Goliath Magazine V7-i01 - Worth It

WINTER/SPRING 2021 | V7-i01

Rufus! In Retrospect

REFLECTIONS OF A TRAILBLAZING CROONER

Worth It Work/Life Balance THE WORK FROM HOME UPGRADE

V-Day Treats

FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR LGBTQ-TIES

Experience the Gift of Luxury.

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EDITOR’S

NOTE As the ultimate guide to Atlanta for a discerning LGBTQ+ community, this issue of GOLIATH looks ahead to a new year that will hopefully give us all a much-needed change of perspective.

Our feature interview with none other than Rufus Wainwright provides some perspective by actually looking back. His virtual pandemic concerts have been a retrospective of his past albums, and they have somehow given him a much-needed context on how to look ahead with a new attitude.

Another new perspective is how we have been rethinking the way we work and live – and how those lines have often been blurred now after having lived during a pandemic for almost a year. Todd Davis and Robert Brown have once again curated the Design & Living section with a selection of modern desks and solutions to how your work/life balance is restored or at least updated.

Fragrance also has a remarkable way of shifting your perspective, and Spring is the perfect time to start on a new sensory journey. I list some of the best choices for fragrances that may not be traditionally aquatic-light Spring scents, but which each on their own terms can provide you with a fresh take on things.

I hope you enjoy this Winter/Spring issue of GOLIATH that also features an interview and column by the wonderful Deven Green, fashion by Modus Vivendi and Todd Snyder, and a comprehensive Valentine’s Day gift guide with presents that are good for gifting all year round.

Mikkel Hyldebrandt Editorial Director IG @hyldebrandt IG @GOLIATHatlanta

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CONTENTS W I N T E R /S P R I N G 2 0 2 1

O P E R AT I O N S Brian Sawyer PUBLISHER & MANAGING PARTNER EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mikkel Hyldebrandt GRAPHIC DESIGNER Matthew Johnson CONTRIBUTORS Chris Azzopardi Robert Brown Todd Davis Deven Green Mikey Rox

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SALES Andrea Dwyer SALES REPRESENTATIVE Marci Alt CONSULTANT & SALES REPRESENTATIVE

R U F U S WA I N W R I G H T

DISTRIBUTION Andrea Dwyer N AT I O N A L A D R E P Rivendell Media 908.232.2021 PRINT At Community Distribution Points Across the City ONLINE GoliathAtlanta.com COVER Image courtesy of Todd Snyder

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G O L I AT H M E D I A L L C .

6050 Dawson Blvd, Ste O Norcross, GA 30093 (404) 814-3014

GROOMING

I N T E RV I E W : R U F U S WA I N W R I G H T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

V A L E N T I N E ' S D AY G I F T G U I D E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

DEVEN GREEN: WELL HELLO .......................................

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The content of Goliath Atlanta is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice. The opinions expressed by any writer, advertiser, or other person appearing in Goliath Atlanta are not necessarily those of this publication, its management or staff.

The information and materials appearing in the magazine are not guaranteed or warranted as to accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness, or suitability of the information and materials found or offered for a particular purpose. It shall be your responsibility to ensure that any products, services, or information available through Goliath Atlanta meets your specific requirements. Goliath Atlanta is not responsible for claims made by advertisers, content of information, changes, events, and schedules.The magazine contains information and material which is owned by or licensed to Goliath Atlanta, including but not limited to articles, advertisements, design, layout, graphics, and logos. No part or portion of Goliath Atlanta may be reproduced in any way without the prior written consent of the publisher. Unauthorized use of Goliath Atlanta may give rise to claims for damages and or criminal offenses. Your use of the information or materials in Goliath Atlanta is strictly at your own risk.

IN THIS ISSUE GOLIATH

Chris Azzopardi

Gastohn Barrios

As editor of Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey, and Beyoncé.

His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ, and Billboard.

Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.

Gastohn Barrios is a photographer born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, whose modeling career has taken him around the world to Brazil, where he started moving from in front of the camera to behind it. Gastohn has consistently contributed to GOLIATH ever since its inception in 2012, and we are thrilled to have his stunning work featured in another edition of our magazine. gastohn.com gastohnbarrios.blogspot.com @gastohnphotographer

Deven Green

Matthew Johnson

Mikey Rox

Our comedic muse and chanteuse has been offering her salacious advice ever since GOLIATH’s inception in 2017. Besides her clever advice column, she has also provided interview content with some of the high-profile personalities in her innermost circle, including artist Tennessee Loveless, multimedia artist Austin Young, and photographer Magnus Hastings. In this issue, she talks to the first openly gay soap opera character, Marc Anthony.

Devengreen.com

Matt continues to excel as GOLIATH’s chief graphic designer! This is the third edition of GOLIATH, where Matt’s keen eye for beautiful design graces the pages. Besides being a print designer, Matt is an accomplished fine artist specializing in pen and ink and watercolor. We are thrilled once again to welcome Matt and his fantastic talent back to the pages of GOLIATH. matthewjohnsonportfolio.com @matthewjohnson76

Mikey is an award-winning journalist and LGBT lifestyle expert whose work has been published in more than 100 outlets across the world. Connect with Mikey on Instagram @mikeyroxtravels.

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Todd Davis and Rob Brown GOLIATH’s Design & Living section is once again curated by the design masterminds Todd and Rob of Brown Davis Interiors. In this issue, they delve into how the work/life balance is being challenged, and the lines between work and living space are blurred as a result of an ongoing pandemic. @browndavis @browndavisarcitecture browndavis.com

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PROF I L E GOLIATH

MARC ANTHONY SAMUEL

TO THE RESCUE

By Deven Green

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You've been playing Felix Dubois on General Hospital since 2012! You were the first openly gay character on the soaps.

How has your character evolved?

He’s definitely crossed into many other character's story lines. Inside, and outside of the hospital.

How do you memorize those scripts so quickly?

It’s definitely been a process. Melding formal study with getting behind the dialogue has helped a lot.

What have you learned about nursing?

I’ve learned that they are some of the most important people in the field of medicine.

They put a caring face on a field that can sometimes be overwhelming for a patient.

You are a creator. Not just of great characters on-screen but you actively build up people of colour online and in real life.

What is your approach?

I guess my approach would be recognizing the humanity and gift that we all have and trying to share it. I also like to promote charitable causes I believe in.

2021 IS JUST A NUMBER. THESE NEXT 365 DAYS WILL DEPEND SOLELY ON TWO THINGS; OUR PERSPECTIVE AND OUR ACTIONS. You have a soulfulness that makes everyone feel like they are your friends. Who was your strongest friend/relationship/ mentor?

actor, is that there will always be downtime.

In that downtime I definitely find balance.

step up to the mic (or lens). Here’s to getting them some quality time.

My strongest mentors were my dad, grandmothers, and track coach in college. More recently, the stage actors I started out with, and upon my arrival in LA, the late James Avery.

You have a spot-on Morgan Freeman impersonation. It is staggering how great you are at it. How have you used this “special skill?”

What perspective can you offer us for 2021?

You are all over film, TV, video games, web series and more. How do you find balance in your life?

What other characters are inside you just waiting to be filmed?

Well the wonderful thing about being an

Mostly trying to make friends laugh. Really that’s the main purpose of most of my “skills”. :-)

How much time do you have? Seriously though, there’s quite a few folks waiting to

2021 is just a number. These next 365 days will depend solely on two things; our perspective and our actions.

You are beloved by your online fans and friends and, of course, me!

Keep up with Marc on Instagram: @marcasart

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I N T E RV I E W GOLIATH

R

ufus,

In Retrospect

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A Grammy nominee this year, the trailblazing crooner reflects on his ‘funny little boy’ past and talks virtual pandemic concerts

By Chris Azzopardi • Photo: V. Tony Hauser

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I N T E RV I E W

I

GOLIATH

t all started with Rufus Wainwright in his bathrobe.

The crooner, at the forefront of virtual pandemic performances in March 2020, performed a song a day at his home piano in the Hollywood Hills during his “Quarantunes Robe Recital” series for fans on IGTV. Nearly a year into the pandemic, Wainwright has found himself doing what, for him, once seemed impossible – embracing the very technology he had adamantly abhorred. But since concert halls are still temporarily shut down due to COVID, Wainwright has, like many artists, turned to virtual platforms and has even realized their virtues.

“A song a day” turned into 45-minute concerts (no robe, real clothes) for livestreaming concerts platform Veeps, entitled Rufus-Retro-Wainwright-Spective! The series continues this year as Wainwright reaches back into his catalog to perform parts of his studio albums Out of the Game, Take All My Loves: 9 Shakespeare Sonnets and Unfollow the Rules, along with cover songs. Additionally, Wainwright performs a special program of soundtrack songs called Rufus at the Movies and two Rarities concerts.

Released in 2020, Unfollow the Rules is Wainwright’s latest studio album, which earned him his second Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

Winners will be announced March 14.

How would you describe where you are on the pandemic front now?

Well, I’m in L.A., arguably the worst place to be on Earth. Obviously we have a new administration, and that’s a great thing.

L.A. is actually a good example of just the need of a kind of national strategy. I think without the government behind you, you’re gonna eventually fail (laughs) when you’re dealing with pandemics. So sadly, we are the guinea pig in that experiment.

I’m pretty sure we’ve learned that lesson.

I talked to you last year, and at that point we didn’t know what was going to happen with the pandemic. So much has changed that you have had to sort of become more technologically advanced. You have a whole crew working with you.

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Yeah, one of the plus sides of this pandemic situation is that before COVID, I really had a very negative view of the internet and social media. I tended to pooh-pooh it on a regular basis and thought it was kind of, you know, below me.

I think it’s still a double-edged sword, obviously, in the sense that there’s very frightening sides of it, especially when you look at the political landscape. But nonetheless, I now rely on it, and I have a lot to be thankful for in terms of what it’s brought me. It’s kept my career going.

I do have a strong sense that there will be a kind of Renaissance after this period. I don’t know if it will match the Italian Renaissance necessarily, but there’s going to be a real outburst of creative work because there’s just a lot to process, obviously.

Are you tapping into that right now?

Oh yeah.

a lot of albums, everybody’s always like, “Rufus, when are you going to write a musical? I mean, it’s ridiculous.” So I’ve actually had a chance in this pandemic period to really think of stories that interest me and really start to talk to writers and directors and producers about starting to lay the groundwork for some of the project.

How so?

I’ve been writing a lot. Even though I’ve written two operas and worked on the Shakespeare sonnets project and made

Stage or movie musical?

Either. I think the main goal is just to find that story that speaks to me and others.

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I N T E RV I E W GOLIATH

What happened to the locks?

I just … what happened? Well, I’m of a certain age (laughs) where long hair just makes you … it starts to make you look scary. When you’re young – or not even too young, but let’s say in your 30s and under – you can pull the Jesus card occasionally, but not when you’re over 40. It starts to look more John the Baptist.

A “Rufus-Retro-Wainwright-Spective!” is a mouthful. I actually have to slow down to say it. Can you say that three times in a row? Because I can’t.

Well, it’s good to slow down. Rufus-Retro-Wainwright-Spective, Rufus-Retro-Wainwright-Spective. I say it all the time, so I know it, but yeah, that being said, it’s good to slow down.

How did these retrospective concerts come about?

I have to credit a lot of these ideas to my husband, Jörn (Weisbrodt), who’s also my manager. Before COVID, he started filming me every morning when I would rehearse a little bit and would occasionally put things out on Instagram because that’s what one was starting to do a lot of. Then when COVID (happened), he immediately had the idea of doing a song day, which we did for about 60 days – the Robe Recitals.

So that started then, and that really meant a lot to a lot of people, myself included.

It was a wonderful opportunity for me to go through my catalog, and so forth, and sing a lot of songs I hadn’t thought of in a long time.

But then tours were canceled, band members had to be furloughed, and I was like, “I gotta start charging for this.” (Laughs.)

We just said, “Well, let’s make it into a real retrospective of my studio albums with a more COVID-friendly ensemble.” So there’s only three of us playing together.

It’s been wonderful. It’s been really great.

I also have one or two celebrity guests who come. We’re all tested and we’re all wearing masks, except me. I’m not wearing a mask because I’m singing. We also raise money for a charity of their choosing. We’ve had Jamie Lee Curtis; we had Darren Criss, we had Joel McHale. It’s a bit of a Hollywood hang.

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Are you getting used to not performing in front of a real audience? Is that still weird?

I miss performing in front of an audience.

I will say that before COVID, I was working too much. I was touring my ass off for years, and that first three or four months, even five months, of COVID was actually a real godsend. I needed to stop. I needed to slow down. I think even the world needed that, just to kind of get some perspective.

So I learned to appreciate that, and feel very fortunate that I was able to do that and not lose my job and keep my house and everything. But that being said, I’m dying to go out now. I’m really itching to hit the road.

You’re slated to tour this summer in Europe. Do you still expect to?

Your guess is as good as mine. If I had to put money on a date or a period, I would say August, probably. I could see August really happening. But that’s all I can say. It doesn’t mean that the rest of the summer won’t happen, but I just feel like (there will) be more of a solid system together by August for touring, whether it’ll be socially distant or have smaller capacities. We’ll see.

You’ll also be doing a virtual Rarities program. What is that going to look like?

That was a suggestion from one of the fans. It’s kind of an interesting idea. I haven’t gone over the list yet totally, so I can’t really express too much of what’s going to happen. But what’s fun is: I think now I write songs for lots of purposes, whether it’s trying to get on the radio, or for a musical, or for a movie, or what I’m experiencing myself personally. But I think there was a time when I was younger when I really went out on a lot of weird limbs, that kind of youthful sophomoric confidence that I think some of those songs (are) imbued with.

What do you think are your “weird limbs”?

There are probably a lot of songs I wrote back then where I had no sense of purpose. It was completely experimental and completely just getting lost in the material.

Like, I hadn’t really loved yet, I hadn’t really experienced loss, I hadn’t really been sick or seen death. So there’s this sort of innocence that exists in some of them, so

I needed to stop. I needed to slow down.

I think even the world needed that, just to kind of get some perspective.

I’m excited to revisit that funny little boy.

Now that you have lived through some of those life experiences, perhaps your perspective might’ve shifted in how you perform them or interpret them.

It’s funny because right before COVID, or a few months before, I had gone out for the 20th anniversary tour of my first two albums, the Poses tour, so I did Rufus Wainwright and Poses with a band and went all around the world for that. I was pleasantly surprised (laughs) in terms of hitting that material again 20 years later by how – I don’t know, for lack of a better word – profound my emotions were at that age, or at least how sincere and true they were. You know, I wasn’t being melodramatic; I was really searching. Because I took myself very seriously when I was young. (Laughs.)

Probably too much so. But within the music, it was warranted.

Regarding Unfollow the Rules, I can’t believe this is only your second Grammy nomination.

I’m not totally surprised only because I don’t know what I do. (Laughs.) I’ve never been able to define myself. So God forbid the Grammys can! But I think this one – I’ve admitted it before, and I kind of regret that a little bit, but the cat’s outta the bag and, I mean, I wanna win this. (Laughs.)

Just to get it over with. So, therefore, I probably won’t. But we’ll see.

Does this nomination feel any different than the nomination you got for Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall?

Yeah, I think when the Judy Garland album was nominated over 10 years ago, I kind of knew in my bones that I didn’t stand a chance mainly because at that time I was up against Natalie Cole and Natalie Cole was very sick.

She had kidney transplants and stuff, so I was like, “There goes my Grammy.” But I feel that with this one there’s more of a sense of … I think precisely what you said: I think a lot of people in the know are like, he probably deserves one at this point.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

GOLIATHATLANTA.COM 17

GROOM I NG GOLIATH

The new Dior Homme may look like a reinvention of the 2005 hit fragrance (now Dior Homme Original), but it is, in fact, entirely new! The iris has been replaced by a woodsy base for a more modern scent accord that is more straight-forward and confident.

Dior Homme, $97

This vibrant woody fragrance starts with enticing citrus notes and is an ode to modern love.

And in true Tiffany style, you have the option to custom-engrave the bottle for that personal gift.

Tiffany & Love For Him, $95

F R AG R A N C E D E S T I N AT I O N :

SPRING

By Mikkel Hyldebrandt • Photos: PR

Just like nature springs back into life, men’s fragrances this Spring are striking renewed accords that involve some of the giants within the industry. Whether they are a reinterpretation of classics or fresh, new scents, we are in for a sensory awakening.

Another gender-neutral fragrance with a vintage streak that has mineral and floral notes that is easy for everyone to wear.

Gucci Memoire D’une Odeur, $120

Tom Ford’s Private Blend collection has birthed another masterpiece with the peach-inspired scent that, contrary to its name, is sweet, oriental, and highly seductive.

Tom Ford Bitter Peach, $350 The oriental/floral gender-neutral fragrance is extravagant and exotic and is inspired by the scarlet poppy from Asia’s wild steppes.

Jo Malone London Scarlet Poppy Cologne Intense, $135

The heritage-inspired Exclusifs collection from Chanel takes its creative spark from Ms. Coco Chanel’s Zodiac sign, Leo. And yes, the orientally opulent fragrance has an elegant bite.

Lex Exclusifs De Chanel Le Lion eau de parfum, $350 Green and smoky, this newest addition to Armani Privé’s Les Eaux line is a little masterpiece of vibrant summer vibes inspired by different tea types.

Armani Privé Thé Yulong, $300 The famous skincare fragrance company has launched four fragrances, and this last one is a formulation of green citrus and woodsy notes. Although it is marketed as gender-neutral, it does flip towards the masculine.

Aesop Rozu, $180

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FA SH ION GOLIATH

Material Matters With a timely mix of wintry layers and cozy Spring essentials, Todd Snyder eases into the new season with his signature brand of sophisticated style and casual cool. Blending raw and refined materials, this style edit takes on a new dimension that makes way for warmer days.

Photographer: Kenny Thomas Model: Hamid Onifade Styling: Jim Moore All images provided by Todd Snyder Learn more at toddsnyder.com IG @toddsnyderny

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All images provided by Todd Snyder

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FA SH ION GOLIATH

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All images provided by Todd Snyder

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FA SH ION GOLIATH

All images provided by Todd Snyder

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FA SH ION GOLIATH

All images provided by Todd Snyder

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A DV ICE GOLIATH

WELL HELLO.

IT’S DEVEN GREEN DEVEN GREEN is an award-winning comedic chanteuse and co-creator of VERSUS – The Gameshow! DevenGreen.com

I received a lot of questions having to do with reasons/questions why you could not start something or were being held back.

Here they are:

I don't have the time.

I don't have the money.

I can't do it alone.

I can't do it with anyone.

I'm too old.

I'm too young.

No one takes me seriously.

There are too many other people doing the same thing.

I have to wait until it's perfect.

I have no following.

No one cares.

I'm too busy.

I can't start.

What if I fail?

I'm scared of success.

I need my old job for money.

I wasn't born into money.

I went to school for something else so it will disappoint others if I change now.

I'm not ready.

No one will listen to me.

More money brings more responsibility.

I can't get motivated.

I have too many ideas.

I need permission.

I can't figure it out.

It's too complex.

I don't have the education.

I'm too qualified.

Everyone is giving me conflicting advice.

I'm too tired.

I crapped my pants.

I don't know how to make a business plan.

“They” won't let me.

I get bored easily.

My start date keeps moving.

I think about procrastinating a lot.

You need just ONE reason to move forward. That's it. Just One. Photo: Ned Douglas

Stay safe friends. I'm here for you. DevenGreen@gmail.com

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DESIGN & LIVING GOLIATH

The Work/Life Balance Interrupted

By Todd Davis and Robert Brown, edited by Mikkel Hyldebrandt

Simple Does It

A dedicated workspace corner in the living room creates enough of a distinction between work and leisure time.

And when the workday is over, the soft materials still look cozy and like they are part of the living room space.

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Having lived almost a full year with the consequences of a global pandemic, our lives have changed significantly. One of the areas that has had the most profound change is how and where we work. Working from home has created a need for optimized spaces and has effectively blurred the lines between where we live and work.

There is no doubt that we have seen many people transition to working from home, and with that, the need to update their home and home office has arisen. In most cases, the demand is primarily functional, but a visual update to work and living space is also a trend when clients contact us.

Some clients still opt for the full home office, but many also choose to update the living space to accommodate someone working from home. So instead of a traditional desk, a dining table with added elements for storage and paperwork will be the optimal solution that merges where you live and work.

Still, a more traditional home office with a desk is how most clients prefer to work from home in style - and desks need very different functionalities than just a few years ago. For one, modern desks don’t need any way near the same capacity to store paper files, since most of the bill-paying and document-processing is done online these days. So instead of drawers upon drawers, most clients request some sort of paper filing solution. Other prominent features, which are actually often seamless and invisible, are plenty of hidden spots for chargers and wires and discreet stowing spaces for electronics and laptops, so they can all be cleared away after a day’s work.

This year, we have worked on full-fledged home offices and study libraries, while others prefer light workspaces. One thing that has unified all these projects is that everyone has acknowledged that their work/ life balance has been challenged in the past year and that perhaps that isn’t such a bad thing once you adapt to it.

The Work on the Table

A dining room table is a perfect place to work from home – especially if you have run out of office space or simply want to be closer to the rest of the family! Here the dining table has been flanked by a discreet wall-mounted storage element for day-today paperwork.

The Study Hall

Most people would probably prefer always to work from home in a luxurious study with a personal library, complete with a comfortable and cozy seating area for those more informal meetings.

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DESIGN & LIVING GOLIATH

At-Home ExecutiveÂ

If you have space, a home office is ideal for you to separate your work from your leisure time. The door can stay open so you can connect to the rest of the family or closed for the important Zoom call.

The Modern Desk Edit A home office will almost by default be defined by the desk. Here are some of our absolute favorites that differ widely in style depending on what kind of working space you need.

One question we always ask ourselves when choosing a desk: will the desk be a bold centerpiece or rather a discreet but functional addition to the space?

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Carrocel Floating Top Mid-Century Desk in Walnut (1stDibs)

Living for Work

Using a dining table in a living room setting can easily create a few more workspaces if needed.

Brown Davis Collection Crescent Desk in Midnight Birdseye Maple

Lorin Marsh Fencing Writing Table

Shagreen Dark Palm Wood Desk (1stDibs)

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FA SH ION GOLIATH

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GET OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Inspired by the freedom of the road, the Jeans Line from Modus Vivendi embodies the rebel spirit that paves the way to self-growth, inner peace, and joy.

It’s time to get off the beaten path and enjoy the ride.

Available at e-modusvivendi.com

Photography

Assistant

Gastohn Barrios

Juan Rosner

Models

General Production & Editing

Darién Theller Franco Martins

Gastohn Barrios www.gastohn.com

Executive Production

Location

Matias Santos

Tlayacapan, Mexico

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FA SH ION GOLIATH

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Available at e-modusvivendi.com GOLIATHATLANTA.COM 35

FA SH ION GOLIATH

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Available at e-modusvivendi.com GOLIATHATLANTA.COM 37

GIFT GUIDE GOLIATH

Big Gay Valentine’s Gift Guide 2021 Sweet, special, and sexy surprises to treat yo’self and the LGBTQ-ties in your life on this very different V-Day.

by Mikey Rox

Cirque du Tittay Bring sexy back to your bedroom with the rainbowsequined reusable-silicon pasties from Body Body that are so cheerful and entertaining that even Janet would approve. $13.20; bodybody.com

Booze-Free Bevvies If Dry January did a body good, extend the respite into deeper winter – without completely depriving yourself. Crystal-infused wine alternative Rock Grace promotes beauty, energy, and wellness in a non-alcoholic rosé that’s all natural, calorie and sugar free, while Hairless Dog Brewing offers mixed cases for suds lovers who crave that satisfying beer taste sans the bloat. $25, rockgrace.com; $44, drinkhairlessdog.com

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Athleisure Pleaser fivebyfive athleisure brand’s Origin tank tops are made from sustainable bamboo while its Purpose collection tanks, tees, and shorts are comprised of 100% recycled post-consumer plastic. All items are ethically produced in facilities that have a proven track record of safe and fair labor practices and packaged in recycled materials so when you break a sweat you’re helping save the planet. $45-$59, fivebyfive.cc

Wild Fires Each of Wildwood Candle Co.'s nine USAsourced, vegan scents represents different trails found throughout Portland, Oregon’s Forest Park, the longest of which is the company’s namesake. Specific trail details and GPS coordinates are listed under each scent’s description so adventurous couples (or thruples – we don’t judge around here) can find and explore that trail in person someday. Five-percent of profits are donated to the Forest Park Conservancy. $28, wildwoodcandleco.com

Erotic Embroidery Your S.O. carry a gallery-worthy weapon between his, her, or their legs? Immortalize and celebrate it on your own hall walls with detailed cross-stitched hoops embellished with vibrant beading handmade by artist Andrew Emel and available on Etsy at StitchedPeensShop.

NSFW photos of finished commissions @stitched_peens on Instagram. $100+; etsy.com/shop/stitchedpeensshop

Hello Dolly Created by designer Lucie Kaas, this adorable collection of gay icons as Japanese kokeshi dolls will delight discerning art lovers and kids-at-heart alike. The armless wooden sculptures popular in Asian culture star a number of your favorite LGBTQ champions and pioneers including Elton John, Coco Chanel, David Bowie, Anna Wintour, Andy Warhol, Jackie O., and many more. $54-$109, luciekaas.com

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GIFT GUIDE GOLIATH

Say-Anything Socks Pique the curiosity of cute cruisers-by in Gumball Poodle’s statement crew socks that give a glimpse into your playful personality.

With conversation-starting styles like “I Don’t Wear Underwear,” “Daddy,” “Hung,” and “I’d Rather Be Naked,” you’ll have a couple legs up on the competition – god willing. $6-$13, gumballpoodle.com

Literary Blooms Upcycled pages of your favorite classic books that can no longer be donated or sold are turned into lifelike paper roses that never die. Literary Blooms bestsellers include Pride and Prejudice, Alice in Wonderland, Agatha Christie novels, Anne of Green Gables, Sherlock Holmes, and the works of William Shakespeare. The Icons Collection features flowers fashioned from books covering Judy, Cher, Marilyn, and Audrey. $23-$73, literaryblooms.com

Spill the Tea TITteas may sound like a inflated brand name but 5% of each order goes directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, so you’re not only feeding your own soul with a hot cup, you’re also sipping your way to saving lives. A free tea ball infuser is included with your first order with email-list signup. $5-$15, titteas.com

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Fit for a Queen Oh no she better don’t… forget to subscribe to the Drag Society quarterly boxes curated by a celebrity queen and filled to the brim with her handpicked products. Current box features Mayhem Millerapproved merch, including fashion accessories, cosmetics and tools, collectible enamel pin, signed photo, and more. Yas, gawd, your drag-obsessed henny will love it. $50 quarterly, dragsociety.com

Fearless Bracelet Alex and Ani’s rainbow “Fearless” bracelet in shiny gold lets would-be harassers know straight out the gate that the 100% That Bitch who’s wearing it is an out-and-proud champion of kickin’ ass and takin’ names. $28.50, alexandani.com

Netflix & Chilled Social-distancing protocol may keep you away from bars and restaurants this V-Day, so make the most of a romantic night in. Plum's wine appliance holds two standard bottles of vino, automatically identifies varietals using artificial intelligence, chills each bottle to its ideal serving temperature, and preserves wine for 90 days. But you hostin’ happy hour, not amateur hour. $2,499, shop.plum.wine

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IN THE MOMENT GOLIATH

GOLIATH

ON THE SCENE IN MEMORIAM: MONICA VAN PELT In the last days of January, Atlanta lost a legend.

Monica van Pelt was one of Atlanta’s most wellknown drag personalities, whose presence reached beyond the stage and touched the hearts of countless Atlantans. Her sense of community and connecting with people will never be forgotten. Rest in power and peace, fierce queen!

Photo: Just Toby (center), David Magazine, Russ Youngblood, Snow, Andrea Dwyer

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GOLIATH

ON THE SCENE FRIENDS AND TOYS FOR TOTS In honor and remembrance of “Mama” Regina Simms, Friends On Ponce brought back her infamous Holiday Christmas benefit and toy drive for Toys For Tots in December.

Photo: Snow, Russ Youngblood

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