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RON LOCKE: AGENDA’S ENTREPRENEUR SERIES
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SIDELINES SUMMER COOK-OFF
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429INSPIRED Wednesday, Sept. 21, from 5pm to 8pm at Area 31 at the Epic Hotel in Miami. Join the Launch of dot429 with their signature speaker series “429INSPIRED”. Enjoy cocktails, hors d’ oeuvres & networking. Courtesy, Arizona Foothills Mag
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VEGAS NIGHT Saturday, Aug. 20, starting at 8pm, at the Parliament House. This is a benefit for Hope & Help and you can play real games while you have fun with your friends.
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HOT LEATHER NIGHTS
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and became, once again, a city you drive through on your way to Miami. One of the people who did vacation here was Richard Gray, a financier from London who worked out of his company’s New York office. He found Fort Lauderdale was a great place to vacation and, in 1991, decided to move to Fort Lauderdale. At that time, the very few gay accommodations that were available were mostly sleazy-looking dives. Gray decided that he could do better. He purchased a small hotel near the beach, totally renovated the property, adding a new standard of service that could only be found in your most exclusive resorts, and called his property The Royal Palms. With that opening, he set a new standard for gay accommodations, not only locally but worldwide. The Royal Palms became the first gay guest house to achieve a 5-star rating. Over the years, other gay tourists would eventually come to Fort Lauderdale and stay at The Royal Palms, and some of those tourists would also fall in love with the area and decide to open their own gay
Pat Baker, Gay Activist Dies A Rhode Island woman who pleaded with state lawmakers to legalize gay marriage before she succumbed to cancer has died. Marriage Equality Rhode Island says Johnston resident Patricia Baker died Sunday at Kent Hospital. She was 55. Baker was struggling with the final stages of lung cancer when she testified on behalf of gay marriage legislation this year at the Statehouse. Occasionally using her oxygen tank to breathe, the retired corrections officer told lawmakers she was angry that her wife would receive no benefits from the government after her death. Baker and Deborah Tevyaw (TEV'-yah) married in Massachusetts, but wanted their relationship recognized in their home state. Baker's testimony made her a spokeswoman for gay marriage advocates in the Ocean State.
As the gay-rights debate intensified nationwide, Pat Baker emerged as a face of the strife on the local front. Battling terminal lung cancer, Baker spent sleepless nights urging lawmakers to repeal a law that forbids the federal government to recognize same-sex marriages. Twice, the longtime corrections officer at the Adult Correctional Institutions dragged herself, oxygen tank in tow, to the State House in March to testify for equal rights for gays and lesbians. “I worked for those benefits,” Baker said then. “And when I say worked, I worked hard. You name it, it’s happened. I’ve found inmates hanging; I’ve found inmates dead from suicide. I’ve been traumatized mentally and physically, only to get to this point in my life when I’m terminally ill ... and I find out my wife is being begrudged $1,861 a month.” “This kind of bigotry has to be recti-
guesthouses – many of them trying to adopt the same standards Gray had set for his own property. In 1996, Gray approached Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau, about promoting Fort Lauderdale as a LGBT vacation destination. ‘RICHARD GRAY’ continues on Page 9
By ALEX VAUGHN
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Mr. Sawmill Leather & Sawmill Leatherboy Contest will be held on Friday, Aug. 19, from 1pm to 1am at the Sawmill Camping Resort.
Richard Gray has announced that he is leaving the Fort Lauderdale area and moving, at least part time, to Dallas, Texas. One must wonder: is there anyone who can do as much as Richard has done to make the Greater Fort Lauderdale area the gay tourist Mecca he has? In the early 1960s, Ft. Lauderdale was a sleepy little seaside town with a reputation only as a tourist trap and a spring break destination. The 1960’s movie “Where the Boys Are” depicted Fort Lauderdale as a party town – at least six weeks out of the year – the place to go for spring break. After the movie came out, each year saw the number of spring breakers coming to Ft. Lauderdale for a holiday grow exponentially until it reached a point in the early 1980’s that the crowds (most of them intoxicated) became uncontrollable and the city stopped promoting itself as the “spring break capital” and worked to discourage the large groups migrating to the city each spring right before Easter. With the spring break crowd gone, the city had lost its identity and tourist base
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With Richard Gray’s Departure, Can Someone Else Fill Those Shoes? By BOB KECSKEMETY
Robin Rotellini’s chicken wing recipe won first-place winner and Steve Scott was voted second place. The finals will be held on Labor Day Weekend. Courtesy, Infobarrel.com
Big Void to Fill
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“You’re the One That I Want” WILTON MANORS, FL – Last Friday night, superstar Olivia Newton John stopped by Bill’s on Wilton Drive and said hello to her fans. Earlier in the evening, Newton John was with Del Shores’ “Sordid Confessions” party at The Manor Entertainment Complex. H
Round Two of Sidelines Cook-Off Competition Yields Savory Tastes WILTON MANORS, FL – Sidelines Sports Bar held the second round of its Summer Cook-Off Competition, in which the best recipe for chicken wings was the challenge of the day. The judges selected Robin Rotellini’s chicken wing recipe as the first-place winner and Steve Scott was voted as the secondplace winner. Both Rotellini’s and Scott’s recipes now earn them eligibility for the final round of the contest, to take place Labor Day weekend on Monday, on September 5, 2011. H
Dine Out “Fork” Lauderdale to Celebrate Five Years FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – The fifth annual Dine Out Lauderdale will take place from October 1 to November 10. The six-week culinary event promotes the area’s gourmet restaurants and renowned chefs with three-course meals available at $35 at more than 35 restaurants. Full list of restaurant participants for 2011 include:
Olas, Spazio, Sublime Vegetarian Restaurant, Sunfish Grill, Trina at The Atlantic Resort & Spa, Truluck's Seafood, Steak and Crab House, Via Luna at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale; Hallandale Beach: III Forks Steak & Seafood at The Village of Gulfstream Park, Hollywood: Bongo's Cuban Café, Lola's on Harrison, Tatu; Pompano Beach: Cafe Maxx; Lighthouse Point: Le Bistro; Lauderdaleby-the-Sea: Blue Moon Fish Co.; Weston: East City Grill, and Ireland's Steakhouse at the Hyatt Regency Bonaventure. For more information about Dine Out Lauderdale, www.sunny.org/dineout. H
Pet Adoption Weekend OAKLAND PARK, FL – A Pet Adoption Weekend will take place on Saturday and Sunday, September 24 and 25, from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at The Pet Project, 1164 E. Oakland Park, Boulevard. Puppies, kittens, dogs and cats will be available for adoption. Rescuers and shelters are welcome to bring “adoptees”. Water and treats for the pets will be provided and hot dogs and sodas are also available for sale. There will also be a tent sale with 50% off selected merchandise at The Pet Project Thrift Store. For more information, visit www.petprojectforpets.org. H
Tuesday’s Angels Receives Check! WILTON MANORS, FL – On the 18th of July, Bill’s hosted the Bartender Boxers and Briefs Auction, to raise money for Tuesday’s Angels. On Tuesday they presented Tuesday’s Angels with a check for
Photo courtesy, Stephen R. Lang
Tuesday’s Angels was presented a check by the owners of Bill’s Filling Station, who hosted the Bartender Boxers and Briefs Auction. The fundraiser raised $10,319 for the organization. Fort Lauderdale: 15th Street Fisheries, 3030 Ocean at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, By Word of Mouth, Café Vico, The Capital Grille, Chart House, China Grill at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina, Coco Asian Bistro & Bar, da Campo Osteria at il Lugano, Dapur Asian Tapas & Lounge, Grateful Palate, Grille 66 & Bar Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Six, Hi-Life Café, ilios at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, Indigo at the Riverside Hotel, Johnny V, Mai-Kai Restaurant, Market 17, The Melting Pot, Morton's The Steakhouse, North Ocean Grille at the Pelican Grand Beach Resort, Primavera, SAIA at B Ocean, Shula's on the Beach at the Westin Beach Resort, Fort Lauderdale; SoLita Las
$10,319, since 2007, BBB events have raised $60,400. Tuesday's Angels is an outstanding example of the difference that people can make in helping others. For over 20 years, Tuesday's Angels has given emergency assistance (rent, electric, etc.) to financially needy people with HIV/AIDS in Broward County. In addition, they give grants to other HIV/AIDS agencies to provide direct assistance and services to their clients. Some of their current grants include bus passes to Broward House and Care Resources and Camp Hope for children with HIV/AIDs through Childrens' Diagnostic and Treatment Center. Over the years, they have distributed more than $2,200,000 in assistance to thousands of Continues on NEWS on Page 8
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people. What makes Tuesday’s Angels unique is that 100% of money donated is used to assist those in need. All other expenses and fees are paid either by Board Members or interest income. H
Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament WILTON MANORS, FL – Women in Network (WIN) will be holding a Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Tournament taking place on three nights, Saturday, September 17, Saturday, October 15, and Saturday, November 5. Tournaments will be limited to the first 32-40 players who sign up. The number of players depends on the location of the tournament. WIN’s tournaments fill quickly, early sign-up recommended. For more information and to register, visit www.womeninnetwork.com/Poker.html. H
The Results Are In! WILTON MANORS, FL – The Varsity Club, along with GLBX, WIN, iBeria Bank, Metro Media Works and Fast Printz, came together for the 6th annual Judy Shepherd Back Pack Drive benefiting Thurgood Marshall Elementary. Denise Spivak, WIN President, was amazed by the outpouring of support from the community. “This is what community is all about. It's so wonderful to see the unity and generosity that we have experienced with Judy's Back Pack Back Drive.” Spivak said. This year’s drive collected 66 back packs, 250 notebooks, 2,750 sheets of paper, 136 folders, 32 three-ring binders, 116 glue sticks/bottles, 51 packages of highlighters, 110 packs of pencils, 55 packages of pens, 226 boxes of crayons and many other important items. H
G.O.P. Lawmaker Accused of Responding to Craigslist M4M Ad INDIANAPOLIS, IN – Emails shared with The Indianapolis Star suggest that Indiana State Rep. Phillip Hinkle, responding to a local posting on Craigslist, offered a young man $80 plus tip to spend time with him Saturday night at the JW Marriott hotel. The emails, reportedly sent from Hinkle’s publicly listed personal address, ask the young man for “a couple hours of your time tonight” and offer him cash up front, with a tip of up to $50 or $60 “for a really good time.” According to The Star, when the young man, Kameryn Gibson, 18, realized he was with a politician, he tried to leave the hotel room when, according to Gibson, Hinkle told Gibson he could not leave, grabbed him in the rear, exposed himself to Gibson and gave Gibson an iPad, BlackBerry cell phone and $100 to keep quiet. Gibson said no sex took place. Gibson then called his sister Megan to come and pick him up. Megan Gibson said she contacted The Star because she thought Hinkle’s actions were “creepy” and, given his stature, that his actions should be made public. Megan Gibson forwarded the emails between Hinkle and her brother arrang-
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ing the meeting to The Star. She also allowed a reporter to inspect the emails, which she had kept on her smart phone. The phone contained not only the email exchange but a call log that showed phone calls from numbers that match both Hinkle's cell phone and home phone. The email exchange contains no mention of sex acts. The Craigslist ad was under the category of Casual Encounters with the headline “Looking for Sugga Daddy” and showed two pictures of Kameryn Gibson, shirtless with pants pulled below the top of his underwear. The ad’s text only had one written line: “Email me and I’ll tell you everything you need to know!” When contacted by The Star about the emails, Hinkle did not contest the emails but said, “I am aware of a shakedown taking place.” Hinkle would not elaborate on what he meant about a “shakedown” and directed further questions to his lawyer. Hinkle's lawyer, Peter Nugent, said he was unable to say what Hinkle meant by a “shakedown” and that he was investigating the situation. When asked if he had seen the emails, Nugent said, “Oh, I’ve seen some emails but not all of them. I’m trying to get to the bottom of everything involved.” H
Same Gay Protester Confronts Pawlenty, Bachmann as State Fair AMES, IO – The same gay young man confronted both Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann at last weekend’s Iowa State Fair. The fair followed the G.O.P. presidential candidate debate and was the day before the Ames, Iowa, Presidential Straw Poll. Each candidate was given an opportunity to speak for three minutes. Pawlenty has since resigned from the race. Both candidates were heckled by Gabe Aderhold, 17, of Edina, Minnesota. According to Think Progress, Aderhold asked Pawlenty while taking questions from the audience: “I want to know— when will you stand up for me because you are discriminating against me and it hurts, it really does. I support that you have your moral values, but that is something that is hurting my future and how I get to live my life Why does government get involved in our marriages?” “From my perspective,” responded Pawlenty. “I’m not at the point, nor will I ever be at the point, where I will say that every domestic relationship is the same as traditional marriage. The relationship between a man and a woman in a traditional marriage is important to our country, our society, our culture. I think it should remain elevated, not just in our words, but under our laws — that’s why I've supported laws, in fact have authored laws, to maintain marriage as between a man and a woman.” The Hill reports that the questioner did not back down and asked Pawlenty why government gets involved in gay marriage at all and whether he would see a gay American as a “second-class citizen.” “We’re just going to have a respectful disagreement, sir,” Pawlenty replied.
According to the Des Moines Register, later in the day, following Michele Bachmann’s three-minute presentation, Aderhold began heckling both Bachmann and her husband, Marcus. As the couple was out shaking hands with the crowd at the edge of the stage, Aderhold loudly questioned her husband about his counseling techniques to “pray the gay away”. He then started yelling “shame on you” at the Bachmanns as campaign and security workers kept the crowd from coming too close to the couple. Moments later, as she tried to exit the area back to a waiting drive cart, Bachmann found herself in the middle of a mob of people, among them many supporters and members of the press, including this reporter and CNN anchor Don Lemon. Lemon says he was shoved by two Bachmann staffers, and by Marcus: “She came out, after speaking for just a couple minutes,” Lemon said. “There were other reporters and cameras there. And I asked her very respectful questions: ‘How do you think you did in the debate last night?’ and ‘How do you think you’re going to end up in the Ames Straw Poll?’ And her two campaign aides started elbowing me.” Lemon continued: “I told them – asked them – not to elbow me. And then her husband Marcus started doing the same thing. And then he elbowed me into the cart. And I said, ‘You just pushed me into the cart.’ And he goes, ‘No, you did it yourself.’ “It was just, I don’t know, why they would choose to do that. We weren’t asking any ‘gotcha’ questions,” Lemon added. H
New Yorkers Like State’s Same-Sex Marriage Law WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to a new CNN poll, a majority of New York voters not only support the law permitting same-sex marriage in their state, but also would resist efforts to overturn it. The poll showed that 55% favor the law with only 37% opposed. Opponents of the law filed a lawsuit in July to overturn it, but the poll shows that almost 60% percent of those responding to the poll said they want to keep same-sex marriage legal. The poll also showed that 72% of Democratic voters believe the law should stay in place, while Republicans are divided between 48% of those who want it overturned and 47% who think it should remain in effect. H
You Can Never Be Too “Anti-Gay”… Except in Iran AMES, IO – In last week’s Ames, Iowa, G.O.P. presidential candidates’ debate, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum (go ahead and Google “Santorum”) said, “Michele Bachmann says that she would go in and fight health care being imposed by states. Mandatory health, but she wouldn't go in and fight [same-sex] marriage being imposed by the states.” Rick Santorum who has compared same-sex marriage to sex with animals, has said that it’s “common sense” to keep gays from marrying and adopting children, wants to reinstate the ban on gays in the military and has said that
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gays shouldn't have the “privilege of government benefits” offered to heterosexual couples. However, later in Santorum’s “frothy mix” of his mind, he said, “I don't apologize for the Iranian people being free for a long time and now they're under a ‘mullahcracy’ that tramples the rights of women, tramples the rights of gays, tramples the rights of people all throughout their society...” H
Bert and Ernie to Remain “Just Friends” NEW YORK, NY – The Children’s Television Workshop has announced that, despite a petition drive, the loveable “Sesame Street” characters, Bert and Ernie, will remain friends and not a gay couple. For years, viewers have speculated that Bert and Ernie, the lovable Sesame Street pair who share a bedroom, are gay. The show’s creators have ignored the speculation until a recent online petition started to circulate asking the producers to allow Bert and Ernie to get married. The petition’s Facebook page said, “If done tastefully, this would greatly help put an end to the bullying and suicides of LGBT youth. Sesame Street should recognize that there are LGBT relationships, families, and include them in their show.” In response to the petition, CTW released the following statement: “Bert and Ernie are best friends. They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves. Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics (as most Sesame Street Muppets™ do), they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation.” H
Minnesota AFL-CIO Passes Resolution Opposing Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment MINNEAPLIS, MN – The Minnesota AFL-CIO, the state’s labor federation, voted to oppose a ballot measure that would add a ban on same-sex marriage to the Minnesota Constitution. The vote of the general board was unanimous, and the AFL-CIO is the first organization in the labor movement in Minnesota to come out against the amendment, which will be on the ballot in 2012. The AFLCIO is made up of 1,000 affiliated local unions and represents more than 300,000 workers. “The labor movement is, and has always been, about protecting and advancing the rights of all people,” Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson said in a written statement. “We will not stand by and allow discrimination to become part of Minnesota’s constitution.” H
“Glee” Cast Goes Vogue HOLLYWOOD, CA – The cast of “Glee” posed for a photo feature for the September issue of Vogue magazine. Continues on NEWS on Page 10
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“He came to me and some of our staff,” said Grossman, “and said there is gold in the hills and he sat down with us and talked with us and told us how loyal the LGBT market can be; about how lucrative it could be and how friendly we would become if we embraced that traveling public. He then went out persuading the destination as a whole – the other hoteliers and some of our attraction folks – that we all really needed to be part of this new marketing strategy. He brought us a significant new business that last year brought us nearly a million visitors and an expenditure of nearly a billion dollars. I would say that’s a very big impact.” The “gay initiative” campaign started with $35,000, and this year allotted $500,000. Gray became gay liaison to the County’s Tourist Development Council and vice president of the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association. Gray became the first openly gay person to sit on the board of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau and, in 2001, the County made him a “hometown hero” for his travel and tourism work. “When Richard and I went to London for the travel marketplace, which is one of the largest in the world,” said Roger Handevidt, former owner of Orton Terrace, a small guesthouse next door to The Royal Palms, “the CVB gave us our own table to promote gay tourism. We were told that we were getting more contacts and more people wanting to know about Fort Lauderdale than all the other tables. The CVB backed us and helped us in every way and I guarantee you we would not have gotten that far without Richard’s help.” Handevidt added that “up to that point, seats on the CVB had always been reserved for managers of the big hotels. Richard changed all that. He is so respected and has done such a good job representing the gay community. It wasn’t because of who he knew, but because of what he knew and how he presented it.” In 2008, Gray decided to semi-retire. He opened up a travel/tourism consulting firm and sold The Royal Palms. However, the people who bought The Royal Palms did not keep up with the same standards and the visitors to the resort who came back year after year rapidly declined. The Royal Palms went into bankruptcy in 2010 and was purchased later that year by a company called Pan Capital out of Sweden. The principals of Pan Capital asked Gray if he would return to The Royal Palms and bring it back to the same quality it originally had. Pan Capital also had their eyes on other properties along the beach and other areas and started purchasing them as the nation’s economy floundered. Gray was given the task of combining a couple of the newly-acquired properties and combining them into one, renovating the properties (Gray likes to refer to it as a modern ‘edgy’ look) and the new Royal Palms opened earlier this year just a block away from the original property. The new Royal Palms is more than double the size of the original property, has two pools, a spa, a gymnasium, an outdoor bar and a restaurant. However, the new property also has the same high standards
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(if not higher) that Gray insisted upon in the original Royal Palms. The new property became an instant success. Also original photography done by local photographer, Dennis Dean, hangs in each room. “Throughout the years, he’s always enjoyed my work and he thought it would be sleek and sexy to have original photography and he approached me and I jumped on the chance and I said ‘absolutely’,” said Dean. “It started in the rooms, then pictures were added to the gym and spa. It’s like having my own gallery in one of the best resorts in the world.” With the other properties purchased by Pan Capital, Gray started the creation of North Beach Village, a new concept for the beach area just off of A1A south of Sunrise Boulevard. “North Beach Village adds another dimension,” said Gray, “where you create a walking area with shops and art galleries off the beach which the area currently doesn’t have. There will also be fountains, a giant chess board and food stations.” However, now Gray has decided to move on and leave Fort Lauderdale for a period of time. “My partner landed this humongous job in Dallas – it was a job of a lifetime,” said Gray. He said that he has accomplished what he set out to do, reestablishing The Royal Palms and North Beach Village, along with the marketing and public relations for all the properties. “Fort Lauderdale is in my blood,” said Gray. “I love Fort Lauderdale and that’s why I still want to be part of it. The door is still open for me here and I’m not giving up on Fort Lauderdale.” Gray says that he’s more proud of what he has done in turning Fort Lauderdale into a gay travel Mecca than he even is with the work he has done with The Royal Palms because it benefits so many more people. Several months ago, Handevidt also sold his property, Orton Terrace, to Pan Capital, which will be combined with the original Royal Palms, renovated and reopened as Hotel Lush Royale, a new gay resort. “He is a consummate professional in every sense of the word,” said Dennis Dean, “in his public, private and business life. He’s been a major asset to the city of Fort Lauderdale and the gay community.” “I think it will be huge loss to this community,” said Handevidt. “I’ve been there through much of that with him and I’ve seen stuff that other people haven’t seen or are aware of – the fight he had to do to overcome some ignorance.” “I don’t think anybody is going to try to fill his shoes,” concluded Grossman. “I think what we need to do now is pay homage to what he has created and we’ll work as hard as we can to stay on that marketing plan. That’s what we have to do. That’s what he expects of us. That’s what he leaves behind. This [Gray’s hard work] wasn’t done to be a flash in the pan; it wasn’t done to make a statement then run and hide from the statement. This is now what we are. We learned how to be a welcoming community and a better-than-expected LGBT destination. “I understand why he’s going. I know that it’s important to him and his family and I wish him nothing but joy and happiness in the future.” H
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The cast, who posed with model Kate Moss in Vogue’s fashion section, teamed up with Vogue and Fashion’s Night Out to create a PSA and “Glee” star Lea Michele will do a cover of Davie Bowie’s song, “Fashion”. The song will appear at Vogue.com beginning on August 23. “When ‘Glee’ started, I had no idea who Marc Jacobs was. In no way was I a fashion person!” confessed Chris Colfer, who plays Kurt on the popular television show. “I did all my shopping at my smalltown Target. Maybe if I’d dressed better, I wouldn’t have had such a hard time in school.” H
Czech Capital Hosts First Gay March PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC – Despite being labeled as “deviants” by a top aide to conservative President Vaclav Klaus, Deputy Chancellor Petr Hajek, whose comments provoked a joint statement in support of the five-day gay pride festival from the ambassadors of 13 Western nations, including the UK and US. BBC reports that last weekend’s march went ahead in a light rain while 300 riot police held back dozens of far-right extremists who had gathered to shout abusive slogans. The marchers danced to music played from loudspeakers mounted on vans. The march was to culminate in a series of concerts on an island in the Vltava River, as part of a five-day festival comprising some 80 events – concerts, films, seminars, exhibitions and parties – in 30 venues around the capital. H
Taiwan to Hold Largest Mass Same-Sex Wedding TAIPEI, TAIWAN – About 60 lesbian couples will tie the knot in Taiwan's biggest same-sex mass wedding in the hope that the island will soon follow New York to legalize gay marriage. Around 1,000 people, including visitors from China, Thailand and the U.S., have purchased tickets for the private event, which will take place at an overnight party in Taipei later this month. Even though gay marriage is not legal in Taiwan, the organizers do not expect a government crackdown. H
Emory University Launches Gay Dating Site ATLANTA, GA – Emory University will launch a Manhunt-type dating site this fall. According to Project Q Atlanta, the campus is now taking submissions from students, employees and alumni members who identify as LGBT for the new page and hope to have 50 participants when the site is launched. The public page will include the person’s photo, graduation year and the gender and/or sexual identity they want included. H
Missouri School Sued by ACLU CAMDENTON, MISSOURI – The American Civil Liberties Union has filed
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suit against a Missouri school district over claims that it is censoring websites devoted to gay and lesbian awareness. The suit was filed Monday in federal court on behalf of four organizations whose sites were blocked by the Camdenton School District's filters. ACLU says that because the school system is using a filtering program that screens out sites under a "sexuality" category, dozens of legitimate websites dealing with gay and lesbian issues are kept off limits to students. While ACLU officials say the school system is in its right to block pornography and other sexually explicit sites, they say the "sexuality" filter goes too far. "That has nothing to do with sexually explicit material," Tony Rothert, legal director for the ACLU of Eastern Missouri, told FoxNews.com. The ACLU initially approached the district after receiving complaints that it was blocking LGBT websites. In a May letter to the ACLU in Eastern Missouri, the school system confirmed that while it "does not explicitly block" LGBT categories, several gay advocacy sites were blocked under the category of "sexuality." The groups represented by ACLU are Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG); Dignity USA; the Matthew Shepard Foundation; and Campus Pride. The suit is part of a campaign by ACLU to pressure school districts to loosen their filtering software. Superintendent Tim Hadfield wrote at the time that the settings were deemed "acceptable for our general audience within our network of Pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students." The district afterward unblocked a few websites that contained anti-bullying information, but would not overhaul the system or remove the "sexuality" filter, according to the ACLU. Hadfield told the local LakeNewsOnline.com that the district will continue to block certain websites. "We do not specifically filter sites promoting alternative lifestyles. We do specifically block sites that are inappropriate and will continue to do so. We disagree with their position and turned the issue over to our attorney to address," he said. Hadfield also claimed the district does not use the filtering program cited by the ACLU, though Rothert said Camdenton's software is at least based on it. The ACLU claims that by cutting off access to other sites under the broad "sexuality" category, the filter is censoring material in violation of the First Amendment. "Part of free speech is the right to reach your intended audience," Rothert said. The ACLU says "hundreds" of other LGBT sites are still blocked and that it doesn't make sense to have students ask for special permission whenever they want to visit them. In its suit, the ACLU and organizations it represents again asserted that the filtering policies violate free-speech rights. Further, the suit claimed there was "no educational basis" for screening out "LGBT-supportive" materials; the filters could complicate students' efforts to "comContinues on NEWS on Page 11
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fied,” Baker said in an interview at her home, vowing to fight until her last breath. Baker, is survived by her wife of six years, Deborah Tevyaw, whom she married in Massachusetts; two brothers, Richard Baker and Frederick Divers; a sister, Deborah Baker; and her beloved dog, Hooch. “She had the biggest heart in the world,” Tevyaw, who met Baker about nine years ago through mutual friends, said Monday. The two married in Provincetown on Aug. 4, 2005, and had planned to renew their vows there this month, but called off the plans as Baker was hospitalized. “I’m so devastated and so heartbroken,” Tevyaw said, her voice breaking. “I lost my best friend, my partner, my confidant and my wife, and she died without her wish.” Tevyaw vowed to “fight for the dream that Pat worked so hard” for — her promise to her wife. “I know it’s a long, hard road, but I don’t think anybody should tell anybody [else] who they should love,” Tevyaw said. “I don’t know what’s ahead of me, but I’m willing to fight it.” Marriage Equality Rhode Island, a group that works for same-sex marriage, issued a statement mourning Baker’s death. “Rhode Island has lost a great champion for civil rights, and we have all lost a dear friend,” said Martha Holt, Marriage Equality Rhode Island Board chairwoman. “Pat Baker personified courage and demonstrated remarkable strength in her lifetime. Her gentle, determined voice became synonymous with the equality movement, and she demonstrated to all that love truly does make a family.” Continued from NEWS on Page 10
plete school assignments regarding current events or social studies;" and the filters could keep LGBT students from visiting the kinds of sites that could help them "with the difficult issues of coming out to family members" and dealing with bullies. H
Rep. Owens Signs DOMA Repeal Act NEW YORK, NY – Now that gay people can wed in New York, Rep. William L. Owens wants the federal government to recognize the marriages, too. He has signed on to a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, a 1996 law that defines marriage on the federal level as between one man and one woman. The law can complicate gay couples’ Social Security checks and hospital visitations, for example, and its repeal is the next goal for gay rights activists. “I indicated I would not become a cosponsor until New York took action,” Mr. Owens, D-Plattsburgh, said Tuesday. “Once they did that, I felt I had an obligation to the citizens in the state to make sure they weren’t adversely impeded by federal law.” New York legalized gay marriage in two months ago by an act of the Legislature after a frenzied and historic push by some Republican-affiliated lobbyists and a powerful, popular Democratic governor. H
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Downer of the Down Low Being on the down-low seems to be at the height of popularity at the moment. Of course, it has always been in existence right back to Greek mythology! Guys could always get a little man action on the side away from their doting wives. Of course, they weren’t gay, just open minded. Now, however, the idea almost seems to have reached cult status! Provided all parties are aware during this little dance of the down-low, then one can argue no harm is being caused. More than likely, the only person who has the whole picture is the guy cheating on his wife. How does he rationalize it? Oh, ever so simply, any guys who cheat on women with guys have a list of rules – of understandings – that they utilize to make it all ‘o.k.’ First, they are following actions they can’t control; if they ever get caught they always have the ‘I am being true to myself ’ to fall back on. Secondly, they are seeking out something their wife is unable to provide; they follow this up with a quick and clear, foot down comment that is usually never required … ‘I would NEVER sleep with another woman’. That reaction alone leads to questions about being on the down-low versus being a closeted gay man. Do they even still sleep with Mrs. DL? Cheating, as I have talked about before, is a potential pitfall of serpents, particularly when you are cheating with someone of the same sex. You run the risk of exposing your entire life to people you may not want to know that you like a little man time! Before anyone starts yelling at me about there being no shame in being gay, that’s true. There is, however, shame in cheating. There is also shame in pretending, if that is the case, that a foray into the world of manon-man play time is anything more than a sexual urge that one knows is so easily gratified. If you are searching for something – perhaps it’s your identity or perhaps it’s an escape from the doldrums of married life – it would serve anyone well who intends on going down the down-low route to make damn sure you know what you are looking for and know even more clearly the risks you are taking. As soon as you say ‘risk’ in relation to being in the closet or a D-L kinda guy, the immediate thoughts are of being caught or disease. Great, and while those aren’t untrue, remember two things: first, getting
caught doesn’t necessarily mean getting caught with your drawers around your knees. No – did you ever wonder that while you are sucking face with some tragedy in a sleazy bar, it may also be the fave place of your wife’s hairdresser? He would love to tell her what her hubby gets up to! Or the florist? Or dog groomer? Now, I realize I have been extremely stereotypical to prove a point, but what about your lawyer you didn’t realize was gay because he isn’t a flamer? You are caught. As for the disease angle, cheating in any way puts you at risk of that! Let’s say by some sheer chance or miracle you get a pardon from your lovely lady and no one will ever know your business. Right. So, you meet a guy and date, have great sex, get a dog and a picket fenced house, even get hitched in NYC – how long before you start seeking an escape from the monotony of your new gay life? So, you live life on the down-low; what does that mean to you? A quick shag every so often? Fine. OK. Whether it’s right to say it or not, I think those on the down-low should stay that way. The reality is they aren’t desperate for the love of a good man, they have love; they are desperate for the high that comes from breaking the ultimate taboo for a straight man. Now, the most difficult and biggest downer to being on the DL is if you confuse the issue, start believing after 3 good lays with the kid in the next town, it means you have developed a deep connection. So what? Do you do you try and forge a relationship, maybe go to dinner, learn something about them … all fine and dandy but, HELLO! You are married. You are never going to offer yourself 100%, yet you will expect that in return. You see no issue in asking for exclusivity with the disclosure that you can still go back to your wife. Never stay the night, unless she is away, etc. What kind of life is that for anyone? What kind of life is that for you? I have a friend who trawls the bars and internet meeting loser after loser, each one, in fact, more stupid and less ambitious than the last. Yet his claim is he is driven by the need to be loved. I will give him that; however, whenever he meets one guy who slightly offers some form of commitment, my friend can’t get away fast enough whilst complaining he can’t meet a genuine guy to settle down into a relationship with. Oh, did
Letters to the Editor In response to the Cover Story, “A Tale of One City Divided” in the Florida Agenda, August 11, 2011. DEAR EDITOR, Let me understand what happened... Businesses in Wilton Manors are struggling. Unless they are alcohol related they seem to be closing faster than new business opening. Many spaces promote Coming Soon but realistically they have been Coming Soon for so long I have doubts the doors will open. WMBA, a private organization of WM businesses, invites Representative Allen West to speak to them. Being a member of a
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Alex Vaughn I not mention? My friend is married to a woman! He constantly pushes his luck, staying out late, and getting away with it under any old guise he can come up with. He is not the minority; he is part of a majority of a new subset of the gay culture. He is not simply on the down-low; he is an undercover relationship junkie who will never get the right hit, because he is ultimately unavailable. He has managed to convince himself that the secret to his happiness lies in the potential of a gay relationship. I do mean solely in the potential, not in the end result. He revels in the drama of each dalliance, each little mini-relationship, which always ultimately ends up with him being willingly used financially and unwillingly abused emotionally – all within the space of about 6 days. He knows, as does any little trollop he picks up, that he will never leave his wife. He always hints that maybe possibly one day, etc. We all know he never will. Not just because he loves her, but as with so many men in his position, he has a whole life outside of the gay world and bed hopping. He couldn’t just move out – he would lose a whole part of his straight life. No one is going to side with the ‘gay’ cheating husband in a divorce, are they? Divorces are nasty and, ultimately, you lose something! So if you are going to down low it, be careful, be aware and ultimately know your limits and don’t impose them on others you will end up in a losing situation no matter the outcome. The Down Low life, like lies or secrets, have a horrid habit of coming out, no pun intended. H
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Alex Vaughn is the Editor-in-Chief of the Florida Agenda. He can be reached at editor@FloridaAgenda.com
Please send all your comments and letters to Editor@FloridaAgenda.com
small business committee in Washington DC he could enlighten the WM businesses on government programs and opportunities to help them survive during these challenging economic times. What bothers me most is that a group of individuals decided that the WM business community should not have this opportunity. An opportunity to collectively hear what assistance is in place and what Washington DC has learned in what works and what does not in assisting the business community, helping Wilton Manors. Instead this group of individuals threatens OUR struggling businesses with boycotts and a "gays built this town and can
destroy it" attitude. Really? When I read that in your previous article I fell out of my chair. Is that what we are about? As you travel down The Drive, ask yourself how that is working out for us? Look, I consider myself a Democrat and am NOT an Allen West supporter, never voted for him, never will. I think it sad that our business community, that we need for our tax base and growth for the Island City to prosper, had an opportunity for help and others with another agenda took that away. Hopefully we all learn from this experience. THANK YOU. MICHAEL HELMS
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Who Knew? Sex – It’s Not All Bad By SAM KNEW, MSW makes us feel. One reason for those good vibrations may be explained by studies showing increased levels of oxytocin during sex. Oxytocin is a chemical produced in the brain, usually associated with “pair bonding” (it’s also referred to as the “love hormone”). These increased levels are associated with a reduced sense of pain and feelings of anxiety and an increased sense of generosity and intimacy. Additionally, CNN shared a study published in Biological Psychology, that found “people who had sex more often tended to have lower diastolic blood pressure.” The study also linked the finding to feelings of decreased stress levels in general for those individuals. So there you have it, no mention of the 19 million new sexually transmitted infections (STI) reported each year, nor mention of the $14.7 billion spent on STI related healthcare costs; just the benefits of a HEALTHY and SAFE sexual experience, which we should all take advantage of. Did I mention HEALTHY and SAFE? H
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Sam Knew, MSW is an educator and a local counselor. He can be reached at samknewmsw@gmail.com
Photo courtesy, Estetic Men
Recently, a reader commented that as often as he reads about sexually transmitted diseases and infections, it’s amazing anyone would want to have sex at all. So I thought I would take a moment to share all the wonderful benefits to having a healthy and safe sex life. Aside from the opportunity of sharing an amazing experience with someone, there are other parts of your body that can reap the benefits, as well. Did you know that an average of 30 minutes of sex could burn up to 85 calories? But not to worry, for all of you who are taking it slow – you don’t have to go all the way to get all of the benefits. Daily Muscle
published its own unofficial finding and broke down the numbers to “the build up”. The publication attributes somewhere between 120 to 235 calories for kissing, approximately 8 calories for undressing and an actual orgasm can burn as many as 100 calories. And not only can these benefits be seen in one’s waistline, but there’s some good things happening inside your body, as well. CBS News reported that researchers found, “having sex twice or more a week reduced the risk of fatal heart attack by half for men, compared with those who had sex less than once a month”. There are also reports correlating fewer cancer diagnoses among men with high frequency of ejaculation. The Journal of the American Medical Association found that “Frequent ejaculations (21 or more a month) were linked to lower prostate cancer risks in older men, as well, compared with less frequent ejaculations of four to seven monthly.” Wilkes University has also conducted its own study, in which it identified that people who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of antibodies, which can protect you from getting colds and other infections. However, as most of us already know, the best benefit of great sex is how it
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Open For Business:
The West of the Story By CLIFF DUNN In last week’s column (Open for Business, August 11, 2011: “No West, Young Man”), we reported about the ongoing fallout from the invitation to speak last month by the Wilton Manors Business Association (WMBA, “Wimba”) to Congressman Allen West. Among reactions to the invitation and subsequent cancellation of the planned August 8th meeting, an email to Wilton Manors Mayor Gary Resnick from Dr. Marc J. Romano outlined the latter’s “objection to” the invitation for West to address the business guild. Of the 22nd Congressional District representative, Romano wrote: “He has made numerous comments that reflect he is homophobic and a bigot. His views support policies and beliefs that discriminate against the LGBT Community and he is not welcome here.” The invitation from WMBA drew sharp criticism from a number of gay rights activists, including Michael Rajner, legislative director for the Florida Democratic Party GLBT Caucus. The ensuing controversy led to the decision by the group’s Board of Directors to cancel the event. Lawyer-activist Dean Trantalis, a former Vice Mayor and city commissioner in Fort Lauderdale, says that a want of prudence may have been a factor. “As the saying goes,” notes the Wilton Manors attorney, “‘the road to Hell is paved with the best intentions.’” Trantalis believes that “the invitation to Allen West to speak at a WMBA meeting shows great insensitivity to the community which comprises much of the area in which the organization services.” As to the House freshman Republican’s opposition to such LGBT issues as repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) and federal recognition for same-sex unions through a repeal of the noxious and wholly un-American Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Trantalis, a WMBA member, offers that “Mr. West is offensive by any standard, and his pretense to wanting to discuss just items of business [at the cancelled WMBA meeting] mocks the very core upon which this community has been built.” Responding to West’s comments in a letter written to WMBA President Celeste Ellich and the group’s members in which West implies that his critics are “intolerable individuals,” Trantalis protests that “we are not intolerable. Every opportunity West is given to speak condones his actions and his rhetoric. We’ve heard what he has to say, we’ve shown the world his very words. Why should we be once again subjected to his ridicule and condescension?” (As was noted in last week’s column, Open for Business, August 11, 2011: “No
West, Young Man”), Your Kindly Scrivener offers the possibility, or even likelihood, that the Distinguished Gentleman’s usage of the word “intolerable” may have been a malapropism – a la “Slip” Mahoney of the 1930s and 40s Bowery Boys movies, 70s Vegas headliner Norm Crosby, or international comedy sensation George W. Bush – that was meant to place-hold for the more civil “intolerant.” Or maybe he just doesn’t like gay people.) In response to Romano’s email, Wilton Manors Mayor Resnick replied that “the invitation was extended by … Celeste Ellich, as president of a private business association [WMBA]. She never consulted with or advised the city of the invitation.” Added Resnick: “By the way, I'm a member of the GLBT Democratic Caucus and did not learn of this from them either.”
This Ain’t My First Time at the Rodeo, Fellas Wilton Drive’s newest dining spot, Rodeo, has some enticements to introduce you to their great selection of Southwestern, Tex-Mex, Barbecue, Cajun/Creole and traditional Southern cuisine. On Tuesdays between 4p.m and 10p.m. they are offering 30% off the price for bottles of wine. Wednesday is Teacher Night; teachers who present a valid teacher ID card between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. receive 20% off their individual bills. And their Happy Hour runs from Tuesday through Friday between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m., which includes 30% off all drinks from the bar.
By the Numbers (Hail to the Chief Edition) A comparison of approval ratings during the third Summer of recent U.S. Presidents’ first terms: • 42.5%: Barack Obama approval rating, Summer 2011 • 62.5%: George W. Bush approval rating, Summer 2003 (won re-election in 2004) • 47.5%: Bill Clinton approval rating, Summer 1995 (won re-election in 1996) • 80.0%: George H.W. Bush approval rating, Summer 1991 (lost re-election in 1992) • 39.5%: Ronald Reagan approval rating, Summer 1983 (won re-election – by a landslide – in 1984) H
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If you're “Open for Business”, you can contact Business Writer and Director of Sales, Cliff Dunn, with your story at Business@FloridaAgenda.com
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THE SCOOP
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The Scoop
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By BRAD “SCOOP” CASEY
Matty’s Celebrates 3rd Anniversary One of South Florida’s entertainment success stories is Matty’s on the Drive in Wilton Manors. The club celebrates its 3rd anniversary on Monday, August 22nd. It will be a weekend of festivities leading up to the big night on the 22nd, including the finals of the 2012 Charity Calendar Contest. The popularity of Matty’s even surprises its owners. “We were looking to have a small neighborhood bar,” said Matt Auslander. “Yes, we were surprised and humbled at the response from the community.”
into two extra bays totaling 3600 square feet and will soon open the long awaited deli. What are the ingredients of success for Matty’s? Auslander credits its staff, the no smoking policy and its customers. Expect one heck of an anniversary party.
Celebration of Life Get Together Mona’s bar is having a Celebration of Life get together in memory of the late John ‘Mary’ Lyons on Thursday, August 25th. Mona’s owner, Jerry Schultz, is planning an upbeat and happy gathering for the popular mixologist who passed away recently. “It’s going to be a heavenly celebration and remembrance of John,” said Schultz. An open mic will be available, plenty of drink specials and a cookout. Festivities will begin at about 2PM on the 25th.
Victor Zepka in The Hot Seat Matty’s opened as an 1800 square foot, no smoking bar on August 22nd, 2008. Over the past three years, it has grown
We will roast loveable Victor Zepka of Boardwalk fame on Sunday, August 21st. The Celebrity Roast will be held at The Manor starting at 8PM. Victor is a longtime fixture in the South Florida entertainment scene, having the first
Boardwalk in North Miami Beach and promoter of the Miss Florida Pageant. Victor has legions of friends who are dying to take the stage and tell a few tales. Joe Posa, as Joan Rivers, will be Master of Ceremonies. A pre-fix dinner special will be available at $25.00. We urge you to call in advance to reserve a table.
Congratulations to Bobby Blair Bobby is one of the hardest working guys I know. He has a positive energy and tends to see the good in everyone and everything. Last week, Bobby Blair’s good fortunes came to fruition when it was announced that Multimedia Platforms, LLC had merged with Cybermesh International, a technology based company based out of California. Bobby’s duties have expanded and he will become the CEO of this company. Congrats, Bobby, and expect some earth shattering news over the next few months.
Short Takes • Club Entrepreneur Mark Lowe has found a location for his new Miami club. Expect an opening in November. • Bill’s Filling Station hosts Emmy Award winner Leslie Jordan on Monday, Aug. 22nd, at 9PM. No cover! • Belated birthday wishes to my good friend Pompano Bill. • Our very own Electra held over in Atlantic City where she has had a fabulous three month gig. Electra has been playing to packed houses. Thanks for picking us up this week and remember: To have a friend, you must first be a friend. H
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If you have a “scoop” for Brad Casey, please e-mail your information to BradC@jumponmarkslist.com
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Cross-Eyed Open Relationship Versus Open Heart By AJ CROSS What is this phenomenon of couples in “open relationships”? What does it mean to have an open relationship? I have been slapped in the face with something I never expected, which is the proposition of an open relationship, and I must say that, though I have known many couples whom have been together for a long time and decide to open there relationship to other people, I myself was never really fond of the idea. Gay people have been fighting for the lawful right to marry for as long as I can remember and now, when that endeavor is being realized, gay couples want to navigate away from a monogamous companionship to one which includes the authorization to sleep with whomever they want, whenever they want. Does the envy and jealousy just disappear because the relationship has become open? Is it really just one of the partners who is tired of having the same thing for dinner every night that pushes for such an agreement while the other partner simply agrees because they are in love or afraid of losing the person? Will allowing for strangers to enter the sanctity of your relationship – if
even just for pure physical pleasure – take away from the idea that you might not be satisfying your lover, or worse, that you are simply not enough for them anymore? As I sit in the middle of one of the strangest decisions of my life, I find myself in need of answers. This week, I look to my readers to help me! I want to know you your thoughts about this “open relationship” situation. I want to hear from those of you who are for it or against it and why. I want to hear stories where it caused relief or it caused tragedy. I need to get as much information as possible so that I can begin to understand all of this. I know how I feel about the prospect of an open relationship, but I can’t seem to get the idea past my heart and traditional idea of what a relationship should be. Please email me your thoughts, stories, responses to crosseyed@floridaagenda.com and I will publish the best responses in next week’s column. Thank you all in advance,
AJ
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THE STYLE VOICE OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY
Home | Dining | Profile | Music | Travel | Recipe | Fitness | Out In Florida | Bar Guide | Nightlife
WHAT’S INSIDE?
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n this week’s issue of Style & Entertainment we continue our Entrepreneur Series of Profiles throughout August with Ron Locke, ‘ChuckWagon Cowboy’, Author, Chef and CEO of Chuckwag Productions, Paul Rubio shows us Philadelphia’s new Gay Attitude in Travel and it is undoubtedly time to get some spa action and what better place to do it than at Home. We also take a look at the new breed of Wedding Singers, gone are the days of a cheesy band, now you can expect to see Kristine W, Sariah and Aiden Leslie plus many more at the most stylish Gay Weddings, the hottest new venue for their musical styling! Tim Slivinski takes us to one of Florida’s premier bistros, Sage in Dining, Tom Bonanti helps you eliminate love handles in Fitness, and Jean Doherty teaches us to be the chef with a delicious Vichyssoise in Recipe. We also have your favorites, Out in Florida and our State-wide Bar Guide. Enjoy! H – AV
SAGE
PHILADELPHIA FUNHOUSE Metropolitan Underdog Has a New Gay Attitude
Travel PAGE 39
GAY WEDDING SINGERS Club Artists Are Finding A New Niche In Gay Weddings
Music PAGE 23
CREATE YOUR OWN SPA RETREAT Pampering Yourself
Home PAGE 33
Dining at a Delectable Bistro
Dining PAGE 36 ELIMINATE LOVELESS LOVE HANDLES Get Rid of That Unwanted Baggage
Fitness PAGE 24 Photos courtesy, Global Moutain Summit, Accessible Walk In Bathtubs, Kristine W, Flickriver, LoseBellyFatandPounds.com
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By JARED PILSBURY New York recently became the sixth state to legalize gay marriage. The ruling has opened new business opportunities for florists, wedding planners and club artists, many of whom are now clamoring to moonlight as wedding singers. “Weddings are big business,” confirms Kristine W, who ranks as one of today’s most popular gay club artists. She has had sixteen #1 dance singles – only Madonna and Janet Jackson have had more. “My highest paid private performance was at a wedding for the daughter of the late Kerry Packer, one of the wealthiest men in Australia. He flew my whole Vegas show over to England.” Weddings are proving a profitable subsidy for club artists who have been struggling with decreased record sales (due to internet music pirating) and club bookings (due to the weakened economy). “Clubs used to bring artists in every weekend,” laments Miss W. “Now they book artists once a month and offer smaller fees.” She says it’s even worse for the support team behind the artist. “They [clubs] have stopped bringing in back-up singers and dancers. They’re not paying for sound people. Some bookings don’t include hotel accommodations. The business has shrunk, but if you don't adapt, you will be sitting home,” she warns. It’s not just about the money for some
artists. Out hip-popper Aiden Leslie looks forward to performing his first gay wedding “for the simple reason that it is exercising our equal rights,” he says. He feels his track, “Worlds Away”, is a perfect gay wedding song because “it is about putting the past behind you, looking toward the future and knowing that anything is possible.” Massachusetts-based club artist, Sariah, has been performing gay weddings since they were legalized in her state seven years ago. She is best known for her club hit “All About Sex”, but it’s her single “Believe in Me” that is most requested at nuptials. “It's the story of two lovers meeting and learning to build and believe in their love together.” “The main difference between performing a gay wedding versus a straight one, is the underlying accomplishment felt by all,” she says. “There is a certain shared pride that we have fought to make this happen. It makes the celebration that much more celebratory.” In addition to New York and Massachusetts, gay marriage is legal in Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire and Vermont. Washington DC and the Coquille Indian Tribe in Oregon also allow gay marriage. In addition to performing gay weddings, club artist Lala sees opportunity in creating music specifically for gay wed-
Club artists like Sariah (right) and Lala (below) are working on gay marriage themed tracks and have found a new, profitable venue, performing in gay weddings.
dings. “As a songwriter and singer, I look to current trends to influence my work. I’m currently in the studio working on new tracks that talk about same sex marriage.” In the meantime, she says her club hit “I Love My Sex” is surprisingly appropriate for gay weddings. “It’s about boys loving boys and girls loving girls, appreciating their same gender for all its beauty.” “What better way to show appreciation for your gender than to marry it?” H
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Eliminate Loveless Love Handles Ways to Avoid this Unwanted Baggage By TOM BONANTI Stand grasping a bar behind your head on the upper traps, with feet shoulderwidth apart. Keeping the lower body stationary, proceed to twist to the right, pause, and then twist to the left. For variation, try bent-over twists. Stand grasping a bar behind your head on the upper traps, with feet shoulderwidth apart. Bend over carefully until your torso is parallel to the floor, then proceed to twist to the right, pause, then twist to the left. Seated twists help to isolate the obliques a little better than the above. Sit on a bench – or better yet, an exercise ball. Grasp a bar behind your head on the upper traps with legs together. Keeping the lower body stationary, proceed to twist to the right, pause, then twist to the left. You can also do these holding a medicine ball in front of you. From the same position, twist your torso as you pass the ball rapidly from one side to the other side. Twisting lunges allow you to put your ass (more technically, your glutes) to work as well as your obliques. Stand grasping a bar on the upper back, with feet wide apart. Proceed to bend the left knee and twist down that side. Pause,
then rise to starting position and perform the next repetition to the right. Twisting waves get your upper body more involved. Stand grasping a bar out in front of you with feet wide apart. Proceed to bend the right knee and simultaneously lower the left hand across your body while raising the right hand. Pause, then rise to starting position and perform the next rep to the left. While the terms “love handles” and “muffin top” may sound cute, the realities are not. If you watch your nutrition and perform these oblique routines regularly, you will build a healthy core and tight lean midsection. For more tips on core fitness contact Tom Bonanti at TrainerTomB@aol.com. H
Photo courtesy, Losebellyfatandpounds.com
It’s a given that most guys consider a six pack to be sexy. Yet a strong, toned midsection is also important because it helps to anchor your lower back. Exercises like crunches and leg raises are essential to developing killer abs and a healthy lower back, but that’s not all you need. The obliques (although they are so deep that you’ll never see them even on the leanest physique) are also an important part of your core as they girdle the abdomen on both sides of the body. As such, these babies require a program of their own. “Love handles” are the term “affectionately” used to describe those problem areas where fat accumulates around the waist and oblique areas. To avoid the unwanted baggage, you must, of course, watch your nutrition –that’s 80% of the battle! In addition, you must keep these muscles strong and toned with such movements as twists, bends and lunges. The following exercises employ a broom handle or a smaller weight-free barbell. Perform repetitions slowly. Put 2 or 3 of these exercises into your ab routine and complete 25 to 50 reps on each side and you’ll soon see and feel the difference. Standing twists are the most basic.
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Tom Bonanti, is a certified personal trainer and owner of Pump’n Inc gym at 1271 NE 9th Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Email: TrainerTomB@aol.com Facebook: TrainerTomB. www.pumpnincgym.com
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Entrepreneur Series Profiles for The Florida Agenda Over the month of August, we will be highlighting entrepreneurs of the community and getting their take on building a successful business within the community. Photo courtesy, Chuckwagon Cowboy
“Chuckwagon Cowboy” Cooks Up a Storm Ron Locke, Author, Chef & CEO, ChuckWag Productions By ALEX VAUGHN How long have you been here? What brought you to South Florida? I’ve lived in South Florida since 1990, from Racine, Wisconsin. The initial attraction to the sunshine state was the sun, ocean and more relaxed lifestyle. I vacationed in Fort Lauderdale on spring break in the 80’s and knew someday the area would be my home. Please tell Agenda readers about your business. I am known as “The Chuckwagon Cowboy”. Cooking has always been one of my biggest passions in life ever since I was 5 years old. Throughout the years, I did catering jobs on the side of my 60 hour a week corporate job I held to maintain my interest in the culinary arts. When I was laid off from my company in 2010, I used the free time in between looking for work to pen my forthcoming cookbook coming out this fall and started to develop a cooking show, “The Chuckwagon Cowboy,” which can be seen currently on YouTube. I’m also days away from releasing my own website and also continue to cater parties as well, when time allows me to. I formed the company ChuckWag Productions in June of 2011 to umbrella all of my growing culinary ventures. How long have you had your business and how is it going? I started “The Chuckwagon Cowboy” cooking show with a couple demo episodes in the winter of 2011. After getting a lot of praise on the two shows, and taking some time to get some upgraded equipment and resources, I decided to create the show full time with 26 episodes each and the first episode debuted on May 26th, 2011. The show is getting close to the middle of Season One currently. The show is doing fantastic and grows viewership with each new episode. I am currently being shown on TV on KPVM in Pahrump, NV, as part of their local human interest show. I also have been picked up by a web TV station and in negotiations with two more TV stations. What niche did you feel was missing, that you started your business? I think you always try to turn a tragedy into a triumph and that’s how I look at being laid off and living in these hard economic times. This allowed me to reinvent myself and take something that I’ve always enjoyed doing and turn in into a career. So, if you want to say in my circumstance what the missing “niche” was, it was always time and security of a Monday - Friday job and not having the time to devote to creating your own business. How does your business benefit the community? In many ways! I open the door for men and
women who never entered a kitchen before or have very little cooking experience to see for themselves just how easy it is to prepare a delicious recipe in very little time and trouble with a few basic ingredients. My cooking method is based on the K.I.S.S. (Keepin’ It Short & Simple} way of cooking. There are a lot of wonderful chefs out there who prepare these fancy Five Star meals and do a great job at it, but for the common person, it’s very intimidating to try to recreate and also very expensive. My recipes are very “blue collar style comfort foods”. These are what my momma prepared for our family and what I’ve adapted from her basic recipes into my own creations. They are economical and easy to create and my recipes and videos are very basic and inviting to the viewer, taking them step by step through the entire process. I also invite parents to get their children involved into the process as well in my videos as I was introduced at 5 years old from my momma. It’s all about the family getting back together again; working and talking with each other again in a positive and educational way! What advantages do you feel there are having a business within the gay community? Well, I can certainly tell you that being gay doesn’t come with a cooking gene! I know many gay and lesbian people that have come to me for help and guidance with cooking, baking and grilling. One of my future goals is to become more involved in the local South Florida gay community by offering workshops on basic cooking 101 with my K.I.S.S. method of cooking! What disadvantages do you feel there are? For my business, I don’t see any. If you can develop some basic cooking skills along with one or two “in the pocket” recipes to dazzle and impress your family, friends and associates with, you’ve got a great base for enjoying the culinary arts! Plus the many compliments you’ll receive from your fantastic recipe will propel you back in the kitchen to create even more wonderful dishes. Gay or straight, everyone should be able to use a stove top or oven! How would you identify your management approach? Iron Fist or more Flexible? What do you see as the advantages to your approach? Being a manager for many years in my corporate career, I always expected excellence, and sometimes that meant having to get tough when the tough times were upon the department, but I was always open to communication and constructive suggestions to improve upon that excellence. My team was always cognizant and appreciative to the “Open
Door” policy I had. So, I guess you could say my style was “Firm, but Communicable”. The advantages to my approach were that everyone was accountable for their roles in the department and learned a sense of planning and timing which each role interacted with each other. Also, having an “open door” management approach allowed my team to feel comfortable about discussing either openly in a team meeting or one on one about issues or suggestions relating to their job or department. What do you feel about the idea that the summer season is slow? How do you combat this pressure? For me it couldn’t be HOTTER with the amount of momentum my company ventures are taking off, and it’s not looking to cool off anytime soon with the release of my long awaited book, “Cooking With Momma – A Collection of Short Stories & Recipes from the Hearth of The Chuckwagon Cowboy,” due out this fall (targeting for October) and new and exciting ideas already in production for an exciting Season Two of “The Chuckwagon Cowboy” cooking show that will start Jan 2012. How do you think the community as a whole responds to your business? I’ve heard nothing but great things from the community. I have a lot of friends in South Florida and through meeting with them or on any of the social media sites (Facebook, Twitter or YouTube), they are so pleased at what I am doing for everyone and giving people something back of the knowledge I’ve amassed over 40 years! In your lifetime, how do you feel the gay community has changed? Yes. I was a late teen through the AIDS outbreaks in the early 80’s and that took promiscuous sex to a more cautious level with many gay men. Over the past few years, I have seen a return to that lifestyle again with the great HIV drugs that are out now and the fear that what was once a death sentence is now much more controllable, so I can see how the promiscuousness has come back over the past couple years. Also, I think the biggest challenge the gay community is facing now Is the marriage act discussions going on across the county and how that will play out to gay couples over the next 5 years. Do you see a positive change in attitudes towards the gay community? Certainly! I personally see more acceptance of it as the generations pass and get older. We will always have bigotry in our society. What the gay community needs to do is rise above that and work with the straight community to find common goals and boundaries that we can all accept and flourish in!
Ron Locke, better known as the “Chuckwagon Cowboy”, can be found on Youtube & Facebook. Do you believe there is credence to the idea a business geared towards the gay market is cutting out a major section of the wider community? Yes and no. I don’t think just because you embrace and include the gay demographic as a primary focal point of your business that it will eliminate the straight or wider approach to your business, but I do believe a good business can interweave various demographics into a successful business. How do you minimize that effect? If you balance it outright by providing a service that will appeal to a cross section of people, I think you can create a much broader and successful business for everyone and not feel you have to eliminate a certain demographic. What plans do you have for the future? I will be working on my next book of recipes and short stories starting in the winter of 2012. I already have a working title and penning some notes for recipe chapters. I also will be filming Season Two of “The Chuckwagon Cowboy” cooking show along with finalizing my website, which should be released in early September. I have an idea there will be A LOT more coming in the next year, stay tuned! If you had an open check book, what business would you go into next? I’d stay right where I am at! I couldn’t be happier with what I am doing right now, although the open check book would make things happen a lot faster with some better “bells and whistles”. For now though, I’m enjoying life in “Chuckwagon Country”! H
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Ron Locke, Author and Chef. Ron is the CEO of Chuckwag Productions, which overseas his Cookbooks, Culinary Events and “The Chuckwagon Cowboy” cooking show. Ron can be reached via email at Chuckwagoncowboy@gmail.com
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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 ATOMIC/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. 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. BOARDWALK 1721 North Andrews Avenue, 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? 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). 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)! 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. DUDES 3270 N.E. 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. 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. LIVING ROOM 300 S.W. 1st Ave., Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Arts & Entertainment District meets South Beach. Friday nights they’re here, they’re queer, and they drink free from 10:30(ish) to Midnight. Only House Music club in town with its own Classical (and classicallychiseled) violinist. 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 meringue 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 2039 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.
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PJ’S CORNER POCKET 924 N. Flagler Drive, Fort Lauderdale Interracial Private Social Club. Bottle club memberships. Get your groove back on Wednesday nights with $2 drinks. RAMROD 1508 N.E. 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?).
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. 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.
ROSIE’S BAR & GRILL 2829 W. Broward Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Nexus of the A-Gay List. Be Seen in the Scene (without making one). Food, folks, libations, and a killer Sunday Funday.
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.
SCANDALS SALOON 3073 NE 6th Avenue, 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.
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.
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. STABLE 205 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Levis-and-leather neighborhood bar, where the bears line dance and the cowboys are VERY friendly. 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. 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. VOODOO LOUNGE 111 S.W. 2nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale Gay and mixed every Sunday, with afternoon T-Dance and drink specials, then the popular Life’s a Drag show with gobs of female impersonators, hot dudes and the chicks who want to change them. 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.
MIAMI/MIAMI BEACH BAR 721 721 N. Lincoln Lane, Miami Beach Plush, lush and flush, a luxe, sexy décor that includes soft carpeting, comfy couches and a Grown Up Playroom equipped with a flat screen TV for video games, pool table, ceiling-mounted speakers. Enjoy 5 to 10 p.m. happy hours including $6 premium drinks. 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 S.W. 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. 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. PALACE BAR 1200 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach This bar and restaurant in the heart of South Beach’s Art Deco District .Mouth-watering burgers, boys (and girls!). Weekend cabaret shows Thursday through Sunday.
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 West Church Street, 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, 7:30PM. 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 9pm. 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 6PM til 2AM every night in the main bar! Video Bar, Pool Tables.
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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, 4PM til 3AM. No cover before 10PM, $5 after with ID. VALENTINES NIGHTCLUB 7522 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa, FL Voted #1 Nightclub in Tampa. Open 7 days a week 3PM to 3AM. 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 West Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL One of The Oldest Bars (beer and wine). A plain bar without pretention with it’s share of young regulars. RAINBOW ROOM 421 S. MacDill Avenue, 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 Avenue 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 11AM to 9PM. Saturday Happy Hour ($1 off) 11AM to 9PM. GEMINI LOUNGE 2315 Central Avenue, 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 Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL Fun, friendly, laid-back atmosphere where you can get great drinks at cheap prices! Drama free! Happy Hour daily from 2PM til 9PM. HAYMARKET PUB 8308 4th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL More of a Men’s bar. Showing hot videos, beer specials, Saturday Underwear Night, and different events each week.
WYLDE'S 3557 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, FL Neighborhood bar South of Downtown Orlando. Jukebox, Video Games, Pool Tables and Dancers.
HIDEAWAY 8302 4th Street 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.
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 9PM and drink specials every day til 9PM.
DETOUR 2612 Central Avenue, 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.
BAR CODES (Formerly Bear Bar) 4453 Edgewater Drive, Orlando, FL Friendly Bar, Real Men and Bears... Oh My! Beer and Wine. Tends to attract the after work Happy Hour crowd.
MELBOURNE/COCOA
TAMPA BAY 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. AZALEA LOUNGE 1502 N Florida Ave., Tampa, FL Exposed brick, cold beverages and friendly staff are the mainstays of the recently bloomed Florida Avenue flower! Neighborhood Bar, pool tables. 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. 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.
COLD KEG NIGHTCLUB 4060 West New Haven Avenue, Melbourne, FL Largest Gay Club in Melbourne Florida and the Premier Gay Bar & Nightclub in Brevard County. ULTRA LOUNGE 407 Brevard Avenue, Cocoa, FL Nestled in Cocoa Village, this bar has a full coffee bar, serving espresso, lattes, cappuccinos as well as draft beers & wine.
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THE METRO 2929 Plum Street, 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-Go-Go, monthly Tea Dances, special quest performers, female impersonators and live musicians. BOOT RACK SALOON 4751 Lenox Avenue, 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 Boulevard, 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 Street, 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 Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL A neighborhood bar. Everyone is welcome, but remember it is a girls bar! Beer and Wine only. 616 BAR 616 Park Street, 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 Street, 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 Avenue North, Jacksonville Beach, FL There are great shows Thursday through Sunday with the best of female impersonators. Pool tables, video games, and a large outdoor patio. The only gay bar on the beach!
INCAHOOTS 711 Edison Avenue, Jacksonville, FL This club offers good crowds every night. Recently remodeled with 3 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. KICKBACKS GASTROPUB 910 King Street, 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!
KWEST 705 Duval St., Key West, FL Daily Happy Hour from 3-8pm, and a piano sing-a-long every Wednesday night. Men dancing for men after 10PM. Weekly drink specials and "Wet Jockey" contests on Fridays. SALOON ONE 801 Duval Street, Key West, FL (Behind 801 Bar) This is the only gay leather bar in Key West. Conveniently located in the Bourbon Street Pub Complex.
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LA TE DA 1125 Duval Street, Key West, FL An upscale hotel complex with 3 bars, cabaret and restaurant.
THE ROUNDUP 560 East Heinberg St, Pensacola, FL A neighborhood gay men’s bar... Pensacola’s Cowboy Bar. Open 2PM til 3AM daily.
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".
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 11AM - 8PM. 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 3-8pm daily.
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 Street, 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 Road, 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 Street, 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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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 Street , 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 Northwest 6th Street, 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 East University Avenue, 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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Create Your Own Spa Retreat By MICHAEL FRENCH
Are you desperately needing an inhome retreat? Did you ever dream of being able to go to a spa whenever the mood hit you? It sounds like it’s about time to transform your blah bathroom into a serene spa. Luxurious spas abound in Florida. One visit could cost a week’s pay and/or only be used exclusively by members of the country clubs where they are often found. Instead, invest the money you’d plunk down at a spa and create your very own at home. Not only will you have a haven you’ll be able to relax in anytime your heart desires, you’ll increase the value of your home. These days who doesn’t want to feel their home has more value? Create your own spa? Yes, a spa! A clean-lined, clutter-free, completely calming atmosphere that acts as your own personal sanctuary and getaway can be yours! For materials, look to E-Bay, Craig’s
List, E-Gravy.com, Habitat for Humanity stores and thrift shops for great bargains. You can save hundreds, maybe thousands. The key to creating a soothing space is to ensure a full body experience versus just getting clean in an aesthetically pleasing space, but still extremely functional. First, clear out the clutter. You’ll never see a spa with countless bottles and products scattered on the surfaces. Making and keeping spaces organized and having a place for everything lessens anxiety and creates an instantly calming atmosphere. Look for high-quality countertop containers that will enhance and compliment your overall design. Glass, of most any color, tends to add an airy, elegant and clean feeling. Enhance that “escape” feeling with calming colors. Most spas choose warm neutrals because these colors are very restful. Earthy tones make people feel safe. Whites lend a clean, fresh and pure tone. Pastels of soft greens, blues or yellows can be very soothing. Avoid primary colors. They are exciting, but this isn’t the effect you want in a calming retreat. You’ll want a paint with a yellow, pink or blue undertone because they will flatter your skin, depending on its tone. Dark walls look better with lighter flooring, lighter walls with darker flooring.
Bringing nature into your bathroom will help restore your sense of serenity and bring that “Zen” feel to your spa. Flooring, furniture, fixtures and decor reminiscent of nature, such as deep, rich woods, natural stones and bamboo, all add color and texture. Incorporate a variety of textures. Combine exotic woods, tumbled marble and limestone. Include plants. Besides brightening any room, plants add to making a space healthier with their oxygen-releasing function. Spider, snake plants and the bamboo palm actually decrease the level of some airborne volatile organic toxins (VOC). The right plants will thrive in the humidity of the space. Have a less than green thumb? Choose pathos, Boston ferns or the cast iron plant. Orchids are great for a spa, but just make sure there’s enough light. Lighting is everything! Strive for soft lighting. Use dimmers and as much natural light as possible. Skylights are great. Don’t forget candles – no spa should be without them. A light, clean scent or no scent is preferred. Candle light flatters any skin tone. Invest in a heated towel rack. Warm towels after a bath, even in Florida, only add to that cozy spa feeling. Add a wall mounted CD player. Soothing music further enhances the experience. In the shower, use a rain shower head
Photo courtesy, sherifzaki.com
and, if the budget permits, install a steam unit and put in a radiant heated bench for even more relaxation. For finishing touches, don’t forget aromatherapy. Lavender is calming, while peppermint is invigorating. Splurge on luxurious linens that you can wrap yourself in and maybe even someone else in with you! Voila! There you have it. The right combination of soothing colors, natural textures and materials, decadent decor , soft lighting, sensual mood music and more, all focused on creating a total spa experience in the comfort of your own home, will not only soothe your overworked body and mind, whenever your heart desires, it will – without a doubt – add a huge spark of romance! Ahhhh!. H
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Michael French, is Agenda’s Home from Home columnist. Contact Michael at mf7954fla@gmail.com
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HEALTHY HAPPY HOUR An all new spin on the traditional happy hour that will get your heart beating, your mind relaxed and your body’s energy flowing. August 18, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Pride Center’s PALS Project will partner with CAMP For Health for a Healthy Happy Hour. Are you curious about acupuncture, but scared of the needles? Have you ever wanted to try yoga, but doubted your flexibility? Have you heard of Reiki, but aren't sure exactly what it is? This is the event for you. Simple acupuncture, massage, Reiki, yoga and guided meditation. Please dress comfortably to participate. Registration/light refreshments from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Presentations and demonstrations from 6 to 8:30 p.m. RSVP or for more information, contat Michael Childers at (954) 463-9011x305. To be held at the Pride Center, 2040 Dixie Highway in Wilton Manors. H
BROWARD BARES IT 2011 Friday, August 19, from 7 to 11 p.m. Voted Fort Lauderdale’s #1 fundraiser. Bigger, badder and bawdier – this year is being super-sized for your pleasure! Have you ever wanted to see some of your favorite local and national singers, dancers, comedians and performers take their clothes off ? Well, here is your chance because on Friday, August 19th, inside the Paradise Live Theater at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (1 Seminole Drive in Hollywood, FL.), a host of them will be getting together for one night and taking “IT” off for you all in the name of a good cause. Broward Bares It is a hilarious, sexy, steamy and zany night of burlesque, comedy and vaudeville dance acts and songs presented onstage in a Broadway atmosphere. For more information, visit www.Browardbaresit.com. H
ROYAL PALMS AUGUST T-DANCE Featuring deejays Lydia Prim and Jason Gonzales on Sunday, August 21, from 4 to 8 p.m., at the Royal Palms Resort & Spa, 717 Breakers Avenue on Fort Lauderdale Beach. Domestic beer buckets $12, import beer buckets $12, Finlandia Vodka drinks $5, Bacardi Rum buckets $10. Cover $5. RSVP on Facebook and receive free admission. (Each attendee must RSVP individually) H
“THERE COMES A TIME” Miss Coco Peru in her all new show “Miss Coco Peru: There Comes a Time” on Friday, September 2, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Manor Entertainment Complex, 2345 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. The return of the celebrated monologist/singer/actor-actress Miss Coco Peru in an all-new, cabaret-style evening of stories, songs, lots of laughs – and a surprise or two. Legions of Cocophiles know that Miss Peru's shows fearlessly explore all facets of human nature, expertly turning darkness into illumination. “This time,” says Coco, “I’ve decided to do something a little different. I wanted to try something a bit lighter, a night of pure fun with Coco.” For tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/183543. H
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Miami AFRICAN TREASURES: SELECTION FROM THE NAOMI WILZIG COLLECTION Now through August 31 at the World Erotic Art Museum, 1205 Washington Avenue on Miami Beach. This is a presentation of the Naomi Wilzig African Art Collection featuring objects used across the continent of Africa for fertility and divination practices. Artifacts highlighted within the exhibition illustrate the characteristics of fertility worship within the home and community and continue to play dynamic roles in the lives of many societies. All objects were collected for their display of genitalia and specific utilitarian functions of the objects regarding fertility practice by the cultures. This exhibition explores the significance, aesthetics and purpose of African material objects, as well as their social contexts. For more information, visit: www.weam.com. H
429INSPIRED Wednesday, September 21, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Area 31 at The Epic Hotel, 270 Biscayne Boulevard Way in Miami. Join the launch of dot429 in Miami with their signature speaker series "429INSPIRED". Enjoy hosted cocktails, hors d' oeuvres and an inspirational talk by one of Miami's top luxury goods purveyors. While networking on the terrace overlooking the Miami Skyline, dot429 asks what inspires you? $25 advance, $30 at the door. RSVP online: http://dot429.com/events/429inspiredmiami-launch. dot429 is an online and in-person professional network and social magazine focused on creating opportunities and connections for the LGBT communities and their allies. Connect, engage, discover, inspire at dot429.com. H
2011 TRANSCON: THE JUSTICE SUMMIT TransCon will focus on aiding legal and professional institutions gain a greater understanding about issues dealing with the transgender community concerning institutionalized discrimination, the basics of legal gender transition and the challenges of gaining access to healthcare, among other subject matter. The conference kicks off with a feature film at O-Cinema on Friday, September 30, and will continue at FIU Biscayne Bay Campus over the course of the following two days. Saturday, October 1, will offer a full day of workshops and lectures from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and continuing on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a day of community and leadership building. Admission prices are as follows: feature film presentation only (additional) $15; feature film presentation with conference $10; conference registrationone day $35; conference registrationtwo days #75. Tickets are available for purchase at www.aquafoundation.org/ transcon2011/. Presented by the Aqua Foundation for Women. H
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Bay Area HOT LEATHER NIGHTS/MR. SAWMILL LEATHER & SAWMILL LEATHER BOY CONTESTS Friday, August 19, from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Sawmill Camping Resort, 21710 US Highway 98 (Off of Hwy 75 between Tampa and Orlando) in Dade City. Prizes: $1,200 retail prize package including $200 cash, $10 all-you-candrink beer bust, “Dominatrix” starring Sofonda Cox, guest appearance by Kamden Wells, poolside demonstration by TLC, Boot Black Dire. 15% off accommodations for TLC members. Laser light pool party Friday night with 2-4-1 drinks ‘til midnight, clothing optional pool. H
AIDS WALK ST. PETERSBURG 2011 Saturday, September 10, registration is from 8:00 a.m. Walk Starts at 10:00 a.m. from the North Shore Park in downtown St. Petersburg. Join them for the 2011 AIDS Walk St. Petersburg in sunny downtown St. Petersburg to benefit members of our community affected and infected by HIV/AIDS. Watch for more information. H
THE SUNDAY BBQ IS BACK Ybor Resort and Spa, 1512 8th Ave. (15th Street) 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. H
FLAMINGO BINGO Thursdays hosted by Kevin Johnson. Win free drinks and prizes from 8 to 10 p.m. Code Bar opens at 7 p.m., the Video Bar opens at 10 p.m. and don’t miss Girl’s Night in the Blu Room, which opens at 11 p.m. with $3 Miller Lite longnecks. The Flamingo Resort is located at 4601 34th St. S in St. Petersburg. For more information, visit www.flamingofla.com. H
GAY BOWLING First Thursday of each month from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Dunedin Bowling Lanes, 405 Patricia Avenue in Dunedin. For more information, call (727) 7361282. H
FREE DRAG QUEEN BINGO Every week, you can play BINGO for free and win drinks and prizes at the Flamingo Resort, 4601 34th St S in St. Petersburg. H
THE NEARLYWED GAME Every Thursday night from 8 to 11:55 p.m. at Hamburger Mary’s (1600 7th Avenue 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! H
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Central Florida VEGAS NIGHT Saturday, August 20, starting at 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. This is always a great-time event and a great benefit for Hope & Help. Play the real games: Blackjack, Roulette, Slots and Craps. Win a $500 gift card to Seminole Hard Rock and Casino. The first runner-up will win a Pride Weekend stay and show at the Parliament House. The Footlight Players perform a Las Vegas spectacular with shows at 10 and midnight. H
MISS QUEEN OF COMEDY To be held at the Parliament House (410 N Orange Blossom Trail (W Livingston St) in downtown Orlando) on Monday, August 22 at 9 p.m. For contestant information and seating, contact Loc Robertson at www.facebook.com; Miss Comedy Queen. Other upcoming pageants at the Parliament House: MISS GAY ORLANDO – Monday, October 17, at 9 p.m. SUNSHINE STATE ALL AMERICAN GODDESS and ALL AMERICAN GODDESS AT LARGE – Monday, November 14, at 9 p.m. Official state preliminary to Miss All American Goddess and All American Goddess at Large. For contestant information, contact Derek at www.sunshinestateaag.com. MISS METROPOLITAN CONTINENTAL PLUS and ELITE – Monday, December 5, at 9 p.m. Official preliminary to Miss Continental Plus and Miss Continental Elite. For contestant information, contact Jim Demundo at (407) 281-2820. H
RED-LIGHT, GREEN-LIGHT PARTY Monday, August 22, from 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. at Revolution Nightclub, 375 S. Bumby Avenue in Orlando. No cover ‘til 11 p.m. for 21+ (18+ welcome), $3 before 11 p.m. $8 after 11 p.m. (18-20 yrs.). Wear red if you're taken, wear green if you're single and ready to mingle. Free drinks 11 to 11:30 p.m. plus additional drink specials. Free Latin buffet. D.J. Lui Lou spinning the best in Salsa, Merengue, Raggaeton, Bachata and more. The hottest Hip/Hop and Reggaeton mixes in the Hydrate Video Bar. Orlando's hottest Latin diva show at 12:30 a.m. featuring Lisa Lane, Sexia Lopez, Maya Andrews and Shantell d’Marco. H
HRC CONNECT Human Rights Campaign invites you and your friends to the August edition of HRC Connect at Steel NightclubOrlando on Tuesday, August 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. Steel is Orlando’s hottest new upscale nightclub featuring nightly happy hours, amazing dejays playing all your favorite dance beats, monthly theme events, hot dancers and divas. HRC Connect is a monthly free event and is a great way for the Orlando LGBT community and straight allies to get together in a social environment for a worthy cause: equality and lots of networking. For more information on this event or for volunteer opportunities, email orlando@hrcconnect.org or visit www.hrc.org/orlando. H
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Sage Dine at a Delectable Bistro With French Flair On a recent Monday evening, my partner and I decided we were in the mood for something outside our comfort zone. We further decided we wanted to “dine out” rather than “eat out,” the distinction being that we wanted to spend some time lingering over cocktails and courses as we enjoyed an evening out. After a short drive down U.S. 1 to Hollywood, we walked into the front doors of Sage. A marble bar to the right beckoned, but we opted for a table more conducive to our desire to dine. Sage is a restaurant that still believes in white linen tablecloths and white linen napkins. Candlelight flickered on the table as our waiter approached and took our cocktail order. Soon we were sipping our chosen libations and perusing the very French menu. Opting to throw caution to the wind, we chose the Foie Gras au Torchon. I knew it would mean extra time at the gym, but I did not care. We asked for it to be pan seared (a menu suggestion), and a short time later, a very generous portion of this decadent appetizer arrived. It was surrounded by small mounds of apple chutney and drizzled with a very light orange sauce. Crusty French bread is the perfect vehicle for enjoying Foie Gras and, as we took our first taste, we knew our dining experience had begun in style. It was smooth, delicate and
oh-so-rich. We savored every bit of it until the plate was clean. After sipping our cocktails a bit more, we decided to move on to our salad course. I selected the Salade de Chevre Chaud, a warm goat cheese salad. It offered fresh artisan greens topped by a crispy on the exterior and creamy on the interior goat cheese round. Orange segments surrounded the salad, as well as being mixed into the greens. A light orange reduction dressed the greens. The orange sections and their sweetness were an excellent foil to the creamy richness of the goat cheese. It was truly an excellent salad. My partner chose the Salade Endive Belge. Apple chutney, walnuts and honey vinaigrette topped the bitter greens as well as crumbles of aged Roquefort cheese. Again, a contrast of sweet and bitter in the carefully selected flavor palate elevated this salad above the typical dinner salad. As it disappeared, forkful by forkful, I did not have to ask whether he enjoyed it or not. Taking a brief break to let our food settle a bit, it was time to venture into the entrée selections on the menu. Sage offers various selections in seafood, poultry, beef and even a few pasta selections. Feeling like I wanted something traditionally French — and something I had not eaten in quite some time, I ordered the classic Boeuf
Bourguignon. This dish offers solely braised beef in a Pinot Noir sauce with carrots and onions. It is served with fresh homemade fettuccine. When the dish arrived, the aromas of the dish were mouthwatering; I couldn’t wait to take my first taste. It was everything I remembered this classic dish to be. Elegant and rich and brimming with tender chunks of braised beef. Excellent, from first bit to final bite. A scallop lover, my partner decided upon Coquilles St. Jacques. This traditional dish consists of seared scallops and mashed potatoes. When it arrived, it came in a unique plating arrangement. Perfectly seared scallops surrounded a glass crock of mashed potatoes that were topped a leek fondue. It was original, creative, and attractive. The scallops were tender and not the least bit overcooked, as can often occur, and he loved the mashed potatoes and leeks. Because we were dining, we decided to do something we rarely ever do: Order dessert and linger just a tad longer. Not wanting anything too overly sweet, we selected an Apple Tarte Tatin to share. Wonderfully flaky pastry with caramelized apples, warmed, accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream offered the perfect closing to our Sage dining experience. It was sweet and satisfying, without being overly sweet. Service at Sage is professional and
jean’s kitchen
Photos courtesy, SageCafe.net
By TIM SLIVINKSI
SAGE 2000 Harrison Street, Hollywood, FL 954-391-9466
friendly. Courses are spaced well, with each selection arriving as it should, giving you the opportunity to enjoy each course you select. It is a comfortable and intimate room that invites you to sit back, relax and enjoy the experience. The next time the urge to dine strikes you, consider a trip to Sage in Hollywood. H
Vichyssoise
The origins of vichyssoise are a subject of debate among culinary historians; Julia Child calls it "an American invention", whereas others observe that "the origin of the soup is questionable in whether it's genuinely French or an American creation". Louis Diat, a chef at the Ritz-Carlton in New York City, is most often credited with its (re)invention. In 1950, Diat told New Yorker magazine: In the summer of 1917, when I had been at the Ritz seven years, I reflected upon the potato and leek soup of my childhood which my mother and grandmother used to make. I recalled how, during the summer, my older brother and I used to cool it off by pouring in cold milk and how delicious it was. I resolved to make something of the sort for the patrons of the Ritz. The same article explains that the soup was first titled crème vichyssoise glacée – then, after the restaurant's menu changed from French to English in 1930, cream vichyssoise glacée. Diat named it after Vichy, a town not far from his home town of Montmarault, France. The proper French pronunciation is "vee shee swahzz" and NOT "vee shee swah" because an "e" after the final "s" signals a "zzz" sound. • 2 leeks, chopped • 1 onion, chopped • 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil • 2 big potatoes chopped • 2 pints chicken stock
• salt & ground black pepper • 1 cup heavy whipping cream Gently cook the chopped leeks and the chopped onion in butter or olive oil until soft, about 10 minutes. Do NOT let them brown. Add the spuds and stock to the saucepan. You may need to add a cup of water to cover, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, and simmer very gently for 30 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Cool. Gently stir in the cream before serving. Garnish that with chives upon serving … I like to use fresh rosemary, but you choose, you are the chef ! H
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Jean Doherty is the Chef and Owner of Le Patio Restaurant in Wilton Manors (954) 530-4641
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Philadelphia Funhouse The Metropolitan Underdog Has a New, Gay Attitude By PAUL RUBIO Sandwiched between two major metropolises, “The City of Brotherly Love” has long suffered from middle city syndrome, taking a back seat to the “Big Apple’s” larger-than-life personality and D.C.’s historic and political magnetism. Combined with its tarnished reputation as a run-down, crime riddled wasteland, Philadelphia was far off the tourist map for those unwilling to invest in bulletproof vests, crack pipes or combat boots. But in the last few decades, elected reformists and determined denizens have grabbed Philly by the balls – Giulianistyle – laboring towards widespread gentrification, revitalization and some boomtown sophistication. Flash forward to present day, when Philadelphia triumphs as one of America’s hottest and trendiest cities. Restored historical relics, charming gayborhoods, sprawling parks, a burgeoning cultural and arts scene and a globally renowned restaurant scene is just the beginning. With homeboy Rocky Balboa’s gloves firmly in hand, Philadelphia is now ready for the big-city boxing ring, eager to compete against neighboring New York City and DC, and finally show us what’s it made of ! Like most urban renewals, the GLBT community rests at the heart and soul of this extreme makeover. Point in case: lesbian power couple, Marcie Turney and Valerie Safran, who have double-handedly revived an entire block along south 13th street, personally owning and operating a half-dozen eclectic restaurants and boutiques. More than creating a cozy village atmosphere, these lovely ladies dish out some of the country’s (yes country’s) best food, with restaurants themed after their global travels. For example, the menu at Barbuzzo (110 South 13th Street, 215.546.9300, www.barbuzzo.com) was inspired by Marcie and Valerie’s jaunts through Italy, after which Marcie added her modern American flair to classic Italian dishes, resulting in some rather intense food orgasms for her patrons (think:
house-made “Pan Seared Gnocchi” with smoked corn, baby tomatoes, wood roasted mushrooms and homemade truffle butter, “Roasted Beet-Goat Cheese Ravioli”, again house-made, with orange zest, balsamic-brown butter and crushed almond amaretti, and “Salted Caramel Budino” with dark chocolate crust, vanilla bean caramel and sea salt.
However, it’s not just 13th street that’s buzzing with frenzied foodies. Exalted Iron Chef Jose Garces has seven restaurants (and counting) throughout diverse pockets of the city, each one more popular than the next. His latest, J.G. Domestics (2929 Arch St., 215-222-2363, jgdomestic.com) elevates American cooking to the next level, with farm-to-table ingredients from artisanal producers, resulting in mouth-watering dishes like “Barnegat Light Dayboat Scallops” over cauliflower, black truffle, and kumquat. Restaurant impresario Stephen Starr has also revolutionized the restaurant landscape with seventeen individualistic eateries, like the famed, Asian-inspired see-and-be-seen trendsetter, Buddakan (325 Chestnut Street, 215-222-2363, www.buddakan.com). Furthermore, Philly’s wildly popular BYOB craze has enabled the massive student population, and the more money-conscious crowd, to indulge in the restaurant scene while holding tight to the drinking kitty for some late night libations. Fortunately, locales for after-dinner hedonism are always just around the
The asian-inspired Buddakan is where the Who’s Who of Philadelphia dine.
corner – and often stumbling distance from one another. For the GLBT community, this is especially so within Midtown Village gayborhood, bordered by Chestnut and Pine streets, South 11th and Broad Streets, packed with enough awesome small bars and clubs to land Philadelphia the title “Best U.S. Destination” by LOGO. But regardless of where you begin your pub-crawl in the square, everyone invariably ends up at Woody’s Bar (202 S. 13th Street, 215.545.1893, www.woodysbar.com), a multi-level drink and dance palladium that’s become an institution in gay Philadelphia. There’s just no escaping it! It’s likely that you’ll want to not just drink in the gayborhood, but stay there, too. The adorable, 24-room boutique Independent Hotel (1234 Locust St., 215.772.1440, theindependenthotel.com) is an adaptive reuse of a Georgian-Revival building on the National Register of Historic Places. The personality-driven rooms boast varying combinations of exposed brick walls, cathedral ceilings, French windows and loft-style furnishings, all technologically savvy and equipped with kitchenettes (as well as curtains that kind of look like the dress my sister wore to my Bar-Mitzvah, but I digress…). A few blocks opposite the gayborhood, greater Philadelphia teems with historic landmarks and sites like Independence Hall (Chestnut St., between 5th & 6th St.), where the Declaration of Independence was signed, the Liberty Bell Center and our nation’s first hospital, Pennsylvania Hospital (800 Spruce St., 215.829.3270, pennhealth.com/pahosp). The exquisite and enlightening Philadelphia Museum of Art (26th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 215.763.8100, philamuseum.org) towers over the city, approached by the iconic stairs made famous by Sylvester Stallone’s pit-drenched victory jog (queue: "Gonna Fly Now"). Close by, the recently expanded Rodin Museum
A newly renovated hotel room at the Independent Hotel.
Photos courtesy, Independent Hotel, tqn.com, rackspacecloud.com, Stephen Starr
(22nd St. & Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 215.763.8100, philamuseum.org) houses the largest collection of the artist’s sculptures and drawings outside of Paris. And a bit further afield, the freakishly fascinating Eastern State Penitentiary (22nd St. & Fairmont Ave., 215.236.3300, easternstate.org) reveals our nation’s twisted history of confinement, psychiatry and punishment. Tours through this mega incarceration experiment, once the most expensive prison in the world, are spellbinding and downright heart-pounding. Around Halloween time, the Penitentiary transforms into a haunted house extravaganza called Terror Behind the Walls, which is by no means for the faint-hearted. Be prepared to scream at the top of your lungs, drown in anxiety and collapse in fear as the prison walls and ghosts come to life, recalling the terror of the Penitentiary’s 19th century heyday or an average day on the streets in Philadelphia in the late eighties. For more fun and fabulous Philly 411 go to www.visitphilly.com. H
Woody’s Bar is a multi-level drink & dance palladium.
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keted across america - around the world. LIVE DJ events are also offered in south florida & beyond for talented mixers. Our music format is "dance, gay club, pop & electronica." We broadcast - stream on the internet 24/7 & reach millions of listeners worldwide. Email; DjJared.MyGayRadio@gmail.com
LICENSED MASSAGE
2/1 CONDO ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF WILTON MANORS. Pool, located on the canal, dead end street; near I-95 and Oakland Pk Blvd. Dish washer. Includes cable and water. Coin laundry machines located on property. $800/month. Call (954)937-3872.
NEW MIAMI BAR - A Beautiful and upscale New Gay Bar located in the heart of Downtown Miami is opening soon - we are looking for Barbacks, Security, Bartenders, Cocktail Servers, DJ's, MC, VIP Host, Cashier, Male Dancers. Also looking for an experienced Bar Mgr. and Dance Mgr. Excellent Pay and benefits. Send Photos, Resume, Contact Info to: newmiamiclub@gmail.com
RENTALS / FTL WILTON MANORS 2/1 DUPLEX - CAC, tile floors, fenced yard, plenty of parking! Pets OK! $895/mo. F/S (954)608-8305
NIGHTCLUB POSITIONS - TWIST - The popular gay bar in South Beach seeks responsible applicants with experience for all positions. Email resume to Valentino@twistsobe.com
ROYAL PARK - Near Wilton Manors 1BR/1.5BA, $825$900/mo. 2BR/2BA, $950 - $1100/mo. Gated Security, Clubhouse, Pools, Gym, Sauna and Steam room. Pets OK. Cable/Water/Trash included. Call Naim Naqi, Broker/ SFG, Realtors (954)565.2025
SOUTH BEACH - Part time sales associate for adult bookstore. Send resume to kdbstyle@yahoo.com RETAIL SALES POSITION - full or part-time available immediately! Call (954)873-3889
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.
DENTAL EMPLOYMENT ATTENTION; ARE YOU A HOT NEW DJ LOOKING TO HAVE YOUR MIXES BROADCASTED ACROSS THE GLOBE? ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A DJ SHOW WEEKLY TO PROMOTE YOUR TALENTS? If so, we are accepting DJ mixes & resumes. This is your chance to be promoted & mar-
WILTON MANORS - 9 Unit gay complex 1/1 - 129 NW 25th Street. Clothing optional Pool, tile floors, private patio/yard. No dogs. $715/mo. F/S (954)326-9096
ASST. (SECY) WANTED PART-TIME - Take dictation into computer for author. (VERY computer savvy, please) Work Miami Beach. Call Bob (305)673-6151 or e-mail: rs312000@aol.com
IMPERIAL POINT - Well-maintained, quiet 1 bedroom apartment in Georgian Court complex on NE 62nd Street. Convenient to downtown, beach and Wilton Manors. Nice grounds and pool. $700/ month. Call owner: (917)334-1146
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 or E-mail: DerekGallaway@att.net 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 Call Ben (954)565-9674 MASTER ELECTRICIAN - Indoor/Outdoor lights, meter and service changeovers, generator hook-up, 24 hour emergency service Licensed and Insured. LIC. CONTRACTORS BUILD CONFIDENCE! Gay owned. Lic#02CME2027X Call David or Dennis (954)665-0417 LAWN & PROPERTY MAINTENANCE - For all of your landscaping needs from interior to exterior including clean up and plant care at reasonable prices, call Daniel at Exotic Landscaping 954-520-9140. Licensed and bonded. We also do property management on large and small properties.
LICENSED MASSAGE PROFESSIONAL THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE - Deep Tissue, Swedish, Reflexology, Stretching, Mon-Sun, 10AM-8PM. In/Out Calls. NON-SEXUAL. Ft Lauderdale. Call Robert (954)494-2372 Lic.# MA 19604 AWESOME MASSAGE BY JIM - Special First Time Client Rates. Offering Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports and Lomi Lomi Massage. All in a very comfortable, relaxed and Private Massage Studio conveniently located On the SE Corner of Oakland Park Blvd and Federal Hwy - Nationally Certified and Licensed MM22293 - www.massagebyjim.com or call Jim Libonati (954)600-5843 info@massagebyjim.com. RECESSION RELIEF - $40/90 MINS! LEAVE YOUR STRESS UP TO ME. Out calls higher. Let Denny make you feel like a Queen. Couples discounts, seniors welcome. New location: Delray Beach. 16 yrs experience. MA 18563. Denny (561) 502-2628.
RENTALS / FTL SOUTH MIDDLE RIVER - Charming studio apt. featuring lush landscaping, parking, and laundry facilities. POOL, friendly neighbors and roaming peacocks add to the fun! $595/mo. Utilities included! Brad (954)200-0166
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
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WILTON MANORS 2/1 - Walking distance to the Drive! Huge living room and closets, terrazzo floors, CAC, patio, parking. $950/mo. F&S (954)566-8049 FT LAUDERDALE-GAY COMPLEX - 2BR /1BA, Completely renovated, tile throughout, all appliances brand new, including microwave and W/D in unit, multi-zone dimmable lighting system, keyed private gated entry, privacy fence front & back, quiet tropical garden setting, close to downtown, Riverwalk entertainment district, & I-95, pets welcome, plenty of parking $1,100/mo. Call (954)817-7877 or (954)760-4631
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 GUYS and DOLLIES. Moving * Storage * Packing * Crating * Shipping. “A” Rated Member of the BBB Register Movers since 1976. Major credit cards accepted. For free price quote, Call (954) 566-1270
PET SITTING
LAKERIDGE - Extra-Large studio w/ private entrance and parking! Walk to the Drive! Includes all utilities! Only $695/mo. F/L Call (954)553-8616 LAKERIDGE - very nice loft-style 3/1, new kitchen w/marble, CAC, W/D, private yard and parking, tile thru-out. Just minutes from Wilton Drive! $1395/mo. F/L Call (954)553-8616 LAKERIDGE ROOM FOR RENT - Room w/ private entrance in a very nice home. Small refrigerator, private bath. Parking. Behind J. Marks restaurant. 4 mins to Wilton Manors! Call (954)553-8616 WILTON MANORS AREA - very nice 2/1, CAC, tile floors, private patio & parking, W/D hook-ups, dishwasher, hurricane windows, gated entry. $1,000/mo. F/L/S Call (954)682-9428
FURNISHED / RENTALS / FTL PERFECT RELOCATION RENTALS – 3-6 MONTHS From $295/week & $1100/month Beautiful Studio, 1 & 2 BR Apts. Turn key, fully furnished & equipped, clothing optional pool, laundry, parking. Close to Gay & Nude Beaches. Pets Welcome. Includes utilities, cable, telephone, Wi-Fi Internet. 954-927-0090 or visit www.LibertySuites.com
ROOMMATES OAKLAND PARK 3/2 TO SHARE – Large room 11 X 17, huge closet, shared bath, pool, spa, tiki bar, W/D, CAC, parking. $650/mo. all utilities included. w/ cable and internet! No drunks/drugs, must love dogs. Ref req. Available 8/1 Call (954)980-1123 ROOM FOR RENT ON THE WATER! Private entrance and bath. Light cooking, no car preferred. Walk to Wilton Drive. No smokers please. $550/mo. everything incl. call (954)5667258 or (954)821-3091
SPIRITUALITY THE PARISH OF STS. FRANCIS & CLARE 101 NE 3rd Street - just North of Broward Blvd. and E of Andrews Ave. 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
H FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FLORIDA AGENDA CLASSIFIEDS CALL KEITH CHAMLEE AT 954-903-4781 H
DIGNITY FT LAUDERDALE - Roman Catholic Mass every Sunday 7 PM at Holy Angels CC 2917 NE 6th Ave, Wilton Manors. Monthly socials and more. There is always room at our table. Dignityftl@bellsouth.net.
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SPIRITUALITY CHURCH OF THE HOLY SPIRITSONG Welcomes you to come and worship with us every Sunday at 10 am and every Wednesday night at 8 pm. We meet at the SpiritSong Worship Center at 2040B North Dixie Highway Suite 3 in Wilton Manors (Building B on Equality Park Campus, behind the Pride Center). God loves you just the way He made you. Come discover His purpose for you. For more info: (954) 418-8372, info@cohss.com, www.cohss.org.
UPHOLSTERY 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
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