Friday, December 17, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
BALTIMORE
Baltimore is a city of contrasts. There is a lot of poverty in and around Baltimore....but there are also amazing parts of the city as well. When I am Baltimore, I usually stay in the Inner Harbor area. This is the tourist area of Baltimore and one of the few places you will not need a car. In fact, when I stay in the Inner Harbor, I usually never get a rental car.
Lining the sides of the harbor itself are a ton of shops and restaurants. You can find anything from the national chains...to restaurants with more of a local flare. Right in the middle of the Inner Harbor is the National Aquarium. Although I have never been inside it myself (why visit it when I have the largest and best aquarium in my hometown of Atlanta!).....but I have been told it is pretty cool inside. Alongside the aquarium are a number of permanently docked US Navy and Coast Guard ships that you can tour. This area also seems to be one of the safest areas of the city as well.
Right next to the Inner Harbor is "Little Italy". This part of Baltimore is filled with one Italian Restaurant after another. On the advice of a local, I went to Sabatino's Italian Restaurant. I was told their house salad dressing was amazing....and their pasta was great as well. I definitely will go back here next time I am in Baltimore. Also....if you like gelato....there are numerous gelato shoppes around "Little Italy".
Since I visited Baltimore last, the city has introduced the downtown/inner harbor "Circulator". This bus system is free and arrives every 10 minutes. There is a north-south line...and an east-west line. The beauty of this system is that the buses are new, very nice, and have GPS systems onboard. These GPS systems let you track (on the Internet) when the next bus will be at your location. Also....most of the bus stops have digital readouts that give you an idea when the next "Circulator" bus will be arriving. Being someone that HATES public transportation (and avoids is like the plague), I actually enjoyed using the Circulator buses.
If you are looking for a gym in the Inner Harbor, there is really only one good option (there used to be two good options...but the Golds Gym at the Inner Harbor closed a month ago). The Maryland Athletic Club (MAC) on President Street is a great new facility. The equipment is all new and the gym is really nice. This is more of a health club than a gym....and the crowd seems pretty metro-sexual (straight).
From talking to gay guys in Baltimore, I get the impression that this is not much of a gay city. Gay guys usually live here because they are in school, work in the city, or have family close by. Most of the guys I talk to would prefer to live in "gayer" cities like DC and NYC....but they are here out of necessity....and not by choice.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
MINNEAPOLIS
Although the winters in Minneapolis are brutal, the summer is hard to beat anywhere in the US. With tons of trails for biking, running, and strolling....and beautiful lakes everywhere....it is easy to see why the residents of Minneapolis put up with the miserable winters. My first trip to Minneapolis was in the dead of the winter, and it was so cold that I thought I was going to die that weekend. My body never felt so cold. Now I only visit Minneapolis once the weather gets warmer. With an average summer high in the 70s, Minneapolis becomes an outdoor paradise.
When I am in Minneapolis, I stay close to St.Louis Park. I like this area, because there are a ton of restaurant and gym options within a short drive. I tried staying downtown one weekend, but the downtown area pretty much shuts down during the weekend....and finding restaurants and shops open during the weekend can be challenging.
I have found 2 great gym options in Minneapolis. By far the best is the Lifetime Fitness in St.Louis Park. This huge facility has both great equipment and a ton of hot guys. Although most of the guys are straight there, the gym is known to be very cruisy in the wet areas.
The other option is the LA Fitness in Uptown. Although this gym is only a few months old, a ton of hot metrosexuals and hot gay guys have migrated to this gym. Equipment-wise, this gym can not be beat. The equipment is all new and top-notch. Although I never entered the "wet area" of this gym, it did not seem all that cruisy. I get the impression that guys go to Lifetime Fitness if they want the steam room action, and the LA Fitness if they want a serious workout.
If you are in the mood for some serious shopping, the largest mall in the US is located in Minneapolis. The Mall of America is so large that there is even an amusement park located in the middle of the mall (pictured above).
Minnesota is also the hometown of a number of porn stars including Brandon Wilde, David Dakota and Hayden Chandler.
All in all, I love visiting Minneapolis.....I just avoid it at all costs in the winter.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
ATLANTA
After numerous requests, I have decided to finally write about my home city, Atlanta. I moved to Atlanta after graduating from Notre Dame and loved every minute of it. I often get asked when traveling "why Atlanta" and "what is special about Atlanta"? At least for me, Atlanta seems to have a lot of the qualities that I love in a city. Do not get me wrong, there are a number of equally good cities, but few that have as many great qualities as Atlanta possesses.
First of all, Atlanta is a large city (which I prefer), so as a city it possesses all of the qualities that most big cities have (i.e. a huge gay population, a ton of business/work opportunities, the arts, shopping, and lots of great places to eat). Where Atlanta beats most cities is on the cost of living. Compared to places like DC, Chicago, Boston, LA, San Francisco, NYC --- Atlanta is CHEAP! Housing is cheap, food is cheap, and most of the services are cheap as well. So you get to live in a big city without the expense of one.
If you decide to visit Atlanta, I would recommend staying in the Midtown area. Midtown is the center of gay Atlanta. Midtown is filled with a ton of restaurants, gay owned shopping, gyms, nightlife, and most of the culture/arts for Atlanta. Although most of Midtown is walkable, it is definitely easier if you have a car.
The other option is to stay in Buckhead. Just north of Midtown, the Buckhead area is where you will find all of the best shopping in Atlanta. There are two major malls in Buckhead (across the street from each other).....Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza. Lenox Square has more of the traditional mall stores (but in larger formats) and Phipps Plaza has more of the ultra high-end shops.
If you want to workout in Atlanta, there are a number of good options for visitors. The Ansley Mall location of LA Fitness is considered the gay gym in Atlanta (although there is a gym called Gravity Fitness that is also gay....but since this gym is off the beaten path, I would not recommend trying to find it). If you are looking for more of a mixed (gay/straight) gym, then the LA Fitness/Esporta Gym at 5th/Spring or the LA Fitness in Buckhead are also good options as well.
There is a ton of nightlife in Atlanta. If you are looking for more of a cocktail bar, then Blakes (younger crowd) and Burkharts (older crowd) are your best bets. If you are the leather/levi type then there is the Heretic (more levi/leather) or the Eagle (all leather). If you are in the mood to dance, then Jungle is a great option (it is a huge dance club). There are a ton of other options in Atlanta, but that will get you started.
If you like strippers, one of the best stripper bars in the country is in Atlanta. Swinging Richards is one of the few places where the guys get totally nude on stage. And unlike the strippers I have encountered in a lot of cities, these guys are truly hot (although a large percentage of them are straight). It can be a lot of fun to get a lap dance from a hot straight guy!
Atlanta is also home to my porn studio (Jason Sparks Entertainment and ClubJasonSparks.com). When you are there, stop in Brushstrokes (the big gay porn store) and ask to see the Jason Sparks Entertainment section....and say hi to the owners Mark and Tom for me. :)
The one thing you will notice about Atlanta is a ton of hot young guys. Being the center of the southeast, Atlanta attracts all of the young southern boys trying to escape small town southeastern cities. There is continual "fresh meat" moving to the city...and that makes it fun!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
BOSTON
Boston in the spring/summer/fall is amazing! Boston in the winter is just harsh! I visit Boston 2 times a year.....and my winter trips are my least favorite. Like a lot of northeastern US large cities, Boston is a walking city. As with any walking city, you can not escape the elements. That walk to the gym in 20 degree weather (with the wind whipping around you) is downright miserable.
When I am in Boston, I usually stay in the Copley Place area or in the Theatre District. Either area is convenient. For those of you that have never been to Boston before, Copley Place is a huge indoor mall that spans a dozen office buildings and hotels. Each part of the mall is connected over street level by 2nd story skywalks. If the weather is bad in Boston, you can literally stay at one of the hotels above the mall and never go outside. There is a gym in the mall, a ton of restaurants, and a lot of shopping too. Just about anything you need you can find in Copley Place.
If the weather is nice outside, I prefer to stay in the Theatre District. Halfway between the South End (the gay area of Boston) and Copley Place, this hotel is within walking distance of just about everything in Boston. One of my favorite places in Boston is the Boston Commons (pictured above). This large park right in the middle of the city is a great place to get away from the hustle and bussel of the city. It is a great place to relax and one of the places that makes Boston special.
Just a few blocks from Boston Commons is Newberry Street. This is Boston's high-end shopping area. Since most of these shops are in old townhouses, it is a very quaint street. There are lots of cool restaurants and a plethora of boutique shops.
As far as gyms go, Boston Sports Club (BSC) dominates this city. With locations everywhere, you are within a 10-15 min walk from one of their locations no matter where you stay in the city. I prefer the South End location. This location is the "gay" gym. I have heard that the showers/sauna is cruisy there....but I have never showered at this gym. When I stay at Copley Place, there are 2 BSC's close by. Once is just across the street from Copley Place...and the other is on Newberry Street. I have been to both of them....and neither seem all that gay. Regardless of which one you go to, all of them have great equipment and you will get a good workout.
One of the things you will notice about Boston is the amount of young, hot gay guys in this city. With a ton of colleges and universities in an around Boston, this city is FILLED with hotties. So...if you like the younger guys....and can take the weather....then this city is definitely for you!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
DALLAS
When I think of vacation spots, Dallas is definitely not on the top of that list. What is great about Dallas is that it is a very "livable" city. Its not expensive to live in (in fact, the cost of living in Dallas is relatively cheap!) and there is enough to do that will keep your attention.
I actually like Dallas a lot. It is in my Top-10 list of cities I could move to in a heartbeat. It is centrally located and you can fly just about anywhere from the sprawling DFW airport. There is a HUGE gay population in Dallas and a lot of nightlife. For a big city, it is just an easy place to reside.
When I visit Dallas, I usually stay in the Market Center area of Dallas. Being right on I-35, this area is easy to get all around the city. It is also just minutes from the gay area of Dallas. I prefer to stay at the Renaissance Hotel in the Market Center area. It is centrally located and has great views of the downtown skyline (the picture above was taken from the top of the Renaissance Hotel).
As far as gyms go, there are a few options I have tried in Dallas. There is a new LA Fitness about 5 minutes from Market Center. Since this gym is new, it is still relatively dead....so if you want eye candy then you are at the wrong place. If you want a quiet, nice gym then this is a great option for you. Also, if you are looking to swim, this gym has a great indoor pool.
The next option is the 24-Hour Fitness downtown. Built on top of a parking deck in the center of downtown, this gym is about half gay....but does not have the eye candy vibe I prefer at a gym. This gym does have a co-ed steam/sauna/hot tub....and I have heard they can get cruisy as well.
There is an Equinox intown in Dallas. I have not been to this gym....but I heard it is nice but small.
Finally is the Golds Gym on McKinney. This gym is AMAZING! It is half gay/half straight.....and FILLED with hotties!!!! If you are the type that gets intimidated at the gym, then this is definitely not the gym for you. It is all VERY HOT metrosexual straight guys and VERY HOT gay guys. Definitely the pretty boy gym. The equipment here is second to none as well. The gym is new, clean, and nice. But....if you are looking for cruisy....then this is NOT the gym for you. This is more of the stand-and-pose crowd....and not cruisy at all. This is definitely my gym of choice in Dallas.
If you get in the mood for some nude swimming, then Club Dallas is a great option. They have a nice outdoor clothing-optional pool where you can relax and get that all-over tan. Nighttime skinny-dipping is my favorite! They also have a pretty nice gym as well....so you can workout and tan nude all in one afternoon.
All in all, I would say Dallas is a great place to live it. There is everything you need in a big city....all without the cost and hassle of other large cities.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
SPRINGFIELD, MASS
As many of you know, I travel the country all the time. This time I decided to take a driving tour of the Northeastern USA. Two of the cities on my list were Hartford,CT and Albany,NY. Looking at the map I noticed that I would have to drive right thru Springfield. Since I had never been there before, I decided to try a new city and spent 2 nights there.
It was definitely an interesting city. On one hand, there are some amazing architectural elements in the city including some cool ornate bridges and some really neat buildings. The building pictured above is the symphony hall and it is stunning. There are a number of cool buildings in Springfield.
The other thing I noticed about this city is the fact that a large part of the area is depressed. According to the locals I spoke with, the city used to be a big manufacturing area; and when they factories closed the area went down and has never fully recovered.
The other thing I have learned from my travels is that you can learn a lot about a city from what the locals think of it. In large part, most of the locals here that I met say they would prefer to live elsewhere, but their job keeps them here. That is a telling sign that the city itself needs work.
There are a few cool things I found in the city. The Basketball Hall of Fame is located downtown in Springfield....and the Dr. Seuss Museum is located here as well (Dr. Seuss is from Springfield). The city sits right on the Connecticut River, and there are walking trails all along the riverfront.
I went to an amazing LA Fitness in Springfield. It is one of the largest ones I have been to and it is right on the river. All of the cardio face the river so the going to this gym can be quite relaxing. The equipment here is amazing and I was very impressed with this gym. It has a full sized pool and basketball courts as well. I was there on a weekend and it was not very busy...but amazingly it was mostly gay guys when I was there.
On Saturday night I decided to leave my hotel and head out. I had been told about a stripper bar called Club Xstatic. I thought it would be fun to check it out for myself. The general manager of the bar recognized me from my porn work and proceeded to give me shots. Although I am not much of a drinker, I took them anyway. By the end of the night, I had a number of the strippers giving me lap dances. It was a LOT of fun to say the least! Oh...and in this strip bar, the dancers get totally naked....so that was a plus as well!
All in all, I had a great time in Springfield.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
PORTLAND
Portland, Oregon sits in one of the most scenic parts of the United States. Resting between towering mountains and quaint hills, the setting is unbelievable (see picture above). Since the climate is not as extreme as the rest if the northern USA, the trees are green even in the winter. This adds to the year-round charm of the city.
Portland is also one of the "greenest" cities in the USA. The city prides itself on its stewardship of the environment. With everything from recycling everywhere (including in each hotel room --- which is rare)...to bike trails throughout the city...to an amazing public transportation system (which is nice, clean, and FREE in most parts of the city), Portland is all about the environment.
When I am in Portland, I always stay downtown. Since everything is within walking distance, I never get a rental car in Portland. Even if you want to another part of the city, there is a streetcar line close by to take you there. And....as I mentioned before....a good part of the streetcar system is FREE!!! As an added bonus, the streetcars go where you actually WANT to go (unlike a lot of cities....where you still need a car to get around).
If you get a wild hair, there is a bathhouse in Portland called STEAM. Although I have never been there, I am told it is quite nice. STEAM is located just outside of downtown and you can either cab it there or find your way on the streetcars. All of the gay bars are located downtown as well....so you have everything you need close by.
If you are looking for a great gym, the 24-Hour Fitness in the Pearl District is the place I like most. It is a mix of gay and straight...and there are always a ton of hotties working out. With eye-candy everywhere and great equipment too, this is a great choice of gyms.
Speaking of the Pearl District, this part of downtown is all old 2-4 story brick warehouses that have all been converted into a uber-cool hip area to live. With stunning lofts, cool art galleries, and great restaurants, the Pearl District is a must see when in Portland.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
NASHVILLE
With all of the traveling I do, people are constantly surprised when I mention that Nashville is one of my favorite cities to visit. Considering its size, Nashville has a lot of the features you would find in a much larger city. Home to country music, this city has a ton of bars downtown where you can watch live bands.
I usually stay close to Vanderbilt University in the West End area of Nashville. In addition to being close to downtown and the university, it is also the area with the 2 main gay bars. Tribe is the main gay video bar in Nashville and great for cocktails. PLAY is next door and is a great dance club. Since they are next to each other, you can make a night of fun without driving all over the city. I do not go out to bars much when I travel, but I make a point of going out to PLAY every time I am in Nashville.
Also in the West End/Vanderbilt area is Centennial Park. In the middle of this park is a full-scale reconstruction of the original Greek Parthenon (see picture above). Its a pretty cool sight right in the middle of the city.
The gym situation in Nashville is rough. The best place to workout in Nashville (by FAR) is the YMCA. But, they have recently instituted a new policy at the Nashville area YMCA's where you can not buy a day pass anymore. If you are not a member of another YMCA in another city, then you are out of luck. I have worked out at the Urban Active gyms in Nashville, and although they have great equipment, the crowd is not all that great. But, if you just want a good workout and do not want eye-candy, then Urban Active is a good alternative to the YMCA. But, if you can find a way to get into the YMCA, that is definitely the place to go.
JUSTIN RYDER & WADE WILDER & TYLER ANDREWS
See a VERY HOT 3-way scene with Justin Ryder & Wade Wilder & Tyler Andrews only at http://ClubJasonSparks.com
Monday, February 22, 2010
ANN ARBOR UPDATED
If you read my blog post about Ann Arbor I wrote last year, one thing you will remember is how disappointed I was with the gym options I found. Well, I just visited Ann Arbor again and found a gym worth going to. The Arbor Fit Club is in the space of the old Golds Gym. Although the equipment is still the same as when it was Golds a few years ago, the equipment is still in great shape and has everything you need. Also, you will find a lot of hot eye candy at the gym too. There is also tanning and a smoothie bar....so you will find everything you need at this location. This gym is a few minutes off the beaten-path....but definitely worth the drive!
During this trip I went back to downtown Ann Arbor (pictured above). Centered on the University of Michigan campus, this is a cute, quaint downtown with everything you would need in a city. It gives Ann Arbor a ton of charm and worth visiting!
Saturday, February 6, 2010
SEATTLE
If you have never been to Seattle, the first thing you will notice is the scenery. The city itself sits between the mountains and the water. The setting is amazing. The only negative to this part of the country is the weather. It seems to rain every day. Unlike most cities that pour down rain for a while and then clear up, the rain in Seattle is like a fine mist/drissle all the time. For the sun-worshipers, it can be depressing...but it does add character to the city.
I always stay downtown in Seattle. There are numerous nice hotels downtown and everything you would need is within walking distance. If you stay downtown, you are also close to the tourist attractions including the Space Needle. If you have the time, I would highly recommend a trip to the top of the Space Needle (pictured above). Towering above the city, you get great views of the entire area from the top of the Space Needle.
If you are looking for a great gym in downtown Seattle, then the 24-Hour Fitness on Yale Avenue is a great option. In addition to this gyms reputation for being a very gay gym, it also has great equipment as well. Also, since it is within a few blocks of most of the downtown hotels, it is in a very convenient location as well.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
PALM SPRINGS
Sometimes you just want to get away and relax. One of my favorite places to do that is Palm Springs. Located in the desert about 90 miles west of Los Angeles, Palm Springs is a city built on relaxation. From the many golf courses to the clothing-optional resorts, Palm Springs has a wide variety of options.
One thing I like about Palm Springs is the setting. Sitting in the middle of the desert, the city itself is flat; but rising from the sides of the city are towering mountains. The view is picturesque. Another cool thing about Palm Springs is the drive into the city. Right as you are about to enter the city, you come across a HUGE windmill farm (pictured above). Hundreds of windmills line the valley and mountainside and it is a really cool site to see.
When I visit Palm Springs, I usually stay in one of the many gay clothing-optional resorts. The city has a bunch of them and in my opinion they are the best places to stay. For me, there is nothing better than relaxing naked in a hot tub at midnight before I head to bed. In the past, I have always stayed at Inn Exile. Although this resort is very relaxing, it is also a pretty quiet place.....great if you are visiting with a boyfriend. This past trip I stayed at All Worlds Resort. Since All Worlds sells day and night passes, there are always a new mix of people hanging out at the resort. Since there is not a ton of stuff to do in Palm Springs, this new mix of people keeps it from getting boring. My advice is to choose your resort wisely before going to Palm Springs. Decide what is most important to you and stay at the resort that best fits your needs.
If you decide to hit the gym while in Palm Springs, World Gym is the place to go. The equipment is great and the guys that run the gym are first rate. The crowd is older (much like the city itself) and I have been told the wet area is very cruisy.....but since I have never showered there I can not independently confirm that. I like the gym because the equipment is first rate.
Downtown Palm Springs has a quaint village-like feel to it. The main downtown street is lined with cool local shops and restaurants. On my last trip I found a neat local chocolate shop. Since I am addicted to chocolate I was in heaven!! Probably not the healthiest thing you can eat....but chocolate is my vice (although I guess it is better than most vices).
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