VOLUME 3|ISSUE 7
beige | Volume 3 | Issue 7
BECAUSE YOUR LIFE IS COLOURFUL ENOUGH
SHAYNE
WARD
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contents
VOLUME 3|ISSUE 7
beige | Volume 3 | Issue 7
beige
Cover: Stephen K Photo: Scott Hoover www.scotthooverphotography.com
BECAUSE YOUR LIFE IS COLOURFUL ENOUGH
SHAYNE
WARD
vol 3 issue 7
Welcome
Features
28 SHAYNE WARD
HELLO AND WELCOME TO BEIGE
30
I sometimes wonder if the gay political wish list is truly representative of what the gay populus really think. Much has been made about the fight for gay marriage in recent times, but when I ask around most of my colleagues seem strangely nonchelant or indifferent to the issue, with quite a few starkly against it. It makes me wonder who sets the gay agenda sometimes and just who they represent.
Is winning the X Factor a sure road to fame and fortune? We look for Shayne Ward who is fast becoming the invisible
30 LYNDA CARTER Beige speaks to the iconic television star on the eve of her West End concerts.
50 MAKING A SPLASH
This month Beige has cast its nets far and wide to bring you new fashion from Burberry, hot pants from Dead Good Undies, the fabulous naked boys from West End Bares, a peak at the paradise that is the Maldives, with the opening of the new W Hotel Retreat, some gorgeous 16 hotel pools and much, much more.
We talk to Tye Olsen and Kyle Clare about Watercolours, the hot new gay coming of age tale.
56 PETER MCLEAN We talk to Peter about his record label D1 and about what makes for a good dance track.
With the start of this year’s X Factor we go looking for past winner Shayne Ward and look at the aftermath of the contest. We also caught up with the gorgeous Lynda Carter. How great to meet a true icon who is every bit as fabulous as you’d expect her to be.
74
62 NAKED FOR A CAUSE Beige chats to Darren Carnall about West End Bares as the West End prepares for outrageous nakedness.
74 AT HOME WITH DUSTY O The fabulous Dusty O takes us for a guided tour around her sumptuous home.
There’s all that and more in this month’s Beige. I hope you enjoy it. DOUGLAS MAYO Editor
Editor Douglas Mayo editor@beigeuk.com Associate Editor Antony Strutt antony@beigeuk.com
Commercial Manager Chris Colman 0203 371 1850 chris@beigeuk.com
Sales Executive Craig Davies 0203 371 1425 craig@beigeuk.com
Advertising/ Subscriptions advertising@beigeuk. com Contributors Adam Lake Tony Tansley DJ St James
Peter Burton Mark Ludmon Martin Roberts Paul Tuttle Darren Cooper Phil Matthews Greg Brooks David Pollock
Beige is published by Evolved Publishing Limited Suite 404 Albany House 324 Regent Street London W1B 3HH
P: 0203 004 8133 F: 0871 714 6996 ISSN 1756 7211 www.beigeuk.com
All rights reserved throughout the world. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written consent of Beige UK. The views and opinions expressed by contributors to this magazine may not necessarily represent the views of Beige UK. Beige UK takes no responsibility for claims made in advertisements featured in this magazine. Beige UK can take no responsibility for unsolicited material. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy and completeness, and the opinions based thereon are not guaranteed. Disclaimer: Publication of the name or photograph of any person or organisation, articles or advertising in Beige UK should not be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such person or organisation or advertiser. (c) Evolved Publishing Ltd
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Beige distribution list
vol 3 issue 7
Regulars
38
10 FRESH!
The latest must have items and hottest events across the UK. General fabulousness is assured.
20 20 V 50
Do we really want gay marriage? Adam and Tony aren’t so sure.
22 WELLBEING
Beige takes a walk through fabulous new fragrances, health issues and looks at new treatments.
32 FASHION
Burberry takes to the catwalk with their new militaristic look. 38 TRAVEL Madrid Pride, The Ruhr and a look at protecting your holiday.
22
48 HOTSPOTS
Who new hotel swimming pools could be so stunning. 52 SCREENER We look at the latest offerings on DVD.
60 OFF THE SHELF
Peter Burton reviews this months literary offerings. 76 NIGHTCAP Mark Ludmon wonders if you can drink yourself thin!
76 COMMUNITY
A pocket guide to community groups across the UK.
68
SUBSCRIBE NOW!! Never miss an issue of Beige. Subscribe now to have your magazine sent within the UK or internationally. PLEASE ADJUST SPINE WIDTH TO FIT NO. OF PAGES
VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 6
VOLUME 3|ISSUE 7
beige | Volume 3 | Issue 7
beige | Volume 3 | Issue 6
BECAUSE YOUR LIFE IS COLOURFUL ENOUGH
LEONARDO DICAPRIO Hollywood’s hesitant hunk GAVIN CREEL Back in the West End
SHAYNE
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS
Part one of our exposé of Sin City
FAY PRESTO
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE
Up close and personal
BRIGHTON PRIDE Two sides to the argument
www.beigemagazine.co.uk
IT’S A LONG ROAD
BEN RICHARDS JOINS THE CAST OF PRISCILLA
TRAVEL: TEL AVIV THEATRE: TAP DOGS WELLBEING: DIET DRINKS REVEALED
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29/07/2010 20:37:50
WARD
MANCHESTER Alter Ego Crunch Churchills Coyotes Cruz 101 Company Bar Legends New York, New York Paddy’s Goose Queer LONDON SOUTH Barcode Kasbar The Little Apple The Rose and Crown Two Brewers The Lounge Retreat CENTRAL Barcode Admiral Duncan The Box Bar Comptons The Edge Friendly Society Halfway2heaven Ku Bar / Ku Club Kudos Clone Zone The Stag EAST The Angel Bar Music Hall The George & Dragon The Joiner’s Arms The Victoria The White Swan Dalston Superstore WEST The Hope & Anchor The Load of Hay The Queen’s Head The Richmond Arms BRIGHTON Amsterdam Aquarium Theatre Bar Bulldog Caledonian Bar Charles St Bar Grosvenor Bar Legends Marine Tavern BIRMINGHAM The Loft Lounge Bar Jester Eden Equator Missing Bar
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West 5 The Windsor Castle Escape Kingston Lush The Jury’s Out The Queen’s Arms R Bar Revenge The Star Inn Vavoom Bar The Zone The Village Inn Club DV8 The Fox The Fountain Nightingale
CARDIFF 4 Play Bar Icon The Golden Cross Pulse WOW Bar Yupi Bar Exit Club
SWANSEA Champers The Exchange The Kings Arms
SOUTHAMPTON The Bevois The Edge The Endeavour The London The Pink Broadway
BOURNEMOUTH The Bakers Arms The Branksome Arms The Triangle Club Xchange Bar Beyond RubyZ
BLACKPOOL Flamingos The Flying Handbag Funny Girls Kaos Bar BRISTOL Bristol Bear Bar Flamingos The Lounge Retreat Old Market Town
NEWPORT Aber Pride
The Mardi Gras The New Road Inn Pepes Bar Roxy’s PORTSMOUTH Hampshire Boulevard Martha’s Club The Old Vic
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MICHAEL BUBLE
Michael Bublé’s status as one of the world’s biggest artists continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. His current album release ‘Crazy Love’ has now passed 5 million worldwide sales, with 1.4 million of them in the UK alone. Released in October 2009, ‘Crazy Love’ became the Christmas #1 album during an eleven week stint in the Top 10 and has remained in the Top 20 every week since it was first released. Michael’s immense popularity is reflected with the confirmation of his second full UK arena tour of 2010. Tickets for Michael Bublé’s summer arena tour sold at a rate of 1500 a minute, ensuring that the entire run of dates – including two London O2 Arena shows – sold-out in just 55 minutes. The overwhelming public demand for tickets prompted the confirmation of Michael’s second full arena tour of 2010 that commences at the end of September and has since been extended with three additional arena shows. Michael’s second UK arena tour of 2010 now runs as below: September 27th – Sheffield, Arena 28th – Newcastle, Metro Arena 30th – Nottingham, Arena October 2nd/3rd/4th – London, Wembley Arena 6th & 7th – Manchester, Evening News Arena 9th & 10th – Birmingham, NIA Tickets are on sale now at www.livenation.co.uk, priced at £55 for London (with gold circle tickets costing £95) and £50 for all regional dates (£80 for gold circle). The tour’s special guests are Naturally 7. www.michaelbuble.com
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Sick of hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots, only to find that nearest one to you is McDonalds? Become your own Wi-Fi hotspot instead with 3’s portable modem. Compatible with any Wi-Fi equipped device it’s compact enough to fit into your pocket, with tariffs allowing from 1Gb to 15GB of data downloads on pay monthly and PAYG. The device will allow you to connect up to five devices at once and make video calls on the move using its HSDPA connection. www.three.co.uk £49.99 on PAYG
Need to find a good outfit for a night out? There’s an app for that. Need to find a good restaurant or club? There’s an app for that. Haven’t pulled at the club and want to find a shag? There’s an app for that too, the surprising thing is that all these things are now done by one app! Maleforce is a one-stop-shop for Saturday nights out; members can locate a wide variety of cool stores, gay bars, cafes, pubs and clubs in the local vicinity using the mapping service. They can also watch video and listen to audio messages on other members’ profiles and see how far away they are via the phone’s GPS - and then message back and forth for free! Maleforce has just been selected by Apple as being ‘new and noteworthy’ in their social networking category on iTunes.
No matter what you’re celebrating Clinton Cakes can deliver to you. Available in boxes of 6, 12 or more with an endless range of topping and style choices. These deliciously fresh delights went down a treat at the Beige offices recently and come highly recommended. Priced at just £1.75 a cake, they are just too good to pass up. www.clintoncakes.co.uk
Drama Button Is your life just one big drama? Would your life’s traumatic moments be better served with some truly dramatic underscoring? Then look no further. Drama Button is one of those nifty little phone apps that isn’t good for much except inciting laughter. The premise is simple, the app provides you with a great big red button on your phone screen. Just hit the button and every drama in your life can be orchestrated with a short orchestral blast of suitably dramatic music. We dare you not to try this out on your friends.
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beigefresh
Meridian M80 Entertainment System This beautifully-sculpted elliptical cabinet, crafted of custom mineral composite, gives the system a discreet, yet stylish presence. It houses a powerful 80-watt 2.1 Digital Signal Processing stereo system with a rear-mounted subwoofer, slot-loading CD/DVD drive, AM/FM/DAB Digital Radio, organic light emitting diode and comes complete with a gloss-black i80 dock for the iPod The outer case, made of the finest British leather, is available in three colours, Obsidian Black, Chestnut and Ivory. RRP £1,500. For more information visit www.meridian-audio.com
Think Ink Got a tattoo or just a big fan of ink? The London Tattoo Convention is back for its 6th year on the 24th – 26th of August. The convention will be held at The Tobacco Dock, 50 Porters Walk, Wapping. The London Tattoo Convention has now evolved into the most important and crowded convention in the world and is the number one alternative event of the year in London. Last year over 20,000 people attended the convention and participants broke the Guinness World Record for the most people being tattooed simultaneously. This year more than 200 of the world’s most famous tattooists will be practicing their art in public in all the spacious sterile areas on the vast ground floor level of Tobacco Dock, including such UK stars as Nicole Low (London Ink), Phil Kyle (London Ink), and Lal Hardy (New Wave), as well as a whole host of international artists, including Tim Hendricks from Miami Ink. It’s estimated that nearly a third of adults aged 16-44 have at least one tattoo so it’s not hard to see why this event has grown so big. There will be a mind boggling amount of alternative events and complementary entertainment to enjoy, including numerous photographic exhibitions, artistic events, live rock bands, tribal dancers and seductive Burlesque performers from round the world. The massive, spectacular, semi-submerged underground vault floor boasts wide lounge areas where various dark, jaw-dropping, alternative performers will astound at regular intervals throughout the weekend. There will be a huge amount of alternative merchandise and clothing, tattoo equipment and supplies stalls etc, plus massive fetish and vintage retro markets on the lower ground floor. For more information visit www.thelondontattooconvention.com
Big Book Of Gaydar With over 6 million profiles online it’s fair to say that a lot of guys out there are on Gaydar – and chances are you’re one of them. JockBoy26 takes you through picking your profile name and filling in your ‘about me’ section, choosing your photos, chat etiquette and advice on staying safe. Filled with quotes from users who have had good, bad and erotic experiences using Gaydar (‘one guy on second meet was dressed as a bride in white – the works, wedding dress, veil, and flowers!’) and helpful tips like ‘No pic, no chat, no meet’. There are also a lot of fun facts; the age of Gaydar users most likely to have hardcore pictures on their profile? 64 – make of that what you will. A fun, easy read that all gay men will be able to relate to – and you just might learn something! £6.99, Book Guild Publishing
Mael Use it, Do it, Be wild! A new sensuous perfume for men which grants a venturesome – erotic aura. MAËL is a symbol for male instincts, for pure passion and inhibited emotions. After a while on your skin it becomes deep, rich and sexy. Just a few drops and your life gets wild. MAËL opens with fresh and tangy French citrus fruits, some cinnamon and pepper, followed by amber, rose and warm wood. In the profound depth finally its secret evolves, a wave of the male scents. MAEL contains natural pheromones that boost your attractiveness. www.mael.biz
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An Apple A Day.... The world’s largest Apple shop has opened in London’s Covent Garden. Some people began queuing on Friday so they could be among the first customers when the shop opened its doors at 10am on Saturday. An Apple executive said it was “a big moment” for the firm as it was its 300th store. The Grade II listed building on The Piazza has been restored using English oak and York stone and it will employ 300 staff. Ron Johnson, Apple’s senior vice president of retail, said: “Every time we make a product, we try and better what came before it, we tried to do the same with our stores and this is what we have done here.
spent a lot of time refurbishing the building, retaining its original features and giving it an Apple spin.” The new Apple shop in London’s Covent Garden The new store is Apple’s 28th in the UK So far this year nearly 150 million people have visited Apple stores in 10 countries from the US and UK to Japan, China and Switzerland. However, London’s Regent Street store is Apple’s busiest. The actor and writer Stephen Fry, renowned as one of the company’s devotees, wrote on his Twitter feed that the shop’s prestigious address - No 1, The Piazza, Covent Garden - meant that “if all goes wrong, Apple will survive as real-estate owners”.
“It is our most historic store, we’ve
John Barrowman Tour John Barrowman, Britain’s most successful - and comfortably Britain’s best - allround entertainer is preparing for a brand new 23 date UK Tour including a show at London’s Royal Albert Hall. John is one of those fabulous leading men that infuses every performance with chutzpah, panache and sexy sizzle. Make a point of catching him live in a venue near you. www.johnbarrowman.com
Fry Memoir Part Two National Treasure Stephen Fry has announced details of two live shows for this month, with the actor, writer, director, journalist, comedian and television presenter performing in Oxford on September 18th and again in London on September 20th. The performances scheduled for September will take place at Oxford’s intimate New Theatre and London’s historic Royal Albert Hall with each appearance consisting of Fry reading from his autobiography ‘Fry: A Memoir’. Not only will the live shows mark the release of his long-awaited second batch of memoirs, it will also give fans and exclusive insight into the revealing new book.
Renown for his sharp wit and linguistic skills, the shows promise to be a fantastic night of entertainment. Now a master at the one-line gags, an example of Fry’s humour can be seen in a previous comment he made when asked about his sexuality. “I suppose it all began when I came out of the womb. I looked back up at my mother and thought to myself, ‘That’s the last time I’m going up one of those.’” Following each performance Stephen Fry will be sticking around to sign copies of his new book, which is set for release on September 16th. 18th New Theatre, Oxford 20th Royal Albert Hall, London Tickets are on sale now.
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We’re Off!! Sitting here as the Summer comes to an end we’ve been dreaming of a luxury escape in the sun and we came across this idyll. W Retreat & Spa - Maldives is the place to jet set for ultimate luxury and is the perfect haven to indulge for those who enjoy the fabulously chic & contemporary lifestyle. With the “Whatever/Whenever” philosophy as its mantra, the W Retreat & Spa Maldives takes this service culture one step further by offering guests exclusive access ”Wherever”. This mindset helps to ensure that you get what your heart desires - as long as it’s legal! Whether it’s couture hot off the catwalks in Milan, Champagne straight from the French vineyards or even just your favourite shoes you left at home, W Retreat & Spa Maldives will help grant your wish. The Retreat is located on the Maldivian island of Fesdu which is a short and scenic 25 minute seaplane ride south-west of Male. W Retreat & Spa Maldives has a total of 78 retreats waiting on your arrival. All of the retreats come with a W Signature Bed, indoor/outdoor BOSE entertainment system, plunge pool, 42” plasma TV, CD/DVD player, complimentary internet, mini bar & wine fridge, BLISS amenities, sun lounges, personal BBQ & Munchie Box and more! Along with the sheer luxury experienced with the retreat, the W Maldives also provides the most sumptuous culinary delights and chill-out experiences. The AWAY Spa with its indoor and outdoor treatment areas is the place to escape whilst on the island. With over 125 treatments on the menu, allow yourself to indulge while waves lap in the background. Highlights include private yoga lessons, creative expression and champagne facials. So what are you waiting for? We’ll see you there!!! www.whotels.com
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beigecomment
EXCUSE ME BUT..
ARE YOU ON THE LIST?
Douglas Mayo ponders the Independent On Sunday Pink List and asks what it is trying to achieve.
comment
“If “infuriation” was on the agenda, then the 2010 list has stirred up a veritable hornets nest in some circles with the further inclusion of a Rogues Gallery, the removal of certain National Treasures from list placement and through some of its bitchy commentary.”
A
t the Beginning of August the Independent on Sunday published its annual Pink List. The List, containing the names of 101 members of the gay and lesbian community was designed to “Entertain and celebrate, infuriate and amuse”. Having studied the list and formed my own opinion, it’s been interesting to hear feedback from the public at large. It would appear though that the list did more to infuriate and enrage the community than to celebrate it. The list compiled by a judging panel which included Stonewall chief executive Ben Summerskill, former culture secretary Ben Bradshaw, Clare Balding and John Amaechi, lists some impressive names who make up the rich tapestry of LGBT life in the United Kingdom, but only if you were born in the UK. Given the LGBT community’s rich diverse make up it seems unforgiveable that this list could discriminate so freely against people who live in the UK and contribute to the community but were not born here. If “infuriation” was on the agenda, then the 2010 list has stirred up a veritable hornets nest in some circles with the further inclusion of a Rogues Gallery, the removal of certain National Treasures from list placement and through some of its bitchy commentary.
where you walked around an imaginary meeting of the great and the good pretending to point out individuals finishing up a summation of their character with the phrase “…and did you know he/she was gay?” This point was highlighted by the inclusion of Joe McEldry at Number 100. Beige has nothing against Joe but for the IOS List judges to include him on this list given that he had only been outed by a national newspaper the day before was verging on ridiculous. It interested me to note that many within the LGBT community itself questioned the need for such a list in the first place. I’m afraid I’m not sure I agree with that stance, any well-reasoned piece of journalism that shows that LGBT people are members of the wider community, are successful and in most cases not stereotypical should be welcomed. We’ve come a long way in a very short period of time. Public perceptions of the LGBT community as a whole have changed radically and are continuing to change, it’s important though that we as a community celebrate our own diversity and our much valued place within the wider community.
Stephen Fry, (list position No 3) has recently stepped up to defend Louie Spence, described by the IOS list as a “gay stereotype” whose 15 minutes of fame would soon be up. In a Twitter post, Fry wrote: “By singling out Louise Spence for lofty disapproval, by sneering at his “mincing” they are turning their back on, dissociating themselves from, insulting and demeaning a fine man and whole way of being. An authentic, strong, charming and loveable person, every bit as courageous as the others on the list, certainly more courageous than me, Louie deserves respect and support, not insult and derision”. Fry continued: “Do they want people like him not to count, do they see him as being guilty of a choice in his manner and his demeanour, just as homophobes everywhere accuse all gay people of choosing their sexuality and preferences?” Fry concluded by renouncing his position of Number 3 on the list and giving it to Spence. Fry’s comments highlight one of the main flaws with any list of this nature. How did the judges determine that Spence was a blight on the LGBT community whilst Alan Carr and Julian Clary weren’t? Both are camp TV presenters, both Carr and Clary seized an opportunity to make a career for themselves based on stereotypes yet it is only Spence, and to a lesser extent Jason Gardiner, that are singled out for attack.
Mr Mayo’s comments are not necessarily those of Beige magazine. If you have a viewpoint on this topic, we would love to hear from you. Write to us at editor@beigeuk.com with the subject line “Letter to the Editor”
For that matter, one has to ask why it was necessary to include a Rogues Gallery at all? Ok, some well known gay people were not deemed worthy of being listed, but is it necessary to line them up for character assassination? Looking over the list again and again, I am still perplexed at just how the list was devised. Is it based on most influential? – not really, most popular? – definitely not, names people know? – I doubt it, so just what is the list trying to surmise? Are we celebrating achievement by those in the LGBT community? the positive influence achieved by listees on the wider community? Or is the list reduced to a list described by one online comment as “a sort of dinner party game
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beigecomment
SHOULD WE SAY “NOPE” TO THE POPE?
PAPAL VISIT 2010
David Pollock, President of the European Humanist Federation expresses his viewpoint on the upcoming controversial Papal Visit to Britain.
J
oseph Alois Ratzinger is coming to Britain for a few days. So what? Anyone (bar a few unwanted criminals) is welcome to visit us in this free country. But he’s also Pope Benedict XVI. So? - he can make a pastoral visit to them: we have freedom of religion or belief as well as freedom of movement. But he’s coming on a state visit. (A state visit? Yes - but not as the autocratic ruler of the tiny Vatican State, set up in 1929 under a treaty with Mussolini: he’s coming as head of that non-geographic entity, the Holy See, which has had diplomatic relations with most of the world for centuries.) And that is a very different matter.
comment
“He heads a church that claims moral leadership of the world, but its idea of what is moral is vastly at odds with what most people think”
To join the Protest The Pope rally Meet at Hyde Park Corner (top of Piccadilly) from 1pm on Saturday 18 September.
Mr Pollock’s comments are not necessarily those of Beige magazine. If you have a viewpoint on this topic, we would love to hear from you. Write to us at editor@beigeuk. com with the subject line “Letter to the Editor”
Britain entertains some dubious characters on state visits: it is usually a trade-off between moral distaste and commercial or political advantage. But our exports to the Vatican are not a major item in our economy, and a political deal with the head of the Roman Catholic church scarcely bears thinking about (unless you cynically reckon the invitation was planned to boost Gordon Brown’s chance of re-election!). The state visit, rather, will serve to honour Ratzinger and his Church. But honour is something of which they are singularly undeserving. He heads a church that claims moral leadership of the world, but its idea of what is moral is vastly at odds with what most people think. Readers of Beige will not need me to tell them of the condemnation of homosexuality as “an intrinsic moral evil” or that the Pope has said that saving humanity from it is as important as saving the rainforests. Nor of Vatican claims (in defence of their doctrine of opposition to birth control - a doctrine that in the 1960’s was almost scrapped) that use of condoms to protect from AIDS may instead increase HIV infection and must therefore be opposed. Nor of his church’s nasty implication that sexual assaults on children, endemic among his priesthood, are a manifestation of being gay. Nor of the 1992 document that people whose conduct is “objectively morally disordered” can legitimately have their civil rights restricted and should not be surprised if they are subject to hatred or violence (is that incitement or what?).
- and for that matter the Humanists (who opposed it throughout the negotiations) - have the same rights, it is the Catholic church that has the resources, diplomatic know-how and obsession with interfering in other people’s lives to exploit the privileges to the full. And this comes just as the EU is moving beyond tariffs and trade to get into education and research, human rights and family law - areas where the church has such strong and damaging views. At a time when George Bush had just led us into war, a MORI poll commissioned by the British Humanist Association found that only foreign politicians beat religious leaders in the league table of people to whom the Government listened too much. The influence of foreign leaders has fallen since then but that of religious leaders has risen, with the previous government doling out nearly £14 million under one scheme alone, funding new faith schools by the dozen and leaning on local authorities to contract out public services to religious organisations despite their wide exemptions from laws about discrimination against employees and the public. The new government has, however, condemned the old one for being too antireligion, so things are set to get far worse. The Pope’s visit is therefore a blessing in disguise. It is not only an opportunity to tell the Pope, almost to his face, that his morality is inhumane and revolting but to tell the Government that we have had enough kowtowing to religious leaders.
But this homophobic moralism is not an aberration: there’s plenty more where it came from. For example, Pope Benedict has readmitted to the church the excommunicated bishop Richard Williamson despite his holocaust denial and he is planning to canonise Pius XII who never even condemned the holocaust. The Vatican condemns abortion for 12-year olds who’ve been raped, and says that ordaining women as priests would be as evil as sexual assaults on children and at the height of that abiding scandal pronounced (this was our retired Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor) that the greatest of all evils was not believing in God. Catholic priests in the USA warned that a vote for Barack Obama would be a mortal sin; and the Pope himself has threatened Catholic politicians with excommunication if they support abortion law reform and has told British bishops to stand firm against human rights and equality laws if (for example) they risk forcing Catholics to stop discriminating against LGBT people. In Europe the Vatican has spearheaded a successful campaign to gain privileged access to the EU for religion at the highest political and official levels: the Lisbon treaty requires an “open, transparent and regular dialogue” and though the other denominations and religions
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COMMENT.indd 2
27/08/2010 11:23:08
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ads.indd 1
27/08/2010 16:36:45
20 V 50
beigecomment
20
Tying The Knot!! Adam Lake
Do we really need gay marriage????
Why the hell would a gay couple want to get married?
50
Tony Tansley
I hope that one day I will meet the man of my dreams and enter into a loving and loyal civil partnership, but marriage? I’d rather get a Prince Albert (which for the record is something that I really don’t want to do)
Civil Marriage has and always will be, based on institutionalised religion and politics, created by the church, for the church as a moral path of acceptable procreation. It has, for generations, been part of a legally documented ritual that provides thousands of excuses to condemn anybody that opposes its mere existence.
As far as I’m concerned marriage is a religious ceremony, it should have no more legal significance then a christening or an exorcism. Religions are like fraternities, they have rules and they have traditions that must be followed if you want to be in the club.
Marriage, under its own title and description, is a heterosexual ceremony and works well in most cases, but when it falls apart it uses the system and not the faith to install jealousy, greed, hatred and in some cases violence.
The bible is very clear on a number of issues; gays are sinful, adulterous women should be stoned to death and black people should be slaves. Society no longer agrees with executing cheating wives or enslaving a whole race of people and slowly homosexuality is being accepted too. It is society that has deemed these opinions to be plain wrong and it is religion that has been forced to change their view on what is morally acceptable.
I was married at 19 in a church, with no religious beliefs. I was then divorced 5 years later and remarried for the 2nd time in a registry office. During those years, I not only lost, to the legal system of alimony etc, a lot of money, but my dignity, my character and most of my married friends. It was like the most private of clubs and I loved both my wives very dearly.
By accepting marriage you accept the word of the bible; how any sane thinking person who has actually read the bible can do this is beyond me. People talk about the church changing yet the only thing that has changed is the churches interpretation of the bible. The bible is the same book of antiquated laws that has caused death and suffering for over 2000 years, and if we’re worshiping the interpretation and not the book then surely this renders the whole exercise pointless. I believe that people of all sexualities and faiths should make a distinction between the legal formalisation of a union between two people and the religious ceremony that often accompanies it. Sure there are parts of the bible that make a lot of sense and offer comfort and happiness to a lot of people, but when you get married and have a religious ceremony you are not only making a commitment to your partner but you are making a commitment to the god of whichever faith you follow with no exemptions, loopholes, get outs or special deals. The very notion of two men in a church hand in hand displaying their devotion to each other in the eyes of god is a flawed one. When I get married I want to devote my life solely to the person standing opposite me; not the god that denies my right to fall in love.
In all honesty, I have the greatest respect for those couples that stay together for decades. It requires so much passion, so much honesty and so much care for each other.
Do we REALLY need gay marriage?
“When I get married I want to devote my life solely to the person standing opposite me; not the god that denies my right to fall in love.”
“When two people are under the influence of the most violent, most insane, most delusive, and most transient of passions, they are required to swear that they will remain in that excited, abnormal, and exhausting condition continuously until death do them part. ~G.B. Shaw, Getting Married, 1908”. To use the word “marriage” in a gay situation removes everything that we stand for and makes us homosexuals. A civil partnership is a legally or socially recognised union between two people of the same biological sex or social gender. For years and years we have denied to be part of all things “straight”. I know it’s just a word, but it’s a powerful one and what is special about us and our community is that we don’t fall into the norm. Once we undertake to do this we become just another speck of sand in a huge desert. I do support and fought for civil partnerships, because they involve rights, but let’s not kid ourselves there still remains the “divorce” situation. So, do you really want to put yourself through all the pain, the worry, the expense, only to realise that the same could have resulted in even more happiness which is the love for each other. “Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind. “Pooh!” he whispered. “Yes, Piglet?” “Nothing,” said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. “I just wanted to be sure of you.” ~A.A. Milne
20| beige | vol3issue7
20 v 50.indd 2
www.abstractdreams.org
27/08/2010 11:26:33
upstaged.indd 1
29/07/2010 20:15:29
beigewellbeing
The Big Pony Fragrance Collection
wellbeing health
beauty fitness
The Big Pony Collection is galloping in from Ralph Lauren with a quartet of brand new fragrances set to be best-sellers this Christmas. The collection is inspired by the four players of a polo team and Ralph Lauren’s Big Pony polo shirts. Each scent embodies a different aspect of the sportsman’s personality and comes in a beautifully designed bottle with a distinct bright colour for each one in the range. Fragrance 1 is ‘Sporty’ and comes in a lively blue bottle. With hints of lime and grapefruit, Sporty is aromatic with refreshing citrus. It is designed to propel men to victory. Fragrance 2 is ‘Seductive’ and not surprisingly the bottle is red. This is a musky, dark chocolate aroma that hints at the Orient. Fragrance 3 is ‘Adventurous’ with a bottle that wouldn’t look out of place on the pitch in its verdant green. With an exciting mix of mint and ginger root, this aroma has a woody hint to it and is designed to trigger an adrenaline rush. Fragrance 4 is ‘Stylish’ and comes in a suave orange bottle. The energising, woody fruity nature of Stylish comes from the mixture of mandarins and kyarawood. The Big Pony Collection can be found in store at The Perfume Shop, many brands can also be found online at www.theperfumeshop.com
Bleu De Chanel
It’s been 11 years since Chanel last launched a signature fragrance for men. Now, finally, the wait is over. Chanel’s latest cologne is a refreshing mix of the new and the old. Classic and sedate, the fragrance carries tones of nutmeg, ginger, sandalwood, patchouli, mint, jasmine, cedar and pink peppercorn. Taking its name from a discontinued women’s fragrance discontinued in the 30’s, It comes in a stylish blue/black glass bottle, it has a revolutionary magnetic cap (a unique technology pioneered by Chanel) that doesn’t allow the iconic double-’C’ logo on the top to ever rest ‘off-centre facing’.. Keep you’re eye out for the advert directed by Martin Scorsese and featuring French hunk Gaspard Ulliel. RRP: 50 mil £42, also available in an aftershave lotion and a spray deodorant.
DAVIDOFF CHAMPION
If you’re sporty and competitive and success and power are important to you, you will want to lift this weighty bottle and spritz yourself with glory. However if you despise sport but you just like to smell sexy you also might like the new Davidoff fragrance ‘Champion’. The composition is bright and citrus from the start – lemon and bergamot, merging with the heart of galbanum and clary sage. Base notes include cedar wood accords and oak moss. The whole thing comes in an impressive (or at the very least, kitch) bottle shaped like a dumbbell. This is one weight that will lift you! RRP: 50mil £35.50
All fragrances on this page can be found instore at The Perfume Shop across the UK.
22| beige | vol3issue7
health.indd 4
28/08/2010 16:06:46
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28/08/2010 15:11:10
beigewellbeing
GET READY TO PARTY Laurent Bannock is Myprotein’s elite Nutritionist, Exercise Physiologist and the UK representative for the International Society of Sports Nutrition. He’s worked with world class athletes and international celebrities including Madonna and Sting, to fine tune their nutritional plans and maximise results: As a starting point there are three things to focus on leading up to any big event to ensure you’re in peak physical condition. They are hydration, sleep and training. In the short term there are also a few effective things you can do to ensure you’re looking your best: 1.Digestion is crucial and maintaining a healthy digestive system will avoid bloating and water retention. This can give you a puffy overweight appearance, even if you’re in reasonably good shape. Something you’ll want to avoid if you’ve put in the hard yards at the gym.
Taking probiotics or digestive enzymes such as DigestiMax will avoid bloating and ease digestion for a slimmer waistline.
2.Increasing your intake of quality lean protein (such as fish, chicken, and whey protein shakes) will cause a high thermic effect (fat burning) response from your body. Green tea also creates a strong thermogenic response and has many other health benefits. This will help to reduce body fat, giving greater muscle definition.
SKINCARE ANTHONY LOGISTICS This facial cleanser from Anthony Logistics uses the cleansing power of algae to refresh you skin. Aloe heals bumps and irritations and extracts of azulene, lavender and rose hip oil calm and soothe. This non-abrasive and hardly-scented cleanser makes your shower routine that little bit gentler and works wonders. Twice a week you should also use the deep pore cleansing clay which is incredibly smooth and gentle. Softening apricot kernel oil, toning calendula and nourishing vitamins A, C and E help absorb excess oils and tighten pores. Deep Pore Clay £22.50 Algae Cleanser £35 www.mankind.co.uk
3.Up your testosterone levels in the weeks leading up to the event. This will reduce fat and increase muscle vascularity with the added advantage of boosting libido. Eating lean red meat and taking protein shakes as mentioned previously will help boost your levels of man juice but using a herbal stimulant such as Myprotein’s Tribulus Pro, will push testosterone levels to their optimum level. www.myprotein.co.uk
SUPPLEMENTS PROMAX Promax is a high whey protein shake to support lean muscle growth, strength and recovery. It contains Nitrogain, a unique blend of glutamine peptides, taurine and chromium picolinate to support your physique and sporting goals. Glutamine aids muscle repair and recovery and reduces the risk of overtraining as well as supporting your natural immune defences. Promax is rich in Branched Chain Amino Acids which are used for energy during exercise and play a key role in supporting muscle growth and repair. Promax is perfect before and after exercise as it is digested quickly. With just 2g of carbs and 2g of fat per serving, Promax is perfect for those on low carb or low fat diets. It is also easy to drink as it contains special digestive enzymes that help digest protein for easier and faster absorption. RRP: £33.99 for 908g (30 servings) www.maximuscle.com
TREATMENTS SOMETHING FISHY The ultimate pedicure has arrived in the UK with London’s first ever fish therapy spa, Aqua Sheko. A popular beauty treatment in Asia, fish therapy is a relaxing way to remove dead skin from your feet as tiny fish gently suck and nibble away the dead skin, leaving your feet smooth and revitalised. Fish therapy is a unique beauty therapy treatment that uses Garra Rufa fish, a form of carp, to gently remove dead skin. The fish have no teeth and use a sucking motion to painlessly lift away dead skin without damaging the new health cells underneath, leaving you with a pleasant tingling sensation similar to a light massage. While fish therapy might be new to London, these miniature pedicurists have been perfecting the feet of bathers for centuries. Found naturally in hot springs near Kangal, Turkey, it is believed that Garra Rufa fish secrete an enzyme diathanol - that improves skin regeneration. Fish therapy has been used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis and is suitable for anyone suffering from dry skin. One 45 minute treatment is £35 and includes washing/cleaning of feet prior to treatment, thirty minutes of fish therapy and a relaxing massage after treatment . Aqua Sheko has eight state-of-the-art pools, allowing one client per pool, which are filtered and fed by a constant oxygen supply to ensure clean water and a healthy environment for the fish. In addition, the pools are sterilized using ultra-violet lights. Ms Ho was inspired to bring fish therapy to London after receiving the treatment herself whilst on holiday in Macau. “Fish therapy was so effective it was like a mask had been removed from my feet, the results were instant.” Aqua Sheko is located at 14 Holland Street, High Street Kensington, London W8 4LT. To indulge your feet in a fish therapy session and prepare them for sexy summer sandals email reservations@aquasheko.co.uk. Fancy a nibble?
24| beige | vol3issue 7
health.indd 2
27/08/2010 11:40:56
beigeadvertising
beigetravel and the statue of Alan Turing, the WW2 mathematician famously persecuted for his homosexuality.
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During the day in Sackville Gardens sample the cornucopia of local music talents. Come nightfall, at 9pm, there will be a Candlelit Vigil to remember the people we have lost to HIV and to support those living with and fighting against the disease. The Vigil is the spiritual heart of the Manchester Pride weekend and there is a truly magical and moving atmosphere. The Vigil is not ticketed but capacity is limited so it is suggested you arrive early to avoid disappointment.
Lesbian couples and single women are looking for genuine gay men willing to donate sperm by personal arrangement.
The Gaydar Main Stage will make sure the weekend ends with a bang as Beverley Knight headlines with her hits. This is a welcome return for Beverley who sang at the Candlelit Vigil in 2005. There will also be performances from Adam Rickitt, 4 Poofs & a Piano and Pride Angel is a new social networking website, forum and blog for the LGBT Same Difference – there is literally community wishing to become parents. Visit our site to read more information something for everyone!
about legal rights, health screening and home insemination.
Tickets cost £17.50 for the whole weekend or £10 for a single day. Details of how to buy tickets, as well as information on anything else you might want to know about Manchester Pride’s Big Weekend, can be found at www. manchesterpride.com
Register as a co-parent or sperm donor for FREE
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2/3/10 13:11:06
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vol3issue7 | beige | 73
28/08/2010 14:07:10 11/03/2010 16:36:25 13:12:08 29/07/2010
beigewellbeing
L A N O PERS ER TRAIN Greg Brooks looks at personal fitness issues.
5 SECRETS TO EXERCISE FAT LOSS When it comes to losing fat through exercise I have found strength and conditioning to be by far the most effective. Here are 5 principles that I base all my workouts on for fat loss:
DE-STRESS WITH THE TENSION TACKLER Specifically designed for male clients, the Tension Tackler treatment (available at the Spa at Chancery Court) focuses on relieving tension and managing stress. To help educate male clients and relieve their tension, the treatment focuses on the key areas of neck, back and shoulders, whilst also including the lesser-known stress trap of the face and head. The 55 minute treatment (£85) starts with a deep upper back massage, followed by a skinperfecting facial treatment to help relax facial muscles and refresh skin. Cold stones are used around the eyes to refresh the skin and mind and reduce tension and puffiness (you’ll want to buy your own set of stones to take home after experiencing just how good this feels). The treatment concludes with a soothing scalp massage to ease any lingering tension. A haven of tranquility, the Spa at Chancery Court features six individual treatment rooms, a couples VIP suite, Finishing Touches Suite and a blissful gold leaf Relaxation Room. Twice awarded the coveted Best Day Spa of the Year at the British Beauty Awards, Beige can highly recommend this experience. Take the time though to enjoy the facilities either side of your treatment. No need to rush!! The Spa at Chancery Court is located in the fivestar Renissance Chancery Court Hotel (252 High Holborn, London WC1V 7EN. P: 020 7829 7058.
HEALTHY SKIN
Wellman Skin Technology is from the UK’s number 1 men’s supplement brand, and is a specialist supplement developed to help men stay looking their very best. This advanced skin formula is a major development in male nutrition, with a unique combination of specialist bio-active nutrients. These are delivered via the bloodstream, at the very deepest level, for the dermal layer of the skin, hair follicles and nail beds. It also includes plant extracts such as standardised Grape Seed Extract and Lycopene to provide antioxidant protection and help maintain a healthy complexion. £16.95 for a month’s supply. www.vitabiotics.com
1. One of your biggest enemies when training for fat loss is adaptation. The longer you do the same thing the more your body adapts to it and fat loss slows right down. If you challenge your body with fresh exercises then muscles and nerves are forced to work harder to adapt to the new movement. Adaptation to the new movement increases the turnover of proteins in your muscle fibres as you breakdown and build up muscle. This constant “breaking down and building up” takes energy and so raises your metabolism, burning calories for hours, even days after your workout. So remember, the more you continue doing the same exercise the less benefit you get from it. If you are someone who exercises frequently then your body adapts quicker than someone who if fresh to exercise so ensure that you make changes more often. 2. Unfamiliar exercise usually stimulates a greater stress response from your “Flight or Fight” nervous system. This stress response results in a quickening of the heart rate and breathing, boosting adrenaline which opens up blood vessels and pushes more oxygen to the muscles and also quickens muscle contractions. All this takes valuable energy and so burns more calories. Again following a similar workout week in, week out, results in more efficiency which equals less stress hormone. 3. One stress hormone that is released is Cortisol. Cortisol has a number of jobs but one is the breakdown of muscle tissue for energy. Muscle tissue breakdown takes energy and although it may initially sound worrying it is not permanent, it can be reversed by eating or drinking carbs and protein after your workout. You produce the most cortisol by using your largest muscles and having shorter rest periods between exercises. These types of workout also generate the most amount of growth hormone response, which helps muscles grow and also helps your body use fat for energy. So to recap, Cortisol happens during the workout and breaks down muscle tissue, growth hormones are raised after your workout and build the muscle tissue back up. 4. During your workout you want to stimulate as many muscle fibres as possible so go for complete full body workouts every time. Why use the energy from 3 muscles when you can use it from 600?. Either alternate between exercises or perform them all in a circuit. For ultimate fat loss and complete inefficiency, as mentioned above, alternate exercises that have nothing to do with one another eg. Kettlebell Swings followed by Push Ups. 5. Heavier weights challenge your muscles more so don’t be afraid to increase the poundage. Think about all those times you carry a suitcase or child around and yet only pick up a small 2 kg Dumbell. Keep the rest periods down to a minimum and work up to lifting some challenging weight. Of course when it comes to fat loss, exercise is only half the battle, the other half is nutrition. However, get exercise and nutrition working together and you will see some amazing results in only 30 days or less. For further information visit www.gbpersonaltraining.com
26| beige | vol3issue7 health.indd 1
27/08/2010 11:41:21
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ads.indd 1
28/08/2010 14:25:04
Niall Carson/PA Archive/Press Association Images
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28| beige | vol3issue7
shayne ward.indd 2
27/08/2010 14:17:49
beigefeature
SHAYNE WARD The X Factor’s Forgotten Man
T
he X Factor has just started its seventh season on UK television with thousands of hopefuls auditioning across the nation, all hoping for a shot at the fame that winning the series could bring. But is winning the X Factor the holy grail or a poisoned chalice which stiffles creativity and brings careers crashing down? Many point to Leona Lewis as proof that the X Factor formula works but after seven seasons many are quick to skip over some of the other winners who are fast slipping into obscurity. Names like Steve Brookstein and Leon Jackson have already been forgotten. Perhaps though the plight of Shayne Ward best illustrates how the reality TV system can have an adverse effect on what could have been a promising career.
Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment
As a new season of X Factor begins, we stop to remember one of its sexiest winners. Promised fame beyond compare, did the dream match the reality for Shayne Ward? for a summer release is now apparently scheduled for a December 2010 release. Ward has apparently been busy working with Taio Cruz, who recently had a US Number 1 and songwriter Savan Kotecha, who has worked with JLS, Usher and Britney. He has also recently taken on a new manager, the renowned publicist Alan Edwards, whose clients include David Bowie, Amy Winehouse and Naomi Campbell. Whether the December album released will be successful or indeed even happen at all is still in doubt. With so many other major artists releasing during the Christmas period and up against the latest crop of X Factor graduates, not to mention more recent winners, Ward’s offering could sink slowly if it doesn’t get noticed by his fans, fans who may now have moved on, having given up waiting.
For Shayne Ward it all started out incredibly well. Much was made of his less then privileged background, of his triumph over adversity to win the competition’s second season. The judges fawned over him, the public loved him, magazine editors competed to feature him in articles and on their covers.
There’s no denying Ward comes across as a genuinely nice guy, a real talent with sex appeal to boot but even the most hardened record company execs are quick to point out that continued marketing, constant PR and continued releases are necessary to help maintain a vibrant career in the cut throat world of pop.
Shayne’s first single sold 200,000 copies more than Leona’s. His first album went platinum in little over a week, Heat declared him “the sexiest reality star ever”, Shayne was all set to become a major star. The fans were primed and waited for Shayne to become the major star that Simon Cowell proclaimed he would be. Problem is they’re still waiting.
Perhaps Shayne would have fared better had he been mentored by Simon instead of Louie. Simon is working on many projects including the US version of the X Factor, but has already steered Leona’s career through two albums with a third due next year and helped her break the lucrative US market, the only UK finalist to have done so.
Shayne’s post X Factor career seemed to start well enough. That’s My Goal was the fourth-fastest selling single ever. His first album sold more than half-amillion copies in the UK, while his second Breathless, which came out in 2007, sold another half million copies here and made him a huge star in Asia. But since then? Nothing. Perhaps the biggest clue came when in last year’s series, his name was excluded from the shows big name stars. This major snub came after a two year period where Ward literally disappeared from the face of the Earth. The wheels of Shayne’s music career seemed to start falling off when manager Louis Walsh stopped managing him in October 2009. Walsh was quoted as saying “I thought Shayne had the X Factor. I thought he ticked every single box. He had the looks, the talent, the ability, the attitude and the ambition. I believed in him 100%. I gave blood, sweat and tears in working with him- I absolutely did. Then there was no record. It all dried up. There was nothing I could do. My hands were tied.”
“Perhaps the biggest clue came when in last years series, his name was excluded from the shows big name stars.” The recording contract Ward won with Syco Music (Simon’s music label) remains intact but the much awaited third album has yet to materialise. Shayne however has been kept waiting, powerless to do anything.
It remains to be seen what will happen next for Shayne, the thousands of this year’s hopefuls are lined up at the starting blocks waiting for their chance at the chalice of fame. Given that Cowell’s fame machine worldwide cranks out some 20 or so would be stars every year even the most optimistic of us must realise that reality pop saturation is at hand, or is built in redundancy a major part of Cowell’s business model. Whatever the scenario, you have to wonder if the prize is really all it’s cracked up to be. Millions obviously think it is. Only time will tell if real talent can triumph over the corporate machine. X Factor airs each Saturday on ITV.
Now 25 and still dating his childhood sweatheart, Shayne continues to blog about his anticipation for his upcoming album. Problem is, after two years even he has to be wondering if it will ever eventuate. The album which at the start of 2009 was scheduled
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beigefeature
SHE’S A WONDER!!
F
ollowing dates in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, screen legend Lynda Carter, best known for playing the iconic role of Wonder Woman in the hit TV series, returns to the West End for her first solo appearance in 30 years for two nights only to celebrate her latest solo album, At Last.
This is the first time that Lynda has performed this material outside the USA, so London audiences are in for a treat. “I’m doing some familiar songs but they’re done really just exactly the way I want to do them and not the way you’ve heard them before,” Lynda said. For most people Lynda will be forever associated with the iconic television image of Wonder Woman but very few people recognise her achievements as a vocalist and performer. Lynda has been singing since she was 14, releasing her first album Portrait in 1979, that same year she sold out the London Palladium within hours of going on sale. Carter relaunched her singing career after she did a stint as Mama Morton in a London production of “Chicago.” She loved going out there and belting out her two songs, but in many ways her one-woman show is easier because you don’t have to wait around backstage to go on. “I thought it was a perfect way to see how the pipes worked - if they were still working,” she said of the “Chicago” gig. “I felt that I was singing better than ever.” So does it ever get boring being associated with the iconic television persona of
Wonder Woman?
“I get the memory thing,” she said. “With a lot of time and life under my belt, I’m certainly relaxed and irreverent about the whole thing and having a great time and poke a lot of fun at myself.” “Acting is what made me famous but singing is what I did every day of my life,” she added. “I’m just grateful I’m doing it. It puts you way on the line because you don’t have a bunch of lights and dancers. It’s you and the music.” In the past 15 years or so, Lynda has embraced being a gay icon but insists that, amazingly, she initially didn’t even know she was one. “I was doing an interview with a lesbian publication and the writer said, ‘You really don’t know do you? You’re a gay icon!’ I said, ‘No way!’” She’s enjoyed that status ever since. “I think the people who have the most fun are my gay and lesbian fans and I appreciate them,” she said. “They’re not looking over their shoulders to see what’s appropriate. It’s just right there and we have a blast.” Lynda appears at the Garrick Theatre in London on September 17 and 18. Box office: 0844 412 4662 www.lyndainlondon.com
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lyndacarter.indd 4
28/08/2010 13:47:28
WEST END THEATRE TICKETS Tickets for all major shows including: THE LION KING, LEGALLY BLONDE, JERSEY BOYS, WIZARD OF OZ, SISTER ACT, DEATHTRAP, LOVE NEVER DIES, PRSCILLA, SHREK THE MUSICAL and many more....
www.beigetheatretickets.com
ads.indd 1
28/08/2010 20:03:05
BURBERRY STYLE
beigefashion
The Military look is back in (or still in) this season. Burberry have a particularly fine collection of Military inspired looks to keep you warm and stylish this Autumn and Winter. Blue funnel neck coat £1,295 Denim slim fit jeans £250 Military belt £165 Dark chocolate military boots £495
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burberry.indd 2
27/08/2010 11:53:53
beigefashion
Fitted double breasted chesterfield £1,195 Tapered leg utility trousers £495 Cashmere vintage blanket crew neck knit £395 Black leather military boots £495
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burberry.indd 3
27/08/2010 11:54:07
beigefashion
Dark moss pressed wool felt parade jacket £1,095 Slim fit tailored trousers £495 Cotton utility shirts £225 Shearling boots £495
Blue military pea coat £1,495 Slim fit tailored trousers £395 Dark chocolate military boots £495
Camel double breasted military top coat £1,495 Slim fit tailored trousers £495 Cashmere pocket crew neck knit £395 Shearling boots £495
Military top coat with button embellishment cuff £1,995 Denim slim fit jeans £250 Dark chocolate military boots £495
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burberry.indd 4
27/08/2010 11:54:31
beigefashion
Military wool felt zip topcoat £1,195 Slim fit tailored trousers £495 Utility shirt £225 Shearling boots £495
Stockist: 0207 806 1303 www.burberry.com
vol3issue7 | beige | 35
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beigefashion
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DEAD GOOD UNDIES ONLINE When you get your kit off, best be sure the last thing you’re wearing does you justice! Men with a real sense of style know the importance of the right underwear because, quite apart from the question of comfort, there are so many new designs, fabrics and colours coming this season. But you won’t find most of them in the shops. Dedicated underwear specialists like Deadgoodundies.com have tried and tested the world’s brightest, bravest and best to deliver an eclectic selection of what’s new, with a nod to what’s always good too…. Pic 1: One of South America’s red hot collections, Clever Moda uses cut and colour to create divine enhancement for butt and bits - Palm Spring bikini brief (£14.50). Pic 2: The fruit of the fashion tree - HOM’s Fruits of Temptation collection comes in glorious colours in a string (£13.99) or a hipster in alabaster, blue, green, orange and violet, or a string twinpack in green, grey or red colour combinations. Pic 3: Ambidextrous undies! HOM’s New HO1 cotton modal mini (£18.00) and maxi styles in black or white are the ultimate everyday undies from a brand that knows how to make every day feel special. The horizontal opening provides easy access either side. Pic 4: What do they say is at the end of the rainbow? Joe Snyder’s pot of the proverbial lies beneath their own stunning Rainbow collection - no less than 13 styles including the Bulge Rainbow Boxer 03 at £22.50. Pic Right:: Hundreds of thousands of men the world over are hooked on Sloggi men’s undies - and for good reason. They’re understated but stylish, hard-wearing and very flattering. The brand has upped the ante this year with their Sloggi Black hipster (£11.00). All collections featured are available from www.deadgoodundies.com and new arrivals are landing all the time. Make sure you’re first to know by signing up for DGU’s newsletter via the website, or follow them by the hour on Twitter via twitter.com/deadgoodundies
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beigetravel
MADRID PRIDE
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Madrid Pride is fast gaining a reputation as Europe’s hottest Pride celebration. Phil Matthews paid a visit this year to see what we’re all missing out on. I arrive in Madrid on a stiflingly hot Thursday afternoon, ready for a weekend of pride celebrations. The reaction I get from friends who have already tasted this worldfamous event yet couldn’t this year, is one of unreserved jealousy. I like that. Not because of some Schadenfreude-fetish – taking pleasure from other people’s pain – certainly not. I would have loved to have them along for the joy ride. But their response can mean only one thing – a magnificent and no doubt excessive weekend. Boy, was I not wrong.
for its many cultural attractions, museums, galleries, music, opera, expressive art and, of course, football, namely Real Madrid. A whistle stop stay here four years ago introduced me to a buzzing city, so you can imagine how excited I was to return. The buzz on the streets is intensified, this time for the city’s annual pride celebrations. Now we’re talking.
Madrid is very much a progressive, cosmopolitan city, with a hell of lot to offer. Not only are the streets well designed, the mix of modern architecture and distinct historical neighbourhoods, green parkland and stunning River Manzanares walks, ensures this is a striking European capital.
Gay Pride Week in Madrid has become one of the essential events of the year for Spain. I was expecting a unique festival, one where the whole city comes alive, where people from all walks of life, whatever their sexual orientation, come together to celebrate the very birthplace of the ‘normalisation’ of the LGBT community in the country. Unlike some of the UK prides I’ve been to, this turned out to be an inspiration.
Madrid really does seem to have it all for the fastpaced city lover. Aside from being a major centre for international business and commerce, the city is renowned
I checked into the fabulous De Las Letras, a trendy boutique hotel located on the Gran Via, an area synonymous with culture and a stone’s through away from the
‘gay village’. De Las Letras has style in abundance. A nifty match of old and new décor compliment the colourful, spacious rooms with inscriptive quotes on the walls from famous writers and poets. This was my kind of place. Not only was I blown away with the hotel’s chic design, the staff and service is second-to-none. Internet is free and room service available 24 hours. Or there’s always the smart restaurant or lounge to dine the hours away. Sadly, hours I just didn’t have, as there is simply so much to get through. Invites here, friends to meet there, the options endless. Out in the district of Chueca, the warm-up celebrations are already kicking off, with various stages offering dance, DJs, singers, comedians and local musicians. Oh and it simply wouldn’t be a pride event without the customary Drag Queen glitzing her thing! My Spanish
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beigetravel isn’t so good, yet the crowd’s reactions say it all. This is electric. An evening of divine dining at El Bogavante de Almirante restaurant and then a quick bar hop, things were beginning to heat up. Yet maybe it was the warm climate air or the promise of the cosy hotel bed, but I was whacked and called it at night just after 3am. And yes, the mattress was heaven. Tested unaided thank you. Well I am saving myself. As you’d expect, the party atmosphere really kicks in on Friday evening. I had an invite to go backstage to watch the Mr Gay Espana final, and having seen several heats and finals of the UK version over the years, I was intrigued. I’m rather partial to a hot-blooded Hispanic, and as you’d have guessed, the scantily clad cuties on show did not disappoint. After several rounds of persistent undress, the usual promises of world peace and so on, the crown went to Mr Gay Seville. My money was on Mr Gay Alicante. My offer to console him went a bit unnoticed. On to the ‘Welcome Party’ at the “Torre de Madrid” building, the tallest in the city and the home of Juan Pedro (the gay tourist board’s main man). His remarkable penthouse apartment resembles a fashionable city bar or club, with panoramic views stretching across the capital. He welcomes press, promoters, friends and colleagues with total ease and proves to be the perfect and most charming host. Saturday arrives and we’re gearing up for the famous parade, which attracts over 1.5 million people. I’m on a float, the music is pumping and we slowly move down the streets, which are literally packed with men, woman and children from all walks of life with one shared goal –
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beigetravel To join in this unique carnival atmosphere and celebrate diversity. UK pride-goers tend to shy away from our own parades, I only wish we could enjoy a fraction of the effort that goes into Madrid’s parade. This is the party. It’s done with respect and with a real sense of community. It has spirit. The one and only show girl was due to make an appearance on Saturday evening to celebrate the end of the pride march. The dazzling Kylie Minogue took to the stage with her follow up single ‘Get Outta My Way’ to a 90,000 strong crowd. The Australian Beauty Queen was supported by her gorgeous dancers, as the crowd went crazy! It took a couple of hours to break through the masses once the girl had done her thing, but the wait was worth it. The finale to end all finales came with the infamous party – Initita. This absolutely electrifying event attracts 20,000 clubbers from across the world, and there’s really no guessing why. The production values are like nothing I have ever seen before. Not only is the venue styled and lit for a Madonna or Kylie concert, the entertainment goes far beyond what we’re used to anywhere else in the world. As one spectacular show ends, another begins and this continues until sunrise. To give you an idea of scale, video cameras were fixed to small cranes then moved from top to bottom, swinging around to film the event. Geez, even the Go Go Boys were choreographed! This really was something else. Madrid Pride was a total joy. Put it this way, I almost missed my flight. Excessive weekend? I’ll be back next year.
BEIGE WOULD LIKE TO THANK HOTEL De Las Letras Hotel – Gran Via 11. Tel. +34 915 237 980 DINING El Bogavante de Almirante – C/ Almirante 11. Tel. +34 915 321 850 FLIGHTS AirEuropa – www.aireuropa.com GAY ASSOCIATION/ NETWORK Aegal – www.aegal.net
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beigetravel
ARE YOU PROTECTED??? With so many travel operators going bust we take a look at the ATOL protection guarrantee and how you can protect your hard earned holiday. Last year’s financial meltdown is still having ramifications especially in the holiday industry. Most recently Kiss Airlines and Goldtrail have gone into administration no doubt taking a number of smaller tour operators with them. The best way to make sure that your money is protected this year is to book with a fully ATOL bonded agent. This financial protection scheme managed by the Civil Aviation Authority (“CAA”) is required by law for all holiday companies selling air holiday packages and flights in the UK and ensures that consumers do not lose any money paid or are stranded abroad in the event of a company’s closure.
HOW CAN I TELL IF A FLIGHT OR AIR HOLIDAY PACKAGE IS ATOL PROTECTED? If you pay any money - even a deposit - to a holiday company in the UK for a flight or an air holiday package, the sale usually has to be ATOL protected. The holiday company you’re booking with must hold an ATOL or be an agent of a company that does, in which case it must tell you when you book which ATOL you’re protected by, and as soon as you pay any money, issue an ATOL Receipt to you.
hire, transfers are listed on the ATOL receipt you are provided with.
AM I COVERED IF I BOOK ON THE INTERNET? When booking on the Internet it is important to check that you are dealing with a bona fide company. ATOL holders must register their trading names and web addresses with the CAA so you can check these before you book and the ATOL logo should be displayed prominently in shops and on websites. Most ATOL holders have websites and many provide an on-line booking facility that allows you to buy an off the shelf holiday package, build a holiday package from a range of travel and holiday accommodation options or book a flight. No matter how you book your holiday, with a package or by combining flights, accommodation, car hire etc when you’re about to book you should be given information about your ATOL protection. Once you have completed your booking you should receive an ATOL Confirmation Invoice (by e-mail or post), which includes all the arrangements you’re purchasing, the price you’re paying and information about your ATOL protection. For more information on the ATOL protection scheme visit www.atol. org.uk
HOW CAN I CHECK IF I AM BOOKING WITH AN ATOL PROTECTED
AGENT? Each ATOL holder is issued with a unique ATOL number, which can be checked on the ATOL website, and must contribute to a protection fund called the Air Travel Trust (ATT). Some ATOL holders must also provide a bond to the ATT. You can look for the ATOL logo in advertisements, brochures and websites, if you can’t see an ATOL number or logo, ask the holiday company for their ATOL number or check their trading name on the ATOL website before you book. If you’re buying an air holiday package and the company does not have an ATOL you will not be covered by the CAA.
WHAT IF I BOOK MY FLIGHTS AND ACCOMMODATION DIRECTLY WITH THE AIRLINE AND HOTEL?
Zürich
If you’re just buying a scheduled airline ticket, even from a travel agent and you get your ticket or airline confirmation straight after you’ve paid, you won’t usually be covered. This also applies if you have booked your ticket directly with an airline yourself and also your hotel directly with the property you are staying in. Going through an ATOL bonded agent, even if they package the holiday in the same way for you should provide you with much greater protection. Make sure to ask which ATOL licence or licences you are covered under and check that all of your holiday details, flights, accommodation, car
Take his breath away on a Swiss city break. MySwitzerland.com/gaylesbian Discover the charm of our Swiss cities.
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LAS VEGAS EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED Stroll the Strip by the light of a neon-lit sky, testing your luck at the slot machines and poker tables. Or soak up the desert sunshine, golf clubs in hand, before indulging at award-winning restaurants or restocking the wardrobe at resort shops. On ba.com we offer a wide range of hotels in Las Vegas from great value 2 star hotels to opulent 5 stars. Plus, if you book a flight + hotel together, you'll enjoy guaranteed savings and ATOL protection for total piece of mind.
For more information, visit ba.com/lasvegas
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beigemusic
Ruhr Valley, European Capital of Culture The future recycles the past.
Darren Cooper heads to the European Capital of Culture and finds a phoenix rising from the ashes of Germany’s former industrial heart. When heading to Germany on a short break the first area that many of us consider visiting probably isn’t the post-industrial heartland of one of the world’s most industrialised nations.
spread out city of 7 million people that now flows seamlessly from Duisburg and Oberhausen in the east through the towns of Essen and Bochum to Dortmund and Hamm in the West.
The reason for my visit to Germany’s Ruhr Valley was in fact not to explore some post apocalyptic industrial wasteland, quite the opposite in fact. The whole Ruhr Valley region has apparently been the beneficiary of a massive regeneration project over recent decades and is now home to over 1,000 industrial monuments, 200 museums, 100 arts centres, 120 theatres, 100 concert venue as well as hosting more than 250 festivals and fairs too.
First stop the World Heritage listed Zollverein museum. This former coal mine on the edge of Essen is now one of the most impressive industrial monuments in the Ruhr and was once dubbed ‘The most beautiful coal mine in the world’.
As if that wasn’t reason enough the Ruhr Valley is also the European City of Culture for 2010 and the region will be hosting over 2,500 different events over the coming year making it the essential cultural destination for 2010! My first stop after touching down at Dusseldorf airport is the town of Essen which is located in the heart of the Ruhr. Essen is playing a central role in the Capital of Culture programme. There are several distinct city and town ‘centres’ throughout the Ruhr, but essentially it is one, rather
It’s a rather poignant and magnificent memorial that now houses several important cultural and leisure facilities. The Red Dot Museum’s contemporary exhibition of design is housed in Shaft 12, one of the most architecturally important buildings of Zollverein. Another of the old Bauhaus mine buildings houses Pact Zollverein, a dance centre that also has a programme of theatre, film and art and a visual arts centre. Inside the heavy machinery that used to run day and night here is the now silent and provides the setting for The Ruhr Museum and extensive collections on the geology, archaeology, history and photography of the Ruhrgebiet. The following morning – destination, Duisburg. This city
sits at the confluence of the Rhine and Ruhr rivers and is still an important port and transport hub with the largest inland port in the world. En-route via Bochum there’s time for a quick stop at the Bergbau archaeological Museum and an art exhibition held in an old World War 2 bunker. Just two of the very different and diverse venues being used for the multitude of events for RUHR 2010. Our destination in Duisburg is the cities inner harbour, once another casualty of the industrial decline the waterfront here has been the beneficiary of a stunning facelift, by Sir Norman Foster no less! The harbour is home to the internationally acclaimed Museum Küppersmühle. This former industrial building retains the brick facade but the transformation inside into an art and exhibition space was undertaken by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron. Fifteen rooms of the MKM are devoted to key works from the Ströher Collection and contain works of influential German artists since the 1950’s with an emphasis on painting. On to the Duisberg-Nord Landscape Park, a 200 hectare site is now home to several venues in the former factory buildings; the Engine House, Blower House and Cast House boast stages that are used for music gigs, theatrical and dance performances and exhibitions.
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The centre piece of the park is the massive decommissioned metal works and rather than demolish this gigantic steel processing plant the local authority transformed it into a massive leisure park. An old gas holder has become the biggest artificial diving centre in Europe, alpine climbing gardens have been created in the former ore storage bunkers and an extinct blast furnace has been developed into a panoramic tower. It’s the latter of these that (thanks to our guide) we are invited to experience, and what an experience it is. The only way to reach the top is to climb, and the staircase runs precariously up the outside of the building all the way to the top, 67 metres above the ground. The reward though is not only a great sense of achievement, but a fantastic view of the illuminated park and Duisburg as it lights up for the evening. The next day our destination is within walking distance of the hotel. The Folkwang Museum is one of the most renowned German art museums with outstanding collections of painting and sculpture of the 19th Century, classical modernism, and post-1945 art and photography. Founded in 1902 a new museum building has been constructed for the start of RUHR 2010. An international architectural competition was won by David Chipperfield architects; the resulting building offers acres of space,
clean lines and galleries flooded by natural light. It’s a fantastic exhibition space and for me the highlight was definitely the post-1945 art and photography exhibition which was outstanding. Once again I had to tear myself away from another excellent Ruhr museum, this time for the last stop on the itinerary, the town of Oberhausen. The town is perhaps best known for the quirky and eccentric Gasometer, a major attraction on the European Route of Industrial Heritage. This former gas storage facility is yet another former industrial building given a new lease of life thanks to the Ruhr’s regeneration. Standing 117 metres high the Gasometer is certainly an imposing fixture on the Oberhausen landscape. The building now serves several functions, firstly the viewing platform on top (this time thankfully serviced by a lift) provides stunning view of the area.
The former gas pressure disc now splits the bottom two floors at a height of 4.5 metres. The space below is now a 3,000 square metre gallery and exhibition space. Above, the disc supports a stage and auditorium that can seat up to 500 people. Different, quirky, original and thought provoking, Essen and the Ruhr more than lives up to its Capital of Culture status. It’s just these kind of destinations that the Capital of Culture programme should be highlighting and it is definitely living up to the standards set by previous hosts. For more information on RUHR 2010, Essen and the Ruhr visit http://www.essen-fuer-das-ruhrgebiet. ruhr2010.de/en/home.html or http://www.germanytourism.co.uk/EGB/attractions_events/ruhr2010.htm
Accessing the interior two floors below the roof (once more thanks to another scary external staircase) a glass lift descends into the interior of the building which is open apart from the bottom two floors. The ride down isn’t recommended for those prone to vertigo and passes a giant model of the moon suspended in the middle of the tower. This is the centre piece in the exhibition ‘Out Of This World - Wonders Of The Solar System’ that occupies the bottom floors of the Gasometer.
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hotspots spots
Places to be seen....
DIVINE DIPS HOTEL POOLS TO DIVE FOR
The swimming pool has come a long way since the ancient Greek and Roman baths. From an urban concrete jungle to a lush hillside in Asia, Design Hotels™ presents four hotel pools ideal for swimming, sunbathing, and drooling over hot guys in budgie smugglers! THE LIBRARY, KOH SAMUI, THAILAND
THE STANDARD, DOWNTOWN LA, USA
Just a few steps from Chaweng beach, The Library’s vivid red pool is one admired by guests and passersby alike. Made using mosaic Italian glass tiles in red, yellow and orange, the pool is set on the beachfront and is surrounded by a wooden deck with red mattresses and black bean bags. Guests are welcome to choose from the poolside menu, or take a book from the hotel’s impressive white library complex adjacent to the pool. At night the underwater lights transform the swimming pool in to a dazzling spectacle and provide the perfect backdrop to dinner or drinks in the restaurant and bar next door. The Library was recently voted as one of the top 10 amazing worldwide hotel pools by TripAdvisor in 2010. www.designhotels.com/the_library
The rooftop pool at The Standard, Downtown LA is part of one of Los Angeles’ most coveted nightlife hotspots. Situated on the rooftop of the twelve-storey hotel in Downtown LA, the pool has panoramic views of the city. On the opposite side of the terrace there is sculptured topiary, an open fireplace, dancefloor and bar. The turquoise heated pool stands out sharply against the deep red Astroturf of the surrounding sundeck, where there are also bright red water-bed canopies for up to ten. The bar and dancefloor creates a fun and bustling space where nightly international DJs play to a fashionable crowd. The rooftop area can also be hired exclusively for events for up to 240 people, making it ideal for anything from corporate functions to editorial shoots. www.designhotels.com/the_standard_ downtown_la
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This page: The Library, Koh Samui, Thailand.
ALILA UBUD, BALI, INDONESIA Cited as one of the most beautiful pools in the world, the infinity pool at Alila Ubud boasts a spectacular location perched on a terrace floating above the lush Ayung River valley. The pool spreads out to form an elongated rectangle until it seems to disappear down the terraced jungle hillside. A daily afternoon tea of traditional local sweets is served by the pool, where guests can relax on sun beds shaded by large Balinese umbrellas. In addition to its 58 rooms, the hotel has four Valley Villas on stilts with wooden decks and four Pool Villas providing seclusion with a private pool. www.designhotels.com/alilaubud
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beigehotspots
Above, clockwise from top left, Habita Monterey; Alila Ubud, Bali, Indonesia; The Standard, Downtown LA; Alila Ubud, Bali, Indonesia; Habita Monterrey, San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico.
Habita Monterrey, San Pedro Garza Garcia, Mexico With different views and contrasting temperatures the two pools at Habita Monterrey cater to all tastes and weather conditions. The hot pool is heated to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, making it ideal for a dip in the winter months. There is also a cold pool which is great for cooling off during the summer when temperatures rise. Situated on either side of the eighth floor roof
terrace with 360-degree views over the desert metropolis and Sierra Madre, the pools are divided by a chic concrete bar. The bar can cater to up to 80 people and is open for snacks and cocktails from 10am to 2am. On one side there is a view over Sierra Madre and its eponymous Cerro de la Silla, known as the Chair Mountain, whilst on the opposite side there is a view of the
El Obispado, a green mountainous area. www.designhotels.com/hotel_habita_ monterrey
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MAKING A SPLASH!
Watercolours is one of those gay coming of age films that will remain in our memories long after the first viewing. Douglas Mayo caught up with its stars Tye Olson and Kyle Clare for a quick Q & A about the film.
beige: How has the film been received? Has there been any reaction that has really moved you? Tye: Watercolors’ outcome was definitely a welcomed surprise... world wide. When I traveled to the film festivals I would introduce the film and actually sit through the whole screening just to digest the audience’s reactions; I’m always touched when I hear them crying. Kyle: Yes, and we are very happy that we set out to make a film that affects the audience and are able to connect with it in a very real way, and we were able to do just that. There was one man in Florida, if I remember correctly, that said, with tears in his eyes, that the dialogue came straight from his childhood, and it brought back very distinct memories, some good some bad, and it was the most cathartic feeling he has ever felt from any film. beige: Danny and Carter are two very different people who probably wouldn’t associate in a high school setting. What do you think it is that attracts them to each other? Tye: Danny and Carter most likely wouldn’t have associated in high school; however, because they were forced to spend a weekend together under the same roof they got to know each other. I think the appeal of the unknown was the main attraction for the both of them... the fact that Danny lead a life that Carter never got to experience was intriguing to Carter... and vise versa. Kyle: I think it was one of those moments in life were the universe throws two very different people into each others lives for a reason. I think their attraction is because of the fact that they are so different and come from very different walks of life that make them so interesting and attractive to each other. beige: Having read the script of the film, are there any moments that exceeded your expectations when you saw them on screen?
characters? Tye: While growing up my father was always traveling on business trips for weeks at a time. When he was home he would either be hunting or working on some machine or out manicuring the woods. With that said, I preferred to spend time with my mother inside working on arts and crafts or painting or playing my instruments; she’s highly creative and is always engaged in something. Don’t get me wrong, I am very fond of the outdoors... I’m just trying to get across that I was very much a “mommy’s boy”. As was Danny. There was a lot of myself in Danny... I poured a great deal of me into him as well though. Regarding Carter... Now that I’m twenty-three, rather then eighteen (when I shot the movie), I can identify with some of the troubles and pain that he carried around. Kyle: I share a lot with Carter in being misunderstood, hurt, and rebellious in my childhood. As far as personality is concerned we are very different, but I was able to connect with him on an emotional level and understood where he was coming from and make sense of why he was doing the seemingly destructive and manipulative things he did.
Tye: The turnout of Watercolors as a whole exceeded every expectation that I had for it. Specifically, I was really impressed with how the love scene turned out. I guess because I was a little worried about what people were going to be seeing... just a little (smiles). Kyle: Almost every scene! It was one of those very special times when the right cast, the right director and the right script come together and achieve amazing things. beige: Tell me a bit about your respective backgrounds? Do you ever see any of yourself in either of the
beige: Given that Watercolours was filmed a while ago, what have you been up to in the meantime that we should look out for? Tye:. As of now there are a few great projects I’m looking into. I definitely want to travel outside my comfort zone and do something a bit more unconventional. In the mean time if you haven’t already done so make sure you check out my other film “Tru Loved”, available on Netflix or DVD Kyle: I have really found a home a theatre in North Hollywood and have been doing some very artistically challenging and fulfilling work there. beige: Danny’s relationship with his mother is quite significant in the film, was it particularly difficult to play those scenes? Tye: Not at all. It was simple to connect with Casey (who played my mother Miriam). She was innately motherly
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beigeinterview over me on set and being away from my real mother I latched onto her. The scenes seemed natural for us. beige: Carter seems to be a very driven character, did you ever personally feel that there was a point where he could have reversed his fate or was it a fate accomplice from the start? Kyle:I don’t believe that anyone is destined for an early demise, he was one of the unfortunate ones that just was unable to cope with the hardships in his life. beige: Carter seems to be a very different person when he’s around Danny, why do you think that is? Tye: Carter was afraid and confused in many aspects of his life. He was scared of his peers because he didn’t know how to deal with judgment let alone judgment from something he wasn’t yet comfortable with. He also never had anything stable in his life --- always moving around and having his mother disappear made him detach from the world. Meeting Danny, he got to see what it was like to have someone that genuinely cares for you and wants to stick around for the long run. I believe Carter let the walls that he had built so high down a little bit for Danny. He let him in, but then couldn’t handle the vulnerability
that comes with doing so. beige: Carter’s relationship with his father is pretty terse at the best of times. How does that relationship affect him especially when you contrast it with that of Danny and his mum? Kyle: He never felt like he had a place or any one that ever understood him, this is devastating especially to a young man when he doesn’t have a good relationship with his father. beige: Danny seems steadfast in his feelings for Carter even after being bashed. What was it like playing those scenes? Tye: Playing those scenes was intense... ego crushing. They completely brought me back; I have experienced those exact feelings before in prior relationships. Your love interest is damaged... you want to help them... you want to be their positive influence... but let me tell you that it is much easier to pull someone into a hole than to help someone out of one.
where did you draw those emotions from? Kyle: It was amazing. Those are the types of roles and material that an actor would kill for! It was hard and really stretched me as a performer and I learned an incredible amount from the experience of shooting this film. I have to thank David Oliveras, Adam Kassoff, Tye Olsen, and all the rest of the people I worked with for this experience. Watercolours is out this month on DVD from TLA Releasing.
beige: There are some fairly destructive scenes that you get to play as Carter, what was it like playing those and
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beigedvd
DEATH AT A FUNERAL 27th Sept - Sony Pictures
Don’t be put off by the title – this film is no sombre affair! All Aaron (Chris Rock) wants to do it get through his father’s eulogy, but things do not go according to plan from the start when the undertaker delivers the wrong body. Things go downhill when Aaron’s sister arrives with her fiancé (played by James Marsden who thankfully spends little of the movie clothed) whom she has accidentally given acid to and is flying high as a kite. An ovulating wife, a disapproving mother and an arrogant brother don’t help things run smoothly but it’s when a mysterious dwarf arrives claiming having had a ‘special relationship’ with the dear departed that things get out of control. A great film to watch with friends, Death at a Funeral will have you dying of laughter.
screener dvd
the
KICK ASS
LOST
VAL AND ROGER HAVE JUST GOT IN
WHIP IT
6th Sept - Universal Pictures If you’ve ever thought of donning a cape and going to fight crime in the streets, first take a lesson from the cautionary tale of Kick-Ass (Aaron Johnson), a teenage geek who decides to do just that. On his first outing he promptly has his ass handed to him by some bad guys and ends up in hospital. Not one to be deterred though, once healed he heads back out to battle the bad guys, meeting father & daughter crime-fighting duo Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) and Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage) along the way. Black comedy and bloody violence abound, Kick-Ass is funny and entertaining but not for the squeamish.
13th September, Lionsgate
This new comedy series from the BBC is a real gem. Dawn French is Val, a food technology teacher and Alfred Molina is Roger, her botanist husband. This touching, warm-hearted and bittersweet comedy examines the seemingly trivial domestic trials and tribulations faced by the couple, from finding a missing vacuum cleaner guarantee, to working out how to fit home-made lasagne into the already full fridge. The real humour comes from the ‘fun in the mundanity’ of domestic life and little in jokes that longterm couples will recognise and love.
Words: Antony Strutt
13th Sept - Buena Vista A plane crashes on a mysterious island... unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 6 years you know the setup, but with Lost: The complete collection now available on DVD we recommend you take the time to watch from episode one to get the whole story. Even if you watched Lost while it was on TV, the ability to whizz through the series without adverts or weekly breaks will bring a deeper understanding of the story. Bizarre, beautiful and compelling, this saga has raised the bar for television and will remain infamous in the annals of television history.
16th September, Lionsgate Drew Barrymore directs and stars in this refreshing coming-of-age movie about Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page), an Indie-rock loving misfit who is locked in a battle of wills with her mother who wants her to become a beauty queen. Desperate to find her place in the world and knowing that parading in pageants is not for her Bliss discovers a local female rollerderby league and soon swaps the heels for wheels! Battling with rivals on the roller-rink is Bliss’s way of dealing with her small-town misery and domineering mother and she finds a family within her skating peers as well as love with a local rocker.
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beigeadvertising
“If you only see one gay indie movie this year make it Patrik, Age 1.5… sensational!”
“Everything that Beautiful Thing should have been and everything that Brokeback Mountain was supposed to be”
– Afterelton.com
– Chicagopride
Available at:
Out Now
Out Now
NOW! Watch hundreds of other gay films instantly at
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screener the
EYES WIDE OPEN
PLAN B
THE MAN WHO LOVED YNGVE (MANNEN SOM ELSKET YNGVE)
13th September, Network Releasing Our bags are packed, we’re off to Argentina, where seemingly even the straight guys are gay. Or at least they are if they want to win back their ex-girlfriend and have an odd way of going about it. Plan B is playful in its depiction of sexuality and shows real growth between the two main characters. Even if we still can’t quite work out how coming onto your ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend is going to win her back, this film depicts relationships for how they can be, a confusion of affection. Judith Chalmers never told us that Argentina could be like this but we’re saying, “Wish We Were There”.
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23rd August, TLA Releasing A rather predictable start in no way detracts from the charm that Patrik, Age 1.5 emanates at a steady pace throughout its portrayal of a seemingly idyllic Swedish suburb. For its new residents, married couple Sven and Göran, something is amiss. A clerical cock-up at the adoption centre leads to homophobic troubled teen, Patrik completing this family unit, minus the unity. You don’t have to be psychic to guess the rest but there are still rare and heart-felt moments. The next best Swedish comedy since watching your boyfriend bash together an Ikea coffee table.
WATERCOLORS
30th August, TLA Releasing Life isn’t always picture perfect and Watercolors recounts one such artist’s memories. This film portrays Daniel’s first love for hot jock, Carter. If the strong imagery doesn’t catch your interest then the tender, growing relationship between the two will surely entice you towards this heart-felt story. Sculpted young men in swimming trunks can never be a bad thing and combined with the reverential love scenes, you may find yourself appreciating other aspects of the cast. Comparable to Brit flick ‘Get Real’, this delivers emotions in a more direct manner.
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20th September, Peccadillo Pictures Are you in the vast number of Beige readers always writing in asking for a film to improve your Hebrew? Well, here’s another film that unfortunately does not satisfy your ambition. Though set in a Jerusalem, this film hinges its tension on the censorship of some of its characters. The end result is a tense portrayal of forbidden love in a hierarchical doctrinal Orthodox community. Though, not a film that would be ideally suited to pop on after a dinner date, it is a film that, for those who want an emotionally confronting show is a well presented, if often inhibited experience.
20th September, TLA Releasing This award winning Norwegian coming-ofage drama centres around Jarle, whose outer ambitious punk band protest equally reflects the inner angst and frustration that makes this film a compelling tale. Not to suggest that this film in any way shouts the underlying confusion and worry that many 17 year olds have experienced but rather cleverly interweaves romance, sexuality and comedy and results in a genuinely moving story. The film is further bettered by a reminiscent soundtrack which, with the help of The Buzzcocks can help to sum up this honest insight into teenage life, “Ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn’t’ve fallen in love with?”.
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beigeinterview
Putting “Out” The Hits
PETER MCLEAN
Peter McLean has given the gay dance floor a swift kick in its neon-lit pants with his record label, D1 Music. Troy Lefferson caught up with him. “We’ve reached some major milestones in the last year,” says McLean who is proud to rattle off the list of hits that have come out of his stable; among them, Lisa Hunt’s “This Joint Is Jumpin’” and RuPaul’s “Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous”. This week, his latest track, Kimberly Davis’ “Get Up” reached the top ten on Billboard’s club charts and is still rising. “These are great times for an independent label,” McLean beams. “The internet age allows us to employ non-traditional, cost-effective campaigns that enable us to go head-to-head with the majors.
The Internet has also been an incredible resource for scouting new talent.”
is using to bring beautiful music to the gay dance floor.
It’s all part of Peter McLean’s vision for D1 Music— to not only achieve his dreams, but to help others do so as well. “We put the interest of our artists’ first because we value long-term relationships. Plus happier artists make better music.”
Was it always your intention to produce hot tracks for the gay dance floor? When I first launched D1 Music, my intention was to create an artist driven dance label that was unique and powerful in all areas of the music industry. Over the past few years, we’ve noticed the gay dance floor has been most receptive to our sounds and we’ve embraced it. After all, we all know most music trends begin in the gay community. Ask Lady Gaga, she’ll tell you the
It’s a noble idea. Perhaps one the majors might benefit from trying. We chatted with the out music man to see what other unconventional methods he
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beigeinterview owned labels like D1 Music? I am not sure the same could be said from competing labels but as far as D1 Music is concerned, yes! But then again, we provide the one element the gay community desires most when it comes to music – the big diva vocal. Lisa Hunt, Taborah, SupaNova, Kimberly Davis… We have some surprises coming up. How do you choose the artists you work with? We choose an artist based on their success on American Idol – joking! We look for artists that are first, talented and second, extremely dedicated. We look at the bigger picture for an artist, beyond their first single. We need an artist who is willing to plant the seed, be patient, work with us and trust in the process of building an artist that fans grow to love and respect. I also scour newspapers, magazines, e-zines and blogs to keep up with what the latest sounds and styles are. D1 Music strives to create music that leads current trends and creates new ones. Do you still get your groove on at the clubs? Of course! I love a hot and sweaty dance floor. What sound do you prefer? I love uplifting vocal house music. So you are a vocals man? I am definitely a vocals man. I can get into other genres of dance music too, and I do. As a producer I need to listen to as many styles of music as possible. What do you love about clubs? I love the freedom and unity of energy that can only be found on a dance floor. Your next release will be Kimberly Davis’ TWIST OF LOVE – a song you wrote. The inspiration behind the song was all the red hot lovers I have called in the middle of the night and begged to “come over and work me to the bone”. Why did you choose to give the track to Kimberly Davis? Kimberly has incredible energy as a performer and this track needs a huge amount of spunk and vocal power to heighten its sexual urgency. Kimberly also brought the drama and tension plus a distinctive diva quality. same thing. What has been your best selling track to date? So far, the best selling track for D1 Music remains “The Joint Is Jumpin’” by Lisa Hunt. But Kimberly Davis’ “Get Up” recently hit the charts and if it continues the way its going, it may take the lead. People can’t get enough of Kimberly and the remixes on the album are off the hook. In this tough economy, when most labels are floundering, has focusing on a niche market – specifically club music – helped D1 stay afloat? It certainly is a tough market and the advantages of appealing to a niche market like club-goers is
that a label can build a fan base. Clubbers have come to respect our sounds and will buy tracks simply because they bear the D1 Music label. To get that kind of loyalty, it all comes down to churning out quality production, amazing artists and new hits. Are clubbers willing to buy tunes? Yes, most club-goers are very passionate about their music and are constantly after the newest releases. I can understand that passion because I am the same way. We all want the music yesterday. How about the gay community: Are we supporting our own by buying music from gay-
What’s ahead for D1 Music? We are working on ‘Say I Love You’ for Taborah and ‘Body Shake’ for SupaNova. Over the rest of the year, we’ll be finishing full-length albums for Kimberly and Taborah, a new track for Lisa Hunt, a first single for club icon Dina Marie, and a new Best of Club Christmas CD. Is there an artist you would love to work with? There are so many. My top three at the moment would be Lady Gaga, fellow Aussie Kylie Minogue and Kristine W. I will always love the great Kristine W. Visit www.d1music.biz
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Music
beigemusic
PIXIE LOTT – TURN IT UP (LOUDER) MERCURY 13/09
Following the chart topping success of singles ‘Mama Do’ and ‘Boys & Girls’, comes a re-release of the debut album from Kent born singer songwriter Pixie Lott. The songs from the original release are all in similar vein, glossed with Lott’s signature bouncy pop sensibility, all sounding like chart-worthy singles. Aside from the previously released work, which is all there, ‘Mama Do (Uh Oh Uh Oh), ‘Cry Me Out’, ‘Boys & Girls’, ‘Gravity’, the lead track on this 2010 release is a collaboration with Miami RnB star Jason Derulo. This noteworthy production finally breaks the mould that Lott so firmly set over a year ago and delivers something ever so slightly beyond the sassy teen sound we have become so accustomed to. Having received a touch of criticism the first time round for not baring more intuitive goods as from the likes of Lady Gaga, Pixie Lott’s 2010 revamp provides an added five tracks with a more mature flavour, demonstrating her talents sit well within the realms of an international pop sensation. Fans and newcomers alike will not be disappointed.
HURTS – HAPPINESS RCA 06/09
It has been no secret that an eighties revival is in full swing and as with every popular culture cycle there comes a figurehead to pave the way. Mancunian duo ‘Hurts’ bring us their much anticipated debut album ‘Happiness’, incorporating an abundance of eighties electro pop influences, falling not far from the analogy of say, pop icon Neil Tennant relinquishing his passion for Bananarama in favour of moody ‘Control’-era Joy Division. With the already released debut single ‘Better Than Love’ and more recently hyped ‘Wonderful Life’, this contemporary take on sounds the Pet Shop Boys and Joy Division coined so well proves to be a whole lot more than retro rhetoric, in fact delivering a well overdue portion of serious and stylish pop music. Notable tracks to look out for are ‘Devotion’, featuring none other than Princess of pop Kylie, and ‘Blood, Tears & Gold’, a strong contender for a future single.
DJ St James looks at this month’s music releases.
AEROPLANE – WE CAN’T FLY WALL OF SOUND 27/9
Yet another debut masterpiece in the line up, but this time from Brussels nu disco act ‘Aeroplane’. The whole album concept from this DJ production duo, now turned solo act is pure genius, combining disco driven synths and strings, squelching basslines and playful drums to deliver a truly enjoyable intelligent dance album. The act have gained some serious credibility in recent times, partly due to their overwhelming back catalogue of outstanding remixes, notably ‘Paris’ by ‘Friendly Fires’ and ‘Bodies’ by ‘Robby Williams’ The beauty of ‘We Can’t Fly’ is the fact that it steers well clear from what we’ve come to expect out of modern dance music, veering far away from the likes David Guetta and offering something a lot less predictable over a variety of different tempos and styles. All the tracks come veiled with an uber cool disco edge - a stroke of pure genius.
M C F L Y PARTY GIRL I S L A N D 06/09 Can this really be the same gaggle of floppy haired schoolboys that first graced our TVs and radios all those years ago in 2004 I hear you say? Yes, McFly have actually grown up! ‘Party Girl’ is the lead single from the multi platinum selling band’s fifth studio album and really shows that times have moved on (well almost). Having recently signed a new deal with their old label Island Records, the boys finally come back with a 2010 sound, closer to RedOne’s Lady Gaga productions than their previous work. However, despite the thick overcoat of acoustic modernisation and lack of actual live instruments, the band once again find a way of indulging in the same subject matter they’ve been on about for the past six years... girls, but hey, after twenty consecutive top twenty singles and several movie appearances, they must be doing something right.
GOLDFRAPP BELIEVER MUTE 06/09 It’s always a treat when iconic music moguls of yester year are associated with their modern day counterparts, so imagine our delight when hearing that Yazoo brainchild Vince Clarke was to be one of the official remixers of Goldfrapp’s shiny new offering. True to form, the electro glam-pop pair dive head first into the realms of classic eighties synths and electro beats, although edging slightly towards the Pointer Sisters end of the retro pop spectrum this time round. With a mix package including the handy work of superstar dirty disco producer Joris Voorn, ‘Believer’ gets the thumbs up all round.
ROBYN HANG WITH ME KONICHIWA 06/09 Straight from her second album of 2010 ‘Body Talk Pt 2’ (released the same week) and following her UK top ten success ‘Dancing On My Own’, the Scandinavian pop Princess puts all the right ingredients in the mix once again for a full flavoured emotional pop feast. ‘Hang With Me’ provides a deeper insight into Robyn’s rollercoaster of a personal life with her signature uplifting vibe and just the right amount of in vogue Swedish electro pop production, proving this international peroxide starlet can churn out hits at a rate of knots.
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beigebooks
Off the Shelf
What We Remember
Peter Burton reviews the latest queer literary offerings.
By Michael Thomas Ford (Kensington Books, £10.99) The McCloud family, mother Ada, daughter Celeste and her young family and disturbed gay son Billy live in the small town of Cold Falls, New York. Elder son James is based in Seattle, where he practices law. Yet the background to this seemingly conventional family is marred by a comparatively recent tragedy which continues to reverberate. Eight years earlier, father Daniel, the town’s sheriff, had disappeared, a presumed suicide. At the outset of What We Remember, Daniel’s body is finally found – locked in a trunk buried in local woods. It is evident that he was murdered, but by whom? In a leisurely narrative in which chapters alternate between the novel’s now (1991) and then (1981), Ford explores the life of a family that runs less smoothly than first appears and uncovers secrets which will have far-reaching consequences. What We Remember is a substantial and satisfying tale that makes ideal holiday reading.
Missouri
By Christine Wunnicke (Arsenal Pulp Press, £9.99)
Christine Wunnicke is an award-winning novelist, biographer and translator in her native Germany but Missouri is the first of her books to appear in English. A slim and curious volume, it appeared to have been written under the influences of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Brokeback Mountain and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Missouri opens in London in the early years of the nineteenth century as decadent poet Douglas Fortescue holds sway over adoring aristocratic youths and gets for himself a reputation as a sodomite. The longer middle section of the book takes place in America’s MidWest (to which Fortescue and his older brother have fled after a sexual scandal) where the poet is kidnapped by teenage outlaw Joshua Jenkyns. Improbably obsessed by the verses of Byron and Fortescue, Jenkyns and Fortescue fall in love. The book concludes with the lovers pursued across the prairie by a vengeful posse organized by Fortescue’s uncomprehending brother and ends, inevitably, tragically. Though slight, this lushly written novella is a welcome addition to the limited fiction about gay encounters in the old west.
Unwritten Secrets
By Ronald Frame (Telegram, £10.99) Somewhat eccentrically, The Guardian reviewed Ronald Frame’s Unwritten Secrets as if it were a crime thriller. There is a mystery at the heart of this griping and elegant novel (essentially an intense two-hander with echoes of Rhys Davies’s sublime Nobody Answered the Bell), but that doesn’t make the book a thriller. Mainly set in contemporary Vienna, the novel tells the stories of two leider singers – German Ursule Kroll and American Mariel Baxter. The latter has returned to Vienna to try to discover the truth about the mysterious past of her one-time teacher Ursule. Moving back and forth in time, between the present day and pre-World War II Germany, Frame’s polished narrative slowly peels away layer after layer of deception and self-deception to reveal an ugly, not entirely unexpected truth. Frame is one of those novelists (like Francis King and William Trevor) who has a distinctive and subtle tone of voice and is perhaps not as well known as he should be because he doesn’t write the same book over and over again. Unwritten Secrets would make a good introduction to his work for those who are unfamiliar with it – and then go on to Sandmouth People or The Lantern Bearers.
The Slap
By Christos Tsiolkas (Tuskar Rock Press, £12.99)
During the course of a barbeque in a Melbourne suburb, a molly-coddled infant (almost four but still breast-feeding) threatens to clout another child with a cricket bat. Leaping to the defence, one of the adult guests slaps the aggressor. Unfortunately he is not the child’s father and the brat’s parents (an unlikable pair of losers) decide to prosecute for assault. Thereafter the group fragments as they side with or against the prosecuted or prosecutors. Long buried enmities surface and clashing cultural attitudes are exposed. It quickly becomes clear that some of these relationships (between family members, between friends) have been fatally damaged. Christos Tsiolkas’s The Slap (winner of the 2009 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize) is a taut and edgy narrative centering on an ethnically diverse group of people, primarily of Greek extraction, but also including Aboriginal (a Muslim convert), English and Indian. All are (in some way) outsiders. The characters also range across age – from teenagers (one of whom has been having a lackluster affair with the barbeque’s host, another of whom is coming to terms with the gayness) to middle-aged and elderly (aging Greeks who do not approve of the society in which they find themselves living). A long novel about undercurrents and tensions (ethnic, religious, sexual, social), The Slap is both mightily impressive and highly readable.
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Right to left: Matt Krzan (Wicked), Jack Jefferson (Love Never Dies), Sergio Priftis (Legally Blonde), Sean Mulligan (Legally Blonde), Matthew McKenna (Legally Blonde) . Rear: Darren Carnall (Legally Blonde).
NAKED FOR A C This month West End Bares hits the stage and we’re in for a treat. Adapted from the fantastic fund-raiser sees West End Performers from all your favourite shows stripping Darren Carnall, the artistic director for this saucy spectacular.
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E
ven though this year will be the first for West End Bares, it’s already shaping up to be one of the highlights of the year for West End performers. Darren Carnall, one of the cast of Legally Blone is co-ordinating this extravaganza and despite the chaos he’s the first to admit he’s “absolutely loving it!”. Broadway Bares has been staged in NYC for just on twenty years now raising millions for HIV/AIDS in the USA. Last year alone the event raised over $1million. It’s a far cry from the Eighties, when choreographer/director Jerry Mitchell was searching for a way for performers to help contribute to a situation that was having drastic effects on the Broadway community. At that time many of the fund-raising benefits held were expensive affairs which were just out of reach of your average performer. Jerry, along with five friends, headed to Splash Bar in New York and staged a series of solo strips where they raised $8000. The rest as they say is history. Broadway Bares has now spawned a book, a CD and this year a film about the event. “I knew all about it but had never seen an actual event” Darren explains, “I was desperate for us to have an equivalent here so during rehearsals for Legally Blonde I nagged Jerry mercilessly until finally he said ‘You know what, if you want it so badly, you do it!’” “The Broadway community is very close knit and there are a lot of traditions over there that just don’t happen here so it took a while” Darren comments, “ but with the recent successes of events like West End Eurovision we are catching up fast. Whereas West End Eurovision is a competition between the shows, West End Bares is a chance for all the shows to come together for a common cause. Performers from different shows are coming together to present numbers, with many of them meeting and working together for the first time and of course, there’s nothing that gets a friendship going more than taking your clothes off. We have 12 acts with over 60 people performing so it’s going to be a great night”. At West End Bares you can expect to see performers from the West End’s biggest shows including Priscilla, Lion King, Sister Act, Mamma Mia, Billy Elliot, Wicked, Legally Blonde, even the guys from Tap Dogs are performing a number. “We’re really excited that John Barrowman and a number of other celebrities have agreed to help compere” said Darren. “This is a chance to see West End Performers as you’ve never seen them before” he adds. “it’s not just about guys either, you can expect to see girls, guys and even drag queens strutting their stuff”. “It’s quite crazy at the moment, people are rehearsing all over the place. The cast are working like dogs, everyone wants to look fantastic”
A CAUSE
ng
hugely successful Broadway Bares, this for Theatre Mad. Douglas Mayo spoke to
At the time of writing, the event is nearly sold out and Carnall couldn’t be happier. Not content though with raising money from ticket sales, audiences will have a further chance to donate at the end of the show when Jerry Mitchell comperes the infamous rotation. “When you come to West End Bares everyone will be given some MAD Money and there will be a chance at the end of the show to reward your favourite performer by putting your MAD money in their underwear” Carnall explains. “There will also be an opportunity to purchase further MAD Money if you want. We’ve also been setting up online profiles for people who can’t make the show to donate and would love it if people could support the cause even if they can’t make it on the night”. With a complete sell out looming, the two performances on Sunday 5th September at 9.30pm and 12am should be huge fun and raise a lot of money for Theatre Mad. One thing is for sure it looks as if West End Bares is here to stay. To buy tickets or for more information visit www.madtrust.org.uk or call 020 7734 5683. To donate online follow the Just Giving links on the website.
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THIS SISTER SHINES!! We were excited when it was announced that Whoopi Goldberg would be stepping into Sheila Hancock’s shoes in Sister Act for three weeks, but to actually experience the show with Whoopi was something else. The big question on everyone’s lips for weeks has been can Whoopi pull off what is essentially a role written for a crotchety old white woman (no offence to Sheila and Maggie). The answer is a simple and joyous YES!! Whoopi is blessed with that certain theatrical magic that shines like a beacon onstage. Her presence makes this brilliantly funny musical go stratospheric. There’s no doubt that the star of this show is still the brilliant Patina Miller and her ensemble of heavenly sisters, but Goldberg’s presence just gives the whole evening that extra lift. Sister Act is and will always be a huge feel good hit, putting one of the funniest people on the planet into the show is inspired genius. We just wish she could stay for a little longer than three weeks. It’s a hot ticket, pray that you can get a ticket, though frankly it may take a miracle!! London Palladium www.sisteractthemusical.com
Trocks in Frocks Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
Don’t let the fancy name fool you, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, or ‘Trocks’ for short, are a highly entertaining company of ballet dancers that are not just for aficionados. The Trocks are an all male group, which means many parts are played in drag – and all with perfect comedic timing and excellent technique. After sell-out performances at the Peacock Theatre in 2008, they return with two fantastic programmes and a lorry load of costume changes. Winners of the Critics’ Circle National Dance Award and the TMA Theatre Award, the Trocks’ combination of pure comedy, extraordinary technical prowess and genuine love of ballet has made them a global phenomenon since they formed in New York in 1974. Both programmes offer a mix of much-loved classics and new, unseen works from the company’s repertoire. Programme One features ‘abstract ballet’ ChopEniana, the Merce Cunningham-inspired Patterns in Space, the pas de six from La Vivandiere and Raymonda’s Wedding. Programme Two features the second act of Swan Lake and a ‘pas d’action’ from Marius Petipa’s delightful Harlequinade. The evening is completed by Valpurgeyeva Noch (“Walpurgisnacht”) – set to music from the opera Faust. So, getting back en pointe (waits for laughter), The Trocks have 3 major hooks to pull in the audiences, first and foremost they are amazing dancers who will entertain and entrance you with their skill. Secondly they put on a hilarious performance. Finally, if dancing skill and a good laugh just isn’t enough to hold your interest, these guys are buff, seriously buff - and wearing package-revealing tights. A must see for all! Peacock Theatre, WC2 Tuesday 14 - Saturday 25 September 2010 Ticket Office: 0844 412 4322 or www.sadlerswells.com
CAROLINE O’CONNOR THE SHOWGIRL WITHIN Following sell-out seasons in New York and Sydney, the international multi-awardwinning musical star of stage and screen Caroline O’Connor returns to the UK in her one-woman show The Showgirl Within, for a strictly limited season at London’s Garrick Theatre. Musical Theatre fans will be aware of the brilliance of Caroline’s work. She sizzles on stage and this personal showcase is sure to delight fans and ensnare a plethora of new fans. Featuring standout musical anthems and classic songs that have shaped her career this is a one-woman show like no other. Caroline is joined by an ensemble of dancers and an on stage band for this, her first solo show in the West End. Miss it at your peril. Garrick Theatre, 27 Sep - 3 Oct www.theshowgirlwithin.com Bookings 0844 412 4662
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DOES YOUR MOTHER KNOW?
0844 482 5115 | www.mamma-mia.com PRINCE OF WALES THEATRE COVENTRY STREET | LONDON | WID 6AS
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beigemotoring
WIND ROADSTER Looking for an affordable convertible? The Renault Roadster is a breath of fresh air! Antony Strutt investigates. In a break from Renault’s family image, the Wind Roadster targets customers looking for a compact everyday car and, as a two-seater, it is perfect for you and the Mister (or for picking up a new one!). The Wind Roadster has been designed to give that high-end sporty feel to an everyday car that handles well around town. With a length of 3.83 metres, it slots into the Renault range between Twingo and Clio. Thanks to its ingenious, electrically-operated roof system, which pivots open in just 12 seconds, Wind Roadster boasts unprecedented versatility: in the lowered position, the roof panel rests above the boot, meaning that the impressive boot capacity is not reduced when the roof is down. And a sizeable old boot it is too (270dm3 VDA if you want the details), surprisingly for a convertible there’s enough room to fit the luggage of two fully grown gay men, which is a major plus. Opening and shutting the boot requires no more effort than an ordinary saloon thanks to two gas struts. The car was intentionally developed to turn heads with its looks. Its blue-tinged gaze, muscular profile and rear-end forms, give it an emphatically modern profile. Unique styling details include the roof-cover cowls, chrome exterior door mirror housings and badging on the side which recalls the rotational movement of the roof-opening mechanism. After pulling on a handle to release the roof lock, the driver simply has to press on the electric switch for the roof to pivot round its axis between the quarter panels before silently coming to rest on top of the boot covered by an additional panel. Seen from the side, Wind Roadster’s sporty, robust lines, steeply-raked bonnet, high waistline, extensively sculpted flanks and integral roll hoop immediately catch the eye. The two roof-cover cowls located in the slipstream of the head rests are distinctive roadster
features and form a natural link between the interior and exterior. Work on the windscreen header-rail, which sits in a far more forward position than that of rival convertibles, heightens the pleasure associated with open-top motoring and further underpins Wind’s roadster credentials. The rear end incorporates a distinctive wing which forms part of the boot lid, while the boomerang-shaped rear lights provide a readily identifiable lighting signature. Meanwhile, there is an unmistakable ‘cockpit’ feel about the interior. The instruments are reminiscent of the world of motorbikes, the sport seats feature integrated head rests, while the low-set driving position and sporty layout of the controls are typical of roadsters. Wind Roadster takes full advantage of Renault’s expertise in the fields of active and passive safety too, while the excellence of its chassis and its powerful brakes ensure exceptionally reassuring handling. It also has very low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Multi-functional TunePoint connectivity means you can plug digital devices such as iPods®, iPhones®, USB keys and other USB-compatible MP3 players into the car’s own audio. So you can enjoy blasting out music stored on your portable player as you zoom past the hotties with the roof down – you can even scroll through menus using the steering column-mounted or radio fascia controls. Directory, file and tune names are shown on the separate display. Love to chat? The hands-free Bluetooth® telephony function enables drivers to make and take calls safely via the loudspeakers. The system automatically recognises the telephone each time the car is started. An exclusive
Renault function enables you to select an automatic ‘hold’ setting that puts callers on hold until you are in a situation where you can take an incoming call safely. The radio very usefully mutes itself when an incoming or outgoing call is detected, while telephone functions can be controlled via the steering column-mounted fingertip controls, with messages shown on the separate display. The standard specification is extensively-equipped, including; front fog lights, body-colour rear spoiler, chrome exhaust tailpipe, electrically adjustable and heated gloss black door mirrors, 16-inch aluminium alloy wheels, sports aluminium pedal set, leather-trimmed, height-adjustable sports steering wheel, cruise control, heated rear window and air conditioning. The car comes with a choice of two petrol engines; the gutsy 1.2 TCe which delivers an impressive 100hp or the throbbing 1.6 VVT which is straight from the Renaultsport Twingo and delivers 133hp. Accessories include; fog light surrounds, chrome roof-cover cowls, rear diffuser incorporating chrome twin exhaust tailpipes, and you can even specify heated leather seats. Wind Roadster is available in Glacier White (nonmetallic), as well as metallic Azzurro Blue, Ruby Red, Mirage Grey and Pearl Black. The Collection limited edition is solely available in Glacier White and Pearl Black. The Renault Wind Roadster is priced £15,500 to £18,200. For more information visit www.renault.co.uk
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ads.indd 1
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beigeproperty
THE MILL J
ust a 35 minute train journey from London Victoria in South Darenth, Kent, is the idyllic Fairview New Homes development ‘The Mill’.
This quick and easy journey home from the city to the peace and quiet of the countryside makes living in Kent a great option. Farningham Road Train Station is less than half a mile away with regular direct services to London Victoria. Lee Hyett, 38, a station officer in London, and Dean Powell, 41, a police officer in Lewisham, have bought a new threebedroom house at The Mill after a recommendation from a friend. As second-time buyers, Lee and Dean were looking for a new-build property for convenience and ease of maintenance. Their first property was a refurbishment project in Dartford which took up a lot of their time. They were also looking for a quieter lifestyle in a more rural location. Lee comments: “A friend told us about their new home at The Mill and how the properties are situated on the site of the historic Horton Kirby paper mill on the River Darenth. It sounded idyllic and we could imagine ourselves living there after the first visit to the development. “We went to see the houses and couldn’t believe how spacious they were. Plus, they’re tucked away in a quiet corner of the development which means they are very private. They are also located right along the river – a very welcome change from the main road-frontage of our old house! “We bought a three-bedroom house for £265,000 and part-exchanged on our old home at market price, thanks to Fairview,” adds Lee. “We are so pleased with our new home that we have been raving about it to everyone we know. Now, two more of our friends are looking into buying at The Mill!” Fairview New Homes are now releasing six more houses at The Mill – three converted properties in The Stables and three in The Gables. Bluewater shopping centre is less than five miles away with more than 320 shops, restaurants and a multiplex cinema. The historic Leeds Castle is only 30 miles away. Apart from one, two, three and four-bedroom houses and cottages at The Mill, there are also one and two-bedroom apartments still available. Prices for a one-bedroom apartment start from as little as £131,995 and prices for a three-bedroom house start from as little as £250,000. For further information on The Mill please contact 0800 883 8105 or visit www.fairview.co.uk
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beigehomestyle
1
2
3
HOMESTYLE HOT LIST 1. TEFAL TOAST N’ LIGHT
The bright sparks at Tefal have invented the new Toast N’ Light, guaranteed to brighten up breakfast time. This smart little machine changes colour while it toasts, starting at blue, green, yellow, orange and finally lighting red. Not only does this mean you can easily track the cooking process, but you are be alerted as soon as your toast is ready. Other features include a defrost setting, high-lift facility for easy removal and variable browning control for optimum browning level. The Toast N’ Light is perfect for those who want tasty toast in the morning whilst adding a little colour to their kitchen. The Toast N’ Light costs £49.99 (RRP) for stockist enquiries please call 0845 602 1454 For further information visit http://www.tefal.co.uk
2. EVTHOKIA RANGE – SELFRIDGES.
Beige recently discovered these little beauties by Evthokia at the Wolf and Badger summer residency at Selfridges. If you’ve got money to burn and a ferocious appetite for style then take a bite out of this quirky dinner service. Set of four 21cm plates £120; Set of four 28cm plates £140.00; Set of four 23cm shallow rimmed bowl £140.00; Set of four 15cm cups & saucers £120.00
3. GROHE RAINSHOWER® RAINBOW COLLECTION
Fancy a golden shower? Or maybe a green one? Well here’s the easy option, instead of spending a fortune on re-decorating your bathroom, you can spruce it up nicely with this range of coloured shower heads. Available in mango, orange, blueberry, guava, raspberry and strawberry you can create the ultimate style statement in the bathroom. Simply unscrew your old shower head, irrespective of the manufacturer, and attach the new one for an instant bathroom facelift. RRP £113. For more information visit www.grohe.co.uk
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4. WARING MARTINI MAKER
A must have for any social gathering, the Waring Professional Martini Maker allows you to prepare delicious martinis and refreshing cocktails for your friends and family in under 60 seconds. Finished in sleek brushed chrome the Martini maker is easy to use; simply fill the cocktail shaker with ice, alcohol and mixer of choice, place the strainer and cap on top and select the ‘shake’ or ‘stir’ function, depending on preference and recipe. Once completed the drink can be strained into chilled glasses and enjoyed! The cocktail strainer, shaker and cup are all dishwasher safe. £59.95 www.waringproducts.co.uk Call Waring on 08700 604260
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Untitled-6 ads.indd 1 1
06/05/2009 28/08/2010 20:01:21 15:15:44
beigeproperty
HOME IMPROVEMENTS can your “improvements” devalue your home?
With the property market continuing to be tight, prospective sellers might be eager to ensure that they maximise on the traditionally busy period over the summer holidays to secure a sale. But jumping in to do home ‘improvements’ that are ill thought through could not only put off potential purchasers but actually end up de-valuing the property as well. Here are my 10 big home improvement ‘no-no’s’.
Martin Roberts, TV property expert, author and presenter of ‘Homes under the Hammer’ offers advice and guidance on your property concerns.
1. Knocking Down Walls to Create a Bigger Bedroom - In the UK housing market, it is the number of bedrooms that really counts not the square footage. Take a note from the major house builders that will aim to squeeze in that 4th bedroom when possible - even though often cases it’s barely big enough to swing a cat! So, knocking down walls to extend a bedroom might suit you but it won’t do much for the value of your house. If you have say, a 4 bedroom home and you want to increase the size of one room, the result will be that buyers will judge your property to be a comparatively expensive 3 bedroom home. 2. Home Gyms - Whilst you may have desires on becoming the next Arnold Schwarzenegger, usually home gyms are squeezed into tiny spaces, just so the owners can say that they have one. However, a bit like that Gym Membership that seems to lose its appeal after a couple of months, home gyms often don’t get used for the purpose they are intended and the space is effectively rendered useless. 3. Swimming Pools - They are very expensive to install, very expensive to run and maintain and take up an awful lot of space. We simply don’t have the climate here in the UK to justify them and again they tend to be a luxury that is little used. Buyers will fear the costs of running a pool and reports conclude that, generally speaking, people would prefer to use indoor space for a large play room or hobby room rather than a pool. 4. Converting Outbuildings into Cottages - Whilst a single holiday let cottage might add value to a country house as it provides an additional income earning opportunity, any more and you run the risk of the business taking over the home element of a property. 5. Extravagant Fixtures and Fittings - I once viewed a property that had a ‘Willow Pattern’ bathroom suite. Whilst this might have suited an extravert French Chateau or something, this was in a family home in a village location and it was no wonder that the owners were having difficulty selling. Overspending on light fittings and taps etc will not pay you back in terms of the value of your property. You should finish your property to a standard that is reflective of the type of home, the people that are likely to live there and the area. Having gold-plated taps in a standard 2 bed city centre terrace house doesn’t make it any more appealing.
To find out more about Martin Roberts and for property advice visit www. martinroberts.co.uk
6. Award Winning Gardens - I believe it is important to keep your garden neat and tidy, but having a garden that wouldn’t look out of place on the cover of Homes and Gardens might actually deter buyers. Gardening isn’t for everyone and having one that appears to be high maintenance could mean that possible future owners will end up counting the man hours involved in keeping them that way.
of surrounding houses and remember that most buyers will expect your home to be similar in size and price to the one next door. 9. Garish or Kitsch Decoration - Leave the dramatic wall coverings and bright colours for now. When it comes to marketing your property for sale, neutral colours and uncluttered rooms are the least offensive to buyers - all of whom will have their own views and tastes. 10. Cocktail Bar in the Living Room - all very Pat Butcher I’m afraid. Whilst taking up alot of space, my experience is that unless kept pristine all the time, rows of glasses and bottles can soon look unkempt and can detract from other more appealing features.
MARTIN’S PROPERTY CLINIC: FREEHOLDER OBLIGATIONS TO LEASEHOLDERS
David Goldsworth asks: “I’m having difficulty getting the freeholder of the flats I lease to give detailed information about the insurance on the building. What are his obligations? In addition, I wish to rent the flat out indefinitely, but the lease says I can only do so for up to three years without a covenant from the landlord, which I doubt he will give” If the lease says your freeholder is responsible for arranging buildings insurance for the property as a whole, which is normal for a building divided into flats, then the freeholder must arrange insurance. But according to the Leasehold Advisory Service (LAS), where a lease provides for the freeholder to arrange buildings insurance it is usually paid for as part of the service charge rather than as a separate item. Also, the freeholder doesn’t automatically send a copy of the insurance document to leaseholders. However, a freeholder must respond to a written request for a summary of the policy within 21 days of it being made. The summary must show the sum for which the building is insured, the name of the insurer and the risks covered by the policy. If a freeholder fails to provide insurance information, he or she is committing an offence and could potentially be liable for a fine of up to £2,500. But before you start to take legal action against your landlord I would first ask your tenant whether there is any post for you. Again, according to the LAS a freeholder must issue a notice for payment of ground rent, which may be sent by post to the address of the flat to which it relates. So if you didn’t specifically tell your freeholder that you wanted any correspondence sent to your home address, he or she may still be sending post to the address of the flat you are letting. Wherever post is going, I am afraid you can’t force the freeholder to send bills when you want them, nor can you make the freeholder give you the covenant you need to be able to let the flat beyond three years. If you have a problem or confusion from the property world, Email your questions to askmartin@martinroberts.co.uk. Individual questions may not be answered personally, but could appear in this column
7. Installing Swanky New Kitchens and Bathrooms - Of course, these rooms are important aspects of the house, but don’t go installing anything over the top just to put your property on the market. Most people will have their own ideas for these rooms so adding a bespoke kitchen or state of the art bathroom might actually limit the property’s appeal. 8. Over Ambitious Extensions - Could cost you a small fortune and result in your house looking and feeling disproportionate. Take notice
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beigeadvertising
LEGAL ADVISORS Denied a job or a pay rise because your boss thinks you are gay or you have entered a civil partnership?
Moving in or moving out? How do you protect yourself?
Then the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations apply.
A cohabitation/pre-civil partnership agreement governs the assets brought to the relationship as well as those made subsequently. Many couples enter into such agreements to safeguard their financial positions should their relationship deteriorate. In the absence of such an agreement, you should at the very least consider a deed of trust governing the ownership of the house.
It is unlawful to discriminate on grounds of a person’s known or perceived sexuality or to grant employee’s spouses benefits but not civil partners. So if you are treated less favourably, put at a disadvantage or harassed by discriminatory behaviour submit and follow the grievance procedure or wait 28 days and submit a claim. You have 3 months from the last act to issue.
If you have none of the above we can still help you by claiming back a share of the contributions you made towards the house if you can evidence this.
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Family & Children inc Cohabitation Agreements/ separations & dissolutions
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vol3issue7 | beige | 73
ads.indd 1
28/08/2010 14:02:22
at home with
beigeinterview
The Very Miss Dusty O has been a celebrity on the gay scene for over 20 years. As a DJ, club promoter and singer, Dusty is often in the public eye, but what goes on behind closed doors? Antony Strutt was invited to Dusty’s outwardly unassuming London flat to have a poke around and rummage through her drawers.
DUSTY O Since starting to renovate two years ago, Dusty has transformed her bedroom, living room and hall into a custom-made haven in French Rococo style. The tour begins in the bedroom...
“I’ve got a gold and red fleur-de-lis carpet. I really like things like royal insignias because I’m a pompous old tit. When I went to buy it the man asked if it was for a pub or a bingo hall. He was truly shocked that I wanted it for my bedroom. “I had all the furniture imported from France... I wanted a room that was between Footballers Wives, Liberace and Marie Antoinette... I’ve got chandeliers either side of the bed and there’s a lot of gold.” OK, so you might expect a bit of a spectacle from a Drag Queen, but what’s with the religious iconography? “I used to collect a lot of religious icons... I decided when I started to do my house up, that I wanted just Christian images because I was brought up a Catholic and I am a Christian, believe it or not... There’s a mixture of Catholic and Orthodox icons on the walls and scattered around. They’re all hung with jewellery, even the crosses, which is probably a bit blasphemous... There are big gold cupids on the wall because again I like all that French Rococo, angels, cupids, queens, anything like that... I just wanted it to look really opulent, very old fashioned and very camp and I wanted my bedroom to reflect the person that I am in my mind.” You can’t help but notice that the room also has a number of Union Jacks fighting it out for dominance with the French furnishings. “I’ve got a Union Jack armchair and all the cushions match. I like the campness and the traditional side of life. I’m always really worried if Scotland becomes independent we won’t have a Union Jack any more. “I’ve also got a 3 foot gold-framed picture of The Queen. I’m an absolutely raving monarchist and I noticed in a lot of public buildings and pubs now they don’t have a picture of The Queen as they used to, so I decided that I’d have one in my house. It was very difficult to get one because it’s not the done thing to mass reproduce prints of a monarch when they’re still alive. I didn’t know this until I tried to get hold of good quality print – that was a task and a half but I found one!”
Moving out of the boudoir and across the hall to the living room the bright carpet becomes floorboards. Keeping with the religious theme, the floorboards were reclaimed from an old church.
“I love my floorboards they creak and they’re a bit bashed up they really look beautiful, much better than that horrible modern plastic laminate. “I love chandeliers, I’ve got a big chandelier but because the room’s a very old basement flat the ceiling isn’t very high, so I’ve made a feature of it in the corner. My sofas are French Rococo, green brushed silk with hand-embroidered silk cushions. The wallpaper matches the bedroom - gold and red velvet flock. It was one of my little extravagancies. I wanted the bedroom and living room to look like an elaborate hotel suite.” In the corner I spy an incredibly camp cabinet. “That’s French again; the picture on the doors is of Marie Antoinette. I love her; she’s one of my big heroines... There’s a big ornate mirror and table that’s covered in bits and bobs like a bust of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert... All the pictures along the wall are French themed; French hunting themes, Madame de Pompadour and the Galerie des Glaces...” The two rooms are tied together by the impressive hallway, the focus of which is a huge carved gold Rococo mirror, festooned with cherubs. “You have to have a certain mindset to live in a house like this... I hate modern things. If someone forced me to live in a modern flat it would drive me insane... But some people love that and I can see the beauty in it.” Trannyshack has just released a book with photos by James Yardley. Dusty is currently working on a new track with fellow Drag celeb Per QX, and a calendar for Trannyshack (with photos by James Yardley and Boy George). This month Trannyshack will be celebrating its 5th birthday with a Dynasty themed party – so get your shoulder-pads out and go practice your dramatic face-slap!
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Photos: James Andrew Yardley
athomewith.indd 3
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beigenightcap
Mark Ludmon sips himself slim by sampling some of the “skinny cocktails” appearing on British bar menus.
SLIM PICKINGS
You can go into a coffee shop and ask for a skinny cappuccino but now bars and clubs are giving you a chance to watch your waistline while you sip a Skinny Mojito or a Skinny Margarita. These low-calorie “skinny cocktails” have been starting to appear on British drinks lists after they took off in the US, especially in New York and health-conscious California. While nobody can really claim that alcohol improves your health, there are some spirits that are lower calorie than others, such as some white rums, vodkas and tequilas. Using fresh fruit juices or replacing the standard sugar syrup with agave syrup can also bring the calorie content down. Last year, Annie’s Bar in Kentish Town Road in north London introduced a calorie-counting cocktail menu, such as the Tartini made with raspberry-flavoured vodka, Chambord black raspberry liqueur, lime juice and pomegranate juice – all coming in at 150 calories. This compares with some of the richer classic cocktails such as the Piña Colada which easily adds up to 500 calories. “It’s proving a hit with our female clientele,” the bar’s chief mixologist, Shaban Arifi, said after the menu was launched. “People are careful about what they eat and can now watch what they drink too.” For London Fashion Week, Chelsea bar JuJu concentrated on the nutritional value of its “skinny cocktails” to appeal to the fashionista crowd. It highlighted how they contained nutrients such as calcium, fibre and vitamins A, B and C and that they were low in unrefined sugar. Drinks included a Sake Mojito, made with sake, fresh mint, lime and honey, and a Posmo, a mix of tequila, pomegranate juice, lime juice, ginger and agave syrup.
Jillian Maclean, managing director of bar and restaurant operator Drake & Morgan, insists on cocktails being no more than 100 calories if they are going to be called “skinny cocktails” at her bars such as The Anthologist in the City, The Parlour in Canary Wharf and The Refinery in Southwark. “They are very popular as everyone is counting their calories these days,” Jillian says. Recipes include the Skinny Avant-Garde, made with Don Alvaro Blanco tequila, vanilla liqueur, grapefruit juice and cardamom bitters, charged with CO2, which adds up to only 90 calories. A Russian Rose Martini is just 80 calories, made with Smirnoff Black vodka stirred with lychee liqueur and ginger syrup. An even more straightforward recipe is the Skinny Elderflower Fizz which is made with St-Germain elderflower liqueur mixed with dry white wine and topped up with soda – just 95 calories. One of the champions of the skinny cocktails at Jillian’s bars is Cleo Rocos, who has been a familiar face on TV screens from the Kenny Everett Television Show in the 1980’s through to Celebrity Big Brother in the noughties. She remains as slim as ever despite being in her 40’s and, for the past few years, an importer, ambassador and drinker of tequila. She particularly loves a Skinny Margarita which is made by shaking tequila with lime juice and agave nectar, all coming in at just 86 calories. Skinny cocktails went down especially well when Cleo took the concept to The Warehouse, the Southport restaurant and bar that was relaunched this year by ex-England footballer Steven Gerrard. “The Skinny Margaritas were a big hit with all the WAGs,” she says. “They all worry about their weight so they were enjoying the cocktails without worrying about the calories.”
Skinny Mojito: 73 calories 25ml of white rum (51 calories) 4 sprigs of mint (0 calories) Juice of one lime (4 calories) 1 teaspoon of brown sugar (16 calories) Soda water (0 calories) Mix the sugar and three of the sprigs of mint in a tall glass. Add ice and pour in the lime juice, rum and soda. Stir and garnish with the last sprig of mint
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nightcap.indd 2
27/08/2010 14:10:17
positions vacant
beigeadvertising
beige is looking for individuals interested in the following positions.
Freelance Writers Writers interested in contributing to the following sections: motoring, music, film & dvd, books, feature articles & interviews, health, and property. To apply send a sample of your work to editor@beigeuk.com.
Sales Executives We are seeking creative, entrepreneurial sales staff. The successful candidate will possess drive and ambition and the ability to think and negotiate on your feet. A background in advertising sales is highly desireable. To apply send your CV to chris@beigeuk.com beige is an equal opportunity employer.
vol3issue7 | beige | 77
ads.indd 1
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GALOP SHOUTLINE - FOR VICTIMS OF HATE CRIME 020 7704 2040 (WWW.GALOP.ORG.UK)
LONDON LESBIAN AND GAY SWITCHBOARD 020 7837 7324 (WWW.LLGS.ORG.UK)
MOBILITY ADVICE LINE 0121 454 2331 (WWW.MOBILITY-ADVICE.ORG.UK)
UK LESBIAN & GAY IMMIGRATION GROUP 020 7922 7812 (WWW.UKLGIG.ORG.UK)
CHOIRS AND MUSIC CROYDON QUEER CHOIR 020 8683 4347 DIVERSITY CHAMBER CHOIR 07791 937794 WWW.DIVERSITYCHOIR.ORG.UK
LONDON GAY MEN’S CHORUS 08458 382 059 (WWW.LGMC.ORG.UK) LONDON GAY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LGSO (WWW.LGSO.ORG.UK) MANCHESTER LESBIAN & GAY CHORUS (www.mlgc.org.uk)
community
PINK SINGERS 07020 934 678 (WWW.PINKSINGERS.CO.UK)
RAINBOW VOICES - BIRMINGHAM’S LESBIAN & GAY CHORUS 07813 025 990 (WWW.RAINBOW-VOICES.ORG.UK)
WISE THOUGHTS – 020 8889 9555 (www.wisethoughts.org)
CLINICS
EALING GAY GROUP - EGG 020 8870 4549
LONDON GAY READING GROUP
(WWW.EALINGGAYGROUP.ORG.UK)
LONG YANG CLUB - FOR GUYS AND GIRLS FROM THE EAST & WEST
EAST LONDON OUT PROJECT - ELOP 020 8509 3898 (www.elop.org) FREEDOM CLUB - CARAVANNING AND CAMPING (www.freedomclub.co.uk) GAY CARAVAN AND CAMPING CLUB (WWW.GAYCARAVANCLUB.COM)
GAY BIKERS MOTORCYCLE CLUB (WWW.GAYBIKERS.CO.UK)
AMBROSE KING CENTRE WHITECHAPEL 020 7377 7307 CAMBERWELL SEXUAL HEALTH CENTRE KINGS COLLEGE HOSPITAL, CAMBERWELL 020 3299 5000 JEFFERISS WING CENTRE FOR SEXUAL HEALTH PADDINGTON 020 7886 1697 MARLBOROUGH CLINIC ROYAL FREE, HAMSPTEAD 020 7830 2047 MORTIMER MARKET CENTRE OFF TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD 020 3317 5100 VICTORIA CLINIC WESTMINSTER 0208 846 6699
COMMUNITY GROUPS
(WWW.LGRG.CO.UK)
(WWW.LYCLONDON.COM)
MANCHESTER LESBIAN COMMUNITY PROJECT (WWW.LESBIANCOMMUNITYPROJECT.CO.UK) METRO CENTRE - GREENWICH 020 8305 5000 (WWW.METROCENTREONLINE.ORG) MIDLAND MAVERICKS LINE DANCING GROUP BIRMINGHAM
GAY BIRDERS CLUB 01732 360 527
(WWW.MIDLANDMAVERICKS.COM)
(WWW.GBC-ONLINE.ORG.UK)
MSC LONDON - MOTORCYCLE CLUB
GAY OUTDOOR CLUB - GENERAL ENQUIRIES 08448 700 462
(WWW.MSCLONDON.CO.UK)
(WWW.GOC.ORG.UK)
GAY SURREY 0700 5982 429 (WWW.GAYSURREY.CO.UK)
GAY WEST 0800 321 3083 (WWW.GAYWEST.ORG.UK)
GUMMI – RUBBER CLUB (WWW.GUMMI.ORG.UK)
HERTS GAY COMMUNITY 01727 869 236 (WWW.GAYHERTS.ORG.UK)
HUGG - HUDDERSFIELD GAY GROUP 07773 588 628 (WWW.HUGG.ORG.UK) HULL LGBT FORUM 07981 110 838 (WWW.LGBTFORUM.CO.UK)
ICEBREAKERS - MANCHESTER 0845 330 3030
OUT & ABOUT 020 8989 5295
BARNET LESBIAN AND GAY GROUP (BLAGG)
(WWW.ICEBREAKERSMANCHESTER.ORG.UK)
(WWW.OUTANDABOUT-LONDON.ORG)
(WWW.BARNETGAY.COM)
JEWISH GAY & LESBIAN GROUP 0750 492 4742 (WWW.JGLG.ORG.UK) KAIROS IN SOHO 020 7437 6063 LMG - LONDON MONDAY GROUP
OUTSIDERS - FOR PEOPLE WITH SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES SEEKING PARTNERS 020 7354 8291 (WWW.OUTSIDERS.ORG.UK) PLYMOUTH PRIDE FORUM 07833 010 712
(WWW.SLAGO.ORG.UK)
(WWW.PLYMOUTHPRIDEFORUM.CO.UK)
BEARHUG 07967 101 887 (WWW.BEARHUG.NET) CLASSIC CARS (WWW.GCCG.ORG.UK) CROYDON AREA GAY SOCIETY - CAGS 07827 397 817 (WWW.CAGS.ORG.UK)
(WWW.KAIROSINSOHO.ORG.UK)
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beige community SOUTH ASIAN GROUP - BETTER FUTURES FOR POSITIVE PEOPLE 020 7791 2855 (www.positiveeast.org.uk)
SOUTH LONDON GAYS - SLG 020 8674 5191 (WWW.SLAGO.ORG.UK/SLG) SURREY AND LONDON ASSOCATION OF GAY ORGANISATIONS - SLAGO (WWW.SLAGO.ORG.UK)
TAGS - THE ARUN AREA GAY SOCIETY (WWW.TAGSONLINE.ORG.UK)
WEST LONDON GAY BRIDGE CLUB 020 7537 2481 (WWW.WLGBC.CO.UK
COUNSELLING PACE - PROJECT FOR ADVICE COUNSELLING & EDUCATION 020 7700 1323 (WWW.PACEHEALTH.ORG.UK)
DANCING GAY GORDONS (WWW.THEGAYGORDONS.ORG)
PINK JUKEBOX AT THE LOOM BAR (WWW.PINKJUKEBOX.CO.UK)
LEISURE GROUPS SOUTH LONDON GAY BRIDGE CLUB
Fancy a sunday kickabout? Leftfooters is for gay men and lebians who like to play football. The club meets every Sunday at 2 pm in Regents Park, near the Parkway entrance, for a kickabout. Leftfooters also plays against other clubs, which sometimes involves trips around the country and across the world Players and supporters go for drinks afterwards to the The Black Cap in Camden. The club, which had been running since 1999, has between 80 and 100 members, with a complete mix of ages. Boots and shin guards are recommended to save yourself some injury. Contact info@leftfooters.org.uk or 07912 619 957
020 8898 4403 (WWW.LONDONGAYBRIDGE.CO.UK)
SALSA FANTASTICA (www.salsafantastica.com)
GUSTO DINING CLUB
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
OLDER PEOPLE
(WWW.GUSTO-DINING.CO.UK)
BORED OF THE SCENE (www.boredofthescene.co.uk)
LONDON TWENTIES Monthly social group for guys in their twenties. londontwenties@gmail.com
OUT AND OUT 0208 998 8000 (www.outandout.co.uk) PINK DATE (www.pinkdate.co.uk)
SOCIAL GUYS 0207 537 4074 (www.sociaguys.co.uk)
URBAN CONNECTIONS For guys new to London 07952 152 118 (www.urbanconnections.co.uk)
GAY SUNDAY WALKING GROUP 020 7701 1013 (www.gswg.org.uk) HISTORIC WALKING TOURS OF GAY SOHO 020 7437 6063 (www.kairosinsoho.org.uk) GAY AUTHORS WORKSHOP
BEAR PRIDE (WWW.BEARPRIDE.CO.UK) BIRMINGHAM GAY PRIDE FESTIVAL (WWW.BIRMINGHAMPRIDE.COM)
LGBT HISTORY MONTH 07960 493 544 (WWW.LGBTHISTORYMONTH.ORG.UK)
STONEWALL 08000 502 020 (WWW.STONEWALL.ORG.UK
CIRCA UK
CAFFMOS FOR OLDER, MATURE GAY MEN
(WWW.CIRCA-CLUB.COM)
(WWW.CAFFMOSCOMMUNITY.COM)
GAY BUSINESS ASSOCIATION - GBA
POLARI 020 7255 4480 (WWW.POLARI.ORG)
PARENTING
PROFESSIONAL GROUPS
LONDON LESBIAN & GAY FILM FESTIVAL 020 7928 3232 (WWW.LLGFF.ORG.UK) MANCHESTER PRIDE 0161 831 7700
GROUP FOR LGBT ADOPTED ADULTS 020 7284 0555
0844 562 4005 (WWW.GBA.ORG.UK) GAY POLICE ASSOCIATION - GPA 07092 700 000 (WWW.GAY.POLICE.UK) GLADD DOCTORS AND DENTISTS
(WWW.MANCHESTERPRIDE.COM)
(WWW.POSTADOPTIONCENTRE.ORG.UK)
PRIDE IN BRIGHTON & HOVE 01273 775 939 (WWW.BRIGHTONPRIDE.ORG) PRIDE OF LEEDS (WWW.LEEDSPRIDE.COM) PRIDE LONDON
(WWW.GLADD.ORG.UK)
PINK PARENTS - BRISTOL
JAKE
(WWW.PINKPARENTS.ORG.UK)
(WWW.JAKETM.ORG)
RAINBOW FAMILIES - FOR LESBIAN PARENTS
LAGLA LESBIAN & GAY LAWYERS ASSOCIATION
(WWW.PRIDELONDON.ORG)
ISLINGTON LGBT FORUM 07989 747 824 OUT IN SOUTHWARK 020 7525 5659
QUEERUPNORTH (WWW.QUEERUPNORTH.COM)
(www.paradisepress.org.uk)
(WWW.RAINBOWFAMILIES.ORG.UK)
(WWW.LAGLA.ORG.UK)
(WWW.SOUTHWARK-LGBT.ORG
HIV AND AIDS POLICE LIAISON CRUSAID 020 7539 3880 (WWW.CRUSAID.ORG.UK)
ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION 020 7603 9996 (WWW.EJAF.ORG) FOOD CHAIN 020 7354 0333
ABORTION RIGHTS 020 7923 9792 (WWW.ABORTIONRIGHTS.ORG.UK)
BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY PRIDE TRUST 0121 773 0633 (WWW.TRUSTINPRIDE.ORG.UK)
(WWW.FOODCHAIN.ORG.UK)
GMFA - CHARITY FOR GAY MEN’S HEALTH 020 7738 6872 (WWW.GMFA.ORG.UK) NATIONAL AIDS TRUST - WORLD AIDS DAY 020 7814 6767 (WWW.NAT.ORG.UK) SEXUAL HEALTH INFORMATION LINE (WWW.PLAYINGSAFELY.CO.UK)
TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST THT HELPLINE 08451 221 200 (WWW.THT.ORG.UK
HOUSING
POLITICAL BROKEN RAINBOW LGBT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICE 0300 999 5428 (WWW.BROKEN-RAINBOW.ORG.UK)
CONSORTIUM OF LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENDERED VOLUNTARY AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS 020 7064 8383 (WWW.LGBTCONSORTIUM.ORG.UK) DELGA - LIBERAL-DEMOCRATS FOR LESBIAN & GAY RIGHTS 020 7227 1395
SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE (www.thesisters.org)
(WWW.AKT.ORG.UK)
BEAUMONT SOCIETY 01582 412 220
LEWISHAM HOUSING SUPPORT TEAM 020 7702 4260 (WWW.THAMESREACHBONDWAY.COM) STONEWALL HOUSING 020 7359 5767
THE SISTERHOOD OF KARN Sci Fi Enthusiasts 07092 185 781 (www.skarn.co.uk)
(www.beaumontsociety.org.uk) TRANSLONDON (www.translondon.org.uk)
(WWW.SUITANDTIESOCIETY.CO.UK)
VILLAGE DRINKS (WWW.VILLAGEDRINKS.CO.UK)
HUMANITY/religion
HALL-CARPENTER ARCHIVES
ABSOLUTE FREEDOM GROUP OF SGI-UK BUDDHISTS 07950 900 516
(WWW.HALLCARPENTER.TRIPOD.COM)
(WWW.SGI-UK.ORG)
(WWW.DELGA.ORG.UK
ALBERT KENNEDY TRUST - HOUSING ADVICE FOR L&G TEENAGERS LONDON - 020 7831 6562 MANCHESTER - 0161 228 3308
SUIT & TIE SOCIETY
LESBIAN AND GAY COALITION AGAINST RACISM LAGCAR (WWW.NAAR.ORG.UK/LAGCAR) OUTRAGE! 020 8240 0222 (WWW.OUTRAGE.ORG.UK)
SCHOOL’S OUT! 01582 451 424
BRIGHTWAVES METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH 01273 681 101 (WWW.MCCBRIGHTON.ORG.UK)
G&L HUMANIST ASSOCIATION - GALHA 0844 800 3067 (WWW.GALHA.ORG)
(WWW.SCHOOLS-OUT.ORG.UK)
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beige community LGBT CATHOLICS’ MASS 020 8986 0807 (WWW.SOHOMASSES.COM)
L&G CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT LGCM 020 7739 1249 (WWW.LGCM.ORG.UK) LGCM - ROMAN CATHOLIC CAUCUS 020 7226 0847 (WWW.RCCAUCUSLGCM.CO.UK) METROPOLITIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF BRIXTON 020 8678 0200
SPORTS GROUPS 4PLAY SQUASH CLUB (WWW.4PLAYSQUASH.ORG)
GAY CYCLING TOURING GROUP (WWW.GAYCYCLING.WFOUR.CO.UK)
QUEST - G&L CATHOLICS 0808 808 0234
GAY OUTDOOR CLUB GOC 08448 700 462 (WWW.GOC.ORG.UK) SAILING & CRUSING ASSOCIATION 01273 721 933 (www.gaysailing.org.uk) GOSLINGS SPORTS CLUB
(WWW.QUESTGAYCATHOLIC.ORG.UK)
(WWW.GOSLINGSSPORTSCLUB.COM)
(WWW.MCCSOUTHLONDON.CO.UK)
QUAKER QUEST (WWW.QUAKERQUEST.ORG)
GRACE’S CRICKET CLUB 020 7278 3294
SOCIAL GROUPS
(WWW.GAYCRICKET.ORG.UK)
DUNS ‘N’ ROSES HOCKEY CLUB (WWW.PINKHOCKEY.COM)
BROMLEY GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN’S GROUP 020 8662 6681 LONDON FRIEND - LGB ART & SOCIAL GROUP (WWW.LONDONFRIEND.ORG.UK)
OUTEVERYWHERE (www.outeverywhere.com)
AMIGOS (www.naz.org.uk)
INTERNATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN SNOW SPORTS ASSOCIATION (WWW.GAYSNOWSPORTS.COM) IRONS GOLF SOCIETY (WWW.IRONSGOLF.CO.UK)
KB FITNESS 020 7681 0114 (WWW.KBFITNESS.CO.UK)
KB KICKBOXING 07881 957 977 (WWW.KBKICKBOXING.CO.UK)
KINGS CROSS STEELERS RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB 07767 232 909 (WWW.KXSRFC.COM) leftfooters 07812 619 957 (www.leftfooters.org.uk)
LONDON AMATEUR WRESTLERS
07584 301 841
(WWW. GMBUNION.ORG/SHOUT1.HTM))
(WWW.LAW-WRESTLING.ORG)
SPECTRUM - TSSA LGBT GROUP
LONDON FRONTRUNNERS
(WWW.TSSA.ORG.UK)
(WWW.LONDONRAIDERS.CO.UK)
TUC 020 7636 4030 (WWW.TUC.ORG.UK) UNISON NATIONAL LGBT COMMITTEE 08453 550 845
LONDON SPIKERS VOLLEYBALL CLUB
(WWW.UNISON.ORG.UK/OUT)
(WWW.LONDONFRONTRUNNERS.ORG)
LONDON RAIDERS SOFTBALL CLUB
(WWW.LONDONSPIKERS.ORG)
MANCHESTER STINGERS WFC (WWW.MANCHESTERSTINGERS.CO.UK)
YOUTH GROUPS
MOSELEY SHOALS GOC SWIMMMING GROUP BIRMINGHAM 0121 346 1522
ALLSORTS - BRIGHTON 01273 721 211
(WWW.MOSELEYSHOALS.ORG.UK)
(WWW.ALLSORTSYOUTH.ORG.UK)
(WWW.OUTTOSWIM.ORG)
INSIDE OUT PROJECT AT 42ND STREET MANCHESTER 0161 832 0170
PRIDE GAMES - MANCHESTER
(WWW.FORTYSECONDSTREET.ORG.UK)
OUT TO SWIM
STONEWALL FOOTBALL CLUB
LGYM - LESBIAN AND GAY YOUTH MANCHESTER 0161 273 7838 (WWW.LGYM.ORG.UK) MOSAIC LGBT YOUTH PROJECT 0800 0433 411
(WWW.STONEWALLFC.ORG)
(WWW.MOSAICYOUTH.ORG.UK)
(WWW.PRIDEGAMES.ORG)
REMNANTS HOCKEY CLUB (WWW.REMNANTSHOCKEY.ORG.UK)
VILLAGE MANCHESTER FOOTBALL CLUB (WWW.VMFC.CO.UK)
TRADE UNIONS FIRE BRIGADE UNION L&G SUPPORT (WWW.FBULGBT.ORG.UK)
QUEER YOUTH ALLIANCE - MANCHESTER 0208 123 6958 (WWW.QUEERYOUTH.NET) STEP OUT AT STEP FORWARD - ISLINGTON 020 7739 3082 (WWW.STEPFORWARD-WEB.ORG)
NOT LISTED? PLEASE EMAIL YOUR INFORMATION TO EDITOR@BEIGEUK.COM
GMB LGBT 0207 801 2780
Who creates your campaigns? We’ve always believed that the best health promotion is developed by the people it is targeting. That’s why we work with some 170 volunteers, most of whom are gay men, to create our campaigns. It’s what we believe makes them relevant and, we hope, appealing to lots of different men. What type of people volunteer for GMFA? All sorts – there really is no one particular type. It’s all ages and with different interests. Our volunteers are mostly gay men, although we do have female volunteers who are very involved in our work. Generally, we find that people want to volunteer so they can give something back to the gay community. They can also develop skills that are useful in other areas of their life, such as their careers, and it’s a great way to make friends away from the usual bars and clubs on the scene.
gay men for gay men – and it’s with the input of its volunteers that it continues to thrive. Beige talks with Matthew Hodson, Head of Programmes at GMFA, to find out more.
Gay Health Matters GMFA’s work with gay men in the UK
GMFA has been campaigning on gay men’s health issues since 1992 and has become a long-standing and familiar part of the gay community. The charity’s work covers a wide range of areas, including HIV-prevention and sexual health, smoking, life skills and living with HIV. All of its campaigns are developed, largely, by
What sort of work does GMFA do now? Most of our work is around sexual health, although this covers a whole range of topics. We’ve produced advertising campaigns, leaflets, postcards and booklets on everything from how to have more enjoyable sex and coming up with a plan for a healthier lifestyle, through to tips for making relationships work and how to use condoms properly. You may have also seen our FS magazine, our fit and sexy health magazine, which is distributed in gay venues and clinics across the UK. Then there are our national and London-based courses, which cover sex education, life skills and smoking cessation. Plus, we create targeted sexual health interventions for Black gay men and HIV-positive gay men. We know that lots of men look for information online, so we run a range of information websites at www.gmfa.org.uk.
Where can people see your campaigns? It depends what you are after and where you live. In London, we distribute booklets across the gay scene, so you can pick these up for free in most gay venues. You can also get our FS magazine for free in gay venues across the UK. We advertise our workshops in the gay press, so keep a look out for what’s coming up in your area, or you can look them up online at www.gmfa.org.uk/ national. We also run campaigns in the national and regional gay press. If you’re after information online, a good place to start is our Sex & Sexual Health site at www.gmfa.org.uk/sex, which has lots of advice on keeping sex safe and fun. For positive men, there’s our Positive Guide at www.gmfa.org.uk/positive. We even run a website listing gay sports and social groups across the UK. So if you want to meet new people with a shared interest, have a browse at www.gmfa. org.uk/theguide.
What does volunteering involve? With GMFA, you can volunteer as much or as little time as you wish. Some volunteers become part of our campaign groups, for example our group that produced booklets, or our groups that develop campaigns for HIV-positive men or Black gay men. Others prefer to help out with our work on the scene, including fundraising events or our outreach work. Most of our work is done from London, so to be an active volunteer you do need to have access to London. If you live outside of London, there are still some opportunities to get involved – it might be to give us feedback on our campaigns in development or to do some design or writing. How can people get involved? If you want to volunteer, you can email us at newvol@gmfa.org.uk. If you’d like to donate or find out more, email gmfa@ gmfa.org.uk, visit our website at www. gmfa.org.uk, or call 020 7738 6872. We’d love to hear from you.
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