Lesbian Dating + Networking - Velvet-Club for Lesbians and Bi

November 2006 Newsletter #8

Welcome to VELVET, the club that enables members to connect with 1,000’s of lesbians around the world – at home, in the office, on their travels!! Link up with new friends, increase your business contacts or find the perfect partner and much, much more!

LET US ENTERTAIN YOU

ITS YOUR FORUM ... Have your say !!

Chat and exchange ideas with other members ….. .. start your own topics in sections such as “Let Us Entertain You” .. one of our favourite threads is: Anagrams of Famous Names and Celebrities:

Marilyn Manson - "Manly man? No sir!"

Leonardo da Vinci - "Did color in a nave"

Florence Nightingale - "Angel of the reclining"

Elvis Aaron Presley - "Seen alive? Sorry, pal!"

Madonna Louise Ciccone - "One cool dance musician"

Clint Eastwood - "Old West action"

The late George Harrison - "Singer: Altogether a hero"

Alec Guinness - "Genuine class"

The actress Mae West - "Cast me, sweethearts"

William Shakespeare - "I'll make a wise phrase"

Noël Coward is - "no Oscar Wilde"

Yasmin Le Bon - "Mainly bones"
You speak, we listen - you ask, we act. Other sections include: Social Networking, Lifestyle, M2M Advice, Points of View, Business Network, Thought for The Day …..(more...)

MEET OTHER VELVET-CLUB MEMBERS

ROUGE NOIR – SOHO W1 - Tuesday 28 November – 7–11pm

After what I can say was nothing short of an excellent party we will be pleased to be returning to “Rouge Noir”@the Jewel Bar for our Christmas drinks party and our last party for 2006. Get in the Christmas Spirit and join us for a complimentary glass of wine (for members and guests who arrive between 7-8pm) and a few goodies. Oh how we all love a freebie!
Also Santa has supplied us with a sack of Goodies and your Hosts of the eve Tracy and Curtis will be dipping deep in to Santa’s sack for special lucky dip winners… (I wonder what he’ll find eh).
Tracy and Curtis your Host and Co-Host will be meeting and greeting, so there will be no excuse for you to be shy or stood on your own…
Our members and guests are all ages and professions, a great place to network, flirt and make new friends. There is NO admission charge and the drinks prices are very reasonable … the lighting is low on this decadently designed lounge bar, the atmosphere will be mellow and chilled so enjoy!!!
Guest List places are limited to 100 members and their guests. Please click here for further information. To add your name and the names of up to 3 guests to the November Guest List please email Susie at susie@velvet-club.com.
Rouge Noir at Jewel is conveniently located in the heart of the West End (Piccadilly Circus): 4/6 Glasshouse Street, W1B 5DQ. Visit their website.

Lesbian Icon: Who? When? Where?

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

She was the longest serving First Lady, from 1933 to 1945, and cetainly one of the best loved. She was post-humously awarded one of the Human Rights Prizes, although a campaign to award her a Nobel Peace Prize was unsuccessful..:
The close relationship she developed with the press reporter Lorena Hickok lead to much speculation about Eleanor's sexuality The two met in 1928, becoming close friends in 1932 during a series of interviews between them. They maintained a written correspondence afterwards, during which Eleanor wrote: "My Pictures are nearly all up & I have you in my sitting room where I can look at you most of my waking hours! I can't kiss you [in person] so I kiss your picture good night and good morning" amongst other suggestive comments. Hickok burned the letters after Eleanor's death, and there was an effort by one of her biographers to suppress the surviving documents. (more...)

Detailed biographies of world famous lesbians from the worlds of Art, Literature, Film/TV, Sport, Politics and Music … broaden your knowledge by clicking here!

SHOPPING MALL

FLOWERGRAM – For That Stylish Personal Touch

Local, national & international flower delivery service offering a wide variety of stunning, exotic a nd romantic arrangements and bouquets for every occasion, hand delivered by Flowergram. “Luxury Romance” - The vintage elegance of 12 luxury long-stemmed red roses hand-tied in water. Stunning, stylish and simply unforgettable when you receive one! Click here.

TRAVEL LOUNGE

Wish You Were Here .. sun, sea and sand

Planning your next trip ? Make the Velvet Travel Lounge your first stop … click here for useful information: 5 day ahead weather forecasts, currency converter, phrase translator, world clock, time zones, international holidays and festivals, destination reviews and much much more. Looking for friend or even a holiday romance on your travels ? No need to wait until you arrive - get the holiday started early and visit Meet U There … let VELVET members know where you plan to be and when! (more...)

YOUR PHOTOGRAPH IS 1,000 WORDS

All Member Profile Searches give TOP listing to Member Profiles that include a main photograph. We have a huge capacity as photographs that are 400x400 pixels or 64 kb can be accommodated. Should you wish to have a modesty flash across your face for privacy then please email your photograph with your Screen Name to photos@velvet-club.com and we can do this for you. Photographs will maximise your chances to connect with other members

Members Noticeboard

SEARCH THE WEB AND BENEFIT STONEWALL

Please help raise money for Stonewall whenever you search the web. Just go to http://www.everyclick.com/uk/circauklimited and search as you normally would. You will be raising money for Stonewall with every search. It does not cost you or Stonewall any money - so it is a great way to help Stonewall everyday.
“Everyclick.com is a simple and highly effective way for Velvet-Club members and visitors to raise money for Stonewall as we search the web” Patricia Madden, Velvet-Club.
“We’re delighted that Velvet-Club and everyclick.com are supporting us in this way. The money raised will help our campaigning work, such as our Education for All program to tackle the homophobic bullying that is endemic in our schools” - Ben Summerskill, Chief Executive, Stonewall
Everyclick.com is the fastest growing search engine in the UK and one of the busiest charity websites - go give it a try! http://www.everyclick.com/uk/circauklimited

PRIDE LONDON 2007 - COMMUNITY FORUM - City Hall - 15 November

Pride London 2006 was the most successful ever in the capitals' 35 year old Pride history. Over 600,000 people packed the streets of Soho, lined the parade route from Oxford Street to Victoria Embankment and filled both Trafalgar and Leicester Squares to capacity. Over 80 events were part of the EuroPride Festival Fortnight: street parties, art events, theatre, film, dance and opera. The festival climax was the fantastic gala on Sunday 2 July at The Royal Albert Hall produced by Sir Ian McKellen and starring Sir Elton John.
The Pride London team are already hard at work on Pride London 2007 - Pride Day scheduled for Saturday 30 June 2007with the parade again starting in Oxford Street at 1.00 pm.

The Pride team are hosting their annual Community Forum at City Hall on Wednesday 15 November at 6pm. This is your chance to hear plans for next years pride and to give the board your views on the festival. If you would like to attend please email your name and contact details to info@pridelondon.org or just turn up at City Hall. www.PrideLondon.org

PARTNERSHIPS AND TAX WORKSHOP - Thursday 30 November - 6.30pm

Could inheritance tax take 40% of your joint assets? What about Gay Divorce? As more out LGBT people reach retirement age, how can we plan for the lifestyle we'd like to lead as senior citizens? The Gay Business Association is holding a workshop on all aspects of retirement planning. Among the topics will be a discussion on how gay couples could face an inequitous charge to inheritance tax. In many cases this tax could take up to 40% of joint assets. All are welcome
At: New Connaught Rooms, 60 Great Queen Street, Holborn, London WC2.
Register for Free Tickets, email: hello@gba.org.uk and add the subject "GBA_Retirement"

GAY ANIMALS 'COME OUT' IN OSLO EXHIBITION: "Against Nature?"

Breaking what is taboo for some, the Oslo Natural History Museum is showing an exhibition entitled "Against Nature?" which displays examples of gay behaviour in pictures and models in the animal kingdom which organisers say is the first of its kind in the world.
From beetles to swans and creatures considered to have a more macho image, such as lions and sperm whales, gay behaviour has been detected in 1,500 species.
"As gay men and women are often confronted with the argument that their way of living is against the principles of nature, we thought that ... as a scientific institution, we could at least show that this is not true," exhibition organiser Geir Soeli tells AFP.
The first documented cases of gay behaviour in animals dates back to the Greek philosopher Aristotle who, more than three centuries before Christ, was intrigued by the promiscuity of male hyenas.
The subject was then ignored for many centuries, with incidents of male animal coupling conveniently described as part of fighting rituals.
" .. animals have strong instincts ... maybe they're having sex just because it's good," Soeli adds. (more...)

We very much look forward to meeting up with VELVET-CLUB members and guests on Tuesday 28 November at our Christmas get together at ROUGE NOIR.

Best wishes

Susie Chester

Membership Secretary