Astron's Notebook

Hello, Friends!

I was just supposed to have a quiet asalto. But barely a week before my birthday, Volume's Joseph suggested I invite my friends over for good ole' drinkin' and dancin'.

"I'll serve some spring rolls and sushi," he offerred. "I can't promise anything coz I'll be doing the Svedka event the next night, but I might be here to spin for you..." teased Evan, a.k.a. DJ Stonedog.

It was my good friend, Rye (of the popular blog, Can't You Read?, and of the wacky podcast, The Dan & Rye Show), who came up with the idea of a Red Party.

"Red *is* auspicious," I agreed.

"But don't wear red, so *you* stand out," Rye punctuated with a fluorish.

And so it was. Before the night ended, the wheels were turning for a big Red Party on the 24th of July hosted by one of Hong Kong's banner nightspots for boys.

***


Look who came to greet me a Happy Birthday-- Buddy & Lucy, Volume's mascots!


Clockwise from Top-Left: (1) With my confidante, hospitality guru and philanthropist Andrew Jones; (2) With Guerlain's Todd Hartwell-- word after the party was Todd charmed the guests off their socks! (3) With sexy design maven Addy Ngo (left) and ace engineer Anthony Chan (right). Anthony has guided me through the crazy, fickle world of the HK scene from the very beginning, and so I affectionately call him "Uncle"; (4) With sales exec Peter Helis, who broke many hearts that night...

Volume was decked in glorious red. The guests wore red. The drink of the night--Tainted Love, a champagne-based cocktail created by Santosh, Volume's master barman--was red. Even the condoms in the condom trays were sorted so only the red ones were left-- kinda like serving just red M&M's. And don't forget my "cake," an upright bratwurst wrapped in a red condom with two round buns on each side representing--what else?--a giant erection.

***

To honor my great friends who came to help me celebrate, I present The Red Party Awards!


Best in Red: Irrepressible Firecracker from Down Under Jewell Chua shows us what's indeed down under; Italian wild child Melody Davi reveals her inner feelings


Runners-up: Uncle Roger (in a Hawaiian shirt) & Momma Tony (in koi fish-pattern sleeveless shirt) gifted me with blown-up photos of myself and a DVD of Floatilla 2007. I was, well, blown away. They returned early to Hong Kong from their holiday in tropical Haikou just for my birthday. They are my favorite couple. Thanks, guys!


Too Cool For Red: (From L-R) Nick, Pierre, Jay and Avalo. I was too happy to see their handsome faces, it didn't matter that they weren't wearing the night's motif.

Volume installed a new pole on the dancefloor only a few hours before the party and many of us gave it a whirl. It was a cakewalk for the ladies.


Best Pole Dancers: Myrene gives us her impression of a Fireman's Descent, while Kerryn lets us know, in unequivocal terms, how she feels. Kerryn took a lot of amazing photos of the party. Thank you!

***

The party was rated GP, for the most part... But when DJ Stonedog started spinning at midnight, well...


Rye was obviously grateful...


...and the shirts came off.

DJ Stonedog later observated that Volume has never been busier (or crazier, no doubt) on a Tuesday night.

***

A couple of priceless anecdotes that night:

1. There was an elderly gentleman whom nobody knew, and who seemed happy enough to nurse his drink by himself. I came by to introduce myself and to say hello. He was friendly. He greeted me a Happy Birthday. He left soon after, but returned in just a short while-- wearing RED!

2. The entire club sang a big Happy Birthday while Melody beatboxed.

***

The party had a great mix of locals and expats, Asians and Caucasians, the young and the young-at-heart, singles and couples. I am a great fan of Love. Seeing Jade & Anton, Erin & Alex, Michael & Jewell, Addy & Matt, Uncle Roger & Momma Tony, Greg & Ivan, and of course Joseph & Evan reaffirmed my belief in the largeness of the human heart. And the presence of my fabulous single friends (my bestfriend Trish Canilao and friend, sexy Singaporean-about-town Sitaren Sita, celeb photographer Norm Yip, events queen Michael Valenciano, hottie web designer Kenny Wan, music exec Eugene Low, hotshot product manager Billy Mak [still twinky!], Wayne, Nathan, Glyn, Kelly, Nelson, Andrew, Iroy, Marah, Sara, Adrienne, Miro, Wendell et cetera!) made sure that I did not die of Couple Envy on my birthday! Heeh!


A big THANK YOU to my good friend, Tony Licon, webmaster of OutInHK and gay Hong Kong society's Queen Bee, for helping me get the word out on the party. He would later haul me off my rubbery feet to his beautiful flat in the Midlevels, making me take some aspirin and apple juice to beat a monster hangover away.



My heartfelt thanks my good friends, Volume's power couple, Joseph and Evan. Words are not enough, guys. Thanks also to Santosh who made sure no glass went empty.

And of course to my friends who came-- it was truly a Happy Birthday because of your presence. Turning a year older is not always a reason to celebrate. In fact, it sometimes fills me with melancholy and doubt. "Do I matter?" With wonderful friends like you, the answer is a comforting, heartwarming "Yes."

Among all of you-- thank you for years of companionship. Life could be miserable. But it can also be an amazing joyride when shared with special people.


With Affection,
Astron

Hello, Friends!


You know summer is just around the corner when even your normally sedentary manager looks longingly out of the window, murmuring a compulsion to go to the beach.

Thankfully, homosexuals don't need any excuse to slip into sexy bathers showcasing hours of labour in the gym. And that's precisely the reason for celebration-- the big labour weekend. Spring Fling, it was called. And part of it was the Floatilla-- Gay Pride on water!

***



Floatilla 2006 photo from http://www.fridae.com

I had just moved to Hong Kong at that time last year. Floatilla 2006 was sort-of a social coming-out party for me. It was a huge deal. There were 13 boats in all, if I remember correctly. I faced the seemingly insurmountable challenge of remembering names and faces and histories... Don't we like to say that Hong Kong is a small town where everybody knows everybody else?

I was always introduced as "James, the boyfriend of..."

And that seemed like enough history to identify me by. My identity was defined by my attachment to a well liked denizen of the local party scene.

That was then.

This year, it's gonna be just me.

But who is this me?

What have I made of myself in the past year?


***


Booking a spot in a boat can be quite competitive.

I was lucky to have had three invites. I politely declined one (a boat of twinks, natch; I'd lose in a beauty pageant). I gave another to a friend who, until the last minute, had not been able to book a slot-- my good deed for the day. And I happily accepted my friend Tony's invite to come on the Gay Invasion boat. I had to be with people I liked if I were to spend an entire day in a boat!

(Gay Invasion is an idea that seeds gay presence in straight venues on Thursdays. Quite literally, we invade.)


***


I spent the night at Tony's. The eve of the Floatilla was spent with friends watching Priscilla, Queen of the Desert while gorging on sushi and M&M's.

The next morning, I volunteered to pick up packed lunches for two boats (Gay Invasion 1 and 2) from Deli Lamma in Lan Kwai Fong while everybody else helped Tony haul drinks, floaters, toys and accessories to the marina.

I arrived at the restaurant to see my friend, Michael, waiting to claim his boat's (Fruits in Suits) order. Moments later, Les Peches' ringleader, Betty, walks in for provisions for "50 hungry dykes."

The tricks that Deli Lamma's chef had to pull were nothing short of heroic-- from picking fresh ingredients to feed 200 finicky homosexuals in 4 boats, to improvising when he ran out of certain ingredients in the middle of the night, and to staying up the entire night, all through to the morning, to deliver on the orders.

The ghostly silence of Lan Kwai Fong at 7AM belied the frenetic activity at Deli Lamma.


***

By 9AM, assembly time, we were all in Causeway Bay.

The forecast was for sunny skies, but silly weather turned drama queen on us all. There were scattered rainshowers and a slight chill in the air.

However, for this nautical sojourn, homosexuals will not be stopped from whipping out dark, dramatic, designer lunettes-- as though there were actually any harmful glare to protect their Lasik-ed eyes from. Tank tops, towels, sunglasses-- the marina was dripping in D&G.

To inject a festive mood in defiance to an overcast sky, Tony tore open one of the sacks that we had brought with us-- accessories. Hats! Feathers!! Ribbons!!! Beads!!!!!

Instantly fabulous, we were ready to go!



Cock and Friends: Marco (Brazil), James (Philippines), Andy (UK), Rye (Philippines)


***


How does one prepare for the year's biggest boat party?

Get a haircut, of course: my brief to my stylist was, "It has to look good when wet."

And shop for bathers.

It took me forever to find the pair that made me go, "Oooh, this is the one." I found it at Spy the night before Floatilla; it was stock that had just arrived.

My bathers were quite conservative, considering the event. Just tight black shorts with white trim. Ok, so it had gold lettering and splashes of pink, too. LOL.


Check out the only photo of myself with my new bathers! Wheee!

I just grabbed the photo above from somebody else's online album. The caption read "Neighbouring boat." LOL. Kevin (from New York) and I were having a serious discussion about relationships.

I had a camera, of course, but throughout the Floatilla, I had neglected to take it out of my bag. I was busy helping Tony look for missing bottles of vodka, helping Kevin inflate enormous floaters (we didn't have a pump so we had to do it the old-fashioned way-- by blowing), and uselessly encouraging gay men who gymmed and dieted diligently for this event to actually eat the food that I had so lovingly picked up just hours before.


***







Photos from http://www.geocities.com/floatillahk

The party was at a remote cove that's about an hour's trip from Hong Kong. The combination of verdant mountains, rocky outcrops and powdery beach provided a stunning backdrop.

The final tally was 28 boats, although I know for a fact that a couple of non-Floatilla yachts wandered by and joined in for a few hours of fun.

Some of the boats ferried smaller motorized vessels to serve as water taxis. My boat alone had guys who flew in from as far as South Africa and Mexico just for the Floatilla. Of course there were also the usual suspects-- Singaporeans, Australians, Americans, Canadians, Brits. There were a handful of Malaysians, Thais, Filipinos, Indians, Europeans. The Chinese and Taiwanese came in full force. It was an exciting opportunity to make new friends. And the water taxis ensured that plenty of love, peace and goodwill went around.

A DJ pumped the briny air with (what else) homohouse from the Mother Ship, which, to our horror, got an unexpected visit from the cops!

Hong Kong parties are notorious throughout Asia for getting raided, but I don't think anybody was quite prepared for police presence at the Floatilla. As the government-issue boat powered closer to the Mother Ship, pandemonium broke out--jeering, clapping, booing, disbelieving laughter.

The cops left after a few minutes. Perhaps they were convinced by the lovely folks at the Mother Ship that no illegal substances were being consumed. Just beer and cookies.


***


Not even shitty weather could ruin the celebratory mood. If you asked, everybody would assert that theirs was the best boat to have been in, which was great! It meant people brought their own fun with them.


***


A few anecdotes stand out in my memory.

1. Albert, an irrepressible Chinese twink, squealing, "Oh, the Sugar Daddy boat!" and then jumping into the icy cold waters to swim towards the Fruits in Suits' craft. Hilarious.

2. An elderly man who claimed to be a doctor from London feeling up my torso and then giving me an admonition to take care of my kidneys. I was grateful for the on-the-spot diagnosis. Later, I would see him do the exact same thing to two other guys. I can't believe I fell for his M.O.!

3. Guys from my boat jumping for beer at the next boat-- Les Peches. Saved! Thanks, ladies!


***


The Many Adventures of Andy and the Sea Turtle

The trip back to Hong Kong Island was quiet. Many slept.

Tony and I cleaned up and packed leftovers. We tried to properly deflate the floaters until I pointed out that we didn't really have the space to store all these toys. I handed him a pen, which I suggested he use to puncture holes through the floaters. It was great fun. Hopefully the debris got carted someplace where it could be recycled.


***


Post-Floatilla, I *did* find another photo of me in my bathers. It's in the June 2007 issue of Dim Sum Magazine, page 45. It's an unattractive visage, to be sure. I was sweaty and had on a smile so wide, it disfigured my face.

I looked so happy.

In contrast, almost all my photos from last year's Floatilla had me pouting in an oh-I'm-so-sexy way that now makes my skin crawl. And I was wearing exactly the kind of dark, dramatic sunglasses that I made fun of this year.

Last year, I had a wealth of photos on Fridae and G Magazine-- so embarrassingly arriviste, in hindsight, mucking whenever a camera appeared. This year, I was content to help take photos of other people. I got to be witness to many a flirtation, many a meaningful friendship, many a life-affirming partnership.

I never stopped oiling myself up with essence of coconuts and molasses last year. I spent so much time lying down, on my back and on my belly, getting a tan. This year, I was preoccupied helping to make sure that the out-of-towners were having a good time.

Last year, I was introduced as "James, the boyfriend of..." This year, I easily facilitated many introductions, myself. I was empowered; I am great at being single, too! I got to nurture individual friendships, I got involved in the exciting business of matchmaking, I got to play gracious host to itinerant gay men.

I did see beautiful couples who made me feel a familiar ache. But the exhilaration I felt that day was deliciously unfamiliar. And I embraced it. I was free from the kind of starry-eyed, just-you-and-me physicality that's a better fit for the home than a big party like the Floatilla.

A year after Floatilla 2006, I feel like a better-formed person. I miss being coupled, to be sure. But I know now that real wedded bliss comes only to those who are truly ready for it. I have yet a lot of growing up to do.

I have learnt to not be too hard on myself. I have learnt to enjoy, to be silly, to care less about looking good than feeling good.

I have learnt to smile.



To smile as wide as I can!


I am finally happy.



With Affection,
Astron

Hello, Friends!

The Cover

More than a month ago, I received en e-mail from Norm announcing the launch of his second, much-awaited coffeetable book, 2AM The Asian Male.

Norm and I bumped into each other at Volume a few nights later and we got chatting about his plans for the launch. He said he already had a venue for the launch itself, but was looking for an afterparty place.

So I hooked him up with Joseph whom, I was surprised to find out, have never met Norm before. HK is such a small town. Thanks to me (LOL), two luminaries of the local gay scene got connected.

And so, it was sealed. The afterparty was to happen in Volume.

VIP 007, Mission accomplished.


***

The book was launched with a lot of fanfare. Fridae and Dim Sum ran excited reminders. HK Magazine called it "The Event of the Week."

Almost fan-girl in shrieky tone, the blurb ran, "The photographer will be present to sign autographs. Sexy models in attendance."

It happened at Billy Boy Cafe, a stunning affair of glass and concrete just behind super-stylish Rice Bar. Models, friends and Norm's fans came.

As soon as I walked in, I scanned the crowd to give Norm a congratulatory peck. And then I grabbed a Sample Copy to check which of my photo/s made it.

I was tickled to count three, with one photo appearing twice-- on the inside leaf cover and again somewhere in the middle of the book. So four pages were actually of me. Hehe.

The photo that will make me famous. LOL. Well, this one appeared twice in Norm's book, at least.

This photo made it, as well. My little sister, the photographer, said that this was her favourite.

I'm happy that the first photo found a place of prominence in Norm's book. But I was also relieved to see that my photos were NOT my favourite-- meaning, that my narcissism is still in check. There was one photo that was Rembrandt-esque in aesthetic-- the study of light, the rendering of the human body, the colours. Breathtaking.

***

Art is all well and good, but a launch is essentially a party.



What's there to not be happy about?


Myself and Norm


A Rainbow Troupe: Myself (Philippines), Norm (Canada), Andreas (Lithuania), Nigel (Hong Kong) and Ian (at the back; in mid-sentence, no doubt; Australia)

So party we did! The gorgeous angels behind Billy Boy made sure our glasses never went empty. Unobtrusive and practically psychic, the boys magically appeared with refills and dainty slices of cheese pizza-- always at the right moment.

I signed a grand total of one autograph. LOL. Greg, a lovely gentleman, asked me to sign it for him and his partner, Ivan.

With a silver pen frozen in my hand, my mind went blank. I was flustered-- how does one go about these things? What do I say??

"To Greg & Ivan-- Enjoy the images! Much Love, James"

Eew. Me = Ditz.

Greg would later introduce Ivan to me in Volume. Such a sweet couple.

***

A bowl of laksa (me = pig) at Malaymama and a costume change later (I splattered laksa all over myself, what else), I was shaking my bum in Volume, at the afterparty.

Instead of the usual 80's music videos, Volume's walls were alive this time with DVD images from the making of the book.

An intrigued patron didn't realize that he walked into an event, and so I talked to him about the book. His name is Bart and he's Dutch. He designs hotels and restaurants. Incidentally, he's done work at the New World Renaissance in Makati and is working with Rajo Laurel on a project in Thailand.

Bart bought two copies of the book.


***

And so goes the highlight of my being a "model." Heeeh. I always say that I am blessed to have sat for such awesome artists-- My good friend, Darwin, who is an architect; my little sister, Diva; and of course, Norm, who has photographed the likes of Destiny's Child, Ricky Martin and Rain-- who make me look good. Otherwise, I am just a giant dork who still doesn't know how to smile in photos.

I just sent my parents a copy of the book. I know my dad, a photography enthusiast, himself, will appreciate the images. But I hope my mum doesn't get a heart attack. She is super conservative, bless her.

1AM The Asian Male is now available in North America and Europe.

2AM The Asian Male will be available in HMV and Page One starting next week. My mug appears in the second book. *wink!* Check it out when it becomes available in your neck of the woods!



With Affection,
Astron

Hello, Friends!


Who has seen Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer? Brisk, funny, uncomplicated. It was amazingly entertaining, to my relief. (I was not too happy with the first one.)

Cheeky writing, great styling, sleek effects, a goodlooking cast. Everything that a popcorn movie needs. What I liked most about the movie, though, was... SHANGHAI!


***



East-Meets-West on Nanjing Lu: Chinese adverts light up the facade of a colonial building

It was a delight to see familiar historical and architectural landmarks. And since these were structures I've already seen before, the horror of their destruction in the movie seemed even more horrific.

You have to understand-- the Chinese build everything BIG. The public parks, the highways, the buildings. Shanghai's are specifically awesome because they were built for a city whose population, at 20 million, is more than all of Australia's.

And so when armageddon almost befell Nanjing Lu (a wide, cobblestoned shopping avenue), I was shocked-- Nanjing Lu, after all, is pedestrian-oriented! Off-limits to motor vehicles! 20 million people, run for your lives!!!

The writing was hilarious in its camp daring. But the heightened feeling of reality it aroused in me was alarming, too-- after all, I've seen these landmarks up close!! I've even posted photos of them on MySpace before, for crying out loud!

If I were to describe the armageddon sequence in just one word, it would be: Sensational. In every sense of the word.


***



The Bund / Pudong

I once read Shanghai likened to an old prostitute. Everybody has had a taste of her-- Brits, French, Yankees.

Yeah, I suppose Shanghai might seem like an aged whore-- and I mean that in the best possible terms. She proudly shows off the prizes she's won for her storied trysts with itinerant outsiders. And as if to prove that she is still the star of the bordello, she flaunts her two amorous lovers-- The Bund on one side and Pudong on the other.

The Bund is a glittering stretch of colonial buildings that embraces the dark Huangpu's riverbanks like a golden necklace. In the photo at left, the building at the center is where I stayed. That's the Westin Shanghai, architecturally definitive because of its beautiful gold crown. The hotel is famous among the moneyed set for its Sunday champagne brunches as well as for its expansive, palm tree-laden lobby that would be right at home in Vegas just as in Monte Carlo.

(I chose the Westin because, well, I'm a Starwood member and I figured I could earn points, so why not. An amazing thing happened while I was checking in. I got upgraded to a Junior Suite. I don't know how, I don't know why. But I was not about to complain. My digs were amazing. It even had its own mini-gym.)

The Bund is Shanghai's gentleman admirer. On the other side of the Huangpu, however, as though competing for attention, is Pudong-- her brash, younger lover.

Pudong has the flash of glass and steel that only a bottomless well of new money could buy. Its most popular landmarks are the positively alien-esque Oriental Pearl Tower, which was swarming with tourists from that other rising Asian superpower, India; and the Jin Mao Tower, the world's fifth tallest building.

Jin Mao is famous for housing the oh-so-grand Grand Hyatt Hotel and Cloud 9, the world's highest bar. Of course I *had* to go! Foggy day, sadly, so there was little to see from the deck.

But I had an appletini (overpriced) and a saucer of mixed nuts (free).


***


Pushing the whole prostitute analogy further, I found Shanghai to be tired and dirty in the morning. You can see mountains of debris from the night's hedonism.

That's usually the way with a prostitute, 'no? She is most beautiful at night, when the darkness conceals her flaws and amplifies her mysterious charms.

***

Xintiandi is an old Chinese concession that has been preserved, renovated and transformed into a modern lifestyle district. Here you will see quaint textile shops (oh, of the Giorgio Armani and Shanghai Tang persuasion, of course), a German pub, an Argentinian churrascaria, a gelataria and-- my favourite-- a Veuve Clicquot Bar!!!


In a perfect world, Veuve flows freely from my tap.

I almost died when I saw chairs of canvas with the yellow label of my favourite champagne. An entire establishment peddling nothing but liquid heaven.

"Garcon, a bottle of your most precious reserve!"

Hong Kong what?? LOL! Shanghai Rocks!!


***


The Parting Shot:

Me = Queen

The photo above was taken in front of Dairy Queen at Yuyuan Bazaar, which my Shanghai-based British friend derisively refers to as "Chinatown in China." Shamelessly touristy, to be sure, but nevertheless a worthy effort. So this would be what Starbucks, KFC and their ilk would look like in the era of dynasties. Fascinating! LOL!

***

I miss Shanghai.

The city, despite (or maybe because of) all references to being a whore, is elegant and endlessly fascinating.

Come with me next time??


With Affection,
Astron



Post-It:

EEEEK!!! It's the ex and myself (center) photographed in Shanghai's Club Deep. The photo appeared on party website I-Candy. Que Horror!

My good friend, Rony, alerted me to the presence of my photos in a site called PinoyPride.

Lo and behold, I see three photos of myself in the LGBT Gallery, in the R-Rated section, under the Amateurs/Unknowns tab. "No full nudity, please," admonished the gallery's moderator.

I did not even know of this web community until then. Funny that someone should upload my photo, calling me a Marky Cielo lookalike. Who is Marky Cielo??? Google yielded this photo of a Starstruck Survivor:



And these were my photos at PinoyPride:



I could only access the thumbnails coz apparently, only VIPs are allowed to see the full-sized images. And VIPs are members who have made at least 300 posts.

Previously, I was alerted by a Shanghai-based friend that two of my photos appeared on Singapore-based gay community, Trevvy. The said photos were under the Hotbods tab:



At least my photos at Trevvy were flatteringly labeled "model" and not "Amateur/Unknown." LOL.

In both cases, I had not previously heard of the site where my photos appeared. And when I tracked down the community members who uploaded my photos, I ended up not knowing them, either.

Scary, and also a bit exciting. My name was never printed under any of the five photos above, as it never did whenever my photos appeared in Hong Kong's gay rags, G Magazine and Dim Sum. Just a face that, as Rony put it, "gets around."

At work today, there were two Muscle Marys watching the show from the second row. They were a couple, to be sure-- they were holding hands. So sweet. I could not miss that they were looking at me, maybe because they recognized my face from Fridae, or heck, from anywhere. Or maybe they read my blog. Or maybe I am just being delusional and the queens could just smell a princess from a mile away, that's why they were obviously talking about me throughout the show.

Whatever the case may be, I am endlessly tickled-- for now. That is, at least until someone alerts me that someone is using my photos in their profile, masquerading to be me.

For now, I bide my time. As I told a friend who solicitously offerred to review my album when it comes out, "agents aren't exactly knocking my door down to sign me up just yet." LOL.

May you find little pockets of surprise (as I did with the photos above!) to delight you through the weekend, dear friends!


With Affection,
Astron

Hello, Friends! 

Thanks for picking up my notebook! Here's an anecdote of...

The Key + Slot Underwear Show

The first time I took to the ramp was in 2002, for my friend Araflor's graduation show. She was majoring in Production Design. The show was part of her thesis. And what better way for a broke senior to cut graduation costs than to cast friends to model one's costume designs?

It was fun-- I think. It was much too brief and unusual an experience for me to remember in great detail. I *do* remember the rush it gave me, though. The show director said to "think of sex" as one strutted down the runway.

I remember exhilaration.

Whoops. 

Reality check. My average looks would not allow me to make a living as a proper model. I should just focus on working towards my own university degree so that I could earn my place in the world.

Ah, meritocracy.

Fast forward to 2006, Hong Kong. Another friend, Michael Valenciano, an events-organizer-about-town,  asks me to model UNDERWEAR. I am flattered, flustered, confused and humoured all at once.

You have to understand-- I once weighed 200 pounds. I only started losing weight at 17, when I came to terms with my homosexuality. But until now, when I look at myself in the mirror, I still see that overweight kid staring back at me. So having been asked to do the underwear show was kind of a big deal...

Michael said I would be modelling for a good cause--for AIDS concern. Shorthand, I wouldn't be paid. I didn't mind not getting paid, but the HKD200 (approx USD25) door fee Micheal planned to charge intimidated me. Was seeing me in my skivvies worth paying HKD200 for??

Micheal practically begged, since another friend of ours, Anthony (cheerleader5 on Fridae, check him out), said he'd give his "yes" only if I, too, agreed to do the show.

Talking with one of my favourite fag hags cleared my mind. "When are you ever gonna get asked to do another underwear show?" Jennifer asked rhetorically, with nary an ounce of tact. "You only live once," she pressed.

You only live once...

That sealed it for me! Live life without regrets! I called up Michael and told him I'd do it. It's for a good cause, I assured myself, as though it would erase all apprehension.

Among the models, I was last to arrive. I had the last pick out of the "outfits." I was shocked to find out that the sixth and final look was fetishwear--nothing more than little slivers of bright plastic with bits of bling, really... They looked foul, in my never so humble opinion. I told Michael that "playful" and "sexy" were ok but "cheap" and "slutty" were not. I still wanted to look halfway decent.

So bossy me prevailed and the last look was scrapped, to my relief.

I asked a good friend, Myrene Hernandez, to style the show. She did a fab job, considering the short notice. Another good friend, Jojo (check him out--> http://flickr.com/photos/jojo_mamangun/ and book him for your portraiture and events needs) did a fantastic job with taking photos. It was a great challenge, what with the tricky club lighting, the limited elbow room and the peculiar circumstances, really. 

Here are some photos from the event: 

Backstage with the boys. My friend, Anthony, is in red briefs.

  
Look 1 was Surfer Boy. Just aviators, some big beads and flip-flops.


Look 2 was Rudolph. Green sequined reindeer antlers, funky scarf, teeny red briefs and large tan booties.

Look 3 was Anime. Flippy platinum blonde wig and Japanese flag bathers.

 
Look 4 was Schoolboy. White baseball cap, tight white shorts, black leather satchel and white high-top sneakers. 


Look 5 was Biker. Black cap, long chain necklace with large keys, leather gloves.

The show was at Club Bliss on Peel Street. It was originally slated for midnight, but it got pushed back to almost 1:30AM because patrons were still coming in.

The place was packed; the energy, electric.

To calm my nerves, I chewed on a huge wad of gum the entire show. I danced, mugged, winked, jumped... I did EVERYTHING except walk like a model. LOL. It was FUN!!

And the briefs were all nice. Thin, breathable and with a lot of stretch. All the designs sat nicely on the hip. Too bad we didn't get to keep them. I was thinking, What were they gonna do--repackage and sell them?? LOL.

"Rudolph" was my favourite look. That photo appeared in THREE different pages in the January 2007 issue of G Magazine. LOL. My fifteen minutes.

Sadly, both G Magazine and Club Bliss have closed shop. Just goes to show that not only people in HK are of a transient nature. Gay establishments and publications seem to be particularly vulnerable...

But as my friend, Chris (avalo on Fridae, gorgeous German gent), once said, "One hole closes, another one opens up." Ah. The story of our lives.

I would like to ruminate on the social responsiblity of gay men to support establishments that cater specifically to us to ensure that establishments remain in business, but it's too much brain activity for me at the moment. These establishments, however, have a reciprocal responsibilty to give back to the community, to not be self-conscious about catering to our market (hey, if you're after my pink dollar...), and to be clear with their vision.

Fridae.com is a great example of how to stay in business by actually being useful to the community. Props to the men and women behind this great site.

As for my modelling aspirations, well... As with G Mag and Bliss, I think my "starlet" moment has gone. I was born 40, anyway, as I like to say. I am past my sell-by date.

Later!

With Affection,
Astron

Post-it: 
Check out Key + Slot on the Fridae Shop.
Also-- suit up, boys! Wearing a condom is worth the peace of mind. Hats off to the people of AIDS Concern HK for their relentless campaign.