Manhattan Chowder, Back in the Big Apple

My apartment in DC is only 3 and a half blocks from Dupont Circle, the big gay neighborhood down here. I'm even closer to Logan Circle which has begun eclipsing Dupont's gay reputation in recent years. The two neighborhoods are right next to each other and much like the West Village and Chelsea (or Chelsea and Hells Kitchen for that matter) once we came in and gentrified the neighborhood we priced ourselves out and had to move on to the next one.

Believe it or not, I did not choose the apartment based on the neighborhood (I didn't even know about Logan Circle at the time), I just got lucky. I have to say I really like living in a gay neighborhood again. There is a very nice sense of community here. It's a different feeling from the gay neighborhoods in New York which seem centered around gyms, bars and restaurants. Here there are still things like gay bookstores (Note Lambda Rising in the second photos) which have all but disappeared from New York. In addition to supplying specialized literature, Lambda Rising provides a brick and mortar meeting place for social and political activism. This being DC there are constant reminders of politics whether its the Human Rights Campaign gift shop or volunteers for the DNC or Greenpeace on every corner. Oh, and I never forget my earth-friendly reusable grocery bag down here. They give you the stink eye if they see you walking down the street with a plastic bag.

The photos above are a couple of boys in Dupont Circle, the stretch of Connecticut Avenue just north of the circle which includes Lambda Rising, and the fountain that graces the center of the circle. It's usually surrounded by people taking time to read a book, friends catching up or those just looking to get some sun.