Actually, the title I had in mind was ‘Lesbian Confessions’, but my editor woulda freaked out, so I took the easy way out. I actually have a hotel review all drafted, but by coincidence, I bumped into two articles - One very thought-provoking, and the other was plain sensationalism. Both, however, have lesbians at the core, and both are well worth a read. I figured if I find them so interesting, so should you.

The first one is from Matt Gross, who writes on the Frugal Traveler blog for the New York Times. The article in question, however, is published on Nerve.com, and deals with Gross’ frustations about being a New York Times travel columnist who’s always on the road, and seperated from his apparently hot wife, who stays back home in Brooklyn, NYC. Of course, that’s just the gist of it, and when you get down to the nitty-gritty, there’s things in there like skinny dipping with a lesbian (girl) friend at Lake Albino, 10,000 feet above sea level on the Wyoming-Montana border.

Travel is about embracing new experiences: foods you’ve never eaten, languages you’ve never spoken, religious rituals you’ve never even heard of. To decline any offer at all — a spontaneous wedding invitation in Pondicherry, a swig of rice wine from an unmarked flask in a Saigonese goat restaurant — is to deny the very spirit of voyaging, and so I decline nothing. Except for it. The fact that I can’t take part in it, that most hallowed ritual of travel — sex with strangers — frustrates me on a philosophical level as well as a primal one.  - Confessions of a New Tork Times travel columnist, Matt Gross, Nerve.com

Man’s got a valid point. Meeting up strangers is one of the most rewarding parts of traveling off the beaten track. Anyway, before this gets turned into a steamy account of my travel sexcapades, let’s move on to some a bit more sensational and less cerebral - Which is the perfect description for Lindsay Lohan. Who, apparently, has been living it up at one of these up-and-coming hotels in Chicago. With her alleged lesbian lover friend DJ Samantha Ronson.

The Chicago Sun-Times digs up the dirt. This time Lindsay Lohan’s appearance at Crimson Lounge Friday night at the Hotel Sax was a big surprise - as the actress returned to town for galpal Samantha Ronson’s monthly DJ gig at the popular nightspot. The couple — who have yet to officially confirm they’re romantically involved — spent the night dancing together in the DJ booth.

Now I didn’t write this just beacuse it happened to fit into the lesbian theme of this post (well… that too), but because it involves the Sax hotel. Sometime back, I wrote a review about it which probably made the hotel’s management weep. That had more to do with their posturing to be a geek-friendly hotel, than any amenities or services that they offer, or don’t.

On a more general note, I’d like to add that I’ve been keeping track of the progress made by the Sax, and I like what I see. Its making space for itself as one of Chicago’s better hotels, and the reviews of guests (ordinary people) staying at the Sax aren’t bad either. And as you can see, the Crimson Lounge is making waves as nightlife hot-spot. As far as food and restaurants are concerned, the A Mano next door is great place for people watching and whips up some fantastic flatbread pizza.

Posted on August 26th, 2008 by PLing
Filed under: Travel News