[Love_Leila]

На интересную статью я наткнулась бродя по гидам по Питсбургу.

`Queer as Folk' vs. the real Liberty Avenue
June 30, 2002|By Gary Naham. Special to the Tribune.

- The real Liberty Avenue is home to many bars and clubs, and some of those are clustered downtown near the beginning of the street. But none are the size of their TV counterpart's, nor are there the cruisy, predominantly gay throngs outside on the street.

- The bars are more spread out than on the series. Rent a car--or keep a 24-hour taxi services phone number handy; cabbies don't believe in "wasting gas" by cruising the city for passengers, especially at 1 in the morning.

- Don't ask about Babylon; you might get a drink thrown in your face. "I get at least one person a day asking for directions to Babylon" says a local bartender, rolling his eyes. "But we don't even begin to have anything like that." Which leads to . . .

- Have realistic expectations: "QAF" is actually shot in Toronto with only occasional exterior shots of Pittsburgh's gorgeous (but too often decaying) cityscapes.

- "QAF's" Liberty Avenue has smart decorations, is well kept up and seems to be a relatively safe place for people of all sorts. Pittsburgh's Liberty Avenue has modern and postmodern skyscrapers across from gay bars that are next to empty buildings for sale and for rent. It's not necessarily dangerous--but it's not squeaky-clean Toronto.

- "QAF" has a gay-oriented, 24-hour diner. In the real Pittsburgh, most of the gay bars and clubs also serve food as a matter of meeting local liquor regulations. But they close at midnight or 2 a.m., and they are required to have their kitchens open on only one day, Sundays--and then, only if the club is open on Sundays, which some aren't.

So what does the real Liberty Avenue have to offer? Here's a quick rundown on some of the gay nightlife:

Pegasus (818 Liberty Ave.; open until 2 a.m., closed Sundays though it serves food). Pegasus is a high-energy music dance club that features dancers (OK, they're strippers too--but there's no full nudity in Pittsburgh), cute guys of various types and reasonably priced drinks. It has orange and gold walls, with mirrors behind and red curtains hanging above its bars. There are two dance floors, one elevated to provide a stage for shows. Pegasus easily has the closest atmosphere to Babylon on the Liberty Avenue strip, though at less than 3,000 square feet it's not even close in size.

Images (965 Liberty Ave.; open until 2 a.m. nightly). Images is a much smaller bar with one small dance floor (about a quarter the size of Pegasus), a DJ playing high-energy dance music and dancer/strippers every night of the week. Painted all black, with a pool table in front, Images is a low-key bar that depends on its friendly staff for most of its considerable charm.

Tilden's (916 Liberty Ave., second floor; open until 3:30 a.m. nightly). Tilden's is a private after-hours club, opening most nights after the crowds leave other bars shortly before the 2 a.m. regular bar close. You have to be a member or a guest of a member to get in, according to club policy; there's a $5 cover. It has a dance floor about midway in size between those of Pegasus and Images, with DJs playing progressive house music.

Jitter's (ask around for address--and invitation; open 1 a.m. to ? Fridays and Saturdays). Jitters is another "members only" after-hours club, but not sanctioned by local authorities. A visitor to Pittsburgh would obviously need to know a member to even find the place for the first time, located in the basement of a nondescript two-story frame house. With a knock on the `club' door, a panel is pulled aside to check a visitor's identity (just like in an old speakeasy); members' guests are required to sign in after paying a $10 cover. However, unlimited drinks are included in the cover, and the alcohol is premium, not "well."

Jitters is the most unique club in or near the Liberty Avenue scene, the only game in town during most of its hours of operation. It's a house/ basement "party" complete with pink and lavender Christmas tree lights decorating the ceiling and mid- to late-`90s dance music. But it has limitations: It's the smallest of these four "clubs," there's no dance floor, and no food.

@темы: QAF, Liberty Ave

Comments

[dorti]

о чем хоть там написано?

[Love_Leila]

dorti, о том, что реальный Питтсбург очень отличается от Квировского , там нет такого района как сериале и таких клубов))) и о том, что местные жители устали, что их постоянно спрашивают - Где здесь Вавилон ?

[dorti]

Love_Leila, понял