Bears for Music

Bears by the Sea 2008

Hi, Gee.

The combination of personable men, beautiful scenery, and wonderful music, made "Bears by the Sea 2008" a memorable event. Everyone was warm and friendly from the start, which made it easy for someone like me -- a first timer -- to have a good time and feel comfortable. From start to finish it was so enjoyable. While, of course, the dinner show was the most special of the events, they were all well done. The informal nature of the gatherings allow for attendees to do as much (or as little) as they like. The breakfast was a hearty one and an opportunity to catch up on the evening's goings-on. The singers at the show were exceptional. The food was some of the best I've had. The dancing afterwards was the perfect cap to the night. As I said, from the start, at the opening evening event and game night, I knew it was going to be a worthwhile weekend from all the quality people there. I look forward to more.

-Jose

Gee,

Where does one start? The weekend was great from beginning to end. The massage was wonderful. Followed by the great food at the meet and greet and seeing everyone. The brunch on Saturday was also good. The dinner and show was fantastic only wished it was longer and it was a pleasant surprise for us to be invited to stay for Chris Francis show for those of us who had never seen him and as usual Bill from Beachfire did a amazing job with lunch on Sunday. Sitting around the common room at John's is always a treat. It’s hard to pick just one part of the weekend as the best as it was ALL was. It’s always hard to leave and come home. I always miss everyone.

Hugs
Rod

Gee,

Please put my name on your list for the next Bears by the Sea weekend.
It was the most excellent weekend! What a fun time. I couldn't stop talking about it to my friends at work. Just a bunch of great guys, lots of fun, joking, top notch music by Gee/Alexia/Eddie/Martin. There was food, drink, games and free time to experience your own things in town or just stay back at the bed & breakfast and chat and reflect. You really know how to put together a weekend. It was the best weekend ever!!!

So many highlights stand out in my mind when I think back about the weekend. From the food to the entertainment, followed by the planned and the pleasantly surprising unplanned. But the most enjoyable and welcoming feeling was the game night. I really enjoyed game night. It was definitely the first "Must Attend" event for the weekend and a great way to kick off this weekend. Since having relocated back to Maine and not being into the bar scene, I find it difficult to get out there and make friends. Game night was the perfect way to meet and interact with new faces. There were so many great guys with wonderful qualities. There's nothing like joking and laughing up a storm until your sides ache with folks that you've just met. I was able to hang out with all the guys for the rest of the weekend. It made me feel like I'd known them for years

Thanks again for a great weekend. I look forward to seeing you and all the bears on the next Bears by the Sea weekend.

XOXOXO
Rich

Bear weekend was a blast as usual, it was another engaging performance between Gee & Alexia and not to mention how Gee got down and dirty, with one of his solo songs. That was lots of fun! And of course being accompanied by our Eddie Bemish on piano was a great addition to the show, thank you once again for putting this all together Gordon!

P.S. also loved the show after yours.........that comedian Chris Francis was funny as hell.

Paul K.

It was a wonderful weekend and I would not change a thing. My favorite thing was the meet & greet and game night!!! You really got to know people and it made it easy to talk and meet the other guys. I definitely will go again! It was worth every penny!

Chuck

Hey Gee

Many thanks for the great weekend "Bears by the Sea". One of the best shorter getaways I've had in a VERY long time and so glad I did it. Met some fantastic people. I fell in love with the bed and breakfast “The Morning Dove” and the games night was a complete hoot! The town of Ogunquit couldn't have been a better venue for this event as everyone I met around the town was gracious, warm and friendly. The night of the music was a great evening with some well performed songs, fantastic meal and enjoying the camaraderie of a group of men who accepted me so readily!

I truly believe that this event will become a regular for my travel plans for years to come!

Ken

Hello Gentlemen;

In the past, my reviews have been quite specific, and were directed towards the participants. I'm shaking it up a bit this time. This is directed to the men who didn't come, or who have never gone to a Gee Michaels event. What can you expect from a Gee Michaels event? I predict that in the near future, they will be by invitation only, so that they remain a small gathering. We are not snobs, quite the contrary. We are men who enjoy the company of other men over the sexual conquest and bed hopping that occurs at other bear events. We do not try to be the biggest bear event on the circuit. We are a small intimate gathering of men who have had the experience of seeing a man lay bare his soul as he performs for us. We go for quality over quantity. We gather in a small, almost quaint Maine seaside town before and after the rush of the "in" crowd. We are real men. We come in all shapes and sizes, and from all over the world. We neither judge, nor expect to be judged. We rarely notice who has gained or lost weight, hair, or other status items. We do not look for the perfect tan, or the perfect body. We gather to hear great music ( I can hear songs on a radio - I said music, live, beautiful, from the soul MUSIC). We gather to share our joys and our sorrows. Think of a group of friends hanging out in a hot tub, or around a piano bar, enjoying each other’s company and not thinking of which one's shoes will wind up under my bed for the night or for the next 10 minutes. We value personalities over penis size. We go for connections, not condom counts. We accept each other for the man that he is, and not for what he has, or does. Gee puts together a total weekend - meals, entertainment, the chance to get to know each other - it is all there. This years events included everything from a folk singer to an x-rated comedian, homemade hummus to sweet potato croquettes. Come to an event with an open mind, and an open heart, and no expectations - and you will leave a better man than when you arrived. If you are looking for a sex packed weekend - keep looking. If you are looking for real connections with real men - come to the next event on the first weekend in April.

You will not be disappointed.

J.P.

Dear Gee!
Once again I attended the BEARS BY THE SEA on November 7,8, and 9 and again the accommodations, meals, and show were "Far out" as they use to say in the 60's (or is that the 70's?) LOL The weekend provided me with a phenomenal source of belongingness I don't get to experience in my real life. The love, acceptance, laughter, and willingness to open up to men who you feel REALLY understand you is a gift more precious than any one can understand. I especially enjoyed the dinner at THE FRONT PORCH along with the great music provided by you and Alexia as well as the company of such sexy, hot, guys. The greatest gift I took away from the weekend was the feeling of brotherhood amongst gay men. This is an intimacy rarely reached in many events. Looking forward to being back in Ogunquit next year and hope that other men will take total advantage of this unique fun-loving event.

DON

Gee,

The part I liked about the weekend most was the gathering at Toms the host of the Meet & Greet. I enjoy social events like that where we can get together and be able to talk to each other and flirt. The breakfast Saturday morning was great too. It was nice to sit on the front porch with everyone together. The dinner I had at the Front Porch was very good. I had the chicken Alfredo and couldn't finish it all there was so much. I also enjoyed the show put on by Gee, Alexia and Martin. As always they sing beautifully. The Inn we stayed at was very nice. Our room was real comfortable and our Innkeepers were great. They made a special breakfast for us on Sunday, which was very nice of them. If anything Gee kept us fed well that weekend. We even had a brunch on Sunday with the whole group again. It was just nice to get to know some new people and be able to sit and chat with them.

Thanks Gee for putting on a wonderful weekend.

Tom

Gee,

I came back from the Maine weekend with many happy memories. You really know how to pull together a fun packed time even with all the obstacles you faced. You make it look so easy. Your homemade food and all the other meals made this bear a happy camper. Meeting new men and catching up with old friends was nice also. Your singing was the frosting and the cherry on the weekend. We will be back with bells on for your next event.
Take care,
Howard & Andy

Gee,

Wow what a nice relaxing weekend. You certainly know how to organize an event! It was better then taking a Bear Cruise.

Like a cruise, the food was excellent and plentiful. You truly know how to feed bears. There was so much good food! It was like being wined and dined all weekend. Then there was the professional entertainment. That goes without saying. Getting to know Alexia was a great pleasure. She is much more then just a beautiful voice. Unlike the cramped quarters of a cruise, our room at the "Morning Dove" was spacious and spectacular. On a cruise you never know who will be on board. Yet, you were able to put together the perfect group of handsome bears. Then you scheduled events that allowed us to meet even the shy ones. Thanks to your hard work, I got to know so many great guys.

Yes, the weekend was just perfect. Thank you so very much!!!! Please include me in all your future endeavors!

Lee

This was my second time attending the "Bears By the Sea" event and even though it was smaller than the year before it was still very enjoyable. I stayed at the Morning Dove (in Grandma's Attic) that was charming, clean and quiet with wonderful hosts Rich & Rob who surprised all of us staying there with a home-cooked breakfast on Sunday. I couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable place to stay...Thanks guys! The other couples that stayed there Tom & Lee and Howard & Drew became my hangout buddies the whole weekend. Tom & I went on a walk down Marginal Way after having breakfast at Katie's on Saturday then met up with his partner and other guys from the event at a small cafe for hot chocolate and coffee. Ogunquit certainly is a great place to window shop! I want to give a special thanks to Tom at the Ogunquit House for opening his place for the Friday night gathering. I was first to arrive at his home where I was to meet Gee (running late! :-O ) to help set up the buffet and Tom & I had a nice chat over coffee, being very gracious and not at all phased while talking about how I got started in the culinary profession and why I enjoy history...thanks Tom for listening in! This years' gathering was smaller, almost half the size than last year, but I liked that because I was able to sit with different guys at different events to get to know them more on a personable level...Thanks Gee for making this year's event a complete success! I too am looking forward to next years' gathering!

Brian

Gee asked us to name our favorite part of the weekend. Sorry ... No can do. I had an AMAZINGLY fun time from arrival to departure! I'm not one who usually enjoys games, but the food, atmosphere & game playing Friday night was great fun! The show & the food on Saturday were amazing. And brunch on Sunday ... WOW! There was so much delicious and abundant food. As always, the accommodations and care taking by John at Moon Over Maine were a real treat. But most of all, the atmosphere of camaraderie and fun that develops under Gee's talent as a planner makes it all worthwhile no matter what! Thanks Gee!
You're the BEST!
Paul S.

Hi Gordon,

I was so happy to be an part of the Beas4music weekend once again. It was lovely to see old friends and make new ones. The accomodations were lovely as always. All of the eateries were wonderful. The Morning Dove has great maittresses. The 24 hour availability of tea offerings really put it over the top for me anyway. Of course my favorite times are when I get to sit and talk with you while we dine. A few nice moments were: designing a kitchen in the house that Chris and I would need to have bought to fit the huge wooden carving of a calendar in that we found in one of the shops; the Morning Dove gang trying to find movies to nod off to on Saturday night; talking with Paul K and JP; seeing Derrick again; the celtic dancing that Gordon felt the need to share with us during the catch phrase game and Tom who was quite concerned when I was quietly sitting and reading magazines in the kitchen on Friday night (no one told him I was a nerd). Stay just as warm as you all are now and life will be pretty good. I look forward to seeing you all again.

Alexia Motley

Hey Gee,

Many thanks for the great Bears' weekend in Ogunquit. This was my third and I just want to tell you that you do a great job of planning these events. It's great to see the group as everyone gets along so well. I think The Front Porch did an amazing job on Saturday night-- the food and the venue are tops. Looking forward to our next Bears' weekend!

Bill M.

Bears by the Sea 2007

Gee!

Just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love and care you took to help ensure that all of us who attended BEARS BY THE SEA would have a good time. The food, the music, BEACHFIRE GRILL, MOON OVER MAINE, ADMIRAL'S INN, the hot tubs, the game night were all great, and those hot hairy bears and admirers who attended were FANTASTIC!
In all of my experiences of attending bear events I found this particular weekend most enjoyable and fulfilling. It is by far the most unique of all bear events and uses great live music to bring everyone together. The one thing I took away from the weekend was that I was able to totally be myself without thinking about what others would think about me. I was accepted, embraced, lovingly joked with, given compliments and made to feel totally and unconditionally accepted. WHAT A DAMN HIGH FEELING to leave with!
I hope and wish many who experienced this particular weekend felt some of what I felt. What a terrific brotherhood and celebration of being gay men! I certainly hope there will be another event like this next year and that other men who might come to such a weekend will feel as special as I felt. Unconditional acceptance is such a hard atmosphere to create at any event and GEE you had a blessed success in creating it at BEARS BY THE SEA.

Don

Hi Gee

Once again, it was great. If ever there was a relaxed venue to meet other bearish guys, you certainly knew how to provide it!

With your voice, you can sing 'Stand by Me' anytime and just watch me melt!!!

Thanks again for a great weekend! Enjoyed it thoroughly...

Larry

Hello Guys,

Once again, I want to thank everyone for being so warm and welcoming. I very much enjoyed the weekend. Gee, your awesome personality so uplifts my spirits and your vocals are amazing and touches the soul. A great group of guys and enjoyed the opportunity of getting to know some in a more personal level.

Look forward to the next trip.
Big Hug,
Manny

Gee,

Just wanted to thank you for all you did to make this past weekend an enjoyable one. I had a great time. This was my second one. I met a lot of nice guys and a very special lady. Thanks to Alexia, Gee and Tommy for a wonderful show. Also, BeachFire tasty meal! Thanks again and I so sure hope you do it again.

Mark

Hey Gee,

Just wanted to say THANK YOU for a wonderful weekend!!! I had a GREAT time. You spread a lot of joy. The tone of the weekend was warm & inviting. The food & music were GREAT, as were the accommodations. I'll definitely stay at Moon Over Maine again. Lots of laughs, connections & FUN! I know it was a LOT of work and truly appreciate it.
Till next time,

Paul S. (there were 4 of us!!!)

Good afternoon Gee

Where does one begin? The March and November events are some of the most precious times and memories. These events are great for those that like music but are not bar guys. One of the things that sets your events apart from some others is that the social aspect is the highlight. It’s like a family and leaving is always hard to do but yet we know that we have to get back to our daily routines but the break is nice. Granted it was a little cooler than last year but the warmth of everyone was great. Sitting around the table at John's chatting, having coffee and sharing, laughing is so special. Thanks for keeping Moon in the loop.
There are not a lot of events for bears and those that enjoy them. The off season is a nice time of have them. Please keep it up. The friendships created through these events might not happen otherwise.

Thanks again for being you and all you do, you are so appreciated more than words can express.

I wanted to say how great it was to see everyone again and even those new people who joined us this time. The show at Beachfire was great Thanks to Alexia and Tommy for singing and the Bill’s and their staff. They always seem to do such a great job. I look forward to seeing many of you again. The game night was good as usual. That Catch Phrase really does a number lol.

Rod

Hey Gee,

Although I was not there Friday, to enjoy from what I gather a meal done by you yourself. I bet it was great. Saturday was a wonderful day, your entertainment as always is great and the food was also very good. From what everyone is saying so far it appears even though we did not have the same group as it did appear to have a lot of new faces it was a big success. Great Job, … it was great to meet new friends.

Tony

Thank you for a fun weekend! I’m glad it all went off well and am happy I attended. Hope you do it next year – or maybe even a spring weekend (in addition to the cabaret weekend.)

Randy

Never having attended a specific "bear event" before, I didn't know what to expect. And that's just what I got! Which is to say, with no expectations, I was open to everything (and probably to everybody, if only I hadn't been so shy!).

Although I cannot claim to have gotten to know everybody equally well, my overall impression was that it was a good group of guys, all on individual life journeys that overlapped this past weekend to the enrichment of all (well, at least, of me). I enjoyed the conversation, the music and even (grumbling notwithstanding) game night. It seemed to have a good mix of private time and group time, and it was nice, during the private time, occasionally to run into members of the group in an impromptu way. And as very much a subscriber to the notion of "off season" attractiveness of resort towns, I enjoyed getting to know Ogunquit a little bit without having to elbow my way through it. (Was a might chilly, though...)

I can certainly recommend "Moon Over Maine" guesthouse to anyone, and though I didn't stay in Uranus, I was next door in Mars (where men are from, after all).

I kept the weekend open for a whole year in anticipation of this event, so am glad it came off as planned. I lead a very scheduled, structured life, so I don't know how often (if ever) I'll be able to join Gee and the group for future events. But I do hope this isn't the last I will see of this bunch of bear men.

The kinds of events I have attended - more oriented to leather and to facilitating hookups - have an unmistakable tinge of "Ka-CHING" about them. While inevitably, there was a financial aspect to this weekend (and it's certainly to be expected in a town that makes most of its living in a three-month window of time), the emphasis here was far more on the human side of things, which I think is largely attributable to Gee. If anything makes this weekend different from other men's weekends I've attended, that was it. And it certainly was a nice change (as opposed to a chunk of change). I think that's rare, and Gee is to be congratulated for that.

Thanks again, and hope to see some (or all) of you all again.

Dan Guss

I had a lot of time to reflect on this past weekend. Besides the drive, that mysteriously took an hour longer on the way home, I also had the luxury of having today off from work. Like most human beings, the first memories were of things that did not go the way that they were planned. I realized that they were all rather innocent mistakes, and were not done to intentionally harm me, although I do believe that I was discriminated against in the quilt store because of my gender, so I'll put them aside, and prefer to focus on all the wonderful things that did happen.

The first of those wonderful things was meeting Gee oh so many years ago. He has brought a joy and energy into my life that was truly missing. He surrounds himself with good and wonderful people, and he shares so much of himself with people around him. This is my third Gee-Travel experience, and I look forward to many, many more. I wish that I was closer, so that I could see many of the people that I have met on a more frequent basis. Gee radiates warmth, and love and caring, be it in person or on stage. The highlights are always watching the inner glow come to the surface when he sings. His voice is that of an angel, yet you always know that that litle devil's tail is hiding under those wings. Gee would not need a microphone if he sang the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, yet he still holds one. His voice has a strength and power that comes from a soul much older than his body.

The location, location, location. The Maine shore has always held great and wonderful memories for me. Each time I return, I continue to build on those memories. I have stayed at both Moon Over Maine, and The Admiral, and both are great places. Friday night's food was FABULOUS, as always. The hot tubs are both wonderful places for meet and greets.

The whole weekend was a great time, So refreshing meeting new people, the music was awesome, I really loved the selection of songs that you, Tommy and Alexia choose, even though it took us a few songs to liven up ( After you basically yelled at us) LOL, but a great intimate time, and awesome at the Front Porch, where you and Michelle were so passionate and strong, when singing "When I First Saw You" from Dreamgirls, It definitely choked me up. But it all occurred to me how much you love doing these gatherings, when I took the pictures of you and the guys on Sunday, some of the close ups of you and one of the owner of "Moon Over Maine", you have such a proud smile, so Gordon hats off to you, you’re the perfect host, always making sure that everyone is involved and not left out, and having a great time,
thank you once again,

Big Hugs and Love,
Paul K

Dear Gee,

I thought the weekend was just fine as planned. I met some wonderful men, and I thank you for organizing the
weekend. The food, Friday night, was delicious; thanks for the work you did for that.

Hugs to you, my friend,

Judd

You should be the one we all thank too. Without all your hard work I would not have the opportunity to meet and hang out with such a great group of guys. I for one look forward to your men's weekends. They are one of the highlights of my spring and fall.

The food Friday night was FABBBB. Again, I think Beachfire was a great place. They really seem to enjoy housing your gatherings and their food was great. I can't say enough about your show. The three voices were wonderful to listen to. Alexia is such a sweetheart and I always love the chance to see Tommy.

You were a great hostess, lol. Always checking in with everyone to make sure we were all having a great time.

Hugs and thanks,
WAC

Hey Gee,

Still thinking about the fun weekend in Ogunquit. Many thanks for making it a memorable one. The place, the people were all special
and I look forward to the next one. As a matter of fact, your careful planning and the quality of the people always make for a great time and leave me wanting more.

Again, many thanks.
Bill
I had a great time. The show and dinner was fantastic and the company even better. Thank you everyone for a wonderful time.

Joel

It was a very relaxing and refreshing weekend in Ogunquit with the guys. The weather was beautiful if a bit crisp. The company was mellow and quite enjoyable. My favorite time during these weekends remains to be the breakfast gatherings. I'm sorry it must be the Jewish mom coming out in me, but when the guys are eating and sharing they are awfully cute.

Hope to do it again!
Alexia

To Gee and all the great guys (and Alexia!) I have met this past weekend...

Being that this was my first "Bear" outing in all my 44 years I will say that I had one heck of a weekend being entertained by talented singers and swooned by great looking guys! :-D ...and charmed by the talented and beautiful Alexia! From the moment I arrived at the Admiral Inn I was enjoying every moment from beginning to end. Working with Gee and Alexia in the kitchen getting the appetizers ready for friday Game Night was a real treat to partake since I enjoy helping as much as I can in the kitchen. Saturday morning's breakfast with the group of us at Bintliff's was wonderful with great decor, scrumptious food and great conversations....learning more about each other as the weekend progressed. That evening with the Cabaret and delightful meal at Beachfire's really made a grand ending for the day! Thanks to Tommy, Alexia and Gee! Of course I couldn't have done it all without Wayne's marvelous massage earlier that morning. When we all gathered for our final sunday brunch it proved to be a memorable experience for me saying good-bye to the wonderful guys I met and a chance to talk to others I didn't talk to before. I do plan to stay in touch with those I have met and talked to. Certainly this will not be my last event and hopes that we will all meet again real soon! Thanks again to you Gee for providing us an entertaining weekend...your unselfish and tireless energetic ability to put this package together for all of us truly amazed me and look forward to next Spring's outing once the date is finalized. Take care all and please stay in touch! Ciao!

Brian

Bears on Broadway 2007

I was only with you for The Color Purple part of the weekend but thanks so much for including me. The guys were all very friendly and the show was much better than i thought it would be.

Eric

G,

Thanks for putting together a great trip. Everyone was incredibly friendly and down to earth which was a concern for me, not knowing anyone beforehand. I felt very much included, and that meant a lot.

You and the other guys were also very informative when it came to the City and Broadway trivia, and certainly as entertaining as the show itself.

I'm still not recovered from Fantasia's performance! It was outrageous.

Peter

Hello, Gee -

I had a great time in NYC this weekend and am so glad I joined up with the excursion. Thank you for organizing, mobilizing, and keeping us moving. It was terrific to be growling around Manhattan with you and I'll look forward to the opportunity of traveling with you again. You know what to do and how to do it.

Joe

Gee;

I'm a little sad that I missed the fun on the rides into and out of the city. I'm sure that part of the fun was on the Cross Bronx. If you ever do it while I am on break - I would definitely take the extra time to start and end in Boston. I was a bit apprehensive about Saddle Brook, but I think it actually brought the group closer. Who knows how late some of us would have stayed at the Dugout or The Hanger if we weren't faced with an $80 bus ride back to the hotel. Think of the joy that would have been missed by those men lucky enough to have had you on the van ride into Manhattan. Not being a bar person, I was not sure about the bar crawl, but it was really fun. The show was fantastic, and would see it again in a heart beat. Can we go back this weekend to see The Ritz?
I feel much more secure about the November Weekend. I know that there will be more familiar faces, and things to get caught up on.
Your roomie missed a great weekend.
JP

Hi Gee and fellow friends;

I now consider each and every one of you my friend.

I want you to know in case you haven't already guessed it that I brought the little boy inside of me along on this trip.

You see I have never been to NY City: The Village: Broadway: a Broadway show: or even driven through Times Square.

but this was special because I shared my feelings and emotions with a great group of guys. It was phenomenal and I must add extremely erotic. LOL

What a play to witness for my growth and growing up experience. Yes I led a very sheltered life and extremely simple life. I related to so many feelings and emotions during the play but was very overwhelmed with the second half by far. I was also on that stage crying out that I am good, I am worthy and I do love myself. I have never cried and sobbed during any production as I did this past Sunday. I will cherish this experience for the rest of my life. I will tell those Religious Right Wingers they are full of Horse shit too. LOL

Gee my very special thanks to you. You are a super and very sweet man in deed. I am so grateful that we had the opportunity to finally meet after so many humorous and fun emails. You made the trip so special and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Hank

Hello Gee & Fellas!

Thanks to everyone for making me feel welcome and comfortable on my virgin trip with y'all. I had many laughs. The Color Purple was fantastic! I have a newfound respect for Ms. Fantasia. What a voice, what a performance! There was even a bright spot to our Saddlebrook location, courtesy of our little Croatian barkeep. Even though I was an angel, I'm thankful that everything that happens in the Village, stays in the Village. (wink, wink)

Thanks for your efforts in putting the trip together, Gee! You certainly are the host with the most. I look forward to traveling with you again.

Fondly,

Shawn

Well GEE!

What a wonderful time I had on the trip to NY and THE COLOR PURPLE. I would probably never have gotten to see the most wonderful production I have seen in many years, had it not been for your efforts to get the group together.

Thank you for being such a wonderful host, and having made great arrangements and planning a fun and exciting adventure to NYC. I have been many times, but I particularly enjoyed being with this group, we all got along so well, and had such a good time together. It was fabulous beyond my wildest expectations. What a wonderful group of guys!

I went hoping to find a fun group of guys to meet, and spend some time with socially, and it was perfect. I look forward to the next event, and hope to see all of you here in Woburn sometime this fall for the "ethnic pot luck", I think it will be a lot of fun.

Gee and Men-

I also want to thank you Gee for a great weekend. I was so happy to be back in the West Village again with new and old friends, the place has many wonderful memories for me and it always puts a smile on my face when I get to Sheridan Square. There is an energy in NYC and especially in the Village that cannot be matched anywhere else. The show was amazing and I am happy that I got to see it again with Fantasia. You were right Gee, she brought so much more to the table then the previous lead, I was a weepy mess! Thanks so much to Tom for driving all weekend, you did a fantastic job and kept us all safe! My only suggestion is that maybe we stay in the city next time (hopefully there is) I like to get as much of the city as I can!

Thanks again,
Chris

Hi Everyone--
Tom and I just got back from our first rehearsal of "Bye, Bye Birdie" where we both have small, but very important (!), roles. I'm thrilled that we're in the production together, but honestly we haven't stopped talking about our weekend with you guys. It was awesome, just awesome. The only problem was that it went too fast; I feel as if I barely really got to know anyone, yet somehow I know we'll see you all again.
Thank you, Gee, for all that you do, and did, to organize, welcome, and lead. I don't remember having as much relaxed fun in a very long time; in 24 hours you helped us all feel we were on vacation. And for bringing Fantasia and "The Color Purple" to us...WOW!! ( I needed to take the following day out of school; like all of you, I was exhausted!)
I've seen a fair number of shows on Broadway from "Pippin" way back in the 70's to "Rent" (twice) over the last couple of years, and this is at the top of the list. Tom and I were passing a soaked Kleenex back and forth between us. It's terrific when theater can be so moving and so uplifting at the same time.
And, Jim, thank you once again for including us to see "Judy Garland." What a fun show that was!! From the music to the comic standup, it was a blast.
And thanks too, publicly, to my partner, Tom. With the patience that makes him my best friend and the love of my life, he got us back, forth, and all around without a whimper or whine. Now all you guys know how lucky I am. There's a "Tom" out there for you too...
Honestly, we can't wait to see you again. Please know that If any of you would like roughing it up here in the quiet of the woods, let us know. We haven't much company, very few gay guy friends up here, and often just chill at home in front of the fire and a movie. If you can stand the relaxation where the sound of outside is only a howling coyote, come and join us for a weekend.
Take care everyone. It was our pleasure meeting all of you and look forward to seeing you again real soon.
Bear Hugs,
Len

Hello Gee and All,

I want to thank Gee for being an excellent host with a great sense of humor. Thanks to you and the great hospitality from everyone on the trip which made it a most enjoyable weekend.

This was my first time ever to see a Broadway show in New York. I want to thank Steve for his generosity in educating me on the play and putting up with my endless tears throughout the performance. It’s a very moving story that touches everyone in some way, shape or form.

Peter thank you for driving me home from Gee’s place which allowed us to chat some more. You greatly reduced the time I would have spent on the T to get home that night and increased my sleep time so I could get to work on Monday.

I very much enjoyed meeting and conversing with everyone and hope that on the next trip we can stay at a hotel in NYC.

Look forward to other trips with all of you. preferable sooner than later.

A big hug to all,
Manny

Hello guys,
finally had a minute to say thank you to all of you for a great, stress-free weekend. Gee, bravo for all you do and without you, I would have been home that weekend. I love to be on a trip that you plan! Again, it was a great time and would definitely do another weekend with y'all again. Take care,

Tom

BEARS ON BROADWAY!

I had a wonderful time with you all this past weekend on the New York trip. Gee, thanks for the expert planning and all you did all weekend to keep things on track. Tom, your patience behind the wheel was fantastic. Thanks for taking the wheel all weekend.

This was my first "Bears" trip. Having moved from L.A. in April I was hoping for an opportunity to meet some new friends and have some fun along the way. This trip was more than what I had expected. Everyone pitched in to make it a great weekend. To top it all off I actually got to see "The Color Purple". I usually fall asleep at the theater but not this time.

Many thanks for a memorable weekend, guys. Hope to see you on the next one.

Bill

As usual Gee, it was a memorable time leaving me hungry for more. The Village is always so nice to visit, but I can’t say enough about the Color Purple, and that Fantasia brought me to tears, oh yeah, Harpo was hot! By the way I did find his name, Gavin Gregory, I checked him out on You Tube.
Thank you so much for organizing this trip, I can't wait for the Ogunquit trip in Nov.

Hugs, Paul