Greetings readers, Robby from Brooklyn here writing to you on a beautiful, sunny, warm summer afternoon in NYC. Right off the bat, this column is going to be celebratory – because lord knows we need to celebrate something, anything. So get ready for 700 words of pure joy and happiness!
And there is no better recipient of all this joy and happiness than Miss New York City herself. Summer here is always pretty great but this year is positively electric. Our Pride month of June was off the charts AND the beloved New York Knicks winning their first championship in 53 years (longer than I have been alive!). To call that moment huge would be an understatement.
Another sporting event I am not normally tuned into – is the World Cup. Before the World Cup began, I felt like there really was not a lot of publicity, not a lot of excitement; I didn’t see lots of signage. I did read about the low expectations because hotel reservations in host cities were shockingly low. However, once it did arrive, this city is turnt up. Bars and restaurants packed with excited viewers, many even having viewing parties on the sidewalks, the streets. Revelers wearing their home country jerseys exuberantly celebrating on the subways. Juan, a bartender at longtime Chelsea staple Gym Bar, told me, “The World Cup has united the city in ways I have never seen before.”
This past Fourth of July weekend saw massive celebrations coinciding with America’s 250th birthday – in spite of the sentiment throughout the States these days. (Hopefully, the next Democratic President will hold a 255th USA celebration to make up for the lackluster, pathetic attempt that this corrupt Republican-led Administration gave us.) It also saw a brutal heat wave and the Taylor Travis wedding. NYC is booming.
Many – myself included – are calling it the Mandami effect. WE LOVE OUR NEW MAYOR, Zohran Mandami. All of the Republicans screaming “Socialism,” “Communism,” “Sharia Law,” “All the rich people are gonna leave,” can shut all the fuck up – especially since they don’t live in New York. They might be confusing Texas with New York, as Texas just passed a law forcing the Ten Commandments into public schools – where is all the screaming and pearl clutching? The hypocrisy is unreal.
I honestly don’t care about the words like socialist and progressive when I am voting, just tell me you are gonna fight for the working class and me and not the billionaires and corporations. Like Mandami promised – and has delivered. Just this year, Mandami has achieved:
*He secured $1.2 billion in funding alongside Governor Kathy Hochul to roll out universal child care for NYC families with programs expanding to two-year-olds.
*He recovered $9.3 million in worker and small business restitution and won $34 million on behalf of exploited tenants through legal settlements with bad landlords.
*He launched massive citywide cleanup and maintenance efforts, repairing broken roads, clearing major blizzards, and fixing 100,000 potholes.
*Finally, he passed the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Executive Budget aimed at protecting working-class services and addressing city infrastructure by repairing 6,069 apartments. He basically balanced the budget, bitches!
COME THRU MAYOR MANDAMI!
This past July Fourth weekend, I got to spend Friday, July 3rd at the beach celebrating my cousin Ryan’s 23rd birthday. On the North Shore of Long Island, the sand was steamy, the water was cool and clear, and the drinks were flowing. Stayed at the beach so late I missed the huge “Confessions II” release party at Three Dollar Bill in Brooklyn. (Yet another reason for celebration, the new Madonna album is a banger with numerous danceable songs that have the potential to be radio hits.)
Saturday, the night of the fourth, was spent with dozens and dozens of queer friends and allies at a rooftop party to watch the fireworks. Thank you Steve for hosting and truth be told the fireworks show was truly impressive. This is coming a person who usually isn’t impressed by fireworks. I kind of think “You have seen one firework, you have seen them all” (My favorite fireworks moment is Katy Perry performing at Biden’s inauguration all in white with the Washington Monument illuminating behind her. Check it on YouTube if you need a boost.)
Sunday was spent bar hopping throughout Chelsea and the Village, hitting Gym Bar, The Monster, and Tys – Sundays are for Throwbacks. Leaving now to go to TKTS for half-price Wednesday matinee tickets, with too many options to choose from. Top three hopeful tickets we want to get are for the Nathan Lane, Laurie Metcalf, “Death of a Salesman” revival, best musical winner, “Scmigadoon,” and the show of the moment best revival winner “Ragtime.”
All in a week in NYC in July.
That’s it for me this month readers. Hope each and every one of you are having a great summer. As Katy Perry sings “let your colors burst, ignite the light and let it shine.” And find something to celebrate today – you deserve it!
(this column was originally published in the July issue of “Letters from Camp Rehoboth.”)
The Gays of our Lives 