MEANDERINGS – by Peter Rocchio

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Good Lord, where have the years gone?  Last Saturday Bill and I were delighted to attend the 17th annual Headdress Ball, courtesy of Gay Day’s Chris and Tommy Manley. It was a truly first class event on behalf of Hope and Help – a long way from its earliest days, initially at the old Beecham theatre on Orange Avenue and then the Expo Center.  I was pleased to have been, along with the late Paul Wegman (Miss P) the auctioneer and Master of Ceremonies at those events.  Seventeen years later we have a sumptuous black tie event at the new gorgeous Omni hotel at Champions Gate – a bit out of town but beautiful none the less. Among the highlights of the evening were the hors d’ourveres at the VIP reception  the many beautiful men and the perfectly put together Mrs. Sam  Meiner.  Low points – only four bartenders at the VIP reception and former Miss America Leanza Cornett.  Actually, Leanza may qualify for being a highlight – she had everyone talking about her that night and ever since. This lady wanted, expected and even demanded absolute silence for her opening remarks.  Needless to say, she didn’t get it and she wasn’t happy. After many “shhhhs” and one “shut up!”  She said, “There’s someone up here talking and it’s not you”.  Talk about rude! She eventually came out and apologized for ‘forgetting that this is a party and everyone is here to have a good time”. The apology brought a loud round of applause.  She continued, ”I’m used to being the center of attention”.  I felt badly for the embarrassment she brought to Hope and Help – but the fun of the evening was diminished not at all.

I am pleased to pass on to you that Dr. Ron Stanish is doing quite well, following his stroke.  Bill and I visited him in Sarasota where he is recuperating and receiving his physical therapy.  He expects to return to his practice in January.  I was surprised to have him tell me that he and Ken had also had been at the Headdress Ball. How could we have missed him?  The VIP reception wasn’t all that crowded and he was in a wheel chair  - c’est la vie!  He was proud to show off his Duncan McClennan vase purchased through the silent auction. It’s a beauty.

Gay, gay, gay – we’re everywhere. Entire sitcoms, storey lines, individual characters, documentaries and that’s just the networks.  Cable television is replete with gayness everywhere – now, would you believe – The Food Channel! A gay couple won the search for the Food Channel’s next star.  Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh now have a program entitled, Party Line.  They do, what else – party food. They’re really cute, have wonderful repartee and seem to know their food. I hope their show makes it into the channel’s rotation – they have something to offer – great party recipes, party tips and good eye candy.

Talking about entertainment – The upcoming film Broadback Mountain starring Keith Ledger and Jake Gylenhall with it’s gay theme of cowboy meets cowboy may set a new standard for a major Hollywood film starring A list actors.  Ledger and Gylenhall have an on the lips kiss.  Playing gay is no longer the death knell of a actor’s career.  Would John Wayne and Henry Fonda been hot or what? Talk about your gay cowboys!

The Lifetime Channel recently aired a gay themed film of some quality. PARTNERS is a step or two below Hollywood production quality and several notches above those usually found in Independent films but it was the screen play that made the film noteworthy. The title is a double entendre – personal and professional.  Keep you eyes open for a re-showing. Note to Chris Alexander-Manley: PARTNERS would be super for the Sunday morning film series at Enzian

I have long complained that Central Florida doesn’t have a gay restaurant – well, I’ve come to believe that we really don’t need one so long as we have Le Coq au Vin, Thai restaurants and Two Js.

May I get an irritant off my chest?  It seems that we have several generations who have not been told by their mother’s to ’STAY TO THE RIGHT!’ Traffic laws mandate it – thank God. Can you imagine if it weren’t?  Well, Staying to the right, should be applicable to all circumstances.  When walking down the street if everyone stayed to their right there’d be no bumping each otdher.  When shopping – staying to the right down the aisles would  un-clog them and make for a less stressful situation.  Another irritant is restaurants/chefs taking liberties with well -established classic dishes.  You shouldn’t call a salad ‘Greek’ just because you put some feta cheese on it together with some black olives. Additional ingredients aside, it is the dressing that matters and a raspberry vinegarette on greens with feta cheese is not a greek salad.  Oregano and mint in a traditional vinaigrette is closer to the classic. Eggs benedict with a slice of tomato and cheese whiz is an abortion. A tube of puff pastery filled with whipped cream and covered with lemon sauce is NOT a cannoli and on and on…

A report from the French Quarter – my friend Blue has just returned to his first floor condo on Royal Street.  Not in bad shape but bad buckling in the living room floor.  He says that the quarter stinks from all the refrigerators which had to be put out on the street
they smelled so badly.  Ugh!  Everyone is looking forward to Mardi Gras – more important than ever.

Here’s a note on a must read.:  The September issue of New York magazine has a piece on Anderson Cooper by Jonathan Van Meter.  It will answer/verify any questions you may have had about TV’s hottest (double entdre intended) newsman.

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