Don’t forget next Thursday, April 29, is the GSDBA’s GLBT Business Expo and San Diego’s GLBT Youth Pride is coming up on April 30 and May 1

Well, once again a member of our GLBT community has been elected to a national board, this time the prestigious and influential National Gay Newspaper Guild (with almost two million readers across the country). The Gay & Lesbian Times publisher Michael Portantino was elected national vice-president of this newspaper guild, the first San Diegan to hold this position. The board actually represents the publishers of the 12 largest and most respected publications in the country, and thus indeed have a lot of clout in shaping GLBT public opinion. Michael Portantino’s recent election to the national GLBT scene is not his first, as he is a past national board member of Family Pride, headquartered in Washington, D.C. Michael also spoke at the March on Washington rally to over 500,000 people… (the only publisher invited to speak). As our community knows, Michael Portantino gives back to our community with thousands of dollars worth of advertising to countless nonprofit charities and benefits… He also supports numerous GLBT-friendly candidates… all this while raising his daughter, now more beautiful than ever, Tatiana, who is 17 (I remember when she was a little toddler). Congratulations, Mike, you’ve done San Diego proud!

One of San Diego’s most popular, hard working and yes, beautiful, elected officials, Congressmember Susan Davis, will celebrate her 60th, yes 60th birthday (she must have found the fountain of youth!) next Saturday, May 1, and you’re all invited to a big blowout of a party, with swing dancing… Many of us have supported Susan since her days on the school board and she has always been a very dedicated and hard-working public servant for all the people… and one of the nicest, too… her birthday bash will be at the beautiful Riverwalk Golf Club… It’s a fundraiser for her re-election, so phone (619) 685-7800 for more information.

Yes, it’s time to cast your vote for your favorites in San Diego… this Friday and Saturday night, your local bars will have their voting parties going full-swing for San Diego’s “gay academy awards”, yes, the Nicky Awards… Voting will also be at The Center on Saturday afternoon.

Tickets for the Nicky Awards are going like hot cakes with well over half of the ballroom sold out… The awards are set for Sunday, May 9… For tables, ticket information, etc., phone (619) 757-0197 or (619) 692-1967.

We all know that Taste of Szechuan is the very best Chinese restaurant on the West coast! Located in Hillcrest (670 University Ave.), it has won more awards and Reader polls (San Diego Union-Tribune reader polls as well) than any other, and is always voted number one… Now Discover Guides, which has won the prestigious Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award as the best guide book in America, has released its Best of San Diego guidebook for the millions of tourists visiting our nation’s seventh largest city, and has named Taste of Szechuan the number-one best “ethnic” restaurant in all of San Diego! I’ve been going to Taste of Szechuan since it opened, and it has always been my personal favorite. A big congratulations to Patrick, the popular owner, and his family…. As the guide said, the “food is fresh and carefully prepared”… so stop by before all the tourists get this popular guidebook, because then the world will discover our secret!

Last year, Patti’s Bar won a Nicky Award for Best Neighborhood Bar and now its legions of fans are following it to its new location in North Park: 3829 30th St. It is open seven days a week with nightly drink specials, karaoke and live dancers during “Tipping the Velvet” on Saturdays. The new “Patti’s San Diego” has a dance floor, four comfortable couches, two pool tables, 50-cent darts, juke box and more. Everyone is made to feel welcome and it’s like being at a friend’s house… So check out this new fun spot, and for further information phone (619) 299-3144.

That infamous male strip show of hot, hunky strippers from Australia are doing a show every Thursday night at the Pala Casino (8:00 p.m.). Though billed as a “girl’s night out,” men – especially us gay men – will not be turned away at the door and are more than welcomed ($19 cover). I’ve seen these strippers, and they are sizzling hot and beefy. Many have a “huge” personality. For more information or tickets, phone (714) 740-2000.

The Latino community is growing bigger every year in California as well as in the GLBT community. We now in San Diego have a Latino GLBT center, GLBT Latino Pride festival, GLBT Latino nights in almost every bar, Latino GLBT pageants, leather clubs, publications, etc. So now, Rafael Holguin, an award-winning film producer for All World’s Videos, is putting on the ‘Premios Latinos’ awards for the Latino community in San Diego. Tickets are only $10 and public voting takes place at the awards from 6:00-6:30 p.m. This is a benefit for Bienestar and Azteca Project… For more information, phone (619) 871-9167… Russel Roybal will be the special MC of the event.

Nineteen hundred hot guys are in town for the RSVP Mexican Riviera cruise, and Club Montage is throwing the official Bon Voyage Party! $2 you-call-its all night on Friday (now open until 4:00 a.m.!) and Skyy Melon Boys all night on Saturday, with a Nicky voting party at 10:00 p.m. DJs Bryan Pruett and Jack Jones spin until 4:00 a.m.