October Nightlife: Montreal, Canada

Welcome to Nightlife Insider, a new monthly feature where PlanetOut.com readers submit their Top 5 picks of cool things happening in their neck of the woods.  See bottom for details on how you can become an Nightlife Insider!

Below are Daniel's October picks for Montréal, Canada.

by Daniel Baylis

Festival

Black & Blue October 7 - 13

Call it a circuit party. Call it a rave. Call it a festival. Call it a great reason to shake your booty and visit your fave French Canadian city. Call it what you want, but Montreal's Black & Blue is nothing short of a social, cultural, sports and party event that lasts for a big gay week (October 7-13, 2009). This year's main event features Sasha, John Digweed and Dave Seaman from the UK, as well as Montréalers Franco Fabi and Stéfane Lippé. This year's theme is electro-80's meets elegant opera house. Wear black and/or blue.

Urban Walkabout

Originally published on OutTraveler.com
by Jackie Dishner

Gay walking tours combine fresh air, exercise, and enlightenment.

Cruisin' the Castro
Gay activity in San Francisco's Castro District dates back to the Gold Rush days when gay cowhands, a.k.a. the Lavender Cowboys, arrived. These forefathers of Brokeback's Ennis and Jack created the bandana-in-back-pocket Hanky Code to send subtle messages about the kind of sex they sought. Crusin' the Castro owner Kathy Amendola -- a lesbian transplant from New York -- shares this history of her neighborhood and much more on her two hour, five-block tours. (Did you know many of the streets were named after women who were downtown prostitutes?) The insight starts under the rainbow flag at the Harvey Milk Plaza, which memorializes one of the country's first openly gay elected officials. Tours offered Monday through Saturday. Tickets: $35. Advance registration required. (415-255-1821; www.CruisinTheCastro.com)

At The Wheel: Kevin

My name: Kevin
My Gay.com Member Name: keving77
My Ride: 2007 Ducati S2R-1000 Monster
My age: 57
My profession: Western Regional Manager-Contrast Lighting
City/town: Cathedral City, Calif.
Relationship status: happily partnered for over 10 years!
Sexuality: open, proud, and gay

What is the best thing that you like about your ride?
NOTHING sounds like a Ducati. No Harley, No Honda (insert any Japanese bike) even comes close. The engine, and clutch make a unique sound.

Do you like to take road trips on your bike? Describe your favorite road trip -- where did you go? What did you do?
Yes, every year I ride to Monterey, Calif for the MotoGp at Laguna Seca. It's a great time and there are TONS of great looking guys when you get there. The ride up Hwy 1 is fabulous once you get above Morro Bay, and the scenery is spectacular all the way up to Carmel. I usually spend 5-6 days on this trip with friends from the club. We rent a house and have a chef now who comes with us (he is getting a Ducati now!) to cook. Cute guys, fast bikes, great food and wine (but not when we ride)...what could be better?

Pop Star Erika Jayne's Guide To Los Angles

Name: Erika Jayne
Profession: Pop Star
City: Los Angeles
Relationship Status: Depends who's asking
Sexuality: I like boys

What is the best date you ever had in this town? Why?
Let's just say it ended with me almost getting arrested.

What are some of the things you love most about your city/town?
The weather is pretty amazing and everything is available here.

What are some of your least favorite things about it?
The traffic is legendary.

At The Wheel: Dyon and Speed Demon

My name: Dyon
My age: 38
My profession: Retail
City/town: Portland
Relationship status: Partnered but Open to a triad ;-)
Sexuality: Gay
Car: 1968 Ford Mustang

What is the best thing that you like about your ride?
I like the fact that if I'm on the line with someone else thats trying to either get in my lane, beat me to the next light, or even just show off, my ride will dust them. Not to mention that its comfortable enough for the speedy take-offs and the smooth enough for long rides.

Reader Guide: Reggie on Palm Springs, CA

My name: Reggie
Gay.com Member Name: BootySex
My age: 30
My profession: Writer / Wardrobe Stylist
City/town: Palm Springs
Relationship status: Single
Sexuality: GAYYYYY

Where is the best public place for a gay person to make out there (or isn't there one)?
Riverside County has a series of ordinances to reduce light pollution. Palm Springs has been especially diligent in adhering to these policies. This creates a stunning canopy of stars which blankets the sky unlike anywhere else in Southern California.

How "out" are you where you live?
TOTALLY, more than half of the elected officials and the majority of cultural events are queer oriented. I'd always imagined life is pretty dull for a breeder in this town.

At The Wheel: Cartuner

My name: Alan
Gay.com Member Name: Cartuner
My ride: 1994 BMW 540I
My age: 21
My profession: Automotive
City/town: Tracy, CA
Relationship status: Single
Sexuality: Gay

What is the best thing that you like about your ride?
Style, Comfort, Reliability, RWD and power.

Do you like to take road trips in your car? Describe your favorite road trip -- where did you go? What did you do?
So far the longest road trip I went on was to San Francisco, Treasure Island to be exact... I went and entered in the 3rd Annual TI car show that was organized by a few of my friends and sponsored by Tunerplayground and Monster Energy drinks.

Meet Paul and His VW Rabbit

My  name: Paul
Screen name: Mascictbud
Relationship status: Single
The car: 1984 VW Rabbit convertible

What is the thing you like best about your ride?
It's a five-speed convertible with a roll bar.

Do you like to take road trips in your car? Describe your favorite road trip -- where did you go? What did you do?
It's great to drive in the country, down the old two-lane roads. A night drive in the summer is great to clear your thoughts, also.

Spot Thomas in His Yellow Pantera

My name: Thomas
My age: 38
Screen name: CycleBadBoy
City/town: Los Angeles
Relationship status: single
Sexuality: Gay

What is the thing you like best about your ride?
How loud it is, and the age is like me -- better than new.

Do you like to take road trips in your car?  Describe your favorite road trip -- where did you go? What did you do?
Drove from Chicago to Elkhart Lake, Wis., Road America. Two hundred eighty-five miles to watch the Vintage Races.

Do you like tinkering under the hood, or do you leave repairs and routine maintenance to your mechanic?
All the time since I was 15  I have worked on cars. I did a lot of the restoration on the Pantera.

"My Lil Mazda Surprised Them"

My name: Bret
Gay.com Member Name: hnc0582
My age: 27
My profession: Retail Management
City/town: Sidney, OH
Relationship status: Single
Sexuality: Gay

What is the best thing that you like about your ride?
The perfect balance of power, handling, and comfort.

Do you like to take road trips in your car? Describe your favorite road trip -- where did you go? What did you do?
Yes, a couple of friends and I went for a trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway through North Carolina. We stopped and looked at the scenery, and the curvey nature of the parkway made for a fun filled ride. The friends still talk about how much fun it was to speed through there, and how many times they were surprised that we didn't end up flying off of a cliff. My lil Mazda surprised them. :)