V : The Alternative Miss Stoneybatter
Aghh its been too long since my last blog - lots has happened but i'm in an easyinternetcafe and the clock is ticking, so i'm not gonna type it.
I'm here in sunny Holland - actually I tell a lie - it's freezing - it's colder than a December day in Dublin! I braved the weather and wore shorts, my pale white legs gave the locals a right laugh.. Well the few locals that actually live here - the place is infested with Amercians. It's amazing - more yankies here than downtown Boston!
I've been very underwhelmed by Amsterdam so far - it doesnt seem to have much original character, it's just like any city - any where. The Heineken with a dash of lime factory is the EXACT same as the Guinness Store house but with green bottles instead of black ones. The museums (apart from a great dance exhibition currently showing at the Van Gough museum on Friday nights) are boring and unimaginative. The gay scene is a bit shite too, it very scattered and seems to lack excitement and energy - there is no skill in chatting someone up. You give them a glance and next minute they're trying to drag you into a dark-room... What ever happened to sharing a tub of garlic fries in Ricks first?
I havent checked out the red light area yet - but the gay places there appear to be leather and bear oriented so I cant imagine my opinion chaging. It reminds me of my time in San Fransisco - I went expecting the gay capital world but found the supermarkets more erotic. I think the whole Dutch sex thing is a stereotype - along with their clog wearing. Dublin is a much seedier city but doesnt advertise the fact! I'm betting there is more action on our very own Benburb street than there is in the red light district.
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Speaking of Benburb Street, i was shocked to see our local knacker pub has launched a drag queen show on Saturday nights. Stoneybatter is as far from the world of drag as you can possibly imagine but MULLIGANS has a sign up advertising Busty Lycra (winner of alt miss Ireland in 1998) and Alter Ego (winner of alt miss Ireland in 2003) and a host of other queens playing there on Saturday nights. What must the toothless mingers make of it all? I must pop in and find out.
and speaking of
drag queens - I do reccomend you go see 'Hedwig and The Angry Inch' now showing @ the focus theate. The guy who plays Hedwig is great - very talented boy - it puzzles me what he's doing playing in some kip that holds about 20 people - obviously its for the love of art.
on my Ipod today
There was a time when Belle and Sebastian were pure, exciting and indie.. they released cool EP singles which didnt appear on their albums - the quality of these tunes was astounding. They've now all been squashed onto this very nice package... go buy it. Highly reccomended.
The Tears also has finally reached Irish shores - 15 Euro in Tower records, worth a flutter of anyones money?!?
I'm here in sunny Holland - actually I tell a lie - it's freezing - it's colder than a December day in Dublin! I braved the weather and wore shorts, my pale white legs gave the locals a right laugh.. Well the few locals that actually live here - the place is infested with Amercians. It's amazing - more yankies here than downtown Boston!
I've been very underwhelmed by Amsterdam so far - it doesnt seem to have much original character, it's just like any city - any where. The Heineken with a dash of lime factory is the EXACT same as the Guinness Store house but with green bottles instead of black ones. The museums (apart from a great dance exhibition currently showing at the Van Gough museum on Friday nights) are boring and unimaginative. The gay scene is a bit shite too, it very scattered and seems to lack excitement and energy - there is no skill in chatting someone up. You give them a glance and next minute they're trying to drag you into a dark-room... What ever happened to sharing a tub of garlic fries in Ricks first?
I havent checked out the red light area yet - but the gay places there appear to be leather and bear oriented so I cant imagine my opinion chaging. It reminds me of my time in San Fransisco - I went expecting the gay capital world but found the supermarkets more erotic. I think the whole Dutch sex thing is a stereotype - along with their clog wearing. Dublin is a much seedier city but doesnt advertise the fact! I'm betting there is more action on our very own Benburb street than there is in the red light district.
Back to Home
Speaking of Benburb Street, i was shocked to see our local knacker pub has launched a drag queen show on Saturday nights. Stoneybatter is as far from the world of drag as you can possibly imagine but MULLIGANS has a sign up advertising Busty Lycra (winner of alt miss Ireland in 1998) and Alter Ego (winner of alt miss Ireland in 2003) and a host of other queens playing there on Saturday nights. What must the toothless mingers make of it all? I must pop in and find out.
and speaking of
drag queens - I do reccomend you go see 'Hedwig and The Angry Inch' now showing @ the focus theate. The guy who plays Hedwig is great - very talented boy - it puzzles me what he's doing playing in some kip that holds about 20 people - obviously its for the love of art.
on my Ipod today
There was a time when Belle and Sebastian were pure, exciting and indie.. they released cool EP singles which didnt appear on their albums - the quality of these tunes was astounding. They've now all been squashed onto this very nice package... go buy it. Highly reccomended.
The Tears also has finally reached Irish shores - 15 Euro in Tower records, worth a flutter of anyones money?!?