The Latest

The Santo Domingo Book Fair opened Monday night and runs through May 7, 2006. If you are visiting Santo Domingo please go by and check it out. There are over 400 exhibitors, along with music and dance performances. One of the cultural highlights of the Dominican Republic.

I want to thank everyone who has donated money, food and medicines to La Casa Rosada. It does my heart good to see so many people who have contacted me personally, sent money, bought food, etc. Just this past weekend a group from Los Angeles went by and donated a lot of food, clothes and other gifts. See what happens when people put their minds together and decide they are going to make a change. I take my hat off to you guys. You done good! I am going to have a meeting with a representative of the orphanage and see if a website can be setup where people can go and make donations online.

When I first moved here in January 2004, there was a group of guys that hung out in my neighborhood. The ringleader of this group was tall, chocolate and handsome. As I am a very proper white lady, I would never dream of cruising anyone around there. At night on the weekends, the guys would congregate across the street in front of the Barbershop. I, and my clients would look, but I had strict orders for NO ONE to fuck with any of the guys in the neigborhood. One very humid summer night I was in the lobby on the computer, and this little boy comes to the gate to hand me a piece of paper. I was very leery, but I took the paper. On it was a telephone number. Being as nosy as I am, I immediately called the number. The voice on the other end told me, "I am the black boy u like." Since there are many I like, I told him he had to be more specific. He described himself and told me to look out the door, because he was standing across the street. I was intrigued, but very cautious. I told him we should meet in front of the restaurant Dumbo's. I figured if this was a setup I would say that I was getting a cup of coffee. Long story short. We met and developed a friendship. We would get together from time-to-time, and just hang out and have a good time. Around this time, I found out that the local drag queen hairdresser was pursuing him. One of his boys gave him up and told his uncle. Then, during one of our clandestine meetings we were spotted by a queen that lived down the street from me. He sweared she didn't see us, but I was certain she did. She did. The very next night when I went into the Sports Bar, the head backup singer said, "I heard you have a new boyfriend." He would call me from periodically to check in. A couple of months ago he did a gay porn movie. He and I talked about this and because he lived with his grandparents he swore he would never do the movie. Fast forward and I'm holding court again in the Sports Bar and the same backup singer (Maripolio) came to tell me that my friend had filmed a scene that day. I refused to believe it. But, again, Maripolio was correct. I then get an email with a photo of him from the movie. Just recently, I had been hearing rumors that people in his neighborhood were buzzing about him doing this movie. I tried to get in touch with him to see what was going on. His phone was not working. I called his friends and was finally able to speak with him. The same friend who told about him talking with the drag queen, gave him up again. His grandparents and everyone in the neighborhood now know that he did a gay porn movie. He has been thrown out of his house and is now ostracized in the neighborhood. I tried to warn him, but unfortunately, I was like him at that age. Worry about the consequences later. Very, very sad.

Did you know that Oscar de la Renta has a son who is "moreno?" I remember reading about it on one of my favorite sites www.newyorksocialdiary.com, but didn't pay it much attention. Last week, I was watching Ms. Oprah because I knew that Oscar was going to be on the show and he was going to be showing his exquisite house in Punta Cana. And it is that, exquisite. Right on the ocean. Then Oprah went to introduce his children to the audience. And there was Moises de la Renta. Then Oprah did something that I thought was so tacky. She said, "now, how did you get a black son?" Okay, yes, I'm sure people were wondering, it was just how she said it.

Naive or Stupid? That was a post I did some time ago that elicited a lot of comments. Anytime that I do posts like that I get a lot of "Anthony, are you talking about me?" That always amazes me, because I think if YOU see something in there, then maybe I am. It is not that I'm necessarily talking about you, but if the shoe fits ... Recently, I got an email that basically took me to task for calling people stupid or naive. They wanted to know if I had ever been in love? Made stupid decisions? And so on. WELL OF COURSE I HAVE! I guess what bugged me most is when he asked why is it such a big deal for me to save all the people that I consider to be "stupid or naive?" I'm not trying to save everybody. I also understand that there are those that are HAPPY to remain stupid or naive. The bottom line is that we all (myself included) believe what we want to believe. I'm still going to call 'em as I see 'em. Sue me!

Looking for an apartment to stay on your next visit to Santo Domingo? Well, there is a beautifully furnished 3 bedroom/2 bath duplex in the Colonial Zone for short-term rentals. The apartment has its own private entrance, along with a lovely balcony AND a huge terrace. Click here for more information. Don't forget to let them know that you read about it on the Monaga blog. Maybe you will get a discount.