Members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community can be found in almost every part of the world but while some cities seem to accept this community easily there are others that do not due to religious and other beliefs. Members of  the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender   community in several global cities organize and stage annual events which celebrate the community and also highlight the various challenges that it faces. These annual events which are popularly known as ‘Gay Prides’ often feature theater, music, debate, art and entertainment events that are staged in order to raise awareness of the discrimination and  the  difficulties the members of the LGBT community face around the world.

Gay Prides in several cities like London, New York and Berlin take place in the last week of June. The origin of these prides   can be traced back to an incident known as the Stonewall Riots which took place in June 1968 in the Greenwich Village area of New York. During this era, police personnel in New York City and in other parts of the US used to raid bars where members of the gay and lesbian community were known to hang out. The police used to raid these bars on the pretext of liquor law violations but their main targets were gays and lesbians who were often locked up on flimsy charges. The names of those who were arrested then used to be published in newspapers and they used to then be subsequently fired from their jobs or discriminated against.

On the night of 28th June 1969, when the police raided the Stonewall Inn in New York City’s Greenwich Village, the members of the gay community rose up and fought a pitched battle with the police. This incident has come to be known as the Stonewall Rebellion or the Stonewall Riots which the inspiration for these colorful, raucous pride celebrations which include parades, dances, walking tours and exhibitions all of which celebrate the LGBT liberation movement.

New York Pride March

New York’s annual pride march usually takes place over the last weekend in June and features a parade with floats, music, dancing and much glamor. This pride march is not simply a parade but a march which highlights the issues facing the community which is still struggling to achieve equality in all aspects of life. The annual pride march usually kicks off at noon at 5th Avenue and 52nd street in Manhattan and heads down to 5th Avenue and Eighth Street before continuing on to Greenwich Village where it ends at Christopher and Greenwich streets, which is the location of the famous Stonewall inn. This march usually is the culminating event of a week that features several ‘gay ‘events.

Pride London

Pride London is London’s annual gay celebration which aims to promote equality and diversity through the various events of the Pride Festival. This Pride Festival is usually held from mid June until the first weekend in July. It aims to promote understanding and cooperation as it endeavors to educate the people about the discrimination faced by the LGBT community. London’s Pride festival also features a parade which takes place on the last weekend and it is witnessed by over 500,000 people as it passes through the streets of Central London. This parade usually kicks off at Baker Street at midday and travels down the tourist Mecca of Oxford Street before it moves onto Regent Street and Piccadilly to its final destination at Trafalgar square where a party atmosphere prevails with stalls and stage performers.

San Francisco Pride Celebrations

The Californian city of San Francisco hosts one of the largest gay festivals in USA. This event is usually end over the last weekend of June and is packed with a wide variety of exhibitors, famous artists, music performances, dance stages and much more. This festival is usually held in the Civic Center of downtown San Francisco.

Berlin – Christopher Street Day Parade

The German City of Berlin also has its “Gay Pride Week” at the end of June. This festival features gay football tournament, music concerts, dance parties and the Christopher Street Day Parade which travels through the city streets and culminates in a rally at the Siegessäule

Amsterdam Gay Pride

The Amsterdam Gay Pride is one of the most colorful and fun filled of all gay prides. It is usually held in late July and it features tons of fun events like street parties and parties at the biggest gay clubs. However the highlight of the Amsterdam Gay Pride weekend is the Canal Parade which features 75 beautifully decorated boats that float  in a parade formation on the Prinsengracht and Amstel rivers. The Amsterdam Gay Pride is typically watched by 350,000 spectators every year.

Buenos Aires Gay  Pride

The port city of Buenos Aires hosts its Gay Pride in the first weekend in November every year. This Gay Pride commemorates the formation of the Gay community in Buenos Aires. This formation dates back to 1969. Buenos Aires’s first Gay Pride was held in 1992 and today it features a parade that features drag queens and elaborately decorated floats. This parade proceeds from the Plaza de Mayo to Plaza Congreso and highlights the challenges that face the Buenos Aires Gay community.

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

Sydney holds its two week long Gay Pride during the month of February and this event tends  to coincide with the other Mardi Gras celebrations around the world. This festival usually features three main events Fair Day, Parade and Party along with many other events like dance parties and music performance by local and international artists. Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is  considered to one of the most important events of its annual event calendar.

USA’s Summer music festival calendar usually kicks off with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival which takes place in the desert city of Indio in California every April, this festival, which features major international and domestic acts, is soon followed by other annual music festivals like Bonnaroo, which is traditionally held in the month of June and is a music and camping festival that is quite similar to England’s famed Glastonbury Festival. Bonnaroo also features a plethora of artists who perform on the many stages which are erected for the event on the grounds of a seven hundred acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee.

Bonnarroo is soon followed by Milwaukee’s Summerfest. Summerfest is believed to be the World’s Largest Music Festival as it extends over eleven days and features the hottest acts of the music world along with perennial favorites like Bon Jovi. This year, Summerfest will be held from the 25th of July to the 5th of July daily from noon to midnight at various venues in downtown Milwaukee against the backdrop of gorgeous Lake Michigan. This musical extravaganza will also feature food and beverage stalls, a market and interactive exhibits, all of which will contribute to the festival atmosphere at the event.

Fourth of July Music Festivals

Several other American cities will celebrate the nation’s Independence Day holiday by hosting their own music festivals like the Essence Music Festival which is to be held at the Superdome in the city of New Orleans. The Essence Music Festival in addition to honoring America’s independence is the largest event in the country that celebrates African American culture and lifestyle. This event, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year will be held from  the 3rd of July until  the 5th of July. The Essence Music Festival will feature headlining acts like Beyonce, John Legend, Lionel Richie, Maxwell, Ne-Yo, Salt-n-Pepa, Anita Baker and Al Green. The event will also feature seminars and talks by prominent African American personalities like Bill Cosby and CNN’s Roland Martin. These seminars will feature as a part of the Essence Empowerment Seminar Series that takes place in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center as a  part of the festival.

Another music  festival which  has been scheduled for the fourth of July weekend is the  Rothbury Music Festival, which is to be held on the grounds of Double JJ Ranch in the village of Rothbury in Michigan. This festival, which also features camping, promotes sustainability and the environment. In fact, the Rothbury Festival is a true ‘green’ festival which believes in leading by example. The Rothbury Music Festival will be held over four days from the 2nd of July to the 5th of July. This festival mainly features Jam, Folk and Indie acts and this year’s lineup includes acts like The Dead, Bob Dylan, the Black Crowes and Willie Nelson amongst others.

Native American Music Festivals

Several American summer music festivals also celebrate Native American music forms like Bluegrass. Bluegrass is a form of music that evolved from Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English sounds and it was brought to America by immigrants who came from these countries. This form of music usually features stringed instruments and may or may not feature vocals. The Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, which is held on a 200 acre farm in the Catskills Mountains of Upstate New York celebrates this form of music. This  year, this festival will be held over four days from the 16th to the 19th of July.

The Mulberry Mountain Harvest Music Festival, which is to be held from the 12th of August to the 15th of August, is another such festival which celebrates bluegrass music. This four day affair will also feature camping, arts and crafts, workshops, food and mountain trails. The Mulberry Mountain Harvest Music Festival is traditionally held on a 650 acre resort which is located in the heart of the Arkansas Ozark Mountains.

True Summer Music Festivals

Parks are usually the epicenters of summertime activity and accordingly several prominent city parks in various U.S. cities will also play host to these summer music festivals like the verdant Empire State Park, which is located just outside New York City in Jersey City. This park will play host to the All Points West Music and Arts Festival, which will be held over three days from the 31st of July to the 2nd of August and will feature acts like Coldplay and Echo and the Bunnymen.

Similarly, Grant Park in downtown Chicago will host the eclectic and immensely popular Lollapalooza festival from the 7th to the 9th of August, while the Golden Gate Park, which is located in downtown San Francisco, will host the San Francisco Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, which will feature great music and good food and wines of the region. The San Francisco Outside Lands Festival will be held over three days from the 28th of August to the 30th of August.

End of Summer Festivals

The Labor Day holiday, which is usually celebrated over the first weekend in September, officially marks the end of summer in the USA though the warm weather tends to linger on way past this holiday. The popular ski resort of Aspen, usually hosts a Jazz Festival called the Jazz Aspen Snowmass to celebrate Labor Day. This festival is a Jazz festival in name only as it features several other genres of music like indie rock, hip-hop and funk as well. This year, the Jazz Aspen Snowmass will be held over the Labor Day weekend from September 4th to September 6th at the Snowmass Town Park in Snowmass Village, Aspen. This festival will feature several prominent and well known acts like the Black Eyed Peas, the Doobie Brothers and the Allman Brothers Band.

If you live in the USA or if you are planning to visit the USA this summer, do try and have a traditional US summertime experience by attending one of these summer music festivals which are often considered to be a highlight of the American summer.

A  Full English or A Full Monty or a Fry-Up

The British love their hearty breakfast meal and depending on where you are in the British Isles, this breakfast meal is known either as a Full English or a Full Scottish or a Full Irish with various regional variations. Since I tend to be based in London, a breakfast meal here tends to consist of eggs, bacon, fried or grilled tomatoes, baked beans, sauteed mushrooms, toast and sausages. Many cafes and restaurants even offer other traditional additions, such as black pudding or Bubble and Squeak. A full English breakfast, which has all these goodies, is often also referred to as a Full Monty or a Fry-up. The Full Monty is truly a hearty affair and after you have indulged in one, you usually don’t need to eat for the rest of the day.

Bubble and Squeak

This yummy fried concoction can trace its origins to the times of scarcity during WWII when left over vegetables from a traditional Sunday roast were combined with mashed potatoes and served as a breakfast accompaniment or even added to an evening meal of cold meat (also left overs from the previous day’s lunch) and pickles.

Black Pudding

Black Pudding or blood sausage, is a dark sausage which is stuffed with pig’s blood mixed with pork fat or barley. It is definitely savory and not sweet as its name suggests. Black pudding is also often battered and fried and served as a snack in British chippy shops (fish and chip shops).

Yorkshire pudding

A Yorkshire pudding is not a pudding in the traditional sense, but rather a golden brown puff which is a traditional component of a Sunday roast lunch, which also features roast potatoes and gravy. As its name suggests, Yorkshire pudding originated in the North eastern county of Yorkshire in England. It was initially used as filler for poor people who couldn’t afford meat. Years ago, meat used to be cooked on a spit and the pudding batter used to be placed under the meat and the juices from the meat would drip on the batter and if there wasn’t enough meat to go around, these Yorkshire puddings used to be doused in gravy and served as the main meal to young children.

Toad in the hole or Toad in a hole

Toad in the hole is the ultimate British comfort food, though it is quite full of fat and quite an artery clogger, as it is a combination of both the sausage and batter used for Yorkshire pudding. To get the pudding to rise, most chefs recommend the use of butter or bacon grease rather than margarine or vegetable oil. Toad in the Hole is a favorite pub dish which is also made for special occasions like Christmas. It is usually served with vegetables and gravy. Needless to add, it doesn’t feature any amphibians of any kind.

Bangers and Mash

Bangers and Mash is another classic British comfort food dish, which started out as a dish that was popular with the working class and is now also served at many Tony Gastro pubs that grace London’s dining landscape. Bangers refers to the traditional British beef or pork sausages which are traditionally served on Mash or ordinary mashed potatoes. Bangers and Mash are usually topped with onion gravy and downed with a glass of cider. The term ‘banger’ refers to the sausage’s tendency to crackle or bang in the pan when it is cooked over high heat and not to any rocking head banger!.

Shepherd’s Pie/Cottage Pie

This pie is not made exclusively by a shepherd or for a shepherd, but it has its origins in the late eighteenth century when the potato was touted as an edible vegetable for poor people.   Shepherd’s or cottage pie is made with beef or lamb which is then topped with mashed potato and baked.

Welsh rarebit/Welsh rabbit

Yet another delectable British classic, Welsh Rarebit or Welsh Rabbit, is a dish which features a sauce made of melted cheddar cheese that is sometimes seasoned with ale, mustard, cayenne pepper or paprika that is placed on slices of bread and baked. Contrary to its unusual name, Welsh Rarebit/Rabbit doesn’t feature any cute bunnies, so animal lovers can breathe a sigh of relief.

Cream Tea

The British love their tea and tea time is yet another revered British tradition when they usually enjoy indulging in cream tea or tea that is served with milk and is accompanied by warm freshly baked scones, clotted not whipped cream and strawberry jam. One of the best places in London to enjoy cream tea is at the temple of good food, Fortnum and Mason which has a tea room that serves a traditionally British cream tea as well as a champagne cream tea.

Suet Pudding/Spotted Dick

Suet refers to the fatty substance that surrounds the kidneys and loins of sheep and cattle. This white and fibrous substance is mixed with flour and used to make puddings like Death by Suet, which is made from boiled Suet and served with golden syrup. After Eight chocolates or the Spotted Dick, is a steamed suet pudding which is made with sultanas and raisins that give the pudding it’s name - spotted.

Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns usually make their appearance at Easter time and consist of a currant or raisin yeast bun which is adorned by a cross made from lemon flavored icing. These Hot Cross Buns were originally used in old English ceremonies and rituals. The Christian Church tried to ban them but such was their popularity that it wasn’t able to so it went ahead and adopted these buns when Queen Elizabeth I passed a law which stated that these buns were to be only consumed during religious festivals like Easter. These Hot Cross Buns are extremely popular even today and have also inspired a favored children’s nursery rhyme.

Mince Pies

Mince Pies are a British Christmas treat. These pies originally were made with minced meat but meat was dropped in the nineteenth century and now these mince pies feature a filing of ‘mincemeat’ which is made of apples, dried fruit and spices.  Mince pies are a beloved British treat which were once banned in the 17th century by the ‘Lord Protector’ Oliver Cromwell who regarded Christmas as a pagan holiday and detested it. He then went on to ban the Christmas celebration in 1657 but thankfully Christmas was restored when King Charles II ascended the throne in 1660.

Next time you are in Great Britian or anywhere else in the United Kingdom, you must try and sample some of these weirdly named but utterly delicious British foods.

I still remember the times when my grandmother used to talk about how incredibly special air travel was in the 1950’s when it was the domain of the privileged few. During those times, people used to dress up elaborately for their journeys and formal attire aboard for a journey by air was the accepted norm. However, over the years as air travel has become increasingly popular, all this has changed. Moreover, air travel has also become way more stressful in a post 9/11 world where travelers are subjected to numerous checks and searches even before they board an aircraft.

I do tend to travel a fair bit, but my aircraft journeys tend to stress me out immensely as I am always worrying about seemingly trivial stuff like the weight of my checked baggage (no laughing matter in this age of huge airline fees for slightly overweight luggage) and the location of my seat on the aircraft (I am quite tall and always want an exit row seat but this is not always possible and nowadays I have to usually cough up extra for this so-called privilege). Added to these pet peeves are other irritations which arise due to the seemingly annoying behavior of some of my fellow passengers. I’m sure even you have experienced some of these situations on your own journeys and can easily identify with the types of annoying behavior listed below.

The Overhead Bin Loaders

The overhead bin loaders have so much hand luggage and duty free that not only do they occupy their own space, but hijack yours as well. On a recent transatlantic flight, I was one of the last people to board and by the time I got on and located my seat, I discovered that overhead bins above my seat were all full with my seatmate’s hand luggage and I had nowhere to put my rolling bag which contained my laptop. A complaint to the stewardess was met with a suggestion to put the bag in the hold as the aircraft was full. I really didn’t fancy putting my laptop in the hold and searched the cabin frantically myself until I was able to locate an overhead bin which could comfortably accommodate my hand carry.

The Supreme Recliners

The supreme recliners get on an aircraft and promptly believe in stretching out in order to be as comfortable as possible. They don’t really care about the discomfort they can cause to the person seated directly behind them. The only time they do straighten their seats, is when the steward/stewardess specifically asks them to and this is only when the meals are being served or the aircraft is in take off or landing mode.

Chatty Cathys/Nosy Parkers

Essentially, the same kind of traveler who believes that sharing a row of seats gives them the right to know your life history. Most times when I get on a flight, all I want to do is to be able to listen to my iPod and read a book or take in all the movies that are available on the in-flight entertainment system. I don’t really want to make small talk, but this is not always possible when you are seated next to a chatty Cathy or a nosy Parker who tend introduce themselves to you at the very beginning of the flight and then continue to prattle on for the rest of the journey.

The Unwashed Wonders

Some travelers can be quite lackadaisical in matters of personal hygiene and when they are seated in a crowded aircraft cabin, this can cause immense discomfort to their seatmates. This problem is even more pronounced if the flight is totally full and their travel mates don’t have the option to change seats. Perhaps the wearing of masks could somehow help to deal with this rather uncomfortable and unpleasant situation.

The Over-Spillers

Some travelers because of their size find it difficult to fit on a single seat in the economy class cabin and tend to encroach on the personal space of their fellow travelers to their chagrin. Some airlines have even taken notice of this and now ask certain large sized travelers to buy two seats if they cannot fit comfortably in one seat.

The Bathroom Hogs

The economy class cabin on most airlines has nearly 400-500 seats. Moreover, these cabins are usually equipped with only four to six lavatories for all these people. However, some travelers don’t really seem to care about these statistics as once they get into the lavatory, they tend to dawdle in there for ages while a long line steadily builds up outside the door of the lavatory. I believe this problem is even more acute of the new A380 planes which have additional seats in the coach cabin while they have the same number of lavatories as othertypes of aircraft.

The Road Runners

The road runners are those passengers who are always in such a tearing hurry that as soon as the aircraft lands and taxis to the gateway; they gather their belongings and brusquely push past you in an effort to get off the aircraft as quickly as possible. Often, all this hurrying is of no use, especially when there are long lines at immigration or when bags are delayed at the luggage carousel and they are then forced to wait around with their fellow passengers who have deplaned much after them.

I am sure you have encountered some or all of these types of airline passengers and unless you are flush enough to travel in a private suite in the first class cabin of an aircraft, some of these annoyances are likely to be featured on your next aircraft journey. Though these annoyances can get on your nerves, I guess you just have to accept the fact that they are a part and parcel of modern day air travel while you grin and bear it. Happy Travels!

In fact, this large Midwestern city has long been associated with great foods. Certain popular treats like Italian beef (roast beef) and the Deep Dish Pizza were actually invented in Chicago. Other famous Chicago foods include the Chicago style hot dog which is a boiled or steamed all beef hot dog that was invented in Chicago during the depression era at its famous Maxwell Street Market, Polish Sandwiches, Chicago Steaks and Chicago style Barbecue foods.

If you have only heard of Chicago’s rich culinary heritage and have always wanted to sample these mouthwatering delights, you should perhaps plan to attend the upcoming Taste of Chicago 2009. Taste of Chicago is one of the biggest annual events in Chicago and the world’s largest outdoor food festival which has been known to attract more than six million people every year. This year this foodie extravaganza is to be held from Friday 26th June to Sunday, 5th July.

Location, Location

This culinary safari will take place in one of the prettiest parks in Chicago called Grant Park. The festival will be hosted in the area of the park that lies between Monroe Avenue and Balbo Drive and Michigan Avenue and Lake Shore Drive. Grant Park, which is also known as Chicago’s front yard, is an extremely convenient location for it can be easily accessed via public transport. Moreover, the park is a prominent landmark in Chicago, as it is the site of three world class museums namely the Art Institute, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Shedd Aquarium. Grant Park also houses the Petrillo Music Shell, which was originally designed for the use of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, but is today the site of a number of music performances which provide much entertainment to the many festival goers.

History

The origin of this grand food fest can be traced to 1980, when a group of local Chicago restaurateurs approached the Mayor of Chicago with the idea of holding a food festival as a celebration of the Fourth of July (American Independence) holiday. The first Taste of Chicago was held at Michigan Avenue on the banks of the Chicago River. This inaugural festival was a runaway success that attracted more than 250,000 people and it soon came to be established as Chicago’s most celebrated event.

Tickets and admission

Admission to the festival is free, but in order to sample the wide variety of foods on offer, you have to purchase festival tickets. These festival tickets are sold in strips of 12 for $8. Entrée sized items will cost you ten tickets while smaller samplers can be had for half the strip. Moreover, the many participating Chicago restaurants offer a ‘taste’ portion of their signature dishes which cost only 2-3 tickets. More than 70 Chicago restaurants and other food vendors take part in this grand gastronomic event every year which offers nearly three hundred different kinds of foods. One upscale Chicago restaurant occupies the Gourmet Pavilion daily and offers attendees a taste of its signature dishes.

Entertainment

Over the years, the Taste of Chicago has evolved from a mere food festival to an event which seems to emphasize on family fun. Accordingly, the festivals organizers put together many events for the festival goers like free music concerts which feature many local and international acts, cooking demonstrations and amusements and rides which cater to the children attending the fair.

Big Bang

Since the festival is generally held over the Fourth of July weekend, it also includes a huge firework display which traditionally takes place on the eve of the Fourth of July. This display is usually preceded by performance by the Grant Park Orchestra at the Petrillo Music Shell. This firework display has been known to attract a million people. For information about the firework display and other special events at this year’s Taste of Chicago, please visit the official website of the Taste of Chicago.

If this post has got you salivating for a taste of Chicago and you are now planning to attend this food fest, then perhaps you might want to check out the many accommodation options that you have in the city of  Chicago. Like any big urban center, Chicago has a wide variety of hotels to suit every budget, like the five star rated Swissotel Chicago Hotel which is located on Michigan Avenue. Though your accommodation options in the windy city also include more modest and wallet friendly hotels like the Amalfi Hotel and Chicago Hilton Hotel, both of which are located in the center of the city and provide easy access to the location of this immensely appetizing food festival.