UPDATED: JANUARY 2, 2024

I have a major project I have to complete this week -- an audition video I have to film and edit and submit by Friday, Jan 5th.

I have really severe ADHD so when I'm alone, I can't focus or initiate any projects. But if a person is around, I come to life, have lots of energy, and love to talk and work on projects.

I haven't hosted and travelers since the pandemic started, but I'd like to be able to open my home to someone who is hoping to visit New York City this weekend. I would especially love the company while I tidy, organize, clean, etc. My place is kind of chaos and clutter (I'm a drag queen, a soon to be cookbook author, a cooking show host, a photographer, a builder/maker...... so I have so many tools and materials and equipment).

I would really love to have someone's company this weekend as it would help me take action on my video project.

I'd prefer to host a fellow gay male, just as that's what I'm usually most comfortable with. But ideally, the more I have in common with someone, the more comfortable I'll be. So anyone who is LGBTQ, sober, vegan, and/or has ADHD...... or basically anyone who would love to hang out with a drag queen as they're putting their face on and working on a project -- we'll be a good match.

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Okay now here is my usual Couchsurfing bio (which I haven't updated in a few years......)

Honey LaBronx is my drag name.

Or of drag my name is Ben Strothmann, a New York City based poster, photographer, and host if the podcast Big Fat Vegan Radio.

In drag, I'm known as The Vegan Drag Queen. I host a YouTube cooking show of the same name, and I tour with my drag show as a fundraiser for local animal rights and LGBTQ organizations.

I'm originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I'm a huge essential oil enthusiast (no, I don't use Young Living. I buy my own oils and make my own blends.) I sing, write parody songs about social justice. I speak English, Spanish, and Icelandic. (Why Icelandic? I'm a huge Björk fan and I took it way too far.)

I love technology. I am obsessed with spreadsheets. Pisces sun, Cancer moon, Aquarius rising. I'm a good cook. A damn good cook. And because of my ADHD, I basically can't stop talking. It's not because "I love to talk." It's because I feel compelled to talk. If there's another person around me, all my thoughts go on loudspeaker. Some people can't handle it. For some people, it seems to recharge their batteries. I'm self conscious about it, so I'm learning to just put it out there, own it, make no apologies, no longer try and "fix" or "change" it, and just accept that hey -- I deserve to exist in this world as an ADHD person with out feeling like I always need to fight my ADHD.

I'm a graduate of the Landmark Forum (and several courses at Landmark Worldwide).

Also I am a proponent of social justice and an advocate of political correctness (while still having a damn sense of humor about it all!). In addition to Animal Rights I am passionate about ending racism and sexism, educating the gay community about safer sex and ending HIV stigma and shaming, and I am a stand for Palestinian humans rights and dignity. (I hope to visit Palestine for the first time in 2020!)

In New York, I have a spacious 1 Bedroom apartment (by Manhattan standards) at 57th and 11th. I'm happy to let others stay with me as well, so long as they don't bring any drugs, alcohol, or animal products into my home.

I am a non smoker (used to smoke 2 packs a day, and haven't had a cigarette since January 8th, 2008) and have been in recovery and continuously sober since August 13th, 2008. (That doesn't mean I can't be around alcohol. Again... I'm a drag queen.)

I am allergic to dogs and cats but I take allergy meds and so it's not a deal breaker if you have cats or dogs (I just can't have them in my own apartment)

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

At the beginning of 2018, I started a new business touring with my drag show as a fundraiser for local LGBTQ and Animal Rights groups. To date, I have done 96 shows in 68 cities (in 5 countries) and I have raised $40,196 for charity (last updated August 27th, 2019).

When I am on tour, it's just me and a rental car. I don't have a budget to stay in hotels while I'm on the road. If I spent money on hotels, I would basically be spending all of my income on hotels. So when I am on tour, I usually find a volunteer who can host me in their home. But there have definitely been nights when I couldn't find someone and had to find a hotel, which I usually can't afford.

My friend Bára in Iceland introduced me to Couchsurfing.com and I thought it would be a good way to find more hosts in more places. By hosting me in your home, you are making it possible for me to raise more money for charity and you are making it possible for me to continue doing what I love for a living.

BACK IN NEW YORK CITY...

I just moved into a new one bedroom apartment and I have much more space than I ever have before.

When I hear of people coming to NYC and spending hundreds of dollars on a hotel room, it always breaks my heart. Sure, if they can afford it, that's awesome! But for those who have to choose between a hotel room OR seeing a Broadway show, I feel like if they just stayed with me they could afford to have a much better time here.

My apartment is on West 57th Street, just a bit west of 11th Avenue. On foot, and at an average walking pace, here's how far I am from certain things:

17 minutes - Central Park (Southwest Entrance)
17 minutes - Columbus Circle
17 minutes - Nearest Subway train lines
23 minutes - Times Square

Interests

• singing
• photography
• cooking
• baking
• vegan
• politics
• technology
• road trips
• animal rights
• veganism
• middle east
• iceland
• aromatherapy
• vegan cooking
• gay rights
• spanish
• bjork
• gayfriendly
• drag
• drag queens
• vegano
• sobriety
• lgbtq+ rights
• recovery
• gay friendly
• cooking and baking
• lgbtqia
• google maps
• rupaul's drag race
• lgbtq+
• essential oils
• spreadsheets
• veganismo
• sober
• palestine
• lgbtq
• animals rights
• baking/cooking
• gays
• icelandic music
• gay bars
• icelandic
• cooking & baking
• drag shows
• homosexual
• lgbtq rights
• the artist's way
• peloton
• landmark forum
• free palestine

Music, Movies, and Books

Favorite Music:
Björk, Tracy Chapman, Todrick Hall, RuPaul, Broadway/Musical Theatre, Classical, Piano/Guitar, James Taylor, Tori Amos, Bernadette Peters, Bob Stillman, The Chalks(!!!!!!),

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

When I was in my mid-20's, I was hired by Playbill to create a book called "The Playbill Broadway Yearbook". It was essentially a yearbook for the Broadway theatre community. So I'm the first person in history to go backstage at each and every Broadway theater to photograph the entire crew (stage managers, orchestra, ushers, wardrobe, front of house, hair, makeup, etc...) as well as all of the publicists, marketing firms, set construction companies, unions, and any other organization that has a hand in making Broadway theatre happen. I've got about five of these books published with my photography from 2004 until 2009.

Teach, Learn, Share

RECOMMENDATIONS!

In case I can't host or meet up with you while I'm in town, I can still share a list of all my favorite things to do, places to go, etc...

Here's a link to my recommendations for various cities:
www.VeganDragQueen.com/recommendations

What I Can Share with Hosts

I've got three comfortable couches for you to choose from. I've got a nice modern apartment building that is very new, very clean, and very well maintained.

What I do want to make clear -- so as to alleviate some pressure on myself -- I am just not a neat-freak. While I may be very organized in my thoughts and my data online, I tend to keep a messy, somewhat cluttered apartment.

Of course, I always make sure if I have a houseguest, the bathroom is clean and there are fresh towels and bedding for my guests, but I just want to make sure nobody comes over here expecting the place to look like a boutique hotel. It won't. I'm a drag queen, a photographer, a cook, a content creator... There will always be wigs or fabric or photo equipment or tools or cooking utencils sorta strewn about.

Again, I do my best to keep the place CLEAN, just not ORDERLY.

Just so that I don't go into panic mode when I know a guest is coming to stay with me, I'd love if -- when you message me about staying with me -- you acknowledge that you read this part, and that you're comfortable with an apartment that's a bit of a mess.

Countries I’ve Visited

Canada, England, Germany, Iceland, Mexico, Puerto Rico, United States

Countries I’ve Lived In

United States