150-plus toys donated at Charlie’s
The spirit of giving really hit Streetcar Charlie’s earlier this month. The restaurant hosted a Toys for Tots fundraiser and more than 150 toys were donated to single mothers raising children in the Tampa Bay area. According to Mike Hammonds, one of the organizers, the outpouring of support was more than expected and the holiday spirit was definitely in the air. “We are the generation for change,” Hammonds said. “We will make a difference.” If that doesn’t make you feel all warm and cozy this holiday season, you really are a Scrooge.
YRS GHB party raises eyebrows
The community is abuzz in Tampa Bay surrounding a controversial ad placed by the Ybor Resort and Spa in a local magazine and on Facebook. The ad highlights the resort’s GHB party—which, according to the ad, stands for “Gay Hot Boys.” The acronym, which is usually stands for gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, is commonly used to refer to the popular date-rape drug—the same drug Steven Lorenzo allegedly used to subdue and murder two young men in 2004. Several phone calls and e-mails were placed to Watermark to inform us about the ad, which also includes a listing of “invited guests” Miss Tina, X-avier and MaryJane. The names are common pseudonyms for different crystal meth, Ecstasy and marijuana, drugs often related to sexual activity in the gay community. A call to the club for clarification was not immediately returned. The club’s Web site, however, says it strictly forbids the use or sale of drugs on its premises and may even refuse entry to intoxicated guests.
Waterside Landing closes its doors
A long-time LGBT hot spot of Port Richey closed its doors in November, and promoters have scrambled for new venues for their upcoming events. The sudden closing of Waterside Landing ends an era of LGBT entertainment along the Pinellas County/Pasco County line. For years, impersonator shows and contests, karaoke shows and fundraisers have graced the stage of the establishment. No formal closing was announced and the bar’s site is now a “memorial page” to the famed bar.
