Metrosource NY - December 2019/January 2020 by Metrosource

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 METROSOURCE NY

METROSOURCE

NICE PACKAGES HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

GEORGE MICHAELâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

CHRISTMAS MIRACLE

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

ASIA KATE DILLON DANIEL NARDICIO ANGELICA ROSS NINA WEST AND MORE

PEOPLE WE LOVE

JONATHAN VAN NESS A CUT ABOVE

IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

(bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: } Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section. } Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY. } Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY. } Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. } Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. } The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

} Worsening of Hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you

have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: } dofetilide } rifampin } any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you: } Have or have had any kidney or liver problems,

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

including hepatitis infection. } Have any other health problems. } Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY. } Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

} Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-

counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

} BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other.

Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.

Get HIV support by downloading a free app at

MyDailyCharge.com

GET MORE INFORMATION } This is only a brief summary of important information

about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

} Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5. } If you need help paying for your medicine,

visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, DAILY CHARGE, the DAILY CHARGE Logo, KEEP CREATING, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: December 2018 © 2019 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0102 01/19

KEEP CREATING.

Because HIV doesn’t change who you are. BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you. To learn more, visit BIKTARVY.com.

Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.

“WHY NOT JUST TELL THEM YOU’RE GAY?”

VIEWS

EDITOR’S LETTER

VICTOR WAS BEAUTIFUL: DARK HAIR, SMOOTH SKIN, TALL

and with shoulders like a linebacker. Since he was a senior and I was a freshman, I felt like an unformed ball of adolescent pudge next to what I perceived as his towering maturity. During the few conversations I had with him, I was awkward and tongue-tied. But we were both in my high school’s production of Fiddler on the Roof. So there was plenty of time to hide - just far enough outside his general orbit to not really be noticed but close enough to marvel. Guys wanted to impress him. Girls complimented at him adoringly until they were rewarded with one of his easy laughs. Toward the end of the production, we were all gathered on stage.Victor was telling the group how much we had meant to him. I started tearing up. He noticed and made a little joke about it. I was embarrassed but also grateful to have been seen. He patted me on the back, tousled my hair, and pulled me in for a little hug. I remember trying to memorize the moment in case I never had the opportunity to be that close to him again. Meanwhile, outside of theater, my school world revolved around Ms. Curry. As a history teacher, she dared to trace our nation’s history from the view of those who’d been disenfranchised by it - the Native Americans displaced by the colonists, the slaves who worked the plantations of the founding fathers. As a Speech & Debate team coach, she channelled my energy into competitive dramatic reading. This combined two of my great loves: being theatrical and receiving a grade. These two worlds collided one day when I was meeting with Ms. Curry in her classroom. Ms. Curry was the type of teacher who was constantly visited by upperclassmen and graduates in search of advice. This annoyed me. Those older boys had their time with her. Why should they get to constantly interrupt ours? That said, I didn’t mind Victor for interrupting my one-on-one coaching session. The musical had been over for some time; so I’d had little excuse to see him. And he was clearly upset about something. Ms. Curry graciously gestured for Victor to sit but also indicated that I should not leave. Turns out: Victor’s father had threatened to send him to military school. Quietly, I fumed. How dare he threaten my Victor? “Why don’t you tell them you’re gay?” Ms. Curry suggested. I choked. Was he gay? I’d had countless crushes on straight boys, but I had never known anyone in my life to be openly gay. What were the odds that this beautiful man, whom I’d spent so many hours adoring from across an auditorium, could share my shameful secret? And why would Ms. Curry even hint at such sensitive information about another student? “Even if it’s not true, it would be against the rules for them to accept you,” she continued. Victor was not thrilled with this option. Without confirming or denying whether he was gay, he noted how angry it would make his father. Ms. Curry promised that she would give it thought and do everything in her power to keep him from this fate. Victor excused himself the heavy feeling of bearing a burden alone clearly lessened. Ms. Curry looked back to me.“I assume Victor can count on your discretion,”she said matter-of-factly. Some part of my Catholic schoolboy self felt part of a conspiracy, but I nodded emphatically. I can’t be sure why Ms. Curry made me a part of that conversation. My instinct is that she had sensed my deeply divided feelings about my own sexuality. She knew I would benefit from seeing two people have a conversation that acknowledged the existence of gay people and that there were even ways it might be to one’s advantage. Ms. Curry gave me a lot of great advice over the years, and I thought I’d be one of those boys who couldn’t stop coming back to her. However, while she remained a bedrock for me throughout high school, I never went back to interrupt a class or meeting as I’d seen so many others do. She had already understood me so completely and prompted me to grow so adeptly, I did not need to. But I do hope she knows how much better my life is because of her. ■ DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

METROSOURCE.COM

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CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER David L. Miller EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | Thomas K. Hanlon GENERAL MANAGER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER David Friedman DIRECTOR | OPERATIONS MGMT Ray Winn DIRECTOR | EVENTS MGMT Rebecca Stolcz DIRECTOR | ORDER MGMT Heather Gambaro MANAGER | MARKETING Erin Jordan SERVICES MANAGER | OPERATION MGMT Leonard Porter COORDINATOR | OPERATIONS Elvins Cruz MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT MARKETING Anastasiya Borunova MANAGER MANAGERS | CREDIT & Rosa Meinhoffer COLLECTIONS Dan Finnegan For national advertising inquiries, call: 212.691.5127. Subscriptions: One year (6 issues): $19.95; 12 issues: $34.95. Reproduction of any article, listing or advertisement without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. The people, businesses and organizations appearing in Metrosource are supportive of the gay community. Mention of any person, business or organization is not a reflection of their sexual orientation. ©2019 Davler Media Group LLC. All rights reserved. Metrosource is a registered trademark of Davler Media Group LLC. Printed in the USA. Metrosource Davler Media Group 213 West 35th St., Suite 12W New York, NY 10001 212.691.5127 metrosource.com

December2019/January 2020 | VOLUME 30, NO. 6

CONTENTS

production photo courtesy of netflix; nino Munoz/netflix • gents in underwear courtesy of skullandBones • dolls courtesy Mattel

26 38

24 dogs and do-overs our annual holiday pet salute follows a gay couple

whose lives were changed by a pair of pups.

26 Jonathan van ness QUEER EYE’s outspoken hair guru opens up about his

recent series of life-changing revelvations.

30 people we love Bands and Bosses, journalists and actors, influencers

and politicos - plus a chance for you to win!

38 gift guide wrap up soMething sexy for your sexpot and stylish

for your hotshot - from our list of primo presents.

46 travel looking for holiday Magic? Look to Croatia - from

its picturesque towns to its coast with the most.

ON THE COVER photo by production photos courtesy of netflix • nino Munoz/netflix

DEPARTMENTS

58 CULTURE 5 THE SCOPE Listen up for music from Taylor Mac, Idina Menzel, Harry Connick, Jr. and others. Plus, New Years Eve parties that rock.

14 SCREEN See a period piece about lesbian love and check out a legendary gay choreographer in 3D.

18 MUSIC What will new tunes from Pet Shop Boys sound like?

20 BOOKS Get more from Dior and mix high-end entertaining with Southern Charm.

22 FINANCE Will 2020 be a good year in the housing market?

BODY 12 METRO HIV Why is the military drumming out people with HIV?

44 HEALTH Whether it’s holiday hassle or winter weather, this time can leave you blue.

VIEWS 2 EDITOR’S LETTER A teacher makes a startling suggestion to Paul’s freshman year crush.

13 DIARY Wade and Gary have trouble getting into the holiday spirit in the desert.

84 LAST CALL Paul Feig on the musical magic of George Michael.

EXCLUSIVELY NY 52 HOME Give your kitchen zing.

58 NY SCOPE Holiday shows and parties.

62 HOTSHOPS 1926 has vintage energy.

64 WEDDINGS Choosing a wedding party.

68 RESTAURANT BITES Where to chow down…

69 BAR SOURCE …and drink up.

70 BUSINESS DIRECTORY Businesses that cater to the LGBT community.

80 COMMUNITY RESOURCES Organizations and resources for NYC’s LGBTs.

This Page: idina Menzel by eric liebowiTz courTesy nbc • “The arT of The hosT” iMagery courTesy rizzoli/ iain bagwell • iMage courTesy of The greaT gaTsby ParTy.

PEOPLE WE LOVE

December 2019/January 2020 | VOLUME 30, NO. 6

THESCOPE

THIS PAGE: © LITTLE FANG PHOTOGRAPH_TM HOLIDAY SAUCE

CULTURE

THESCOPE

CURATED BY PAUL HAGEN AND SEBASTIAN FORTINO

TOUR HOT SAUCE THING WHEN IT COMES TO LIVE ENTERTAINMENT, YOU CAN’T GET MORE cutting edge than Taylor Mac.You may have heard about actor, playwright, performance artist, director, producer and singer/ songwriter receiving the coveted MacArthur “Genius Grant.” Or perhaps you know someone who’s witnessed one of judy’s (yes, that’s the preferred “pronoun”) marathon performances of A 24-Decade History of Popular Music. And if you watched the Tony Awards, you likely remember judy’s memorable appearance in high drag describing the play Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus, which Mac penned. If so, now you can get into the spirit of the season with this performer who deﬁes categorization. Mac is hitting the road performing Holiday

Sauce, an irreverent work that ruminates on the theme of “Christmas as calamity” across the country this December. If you’re in the NYC area, you can catch judy in glamorous Newark at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Other cities that can brace for a taste of Mac’s Sauce include Richmond, VA, Washington, D.C., Ann Arbor, MI and Seattle, WA. And while one never knows quite what to expect from the artist, The Los Angeles Times says that the show casts a“cathartic spell to make things a little lighter for all those who ﬁnd caroling, eggnog and enforced family visits destabilizing.” If nothing else, it’s sure to be fresher than yet another viewing of It’s a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story marathon. taylormac.org METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

‘TIS THE SEASON FOR STARS OF STAGE AND SCREEN TO MAKE ROOM IN

their concert setlists for a handful of holiday standards. Typically they’ll roll the dice on an original or two in the hope that they just might discover the next “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” This year’s crop includes Idina Menzel’s Christmas: A Season of Love. Her album will include a duet with Ariana Grande written by songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who penned the ubiquitous Menzel hit from Frozen, “Let It Go.” She’s also teaming up with Billy Porter on “I Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” Frozen 2 co-star Josh Gad for “We Wish You

the Merriest” and husband Aaron Lohr with “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” (idinamenzel.com). Meanwhile, Lea Michelle will pair up with her Glee musical producers, the Anders brothers, for Christmas in the City. The album features her with Jonathan Groff on “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Darren Criss on “White Christmas,” and opposite Cynthia Erivo on “Angels We Have Heard on High” (leamichele.com). Comedienne Ana Gasteyer deserves her own award for the season’s best title: Sugar & Booze. Gasteyer will reunite with sister SNL alum Maya Rudolph on a track called“Secret Santa.”(anagasteyerinconcert.com)

STAGE ADVICE LOVER BOY HARRY CONNICK, JR. HAS DONE PLENTY

to endear himself to gay audiences, including playing Debra Messing’s love interest through several seasons of NBC’s Will & Grace. Now the crooner is taking a page (several, actually) out of the book of one of history’s greatest queer songwriters. True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter finds Connick delivering his renditions of beloved piano bar ditties like “You Do Something to Me,” “You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To” and “Begin the Beguine.” That’s in addition to dusting off such seldom-heard tunes as “Mind If I Make Love to You.” To sweeten the deal, he’ll be returning to Broadway for the first time since starring in 2011’s On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. The Great White Way

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

METROSOURCE.COM

seems tailor-made for delivering the songs of Porter, whose music graced blockbuster runs and revivals of such hits as Anything Goes and Kiss Me, Kate. The show promises lush arrangements performed by a 25-piece orchestra, a multi-media presentation and plenty of Connick’s seductive singing and storytelling. “By the time this show gets to Broadway, audiences should be in for a real treat,”said Jeffrey Kare, who reviewed the show for Broadway World when it premiered in North Carolina. Connick is slated to perform at the Nederlander Theater December 7-29 before embarking on a national tour. Whether you’re wild about Harry or love Porter, this is one lump of Cole you’ll be happy to receive. harryconnickjr.com

this page: idina Menzel by eric liebowitz courtesy nbc • harry connick Jr by randy holMes courtesy abc

CULTURE

THESCOPE

LISTEN BREAKING RECORDS UP

CIRCUIT SHAKERS WHITE PARTY BANGKOK

THIS PAGE: HANG TIME CREDIT - SUSANNA LEWIS, OFF WE GO INTO THE WILD BLUE YONDER, 1977. KNITTED AND APPLIQUÉD WOOL, RAYON, ANGORA, SATIN, AND LAMÉ. PRIVATE COLLECTION.

DECEMBER 27 - JANUARY 1 Ring in 2020 at Asia’s largest Gay New Year’s Festival! This fifth anniversary of White Party Bangkok promises a decadent five days of parties. Last year’s event was named the Circuit Festival of the year, and this year will strive to keep that kudo. Parties include opening night, military- and jockthemed fetes on the way to The White Party on December 30th the Garden of Eden themed New Year’s Eve Party. whitepartybangkok.com

GAY NEW YEAR’S EVE KEY WEST DECEMBER 31 Longing for a little tropical weather? Instead of watching the ball drop on TV, head to the Southernmost City and see legendary Key West drag performer Sushi ring in the new year by dropping onto Duval Street in a larger-than-life high-heel! gaykeywestfl.com

MIDSUMMA FESTIVAL JANUARY 19 - FEBRUARY 9 Head down under to Melbourne, Australia for 20 days of LGBTQ+ excitement. The event opens with the Midsumma Carnival and culminates in the Midsumma Pride March. But there’s plenty of time in between to enjoy the festival’s celebration of arts from a queer perspective and enjoy all that Melbourne has to offer. midsummer.org.au

ASPEN GAY SKI WEEK JANUARY 11 - 19 Ready for a hot time on the cold slopes? A full week of events awaits at the oldest annual gay ski week celebration in the nation. Special packages are available for ski week virgins and ladies. Over 20 events offer something for everyone’s tastes even if you prefer to skip the slopes and focus on the aprés-ski. gayskiweek.com

WHISTLER PRIDE AND GAY SKI WEEK JANUARY 26 - FEBRUARY 2 The largest gay ski week in Canada has been happening since 1992, and 2020 promises tons of events to welcome you to the party! The January 31 Parade Day - known as the Whistler Pride SkiOUT & March - begins at Mid Station on Whistler Mountain and sees festival attendees slalom down the to Whistler Village with massive Pride. whistlerpride.com

ART BEAT

HANG TIME ARTISTS WORK IN MANY MEDIUMS. OFF THE WALL: AMERICAN ART TO WEAR

celebrates statements that double as wardrobe. You could call these pieces “wearable art,”but they’re much more than that: Each captures the zeitgeist of self-expression that began in the 1960s and has been a part of the fabric of America ever since. The exhibit is ensconced at the Philadelphia Museum of Art through May. Themes include “The Times They Are A Changin’” (a Bob Dylan reference)- to “Everybody’s Talkin’” (the theme from the first X-rated movie, Midnight Cowboy) and features designs from Julie Schafler Dale, whose Madison Avenue collection at Jule Artisans Gallery closed in 2013 after 40 years of celebrating one-of-a-kind wearable art created by American artists. Can’t make it to Philly? Check out the book of the same name copublished by the museum and Yale University Press. philamuseum.org METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

“I’M SO HAPPY YOU’RE HAPPY.” IT’S ONE OF BETTE DAVIS’

most famous acerbic responses from the 1950 classic All About Eve. If you’ve ever quoted this – or one of her other droll witticisms, you’ll be happy to learn the Criterion Collection has released a gorgeous digital restoration of the backstage bitchfest. If you’re not familiar with the story, Davis plays Margo Channing – an actress who takes an interest in a fan named Eve Harrington who’s been to every performance of Margo’s latest play. Flattery gets Eve everywhere and the resulting story is one of the

NEXT UP

most exciting peeks behind the curtains of Broadway ever brought to film. But the real reason to buy hard media in the streaming age is the special features, and Eve is jam-packed. They include two audio commentaries (one featuring Celeste Holm, who plays Margo’s best friend), documentaries about the film’s director, a Hollywood Backstories about the making of the film, an interview with costume historian Larry McQueen, Bette Davis appearing on The Dick Cavett show and more. Altogether, it should make for one “very bumpy night,” indeed. criterion.com

LOVE AND LOSS ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 1ST, WE TAKE STOCK OF HOW THE

globe has been impacted by HIV/AIDS. Times have changed, with treatments to slow the spread of the virus and medications allowing those living with the diagnosis to enjoy normal healthy lives. However, we have lost nearly 35 million to conditions related to the disease and close to that many people still live with it today. How should one observe the occasion? Why not consider volunteering at an LGBTQ centers in your community offering STI and HIVtesting services? Remember that despite advancements in healthcare, the best way to protect yourself and others is knowing your status. It’s also important we take time to reflect on those who are still impacted by the illness. The AIDS Memorial on Instagram has some 6,000 - and counting - remembrances of those whose lives were lost to the epidemic. It also features heroes in the war against HIV who have helped in the areas of healthcare or caregiving. Take a few moments to read through these poignant recollections of love, loss and hope for a world without AIDS. Instagram.com/theaidsmemorial

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

METROSOURCE.COM

this page: “all about eve” images courtesy criterion • World aids day photo by robert taylor

THESCOPE CULTURE

SCREEN IT BUMPY NIGHT

this page: Kerber’s cooKbooK image courtesy rizzoli • the l WorD photo creDit: hilary b gayle/shoWtime

INK SPOT

FARM BOY IF YOU OR YOUR PARTNER LONG FOR

country living but prefer a city view, The Kerber’s Farm Cookbook: A Year’s Worth of Seasonal Country Cooking (Rizzoli New York, $37.50) may be the ideal compromise for your kitchen bookshelf. Kerber’s Farm was nearly a casualty of real estate development. After functioning as a farm and roadside country market for threequarters of a century, buyers wanted to turn the land into condos. Out chef and author Nick Voulgaris III couldn’t let that happen. So in 2013 he purchased the farm - which had

NOW AND THEN

been part of his childhood memories of Long Island. In just three years he’s not only maintained the working farm but also transformed it into a national brand. Neiman Marcus and Williams-Sonoma now carry Kerber’s Farm products, and Oprah Winfree placed their famed Kerberry Pie on her 2017 list of “Favorite Things.” Now this book lets you bring a taste of Kerber’s magic into your cooking with 50 recipes, ranging from their beloved baked goods to seasonal soups to homemade dog treats. kerbersfarm.com

WHAT THE L FOR SIX SEASONS (FROM 2004 THROUGH 2009) THE L WORD BROUGHT THE

lives and loves of a group of LA lesbians to television in a program that became a touchstone for queer people everywhere. That became even more true when new generations discovered the show – first on DVD and then on streaming services. But starting December 8 on Showtime, there will be a whole generation to love. The L Word: Generation Q will welcome back some main characters from the original series. Fans will recognize favorites like art aficionado Bette (Jennifer Beals), lovable chatterbox Alice (Leisha Hailey) and Lady Lothario Shane (Katherine Moening). Showtime has advertised the 8-episode series as “a bold new show for a bold new generation.” As such, we expect to see the series continue to emphasize racial diversity and incorporate a broader range of identities in terms of orientation and gender identity – much like the recently rebooted Tales of the City. And if Generation Q is to carry on the tradition of the original, we’ll expect long, languorous sequences of steamy simulated sex. But as excited as fans of the original will be to see Bette run for Mayor of LA and Alice host her own talk show, the series is likely to stand or fall based on the charms of its bevy of new young characters (pictured). showtime.com METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

IN VICTOR VOE’S FAMILY, MILITARY SERVICE SKIPPED A GENERATION. BOTH HIS

grandfathers served. And, as an airman himself, he’s been joined now by his brother and brother-in-law in serving the United States.“It was never really something I considered when I was growing up,” he concedes. But confronted with a taxing job market, he says,“I needed to try something different, so I enlisted a year or so after college.” Eight years later, the active duty serviceman is ﬁghting in federal court to remain in the Air Force. He was discharged not because he is gay — but because he’s HIV positive. Voe and Richard Roe (which are pseudonyms) are challenging the legality of the Pentagon’s “Deploy or Get Out” policy, which prevents service members living with HIV from deploying outside the country without a waiver. They see the policy as discriminatory.

BODY

Scott Schoettes

LIVING THE WITH HIV IN MILITARY

A policy change threatens to drum HIV+ people out of the military. But they’re not leaving without a ﬁght. BY JEFF SIMMONS

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

METROSOURCE.COM

The new guidelines were announced by the administration in early 2018. They direct the Pentagon to identify service members who cannot be deployed to military posts outside of the country for more than 12 consecutive months. Such troops are then recommended to be severed from service. Since the military considers people with HIV as non-deployable - unless they get a waiver - they face immediate discharge. Lambda Legal, the Modern Military Association of America and the law firm Winston & Strawn LLP filed suit in May 2018. They were initially unsuccessful in seeking a preliminary stay against the practice, citing discrimination. But then the government began discharging HIV positive members, and a subsequent court filing – challenging the discharges - was successful in securing an injunction. This past September, the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit weighed the Department of Defense’s appeal, which reasons that the two airmen could no longer perform their duties because their fields required them to deploy frequently and their condition prevented these deployments.

THE ARGUMENTS AGAINST Scott Schoettes, HIV Project Director and Counsel at Lambda Legal, argued the case. He dismissed the government’s contentions that the servicemen presented a heightened risk of transmitting HIV in the battleﬁeld, and that it was unable to provide necessary care to those with HIV. In fact, both airmen adhere to treatment regimens that have left them non-transmittable and with undetectable viral loads. “There is certainly an atmosphere where these [prejudicial policies] are being more tolerated or encouraged,” Schoettes says. “It does create an atmosphere in which populations vulnerable to these kinds of attacks suffer the consequences.” He adds, “If you are in the Air Force now, you have to worry about being discharged. It would end your military career - as they have attempted to do with our named plaintiffs and ﬁve other individuals we know about.” Both airmen are demanding their impending discharges be ruled unconstitutional and stopped. Their goal is to continue to serve. Voe stresses that the case is not about seeking payouts but policy change. “I really hope that there are people out there who know we are not doing this for monetary advantage to get something from the Air Force,” Voe says. “We want to be able to serve in the military and do what we promised to. We are not doing this for ourselves.” ■

THIS PAGE: PHOTO BY BOOK COVER PHOTOS / SHUTTERSTOCK

METROHIV

A BIASED POLICY

STOCK PHOTO COPYRIGHT: PHOTO BY VLADORLOV / SHUTTERSTUCK

For the first time in our adult lives, my husband and I had made the monumental decision to spend Christmas together, just the two us. Moreover, Gary and I – two born and bred Midwestern boys – had decided to spend it in our new home in Palm Springs. But we were consumed with guilt. Our families were making us feel off-kilter for not traveling back to see them — although no one ever came to visit us for the holidays. We were also feeling guilty about giving up, quite literally, our holiday roots. These included decorating seven live trees in our Michigan cottage, decking mantels in garland and lighting every snowy, showy pine in our woods. Our beloved boxes of pinecone lights, snowshoeing Santas, and lake-themed ornaments were a world away. “What do you decorate in the desert?” Gary asked, pretending to touch a needle on the cactus.“Ouch.” “At least it’s green,”I said. Gary looked at me. “I’ve got an idea.” I brightened at his hopeful tone.“Why don’t we go to the cactus tree farm and cut down our own cactus and put in on top of our car, just like we did in Michigan?” “Ouch,”I said this time. Gary was right, though. How did one recreate a beloved tradition in a new way and place that would honor what we cherished most about the holidays? “Why don’t we bake and decorate cookies?”I suggested. Gary looked at me.“It’s eighty degrees. We won’t even need to turn on the oven.” The sun was shimmering through olive trees, and the smell of freshly mowed grass recalled summer. I knew I’d have to set a different mood. “Alexa,”I called.“Play… ”I stopped, thinking of just the right thing. “Rat Pack Christmas.” As Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra began to croon, I was trans-

ported back in time to holidays with my family. My grandparents and great aunts and uncles played this music as they made martinis and decorated silver trees with beautiful, colorful glass ornaments. Those were magical memories that I’d always held dear. “We’re going to get a tree,”I said to Gary. “Where’s the tree farm around here?”he asked sarcastically. I drove Gary to our local hardware store, which I’d heard had the hippest holiday décor. It was like walking into Santa’s workshop circa mod mid-century. There were aluminum and tinsel trees in a rainbow of colors - pink and aqua, silver and white. Their limbs were draped in brightly-hued, geometrically-shaped ornaments and vintage-looking bulbs. Color wheels spun underneath some, creating a retro rainbow effect. Gary’s eyes got as big as the bulbs. He walked over to a massive silver tree.“This one,”he said. “Just one?”I asked. His face lit up more brightly than the trees. We bought four, in every size and color. Our grandparents’ ornaments, which we’d brought with us but never unearthed, soon adorned them. We set up vintage bottle brush villages, hung felt stockings and tinsel wreaths. Here, decorations that had never worked in our Michigan country Christmases, somehow did. We even lit up that big cactus. And, yes, Gary got pricked while wrapping it in twinkling lights. But it was worth the effort. When we were done, Gary poured himself some sparkling water, and I made myself a martini.“Rat Pack Christmas” music played as we admired our trees. We even ended up sharing holiday memories we’d never shared before. We reminisced about our grandparents, and it was like our family was surrounding us again. That Christmas turned out to be mid-century instead of Midwestern. But most importantly, it was all ours. ■ METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

DIARY

“WHAT IF WE LIT A CACTUS?” WITH THAT, GARY NEARLY BEGAN TO CRY.

VIEWS

Wade and Gary decide to spend the holidays in Palm Springs, but struggle to set the mood without frosty forests and family. BY WADE ROUSE

LOYALTY AND ROYALTY

JOJO RABBIT KIWI DIRECTOR TAIKA WAITITI IS ON A HOT STREAK. HIS SECOND

film, Boy, was a well-received indie full of heart and laughs. His third film, What We Do in The Shadows, was a savagely funny vampire mockumentary later turned into a TV series. His Hunt for The Wilderpeople was a surprising mix of familyfriendly yet terrifically funny fare. And the hilariously fresh Thor: Ragnarok saw Taika take a seat at Marvel’s mighty table. Now, Waititi wakes on the Nazis. Making light of the Nazis in film is nothing new. Charlie Chaplin took a swing (The Great Dictator). Mel Brooks did too (To Be or Not To Be). Roberto Benigni (Life is Beautiful) and Quentin Tarantino (Inglorious Basterds) dabbled as well. The trick is to include enough truth about how deadly horrible they could be. Jojo Rabbit does that. Doubtless many consider any movie dealing with the Nazi era through a lens of humor to be anathe-

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ma. But if you can handle it, Jojo Rabbit will make you laugh and cry. With the sunny and quirky, storybook air of a Wes Anderson film (I’ve heard Jojo referred to as “Moonriech Kingdom”) Waititi tells the story of bright-eyed little Jojo (played with sparkling appeal by newcomer Roman Griffin Davis) as he aspires to be just like Adolph Hitler. Jojo even makes Hitler his imaginary friend (played hilariously by Taika himself). But little Jojo doesn’t do too well under his instructor (Sam Rockwell). Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones) and Rebel Wilson (Pitch Perfect) play some of Rockwell’s goofy Nazi cohorts and provide some good laughs. But as Jojo’s mom, Scarlett Johansson brings much of the heart to the film, especially when her secret is revealed. THE WORD: A delightful funny film that encourages you to laugh even as it insists that you never look away from the horror of human cruelty. COMING TO: Theaters

CULTURE

SCREEN

Sapphic love between a painter and her subject, a legendary gay choreographer goes 3D, Timothée Chalamet gets nearly Shakespearian and an all-star cast puzzles through a murder mystery. But first: Do ScarJo and Co. have the Reich stuff? BY JONATHAN ROCHE

PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE

This Page: PorTraiT of a Lady on fire PhoTo CourTesy neon • The King PhoTo CourTesy neTfLix

THIS WONDERFUL WINNER OF THE QUEER

Palm at Cannes is an exquisitely nuanced story of lady-love between an artist and the young woman whose portrait she’s commissioned to paint. Marianne (Noémie Merlant, Heaven Will Wait) arrives on a lonely island in a small boat. Her tenacity is palpable, even under her drenched dress. The mistress of this bleak estate is played by Valeria Golino (Rain Man, Hot Shots) - her beauty scarcely diminished since the ‘80s. She mentions her daughter will soon marry a rich stranger, but there’s an intense sense of mystery surrounding the girl. When Héloïse (Adèle Haenel The Unknown Girl) appears, her fiery, beguiling nature does not disappoint. Soon the artist’s probing gaze is filled with the image of a woman caught between her familial duties and her defiant spirit. When the women recognize the intelligence and passion they both possess, their love ignites. Yet passion so potent can only last so long. Director Céline Sciamma (Tomboy, Girlhood) crafts a period love story grounded in beatific moments of womanhood that also soars with high-minded concepts and intricately woven themes. Poetic yet marvelously accessible, this film shows how only love that is fleeting can truly be eternal. THE WORD: Two absolutely captivating leads and Sciamma’s rapturous truth-telling make this French film a must-see. COMING TO: Theaters

THE KING DIRECTOR DAVID MICHÔD TEAMS UP WITH

fellow Aussie Joel Edgerton (Boy Erased) to take us into Shakespearean territory - but not really. Though The King covers many of the happenings found in Shakespeare’s “Henriad” history plays, it never employs any of the Bard’s own words. We still get the young prince Hal (Timothée Chalamet) rejecting his ailing father, King Henry IV (Ben Mendelsohn - Rogue One, Captain Marvel) in favor of drinking with his buddy and alternativefather-figure, John Falstaff (Edgerton). When the king dies, Hal inherits the crown and all the attendant problems of 15th-century England. Foremost among these is the Hundred-Year-War with

France. When a French assassin is accused of plotting to kill the new king, Hal takes the fight to the continent. The film zeroes in on the grim realities of war and power. Falstaff becomes a battle-humbled warrior and Hal’s closest confidant – despite competing advice from others. Their ultimate muddy clash is gritty and well executed. It culminates in an unusual duel between Hal and the French prince (the talented and beautiful Robert Pattinson). The ending is unexpected, though consistent with the film’s strong theme of corruption with a glimmer of romantic hope. THE WORD: A powerhouse, mostly male cast offers strong performances, headed by an undeniably regal Chalamet. COMING TO: Netflix

METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

CULTURE

SCREEN

NOAH BAUMBACH’S NEW FILM HARKENS BACK TO ONE OF HIS FIRST

and best - The Squid and The Whale - with a very realistic and also very personal look at a family falling apart. But while Squid tells the tale of brewing family unrest from the kids’ perspective, Marriage Story focuses on a blood-bath divorce from the parents’ vantage point. The combatants, Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson), seem to represent NYC and LA and the fundamental (perhaps irreconcilable) differences between the two. After living, working, and raising a young boy for years, the seemingly perfect couple have agreed to divorce in a civilized fashion with no need for lawyers. Actress Nicole returns home to LA and begins shooting a TV pilot. Charlie continues di-

CUNNINGHAM AS WIM WENDERS’ 2011 KNOCKOUT FILM PINA SO APTLY DISPLAYED,

dance documentaries are better in 3D. Of course this means if you don’t happen to have such a entertainment system sitting around at home, you’ll have to get yourself to a proper cinema. But this detailed and intimate look at the life and career of influential and groundbreaking choreographer Merce Cunningham will reward your effort. The film draws from a wealth of archival

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recting the acclaimed NYC theater company where Nicole rose to stardom. When the realities of the ex-couple sharing a small child 3000 miles apart finally descend, so do the lawyers. They are particularly well cast. Laura Dern is Nicole’s graceful but steel-hard representative. Charlie eventually trades Alan Alda for an intimidating Ray Liotta. The attorneys are as heartless as they need to be, but Charlie and Nicole are much more complex and caring, so it is particularly potent to witness them spelunk to surprising depths of acrimony. Julie Hagerty (What about Bob?) and Merritt Wever (Unbelievable) are imminently watchable as Nicole’s mother and sister. THE WORD: An excellently acted and observed tale of love and divorce that takes you all the way to the bottom – and out the other side. COMING TO: Netflix

footage, then adds to those with notes and arrows like an artist’s journal. Director Alla Kovgan provides a remarkable, rich look at Cunningham’s work. While the film leans into a career that stretches from 1944 to 1972, Cunningham continued to be active until his death in 2009 at age 90. Accompanying the archival (often black and white) footage of Cunningham and collaborators are wonderfully colorful modern restagings of famous pieces. There are some heavy hitters among those aforementioned collaborators. Foremost is legendary experimental composer John Cage, who shared a romantic relationship with Cunningham, in addition to providing music to his movement. We also hear a lot of Cunningham and Cage talking, which adds another level of intimacy to an already impressive film. Robert Rauschenberg also designed the sets for performances; Jasper Johns and Roy Lichtenstein did as well. Andy Warhol contributed, too. Don’t miss the silver-inflated pillows he designed to be kicked by the dancers as they flitted across the stage. More recently Cunningham’s company worked with the bands Radiohead and Sigur Rós. THE WORD: It’s a chronicle of modern dance speaking an ineffable and essential language that no one needs any pervious knowledge or experience to understand. COMING TO: Theaters

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MARRIAGE STORY

SCANDALOUS

This Page: scandalous PhoTo courTesy magnolia PicTures • knives ouT PhoTo crediT claire folger. PhoTos courTesy of lionsgaTe

THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER ONCE SEEMED

like innocent magazine trash meant to entertain Americans in line at the supermarket. However, Scandalous reveals – in fascinating detail – how it can be a powerful and dangerous tool of distraction and misinformation. In the 1930s and ‘40s, it became a voice for isolationism and fascist propaganda. It morphed into its more familiar incarnation after being purchased and reshaped by a man whose father owned and operated New York’s largest Italian language newspaper. Generoso Pope, Jr., who made The Enquirer into a purveyor of headlines you couldn’t look away from, but also didn’t show things you didn’t want to see. One of the magazines biggest successes came when they paid an insider to get a picture of Elvis in his coffin. And when the OJ Simpson circus was heating up, they invested more money and manpower in the story than any other news outlet - and reaped the profits. (Notably, they uncovered evidence which is said to be why Simpson lost his civil suit against him.) The Enquirer also made deals: Why run stories about a beloved comedian drugging and raping women, when they could trade silence for exclusive access for more positive stories? And why not make a similar arrangement with an actor who’d become governor of California or a tycoon who’d be president? THE WORD: Despite these grim realities, the film is rather charming, and the staff seem like they’d be absolutely fabulous to drink with. COMING TO: Theaters

KNIVES OUT STILL PRECOCIOUS AT 46, DIRECTOR RIAN JOHN-

son (Looper, Star Wars: The Last Jedi) combines a whimsical murder mystery with an estimable ensemble cast. The formula is tried and true (see: Murder by Death, Clue). And Johnson is no stranger to a mystery mash-up. His breakout 2005 film Brick successfully combined hard-boiled detective noir with high school drama. Now, Knives Out pairs mystery with family. When legendary mystery author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) turns up murdered after his 85th birthday party, everyone in his family is a suspect. The action revolves around Harlan’s personal nurse and caregiver Marta (Ana de Armas Bladerunner 2049), who has the peculiar condition of vomiting every time she has to lie. Her malady is exacerbated when a police detective (LaKeith Stanfield - Get Out) arrives accompanied by the last of the great gentleman private investigators, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig, sporting an impressive southern accent). Armas and Craig display solid chemistry, which is nice considering they’ll star together in the next James Bond romp. But it’s a chemistry competition with a phenomenal cast in play. Chris Evans really pops as the family’s irreverent black sheep. Meanwhile, Toni Colette vibrates as a widowed daughter-in-law energetically clutching the family fortune. Jamie Lee Curtis plays the eldest daughter with Don Johnson as her husband. Katherine Langford (13 Reasons Why) plays Toni Colette’s daughter, while Jaeden Martell (It) is the right-wing son of Riki Lindhome and Michael Shannon. Even Frank Oz (The Muppets’ Fozzie Bear himself) makes an appearance. THE WORD: Crisp, clever and fairly original - it doesn’t reinvent the mystery, but does deliver a good time. COMING TO: Theaters METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

NEW EARS RESOLUTIONS

PET SHOP BOYS EIGHTIES SYNTH-POP VETERANS PET SHOP BOYS WILL DROP THEIR AS-YET-UNTITLED 14TH STUDIO

album in early 2020. Details are few at the moment, but we can confirm they’ll be including the already-released“Dreamland,”a duet with out British vocalist Olly Alexander ofYears & Years. The duo has never veered too far sound that they originated back in the MTV video era; so it’s safe to expect more of the sounds and beats that have made them an institution.

JEFF GOLDBLUM HALSEY OPENLY BISEXUAL POP SIREN HALSEY RETURNS IN JANUARY

with Manic, her third studio release. The record features #1 2018 single, “Without Me” (co-written by Justin Timberlake) and the country-influenced “Graveyard.” Expect the unexpected on the new collection as she incorporates rock, hip-hop, soul, folk and a kaleidoscope of other influences. The accompanying Manic World Tour begins in February.

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 METROSOURCE.COM

ACTOR JEFF GOLDBLUM IS PUTTING THE FINAL

touches on his second studio album with the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, I Shouldn’t Be Telling You This. The sparkling jazz effort includes a range of guest vocalists, including the varied talents of Fiona Apple, Anna Calvi, Inara George and the swiftly rising indie star Sharon Van Etten. His charisma, lightheartedness and eccentricities work wonders on this piano-driven LP.

this page: halsey - credit Zoey grossman • pet shop Boys - credit laBel • Jeff goldBlum - credit PARI DUKOVIC

An English avant-pop star chronicles a bitter breakup, there’s new Pet Shop Boys on the way, and girl power is trending on the underground scene. BY MATT GROSS

GIRL POWER it happeNed iN 1992 - wheN riot-grrrl Music was

this page: soccer MoMMy - credit Natalia MaNtiNi • Mitksi - credit Bao Ngo • aNgel olseN - credit caMeroN Mccool. • Fka twigs - credit laBel

breaking through thanks to the likes of Le Tigre, L7, Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney (the latter two of which recently reunited). Then lightning struck again in the ‘90s when both alternative and Top 40 stations embraced female artists as never before. Think Alanis Morissette, Jewel, Lauryn Hill, Joan Osborne and Natalie Merchant — just to name a few. And of course, nothing said Girl Power quite like the moment Sarah McLachlan launched Lilith Fair, which sold out amphitheaters across the US for three consecutive summers. A similar movement is brewing again in the indie/underground scene. The list is too long to mention, but artists to watch include:

Soccer Mommy a gifted singer-songwriter that brings to mind Exile in Guyville-era Liz Phair. Essential Listening:“Your Dog”

Mitski bridges experimental music and traditional pop in a fashion entirely her own. Essntial Listening:“Your Best American Girl”

Angel Olsen an artist with a flair for drama and a cinematic scope that recalls Kate Bush at her peak. Essential Listening:“All Mirrors”

FKA TWIGS

Magdalene (Young Turks) ON HER HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SOPHOMORE RELEASE, THE ENGLISH AVANT-POP

act is all exposed nerve and viscera. Nearly every track chronicles a bitter breakup. Over the last few years, FKA Twigs (born Tahliah Barnett) has become a critical darling, drawing comparisons to artists as disparate as Bjork, Sade and Aaliyah. Her debut release - simply titled LP1 - received a range of accolades, including a coveted Mercury Prize nomination. Twigs’ musical and personal style is unconventional, mysterious and alluring. Of Magdalene, the dancer/singer/artist explains: “I never thought heartbreak could be so all-encompassing. I never thought that my body could stop working to the point that I couldn’t express myself physically in the ways that I have always loved and found so much solace. … The process of making this album has allowed me for the first time, and in the most real way, to find compassion when I have been at my most ungrateful, confused and fractured. I stopped judging myself and at that moment found hope.” Its most delicate and gutwrenching track is the album’s closer,“Cellophane.”With both the song and its accompanying surreal video (featuring Twigs on a stripper’s pole), she turns in a performance of stunning vulnerability. Meanwhile, on “Holy Terrain” - a ‘90s R&B inspired duet with rapper Future, she roars with invigorated confidence - quite nearly the polar-opposite of “Cellophane.” Twigs has been navigating her own path from the very beginning, and this album is no exception.

METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

A visionary fashionista sets the mood for brooding in a series of intimate photographs. And ... High Society discovers Southern Hospitality. BY SEBASTIAN FORTINO

THE DIOR SESSIONS TREATS READERS TO OVER 100 PHOTOGRAPHS

THE DIOR SESSIONS Photographs by Nokolai Von Bismarck, tailored by Kim Jones, forward by Alexander fury; Rizzoli New York; $125.00

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

METROSOURCE.COM

celebrating the work of Kim Jones, Artistic Director for Dior Men since March 2018. Jones has been a design world fixture since 2003, when he debuted his first collection at London Fashion Week. He’s also been associated with such fashion stalwarts as Topman, Mulberry and McQueen. The book offers a series of haunting photographs captured by Nikolai Von Bismarck. The text describes them as “intimate and revelatory portraits of figures, public and private.” The Dior Sessions was conceived by Jones and Von Bismarck while strolling through London’s famed Hyde Park. Their goal was to deliver “a diverse cross-section, of people who do amazing things,” said Jones. Ultimately, the book celebrates both Jones’ aesthetic and that of legendary couturier Christian Dior, who surrounded himself with all the beau monde had to offer in terms of creatives and muses. Models, musicians, actors and other luminaries populate his creative journey. An image of Eddie Redmayne seems to ask what the viewer is thinking. Likewise, it’s impossible to gaze at the image of Rupert Everett and not wonder what role he is preparing for. And the peripatetic David Beckham, who seems so perpetually in motion, finds stillness posed as a Dior-clad variation of Rodin’s contemplative “The Thinker” - the darkness of his ensemble against a brooding backdrop punctuated by tattoos peeking out from white cuffs. Overall, the book’s unifying sentiment seems to be riffing on the old adage about how clothes do or don’t make the man. But here, it’s the clothes that make the mood.

THIS PAGE: IMAGES FROM “THE DIOR SESSIONS” COURTESY RIZZOLI / NOKOLAI VON BISMARCK; TAILORED BY KIM JONES

BOOKS CULTURE

APPROACHES TO ART

THE ART OF THE HOST: RECIPES AND RULES FOR FLAWLESS ENTERTAINING By Alex Hitz, with photography by Iain Bagwell; Rizzoli New York; $45.00

THIS PAGE: “THE ART OF THE HOST” IMAGERY COURTESY RIZZOLI/ IAIN BAGWELL

FOR THE SEASONED HOST – AND THOSE

that long to be, Alex Hitz delivers a beautiful guide that helps define the art of hosting for the novice or takes more tested talents to the next level. Hitz certainly knows how to entertain: He’s an award-winning chef, columnist, speaker and planner of divine parties - from his hometown of Atlanta to the Hollywood Hills of LA and NYC’s Park Avenue. This collection of 100 recipes and tips celebrates the lifestyle of a bon-vivant infused with Southern hospitality that dictates guests should be treated as family. But this knowledge comes across to the reader with the aplomb of a well-penned memoir, as Hitz offers inspiration and anecdotes that are equally memorable. He interprets classics anew – as in Caroline’s Tipsy Ambrosia, Orange Bourbon Poundcake, or a stunning Risotto alla Milanese. And he’ll refresh you on such basics as zesty vinaigrettes, lush homemade mayonnaise and a delightful onion puff inspired by Bel Air. Readers will likely be inspired to incorporate Hitz’ suggestions into their own entertaining. That could easly mean anything from inviting friends over for a Boxing Day buffet to fearlessly tackling the daunting demands of Thanksgiving. But even those who don’t plan to put Hitz’ how-to into action will learn something new from each of his handsomely crafted menus. METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

I’VE GOT

REAL ESTATE We compare forecasts for the 2020 real estate market – and how they overlap with places where LGBTQ people are buying property. BY JENNIFER DAY IT SEEMS 2019 WAS A BENEFICIAL YEAR FOR BOTH WOULD-BE HOMEOWNERS

INVENTORY IN LGBTQ PLACES

and real estate investors. The rise in home prices started to slow; mortgage rates dipped to unexpected lows. And many analysts predict a buyer’s market may be on the horizon. All of these trends are good news for anyone looking to buy. So, let’s take look ahead at the 2020 real estate scene.

Forecasters suggest that the overall inventory of available homes for sale should remain stable. And while it’s still a seller’s market in most places, buyers can expect less competition than in previous years. In most cities, homes are now taking longer to sell and price reductions are more common. Combine that with low mortgage rates, and you can conclude it’s a good time to search for a home. Where should you consider buying? Well, realtor.com based its list of the best places for LGBTQ people to live on areas where same-sex couples are a large portion of the population and local governments have strong anti-discriminatory laws and policies. (Though neither NYC nor LA cracked its top ten.) And PricewaterhouseCoopers recently issued a report on emerging trends in real estate for 2020. Fortunately, there seems to be significant overlap between the two lists in other cities. San Francisco is ranked first for LGBTQ people and twelfth for real estate markets nationwide. Meanwhile, Austin has the best current real estate market and is the 10th best area for LGBTQ people nationwide. Other high rankers on both lists include St. Petersburg (which landed at third for LGBTQ, 11th in real estate), Denver (fourth for LGBTQ, 17th for real estate), Seattle (ranked fifth for LGBTQ and 10th for real estate) and Portland (sixth for LGBTQ, and 20th for real estate). Although no one can predict real estate market trends with complete accuracy, experts can offer an idea of where things are headed. Overall, the US housing market predictions for 2020 aren’t overwhelmingly pro-sellers or pro-buyers. The good news for sellers is that there remains a healthy group of buyers looking for new property. And the good news for buyers is that prices aren’t rising at a rate they won’t be able to keep up with. ■

EXPERTS ANTICIPATE STABILITY It appears that the economy is currently holding. But with an election year upon us, that could quickly change. When it comes to real estate markets, some speculate that there could be another economic recession and housing market crash in 2020. In its quarterly Home Price Expectations Survey, Zillow asked experts and economists to provide their 2020 U.S. housing market predictions. Less than half (48%) said they expect the next recession to occur in 2020. However, while a housing bubble prompted the last recession, experts believe that a slowdown in the U.S. real estate marketing won’t play a major role in the next one. Survey respondents chose three likely triggers for the next recession: Their prognostications suggested that trade policy, stock market corrections or a geopolitical crisis are more likely catalysts for another recession than a housing market crash.

MORTGAGE RATES LOW Mortgage rates in the U.S. real estate market hit their lowest point in late 2016 and are now available at rates below 4%, according to Freddie Mac. Experts forecast this trend will stick around in 2020. In fact, mortgage rates might dip even further. Doug Duncan, chief economist at Fannie Mae, was recently quoted saying, “The Fed has moved to a bias toward easing, as global economic activity has slowed. Interest rates have fallen as a result and could move lower if the Fed acts to lower rates as insurance for economic growth.” Freddie Mac also expects mortgage rates for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage to increase only modestly - to 4.2% - in 2020.

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 METROSOURCE.COM

STOCK PHOTO COPYRIGHT: FEVERPITCHED

CULTURE

FINANCE

IN LGBTQ PLA CES

Gus Kenworthy & Birdie Silver Medalist Freeskier

Nulo’s high-protein, low carb recipes help your dogs and cats fuel their inner athlete.

See Why There’s No Better Pet Food at Nulo.com/Facts ALREADY CONVINCED? Get 20% off your purchase of a trial bag at Nulo.com with coupon code SAVE20. All trial bag orders come with a coupon for $10 off your next purchase of Nulo – valid wherever Nulo is sold.

SCOOBY

WINSTON

ON DOGS & DO-OVERS THE MOMENT I WOKE UP, I REALIZED I’D MADE A TERRIBLE MISTAKE. THE

previous day I’d been looking for a pooch to ﬁll the hole in my life left by the boyfriend I recently broke up with. I wasn’t sure I saw any I was ready to commit to. But after sleeping on it, I realized that the one big brown goofy mutt I’d seen was the dog for me. I began to panic: What if someone else came along and snatched my dog? I couldn’t abide that, so I spent the whole morning tracking

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METROSOURCE.COM

him down to a PetSmart in South Philly where he was appearing at an adoption event. Making my way to the back of the store, I filled out the paperwork. I named him Scooby and took him home. That was 13 years ago. You don’t always get the chance to go back and correct a mistake like the one I made initially overlooking Scooby. The past dozen-plus years would have been far less fulfilling and joyous if I hadn’t had that first do-over with him. It would be the first of many.

PHOTOS BY TERENCE O’BRIEN

SOMETIMES A FURRY FRIEND CAN HELP MEND A BROKEN HEART — OR EVEN REPAIR A RELATIONSHIP. BUT THEIR BIGGEST GIFT MAY BE THE LESSONS THEY TEACH ABOUT SECOND CHANCES. BY TERENCE O’BRIEN

Life with a Dog Scooby and I learned a lot from each other. I taught him to sit and fetch and not pee in the house. He taught me there is no such thing as a pet-proof trashcan. And – on two separate occasions – he proved that a condom will pass through a canine completely undigested. Eventually we got used to each other. I got used to his snoring. He got used to me bopping his nose all the time. It didn’t happen the ﬁrst night, or even the second. It was a series of trial and error and lots of repetition - with lots more do-overs. That’s what life with a dog is - a series of do-overs until you get it right. Nothing about a new dog goes perfectly at ﬁrst, but we made it work. We built on what we got right the day before, and did the things that we got wrong better the next. We weren’t weighed down by fear or guilt over mistakes we made. What a joy it would be to experience the rest of reality that way – letting go of mistakes and relishing each new success.

People Training Since Scooby was my ﬁrst dog – not to mention a rescue with a questionable history, I hired a trainer to help break some of his bad habits. I soon learned that the bad habits to break were mine, not Scooby’s. I hadn’t hired a dog trainer. What I hired was a people trainer. He trained me that dogs don’t think like humans. You have to empathize and adapt to their way thinking in order to communicate. I learned that anger and punishment never work. But attention and praise get results. A positive attitude, patience, empathy and tolerance for minor mishaps are what you need to raise a happy pet. I didn’t just become a better dog owner; I became a better man. All the skills I learned in order to interact with my dog translate completely to interacting with people. Because - whether two legged or four - how you treat living things shows them how to treat you. If I could overlook my dog’s mess on the ﬂoor, why couldn’t I just as easily be a little more patient and understanding with people?

The Men In My Life That got me thinking about a do-over with the boyfriend before Scooby. I kept telling people “I got a dog for my boyfriend, and it was a great trade.” But I believed it less and less. We had broken up due to incremental accumulation of stupid little things that bonding with Scooby taught me were unimportant. I wondered: Had I gotten my dog first, would I also still have my boyfriend? I asked Jason to give it another shot. As with Scooby, it wasn’t perfect at first. They actually didn’t get each other at the beginning. Every time Scooby barked,“You’re not my real dad”at Jason, there was tension. For Jason, it was like I’d become a single dad with a bratty furry teenager. As flattering as it was to have them competing for my attention, we had to start all over again. Through a similar process of daily repetition and do-overs , we learned to understand and love each other. That was 12 years ago. Jason and I are still together.

Without Him From the day I brought Scooby home, I knew that eventually we

would run out of do-overs. About eight years in, I started looking into his big brown eyes, touching our noses together, rubbing his ears and admitting in a cheerful voice“You’re gonna die someday.”Licking my face and wagging his tail, he’d respond to the tone of my voice blissfully unaware of the meaning. I hoped somehow our little ritual would somehow soften the inevitable blow. But I knew that nothing really could. You’ve probably deduced that a story about a dog that starts 12 years ago is bound to have a casualty. Jason and I had to say goodbye to Scooby earlier this year, and it was the worst thing we’ve been through as a couple. In the time leading up to and after his passing, I wondered if we could make it work without him. Scooby had brought us back together - and helped keep us that way - for more than a decade. Would the lessons stick with him gone? Or would we go back to our old bad habits and drift apart?

A New Beginning But this is a story about embracing the do-overs. That’s why this it ends with a new beginning. About a month ago, Jason and I decided that we were ready to welcome a wagging tail back into our home. This time, we looked for a dog together. We wanted to go with a puppy, because we wanted to have the most time possible with our new family member. The only regret we had with Scooby was that – because I adopted him as an adult - we missed out on his puppy years. We decided we wanted a rescue, and even though it was the second time around for me, it was a totally different experience. Rescue organizations are much more thorough now - especially if you’re looking for a puppy. They wanted a complete history, multiple references, a home visit. When I adopted Scooby in 2007, the only question they asked me was“do you have $36?” We looked on Petﬁnder, which is essentially Grindr for quadrupeds. Like Grindr, it also displays an endless parade of wagging tails and bitches with their tongues out. The abundance of choice allowed us to get incredibly choosy. Critiques included, “These ears are too big, but those ears are too small,”and“I like his eyes, but his coloring is all wrong,”and the inevitable“Aww, she’s so cute – but I want a boy.”

It’s a Dog’s LIfe I feared this would go on forever. Jason and I are two completely different body and personality types. We each like what the other has, but in the 15 years we’ve been together, we’ve not once been into the same guy. The same seemed to be proving true for dogs. After looking at hundreds, I began to think that this magical puppy we that both would ﬁnd perfect simply didn’t exist. But nothing works until it does, and one day, it did. We found our puppy. His name is Winston, and he is more adorable than both of us put together. And just like his daddies 15 years ago, we fell in love immediately. It’s familiar, but brand new. Winston has no vocabulary, no training and no bladder control. It’s up to us to teach him everything. Since we learned the skills to be better partners and pet parents with Scooby, I like to think we’ve got a great head start – plus some all new mistakes to make. But no matter how well or poorly we did today, I’m glad we do it all over again tomorrow. ■ METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

LOVE

N A H T A N JO VAN NESS TOMORROW ? In a myth-shattering memoir, Queer Eye’s hair care wizard talks sex, drugs and sudden celebrity. Think you know this bubblicious boy in the beard from TV? We’re serving you JVN realness. BY KEVIN PHINNEY

buoyant, witty and composed. But in a new memoir, “Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love “(HarperOne, $27.99), the Queer Eye grooming guru lets his hair down so fans can see beyond what the Netﬂix cameras capture. “That’s such a misperception of me and just life in general,” says the star. “I don’t exist in a perpetually effervescent state. I am not that person all the time. And that’s literally the basis of my book, which is: If you knew everything I’ve been through, if you saw me when I was irritated, if you saw me when I was late, if you saw me when I was frustrated, would you still love me? Would you still understand me? Would you still want to take the picture with me?” Labeled ‘the outrageous one’ of Queer Eye’s next gen Fab Five, Van Ness is breathing in the thrill of exploding expectations. He’s put his entire life on display — including bouts with addiction, childhood sexual abuse and his status as HIV-positive. And now he’s doing his level best, with no apparent skeletons left in the closet, to simply enjoy being Jonathan again.

JUST ADD JONATHAN As his memoir makes clear, Van Ness’ path into the limelight has been anything but straight. He writes that from a very early age,“identifying male and female in the same day is something that has always been possible for me.” (Van Ness identiﬁes as non-binary but presently opts for he/him/his pronouns.) But don’t ask him to pretend being anything other than himself. “I can’t even do a straight accent – it’s not in my repertoire.”* With the book already on the shelves and a special series of Queer Eye: We’re in Japan! currently streaming, Van Ness is in London when we connect. He can be sweet as pie — and that’s just the problem. He wants the world to know there’s more, and that he simply can’t manage the time or the emotional bandwidth to be the Instant Party everyone expects all the time. “Life is effervescent,” he maintains.“But it’s also tragedy. It is happy, it’s sad, it’s tough, it’s with ease. It is a whole spectrum of emotions that are high highs and low lows. And we all can really inhabit any of those things at any of those places. And none of that means that you aren’t truly a happy person, or that you’re not truly feeling sad right now. I think it’s that life is a constant choice of, no matter what cards we’re given, it’s like, ‘How am I going to handle these?’”

GROWING UP JVN The cards that Van Ness were dealt found him growing up in Quincy, Illinois. There, he obsessed over female Olympians’ routines and demonstrated early brand loyalty towards sugary treats (cinnamon and brown sugar Pop-Tarts; Cinnamon Toast Crunch). He also tried to get used to being bullied by everyone he encountered beyond his front yard. His family has social standing in the community. (JVN suggests they’re a less-luxe, more-local version of the Kennedys.) They’re part owners of Quincy Media, which

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THIS PAGE: NINO MUNOZ/NETFLIX

WILL YOU S TILL

ON A FLATSCREEN, JONATHAN VAN NESS OFTEN PRESENTS AS

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includes their hometown newspaper, The Herald Whig. His mother Mary Winters is Vice President of Quincy, and according to Wikipedia, the family has had a controlling interest in the conglomerate since the 1890s. None of that mattered to the schoolmates who taunted little Jack Van Ness as he struggled to make sense of the world around him. “I handled my fear of bullies by becoming even louder and being even more over the top,” he says.“By the time I was three I was already committed to playing with as many Barbies as I could and making as many geode jewelry-like things as possible. I was very, very effeminate. I was always – and obviously, gender expression and sexuality aren’t the same things – but I was, from a very early age, very just boisterously myself.” It’s a point he makes over and over again, and key to understanding how he views himself. He choreographed elaborate imaginary Olympic events in his basement and insisted his brothers and step-father assume the roles of judges from specific countries to score him (think Russian; Chinese). And, despite his mother’s admonition, he fearlessly decided to dance to a Jewel tune at school. They recently relived that delicate moment together on JVN’s weekly podcast, Getting Curious.

Despite being singled out as “a faggot” and having spray-painted epithets follow him around Quincy like the tail of a comet, Van Ness would neither shut up nor disappear. On the contrary, he made a place for himself on the school’s cheerleading squad. Keep your eyes on JVN in the Season Four Queer Eye opener as the show takes him back to his roots. He and his cohosts return to makeover the school’s matriarch, Kathi Dooley. And, when their work is complete, Van Ness breaks down. “Quincy has had, ever since I left, a very particular, kind of painful place in my heart,” he tells her. “Because as much I loved being a [Quincy High] Blue Devil, my experience here was very hard. But one thing that you did for me and other kids like me: You always treated me the same as if I was like everyone else. And as an LGBT person, I think so badly we just want to feel normal and not treated differently. And you always did that. I just feel like my scars were very much healed this week.” Even as he longed to feel normal, his sexual abuse at the hands of an older boy and a lack of validation sent him into the cyberverse in search of men. He found them in abundance – along with much more than he bargained for.

EXCESS YOURSELF A cheerleading scholarship to the University of Arizona quickly crumbled after JVN

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tumbled into drug use and sex work. “That was my cue to get like, ‘I’m in over my head; I need help’.” In retrospect, he understands he was one of the lucky ones, “because when I did get in that really scary position, I had a cell phone that my Mom gave me that I could call and be like,‘I need to get out of here.’ A lot of people wouldn’t have the ability to do that. But because I had that support, I think that I didn’t fully realize how dangerous and precarious a position I was putting myself in.” The swings between success and excess followed Van Ness from Tucson back to Quincy. They continued well into St. Louis and two residencies in Los Angeles. He learned to color and cut hair, became an Aveda devotee and a workaholic by day — yet he could still steal moments to fuel his addictions to sex and meth. At the same time, he heard something inside telling him that self-care was a real thing - and

production photos courtesy of netflix • nino Munoz/netflix

THE SCARS

that he needed plenty of it. He devoured the works of Deepak Chopra and Brené Brown and books like“The Four Agreements”and The Power of Now. He came to believe that abuse survivors are often retraumatized by triggering events that send them reeling back into bad habits. “But,” he says, “I didn’t realize that’s what I was doing until I got out of it safely and had time to really get therapy and process what had happened to me.”

A NEW FAMILY

small child. But I realized at some point over the last few years that this is way more than me wearing heels and wanting to wear dresses occasionally. There’s a lot of cisgender people who want to wear clothes from the opposite sex. But that doesn’t necessarily make them non-binary, trans or anything. For me, it was that I realized: I just don’t feel that ‘man’ thing. I also don’t feel that woman. I just, I feel like I’m other. That’s when I learned what non-binary is. All those things had to coalesce at one time. It’s something I kind of always knew. I just didn’t know what the name for it was.”

*SELECT QUOTES FROM OVER THE TOP: A RAW JOURNEY TO SELF-LOVE BY JONATHAN VAN NESS, COURTESY HARPERONE PUBLISHERS.

While trying to stay clean and work on his craft as a hairdresser, Van Ness suddenly found that Gay of Thrones - his fanciful video recap of the HBO series - had suddenly given him a toehold in entertainment. That led to getting management, firing said manager in search of better representation, and then getting a call from his original manager with the news that Netflix was rebooting Queer Eye. A rigorous series of interviews and chemistry pairings followed, and through tenacity and talent, JVN got himself a new family. Four seasons down the road, he says,“It’s funny how much our dynamic doesn’t seem to change. It’s like some friends - if you spend three weeks apart - it’s weird like getting back together. We always fall back into a really good groove with each other. I think that for all of us [including Antoni, Kamaro, Tan and Bobby] it’s so great, because all of us have this, like, if we feel something, we say it to each other.”

LAND OF THE RISING FUN Their camaraderie is back on display with new episodes that find the crew in Japan — where they knew neither the culture nor the language. “I can really only speak for myself,” he’ll say,“but I really went into that trying to be more a student and less an expert. And really trying to go in and learn a little bit more. Because maybe there are things with their culture and lifestyles that wouldn’t work with how I think about doing hair and makeup. I was trying to listen more and talk less, especially in Japan. “And I actually think that these are some of our most amazing episodes, because I think all of us were kind of in more of a ‘learn and listen’ place. Just ‘cause you kind of have to be. When you speak the same language, you can sometimes anticipate what people are gonna say. When you don’t, you can’t. So you really have to be present.”

NO BIG DEAL With what seems like several lifetimes of experience under his belt, Van Ness is getting comfortable in a place of grace: learning about himself and others. Being open about living with HIV and facing public reaction to him defying genderstereotypes? It’s no big deal, he says matter-of-factly. “As far as being non-binary, I thought there was only cisgender and transgender. You know; male or female. That was what I thought what my choices were, especially as a

Comfortable in his skin and loving himself? That’s the role he’s been trying to perfect — not only as a Queer Eye expert, but also in life. And who isn’t? “I do think I’ve learned to make lemonade out of lemons,” he says.“That’s why I love figure skating and gymnastics and watching TV and making perfect little routines and all the things I would do to create little pockets of joy for myself. I’ve always tried convince myself I am effervescent. But I’m also someone who can be really sad and depressed. And I can struggle with anxiety. But that doesn’t mean that I’m also not someone who can be really happy and joyful and full of life. I think all those things can exist at once.” ■ METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

BETTY [ POD GODDESSES ] Technically BETTY is three people we love: Elizabeth Ziff, Alyson Palmer and Amy Ziff. But BETTY also contains multitudes - from adoring fans to collaborators whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked to bring their singular combination of punk energy and girlgroup harmony to the world. One of the reasons weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve singled them out this year is the debut of BETTY: Girlband, the Podcast, which features the artists reďŹ&#x201A;ecting on their amazing journey together. Chances are, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve experienced BETTY - at a Pride festival, singing the theme of The L Word, creating music for HBOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Real Sex. The gals glowed, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve shared stages, time and adventures with people like Alan Cumming, Governor Ann Richards, James Brown, Marvin Hamlisch, Cab Calloway and a memorable bottle of Pinch with Maya Angelou in her limo!â&#x20AC;?

Whether you prefer her as psychologist Donna Chambers in the most recent season of American Horror Story or as the sassy ballroom upstart Candy from Pose, Angelica Ross made 2019 her own. And sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s now the ďŹ rst trans actress to secure two major series roles, both via Ryan Murphy vehicles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For people who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know us, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know trans people or the trans community, sometimes the stories they get are all doom and gloom,â&#x20AC;? says Ross. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We talk about homelessness. We talk about unemployment. We talk about the murders of trans people that are not stopping anytime soon. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important for people to understand is that the lives of trans people of color and LGBTQ people of color may be ďŹ lled with a lot of challenges. But we have learned how to make something beautiful out of our lives.â&#x20AC;?

Bob + Rob [MEN IN BOXERS] Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just say that Boxers is to sports what Hooters is to wings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really is a place for everybody,â&#x20AC;? says owner Bob Fluet (pictured at right with business partner Rob Hynds and a member of their well-appointed bar staff). â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we opened on 20th street, it was a conscious choice to not be in the Village. Some people questioned our judgment, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think we should ever have to normalize ourselves, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never shied away from being out and proud. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Next year will be our 10th anniversary, and when we began, we were simply a bar. But todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customers look for more; they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go to cruise as much as to be entertained,â&#x20AC;? he explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So we have the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest Latin party; we have DJs and karaoke, and we were one of the ďŹ rst to host Drag Race nights. So what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done is adapt and evolve. But weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll always be a comfort zone for all people.â&#x20AC;?

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Angelica Ross [ TRANS ACTOR ]

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Chris Frederick [ PRIDE GUIDE ] LGBTQ people the world over owe NYC Pride and its Executive Director Chris Frederick a debt of gratitude for their unwavering leadership while helming history’s biggest Pride celebration ever: WorldPride NYC 2019 - as well as for their contributions to fundraising efforts in the community. Their Pride Gives Back grant program has given more than $300,000 to LGBTQ+ nonproﬁts this year alone. NYC Pride has grown as an organization too, with its ranks swelling to 150 members and an annual calendar of more than two dozen events. “Participating in these events has become a pilgrimage of sorts for our community,” says Frederick. “I still feel we have a long way to go before we reach a point where all voices feel represented across the entirety of the experience.”

Daniel Nardicio [ NIGHT LIFER ] Impresario Daniel Nardicio is one of the reasons New York’s gay nightlife burns so brightly. His exploits include co- creating the performance-fueled Lower East Side nightspot Club Cumming. “I recently said to a friend: ‘Can you imagine telling your scared, unhappy gay teen [self] what life would become?’ It’s so efﬁng marvelous. The creativity, humor and silliness of the gay community continually astonishes me.” Recently, Nardicio parlayed his partnership with actor Alan Cumming into Club Cumming Productions, where they share the goal of bringing more LGBTQ stories to big and small screens alike. “There are so many stories I want to see told, and most are part of our community. I strongly feel that through entertainment you can really reach people and open their minds.”

Jonathan Bennett [ MEAN GUY ] It’s possible that you fell for Jonathan Bennett when he starred as Lindsay Lohan’s love interest in Mean Girls, which turned 15 in 2019. But it was in 2017 that Bennett set our hearts aﬂutter all over again, when he came out and revealed his relationship with TV host James Vaughn. “ I feel so grateful to be so embraced and supported by my community,” says Bennett. And, yes, he’s still feeling the love as new generations continue to discover Mean Girls - and the fact that he’s gay. “I get thousands of messages from LGBTQ students who are fans of Mean Girls who say that seeing me out and proud with my partner has given them the courage to come out themselves. I really don’t know how to digest it sometimes. To think that I had even the slightest impact on their lives is a true honor.” METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

Asia Kate Dillon [ BINARY BUSTER ]

Guy Anthony [ MESSAGE SENDER ]

Activist, community leader and author Guy Anthony has already done more to educate the LGBTQ community than most people could hope to accomplish in an entire lifetime. His conduit: the organization Black, Gifted & Whole. “We believe that black gay men are multifaceted and deserve a multipronged approach when being engaged. We believe that sexual health + higher education + access to resources can drastically affect the trajectory of their lives.” And what would he most want people to learn from his efforts as an HIV/ AIDS activist? “I need readers to understand that although people living with HIV/AIDS are living longer and more fulﬁlling lives with the right treatment and care, there are still people dying and suffering in silence.... An estimated 940,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2017.” It’s a heavy message, but one Anthony carries with grace.

Demetre Daskalakis [ HEALTH WARRIOR ] His ofﬁcial title is Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Disease Control of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. But he’s found success spreading the good news about PrEP and NYC’s lower HIVtransmission rates in the persona of hunky “Doctor Demetre.” And according to Daskalakis, that’s all part of the plan: “Fear is not an effective way to convince people to take care of their sexual health. People have sex for pleasure, and unless we embrace that, we aren’t going to be able to [impart] message strategies that help preserve and improve our population’s sexual health,” he asserts. As for the way his sexy internet persona tends to associate him more often with tattoos and leather gear than stethoscopes and labcoats, he says, “I get a thrill when people refer to me as a Queer Health Warrior. It is what I have always wanted to be.”

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THIS PAGE: AKD PHOTO BY SHIRIN TINATI, COURTESY OF ASIA KATE DILLON. GUY ANTHONY COURTESY GUY ANTHONY. DEMETRE DASKALAKIS PHOTO COURTESY VICTORIA WILL.

You likely recognize Dillon from serving their unmistakable brand of cool in Showtime’s Billions and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. “Hello, I’m Taylor,” their character said when ﬁrst blowing into the boardrooms of Billions like a breath of fresh air. “My pronouns are ‘they,’ ‘theirs’ and ‘them.’” Dillon has brought a similar kind of directness to their career in the entertainment industry. As a queer trailblazer, Dillon said to The New York Times, “I am drawn into remembrance of those who came before: Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, all the trans women, femmes and people of color who started the queer revolution.” In addition to being proud of their career, Dillon told the LA Times, “It’s also a silver lining that Billions has become sort of a teaching tool en masse about nonbinary gender identity.”

Gio Benitez and Tommy DiDario [ BEST HUBBIES ] When ABC News correspondent Gio Benitez and social media maven Tommy DiDario walked down the aisle, they received the kind of coverage usually reserved for British Royals. “It’s funny, we never expected our relationship to garner so much attention because in our eyes, we are just living our truths like any couple,” says DiDario. “There is nothing more powerful to me than hearing from a mother or father who says the photos and stories Tommy and I share have shifted their views so dramatically that they’ve had to apologize to their children for how they treated them,” adds Benitez. “I hope that through showing glimpses of my relationship with my husband, we continue spreading the narrative that love is love, and everyone deserves to love and be loved. Gio is my family,” adds DiDario. “And that, I will never take for granted.”

Merryn Johns [ CURVE HUGGER ]

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She’s overseen publications from Australia to North America, where the award-winning journalist is Editor-in-Chief of the top lesbian publication Curve. “I was fairly sure I was gay at seven, growing up in a small bush suburb in Australia. When I came out to my mom, it did not go well, so the LGBTQ community is my home as well as a workplace and a sense of reﬂected self. The younger generations also feel like my kids,” Johns says with affection. Readers reafﬁrm her dedication to her craft as well. “I meet young women who tell me Curve is the mothership and was their Bible growing up and coming out! And not only women. I was in a hotel lobby recently and a young black cisgender male security guard came up to me and thanked me for putting hiphop artist Young MA on the cover!”

Corey Johnson [ VOICE OF REASON ] The Speaker of the New York City Council since 2018, Johnson has worked diligently for the welfare of all the city’s inhabitants. “I’m proud to lead a body that also believes in equal rights for everyone in this city,” he says. “I’m proud of what we do, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made. But we have so much more to do.” He believes that being gay helps to keep him mindful that “we all have different things that deﬁne us. Being a member of the LGBTQ+ community reminds me that we have work to do to ensure that regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, or race, people feel safe and respected in this city. Our identities help to shape how we see and move around in this world. My community has experienced hate and bigotry, and I make sure to ﬁght for any other community that is also subject to hate and bigotry. We’re all in this together.” METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

The man behind multi-media extravaganza Oscar at the Crown composed the score, designed the costumes, and then choreographed the musical that left NYC audiences breathless throughout last summer. “I’ve always gravitated to what’s underground,” he says with a shrug. “Discovering the club kid scene of the ‘90s was huge for me. As far back as I can remember, I was drawn to stories about outsiders and the people who tell them — people like Tim Burton, Quentin Tarantino, even Alan Menken’s Little Shop of Horrors, which I loved as a kid.” Cox’ work has too much mass appeal to stay hidden for long, but he plans to stay true to his vision: “I want to tell stories beyond the cis white heteronormative culture and use art to push the boundaries. I want people to think. “

Nina West [ SCENE QUEEN ] “A drag queen is often the most revered and hated person in the community,” muses Nina West, “because they’re a representation of so many different things.” West, who attended the Republican National Convention at 12, has gone through more than a few changes of her own while the queer scene around her has been swirling in ﬂux. A self-proclaimed “camp queen,” West began raising her voice in drag to raise money at charity fundraisers, and she’s been outspoken ever since. Last summer, she wrote “Treat Yourself Today” to encourage LGBTQ people to monitor their HIV status. The track quickly became a video ad for OraQuick, who make home HIV-testing kits. It was a rare conﬂuence of community and commerce. “I’m not one to shy away from standing in my truth,” the drag activist insists. “There are many ways to own your identity, and it can incorporate many nuances. But it has to be done.”

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Toby Hervey [ BRAVELY FORWARD ] “Being gay gave me more empathy for what it’s like to be underrepresented,” says the founder of Bravely, a company that helps organizations relieve work-related conﬂicts through coaching. He created the company after a friend asked for help in coping with a boss who was “working her to the bone.” Bravely, he explains, helps people who “face an extra layer of navigating identity in work environments — and some 12 percent of our clients identify as LGBTQ.” Their lofty ambition is to overcome systemic workplace bias. “Most access to coaching happens for managers and leaders and employees considered to be ‘high potentials’,” he adds. “And most of those are white, male, privileged and heterosexual.”

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Andrew Barret Cox [TRIPLE THREAT]

Cliff Morrison [GAY SAMARITAN]

THIS PAGE: CLIFF MORRISON, RAVI ROTH AND GREG HERNANDEZ PHOTOS COURTESY THEIR RESPECTIVE SUBJECTS

He’s an unlikely movie star, but an unquestioned hero. In the early ‘80s Morrison created a ward at San Francisco General for patients suffering from a disease ﬁrst known as “gay cancer.” His story is retold in 5B, a ﬁlm that tracks the lives of those who passed through the ward over the course of the epidemic. At that time, no one could say for certain how AIDS was spread. Morrison, who had been through a Shanti Project training program, was tapped to consult with doctors, patients and families. And when he couldn’t save his patients’ lives, he decided to help them die with dignity and knowing they were loved. He guessed AIDS was blood-borne early on - although others considered his assessment reckless. Ultimately, his ideas became standard. “I wasn’t wearing any of the professional protective equipment, but I was following general infection control protocols,” he recalls.”I thought, ‘If this is killing all my brothers, it’ll probably get me, too. So I’m not going to stand by. I’ll take control of my own destiny.’ And that’s exactly how I approached it.”

Ravi Roth [ GLOBE TROTTER ] Greg in Hollywood [ STAR MAN ] Journalist Greg Hernandez launched Greg In Hollywood in March of 2009, inviting its readers to join him as he mixes with the celebrities who light up our screens. “The feedback I’ve gotten from readers is that they like my positive take on things. I don’t engage in snark and largely refrain from getting too negative on the blog — there’s enough of that out there.” He seems thrilled to be reporting for a more accepting generation. “Young people honestly don’t seem to care if their favorite star is gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, non-binary, pansexual,” he says. “What people like Billy Porter, Laverne Cox, Sarah Paulson, Neil Patrick Harris, RuPaul, Jane Lynch, Jim Parsons and others have been able to accomplish while being out publicly is proof that the sky is the limit. Visibility in the media is making such a difference.”

Roth’s explosive energy, sense of fun and love of exploring keeps people coming back to the chronicles of Ravi Round the World. “My goal is to be the gay version of the late Anthony Bourdain —RIP. I want to be the face and the voice of gay travel. I want to entertain, educate, explore the queer culture globally. I want to help eradicate body shaming, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia by bringing visibility to the forefront,” he says. “The queer culture in Istanbul is why I started Ravi Round The World. I Google-searched gay bars and seven came up. I went to all of them. Four didn’t exist! One had the wrong address. There was no site that had accurate information. I had to do some investigative work on Grindr and Scruff to ﬁnd out where the locals go, but more importantly: was it safe to be out and publicly gay? I learned in Istanbul that it is not accepted and not condoned to be publicly gay and the majority of the queer nightlife was underground. It then became my mission to uncover this worldwide - one city at a time.”

PWL text by Paul Hagen/Kevin Phinney. For much more from our conversations with People We Love, visit us at metrosource.com METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD WHICH LGBTQ ORGANIZATION SHOULD WIN PRIZE MONEY AND A POSITION ON THE PWL LIST? VOTE AT METROSOURCE.COM/PWLVOTE AND YOU MAY WIN TICKETS TO OUR ANNUAL GALA!

Ali Forney Center Ali Forney Center seeks to shelter LGBTQ youth from homelessness and empowers them with the tools to live independently. The organization’s namesake, Ali Forney, was a gendernonconforming teen who ﬂed his home at 13. He entered the foster care system where he was bounced from home to home, beaten and abused. Don’t our kids deserve better?

Callen-Lorde Callen-Lorde provides quality compassionate health care with a variety of services targeted to New York’s LGBTQ communities — regardless of ability to pay.

The Alliance GMCLA & NYCGMC

The Alliance for Positive Change helps New Yorkers living with HIV and other chronic illness access medical care, manage addiction, get back to work and ﬁnd community. The Alliance also lends a hand in peer support and helping thousands of locals ﬁnd the housing assistance they need to achieve health, happiness and stability.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles and the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus may each be anchored on opposite ends of the country. But they share similar goals in staging musical experiences that address queer themes and creating events that bring us together in song. They’re also extraordinary ambassadors of our community’s commitment to excellence in the performing arts.

Bienestar Bienestar was founded in 1989 as a non-proﬁt social service organization with a singular mission: to positively impacting the health and well being of the Latino community and other underserved communities in Southern California.

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

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PFLAG PFLAG is the ﬁrst and largest organization for LGBTQ people, their families and straight allies. With more than 400 chapters and 200,000 members and supporters in cities across the U.S., PFLAG seeks to create a world where diversity is celebrated, inclusivity rules, and all people are respected, valued and afﬁrmed.

GLSEN Shouldn’t every schoolkid be valued and treated with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression? GLSN is dedicated to making that goal a reality. They believe that students everywhere deserve a safe and afﬁrming school environment where they can learn and grow.

Point Foundation Point Foundation promotes change through scholarship funding, mentoring, leadership development and community service training for LGBTQ young people. The foundation bills itself as the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for deserving students. Point empowers promising LGBTQ schoolkids to achieve their full academic and leadership potential – despite the obstacles often put before them – and hopes to prepare them to make their own positive mark on society.

LGBTQ Victory Fund & LGBTQ Victory Institute

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GLAAD is watching over what we watch. As a media monitor, its leaders address current cultural events as they happen to ensure fair and diverse LGBTQ representation in print, on screens and the internet. As an organization, they seek to safeguard the community’s advances while pushing for a world rooted in mutual respect and equality for all.

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LGBTQ Victory Fund & LGBTQ Victory Institute are the only national organizations dedicated to training, supporting and electing LGBTQ people to public office. Victory Institute’s four-day Candidate & Campaign Trainings have helped thousands learn how to run for office. Among their success stories: Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia and Virginia Delegate Danica Roem. Victory also provides internships and fellowships on Capitol Hill for young LGBTQ leaders interested in public service, and runs the only national network of LGBTQ elected officials, with more than 750 members.

METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

Solaris earbuds reproduce sound at a quality once considered impossible. Get every nuance from Bey, the Beatles or Beethoven. They’re just out and available at CampﬁreAudio.com

So you think you can sing? Share your musical gifts with the world with Phonocut, a home vinyl recorder that makes you a one-person record plant and studio. Now you can croon a tune and preserve it for posterity. Phonocut.com

Whether you’re anxious, have trouble sleeping, or could just use a good cuddle as you doze off, the Hush Iced Cooling and Sleep-Inducing Blanket is weighted, but miraculously never gets hot. Find dreamland in comfort at Indiegogo.com

It’s the tippler’s dream come true: Everything you’ll need to bring the party everywhere you go is in the Hex X Tillit Bartender Backpack. Carry bottles, strainers, stirrers and the rest and you’ll be a walking cocktail hour. Hexbrand.com

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THIS SECTION: ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE RESPECTIVE MANUFACTURERS

WELCOME TO OUR MOST LUXE GIFT GUIDE YET, WITH A TROVE OF YULETIDE TREASURES BY KEVIN PHINNEY

Want to look your best even when wearing next to nothing? Skull & Bones matches form and function in a sexy assortment of sublimely comfy union suits, jocks and underwear. Check out their entire collection at SkullandBones.com

Here’s something for the mixologist in us all: The Tre Glass set small (pictured) and large, designed by David Derksen with laboratory borosilicate glass. A one-liter carafe is available, too. Ponder the possibilities at IndustryWest.com

METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

Put your oven and microwave on permanent vacation for multi-ingredient meals that cook simultaneously in a fraction of the time. It’s all possible now with the Brava. Download recipes into the oven, and save every single favorite. Brava.com

A sleek electronic wallet that’s easy to store and comfortable to carry. Best feature: the cardholder, which allows a quick look at your cards to select the right one instantly. No more scrambling in TSA lines hunting for your ID — and there’s room for your cash, too. From Ekster.com

Deborah Harry, — or Debbie if you prefer — has one of the most recognized faces in pop. In her new memoir, she looks back at Blondie and a career that skitters from punk to disco and even early rap. Find it at HarperCollins.com

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

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THIS PAGE: DEBBIE HARRY PORTRAIT BY HARRY ROOF; COURTESY HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHERS

Who said you have to be cold to chill? The Nobis parka puts you at the height of versatile style with 100% white Canadian down. It’s also waterproof, windproof and constructed from ethically sourced materials. From US.Nobis.com

There will never be another Prince. This multidisc set (which includes previously unseen video-to-disc concerts) was his commercial breakthrough, containing remasters of “Little Red Corvette” and the immortal title track. Let the purple reign! Just out on Rhino.com

Imagine a doll in assorted ethnicities that’s also free from gender norms. With Creatable World, your doll can be whatever your dreams can imagine. Developed in consultations with parents, physicians and kids themselves, say hello to 2.0 playtime. From Mattel.com

Use the Force to create your holiday favorites! This season, Le Creuset is offering a limited edition of Star Wars-inspired cookware. Get a Han Solo roaster, a Darth Vader dutch oven, or a C-3PO Mini Cocotte. See the complete line available at LeCreuset.com

METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

Want to give your visage some va-va-voom? Push reset on those pores with a beauty mask featuring pumpkin and other produce. BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES THERE ARE A FEW GREAT NEW MASKS ON THE MARKET. ONE POPULAR INGREDIENT IN SEVERAL WE RECENTLY INVESTIGATED IS PUMP-

kin. Sure, your favorite coffee shop may have moved on from #PumpkinSpice to #PeppermintMocha. But this nutrient-rich squash can keep delivering omega fatty acids, biotin and Vitamins E, A and K to your face all year long. We’ve also got masks featuring matcha, mushrooms and other ingredients you might usually see on a menu.

EMINENCE PUMPKIN LATTE HYDRATION MASQUE

BODY

HEALTH

is formulated with Vitamin E and Omega 9 nutrients, helping to restore your skin’s natural moisture while ﬁghting environmental stress and the appearance of aging. This mask is rich in beta-carotene and has a wonderful aroma that makes you feel as if you’re diving into a pumpkin pie. Eminence Organic Skin Care has been using sustainable farming and green practices to create natural, organic and biodynamic products since 1958. Free of parabens, animal by-products, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates and other harsh cosmetic chemicals their products are made with fresh fruit pulp, plants and exotic spices. ($52)

DERMAQUEST MINI PUMPKIN MASK is a subtle, gentle mask that can aid in preventing breakouts while rejuvenating the skin. It’s ideal for those with mild acne and pigmentation concerns. The mask features pumpkin pulp, which has antibacterial properties and enzymes that digest excess skin cells as well as antioxidants with anti-inﬂammatory beneﬁts and AHA’s to help decongest clogged pores. The mask also works in concert with Dermaquest Essential Daily Cleanser, another gentle-yet-thorough cleanser that provides mild exfoliation. The cleanser contains papaya fruit extract, pineapple fruit extract and grape seed extract. This crueltyfree cleanser is ideal for anyone with skin sensitivities and safe to use on any skin tone.($32)

is great winter option to purify and detoxify stressed skin while evening out your pH balance. In addition to blue machta, its detoxifying ingredients include organic mango butter, organic green tea and soothing organic aloe leaf juice. The combination nourishes skin with rich antioxidants and leave you feeling (and looking) spa-treatment fresh. It’s perfect to pack on a skiing or snowboarding trip. ($58)

Paula’s Choice also has a new SUPER HYDRATE OVERNIGHT MASK enriched with cloudberry, reishi mushroom and specialized peptides. This mask not only soothes, but works overnight to reverse dehydrated damaged skin. If your skin gets dry during the winter months, lather on this mask and let it work overnight. ($34) Nobody does winter quite like the Icelandic. And Blue Lagoon Iceland offers an ALGAE MASK that is chock-full of healing and restorative properties from its famous geothermal spa. The mask is infused with natural bacteria and aquatic plants to significantly increase collagen production, helping the skin look more firm — and more radiant. Apply generously, close your eyes and picture yourself floating in a warm electric-blue pool. ($103)

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THIS PAGE: ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE RESPECTIVE MANUFACTURERS

WHISH BLUE MATCHA RESTORING MASK

THE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING. FOUR YEARS AGO, 1,390 CASES OF

hepatitis A were reported across the United States. But since 2016, 30 states have now reported some 26,276 outbreaks (with 60% of those infected requiring hospitalization) and 268 deaths - mostly among atrisk groups including drug users and men who have sex with men. In some regions, the volume of cases has been so extreme that officials have declared public health emergencies. The outbreak is prompting health officials to ramp up education and outreach efforts. That includes enlisting support from community-based organizations and even smartphone apps to cast as wide an awareness net as possible.

STOCKPHOTO COPYRIGHT: JARUN ONTAKRAI

UNDERSTANDING THE OUTBREAK “From our standpoint, as the outbreaks continue, it’s critical to make sure that populations that are vulnerable to infection – people who use drugs or are transient, gay and bisexual men – are vaccinated,” says Dr. Monique Foster, medical officer at the Center for Disease Control’s Division of Viral Hepatitis. “We’ve all been working together to alert all states, those having cases and not having cases, to both prevent and respond to outbreaks.” Hepatitis A is an incredibly contagious liver infection that is carried by a virus found in the stools of infected people. It is most commonly spread from person to person, often through close personal contact and sex with a carrier. People who get the virus sometimes feel sick for a few weeks to several months. While most people recover and do not have lasting liver damage, some become so ill that they must be hospitalized until their conditions stabilize. Foster says people with chronic liver disease are at higher risk for complications. Healthcare experts also recently advised those with HIV or AIDS to get vaccinated as well. “Individuals living with HIV and AIDS can suffer higher morbidity and mortality rates if

they are infected with the virus,” she asserts. The hepatitis A vaccine is the best way to prevent infection. One dose of single-antigen vaccine provides up to 95% seroprotection in healthy individuals for up to 11 years.

BODY

How are health officials addressing a liver disease that has become an astounding 19 times more common in just a few short years? BY JEFF SIMMONS

METROHIV

AN EXPLOSIVE

HOW WE FIGHT IT Outbreaks are spreading across the country, with the steepest numbers in regions also coping with other public health challenges — like opioids. Tennessee, Ohio, and West Virginia and Florida have tallied the most incidents so far – more than 3,000 - with 40 deaths resulting. In encouraging news, two states – California and Utah – have already declared an end to their outbreaks. Working with health officials, the mobile app Grindr has been alerting users about the outbreak, echoing earlier warnings about meningitis. In October 2018, the Illinois Department of Health approached Grindr about the increase in hepatitis A cases. So the social app began issuing weekly hepatitis A advisories. The alerts later expanded to reach users in other regions across the country. “We have reached more than three million unique Grindr users with these alerts in five states, four cities and one country outside of the United States,”said Grindr’s Global Health Projects Manager, Emmett Patterson.“We don’t only want to work with health departments,”he says, “but with community-based organizations, too.” His colleague,director of Grindr for Equality Jack Harrison adds, “We are always thinking about how we can build new features into the app to help people manage their health.” Similarly, Grindr also regularly notifies users about the importance of HIV testing and introduced features that allow users to set up reminders to be tested. Patterson concludes,“We do have the opportunity to reach people to help them take control of their bodies and their health.” ■ METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

BODY

HEALTH

There may be no avoiding holiday stresses and weather messes, but there are also ways to help yourself cope. BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES

THE YULE LOG IS ON NETFLIX, AND ALEXA’S PLAYING SOMETHING FESTIVE. SO WHY DO YOU FEEL SO AWFUL? THE HOLIDAYS MAY BE THE HAPPIEST

time of the year for some people. But for others, family pressures, financial stress, packed calendars, unusual eating and travel can lead to anxiety and exhaustion. Whether you call it holiday burnout or the winter blues, there are several things you can do to take care of yourself this season.

It’s easier said than done, but try to stay on your regular sleep schedule. Sleep requirements vary from person to person, but most adults need between 7 to 9 hours a day. Aiming for six and calling it a night simply won’t cut it. And though it can be tempting to sleep in, don’t assume that you can “catch up on sleep” over your holiday vacation. Sleeping too much can also put you in a funk. So even when you have free time, set your alarm, lace up those boots and face the day.Your bed will be waiting when you get back – and it’ll be that much easier to drift off when you slip between the covers.

6. LIGHTEN UP Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression known to effect people during the fall or winter. Even going for a short walk or spending a little extra time in the sun can begin to turn your bad day around. If you’re stuck indoors, try opening the blinds to let some sunshine into your home or office. Sunlight boosts the brain’s release of serotonin, which can both elevate your mood and help you feel calm. Light therapy (AKA phototherapy) is another aid in treating seasonal depression. Most participants can benefit from sitting near

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a light therapy box – which imitates natural sunlight – for as little as 10 to 15 minutes.

5. WORK IT OUT Even when the weather outside is frightful, it’s worth working up a sweat indoors. Many streaming services offer exercise videos on demand, and most of us have a jump rope or other exercise equipment gathering dust somewhere. Exercise can prompt fast-acting, beneficial changes in neurotransmitters including noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine. As your body releases endorphins, your mind shifts into something like a meditative state. Aftereffects can include a sense of relaxation and accomplishment.

4. GET WET Whether you opt for a bath bomb, epsom salts, bubbles, or good old fashioned warm water, there’s nothing like grabbing your rubber ducky and sliding into a warm bath. Bathing is proven to be good for the heart. It can help you take in more oxygen, reduce pain and inflammation, calm the nervous system, relax tired joints and muscles, and even balance your hormones while boosting serotonin.

STOCK PHOTO CREDIT: KATARZYNA BIAŁASIEWICZ

7. SLEEP WELL

sleeping in your in-laws’ attic or roughing it at the family cabin, consider blocking out a few days to do something you really want to do. Book yourself a beach getaway. Scratch your itch for adventure and jump out of an airplane. Or just plan to spend some time catching up on that bingeworthy series everyone is talking about. If anyone asks, tell them you have plans. It might be the best gift you could possibly give yourself.

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3. EAT RIGHT Whether your weakness is seconds on stuffing or overindulging in dessert, you’re not alone in overeating during the holidays. But if having eyes bigger than your stomach is leaving you blue, there are strategies for making sure you’re getting a mood-boosting balance of fruits, vegetables and lean proteins into your holiday diet. If there’s no way to assemble a healthy plate at your traditional celebration with friends or family, break out the Tupperware and bring some sensible options for yourself. Sharing a pot-luck with loved ones? Be the person who volunteers to bring salad or Crudités and fill up on those. Or if you find yourself filling up on snacks and drinks before the meal, have a nutritious and filling smoothie before heading to the party so you’ll be less inclined to grab that extra fistful of Aunt Mary’s Famous Chex Mix or another mug of spiked eggnog.

2. TAKE A VACATION OR STAYCATION Sure, sharing time with family (chosen or otherwise) is an important part of the holiday. Before you agree to spend all your time off

1. SEEK SUPPORT If you feel seasonal depression getting the better of you, the National Alliance on Mental Illness has a free, nationwide peersupport service available at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264). Or - to ﬁnd help in a crisis, text “NAMI” to 741741. Another option is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. It’s a national network of local crisis centers that can provide free and conﬁdential emotional support to those experiencing suicidal crisis or emotional distress, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender National Hotline is available at 1-888-843-4564. Or if you’re ready to establish a relationship with a professional, visit our roundup of great LGBTQ-friendly therapists and counselors at metrosource.com. ■

SAVE UP TO 41% OFF THE COVER PRICE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

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Twilight at Villa Hortensia

AS THE SON OF A PILOT, I LEARNED FROM MY

father that ﬂight is the essence of escape. That’s especially true when aboard a private plane to an enchanted Croatian isle in the Adriatic. The best getaways are often the most inaccessible: sanctuaries far from the maelstrom of humanity.

HEAVEN ON EARTH For over a century, the emerald isle of Lošinj (pronounced low-SHEEN) has been one of the Adriatic’s most luxurious retreats. It was an oasis of well being for Austro-Hungarian aristocracy whose grand holiday villas now house five-star hotels. Notable for its temperate climate and lush vegetation, Lošinj owes much of its allure to the environmental stewardship of Croatian naturalist Ambroz HaraȔiȎ who studied the indigenous flora of Lošinj and its neighboring isles. In 1892, the government of Vienna proclaimed the isle of Lošinj the official heath resort of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, enabling Emperor Franz Joseph and his entitled entourage to claim Lošinj as their personal Heaven on Earth. Fortunately, it’s no longer necessary to bear a title or royal lineage to relish the pleasures of this storied locale. In recent years, Lošinj Hotels & Villas has been welcoming guests to its various luxury

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

hotels such as Alhambra and onboard its ﬂeet of yachts and private aircraft.

GETAWAY GLORY From the private airport alongside Zagreb’s Franjo Tuŋman Airport, guests of Lošinj Hotels & Villas board a private air transfer service aboard Beechcraft King or Cessna aircraft. Scheduled flights aboard Silver Air are also available from Zagreb, Venice and Lugano. The 40-minute flight offers a bird’s-eye perspective onto the cerulean brilliance of Kvarner Gulf and the surrounding archipelago of pine-covered isles. Thereafter, a red-carpet disembarkation at Mali Lošinj airport provides an opportunity for a champagne toast to the glory of a getaway. In a nod to the island’s salubrious heritage, a bronze statue of the renowned botanist HaraȔQȎ greets guests at the tip of ȓikat Bay. It was HaraȔQȎ who verified Lošinj’s beneficial climate and supervised the afforestation of this bucolic cove with 300,000 coniferous plants on more than 125 acres. Thanks to HaraȔQȎ’s stewardship, Lošinj is currently home to more than 900 indigenous aromatic healing herbs. Rarely has air been more intoxicating, redolent of rosemary, lavender, lemon and sage. Flanked by forests of juniper and cypress, the bay’s waterfront

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Dinner along ikat Bay at Villa Hortensia

FROM AIR THATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PERFUMED BY PLANTLIFE TO A BRONZE THAT TOOK A SEVERAL THOUSAND YEAR SABBATICAL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, THE ISLANDS OFFER MORE THAN INITIALLY MEETS THE EYE. BY MARK A. THOMPSON

METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

Osor with rotating bridge

Franz Joseph and Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Alongside the peony pink confection known as Villa Carolina, which was built for the Emperor’s mistress, the neo-modernist Bellevue Hotel gleams brilliantly white in the midday sun. As the island’s ﬁrst ﬁve-star hotel, Bellevue features an acclaimed Spa Clinic with a staff of physicians, nutritionists and therapists who integrate Lošinj’s natural resources with thalassotherapy and natural healing practices. Detox and pain management packages are complemented by restorative treatments and a spa garden shaded by towering pines.

HEAVEN ON EARTH promenade flutters with birds and butterflies. Surrounded by such therapeutic natural beauty, it’s difficult to refrain from breaking into song.

VILLAS AND MANSIONS Apart from Lošinj’s olfactory pleasures, the island is notable for its architectural landmarks. The secluded cove of ȓikat is lined with villas and mansions designed by such prominent Austrian architects as Alfred Keller and Rudolf Göbel, whose Belle Époque residences housed Emperor

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Equally therapeutic is a full-day sail aboard one of Jadranka Group’s yachts — especially when accompanied by the island’s resident colony of bottlenose dolphins. On the neighboring Isle of Cres is one of those breathtaking beaches that fuel desert island fantasies. Its beach is only accessible via a 45-minute descent from an ancient fort city erected more than 1,200 feet above the Adriatic. In other words, paradise found — for those who can make the trek. For those more inclined to Instagram, the panoramic vista from the cliffside village of Lubenice is nothing less than wondrous.

PHOTOS THIS PAGES 46-49 COURTESY LOŠINJ HOTELS & VILLAS / ZAGREB TOURIST BOARD

Veli Losinj harbor

Mali Losinj at twilight

(And always remember: A photograph lasts longer.) Also on the Isle of Cres, the ancient Roman town of Osor holds its Archaeological Collection in a 15th-century Renaissance building — with a lapidarium — that features stone fragments from the early Roman Empire. In addition, there’s a manuallyoperated rotating bridge spanning the narrow channel separating Cres from Lošinj.

IN SEARCH OF ADONIS For those in search of Adonis (and isn’t everyone while on an island getaway?), the town of Mali Lošinj is home to Apoxyome-

nos, the extraordinary Greek bronze that rested on the ﬂoor of the sea for over 2,000 years. Fortuitously discovered by a diver in 1996, this 2nd-century B.C. kouros now resides in Muzej Apoksiomena, a brand new museum every bit as remarkable as the bronze that bears its name. And yet, in spite of the isle’s cultural and historic bounty, it’s possible that what lingers the longest after a sojourn to Lošinj are the spectacular sunsets and the golden glow that suffuses the pine-scented paradise. Known for generations as the “island of vitality,” Lošinj revitalizes the soul with its natural beauty. It’s a potent reminder to breathe life in deeply. ■ METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

THEY CALL IT THE CITY WITH A MILLION HEARTS, AND AT THE HOLIDAYS, IT JUST MIGHT STEAL YOURS. BY MARK A. THOMPSON

Advent in Zagreb

THE CITY WITH A MILLION HEARTS Island-hoppers know Croatia is actually 1,244 little land masses strung like emeralds along the Adriatic coast. It’s familiar terrain to fans of Game of Thrones and Star Wars. Dubrovnik has served as locations for both, securing its reputation as one of the most beautiful destinations in Westeros and the glories of a galaxy far, far away. Croatia also claims seven UNESCO Heritage Sites and eight national parks. But, at Christmastime, it’s all about Advent in Zagreb. Some years ago, my Father spent an academic sabbatical in Zagreb. Then, in a move that initially confounded the rest of the family, he returned there for another year-long sabbatical a short time later. Clearly he had fallen under the city’s spell. That certainly includes the winter holiday season when Zagreb celebrates Christmas in ways that evokes my Father’s own childhood. Anyone who wanders the Croatian capital during winter will recall Zagreb’s signature Licitar hearts. The omnipresent sweet honey dough confections adorn Christmas trees and provide the sobriquet

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“city with a million hearts.” Situated in the northwest of Croatia, Zagreb is notable for its 18th- and 19th-century architecture from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its medieval center, known as Upper Town, perches atop a hill overlooking Lower Town. During the height of the Yuletide, Upper Town resembles an enchanted Christmas village, not unlike the one depicted in Dylan Thomas’s A Child’s Christmas in Wales.

MORE THAN A MARKET Every year of the last three, Zagreb has won the title as Europe’s Best Christmas Market. The appellation is something of a misnomer for a citywide celebration that transforms Zagreb into a six-week street party. Consider, for example, what the locals refer to as Fooling Around (Fuliranje), a music and culinary festival held in the heart of the city that attracts international DJs, performers and bands complemented by food from top Croatian chefs and restaurants. Then consider that this is but one part of the city’s annual Advent festival. Commencing on the last day of November and continuing through the ﬁrst week of the New Year, Zagreb transforms itself during Advent into a winter wonderland that shimmers in the glow of illuminated trees and twinkling lights — all thrumming with their own distinctive Croatian beat.

LGBTQ CROATIA Each year, nearly a quarter of a million LGBTQ travelers visit Croatia, which has been designated as one of the EU’s more progressive societies in its regard for equality. Homosexuality was removed from the list of medical disorders in 1973 — nearly 20 years

PHOTOS COURTESY ZAGREB TOURIST BOARD

CHRISTMAS CAN UNLEASH

your inner child and all the holiday trappings that go with it. They’re an easy bunch to identify, with their Santa hats, gingerbread houses, peppermint stick cocktails, and decorations designed to outshine Rockefeller Center. If this describes you or someone you know, consider Christmas in Croatia.

before the World Health Organization followed suit. Comprehensive anti-discrimination laws have been on the books in Croatia for more than 15 years and LGBTQ+ people serve openly in the military. As the Croatian Minister of Tourism asserted in 2012, all LGBTQ+ visitors are welcomed in Croatia. In 2002, Zagreb hosted its ﬁrst Pride festival in Zrinjevac Park, one of the city’s most romantic retreats - complete with a music pavilion, numerous fountains and monuments, and an allée of more than two hundred plane trees. Throughout the holiday season, the park’s plane trees are illuminated with thousands of white lights, while the 19th-century music pavilion rings with Christmas standards and waltzes. On the nearby An Illuminated Fountain King Tomislav Square, a massive ice park fronts the A Christmas Marke t city’s majestic Art Pavilion that becomes a winter palace in the crystalline night.

FOLLOW YOUR NOSE Regardless of where you roam during the holidays in Zagreb, it’s best to follow your nose. The city’s numerous cafés and coffeehouses serve peppery gingerbread cookies, vanilla crescents, walnut and poppy seed rolls — delicious with coffee, perhaps even better when consumed with mulled wine with ginger, herbal schnapps and hot mulled gin. Since 1926, Dolac Market has been Zagreb’s major marketplace for farmers from surrounding villages. Adjacent to the city’s bustling Ban JelaȔQȎ Square, the market offers a covered food hall for butchers, ﬁshmongers and ﬂorists. According to Zagreb local Nena Komarica, one of the best ways to enjoy a winter’s day in Advent is to “mingle with the locals at the Dolac farmers’ market fragrant with spices and mulled wine and music.” When you’re ready to warm up, duck into Palace Hotel Zagreb for a cappuccino and croissant amidst the Art Nouveau splendor, which dates back to 1891.

A Winter Wonderland

TRAMS, FUNICULARS AND QUEER CAFES Weary after walking? From Zagreb’s central square, take the Merry Christmas Tram for a 25-minute jaunt through the city’s Yuletide pleasures. Or try Zagreb’s funicular, which started service 1890 and is one of the world’s shortest at 220 feet. Although Zagreb attracts nearly a million visitors annually, Advent in Zagreb maintains civility. Martina Bienenfeld, CEO of Zagreb Tourist Board attests,“While many European capitals are overcrowded and overpriced in the run-up to Christmas, Advent in Zagreb offers room to move as well as value for money.” The icing on the Christmas cookie? Zagreb is home to a vibrant LGBTQ+ scene that includes cafés, clubs, and bars. Queer Zagreb also sponsors such cultural events as the documentary ﬁlm festival ZagrebDox in February and a Festival of Lights in March. “In winter, the city of Zagreb becomes a glittering, magical place.”Bienenfeld promises. ■ METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

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KITCHEN DIARIES

In the Christopher Kennedy Compound for Palm Springs Modernism Week, Kennedy designed a state-of-the-art kitchen which includes the latest innovations in technology. Included are appliances from the newly launched Noir Collection by JennAir. Plumbing is by Brizo, and both are provided by Ferguson. Featured throughout, they highlight designs in a classic mid-century envelope.

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Design inspiration for your next kitchen update. BY DEBORAH L. MARTIN THE MOST COMMUNAL HUB OF ANY HOUSE — THE KITCHEN — SHOULD ALSO DO DOUBLE DUTY AS YOUR HOME’S MOST FUNCTIONAL ROOM.

At Oceanwide Plaza in Los Angeles, Snaidero USA worked with design firm CallisonRTKL to incorporate their CODE kitchen system into the luxury multi-use towers. Here, kitchen systems are fully customizable with countertops available in granite and marble, laminate, stainless steel and ceramic, among others. Cabinet configurations are endless, and are designed with ergonomic intelligence, with finishes in various lacquers, woods and metals to create an integrated kitchen look.

Bilotta’s classic style is on display at The Four Seasons Private Residences New York at 30 Park Place. Sunwashed kitchen spaces are outﬁtted with Bilotta Collection cabinetry in rift cut, white oak and Colorado white marble countertops. Bilotta designer Tom Vechhio worked with Robert A.M.Stern Architects to complete the 157 kitchens in the residences, giving them a contemporary warm feel of elegance . DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

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THIS PAGE: PHOTOS ALL COURTESY OF THE BRANDS, WHICH ARE BOLDED. THE KIPS BAY IMAGES COURTESY KOHLER CO., AND KIPS BAY DECORATOR SHOWHOUSE.

Personal style is on display there for family and friends, and a great kitchen has to peacefully coexist with a wide-ranging assortment of necessities. Appliances, surfaces and cabinets are all large-scale items that ought to work together to create a space that is comfortable, livable and inspires creativity, warmth and a sense of home. At the same time, it’s tasked as the launching pad for family meal prep for catering to a crowd. Here’s a portfolio of kitchen styles to inspire your next design adventure.

At 40 Bleecker Street, the impeccable interiors by Ryan Korban merge refined detail with rich materials. Each kitchen combines fine craftsmanship with modern technology. You’ll find sculptural cantilevered and waterfall-style statuary marble islands that serve to balance the French oak floors and cerused oak cabinetry. Lefroy Brooks’ 1940 Fleetwood burnished nickel hardware and Miele appliances blend form and function into a seamless sophisticated finish.

This Kips Bay kitchen by Christopher Peacock of Peacock Designs is a handsome yet functional space. Peacock kept its design simple, with no singular element commanding attention. The Kohler Purist kitchen faucet and Proliﬁc kitchen sink are clean-lined and understated.

In the 2019 Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse, a champagne bar by Jim Dove of Dove Design Studio provides a luxe refuge and emulates an elegant jewel box full of layered texture and colors. The Kohler Briolette vessel sink features unique cut glass that reﬂects undermounted lighting to radiate a luminous glow. The ultra-modern Karbon articulating faucet in brushed bronze provides contrast.

New York from a new perspective. In his own loft-style apartment on Park Avenue South, Andrew Petronia of KA Design wanted to create a singular elegant space. Bilotta senior designer Jeff Eakley worked with him to achieve a modern industrial look using dark, rich wood and metal cabinets and surfaces.

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This Is What Caring for Transgender Patients Looks Like The Visiting Nurse Service of New York lends care and compassion in the moments of a patient’s greatest need – as they embark on restarting their lives anew. BY MEGAN VENZIN “I NEVER KNEW FEAR LIKE THE KIND I EXPER-

HEALTH

ienced the night I came home from my operation,” says Cookie, a transgender woman finally living the life in New York City she once only dreamt was possible.“It was a confusing and scary time for me,”she allows. “Nevertheless, the Visiting Nurse Services of New York came in and made a difference in my life right away.”

BODY

Some heroes wear capes. Cookie’s hero usually walks the halls in blue scrubs. Nurse Sharone Copeland was a longtime employee of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY), the largest notfor-profit home and community-based healthcare organization in the United States. She was also Cookie’s salvation. “She was like an angel sent from heaven,” says Cookie in recalling their bond. “She came inside, held my hand and told me ‘We’re going to get through this together.’ She gave me hope.” At 62 years old, Cookie made the biggest decision of her life - to undergo gender affirmation surgery and emerge more fully the woman she always knew herself to be. Growing up in the south, Cookie had lived vicariously through her younger sisters, playing with their dolls and spending time with their friends, never feeling fully at home in her body. That gnawing sense of “not belonging” eventually had a negative impact on her mental and physical well-being. After living as a gay man and struggling with drug and alcohol addiction for years, Cookie decided to get clean. While revisiting those vexing childhood years with her sponsor, she uncovered an undeniable truth. “I couldn’t put the little girl back inside the box,” Cookie intones in a voice lightly tinged with sorrow

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020 METROSOURCE.COM

THIS ARTICLE: ALL IMAGES COURTESY VISITING NURSE SERVICE

FINDING HER AUTHENTIC SELF

about the time she’s lost. “I saw the possibilities before me, and I said, ‘It’s now or never.’ And then I began the journey of becoming my authentic self.”

A SPECIALIZED LEVEL OF CARE Having never been hospitalized before, Cookie was largely unprepared for both the physical pain and the length of recovery that go hand in hand with gender affirmation surgeries. Before her first procedure - her vaginoplasty - Cookie’s doctors informed her about VNSNY and the specialized level of care and support they could provide her at home until she could complete daily tasks on her own. However, what started as a clinical relationship between Nurse Copeland and Cookie deepened into something more powerful than either could have expected. “I looked forward to her visits each and every time,” Cookie says now. “Mentally, physically and emotionally [her support] was there. The laughter and the friendship that came out of it... it was just a joy.” Cookie and Nurse Copeland’s story of friendship is not unlike others that have blossomed as a result of VNSNY’s Gender Affirmation Program, which currently includes over 200 clinicians, all trained and educated in the specifics of how to address the needs of people in similar circumstances. Since the program’s March 2016 inception, VNSNY has treated more than 400 transgender patients across the five boroughs. But it’s also worth noting: Their progressive program represents only one part of VNSNY’s legacy of caring — with a record of service stretching back 125 years.

TRANS PATIENTS NEED CLINICIANS WHO UNDERSTAND “This population is in need of clinicians who understand how to take care of them, because our nursing schools

Get the care you deserve from the people who celebrate the true you. Our free/low-cost Medicaid health insurance gives you access to: A large network of doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, dentists, and more Treatment and preventive care for a safe, healthy sex life, including PrEP and ARVs Health advocates to help you every step of the way Help with housing referrals, job training, and other support programs

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Welcome to the health plan where you can

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EXPLORING FUTURES THEY NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE Cookie has completed another two rounds of surgery since she and Nurse Copeland partnered in her care. And she’s continued to develop meaningful relationships with VNSNY staff members. She’s also been able to access many helpful services through a special VNSNY health plan known as SelectHealth. Whittington often speaks around New York about the plan, which assists members of the transgender community in exploring futures they once thought impossible. “Patients no

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

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longer have to leave the country or put their health at risk,” Whittington explains. “SelectHealth pays for gender affirming surgeries and the care that follows. We’re really proud of that.” It hasn’t been easy for Cookie to reflect on her recovery story, or to unpack the fears that overtook her during the car ride home from the hospital. But there is a noticable change in her tone whenever she mentions her cherished friend, Nurse Copeland. “Even if I had to go back through the pain, I would do it again,” Cookie says without hesitation. “If I had to change one thing though, it would be to make sure that the Visiting Nurse Services were here waiting for me as soon as I walked through the front door.” Learn more about the Visiting Nurse Service of New York generally and its Gender Affirmation Program at vnsny.org. ■

STOCK PHOTO CREDIT: ALEKSANDR DAVYDOV

HEALTH BODY

do not include this in their curriculum,” explains Transgender Health Expert and VNSNY Gender Affirmation Program Director, Shannon Whittington. Those who practice under the auspices of VNSNY’s Gender Affirmation Program are trained in cultural sensitivity, social determinants of health and appreciating the value of respectfully using patients’ chosen names and pronouns. These considerations all come over and above the training they receive for addressing medical needs particular to transgender patients following surgery and throughout their recoveries. While a well-rounded staff and variety of services certainly help, transgender patients face challenges as they adapt to their new bodies. “They often don’t realize how involved these surgeries are. Bottom surgery is no walk in the park,” Whittington reiterates. “The nurse helps with a lot of the anxiety.” It’s not difficult for Cookie to tap into those memories. But she also recalls how her spirits brightened every time Nurse Copeland knocked on her door. “She calmed my nerves and she got me all of the things I needed here to make life comfortable,” Cookie remembers. “The grab bars in the shower, which I needed because I was weak, the elevated toilet seat; even gloves. There wasn’t a question I could ask her that was too silly. She was right on spot getting me the information I needed to help me on this journey.”

HAVE A THEATRICAL HOLIDAY

The theaters of NYC come alive with a variety of seasonal entertainments, while party and event spaces get ready to spin in the new year. BY MEGAN VENZIN A CHRISTMAS CAROL Closes January 5th Lyceum Theatre Landing on Broadway following a successful London run, this new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale features House of Cards star Campbell Scott as crotchety curmudgeon Ebeneezer Scrooge. Theater vets Andrea Martin and LaChanze play two ethereal spirits who pay him a well-deserved visit on Christmas eve. Adapted by Jack Thorne (Harry

+ Space

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

Potter and the Cursed Child) and directed by Matthew Warchus (Matilda), this imaginative retelling is full of laughs and good cheer. achristmascarolbroadway.com

THE ILLUSIONISTS: MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS Closes January 5th Neil Simon Theatre Back for its ﬁfth year on Broadway, The Illusionists: Magic of the Holidays offers a

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spellbinding on-stage experience wrapped in holiday robes. The show features such renowned magicians as Chris Cox as “The Mentalist” and Kevin James as “The Inventor.” Their combined powers promise to mystify audiences of all ages. theillusionistslive.com

SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW Closes January 5th Stephen Sondheim Theatre Renowned Russian performance artist and

THIS PAGE: BANGON CREDIT STEPHEN BONDIO. OPPOSITE: IMAGES COURTESY SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW AND THE GREAT GATSBY PARTY.

NY SCOPE NEW YORK

BangOn!NYC Presents Time

Slava’s Snowshow

clown Slava Polunin illuminates the Great White Way with his imaginative brand of physical comedy again this winter. Nominated for a Tony Award for “Best Special Theatre Event,” and the winner of the Drama Desk Award for “Unique Theatrical Experience,” Slava’s snowy spectacle is one that simply must be seen. slavaonbroadway.com

The Great Gatsby Party

THE GREAT GATSBY PARTY December 6th & 7th Capitale Take a trip back to the roaring 1920s when Manhattan’s glamorous Capitale is transformed into a scene from Scott F. Fitzgerald’s best-known novel. Inhabiting the venue for two nights this December,

this annual time-travel soiree features craft cocktails, classic cars, fantastical costumes, aerial dancers, burlesque performers and other promised diversions. At The Great Gatsby Party, live it up like a socialite or ﬂaunt it like a ﬂapper. Get your tickets here: greatgatsbyparty.com/ ny-tickets

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to ensure an enjoyable and inviting experience. What have you got to lose? mycheekygaydate.com

KASKADE

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EXCELSIOR M.C. TRIM-A-TREE December 6th The Eagle NYC Polish up your most lavish leather, because Excelsior M.C.’s annual Trim-A-Tree party returns to The Eagle NYC to kick off the countdown to Christmas. Sexy Santa and his merry elves are coming early this year and they’re bringing a big red bag of rafﬂe prizes, Jell-O shots, Go-Go Bears and plenty of other surprises. Proceeds from this year’s event will go to New Alternative for LGBTQ+ Homeless Youth. There’s nothing like getting a little naughty for a good cause. excelsiormc.com

MYCHEEKYGAYDATE PRESENTS SOPHISTICATED SIMPLICITY December 11th The Hideaway Seaport Looking for love during these cold, drab months? MyCheekyGayDate is giving gay men the chance to meet their match at Sophisticated Simplicity, a chic alternative to the typical speed dating event. Don’t expect whistles or cheesy name tags at this upscale gathering. Instead, enter a private club atmosphere ﬁlled with the city’s most eligible bachelors. Everyone is screened ahead of time

ABOVE & BEYOND December 31st The New York Expo Center, Hunts Point, Bronx Trance trio Above & Beyond ring in the new year like no one else, with their emotive productions and headturning visuals. They’re also known for their values and “group therapy”focused performances. As a result, Above & Beyond send Good Vibes Only anywhere they appear. Lucky for New Yorkers: this time they’re bringing their dynamic show to The New York Expo Center, a sprawling industrial warehouse space which the Anjunabeats label founders will inevitably ﬁll with love from top to bottom. bigweeknyc.com

BANGON!NYC PRESENTS TIME + SPACE

Above & Beyond

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

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December 31st Knockdown Center Sexy space aliens, fearless ﬁre breathers, aerial dancing astronauts… you’ll ﬁnd all of them at play the night of BangOn!NYC’s big NYE bash. From the creative minds behind Elements Music & Arts Festival and Warehouse of Horrors, Time + Space has become

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Excelsior M.C. Trim-A-Tree

December 31st Terminal 5 One of EDM’s greatest makes a long anticipated NYE stopover at Manhattan’s famed Terminal 5. Known for danceﬂoor heaters like ‘Atmosphere,’ ‘Disarm You,’ ‘Something Something Champs’ and ‘Never Sleep Alone,’ Grammy Award-winning producer and DJ Kaskade takes fans on a journey through his soaring, vocal-infused discography (hopefully with a selection of singles from his future house and “redux” collection) before ringing in the New Year with the requisite balloon drop. terminal5nyc.com

one of New York’s most popular yearend send-offs, thanks to its artistic edge and unmatched talent rosters. This year’s event features mysterious masked legend Claptone at the top of the bill, along with ‘Okay’ hitmaker and Dirtybird Records favorite Shiba San. Prepare to be sent over the moon and back - thanks to BangOn!NYC’s reputation for celebratory vibes. bangon-nyc.com

CITYFOX ODYSSEY NYE NYD 2020 December 31st Avant Gardner Whether you’re a night owl or an early riser, a techno or house fan, Cityfox Odyssey has a recipe to help you ring in the new year. An all-star roster of international talent will descend across a maze of stages starting on New Year’s Eve, giving guests every reason to party clear into 2020. This year’s 27-hour nonstop musical marathon features more than 15 extended sets from scene titans including Paradise founder, Jamie Jones, Knee Deep in Sound label head Hot Since 82 as well as Sasha & John Digweed, Ame b2b Dixon, Stephan Bodzin and others. facebook.com/cityfox.ny

Cityfox Odyssey NYE-NYD

THIS PAGE: CITYFOX ODYSSEY PHOTO BY DAILY EYES.

HOT RABBIT’ NEW YEAR’S EVE LGBTQ+ DANCE PARTY: RESOLUTIONS December 31st Bowery Ballroom Take your bad habits out for one last 2019 spin at Hot Rabbit’s annual NYE celebration, RESOLUTIONS! American Idol alum Frenchie Davis headlines, with guest appearances from such award-winning performers as Miami’s DJ Citizen Jane, DJ Vito Fun and DJ M.O. Kiss the 20-teens goodbye with a complimentary champagne toast and prizes for the evening’s best dressed. Arrive early, because the ﬁrst hundred guests to arrive will receive a free weekend pass to attend Pandora Events’ GIRLS IN WONDERLAND in Orlando Florida. hotrabbit.com ■ METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

NY HOTSHOPS WILLIAMSBURG IS HOME TO COUNTLESS TRENDY BOUTIQUES, BUT THEREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

only one that aptly embodies the freewheeling spirit of prohibition era New York. Enter 1926, a two-room paradise for seekers of all things glitzy and glamorous, retro and revived. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our shop offers a different point of view from the other vintage stores in Williamsburg,â&#x20AC;? explains Founder and Co-Owner, John Fondrisi, or JJ, as he's known.â&#x20AC;&#x153;We arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just pulling vintage clothes because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what people want; the whole backbone and vibe is driven by the history of my grandfatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fashion drawings.â&#x20AC;? These heirloom sketches have been weaved into the literal and ďŹ gurative fabric of 1926. The ďŹ&#x201A;apper decal that dominates the shelves and adorns the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social media handles was originally created by Fondrisiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s late grandfather, an esteemed designer for the renowned Barneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New York department store. Almost a century later, those same images embellish the shopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popular line of screen printed t-shirts, harem pants and incoming collection of handblock-printed duvet covers and bed linens, among other items of home decor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Art runs in my blood,â&#x20AC;? Fondrisi says with a laugh. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t escape it.â&#x20AC;?Prior to running 1926, he worked as an interior designer who served high-proďŹ le clients like Good Morning America co-anchor and self-proclaimed ďŹ&#x201A;ea market enthusiast Lara Spencer. She eventually helped her client land a slot on the popular HGTV game show Flea Market Flip. Fondrisi and partner Chris Quinn were awarded a modest cash prize after winning the televised competition, which they used to fund the ďŹ rst iteration of 1926 - a series of weekend pop-up booths at tourist hot

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spots like Artists and Fleas and Chelsea Market. As their diverse inventory of upgraded antiques and retro clothing continued to expand, so did their professional connections. Now in its permanent brick and mortar location on Driggs Ave., 1926 stocks not only original designs and vintage apparel, but a decadent offering of specialty items from local vendors theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve met over the years at small makers markets. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I work with people who LIVE what they are making,â&#x20AC;? Fondrisi likes to say.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not making a t-shirt just to make a t-shirt - thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s roots and history behind every design. I look for that quality in our vendors, too.â&#x20AC;?A woman who has been crafting handmade jewelry since she was three years old and a couple who lives in Rome and runs their own organic candle-making business are among his few featured artists. With treasures for every taste, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no surprise that 1926 attracts a varied audience. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have a lot of drag and nightlife performers who shop with us,â&#x20AC;? he explains.â&#x20AC;&#x153;And we get a tremendous amount of tourists who come in here and feel that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re among the lucky few to have discovered something no one else knows about. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magical.â&#x20AC;? Though this brassy Brooklyn boutique pays homage to a time well before mom jeans were in fashion (the ďŹ rst time), its appeal is timeless. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We provide a vibe and an experience,â&#x20AC;? the shop owner says warmly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maybe youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get a glass of wine. Maybe weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll make you an espresso. Either way, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re likely to stay awhile and learn something new.â&#x20AC;? â&#x2013;

1926 s $RIGGS !VE "ROOKLYN .9 s NYC COM

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NEW YORK

We trace the journey of a '20s-themed vintage shop â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from Flea Market Flip to a fabulous storefront in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. BY MEGAN VENZIN

A less-traveled neighborhood in Brooklyn keeps some of skincare’s best secrets. BY MEGAN VENZIN

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LITTLE HONG KONG GENERALLY EMBODIES THE STARK CONTRAST BETWEEN LIFE

in Manhattan and life in the outer boroughs. Brooklyn neighborhoods play host to a melange of unpretentious markets, independently-owned produce stands and working class families from across the globe. However, this particular residential oasis is also home to a quiet little spot that would appear just as congruent on Madison Avenue. Billing itself as “Brooklyn’s Most Reputable Laser and Skin Care Center,” it's Aesthetic Allure. At the helm of the operation are Founder Lana Pogorelskaya and her son, Eugene. Just footsteps from the Avenue U MTA station, the pair have created a boutique spa experience that lives up to its name, and is a sight for fine-line shrouded eyes. “Aesthetic Allure & Laser Hair Removal Center has built a brand that has established very high standards when it comes to providing the best possible service for clients,” explains Manager Eugene Pogorelskiy. “We've managed to continue to grow by adding a new range of services and specialties, investing in new technologies and adding a more extensive team. With our strong commitment towards professional and effective results, our team will handpick a custom-tailored treatment plan that will help you look and feel your very best.” Here, Ingrown hairs and beard bumps are quickly banished by Aesthetic Allure’s skilled estheticians. Just a few minutes inside one of the three cozy, modern examination rooms and pesky problem areas become things of the past. Patients can also add a skin lift or Hollywood Laser Peel to their regimen and depart red carpet-ready. Among the center’s most compelling offerings: the HydraFacial MD: a treatment that smooths, refreshes and rejuvenates the skin. “With New Yorkers constantly bombarded with work and being in a rush, they simply do not have the time or energy to go out of their way to find what will work for them,” Pogorelskiy explains. “That is why the HydraFacial MD is a great option. It’s quick, painless, addresses almost every skin care concern, and most importantly, it is completely customizable to your needs.” The HydraFacial MD is a three-part treatment that starts with a deep cleanse and a peel to expose a fresh layer of skin. Next, a finely-tuned suctioning device is used to remove dirt and impurities from the pores. A series of moisturizers are applied to replenish the skin. These are finally followed by the application of vitamins and antioxidants to leave clients radiating a natural glow. The HydraFacial MD is an especially pleasant skin care treatment option, thanks to effortless extractions, knowledgeable estheticians and a series of top-of-the-line products. Little Hong Kong may seem like an out-of-the way destination for expert skincare, but there’s no question that Aesthetic Allure is the answer for those who want Big Apple treatment without the big fuss. Hop the Q train to Brooklyn for a short commute to the best you yet. ■

AESTHETIC ALLURE LASER & SKIN CENTER 2084 Homecrest Ave. Brooklyn NY 11229 aestheticallure.com 718-382-3333

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Remember THE HONEYMOON

Advice about honeymooning along the Paseo del Rio and making smart choices about your wedding party picks. Plus, more on the global struggle for equality. BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES

HONEYMOONING JUST AROUND THE RIVERBEND THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER WALK AND MISSIONS

make the Alamo City a romantic and relaxing destination for a honeymoon or mini-moon. Considered "Texas’ Number One Attraction," The San Antonio River Walk (Paseo del Rio) is a 15-mile stretch of urban waterway that's the ultimate way to explore the historic city. Stroll hand in hand along the water. Check out Go Rio Cruises for a guided specialty tour on one of their eco-friendly, electric river boats in vibrant colors inspired by Mexican folk art.

You might opt for a 35-minute narrated cruise to get your bearings when you ﬁrst arrive. If you and your new spouse are sporty types, you can opt for San Antonio Bike Share, designed for short trips and quick adventures around town. The service has been around since 2011, and has hundreds of bikes available at some 60 stations around town - perfect for a joyride to the Missions.

A SOUVENIR RALLYING CRY Speaking of Missions, the Alamo Mission originally known as Mission San Antonio de

Valero - is the location of the famous siege of the Alamo, which took place in February and March 6 of 1836. The ﬁnal battle left no adult Anglo males Texans living. “Remember the Alamo” became a rallying battle cry, and today, the saying is still everywhere — on keychains, water bottles and t-shirts you can bring home as a souvenir of your San Antonio honeymoon. Battle cries aside, the Alamo is a beautiful building with a charming garden. Try to go early before the bus loads of fanny pack tourists take over the background of your photos. In the mood for lunch? Ácenar, the brainchild of Lisa Wong and Pete Selig offers a modern take on Mexican cuisine. This easy-to-spot restaurant (one of the largest along the River Walk) offers San Antonio style enchiladas, chile rellenos, parrilladas, asadas, cabrito and delish seafood dishes. Request a seat outside so you can people watch and enjoy the view.

MEN ON A MISSION Now you'll need to burn off some calories. So bike on over to San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. The ride should take a little over a half hour, depending on how many stops you make along the way. Head south along the Mission Reach, the part of the River Walk that extends just beyond downtown. Admission to the National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is free. Ranger-led programs are

Espada in the Trees

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THIS PAGE: LOMA DE VIDA CREDIT LA CANTERA RESORT AND SPA

NEW YORK

WEDDINGS

Loma de Vida - Gather Place

offered throughout the day at Mission San José, where you can also enjoy the 23-minute park film People of Reason, shown every half hour. San José, also called “Queen of the Missions”, is the largest of the missions in the area. The other three colonial missions in the park include: Concepción, San Juan and Espada. The missions were founded by 18th century Spanish priests to serve centers of the ethnically diverse society. Together with the Alamo, these represent the largest concentration of Spanish colonial missions in North America. If history and architecture are of shared interest for you and your beloved, spend a little extra time at Mission Concepción. Established in 1716, it's the oldest unrestored stone church in America.

DINNER AND DRINKS If you worked up an appetite after all that mission hopping, make a beeline to Battalion, Chef Stefan Bower’s hip Italian restaurant where diners can find libations like Jaws of Life and The Arsonist honoring the spirit of the building’s

firehouse history. Have a Lady and the Tramp moment and share a pasta dish before devouring inspired entrees like Grilled Mackerel or Parmesan-Herb Crusted Lamb Chops. If you’re in the mood for after-dinner entertainment (or drinks with a musical chaser), make your way to the Pearl district and check into Jazz, TX, a romantic cellar jazz bar with evening live sets Tuesdays through Saturdays. If the music doesn’t keep you there 'till last call, mix and mingle with the locals at Pegasus for a nightcap. The stalwart offers great drinks, drag shows, video DJs and friendly crowds. Or for a late night snack, something sweet, or a little Mariachi, the world-famous 24-hour Mi Tierra Cafe, has been whipping up craveable Tex-Mex plates and pastries since 1941. You won’t be disappointed. You'll want to add snaps of Jorge Cortez’s mural to your IG story.

SWEET DREAMS Wondering where to call it a night? There are plenty of options in Alamo City. Hotel Valencia,

featuring 213 elegant rooms right on the River Walk, is definitely one to consider. Blending Spanish Colonial with Modern Mediterranean design, this downtown hotel is right in the middle of everything, yet feels tranquil and out of the way once you step inside. Another River Walk Option, Hotel Havana, is a charming 27room hotel designed by hotelier Liz Lambert. Bask in the original 1914 Mediterranean Revival design to see why the property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Want to get out of town? Head to La Cantera Resort & Spa. The oasis - replete with wooden beams, a roaring fireplace and plenty of Texas charm - is bout a half hour drive from the center San Antonio. La Cantera offers 496 rooms, 34 boutique-style Villas (perfect for honeymooners), and an exclusive adults-only floor. Staying at La Cantera? Be sure to book a spa treatment at Loma de Vida. Signature treatments include the Absolute Texas with beeswax, honey and a touch of lavender to remind you that you’re right in the middle of Texas Hill Country.

METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

AISLE ADVICE CHOOSING YOUR WEDDING PARTY you told everyone and started brainstorming about the wedding to end all weddings. Then the anxiety sets in. Who is going to be your person of honor? And who else is going to be in your wedding party? You may have a handful of close friends or an expansive contact list packed with best buds that could stand up with you. Either way, take a moment to consider before you ask. The first item is for you and your partner to decide is how many people you each want to have stand up at your big day. This number can be dictated by the size of your wedding. An enormous 300 guest throwdown might call for a big wedding party. Going simpler? Invite a handful of people.You'll probably want to opt for just a few of your nearest and dearest to surround you on what may be the most unforgettable day of your life. Next, you might put together a short list of essential invitees. This would include family, friends, coworkers, classmates, teammates and/ or neighbors. Once you've got your list, you can start marking potential wedding party members. It may feel strange rating your friends, but it's all part of the process. Look for overlap. If there's someone on your list who could just easily stand with either of you, maybe there's another role for them. Perhaps they could perform readings. One might even make an appropriate officiant.

BEST MEN AND PEOPLE OF HONOR Your best man, or person of honor, might jump out at you immediately. They may have been the person you speed-dialed after your proposal. However, if more than one person on that list could fit the bill, you'll have quite the task ahead.

It’s also possible that as soon as word gets out that you’re getting married, close friends in your life might start petitioning for the position. It's time to do some thinking. Consider the people on your short list. Who will take this responsibility seriously? Who will help celebrate your joy but also lend support through potential anxieties or curveballs? There may be social and familial politics worth considering, too. Choosing a best man can be tricky. There are a often social or familial politics to keep in mind. Speaking of familial politics, there’s no obligation to include siblings; but do consider incorporating them in some way. If there is distance between you and siblings, this might be an opportunity to mend fences. If you know you don't want them to stand up with you, consider asking them to take part as an usher or in another key role. On the other hand, if you and more than one buddy are close as peas in a pod, a sibling might make a perfect option so neither ends up feeling slighted. And, hey, you can even opt to have two best men or people of honor. It's your big day, after all, so don't feel limited by convention.

Yachts for All Seasons Let’s Start Planning Your Special Day Today 212-534-6380 • 917-864-7670 www.y4as.com 66

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

METROSOURCE.COM

A DIFFERENT KIND OF PROPOSAL Once you've decided who you want in your wedding party, it's time to find the way to ask them. We suggest starting with your best man or person of honor and moving on from there. Whatever your approach, have fun!You could invite them out to dinner - perhaps to somewhere that's filled with great memories or has emotional resonance for both of you. Alternately, choose a special activity you both enjoy. You might even consider writing them a letter that expresses why you've asked them to take on this role. Asking someone to stand up at your wedding is similar to proposing - both asking a question and affirming their worth. Lead up to the ask and make it a special moment. On the business end of things, be clear about what each person's duties might entail and articulate them. Do you want them to help you plan the wedding? Will they be responsible for planning a bachelor party, shower or similar event? Do you expect them to offer a toast? If you suspect any one of these duties might be overwhelming, split them up. Let the wild child among the crew plan the party and the storyteller take the toast. Most importantly - if they say yes - celebrate. They're about to be part of your special day. And the fun is only beginning.

WED IN THE WORLD YOU WIN SOME, YOU LOSE SOME BACK IN 2001 THE NETHERLANDS BECAME

the first country to legalize gay marriage. Countries like Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Norway, Portugal and Iceland were quick to join the Dutch. Since then over 20 countries have come out of the Dark Ages to recognize (and legalize)

STOCKPHOTO COPYRIGHT : AMMENTORP

NEW YORK

WEDDINGS

YOU GOT DOWN ON ONE KNEE (OR SAID YES). And

same-sex marriage. Nevertheless, 2019 was a year where we won and lost some of the battles in marriage equality. Just because the United States (as of this writing) has marriage equality in all 50 states doesn’t mean the fight for equality is over. Certainly 2020 is poised to be a pivotal year for our community around the world. Let’s continue to work with our friends overseas to make sure that everyone has the right to say “I do.” For the latest update on the global marriage equality news, let's look at recent happenings in Hong Kong, Japan, Northern Ireland and Costa Rica

HONG KONG Hong Kong was anticipated to follow Taiwan in acknowledging LGBTQ unions. That anticipation subsided in October when their court ruled against allowing same-sex unions in the city. In fact, Judge Anderson Chow even warned that updating the definition of marriage to include marriage equality would lead to “far-reaching consequences.” Man-kei Tam, Director of Amnesty International Hong Kong, stated “this judgement is a bitter blow to the LGBTQ communities in Hong Kong, who cannot acquire the same status and recognition,and access the same rights as opposite-sex couples, due to outdated laws that refuse to recognize samesex unions.” This is despite the fact that the former British colony decriminalized homosexuality in 1991.

percent of the surveyed respondents who identify as LGBTQ are open about their sexuality at home or work. The survey involved 60,00 individuals between the ages of 20-59 across Japan. Thirty lawyers are currently working on marriage equality cases across four district courts in the country, echoing the petition mounted by Taiwanese activists that first paved the way for marriage equality in Taiwan.

NORTHERN IRELAND Happy (early) Valentine’s Day to the people of Belfast and all of Northern Ireland. The first same-sex weddings are scheduled to take place and formally registered there on February 14, 2020. At the stroke of midnight on Monday, October 21, the people of Northern Ireland received the official news. The UK Parliament had been in a deep deadlock until Labour Party MP Conor McGinn offered an amendment to a bill that legalized marriage equality in Northern Ireland. The terms of this amendment stated that marriage equality would be put into place if the

legislature failed to reconstitute. The rest, as they say, is history.

COSTA RICA We recently reported the exciting possibility of marriage equality on the horizon for the people of Costa Rica. More than 30 groups there have joined a campaign calling to increase the support for marriage equality in the country. Back in January of 2018, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued a ruling to recognize same-sex marriage as well as transgender rights. Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado Quesada has also come out in support of samesex marriage. Alvarado stated publicly,“We continue to deploy actions that guarantee no person will face discrimination for their sexual orientation or gender identity, and that all the state’s protections be given to all families under equal conditions. ... Our commitment to full equality remains intact.”The May 26, 2020 decision deadline draws ever nearer. Will they rally enough support in time? ■

JAPAN Japan’s constitution hasn’t been amended since it was adopted after World War II. The constitution states that “Marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes and it shall be maintained through mutual cooperation with the equal rights of husband and wife as a basis.” Former Minister of Education Hakubun Shimomura recently suggested adding same sex marriage rights along with a list of other potential constitutional changes. This is following in the footsteps of a same-sex marriage bill that was introduced in June. Dentsu Diversity Lab had already found that 78 percent of the Japanese population supports same-sex marriage. Still, according to the same study, only some 65 METROSOURCE.COM DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

RESTAURANT BITES Edited by Jeffrey James Keyes

CHELSEA

EL CENTRO

THE BRESLIN

The Spotted Pig folks are behind this vintage-rustic restaurant in NoChel’s Ace Hotel. The British-inspired fare is egg-centric at breakfast and meat-and-terrine heavy for lunch and dinner, while martinis are the thing to drink at the bar. 16 W. 29th St. between Broadway & Fifth Ave., NYC 212-679-1939. www.thebreslin.com

CAFETERIA

Super-popular 24-hour dining scene offering great American fare and a trendy, heavily gay clientele. 119 Seventh Ave. at 17th St., NYC 212-414-1717. cafeteriagroup.com

ELMO

This mod restaurant, featuring comfort food with a spicy edge, takes its name from fab 40’s nightclub El Morocco. 156 Seventh Ave. between 19th and 20th Sts., NYC 212-337-8000. elmorestaurant.com

TENTH AVENUE COOKSHOP

Executive chef Marc Meyer takes American cuisine to the next level by keeping it real. Hormone-free animals, humanely raised in local farms, are used in simple but flavorful meals served amidst furnishings at once rustic and urbane. 156 Tenth Ave. at 20th St., NYC 212-924-4440. cookshopny.com

EAST VILLAGE/LOWER EAST SIDE BEAUTY & ESSEX

This eatery’s entryway is set up like a pawn shop. It leads to two sprawling levels with multiple dining rooms with a menu of shareable small plates for eclectic tastes. 146 Essex St. between Rivington and Stanton Sts., NYC 212-614-0146. beautyandessex.com

GRAMERCY PARK/FLATIRON DISTRICT GRAMERCY TAVERN

Danny Meyer’s creative American emporium never fails to please either in the formal dining room or the easier-on-the-wallet Tavern Room. 42 E. 20th St. between Broadway and Park Ave. South, NYC., 212-477-0777. gramercytavern.com

HARLEM LIDO HARLEM

Brunching in Harlem? Get into this adorable Italian hotspot in the center - with bottomless mimosa brunch, hunties - in one of the most popping gayborhoods in the city. 2168 Frederick Douglass Blvd. at 117th St., NYC 646-490-8575. lidoharlem.com

RED ROOSTER

This Harlem hot spot features regional American comfort food by Marcus Samuelsson and a casual, lively environment filled with neighborhood-centric art and artifacts. 310 Lenox Ave. between 125th and 126th Sts., NYC 212-792-9001. redroosterharlem.com

SOLOMON & KUFF RUM HALL

Harlem elites and Columbia giants mix and mingle at this delicious upscale Caribbean restaurant offering incredible rum cocktails, bites like yuca fries, and dishes like Sangria Braised Short Ribs. 2331 12th Ave. between 133rd St. & 12th Ave., NYC 212-939-9443. solomonandkuff.com

HELL’S KITCHEN Find upscale, creative, beautifully prepared Mexican small plates served in a rustic setting at this hotspot with a hopping bar scene. The cocktail selection features a variety of refined margaritas (available by the pitcher) and tequila and mezcal flights. 668 Tenth Ave. at 47th St., NYC 212-920-4770. anejonyc.com

A bit of South Beach on Tenth Avenue, this sleek haven of upscale comfort food has large and plentiful windows and a sidewalk cafe. The perfect spot for people watching... 622 Tenth Ave. at 44th St., NYC 212-977-1170. 44andx.com

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

HELL’S KITCHEN

Hell’s Kitchen brings south-of-the-border flavor north to Ninth Avenue. Whether it’s tacos, quesadillas, or an after work margarita you crave they’ve got it. 754 9th Ave. between 50th and 51st Sts., NYC 212-977-1588. hellskitchen-nyc.com

IPPUDO WESTSIDE

Decadent Japanese bites, small plates, craveable ramen and arousing cocktails - nestled just between the theatre district and the gayborhood. 321 W. 51st St., NYC 212-974-2500. ippudony.com

PIO PIO

Guests sip pisco cocktails and craveable sangria while grazing over family-style Peruvian dishes, Chinese-Peruvian stir fries, steak, and fish below an elaborate ceiling made from thousands of tree branches intricately woven together. Pio Pio has eight locations but this one is takes the cake (Tres Leches, of course!) 604 Tenth Ave. between 43rd and 44th Sts., NYC 212-459-2929. piopio.com

VICEVERSA

ViceVersa puts a sublime spin on run-of-the-mill Italian. The atmosphere is also darn near perfect — with elegant accents and a nicely tended outdoor seating garden. 325 W. 51st St. between Eighth and Ninth Aves., NYC 212-399-9291. viceversanyc.com

WEST BANK CAFE

MIDTOWN/TIMES SQUARE LAMB’S CLUB

This gorgeous Theater District destination serves casual yet upscale contemporary American fare in a retro-swank supper-club environment with long red-leather banquettes, chrome torchères, head shots of movie stars and an18th-century fireplace. 132 W. 44th St. between Sixth Ave. and Broadway, NYC 212-997-5262. thelambsclub.com

NOBU 57

The David Rockwell design of celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s uptown showplace for his peerless Latin-shaded sushi is a sexy, bubbly delight. 40 W. 57th St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves., NYC 212-757-3000. noburestaurants.com/fifty-seven

SOHO/TRIBECA THE DUTCH

This multi-room eatery is sizzling with a SoHo crowd that’s half downtown scene-makers, half-foodies and all hot. Andrew Carmellini’s comfort-skewing menu features renditions of American Southern staples, international inpirations and an oyster bar. 131 Sullivan St. at Prince St., NYC 212-677-6200. thedutchnyc.com

SUSHI NAKAZAWA

Daisuke Nakazawa, the former apprentice to sushi guru Jiro Ono, created this posh West Village joint where comfortable, high back, leather chairs at the sushi bar set the scene for an impressive twentycourse dynamic tasting menu. 23 Commerce Street between Seventh Ave. and Bedford St., NYC 212-924-2212. sushinakazawa.com

UPPER WEST SIDE

This elegant neighborhood fixture attracts theatergoers; Broadway and off-Broadway performers; and former and upcoming) Drag Race contestants to load up on the latest gossip while downing American eats. Be sure to check out “Showbiz Spitfire Paige Turner” and Jackie Cox whenever they perform. 407 W. 42nd St. between Ninth and Tenth Aves., NYC 212-695-6909. westbankcafe.com

This Time Warner Center eatery serves flavorful French bistro fare in a setting that stylishly mishmashes industrial and woodsy, with floorto-ceiling windows that overlook Central Park. 60th and Broadway, 3rd Floor, NYC 212-823-6123. landmarc-restaurant.com

HUDSON YARDS

MAREA

LEGACY RECORDS

At this chic, fun 85-seat restaurant brought to you by the team behind Charlie Bird and Pasquale Jones, the menu features fresh, flavorful cuisine inspired by Italy’s northern coasts. The cocktail menu is curated by mixologist Jeff Bell from P.D.T., and Arvid Rosengren is the reigning “Best Sommelier in the World.” 517 W. 38th Street between Tenth and Eleventh Aves., NYC legacyrecordsrestaurant.com

MERCADO LITTLE SPAIN

José Andrés and his team have been cooking up this love letter to Spain, which includes three restaurants, two bars, fifteen tapas kiosks, and a market on 35,000 square feet of brand new Hudson Yards real estate. 10 Hudson Yards between Tenth and Eleventh Aves., NYC 646-495-1242. littlespain.com

TAK ROOM

Thomas Keller’s Hudson Yards adventure, TAK Room takes a contemporary look on the classic Continental meal. Think throwback style, glamour, sweeping views, champagne carts, and old school New York glamour in brand new digs. 20 Hudson Yards between Tenth and Eleventh Aves., NYC 929-450-4050. takroomnyc.com

MEATPACKING DISTRICT MORIMOTO

AÑEJO

44 & X HELL’S KITCHEN

The tiny space packs a big punch with inexpensive Mexican street food, frozen margaritas and upcycled-Corona-bottle light fixtures. 824 Ninth Ave. at 54th St., NYC 646-763-6585. elcentro-nyc.com

Two floors of high-design touches (like a wall made of 17,000 Ty Nant water bottles and upholstered walls) set the scene for haute Japanese cuisine by Masaharu Morimoto. 88 Tenth Ave. between 15th and 16th Sts., NYC 212-989-8883. morimotonyc.com

STANDARD GRILL

The hip cafe just beneath the southern tip of the High Line offers a long bar in the front, a dining room with arced red-leather booths, an open kitchen, plus a sidewalk patio for entertaining Meatpacking people-watching. Surprisingly, the prices are pretty moderate throughout. 848 Washington St. between Little W. 12th and 13th Sts., NYC 212-645-4100. thestandardgrill.com

METROSOURCE.COM

LANDMARC

Chef Michael White has been awarded two Michelin stars, the 2010 James Beard Award, and other impressive accolades. His high-end Italian cuisine combines with over 750 wine options for a fresh take on coastal cuisine. 240 Central Park South Between Broadway and Seventh Ave., NYC 212-582-5100. marearestaurant.com

PIZZERIA SIRENETTA

The people behind Mermaid Inn serve Neopolitan pizzas and rustic Italian fare. Stop by 5-7pm for their happy hour featuring $12 pizza specials, an $8 aperol spritz and more! 568 Amsterdam Ave. between 87th & 88th Sts., NYC 212-799-7401. pizzeriasirenetta.com

TESSA

Chef Nicholas McCann blends French, Italian and Spanish fare in this neighborhood-approved hotspot. Wine Lovers, pay special attention to the TESSA Reserve list with over fifty labels. 349 Amsterdam Ave. between 76th & 77th Sts., NYC 212-390-1974. tessanyc.com

WEST VILLAGE COWGIRL

This Texas-style West Village favorite, conceived after Sherry Delamarter visited the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, has been serving great food and no frills fun for 25 years. Blood Orange and Prickly Pear frozen margaritas in mason jars go perfectly with Tex-Mex fare. 519 Hudson St. at West 10th St., NYC 212-633-1133. cowgirlnyc.com

TEA AND SYMPATHY

Adorable spot serving tra British favorites like Bangers & Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, Welsh Rarebit, and Roast Beef with Yorkshire pudding. Save room for Sticky Toffee Pudding! 108 Greenwich Street, NYC between Jane & Horatio Sts., 212-989-9735. teaandsympathy. com

THE LITTLE OWL

This bold Mediterranean spot boasts gravy meatballs and pork chops that rival your grandmother’s secret recipe. 90 Bedford St. at Grove, NYC 212-741-4695. thelittleowlnyc.com

TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

BAR SOURCE Edited by Jeffrey James Keyes

CHELSEA BARRACUDA Cool music, cute crowds, wild drag shows and talent competitions hosted on the tiny stage in the rear. 275 W. 22nd St. at Eighth Ave., NYC 212-645-8613

BOXERS CHELSEA Big gay sports bar with games on flat-screens, pool tables and a smoking patio. A pizza oven dispenses mouth-watering pies, but the bartenders are even hotter. 37 W. 20th St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves., NYC 212-624-5942. boxersnyc.com

THE EAGLE This dark and cruisy leather-and-Levi’s clubs boasts a great rooftop deck and popular events for specific fetishes. 554 W. 28th St. between Tenth and Eleventh Aves., NYC 646-473-1866. eagle-ny.com

GYM Popular after work sports bar with plasma-screen TVs broadcasting games, a pool table and a basement dugout. 167 Eighth Ave. between 18th and 19th Sts., NYC 212-337-2439. gymsportsbar.com

EAST VILLAGE/LOWER EAST SIDE THE BOILER ROOM A throwback to the days when the East Village was for the punky and funky, this no-frills lounge is popular with the college set, attitude-free, and rocks with an eclectic mix of music and scruffy pool players. 86 E. 4th St. at Second Ave., NYC 212-254-7536

OSCAR WILDE

BOXERS WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

FAIRYTAIL LOUNGE Glittery Centaurs and other enchanted-forest motifs distinguish this cozy lounge in way-west HK with theme parties and guest DJs. 500 W. 48th St. between Tenth and Eleventh Aves., NYC 646-648-3897

Boasting NYC’s Best Happy Hour seven days a week, this way uptown outpost of the gay bar phenomenon always offers incredible eye candy. 3820 Broadway at 159th St., NYC. boxersnyc.com

FLAMING SADDLES

WEST VILLAGE

When not serving vodka sodas in glass steins, bartenders jump on the bar for boot-scootin’ to Achy Breaky-type tunes. 793 Ninth Ave. at 53rd St., NYC 212-713-0481. flamingsaddles.com/nyc

HARDWARE Enjoy cheap drinks at the front bar and fun tunes on the rear dance floor when live performers like Jan Sport, Marti Gould Cummings, Brita Filter and Paige Turner aren’t on stage. 697 Tenth Ave between 47th and 48th Sts., NYC 212-924-9885. hardware-bar.com

INDUSTRY Big venue with couch-filled nooks, a game room with a pool table, and industrial design that’s a nod to its parking-garage past. Tina Burner and Kizha Carr shake things up. 355 W. 52nd St. between Eighth and Ninth Aves., NYC 646-476-2747. industry-bar.com This neighborhood fixture attracts tourists, locals and theater pros from both sides of the footlights with strong drinks, cheap prices and friendly staff. 656 Ninth Ave. at 46th St., NYC 212-307-1503

POSH A mixed bag of Hell’s Kitchenites and the occasional celeb spill out onto the sidewalk as this lounge spins pop and dance tunes. 405 W. 51st St. at Ninth Ave., NYC 212-957-2222. poshbarnyc.com

RISE BAR

REBAR

This upscale boy boîte had places to perch on multiple levels, but a kickin’ sound system makes it unlikely you’ll settle down. 369 W. 46th St. at Ninth Ave., NYC 212-333-2554. ritzbarandlounge.com

EAST VILLAGE CLUB CUMMING Willkommen to this sassy, performance-based club from Alan Cumming, Benjamin Maisani, Darren Dryden and Daniel Nardicio. Picture backstage at a Berlin nightclub where anything goes from Drag Race viewing parties to (of course!) cabaret. 505 E. 6th St. between Aves. A and B, NYC 212-777-2555. clubcummingnyc.com

THE COCK Longtime late-night haven for naughty go-go boys and those seeking debauchery from the naughty to the nightlife glitterati. 29 Second Ave. between First and Second Sts., NYC

NOWHERE Ultra-mellow East Villager with distressed décor, a pool table and what may be the smallest back room ever. 322 E. 14th St. between First and Second Aves., NYC 212-477-4744. nowherebarnyc.com

PHOENIX Find folks enjoying video games, a pool table, a jukebox and the diverse crowd in an exposed-brick space with an uncomplicated vibe. 447 E. 13th St. at Ave. A., NYC 212-477-9979. hoenixbarnyc.com

HELL’S KITCHEN/MIDTOWN WEST ATLAS SOCIAL CLUB Josh Wood, Benjamin Maisani, Pablo Raimondi, and Asi Mazar hit a home run with this HK hotspot, where celebs like Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper, and Cher have made cameos. 753 9th Ave. between 50th and 51st Sts., NYC 212-262-8527. atlassocialclub.com

BARRAGE This HK lounge has au courant accouterments and outrageous drinks. Late happy hour from 11pm to midnight is the perfect time for a discount. 401 W. 47th St. at Ninth Ave., NYC 212-586-9390

BOXERS HK This outpost of the Chelsea sports bar features a large ground floor, basement game room dubbed The Dog Pound, and big rooftop patio. 742 Ninth Ave. at 50th St., NYC 212-951-1518. boxersnyc.com

TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

Home to the local lesbian crowd (and a few boys), this small, unpretentious bar features a capricious décor heavy on fish. 281 W. 12th St. at Fourth St., NYC 212-243-9041. cubbyholebar.com

THE DUPLEX

Downstairs at the city’s oldest continuing cabaret/piano bar, the staff performs while serving. Upstairs is a more traditional boy bar and an intimate room that books cabaret acts. 61 Christopher St. at Seventh Ave. South, NYC 212-255-5438. theduplex.com

THE HANGAR

Manly neighborhood bar with a diverse crowd. 115 Christopher St. between Bleecker and Hudson Sts., NYC 212-627-2044

HENRIETTA HUDSON

9TH AVENUE SALOON

Acclaimed mixologist Johnny Swet sets the scene at this cocktail lounge, ironically situated at the former headquarters of NYC’s Bureau of Prohibition. The gastropub is a tribute to its great Irish namesake and displays a collection of related relics. 45 W. 27th St. at Sixth Avenue., NYC 212-213-3066. oscarwildenyc.com Sexy Chelsea hangout where G Lounge used to be with ondustrial décor and sexy staff drawing all kinds of men (especially local muscle bears). 225 W. 19th St. between Seventh and Eighth Aves., NYC 212-929-1085. rebarchelsea.com

CUBBYHOLE

Kings of NYC nightlife joined forces for this fab yet unpretentious watering hole right where you can dance all night every Friday and Saturday. 859 9th Avenue., NYC 646-892-3313. risebarnyc.com

THE RITZ BAR & LOUNGE

THERAPY The modern duplex draws a fierce crowd to weekly shows by legendary performers like Pixie Aventura. Don’t miss Paige Turner’s infamous Sunday night Slurp show. 348 W. 52nd St. between Eighth and Ninth Aves., NYC 212-397-1700. therapy-nyc.com

EAST SIDE THE TOOL BOX This two-level dive bar with a cozy downstairs hosts parties with DJs and go-go boys on Friday and Saturday. 1742 Second Ave., between 90th and 91st Sts., NYC 212-348-1288. thetoolboxnyc.com

THE TOWNHOUSE Two levels of mature gents and their younger fans swaying to live songs from the Jerry Herman oeuvre. 236 E. 58th St. between Second and Third Aves., NYC 212-754-4649. townhouseny.com

UNCLE CHARLIE’S After a remodel that put its piano in the center of the action, this effervescent lounge is once again going strong with live entertainment and multiple bars. 139 E. 45th St. between Third and Lexington Aves., NYC 212-661-9097. unclecharliesnyc.com

UPPER WEST SIDE

Popular lesbian lounge with a multicultural crowd. 438 Hudson St. at Morton St., NYC 212-924-3347.henriettahudson.com

JULIUS’

On a normal night, the city’s oldest gay bar is a comfy place for cheap drinks, burgers and fries. Once a month, Mattachine turns it into a crowded, rowdy dance party with excellent vinyl music. 159 W. 10th St. at Waverly Pl., NYC 212-243-1928. juliusbarny.com

MARIE’S CRISIS

Old-school sing-alongs are on tap at this long-running piano bar. Stop in and “sing out, Louise!” 59 Grove St. at Seventh Ave. South, NYC 212-243-9323. mariescrisis.us

MONSTER

Sheridan Square stalwart where fab guys and dolls sing along to show tunes upstairs while DJs spin for a diverse crowd downstairs. 80 Grove St. at Seventh Ave. South, NYC 212-924-3558 Open Mon-Fri, 4pm-4am; Sat & Sun, 2pm-4am. monsterbarnyc.com

PIECES

Bop to retro dance tracks or laugh at drag queen antics like Ms. Vodka Stinger’s B-Movie Mondays. 8 Christopher St. at Sixth Ave., NYC 212-929-9291. piecesbar.com

ROCKBAR

For boys who prefer fur, there’s this butched-up bar with a fist-pumping soundtrack, cheap drinks and very sexy parties. 185 Christopher St. at Weehawken St., NYC. rockbarnyc.com

STONEWALL

Daddies, faux thugs, and girls who like girls rule this two-story birthplace of gay pride. Every night offers a different theme, e.g. drag shows, karaoke and beer blasts. 53 Christopher St. at Seventh Ave. South, NYC 212-488-2705. thestonewallinnnyc.com

TY’S

Ye Olde Boy Bar serves a loyal and friendly Christopher Street clientele — NYPD and Firemen especially welcome. 114 Christopher St. between Bleecker and Hudson Sts., NYC 212-741-9641. tys.nyc

OUTER BOROUGHS & BEYOND ALBATROSS

Homey Astoria bar with a pool table and jukebox. 36-19 24th Ave. at 38th St., Astoria, NYC 718-204-9045. albatrossastoria.com

SUITE This adorable spot attracts Columbia gays with leopard-print lamps, leather banquettes and drag entertainers. 992 Amsterdam Ave. between 109th and 110th Sts., NYC 212-222-4600. suitenyc.com

WEST END LOUNGE

ICON ASTORIA

Beefcake dancers and NYC nightlife legends flock to this unassuming Astoria watering hole for great beats and impressive drag. 31-84 33rd Street., Astoria, NY 347-808-7592. iconastoria.com

Columbia boys and neighborhood cubs converge at this Morningside watering hole for Topless Tuesdays, karaoke nights, and local drag queens. 955 West End Avenue between 107th and Duke Ellington Blvd., NYC 212-531-4759. thewestendlounge.com

GINGER’S

UPTOWN

B-burg bar with a spacious patio. 559 Lorimer St. at Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg, 718-599-4444. metropolitanbarny.com

ALIBI LOUNGE Popular Harlem bar that’s a great spot for after work. Bring some cash for the jay-dropping go-go boys on Man Crush Mondays. 2376 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. at 139th St., NYC 917-472-7789.

Popular with lesbians, this long, dark bar has a jukebox and an outdoor garden. 363 Fifth Ave., Park Slope, Brooklyn 718-788-0924

METROPOLITAN

THE ROSEMONT NYC

Mixed cocktail bar with eclectic entertainment and a big back deck. 63 Montrose Ave., Brooklyn 347-987-3101. therosemontnyc.com

METROSOURCE.COM

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

ACCOUNTING – ATTORNEYS

ADOPTION SERVICES

ACCOUNTING

Friends in Adoption

Dikman, Bernard L., C.P.A.

Sexual Health Men

290 Madison Ave 6th Fl NYC............................................973 493-7607 www.sexualhealthmen.com

37 W 20th St, Ste 703, NYC ....... 212 929-4299

NYC............................................. 800 982-3678 www.friendsinadoption.org

Woloshen, Robert A. CPA

AESTHETIC SERVICES

Stoller, Roy B., D.O.

Advanced Dermatology Associates

515 Madison Ave, Ste 1205 NYC ...........................................212 920-4499 www.hairdoctornyc.com

29 W 15th St, Ste 1 NYC ........................................... 212 843-3486 www.rawcpa.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

ACUPUNCTURE Acupuncture-NYC

80 Fifth Ave, Ste 906 NYC............................................ 212 874-0898 www.acupuncture-nyc.com

200 Central Park South #107 NYC ............................................ 212 262-2500 NYC ............................................ 212 246-0800 www.adv-derm.com

(SEE AD HAIR REPLACEMENT PAGE 74)

(SEE AD PHYSICIANS PAGE 77)

ALLERGIES

Lexington Plastic Surgeons

113 E 39th St, NYC...................... 646 374-2410 www.try.lexingtonplasticsurgeons.com/ metrosource

Aziz, Michael, M.D., FRSM

Midtown Integrative Medicine 509 Madison Ave @ 53rd St, Ste 1111 NYC............................................212 906-9111 www.michaelazizmd.com

ARCHITECTURE David Stern Architecture

www.davidsternarchitecture.com

Torre, Martin B. RA AIA

Architecture + Planning PLLC 605 E 14th St, #8 NYC............................................646 257-9081

ATTORNEYS Bing, Steven E.

276 5th Ave, Ste 1008 NYC............................................212 286-1666

Luna Chou, Esq. 212-226-2610

Chianese & Reilly Law, P.C.

LChouLaw@gmail.com w w w.LunaChouLaw.com

122 E 42nd St, Ste 3900 NYC............................................212 953-6447 100 Merrick Rd, Ste 103E Rockville Centre, NY ...................516 599-2020 www.awclawyer.com

IMMIGRATION EQUALITY

Chou, Luna, Esq.

GREEN CARDS, FIANCE(E ) VISAS, WAIVERS, CITIZENSHIP, ASYLUM, UNCONTESTED DIVORCE & RE AL ESTATE TR ANSACTIONS

NYC ...........................................212 226-2610 www.lunachoulaw.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

20 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Goldman, Jeffrey E., Esq

Something is brewing...

Get FREE weekly updates

from NYC’s only comprehensive site for talks, lectures, and offbeat events thoughtgallery.org/signup

501 Fifth Ave #1900 NYC............................................212 983-8999 NYC............................................212 949-5085 www.jgoldmanlaw.com

Law Ofﬁces of Thomas Sciacca, PLLC

44 Wall St, 12th Fl NYC............................................212 495-0317 www.sciaccalaw.com

Long & Associates

NYC............................................212 360-0394 www.landapllc.com

Parker | Waichman LLP

metrosource.com/subscribe

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

METROSOURCE.COM

6 Harbor Park Dr. Nationwide ................................ 800 JUST-CALL www.yourlawyer.com TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

ATTORNEYS (CONTINUED) – COUNSELING/PSYCHOTHERAPY Tesler, Richard, Esq.

Dicker, Phyllis D., L.C.S.W., A.C.S.W., B.C.D.

(SEE AD OPPOSITE PAGE)

Factor, Rhonda J., PhD

41 W 72nd St NYC ...........................................212 362-6961

BARS (SEE BAR SOURCE PAGE 69)

CATERING Li-Lac Chocolates

West Village: 40 8th Ave, NYC Greenwich Village: 162 Bleecker St, NYC Grand Central: 43rd & Lexington, NYC Chelsea Market: 75 Ninth Ave, NYC Industry City: 68 35th St, Brooklyn NYC ...........................................212 924-2280 www.li-lacchocolates.com (SEE AD PAGE 58)

Paul Evans Catering

20 W 20th St NYC............................................212 321-1822 NYC............................................212 243-4494 www.paulevanscatering.com

CLOTHING Dave’s New York

581 Ave of the Americas, NYC Toll Free ......................................800 543-8558 www.davesnewyork.com

Jackson Boutique

www.jacksonboutiquenyc.com

CONTRACTORS/CONSTRUCTION ABS Design & Construction

NYC............................................212 731-0642 www.abs-construction-nyc.com

COUNSELING/PSYCHOTHERAPY Angers, Marc E., M.A. Oxon, L.C.S.W./L.P.

Licensed Psychoanalyst, NCPsyA NYC............................................917 678-7929

Barneson, Jeff, LCSW

119 Washington Place NYC............................................212 252-2314 www.jeffbarneson.com

Blatter, Andrew, LCSW

NYC............................................ 718 855-5171

85 5th Ave, Ste 912 NYC............................................ 347 834-6057 www.rhondafactorphd.com

Jarratt, Kent, L.C.S.W.

19 W 34th St, NYC ........212 947-7111, ext 119 Oceanport, NJ ............................. 917 686-6179 www.kentjarratt.com

Volker Schuetz, PsyD Clinical Psychologist

Call 212-470-9024 for a FREE phone consultation

Individual & Couples Therapy for Gay Men Sexuality • Intimacy • Relationships

Johnson, Thomas E., L.C.S.W.

Chelsea....................................... 212 645-3952

Kingan, Peter L., Ph.D.

99 University Pl, 4th Fl NYC ................................................ 917 428-2431

Koetting, Michael E., L.C.S.W.

NYC............................................ 212 741-2606 www.koettingpsychotherapy.com

McFadden, Stephen, LCSW SEP

435 W 23rd St NYC............................................ 212 627-8419 www.smcfadden.com

Nelson, Joshua, Ph.D.

71 W 23rd St, Ste 1115 NYC ..............................................646 512-0043 www.jnelsonphd.com

(SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Rayhill, Daniel, Ph.D.

276 Fifth Ave #1101 NYC............................................ 212 683-2454

1133 Broadway #913, NYC 10010 www.NYChangeManagement.com

Andrew Blatter, lcsw P S YC HOTHE RA P Y

• Anxiety and Depression • Relationship and Social Difficulties • Body Image and Self-Esteem Issues • Career Transitions Convenient Flatiron Location andrewblatter.com 917-442-5213 ablatterlcsw@mac.com

Ross, Steven, LSCW

Union Square .............................. 917 406-7900 www.stevenrosstherapy.com

Schuetz, Volker, PsyD

1133 Broadway #913 NYC ........................................... 212 470-9024 www.nychangemanagement.com

(SEE AD THIS PAGE)

• depression & anxiety • self esteem & self confidence • sexuality & sexual health • major life changes

Schwartz, Alan, M.D., Psychiatrist

West Village/Chelsea NYC............................................ 212 727-0923

• relationships & communication

Tallent, Marc, Ph.D.

51 Fifth Ave NYC............................................ 212 645-5795 http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/33692

NYC ...........................................917 442-5213 www.andrewblatter.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Bloom Psychotherapy NYC

19 W 34th St, PH NYC............................................347 921-0431 www.nycbloomtherapy.com

Campbell, Robert D., LCSW

Psychotherapy for Individuals & Couples NYC ...........................................646 783-8155 www.robertdcampbell.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Davies, Ann Conant, M.S.W., L.C.S.W.

740 West End Ave, Ste 1 Cell .............................................917 923-2257 TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

METROSOURCE.COM

DECEMBER 2019/JANUARY 2020

COUNSELING/SUBURBAN – EVENT PLANNING & EVENT SPACE/RENTALS

COUNSELING/SUBURBAN

Lew, Spencer, D.D.S.

Kingan, Peter L., Ph.D.

30 E 40th St #706 NYC............................................212 286-1717 www.nycdental.com

DATING SERVICES

LuxDen Dental Center

31 Oak St Patchogue, NY ............................631 447-6425