2014 11 • gay express november 2014 issue by GayExpress

Chris Parker

Fresh Face of Funny

Eddie Izzard’s Transgender Politics

Tackling HIV Stigma World AIDS Day 1 December November 2014

PLUS Shanghai Lil’s | Lesbian Dating Tips | FAFSWAG | Scene

& Gossip | Madonna Tour Rumours | Victor Roger | Foodies News

Contents 4

News Rainbow Rainbow Tick,Tick,

The Catholic Church, Eli The Catholic Church, Eli Matthewson, Lonely Planet Matthewson, Lonely Planet and and Auckland Auckland Pride.Pride.

From the Editor This issue I am pictured with one of NZ’s most prolific pop stars PattyBoy. Patty released his new EP Introspective Illusions onto NZ iTunes last month. I caught up with him at his workplace, the amazing Giapo ice creamery on Queen street for our delectable editorial pic! It is fantastic to see talented GLBT Kiwis like Patty expressing their art the way they want and putting it out there, simply the love of what they do! Talking of loving what you do, this issue is packed with proud GLBT’s whose jobs revolve around bringing laughter into our lives: check out our exclusives with Eddie Izzard, Chris Parker and Bryony Skillington and enjoy the issue. Cover: Chris Parker by Danilo

Shanghai Lil’s Reopens!

Grant Robertson

NZ’sgay firstPrime gay Prime Minister? NZ’s first Minister? 12

Eddie Izzard

His thoughts on transitioning His thoughts on transitioning and and political aspirations. political aspirations.

Chris Parker

Our fresh of funny. Our fresh face face of funny. 18

Facing HIV Stigma

WeHIV+ talk HIV+ Zealanders We talk New New Zealanders

about their experiences about their experiences and and how things can be improved. how things can be improved. 22

Apartment Living

spaces From From must must havehave greengreen spaces totips topon tips on what to avoid. to top what to avoid.

Santana David for express.

Bryony Skillington’s Dating Tips

Top advice for girl-on-girl Top advice for girl-on-girl meetings. meetings.

Principal sponsor

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NEWS

Same Sex Debate rages at the Vatican Can Pope Francis lead the Church into a more welcoming progressive future?

Contact Phone 09 360 7671 Fax 09 360 7663 2 Vermont Street Ponsonby Auckland info@gayexpress.co.nz

People Editor Oliver Hall 021 206 2902 editor@gayexpress.co.nz News Editor Levi Joule 027 973 3084 news@gayexpress.co.nz Advertising Cameron Hill 021 141 3681 advertise@gayexpress.co.nz Design Patric Seng design@gayexpress.co.nz

Publisher Cornerstone Publications Ltd PO Box 47514 Ponsonby, Auckland 1144 Printer Guardian Print

www.gayexpress.co.nz Ideas and opinions expressed in articles or advertisements in express are not necessarily representative of Cornerstone Publications Ltd. Publication of the name or photograph or likeness of any person in express is not to be construed as any indication of the sexual orientation of such persons or organisations and any similarity between individuals named or described in fiction articles and actual persons living is purely coincidental. Publication of any letters/ articles/photographs is at the discretion of the publishers and the right is reserved to withhold/alter/edit and comment on any article, letter, or advertisement published. Permission must be gained prior to reproduction of any articles or photographs contained in express. express’s list of mail subscribers is confidential and is not sold, rented or leased to anyone at any time. Orders for any products/ services advertised in express are made by readers at their own risk.

4 | November 2014 |

The past month has been a disappointing one for GLBT friendly and progressive Catholics. The Catholic Church turned its back on social progressivism at its recent synod. Just a few days prior, the Pope had made comments signalling what looked like a new direction for the church, more accepting and welcoming of homosexuals. As express was going to print the synod had only issued a preliminary report and has simply reaffirmed doctrine. The synod is not a meeting that will define church policy but merely a consultative meeting, widely believed to be a prelude to a third Vatican Council. However, what the synod suggests is that Pope Francis, who, for the Catholic Church has made great steps towards change, will face trouble with in the clergy if he does continue on his path of reform.

$25,000 Rainbow Tick Price Tag Questioned Concerns raised over costs for workplace LGBT inclusivity certificate. The Rainbow Tick is a confidence mark, designed to signal that a work place is a safe and welcoming place for the LGBT employees. Its focus is on the workplace and how employees are treated. Since it’s official launch in February, the Rainbow Tick has been awarded to law firm Simpson Grierson, Coca Cola Amatil and ASB.

Arch conservative and prominent critic of the Pope’s views on social issues, Raymond Burke, was recently demoted from his position at the top of the Vatican justice system – and, when asked who had made the decision to demote him, he answered “who did you think?” It is clear that the man at the top at least, wants to see the Church turn away from it’s conservative values and look towards accepting gays. Check www.gayexpress.co.nz for updates.

express was contacted by community members concerned by the costs involved in obtaining a Rainbow Tick certification. One notable institution told us they were quoted $20,000 for the entire package, for a five year period if paid in full at the beginning of the assessment, or $5,000 paid per annum for a five-year period. When express asked about the breakdown of the costs, program director Michael Stevens declined to comment saying “We’d rather discuss that with people when they approach us as it is part of our IP and commercially sensitive.” Stevens does however acknowledge there have been concerns around the cost saying, “we’ve heard that concern from some, but others have told us we are too cheap for the service we offer and should charge more.” Stevens says that the Rainbow Tick is currently set up for larger organisations, and that their costs have worked out to an equivalent level to similar services offered in Australia. He also points out that their programme needs to be selffunding, as there is has no backing from government. “We don’t believe it’s too expensive for the organisations we’ve currently been working with,” he tells us. Articles | Levi Joule. gayexpress.co.nz

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NEWS

Progress for GLBT Australians The Australian state of New South Wales has joined Victoria by passing a bill to extinguish historic gay sex convictions.

Lonely Planet: NZ 2nd Best for GLBT’s New Zealand has been named the second most “progressive, inclusive and accepting” destinations for GLBT travellers by the respected travel guide.

The Criminal Records Amendment (Historical Homosexual Offences) Bill 2014 was passed unanimously through the NSW Parliament. The bill establishes a scheme enabling people convicted of consensual homosexual conduct, prior to decriminalisation in 1984, to have their criminal records extinguished. In addition, it will

cover people convicted under unequal age of consent laws, which were in place until 2003. Last month, Victoria became the first state to pass a bill to extinguish historic gay sex convictions. Similar legalisation is set to be introduced in Tasmania this month. Article | Levi Joule.

Randa Headlines Rainbow Youth’s Anniversary Party

Lonely Planet’s Chris Zeiher writes that New Zealand’s “inclusive and progressive behaviour,” a ‘brilliant network’ of GLBT friendly homestays, plus our same-sex marriage laws as reasons for the high ranking. First place was awarded to Denmark’s capital Copenhagen.

A quarter of a century of one of our communities mightiest charities will be celebrated in style.

Since marriage equality was passed last year, NZ has been actively promoted to same-sex tourists in Australia and other Pacific nations where equality laws are less progressive. NZ made in onto five of Lonely Planet’s 2015 Top Travel Lists. Article | Levi Joule.

Rainbow Youth began in 1989 under the banner of ALGY (Auckland Lesbian and Gay Youth). Over the years the name changed, the brand’s ambition grew and from their K’ road base, Rainbow Youth (RY) became one of the largest youth-run, youth-led charitable organizations in the country.

Wynyard Quarter. The event will include performances from GALS choir and trans rap star Randa.

To celebrate this milestone achievement, RY are holding a 25th Reunion party, which will take place Wednesday 19 November at the ASB Cube (12 Jellicoe St) in

Email info@ry.org.nz or visit www.facebook.com/groups/ rainbowyouthalumni for more info.

RY is calling for past and present members to get in touch if they would like to attend the event, or if they have any stories and memorabilia that they would like to share.

Article | Oliver Hall.

Giveaways

Giveaways 3 x Graham Norton Book His autobiography The Life & Loves of a He Devil and for one lucky winner a life-size standee of Graham!

1 x Lush Gift Box Christmas goodies from the most fragrant manufacturer of natural hand-made toiletries Lush!

3 x DBL passes to Empire Empire is a 90 minute ‘theatrobatic’ in a 700 seat antique ‘Spiegeltent’. Tickets for Tuesday 6 January.

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6 | November 2014 |

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NEWS

Eli Matthewson Eyes Billy T Award

Pride Announce Parade Theme, Call for Registrations and Volunteers

The popular young gay comedian Eli Matthewson has again been nominated for the prestigious award.

The theme for the 2015 Auckland Pride Parade is ‘Gods & Monsters’ and will have a later start time of 7.30pm. Returning parade director, Richard Taki told express, the God’s & Monsters theme will be, “an opportunity for us to let our inner divinity come out gracefully or run rampant down Ponsonby Road. As a nation we have many deity’s, good and evil, that are part of our fabrication and across our cultural landscape we have many myths and legends, its these I am really excited to see.” Registrations for the Parade must be received no later than 5pm on Friday 16 January. Registration forms can be found at: www.aucklandpridefestivl.org.nz. Those wishing to register an event for Auckland Pride Festival 2015 have an earlier deadline of Friday 19 December and must contact Festival Director Julian Cook (festival@aucklandpridefestival.org.nz) prior to registering.

Matthewson (25) has been a highlight of the Auckland comedy scene for the past few years.

The festival is also calling out for volunteers. Anyone wishing to volunteer as a Parade Marshall can contact Murray Broadmore: murray@aucklandpridefestival. org.nz. The LYC Big Gay Out is also looking for help with the likes of traffic control, crowd control and collection buckets – register your interest at www. loveyourcondom.co.nz/big-gay-out/help-out/.

This year’s 22 applicants for the award were whittle down to finalists and judged on: comedic ability; talent; dedication; current form and outstanding potential. The finalists will perform at The NZ Comedy Festival’s Last Laughs on Sunday 17 May 2015. Article | Levi Joule.

Article | Oliver Hall. Photo | Auckland Council.

GABA’s Big Splash The GABA charitable auction and luncheon comes to Auckland’s waterfront Hilton Hotel on Sunday 9 November with a ‘Big Splash’ theme.

‘Burning Man’s James Luck’

Mika will host this year’s event, fresh from his Edinburgh Festival sell-out. The auction will include performances from Miss Leda Petit and the Burning Man Dance Company, plus music from DJ Samuel Holloway. The GABA charitable auctions have raised in excess of $260,000 over the last 15

years which has been distributed through community grants and scholarships. Tickets are $120 per person through tickets@gaba.org.nz. Doors open midday. Article | Levi Joule.

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PROFILE

The Ornate Opium Den Reappears Oliver Hall talks to Russell Green about the resurrection of Shanghai Lil’s, the cocktail jazz bar, with a thousand stories to tell! and I missed hosting our guests,” says Green, who confirms, “now we want to bring back the fun and energy it had. The problem with having a restaurant is it has to be run as a business because you have lots of staff, and it takes that energy out of you. I put the brakes on and thought – let’s go back!”

“We looked at Ponsonby Road when we were getting out of the Bird Cage in 2009 -10 but there were just no spaces available,” Shanghai Lil’s operator Russell Green tells express. “I think Ponsonby has changed in the last few years. I think it’s serving a younger crowd now. Shanghai Lil’s is a very eclectic venue and I think we are bringing a real point of difference to Ponsonby Road.”

The new venue at 212 Ponsonby Road, will see Farnell reunite with the original band who he famously played with in three and four-piece incarnations at The Birdcage. “We’ll play the classics,” he says with a smile. An acclaimed musician Billy was once invited on stage by Liberace to play in front of a packed house in Las Vegas.

Shanghai Lil’s began in late 2004 on Anzac Avenue. The warm opulent opium den interior created with endless antique furnishings and lavish touches of red velvet and gold silk; a contrast to the dark grimy street it sat on, with the Out Book Store just a few doors down. It’s owners Russell Green and Billy Farnell had met back in the eighties, working at the legendarily expensive Auckland restaurant The Bona Part on Victoria St West. “Main courses were up to $50, at a time where you wouldn’t pay more than $12 in most places… You have to remember back then the suburbs had nothing. Even Ponsonby was only Three Lamps. SPQR was a garage up until 1990.” Green was a young chef and Farnell worked as the restaurant’s jazz pianist. After moving in together the two accumulated a collection of oriental antiques and eventually decided they would like to run their own bar. “We wanted to give people not just a drink but a memory and a feeling of occasion,” Green explains.

8 | November 2014 |

At the beginning of 2006 the bar relocated to The Birdcage at the bottom of Franklin Road, where it stayed for nearly four years. In that time it grew in size, to match its increasing popularity, at one point taking over the venue’s conservatory and adorning it with cane lounge furniture and chandeliers. Shanghai Lil’s hosted

parties for the likes of TV3 and attracted incognito celebrities like Scarlett Johansson through its doors. At the end of 2009, the bar moved again this time to a venue in Parnell with full kitchen facilities, and became a restaurant. “I ended up spending all my time in the kitchen

“Even though we’ve always been openly gay, we never been fully emersed in the gay world,” says Green, explaining that Shanghai Lil’s will never be an exclusively gay bar because, “everyone brings another piece to the jigsaw puzzle.” Over the years he says he has introduced a number of couples at the bar, both gay and straight, “I’ve had about 30 or 40 people meet and go on first dates through me and have gone on to get married of Civil Unionised. I think that has happened because we make people feel comfortable, so they can find themselves in a position where they are happy to talk to people they’ve never met before.”

Article | Oliver Hall. Photo | Evan Donnelly. gayexpress.co.nz

Scene

NOW OPEN

Shanghai Lil’s Opening Night 212 Ponsonby Road. Friday 24 October. Photos | Tux Hika. Shanghai Lil’s reopened on Friday 24 October to a who’s who of the Ponsonby Scene. With Tobias an experienced cocktail barman mixing up the best in cocktails, the eclectic crowed were all pleased to see hosts Russell and Billy on the scene again. On the following night, the bar’s live band played those all time favourites which are such a part of Shanghai Lil’s attraction. Shanghai Lil’s is open Wednesday to Sunday nights each week. gayexpress.co.nz

Ph 09 360 0396

2 1 2 PONSONBY R OAD | November 2014 | 9

HOTTIE OF THE MONTH

Sammy Salsa A renowned Auckland-based stylist, Sammy Salsa rose to fame as the music host of Pacific Beat Street, where he worked for eight years interviewing NZ’s top musical talent. His passion for fashion led him to starts his own blog: Sammy Salsa Style, where he writes about the clothes and accessories he loves. The blog connected Salsa to many Polynesian youth who reached out to him for tips on how to dress, and after styling a shoot for a friend at Servilles Academy, Salsa decided this was the career for him. Salsa is currently helping out with the FAFSWAG Ball – which will take place on Saturday 15 November as part of the South Side Arts Festival. The baby of visual artist Tanu, the ball is a pacific take on the US culture of Vogue Balls which rose to prominence in the 80’s and was featured in the documentary: Paris Is Burning. FAFSWAG (standing for ‘Fafafine Swag’) is a brand that celebrates and documents emerging Queer Pacific Culture. Check them out at vwww.fafswagball.com. Photo, Hair & Make-up | Darren Meredith. Styling | Sammy Salsa.

10 | November 2014 |

gayexpress.co.nz

POLITICS

The Gay Prime Minister? Grant Robertson launched his bid for the Labour leadership at the Kings Arms in Auckland, announcing Auckland Central List MP Jacinda Ardern as his running mate. Levi Joule caught up with Robertson to discuss his potential to win. What is your vision for the Labour party and the country? That we are truly a part of the communities that we want to serve. We’re not just showing up at election time and asking for a vote, but that we are there in the communities campaigning on issues that reflect our values. I want the Labour party to lead on the issues of the future and I think that is something we haven’t done enough on... We are moving into an era where technology is changing the working experience of working people. We need to be ahead of that and the way that the gayexpress.co.nz

environment supports our economy. The growing gap between the rich and the poor, we need to have a strategy with how to deal with that… Do you think in recent times, Labour has fallen into the trap of telling New Zealander’s what to do? I think that is the perception and I don’t think we can deny that perception. We have to acknowledge that we have lost a connection with a lot of New Zealanders… Some in the media have raised the issue of your sexuality, how do you respond to that? Look, I am who I am... I didn’t get involved in the Labour party because I am gay; I got involved in the Labour party because of the values that Labour stands for. Being gay is a part of who I am, but it is not the determining factor in

whether I will be good in doing the job as leader. I genuinely believe that New Zealanders will judge me and in general judge people on their character and on their ability to do the job and I think that I can do this job for Labour. Outside of the media, do you think political opponents have made an issue of your sexuality for their own gain? I don’t know about that, I think that obviously for some people, this is an issue and people have all sorts of different beliefs and I respect those beliefs... I get that having a leader of the Labour party who is gay will be different than in the past. But my commitment is that I am here for Labour’s values and that I will act on behalf of all people who support the Labour party. How important is the GLBT community to Labour?

It’s been a community that has strongly supported Labour in the past and that is important because we have always stood by the GLBT community and that’s because of our values and that is because we believe in equality and fairness. My commitment to the GLBT community and to others is that I will stand up for those values of fairness and equality wherever I am. Article | Levi Joule. express readers believe that NZ is ready for a gay Prime Minister with 65% saying yes when asked: ‘Grant Robertson is a contender for the leadership of Labour. Do you think NZ is ready for a gay prime minister?’ on the latest poll on www.gayexpress.co.nz. Read Grant’s full interview at www.gayexpress.co.nz.

| November 2014 | 11

INTERVIEW

The Funny Business of Gender & Politics Eddie Izzard talks to Oliver Hall about his desire to transition, strategic success and political aspirations. Eddie Izzard has been heralded as the greatest British comedian of this age. His surreal Monty Python-esque humour has been embraced the world over. Izzard is quick to hug back, doing what no comedian has done before, performing the same show (Force Majeure which comes to New Zealand in February) in four different languages (French, German, Spanish and English) dependent on the native tongue of the country he is in. He won’t stop there, “I’ve got to do Russian, then I’ve got to do Arabic,” he tells us. It will be interesting to see how those countries react to Izzard’s heels and make-up. 2015 will mark the thirtieth anniversary of Izzard coming out as ‘transvestite’. Throughout our interview Izzard refers to himself as transgender. Explaining, “transvestites and transsexuals both come under the transgender umbrella - the only difference from my perspective is that transsexuals take hormones.” However he goes on to admit that even members of the gay community think he is lying when he says that he is attracted to women. “There is a big chunk of the out gay community who think I’m not being honest about it. I’m a male lesbian – this is what it genuinely feels like inside me … Why would I take all this shit for being transgender and lie about being gay? It’s insane. For thirty years I have stayed true to this… I would be happy to be gay. It seems illogical if you can put logic into genetics that I’m not gay or at least bisexual. For some reason I have been

12 | November 2014 |

given this hand out of genetic cards and I have to deal with them as I can. I’m a straight transvestite.” Izzard drops an unexpected bombshell when we ask if he has a desire to transition. “Yes! Everyday!” He replies, a comment he never made publicly before. So why in thirty years of being ‘out’, has Izzard not taken this step? “Because I seem to have a lot of boy genetics going on… I like doing male [acting] roles. I wanted to be in the army, I like playing football…” He does not feel he will change his mind on transitioning in the future either, “I think it’s easier to do when you are younger,” the 52 year old tells us. Comedy is not the only avenue that Izzard has excelled in. Since the mid-nineties he has been cast in a number of British and American films, and in recent years has been getting bigger and better parts often in gritty US dramas. Some writers in the British media have suggested Izzard has ‘toned down’ his cross-dressing to secure these parts. “Toned down sounds like I’m avoiding my sexuality. I told everyone I was a transvestite – how much more out could I be,” he responds, clarifying, “I have been tactical or strategic with it. So if I turn up for a gig like Dr Abel Gideon who I play on Hannibal, I don’t turn up in make-up and heels, because they’ll go ‘shit I don’t think this guy can do it’ – you want to try and turn

INTERVIEW up as the role you want to be. I have a lot of male hormones in me, so I can grow a beard if I need… At the moment I’m doing press with a beard but I have painted nails, heels and ear rings, so I do this minimal thing, lipstick and a beard don’t work for me. That’s my aesthetic choice. Some people get angry about that and tell me I can’t choose – I say fuck you – it’s my life and I always wanted to be an actor and I’m doing it my own way.” Over the next five years Izzard plans to wind down both his acting and comedic careers so he can focus on his political aspirations. Over the next two years he wants to keep a close eye of Britain’s next general election (scheduled for 7 May 2015) and the election for Mayor of London in 2016. Depending on the results he says he will either opt to become an elected politicial with the Labour Party or try for Mayor of London in 2020. He tells us he believes the LGBT community are all ‘Jedi Warriors’

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Article | Oliver Hall.

THE BASEMENT

JOE BLACK

Eddie Izzard’s Force Majeure World Tour will stop in Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and Auckland, this February. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster.

BOJANA NOVAKOVIC & MARK WINTER

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WITH THOMAS HENNING

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THE BLIND DATE PROJECT

New Summer Range Available

and that it is important for us all to strive for excellence in everything we do. “We want to be the best in our work, so people are saying, ‘we need someone who is LGBT or an ethnic minority or a woman, because they really deliver’, as opposed to a white male middle class guy who is just going to phone it in. Be your own personal Jedi warrior,” he advises.

| November 2014 | 13

The F u n n ie s t Hot young playwright Sam Brooks profiles the hot young actor/ comedian Chris Parker – a star of TV, Web and Stage that many are touting as the next big thing. It’s only a mild understatement to say that Chris Parker has taken the Auckland theatre scene by storm in the last year. From starring in the weekly hit improv show Snort to a memorable one-off performance as Tilda Swinton in last year’s A Basement Christmas Carol to being one half of the hilarious, avantgarde comedy show Tighty Whities with Hayley Sproull, Chris Parker is a hit wherever he goes. He’s also very, very busy with as many projects on the go as there are days in the week. The biggest of these gigs is writing this year’s Christmas show for The Basement; always a highlight of the theatrical year. Last year we had a y musical with A Basement m Christmas Carol, and this year C we have a murder mystery. “It’s called Hauraki Horror and it’s set on a celebrity cruise yacht because I was thinking y what does Christmas in New w ZZealand look like, and it’s a

whole bunch of celebrities who used to be on TV3 on yachts having a big party.” He’s co-writing it with an old stalwart of The Basement, Thomas Sainsbury, writer of last year’s delightfully filthy Janeece Gunton, TV’s Super City and recent Silo hit Sunday Roast. Chris speaks highly of the writing process with Sainsbury, “Tom is a genius in story and structure and we dreamed about what we wanted to do and plotted out a plot for it, and then we’d sit on a monologue each and I’d sort of dress up and start improvising dialogue … It’s turned into this weird like, French and Saunders kind of spin-off, our tastes very much align with those two women, so a lot of the humour is like that.” He also speaks excitedly about the people involved; the Christmas shows always have a rotating cast of actors, including Shorty Street stars like Amelia Reid, Basement

mainstays like Nic Sampson, and out of left field picks like Jacinda Ardern. “We’ve got Siobhan Marshall, and it’ll be all the Basement community who are kind of big deals. We forget that the people who hang out here are actually a thing, and it’s good to celebrate that.” Another big thing coming up for Chris is his New Zealand International Comedy Festival show called No More Dancing in The Good Room. “It’s about how I got banned from dancing in the good room, which is the room that had all of mum’s fancy furniture in our house because I was getting a bit too old and it wasn’t cute anymore and I was breaking things.” Chris was recently awarded the Creative Comedy Initiative for his idea for the show, which he says is a mixture of ‘dance, multimedia, sketch and a bit of sort of stand-up. It’s mainly funny storytelling.’ Parker also plays in Snort, an improv show that started last

PROFILE

Man in NZ! year at The Basement. Where other improv crews and nights have struggled, Snort flourishes. Parker explains the success simply: “None of us are racist, sexist or homophobic; we’re all young, we all love each other, we all love comedy and we’re really hard-working.” Now in its second year, Snort shows no signs of slowing down, with diverse crowds showing up in droves week after week. The things that Chris Parker does with his days could fill an entire magazine, from another collaboration with Thomas Sainsbury for Art in the Dark, a ‘Mexican wrestling dance mashup’ to the awkward web-series comedy Bachelor Pad; he’s the one to watch that you’re probably already watching! Article | Sam Brooks. Photos | Danilo Santana David. Styling | Tom Sainsbury.

gayexpress.co.nz

| November 2014 | 15

Scene

Ladies Love Lick! Libertine, Freeman’s Bay. Saturday 25 October. Photos | Jake Skipper. Lick’s second last party of the year had a great turn out of girls who like other girls, and all their friends. Vampires, skeletons and even ‘Where’s Wally’ were on display for their Halloween party at Victoria Park Market’s Libertine.

Snortingly Good! Basement Theatre, Auckland CBD. Friday 24 October. Photos | Evan Donnelly. Dynamic improv-comedy show Snort is the funniest night out in Auckland. This unadvertised recurring Friday night show at the Basement Theatre features a revolving cast of our favourite young comedians like Chris Parker, Tom Sainsbury, Eli Matthewson and Rose Matafeo. If you’re over 28, expect to feel old!

16 | November 2014 |

gayexpress.co.nz

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WORLD AIDS DAY

The Stigma of Being HIV+

Oliver Hall speaks to HIV+ New Zealanders and the heads of our leading HIV support services to learn about modern HIV stigma and how it can be overcome.

Official opening of Rose House (Positive Women premises). Attended by Helen Clark, Michel Sidebe, Executive Director of UNAIDS. Positive Women Inc. Judith Acryod (Left), Jane Bruning (Centre) Suzie Morrison (Right).

The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day (WAD) on 1 December is HIV Stigma. “HIV stigma is one of the most devastating parts of the virus,” say the New Zealand AIDS Foundation’s Executive Director Shaun Robinson. “There are no medications that can ease the effects of social isolation, or being avoided by family or friends or treated as someone to be feared. The impact of depression on selfesteem can affect how people look after themselves; it can make people avoid testing for HIV as they would rather not know their status. The best way to combat stigma is to show people as people, not defined by the virus.” Bruce Kilmister – CEO of HIV support group Body Positive, welcome’s this year’s WAD theme, because

18 | November 2014 |

the stigma of having HIV has not improved in recent years. “I measure this by today’s newly diagnosed young men. They seriously hide their HIV status and do not disclose to friends for fear of rejection and ridicule,” he tells us. Positive Women’s National Coordinator Jane Bruning says HIV related stigma is a very obscure phenomenon. “Rather than getting better or worse, it has changed. Most people know you can’t get HIV from hugging or touching… many people nowadays know someone who has HIV and are accepting, yet ask people how many of them would like to be in a sexual relationship with someone who has HIV and they won’t be so accepting. HIV related stigma is still around and is still just as

challenging and hurtful for those who experience it as it ever was.” HIV related stigma takes many forms. Wellingtonian Lance Kedzlie has been positive for 14 years. He believes the most import issue is positive people self-stigmatizing. “We feel guilty, we feel dirty; there’s this whole horrible issue about being openly HIV positive and feeling stigmatized by our own community.” He tells us, adding: “just look at the local dating sites to see the stigma out there. People questioning if you have any other STI’s by asking if you are clean or unclean… It’s a horrible label.” Kilmister too, notes ‘casual jokes’ and ‘put downs’ as equally damaging expressions of stigmas that exist in our community and lead back to positive people

labeling themselves the same way. Recent research presented by Auckland-based social worker Susan Mundt concluded that nearly half (47%) of the 213 positive people she surveyed in NZ, reported experiencing discrimination in the healthcare system due to their HIV status. Bruning and Kedzlie both concur, and gave us examples of insensitive treatment they had experienced within the medical practice. “I have had a health professional drop what they were holding and physically withdraw from me when I suggested she might want to wear some gloves before she took my blood as I have HIV,” says Bruning. “I choose to have some elective gayexpress.co.nz

WORLD AIDS DAY

Jewel Grimshaw

Bruce Kilmister

Lance Kedzlie

surgery done recently at a private hospital in Wellington,” Kedzlie tells us. “I had a big HIV sticker slapped around my arm for people to see as I was transported around the hospital. It made me feel like a complete leper.” Even more disturbing are reports of discrimination due to HIV stigma in the workplace. Jewel Grimshaw, now in her thirties, contracted HIV at age 17. She describes to us a time she was offered a job and disclosed her status to her employer in case she involved in an accident at work. “I was later told that the board had decided that I could no longer be offered the job because I was HIV+.” She says she later took the company to the Human Rights Commission, who ruled in her favour. gayexpress.co.nz

Everybody express spoke to drew the same conclusion that the only way to improve HIV stigma in NZ is through education. “It still distresses me today to hear people ask what it means to be HIV and can they contract it from a coffee cup. People are very naïve. More conversation needs to be had,” says Kedzlie. “More about the disease needs to be taught in schools.” Agrees Grimshaw, “Heterosexuals don’t think it’s going to happen to them.” “One of the most powerful tools I have witnessed in HIV destigmatisation is by people living with HIV, putting a face to it and speaking as educators,” Bruning tells us. “Once HIV is personalised it

is not so scary.” For those who are suffering from the affects of HIV stigma, the recommendations from those who have experienced the same, was again unanimous. As Kedzlie puts it, “Don’t sit there on your own. There are organisations and people out there that will love and support you through this process… Never be frightened to go out and ask for some support because it’s there.” If you would like to volunteer to help with bucket collecting this World AIDS Day, sign up at: www.nzaf.org.nz/participate/ world-aids-day Article | Oliver Hall.

Body Positive e 0800 448 5463 63 www.bodypositive.org.nz New Zealand AIDS Foundation 0800 802 437 www.nzaf.org.nz Positive Women 0800 769 848 www.positivewomen.org.nz INA (Maori, Indigenous & South Pacific HIV/AIDS Foundation) www.ina.maori.nz OUTlineNZ 0800 688 5463 www.outline.org.nz

| November 2014 | 19

Scene

Sexy Saturdays Family Bar, K Road. Weekends in October. Photos | Suki Zhang. Auckland biggest and gayest nightclub Family Bar has something for everyone. Topless men, sexy groups of girls and the playful staff go hand in hand with a good night out. Miss Ribena ever graciously keeps everyone in-line, and we can only imagine the punishment she could dish out! We love the new layout and stage area and the DJ interaction is such a hit!

20 | November 2014 |

gayexpress.co.nz

Your New Favourite Toy

Jerry Clayton BMW

Takapuna

LESS RULES. MORE PERFORMANCE.

BMW M 235i: Awesome! The 2 series is one of the latest editions to the BMW family, and is a midway coupĂŠ compromise between the ever-popular 1 and 3 series. I had the pleasure of driving the gorgeously fierce looking M 235i, which is the loudest and proudest edition of the 2 series so far. With an astonishingly powerful and responsive 6 cylinder twin-turbo powered engine, which gets you to 100 kmph in 4.8 seconds, this BMW feels second to none to drive. The M 235i can be driven ruff and hard, or soft and subtle with multiple engine and performance settings giving you the ultimate driving machine.

5IF čś&#x2018;STU FWFS #.8 . J JT IFSF #PBTUJOH B L8 TJY DZMJOEFS TwinPower Turbo engine, athletic prowess and bold styling, #.8ŃłT OFXFTU . 1FSGPSNBODF WFIJDMF IBT FYIJMBSBUJOH BHJMJUZ UP boot. As if that wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough, the M235i also comes standard XJUI FYDMVTJWF #.8 $POOFDUFE%SJWF UFDIOPMPHZ UIBU XJMM LFFQ ZPV VQ UP EBUF XJUI TPDJBM NFEJB PO UIF NPWF BOE čś&#x2018;OE ZPV UIF perfect soundtrack with radio stations from all over the world on 8FC 3BEJP 8JUI MFTT SVMFT BOE NPSF QFSGPSNBODF UIF čś&#x2018;STU FWFS BMW M235i has attitude to burn.

With its highly thought-out and luxurious interior, this Powerhouse is exceptionally comfortable to drive and there is no restraint or compromise when it comes to quality with this BMW, everything feels and looks quality. The M 235i is also equiped with an easy and fast to operate entertainment/navigation system that allows you to control the majority of the extensive list of its bells and whistles from one central location. Ultimately this is a vehicle with split personalities, the M 235i can be quiet as a mouse, or at the push of a button you have a powerful, loud, and noticeable coupe that has a bite as loud as its bark. Awesome!

Priced from $104,800 drive-away.*

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Vehicle supplied by Jerry Clayton, North Shore. Article | Matt Fistonich.

INTRODUCING THE FIRST-EVER BMW M235i. Jerry Clayton BMW -BLF 3PBE 5BLBQVOB www.jcbmw.co.nz #BTFE PO %SJWF "XBZ 1SJDF GPS B CSBOE OFX VOSFHJTUFSFE #.8 . J *U JODMVEFT (45 čś&#x2018;STU GVMM UBOL PG GVFM NPOUI SFHJTUSBUJPO BOE BMM PUIFS DPTUT SFRVJSFE GPS čś&#x2018;OBM EFMJWFSZ PG UIF WFIJDMF

HOME & LIVING

A Room with a View

As the Auckland Housing Market slips from the grasps of many potential first time buyers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; express askâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s do we really need a back yard?

For Aucklanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who have not yet stepped foot on the property ladder, that first rung has gotten awful high if you are hoping to achieve the quarter acre dream in your first step. Especially for those who work in or around the city â&#x20AC;&#x201C; central apartments are a truly viable option, with much more affordable two and three bed options than houses. In addition if you can find the right building, your home can boast

expansive views, far nicer than your neighbourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fence. The problem with apartments aside from potential close proximity to your neighbours is the lack of green spaces. But new apartment buildings coming on to the market look set to change that. Sugartree is once such example, Realtor Andrew Rumbles tells express, â&#x20AC;&#x153;SugarTree is centered around an immaculate courtyard â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a landscaped area with stately trees and sculptural water features. Green spaces are scattered throughout the development, so you can find your favourite place â&#x20AC;&#x201C; your very own secret garden, including a private rooftop garden just for residents.â&#x20AC;? With greener options like SugarTree popping up, apartment living continues to be the city slickers choice for the future. Article | Oliver Hall.

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HOME & LIVING

House Hunter with Michael Coote Michael Coote’s top five tips for apartment buyers: 1) Comparative shop till you drop – Check out as many different apartment buildings as you can to see what your money could buy. There’s wide variation in quality of location, buildings, neighbors, and value for money. Prefer apartment buildings with a high proportion of owneroccupiers and few rentals. Is there an on-site building manager? What about traffic or nighttime noise?

these through. Beware of issues recorded like leaky buildings, looming big maintenance bills, or disputes. Google the building for media reports on it. 4) Prefer apartments built on their own freehold land – Not having a share of ownership in the land is a big risk. Apartments built on leasehold land can have their value destroyed by lease hikes.

2) Use informed sources - Ask a trusted real estate agent to help look for what you’re after. Consult with a mortgage adviser about the best loan deals.

5) Extract value from a carpark or storage space – Carparks and separate storage units attached to apartment ownership are valuable in the city, so find out who you’re allowed to rent them to if you don’t intend to use them.

3) Research the body corporate thoroughly – Obtain the rules, minutes of meetings, legal and financial records, etc. Have your solicitor read

Have you had a issue with a Body Corp? Contact express and let us know your story: editor@gayexpress.co.nz

Michael Coote is an authorized financial adviser at AMP who can advise on mortgages, insurances and KiwiSaver, contact (09) 337 7374 or michael_coote@amp.co.nz. A copy of his disclosure documents is available free on request.

CHRISTMAS

Our ultimate Christmas Gift Guide: $

100

Gift Certificate Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra

Auckland Philharmonia Gift Certiﬁcates A perfect gift for classical music lovers or a great way to introduce friends to the orchestra. Certificates come in $50, $100 or $250 denominations and are redeemed through the APO ticketing office for any APO concert(s) in their stunning 2015 line up including Turadot, Enigma Variations and The planets. (Call 09 623 1052 or buy online at www.apo.co.nz/gift-certificates.)

Auckland Theatre Company Gift Vouchers Auckland theatre Company had an incredible 2014 with sell-outs of the likes of Fallen Angels, Other Desert Cities and Once on Chunuk Bair and rock-juggernaut Jesus Christ Superstar. From mid November you can buy gift vouchers for: the 2015 comedies and dramas, an all show pass that gets you into the musicals too, or a custom voucher for the dollar amount of your choice.

Owen & Fred - Hey Handsome Toilet Bags Literally just arrived from Brooklyn. All men will fit everything they need for a weekend trip or extended summer holiday at the bach. Check out the nickel hardware, leather handle and accents, and a screen printed ‘little wink’ message on the interior. ($95 from www.OneMan.co.nz. Free Courier Delivery all over NZ.)

24 | November 2014 |

Christmas treats from Devonport Chocolates Wake up to this mega tablet in dark or milk chocolate, adorned with a hand decorated message and whirls of Christmas lights. Mounted on cake board and packaged in an acetate box, tied with a bow. (Available from Ponsonby, Queens Arcade and Devonport Stores or online www.devonportchocolates.co.nz)

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Electric Toothbrush

Chocolate Leather Man Bag

Give a present he can smile about! The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean is clinically proven to remove up to 100 per cent of plaque from hardto-reach places compared to a manual toothbrush, improve gum health in only two weeks and whiten teeth in one week ($300 from major department and electronics stores).

It’s time to embrace the man bag, and this super sort 100% chocolate brown leather offering from Working Style is seriously huggable! With a magnetized closure feature for convenience, this satchel is suitable for any fashionista occasion. ($490 from Working Style.)

gayexpress.co.nz

Scene Bintang Models First Anniversary Sofitel Hotel, Auckland Saturday 18 October. Photos | Suki Zhang. When express’ designer Patric Seng isn’t pushing out NZ’s only GLBT magazine he puts on his model scout hat and assists young aspiring models reach their dreams. At his agency, Bintang Model’s Bond-chique 1st birthday, guests were treated to Champagne, canapés and a runway show styled by Sammy Salsa! gayexpress.co.nz

| November 2014 | 25

THEATRE

Mutual Shags, Amy Winehouse and a Good Spoon Actress, comedian and karaoke queen Bryony Skillington discusses the ins and outs of girl on girl dating with Lydia Zanetti. There’s so many stereotypes around women who date women – but Bryony Skillington doesn’t usually go for that sort. Except her first girlfriend. “She told me she loved tongue piercings so I went and got one,” Bryony says. “That made me feel more like a lesbian. When I see straight women with one I think – you’ve probably done something with a vagina!” So, she’s done some of the cliché stuff too. Not that she agrees with the terminology either - “it seems archaic to only be with one gender and identify as such,” she says. A recent graduate from the “lesbian school of doc martins”, Bryony has bought her first pair at 32. “Finally come into my own!” she quips, but on a more serious note feels much more comfortable in her skin recently. “I came out to my grandmother and my extended family and they were like tell me something I don’t know,” she laughs. Her parents on the other hand are mostly just stoked she’s found someone who bakes, knits and isn’t stronger than her dad. “Which was always going to be hard,” Bryony grins. Hailing from Manchester, UK, when Bryony arrived in Tauranga she thought lesbians didn’t exist in New Zealand. So she’s glad to be in

26 | November 2014 |

Auckland which she reckons has a slightly larger community than Wellington where she studied at Toi Whakaari Drama School. “My ex in Wellington and I only had one mutual shag,” she says, “and that was good going.” But people have more joy down there, she thinks. “People in Auckland are always in transit and so you never have any time to see how beautiful people really are.” Although her friends set her up with her current girlfriend, Bryony’s usual wooing technique is to take them to karaoke. Which is ironic, as she is playing the manager in a karaoke bar for her latest play The Blind Date Project with Silo Theatre. “Go to karaoke and sing Back to Black in a sultry voice,” she suggests, “then it’s all over! Except I’m not singing all the time so the facade fades…” Bryony says the best pick up line she has heard, came from a girl she took out dancing. She said: I’m too drunk to have sex tonight, do you like morning sex? “I was like YES! And she replied – great! Let’s spoon!” Bryony Skillington performs in Silo Theatre’s The Blind Date Project at The Basement Theatre from Tuesday 4 to Saturday 29 November. Tickets through www.ticketmaster. co.nz or call 09 970 9700. Article | Lydia Zinetti. gayexpress.co.nz

THEATRE

Skillington’s top ways to work out if the girl you like, likes girls? 1. She has a tongue piercing! In fact more than average number of piercings in general is a good sign! 2. Obscure tattoos. If they don’t mean anything to anyone but her – you’re in! 3. Side shave (hairstyle). It’s a dubious test, but an undercut usually means you’re getting warm – and hopefully wet! 4. Thumb rings. If it’s silver, she’s kinky to boot!

Norfolk Island’s luxury 5 star accommodation property. Absolute seclusion and relaxation. Highly personalised service. Created with you in mind. P: 0800 TINSHEDS | E: tinsheds@norfolk.net.nf | www.tinshedsnorfolkisland.com WINNER 2014

A S K U S A B O U T O U R H O N E Y M O O N & W E L L B E I N G PA C K A G E S

Scene

Launch night of Artweek Silo Park Friday 10 October. Photos | Oliver Hall. Now in its fifth year, Artweek unites eight Auckland neighbourhoods in a citywide celebration. From pop-up exhibitions from the likes of Rainbow Youth to Auckland Art Galleryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandiose Light Show, it was a visual feast. The launch saw the inside of a Silo decked-out with video installations for the art worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movers and shakers.

28 | November 2014 |

gayexpress.co.nz

GROOMING

Awash with Grooming Knowledge Mark Toner founded NZ men’s grooming website www. oneman.co.nz after returning to NZ from London. A trainedlawyer, Mark got into the beauty business to give kiwi men the choices that Brits and Yanks have enjoyed for years. express gets his top tips. Have you noticed any differences between most straight and most gay men’s grooming rituals? As one doesn’t want to generalize so I’ll defer to what the market research tells us. Gay men have been early adopters of male specific grooming products and now demand more advanced products to target specific concerns - clay masks, eye cream, night moisturisers for example. Recent surveys reveal that gay men spend more time getting ready in the morning than their straight counterparts - thus more attention to detail in his shower, shave and skin care routine. What are the most common grooming mistakes you have come across and what are the best ways of avoiding them? Not investing in the prep for a shave. The hair on your face is thick and can be as tough, which makes it uncomfortable to shave. Try a pre-shave oil first then apply a quality shaving formula that is full of moisturizing ingredients and let it sit on your face for a couple of minutes after you lather, before you shave. This will soften your hair, and you will experience better glide with your razor and a closer, more comfortable shave.

protecting your skin from the sun’s damaging rays, you’re fighting a losing battle. Not including an exfoliator in one’s weekly ritual. Using a facial scrub washes away dirt, pollution and the dry skin which otherwise can trap oils and sweat during the summer months causing breakouts. Enduring rather than enjoying a daily shave. Not all our father’s taught us to shave properly and most guys can benefit from adding a few steps into their shaving ritual. For example, dragging a razor across un-exfoliated skin will push dead skin into pores, causing red bumps and irritation. Our grooming 101 series on the website is proving popular and is offering all men some extra bathroom tips.

Try googling some of the ingredients of $7.99 supermarket products that men are applying daily to their biggest asset - their face; just to clarify! Article | Oliver Hall. Photo | Tux Hika. Check out Mark’s website: www.oneman.co.nz Read the full interview at www.gayexpress.co.nz

We have seen an influx of men’s facial products invade the supermarket shelves over the few years – why is it worth purchasing more expensive products like the ones you sell?

Not using SPF daily. The daily use of SPF is the easiest and most effective way to protect the skin from skin cancer and prevent signs of aging. You can use all the moisturizer and anti-aging formulas in the world, but if you’re not actively gayexpress.co.nz

|N November ovem embe ber 2 20 2014 014 01 14 | 29 29

MUSIC

Bow Down to the Queens! Five of music’s hottest names are descending on NZ, and rumourss of one more could be the biggest announcement yet! 1

Mariah – 13 November

Katy Perry – 19 December

Rufus Wainwright – 13-15 March

Sam Smith – 23 April

Ricky Martin – 17 April

Madonna - TBA?

For the very first time Mariah Carey will adorn kiwi crowds with her five-octave voice. The most successful female singer-songwriter of all time – her Elusive Chanteuse Tour may have gotten off to a bumpy start in Asia, but recent videos of her performing perennial hit Hero have showed the charismatic diva’s high notes are back on track. Katy Perry is still ranking up hit after hit, and will only have herself to compete with when she touches down at Auckland’s Vector. Can Perry top her California Dreams tour, which left the arena smelling like cotton candy? We have heard the Prismatic Tour’s light show has to be seen live to be believed. The Womad Festival have announced that creative genius Rufus Wainwright will be one of the festival’s headliners alongside Shinead O’Connor! Heralding from a family of musical prestige, Wainwrights soulful tone and whimsical storytelling give him a stage presence like no other. Sadly he married husband Jorn Weisbrodt in 2012. One man who is yet to have a ‘ring on it’, is Sam Smith who arrives in April. Already selling

30 | November 2014 |

out arenas after just one album, check out Smith’s performances of his mighty ballads Stay y With Me and Not The Only One to see why! Fingers crossed he’ll be hitting the bars after hiss gig! April will be quite the month, as our favourite Latin lover Ricky Martin will bring his La Vida Loca to Auckland. It’s been a decade since Martin was shaking up a storm with his ‘Bon Bon’, but we’ve heard his pelvic thrust hasn’t missed a step! DILF lovers note, he may be looking for a shoulder to cry on since his split from partner Carlos Gonzalez Abella! Finally we have heard unconfirmed rumours that her Madgesty may be announcing her firstt ever NZ concert in the next couple of months! Madonna is said to be releasing a new album (rumoured to be called Rebel Heart) before Christmas, and will simultaneously announce tour dates. Just as her last tour MDMA, covered territories she had not previously performed in such as Moscow and Abu Dhabi, so too will this one! Are you ready? Article | Oliver Hall.

gayexpress.co.nz

HOT COUPLES

Jessie & Ricki

Thomas & Benhard

Jessie and Ricki met in Timaru and recently became TV’s hottest couple appearing on TV One’s My Kitchen Rules where they were dubbed ‘The Christchurch Cuties’! In their interview with www.gayexpress.co.nz they describe their reality show experience as ‘harder’ then expected, but were thrilled to form close friendships with the show’s other couples. They say they didn’t want to make a big deal about being a couple on the show because, “it’s not a big deal.” But confirm that they have received lots of positive response from the public, apart from, “the odd opinionated person on social media.”

Thomas Bradley (bottom) and Bernhard Knauer (top) are two of the gorgeous dancers from Sydney Dance Company who return to NZ this month, for the first time in a decade. Their new show 2 One Another is described as ‘an exultant and sensual study human interaction and relationships’ – choreographed by the equally gorgeous Rafael Ronachela (google him)! See Thomas and Benhard perform at the Aotea Centre from Thursday 13 to Saturday 15 November. Photo | Ellis Parrinder.

Read their full interview at www.gayexpress.co.nz

gayexpress.co.nz

TRAVEL

Try Vietnam for something fresh!

Fast food Vietnam-style Travel scribe Richard Todd explains getting off the beaten track can be worthwhile – especially if the alternative is a few weeks in Vietnam! After many enjoyable breaks over the years in Bali I could not stop noticing – and getting aggravated – by the often filthy beaches, expensive hotels in Seminyak and non existent infrastructure. So I recently tried South Vietnam and have to report I really enjoyed my time here and in a little over 2 weeks managed to fit in a real mix of experiences while still having a week to blob on a pristine beach. Somewhat surprisingly the airfare to Saigon (Ho Chi Min City) can be lower than to Bali. Best is through Harvey World Travel who have a via Sydney route with Vietnam Airlines. Full service too – only hassle was Sydney airport which was on a go-slow so my luggage spent 2 days before it reached me in Saigon. Lonely Planet describes the swarms of motorbikes in HCMC as being of “biblical proportions”.

32 | November 2014 |

How accurate! But a real surprise was the order and beauty of the place. Over 100 years of French rule have left a sophisticated city that is built around wide boulevards and well kept central parks. The great fresh food is a given and interesting sites include the American War Museum and Independence Palace, the home of the old South Vietnamese ruler complete with heli pad and Gestapo like dungeons. Displays of wealth are everywhere to be seen including top end shopping centres. A further treat is Dalat which is an 8 hour trip by sleeper bus into the cool highlands. A sort of Swiss resort in Indochina! My favourites here were a French lunch at Café de la Poste and the last Emperor’s Art Décor Palace, both time capsules from the 1950’s. Being a motorbike nut I was keen to experience “Easy Riders” a motorcycle tour outfit that have a range of multi day trips centred in Dalat. My friendly rider took me through forests and villages down deserted country roads and into coffee plantations to my next destination, MuiNe on

the coast. This is a 10 kilometer strip of resorts, shops and bars along a beautifully clean beach. Hundreds of fishing boats ply the coast so fish restaurants are everywhere. Just get used to eyeing what you are going to eat while it is still alive first! Joe’s Bar with its live music is the place to hang out. My small resort was just great. I had a beach front room (actually a separate bungalow) with a great breakfast all for about $55 per night! The other guests were interesting too – and because of its small size everyone was friendly soon enough including attractive young Russians with perfect English. Wealthy Vietnamese crowded the resort out at the weekend to add to the cosmopolitan mix of the place. Even a few New Zealanders! One came here 10 years ago and never left! He opened a wine bar over the road and “started to live!” True he came from Invercargill but I suspect the beauty that was working with him could have been another reason! So consider Vietnam for your next break! Article & Photo | Richard Todd. gayexpress.co.nz

EAT

Foodie Bites

Spicy! Culley’s are one of our favourite Artisans at any market in Auckland. Their sauces are some of the best we’ve tasted and the green chilli, chipotle and hickory flavours are pantry staples in my house. They’re a lot bigger these days than when they started in Clevedon, but despite getting into larger outlets, they still do the markets to connect with their customers. Don’t be afraid, these are sauces with flavour not just kick and they have something for every spice threshold. www.culleys.co.nz

Cheesy! Cheese lovers in Milford will be happy to know they have a new place to get their fix on the Shore. The Cheese Room has just recently opened, a more permanent retail outlet for the ‘NZ Cheeseman’ you might have seen at local markets. They sell chutneys, artisan crackers and fresh herbs as well as shelf upon shelf of gorgeous cheese. Happy days. 146 Kitchener Road, Milford, Auckland. Facebook: Cheese Room, Milford.

gayexpress.co.nz

Tasty!

New Face on K Road

Taste of Auckland will be at its new home at Western Springs for the first time from 13-16 November this year. It’s always a great event and, as usual, some of our favourite restaurants will be in attendance - Depot, Oyster Inn and Farina just to name a few. It’s a bit of a different line up to years past and there are also some new additions to the event like the Dilmah Tea Garden, NZ Avocado Urban Garden Party and the G.H.Mumm Champagne Bar. As always it will be lots of fun and a great way to sample what Auckland food has to offer. www.tasteofauckland.co.nz

We are very excited about the new food and wine bar that will be gracing our lovely K Road this month (no opening date confirmed at time of print). With owners like Ismo Koski (ex Maitre d’ of Sidart and Merediths) and his partner Leslie Hottiaux, (ex sous chef at The Grove and Baduzzi) this has the potential to be our new favourite place in Auckland. Amazing food, boutique beers and unique handchosen wines from New Zealand and all over the world are promised. And we know they’ll deliver. APERO, 280 Karangahape Road, Auckland.

Degustation Donation Just when we thought the gorgeous Michael Meredith couldn’t get any more attractive, we found out that he does a special dine by donation night on Tuesdays at his highly awarded restaurant, Merediths . You can have a four-course degustation menu and then pay what you feel the meal is worth (drinks separate), with the entire donation going to a rotating list of charities including Home and Family counselling and Cure Kids. Beautiful food with heart, what a fantastic combination. Merediths, 365 Dominion Road, Auckland, www.merediths.co.nz

Article | Alexia Santamaria. Alexia xia is the co-author of popular blog www. w. cheapeats.co.nz the Auckland guide to eating great food without ut going bankrupt.

Meet Your Community Playwright Victor Rodger. Black Faggot is potentially the most accurate depiction of young gay men in this country I have seen – how much of this was based on real experiences? It was a mixture of real inspiration and creation. Sione, the hustler character, was based on a guy I met and in real life that egg is a lawyer! Christian, who tries to pray the gay away, he was vaguely based on me, since I was raised as a born again Christian and totally felt bad about wanting to be stranded on a desert island with Tom Selleck ...

identified as a Kiwi who happened to have a Samoan father. Growing up, I had very little contact with my Samoan father or, indeed, the Samoan world. But once I dipped my toe into that world - oy vey, as they say ...

Kiss & Tell

What is the most exciting thing about writing for Shortland Street? My proudest moment writing for Shortland Street was getting Nicole (Sally Martin) to say ‘bolo’ in a scene with Pua Magasiva. Ask the most handsome Samoan man you know what that means if you’re in the dark.

r Powerful women, catfights, models and attempted arson! This story has everything! She was once NZ fashion’s hottest L Word and now she’s in the Outhouse after being pushed out by her partners. My bet is the agency she’s creating will take her back to the top, but darling, setting fire to bins will get you sent down!

How was coming out for you? Well, I came out at 25 when I fell in love for the first time. I was so in love I wanted to share that news with my mother especially. But I’d resisted coming out before because I knew she would think she was responsible for me being gay because she was a single parent - and I wanted to avoid that. But before I fell in love, it was totally something I tried to hide from my family and, indeed, most of my friends.

Summer might finally be here – what’s your top picks for the hot season? I wanna get back to Anaura Bay on the East Coast. Hands down my favourite spot in Aotearoa. There’s nothing there, but it’s the one place in the world where I’ve stood on the beach and just felt everything just kind of drop off me in a beautiful kind of ‘aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh’ way.

Being afakasi is an important element of your new show At The Wake, which is based on the fictional story of your Scottish grandmother and Samoan father having to be in the same room together (an event that never happended) at your mother’s funeral. Was this hard for you growing up? It only became hard when I started to identify with the Samoan side of myself. I was raised by my palagi mother and my palagi grandparents. Until the last year of high school I simply

34 | November 2014 |

What three things couldn’t you live without? I would feel claustrophobic without the ocean, go mad with no internet and without my body what would I be? A gas? Victor’s new black comedy At The Wake starring Robbie Magasiva and Taofia Pelesasa will play at Auckland’s Herald Theatre from Tuesday 25 November to Saturday 6 December. Tickets through Ticketmaster. Read Victor’s full interview at www.gayexpress.co.nz.

r He’s tall and gets even more handsome with age, but this news-man is married and that momentary bi-phase is done! So why was TV’s hottest hair and wardrobe guy still trying to bed him at the Music Awards nomination announcement? Things got messy when he ignored the advice of friends and got thrown out by security. Sober-up sweety! r So the president stepped down because his deputy found close to 10K of embezzled cash in his bag! This is a lesson to never hire the guy you ran against, because he won’t back you up, in fact he took it right to the top. And what was he planning to do with that money you ask? Spend it in gay paradise Sitges of course! r You have been around long enough to know you have to move on! Stop moping that your star left and is now making big in Sydney. Stop focusing on your foursomes. Worry about the real problem, that the guys actually making some money in your town are planning on moving-in across the street. Wake-up and smell the bankruptcy boys!

gayexpress.co.nz

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