Daddyhunt Blog Posts from June 2013

MR. Yigit Pura is this week's Real Man We Admire.

We're all about a nice set of "cakes," but what really makes us melt quicker than tempered chocolate is a guy who can bake one from scratch. It's a recipe that this week's Real Man We Admire, Yigit Pura, has down pat. Not only is this openly gay pastry chef one delicious dish, he's also making some pretty sweet moves when it comes to supporting the LGBT community.

Reality-TV fans no doubt recognize this baking beauty as the winner of the first season of Bravo’s “Top Chef: Just Desserts,” where he showcased his expertise in the kitchen and his ability to create all sorts of mouth-watering morsels with just seconds to spare. It’s a talent that took shape while growing up in Ankara, Turkey, and later honed at some of the country’s finest restaurants, including Le Cirque 2000, Daniel, and the Four Seasons Hotel. Since taking that culinary crown, he's gone on to become one of his industry’s most sought-after chefs and personalities, opening the hugely successful Tout Sweet Pâtisserie in San Francisco’s bustling Union Square neighborhood and penning his first-ever cookbook, Sweet Alchemy, which will hit bookstore shelves later this year.

Pretty impressive stuff for someone who’s just 32 years old, but it’s Pura's commitment to the community that’s truly the icing on the cake. Over the years, he's worked to promote a number...

It's June, which means Pride is in full swing across the land of the LGBT. For different people it can mean different things, some love to go all out and party it up in the parades and at dances, while others take the more low-key route opting to have a few friends over for cocktails and camp movies. However you celebrate, no matter where you live or how Pride has evolved for you or your city, our visibility matters. It's the reason we've come so far in the last several years, and it's important to recognize those that fought (and fought hard) to get us here. And that's plenty of reason to celebrate and revel in all that our community is.

When I was just a wee lad, Pride opened my eyes to the beauty of our community and all that it had to offer. In the 10 years that I've been celebrating, my yearly plans have certainly changed, but that sense of euphoria in being surrounded by thousands upon thousands of men and women who are just like me remains as potent as ever. Marches may have turned into parades, but the spirit of a community united is something that carries on forever.

How do you celebrate Pride? Do you think it's changed over the years for you and your city?

Picture a tall, beefy, Jake Gyllenhaal. I've seen this vision every morning at my gym for the past few weeks. Massive arms, massive back, hairy chest, stomach, and a clean cut look to balance it all out. I knew he was straight when I first saw him, but that didn't stop me from striking up a conversation with him about what he was lifting. I figured, maybe, just maybe, I was wrong and he was just shy. Unfortunately for me, we started chatting, he smiled, and that's when I full on fell in love/melted into this meat head. The problem is, he's still straight and there's absolutely no chance that'll change in the near future/ever. And yet, I still find myself lost in the fantasy that every time he works out near me that may change. What is it about straight guys that makes them so damn attractive?

Well, for one they're unattainable. Issue a challenge to any man, gay or straight, and see how hard they fight to win. Then you've got the raw masculinity that so many of these straights exude. Not all, but many. And in a gay world where so many are seeking out "masc" men there's something inherently appealing about a man who need not be questioned about it. Then of course there are the millions upon millions of porn fantasies that have been put upon us all, whether it be a locker room, frat house, or bait and switch scene, a straight guy's first time is just fucking hot.

But the reality is, just as there's no hope any of us will switch teams, you're looking at a dead end. No matter how many beers you fill them with, the challenges that follow wouldn't be easy....