Ryan Shea

BLT Burger- The best burger in Manhattan. Period.

A couple of weeks ago a friend and I got together in the Union Square area to get dinner and catch up. We originally had our hearts set on a different place but oddly enough that was closed for the night. We had both agreed that we were jonesing for a burger so our goal was to find another place to fulfill our cheesy, flame broiled hearts with love. Then we stumbled upon “BLT Burger” on 6th avenue between 12th and 11th street in the heart of Union Square. Neither of us have tried this place out before, but seeing as we were starving at that point and always up for something new we figured what the heck and just go with it.

Upon first glance, the restaurant itself has a warm, cozy feel to it with an emphasis on both words. It is decorated with paintings of cows and other animals, something that I have never seen in a restaurant before but I loved that it added to the environment inside. We took a look at the menu and truly realized how diverse the burger selection was. This restaurant, part of the “ESquared Hospitality” chain of restaurants, prides itself on it’s interpretation of the classic American Burger. The variety of burgers at hand range from the BLT Burger (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, BLT Burger Sauce) to ones that are a bit more complex like The Streaker (Arugula, Marinated Cherry Tomatoes, Pickled Shallots, Olive-Cornichon Remoulade, No Bun). I decided to go with the BLT burger as bacon in my opinion is heavenly and I was sure it wouldn’t disappoint in the least.

Boy was I right. The special sauce added an amazing texture and really elevated the bacon, lettuce and tomato part on top of a perfectly cooked burger which I asked to be done medium. It came with a side of Waffles Fries and was prepared really eloquently yet simple at the exact same moment. Overall the taste was amazing and I wanted to say i was full but the waitress did hint me in on one thing I should keep some room in my stomach for- the milkshake.

You can order your milkshakes in two different options- regular or spiked. For the adult crowd, this makes this delicious treat even more delicious and you have the ability to say you got tipsy off of The Cookie Monster. That is what I have ordered both times and the taste of it was bonkers. That one alone has a hidden surprise on the bottom which is freaking cookie dough! 🙂 It became a true delight to finish that and overall was a great dining experience.

As someone who has had his experience with burgers in New York, I can honestly say that this experience was by far superior than the others. Everything from the hospitality to the food to the dessert really made it a special experience and one that everyone should encounter. Want to know more? Log on to their website to see the full menu, locations and amazing food porn.

Adonis Lounge grand opening in LA tomorrow night!

by Ryan Shea

Adonis Lounge has become synonymous in New York City as a great place to hang out, have some drinks and mingle with some of the hottest men New York City has to offer. I have gotten to know these guys beyond the bar and they are all really stand up fellas especially Tim who is the mastermind behind the whole production. Hell I’ve even interviewed him and he is quite the impressive guy. Now, him and his brother are going bi-coastal and launching Adonis Lounge in Los Angeles tomorrow night and it plans on being one hell of an opening!

Billed as one of the top M4m (Male 4 Male) experiences in New York, it plans on being that and so much more when it opens at FuBar in the heart of West Hollywood tomorrow. Zeb Atlas, muscle god and well known in several different industries (and has appeared quite frequently at the New York location) will be on hand to help open the new location. Also on deck will be an array of studs at your disposal, from Sean Cody model Aiden to Playgirl centerfold and actor Marcus Patrick just for the first night. Oh, and pretty much add all the guys in the picture and then some. Yum!

FUBAR, known as “not your fathers gay bar,” has been described by Time Out as “the most alternative of the Boys Town clan of bars and clubs. Ripped, tattooed and pierced bartenders pour strong drinks in this steamy dark bar that oozes sex seven days a week. Hooking up is always in the air at Fubar thanks to its underground vibe, so be ye not confused—this is not the bar you go to for a casual drink, this is the bar you go to looking for casual sex.” Sounds good to us!! Valet parking available across the street at the Bank of America (bring your parking stub in for a parking shot).

For future appearances they have booked big names such as porn stars Angel Diablo of Randy Blue fame and Grabby and Hookie award winner Trenton Ducati. Sure to be a great opening night for anyone in the LA area. For more information, log onto The Adonis Lounge website to learn more about both locations. Best of luck to Tim and the gang!

Modern Bear’s ode to the 80’s action series- A Bearody

by Ryan Shea

I have had the great thrill to work with and interview Travis and Chris, the founders of “Modern Bear” in recent weeks. Their Facebook page alone has grown to 25,000 likes in recent months using the combination of three vital tools- modern design, retro beefcake and of course bears. Now they have come up with something retro yet very funny in the “Bearody” video that they released on YouTube.

Already up to 3,000 hits and growing steadily, it parodies all of the cheesy yet lovable 80’s action TV series such as Magnum P.I. and several more. I spoke with Travis about this recently who had this to say about how the idea came about-

“The idea actually came to me while driving to Palm Springs one day. Modern Bear has always had a retro sensibility about it and Chris and I were thinking of new “webisodes” to film for our Modern Bear Channel on YouTube. The concept of creating an opening credit intro as if Modern Bear was an 80’s action TV show seemed like a natural for us.”

“We researched old shows like Magnum PI, The Rockford Files, Starsky & Hutch, etc. and used snippets of their openings as inspiration for ours. We used the same brilliant production team we’ve been using on our design videos – Michael Cline and Doug Bale of “Michael Douglas Productions”. We asked our gal pals Sandra Espinoza and Julie Hill to play parts in it and we got permission to film inside and outside the fabulous mid century Clarendon Hotel in Phoenix all in one day.”

“Our buddy Bill Stewart let us borrow his bad ass vintage Trans Am for the opening shot which we filmed in Palm Springs. Now I want a car like that for my own! It was a fun departure for Chris and I to do this “Bearody” video and now we’re hooked – we are already planning several more. The reaction was an immediate hit! Modern Bear is also interested in a TV production deal and we wanted to show we could think outside the “bear box” and do comedy. And yes, that’s me playing “Granny” LOL.”

Check out the video at the bottom of the page and don’t forget to log on to their Facebook and Twitter page and support these guys as they move their way into bear domination! GRRRRRRR. 🙂

Summer 2013- Best gym songs

by Ryan Shea

As summer is already here, and the winter days are gone for now, we all have a lot to look forward to while basking in the glory of the sun and being with our friends and family. It also gives us initiative to get our fat asses to the gym and make sure we look good at the beach, walking in the city, and just being more in public as the winter time can force us to get under the covers and watch “True Blood” repeats. I have come up with 10 essentials that will keep you jamming throughout the gym session and make the overall experience there more fun and satisfying! Take a look.

La Bouche- “Be My Lover”

If you were a GIGANTIC fan of the Jock Jams movement in the late 90’s, there was no denying this chart topping hit by this EDM duo. With a fast paced rhythm to go along with what i like to call “melodic rapping”, this song is designed for the avid cardio-lover and help you get to that next mile.

Robin Thicke Featuring Pharell Williams- “Blurred Lines”

Thicke, more notably known for his slow paced songs like his chart-topper “Lost Without You”, has the number one song in the country with this funky dance anthem that is sure to be one of the biggest songs of the summer.

Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams- “Get Lucky”

Daft Punk have sort of become synonymous with creating insanely great dance music and the adoration of fans worldwide. “Get Lucky” is the first track off of their new album which easily debuted at number one on The Billboard 200.

Icona Pop- “I Don’t Care”

This song has been out for a couple of months now and has been heard everywhere, even in “Shoedazzle” commercials. It is another great cardio anthem to jam out to when sweating it out on the elliptical.

Papa Roach- “Last Resort”

Are you mad? Want to get that aggression out when you are at the gym? Blast this hit from 1999 and keep it on repeat and the aggression will be released in the masses.

Bauuer- “Harlem Shake”

This year’s “Gangham Style” became quite the internet sensation back in February with its endless parody videos of mainly the first 30 seconds of the song, yet the entire song itself is pretty dope and definitely a gym jam.

Chris Brown- “Beautiful People”

I hate Chris Brown as a person, but I love this song. Enough said.

Kanye West- “Stronger”

This was ranked a couple of years ago as the best song to listen to at the gym, and I agree to a certain extent. Kanye could have a couple of records on this list (Monster, Mercy) but this one suits the bill. Daft Punk on this track as well. Yeezus.

LL Cool J- “Mama Said Knock You Out”

At a boxing gym? This will have you covered.

Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz- “Get Low”

Inescapable in 2003, and the song that quite frankly put Lil Jon on the music map, “Get Low” is hands down a beat spectacle and one that will be sure to get your heart racing when working out.

Why the “Gay Porn Star” is dead

by Ryan Shea

The term “gay porn” star was relevant for about thirty years. Sadly, for some reason in the past couple of years that term is as dead as Amanda Bynes’ career and sanity. Is it still a profitable industry that makes a ton of money per year? Maybe for the straight world, but for the gay world it doesn’t seem to be. I consistently read stories and hear from friends of mine who have been in the adult industry that they are retiring and moving onto other projects for several different reasons. Meanwhile, this whole retirement thing comes from only being in the actual industry for less than a year. That’s crazy! The shelf life of a female porn star tends to be that way mainly because it has a massive turnover rate and you can be the hot girl one month and the trash doing b list flicks the next month. In the gay industry, there is a huge appeal for several different ages, from the twinks to the daddies, that you can completely transform yourself and make this into a long term career if you really choose to do so.

Yet, social media has a larger presence than there ever was. Take some girls in the straight porn industry. Look at ones the superstars in those fields like Tori Black, Asa Akira and Alexis Texas for instance. Each of those girls has more followers than many high profile celebrities from actors to sports. Each of them have also been able to turn what they do into a fortified business and make a career out of it beyond the actual porn itself. Smart girls. Sure, the gay ones tend to have a decent amount but where we live in a world where everything is downloadable for free and no one tends to pay especially in the gay world for anything anymore, is there any chance of this industry thriving? Here are reasons why it is dead.

The money isn’t there. Let’s be honest here- the whole “studio” aspect is gone. Rather than that, there are a bunch of sites out there that can cater to a specific persons wants or needs, but gone are the days when giants like Colt and Falcon Studios really ran things anymore. I had a particular friend of mine who did two scenes for a particular production, put himself completely out there and only got paid a measly $500 for the whole thing. That money goes beyond anything- you are risking your life, career, relationships just for one opportunity to do something like this for whatever reason possible. Not saying that more money changes any of those last couple of things, but it can certainly help things if you choose to make this into a career. I also had a former friend who said he entered the industry as a way to help him come out because he came from a very conservative area where being gay was unacceptable. They all have their own reasons. But if the money isn’t there, no one is going to keep on going.

The legend aspect is gone. I would give any of these current “stars” some serious balls if any of them called themselves legends anymore. No one is. I repeat, no one. When we think legend in this industry- you would think of guys like Matthew Rush, Aiden Shaw and the king himself- Zak Spears. Now, it is who is current for a hot minute. I think a lot of them believe it is a good career choice but for some reason can’t make it last. Maybe we live in a world of such high ADD when it comes to focusing on one thing for a while until the next one comes along that that is a reason why these guys don’t last and can’t elongate themselves in the industry.

The somewhat phenomena of “G4P” is a huge turn off. Another reason why the term might be fledgling is because several men in the industry are gay for pay, something that is a big turn off for people. Guys like Cody Cummings and Girth Brooks are forthright in saying that they are straight, they just work in the gay world. It is also noted that men in the adult industry make lesser money if they work in a gay scene than a straight scene, but regardless this can leave a sour note for people who can sort of tell that they really aren’t enjoying it, they just want the paycheck.

Do you think with the industry being somewhat of a dying breed and many other factors that the gay adult industry will rebound?

Colton Ford- His Past, Present and Hopeful Future

by Ryan Shea

The name Colton Ford can be synonymous with many different things. People who know him or know of him can say he is a handsome and stunning man who took the gay porn world by storm in the early 2000’s. Others who are more in the know like myself can say that he has done a phenomenal job at transitioning from that arena to a full fledged recording artist who has released several great original and cover records not only in the past couple of years but has been since the 90’s. [Read more…] about Colton Ford- His Past, Present and Hopeful Future

Crumbs Bake Shop’s New Lunch Line with David Burke!

by Ryan Shea

This past Thursday saw world famous bake shop and a James Beard award winning chef and restauranteur come together for a great evening of yummy sandwiches and tasty desserts. David Burke’s Treehouse Bar was the location on Thursday evening to celebrate the co-branding of David Burke and Crumbs Bake shop all new lunch menu, featuring nine different styles of gourmet sandwiches as well as a variety of salads to go along with it.

David Burke is a legend in the culinary field, winning five James Beard awards starting in the early 90’s and currently has ten restaurants opened under his guidance. He came up with some really catchy names to go along with the nine new sandwiches that will be available, two of them mentioned above (Chicken, Pig & Cow and New York Hero). Here are the other names left to pique your interest and taste level-

Smokey Turkey

Angry Roast Beef

David Burke’s Pastrami Salmon

Beet It!

TOMATO & MOZZ FUHGETTABOUTIT!

GO FIGure!

New Sandwich

I tried each and everyone of them (and went to the gym immediately the next day), but my favorite of all of these had to be the New York Hero. The taste was so fresh and delicious! Each of them had their various reasons for success that hopefully will turn Crumbs into more than just a bakeshop!

Tentatively starting June 18th, here are the locations that will feature the new lunch menu here in and out of Manhattan-

Broad St

Park Ave

Park South

Bryant Park

Garment

Grand Central

3rd Avenue

6th Avenue

7th Avenue

West

Newark Airport

Greenwich, CT

Want to know more about Crumbs and David Burke? Log onto David‘s and Crumb’s Twitter page to learn more about the unveiling and their businesses as well! Have fun!

Are you masc or fem? The ultimate debate in gay culture.

by Ryan Shea

Yes, this is the logo for this article.

So I have written about some very profound topics that plague the gay community such as open relationships and racism yet the one that remains that most prevalent and in your face is the idea of wanting someone who is more masculine (masc) or feminine (fem). This is becoming such a large part of our culture that it has even turned into a label such as bear, muscle or twink in terms of being a non-negotiable in what a man wants in another. Yet this whole idea really does blur the boundary lines of offensiveness in our society. How do we break this down? How did we get here? These are things that I have typically noticed not only in how I can view men (sometimes) but also with dating profiles, different bars I have been to, encounters with friends and boyfriends and above all the queen herself, New York City.

I want a straight acting guy. OK you know what show I really freaking love right now? Girl Code. Guy Code is great, don’t get me wrong. I still feel like they should do a Gay Guy Code but LOGO thinks they already have that covered with the ever present hot mess of a show 1 Girl 5 Gays (LOGO is a sister network of MTV. I swear I’m getting to a point). Anyways, during Girl Code they have a quick segment called “I Can’t” where one of the girls explains things they really just can’t stand about other girls. The opening line of this paragraph is the one thing that really justifies how fucking stupid gay men can be. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN STRAIGHT ACTING? It doesn’t. That I find to be on so many people’s profiles and requirements when it comes to another man but at the same time it makes no sense. I think instead of saying “straight acting” or “masculine” the best answer in this situation that would offend less people is butch. When you think butch, you think deep voiced and to a certain degree manly. If you wanted someone straight acting then go hit on a straight guy. To justify something of this sort really has no justification to it.

Media portrays gays as Jack McFarland. I do blame the media, I really do, for a part of our culture (nothing wrong with any of the following statements) that make the entire country have this predisposition that all gay men are Sean Hayes on Will & Grace. Sure, a ton of those guys exist. And the more, the merrier in my opinion. There just comes a point where I think a lot of men are afraid to bring out their inner Jack because other men would look at them and think or even say “Queen” or “fem bitch”. You know, something of that nature. A lot of the community that I am in sort of breeds itself on masculinity, but it can also play mind tricks on you when you see a hot muscle guy and they open their mouths and it isn’t what you think it will be. It’s an interesting juxtaposition to see someone so rugged yet so not at the same time. But it really does put into question a lot of things which is ultimately don’t judge a book by its cover. In any community, gay or straight.

GURLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. Yes, we all say that. But some people gay people get so offended by it (I have at times). We refer to each other as she or her, say everything like “Hunty” that many people think is designed for women to say to each other. I am not old enough to know if this terminology has always been apart of our culture, but it seems to be pretty relevant and prevalent to say this type of lingo. I for one have no problem with it, but does it fem us up when we are tipsy at the bar and the inner drag queen comes out? Not really. I think it’s just fun expressions when we are with our friends and not really a reflection as to who we are as a person.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again- DON’T FAKE IT. My friend and I back in May went to the opening of The Urban Bear Weekend at some remote place downtown that by the time we got there wasn’t very populated. We both met this really attractive gogo boy there. I for one consider myself to be deep voiced as does my friend, and when he came over he started talking a bit feminine but when he heard our voices switched gears. We both totally realized it. In my eyes, you shouldn’t have to do that. Embrace who you are, embrace how you speak, embrace whatever the fuck you feel. Don’t fake yourself to get another guy to like you no matter what the situation is. We always hear the term “be real” but for real be real!

Real Housewives of New Jersey Recap- Hurricane Season

by Ryan Shea

The long awaited return of one of the more popular Housewives franchises came back tonight with the fifth season premiere of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey”. Amidst a ton of rumors after last season of cast members leaving like Caroline, Jacqueline and Kathy, those were put to rest tonight when all of them have come back again. This series is a little different from the rest in that there really hasn’t been “recycled housewives” and there is still three of the original cast members and Melissa and Kathy have remained a series regular for the past three seasons.

We left off last season with everything in insane turmoil, notably from the intense three part reunion that left Teresa at odds with pretty much, well everybody. The show started tonight with everyone dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, in which the Jersey Shore was one of the areas in the east coast that got hit the most. To put it simply but beautifully, Melissa said- “Sandy, you are a bitch”. Incredibly true. Melissa, Teresa and Kathy go to the Jersey Shore to find their houses pretty destroyed from the inside. All seem to have pretty great attitudes about this in particular Caroline, who said “We lost power for 11 days, so what”. I am enjoying all the positivity in this episode so far, but we all know there is a different storm a brewing.

The majority of the episode focuses on Teresa and Melissa and getting their daughters together because respectively they each miss each other. Rightfully so. There is so much insane tension between the two women that even though they want them to hang out, they don’t know if being around each other is the right thing to do. Mind you, these women are acting more immature than their daughters themselves, in that they should look at the bigger picture and focus on making the relationships right with their children so they don’t wind up acting like Teresa’s mother and Kathy’s father who didn’t speak for years.

Besides the usual gab fest that is Terlissa, Jacqueline reveals more struggle in dealing with her son’s battle with Autism. You can see how incredibly frustrating it is for her and to see the relief on her face when he was able to say the word “iPad” was truly remarkable to watch. I can honestly say that Jacqueline has been my favorite throughout this besides Caroline because she truly is a good person that just happens to be going through a lot family wise with a disobedient daughter (although from the preview this season that might be changing) and a son who is going through a very tough condition. Love you Jacqueline.

The story line for Caroline seems to be family oriented yet the one curve ball here is that she has become somewhat of a sister now to Joe Gorga, Melissa’s husband. Joe sees her as a sister type that he feels he doesn’t have with Teresa, which somehow seems to irk Melissa. Rumor has it that they are making Melissa the villain this season which I thought should’ve happened in her original season as the new girl is always portrayed that way to a certain degree until the audience gets comfortable with them. WATCH WHAT HAPPENS!!!

Brad & Dylan’s “Cutest Couple” moment- historic.

by Ryan Shea

A picture can literally mean a thousand words, and in this case can be shared over 100,000 times. A simple posting by a girl named Chelsea on her Tumblr page had that amount of shares in less than 24 hours. You heard right, 24 hours. The photo itself had a simple caption that read this-

“Two of my best friends won Cutest Couple of our senior class. First time in my school history a same sex couple has even been able to run for this category, not to mention winning it. So proud of them, and my school.”

Who was the most surprised out of all of this? Brad and Dylan themselves. In a email written to The Huffington Post, they had this to say regarding the issue-

This whole thing has been a bit surreal for us because we have been raised to believe that love is love. We never realized that our happiness and openness would inspire so many individuals. The support we have received from our family, friends, and even strangers has led us to believe that our affection for each other is normal … When we started dating a year [ago], the thought of a photo of us traveling throughout the world would be a bit frightening, but now we are proud to be part of the LGBT community.

I wrote in the title of this article that it is historic for many different reasons. One- regardless of what kind of high school and environment you have come from this is a huge shocker that they were even nominated for it, and two that they won. What makes it amazing is how mature that particular high school was in choosing two people who just from the photo alone seem very in love yet their classmates viewed as just that and didn’t delve into homophobia or this being some gross prank that the senior guys pull for their own pathetic humor.

This may be a bit different but it has the same context. When we did Homecoming King and Queen, the girl that won was usually the one that everyone expected to win and the guy that one was the “joke vote”. I saw it happen pretty much every year and it made me disgusted that this form of bullying happened to something that was supposed to be nice and good for the man and woman that won it. When I was a junior, there was an openly gay senior that was up for King and to many people’s surprise he won. The football team looked devastated as the one they picked out to be thrown into the masses lost and for the first time in our school’s history a gay man actually won. I made sure I screamed loud and proud to silence the haters and what made it even better was that he won authentically and didn’t stuff the ballot box like the others did in years past.

This rings true for Dylan and Brad. I wish them nothing but happiness with each other and their own personal success. If this is how the youth of this country are seeing people past all the homophobia that is out, then we have a good shot that this generation will be a great one. Keep hope alive.

Ryan Shea

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