The Golds on Market street is to the gay men of the Castro as the Acropolis was to the ancient Athenians. Not just a place to work out, it is a bazaar of all kinds of activity and transaction.
Fair enough, I'm all about user defined spaces.
There's one thing I don't get though. Given how close the gym is to most everyones home why do so many men feel a need to bring their steamer trunks of beauty materials to the gym? The locker room is like being backstage at the Ziegfeld Follies and everyone is preparing for their big moment on stage. Forget about washing your hands at a sink after your workout. Oh no, you have to wait for the ladies to finish blowdrying their hair and applying their setting lotion before you can do that.
I just want to know if these people have bathrooms at home? Perhaps they sublease their bathrooms at home to subsidize part if their rent? I'm open to explanation.
Honey its called "On to the next trick", they have to freshen up that snatch!
I loved that you used the phrase "Setting Lotion". Such vintage speak! ;)
Posted by: Jimmi | July 21, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Personally, I don't shower at home during the week. But I'm also not spending tons of the time applying firming lotion or hair (anything). I can significantly cut down on my water bill if I shower at the gym.
And, for the record, my dopp kit only contains toothbrush, paste, scrub, soap, floss, deodorant and (fine, I admit it) undereye cream.
Posted by: jeremy | July 22, 2008 at 02:41 AM
You never know who you're going to meet on that three block walk home!
Posted by: John | July 22, 2008 at 05:32 AM
But wouldn't you rather be all hot and sweaty from a workout, proving your athletic chops, if you meat someone on the three block walk home?
While I was a member there, I never once used the showers, locker room, or the infamous steam room. Of course that was more to do with the convenience of living a block away (and the locker room was really gross) than looking athletic on the way home.
Posted by: Jamison | July 22, 2008 at 11:30 AM
The way I see it, if you've had a work out, it goes without saying that you'll be sweaty. If you've been to the gym on a lunch break, fair-play, you'll want to freshen up. But, personally, I'd feel much happier using my own bathroom. But, that's just me.
Posted by: Xander | July 22, 2008 at 11:55 AM
Given its reputation, I think it's safe to say that not everyone who goes to that Golds lives in the Castro. Or even the City.
Posted by: Big Red Dave | July 22, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Must be nice to have hair to use "setting lotion" on!
Posted by: homer | July 22, 2008 at 03:20 PM
Gee, I dunno abou this, maybe it's just me and my shy nature, but I try to minimise the time spent in public bathrooms/lockerrooms/chagerooms so I'd be very inclined to shower and bolt for the door rather than hang around, especially if I was pretty close to home, but different strokes for different folks I guess!
Posted by: Kezza | July 22, 2008 at 06:44 PM
Our Golds on Capitol Hill, Seattle is dark and dingy and reminds me of Oz prison. Feels like I'm gonna get shanked. One guy dries his pubes using the hand dryer, another blows loogies into the sink and washes them down. Don't get me started on 24 Hour Fitness downtown, you can see the bacteria creeping toward your toes in that breeding ground. Happy workout!
John in Seattle
Posted by: John in Seattle | July 23, 2008 at 01:46 PM
its all about mirror time!!! lol
Posted by: JJ | March 22, 2009 at 01:46 AM