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The America of the Future Looks a Lot Like The Back Door, a Midwestern Queer Bar

By Samantha Allen

This is part of a collection of stories celebrating lesbian bars across the US and other parts of the world. Read more here .

If The Back Door ’s zebra-print walls could talk, they would tell stories of the famous drag queens who have sashayed onto its stage (Sasha Velour delivered one of her favorite-ever performances in the Bloomington, Indiana bar ). They’d laugh about the many funny people who have stopped by after a show at the Comedy Attic, like Guy Branum, Tim Heidecker, and Joel Kim Booster . They’d echo the giddy screams of the lesbians who recently packed the stools for a screening of the steamy Kristen Stewart flick Love Lies Bleeding . But perhaps most of all, they would relish the chance to describe the one night a year when co-owner Smoove Gardner appears in Star Wars -themed drag as “Jabba the Cunt.” (“Jabba is disgusting,” Gardner tells me with impish glee, “but a big hit with the crowd.”)

Smoove Gardner, the owner of The Back Door, stands in front of the bar's iconic Golden Girls Mural.

The Back Door's drink menu has pop-culture references like “Goodbye Earl” and “These Gays Are Trying to Murder Me.”

Gardner opened the bar with Nicci Boroski in 2013, one year before I took my first cautious steps through its alleyway entrance as a summer researcher at the nearby Kinsey Institute. More to the point, I had only recently come out as a transgender woman, and had yet to feel welcomed in big-city LGBTQ+ nightlife spots, which tend to serve disappointingly specific demographics. I found that second home in The Back Door, which has always billed itself as “a queer bar,” open to everyone. “It was 100% intentional,” Gardner tells me of that early commitment to inclusion. “When you’re dealing with a space for marginalized folks, why would you further marginalize anyone?” In practice, that means The Back Door is a one-size-fits-all watering hole where you can watch a drag show , dance with your friends, or enjoy a quiet drink with a hilarious name. (“Citron on my Face” and the “Boozy Bottom” are two punny highlights of the menu.)

That vibe of “not catering to any one audience in particular” appeals to Aja Essex, co-founder of the local pop-up film collective Cicada Cinema , which put on the recent Love Lies Bleeding showing. “There are cis gay men who come there, lesbians, nonbinary people, trans people—it’s the whole spectrum,” she says. A decade later, Essex’s trans journey in Bloomington paralleled my own; she had gone dancing with friends at The Back Door in the past, but after coming out two years ago at age 31, she saw the bar with fresh eyes. Now, she’s equally at home eating summer snacks with friends on the patio, served from Toby Foster’s aptly named Munch Box food truck, or taking in Oliver Closeoff’s gloriously diverse burlesque show Beyond the Binary . “I would have to go off the record to talk about the funny nights I’ve had,” Essex jokes, but one she is willing to share involves a particularly lively screening of the Wachowski sister’s crime classic Bound . “Everyone was reacting so viscerally to this movie I had seen a hundred times, literally bursting out in applause and yelling at the screen,” she tells me.

Siichele is a co-host of Strapped, the Chicago-hailing sapphic drag show that regularly sells out at The Back Door.

It’s this kind of programming that makes The Back Door something of an honorary lesbian bar despite billing itself with a larger umbrella term; in fact, the Lesbian Bar Project , a documentary filmmaking campaign that highlights the scarcity of spaces for queer women, features it in its list of 32 businesses . As the landscape of LGBTQ+ nightlife shifts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, establishments that primarily serve women—and those that serve multiple genders— are becoming more common . But curating these kinds of environments takes work, and a commitment to atmosphere. “There’s a genteel, welcoming, warm nature to it, the same way that I feel like feminine energy has a gentle, welcoming, warm nature to it,” Essex says of the vibe. “There’s a lack of desperation at The Back Door, I would say. Lesbians yearn. We are not desperate.” Is it still the kind of bar where you can make out with a sexy somebody on the dance floor? Absolutely. But it is also the bar where I once spent a lazy afternoon working on coloring books with local queer women as they got off work—a happy hour indeed.

The décor is fantastically eclectic with flashes of campy opulence: a Golden Girls mural, a life-size Angela Davis print, and an array of unicorn paintings displayed in mismatched glittery frames. “All the different types of imagery are colliding and fusing with each other, and they’re kind of interlocking,” Essex says. “Everything works in harmony with itself.” After road-tripping across the United States for my 2017 travelogue Real Queer America , I can confidently report there’s nowhere else that rivals its uniqueness. The zebra walls in particular have become a signature, despite some initial skepticism when they were spray-painted. “At first Nicci hated them,” Gardner recalls. “I was like, ‘I know it’s a little tacky, but trust me, this’ll be great.” But the aesthetic choices are only one piece of the lasting impression The Back Door leaves on anyone who spends time in the space. More than just a bar, it is a place to belong.

The décor at The Back Door? Zebra walls and unicorn art.

Even the bathroom is a vibe at The Back Door in Bloomington, Indiana.

“It was kind of the first place where I felt like I could be myself,” Brick Kyle, a Milwaukee-based photographer who worked at The Back Door from 2013 to 2022, tells me. “I spent most of my 20s at the bar so I grew up there.” Kyle’s favorite memories from his tenure are hanging skeleton decorations from the speakers for Halloween and filling enormous balloons with confetti for New Year’s celebrations. When I first got to know him in 2017, he told me about coming out in Bloomington after growing up in the even smaller Indiana town of Seymour, population 21,000. He found a safe haven in The Back Door, first working at the coat check, then graduating to bartending and marketing. Although Kyle has found new queer spaces in his current home of Wisconsin , The Back Door is still special to him. “I haven’t found anything quite like it,” he says, and neither have I, despite a decade of searching.

As a wave of pernicious anti-LGBTQ+ legislation takes root in more conservative areas, including the Hoosier State , my mind often returns to The Back Door, which is still standing strong as an oasis in the storm. “That has been very disheartening to see,” Gardner says of the state legislature’s targeting of gender-affirming care and trans student athletes , among other bills. “But I am not going to back down. Those are bullies.” The legendary co-owner—whom Kyle hilariously describes as “father figure and an icon, a demon and a saint”—tries to maintain a long view of history, in which three steps forward are sometimes followed by two steps back. “We’re not doing anything different except still making sure we’re providing the safest space we possibly can for people,” she says. Gardner herself is a model of that resilience, having undergone two knee replacements in the last year, and switching her drink to the “Skinny Bitch,” a vodka soda, to cut back on sugar. But she can be proud of what she has helped build: Maybe I’m an optimist, too, but I believe the America of the future looks a lot like a Midwestern queer bar.

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The best time to visit Paris for cheap flights and fewer crowds

By Matt Ortile

The question of when is the best time to visit Paris was answered by Audrey Hepburn in the 1963 classic Sabrina : “ Paris is always a good idea.” A spring stroll through the Jardin du Luxembourg, a summer evening along the Canal Saint-Martin, a fall morning whiled away sur la terrasse avec un café , twinkling Christmas markets in the winter – it all sounds so fabulous that one single trip can’t cover it all. But if you’re someone who strategises around attending (or avoiding) big events in the French capital, or would like to cash in on prime deals for hotels and flights , there is of course a slight science to it all.

To get some expert advice on the best time to visit Paris, I spoke to two of Condé Nast Traveller ’s top travel specialists : Nick Cunningham, the destination manager for Europe at Scott Dunn; and Camilla Davidson, the head of destination management for France at Red Savannah. Both offered tips about the city’s cultural calendar, the must-see sights, and other insider tips that will make your Paris experience – much like Audrey Hepburn’s in Sabrina – one to write home about.

Paris in the spring remains one of the best times to visit for temperate weather and fewer tourists

What is the best time to go to Paris?

The best times to visit Paris are the months that shoulder the summer season: April, early May, September and early October. “The days are still warm and balmy but without the sweltering heat of peak summertime,” says Davidson of Red Savannah. You’re more likely to avoid the crowds at this time too, when many of the families traveling with kids are back at work and school.

Cunningham of Scott Dunn agrees that avoiding the months of June, July and August are a smart idea; temperatures all over Europe are rising, and the city heat and humidity of Paris can feel oppressive. September is his favourite time to visit the French capital, since you won’t need a coat: “Though, it is Paris. In case fall does come early, any excuse is better than none to don a fashionable coat and make the streets of Paris your very own runway.”

When is peak season in Paris?

Peak season in Paris begins at the end of May with the Roland-Garros (a.k.a. the French Open) and runs through the summer, ending in the middle of September. Davidson notes that many Parisians also take their grands vacances in August, when they decamp to the beach or the mountains, so many small boutiques and restaurants close for the month. Also, this means August may feel more packed with tourists than usual because all the locals are away, and you may not get to experience all the insider Paris recs you got from your friends for things like hole-in-the-wall wine bars and must-visit thrift shops.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on the fashion world’s calendar, Cunningham cautions: “Despite the fantastic opportunities for spotting A-list celebrities, be warned that if you visit during fashion weeks, especially womenswear, it’s possible you will see higher prices everywhere during seemingly surprising times of the year in the fall and spring.” For what it’s worth: the women’s ready-to-wear shows – what most people call “Paris Fashion Week” – occur in late February or early March and late September or early October.

There are plenty of historic cafés in Paris like Les Deux Magots where you can while away the day

What is the cheapest time to go to Paris?

Generally, the cheapest time to go to Paris is in the window from mid-November to mid-December, says Cunningham, “after the insanely busy summer tourist season, but before the holiday season, when prices leading just up to and after New Year’s skyrocket.” During this time, you avoid most of the major events on the annual calendar like fashion week, the French Open, and the like, giving you plenty of room at hotels and shorter lines at the main tourist attractions.

With the Olympics happening in France this year, the cheapest time to go to Paris in 2024 is after the summer, specifically October and November, according to Laura Lindsay, the global travel trends expert at Skyscanner, the search aggregator and travel agency. As for 2025, the beginning of the calendar is looking like a good time to book your flights, she says.

For cheaper plane tickets to Paris, Lindsay recommends playing with your itinerary. Roundtrip flights from and to the most convenient airports are most desirable and often priced accordingly by airlines. “Sometimes it’s cheaper to fly out with one airline and back with another,” she says. “You can also look at flying in or out of one airport and back to or from another. This is especially handy for cities with multiple airports like Paris, London and New York . It can take a bit of playing with the flight search, but it can result in finding great flight deals.”

How many days in Paris do you need as a first timer?

Both Davidson and Cunningham suggest four to five days in Paris for the average first-time visit. Travellers can cover a handful of must-see sights in Paris, but an extra fifth day can offer some breathing room and time to enjoy the city at a more leisurely pace. This is Paris after all. Simply strolling through the streets for a bit of French flânerie will always yield some new-to-you discoveries, be it a café, a bakery, a boutique or some small patch of green.

Crowds are a given at the Louvre, but time your arrival strategically for a calmer experience

What are the must-see places in Paris?

Naturally, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre are among the must-see tourist attractions in Paris, but be prepared for crowds to be there year-round. Try going early when you can; watching the sunrise at the foot of the Sacré-Cœur with a view overlooking the French capital is definitely worth the wake-up call and the hike up the hill. Additionally, the boat rides along the Seine are one of the tourist attractions that even Parisians can appreciate; Cunningham suggests going at golden hour, just as the city lights come to life at dusk, for a truly mesmerising display of the City of Light.

As for more off-the-beaten-path experiences, Cunningham recommends a guided tour of the Palais Garnier, the most famous opera house in the city: “It’s a very brief visit that doesn’t take much time, but it delivers perhaps one of the most interesting tours you can do in the city.” Davidson also offers a useful strategy for seeing art and culture in the city: “Paris is so filled with museums, galleries and art exhibitions that I always suggest visitors to pick just one gallery and focus on that, to avoid ‘museum fatigue’ and focus on a particular area of interest for you.”

Note that the Notre Dame Cathedral is due to reopen at the end of 2024 after extensive reconstruction and restoration in the wake of the devastating fire in the spring of 2019. It’s one of the most anticipated reopenings happening in the city this year, the other being that of the Grand Palais. Book tickets early, if you want to go, and be prepared to muscle through the crowds.

What else should I know before visiting Paris?

Always make sure to greet shop owners and staff when entering a store, a restaurant, a hotel – any building in Paris, really. “It’s considered rude to wait for them to greet you,” Cunningham explains. Bonjour and merci will get you far; you’ll find that just saying hello and thank you will make your experience in the city all the more pleasant.

Davison also suggests bringing comfortable walking shoes. Much of the city is walkable, and you’ll miss a lot of the beautiful city scenery if you’re just shuttling back and forth between tourist sites via the Metro or taxis. She also recommends visiting a museum on the first Sunday of the month, which is when many art institutions offer free admission. “It’s a great way to explore some of the lesser-known museums, with less commitment than an expensive ticketed admission.”

This story was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller US

Condé Nast to Launch Condé Nast Traveller in Germany

Condé Nast today announced plans to launch Condé Nast Traveller in Germany in autumn 2024. Part of the Condé Nast portfolio, Condé Nast Traveller is the world’s leading luxury travel and lifestyle media brand providing inspiration and expert advice to discerning travellers across the world. Authoritative and influential, Condé Nast Traveller’s flagship properties include their annual Readers’ Choice Awards, Gold List and Hot List.  

With a dedicated editorial team based in Munich, Germany will join as the 8th owned and operated market for Condé Nast Traveller and is part of a larger strategy to expand Condé Nast’s market reach with its brands. Conde Nast Traveler was launched in the US more than 35 years ago; in autumn 2023, it launched an O&O edition in the Middle East. It also has O&O editions in the UK, Spain, Italy, India and China.  

The first print issue of Condé Nast Traveller Germany hits newsstands in fall 2024. It will publish six issues per year accompanied by a robust digital and social media presence. The Munich-based editorial team will report to Divia Thani, Global Editorial Director, Condé Nast Traveler, and work closely with the brand’s international editorial teams. More details on the German editorial team will follow soon.  

“We are so excited to launch Condé Nast Traveller in Germany, which has always been such a vibrant and sophisticated travel market. Audiences here demonstrate a real passion for travelling the world, for authentic cultural experiences and making the most of their time away, whether it's a city or beach break, a wellness or adventure holiday. Partnering with our global network across seven countries, our new CNT Germany team will be dedicated to creating inspirational and informative content tailored to the German traveller. It also gives us a unique opportunity to create local stories here that we will be able to export across our international platforms, doing more to showcase Germany as a rich and unique destination for global travellers”, says Divia Thani, Global Editorial Director, Condé Nast Traveler.  

Andrea Latten, Chief Business Officer, Condé Nast Germany, adds: “For Condé Nast Germany, the launch of Condé Nast Traveller is an exciting business opportunity that will allow us to tap into a new market segment and expand our target group. We are looking forward to reaching this milestone. It is an important signal to the market and for Condé Nast Germany.” 

Condé Nast Traveller Germany is the fifth brand in the portfolio of Condé Nast Germany alongside AD Architectural Digest, GLAMOUR, GQ and VOGUE.

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Donde el viento da la vuelta

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Acabo de caer en que tanto viaje me ha colmado de tics. Cosas mías, aliteraciones que van forjando una cadencia no sé, supongamos que divertida. A mí me divierte. Voy a enumerarlas en plan retahíla y lo mismo hasta relleno este folio en blanco sin sudar mucha tinta.

En los hoteles siempre fotografío el número de la habitación y los rótulos que indican el camino al gimnasio, al ascensor o a la piscina. Me interesa entender el hotel por la tipografía y el diseño elegido para algo que a priori podría ser mero trámite. No me gustan los hoteles funcionales, por cierto. Ni la palabra. Prefiero que todo disfuncione en un perfecto y fenomenal bullicio de cosas bonitas. Nunca tomo notas de nada porque considero que alguien me inoculó una moleskine en el cerebro al nacer. Luego pasa que tengo que escribir un artículo y se me olvidan cosas, pero meh, no tantas. Ahora que digo memoria: me fascina el Atlántico, que es rico en omega-3, por eso mis pescados favoritos son el arenque, la caballa y la sardina.

Aunque prefiero la sardinha , fíjate. Estuve en Madeira el otro día y olvidé hacer fotos de flores de cerca, así que tendré que volver. Siempre me invento excusas para convencerme de que voy a volver a los sitios. No suelo repetir porque el mundo es demasiado grande como para veranear en vez de explorar, pero luego me contradigo. He ido quinientas veces a Nueva York . Otras tantas a París . Muchas menos a Londres y millones a Italia y Portugal . He saltado al Báltico tres veces y por tres sitios diferentes; me apasiona el Báltico, ya ves tú qué cosa más báltica y más fría, pero me temo que Ingmar Bergman y Pippi Langstrumpf me metieron en tal charco. Ojo, que tengo muy pendiente Gotland, la isla de ambos. El Mediterráneo me gusta vivirlo como Zorba el Griego, como Mr. Ripley o como cualquier persona que se apellide Durrell. En su defecto me conformo con creerme un personaje de Guadagnino. I told ya .

Me ilusiona que en las páginas de nuestro nuevo número esté todo el verano del mundo. Y que lo hayamos recorrido de punta a punta para ti. De Tossa de Mar a Kerala. De Brighton a Sudáfrica . De Cannes a la isla de San Juan. De Tahití a Turquía. En algunos he estado y ya ando farfullando que quiero volver. A Sudáfrica, a Kerala, a Brighton, donde íbamos los veranos a aprender inglés como si fuésemos a aprender inglés. San Juan Island ni lo ubicaba y ahora lo tengo ya clavado en Google Maps y en el corazón. Será que, por encima de todas las cosas, me vuelve loco (tic) clavar los finales del mundo en Google Maps. Esos lugares donde el viento da la vuelta y dices: “Mira, después de eso ya no hay nada”. Pero siempre hay algo. La foto de arriba la tomé en el Cabo de Buena Esperanza, un fin del mundo de manual. Desde el helicóptero descubrí esa playa del fondo justo cuando girábamos en dirección contraria, rumbo a Walker Bay. La busqué, se llama Díaz Beach. Ahora solo quiero ir ahí. Tic tac.

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Time in Elektrostal , Moscow Oblast, Russia now

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Time zone info for Elektrostal

• The time in Elektrostal is 8 hours ahead of the time in New York when New York is on standard time, and 7 hours ahead of the time in New York when New York is on daylight saving time.
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Time difference from Elektrostal

Sunrise, sunset, day length and solar time for elektrostal.

• Sunrise: 03:43AM
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• The current local time in Elektrostal is 25 minutes ahead of apparent solar time.

Elektrostal on the map

• Location: Moscow Oblast, Russia
• Latitude: 55.79. Longitude: 38.46
• Population: 144,000

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