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New Genvoya is now available
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One pill contains elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF). Ask your healthcare provider if GENVOYA is right for you. To learn more visit GENVOYA.com
Please see Brief Summary of Patient Information with important warnings on the following pages.
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Brief Summary of Patient Information about GENVOYA GENVOYA (jen-VOY-uh) (elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide) tablets Important: Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with GENVOYA. There may be new information about GENVOYA. This information is only a summary and does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your medical condition or treatment.
What is the most important information I should know about GENVOYA? GENVOYA can cause serious side effects, including: • Build-up of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis may happen in some people who take GENVOYA. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms, which could be signs of lactic acidosis: • • • • • • •
feel very weak or tired have unusual (not normal) muscle pain have trouble breathing have stomach pain with nausea or vomiting feel cold, especially in your arms and legs feel dizzy or lightheaded have a fast or irregular heartbeat
• Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems may happen in people who take GENVOYA. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large and you may develop fat in your liver. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems: • your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice) • dark “tea-colored” urine • light-colored bowel movements (stools) • loss of appetite for several days or longer • nausea • stomach pain • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking GENVOYA for a long time. • Worsening of Hepatitis B infection. GENVOYA is not for use to treat chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV). If you have HBV infection and take GENVOYA, your HBV may get worse (flareup) if you stop taking GENVOYA. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before. • Do not run out of GENVOYA. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your GENVOYA is all gone. • Do not stop taking GENVOYA without first talking to your healthcare provider. • If you stop taking GENVOYA, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking GENVOYA.
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What is GENVOYA? GENVOYA is a prescription medicine that is used without other HIV-1 medicines to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of age and older: • who have not received HIV-1 medicines in the past or • to replace their current HIV-1 medicines in people who have been on the same HIV-1 medicines for at least 6 months, have an amount of HIV-1 in their blood (“viral load”) that is less than 50 copies/mL, and have never failed past HIV-1 treatment HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. GENVOYA contains the prescription medicines elvitegravir (VITEKTA®), cobicistat (TYBOST®), emtricitabine (EMTRIVA®) and tenofovir alafenamide. It is not known if GENVOYA is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age. When used to treat HIV-1 infection, GENVOYA may: • Reduce the amount of HIV-1 in your blood. This is called “viral load”. • Increase the number of CD4+ (T) cells in your blood that help fight off other infections. Reducing the amount of HIV-1 and increasing the CD4+ (T) cells in your blood may help improve your immune system. This may reduce your risk of death or getting infections that can happen when your immune system is weak (opportunistic infections). GENVOYA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. You must stay on continuous HIV-1 therapy to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses. Avoid doing things that can spread HIV-1 infection to others: • Do not share or re-use needles or other injection equipment. • Do not share personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them, like toothbrushes and razor blades. • Do not have any kind of sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood. Ask your healthcare provider if you have any questions about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to other people.
Who should not take GENVOYA? Do not take GENVOYA if you also take a medicine that contains: • alfuzosin hydrochloride (Uroxatral®) • carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®, Tegretol-XR®, Teril®) • cisapride (Propulsid®, Propulsid Quicksolv®) • ergot-containing medicines, including: dihydroergotamine mesylate (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), ergotamine tartrate (Cafergot®, Migergot®, Ergostat®, Medihaler Ergotamine®, Wigraine®, Wigrettes®), and methylergonovine maleate (Ergotrate®, Methergine®) • lovastatin (Advicor®, Altoprev®, Mevacor®) • midazolam, when taken by mouth • phenobarbital (Luminal®) • phenytoin (Dilantin®, Phenytek®) • pimozide (Orap®) • rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifamate®, Rifater®, Rimactane®) • sildenafil (Revatio®), when used for treating lung problems • simvastatin (Simcor®, Vytorin®, Zocor®) • triazolam (Halcion®) • the herb St. John’s wort or a product that contains St. John’s wort
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking GENVOYA? Before taking GENVOYA, tell your healthcare provider if you: • have liver problems including hepatitis B infection • have kidney or bone problems • have any other medical conditions • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if GENVOYA can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking GENVOYA. Pregnancy registry: there is a pregnancy registry for women who take HIV-1 medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry. • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take GENVOYA. – You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. – At least one of the medicines in GENVOYA can pass to your baby in your breast milk. It is not known if the other medicines in GENVOYA can pass into your breast milk. – Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Other medicines may affect how GENVOYA works. Some medicines may interact with GENVOYA. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. • You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact with GENVOYA. • Do not start a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take GENVOYA with other medicines.
How should I take GENVOYA?
• Take GENVOYA exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. GENVOYA is taken by itself (not with other HIV-1 medicines) to treat HIV-1 infection.
• GENVOYA is usually taken 1 time each day. • Take GENVOYA with food. • If you need to take a medicine for indigestion (antacid) that contains aluminum and • • • •
magnesium hydroxide or calcium carbonate during treatment with GENVOYA, take it at least 2 hours before or after you take GENVOYA. Do not change your dose or stop taking GENVOYA without first talking with your healthcare provider. Stay under a healthcare provider’s care when taking GENVOYA. Do not miss a dose of GENVOYA. If you take too much GENVOYA, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away. When your GENVOYA supply starts to run low, get more from your healthcare provider or pharmacy. This is very important because the amount of virus in your blood may increase if the medicine is stopped for even a short time. The virus may develop resistance to GENVOYA and become harder to treat.
What are the possible side effects of GENVOYA? GENVOYA may cause serious side effects, including: • See “What is the most important information I should know about GENVOYA?” • Changes in body fat can happen in people who take HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the middle of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The exact cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known. • Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine. • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking GENVOYA. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking GENVOYA if you develop new or worse kidney problems. • Bone problems can happen in some people who take GENVOYA. Bone problems may include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones. The most common side effect of GENVOYA is nausea. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. • These are not all the possible side effects of GENVOYA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. • Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. General information about the safe and effective use of GENVOYA. Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient Information leaflet. Do not use GENVOYA for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give GENVOYA to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them. This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about GENVOYA. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about GENVOYA that is written for health professionals. For more information, call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.GENVOYA.com. Keep GENVOYA and all medicines out of reach of children. Issued: November 2015
EMTRIVA, GENVOYA, the GENVOYA Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, TYBOST, and VITEKTA are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. © 2015 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. GENC0002 11/15
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GEORGIANEWS
Atlanta at the center of HIV/AIDS news this month Task force, youth advisor program, national conference and counter-conference descend on city
prevent transmission to others, but you can’t even get people to get tested if you tell them they’ll be a walking felon.”
By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com Georgia ranks second in the U.S. in the rate of new HIV infections and Atlanta is fifth among metropolitan areas according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So perhaps it’s appropriate that Atlanta would be at the center of a flurry of HIV/ AIDS news, initiatives and events this first half of December. It began on the morning of Dec. 1 on World AIDS Day when the Fulton County Task Force on HIV/AIDS unveiled phase one of their strategy to not only fight, but end the disease. The report was the result of a year-long process since the task force was established by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners last December following the release of data showing that, among other things, 25 percent of those infected with HIV in Georgia live in Fulton County. Young, black gay and bisexual men were hit especially hard by the infection. The task force had many recommendations for making people more aware of their HIV status, including expansion of routine opt-out testing, widespread use of new “4th generation” HIV tests that are able to detect the infection earlier, and more. As far as prevention, the task force cited that little blue pill that everyone’s been talking about recently, saying, “implementing combination prevention including scaling up PrEP among those at highest risk of HIV infection will also help in decreasing the number of new diagnoses.” Increased access to needle exchanges, increasing the number of condoms distributed, and correcting the bureaucratic and leadership issues that resulted in the Fulton County Department of Health and Wellness returning $3.6 million in federal HIV prevention funds were among the other recommendations. The task force will release a full, comprehensive strategy to end AIDS in Fulton County next June.
Daniel Driffin, one of the HIV-positive youth taking part in the HIV Youth Policy Advisors Program, makes his presentation on World AIDS Day. (Photo by Patrick Saunders)
“I believe the laws should be modernized to reflect the fact that people who do know their HIV status, do use condoms and will take their medication will prevent transmission to others, but you can’t even get people to get tested if you tell them they’ll be a walking felon.” —HIV Youth Policy Advisor Nina Martinez on HIV criminalization HIV Youth Policy Advisors present policy asks Several members of the Fulton County Task Force on HIV/AIDS were among the roughly 100 in attendance later that morning of World AIDS Day at the HIV Youth Policy Advisors Program presentation at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. The program, created by Georgia Equality, matches elected officials and clergy with HIV-positive youth advocates who serve as their special advisors on the issue. Daniel Driffin, one of the HIV-positive youths in the program, handled the bulk of the presentation, getting a particularly strong reaction from the crowd after calling on the state to expand Medicaid. “In every meeting you go to from now
on, just drop a slide in about Medicaid expansion,” Driffin said to applause. HIV criminalization was another hot-button topic that drew support, thanks in no small part to policy advisor Nina Martinez’s testimony on the matter. “I have not had a personal relationship in 10 years because basically the law allows you to litigate a lie, a lie in which my sexual partner does have access to know the truth about my HIV status,” she told the crowd. “One is Google...and two is couples-based testing and counseling. Everyone should have the right to do that. So I believe the laws should be modernized to reflect the fact that people who do know their HIV status, do use condoms and will take their medication will
National HIV conference draws counter-conference More than 3,000 HIV experts descended on Atlanta Dec. 6-9 for the 2015 National HIV Prevention Conference (NHPC). Numerous panels, plenary sessions and debates were held throughout the conference addressing a variety of issues surrounding the subject. Among the findings released during the conference, southern states lag behind the rest of the nation in HIV treatment and testing, and death rates among those living with HIV in southern states are three times higher than those in other regions of the country. “CDC is responding to the challenge of HIV in the South and nationwide by prioritizing the hardest-hit areas and populations and investing in the most effective strategies,” said Eugene McCray, M.D., director of CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention in a statement. There was mixed data after the announcement that annual HIV diagnoses in the United States fell by 19 percent from 2005 to 2014, but gay and bisexual men of color showed increases of over 22 percent in the same timeframe, and young black gay and bisexual men ages 13-24 seeing an alarming 87 percent increase. However, a number of HIV/AIDS groups and activists mounted a counter-conference to the NHPC, which took place at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and was hosted by The LGBT Institute. The groups, which included Atlanta’s Counter Narrative Project and SisterLove Inc. among roughly 20 other organizations from across the country, criticized the NHPC for not devoting enough resources to HIV criminalization, integration of reproductive justice and sexual health, housing and healthcare access for those living with HIV in the South, upholding human rights for transgender people, sex workers and others. They also criticized the Office of National AIDS Policy’s Federal Action Plan for many of the same reasons. Officials with NHPC and ONAP did not respond to a request for comment on the counter-conference.
6 News December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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Midtown’s ‘radical welcome’ for LGBT faithful Atlanta Beer & Hymns and Bar Church welcomes all for alternative ways to worship
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By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com
Both Bar Church and Beer & Hymns average about 50 to 60 people a night, although Slappey says they haven’t done any advertising save for promoting the events on Facebook.
Most people in town know of Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping Pong Emporium, or as most people call it, “Church.” There’s even a neon sign in the window saying “Church (It’s a bar!)” Well, meet Atlanta Beer & Hymns and Bar Church—it’s an actual church. Atlanta Beer & Hymns and Bar Church, which has no affiliation with the aforementioned bar on Edgewood Avenue, is an LGBT-inclusive “gathering of seekers, sinners and saints” that meets every other Sunday evening at Smith’s Olde Bar in Midtown. It’s the brainchild of Karen Slappey, “Curator of Community” for the group, who just received her master of divinity from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology and is pursuing ordination. But church, in a bar? “For me the ‘Why in a bar?’ question came from the fact that I was raised Pentecostal and someone tried to cast a demon out of me when I was 16. It didn’t work,” Slappey tells Georgia Voice. “I found community in bars, and invariably I would end up talking to people at the bars about God, and most of the people who I have met who are seeking community at bars are people on the LGBTQ spectrum because they had become disenfranchised from the church.” After all, alcohol and religion aren’t total strangers—”water into wine” and such. It’s an alternative form of worship that is catching on in the city’s LGBT community. A new home and a new service Slappey got the idea for Atlanta Beer & Hymns and Bar Church after visiting the Wild Goose Festival, a social justice and spirituality arts and music festival in North Carolina. The sight of people drinking alcohol while singing hymns moved her to bring something similar to Atlanta, and in March 2014 the first Beer & Hymns event was held at Manuel’s Tavern, with people raising a
Atlanta Beer & Hymns and Bar Church www.atlantabeerandhymns.com
Regulars sing old-school church hymns at one of the Beer & Hymns nights at Smith’s Olde Bar in Midtown. (Photo courtesy Atlanta Bar Church)
“Everything that we do kind of comes from the fact that we all, even those that are doing this, have huge doubts. I mean I doubt more than I believe most days. But we are a place of radical welcome. That’s nonnegotiable.” —Karen Slappey, Curator of Community at Atlanta Beer & Hymns and Bar Church glass as they sang old-school church hymns. Later that year the event moved to Smith’s Olde Bar, although management had worries about bar sales. “There was just this assumption that because it was a church thing, there wouldn’t be drinking. I said, ‘I think we’ll be okay,’” Slappey says, laughing. As time went on, those who took part in the Beer & Hymns event began to want something more—they still didn’t want to go to a church, but they wanted to take com-
munion. So they added a full-fledged church service called Bar Church, alternating with Beer & Hymns every other Sunday evening. Bar Church includes hymns, prayers, taking communion, and even a break to pack hundreds of lunches for local homeless shelters—all in a bar. Congregants often replace traditional hymns with secular music that has a spiritual theme. So far they’ve had liturgies from U2, the Beatles, Mumford & Sons and Coldplay, and at the service on Nov. 30 it was REM’s turn.
‘It’s just … healing some of those past wounds of the church’ Noe Herren heard about Atlanta Bar Church and Beer & Hymns from her friends in seminary at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology. As a lesbian who had had bad experiences with the church, this was something that spoke to her. “The reason I’m in seminary is because of years and years of bad theology being shoved down my throat and thinking something was wrong with me and thinking God couldn’t love me this way,” Herren says. She stepped away from the church for several years but came back when she found some affirming people, and now she says she wants to be that affirming voice for others. “It’s just kind of healing some of those past wounds of the church. I think that’s something that a lot of LGBTQ persons in the South can relate to,” she says. “Those harsh messages from the church and just getting to a place where you realize ‘Oh wait a minute, God does love me and I can be a part of this in a way that’s fruitful.’” Herren is now an intern and plays with the band at Atlanta Beer & Hymns and Bar Church and is pursuing ordination in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Christmas carols are in store for the next Beer & Hymns event on Dec. 13, with a Christmas Eve Bar Church service up next after that on Dec. 24 at Smith’s. It’s a sense of community that Slappey plans on spreading into the New Year, with newcomers routinely finding more in common with the regulars than they expected. “Everything that we do kind of comes from the fact that we all, even those that are doing this, have huge doubts,” she says. “I mean I doubt more than I believe most days. But we are a place of radical welcome. That’s nonnegotiable.”
8 News December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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NEWSBRIEFS Embattled Atlanta YouthPride director dead at 52 Terence McPhaul, the embattled executive director of YouthPride, once the only organization serving LGBT youth in Atlanta, is dead at 52, according to a report by the Indianapolis Star newspaper. McPhaul passed away at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis on Nov. 16 and was laid to rest on Nov. 25, according to reports. No cause of death was listed in the obituary and due to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) law, the hospital could not release any information. The Marion County, Ind. coroner’s office had no record of McPhaul’s death, which is common in cases where the death is not suspicious. When reached on Dec. 2, the Robert D. Loose Funeral Homes & Crematory did confirm that it handled his service and that he was buried on Nov. 25. McPhaul joined YouthPride as co-executive director in 2009 before becoming the sole executive director in January 2010. A series of controversial episodes followed and were covered by Georgia Voice. Archived stories of McPhaul’s legal troubles can be read on our website. AbsoluteCARE absorbs Pride Medical to serve gay, HIV-positive clients AbsoluteCARE will now serve Atlanta’s gay community and others living with HIV. The medical center is stepping in to absorb Pride Medical, which recently closed after serving Atlanta’s gay community for over 20 years. The team at AbsoluteCARE believes only the name will be missed, as they’re committed to a seamless transition that will include providing the best service to former Pride Medical clients. Pride Medical’s Amy Swartz, a physician, and Terry Hackworth, an advanced practice registered nurse, along with about six fulltime staff members, will join the AbsoluteCARE team led by Medical Director Joel Rosenstock, who founded the full-service Medical Center and Pharmacy in 2000 to care for a struggling and underserved HIV population in Atlanta. “I’ve been working in Atlanta serving this population for 26 years, and I think the combination of Pride Medical with AbsoluteCARE is the most exciting thing to happen in a long time,” says Rosenstock in a statement. “Both medical centers have provided
Former YouthPride director Terence McPhaul passed away at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis on Nov. 16. (File photo)
compassionate and innovative care for many years, but together they will be able to accomplish much more. The AbsoluteCARE of the future will test more clients, identify and engage many more people in care, assist with behavioral health, impact social determinants of disease, and improve the health of Atlantans for years to come.” Atlanta gay couple to challenge Bermuda marriage law An Atlanta-area gay couple is poised to make history if their effort to overturn an ambiguous Bermuda marriage law restricting access to same-sex couples is successful. Ijumo Hayward, 46, a native Bermudian, and his partner Clarence Williams III, 40, have begun the legal process to obtain a Bermudian marriage license. On Nov. 30, lawyer and former Bermuda Attorney General Mark Pettingill, who is representing Hayward and Williams, filed a notice of their intent to marry with the registrar of Bermuda. Bermuda does not have a law on
the books that explicitly prohibits same-sex marriage, and Pettingill believes that the island’s 2013 amendment to the 1981 Human Rights Act, which he authored, outlaws discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and paves the way for Hayward and Williams to have their union legally recognized. A dual citizien, Hayward tells Georgia Voice that it’s important for him to be married in the place where he grew up and calls home. “Most of my family is there. I want it to be enforceable in Bermuda,” says Hayward. “I want my marriage to be recognized as a legitimate marriage just like any other heterosexual marriage. Even if I were to be married in the U.S. and my partner decided to move to Bermuda, he would have to come back after 21 days.” If successful, the couple is eying an early 2016 wedding to be officiated by Hayward’s mother, Sylvia Hayward-Harris, a minister of The Vision Church of Bermuda, which is a sister ministry to Bishop O.C. Allen’s The Vision Church of Atlanta.
10 News December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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Atlanta’s DeKalb is The Southeast’s Next Big Food Scene
he word is out about DeKalb’s food scene, and no one here is really surprised at the reaction. Our chefs and bartenders are constantly pushing the envelope and challenging the traditional definition of dining, and these efforts are not going unrecognized. Located just east of Downtown Atlanta and convenient to Midtown, DeKalb’s hidden gems are gaining national, and in some cases, even global recognition. Our friendly and progressive neighborhoods include walkable areas with incredible restaurants and trendy shops as well as exciting nightlife in Decatur, East Atlanta Village and other DeKalb neighborhoods.
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12 Outspoken December 11, 2015
not be something that would automatically occur to me. But “It was his first time seeing me, so when he came into the kitchen, he saw me and my back was turned. He came up behind me and he had on these beautiful leopard pants and a necklace. We just had a love moment.” —Singer Patti LaBelle on gay viral video star James Wright Chanel, in an interview with People (Dec. 3 Photo via Facebook)
as a symbol, as a pledge, as a plighting one’s troth, it would be a wonderful thing to do.” —Actress Holland Taylor in an interview with WNYC on coming out and her lesbian relationship. (Nov. 25- Publicity photo)
“I used to hook up with girls to be cool with the guys. There were times I would cry afterward. I was at the point where I couldn’t continue to lie.” —Olympic free skier Gus Kenworthy in an interview with US Weekly on Dec. 3 (Screencap image/ESPN)
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OUT IN THE WILD
By Simon Williamson
The daily lives of queer people Simon Williamson lives with his husband in heteronormatively-assimilative fashion in Athens, after a year of surviving rural Georgia. I am from a pretty violent country. South Africa is a bit New Orleans-ish, in that crime is terrible in certain places, and the middle classes who live in much safer areas than the mean think that the problem is disproportionately theirs to bear. If you’re LGBTQIA+, that sort of paranoia might sound somewhat familiar. While our safety might not always be at risk, we do need to be constantly aware of the reactions our mere presence might provoke; that the way we live our lives is something many other people feel the need to react to. With a mass shooting happening almost as often as racial epithets are shat through Donald Trump’s voice box, and an absence of legislative will to change any laws in any fashion, greater society is becoming more
“I have my nuclear family but am distant from others for a myriad of reasons. Nonetheless, it hurts. We have to acknowledge that hurt so we can begin to heal or at least be gentle with ourselves.” The holidays have always been a time of reflection for me. I think about what I did and didn’t do with my year. For many people, that’s par for the course, but for me, as someone who suffers from depression and anxiety, it can be agonizing. I pore over every mistake, missed opportunity and hurt that came with the past 365 days. The winter brings us less sunlight, and for people with preexisting mental conditions, this can be devastating. Society loves to wax poetic about helping people with mental illnesses when someone decides to shoot up a building, but I rarely see people make an actual effort. I suffer from mental illness and there have been plenty of times when I’ve felt as if friends or family didn’t notice me or my pain. On the flipside, I have been guilty of being too self-centered 14 Outspoken December 11, 2015
paranoid. The media in the United States is a malignant pusher of news in one’s daily life, and I, along with many others, am admittedly beginning to feel a little paranoid when in public places. The San Bernardino shooting wasn’t even the first mass shooting in the United States that day, but the earlier one only made local news because not enough people had bullets put into them. Sadly, there aren’t really any places you can go to escape the dangers of guns in the United States. Even in places where the rules are strict, like New York and Chicago, it is easy to hop over a state border and, provided you pass a background check (it is a real thing), come back to your own state with a weapon. Indiana happens to be on the doorstep of Chicago. Pennsylvania is on the doorsteps of both New
Jersey and New York. And, of course, there is a black market for weapons. If you want a weapon, procuring one legally or illegally is easier than scoring with insecure twinks after 1 a.m. Because the Second Amendment is a real thing, you aren’t ever going to get rid of people’s guns. So the other argument proffered is that everyone should have a gun for his or her own protection. So let’s say, for example, that carrying a gun becomes as common as student loan debt—can you imagine the consequences of wider society carrying guns all the time, combined with all the drunkenness and road rage required for living a normal Atlanta life? A society in which every person carries a gun would be abounding with paranoia. Can you even consider what it would be like being on edge all the time about the
“For every gay person who puts a picture of their spouse or partner up at work, a decision has to be made about the potential consequences of doing so, which can range from annoying questions to outright hostility.” number of guns around you? Well, that’s a lot like being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. While, of course, the comparison falls short when it comes to the deadliness of guns and America’s love for them, feeling constantly worried about your surroundings is a very normal thing for our people to feel. For every gay person who puts a picture of their spouse or partner up at work, a decision has to be made about the potential consequences of doing so, which can range from annoying questions to outright hostility. Being gay in a straight environment—or, Beyoncé forbid, a transgender person in a cisgender environment—can be incredibly dangerous. The growing, gnawing fear that people have about gun violence is the sort of alert those in the LGBTQIA+ family are on all the time.
IN THE MARGINS
By Ashleigh Atwell
Surrogate families and holiday blues Ashleigh Atwell is a queer lesbian writer and organizer born and raised in Atlanta, GA. to notice friends who are struggling. Checking in can make a hell of a difference and can be as simple as sending a text message or taking someone out to lunch. Despite this misery, I am aware of how lucky I truly am. Living in my mother’s house as I approach my thirties isn’t an ideal situation, but at least I have a home to go to. I know of too many people in my circle that can’t go home because their family isn’t accepting of their sexuality or gender presentation. I know people who still go home and tolerate abusive behavior for the sake of blood ties. Like most LGBTQ people, I am so thankful to have a chosen family, but a void is created when blood family is abusive or distant. I have my nuclear family but am distant from others for a myriad of reasons.
Nonetheless, it hurts. We have to acknowledge that hurt so we can begin to heal or at least be gentle with ourselves. Additionally, this year has presented a special set of circumstances if you’re a person of color. Some individuals in this country are attacking Latino folks and brown Muslims (or people who “look” Muslim), and anyone else who can be deemed a boogeyman by this increasingly xenophobic society. The trauma intensifies if you’re black. This has been a traumatic year to be black. Black bodies are under siege, and when we’re not ducking bullets, clubs or fists, we’re running from messages that tell us our existence is a burden. Our hair is reason enough to get us fired—that is, if our names don’t prevent us from being hired in the first place.
We must acknowledge our pain to move forward. It is imperative to our healing. Your chosen family can be a great tool in that acknowledgement, because some of them are probably dealing with the same issues. Gather them, have a great talk and an even better cry, then celebrate. Celebrate your resilience. Celebrate your magic. Celebrate your existence. Celebrate the fact that you’ve survived another 365 days. I believe someone somewhere needed to read this message. It is a love letter, if you will. I am so grateful that I have been given this opportunity and look forward to inspiring thought and pissing folks off from now on. Happy holidays, everyone. www.thegeorgiavoice.com
WORK
IT!
Atlanta lesbian party promoters help revive Sweet Auburn Soul Bar at Pal’s Lounge the newest venture for Traxx Girls, Blue Diamond Entertainment founders By PATRICK SAUNDERS psaunders@thegavoice.com Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn Historic District has seen better days. It was walloped by the 2008 tornado, suffered significantly during the recession, and a year-and-a-half delay on construction of the Atlanta Streetcar left parts of the area a mess as businesses took the hit. But it’s making a comeback, thanks in part to two lesbian party promoters. Melissa Scott, founder of Traxx Girls, and CJ Jones of Blue Diamond Entertainment have partnered up with Pal’s Lounge owner and local musician Devon Woodson to rename and rebrand the longtime lounge and music venue as Soul Bar at Pal’s Lounge. Soul Bar opened in November, and the proprietors and staff are busy serving up drinks, showing off their new menu, and giving live music fans a place to call home. Georgia Voice sat down with Scott on a recent Wednesday afternoon at the rebooted venue as pictures of civil rights heroes like Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Malcolm X watch over us—we are on the street that Dr. King was born on, after all. Scott opens up about how the venture came to fruition, future plans for the space and how this project affects her involvement in Black Gay Pride. So Melissa, how did you get involved in the creation of Soul Bar? I knew I wanted to have a business on Auburn Avenue in general. One of my good business partners, Peter Thomas [entrepreneur and husband of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Cynthia Bailey], used to own Bar One and he moved his business across the street. I wanted to be around him. He brings a good energy wherever he is.
“Different things can compensate for other things I do with my business life. Everything I do in my life kind of ties together and comes full circle at some point. [Soul Bar] just makes sense.” —Soul Bar at Pal’s Lounge co-owner Melissa Scott How much about the venue did you change as it morphed into Soul Bar? It’s like a 2030 Pal’s [laughs]. But it still has the soul of the old Pal’s Lounge. It’s new, it’s trendy, but it’s old and fly still. It’s the same space, just polished over. We kept the original bar, added some hashtags [that cover a panel of the wall next to the bar], we did some different textures. The main thing is the food. The last two weeks we’ve been focusing on getting the food to taste right and taste consistent no matter who the chef is. We worked with Natasha Wong who was the head chef over at Bar One. She consulted here and helped us get it in a structure that made sense for the business. We also need somewhere to take our girls on Sundays. Our business partner Devon needs somewhere for his band [Royal] to play. We have a ton of DJ friends that just want to play. We’ve got the hookah here so you can come and chill. The outdoor patio is huge. What’s the ETA on that being ready? That’s a summertime venue. I have two completely different visions for it. I have it where it’s definitely overflow for this space and where it’s definitely a performance space. But also, if it’s Monday at 11:30 p.m. in April and I choose to sit outside, I sit outside, maybe watching the streetcar. It should be transparent from the outside to the inside so you look in and it’s cabanas and margarita machines and umbrellas and I’ll have the dog bowls out there and a bike rack out there. I
Soul Bar at Pal’s Lounge co-owners CJ Jones and Melissa Scott opened the rebooted venue in November. (Photo by Patrick Saunders)
Details
Soul Bar at Pal’s Lounge 254 Auburn Ave. 404-458-2872 want it to be a space that’s exciting to sit on. You’re known for your work with Traxx Girls and Black Gay Pride, but is this the first physical space you’ve owned? In different capacities. Like, I own a nightclub in Augusta, Georgia, but I don’t run it. This is the first one that my hands are completely in that I’m running. And what’s that experience been like? I can’t sleep [laughs]. I’ll be tired and be
like, ‘No! This needs to happen now!’ It’s fun, it’s a good time waking up. Do you still plan on being as big a part of Black Gay Pride? Yeah! Here’s the thing. All year, when we’re meeting up at different places to talk about [Black Gay Pride], we can meet here as a central location. If we need food catered, I’m catering food here now. I used to rent party buses from people all over the place and I added up what I was spending on them, so I went and bought a party bus company. Different things can compensate for other things I do with my business life. Everything I do in my life kind of ties together and comes full circle at some point. [Soul Bar] just makes sense.
16 Community December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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December 11, 2015 Ads 17
18 Ads December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
FOOD & MIXOLOGY Chef Deborah VanTrece is redefining soul food By DARIAN AARON It took Chef Deborah VanTrece over 20 years to become an overnight success. Now it’s almost impossible to ask for restaurant recommendations in Atlanta without hearing the name “Twisted Soul Kitchen and Bar.” A former American Airlines flight attendant and founder of Edible Art Café and Gourmet Catering, VanTrece’s exposure to world cuisine during her travels, paired with her catering background and culinary education, laid the foundation for the restaurant that has everyone from across the state traveling to Decatur for a taste. Georgia Voice sat down with the “Food Fighters” winner and Art Institute of Atlanta valedictorian to find out the story behind her success as one of the few African-American female chefs who also happens to be a married lesbian. Georgia Voice: You started out as a caterer, right? Deborah VanTrece: My main focus was catering. I kinda threw together my first restaurant. I was surprised that food critics came and people showed up. It was off the beaten path and very tiny. I thought if you were a food critic that you were going to five star restaurants in Buckhead. It was only like 700 square feet of space. I knew one day I wanted to do it on a different level. How did you decide on the name Twisted Soul? There was a salad, which I still have on the menu that was called Twisted Soul salad. And I thought, that’s a cool name, I like that name. So if I do another restaurant that’s gonna be the name of it. I didn’t know it would take me 16 years. Your restaurant has become quite popular. Are you feeling any pressure to live up to people’s expectations? There is pressure. I’ll be honest; sometimes it’s a very lonely place that I’m in. There’s very few African-American female chefs, there’s not even a lot of African-Amerwww.thegeorgiavoice.com
“When I chose soul food, my thought was that it’s underrated. Our food is good! Why does our food have to always be served cafeteria style? Why does our food have to be put on a plate and you get a little bowl of a side? Why can’t we figure out how to make it look like that 5 star restaurant?” — Chef Deborah VanTrece ican male chefs. So sometimes I’m standing alone, that’s where I feel the pressure. I’m trying to represent a group of women ... there’s some I know in other cities and I look at them looking at me. They’re cheering me on and I’m trying to stand up to that. What makes the Twisted Soul experience so unique? I think the thing that sets me aside is that I have this knack for making it pretty. When I chose soul food, my thought was that it’s underrated. Our food is good! Why does our food have to always be served cafeteria style? Why does our food have to be put on a plate and you get a little bowl of a side? Why can’t we figure out how to make it look like that five-star restaurant? And that was the challenge I put upon myself and that’s what I was determined to do with the food that was familiar to me. Twist it up a little bit and make it pretty. Are you in the kitchen every day? Not every day, but I can’t stay out too long. I’ve got some great people who duplicate what I do very well. We do recipes as a guide. But like I tell them, if you can’t cook you can’t work for me (laughs). There’s only so much that I can teach you. Sometimes I have young chefs who come in that are not used to that and it’s scary to them. I have to push them. It’s kinda sad. I have to push you to pick up seasoning? Are you crazy? (laughs) That’s why they make it. Pick up some seasoning.
Chef Deborah VanTrece is a Georgia Voice 2015 Best of Atlanta recipient for Best New Restaurant for Twisted Soul Kitchen & Bar (Photo by Fred Spears)
Details
Twisted Soul Kitchen & Bar 314 E. Howard Ave. Decatur, GA 30030 404-373-2725 www.twistedsoulkitchenandbar.com Does being an African-American lesbian in the culinary industry present additional challenges? Believe it or not, in the culinary industry the assumption is almost always made that as a female you’re a lesbian. A lot of times it’s the lesbian women who are like, I’m gonna go man to man with you (laughs). Me and Lorraine just married about two years ago or so. She handles the bar and we work as partners in the business. It really hasn’t come up too much. We’re those safe lesbians (laughs). We aren’t intimidating. People have been pretty accepting of us. I guess they say if you’re gonna like a couple of them we’re the ones to like. How will you be celebrating Christmas? It’s going to be a more intimate group of
Holiday Recipe
Creole Seafood Newburg n 1 pound lobster meat n 1/2 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined n 1/2 pound crawfish tail meat n 1/2 cup unsalted butter n 1/4 cup all-purpose flour n 4 tablespoons Cognac n 3 tablespoons medium dry sherry n 2 cups heavy cream n 1/2 cup lobster stock n 1/4 teaspoon liquid shrimp and crab boil n 1/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning n 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning n 4 large egg yolks, beaten n 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg people compared to Thanksgiving. I usually do something with lobster and prime rib and caviar. We also like to prepare food for the elderly who will not have a Christmas meal. We’ll go and hand out meals to nursing homes and senior citizen homes. For Thanksgiving we fed three or four elderly lesbians who didn’t have families.
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FOOD & MIXOLOGY
Tending bar with Tony Jackson By SHANNON HAMES Earlier this year, mixologist Tony Jackson walked away with Georgia Voice’s Best of Atlanta award in the Bartender category. Tony has been pouring at the Atlanta Eagle for over eight years now, and has been a witness to many shifts and changes in the gay bar scene. We caught up with Tony to talk to him about his career, his passion for people and to snag his favorite cocktail recipe, “Santa’s Milk.” Georgia Voice: How did you get started in mixology? Tony Jackson: I started because it was a lot of fun and I always wanted to open my own bar. I was working on my undergraduate degree and it fit well with my school schedule. I began at a leather bar in Arizona. After it closed down, I moved to Atlanta. I worked at 3 Legged Cowboy for about three months, and then started working at Atlanta Eagle and have been there ever since. This is my eighth year at the Eagle. But I’m also an adjunct art professor at a technical college, too. I teach art history as well as create my own art painting with acrylics. You’ve been a mixologist for 13 years. You must love it. What is it that you find the most satisfying about your career? This is going to sound hokey, but I love the people. We get everybody at the Eagle. People think it’s just a leather bar because they have this preconceived notion about it. But here lately, especially over the past two years, we’ve had a whole new demographic of people. They just enjoy the space. We want people in our community to see us as a neighborhood bar. Everybody is welcome. The bar owner, Richard (Ramey), came up with a slogan during Pride weekend: “Whatever you’re into, that’s what we are.” During the weekdays, it still has that leather-esque feel. But on Fridays and Saturdays, we are just one of the most fun places you can be in Atlanta. After 10, which is like the mag-
“We want people in our community to see us as a neighborhood bar. Everybody is welcome. The bar owner, Richard (Ramey), came up with a slogan during Pride weekend: ‘Whatever you’re into, that’s what we are.’” — Tony Jackson ic hour, everything cranks up. We have a guy outside who cooks the best burgers in town. At 10, our leather shop opens, the blackjack table opens, the DJ starts spinning. It all starts up and everyone has the best time. Are women welcome, too? Oh, we have TONS of women! They come in all the time. We are also fortunate enough to be one of the only bars in town right now that hosts a transgender group that comes in. We have a lot of transgender customers. Bartenders have the reputation for helping people. Do you feel like that’s part of your job? Sometimes. I remember there was this one guy who liked to dress up in drag but he didn’t feel like he’d be comfortable there. I just told him, “If anybody bothers you, you just let me know. Because you’re welcome here and they’re not.” He loved coming in after that. Back in September of 2009, the Eagle made national news when it was raided by the Atlanta Police Department. It was later confirmed that the police broke several laws, lied and acted inappropriately to many patrons. Do you think the reputation of the bar was affected by that? At first, people were really supportive, but then they started to disappear. It kind of co-
Mixologist Tony Jackson has been serving Atlanta Eagle customers for eight years. (Photo via Facebook)
Holiday Recipe
Santa’s Milk (Equal parts) n Fireball Cinnamon Whisky n Rumchata n Caramel vodka Shaken lightly and poured into a well-chilled martini glass incided with the timing and use of (social media and dating) apps. Once upon a time, leather bars were kind of thought of as being these crazy hot spots where all of these things were going on. But we’ve had to change our image for the better. People still find each other there, but
that’s the case with any bar. For us, it’s more about finding friendships and being the place where it doesn’t matter who you are or what you look like, you’re going to have a good time and people are going to love you. We’d like to hear your best bartender story. I had a guy that came in. It was his first gay bar experience and I was the first gay bartender that he knew. He was kind of scared. I tried to put him at ease and he ended up feeling so comfortable there that about four months later, on Halloween, he came in with his parents. They were all in costumes and they had the best time together. It was fantastic to see. That’s why I do this.
20 Food & Drink Issue December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
Happy Holidays & Cheers to the New Year Makan is a Chef Driven Asian Farm to Table Restaurant, serving Happy Hour & Dinner Daily and Dim Sum Weekend Brunch We’ve won “Best Bite” at back to back Decatur Wine Festivals and our beautiful space received the prestigious Decatur Design Award. Be sure to consider us for your next social event or private party 130 Clairemont Ave (Lobby of the Courtyard Decatur Hotel). Free Parking Downtown Decatur www.makanatl.com 404-996-6504
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December 11, 2015 Ads 21
FOOD & MIXOLOGY
The food ministry of Chef Alexis Hernandez By DARIAN AARON Chef Alexis Hernandez has been called to minister. And like many who have been given the burden and responsibility of sharing their God-given gifts with the world, he initially wanted no part of it. Hernandez’s ministry is food and what he produces weekly as sole owner and executive chef of Union Hill Kitchen in Chamblee is nothing short of a religious experience. Whether he’s entertaining millions on television as a contestant on “The Next Food Network Star” or taking down the competition as the winner of Season 5 of “Cutthroat Kitchen,” there’s a little bit of Hernandez on every plate; bold, expressive and Cuban. Georgia Voice caught up with the openly gay chef on a lovely Saturday afternoon for lunch, and for the next two hours surrendered to the experience and the journey that led Hernandez to trade the pulpit for the kitchen. Georgia Voice: You have a degree in theology. The two worlds couldn’t be more different. Alexis Hernandez: I thought I could go down that road of being in ministry and now I try to help people that are here (Union Hill Kitchen). My cook that’s in the back was the dishwasher. My sous chef has never been to culinary school. She came in as a server and I’ve been training her and breathing life into her and doing what I would be doing in the ministry. I can’t make you a doctor but I can use my ministry and teaching ability to give you a skill. Is the infusion of your Cuban background into the cuisine at your restaurant a conscious choice or did it happen organically? Sometimes it’s conscious. When I was doing the burgers, I needed to build a Cuban burger, so the most predictable thing was a chorizo burger. Sometimes it’s just the way that I cook. Who influences you? My influences come from all of the chefs
“How fast can you carve a turkey? How fast can you debone a chicken? Can you do the job or not? That’s what people care about in the kitchen. I love living my life. I’m a proud gay man and I don’t feel any lesser.” —Chef Alexis Hernandez that I’ve [stodged] with. I remember one of the chefs I worked with said, “You’re nothing. You need to be nothing. In order for you to find yourself, you need to lose yourself in me. I don’t care that you’re Cuban, I don’t care that you survived a hurricane in Cuba sitting in a hut. You need to lose yourself to find yourself, cause if not, you’re not going to learn anything.” What exactly did he mean when he said you had to lose yourself? Meaning forget everything. I have to do what you would do. I have to flavor it the way you would. So from doing that so many times, I still maintain my Latino upbringing in my food and how I express it, but I also take a little bit from you. Is it true that you were initially against opening your own restaurant? Yes. I was afraid of failure. Most restaurants fail within three months. Then after three months it’s a new metric. Then it’s the six-month mark and then it’s the nine-month mark and the one-year mark. I was looking for places in Midtown and I couldn’t afford it. I made my business plan and I knew I needed to be somewhere where I could be open for at least a year. I also had the fear of whether or not people would like my food. To put something out there and someone doesn’t like it, it’s very personal. You have strong feelings about your food being eaten as created without substitutions.
Chef Alexis Hernandez is a four-time 2014 Georgia Voice Best of Atlanta winner. (Photo by Patrick Saunders)
Details
Union Hill Kitchen 5336 Peachtree Rd Chamblee, GA 30341 770-458-6252 www.unionhillkitchen.com So with everything there’s a purpose. Yeah, if you want the burger without the fries and you want vegetables ... but when you order the burger plain, that’s when I say I don’t think you’re gonna like it. You’re literally removing everything. Let me take you on a journey. Let me do my job. Does being an openly gay chef present certain challenges that are foreign to straight chefs? How fast can you carve a turkey? How fast can you debone a chicken? Can you do the job or not? That’s what people care about in the kitchen. I love living my life. I’m a proud gay man and I don’t feel any lesser. It’s very freeing. What are your plans for Christmas? This year we’re going to spend Christmas
Holiday Recipe
Dijon Cranberry Relish n 1 cup of granulated sugar n 8 ounces water n 8 ounces of orange juice n 1(12-ounce) bag fresh or frozen cranberries n 1 orange, zested and juiced n 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon n 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom (optional but will add lots of flavor) n 1 - 8 oz or 12 oz can of crushed pineapple n 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise OR you may use 1 tablespoon of vanilla (one of the other not both) n 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (do not substitute yellow mustard) n Pinch of salt or kosher salt n Pinch of freshly ground pepper and New Year’s in Paris. We usually rent an apartment and I go to the Rue Cler market and I grab ingredients and I come home and cook. How many chefs can say they stayed in a French apartment, lived like a French person, went to the market and practiced French?
22 Food & Drink Issue December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
FOOD & MIXOLOGY Every day is a new day for bartender Epiphany Louis By PATRICK SAUNDERS When Atlanta residents want an eclectic intown option to satisfy their Mexican food fix, or just a spot to grab a drink, the answer in recent years has often been Across The Street in Old Fourth Ward. Lesbian couple Ali Wild and Lana Banks opened the eclectic neighborhood patio bar and bistro in 2006, and later added neighborhood grocery store The Market, that’s, well, across the street from Across The Street. One of the reasons ATS, as regulars call it, has proven popular is bartender Epiphany Louis. You can usually find the Atlanta native there on Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when she’s not freelance writing, running marathons or traveling with her girlfriend. We bellied up to the bar and got the scoop from Louis on ATS, her favorite and least favorite parts of the job and more. How long have you been bartending? I’ve been in the service industry since I was 18. I am now 27. I first started out at Texas Roadhouse in Valdosta my freshman year in college [at Valdosta State University]. I transferred up to Atlanta to finish college at Georgia State and I worked at Nino’s Cucina Italiana [on Cheshire Bridge Road] and did a few catering gigs, and it was through catering that I fell into bartending. After catering I ended up working at Jack’s Pizza, the dive bar over there [in Old Fourth Ward]. I did some work with FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency], like disaster relief and recovery, so I did a bit of traveling with that. From there, I came back from a contract and ran into Ali and Lana and they gave me a job about three or four years ago. What was it like starting out at Across The Street? Initially I came in for training just to kind of do a look-see and see how I liked it. They kind of just threw me out to the wolves, man. I went up to my first table and was like, ‘Hey, it’s my first day. I haven’t trained, so if you have questions I probably don’t know the answer but I’ll figure it out for you.’ I try to build www.thegeorgiavoice.com
“It’s so multifaceted. You have to wear so many hats. You’re an expert on everything for the most part. You’re a part-time psychiatrist, a hairstylist, you give relationship advice. You just meet so many different people and nothing’s ever the same, ever. Every day is a new day.” —Epiphany Louis on what she likes about bartending relationships with people and make them feel like the most special person out there, or actually the only table out there really. A few bartenders came and went and they had a bartending opening one day and they asked if I had bartended yet and I said yeah. They said, ‘Well, if you want to do it, it’s your time.’ So I got behind the bar and was nervous as shit because it had been so long and I was fairly new at the restaurant. I didn’t know where anything was behind the bar, I didn’t know anything [laughs]. But I just kind of made stuff up as I went and it stuck. What do you like about bartending? It’s so multifaceted. You have to wear so many hats. You’re an expert on everything for the most part. You’re a part-time psychiatrist, a hairstylist, you give relationship advice. You just meet so many different people and nothing’s ever the same, ever. Every day is a new day. What are your pet peeves about the job? I hate when people come in and say, ‘Make me something special.’ I’m like dude, I don’t even know what you like, number one. I don’t even know you [laughs]. Like, what do you mean make you something special? So generally I just give them a glass of water [laughs]. I also hate when people say they want something strong. I try to make a cocktail and if they want to pay for a double shot then great, but if they wonder why they don’t have a lovely cocktail anymore it’s because it’s loaded up with alcohol and it’s not balanced anymore.
Epiphany Louis waited tables before taking her place behind the bar at Across The Street. (Photo by Patrick Saunders)
What’s something that customers should know about your job that would surprise them? As much as I try to give attention to all of our customers, a bartender is always busy. Whether it’s prepping, counting alcohol, making sure we have cold beer. And then when you have on the managerial hat as well, you have to go do table checks and make sure the customers are happy while maintaining your bar. And when your bar guests are asking for drinks, you also have a service bar as well, so you’re making drinks all over the place while making sure you don’t run out of anything. And since we use all fresh lime juice and lemon juice, I have to juice all of this stuff too [laughs]. It just doesn’t end. What are your specialties or most popular cocktails? For the restaurant, our margaritas are absolutely divine. We use all fresh ingredients. A lot of people use simple syrup and fill it with too much sugar and too much fluff and it comes out giving you really bad heartburn. We don’t have any of those problems here. But hands down my favorite drink is a Sazerac. (see recipe)
Holiday Recipe Sazerac n 3 ounces rye whiskey (preferably Bulleit Bourbon) n 1 sugar cube n Peychaud’s Bitters to taste n Absinthe n Lemon twist for garnish
1. Chill an Old Fashioned glass by filling it with ice. Let it sit while you move on to the next step. 2. Soak the sugar cube with Peychaud’s Bitters in a mixing glass and muddle it to crush the cube. 3. Add the rye whiskey and stir. 4. Discard the ice in the chilled glass and rinse it with absinthe by pouring a small amount into the glass, swirling it around, then discarding the liquid. 5. Dump the whiskey mixture into the absinthe-rinsed glass. 6. Garnish with a lemon twist.
December 11, 2015 Food & Drink Issue 23
FOOD & MIXOLOGY Chef Lynne Sawicki: Turning sandwiches into art By DARIAN AARON Lynne Sawicki is in a lane all by herself. As owner and executive chef of the Decatur eatery Sawicki’s Meat, Seafood and More, the variety and deliciousness of her sandwiches has everyone from critics to the average foodie Yelping about one of Atlanta’s best-kept secrets. Sawicki prefers to stay behind the scenes and scoffs at the notion that she could even be considered a popular chef. But when customers credit her for revolutionizing their sense of taste or for experiencing the art of sandwich making differently, she’s left with little choice but to accept the crown she’s been given. With Sawicki’s busy, hands-on approach to business and cooking, catching up with her can be challenging, but Sawicki managed to chat with Georgia Voice in between crushing her nearest competition and running the restaurant that has become a high point for the lesbian chef in a career that spans 30 years. Georgia Voice: Tell us a little bit about Sawicki’s Meat, Seafood and More. Lynne Sawicki: Our store is a specialty food store that is predominantly farm to table. All of my perishables that I sell, the beef, the pork, the chicken, and the fish are all local. I use a lot of local farmers for proteins as well as vegetables. We have a large sandwich menu as well as pastries. And you cater also, right? When I opened that was my predominant focus. I do a lot of catering on the side. There’s a lot of hats I wear right now. How do you deal with the pressure that comes along with running such a successful business? I feel like I put the pressure on myself. I don’t feel the pressure from competition. I’m my own competition. I think the standards I hold for myself are so much higher. I’ll never disappoint myself. My expectations and my quality control in what I do is at the highest level you can get and I’ll never change that. I’d rather tell you www.thegeorgiavoice.com
“I don’t get invited places because I’m a chef and people don’t want to cook for me. I’d eat a damn hot dog. I don’t even care. When I usually get invited it’s to another chef’s house. People get really intimidated.” —Chef Lynne Sawicki ‘Sorry, I can’t get it.’ I have my own principles and values and they’re pretty high. Tell us about your experience in the kitchen as an openly lesbian chef. I’m like a little 10-year-old boy (laughs). I get along with guys better than I do girls in the kitchen. I have a predominately male kitchen. I have one girl. I would say that I acclimated a long time ago because I don’t have a culinary degree. I learned from the people that I worked with. And if you want to learn from the people you work with, you have to get along with them. I understand that there are gender differences and I’ve seen that in other kitchens, but I don’t carry those qualities. No one cares that you’re gay as long as you get the job done. If you’re gonna whine and cry like a stereotypical girl … people in kitchens don’t want that. Do you think gay chefs have to work harder? It’s hard work, period. They’re mentally tougher. If you’re going to be in the kitchen you’re going to work hard. I find it interesting that you’ve said you rarely get invited to dine out. I don’t get invited places because I’m a chef and people don’t want to cook for me. I’d eat a damn hot dog. I don’t even care. When I usually get invited it’s to another chef ’s house. People get really intimidated. It’s pretty rare for me. It’s like a burden. You cook well and then you always have to cook. You’re doing some amazing cooking for cancer patients. Yes. The program is called Harvest for Health and it’s prepared food for people go-
Lynne Sawicki earned a B.A. in art history from Georgia State University. The kitchen is now her canvas. (Photo by Patrick Saunders)
Details
Holiday Recipe
Sawicki’s Meat, Seafood and More 250 West Ponce De Leon Ave. Decatur, GA 30030 404-377-0992 sawickisfoods.com ing through treatment or wanting to eat a clean diet. It started as program for chemo patients at Emory. I’ve been doing it for about ten months. I have it on my website and you can order the dishes around your chemo. I have a refrigerated unit down at Winship (Cancer Institute) with a vending machine. I drop it there and when you’re done with your chemo you’ve got dinners for your whole family and you don’t have to cook. I’ve done a lot of my own reading on what works for your body, what takes away inflammation and what fuels your body to get through chemo.
Butternut Squash Bread Pudding n 4 butternut squashes roasted and mashed n 4 small bunches of greens—kale, collards, spinach or arugula sautéed in extra-virgin olive oil and salted n 16 ounces chicken stock n 16 ounces heavy cream n 8 eggs n 1 tablespoon honey n 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar n 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard n 2 cloves garlic, minced n 2 tablespoons chives, chopped n 2 baguettes, cubed n 1 cup cheddar, shredded Combine stock, heavy cream, eggs, honey, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, chives and bread and let soak for 10 minutes.
Any plans for Christmas? I’m probably going to do what I did for Thanksgiving, which was stay in my pajamas, have a mimosa while I watch the parade, casually cook something and just hang at the house with my partner and the dog.
Layer in sprayed pan: Bread on bottom, then butternut squash, then greens, then cheddar. Repeat. Bake in a water bath at 325 degrees F until custard is set.
December 11, 2015 Food & Drink Issue 29
FOOD & MIXOLOGY Sit down and mix it up with mixologist Chris Glass By PATRICK SAUNDERS With a last name like his, you could say Chris Glass was born to be a mixologist. The 31-year-old Delaware native moved to Atlanta from Philadelphia three years ago looking for new opportunities, and he has found them, working various events through local catering companies and making a name for himself across the city with his various signature drinks. The openly gay certified mixologist talks about the difference between him and a bartender, his most popular concoctions and his grand plans for the future. How did you get involved in mixology? I’ve always had a fascination with drinks. It took about three or four weeks to get my certification. It’s weird because right after I got certified, even though I got a B+ in the class, I was kind of afraid to go out there and start working as a mixologist. Last year I had the opportunity to do events, parties and weddings and that was actually the first time that I took out the time to actually do it. In your opinion, what’s the difference between a mixologist and a bartender? Me personally, I like to take different liquors and mix them together and take liqueurs and start mixing. Sometimes I don’t even know what I’m going to name them, I just go with what I know that tastes good. I come up with the title of my signature drink at the end and keep track of what I added into it and how much. A bartender is somebody who you can go to at a wedding or whatever and pour you a drink. A mixologist takes the time to mix and experiment with different liquors and liqueurs and comes up with the title at the end. What do you like about being a mixologist? I like interacting with different people. Before, it was a fear of mine but now being a mixologist and talking to different people and having them taste what I made, there’s no better feeling in the world. I like to see people
Holiday Recipe
Grilled Pineapple and Strawberry Sour Martini n 1 pineapple n 1 package fresh strawberries n 1 ounce Disaronno (amaretto) n 1/2 ounce Malibu Rum n 1/2 ounce sweet and sour mix n 1/2 ounce Peach schnapps n 1/2 ounce Sour Apple pucker plus a splash of grenadine syrup and pineapple juice n Caramel syrup or honey n Red and green sugar crystals 1. Grill fresh pineapple slices and fresh sliced strawberries (set some strawberries aside for garnish later) on a grilling platform (e.g. a George Foreman grill) for approximately 5–7 minutes on low. 2. Take the grilled fruit and muddle in a tall cocktail mixer or any other sturdy cup. 3. Add the Disaronno, rum, sweet and sour mix, schnapps, and sour apple pucker/grenadine/pineapple mixture to the cup with the muddled fruits. 4. Add ice on top for chill. Mix well. 5. With the empty martini glass, rim with caramel syrup (preferred choice for the Christmas season) or honey. Gently sprinkle red and green sugar crystals around the rim of the glass. Half red/half green around the glass. 6. Strain mixed ingredients into decorative martini glass. 7. Garnish with cascading fresh strawberry slices. smile. I like to hear positive things about my drinks. I like to see people happy that they’re tasting something I made for them. Usually when I get booked for events,
Chris Glass has a sweet tooth when it comes to cocktails, sometimes using rock candy or Jolly Ranchers as a garnish. (Photo by Patrick Saunders)
“I like interacting with different people. Before, it was a fear of mine but now being a mixologist and talking to different people and having them taste what I made, there’s no better feeling in the world. I like to see people smile.” —Chris Glass, Atlanta mixologist the client asks me to create a signature drink that corresponds to what type of event it is. Knowing I created something just for them gives me joy. What are your most popular concoctions? There’s this one drink I call the grilled pineapple amaretto sour. That’s one of my favorite cocktails that I’ve made. Another one is a strawberry lemon drop. Some other things that set me apart from everybody else is that everyone knows a Chris
Glass cocktail when they look at it. Just how I use my garnish, like not everybody uses rock candy as a garnish, and how I stack it whether I’m doing rock candy or Jolly Ranchers. Or if I’m doing an apple martini, I’ll cascade it upwards. I just love to experiment with different candies and other things. What are your plans for the future? I want to start my own LLC and by next year have my own brand where I’m going out and catering different weddings and events and affairs under my name.
30 Food & Drink Issue December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
YOUR GUIDE TO ATLANTA’S FOOD NEIGHBORHOODS
The taste bud tour of Atlanta By RYAN LEE It’s a shame that Atlanta’s most iconic eateries are The Varsity, Chick-Fil-A and Waffle House, as the metro area has a buffet of more appetizing options. And the ATL’s culinary cred is on the upswing now as the city emerges from the burger and cupcake fads of the past few years, with new concepts and recipes to serve and satisfy a modern Southern palate. There are neighborhood favorites and hidden gems across the city, re-imagined food courts in trendy intown areas, and LGBT owners, chefs, staff and clientele throughout Atlanta’s restaurant industry. We’ll start our tour of the city’s taste buds with the most notable trend of 2015: the creation of chic food oases along the northeast Beltline.
Ponce City Market
675 Ponce de Leon Ave.NE www.poncecitymarket.com Made up of almost two dozen restaurants and vendors, the newly opened www.thegeorgiavoice.com
Ponce City Market aims to become the city’s premier culinary emporium. The Central Food Court is a hip, open-dining atmosphere that brings together James Beard Award-winning chefs with the guys who created Atlanta’s favorite popsicles. Whaddya have? Maybe vegan kimchee and Korean BBQ from Simply Seoul, fried chicken from Hop’s Chicken, or Mediterranean favorites from Marrakesh. A couple of Atlanta’s most celebrated chefs serve up their latest offerings at Ponce City Market, with Anne Quatrono’s W.H. Stile’s Fish Camp and Sean Brock’s Minero, while “Top Chef” alumnus Hector Santiago revives his El Super Pan bistro, which was one of Atlanta’s true secret treasures in its old basement location in Poncey Highland. The lesbian-owned 18.21 Bitters brings spirit to any meal with its Prohibition-inspired bitters and craft cocktails, and dessert options abound at Ponce City Market: Honeysuckle Gelato, Collier Candy Company and King of Pops Bar & Good Grub. Among the most mouth-watering
Clockwise fron top: Ponce City Market aims to become the city’s premier culinary emporium. Korean Oxtail Stew from Simply Seoul. The lesbian-owned 18.21 Bitters brings spirit to any meal. Fried chicken from Hop’s Chicken. (Photos via Facebook)
arrivals at Ponce City Market is H&F Burger, which democratizes one of Atlanta’s most nationally known foodie traditions. The burger that was formerly only available to the first 24 customers to order after 10 p.m. at Holeman & Finch in Buckhead now has a permanent home on the H&F Burger menu.
Krog Street Market
99 Krog St. NE www.krogstreetmarket.com While Ponce City Market is receiving
more press and hype, hipsters can still snicker about how they remember when upscale food courts were new and cool, as Krog Street Market established the CONTINUES ON PAGE 32
December 11, 2015 Food & Drink Issue 31
YOUR GUIDE TO ATLANTA’S FOOD NEIGHBORHOODS
Clockwise from top left: Krog Street Market features several restaurants in its new-wave food court. Varuni Napoli tosses pizza-making to new heights. Chef Kevin Rathbun has become an Atlanta legend with his mastery of ribeye, hanger and other prime steaks. Roasted chicken and smoked tetilla cheese empanada with avocado cream sauce from Eclipse di Luna. Henry’s in Midtown offers delicious hot dogs. Slow cooked chicken from G.C. BBQ, located in Krog Street Market. (Photos via Facebook)
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31 blueprint for this “refurbished industrial” trend when it opened last fall. Krog Street Market signaled from the start it was taking casual, communal dining spaces to another level, as the pioneering restaurants were Craft Izakaya, a Japanese grill and bar from chef Jey Oh, and The Luminary, a French-themed creation of another Atlanta veteran of “Top Chef,” Eli Kirshtein. In its first full year, Krog Street Market has expanded to 13 restaurants ranging from the Frankly hot dog stand to Grand Champion BBQ to The Little Tart Bakeshop. Fred’s Meat & Bread, in addition to sounding like the qualities I look for in a husband, is a powerhouse sandwich shop, with burgers, cheese steaks and po’boys. For more international flavors, Krog Street Market encompasses Mexican at Superica, Middle Eastern at Yalla and Szechuan cuisine at Gu’s Dumplings. While the new-wave food courts at Ponce City Market and Krog Street Mar-
ket are an exciting addition to the Atlanta menu, here’s a mix of standards, dives and five-stars in Atlanta’s neighborhoods:
MIDTOWN
Henry’s 132 10th St. NE www.henrysatl.com A smorgasbord of restaurants pop up in Midtown annually, but Henry’s Midtown Tavern has established itself as a downhome favorite. With pork that’s braised over three days and cooked overnight, Henry’s strives to provide chef-driven cuisine in a neighborhood speakeasy atmosphere. The menu is highlighted by burgers, tacos and dogs, and the patio is a buffet of eye candy during brunch in the warmer months. The Daiquiri Factory 889 West Peachtree St. NE www.thedaiquirifactory.com While the rainbow wall of frozen-drink machines is the centerpiece of The Daiquiri Factory, the food menu has continued
to expand and attract throngs of LGBT diners. Seafood lovers have turned a trip to The Daiquiri Factory into a Monday ritual for its all-you-can-eat snow crabs. Varuni Napoli 1540 Monroe Drive NE varuni.us Midtown recently received an infusion of flavor and ambiance with the opening of Varuni Napoli, an artisan pizza parlor with an open kitchen. Using a combination of imported meats and cheeses, with locally sourced veggies, Varuni Napoli tosses pizza-making
to new heights with ingredients like buffalo mozzarella and spicy salami. The indoor dining room features cafeteria seating and a full view of the restaurant’s mesmerizing pizza ovens, while the backyard patio offers romantic nooks to enjoy a private dinner. The Colonnade 1879 Cheshire Bridge Road NE
www.viewmenu.com/the-colonnade-3
It’s no secret how an 88-year-old restaurant maintains its freshness: continue serving some of the most beloved southern recipes to the Gay & Gray sets. Popu-
32 Food & Drink Issue December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
For more than two decades Bacchanalia has stood out as a modern Atlanta institution. (Photo via Facebook)
lar with octogenarians and LGBT transplants alike, the Colonnade is known for its generous portions of classics like fried chicken, pot roast and coconut pie, and recently celebrated its first anniversary of accepting credit cards!
BUCKHEAD
Joy Cafe 316 Pharr Road NE www.joydelivered.com Nestled among the buttoned-up steakhouses and fine-dining concepts that flood the Buckhead restaurant scene is the charming Joy Cafe, where you can taste the love and attention given to each madefrom-scratch dish. The family-owned soup and sandwich shop roasts all its meats inhouse and combines rural European recipes with traditional Southern flavors to open a new world of deliciousness. Eclipse di Luna 764 Miami Circle NE www.eclipsediluna.net Some restaurants benefit from their location, but Eclipse di Luna is one that thrives despite its roundabout address. Tucked behind Sidney Marcus Boulevard on a hideaway street called Miami Circle, the tapas bar has been a magnet for diners with its eclectic offerings and electric ambiance. It’s ironic that Eclipse di Luna is such a popular spot for first dates, given how hard it is to commit to any of its combinations of shareable plates. KR Steakbar 349 Peachtree Hills Ave. NE www.krsteakbar.com Another small-plate gem that’s off Buckhead’s beaten path is KR Steakbar, an Italwww.thegeorgiavoice.com
ian/steakhouse hybrid from chef Kevin Rathbun. The cozy hideaway hand-makes more than half a dozen pastas, and Rathbun has become an Atlanta legend with his mastery of ribeye, hanger and other prime steaks. KR Steakbar combines those flavors with an exquisite décor to create an ideal spot for a date night or birthday dinner.
WEST MIDTOWN/ WESTSIDE
West Egg Cafe 1100 Howell Mill Road www.westeggcafe.com There’s no better way to wake up than with the flavors served at West Egg Cafe, which epitomizes the taste-making growth of the West Midtown area. The name draws deserved attention to the restaurant’s breakfast specialties, including an eggs Benedict on salmon cakes or pulled pork, a fried green tomato wrap and an eggs-and-potatoes plate lovingly known as the West Side Pileup. But the Southern flavor seeps into the afternoon menu as well, in items such as the spot’s signature peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a double burger topped with pimento cheese, bacon and tomato jam. Bacchanalia 1198 Howell Mill Road www.starprovisions.com/bacchanalia Restaurants come and go quicker than the seasons in Atlanta, but for more than two decades Bacchanalia has stood out as a modern Atlanta institution. It is one of the most elevated dining experiences the South has to offer (from caviar and foie gras to its five-course service), and is CONTINUES ON PAGE 34 December 11, 2015 Food & Drink Issue 33
YOUR GUIDE TO ATLANTA’S FOOD NEIGHBORHOODS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 a regret-free splurge for anniversaries and other special occasions. Delia’s Chicken Sausage Stand 881 Marietta Street NW www.thesausagestand.com Watch out, Chick-Fil-A—a new chicken empire is emerging in Atlanta, and this one is lesbian-owned! After developing a devout following in East Atlanta, Delia Champion opened her second Delia’s Chicken Sausage Stand on the West side last year. The variety of handcrafted chicken sausage links with the joint’s famous “comeback” sauce, or the chicken sausage sliders on Krispy Kreme buns are so addictive that Delia’s operates 24/7 on weekends. Busy Bee Cafe 810 Martin Luther King Dr. SW www.thebusybeecafe.com For more than 70 years, Busy Bee Cafe has been nourishing the West End area of Atlanta, a part of the city that is on the cusp of new development with the expansion of the Beltline. Some modern restaurants think soul food stops at fried chicken and collard greens, but the menu at Busy Bee smells like a Southern grandma’s kitchen, with cubed steak and neck bones, ox tails and ham hocks.
VIRGINIA HIGHLAND/ PONCEY HIGHLAND/ INMAN PARK
George’s Bar & Restaurant 1041 N. Highland Ave. NE www.georgesbarandrestaurant.com There are plenty of chic and froufrou restaurants in Virginia-Highland, and then there is George’s Bar & Restaurant, home to one of the best burgers in Atlanta. The no-frills, throwback décor seems to emphasize that this place is only concerned with two things: kick-ass burgers and beer. Sweet Auburn BBQ 656 N. Highland Ave. NE www.sweetauburnbbq.com Adding an Asian flare to Southern barbecue, Sweet Auburn BBQ has gone from a kiosk at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market to one of Poncey Highland’s hottest restaurants. In addition to traditional BBQ meats and sides, Sweet Auburn has
Radial Cafe has long been a leader in promoting sustainable, eco-friendly restaurant practices. (Photo via Facebook)
niche offerings like turkey and waffles and pimento cheese wantons. Parish Brasserie & Neighborhood Cafe 240 N. Highland Ave. NE www.parishatl.com Few restaurants have taken advantage of their positioning along the Beltline as effectively as Parish Brasserie & Neighborhood Cafe. The upstairs of the revamped venue houses the main French/ American restaurant, where you can dine on chicken liver mousse, pan-seared sword fish or smoked pork belly, while the lower level has been converted into a “curbside” deli for a convenient, delicious break while hiking the Beltline.
LITTLE FIVE POINTS/ EAST ATLANTA/ CANDLER PARK
Vortex Bar & Grill 438 Moreland Ave. NE www.thevortexatl.com We’ve talked about many Atlanta institutions so far—The Varsity, Colonnade and Bacchanalia—but none of them are as kick-ass as the Vortex, whose burgers are as iconic as the giant skull that swallows the front door of its Little Five Points location. Take a bite of the Freaky Tiki or Reverse Cowgirl specialty burgers and you’ll see why they trademarked the phrase, “Like an
orgy in your mouth.” The Octopus Bar 560 Gresham Ave. SE www.octopusbaratl.com East Atlanta Village sometimes operates in its own universe, which may be why the Octopus Bar feels like an extraterrestrial dining adventure. Intended to provide “punk rock fine dining” to late-night crowds, Octopus is open from 10:30 p.m.–2:30 a.m. and hosts a local highlight reel of guest chefs and an everchanging menu with a Euro/Asian twist. Radial Cafe 1530 DeKalb Ave. NE radial.us Along with a focus on flavor that has resulted in its cinnamon rolls and Gouda scrambles becoming renowned Atlanta dishes, Radial Cafe has long been a leader in promoting sustainable, eco-friendly restaurant practices. The creative American cuisine, including many vegan options, has made Radial a favorite breakfast and lunch spot, but its expanded menu and daily specials make it an allday destination Thursday–Saturday.
DECATUR
Las Brasas 614 Church St. www.lasbrasasdecatur.com The flavor packed into the meals at
Las Brasas could no longer be contained in its original hut on Howard Street, and with its recently expanded space comes an expanded menu. Known for its Peruvian rotisserie chicken, Las Brasas now serves Peruvian barbecue as well as squid and octopus. Chai Pani 406 West Ponce de Leon Ave. www.chaipanidecatur.com Unlike most international menus that try to showcase the crème de le crème of another country’s dishes, Chai Pani shares the Indian street food that fuels everyday life there. Your taste buds will need a passport when you bite into the kale pakoras or Parsi chicken burger. Revival 129 Church St. www.revivaldecatur.com Our tantalizing tour of metro Atlanta has taken us through foreign cuisine and millennial food courts, so it feels right to end with a bit of home—as in the theme of “Top Chef ” fan favorite Kevin Gillespie’s newest restaurant. Designed to look like and rekindle the feelings of family dinners at home, Revival is Gillespie’s ode to Southern traditions such as catfish, Coca-Cola braised pork and “My Granny’s pole beans.” Mmmmm, nothing tastes better than home, and Atlanta has us full.
34 Food & Drink Issue December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD Out actors hit the stage in charming holiday play By JIM FARMER In a season marked by some high-profile holiday shows and myriad versions of “A Christmas Carol,” another holiday favorite has quietly returned. A remount of Synchronicity Theatre’s “A Year With Frog and Toad” is currently running, starring two out actors. Chase Davidson and Robert Lee Hindsman are the leads for this new version. Based on the books by Arnold Lobel, “A Year With Frog and Toad” was nominated for three Tony Awards in 2003, including Best Musical, and was a big hit for Synchronicity when the company first staged it, taking home four Suzi Awards in 2007. CONTINUES ON PAGE 37
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www.thegeorgiavoice.com
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 It’s a children’s show, albeit one that has a wide appeal. The musical follows a year in the life of the two characters as they grow up and deal with the world around them. Frog is the good-natured one of the two, while Toad is grumpy and not always pleasant. “Frog is very mature in contrast to Toad,” says Davidson, who plays Frog. “He knows a lot about the world, about nature. He is comfortable with himself and the environment around him. He’s very simple, a minimalist. Toad, on the other hand, hasn’t figured everything out yet.” Hindsman, who plays Toad, agrees the two are complete opposites. “Toad is not as clean and quick-witted as Frog is,” he says. “He is slower but quicker to love and arrive at an emotion. Toad wears his heart on his sleeve. There is no premeditation before he does anything.” The actor admits he and the character share many characteristics. Hindsman graduated from Birmingham Southern College in 2014 and moved to Atlanta to go through the Serenbe Playhouse apprentice program last year. There he was involved in shows such as “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” “Man of La Mancha,” “Oklahoma!” and “Snow Queen.” He was recently seen in Actor’s Express’ “Stupid Fucking Bird’ as well as Stage Door Players’ “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.” A performer since the age of seven, he calls himself a musical theater nerd, going through months where he is completely obsessed with a particular show. Davidson came out when he was 15, and his family includes other LGBT members. He’s been no stranger to gay roles throughout his career, although he says that he didn’t accept this role because of any perceived subtext. He just loved the musical and the score. The original production of the show teamed gay actors Spencer Stephens and Bryan Mercer and was directed by Clint Thornton. It was one of the 2006–2007
Details ‘A Year With
Frog and Toad’ Synchronicity Theatre at Peachtree Pointe 1545 Peachtree Street Atlanta, GA 30309 Through Dec. 27 www.synchrotheatre.com www.thegeorgiavoice.com
theater season’s best shows. It also had something of a gay vibe. “You can absolutely pull those undertones from the show—two males riding a sled together,” Hindsman laughs. “I think it can be misconstrued. It’s not the bigger meaning of the show. It’s really the trials and tribulations of these two and their beautiful friendship.” During the course of a year, the two characters go through the whole cycle of
friendship—a fight, excitement, confusion, and isolation. Yet they weather the storm and stay close. Hindsman feels the message here is about love and acceptance. “That is important for kids to see and for families as well,” he says. “These two are very different, with their own quirks that can frustrate them. But at a point you say, ‘lf I love this person, I can do what I need to do to help them or our relationship.’ If these little frogs and toads can love and accept each
other for who they are, then I can.” The subject of friendship is one that he says is rarely addressed. “You don’t really see male friendships depicted on TV and movies or plays,” he says. “If you see it, it’s the masculine, ‘Hey bro’ kind. You don’t see the tenderness. This focuses on the tenderness of their friendship, the emotional needs, what they need and how they give it. You can see the parallels of any friendship in the show.”
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An unusual, good read that might change minds
REVIE W Some days, it seems as though you have super powers. That must be the explanation for being unseen. That’s why there are days when nobody looks at you. There’s no acknowledgment that you exist. In the new book, “What Color is Your Hoodie? Essays on Black Gay Identity,” by Jarrett Neal, the reason is not so transparent. Born to a fourteen-year-old mother, raised in a household with an alcoholic grandfather, Jarrett Neal was in eighth grade when his gym class accidentally walked in on their coach showering. It was Neal’s first glimpse of a naked man, and it “ended my boyhood,” he says. He was well into college when he finally admitted to himself that he was attracted to men; still, the “daily taunts” from his more athletic, more self-confident peers and the absence of a father haunted him for many years. To counteract it, Neal joined a gym and worked out tirelessly, until he realized that he’d never have a body like He-Man. He was never going to make a living with his physique. Instead, Neal knew that he had to write. It was “write or die,” he says, though he’s been told that his style is “either too black or too gay” and he once assumed that “as a boy I wasn’t supposed to care about books.” Even so, he devoured the works of gay men—particularly those who were black. That voracity for books led to a teaching career. In his essays here, Neal discusses the dearth of gay black men in films and television, and he decries the lack of interest by white readers in the works of black authors. He looks at the sexuality of gay black men who, like most African-American men, live under “sexual stereotypes” that cause “a tremendous onus ... to live up to …” He writes about black men (some gay) who have made history and changed perceptions within their neighborhoods or industries. And as a black man married to a white man, he notes that racism within the gay community is as big a problem as it is anywhere else. Author Jarrett Neal is not shy. 38 A&E December 11, 2015
Details ‘What Color is Your Hoodie?’ Essays on Black Gay Identity By Jarrett Neal Chelsea Station Editions, 2015 175 pages $18
There’s no waffling in this book, and nothing held back. Neal discusses gay porn as blithely as he does modern literature; he remembers his childhood with the same passion as he does coming out. Such power and force in writing serves to give readers— straight or gay—a solid understanding of the points he tries to make. We might laugh or raise our eyebrows, but we also empathize or, as the case may be, sympathize. What mars this otherwise well-done collection of essays is its sloppiness. “What Color is Your Hoodie?” is riddled with misspellings and punctuation mistakes which, because of the frequency, almost made me want to quit this book too many times. If you can forgive that distraction, then this unusual book is a good read that might actually change minds. Truthful, blunt, and thoughtprovoking, regrettable mistakes aside, “What Color is Your Hoodie?” should be seen. www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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December 11, 2015 Ads 39
Our Guide to the Best LGBT Events in Atlanta for Dec. 11-24
T BES BET S
LGBT EV
AT L A N
TA
ENTS
MONDAY, DEC. 14
Tom Hardy plays the murderous Kray brothers, one of whom was gay, in the new ‘Legend,’ at area theaters. (Publicity photo)
FRIDAY, DEC. 11
Grab a cocktail and enjoy TGIF Friday at Woofs tonight beginning at 5 p.m. www.woofsatlanta.com Break out the ugliest holiday sweater you own and take a break from the hectic shopping and traffic by heading over to Mixx for a cup of cheer at Fourth Tuesday’s Ugly Sweater Contest, 6 p.m., www.mixxatlanta.com
EVENT SPOTLIGHT THURSDAY, DEC. 17
Come out and try to win CD copies of Bette Midler’s new album, “A Gift of Love” during Blake’s “I-Candy” tonight, 11 p.m., www.blakeson theparkatlanta.com (Publicity photo)
40 Best Bets December 11, 2015
It’s a perennial: the Atlanta Ballet opens its beloved “The Nutcracker,” running through Dec. 27, with a 7:30 performance tonight, Fox Theatre, www.foxtheatre.org The great Libby Whittemore headlines the holiday show “Ho, Ho, Home for the Holidays and A Connie Sue Day Christmas.” She is joined by the hilarious Connie Sue Day (the 31st Lady of Country Music) for one of Atlanta’s favorite holiday traditions. Actor’s Express, 7:30 tonight, through Dec. 20, www.actors-express.com
SATURDAY, DEC. 12
Join the LGBT Institute at the Center for Civil and Human Rights for a free screening of the highly-acclaimed film “Oriented,” that follows the lives of three gay Palestinian friends confronting their national and sexual identity in Tel Aviv. The event is hosted by the international law firm, Jones Day. A short discussion will follow the film; noon, www.civilandhumanrights.org Hundreds of barely-clad brave hearts will have the chance to run through the streets as part of the seventh annual Atlanta Santa Speedo Run, a 1.5-mile fun run and social event that raises funds for a different charity each year. In 2015, the run’s beneficiary is BlazeSports America, an organization that changes lives every day with adaptive sports opportunities for children and veterans with a physical disability. The event kicks off at 2 p.m. at Manuel’s Tavern, www.facebook.com/ events/1600376006891196 Mitchell Anderson, owner of the popular
Midtown restaurant MetroFresh, will sign his new cookbook, “Food and Thought,” at Cook’s Warehouse in Decatur from 3–5 p.m., www.cookswarehouse.com Caroline Aiken, Michelle Malone and Dede Vogt host a songwriting workshop and concert, 5 p.m., Red Clay Music Foundry, www.eddieowenpresents.com Got your new outfit ready? Atlanta’s favorite holiday cocktail party and charity toy drive, the Toy Party, returns tonight—its first Saturday night outing—and promises to be an unforgettable evening. The Saturday soiree will last an hour longer, beginning at 6:30 p.m. and ending at 11:30, with a silent auction, live entertainment and a DJ set, all supporting 18 agencies and nonprofits that work tirelessly to benefit Atlanta’s at-risk children. America’s Mart Building 3, Atlanta, GA 30303 It’s the gayest holiday show of the season: Harold Leaver dons an elf suit in the
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TELL US ABOUT YOUR LGBT EVENT Submit your LGBT event for inclusion in our online and print calendars by emailing event info to editor@thegavoice.com perennial holiday favorite “The Santaland Diaries,” an adaptation of David Sedaris’ “Holidays on Ice,” 8 p.m. tonight, with shows through Dec. 31, www.horizontheatre.com British-born and London-based DJ Tim McLoone, who has been a part of MegaWoof (London, UK), Chunky (Sydney, Australia) and BearAware (Copenhagen, Denmark), spins tonight at the Atlanta Eagle, 10 p.m., www.atlantaeagle.com Ten Atlanta is the home for the third annual Snow Ball with DJ Rob Reum after today’s Toy Party, TenAtlanta.com “A Night for Light” features Phoenix and DJ Paulo, who conclude the evening by performing at 1 a.m., Jungle Atlanta, www.jungleatl.com
SUNDAY, DEC. 13
Isaac Escalante spins at Xion Atlanta this morning beginning at 3 a.m., www. facebook.com/Xion-162659260451683 “Things Worth Remembering” is a high-energy dance event with DJ David Knapp benefiting the Georgia chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, 3–7 p.m., Amsterdam Atlanta, www.amsterdamatlanta.com
FRIDAY, DEC. 18
Eddie Redmayne stars in ‘The Danish Girl,’ dealing with Lili Elbe’s groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer, opening today in area theaters. (Publicity photo)
the 11th annual holiday party at Friends on Ponce beginning at 9 p.m., www.friendsonponce-atl.com
Ruby Redd’s Birdcage Bingo is tonight at 8:30 p.m. at the Hideaway, with $3 well drinks, www.atlantahideaway.com
Expect to hear naughty stories galore at A John Waters Christmas, 6 p.m., Variety Playhouse, www.variety-playhouse.com
MONDAY, DEC. 14
Join KJ Rosemarie for an evening of karaoke tonight at Faces Lounge in Marietta, 7–11 p.m., faceslounge.com
Jack Daddy and Missy host karaoke every Wednesday night with all sorts of drink and food specials, 9 p.m., My Sister’s Room, www.mysistersroom.com
The queer-inclusive Atlanta Bar Church meets tonight for Beer and Hymns Epic Tacky Christmas Sweater Edition, part 2!, Smith’s Olde Bar, 7 p.m., www.atlantabeerandhymns.com
TUESDAY, DEC. 15
THURSDAY, DEC. 17
Church time! Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping Pong Emporium hosts its final Sunday service of the year/Last Supper Holiday Dance Party, 7–11:45 p.m., www.facebook.com/ events/1106433319428667
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16
Regina Simms and friends spice up
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Tuesdays are Latin Industry Nights as well as Papi’s Tuesdays with $2 tacos and $3 tequila shots at Las Margaritas, lasmargaritasmidtown.com Join Charis Books for another installment of Dear Games, Feminist Video Game Studies, an ongoing discussion and workshop series with the Georgia Tech Video Game Lab. This month’s guest is Dr. Shira Chess, 7:30–9 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com
SAGE Atlanta hosts its weekly social hour and potluck at 10 a.m., followed by the holiday potluck at 11:15 a.m., Phillip Rush Center, www.rushcenteratl.org
FRIDAY, DEC. 18– SUNDAY, DEC. 20
Candler and Emily Budd return to Serenbe Playhouse this December with “A Very Merry Craigslist!” This husband and wife comedic cabaret team brings an all new
CONTINUES ON PAGE 42
EVENT SPOTLIGHT WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23
Head out to Serenbe Playhouse and catch the latest by out artistic director Brian Clowdus, ‘The Snow Queen,’ based on the original story by Hans Christian Andersen, with closing performances at 6 p.m. and an 8 p.m. tonight, www.serenbeplayhouse.com (Publicity photo)
December 11, 2015 Best Bets 41
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 holiday-themed show featuring hilarious and ridiculous stories from actual Craigslist ads. The Oak Room at the Inn at Serenbe, 8 p.m., www.serenbeplayhouse.com
FRIDAY, DEC. 18
Expect mobile homes aplenty—Onstage Atlanta’s “The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical” has an 8 p.m. show tonight before closing tomorrow, www.onstageatlanta.com
Eek! It’s (at least) the second Ugly Sweater Party of the season, 9 p.m., Oscar’s Atlanta, www.oscarsatlanta.com Looking for a twist in the traditional holiday party? Then the Atlanta Eagle’s Bad Santa and Naughty Ms. Clause night might be for you, 10 p.m., www.atlantaeagle.com
SATURDAY, DEC. 19
This year’s Charis Books holiday party and sale will have the best recommenda-
tions for those on your shopping list, free gift wrapping, homemade cookies and an Indie Craft Fair, as well as best-selling author Chef Virginia Willis, who will be demo-ing recipes from her newest book, “Lighten Up Y’all.” The party lasts from 11 a.m.– 7 p.m., but Willis will be speaking from 1:30–3 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com My Sister’s Room hosts its Toy Drive gathering items for Toys for Tots, as well as its holiday drag show with Jordan Michaels McCord and friends and DJ
Liz Owen. Bring a new unwrapped toy and get a free Jell-O shot courtesy of Santa, My Sister’s Room, www.mysistersroom.com
SUNDAY, DEC. 20
Anna Lisa Derenthal, a licensed professional counselor who specializes in working with survivors of severe trauma & abuse, as well gender Identity issues and assisting transgender people through the transition process, is the featured guest speaker at today’s PFLAG Atlanta meeting, 2:30–5 p.m., Spiritual Living Center of Atlanta, 1730 Northeast Expressway NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 Unusual, eclectic selections for the season will be on tap as Atlanta Freedom Bands presents its annual holiday concert, titled “NOT Another Holiday Concert.” The concert will host over 60 musicians, the most in the organization’s history, 4 p.m., Druid Hills United Methodist Church, 1200 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Makan
Celeste Holmes hosts the festive Boys of BJ’s event, 9 p.m., BJ Roosters, 2043 Cheshire Bridge Road, Atlanta, GA 30324
New Orleans Snoball Café
MONDAY, DEC. 21
Shop seasonal sales on Dec. 17 – our last Terrific Thursday!
Trans and Friends is a youth-focused group for trans people, people questioning their own gender, and aspiring allies. Charis provides a facilitated space to discuss gender, relevant resources and activism around social issues. Donations are accepted. 7–8:30 p.m., www.charisbooksandmore.com
The Cook’s Warehouse
Greene’s Fine Foods
Souper Jenny
TUESDAY, DEC. 22
Art It Out Therapy Center is now offering an Expressive Art Therapy Group for LGBTQ teens. Through art, the group will explore self-identity, coping with stress, intimate and parental relationships, and coming out. 7 p.m., 255 Village Parkway (in Paper Mill Village), Suite 580, Marietta, GA 30067
Butter & Cream
Have your best Katy Perry ready—Angelica D’Paige emcees Drageoke! tonight, 10:30 p.m., Burkhart’s, www.burkharts.com
merry and bite!
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23
Monica Van Pelt and Bubba D. Licious are the hosts for Bitchy Bingo, which also involves a drag show, Lips Atlanta, www.lipsatl.com
Find plenty to savor, sip, and share in Decatur – a night out with friends, hostess gifts, stocking (and stomach) stuffers, sweets you can pass off as your own, and more, all right here. decaturga
downtowndecatur
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42 Best Bets December 11, 2015
holidaydecaturga
visitdecaturgeorgia.com/terrificthursdays 12/7/15 4:32 PM
Voyeur Wednesdays finds lots of hot go-go boys in the house, 10 p.m., Blake’s, www.blakesontheparkatlanta.com
THURSDAY, DEC. 24
Come enjoy a night of Show Tunes at Mixx Atlanta, www.mixxatlanta.com
www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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9/8/15 11:52 AM
December 11, 2015 Ads 43
A MODICUM OF DECORUM By SHANNON HAMES
Change for the better When I was a kid, my mom would say, “Shannon, you are such a free spirit.” I didn’t know what that meant, but I knew it wasn’t something anyone else in my family was. When I got older, my free-spiritedness manifested itself in many of the obvious ways: rebellion, drug use, dressing outlandishly, listening to hard rock loud and proud, and taking risks with my body and my life. In every sense of the word, I was “wild,” and there was nobody who was going to tame me. When my best friend gave me the ultimatum to marry him or we wouldn’t have a friendship, I couldn’t imagine a life without him in it. I knew I was a lesbian and I didn’t want to get married (or even have kids), but I was pretty sure that I would never have another friend I loved so much. Reluctantly, I married him. Shortly after our wedding, my long-haired rocker husband became a fundamentalist evangelical, and in an effort to “fix” myself, I tried to pray away my gay. Over the next 18 years, I died to myself a million times. I compromised on what I wanted for myself because I loved someone else. Not in one area, but in every area. I got rid of the music I loved, the clothes I loved, a car I loved, friends I loved. I did it as an act of love and in an attempt to convince myself that the love was worth it. In doing so, I lost myself and became very unhappy. When my dad finally confronted me about being miserable and not being myself, he threw the tiniest ember under a pile of hay and slowly fanned the baby flame that began to grow until I mustered the courage to come out of the closet at the age of 38. In the year that followed, my pastor announced my “sin” of being gay from the pulpit, my church prayed for my death in a public worship service, I was ordered by a judge to leave my house (and kids), and I lost most of my friends and half of my family. It was devastating. And it was beautiful. Almost immediately, my authentic self surfaced. Not the rebel who was angry that
“In the year that followed, my pastor announced my ‘sin’ of being gay from the pulpit, my church prayed for my death in a public worship service, I was ordered by a judge to leave my house (and kids), and I lost most of my friends and half of my family.” I was stuck in the closet, and not the churchgoing, homeschooling mom trying to bargain with God for heterosexuality. It was the me that I was never able to be before I had the courage to speak my truth. I began to remember the things that I liked to do before. I read articles about my favorite bands and went to their shows. I got rid of my church clothes and started to wear edgy, rockn-roll clothes. I started to study other subjects besides faith and theology. I started speaking freely. I watched porn. I got a tattoo. Last week, my son called me from college. He sounded down, and I asked him what was wrong. He was depressed that he chose a major that wasn’t what he thought it would be and he was now committed to doing this for life. After all, he made the decision to do it and now, he felt locked in. For life. It was my absolute pleasure to inform him that the best thing about life is that we have the right to do the things that make us happy. That means that if we choose something—a job, a partner, a house—whatever it is, and find out it’s not what makes us happy, we can always change our minds. And we can always change our lives. Shannon Hames is a mom, writer, realtor, volunteer, rocker chick, world traveler, and ’80s hair band aficionado. She loves babies, observing people, reading great books and taking hot baths. She has been writing for Georgia Voice since 2010.
44 Columnists December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
SOMETIMES ‘Y’ By RYAN LEE
Sleeping with other people’s husbands He was the last person I expected to make my hotline bling after the dozens of photos he was tagged in on Facebook the previous weekend. “You should probably enjoy your honeymoon,” I replied with a kiss-blowing emoji. “Soak up this special moment, and maybe we can connect soon.” I closed the text message and reflexively tapped the Facebook icon for distraction. In the few seconds it took my newsfeed to load, I contemplated having just casually agreed to have sex with a married man. More specifically, with a man I knew was married, freshly married, because I had just seen pictures of him and his groom. He and his husband. He and his husband’s parents. Before I could resolve the ethics of my text conversation, a picture appeared on my newsfeed announcing that another of my regular hookups was now married. I was suddenly woozy from how wrong I had been in thinking the legalization of same-sex marriage wouldn’t have any impact on the daily life of a gay bachelor with no interest in getting married. Hooking up with a married man has always been nonnegotiable for me, with the caveat that screening for marital status is traditionally lax. However, being a “married man” had always meant to me that there was a wife involved, which guaranteed that there were secrets, deception and emotional damage attached to such a liaison, and so it was not something in which I wanted to participate. I don’t automatically assign such sinister absolutes—secrets, deception, emotional damage—to a married man who has a husband, and I realize that’s a self-serving courtesy. It’s harder to feel guilty about violating someone’s marriage, hurting their unsuspecting partner, when you excuse yourself from knowing the rules that govern their marriage. I know the rules that govern straight husbands, and how most of them violate those rules by sleeping with someone other than their wives. I know that, out of a mixture of
“But there are some gay couples who believe their relationship is real, their love worthy of commitment and protection, and they exchange vows without the expectation of sexual exclusivity. If you should ever have the chance to spend the night with this type of couple, together, some of my favorite.” kindness and laziness, society now assumes those same rules, the rules that straight men violate all the time, ought to apply to gay husbands, and many of us gaily accept those rules to govern our love, to make our marriages real. But there are some gay couples who believe their relationship is real, their love worthy of commitment and protection, and they exchange vows without the expectation of sexual exclusivity. If you should ever have the chance to spend the night with this type of couple, together, some of my favorite— Sorry, different column. For now, most gay men seem to accept the rule that lifelong love requires sexual fidelity, and if they enter into marriage, they expect monogamy from their partn– from their husbands. Which forces me to deliberate what, if any, obligation I have to a spouse that I don’t know, someone so naive that I, with all of my deliberation, am the least of their worries. It’s all something new to keep it in mind while wading through the post-Obergefell dating pool. Legalized same-sex marriage wasn’t supposed to make my carefree love life eligible for a “Jerry Springer” episode or “World Star” video. Ryan Lee is an Atlanta writer.
46 Columnists December 11, 2015 www.thegeorgiavoice.com
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