FROM THE EDITOR
THE LAST FEW WEEKS OF SUMMER
Here we are, the last few weeks of summer and preparing for the Autum months and, yes, the Pumpkin Spice Lattes. So, enjoy your September. October will be here soon enough beginning with a bumper crop of events, ranging from Red Dress Party San Diego, Pride Under the Pines in Idyllwild, various Halloween events, Palm Springs Leather Pride, and yes, Palm Springs Pride.
And speaking of Pride, GED has several events during Palm Springs Pride Weekend –from DRAG-A-LICIOUS, to THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, to DISCO PLAYHOUSE Pool Party, to the largest pool party during Pride weekend, and our signature event - COLOSSAL POOL PARTY. Visit GEDmag.com and click on the PALM SPRINGS PRIDE tab for all the events, information, VIP Passes, and tickets.
The GED Magazine Team is committed to bringing you the best in LGBTQ entertainment, travel, and lifestyles. Visit us on the web at GEDmag.com and sign up for our monthly insider newsletter. Insiders will also be entered into future drawings for trips, event tickets, dinners and more. And for all the updates on social media, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @GEDmagazine and tag us in your photos to be featured… #GEDmag. GED MAGAZINE is here for YOUR entertainment!
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
MARKETING
FEATURES WRITER
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Michael Westman
Cesar A Reyes
Christopher Jackson Alexander Rodriguez
Billy Francesca
Daniel Hirsch
Michael Westman
Sister Roma
Stan Jenson
Steve Gottfried
EDITORIAL INQUIRIES info@gedmag.com
— MICHAEL WESTMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ADVERTISING SALES
Eric Davis
Southern CA Account Manager eric@gedmag.com
Jim Delyea
Northern CA Account Manager jim@gedmag.com
NATIONAL ADVERTISING SALES Rivendell Media 212.242.6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com
PUBLISHER 800.818.0480 info@gedmag.com
Advertisers in GED Magazine acknowledge that they do business in the spirit of cooperation, fairness and service, maintaining a high level of integrity and responsibility. Providers of products or services are fully and solely responsible for same as advertised. GED Magazine assumes no responsibility or liability for improper or negligent business practices by advertisers. The appearance of any person, model, business or organization in this publication, by name, advertisement or photograph is not an indication of sexual orientation.
Advertisers and their agencies assume all responsibility and legal liability for the content of their advertisements in GED Magazine. Publisher assumes no liability for safe-keeping or return of unsolicited art, manuscripts or other materials.
GED Magazine reserves the right to edit all material for clarity, length and content. All contents are copyright Bent Share Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved. Content may be reproduced with written permission.
GED Magazine assumes no liability for any claims or representations contained anywhere in this magazine and reserve the right to cancel or refuse advertising at publisher’s discretion.
Model: Kyle Chan
Photo by: Taylor Mcwhorter
RIDE THE CYCLONE: Like gay bars, the existence of gay theatres has dwindled over the past decade or so. Los Angeles’s Celebration Theatre and Orange County’s Theatre Out have sadly shut their doors and San Diego’s Diversionary seems to have fewer productions each year. Fortunately, one of the best – San Francisco’s New Conservatory Theatre Company –is still going strong. They have been in consistent operation since 1981 with the same Artistic Director, Ed Decker, still at the helm. This year’s season kicks off with Ride the Cyclone, a musical with book, music and lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brook Maxwell, directed and choreographed by Stephanie Temple with musical direction by Ben Prince. Reaching for the skies takes on a whole new meaning when six members of a Canadian chamber choir take a fateful rollercoaster ride to the great beyond. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell a story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. Both madly hilarious and surprisingly introspective, this award-winning musical poses the question of what makes a life well-lived, or in some cases, worth saving. Called “Delightfully weird and just plain delightful” by The New York Times, I have never seen anything at this little jewel box of a theatre that wasn’t an absolute joy! Playing 9/20 – 10/20. www.nctcsf.org
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS: Another consistently wonderful theatre company is San Diego’s Old Globe, located in the gorgeous Balboa Park. My top recommendation is to catch their outdoor production of Shakespeare’s Henry VI, parts 1 and 2, which I have mentioned earlier this summer, but also a strong contender is their production of Murder on the Orient Express by Ken Ludwig, who may well be the most performed playwright of his generation. He has had six productions on Broadway and eight in London’s West End. His 34 plays and musicals are staged around the world and throughout the United States every night of the year. They have been produced in over 20 languages in more than 30 countries, and many have become standards of the American repertoire. His first play, Lend Me a Tenor, won two Tony Awards and was called “one of the classic comedies of the 20th century” by The Washington Post. Crazy for You was on Broadway for five years, on the West End for three, and won the Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Musical. We all know Agatha Christie’s masterpiece Murder on the Orient Express –whodunnit on a train traveling through Europe, where a wealthy American tycoon is found dead in his compartment, the door locked from the inside. Enter world-famous detective Hercule Poirot, who must navigate a train full of suspects and solve the murder before the killer strikes again. But, this is a chance to see it performed live by a top-notch professional company, hopefully combined with a few nights of partying in San Diego during the dog days of summer! Plays at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre 9/7 – 10/6. www.theoldglobe.org
DRACULA, A COMEDY OF TERRORS: San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre is actually a complex of three different stages. I just noticed that late this month they are premiering a new work, Dracula, a Comedy of Terrors in their smallest theatre, The Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre. They invite us to celebrate Halloween with a new side-splitting adventure based on Bram Stoker’s classic tale that’s sure to induce blood-curdling screams—of laughter! Famed vampire hunter Jean Van Helsing and her motley crew chase Count Dracula around the English countryside in a madcap race to save his innocent victims. Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen return to The Old Globe following their wildly popular Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show! and Crime and Punishment, A Comedy. Filled with their signature imaginative staging, irreverent farce, and special effects, this hilarious scare-fest is the perfect way to get spooky this season! Could be a lot of fun, but it’s all new to me. Playing 9/20 – 10/27, with an LGBTQIA+ night on Friday, October 4th. www.theoldglobe.org
THE BENT: As other gay theatre companies have been laid to rest, Palm Springs’ vibrant LGBTQ+ company, The Bent, is preparing for their third season and they are literally a very hot ticket. Performing at the Palm Springs Cultural Center (formerly the Camelot Cinema), they are using reserved seats for the upcoming season, and those seats are selling quickly. The season starts with F**king Men by Joe DePietro. A fascinating, funny and provocative story of sex, love and connection as it follows ten men through a series of erotic encounters that change their lives in small but significant ways. A smash hit in London, F**king Men takes a sharp and insightful look at the experiences of modern gay men as they navigate their conflicting desires for the comfort of monogamous love and the thrill of sexual freedom. 10/11 – 10/27. Followed by I’ll Eat You Last: A Chat With Sue Mengers by John Logan. About real life 1970’s ruthless super-agent Sue Mengers. Bette Midler earned raves playing Mengers in the Broadway premiere. The New York Times describes Logan’s Mengers as “dropping names as if to the rhythm of a disco beat, snapping out wisecracks like acid-tipped darts that find the sweet spot every time and proffering profanity-laden advice about how to get ahead in show business” all while waiting for Streisand to call and fire her. Academy Award nominated actress Cathy Moriarty will be starring as Sue Mengers! Moriarty was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress as well as a Golden Globe and the British Academy Award, for her film debut in RAGING BULL with Robert DeNiro. 12/6 – 12/22.
February brings Perfect Arrangement by Topher Payne. Inspired by the true story of the earliest stirrings of the gay rights movement. This hard to believe but historically accurate tale merges madcap sitcom-style laughs with provocative drama as two closeted U.S. State Department employees struggle to maintain their cover – and their sanity – in 1950s America. These married co-workers not only share a secret, but they are also next-door neighbors who share a wall. 2/6 – 2/16.
The season rounds out with The Cake (4/4 – 4/12) and The Inheritance Part One (5/9 – 5/25).
If you are reading this, chances are you visit Palm Springs at least once a year or live there. This is a theatre company you want to get to know, and a season ticket is a wise investment. www.thebent.org
carlet Envy (just one T in Scarlet because, in her words, “too much T isn’t good for anyone”) has been a fixture in the Werk Room since 2019, as she waltzed her way into the 11th season of Drag Race, announcing that “the world wants me, and the feeling is mutual.” Indeed, she has risen to the top in the world of drag. Though she has yet to win a crown, she has become a fan favorite and has gone on to appear in All Stars season 6 and Drag Race: UK vs the World this last year. Beyond the reality TV show, she has established herself as a stand-alone brand with appearances on stage and television, with a recent premiere of her new cabaret show Bad Advice (that debuted at The Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York) and a book of poetry titled She’s A Poet. She’s a busy Queen Bee with no signs of slowing down.
The glamour queen that’s currently taking the stage is a far cry from the young, queer boy growing up in Kentucky. Raised by two moms, he spent his early years playing sports. Yes, sports.
Life was good growing up in Kentucky. I learned to appreciate bourbon. Growing up, I ran cross country and track. Mom says I was “running from my feelings.”
Scarlet wouldn’t have to wait long after blossoming to start her drag journey.
My first exposure to drag was in high school. My mom hired Pristine Decay, a Joan Rivers impersonation act for a big Halloween party. She interviewed guests on the red carpet as they arrived. I was fascinated!
S ENVY -OUS SCARLET ENVY’S
She would leave Kentucky to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology to get her degree in advertising design. During this time, Scarlet was born. She first entered a competition and was bitten by the entertainment bug, learning from the pageant and competition world what skills she would need to hone to succeed.
I’ve never competed in a real pageant. It’s all taken very seriously, EOY and Continental and the like. The closest I’ve gotten was losing Miss Cherry’s
BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ
to Boudoir Le Flur in Fire Island one year. I learned that I like wearing big dresses and that I can make them myself, those were two breakthroughs for me. I like the beauty queen aesthetic, but Drag Race is not a pageant, it’s a reality television show.
Favorite part about doing drag? The glamour.
DRAG JOURNEY
Least favorite part about doing drag? The heels.
Scarlet auditioned for Drag Race four times before she was cast. We have all heard about those laborious audition tapes, what was it about Scarlet’s fourth audition that earned a place in the Werk Room?
I’ve never released my audition tape(s). I included a very unhinged monologue for the acting section where I played Joan (Crawford) and Bette (David) simultaneously which I think they loved. Also, I had more of a point of view in my last audition. I filmed most of my tape in Kentucky. I will never really know why I was cast, but I’m happy the stars aligned.
Scarlet was eliminated in the sixth episode of her debut season, but she had made her mark. With quotes like “My drag is about embracing the beauty that you were blessed with... and I happened to be very blessed,” her confidence and wit would set her apart, even beyond the show. The biggest takeaway from doing her first season of Drag Race?
Connecting with fans was so special to me! They have stuck with me.
With three runs on Drag Race, she explains simply why she keeps coming back.
I like being on TV!
Most recently, she appeared in the second series of UK vs the World, winning the acting challenge and practically stealing the spotlight in the Snatch Game. Fans noted her “glow up” this year. She placed 5th and left us with more quotes, including a play on her All Stars drama quote with “Is it me? Am I actually the drama? Yeah. Yeah, I am... and happily so.” Was there any culture shock in bringing her US sensibility to the UK stage?
I’ve been lucky to spend time in the UK before filming my season of Drag Race there, so I wasn’t really shocked by much. We are fairly sequestered to the hotel and the studio lot while filming the show, but I’ve had my fair share of nights out in the UK: They go wild!
Craziest drag story?
Doing SNL before Drag Race.
Favorite hotspot? Circus of Books.
“FOR ME PERSONALLY, IT’S NOT WHAT’S NEXT? AS MUCH AS IT’S WHAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE?”
Favorite non-profit?
Alzheimer’s Association and Men’s Health Foundation.
2024 has been big for Scarlet. In addition to appearing on the UK show, she released her music single “All Night” with fellow queens Raja Gemini, Manila Luzon, and Kylie Sonique Love. She was asked to perform as part of the broadcast of the 2024 NYC Pride March for ABC. She also appeared as part of OutTV’s queen-centric docuseries Raw and Real and debuted her first book of poetry She’s A Poet. We were lucky enough to have been present for an intimate book launch and reading at Circus of Books in West Hollywood. The book contains 42 poems about exploring love, show business, and identity. The book is entirely self-published and contains never-before-seen photos from Scarlet’s life. Why a book of poetry? Why now?
I think it’s important to share this part of myself. I like the intimacy of smaller poetry readings. Writing is a skill set I can bring to the table, and another way to connect with people. I was presented with the idea of following my journey for publishing from OutTV. The documentary follows the process and really kickstarted that process. I’ve been writing poems for years, they were never supposed to be published, but here we are. The images are also special.
Scarlet now calls Los Angeles home, although her stage appearances will keep her popping up all over the nation. With success in so many different areas of her career, how does she know what direction to in next?
For me personally, it’s not “what’s next,” as much as it’s “what still needs to be done?” She’s a Poet is officially available in audiobook format on Audible and Amazon. Recording the book was quite the process. I read the collection and give commentary on the poetry, which is a fabulously intimate way to connect with readers and explain my thoughts.
I am also working on releasing my full EP. As an independent artist,
“I FEEL GENUINELY SO LUCKY TO BE DOING WHAT I LOVE AND CONNECTING WITH THOSE WHO RESONATE WITH MY WORK.”
it can be difficult to handle multiple projects simultaneously. They put a lot of pressure on you to make the most of your time on air each season, but the truth is, my friends and fans remain plugged in and ready for content.
Favorite cocktail? A good Dirty Martini.
What is your after-drag ritual? Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
What’s your favorite pickup line? “How Much?”
Halloween season will definitely have her busy, appearing next to some other well-known Drag Race alum. September 9th kicks off Witch Perfect, a live singing parody of Hocus Po-
cus starring Tina Burner as Winifred Sanderson, Alexis Michelle as Mary Sanderson, and me as Sarah Sanderson. We will hit over 30 cities in the US wrapping up on November 6th!
With everything that she has done and what she has yet to conquer, she feels grateful.
I feel genuinely so lucky to be doing what I love and connecting with those who resonate with my work.
What is her message to her fans? Stay true to yourself and stick with it! Give yourself goals and grace.
Follow everything Scarlet Envy on IG @ScarletEnvy
ADVICE FROM AN IDIOT
Dear Idiot,
My Dad passed about a year ago. My Mom is still with us, and recently (at least I think recently) has started dating this guy. She let my sister and I know, and I am having a great deal of trouble with it. I feel like she has been seeing him longer than she has let on. My sister has my mother’s location on the phone, so we can be there for an emergency, and saw that my Mom spent the night at this guy’s house. She doesn’t know we know. When I tried to talk to her, it wasn’t something that she was open to. The whole situation is making me have ALL the feelings, not sure what to do. What do you got for me?
Thanks Brett
Hey Brett,
So sorry to hear about your Dads passing. Let’s talk Mom! I can’t imagine losing a parent and dread that all the time, so I don’t want to pretend to know what that is like. I will tell you this, my parents and I are super close, I mean like “friends” close, and I talk to them all the time about anything. I realize that this isn’t how most people are with their folks, what helped me many years ago, was to stop looking at my Mom & Dad as “parents” and start looking at them like people. Are these people I would want to know if they weren’t my parents… for me the answer is yes. With that, I started to look at their lives differently. Everyone has dreams and goals and regrets and all that stuff that makes life what it is. It’s difficult for sure when you see your parents as a couple, or not as “individuals,” but honestly, that is what they are, and were, before becoming “Mom”. A few things to remember, your Mom is navigating this as well. I love that you are trying to talk to her. It may be a new experience for your Mom and she isn’t sure how to unpack it while wearing the Mom hat. As for the tracking phone thing… yikes! Don’t go looking for answers you don’t really want to know. I get having it for the emergency thing, I have that for my folks too, however, this isn’t a great way to show trust and understanding. I would try and be there for your Mom and let her know you are open to a safe space of taking, of course assuming you are. Life keeps moving, it doesn’t necessarily care if we are ready to handle it or not, it just moves. Communication is key in any relationship, take some small steps, keep talking to Mom and maybe in the future you can meet this person your Mom is spending time with. I hope that helps love. XO
Hello My Sweet Tap Dancing Angels!
So much is happening as summer flies by, and I just keep thinking about all the Botox and filler I’m going to need after passing out in my neighbor’s yard all season… Lurd, their poor lawn flamingo, if that things winds up pregnant… Thank you for the emails and please keep ‘em coming at theadviceidiot@gmail.com. Let’s get into a few topics that I loved this month!
BY BILLY FRANCESCA
Dear Idiot,
Help! How am I going to deal with posts, comments, friends, family with all the political posts that are bombarding every time I open my phone, social media, turn on the TV? I feel like they are trying to drive us crazy, and when I do try and distance myself from it, I feel like I am burying my head in the sand, and not being “aware” of the world around me. Obviously, it is giving me anxiety and I feel like a lot of people must feel this way.
How do u handle the political circus we live in?
Thanks! Is it November Yet?
Dear Is It November Yet?
OK, for starters… breathe deeply!
I do get it, it’s a lot for sure, and to your point, yes, they are trying to drive us crazy.
I have a few things I do, but then again I always do these, regardless of an election or anything else going on in the world…
Turn off the alerts on the phone for starters. People tell me, “Oh I don’t want to miss anything….” Trust me, you won’t. There is always more nonsense and noise that will try and disrupt your inner harmony, and of course it will be there when u tap back in.
Set up some guidelines for you, I mean really look at it like you are making a schedule for a kid obsessed with mine craft, (is that still a thing?), and adhere to a schedule of serenity for yourself!
Do not engage with those who want to prove 2 plus 2 is 7… step away, lots of deep, like DEEP breaths, and I promise you the anxiety and distress will start to fade. You are you and no government, or political view will change that. Keep your calmness as sacred as you need too. There will always be a number of external forces that are overwhelming and stress causing. The only real way to combat that is to take mental breaks for yourself.
I hope this helps love, because it is going to be a long few months, and besides, the Roman Empire was around for thousands of years… we’re just kids in the grand scheme of things. XO
Well Dolls, I love the emails I get, and I love reading and responding to you all either in the column or privately. Please keep um coming, I ain’t going nowheres and after all…I am a GENIUS. Is that how you spell it?! XO
BY MICHAEL WESTMAN
G A‘DINNER WITH PATSI’ KEEPS THE DONATIONS COMING
hat to do with a walkin closet full of drag?
That was the question that Thommy Kocan (aka Patsi) pondered in 2015 when he moved to Cathedral City with his husband Michael. After a couple of cocktails with a friend, the concept of ‘Dinner with Patsi’ was born. The concept was a simple one - inviting people to join each other for dinner at a local Cathedral City restaurant, have a meal and conversation, and throw spare change into a red hat at the end of the evening, that would then be given to local charities and organizations.
The first dinner was held on September 20, 2017, and although there were only 13 in attendance, $250 found its way into that red hat for the Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City. Now, seven years later, ‘Dinner with Patsi,’ a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, has given away over $115,000 to multiple local organizations like Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City, the Cathedral City Senior Center and Food Bank, the Cathedral City Professional Firefighters Association, S.C.R.A.P. Gallery, Cake 4 Kids, Cathedral City Performing Arts & Band program, and others.
“‘Dinner with Patsi’ is available to everyone, and red hat contributions are accepted at any level. Each person gives only what they can. You’re going to dinner anyway, so why not have dinner with a drag queen,” says Thommy.
Thommy and Dinner with Patsi have been honored to receive the 2019 Coachella Valley Unforgettable Hearts Award, 2020/2021 Cathedral City Chamber Volunteer of the Year Award, 2022 Cathedral City Mayor’s Award, 2023 Palm Springs Pride Spirit of Stonewall Community Service Award, and 2023 Palm Springs Hot Rodeo Community Grand Marshall.
Thommy tells GED Magazine that he is looking to expand philanthropy with larger events, scholarships, sponsorships and more. Currently working to raise money for a new van for Boys & Girls Club of Cathedral City, and for school supplies and books to local community schools. “We plan on continuing with our mission of community support for years to come.”
On September 18th, ‘Dinner with Patsi’ will be celebrating its seven-year anniversary at Barrel District from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. So come and join in the fun!
Benefiting: Benefiting:
KYLE CHAN IS SHINING BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND
BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ
yle Chan is a dichotomy in the entertainment and fashion industry. Though humble and understated in nature, he has become a veritable force in the industry, earning him a spotlight from many different directions. On television, he’s been seen in Bling Empire and Vanderpump Rules, having a major presence on the latter this last season. And on A-list celebrities, his jewelry has been seen on Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Megan Thee Stallion, Paris Hilton, Shawn Mendes, Lil Nas X, and the list goes on and on. He also created designs for the award-winning film La La Land. All from learning how to make jewelry in high school.
Kyle, born and raised in Hong Kong, moved with his father to the United States when he was 13 years old so that his father could marry his future stepmother. Arriving in Los Angeles wasn’t exactly how Kyle envisioned it.
It was quite a culture shock to me because when my parents told me that we were moving to the US, to Los Angeles, in my mind I thought it was such a futuristic city from the movies that I watched. I asked my dad, “Um, where are we at?” And he said, “We are in Los Angeles!” I thought we were actually in the countryside, coming from the big city of Hong Kong, but we weren’t! It was quite a culture shock to me.
Kyle was always attracted to anything fashion related. When he was required to take an art class in high school, jewelry making was the closest to it. He signed up and his jewelry design history began.
I’ve always liked sparkly things, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I was inspired by the magazines that I read, the movies, and TV shows. I always have had a love for fashion from clothing to jewelry to anything beautiful and sparkly.
Already setting himself apart from the rest of the crowd, he was an easy target to be picked on. What other high school boys were making jewelry?
They bullied me in every way that they could, for being Asian, dressing funny, and having an accent. So, to me, it wasn’t a big deal. I thought you were just supposed to get picked on.
It was during this time that he started to come to terms with his sexuality. During high school, I felt like I was a little different. I liked girls and I think they’re beautiful and fun and I liked boys, but I just couldn’t figure out if it was love or sexual attraction. I don’t really have an exciting coming out story because I grew up in Hong Kong and it’s kind of open-minded and a little bit Westernized. Also, I was rebellious, so it was just normal to my parents that I was different.
In a bittersweet turn, his jewelry was going to start to take off from a not-so-glamorous beginning. Kyle’s boyfriend was put into the hospital to fight his battle with cancer. Being his companion in the hospital room, Kyle’s hands were idle.
He was on chemotherapy, and I didn’t know how to help. So, I told him to just try and sleep through it. When he was sleeping, I just started to make jewelry, I guess to kind of keep my mind busy. I didn’t really put two and two together to think that was going to help me to kill some time. I just knew that I had a project to execute, and this is what I’m going to do while I’m there. It just really kept my mind off of thinking about everything.
Kyle was making wish bracelets in that hospital room. He made 350 bracelets and spent nine months in the hospital sending them to all of the models and celebrities he could think of. He was only getting a handful of responses from less than famous individuals. Feeling like his hard work wasn’t paying off, he decided to pivot on how he was marketing his bracelets. In true Kyle form, he thought outside of the box and his career was about to have a major shift.
I went on Yelp and looked for all of the top-rated gift shops and jewelry stores that had a similar aesthetic as my jewelry design. I would go to every single shop and shop until the owner noticed me and started having small conversations with them. Then I asked some if they wanted to look at my jewelry. And one store after another, I got like three or four of them at the beginning, ordered and I earned enough money to do a wholesale jewelry show. I started to get into all different boutique stores, including one that Miley Cyrus shopped at. And then Miley started to shop with me. She’s actually one of the kindest, nicest celebrities that I know.
Kyle got the golden approval from Miley and also clients like Real Housewives of Beverly Hills personality Kyle Richards. His foundation was being set. What does Kyle think it was about his early jewelry that set him apart?
At that time my jewelry resources were very limited. It was mostly sterling silver with maybe an accent with a little bit of diamonds and gemstones. But it was mostly
handmade, so I think it caught Miley’s eye. And then for Kyle Richards, she likes colorful, bigger statement pieces, which is perfect for the show and the aesthetic that she was going for at that time.
Another celebrity-grabbing skill set that Kyle has an eye for detail and thinking outside of the box. Case in point, for Beyonce he created a diamond honeycomb-shaped pendant with IV on the inside. For the dot on the “I,” he used a rare blue diamond, representing Blue Ivy. He also designed her a honeycombshaped body chain, with blue and white diamonds, with the honeycomb representing her “Queen Bee” status and the blue again representing Ivy. Working for Beyonce is just one of the many pivotal moments that Chan recollects from his 14 years in the industry. I am very proud of La La Land. It is one of the biggest deals ever and actually one of the best experiences. Also, I love Ryan Gosling, but unfortunately, he didn’t need any jewelry! Beyonce is also one of the most exciting celebrities because she was my boyfriend’s lifetime idol. He would travel around the world and go see her and his mind is always Beyonce, Beyonce, Beyonce! He actually was the person who helped me create the jewelry line that she loved. I was able to work with even more celebrities after that. Mariah Carey was my lifetime idol, and I managed to be able to do her jewelry. The craziest thing is when I did her jewelry, I didn’t know she was wearing it at her concert. I happened to sit in the front, and I’m like, wait a minute! I think that’s my earring. So that was a very good experience.
Current standouts are supplying Taylor Swift’s earrings for the “Karma” video, and for Doechii x Sprite for her “Rocket” video as a shout-out to the Olympics. For all of the celebrities that he’s worked with and become friends with, for all of the media attention he has received, and for the amount of success his business has had, he remains lowkey, without Hollywood airs. Everyone says the same thing, Kyle is one of the nicest and best in the biz. How does he remain so grounded?
I grew up in a very humble family, very poor. I’ve struggled through a lot in life and what keeps me grounded is I realized that friends and people that you meet can actually be the ones who can really, really help you. I happened to meet a group of
“I’VE ALWAYS LIKED SPARKLY THINGS, SO I THOUGHT I’D GIVE IT A SHOT. I WAS INSPIRED BY THE MAGAZINES THAT I READ, THE MOVIES, AND TV SHOWS.”
friends who are just as genuine. Also, I know there are a lot of A-list celebrities who do well and are all normal people. They’re genuine, they’re candid, no matter where they go, who they meet, they’re just that kind of person. I’m very curious and I’m very observant. So, I realized that if I want to be as successful as they are, all I need to do is to be myself. I tested that theory over and over again and I focus on meeting good people, it has been working! So, I just continue with this formula, which is very easy for me.
He feels that he hasn’t changed much since those early days of making bracelets. Even though he is surrounded by glam and fame, his actual lifestyle might surprise you.
I feel like I’m still that person even though I’m close to 50 years old. I feel like I’m still that little kid at heart. A
lot of people don’t know the other side of me. They think I am social mediadriven or celebrity-driven, but I’m actually the guy that will stay at home and watch YouTube videos and watch random documentaries. I like fun facts on things like the Animal Channel, all those little things haven’t changed much. And I go to reptile shows, to look at animals and spiders and different things.
It’s funny that people think that I keep my personal life hidden, I am an open book, but nobody really asks. They are more interested in asking about Vanderpump Rules or asking about the celebrity side of it. But people who know me, who are close to me, actually know that I’m pretty easygoing.
A fun personal enjoyment for Chan has become a glamorous different project as he launched a collaboration with Gold Bar Whiskey. Kyle Chan x Gold Bar is a limited-edition blend of 18-year-old whiskies in stylish packaging. How did this come about? Well, Kyle’s love of whiskey and his keen sense of marketing helped. At his luxury jewelry store, he would stack his whiskey bottles in the VIP area in a pyramid fashion. When he was featured in Bling Empire, Gold Bar saw the footage and told him he needed a bigger wall. He told them, then come build it. They did. In thanks, Kyle threw one of his (in)famous parties.
I invited all my friends, influencers, and celebrities to come by and I had all of them guess how many Gold Bar whiskeys it took to build the entire wall. Everyone started to post and tag and it blew up their social media. The boss said - I need to meet this person. So, Elliot from Gold Bar Whiskey, the owner and founder, flew in the next week. And we had a talk. I made him a whiskey that he would never forget then he asked me if I would collaborate with him. And all I said was, yeah.
Kyle was featured heavily in this last season of Vanderpump Rules, at the center of the show’s scandal between two leading cast members (if you don’t know the scandal, you aren’t a gay). Miracu-
lously, he avoided the high drama and remained his sincere, lowkey self.
What’s interesting is I don’t really watch reality TV but now I do by default because my friends are in it. I met the cast of Vanderpump Rules and we became really, really close and almost like family. It was enjoyable in the first few seasons until the scandal, then it was hard. But I feel like I am there just to support.
Even surrounded by the most luxurious jewels, his take on jewelry as a personal item is refreshing and on par with his personality. I asked him what someone should get if they were purchasing their first big item.
I think if someone wanted to buy something expensive, it should always be gold or a diamond. But I always tell people, don’t just go for it because of the price. Go for it because of the story. You want to figure out why you’re buying a piece of jewelry. Is it because of sentimental value? The most important, the most exciting thing about jewelry is that every piece of jewelry always has a story behind it. I think the story behind the jewelry is always the most important.
With all that he has accomplished, what does he want for his future?
I guess going through cancer with my partner changed my point of view. I love doing jewelry. This is what I love. It’s my passion. Like it’s a full-throttle situation all the time. But then I also want to balance my life and enjoy it. So, at this point that I’m hitting 50 in March, I just want to go with the flow. But whatever project comes by, I always say yes.
And his message to his fans?
It’s very, very important to follow your dreams. You do not give up; you do not listen to what people tell you. If you follow your dreams and you do what you love, it won’t fail you.
Follow Kyle on IG: @KyleChanDesign
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER
BY SISTER ROMA
Iam 61 years old. I have officially reached the stage in life when I can wear my age as a badge of honor. That doesn’t mean asking me how old I am is okay. Everyone knows it’s never appropriate to ask a lady her age. There are a lot of spoken and unspoken rules around age.
“How old are you?” is a common question to a toddler. It gives them a chance to puff out their chest and boast that they are “2-and-a-half years old!” We are expected to marvel at that revelation as if they just announced they won a Nobel Prize. This entire discourse is encouraged because, let’s be honest, there isn’t a whole lot more to talk about with a toddler.
There are only two times when you ask a child how old they are: when it’s their birthday or when they are unaccompanied by an adult. When a child tells you it’s their birthday you are required by law to feign interest and ask “Oh, what number is this?!.” If it’s the child of a family member or close friend, you already know because their parents have sent you an invite to the kid’s 8th birthday party, which you have already declined with regrets. Seeing a child wandering around alone in the wild is alarming. After surveying the horizon for a frantic parent or guardian, but seeing none, it is perfectly acceptable to ask the child where their adult is, their name, and age. It’s up to you what you do with that information. No one really cares how old a child is at any other time.
Once a kid turns ten until they are 15 it’s best to just avoid them all together. A lot is going on with humans at this age and most of it is unpleasant. They become teenagers, which most teenagers find both exciting and daunting. The only time you ask them their age is when you notice they were like 5’2” yesterday and today they are taller than you. “Wow! How old are you now?” you ask, wondering if this is normal. Of course, at this age, they have mastered the art of indifference. You may or may not get an answer.
Anyone between the ages of 16-21 wants absolutely nothing to do with adults. They only tolerate adults to
get what they want. Money, a driver’s license, college tuition, borrowing the car, etc. This is also a very tricky time for us because it’s hard to tell where a person falls within this age range. I’ve seen 16-year-olds who look 21 and vice versa. It’s perfectly acceptable, and even required in many circumstances, to ask them their age. It’s interesting to note that this the time when people often lie about their age for the first time. Whether it’s the desire to see an R-rated movie, purchase alcohol, or flirt online… these young adults will lie, lie, lie. I know for a fact this is true because I did it. We’ve all done it so don’t judge them too harshly, but I strongly suggest you avoid this age group altogether.
I also recommend you avoid people in their twenties. They are completely self-absorbed. Worse, they will happily rub their age in your face without you even asking. Insecurities set in when people are in their mid-thirties. “What am I doing with my life?” “How successful am I compared to people my age?” These are common concerns for people in their thirties and forties. The only time to ask them their age is when you wish to console them. For instance, “Is there anyone out there for me? Will I ever meet my soulmate?” they ask, holding back tears. “Of course you will, how old are you, like 32?” “No, I’m 39!” they shriek. To which, if you’re like me, you reply “Let’s get tacos!” It may seem insensitive but at my age I don’t have time for this.
The 50s bring a complete obsession with looking younger. The desire to cling to their fading youth is so strong the tendency to lie about their age resurfaces. You can pretty much assume that anyone who says they are 52 is at least 55. If you ever ask anyone near 50 how old they are, no matter what they say, you must respond “WOW! I thought you were much younger. You look great!” If you ask someone their age and they say “Guess!” you are in dangerous territory. Only people who think they look much younger than they do will extend this invitation. When answering you must consider how old they actually look, take away 3 years as a courtesy, and another 5 years to feed their ego.
Imagine being in a stadium with
40,000 screaming fans for 59 years and suddenly you are magically transported to a serene meadow. A fawn approaches to eat from your hand. Welcome to your 60s. Most people have a preconceived idea of what 60 should look and feel like, including you. But now that you’re there you realize you were wrong. You own your age because dammit, you look good and feel great! You have vitality and exude a gleeful confidence. You still keep up with trends. Your sarcasm and wit have been honed to perfection. You’re proud (if not surprised) that you’ve lived this long. If anyone asks your age you tell them. Be prepared to hear “You look good for your age,” the ultimate backhanded compliment. Just tell them “Hopefully you will live this long,” adding “If you’re lucky…” In a very ominous tone. You’ve lost so many friends, acquaintances, and loved ones you have a renewed appreciation for life. You adopt the phrase ‘Every day is a gift’ because it’s true. You decide to get out there and make the most of it. You conserve your energy and spend time doing what makes you happy. You learn when to say yes and give yourself permission to say no. Another good thing about being in your 60s is that there are still plenty of people older than you roaming the planet. You look to them for inspiration. You admire them for their attitude. You show them the respect they deserve. You think, “Hopefully, I will live that long... if I’m lucky.”
xoxo Roma
“MOST PEOPLE HAVE A PRECONCEIVED IDEA OF WHAT 60 SHOULD LOOK AND FEEL LIKE, INCLUDING YOU. ”
Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger – the award-winning culinary duo behind a long list of buzzworthy eateries like CITY, Ciudad, Border Grill, and Alice B - share the secret to their success and longevity as celebrated restaurateurs. As pioneers in what was once a male-dominated domain, Feniger and Milliken have earned their stripes. They’ve also parlayed their celebrity status across many platforms becoming regular fixtures on radio and television with KCRW’s Good Food and the Food Network’s Too Hot Tamales and a host of cooking books including Mexican Cooking for Dummies
Adding to their mystique is the colorful backstory that seems like something out of a Nora Ephron rom-com. Early on in their professional partnership, Susan played matchmaker, setting up Mary Sue with her ex-husband whom Susan left for another woman. The matchmaking worked and Milliken has been married to Feniger’s ex some 40 years. Talk about a gay-straight alliance.
There was even a TV sitcom in the works in 2012 based on Feniger and Milliken’s professional partnership. The sitcom never made it past the development stage, but the enduring friendship and business partnership had the staying power to launch a culinary empire and win a slew of accolades and awards. That chemistry also comes through in a new documentary called Forked by Feniger’s life partner Liz Lachman who decided to document Feniger’s solo venture Street circa 2009. The film offers a decidedly unvarnished peek into the creative process involved in launching a restaurant from the ground up. Feniger sees the film as more about one’s journey and how she processed the experience.
Susan: It’s not if one fails but how and what is the human spirit like after that. So, this is not about opening STREET so much as it is about one’s journey and how do people move on or not.
THE DYNAMIC DUO
BY STEVE GOTTFRIED
Meeting Feniger and Milliken by Zoom, it’s easy to see why their “odd couple” synergy made them a natural for a television audience, bringing to mind other iconic female duos from Laverne and Shirley to Lucy and Ethel.
Juggling multiple projects simultaneously seems to come naturally to Feniger and Milliken. They are currently in the process of introducing new offerings at their Santa Monica restaurant Socalo which Mary Sue describes as a neighborhood gastropub with a Mexican/Southern California vibe. The name Socalo is a nod to its Mexican heritage – a subtle modification of the Mexican word Zocalo (with a Z) as the place where people in Mexico come together for food, drink, and a sense of community.
Socalo’s origin story is one for the books - having opened in late 2019 - two and a half months before the COVID lockdown that nearly decimated the restaurant industry. Even for an accomplished team like Feniger and Milliken, the COVID shutdown was a major disruption. But ever adaptive, Feniger and Milliken rallied, as veteran restaurateurs do, and landed on their feet.
What was going through your mind as that happened?
Susan: It was like, what the hell?!
Mary Sue: But at this stage, we’ve been through an awful lot in our partnership, you know, lots of success, a ton of failures. Having been in the restaurant industry 50 years, I had never seen the government come in and offer any help whatsoever. Susan and I never got a grant. We didn’t even know there were grants. But that all changed during COVID. We got grants, we got PPP loans, the RRF loan. So, although we were worried, we were feeling very supported by the government. We were thinking, This must be what United Airlines feels like. They get bailed out all the time.
Susan: When we opened Socalo, we wanted it to be a very warm, friendly place. We had this huge communal table as well as three more communal tables. So, it was really buzzing. At that point, our Chief Operating Of-
“WHEN WE OPENED SOCALO, WE WANTED IT TO BE A VERY WARM, FRIENDLY PLACE. ”
ficer said that his brother-in-law was a doctor in New York and there’s this virus going around, and we were like, yeah, yeah, sure. And then within two weeks, the city shut down. Crazy.
Mary Sue: We stopped working for the first month or two, but then we immediately got a contract to cook meals for the homeless out of one kitchen. And we just started pivoting to takeout orders - like everybody was doing. So now we’re trying to create the same kind of buzz that we had when we first opened. We opened Border Grill Santa Monica in 1990 and were there for 27 years. The way we operate is to constantly refresh. We’re never sitting still. We’re always evolving the menu.
Listening to Susan and Mary Sue describe some of their new dishes, you can pick up on their enthusiasm and you can almost taste it as they describe it. It’s not that they necessarily finish each other’s sentences, but they clearly speak the same language and have a simpatico that transcends food and reflects their particular joie de vivre.
Susan: We’ve got three ceviches on the menu right now that are really delicious. We have a green ceviche that’s made with these little, tiny tomatillo like fruit. We’ve got a scallop ceviche with a charred tomato sauce that’s really yummy. And then we’ve got shrimp ceviche.
Mary Sue: Tacos have always been a great love of ours. When Susan and I opened City Cafe in 1981, we decided to open a little taco stand on Melrose and we were inspired by these tacos that we ate, way east on Melrose. We have so many different varieties and you can order them one by one until you’re full.
Susan: There’s another dish that we’re doing that I like quite a bit. We take broccolini, throw it on the grill, and put a citrus vinaigrette on it. Then we pair it with a jicama puree, which is really creamy and gorgeous. We’ve also got flautas made with corn, but they’re stuffed with potato, in an aguachili, which I think is pretty unusual, because you’ve got this crispy tortilla sitting in an aguachili. We’re heavily influenced by traditional street food. And then we
find ways to elevate those and bring it into the restaurant.
Travel is a big part of the secret to Feniger and Milliken’s success on the culinary scene. Susan recalls the first time she met Mary Sue while working in the same kitchen at one of Chicago’s best restaurants.
Susan: When I was hired at Le Perroquet, Mary Sue was the only other woman in the kitchen. She was very hard working as was I. We came in early, on our own time, and we were dying to learn more and more. We both wrote down everything, it was clear to us, we were harder workers than anyone in that kitchen! Instantly we hit it off. Many years later, when we decided to open a Mexican restaurant in L.A., we took a two-week drive around Mexico in this tiny VW bug with hardly any money, sleeping in these fleabag hotels and learning about the food and literally writing the menu while we were driving.
Once they’d established themselves and started to generate that coveted buzz most fledgling restaurateurs can only dream of, such excursions had to be put on hold.
Mary Sue: We were on Melrose cooking our hearts out, and neither of us had had a vacation in I don’t know how long, working very long shifts most days of the week. Susan finally decided to go to India with her girlfriend. And when she came back, she immediately wanted to put Indian food on the menu. So that was sort of the beginning of taking our French training and bringing all these other flavors and ideas into that technique and figuring out how to put it through our lens. We collaborate on almost every dish. And that became just so exciting and fun that a couple years later, I went to Thailand where I got to work with this woman who had cooked for the king and queen of Thailand. I didn’t speak a word of Thai and she didn’t speak English. But food is a universal language, and she was so generous with her knowledge, teaching me how she put those flavors together. It was a huge eye-opening experience.
Susan: Like Mary Sue said, it’s not
about speaking the language because when you’re traveling, and you’re watching them prepare the food and you’re interested in what they’re doing, there’s a willingness and an openness to show you exactly what they’re doing. Food is all about sharing. That’s part of what I love so much about street food in other countries is you learn about a culture very differently. You get invited into someone’s home. Suddenly, there’s a whole different experience than sitting in a restaurant. I love that.
I also want to talk a little bit about your partnership. It seems like you two have such a great bond. A partnership is really like a marriage. How has your partnership evolved over the years and weathered the ups and downs of such a competitive industry?
Mary Sue: We learned the importance of allowing each other to grow and change, which is inevitable in every relationship. We realized early on that we had different skill sets even though in the beginning we did everything togetherevery single decision, every single order - like we were tied at the hip.
Susan: Over the years, we’ve allowed each other to embrace what we were passionate about. And we trusted each other enough to give each other that space. That really allowed our partnership to get stronger and stronger over the years. And of course, we disagreed on many things. But I think we understood there were certain things worth fighting for. The give and take was probably the most important thing for us.
I know you’ve won lots of prestigious awards. Are there any that you haven’t won yet that you’re eyeballing?
Susan: Personally, I don’t ever think about awards. I’m always surprised when we’ve gotten an award. I don’t even think I knew a specific award existed. I guess not, because I don’t think about that.
Mary Sue: Me neither. Although receiving the Julia Child Award at the Smithsonian was the most incredible experience. That was really beautiful.
Susan: Julia was someone who we both adored. She was humble, passion-
ate about learning, teaching, and exploring. To have our award and featured items from our past, right next to Julia’s kitchen at the Smithsonian is something very, very special. And it truly doesn’t get much better than that for both of us.
Susan: One thing that both of us have always felt very strongly about is giving back to the community. I joined the board of the Los Angeles LGBT Center about 17 years ago. I’ve now been co-chair for the last 4 years and feel that this work is so near and dear to my heart. Living in LA we are spoiled, but seeing the youth and seniors that come through the Center and the struggles that are so prominent within the community, makes me so proud to be a part of this amazing organization. There is so much need, so much work to be done in the community. And Mary Sue has been really involved with Share Strength and Regarding Her. We think that’s a big part of being a part of the community and giving back. And that’s always been our philosophy from the very beginning.
Are you politically engaged?
To which they both respond in unison emphatically: Absolutely.
Susan: And scared as hell.
Both laugh despite the sincerity of their conviction.
Mary Sue: Totally terrified. But working as many angles as possible to help support the kind of leadership we think is best.
“THE WAY WE OPERATE IS TO CONSTANTLY REFRESH. WE’RE NEVER SITTING STILL. WE’RE ALWAYS EVOLVING THE MENU. ”
EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT FENTANYL HARM REDUCTION
INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY WAS OBSERVED — AS IT HAS BEEN EVERY YEAR SINCE 2001 — ON AUGUST 31. BUT DAP HEALTH’S HARM REDUCTION TEAM SPREADS THE WORD ABOUT PREVENTING OVERDOSES 365 DAYS A YEAR.
BY DANIEL HIRSC VIA DAPHEALTH.ORG
iven it’s a hundred times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin, the prescription opioid fentanyl and its growing use have led to a spike in overdose deaths — 5,942 Californians in just three years, according to the California Department of Public Health.
GThrough its Harm Reduction program, DAP Health is working to stop overdose deaths. I spoke with Harm Reduction Program Supervisor Neil Gussardo to get the no-nonsense, no-stigma lowdown on preventing fentanyl overdoses and what harm reduction means at the organization.
What exactly does the term “harm reduction” mean?
Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. It’s a movement for social justice built on a respect for the rights of people who use drugs.
Let’s talk about harm reduction for fentanyl. What are the risks of taking fentanyl?
The big thing — really, why it’s so dangerous — is how it impacts the lungs by causing respiratory depres-
sion. When somebody starts to overdose, their body slows down to the point where they could stop breathing altogether.
How can you identify a fentanyl overdose?
See if a person is breathing. Look at their lips. If their lips are a lighter color than the rest of their skin, that’s a good indication that their breathing is super shallow. Or, if they’re drowsy
and you’re unable to rouse them, that’s also a clear sign of overdose.
What can you do to help someone experiencing an overdose?
The first thing you do is call 911. After, I recommend people yelling at the person to keep them awake. The next piece that you would do is cause them a little bit of physical pain. Take your knuckles and give the person a hard sternum rub. If you can’t keep
them awake, if their breathing is shallow, use Narcan if you have it.
What’s Narcan?
Narcan is the brand name of the drug naloxone, in nasal spray form. Opioids like fentanyl attach to receptors in the brain. The naloxone gets between the drug and the receptor, temporarily stopping the effects of the drug in the system.
How do you use Narcan — and can anyone administer it?
Absolutely. It’s super simple to use. You just spray it into a person’s nose. If after about two minutes, there isn’t a response and the person isn’t coming out of the overdose, you should give a second dose. A person can go into withdrawal after using naloxone because the opiate is temporarily not impacting their brain. So be warned, it can be an unpleasant experience for an individual, too.
What would you tell someone who is an occasional drug user but says they’d never use fentanyl, so they don’t need to worry about this stuff?
One can never know exactly what’s in the drugs they use. We suggest testing drugs prior to using them. So, we give out fentanyl testing strip kits. Our kits have everything in them that you would need to test your drugs. I’d also suggest you have Narcan so you can help other people.
This is a bit of a spicy question, but don’t some of the strategies DAP Health provides — and the philosophy of harm reduction in general — enable people to use drugs?
People who use are going to use. We’re enabling people to use drugs more safely, and to stay healthier longer. If a person’s not alive, they don’t have an opportunity for change. People who access harm reduction services are five times more likely to go into substance use disorder treatment than people who are not accessing those services.
DAP Health has a range of harm reduction resources, including a free vending machine that dispenses Narcan, fentanyl testing strips, and more at Hunters Nightclub on Arenas Road in Palm Springs.
For more information, please visit daphealth.org/harmreductionfaq.
DAP Health Harm Reduction
Supervisor Neil Gussardo, flanked by Harm Reduction Educator Bree Clark-Pharr and longtime volunteer Suzanne Petersen.
Photo by Donato Di Natale.
BARS & CLUBS
AKBAR
4356 W. Sunset Blvd
Silverlake, CA 90029
323.665.6810 akbarsilverlake.com
BEACHES WEHO
8928 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.360.0395 beachesweho.com
FIESTA CANTINA
88565 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.652.8865 fiestacantina.net
FUBAR
7994 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90046
323.654.0396 fubarla.com
GYM SPORTSBAR
8919 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
424.313.8202 gymsportsbar.com
HAMBURGER MARY’S
8288 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
323.654.3800 hamburgermarys.com
HEART WEHO
8911 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069 heartweho.com
HI TOPS
8933 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069 hitopsbar.com
MICKYS
8857 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.657.1176 mickys.com
ROCCO’S
8900 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
424.343.0123 roccosweho.com
LOS ANGELES DIRECTORY
SAINT FELIX
8945 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.275.4428
saintfelix.net
THE ABBEY
692 N Robertson Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.289.8410
theabbeyweho.com
THE CHAPEL
692 N Robertson Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.289.8410 theabbeyweho.com
THE EAGLE
4219 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90029
323.669.9472 eaglela.com
REVOLVER VIDEO BAR
8851 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90069
424.382.1108 Revolverweho.Com
STACHE
8941 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.402.0770 Stacheweho.Com
THE BAYOU
8939 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.273.3303 Thebayouweho.Com
TRUNKS
8809 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90069 310.652.1015 west.hollywood.trunksbar.com
CLOTHING & LEATHER
665 LEATHER & FETISH
20810 Lassen St Chatsworth, CA 91311 818.678.9193 665leather.com
BLOCK PARTY
8853 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069 blockpartyweho.com
BRICK & MORTAR
8713 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.652.6605 shopatbrick.com
CIRCUS OF BOOKS
8861 Santa Monica Blvd and West Hollywood, CA 90069 323.337.9555 circusofbooks.com
LOVE CONNECTION
8244 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90046
ROUGH TRADE LEATHER
3915 Sunset Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90029 323.660.7956 roughtradegear.com
THE PLEASURE CHEST
7733 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90046 323.650.1022 thepleasurechest.com
YMLA
8594 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90069 ymla.com
HAIR SALONS
BLADE
801 N. Larrabee St, Ste #1 West Hollywood 310.659.6693
SHORTY’S BARBER SHOP
755 N Fairfax Ave West Hollywood 323.297.0554 shortysbarbershop.com
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
HEALTH/COUNSELING
AID FOR AIDS AFA
8235 Santa Monica Blvd #200 West Hollywood, CA 90046
323.656.1107 aidforaids.net
AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION/MENS WELLNESS CENTER
• 6255 W Sunset Blvd, 21st Fl Los Angeles, CA 90028
888 AIDS CARE
• 1300 N Vermont Ave, Ste 407 Los Angeles, CA 90027
866.339.2525
800.367.2437 inspotla.org
AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION PHARMACY
8212
• 5901 W. Olympic Blcd. #310 Los Angeles, CA 90036
• 1043 Elm Avenue #302 Long Beach, CA 90813 562.247.7740 apla.org BEING ALIVE PEOPLE WITH HIV/AIDS ACTION COALITION 621 N San Vincente Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90069 310.289.2551 beingalivela.org
LA FREE CLINIC
• 5205 Melrose Ave Los Angeles, CA 90038
323.653.1990 – appts 323.653.8622 – admin lafreeclinic.org
• 6043 Hollywood Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90028
• 8405 Beverly Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90048
• 8224 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90046 323.848.9760
• 3500 East Pacific Coast Hwy Long Beach, CA 90804
562.494.0340
PALM SPRINGS DIRECTORY
• 1726 East Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91106
626.440.1719
• 360 North Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.934.1956
PROJECT ANGEL FOOD
922 Vine St
Los Angeles, CA 90038
323.845.1800 angelfood.org
THE TREVOR PROJECT
9056 Santa Monica Blvd #100 West Hollywood, CA 90069
310.271.8845 thetrevorproject.org
VALLEY COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE
6801 Coldwater Canyon Ave North Hollywood, CA 91605
818.301.6314 - HIV testing
818.301.6390 - Medical Services smarthealthla.com
LEGAL
LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUCATION FUND INC.
Western Regional Office 3325 Wilshire Blvd #1300
Los Angeles, CA 90010
213.382.7600 lambdalegal.org
NATIONAL G & L TASK FORCE
5455 Wilshire Blvd #1505 Los Angeles, CA 90036
323.954.9597 thetaskforce.org
WITH GED MAGAZINE
COMPETITIVE RATES
STATEWIDE PRINT DISTRIBUTION
sales@gedmag.com
ATTRACTIONS
THE LIVING DESERT ZOO AND GARDENS
47900 Portola Ave
Palm Desert, CA 92260
760.346.5694 livingdesert.org
PALM SPRINGS AIR MUSEUM
745 N Gene Autry Trail
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.778.6262 palmspringsairmuseum.org
PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM
101 Museum Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.322.4800 psmuseum.org
PS AERIAL TRAMWAY
1 Tram Way
Palm Springs, CA 92262
888.515.8726 pstramway.com
BARS & CLUBS
BLACKBOOK
315 E. Arenas Rd
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.832.8497 blackbookbar.com
CHILL BAR
217 E. Arenas Rd Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.327.1079 chillbarpalmsprings.com
DICK’S ON ARENAS
301 E. Arenas Rd Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.327.0753 eagle501bar.com
HUNTERS
302 E. Arenas Rd Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.323.0700 hunterspalmsprings.com
ONE ELEVEN BAR
67555 E Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234
760.537.3111 oneelevenbar.com
OSCAR’S
125 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 108 Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.325.1188 oscarspalmsprings.com
QUADZ
200 S. Indian Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.778.4326 Spurline.com
STREET BAR
224 E. Arenas Rd Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.320.1266 psstreetbar.com
THE BARRACKS
67-625 E. Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234
760.321.9688
REFORMA
333 S Palm Canyon Dr Unit 2, Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.902.6630 reformaps.com
THE ROOST LOUNGE
68718 E Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234
760.507.8495 theroostcc.com
TOOL SHED
600 E. Sunny Dunes Rd. Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.320.3299 pstoolshed.com
TOUCANS TIKI LOUNGE
2100 N. Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.416.7584 toucanstikilounge.com
CLOTHING OPTIONAL RESORTS
BEARFOOT INN
888 N. Indian Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA. 92262
760.699.7641 bearfootinn.com
DESCANSO
288 E. Camino Monte Vista Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.320.1928 descansoresort.com
DESERT PARADISE
615 S. Warm Sands Dr Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.320.5650 desertparadise.com
EL MIRASOL VILLAS
525 Warm Sands Dr Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.327.5913 elmirasol.com
INNDULGE PALM SPRINGS
601 Grenfall Rd Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.327.1408 inndulge.com
SANTIAGO RESORT
650 San Lorenzo Road Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.322.1300 santiagoresort.com
THE HACIENDA
586 S. Warm Sands Dr Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.327.8111 thehacienda.com
TRIANGLE INN PALM SPRINGS
555 San Lorenzo Rd. Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.322.7993 triangle-inn.com
TWIN PALMS
1930 S. Camino Real Palm Springs, CA
760.841.1455 twinpalmsresort.com
VISTA GRANDE RESORT
574 S. Warm Sands Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.322.2404 vistagranderesort.com
CLOTHING & LEATHER
EL TUGGLE
388 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.880.4338 eltuggle.com
GAYMART
305 E. Arenas Rd Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.416.6436
GEAR LEATHER & FETISH
650 E Sunny Dunes Rd #1 Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.322.3363
gearleather.com
PALM SPRINGS DIRECTORY
ROUGH TRADE LEATHER
321 E. Arenas Rd
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.699.7524
roughtradegear.com
GIFTS
DESTINATION PSP
170 North Palm Canyon
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.354.9154 destinationpsp.com
GREETINGS PALM SPRINGS
301 N Palm Canyon Dr # 102 Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.322.5049 greetingspalmsprings.com
JUST FABULOUS
515 N Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.864.1300 bjustfabulous.com
MISCHIEF CARDS & GIFTS
226 N Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.322.8555 mischiefcardsandgifts.com
PEEPA’S
120 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.318.3553
peepasps.com
PS HOMEBOYS
108 S. Indian Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.318.7388 pshomeboys.com
Q TRADING COMPANY
606 E Sunny Dunes Rd Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.416.7150
HAIR SALONS
CUT BARBER
1109 N Palm Canyon Dr
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.322.2999 cutbarber.com
DADDY’S BARBERSHOP
192 S Indian Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.537.1311 daddysbarbershop.com
MEN’S GROOMING SPOT
68487 E Palm Canyon Dr Suite 43 Cathedral City, CA 92234
760.992.0028 mensgroomingspot.com
PS FINE MEN’S SALON
750 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Suite 3 Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.904.0434 psfinemenssalon.com
REALTORS
3 BEARS REALTY
2905 E Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.699.6175 3bearsrealty.com
PALM SPRINGS HOME TEAM
Conrad Miller (DRE #01973983)
760.464.9559
Brandon Holland (DRE # 01986968)
760.413.1220 Palmspringshometeam.com
RESTAURANTS
1501 UPTOWN GASTROPUB
1501 Uptown Gastropub 1501 N Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, 92262
760.507.1644 1501uptown.com
BLACKBOOK
315 E. Arenas Rd Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.832.8497 blackbookbar.com
BOOZEHOUNDS PS
2080 North Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.656-0067 boozehoundsps.com
EIGHT4NINE RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE
849 N Palm Canyon Dr. Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.325.8490 eight4nine.com
FARM
6 La Plaza
Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.322.2724 farmspalmsprings.com
JOHANNES
196 S. Indian Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.778.0017 johannespalmsprings.com
RICK’S DESERT GRILL
1596 North Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.325.2127 ricksdesertgrill.com
SHERMAN’S DELI
401 E Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.325.1199 shermansdeli.com
TRILUSSA
68-718 E Palm Canyon Dr Cathedral City, CA 92234
760.328.2300 trilussarestaurant.com
TRIO RESTAURANT
707 N. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA. 92262
760.854.8746 triopalmsprings.com
WILMA & FRIEDA’S
155 S Palm Canyon Dr Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.992.5080 wilmafrieda.com
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
DAP HEALTH
1695 N. Sunrise Way, Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.323.2118 daphealth.org
DESERT CARE NETWORK
760.561.7373 desertcarenetwork.com
DESERT OASIS HEALTHCARE
275 North El Cielo Road Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.325.DOHC (3642) mydohc.com
EISENHOWER HEALTH
39000 Bob Hope Drive Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
760.340.3911 eisenhowerhealth.org
MICHAEL’S HOUSE
1910 S Camino Real Palm Springs, CA 92262
844.768.0633 michaelshouse.com
PALM SPRINGS
ANIMAL SHELTER
4575 E. Mesquite Ave, Palm Springs, CA 92264
760.416.5718 psanimalshelter.org
PALM SPRINGS FRONT RUNNERS & WALKERS frontrunners.clubexpress.com
STONEWALL GARDENS
2150 N. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.548.0970 stonewallgardens.com
LGBTQ COMMUNITY CENTER OF THE DESERT
1301 North Palm Canyon Dr, 3rd Floor Palm Springs, CA 92262
760.416.7790 thecentercv.org
REACH THE PS LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND ADVERTISE WITH GED MAGAZINE
COMPETITIVE RATES
STATEWIDE PRINT DISTRIBUTION
sales@gedmag.com
SAN FRANCISCO DIRECTORY
BARS & CLUBS
440 CASTRO
440 Castro, San Francisco, CA the440.com
BEAUX
2344 Market St., San Franciso, CA beauxsf.com
HI TOPS
2247 Market St, San Francisco, CA
415.551.2500 hitopsbar.com
LOBBY BAR
4230 18th St. Unit A, San Francisco, CA lobbybarsf.com
LOOKOUT
3600 16th St., San Francisco, CA
415.431.0306 lookoutsf.com
MAC’S CLUB
39 Post St., San Jose, CA
408.288.8221
MIDNIGHT SUN
4067 18th St., San Francisco, CA
415.861.4186
midnightsunsf.com
MOBY DICK
4049 18th St., San Francisco, CA
415.294.0731
OASIS
298 11th St., San Francisco, CA
415.795.3180 sfoasis.com
RENEGADES
501 W Taylor St., San Jose, CA
408.275.9902 renegadesbar.carrd.co
SF EAGLE
398 12th St., San Francisco, CA 415.200.2002 sf-eagle.com
SPLASH
65 Post St., San Jose, CA 408.292.2222 splashsj.com
THE CINCH SALOON
1723 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 415.776.4162
THE MIX
4086 18th St., San Francisco, CA 415.431.8616 thesfmix.com
WHITE HORSE BAR
6551 Telegraph Ave., Oakland, CA 510.652.3820
HAIR SALONS
HEALING CUTS
2350 Market St., San Francisco, CA
415.286.2970 healingcutssf.com
SPUNK SALON
4147 19th St., San Francisco, CA 415.701.7865 spunksalon.com
THE CASTRO BARBER LOUNGE
2265 Market St., San Francisco, CA 415.678.5942 thecastrobarberlounge.com
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
HEALTH/COUNSELING/SUPPORT
API WELLNESS CLINIC
726 Polk St. SF LGBT Center 1800 Market Street San Francisco, CA apiwellness.org
BILLY DEFRANK
LGBTQ CENTER
938 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 408.293.3040 defrankcenter.org
LYRIC CENTER FOR LGBTQQ YOUTH
127 Collingwood St (@ 18th St), San Francisco, CA 415.703.6150 lyric.org
OAKLAND LGBTQ COMMUNITY CENTER
3207 Lakeshore Ave., Oakland, CA 510.882.2286 oaklandlgbtqcenter.org
PACIFIC CENTER FOR HUMAN GROWTH
2712 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley, CA 510.548.8283 pacificcenter.org
QUEER LIFESPACE
2275 Market St, San Francisco, CA 415.358.2000 queerlifespace.org
RAINBOW COMMUNITY CENTER
2380 Salvio St., Concord, CA 925.692.0090 rainbowcc.org
SF AIDS FOUNDATION
470 Castro St, San Francisco, CA 415.437.3400 strutsf.org
SF LGBT CENTER
1800 Market St, San Francisco, 415.865.5555 sfcenter.org
STONEWALL PROJECT
1035 Market St, #400, San Francisco, CA 415.487.3000 stonewallsf.org
THE TREVOR PROJECT
866.488.7386 Text: 678.678 thetrevorproject.org
UCSF ALLIANCE HEALTH PROJECT
1930 Market St, San Francisco, CA 415.476.3902 ucsf-ahp.org
LEGAL
AIDS LEGAL REFERRAL PANEL
1663 Mission St, #500, San Francisco, CA 415.701.1100 alrp.org
OASIS LEGAL SERVICES
1900 Addison St, #100, Berkeley, CA 510.666.6687 oasislegalservices.org
TRANSGENDER
LAW CENTER
510.587.9696 transgenderlawcenter.org
HOTLINES
THE GLBT HOTLINE OF SAN FRANCISCO: 415.355.0999
GLBT NATIONAL HOTLINE: 1.888.843.4564
GLBT NATIONAL YOUTH TALKLINE: 1.800.246.7743
TREVOR PROJECT HOTLINE (Queer Youth Suicide Prevention): 866.488.7386
CALIFORNIA AIDS, STD, & HEPATITIS HOTLINE: 1.800.367.2437
SEXUAL ASSAULT - COMMUNITY VIOLENCE SOLUTIONS: 800.670.7273
CONTRA COSTA CRISIS CENTER for Suicide & Crisis Intervention: 800.273.8255
