Connie Girl just called me and asked when Alexyss K. Tylor was going to read at RAPTURE Cafe.
I was like, "Who?"
She was like, "Don't tell me you don't know Alexyss K. Tylor Daddy!"
I was like, "Whom is she?"
Connie was like, ""Click here Daddy."

"They will suck a dick up to the hiccup for a fee."

I am gagging.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mr.joe,

What do you say Mr. Joe?
Can you book her?

Well, we will take anything we can scrape up for dick here at Rapture!

What a lovely mentor for, "some of these young boys are gettin played by rich White Men."

Late October 2007 & Hallowe'en At Rapture Café & Books

Rapture certainly has been growing this Harvest season! We've expanded our commitment to and concept of ART ON OUR WALLS: this month we introduce our newest resident artist, tattoo genius Denise De La Cerda. Denise is one of New York's foremost tattoo maestras who produces original bodies of work both here at Rapture, and from her upstate studio in Little Falls. We call this ongoing arrangement with Denise ART ON OUR BODIES. For more on Denise and the images of the works she creates, or to book a consultation, please visit her website www.chicksdigtattoos.com!

Look for more independently published 'zines at Rapture! The latest editions of such wildly popular titles as GOODIE, PINUPS, HANDBOOK, LITTLE BLACK DOG, WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME, STRAIGHT TO HELL, SCUMBAGFAGMAG, and THEY SHOOT HOMOS, DON'T THEY? are available.

Stay tuned for more on Rapture's incredibly sexy, genre-bending reading series DEAN JOHNSON'S READING FOR FILTH, as we continue to curate our friend and visionary Dean's program of raunchy writings from New York's most creative dirty minds.

Break out the candy corn, roasted pumpkin seeds and hot apple cider! The Festival of Samhain (popularly known as Halloween) is upon us. Traditionally, the Festival was a time used by ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and slaughter livestock for winter stores. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped. Bonfires would roar, the bones of the slaughter thrown in for good measure, and revelers would wear costumes or masks in attempts to mimic or placate the evil spirits.

And that’s exactly where our unruly Hallowe'en Mistresses of Ceremonies, the Duelling Bankheads, come in! For more about Rapture's Hallowe'en festivities, including our extremely lucrative costume contest, see below. And while you are at it, check out our other spine-tingling events this month...



Wednesday October 17th, 8PM
Dean Johnson's Reading For Filth
with Adam Dugas, Wayne Hoffman, Viva Ruiz & Jonny Tingle
Free Admission

Tonight: Adam Dugas, Wayne Hoffman, Viva Ruiz & Jonny Tingle

Tonight: a musical phenomenon, a best-selling author, a Dazzle Dancer, & a rock 'n' roll legend.
Plus, scenes from the Jackie 60 movie to mark the closing of Johnny Dynell's Jackie 60 Invitation show!

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Friday October 19th, 9PM
Glenn Marla Presents
Heavy: The Heavy Metal Edition
with Thane Torres, J.J. & Moonshine
Free Admission

Glenn Marla  was Miss LES 2006, and IS NYC's hottest fat go-go dancer!   Onstage Glenn explores, celebrates, and plays with gender, fat, and sex and brings us the best of new performers.

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Saturday October 20th, 8PM
Reading: Werewolves & Monsters
Free Admission

As we come upon All Hallows Eve, tonight we will be featuring some darker and erotically-charged literary fare with authors Tom Cardamone and Daniel W. Kelly...

Tom Cardamone celebrates New York's creatures of the night in his darkly erotic novel, The Werewolves of Central Park. His short stories have been published in numerous on-line zines and are set to appear in several upcoming anthologies. You can read amore about him at his website www.pumpkinteeth.net.
Daniel W. Kelly, was the writer for InsightOutBooks, and is a staff writer for the adult entertainment website Sexherald.com. His fiction has appeared in the Warner Books collection Manhandled and the Alyson anthologies Dorm Porn and Just the Sex. His horror story “Woof!,” featured in Closet Monsters, won first place in the erotic writing competition at bookpuppy.co.uk in January 2006.

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Monday October 22nd, 9PM
Monday Nite Bingo
with Linda Simpson & Mr. Murray Hill
Free Admission

This ain't your grandma's Bingo! Beginning October 22nd, Rapture Café is delighted to be the new home of Monday Night Bingo, the rollicking game show hosted by high-profile drag queen Linda Simpson and downtown It boy Murray Hill. 

For the past year-and-a-half, the wisecracking celebrity duo has enjoyed a smash run at Mo Pitkin’s.  Now it’s time for Rapture to be filled with joyous cries of “Bingo!” as ecstatic players win prizes galore—some silly, some superb—including theatre tickets, booze, all sorts of whatchamacallits and good ol’ American cash. Adding to the fun is a dazzling array of downtown-celebrity guest spokesmodels and surprise performances.

Your heart will race! Your palms will sweat! But all in a good way, as you vie to be the triumphant winner of everyone’s favorite game of chance!

Every Monday Night from 9pm to Midnight.  Free!

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Tuesday October 23rd, 8PM
Edgar Oliver
Free Admission

A longtime favorite of the Rapture staff, actor/playwright/poet Edgar Oliver will be reading from his latest book of poetry, Summer.

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Wednesday October 24th, 8PM
Dean Johnson & Rapture Café Present
Reading For Filth
with Chadwick Moore, Jonny McGovern, Sweetie, Murray Hill, Kevin Aviance, Aaron Wimmer plus surprise guests
Free Admission

A brand-new pornographer with a literary bent, the Gay Pimp, New York City's Big-Titted Honky Soul Mama, Mr. Showiz, and a music industry phenomenon join us tonight for another installment of "Reading For Filth."

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Thursday October 25th, Opening Party 6-9 PM
Art On Our Walls: Vaguely Familiar : The Paintings Of Steven Hammel (Through 11/20)
Free Admission

Perhaps you remember Steven Hammel from his early shows at Linda Simpson's Channel 69 as his adept alter-ego, Bertha the Baton Twirler. But Mr. Hammel is also an accomplished artist, and tonight we are proud to unveil his most recent, evocative, and somewhat surrealistic paintings which will be on view at the Café throughout the month.

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Friday October 26th, 9PM
The Poet On the Radio: From the Pacifica Radio Archives
Free Admission

A Very Special Event...

The Poet on the Radio: Ginsberg, Sexton, Ferlinghetti, Moore, Ginsberg and featuring the a new discovery! The rediscovered, earliest known recording of Charles Bukowski reading from his first book of poems on Pacifica Radio, circa 1962.
A new, interactive, sound performance by Brian DeShazor, director of the Pacifica Radio Archives, the oldest and largest collections of public radio broadcasting in the United States. Take a seat and join Brian DeShazor as he introduces recently preserved recordings of some of America’s finest poets of the 20th Century on the first publicly funded media outlet in the world, Pacifica Radio.

Listen to New York Pacifica Station WBAI 99.5 FM New York

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Saturday October 27th, 9PM
The Poet On the Radio: From the Pacifica Radio Archives
Free Admission

This Very Special Event Continues...

The Poet on the Radio: Ginsberg, Sexton, Ferlinghetti, Moore, Ginsberg and featuring the a new discovery! The rediscovered, earliest known recording of Charles Bukowski reading from his first book of poems on Pacifica Radio, circa 1962.
A new, interactive, sound performance by Brian DeShazor, director of the Pacifica Radio Archives, the oldest and largest collections of public radio broadcasting in the United States. Take a seat and join Brian DeShazor as he introduces recently preserved recordings of some of America’s finest poets of the 20th Century on the first publicly funded media outlet in the world, Pacifica Radio.

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Sunday October 28th, 8PM
Linda James Presents:
Elvira. Mistress Of the Dark
Free Admission

Linda James, a pint glassful Rapture-ita for 5 bucks, and a classic & campy fright film for free-- what a combo! See you there!

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Monday October 29th, 9PM
Monday Nite Bingo
with Linda Simpson & Mr. Murray Hill
Free Admission

"B-1... B-1... when will this game be won?" Due to the rather sudden closing of that East Village entertainment mainstay Mo Pitkin's House Of Satisfaction, Murray (Mr. Showbiz himself), and Linda Simpson (truly a New York legend,) have brought their wildly popular bingo-fest here to Rapture every Monday night. Expect things to be exactly the same as they were a Mo's, with a cash jackpot, scads of great prizes, and plenty of caffeine available so you can work 10 bingo cards at once!


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Wednesday October 31st, 9PM
Hallowe'en With the Duelling Bankheads
$5.00


Why bother with the parade this year? Experience this ghostly holiday with the most popular revenants of the Hollywood Star System still walking the earth-- those Old Granddad-swilling Duelling Bankheads! Enjoy a spooky soundtrack by David Ilku & Baby K, a special appearance by Lady Scarface and other appalling apparitions...
Compete in the Rapture Hallowe'en Costume Contest at 11PM with frightening cash prizes-- money, drinks and small, useless home appliances. (Note: Make your own costume! Store-bought costumes, post-Boer War military dress, and rubber masks of US presidents (living, dead or somewhere in-between) are strictly discouraged!)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hatches,

I wanted to re-post tonight's art opening; we just hung Bertha's work, and it's AMAZING. She's also priced them to steal, so they make amazing gifts! Baby K spins the evening discotic. You can see images of the paintings in our website gallery at www.rapturecafe.com.

quote:

Thursday October 25th, Opening Party 6-9 PM
Art On Our Walls: Vaguely Familiar : The Paintings Of Steven Hammel (Through 11/20)
Free Admission

Perhaps you remember Steven Hammel from his early shows at Linda Simpson's Channel 69 as his adept alter-ego, Bertha the Baton Twirler. But Mr. Hammel is also an accomplished artist, and tonight we are proud to unveil his most recent, evocative, and somewhat surrealistic paintings which will be on view at the Café throughout the month.

From the recent NY Press Best Of Everything 2007 Issue:

"BEST PLACE TO BUY A BOOK AND A LATTE
Rapture Café
200 Avenue A (betw. 12th & 13th Sts.)
212-228-1177
What with all the closings of independent shops—as well as the sturdy chains—who can make a bookstore/café combo work? It seems Joe Birdsong and Brian Butterick (aka Hattie Hathaway) understand what it takes to compete: clean, spacious digs, free WiFi and a hefty dose of underground artist street cred. Not only do folks enjoy the friendly vibe, but the readings, performance art and other kooky events (egg decorating?) have enough cache to get the cool kids to skip Starbucks and head indoors. Oh, and you can also get a stiff drink."

Oh, Messy; looks like you won't be making to our costume party, no?

'Twas a gorgeous small ritual we had for Dean last night as we removed the "Wall Of Dean" to the archives, led by priestess Viva to the soundtrack of Stevie's Edge Of Seventeen & Belladonna.

bankheads on halloween

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Chi Chi,

Early November 2007 At Rapture Café & Books

"Who am I?" Sound familiar? Hopefully you read these words because Rapture has provided space in which you ponder that answer over a latte or a cocktail. Now is the time for Rapture to wrestle with it.

Is it a bar? Is it a café? Is it a bookstore? Is it an art gallery? Is it a performing space? We ask ourselves these questions every day at Rapture. There are multiple levels of perception: what goes on in the “muggle” world, and what goes on beneath the surface. Most importantly, we ask: What are we doing here, and why? Ego is a quick and easy answer. We love you to love us. More pointedly, we ask that you think about why you are drawn to Rapture and have we nourished your sense of place in this neighborhood - the East Village. All of your responses are important to our programming and our mission, so let us know at info@rapturecafe.com.

In our never-ending, dually-purposeful mission to provide a safe stage and act as a beacon to the best and brightest upcoming artists of the day (have you experienced Joseph Keckler or Glenn Marla?), Rapture itself must throw down the gauntlet to meet the needs and expectations of New York City as a viable, profitable venue and a
stellar space for all the energetic expectations of our basest desires (we didn’t make “cruisingforsex.com” for nothing!). You want to entertain? Bring it! You want to hook up? Bring it! You want to meditate over a Voodoo Priestess? Bring it! But most importantly, we need you as much as you need us. Look for more, sexier, retarderer(?) nights of mischief, mayhem and mirth as we darken our doorway with the smartest shenanigans this side of the Hudson River!

We are entering the Winter Solstice in later December, thanks to the guidance of our Scorpion friends like House DJ Baby K. It’s not about someone drinking a $2 coffee and cruising his laptop for 6 hours; it’s about feeding the organism that was born so that you have space to breathe in this increasingly-suffocating (and bottle-service-laden) city that you inhabit. If you want us as much as we want you, then:

1. Register to Vote at Rapture
2. Buy a book or ‘zine at Rapture
3. Get loaded at Rapture
4. Try our new homemade hot soup. This week it's Hattie's Butternut Squash Soup-- a golden puree of squash, apples and onions, with a whisper of mild curry.

And not necessarily in that order!

From now until December 31st, 2007: all books are 50% off! Great Holiday gift idea, courtesy of your family at Rapture Café & Books.

Rapture Recommends:

LOGO’s Jason Bellini webcasts his VLOG. How refreshing to have this man's presence on CBS News/LOGO; an out, queer face on an otherwise bleak and blowdried television news landscape (Anderson Cooper, are you reading this?):
http://logo.blogs.com/hereandnow/

KIRKTV's Kirk Keeber (aka blogger Sean Bateman9:
http://seanbateman9.blogspot.com/2007/02/seans-blue-pajamas-part-one.html

Eric Leven’s blog: http://knucklecrack.blogspot.com/

Oh, and by the way: fuck Obama. One cannot renounce one's spirit for the sake of religion or politics. Obama has, in one fell swoop, lost the queer vote entirely. What an ass.

And…yes, we are available for your personal/private holiday party needs.


Now, on to our month's offering...



Tuesday October 2nd, 8PM
FunFest!
Free Admission

We do love watching short films here at Rapture! Tonight, the people from FunFest! will be showing short, indie cinematic gems of all genres, speaking with the filmmakers themselves and encouraging much mingling with like-minded souls out for a good time.

Tonight, FunFest! will have a very special guest-- the amazing flmmaker Jeri Sopanen (My Dinner With Andre, etc.) and will feature some of his early work!


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Wednesday November 6th
Rapture Café Presents
Dean Johnson's Reading For Filth: Queer Writers Look At Queer Sex
Free Admisssion

Tonight: Paul Dawson, Hattie Hathaway, Mother Flawless Sabrina, Anne Hanavan & Dominick...

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Thursday November 8th, 8PM
The Regulars
Free Admisssion


Tonight, Rapture opens its doors to The Regulars, the web-based comic serial that everyone's talking about. The Regulars is a fun, snarky take on what might happen if a gay, urban attorney burn-out wound up running a coffee bar. It's a highly irreverent look at the silly, sexy, and enraging clash between gay pride and daily prejudice.


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Friday November 9th
Heavy Presents: Heavy Cream
Free Admission

Glenn Marla was Miss LES 2006, and IS NYC's hottest fat go-go dancer! Onstage Glenn explores, celebrates, and plays with gender, fat, and sex and brings us the best of new performers.

This month Glenn presents Cary Curran, H. Lamar, Ser Rodriguez, Erin Markey, Zhenesse.

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Monday November 12th, 9PM
Monday Nite Bingo
with Linda Simpson & Mr. Murray Hill
Free Admission

This ain't your grandma's Bingo! Rapture Café is delighted to be the new home of Monday Night Bingo, the rollicking game show hosted by high-profile drag queen Linda Simpson and downtown It boy Murray Hill.

For the past year-and-a-half, the wisecracking celebrity duo has enjoyed a smash run at Mo Pitkin’s. Now it’s time for Rapture to be filled with joyous cries of “Bingo!” as ecstatic players win prizes galore—some silly, some superb—including theatre tickets, booze, all sorts of whatchamacallits and good ol’ American cash. Adding to the fun is a dazzling array of downtown-celebrity guest spokesmodels and surprise performances.

Your heart will race! Your palms will sweat! But all in a good way, as you vie to be the triumphant winner of everyone’s favorite game of chance!

Every Monday Night from 9pm to Midnight. Free!

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Tuesday November 13th, 7:30 PM
Inner Monologues
Free Admission

Author Alexis Barad (What's In Grandma's Closet) hosts an evening of short monologues with a cavalcade of writers, including Bob Powers, Laura Motta, David Wolkin, Raquel D'Apice, Emily Epstein, Julie Kraut, Brea Tremblay, Rachel Parenta, Dan Levin with special musical guest Jessica Delfino.


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Wednesday November 14th
Rapture Café Presents
Dean Johnson's Reading For Filth: Queer Writers Look At Queer Sex
Free Admisssion

Tonight: Walter Cessna, Princess Diandra, Linda James, Mr. Joe & Paul Wirhun

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Thursday November 15th, 7PM
Goodie Magazine Release Party
Free Admission

Join us as we celebrate the double release of Goodie issues 33 & 34 featuring Barbara Maier and Larry Camp.

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Friday November 16th, 10PM
Rosie Red Burley-Q

An evening of cutting-edge-meets-classic burlesque starring the gals of Groove Mama Ink.

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Saturday November 17th, 9 PM
Tom Ragú Comedy Revue
Free Admission

Extraordinarily funny comedy with Pat Galante, Lance Rizzo, Christopher Charles, Joe Powers and featuring Adam Sank. Hosted by former DJ-turned comedian, Tom Ragú.

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Sunday November 18th, 10 PM
Whore's Mascara

Daniel Nardicio (the Willy Wonka of Gay Nightlife) presents a party to celebrate the incredible success of that hunky musical act, Whore's Mascara, fresh from both the 2007 Gay Erotic Expo, and the 2007Gay Life Expo (why, we thought they were one and the same!)

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Monday November 19th, 9PM
Monday Nite Bingo
with Linda Simpson & Mr. Murray Hill
Free Admission

This ain't your grandma's Bingo! Rapture Café is delighted to be the new home of Monday Night Bingo, the rollicking game show hosted by high-profile drag queen Linda Simpson and downtown It boy Murray Hill.

For the past year-and-a-half, the wisecracking celebrity duo has enjoyed a smash run at Mo Pitkin’s. Now it’s time for Rapture to be filled with joyous cries of “Bingo!” as ecstatic players win prizes galore—some silly, some superb—including theatre tickets, booze, all sorts of whatchamacallits and good ol’ American cash. Adding to the fun is a dazzling array of downtown-celebrity guest spokesmodels and surprise performances.

Your heart will race! Your palms will sweat! But all in a good way, as you vie to be the triumphant winner of everyone’s favorite game of chance!

Every Monday Night from 9pm to Midnight. Free!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Chi Chi,

Tomorrow night's READING FOR FILTH:

Walt Cessna
Linda James
Mr. Joe
Paul Wirhun (aka Rosie D, "The Egg Man")
Her Royal Highness Princess Diandra

I'm quite excited about the lineup tomorrow; the readings in this series have been absolutely stellar; if you missed Sweetie or Kevin Aviance or hotness Eric Levin or Hattie Hathaway or Anne Hanavan or Dominick or Miss Understood or Mother Flawless Sabrina (recounting her William Burroughs blowjob story)...well...stop beating yourself up. This is the finest reading series in town. See you tomorrow night. 8pm.

No Cover.

Hey Mr Joe, there's a chain of sandwich cafes in the UK called Pret A Manger which are really amazing. I've been told there's one here in midtown and I would suggest maybe taking a gander at it to see how they do their sandwich selection. They may have some ideas to mop and apply to Rapture. You know I love your joint and want to see it thrive. I think you gotta amp up the food menu. Only a suggestion...XO

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Nancy Isla,

Werk, Nancy, you psychic sister. Monday, Nov. 19 (later today, actually), we introduce an expanded menu as we par'ner up with Whole Earth from over on St. Mark's: veggie burritos, spinach pies, apple walnut slices....mmmmmm mmmmmm, good!

Thanks for the tip; I'll check out the Pret A Manger. Anyone who has good ideas around the food or the fun, please pass it on! It's so much better for us if we hear what you want - especially the motley crew from these boards...e-mail us at info@rapturecafe.com.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mr.joe,

How about putting in a back room?

Oh, right...Bobby, you weren't here for Octoberfist, were you?

An' while yer at it please put in a bidet.
A lady do like to feel clean sometimes ya know.