Daniel Franzese starred in Looking, the HBO series, and Looking: The Movie
What I love about gay life in Los Angeles is that it’s so specific. It’s super spread out so you have to carefully plan where and when your Botox appointment is based on traffic. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s sunny all the time. And I really love how rich the history is here. There are so many beautiful homes and places where Marilyn Monroe or Charlie Chaplin slept. I feel like they must have been always moving around this vast place.
On Hollywood…
I wanted to work at the factory! I make movies so of course I eventually would’ve ended here one way or another. So many of my New York friends were like, You wanna go to LA?? Eww. So really I didn’t expect California to literally be the most beautiful state on the mainland. I’m super happy they wanna stay in New York, where I can visit. More sunshine for me.
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Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
On summer in the city…
We have one of the best Pride celebrations, not to mention bars and clubs. I love the Abbey, one of the most famous gay bars in the world with lots of indoor/outdoor space. You can feel that energy when you walk in there. I’ve spotted so many celebrities. You can almost always meet a Real Housewife or a Drag Race queen any day of the week. As an ambassador for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, the Abbey holds a special place in my heart for its rich history with Ms. Taylor herself. She used to hang there with the boys.
On West Hollywood v. Silver Lake Gays…
West Hollywood must be like 90 percent gay men. The bar vibe is much more high energy and guys travel in packs. On the East side it’s a more chill environment. Akbar is more like Cheers, and the Eagle is for those who love hipsters in their natural habitat. You can walk into Akbar solo and see a familiar face. West Hollywood sure has some beautiful spots with gorgeous men but I love the little artsy/gritty spots on the east side. Downtown has been booming, too, with new bars like Precinct and Bar Mattachine.
On a day at the beach…
I like to go to Malibu and kind of hide out behind some of the huge homes that line the beach. The beach is public and despite what a lot of people might want you to think, you can have an amazing experience since people who live there rarely use it. I love to get Italian subs at Brothers Sandwich Shop and pack a cooler. The beach doesn’t allow alcohol, so we always find a nearby bar to grab some Coronas. There are so many chill places on Venice Beach. I love to sit outside and watch the locals and artists. In the matter of seconds you could see a hot dude with a dog on a skateboard or witness the forming of a drum circle.
On shopping…
We have some really original places. There’s a store on Melrose called Necromance, which sells Gothic taxidermy and jewelry made of butterflies and beetles. It’s like a museum. Melrose also has Cosmo and Nathalia, which has clothes for stars like Nicki Minaj and Ceelo Green. Wilshire Blvd has the LACMA but also a Harry Potter-inspired store called Whisicalley.
Silver Lake has Home Schooled, which has artisanal objects from local craft makers, and Los Feliz has Y2Que which has some of the funniest limited run T-shirts you have ever seen. You can find amazing coffee and snacks at the coffee shop Go Get Em Tiger on Larchmont. Keep walking because there are so many great stores on that block.
Upright Citizens Brigade Theater has some of the freshest comedy at both the Sunset and Franklin Village location. If you are in Franklin Village, you can try the best BLT I have ever had at The Oaks Gourmet. The Hollywood sign is just a drive up Beachwood. Echo Park has the awesome Iam8bit Gallery, which is a must-see for all video game/street art fans. If you like video games and art go to The Echo Park Time Travel Mart.
On celebrity…
I get recognized everyday, mostly by locals who are kind of used to it. There is the occasional crying fan, but those aren’t too common. I don’t mind. I adore fans. I’m so grateful to get to have a career doing what I love.
On celebrations…
One of the greatest parts of living in the city is all the nearby escapes. I love going to Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe, San Diego, Big Bear, San Francisco. I love renting a new house for the weekend and partying with a bunch of my closest friends and family. We BBQ and play games and swim all night.
On the perfect night out…
This is LA, so I really love seeing a film or a play. One of my favorite places is The New Beverly Theater and The Silent Movie Theater. I love that the city always has revival films showing. I love a good double feature of a 70s grind house movie with my man while we snuggle up to some fresh popcorn.
On Inspiration…
There are many films that have shaped me as an actor but if we were going to the original it would have to be “Annie.” I wanted to be a dancing orphan so bad.
On a beer with friend…
I would love to have a beer with Betty White at the Abbey because we would make the internet explode.
On Summer in the city…
At night one of my favorite bars, The Short Stop, has an amazing Motown dance party that has a great mixed crowd from straight baseball fans to drag queens. Mickeys in Weho has all your drag race favorites and more–assuming you love a great drag queen as much as I do. On the East side, Casita del Campo always has fun shows downstairs like Golden Girls LIVE while Rockwell in Los Feliz has Broadway stars singing all kinds of unauthorized musicals, just for fun.
On other Loves…
Hollywood Bowl, Downtown LA vintage theater tours, farmer’s markets, outdoor movies at Hollywood Forever Cemetery and midnight mass bike rides.
Endless summer fun.
