The rafters drip with dangling flower decor. Carnaval-themed lights wash the patio in shades of magenta and teal, and the glitter painted on the waiters’ cheekbones flickers whenever they turn their heads, adding to the kinetic, kaleidoscopic atmosphere. Law Roach, the evening’s emcee, gets on the mic and introduces a special guest. The special guest is…Cher. Her appearance prompts a seismic shock wave of gay gasps in all directions.
It’s the relaunch party of The Abbey, the famed and sometimes controversial gay bar in West Hollywood that opened as a coffee shop back in 1991. Special appearances and surprises, as promised, roll in throughout the night; shortly after I meander to the dance floor, rap superstar Saweetie takes the stage. “We love you, Tristan,” she says before launching into a…
