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EDITORIAL Mike Macharello: Publisher Rick Karlin: Editor
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photographerS Eamonn Sexton, Ken Brown, KAB Photography
COVER Matthew Ovalton, III
editorial contributors Gregg Shapiro, Parker Carr Sue Deaunym, Anita Taylor, Michael Elder
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Quote of the week:
Be a Lighthouse, Not a Sponge
boiMAG
Trailer Trash Thanksgiving
By Rick Karlin
I wouldn’t say my family was trailer trash, we never actually lived in a trailer, but my mother sure cooked like we were. She didn’t so much cook as assemble. Still some of those dishes are damn tasty and around the holidays I always make at least one of them. Here are my mother’s favorites, cut them out and paste them on 3” x 5” index cards.
Don’t Be Crabby Dip
Ingredients: 1 can crab meat, 1 lb. Velveeta Directions: Melt Velveeta over low heat, stir in the crab. Serve warm with Ritz Crackers on the side.
Dr. Pepper Sweet Taters
Ingredients: sweet potatoes or yams, 2 liter bottle of Dr. Pepper, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 stick butter, salt and pepper to taste. Directions: Peel the sweet potatoes or yams, Cut or slice into large pieces. Place in a large baking dish and pour in enough Dr. Pepper to cover the potatoes, save remaining soda. Add two cinnamon sticks. Bake covered at 350 for 40 minutes. Uncover and pour the liquid into a saucepan. Return potatoes to oven. Add brown sugar to liquid from potatoes; add remaining soda to bring to a quantity of 2 cups if necessary. Simmer 30 minutes until reduced by half. Stir in butter. Remove potatoes from oven and pour the syrup over, adding salt and pepper as desired. Top with marshmallows and bake until brown, if you wanna be fancy.
White Castle Stuffing
Ingredients: 3 dozen White Castle Sliders 12 slices white bread, 2 Tbs. poultry seasoning, 1 can of chicken broth DIrections: Remove pickles from sandwiches and chop up. Cut white bread in small pieces. Mix together in a large bowl with poultry seasoning, adding enough broth to make it moist. Stuff inside turkey and bake the rest in a casserole.
Parmesan Rolls
Ingredients: 2 tubes of biscuits, 1 stick softened butter, 1 Parmesan cheese Directions: Remove rolls from tube, spread one side of each with softened butter. Pour
cheese into a bowl. Place buttered side of the biscuit in the cheese a press lightly. Place on a baking sheet, cheese side up. Cook according to biscuit tube directions.
Country Turkey
Ingredients: 1 turkey, 1 lb. of bacon DIrections: Wash turkey inside and out. Add stuffing (see recipe above) Make a ring of crumpled aluminum foil and place in the bottom of an aluminum foil turkey pan. Put the turkey on the ring of foil. Remove strips of bacon from package and drape/ wrap around the turkey. Roast, according to package directions, in a pre-heated 375° oven until the juices of the thigh run clear when stuck with a fork.
Easy-Peasy Pineapple Cheesecake
Ingredients: 2 packages cheesecake flavor instant pudding , 2 containers Cool Whip, 2 cans crushed pineapple (drain and reserve juice), Graham-cracker pie shell. Directions: Mix first three ingredients, adding enough pineapple juice as needed, to make the filling the consistency of a thick stew. Pour into pie shell and chill overnight. boiMAG
SHOP IN YOUR UNDERWEAR
Pop Chart Lab A great source for awesome info-prints, By Anita Taylor which adorn household I know there are those folks who like goods and going out on Black Friday (Why it gotta posters. The be Black?) and doing all their holiday Charted Cheese shopping whilst fighting the sweaty Wheel Platter masses. Auntie Anita would rather shove ($36). The a hot poker up her posterior. Of course, 16” diameter, there are people who like that, too, no scratchdoubt. To each his own, but when it resistant, comes to holiday shopping, I prefer to melamine server features a pie-chart sit all snug in a fluffy robe with a cup of (get it?) with 65 hand-illustrated coffee in one hand and a mouse in the cheeses from around the world. other. www.popchartlab.com No, Auntie Anita has not started some strange new diet, I am talking about a computer mouse. I know most of you use that touch pad thingy, but I like to go old school, it does less damage to the manicure. Avoid the crowds and check out these selections from some of Auntie Anita’s favorite shopping web sites.
Pink Olive
Artisan food and gifts that you won’t find anywhere else, such as Salty Roads, three festive salt water taffy flavors for $24. www.pinkolive.com
Dapper and Urban
When Chicagoan Jenny Urban started wearing bow ties a few years WonderMade ago, she decided to make her own. This is an excellent source for stocking When she wore them they attracted stuffers and those $10 and $20 grab bag attention and led to her latest endeavor, gifts. WonderMade specializes in hand- making bow ties. The designs vary from crafted marshmallows that are as fun to cute and fun, including a line of hankyshare as they are to eat. code themed ties. For those unaware of They make all their confections from the hanky code, it is used in the leather 100% cane sugar, and package the community indicate sexual preferences, 1"x1" marshmallows 16 to a box, for priced from $10-$18 at $7.95. www.wondermade.com www.etsy.com/shop/DapperAndUrban
Uncommon Goods
Fun gifts for everyone on your list, for nearly any budget. The Cool Loft ($38) is a set of fridge storage strips with super-strong magnets that secure a six pack of beer bottles to the ceiling of your refrigerator. www.uncommongoods.com
Leif Shop
Lots of unusual items for the home at nearly every price point, such as the Gemstone Magnet Set ($38). Thin cross-sections of sparkling minerals make a beautiful set of magnets, each set includes eight magnets; one each of: amethyst, pyrite, quartz, geode, and four colors of agate slices. www.leifshop.com
Perpetual Kid Sick and twisted gifts, and I mean that in the nicest way. Offering options for adults, or be the best guncle ever with the assortment of kids’ gifts (and
the four-legged children, too). Give the Lil' Lager baby bottle ($11.99) to the new parents in your circle or, for the terrible driver, the car bandage magnet ($6.99). www.perpetualkid.com
Broadway Cares/equity Fight AIDS
This is my go-to spot for holiday gifts. Make it a tradition to give your show tune loving friend any of the annual gift Custom Made items which Custom-made feature the doesn’t have to logos from cost a fortune. all of that season’s Broadway musicals; An assortment of from a snow globe ($150) to the coffee jewelry, household mug ($15), there’s something for every items and other cool gifts, all of which budget. I always buy a bunch of smaller are made to order. I adore these hand items, such as bookmarks or key chains stamped cuff links ($40). They are the to use as stocking stuffers. Best of all, perfect finishing touch for your favorite the funds raised support the good work shirt or a unique groomsmen gift. The of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS square cuff links can feature your choice and Dancers Responding to AIDS. of initials or words, hand-stamped on www.broadwaycares.org either brass or sterling silver. www.custommade.com boiMAG 13
Books
The Gift You Open Again and Again By Gregg Shapiro The holidays are approaching. Gift lists are being assembled. Patronize your neighborhood independent bookseller and feel good about supporting a local business while buying a gift that will give pleasure to the recipient time and again.
Poetic License
Caprice by Denise Duhamel and former Chicagoan Maureen Seaton, does a brilliant job of compiling the multi-award-winning poets’ collaborative work. Boy With Thorn by Ricki Laurentiis, the gay, African-American poet’s debut collection, features stunning poems about race and sexuality that stay with the reader long after the book is closed. The 60th anniversary edition of City Lights Pocket Poets Anthology includes queer poets such as Allen Ginsberg, Frank O’Hara, Robert Duncan, Peter Orlovsky, and Harold Norse, as well as beat poetry legends Jack Kerouac, Gregory Corso, Anne Waldman, Bob Kaufman and others.
Fiction Festival
Depraved Heart, lesbian mystery writer Patricia Cornwell’s 22nd novel in the Dr. Kay Scarpetta series, features Scarpetta dealing with a horrifying family crisis involving her niece Lucy. Award-winning lesbian writer Nina Revoyr returns with her fifth novel Lost Canyon, described as a “wilderness thriller” about four people from Los Angeles who embark on a backpacking excursion through the Sierra Nevada. Colorful and comical, Michael Graves’ new novel Parade follows teen-aged cousins gay Reggie and straight Elmer on their odyssey from dull suburbia to sunny Florida in the company of a retired televangelist and an assortment of unusual characters.
The Whole Truth
The Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik celebrates Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg through words and pictures.
In Their Own Words
Words and Music
One of the most well-respected voices in gay journalism and activism, Philadelphia Gay News’ Mark Segal tells the remarkable story of his journey in his memoir And Then I Danced, Traveling the Road to LGBT Equality, complete with several pages of color photos.
Encyclopedia Madonnica 20, the updated 20th anniversary edition of the “Madonna bible” by Madonna-obsessed writer Matthew Rettenmund, loaded with previously unseen pix, original illustrations and more, includes celeb interviews, “one-word descriptions” and more between front and back covers by Richard Corman and Kiri Teshigahara, respectively.
She may have once said (and sung) that she wouldn’t do it, but you’ll be glad that she did when you read I’ll Never Write My Memoirs by Grace Jones, in which the grand dame of disco, fashion and experimental expression shares her love for the gays, her Jamaican homeland, theater and film, music, art, all told in her open and distinctive style.
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Published in time to honor the centennial of the late, groundbreaking gay jazz legend Billy Strayhorn, Strayhorn: An Illustrated Life, edited by A. Alyce Claerbaut and David Schlesinger, does a fantastic job of telling Strayhorn’s melodious story through words and images.
QMUSIC By Gregg Shapiro
When Janet Jackson says, “Hello, it’s been awhile…I’m glad you’re still here,” on the title track to Unbreakable, her first studio album in seven (!) years, she sounds like she means it. Separated into two “sides, "Unbreakable, on which Miss Jackson once again teams up with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, is one of the great comebacks of the year. The hot and suitably titled “Burnitup,” featuring Missy Elliott, is a scorcher. The back to back dance joy of “Broken Hearts Heal” and “Night” will keep us moving through the winter months and beyond. The `80s echo of “Take Me Away” is a pleasing reminder of when we Janet first crossed our paths. Jackson, who has demonstrated her admiration for Joni Mitchell in the past, includes a pair of tunes, “Lessons Learned” and “Well Traveled” that hint at Mitchell’s influence coming through her music. The Sly & The Family Stone-esque album closer “Gon’ B Alright” is so effective that you have no choice but to take her word for it. Almost 20 years ago Tamar Braxton (and sisters Trina and Tawanda) debuted as the R&B trio The Braxtons, attempting to follow in older sister Toni’s footsteps. Since that time Tamar has launched a solo career. On the deluxe version of her new disc Calling All Lovers, which includes two bonus tracks, Braxton (who co-wrote all of the songs) sounds strong on the single “Catfish". Other tunes calling out to be heard include the updated vintage soul of “Simple Things” and “Circles” the retro disco of “Must Be Good To You” and the power ballad “King.”
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Soul Sisters Cheers To The Fall, the stellar debut by Andra Day, couldn’t have arrived at a better time. With the gap left by Amy Winehouse remaining unfilled and Adele taking her sweet time releasing her third studio album, Day has arrived to, well, save the day. Aside from a fabulous look and style (drag queens take note), Day, who cowrote all 13 songs on the disc, has a firm grasp on the concept of drama as she demonstrates on “Not Today,” “Red Flag” and “City Burns.” Day is also good fit for the retro revival via such knockout numbers as “Gin & Juice (Let Go My Hand),” “Gold,” “Only Love,” “Forever Mine,” and “Honey Or Fire.” Let the cheering for Andra Day commence. One of the first things that queer listeners might notice about Freedom & Surrender, the new album by Lizz Wright, is that it opens with “Freedom,” written by legendary lesbian singer/ songwriter Toshi Reagon, and closes with “Surrender,” a song co-written by Wright and Reagon. In addition to making for a good album title, the songs beautifully bracket the 11 songs between them. Wright originals such as the uplifting “The New Game” (co-written with producer Larry Klein and David Batteau), the lovely Gregory Porter duet “Right Where You Are” (co-written with Klein and J.D. Souther), and the gorgeous “Real Life Painting” (co-written with lesbian singer/ songwriter Maia Sharp), as well as the covers of Nick Drake’s “River Man” and the Bee Gees’ “To Love Somebody” make this a disc to which listeners will willingly surrender..
Motor Mouth By Parker Carr
Re l i a b l e Information predicted-reliability scores. Lexus scored best, garnering top reliability marks for all seven of its vehicle lines scored in the survey. It was the alone among the Japanese luxury brands. Honda’s Acura brand plummeted because of problems with in-car electronics and transmissions, as noted above. Nissan’s Infiniti brand had problems with its InTouch infotainment system.
Last month Consumer Reports released its annual Auto Reliability Survey, which is supposed to be a predictor of how reliable a new car bought today is likely to be, based on the past three model years of problem areas reported by consumers. The surveys from which these scores are derived are based on reports by CR subscribers (covering more than 740,000 vehicles). This year’s survey indicated that the top trouble areas are with new transmission technology and communication and infotainment systems. Car tech often lags behind that of smart phones and apps and consumers, used to getting upgrades quickly, are disappointed in how these systems function and how reliably they operate. That’s more of an annoyance. What’s more problematic is that many of the new transmissions developed to help meet heightened fuel-economy standards are having some significant problems. Whether it’s a complex system such as a dualclutch gearbox, a continuously variable transmission, or simply an eight or nine speed manual, many vehicles are requiring repairs and replacements because of rough shifting gears and slipping CVT belts. These two areas have resulted in several automakers dropping sharply in CR’s
Toyota scored just behind Lexus, followed by Audi, which at one time was known for reliability issues, rose in this year’s ranking and finished third, just behind Lexus and Toyota. With the exception of Audi, most European cars made a middling score. Of the domestic makers Ford, remained in the lower half of the rankings but showed significant gains, with most of its cars scoring average or better. All of the FiatChrysler line (including Dodge, Jeep and Ram) finished at or near the bottom. Fiat-Chrysler’s scores were so lackluster, it issued a statement in response, “We greatly
value customer feedback and use it to continuously improve our vehicles,” said Matt Liddane, Vice President – Quality, for Fiat-Chrysler North America. “Because of this fact, we’re significantly accelerating our pace of improvement for our entire product lineup. We need to continue to push harder.” Consumer Reports excluded Jaguar, Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Scion, Smart, and Tesla because of their small product line. boiMAG 21
BARLESQUE Throughout this month contestants representing over two dozen community businesses compete for the title of "Chicago's Sexiest" to raise money for Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN) in its month-long, online stripa-thon fund raiser "Barlesque 7". As people visit the Barlesque web site (www.barlesque.org) and donate money, the contestants appear in various stages of undress. Over the course of multiple donation levels, contestants go from fully dressed to "nature's best."
The competition officially runs through Sunday, November 23, 11:59:59 p.m. Donations received beyond that time will not be counted toward the winner of the Barlesque competition, but will be posted on the Barlesque Web site. All money raised through Barlesque goes directly to the work of TPAN.
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FIT TIPS
Get Those Guns:
By Michael Elder
Alright, who doesn’t want a nice pair of guns? I sure do. What better way to appease your boyfriend or date then by having a nice strong pair of arms to cuddle them with? Especially for men, the arm has always been an iconic part of the male body, depicting an image of strength and masculinity. Sometimes arm training can be overlooked in favor of other larger muscle groups such as the chest and back. But I am a firm believer that the arms must be isolated and trained rigorously on a continual basis. As I have said before, the biceps make up the musculature on the front of the upper arm. In order to train them effectively, they need to be put through a series of different exercises consisting of varying angles and intensities. The barbell preacher curl is still a gold standard. This powerful biceps exercise can help you develop strength and size in the biceps when performed properly. You can perform this exercise also using a low pulley with an E-Z Bar attachment instead. In this case you will need to position the bench in front of the pulley. You may also use a wider grip for variety purposes. To be sure that both arms are working equally, dumbbells may also be used. preacher curl machines are also a great option.
The Barbell Preacher Curl TO PERFORM THIS EXERCISE • With the upper arms positioned against the preacher bench pad and the chest against it, hold • the bar at shoulder height. This will be your starting position. • As you breathe in, slowly lower the bar until your upper arm is extended and the biceps is fully stretched. • As you exhale, use the biceps to curl the weight up until your bicep is fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder height. • Squeeze the biceps hard and hold this position for a second. To perform this movement you will need a preacher bench and an E-Z bar or a standard barbell. Grab the E-Z curl bar at the close inner handle (either have someone hand you the bar which is preferable or grab the bar from the front bar rest provided by most preacher benches). The palm of your hands should be facing forward and they should be slightly tilted inwards due to the shape of the bar. If using a standard barbell, have a fairly close hand placement with your palms facing upward. You must fight to keep your wrists straight as they sometimes like to bend on this exercise. For this reason, an E-Z bar is preferred. But don’t take my word for it- try it! Your next date is just waiting for you to cuddle
Michael Elder has been working as a fitness professional in Chicago for the last 15 years. He has a background in gymnastics and is certified as a personal trainer through the American Council on Exercise (ACE). He can be contacted directly through his website, www.MichaelElder.com.
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DARK TESTAMENT By Gregg Shapiro Based on Vera Brittain’s memoir, Testament of Youth, is one of two outstanding British period pieces featuring strong female characters (the other being Far From the Madding Crowd starring Carey Mulligan). Testament of Youth begins on Armistice Day in November 1918 and then rapidly delves into the past of four years earlier. At that time, Vera (Alicia Vikander) was landed gentry, living with her younger brother Edward (Taron Egerton), mother (Emily Watson) and father (Dominic West). Headstrong Vera is determined to get into Oxford, but her father thinks his money is better spent on a new piano for Vera. She strongly disagrees. In spite of vowing to never marry, Vera has meanwhile caught the eye of two suitors, Victor (Colin Morgan) and Roland (Kit Harrington). While Roland, a poet like Vera, is the one who has won her attention, she remains undeterred in her mission to get an education. Vera’s father relents and Vera takes her Oxford entrance exams and is admitted to Somerville College where she must prove she is not just “provincial upstart.” Just as her future as an educated woman was being rolled out in front of her, the countdown to World War I was getting off the ground. With both her brother Edward and her love Roland signing up to fight, Vera’s “original mind” (as it is described by tough-as-leather teacher Miss Lorimer (Miranda Richardson) is more than a little distracted from her studies. Stubborn as ever, Vera leaves Oxford and becomes a volunteer nurse for the war effort. Without giving away too much, let’s just say she endures more than her share of heartache and hardship during this period. Vikander is marvelous and could potentially earn Oscar love for her performance. DVD special features include deleted scenes, 26 boiMAG
a behind-the-scenes look at the film and commentary by Harrington and director James Kent. The decline of the family farm is at the center of the abysmal film adaptation of Gillian (Gone Girl) Flynn’s Dark Places. A time-hopping, dim witted mess of a massmurder mystery, Dark Places manages to cram child molestation, Satan worship, homelessness, teen pregnancy, the unreliability of memory and too much more into two seemingly endless hours. As a child, Libby (Charlize Theron giving almost as much butch realness as she did in Monster), survived a home massacre that took the lives of her mother Patty (Christina Hendricks) and older sisters on the rural Kansas farm where they lived. The murder was pinned on Libby’s rebellious but directionless brother Ben (Tye Sheridan). With the 30 year anniversary of the murders approaching, Libby is approached by Lyle (Nicholas Hoult), who claims to be a member of an unsolved murder mystery club . It turns out he’s really part of a group of people who think Ben (played as an adult by Corey Stoll) has been wrongly imprisoned even though he never appealed his sentence. For a price, the reluctant but broke Libby agrees to revisit the case, leading her to question everything in her life since the murders. Shocking revelations and a considerable threat to Libby’s life play out in plodding fashion. Thoroughly lacking in the stylized vision of David Fincher’s adaptation of Flynn’s Gone Girl, Dark Places is the very definition of hokey and sloppy. Screenwriter/director Gilles Paquet-Brenner wastes the talents of his cast, as well as the time of the audience. DVD special features include a pair of featurettes – one about Gillian Flynn and one about “Bring Dark Places to light.”
Chicago's
in the know
By Sue Deaunym
Bar Buzz
Spinning around again at Belmont and Halsted, Seven seems to be the place to go for visiting celebrities. The just hosted Dumblonde and now they’re following it up with appearance by Pablo Hernandez on Saturday Nov. 14 where he’ll be performing , his YouTube hit “Bitch, I’m A Bottom” In other obvious news, the sky is blue. Pablo will barely have time to get his power bottom off the stage before Diva Latrice Royale blows into town to perform live on Friday, Nov. 20… Sundays are fun days on Halsted as minibar unleashes the "Power Hour". Starting at 3 p.m. well drinks are only 1¢ for the first five minutes of every hour. I’m not one to quibble when it comes to cheap drinks but shouldn’t that be “Power 5 Minutes”? Should we consult a power bottom? See how nicely I tied all that news together?... Speaking of tied together, Touché kicks off “High Shine” a bootblack weekend on Friday, Nov. 13 with a welcome party with IMsLBB 2015 slaver, Tabitha, hosted by Mr. Chicago Leather 2015, Luis Tipantasig. Cocktails and raffle benefit the IMsLBB travel fund. Then, the following night, the kinkiness continues with “Dungeon Master” night and a bootblack “Shine Off” with more raffles and a demo at midnight. Take off your shirt for $1 drinks and celebrate the full moon with a “Bear Chested” Thanksgiving Eve "Shoot the Moon" contest at midnight with $100 cash prize at Touché… Speaking of Bears, Crew is screening all the Bears games this year... Dance floor diva Robin S will join NYC's dj Escape during "Served" at Circuit Night Club on Saturday, Nov. 28. She's gonna perform her new song "Shout Out Loud" live. You have been "served!"
... ON THE GO!
Stage Business
“Pulp”, a campy homage to the sultry world of lesbian pulp fiction is being staged for two nights, Thursday and Friday Nov. 12 and 13 at Stage 773 in honor of the play’s 20th anniversary. In the play, a 1950s WAC pilot is booted out of the service for conduct unbecoming, and heads for Chicago. The spirit of Barbara Stanwyck and forbidden lust lurks behind every innuendo… It wouldn’t be the holidays without something sick and twisted from Hell in a Handbag. The company will debut “Christmas Dearest” the Joan Crawfordinfused parody of A Christmas Carol by David Cerda on Saturday, Nov 28. It will run through Jan. 2 at Mary's Attic… The CGMC holiday show is “Miracle on Thirty Funk Street” featuring holiday favorites with a funky twist. The shows run Sunday, Nov 29 at the Beverly Arts Center and Saturday, Dec. 5 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie… On Tuesday, Dec. 1, World AIDS Day, Artists Giving Back will be producing “Rent” at the Athenaeum Theatre with Steve Grand performing “Seasons of Love” with the cast… You have checked out the new ArcLight Theaters haven’t you?
Kids’ Stuff
On Sunday Nov. 15, a teen book group holds its kick-off meeting at GerberHart Library. The goal is to eventually create a podcast focused on teen reviews of these books. The book for this meeting is John Green and David Levithan's "Will Grayson, Will Grayson".
Sweet Stuff
It's finally the sweetest time of year! World of Chocolate takes place on Thursday, Dec. 3. This year party like Gatsby as they relive the glitz and glamour of the 1920s at Union Station. boiMAG 29
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