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April 2003
New York

No Sex and the City

Well it has been exactly one year since my brother was visiting from Austria and we went to New York together, so I think it is time for another trip down south. I am also excited to see my friend Fredrick again. Fredrick and I met in Brisbane, Australia. It was on the Queens' Ball, on the Queen's birthday, in Queensland, surrounded by all those queens. And without getting into details, after that weekend I was allowed to call myself a proper queen…

And there is even another reason for a trip to New York City. It is Peter Rauhofer's birthday. (www.peterrauhofer.com). Peter is the resident DJ at the Roxy, the biggest gay club in New York, and he is Austrian.

The cheapest way to travel from Boston to New York is using the Chinatown busses. Right now it is 10 dollars for a one-way ticket. Is that cheap or what? So, just to be safe I buy the tickets for Mattias and me online Friday morning. We chose the 6pm bus, which should get us into New York sometime between 10.30pm and midnight depending on the traffic and….

It's Friday 5pm, I meet up with Mattias, and we head to Chinatown. It is kind of empty. Seems the fear of SARS does a good job. We make it to the bus, which happens to be one of the smaller ones. The ones they usually use at Airports to bring people to their rental cars. Anyways, the bus fills up within seconds, and we take off full speed towards New York City. After a bit less than two hours, in the middle of Connecticut, a loud noise … the bus is wobbling …a flat tire….great. The Asian driver as such (I did say it, ups), thinks it should be safe to continue on another two or three hours with one tire less, and changes into the middle lane. At that point some male passengers get up, walk to the front, and convince the driver, that pulling over might be the wiser choice. Luckily it is the first spring day without rain after this horrible never-ending winter. After a while most of the passengers get off the bus, and use their communicators (cell phones) to tell their loved ones about the expected delay. The good thing is that the busses go every hour, and not only that. There are different companies in Chinatown, and, I have to admit, to my surprise they seem to work together if needed. An hour and a half later we were picked up by a big and much more comfortable bus by one of the competitors named Fung Wa. Mattias, at that time, is most likely thinking: "I should have taken the Greyhound bus". Some excitement is always fun. I have made plans to meet Fredrick at midnight, and our bus arrives at 11.45pn, so timing is perfect.

Out of the bus into the cab to 2nd St and 2nd Ave, to find a place called Urge. It is raining but not so hard. You have to know that I think that the weather adjusts to me. For about one year, the rain seems to stop or gets at least lighter when I leave the house on my trips. Let me live in my fantasy. Back to my bar search…The place is kind of hidden, so I have to ask my way around and scan the block by running up and down until I finally find the cruise-fest .

Since Fredrick is not there yet, I socialize with the crowed and find a quiet corner for my bag. Soon after that, Fredrick shows up and tells me some story about this guy who had just painted him, and since it had been hot in the room ... enough for you.

We share stories about what has happened during the last 12 months, and then we start our journey up the island to 200st Street. That is far, believe me. On the other hand where can you take a train at 3 in the morning anywhere you want? That is public transport. An hour later we are home where I have the pleasure of taking a relaxing bath in one of those old claw foot tubs… just what the doctor has ordered.

Saturday morning is kind of uneventful and very relaxing. I buy a cable to hook up my mp3 player to Fredrick's stereo, and we have our own little "Saturday Day Fever". Of course in Manhattan you have to start drinking cocktails at 2 in the afternoon. Lord, have mercy. I call my friends and make plans to meet up with my friend Len in Chelsea at around 6.30. Lazy as I am I do not want to leave my bag at Fredrick's because I know I will dance all night, and who knows where I will end up in the morning, and when I will feel like heading back to Boston. So I take my bag with me, but what do you do with a bag all night. That kind of sucks. I have a great idea. Since I am a member of Boston Sport Club which allows me to use their New York branches called NYSC (guess what that means), I go up to the front desk of the gym, give the guy a big smile, and ask him if I could leave my bag in a locker over night. How could he say no. Well, he could, in which case I would go to the next branch, and leave by bag there without asking. But he said yes, and I leave my bag in the gym. I am free of unneeded ballast, and ready to start an exciting evening in the big apple.

I meet up with my friend Len, and his friend. An hour later, which means in New York one martini and three cocktails later, we are in a cap heading to a birthday party. The party is located in an apartment on the 42nd floor overlooking Manhattan. I will not tell you the rent, because you might be standing, and I would not want you hurt yourself. The view is amazing and the guests are nice. I have a chance to see my old San Francisco friend Matty as well.

At 11.30pm it was time to head over to the Roxy (www.roxynyc.com) for a night of dancing to Peter Rauhofer's a little too repetitive sounds. Ups, did I say that? It must have slipped. On the other hand he will be spinning for about 9 hours, and that is quite impressive. The line at the door is quite long, because a lot of people are hoping that she would show up, yes she, Madonna herself. It is her "American Life" remix release party, and she is friends with Peter Rauhofer. The line moves quickly and also the coat check is well organized.

A short while later I meet up with Fredrick in the 80s room where he introduces me to a very nice and beautiful boy from Queens. Well, Queensland, Queens, there is something about this word and when I hang out with Fredrick. Also while I had been outside in the line, my friend Tim had called that his bus had just left Boston at 11.30pm and he should be in New York at the club at 4am. Odd timing, but it's all about having a good time. Fredrick gets me into the DJ booth where I will wish Peter R. an Austrian "Alles Gute zum Geburtstag". I am secretly hoping to run into Madonna up there. I can tell you right now. She will never show up that night.

I am dancing a lot and sharing some spiritual moments with my new hot friend Gene from Queens. Unfortunately Gene gets tired by 4.30am, and I have to wait for my friend Tim who is supposed to arrive any minute from Boston. A good night kiss ends the romantic adventure.

"Surprise Surprise", at 5am I not only run into Tim but also into Mattias and his girlfriend Molly. They have all been there for while but the Roxy is quite big, so we have not found each other. At around 7am I get a bit tired. Well, one is not 31 anymore, and the good old Red Bull can only squeeze some much energy out of the Austrian. Yes, you heard right, it is only Red Bull. I don't know how I am doing it, believe me. I am kind of longing for 8am, when my gym will open and I can get my bag and take a long shower. At 7.30 Fredrick and I leave, and have a good breakfast. The traditional New York breakfast which consists of a cigarette, a black coffee, and a finger to throw up, is not the right choice at that point in time. I have a big omelet with beef Salami and rosemary home fries (potatoes for the foreigners) on the side. Then I pick up my bag at the gym, and have a very long and hot shower.

Noe, after the gym I am ready to head back to Boston. I study the Manhattan subway plan, and lucky remember the subway stop to the Chinatown bus from last year when I was here with my brother. Unfortunately I miss the 9am bus and have to sit and wait for the 10am bus. The hour passes, and I have not pass out. Into the bus, and I am back home in Boston by 2.30pm. It is a beautiful spring day.

After another 2 hours nap, my friend Stephan stops at my house, and we go for a long walk through the city. We end the day with a nice bottle of red and some good HBO TV shows.

Well just a little weekend in the life of a Crazy Austrian. Hope it was not too boring.