Stepping Out

I’m certain that there are many readers who agree with me that our city’s nightlife doesn’t deserve the bad rap it often receives. If I had a dollar for each time I’ve heard someone (usually a visitor from Manhattan or Miami) complain about the club scene in L.A., I’d have enough money to relocate to Manhattan or Miami. While it’s true that local bars and nightclubs can’t serve alcohol into the wee hours like many other cities, and the parking situation in Hollywood has become increasingly problematic, this city still offers a myriad of things to do at night. In just the past week I’ve been informed of three new weekly nights and one new monthly party. I can also think of at least half a dozen club promoters who work tirelessly to keep pace with our eastern counterparts in creating an edgy, fresh social environment.

Frontiers’ nightlife expert Stephan Horbelt—a man who apparently never sleeps—interviewed a cross section of local gay men about their favorite haunts and what a typical evening on the town consists of for them. It proves what a diverse city we live in. For a fairly comprehensive list of L.A. hot spots, turn to the Agenda section of our magazine. And if you’re looking for an alternative to the usual bars and restaurants, writer Jeff Katz has come up with a different spin on date night and a terrific solution to the parking dilemma, as well as a way to avoid the potential D.U.I.—hire a limousine for a night.

I’d also like to direct your attention to Dan Loughry’s interview with writer John Rechy on page 98. Though he probably bristles at the description, Rechy is one of the true gay icons of our community. Since his brilliant seminal novel City of Night was published in 1963 (if you haven’t already read it, purchase a copy pronto), Rechy has a been a prolific and uncompromising literary voice. Here he discusses his just-published memoir My Life and the Kept Woman, which I read a few months ago in galleys form. It offers a peek at the reality that has informed much of his fiction and it ranks alongside his finest work.

I hope you enjoy this issue and as always, I welcome your feedback. Write in (to letters@frontierspublishing.com) to let us know what you think.

Yours,

Jeremy Kinser
Editor in Chief