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GAY PORN STAR-TURNEDTEACHER IS ALLOWED BACK TO CLASS LOCAL NEWS PAGE 02
REALTOR GARY LANHAM IS THE MAN! PROFILE PAGE 16
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BE GAY OR “EMO”IN IRAQ, & YOU WILL DIE
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ABUSE OUTRAGE! Lawyers for Priest Abusers Force Victims’ Private Emails into Court By PHOEBE MOSES
Gruesome and Senseless Murders Are on the Rise
PAGE 09 LEIGHT REFLECTIONS
MIDLIFE CRISIS What It Is and Isn’t, and How to Beat It
St. Louis Bishop Robert W. Finn
ST. LOUIS, MO – Attorneys for Roman Catholic priests who stand accused of decades of sexual abuse against children are asking the courts to force a victims’ rights group to turn over private correspondence that includes emails from victims, witnesses, and members of the press.
The lawyers, who represent both the Roman Catholic Church and priests accused of child sexual abuse in two Missouri criminal cases, have asked the court to compel the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests—which operates under the acronym “SNAP”—to divulge the contents of more than twenty years of emails, which might include correspondence between victims, advocates, witnesses, law enforcement, journalists, attorneys, and informants. Although SNAP and its officers are neither plaintiffs nor defendants in the cases, the organization has been subpoenaed several times in recent months by attorneys for the Archdio-
cese of St. Louis and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. In the case of the latter, last year its religious and administrative leader, Bishop Robert W. Finn became the first American Roman Catholic bishop to be criminally indicted for his failure to report suspected child abuse. A Kansas City judge has ruled that SNAP must comply with the subpoenas because the group “almost certainly” has information that is relevant to the criminal complaint against Finn. SNAP activists and their proponents believe the church is engaged in intimidation tactics that are designed to silence the organization, which has provided support and ‘ABUSE VICTIMS’ continues on Page 8
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THE WORLD’S HOTTEST GAY NUDE BEACHES Robert Elias Deaton Tells You Where They Are
PAGE 19 STYLE BRIEFS
A LOVE-HATE RELATION
The Backlash to Kirk Cameron’s Hateful Remarks Has Been Profound. Read What He’s Saying Now in Response.
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TRAVEL
Attorney and Actor Stephen D. Jerome Commits Suicide Local Thespian and Lawyer Leaps to His Death
By BOB KECSKEMETY FORT LAUDERDALE – Officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of local attorney Stephen D. Jerome, who committed suicide on Friday, March 9, after leaping 11 stories from the rooftop of his Pompano Beach office, located in the BankAtlantic building at 1600 South Federal Highway, less than 24 hours after authorities executed a search warrant at his Fort Lauderdale home for materials related to child pornography. Documents indicate that police were looking for specific videos containing potentially explicit and illegal materials. Jerome, who graduated from University of Miami School of Law in 1977, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, oxy-
codone, and marijuana, which investigators found at the scene. When Jerome, 61, posted $1,000 bond the following morning, he went to his law office where, excusing himself, he leapt from the roof, three floors above. According to Broward County acting Medical Examiner Dr. Darin Trelka, Jerome, who was born on Dec. 7, 1950, died at the scene “from multiple blunt force injuries.” Jerome’s suicide came just a day before his scheduled opening night performance at the Pembroke Pines Theater of the Performing Arts’ musical production of Mel Brooks’ play “The Producers.” The attorney, who loved the musical theater form, according to
friends, was known to break out into song while in court. “It was just a few weeks ago that we sat next to each other at a luncheon,” says Lea Krauss, a Fort Lauderdale-based criminal attorney. The production of “The Producers” was scheduled to open on Friday night, March 9, for a four-week run. A lover of the musical theater form, Jerome was praised by friends and fellow cast members for his superb tenor voice. Prior to “The Producers,” Jerome performed in the Pembroke Pines Theater’s productions of “My Fair Lady” and “Guys and Dolls.” ‘STEPHEN JEROME’ continues on Page 9
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LOCAL NEWS IN BRIEF $25K Reward Offered for 2010 Murderer of Gay Pompano Man POMPANO BEACH – Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) investigators are hoping that someone has a keen eye for detail, a quality they may need in order to solve the murder of Samuel Del Brocco, who was murdered on Sept. 11, 2010 in his Pompano Beach vacation home. A part-time resident of Broward County, Del Brocco grew up locally, but founded a successful business in New York City and Alexandria, Virginia. It was in the latter city
Murder victim Samuel Del Brocco was found beaten in his home in Pompano.
that the 60-year-old former musician headquartered his company—PCI Communications—of which he was president and CEO. Del Brocco, who was gay, was described by friends and neighbors as very “social” and “sociable,” and it may have been those outgoing traits which led to his tragic end. “We think he made friends with someone he shouldn’t have, and then took that person home, with the results being most unfortunate,” said BSO Detective Tim Duggan. “That person became his attacker.” Duggan, the lead investigator in the case, said that Del Brocco was last seen having dinner at Kelly’s Landing seafood restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Later that evening, Del Brocco was murdered at his 1770 Bay Drive condo. Investigators still do not know if Del Brocco met a friend while he was out or picked up a stranger and invited the person home with him. BSO deputies, who were responding to an out-of-state “welfare call” by a concerned friend, found Del Brocco’s badly beaten remains. Witnesses from at least one local gay bar remember seeing him that night, but so far, no one has come forward to tell detectives that Del Brocco was with anyone else. “When that light goes off in someone’s head, then we’ll know we are that much closer to breaking this case,” said Duggan. Del Brocco had recently purchased a new home in Mount Vernon, Virginia, and friends
say that he was looking forward to beginning its renovation. Detective Duggan says that a $25,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for Sam Del Brocco’s brutal murder. Anyone with such information should call 954-493-TIPS (8-4-7-7), or go online to report a tip at:
browardcrimestoppers.org
Florida School Officials: Former Porn Actor Can Have Teaching Job Back MIAMI - A happy ending for a former gay porn star whose teaching credentials have been reinstated by Florida education officials. While Shawn Loftis was substitute teaching in Miami, he moonlighted from 2003 to 2010 as Collin O’Neal, starring in and directing gay adult films. Among the titles: Humping Iron, Desperate Husbands, and Perfect Fit. Loftis’ teaching certification was revoked last April after his night-job became public knowledge. On Friday, the Florida Education Practices Commission ruled that Loftis can return to teaching despite his part-time porn past. Florida educators may be dismissed for conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty or good morals. Commissioners said that Loftis’ prior adult film work was not illegal, and that Nautilus Middle School officials in MiamiDade County did not have the authority to dismiss him based upon that standard.
Shawn Loftis was a gay adult film performer and currently a teacher at Nautilus Middle School. PHOTO: CBS Channel 6 - CBSMIAMI.COM
Loftis told the commission that he wanted to use his classroom pulpit to counsel students against some of the choices he has made. The commission ruled that Loftis must remain on probation for two years, but the former gay porn actor’s next position may very well be as a fulltime teacher. H
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NATIONAL NEWS IN BRIEF Data Shows that Gays Are More Likely to Smoke, But Less Likely to Quit DENVER, CO - Researchers from University of Colorado Cancer Center say that gay men and women are nearly twice as likely to smoke cigarettes and other tobacco products as straight men and women. The study looked at 1,633 smokers who answered questionnaires at nearly 130 gay bars, clubs, and venues, and found that most respondents (80.4%) smoke daily, and that nearly a third smoke 20 or more cigarettes each day. Fewer than half (47.2%) had attempted quitting in the previous year, and only 8.5% were preparing to quit in the next month. A quarter of respondents said they were uncomfortable talking to their doctor about quitting smoking, and less than 30% said they were planning to quit. Lesbians were much less likely than gay men to have used or to intend to use nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). The researchers, led by Dr. Arnold Levinson, the study’s co-author, said that four factors are involved in the likelihood that a smoker is going to quit: daily smoking, previous use of NRT, a smoke-free home rule, “and comfort asking one’s doctor for cessation advice.” The study concludes: “A large minority of GLBT smokers was unlikely to seek cessation assistance through clinical encounters. Public health campaigns should focus on supporting motivation to quit and providing nonclinical access to evidence-based treatments.” H
Maine: Marriage Equality Has Strong Chance of Voter Approval AUGUSTA, ME – Supporters of same-sex marriage say they are confident that voters in Maine are ready to make the Pine Tree State the nation’s first to legalize marriage equality by popular referendum. Although five states are expected to contain marriage equality questions on their November ballots, Maine is the only one where the initiative has been framed by supporters of the issue. In 2009, lawmakers approved a same-sex marriage bill that was signed into law by then-Gov. John Baldacci, a Democrat.
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Baldacci, a Roman Catholic, became the first governor to sign a marriage equality law that had not been previously courtordered. That status was reversed less than six months later, when gay marriage was overturned 53-47 percent in a statewide referendum on Nov. 3, 2009. In spite of that defeat, marriage equality advocates believe that the past three years have seen a drastic change in voter opinions, and have successfully petitioned to add the question to this November’s ballot. Last week, Raleigh, North Carolina-based Public Policy Polling released the results of an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) poll of Maine voters that concerned the issue, with the following results reported: “It looks like Maine voters will reverse their 2009 decision and legalize gay marriage in the state this fall. 54% think that gay marriage should be legal to only 41% who think it should be illegal. And when we asked about the issue using the exact language voters will see on the ballot this fall, they say they’re inclined to support the referendum by a 47-32 margin. There’s some indication that the exact ballot language is confusing people a little at this point. Only 67% of those who support gay marriage in general say they’ll vote yes while 12% say they’ll not and 21% are not sure. At the same time, just 60% of those who oppose gay marriage generally say they’ll vote against the proposed referendum, while 24% say they’ll vote for it and 16% are not sure. My guess is at the end of the day voters will see this as a straight referendum on gay marriage regardless of what the language on the ballot says -- and the 54/41 number bodes well for pro-equality voters. Republicans’ opinions are pretty much the same as they were in 2009. But Democrats’ support for gay marriage has increased slightly, from 71% to 78%. And more importantly independents have gone from voting against gay marriage 52/46 three years ago to now supporting it by a 57/36 margin.” H
Iowa Judges who Legalized Marriage Equality to Receive JFK Profile in Courage Awards BOSTON, MA – Three members of the Iowa Supreme Court who voted to legalize marriage equality have been selected to receive the 2012 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. Former Iowa Chief Justice Marsha Ternus and former justices David Baker and Michael Streit joined a
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unanimous 2009 decision that struck down the Hawkeye State’s ban on gay marriage. The ruling caused outrage among the state’s political and religious conservatives, and a campaign, supported by future Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, was initiated and succeeded in voting the judges out of office the following year. Caroline Kennedy, the only surviving child of America’s 35th President and the CEO of the foundation named in his honor, applauded the fortitude and determination of the jurists. “When Justices Baker, Streit, and Ternus joined a unanimous decision to overturn a law denying same-sex couples the privileges of marriage, they sacrificed their own futures on the court to honor Iowa’s Constitution and the rights of its citizens,” Kennedy said in a statement. A committee consisting of 13 national, political, and community leaders selects the recipients of the annual awards, which are named for the late president’s 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “Profiles in Courage.” The awards will be presented on May 7 by Caroline Kennedy at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. H
Jury Deliberations Begin in Rutgers Webcam Suicide Case NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Defense attorneys rested on Monday in the case that has drawn international attention to the tragic consequences of cyber bullying. Dharun Ravi--the former Rutgers University freshman whose roommate committed suicide after he learned that Webcam footage of an intimate encounter between himself and another gay man had been made public—told the judge that he would not testify and relate his version of events that led to the suicide of Tyler Clementi. Judge Glenn Berman asked Ravi, 20, if he had decided himself not to take the stand. “Yes, it’s my decision,” Ravi replied in the longest strings of words he has used since the trial began three weeks ago. Although Ravi is not charged in Clementi’s death, he faces charges of bias intimidation,
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hindering apprehension, tampering with evidence and with a witness, as well as invasion of privacy, which in New Jersey is considered a sex crime. According to court documents, Ravi— who was 18 years old at the time--set up a Web camera on Sept. 19, 2010, after Clementi, 18, requested privacy in the room for several hours that night. Two weeks ago, one of Ravi’s friends testified that she and the defendant had watched the encounter briefly. Ravi then posted on Twitter: “Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into molly’s room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with another dude. Yay [sic].” Another friend gave testimony that Ravi, a native of India, had asked for assistance to angle the camera to face Clementi’s bed. Ravi then posted a Twitter message to encourage people to watch after his roommate requested their room two nights later. After reading Ravi’s tweet, Clementi disconnected the Web camera before his guest arrived. The prosecution argued that Ravi altered or erased his tweets and text messages in an effort to cover his tracks, and that he attempted to influence the court testimony of the friend—referred to in his first tweet as “Molly” [sic]--who viewed Clementi’s first encounter with his guest, who was named in court recorded by the initials “M.B.” Molly gave testimony for prosecutors in return for a more lenient sentence that will include sensitivity training. During the trial, expert witnesses testified that Clementi checked Ravi’s Twitter feed over three dozen times in the two days before he committed suicide by jumping from the George Washington Bridge. M.B. testified that Clementi seemed very distracted and upset at one point after checking for tweets. Attorneys for both sides made their closing statements on Tuesday. Jurors must decide whether Ravi intentionally intimidated Mr. Clementi because he was gay, and whether Clementi would have reasonably felt intimidated by Ravi’s actions. Ravi’s lawyers introduced several witnesses who testified that he was not biased against gay people. H ‘NATIONAL BRIEFS’ continues on Page 9
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Democratic Leadership Considers Adding Marriage Equality to Party Platform
Democrats in North Carolina watch a televised Democratic National Convention in 2008. The DNC was hosted in Denver, CO that year.
North Carolina Considering Constitutional Gay Marriage Ban By CLIFF DUNN
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movement is underway within the Democratic Party leadership to add language to the party’s platform, or statement of goals and principles, that gives full support to marriage equality. The proposed language would be included in the platform at this year’s Democratic National Convention, which will be held from Sept. 3 - 6 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Every four years, both major political parties--and many smaller ones as well— issue a manifesto known as a “platform” that outlines a list of principles and actions which the organization supports as a means of appealing to the broader electorate. The platform is a statement of intent of what the party plans to accomplish legislatively and what social policies it proposes to support. The platform is comprised of individual proposals and statements of principle and intent in support of (or opposition to) topics of political urgency, social relevance, and often controversy. Known as “planks,” they are named after the wooden slats that are assembled to construct a speaker’s platform. Among the upper echelon of Democrats who have come out in support of a plank that espouses marriage equality is House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California). The LGBT rights group Freedom to Marry has crafted language that proposes a reversal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which bans federal recognition of same-sex marriage. Last month the group, which was formed in 2003, launched its “Democrats: Say I Do” campaign, to gather signatures in support of the proposed plank. Thus far, about 30,000 people have signed the organization’s online petition to add marriage equality to the party platform. Pelosi, who was the nation’s first female Speaker of the House of Representatives (2007-2011), is joined by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire). Shaheen’s state is one of eight states to have legal-ized same-sex marriage. Former Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin has likewise endorsed the Freedom to Marry proposal. The language as it would appear in the party platform reads: “The Democratic Party supports the full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation, with equal respect, responsibility, and protection
under the law, including the freedom to marry. Government has no business putting barriers in the path of people seeking to care for their family members, particularly in challenging economic times. We support the Respect for Marriage Act and the overturning of the federal so-called ‘Defense of Marriage Act,’ and oppose discriminatory constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny the freedom to marry to loving and committed same-sex couples.” Last week, the Washington Blade reported that 22 U.S. senators, including Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Al Franken (D-MN), John Kerry (D-MA), Frank Lautenburg (D-NJ), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), had announced their support for the platform language. “These 22 senators from across the nation all know firsthand why marriage matters to gay and lesbian couples, their kids, their kin, and our country,” said Evan Wolfson, president and founder of the New York-based advocacy group. “Their support for Freedom to Marry’s ‘Say I Do’ campaign shows real momentum among Democrats for what the Democratic Party does at its best -- overcome discrimination and barriers and lead the way toward a more perfect union. Freedom to Marry looks forward to working with these Democratic leaders, others joining the call, and those signing our online petition to put the Party and then America squarely on the side of liberty and justice for all.” Supporters of the plank as well as those who urge caution about the timing of the language note the irony of North Carolina as the site of the 2012 Democratic National Convention. In May, Tar Heel State voters will consider a proposed amendment to North Carolina’s constitution that would reaffirm the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, and which LGBT activists say would threaten all forms of domestic partnerships and civil unions for gay couples. Rights advocates have called the proposed Amendment One “draconian.” “The proposed amendment to our state constitution is wrong on multiple levels. It denies equal rights under the law, a mainstay of America’s democracy since the beginning,” warned Cecil Bothwell, a Democratic candidate in the state’s Congressional primary.
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PHOTO: OFA - Obama For America
“It is so poorly worded that it is likely to cause real harm to women, to unmarried couples with children, to seniors living together, in addition to its stated goal of preventing same-sex marriage,” added Bothwell, who is straight. Voters in 30 states have approved bans on gay marriage, and a January survey by Raleigh-based Public Policy Polling found that 56 percent of North Carolina voters favor Amendment One. President Barack Obama has also muddied the political waters with his mixed signals on marriage equality. In 2008, Obama—who is counting on North Carolina’s 15 electoral votes in November—announced that he supported civil unions for gays, but opposed marriage equality. He has
since said, murkily, that his position is “evolving.” And there are Democrats who support LGBT rights but are urging caution on this most sensitive of social issues. “I think the most important thing that we need to do at the convention is stay focused on jobs,” Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley recently told the Huffington Post. O’Malley last week signed marriage equality into law in the Old Line State, but says he doesn’t want the party’s emphasis to shift from jobs and the economy to social issues, which could alienate independent voters. “That’s what’s going to re-elect the president and hopefully elect more Democrats to Congress,” said O’Malley, who chairs the Democratic Governors Association. H
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BACK TO THE FRONT
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advocacy for victims of clerical sex abuse for over twenty years. Church attorneys say the ongoing case prevents them to respond to such charges, but William Donohue, the president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, a church advocacy group, is under no such injunction. Donohue, a staunch defender of Roman Catholic principles and organization, believes the church is the actual victim of its enemies. “What accounts for the relentless attacks on the Church? Let’s face it: if its teachings were pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage and prowomen clergy, the dogs would have been called off years ago,” Donohue said last year. “SNAP is a menace to the Catholic Church.” In January, David Clohessy, SNAP’s national director, was subpoenaed for information he might possess, material and otherwise, concerning the case against Father Michael Tierney, a Kansas City priest who is accused of previous sexual abuse by four separate plaintiffs. Although the cases fall outside the statute of limitations under Missouri law, the plaintiffs’ attorneys argue that their clients only recently recovered their memories of the earlier abuses. The diocesan bishop, the Rt. Rev. Robert Finn, is likewise criminally charged with failing to report Tierney’s abuse after he became aware of it. The subpoena required Clohessy to turn over all documents he has from the past 23 years that relate to repressed memories, as well as any mention of past or current priests in Kansas City, Father Tierney himself, John Doe—the name given in the indictment to the plaintiffs— or Doe’s attorney, Rebecca Randles. Attorneys for the church say that SNAP’s records may show that Randles violated a court gag order in handing over information concerning one of the John Doe B.P. v. the Rev. Michael Tierney and the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph cases to the organization in advance, which was then released to the press by the group. Randles has denied violating the gag order. The Missouri Press Association filed a brief in support of ten victims’ advocacy groups that argued the subpoena was unconstitutional. Jackson County, Missouri Circuit Court Judge Ann Mesle ruled that Clohessy “almost certainly has knowledge concerning issues relevant to this litigation,” and ordered him to release the files and submit to a deposition by the attorneys for the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph. Donohue, the head of the New York Citybased Catholic League, applauds the aggressive tactics of the church. “The church has been too quick to write a check, and I think they’ve realized it would be a lot less expensive in the long run if we fought them one by one,” Donohue said online this week.
In an exclusive South Florida interview, Clohessy told Agenda Editor Cliff Dunn the reasons for the church’s ferocity in its response to people to whom it is putatively ministering. “They’re afraid of those who come to us and those we advocate for, namely the victims, whistleblowers, police, prosecutors, journalists and concerned Catholics,” said Clohessy. “They’re afraid that these people will recognize what’s been going on behind the scenes, and they’re afraid what that will mean for their veil of secrecy and what uncovering it will do to their collection plate every Sunday.” SNAP was founded by Clohessy and others who had been victimized by Roman Catholic priests. It was originally established as an association of volunteers with a goal to assist others with similar experiences. Clohessy said that the organization refers victims to attorneys and mental health professionals. During his January deposition at the hands of the victimizer’s attorneys, the questions were aimed at establishing that SNAP does not qualify as a rape crisis and counseling center, which, under Missouri law, would not shield its records from subpoena. Clohessy refused to answer all the church attorneys’ questions, and he and SNAP have refused to hand over all of the subpoenaed records. The defendants’ attorneys have therefore filed a motion with the court and Judge Mesle to force SNAP to comply with the court order. A hearing on that motion has been set for Friday, April 20. SNAP and its leaders are sincere in their desire to avoid the prolonged fight that the Catholic League’s Donohue has conjured, and hope that clearer heads prevail within the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, so that the church’s great resources may be used to help and support victims—and stand watch against the likelihood of future ones. They want to avoid a potentially destructive, diocese-by-diocese guerilla war. Clohessy is circumspect but still optimistic. “We hope not, but we are certainly preparing for it,” he offers. “What we’re trying to accomplish in this stand, however, is to prove that such an attack would be a waste of time and resources. We’ve already demonstrated our financial and personal commitment to this fight is 100%, and that we’re not going to go away no matter how difficult we find it to pay the bills.” H
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Iraq “Emo Killings” Claim the Lives of Gay and “Alternative” Men of anti-gay violence” has resulted in nearly 40 gay men being kidnapped, tortured, and murdered, although no evidence has been provided to support that number. The violence highlights—at a time when the country is attempting to show that it can control its own internal security— ongoing attacks and intimidation against minority ethnic groups, religious sects, and vulnerable groups, including gays. The targets of the violence have been associated with the western “emo” style of fashion and music, although it has received a uniquely Iraqi twist, which includes Goth, punk, and other elements. “Emo” originated in the 1980s during the American hardcore punk movement, and was original known as “emotional hardcore.” Musically, emo is characterized by melodic musicianship and expressive, often confessional lyrics. In Western youth culture, the term refers to appearance and musical preference, but carries no suggestion of a person’s sexual orientation. The emo style gained popularity among Iraqi youths as a sign of greater cultural and social freedom following years of oppression under Saddam Hussein and the subsequent violence and warfare which followed his overthrow. Emo, however, is hugely unpopular among the nation’s social and religious conservatives, who equate it with effeminacy and homosexuality. In addition,
there are elements of the Iraqi government who consider the style as western decadence and a public menace. In a March 8 statement, the Iraq interior ministry denied that the killings were related to the emo phenomenon, or that they were anti-gay in motivation, but rather had been committed for “revenge, or social, criminal, political or cultural reasons.” That contradicts a Feb. 13 statement on the ministry Web site, in which officials describe emos as “devil worshippers” whose signature nose rings, skull-print t-shirts, and dark clothing are marks of Satan. That statement said, chillingly, that police “have official approval to eliminate them as soon as possible, because the dimensions of the community began to take another course, and is now threatening danger.” In addition, since February threatening fliers have begun to appear in Baghdad’s Shiite neighborhoods. One leaflet, which was scanned and posted online, identifies dozens of gay men by their names, addressing individuals it refers to as “Mohammed the Flower,” “Allawi the Bra,” and others. “Your fate will be death if you don’t quit doing this,” warns the text on one flier. “Punishment will be tougher and tougher, you gays. Don’t be like the people of Lot,” a reference to the biblical figure associated with Sodom and Gomorrah. Another leaflet specifically warns emo youths to reform their musical and style choices, including cutting their hair and eschewing certain dark and tight-fitting clothing. “God’s punishment will be come down upon you,” the flier vows. Human rights groups lay responsibility for the anti-gay and anti-emo violence on
Shiite militias and radical religious groups. Last week, the leader of one of the most prominent of these groups, Moktada al-Sadr of the Mahdi Army, told the Iraqi news channel Al Sumaria that emo teens are “unnatural,” but that they should be dealt with by legal methods, and denied responsibility for the violence or threats. Some religious leaders have condemned the violence. Mohammed al-Yaqoubi, a Shiite cleric, decried the bloodshed and said that emo teens should be given “advice, guidance, and knowledge.” In the meantime, Baghdad’s evenings ring with the Muslim call to prayer heard alongside threats of violence and neighbors chanting “Block! Block! Block!” a reference to the use of cement blocks as weapons against the city’s defenseless gays and emo teens. Frightened youths, who have posted the threatening fliers online, have also identified at least one of the victims of the homophobic, homicidal violence. Saif Raad Asmar Abboudi, 20, was beaten to death with a brick on Feb. 17. Police have not identified a suspect, according to a report by Iraqi LGBT, a Londonbased advocacy group. In photos circulated by Iraqi LGBT youths, Abboudi appears in one wearing a white jacket, dark aviator sunglasses, and perfectly-styled hair. In another, his bloody and distorted face stares upward from the bed of a police truck. “I think he was killed because of the way he was dressed,” a former teacher of his told the Washington Post. “People used to call him Saif the bride.” H
pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and infections. “This just clarifies we’ll have an abstinence-only curriculum or a nothing curriculum,” Sen. Margaret Dayton (R-Orem), the bill’s sponsor told the Deseret News. Herbert, a Republican, has not publically offered support or opposition to the measure. A race for re-election this year might push the governor to support this conservative bill in this ultra-Red state. Supporters of the “Don’t Gay, Don’t Condom” bill argue that sex-ed is best left to the parents, rather than public schools. The Beehive State presently requires that students enroll in sexual education classes only if their parents choose to allow it. “To replace the parent in the school setting, among people who we have no idea what their morals are, we have no ideas what their values are, yet we turn our children over to them to instruct them in the
most sensitive sexual activities in their lives, I think is wrongheaded,” Sen. Stuart Reid (R-Ogden), told the Salt Lake Tribune. Across the aisle, Democratic lawmakers said that the restrictive measure will leave students at greater risk for STDs, pregnancy, and abortions. They argued that not all parents have the skills or temperament to keep their children informed about the consequences of sexual activity and its potentially-harmful effects. “We’ve been discussing this as if every child has the benefit of two loving and caring parents who are ready to have a conversation about appropriate sexual activity, and I’m here to tell you that’s just not the case,” Sen. Ross Romero (D-Salt Lake City) told the Salt Lake Tribune. A study published recently in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine reported that those states that require comprehensive, all-encompassing sexual
education courses have lower teen birth rates. The study also found that the impact of sex-ed programs may be offset by factors including race, religion, income levels, and state abortion regulations. H
Rights Groups Claim nearly 40 Killed in Past Two Weeks By CLIFF DUNN
BAGHDAD, IRAQ – A city that was once rocked by the shock and awe of artillery shells and roadside bombs has been transformed into a gauntlet of intimidation and death for Iraq’s gay and “alternative” teens and young men, with a recent wave of murders and terror directed at Baghdad’s gay men as well as teenagers who wear fashion styles associated with emo, goth, and other alternative scenes. The murders, which the Iraqi press has dubbed the “emo killings,” reportedly began just two weeks ago, when security officials found the bodies of six young men whose skulls had been crushed by cement blocks. Since then, contradictions in the reporting have made it difficult to determine the exact number of victims, with Reuters reporting a death toll of 14 or more—based upon data supplied by Baghdad security and hospital officials—and the New York-based International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, said that a “new surge
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Utah Lawmakers Pass Sex Ed Bill that Bans Discussion of “Gays” and “Condoms”
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Utah State Senators passed a controversial bill last week which would allow public schools the option of offering abstinence-only sex education curricula or none at all. The bill passed by a vote of 19-10, split heavily along party lines. If adopted, the policy would be the most restrictive in the U.S. If signed into law by Gov. Gary Herbert, the measure will bar Utah public school teachers from talking with students about homosexuality and other forms of sexuality—excluding abstinence—before marriage. It will also prevent public schools from teaching students about the use of contraceptives as a means of preventing
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Jerome’s arrest prior to his suicide was not his first. The attorney was charged in 1990 with sexual performance by a child after police found child pornography magazines in his bedroom closet. He pled no contest and was sentenced to probation and community service, and his license to practice was temporarily suspended by the Florida Bar Association. In 1992, Jerome plead no contest to the charges. He had since built his firm into a successful bankruptcy law practice. H With additional reporting by Rory Barbarossa.
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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
COMMENTARY
Uganda’s Unintended Promotion of Homosexuality Rights Groups Claim nearly 40 Killed in Past Two Weeks By MELANIE NATHAN
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n October 2009, a Member of the crime, at the heart of the Ugandan Bill and Ugandan Parliament, David Bahati, its core excuse is one phrase that makes no introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, sense: “the Promotion of Homosexuality.” Most of us in the LGBT community which changed the dialogue around who live our sexuality homosexuality in Africa cannot understand the forever. The politician, term. We know that considered a rising star IF THE BAHATI BILL PASSES, IT same-sex attraction is in the 25-year-long WILL BE A DISASTER FOR ALL UGANDAN LGBT PEOPLE, AS IT WILL not a choice, but simply Museveni dictatorial LEGITIMIZE PERSECUTION. a way of being. We also regime, had “tuned” know that love is not his legislative hearing about the sex but about to the “tones” of American Christian evangelicals Lou the relationship. In Uganda, though, the Engels and Scott Lively. Now it can be ignorance is pervasive. Here are some ideas which speak to seen that the lawmaker-- in his quest to punish homosexuality --may well have the incongruity of the law: “Promotion of Homosexuality” could me... inadvertently accomplished the opposite. Prior to the introduction of what has … a lawyer defending a client who has become known as the “Kill the Gays Bill,” Bahati had met with the aforementioned been charged under a criminal act of “C Street” Fellowship members and was homosexuality. … a doctor asking sexual orientation following their beat: one that taps “Jesus questions and nor reporting homosexual Hates Gays via Leviticus.” Accusations by Lively--that “gays” were the cause of the behavior. … a non-governmental organization Holocaust, among other rhetoric--served as (NGO) offering counseling to a teenager the impetus for the bill that seeks to punish who is confused about his/her sexuality. homosexuality by death. … a civil society offering shelter to The Bill has come a long way and gone nowhere, for now that is. It has been youths kicked out of homes because of introduced and then lost in the shuffle of same-sex attraction. … any advocacy for LGBT equality and the closing of an old parliamentary session, rights. only to reawaken in this current session of … a mother failing to report that Parliament, amidst concerns from the Laws she caught her daughter in bed with a Society of Uganda and members of the . girlfriend Ugandan Cabinet itself. … a clergyperson blessing a repentant Speculation has it that after the bill’s first reading this year--to the rousing “sinner.” … a newspaper reporting international applause of fellow parliamentarians-news about same-sex issues. international pressure has come down on … local and foreign employers the Ugandan cabinet, which has signaled some backpedaling. It may be that the bill operating in Uganda who have diversity and acceptance programs in their hiring will languish, yet again. But this is not a reason for activists to practices and who knowingly employ gays. … employers operating in Uganda who rest, as the bill could see its way to a vote at anytime, or its language could find a home provide benefits to same-sex couples abroad. in other, less public legislation. The law in Uganda already purports to And the list goes on. If the Bahati Bill criminalize homosexuality through colonial passes, it will be a disaster for all Ugandan legislation that speaks to “acts against the LGBT people, as it will legitimize persecution. order of nature.” The purpose of the Bahati One cannot but note that prior to the bill is to pronounce on homosexuality in adventures of Scott Lively in Uganda, gays terms that cannot escape definition under and lesbians in that country were largely the criminal law. left alone. Ironically, much of the unwanted While Bahati and others in Africa now attention on the LGBT community occurred seek to define homosexuality as an explicit because the bill has become the subject
of protest from the West, resulting in a backlash against gays that may not otherwise have occurred. The world is now focused in a new way on gay rights as human rights, and African countries which do not adhere to this precept will be subject to threats of restricted foreign aid, as well as tourism and trade boycotts. While this may result in more backlashes, there is an emerging fight against LGBT criminalization, even in its less-defined form of “acts against the order of nature” with a zest and fervor unlike that experienced in Africa before. LGBT NGOs and activist coalitions are forming, and leaders from around the world are speaking clearly for the decriminalization of homosexuality. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have spoken against persecution of LGBT people in Africa. UK Prime Minister David Cameron has suggested withdrawing aid to Uganda. Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary General, spoke out vehemently against violence and discrimination against gays: “The violence and discrimination directed at people just because they were lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender was a monumental stain on the collective conscience, and a violation
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of international law to which the Human Rights Council must respond.” What was hardly a dialogue has shaped into a quest: an imperative one to recognize LGBT human rights in a bid to decriminalize homosexuality. This may be the ultimate and unintended result of the Ugandan “Kill the Gays Bill,” as it becomes increasingly clear that the world is not going to stand by and watch career politicians build their careers upon hate. H Melanie Nathan is a San Francisco-based lawyer, human-rights advocate, and blogger for oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com and Gay U.S.A. the Blog. A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, she also is a regular contributor to SDGLN and The Advocate. Melanie tweets @melanienathan1
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EDITOR’S DESK
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“What Does That Tell You About the Mysteries of GOD?” Senator Santorum, You’re No Jack Kennedy
By CLIFF DUNN
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omething this week put me in mind of how long can be the passage of just 40 years. Those of us who were alive during the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade may be shocked—shocked!—to learn that people sitting right next to you at this very moment may not have been alive 39 years ago. I don’t mean to sound like a drama queen here, but the truth is that today we take for granted many things that weren’t remotely on the radar—not to mention gaydar— screen 50 years ago. Take the current presidential election year. In 2012, Lord Alfred Douglas’ “love that dare not speak its name” is sounding a loud blast on both ends of the political spectrum, with religious and social conservatives mobilizing to keep marriage equality out of the state house law books from sea to shining sea, while the Democratic National Committee deliberates including the issue as part of its national Party Platform (see inside this week’s Agenda National News story, “Democratic Leadership Considers Adding Marriage Equality to Party Platform”). And—seriously—it’s only a matter of time before President Obama comes out squarely in support of gay marriage (my from-the-hip guess would be on Nov. 7, the day after he wins—or loses—reelection). Now let’s stretch back a few years B.C. (“Before Cliff”) to 1962—precisely 50 years ago--when the White House was occupied by another “minority,” the Roman Catholic John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The fallen JFK--a wounded combat veteran who served his country in World War II and whose assassination threw his nation into a depth of despair that had never been felt since the murder of Lincoln—has been a fairly regular punching bag for GOP presidential candidate and fellow Roman Catholic Rick Santorum—a lawyer and failed professional politician whose “service” to his nation includes sponsorship of failed 2005 legislation would have prohibited the National Weather Service from releasing weather data to the public
without charge where private-sector entities perform the same function for profit. Santorum took campaign money from the bill’s backers but hey, whatever: service is service). Santorum got into ideological as well as the stylistic kind of hot water last month when he criticized Kennedy’s call for a strict “separation of church and state” that is “absolute” during his successful 1960 presidential campaign. JFK, of course, was trying to assuage the concerns of Protestant America, who were concerned that, if elected, he would take his marching orders from the Pope. Santorum, in a cheap effort to cull support from the base of social conservatives that has entrapped his candidacy, said that Kennedy’s enjoinder made him want to “throw up,” and that it represented an early liberal effort to “force God out of the public square.” I don’t mind so much that Santorum has clearly never picked up a history book; nor apparently watched a movie. For those of us who have done both, it seems pretty clear that the Founders meant to allow religion in the public square, but they were afraid—terrified might be a better word—that it would become the largest, most oppressive building in that square. Hoping to clarify things—but in many ways, muddying them up—Thomas Jefferson responded in 1801 to a letter written by a group of religious supporters. These included a group of Danbury, Connecticut, Baptist ministers who wrote to congratulate the new president on his election, and to express a feeling of insecurity. As Baptists, they were a minority in Connecticut, sandwiched between the much larger— and much better politically connected— Congregationalists and Episcopalians (the latter formerly Church of England, don’t you know?). A little-known fact about prerevolutionary America is that nine of the original 13 colonies had “statesponsored” religions that were supported financially by the colonies’ governments.
Those Christians (and Heaven help those Jews) who weren’t members of the dominant two faiths faced hostility and even outright persecution. The Baptists of Connecticut were concerned about the nation’s guarantee of religious freedoms. “Our constitution of government is not specific” on this crucial point, they wrote. In his response the following year to the Danbury Baptist Association, America’s third president wrote “I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should ‘make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,’ thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.” It’s true that John Jay, post-colonial America’s great jurist, urged the people “of our Christian nation to select and
prefer Christians for their rulers,” and that the Declaration of Independence cites “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God,” but it didn’t specify the name of that God or his son as “Jesus Christ,” or in any way connected to him. Don’t get me wrong: for every Jefferson (Deist), there were ten Jays and John Adams (Episcopalian and Congregationalist/Puritan, respectively). But all of them came out of the 18th Century Enlightenment as much as they emerged from the Second Great Awakening, and although George Washington refers to God in his letters, they are vague references to things like a “Grand Architect,” all of which made for an accessibility for all Americans to practice their religion in the public square—an accessibility thatSantorum and his ilk seem to seek to diminish. God help them. H
LEIGHT REFLECTIONS
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Mid-Life Crisis By ARLEN KEITH LEIGHT, PH.D.
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veryone gets a chuckle out of saying, “He’s going through a mid-life crisis” as if it is some childish phase creating an excuse for extra-marital affairs, buying a Harley, and going bungee jumping. The fact is, midlife course correction is an integral part of adult individuation, the process of becoming a complete and wholly unique individual. The midlife experience in our social structure today usually takes place in the 40s, but can come as early as 35 or as late as 55. The period is characterized by a reevaluation of the life decisions made as a teenager or in one’s 20s. At this time there is often a realization through life experience that those early decisions were made for external factors rather than internal drive. The decisions regarding career, home, and even life partner are often made to satisfy parental, church and/or societal expectation, or other persons of influence. For example, a gay person may choose to marry someone of the opposite sex because that is the expectation of his parents and the society-at-large. The realization that one is entrenched in a life that does not allow for full individual expression of self can be very frightening and confusing. There may come a tipping point at which time the individual realizes that in order to grow into him/her-self, change is necessary. This is the mid-life “crisis” as we have come to understand it. Discovery that a relationship is not working after 15 years despite love, realizing that a lucrative career brings no passion or joy, and/or looking around at one’s environment to see that it does not reflect the person one has become--or wishes to become--can be devastating. A few choose to go into therapy as a tool for sorting out the feelings of confusion, loss, and fear. Driven by a will to thrive and not merely survive, some will risk everything and choose to change all aspects of life in an effort to come to terms with the self. Others will choose to stay at the job or in the marriage and attempt to bring more of themselves into their current situation. Still others will simply accept stagnation, often living in despair and depression that is frequently accompanied by substance or alcohol abuse. The argument is often made that leaving a relationship or job or other situation is unfair and selfish because it adversely
affects others. There is no question the result can be traumatic to others of significance, hence the word “crisis.” I often ask clients struggling with coming out in mid-life and struggling with the prospect of leaving their families, what advice they would give their own children should they be facing this same dilemma? Would they like to see their children follow their hearts, be fully themselves, live their passions and realize their dreams, or would it be better for them to stay in relationships or careers or some other life situations that are not working and not allowing them to be all they can be? Do all mid-lifers go through a crisis? It appears most adults who have met the basic needs of life—i.e., food, clothing, shelter, health care--find themselves asking if life is all it can be. Often precipitated by seeing others live out a dream, surviving the death of a parent, or becoming an emptynester, mid-lifers may ask: Is this all there is for me? Have I made my life all it can be? Am I living my life honestly and completely in alignment with an authentic sense of self? Many, if not most of us, push aside any thoughts of change realizing the risks, fearing the response of others, putting the needs of others first, or deciding the known is more comfortable than entering the unknown despite any possible self-actualization. Whatever the life choice, it needs to be respected and honored as the path of unique choosing for each individual. H
Arlen Keith Leight, PhD is a Licensed Psychotherapist and Board Certified Sex Therapist in private practice on the drive in Wilton Manors. He can be reached via email at DoctorLeight@aol.com, by phone at 954-7688000, or online at www.DoctorLeight.com.
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CANDIDLY:
Justin Flippen
Superman, Captain America, He-Man, Optimus Prime, Capt. Kirk, Mr. Spock, Capt. Picard. Your heroes in real life. Jesus Christ, my grandparents, Martin Luther King, Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, Hillary Clinton.
During the 19th and early-20th Centuries, intellectuals and community leaders shared their ideas and thoughts in the form of a parlor game that spoke, truthfully, about the innermost them. This week,we speak CANDIDLY with Justin Flippen. Justin is a native South Floridian and the former Vice Mayor of Wilton Manors. He What characters in history do you most currently works for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and dislike? Visitors Bureau promoting tourism-based economic development Tyrants, villains, those who have opposed social justice or have committed crimes and marketing. against humanity.
Your favorite virtue. Charity and love. Your favorite qualities in a person. Honesty, Integrity, Confidence, and Moderation. Your chief characteristic. Patriotic. What do you appreciate most in your friends? Loyalty and Candor. Your main fault. I’m told I can occasionally be stubborn, but, hey, I am a Taurus! Your favorite occupation. Public servant.
Your idea of happiness. Building a life together with the man of my dreams and creating a family. Three-day weekends also make me happy! Your idea of misery. Going hungry. I just love food way too much! Where would you like to live? In a community that socially and legally recognizes equality. I also love the outdoors and nature, so I definitely always want to be close to a National Park or two. Your favorite authors. Homer, Shakespeare, John Milton, C.S. Lewis, J.R. R. Tolkien, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost. Your favorite heroes (male or female) in fiction.
Your favorite food and drink. I only get to pick one food? Filet Mignon, cooked medium. A nice cold ice tea on a warm summer day can’t be beat! As for cocktails, a Pisco Sour or Vodka and soda with a splash of cranberry juice. Your favorite names. Joshua, Jonathan, Jupiter, and, of course, Justin. I guess I’m a bit partial to the letter ‘J.’ What do you hate the most? Wrongdoing and those who do evil. The reform you admire the most. Legal equality and economic environmentalism. The natural talent you’d like to be gifted with.
To be able to sing a little less off key. Road trips with me singing along to music can be fun or torture for passengers! How do you wish to die? Peacefully, knowing that I’ve lived a full, complete, and happy life. What is your present state of mind? Relaxed and reflective. For what fault are you the most intolerant? Arrogance. Your personal motto. “Tikkun Olam.” [A Hebrew phrase that translates as “making the world a better place.”]
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Cinema | Fitness | Nutrition | Travel | Dining | Bar Guide | Recipe | Classifieds
WHAT’S INSIDE:
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pring is FINALLY here (isn’t it?), and this season brings with it the return of an old Fort Lauderdale friend: the AIR SHOW (featuring the likewise return of the incomparable US Air Force Thunderbirds)! Get the low down on this and every other Super South Florida Happening from now through summer, inside OUT in Florida. South Florida’s real estate market has had its ups and downs (no kidding), but for some real estate professionals and their investors challenge has meant opportunity. In our Spotlight profile, you will have a first-hand looksee at the ways Greater Fort Lauderdale realtor Gary Lanham has grown his successful Real Estate Recovery in the best (and worst) of times. Where are the hottest (and coolest) places for gay men to “let it all hang out?” Robert Elias Deaton has been to the most sizzling clothing-optional beaches in the four corners of the globe (odd euphemism for a round planetary object, no?), and he describes the white hot sands in all their savage splendor inside Travel. Wilton Drive is simply awash in great new eateries, and one of the newest and tastiest has given its side of the Drive a sweet-looking facelift complete with “indoor” sidewalk café dining? Find out more about the journey of Pinché Taqueria from Mexico, to NYC, to right here in the heart of the Gay Village. Richard David Chamberlain has all the delicious details, in Dining. There’s also Fitness advice from house trainer Tom Bonanti to keep you fit as a fiddle as we head into the heat, and Chef Jean serves up a classic Recipe that’s certain to please. Don’t forget to grab your hot new copy of South Florida’s Premier Men’s Entertainment Magazine, GUY, with an exclusive interview this week with musical icon and gay-loving Melissa Manchester. - CD
KIRK CAMERON... The “Loving” Homophobe
Style Briefs PAGE 17
THE BEST GAY NUDE BEACHES
Travel
PAGE 19
PINCHÉ TAQUERIA More than just Tacos & Tequila!
CALISTHENICS
101 Dining PAGE 25
Fitness PAGE 24
SPOTLIGHT PROFILE
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GARY LANHAM:
Changing the Equation in a Changing Market By DALE MADISON
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emind realtor Gary Lanham that the real estate market has changed and he will look at you and laugh. “No joke, Dale, where have you been?” he asks with mock astonishment. After Hurricane Wilma in 2005, things have not been good for most real estate professionals. Yet, some agents and realtors have found a way to turn things around. Real Estate broker Gary Lanham is one of those. After working in the health care industry for most of his life, several years ago—in Lanham’s words--“I got burned out.” A longtime friend of local realty mogul Carl Marzola, he was approached by the realtor in 2004 about obtaining his license and “hanging it” at Marzola’s Atlantic Properties International. “Things changed dramatically after Wilma,” recalls Lanham. “Sellers were abundant. It was the height of the market. Buyers were skittish to say the least,” he adds. “While buyers--and
sellers, for that matter-- were the higher end of the market, everyone in real estate felt the pinch.” L a n h a m decided that it was time to start his own brokerage, and 14 months ago he did, with a twist. Viewing the market, he realized that there was a segment that was not getting much attention: those who were in trouble. “Upside-down is how most see this unlikely phenomenon,” Lanham admits. A market that was once doubling or tripling in value is now shrinking, with banks camped out on door steps waiting to foreclose. Lanham saw an opportunity. “Let’s help people by
working with the seller, the bank, and , and hopefully a buyer, to make it so that everyone is a winner, rather than someone losing all that they have worked for years to obtain,” he offers. With that knowledge, he founded Real Estate Recovery. According to Lanham, the banks became far more willing to work with owners in 2011, and so far in 2012, they have remained willing to work with those who are struggling. “Most of our clients are coming from New York, Boston, Brazil, Columbia, and Venezuela,” Lanham reports. He has also focused on South Florida’s LGBT market, utilizing Realtor.com, among other media. “Let’s face it, who wants to be in the snow up north when you could be spending time on the white sands of South Florida?” he asks. Lanham’s philosophy starts at home. “I really watch out for my agents,” he
says. “Keeping them busy and happy is a priority.” Several months ago, Lanham’s mother became ill. When he went north to care for her, he monitored the business online. “Anytime a lead came in, I would rotate it through and ask ‘can you make contact with this potential client?’ If they said ‘yes,’ great. If not, no problem, I would move it on to the next agent, but the agency ran just as if I were there. We are technology-driven.” notes Lanham. Lanham advises homeowners to consider all of their options should the specter of foreclosure loom over their home and property. “Many of those who are in foreclosure think they can just walk away with no repercussions,” he reports. But this is not the entire story. “Banks have up to 20 years to come back to collect any shortfall if you don’t work with someone on an ‘approved’ short sale. And they will do everything they can to enforce that.” H
STYLE BRIEFS
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STYLE BRIEFS
Kirk Cameron Tries to Explain; Kristen Chenowith is With Us; and George Takei vs. The Donald
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irk Cameron, the star of the hit sitcom “Growing Pains,” told CNN host Piers Morgan last week that he believes homosexuality to be “unnatural,” adding “I think that it’s detrimental, and ultimately destructive to so many of the foundations of civilization (Florida Agenda, March 8).
Piers Morgan Tonight Appearing on the March 2 broadcast of “Piers Morgan Tonight,” Cameron, 41, described himself as a “teen-idol-atheist in Hollywood” who “became a devoted follower of Jesus Christ.” The reaction to Cameron’s comments was quick and full of outrage. Former “Growing Pains” cast member Tracey Gold said, “I do think it’s dangerous.” Gold, who will be a presenter at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Media Awards on March 24 in New York City, added “I immediately thought of the teenager who’s struggling with his sexuality and hearing those comments that are so damaging and hurtful.” TV star Roseanne Barr tweeted “Kirk or Kurt or whatever Cameron is an accomplice to murder with his hate speech.” Responding to the controversy via email, Cameron told ABCNews.com. “I spoke as honestly as I could, but some people believe my responses were not loving toward those in the gay community. That is not true. I can assuredly say that it’s my life’s mission to love all people.” In response to Cameron’s comments, GLAAD launched a petition called “Tell Kirk Cameron It’s Time to Finally Grow Up.” And the organization’s spokesman, Herndon Graddick, had this to say about Cameron’s clarification: “Saying that gay people are ‘detrimental to civilization’ might be ‘loving’ in Kirk Cameron’s mind, but it’s gay youth and victims of bullying who truly suffer from adults like Cameron who espouse these ideas.” The 80s pinup boy-turned-poster boy for the Religious Right lost interest in the hit ABC series toward the end of its run in 1992. In a November 2000 interview, his “Growing Pains” cast mate, Tracey Gold, told the Los Angeles Times: “At the end, Kirk had drifted away from the show.
When he got married during a summer hiatus up in New York, none of us were invited. He had pretty much made it clear he needed his separation from us.” In the March 2 interview on “Piers Morgan Tonight,” Cameron said, “Marriage was defined by God a long time ago. Marriage is almost as old as dirt, and it was defined in the garden between Adam and Eve--one man, one woman for life till death do you part. So I would never attempt to try to redefine marriage. And I don’t think anyone else should either.” “Do I support the idea of gay marriage? No, I don’t,” added Cameron, whose conversion to Christianity occurred during his time in the cast of the hit series. Following that conversion, the still-teenaged Cameron began to insist that “Growing Pains” storylines which he deemed too racy or adult in theme be watered down of offending content. During the March 2 broadcast, Morgan asked the former child star to comment on a hypothetical situation: what if one of the actor-turned-evangelist’s six children came out to him? “Dad, bad news, I’m gay,” the host offered by way of scenario. “I’d sit down and I’d have a heart to heart with them, just like you’d do with your kids,” Cameron replied. Retorted Morgan: “I’d say, ‘that’s great, son, as long as you’re happy.’ What would you say?” “I wouldn’t say ‘that’s great, son, as long as you’re happy,’” answered Cameron. “Just because you feel one way doesn’t mean we should act on everything we feel.” H
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inger and actress Kristen Chenoweth says there isn’t anything contradictory about her strong Christian faith and her support for LGBT rights. Last September, the Tony Awardwinning actress, 43, told CNN’s Piers Morgan “I don’t think the gay issue is a political one, but I do think it’s a civil rights issue,” adding that “people who love each other should be allowed to be married.” Contrary to the beliefs of many Christians, the star of ABC television’s new comedy “GCB” does not believe that homosexuality is a choice. “If it was a sin to be short, what would I do? Well I’d be right on the hell bus,” Chenoweth, who stands 4’11”, explained. “I don’t believe God makes mistakes, and that includes a person’s sexuality.” Chenoweth’s new series, based upon the book “Good Christian Bitches” by Kim
Gatlin, includes a developing storyline about a churchgoing couple in which the husband is a closeted gay man. “I’d say go to church and take a look around the Kristen Chenowith room and see if you see any women who might be married to a man who might be gay,” the former star of the Broadway show “Wicked” told ABC News. “I’d say be very careful of judging someone who’s in marriage who is gay because they don’t want to be told they’re going to hell. I think that happens and I think it’s horrible.” Chenoweth confesses to being perplexed about the homophobia she sees all around her, particularly among observant Christians (see Kirk Cameron story, above). “Even as a young child, I thought, ‘Why is being gay bad?’ I didn’t understand it. So I asked my grandma, who is the best Christian I ever knew. I’d say, ‘what about my friend Denny: he’s gay, is he going to hell?’ She told me, ‘I read the Bible like I eat fish. I take the meat that serves me well but I don’t choke on the bone.’” H
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ctor and activist George Takei, who once led audiences “where no man has gone before” on television’s “Star Trek,” wants to trade upon some of his star power to help Donald Trump make the “switch” in support of marriage equality. The Los Angeles-born Takei, 74, played the role of Lt. Sulu on NBC’s classic science fiction program--which ran from 1966 to 1969, and since then almost continuously in syndication—and is currently seen on the network’s “Celebrity Apprentice,”
which stars Trump, the billionaire real estate tycoon and sometime-candidate for U.S. President. The actor has been active in politics since 1972, when he served as an alternate delegate to the Democratic National Convention, held that year in Miami Beach. In 2008, he married his longtime partner, Brad Altman. Last week, during a “Celebrity Apprentice” press event for reporters, Takei offered to take Trump to lunch to air out their differences concerning gay marriage. “Next time I’m in New York, Mr. Trump, I might take you to ‘Jean Georges’ [restaurant] for lunch, and maybe we can discuss marriage equality,” Takei told Trump, 56, who last year compared legalizing same-sex marriage to using a new kind of golf putter during golf. “A lot of people--I don’t want this to sound trivial--but a lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive. It’s weird. You see these great players with these really long putters, because they can’t sink threefooters anymore,” Trump bizarrely told the New York Times, then added, “I have so many fabulous friends who happen to be gay, but I am a traditionalist.” To Takei’s request, Trump was more direct: “You would be the perfect guy to teach me. You have a deal.” “I’m looking forward to the lunch,” Takei said later. “I think Mr. Trump is a decent, fair-minded guy, and I think we can have a very good discussion. I want to listen to his views and respond specifically to his concerns. The sense I get in my bones is that he’s a decent, sophisticated guy. I’m sure he knows many people who are gay or lesbian.” H
George Takei
Donald Trump
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TRAVEL
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SUN YOUR BUNS
The World’s Best Gay Nude Beaches By ROBERT ELIAS DEATON
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outh Florida has some of the best weather in the world. The tropical breezes, cloudless skies, and an ocean temperature that can easily top 80 degrees in the summer. It’s little wonder then that this paradise has one of the most popular clothing optional beaches in the world—topping our list of best gay nude beaches around the world. As I write this piece, I’m sitting on this delicious stretch of oceanfront, officially called the Haulover Beach Park, Florida, USA, located south of Fort Lauderdale and north of Miami. Haulover This is not only one of the largest nude beaches in the world, it is the earliest to reach. No rocks to scale, no fences to climb. With a wide expanse of white sand with changing rooms, food stands, and a lifeguard station, you’ll want to park at the north end of the beach parking lot (“$6.00), and walk through the tunnel clearly marked “Beyond This Point You May Encounter Nude Bathers” and enjoy. (www.miamidade.gov/parks/ Hippy Hollow parks/haulover_park.asp) Hippy Hollow, Texas, USA, is located along the rocky shoreline of manmade Lake Travis just west of Austin. Just a fifteen-minute walk from the parking lot, Hippy Little Beach
Hollow Park charges $12.00 admission, but is well worth the price if tipsy Texas cowboys in need of sunscreen application is your thing. Make yourself useful. (www.co.travis.tx.us) It’s not easy to reach Sandy Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, but if you’re willing to drive 20 minutes from Capetown to Llandudno and then hike a half-hour from the parking lot, you will be rewarded with white sandy beaches, a bevy of friendly South African men, and the coldest water into which we’ve ever plunged. Gives a new meaning to “shrinkage.” (http://capetown.dj/ beaches/SandyBay/SandyBay.htm) Canada is always high on the “cool” meter and adds it own take on the gay nude scene with Wreck Beach, Vanouver, Canada. Perched on the very tip of Point Gray, Wreck Beach is close to the University of British Columbia, so expect the college crowd in record numbers. Parts of the show are the many vendors who sell an assortment of wares including beverages, lotions, candy, and assorted narcotics. Whatever you need, Wreck Beach provides. (http://www.wreckbeach.org) Our personal favorite of all the nude gay beaches in the world is located on Maui in Makena. Little Beach, Hawaii, USA, has all the charm of a secluded paradise with a paved parking lot to make for easy access. There is a lava outcrop to climb from the far side of the public Big Beach. Once accomplished, you’re exposed to a nudist paradise
Wreck Beach
with a pristine turquoise bay and white sand. The further you walk, the gayer it gets. And make certain not to miss a side trip into the surrounding scrubland. Hanky panky is your reward. (http:// www.littlebeachmaui.com)
Robert Elias Deaton is a world-traveling epicure who enjoys the finer things in life.
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FORT LAUDERDALE/WILTON MANORS ALIBI 2266 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors Gayborhood tradition since 1997. Comfortable, inviting atmosphere with indoor video bars, outdoor drinking and dining. Drink specials all week, with mammoth 22-ounce Long Island Iced Teas for $3 on Thursdays.
BAR GUIDE
PJ’S CORNER POCKET 924 N Flagler Dr., Fort Lauderdale Friendly neighborhood interracial bar with drinks specials every night of the week including, “In the Biz Mondays” at 9 p.m. with 2-4-1 drinks and $3 Cosmos and Apple Martinis, “Splash Friday’s” wet underwear contest, and Sunday’s pool tournament, both with a $50 cash prize!
BILL’S FILLING STATION 2209 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors Videos, pool tables, dart boards, dance floor, happy hour, live shows, Tuesday and Thursday karaoke – and great burgers, to boot. Fun and friendly truck-stop-themed bar.
RAMROD 1508 NE 4th Ave., Fort Lauderdale Voted World’s Favorite Leather Bar. Pig Dance first Saturday of the month – South Florida’s Busiest, Craziest Monthly Party (with caged hunks at Midnight on Saturdays – is there a downside to this?).
BOARDWALK 1721 N Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale Over 100 of the sexiest men from all over the world. Go-go dancers, cages, billiards, 2-4-1 Happy Hours. Drag emcees and did we mention the Boys?
ROSIE’S BAR & GRILL 2449 Wilton Dr., Wilton Manors Nexus of the A-Gay List. Be Seen in the Scene (without making one). Food, folks, libations, and a killer Sunday Funday.
BOOM 2232 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors The bar with two names features a dance club and Gayborhood bar. Drag Bingo on Mondays, karaoke Mondays and Tuesdays, dance music Fridays and Saturdays, and (indoor) Sunday T-Dance.
SCANDALS SALOON 3073 NE 6th Ave., Wilton Manors A line-dancin’, tight blue jeans-wearin’ good time. Country and western music, two-steppin’, three-steppin’, pool tables, and themed events year ‘round. Cowboys and Indians was never this much fun, Pilgrim.
CORNER PUB 1915 N Andrews Ave., Wilton Manors Friendly atmosphere, unpretentious clientele and staff. Next to Island City Pizza (so you can get your drink AND your slice on).
SIDELINES 2031 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors Where Sports come first. Nationally known destination sports bar with TVs streaming NFL, MLB, NBA and college games. Pool tables, dart boards and large indoor (and now smoke-free) facility. Outdoor patio features area for smokers. Mixed crowd of gay men and women (who would have thought?). Featured in Bloomberg Businessweek and recommended by LOGO.
CUBBY HOLE 823 N Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale Butch bar and grill with a rockin’ daytime crowd (and a fun nighttime one, too). Fifty cent pool, 2-for-1 drinks all day every day, video games, hot movies on HDTV and DirecTV. Thursdays it’s Bare Bear Chest Night, and every Friday and Saturday the fur flies with Hot Bears on Poles (where their Grizzlies Grind)!
STABLE 205 E Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Levis-and-leather neighborhood bar, where the bears line dance and the cowboys are VERY friendly.
DEPOT CABANA BAR AND GRILL 2935 N Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale Adjacent to the America’s Best Inn and Suites. Pool open daily – No Cover or Day Pass. Great food, daily happy hour, Sunday afternoon T-Dance Poolside. Karaoke and live music. Open daily at 11:30 a.m.
SMARTY PANTS 2400 E Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Cozy neighborhood bar with daily happy hour, and regular patrons. Show night Thursdays at 9 p.m. Karaoke Friday and Saturday nights, and with matinee on Sunday afternoon.
DUDES 3270 NE 33rd St., Fort Lauderdale Men dancing for men. Hot go-go boys in an upscale atmosphere, piano lounge for more quiet interludes. Steamy shower shows.
TORPEDO 2829 W Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Dance, shoot pool, drink til 4 a.m., 7 nights a week. Doors open at Midnight; dance til Dawn.
JOHNNY’S 1116 W Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Club, bar, lounge. Male dancers and the men who love (to ogle) them. Sunday amateur strip contest (and karaoke!). LIPS 1421 E Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park The Ultimate in Drag Dining. Dinner and shows six nights a week. Sunday Gospel Brunch with the Sisters of Sequins. THE MANOR 2345 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors WeHo vibe (think: LA’s The Abbey) in the heart of the Gayborhood. Dine, drink, dance, play, mingle. Theme rooms (salsa and merengue every weekend in the Latin Quarter!). Live dancing and dining. MATTY’S ON THE DRIVE 2426 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors Drink specials, billiards, and a chill gayborhood vibe. 75 Cent drinks on Wednesdays. No Drama, No Smoking. MONKEY BUSINESS 2740 N Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale Cozy neighborhood bar. Karaoke, drag shows, Patio Bar – and open at 9 a.m. daily. MONA’S 502 E Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Cocktail Lounge in the heart of Searstown. Fun customers, fun bartenders and fun proprietor (the Legendary Jerry). Outside patio. Wednesday karaoke, Thursday Speedball Tournament. NAKED GRAPE 2163 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors Relaxing, friendly, hip, unique – the alternative gathering place on Wilton Drive. Wine tastings and events. Tuesday and Wednesday Late Night In the Biz.
WHISKEY BLUE 401 N Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale In the W Hotel on Fort Lauderdale Beach, downstairs it’s the elegant Whiskey Blue, upstairs the luxe Living Room: hot dance and social settings in a distinctive atmosphere with signature cocktails and upscale patrons. Indoor and outdoor lounges. WILTON’S BIER GARDEN 2245 Wilton DriveWilton Manors German cuisine meets Der Gayborhood, in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. Upstairs dining, downstairs outdoor patio and bar, DJ music, and a fun staff make one of Wilton Manors’ newest venues a good time to be had by all. MIAMI/MIAMI BEACH CLUB BOI 777 NE 79 St., Miami With an urban vibe on the weekends, a diverse crowd and a diverse musical format, including Hip Hop, R&B, House, Reggae, Soca, Latin and Old School. Go-go bois and drink specials. CLUB SUGAR 2301 SW 32nd Ave., Miami Gay Latin scene, with Salsa, Merengue, Reggaeton, Hip Hop and House music always playing. DISCOTEKKA 950 NE 2nd Ave., Miami Hot music, hot scene, hot bartenders, and hot patrons in the hot heart of Downtown Miami.
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Deco District. Mouth-watering burgers, boys (and girls!). Weekend cabaret shows Thursday through Sunday.
mainstays of the recently bloomed Florida Avenue flower! Neighborhood bar, pool tables.
SCORE 727 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach Dance, drink, party all night on Miami Beach’s Lincoln Road. Tons of events throughout the year, including fundraisers for Winter Party, White Party, and Miami Beach Gay Pride.
Baxter’s Lounge 1519 S Dale Mabry, Tampa, FL Tampa Happy Hour Tradition. Serving up some of the hottest dancers Wednesday thru Saturday nights at 10PM.
SPACE 34 NE 11th St., Miami Mingle and mix with gays and str8s in the heart of Downtown Miami. Indoor dance floors and outdoor rooftop bar, spectacular light show. TWIST 1057 Washington Ave., Miami Beach Great music, friendly staff, hot tourists and locals. Never a cover, always a groove. Bungalow Bar = Hot Men. In SoBe’s Art Deco District. JOHNNY’S MIAMI 62 NE 14th Street, Downtown Miami Club, bar and lounge. Johnny’s Miami boasts the best sound system in town! Plenty of safe, secured parking. Open 5pm to 5am daily. Hot male dancers and daily drink specials. ORLANDO/CENTRAL FLORIDA Hanks 5026 Edgewater Dr., Orlando, FL Friendly local bar with a cruisy attitude. One of Orlando’s oldest and friendliest Gay bars. Beer and Wine. Pool Tables, Video Games and a Large Patio area. Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grill 110 W Church St., Orlando, FL Eat, Drink & Be Mary! Tuesday BINGO with Miss Sammy & Carol Lee, Wednesday Trivia with Doug Bouser and Leigh Shannon’s Cabaret Dinner Show is every Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Parliament House 410 N Orange Blossom Trail, Orlando, FL All gay entertainment complex with 130 newly-remodeled hotel rooms. Cruisy Hotel, Nightclub, Pool Bar, Bear/Leather Bar. New Phoenix 7124 Aloma Ave., Winter Park, FL Winter Park’s ONLY Gay & Lesbian Bar. Been There Forever! Karaoke every Tuesday and Friday at 9 p.m. Drag shows every Saturday night. Home of the $1 Jello shots. Pulse 1912 S Orange Ave., Orlando, FL Orlando’s Premier Gay Bar & Nightclub with Ultra Lounge, Jewel Box Dance Floor, and Adonis Dancers. Twisted Tuesdays with $10 All-U-Can Drink, College Wednesdays (18+) and 2-4-1 every Friday for Happy Hour. Savoy Orlando 1913 N Orange Ave., Orlando, FL “The hottest” gay bar and nightclub in Orlando. The MEN OF SAVOY Dancers from 6 p.m. til 2 a.m. every night in the main bar! Video Bar, Pool Tables. Wylde’s 3557 S Orange Ave., Orlando, FL Neighborhood bar South of Downtown Orlando. Jukebox, Video Games, Pool Tables and Dancers. Paradise Orlando 1300 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL Orlando’s casual Gay & Lesbian bar and nightclub. Patio, Tiki Bar and Pool Tables. Happy Hour 4 til 9 p.m. and drink specials every day til 9 p.m. Bar Codes (Formerly Bear Bar) 4453 Edgewater Dr., Orlando, FL Friendly Bar, Real Men and Bears... Oh My! Beer and Wine. Tends to attract the after work Happy Hour crowd. TAMPA BAY
MOVA LOUNGE 1625 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach On Miami Beach’s famed Lincoln Road, never a cover. Drink specials all week long, live DJs, high energy music and a fun crowd getting their dance on til late.
2606 2606 N Armenia Ave., Tampa, FL Tampa’s favorite Levi/leather bar has two floors (dimly lit), with the upstairs being the more cruisy. There’s Hog House shop on-premises, and the 2606 is home to the Tampa Leather Club. Monday is Underwear Night, Tuesdays are $1 drinks and on Wednesdays, Longnecks are just $1.50.
PALACE BAR 1200 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach This bar and restaurant in the heart of South Beach’s Art
Azalea Lounge 1502 N Florida Ave., Tampa, FL Exposed brick, cold beverages and friendly staff are the
Flirt Nightclub & Showbar 1909 N 15th St., Tampa, FL (Ybor City) Get that hometown feeling. Amazing lazer shows, big headliners and has been around for 6 years. City Side 3703 Henderson Blvd., Tampa, FL Tampa Bay’s “Best Happy Hour” til Midnight every night of the week. GBar 1401 E 7th Ave., Tampa (Ybor City), FL Dance Club & Video Bar. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 4 p.m. til 3 a.m. No cover before 10 p.m., $5 after with ID. Valentines Nightclub 7522 N Armenia Ave., Tampa, FL Voted #1 Nightclub in Tampa. Open 7 days a week 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. Monday, Latin Night, Tuesdays are Boys Night Out, Wednesdays are Karaoke Night, Thursdays, No Cover Dance Party, Fridays feature Hot Go-Go Girls, Saturdays are Latino Night “Uncut” and Sundays are Hip Hop Night. Ki Ki Ki III 1908 W Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL One of The Oldest Bars (beer and wine). A plain bar without pretention with its share of young regulars. Rainbow Room 421 S MacDill Ave., Tampa, FL A mix between a neighborhood bar and a community center. Main bar with pool, darts, jukebox. Outdoor Tiki patio has a full volleyball court and live bands. Beer & Wine. ST. PETERSBURG Georgies Alibi 3100 3rd Ave. North, St. Petersburg, FL One of the most popular gay bars in St. Pete. It’s always busy! Great VJ’s play Top 40 music. Mondays are Drag BINGO and Talent contest, Pool tourney Wednesdays, and the legendary Long Island Iced Tea nights on Thursdays. Ages 21 and over, never a cover! Flamingo Resort 4601 34th St. South, St. Petersburg, FL Florida’s “largest, luxury all gay resort.” Non-stop entertainment, great menu, and drinks served poolside at the Cabana. Weekly events and 2-4-1 Happy Hour daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday Happy Hour ($1 off) 11 a.m to 9 p.m. Gemini Lounge 2315 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL Gemini Lounge aims to serve a variety of tastes; music, karaoke, Internet access, poetry readings and sports on TV. Oar House Bar & Liquor Store 4807 22nd Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL Fun, friendly, laid-back atmosphere where you can get great drinks at cheap prices! Drama free! Happy Hour daily from 2 p.m. til 9 p.m. Haymarket Pub 8308 4th St. North, St. Petersburg, FL More of a Men’s bar. Showing hot videos, beer specials, Saturday Underwear Night, and different events each week. Hideaway 8302 4th St. North, St. Petersburg, FL The oldest Womyn’s bar in the country. Where music is always the main entree! Coldest selection of beer in town. Detour 2612 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL The hottest club in St. Pete. Daily specials, karaoke nights and gogo boys from Rico’s Men. Noted for it’s Saturday Drag shows and Karaoke nights. Full liquor bar. MELBOURNE/COCOA Cold Keg NightClub 4060 W New Haven Ave., Melbourne, FL Largest Gay Club in Melbourne Florida and the Premier Gay Bar & Nightclub in Brevard County. Ultra Lounge 407 Brevard Ave., Cocoa, FL Nestled in Cocoa Village, this bar has a full coffee bar,
BAR GUIDE
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serving espresso, lattes, cappuccinos as well as draft beers & wine.
best of female impersonators. Pool tables, video games, and a large outdoor patio. The only gay bar on the beach!
JACKSONVILLE
Incahoots 711 Edison Ave., Jacksonville, FL This club offers good crowds every night. Recently remodeled with three bars and a friendly staff. Everyday is a different special. A fun place anytime. Full Liquor bar. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays except for special events.
The Metro 2929 Plum St., Jacksonville, FL The Metro Entertainment Complex has been serving the GLBT community for 17 years. Features a total of 7 different venues under one roof to choose from. Lesbo-A-GoGo, monthly Tea Dances, special quest performers, female impersonators and live musicians. Boot Rack Saloon 4751 Lenox Ave., Jacksonville, FL Your Neighborhood Gay Bar - the place for men. Cold beer, music and a warm and cozy atmosphere. Hot men and cheap beer... We all know where that leads! AJ’s Bar & Grill 10244 Atlantic Blvd., Jacksonville, FL Annie and Janie invite you to stop by and see some old friends and meet some new ones! Great food, awesome service, delicious mixed drinks and live entertainment. Park Place Lounge 931 King St., Jacksonville, FL A fun and comfortable gay bar that’s accommodating to both gays and non-gays. A great place to watch your favorite game, or enjoy playing Wii while the liquor flows! The Norm 2952 Roosevelt Blvd., Jacksonville, FL A neighborhood bar. Everyone is welcome, but remember it is a girls bar! Beer and Wine only. 616 Bar 616 Park St., Jacksonville, FL A warm and friendly atmosphere with a Patio bar. Karaoke on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Thursdays the Jax Bears are here for happy hour. Fridays and Saturdays enjoy the “Beer Blast.” Three Layers Cafe 1602 Walnut St., Jacksonville, FL The name Three Layers comes from their large variety of delicious three layer cakes. An inviting loft style cafe located in Springfield. Enjoy a bistro style lunch or just stop in for your morning coffee. Bo’s Coral Reef 201 5th Ave. North, Jacksonville Beach, FL There are great shows Thursday through Sunday with the
Kickbacks Gastropub 910 King St., Jacksonville, FL This is a top class venue serving over 600 different bottled beers, 84 beers on tap, breakfast, lunch and dinner 20hrs a day 7 days a week! PENSACOLA The Roundup 560 E Heinberg St, Pensacola, FL A neighborhood gay men’s bar... Pensacola’s Cowboy Bar. Open 2 p.m. til 3 p.m. daily. Cabaret 101 S Jefferson St. #E, Pensacola, FL Not strictly a gay bar, the charming and friendly Cabaret is very much a fixture in Pensacola’s GLBT community, drawing a mixed bunch each evening for happy hour, karaoke, videos, comedy shows, live music, and all-around hobnobbing and socializing. KEY WEST Bourbon Street Pub 724 Duval St., Key West, FL Opened in October of 1995 and has continued to grow ever since, it is now part of the larger collection of gay action in The Bourbon St. Pub Complex. Hot Go-Go boy dancers and a busy crowd. “Where the boys are!” 801 Bourbon Bar 801 Duval St., Key West, FL Cabaret shows upstairs with nightly performances by famed performers Sushi, Kylie, RV Beaumont, Margo, and others. This legendary establishment has been around for over 30 years, and host Happy Hour specials daily from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Aqua Nightclub 711 Duval St., Key West, FL Aqua features the “Reality is a Drag” show six days a week, followed by dancing. Monday is karaoke night and don’t miss the great happy hour specials from 3 to 8 p.m. daily.
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KWest 705 Duval St., Key West, FL Daily Happy Hour from 3 to 8 p.m., and a piano sing-along every Wednesday night. Men dancing for men after 10 p.m. Weekly drink specials and “Wet Jockey” contests on Fridays. Saloon One 801 Duval St., Key West, FL (Behind 801 Bar) This is the only gay leather bar in Key West. Conveniently located behind 801 Bourbon Bar. La Te Da 1125 Duval St., Key West, FL An upscale hotel complex with 3 bars, cabaret and restaurant. Pearl’s Patio Bar for Women 525 United St., Key West, FL Tropical themed women’s bar for gay women and gayfriendly women alike. Patio bar with a full bar featuring drinks like “Cosmopearlitans” and “Pearl’s Passion”. Bobby’s Monkey Bar 900 Simonton St., Key West, FL The gay Cheers style neighborhood bar of Key West. Happy Hour from Noon to 7pm, Karaoke on Sunday nights, pool tournaments on Tuesday nights at 7pm. Free Wi-Fi access. Garden of Eden 224 Duval St., Key West, FL A Rooftop Bar with the BEST VIEWS in the city & “BEST Long Island Ice Teas made by Melinda!” Gay, straight, fat, or skinny... Doesn’t matter! Clothing optional - gay friendly! WEST PALM BEACH H G Roosters 823 Belvedere Rd., West Palm Beach, FL Dark bar that attracts a fun party crowd. Camp is in at H.G.’s, where drag shows and bingo nights pack in crowds looking for laughs and fun. The Lounge 517 Clematis St., West Palm Beach, FL Sushi, tropical views and tasty cocktails are accompanied by acclaimed resident DJ Daisy DeadPetals. Fort Dix Bar & Club 6205 Georgia Ave., West Palm Beach, FL Mostly local crowd looking to mingle and relax. The bar is a bit on the dark and dingy side, but who knows--that could be a plus.
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FORT MYERS Office Pub 3704 Cleveland Ave., Fort Myers, FL Oldest gay bar in South West Florida with a festive attitude. This bear-friendly Office likes to have fun with underwear parties, drag shows, Wii bowling! Check out their country and western music night on Saturdays. Tubby’s 4350 Fowler St., Fort Myers, FL Where men come to compete (in tournaments). “Never a cover... always a smile” Tubby’s is a no-frills video bar with a total of 10 TVs and two projection screens available for patrons to use as they wish. Add a six-hour 2-4-1 Happy Hour during the Wii tournaments on the big screen! The Bottom Line 3090 Evans Ave., Fort Myers, FL This gay entertainment complex is one of the longest running clubs in southwest Florida at over 20 years, The Bottom Line features 7 bars, pool tables, drag shows and occasional guest appearances by porno stars. VENICE TOTI: Tavern on the Island in Venice 127 Tampa Ave. East, Venice, FL This South Beach inspired gay bar, boasts a dance floor and a game room with pool tables and dart boards. It’s clean, the music is mixed and the staff are friendly. A mixed crowd can be found most nights... younger, older (duh, this is Venice), gay and straight. Did you know that in the Caribbean, TOTI is slang for a beloved male appendage? How apropos. GAINESVILLE Spikes 4130 NW 6th St., Gainesville, FL It is a laid-back kind of place, with friendly bar staff. The crowds vary depending on the night. The bar has a nice open air patio area that is rarely used, but would be nice if it was. University Club 18 E University Ave., Gainesville, FL This is a fairly average small college town gay bar. It is usually busy and crowded on Thursday nights.
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Fort Lauderdale
ART EXPLOSION 2012
Presented by ArtsUnited, the ArtExplosion International LGBT Arts Festival is three weeks of art, film, music, dance, theatre, literature, comedy and cabaret by gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender artists and performers. Over the years, ArtExplosion has grown from a one-night event to a two-week festival that has featured such talent as Lily Tomlin, Marga Gomez, The Kinsey Sicks, The Gay Mafia, Greg Walloch, Levi Kries, Eric Himan, Cashetta, Desmond Child, and Lea DeLaria just to name a few. Presented by the non-profit arts group, ArtsUnited, Art Explosion 2012 is one of the largest arts festivals of its kind in the country, with many different events happening throughout South Florida over a festival period. The Festival starts with one of the largest professional juried LGBT art shows in the country. In 2011 we had over 50 artists featuring more than 100 pieces of art. 2012 Dates: March 5 through 24. Opening Fine Art Show and Sale: Sat., March 10, from 6 to 9 p.m. Features live music, entertainment and a great fine art show. Closing Show: BANG at the Green Room, from 7 to 9 p.m., featuring an eclectic mix of music and performers with an edgy art show.
PRIDEFEST 2012 The largest LGBT Pride Festival in Florida returns March 10 and 11, with non-stop entertainment all weekend long. Pride One of Broward County, a/k/a Pride South Florida, producer of the Annual LGBT Celebration Pridefest, is proud to announce, "Returning to the Scene of Pride" at Fort Lauderdale’s War Memorial at Holiday Park. The return of the event to Fort Lauderdale marks the beginning of a new chapter for the event’s 35th Anniversary, appropriately entitled "Beyond the Rainbow" Concert, Parade and Festival. Pridefest will be welcoming back the Pridefest Parade on Sunday March 11, at 10:30 am on the main thoroughfare inside the War Memorial at Holiday Park. The organizers are extremely proud to announce some of the entertainers who are scheduled to perform, including headliner Taylor Dayne, as well as Logo TV’s Jonathan D. Lovitz, Michelle Balan, Tony Cruz, Ray Guell, and many others. For more information, pridesouthflorida.org.
BEACHBEAR WEEKEND The annual BeachBear celebration in Fort Lauderdale will be held May 10 through 16. The host hotel is the Courtyard by Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel, 440 Seabreeze Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. Thursday, May 10 - Afterburn: Windamar Resort from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tea-dance, drink specials. - BearBust: Scandals from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., happy hour prices. Friday, May 11 - Rehydrate: The Windamar Resort from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tea dance, drink specials. - Growl: Bill’s Filling Station, 8 p.m. $5 donation at the door includes one free drink. Saturday, May 12
OUT IN FLORIDA
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Fort Lauderdale
- BeachBearFest: Granada Street, noon - 5 p.m., marketplace, food and drinks. - Where the Bears Are: Coconut Cove Guest House, private party, visit www.bosfl.org/ - UnderBear: Boom, retro-disco, $10 beer bust, 6 p.m. - 11 p.m. - The Meat Ball: Ramrod, starts at 10 p.m. Sunday, May 13 - BearBQ: Richardson Park, barbeque, beer, drinks from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. - Fuzz at Depot: Dance or play BINGO, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. - Bearlicious: Tea dance, The Manor, doors open at 8 p.m. Monday, May 14 - Bear Eats and Beats, Recovery brunch: Wilton Bier. - Big Bear Beer Bust: Ramrod, $10 all you can drink draft beer and $3 Absolute drinks. For more information and tickets, beachbearweekend.com.
Miami Beach
GAY PRIDE
On Sunday, April 15, Miami Beach will be more fabulous and extraordinary than ever! The city celebrates the annual Miami Beach Gay PRIDE parade and festival, a celebration of the extraordinary strength, beauty, and contributions of South Florida’s LGBT community, and an exciting all-day event that features a parade, a festival with exciting celebrity presentations and musical performances, and an Expo with LGBT-friendly vendors and businesses, refreshments and food, including a family-friendly playzone. Lesbian. Gay. Bi. Trans. Straight. PROUD. Miami Beach Gay Pride is an extraordinary celebration that brings out the best in us all. Last year's pride event brought out over 35,000 people from all walks of life and cities from across Florida-- and across the world-- making Miami Beach Gay Pride the city's largest oneday event. This year will be even better! Thanks to Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower, the most famous sandbar in the world has joined the ranks of world class cities like Sao Paulo, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, and Madrid that officially honor the gay and lesbian community. For more information, visit www.miamibeachgaypride.com.
AQUA GIRL
For Women Who Love Women, May 2 through 6. Now in its eleventh fabulous year, Aqua Girl™ continues to attract women from all corners of the country, the Americas and around the globe. The week continues to grow with an ever-expanding variety of events that enhance its appeal and have created what is now one of the hottest Women’s festivals in the country. From dance parties, to comedy shows, to live music, to pool parties, to a bowl-a-thon, jazz
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Miami Beach
brunch, dine-out event, VIP reception, art show, and celebrity meet-and-greets and so much more. Having so much fun never did so much good, with 100% of the proceeds from Aqua Girl benefitting the Aqua Foundation for Women, a not-for-profit-foundation whose primary mission is to promote the equality, strength, health, and visibility of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender women. Monies raised during the Foundation’s signature week, as well as through individual and corporate donations go directly to educate, empower and foster the lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women’s communities throughout South Florida. For more information, visit aquagirl.org.
Orlando
GOLDEN RETRIEVER RESCUE OF MID-FLORIDA
Rescue can take many forms, from a single individual trying to make a difference by saving one dog to a group of people working together for the common goal of saving many animals. GRRMF concentrates on Golden Retrievers. GRRMF is comprised solely of volunteers and is self-supporting, relying on fund raising and donations to support all rescue efforts including veterinary care. 100% of all donations are used for the rescue effort. GRRMF, Inc. is recognized by and affiliated with The Golden Retriever Club of America, Inc. For more information, contact the Intake Coordinator at 407-332-2840.
BACK DOOR BUMBY
Revolution Nightclub (375 S Bumby Ave. in Downtown Orlando) along with GRINDR and MyFlexRadio presents: “Back Door Bumby: Enter Through the Back” every 3rd Thursday of the month. This is Orlando's premiere college night. No cover when you show your GRINDR or MyFlexRadio App. No cover ‘til 11 p.m. for those 21+ (18+ welcome) and no cover ‘til midnight with college or theme park ID. Free drinks 11 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Drinks specials throughout the night. Performances by Shantell D’Marco and Macaviti. DJ Joanie on the decks in the disco area and VJ J.B. Burgos in the Hydrate Video Bar.
BIG BOY PRIDE
Starting on Thursday, March 29 and continuing through Sunday, April 1 at the Parliament House. This four-day event will be loaded with lots of fun, unity and brotherhood. This event is for “big boys” and the men who love them. Relax by the pool, join in on many of the group activities, play on the dance floor and includes seminars, cocktail parties, mixers and various club nights. Purchase your Participant Package and reserve your room through the Big Boy Pride website (www.bigboypride.com). So grab your boys and
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start planning now to meet us in Orlando. The early bird registration fee for this four-day event is only $75.
Bay Area
THE SUNDAY BBQ
Ybor Resort and Spa, 1512 8th Ave. (15th St.) in Ybor City. Every Sunday at 5 p.m. Lots of hot flavorful guys here lining up for some buns, wieners and other tasty items. Come on down and put some sun on those buns in our open-air tropical Asian-themed patio with Jacuzzi. Remember: what happens at the resort, stays at the resort.
THE NEARLYWED GAME Every Thursday night from 8 to 11:55 p.m. at Hamburger Mary’s (1600 7th Ave. in Ybor City). With host Michael Dixon. You won't want to miss all the fun and laughs as couples who think they know each other find out if they really do. Come watch, or get in on the fun. If you want to be a contestant, call (813) 241-MARY. Reservations are highly recommended!
Key West GAY SPRING BREAK
Gay Spring Break in Key West attracts LGBT students and their friends from late February to early April to the beaches and the clubs of the beautiful tropical island. Take a break for spring break in a place that embraces individuality, diversity, and openness all year long. Want to participate in Gay Spring Break? Contact the offices and pick up your Gay Spring Break ID Card. Just call 305-294-4603 or email them at info@gaykeywestfl.com for more information.
PRIDEFEST
Key West has a lot to be proud of: the southernmost U.S. city recently tied with San Francisco for the title of Best City for Unity Between Gays and Lesbians, and they won hands down in Best City for Unity Between Gays and Straights. Both their city and county official mottos are “One Human Family. Their LGBT leaders serve openly, and visitors are welcomed throughout the island. Key West shows their pride every day, and this is your chance to be a part of the celebration. Come out for Key West Pride, June 6 to 10, and enjoy dance parties, drag shows, bike tours, water excursions, a street fair, and even a parade through town. Their Miss Pride, Mr. Pride and Ms. Pride competitions are infamous for their fun and their skin. Make your plans now to attend Key West Pride. Most events are All Welcome. All events are uniquely Key West. For more information, keywestpride.org.
FITNESS
24 H MARCH 15, 2012
FLORIDAAGENDA.COM
CALISTHENICS 101
Blast Your Lower Body with Some Simple Dynamite Moves By TOM BONANTI
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ast week I wrote about calisthenics – a tried and true, surefire way to a simple, quick muscle pump. Calisthenics or body weight exercises consist of movements that use the weight of your body as resistance to work against. Using short bursts of intense training and just a few exercises, you can get an efficient muscle-building workout for just about all your muscle groups. In short, you can burn fat and calories and build muscle at the same time without leaving your home or office. Just as push-ups and pull-ups can jack up your upper body muscle groups, so too, there are lower body calisthenics that can give you quads of steel and a butt to die for! Here are a few of my favorites. There is no better weight training exercise for lower body than squats. Free squats are calisthenics done like barbell squats but without weights. The basic stance is feet-shoulderwidth-apart. A wider stance works the butt and inside of the thighs to a greater degree, and a narrower stance works on the outside of the thigh to a greater degree. Point your toes out laterally and do not let your knees extend
over your middle toes when you squat. Now bend your knees and lower yourself with your back straight and head up until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Raise yourself up using only the power of your lower body to a position with legs nearly locked out. Perform as many of these as you like, no limit, as long as you keep good form. Jump squats are great if you want to add a little extra punch to regular free squats. Perform these in the same manner as free squats except after you squat down, perform a jump forward as you come up. Land safely, squat again and jump backward as you come up. These are sure to make you break a sweat, even though you might feel a little silly doing them at first. Just do them; they work! For an extra kick, try interspersing a set of 12 to 15 jumping jacks between each set of jump squats. Lunges are the best way to tighten and tone your butt muscles. If you want to pack on a little muscle to a flat or sagging booty and get a little cardio workout in at the same time, try walking lunges. Find a flat driveway or parking lot, or a large somewhat empty room. Begin with feet
together stance. Keeping your back straight take a deep exaggerated step forward bending your knees and getting them as close to the floor as possible. Push yourself back to the starting position and repeat with the other foot an exaggerated step forward. Do these walking lunges using perfect form, as many as you like and I will personally guarantee that you’ll have a booty like a 23 year old porn star! OK, maybe an exaggeration, but your posterior will surely get harder and take on that nice bubble shape in no time. Remember, push-ups, pull-ups, jumping jacks, squats and lunges are exercises that you can do at home, in your workplace, or in a hotel room with no equipment. You can do them indoors or outdoors and in no time at all your muscles will feel pumped and ready for whatever activity or mischief comes your way. Enjoy! For more tips on how to get a good workout simply and efficiently using calisthenics, circuit training, or interval training, contact TrainerTomB@aol.com! H
Tom Bonanti is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc Gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave, Fort Lauderdale. For more tips on how to get bigger beefier arms by summer, give me a shout at TrainerTomB@aol.com
DINING
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MARCH 15, 2012 H 25
¡PINCHE TAQUERIA!
2045 Wilton Drive Wilton Manors, FL 33305 954-990-6282
A Little Bit of Mexico on Wilton Drive By RICHARD DAVID CHAMBERLAIN
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here’s something new happening on Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Already, we can hear you saying “Yea, yea, yea… isn’t there always?” And, of course, you’re right. In this case, however, we’re talking great food and plenty of it at the new Mexican joint Pinché Taqueria—which in Spanish means something like “kitchen boy’s taco bar.” The name came from the original Pinché, which was on a dusty side street in Tijuana, Mexico, where workers could pick up inexpensive tacos, burritos and quesadillas. When owner Jeff Chartier packed the kitchen supplies, the groceries, and the Mexicans in the trunk of a bus and brought them across the border and up to his first two Taqueria’s in Manhattan, his goal was
to make his taco bars the most authentic in town. Sweet Stephanie Lee continues the theme running the newest outlet of the Mexican chain, adding her own touch of Florida heat in the process. The meats are butchered on the premises, the organic groceries still shipped in from South of the Border, the mesquite grill flame roasts meats, corns and peppers to perfection in an atmosphere that can best be described as “hold on to your stool seat; there’s a new game in town.” As you might expect from a taqueria, there’s an array of tacos on the menu, including a seasoned chicken Taco de Pollo Asada ($2.95); a battered fried or grilled mahi-mahi Taco de Pescado ($3.95), served with shredded cabbage and a delicious cilantro dressing; spitgrilled pork Taco al Pastor ($2.95), or the even more tender braised grilled pork Taco de Carnitas ($2.95); and the traditional stand-by Taco de Carne Asada
($2.95), made with grilled steak. The most popular items on the menu, as confirmed by our oh-so-personable waiter Johnny (we compared abs; mine won), were Carnitas Michoacanas ($12.95) and Arrachera Steak ($13.95). The carnitas platter was a healthy serving of tender pork arranged art-house perfect on several tortillas with rice and beans, topped with a mystery broth that was aromatic enough to bring neighborhood cats purring, and a delicious piece of corn-on-the-cob, labeled Elote on the side. It’s grilled on the fire and seasoned with salt, crumbly cotija anejo cheese, butter and mayo (so good that it’s sold by itself at $3.50). The steak is a masterwork of thinly sliced skirt steak that’s been marinated within an inch of its life in tequila and garlic. The moist and flavorful end result is far too delicious to be thought of as pure Mexican, but you’ll clean your plate and that of your neighbors. Our favorite ensalada on the menu is a burst of freshness called Tortilla Lime Salad
($11.95) which normally comes on soft tortillas but we special ordered the dish in a crispy tortilla bowl. Overflowing with shrimp, beans, tomatoes, fresh sliced peppers, corn, onions, the entire entrée is topped with tortilla strips, making it more an event than a mere dish. Though you can check it out now, the Grand Opening of Pinché Taqueria is on Wednesday, March 28 at which point the restaurant is certain to have its few rough edges smoothed to a spit-shine. The margaritas are too weak and too expensive in a town where the $3.00 margarita is standard. They have no chunky pico de gallo salsa for the delicious freshly made chips, preferring to use a flavorful but thin variation. And they have no option of crispy shell tacos—only soft tortillas, which may be authentic Mexican, but, hello, this is Florida. But these are small issues compared with the main theme—filler-up food with fun, fun servers. The manager’s name is Josh. Tell him Florida Agenda sent you! H
ALL-AMERICAN CHOCOLATE FUDGE A Classic Favorite from our Archives By JEAN DOHERTY
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ome recipes are just too good to overlook and this one, for All-American Chocolate Fudge, certainly qualifies. It originally ran in Florida Agenda on September 8, 2011. The smooth consistency of delicious chocolate fudge is what makes it a delectable treat. It’s the cooking temperature that separates hard caramels from fudge and tiny microcrystals of sugar in fudge gives it its firm but smooth texture. The secret to great fudge is getting these crystals to form at just the right time. American-style fudge contains chocolate, while in Europe it’s all or mostly caramel. • 1 lb pack of miniature marshmallows • 2 bars (200g) of chopped cooking chocolate (I use Lindt’s Dessert chocolate which is 70% cocoa) • 2 cups sugar • ½ cup salted butter • 1 12-oz can of evaporated milk • 2 teaspoons of vanilla • 1½ cup hazelnuts
Roast the hazelnuts for six-to-eight minutes until lightly browned. Don’t skip this step as the roasting really brings out the flavor. Keep your eyes on them so they don’t burn. Using cooking spray, liberally spray a 9x13 inch pan and an 8 inch square pan. Measure out 1¼ cup of marshmallows and set aside for later use. Place the chopped chocolate and remaining marshmallows in a large glass bowl with the roasted hazelnuts. In a pan, combine sugar, butter, evaporated milk, and 1¼ cup of marshmallows. Bring to a low boil and stir for ten minutes. (This is an important step; skip it and your fudge won’t set and will become gooey.) Remove from the stove and add the vanilla. Pour this mixture over the chocolate, hazelnuts & marshmallows in the glass bowl, stirring quickly as it will begin to set. Pour into sprayed pans with a spatula and cool. You can replace the hazelnuts with walnuts, pecans or dried fruit…you are the chef! H
26 H MARCH 15, 2012 FLORIDAAGENDA.COM
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PLACE TO PALACE - Home improvement and handyman services. Best rates, and smart solutions. Drywall, Painting, Tile, Doors, Wood Decks, Masonry, Purgolas, and Ceiling Fans. Turn windows into doors! Truck available for yard clean-up or apartment maintenance and moves. FREE estimates! Lic. & Ins. CC#11-FC-16297-X Cert. Ctrl#11-18694 Ben (954)565-9674
ACCOUNTING / TAXES TAX PREPARATION SERVICE for individuals and selfemployed. Electronic Filing, Reasonable Fees, Personal Service. Located in Fort Lauderdale/Wilton Manors area. Call Tom (954)764-0221 or e-mail taxpreparationservice@yahoo.com
COMPUTER SERVICES
**OPTIMA** COMPUTER REPAIR - COMPLETE IN HOME SERVICE. Get the best performance, protection & value from your computer investment, *A+ Hardware & OS CERTIFIED. *Friendly, professional, RELIABLE service. Reasonable rates. Call Mike (954) 817-3883
COUNSELING
A MIND AT PEACE/ THERAPEUTIC SERVICES/ RON "DOC" CHAMBERS, MSW (954) 627-0103 1975 East Sunrise Blvd., Suite 629 Fort Lauderdale. HIV Related Issues /Anxiety /Depression /Schizophrenia /Relationship Problems /Anger Management Problems /Same-Sex Battering /Domestic Violence. Most Insurance Accepted /Credit Cards Accepted.
MOVING
ELITE RELOCATION MOVING & STORAGE We've provided quality moves for over 30 years. It's always a smooth move when you choose Elite Relocation. Contact us today at (954)975-8660 - www.elitemoving.com RED BOX MOVING - OWNER IN TRUCK ON EVERY MOVE. CALL NORBERT DIRECTLY. Affordable, Reliable, Careful. MV#567/INSURED. (954) 305-9176 or (561) 506-5540 www.redboxmoving.com
EMPLOYMENT
RETAIL SALES POSITION ON WILTON DRIVE- Full and Part Time Positions Available Now! Call 954-873-3889 PT / FT ADVERTISING ASSOCIATE NEEDED - We are a streaming / internet LGBT radio station, south florida based. This a commissioned sales position. For more info do contact us via email; Info.MyGayRadio@gmail.com SALES ASSOCIATES - The Florida Agenda, Mark Magazine are looking for dynamic salespeople to join our team. Are you energetic, proactive, and passionate about sales? Then this could be the “Star Role” for you! Seeking true “go-getters” with a great work ethic. Existing accounts available for immediate income. Contact Bobby @ 954-336-0436 or Bobby@bobbyblair.com JOHNNY's MIAMI HUNTING FOR BEARS - GREAT $$$ South Florida's Favorite Male Strip Club is seeking BEAR DANCERS for new Special Event. Great Pay + Tips. Send photo and contact info to JohnnysBarMia@gmail.com
EMPLOYMENT
JOHNNY's MIAMI LOOKING FOR DANCE MANAGER MINIMUM 2 YEARS EXPERIENCE. GREAT PERSONALITY A MUST. If you have experience in nightclub personnel management… Join our growing team! Send your resume to JohnnysBarMia@gmail.com
DENTAL HOME IMPROVEMENT
Derek’s 24 HR HANDYMAN SERVICE. Introducing our new cabinet shop! For all your custom made cabinetry countertops laminates. YOU MUST SEE OUR WORK, just ask our clients. All electrical to code; ANY & ALL plumbing work, Drywall finish work / repair. Crown / baseboard pro-install, interior / exterior painting, demo work, Pressure washing, Decor tile install, Complete home up-dates. For large jobs, 4-man crew available. WE CAN HANDLE IT ALL! Instant call back, direct service response. No job is ever too small. Excellent references. Derek (954) 825-5598
METH PROBLEM? www.SouthFloridaCMA.org
FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FLORIDA AGENDA CLASSIFIEDS CALL KEITH CHAMLEE AT 954-465-1563
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N.E. FT LAUDERDALE/WILTON Lovelyland2/1 A/C. Hurricane impact windowsMANOR & doors,AREA Private-- lush w/largeterrace, rooms, eat-in kitchen, newquiet appliances, tile floors, CAC, priscape Gated house, neighborhood, Private vate patio,$1185/mo., cable ready.cable/WIFI NO Smoking/NO please. $875/mo. parking. internetPETS available. For more by appointment (954)592-3772 info E-mail: JimOnTime@hotmail.com or call Jim (954) 6675447 LAUDERDALE BEACHQUALITY - Antioch FT LAUDERDALECONDO 2/1-StreetWalk in2BR/1BA, shower, FORT Furnished, between A1A and the Smooth Intracoastal, walkD/W, to Designer bath, Open Granite Kitchen, top range, Sebastianvery Beach, restaurants, hotels, guest houses, electric Icemaker, spacious unit, CAC. $1250/mo. 1yr Lease, F/S. and Call (954) basic 448-9811 cable included, 6 month lease, on site laundry, midcentury, 20 Apt Complex, pool, $1250/mo. Call (401) WILTON 935-8186MANORS- Large 1/1 Apartment one block from Shoppes of Wilton Manors, bars & nightlife. Tiled floors, ceiling fans, A/C, fireN.E. FT LAUDERDALE-WILTON MANORS AREA- Lovely, place. 12 ft sliding glass doors lead to screened pool and patio, lots Bright, IMMACULATE, 1/1 tile floors, A/C, W/D available, cable of storage. $975/mo. includes rent, water and propane. Quiet Street ready, water, garbage, pest control incl., private patio, gay - No Pets. 954-563-4442 friendly, NO PETS $725/mo (954)592-3772 LLOYD ESTATES (NECONDO OaklandQUALITY Pk) 2/1 house, floors, carport, FT LAUDERDALE2/1-tiled Walk in shower, river front,bath, CAC, Open $925/mo +$925 security.Smooth Year lease Designer Granite Kitchen, toprequired. range, D/W, 1/1 fully furnished, king unit, bed CAC. in lg bedroom. Icemaker, very spacious $1250/mo.river 1yr front, Lease,CAC. F/S. $750/mo security. Short term available for slightly more. Call (954)+$750 448-9811 Call Bill (954)249-2009 LAKE RIDGE 1/1 GARDEN SETTING- Charming 1 BD Apt. in this LAUDERDALE well-maintained2/15-plex. Tiled Floors, CAC,&great FORT APT -Gated, very clean well locakept. OK gay w/ complex. approval. $850/mo. Fabulous731 garden setting tion! Small petssmall Laundry on-site, NW 1st Ave. w/sitting areas. $760/mo. Water incl. Available 04/01. Call Call Nick (954)805-1195 Michael (954)540-3543 LAKE RIDGE 1/1 GARDEN SETTING Charming 1 BD in FORT LAUDERDALE 2/1 APTGated,-very clean & wellApt. kept. this well-maintained 5-plex. Floors, CAC, great location! Laundry on-site, small gayTiled complex. $850/mo. 731 NWSmall 1st pets Call OK w/ approval. Fabulous garden setting w/sitting areas. Ave. Nick (954)805-1195 $760/mo. Water incl. Available 04/01. Call Michael (954)540-3543 WILTON MANORS- Large 1 BD Apt. located on quiet cul-desac one block from of Wilton -Manors. CAC, ceiling REDUCED PRICE IN Shoppes WILTON MANORS CONTEMPORARY LIVof storage. 12tiled ft. sliding glass fans, tile floors, fireplace, ING. New house with large 1lots bedroom, & huge bath. 850 sq doors lead to screened pool andkitchen, patio.Granite, W/D on ft, New construction, New solid wood S/S,premises. Beautiful Rent, which water & propane is $975/mo. concrete floors,includes TONS ofelectric, storage & cabinets, Walk-in closets - W/D Sorry no pets. available, CAC.(954)563-4442. Hurricane impact windows & doors, Private lush landscaped terrace, Gated, quiet neighborhood, Private parking. $1185/mo., Cable/hi-speed internet available. Call Jim (954) 667DANIA BEACH. Share a charming home and lamai. Lush 5447 or JimOnTime@hotmail.com tropical setting. Lakeside, quiet and safe comm. Furnished Room Includes: Utilities, Direct w/ TV,sleeping W/D. $500/mo. NonLAKERIDGE - Cozy Apartment loft. Full bath & smoker/drugs Call Ronfan, (954) 965-7759 orpool (315) 857-7759 kitchen. Tile floors, ceiling tropical secluded & patio area. 1 mile to beach & Wilton Dr. Within Hopper transportation to Wilton Dr. On-site laundry available. Private off-street parking. Unfurnished. No smoking/pet negotiable. For one quiet person only/no drama. THE PARISH OF STS. FRANCIS & CLARE 101 NE 3rd Electric,- WiFi, Direct TV, water included. $750/mo. Reduced Ave. rent Street just North of Broward Blvd. and E of Andrews considered in exchange for light yardwork (954)636-9298 Mass Times: Sat @ 5 PM; Sun @ 10:30 AM; Wed @ 7 PM. Where we welcome and appreciate diversity - a progressive community in the Catholic tradition. (954)731-8173; www.stsfrancisandclare.org
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RECESSION RELIEF -$40/90 MINS! Out calls higher. RECESSION MINS! Out Body calls &higher. Swedish, DeepRELIEF-$40/90 Tissue, Specialty Back and Lower Feet. Swedish, discounts, Deep Tissue, Specialty Back and LowerBeach, Body &16Feet. Couples seniors welcome. Delray yrs Couples discounts, seniors welcome. Delray Beach, 16 yrs experience. MA 18563. Dennis (561) 502-2628. experience. MA 18563. Dennis (561) 502-2628.
PET PET SITTING SITTING
SPIRITUALITY
THE PARISH OF STS. FRANCIS & CLARE 3rd DIGNITY FT LAUDERDALE - Roman Catholic101 MassNEevery Street of Broward Blvd. andNE E of6th Andrews Ave. Sunday- 7justPMNorth at Holy Angels CC 2917 Ave, Wilton Mass Times: Sat @socials 5 PM;and Sunmore. @ 10:30 Wed @room 7 PM. ThereAM; is always at Manors. Monthly Where weDignityftl@bellsouth.net. welcome and appreciate diversity - a progressive our table. community in the Catholic tradition. (954)731-8173; WE ARE HERE FOR YOU… DIVINE MERCY CHAPEL - The www.stsfrancisandclare.org American New Catholic Church 2749 N.E. 10th Ave., Wilton DIGNITY LAUDERDALE - Roman Catholic every Manors, FL,FT33334 (954)567-1930 Sunday MassMass 10:30AM, Sunday 7 PM at 7:00PM Holy Angels CC 2917 NE 6th Ave, Wilton Friday Holy Hour www.newdivinemercy.org Manors. Monthly socials and more. There is always room at CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRITSONG Welcomes you to our table. Dignityftl@bellsouth.net. come and worship with us every Sunday at 10 am and every WE ARE HERE CHAPEL - The meet atMERCY the SpiritSong Worship at 8YOU… pm. WeDIVINE Wednesday nightFOR American Catholic N.E.Suite 10th 3Ave., Center at New 2040B NorthChurch Dixie 2749 Highway in Wilton Wilton Manors, 33334B (954)567-1930 Sunday Massbehind 10:30AM, Manors FL, (Building on Equality Park Campus, the Friday Holy Hour www.newdivinemercy.org Pride Center). God7:00PM loves you just the way He made you. Come discover HisOFpurpose for you.SPIRITSONG For more info:Welcomes (954) 418-8372, CHURCH THE HOLY you to info@cohss.com, www.cohss.org. come and worship with us every Sunday at 10 am and every
RENTALS RENTALS // FTL FTL
Wednesday night at 8 pm. We meet at the SpiritSong Worship Center at 2040B North Dixie Highway Suite 3 in Wilton GOLD COAST Cushions, Manors (BuildingUPHOLSTERY B on Equality- Re-upholstering, Park Campus, behind the ThrowCenter). pillows,God Large selection to made choose from or Pride loves you just of thefabric way He you. Come bring in His yourpurpose own fabric. Broward / Dade. Call discover for you. For more info: Palm (954) Beach. 418-8372, Edgar (954) 491-4937 info@cohss.com, www.cohss.org.
2 BD largeMANORShouse w/ pool, new new kitchen, WILTON 9 Unit gayCAC, complex 1/1- 129large NW fami25th ly room, dining optional room & Pool, livingtile room, laundry large Street. Clothing floors, privateavailable, patio/yard. No screened porch & F/S private backyard. Call Ed (954)632-6639 dogs. $695/mo. (954)326-9096
GOLD COAST UPHOLSTERY - Re-upholstering, Cushions, Throw pillows, Large selection of fabric to choose from or bring in your own fabric. Broward / Dade. Palm Beach. Call Edgar (954) 491-4937
ROYAL PARK - Near Wilton Manors 1BR/1.5BA, $825-$900/mo. FORT LAUDERDALE/IMPERIAL POINT- Well-maintained, 2BR/2BA, $950 - apartment $1100/mo.inGated Security, Pools, quiet 1 bedroom Georgian CourtClubhouse, complex on NE Gym, Steam room. OK. Cable/Water/Trash includ62nd Sauna Street.and Convenient toPets downtown, beach and Wilton ed. Call Naim Naqi, Broker/ and SFG, Realtors (954)565.2025 Manors. Nice grounds pool. Credit check required. $700/mo. Call owner:TO (917)334-1146 RIVERLAND-CLOSE DOWNTOWN - Efficiency, 1BD, and
WILTON MANORS HOUSE FOR RENT- Beautifully landWILTON Apt. with located on quiet scaped, 2MANORSbedroom large 1-bath1 BD home pool. Very cul-deprivate sac oneyard, blockhuge fromcarport, Shoppescentral of Wilton CAC,considceiling fenced A/C,Manors. laundry, pets fans, tile tile floors, floors,dishwasher. fireplace, lots of storage. 121st ft.Terrace. sliding Great glass ered, $1600. 2917 NE doors lead to Call screened pool and patio.Available W/D on March premises. neighborhood. Nick (954)-805-1195 15 Rent, which includes electric, water & propane is $975/mo. REDUCED Price WILTON MANORS HOME CONTEMPOSorry no pets. (954)563-4442 RARY LIVING. New home with large 1 bedroom, & chic huge tiled bath. 850sq ft., New construction, New solid wood kitchen, Granite, S/S, Beautiful stained concrete floors, TONS of storage & cabinets, Walk-in closet - W/D(available), Central
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