Volume 2 Issue 16


August 12–25, 2011 gay-sd.com


Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. y. GAY DIEGO SAN SOUTHBAY PRIDE SAT. AUG. 20 SERVING OUR LGBT COMMUNITY DINING


Mining for good food with Frank Sabatini Jr.


u THEATER


The LGBT community comes together with friends for Hillcrest’s street festival. (Courtesy Hillcrest Business Association)


The glory and agony of Leonard Bernstein.


i HOLLYWOOD CityFest—an alternate LGBT Pride? By Anthony King | GSD Editor With the Hillcrest neighborhood prepping


for this year’s CityFest, many people in the LGBT community find themselves involved in the one-day event as much as for last month’s Pride festival. While there is no doubt the San Diego Pride festival is a pivotal part of the LGBT


Kristin Wiig, Darren Criss, Dustin Lance Black and more…


aSPORTS


community, CityFest can be seen as a second festival—or for some, an alternate—to our com- munity’s multi-day Pride festival. Lisa Weir, the Communications and Mar-


keting Manager of the Hillcrest Business As- sociation (HBA), says she definitely sees a con- nection between the gay community and her association’s festival. “In Hillcrest, if it’s not a


Economy takes toll on Alano Club By Lee Schoenbart | GSD Reporter Editor’s note: Due to the nature of Al-


ano Club’s anonymous programs, sources are only referred to by their given name and surname initial.


The economy is taking its toll on the


Friends and family walk 24 hours for #21


INDEX


ELSEWHERE IN LGBT NEWS…5 POLITICS…………………7 SENSE OF PLACE……………8 CALENDAR………………9 Q PUZZLE………………17 CLASSIFIED………………18


CONTACT US


Editorial/Letters 619-519-7775 ext. 102 editor@gay-sd.com


Advertising 619-519-7775 ext. 108 mike@sduptownnews.com


Live and Let Live Alano Club as it con- tinues to struggle financially to meet the growing demands of the recovery com- munity. Rent, utilities and other costs are up; Membership and rent donations are down. Frank H., board co-chair for the


Alano Club, said the “biggest hurdle is financial.” We believe we’re OK through the year, but it’s a challenge. All nonprof- its are very challenged, and we’re no dif- ferent.”


“Keeping the doors open,” was board member Dave S.’s response. The challenge is despite 1,000


participants in 40 12-Step recovery meetings weekly, including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Cocaine Anonymous (CA), Crystal Meth Anonymous (CMA), Al-Anon, Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Sexual Compulsives Anonymous (SCA), Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA), Overeaters Anonymous (OA) and Gam- blers Anonymous (GA). “If you’re looking at about 1,000 peo-


ple, our membership runs about 300, so you’re looking at a 3:1 ratio of non- members over members attending the meetings here,” board treasurer Patrick


Live and Let Live Alano Club board mem- ber Dave S. and board treasurer Patrick L. (Courtesy Lee Schoenbart)


L. said. “Also…expenses to keep the doors open are anywhere from $7,000 to $9,000 per month just in utilities and rent to our cost of goods.” Patrick noted that the 300-member figure is not based on total membership, but on the fact that some members attend numerous meet- ings per week at the club. Membership dropped to 189 at the


club’s most recent count. Patrick said it’s usually in the low 200s and Frank said the goal of 300 would really help sustain the club. Because the club did not want to con-


cede to any city, state or federal bureau- cracy in exchange for funding, it relies solely on the support of membership dues, meeting rents, community dona- tions and a cadre of volunteers including board members. When the club opened 28 years ago,


see Alamo, pg 2


gay business owner, it’s a straight business own- er who is allied to the gay community…through their patrons [and] through the energy of the neighborhood,” Weir says. “You can’t operate a business in Hillcrest without being an ally.” In fact, most of CityFest’s pre-event promo-


see Alternate, pg 10


Annual film festival promises to be most diverse ever


By Dave Schwab | GSD Reporter This year’s FilmOut, San Diego’s 13-year-old LGBT film


festival to be held on six days over two weekends on Aug. 19- 21 and 26-28 at Birch North Park Theatre, promises to be the most diverse ever featuring three West Coast premiere films, two Sundance favorites and a host of international fare. The premieres are “Hold Your Peace,” “What Happens


see Festival, pg 2


WIN MOVIE TICKETS! VOTE TODAY


Ballot pg. 22 or Vote ONLINE www.gay-sd.com


c


ityfest & SPirit


Music, art, culture and spirit


music, art, culture


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24