http://www.crete-holiday.org/crete-greece-wallpaper/
Dear David, a series of letters to an old friend in January 2008
Hersonissos
Crete
Greece
January 2008
Dear David,
So, you asked me to tell you what he thought of Brighton after my recent visit and the days now that I've been in self-imposed exile for most of the last four years?
Well, Brighton has certainly changed in the years we knew that's for sure early1970. Come to who would have thought that would end in Crete run a gay guest house!
The buildings that were not there have appeared from nowhere, the buildings were there have disappeared to be replaced by the architecture of the late 20th century, with dare I say, no gain for the urban landscape. Why are architects designing buildings with so much glass, when we all know that unless you clean it every day, is always going to look dirty fog, I do not know. The "Glass Pavilion opposite the Royal Pavilion is a good example. The Royal Pavilion still has scaffolding around it as we have come to expect. There was a time in the mid-80s when there was see, but that only lasted until the great storm in 1987 when one of the domes failed in the Music Room. It's worth a walk by yourself, especially in winter when not much to see inside in Brighton.
Churchill Square was renovated and now could be in any mall anywhere in the world. The shopping areas others like the London Road and St. James's Street has changed, charity shops, building societies and estate agents are numerous, but at least these days you do not have to remember that the shopping is having a day and a half in the middle of the week.
The Palace Pier still seems to thrive, and more front to Hove are the skeletal remains of West Pier. Do you remember going to see a show, once there? The pajama game I think it was, and probably not long before closure. I have yet crystal ashtray that came from the bar there!
Traffic is a problem like that anywhere else and despite Council's efforts still flowing quite freely, even empty bike lanes do not seem to have stopped that.
But I think they were more interested in the gay scene these days?
Of course, like many other cities, a major problem now is deciding which bar gay-friendly.
Back in the 70s, probably our only option was to lurk in the Greyhound by Valley Pool and only found that the stealth purchase a copy of Gay News in a kiosk on the road again somewhere in the North Laine area (as it is called now).
Later we had the Witch and the bag, sorry, heart and hand, by the sea (I still maintain that if he stopped there too long, end up stuck to the carpet), The Curtain Club, and The Cricketers in Black Lion Street, where Winnie Sexton used to look after us all so well, (and cash checks), and well, in fact any pub that mattered to fall in general had his residence 'poof' usually a friend of the bartender or partner of the patron saint of theater. All very "cloak and dagger" and though we were not "out", we still had our pride, and knew that our friends and colleagues, but do not worry. I remember myself trying in 1981 and was told to be quiet because "we already know."
We had our circle of friends, many of them of 'theater', and there was no way to meet new people that only knew. We even had our own pantomime staged by the 42 Club. I have the program yet, "Pearl White and The Seven Oafs." Above all they were very select and special people, and would be easy to cast a jaundiced eye on the gay scene today, where everyone is' out and proud. "But it's so easy to mourn the end one was like to mourn the death of family, friends and lovers.
I guess the first sign of change was the opening of The Bulldog on St. James. A gay pub through a shopping street? Inconceivable 30 years ago! But it worked, and established St. James's Street as the center of gay life in Brighton. Not much has changed here, in all that time, we do not incredible renovation go 'ooh aah and drinks are reasonably priced even without happy hour. And is it possible here and there, standing in the same place, are customers who were there on the first day? Well as is the case, yes, there was one, who like me had not changed a bit and still could pass for 21 on a dark night when backlit. Perhaps it is the identity "The Bulldog of that still attracts me to it, maybe it's just me like to go there on Sunday afternoon, maybe the odd bit 'raw' can still be found there. Perhaps it is the memory of old friends, but still find it worth a visit.
Farther down St. James's Street is George Street, where the weapons of the Queen still thrives once again I have always found a good place for Sunday afternoon, when I was at karaoke, especially when it got very crowded and difficult to reach into your pocket without putting someone else. This visit I was prepared to meet friends there, but as I was two hours late I was only five minutes, so I did not check yet had the excellent wine selection has always had. It was always a good idea not to get confused in his Queens Brighton as there were many of them. Well three modes. As "By the way, the front of King was renovated in the 80s much. Do you remember playing the piano there every Friday in the 70s? I must have been all of 18 years and "we certainly were not legal.
Across the street from George are on Broad Street and the tavern where Steve Marino and Nat do a good job of running a bar is very nice to me many things a gay bar should be. You can not stop talking with another person is that once there is background music, and this is a good place to start if you've never been to Brighton before. Of course I remember "The Marine way, Way, back in the days of Tim and Audrey, in fact, was in journey of my 'leaving' pub crawl shortly before leaving for Australia in 1981. Days later Dave took over and got nice wood panels. Steve and his partner Stuart made a success of the Harlequin in Providence Place, I remember especially the goalkeeper, and his face anyway. I think it could have been called Russell. And while we Stuart in the frame, they have done in the Grosvenor Street West as well. Now, as you are my age then you know it as The Star of the West, which, according to the Geoff bidding ministry and Yvonne, are often seen drinking a pint of gin and tonic (ice, but not lemon). From what I remember of it (Which, for reasons obvious, is not always a lot), which had wallpaper curry house and I am glad that Steve and Stuart and company have given a face lift they need.
While I lie in this area and take a stroll through memory lane, not one stone here in the street used to be the Rockingham Sillwood where I worked behind the bar (And sometimes in front of it) in the "Carey and Barry 'time.
Further down West Street at this time was John's career Bedford Tavern (And I think Graham).
But I have fun in the plan, some (without shame), I'd say I lost the thread, so back to the area east of the Steine.
You, of all people, you know I'm not a fan of bigger, striking places, but is an example that I found very nice and is the newly renovated Legends on the promenade. As expected I know this for a different name, the New Europe Hotel, where under the care of Nicky Nash you could get a drink at night Sunday afternoon after Terry had missed the Black Horse with a load of Irish. These days the Black Knight is gay too, but without the Irish!
Legends actually reopened during my stay last year's winter and I was so impressed by the friendliness of bar staff and the environment in general. My visits (note the plural) this year confirmed this and serve some very respectable Australian red wine, the name of which escapes me (I think his name Everton), like almost everything else after drinking a bottle of it. Not only that, the prices are reasonable, even in the 'club' and is a good place to have straight friends too! Of course it is a hotel with rooms above these days.
While we are on the sea front, I have found Charles Street, another barn of a place and the scene of chaos as both 40 years or so ago when we were mods and rockers, punks and later and more. The building is a bit forbidding from the outside, ceramic tiles make it look like a cross between a public bathroom and a covered Odeon cinema in the interior is still as large as forever, but I like it because of the ramp of the field that begins just inside the door and ends inside. Whatever its original purpose it provides a fast-track route to the bathroom when he enters the cold winter night. During the afternoon we serve a very reasonable burger and a Starbucks coffee can be proud, if they served coffee so good.
You already know about Amsterdam and The Bar-R and opinions are their own masters. The Great Escape and The Keller beer that was created, but where was the Abinger?
Just around the corner on the street is Steine's Aquarium and I'm still not sure what to do with him, when he became of an Irish pub to a gay bar in the mid-80's was wonderful, but you must remember then that I was working at the Queen's Head just up the road when it was a straight pub, before Ron had the Plumber. I guess the Aquarium changed hands, as do and places different people have different ideas. When Steve and I used to go in there had a very nice waiter with one of these 'Celtic' tattoo that began in the neck and was an awful long way to …….,, Like most places that have entertainment that seems to be the main weapon in the arsenal of most bars and clubs. Plan your route wrong and you can probably see same show for 5 nights in a row does not, I have a problem with drag shows, I like and wish we had more of them here! (Remember that time in the Black Cap in Camden with Mrs. Shufflewick?)
Secrets still there, but the storm is called now, was not because I do not do nights later, but because we always enjoyed each plant seemed to have its own atmosphere, and of course, the dance floor was our favorite!
A newcomer to the scene is the star of Manchester Street, interestingly it used to be a pub under the name Dave Day of The Golden Lion, Romero used to work here, the one with the shoulders big hair, a big fan of dance of Steve, who used to pick it up!. This is a bear bar I visited last winter and found it very tender. Steward I was a little worried that I might be in the wrong place, but I assured him that it was not. (If you are surprised that I can be a fan of bear hunter then look in the mirror.)
I do not know if I wanted to tell you about the restaurants, too?
Above St. James's Street there are plenty of 'Bijou' restaurants. I do not think any of them are specifically gay, but they all seem to offer a menu that revolves around a 'Mediterranean'. It seems a bit strange, as we really need is a good piece of old meat and kidney pud. But I suppose that the proliferation of gas patio heaters halogen outdoor bar nearly all smokers to keep warm, global warming will accelerate to the point that soon will have a Mediterranean climate Brighton!
Since we are on the topic of eating the Coach and Horses in Danehill recently got a script in the Weekend Telegraph, remember on Saturday night with you on the piano and my parents sitting in a corner wondering why he was so good "friends" with a man twice my age?
While we were of the city, the volunteer in Lewes has been advertising in the gay press! I just think I used to go there when I went to school in Lewes, and The King's Head, and Tinkerbell winter, and ………
I guess there really much change in Brighton which still attracts many gay and gay population has also increased the number of places to meet them, but I wonder what happened to many of the people we met. Not everyone can have moved away or gone to the houses retirement not to be seen again, and although each year there seems to be a bucket collection for someone who has just died, that not everyone can take advantage of this world right? Maybe you have become lost in the crowd.
Have I said enough to get a picture?
I have put some links on my website to my favorite places Brighton so you can see what is happening, you will find in
www.villaralfa.com / brighton.html
A place to talk, and I do not even know if it is supposed to be gay or not, is the dragon, on the corner of Camino de San Jorge and Sudeley Place, we went from there a couple of times after going to the cinema round the corner when used to show these films to be unreliable. I went there as I was staying just down the road and no doubt customers had a couple of gays, but the main attraction for me is that they do a wide range of 'shots' of two pounds to go!
Yours, as always
FOOTNOTE: This article was first published in January 2008 on the now defunct 'Gaylinkcontent.com website. It may no longer be correct as to the names of the bars. etc! This article is free to publish PROVIDED the link to my site is included and is attributed to me. Links Please do not publish with the "horrible online."
About the Author
Born in England (in spite of the name!), in the last half of the last century when Sussex was Miss Marple country and you could leave yours door unlocked for days, the author is unashamedly gay and everyone seems to know in spite of the fact that he never ‘came out’!
Eleftherios Venizelos Car exhibition at his house in Halepa, Chania Greece