VINTAGE NEW HOPE

Over the weekend as you know my good friend and blogger pal Kailyn was her from San Francisco. We spent the better part of the weekend drunk happily touring New Hope. I think Kailyn might have said she was ready to move here. For my newer readers, yours truly lives outside Philadelphia by 45 minutes in beautiful Bucks County. The quaint town of New Hope is a major draw and a HUGE gay destination. What about the history?  Well George Washington crossed the river right up the road, but,  around the turn of the last century, artists began to congregate in and around the town of New Hope in Bucks County. This quaint little town along the Delaware River is situated less then forty miles from Philadelphia and sixty miles from Manhattan. Artists found New Hope appealing because the picturesque surroundings provided endless subjects to paint. It was also in close proximity to the nation’s art capitals of New York and Philadelphia. After the artist arrived it wasn't long before writers, who were considered" racy" found a refuge, followed by many in the performing arts, and singers. Followed by New Agers, and witches, and finally the gays also found it home. To this day, I have never experienced another town like New Hope. When one goes out to dine, it's not uncommon to see a table of four straight couples, sitting next to a gay couple or two, who are across from a group of lesbians, next to a bunch of biker dudes, who just happen to be sharing a table with four transsexuals, while several tables over sit a group of punk rock kids, talking to two drag queens. Meanwhile in the corner sits Hugh Jackman and his manager who came down from  New York to par take of dinner after the show he did on Broadway years ago!!!! I swear I can still smell his cologne. It really is like a paradise where everyone gets along. But the big gay legendary place is my ever faithful playground The Raven Resort, which has the Oak Room Bar, where the late Elaine Stritch and others were known to show up a couple of times and sing show tunes with men in the room, which still continues every Saturday night, a bed and breakfast, a stunning pool, and a renowned restaurant, Poe. It's always famous for their go-go boy Thursday nights and their Lipstick Monday Drag Shows. The Raven was once know as Le Camp till around 1976, where it was renamed the Raven. Imagine my surprise to come across these vintage gems from yester year.

 

If your in the area of New Hope, or Philadelphia or parts of Jersey, and some of the community says their going to "The Pool", chances were, and still are, it's the The Raven!!!!

 

 

New Hope's legendary drag queen, Mother who is no longer with us.

 

The old Cartwheel Nightclub

 

Mother's Restaurant was named after Mother and is still here today.

 

I can't believe how it has architecturally changed, but you know what... still fun and camp as ever. I feel honored to be part of it's colorful history.