Pgh Lesbian Correspondents

Tell us about the top five places you’ve always wanted to visit. GO!

One of the things about living in a nation with disjointed equality is that traveling take a lot more energy and planning. I don’t really want to spend my money in a state that thinks I’m second class (yet, ironically, I live in one of the worst) so I don’t have a go-to list on places I’d like to travel.

So today I’m going to step out of reality, into the television and share my destination spots from the soap operas. Time, distance and reality are no constraints.

1. Kelly’s Diner (Port Charles, NY) – Kelly’s is a waterfront diner that everyone patronizes. Well, to be fair, it is the only restaurant in town aside from the Metro Court which is “fine dining” with the occasional gun shot. Kelly’s originally belong to the Kelly family and eventually was sold to Aunt Ruby Spencer – it now is co-owned by Luke and Bobbie Spencer who have hired a succession of managers to run it. What’s interesting to me is how many people eat breakfast at Kelly’s on weekdays before going to work and/or school. We never do that! Almost everyone in town has lived in a room over Kelly’s. It has lots of floor space, few servers and yet seems to turn enough profit to keep it in business. It must be the BLT’s.

2. The Brady Pub (Salem) – Another family establishment, this is an Irish-American pub formerly a fish market, opened by the late Shawn Brady and his wife Caroline, who continues to run it to this day. Even though she has dementia and no one has really addressed who ACTUALLY runs it. Lots of local miscreants have lived above the Pub, most recently Gabi Hernandez. The pub apparently serves great pancakes per Ali Horton (Caroline’s great-granddaughter) and of course chowder. It is the go-to location for events and advice. You are sure to find a Brady or a fomer-Brady or a soon-to-be Brady somewhere on the premis who is happy to tell you what to do with your life.

3. Horton Square – Days found a great way to keep the Horton legacy going without so many expensive interior sets. The Horton elders – Alice and Tom – left a bequest to name the park after their family so now the name “Horton” is uttered on every other episode even though Lucas, Will, Ali and Ari are the only people actually named Horton left on the canvas. It appears super walkable from every other space in town, but close enough to a creepy wooded area to lend a menacing quality. It is popular for its hot chocolate and to find the most recent Salemite who has fallen off the wagon. And it is a much better idea to do this than have every single scene take place in a hotel a la Guiding Light and As The World Turns. I hope there’s free wi-fi!

4. Wyndemere/Spoon Island (Port Charles) – Let me be clear, day-trip-only. This place feeds right into all your “Rebecca” nightmares only amped by 100. Every party ends in disaster. Nicholas is the quintessential brooding recluse who isn’t really a recluse at all. There are catacombs, parapets, a stable, a launch. And no matter how many times a crime is solved on Spoon Island, no one will search there the next time a lovely lady is kidnapped. The butler is even named Alfred. I’d love a quick tour, but then I’m on my way back to the mainland before the sun sets. Or I’m sticking close to Alexis (Cassadine) Davis who always figures out the crazy before anyone else.

5. The Docks and The Pier – The docks are in Salem and the Pier is in Port Charles. People seem to like taking walks here to “clear their head” or “think” or some such thing. A lot of people die here (usually to turn up later) and there are lots of lurking spots. What there is not is much actual pier/dock work taking place. Both locations are a bit gloomy but spotless and have handy park benches every so often. This is the spot to go if you REALLY want someone to learn your secret, but pretend that you don’t. You can also meet henchmen here, arrange for a getaway and occasionally, find yourself arrested.

I didn’t list anyone’s specific home, but I’d like to tour the Kiriakis gardens, too.

When you travel, do you accumulate a lot of travel size personal care items? These make for perfect donations. Do you pick up “swag” at conferences and expos? All of this can go to help your neighbors rather than clutter your junk drawers. ‘Cathy’s Closet’ distributes these items to neighbors. Your modest donation will help us open the doors that much sooner.