Have you seen the changes at the Lounge?

It's beautiful. Jonda and Christa, their partners, helpers and friends have been working super hard to renovate the downstairs and it has paid off in efficiency, beauty and space.

You've got to come in and check it out. Seriously, it's so much nicer in the Lounge now than it ever has been!

Come see us soon... especially if you haven't been in a while because it's too crowded, or you can't get through the place, or you felt claustrophobic... 'coz we've fixed all that!

We love your ass!

Wow! What a great night! The Lipstick Lounge's fifth annual Hallowe'en Bash was last night, and Christa and Red showed up as movers... since that's how they had spent their day! And Jonda and Rachel came as Hugh Hefner and a Playboy bunny. Tom played host, with his freshly shaven head and drawn-on curlicue of hair representing a grown-up and foul-mouthed Charlie Brown.

We started with our famous Drag Race, one of East Nashville's most anticipated community events. About 300 folks braved the chill to watch as Hula-Girl Justin came in first place, barely beating out our good friend Cees who looked lovely in his sequined dress... and mustache.

Our first "Scary-Oke" contest was an enormous success-- over twenty contestants-- despite our blowing a fuse and taking the competition down for about ten minutes. Once we got the problem fixed, we gave out three cash prizes.

THIRD PLACE, $100, went to a very sexy Zorro, alias Jamey Walls, who sang "Wanted Dead Or Alive," very apt for his bandito persona.

SECOND PLACE, $200, was awarded to a couple whose amazing costumes paid homage to Michael Keaton and Winona Rider from Beetlejuice, singing the song from that film's memorable dinner scene, "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)."

FIRST PLACE, $300, went to lovely Leslie Mills, who represented Alice in Wonderland in her sweet blue dress and apron, rocking out to "White Rabbit," the classic Jefferson Airplane tune that takes Lewis Carroll's children's classic and puts it on some serious psycho-active drugs.

After the contest, DJ Butter rocked the house until close. What a fantastic evening! We're glad you guys made it such a success!

Congratulations to our winners! Pictures have been posted on the web site so you can see what you missed! So make sure you mark your calendar for next year's event!

We love your ass!

Most of our clientele are wonderful, savvy folks-about-town who need no schooling on how to behave. And for that, we are very thankful.

But y'all know, there's gotta be that one whose Mama just flat-out didn't raise 'em right. So for that, I'm putting out a little handbook of what to do-- and not do-- when you come into our bar, or any other for that matter. Now mind you, I am only speaking my mind. Your mileage may vary, but... damn... y'all know.

1. ORDER. Times may be tight, but if you come out, and enjoy the place, spend a dollar. "Just water" in a bar is not cool. Especially if you ask the servers and bartenders to doctor it up with lemon or lime or grenadine or whatever, and then wear them out for refills. One coke over a four hour period is also not cool. If you're not a drinker, buy a shot for someone else. It's just good etiquette. A bar isn't a retail store where browsing is expected. If you're there, have some food or a beverage. It ensures that the bar makes money and will still be open for you to enjoy far into the future!

2. TIP. Tipping, as we're fond of saying, is not just a city in China. Your servers' and bartenders' incomes rely entirely on your tips. So when you put them to work running you drinks and making you shots, their service should be rewarded. A good rule of thumb is to think of the drinks they're getting you, and give them a dollar for each bottled drink or shot, or two bucks for anything in a tall glass. Or when your tab comes, divide it by 5. That's a 20% tip, which is a good base figure. Easy-peasy. Naturally, more is appreciated, and if the server does a great job, by all means, reward them handsomely! They'll remember you for it!

3. BEHAVE. Act like you have some sense. We all drink, we all like to get a little silly, but free-for-all wrestling in the stairwell isn't a good idea. Boys, whipping your willy out for a quick measure is bad form. Dancing on chairs is not smart. Touching other folks is not good either. Keep your hands to yourself. All I'm saying is, have a little class.

4. FEED BACK. If anything isn't right-- and the management can do something about it-- let them know. I know Jonda and Christa want everyone to have a great experience, so if we can help make things better, give us a little feedback. If you don't tell us, how will we know?

Thanks for being such great clients! Naturally, none of this is directed at you, but you all have been out with someone and watched them in public, shaken your head, and thought, "Damn." So send that person this blog. And we'll see you soon at the Lip!

We love your ass!

Tom

Hey everybody!

There are a lot of cool things going on at the Lip!

The patio has been resurfaced, and it looks great. We will soon have a roof over your head, so we can use the patio even in the rain.

In case you hadn't noticed, our snappy new tables and cushy barstools have arrived. The stools swivel, are padded and have a curved back design so they are much more comfortable. The tables are now high-tops so it should be easier to walk through the corridor downstairs. This is the first step in a total remodel of the downstairs, so watch for more cool new stuff to come.

Upstairs, we've done more than just add a fresh coat of paint. There are now Megatouch "crack machines" and dartboards upstairs for fun. The pool table's history, as is the "make-out couch," having been replaced by additional tables. You'll be able to see and hear what's going on downstairs thanks to strategically placed plasma-screens, and soon, we will have a private party room available for your group to rent to have a special evening far from the madding crowd.

Also, by popular demand, Movie Trivia on Thursdays at 7PM is now "Pop Culture Trivia," featuring, in addition to silver screen questions, trivia about TV, music, trends, fads, ads, gossip and other social phenomena from the last 30 years. Bring your friends... it's Nashville's best trivia!

We're changing for the better, because we love your ass! Come see what's new at the Lip!

Well! We had a great time crowning the King and Queen of the East Nashville Tomato Art Fest last Friday. I for one am still recovering from the insanity.

The winners were:

TOMATO KING: Andrew McFarland
TOMATO QUEEN: Jennifer Jones, AKA "Captain Deliciousness"

What a lot of fun! Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks to all those who participated in this awesome event!

Although we're not exclusively a gay bar, there is no question that the Lipstick Lounge remains an important center for the GLBT community. Sometimes, those of us who are gay forget what a very small community we are. Wherever we go, we run into the same people: the bars, the shows, the rallies, the benefits, the concerts, the dinner parties, and out running errands, we cross our fellow queers here and there. We exchange pleasantries, catch up on each other's lives, and... we gossip.

Why do we feel the need to carry on so much about people's lives? Why are the actions of other people-- what they've done, where they've gone, whom they've been with and what they've said-- so important that we feel the need to push it around like so much dust with a broom.

The dust metaphor holds with gossip: we all wind up covered in it. And it just gets us dirty. It clogs up our friendships, makes it difficult to clearly see things for what they are, and makes everything generally less attractive.

The Lipstick Lounge is a place where we want everybody to be comfortable. And make no mistake, we've got our own share of gossip and drama. We're all guilty of it. But we can make the world a better place by examining our own behavior.

So if your friend has just started dating someone who is still in a relationshop with another person, remember-- they're not dating you, it's none of your concern.

If you know someone who's got a drug or alcohol problem, try talking to them about it instead of spreading it to your friends.

If your ex is now seeing someone you really don't like, remember that they are your ex, and no longer your concern. Don't trash them for living their life.

After all, you'd want the same respect, wouldn't you? Do you really like people gossiping about you? Just apply the golden rule.

In the GLBT community, remember: we have enough trouble from the straight world without tearing each other apart. Show love.

Peace,

Tom

Last night at the Lip, we had a celebrity guest.

And we don't mean like some knock-off wannabe with a budding record development deal who played at the Bluebird once. We were fortunate to have in our audience last night, none other than 1980s pop music icon Tiffany.

Yes, that Tiffany. The one who made headlines by singing "I Think We're Alone Now" in malls across America as a teenager. A real-live teen idol, all grown up now.

She was a guest of Dick King's. And any friend of Dick's... probably has a criminal record. But that wasn't the case. It was indeed Tiffany, who showed up with a few friends, including our favorite Brazilian bombshell, Ingrid Somers. She really didn't want to be noticed, or make a fuss... she was just coming in to chill.

Of course, in the Lipstick, everybody's human, and everybody gets treated the same. So Jason called her up on stage for karaoke. She seemed a little apprehensive, and then Jason said nonchalantly, "I think you know it."

And the lady took the stage. Yes indeed. We were treated to a performance of "Could've Been" by the original artist! And she was, make no mistake, amazing. Once people realized who she was, there was naturally a lot of digital paparazzi action on the camera phones. But she was gracious, signing autographs, and letting folks take their pictures with her.

I had the pleasure of sitting with her for a while, and I can tell you, she was just lovely. A beautiful woman, who, unlike many celebrities, really wasn't into herself. She wanted to know more about the bar, and the people in it. She really listened to the karaoke singers, patting her feet and singing along to songs she enjoyed.

Without a doubt, the highlight of the night was when Crystal got up on stage. She's one of our singing bartenders, and she's a very talented vocalist herself. So when "I Think We're Alone Now" started up, nobody knew what to do. Tiffany was sitting at the table right in front of the stage, and before the song, the very nervous Crystal said, "Oh my God, I can't believe I'm about to do this. You are the reason I became a lesbian!"

Needless to say, Tiffany was flattered and amused. But mostly, she was impressed: so much so that she jumped up on stage, and sang her signature hit with Crystal, dancing and bopping like she did at 15. Smiling and having fun.

Before the night was over, she wowed us one more time, singing "Me and Bobby McGee" with Alicia (who is in her own right a hell of a rocker). Tiffany's party came in around 10 PM, and didn't leave until almost 2 AM. I know they had a good time at the Lip! Tiffany lives in Los Angeles today, but promises to come back when her schedule allows.

If you took pictures that night, we'd love to have them. Click here to send them to us, or just post them in a message to our MySpace. What a great night! If you missed it... well, you should've gotten your ass here!

Incidentally, Tiffany's new album, "Just Me" is available in stores and by clicking the link below! Check it out... she's a fabulous singer.

See you soon at the Lip... and bring your famous friends, too!

Peace and love,

Tom

Wow! What an outpouring of love you all showed for Ashley Strickland. Ashley spent so much time here, and was so comfortable and accepted amongst our clientele and staff that it was only natural to have a big party here in her memory.

We're proud to report that the Benefit concert for Ashley on Friday raised over $5,000. There's still a lot to go to cover her final expenses, but it was a real chunk out of the bill, and Ashley's loved ones send all of you their thanks for your incredible, generous support.

Moreover, we want to thank you. The Lipstick Lounge is a place that so many of you call home, and we are proud to be your favorite hangout. We love and care for each and every one of you, and although the success of the Benefit was a blessing that uplifted us, we really were not at all surprised. Our patrons are just those kinds of folks. Good people.

Much love! See you soon at the Lip!

The Lipstick Lounge held its big March karaoke contest, thanks to sponsors Square One Condominiums this past Saturday, and it was an absolute blast. In case you missed it, we had some phenomenal talent in the house, with 24 contestants, all of whom were fantastic singers.

Square One gave away $350 in prizes, and provided the judges, so it was all on the up-and-up. The winners were:

FIRST PLACE, $200-- Heidi Burson
Heidi is an unbelievable talent with range, style, presence and grace. Her voice is fluid and her style draws comparisons to Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Aretha Franklin.

SECOND PLACE, $100-- Kat Hunter
Kat is a Lipstick favorite, having performed here on several occasions. She is a country rocker, and her powerful voice is right in line with Gretchen Wilson, Bonnie Raitt and Wynonna.

THIRD PLACE, $50-- Izzy Weaver
Izzy can give most female vocalists a run for their money any day of the week, with an amazing counter-tenor range and awesome power. He performs songs by Céline Dion, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson, among others.

Congratulations to our Karaoke Contest winners!

Yes, kids, the sun has moved into Pisces, the sign of the fish, and that means all things aquatic are in order. You should give up red meat and eat seafood only. You should start a water aerobics program. You should drink 8 glasses of water a day. You should bathe more frequently, because.... damn!

No, really.

So with all this watery action going on, it's highly likely you're an emotional mess. If you suddenly start crying, have no explanation for why, and your heart is tugged at with great ease, there is one simple answer: you're a woman. And your inner Pisces is showing its ass.

Astrologically, Mars and Mercury come slamming into Aquarius on the 25th and 26th, so expect lots of those waterworks due to people saying mean things and pissing you off. Since Venus is careening through very hostile Aries as of the 21st, a lot of those tensions can come from the one you most love. One way to deal with those who anger you: a lit cigarette right to the eye. Remind me to stay on your good side.

This is also a very volatile time due to the conjunction of Pluto with the Galactic Center. And Pluto is pissed because they've said it's too dinky to be a planet anymore. So there's nothing but drama there either. It is a time for asking great questions that affect generations as a whole, such as, "Why are old people so damn crotchety?" Or "What is it about women in their thirties and Tupperware?"

Best shot at romance: March 9 in Ipswich, Massachusetts, behind the Clam Box. Get to thumbin'.
Lucky number: Seven, duh.
Best Actress: Penélope Cruz for Volver. But that's just my prediction.

Enjoy the month, fishes! We'll see you at the Lip!