Finding gay

June 29, 2006 12:20 PM

I'm in NY for the summer, in my 20s, a graduate student, and gay. I want to hang out with chill, smart, nice, gay people my age in the NY area. Ideas?

I've checked out the Center, Urban Outings, TONY, and Outprofessionals, but I don't know what's worthwhile. I'm not looking for immediate hook-ups, and along with that, I just don't like clubs all that much, but bars or lounges which are good for chatting up strangers and getting to know them a bit might be good. Any other recs would be great, too. I'm not interested in online dating at the moment.

posted by shivohum to human relations (10 comments total)

Where are you staying?

The Metropolitan in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) is a really relaxed, neighborhood-y place with a pool table and a jukebox and a pretty interesting mixed crowd, mainly young.
posted by hermitosis at 12:22 PM on June 29, 2006

Thanks for the suggestion; I'm in the village.
posted by shivohum at 1:00 PM on June 29, 2006

Will you be attending classes this summer? I ask because living in the Village makes me think of NYU, which has no shortage of gay people of any age. If you're a bona fide student, NYU's library, Bobst, is always a popular flirting and/or hookup spot.
posted by booksandlibretti at 1:16 PM on June 29, 2006

There are A few bars on Avenue A, North of Tompkins Square Park. (Phoenix and the Cock come to mind, although there is also a new one on 13th and A that I am forgetting the name of now). I've heard good things about those places, although the Cock can apparently be pretty skeezy (with a name like that, who'da thought!)

Duplex in the west village is supposed to be good as well.
posted by piratebowling at 1:24 PM on June 29, 2006

Drinking Liberally has a gay chapter (see Drinking Liberally Steps Out). I know one of the guys who runs it and he is AWESOME, he knows everyone gay man in NYC (I went to a gay men's dinner he runs last night- 50+ gay men, and that was just for our Queens neighborhood!)
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 1:47 PM on June 29, 2006 [1 favorite]

Start reading the blogs of gay New York! There are lots of events and therefore lots of opportunity to meet chill, smart, nice gay people of all ages, including yours. One of my friends (and I think a fellow MeFite) puts together the monthly WYSIWYG show, her entry for this month's gay pride edition has a few links that should get you started.
posted by lia at 1:53 PM on June 29, 2006

Yeah, Duplex does seem to be more relaxed, though often an older crowd as most of the West Village joints tend to be.

By the way, the bar I mentioned before, the Metropolitan, is on the Lorimer stop of the L Train, only ten minutes from Union Square.
posted by hermitosis at 1:53 PM on June 29, 2006

There's also Dick's Bar, around 2nd Ave and 11th? 12th? Street.

piratebowling, are you thinking of Lucky Stiffs? I used to live on 13th and A, and we were always wondering if that was a gay bar or not?
posted by anjamu at 5:45 PM on June 29, 2006

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Lia, thanks, but I don't get it: where in the blogs you cite can I find events and meetups?
posted by shivohum at 9:58 PM on June 29, 2006

My brother used to work for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and they hold a lot of social events to raise money. He made a ton of friends there.
posted by astruc at 10:56 PM on June 29, 2006