Ambush Magazine Volume 37 Issue 26

THE OFFICIAL GAY MAGAZINE OF THE GULF SOUTH™

A Biweekly Publication Celebrating LGBTQ Life, Music & Culture Since 1982 VOLUME 37 ISSUE 26

TUESDAY, December 17, 2019

Happy Holidays & New Year’s Eve

www.AMBUSHMAG.com

THE “OFFICIAL” DISH

by TJ ACOSTA, PUBLISHER

Dear Ambush Nation, The holidays are here and another year is almost in the books. It’s been an amazing year! We are honored to be able to share with you, our readers, the news and highlights of our vibrant community on the pages of Ambush every other Tuesday. We would like to thank our readers for making 2019 a year to remember. From the King Cake Queen Coronation to the Gay Easter Parade to The Gay Appreciation Awards to Southern Decadence, we have been blessed to share these events with you. We look forward to a memorable 2020!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM AMBUSH On behalf of everyone on the Ambush team, we would like to wish you and your family a Happy Holiday season! We hope that each and every one of you get to enjoy the holidays with those you love. This is a time of year to let your friends and loved ones know how much they mean to you.

Also remember, there are people in our community who may not have a relationship with their family. Reach out to your friends, especially those who may be elderly, live alone or don’t have any family in town. Let your friends know how much they mean to you and, if you can, invite them to spend the holidays

with you. And please know that we at Ambush are thankful for each and every one of you this holiday season.

HOLIDAY EVENTS If you are looking for something fun to do with friends this Holiday Season, be sure to check out our “Hot Happenings” section in this issue of Ambush.

You can fill your social calendar with holiday parties, drag shows and more!

This is always a fun time of year to grab a cocktail or two at your favorite watering hole. And don’t forget to always tip your bartenders!

If you’re already gearing up for Carnival season, 12th Night is only a few weeks away. And if you’re looking to celebrate 12th Night with friends, check out Frank’s Annual 12th Night Party hosted by the Mystik Krewe de la Rue Royale Revelers. It’s one of the largest 12th Night parties in the city. $25 will get you in the door for a night filled with food, liquor and great friends. The highlight of the party is the unveiling of the Grand Reveler! This year the event will be at the The Mardi Gras Museum of Costumes and Culture located at 1010 Conti Street in the French Quarter. For tickets you can stop at Frank’s tour guide shop at 638 St. Ann Street or buy tickets online at RueRoyaleRevelers.com.

Inside this Issue of Ambush Magazine Community Announcements

6

Arts & Culture

8

Health & Wellness

24

Hot Happenings Calendar

28

Business & LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory

40

Comics, Puzzles & Horoscopes

46

Sports

48

Gulf South LGBTQ Entertainment & Travel Guide Since 1982 New Orleans, Louisiana | info@ambushpublishing.com | (504) 522-8049

THE BAR AT 700 BURGUNDY HAS A NEW NAME As I told you in a previous issue of Ambush, I’ll be taking over the lease at 700 Burgundy (currently The 700 Club) on January 1st and plan on keeping the space as a gay bar to serve our community. The most frequently asked question I get is “Have you decided on a name?” I’m here to tell you “Yes!” After trying to come up with a name for weeks, I was at my friend Jarred Zeringue’s house when it happened.

My twin brother Toby and I were having dinner with Jarred and talking about bar names when Jarred said “Why don’t you just name the bar ‘Betty’s’ after your mom?”

Almost instantly, I knew it was the perfect name. I immediately texted Reed (Editor-In-Chief of Ambush) and asked him what he thought about the name “Betty’s”. He replied “I hate it and I think it works perfectly”. After that night, I decided the bar would be called Betty’s after my mom and I think it’s the perfect name. I want the space to be welcoming to everyone in our community and I want people to feel like family when they walk in the door. I hope to see everyone there sometime in mid- to late-January when we open for business.

AMBUSH MEDIA KITS FOR 2020 If you or anyone you know is interested in advertising in Ambush, please have them check out our media kit at AmbushPublishing.com/media-kit/ We have ad sizes and rates for both print and online ads. We look forward to adding more advertisers in 2020 and have people on our sales team available to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us at sales@ambushpublishing.com MARK YOUR CALENDARS As we move into 2020 here are some dates to remember Tuesday, February 25th - Mardi Gras Day and the King Cake Queen Bead Toss - GayMardiGras.com Sunday, April 12th @ 4:30 pm The Official Gay Easter Parade - GayEasterParade.com Friday, June 12th thru June 14, 2020 - New Orleans Pride Saturday, July 18th - The Gay Appreciation Awards - GayAppreciationAwards.com Thursday, September 3 thru September 7, 2020 - Southern Decadence - SouthernDecadence.com

Gulf South Entertainment/Travel Guide Since 1982 • Texas-Florida ANNUAL READERSHIP OVER 1M+ 260,000+ Print & 780,000+ Online Official Gay Easter Parade Guide™ Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide™ Official Gay New Orleans Guide™ Official Pride Guide™ Official Southern Decadence Guide™

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR info@ambushpublishing.com

PRINT CIRCULATION

Alabama - Birmingham, Mobile; Florida - Pensacola; Louisiana - Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Metairie, New Orleans, Monroe, Alexandria; Mississippi - Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, Jackson; Texas Houston

PUBLISHER TJ Acosta

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Reed Wendorf

SENIOR EDITOR Brian Sands

OPERATIONS & EVENTS Chris Leonard CONTRIBUTORS Adam Radd, Andrew Watley, Brian Sands, Catherine Roland, Charles Pizzo, Dorian-gray Alexander, Frank Perez, Jim Meadows, Kevin Assam, Lynn Stevens, Rev. Bill Terry, Ryan Rockford, Scot Billeaudeau, Tony Leggio & Crescent City Sports PHOTOGRAPHERS Andrew Hopkins, Charles Pizzo, Doug Adams, Dwain Hertz, Glenn Melancon, Persona Shoulders, TJ Boudreaux, Tony Leggio

LOCAL ADVERTISING sales@ambushpublishing.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING Rivendell Media (212) 242-6863 Ambush Magazine is published on alternate Tuesdays of each month by Ambush Publishing. Advertising, Copy & Photo DEADLINE is alternate Tuesdays, 5pm, prior to publication week, accepted via e-mail only: info@ambushpublishing.com. The Publisher assumes no responsibility for the claims of advertisers and has the right to reject any advertising. The inclusion of an individual’s name or photograph in this publication implies nothing about that individual’s sexual orientation. Letters, stories, etc. appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of the Publisher or Staff of Ambush Magazine. ©1982-2019 AMBUSH PUBLISHING LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NOTHING HEREIN MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER INCLUDING AD LAYOUTS, MAPS & PHOTOS.

4 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Wood Enterprises!

We welcome you to toast 2019 and step into 2020 with us December 31 at 901 Bourbon Street.

Complimentary champagne with your favorite hits and videos from 1980 to today.

Happy Hour $3.75 well and domestics 5am Monday - 9pm Friday Kafe Karaoke with Terri and Kory - Wednesday 9pm www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 5

NEWS & COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS Spotlight on Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival Speakers

Michele Karlsberg

In this series, we introduce you to some of the writers in the all-star lineup for #SAS20 this March in the heart of the French Quarter.

Recipient of a Lambda Literary award, two Publishing Triangle awards and a Violet Quill award, Trebor Healey is the author of A Horse Named Sorrow, Faun and Through It Came Bright Colors, as well as a poetry collection, Sweet Son of Pan, and three collections of stories — A Perfect Scar, Eros & Dust and the recently-released Falling. He co-edited (with Marci Blackman) Beyond Definition: New Writing from Gay and Lesbian

Miah Jeffra

San Francisco and co-edited (with Amie Evans) Queer & Catholic. www. treborhealey.com Miah Jeffra is author of The First Church of What’s Happening (Nomadic 2017), The Fabulous Ekphrastic Fantastic! (Sibling Rivalry 2020), The Violence Almanac (Black Lawrence 2021), and co-editor, with Arisa White and Monique Mero, of the anthology Home is Where You Queer Your Heart (Foglifter 2020). Miah is founding editor of queer literary collaborative, Foglifter Press.

Michele Karlsberg is a producer, publisher, literary executor, advocate

Trebor Healey

and author. She is one of the founders/publishers of Amethyst Press, and former publisher at Bywater Books.

Last year Michele was awarded the Publishing Professional Award from the Lambda Literary Foundation. In 1989, Michele launched Lesbian and Gay Book Month with The Publishing Triangle. Michele’s WORDS column appears monthly in the San Francisco Bay Times.

Michele is the co-editor of the Lambda Literary Award finalist To Be Continued and To Be Continued: Take Two (Firebrand Books). Her non-fiction piece entitled “The Isle Of

Staten” appears in the book Love, Christopher Street (Chelsea House Editions). She has won the Publishing Triangle Leadership Award, Community Health Action Advocacy Award, Saints and Sinners Literary Hall Of Fame and One Island/One Pride Award.

The annual Saints and Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival will take place in New Orleans March 27-29. For registration information: Sasfest.org Any AMBUSH readers can register with a 20% discount by using the code Ambush20 when registering.

6 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Giving Back: Celebrating One of US!

by Catherine Roland Some excellent news from my good friend Julie Thompson, Co-Chair of New Orleans’ PFLAG Chapter for many years. A good number of academic scholarships are given out yearly by the PFLAG Board, helping many

LGBTQ+-identifying young adults with their post-high school education. This initiative has changed many lives.

A young man named Ross was a recipient of a small PFLAG scholarship in 2005 –2006, and in 2007 received a much more substantial award. This

grateful young man, who was born and raised in the area, recently reached out to Julie Thompson to thank her, and to inform her that it was time to pay it forward. Dr. Ross Gaudet has pledged a $1,000 scholarship for each of five years, to start. He writes that, as a successful anesthesiologist living in New York City, he wanted to express his

gratitude and his intention to support PFLAG. How gratifying for PFLAG, especially for Julie who coordinated the Scholarship for years, upon reading his signature: Ross Gaudet, MD. Now that is a wonderful and warm way to celebrate one of our own.

Felicia Phillips Named King Cake Queen XXVI, The Ruby Queen Ambush Magazine and the Krewe of Queenateenas is proud to announce Felicia Phillips as King Cake Queen XXVI, the Ruby Queen, to reign over the 2020 Carnival Season.

Originally from Beaumont, Texas, Phillips majored in theater and then turned to the art of female impersonation at an early age. Her early titles include Miss Gay Golden Triangle and Miss Gay Beaumont. She was the longest running show director in southeast Texas, booking entertainers from all over the country and overseeing the casts of four clubs over a span of nearly three decades.

Phillips thought she was leaving drag behind when she relocated to New Orleans, but drag followed her.

After reemerging on the drag scene in New Orleans, Phillips was named SDGM XLII (2016), as well as 12th night Grand Reveler IV for the Krewe

de la Rue Royale Revelers in 2018.

Dubbed “The Cheese Queen” by Ambush founder Rip Naquin, Phillips wrote a column in the magazine entitled “The Real Cheese.” In February, Phillips took over as the third emcee of the Corner Pocket’s legendary “New Meat Contest” (the first two emcees were Ms. Fly and Lisa Beaumann), as well as the bar’s Sunday Zingo.

2020 will mark Felicia Phillips 40th anniversary as an entertainer—a milestone whose gemstone is Ruby; hence, Phillips will be known as the Ruby Queen. Phillips SDGM color was Ruby as well.

When asked her reaction to being named King Cake Queen, Phillips remarked, “My intentions when relocating to New Orleans were to go full on Greta Garbo. But upon this honor, I admit things didn’t go as planned.”

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 7

ARTS & CULTURE

Trodding the Boards Brian Sands bsnola2@hotmail.com

Period of Adjustment at Loyola’s Lower Depths Theatre through Dec. 21

Some people like to see things they’re familiar with; they’ll go to New York and get tickets to Phantom of the Opera or Chicago or Wicked. They’ll attend Romeo and Juliet rather than Troilus and Cressida (not that there’s much opportunity to see the latter).

Similarly, here, audiences flock to productions of A Streetcar Named Desire and A Glass Menagerie both of which come along with a predictable regularity.

Hallelujah then for The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans (TWTC) for presenting, not only the better known of the French Quarter’s most famous writer’s works, but those whose names don’t often adorn marquees. Sometimes there’s a valid reason for that, but their current production, Period of Adjustment, is a gift to NOLA audiences. A slightly bi-

zarre one, but one well worth unwrapping or, rather, attending this holiday season.

Set in a suburb of a mid-southern city in 1959, on its surface, Period of Adjustment appears to be a stage version of a period sitcom, or a first cousin, say, to Barefoot in the Park.

It begins with a husband, George Haverstick (Matt Story), dropping off his newlywed bride, Isabel (Sonia Rose Arredondo), at the home of Ralph Bates (John Lavin), his Korean War buddy, on Christmas Eve. The timing’s not great as Ralph had just quit his job that morning causing his wife of five years, his boss’ daughter, to leave him.

As Isabel becomes acquainted with Ralph, she wonders if George will ever return to pick her up.

Williams keeps us guessing as to where he’s taking us and, though nothing really much happens in Act One, by sculpting rich, multidimensional characters with idiosyncratic dialog, he holds our interest throughout.

Sonia Rose Arredondo and John Lavin in Period of Adjustment (photo by James Kelley)

Let me rephrase that. He holds our interest throughout with the help of an imaginative directing team, Lizzy Bruce & Ryan Bruce, and a cast that gamely and expertly fulfills their vision of this material.

For Period shuns Neil Simon pseudo-realism. It teeters on absurdism but balances that with genuine pathos. It anticipates Edward Albee’s wild familial battles as well Sam Shepard’s laments for the passing of America’s

8 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

time in the sun. There are even hints of John Cheever-esque rue.

The Bruces & Co. shrewdly shift among these approaches, not in an arbitrary way, but in a moment-to-moment adjusting to the text. Heightened realism gives way to stylized movements as Williams has his characters go into extended monologues. Diane K. Baas’ expressionistic lighting, one of her finest efforts, underscores this as it shifts in concert with Williams’ changing tone.

I don’t want to give too much away but George does eventually return as does Dorothea, Ralph’s wife; her parents also put in an appearance. Williams will dole out existential questions and sprinkle metaphors (among them, from the play’s setting, “The Bates’ house is slowly sinking into an underground cavern atop which it sits.”) along the way to a relatively happy ending.

There’s a lot going on in Period of Adjustment, thematically, narratively, psychologically, linguistically (one character is described as a “cast iron virgin”), and as social commentary.

This TWTC production covers these aspects well and it’s not meant as a criticism, by any means, to say that I could see Period being done in other ways. (With its homoerotic undertones, nicely hinted at but not overdone here, I could imagine Isabel being played by a man, not in drag, but making the Haversticks--note their name--a gay couple.)

I would actually like to see it again as it’s a bit much to take in all at once; the Bruces might’ve had the cast give just a little more shape or emphasis to certain plot points, some of which I didn’t get until reading about the play afterwards. (This may also be due to the acoustics of Loyola’s Lower Depths Theatre as the audience sits on both sides of the set, and the Southern accents which take a little while to get used to.)

With his Rock Hudson good looks and open physiognomy, Lavin makes Ralph sympathetic even as he goes on about Dorothea turning their 3-year-old son into a “sissy.” As this orphan from Mobile, Lavin can be viper-ish, underscoring the script’s sometime misogyny, but he also gives the sense, rightly, that he’s searching for something even if he’s not really sure of what it is.

Story makes a welcome return to the NOLA stage as George, whose hand tremors have no physical basis and who is questioning his impulsive marriage to Isabel. He brings a properly overwrought and tortured quality to George who was scarred by his time in Korea. If neither he nor Lavin strike me as archetypal Korean War veterans, all the better for intimating maybe, just maybe, somewhere along the way they became more than just buddies...or at least thought about it.

As Isabel, Arredondo absolutely

shines. At first, I was afraid that her interpretation seemed a bit superficial.

As she continued, however, it became clear that this was a stylistic choice and that she undergirded her almost dainty naiveté with a superb command of this young woman’s range of feelings, keeping them just under the surface, a victim of the repressed ‘50s.

Arredondo assuredly navigates the hairpin emotional turns Williams imposes on Isabel while never condescending to the character. She and Lavin adroitly sustain a non-mating dance through the first act, just the proper amount of electricity flowing back and forth between them. It’s an impressive NOLA debut.

Mia Frost brings dignity to Dorothea, wisely avoiding making her a harpy in any way. In their brief scene as Mr. and Mrs. McGillicuddy, Dorothea’s parents, Tracey E. Collins and John Wettermark add just the right notes of bluster and narrow-mindedness, sustaining Williams’ crackling dialog while keeping its soap opera-y tendencies at bay.

Kenneth Thompson’s set, with its pastel mint color scheme, ingeniously creates indoor and outdoor areas.

Props to prop designer Destany Gorham for her phallic rocket launcher and all the other period memorabilia.

If I’m not entirely convinced of the believability of the path that Williams took to get to the happy ending of his “serious comedy”, the Bruces and their exemplary cast pulled it off in wholly satisfying fashion, making a strong case for this play’s worthiness. And what more can you ask for at Christmas? After all, we have enough streetcars, cats, and menageries.

Audra McDonald/Broadway@NOCCA

Somehow, don’t ask me how, I had never seen Audra McDonald perform live (I know, crazy, right?). This was finally rectified at Broadway@NOCCA’s second presentation of its season. What was I waiting for?!

I’m sure thousands of drops of ink have been spilled and pixels posted to describe how amazing this six-time Tony winner is, but let me just add that not only does she have a gorgeous operatic soprano and not only is she a true singing actress, able to convey the deep meaning of the lyrics as well as the prettiness of the notes, but, from the evidence of her 90-minute show at NOCCA, she’s a poised, intelligent, down-to-earth, utterly charming woman, full of warmth and laughter, the kind of person you’d want to hang out with no matter how many Tonys she’s won.

The many highlights of the show included the rousing opener I Am What I Am, My Fair Lady’s I Could Have Danced All Night which became an audience sing-along, and a tender but pointed melding of You’ve Got To Be

Will Swenson, Seth Rudetsky and Audra McDonald at NOCCA

Taught from South Pacific and Into the Woods’ Children Will Listen.

You could sense the deep but playful camaraderie between McDonald and Host/Music Director Seth Rudetsky who elicited tales of Madeline Kahn, Bill Cosby and what it was like for her, as a black woman, to be cast in a revival of Carousel. We also learned that McDonald struggled to find her way into the character of Billie Holiday for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill until she discovered that Holiday spoke just like her grandmother. Then everything clicked.

McDonald treated us to Cornet Man, from Funny Girl, a saucy number about Jelly Roll Morton with which she won a talent competition as a 13-yearold. The judge congratulated her but wondered if she really understood the song; McDonald was indignant at the time (“I had done my homework!”), but years later realized how right he had

been.

Asked what roles she had wanted but didn’t get, McDonald thought for a bit and stated that while there weren’t any stage ones, she wished she had gotten parts in the movies Jerry Maguire and Doubt. Softening the blow, was that they went to friends of hers, Regina King and Viola Davis, respectively, and made her realize she “wasn’t dreaming big enough.”

McDonald was joined by “Special Guest” Will Swenson, who happens to be her husband of seven years; they met when they were doing 110 in the Shade on Broadway in 2007. After a cheeky rendition of Oh, better far to live and die (aka I am a Pirate King!) from The Pirates of Penzance, he and McDonald dueted on You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, also cheeky...and, yet, lovely.

If Swenson’s stay was all too brief, perhaps Broadway@NOCCA will bring him back for a show of his own

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 9

next season.

McDonald concluded the evening with Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Climb Ev’ry Mountain, a chestnut that she infused with vitalness and strength.

Her encore topped that, however, when she returned to the stage and, eschewing the microphone, sang Summertime from Porgy and Bess, allowing us to glory in the sound of her unadulterated, ineffably divine voice. Brava!

Broadway@NOCCA concludes its season on January 11 with Tony nominee Liz Callaway. When she last appeared here, at Le Petit in 2016, I described it as “a grand 90 minutes” and “a delightful evening”. She’ll be joined by special

guest, our own Bryan Batt. It should be a great way to start off the new year.

Coming Up

The Beaubourg Theatre Company makes its debut in its own theater (614 Gravier St.) with Annie (The Flick) Baker’s award winning John.

Set in a bed and breakfast in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Time ranked it at No. 8 on its list of Top Ten Plays and Musicals for 2015. The New York Times wrote that John is a “...haunting and haunted meditation on topics [Baker] has made so singularly her own: the omnipresence of loneliness in human

life, and the troubled search for love and lasting connection.”

Troi Bechet and Janet Shea star in a cast which also features Joe Fredo and Maile Zox, and is directed by Xavier Juárez. Performances continue through December 30.

The NonProphet Theatre-South presents A Gothic Christmas, a “terrifying” twist on three holiday classics at The Allways Lounge Theatre (2240 St. Claude Ave.) December 27-30.

In “The Christmas Bargain”, visits from a trio of demons put Diedre’s dinner guests in mortal peril. Find out what vampires have to do with Christmas in “The Gift of the Callicantzaros”.

And in “It’s a Horrible Life”, Bailey has

had a very bad day and she just wants to put things right.

Written by local author G. R. Linden, we’re promised that “these grizzly takes on some of the most beloved Christmas stories ever told are not for the faint of heart.” Linden directs a cast including Hilary Neff, Joe Signorelli, Adrienne Burns, Robert A. Mitchell, Annabell Von Holt, Marcus Gandy, Ian Everett, Gwendolen McAuliffe and Earl Scioneaux. I’ve been told by my sources that “It’s gonna be such a funny show.” Ho-Ho-Ha! Please send press releases and notices of your upcoming shows to Brian Sands at bsnola2@hotmail.com.

THE HERE AND THE NOW It’s a Week Before Christmas and I Feel… (Fill in The Blank) Catherine Roland catherineroland12@gmail.com

Consider the question, “It’s a week before Christmas and I feel_______.”

It’s getting close to the “DAY,” as they called it in my family a long time ago. I was never quite sure what that meant, but I knew it meant something having to do with the Christmas holiday.

There was always excitement leading up to the DAY. Through the

years, my feelings on Christmas have been a time to enjoy what’s around us.

Since I’ve had the good fortune to live in several cities, there has always been something to truly enjoy, a place or a tradition, that offered peace, joy, and beauty. Sometimes I had to search for that, both where I lived and in my heart.

And search I did, to finally see what I wanted and needed to see and experi-

ence during holiday time.

If I were filling in the blank on my feelings now, my word would be ‘encouraged.’ But how we feel on any given day approaching Christmas varies, doesn’t it? It’s possible as Christmas draws nearer, a feeling you list might be “lonely” or “sad” or “optimistic”; as with every feeling, they’re all okay.

Why would someone feel sad or lonely at this time, when we hear traditionally it’s the happiest time of the year? Sadness, loneliness or feelings of isolation occur most often around the holidays for many. It doesn’t always have to do with family, or not having family. At times, it can have more to do with a person’s general feedings of detachment, not having a friend support system in place, or a specific situation that results in grief and loss. There could be challenging transitions whether chosen or not (relocation, cancellation of plans), health issues, or worsening feelings of depression.

Sometimes a generalized fear of holidays creeps in, to remind you that perhaps you will have nothing to do, or while you may have received invitations for things to do, nothing seems appealing, and you spend the actual holiday by yourself.

If there is a part of the holiday that you choose to spend by yourself, I’m going to offer a few suggestions of places here in the greater New Orleans area that have offered peace, beauty and solace to me and many others. There is a way to frame being by yourself as solitude that allows for rejuvenation. Perhaps some of these suggestions can provide a conduit to feelings of more positivity around Christmas and the New Year, and beginning of the new decade in 2020.

Music in New Orleans is always prevalent, and this time of the year it seems to be everywhere. If you enjoy gospel choirs, jazz bands, classical

artists and more, avail yourself of the free concert series in historic St. Louis Cathedral. The music generally runs for an hour, starting around 6 pm, and programs continue until December 22.

A point of historic information: St. Louis Cathedral was established in 1720, making our New Orleans landmark the oldest active cathedral in our country.

In 1964, St. Louis Cathedral was given the status of minor basilica, one of only 15 in the United States. The history of New Orleans will likely make you proud to live here. It makes me proud every day.

Celebration in the Oaks at City Park takes place during the entire month of December. This amazing and innovative holiday light exhibit draws many visitors looking for beauty and creativity. Take a walking tour through the park to see more than a million lights decorating century-old live oak trees. Celebration in the Oaks has become a New Orleans tradition, enjoyable for individuals and groups of friends. There are many things to do while there, but for me the sheer beauty of the light installations would be the prize. Oh, and the hot chocolate is pretty wonderful, as long as the temperature is below 70! Admission is $10 ($28 for unlimited rides), which lets you in, and it’s extra for the rides and the train trip. If you would like to take that unique walk, I find purchasing tickets online beforehand is best.

I call this next suggestion “Holly Lobby touring”, because visiting hotel lobbies during the holidays is a real thing in New Orleans. Christmas finery that festoons the lobbies of hotels in the French Quarter and CBD is beyond compare. My favorite of all time is The Roosevelt, which is gorgeous every year. It spans a city block, so you can simply walk through the festive lobby from one entrance to the other, with its acres of marble and seasonal display

10 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

of lights, trees and extreme beauty.

If you’re hungry, you can have a great experience at the restaurant adjacent to the hotel, Domenica (123 Baronne), a well-regarded and highly-rated restaurant. Or stop and have a drink at The Sazerac Bar with its Paul Ninas murals flanking the African walnut bar. For years after I moved away from here, when I returned to visit friends/family, I never missed at least one walk-through or a meal – as far back as when it was the Fairmont Hotel.

The Windsor Court in the CBD is a fun and lovely venue. The Christmas tree shimmering with 25,000 lights is usually about 20 feet tall, with a classic toy train running around the base.

There are many more trees to enjoy there, maybe with having Holiday Tea at the Windsor. Or just another walk through on your Holly Lobby Tour.

All the big hotels are beautifully decorated, but the others that seem to go all out include the Ritz Carlton on Canal, and the Hotel Monteleone

on Royal St., where you can expect a giant Christmas tree and an active schedule of local choir performances.

If you call the concierge there, you can hear about the different choirs.

Caroling in Jackson Square is a beautiful and festive event, and this year it will be on Sunday December 22, 7:00pm, with the gates opening at 6:30pm. Getting there really early, walking around the Quarter, will be a wonderful late afternoon/early evening activity. Did you know that it began in 1946, not long after World War II, as something to bring spirits up and regain a sense of community? That it did! Yes, visitors come here and participate, but this is traditionally a local event, and many have this on their calendar every year. It’s open, free, non-denominational (tho it’s mostly Christmas carols).

If you like singing, celebrating with others, and lots of candles & decoration, then try it.

Fulton Street, the narrow street that was a prime part of the 1984 World’s Fair here and adjacent to the

hotel across from Harrah’s, becomes a wonderland during the holidays with many restaurants, all beautifully festive. This one block long, pedestrian-only mall is decorated with Christmas trees, lights, mistletoe and fleur de lis ornaments. Some years there is a Christmas bubble of sorts, that when you walk through, it snows!

There’s no charge for wandering in the French Quarter, day or evening, whether you’ve accepted invitations with others or choose to spend time with yourself, just taking your own counsel. There are areas that are quieter and have a lovely sense of peace for me. Find your own and cherish your time to just ‘be’.

Parking doesn’t have to be a problem, there is always a way. Since I do not live in or close to the Quarter or downtown, I get down there early, and try to park just outside the Quarter on the Esplanade side. Works well, but the trick is the earlier hour. The base of the Quarter around the French Market is also a good choice. Often if you

have some patience (and that is not my strength for parking), people park temporarily, so wait a minute and a car will pull out.

We live in a magnificent city. If that is not the way you would describe it, then I hope you explore, and this is a perfect time of year to do just that.

There are many free or very cheap activities, and wandering, having a coffee, walking with a friend, are always worth trying.

I wish you all the best holiday season possible, and hope that you choose to be active and hopeful as we usher in the new decade with 2020. And please remember that Christmas is a day, one day, and then, it is the day after.

Dr. Catherine Roland, LPC, is a therapist in private practice, specializing in our LGBTQ+ community for 25 years. Catherine is a member of the Board of Directors of both CrescentCare-NO/AIDS Task Force, and NOAGE - New Orleans Advocates for LGBTQ+ Elders.

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with Clover Grill AT CLOVER GRILL | PHOTOS BY CLOVER GRILL STAFF

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 11

Tony’s Thanksgiving Trip Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com Every year for Thanksgiving, I take a road trip with my mother Dawn. It started the year of Katrina, a tough one for my Mom, with my Dad passing away a few months before Katrina and then losing her house in the storm. That Thanksgiving, she was so down, and that was never my Mom, so I decided to help her begin the holiday season right, and our road trip journey began.

It’s now become a tradition with us.

Each year we go to a different city; from Branson to Pensacola and San Antonio to Memphis, we get around.

This year we decided to do a two-part trip beginning in Mobile, Alabama, and ending in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Our journey began on Thursday morning when we left the house and drove to the Silver Slipper Casino in Bay St. Louis for a Thanksgiving lunch. I am not a huge casino buffet person, but I have to admit their display is one of the best. Their Jubilee Buffet has been voted the “Best on the Coast” and I can see why. They have an extensive salad bar. The center of the Buffet had a wide selection of championship slow-smoked barbecue.

There was also Southern, Cajun and Creole favorites, plus Asian and Italian

foods. But the highlight was their display of Dungeness crabs, snow crabs and Jonah crabs. I mean it was a crab lovers heaven. I skipped the dessert bar, which was pretty amazing, mostly because I ate my fill of crabs.

After lunch, we gambled a little then made our way down the scenic coast to Mobile where we checked into the Battle House Renaissance. This stately property is located downtown and was beautifully decorated for the holidays with an amazing Christmas tree standing tall in the center of the lobby.

Later that night, after getting settled in and resting, I decided to meet up with Matt Hester, a friend of mine who lives in the city, and check out the gay bar scene. For a small city, their LGBT bar scene is pretty nice with three places being centrally located downtown.

I started off at the Flip Side which is a neighborhood bar with great energy and a nice courtyard in the back. That evening, they were having a Thanksgiving potluck and the atmosphere was festive. It’s a more laid-back spot than their sister property a few steps away B-Bob’s which we went to next.

B’Bob’s is a two-story complex that

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has drag shows and numerous bars with lots of indoor and outdoor spaces. This place is amazing and has so much to offer. It also has earned many accolades since its opening in 1992.

B-Bob’s has been voted Best Gay Bar, 2010-present as well as Mobile’s Best Dance Club since 2014. The bartenders are cute, the drag performers are top notch (and they also get lots of RuPaul’s alumni) and the music is hot.

The last bar is Gabriel’s and is right around the corner from B’Bob’s. It’s a welcoming, casual space that boasts being the oldest LGBT bar in Mobile.

All three places are great for visitors and the crowds are friendly. Each bar offers something different so you can set your pace for the night at any of the three.

The following day was Back Friday. My mom and I have a tradition of shopping the entire day. We don’t do anything uncivilized like storm a Walmart knocking people over for a $200 television. We did, however, get up early, like 4am, and drove to Foley, Alabama, which is about 45 minutes out of Mobile to go to the Tanger Outlet Center. My mom whips up a pitcher of Bloody Mary’s and away we go.

We love getting great deals and even though I know you can get them online there is something about shopping that I just love! People may think we’re crazy, but what they do not understand, is this a chance for my mom and me to bond doing something we both love to do--shop.

After spending the day shopping at various places, we returned to Mobile and had a late lunch at the Moon Pie General Store which is also a cafe and directly across the street from our hotel. It’s a fun and campy place to buy memorabilia of this popular dessert.

After a long and well-earned rest, we went to dinner at this fabulous downtown restaurant called Dumbwaiters. The restaurant scene in Mobile is outstanding and this place was excellent. Owner Wes Lambert and his wife, Dana decided to create a business that showcased the southern style of cooking with an emphasis on fresh seafood. I cannot give this place enough recognition; the food was superior and the service was top notch. We began with deep-fried pimento cheese balls before moving onto the main course which was Causeway Benedict -- a delicious buttermilk biscuit, fried green tomatoes, fried creole mozzarella, a crab cake, 4 oz filet, conecuh crab cream sauce. Simply divine.

After dinner, we decided to enjoy a little holiday festivity. We drove to Hank Aaron Stadium, a ballpark named after the Mobile native and Major League Baseball home run king. During the

holidays it presents Christmas Nights of Lights of Mobile. You can see over 1 million lights synchronized to traditional and newer, rocking Christmas music. It was a pretty incredible show and a fabulous holiday treat. When the Frozen song Let It Go came on, and the lights started dancing around as you drove through the exhibit, it truly was magical.

Because we did not get the shopping bug out of our system on Friday, on Saturday we drove to Fairhope and did small Saturday shopping at all the little stores and boutiques in its downtown area. Fairhope is a quaint bedroom community located across the bay from Mobile and has a great vibe with unique stores and boutiques, as well as one of the best used bookstores I have ever been in. There was also an amazing toy store that allowed me to get all my holiday kid gifts (and they gift wrap).

After another marathon day of shopping, we went to lunch at this great gastropub downtown called Squid Ink Eclectic Eats and Drinks.

Another fabulous foodie choice. Their food is rooted in Lower Alabama classics, but also a melting pot of influences from Mobile’s French, Spanish, and British heritage. My favorite dish for lunch was their power tuna poke bowl, but their sandwiches, burgers, craft cocktails and wine and beer selection is also noteworthy. Of their appetizers, the fried deviled eggs, BBQ pork rinds and street cauliflower were all great choices.

After lunch, I walked around downtown and visited the History Museum of Mobile which was fascinating.

Not only does it tell the full story of the city’s founding, but it also had several special exhibits such as “Married in Mobile”, a display of four centuries of wedding dresses. In their permanent exhibition, their miniature doll houses are impressive.

After some down time, we went to dinner later the night to NOJA which is a fine dining restaurant with a Mediterranean flair. I had been to this place before and remembered how good the food had been so we returned; it was just as fantastic as I’d recalled. We began with the Sous Vide Pork Belly which was delectable. For dinner, I had a scrumptious duck dish, Maple Leaf Duck Breast with cabbage sauce and rum-infused jasmine rice. So good! As a side, the sautéed mushrooms were superb. Just a perfect dinner to end our visit to Mobile.

We left Mobile on Sunday afternoon and took a leisurely drive down the coast to Gulfport. We met up with my friends Beaux, Barrett and Matt at The Chimneys Restaurant, my favorite brunch spot on the coast, and had a tasty meal with bottomless champagne. Libations are always an important part of any family’n’friends gathering.

12 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Next we moved our rolling parade to Island View Casino where we checked in and got down to a little gambling. After donating some money to the local economy (I lost), we went to the nearby 5th annual Gulfport Harbor Lights Winter Festival which has rides, lights, live entertainment, and cocktails. It was also featured in the Lifetime Movie holiday hit Christmas in Mississippi. The weather cooled down to create a perfect atmosphere to walk around viewing the lights. There are so many great light displays for the entire family all along the Coast that I highly suggest a day trip there.

Next we went to dinner at El Agave

Mexican Restaurant which has great food at really good prices. It’s also a block away from the fabulous Gulfport gay bar, Sipps. If you haven’t been there yet, you need to check it out.

The bartenders are fabulous and they have some of the best drag shows on the Coast. Sipps is a refreshing LGBT beacon in the area and I highly recommend going there. After a few dirty martinis, I returned to the casino and bid my friends farewell while they went back to NOLA. I was still in vacation mode. I then proceeded to give more money to the local economy. Luck was not a nice lady to me this trip.

On Monday, Mom and I had break-

fast at the hotel buffet; it offered an adequate spread. Then we decided to check out the Gulfport Premium Outlet mall just in case we missed any shopping. The Gulfport Outlet has expanded and looks like they are about to grow even more. I almost finished my holiday shopping list while I was there.

I also decided to treat myself to something I very rarely do, go to the movies. I found the major theatre complex in Gulfport, got a buttered popcorn, kicked my feet up in the reclining chairs and enjoyed the entertaining murder mystery Knives Out starring Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis and Chris Evans. This was a perfect escapist, after-

noon movie. I love mysteries and this one delivered quite satisfyingly. If you are a fan of the genre, check it out.

That night we went to dinner at Carter Green Steakhouse located in the Island View Casino. Every Monday night they do an inexpensive prime rib special which packs the place. But not only is the prime rib worthwhile, but all the steaks and seafood are good choices. This restaurant is another one of my favorite spots in Gulfport.

We left on Tuesday for New Orleans and I spent the day getting caught up after another memorable Thanksgiving trip with Mom.

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with CrescentCare AT ART AGAINST AIDS | PHOTOS BY DOUGLAS ADAMS

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BOOK OF THE MONTH The First Wife Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com I love a good romance thriller and stumbled upon one recently from Erica Spindler called The First Wife. These type of books normally would not catch my attention but a lot of the action takes place in Louisiana mostly on the Northshore area. I tell you, those people across the lake are freaky!

The basic (and I mean basic) premise is a young woman marries a man she barely knows while she is on vacation on an island to get over the death of a beloved family member.

Bailey Browne dreamed of a knight

in shining armor swooping in to rescue her and her mother. As she grew older, those dreams transformed, becoming ones of a mysterious stranger who swept her off her feet and whisked her away from her ordinary existence; then, suddenly, there he was (what a coincidence).

Despite the ten-year difference in their ages and her working-class upbringing and his of privilege, Logan Abbott and Bailey fall deeply in love.

Marriage quickly follows. Here goes the opposites attract scenario.

When Logan brings her home to his horse farm in Louisiana, a magnificent estate on ninety wooded acres, things go a little awry. A tragic family history Bailey knew nothing about surfaces, along with whisperings about the disappearance of his first wife and rumors about women from the area who have gone missing, and when another woman disappears, all signs point to her husband’s involvement.

Lesson learned: never marry someone you only knew for a week! I mean who does that?

Although I hate to admit it, I quite enjoyed this book. Spindler moves the storyline along quite well setting up a tidy little mystery. You do have to suspend belief a little. Baily’s character, through all her announcements of independence and strength, still comes across as the victim, so the novel does tend to be a little too much damsel-indistress-waiting-on-a-man-to-save-her.

But I am a sucker for a good Lifetime thriller movie and this does read like one. As cheesy as the plot may be, the novel did keep me intrigued from the beginning with fun characters and a satisfying storyline. So if you are looking for a quick read over the holidays do try The First Wife. For more information on Erica’s books, go to www.ericaspindler.com.

BARTENDER OF THE MONTH Jay Jay Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com The Crescent City is all about “rebirth”; after Katrina, the city transformed itself for the better and keeps improving. We also now have more bars and restaurants than we have ever had and our LGBT+ bar scene is

thriving.

Over the years, many gay establishments have opened and closed, but recently one major transformation has been at the corner of St. Louis and Dauphine Streets. I am talking about

none other than The Crossing, the new steampunk decorated venue that has lots of character and numerous televisions to see music videos and, most importantly, Saints games.

With this new look came many new staff and one of my favorites is my “Bartender for the Month” of December. Jay Jay has been at The Crossing since July starting one month before Southern Decadence, quite the trial by fire. He moved to New Orleans because he met a man (isn’t that seemingly always the case?), whom he is no longer with but, fortunate for us, he decided to stay.

Originally from New York City, Jay Jay worked as a bartender in St. Petersburg, Florida, at two dive bars and a Mexican Cantina. There is a joke in there somewhere.

Jay Jay explained that he loves working at The Crossing because it gets a lot of locals especially from the service industry. There is always consistent business. He says that most people do not even realize it is a gay bar, but they love the place even more when they find out. Recently, he had a

star-sighting when Terri Nunn from the eighties band Berlin hung out in the bar after her recent concert in the city.

I asked him what makes working at a NOLA bar different from one in another city. His reply was wonderful. He explained that there is always great energy in the city because people come to New Orleans to drink and have a good time. They are more willing to experiment with new cocktails which is a bartender’s dream. One of his special creations is Jay Jay’s Twisted Fashioned which is his special take on an Old Fashioned. Instead of whiskey, however, he uses Anejo Tequila which adds a unique flavor to the libation but still has whiskey notes in it since it is aged in whiskey barrels for five years.

Even though he considers himself a tequila connoisseur, his go-to drink when he is out and about is Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka with water and a splash of cranberry juice.

So come out to The Crossing, located at 439 Dauphine Street, and get Twisted with Jay Jay. He normally works evenings and on Saints game days.

14 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

CHOP CHOP

Authentic, Gourmet Chinese at Dian Xin Charles Pizzo pizzocharles@gmail.com People born in China sometimes don’t recognize Chinese food in the USA. They see similarities, but the dish in question does not exist back home.

That’s because much of the Chinese food served in this country has been westernized to appeal to American tastes.

In Asia, I discovered that the same thing also happens in reverse; I was served spaghetti with seaweed and scrambled eggs.

For this story, the word “authentic” connotes Chinese food as served in Hong Kong—not at the mall or by cheap, run-of-the-mill places slinging food for the masses. At those places, seasonings have been toned down and exotic ingredients banished.

They’re the equivalent of wannabes serving Cajun food outside south Louisiana (I was taken aback by a sandwich board outside a café near The Stonewall Inn in NYC promoting “authentic Cajun curry,” but I digress...).

The Cantonese food served at Dian Xin is indeed foreign. If a dish is labeled spicy, or if you request chili oil, expect it to be searing. Garlic dishes will be pungent and aromatic. Exotic ingredients such as snow pea tips, tofu, and seaweed are used.

This type of experience will be celebrated by adventurous eaters.

Looking around the full dining room on recent trips, virtually all guests were digging in with chopsticks.

Plain rice is not served with entrees; in fact, it’s not listed on the menu. Our server said you can order it, but they want you to focus on the specialty food—not fill up on rice. This is a gourmet experience with quality and prices to match.

There’s a plethora of dim sum, traditional appetizers including dumplings, to share. You can get a lot of little dishes—many very creative and robust with flavor—but be aware it does add up.

Soup bao have been hard to find in New Orleans. Small dumplings are filled with broth in addition to fillings.

You lift them to your mouth and pierce the skin with your teeth to quickly slurp out the broth. Hold a soup spoon under your lips to catch any liquid that drips out.

I had heard at least a dozen favorable reports about them. We opted for the local variation with crabmeat and crawfish. The broth tasted like the sea.

Pork bao is also available and is more authentic.

Wonton with Spicy Sauce were ethereal. A small order of pork-filled

wonton sat in a pool of reddish-hued sauce. These pack a tremendously flavorful kick—heat, sweet, and umami.

The combination of fiery chili sauce, sweetness, and sesame oil is addictive. My buddies dipped several other foods into it, and we wouldn’t let the server clear it away. Order two. [Note: very spicy] Hot & Sour Soup is honest-to-goodness hot (spicy). The broth was rich and satisfying, perfumed with ginger and studded with strips of tofu.

Likewise, the Szechaun Chicken was spicy and rich in a good way. Chicken crowned with chili sauce sits atop a bed of celery and onions. This was another sauce I could eat all day.

Sizzling Garlic Shrimp were fragrant with garlic (heated until mellowed). The shrimp are grilled to a nice crust, yet remarkably tender and juicy.

Usually, you only get a hint of garlic.

But at Dian Xin they celebrate it just as they do at the Garlic Festival at The Upperline. The flavor is balanced, earthy, and pungent—-with notes of sweetness in the caramelized vegetables underneath.

Chive cakes were crisp with soft interiors. They’re filled with chopped chives, a leafy green shoot with a mild flavor akin to onions and garlic. These are tasty and light, with grassy earthiness. Basil Popcorn Chicken offers bite-size pieces of crisp chicken, salted like potato chips. I found the fried basil intriguing, like the rarely encountered deep-fried parsley. Get a bite of them together for the full effect.

On a cool night, the Seafood Noodle Soup can warm your belly. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of seafood, including calamari. Cold Seaweed & Bean Curd Salad and warm Sautéed Snow Pea Tips with Garlic were delicious (the latter pricey). The garlic in it was tawny brown and mellow.

Dian Xin fills a niche. It’s small, but you can easily join the waitlist via the Yelp app. I look forward to eating my way through the rest of the menu. It’s like a table in Hong Kong right here at home.

Dian Xin, 1218 Decatur St, 11am–3pm, 5–10pm (till 11pm on weekends), all major credit cards, (504) 266-2828, https://www.yelp. com/biz/dian-xin-new-orleans (join the waitlist before you go)

Crabmeat & Crawfish Bao

Sizzling Garlic Shrimp

Charles Pizzo is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. If you’re interested in having your dining establishment covered by Ambush Magazine, please contact him.

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 15

COMMUNITY VOICE

Making the Yuletide Gay: Fun Stuff To Do This Christmas Jim Meadows Executive Director, NOAGE info@noagenola.org Looking for stuff to do this holiday season? Loneliness is more viral than the flu during the holidays, and it can be a pretty tough time if you can’t be with the people you love. (OK, sometimes it can be pretty tough with them, too).

I’ve combed through a mountain of upcoming local holiday events, however, and have found a pretty good variety of cool stuff to do from now through the end of the month. So whether you’re looking for a family event, a date night, or just something fun you can do solo, here are some of your best bets.

HOLIDAY PARTIES AND MEALS

NOAGE is hosting an Ugly Sweater Holiday Party at St. Anna’s Episcopal Church (1313 Esplanade Ave.) from 6:30-8:30pm on Wednesday, December 18. If you’re able, please bring a dish (main dishes, meats, sides, soups, salads, vegan/vegetarian dishes, desserts, etc). The person with the ugliest Christmas sweater will get a special prize, so do your worst! Please also consider bringing non-perishable food items for St. Anna’s Food Pantry.

GrandPre’s (834 N. Rampart St.) is hosting a potluck dinner at 4:00pm on Christmas Day. They have a signup sheet behind the bar, so if you’re able to stop by (or message them on Facebook) before the potluck, be sure to let them know what you’ll be bringing.

A TRIP TO THE THEATER

Performances of The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans’ holiday show, Period of Adjustment, are at 7:30pm, December 19-21. “Period of Adjustment is a holiday comedy that proves that Tennessee Williams had the same kind of

feelings about Christmas get-togethers as the rest of us: complicated. A pair of newlyweds stuck in a hellish honeymoon shows up unexpectedly at the home of a set of ‘old marrieds’ only to learn that the hosts themselves aren’t having any luck in love either! Trapped in a house on a cold night, will the two hapless couples be able to stitch things up?” Tickets are at twtheatrenola.com.

Performances of Mandatory Merriment are at Southern Rep through December 29. “This festive and raucous musical puts traditional holiday plays on notice! When circumstances beyond their control strand six strangers together at Benny’s Tavern in the French Quarter just two days before Christmas, they’re forced to find new ways to celebrate the season.” Tickets are at southernrep.com Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré is hosting a production of A Christmas Carol through December 23. “Miserly and menacing moneylender, Ebenezer Scrooge, learns lessons in love, generosity, and redemption when he is visited by a host of spirits on Christmas Eve.” Tickets are at lepetittheatre.com.

A Drag Queen Christmas: The Naughty Tour (December 22 at the Fillmore) features contestants from RuPaul’s Drag Race (fillmorenola. com).

And what holiday season is complete without Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, The Nutcracker? There are several location productions this year.

New Orleans Ballet Theatre’s is at the Orpheum Theater on December 21 and 22 (neworleansballettheatre. com). Delta Festival Ballet‘s is at the Mahalia Jackson Theater on December 21 and 22. The Jefferson Parish Performing Arts Center’s is on December 21 and 22 (jeffersonpac.com).

Then on December 27, there will be two performances of Moscow Ballet‘s Great Russian Nutcracker at the

H N S A R C A E RA T X E

Saenger Theatre (saengernola.com).

SCREENINGS OF YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY MOVIES AND SPECIALS

The Prytania Theater is screening a double feature of A Charlie Brown Christmas and Santa Claus is Coming to Town on December 22 and 23.

They are also screening It’s a Wonderful Life on December 18 and 22 (theprytania.com). There will be an outdoor screening of Elf at the Spanish Plaza (with free popcorn and cocoa!) on December 20 at 6:30pm (riverwalkneworleans.com), and a free screening of the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas at the Orpheum Theatre on December 23 at 6:00pm (orpheumnola.com).

FESTIVALS, LIGHT DISPLAYS, AND BONFIRES

City Park’s Celebration in the Oaks is one of the most popular attractions of the year, with 25 acres of beautiful light displays, through January 1 (closed Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve). For more information, visit neworleanscitypark.com.

NOLA ChristmasFest, at the Convention Center, features ice-skating, carnival rides, gingerbread houses, decorated trees, and more, through December 31. Visit nolachristmasfest. com for more information.

Audubon Nature Institute’s Zoo Lights will turn the zoo into “a dazzling light display and winter dreamland packed with holly jolly activities for the whole family” through December 30 (audubonzoolights.org).

If you want to experience a real old-fashioned Louisiana Christmas,

see the Bonfires on the Levee on Christmas Eve. There will be bonfires in various river-front communities, but some of the biggest and best are in St. James Parish (Gramercy, Lutcher, Pauline, and others). You can see these by driving (or walking, if you’re more adventurous) along the East and West Bank River Roads (Hwy. 44 and 18, respectively). Gray Line Tours has bus ride options if you’d rather not drive.

CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

The Metropolitan Community Church of New Orleans is having its Christmas Eve service at 8:00pm in the main chapel of the First Presbyterian Church of New Orleans (5401 S. Claiborne Ave.) There’s also Midnight Mass at Saint Louis Cathedral for die-hard traditionalists.

ANNIE LENNOXMAS!

AJ Durand (aka Precious Ephemera) is hosting the 8th Annual Annie Lennoxmas at Balance Yoga (120 S. Cortez St.) on December 25. Doors open at 11:00am for snacks and Annie’s greatest hits, and an all-levels (absolute beginner to seasoned practitioner) yoga class starts at noon, featuring inspirational songs and obscure tracks from The Eurythmics and Annie’s solo albums. $10 is the minimum suggested donation for participation (balanceyogawellness.com).

VOLUNTEER

One of the most rewarding things you can do this holiday season – or any time of year – is volunteer for a worthy cause. If you’re not sure where to start, check out HandsOn New Orleans’s website at handsonneworleans.org to get connected with the right organization for you.

BUT ALSO?

Seeking Self-Starters with Reliable Transportation for Magazine Distribution and Ad Sales

If you are looking for additional income, Apply Now! Send your CV to info@ambushpublishing.com

Not to completely undo all of this, but I want to close by saying that you actually don’t have to do anything over the holidays if you don’t want to.

If the whole thing is just too much – I mean, it kinda is – and all you want is to be home alone with Netflix or a good book, do that. The holidays can bring a lot of undue pressure, and sometimes it’s good to be alone for a little while.

And you’re a grown-up. Santa’s not the boss of you. Unless you’re into that.

Happy Holidays!

16 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

THE ROCKFORD FILES

Father Figure

Ryan Rockford RyanRockfordNYC@gmail.com Picture it: 7:30 on a Saturday morning. I’ve been up all night trolling Grindr and Scruff and Jack’d without much luck. And I’m doing what most guys who’ve been up all night partying, but not having sex, are doing: watching porn, a little arts & crafts, and cleaning our apartments.

This is not an unfamiliar scenario to me, and on this Saturday morning I was prepared to do the usual: take a Xanax, shut off the porn and grab a couple of hours of sleep before getting up & carrying on with my weekend.

While wrestling with the child-proof cap on my Xanax prescription, the notification tone letting me know that someone ‘tapped’ me on Grindr pinged.

Against my better judgement, I figured “What the hell? I’d been up this long, what’s a few more minutes.” I know the Xanax will wait for me; boys on the other hand, not so much. My suitor had a rather grainy profile picture that lacked much detail or definition. His profile was kind of sparse and his other pix, while non-remarkable, were equally as vague but they seemed legit.

A thin profile and questionable pictures would normally be red flags but I was in no position to be choosy. What

did I have to lose at this point? Since early evening, my standards dropped by the hour, so by 7:30 in the morning...you get the idea. And don’t pretend you haven’t been there. Besides, I was horny, the apartment was spotless, and porn was already playing-it was kismet. Unlike the usual song and dance, a few texts and suggestive emojis later, he was on his way. That is the way all hookups should happen; I want sex, you want sex, my place or yours? Done.

[Sidebar: I don’t know what it’s like in your city, but in New York, it’s become a side hustle just to find a blowjob. Believe it. The reason? Screenname ‘AlphaMasc’ doesn’t want to commit to meeting option B because he’s stalling for time, waiting and hoping that option A will say ‘Yes”. Until then, ‘Alpha-Masc’ strings along options B, C and D until option A has either said, ‘No’, is busy or has signed off completely. By then, option B has caught on to the ruse and pursues other interests, while C has given up and gone back to sleep and D is no longer responding. The result is that ‘AlphaMasc’ is left with blue balls, wasted everyone’s time and no one is getting laid.]

Any-hoo...within minutes, after stepping out of the shower, he buzzed, right on time. His name was Gabriel.

Thankfully, he was much more attractive in person than in his grainy profile picture. A picture he must have taken and uploaded at the airport since he was still in the same clothes and carrying luggage. We exchanged pleasantries. He had just arrived to New York from Mexico. Fortunately, his English was better than my Spanish.

When it comes to hooking up, I’m not one to spend much time on foreplay. I ration that we’re two men, meeting for the expressed intention of having sex, so let’s cut to the chase.

Gabriel was way ahead of me. Before I had locked the door and asked Alexa to dim the lights, he was bare-ass naked and sprawled across the sofa, with the sort of “Man Eater” look you might expect to find in the eyes of someone just getting out of prison. To say that Gabriel was thirsty is an understatement, but he had a damn good reason why.

“Before we start, I must to tell you something,” he said.

My pulse began to quicken. “What have I done?” I thought. “Who did I invite over?” I casually scanned my apartment for a make-shift weapon if necessary. “Could cuticle scissors pierce the skin?” I wondered.

“Okay, what is it?” I asked, hoping to sound a little more confident than I was feeling.

“I haven’t been with another man in almost ten years,” Gabriel answered.

“Wh- what? Why?” I responded.

“Because I’m a priest. Does that surprise you?”

“No. I was raised Catholic so it doesn’t surprise me at all. But the fact that you haven’t been with another man in almost 10 years surprises the hell out of me.”

“Does it bother you?”

“Not at all. You’re a grown man, your business is yours. I have my own shit to deal with.”

“Good. I feel better to lift that from my chest. One question more, you party?“ he asked.

“Does the Pope shit in the Vatican?”

With that, Gabriel proceeded to unload a virtual pharmacy of illegal narcotics from his toiletry bag.

“In Mexico, the clergy have no problem from security.”

As if he was unpacking fresh produce from Whole Foods, he casually displayed at least an ounce of crystal meth, several ounces of GHB, a quarter bag of weed, rolling papers, a one-hitter, poppers, powdered MDMA, a 30-day supply of 100mg prescription grade Viagra, 2 Caverject epi- pens, a handful of Xanax, a LOT of cocaine, a silicone water bong, a butane torch as well as an assortment of cock rings that rivaled the selection at my neighborhood porn shop. Clearly Gabriel was not your ordinary, run of the mill,

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 17

cock sucking priest. This cat had skillz.

A zillion questions ran through my mind, begging to be asked, but I kept my mouth shut. I wasn’t about to fuck up the chance to sample from this pu pu platter of free drugs that fell into my lap, delivered by God! They say the Man works in mysterious ways, but this is some shit. Go ahead, Jesus, take the wheel, I’m ready.

Gabriel filled the bong, I grabbed a Caverject pen and set up two shots of G with an OJ back. 20 minutes later we were both sky high and swirling our faces off, having a really good time. The sex was intense. The Caverject delivered a porn star hard on that wouldn’t quit, and Gabriel didn’t seem to break a sweat keeping up. To his credit, that bitch took dick like a champ! I don’t know what his off-season regimen was but on game day, he was ready. The entire experience was not only physically satisfying, it was great for my ego.

This man hadn’t been touched sexually in 10 fcking years; no matter what I did, I was an X-rated superstar.

As the intensity of the drugs began to subside, waves of quiet tenderness began to float themselves between crests of fiery passion. Drenched in sweat, dehydrated and exhausted, it felt good to stop moving and thrusting and pounding and just...be.

“Can I say something to you?” Gabriel asked.

Laying side by side, I pulled his body into the Little Spoon position and

quipped, “Of course. This is a judgement-free zone.”

With that, Gabriel let out a deep exhale and told me his story, the story of a young boy who wanted nothing more than to please his father. Even if it meant selling his soul to the devil and becoming a man of God. Born in a small town outside of Mexico City, the youngest of three boys, Gabriel was the one son who most desired his father’s acceptance.

“Perhaps because I knew that I was the least likely to get it. We were not close, but my culture, it is common for young boys to emulate to their fathers. He was everything I wanted. He was a proud, powerful, macho. He had respect. I was none of those things.

The one thing I knew I was, was gay.

As most parents do, soon, my father learned my truth. In Mexico and for my family and village, being gay was not an option. It would bring shame to me, but more important, to him,” he insisted.

“I was raised under a drug cartel’s umbrella. I knew no other way. I understood the cartel way of life, for it was my life. I was the son of a cartel officer.

There was no longer a welcome place for me within my family or within my village.”

Ironically, Gabriel’s polyamorous drug-trafficking father was also a devout Catholic.

Gabriel’s family offered redemption from his homosexuality in one of only

two ways. Gabriel could join the military and become a soldier which was in all actuality a precursor to becoming an enforcer for the ‘family business’ or he could join the priesthood and become a man of God. “For me, the military was never a consideration. To this day I struggle to make sense of the mentality of my people. A mentality that would praise me for killing a man and yet shame me for kissing one. So there was but only one choice.”

The details of how Gabriel found his way from a small village in Mexico to a 5-story walk-up apartment in Hell’s Kitchen rivals any parable you’ll find in any bible, sacred scroll or golden plate.

Unlike most of my experiences listening to biblical tales or religious folklore, I was actually enlightened. Enlightened to the power and strength of the human spirit. I found a new understanding, previously beyond my comprehension, of just how far one person will go to gain acceptance from another.

There is an innate desire within all of us to belong. Everyone needs to feel accepted, and in Gabriel’s case the need to be accepted and acknowledged by his father was so necessary that he vowed to spend the rest of his life trapped in a prison self-deprivation.

What is it that warps our minds into thinking that we need someone else’s validation to be happy? Something happens to us (everyone) in our formative years that tells us that we aren’t

good enough. And that thought, that we aren’t good enough, is what keeps us living small. How many times have you neglected to try something new or brushed aside the chance to follow your dream, or stopped short of asking out your latest crush because that voice inside told you “you weren’t good enough”?

Hundreds, no, thousands, sorry, millions of people every day, such as Gabriel, sell their lives out feeling like they aren’t good enough just the way they are. A tragedy that is so easy to spot in others and yet hard to see within ourselves. Imagine the paintings that will never be painted, music that will never be written or inventions that will never be built, all because the talented minds behind them think they aren’t good enough.

But here’s the thing: You ARE good enough. You always have been. Don’t let your self-worth be defined by someone else. There is no one on earth exactly like you, who can do what you can do, the way you do it. Take pride in that. Recognize the uniqueness within yourself and within others. I have never known of any person’s life that has been damaged by supporting someone else’s.

Every day brings with it the opportunity for re-invention. Who do you want to be?

Thank you for reading. Until next time.....

RyanRockfordNYC@gmail. com

18 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

BOOK REVIEW

Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com Mr. Know-It-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder. John Waters. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2019. 384 pages.

John Waters, filmmaker, actor, writer, & visual artist, is one of those cultural institutions that people either get or don’t get and never the twain shall meet. Or shall they? Mr. KnowIt-All: The Tarnished Wisdom of a Filth Elder may just be what converts

the unconverted.

From the director of such cult films as Hairspray, Pink Flamingos, and Cecil B. DeMented, this book is cleverly written, deeply insightful, immensely funny -- and quintessential John Waters: outrageous, truthful, and trashy. Here the reader will find a campy, dingy wit drawn from one of the most fascinating lives in modern pop culture history.

The book’s opening sets the tone: “Somehow I became respectable.”

Looking back on his remarkable, and sometimes not-so-remarkable, life, Waters reflects and occasionally pontificates on his journey to “respectability.”

Along the way he delights, surprises, amuses, and entertains. Every paragraph drips with wit and sarcasm and the dry sense of humor that has come to mark Waters. Who knew such vim

A COMMUNITY WITHIN COMMUNITIES

The Incarnation

The Very Rev. Bill Terry+ Rector St Anna’s Episcopal Church fr.bill@stannanola.org The doctrine of the Incarnation is a Gift to the World. I say this because it offers a spiritual foundation that becomes inclusive of our human enterprise.

This is not to dismiss other religions or faith traditions. Each of the varied faith traditions offers some fundamental basis. Judaism offers a broad perspective including philosophy, deep discussion of scripture called Midrash, a God that hears lament and people that feast. Buddhism looks both deeply inward and sets a text for cosmic balance. Islam presents statutes and deepening devotion to the Creator while awaiting the final times. So that is my ecumenical head nod.

Then there is the doctrine of the “Incarnation.” It is a gift and one that I love and in some way I hope that we can embrace regardless of your spiritual tradition or perspectives in faith and spirit.

Just for the sake of clarity and because I paid a lot of tuition money to go to seminary to learn this stuff, let’s clarify what “The Incarnation” means.

I’ll keep it short: The debate about who Jesus was went on for four centuries and somewhat still goes on today. Was he a prophet? Was he pure spirit in a body?

Or was he both human and divine in his nature? Jews, Gnostics (remember the Rosicrucians?), Christians, and others all had something to say. At this point, historically, we can say Jesus was quite a guy.

Then “orthodox” Christianity wrapped up the conversation with a Creed in 325 C.E. Honestly, the whole discussion got caught up in Greek philosophical constructs which gives my wife and most people a headache. The upshot, which has been held by ‘traditional Christians’, is that Jesus as spirit existed along with God from the begin-

ning of time and before time. That in a certain time and in a certain place, Jesus became manifested as human through his birthing from Blessed Mary his mother. Yet, he was still fully divine and fully human and that both natures co-existed in him. Confused yet? Maybe, but what a profound gift that ancient doctrine is here and now. Why? Because, in the cosmic width and breadth of all things created, by evolution or otherwise, we matter.

When one despairs because a fragile ego is hurt, we need to remind ourselves that we matter. When the world seems to conspire against us and we think that God or Fate or whatever ill forces work against us – we matter.

We have purpose beyond our immediacy. For every bully, for every bias, for every hate-filled speech or image the opposition simply says, “We matter.”

For those that think we are simply chemical compounds that have coalesced to become a thinking being and that when we die we are simply being recycled – I say loudly – “we matter” and we have purpose beyond our own sense of self.

There is a form of gathering that is gaining some substance in various denominations. This gathering recognizes natural earth rhythms and human challenges. It is called by various names but most commonly “Service of the Longest Night.” This service is always set on December 21st. We will have less than ten hours of sunlight on that day. It is the solstice.

At the same time, our community will find itself in the middle of mass merchandised “good feelings.” The movies, the parties, the gifting, the Hallmark moments, music, and children, children, children (despite Krewe of Krampus!) will all be a part of the frenzy.

For some, that frenzy is simply part

of life and how we roll. For some, you may thrive during this time of year. It is the height of your social life and you so enjoy the tree, the eatables, everything about it that commends our versions of the Holiday Season. But for some, it is the hardest time of the year.

It may be a hard time of the year because you have lost someone who is dear to you and you cannot share this season with them anymore.

It may be a hard time because everyone seems to have someone and you are alone.

This season brings, sadly, a sense of abandonment and like the night it is too long. All I ask is be mindful of that and be mindful of those who might be alone. Be mindful that the Holidays are not always a time of joy for everyone.

Perhaps a focus on the idea of Incarnation may help soften the blow of the Longest Night. Perhaps if we can cherish and miss those that we love and yet understand that we rejoice in their lives not the loss; if we can appreciate their contribution to our heart and not the absence it may help. We won’t stop missing, we won’t stop remembering, but we may remember differently. Or perhaps you can reach out to someone standing in these shadows and simply offer some companionship.

Why? Because we matter. We all matter.

Circling back, if, as our legend, myth, or truth holds, Jesus was part of a miracle. If a child was born from the divine to earthly then that is a cosmic statement of profound love and regard for us folk. We who populate the world, then, participate in who and what this higher power we call God is. We who are mortals participate along with the “First Cause”- the Creator in being human and human with a purpose.

The Doctrine of the Incarnation will inform us that even during the lon-

and vigor could be found in the gutter?

I suspect people who have never heard of John Waters or who have never seen his movies or read any of his other books, will read Mr. Know-ItAll and immediately want to consume the entire Waters canon. Or they might just let out a sigh of satisfaction and say to themselves, “How Divine!”

Waters’ books Role Models (2010) and Carsick (2014) were national bestsellers, and his one-man shows This Filthy World and A John Waters Christmas continue to be performed around the world. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland. gest night there are stars in that same sky that an infant called Jesus looked upon. That Doctrine of the Incarnation will inform us that we are so valued that such a power that we call God has joined us.

We are so blessed, yes blessed, to understand that, according to that same Doctrine and the stories that uphold it, we have a spiritual worth beyond measure.

When you love someone we say “you matter.” When we befriend someone we say, “you matter.” When we are loved and befriended we are told, “you matter.” The entire construct of the idea, an expansive idea, is that we all matter so very very much. Love yourself, love others.

Our legacy is yours.

New Orleans Advocates for GLBT Elders (NOAGE) provides services and advocacy for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender older adults in the New orleans metro area.

We host regular social events for LGBT older adults and their allies, and we provide cultural competency trainings for healthcare and other service providers.

To learn more, visit www.noagenola.org, or call (504) 517-2345

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 19

MOMENTS IN GAY NEW ORLEANS HISTORY The Bookstore on Frenchmen Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com In 1977, Tom M. Horner, a former Episcopal priest, had two things on his mind—finishing his book on homosexuality in the Bible, and opening a gay & lesbian themed bookstore. By 1978, Jonathan Loved David: Homosexuality in Biblical Times was published by the Westminster Press and Horner signed a lease on a space for a bookstore at the corner of Frenchmen and Chartres Streets in New Orleans.

Horner opened FM Books (Faubourg Marigny Books) with less than a hundred titles. At the time, the gay publishing industry was in its infancy.

Ten years earlier, gay activist Craig Rodwell had opened the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop in Greenwich Village, but it wasn’t until after Stonewall that gay-themed presses and bookstores began to proliferate in order to accommodate the growing number of gay titles. Glad Day opened in Toronto in 1970, followed by Giovanni’s Room in Philadelphia in 1973 and Lambda Rising in Washington, DC, in 1974.

Then came other, legendary gay bookstores such as People Like Us in Chicago and the Walt Whitman Bookstore in San Francisco. Glad Day became a chain, as did Lambda Rising and A Different Light. By 1994, there were for-

ty-five gay and lesbian-themed bookstores across the nation. Of these, only a few remain today.

Horner ran FM Books for ten years before retiring to California. Wellknown New Orleans gay activist Alan Robinson then took over the store and ran it for the next sixteen years. Robinson had demonstrated an acute political consciousness as an anthropology student at the University of Illinois and became active in the local gay rights scene after he moved to New Orleans in 1975.

For a while Robinson worked at the Gay Service Center (a short lived community outreach effort) before co-founding the Gertrude Stein Society with Bill Rushton and Ann Gallmeyer.

The Gertrude Stein Society succeeded in assembling a mailing list, publishing a newsletter (Gertrude’s Notes), and hosting a variety of social and political events, perhaps the most amazing of which was New Orleans’ first gay TV talk show—Gertrude Stein Presents.

In one memorable episode, Rushton interviewed Christine Jorgensen, whose sex reassignment operation in 1951 had shocked the world.

At the bookstore, Robinson brought in more titles and hired a staff.

He also began hosting signings for gay and lesbian authors visiting New Orleans. Johnny Townsend (author of Let the Faggots Burn, a book about the Upstairs Lounge fire), who worked part-time at the store in the late 1990s, recalls: “I remember Patricia Nell Warren, and Barbara Peabody (who wrote The Screaming Room, an AIDS memoir), and Vito Russo of The Celluloid Closet, and Aaron Lawrence (who wrote two books about escorting). I read my one solitary porn story, set in the bookstore and published in Indulge, at a reading while wearing my leather. Alan always had plenty of refreshments for all his signings, though I doubt he made very much money from any of them.”

In addition to promoting queer authors, Robinson also founded, along with Uptown bookseller Mark Zumpe, the New Orleans/Gulf South Booksellers Association.

By the early 2000s, Robinson was not in the best of health and moved to Texas to be with his family. In 2003, M. K. Wegmann, the owner of the building which housed FM Books, approached Otis Fennell and asked him to help her find someone willing to run the store.

Fennell took over the lease in July of

2003.

Fennell changed the name of the store to FAB: Faubourg Marigny Art and Books. In addition to bringing in art, he also began stocking books about New Orleans and creating window displays. When he took over the store, Fennell had no experience in bookselling. “I had no experience, but I wanted to save the institution. Six months later I asked myself what the fuck have I done?”

Fennell came to the store with a business background having earned an M.B.A. at L.S.U. and having served as the Director of Research for the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce in the 1970s.

Fennell has a keen sense of history, and preserving LGBT+ culture is extremely important to him. Part of that impulse to keep our heritage alive is an awareness of the role the bookstore had played in its forty-plus year history. Before the internet transformed the way everyone lives, gay bookstores functioned as spaces which fostered community-building and served as an alternative to bars and porn shops.

Suzanna Danuta Walters, writing about coming out in Philadelphia in the 1970s, says of patronizing gay and lesbian bookstores, “Perhaps we were ‘buying gay,’ but I think the patronage of those bookstores felt more like ‘being gay’ in a world in which the spaces for that openness were severely limited.”

Times have changed a lot since then. As queerness, in all its forms, has become more mainstreamed, the nature of gay spaces has changed as well. This is perhaps most evident in gay bars, but it is also true in gay bookstores.

Last year, Fennell sold the bookstore to his long-time friend, David Zalkind. Zalkind, who is straight, has renovated the store and expanded its inventory while still maintaining an LGBT+ section. He has long been an ally to the LGBT+ community.

Some have questioned if the bookstore should still be considered “gay.” It’s an interesting question, and like any good question, it raises more questions than answers: What makes a space “gay”? The business owner’s orientation? The inventory? The patrons? Does such categorization even matter? And more broadly, has increased social acceptance of homosexuality diminished queer spaces by rendering them no longer relevant or necessary?

20 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

MUSEUM SPOTLIGHT

Southern Food and Beverage Museum & Museum of the American Cocktail The Southern Food & Beverage Museum is a nonprofit living history organization dedicated to the discovery, understanding and celebration of the food, drink and related culture of the South. While based in New Orleans, the Museum examines and celebrates all the cultures that have come together through the centuries to create the South’s unique culinary heritage. The museum also hosts special exhibits,

demonstrations, lectures and tastings that showcase the food and drink of the South.

Located inside the Southern Food & Beverage Museum is The Museum of the American Cocktail’s New Orleans Collection and La Galerie de l’Absinthe. Online exhibits include “The History and Evolution of King Cakes” and “Creole Chefs of New Orleans.”

The Southern Food & Beverage

Museum is now part of the New Orleans Public Library Museum Pass Program. Each pass provides free museum entry for up to two adults for a two week period. Children ages 11 & under are always free. All 14 Library locations have one Southern Food & Beverage Museum pass available for check out.

The Southern Food & Beverage Museum is also a member of The American Alliance of Museums, which affords its

members discounted tickets.

Adult tickets are $10.50. Students, military, and seniors over 60 pay $5.25.

Children under 12 (with an adult) are granted free admission. The Southern Food & Beverage Museum is open Wednesday through Monday, 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM. The museum is located at 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. in New Orleans.

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with Winter Wonderland AT THE WINTER WONDERLAND GALA | PHOTOS BY PAULY CAJUN

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 21

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About AT RAWHIDE | PHOTOS BY RAWHIDE STAFF

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About AT LORDS OF LEATHER AMERICAN BANDSTAND | PHOTOS BY LORDS OF LEATHER

22 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About AT THE QUEER BAR SHOPPING NETWORK | PHOTOS BY KREWE OF AMON-RA

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About AT GOOD FRIENDS | PHOTOS BY GOOD FRIENDS STAFF

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 23

HEALTH & WELLNESS HEALTH & WELLNESS Hair Dye & Your Health Chenier Reynolds-Montz Director of Outreach & Development for Access Health Louisiana CReynolds@accesshealthla.org The holidays are upon us and that means looking good and feeling good while you celebrate. A new study, however, may have many of us thinking twice about our hair before heading to the salon for that “holi-do”.

Could permanent hair dye really be causing breast cancer? Researchers at the National Institutes of Health think so. They followed more than 46,000 women who either colored their hair or used chemical straighteners for a little over eight years. The results were alarming. At the end of the study, 2,794 breast cancers were identified.

Women who reported using permanent hair dye in the year prior to enrolling in the study were nine-percent more likely to develop breast cancer when compared with those who did not use any dye. For African-American women, the results were higher. They saw a 45-percent increased risk for breast cancer compared to Caucasian women who had only a 7-percent increased risk. The Centers for Disease

Control (CDC) says that social determinants and racial disparities including health care access, quality and affordability hinder diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer in African-American women in the United States.

“There are other factors besides just hair dye that can affect a patient’s risk for getting breast cancer,” says Dr. Sujata Chava, Internal Medicine Physician with Access Health Louisiana.

“Those factors include family history of breast cancer, dense breast tissue, reproductive age, genetic mutations, previous history of radiation, and other lifestyle factors. All these need to be taken into account before assuming that hair dye was the primary factor in causing breast cancer in an individual.”

Dr. Chava stresses the importance for her patients to get an annual mammogram. The CDC recommends annual mammograms for women age 40 and up, as well as women under 40 who have a family history of breast cancer.

Researchers say an estimated

one-third of women age 18 and older in the U.S. use hair dye. While hair dye use is very common, it’s important to note that hair products like dye, generally contain more than 5,000 chemicals. Those chemicals include mutagenic and endocrine-disrupting properties such as aromatic amines.

“Mutagenic” means the chemical physically changes the DNA of your cells.

“Endocrine-disrupting” means that the chemicals interfere with your body’s endocrine system producing adverse effects such as developmental, reproductive and neurological changes.

“Aromatic amines” are by-products of manufacturing plastics, industrial chemicals and other products known to contribute to cancer.

Dying your hair is routine for many men and women in the United States, but it’s important to know that there are some non-chemical alternatives to coloring your hair. “Some alternatives to hair dye include using henna, herbs (sage, marigold or saffron), coffee, black tea or beet and carrot juice,” recommends Dr. Chava. You can buy henna and other non-chemical dyes on Amazon or at your local Whole Foods Market. Non-chemical alternatives can give your hair a vibrant color without possibly causing harmful side effects; however, they often don’t last as long, so you need to color more frequently. “Women who are pregnant should avoid hair dyes with ammonia.

Those who have sensitivity or allergies to products in the chemical dye should also avoid them.”

While hair dye may contribute to breast cancer, researchers say they did find that women who had their hair

colored professionally in a salon had a slightly lower chance of developing cancer than those who colored their hair at home. Researchers say it could be that professional stylists do more to protect the scalp and remove excess dye more quickly, so it doesn’t linger on the skin.

You don’t have to put good looks on the back burner this holiday. Remember that there are alternatives that are safer for your body such as henna and non-chemical colors. Make smart choices that are good for your health.

Most importantly: encourage the women and men in your life to get tested for breast cancer.

Many commercial insurance companies including Medicaid cover annual mammogram screenings for those over 40. The Susan G. Komen Foundation in New Orleans is working to make it easier for the uninsured to get access to free mammogram screenings. They’re partnering with organizations like Access Health Louisiana to offer free mammogram vouchers to uninsured patients living in Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, St. Charles, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes. For more information, call toll-free 1-866-5306111.

Chenier Reynolds-Montz is Director of Outreach & Development for Access Health Louisiana, a registered 501(c)3 organization. She can be reached at creynolds@accesshealthla.org. For information about our services, log onto our website at accesshealthla.org

24 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with Winter Wonderland AT THE WINTER WONDERLAND GALA | PHOTOS BY PAULY CAJUN

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Wood Enterprises cordially invites you to

Christmas Dinner Christmas Day At 1:00 PM Good Friends 740 Dauphine St Dinner will be served downstairs with desserts upstairs

HOT HAPPENINGS UNDER THE GAYDAR New Orleans Hot Happenings Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com It’s the holiday season and everything in NOLA is festive and gay. I love everything about this time of the year.

Christmas is great, but that just heralds our next big season, Mardi Gras! Here are just a few of the things to keep your days (and nights) busy. (If you have a fundraiser, party, show or event coming up and would like to be listed in the calendar, please email me at ledgemgp@ gmail.com.

WEEKLY EVENTS EVERYDAY

Happy Hour: The Crossing; 439 Dauphine St.; 7 days a week from open until 9pm (7AM to 9PM). It’s $3 domestic beer and well drinks. $1 off everything else.

777 Happy Hour: Kajun’s Pub; 2556 St. Claude Ave.; 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Happy Hour: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 7 days a week from 8 a.m - 8 p.m.

Happy Hour: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. (except Monday) Happy Hour: GrandPre’s; 834 N Rampart St.; 12 p.m. - 9 p.m. $3 Well/ domestics Happy Hour: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Kajun’s Karaoke: Kajun’s Pub; 2556 St. Claude Ave.; Karaoke from 5 p.m. until.

Happy Hour: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. (except Sunday) Happy Hour: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; bargain prices starting with draft beer or Schnapps for only $1.50—plus six more specials. Weekdays: Noon - 7 p.m., Weekends: 10 a.m, - 6 p.m. | Boys dancin’ on the bar nightly 9 p.m. till close.

WEEKDAYS

Happy Hour: Good Friends Bar;

740 Dauphine St.; 5 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Happy Hour: The Phoenix Bar; 941 Elysian Fields Ave.; 6 a.m. - 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.

MONDAY Martini Mondays: Crossing; 439 Dauphine St.; (all day) Tito’s and Deep Eddy martinis will be $3.

Service Industry Night: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; Open to close. $2.50 domestic beers; $3 well cocktails; $3.50 imported beer; $5.50 Tito’s; $6 Jameson.

Happy Hour All Night: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; Open to close.

Well, domestic, and wine.

Mexican Monday: The 700 Club; 700 Burgundy St.; Open to close. $3 Coronas, $3 Cuervo Shots, 2 for 1 Margaritas Primal Nights: Bacchanal Wine; 600 Poland Ave.; 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. $20 donation. Guest Chefs grill a personalized menu and the plate donations go to the charity of their choosing.

NOAGE & Stonewall Sports Walk/ Run Club: Lafitte Greenway; 6:15 p.m. Join Stonewall Sports New Orleans and NOAGE starting at 6:30 p.m..

Meet for the walk/run at Bayou Beer Garden. The Stonewall Run Club joins every 3 weeks. This group is for ALL fitness levels, and you can go at your

own pace. Whether that’s running, jogging, leisurely walking, or using a wheelchair or walker, this group is for you. If you are worried that you’ll be left behind, don’t worry; someone will walk with you. If you are the fastest person there, we’ll see you at the finish line.

If you need assistance or have questions, call Jim at (504) 228-6778.

Karaoke Monday: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 7 - 9 p.m. Enjoy happy hour prices all night long. Hosted by Denny with VJ Dollabill.

Lazy Susan Karaoke: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. Join bartender Mark and a revolving cast of drag queen hostesses for Lazy Susan Karaoke with music by DJ Lucius Riley. Mondays are a drag, so make them fabulous and sing the night away.

Underwear Night: The Eagle at the Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave.; starting at 9 p.m. The Eagle now is open EVERY Monday night. Happy Hour prices if you’re in your underwear.

Doors open at 9 p.m. and No Cover.

Night of S.I.N.: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; from 9 p.m. till close. Get your S.I.N. (Service Industry Night) card from Ashlee to unlock Happy Hour prices every Monday night. | Boys dancin’ on the bar 9 p.m. till close.

28 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI The Corner Pocket MEET ME ON ST. LOUIS—WHERE THE BOYS ARE DANCIN’ NIGHTLY ON THE BAR | PHOTOS BY CHARLES PIZZO

THE CORNER POCKET Where the Boys are dancing nightly on the bar starting at 9PM!

OPENING HOURS Everyday Noon - TILL ADDRESS 940 St Louis Street, New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 568-9829 www.cornerpocket.net

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Pool Tournament: Rawhide 2010; 740 Burgundy St.; 9:45 p.m. $2 PBR and $50 gift certificate for Rawhide S.I.N.: Kajun’s Pub; 2256 St. Claude Ave.; 1 a.m - 4 a.m. 2 for 1 drinks.

TUESDAY

Tequila Tuesdays: Crossing; 439 Dauphine St.; (all day) Tequila drinks $5.

Tunes Tuesday: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; Open to close. Free Jukebox credits with a $4 drink purchase.

Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Burlesque Bingo with Lefty Lucy: The AllWays Lounge; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m There’s no cover for this grown-up game show where everyone’s a winner! Just buy a drink from the bar & Tsarina Hellfire will give you a Bingo card. Each round winner gets a bucket of prizes including exclusive prints & a grand finale prize from Abita Brewing Company! Just for showing up you get to enjoy the free burlesque side of this unique game.

Between every round, Lefty Lucy performs an improvised striptease to a song the crowd selects, removing only one item per round—don’t miss your chance to win the finale prize, and to see the tassels twirl!

Trivia: Cutter’s; 706 Franklin Ave.;

7:30 p.m. Join your host, bartender and local music legend Johnny Sketch.

Join a trivia team or bring your own and test your knowledge across multiple categories to win an often odd and useful assortment of prizes!

Queens Against RuManity: Kajun’s Pub; 2256 St. Claude Ave.; 7:30 - 9 p.m. Welcome to Queens Against Rumanity, a new game night at Kajun’s Pub with Laveau Contraire and some of her fabulous friends for a RuPaul’s Drag Race themed game of Cards Against Humanity! If you’ve never played, it’s a fill in the blank game where each player tries to come up with answers using cards with iconic drag race quotes on them. Join them for Queens Against Rumanity featuring live drag performances, fun prizes and drink specials.

Tito’s Tuesday: The Bourbon Pub; 801 St Ann St.; 8 p.m. - close. $5 Tito’s cocktails Country Dance Lessons: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 8 p.m.

Tuesdays are Country Dance lessons with the Big Easy Stompers from 8 - 11 p.m.

Bourbon Boylesque: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 8:00 p.m. See the Men of Oz like you have never seen them before. The show stars Atomyc Adonis, Bobby B, Franky, Phathoms Deep and other special guests. Hosted

by Trixie Minx.

Tacos, Tequila and Tiaras: Buffa’s

Bar and Restaurant; 1001 Esplanade Ave.; 8 p.m. Tacos, Tequila, and Tiaras is one of New Orleans’ only family friendly drag shows! Join hostess Vanessa Carr Kennedy every Tuesday, have a taco or two, and learn a little bit about the art of drag.

Trivia Night: MRB; 515 St. Philip St.; Starts at 8 p.m. Every Tuesday at 8 you can join us for Who Wants A Dollar? Trivia! Free to Play. Plenty of Prizes. Tons of Fun. Teams of 1-6 welcome. Enjoy some killer drinks, amazing food from Woodies @ MRB, and out of this world trivia.

Kocktail Karaoke: Good Friends Bar;740 Dauphine St.; 9 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Join us at Good Friends Bar for Kocktail Karaoke. The winner gets a $25.00 bar tab. $5 Fireball.

Happy Hour All day and Night: 700 Club; 700 Burgundy St.; 9 p.m. - 2 a.m.

Every week on Tuesday from 9:00 pm to 2:00 am the next day.

WEDNESDAY

Hump Day: Rawhide 2010; 740 Burgundy St.; 4 - 9 p.m. 2 for $4 wells, draft, and domestic beers.

Wine Night: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; 5 p.m. close. $15 bottles of wine.

WednesGays at LPK Uptown: Louisiana Pizza Kitchen; 615 South Carrollton Ave.; 5 p.m. Join us every Wednesday to celebrate diversity. See old friends or make some new ones and find out what’s happening in the Nola community. All this while enjoying 1/2 price drinks from the bar. Invite your friends.

Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 5 p.m. - 8 p.m..

Honey Bee Trivia: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 7 p.m. Wednesdays are Trivia with Honey Bee at 7 p.m. with free jello shots and Bar Tabs.

Show Tunes Night: The Bourbon Pub; 801 St Ann St.; 8 p.m.- Midnight Wednesday Night Karaoke: Cru; 535 Franklin Ave.; 8 - 10 p.m. Join Vanessa Carr Kennedy and the krewe at Cru NOLA - Raw & Bubble Bar for Wednesday night karaoke in the treehouse. Sing your heart out, enjoy some amazing cocktails, and get some food from the kitchen.

Video Game Night: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart Street; 8:30 p.m. midnight; The bar is doing Video Game Night starting at 9 p.m. Come and compete for prizes and Grab some Drinks.

Kafe Karaoke: Cafe Lafitte in Exile; 901 Bourbon St.; 9 p.m. – midnight. $25.00 Bar tab and Free Shots & Givea-ways with Happy Hour All Day. Oz Show Night: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 10:30 p.m. This popular drag show is hosted by Persana Shoulders and features Connie Hung, Anastascia Davenport; ChiChi Rodriquez and Dominique DeLorean.

THURSDAY

Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Honey Bee Trivia: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 7 p.m. Thursday is Honey Bee Trivia at 7 p.m. Four rounds with jello shots to the winner of each round and a Bar Tab to top person/team of the night.

Drag Race UK Viewing Party: Kajun’s Pub; 2256 St. Claude Ave.; 7 p.m. Mama Ru’s in search of the UK’s very first drag race superstar.

Prepare for the ride of your life! Join us every Thursday for Rupaul’s Drag Race UK Season 1 Viewing Party at Kajun’s Pub! Laveau Contraire has invited some of her best squirrel friends to come give insightful commentary, sickening drag numbers, and a healthy dose of SHADE. Don’t get left at the starting line! See you every Thursday at Kajun’s Pub for Rupaul’s Drag Race viewing on all 5 TV screens at 7pm!

Prime Time Trivia: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; starts at 9 p.m. Come out and enjoy trivia with great prizes with your host Honey Bee. Retro Night: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; from 9 p.m. till close.

The Hits of the 80’s and 90’s. $3 well vodka drinks and $4 Long Island iced teas. | Boys dancin’ on the bar 9 p.m. till close.

The Jeff D Comedy Cabaret: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 10 p.m. The Comedy Cabaret stars Jeff D. featuring Gia GiaVanni. Enjoy hilarious comedians, amazing talent and the Ladies of Oz. Strip Off: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; Midnight. Persana Shoulders hosts the Strip Off every Thursday night. Sign up begins at 11 p.m. and the show features a spotlight performance by Miss Gay Louisiana America 2013 Mercedes Ellis Loreal. Winners receive 1st Place - $100 Cash • 2nd Place - $50 Bar tab

FRIDAY

Fireball Fridays: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; Open to close. $4 Fireball Shots.

Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Beat The Clock; 700 Club; 700 Burgundy St.; 5 - 9 p.m. Well Drinks: 5 PM - 6 PM $1.50, 6 PM - 7 PM $2.00, 7 PM - 8 PM $2.50, 8 PM - 9 PM $3.00 Take It Off Fridays: Four Seasons Bar; 3229 N. Causeway Blvd.; 5 p.m.

- 12:30 a.m. Includes $2.50 domestic beers and $3 well drinks from 5 - 9 p.m.; $15 drink and drown from 9 - 11 p.m. all well cocktails; and Underwear Party with free well. Cocktails for those who strip down to their underwear from midnight to 12:30 a.m.

New Meat Dance Contest: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; 10 p.m. Amateurs and pros compete to win cash prizes ($100 winner, $200 if on the first attempt). Open call; guys

30 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Crossing PEOPLE ARE CROSSING NOLA TO SEE AND BE SEEN AT CROSSING NOLA | PHOTOS BY CHARLES PIZZO

CROSSING

Neighborhood video bar with a steampunk theme in the historic Vieux Carré.

HAPPY HOUR DAILY 7 AM – 9 PM OPENING HOURS 7 AM – 1:30 AM ADDRESS 439 Dauphine Street New Orleans, LA 70112 Phone: (504) 523-4517 www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 31

ALL THAT DRAG Weekly Drag Shows in New Orleans

TUESDAY

Tacos, Tequila, & Tiaras - 8PM - Buffa’s Bar & Restaurant Hosted by Vanessa Carr Kennedy

WEDNESDAY

Show Night - 10:30PM - Oz New Orleans Persana Shoulders presents this production featuring the fabulous ladies of Oz and music by DJ Tim Pflueger.

Hello Gorgeous - Every third Wednesday - Southern Rep Theater DeDe Onassis hosts this circus cabaret alongside aerialist Liza Rose that includes contortion, music, drag, and more.

THURSDAY

Turnin’ Da Page - Every other Thursday - 9PM - The Page Serenity L. Lord emcees this bi-weekly marvel

FRIDAY FRID

Misc4Misc - 9PM - Oz New Orleans A weird and wonderful show presented by Apostrophe and featuring a new cast every week.

Play Girlz - 10PM - Golden Lantern Hosted by Gia Giavanni Illusions - 10:30PM - The Bourbon Pub The Queens of Illuisons offer up superstar female impersonation

SATURDAY

Drag Brunch - 11AM & 1PM - The Country Club Enjoy bottomless mimosas at one of the most popular drag events in the city. Reservations are recommended.

Drag Brunch - 11AM & 1PM - Trinity Swing by Trinity in the French Quarter for a Saturday morning show starring the Ladies of Trinity.

Divas R Us - 10PM - Golden Lantern Hosted by Monica Synclaire Kennedy Illusions - 10:00PM - The Bourbon Pub The Queens of Illuisons offer up superstar female impersonation Showtime on Rampart - 10PM - GrandPre's 1st, 3rd & 5th Saturday,.Hosted by Moanalot Fountaine & Sable Starr

SUNDAY SUND

Mama Honey’s Drag Brunch - 11AM & 1PM - Cru Bottomless beverages, a decadent brunch prepared by Chef Marlon Alexander, and the talents of Vanessa Carr.

Diva Drag Brunch at the Fillmore - 11:30 AM Weekly drag brunch featuring some of New Orleans best drag queens and fun themed shows.

The Reba Douglas Jubilee - 5PM - Golden Lantern Hosted by Reba Douglas Divas at the Dive - 5PM - Kajun’s Pub Hosted by Vanessa Carr Lipstixx - 8PM - The Bourbon Pub Oz Show Night - 9:30PM - Oz New Orleans Hosted by Persana Shoulders Are we missing your show? Email us at info@ambushpublishing.com

register with ID (21+) by 9 p.m. | Boys dancin’ on the bar 9 p.m. till close.

Music of Senator Ken: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Enjoy live music with Senator Ken playing all your favorites.

Bayou Blues Burlesque: The Allways Lounge and Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 8-10 p.m. An intimate night of live blues music accompanied by burlesque and variety acts. Drink specials and comfy seating to enjoy the art of the striptease. Music by The Delta Revues; burlesque by Andrea Louise Duhe´ (Ooops C.) Cherry Brown and special guests. Doors: 7:00pm; Show: 8:00pm; Cover: $10.

Jock Night: The Eagle at the Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave; 9 p.m. Happy hour prices for wearing a jock or singlet.

Misc4Misc: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 9 p.m. Enjoy this wonderfully weird drag show hosted every week by Apostrophe. Cover is $5.

Play Girlz: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 10 - 11:30 p.m. Drag show featuring Gia GiaVanni and special guests.

Late Night Happy Hour: Cru NOLA; 535 Franklin Ave.; 10:30 p.m.

- 2 a.m. Executive Chef Marlon Alexander and sushi & vegan Chef Kelseay Dukae serve delicious drink specials and amazing food during late night happy hours. Come chill out in the iconic courtyard.

SATURDAY

Queer Meditation: Mid City Zen; 3248 Castiglione St.; 10:30 a.m. A queer and trans centered meditation group meeting regularly on Saturday mornings. Open to all LGBTIQ+ people, and all folks interested in holding and sharing an intentionally queer-centering mindful space. Join for a sit, breathe, notice, rest; to cultivate presence and kindness together. Free/by donation.

Burlesque Brunch: Cru NOLA; 535 Franklin Ave.; Join the incomparable Angie Z and friends for a boozy, burlesque brunch every Saturday from 11-3pm. For reservations, go to www. opentable.com.

Happy Hour: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; 3 p.m. - 8 p.m.11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Beer Bash: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. $10 pitchers of beer, $9 pitchers of Miller Light draft (upstairs only) Piano Bar with Trey Ming; Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphine St.; 4-7 p.m. Sing along with your favorite songs with talented piano player Trey Ming.

Drag Dingo: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 6 - 8 p.m. Catch ChiChi Rodriquez, Persana Shoulders for Drag Bingo! 11 games of Bingo, 11 chances to win prizes! All the fun starts at 6 pm and goes till 8 pm in the upstairs bar

with your favorite bottom, Jake, slinging drinks for you all night long!

Music of Vanessa Carr Kennedy; Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Enjoy songstress Vanessa as she sings some of the top hits of yesterday and today.

Divas R Us; Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 10 - 11:30 p.m. This wonderful drag show directed by Monica Sinclaire Kennedy includes special guest stars.

Late Night Happy Hour: Cru NOLA; 535 Franklin Ave.; 10:30 p.m.

- 2 a.m. Executive Chef Marlon Alexander and sushi & vegan Chef Kelseay Dukae serve delicious drink specials and amazing food during late night happy hours. Come chill out in the iconic courtyard.

SUNDAY

Mama Honey’s Drag Brunch: Cru NOLA; 535 Franklin St.; 11 a.m. Vanessa Carr presents Mama Honey’s Drag Brunch featuring Chef Marlon Alexander’s amazing menu and the phenomenal talents of Vanessa Carr Kennedy and Friends! For tickets, go to www.crunola.com Bottomless Mimosas: Cafe Lafitte in Exile; 901 Bourbon St.; 1 - 4 p.m.

Bottomless Mimosas are offered upstairs from 1 - 4 p.m. for $12.

Happy Hour: Good Friends Bar; 740 Dauphine St.; 1 p.m. - 11 p.m. $3.75 well drinks and domestic beer.

The Half Assed-Straight Boys: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 3 - 5 p.m.

Beer Bash: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. $10 pitchers of beer, $9 pitchers of Miller Light draft (upstairs only) Happy Hour/ Drink Til You Drop: The Page Bar; 542 N Rampart St.; Happy Hour 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. and Drink Til You Drop $12 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

The Original Trash Disco: Cafe Lafitte in Exile; 901 Bourbon St.; 4-10 p.m. Includes the original napkin toss and the best music videos to sing along with.

Jubilee: Golden Lantern; 1239 Royal St.; 5 p.m. This Sunday Funday show stars Reba Douglas and special guests.

Divas at the Dive: Kajun’s Pub; 2256 St. Claude Ave; 5 p.m. Vanessa Carr LIve. 6:30 p.m. Drag Karaoke. 8 p.m. Audience Karaoke Drink and Drown: 700 Club; 700 Burgundy St.; 5 - 8 p.m. Unlimited well drinks, Bud Light and Miller Lite draft $10 Sinful Sunday: Crossing; 439 Dauphine St.; 5 - 8 p.m. Drink & Drown, $15 well drinks or top shelf & bottled beer $25 - includes free burger cookout.

Drag Dingo: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 6 - 8 p.m. Catch ChiChi Rodriquez, Persana Shoulders for Drag Bingo! 11 games of Bingo, 11

32 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Oz New Orleans PHOTOS BY DWAIN HERTZ AND ANDREW HOPKINS #OZNEWORLEANS & SUBMITTED BY PERSANA SHOULDERS

OZ New Orleans 2-story, 24/7 gay dance club with DJs, drag shows, go-go dancers & a balcony for people-watching.

OPENING HOURS

FRI, SAT & SUN: 24/7 MON–THURS: Opens at 1PM

ADDRESS 800 Bourbon Street New Orleans, LA Phone: (504) 593-9491

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 33

chances to win prizes! All the fun starts at 6 pm till 8 pm in the upstairs bar with your favorite bottom, Jake, slinging drinks for you all night long.

Drink Drown and Drag: The Bourbon Pub; 801 Bourbon St.; 6 - 9 p.m.

Sunday Funday upstairs at The Parade. $15 Drink and Drown from 6 – 9 p.m. with a star studded drag show starting at 8 p.m.

Zingo!: The Corner Pocket; 940 St. Louis St.; 6 p.m. Play for free to win prizes or bar tabs. Late night: The Barry Bareass Booty Contest, $50 cash prize. | Boys dancin’ on the bar 9 p.m. till close.

You Better Sing Karaoke: GrandPre’s; 834 North Rampart St.; 7 p.m.

Join DJ Dereesha as he plays Karaoke.

Sunday Swing: The Allways Lounge and Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; starts at 8 p.m. Every Sunday, local swing dance instructors offer a community class from 8-9pm. From 9 till midnight there is live, local music and social dancing! There is NO cover, but a one drink minimum is required per set.

Jock Night: The Eagle at the Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave; 9 p.m. Happy hour prices for wearing a jock or singlet.

Oz Show Night: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 9:30 p.m. This popular drag show is hosted by Persana Shoulders and features Connie Hung,

Anastascia Davenport; ChiChi Rodriquez and Dominique DeLorean.

SPECIAL EVENTS THROUGH SAT 12/28

Miracle on Fulton Street; Harrah’s New Orleans; 228 Poydras St. Starts at 5:30 p.m each evening. Guests enter through an exciting new illuminated entryway into a canopy of holiday lights and trees. Experience a winter wonderland with daily “snow” fall every hour. Strike a pose in front of the new 30-foot Christmas Tree in the Fulton Street circle and the elaborate gingerbread display in Harrah’s Hotel Lobby.

THROUGH MON 12/30

Audubon Zoo Lights: Audubon Zoo; 6500 Magazine St.; Audubon Nature Institute and Children’s Hospital New Orleans partner to transform Audubon Zoo into a glowing wonderland! Enjoy an exciting array of animal-themed light displays, and nightly live entertainment. Tickets can be purchased on Audubon’s website or at the Zoo Front Gate. For more information, please visit https://www.audubonzoolights.org/ December 19-23, 26-30, 6 – 9pm

TUESDAY 12/17– SUNDAY 12/22

A Christmas Story - The Musical:

The Saenger Theatre; 1111 Canal St. A Christmas Story, The Musical brings the classic 1983 movie to hilarious life. Performance schedule: Tuesday – Thursday: 7:30 p.m.; Friday: 8 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday: 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased at BroadwayInNewOrleans. com, all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling (800) 982-2787 or at the Saenger Theatre Box Office.

TUESDAY 12/17

PFLAG and St. Anna’s Painting with A Purpose: Painting with A Twist: 4931 W. Esplanade Ave. Suite D; 7 - 10 p.m. Paint.Sip.Support.Repeat! Artists will help you create the characteristic New Orleans “Glowing Shotgun” on the surface (wood or canvas) of your choice! It’s BYOB and snacks are definitely welcomed! Winter Queen III of New Orleans Andrea Sabillon Halstead is hosting this fundraiser as part of her reign for Winter Wonderland 8. To register and for more information, go to https://www.paintingwithatwist.com/ studio/metairie/event/2173339/.

Crossing’s Holiday Party and Toy Drive: Crossing NOLA; 439 Dauphine St.; 7 - 11 p.m. Join The Crossing as they celebrate the season! Don your gay apparel and come celebrate at Crossing. There will be an Ugly Sweater contest; Free Buffet; Festive Cocktails and Christmas Music & Videos!

Doors open at 7 p.m. They will also have a Weeklong Toy Drive. Bring an unwrapped gift for a child and receive a free well drink through December 17.

WEDNESDAY 12/18

NOAGE Ugly Sweater Holiday Potluck: St. Anna’s Episcopal Church; 1313 Esplanade Ave.; 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Join NOAGE for a holiday potluck at St. Anna’s Episcopal Church! If you are able, please bring a dish. We’ll need main dishes, meats, sides, soups, salads or vegan/vegetarian dishes, desserts, and beverages.

Ugly Sweater contest returns! The person with the ugliest Christmas sweater will get a special prize, so do your worst! The potluck is in the back of the Parish House (the building to the right of the church itself, located at the corner of Esplanade Ave. and Marais St.) PLEASE ENTER FROM THE BACK DOOR; the front door remains locked at all times. There is limited parking and an accessible ramp on the Marais Street side of the building. Please consider bringing non-perishable food items for St. Anna’s Food Pantry.

The Disco Ball Variety Show: The Drifter Hotel; 3522 Tulane Ave.; 8 - 10 p.m. Looking to express yourself in a safe space in front of an audience with other fabulous creative talented humans?! Come on down to The Disco Ball Variety Review, where only your imagination is the limit! Let’s see what

you’ve got! Can you juggle, tell a joke, sing a song, breathe fire, lip sync, recite a poem? This is a very open-minded mic night. At the end of the evening, Sunshine Edae and guest judges will choose the most captivating, eccentric, and compelling performer who will win a SWIM CLUB MEMBERSHIP! Be sure to email eventsandsales@thedrifterhotel.com to sign up in advance if you plan on performing! Free entry // 21+.

Oz Christmas Party: Oz New Orleans; 800 Bourbon St.; 8 p.m. - midnight. Everyone is invited to the OZ NEW ORLEANS ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY! Join them for food, drink, friends, and holiday cheer from 8-10pm, followed by the annual Christmas Show at 10:00pm starring The Cast of Oz Entertainment. Hosted by: Persana Shoulders. Admittance is an unwrapped toy for a child in need!

THURSDAY 12/19

Gulf South LGBT Chamber Holiday Party: 810 Ursulines Ave.; 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Let’s toast to another fantastic year at our annual Holiday Party!

Sip, savor, and mingle with your fellow Gulf South LGBT Chamber Members, Corporate Sponsors, & Community Leaders for a fun evening of networking, recapping 2019 Chamber highlights, and spreading some holiday cheer! Tickets include complimentary beer, wine, cocktails, hot & cold hors d’oeuvres, and desserts. For tickets, go to www.gulfsouthchamber.chambermaster.com.

A Very Merry Holiday Kirtan and Holiday Party: Swan River Yoga Arabi Community Center; 7011 St. Claude Ave. #213; 6 - 9 p.m. Join Swan Yoga for cookies, eggnog, singing, card-making, and lots of holiday spirit!

6 pm: Yoga Class 7:30 pm: Free food, Kirtan, cookies, and more. This event is 100% by donation. All proceeds from the evening will go to support the St. Bernard Community Center. $10 suggested donation, but no one will be turned away.

Talk To The Hand! 3rd Thursdays Totally ‘90s/00’s: GrandPre’s 834 N. Rampart St.; 10 p.m. Join the fun at GrandPre’s for their monthly Third Thursday Totally ‘90s (and early ‘00s) Dance Party! It’s gonna be a retrolicious rewind. No cover!

The Untitled Drag Show: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 10 p.m. - 1 a.m. In this [untitled drag show] some of New Orleans’ most capable drag artists will explore deeper into the realm of drag as art. This monthly showcase is hosted by Siren and the December edition will feature works by: Franky, Candy Snatch, Analia XO. Virginia Slimjim & Ginny Peck. Doors at 10. Show at 11. $10 admission at the door.

FRIDAY 12/20–

34 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Sipps Bar Gulfport, MS PHOTOS BY DWAIN HERTZ

SIPPS BAR GULFPORT Our beer is cold, patio is shaded, and pool tables and nightlife dance floor are waiting for your moves at Sipps bar Downtown Gulfport.

OPENING HOURS Everyday 5pm - TILL ADDRESS 2218 25th Ave, Gulfport, MS Phone: (228) 206-7717 Email: sipps25th@gmail.com

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TUESDAY 12/31

NOLA Christmas Fest; Morial Convention Center; 900 Convention Center Blvd.; The closest you can get to a winter wonderland in southeast Louisiana. Indoor ice skating, ice slides, rides, inflatables, Santa and family fun! For tickets, go to www.ticketmaster.com.

FRIDAY 12/20

Sketch The Halls - A Holiday Sketch Celebration: Southern Rep Theatre; 2541 Bayou Rd.; 9:30 - 10:30 p.m. Sketch the halls with laughs a plenty! Join Southern Rep for some holiday-themed sketch comedy following Mandatory Merriment. Admission is $5. Brought to you by the writers and producers of Just This Once and Morphed Comedy.

SATURDAY 12/21

Happy Holigays Market: The LGBT Community Center; 2727 S. Broad St.; 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Please join the center for an afternoon of hot cocoa or coffee, a holiGAY photo scene, musical performances, amazing friends from our community who will be selling their creations, and much more!

Drag Queen Story Hour: Alvar Library; 913 Alvar St.: 1 p.m. Come listen to the talented Vanessa Carr Kennedy and friends read stories. Open to all families, caregivers, and children

of all ages.

No Lye Comedy present Melanated Mischief: Hi Ho Lounge; 2239 St. Claude Ave.; 8 - 10 p.m.The most melanted fun you will have all week!

They’re back for another round of all black, all funny and all femme stand up!

Hosted by Tash Riley and headlined by Keeda with a Q! Featuring: Ashleigh Branch, Saya Meads, Tekesha Fairley and Nita Cherise. They’ll take your money at the door. Pay whatcha wanna and help the ladies of No Lye Comedy take over the world in 2020. Doors at 8 and show at 8:30 SHARP. Twist of Lime Christmas Party: Twist of Lime; 2820 Lime St.; starts at 9 p.m. A fun and festive, friends & family of The Twist Of Lime Christmas Party! Live performances from The Tomb Of Nick Cage & Cain! Plus a special acoustic set between bands

by Dustin Cole! Hosted by the ugliest voice in radio, Chaos, of The Roux on Alt 92.3! Tune in every Sunday from 9-10pm for your weekly dose of local New Orleans rock! Santa Clause will also be on hand checking his list and posing for pics. 21+ to enter.

It’s Showtime on Rampart Street; GrandPre’s; 834 North Rampart St.; 10 p.m. Come out and catch this exciting drag show starring Moanalot Fontaine and special guests.

Hit It - Milk N’ Cookies: Secret French Quarter Location; 10 p.m. - 3 a.m. Season’s Breedings! This Ho-li-

day season HIT IT brings you our 2nd annual XXXmas party featuring not ONE but TWO dirty Santas ready to blast off to the North Hole! Clothes check will be at the door so you can strip down to your sexy underwear, jock, elf outfit, panties, or just go ahead and show off those jingle bells, anything goes! Updated dark room with slings from our sponsor JimSupport \\ sexy beats by Tyler Cross // Poppers from Double Scorpio. They’re taking this sleigh ride underground, you must be on the list! Purchase a ticket for entry https://hit-it.ticketleap.com/ milk-n-cookies. Keep up with all HIT IT events and get early discount codes for upcoming parties! email hititparty@ gmail.com. 21+ ID required for entry Dirty Dime Peepshow: The Allways Lounge & Cabaret; 2240 St. Claude Ave.; 11 p.m. - 1 a.m. The most outlandish burlesque show in all of New Orleans, produced by Bella Blue and hosted by Ben Wisdom. The corps cast consists of The Lady Lucerne, Tarah Cards, Bella Blue, and more. This isn’t another classic burlesque show!

11pm doors. Midnight show. $15 cover at the door.

SUNDAY 12/22

Caroling in Jackson Square: Jackson Square; 700 Decatur St.; 7 - 9 p.m. A holiday tradition that has been going on since 1946, Christmas Carol-

ing in Jackson Square is a joyful, fun experience. Jackson Square is illuminated by hundreds of candles held by singers, crooning Christmas favorites.

Free and open to all. Candles and song sheets are provided. The gates to Jackson Square open at 6:30 p.m. and the caroling begins at 7:00. Those who plan to attend and participate are strongly advised to arrive early.

A Drag Queen Christmas - The Naughty Tour; The Fillmore; 6 Canal St.; 7 p.m. A Drag Queen Christmas The Naughty Tour. It’s a magical (and hilarious) evening of holiday performances featuring contestants from the reality television show on VH1. All ages welcome. Warning - adult content. Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm. For more information or tickets, go to www. fillmorenola.com.

THURSDAY 12/26

Hush: GrandPre’s; 834 N. Rampart St.; 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Come enjoy this monthly Queer Weird Dance Party.

FRIDAY 12/26

Big Easy Sisters Beer Bust: The Phoenix; 941 Elysian Fields Ave.; 9 p.m - midnight. Enjoy post Xmas Beer Bust w/ your BIG EASY SISTERS. $5 buy in w/ $1 refills from 9PM til Midnight. All proceeds benefit local charities.

ARE WE MISSING YOUR EVENTS? Email Us at info@ambushpublishing.com

36 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Mobile Hot Happenings WEEKLY AT B-BOB’S 213 Conti St., Mobile, AL (251) 433-2262

TUESDAY

Gay Bar BINGO 9:30 & 11PM

THURSDAY

MONDAY

Service Industry Night

TUESDAY Karaoke

p.m. No Cover. Ladies drink half off

Ladies Night w/ Piano 6pm

THURSDAY

Movie Night with Chris 8pm

Drag Bingo & Show

Drink & Drown Karaoke; $10 selective alcohol with $1 refill

PENSACOLA THE ROUNDUP

Amateur Drag Night 11PM

WEDNESDAY Rock n Roll Bingo 8PM

FRIDAY & SATURDAY

THURSDAY

Karaoke; 9 p.m. - 2 a.m.

SATURDAY

Speed Quizzing Trivia; 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Midnight Drag Show

WEEKLY AT FLIP SIDE 54 S. Conception St., Mobile, AL (251) 431-8819

Karaoke

SEC Football

SUNDAY

Along the Gulf South BATON ROUGE MON-FRI

Happy Hour: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue; 3-7p.m.

Upstairs Karaoke: Splash Nightclub; 2183 Highland Rd; 9pm $1 Martinis 9-10pm

SATURDAY

MONDAY

Non-stop Dance Music: Splash Nightclub; 2183 Highland Rd Dancing in the Park: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue;

TUESDAY

Sunday Social Brunch: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue; Noon-3:00p.m. $20 Buffet with Bottomless Mimosas, Bloody Mary’s and Draft Beer

WEDNESDAY

LAFAYETTE BOLT BAR & PATIO

Game Night: George’s Place; 860 St. Louis St; 10p.m. Hosted by Chance SIN Night: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue; 30% Off

Fat Tuesdays & Billiards & Darts Tournaments: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue

Queens Karaoke: George’s Place; 860 St Louis St; 10p.m. Hosted by Alvin McGee Free Cover Wednesdays: Splash Nightclub; 2183 Highland Rd; 9pm Open Mic w/ Ryan Jenkins: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue; 9p.m.

THURSDAY

Double Trouble Thursday: George’s Place; 860 St Louis St; 7pm. $6 Double Wells and $10 Double Calls Show Night: Splash Nightclub; 2183 Highland Rd; 11:30pm. Featuring the Bombshells of Baton Rouge Think and Drink Trivia: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue;

FRIDAY

$5 Fridays: The Park Pub & Patio; 4619 Bennington Avenue;

560 E Heinberg St

TUESDAY

THURSDAY FRIDAY

Drag Bingo with Monica Heart; 6 p.m.

- 8 p.m. Win cash and prizes

Funday with Karaoke

WEDNESDAY

WEDNESDAY

GALVESTON 23RD ST. STATION

1706 23rd Street Happy Hour every day until 7 p.m.

MONDAY

Texas Hold ‘Em 7pm

TUESDAY

THURSDAY FRIDAY

Live Entertainment 6pm

SATURDAY

Live Entertainment 9pm

SUNDAY

Sing Along Sundays w/ Piano 4pm7pm

RUMORS

3102 Seawall Blvd.

Happy Hour every day until 7 p.m.

FRIDAY & SATURDAY Show Nights 11 p.m. & 12:30 a.m.

SUNDAY THRU THURSDAY Karaoke 8 p.m.

SUNDAY

The Sunday T with Carly & Kymber 4:30 p.m.

Tube-ular Tuesday with Jim 8pm

SUNDAY

114 McKinley St

THURSDAY

Thirsty Thursday; No Cover. $4 Double Wells and $2 wine

FRIDAY

The Ladies of Bolt; 11:30pm. $5 cover

SATURDAY

Dance Night; No Cover. Happy Hour 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

LAKE CHARLES CRYSTAL’S DOWNTOWN 720 Ryan Street

TUESDAY

Anything But Techno Tuesdays; 10

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 37

Party Down Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com I love a holiday, any holiday! I celebrate them all. But I especially love this time of the year that begins with Southern Decadence and ends with Christmas. Who am I kidding, I celebrate year round, any reason for a party.

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind from my Thanksgiving road trip with Mama Dawn to the crazy party scene in December, and it’s only the first week. With Thanksgiving falling so late this year, the season has been compacted so I literally have had two to three events a night. And Santa thought he was busy! But let’s not waste any time and get to all the fun.

I started my Thanksgiving week off by jumping into the holiday spirit when I attended the preview for Celebration in the Oaks. It was a wonderful way to spend an evening albeit warm. Guests got to enjoy the beautiful display in stages.

We began in Storyland which I had not been to in years. It’s still as magical as I remember it and they gave us a look at their new Jack-inthe-Beanstalk two-story tall slide they’ll be opening up next year. I have to say Jack made quite an impression.

Next we were able to walk around the Botanical Garden to see all the beautiful holiday light displays. They have a gorgeous poinsettia tree in the Conservatory of Two Sisters and several areas for food and drink. The New Orleans 12 Days of Christmas display is hysterical.

Then we went to the area with all the rides and enjoyed roasting marshmallows by the fire pit. They’re pulling out all the stops this holiday season.

For the finale, we were able to ride the train around the park and see all the displays from the dinosaur area (so cool) to the brightly colored stars.

Celebration in the Oaks is definitely a holiday tradition that should be on everyone’s TO DO list. To find out more, go to https://neworleanscitypark.com/ celebration-in-the-oaks.

After returning to NOLA from my Thanksgiving trip with Mom (see separate article), I jumped back into the New Orleans party scene when I attended the Creole Cuisine holiday party at Broussard’s Restaurant in the French Quarter. This wasn’t just any party, this set the bar high for all the other parties this season. Creole Cuisine set up stations with each one

of their over 20 restaurants providing a dish. From Flamingo A Go Go to Pier 424 and Bombay Club to Tommy’s, there was so much to choose from. Add to this, free-flowing cocktails and you have a party! They also had Hermann-Grima House open, adjacent to the venue in back, so guests could enjoy its courtyard and tour the historic home.

The following night was the National Association of Catering and Events at Laurenia located in the Pythian Market. The members pulled out all the stops as guests dined on food provided by different restaurants and caterers while enjoying lots of cocktails. They also had a photo booth, awards ceremony, a dance band and live auction. It was a wonderful evening in a great space. Afterwards, ev-

eryone moved next door to the Troubadour Hotel for an after-party in their rooftop Monkey Bar which has some nice views of the city.

Thursday was a threevent type of evening.

I began by attending a small gathering to unveil a piece of the AIDS Quilt at the Contemporary Arts Center. It’s a somber reminder of the many lives lost to this terrible illness. A special section of the quilt was put on display with the names of Louisianians who died from the disease.

Next, we went to the stately Van Benthuysen-Elms Mansion located on St. Charles Avenue which was celebrating its 150th anniversary. The Mansion was built for Watson Van Benthuysen II who was born in New York in the early 1830s and moved to New

Beyond Burger Beyond Clover

G N I V R E S NOW

Beyond Clover Burger 38 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

Orleans in the 1840s. He became a prominent local businessman and the President of a Saint Charles streetcar company. Van Benthuysen died in his home in 1901. In 1952, John Elms Sr., owner of the largest coin operated amusement company in the South, purchased the home. Shortly after Mr. Elms’ death in 1968, his family started using the house for private functions; it’s now operated by the 3rd generation of the Elms family.

The venue pulled out all the stops for the night. Guests were greeted at the entrance with costumed carolers.

They had other live entertainment throughout the night culminating in a mini-fireworks show. The gardens were simply lovely with the decorations and furniture. I believe I have never seen this venue so nice. It was another memorable holiday party.

My last stop of the evening was Barcadia for their holiday shindig.

They decorated the place in gaudy festive Christmas lights that looked pretty amazing. Once again, there was cocktails and food, and the newly renovated private room areas are wonderful. It was quite the busy night enjoying lots of holiday cheer.

On Friday, I attended the New Orleans Mission Gala at the Hyatt Hotel courtesy of one of the evening’s sponsors, The Windsor Court. The event is in its sixth year and celebrated “30 Years, A Journey Through Recovery.” The New Orleans Mission is a Christian Humanitarian Organization dedicated to the rescue, recovery, and re-engagement of people facing homelessness, addiction, human trafficking, or even abuse. Motivated by faith, the organization serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. They had an outstanding silent auction which, during the holiday season, becomes one of the best places to find gifts for people.

On Saturday, I attended one of NOLA’s premier fundraisers, The Red Ribbon Gala formerly known as Art Against AIDS. This year’s event was held at Club XLIV, near the Superdome. It was a festive soiree that had a large crowd with fabulous entertainment, food, cocktails and an incredible silent auction.

The lovely Andrea Halstead, one of the auction chairs, helped make this year’s one of the best silent auctions I’ve seen in a long time. Over 200 items ranged from gift certificates to numerous works of art. I got some amazing items from some artists whom I love to collect, as well as more holiday gifts.

Congrats to Andrea and everyone who organized this silent auction, a job well done.

The food vendors gave guests an incredible array of choices. Some of the noteworthy donors were Pigeon Catering, Flamingo A Go Go, Crescent City Brewhouse, Louisiana Pizza Kitchen and Melba’s. Entertainment was provided by Heather and the Monkey King and DJ Kerem with a special performance by Marshall Harris. There was also a holiday spotlight show from the Ladies of the Holidays which included Lana O’ Day, Princesse Stephaney, Dominique DeLorean and Countess C. Alice. It was a magical night and the ideal way to kick off the LGBT holiday season.

I ended my two weeks by going to see a classic Broadway show that’s perfect for the holiday season. JPAS is presenting Annie and it’s simply marvelous. The cast, both young and older, do an outstanding job and the dog that plays Sandy steals the stage.

Once again JPAS delivers a knockout classic for their audiences.

Next, I attended the Armeinius holiday gathering at the lovely home of Don Schwenn and Michael Shlenker. The holiday gathering included cocktails, nibbles and a Dirty Santa/ White Elephant gift exchange. I love doing this at a party because it is like a holiday version of Hunger Games.

Watching dear friends steal presents from each other just exudes the holiday spirit! When someone tried to take my Drag Queen Brunch cookbook form me, I almost cut a bitch! But fortunately, my holiday angel was watching over me and I ended up with one at the end.

I hope everyone enjoys their holiday and remembers to keep the season gay!

Do you want your party or event covered? Invite me! ledgemgp@gmail.com

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 39

BUSINESS FINANCIAL & BUSINESS

Dreaming of Retiring Early? Here’s Your Playbook Scot I. Billeaudeau, JD, LL.M. ADPA® s.billeaudeau@ampf.com Currently trending in the media is the concept of an incredibly early retirement, called the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement. News outlets are printing stories of people successfully retiring in their 50s, 40s and even 30s. If you are intrigued by the idea of retiring early, you are probably wondering if moving your retirement date forward is something within your reach.

As a financial advisor, I have seen firsthand how much work and dedication it takes to accomplish. But I can confirm that it is possible to retire early – it all comes down to what your dreams are for today, tomorrow and in retirement. Read on for some suggestions for how to assess if an early retirement is in the cards for you.

1. Define your dream retirement.

A realistic early retirement plan doesn’t happen by chance. It takes careful planning and deliberate action. Before you can figure out how to make early retirement a viable option, take time

to envision the kind of life you want to lead when you leave your primary career. Where will you live? What kind of activities do you plan to pursue? These are the types of questions that will help you define what you want your retirement to be like.

2. Quantify your goal. Many retirees find they spend more money in the early years of retirement because they have more time to travel and pursue hobbies. If this aligns with your retirement vision, be conservative in your estimate of how much money you need each year. Once you have an estimate of how much it will cost, you will be in a better position to map the steps you need to take to save for your future.

3. Decide which income source to tap into first. Once you know how much your early retirement will cost, you’ll want to line up the order in which you tap into your investments. How much income you need, the tax treatment of your investments, and the timing of when you’ll take Social Security

are all factors to consider as you map out how you will create a paycheck in retirement.

4. Adjust your saving and spending today. Once you have a clear idea of how much your dream retirement will cost, you can evaluate the potential tradeoffs and sacrifices necessary to make it happen. This will likely require reducing spending while maximizing the amount you are saving.

5. Continue investing for growth.

It’s common for retirees to adjust their investment allocation to be more conservative to protect their principal from potential market downturns or increased volatility. While this may make sense for some, it’s important for your portfolio to at least keep pace with inflation. After all, retirement can easily last several decades. Even modest inflation can make a meaningful impact over that timeframe. Factoring inflation into your projections can help you maintain your purchasing power throughout retirement.

6. Don’t overlook health care expenses. Many retirees are surprised by how much of their budget goes toward medical expenses. Don’t be one of them. Make finding health insurance a top priority. And, consider the pros and cons of purchasing long-term care in-

surance.

7. Be flexible. In life and investing, there are no guarantees. Unexpected events can happen any time, and many have financial implications.

Think about what your options are if your savings comes up short, such as adjusting your retirement date, spending, or perhaps picking up a part-time job, and make sure you have the right insurance in place to cover your various assets.

Retiring early is a big dream. If you want help deciding if or how moving your retirement date forward is realistic for you, meet with a financial advisor.

Together you can review your goals, investments, risk tolerance and other factors to help you make retirement decisions with confidence.

Scot I. Billeaudeau, JD, LL.M. ADPA®, is a Financial Advisor with Waterfront Wealth Management, a private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. He specializes in addressing the unique needs of the diverse LGBTQ community, fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies, and has been in practice for 11 years.

40 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

SNAP PAPARAZZI Out & About with Wood Enterprises AT THE WOODS DECOR CONTEST | PHOTOS FROM WOOD ENTERPRISES

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 41

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory NEW ORLEANS

ACCOMMODATIONS

The Burgundy Bed and Breakfast, 2513 Burgundy St, (504) 261-9477, theburgundy.com Aaron Ingram Haus, 1012 Elysian Fields Ave, (504) 949-3110, ingramhaus.com Blues60 Guest House, 1008 Elysian Fields Ave, (504) 324-4311, blues60guesthouse.com The BEARigny Suites, 2226 N Rampart St, (504) 309-0062, thebearignysuite.com

BARS & CLUBS

Four Seasons & Patio Stage Bar, 3229 N. Causeway Blvd, (504) 8320659

Bourbon St, (504) 593-9761

(504) 523-4517 Friendly Bar, 2301 Chartres St, (504) 943-8929

700 Club, 700 Burgundy St, (504) 5611095, 700nola.com

Golden Lantern, 1239 Royal St, (504) 529-2860

Black Penny, 700 N Rampart St, (504) 304-4779, facebook.com/ blackpennynola

GrandPre’s, 834 N Rampart St, (504) 267-3615 Kajun’s Pub, 2256 St Claude Ave, (504) 947-3735 Mags 940, 940 Elysian Fields Ave, (504) 948-1888 Oz New Orleans, 800 Bourbon St, (504) 593-9491, ozneworleans.com Phoenix Bar, 941 Elysian Fields Ave, (504) 945-9264, phoenixbarnola.com Rawhide 2010, 740 Burgundy St, (504) 525-8106, rawhide2010.com

Bourbon Pub/Parade, 801 Bourbon St, (504) 529-2107, bourbonpub.com

The Page Bar, 542 N Rampart St, (504) 875-4976

Café Lafitte in Exile, 901 Bourbon St, (504) 522-8397, www.lafittes.com

VooDoo Lounge, 718 N Rampart St, (504) 265-0953

Corner Pocket, 940 St Louis St, (504) 568-9829, www.cornerpocket.net

The Country Club, 634 Louisa St, (504) 945-0742, thecountryclubneworleans. com

Cutter’s Bar, 706 Franklin Ave, (504) 948-4200 Crossing NOLA, 439 Dauphine St,

Phillips Bar, 733 phillipsbar.com Lafitte’s

Blacksmith

Cherokee

St,

Shop,

941

Big Daddy’s, 2513 Royal street, (504) 948-6288 Big Easy Daiquiris, Several locations throughout the French Quarter Good Friends Bar, 740 Dauphine Street, (504) 566-7191, goodfriendsbar.com Napoleon’s Itch, 734 Bourbon St, (504) 237-4144 Tropical Isle, 721 Bourbon St, (504) 529-4109, tropicalisle.com Allways Lounge and Cabaret, 2240 St. Claude Ave

BOOKSTORES

Faubourg Marigny Art and Books, 600 Frenchmen St

CIRCUIT / EVENT

Gay Easter Parade, Easter Sunday, gayeasterparade.com Gay Mardi Gras, gaymardigras.com

New Orleans Pride, June 7-9, 2019, NewOrleansPrideFestival.com Southern Decadence, Labor Day Weekend, SouthernDecadence.com Halloween New Orleans, October 25-27, 2019, HalloweenNewOrleans. com Gay Appreciation ambushpublishing.com

Awards,

GALLERIES

Casell Bergen Gallery, 1305 Decatur St, (504) 478-6744, casellbergengallery.com

GROCERIES

Matassa’s Market, 1001 Dauphine St, (504) 412-8700, https://www. matassas.com Quartermaster Deli, 1100 Bourbon St, www.quartermasterdeli.net Robert’s Fresh Market, 2222 St. Claude Ave, (504) 207-0162, robertfreshmarket.com

GUIDES

Official Gay Easter Parade Guide, gayeasterparade.com Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide, gaymardigras.com

42 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory Official Gay New Orleans Guide, gayneworleans.com Official Pride Guide, neworleanspridefestival.com Official Southern Decadence Guide, southerndecadence.com

HAIR SALONS

FiFi Mahony’s, 934 Royal St, (504) 525-4343, fifimahonys.com Head Quarters Hair Salon, 906 Bourbon St, (504) 522-2666 Micky Nolan Salon, 717 Toulouse St, (504) 587-7782, mickeynolansalon. com Two Guys Cutting Hair, 2372 St Claude Ave #125, 215.519.5030, (504) 239-2397

HARDWARE

Mary’s Ace Hardware, 732 N Rampart St, (504) 529-4465, acehardware.com

HEALTHCARE

Odyssey House, 1125 North Tonti Street, ohlinc.org Access Health Louisiana, 3300 South Broad Street, 234 Loyola Ave. Ste 300B, accesshealthla.org UMC - HIV Outpatient Program, 2000 Canal Street, 4th Floor, 4C Clinic, (504) 702-4344, umcno.org/ infectiousdisease CrescentCare, 1631 Elysian FIelds Ave, (504) 821-2601, crescentcare. org

MUSEUMS

Mardi Gras Museum, 813 Bienville St, (504) 523-5433

ORGANIZATIONS

Louisiana Trans Advocates, (877) 565-8860, latransadvocates.org NOLA Softball League, nolasoftball. org Crescent City rougarouxrugby.org

Rougaroux,

Stonewall Sports, facebook.com/ groups/stonewallneworleans Krewe of Petronius, PO Box 1102, kreweofpetronius.net The Mystic Krewe of Amon-Ra, PO Box 57783, kreweofamonra.com Krewe of Apollo de New Orleans, P. O. Box 770973, www.mkaneworleans. com Krewe of Armenius, 433 N. Broad St,

armenius.org Krewe of Mwindo, PO Box 51031, (504) 913-5791 Krewe of Stars, 1010 Conti St, kreweofstars.com Krewe of Narcissus, PO Box 3832, (504) 228-9441

The Chamber is a network of LGBT and ally business owners, corporate partners, and community leaders that support business development and equality.

Mystic Krewe of Lords of Leater, 1000 Bourbon Street #B415, lordsofleather.org Renegade Bears of Louisiana, PO Box 3083, renegadebearsoflouisiana@ gmail.com Crescent City Leathermen, 941 Elysian Fields Ave, crescentcityleathermen.org NOAGE, noagenola.org The Krewe of King kreweofkingarthur.com

Mission To promote an inclusive business environment by connecting LGBT-owned/operated and allied businesses in the Gulf South.

Arthur,

LGBT Community Center, 2727 S Broad Ave, (504) 333-5412 Gulf South Chamber of Commerce, (504) 754-5279, gulfsouthchamber. com Friday Night Before Mardi Gras, fridaynightbeforemardigras.com Krewe of Queenateenas/ King Cake Queen Royalty Club, gaymardigras. com

Vision A society where individuals and businesses have equal rights, equal representation, and equal opportunities.

P-Flag New Orleans, (504) 617-5987, alberto.oliver@cox.com Mystic Krewe of Apollo de New Orleans, mkaneworleans.com

PHARMACY

Mumfrey’s Pharmacy, 1021 W. Judge Perez Dr., (504) 279-6312, mumfreyspharmacy.com Avita Pharmacy, 2601 Tulane Ave Ste 445, (504) 822-8013

PHOTOGRAPHY

G Douglas Photography, LLC, Wedding and Portriat Photography, By Appointment Only, gdouglasadamsphotography.com

Values Respect Diversity Inclusivity

Equality Knowledge Community

Craig Fremin Photography, By Appointment Only, craigfremin.com Graham/ Studio One, By Appointment Only, grahamstudioone.com Parker Studios, By Appointment Only, halle.parker15@outlook.com

REAL ESTATE

Steve Richards Properties Latter & Blum, 712 Orleans Ave, (504) 258-

gslgbtchamber.org

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 43

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory 1800 Michael Styles Realtor,Engel & Volkers, (504) 777-1773, nolastyles. com, Michael specializes in helping first-time homebuyers and real estate investors find the perfect New Orleans properties.

RELIGION

St. Anna’s Espicopal Church, 1313 Esplanade Ave, (504) 947-2121, stannanola.org Metropolitan Community Church New Orleans, 5401 S Claiborne Ave, mccneworleans.com

Louisa Street, (504) 945-0742, thecountryclubnreorleans.com Cru, 535 Franklin Ave, (504) 446-0040, crunola.com

The Bombay Club, 830 Rue Conti, (504) 577-2237, bombayclubneworleans. com

Dat Dog on Frenchmen, 601 Frenchmen St, (504) 309-3362, datdog.com

The Ruby Slipper Café, 2001 Burgundy St, (504) 525-9355, therubyslippercafe.net

EAT, 900 Dumaine St, (504) 522-7222, eatnola.com

Who Dat Coffee Cafe, 2401 Burgundy St, (504) 872-0360, whodatcoffee. com

Envie Espresso Bar & Cafe, 1241 Decatur St, (504) 524-3689, cafeenvie.com

RESTAURANTS

Kingfish Kitchen & Cocktails, 337 Chartres Street, (504) 598-5005, kingfishneworleans.com

Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard,

Lousiana Pizza Kitchen, 615 S. Carrollton Ave, (504) 237-0050, louisianapizzakitchenuptown.com

801 Royal, 801 Royal Street, (504) 581-0801, 801royal.com 819 Rue Conti, (504) 581-3866, broussards.com

Cafe Sbisa, 1011 Decatur Street, (504) 522-5565, cafesbisanola.com Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop , 2309 N. Causeway Blvd, (504) 835-2022, gumbostop.com Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St, (504) 598-1010, www.clovergrill.com Country

Club

Restaurant,

634

(504) 948-0077, santafenola.com

Mona Lisa, 1212 Royal St, (504) 5226746, monalisaneworleans.com, NOLA Poboys, 908 Bourbon, (504) 655-3312, nolapoboys.com Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro, 720 Orleans Ave, (504) 5231930, Orleansgrapevine.com Royal House Oyster Bar, 441 Royal Street, royalhouserestaurant.com Santa Fe Restaurant, 3201 Esplanade,

Who Dat Coffee Cafe, 9207 W. St. Bernard Hwy, (504) 354-8452

RETAIL

Mr. Binky’s Boutique, 107 Chartres St, (504) 302-2095 QT Pie Boutique, 241 Dauphine St, (504) 581-6633 Skully’z Recordz, 907 Bourbon St, (504) 592-4666 Bourbon Pride, 909 Bourbon Street, (504) 566-1570 COK (Clothing or Kink), 941 Elysian FIelds, Located inside the Phoenix Bar XXX Shop, 1835 N. Rampart St, (504) 232-3063

SERVICES

Formal Connection, 299 Belle Terre Blvd, 985.652-1195 Washing Well Laundryteria, 841 Bourbon St, (504) 523-9955 Bear Hebert Yoga and Life Coach, bearteachesyoga.com NOLA Healer: Lawrence Gobble, nolahealer.com , Massage Therapy A&B Errand Services, (504) 3197227, aandberrandservices.com Flambeaux CrossFit, 505 N Causeway Blvd, Metairie, flambeauxcrossfit.com

THEATERS

Cafe Istanbul, 2372 St. Claude Ave #140, (504) 974-0786, cafeistanbulnola.com Southern Rep Theater, 2541 Bayou Road, (504) 522-6545, southernrep. com

TOURS

Crescent City Tours, 638 St. Ann, (504) 568-0717, Gay New Orleans Walking Tours

HOUSTON

BARS & CLUBS

Rich’s, 2401 San Jacinto Street, www. facebook.com/richshouston

44 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

LGBTQ Owned & Friendly Business Directory JR’s, 808 Pacific Street, (713) 5212519, jrsbarandgrill.com

Acadiana Pride, acadianapride.org

Eagle Houston, 611 Hyde Park Blvd, (713) 523-2473, houstoneagle.com

Pride of SWLA, Date TBA, prideofswla. org, info@prideofswla.org

Guava Lamp, 570 Waugh Drive, (713) 524-3359, guavalamphouston.com

Date

TBA,

HEALTHCARE

Pearl Houston, 4216 Washington Ave281.757-3229, facebook.com/ pearlbarhouston/

HAART (HIV AIDS Alliance Region Two, Inc), 4550 North Blvd. Ste 250, Baton Rouge, (225) 927-1269, haartinc.org

Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon, 11410 Hempstead Rd, (713) 6770828, neonbootsclub.com

Krewe of Apollo de Baton Rouge, apollobatonrouge.com

Ripcord, 715 Fairview St, (713) 5212792, theripcord.com

Krewe of Apollo kreweofapollo.com

The Ranch Hill Saloon, 24704 Interstate 45 Ste 103, (281) 298-9035, ranchhill.com Axelrad, 1517 Alabama St, (713) 5978800, alexradbeergarden.com Poison Girl Cocktail Lounge, 1641 Westheimer Rd. Ste B, (713) 5279929, poisongirlbar.com

CIRCUIT / EVENT

Houston Pride, June 22, pridehouston. org The Woodlands Pride, September, thewoodlandstxpride.wordpress.com QFEST, Houston Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, q-fest.com

ORGANIZATIONS

UH LGBTQ Resource Center, 4465 University Drive, (832) 842-6191, www.uh.edu/lgbtq The Montrose Center, 401 Branard Street, (713) 529-0037, montrosecenter.org AIDS Foundation of Houston, 6260 Westpark Dr. Suite 100, (713) 6236796, aidshelp.org

PHARMACY

Avita Pharmacy, 6800 West Loop South Ste 225, (713) 592-0211, avitapharmacy.com

SOUTH LOUISIANA BARS & CLUBS

Splash, 2183 Highland Rd, Baton Rouge, (225) 242-949, splashbr.com

ORGANIZATIONS de

Lafayette,

PHARMACY

Avita Pharmacy, 5551 Corporate Blvd, Baton Rouge, avitapharmacy. com

NORTHERN LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI & ALABAMA BARS & CLUBS

Club Pink, 1914 Roselawn Avenue, Monroe, myclubpink.com Central Station, 1025 Marshall St, Shreveport, (318) 222-2216 The Korner Lounge, 800 Louisiana Ave, Shreveport, thekornerlounge. com BAR 3911, 3911 Northview Drive, Jackson, (601) 586-1468, Open: Thurs & Fri 8PM–2AM, Sat 8PM–4AM Our Place, 2115 7th Ave Birmingham, (205) 715-0077

S,

Club 322, 322 N Lawrence Street, Montgomery, club322.business.site Icon, 516 Greensboro Ave, Tuscaloosa

CAMPING

CIRCUIT / EVENT

CIRCUIT / EVENT

Gulf Coast Pride, June 29, 2019, Biloxi, MA, gcpride.org

Birminham,

RELIGION

Safe Harbor Family Church, safeharborfamilychurch.org Joshua Generation joshuageneration.rocks

MCC,

GULF COAST BARS & CLUBS

Sexacola, May 23, Pensacola, FL, sexacolabeach.com Memorial Weekend Pensacola, Pensacola, FL, johnnychisholm.com Pensacola Pride, June 15-16, facebook.com/pensacolapride

HEALTHCARE

The Midtown Pub, 153 Foorida Street, Mobile, (251) 450-1555

Oasis Florida, 25 E Wright Street, (850) 429-7551, oasisflorida.org

Gabriel’s Downtown, 55 South Joachmin Street, Mobile, (251) 4324900

Coastal Family Health Care, 1046 Division St, Biloxi, coastalfamilyhealth. org

B-Bob’s, 213 Conti Street, Mobile (251) 433-2262, b-bobs.com Flip Side Bar & Patio, 545 S. Conception Street, Mobile, (251) 4318819, flipsidebarpatio.com

HIV CARE AND SERVICES

My Brothers Keeper, 407 Orchard Park, Ridgeland, MS, (769) 257-7721, mbkinc.org

ORGANIZATIONS

The Roundup 560 East Heinberg Street, Pensacola, (850) 433-8482

Order of Osiris, PO Box 1991, Mobile, AL, orderofosiris.com

Cabaret, 101 S Jefferson Street E, Pensacola, (850) 607-2020

Order of Dinoysus D’Iberville, MS, https://www.facebook.com/Order-OfDionysus

Rumors Biloxi, 3540 Bienville Blvd, Biloxi, (228) 875-4131 Just Us Lounge, 906 Division Street, Biloxi, (228) 374-1007 Sipps Bar Gulfport, 2218 25th Ave, Gulfport, (228) 206-7717, sippsgulfport.com

Gulf Coast Transgender Alliance, (850) 332-8416, gulfcoasttransgenderalliance.com, gctransgenderalliance@gmail.com Gay Grassroots, 6847 N. 9th Avenue, Ste A, Box 317, Pensacola, ggnwfl. com

Chapel Bar, 620 27th Street S, Brirmingham, (205) 703-9778, chapelbarinfo@gmail.com

The Park Pub & Bar, 4619 Benningotn Ave, Baton Rouge, Facebook @ theparkbr

Baton Rouge Pride, June 15, brpride. org

Krewe of Apollo mkabirmingham.com

Quest Bar, 416 24th Street S, Birmingham, (205) 251-4313, info@ quest-club.com

George’s Place, 860 St. Louis St, Baton Rouge, (225) 387-9798, georgesplacebr.com

Crystals, 112 W. Broad St, Lake Charles, (337) 433-5457

CIRCUIT / EVENT

Mobile Pride, October 5, 2019, Mobile, AL, mobpride.org

Al’s on 7th Street, 2627 7th Ave S, Birmingham, (205) 422-4218

Wildwoods Hideaway, Eutaw, AL, (205) 860-0836, wildwoodshideaway. com

Bolt, 114 McKinley St, Lafayette, (337) 534-4913, facebook.com/boltlaffy

ORGANIZATIONS

The Spectrum Center, 210 S 25th Ave, Hattiesburg, (601) 909-5338

CENLA Pride, May 31 - June 2, Alexandria, LA, facebook.com/ cenlaclasspride

Get Listed for $10 per Issue Want to see your business, organization, or event in our next issue?

Email Ambush sales@ambushpublishing.com

Oxford Pride, April 28-May 5, Oxford MS, oxfordmspride.rocks Central Alabama Pride, June 1-10, 2019, Birmingham, AL, facebook. com/centralalabamaprideinc Druid City Pride, October 2019, Tuscaloosa, AL, druidcitypride.org

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 45

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3) In Japan, ______ or New Years Eve is the second most important holiday of the year.

5) It is tradition that Santa arrives on _____ in Australia.

7) The most important holiday for Buddhists that takes place on December 8.

9) Originating in the United Kingdom, _____ Day takes place on December 26.

11) Celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and visits by Santa Claus.

12) The eight-day Jewish celebration.

13) Kwanzaa is derived from matunda ya kwanza, a ______ phrase for “first fruits.”

14) The Chinese _________ is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays.

15) To honor a third-century saint, this holiday is celebrated in Sweden on December 13.

DOWN 1) At the end fo the Twelve Days of Christmas comes a day called the Epiphany, or ______.

2) This occurs around December 21 and is the shortest day of the year.

4) This holds nine flames, one of which is used to kindle the other eight lights.

6) Kwanzaa has ______ core principles.

8) The Hindu festival of lights.

10) Las Posadas is celebrated from December 16-24 in Mexico, ________ and parts of the U.S.

Ideals for a crossword? Email us at info@ambushpublishing.com!

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PUZZLE WORD BANK WINTER WIND BLIZZARD ICICLE BOOTS ELF CAROLS GIVING HAT ICE COLD CHILLY SNOWMAN CANDLES FAITH SCARF HOLIDAYS MITTENS SNOW GINGERBREAD SANTA FROZEN FIREPLACE

46 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

HOROSCOPES

Messages from the Oracle in New Orleans Dan Beck, #1 Astrologer in New Orleans dan@innermakeup.net Astrology offers the LGBTQ community a chance to reclaim a space lost to modern science and religion. Ancient pagan cultures venerated divination and celebrated what we now recognize as modern gay elements. These horoscopes are for your entertainment, so let’s start the party that will take us to the stars!

As you’re reading this column, your mind will be occupied by the goings-on of the season. Religious rites that color different times of the year find their footing in the seasons. For example, the hopeful moment of the birth of Christ on the darkest day of the year finds expression in the cardinal turn of the winter solstice. Cardinal, turning points are the screws upon which the world and our lives spin. The Greek word “tropos” means “turn” and is the origin of the word “tropical.” Maybe you just need to get the hell out of town and go on a vacation!

Western Astrology based on the tropical zodiac, the zodiac embodying the turning of the seasons, however, has something to say about this season. I believe the gift of this year is the gift of family. Regardless of how far one wanders, family ancestry is never far behind. Your deep emotional connection to past origins emerges and when you explore this terrain, you make gains.

Family interactions bring up issues of identity because how you’re known to the world and how your aunt knows you are two very different things. You are likely to have more of a vested interest in the former.

The trick is not to be stubborn about this. It is actually an opportune moment as “tropos” is also the root of the word “opportune” meaning this is where you can take bold action and triumph when the gift of family presents itself.

This is not a material, conspicuous gift but a gift that gives personal gratification in the form of love and nurturance from irritating family members. Do not drink too much as you’ll find moderate sobriety provides the healing you’ve been seeking. When you’re given the chance to let go of your idealized self for the person your family knows you by, realize this is a gift in disguise even if it leads you straight into your grandmother pulling at your ear, gushing over just how much you’ve grown.

munication is key here and this is where you make gains. Protect yourself regardless of the outcome and emphasize your thoughts as opposed to deeply held beliefs.

ARIES

September 23 - October 22 The male head of the family is strong this holiday season, and you do best to go with him. A rich, dark son will seek to overthrow him, and might succeed in doing so, but stick with the elder. He will need your help even though he might not realize it. Help this modern King Lear pick the right child this time around.

March 21 - April 19 More than any sign this season, you make gains with your family, especially your father or paternal-like energy. This is helpful for you but you have to let some past incidents go. You’ll find that by balancing some of the tension with family, the other sectors of your life light up.

TAURUS

April 20 - May 20 Your family gets entangled with your romantic life and children. This is going to take a little bit of juggling as it’s ironically hard to find love amongst family drama and the needs of your kids. The “kids” can also be your creative projects or creative babies. Com-

GEMINI

May 21 - June 20 Don’t be afraid to look into the family finances this holiday season. Proceed with caution and diplomacy, but there are massive changes occurring in the structures of the wills being written. You’ll find that dealing with the demons of inheritances and family trusts provides you with some long term psychic relief while ultimately padding your own checkbook.

CANCER

June 21 - July 22 Siblings come to the fore for you this holiday season. You also make gains in relationships and friends, but you lose some partners along the way. This is surprising but choosing the company you keep allows you to progress personally.

LEO

July 23 - August 22 You’re feeling a bit snooty about your money.

This is related to your mother and her past sacrifices she made to get you where you are. However, the psychological challenge is to let this attitude go and receive the gift you’ve been given. Money is only as good as the current along which you spend it. Spend it wisely and don’t worry about its literal worth.

VIRGO

August 23 - September 22 Out of all the signs, you are the most deeply connected with your family this season. This is very feminine, maternal, changeable energy that is related to your past. There are great gains to be made here amongst friends and family but only if you juggle these intense feelings and realize they are part of the larger picture as you move into the future. Let go of your criticisms and pretensions.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

October 23 - November 21 You’re generally in a very powerful position through the end of the year into 2020 and then again in the spring. Be careful though not to get into fights with coworkers or siblings during those respective times. You do best when you apply power judiciously. If you don’t, you end up scorching the path for all those around.

SAGITTARIUS

November 22 - December 21 You’re feeling very proud of your career, and so is your mother. However, you believe in yourself so strongly that you don’t see the bigger picture of your finances. Glory is great, but cash is king. Make sure your thinking is clear about the realities of the money related to your work life or you might be headed for a wrong turn that grounds you out.

CAPRICORN

December 22 - January 19 For the next year, you’ll be juggling a lot of things as you bounce from one area of your life to the next.

This season, however, focus on the love that your family can give. This really provides something spiritually for you, and you might all even decide to take a trip together. If not, at least connect philosophically about what y’all believe and get to the core of who you really are as a family.

AQUARIUS

January 20 - February 18 It’s critical that you take your time during this holiday season. We can’t escape the time in which we inhabit this dimension, and as Aquarius your head is usually in the future. Your father or paternal energy is reemphasized this season, and you do best to ground yourself out a bit, coming down to earth and putting your futuristic visions on hold. You’ll be surprised what happens when you get your head out of the clouds.

PISCES

February 19 - March 20 This holiday season, you are able to make gains creatively, romantically, and with children. With friends, not so much. With things going so well, your partner feels a bit cocky. You do best not to get emotionally tied up with that feeling, but let things go spiritually. When you do, magic happens.

Astrology was originally understood as omens, prophecies, and oracles. Whenever you go to a psychic, tarot reader, or astrologer like me, you’re engaging with the possibilities of the future. Modern astrology, however, is also the alignment of the heavens at your moment of birth that serves as the signature of your personality. This combination of your star chart and sun sign—Aries, Taurus, etc.—and the usage of that tool to divine the future is here for your taking.

I’m Dan Beck, #1 Astrologer in New Orleans.

Contact me for readings, parties, events, corporate trainings, and more at dan@innermakeup.net or by calling 504-313-8706. Visit http://www.innermakeup. net

www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 47

SPORTS LSU Football: Never too early to look ahead to 2020 Rene Nadeau, Crescent City Sports What will LSU’s lineup look like in 2020? Okay, maybe you’re not thinking about that right now since the Tigers are potentially two wins away from a national championship but we have some time to also look toward the noottoo-distant future.

LSU has achieved successes this season that in some ways are potentially superior to anything that they have accomplished in the past. Winning the College Football Playoff after Joe Burrow has already captured the coveted Heisman Trophy would place the Tigers in elite company. Burrow joined Billy Cannon as the only Heisman winner in program history already but hoisting the crystal in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in January would place them in the same class as the 1958, 2003 and 2007 Tiger squads.

Of course, this year’s SEC Champions have set numerous offensive records. When you look back years from now, the NFL rosters will be littered with many players from the 2019 roster. Many will move on to the pros next year while others remain with eligibility.

So how good will the 2020 LSU Ti-

gers lineup be?

The current success has attracted plenty of attention. If there is a scholarship available, I envision a grad transfer to join the competition when LSU can take one after the spring semester.

It can be at any position of need.

The 2020 commitments will be facing an uphill battle at winning a starting role. But there will be some very important opening with the first string.

Replacing Burrow will be a nearly impossible task. Current redshirt sophomore Myles Brennan, a strong-armed pro style quarterback, appears to be odds on favorite to do it but 2019 signee Peter Parrish has a year in the system and dual-threat talent which is tantalizing. Much will be decided during the offseason workouts.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire will almost certainly declare of the NFL Draft, and who can blame him? Everyone predicted prior to the season opener that the junior running back would be relegated to a backup role behind two highly regarded freshmen, John Emery and Tyrion Davis-Price. Edwards-Helaire had other ideas.

After tallying 658 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018, Edwards-Helaire made a quantum leap forward in LSU’s new spread offense. He ran for 1,233 yards and 16 scores while becoming an indispensable threat as a receiver for Burrow. Clyde is NFL ready.

Davis-Price will get a shot, but expect Emery and Chris Curry to take a major step forward despite their current places behind him on the depth chart.

LSU coaches are also in hot pursuit of elite 2020 recruits who could have a major impact on the position.

Derrick Dillon and Stephen Sullivan have run out of eligibility while junior Justin Jefferson is another polished star who is expected to leave for the NFL with a decent chance to be taken on day two of the draft. There are other standout receivers returning.

A pair of sophomore, Biletnikoff Award winner Ja’Marr Chase and Terrace Marshall, will be back. Trey Palmer got valuable reps as a freshman.

Devonta Lee, a much heralded signee in 2019, has been waiting his turn while learning the complexities of the offense. Racy McMath, who will enter his senior campaign, has demonstrated all the skills to take on a larger role.

Jontrae Kirklin reminds me of Russell Gage, who was often overlooked at LSU before proving himself and becoming a successful NFL player with the Atlanta Falcons.

Tight end Thaddeus Moss had a breakout year, showing his skills as a receiver and a capable blocker. Returning for his senior season looks to be a good option but he may decide to follow in the footsteps of his Hall of Fame father Randy. I am sure father and son will discuss what’s best for his future.

As for other tight ends in-house, Jamal Pettigrew will need to step up while 2020 commit Arik Gilbert, a fivestar talent, should step on campus ready to get meaningful reps. T.K. McClendon should return to compete at tight end after filling a role as a reserve defensive end this year.

If all goes well for the Tigers, starting tackles Saahdiq Charles and Austin Deculus will return as seniors although Charles may go pro. Dare Rosenthal has the athletic ability to become a superb left tackle but has a ways to go to become a consistent SEC-level starter. Thomas Perry, a 2019 signee, and massive Anthony Bradford will get plenty of reps during the offseason to gauge their progress. Sophomore Cameron Wire made strides late in ’19.

Either Donavaughn Campbell or Jakori Savage could be the 2020 ver-

sion of Adrian Magee as veterans who a huge jump forward as consistent senior season contributors on the offensive line.

If Ed Ingram returns to form and much heralded 2019 signee Kardell Thomas returns to full health, the guard position in Baton Rouge will be one of the strongest in the SEC. Campbell could provide depth or even see opportunities at center. Current 2020 pledge Marlon Martinez could end up as useful depth right away.

Lloyd Cushenberry, a center with 26 starts, will have a decision to make concerning his future as well. He is well-regarded by NFL scouts so he may view now as an opportunity to move on to the draft. He is a mid-round prospect. If Cushenberry does leave, Chasen Hines looks to be ready to step up. Charles Turner, a signee last year, will compete.

We look next at the LSU defense, where there will be some important shoes to fill.

The defensive line will lose dependable Rashard Lawrence and Breiden Fehoko. Glen Logan (21 starts) is expected to return along with Neil Farrell to solidify the Tigers up front. Logan may take a peek at the NFL draft just to get a grade but he should stay to show he can be more productive and stay healthy.

I am not sure if Justin Thomas returns to the roster since leaving the team late this past season. Travez Moore, Jarell Cherry and Soni Fonua will have to show something in spring drills. Texas transfer Michael Williams (6-2, 275), Baton Rouge native, will bring athleticism to the line.

Tyler Shelvin and Apu Ika man the middle as prove nose tackles, and freshman Joseph Evans saw the field enough to be ready to add depth next season.

The incoming 2020 class will have a major say so as to how the depth chart ends up.

LSU must have production from the outside linebacker spots for the defense to be at its best. K’Lavon Chaisson is well regarded by NFL teams.

I would not be surprised to see him bolt at the conclusion of this season.

Andre Anthony, Ray Thornton and Marcel Brooks offer great promise as pass rushers while 2019 signee Desmond Little spent the season gaining strength and weight.

Patrick Queen and Jacob Phillips (24 starts) formed a solid and proven tandem on the inside at linebacker.

I expect one or both to solicit a draft grade but there’s a good chance both

48 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com

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www.GayMardiGras.com · www.GayEasterParade.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · 49

return. Damone Clark and Micah Baskerville have shown that they are quite capable of manning those spot with little drop off.

Another 2019 signee, Donte Starks, arrived late on campus and never caught up. He is capable of bringing physicality to the linebacking spot.

Of course, some shining stars will be taking off from DBU to the NFL. Kristian Fulton and Thorpe Award winner Grant Depit both expected to go in the first round of this spring’s draft so there are important jobs open in the secondary.

Freshman superstar Derek Stingley, Jr. returns to claim one cornerback

spot. I can see expected 2020 signee Elias Ricks end up as the starter opposite Stingley and perhaps have a similar impact. Kary Vincent will be back to man the slot.

Cordale Flott stepped up when called upon. He has All SEC written all over him. Jay Ward and Raydarious Jones should be as good as advertised as well so LSU will have secondary depth despite key losses.

Stingley is a unique talent, so much so that 2002 could be a Heisman campaign for him. Eventually, he is expected to see action on both sides of the ball, somewhat similar to what Charles Woodson did at Michigan to win the coveted trophy. Stingley could

leave Tigertown with the “best athlete in school history” tag. Think about how impressive that list is.

Safety Todd Harris flashed skills before falling to injury early this season so he is likely to join Jacoby Stevens in one of the best safety tandems in the SEC. Maurice Hampton grabbed valuable experience late in the season as a freshman but he will shift to the baseball program at the conclusion of the season. Eric Monroe and Cameron Lewis, a pair of seniors with experience, will be interesting to watch in their final chances to break through.

It will be a different dynamic for the 2020 campaign, regardless of what transpires in the playoffs as the Tigers

stake their claim for college football national supremacy.

Most importantly, the program has gotten over the hump to become one of the elites in the game once again. They will begin next season as the hunted.

It will be a challenge for a collection of players and coaching staff who already know what it takes to win and have the road map for how to play at a high level.

This article was originally published

by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

Former Saints linebacker Vaughan Johnson, part of legendary Dome Patrol, dead at age 57 Ken Trahan, Crescent City Sports And then there were two.

Once upon a time, there were four fabulous linebackers who comprised one fabulous unit in New Orleans which combined to 18 Pro Bowl honors as members of the New Orleans Saints.

As of today, we are left with just half of that quartet.

One of the finest players in New Orleans Saints history has passed away.

Saints Hall of Fame inductee

Vaughan Johnson died Thursday night in North Carolina after battling kidney disease for several years and lung failure most recently. Johnson was 57.

A native of Atlantic Beach, NC, Johnson starred at Morehead City West Carteret High School before starring at North Carolina State.

Johnson was chosen by the Jacksonville Bulls in the 1984 USFL Territorial Draft and played for the Bulls in 1984 and 1985.

Johnson was also chosen by the

New Orleans Saints fifteenth overall in the 1984 NFL Supplemental Draft of USFL and CFL Players. He would join the Saints in 1986 after the USFL folded.

Johnson went on to star for the Saints for eight seasons (1986-93).

He made the Pro Bowl four times, in four consecutive seasons (1989-92) as a member of the famed Dome Patrol, voted the best linebacker corps in NFL history by NFL Network, which consisted of Johnson, Rickey Jackson, Sam Mills and Pat Swilling. Johnson was named first team All-Pro in 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991 and 1992 by various entities.

Mills passed away in 2005 after battling cancer.

Johnson eclipsed 100 tackles three times with the Saints. He recorded 12 sacks, forced 11 fumbles, recovered five fumbles and had four interceptions.

Johnson hit so hard that he earned nicknames including “super collider” and “meat.”

Johnson was inducted into the Saints Hall of Fame in 2000. He was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and was inducted into the Allstate Sugar Bowl Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.

In recent years, Johnson overcame prostate cancer but encountered kidney and lung failure which he battled for the last few years of his life.

Johnson met his wife, Shirley Ardoin, while playing for the Saints. Shirley is from Eunice, LA. While living in North Carolina, the couple maintained an apartment in Kenner as well in recent years.

“He was one of the best players and best people I ever played with,” Jackson said. “He was never fighting with anyone, the most generous guy I ever knew. He loved everybody. He was the greatest teammate I ever had.

He would hit so hard. He was a great

player and a great man. I am truly going to miss him. He was my brother. He was more than a teammate. He was my great friend for life.”

“When I think about Vaughan, the enthusiasm he had for the game is something I will never forget,” Swilling said. “As tough as he was and would knock the stew out of you, he was always upbeat, with a smile and such a nice person. He was always a happy guy. I loved him. I played beside him here and he covered me year in and year out. He always said he had me and he always did.” He is going to be missed.”

Jim Mora brought Johnson to the Saints from the USFL. “He was special,” Mora said. “He just go to overshadowed by the other three linebackers. He was an excellent player, very team oriented, totally unselfish. What mattered was how the team did, how his teammates did. He was just as good as the other three guys who got a little more publicity than he did. Everybody loved him on this team. He was a terrific person and a terrific player.”

Aside from his scowl and vicious demeanor on the field, Johnson was truly one of the nicest persons you could ever meet off the field. He was a friend whose faith was paramount in his life and sustained him in his most difficult times.

Funeral services have not been announced as of yet.

This article was originally published

by Crescent City Sports. For the most comprehensive sports coverage in the Big Easy, visit crescentcitysports.com.

50 · The Official Gay Magazine of the Gulf South™: www.AmbushMag.com · December 17 – 30, 2019 · Official Southern Decadence Guide™ · www.SouthernDecadence.com