Atlanta's gay bars lead the way in banning lighting up
UPDATED April 26: Atlanta Eagle goes smoke-free indoors beginning Monday, April 29. Burkharts is holding a one-week trial run of smoke-free indoors also beginning on April 29.
Jeff Powell, wearing his baseball cap flipped backwards, lights up a Marlboro Light in the upstairs bar of Blake’s on the Park. It’s early on a Saturday night, so the Midtown bar is not jam-packed with people. He and his friends are tossing back beers and cocktails as drag star Charlie Brown sashays past.
“I’m a very conscious smoker,” Powell said. “I’m aware of my surroundings. I want to be conscious of nonsmokers and don’t want to offend anyone.”
Blake’s allows smoking throughout the two-story bar, but in the past few months, several other gay bars have announced they are prohibiting smoking or only allowing smoking in a designated area. Powell said he has no problem with that.
Atlanta's gay bars lead the way in banning lighting up
DJ M, My Sister's Room and Twee threw down Aug. 16 with its "We Love Biggie" edition of Dance Fever at the lesbian bar in East Atlanta. Women (and some guys) packed the dance floor to the beats of the 80s, 90s, disco Top 40 as well as hip hop.
The GA Voice arrived too late on Aug. 17 to witness any action, but word was from party organizers and witnesses that "Bad Girls Club" filmed a scene at MSR. And a fight broke out. Apparently the reality TV show that takes a bunch of bad girls, puts them in a house and records the hilarity and violence and, well, embarrassing situations arise is now filming in the ATL and will also be filming at the Pure Heat festival in Piedmont Park on Sept. 2 during Black Pride over Labor Day weekend.
Are girl fights really that popular still? Anyone see any "Bad Girls Club" filming going on anywhere?
Best Place to Meet Women
My Sister’s Room
Every night is Ladies’ Night at My Sister’s Room (www.mysistersroom.com), which reclaimed its top spot as the Best Place to Meet Women. The long-time lesbian bar has been reinvigorated with new energy, and continuously proves its commitment to showing lesbians can party with the best. Second place went to Mary’s (www.marysatlanta.com) and LeBuzz (www.thenewlebuzz.com) finished in third.