by TopView Sightseeing & Kev Berry

I love traveling alone! Not having to follow anyone’s schedule but your own is the best. Following your own impulses while walking around a city you don’t know too well can often provide great memories. It’s easy to become overwhelmed when booking a trip to The Big Apple, but have no fear, I am the loneliest New Yorker of all, and I’ve got The Ultimate Guide to Traveling Alone in New York!

First of all, let’s talk about getting around. While the subway makes the city fly by, if you’re in no rush, I suggest walking as much as you can. The best way to get to know any city is on foot, and in New York, there’s so much to explore with surprises around every corner. Central Park provides seemingly endless opportunities for exploration, and even after years of exploring the park, this writer has barely even scratched the surface. Take a walk up the broad tree-lined mall to Bethesda Fountain, and from there take any of the winding paths north and see what you find! 

Head over to the Museum Mile on Central Park West and pop in at any one of the stunning museums and check out the art and artifacts on display! If you’re downtown, check out the shopping scene in SoHo, where the stores are impeccably designed to give patrons an eye-popping experience. (Not a big fan for walking too much? Consider taking a bus tour to save you some legwork.)


After all that walking, you’ll probably be pretty hungry. With such an exciting food scene in the city, making a choice can be tough. The Counter, a build-your-own-burger bar with an unbelievable happy hour, at 41st and Broadway is a great spot for a quick pre-theatre bite. 

Gazala’s Place on 9th Avenue is a killer Middle Eastern joint with a BYOB policy and an insanely affordable wine store directly across the street. If you’re looking for a bite in less familiar territory, head up to 148th and Broadway, where Harlem Public will wow you with their beers, signature cocktails, and wild burgers; or down to Fort Greene, where Smoke Joint will satisfy your barbecue cravings with their unbelievable brisket, pulled pork, and a slew of sides to choose from, like mac and cheese or housemade slaw. If you’re craving a New York slice, Bleecker St. Pizza is the absolute best, and their Nonna Maria pie is a must-try.

At the end of the day, you’ll be pretty tired. The Pod Hotel Times Square has small rooms for single travelers on a budget. It’s brand-new and almost every single room has a great view. If you’re interested in exploring one of the outer boroughs of the city, try renting an AirBnB in BedStuy, Crown Heights, or Astoria, and check out their hopping nightlife and brunch scenes on the weekend.
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Landing in New York City for a solo vacation can be daunting. But if you put on your shoes, start walking, and follow your impulses, and this guide, I guarantee you’ll have a killer trip.

Dyke March in Buffalo Shows Community Solidarity
By:  Joe Stabb

Over 200 individuals paraded in the Dyke March in Buffalo, NY, on May 31, 2014, in a show of solidarity.  The purpose of a Dyke March is to increase lesbian visibility and activism and have grown to be more inclusive of all womem-loving-women regardless of labels, including bisexual, intersex, and transgender women.

“We march all together, “ says Harper Bishop, 29, volunteer organizer. “This is an overtly political statement for women to express themselves against the mysogyn in places where women are not able to express themselves.”

This event is about women claiming their space, being visible in that space, and going into their daily lives expecting and receiving the respect that they deserve.

For several years, the Dyke March has been growing.  In 2013, there were just under 100 participants in the march.

“This is the only thing I have,” says Phirom, 31, marching participant.  “It is empowering being around everyone that relates to the struggle.”

Some participants are here attending for the first time.  According to Chloe, 25, marching participant, she is, “excited to see people embracing their differences and similarities.  To celebrate the queer scene in Buffalo.”

Or, Rachel, 27, marching participant, who moved to Buffalo less than a year ago from Atlanta, says, “Buffalo seems to have more open spaces for LGBT individuals.  It is a good time to be here and live your life.  This is a community of many identities.”

For more information on the history of the Dyke March in the United States, visit:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyke_March

Join Connextions Magazine at the GLBT Travel Expo!

April 27, 2014
NYU Kimmel Center - Rosenthal Pavillion
1-5 pm

Our 2nd year in attendance and looking forward to another year of travel community success!

See you there!  #glbtTravelexpo

Click here for more info --> http://www.glbttravelexpo.com/happiness/

Join Connextions Magazine at this year's GLBT Expo in New York City! 

The 21st Original GLBT Expo
Saturday March 22, 2014
Sunday March 23, 2014

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
38th & 11th Aves
New York City, NY. 10014
for more information call 800-243-9774

#1 in Attendance #1 in Exhibitors
#1 Advertising & Promotion #1 Expo

2014 is our 21st Anniversary. This is a huge milestone for the GLBT Community, the loyal sponsors/exhibitors/attendees that support the EXPO and your dedicated staff at The RDP Group.

For the past 21st years, the EXPO has helped to present the finest products & services available to the GLBT consumer. Starting in 1993, the EXPO has generated over $80,000,000 of dollars spent within the Greater Tri-State area. This includes the GLBT friendly companies from every industry, both large and small, Fortune 1000 and Gay-owned companies. They have all discovered the GLBT Community is affluent, brand-loyal, well educated and business minded. It is the truest of definition of "THE PERFECT NICHE MARKET".

This will be Connextions Magazine's 4th consecutive year in attendance at the GLBT Expo and we can't wait to mingle with all those familiar faces and meet some new friends!

For more info on the expo, visit http://www.originalglbtexpo.com/

Click here to see photos from previous years of attendance.

Learn more about The Handsome Father, how to get involved, and meet other gay fathers, father-to-be and the professionals that support them! Be a part of building an organization by gay dads, for gay dads and those wanting to be dads one day!

Please share with anyone you know who may be interested!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 17, 2014
NETWORKING RECEPTION
The LGBT Center NYC
 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Meet the co-founders,  other gay dads in the area, men interested in becoming fathers, and the agencies and professionals willing to help them!
SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2014
PHOTO SHOOT
The LGBT Center NYC
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

All families headed by gay fathers are welcome to come have a professional photo taken for free by acclaimed photographer Michael Thad Carter. You will receive a retouched digital copy for your own personal use. 

http://www.thehandsomefather.org/

CNY Pride in Syracuse, New York

This year's annual pride parade and festival was held on June 15, 2013 on the canal at Inner Harbor in downtown Syracuse.  Thousands of visitors enjoyed blue skies, rainbows, and a stage full of entertainment!

Festivities included: live music by Julia Weldon, Feeding Affliction, Johnathan Celestin and Bear Crusader. Local and regional female impersonators will also perform. The festival features food and beverages, booths staffed by LGBT-related community groups and allies, vendors, and a children’s play area. The Festival begins at 11:30 a.m. and continues until 6 p.m.

Join members of the Cornell Law School's Advocacy for LGBT Commuities Clinic for an important FREE seminar that will address the importance of legal dicuments in planning for the future and
legally protectin you and your family.

WHERE:  CNY Philanthropy Center, 431 E. Fayette Street, Syracuse - Upstate NY
WHEN: March 27, 2013

Participants will receive information, have questions answered and even get assistance in completing certain documents free of charge.

Light dinner provided. RSVPs requested to Heather Hauer-Ross [email protected] or 607-724-4308

Message from the Seminar organizers:

"We are offering this workshop in large part because LGBTQ families and couples do not necessarily fit into the categories prescribed within family and trust and estate law. We will discussthe unique considerations that LGBT individuals must take into account when it comes to their legal rights and security, regardless of their age or stage of life. Young adults, seniors, couples, single adults, parents and non-parents will all find this session useful." This workshop follows a similar presentation held in Binghamton in November.

Specifically, this session will provide information on ways to secure legally recognized parent-child relationships, such as through second-parent adoption, address the impact of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and discuss estate and life planning. Members of the Cornell Law School LGBT Clinic will assist attendees in properly executing important legal documents, including Power of Attorney, Healthcare Proxy, and Standby Guardianship. 

Kim Dill, Director of Sage Upstate, had this to say about the need for advance planning among LGBT individuals: "Advance planning documents are important for all older adults, but especially critical for older LGBT people because families and caregivers in our community don't necessarily look the same as those in the mainstream. People who make up our circles of care may not be tied to us legally or by blood, so it is more important to define who gets to make important decisions."

For more information on upcoming Pride & Joy Families Events, click to their open group facebook page.

Join Connextions Magazine and many other GLBT Travel Industry members at this year's GLBT Travel Expo!

NYU’s Kimmel Center will be the venue for the New York City GLBT Travel Expo. This exquisite building is the home of student life to almost 50,000 and is located in the center of the Village in New York City. The Kimmel Center offers a variety of amenities for the exhibitor and a great location for all those attending the show. “We have always done well with the middle and older age demographics for these events. By having the show at NYU and with the cooperation of local student groups we will bring a great new group of younger travelers to the show. This is especially important to the exhibitor/sponsor looking to create a new following. ” said Steve Levenberg, show producer.

WHEN:  April 28, 2013
HOURS: 12-5pm
WHERE:  Kimmel Center at NYU, 60 Washington Square, New York, NY 10012


 For further information, please contact Steve Levenberg or visit http://www.glbttravelexpo.com/happiness/


[email protected]
718 622 5709
A Steven Levenberg LLC Production


Other GLBT Travel Expos include:
Feb 7 – Ft Lauderdale,
Feb 10 – Miami Beach 
date tbd– Chicago