Here is your weekly dose of Pride toys! We’re back with Laurence King and Greg Bailey with their Game of Queens. As with Drag Match, you don’t have to be a Ru Paul’s Drag Race fan to enjoy this game, but it doesn’t hurt. In fact, it might even help.

What’s in the box?

There are 30 cards in the deck. Each of the cards has an illustration of a different drag artists. The cards are slightly thicker than regular playing cards, so your littles can probably play without doing too much damage. The drag artists were illustrated by Daniela Henriquez, a Chilean illustrator. Please note that these are not caricatures. These are sophisticated illustrations that bring the drag artists’ personalities to life. The instruction booklet, written by Greg Bailey (you might remember his name from my Drag Match review, includes the instructions and a guide to the queens, which could be helpful, if you’re unfamiliar with any particular drag artist.

TOP TIP: Leave the box out on your coffee table. Like Drag Match, it’s a great conversation starter and you can easily persuade people to play a round. And the illustrations are gorgeous, so it’s a great décor element.

How to play Game of Queens:

Game of Queens pits the drag artists against each other in various categories. The six categories are Performance, Comedy, Look, Outrageousness, Shade, and Legend Factor. The cards are shuffled and dealt out facedown to each player until all of the cards have been distributed. The game then proceeds like War. The player whose turn it is turns their top card over, chooses a category and calls out the category and the score. Each of the other players turns their top card and calls out their drag artist’s score for the chosen category. The person with the highest score in the category collects all of the cards from that turn. The winner is the next player to turn their top card and choose a category. If there is a tie for highest score, all of that round’s cards are placed in the center of the play area. The next winning player collects those cards, as well. The winner is the player with the most cards at the end.

TOP TIP: The instructions advise that the winning player should put the cards at the bottom of their pile, but it might be difficult to know when the game ends if they’re not separated from each player’s draw pile. We put the cards face-up at the bottom, so we know when we have gotten to the end, but you could also pile them crosswise to the draw pile or even alongside it.

Game of Queens has no age recommendation, but if your littles can read and know their numbers, it’s an easy game for them to play. If they’re not ready for words and numbers, team up. No reason not to let them be involved.  It’s a fun party game, great for game nights, and it’s also a great gift for any of your drag-loving friends and family.

By it here!

٭٭٭٭٭Highly recommended

The post Game of Queens Game Review by George Gensler, @chocophilenyc @laurencekingpub @hachetteus #PrideMonth #Pride #gaypride #gifted #AFF appeared first on Gay NYC Dad.

My favorite kids (and adults) movie franchise is back. I was blown away when Toy Story 4 came out as it had improved on the excellent three movies that came before. Toy Story 5 however is not the entertainment that its predecessors were.

The toys are back in Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” and this time it’s Toy meets Tech. Woody (voice of Tom Hanks), Buzz Lightyear (voice of Tim Allen), Jessie (voice of Joan Cusack) and the rest of the gang’s jobs are challenged when they come face-to-face with Lilypad (voice of Greta Lee), a brand-new tablet device that arrives with her own disruptive ideas about what is best for their kid, Bonnie. Will playtime ever be the same?

The trailer also shows the anticipated reunion of Woody and Buzz following Woody’s decision to leave the gang and start helping lost toys at the end of 2019’s “Toy Story 4.” As the toys face the tech devices of today, it’s going to be all hands on deck with some familiar and all-new characters. Several actors have joined the incredible roster of voice talent including Craig Robinson as Atlas, a cheerful talking GPS hippo toy; Shelby Rabara as the excitable camera toy Snappy; Scarlett Spears as the sweet and shy 8-year-old Bonnie; Mykal-Michelle Harris as Blaze, an independent 8-year-old girl who loves animals; and Matty Matheson as the tech-fearing toy Dr. Nutcase. Also rounding out the voice cast are John Ratzenberger as the wisecracking piggybank Hamm; Wallace Shawn as Rex, the anxiety-riddled tyrannosaurus rex toy; Blake Clark as the ever-loyal Slinky Dog; Jeff Bergman as the sarcastic Mr. Potato Head; Anna Vocino as the nurturing Mrs. Potato Head; Annie Potts as the adventure-loving Bo Peep; Bonnie Hunt as the wise rag-doll Dolly; Melissa Villaseñor as Karen Beverly, Bonnie’s homemade toy fashioned out of a plastic knife; John Hopkins as the dignified hedgehog plush toy Mr. Pricklepants; Kristen Schaal as the plastic triceratops toy Trixie; Ernie Hudson as the action figure Combat Carl; and Keanu Reeves as Canadian daredevil toy Duke Caboom. The previously announced voice cast includes Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusack (Jessie), Greta Lee (Lilypad), Conan O’Brien (Smarty Pants) and Tony Hale (Forky).

Directed by Academy Award® winner Andrew Stanton (“WALL•E,” “Finding Nemo,” “Finding Dory”), co-directed by Kenna Harris (“Ciao Alberto”), produced by Lindsey Collins (“Turning Red,” “WALL•E,” “Finding Dory”), and features an original score by Academy Award® winner Randy Newman who returns to score his fifth “Toy Story” feature. The film releases exclusively in theaters nationwide on June 19, 2026. “Toy Story 5” is directed by Academy Award® winner Andrew Stanton, co-directed by Kenna Harris, produced by Lindsey Collins and features an original score by Oscar® winner Randy Newman, who returns to score his fifth “Toy Story” feature. The film releases exclusively in theaters June 19, 2026.

An animated movie relies on voice acting. Some of the original characters no longer sound the way they used to, and it was disappointing. Joan Cusack is brilliant and was known for her voice work as Jessie. Her voice is no longer recognizable as the character she had played in the previous movies, same with Tom Hanks. This newest Toy Story movie covers Jessie through three generations of doll owners, and has a nostalgic touch, and I found that story line slow moving. The kids will be happy, but the usual quicker pace with more humor that these animated movies offer the parents was lacking.

There are two story lines here that converge later in the movie. The opening scenes with the Buzz Lightyears was brilliant. And that is where it ended for me. The main story line, kids with their toys, and today’s generations focusing on their tech devices, is pertinent and smart, but this story line was as I said above, too slow moving for my taste. Again, showing Jessie through several different generations of kids was heart felt, and while most other reviews are much more favorable than my review here, this is my honest opinion. I was disappointed as I have found all the previous movies to be terrific, especially the last two.

The occasional one liners were funny, but I found the movie to be a disappointment over the previous movies. So many animated movies entertain us adults as much of the kids, but not this one.  I think the younger kids will love the movie, but adults may not.

Get your tickets here.

SOCIAL MEDIA: TikTok:   / pixar   YouTube:    / pixar   Facebook:   / pixar   Instagram:   / pixar   X: https://x.com/Pixar Official: https://movies.disney.com/Toy-Story-5 Hashtag: #ToyStory5

Don’t forget the celeb pics!

The post Toy Story 5 in Theaters June 19th! Plus Celeb Photos! #ToyStory5 @ToyStory #ToyStory @Pixar @Disney #Pixar #Disney appeared first on Gay NYC Dad.

Julie P. won the $15 Cinnabon eGift Card Giveaway!

NOTE! All prize fulfillments may be delayed; we are not responsible for any USPS related delays or missing items. We mostly use the Gleam app to determine winners.

NOTE: Only Current Subscribers are eligible to win, all accounts are checked.

June 21, 2026

$25 Smashburger Gift Card Giveaway!

June 28, 2026

$15 Lululemon Gift Card Giveaway! 

July 5, 2026

$10 TJMaxx/Marshalls/HomeGoods eGift Card Giveaway!

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This gift card works at any of these stores: TJMaxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods! I love my Marshalls and TJMaxx on 6th Avenue in Manhattan, 2 stores in one building!

GIVEAWAY:

One lucky reader of the GayNYCDad award winning blog, will receive a $10 TJMaxx/Marshalls/HomeGoods e-Gift Card, good at any of these stores!

You must be a current subscriber to be eligible to win any contest. 

Contest ends 11:59 p.m. EST, July 5, 2026. Prizes must be claimed within 48 hours. Maximum winnings of 2 giveaways per every 90 days. See official rules for more information.

$10 TJMaxx/Marshalls/HomeGoods eGift Card Giveaway!

Thanks, and good luck.

The post $10 TJMaxx/Marshalls/HomeGoods eGift Card Giveaway! @tjmaxx @marshalls @homegoods #contests #giveaways #AFF appeared first on Gay NYC Dad.

$15 Cinnabon eGift Card Giveaway!

June 21, 2026

$25 Smashburger Gift Card Giveaway!

June 28, 2026

$15 Lululemon Gift Card Giveaway! 

The post #Giveaways Ending This Weekend, 6/14/2026! New #Contests Listed! appeared first on Gay NYC Dad.

I was just in Warsaw to help open the Cervantes Institute’s Esteban Vicente exhibit with The Museum de Esteban Vicente of Segovia. As an American, I really never thought about Polish food one way or another. I thought sausage and perogies at most.  I didn’t think about the place, architecturally or culturally. Well, I was pleasantly shocked on my visit there! The people could not have been kinder. The food couldn’t have been more mouthwatering, and the city could not have been more alive.

The architecture was a mix of old and new. There were cool pre-and-post war buildings. Some of the buildings reminded me of Paris and Madrid. Sections of the city have an old-world charm. This country does not run from it’s past in World War II and how it treated its Jewish citizens. Museums reflect the history of the city and country. I felt safe in this city walking by myself from 9am till 11pm at night throughout the city as I ate along the way.

Polish food is known for being hearty, flavorful, and comforting. It often features ingredients like pork, cabbage, sour cream, potatoes, mushrooms, and rye. Many would say it is for the working class. It is not delicate.

Some well-known Polish dishes are:

• Pierogi – Dumplings filled with things like potato and cheese, meat, mushrooms, or fruit
• Kielbasa– Polish Sausage of different types
• Kotlet schabowy– schnitzel like breaded pork cutlet
• Golabki– Cabbage rolls stuffed with rice and meat
• Barszcz– Beet soup that can have dumplings in it
• Placki ziemniaczane– Potato pancakes that are like latkes
• Zurek– Rye soup that can be served with egg and sausage
• Bigos – Hunter’s stew that is made with meat, sauerkraut, and cabbage.
• Pączki – Doughnuts that are filled
• Sernik – Polish style cheesecake

Good places to eat in Warsaw are plenty! Here are a few to try while exploring the city:

Restauracja Delicja Polska – classic Polish dishes near the Old Town. [Restauracj…cja Polska]

Bar Mleczny Prasowy –known for soup and pierogi

LUCA Bakery- all over Warsaw to get pretzels, cottage cheese stuffed pastry, and stuffed pretzels

Stary Dom – for classic Polish meals

Bar Bambino– Known for traditional meals with generous portions

Przegryź. Restauracja –for hearty Polish cooking.

Bar Mleczny Lindleya 14- great lunch spot for the value conscious in Central Warsaw

Epoka– known for a modern Polish food.

Syrena Irena – recommended as a good pierogi spot in local-eating guides.

Vege Miasto– Low-cost vegetarian and vegan

Hala Koszyki–food Hall with lots of options

Best areas to explore for food

• Śródmieście for central, solid choices
• Powiśle for fun casual dining options
• Praga for local haunts
• Old Town for food in a historical setting
• Marszalkowska for amazing gyros and Kebab- Try Kebab Diana and Gemuse Haus Kebab
• Nowy Swiat for all types of food from Haagen Dazs, regional, to Mama Pho
• Chmielna for LUCA Bakery to Luz Maria Bar

I was surprised how many locals were eating pretzels at all hours! I never associated pretzels with Polish food. I saw a number of sandwich shops. This was also something that I didn’t associate with Polish food. Gyro and Kebab shops were plentiful. I had the best gyro of my life from a small store on Marszalkowska near Novotel. Vodka and beer were very popular drinks. Pigwa by Krupnik and Soplica Szlachetna Wodka seemed to be two favorite vodkas. They had every Coke and Pepsi product that is in North America for those who do not drink. The fact that a brand of sweets was called Good Mood, made me smile. That could be found in the Polish version of 7/11. Food was everyplace you went.

Home chefs may want to look for wood cutting boards and wood rolling pins to bring home from Poland. The rolling pins have engraved images on them for holidays. They make pie crusts look incredible and cookies easy to make. They sell the wood products in both Old Town and in the airport if you cannot go to one of the main baking stores. I have never seen rolling pins like these before.

Warsaw was a wonderful surprise in many ways! I hope to go back to Poland and visit Krakow next. One can plan an affordable family or romantic vacation here for a great price. Between the cuisine, the architecture, and the people, Warsaw should be added to your must go to travel destinations!

And I collect rolling pins for my cookie making!

The post Warsaw is Delicious! By Guest Writer, J. Stein! #Poland #Warsaw #travel #food #international appeared first on Gay NYC Dad.

Segovia, SPAIN is a strong pick if you want food, culture, fun, art, architecture, and history in a an easy to walk or drive location. The city is magical with an ancient aqueduct that greets you. The streets of the ancient city used to house the capital of Spain. Getting to Segovia from Madrid, one passes great outlet malls, scenic mountains, and the opportunity to shop for ceramics and home décor. You can make it a day trip or spend the night in one of the wonderful hotels.

One can graze their way through the city eating everything from ice cream to their famous ham. The classic Segovian dishes and culinary items to try or purchase:

-Cochinillo Asado (roast suckling pig) or Pate De Conchinillo- roast suckling pig pate
-Miel- honey
-Judiones- a hearty pork dish
-Judiones de La Granja —white bean stew.
-Chorizo Extra Artesano – look for Embutidos y Jamones Artesanos chorizo sausage
-Beans- both large white beans and garbanzo- they are sold all over the city
-Queso Artesano De Oveja ( Semicurrado Elmolinero)- cheese
-Paleta Cerveza- Pale Lager
-Mermelada FincaCardaba Vino- marmalade
-Caramelos Violetas- typical Spanish candy that are purple and flower shaped

There are numerous restaurants in the old and new city to choose from. One can eat classic Segovian or modern Chinese. Below is a list of Spanish food:

• José María is one of the city’s most noted traditional restaurants and is also listed by the MICHELIN Guide. The classic cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) is served here. [Jose Maria…Restaurant]
• Villena- upscale dining
• Casa Silvano-Maracaibo– is in the Michelin Guide
• Mesón de Cándido, near the aqueduct, is famous for roast pig and traditional food. [Restaurant…de Cándido]
• Taberna López – classic food in a relaxed atmosphere. [Restaurant…erna López]
• El Bernardino -traditional restaurant [Restaurant…Bernardino]

The famous Aqueducts from Roman times still work!

Must-see places when visiting Segovia

• The Roman Aqueduct of Segovia is the city’s signature sight, with views of Plaza del Azoguejo. [Segovia Aqueduct]
• The Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Esteban Vicente-The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo Esteban Vicente honors the life and work of Esteban Vicente, as the only Spanish born member of the first generation of Abstract Expressionists. The museum is free and has fantastic exhibitions of modern-day Spanish artists. https://estebanvicente.com/museum
• The Alcázar de Segovia is the fairytale castle that houses armor and art. [alcazardesegovia.com]
• Segovia Cathedral, beside Plaza Mayor, is an incredible Cathedral filled with art and historic artifacts. [turismodesegovia.com]
• The Jewish Quarter (Judería) has a museum, a restaurant, and plaques that are on the streets in front of what used to be Jewish institutions and homes.
• The Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso, is a short ride from Segovia. The palace has beautiful gardens.

Best areas to stay

1) Old Town / Casco Antiguo —
This is the easiest area for sightseeing because you’re close to the Aqueduct, Plaza Mayor, and Cathedral, and you can walk through the city.

2) Jewish Quarter / around the Alcázar — quiet and full of ancient character
The Jewish Quarter is central in the old city and offers wonderful walks that are filled with history.

3) Outside the center has views —for those with cars
Old Segovia has very narrow streets. If you prefer easier parking, more space, and views, staying just outside the old town can be fantastic—at places like the Parador. [paradores.es]

Hot Hotels to Consider

• Áurea Convento Capuchinos —In the historic center, set in a former monastery and known for its spa, interesting rooms, and great breakfast buffet.
• Parador de Segovia — wonderful if you want views, parking, and a pool rather than a stay inside the old city center. It’s about 3 km from the historic center.
• Hotel Real Segovia — on Calle Juan Bravo, is a great choice if you want to walk everywhere easily. [recordishotels.com]
• Infanta Isabel Hotel — right on Plaza Mayor, ideal if you want to stay in the center of the action.
• Hotel Don Felipe — location in the historic district with views toward the Alcázar.

Segovia is a beautiful destination for vibrant art, ancient history, rich food, and even hot air balloons. It is the perfect destination for families or for individuals. There is so much to take in, that I would spend a night or two there. The crisp mountain air feels so good! Visitors can feel safe knowing that they have their own hospital and there are many pharmacies in the region that are easy to access. So, no excuses! Make your way to Segovia on your next trip to Spain!

Mitch’s note: The husband and I spent a long weekend in Madrid and did 2 daytrips (pre kid, so over 25 years ago). We went to Toledo and Segovia. We had an amazing time and did not have as much time as Jen to eat all the foods, but the suckling pig in Segovia was the standout for sure! What a beautiful country!

The post Segovia, Spain is a delicious destination! By Guest Writer, J. Stein! #Spain #Segovia #travel #food #international appeared first on Gay NYC Dad.

Pride Month continues on in all its glory! Our next Pride Month review is of this gorgeous puzzle from Galison. Christian Lacroix’s Love Who You Want jigsaw puzzles are absolutely fabulous and the message is perfect for Pride Month. And who better than queer icon Christian Lacroix to represent Pride Month!

Galison, a fine art gifts provider, makes beautiful jigsaw puzzles. They are inspired by fine art and come in gorgeously-detailed boxes. The Christian LaCroix Love Who You Want box includes the puzzle pieces and a full-color poster of the image to work from. The box itself carries the message Love Who You Want around the sides, on the cover and on the insides of the box itself. Love who you want!

TOP TIP: I sorted the puzzle pieces by the different fashion articles, which was easier with one than the other (I’m looking at you, giraffe). It was still very challenging to put the pieces together, but a bit easier to manage with the different color/texture blocks.

Christian Lacroix Heritage Collection Love Who You Want jigsaw puzzle is actually two separate puzzles. Both are clever compilations of different Christian LaCroix fashions, coming together to create two images of elegance and couture. Because these are not straight-edged puzzles, the pieces come in a variety of interesting shapes. Good luck sorting out the edges! Just kidding. Well, sort of. The pieces, though challenging in shape, click together well, so you’ll know when you’ve got the right two matched.

TOP TIP: The giraffe puzzle is much more challenging than the green-top puzzle because there’s so much black in it. If your time is limited, do the green top puzzle. If you have the whole day set aside for puzzling, tackle the giraffe.

Galison’s Christian Lacroix Heritage Collection Love Who You Want jigsaw puzzles were created from Christian LaCroix images. If you are a Christian LaCroix fan, check out Galison’s other Christian LaCroix gifts, as well (see link below). I loved putting this puzzle together and have my eye on a couple of other Galison puzzles for future puzzle nights. The completed puzzles are approximately 3’ by 1’. The total number of pieces is 750, but I don’t know if that split is even between the two puzzles. There is no age range for this puzzle, but some of the pieces are very small, so keep that in mind for your littles.

But it here: https://www.galison.com/products/christian-lacroix-heritage-collection-love-who-you-want-750-piece-shaped-puzzle-set

More from Lacroix here sweetie darling! https://www.galison.com/collections/christian-lacroix?page=1

٭٭٭٭٭Highly recommended

The post Christian Lacroix Heritage Collection Love Who You Want Jigsaw Puzzles Review by Guest Writer George Gensler! @galisongift @NYNowMarket @ToyFairNY @lacroixofficiel #christianlacroix #PrideMonth #pride #jigsawpuzzle #puzzle #gifted appeared first on Gay NYC Dad.

I still have my Minions dolls from 10 years ago, these guys are iconic!

Fresh off the worldwide blockbuster success of summer 2024’s funniest comedy, Despicable Me 4, Illumination expands its joyful animated universe with a riotous new chapter, featuring all-new characters, in the biggest global animated franchise in history: Minions & Monsters. This is the rambunctious, ridiculous and totally true story of how the Minions conquered Hollywood, became movie stars, lost everything, unleashed monsters onto the world and then banded together to try and save the planet from the mayhem they had just created.

The acclaimed voice cast includes Academy Award® winner Allison Janney, two-time Academy Award® winner Christoph Waltz, Academy Award® winner Jeff Bridges, two-time Academy Award® nominee Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch (Nouvelle Vague) and Academy Award® nominee and comedy iconoclast Trey Parker, co-creator of South Park. The cast also includes Saturday Night Live alum Bobby Moynihan and Phil LaMarr (Futurama, King of the Hill).

Minions & Monsters is directed by Academy Award® nominee Pierre Coffin, a director of the first three Despicable Me films and the first Minions film. Coffin has also provided the voice for the Minions since their film debut in 2010. The film is written by Brian Lynch (Minions, The Secret Life of Pets films) and Pierre Coffin and is produced by Illumination’s Academy Award® nominated founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and by Bill Ryan (executive producer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie). The executive producer is Brian Lynch.

More than ten years after their creation, the Minions have become the most iconic animated characters of their generation. Globally recognized and beloved by fans of all ages, they have propelled Illumination’s Despicable Me and Minions to a global box office of more than $5.6 billion.

Purchase tickets here, see the trailer below, and see contest rules below the trailer!

I have 10 four packs of tickets to giveaway to a theater in Manhattan. First, make sure you subscribe to the blog, I have weekly contests! Second leave a comment with how many tickets you would like, up to four. Only the first 10 commentors will win, I will then email you instructions for the pick-up, the show is Monday, June 29th at Regal Union Square. You must arrive by 630 pm at the latest to get your tickets.

CAPACITY REACHED< GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

The post CLOSED! Minions & Monsters Ticket Giveaway for NYC! @minions #minionsandmonsters @illumination @UniversalPics #NY #NYC #NewYork #NewYorkCity appeared first on Gay NYC Dad.