WEHO Times - The Abbey Food and Bar is celebrating its 30 year anniversary this month. David Cooley, the founder and CEO of what has become an attraction for tour buses in Los Angeles, has seen it all these past three decades. From the AIDS epidemic, earthquakes, protest riots, and a business-crushing pandemic, the Abbey has grown both in size and popularity. It continues to offer a community space where people from all walks of life can “Meet at The Abbey”.

In an interview with WEHO TIMES, Cooley looks back the little coffee shop that could, which opened on May 23, 1991, at 685 N Robertson Boulevard. 

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LA Blade - OUTLOUD: Raising Voices, created by the award winning team of Jeff Consoletti and Artie Kenney, was developed over the past two and a half years, and because of the pandemic last year in 2020, was launched as a successful ten-episode series on Facebook in lieu of PRIDE Celebrations happening in cities across the country.

The celebration this year will connect with a global audience through an exclusive streaming partnership with Twitch. The event not only marks one of the first major, global events to kick-off PRIDE month in June, but a triumphant return to an in-person PRIDE, hosting fans at a safe experience at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in downtown Los Angeles.

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WEHO Times - THE LAVENDER EFFECT® returns with star-studded live Virtual Pride Parade. The show will broadcast on Sunday, May 30, 2021 at 12 noon PST/3p EST via YouTube.com/c/TheLavenderEffect.

This year’s Virtual PRIDE Parade’s host will be Alec Mapa. Mapa’s TV and film credits include Ugly Betty, Switched at Birth, Doom Patrol, You Don’t Mess with The Zohan and Connie and Carla. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband Jamison and Son Zion.

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LA Weekly - L.A. Pride announced its June festivities for 2021 and absent were the traditional parade and festival—once again canceled because of the pandemic.

Instead, organizers Christopher Street West Association (CSW) said its June 10 Pride celebration will consist of a TikTok sponsored concert with headliner Charlie XCX and a one hour special titled Thrive with Pride Celebration, airing on KABC-TV.

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LA Blade - After weeks of ‘stay tuned’ on its website and no real engagement with the media or the LGBTQ community, Christopher Street West Association Inc. the nonprofit organization that produces the annual LA Pride celebration announced its planned June programming for LA Pride 2021 on Thursday.

Pride 2021 activations are themed around the daily reminder to Thrive with Pride.

LA Pride weekend will kick-off on Thursday night, June 10th with a concert exclusively presented by and live streamed on TikTok featuring hyper-pop diva Charli XCX and a showcase of up and coming LGBTQ+ performers across genres. In-person concert opportunities are not available at this time.

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The Fight - The Abbey Food & Bar in West Hollywood, opened in 1991, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month.

Hailing from Ohio and armed with a degree in Hotel Management from the University of Nevada, David Cooley, The Abbey’s CEO and founder, packed up and moved to Los Angeles in 1981.

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WEHOville - It looks like the Yogurt Stop is for sale. The only lesbian-owned business in the “Rainbow District” is believed to be “in escrow.” There’s no word yet on Marix and Basix, the other highest-profile lesbian owned business in West Hollywood.

Yogurt Stop, the original “Pump It Yourself” yogurt shop located at 8803 Santa Monica Blvd., is apparently listed for sale. Owners Shosshana and Marta Knittel declined to confirm. A copy of the apparent listing can be seen here.

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WEHOville - The excitement was in the air in front of Trunks as construction began on their “outzone” — curbside space repurposed as outdoor drinking and dining — with an expected opening in mid-May.

The word on the street is that Motherlode will also re-open as early as May 14th.

Micky’s is also getting ready to open by June 1, owner Michael Niemeyer confirmed.

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WEHO Times - West Hollywood’s OUT on Robertson program is having its official ribbon-cutting ceremony, Saturday, May 1, 2020, at 7 p.m. Out on Robertson had soft launch on on Saturday, April, 17th. Robertson Boulevard will be closed to moving vehicle traffic south of Santa Monica Boulevard and north of Melrose Avenue on Saturdays evenings and Sundays.

West Hollywood mayor Lindsey P. Horvath, Mayor Pro Tempore Lauren Meister, and city council members John D’Amico; John M. Erickson; Sepi Shyne will be present at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

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LA Blade - Ryan Floyd signed the contract for his first restaurant after working for 10 years in LA as a  finance guy. He said he hit the decade mark and realized, “I want to do something on my own.” He liked the industry, and knew the business side after working as CFO for a successful restaurant development and management firm. Now, after more than a year in lockdown, he’s got big things planned for his spot 33 Taps, and his next venture, Stache in West Hollywood.

In 2016, Floyd bought a storied beer bar and country diner once known as The Crest on Sunset, making him the third consecutive gay owner of the location.

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