The FORUM, as a Club Prive?

[Guest CURIOUS35]

:-) :-) :-) :-)

 

My God! You have met the concierge...yeah he as a cape...always...he was indeed friendly and an asset to the club!

 

You gave away the year! LOl

 

The FAO is a source of nice foreigners to meet. My friends, who worked there were always bringing tax-free goods for me...at a very reasonable price of course!

 

A priest? hmmmm, I hope we are not talking about the same person! I do know the habitues of the are... hustlers...hunters and prey! who were good looking and very gentle to people like me. I have a stinking feeling we know the same person/priest (he has since changed his ranking!)

 

You went o l'Eau Vive! I loved the place too...for the prices they charged the wait and the cloister-lile-place...it is a bargain find!

I miss the food!

 

Keep in touch!

[Guest CURIOUS35]

>I went to the St, James on my first visit to Rome in 1989,

>unfortunately, the evening that I stopped into the St. James

>for a drink, the place was empty. There was one young guy at

>the bar and he finished his drink and left leaving me alone

>with the bartender. Oh well, I still loved my first visit to

>Rome and have been back on several ocassions to enjoy all that

>the city has to offer. It wasn't important for me to hook up

>with anyone on my trip because I had such a full schedule of

>seeing all that Rome had to offer.

>

>ED

 

 

:-) :-) :-) :-)

 

Did you like the place? you met a hustler/skater boy! Perhaps a street urchin...run-away from the Souther part of Italy! The gigolos of Rome till now are discrete...well-dressed..speaks a foreign language or ties to speak english and do not ply their trade blatantly! They are models... students...foreign ex-pats (Americans included), who just can not resist living life --La Dolce Vita!

 

I have to check Spartacus for the latest listing about SAt. James (does it still exists? I know I could not afford the book when I was a student! ,,,I was able to glance at the book (green?) at that time courtesy of some vsiting friends from all over!

 

St james was the primordial club listed. I am sure there are newer and better places in Rome and the bigger Italian cities.

 

I will try to find out for you guys, who are curious about the life in L'Italia (gay or otherwise!)

[edjames]

Sitting alone in an empty bar with a bartender who spoke little to no English was not my idea of a good time. I left and had a lovely walk through Rome back to my hotel. Gay bars are gay bars, they are the same all over the world. At this time in my life I've been to so many gay establishments I should get mileage for my patronage! LOL

 

Don't romanticize the moment. Alas, I met no one that evening at the St. James.

 

ED

[Guest CURIOUS35]

>Sitting alone in an empty bar with a bartender who spoke

>little to no English was not my idea of a good time.

 

 

It is unfortunate you did not realise that there is beauty and challenge in trying to communicate to another person who does not speak your language. Italians are known to gesticulate and make sign languages in trying to understand and be understood. I had fun my very first week in Rome, when I landed at Fiumicino and realised, I have to learn the language to survive. In my travels, there are some things I will never leave home with out : my credit cards, a traveller's guide (Spartacus is well recommended), and a phrase book...when in doubt, I always point to the english sentence in the phrase book point to the phrase and let the other guy look at it -- and 8 out of ten he understands what II meant, wanted or like! It is fun, but then again, I am me, you may not like taking chances like me

 

 

I left

>and had a lovely walk through Rome back to my hotel.

 

And you never noticed the beautiful men/boys in the streets?

 

> Gay bars are gay bars, they are the same all over the world.

 

I agree with you on the generality of what you said, but I will digress a little bit...Gay bars in different parts of the world have different mind sets, culture and perhaps characters. These are some things I try to tune in whenever I am in a new ; or even familiar places I have not visited recently. I try to acclimatize for at least an hour...and then I join the merriment!

 

Gay bars do change over time. I say this having lived in many parts of Asia, Europe and North America for many many years

 

At this

>time in my life I've been to so many gay establishments I

>should get mileage for my patronage! LOL

 

Did you register for a frequent flyer membership?

 

>

>Don't romanticize the moment. Alas, I met no one that evening

>at the St. James.

 

St James just like most Italian establishments came alive at VERY SPECIFIC hours of the night and also depending on the day of the week...the appointed cinderella ball may begin earlier than or later than 11:00 p.m. (I remember, my friends and I were usually at the Piazza Navona, the Theater or some parties before the apponted hour. no Italian habitue will ne caught dead arriving first on the scene...Italians usually come in droves at very specific hours. There are places to be seen, heard and have fun before midnight

 

I think your experience could be attributed to : Your going to experience the joy of St. James at a time, akin to roaming Rome in the summer months and finding only foreigners gawking at you (The Italinas go to the mountain, the seaside or ourtside of their cities in teh summer! . What I am trying to say is: you did not come at the time when the place would be rocking. It happened to many tourists I met before...Of course, when I met them, I helped them understand the orario fusso of the place! I made a lot of friends being a tourist bureau of sorts to people who are lost! Tsome remained friends to this day

 

I do not romanticize my experiences...NEVER! I remember the past as though they were a few minutes before. Looking back, I honestly could not believe I have lived a full life as a very young coming of age student in Europe. I do have the flair for words in 5 languages ...and I am a natural narrator of the past...I am also a keen observant of the present andf I hope,truly hope...that I will not suffer the fate of having bitter-filled memories like some people, who never remember or dont wish to remember the people, places and events of their past!

 

Life is a ball! My only goal is to live the moment and savor the events and be an active participant of the parade!

 

P.S. my repartee is in no way an upfront to your civility or experience. It is nothing more than a wishful thinking, "I wished I was there to help you!" Helping comes as a second nature to me!

 

 

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

[Guest CURIOUS35]

>Sitting alone in an empty bar with a bartender who spoke

>little to no English was not my idea of a good time.

 

 

It is unfortunate you did not realise that there is beauty and challenge in trying to communicate to another person who does not speak your language. Italians are known to gesticulate and make sign languages in trying to understand and be understood. I had fun my very first week in Rome, when I landed at Fiumicino and realised, I have to learn the language to survive. In my travels, there are some things I will never leave home with out : my credit cards, a traveller's guide (Spartacus is well recommended), and a phrase book...when in doubt, I always point to the english sentence in the phrase book point to the phrase and let the other guy look at it -- and 8 out of ten he understands what II meant, wanted or like! It is fun, but then again, I am me, you may not like taking chances like me

 

 

I left

>and had a lovely walk through Rome back to my hotel.

 

And you never noticed the beautiful men/boys in the streets?

 

> Gay bars are gay bars, they are the same all over the world.

 

I agree with you on the generality of what you said, but I will digress a little bit...Gay bars in different parts of the world have different mind sets, culture and perhaps characters. These are some things I try to tune in whenever I am in a new ; or even familiar places I have not visited recently. I try to acclimatize for at least an hour...and then I join the merriment!

 

Gay bars do change over time. I say this having lived in many parts of Asia, Europe and North America for many many years

 

At this

>time in my life I've been to so many gay establishments I

>should get mileage for my patronage! LOL

 

Did you register for a frequent flyer membership?

 

>

>Don't romanticize the moment. Alas, I met no one that evening

>at the St. James.

 

St James just like most Italian establishments came alive at VERY SPECIFIC hours of the night and also depending on the day of the week...the appointed cinderella ball may begin earlier than or later than 11:00 p.m. (I remember, my friends and I were usually at the Piazza Navona, the Theater or some parties before the apponted hour. no Italian habitue will ne caught dead arriving first on the scene...Italians usually come in droves at very specific hours. There are places to be seen, heard and have fun before midnight

 

I think your experience could be attributed to : Your going to experience the joy of St. James at a time, akin to roaming Rome in the summer months and finding only foreigners gawking at you (The Italinas go to the mountain, the seaside or ourtside of their cities in teh summer! . What I am trying to say is: you did not come at the time when the place would be rocking. It happened to many tourists I met before...Of course, when I met them, I helped them understand the orario fusso of the place! I made a lot of friends being a tourist bureau of sorts to people who are lost! Tsome remained friends to this day

 

I do not romanticize my experiences...NEVER! I remember the past as though they were a few minutes before. Looking back, I honestly could not believe I have lived a full life as a very young coming of age student in Europe. I do have the flair for words in 5 languages ...and I am a natural narrator of the past...I am also a keen observant of the present andf I hope,truly hope...that I will not suffer the fate of having bitter-filled memories like some people, who never remember or dont wish to remember the people, places and events of their past!

 

Life is a ball! My only goal is to live the moment and savor the events and be an active participant of the parade!

 

P.S. my repartee is in no way an upfront to your civility or experience. It is nothing more than a wishful thinking, "I wished I was there to help you!" Helping comes as a second nature to me!

 

 

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

[Guest CURIOUS35]

Gay bars are gay bars, they are the same all over the world. At this

>time in my life I've been to so many gay establishments I

>should get mileage for my patronage! LOL

 

Did you by chance check out L'Alibi? considered the "IN" Disco (yeah they used the term to attract American tourists)dance/bar/show lounge that was the HIP equivalent of St. James. The place still exists to day. It is located in what was called a slaughter house area! ( )

 

 

Or the ultra-chic Jackie O Club in Via Veneto, that attracted the jet-setters of the world at that time. It was never considered a gay bar or a cruising place, but all I know was the Club hosts and many of its gay patrons walk in droves to St. James, when the action dies down in the club. St. James was a few blocks near the ancient walls at the end of Via Veneto (Hadrian?-- I need to go to my city guide! lol).

 

 

 

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

[Guest CURIOUS35]

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

 

I believed then as I believe now that this Forum will survive any and all other forum if it is treated with propriety and decorum...like the club prive, it was envisioned to be!

 

Just replying, reading and visiting the most recent threads, I saw that the members may have divergent views, persuasions, political leanings, experiences and clique requirements (?) and preferences and taste for friends and escorts -- but it all converge to a certain point! WE are human beings in need of social interactions real or cyber!

 

As for the Internet personas of the people around here... I guess it is all a matter of preference!

 

I am happy to know that the cyber personas of all the members here, point to the direction I wanted to go to -->Make peace, and find happiness! ( No! I am not a member of the Miss Universe Candidate development committtee. :)I am glad that certain issues have been clarified and hopefully, RESPECT for each other will permeate the posts and replies to the forum! Don't get me wrong...some bitchy remarks, cynical connotations and one word repartees are not a nuisance for me, on the contrary, I often laugh or smile a the contraditions posted! But beyond the B word used as a term of endearment... I wish WE would all refrain from attacking the Person... let us discuss the issues with respect towards our co-posters. I hope all members will read the Message center Rules from tme to time...lest we forget!

 

Just like the St. James Club -- there will be cliques! And I for one will be a member of as many cliques in the forum and visit as many threads (posting if I feel like it!)--One thing I really noticed, reminders are sometimes useful in a forum of people!

 

 

 

:-) :-) :-) :-)