Hi Fausto! This is Lady Bunny. I'm e-mailing this comment from Jason's account. But trust me this is Lady Bunny. And I am here to say, "You bettah work!" RuPaul stole that from me, and now I'm tellin' you, I'm takin' it back. I am tellin' you! That was stolen from me as well. Quarter Turns!

Said by: Jason at April 4, 2007 06:52 AM

Hi, I am a 56 yr old lesbian who lives in CA.

I was born in Chicago and was a Realtor at The Wilcox Co. on North Clark in Boystown starting in 1975. I believe I was the first Realtor to advertise in " Gay Chicago". People said I was crazy and that my office would be bombed.

I am writing to set you straight about Lakview in the 70's. It was the heyday of condo conversions. A gay male friend and I bought a 6 flat, 4422 N. Dover, and converted it to condos. We sold to our friends and the building eventually had 3 lesbians and 3 gay male owners.

We became the target of any number of hate crimes. We put up an 8 foot wooden fence to keep our backyard private. Someone scaled the fence and tortured my dog to death. We had no garages and cars were destroyed. One by one we moved out. The neighborhood teenagers would stand and cheer as the movers worked.

I see through Zillow the units are now worth 250,000. We gave them away for less than 20,000 to escape.
I was also the first white person to buy south of Willow on the street next to Halsted, 1654 N. Dayton. In those days the only people willing to take a chance on the area were gays and young DePaul students. Oh yes, and 2 crazy straight guys. Things were much better in this area. Our black neighbors were so, so much nicer than the southern, whites of Lakeview.

Said by: Barb at April 4, 2007 09:56 AM

Amanda, Mark And Fausto: You all almost made me cry when I see said se was not going to anymore podcasts. BIATCH... You got me!!! ;-P Love you all !!
I am glad it was just a prank..

Said by: Bill York at April 4, 2007 12:06 PM

The Castro definitely has an anchor, like the Boystown pylons: the huge rainbow flag at Castro and Market.

Said by: Rich at April 4, 2007 01:56 PM

This is a really good guide to Chicago. I randomly picked this up when I moved here a few months ago, and have found it incredibly useful. I've found new bars to go to and new things to do. Definitely reccomend to anyone coming here or moving here.

Said by: Richard at April 4, 2007 04:33 PM

What an excellent show! Now I have all sorts of things to look for when I come to Chicago.

And thanks for giving a little plug to the Leather Archives. The club that Buzz and I belong to, the LA boys of Leather (with the help of several other "boys of Leather" groups across the country), gave a donation to them for all the hard work they do. That's something that we have to be very careful of, our GLBT history. So much of the hard work the men and women of the GLBT community have done in this country has been wiped clean from the history books, so someone needs to keep records and tell the stories. And the leather community's involvement in the fight against AIDS and the education of the leather lifestyle and spreading the word of safe play in kink, would easily be forgotten if it weren't for people like those who keep the Leather Archives going.

Said by: pup don at April 4, 2007 06:27 PM

Again, great show. Haven't been to Chicago in a while but will defninately pick up a copy of their guide before I go again.

Said by: Andy in Brookville at April 4, 2007 08:42 PM

This episode was great! I made my first trek to Chicago last fall and can't wait to come back this summer/fall. I'll be looking up this guidebook for sure.

...even though we managed to find several drinking establishments on our own. We lushes have a nose for alcohol!

Said by: Corey at April 4, 2007 11:11 PM

This is a great show now I'm definatly planning a trip there.

Said by: Andrew from AZ at April 5, 2007 01:05 AM

Boyz, you forgot about Harpo Studios. Every gay man makes a Pilgrimage to see the O - and the new studio where Amanda will be doing her new show from...

Said by: Mike Hunt at April 5, 2007 06:02 AM

This is great... and just in time for my trip to Chicago next week.
Thank you!

Said by: Alberto at April 5, 2007 12:46 PM

Harpo studio? It's not really a destination spot unless you're going to the show. Plan ahead if you want to go.

Said by: Marc at April 5, 2007 07:05 PM

Interesting show! I was real glad to hear you talk about Wicker Park. I've been having a long conversation with friends about this neighborhood, specifically because that is where the Puerto Rican film director Rose Troche filmed her landmark lesbian film "Go Fish" (1994). In that movie, Wicker Park is portrayed as a very lesbian neighborhood, with white, Latina and African American women. However, in Ana Yolanda Ramos-Zayas's book "National Performances," about Puerto Ricans in Chicago (including Wicker Park), she doesn't really describe it as lesbian, but rather more an androgynous, bohemian place where anything goes. Achy Obejas, the very fabulous lesbian Cuban American writer from Chicago (by the way, I can't believe you haven't had her on your show!!!!), she told me Wicker Park's multicultural lesbian moment kinda happened in the late 80s/early 90s, so that by the time "Go FIsh" came out, the neighborhood had already changed. Anyway, just thought I'd share... and of course, I'd love to hear your opinion. (I was happy to hear Marc describe Wicker Park as a place for young sexually undecided people....). And by the way, Women and Children First ROCKS!!!! Support your local LGBT/feminist bookstores!!!

Said by: Larry La Fountain at April 5, 2007 07:10 PM

Larry,
Achy actually wrote an article on Fausto in 2000. I read that she is currently the Sor Juana Chair at DePaul University and Fausto's Mom did her doctorate thesis on Sor Juana's love poems. Small world eh?

We should definitely get her on.
Marc

Said by: Marc at April 5, 2007 10:49 PM

What a show about Chicago posts to hit and no mention of Showtunes at Sidetracks?
As a straight girl who is into broadway, that is a must do for me.

Said by: carolyn in seattle at April 6, 2007 12:07 PM

makes me want to go back to Chicago ASAP!...s it wrong that even as a straight chick I would want to hangout, if not live in the gat freindly areas? oh well. Its what I do anyways.

Said by: Rochelle (from MN) at April 6, 2007 10:02 PM

Fausto, Marc et al.

I've been following the show a few days behind, and I was completely taken in by the April Fools' gag. I actually shed tears and then felt like a dork on listening to the very next download. Trick or not, I'm glad Amanda hasn't left the show.

I love all your guests, and your Gay Guide to Chicago has me thinking of a new destination for my next vacation with my boyfriend. Thanks for all the great variety in your podcast.

By the way, where is the link for the new black tee-shirts that I heard you mention in the podcast? I want to get a pair for my boyfriend and me, but on the site, I could only find the blue shirts.

Said by: Kenny S at April 8, 2007 08:28 AM

Hey guys! Great show. I am pretty good friends with Ms. Foozie. Should I see if I can get her to do your show? There is one condition.....you must try to be nice. LOL

Said by: AZ Wrestler - Mark Delgrosso at April 8, 2007 12:14 PM

Hey Guys, I love your show, first thing I do every morning is listen to your podcast when i go walking. It always is interesting and makes me laugh. I just learnt about the show about 3 months ago and its the only podcast i have listend to ever since. Im currently located in ottawa Canada in some off to the side town that doesnt have much of a connection to the main community. Your show is a much needed connection to a community I don't have much connection with. Keep up the great work guys! Ciao for now. Xo Tyler

Said by: Tyler at April 10, 2007 03:02 PM