Gays

Bobby_c · June 2013

Are there any gay friendly places in the fins park area?

djmattyoung · June 2013

<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">I've seen this place on Crouch Hill but no idea what it's about/like</font><div><font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2"><a href="http://www.paradise-spa.co.uk/">http://www.paradise-spa.co.uk/</a><br><br>Did the Noble used to be a gay pub a few years ago? </font></div>

Bobby_c · June 2013

Not sure- am new to the area so I don't really know much about what's around or if there is a gay scene etc..

vetski · June 2013

@cristo might be able to help - he's run some LGBT getting-to-know you dinners, so probably has (or knows who has) info on any local scene.

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Marquis · June 2013

I was at that sauna twice and did not enjoy it very much. The first time was early days, and the second time I was followed around by a nut who made several attempts to bite me (whilst speaking in tongues), accompanied by an equally off-his-head 'minder'. The manager said he had had 'a word' with the guy who was a little bit clearer, but they had both obviously picked the wrong plant food. Not been back since. The place is obviously designed as a cruising place, not as a spa-type sauna, judging by the huge, lowly lit maze upstairs and by the draughty and not very warm sauna area (the sauna was just a a bit above room temperature, and breaking into anything resembling a sweat would probably have taken about an hour). It was also not very busy on both occasions. For some reason they keep the changing area rather dark, so you need to take extra care not to leave anything behind, which can be difficult when you're in a hurry to get out. Sorry about the bad review, but based on my experience the place could really do with a new approach. <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>I do not feel very comfortable using SG as a gay playground, other than going for a meal with gay visiting friends etc..The atmosphere in the pubs is far too laddish and/or studenty/hipsterish, and of course people get angry when they are drunk. But then, I am awkward at the best of times. Cristo and his mates may think differently. You have probably been to Dalston Superstore and the Black Cap in Camden? Most other places I can think of are in zone 1.</DIV>

ChangN4N6 · June 2013

Perhaps World Cafe could be a new focus. They need a new niche . Chang

Marquis · June 2013

I forgot to say: welcome to Stroud Green! Hope you have a good time here. And sorry, I just assumed you were male. late night etc. Don't know much/anything about what the ladies are up to. Also, I second vetski's recommendation of Cristo's LGBT supper club events. They are useful in getting to know some of the local faces.

vetski · June 2013

@Marquis - good point - I also assumed @Bobby_c was male!<div><br></div><div>@Bobby_c, if you are female, you're very welcome to come to meetings of the Stroud Green Women's Institute. Not the gay scene, but you'd get to know some local women. There'll be a post going up about next Monday's meeting later on/tomorrow.</div>

tosscat · June 2013

The Noble used to be the Flag which was a gay bar - it changed into the Big Fat Sofa after that.

Ali · June 2013

I notice that the old Polish Resturant that was all pine and suana like opposite the Noble sign has re-appeared above the new mini cab place. That resturant was one of the trial blazers around here as there was nothing open SGR in the mid 80s apart from Sparks Kebab shop, there wasn't a WLM until late 80s

dorothy · June 2013

Where? How?

kreuzkav · June 2013

I remember the Flag from the 90s. A gay bar but not too cruisy, so a mixed gay/straight crowd would often be there. I wonder which pub/bar is now gay friendly. I imagine if two men kissed in the Old Dairy, despite the large amount of Guardian Readers there might be stares and maybe even aggro at times.

andy · June 2013

I imagine there would be wholesale indifference.

miss annie · June 2013

Yes, me too. Stroud Green is quite unshockable, we have Pete Burns in full finery in our midst on a regular basis. After that, most things can be taken in one's stride.

Mirandola · June 2013

Um. I've never actually seen a gay or lesbian couple even holding hands round here, which makes me wonder quite how welcoming it is.

cristo · June 2013

Hi there @Bobby_c, welcome! @Marquis is right on the money in his description of the Paradise Spa, so would probably give that one a miss if I were you...unless of course....<wink><div><br></div><div>@vetski is also correct in saying that I run a local neighborhood supper club called Clandestinos (www.clandestinos.co.uk) which I run with my boyfriend and on some occasions I do host an LGBT dinner evening. You don't have to be gay or lesbian of course to come - all are welcome on any night.</div><div>@Marquis has also been to one of my suppers and wasn't awkward at all and quite a lovely chap

</div><div><br></div><div>In fact, I've got three dates lined up this month, the first one being this coming Monday 17th June at 7:30pm, an after show dinner party on Sunday, 23rd June at 6pm (to coincide with the timings of the wonderful PARK THEATRE) and my new Brazilian Tapas garden bar called "Boteco" on Saturday, 29th June at 7:30pm in celebration of Gay Pride Week. </div><div><br></div><div>A percentage of the profits will be donated to The Park Theatre charity and to Galop (London's anti-LGBT hate crime charity.</div><div><br></div><div>All dinners take place at Casa de Clandestinos (my house!) and if anyone would like to come, please drop me a line...would be great to meet more locals.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://s1179.photobucket.com/user/cristo3004/media/EXP-011-Travel-Poster_Brazil_zps653ccb4a.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x390/cristo3004/EXP-011-Travel-Poster_Brazil_zps653ccb4a.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo EXP-011-Travel-Poster_Brazil_zps653ccb4a.jpg"></a></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

miss annie · June 2013

I regularly see two different very affectionate male couples in Tesco and there is a glamorous lesbian couple that I used to see now and again on my way home. I assume there are lots more who, like many hetro couples, don't do PDAs Now I come to think of it I don't see many people at all holding hands.Perhaps SG isn't the hotbed of romance that I thought it was.

checkski · June 2013

OK, I give up. I have googled PDA, but can't find anything that fits. What is it?

miss annie · June 2013

Sorry checkski, 'public displays of affection'. Mainly used for couples that slobber or make audible kissing noises in public.

[Deleted User] · June 2013

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Mirandola · June 2013

Huh. I guess I'm not very observant and the world is a better place than I thought. All good.

vetski · June 2013

Just met the very lovely @cristo! And am definitely going to go to a Clandestinos dinner soon.

kreuzkav · June 2013

@ Misscara Nice to know that this happens despite not really liking couples being overly PDA. So Old Dairy is a gay friendly pub.

cristo · June 2013

That got me stumped too @<;span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(119, 119, 119); font-family: 'lucida grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', tahoma, sans-serif; line-height: 27px; "><a href="/profile/296/checkski" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(43, 45, 51); border-style: initial; border-color: initial; "><font class="Apple-style-span" size="2">checkski</font></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"> - <b>I thought is was some sort of 'hand held device' ..duh!</b></span></span>

barnesbq · June 2013

OMG please! I am always lounging about with my boyfriend in the Dairy and the Stapleton. If I want to kiss him I will but we're not really like that, gay venues or not.<div>SG is as safe as anywhere else in central London for that sort of thing.</div><div>I have had abuse once from some teenagers when with a male friend who was also gay. We got called batty boys and then they threatened to cut us when I told them to fuck off (lovely!) and that was not long after I moved here 5 yrs ago. It made me wonder if I'd moved into 1975 at first - but I've had no trouble since.</div><div>And that is the way it should be.</div><div>I think a lot of gay men are very conscious of 'atmospheres' in certain areas. While it's good to guage your surroundings - I do feel like we all have the right to relax and behave how we like without looking over our shoulders. </div><div><br></div>

gardener-joe · June 2013

...

kreuzkav · June 2013

@ Gardener Joe. Totally agree with you. SG doesn't seem to be a place to make an issue of who you are. And that was a nice gesture you did.

Marquis · June 2013

I am not sure if the discussion of whether SG is a gay tolerant place or not was started off by my not rating it as a gay 'playground'. In case it was, what I meant to say was that the success rate will predictably be low if you go to the local pubs with the intention to pick someone of your own sex up. Happy to be convinced otherwise, but for the time being I will abstain from complimenting guys in the Park Tavern on the shape of their buttocks.<div><br></div><div>I agree that there are quite a lot of gay people happily living in the area, many of whom are also quite visible. I also agree that it doesn't feel dangerous or hostile, but I don't think I said that in the first place.</div><div><br></div><div>Other than that, well done, Gardener Joe! Nice to have a hero in the hood! :-)</div>

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davidfinsbury · June 2013

Hi all, I'm David just moved to area with my partner after five years in Brighton. I don't sense much gay visibility here however I haven't been in a situation where I feel uncomfortable either. For now I guess we are just a bit more cautious until we get a vibe on these new places. Then we can start to snog when we think no one is looking.

Would be interesting to join a @cristo dinner and to start meeting some neighbours, gay/str8, everyone. We are near finsbury park tube and there are definitely no rainbow flags around our street. Some lovely places up in SG.

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