Ogunquit

It’s a Gayer Ol’ Time Than Ever.
By Beau Taylor

July 2006 – That’s right, it’s that time of year again ~ time to plan a visit to one of New England’s top queer summer spots. We’re headin’ north, kiddies, straight (?) up 495 to glorious Ogunquit. And even if you spent all of last summer there, the “Beautiful Place by the Sea” has some new surprises in store for you, so read on!

The biggest news this season is the new blood ~ and the new creative energy that comes with it. Some of the town’s hippest movers and shakers ~ including a few of Worcester’s own ~ have been putting a new spin on old favorites to liven up an already rockin’ good time!

Heading down Main St./Rt. 1, you hit the center of town ~ ruled over by grand dame The Front Porch. Decades of post-beach piano bar happenings have earned The Porch its status of international icon. Ogunquit’s one-man renaissance team, Wayne, creator of Five O and savior of InsideOut, has now moved onto the village centerpiece. Don’t panic, the piano is still there ~ God forbid you not have the chance to showcase your talent for belting out a boozy show tune! Anyway, designers Scotty & Michelle have worked their magic on the beloved but tired décor, starting with the famous mural behind the bar and then lining the entire room with additional murals that echo the feel of the originals from the 70s but reflect the characters of today’s Ogunquit. They’re now pulled out from the walls and backlit and this, along with a high gloss cream colored tone on the walls (not to mention the hot, hot, hot acrylic tall bar chairs ~ now you can check out that hottie right through these see-thru chairs) ~ has kept the beachy feel while giving us a glorious new perch from where we can see and be seen. All this and a brand-new menu from Chef Jonathan McApline ~ featuring salmon BLTs and yummy flatbreads all night long ~ make the Porch a must on this season’s itinerary.

Speaking of Five O Shore Rd., one of the town’s best dining destinations, owners Donato and Jeff have given their popular martini lounge a face-lift in anticipation of the arrival of its new sister spot next door, Caffé Prego. This bona-fide Italian cappuccino bar café is right across the new stone patio overlooking Shore Rd itself (can’t you just wait to wear your Sophia Loren hat, shades and scarf as you sip your espresso and watch all the locals and tourists waltz by, bellas?!). Caffe Prego is very unique in that all of the interior design and furnishings/equipment were developed in tandem with an Italian firm so that the space will make you feel as though you’re sitting in a caffe in the middle of beautiful Italy itself ~ and in fact, all of the food supplies (coffee, hot chocolate, pastries, gelato bases) will indeed be coming right from Italy. The gelato (ice cream) will be made on premises and you’ll always get to choose from 14 mouthwatering flavors. The outside terrace has been designed with a similarly authentic Italian feel ~ the orange awning is typical of an Italian setting and the chairs and tables reflect what you would find in Piazza San Marco in Venice.

InsideOut has continued its new traditions with even more great entertainment and late night goings-on. This summer, check out Funny Gay Males and Dishing with Dynell (we love that puppet!). It also hasn’t lost its edge as one of the hottest spots to date-shop through the evening and of course…at the end of the night.

The other big change in town comes straight up from WormTown. Brad Kenney, former Artistic Director of Foothills Theatre in Worcester, is now at the helm of the Ogunquit Playhouse and has wasted no time in stepping up the pace, the shows and the stars to kick off the theatre’s 74th season. The hugely successful 60s musical Beehive opens the season and is followed by the fantastic Studio 54 musical revival of Sam Mendes’ Cabaret, a show that had its national premiere in Worcester. Kenney has charged theatre icon Andrea McArdle with bringing Sally Bowles to life (as she did on Broadway and on worldwide tours); and speaking of star power, one of the other big highlights of the season will be Leslie Uggams starring as the Fairy Godmother opposite Boston’s queer theatre diva Ryan Landry as the Wicked Stepmother in an all-new version of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella ~ trippy!

So that, my dears, is just a tease of what Ogunquit has to offer ~ tons of restaurants, bars, ice cream, walks (no summer is complete without walking the Marginal Way from the village along the rocky coast into Perkins Cove and then maybe over to partake of the bar menu at MCs), shops and the beach. And the people watching…ah, the people watching…girls, girls, boys, boys and more boys. When the beach is low tide it has a width that easily rivals Florida’s East Coast ~ so if you’re looking for your persuasion, head to the main parking lot, climb over the families from everywhere sitting on top of each other and start walking to the left…that’s where you’ll find us, and there’s plenty of us to go around…

Wish we had more time and room to give you all the skinny (and you know that’s how I’ll be lookin’ in my new RonJon trunks…skinny!) on the new and improved Ogunquit…but take my word for it, get yourself up there either for the day (about an hour and half drive) or for the night (or two!).

Two websites to get you going: www.ogunquit.org and www.gayogunquit.com

See you in Maine!