Advice for the Young at Heart

Where Lynda Looks for Fun

I recently discovered my new favorite hangout in Philadelphia, The Art Museum. First off, I am an artistic person and I love gazing at Impressionist paintings. I also love gazing at the other people gazing at the Impressionist paintings. Furthermore, on Friday nights they have live music at the Grand Steps (not to be confused with the Rocky steps outside the museum). There’s a bar next to the steps so you can adjust your attitude with social lubricants while you are enjoying the show and checking out the people enjoying the show. And I fit right in wearing a dress, because there were other similarly attired women in the audience. Art, music, people, beverages, who could ask for more? I will be back.

Philadelphia has a lot of scenes and it is up to me to find the right one. Clearly the art scene is in the mix. Olde City down by the Liberty Bell has a plethora of interesting bars. Fishtown, the trendy district to the northeast has a few dance clubs. Of course, there’s the Gayborhood, and this time of the year, the bars with decks along the riverfront are packed. Obviously, there are a lot of options. Philadelphia is a City full of people. There’s got to be somebody out there who’s right for me. At this very moment, I am completely surrounded by five beautiful twenty something women on the train. There’s one beside me, two in front of me and two behind me. Surely, these young ladies are carefree and young at heart. Me too!

Why Lynda Looks for Fun

To me, the key to staying young at heart is believing in yourself and believing that you have the power to make good things happen. Advice for the Young at Heart is the title of a Tears for Fears song released in 1989 on the Seeds of Love album. I had never heard the song until last week while I was listening to YouTube at work. The video shows scenes from a wedding in Havana. I got divorced a few years back after 22 years of marriage. My ex had one piece of advice for me upon the dissolution of our marriage due to my desire to transition, “Own it” she said. So, I am doing my best to follow her advice. After being submerged for so long, my femininity bobbed up to the surface like a cork. Next time around, I get to be the bride.

My philosophy has always been don’t go looking for trouble, it will find you anyway. I am willing to bet that the majority of Americans don’t know a transgender person. We are a rare and elusive breed. But each and every year, we come out of our foxholes during Pride Month and wear rainbow or transgender, pink, white and baby blue-themed outfits so the general public can easily spot us. The rest of the year, I use the ‘hide in plain sight’ strategy and do my best to blend right in to the fabric of society. Well not exactly, I do try to look fashionable and professional at work, which means that I am constantly updating my wardrobe. Do I work to shop? Or shop to work? It’s a never-ending cycle.

Pride Perambulations

So it’s Pride Month, which means it’s also Pride Gala season. Pride Galas are Fun with a Capital F. First off, it’s an opportunity to primp to the max, put on a cocktail dress or full length gown with just the right pair of heels, some heavy-duty bling and a tiny little sparkling clutch purse big enough for a credit card, lipstick and cellphone. Maybe a set of keys . . . maybe.

On June 1st and 2nd I went to ‘back to back, chicken shack, son of a gun, better change your act’ Pride galas. First off, there was the Woodbury Pride Gala in Woodbury, New Jersey. Woodbury is aiming to be the most LCBTQ-friendly town in New Jersey and the gala was loaded with local movers and shakers. It’s a charity event, so it’s got a price tag, but the Woodbury Gala is an Allstar event, held at Auletto’s Caterers. Think well-appointed wedding banquet hall without the mustiness of a County Club or the intensity of a restaurant. It’s got that private affair feeling.

It kicks off with a meet and greet at the wine bar downstairs. Since it’s never a good idea to drink on an empty stomach, I availed myself of the crudités, cheeses and antipasto, which were nicely arranged on three separate tables. The room gets a bit crowded, which is just right for mingling. Outside the cozy wine bar was a charming wooden deck overlooking a beautiful pond. My girlfriends and I gathered at an ornate metal table with impossibly heavy matching metal chairs and chilled out.

After the meet and greet, everyone headed upstairs to assemble at our tables and enjoy the open bar, which stayed open for the duration dispensing social lubricants. Wine glass in hand, I mingled through the crowd. I love parties where there are plenty of new people to meet and I have no agenda other than to have a good time and bring the fun.

Our table was composed of 9 including our very own TGForum Editor Angela Gardener, whom I invited to the Gala. I was very excited when she said yes. She one upped us by bringing a date, Steve. Across, the table were trans women Kristine Holt, Esquire, who assisted me with my legal name change, her lovely wife Liz DeLaney, and their friend Barbara Hope who recently moved to Jersey from Ohio (see action photo). To my left was Tyriq, fashionably attired in a print top, and to my right was my good friend and ultimate wing girl Jone Magagna.

I went to the Woodbury Gala last year and met a lovely high energy blonde lady named Karen and her handsome husband Wayne . I saw her again the Woodbury Pride Barbecue, later that month. We kept in touch via Facebook and so it was great to see her again. She was accompanied by a local posse of allies at another table

The next table over was composed of young women, one of whom sauntered over to ask. “Haven’t I seen you on the Patco Line?” (the Patco is a local NJ commuter line to Philadelphia). “No, that wasn’t me, that’s my Russian double.” (Hmm . . . maybe I should move over to Jersey . . . the women seem very friendly and as I matter of fact I am a Jersey Girl myself). And then we had the table with the engaged lesbian couple from Atlantic City and their allies, who were all in a festive mood. Not quite a bachelorette party energy level, but dangerously close.

Tony Doran is the president of the Woodbury Community Pride and he is a high-energy fellow who knows how to keep the program interesting and short. The speeches and awards were delivered effortlessly and the message was uplifting. Nothing ruins the good vibe at a gala like an overblown, stuffy program. I say cut the fluff and get to the stuff.

The program left me just enough time to digest my food and recharge the batteries before the DJ cranked up the tunes. Before I knew it, it was time to hit the dance floor. Interestingly enough, back in the day, I used to work as a DJ for the woman who was spinning the tunes. It was a short-lived career. I thought it would be a great way to meet chicks at weddings. Not so much. It was more about trying to satisfy song requests and ignoring complaints that “Disco sucks!”

The gala dance floor was crowded with a flock of high energy dancers all night long. I put in several extended shifts and danced to the final gun in my new LBD and matching black velvet, pointy-toed, zip-back t-strap pumps. I don’t know who invented zip-backs but I my opinion they deserve a Nobel Peace Prize.

Late Sunday afternoon, Jone and I motored over to Malvern in Jone’s chick mobile and arrived at The Desmond Hotel for the Chester County Pride Gala hosted by the LGBT Equality Alliance. This was my third consecutive CCPG and since this event was in my backyard there were many familiar faces and our U. S. Representative from the 4^th Congressional District, Madeline Dean. Way to represent Madeline! The highlights of the evening were the address by Amber Hikes, the executive director of Philadelphia’s Office of LGBT Affairs and a hilarious standup comedy routine by trans woman Julia Scotti from Toms River, New Jersey, who has appeared on America’s Got Talent. (She does!).

The program ran long which cut deeply into the allotted slot for dancing. Boo hiss! The dance floor remained empty and forlorn. I managed to score a gift certificate to Athleta at the silent auction with a last-minute stealth bid just as the board members were about to tally up the winners. Plus, I won the lovely elaborate floral centerpiece. Ta Da! Free flowers.

Well, that was last weekend. Later today I will be attending the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society Gala in Philadelphia, as Jone’s guest. This Gala has nothing to do with Pride Month, but there will be tons of interesting people to meet. And then on Sunday, I will be enjoying the Philadelphia Pride Parade, which will be televised for the first time and the Independence Business Alliance Party at Cuba Libra in Olde City. Well, I gotta run. Happy Pride Month!

Like to make a comment  or share a hot spot for fun in your area? Login here and use the comment area below.

Tags: featured, pride, Transgender

Category: All TGForum Posts