During his campaign to become the Republican candidate for President, Donald Trump has been largely divisive on issues surrounding race and sexuality, with many pundits calling out the multi-billion dollar businessman on his views of race, women’s rights and sexuality.
This picture snapped in Cannes in 2009, the 35-year-old actor (then 28) shows how Ben has certainly matured a bit in seven years, but he’s still definitely a hunk and is still the proud owner of his famous thick, tousled dark hair.
Nice, France – February: Each year, for the entire month of February, Nice on the French Riviera is overtaken with celebrations of the Carnaval.
CREDIT: Aaron Holloway
This year, due to recent events in Paris, the festival was reduced to two and a half weeks. At the heart of the festival, is the King and Queen of Carnival, two massive floats that sit in the city centre presiding over each and every day of the Carnival, while the city celebrates with flower parades, parades of light and the very first Queernaval in France, until the final day, when the king is towed out to sea and burned.
CREDIT: Aaron HollowayCREDIT: Aaron Holloway
The weekend I visited Nice, the sun was shining brightly and the city was warm. Upon arriving at the simply stunning Ellington Hotel a short walking distance from the centre of the Nice old town, I was taken immediately by the old-world charm of the hotel. The interior is decorated with deep colours reminiscent of 19th century French design. The colours are deep and the light fittings opulent. My suite looked out over the street and the king sized bed was so deliciously soft that I nearly fell asleep right there after my flight down from Bremen.
CREDIT: Aaron Holloway
CREDIT: Aaron Holloway
However, the days were perfect to wander the streets and explore the little hidden secrets of the Nice old town. While the main parts of the city are easy to find, from the main market square in the old town, right next to Matisse’s old home, along the main shopping area, filled with adorable little shops and cafes, restaurants and bars, up to Place Garibaldi, named after the Nicoise politician who is considered one of the fathers of unified Italy, despite Nice eventually becoming part of France in the 1800’s.
The traditional Nicoise style and architecture is still apparent in the old town, with tall closely huddled buildings in terracotta, yellows and pale pinks lining the streets, often with traditionally green shutters. The street signs are also given in the traditional Nicoise names, as well as the new French names. Sometimes these are simple translations, but other times, the names are entirely different.
If you take a moment to walk away from the crowds, and through the back streets, you get to see a completely different part of the city. The hustle and bustle of the crowds dies away and the streets seem quiet. Looking up, you can see people’s washing hanging from the lines outside windows, it really feels as though you have been pulled backwards through time and the modern world isn’t important. The most interesting thing about these back streets, is that for the most part, there really isn’t anything to do. There are no café’s hidden away, no little secret stores. These are the houses of the people who live in the old town, or the backs of the stores that can be found in the other streets. If you take the right streets, perhaps with the help of Google Maps, you can wander your way through the back streets and find the memorial to Nice’s very own ‘Joan of Arc’ character, Catarina Ségurana who led the army to fight back an invasion attempt by the French king and his Ottoman allies in 1543. Wander further and you’ll find the back steps up to where the Nice castle used to stand, looking out over the city, until Louis the 14th had it dismantled block by block after taking it by siege. The view is incredible over the entire city of Nice, across the Med towards the airport and beyond, and back towards the alps that the city nestles itself against.
Aside from exploring the town, there is another great reason to visit Nice during Carnival, and that is: the parties. Particularly, Lou Queernaval. Organised by the same people who manage the LGBT organisation and the Nice Pride parade, Queernaval is the first LGBT Carnival in France, and this year, returned for a triumphant second year of celebrations. The streets were jam packed with people, both gay and straight, celebrating queer culture in Nice and the surrounding areas. The parade took place in Messina Square, in the heart of the city, between the old and new towns. People packed the stadium seating, and crammed in around the floats on the road, dressed in all manner of costumes and outrageous outfits to celebrate the event.
CREDIT: Aaron Holloway
On the day of the big event we stopped for lunch at the long-time family owned Acciardo restaurant where we were served by the younger generation of the family a delightful pair who served us an incredible selection of traditional nicoise food: a gnocchi made from Shard, a particularly traditional ingredient for Nice, Daube a slow cooked beef stew served with ravioli – a particularly incredible, but heavy dish, alongside nicoise salad and traditional entrées. I honestly have not eaten so much food in a long time, followed by a lemon meringue tart which we had to share, simply because we couldn’t eat a whole one. It was a good thing we had plenty of errands to run in the afternoon, including getting some spiffing costumes to wear to the parade. I decided along with two others who I joined at the festival, to go as French noblemen. I was ‘The Old Comte De Plonge’, joined by Monsignor La Vache, and The Comte de Frou Frou (thanks French & Saunders for the names!)
For dinner we were treated to some more local cuisine at the L’Empire restaurant. Succulent legs of chicken resting on beds of potato salad with a rich mushroom sauce, and fluffy chocolate sponge cake which was just to die for. There is one thing for sure, if you visit Nice, you won’t go hungry, and you won’t be starved for choices.
CREDIT: Aaron Holloway
We quickly moved on to the Queernaval to see the show begin, and it did not disappoint. The event was hosted by the fabulously dressed Erwan, complete with a massive pair of feather wings. He was joined at the celebrations by local bands, local dancing troupes, a sea of drag queens and dancers and Manuel Blanche, a simply stunning DJ from Paris. The party began with a bang and went on until midnight when it moved to local bar Glam to continue well into the night.
CREDIT: Aaron Holloway
The next morning, we met our group after breakfast and walked into town to make a short tour of the old town and the daily market that happens in the square. The market is different every day, but on the weekend it is local flowers, spices, herbs and other foods. Among the stores in the old town there is a store with traditional sweets from Nice made from sugared flowers and candied fruits. Definitely something worth trying while you are visiting Nice.
Through the old town which, like most old towns, is a mess of winding streets containing various stores of locally made produce, pottery, food, gifts and souvenirs. At the end of the plaza is the house that Henri Matisse lived in while he was in Nice. The house is still in use as a house, and there is a Matisse museum a short bus ride out of the main city area. It’s worth taking a few hours to explore the streets, and to wander away from the main shopping streets and discovering the quiet streets where there are less tourists, a more traditional look to the old town, with coloured buildings and shutters, washing hanging across the street 4-floors up. There are hidden treasures around the town, with things such as two holes in a wall where two cannonballs struck the wall during a failed invasion by the French and Turkish forces.
CREDIT: Aaron HollowayCREDIT: Aaron Holloway
Our afternoon was filled by a visit to the festival of flowers, a parade of locally-grown flowers and colourful floats and giant floating ‘things’. The street parade runs several times during the weeks of Carnaval in the mid-afternoon along the Avenue de Americas on Nice’s beachfront.
CReDIT: Aaron Holloway
Just a few minutes walk along the Avenue de Americas is the Nice Castle Mont. While the castle is no longer on the top of the hill, after being dismantled by the King of France after finally capturing the city after a long siege, there is a park and lookout from which you can see far into the Mediterranean and beyond the mountains behind Nice. The long walk up the steps is worth it once you get to the top and can enjoy the view. There’s even a back-passage you can take down the mountain that drops you at the back of the old town along the main shopping street.
The main event for the Carnaval is the Carnaval parade on Saturday night. When this parade gets going the king and queen, two massive floats with moving parts are joined by a large number of other floats made by local artisans to a theme, this year’s theme was the King of the Media, and along with music and dancers and performers they drive around Messina Square for a couple of hours. The French floats are certainly not shy in pressing the controversial issues, covering ideas of kids consumed by phones and television, politicians being caught with strippers and Chinese and North Korean censorship issues.
CREDIT: Aaron Holloway
Les Garcons: Gay restaurant in the gay section of the town has a great selection of local food and wine, and an incredible basement for having a few drinks while waiting for your table.
Attimi: A ‘Slow food experience’ made with locally sourced fresh food. The service is quick and the food is light and fresh and perfect for sharing with a group.
Gaglio: A traditional Nicoise restaurant with a great selection of local cuisine. Located next to the park a short walk from the old town.
L’Empire: A modern dining restaurant in a minimalist style, the food is rich and full of flavour, the staff friendly (and attractive!)
He looked like Roy Cropper it was never going to work out.
I’ve had a flashback to a date I went on when I was just a young whippersnapper of a 19-year-old.
Christ, that means I’ve been undateable for a total of 14 years. Yes, I hear the sound of shocked voices. That man can’t be 32! But yes readers, I am. It’s amazing what a bit of exfoliation can do for your skin. Oh, and not forgetting the needle full of Botox I regularly get pricked with. Well, I have to get a prick from somewhere. (Clears throat)
Anyway…
Back to my flashback which takes us back to the wonderful year of 2002. The year that bought us the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and Girls Aloud! The latter being my most memorable and personal favourite. But back to something else that wasn’t my particularly most favourite memory of that year, the date that was organised by my friend’s 50-year-old mum.
So, there I am this one morning, having coffee with Gwen. I mean, she isn’t the most sane of people you’ll ever meet, but I’ve had my fair share of mental institute moments over the years myself. So who am I to judge? As I take a sip on my mocha. I’m sure I would have been drinking a mocha. It’s only since I’ve hit my 30s have I become partial to an espresso. So as I sip the mocha, she announces she’s set me up on a date with this lovely man she works with on check in.
An airport worker.
Now, my dear Nan, God rest her soul, taught me I should never sit in judgement of others. But sometimes I find that piece of advice very hard to swallow. For some reason, in my sinful judgemental mind, I associate anyone working at the airport as a slag and having a man in every country. I know my face needs a slap as obviously he only works on check in, so unless he has a very long lunch break, I rationalise that he can’t make it to other countries.
After I’ve given my chops a quick swift slap, I take in the details of the date. It’s this Saturday, at 7pm and I’m to meet him at the Birdcage. Cor, the Birdcage in Chiswick, now that is showing my age. As I take the final chocolatey sip of my mocha, she throws the final, and possibly most vital, piece of information at me.
My new date is 50-years-old. My jaw slaps the ground, like a concrete slab thrown from the top of Big Ben.
As I look in the mirror at my fresh, youthful, wrinkle free face, I tell myself age is but a number. I mean, what does it matter that he’s 31 years older than me? Not a problem. He could be the man of my dreams, I shouldn’t be ageist, I tell myself. As the stark realisation dawns on me that he’s the same age as my dad, I begin to gag but a shot of vodka and a Marlboro Light soon slaps that image out of me.
I walk up to the bar of the Birdcage. I’m unfashionably early, purely because my best friend booted me out the car as she wanted to get back to see the Pop Idol final. I order a pint of Fosters. I decide beer is the best drink for me to consume this evening, it gets me less pissed and if I’m dealing with a senior citizen, I must keep my wits about me. I grab my pint and take myself to a small round table and perch myself on a bar stool.
As I finish off my first pint of Fosters, a man with a shopping bag approaches me. He asks me a question but my eyes are firmly placed on his shopping bag. Had Roy Cropper just walked in? (For those of you who have never seen Coronation Street, Google this man and you will have the image of my date).
Let’s call my date Roy from now on, as his actual name escapes me. Call it the early onset of Alzheimer’s or even just my own mind’s ability to block it out. As this is a date I have tried to forget all through my twenties. And it’s also the date that set the precedent: never let your friend’s mum set you up on date.
Now I wouldn’t have minded being on a date with a 50-year-old, had Roy not acted and looked like he was 75! I know I’m partial to being a little dramatic, but on this occasion I really don’t think I am being. I mean, the shopping bag said it all! He bought me a pint of Fosters, so that’s a point in his favour but I needed another one to block out the dull tone of his voice as he discussed trains and planes that he liked to spot. Wonderful, I’m sat with a train spotter. I really should have remembered to cross dear old Gwen off my Christmas card list. But I don’t like to think of myself as a bitter old queen.
Five pints of fosters later (all bought by Roy, may I add), and I am somewhat tipsy. I notice his body language. He starts to touch my hand, then my arm. He must have thought all his Christmases had come at once. This young pretty boy sat in front of him, pissed on Fosters, who needed looking after. After the sixth pint (also bought by Roy) I started to feel myself returning his body language gestures. A metaphoric slap later and I was in the toilet, on the phone to my best friend.
“You must pick me up!” I pleaded with her.
“But the winner of Pop Idol hadn’t been announced yet.” Came her reply.
“Oh, don’t worry about your best friend, sat here, about to be taken advantage of by Roy Cropper”, I barked back.
Luckily for me, I heard Girls Aloud be announced the winners, so she left her house to rescue me. Whoever thought I’d owe Cheryl Cole for saving me from Roy Cropper?
As I returned to the table, I saw my seventh pint of fosters slammed down on the table by Roy.
Phew! I’ve made the right call by phoning my best friend, pardon the pun. I see the intentions in Roy’s eyes. They’re glistening like a magpies whose just seen a diamond ring. Just as I pick up the fosters, my best friend runs in, like the hero of the hour.
“You must come quickly! My mum’s been taken ill and I need you!” She screams.
Oh the lies and drama of the youth.
I look at Roy, feigning upset.
“I’m so sorry, but I must go!”
“Will I see you again?” Roy is like a lost puppy dog.
The lies of the youth came rolling out of my mouth like a red carpet at the Oscars.
“Of course, give me call. I’ve had a really lovely evening!”
I’m going straight to hell, I tell myself.
My best friend drags me from the Birdcage, and I notice Donna Summers has started playing. I join in on the chorus, rather loudly and as we leave, Roy is following us. I turn round and in my Fosters induced state, I sing at him, “Enough is enough is enough, I can’t go on, I can’t go on no more, no!”
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The LGBT choir Northern Proud Voices celebrates its 5th birthday.
CREDIT: Northern Proud Voices
Newcastle’s largest and longest running choir, Northern Proud Voices will have its fifth birthday in May and to celebrate will host a series of fundraisers across Newcastle and the North East to raise awareness and collect donations for LGBT causes.
As part of UK-wide Pride events, the choir will perform at Pride Durham (30 May), Newcastle Pride (16 July), Cumbria Pride (17 September) and Sunderland Pride (25 September), showcasing four-part choral arrangements of artists including Radio Head, Annie Lennox, Seal and Train.
Weekly rehearsals have been taking place in Newcastle in preparation for the events, and a social media campaign has been launched to encourage others to show their support and get involved.
Kathleen McDonald, Chair of NPV, is overwhelmed with the popularity of the choir and said,
“It has been wonderful to see the choir grow over the past five years, from a handful of singers to the largest LGBT choir in the North East with almost 100 registered members.
“We are extremely proud of the community we represent and we are always keen to welcome new members. Being able to offer an inclusive and safe social space for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in Newcastle is truly rewarding for myself, and very important for some of our members.”
Supporting the choir’s fundraising celebrations, Ouseburn venues The Ship Inn and The Cumberland Arms will welcome NPV supporters with a fifth birthday party and an LGBT themed Lip Sync Battle with songs from queer culture. Local improv-comedy group, Spontaneous Wrecks, will stage a 2-hour improvised show and musical to raise donations.
Choir member, Andrew Layton, said:
“Not only is the choir great fun but it helps change perceptions some people may have of the LGBT community. I’m proud to be part of such a diverse group of people brought together by music.”
Northern Proud Voices is a fully-inclusive, non-audition choir and their rehearsals take place every Thursday 7-9pm at The Mining Institute, Newcastle (excluding August).
Newly out sports star Gus Kenworthy has shown off his best side.
CREDIT: Gus Kenworthy / Instagram
In a recent cheeky post Gus Kenworthy has revealed his best ass…et. The star who is currently taking a vacay in Australia with his boyfriend was keen to show us how perky he is these days.
The English born, American freestyle skier, who came out as gay last year, has been keen to show off his boyfriend whilst on holiday. The pair, it has to be said, are totally adorable together.
Speaking to TheGayUK Cheryl Baker, who was part of the original Bucks Fizz who took the UK to victory in 1981 with their song Making Your Mind Up, has said that a world-wide song contest is well overdue.
” I think it’s long overdue, to be perfectly honest. I mean, it is already the biggest musical event in the world.
“There is nothing bigger. So, yes, America … I should think they’re broadcasting it because they think, “Hang on, I think I see a trick here.”
Having just returned from Stockholm, Cheryl remarked at the true “camaraderie” that happens at the event.
“I’ve just got back from Stockholm. The one thing that really stands out is the camaraderie and the fact that everyone there is rooting for everyone. You see, you know, if Israel is on stage, you still see Greek flags and Spanish flags. They’re all just there because it’s such a joyous occasion. It just unities everybody.
Cheryl Baker will be live Tweeting about the Eurovision Song Content from 8PM tonight. She’ll be performing in London as well – for the Abigail’s Footsteps Charity.
Quick dial the fire service… Ray Quinn is on fire.
CREDIT: Ray Quinn / Instagram
The former X Factor hottie Ray Quinn has published this rather sexy picture, giving us a good view of his… Cuprinol skills – what did you think we were going to say? Dirty, dirty minded reader.
The West End star swapped his favourite Chinese takeaways and cans of lager for healthy eating and regular gym visits, when he got the call to be part of Dancing On Ice. And the results are outstanding.
Cutting out potatoes, pasta and bread for a “Caveman Diet” high in protein and fresh veg the 25-year-old star dropped 28lbs in eight weeks.
