October Nightlife: Ann Arbor and Detroit, MI

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 Andrew's October picks for Ann Arbor and Detroit

by Andrew
gay.com a2andy

ICON Fetish Carnival, for adventurous souls

Detroit's premiere leather organization ICON is holding it's annual fetish carnival Friday October 16th and Saturday October 17th. Friday night is their leather dance party at Menjos complete with demos and a special show with DeAngela Show Shannon. Saturday is the finale at the eagle with leather gear auction and hot men in leather. Proceeds go to benefit local ICON supported charities.
http://www.icondetroit.net/
http://menjoscomplex.com
http://www.myspace.com/anngieshowtime
http://www.detroiteagle.com/

Everyone's Gay in Amsterdam

Originally published on OutTraveler.com

On Tuesday, September 29 Here Media [Planet Out's parent company] held the first of four Amsterdam events with a luxe party at the Bogardus Mansion in New York City’s exclusive Tribeca neighborhood. The “Everyone’s Gay in Amsterdam” photo booth was the smash hit of the evening, which also celebrated The Advocate’s October issue featuring Bravo’s Andy Cohen with Real Housewives Bethenny Frankel of New York, Dina Manzo of New Jersey and NeNe Leakes of Atlanta. Andy, Bethenny and Dina attended the event, along with fellow Housewife Lisa Hartwell of Atlanta, Kelly Ripa’s hubby Marc Consuelos, Tate Donovan of Damages, Broadway star John Benjamin Hickey, Tabitha Coffey of Bravo and fashion designer John Bartlett.

Check out our gallery of photo booth pictures from the event here.

Paul and his sleek 2007 Mercedes CLS550

My name: Paul
My Ride: 2007 Mercedes CLS550
My age: 44
My profession: Banker
City/town: Phoenix
Relationship status: Partnered
Sexuality: Gay

What is the best thing that you like about your ride?
Its sleek look and power.

Do you like to take road trips in your car?
Yes

Describe your favorite road trip -- where did you go?
Only had one long road trip so far, picked up the car in Oakland, CA and drove home to Phoenix, AZ. This was after I won the car on eBay. Had seen this car model on the streets and talked to one person who owned one, but had never test driven one and had not seen this one in person when I clicked the bid button. Funny thing also, I was too excited placing a bid at the last second that I forgot the decimal point and confirmed the bid before looking at the dollar amount. So, instead of bidding thousands, I bid millions! The car was mine no matter what, as nobody would have outbid me!! Luckily, I was the only bid.

October Nightlife: Rio Grande Valley, TX

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 Shannon's October picks for Rio Grande Valley, TX

by Shannon Simpson
gay.com Buckeye1972

EVENTS

Splash "White Party"

1st -4th ~ Global Groove & The Upper Deck bring you THE biggest pride event on South Padre Island, October 1st -4th. Where else can you can you catch Britney AND Madonna on the same weekend with a few thousand other hot guys ringing out the last days of summer in South Texas? Britney (performed by Derrick Barry) is back by popular demand at Mooncusser's on Friday the 2nd and Madonna (performed by Chris America) takes stage at Louie's on Saturday the 3rd. I've been told Saturday is the big night but this looks like two big nights. Get your reservations at the largest gay resort in South Texas - The Upper Deck, who we owe this bi-annual event to, get your shop on for some crazy whites and see you at the island the first weekend of October!
http://www.upperdeckhotel.com/sitepages/pid35.php and http://splashsouthpadre.com

October 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 October picks for Denver, Colorado.

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

Mountain Excursion

Manitou Springs

Located in a "box" canyon at the base of Pikes Peak, Manitou Springs became famous in the late 1800s for the health benefits of the famous waters that are contained deep underground. Several of the grand hotels built in that era still stand, like the regal Barker House.

On a recent visit, my family and I chose two bed and breakfast inns-The Avenue Hotel and Eastholme in the Rockies. The Avenue Hotel, a boarding house built in 1886, is located in the heart of Manitou's historic district. Recently renovated back to its Victorian splendor, the B&B offers seven guest rooms. Another former boarding house built in 1885, Eastholme is a short drive away in the miniscule town of Cascade.

October Nightlife: Montreal, 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 October picks for Montréal, Canada.

by Daniel Baylis

Festival

Black & Blue October 7 - 13

Call it a circuit party. Call it a rave. Call it a festival. Call it a great reason to shake your booty and visit your fave French Canadian city. Call it what you want, but Montreal's Black & Blue is nothing short of a social, cultural, sports and party event that lasts for a big gay week (October 7-13, 2009). This year's main event features Sasha, John Digweed and Dave Seaman from the UK, as well as Montréalers Franco Fabi and Stéfane Lippé. This year's theme is electro-80's meets elegant opera house. Wear black and/or blue.

At The Wheel: Kevin

My name: Kevin
My Gay.com Member Name: keving77
My Ride: 2007 Ducati S2R-1000 Monster
My age: 57
My profession: Western Regional Manager-Contrast Lighting
City/town: Cathedral City, Calif.
Relationship status: happily partnered for over 10 years!
Sexuality: open, proud, and gay

What is the best thing that you like about your ride?
NOTHING sounds like a Ducati. No Harley, No Honda (insert any Japanese bike) even comes close. The engine, and clutch make a unique sound.

Do you like to take road trips on your bike? Describe your favorite road trip -- where did you go? What did you do?
Yes, every year I ride to Monterey, Calif for the MotoGp at Laguna Seca. It's a great time and there are TONS of great looking guys when you get there. The ride up Hwy 1 is fabulous once you get above Morro Bay, and the scenery is spectacular all the way up to Carmel. I usually spend 5-6 days on this trip with friends from the club. We rent a house and have a chef now who comes with us (he is getting a Ducati now!) to cook. Cute guys, fast bikes, great food and wine (but not when we ride)...what could be better?

Eddie's Jetta is Full of Memories

My name: Eddie

My age: 30

My profession: Assistant service manager at an import car dealership

City/town: Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Relationship status: Single

Sexuality: Gay

My Vehicle: 1995 Volkswagen Jetta GLS

Hit the Roof: Top 5 Rooftop Bars

Originally published on OutTraveler.com
by Aefa Mulholland

Make the most of those last rays of summer by eking out the evenings at these first-rate open-air bars.

Sometimes having your head in the clouds is a good thing. For overseas sky sipping, we adore 64th-floor Sky Bar at restaurant Sirocco, on top of the Lebua Hotel, Bangkok -- at 65 stories above the chaotic streets below, it’s the rooftop bar with the most altitude; London’s 1.5-acre, Alhambra, English Woodland, and Tudor-themed Roof Gardens on chic Kensington High Street; and Sky Lounge, Hotel Continentale, Florence, which perches atop of the Medieval Torre de Consorti and overlooks the Ponte Vecchio and the river Arno. Nearer home, as summer canters to a close, we’re planning on topping off our night at one of our five favorite North American rooftop bars.

Urban Walkabout

Originally published on OutTraveler.com
by Jackie Dishner

Gay walking tours combine fresh air, exercise, and enlightenment.

Cruisin' the Castro
Gay activity in San Francisco's Castro District dates back to the Gold Rush days when gay cowhands, a.k.a. the Lavender Cowboys, arrived. These forefathers of Brokeback's Ennis and Jack created the bandana-in-back-pocket Hanky Code to send subtle messages about the kind of sex they sought. Crusin' the Castro owner Kathy Amendola -- a lesbian transplant from New York -- shares this history of her neighborhood and much more on her two hour, five-block tours. (Did you know many of the streets were named after women who were downtown prostitutes?) The insight starts under the rainbow flag at the Harvey Milk Plaza, which memorializes one of the country's first openly gay elected officials. Tours offered Monday through Saturday. Tickets: $35. Advance registration required. (415-255-1821; www.CruisinTheCastro.com)