The Dooryard

Toys for Tots 2007

The 22nd (believe it or not) annual Toys For Tots party in Manhattan will have some familiarity and some changes. The biggest changes are a $35 ticket price and a need to buy a ticket in advance of the party. The beauty of the party in the past is that it's cost the price of a toy to get in. That has opened it up for anyone who can pull together $10 in change to buy a toy. Unfortunately, this year it's going to cost $45 (the ticket and a toy, which will be at least $10), and some people who get priced out of every other fun gay party will be priced out of this one, too.

I know it doesn't seem like a lot to most of the affluent gay Manhattanites who go to these things, but $45 is just out of the price range of many people, gay or straight. It's my constant complaint about gay culture: That it is elitist because the "lower class" is kept out of the who's-who parties. This party was always the exception to that rule. Oh well. I'm sure the organizers have good reason for wanting to raise $70,000 in ticket prices, so this isn't a criticism of them. It just sucks that this one great annual party is evolving into every other higher-priced gay gala.

One thing kind of does bug me a bit. Maybe this is how it's always been, but I never realized it. Three of the organizations this event is benefitting are religious institutions: Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, Brick Presbyterian Church, and St. Ann's Episcopal Church. Given I have no desire to support any religious institution, chances are I'll (sadly) be skipping this year, unless Dan tells me I have to go. There are no good NFL games that afternoon, so maybe.

Party specs:
Toys For Tots 2007
Metropolitan Pavilion (125 W. 18th Street)
Sunday, Dec. 2, 5pm-9pm
You must by a ticket in advance

Hot Chocolate

I love hot chocolate. Heck, I love chocolate; But hot chocolate brings with it so many wonderful feelings and memories of sledding on a snow day and getting out from the cold at my parents' cabin in Maine. As a kid, we always had pretty crappy hot chocolate made from a powdery sugary mix from Swiss Miss. In the last year, however, I have discovered hot chocolate made in a way that has renewed my love affair with it.

It came last winter when I was watching Martha Stewart make hot chocolate with real chocolate (recipe). I tried it out on our trip to Aspen last January and it was divine. I haven't made it yet this year, but I rediscovered The City Bakery's hot chocolate (above) that, at $5 (with an extra marshmallow), is the best I've ever had from a store. And I just discovered that in February of last year, The City Bakery had a hot chocolate festival, with a different flavor every day (pray it returns this year!).

A side note: Avoid Starbucks' hot chocolate. While their coffee is strong in flavor, their hot chocolate is little more than a chocolate syrup warmed up with hot milk.

New York magazine did a review of the city's best hot chocolate, which you can find here.

Boo! I missed Toys For Tots

For the first time while living in New York, I missed the wonderful Toys For Tots party. But it was with good reason. My team in the New York Gay Football League made it to the quarterfinals. In our conference, we are the 2-seed, and we played the 3-seed, whom we had beaten by two touchdowns just two weeks ago. This game was very different, but we managed to pull out a 2-point win, 32-30.

I threw four TD passes and ran for one more. But I also threw the worst interception I've thrown all season. I throw with receivers gloves (sounds crazy, but I make it work, and I'm glad I do in this cold weather). Every once in a while the ball gets "stuck" in the glove. Well, the ball came out about 1/10th of a second after it was supposed to - and went right into the waiting hands of the cornerback.

I heard the party was a great success. It always is. My bf said it started a little slow (doesn't every party), but it picked up.

If you have pictures of the party that I can post, please do send them my way at mabutimoose@yahoo.com.

Toys For Tots 2006: Where and When

Because I've gotten so many emails and questions about the 2006 Toys For Tots Party for the gays, I'm reposting the information here. It's this Sunday, Dec. 3, 5pm-9pm, at Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea.

Unfortunately, I may not be able to attend this year, as my football league's second round of playoffs are at the same time as the party. And whether I'm playing or reffing, I'm sure I wouldn't be welcome with open arms in a football jersey covered in mud. I'll be sending along a football for the kids nonetheless. Afterall, that's what it's about, right? Right?

Giving thanks while acknowledging the suffering

I learned about Thanksgiving in my Cape Cod elementary school about 45 miles from Plimoth Plantation. New Englanders take that early American history very seriously, and the celebration of Thanksgiving has always been dear to me. It was taught to me as a coming together of Pilgrims and American Indians, before the two sides embarked on a bitter war that waged for two centuries.

Some teachers are now using Thanksgiving to teach about the atrocities of the European settlement of America. There's a fine line here that begs for explanation. The first Thanksgiving supper was, by all accounts, a peaceful one of sharing (actually, there's only one written account of the feast itself, but there's nothing else to suggest that there was hostility between the English and the Wampanoag Indians). The celebration of that meal should reflect the meal itself.

However, the treatment of the American Indians by the Europeans was at times atrocious. The worst atrocity committed by any president was the Cherokees' Trail of Tears, which was an illegal expulsion of the Cherokee Indians from Georgia by President Andrew Jackson (the first Democrat elected president). Many American Indians certainly committed crimes against the Europeans, but to nowhere near the extent that the Whites slaughtered the Indians.

I think it's important that our children understand that history. But I also think it's important that our children be allowed and encouraged to celebrate the positive moments of our history, not just wash over them because bad things happened, too. This Thursday, I'll be thinking of my ancestors on both sides of the struggle (my family goes back to the American Indians and the early settlers of 1620 and 1621), and I'll be thanking them for their contribution to what has become this country I so love.

Get your turkey now!

I still hadn't done my Thanksgiving shopping when I walked into Whole Foods this morning to get a muffin. I was shocked to find the place rather empty. I grabbed a cart and whizzed through the store in about 15 minutes, grabbing everything I needed (including an 11-pound turkey).

From my past experience, I strongly recommend getting what you need today, especially the turkey. Tonight and all day tomorrow, the stores will be jampacked (and the selection of turkeys will either dwindle or evaporate entirely).

Marines say no to Jesus

This is too good to be true. The Marines' Toys For Tots drive rejected an attempted donation of 4,000 talking Jesus dolls. The dolls are manufactured by a company called one2believe, whose stated objective is to "teach 10 million children 50 Bible stories by 2007."

The doll says varies verses from the Bible, including many of the old stand-bys like "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son."

Then there's one I don't even remember: "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit." Ahem.

See . . . Jesus made me gay!

Toys for Tots Party 2006

My favorite party of the year is taking place Sunday, Dec. 3, at the Metropolitan Pavilion in Chelsea. You have to bring a toy to get in, and that toy goes to the Marines' Toys For Tots program that delivers toys to needy kids. It's been moved from Chelsea Piers, where it has been for the last two years.

I hope to see you there - it's a very noble cause and a wonderful way to welcome in the holiday season. Plus, everyone seems to have their guard down at the party, so it's also a nice way to make new friends.

Previously: Photos and notes from Toys For Tots 2005

Dick Clark's moving new year's eve

Dan and I spent one of the nicest New Year's Eves we've had - at home by ourselves. We watched Dick Clark's special on ABC and we both thought it was very special. It was Clark's return to his special night since his stroke. He spoke with a speech impediment and addressed it head-on. We both thought it was wonderful that he would come onto national television not 100% and show a good face.

"Last year I had a stroke," he said moments after he came on the screen. "It left me in bad shape. I had to teach myself how to walk and talk again. It's been a long, hard fight. My speech is not perfect but I'm getting there."

Lots of people wouldn't want to "mar" their image. Clark's foray back onto national television was memorable and moving and made this new year's eve a little more special for his having shared this experience with all of us. Thank you, Dick, for sharing this memory.

Loved TFT yet again

Another great Toys For Tots party has come and gone. This year I just might have had more fun than last year. It's probably because I now know tons of people in this city (amazing what a year of the football league can do) and it was awesome to see so many friendly faces at the party. Plus, the couple people who hate my blog and threatened to find me at the party didn't - could have been the Chris Cormier nametag I was wearing.

Again, it was great seeing the mountain of toys that the partygoers had donated. I think gay men can get so detached from children - even the existence of them - and it's great to see them come out in force for such a good cause to benefit underprivileged kids.

Seen: Towleroad blogger Andy Towle, football player and politico Corey Johnson with his present boss, New York State attorney general candidate Mark Green, CBS News on Logo correspondents Jason Bellini and Itay Hod, former New York Blade editor Steve Weinstein (in pic on left; I'm on the right), TV personality Will Wikle.

And remember: if you're interested in going next year, check back here around Thanksgiving for the details. (A couple pics after the jump)