Out and About

A young gay writer from a prominent family returns home with a novel, as Queer as Folk rolls into town.

Nelson Mui

The city's reputation as a gay mecca had been slipping faster than a former reality TV star's career when our mayor surprised everyone by giving the green light to gay marriage. But in San Francisco's social swirl, where discretion is the better part of valor, being gay in 2004 can sometimes seem more like being gay in, say, 1954. The social closet here is roomy and claims many members—you know who you are! (And so does just about everyone else.)

This is why it was all the more remarkable to witness Tom Dolby's recent return to the city to promote his debut novel The Trouble Boy, a coming-of-age story set in New York's glitterati world. The young gay writer, who was raised in San Francisco and whose family brought us Dolby Sound, was feted at A Different Light Bookstore and Mecca before a crowd that included proud parents Ray and Dagmar Dolby and brother David, family friends Monika and Harry Hunt and daughter Antonia Clark, and Randy Schreck (who hosted the Mecca event).

There aren't too many occasions when the social world intersects with the out gay world, outside of a hair salon or a gossip powwow with an interior designer, so it was refreshing to see Dolby being not only fully accepted but praised and surrounded by well-wishers and supporters. They like us, they really like us!

Elsewhere, in an alternate gay universe known as the Castro, the folks at Showtime premiered the new season episodes of Queer as Folk and The L Word, the gay drama (in every sense of the word) series and glossy lesbian show set in Los Angeles. Many of the cast from both shows, ranging from Jennifer Beals (of Flashdance fame) to Hal Sparks and Gale Harrold, showed up at the Castro Theatre for a preshow VIP cocktail hour and premiere, which benefited the Bay Area Community of Women.

At the theater, Robert Gant, who plays the muscley college professor with a steroid abuse problem (your average gay man's fantasy) on QAF, connected with a potential romantic interest, putting his arms around one tall, well-built man. So much for reality on QAF, since the show would have gay men believe the slight former five-and-dime-store worker played by Sparks would land the ultimate guppie gym bunny.

Hundreds turned up for the premiere and the chance to mingle with some of the hunky QAF boys and hot gals of The L Word and were later ferried by bus to the Clift Hotel for a big after-party blowout. Showtime bought out the Redwood Room and Asia de Cuba, hosted a bar that kept the champagne flowing, and even provided a buffet dinner for the partygoers. At the after party, QAF actor Peter Paige talked to guests about his summer plans: directing a feature film on location in Portland, Oregon.

Earlier in the week, Christie's was the venue for a cast of characters who were acting like queens—literally. The venerable auction house hosted a preview party for the upcoming sale of Doris Duke's jewelry—which included an Art Deco tiara fit for a modern princess that some of the social guests in attendance modeled before mirrors and each