SF Pride 2011

View of the Castro Block Party Pink Party

I’ve been to SF Pride every year I’ve been here, but it’s never been a highlight. Some years have been more fun than others, but it’s never been a super fun weekend. Too many tourists, too many drunkies, too hectic…until this year. I wasn’t expecting it to be awesome, but I ended up having tons of fun! This year was my favorite SF Pride weekend ever! Some people started pride a bit earlier in the week, but I had an exhausting week at work and was even less inclined than usual to go out. On Thursday, I actually fell asleep right after dinner. EXHAUSTING. So I wasn’t totally looking forward to going out Friday to start out my weekend. I was kind of fantasizing about snuggling between the covers and zzzing. But I didn’t want to be boring, so as soon as my roomie and mine’s houseguest Cavin, who was visiting for the weekend, arrived after dinner, we set off for the Duro pride kickoff party. We met up there with Drake who was also visiting, and Sarah, who lived around the corner from the bar, and David, who was also visiting, and more friends joined as the night progressed. DJ Misha Skye opened, then a drag performance, then my best friend/roomie DJ Tristan Jaxx came on, and we all had a fun time dancing. It was a nice diverse crowd! This was followed by a funny walk around the city in the middle of the night, and watching my friends eat pancakes at 4am. The next morning, after such a late night following a long work week, I never made it to the park. There is a big pride thing in the park every Saturday of pride with lots of women, and guys too, and I’d told some people I’d go, but I was beat already, and it was windy and not that warm. In fact, it was the coldest I’ve ever seen pride weekend here. So, sorry to the park people. Soon it was time to head to dinner with Tristan, Cavin and Drake, then off to Locoya’s Pre Pink Pride Party at his house in Castro. There is a giant block party outside at this time, and my friend Carina joined me for lots of fun people watching, both out the window, and right inside the party. We learned that to a large amount of women, pride equals let’s wear too tall shoes and get way too drunk. Girls in stilettos were falling left and right. On top of each other, in the middle of the street, on the dance floor of the party, down stairs. It got so that we were a little afraid to walk, lest we be attacked by an overly drunk falling girl. Why do they do that to themselves? Well, whatever, it was of large entertainment value. I should have videoed some of them, I just wasn’t thinking! Seriously ladies, show some self control!! Besides the drunken girls, the party was fun, got to see more friends and hang out, and soon it was time to go change for the big party of the night, Colossus. We arrived late, and heard only the tail end of DJ Hector Fonseca’s set, but it sounded very good. That place was PACKED!!! And Sound Factory is a really large space, but it was STILL packed! Just walking down the hall was like being in a traffic jam! Wynter Gordon performed well and then DJ Paulo came on. He was AWESOME. This was probably the best I’ve ever heard him play. Loved it. He kept a nice high energy playing, instead of being too droney trancey. It was dark yet upbeat at the same time, which is the best. We closed out the club yet again, but instead of 2am like Friday night, this ended around 7 am. Great night! I NEVER make it to the pride parade on Sundays. Who can get there that early, unless they don’t sleep? I like sleep, so that’s what I did instead. By the time I was up and ready, it was almost time to go to dinner again. Yep, the night owl life for me!  We had reservations at Supperclub. I’d actually never been there for a meal. There are a few over the world, and you eat on beds and they do a show. Kind of what i do at home since we have no table lol. It was really trippy there… someone on stilts, pink and purple lighting, weird images on the screens… there were a series of shows such as acrobatics, singing and a human pretzel. The food was yummy, but very small and expensive. Each of the first two courses were only a couple bites each, more like appetizers. The last dish was dessert, and the waitress presented two of us the plates and said here are your nut allergy desserts. Further investigation, and sickness from my friend, proved that they were actually sweet peanut butter sandwiches that they’d removed the garnish nuts from the top of, not thinking that peanut butter contained nuts. THEY are nuts! We did end up getting a meal comped, but a friend was sick for hours I only tasted a lick so my mouth got itchy but i was ok. Hours later, after recovering, we set out for the last party of the weekend, Sanctuary. DJ Jamie Sanchez did a good job, and was nearing the end of his set again when we arrived. DJ Alexander took over, and got more energetic towards the end of the night, around quarter of four. Saturday night had been more hectic yet super fun, and Sunday night was more friend concentrated. Everyone was there. It was packed again, and we closed out the night again, with the last people on the dancefloor at a little after six am when it ended being mostly people i knew. It’s always fun having your alarm go off for work when you’re on your way home from the club! I fell asleep just as I would be almost to work, and slept Monday away, waking up for some yummy Patxis pizza and tv. Best SF Pride Ever!!! Thanks to all my friends who made it so great!  Now I can’t wait for Pride part 2 in a couple weeks in San Diego, featuring most of the same people, plus a couple more friends! YAY! Stay tuned…