‘Idol’ gay enough already?
I just finished reading Daniel Kusner’s article on the Voice of Pride contest (“5 winning tips from a champion singer,” Dallas Voice, June 6). He compared it to a queer version of American Idol.

Let’s be honest, do you really believe American Idol isn’t queer enough already?

Dining review off base
A friend of mine and I recently used a restaurant review from the Voice to choose a place to eat. The review was so off, I felt that I needed to let you know.

The restaurant in question is ALO Canadaria y Piquenos, located at 4447 North Central Expressway (Knox Village). The review gave the impression that it was a casual, inexpensive restaurant. I wasn’t really dressed for a more formal place so this sounded ideal.

The decor was very nice architecturally but every surface was hard (wood, marble, etc). There was very little fabric used in the room to muffle or soften any noise. This meant that every noise — conversation, music, etc. — was only magnified by the presence of so many hard surfaces, making individual conversations difficult due to the volume of the room’s ambient noises.

The food was somewhat acceptable and the presentations were very nice. However, the prices were not at all what your review indicated. This is a more upscale restaurant.

As I indicated before, I was not dressed for an upscale restaurant. Had your review been more accurate, I would never have chosen this destination, and, thus, would not have been disappointed in the food and overall experience.

If I had to grade it, it would be something like this: food, OK; service, minimal; atmosphere, nice to look at but terrible to have to deal with.

I was, at one time, a “les clefs d’Or Concierge,” so I do know something about good food and good service. I was called on to recommend restaurants to my clients all the time, and this is one location I could not, in all good faith, recommend.

Don’t blame the victim
This letter is in response to the letter from the gentleman responding to the article about Richard Allen, (“Victim says Oak Lawn attack was hate crime,” Dallas Voice, May 30; “Hate crime or bad judgment?” Letters to the Editor, Dallas Voice, June 6) who was assaulted by five men.

Richard Allen was not in an alley. He was one block from his own home and had to walk home and does not deserve to be assaulted with hate and violence.
While the letter writer’s so called “rules” are good to live by, sometimes we are in a situation where we must use the two legs that God gave us, and we deserve to live in a world and neighborhoods that are safe and free of violent hate crimes.