Nothing Like An Ostrich Burger

Well I'm still recovering from Birmingham Pride and I'm off all alcohol . . . until the weekend. I think the only reason I'm not in a worse state is because of an Ostrich. Yep! that feathered - head in sand - giant bird absorbed all the booze from my belly. Of course he was in the form of a rather tasty burger seasoned with pepper and sage. I can't believe I actually ate an Ostrich burger, my first. I came a cross a gentleman selling them and other exotic meets from a rather fabulous stand at Birmingham Pride over the weekend and I thought I'd give them a try. I have to say his Ostrich burgers were delicious, so much so I went back for another. So what does Ostrich taste like . . . why beef of course.

Birmingham Gay Pride Review

Yes that really is me with Same Difference, the happiest people on earth. The brother sister act and former X-factor contestants were performing on the main stage yesterday at Birmingham's Gay Pride. They were just a few of the cheesy but crowd pleasing acts I met back stage at the event. I spent most of my time throwing back Stella Artois in the beer tents and dancing near the main stage. The highlight for me definitely had to be Melissa Totten 'THE' best Madonna impersonator on the planet, and definitely the crowds favorite. She belted out all the best Madonna hits - 100% hands in the air stuff. As the day moved on I was thankful for the sunshine and all those who brought me drinks. We later moved on to the Village Inn, then the Eden Bar for a mix of Pop! and 80's tunes. It was here, somewhere in the wee hours of the morning that I realised my dancing feet had had enough. So off I went, stuffed into a mini cab with hot dog and tinnitus ringing in my ears. All in all, I really enjoyed my first ever Birmingham Gay Pride and I can't wait for the next one.

Birmingham Gay Pride 2010

I've got my sunblock on, my shorts, my shades and I'm slipping into my camouflage flip flops as a type. I have about half an hour before I need to meet friends in Birmingham city centre for this years Gay Pride festivities which take place today and tomorrow. I can't wait, I'm really looking forward to seeing old friends and some downright cheesy Pop acts. I have no doubt I'll be partaking in a lot of drinking and tent dancing. I'll try and write about my weekends highlights tomorrow, no hangover permitting. I hope to see you all at this years Birmingham Gay Pride, should you be in town. You can check out all of the weekends events, parade route and main stage lineup by clicking on the site below.
www.birminghampride.com

Some Good Vibes

There's a small handful of films that should have been so much bigger than they actually were. One such film is Vibes, a 1988 romcom starring Cyndi Lauper and Jeff Goldblum. Can you remember it? Probably not. That's because it was a massive box office flop that struggled to find global distribution, not to mention it was a bit crap. Vibes was so bad that it was great. So what's it about . . . well, it's about a ditzy psychic called Sylvia Pickles (the best name for a female character LIKE EVER) played by Lauper who meets an equally odd Nick (Goldblum) who's also a psychic. Together they travel to the Ecuadorian Andes to find the "Source Of Psychic Energy". Yes, THE "Source Of Psychic Energy". I had no idea there was one. Are you hooked yet? Probably not. The film did have it's moments, and a supporting cast of Peter Falk (Columbo) playing a con man, and Julian Sands (A Room With A View, Warlock) who provides a bit of tension as the films main villain. Vibes is somewhat of a cult hit and worth the watch just for Cyndi Lauper. OH! I forgot to mention, it's only available on VHS. Shall we start a petition here to get Vibes a DVD release then? Watch the trailer below and let me know what you think.

Vibes Movie Trailer

Coffee Escapism at the Algerian Coffee Stores

Heaven has always been a place where I can get a decent cup of coffee and today I just couldn't resist dropping into my favorite coffee shop. I have been a regular at the Algerian Coffee Stores in London's Soho for more than ten years now - one hell of a caffeine addiction, not to mention a lot of pounds spent on beans. Money well spent!
Today I picked up my favorite blend, Velluto Nero, flavored with vanilla and cinnamon and I immediately shoved my nose into the little paper bag for a sniff. Heaven then pleased my senses. These aromas are what I love about the Algerian Coffee Stores you can smell thmem pouring out of the stores walls, floating down Old Compton Street. You can't help but be lured in. The Algerian Coffee Stores don't just sell over a hundred varieties of coffee and tea, they also sell a variety of accessories including caffettiera/macchinetta pots, the best and only way to brew a great cup of coffee. They also stock confectioneries to go with your coffee, traditional cups, gift tins and anything else coffee or tea related. So if you're a coffee lover like me and you happen to be in Soho looking for that little bit of heaven, you now know where to go.

Algerian Coffee Stores
52 Old Compton Street
London
Tel: 020 7437 2480

www.algcoffee.co.uk

Out of Words & Coffee

Apologies for not posting anything here yesterday. I'm afraid I had one of those days where absolutely nothing happened to me, no tale to tell. I spent most of my day at my computer writing and eight hundred word feature followed by another, approximately four hundred words. I was typed out by the end of the day - out of ideas, thoughts and coffee. COFFEE! the soul purpose of living and the only thing that gets me through a writing day, not good when my little coffee tin is empty. Today is a new day and I'll be venturing out into London to buy bulk bags of flavored coffee from the Algerian Coffee Stores in Soho, so I'll be back with you tomorrow.

RICHARD xXx

The Girls Are Back - Sex & The City 2

The movie event of the year is almost here. Only four days and counting until the girls of Sex & The City are back. Are you as excited as I am? Of course you are. Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte are about to make a spectacular return to cinema screens in the eagerly anticipated Sex & The City 2 sequel. This time the girls jet off to Abu Dhabi for some sun-drenched Arabian adventures, and I can't wait to join them. I have no doubt that my four favorite women on film will set the sand dunes alight with glamour and a lot of cocktail sipping. Not long now.

I downloaded the Sex & The City 2 Soundtrack today, and I'm loving it. I'm really into Arabic music so this soundtrack is right up my street. It's crammed with eastern beats from Natacha Atlas to the original score - and Oh yes! that Liza version of Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It). Which by the way is both fantastically camp and horribly wrong. Poor old Liza, she seems to be suffering a Whitney style vocal breakdown here. Nonetheless I do recommend you grab a copy of this for your iPod. Do let me know hat you think of both the film and the soundtrack here, and check out some of the brilliant stills I have posted from the film. I've also included the link to the official website so you can watch the trailer, should you be the only person on earth that hasn't seen it by now.
www.sexandthecitymovie.com

Sex & The City 2 opens globally this Thursday, May 27

Dreaming Of Dairy Queen

If you are like me, and not originally from the UK, then you know what it's like to miss things from your homeland. Things such as familiar brands, foods, beverages, music and television shows. Every know and then you wish you could get your hands on such things, blissfully reminising. The reality is, for that moment of wanting something familiar from home, you can't have it. It's not like you can walk into a corner store and buy it. Non the less, this doesn't stop you from wanting it.

Today as I walked to the gym I had such a wanting. Weighed down by my back pack, low on water and dripping in this ridiculous heat wave - I wanted Ice Cream - from Canada. Now, you are probably asking yourself, 'what's wrong with the Ice Cream here in the UK.' Well . . . nothing. It's just that the long walk to my gym and the heat had me dreaming of Dairy Queen. No, not a homosexual farmhand. Dairy Queen is a huge North American Ice Cream chain that has been selling Ice Cream across the US and Canada since the late sixties, and lots of it. The Dairy Queen is like a McDonlads or Burger King, but catering entirely to Ice Cream, and like the previously mentioned, they even have a drive thru. Yep! Fast food Ice Cream, from a huge fast food restaurant. OH! how I wanted to walk into a Dairy Queen today and buy a Banana Split. A big giant American sized helping of Dairy Queen Banana Split would have served me well in todays heat. Sadly, I had to settle for a tasteless whipped ice cream with a crusty old chocolate flake, served to me from hairy Mediterranean man stuffed into a little blue van for a whopping $1.20. Fortunately he wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead just before he plunged the flake into my ice cream. Dairy Queen, Dairy Queen wherefore art thou Dairy Queen. Not in the UK sadly. You must have a look at DQ's website for all their Ice Creams www.dairyqueen.com

Sunny Disasters

I spent most of today outside in the scorching sun. I wanted to take full advantage of this freak heat wave while it lasts. I mean how often do we get clear skies and a blistering sun here in the UK? Not often. So, what did I do in this Saturday sunshine. Well me and my partner picked up a frisbee, some fresh fruit, a ready cooked chicken and a lake (to drink) and headed to a near by park for a picnic. It all started off so sunny. Within thirty seconds of playing frisbee, my first throw, I ended up hurling it into a tree. . . where it stayed. Left out in the sun, our fresh fruit fried. My flip-flops were scratching between my toes causing me to walk with a limp and we soon realized we had forgotten our sunscreen. I am now sporting a farmers/builders tan and some very tender shoulders. Maybe I'm just meant for cold winters.

GaGa's Alejandro On The Gay

How exciting! Well, if you're a Lady Gaga fan. The pop star has just finished shooting the video for 'Alejandro', the third single from her Fame Monster album. The clip was shot by American Photographer Steven Klein, and a single image was leaked earlier this week. That Gaga, what a tease! Little else is know about the video and a release date has yet to be set. However GaGa told The Times, "It's about the purity of my friendships with my gay friends." She went on to say, "It's a celebration and an admiration of gay love. In the video I'm pining for the love of my gay friends." - So basically she'll be bigging up the Gays. Gosh! Maybe she'll end up marrying one. Boyz?