could imagine the scene over there: macho men in tank tops basking in the sun, mix of locals with friends coming in town chatting over lunch, straight couples and tourists sitting in awe of their being the minority there. Thousands of people would be at the celebration quarter at Civic Center where the main entertainment stages and booths are, then pour into the neighborhood and party into the wee hours. For me partying and drinking have be out of my equation. I adopt a more mellow and sober way of celebrating the pride, mostly hanging out with friends and sitting somewhere that perches over so I can see the happenings. I enjoy a small group as I can be claustrophobic in a crowd. A nice spot for that would be Metro City Bar and Tapeo across the street from Cafe Flore at 16th. So...I'm ready for the parade, donning my rainbow lei, looking for my friend AJ who will be a pink bunny and Dan -Turning 40 will be marching with mayor Gavin Newsom.

Gay Pride Must Read
Since this is a semi litblog, I will leave you my top 10 books for the occasion of gay pride weekend. I tend to be somewhat biased toward literary fiction and social commentary. I was talking to a friend about how Alan Hollinghurst has made it into the literature section at the bookstore while Michael Thomas Ford will be found in the shelves of gay and lesbian studies. Anyway, here is the list, as of Gay Pride 2006:

Giovanni's Room - James Baldwin
The Swimming Pool Library - Alan Hollinghurst
The Trouble With Normal: Sex, Politics, and Ethics of Queer Life - Michael Warner
The Commitment - Dan Savage
Freedom in this Village - E. Lynn Harris
What the Bible Really Says About Homosexuality - Daniel A. Helminiak
Covering: Hidden Assault of Civil Rights - Kenji Yoshino
The Stroy of the Night - Colm Toibin
Tales of the City - Armisted Maupin
Breakfast With Tiffany - Edwin John Wintle

Happy pride!