July Nightlife: Montréal, Canada

Welcome to Nightlife Insider, a new monthly feature where PlanetOut.com readers submit their Top 5 picks of cool things happening in their neck of the woods.  See bottom for details on how you can become an Nightlife Insider!

Below are Daniel's July picks for Montréal, Canada.

by Daniel Baylis

FESTIVAL

Divers/cité (July 26th to August 2nd)

An internationally recognized LGBT festival that celebrates art, music, performance and diversity, Divers/cité is back for it's 17th year. This year there are a heap of free parties, photo exhibits, a movie in the park, cabaret performances and the hipster glam "Sexgarage". My Divers/cité recommendations:

1) Cabaret de Minuit (Thursday, July 30th) - Justin Bond (from Shortbus) belts it out with Our Lady J on piano. Guaranteed debauchery/fun.
2) Mascara (Saturday, August 1st) - The world's biggest drag show, featuring over 100 artists in a whopping five-hour, non-stop theatrical extravaganza. Epic. Hilarious. Catty.

http://www.diverscite.org/2009/anglais/index.htm

July Nightlife: Orange County and Long Beach, CA

Welcome to Nightlife Insider, a new monthly feature where PlanetOut.com readers submit their Top 5 picks of cool things happening in their neck of the woods.  See bottom for details on how you can become an Nightlife Insider!

Below are Kim's July picks for Orange County and Long Beach, CA

by Kim

Best Bar

MetroQ

This bar aims to please with two pool tables, a spacious environment with excellent ambience, an amazing happy hour, a full menu with delicious entrees, and a friendly environment. You won't be disappointed here whether you are going to watch sports, dine, party, play pool, karaoke, or meet someone new. This is the best bar in Orange County since the Boom Boom Room!

http://www.themetroq.com/

At The Wheel: Raymond's "Exe" Factor

My name: Raymond
My age: 22
My profession: General Manager at a local performance car shop
City/town: Martinez, CA
Relationship status: Single
Sexuality: Gay
Gay.com member name: rdh_kirra

What is the best thing that you like about your ride?

My favorite thing about my car is that it is me. It's my pride, it's my joy and it's all mine. People know me for my car and love of cars. I pay for the monthly payments, insurance, tickets, etc. It's all mine and reflects me, my cars have been my life and they bring me happiness. I love working in, around or near cars. Racing them and working in the industry as an out gay man doesn't happen to often, and although I don't flaunt it as the industry is mostly straight males, I usually do keep in a secrete in the work place and shows. But when the day is over you will see me and my car in the Castro. My car doesn't take after any other car and has it's own personality, that is my favorite thing about my car and working in the industry as a gay male.

July Nightlife: Denver, CO

Welcome to Nightlife Insider, a new monthly feature where PlanetOut.com readers submit their Top 5 picks of cool things happening in their neck of the woods.  See bottom for details on how you can become an Nightlife Insider!

Below are Jim's July picks for Denver, Colorado.

by Jim Guttau
gay.com Xavier_Jagger
www.guttaupr.com

Mountain Excursion

Royal Gorge Railroad - Daily departures

One of my most memorable trips in Colorado has been the Royal Gorge Railroad. The Royal Gorge is known as the "Grand Canyon of the Arkansas River," as the river cuts through a high plateau of rocks creating a gorge over a thousand feet deep. Passengers on the train can enjoy the breathtaking vistas and watch the adventurous whitewater rafters below. My family chose the wine tasting option-a flight of four wines paired with specialty cheeses and appetizers in a dining or "vista dome" car.

www.royalgorgeroute.com

Duane Cramer's Bay Area

Name: Duane Cramer
Profession: Photographer
City: Primarily San Francisco (often in NYC/LA)
Relationship Status: Single and looking
Sexual Orientation: Gay

What are some of the things you love most about San Francisco?
What I appreciate most about San Francisco is the incredible diversity of people. Our city is not only visually spectacular, but the people are generally sophisticated and open to a discovery of new possibilities.

What are some of your least favorite things?
What makes it difficult to live in San Francisco is the fact that one needs to work so much to have resources necessary to truly enjoy all that the city offers. So when not working and really geared up to have a new San Francisco experience, you can not depend on it being a warm and sunny day. Any other day, I appreciate the fog and other aspects of the micro-climates…sometimes, though, I secretly want a little bit more sunshine!

At The Wheel: 'Connie' and 'Abby'

My name: Domenic
My age: 27
My profession: Senior (Engineering) Risk Consultant
City/town: Houston, Texas
Relationship status: Single
Sexuality: Gay
Gay.com Member Name: vetting

What is the best thing that you like about your ride?

Connie is two and a half tons of fun!  We get lots of attention cruising down the highway.

PrideWatch: Montreal

There's no denying it: the Out Traveler.com loves Montréal. Quebec's premier gay destinations is holding two super LGBT events in the upcoming months: Diver/Cité in July 26 to August 1, and the main Pride, also known as Celebrations de la Fierté, from August 13 to 16. Originally one big Pride festival, the arts and music festival was so popular that it was split became its own unique event.

At The Wheel: Shane's Red Hot 'Vette

My name: Shane
My username: Urakai
My age: 24
My profession: Student
City/town: Kalamazoo
Relationship status: Single
Sexuality: Gay

What is the best thing that you like about your ride?

It gets attention.

Do you like tinkering under the hood, or do you leave repairs and routine maintenance to your mechanic?

I like to see what I can do, but it often does end up in the hands of a professional.

What special touches have you added to your car that reflect your personality and individuality?

So far, not much. Working on getting the horn to work and when it does, I'm installing the horns out of my old 1988 Park Avenue. My friends dubbed the horns the "Amtrak horns".

Eurovision: Top 5 European Prides

Wave a rainbow flag alongside a British, German, Swiss, or Spanish one at this constellation of hot Euro prides.

Click here for the hottest Pride celebrations that Europe has to offer!

July Nightlife: London, England

Welcome to Nightlife Insider, a new monthly feature where PlanetOut.com readers submit their Top 5 picks of cool things happening in their neck of the woods.  See bottom for details on how you can become an Nightlife Insider!

Below are Greg's July picks for London, England

by Greg Lowe
gay.com depechemoroder
venividivictuals.blogspot.com

This month's focus is exclusively on the borough of Hackney. Quickly becoming London's trendiest spot, Dalston and the E8 postcode make their grand entrance with the opening of the Dalston Superstore. Close by is the London Fields (E2/E8) area and Stoke Newington (N16). This is surely the nexus of London's alternative gay scene.

Dalston Superstore

Only open since April, the Dalston Superstore is already becoming one of the edgiest spots in London. The Superstore, as it is affectionately called, isn't officially gay, but the clientele definitely leans that way. Expect a mix of fashion professionals, artists, scenesters, and locals in one of the most Berlinesque venues in London - changing art exhibitions, rough concrete and a DIY approach. Sundays have included drags queens that were a cross between Jack Sparrow and the Golden Girls, armed with huge cans of Aquanet Hairspray in their 'salon'. Music ranges from Dionne Warwick to Giorgio Moroder, with electro and techno in the basement.

117 Kingsland Road
London, E8 2PB