Gay Beach at Dolores Park

When the sun shines bright in San Francisco, a whole lot of gays living close to the Mission District congregate to "Gay Beach" located at the Southwest corner of Dolores Park. I always knew that homosexuals worshiped the sun at the top of the hill. Still, to put myself in the middle of that hot mess, that was an experience I put off until only recently. 

Let's begin with what I was wearing: a V-neck white t-shirt, light blue shorts, Ray Ban sunglasses, tan messenger bag and light blue Haviana flip-flops.

What was everybody else wearing? Nothing. Well, at least as close as you can get to wearing nothing and being socially acceptable in the public eye. Seeing as we're talking about San Francisco's gay community, "socially acceptable" in the public eye has various interpretations.

The only reason I went to "Gay Beach" was because I was meeting a friend of mine from high school who was in town for the weekend. Immediately upon arriving I discovered I was horribly over dressed -- that means I wasn't wearing a Speedo or briefs. As I lay down my blanket on the grass, I was so flustered that I spilled my water bottle. After all, the guy sitting right next to me was in a Speedo with a waxed chest and inner thigh. (Inner thigh! That's like, well, really, really, really, really gay...)

While I could write an entire blog post about gay men and waxing, what intrigued me more was the kind of people that chose to come to this sacred place on a sunny Sunday afternoon. 

Like most people in San Francisco, everyone at the exclusively gay section of Dolores was friendly -- perhaps a little too friendly. First their was the group of guys in front of me (with a full bar in their coolers) drinking and pouring water on their bodies to reveal the outline of their penis. Then there was the skinny Asian, daring to wear a tight number, refusing to sit down so that everyone could observe his sexually suggestive state. (Remember, I'm fully dressed taking in the whole experience like I'm at some gay themed Disneyland.) 

Nevertheless, I'm intrigued at how a section of a public park is used as yet another cruising territory for gay men in San Francisco. It's almost as if the same people who go clubbing at night come to Dolores Park during the day to worship the sun -- while still trying to get laid. But if you're like me and looking to relax in the California sunshine, so long as you remember that the eye candy is simply that, there's a lot to experience on the Southwest corner of Dolores Park. 

Independent Films at the SFIFF

The entertainment industry is saturated with crappy films that make money. It's not brain science, it's the entertainment industry and sex, violence and high-tech graphics sell a movie. The formula obviously molds to whomever you're targeting. The problem, however,  is that this equation (these days) rarely gets me excited to see a movie -- especially in the theatre at $10 per ticket.

The 52nd Annual San Francisco International Film Festival recently ended. Aside from the fabulous parties put on by Bay Area event planning company Winslow and Associates, the fifteen day festival introduced the finest examples of independent films from around the world.

A film festival like the SFIFF sifts through a plethora of independent films and determines what is different, creative, arguably brilliant and most importantly, worth our time and money. What interests me: how a low-budget independent movie can capture the attention of millions with a powerful and entertaining story. 

During the festival, I had the unique pleasure of attending both the opening night showing (and West Coast premier) of "La Mission" and the Centerpiece showing of "500 Days Of Summer". I enjoyed the films, but the traditional idea of an edgy independent film was lost in hopes of ensuring a national distributor. After all, what's the point in making a movie if it doesn't sell.

Peter Bratt's "La Mission" stars his brother, Benjamin Bratt, and is a story of a single recovering alcoholic father coming to terms with his son's sexual orientation. The film takes place in my very own neighborhood, San Francisco's Mission District, and provides a fresh lens into a complicated issue that all facets of society can relate to.

"500 Days Of Summer", directed by Mark Webb and staring one my all-time favourite independent films stars, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is a romantic comedy deserving of a first-date movie. A low-budget movie, the film utilizes captivating dialogue and a creative timeline that ultimately brings new hope to hopeless romantics (like myself).

Overall, the SFIFF was a huge success. Where else can you walk a couple of blocks to the Castro Theatre, watch an unreleased film, and later attend a party with the cast and crew? And, while I love film, I love parties more -- so thanks again, Winslow and Associates!

In the end, the San Francisco International Film Festival was an excellent introduction to the film industry. Most notably, I learned that any creative film idea requires funding. Money, by its nature, denotes power which ultimately influences the film. For better or for worse, the power to sell a film is just as important as the message itself. Consistent with mainstreaming messages in order to ensure a national distributor, I predict that the future of independent films will be dumbed-down motion pictures that are inexpensive to produce.