Pop Rocks! @ Pink

Pretty in Pink | At least that’s how I felt last night at the opening of the new (and improved) Pop Rocks! party at Pink on Bowery and Spring St. And it couldn’t have come at a better time. The closing of so many downtown parties recently had many predicting the death of East Village queer scene. But don’t pack your Louis Vuitton trucks just yet on that sad subway ride up to Hells Kitchen. With two new parties launched in the past month, the Michael Formika Jones machine is bringing sexy back to lower Manhattan. That is, if you can get past the door first. More scandalous photos after the jump! (Photographs by Mark Lovato).

Amanda Lapore amidst her entourage of hot twinks takes center stage on one of Pink’s raised seating areas. Notice how they all have wrist bands. [Ed. Note: must get wrist band!]

I couldn’t have staged this better myself. Two dudes make out in a booth, while a idle go go lends an ear to a friend.

Her hair looks fierce (with a double “fa”). Here Amanda Lapore makes her way to the stage to wish DJ Chip Duckett a happy birthday.

The lounge seating at Pink is very make-out friendly.

Another favorite shot. I love this guy’s painted nails and unbuttoned pants. Something about that pit-hair is just so hot. To his right, N*ma gives us his best top model smile.

Michael Musto says hello out on the Bowery before coming inside.

Had this shot come out, I’d rank it as my favorite. Even beyond the blurriness — something about the image works. “It’s very meta.” A friend once said.

This is the closest I’ve ever been to the legendary Amanda Lapore. And she is as friendly, and gracious as I’ve always imagined. You can check out more pictures of Amanda at other downtown parties here.

You won’t find images like this one on HX — probably because they’re afraid of lawsuits — but I felt, I needed to post it. These guys are hot, and although you can’t see their faces, you can grasp the intensity of this back-booth make out session.

The great thing about digital photographs, is their immediacy. You have an image to show off right then and there. You can adjust as you see fit. Even better is how you capture the smallest details — especially in the clothing — like the small stain on this guy’s sweater. Imagine how it picks up wrinkles (Yikes!).

My friends Jason and Ed — both single, both ballet dancers with amazing bodies — lend a smile to the camera.

One of my favorite moments at the end of the night was watching the sexy show put on by Nima and this other GoGo (whose name I cannot remember). Sorry cutie! I’ll bring pen and paper next time. You can see more pictures of Nima and the other Go Go’s here.

All photographs by Mark Lovato. Check him out on his space.

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