At The beginning of the AIDS pandemic,
a group was started in Sonoma County
called R.A.M. (which I misremember as an
acronym for either River Area Men or
Redwood Area Men). This group created
different events and activities for its
members which included, a book club,
a movie club and others, as well as a
monthly pot luck which was staged at
the Guerneville Vet’s Hall and could draw
a couple of hundred men.
Out & About, a social, LGBT, group
(see the front page for details of coming
events) meets up weekly - currently
Tuesday evenings at 7 PM at
Space XXV (see front page) on the west
side of Old Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa. Out & About has two food related events
monthly, a dinner out at a local restaurant and a monthly pot luck and game night (cards, dice, etc).
The pot luck is the first Saturday of the month, the dinner out is the first Tuesday of the month. Both
events draw between 25 and 30 LGBT'ers. The pot luck often as not will be an evening of food, drink
and lively conversation with (sometimes) gaming included. Follow Out & About events here at
Sonoma Boys Night Out or sign up for their email notices of coming events, which also include
cycling, hiking, etc.
Vallejo Gay Network ( www.vallejogaynetwork.org ) has a monthly pot luck in folks' homes in Vallejo
where there seems to be a nascent LGBT community a-brewing. The VGN potlucks are LGBTQ events
and have been gathering folks together for several years. Contact Ric Duran at
info@vallejogaynetwork.org or call 707.552.5354
The Solano Pride Center ( www.solanopridecenter.com ) sponsors a monthly No-Host Pizza Happy
Hour, on the third Wednesday of each month at the Round Table Pizza, 2401
Waterman Blvd., Ste A, in Fairfield.
Spectrum LGBT Center ( www.spectrumlgbtcenter.org ) hosts a monthly
Brown Bag Lunch for men from Noon to 1:30 on the second Thursday of the
month.
The newest kid on this food roundelay is Out and About Santa
Rosa (www.meetup.com/Out-and-About-Santa-Rosa ) a group created
by Sonoma County newbee Ted Ellquist who, in a matter of a few short
weeks, has organized very successful hikes, cycling events, potlucks,
game nights and breakfast and dinner outings. There is even a casual
drop by meet up at Santa Rosa’s A’roma Roasters coffee house Tuesday
nights at 7. Check the website for the full panoply of upcoming events. You can also email Ted at
outandaboutsr@gmail.com for those important questions. Open to the Gay and the Gay friendly.
If it is strictly libations you seek, SonomaGayDar (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?
gid=124537786360 ) has used the Facebook
phenomenon to successfully put on
monthly gatherings at local watering
holes for the past year.
There is also a Monthly Men’s Mixer in
San Rafael at the Four Points by Sheraton
hotel at 1010 Northgate Drive in San
Rafael on the fourth Monday of the month.
Sponsored by Marin Life, this gathering
has been happening for the past
five years.
NapaGuerillaGayBar (http://napagaybar.blogspot.com/ ) organizes events which can be a “let’s-take-
over-this-bar with our presence” to a night out at the movies. Host Rick Turko keeps things
happening. You can also find out what that might be on Facebook.
A group that has developed quite an aura around it is the MAXUM Wine
Tasting Group whose first wine tasting event of 2011 is coming up in
April. eMail lists.sonic.net/mailman/listinfo/magnum_men to get
more information.
So, if you are looking to program some activities into your smart phone
and don’t really want to go the Grindr route at this particular point in time,
think of attending one of the events above, have a bite, and enjoy.
