The long-running Bare Chest Calendar, benefiting Positive Resource Center and AIDS Emergency Fund, received a powerful infusion of new life with its new Dinner Date Auction Gala last Tuesday night. The Empire Ballroom of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel was filled with enthusiastic supporters, including Mr. SF Leather Lance Holman, Ross Dierking & Jose Guevara, Tommy Dillon , Scott Weiner, Brett Andrews, Scott Brogan & Doug Mezzacapo , Petyr Kane, and Harry Denton, and a palpable buzz was in the air. What for many years had been a raucous party at the Eagle Tavern was transformed into an elegant soiree, featuring musical entertainment, including an eye-popping drag performance by Synergy , and a mini-fashion show with casual clothes provided by Citizen/Body in the Castro and styled by Isaiah Carter .

Popular emcee and International Mr. Leather 1992 Lenny Broberg had been the dinner date auctioneer at the Eagle for many years, but easily adapted to the new formal format, maintaining his quick wit and fast-paced bartering skills. Individual dinner date bidding records were quickly broken as bids exceeded $1,000, then $5,000, and finally hit $16,000 for Mr. January Mark Buckovich ! Yes, the auction that night alone generated over $36,000, a credit to the skills of Lenny, the polish of the calendar models, the tremendous generosity of the wildly bidding audience, and co-chairs of the event, Thom Grant and Mark Hollenstein.

The following Friday, Mama Sandy Reinhardt hosted her 10th and final annual Breast Cancer Emergency Fund Event, produced by Mark Paladini at City Forest Lodge. This event had the feeling of a family reunion as Leather and Rodeo title-holders, Imperials and Ducals, and just plain folks of all descriptions joined together in the continuing battle against breast cancer. We caught up with Ray Tilton , Arnel Valle, Barry Rogers, Angelina Josephina & Mike Manicotti , Anna Damiani, Tom Basch, Hector Crawford & Ralph Hibbs , Dean Carrico & Mike Floyd, Carlos Medal, Biff Wilson , Gary Virginia, James Holloway, K.C. Dare, Don Ho Tse , and many others. Most notably, two family members of Faith Fancher, beloved TV newscaster and victim of breast cancer, were in attendance. State Senator Mark Leno presented a proclamation, passionate speeches recognized individual contributions, several singers entertained, the silent auction was extensive, and passed hors d'oeuvres and drinks completed the evening.

Saturday's farewell party for Imperial Crown Princess I Faberge felt much more like an Imperial Family reunion, attended by Emperors Steven Rascher, Jerry Coletti, and Brian Benamati, and Empresses Remy Martin and this humble reporter at a private home in the Twin Peaks area. Faberge created wonderful costumes for many in the Court system, as well as for Paramount Studios and even the Supremes, and is now starting a new life in Florida and will be greatly missed.

Later Saturday night, we joined Richard Sablatura and Norm Claybaugh for an intimate evening with Oleta Adams at the Rrazz Room at Hotel Nikko. What a great way to enjoy the rich talents of this singer! Be sure to keep up with the calendar of this venue; you don't want to miss the likes of Leslie Jordan , Linda Kosut, Mary Wilson, and Matthew Martin, all in a jewel-box setting in the heart of downtown.

The final element of the newly rejuvenated Bare Chest Calendar was Sunday night's Starlight Magic, an event-packed evening for the calendar models and their winning bidders which included private transportation in vintage automobiles provided by Freewheelers Car Club after a photo shoot in front of the iconic Castro Theatre, to Scala's Bistro for a sumptuous private dinner from Head Chef and Bravo's Top Chef competitor Jen Biesty. After that, these gentlemen were treated to a special show in Harry Denton's Starlight Room, featuring popular singer and comedienne Irene Soderberg, magician Walt Anthony , sexy troupe Boylesque , and Yours Truly. The evening ended with a champagne and dessert buffet from dessert chef Tim Nugent , who will be appearing next week on Bravo's new Top Chef dessert competition! Every attempt was made to honor these hard-working and generous individuals who have breathed such great new life into the Bare Chest Calendar.

This Friday, we'll be popping by Magnet for opening night of an art exhibition featuring the creative work of Jok Church , from 8-10 p.m. Then we plan on attending the Miss Gay Northern California Pageant on Fri., Sept. 3, at Suite One8One at 181 Eddy St. starting at 7 p.m. Beyond the exciting pageant, the entertainer list includes locals Ginger Snap, Mercedes Monro, Holotta Tymes , and Lady Tia, Cassandra Cass of Showtime's Wild Things, Miss Triple Crown Mahlae Balenciaga , Shangela of RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 2, and Universal Show Queen Erica Andrews.

On Sunday night, Sept. 5, we'll be at the final local performance of Wicked at the Orpheum Theatre. What a lasting impression this wonderful show has left on San Francisco!

Then it's on to opening nights of the SF Symphony and SF Opera, followed by the third Utopia on Sun., Sept. 12, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel SFO. The buzz has been constantly growing about these new periodic poolside dance parties where the setting is spacious, the music is contagious, the entertainment is wild, and the attendees are hot. Check out the hourly shuttle from Trigger in the Castro aboard a 20-passenger stretch Escalade! If you haven't experienced summer yet, you will!