COSMOPOLITAN

GIRLS

IT SHOULD COME as no great surprise that lesbians have fewer choices of venue when compared with the multitude on offer for the boys. But then again, meeting the girl of your dreams happens much faster this way. Sappho's Isle lists the hot spots and current events of interest to dykes.

Clit Club. For the adventurous dyke. A popular Friday night dance party for women, complete with go-go dancers and pool-playing facilities, in the meat-packing district. 432 West 14th St. Henrietta Hudson (formerly the Cubby Hole) and the adjoining restaurant, Feed and Grain Company. A congenial hangout for West Village dykes and lesbian-friendly gay boys. 438 Hudson St. Crazy Nanny's. One of the most popular lesbian bars in town, with a pool table; dancing every night. 21 Seventh Ave. South.

D.T.'s Fat Cat. A women's bar where everyone is welcome. 281 West 12th St.

Julie's. A chic East Side piano bar for professional women. 204 East 58th St.

Orbit. Trendy lesbian-owned restaurant and bar that attracts both fags and dykes. 46 Bedford St. Wonder Bar. Intimate space where East Village girls hang with the boys. 505 East 6th St.-G.R. SPOT: Cozy at Clit Club.

T.L. LITT/IMPACT VISUALS

the elegant brownstones and impressive churches of the neighborhood. The Studio Museum in Harlem houses a sizeable collection of art from black America and the African diaspora. You can trace the history of black design at the Black Fashion Museum or attend the legendary Wednesday amateur night at the Apollo Theatre, where Bessie Smith and Billie Holliday once performed.

Whenever possible, in fact, try not to confine yourself to Manhattan. Take a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, one of New York's most impressive and awe-inspiring landmarks, and visit the adjoining borough of Brooklyn. The famous Brooklyn Heights Promenade, which overlooks the upper New York Harbor, is one of the most picturesque spots in New York, and cruisy as well; the views of Lower Manhattan from here are simply spectacular. You could spend a day at Brooklyn's Coney Island beach, which, although a little rundown, still boasts the Cyclone, one of the world's most thrilling roller-coasters, and Famous Nathan's hot dogs.

Finally, for the romantically inclined, there's Central Park. It's quite safe to wander about before sundown and there is plenty to do in this entirely man-made, 840-acre patch of green known as the "lungs of the city." You can skate at Wollman Rink; go horseback-riding from the Claremont Stables; go boating on the lake; amble through Strawberry Fields, Yoko Ono's memorial to John Lennon; or visit the formal Conservatory Garden, a hidden gem near 105th Street and Fifth Avenue. If you have raunchier ideas, walk through the Ramble, the Park's prime bird-watching area, which is also one of the city's principal cruising grounds.

If you aren't fazed by the high prices or worried about the attention you might receive, you could take your sweetheart to the spectacular Rainbow Room at the top of Rockefeller Center. But I'd recommend a visit to the Cloisters. Located in Fort Tryon Park, near the northern tip of Manhattan, the Cloisters houses the Medieval collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The serene surroundings and the magnificent views of the Hudson River make this an ideal New York experience.

A GAY OLD TOWN

O GET A HANDLE ON queer New York, a good place to begin is the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center (popularly referred to as

The Center, 212-620-7310), located at 208 West 13th Street in Greenwich Village and home to over 400 organizations, from ACT UP and the Lesbian Avengers to Gay Male S/M Activists (GMSMA) and the Sirens Motorcycle Club. The Center will operate a special Welcome Center through July 10 to help first-time visitors find their bearings in the city. For travel information. and an introduction to New York's gay business world, also visit the Gay and Lesbian Visitors Center in Chelsea, which offers a series of gay-themed walking and bus tours in and around New York.

WHERE TO PUMP

UP

IF YOU are a muscle maven who suf fers withdrawal symptoms when you miss a day at the gym, don't despair. Most of the popular workout spots offer day memberships that range from $8 to $15.

American Fitness Center. Latest addition to the plethora of Chelsea gyms. Men and women. 128 Eighth Ave.; 627-0065.

Better Bodies (a.k.a. "Bitter Beauties"). Mixed, but with high percentage of gay men. 22 West 19th St.; 929-6789.

Chelsea Gym. Exclusively male, mostly gay, very popular. 267 West 17th St.; 255-1150.

David Barton Gym. Tres chic; the man or woman grunting next to you may be a New York celebrity. 552 Sixth Ave.; 727-0004.

Equinox Fitness Club. Mixed crowd, men and women, not cruisy. 897 Broadway; 780-9300

Spa 227. Men only. You don't have to be shy about your creatively trimmed body hair here. 227 East 56th St.; 754-0227.

World Gym. Very popular, with athletic-minded lesbians and gay men of the city. Branches at 404 Lafayette St.; 260-2534. 1926 Broadway; 874-0942.

YMCA. Gym and pool facilities free if you stay here. Day memberships at two branches: West Side,

5 West 63rd St.; 787-4400. Vanderbilt, 224 East 47th St.; 756-9600.-G.R.

GAY GAMES IV

Even though I

can't be

be there,

a "Buddy" can carry

my picture in the

Stonewall March

on the

United Nations

"March With A Buddy" will be the most dramatic event during the Stonewall March on the United Nations. Imagine a thousand photos marching as one, reminding the world that so much more must be done to find a cure for AIDS.

How "March With a Buddy" Works:

• We are asking for pictures of those with AIDS that will be turned

into posters. The same can be done for loved ones who had AIDS you'd like to remember.

• We're also asking for volunteers who plan to be in New York to carry these very special portraits and "March With A Buddy." It's All Free. Help Make It Happen.

Call 1-800-313-8485 for more information or a registration packet. This important event is graciously underwritten by Priority Pharmacy.

MARCH WITH A BUDDY

New York Stonewall

JUNE 26,'94

to walk as one, every step a celebration