Metrosource NY - June/July 2019

JUNE/JULY 2019 METROSOURCE NY

METROSOURCE

ROCKETMAN FROM ELTON TO EGERTON

TALES OF THE CITY

THE NEXT GENERATION

JUNE/JULY 2019

JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL

BILLY PORTER

HEDWIG AND BEYOND

SERVING POSE REALNESS

PRIDE

STONEWALL AT

E D I R P N L A TIO I C DI E SP E

CONTENTS

June/July 2019 | VOLUME 30, NO. 3

42 29 THE GREATEST SHOWMAN?

oscars - aBc/rick rowell • JcM - Mick rock • Virgin Voyages

38 46

HOW DID THE CAREER of Jake Resnicow lead him to mount what’s being billed as the largest single music event during NYC Pride Week?

30 TALES FOR A NEW GENERATION AS MURRAY BARTLETT PREPARES for the premiere of Netflix’s reborn Tales of

the City, he reveals what it’s like to be back in the land of Looking.

34 SIGNS OF RESISTANCE AS WE OBSERVE 50 YEARS since the Stonewall Uprising, we take a look at the visual images that set us on our march toward equality.

38 BILLY PORTER FROM THE STRUGGLES OF HIS early career through making a home for himself in Pose, Porter reveals his category: fierce, enduring realness.

42 JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL 20 YEARS AFTER THE DEBUT OF HEDWIG, its creator finds new ways to bring it to life - plus new projects alongside Glenn Close and Patti LuPone.

46 CRUISING TOGETHER COVER PHOTO BY RON CADIZ © SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

WHETHER YOUR FLAVOR IS family-friendly fun or scantily clad lads in the Caribbean sun, let us help you find community on the high seas.

FOUR MELTDOWNS AND A WEDDING

VIEWS

EDITOR’S LETTER

I WAS TO MARRY JUSTIN 3,110 DAYS AFTER THE NIGHT WE

2

met; 2,736 days after same-sex marriage was made legal in New York State; 1,230 days after he proposed, and 435 days after we first found the merry-go-round where we would wed. Yet to say I was not dealing with it well would have been a massive understatement.

41 Days Until I Do: I am shopping for something to wear to my “engagement shoot.” I’d never heard of such a thing when our photographer explained it was essential. About a month before the wedding, she’d meet us for the shoot. We’d get some nice pictures; she’d get a sense of how to get us wedding shots we’d love. However, I had embarked on a nine month plan of diet and exercise that I estimated would have me just barely ready for my wedding day.

A month out, I was certainly not. I was also no longer sure of my size. Finally, I picked out a lavender sweater that seemed to just fit and headed home, upset. As I reached into the shopping bag to show it to Justin, I explained to him that I wasn’t ready. I was too nervous. I had spent most of my adult life accepting the idea that I, as a gay man, would never get married and that perhaps we were making a huge mistake.“It’s a really nice color,” he replied.

17 Days Until I Do: It was the kind of day I normally would have gone out after work, in order to not take the stress of the day home with me. But we had a “phone meeting” about the wedding. By that point, it seemed we were always meeting about something: food, music, accommodations, design. Justin - to his credit - had handled many by himself. But there were times we were expected to be the happy couple — and that day, I couldn’t find my blushing groom face. I had been constantly worried for months, secretly sure we’d created a very public opportunity to fail. I was exhausted: Done with running errands, picking poems and making decisions.“I will spend the rest of my life telling people to never get married,” I informed Justin, hot tears running down my face. I was still wiping them away when the phone rang.

7 Days Until I Do: I was determined to create a wedding ensemble as over-the-top as possible without inducing regret. The result was a melange of patterns that included paisley, checks, stripes, polka dots and a print that resembled extreme close-ups of butterfly wings.

I had a top hat like something out of My Fair Lady and a rhinestone-encrusted bow tie like something out of Chippendales. And I had never tried them all on together. After the meeting meltdown, I ‘d actively tried to stop thinking about the wedding, lest I lose my nerve altogether. But I knew I had to do this. So I went out to a long brunch with a member of my wedding party and stumbled home emboldened by several Bloody Marys. Once I’d gotten it all on, I stared at myself in the mirror, wanting to believe it made some sort of sense. But I couldn’t escape the fear that I’d been fooling myself all along with the idea that I could be a groom.

1 Day Until I Do: In the final days, I wrestled with the idea that — although I’d spent my life inviting people to shows I’d written and performances I’d given, it might be preposterous to believe they’d want to watch me simply love and be loved. Mentally, I thought I’d made my peace with it by the time we’d reached Bear Mountain Inn, but my body had not gotten the memo. As I began to greet excited guests, I felt a shaking begin deep inside me. I did everything I was supposed to: giving out excited hugs, raising glasses of cheer. But I went to sleep that night wondering if I might still be shaking when I walked down the aisle the next day.

I awoke with new and unexpected calm. I ate breakfast and carefully copied my vows for the ceremony. I tried not to look like I was freezing as I posed for pictures in the January cold.

And when the big moment arrived, I stood beside my Mom and stepped to the head of the aisle in the glow of the merry-go-round, where I felt the greatest outpouring of love I’ve ever known. I made my way to my husband-to-be and wept with joy and relief. We kissed, and the painted ponies went up and down, and the evening was so splendid, I wish I could say I should never have worried. But then I couldn’t say: I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

■ JUNE/JULY 2019

METROSOURCE.COM

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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

JUNE 26, 2019

GET TICKETS WORLDPRIDE.ORG PRODUCED BY

WORLDPRIDE LICENSOR

HOST PARTNER

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TODRICK HALL

BILLY PORTER

CIARA

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DEPARTMENTS

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62 CULTURE 6 THE SCOPE Salute the year’s best queer literature, help save global lgBTQ refugees, and get details about some of the world’s best Pride parties.

14 SCREEN Adam Driver gets lost in Don Quixote, and dr. ruth reveals her intriguing past.

22 MUSIC Feel Marina’s Love and Chaka Kahn’s Happiness.

24 TECH Terence traces technology that helped him come out and save his relationship.

25 FINANCE If you think life insurance is only for heirs, think again.

BODY 20 MeTrohiv Daniel Franzese on his vital work with Elizabeth Taylor aids foundation and more.

51 HEALTH Delicious beverages infused with garden goodness.

VIEWS 21 Pov Kevin explains why brotherhood is the role that makes him proudest.

28 DIARY Wade’s mom makes a daring choice in the wake of her son coming out.

68 LAST CALL The director of Rocketman turns Taron into elton.

EXCLUSIVELY NY 62 NY SCOPE Welcome to WorldPride!

66 HOME how to make color pop.

68 WEDDINGS Fall for Niagara and get tips for putting a ring on it.

73 HOT SHOPS Wanna party? Just say yes.

74 Bar source Where to drink up…

76 resTauranT BiTes …and chow down.

78 Business direcTory Businesses that cater to the lgBT community.

88 COMMUNITY RESOURCES Organizations and resources for nyc’s lgBTs.

This Page: The Man Who Killed don QuixoTe courTesy screen Media FilMs • PhoTo crediT: gavin Bond. © 2018 ParaMounT PicTures • nyc Pride March - PhoTo By BFa Madison voelKel

PRIDE

June/July 2019 | VOLUME 30, NO. 3

Brian had his HIV under control with medication. But smoking with HIV caused him to have serious health problems, including a stroke, a blood clot in his lungs and surgery on an artery in his neck. Smoking makes living with HIV much worse. You can quit.

CALL 1-800-QUIT-NOW.

#CDCTips

HIV alone didn’t cause the clogged artery in my neck.

Smoking with HIV did.

Brian, age 45, California

THE 1}

STAGE ADVICE

THE SHOWS MUST GO ON IT’S BEEN AN INTRIGUING FEW YEARS FOR BROADWAY’S BIGGEST

night. Talk show host and noted musical theater enthusiast James Corden first hosted in 2016. Kevin Spacey took the mantle in 2017, which in retrospect probably did not play so well with fans of consent. And then came last year’s intriguing experiment, with Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban offering their unique, musical twist on the gig. This year, Tony is back in familiar territory as the King of Carpool Karaoke makes his return to the emcee’s microphone. While we won’t know who’ll take home the Great White Way’s ultimate accolades until the envelopes are opened, a few things seem certain. We

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JUNE/JULY 2019

METROSOURCE.COM

can expect gripping performances from the mythic folk opera Hadestown, delightful drag-fest Tootsie, and the ebulliently theatrical, LGBTQ-loving The Prom. We’ll likely see a Cole Porter vs. Rodgers & Hammerstein face-off between Kiss Me, Kate and Oklahoma. And, if past is prologue, the awards will continue to struggle to find ways to show off Broadway’s non-musical offerings. In those categories, winners could include Irish Troubles-era drama The Ferryman, Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of the American classic To Kill a Mockingbird, and Harvey Fierstein’s beloved behind-the-queen’s slice-of-life Torch Song. Tune in to CBS June 9 for all the belting and ballyhoo. tonyawards.com

THIS PAGE: ART STREIBER - CBS

THESCOPE CULTURE

CURATED BY PAUL HAGEN AND SEBASTIAN FORTINO

SCOPE

THIS PAGE: DRAG cover by scott kirby • (left) sweetie by michael wakefield • (right) jackie beat by dusti cunningham • cyclist Photo by Pablo guerrero on unsPlash

2}

INK SPOTTED

DRAG ON ONCE, DRAG ENTERTAINERS WERE SEEN AS SHOW BUSINESS’S WILDEST

outsiders. Today, in tandem with society’s increased acceptance of gay culture and RuPaul’s Drag Race’s rise as a TV juggernaut, drag has moved decidedly into the entertainment mainstream. So what better time to trace the evolution of the art form? Drag: Combing Through the Big Wigs of Show Business (Rizzoli New York; $35) boasts text by funnyman Frank DeCaro and a forward by entertainment legend Bruce Vilanch. It traces the drag’s unique blend of fashion and fun, illusion and extravagance through a number of milestones.

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Just a few of these include Bosom Buddies and Tootsie, To Wong Foo… and Hedwig, La Cage aux Folles and Kinky Boots. You’ll find several recent nominees for the title of Metrosource’s “Legendary NYC Drag Queen We Love”here, including Hedda Lettuce and Lypsinka.

Meanwhile, some of the other bold face dames who’ll grace its pages include Bianca del Rio, Miss Coco Peru, Varla Jean Merman and Charles Busch. With commentary, interviews and pictures chronicling over 100 years of drag around the globe, this is one lewk book no fan of drag should be without. rizzoliusa.com

GOOD SPORT

PEDAL PUSHERS “EACH YEAR, MORE THAN 2,800 PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY and world come together,” reports AIDS/LifeCycle. “Over the

course of a week, they make an epic 545 mile journey down the coast of California from San Francisco to Los Angeles. In AIDS/ LifeCycle 2018, 2,300 cyclists and more than 650 volunteers raised a record $16.6 million for critical HIV/AIDS services provided by San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.”

Since its founding in 2002, AIDS/Lifecycle has consistently raised millions of dollars for these invaluable organizations. And although we live in a world where attitudes toward HIV are more progressive than ever, such high-profile fundraisers serve a multitude of

purposes: People still depend on HIV/AIDS medical care, testing and prevention services provided by the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center. The event also raises awareness in a way that helps end the stigma surrounding HIV/ AIDS, while provide life-affirming experiences for those whose lives have been touched by the virus. What’s more AIDS/Lifecycle provides organizational support for activists and volunteers fighting to end the epidemic, and a way for our community to honor those who have passed from AIDS-related causes. This year’s AIDS/ Lifecycle journey will run June 2–9. Get more information on how you can ride, volunteer or fund raise online. aidslifecyle.org METROSOURCE.COM JUNE/JULY 2019

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6} NATIONAL PRIDE CAN’T MISS

THINKING GLOBALLY

CULTURE

THESCOPE

THERE ARE STILL SOME 75 COUNTRIES ACROSS THE GLOBE THAT CRIMINALIZE OR PENALIZE

LGBTQ people because of sexual orientation or gender identity. For example, the Sultanate of Brunei has recently made headlines for allowing the stoning and state-sanctioned murder of members of the global LGBTQ community. But we’re finding ways to fight back: Modern Exodus is a new charity working with those who face prosecution or worse. They’ll assist with resettlement, provide temporary housing and transportation, and help people meet basic needs. Modern Exodus can even help some asylum seekers with obtaining VISAs for legal work. So far, the organization has received nearly 200 applications, and several companies have agreed to lend support. Celebrities are also standing up to support this mission. Notables include Tan France of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Vixen of RuPaul’s Drag Race fame. On Instagram, follow @ModernExodus to see striking images — both of these supporters and of LGBTQ people seeking safety from across the globe. Consider doing your part by making a donation in support of this cause in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall. modernexodus.org

5}

DRINK UP

HOPE FLOATS

few thiNgs Call summer to miNd like a

delicious root beer float. However, when it comes to drinks, we’ve only got room in our diets for ones that will lift us up or chill us out.

Fortunately, we came across Root Out root beer flavored whisky (a blend of root beer flavoring and Canadian blended whisky). Not only does it really taste like the classic soda, but it’s also the key ingredient in the“Root Out Float,”which will be sure to shake up your summer: Ingredients: 2 oz. Root Out Root Beer Flavored Whisky 1/2 oz. Vanilla Vodka 1 oz. RumChata Whipped Cream Ice Preparation: Pour ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Pour into a glass over ice and top with whipped cream.

Enjoy raising a glass to summer and check out more tongue-tingling Root Out recipes online. rootoutwhisky.com

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JUNE/JULY 2019

METROSOURCE.COM

Kitchen at Pier 97 to party all weekend long. metrosource.com/worldprideguide LA PRIDE West Hollywood always serves up glamor and celebrities for Pride. June 8–9 will bring thousands to West Hollywood Park, to see headliners including Meghan Trainor. Keep your eyes trained on the afterparties for some of your favorite heartthrobs from the world of TV, film and music. lapride.org PORTLAND PRIDE The Rose City is one of the hottest food and beer destinations in the world right now.“Visibility. Celebration. Education,” is their Pride theme for 2019.

Their waterfront festival and parade takes place June 15–16. pridenw.org NEW ORLEANS PRIDE Mardi Gras and Southern Decadence aren’t the only times to laissez les bon temps rouler (let the good times roll) in the cultural capital of Louisiana. The weekend of June 7–8 promises a slate of events leading up to their Pride parade on Sunday. togetherwenola.com/pride KEY WEST PRIDE While Key West almost always seems like a little slice of gay paradise, Pride is a particularly good time to stop by.

Though it’s high summer, cross breezes (and plenty of tropical cocktails) keep revelers feeling cool. Celebrations take place from Wednesday, June 5 until Sunday, June 9. gaykeywestfl.com/pride

this page: photo by Christopher smith Courtesy Netflix • float image Courtesy of root out root beer flavored whiskey

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GOOD THING

WORLDPRIDE For the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, New York is hosting WorldPride 2019. A month of LGBTQ events start on June 1. The action culminates June 30th when the biggest Pride march ever steps off from 26th St. and Fifth Ave. And, of course, no NYC Pride would be complete without dancing on the water. Head to Pride Island in Hell’s

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ART BEAT

PAST AND PRESENCES THE BIG APPLE CLEARLY VALUES THE IMPACT ITS VIBRANT GAY

THIS PAGE: PODIUM IMAGES COURTESY OF THE LAMBDA LITERARY FOUNDATION

community has had on the ever-changing face of New York.

And as the world looks to NYC for WorldPride and the 50th Anniversary of Stonewall, some of the city’s finest cultural institutions will be showing that support in the form of dedicated exhibitions. For example, at the Museum of the City of New York, be sure to check out PRIDE: Photographs of Stonewall and Beyond by Fred W. McDarrah. This exhibit opens in early June and celebrates the work and life of the famed Village Voice photographer. Though not self-identified as LGBTQ, McDarrah chronicled many gay events throughout his long career as an ally, including Pride celebrations. His lens saw

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From Left: Juliana Huxtable (American, born 1987). The Feminist Scam, 2017. Inkjet print, vinyl, magnets on metal sheet, 96 × 48 in. (243.8 × 121.9 cm) Courtesy of the artist and Reena Spaulings Fine Art, NY/LA. ©Juliana Huxtable. (Photo: Joerg Lohse); Elektra KB (Colombian).

Protest Sign II, 2017. Textile, felt, thread, 66 x 34 in. (167.6 x 86.4 cm). Courtesy of the artist. © Elektra KB; Tuesday Smillie (American, born 1981). S.T.A.R., 2012. Watercolor, collage on board, 9½ x 11 in. (24.1 x 27.9 cm). Courtesy of the artist. © Tuesday Smillie

plenty of action, including the historic Stonewall Uprising. (mcny.org) Or you can head across the East River, where they’re considering Stonewall as a new beginning in Nobody Promised You Tomorrow: Art 50 Years After Stonewall at the Brooklyn Museum. This exhibit showcases more than 20 LGBTQ artists born after 1969, which makes this much more of a contemporary exhibit than other shows looking back at Stonewall.

Media which includes painting, sculpture, installation, performance, and video chronicle the artists’ place in a world where queer identity has been constantly evolving. Organizers say that exhibit is also meant to explore “interconnected themes of revolt, commemoration, care and desire.” brooklynmuseum.org

ON THE LIST

THE LIBRARY IS OPEN THIS YEAR, THE LAMBDA LITERARY FOUNDATION CELEBRATES 31 YEARS

of awarding LGBTQ excellence.“In the ongoing work for LGBTQ equality, literature plays a distinct and powerful role—offering roadmaps for loving, fighting, and thriving,” Lambda Literary Executive Director Sue Landers observes of the awards, known as “The Lammys.” Last year’s honorees include Lambda Trustee Award winner Roxanne Gay and Lambda Visionary Award winner Edmund White. In search of this year’s nominees, the foundation reviewed over 1000 books from more than 300 publishers. A panel

of some 60 professionals pored over the works. They ultimately nominated artists in categories varying from Gay Mysteries to Lesbian Fiction to Transgender Poetry to literature for LGBTQ Children and Young Adults. An estimated 600 guests will attend the 2019 awards ceremony June at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. This year’s ceremony host will be the ever-fabulous Mx. Justin Vivian Bond. Organizers report that the winners will be announced in time for you to stock up on queer literature across 24 categories to add to your summer reading lists. lambdaliterary.org METROSOURCE.COM JUNE/JULY 2019

9

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 PUSHING, 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 PUSHING.

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.

11} GLOBAL PRIDES CAN’T MISS

THAT’S NEWS TO US

CULTURE

THESCOPE

WASHINGTON, D.C.’S NEWSEUM BILLS ITSELF

as the premiere interactive institution for documents and objects which chronicle free expression and our First Amendment Rights.

Therefore, it’s only fitting that they’re celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the birth of the Gay Liberation Movement with an exhibition called Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Civil Rights Movement. According to museum representatives, the exhibition will “look at popular culture’s role in influencing attitudes about the LGBTQ community through film, television and music, and explore how the gay rights movement harnessed the power of public protest and demonstration to change

laws and shatter stereotypes.” A variety of media will be presented to tell the story of the community’s extraordinary advances during the last half century. As the museum aims to be interactive, there will be something for every attendee (whether you’re more a reader, listener or viewer). As a fun bonus, the Newseum is partnering with the Hamilton Hotel to present “The Newsroom: Rise Up” suite. The room was curated with the guidance of famed LGBTQ actor, author and activist Alan Cumming and will feature artifacts and materials related to the exhibition.You can even enter a contest for a chance to win a stay at the suite. newseum.org

10}

THE TV SET

TALE TALK

SEASON TWO OF MARGARET ATWOOD’S FASCIST FANTASIA WAS ACTION PACKED: DARING ESCAPES,

massive explosions, loss of life and limb. And just when it seemed that June (Elisabeth Moss) would finally escape Gilead with her daughter and gender traitor pal Emily (Alexis Bledel), June turned back to rescuing her other daughter Hannah. We’ve been keeping our eyes out for hints about season three since we first glimpsed those supremely creepy pictures at the National Mall in D.C. with the Washington Monument replaced by a giant cross. Here’s what we know: Returning characters will include Bradley Whitford, now as a series regular, and Ann Dowd — though we don’t know how she will be changed by her character’s stabbing. Cast additions will include Christopher Meloni (Pose) and Elizabeth Reaser (Haunting of Hill House) as Commander and Mrs. Winslow, who’ll play host to the Waterfords. The show’s late premiere (June 5) means it will miss this year’s Emmy eligibility. So we’ll have to wait a while to see cast favorites like Samira Wiley get another chance at the podium. In better news, Atwood is returning to Gilead on the page with a sequel called The Testaments, slated for release in September 2019. hulu.com

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MADRID PRIDE Madrid is one of the most cosmopolitan and diverse cities in Europe, where you can take in the Prado Museum and the Escorial Palace before or after celebrating a caliente Pride, June 28 through July 7. The main event, a massive parade, happens Saturday, July 6. madridorgullo.com ROME PRIDE Celebrate gay pride in the Eternal City! Since ancient times, Romans have known how to throw a party. This year, they’re celebrating 25 years (or venticinque anni) of Gay Pride Roma. The celebration takes place on June 8, beginnng at the famed Piazza de Repubblica in the center of Rome. romapride.it MEXICO CITY PRIDE Considering tensions at the border, heading to Mexico City for Pride might be quite the political statement to make this year.

According to organizers, this year’s Pride festival will be one of the hottest in Latin America. Las festas begin Thursday, June 27 and wrap Sunday, June 30. They include a parade and all-night party at the famed Zocalo. An estimated million people are expected to attend. gaytravel4u.com/event/ mexico-city-gay-pride/ COLOGNE PRIDE Cologne (or Köln, as the locals spell it) is one of the gayest cities in Germany. And their annual Pride celebration will certainly celebrate their inclusivity with a decidedly Teutonic air. This year’s festival takes place July 5–8. Multiple parties and other events are sure to call to mind the spirit of Cabaret. colognepride.de/en

this page: photo by Maria bryk courtesy NewseuM • photo courtesy hulu

9}

PACK UP

TEL AVIV PRIDE Attendees from all corners of the world head to the hottest city in Israel for Pride.

There’s a full week of Pride events, taking place June 9–15. The festivities will include drag shows, floats, a parade and a host of other events celebrating the LGBTQ spirit in the Holy Land. facebook.com/tlvpride

Š2019 FX Networks LLC. All rights reserved.

WISHFUL THINKING

CULTURE

SCREEN

Dr. Ruth is the new Mr. Rogers, Charlize Theron is running for president, a delivery man is doing good with duffel bags of stolen cash, and Terry Gilliam is taking one last tilt at the tale of Don Quixote. BY JONATHAN ROCHE

TERRY GILLIAM WENT FROM MONTY PYTHON MEMBER TO MAKER

of such wonderfully weird films as Brazil and The Fisher King. Gilliam has been famously trying to make a film about Don Quixote for 25 years. In his last major attempt, Johnny Depp was slated to play the title character. That failed attempt ultimately bore a pretty fun documentary about what an epic disaster the production was (Lost in La Mancha).

Given its source material, it’s appropriate that this project has proven such an unobtainable obsession for Gilliam. The story of the man who tilted at windmills has become the very windmill at which Gilliam has been tilting. However, that metaphor only holds as long as the director fails to conquer his would-be giant. But, after a circuitous journey, the film is at last finished. At its center are excellent performances by actors Adam Driver and Jonathan Price (plus plenty of Gilliam’s surreal, magical-realist flair). The result is a story that blurs the line between illusion and reality, delusion and purposefulness. Toby (Driver) is a hotshot young

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director phoning-in a commercial for booze that uses the Don Quixote story as its visual hook. He’s surprised when a copy of the student film he made a decade ago, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, mysteriously surfaces. And this sends Toby down a rabbit hole of his own as he explores past mistakes. That he’s sleeping with the wife of his boss (Stellan Skarsgård) adds to the chaos. Even more ensues when he discovers he has inadvertently coached his Don Quixote (Price) into madness. The feverish odyssey begins yanking Toby along. The narrative slips so frequently between reality and fantasy that audiences may soon not be sure whether there is any difference. THE WORD: Gilliam is a master, but what he’s attempting is a tight-rope walk of filmmaking that may not make it to the other side.

Though it would be nice to congratulate Gilliam on finally slaying his giant, this Quixote may be one more windmilltilter — and yet another grasp for the film its creator truly dreams of creating. COMING TO: Streaming

THIS PAGE: THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE COURTESY SCREEN MEDIA FILMS

THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE

DIANE

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THIS IS NOT A HORROR FILM. AND YET, IN ITS OWN WAY, IT IS KIND

of horrifying. At the same time it’s also beautiful — a combination of qualities that aptly describes much of life in the end.

In the case of this ďŹ lm, it’s particularly true of Diane’s life, which is full of love but also heavy with burdens and regrets.

Diane lives alone in Western Massachusetts, where she ďŹ lls her days by taking care of other people. (However, she is not so apt to do the same for herself.) She makes it her business to be eternally on the move — visiting old relatives and sick friends, even serving the hungry at her church’s soup kitchen.

Her greatest source of worry is her drug-addicted son (Jake Lacy - The OfďŹ ce, Carol), who repays all Diane’s care with unkindness. Throughout all this, Diane also appears to be holding on to something, some deep and unknowable guilt. And the harder she holds on to it, the faster her life seems to rush by her in a blur. In his debut feature (following his superb

documentary, Hitchcock/Truffaut) Kent Jones pursues one of the greatest questions in life: It’s a mystery so elusive that it can scarcely be put into words. And yet, in the role of Diane, veteran actress Mary Kay Place (The Big Chill, Being John Malkovich) manages to embody that in what is likely the greatest role in her long and esteemed career. The ďŹ lm’s release is likely far too early to sustain momentum through to next Oscar season, but this performance absolutely deserves a nomination. Place is backed by an amazing cast of actors including Andrea Martin, Estelle Parsons, Deirdre O’Connell, Joyce Van Patten, Phyllis Gallagher and Glynnis O’Connor. Together they inhabit one of the most subtle and lived-in movies I have seen in recent years. THE WORD: This must-see ďŹ lm is surprising, difďŹ cult to categorize and possesses nearly unfathomable hidden depths.You cannot always see them, but will feel them looming underneath you. COMING TO: Theaters

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THE LATEST FILM FROM FRENCH AUTEUR FILMMAKER OLIVIER AS

sayas (Personal Shopper, Clouds of Sils Maria, Carlos) lands a bit on the lighter side of his personal spectrum - or at least so it seems on the surface.

Non-ďŹ ction leads audiences on a stroll through the lives of a few intellectual Parisians. They are busy working in and around — or more generally discussing — the ins and outs of the publishing industry and how it is changing. Naturally, there is more at play in their breezy conversations than the buying and selling of books. Characters who are introduced to us as effete and mannered, quintessentially intellectual and oh-so-French quickly relax into the shape of more normal people. This is to say that quite a lot of them are rather busy having affairs with one another.

LÊonard (Vincent Macaigne - The Innocents, Chien) is earnestly trying to get his book published. However, Alain (Guillaume Canet - Tell No One) is trying to express in the most subtle way possible that he will not be the one to put it in print. Meanwhile, Alain doesn’t realize that the frumpy LÊonard has been having a long affair with Alain’s wife Selena (Juliette Binoche). The absurdity is heightened by the fact that Leonard has a habit of detailing his real relationships, thinly veiled, in his tales. But Alain himself is also busy having an af-

fair (as, by this point, audiences may come to imagine that most French people are). It’s worth noting there’s no drama surrounding these secret trysts. That’s refreshing, and allows the ďŹ lm’s energy to remain intelligent and civilized as the characters muse on upon art and life and the places the two intersect. THE WORD: Dry, wry humor is the order of the ďŹ lm. It may not be a comedy for everyone, but those in the mood for smart, French fare will ďŹ nd it rewarding and uplifting. COMING TO: Theaters METROSOURCE.COM JUNE/JULY 2019

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ASK DR RUTH film about a thoroughly beloved public figure, Ask Dr. Ruth almost immediately seems a fitting companion to last year’s hit documentary about Mr. Rogers, Won’t You Be My Neighbor. True, she may have appeared more bawdy than he early in her career. However by now, the sight of this adorable and grandmotherly four-foot-seven-inch woman bouncing on her heels while enthusiastically declaring “Let’s talk about sex!” in a cartoonishly cute German accent will be at once familiar and heartwarming. For those unfamiliar with the disarmingly straight-talking sex therapist personality of the 1980s, there may be no better introduction than this delightful new documentary. Even those who remember Dr. Ruth Westheimer well will discover much about the stillvivacious 90-year-old that they did not know previously. For starters, she survived the Holocaust (although her parents did not). There’s also the fact that later in Israel, she was a sniper for a while — which is quite something to imagine.

So is the picture of this tiny woman being thrown through a wall by a bomb, an incident that damaged both her feet so

badly that they almost had to be amputated. But most remarkable of all is hearing how Ruth responded (and continues to respond) to every hardship with boundless love and positivity. The peak of her fame was also the peak of the AIDS crisis, and she did a lot to enlighten during those dark years. Though diminutive in size, there is something undeniably tremendous about this woman. She seems at times to possess the strength of a lion while remaining gentle and friendly as a lamb. But the greatest thing about Dr. Ruth is the gift of self-acceptance and self-love she’s given countless people — echoes of which have made the world an incalculably better place.

THE WORD: This film will leave you hoping this nonagenarian never ever leaves us. COMING TO: Theaters and Streaming

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this film) that the “fall of the American empire” takes place in Canada. Of course Canada is part of North “America,” but to most of the world the United States gobbled up the title of “America” long ago. In fact, there isn’t even an actual mention of America. There is, however, much mention of that highest held of American values: money.

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That brings us to Jean-Claude. He works long hours doing package delivery to make a living even though he has a PhD in philosophy. He’s smart enough to do anything, but too intellectual to either sell out (even a little) or keep a girlfriend. And in accordance with his moral code, even though he’s pretty broke, he always gives his pocket change to anyone who needs it.

But one day at work he discovers a lot more than pocket change. He finds himself alone in parking lot with two dead men and two massive duffle bags full of cash — a heist gone wrong. Unable to resist (or perhaps seeing a higher moral imperative at work), Jean-Claude takes the money and runs. However now he has a lot of new problems to deal with. He discovers it’s not so easy to get away with someone else’s crime.

Fortunately Jean-Claude is clever. And when cleverness isn’t enough, his honesty sees him through. One by one, a cast of unexpected allies join his cause to launder the money and do something good with it. In this way the film definitely becomes something of fantasy, but not of the usual variety. Writer and Director Denys Arcand (The Barbarian Invasions, Jesus of Montreal) knows how to tell this kind of story, and why such stories need to be told. THE WORD: A feel good heist movie, where things come together instead of falling apart (for a change).

COMING TO: Theaters

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CULTURE

SCREEN

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writer/director Jonathan Levine (with the ďŹ rst two being cancer comedy 50/50 and Christmas Eve comedy The Night Before). Like its forerunners, Long Shot features an easy combination of humor and heart. However, this one also (and here’s the key) features Charlize Theron. It seems almost cosmically unfair that someone as statuesquely beautiful and dramatically talented as Theron should also have such strong comedic abilities.

These powers have already been established (see projects such as Arrested Development and Young Adult). Nevertheless, they’re a refreshing delight every time they appear on screen again.

In Long Shot, Rogen plays Fred, a principled and frumpish journalist drowning in a profession plagued by corruption and clickbait. His best bud Lance is played by O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Ingrid Goes West), who continues to look and to charm just like his father (Ice Cube). When Lance takes Fred to a fancy party, Fred encounters his ďŹ rst childhood crush, Charlotte (Theron),

who just happens to now be the Secretary of State. Fred does a couple pretty brutal pratfalls, and before you know it is speechwriting for Charlotte’s run at the presidency, despite the eye-rolling of her main aide, played with particularly snarky are by June Diane Raphael (Grace and Frankie). At ďŹ rst, Fred’s ethics clash a bit with the political realities of Charlotte’s world. Then romance starts to smolder between the two. But can the most powerful woman in the world really date a scruffy and gaffprone guy like Fred? THE WORD: Long Shot is a nice mix of low- and highbrow humor, neatly packaged in a hopeful political fantasy that’s conďŹ dently reliant on the appeal of it’s A-list leads. Plus, who wouldn’t prefer Theron as president right now? COMING TO: Theaters

CHARLIE SAYS 4(% 4)4,% /& CHARLIE SAYS )3 -/2% /-)./53 4(!. )4 -)'(4 !4 ďŹ rst seem. The ďŹ lm offers a feminine (albeit tragic) perspective on the infamous Manson Family and the murders they committed in the summer of 1969. Here, the actual murders take a back seat to looking at what made the Manson Family tick before hallucinogens and the megalomania of their leader (Charlie Manson) led to the horriďŹ c Tate/LaBianca killing spree. Where the ďŹ lm does best is in its leads. Matt Smith (Mapplethorpe, The Crown) lays down a solid Manson, and the script incorporates a lot of small details about the man and his cult that most audiences won’t even notice. But the ďŹ lm really belongs to Hannah Murray (Gilly from Game of Thrones) who plays the unlucky Leslie Van Houten with tremendous presence and pathos. Murray is somehow both slightly homely and also stunningly beautiful, and

it’s her gentle gravitas that holds the ďŹ lm together. She’s also backed up by actresses like Sosie Bacon (Thirteen Reasons Why) playing another of the ‘Manson Girls’ and the always-stellar Merritt Wever (Nurse Jackie, Godless) as a counselor working to de-program these women in prison. Additional actors like Kayli Carter (who was so good in last year’s under-seen Private Life) and Chase Crawford (Gossip Girl) play other members of the family, whose brief and staggered appearances in the ďŹ lm suggest a lot was left on the cutting room oor to bring the ďŹ lm down to 104 minutes. THE WORD: The choice to focus on the experience of Van Houten and the other women who went to jail because of Charlie’s inuence is a strong one, but it also makes one long for a bigger and more complete dramatizations of this legendary true crime story. COMING TO: Theaters METROSOURCE.COM JUNE/JULY 2019

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FRANZESE FOR AMERICA

FOR THE LAST TWO AND A HALF DECADES, SCORES OF PROTESTERS HAVE

converged on the nation’s capital in early April to urge legislators to address the persisting HIV epidemic in the country. The annual AIDS-Watch advocacy event brings together many living with HIV and AIDS, organizational leaders and other advocates. Throughout the years, celebrities have helped raise the visibility of those messages.

This year, HIV/AIDS service organizations partnered with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation to host the 26th annual advocacy event April 1-2, and among those meeting with lawmakers — for the fifth time — was actor Daniel Franzese, known for his breakout role in Mean Girls and as a recurring cast member in HBO’s series Looking (where he played the HIV-positive Eddie).

“We were in Maxine Waters’ office, Adam Schiff’s office,” says Franzese, describing the day’s packed schedule.“A lot of our job today is to thank them for what they’ve done already as very strong supporters.” Franzese, still riding a high from the day’s encounters, adds,“Just like most of us live in our own little worlds, they live in a Washington bubble — and have to be reminded what it’s like to be a real person.”

Franzese’s entrée to AIDS advocacy came via a friend, Quinn Tivey, the grandson of Elizabeth Taylor. Franzese first turned to Tivey for advice after a friend tested positive for the virus. Impressed by the Foundation’s work and the Taylor’s “undeniable legacy,” the now-41-year-old Franzese soon enlisted as an ambassador. Since then, he has remained outspoken about the lack of prominent HIVrelated storylines on mainstream television.

“In the six years that there wasn’t an HIV storyline on television,

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there was a rise in new infections,” Franzese says ruefully. “There wasn’t a story that people could learn from.”

The New York native who now calls Los Angeles home is passionate about educating younger generations, and laments that many aren’t even aware that the AIDS epidemic still exists. His 2015 role in the second season Looking finale brought him considerable acclaim when his character had to grapple with a mixed-status relationship — living a life once unimaginable for most HIV-positive people.

“Even though my role on Looking is over, I feel like my role as an advocate has begun — not just for HIV and AIDS, but also to work on many other causes,” he says. That includes a fierce environmental advocacy focused on another plague, plastic waste, as part of Bacardi and Lonely Whale’s “The Future Doesn’t Suck”initiative for the planet to use a billion fewer plastic straws by 2020.

So more than 15 years after taking on the Plastics in Mean Girls, he’s taking on plastics in the ocean.“Everyone knows I hate the plastics now and I have to end them once and for all.” He laughs, but doesn’t want to undercut his message:“It’s about my caring for the ocean.”

“I’m at this point in my life where if I am aware of something wrong, I must be defiant,” he says.“Sometimes I like to be a voice [for those] who can’t talk, and in this case it’s marine life. The same thing for HIV, speaking for people who have been marginalized and stigmatized; or LGBT homeless youth.”

Part of this journey also has meant coming to terms with his own identity. Franzese concedes that it was playing Damian in Mean Girls, one of the most recognizable LGBTQ characters in popular culture, that led him to come to terms with himself, then his family, and finally to be open publicly about his homosexuality in 2014.

“I get letters all the time that remind me that Damian was pretty much the first character to be seen in a major studio teen-focused film that was queer and of size and was able to live a life without fear,” he says.“He was never shoved inside a locker. He was just able to live and exist in school.”

His coming out led Franzese to more freely express his feelings on stage as well.“I always wanted to do standup, but in the golden age I didn’t feel like there was a place for a gay person,”he says.“Then when I came out it was the first thing I wanted to do.”

Franzese now hosts a monthly standup show, the West Hollywood Brunch, at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, is touring with the “Yass! You’re Amazing!”comedy tour, and this spring was preparing to mark the Tiny Fey-directed comedy’s 15th anniversary with a special show at The Comic Strip in New York City on April 30.

He now believes his future includes both acting and advocacy, and expects his work will continue with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation to end the AIDS epidemic, remarking,“I am so in love with Liz Taylor’s family and her legacy and I’m all in it to win it with them.” ■

THIS PAGE: CREDIT SEAN BLACK

BODY

METROHIV

As he celebrates 15 years since Mean Girls, Daniel Franzesse reveals how he’s parlaying fame into fighting for the environment and people living with HIV. BY JEFF SIMMONS

SHE AIN’T HEAVY, SHE’S MY SISTER A gay man takes pride in surviving a nightmare childhood — only to stand by his sister as she endured a whole new slate of nightmares. BY KEVIN PHINNEY our family, because she used cooking, cleaning and ironing to try share the role that’s made me to win my parents’ approval. But if she forgot something, got it proudest in life: being big brother wrong, or put it off? “It’s the belt for you!” to my sister Barbara, who is virBarbara regularly went to school with black eyes after contually indestructible. fronting my stepfather. Often she’d confide in a whisper, “I Meet my family: Our mother sometimes wish he would kill me. At least people would know was a complex person and career who he is.” Barbara became my inspiration and soulmate. She got alcoholic. Married six times, she married at 15 to escape our stepfather. She had two kids in quick sent my older brother away for succession, Chris and Michael. By then our stepfather was dead her parents to raise when I was and our mother had married another three alcoholics. five. My sisters were soon placed Little Michael was struck by a car and died in Barbara’s arms in foster care after she suffered at five years old. It was otherworldly, like another dimension had what was then called “a nervous opened up and swallowed every beautiful thing in the world. breakdown.” While my father A dark cloud formed over my sister. She and her husband had was away with the Merchant Marines, my Mom’s party girl rep another son, then divorced. She then had a daughter, and set about led to not one, but two pregnancies. Evidence suggests my father trying to raise a family as a single mother. stood by her after the first, but not the second.

Five years ago, that daughter had a psychotic break. She That’s when Mom met a man who understood he’d get Social stabbed Barbara 13 times and was found by the police, naked Security benefits for taking us in. Since he had a stable military and covered in blood, wandering the street screaming in a lancareer, she jumped at his proposal. And when I said goodbye to guage no one understood. Video reports led the local news. The my father, I had no idea I’d never see him again. cops said they’d never seen anyone survive losing so much blood.

Soon we moved to Texas. That’s where we first discovered our After nearly being murdered, Barbara finally agreed to undergo the new stepfather was a sadist. This was not the kind of I-hate-my- counseling I’d been pleading with her to get since Michael’s death. parents” phase that many kids go through. He took delight in Soon after, Karen died suddenly from lung cancer — due in punishing us and his wrath was epic. I couldn’t have been less part to the cigarettes my parents bribed her with to do household what he wanted: bookish, small and next to useless at sports. chores. Then Barbara’s older son started to drink. Heavily. To the After my baby sister Vicky was born, my parents took to drink- point of liver failure. Doctors told Chris they’d put him on a waiting on a nightly basis. Every bill except their American Legion bar ing list for a new liver, but stipulated he’d have to quit drinking. He tab got paid late. On one occasion, my stepfather led a clothing did not. My sister lost her best friend and her son almost at once. drive for his umbrella of veteran’s organizations. Most donations Therapy helped Barbara bear up as Chris drank himself to were odd sizes or defective. He brought those home and told us death. She remains steadfastly Catholic. Since then, she and her to rummage through them for our school clothes. daughter have done a lot of work. While Barbara may never trust Barbara and I eventually ventured out into our El Paso neigh- her completely again, there is a real love between them now. borhood. There we learned that doing every chore a child could And just when you’d think that would have been more than (which left out little more than electrical repair and car mainte- enough, her youngest is now entangled in addiction, too. He teenance) was not the norm among our peers. Our block housed the ters between responsible behavior (with two kids from different families of several other retired military drunks — all of them moms) and periods where he simply disappears for days at a time. stressed by the struggle to make it to payday. One night, in a When I think of the trials our community has faced collectively, strange harbinger of things to come, one of them chased his kids it makes me incredibly proud to stand resolutely with them to face down the street with a meat cleaver. whatever comes next. And when I think of what my sister has When my stepfather’s shitfaced anger turned to my mother, I endured, how much one single person can take and still put on stood between them. So this 6’3” guy would take his fists to a nine a smile on in the belief that today will be better than yesterday, I year-old boy of about 60 lbs less than five feet tall. I held him off stand that much taller. I’m a gay man. I’m Barbara’s brother. And while my Mom ran to her bedroom to lock the door. If she tried to I couldn’t be more proud of either.

■ call for help, he’d rip the phone out of the wall.

I defended my Mom. Barbara did the same for Karen (the next DO YOU LOVE SOMEONE WHO HAS MODELED RESILIENCE? oldest in line). Karen eventually became the real workhorse of SHARE YOUR STORY IN “GAY VOICES” AT METROSOURCE.COM. METROSOURCE.COM JUNE/JULY 2019

VIEWS

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FOR OUR PRIDE ISSUE, I WANTED TO

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FEELING EMOTIONS

CHAKA KHAN

Hello Happiness (Diary Records / Island Records) THE QUEEN OF FUNK’S NEWEST EFFORT PROVIDES ANOTHER NOTCH IN HER LONG LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS. HELLO HAPPINESS MARKS HER FIRST full-length offering in nearly a dozen years. It is by turns sultry, spirited and soothing. While its awash with contemporary,

cutting-edge production, it still sparkles with her signature pipes soaring over her disco-inspired melodies. Hello Happiness should appeal to longtime fans and many curious millennials and Gen Z-ers less familiar with her work. Highlights include the catchy title track, and the towering “Like a Lady,” which manages to sound both like a lost ‘70s gem and a current Top 40 radio jam. The similarly-titled album closer “Ladylike”takes a more minimalist approach: It employs a slower, R&B groove as its backdrop to set the stage for Chaka to take her vocals stratospheric. Clocking in at under half an hour over the course of just seven tracks, my only criticism is that there’s not much more to digest, dance to, and delight in! Regardless, Hello Happiness is a much-welcome return.

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THIS PAGE: CHAKA KHAN CREDIT RENELL MEDRANO

CULTURE

MUSIC

Queer singer-songwriter Jonny Pierce bounces back after a breakup, while Marina explores human extremes and Chaka Khan says hello to happiness. BY MATT GROSS

THE DRUMS Brutalism (ANTI-)

ON THEIR FIFTH RECORD, THE DRUMS — FORMED AND

fronted by queer singer/songwriter Jonny Pierce — explore self-soothing in the wake of a painful divorce and a challenging stint living alone in Los Angeles.

Deciding it was time to face his demons head-on and begin therapy, Jonny explains: “I was exhausted, depleted and sabotaging myself; partying so much, but in reality running away from pain. It was a downward spiral... It was do or die.” His introspection gave rise to what might well be The Drums’ most honest, relatable and straightforward music yet. As Pierce sees it, “In order to take care of yourself, you have to ask questions. Those are the things I needed to confront. It’s interesting talking about the past, dealing with things that are long overdue.”While its brimming with growth and transformation, Brutalism remains at its core a pop record. Working with Chris Coady (revered for his work with Beach House, Future Islands and a host of other indie artists), the album retains an emotional rawness but its layers are delicate, intricate and warm. Fans of early Depeche Mode, New Order and The Smiths will likely be ... smitten.

MARINA

Love + Fear (Atlantic Records)

this page: the Drums creDit Nicholas moore • mariNa creDit Zoey grossmaN

THE FOURTH ALBUM BY MARINA (FORMERLY KNOWN AS

Marina and the Diamonds) is a double release that finds the chanteuse offering material tailored to fit each half of its two-word title. Love deals with a yearning to enjoy life and a plea for unity. Conversely, Fear addresses such topics as gender inequality, systematic misogyny, insecurity and the search for self-actualization. Her mission: to showcase and explore dualities inherent in the human condition. Marina explains: “The psychologist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross believed that there are only two emotions: love and fear. All positive emotions come from love; all negative emotions from fear. I can trace a lot of my behavior back to these two emotions, particularly in relationships.” In summary, she says her work“has always been inspired and shaped by traditional storytelling and social shifts in the culture.

As a society we have experienced such major social change in the past three years — politically, digitally and psychologically. Love + Fear reflects this.”Predictably,the bulk of Love is florid and pretty (see “Handmade Heaven”) while the majority of Fear is considerably darker (see“Life is Strange”). Marina will bring these to life on an extensive North America tour this fall.

HOW THE INTERNET CHANGED MY GAY LIFE

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THE FIRST PERSON I EVER TOLD I WAS GAY WAS A STRANGER IN AN AOL

chatroom.

It was the late 1990s and I was a sophomore in high school. I’d just gotten internet service and was poking around and happened upon a M4M chatroom. At the time, my sexuality was barely a pre-conscious thought. Yet sitting in my bedroom, I stumbled across the threshold of a community I didn’t know existed and had no idea I wanted to be a part of — until I found it.

In the current age of marriage equality and PrEP, our collective memory seems to have faded about how the 1990s were a pretty scary time for gay people. Matthew Shepard was beaten and left for dead tied to a fence in a field in Wyoming. We knew how to effectively prevent HIV/AIDS, but not how to treat it. I was too young to witness its destruction firsthand, but not young enough to escape the fear that a diagnosis might bring.

Yet in that climate of fear and isolation, the internet’s anonymity allowed us a surprising level of trust. Our digital footprints consisted solely of a clever screen name and a short text profile. Photos were rare and blurry. It was the perfect environment to assume whatever identity you liked — but it also offered the freedom to be ourselves to many who considered real life the place we actually did the most pretending.

I was one of the first students in my high school to own a cell phone. It was one of those clunky Motorola phones that I paid for with my summer and after school jobs. I got it so I could talk to the guys I met in the chatrooms without fear of someone listening in on the landline extension or having my parents answer a call from an internet stranger.

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Once I got to college, I spent less and less time online. I started my freshman year outing myself by checking out one roommate’s ass and ended the year by hooking up with the other one. I had no idea when I applied, but I’d inadvertently picked one of the gayest colleges in one of America’s gayest cities. Gay men were everywhere, and I found a real-life version of the community I’d once only had virtually before. I also reached an age where I could go out to actual gay bars and clubs, and soon I was rarely turning to the internet for convenient, anonymous hookups.

Then along came Facebook, where I was outed to my parents by a drunken relative late one night. By that point, I was mostlybut-not-all-the-way out. All my friends and some of my family knew, but I hadn’t yet come out to my immediate family. The reaction that my parents had to the news was dwarfed by the anger they directed at the cousin who made that post. But truth be told, gross as being involuntarily outed is in principle, in practice it was a huge relief. That post provided the final shove out of the closet that I’d never worked up the courage to take myself.

A few years after that, I turned a hookup from a gay dating app into a long-term relationship. That was 14 years ago and I thought then that technology was done meddling in my life, but there was one surprise left: Things between my partner and I got really bad a few years ago, and since we’re both conflict averse and stubborn, I wanted to end the relationship. We were making arrangements to move out of our shared place and go our separate ways. Then one night, I was digging around in my computer files and stumbled on something I’d totally forgotten about.

About 18 years ago, I’d turned on the “save messages” feature in my iChat (which later became Messages) which is still used by iPhones today. Because of that, my computer has been saving every IM and text message I ever sent into a hidden folder. I found the very first message I ever sent my boyfriend on September 8, 2005. I stayed up until 4:00 AM reading the entire story of us, from the very beginning in our own words. It reminded me why I had fallen in love with him, and that I still loved him. Emotionally and physically exhausted, I climbed into bed where he’d been for hours. I thought about how we found each other, how close we had come to losing it, how lucky I was that I still had it, and how I didn’t want to abandon it now.

I hugged him extra tight and drifted off to sleep and couldn’t help but wonder: had I been born a few years earlier or later, would I be where I was or even who I was? At the most critical points in my life, technology gave me exactly what I needed to transform from a scared kid hiding alone in his bedroom into a man with a life full of friends, love and pride.

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STOCK PHOTO CREDIT ANTONIO GUILLEM

METROSOURCE

TECH

People complain that the internet is ruining the way gay men connect, but when I look back, I see all the ways it helped make me the gay man I am today. BY TERENCE O’BRIEN

LIFE INSURANCE:

NOT JUST FOR WHEN YOU’RE GONE

and everyone else. After all, the subject inherently requires facing own deaths, and who really wants to think about dying? Eventually though, we all need to be adults and deal with that reality. On a positive note, there are numerous benefits to life insurance while you’re still living.

Let’s consider what life insurance is, how it works, what policies are available, and how to best use those benefits while you’re still around.

WHAT IS LIFE INSURANCE? Life insurance is a planning tool designed to protect the financial future of your beneficiaries after you die or are otherwise unable to provide for them due to unexpected illness or disability. Essentially you agree to make regular payments to your insurer while you’re able, and your insurer agrees to pay out a set amount to your beneficiaries in the event of your death. With adequate coverage, your loved ones will have enough to cover any outstanding debts you leave behind, pay for your funeral or burial expenses, and (depending on the size of your policy) receive help maintaining their standard of living. However, even if you are an LGBTQ person without a partner or dependents who’d need support, certain kinds of life insurance may still be beneficial to you.

WHAT ARE MY LIFE INSURANCE OPTIONS? There are three main types of life insurance to choose from, which may be available bundled or purchased separately: • Traditional LIFE INSURANCE provides a lump sum benefit following the death of the policyholder.

• CRITICAL ILLNESS INSURANCE provides a lump sum payment if the insured person suffers a serious illness or injury that is covered under the terms of the policy.

• DISABILITY provides a lump sum benefit payment if the insured becomes permanently disabled and is unable to work.

STOCK PHOTO COPYRIGHT: POGONICI

HOW MUCH SHOULD LIFE INSURANCE COST? Costs vary greatly based on the level of risk a provider or insurer considers you to be. Ultimately, this risk is reflected in the premium you pay, which weighs such factors as: your age; how much you smoke or drink; your previous and current health; your occupation and your gender.

While the main purpose of life insurance is to provide a death benefit that supports loved ones, that doesn’t mean you can’t also take advantage of these benefits while you’re still alive. Here are a few ways:

1. TAP INTO ITS CASH VALUE. Life insurance comes in two basic forms: term life and permanent life. Term life insurance is the less-

expensive option and will pay out a death benefit should a policyholder die while the plan is in effect. Permanent life is more expensive, but it has an investment component that allows policies to build a cash value over time. Permanent life insurance can be an attractive choice for those who want coverage and to have a ready source of money that can be used for any reason. People can tap into a plan’s cash value in one of three ways: • Loans: Rules may differ by company, but most allow people to take out a loan from the accumulated cash value for any reason. There is no set repayment schedule for these loans, but they will accumulate interest charges that can reduce the death benefit.

• WithdraWaLs: Policyholders can withdraw money from the cash value and not worry about interest charges. However, a withdrawal may change policy premiums and could affect the death benefit.

• surrender: Surrendering a policy means canceling it. That releases all the cash value to the policyholder. However, a person should be sure he or she either doesn’t need the coverage or can get coverage elsewhere before taking this step.

CULTURE

LIFE INSURANCE CAN BE A TOUGH TOPIC TO DISCUSS – FOR LGBTQ PEOPLE

FINANCE

Think life insurance is only for lining the pockets of heirs and morticians? Think again.

BY JENNIFER DAY

2. APPLY FOR LIVING BENEFITS. Living benefits are another way to tap into the value of a life insurance policy while you are still alive.

These benefits typically allow a portion of the death benefit – usually up to 50 percent – to be paid in advance should certain criteria be met. These accelerated benefits are most commonly available in the following forms: • ChroniC iLLness benefits: A chronic illness is often defined as needing assistance with at least two out of six activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing or eating.

• terminaL iLLness benefits: Those who have been certified as terminally ill by a physician and have a life expectancy of fewer than 12 months may also be able to access living benefits.

• Long-term Care benefits: Long-term care benefits may be available at an added cost.

3. SELL THE POLICY. Life settlements offer a final option for those who want to access money from their life insurance policy prior to death.

These settlements may pay a lump sum or provide an annuity that offers regular periodic payments. Policies are typically purchased by investors on the secondary market for an amount that is more than the cash value but far less than the full value of the policy. The new owner takes over premium payments and becomes the beneficiary of the death benefits.

Depending how you use it, life insurance can be much more than just a death benefit that ends up in someone else’s hands. And, appropriate to its name, it can help ensure both quality and financial stability in your life. ■ metrosourCe.Com JUNE/JULY 2019

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HOW DANNY O’DONNELL FOUGHT FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY AND ENDING HIV

BODY

METROHIV

DANNY O’DONNELL CHARACTERIZES HIMSELF AS LOUD AND BELLIGERENT.

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He’s someone who doesn’t hesitate to share when he has a strong opinion. Maybe it’s genetic, since he sounds much like his celebrity sibling, Rosie O’Donnell. Neither shies away from controversy.

Rosie recently reminded Danny that he too has a long history of standing up for what’s right at the launch of his campaign for New York City Public Advocate.“We had a bully neighbor who would tell us we were not allowed to walk on his sidewalk,” he says in retrospect.“I went up to him — as an eight-year-old — and told him the sidewalk is government property and he has no right to tell me I can’t be here.”

O’Donnell has gone on to fight for equal rights throughout his life.

That includes the right to walk down the aisle and marry the man he has loved and been with for four decades now.

Born in Queens and raised on Long Island, O’Donnell became a public defender not long after graduating college, where he’d challenged institutionalized racism in the criminal justice system. Sixteen years ago, he made history as the first openly gay man elected to the New York State Assembly. Since then, has fought to reform the justice system, protect renters and advance measures to protect LGBTQ communities.

“I’ve been an advocate my whole life,” O’Donnell says. He was a primary sponsor of Dignity for All Students Act (an anti-bullying law, the first to reference the rights of transgender and non-binary New Yorkers). He also cosponsored the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) and the conversion therapy ban. He recently sponsored legislation to turn all single occupancy restrooms into gender-neutral restrooms. O’Donnell also sponsored a bill to ban the“gay panic”/“trans panic”legal defenses, and a bill that would require insurance coverage for PrEP and PEP for preventing HIV transmission.

But of all the moments that assure his legacy in the legislature, there is one that supersedes the rest: leading the charge for marriage equality in New York State long before the dawn of general public acceptance evolved. The State legislature ushered it into law in 2011.

“My husband [John Banta] and I were plaintiffs in the original suit,”he said.“I wrote and passed the Marriage Equality bill five times.”

Initially, he had few backers (about 40), and met ongoing resistance JUNE/JULY 2019

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in the State Senate. But by 2011, support had grown substantially and paved the bill’s way to the desk of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for signature into law. “It is my proudest accomplishment,” he said. “I promised all of my colleagues that if they passed this, I would invite them all to my wedding. We had 450 people at my wedding. It was a great big party!”

A fixture in Albany, he was once also considered for the U.S. Senate Seat vacated by Hillary Clinton. In late 2018, O’Donnell announced further plans to seek the Office of Public Advocate, which serves as New York City’s ombudsman and provides a bully pulpit for advocacy. The Public Advocate often serves as a check on New York City’s mayor. The position has also recently proved a springboard to higher office for others. He was initially one of two dozen candidates, and that number shrunk to 17 by election day.

O’Donnell had positioned himself as a champion for the underdog. He wanted to give voice to the voiceless. However, O’Donnell also envisions the office as shielding the public from State and Federal initiatives that curb rights and cut funds.

In our pre-election interview he made a promise: “The first thing I’m going to do is set up an AIDS 2020 Task Force.” On that subject, he said he’d planned to “bring people together to see if we are on track. Can we do this? And if we can, how can we do this? And are we getting the city, state and federal funding necessary to make this happen?” In regards to our efforts to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic by the year 2020, says O’Donnell,“We are at Ground Zero with HIV and AIDS and can do a better job on behalf of all people.”

Additionally, given the rise in bias and hate-related incidents across the country and in NYC, he’d vowed to establish a Hate Crimes Task Force.“Trans women of color are dying almost every day,”he said.

While on the campaign trail, O’Donnell maintained his path to victory would have been one blazed “by standing up to bigotry and fighting injustice.” He puts it best himself: “When I get angry, I fight back.” Unfortunately, O’Donnell was not a winner this time around.

But he won’t be silenced. “I come from a loudmouth family,” he explains. When asked about his relationship with his similarly voluble sister, he professes seniority. “I’m oldest, so I have the face first. I don’t look like her. She looks like me.”

■

THIS PAGE: COURTESY DANNY O’DONNELL

We talked to Danny O’Donnell about his accomplishments, his famous sister Rosie, and his run for the office of NYC Public Advocate. BY JEFF SIMMONS

DEAR HIV, ’ WE DIDN T GIVE UP. XOXO, SCIENCE There is no cure, but science is still in the battle against HIV. Today’s HIV treatments may help you get to undetectable. That means the amount of virus is so low it can’t be measured in lab tests. Ask your healthcare provider about HIV and treatment options.

Learn about an HIV-1 treatment option at

XOXOSCIENCE.COM

TM

XOXOSCIENCE.COM, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. © 2018 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. UNBC5531 05/18

PROUD OF HER BOY After coming out to his parents, Wade thought he might never see them again — until his mother unexpectedly called from a bus stop. BY WADE ROUSE

VIEWS

DIARY

“I’M ON A GREYHOUND BUS,

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I’m callin’ from a pay phone in Rolla, Missouri, and I’m comin’ to see you.”

“What?” I asked my mother in confusion.

“I want to see you,” she answered. “And I want to meet Gary.”

This was decades ago. It was just before Christmas, and I was working in St. Louis. Hearing my mother utter these words was the equivalent of my assistant saying,“Miss Sharon Stone is waiting outside your office.”

I had come out to my parents mere months earlier, and my father had basically disowned me. After we’d spoken, he had sent me a letter that essentially ended our relationship.

I had spoken to my mom only a couple of times the following few months. This was via clandestine calls from work, in which she had told me my father was forcing her to choose between me and him. I had been anticipating a depressing holiday season.

“What about Dad?” I asked.

“He was not willin’ or able to come with me at this point in time,” Mom said in only the way she could.

I started to cry. My mother was running away from home because of me!

When Gary and I picked her up, I was petrified. After all we’d been through, what would she think of Gary? Our life?

Mom high-stepped it off the bus in her unique way. (My mother tended toward walking with the same speed and gait as a turkey.) Within seconds, Gary - a hugger - reached out and grabbed her tightly. In response, she went limp.

“I thought he would be older?” my mother observed, looking at me. “Your father said Gary would be a much older, wily gentleman, perhaps in his late fifties.”

“No, he’s younger than me,” I replied. “Despite what dad believes, I was not coerced into being gay. Nor was I seduced in a back alley. In fact, I’ve known forever.”

“Well,”my mother began awkwardly,“it is nice to meet you - finally. Yes, yes, that is correct. Nice to meet you, sir.”

I had warned Gary about my mother’s nervous talk. It was filled with odd tics and strange tales. But he was charmed. “I love your voice,” he said.“Very Steel Magnolias.”

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I clutched my breath. But my Ozarks Mom simply smiled at Gary, finally embracing him back.

For the next hour, my mother — whose stories always walked a fine line between fact and fiction — told Gary a fictionalized tale of Shirley MacLaine’s life. I knew it was fictionalized in part because, for sure, she didn’t star in Funny Girl. She also proceeded to tell Gary how she believed that in previous lives she had been Clara Barton, a lioness and a blind cobbler, (not necessarily in that order). Gary told my mother he believed he had been an Egyptian goddess, a Russian dancer and close relative of Suzanne Somers (definitely in that order).

I told both of them that I was in Hell. Neither seemed to care. They were too busy bonding, talking and laughing, like long-lost friends reconnected. My mother had immediately adored Gary, and he adored her right back. Gary and Geri were, in short, a match made in heaven.

Despite all the family drama that preceded it, there would be no fights, no anger, no personal drama during her visit.

That’s the thing about when you stop judging and start loving, accepting and understanding. You’re more aware, you live in a place of light, you move forward.

By jumping on that Greyhound, my mother made a stand that changed my life, Gary’s life, and the life of my father, who came around not only to accept but also to deeply love me and Gary. He likely would not have without my mother’s bravery.

Over the last 20-plus years Gary and I have been together, his parents have given me wonderful gifts my parents could not.

And my parents gave Gary things his parents could not.

On this, the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, we all must continue to make a stand for what matters in life, no matter the consequences. When we do, lives change dramatically for the better. When we don’t, things remain the same or get even worse. My mom’s show of strength — when all could have been lost for her — changed lives and continues to.

My mother passed away in 2009. But when I’m down, when I need to feel strong and proud in the face of the world’s vitriol, or when I need a reminder to take a stand, I think of my mother buying a bus ticket, jumping on a Greyhound, and running away from home to show her son that she loved him.

■ Check out Wade’s latest novel under the pen name Viola Shipman, The Summer Cottage, and visit him online at waderouse.com.

HAS ANYONE TAKEN A RISK TO SHOW THEIR LOVE FOR YOU? SHARE YOUR STORY IN “GAY VOICES” AT METROSOURCE.COM.

HOW DOES JAKE RESNICOW PLAN TO PRODUCE WHAT HE’S DESCRIBED AS THE BIGGEST PRIDE MUSIC FESTIVAL IN HISTORY DURING NYC’S WORLDPRIDE? BY DOUG MANTEL

4()3 0!'% 0(/4/ #/524%39 3 0!7,/73+) s "!#+'2/5.$ 0(/4/ "9 *!#/" -/2#( /. 5.30,!3(

JAKE RESNICOW’S WORLDPRIDE MAIN EVENT AT NEW YORK CITY’S

Javits Center in June will be the largest event he has ever produced – and the biggest Pride music festival in history. To offer a sense of scale, the capacity at Javits is ten times larger than that of any other single event being held during WorldPride.

It’s a massive undertaking that has been in the works for more than a year and promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime celebration with next level production, entertainment and surprises — all beneďŹ tting LifeBeat and the Stonewall Gives Back Initiative, the ofďŹ cial charity of the Stonewall Inn. So how was Jake Resnicow, a thirty-something New Yorker tapped to produce the Greatest Gay Show on Earth? Turns out his overnight success took years of experience.

According to Resnicow, he started emceeing bar-mitzvahs and weddings and spinning at school dances when he was 14. “I remember loading up my 1990 Toyota 4Runner with all my DJ equipment every weekend,â€? he recalls. “And that was when I was ďŹ nally old enough to get myself to my own gigs. Before that, my parents drove me to my parties.â€?

Resnicow was a studious kid with an interest in government.

He grew up thinking he would one day become the Chief of Staff to the President of the United States. But then a trip to Barcelona spun him right ‘round, baby.

He attended his ďŹ rst Matinee event — the WaterPark party, — and was entranced by the theatrics, pageantry, and the sea of gorgeous men. Resnicow instantly wanted to recreate that magic back home. After hammering out a licensing deal with Matinee, he launched his ďŹ rst event at NYC Pride 2010, transforming Manhattan’s Governor’s Island into an over-the-top, all day and night, outdoor music festival. It was a huge success. “Just this year, I received a letter from a couple who met at that ďŹ rst party, got married and are still going strong today, ten years later,â€? Resnicow says. “That made me smile. It’s a reminder that making people happy is the most rewarding part of what I do.â€?

Resnicow lists his three key ingredients to a kick-ass

party: First and foremost is music. “Curating the right DJs and performers is crucial,� he says. Environment contributes as well. “Guests must feel safe, welcome and free to express themselves.�

Then there’s originality. “Events must be unique and memorable.�

He considers each event a blank canvas where his job is to color the party with unique, never-before-seen moments that wow crowds. “The element of surprise is everything,� he adds.

His surprise factor was in full effect at last year’s LifeBall in Vienna, where Resnicow produced a spellbinding Main Floor event. “It has been an honor to work with LifeBall through the years,â€? he’ll say now. “The event has raised over 30 million euros that go directly to ďŹ ghting HIV/AIDS around the world.â€?

He’s currently working on this year’s fundraising spectacular with fashion designer Patricia Field. The theme for the red carpet star-studded event is “United in Diversity�.

For this year’s Pride, Resnicow conďŹ rms there will be plenty of star power with several A-list talents already booked to take the stage. He won’t name names just yet, but will say that acts won’t be concert-style. He prefers that performances be seamlessly integrated into the production.

And speaking of production, Resnicow promises that, too, will be epic. “We’re bringing everything into the venue: the lights, sound, staging and special effects,� Resnicow explains.

He is employing several hundred staff to help him pull off the celebration in grand style. He’s even enlisted the production designer behind Coachella and Ultra Music Festival. “The 50th anniversary of Stonewall is a big deal,â€? Resnicow continues. “Millions of people from all over the world will be coming to New York, the city that launched the modern gay rights movement. I’m psyched to bring everyone together on one danceoor, to celebrate, and give back!â€? â– THE PRIDE MAIN EVENT TAKES PLACE ON SATURDAY, JUNE 29TH AT JACOB K. JAVITS CENTER AT 10PM. FOR TICKETS AND INFO ABOUT ADDITIONAL EVENTS, VISIT JAKERESNICOW.COM. METROSOURCE.COM JUNE/JULY 2019

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IN THE 1970S, AUTHOR AND GAY CIVIL RIGHTS PIONEER ARMISTEAD MAUPIN

MURRAY BARTLETT HEADS BACK TO THE CITY BY THE BAY TO GIVE AN ICONIC QUEER STORY A NEW CHAPTER. BY PAUL HAGEN

began spinning the tales of a group of people whose lives revolved around 28 Barbary Lane in San Francisco. What began as a series of stories in San Francisco newspapers would go on to spawn nine Tales of the City novels, multiple musical projects and three seasons of television. Now, Netflix is bringing a new generation of viewers back to Barbary Lane with a fourth season that set to premiere June 7, 2019.

Among the cast returning from earlier iterations of Tales are Laura Linney and Olympia Dukakis. Linney plays Mary Ann Singleton, who was the wide-eyed young woman who first visited San Francisco at the beginning of the Tales series and decided to stay. Dukakis plays Anna Madrigal, the eccentric, trans, marijuana-loving landlady who plays surrogate mother to her tenants. The show will welcome a new generation of radically queer characters, including Ellen Page as Mary Ann’s daughter Shawna, Bob the Drag Queen as the manager of a local burlesque club, and Josiah Garcia as a young trans man named Jake.

But the show’s returning central gay character, Michael“Mouse”Tolliver, will have a new face, that of an actor who famously helped tell another story of queer lives and loves in San Francisco as Dom on HBO’s Looking: Murray Bartlett. As he steps into the pivotal role, he offers some very clear and pointed opinions about why this show is so necessary now.

METROSOURCE: Last time we spoke, the second season of Looking was just beginning to air. How would you compare the world of that show with the world of Tales of the City?

MURRAY BARTLETT: The worlds are obviously very similar. There’s a lot of crossover because it’s the same city and it’s the same community. So there are a lot of parallels. I guess the difference for me is in the character.

This character, Michael, is a little older than Dom and has a different sort of breadth of experience and a different connection to the history of San Francisco, particularly in terms of LGBTQ civil rights. And he’s HIV positive, so went through the AIDS epidemic in a different way than Dom did and also a little earlier. So he has a different experience of the city.

You also happened to mention in that interview that you were a fan of Tales of the City. I was wondering what your experience with it was before this project and how you went about reacquainting yourself with the world as you moved into this new chapter.

It’s very surreal to be honest, that I end up playing two gay men in San

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THIS PAGE: BARTLETT COURTESY NINO MUNOZ AND KATRINA SYMONDS FOR NETFLIX

Francisco. Tales of the City has always been such a special kind of thing for me. I saw it first in the ‘90s and it was this very important marker in a lot of our lives. Then it was very much an inspiration for Looking.

Armistead sort of became our godfather. We hung out with him a few times, and there were very strong connections between the two shows.

So I came to it with a lot of reverence and a lot of love. Basically what I did is, the month before we started shooting, I happened to be up in Provincetown. ... I read all the books again, and really just wanted to hear the stories direct from Armistead again, just really immerse myself in that and let him kind of give me Mouse. ... It was a wonderful way to dive in because they’re such beautiful books. And I hadn’t read all of them before. I’d read the first couple. So it was really intense and kind of overwhelming in the best way.

You’ve once again managed to end up with some statement facial hair. Obviously Dom had his signature ‘stache, and now Mouse has this curly, bushy hipster beard. Was that drawn from the books or a decision you made with the creative team?

I had some of that beard when I went to the audition. I’ve got a lot of gray in my beard. I’m not that much younger but a little younger than Mouse, so I feel like it was a little helpful [in showing his age]. And there’s a lot of beards going around, so it felt like it fit the character too.

Fairly early on, his boyfriend Ben mentions Mouse spending two hours a day six days a week in the gym. Did they adjust that line to fit what you were actually doing ,or did you come to it and think, “Oh God. I guess that’s my gym regimen now.”

It did freak me out when I read that. But I think he’s joking —

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exaggerating. That’s the way I read it. [laughs] I’m fit, and I think that Mouse is a little bit vain and definitely aware of his body and wants to be in good shape, so that makes sense. But yeah, I think Ben’s poking fun at him and I don’t think he really spends that much time at the gym.

Although it is kind of a statement on the fact that, as gay men, a lot of us tend to put you know a fair amount of emphasis on that, and it does tend to get a little obsessive.

In the first scene we see Mouse, he’s taking his HIV meds. We also see him grapple with the idea of having unprotected sex after many years of not being able to. Then there’s also a moment when he realizes someone else has seroconverted when he comes across someone else’s meds. Would you agree that we’re just not seeing stories like these told anywhere else on TV right now?

Yeah, I would agree, and I think it’s really important. There’s a big shift in terms of those kind of stories — in terms of the fact that you know the medication has changed. It’s interesting in Mouse’s story because when he was first diagnosed, it felt like a death sentence at that time.

For a lot of people, it ended up being that way. And he moved through that and now it’s not that way at all. And it’s so fascinating. I think one of the reasons it definitely strikes a chord for me is: I grew up at a time when you know safe sex was like the ult- you know, a necessity and there was a lot of fear around it, fear that was probably necessary for survival. It’s different now. We have PrEP and there are a lot of different attitudes about sex, which is wonderful. We’ve become a lot more sex positive in a lot of ways, which is fantastic. But there’s a little bit of a disconnect between the two generations, and I think there’s a lot to be

THIS PAGE: IMAGE BY ALISON COHN ROSA COURTESY NETFLIX

Charlie Barnett as Ben and Bartlett as Mouse

gained from the two generations communicating with each other about what’s changed, what’s important about what’s changed, what went before and what’s important to remember about what went before. Did you see Episode Four [in which the generations clash at a dinner party}?

I did. I thought that was a pretty extraordinary example of exactly what you’re talking about.

cis roles. And gay actors will be playing gay and straight roles.

Now that we are in an era when we can see prominent gay characters even on network TV, what place does a show like Tales of the City have in pushing exploration of queer life even further?

Two things come to mind. Firstly ... in most shows we have a predominantly straight cis story. And to have a show that is predominantly LGBTQ characters is – I mean – I think it’s something that a lot of people crave, particularly in the LGBTQ community. There’s such a lack of that, and it’s a wonderful perspective to bring into the world of TV and film because it’s an amazing community. .... It’s really important to have that as a counterbalance to the vast amount of straight cis-dominated shows that we have. ... I think it’s really about the writing and being specific and looking at what stories are really important in these communities and really talking about issues that are universal so that we can reach everybody with the show, which I think it does. And also looking at the intricate specifics of - you know, for instance, the character of Jake, looking at what that is for this young person to go

THIS PAGE: IMAGE BY ALISON COHN ROSA COURTESY NETFLIX

What’s amazing I think about the writing in this show — and particular in that episode — is it shows those two points of view of an older perspective and a younger perspective. And it allows you to see that you kind of agree and disagree with both. You can’t take a side. That’s what I felt anyway, which is amazing. It really throws [these differences] up in the air and will hopefully start a lot of conversations that we should be having, I think. Then you see beyond those scenes — scenes with Ben and Michael where they start to kind of bridge those perspectives, which what we really need to do (laughing). So I think it’s important that we’re telling these stories to shift the ideas about what it is to live with HIV these days and the realities of that, what people are facing through it, and also those intergenerational perspectives to come to grips with those.

What was it like to work with the returning actors who are practically synonymous with the series?

Because I came to Tales in the ‘90s when it first came [to TV], I feel like I’ve lived with it a long time. I also felt a lot of connection to Mouse throughout the progression of the books and from the beginning point. They were very different in a lot of ways, so it was this surreal experience to step into Mouse’s shoes and to be doing scenes with Laura Linney, who I still have strong associations with as Mary Anne, and the same with Olympia. ... They’re such phenomenal actors, and it’s such a beautiful experience to work with actors like that, that are so open and so available and giving. Doing scenes with those two particularly; I just look into their eyes and listen to what they’re saying and go for the ride.

Now more than ever we’re hearing calls to see gay characters played by gay actors, trans characters played Bartlett shares a scene with Laura Linney as Mary Ann by trans actors. Do you think it will be important to fans that you are an openly gay actor?

It’ll be interesting to see, yeah. I think it’s a really wonderful wave that we’re riding to be more inclusive in casting and across the board — in production and the whole team. I mean you see this with men and women, you know. For many years, particularly roles like directors and producers were played by men, and there’s a lack of women in those roles still. It’s partly because men have been given those experiences and so they have all this experience doing those jobs, so then it’s harder for women to get into those jobs. And I think the same has happened for gay and trans actors. The gay and trans roles have often been played by, you know, straight cis actors. And I don’t have a problem with that, but I think that it needs to be an equal playing field.

What’s wonderful about this wave of inclusivity is that we’re saying, “Okay, let’s really focus on making sure that we’re trying to cast trans and gay actors in these trans and gay roles, because we haven’t before and we need to be giving opportunities to these people. Then hopefully as we go further down the track in the future, it will be a more even playing field and maybe that’s something we won’t need to be as aware of because there will be famous trans actors who are playing trans and

through a transition and all the sort of challenges and interesting things that brings up is fascinating. I think it comes down to having really great writers who are attuned to that and are telling great stories. And I think that we have that. We have a really diverse wonderful writer’s room who are very familiar with these stories, have a great love for telling stories about the LGBTQ community and I think that’s the key really is: whatever community it’s about, having good writers who are attuned to hopefully stories that are relevant and sort of enlightening in some ways and connected to hopefully what the community will want to see.

How do you plan to celebrate Pride this year?

I’m going to be up in Provincetown this year, so I’m going to be celebrating with whoever’s up there. That’s a beautiful place to celebrate up there. It’s a wonderful community, and it’s got its own kind of rich LGBTQ history.

Do you know if this new Tales was designed to be a one-anddone or if there’s a possibility of more?

I’m not sure at this stage. I think, I would love that too. We’ll see.

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Hal Fischer’s Gay Semiotics Jock

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SIGNS OF RESISTANCE

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IF YOU BELIEVE OUR BATTLE FOR EQUALITY BEGAN WITH THE STONEWALL UPRISING OR THE RAINBOW FLAG, THINK AGAIN. “THE LOVE THAT DARE NOT SPEAK ITS NAME” FIRST FOUND ITS VOICE THROUGH THESE INDELIBLE IMAGES. BY KEVIN PHINNEY HISTORIANS REGARD SYMBOLS AS ONE WAY OF DETERMINING THE UNIQUE

characteristics of a culture. Sometimes the signifiers are auditory — much the way first responders’ sirens vary across the globe. But some of the most powerful tell their story visually in an instant. The study of those cultural transmissions is known as semiotics, and those images include not only the pyramids , but Stonehenge and the Stonewall Inn. Now a USC professor has assembled a book that zeroes in on the many ways we’ve sent our often-coded messages ricochetting through LGBTQ culture. That includes a time before it was legal to even appear queer in a public space identifying as anything other than cis heteros.

Andy Campbell is an Assistant Professor of Critical Studies at USC’s Roski School of Art and Design who teaches critical studies history and theory to artists and designers. What he’s assembled in Queer By Design: 50 Years of Signs, Symbols, Banners, Logos and Graphic Art of LGBTQ is

an anthology of our trek from invisibility into Pride and beyond. It’s a fascinating record that contains images that also predate the Stonewall rebellion by a more than a quarter century.

Campbell says it was the dearth of those signifiers collected in one place that told him his collection would fill a void.“The impetus for the book was that I was looking at such a range of LGBTQ scholarship,” he says, “and there really is so much in so many different areas. That’s when I started to identify places where people hadn’t already put a lot of energy. And I found that the same was not true of LGBTQ design.

So I started by creating a list of 150 images or so, and thought about what objects would tell the most interesting and dynamic story about LGBTQ communities and histories, and I went from there.”

Between the covers of Queer X Design, you’ll find photos that delight, artwork that seethes with rage, and images that have united METROSOURCE.COM JUNE/JULY 2019

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the LGBTQ community in victories and setbacks throughout the struggle for equality.

If one overarching theme jumps out, it’s the need to address police surveillance and violence. “Early on, we were simply outlawed,” the author says, “and a lot of early LGBTQ imagery and material was dedicated to not only making an argument about the validity of our existence and networking within our own communities, but countering overt state interference. One of the throughlines in the book is that tension, going all the way up through the Black Lives Matter movement. Black Lives Matter is included in the book as an example, not only because two of the three founders of that movement self-identify as queer — but also because structurally, they’re essentially fighting for the same thing. They’re activating against police surveillance and physical violence. Like Black Lives Matter, for LGBTQ people historically, police violence was the awful occasion for organizing around a host of other issues as well.”

But Queer X Design is much more than pages of rage. “I also love Hal Fisher’s gay semiotics photographs,” Campbell says with a chuckle. “They were meant to be tongue-in-cheek, and Fischer, who was a photographer and an art critic, brought a healthy dose of Jewish humor to that project. He was living in San Francisco and making note of all the different ways men identified through what they wore. So he sort of pokes fun by creating these typological photos, feigning an anthropologist’s tone. But these photos, which are accompanied by an essay on gay male signaling culture, also have the capacity to teach the uninitiated how to identify with different elements of the community. It reveals something of an in-community way of identifying to a broader audience. There’s a kind of camp sensibility you can appreciate about them.”

Included are both the AIDS quilt and the evolution of Gilbert Baker’s rainbow flag. “That’s really fascinating,” says Campbell.

“In putting this book together, I found out a lot more about its history, and how it has never really been this static symbol.

Initially, there were two large flags made, each with eight colors rather than the six that we know today. One of the flags had tie-dyed stars in a blue canton — similar to the U.S. flag. This original version of the rainbow flag is all but unknown today, and I think would surprise most readers.

The story I tell is about the Pride flag’s change. Now cities like Philadelphia and designers like Daniel Quasar are adding brown and transgender stripes to it as well. People get grumpy about it changing, but it’s been in flux from the very beginning.”

In assembling Queer X Design, Campbell noticed another disturbing trend: as LGBTQ Americans have become more visible and accepted, their output of cultural expressions have both dropped off dramatically and been increasingly appropriated by corporations looking to cash in.

From his vantage point, Campbell asserts that our narrative has been one “of ever-evolving innovation around our visual symbols. And the activist is always trying to imagine the future. The LGBTQ community has always been futureoriented in that way.”

But while collecting images, Campbell says, “I did arrive at a place of a little trepidation, and that’s how difficult it was to find visual examples of our movement in the 21st Century, which sounds surprising. So many of our signs and symbols — maybe it’s too strong a word — but “co-opted” is what comes to mind. You know, it’s not enough to see a corporate logo done in rainbow colors. That’s not what we have historically fought for. But that’s something I deal with in the book, that tension between assimilation and valuing difference as difference. As we have become assimilated, it has come with so many great things.

But I think it’s important to have an identity that belongs to us in how we engage with queer symbology. And I have full faith in LGBTQ artists and designers to imagine a better future.”

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BILLY PORTER KNOWS HOW TO MAKE AN ENTRANCE.

Raised in a conservative Christian home, Porter spent much of his early life shunned by family as “an abomination.” He’s been pushing back ever since. As an actor, singer and Broadway star, his every public act and pronouncement could be seen as a demonstration of Pride. And when he stepped onto the red carpet at the Oscars dressed to slay in a Christian Siriano tuxedo gown, he put Planet Earth on notice: He’s here, he’s queer and he’s not going anywhere.

After nearly a quarter century as an entertainer, Billy Porter can at last be called a celebrity. Anyone not looking closely might guess it all happened overnight. In 2013, his breakout role as Lola in the Broadway hit Kinky Boots landed him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Only a year later, he took home a Grammy for its cast recording. He’s released four albums over the last decade, and in 2018, his career got an unexpected boost when producer Ryan Murphy cast him as a gay warlock in American Horror Story: Apocalypse then turned his bit role as Pray Tell into one of the defining characters of the ballroom culture series Pose. The only one not surprised by his sudden ascent to the A List? Billy Porter.

Born in Pittsburgh, Porter’s first memories as a performer were singing in church,“and then singing in school, and the teachers there hearing me sing and putting me in junior choir. But I grew up in a very religious household, so the only music in my house was gospel music. Until I could buy own music, that was all there was. Then in 6th grade I was introduced to theater — and that was the first time I got on stage — to do a musical.”

Otherwise, Porter says, “my childhood was the typical ‘you’re going to Hell’ story. It’s the same one that we’ve all heard over and over again, so to regurgitate that again is really to give it way too much energy,” he says.“I was 15 or 16, and I was trying hard to not be gay. But there was nothing I could hide, which was a problem, a little bit. But that was that, so I just … left. My only goal was to get out.”

It’s impossible to separate Porter’s less-than-welcome introduction to the world and his gritty determination to respond to bigotry with ferocious creativity. “I don’t know about all of that,” he says with a laugh. “At the time, my only goal was to get out of my situation. My circumstance in my youth was bullshit — so full of trauma — I just knew I had to get out. That was all that I was interested in doing. It was my entire focus. So whatever got me out was what I was gonna do; based on my talent, based on my skill.

Whoever came into my life and treated me kindly and I felt like had my best interests at heart, I listened to them. I’ve had many angels in my life who reached out in that way, from middle school right up to today.”

Like many performers, Porter gravitated toward theater because it represented both an escape and shelter from his home life. The way he sees it, “I just like people. And it was the collaborative theater geeks that were there for me, and present in the most difficult parts of my life and sort of saved my life. So for me, it’s a chosen familial energy that I relied on for a very long time. And I still do.”

Apart from those chosen few, compassion was hard to come by elsewhere. And Billy understood he was different before he knew what that difference was.“We’re talking about before any of us knew what being gay really meant. I mean, I didn’t really understand that

at 11. But theater was a place that on the surface, if nothing else, was embracing. Theater embraced me in a way that people in my ‘normal’ everyday life outside actually rejected.”

Porter left home as soon as he could. At the outset, he says, “I wasn’t going to college. Honestly, it was the teachers I had: my drama teacher and my mentors in high school who more or less pulled me by my hair when they caught wind I was moving to New York City at 17. And they said, ’No, you’re going to go to college and learn a craft and actually understand what you’re doing so you can work for the rest of your life.’ It turned out to be the best thing anyone ever did for me because it’s all about access and it’s all about understanding that.”

For starters, Porter was informed that Carnegie Mellon was “a 10-minute drive from my house, and it was one of the top universities in the country.”

“We don’t get that kind of access,” he explains. “I discovered that I had the kind of talent that cracked open a different kind of access for me. And I understood that immediately.” So much of success, he suggests, “depends on who you are. It depends on where you come from. As a black gay man from poverty and the ghetto, I needed education. I needed a degree. I needed to learn what I was doing.”

Looking back, Porter muses that the source of his oppression ultimately proved his salvation. “Had I been able to pass for straight or whatever, I don’t know that anybody would have been challenged around me,”he says.“I don’t know that I would have been challenged to reach for anything different — because I would have been able to pass. And passing for straight was always considered better.

And I couldn’t really do that naturally in a way that made other people comfortable, so I just had to lean into whatever it was that I had. Carnegie Mellon was very difficult because of that. My career was very difficult because of that. Theater people, the industry; as creatives we masquerade as being inclusive when it’s convenient, but we can be as homophobic as everybody else.”

While in college, Porter’s appetites reached out in every direction, including his taste in music.“Oh my, yes!” he recalls.“When I got to a place where I could buy my own stuff, and do my own investigating and researching — well, we didn’t have the internet then. That’s when I dove into Michael Jackson and all of that stuff. And that’s when I really fell in love with theater. I would check out records from the Carnegie library and that was how I got my music for a while.

Then I started buying it and that’s how I caught up with the rest.”

To gain experience and add to his repertoire, Porter spent summers at Kennywood Park in a song-and-dance troupe called Flash. Their schedule was grueling. “There were a couple of groups,” he remembers.“Razzmatazz did Dixieland. They did a country show.

It was six shows a day with a full band and three singers and every show was different. We did any kind of music you could think of, and I couldn’t even tell you what all. We sang every song you could ever imagine. Now I know the hooks to every song ever written because I did a music park show for three seasons. Flash was the singing and dancing ensemble, and we did our shows to tracks, and then the two casts came together at the end of the day for two nighttime shows.”

A B.F.A. in drama led to a certification from the screenwriting program at UCLA. And when people ask if so much higher education is really necessary when the work is largely creative, his

prepares to pose again

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BILLY PORTER the category is POSE THIS PAGE: RON CADIZ © SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

After decades of waiting in the wings for his shot at stardom, Billy Porter is finally savoring the sweet taste of success. BY KEVIN PHINNEY

reply cuts the question to its core. “Look,” he says, “I didn’t have the same kind of opportunities as my white counterparts who were famous 20 years before I got this opportunity — because they’re white. So I needed to back my shit up with real stuff. I’m just being honest. When I walk into the room with an undergraduate degree from Carnegie Mellon, a graduate degree from UCLA and two honorary bachelor’s degrees, white people listen to me. Period.

You’ve gotta know what the game is.”

By 1997, Porter had already recorded his first album and appeared in two films, The First Wives Club and Twisted, in which he played a drag queen named Siniqua. The way he remembers it, “I was just showing up and walking through the doors that were open to me. It was the first time that anyone really gave me a job in film or TV. And it just happened to be a drag queen. I wasn’t really searching for it and I didn’t really feel like that’s who I was. I could do it, but I wasn’t pursuing female impersonating.

“I think there’s this idea that if you’re gay you’re obviously a drag queen. There’s a mentality about that. I went through a lot of it when I started doing Kinky Boots I had to put the kibosh on that whole “How long have you been a drag queen?” kind of question. My response became, “Did you ask that of Robin Williams when he made Mrs. Doubtfire? Did you ask Dustin Hoffman that after Tootsie? Stop it. What are you talking about? Why would you just assume because I’m black and because I’m gay that I’m a drag queen? No shade about being a drag queen, because I loved doing it. But I’m an actor who played a part and the part just happened to require me being a drag queen.”

Just as quickly as it began, his career slipped into retrograde. “I went out to Los Angeles and I made Broken Hearts Club in 1999 and

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else — because I wanted everybody in the business to be clear: I know what I’m doing, and I’ve been doing it for 30 years. Please don’t question my skills anymore.”

His Kinky Boots Tony gave him the legitimacy he’d sought for so long, although he’ll admit: “it’s less about the award for me and more about being able to continue doing the work.”

Over the years, he’d also run into Ryan Murphy “in the sort of Gay Mafia circle that was just forming and coming up. We weren’t really friends; we just kind of knew of each other. And then he started doing all his stuff and heard me singing all these things, and I thought he was a person who would sort of understand me because his brand became taking all of this rarefied talent and exposing it.

And really running toward it; not being afraid of theater people and the ‘bigness’ of us — which is something when you’re doing film and television that was always sort of a negative for me because of the choices I made.

“I knew he would understand me, so I just sort of started speaking him into existence. Ryan Murphy. Ryan Murphy. The law of attraction. I started writing him in my diary and saying for three years that Ryan Murphy will get it. And I got him, too. I saw Glee, American Horror Story, O.J. Simpson and I said, ‘Yeah, this is the guy.’”

When Murphy began casting Pose, Porter went in for an audition and knew immediately it was not the part for him.

“Pose came before American Horror Story. I got called in for an audition just the regular sort of way through my manager. “But by this time I had a Tony Award and a Grammy Award and a good reputation, and speaking up for myself would not be perceived as overstepping my bounds anymore. So I went in and read the part I was called in for, and then I said, ‘Okay, listen: I lived through this era.

I think it would serve everybody if I was in that world because I’m from that world.’”

Porter pitched the possibility of playing a mother in one of the houses, then heard that Murphy wanted transgender actors in the roles. “I said, ‘That’s an amazing idea, but they’re going to need a father figure,” Porter recalls. “They’re going to need a male energy over there, right? Like a godfather, and there wasn’t one. There wasn’t a male leading man in the show. There was a lead boy, but not

this page: gold Jacket JoJo Whilden - FX • cR paRi dukovic - FX

it came out in 2000. And there was this thought in my brain that I could go out to Hollywood and ride on this gay thing. But it wasn’t quite the time, so I was there for almost three years and didn’t really have many auditions and didn’t get much interest. I was searching for my place in the business; my own lane. There weren’t a whole lot of things for me to be doing, based on the color of my skin alone. So when I heard Kinky Boots was going to be a musical and having seen the movie, I thought, ‘Well, that’s a part I could play.’ Had I been in London, I could have played that role in the movie. But when they announced it would be a musical, I sort of knew in my spirit that it was my shot. I never had a doubt in my mind. There were people around who thought I couldn’t do it, or had their doubts because I had taken myself out of the business for a while and hadn’t been on Broadway in 13 years. There were lots of questions.”

Porter wouldn’t be denied a second time. “So I jumped through my hoops of fire just so that I could shut all that bullshit down. That’s why I stayed for three years, and why I stayed longer than anybody

THIS PAGE: OSCARS - ABC/RICK ROWELL

a grown man. So he called me in for a meeting and I just sat and talked to him. And so we talked about the emcee, and he had five lines in the first episode and it was not a character. And so he said,‘Come in and I’ll create something for you.’ So that’s how it came about.”

Now that the show is about to debut its second season on June 9, Porter has only one comment.

“The only thing I’m authorized to say — because Ryan has said it — is that Season 2 opens the day Madonna’s ‘Vogue’ was released.”

From a broader view, he’s happy to be doing work that’s not only popular and recognized, but fills in some important blank spaces in cultural history. “I’m grateful that we’re finally telling the story of people of color,” he says.“We have made a lot of strides in LGBTQ storytelling and for the first 25 years, the mainstream version of it has mainly been about white people. I’m excited that people of color are at the front of our narrative and it’s being told by the people who were in it, who were from that space.”

Knowing that his work, like his fashion choices, are staking a claim for queer dignity make him Proud. As he told Vogue after his Oscars TuxGown went viral, “my goal is to be a walking piece of political art every time I show up. To challenge expectations. What is masculinity? What does that mean? Women show up every day in pants, but the minute a man wears a dress, the seas part.”

It’s all part of Porter’s manifesto — that living well is not only the best revenge — it’s better than revenge. “My ministry is something different,” he says. “It’s authenticity in the face of abject oppression and phobia. Now, I think there’s a process of constant healing of fissures in my immediate family. But elsewhere I still hear the same kinds of abomination rhetoric I was hearing four years ago.

“You can go online and see all the comments,” says Porter,“and some of them are my people. There are people who would prefer me dead than to be successful. They’re talking shit on me still. Today.

There’s always been this idea from the religious part of my life that these people are concerned for my soul, and that’s what motivates them to be hateful.

That’s not what Jesus did; that’s not what the Bible says to do. F**k you. Get out of my life. I’m done.

Don’t masquerade as Christians and blame your hate on Jesus. Stop doing that. What would Jesus do…? None of what you motherf**kers are doing.

It’s in the Bible, what he did. I had to release that, because if you hold onto that energy, it will destroy you.”

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N O R E M A C N H O J L L E H C MIT THE RENOWNED QUEER CREATOR DISHES ON HIS GAY HEROES, HIS PODCAST WITH PATTI LUPONE AND GLENN CLOSE, AND HOW HE’S GIVING HEDWIG NEW LIFE. BY KEVIN PHINNEY HAD JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL DONE NOTHING BESIDES CREATE HEDWIG

OPPOSITE PAGE: MICK ROCK

and the Angry Inch, he’d still be a queer icon. Certainly the show’s punky aesthetic and social subversion place him in the pantheon of those writers he admires most: Oscar Wilde, Noel Coward and Joe Orton. But at 55, Mitchell remains relentlessly creative. In 2006, his film Shortbus dared to create a genre all its own. While the movie captures kinds of intercourse — actual, not simulated — Shortbus is really about people using sex to create a kind of communal intimacy.

Mitchell subsequently directed Nicole Kidman’s Oscar-nominated performance in the 2010 film Rabbit Hole, and in 2015 he received a Special Tony Award for playing Hedwig on Broadway after Neil Patrick Harris won Best Actor in a Musical in the role only the year before. Now he’s alternately a series regular on the new Hulu comedy Shrill and crisscrossing the country in a Hedwig backstory musical called Origin of Love. All this while he’s readying a new musical called Anthem: Homunculus starring Patti LuPone and Glenn Close — among others— to debut as a podcast. It’s a 10-part series sans visuals now streaming on a new service called Luminary.

We caught up with multi-hyphenate Mitchell at a West Village coffee shop when he surfaced momentarily between projects.

METROSOURCE: Should we start with talking about your heroes?

JOHN CAMERON MITCHELL: Sure. My favorite theater makers were always Beckett and Pinter. And Joe Orton came out of all of that with his particularly queer bomb-throwing questioning of conformity added to it. He’s also kind of the dirty punk grandchild of Oscar Wilde and Noel Coward — who couldn’t always say publicly what they would say among their friends.

Wilde still wanted to be accepted by those people, as did Noel Coward. They wanted to be amongst the hoi polloi; but they were also the court jesters of the era. The King always likes someone who can irreverently tell the truth, but still not have the power to hurt.

Wilde was always questioning the rules of propriety and sexism in high society. Noel Coward not as much, but he definitely was also poking fun in a gentle way. Because they were elitists, too.

Joe Orton was much more blue collar, and closer to someone like John Lennon. So it’s ironic that The Beatles commissioned a screenplay from Orton, and it was too radical even for them. I mean, Orton had them playing crossdressing terrorists.

I wonder: Would there even be a Hedwig without Joe Orton?

MITCHELL: Not without me having read Orton. I mean, the first time I ever did drag was in Orton’s What the Butler Saw. I was kind of scared of it, but kind of forced into it as well. In that same way, I was forced into doing Hedwig, because Tommy Gnosis started out as the main character. Hedwig was a smaller role, but because we developed it at a drag club, I had to do the female character first.

The thing is, the character obviously doesn’t fit into any category.

And I don’t think Orton would want to be pigeonholed either. In fact, don’t ever recall him using the term “gay.” I think he liked being outside all of it, including the gay mainstream. Hedwig is not really trans. He was a gay man doing drag. He got forced into a reassignment by a patriarchy, because they required one or the other: you could call it the bi-narchy. I think Orton eschewed the binarchy as well, but he also kind of fetishized masculinity. He had all the foibles and all the perspective of an intelligent outsider.

You seem to have given Orton’s work some serious consideration.

Is there a thematic thread running through what you’ve done?

In terms of what I write, I would say there is. My work tends to be about misfits and people trying to create communities of misfits. I moved around a lot as an Army brat. First it was comics and sci-fi, then it was theater and film and subcultures and enclaves — usually about people who have things they can teach about mercy, empathy and imagination.

And what about the parts you choose to play?

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City, Kansas. That’s where I’m from — and “Wicked Little Town” name checks it in Hedwig. It’s a special small town, but not anywhere you’d wanna stay, So it’s kind of a “what-if” story. What if I was the same person, and had not shared my creative work, not come out, and not taken the chances I did?

And this is in production?

It’s a podcast musical series called Anthem: Homunculus just out on a new podcast network called Luminary. It’s years in the making; five and a half hours over 10 episodes. It’s a musical like Hedwig, except that it’s all audio with no video. There’s 40 actors and 40 pieces of music. Included in all of that is my boyfriend Jack, who passed away from his addictions. In a way, I had more opportunities before me than a standard autobiography, so I could do something more creative. But there are a lot of liberties taken. Glenn Close plays a version of my Mom. She’s a Scottish painter who travels the world.

She’s a lost a child, as we lost my brother after he died from heart problems when he was four. She reacts by becoming more religious — an anti-abortion activist, among other things. Patti LuPone is in

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Right now, I’m in a show called Shrill that’s just started streaming on Hulu. I play the mean gay boss of Aidy Bryant, and it’s a fun small role. It’s also a great gig for my Mom’s healthcare, so ... I hope it gets picked up. But I really don’t like to half-ass anything. Even in my most crass money-making schemes; I try to invest myself in completely, because if you put out something half-assed, those are the kind of people you’ll reach. You put out something glib and shallow, that’s what it attracts. You have to be careful about what you put out into the world. I tend to put out things that I hope will be useful to people in their own lives.

This being the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, what goes through your mind when you think of Pride? Can you even imagine what kind of life you’d have had without the movement?

Well, I had an idea to create a sequel to Hedwig that would involve a lot more of my own personal history. Ultimately it felt like too much.

But I had the idea of a character out of his insurance, crowd funding for his life, and in effect created an alternate autobiography.

In this case, my character never left my small town of Junction

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it as well.

That sounds like a mountain of work. And yet, you’re still on the road playing Hedwig.

Yup, in a show called Origin of Love. It’s about how Hedwig was made, including all the songs. It’ll be at Town Hall for three shows during Pride in June. Eric Bergrin created this transformer costume for me that becomes six different costumes. Mike Potter made an old lady Hedwig hairpiece that’s tinted for the Apocalypse. And it includes the songs by Steven Trask.

So it’s largely about the people I met, the philosophical underpinnings of what it meant then and what it means to me now. It really is responsible for me meeting the most interesting people. And we’re also releasing a Criterion Edition of [the film adaptation of] Hedwig in June; so I’m working on that today.

Those packages typically provide a ton of extras.

Right. And there is a great documentary, art, and footage from since the film was released. It’s also exciting to have a remaster of the film going back to the negative that Warner Brothers preserved. I was also able to reposition a few shots to fix a couple of things.

Since we shot on film, it also has its own gorgeous texture, because there’s actually more information on the images. Oh, and we’re pumping up the colors too; it’s very Hedwig. There’s some memorabilia and gorgeous goodies for fans.

And somehow, you’re still able to host a monthly party at a bar in the West Village.

Well, we forgot what fascism is, and look where we are now. I believe understanding history and appreciating your forebears is important, so we do this monthly party called Mattachine. It’s a party we do every month at Julius’. We honor a queer hero like Joe Orton, or heroine — or villain. We even put Roy Cohn up there once as an example.

There are those who regard you as one of our best gay writers. How do you feel about that?

Well, my queer spirit guides are Walt Whitman, Oscar Wilde, Noel Coward, James Baldwin, William Burroughs, Jean Genet, Orton and Tony Kushner.

Tennessee Williams, too. These are the great queer writers of the last hundred years, and they all came at it from a different angle.

For me, I know that 75% of the good things that have happened to me are because of Hedwig. In many ways, it’s been like a personal ad that’s introduced me to people, places and experiences. And really, everything you put out is a personal ad. I actually think too much fame and money are corrupting. In all honesty, I only need enough money to do what I want. I’ve f**ked my way to the middle, and I’m very much happier for it. ■

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Atlantis

ADMIT IT: IT’S BEEN TOO LONG SINCE YOU’VE GONE ON

ALL ABOARD: OUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FINDING OUR COMMUNITY ON THE HIGH SEAS

WHETHER YOU LIKE HOT FUN OR COOL ESCAPES, HERE’S HOW TO DO IT IN LGBTQ STYLE. BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES Atlantis

vacation, hasn’t it? And if you’ve been considering getting out on the water, there’s never been a better time: Whether you have your heart set on fun in the sun, European shopping, glacier encounters or ancient ruins, there’s definitely a cruise for you. Gone are the days when cruises were tailored just for the nuclear family unit or shirtless dancing (don’t worry, there are still plenty of tea dance options, if that’s what you’re after). So, book a suite with your best friend, beau, or go stag and meet a ship full of new BFFs from across the globe. We went through hundreds of upcoming options to sail to Europe, the Caribbean, Asia and the Arctic circle and found ports of call at new and exotic destinations the world over.

ATLANTIS Atlantis Events is the world’s largest company specializing in all-gay vacations. Back in 1991, the company held its first all-gay resort event with 300 guests at a Club Med Resort in Playa Blanca, Mexico.

Cruising with Atlantis offers a unique, all-gay way to see new places with a variety of opportunities for new experiences and ways to play. Enjoy incredible performances by artists like “Showbiz Spitfire” Paige Turner, Sutton Lee Seymour, Charlie Hides and NYC cabaret sensation Shanna Sharp. atlantisevents.com

Atlantis

• Europe’s Largest All-Gay Cruise… Ever (August 25th – September 1st, 2019): Atlantis is offering an opportunity to sail your way to enjoying the best of Italy, Spain and France with 5,400 guys from around the world. Step off the Barcelona coast and onboard the epic Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas, one of the largest cruise ships in service. Here you can choose your own adventure with distractions like the oceanside AquaTheater, Studio B ice rink, zip-lining experiences, the Broadway hit musical Cats, designer shopping and more. The Oasis of the Seas features 17 decks with 29 loft suites and some 2,700 staterooms.

Step off the ship to explore destinations such as Palma de Mallorca, Provence, Florence, Civitavecchia, Naples and the beautiful island of Capri.

THIS PAGE: CREDIT ATLANTIS EVENTS

UPCOMING ATLANTIS EVENTS:

BRAND G Brand g was founded in 2011 as “the next generation in gay travel.� They recognized that LGBT travelers were on the hunt for new and more exotic types of travel opportunities. The brand initially jumped on the river cruising craze to offer deluxe river cruise tours.

Eventually, they added deluxe land-only tours to such countries as far-ung as Ireland, Japan and Scotland.

The company has grown to producing and operating eleven trips annually. brandgvacations.com

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Metropolitan Restaurant Celebrity Cruises

VACAYA “With only a few notable exceptions, options for our community have been SEVERELY LIMITED v ATTESTS 2ANDLE 2OPER #%/ OF VACATION COMPANY 6!#!9! h7E RE REWRITING THE PLAYBOOK v 6!#!9! WAS CREATED BY AWARD WINNING TOURISM AND TRAVEL EXECUTIVES WITH more than a century 100 of combined experience in entertainment, hospitality, and travel. They believe they offer LGBTQ travelers a unique palette of choices TAILORED TO THE DESIRES AND NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY )N FACT 6!#!9! IS THE lRST large scale full-ship/full-resort LGBTQ vacation company to do a number of THINGS ˆ INCLUDING OFFERING A FULL RESORT TAKEOVER FROM The Leading Hotels of the World S 5.)#/ ÂŞ ÂŞ (OTEL 2IVIERA -AYA 4HEY ALSO OFFER GUESTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITIES THEY VISIT SAIL ON THE #ELEBRITY 3UMMIT AFTER HER MULTIMILLION DOLLAR MAKEOVER AND MORE myVACAYA.com

SOME UPCOMING VACAYA ADVENTURES INCLUDE: s 6!#!9! 0TOWN #RUISE ON #ELEBRITY 3UMMIT !UGUST 3AILING FROM 0ORT ,IBERTY .9 .* ON #ELEBRITY 3UMMIT THIS SEVEN NIGHT CRUISE WILL MAKE HISTORY AS NOT ONLY THE LARGEST ALL GAY CRUISE TO EVER SAIL TO 0 TOWN S #ARNIVAL BUT THE LARGEST SHIP TO EVER STAY OVERNIGHT AT PORT IN 0ROVINCETOWN s 6!#!9! -EXICO 2ESORT /CTOBER .OVEMBER 6!#!9! IS ANGLING TO REINVENT THE ALL INCLUSIVE RESORT EXPERIENCE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STAR 5.)#/ ÂŞ ÂŞ (OTEL 2IVIERA -AYA 4OGETHER THIS SHREWD MATCHUP WILL TAKE LUXURY TO NEW PLACES WITH AN OFlCIAL GAY TAKEOVER THROUGH (ALLOWEEN AND $AY OF THE $EAD s 1UEER %YE FOR THE #HRISTMAS -ARKETS "EGINNING $ECEMBER 9OU HEARD THAT CORRECTLY 6!#!9! IS HEADING TO %UROPE WITH EITHER THEIR SEVEN AND 14-night option. Get in the holiday spirit on a luxurious Emerald Star-Ship from !MSTERDAM TO "UDAPEST -ULLED WINE ANYONE

VACACYA

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RSVP VACATIONS RSVP Vacations RSVP Vacations

RSVP Vacations, established in 1985, was a true pioneer in the gay and lesbian cruise concept. Their first cruise, “A Cruise to Remember,”left the New Orleans port just after Valentine’s Day in 1986 with 750 guests ready to soak up the adventure of a lifetime.

Over the years RSVP has welcomed luminaries and legends of the LGBTQ community with events like High Tea with Quentin Crisp, a Q&A with Armistead Maupin, and discussions about Broadway with Harvey Fierstein and Anthony Rapp. RSVP Vacations aims to build a community with each and every cruise.

They book an entire ship and“run it [their] way,”customizing each detail to LGBTQ tastes with events like singles dinners, sing-alongs, pool games and dance parties. rsvpvacations.com

SOURCE EVENTS For the past 18 years, Source Events has “made dreams come true” by taking their clients on journeys to the world’s “most exceptional destinations, perfectly curated with only the most unique experiences.”

Craig Smith, the owner of Source Events, left a successful law practice in the Bay area to follow his dream of creating extraordinary travel for the mind, body and spirit — designed to be experienced with like-minded friends. These cruises are more intimate voyages with 150300 guests so you can connect and meet other guests more easily. The company brings hosts, entertainment, DJs and a wellness team to offer yoga, meditation and educational talks at sea. sourceevents.com

• All-Gay RSVP Summer in Alaska Cruise (July 14 – 21, 2019): Sail from Seattle northward to majestic Alaska. Have you ever dreamed of living your best Northern Exposure fantasy with 1900 fabulous new friends? Board the Holland America Oosterdam, with its blend of modern and classic, and prepare to take America’s 49th state by storm. There will be big performances in store on the Main Stage and at the Queen’s Lounge. Or you can get up close and personal with performers in a piano bar via popular programs like Billboard Onboard. Ready for a dip or a dance?

Twirl with the kweens at Lido Pool, home to RSVP’s Legendary T-Dances and parties. The path of the cruise allows guests to take in the spectacular Mendenhall Glacier, Hubbard Glacier, Sitka, Ketchikan, and ever-picturesque Victoria, Canada. We’ll see you up North!

UPCOMING SOURCE EVENTS INCLUDE: • A Voyage Around Iceland (August 13 - 20, 2019): Travelers will get a taste of one of the most gay-friendly destinations in the world. The trip, coinciding with Reykjavik’s Gay Pride celebration, will take guests in and around the “land of fire and ice” to explore the volcanoes, glaciers, geysers, waterfalls, fjords and gay culture of this unique island. The Star Breeze — an all-suite yacht — will travel to Reykjavik, Heimaey Island, Seydisfjordur, Akureyri, Isafjordur and elsewhere. The itinerary will include UNESCO World Heritage Sites, nature reserves, an “art canyon,” nature baths and more.

• The Greek Islands Discovery (August 24 - 31, 2019): Guests will board the Star Clipper and Star Flyer, each carrying 170 guests from port to port in style. They will start and finish their voyages in Athens, and along the way venture to Milos, Santorini, Bodrum (Turkey), Mykonos, Sifnos and Spetses. On the to-do list? There’ll be the Acropolis, a beach expedition in Milos, a guided tour of the UNESCO site of Akrotiri, Halicarnassus (the location of the Tomb of Mausoolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), the mythical birthplace of Apollo, and more.

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OLIVIA The story of Olivia goes all the way back to 1973 when Judy Dlugacz teamed up with nine partners after singer/songwriter Cris Williamson recommended she start a women’s record company. In 1990, Olivia hosted its first “concert on a cruise.” This ultimately inspired “Olivia Travel,” which went on to become the premiere travel company for lesbians. “Our goal was to create a safe, free, inclusive environment for lesbians on vacation,” Dlugacz explains.

Their vacations have featured a roster of headliners that over the years has included Melissa Etheridge, k.d. Lang, Heart, and the Indigo Girls. They’ve welcomed social justice pioneers like Billie Jean King and Edie Windsor, as well as groundbreaking comedians Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin and Wanda Sykes. While each trip has its own “special flavor,” Olivia always charters the entire ship so it’s “all women, all the time”.

THIS PAGE: CREDIT RSVP VACATIONS

UPCOMING RSVP VACATIONS:

R FAMILY VACATIONS R Family Vacations was founded by travel entrepreneurs Kelli Carpenter and Gregg Kaminsky in 2003. It would go on to be featured in HBO’s Emmy-nominated documentary All Aboard. R Family Vacations was the first travel company to create vacations for LGBT families (and their friends). Their inaugural cruises set sail in 2004 and since then over 20,000 guests have embarked on trips with Kelli and Gregg. However, R Family Vacations doesn’t just do family expeditions. They recently expanded to offer some LGBT adult-only options, with The Broadway Cruise V and a new partnership with TZELL Travel. rfamilyvacations.com.

Virgin Voyages Virgin Voyages

THIS PAGE: CREDIT VIRGIN VOYAGES

UPCOMING R FAMILY VACATIONS CRUISES: • Out On The Danube (September 21 - 28, 2019): R Family Vacations teams up with U by Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection for an all-inclusive, all-adult LGBTQ vacation on the Danube River. Depart from Munich (Regensburg) and prepare for stops in Passau, Linz, Melk, Wachau Valley, Durnstein, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest. Onboard the ship, indulge in mixology and cooking classes, dance parties, cabaret, LGBTQ comedy and more!

• Hawaiian Islands Cruise (May 9-16, 2020): Board the NCL’s Pride of America, which bills itself as the only cruise ship that sails round trip from Honolulu throughout the year. Join a group of 60 to go island hopping, whale watching, volcano exploring and more! Along the way, see Honolulu, Oahu and travel to Kahului (Maui); Hilo and Kona (on the Big Island); and Nawiliwili (Kauai) before returning to Honolulu.

VIRGIN VOYAGES When we heard Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Voyages and CEO Tom McAlpin were open for business, we immediately leaned in.

Virgin Voyages’ first fleet will be known as the “Lady Ships,” with a tip of the hat to Virgin’s British heritage. An additional quartet of ships are currently on order over the next four years. The Scarlet Lady, the first of the fleet, will arrive at the Port of Miami in 2020 for her inaugural sail. This first season will include voyages to Havana, Cuba; Costa Maya, Mexico; and the Dominican Republic.

Adult by design, Virgin describes the Scarlet Lady as “sanctuary at sea for the 18+ traveler.”The Scarlet Lady brings cosmopolitan cuisine to the sea and essentially “throw out the traditional cruise-dining rule book, with no buffet, no main dining room, no forced formal wear, no assigned seating, no assigned dining times.” But there will be plenty of chances for those on board to grab a bite, because they plan to keeping restaurant doors open until well into the night (in some cases into the early hours of the morning).” Among them, Razzle Dazzle will offer a Drag Brunch for guests to live it up with the Scarlet Lady’s resident drag performers and friends. virginvoyages.com

UPCOMING OLIVIA CRUISES: • Tahitian Paradise Luxury (August 24 - August 31, 2019): Take in “balmy days, sultry nights and islands that appear to float just above the breaking waves” on this seven-night itinerary with stops in Papeete (Tahiti) and Huahine, Bora Bora and Moorea (Society Islands). Accommodations for eight nights and seven days aboard Paul Gauguin Cruises’ Paul Gauguin, a six-star luxury ship.

Announced entertainment includes Teresa Trull, Barbara Higbie, Gina Yashere, and DJ Rockaway.

• Gems of the Italian & French Riviera Luxury Cruise (October 512, 2019): Sail the Mediterranean expedition with stops in Rome, Sorrento, Florence, Portovenere, Portofino and Monte Carlo.

This cruise promises the winding cliffside roads and seascapes of Sorrento, the palaces and museums of Florence, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Grand Casino in Monte Carlo.

SOME UPCOMING VIRGIN VOYAGES INCLUDE: • Scarlet Lady is officially open for bookings with voyages beginning April 1. Havana After Dark, the inaugural voyage, departs from Miami. The ship is scheduled to stop at a private club (the Beach Club) in Bimini, Bahamas before making its way to Cuba. Plan to take in the scenic back alleyways of Pata Vieja, seek out the many artists among the bohemian bars of Cayo Hueso, or chill with the locals outside the Malecon.

• Sir Richard Branson’s Birthday Voyage (Departing July 15, 2020): Join Sir Richard Branson and his cadre of celebrity friends for a four-night Havana After Dark voyage. Cabins are available starting at $3,100.

• Mayan Sol is a five-night adventure that weighs anchor in Miami on Friday, April 10. Expect to sail to the relatively pristine shores of the Yucatan Peninsula.

Then venture on to Costa Maya and the Beach Club in Bimini with a stop to explore a landscape strewn with ancient ruins for good measure.

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WHO SHOULD GET TESTED FOR HIV? EVERYONE.

See how often testing is recommended.

Visit HelpStopTheVirus.com © 2016 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. UNBC3150 06/16

ELIXIRS OF LIFE

Keep your health and fitness goals on track this summer with the help of uplifting herbal tonics and mocktails. BY MEGAN VENZIN

far too much - approximately 9.5 drinks per week or 494 drinks per year. That’s according to Aaron White, senior scientific advisor to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Trading in a few of those alcoholic beverages for herbal tonics can have a dramatic impact on one’s overall health and well-being.

“Substitute alcoholic beverages with soda water, lime and bitters for a night out on the town with friends who are drinking,” TrAshley suggests. “Drink two or three of these tonics. Play around with the citrus, herbal simple syrups, fresh herbs and bitters with your bartender — while also drinking plenty of water. See how it feels to connect [while] sober and how you feel the following morning as you wake up and roll out of bed.”

Dehydration is a common side effect of drinking in excess.

That‘s compounded when alcohol is consumed in combination with commercial mixers like juices and sodas that are high in sugar. “The common hangover varies person to person, but is rooted in ethanol intake from alcohol which metabolizes as a diuretic, meaning it causes one to ‘break the seal’and release excess vital fluids the body craves to stay hydrated,” TrAshley explains. However, you can slug back a few herbal mocktails and kiss those nasty hangovers goodbye.

TrAshley and her colleague Sarah Wu, Co-Founder of Envision Festival and a Clinical Herbalist, encourage anyone curious to look to no farther than their gardens for mocktail ideas. “Growing your own herbs or sourcing from your yard or farmers market is an empowering feeling and typically costs less over the long term,” Wu suggests. “By doing so, you can familiarize yourself with knowledge of your local environment and use those experiences to connect with friends and neighbors in a fun and interesting way. Plan a mocktail party and invite friends over to help harvest and process herbs before the party as a way to become connected with your food from start to finish.”

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HEALTH

rooftop party invites are in full force. Social obligations seem endless this season, and while each boasts a different guest list and special occasion, there always seems to be one common denominator: booze.

But what if you can’t drink or simply don’t feel like it? Thankfully, sobriety is a look that’s always in, and there has never been a better time to explore an exciting range of herbal mocktails.

Let us not forget that plants can be medicine. With each herbal mocktail, sippers have a keen opportunity to kick-start their health while enjoying something fresh, exotic and delicious.

“Herbal tonics and natural foods do not imply a compromise on flavor, texture or aroma — quite the contrary,” attests Jill TrAshley, Founder of The NOHM Project, an organization whose mission is to encourage conscious consumption and conversation by facilitating experiences steeped in tradition.“By utilizing natural, local and living ingredients you can expand and explore your palate while activating all of your senses.”

TrAshley, a Folk Herbalist and “Village Witch” uses ingredients like Butterfly Pea Flower, Rosemary and Chlorophyll to create tasty guilt-free concoctions. Her herbal expertise can be experienced at The NOHM Elixir Bar at Envision Festival in Uvita, Costa Rica (envisionfestival.com), where infused tonics with exotic ingredient lists are served up to restore, revive and reinvigorate bodies and minds.

This booze-free watering hole is changing the way festival goers interact with one another, one glass at a time.

“The largest benefit I witness when choosing non-alcoholic over alcoholic options is that it simply changes the energy of how you connect with others and yourself while in a social setting,” TrAshley says. “Citrus, for example, is an amazing and familiar genus that is known to alkalize your PH levels and naturally boost your mood.

Hops, on the contrary, is a natural sedative we as herbalists consume to aid in deep uninterrupted sleep.” Knowing this, it’s easy to see how a citrus-infused tonic is the better option for people who plan to engage in lively conversation or high-energy activities like dancing on their big night out, rather than a hop-heavy alternative, like beer.

“Once at home and looking to decompress,” she advises, “you can steep a sleepy time tea boosted with a couple bitter hops flowers to slip into an epic slumber.”

Alcohol isn’t evil — in and of itself. After all, it is a powerful extraction agent that can be used to create the very herbal tinctures that add a healthy punch to tonics and mocktails. “Alcohol, being derived from plants, is also a carrier for driving the medicinal properties of plants deeper into the body on a cellular level,” the herbalist explains.

However, the way average people tend to consume alcohol in social settings deserves a second look: In general, Americans are drinking

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51

Hydration MerTINI

TRASHLEY’S HERBAL APOTHECARY AND TOOLKIT CHECKLIST Tools: • Measuring spoons • Mortar and pestle • Classic bar tools (stir spoon, jigger etc.)

• Glass/Ceramic Drinking Vessels

THIS PAGE: TENLEY SPENCER @ ENVISION FESTIVAL

BODY

HEALTH

Full-proof mocktail apothecary: • Fresh and organic citrus: naturally energizing and alkalizing which helps to elevate your mood and uplift you out of any funk you may find yourself in.

• Local and raw honey: meant to boost your immune system and give you a taste for the bioregion in which you reside • Raw apple cider vinegar: to alkalize the PH levels of your body and assist in digestion and overall well being • Culinary herbs: such as rosemary, sage, lavender, basil, mint, and thyme, for their aromatherapeutic and medicinal properties as well as unique flavors • Base: Think club soda, spring water, ginger beer • Local tinctures (set in alcohol or glycerin), like aromatic bitters, CBD oils, etc.

• Ice

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TRASHLEY’S KICK-ASS MOCKTAIL RECIPES HYDR ATION MERTINI

this page: photo by aVL Dispensary at fLagship eLixir bar in asheViLLe, nC • baCkgrounD stoCk photo CreDit seamartini

Ingredients: • Hydration Martini essential oil blen d (Rosemary and Litsea cubeba): by Essential Oil Wiz ardr y (Check out Dr. Nick Berry’s “Conscious Bartendin g Drops” by visiting essentialoilwizardry.com • Fresh + organic lime • Pink salt by Celtic Sea Salt • Chlorophyll by Herbs Etc. • Club soda • Ice • Mason jar • Spoon + knife • Fresh sprig of Rosemary (optional ) Recipe: 1. Fill a 12 oz mason jar with ice 2. Add 2 drops of “Hydration Mart ini” 3. A healthy pinch of pink salt 4. Fresh squeeze a lime wedge (1/6t h of a lime) and leave the lime wedge in cup 5. Add 1 dropper of chlorophyll 6. Top off with club soda 7. Stir and garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary

ICED MATE LATTE

MOTHER’S MYLK Ingredients: from • Stinging Nettles; dry loose herb s Herb Rose Mountain • Oat Straw; dry loose herb from Mountain Rose Herbs r • Fresh spring water or filtered wate • Mason jar • Spoon • Ice and Lemon (optional) Recipe: electric kettle, let water rest 1. Boil water on the stove top or in for a moment way (3 oz. in volume) with 2. Fill a 32 oz mason jar 1/8 of the

equal parts Nettle + Oat Straw stir contents 3. Fill mason jar with hot water and 6-8 hours on the counter for 4. Rest lid on jar and allow to steep top re, sipping slowly 5. Strain and serve at room temperatu yment or serve chilled enjo al throughout the day for optim n wedge lemo over ice garnished with a fresh mason jar and re-steep your 6. Save the strained contents from your plants with. feed to s in hot water for another 2 hour it is strained a once elixir this Note: Only water plants with erature! temp room to n dow second time and has cooled

Ingredients: • Yerba mate tea bags by Guayaki native nut mylk • Oat Mylk by Oatly! or any alter • Local honey from your region • • • •

Organic Cardamom powder Metal tea strainer Mason jar Measuring spoon

Recipe: electric kettle, 1. Boil water on the stove top or in jar n maso 2. Add 1 tea bag to 12 oz rve nutrients 3. Splash with cool water to help prese water for 3-4 ng) boili not 4. Steep in 4 oz of hot (but minutes stirring to blend 5. Add 1 tablespoon of local honey, 6. Fill mason jar with ice alternative 7. Top off with oat mylk, or other mylk m amo card of dash a 8. Stir and garnish with

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Summer calls us to the shore, but not all beach behavior was created equal.

Check out our guide to staying healthy and happy, while also managing to play well with others. BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES

SOME SAY “SUNSHINE IS THE BEST MEDICINE,” AND AS WE STEP INTO SUMMER, IT’S TEMPTING TO STRIP DOWN AND

HEALTH

jump into the nearest lake, ocean or river. But before you pack up the beach towels and rummage through your cabinets for your favorite sunscreen, it’s important to consider beach etiquette that will help you make the most of your seasonal treks to the shore. If you abide by these simple beach do’s and don’ts, you can stay off anyone’s beach buzzkill list and maximize your fun in the sun.

s CHECK THE BEACH RULES:

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Different beaches have different codes of conduct. If it’s your first time going to a specific beach, check to see if they have a website with established ground rules. This is especially helpful if you’re looking to bring children or animals. With kids in tow, it’s always advised to choose a beach with a lifeguard on duty. Also, many beaches do not allow dogs, and you don’t want to show up with Fido if he’s going to remain tied up in the parking lot. Didn’t check the website? Look for posted rules or ask your fellow sun worshippers. Important: if you’re going to a nude beach, be sure to identify any locations where you’re required to don a suit or cover your crown jewels with a sarong or towel.

This is extremely important: Often the conditions of the water change from day to day. Be sure to look for and read any special advisories before jumping into the water. You never know if the current may be too strong, if riptides are present, or there might be an abundance of bacteria, algae, red tide, sharks or even a colony of jellyfish in the area. If the signs advise against swimming, pay attention! You can probably still slather on that SPF and lay out, but head to a nearby pool if you’re in serious need of dunking.

s BRING A TOWEL: It might seem so simple, but how many times have you seen people arrive at the beach only to realize they’re missing perhaps the most important accessory? If you plan on both swimming and sunbathing it might be a good idea to bring two. You can use one to claim your spot and the other for drying off. (When dry, it also makes a nice comfy beach pillow). An additional towel can come in handy if you want to cover any parts of your body that might have gotten too much sun or need to protect those sensitive areas from the sun’s rays. Plus, if you’re at a nude beach and need to cover anything up in a hurry for (ahem) unplanned reasons, they can come in quite handy.

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s RESPECT THE PERSONAL SPACE OF OTHERS: The shoreline can get crowded, so you might end up close to individuals who aren’t necessarily in or of your party. Be sure to give yourself enough space so you’re not crowding them or interrupting their quiet reading time. Feel free to offer to share in snacks and libation, but avoid crowding or disturbing them.

s HAVE FUN! Let your inner child out, but if everything doesn’t go according to plan, try to roll with it.

THIS PAGE: STOCKPHOTO COPYRIGHT FRANCESCO DIBARTOLO

s WATCH FOR WARNINGS:

s LITTER: A fact sheet from earthday.org points out that over 9.1 billion tons of plastic have been produced since the substance was introduced in the 1950s. Imagine how much of that is now bobbing in the surf, let alone below the waterline. Do all future beachgoers a favor and pick up every single thing you bring with you (including that soda cap you that might have popped off into the sand). If you see someone else’s stray plastic bag, straw or cigarette butt on your walk, pick it up and throw it in a trash can. Be a part of the solution.

s PACK YOUR SPEAKER TO BLAST MUSIC: Sure you have great taste in music, but that doesn’t mean everyone in earshot shares it. Bring your headphones or earbuds, and rock out to Lizzo’s latest hit on your towel. Alternately, why not ditch the beats and let the sounds of waves pounding the shore take you away?

s TAKE PICTURES OF OTHER SUNBATHERS! Okay, we get it. The guy slathering on his tanning lotion may be built like he’s born for InstaFame, but don’t snap his pic — especially if you didn’t ask. While it’s inevitable there might be a stranger photobombing when you’re snapping shots of you and your friends catching rays, it’s important to respect other people’s privacy. This is especially the case when spending time at your local nude beach.

Even if you don’t care if others snap you in your birthday suit, it’s never okay to take nude pictures of without someone’s consent.

s SHAKE IT OFF: Sand happens. We get it on our towels, hats, shoes, socks, all over (and inside) our bodies. Be mindful when shaking your sand off , especially if it’s windy.You don’t want to have to apologize to the cute otter on the other side of your towel. s OVERDO THE PDA: This especially goes for a nude beach.

We are, for the most part, all wearing less than usual (if anything) at the beach. While getting intimate in a public setting might be

hot at the Folsom Street Fair, it’s likely not the done thing at the shore. Be mindful of your surroundings and avoid any unwarranted attention.

s GLARE AT OTHER BEACHGOERS: Yes, we know your eye needs to travel, but seriously: Don’t Be a Creeper! s DON’T FEED THE WILDLIFE: Seagulls shouldn’t be eating Cheetos or the remains of your hot dog. Feeding wild animals ultimately leaves them maladjusted. Shy ones may lose a natural fear that helps to protect them. Others that might appear friendly enough may become a nuisance or turn aggressive. And you certainly don’t want tossing your leftovers to the birds to suddenly mean you’re now starring in a sequel to Alfred Hitchcock’s horror flick of the same name. s SMOKE: Cigarette filters are generally made of cellulose acetate, a plastic that can take well over a decade to break down. While it may seem convenient to get your fix and flick your butt into the water, it’s unkind to ocean life. If you must smoke, keep a respectful distance from other beachgoers, collect any detritus after and place it in the trash.

s RUN: Now we know you want to live your Baywatch fantasy but if you don’t have Pamela Anderson’s experience (and really, who does?) we don’t want you to trip, fall, and hurt yourself. Yes, beach running can be an excellent physical activity for an experienced beach runner. So, if you want to work your way up to getting some mileage along the shore, start in small bursts — of say, 10 or 15 minutes. Take your time and make sure you’re planting your feet as firmly as possible.

Uneven sand poses quite the stability challenge. Note if your hips or knees start protesting — and give them a break.

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What’s in Your Pride Bag?

BODY

HEALTH

If you’re aiming to have the Pride to End All Prides, you’re going to need some grooming supplies. BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES

PRIDE IS UPON US. AND WHILE IN MANY WAYS IT’S THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR, IT COULD ALSO BE ONE OF THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE. DON’T GET US

wrong: We love the rush of rallies, screenings, street fairs and (of course) the March. We live for the dancing, the drag queens, and the Deborah Cox belting out a big, empowering chorus over crowds of shirtless men. What do we don’t love about Pride is constantly feeling like we could really use a shower before that next event. And while sometimes it’s possible to pop into your local gym and freshen up between your stops, it ‘s also a good idea to pack a bag of grooming products to help you to push through the day. There are plenty of worthwhile choices on the market, many of which can fit easily in your shoulder bag, glove compartment or your retro fanny pack. So whether it’s a deodorant or sunscreen you need to reapply most often, here’s a rundown of almost anything you might end up using to make this Pride your freshest yet.

1 )NNERSENSE s $RY 3HAMPOO If your hair is long and luxurious and/or you don’t want to keep it back in a ponytail or a man bun all day, this dry shampoo can help you to let it all hang out. Innersense is a foam to powder dry shampoo that eliminates excess oils, builds body, creates texture and renews second-day hair. What’s in it? Witch hazel, tapioca starch, bitter orange, pullulan, and certified organic honey. This will help your mane shine from morning till night, even if you don’t have time to stop for a shower. $24

We cannot stress this enough: Whether the sun is out in full force or it’s cloudy and overcast, you still absolutely need to protect your skin.

This lightweight invisible daily moisturizer has SPF 35 and all kinds of gentle goodness for your epidermis. It’s fast-absorbing, non-acnegenic and will help to defend you against the sun, climate, and any aggressive pollutants in the air. $34

2 +IEHL S s %YE &UEL

4 LAB SERIES Skincare for Men

Be sure to pay attention when Kiehl’s passes you at the March, as they often pass out samples of extremely useful sunscreen, moisturizers and other useful skincare products. Similarly small but effective is their small, sleek Eye Fuel. It’s both easy to carry and provides an optimal way to ensure your Instagram pictures are on point throughout the day. This men’s eye cream has Caffeine and Vitamin B3, helping to reduce the dark circles and puffiness from yesterday’s tea dance. Not carrying a bag? No problem.

This little tube will fit perfectly in your pocket.

s )NSTANT &ILTER -OISTURIZER

$22.50

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3 LAB SERIES Skincare for Men s $AY 2ESCUE $EFENSE ,OTION Broad Spectrum SPF 35

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Even if you have your outfit all picked out and all of your poses down, you may need a boost to look fabulous with #nofilter. So, if you happen to be staying indoors or exclusively hitting evening events, this non-SPF moisturizer could be the pick for you. Described as offering “perfection without detection”, this daily moisturizer ensures your face will be ready for your closeup. It’s meant to improve the look of your skin by counteracting redness, enhancing brightness, smoothing the skin’s appearance and rebalancing the look and overall tone. $36

5 TAME the BEAST s .UTT "UTTER /RIGINAL TAME the BEAST’s 5mL Nut Butter Original samples are not only a revelation but also a game changer for Pride season. Yes, this is a product designed for when your taint’s misbehaving — a creamy anti-chafe skin and body experience with jojoba, aloe, comfrey root, calendula, chamomile, shea cocoa, mango, rosemary, eucalyptus, lavender and Vitamin E that will leave your skin feeling natural, tingly, and even a little inviting. It’ll help you freshen up down below. $1.50

6 0AULA S #HOICE s ,IPSCREEN

Broad Spectrum SPF 50

How many times have you lathered on the SPF but not considered your lips? And not to get all Carrie Bradshaw about it, but you never know when you might bump into Mr. Big in the crowd.

Want to be ready to purse your lips, pucker up and plant one on him? Make sure your lips are not only moisturized, but also protected from harmful UV rays. This fragrance and flavor-free lip balm has SPF 50, olive oil, jojoba oil, beeswax, theobroma cacao seed butter, and more. Protect those lips for the perfect Pride smooch! $10

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HEALTH

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7 *ACK "LACK s 0IT "OSS !NTIPERSPIRANT $EODORANT When it comes to raising your hands in the air like you just don’t care, sometimes you need something stronger. Jack Black’s Pit Boss Antiperspirant & Deodorant is a gentle (but mighty) roll-up stick that provides maximum odor and sweat control.

The product’s Aluminum Zirconium Tetrachlorohydrex Gly helps to reduce overall underarm wetness while controlling sweat. Additional support comes from hydrating and anti-inflammatory aloe leaf juice and Vitamin E for an extra boost of antioxidant support. Toss this in your gay day bag if you know you’re going be sweating from morning till night. $19

8 5RSA -AJOR

BODY

s %SSENTIAL &ACE 7IPE Need a quick refresh? These individuallywrapped bamboo face wipes will cleanse, exfoliate, soothe and hydrate when you’re on the go. Each bamboo wipe is infused with just the right amount of the Ursa Major 4-in-1 Essential Face Tonic formula.

What’s that incredible scent? Orange, lavender, and fir! Other ingredients include aloe, sugarcane, green tea, willow bark, and birch sap (to reduce redness). One quick wipe can leave you feeling like you’re climbing out of the facial chair. $6.50 -

$45.60

9 %ARTH 4HERAPEUTICS

s 0URIFYING #HARCOAL /IL "LOTTING 3HEETS If you’ve been hearing a lot about charcoal in grooming products these days, there’s a reason: For example, this detoxifying, highly porous, highly absorbent, natural bamboo charcoal will not only remove excess oil but also leave you feeling fresh and shine-free. Blot over sweaty, oily skin to take the problem out of problem spots.

Every package comes with 100 sheets, but the sleek carrying wallet will easily fit in your pocket if you’re hoping to pack light.

$6.99

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TAKE PrEP TO PREVENT HIV PrEP is a safe, daily pill that reduces your risk of HIV. Use condoms to protect against other sexually transmitted infections.

PrEP is available regardless of your ability to pay.

Talk to your doctor or visit nyc.gov/health and search "PrEP."

Health

Bill de Blasio Mayor Oxiris Barbot, MD Commissioner

Health

Bill de Blasio Mayor Oxiris Barbot, MD Commissioner

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BODY

HEALTH

10 Bulldog • Original Deodorant Ever take off that shirt in a crowd only to discover that you’re in need of a refresh?

Bulldog’s Original Deodorant is a simple, clean and long-lasting blend of basic ingredients including aloe vera, camelina oil and green tea. Apply this non-staining product, and it will leave your underarms feeling fresh, comfortable, moisturized and ready to dance your way from the opening act all the way through the afterparty. $7.40

11 Robin McGraw Revelation

• 50 Fierce Broad Spectrum 50+ Moisturizer & Sunscreen Looking for the strongest protection possible? Robin McGraw Revelation’s 50 Fierce Broad Spectrum 50+ Moisturizer & Sunscreen is an ultimate shield against those dangerous midsummer UVA and UVB rays.

Apply (and reapply) 2-3 pumps to your face, neck and any areas that might be exposed to the sun (and the crowds). In addition to SPF 50, this moisturizer has CoQ10, Vitamin C, plankton extract, peptide complex, jojoba, pomegranate extract, white birch, green tea extract and radish root ferment. Keep your skin protected and nourished all day long.

We’re not surprised: when “fierce� is in the name it’s destined to be just that. $42

12 TAME the BEAST

• Nutt Butter Edibles

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1-855 GO-AMIDA (1-855-462-6432) (TTY 711) www.AmidaCareNY.org

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Yes, we know we’ve already talked about the oh-so-space-saving sample size, but once you’ve tried this cheeky moisturizer, you might want to commit to a whole bottle. What makes it so great? It’s billed as the first-ever edible moisturizer for boys.

Food grade ingredients mean you and your partner can moisturize and not worry about where you put your mouth after.

(Wink!) Yummy available flavors include Bourbon Manuka Honey, Peppermintini, or Ale Fresca. Happy Pride, boys! $15

CON EL TRATAMIENTO, ESTOY

listo!

EL TRATAMIENTO CONTINUO DEL VIH TE MANTIENE SALUDABLE. Si sigues un tratamiento y tienes una carga viral indetectable, no transmitirás el VIH. El tratamiento está disponible en Nueva York, independientemente de tu capacidad de pago o estado migratorio.

Envía el mensaje de texto CUIDATE al 877877 para encontrar un proveedor médico, o visita nyc.gov/health y busca “HIV care” (tratamiento del VIH). #UequalsU

Health

Bill de Blasio Alcalde Oxiris Barbot, MD Comisionada

Health

Bill de Blasio Alcalde Oxiris Barbot, MD Comisionada

Oscar at the Crown

7E VE GOT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO ROCK YOUR 7ORLD0RIDE IN .9# PLUS ENOUGH PARTIES TO KEEP YOU PUMPED WELL INTO THE SUMMER BY MEGAN VENZIN OSCAR AT THE CROWN $OLLAR "ILL s /NGOING Even David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust couldn’t handle this much glitter. Oscar at the Crown is set in the bunker of a dystopian future where only the works of Oscar Wilde, reality TV and a spectacular pop score have survived. This immersive musical returns to Brooklyn’s 3 Dollar Bill. theneoncoven.com

QUEENS PRIDE 2019 *ACKSON (EIGHTS s *UNE ND Yasss, Queens! The borough’s 27th Annual Parade and Festival takes place on the ďŹ rst Sunday in June. Since 1993, the wonderfully diverse Jackson Heights neighborhood has played host to this loud and proud celebration, which has evolved into one of the city’s most popular LGBTQ gatherings. Queenspride.org

HARLEM PRIDE 6ARIOUS ,OCATIONS s *UNE Harlem Pride is celebrating its tenth anniversary with a bustling month that includes a Pride Gospel Concert (June 2), a First Fridays social gathering (June 7), a Trans/GNC Appreciation Reception (June 14), a Circle of Life Celebration and Memorial (June 18), plus a Legacy of Pride Award Banquet (June 21), Pride 2019 Celebration Day (June 28) and more. harlempride.org

BROOKLYN PRIDE 6ARIOUS ,OCATIONS s *UNE Hot on the heels of Queens Pride 2019, the

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23rd annual edition of Brooklyn Pride kicks off Monday, June 3. The big ďŹ nale takes shape at the Northeast’s only“Twilight Parade,â€? which steps off near Lincoln Place (Prospect Heights) at 7:30pm on Sunday, June 9. Then keep the party going with high-energy festivities continuing late into the night. If you’re a morning person, consider signing up for the Pride Day 5K, which storms Prospect Park earlier that day. brooklynpride.org

DISCOTECHNIQUE: RAINBOW (OUSE OF 9ES s *UNE Get ready for a bright night out at Brooklyn’s most inclusive venue: House of Yes’ monthly dance party gets a colorful makeover as New Yorkers begin gearing up for Pride week.

Masterful DJs like Yuksek, Musclecars and Rimarkable man the decks as nighttime revelers are transported back to the golden age of disco. Expect a collection of retro-ďŹ tted mirrorball classics and nu selections, all tailored to set the danceoor on ďŹ re. And don’t forget to dress the part in garments spanning the full spectrum of the rainbow. houseofyes.org

FEARLESS *## -ANHATTAN s *UNE Broadway Sings for Pride will host its 9th annual Pride beneďŹ t event,“Fearlessâ€?at the JCC Manhattan’s Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Family Auditorium at 7:30pm. The evening features many of today’s brightest talents offering short speeches, scenes, and performances ranging from Broadway, pop and beyond with proceeds

going to beneďŹ t LGBTQ organizations in the tri-state area. broadwaysingsforpride.com

DIRTY THURSDAY: BORN THIS WAY (OUSE OF 9ES s *UNE Put on your pokerface and head over to House of Yes’s weekly Dirty Thursday dance party because this special edition will keep you on the edge of glory with hits from Lady Gaga. DJs will be spinning her iconic bangers all night long. Buy tickets ASAP to be sure you’re on the right track baby (you were born this way). houseofyes.org

WORLDPRIDE 2019 6ARIOUS ,OCATIONS s *UNE Welcome to the grand ďŹ nale of a month of NYC WorldPride events — slated to be the biggest celebration in NYC’s Pride history. Feeling super? Pride teams up with FlameCon and the LGBTQ nonproďŹ t Geeks Out for #OS0LAY AND 0RIDE at Pier 40 June 22. Whether you want to dress like a hero or villain, monster or alien, zombie or anime character, all you need to know is — you’re invited.

Then it’s time to let the music play June 23 as #HOWABOUTLOVE heads to the JCC Manhattan for its ďŹ fth annual concert. This time, the theme is 9EARS OF $IVAS and will feature Broadway performers including Janet Krupin (If/Then, Bring It On), Will Bellamy, Magdiel Cabral and many more. The concert celebrates the powerful women who have added their voices to the LGBTQ movement

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over the past five decades.

Next, get serious with a Human Rights Conference at New York Law School June 24–25. Featuring luminaries from activists to allies, policymakers to performers, educators to experts, this annual conference has become an international gathering of the world’s most dedicated LGBTQ activists discussing issues regarding human rights around the globe.

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Renowned entertainer and humanitarian Whoopi Goldberg will host the Opening Ceremony of the United States’ very first WorldPride gathering at Barclays Center June 26. The centerpiece of the ceremony: a special benefit concert showcasing pop and R&B stars Cyndi Lauper, Chaka Khan and Ciara doing what they do best. Proceeds are earmarked for the Ali Forney Center, Immigration Equality and SAGE, three organizations that play a pivotal role in supporting a variety of LGBTQ populations in New York City.

Please, sir, may I have some more?

Following rave reviews, Savor Pride - a unique food-forward fundraiser featuring LGBTQ chefs and allies - returns for its second year June 28. Find it at God’s Love We Deliver (GLWD) headquarters, where food lovers and friends will get a rare opportunity to sample gourmet goodies and watch cooking demonstrations led by celebrity chefs. Stick around for decadent tastings and a chance to mingle with the culinary masters. Proceeds will benefit GLDW’s efforts to provide nutrition to

the severely ill in the form of medically tailored, fresh-cooked meals.

Then on June 28 from 6–9pm, it’s time for The Rally: Stonewall 50 Commemoration.

The original rally happened only a month after the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. A candlelight vigil was later added to commemorate fallen activists and instill hope for the future. Fifty years later, the LGBTQ community is keeping this tradition alive, with a reminiscent demonstration at the historic corner of Christopher St. & Waverly Place. Join in and make your voice heard at this empowering, free event.

Pride Island brings a weekend of wonders June 29-30. Legendary model, actress and chanteuse Grace Jones will serve up a live performance at this year’s extravaganza. Set against the sparkling Hudson Bay on Pier 97.

Pride Island has become the destination for music lovers during Pride weekend. Also appearing at this year’s open-air event are Brazilian drag icon Pablo Vittar, Afro-Latina pop-star Amara La Negra and tech-house DJ, Johnny Dynell. Tickets for both Saturday and Sunday are already sold

THIS PAGE: PHOTO CREDIT CHRIS LAVADO

out, but ask around: you never know who’s got an extra to spare.

Before or after the Pride March, swing by the Big Apple’s sprawling LGBTQ street fair. PrideFest will feature exhibitors, live performances and activities for folks of all ages.

It’s certain to attract visitors from around the globe this year, making it a perfect place to make new friends, nosh on eclectic street food and snatch up your share of memorabilia.

Since 1970, the last Sunday in June has been the day for members of the LGBTQ community to band together and fill the streets in the name of equality. This year, we’ll do the same - bigger and better than ever - as we also celebrate NYC WorldPride, which marks 50 years since the historic Stonewall Uprising. Get ready to pound the pavement as the NYC Pride March launches from Manhattan’s Flatiron District (26th St. and 5th Ave). The March steps off at noon on June 30 and will feature more than 550 groups winding their way through the cheering throngs of Chelsea and the West Village. For more, visit metrosource.com/worldprideguide or worldpride.org.

MOMA PS1 WARM-UP 2019 Long Island City • Begins July 6 Do you dig live music? Do you melt for modern art? Wondering if there’s somewhere you can get the best of both worlds? Snag tickets to the MoMA PS1 Warm-Up Series. Every Saturday in July and August, arts enthusiasts convene in LIC for a day of multi-disciplinary bliss. MoMA PS1’s majestic courtyard will be once again transformed for the summer into an amazing immersive art installation. Here, guests can enjoy craft cocktails and gourmet bites while experiencing the museum’s art exhibitions and also dance the afternoon away to live performances from popular bands, vocalists and DJs. Past highprofile guests include Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Dubstep sensation Skrillex, and DMC World Champion turntablist, A-Trak. moma.org

upscale picnic, guests can enjoy sets from top tier artists like world-renowned producer and DJ Mark Ronson, French house maestro Breakbot, and electro-funk duo Chromeo. This year promises a bigger and better experience at its new Randall’s Island home, which will provide an expanded VIP pool area, a gourmet food court, frozen cocktails, craft ciders and (of course) everyone’s favorite pink summer refreshment!

Stay cool in your all-white dress code, and don’t forget to stick around for a memorable sunset fireworks display. pinknic.com ■

PINKNIC FESTIVAL Randall’s Island • July 19th-20th Take a refreshing sip of summer at the Pinknic Festival, a two-day music and arts event where rosé is always the top-billed headliner. At this

Pinknic Festival

Friday, June 28th NYC WorldPride

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NEW YORK

HOMEE

COLOR COMMENTARY

Somewhere between a full-on-rainbow concoction and a vast expanse of white space lies the perfect amount of color for your home. BY DEBORAH L. MARTIN CHOOSING COLORS FOR YOUR LIVING SPACES CAN BE A DAUNTING TASK. IT’S

one that often ends with,“Oh let’s just go with the eggshell white, then.”

But it doesn’t have to be that way: Even if you are nervous about illuminating your bedroom in saturated magenta, there are ways to experiment with color that don’t involve you breaking down sobbing in the paint department of Home Depot, wondering: “IS MUSHROOM A COOL OR WARM COLOR? AND DOES IT GO WITH EGGPLANT?!”

That said, exploring paint options is certainly one way to add color, and the experts at British luxury paint company Farrow & Ball have some wise words when it comes to choosing a new look: The company is renowned for its saturated, super-pigmented colors with intriguing names: (Sulking Room Pink and Dead Salmon are personal favorites). Their best advice? Consider your compass. Factors such as time of day, quality of light, and time of year can affect how colors appear on your walls. However, the most important element is whether your rooms face north, south, east, or west. Rooms that are north-facing tend to have cooler light and more shadow, so avoid grays or greens and opt for warmer colors. An al-

ternative for rooms with northern exposure is to embrace that coolness.

In that case, you’ll want to go with something deep and dark to create a cocoon of coziness. At the other end of the spectrum, a south-facing room will be drenched in light from daybreak to sundown. Choose softer tones like blush pink or pale blue to both embrace the light but also tone down the brightness when it might otherwise become too harsh. See the Farrow & Ball helpful website with suggestions for every room in the house.

Remember: paint is not your only option. Adding paper or tile to a nook or backsplash can add an accent of color without making a design commitment to an entire room. Wallpapers have changed dramatically over recent years. (This is not your mother’s dining room floral!) Digital printed patterns on removable vinyl papers can add visual interest that looks and feels modern, but is also temporary enough to change when the mood strikes. Ready for Technicolor? Try a wall covering like Cole & Son’s Prism paper, from their Geometric II collection.

While white is often the default color for a kitchen or bath, an infusion of color might be just what the doctor ordered. Color can enhance emo-

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this page: (left) courtesy farrow and ball • (right) courtesy benjamin moore. opposite page: (left) courtesy mitzi • (right) courtesy cole and sons

Benjamin Moore Fruit Shake

Farrow and Ball Bancha

Leigh 4-Light Mini Pendant in Marigold, Mint and Pink

tional well being, and there’s no better place to do that — whether it’s a room that is all about washing your cares away or revving up for the day with your morning coffee. In a white kitchen, why not spice things up with a bright orange or red tile backsplash? And tile is not just for the kitchen and bath anymore. Companies like Casa Ceramica offer geometrics like Ornamenta Opera Decó, a suite of tiles that comes in panels and can be assembled to create a color-saturated art deco feature wall in any room.

In the bath, fixtures like tubs, toilets and sinks now come in every different hue as well. Lighting and accessories can also satisfy your urge to splurge in color without requiring a major investment. An otherwise all-white bath can easily be rejuvenated with a cheerful, bright marigold or soft pink pendant lantern like the Leigh Lantern by Mitzi. Don’t be afraid to experiment with accessories, and even art or sculpture. Accent pieces are a great way to dip your toe in color before diving into the deep end, as they can be easily switched out or removed the moment you change your mind.

That’s simple truism about most things décor: You should try a series of experiments with touches of color that appeal before committing to a full complement of cherry red appliances or a room full of over the top wall coverings. You can always continue to add splashes and pops of color, until you finally arrive at your own personal saturation point.

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Cole and Sons Prism Paper

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Each case is individually underwritten, and not everyone will qualify.

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Mansion on Delaware

Hotel Henry

PUTTING A RING ON IT

Old Fort Niagara

WEDDINGS

HONEYMOONING FALLING FOR NIAGARA AFTER A LAVISH WEDDING, THE LAST THING YOU

NEW YORK

might want is 24 hours on a plane. In that case, a honeymoon, or even a “minimoon,” to Niagara Falls makes a perfect getaway. Nearby Buffalo also offers abundant art and great food.

The ultra-luxurious Mansion on Delaware Avenue - commonly referred to as "The House of Light" — boasts 28 gorgeous rooms, 24-hour butler service and glorious, Second Empire architecture renovated with modern elegance.

Hotel Henry is spread across the 145-year-old Richardson Olmsted Campus, a National Historic Landmark. The meticulously designed 42 acres was initially designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York City’s Central Park and the campuses of Wellesley College, Smith College and Stanford University. Staying on the Canadian side of the falls? Head to The Hazelton, Toronto’s first luxury boutique hotel in the heart of Yorkville. The property was designed by the internationally renowned firm of Yabu Pushelberg and offers 77 luxury rooms and suites. Have an intimate dinner at Mark McEwan’s renowned ONE Restaurant or indulge in a treatment at the blissful Spa By Valmont (and be sure to take a dip in their incredible indoor saltwater pool).

Rainbow Air, Inc. Helicopter Tours, considered the “limousine to the sky” offers sweeping views of the Falls' majestic beauty. For a closer look, Hornblower Niagara Tours offers the “Full Mist Experience” on the “Voyage to the Falls Boat Tour," a formal sail to the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and the Niagara Gorge. Or take in the falls from 775 feet above

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in the Skylon Tower. Dine with a view at the Revolving Dining Room Restaurant or Summit Suite Buffet Dining Room. Admission to the Ride-to-the-Top and Observation Decks are free for anyone dining at either restaurant.

Wine lovers should check out The Niagara Wine Trail, with wineries and attractions stretching across Niagara, Orleans and Monroe counties. The moderate climate, local soil, dolomitic limestone and gravel silts near the Ontario lakeshore make the area optimal for wines like Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Vidal Blanc.

Architecture lovers are in for a treat as Buffalo has seven Frank Lloyd Wright structures including the Martin House, Graycliff, a boathouse, mausoleum, filling stations and two private residences. Couples can enjoy a lovely afternoon at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the vibrant arts institute at the heart of Buffalo’s cultural district since 1862. Stroll hand in hand through the collection, which includes pieces by the likes of Degas, Gauguin, Monet, Renoir, Kahlo, Matisse, and Picasso. Also venture out to the creative neighborhood of Allentown next for the gallery walk experience. And take time to pop into 464 Gallery where local artists show and sell their work.

History buffs should definitely head over to Old Fort Niagara, rising up out of the head of the Niagara River with structures dating back to 1726. If artifacts, demonstrations and historical costumed re-enactors are your jam, it offers a step back to life on the Niagara Frontier during the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Back in Toronto, New World Wine Tours, an IGLTA-member, offers boutique wine experiences from Toronto to Niagara and Prince Ed-

THIS PAGE: MANSION ON DELAWARE CREDIT KIM SMITH • HOTEL HENRY CREDIT KIM SMITH • OLD FORT NIAGARA CREDIT RHEAANNA CASTLE

We honeymoon around the Niagara falls region and recommend some question-popping pieces. Plus, news from the global march toward marriage equality. BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES

ward County, specializing in unique food and drink tours in Toronto. Their four main tours include Cozy in the County (great for couples), Cool Climate Wines of Niagara, Cuvee Grand Tasting Tour in Niagara, Ice Wine Tours and Wine Tasting with CMS Sommelier. Going on your own? A few recommended wineries include Hernder Estate Wines, Vineland Estates Winery and Henry of Pelham.

But Toronto date ideas go way beyond just the falls and vino. SPIN Toronto is a 12,000 square foot ping-pong social club in the heart of downtown Toronto. St. Lawrence Market is considered one of the greatest markets in the world, sprawling across three main buildings. Culture seekers have to check out Casa Loma, an over the top Gothic Revival mansion and garden in midtown. Take a tour and even brunch like a royal at this outstanding location where films like X-Men, Chicago, as well as Disney’s 2017 Beauty and the Beast were filmed. Take in exceptional exhibitions at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) or meander

through more than 95,000 works of art at the Art Gallery of Ontario, including the Thomson Collection of 350-plus years of ship models and an expansive collection of Canadian art. Be sure to check out the swank new Museum of Contemporary Art, which recently moved into a 55,000 square foot purpose-designed home in a former industrial space.

The Distillery District, which opened in 2003, is a reimagined collection of Victorian Industrial buildings - now a popular group of galleries, stores, studios, restaurants, cafes and theatres. Swing by specialty shops like Akroyd Furniture, Dish Studio, and Leif Benner for a one-of-a-kind gift or memento. Check out galleries like Beauchamp Art Gallery, All in the Wind, Corkin and Thompson Landry or take in a live performance at Soulpepper, Dancemakers, or The Young Centre for the Performing Arts. Hungry? There’s no shortage of restaurants in the Distillery District.

Cluny, El Catrin, and Mill St. Brewpub are three hotspots in the area.

AISLE ADVICE A NICE RING TO IT In heteronormative relationships, it's status quo for the husband-to-be to choose a ring, take a knee and pop the question. But what about the rest of us? While there’s no clear protocol for engaygements, it’s important to work with your partner to chat about what makes the most sense for both of you. If you’ve reached the point in your relationship where you want to seize the moment and propose then we say: seize that moment! There are plenty of outstanding jewelers to choose from, but with options ranging from simple bands glittering gems, how do you decide?

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but are they a boy's? That’s up to your partner, and hopefully you know their tastes. Would he/ she/they feel most excited to open a box and see a cluster of sparkles winking back? Plan accordingly. Tiffany & Co., with is renowned little blue box, is the industry standard. For over 180 years, Tiffany & Co. has led an im-

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Efva Attling

activism. The company has also offered a variety of special celebrity charity auction rings designed by stars like Kathy Griffin, Melissa Rivers, Tori Spelling, Perez Hilton, Travis Wall and others. Proceeds from these special rings went to organizations like the POINT Foundation, the Human Rights Campaign, LAMBDA Legal, NO H8, GLSEN, the Trevor Project, and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Swedish jewelry designer Efva Attling, the leading jewelry designer in Scandinavia, landed on the OUT 100 list after designing a wide array of rings engraved“From here to eternity”for the winners of the "Love Is in the Air" competition with SAS Scandinavian Airlines back in 2010.

Efva was just eleven years old when she created her first piece of jewelry. She was discovered by Eileen Ford, founder of Ford Models at age 17 and formed the pop group “X-models” before founding her jewelry company in 1996.You can find her rings, necklaces and more at a over 20 retailers across the United States. Her sleek, strong, gold and silver lines with dashes of diamonds or blue topaz will surely dazzle any spouse-to-be. One smart Attling choice is her Now or Never ring, which she recommends for a long lasting love or a brand new crush. "Maybe you met someone years ago and are now discovering you’re right for each other. Maybe you met yesterday," she says. Other suggestions include the High & I Love You and Irregular rings.

Attling explains that “all of my engagement

Proposition Love

and wedding jewelry is inspired by love. It’s a fantastic feeling to design jewelry for such an important time in a person’s life. This is the moment of great hope for an everlasting love.”

WED IN THE WORLD IOWA Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s will be the first major presidential candidate in a same-sex marriage.

If elected, Buttigieg wouldn’t necessarily be the first gay man in the White House (we may never knows for sure about “Honest Abe" and others), but he would definitely be the first to bring a husband. Buttigieg married Chasten Glezman, a junior high school teacher, in South Bend, Indiana in June of 2018.

JAPAN Human Rights Watch and the United Nations have urged Japan to discontinue its requirement for members of the trans community to be sterilized before their gender is changed in legal documents. In order for trans couples to wed, Japanese law demands both sterilization and diagnosis of a mental disorder. Although homosexuality has been legal in Japan since 1880 and gay couples have sued for the right for marriage equality, Japan still denies them the same rights as heterosexual spouses. Japan remains the only country in the G7 that doesn’t allow or acknowledge same-sex marriage. The G7 countries, who have the world's seven most

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pressive pack of jewelers both nationally and worldwide. The color Tiffany Blue was chosen by founder Charles Lewis Tiffany for the cover of Blue Book, Tiffany’s annual collection of handcrafted jewels (first published in 1845).

The hue - also considered “robin’s egg blue” or“forget-me-not blue”- was chosen because of the popularity of the turquoise gemstone in 19th century jewelry. Simply unveiling the little blue box is bound to raise eyebrows.

But there’s nothing like the total experience of walking into a Tiffany's store where you can get a glimpse at rare stones and stunning pieces. While there are plenty to decide from, some classics include the Milgrain Wedding Band Ring, the Tiffany Classic wedding band ring (with or without a diamond), and (for something flashier) the Tiffany T Two Narrow Ring.

Proposition Love, founded by designers Sam Street and Jonathan Tack, is a fine jewelry company focused on creating wedding rings, fashion rings, and bracelets inspired by gay rights and marriage equality for all. Street and Tack were married on October 30, 2008 at San Francisco City Hall. A few days after their wedding, Proposition 8 passed and overturned the California Supreme Court’s decision to allow same-sex marriage. After same-sex marriage became legal in New York on June 23, 2011 the couple were inspired to become part of the marriage equality/gay rights movement.

Proposition Love's design team incorporated a triangle into almost every design as a symbol of the gay rights movement. They continue to donate 10 percent of their profits to organizations supporting Marriage Equality, Gay Rights, LGBT Youth, Anti Bullying, and HIV/AIDS

Yachts for All Seasons advanced economies, have met annually since 1975 to discuss economic policy. We believe the other six (the U.S., France, Canada, Germany, Italy, and the U.K.) should not condone Japan's continued intolerance.

NEW YORK CNN anchor Don Lemon announced his engagement to partner Tim Malone on Instagram by sharing a picture of the ring and how husband-to-be Malone proposed to him writing, “He gave me a present on his birthday. How could I say no?” The picture showed two customized dog tags at the collar of their pets. The collars read “Daddy, will you marry Papa?”The couple has been together since 2016.

In related news, fashion designer Marc Jacobs married Char Defrancesco at a lavish (but intimate) affair that boasted a guest list featuring the likes of Kate Moss, Chloe Sevigny, Frank Ocean, Rita Ora, Lil’ Kim, Bette Midler, Debbie Harry, Naomi Campbell, and others.

The starry evening took place on April 6 at The Grill in NYC. Jacobs wrote on Instagram,“God is in the details,” showing off a pair of Art Deco Diamond and Onyx Penguin pins. The couple became engaged with the assistance of a flash mob at a Chipotle restaurant back in 2018.

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

TAIWAN Lovebirds and allies in Taiwan are throwing an enormous banquet to celebrate the legalization of same-sex marriage on May 24. Taiwan will become the first Asian country to legalize samesex marriages. On May 24, 2017, the Constitutional Court of Taiwan declared Taiwan’s marriage at the time law unconstitutional based on grounds of discrimination and gave parliament two years to amend it to include same-sex couples.

VERMONT This past April, Vermont celebrated the 10-year anniversary of an historic vote when the state passed its marriage equality law. On Friday, April 3 of 2009, 95 members of the House voted to pass the bill (which Governor Jim Douglas vetoed). A few days later, the Senate overrode the veto and history was made. The Marriage Equality Act became a 2009 Vermont state law which legalized officiating marriages between same-sex couples in the state. The law officially went into effect on September 1 of 2009.

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ART AFTER

April 24 - July 21

1969-1989

April 24 -July 20

Adam Rolston, I Am Out Therefore I Am, 1989, © and courtesy the artist.

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HOUSE OF YES HOUSE OF YES

WHAT DO AERIAL DANCERS, DRAG QUEENS AND

world class DJs have in common? Besides their ability to capture an audience, you can ďŹ nd them all at House of Yes, the performance arts space at the corners of Jefferson Street and Wyckoff Avenue in Bushwick.

Inclusivity and consent are de rigueur at this multiple-room venue, which hosts rotating slate of unique programming including sexy circus theatre shows, interactive poetry slams, nights that celebrate vogue dancing, and electronic music sets stacked with high proďŹ le artists drenched in projection

mapped visuals and taken to the next level by the costumed revelers in attendance. “One of our core missions is radical selfexpression, which deďŹ nitely resonates with the queer and drag communities in Brooklyn,â€? says Marketing Director Jacqui Rabkin. “Costuming, turning a look and being the most fabulous version of oneself imaginable is especially empowering for queer folks who are sometimes forced to hide or diminish their identities in family or workrelated environments.â€? Weekly costume-required parties are a haven where lovers of all things fabulous may amplify their essences in sensational themes like Glitter and Retro Disco. Others seek to show some skin at the nightspot’s recurring “House of Loveâ€? party, which features fetish looks and a call to ‘go

outside your norms and embrace the full spectrum of gender and sexual possibilities.’ “Our staff consciously books genderuid, gay, lesbian, and trans performers and DJs so that our audience can be face-to-face with queer artists on a nightly basis,â€?Rabkin wants to say. Among their resident artists: Sammy Jo, a DJ who believes that House of Yes has greatly expanded his own attempts to reach a broader the community. “Every time I play there, I feel a deep sense of trust between myself and the patrons,â€? says the artist.“If anyone from House of Yes asks you to DJ, drop everything and do it. Take off from your other gig that night; call in sick the next day - Do whatever you must! This place is important and you want to be a part of it in any way possible.â€? â–

NEW YORK

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2 Wyckoff Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11237 Hours vary INFO HOUSEOFYES ORG s HOUSEOFYES ORG

NY HOTSHOPS

If you’re looking for a scene where you can experience singular sights and sounds in a space that celebrates inclusivity, we have one word for you: Yes. BY MEGAN VENZIN

Nestled between the Big Apple and the City of Brotherly Love, visit Bucks County, Pennsylvania for riverside charm, scenic main streets, trendy lodging and farm-fresh cuisine. Ĺś $.$/Ĺľ0 &. š b ƒ 3+'*- $)Ĺľ0 &. *

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BAR SOURCE Edited by Jeffrey James Keyes

CHELSEA

FLAMING SADDLES

BARRACUDA This Chelsea lounge features cool music and cute crowds plus 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

When they’re not mixing up vodka sodas in glass steins, bartenders jump up on the bar to do choreographed boot-scootin’ to Achy Breaky-type tunes at this one-of-a-kind tavern. 793 Ninth Ave. at 53rd St., NYC 212-713-0481. flamingsaddles.com/nyc

HARDWARE

A big gay sports bar with flat-screens showing sports, pool tables, a smoking patio, a pizza oven and hot bartenders. 37 W. 20th St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves., NYC 212-624-5942. boxersnyc.com

Cheap drinks fill the front bar and fun tunes fill the dance floor at this easy-breezy neighborhood haunt. In the summer, a garage door swings up, letting the scene spill onto the street. 697 Tenth Ave between 47th and 48th Sts., NYC 212-924-9885. hardware-bar.com

THE EAGLE

INDUSTRY

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

GYM This sports bar has games on TV, a pool table and a basement dugout. 167 Eighth Ave. between 18th and 19th Sts., NYC 212337-2439. gymsportsbar.com

OSCAR WILDE Acclaimed mixologist Johnny Swet ironically sets this clever cocktail lounge and gastropub at the former headquarters of NYC’s Bureau of Prohibition as a glorious tribute to Ireland’s great writer. 45 W. 27th St. at Sixth Avenue., NYC 212-213-3066. oscarwildenyc.com

REBAR

This capacious venue features couch-filled nooks, a game room with a pool table and an industrial design that’s a nod to its parking-garage past. 355 W. 52nd St. between Eighth and Ninth Aves., NYC 646-476-2747. industry-bar.com

9TH AVENUE SALOON

This decades-old neighborhood fixture attracts tourists, locals and Broadway professionals 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 spills out onto the sidewalk at this lounge, which is known for spinning pop and dance tunes. 405 W. 51st St. at Ninth Ave., NYC 212-957-2222. poshbarnyc.com

This sexy Chelsea hangout (where G Lounge used to be) has a industrial décor, a hot staff, and draws all kinds of men (especially local muscle bears). 225 W. 19th St. between Seventh and Eighth Aves., NYC 212-929-1085. rebarchelsea.com

RISE BAR

EAST VILLAGE

THE RITZ BAR & LOUNGE

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

CLUB CUMMING Alan Cumming’s swank performance-based club invites everyone to a sassy throwback to a Berlin nightclub where anything goes, including (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 in search of debauched shenanigans. They draw an elite crowd of naughty thrillseekers and nightlife glitterati. 29 Second Ave. between First and Second Sts., NYC

NOWHERE Ultra-mellow East Villager with distressed rustic 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 video games, a pool table, a jukebox and a diverse crowd in an exposed-brick space as uncomplicated as its vibe. 447 E. 13th St. at Ave. A., NYC 212-477-9979. hoenixbarnyc.com

HELL’S KITCHEN/MIDTOWN WEST ATLAS SOCIAL CLUB With celebs like Andy Cohen, Anderson Cooper and Cher making cameos, who wouldn’t want to see this star bar? 753 9th Ave. between 50th and 51st Sts., NYC 212-262-8527. atlassocialclub.com

BARRAGE This Hell’s Kitchen lounge entices with a nightly happy hour from 11 to midnight. 401 W. 47th St. at Ninth Ave., NYC 212-586-9390

BOXERS HK The HK clone of the gay sports bar features a large ground floor, a basement game room “Dog Pound,” and spacious rooftop patio.

742 Ninth Ave. at 50th St., NYC 212-951-1518. boxersnyc.com

FAIRYTAIL LOUNGE Glittery centaurs and other enchanted-forest motifs distinguish this way-west lounge. 500 W. 48th St. between Tenth and Eleventh Aves., NYC 646-648-3897

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Three of the kings of nightlife joined forces for a fabulous yet unpretentious watering hole right in the middle of the bustling HK bar scene. 859 9th Avenue., NYC 646-892-3313. risebarnyc.com This upscale boy boîte boasts plenty of places to perch on multiple levels inside and out. 369 W. 46th St. at Ninth Ave., NYC 212-3332554. ritzbarandlounge.com

THERAPY

The beautifully designed, modern duplex draws a fierce crowd to performances by legendary entertainers like Showbiz Spitfire Paige Turner’s infamous Sunday night Slurp. 348 W. 52nd St. between Eighth and Ninth Aves., NYC 212-397-1700. therapy-nyc.com

VODKA SODA/BOTTOMS UP

The fun, two bar, two story neighborhood hangout is luring all of the cutest boys out from every nook and cranny of NYC. 315 W 46th St., NYC 212-969-0460

EAST SIDE THE TOOL BOX

This two-level dive bar hosts dance parties with a DJ and cute gogo boys on Friday and Saturday nights on the main floor, while the downstairs is a cozier lounge. 1742 Second Ave., between 90th and 91st Sts., NYC 212-348-1288. thetoolboxnyc.com

THE TOWNHOUSE

Two levels of mature gents and their fans sway to dance tracks or 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

This effervescent lounge revolves around live entertainment at the piano. 139 E. 45th St. between Third and Lexington Aves., NYC 212-661-9097. unclecharliesnyc.com

UPTOWN BOXERS WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

Even-further-uptown iteration of the gay sports bar boasts one of the city’s best happy hours, and those famously boxers-clad bartenders. 3820 Broadway (159th St.), 917-675-6884; boxersnyc.com

WEST VILLAGE CUBBYHOLE Called home by the local lesbian crowd (with a few gay boys usually thrown in for good measure), this small, unpretentious West Village bar features a capricious décor heavy on the 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 between bouts of serving. Upstairs is a more traditional boy bar and a room that books cabaret acts. 61 Christopher St. at Seventh Ave. South, NYC 212-255-5438. theduplex.com

THE HANGAR Neighborhood bar where a diverse crowd grooves to classic tunes.

115 Christopher St. between Bleecker and Hudson Sts., NYC 212-627-2044

HENRIETTA HUDSON Jam-packed lesbian club/lounge with a multicultural crowd that’s gay-boy friendly. 438 Hudson St. at Morton St., NYC 212-9243347.henriettahudson.com

JULIUS’ Once the Village’s oldest continuously operating bar went gay in the 1950s, it would go on to become the city’s oldest gay bar - an ideal place for cheap drinks, burgers and fries. 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 A Sheridan Square stalwart where mature men and their admirers sing along to favorite show tunes upstairs while a heavily Latino crowd jams to the dance tracks on the floor downstairs. 80 Grove St. at Seventh Ave. South, NYC 212-924-3558. monsterbarnyc.com

PIECES Shake to retro dance tracks or at the antics of drag queens at this longtime West Villager, where Adele and J-Law stopped by. 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 fistpumping soundtrack and cheap drinks. 185 Christopher St. at Weehawken St., NYC. rockbarnyc.com

STONEWALL Daddies, faux thugs, and girls who like girls rule the roost at this two-story birthplace of gay pride. Every night of the week offers a different theme. 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

BROOKLYN EXCELSIOR Park Slope hotspot popular for its great jukebox, garden and outrageously named drinks. 563 Fifth Ave. at 16th St., Park Slope, Brooklyn 718-832-1599. excelsiorbrooklyn.com

MACRI PARK Enjoy the cozy interior or snag a spot at a picnic table out back at Metropolitan’s sister bar. 462 Union Ave,. Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 718- 599-4999, macripark.com

METROPOLITAN

SUITE

This lounge attracts with leopard-print lamps, leather banquettes and the drag stars on the small stage. 992 Amsterdam Ave. between 109th and 110th Sts., NYC 212-222-4600. suitenyc.com

Find friendly staff and eclectic entertainment inside and a sprawling patio out back at one of Williamsburg’s original gay bars. 559 Lorimer St. at Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn NYC 718599-4444. metropolitanbarny.com

WEST END LOUNGE

THE ROSEMONT NYC

Columbia boys, drag queens, 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

Sexy mixed Williamsburg cocktail bar with a great happy hour and fun weekly entertainment - not to mention plenty of places to perch outdoors. 63 Montrose Ave., Brooklyn, NYC 347-987-3101. therosemontnyc.com

TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

FORM AN UNBREAKABLE UNION Book your stay at

RESTAURANT BITES Edited by Jeffrey James Keyes

CHELSEA

GRAMERCY PARK/FLATIRON DISTRICT

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. In warm weather, the sidewalk becomes one of the sexiest spots in town. 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 fabulous 40’s nightclub El Morocco. Whether it’s a burger, a hearty salad, some down to Earth comfort food, or just an after work cocktail with friends Elmo is always a quality hotspot where you’ll likely run into a familiar face.156 Seventh Ave. between 19th and 20th Sts., NYC 212-337-8000. elmorestaurant.com

THE PARK

There’s something very ski chalet about this restaurant, serving American and Mediterranean cuisine in a sprawling space. There’s a large patio and, after dinner, the entire venue becomes a party.

118 Tenth Ave. between 17th and 18th Sts., NYC 212-352-3313. theparknyc.com

SALINAS

Tapas go upscale at this Spanish restaurant where the fare highlights regional specialties and the luxurious setting features blue velvet chairs, limestone walls and art glass galore. The lovely tapas bar and main dining room are augmented by a charming garden that’s good for all seasons, thanks to its retractable glass roof and fireplace.

136 Ninth Ave. between 18th and 19th Sts., NYC 212-776-1990. salinasnyc.com

TAO DOWNTOWN

BLUE SMOKE

Barbeque meets a jazz at Danny Meyer’s casual Flat Iron hotspot.

The restaurant, inspired by America’s regional barbecue traditions, is named after the curl of tinted smoke that rises out of perfectly smoked meat. Pop in for dinner before heading upstairs to hear live jazz at the upstairs Jazz Standard. 116 E. 27th St. between Park and Lexington Ave. NYC 212-447-7733. bluesmoke.com

BOQUERIA FLATIRON

At this Spanish tapas destination, the casualness of a Barcelona cerveceria is invoked with barstools set around raised tables, elevated banquettes and a communal table in the rear. The tapas are, while authentic, completely adventurous. 53 W. 19th St. at Sixth Ave., NYC 212-255-4160. boqueriarestaurant.com

CRAFT NEW YORK

Opened by Tom Colicchio in 2001, this Gramercy go-to has launched popular restaurants across the company. It won the James Beard for Best New Restaurant when it first opened, and Colicchio was nabbed another for Best Chef in 2010. Choose from the a la carte menu or splurge on the seven-course tasting extravaganza. 43 E. 19th St. between Park and Broadway NYC., 212-780-0880. craftrestaurant.com

SAXON + PAROLE

A name referencing two racehorses explains this NoHo hot spot’s stable-chic decor, which was designed by AvroKO. Chef Brad Farmerie helms the grill, turning out upscale, eclectic spins on meat and seafood. There’s also a “secret” bar, dubbed Madam Geneva, accessible only to diners and only through the restaurant. 316 Bowery at Bleecker St., NYC 212-254-0350. saxonandparole.com

VESELKA

Nightlife legends dine beside eclectic locals at this Ukrainian comfort food staple after wild times in the East Village. Handmade Pierogies have been the star at this restaurant, which is open 24/7 and comes in handy if you’re looking for a late night bite. 144 2nd Ave. at 9th St., NYC 212-228-9682. veselka.com

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FIKA TOWER CAFÉ & BAKERY Fika prides itself on sourcing the finest coffee beans, roasting them to perfection, and creating the most delicious savory and sweet foods we can imagine. Their menu, rooted in Swedish heritage and flavors is luring New Yorkers back into coffee shops for a café lifestyle almost forgotten. Fika has seventeen locations in NYC but this Hell’s Kitchen haunt with it’s rotating cast of characters and frequent events like The PlayGround Experiment make it worth a stop as well as a few refills. 824 10th Ave. at 55th St., NYC 646-4907650. fikanyc.com

HELL’S KITCHEN

HUASCAR & COMPANY BAKESHOP

HARLEM

You may recognize Dominican-born Chef Huascar Aquino from the Food Network. He won Cupcake Wars in 2013 and was a contestant on Chopped in 2018. Now, he offers cupcakes, brownies, cookies, cheesecakes, flan, French macarons, coconut macaroons, brigadeiros and custom cakes in a small but mighty bakery serving delicious Latin American and Caribbean inspired treats 453 W 54th St, NYC 212-933-1041. hbake.com

Danny Meyer’s creative American emporium (as famous for its relaxed service as its award-winning wine list) never fails to please.

Meals can be enjoyed in the formal dining room or in the easier-onthe-wallet Tavern Room. 42 E. 20th St. between Broadway and Park Ave. South, NYC., 212-477-0777. gramercytavern.com

LIDO HARLEM

The restaurant at the Lower East Side’s new cinema is inspired by the great studio eateries from Hollywood’s golden age. This one includes a swank lobby bar, restaurant bar, and private dining room with snacks like burrata, panzanella, and Chicken Paillard. 7 Ludlow Street between Hester and Canal St., NYC 212-660-0312. metrograph.com

The tiny space packs a big punch with low-priced Mexican street food, tumblers of frozen margaritas and light fixtures made of Corona bottles. El Centro recently celebrated their ten-year anniversary in Hell’s Kitchen, pop in for a fajita and stay for more! 824 Ninth Ave. at 54th St., NYC 646-763-6585. elcentro-nyc.com

GRAMERCY TAVERN

EAST VILLAGE/LOWER EAST SIDE

METROGRAPH COMMISSARY

EL CENTRO

Five eateries, each with its a focus (pizza and pasta, cheese and wine, fish, vegetables, meat), make this massive Italian Flatiron food hall a dining destination. Only beef specialist Manzo takes reservations.

200 Fifth Ave. at 23rd St., NYC 212-229-2180. www.eataly.com

Consistently voted the “best BBQ in New York” Dinosaur fills long tables of guests living it up over fried green tomatoes, St. Louis Ribs, and Churrasco Chicken. 700 W. 125th St., NYC 212-694-1777 If in Brooklyn, try their Gowanus location at 604 Union St., between 3rd & 4th Avenues, BKLYN 347-429-7030. dinosaurbarbque.com

This lounge/eatery’s entryway is set up like a pawn shop, which leads to two sprawling levels, multiple dining rooms, two bars and fancy mid-century trappings. The menu of shareable small plates brims with eclectic tastes. 146 Essex St. between Rivington and Stanton Sts., NYC 212-614-0146. beautyandessex.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

Just when you thought NYC didn’t need another Mexican restaurant Hell’s Kitchen brought a taste of the south over the border of Ninth Avenue. Whether it’s tacos, quesadillas, or an after work margarita you crave they’ve got it. Grab a booth or a seat at the bar for the best eye candy in the gayborhood. 754 9th Ave. between 50th and 51st Sts., NYC 212-977-1588. hellskitchen-nyc.com

EATALY NYC FLATIRON

The downtown pan-Asian hotspot features a 400-seat, 40-foot staircase with elaborate murals by Hush, two custom-made 16-foot tall Buddhas, and a koi pond. Guests enjoy Cantonese-style cooking with hints of Japanese, Malaysian, and Thai flavors while rubbing elbows with models, starlets, and random local and international glitterati. 92 Ninth Ave. at West 16th St., NYC 212-888-2724. taodowntown.com

BEAUTY & ESSEX

44 & X HELL’S KITCHEN

DINOSAUR BAR-B-QUE

Brunching in Harlem? Look no further. Three words: bottomless mimosa brunch. Get into this adorable Italian hotspot in the center of 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

IPPUDO WESTSIDE Decadent Japanese bites, small plates, craveable ramen and cocktails that could be considered arousing, Ippudo throws it down like no other. Discreetly nestled on 51st Street just between the theatre district and the gayborhood, this stylish outpost is worth a visit... every week. 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. 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 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

Harlem elites and Columbia giants mix and at this delicious upscale Caribbean restaurant. Named for the sons of a slave who purchased his freedom, Solomon & Kuff offers incredible rum cocktails bites like yuca fries and dishes like Sangria Braised Short Ribs as well as mouth watering desserts. Come in for the food, stay for the eye candy. 2331 12th Ave. between 133rd St. & 12th Ave., NYC 212-939-9443. solomonandkuff.com

This elegant neighborhood fixture attracts theatergoers; Broadway and off-Broadway performers; and former (and upcoming) Drag Race contestants who load up on the latest gossip while downing American eats. 407 W. 42nd St. between Ninth and Tenth Aves., NYC 212-695-6909. westbankcafe.com

HELL’S KITCHEN

HUDSON YARDS

AÑEJO

LEGACY RECORDS

Upscale, creative, beautifully prepared Mexican small plates are served in a rustic setting at this hotspot with a hopping bar scene and plenty of pavement tables in nice weather. Just as big of a draw is the cocktail selection, featuring 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

WEST BANK CAFE

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

TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

RESTAURANT BITES Edited by Jeffrey James Keyes

MERCADO LITTLE SPAIN

José Andrés and his team have been cooking up a love letter to Spain and its finally open, Mercado Little Spain, an all-day dining destination for food lovers. This foodie destination, which includes a series of three restaurants, two bars, fifteen tapas kiosks, and a market sits on 35,000 square feet of brand new Hudson Yards real estate. Whether you’re heading to Lena, Mar, or the all-day casual diner there’s no way you’ll leave hungry. 10 Hudson Yards between Tenth and Eleventh Aves., NYC 646-495-1242. littlespain.com

LAMB’S CLUB

This gorgeous Theater District destination serves contemporary American fare that manages to feel both casual yet also upscale in a retro-swank supper-club environment. Picture long, red-leather banquettes; chrome torchères; head shots of movie stars and an impressive 18th-century fireplace (that you’ll find roaring in the winter). 132 W. 44th St. between Sixth Ave. and Broadway, NYC 212997-5262. thelambsclub.com

ORTZI NYC

MAREA

Chef Michael White, famous for homemade pasta and a commitment to seafood, has been awarded two Michelin stars, the 2010 James Beard Award, and an impressive list of accolades. Marea mean’s “tide” in Italian, and the collaboration of high-end Italian cuisine, over 750 wine options, and outstanding service makes it an exciting and fresh interpretation of “coastal cuisine”. 240 Central Park South Between Broadway and Seventh Ave., NYC 212-582-5100. marearestaurant.com

TAK ROOM

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

Nestled in the swank new LUMA Hotel, Iron Chef Jose Garces brings a scrumptious journey through Basque Country cuisine. Perfect for an after work Charcuteria or a pre-theatre bite. For the ultimate experience plan for the four-course traditional Basque Tapas Experience with Chef Jose Garces’ Tasting Menu. Bring your appetite! 120 W. 41st St. between Sixth Ave. and 7th Ave., NYC 212-730-8900. ortzirestaurant.com

The same people behind the charming Mermaid Inn have also opened a delicious pizzeria - serving Neopolitan pizzas and rustic Italian fare. Stop by between 5-7pm for their happy hour (seven days a week) for one of their $12 pizza specials, an $8 aperol spritz and more! 568 Amsterdam Ave. between 87th & 88th Sts., NYC 212799-7401. pizzeriasirenetta.com

MEATPACKING DISTRICT

NOBU 57

TESSA

BATHTUB GIN

Take a step back in time with this dark and sexy 10th Avenue speakeasy. Gin was the predominant drink during prohibition-era 1920’s. Saunter up to the secret bar in this discreet Chelsea favorite for a stiff Hipster Reviver, hearty Eagle’s Dream, or a nip of Dorothy Parker’s Gin stirred, not shaken. 132 9th Ave., between 18th & 19th Sts, NYC 646-559-1671. bathtubginnyc.com

BUDDAKAN NYC

Dining guru Stephen Starr’s destination draws gasps from the moment you step down the grand staircase. A hodgepodge of modern Asian cuisines is served in a golden space of European tapestries, chandeliers, cozy banquettes and a lengthy communal table. 75 Ninth Ave. between 15th and 16th Sts., NYC 212-989-6699. buddakannyc.com

FRYING PAN / PIER 66 MARITIME

The Lightship Frying Pan is a historic floating lighthouse in NYC. Brought to the city in 1989 the ship became a staple of New York nightlife. Docked at Pier 66a, the bar offers a range of summer bites like their Calamari Fritti, Cheesy Risotto Balls, burgers, and a range of “Street Eats” like Fish Tacos, and Chinese Leftovers. It’s a perfect spot for sunset sangria or a blow out party with everyone you know and love. West 26th St. & West Side Highway in Hudson River Park, NYC 212-989-6363 fryingpan.com

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 DOS CAMINOS

This intimate hipster offers fine Mexican cuisine in a stylish setting, with a warm-weather dining garden. Highlights include guacamole made tableside and 150 types of tequila. 475 W. Broadway at Houston St., NYC 212-277-4300. Also, check out the other branches in the Meatpacking District, Times Square, Midtown East, and Murray Hill. doscaminos.com

THE DUTCH

Though it looks like a neighborhood joint, this multi-room eatery is actually SoHo’s sizzling boîte du jour, with a crowd that’s half Downtown scene-makers, half-foodies and all hot. Opt for Andrew Carmellini’s comfort-skewing menu, featuring imaginative renditions of American Southern staples, international leanings and raw fare at an oyster bar. 131 Sullivan St. at Prince St., NYC 212-677-6200. thedutchnyc.com

SUSHI NAKAZAWA

Two floors of high-design touches — like a wall made of 17,000 Ty Nant water bottles and upholstered walls and ceilings — create a fitting setting for the haute Japanese cuisine of Masaharu Morimoto.

88 Tenth Ave. between 15th and 16th Sts., NYC 212-989-8883. morimotonyc.com

Daisuke Nakazawa is the former apprentice to sushi guyu Jiro Ono (of Jiro Dreams of Sushi fame). Nakazawaopened this posh new West Village sushi kitchen to serve “New York-mae”. bathtub Comfortable high back leather chairs at the sushi bar set the scene for an impressive twenty-course meal and dynamic tasting menu in the style of Edomae sushi fluffing even the most seasoned sushi foodie to a state of euphoria. 23 Commerce Street between Seventh Ave. and Bedford St., NYC 212-924-2212. sushinakazawa.com

STANDARD GRILL

UPPER WEST SIDE

MORIMOTO

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

MIDTOWN/TIMES SQUARE 21 CLUB

Belmond’s crown jewel in Manhattan is the most infamous speakeasy from the Prohibition Era. Designed with a disappearing bar and secret wine cellar chock full of epic stories about Ernest Hemingway and Zelda Fitzgerald, this landmark remains the ultimate spot to live it up or have a fun night out with friends. 21 West 52nd St. between 5th Ave. and 6th Ave., NYC 212-582-7200. 21club.com

HAKKASAN

Upscale tourists mix with knowing locals at the modern Michelinstarred Cantonese restaurant created by Chef Ho Chee Boon. The striking 11,000 sq. ft Hakkasan opened in 2012 and features dishes like stir-fried lobster, Salt and pepper squid, and Wagyu beef cheung fun. 311 W. 44th St. between Eighth and Ninth Ave., NYC 212-7761818. hakkasan.com

TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

CAFE LUXEMBOURG

Ladies who lunch, incognito celebrities, and high rolling executives mix and mingle at this classic French-American Bistro on the Upper West Side. Regulars nuzzle up to the full service bar while locals gossip over power lunches at this unpretentious neighborhood gem. 200 W. 70th St. at Amsterdam Ave., NYC 212-873-7411. cafeluxembourg.com

PIZZERIA SIRENETTA

Chef Nicholas McCann blends French, Italian and Spanish fare in this neighborhood-approved hotspot. Perfect for a date spot, birthday dinner or drinks and light bites at the bar, you can’t go wrong with this fun find on the Upper West Side. 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 CARBONE

Infamously one of the Obama Family’s favorite places in town, Carbone is the creation of Mario Carbone, Rich Torrisi and Jeff Zalaznick. This dreamy Italian supper club is a throwback to the great Italian-American restaurants of mid-20th century New York. 181 Thompson Street at Houston 212-254-3000. carbonenewyork.com

COWGIRL

This Texas-style West Village favorite is hopping every night of the week. Conceived after Sherry Delamarter visited the Cowgirl Hall of Fame Museum in Texas, the restaurant has been serving great food and no frills fun for twenty-five years. Blood Orange and Prickly Pear frozen margaritas in mason jars go perfectly with Tex-Mex food to make you feel like you’re that much closer to the border. 519 Hudson St. at West 10th St., NYC 212-633-1133. cowgirlnyc.com

TEA AND SYMPATHY

The Queen would be over the moon at the adorable sliver of the village serving traditional British fare. Indulge in classic British favorites like Afternoon Tea, Bangers & Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, Welsh Rarebit, Roast Beef with Yorkshire pudding. Be sure to save room for some Sticky Toffee Pudding and Rhubarb crumble (extra custard, please!)

Pop into their shop next door for popular British groceries, sweets and maybe even a new tea-pot. 108 Greenwich Street, NYC between Jane & Horatio Sts., 212-989-9735. teaandsympathy.com

THE LITTLE OWL

Nestled in the middle of the historic Greenwich Village, this bold Mediterranean spot boasts gravy meatballs and pork chops that rival your grandmother’s secret recipe. No room at the inn? Try to get a seat at the bar so you can take everything in. 90 Bedford St. at Grove, NYC 212-741-4695. thelittleowlnyc.com

BROOKLYN

JEAN GEORGES

CHEF’S TABLE AT BROOKLYN FARE

LANDMARC

CLOVER CLUB

The crown jewel Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s culinary empire opened in 1997 to great critical acclaim and has been wowing foodies ever since. The space is bright and clean, but that spare décor simply means there’s nothing to distract you from haute French cuisine. Reservations for the more casual Nougatine Cafe are slightly easier to procure. 1 Central Park West between 60th and 61st Sts., NYC 212-299-3900. jean-georges.com

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

This sophisticated and decadent spot summons foodies to this intimate 18-seat space for a truly unique dining experience. Michelinstars are difficult to come by and this is one of the only three-starred restaurants in town. Immerse yourself in the mouth-watering Frenchand Japanese-infused brainchild of Moe Issa before taking a stroll through old-school Brooklyn. 200 Schermerhorn St. between Hoyt and Bond Sts., Bklyn, NYC 718-243-0050 brooklynfare.com

Frequently featured as one of the “Best Bars in America”, the Brooklyn hotspot leads with pre-Prohibition drinks, a decadent brunch, American Caviar Service, and Seasonal Specials like Steak Over Toast and Deviled Eggs. 210 Smith St. at Baltic St., BKLYN, NYC 718-855-7939. cloverclubny.com

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ACCOUNTING – CONTRACTORS/CONSTRUCTION

ADOPTION SERVICES

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

Friends in Adoption

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

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

Woloshen, Robert A. CPA

AESTHETIC SERVICES

(SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Sexual Health Men

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

ALLERGIES

Advanced Dermatology Associates

Aziz, Michael, M.D., FRSM

ACUPUNCTURE

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

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

(SEE AD PHYSICIANS PAGE 85)

Acupuncture-NYC

Lexington Plastic Surgeons

ARCHITECTURE

29 W 15th St, Ste 1 NYC ........................................... 212 843-3486 www.rawcpa.com

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

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

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

Chianese & Reilly Law, P.C.

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

Chou, Luna, Esq.

NYC............................................212 226-2610 www.lunachoulaw.com

ABS

Goldman, Jeffrey E., Esq

Design & Construction

Premiere Home Remodeling Service Specializing in Kitchens & Bathrooms

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 (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Tesler, Richard, Esq.

41 W 72nd St NYC ...........................................212 362-6961 (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

BARS

GET SCREWED? GOT SUED? CALL US. LO N G & A S S O C I AT E S Litigation / Corporate / Intellectual Property Attorneys NY • SF • LA (212) 360-0394 info@landapllc.com www.landapllc.com

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(SEE BAR SOURCE PAGE 74)

CATERING We Provide a Reliable & Skilled Team Offering Complete Renovations from Planning to Completion Smaller Projects

Painting New & Refinished Floors

For a Full Consultation & Free Estimate, Call 212-731-0642 www.abs-construction-nyc.com 26 Years of Turning Your Vision into Reality 24 We are licensed/certified in NY & NJ.

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 70)

Paul Evans Catering

20 W 20th St NYC............................................212 321-1822 NYC............................................212 243-4494 www.paulevanscatering.com TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

CLOTHING – COUNSELING/PSYCHOTHERAPY

CLOTHING Dave’s New York

581 Ave of the Americas, NYC Toll Free.....................................800 543-8558 www.davesnewyork.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Jackson Boutique

Rayhill, Daniel, Ph.D. 276 Fifth Ave #1101, NYC .......... 212 683-2454

Ross, Steven, LSCW Union Square .............................. 917 406-7900 www.stevenrosstherapy.com 1133 Broadway #913, NYC ...... 212 470-9024 www.nychangemanagement.com

CONTRACTORS/CONSTRUCTION

(SEE AD THIS PAGE)

ABS Design & Construction

Schwartz, Alan, M.D., Psychiatrist

(SEE AD OPPOSITE PAGE)

COUNSELING/PSYCHOTHERAPY

Clinical Psychologist

Call 212-470-9024 for a FREE phone consultation

Schuetz, Volker, PsyD

www.jacksonboutiquenyc.com

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

Volker Schuetz, PsyD

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

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

Tallent, Marc, Ph.D. 51 Fifth Ave, NYC ....................... 212 645-5795 http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/33692

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

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 ...........................................917 442-5213 www.andrewblatter.com

DAVE’S NEW YORK 1-800-543-8558 www.davesnewyork.com

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

(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)

Andrew Blatter, lcsw

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

740 West End Ave, Ste 1 Cell .............................................917 923-2257

Psychotherapy

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

• Anxiety and Depression • Relationship and Social Difficulties • Body Image and Self-Esteem Issues • Career Transitions

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

Factor, Rhonda J., PhD

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

581 Ave. of the Americas (16th & 17th Sts.)

Convenient Flatiron Location andrewblatter.com 917-442-5213 ablatterlcsw@mac.com

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) TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

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COUNSELING/SUBURBAN – DERMATOLOGY

COUNSELING/SUBURBAN Kingan, Peter L., Ph.D.

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

DATING SERVICES SEE ALSO INTRODUCTION SERVICES

ManMate

NYC .......................................... 212 564-4025 www.manmate.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

ManMate Dinners For 8

NYC .......................................... 212 564-4025 www.manmate.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Wheaton, Grant

Dating Coach NYC............................................212 564-4025

DENTISTS Babushkin, Howard, D.D.S., L.L.C.

525 West End Ave #1G, NYC .........212 874-2880 www.manhattanoasisdentistry.com

Cassidy, J.R., D.D.S.

West 10th Dental P.C. 45 W 10th St, NYC .....................212 982-5883 www.west10thdental.com

De Bonis, William B., D.D.S.

World Wide Plaza Dental Associates 370 W 50th St, NYC ...................212 333-2650 www.wwpdental.com

Lew, Spencer, D.D.S.

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

LuxDen Dental Center

“Stressing prevention through education and quality dental treatment... ...while making it affordable for everyone in our community.”

2579 E 17th St, Ste 11 Brooklyn .....................................718 382-3444 www.luxden.com

Rosa, John D., D.D.S., P.C.

40 Newport Parkway, Ste P-1 Jersey City, NJ ...........................201 626-2700

(SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Sengos, Demetrios, D.D.S.

JOHN D. ROSA D.D.S., P.C.

West 10th Dental P.C. 45 W 10th St, NYC .....................212 982-5883 www.west10thdental.com

West 10th Dental P.C.

45 W 10th St NYC............................................212 982-5883 www.west10thdental.com

DENTISTS/PERIODONTISTS Bizzell, Steven J., D.M.D., D.A.B.P.

GENERAL AND COSMETIC DENTISTRY Office conveniently located via PATH, 15 minutes from 14th Street station.

Office on ground floor of James Madison Building, directly across from Newport Mall.

40 Newport Parkway Jersey City, NJ 07310 201.626.2700 BY APPOINTMENT drrosadds@aol.com

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METROSOURCE.COM

50-02 5th St Ste B, Long Island City ..........................718 530-6539 www.licdentalassociates.com

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M.D., F.A.C.S. 5 W 19th St, NYC .......................212 257-0007 www.omniaestheticmd.com

DENTISTS/SUBURBAN Rosa, John D., D.D.S., P.C.

40 Newport Parkway, Ste P-1 Jersey City, NJ ...........................201 626-2700

(SEE AD THIS PAGE)

TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

DERMATOLOGY (CONTINUED) – FLORISTS

DERMATOLOGY

Houston Hall

SEE ALSO PHYSICIANS

Advanced Dermatology Associates

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

(SEE AD PHYSICIANS PAGE 85)

Arora, Navin, DO, FAAD

Arora Dermatology 115 Broadway, Ste 1800, NYC ....212 244-1252 www.aroraderm.com

Goldman, Barry D., M.D.

150 Broadway #111, NYC ..........212 962-1115

Juva Skin & Laser Center

60 E 56th St #2, NYC................. 212 421-9501 www.juvaskin.com

Lumos Dermatology

Peter Chien, MD, PhD 37 E 28th St, Ste 304, NYC .......646 820-1716 www.lumosdermatology.com

222 W. Houston St NYC........................................... 212 582-2057

The Riverside Church

490 Riverside Dr., NYC ................212 870-6762 www.trcnyc.com

Yachts for All Seasons

NYC ...........................................212 534-6380 Cell ............................................917 864-7670 www.y4as.com (SEE AD PAGE 71)

EVENT SERVICES Big Apple Event Audio Visual

519 8th Ave, Ste 815 NYC ...........................................212 518-3175 www.avnycrentals.com

Ameriprise Financial Services

EMPLOYMENT

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

Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD)

1700 Stadium Way LA...............................................213 847-LAFD www.joinlafd.org

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)

700 E Temple St, B-38 LA...............................................866 444-LAPD www.joinlapd.com

EVENT PLANNING & EVENT SPACE/RENTALS SEE ALSO CATERING, WEDDING SERVICES

Elite Private Yachts

NYC............................................866 862-7245 www.eliteprivateyachts.com www.entertainmentcruises.com/new-york

Hornblower Cruises & Events

Pier 40 NYC ...........................................646 832-2805 www.hornblowerny.com/metrosource

(SEE AD PAGE 69 & THIS PAGE)

• • • • •

Weddings Corporate Trade Shows Conferences Conventions

212-518-3175

www.avnycrentals.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M.D., F.A.C.S. 5 W 19th St, NYC .......................212 257-0007 www.omniaestheticmd.com

BIG APPLE EVENT AV

(SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Lance R. Kash, Financial Advisor, CFP® 122 E 42nd St #2215 NYC ............................................. 646 964-9400

(SEE AD OPPOSITE PAGE)

Make Your Next Event FABULOUS

Law Offices of Thomas Sciacca, PLLC

YOUR LOVE STORY CONTINUES ON THE WATER.

New York Life/NYLIFE Securities

Marlon J. Altoe 420 Lexington Ave, 15th Fl NYC........................................... 646 227-8605 Cell ............................................ 646 761-4372 www.newyorklife.com/agent/maltoe

HornblowerNY.com/Metrosource 646-832-2805 | @HornblowerNY

Peloso-Barnes, Julia A., CFP, CPM, CRPC Purchase, NY.............................914 225-6391 www.advisor.morganstanley.com/thepeloso-barnes-group

(SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Scholar Financial Group

245 Park Ave, Ste 1800 NYC ...........................................646 366-6588

(SEE AD PAGE 67)

FLORISTS la Fleur d’Harlem

203 W 144th St NYC ..........................................646 850-5973 www.lafleurnyc.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Julia A. Peloso-Barnes, CFP®, CPM®, CRPC® Accredited Domestic Partnership Advisor® First Vice President, Portfolio Management Director, Wealth Advisor 2000 Westchester Avenue 1NC | Purchase, NY 10577 NMLS # 578741 914-225-6391 Julia.Peloso-Barnes@morganstanley.com advisor.morganstanley.com/the-peloso-barnes-group

You deserve an advisor who understands the path that has gotten you here.

Planning for LGBTQ people isn’t just my professional life, it’s my community

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the US. © 2019 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC Member SIPC

TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

CRC 2514463 05/2019

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FRAMING – PAIN MANAGEMENT

FRAMING

HOTELS

14th Street Framing Gallery

The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa

225 W 14th St, NYC ................... 212 691-8156

GIFTS

Atlantic City, NJ ..........................609 317-1000 www.outatborgata.com

Foxwoods Resort & Casino

www.foxwoods.com

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 70)

GUEST HOUSES/B&B’S Chelsea Pines Inn

317 W 14th St NYC............................................ 212 929-1023

Colonial House Inn

318 W 22nd St NYC............................................ 212 243-9669

Incentra Village House

32 8th Ave @ W 12th St NYC............................................ 212 206-0007 www.incentravillage.com

The Graham & Co

80 Route 214 Phoenicia ....................................845 688-7871 www.thegrahamandco.com

Holiday Inn Manhattan 6th Ave - Chelsea

125 W 26th St, NYC ...................212 430-8500 www.hi-nyc.com

Advanced Dermatology Associates

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

(SEE AD PHYSICIANS PAGE 85)

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M.D., F.A.C.S. 5 W 19th St NYC............................................ 212 257-0007 www.omniaestheticmd.com

HAIR REPLACEMENT/REPLICATION OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M.D., F.A.C.S. 5 W 19th St NYC............................................ 212 257-0007 www.omniaestheticmd.com

0% financing available 157 West 19th St. NYC 10011 212-220-0066

www.ChelseaEyeOphthalmology.com

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OMNI Aesthetic MD

MARKETING SERVICES

37 W 24th St, NYC .....................844 277-9123 www.hotelhenrinyc.com

Opus Hotel Vancouver

322 Davie St Vancouver, BC Canada .......................................604 642-6787 www.opushotel.com

Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre Hotel

1088 Burrard St Vancouver, BC Canada .......................................604 331-1000 www.sheratonvancouver.com

Sunset Marquis

1200 Alta Loma Rd West Hollywood, CA...................800 858-9758 www.sunsetmarquis.com

VIVE Hotel Waikiki

2426 Kuhio Ave Honolulu, Hawaii ........................808 687-2000 www.vivehotelwaikiki.com

INSURANCE HealthSherpa

Toll Free ......................................844 346-9476 www.metrosource.healthsherpa.com

ManMate

(on elective procedures)

50 E 69th St NYC............................................212 317-1188 Denville, NJ .................................973 377-8950 www.askdrm.com

Hotel Henri

SEE ALSO DATING SERVICES

Advanced LASIK Premium Lens Implants Comprehensive Eye Care Visian ICL/Refractive Castle Connolly Top Doctor 2018 Complimentary Evaluations

Marfuggi, Richard M.D., D.M.H, F.A.C.S.

Hotel Hayden

127 W 28th St, NYC ...................844 423-6004 www.hotelhaydennyc.com

INTRODUCTION SERVICES Christopher T. Coad MD, FACS

LIPOSUCTION

Eviatar, Joseph, M.D., F.A.C.S. 5 W 19th St NYC............................................212 257-0007 www.omniaestheticmd.com

1160 Davie St Vancouver, BC Canada .......................................604 681-7263 www.sandmanhotels.com

HAIR REMOVAL

Eviatar, Joseph, M.D., F.A.C.S. 5 W 19th St NYC............................................212 257-0007 www.omniaestheticmd.com

(SEE AD PAGE 63)

Sandman Suites on Davie

MisterBandB

www.misterbandb.com

OMNI Aesthetic MD

NYC .......................................... 212 564-4025 www.manmate.com (SEE AD DATING SERVICES PAGE 80)

LASER VISION CORRECTION

Brand2Fly

San Jose......................................408 763-7924 www.brand2fly.com

GayVan.com Travel Marketing www.gayvan.com

OPHTHALMOLOGISTS Coad, Christopher T., M.D., F.A.C.S.

Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology 157 W 19th St NYC ...........................................212 220-0066 www.chelseaeyeophthalmology.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M.D., F.A.C.S. 5 W 19th St, NYC .......................212 257-0007 www.omniaestheticmd.com

OPTOMETRISTS Coad, Christopher T., M.D., F.A.C.S.

Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology 157 W 19th St NYC ...........................................212 220-0066 www.chelseaeyeophthalmology.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M.D., F.A.C.S. 5 W 19th St NYC............................................212 257-0007 www.omniaestheticmd.com

West Village Eyecare Associates

10 Sheridan Square, NYC............212 242-6592 www.eyecarenyc.com

SEE ALSO OPHTHALMOLOGISTS

Coad, Christopher T., M.D., F.A.C.S.

Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology 157 W 19th St NYC ...........................................212 220-0066 www.chelseaeyeophthalmology.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

PAIN MANAGEMENT Samuelson, Stefan T., MD

44 E 12th St, Ste MD1 NYC............................................212 993-8573 NYC............................................212 594-1600 TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

PERIODONTISTS – PHARMACIES/DRUGS

PERIODONTISTS Bizzell, Steven J., D.M.D., D.A.B.P.

Periodontist 50-02 5th St Ste B Long Island City ..........................718-530-6539 www.licdentalassociates.com

PET SUPPLIES Automated Pet Care Products Inc.

40 W Howard St, Ste 101 Pontiac, MI .................................877 250-7729 www.litter-robot.com

PHARMACIES/DRUGS Ansonia Pharmacy

446 6th Ave NYC............................................212 477-0762 www.ansoniapharmacy.com

Personalized HIV Care and Support • Guidance from pharmacists

specially trained in HIV therapy • Medication refill reminders • Pick up at our location (below)

or any CVS Pharmacy® or get delivery by mail at no extra cost*

Call 1-212-807-8798 or stop in.

Apthorp Pharmacy

2201 Broadway NYC............................................212 877-3480

Arrow Pharmacy

883 Ninth Ave NYC ...........................................212 245-8469 www.arrowpharmacy.com

(SEE AD THIS PAGE)

CVS Pharmacy Specialty Services 126 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011 Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Avalon Chemists

7 2nd Ave, NYC ..........................212 260-3131

Bigelow Chemists

414 Sixth Ave, NYC ....................212 533-2700

Chelsea Specialty Pharmacy

*Where allowed by law. In-store pick up is currently not available in Oklahoma. Puerto Rico requires first-fill prescriptions to be transmitted directly to the dispensing specialty pharmacy. Products are dispensed by CVS Specialty® and certain services are only accessed by calling CVS Specialty directly. Certain specialty medication may not qualify. Services are also available at Long’s Drugs locations. ©2019 CVS Specialty. All rights reserved. 75-47585D 112618

171 Seventh Ave, NYC................212 255-9900

CVS Specialty

126 8th Ave NYC ...........................................212 807-8798 (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Habitat Specialty Pharmacy

171 7th Ave NYC ...........................................212 255-9900 www.habitatspecialty.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Mayfair Chemists

21 Seventh Ave, NYC..................212 242-1444

New London Pharmacy

246 Eighth Ave NYC............................................212 243-4987 PHARMACIES/DRUGS CONT. ❯

Continuing to Provide Courteous, Compassionate, Professional Customer Service.

883 Ninth Avenue @ 57th Street Ask AAHIVM Specialists Michael and Krista About PrEP, Your Current Regimen, or How to Best Take Your Medication

Tel 212.245.8469

Serving New York Since 1940

Fax 212.586.1502

Located in the beautiful neighborhood of Chelsea, Manhattan; Habitat Specialty Pharmacy is your friendly full service pharmacy, offering specialized health management and wellness services for you and your furry friends.

Habitat Specialty Pharmacy 171 7th Ave New York, NY 10011 Tel (212) 255-9900 E-mail: info@habitatspecialty.com www.habitatspecialty.com TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

A visit to Habitat Pharmacy reminds one of the quaint apothecary stores of the days gone by; where service is personal and friendly, the store clean and fully stocked, a concept long forgotten by big box pharmacies.

Please visit us. Browse through our top of the line products like Cannaba RX, Imbue CBD, Avene, Dr. Hauschka, Klorane, Bluebonnet Vitamins, Life Extensions plus many more items.

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PHARMACIES/DRUGS (CONTINUED) – PHYSICIANS & MEDICAL SERVICES

VILL AGE APOTHECARY T H E C O M M U N I T Y P H A R M AC Y T H AT C A R E S

FREE WELCOME KIT!

New York Chemists

77 Christopher St, NYC ............212 255-2525 www.newyorkchemists.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Thompson Chemists &

Thompson Alchemists 137 Thompson St 449 West Broadway, NYC ...........212 598-9790 www.thompsonchemists.com

Village Apothecary

346 Bleecker St NYC ...........................................212 807-7566 www.villageapothecary.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

COME IN

PHYSICAL THERAPY

FOR YOUR

Galán, Antonio, PT, DPT, MBA, CHC

RestoreRehab Physical Therapy 664 10th Ave, NYC.....................212 245-5259 www.restorerehabpt.com

Symbio Physio Therapy

214 W 29th St, Ste 901, NYC .....917 338-6268 www.symbiopt.com

PHYSICIANS & MEDICAL SERVICES BRING THIS CARD IN AND RECEIVE $10 OFF ON ANY PURCHASE OF $25 OR MORE STORE HOURS: Mon - Fri 8aM - 8pM • Sat 9aM - 6pM • Sun 10aM - 5pM 346 Bleecker St • Greenwich VillaGe, nY 10014 • VillaGeapothecarY.com

Advanced Dermatology Associates

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

(SEE AD OPPOSITE PAGE)

Amida Care

NYC ...........................................855 462-6432 www.amidacareny.org

2 1 2 . 8 0 7. 7 5 6 6

(SEE AD PAGE 60)

Astor Medical Group

67 Irving Place, 5th Fl @ E 18th St NYC............................................212 253-2968 www.astormedical.com

Central Park Medical Associates

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

(SEE AD OPPOSITE PAGE)

Coad, Christopher T., M.D., F.A.C.S.

Chelsea Eye Ophthalmology 157 W 19th St, NYC ..................212 220-0066 www.chelseaeyeophthalmology.com (SEE AD OPHTHALMOLOGISTS PAGE 82)

Personalized attention from experienced and knowledgeable Pharmacists and staff • Free prescription pickup and delivery Most insurance plans accepted • Carrying some of the hottest health and beauty brands on the market

For all your Pharmacy needs and more New York Chemists 77 Christopher Street (Btw 7th Ave and Bleecker St.) T: 212-255-2525 F: 212-255-2524 nyc@newyorkchemists.com

www.newyorkchemists.com

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Store Hours Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 8 pm

Dillon, Stephen, M.D.

Int. Med., Inf. Dis. 314 W 14th St, NYC ...................212 620-0144

Dormer, Anita L., M.D., F.A.C.C.P.

22 E 72nd St, 5th Fl, NYC ...........212 535-5905

Fonville, T.W., Int. Med.

29 Fifth Ave @ 10th St, NYC .......212 674-1020

Goldberg, Edward S., M.D.

Int. Med., Gastr.

121 E 60th St, 3rd Fl, NYC ..........212 980-8800

Hsu, Ricky K., M.D.

Saturday 10 am – 6 pm

154 W 14th St, 4th Fl, NYC ........212 627-7560

Sunday 11 am – 5 pm

117 E 18th St, NYC.....................212 387-9199

Icochea, Rosendo S., M.D.

PHYSICIANS CONT. ❯ TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

Advanced Dermatology Associates Proudly Serving the Community for Over Twenty Years MEDICAL, COSMETIC & SURGICAL DERMATOLOGY

All Skin, Hair & Nail Disorders.

All Skin Growths On-Site HIV & STD Screening, Immediate Results

Dermatology and Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

Board Certified.

University Affiliated.

Confidential Treatment of All STD’s

www.adv-derm.com 200 Central Park South, Suite 107

212-262-2500 Day, Evening, Weekend and Same Day Appoitments Available.

All Major Credit Cards and Insurance Plans Accepted.

The Genital Wart Treatment Center A private medical facility specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of genital warts and all STD’s in a caring, supportive and confidential environment.

Board Certified Specialists • Diagnosis and Treatment of ALL Sexually Transmitted Diseases Painless Treatment with the Latest & Most Effective Therapies Available • On-Site HIV Antibody Testing • Immediate Results • Specializing in the Successful Treatment of Recurrent Genital Warts

www.CentralParkMedicalAssociates.com Central Park Medical Associates 200 Central Park South, Suite 107

212-246-0800

COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL

Day, Evening and Weekend Appointments Available. All Major Credit Cards and Insurance Plans Accepted.

PHYSICIANS & MEDICAL SERVICES (CONTINUED) – PLASTIC SURGERY Lefkovits, George, M.D., P.C.

Jaeger, Lawrence D., D.O.

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

(SEE AD PREVIOUS PAGE)

9 E 62nd St NYC ......................................... 212 888-MALE www.parkplazaplasticsurgery.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Lexington Plastic Surgeons

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

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

Leach, Eric G., N.P.

Infectious Diseases 31 Washington Sq West NYC............................................212 475-8833

19 W 34th St, Penthouse Ste NYC.............................. 212 947-7111, ext 119 Oceanport, NJ.............................917 686-6179 www.kentjarratt.com 154 W 14th St, 4th Fl NYC............................................212 627-7560

Mandell, William, M.D.

Plastic Surgery Exclusively for Men A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who specializes in men - in an office with only men in the waiting room

Brazilian Butt Fill™

Using Fat Transplantation Male Chest Reduction Liposuction Tummy Tuck Hair Transplantation Eyelid Surgery, Facelifting Nasal Profiling Med Spa Services: )V[V_ ࠮ 1\]LKLYT ࠮ 9HKPLZZL :J\SWZ\YL -H[ 9LTV]HS

Marfuggi, Richard A., M.D., D.M.H., F.A.C.S.

50 E 69th St, NYC.......................212 317-1188 Denville, NJ .................................973 377-8950 www.askdrm.com

Maze Sexual & Reproductive Health

Maze Men’s Health Maze Women’s Health Maze Labs Maze Cord Blood 633 Third Ave, Ste 9B NYC ...........................................646 585-8980 www.mazehealth.com (SEE AD PAGE 58)

Midtown Integrative Medicine

Aziz, Michael, M.D., FRSM 509 Madison Ave @ 53rd St, Ste 1111 NYC............................................212 906-9111 www.michaelazizmd.com

Namdar, Isaac, M.D.

Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist 425 W 59th St, NYC ...................212 262-4444 1090 Amsterdam Ave, NYC ........212 663-2210 www.newyorkentspecialist.com www.namdarmd.com

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M.D., F.A.C.S. 5 W 19th St, NYC .......................212 257-0007 www.omniaestheticmd.com

Pearl, Alan, M.D., Psychiatrist

135 W 70th St, NYC ...................212 724-5188

Samuelson, Stefan T., MD

44 E 12th St, Ste MD1, NYC .......212 993-8573 NYC............................................212 594-1600

PLASTIC SURGERY Dr. WW Med Spa and Laser Clinic

85-16 Queens Blvd, 2F, Elmhurst, NY 139 Centre St #224, NYC ...........718 457-0707 www.drwwmedspa.com

Lefkovits, George, M.D., P.C.

9 E 62nd St, NYC.....................212 888-MALE www.parkplazaplasticsurgery.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Dr. Lefkovits has been an international guest speaker on Male Plastic Surgery.

COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION FINANCING AVAILABLE

GEORGE LEFKOVITS, M.D., P.C. OUTPATIENT SURGERY

This is a model, not an actual patient

86

9 East 62nd Street, NYC (212) 888-MALE www.parkplazaplasticsurgery.com email: info@drlefkovits.com

JUNE/JULY 2019

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Lexington Plastic Surgeons

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

Marfuggi, Richard A., M.D., D.M.H F.A.C.S.

50 E 69th St, NYC.......................212 317-1188 Denville, NJ .................................973 377-8950 www.askdrm.com

OMNI Aesthetic MD

Eviatar, Joseph, M.D., F.A.C.S. 5 W 19th St, NYC .......................212 257-0007 www.omniaestheticmd.com

Sexual Health Men

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

Skintology

Cosmetical Aesthetics 157 E 57th St, NYC 181 7th Ave NYC............................................212 989-6555 www.skintologyny.com TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

PODIATRISTS – WINE & SPIRITS

PODIATRISTS

SCHOOLS

Ciment, Ethan J., D.P.M.

Brooklyn Heights Montessori School

NYC............................................212 234-2344 www.makemycake.com

Rudolf Steiner School

NYC............................................212 627-8838 www.manhattanpenthouse.com

Collins, Michael, D.P.M. Chelsea Foot & Ankle Center 37 W 20th St, Ste 308 NYC............................................646 929-4149 www.chelseafootandankle.com

REAL ESTATE Bonavita, David

Corcoran NYC ...........................................212 501-8281 www.davidbonavita.com (SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Chroughan, Judy

Julie B. Fee Sotherby’s 49 Purchase St Rye, NY ......................................914 262-5323

Coldwell Bank Residential Brokerage

JC Waterfront – Team Francesco Robert G. Harris 1 2nd St, Ste 1 & 4 Jersey City, NJ .............................201 604-4200 Cell .............................................646 334-0559

Enzo Morabito Team

Douglas Elliman Real Estate Bridgehampton .......................... 631 537-6519 Cell .............................................516 695-3433 www.theenzomorabitoteam.elliman.com

Hendler, Lisa E.

Berkshire Hathaway Blake Realtors Kinderhook, NY ..........................518 929-4519

McGrotty, Amy, JD

Castelli Luxury Real Estate Services Fort Lauderdale, FL ..................954 347-1732 www.amy.castellihomes.com (SEE AD PAGE 66)

Powell, DeWayne A.

Town Residential NYC............................................917 748-5100 www.townresidential.com

Prince, Keith A.

Brown Harris Stevens NYC............................................917 826-3451 www.brownharrisstevens.com

REAL ESTATE/SUBURBAN Habeeb-Clark, Deborah

Keller Williams Hudson Valley, NY .......................845 800-5413

Perasso, Matt

Prominent Properties/Sotheby’s International Realty 2 Main St, Edgewater, NJ ............201 840-8898 Cell .............................................917 834-0454 www.goldcoastcribs.com

RESTAURANTS (SEE RESTAURANT BITES PAGE 71)

RETAIL Eva’s Supplements

11 W 8th St (bet 5th & 6th Aves) NYC........................................... 212 982-2500 www.evassupplements.com TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

185 Court St, Brooklyn ...............718 858-5100 www.bhmsny.org 15 E 79th St, NYC.......................212 535-2130 www.steiner.edu

TRAVEL Bucks County Pennsylvania www.visitbuckscounty.com

(SEE AD PAGE 73)

Kennedy Travel

130 W 42nd St #401 NYC............................................212 398-0999 Toll Free ......................................800 237-7433 www.kennedytravel.com

Ogunquit Chamber of Commerce

36 Main St Ogunquit, ME .............................207 646-2939 www.visitogunquit.org

Make My Cake

Manhattan Penthouse

New York Zoos and Aquarium

NYC............................................718 741-3836 www.nyzooevents.com

Oheka Castle

135 West Gate Dr Huntington, NY ..........................631 659-1400 www.oheka.com

Our Wedding Officiant NYC

Peter Boruchowitz NYC............................................917 523-1438 www.nyc-gay-weddings.com

Paul Evans Catering

Sullivan Catskills

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

(SEE AD PAGE 68)

Proposition Love

Catskills, NY............................. 800 882-CATS www.sullivancatskills.com

TRAVEL/GETAWAYS Foxwoods Resort & Casino

www.foxwoods.com (SEE AD PAGE 63)

Visit Philadelphia

Philadelphia, PA .......................215 599-0776 www.visitphilly.com

(SEE AD PAGE 75)

WEDDING SERVICES Bespoke Matchmaking

1180 Avenue of the Americas, 8th Fl NYC............................................888 422-6464 www.bespokematchmaking.com

Elite Private Yachts

NYC............................................866 862-7245 www.eliteprivateyachts.com www.entertainmentcruises.com/new-york

Feinstein’s/54 Below

254 W 54th St, Cellar NYC................................... 212 302-5559 x114 www.54below.com

Gatherings Floral Design

www.propositionlove.com

The Riverside Church

490 Riverside Dr. NYC............................................212 870-6762 www.trcnyc.com

Yachts for All Seasons

NYC ...........................................212 534-6380 Cell ............................................917 864-7670 www.y4as.com (SEE AD PAGE 71)

WILLS Law Offices of Thomas Sciacca, PLLC

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

WINE & SPIRITS Cork Wines & Spirits

1450 Washington St Hoboken, NJ ...............................201 942-9964 www.corkwines.net

5 Tudor City Place, NYC ..............212 682-2083 www.gatheringsfloraldesign.com

Hornblower Cruises & Events

Pier 40, NYC ..............................646 832-2805 www.hornblowerny.com/metrosource

(SEE AD PAGE 69 & EVENT SPACE PAGE 81)

Houston Hall

222 W. Houston St, NYC ........... 212 582-2057

David Bonavita

Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker The Corcoran Group david.bonavita@corcoran.com (m) 212.501.8281 www.davidbonavita.com

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

The Corcoran Group is a licensed real estate broker located at 660 Madison Ave, NY, NY 10065

(SEE AD PAGE 70)

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FIRE ISLAND PINES – CHERRY GROVE Carousel Guesthouse

BARS Blue Whale

Pines ...........................................631 597-6500 www.bluewhalefireisland.com

Cherry’s

Cherry Grove ..............................631 597-6820

185 Holly Walk Cherry Grove ..............................631 597-6612

Cherry Grove Beach Hotel

Cherry Grove ..............................631 597-6600

Dune Point

NEW YORK COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Horizon Beach House

Metrosource is committed to helping non-profit organizations in their ongoing efforts to serve our diverse community.

SeaBreeze Rentals

ATHLETIC

36 Fire Island Boulevard Pines ...........................................631 597-3599

GYM

BIG APPLE SOFTBALL LEAGUE 208 West 13th St New York, NY 10011 212 696-7482

The Pavilion

Pines www.steelgym.com

Cultured Elephant

Pines ...........................................631 597-6500 www.thepinesfireisland.com

Harbor Club

Pines ...........................................631 597-6500 www.thepinesfireisland.com

Sip n Twirl

Pines ...........................................631 597-6500 www.pavilionfireisland.com

CLOTHING/GIFTS

Cherry Grove ..............................631 597-6261 Cherry Grove ..............................631 597-6278 NYC............................................212 689-2699 www.horizonbeachhouse.com

Cherry Grove ..............................917 763-9029

Steel Gym

HARDWARE Pines Hardware & Sundries

Gostoso Pines ...........................................646 262-1910

Bay Walk Pines ...........................................631 597-6237

LANDSCAPING/FLORAL

Summer Solstice

Harbor Walk Pines ...........................................631 597-4200

Pines ...........................................631 597-3746

CONTRACTING

LIQUORS/WINES

Walter Boss, Custom Builder

The Pines Liquor Shop

Pines ...........................................631 597-6262

Pines and Pools

Pines ...........................................631 597-6262

Pines Propane

Beachscapes

Harbor Walk Pines ...........................................631 597-6442

POOL MAINTENANCE Dependable Pools

Pines ...........................................631 597-9191

Pines ...........................................631 597-7748

GROCERIES

REAL ESTATE

Grove Market

A Summer Place

Main Walk Cherry Grove ..............................631 597-6239

Main & Bayview Cherry Grove .................................... 631 597-6140

The Pines Pantry

D. Karen Fire Island Properties, LTD

Harbor Walk Pines ...........................................631 597-6200

GUEST HOUSES/HOTELS Belvedere Guest House

Bay View Walk, Cherry Grove......631 597-6448 www.belvederefireisland.com

Pines ..........................................631 597-7000 www.fireislandpines.com

(SEE AD THIS PAGE)

Pines Harbor Realty

36 Fire Island Blvd Pines ...........................................631 597-7575

RESTAURANTS Blue Whale

Celebrating World Pride 2019

Pines ...........................................631 597-6500 www.bluewhalefireisland.com

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FAST AND FABULOUS CYCLING P.O. Box 23008, Ansonia Sta New York, NY 10023 212 567-7160 FRONT RUNNERS NY P.O. Box 87 Ansonia Sta New York, NY 10023 212 799-8781 www.frny.org

Sayville Ferry

River Rd NYC............................................631 589-0810

OUT OF BOUNDS NYC & TEAM NEW YORK PO Box 372, Times Sq Station New York, NY 10108 www.oobnyc.org PINK PONG NY Sunnyside, Queens 718 623-2926 www.pinkpongfoundation.org SUN/MON/TUE NIGHT TEAMS c/o Chelsea Piers AMF Bowl Pier 60, New York, NY 10011 212 835-2691 SUNDANCE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE SOCIETY www.sundanceoutdoor.org sundanceoutdoor@yahoo.com TEAM NEW YORK AQUATICS 212 691-3440 (hotline)

CULTURAL, ETHNIC & SOCIAL APICHA 400 Broadway New York, NY 10013 212 334-6029 www.apicha.org

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BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY 5001 Angel Canyon Rd Kanab, UT 84741 435 644-2001 www.bestfriends.org BIG GAY MEN OF NEW YORK 9111 Liberty Ave #662 Ozone Park, NY 11417 631 780-2807 www.convergence.nyc EMPIRE CITY MEN’S CHORUS P.O. Box 1017 New York, NY 10185 empirecitymenschorus.org

NORTH JERSEY G&L BOWLERS Belle Aire Lanes West Caldwell, NJ 201 823-2250

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EZRYDERS SNOWBOARDING 445 W 46th St #4D New York, NY 10036 www.ezryders@ondbdx.com

Grove Pizza & Restaurant

Pines ...........................................631 597-6500 www.thepinesfireisland.com

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CITY CRUISERS MC Old Chelsea Station PO Box 1614 New York, NY 10011 www.citycruisers.com (gay men’s motorcycle club)

MONDAY NIGHT FOURPLAY BOWLING LEAGUE Syosset Bowl 631 842-5166

Pines Bistro & Pizza

631.597.7000

CHEER NY CHEERLEADING Felipe Hernandez 888 671-7312 www.cheerny.org

Cultured Elephant

Cherry Grove ..............................631 597-6766

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NYC GAY BASKETBALL LEAGUE www.nycgaybasketball.org

GAY & BI FATHERS FORUM OF GREATER NY PO Box 1321, Midtown Sta New York, NY 10018 212 721-4216 (recording) 718 728-0476

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NY RAMBLER’S SOCCER CLUB, INC. 917 767-9789 www.nyramblers.com

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TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

NEW YORK COMMUNITY RESOURCES Metrosource is committed to helping non-profit organizations in their ongoing efforts to serve our diverse community.

GAY MEN OF AFRICAN DESCENT 44 Court St, 10th Fl, Ste 1000 Brooklyn, NY 10201 718 222-6300 www.gmad.org

LIVE OUT LOUD 45 West 36th Street, 6th Fl New York, NY 10018 212 378-4095 www.liveoutloud.info (SEE AD OPPOSITE PAGE)

THE POINT FOUNDATION 5757 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 370 LA, CA 90036 866 33-Point www.pointfoundation.org

GAY MEN OF THE BRONX PO Box 511, Bronx, NY 10451 www.gmob.org

THE LOFT-LOWER HUDSON VALLEY LGBT Center 252 Bryant Ave White Plains, NY 10605 914 948-2932 www.loftgaycenter.org

PRIME TIMERS c/o Don Hargus 208 Anderson St, Suite 8DS Hackensack, NJ 07601 201 488-4839

IMPERIAL QUEENS & KINGS OF NY 70-A Greenwich Ave #120 New York, NY 10011 212 229-5900 x3655 IN OUR OWN WRITE 208 West 13th St New York, NY 10014 212 620-7310 x305 (monthly readings) IN THE LIFE 30 West 26th St, 7th Fl New York, NY 10011 212 255-6012 JERSEY CITY LESBIAN & GAY OUTREACH (JCLGO) 113 Pavonia Ave #247 Jersey City, NJ 07302 201 333-5725 LATINOS & LATINAS DE AMBIENTE/NY (LLANY) 208 West 13th St New York, NY 10014 212 367-1092 LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL & TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY SERVICES CENTER 208 West 13th St New York, NY 10014 212 620-7310 www.gaycenter.org LESBIAN & GAY NATURAL HISTORY GROUP OF NY 80 Garfield Pl Brooklyn, NY 11215 718 965-0013 LESBIAN HERSTORY ARCHIVES PO Box 1258 New York, NY 10116 718 768-3953 LESLIE-LOHMAN MUSEUM OF GAY AND LESBIAN ART 26 Wooster St New York, NY 10013 www.leslielohman.org (SEE AD PAGE 71)

THE L.I. GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL ORG P.O. Box 360 East Northport, NY 11731 www.liglff.org LONG ISLAND GAY & LESBIAN YOUTH 34 Park Ave Bay Shore, NY 11706 631 665-2300 www.ligaly.org LONG ISLAND RAVENS M.C. c/o The Long Island Eagle 94 North Clinton Ave Bay Shore, NY 11706 631 968-2750 www.liravensmc.org MALES AU NATUREL (MAN) 332 Bleecker St #133 New York, NY 10014 347 704-0704 www.males.org MEN OF ALL COLORS TOGETHER NEW YORK PO Box 1518 Ansonia Station, NY 10023 NYC GAY MEN’S CHORUS 561 Seventh Ave, Ste 803 New York, NY 10018 212 344-1777 www.nycgmc.org

QUEENS L&G PRIDE COMMITTEE PO Box 580445 Flushing, NY 11358 718 460-4064 QUEENS PRIDE HOUSE 76-11 37th Ave Jackson Heights, NY 11372 718 429-5309 QUEENS RAINBOW COMMUNITY CENTER 30-74 Steinway St, 2nd Fl Astoria, NY 11105 718 204-5955 SERVICES AND ADVOCACY FOR GLBT ELDERS (SAGE) 305 Seventh Ave New York, NY 10001 212 741-2247 www.sageusa.org SOUTHERNERS/L&G MEN IN NY PO Box 881 New York, NY 10008-0881 STONEWALL CHORALE Box 920, Old Chelsea Sta New York, NY 10011 212 971-5813

NYC PRIDE 154 Christopher St, Suite 1D New York, NY 10014 212 807-7433 www.nycpride.org (SEE AD PAGE 3)

STONEWALL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 119 West 24th St, 7th Fl New York, NY 10011 212 367-1155 www.stonewallfoundation.org

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TRI STATE LG&B STUDENT COALITION 208 West 13th St New York, NY 10014

HEALTH/ COUNSELING AIDS CENTER OF QUEENS COUNTY 97-45 Queens Blvd #1220 Rego Park, NY 11374 718 896-2500 AIDS DRUG ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ADAP) 800 542-2437 AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION 475 Atlantic Ave Brooklyn, NY 11217 718 637-2970 888 AIDS-CARE www.ahfpharmacy.org AIDS HOTLINE/NYC DEPT OF HEALTH 311 Broadway, 4th Fl New York, NY 10007 800 TALK-HIV AIDS RELATED COMMUNITY SERVICES 2269 Saw Mill River Rd Elmsford, NY 10523 914 345-8888 AIDS SERVICE CENTER NYC 64 West 35th St New York, NY 212 645-0875 www.ascnyc.org THE ALLIANCE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE 64 West 35th Street, 3rd Fl New York, NY 10001 212.645-0875 www.alliance.nyc (SEE AD PREVIOUS PAGE) AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR AIDS RESEARCH 120 Wall St New York, NY 10005 212 806-1600 ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECT 240 West 35th St, 12th Fl New York, NY 10001 212 714-1184 212 714-1141 (Hotline) BAILEY HOLT HOUSE 180 Christopher St New York, NY 10014 212 337-3000

BAILEY HOUSE 275 Seventh Ave, 12th Fl New York, NY 10001 212 633-2500 BETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER AIDS CLINICAL TRIAL UNIT DIV OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES 350 East 17th St, 3rd Fl New York, NY 10003 212 420-4519 BODY POSITIVE OF NY 19 Fulton St Suite 308B New York, NY 10038 212 566-7333 800 566-6599 BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS 165 West 46th St #1300 New York, NY 10036 212 840-0770 BROOKLYN AIDS TASK FORCE 465 Dean St Brooklyn, NY 11217 718 783-0883 CALLEN LORDE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER 356 West 18th St New York, NY 10011 212 271-7200 CHEST (CTRHIV/AIDS EDUCATION STUDIES & TRAINING) 250 West 26th Street, 3rd Floor New York, NY 212 206-7919 DESIGN INDUSTRIES FOUNDATION FOR AIDS (DIFFA) 200 Lexington Ave #1016 New York, NY 10016 212 727-3100 F.E.G.S. MANHATTAN COUNSELING CENTER 80 Van Dam St New York, NY 10013 212 366-8289 FRIENDS HOUSE IN ROSEHILL PMB#248 50 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10010 212 995-5000 www.friendshousenyc.org GAY MEN OF AFRICAN DESCENT 44 Court St, 10th Fl, Ste 1000 Brooklyn, NY 10201 718 222-6300 www.gmad.org GAY MEN’S HEALTH CRISIS 446 West 33rd St New York, NY 10001 212 367-1273 212 367-1489 800 243-7692 www.gmhc.org

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HEALTH EDUCATION AIDS LIAISON PO Box 1103 New York, NY 10113 212 873-0780 HETRICK MARTIN INSTITUTE 212 674-2400 www.hmi.org HEALTHSHERPA 844 346-9476 www.metrosource. healthsherpa.com HISPANIC AIDS FORUM, INC. 213 W 35th St, 12th Fl New York, NY 10001 212 868-6230 www.hafnyc.org HIV STOPS WITH ME www.hivstopswithme.org (SEE AD PAGE 57 & THIS PAGE) INSTITUTION FOR HUMAN IDENTITY 322 Eighth Ave, Suite #802 New York, NY 10011 212 243-2830 www.ihi-therapycenter.org LI ASSN FOR AIDS CARE (LIAAC) 631 385-AIDS (hotline) 631 385-2451 MEN OF COLOR AIDS PREVENTION PROGRAM (MOCA) 125 Worth St, Box 67 New York, NY 10013 212 788-4402 MEN’S HIV SUPPORT GROUP 212 877-8227 x214 MINORITY TASK FORCE ON AIDS 475 Riverside Dr New York, NY 10115 212 870-2691 NAMES PROJECT NJ P.O. Box 716 New Brunswick, NJ 732 249-3933 NAMES PROJECT NYC 75 Varick St #1404 New York, NY 10013-1917 212 226-2292 NYC DEPT OF HEALTH OFFICE OF G&L HEALTH 125 Worth St, Suite CN67 New York, NY 10013 212 442-6944 PROJECT ACHIEVE New York, 212 305-2201 Project ACHIEVE (Union Square) New York, 212 388-0008 www.nycvaccine.org www.hopetakesaction.org

GOD’S LOVE WE DELIVER 166 Ave of the Americas New York, NY 10013 212 294-8142 212 294-8100 www.godslovewedeliver.org www.racetodeliver.org

THE SAMARITANS OF NEW YORK SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE PO Box 1259 New York, NY 10159 212 673-3000 (24 Hours)

GREENWICH HOUSE 80 Fifth Ave New York, NY 10011 212 691-2900

TALK SAFE + PLUSES 203 West St #408 New York, NY 212 604-1500

TO ADVERTISE CALL 212 691-5127

NEW YORK COMMUNITY RESOURCES Metrosource is committed to helping non-profit organizations in their ongoing efforts to serve our diverse community.

TREVOR PROJECT 9056 Santa Monica Blvd #100 West Hollywood, CA 90069 310 271-8845 VILLAGE NURSING HOME DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM 133 West 20th St, Ground Fl New York, NY 10011 212 633-1616

LEGAL LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND 120 Wall St #1500 New York, NY 10005 212 809-8585 LEGAL (L&G LAW ASSN OF GREATER NY) 799 Broadway #340 New York, NY 10003 212 459-4873

LESBIANS

LESBIAN MOTHERS @ THE LOFT 180 East Post Rd Lower Level, White Plains, NY 914 948-4922

POLITICAL EMPIRE STATE PRIDE AGENDA 16 West 22nd St New York, NY 10010 212 627-0305 LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS OF NY Radio City Station PO Box 2321 New York, NY 10101 212 202-6431 www.newyork.logcabin.org PRIDE DEMOCRATS 70 Greenwich Ave New York, NY 10011 212 613-6039

LESBIANS ABOUT VISUAL ART 118 Fort Greene Pl Brooklyn, NY 11217

STONEWALL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 119 West 24th St, 6th Fl New York, NY 10011 212 367-1155

LES HERSTORY ARCHIVES PO Box 1258 New York, NY 10116 718 768-3953

STONEWALL DEMOCRATIC CLUB 212 561-9008 www.stonewalldems.com

STONEWALL REPUBLICANS PO Box 650052 Fresh Meadows, NY 11365 718 357-7075

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LESBIAN AND GAY AFFIRMATIVE PSYCHOTHERAPISTS 250 West 15th St New York, NY 10011 212 517-1722 FSIX FINANCIAL SERVICE INDUSTRY EXCHANGE www.fsix.org GAY OFFICERS ACTION LEAGUE PO Box 2038, Canal St Sta New York, NY 10013 NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NY 340 West 42nd Street New York, NY 10108 646 964-5027 www.nglccny.org

OUT PROFESSIONALS 332 Bleecker St #149 New York, NY 10014 212 462-9255 THE PUBLISHING TRIANGLE 332 Bleecker Street #D36 New York, NY 10014 www.publishingtriangle.org

REFERRALS/ SWITCHBOARDS G&L SWITCHBOARD P.O. Box 693 New York, NY 212 989-0999 THE GAY PARENTING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FUND New York, NY 10011 www.menhavingbabies.org LESBIAN THERAPISTS REFERRAL NETWORK 119 Washington Place, Suite C New York, NY 10014 212 206-1589 TREVOR PROJECT 212 545-0081 www.thetrevorproject.org

RELIGIOUS BROADWAY UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 263 West 86 St, 3rd Fl New York, NY 10024 212 316-5700 www.bwayucc.org CHURCH OF ST PAUL & ST ANDREW 263 West 86th St New York, NY 10024 212 362-3179 COMMUNITY CHURCH OF NY 40 East 35th St New York, NY 10016 212 683-4988 www.ccny.org CONGREGATION BEIT SIMCHAT TORAH 130 West 30th St New York, NY 10001 212 929-9498 DIGNITY NEW YORK PO Box 1554 New York, NY 10150 646 418-7039 Brooklyn - 718 565-2171 Metro NJ - 973 857-4040 New Bruns. - 732 968-9263 Nassau - 516 781-6225 Suffolk - 631 654-5367

INTEGRITY/NEW YORK (LBGT EPISCOPALIANS) PO Box 20067 New York, NY 10011 212 691-7181 MARBLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH 1 West 29th St New York, NY 10001 212 686-2770 www.marblechurch.org METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF NY 446 West 36th St New York, NY 10018 212 629-7440 www.mccny.org MIDDLE COLLEGIATE CHURCH 112 Second Ave @ 7th St New York, NY 10003 212 477-0666 www.middlechurch.org NOT SO CHURCHY www.notsochurchy.org ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN CHURCH Reverend Mark Erson 81 Christopher St. New York, NY 10014 212-242-5737 www.stjohnsnyc.org

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DON’T GO BREAKING MY HEART WHEN DIRECTOR BRYAN SINGER WAS FIRED FROM THE QUEEN BIOPIC BO-

VIEWS

LAST CALL

hemian Rhapsody, studio execs turned to Dexter Fletcher to finish the film, which went on to win a Best Actor Oscar for Rami Malek as frontman Freddie Mercury. Now Fletcher is back with a cinematic fable called Rocketman featuring Kingsman star Taron Egerton as a shy, bespectacled pianist known as Reginald Dwight who took the world by storm as Elton John.

We caught up with the director as he was putting the finishing touches on his project, which hits theaters the Friday before Pride month.

Metrosource: You worked with Taron on Eddie the Eagle. Then Taron and Elton worked together on The Kingsman sequel. But how did the three of you fall in together on Rocketman?

Dexter Fletcher: Well, Elton and Taron connected on The Kingsman, and the director of that film is Matthew Vaughn, who produced Eddie the Eagle — and is now the producer of Rocketman. Matthew is a huge Elton fan and tried to get Elton into the first Kingsman film, then ended up with him in the second. And I started hearing mumblings that Elton wanted Taron to play him and that Matthew Vaughn wanted to produce. I just knew this was a genius idea, because I know Taron and know that he has this incredible voice as well as an amazing range that’s been untapped as an actor. So I started actively pursued Matthew, saying, “If you’re doing this you’ve gotta give me a hat in the ring to direct it because it’s Elton, and it’s Taron playing Elton.”It’s a really amazing opportunity, and I think Matthew had it in his mind anyway. He knew that Taron and I had a very good working relationship.

With Bohemian Rhapsody, it’s hard to tell what’s yours from what Singer left you. Isn’t directing a film different from finishing one?

I’d actually worked on Bohemian Rhapsody before, when it was in a different iteration at a different studio a few years ago. I wanted to tackle it in a different direction than the way it ended up being. I wanted it to confront more, challenge more in dealing with certain aspects of Freddie’s life. But that was something that was very clear from the outset that they didn’t want to discuss or get into, and I always felt that it was an opportunity missed. So creatively, that was how that version came apart. With Rocket-

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man, Elton has lived such an incredible life and I’m interested in telling that story in a more grown up way. ... When I finished Bohemian Rhapsody, I can tell you every frame I shot; but some work is done for love and some you do for money. So I had the opportunity as a director to practice the craft, but not too much of the responsibility. It was not the way I would have chosen to make the film, but that’s not what I was there for. I was there to finish the work.

What we’ve seen of Rocketman so far feels reminiscent of both Moulin Rouge and the Beatles musical Across the Universe.

I think they’re wonderful comparisons to make. I love Moulin Rouge, and I think it’s just an incredible, stunning piece of work and Baz Luhrmann is a visionary filmmaker. He has his own voice and I love the humor and pathos and drama and spectacle of it all.

So Rocketman is more a fantasia than a strict docudrama?

Well, Elton is telling us his story. He’s our narrator, and the film opens with him entering group therapy. Then he sits down to tell us the story as he recalls it. So it’s different from Bohemian Rhapsody in that it’s a kind of third person point of someone from the outside looking in. And I wanted to tell a story about what the personal real experience was like being inside him, how the emotions felt. And memory is fallible. You can talk about seismic events in your life, but then they’re blurred by time and what we think we remember. So that really allows you to engage in fantasy.

Once you’re in the realm of memory, anything can happen...

Exactly. It meant I could say to the costume designer, let’s take inspiration from Elton’s costumes, but it’s his memory of them, how he would want them to be. When Elton saw them, he said, “God, I wish I f**king had that! That is great!!” That ended up happening. I took the first costume design to Elton for dinner, and he’s like,“That’s really great.”You know, this fantastic blinged-out orange suit with bat wings and horns on his head.

But as you say, the imagination is freed and we can play with storytelling and bits of fantasia. That’s why I don’t really have any dates in the film.

How much of these liberties existed in the original screenplay?

“Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” was always in the script the way we shot it. Lee Hall had written it as a big dance number, and I took it and changed it to use it as a turning point for young teenage Reggie. Once I understood that as a musical, the songs go where they work best, it wasn’t a traditional biopic anymore. I freed myself from all of that and it was a huge liberty. But what I wanted to do was celebrate the music, and the best way I think that we could do that was by taking the songs and have them tell a story within the film, which gives them an emotional currency. If I’d stuck to the action timeline, I might have lost out.

Rumor has it you’ve been asked to tone down Elton’s sexuality.

I was always very clear about this: You can’t make a film about a person who’s so publicly known without addressing it. It’s a movie about Elton, so you know he’s going to wear glasses. He’s going to play the piano. And he’s going to kiss a man. Taron and I wanted to create a great intimate moment that is about a first sexual encounter that nine times out of ten are awkward and fumbled and full of nerves. But when we look back at them, you think,“God, that was a beautiful moment I had there.”

■

THIS PAGE: MATTHEW ILLESLEY, TARON EGERTON AND DIRECTOR DEXTER FLETCHER ON THE SET OF ROCKETMAN FROM PARAMOUNT PICTURES. PHOTO CREDIT: GAVIN BOND. © 2018 PARAMOUNT PICTURES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

After stepping in to finish Bohemian Rhapsody, Director Dexter Fletcher tells us he has a very different agenda for telling the story of Elton John in Rocketman. BY KEVIN PHINNEY

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