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WEDNESDAY APRIL 8, 2015
VOL. VI, ISSUE 1
23
M R RIGHT
7
WAW
ACROSS THE CAUSEWAY
Scott Eastwood
22
INDEX Editorial Crossword A Couple of Guys
3 28 31
Talks gay fans, being an ‘outcast’ and why he endorses his famous father’s gay marriage mantra
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday April 8, 2015
Montrose STAR
OP-ED
Creep of the Week: Mat Staver •
| By D’anne Witkowski
L
“
ike many a homo, I am anxiously awaiting the Supreme Court’s ruling on whether or not my marriage is allowed by law or a Satan-spawn union of evil. Obviously, I am hoping for the former so I can do things like be on my wife’s health insurance and be a legal parent to my own son. Or what rightwingers call “Destroying America.” And if one were to take a quick survey of right-wing punditry, it’s pretty clear that they’re very worried that the Supreme Court will rule that gays and lesbians across the land can Put a Ring On It Beyoncé-style. Liberty Council’s Mat Staver, for example, is encouraging widespread “civil disobedience” if he doesn’t get his anti-gay way. “Civil disobedience has a long and noble history in Western culture, and we will need a primer on it if, as seems likely, the Supreme Court rules against natural marriage in June,” Staver writes in a March 20 column on BarbWire, a virtual town hall for terrible people and ideas. He then invokes Martin Luther King Jr. because, you know, the fight against racial injustice and the fight against two ladies in wedding dresses is the same thing. “Merely because a legislature or a judge passes a law or issues an opinion does not make a law just,” Staver writes. “To cite an extreme example, if you lived under the Nazi regime and the law required you to not hide
The temptation for many will be to cave or compromise. The temptation even for the faithful will be to retreat into our churches and cloisters.
”
or aid a Jew in any way, would you comply with Hitler or obey God?” I totally agree with Staver that some laws are unjust. But then he goes and equates the Supreme Court with Hitler. And while he admits it’s an extreme example, it really cannot be overstated that he is comparing the mass extermination of Jews with allowing same-sex couples to marry. It’s not an analogy someone with a rational argument makes. But I get it, he’s trying to say that God wants same-sex couples to, like, uncouple or something and go forth and be straight. God hates fags and all that. Got it. But God doesn’t make the laws because of that whole separation of Church and State thing we’ve got going in the U.S. Which Staver no doubt rejects. And it’s true that the Supreme Court sometimes makes terrible rulings. Staver uses the Dred Scott case as an example where, he writes, “the definition of ‘human’ was at
issue. Now the definition of ‘marriage’ is at issue.” Uh, no. The Dred Scott case, where the court ruled that “blacks are inferior human beings,” is not comparable to the marriage equality case. Such a claim minimizes the ugly history of racism in this country. Letting two men get legally married is not the same as legally oppressing an entire race of people. If marriage equality becomes the law of the land, Staver writes, “The temptation for many will be to cave or compromise. The temptation even for the faithful will be to retreat into our churches and cloisters.” Presumably with plenty of canned goods, jugs of fresh water, plastic sheeting and duct tape. “But what would happen if, instead of quiet retreat, many thousands of individuals, agencies, charities, churches and schools all came together, prepared, prayed and peacefully refused to countenance a Supreme Court decision that violates not only our highest legal document, but the laws of Nature and Nature’s God?” Staver asks. Nothing much, probably. I mean, for one thing, there are millions of people in this country. And “many thousands” break all kinds of laws, just and unjust, every day. “Whatever the outcome, the hour is late. It’s past time for us to get ready,” Staver writes. He and his ilk have had years to pray for the end of homosexuality. They’re welcome to keep praying, but he’s right. The time has passed.
| Wednesday April 8, 2015 |
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TOC APRIL 8, 2015 | VOL. VI, ISSUE 1
HouPaul: All things RuPaul in Houston
South Beach welcomes Sasha Belle and Katya
20
Sylvester Turner
Kicks Off Mayoral Campaign
6
ToC Features Op-Ed.......................................................3 HRH Report............................................ 4
6 Out of Town............................................ 8 What A World..........................................7 Make It Happen with David Lorms..... 10 Gayborhood.......................................... 11 Cooking with Paula Dream................. 16 Foodie Diaries...................................... 17 Across the Causeway.......................... 22 DJ Spotlight........................................ 26 Retro Rewind....................................... 27 Deep Inside Hollywood....................... 29 Guide To The Clubs............................. 34 PFLAG News.........................................
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April 8, 2015: None as of press time.
| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday April 8, 2015
CONTACT US: 713-942-0084 EMAIL: TheMontroseStar@gmail.com Publisher Executive Editor | Laura M. Villagrán Business Dev. Manager
News & Features
Music
Randall Jobe
Johnny Trlica
DJ JD Arnold DJ Mark DeLange
Production
Lifestyles
Rafa Espinosa
Nancy Ford John Buchanan
Copy Editor
Nancy Ford
Distribution
Miriam Orihuela Elizabeth Membrillo
Scene Writers
Jim Ayers Bob Houghton
T H E S TA R C O N T R I B U T I N G W R I T E R S DJ JD Arnold hails from England, but has been spinning in the Lone Star State since the 80’s. He has spun records all over Houston, from the Venture N to Rich’s, as well as writing for Billboard Magazine. His dynamic sounds can now be enjoyed at Eagle Houston. Jim Ayres y day is an employee benefits and human resources writer. By night he turns his creativity toward the local food and restaurant scene. Do you know of a restaurant that needs a review? Info@ montrose-star.com. John Buchanan is originally from Florida but now calls Houston home for 20+ years. “Proud to be Gay and part of the Community – Your Gay Realtor of Choice!” johnwb214@aol.com DJ Mark D dubbed the eternal club kid,has been a nightclub DJ over 20 years; a Billboard Dance DJ/ Reporter for 9 years; spun on KRBE Houston radio for 10 years and on XM Satellite Radio/Sirius worldwide for 7 years. He’s owned and operated nightclubs with a special affinity for classic Disco. Credited with breaking new dance music through the use of the mass media. Nancy Ford has enjoyed a front row seat to the most remarkable and sparkly Cultural Revolution in the history of mankind. “What a world!” She reflects appropriately. After moving to Houston from Ohio in 1981, Ford became a highly visible player in Texas’ LGBT publishing circles as an editor and contributor to myriad other local and statewide LGBT magazines and newspapers. Daddy Bob (Bob Houghton) is owner of Black Hawk Leather, a leather retail store and custom tailor, located at 711 Fairview and inside the Ripcord, Houston. Bob@BlackHawkLeather.com. Forest Riggs. No stranger to the adventures of life, Forest bills himself as a “raconteur with a gypsy spirit.” A former educator, public speaker, hospital administrator, counselor and gay B&B owner, he was instrumental in the formation of OutSmart Magazine in the early 1990s. He has written for several newspapers, magazines and other publications. Recently he completed a collection of short stories about his beloved Galveston and is working on a novel. He currently resides on the island where he can be found wasting bait and searching for the meaning of life. Johnny Trlica hails from Rosenberg, Texas and has called Houston home for more than 20 years. He has been a Human Resources professional for 6 years and is the editor of The Houston Rainbow Herald. His passion is keeping the battle for equal rights at the forefront of today's headlines and heralding the achievements of the LGBT community.
Montrose STAR
HRH Report
Indiana’s Fix, Texas Rejects FMLA for LGBTs, and a Coveted Endorsement •
|By Johnny Trlica
T
o conquer ones fears, one must first face them. Everyone is afraid of something. It may be spiders, snakes or, for some folks, gay people. One of my greatest phobias is height, and I stared acrophobia eye to eye on a recent visit to Galveston. With a little encouragement (or was it shaming) from my friend Mychal, we rode the scariest rides on the Pleasure Pier. Then we rode a couple of them again! It was such a feeling of accomplishment that we had to celebrate. The island city has some wonderful gay bars. KRave, Robert’s Lafitte, and Splash Bar—all have a festive atmosphere and serve up some pretty good adult libations. Next time we should stop at one of these places first for a little liquid courage? Here’s what we’ve been reading at HRH. The Indiana fix Twenty years ago, all a Republican candidate had to do in order to win an election was to come out against gay rights. It was a proven vote getter. The culture war has shifted to where it is no longer acceptable to the nation to allow discrimination against an entire class of people. Indiana’s legislature and governor learned that in a painfully public demonstration. With same-sex marriage moving towards full recognition in America, conservative activists have turned their attention to so-called religious freedom bills, reports the New York Times. Such bills might give businesses the right to refuse to offer certain services to gays and lesbians. Indiana Governor Mike Pence and his Republican legislators no doubt figured this was a smart play, a clever nod to the evangelical base of their party. After signing the bill into law, Governor Pence and the entire state of Indiana faced a backlash of epic proportions. There were calls to boycott travel to the state, business began pulling conventions out of Indianapolis, and the bill was condemned by the likes of Charles Barkley, Angie’s List, Apple CEO Tim Cook, the NCAA, and many others. Caught completely off guard by the outrage to the law, backtracking was swift as the state’s largest newspaper headlined: “FIX THIS NOW!” Within a week the law was revised to offer protections to the Hoosier state’s LGBT citizens. “This bill is not about discrimination, and if I thought it legalized discrimination in any way in Indiana, I would have vetoed it,” Pence said in a statement. Texas vs. same sex couples It’s the same old song and dance when it comes to Texas and expanding gay rights. A federal judge in Texas has blocked federal rules that would have expanded medical leave benefits to married, same-sex couples, reports LGBTQ Nation. In a 24-page ruling U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor granted a preliminary injunction that stays expansion of the definition of “spouse” under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to include same-sex couples. FMLA rules were recently expanded to include all married couples, regardless of their state of residency. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit to block implementation of the change arguing that complying with the new regulations would have forced state agencies to either violate federal rules or a 2005 gay marriage ban in the Texas Constitution.
Photo courtesy Project Q
PAGE 4
Lane Lewis. Lane Lewis earns coveted endorsement City Council At Large Position One candidate Lane Lewis has earned the endorsement of the Houston Police Officers’ Union. The community activist currently serves as chairman of the Harris County Democratic Party. “It is a great honor to have the backing of our police officers,” said Lewis, according to Project Q. “These men and women put their lives on the line every day and, as a City Council Member, I will work to put more officers on the street and provide them with the resources they need to keep our neighborhoods safe.” Despite a crowded field, Lewis was the HPOU’s clear choice. He has served in a civilian capacity to the Houston Police Department through several appointments including the Police Advisory Committee, the Citizen Review Committee, the Administrative Discipline Committee and the Police Academy. Lewis, a former president of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus, faces off against several candidates in this hotly contested race that also includes transgender construction consultant, Jenifer Rene Pool. Houstonian claims he was fired for being gay A Houston man claims he was fired from a Houston energy company for being gay. John Gaspari filed a lawsuit against FMC Technologies claiming his time there as a global supplier development engineer was fraught with gay slurs and mocking limp wrist gestures, reports My FOX Houston Channel 26. Gaspari told the news outlet that supervisors would “come up to me and call me a ‘fashionista.’ He would flick his wrist at me make other comments that weren’t appropriate—telling me I should live in the Montrose area by my kind.” After being struck in the back by a supervisor, Gaspari met with FMC’s Human Resources Manager, but the harassment continued, the lawsuit states. He filed an E.E.O.C. complaint and then a lawsuit against his employer and stayed on the job until he was recently fired, allegedly for his sexual orientation. FMC Technologies denies all the allegations made by its former employee.
The Houston Rainbow Herald is the Bayou City’s only daily LGBT online news source. For more information, visit www.houstorainbowherald.com.
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday April 8, 2015
Montrose STAR
What A World Comedian Dana Goldberg performs at Pearl Lounge, Thursday, April 9, 8 pm. Pearlhouston.com • 832-740-4933
Sylvester Turner Kicks Off Mayoral Campaign
S
tate Representative Sylvester Turner kicked off his campaign for mayor March 28 at Minute Maid Park before an overflow crowd of 700 enthusiastic supporters. Immediately after the event, volunteers fanned out in nearby neighborhoods knocking on the doors of voters and asking them to support the campaign. “Together, we can lift up all of Houston so our neighborhoods are safer, our streets are smoother and our young people have more opportunity to get family-sustaining jobs,” said Turner. Turner’s kickoff capped a big week for the campaign in which he won endorsements by the all three of the city’s employee unions – the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association, Houston Police Officers Union and Houston Organization of Public Employees – as well as the Communication Workers of America Local 6222.
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee endorsed Turner from the stage at the kickoff. State Senator John Whitmire and Turner’s daughter, Ashley, introduced Turner as he took the stage surrounded by young people. “We’re bringing together Democrats and Republicans, business leaders and unions, community groups and thousands of Houstonians to bring more opportunities to Houston’s middle class families and build a better road to the future for young Houstonians who are being left behind,” said Turner. Turner grew up in Houston’s Acres Homes community. He went from sharing one room with eight brothers and sisters to attending Harvard Law School, founding a successful small business and becoming a champion in the state legislature for strong schools, quality health care and affordable electricity rates for seniors Learn more at www.SylvesterTurner.com.
Pol. adv. Sylvester Turner Campaign. David Mincberg, Treasurer
PFLAG NEWS
No Fooling:
PFLAG Houston presents numerous meetings in April •
| By Linda Bratsen
P
FLAG Houston is welcoming spring with a bouquet of meetings dedicated to celebrating families and the LGBT community through a three-fold mission of support, education and advocacy. Held in locations throughout the greater Houston area, the meetings begin April 12 with a public meeting open to all, featuring a panel of religious ministers from the Houston community discussing LGBT acceptance within their respective denominations. The public meeting begins at 2 p.m. in the Jones Building at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 5501 Main St. Small group discussions, where members and visitors can confidentially share their individual journeys, immediately follows the program. One of the small groups is dedicated to transgender issues, and another is available for Spanish speakers. On April 16, beginning at 7:30 p.m. PFLAG Houston welcomes families and individuals to its Mid-Month Sharing Meeting. The meeting is located at Bering United Methodist Church, 1440 Harold Street in Houston. Look for the rainbow flag once you get inside, organizers say.
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On April 19, PFLAG Houston’s East End Support Group meets at 3 p.m. at St. Timothy Episcopal Church, located at 13125 Indianapolis Street. Finally, PFLAG Houston’s Clear Lake chapter meets April 26, 2 p.m. at Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church in the fellowship hall. The church is located at 17503 El Camino Real Drive in Clear Lake. PFLAG Houston invites all family members, parents and/or youth who are having problems with “coming out” issues, and welcomes everyone, regardless of religious affiliation, ethnicity or political persuasion. The group is proud of its rich history and the continued contributions of members, and invites all to learn more about the organization and join in efforts to create a more diverse, accepting society. For information and support, visit www. pflaghouston.org, or email PFLAG Houston’s helpline@pflaghouston.org or call 713-4673524.
PFLAG Houston
PFLAG Houston’s hotline @
Pflaghouston.org OR CALL 713-467-3524
Tuxedo Tales •
| By Nancy Ford
B
y the time I was four years old, I already knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be in show business. Sing songs, tell jokes—all of it. Even at that tender age, what I wanted most of all was to come home at night from my nightclub job, loosen my bow tie, take off my tuxedo, and crawl into bed beside my wife.
In other words, I wanted to be Ricky Ricardo. I was in fourth grade when I witnessed the Beatles’ television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. They weren’t wearing tuxedoes, but three of the four of them were playing guitar, eliciting squeals of delight and desire from their mostly female audience. That looked good to me. Ricky Ricardo played guitar, too. There must be something to that, I figured. Within two years, I was strumming one of my own. It’s striking how close my life has paralleled my young ambition. Sing and play guitar? Tell jokes? Double check. Wear a tuxedo? How many lesbians do you know who don’t? Crawl into bed beside my wife? Still working on that part. It’s encouraging to know that 37 U.S. states are OK with that, should I ever get to take that walk down the matrimonial aisle. From Marlene Dietrich to k d lang to you and to me, there’s something about a lesbian in a tuxedo. There is something about that impeccable shiny black lapel, and the matching strip tracing down the outside of our pant legs. The starched-soheavily-it-could-cut-a-bitch white shirt, with or without a tie, bow or otherwise. The inside lapel jacket pocket so perfect for sophisticatedly whipping out a business card or tucking in a room keycard. It’s just so damn sexy, even if the tux jacket is topping jeans and a T-shirt or, better yet, a sleeveless scoop neck undershirt, a la The L Word’s Shane. (And no, I’m not using the domestic abuse reference, because you can’t beat a lesbian wearing one.) One of my favorite moments wearing a tux—or at least, the jacket—occurred back in the mid-nineties when a handful of
connected lesbians and gay men decided Houston needed a tony event, something beyond the now-defunct Houston Black Tie Dinner, to one-up Dallas’ annual queer gala and raise some significant coin. The somewhat fledgling DC-based gay lobby group, then known as the Human Rights Campaign Fund, was the beneficiary of their largesse. (The group has since dropped the word ‘Fund’ from its title. No need to be overtly mercenary, right?) Needing seed money to throw that first gala, those early HRC Houston organizers put together a fundraiser at Rich’s headlined by the notorious New York City-based drag queen, The Lady Bunny. And I was thrilled that they asked me to do some comedy, as well. I’ll never forget that evening, waiting backstage at Rich’s, standing behind the curtain with the statuesque Bunny. God bless her, she must have been a bit under the weather because just before she hit the stage, she emitted the longest, loudest sniiiiifffffff I’ve ever heard in my life. Or maybe she was overcome with emotion at the respect of all those queers uniting to raise money for the cause of equality. Either way—what a trouper! Almost 20 years later, HRC still knows how to throw a hell of a party. HRC Houston’s tuxedo soirée this year is set for April 11 at the Westin Galleria. For $250 a seat, you get to eat dinner, hear recently out country western singer Ty Herndon perform a few songs, and maybe meet current HRC president Chad Griffin. The hysterical Dana Goldberg hosts the festivities. Wisely recognizing that the bulk of her local fan base won’t be in the HRC audience, Goldberg delivers a full set of her comedy on Thursday, April 9 at Pearl Bar, for $15 a seat. There may be a few spots left; call 832-740-4933 to reserve your ticket. Reminiscent of that memorable evening at Rich’s twenty years ago, I get to open for Goldberg at Pearl. Stop by and say hello; I’ll be the one in the Ricky Ricardo tux jacket, singing songs, playing guitar, and telling jokes. Babalu, baby. TheMontroseSTAR.com
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday April 8, 2015
Montrose STAR
OUT OF TOWN
Kauai Adventures •
| By Andrew Collins
N
obody on Kauai will give you a hard time for simply lazing on one of the island’s gorgeous beaches every waking hour of your vacation. Still, you may find it impossible to resist the countless opportunities for outdoor adventure on this lush, mountainous and least populated of Hawaii’s four major islands. Whether you venture out sea-kayaking, helicoptertouring, ziplining, hiking, or canyoneering, youxwon’t likely regret packing an activity or two into each of your days on what’s typically nicknamed the “Garden Island.” For the ultimate hiking and beachcombing, many visitors to Kauai (gohawaii.com/en/ Kauai) head for the Na Pali Coast, which is on the northwestern tip of the island, just beyond the picturesque village of Hanalei (the setting for such films as _South Pacific_ and _Indiana Jones_). The eastern side of Kauai is dominated by the waterfalls of the Wailua River Valley, the southern end by Poipu’s breathtaking beaches and upscale resorts, and the western side by gargantuan Waimea Canyon – there’s unparalleled beauty wherever you look. Touring Kauai by helicopter affords visitors one of the most memorable opportunities to see the entire island, and especially the remote and formidable Na Pali Coast. Several companies offer these tours. Island Helicopters (islandhelicopters. com) is especially fun because they offer an 85-minute island excursion that includes stopping and walking around the base of 400-foot Manawaiopuna Falls, which appeared prominently in the opening scenes of Jurassic Park. This extremely informative, mesmerizing tour then circles the entire island, its capable pilots zipping in and out of tight valleys and even, weather permitting, the crater of extinct Kawaikini Peak, the island’s highest point. Another exhilarating way to view part of the island is by striking out for an afternoon of high-wire action with Koloa Zipline (koloazipline.com), which operates an eightline course in the verdant mountains near Poipu resort. You can opt for a classic or “Flying Kauaian” style harness (the latter is plenty more fun and well worth the $20 surcharge). As you sail above the treetops on some of the longest zip lines in Kauai (one stretches for a full half-mile), you’ll be treated to plenty of thrills. If you’re in good shape and game for an independent adventure, you can always hike into the Na Pali highlands via the famed 11-mile Kalalau Trail. To hike the entire trail, which is steep and rugged in places, you must obtain a permit and camp overnight, as it’s not possible to cover the entire trail in a day. However, day hikers can easily venture in the first couple of miles to Hanakapiai Beach. And without a permit you can also climb up to Hanakapiai Falls, or continue for another few miles to Hanakoa campground.
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Less demanding options for sightseeing include driving to the viewpoints at Waimea Canyon State Park – they don’t call this the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific” without good reason. The 10-mile-long canyon is 3,000 feet deep and is one of Hawaii’s best photo ops. If you have a few hours, drive all the way to visitor center at Waimea Canyon’s Kokee State Park to pick up a trail map, and then embark on the stunning hike along the Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls, which affords visitors an incredible perspective on the canyon. You’ll find beautiful beaches all around the island, some of them drawing heavily among Kauai’s many LGBT residents and visitors. The easiest to reach is Lydgate State Park, just south of Kapaa off the Kuhio Highway – walk south from the parking area for the gay-popular section. Donkey Beach, off Kuhio Highway a bit north of Kapaa, is enjoyable both for sunbathing or swimming, and it draws a mix of gays and straights. Just keep in mind that the surf can be intense, so exercise caution. You’ll see the parked cars on the side of the road as you head north out of Kapaa, between mileposts 11 and 12 – from here just follow the trail down to the water. Nudity is permitted at this beach as well as at 3,000-foot Secret Beach (aka Kauapea Beach), another favorite of LGBT folks that’s up north near Kilauea Lighthouse (it’s a bit hard to find, however, so ask locals for directions). Kauai has no shortage spots specializing in tasty short-order fare and tempting snacks, including Papalani Gelato (papalanigelato. com) in Poipu, and Jo Jo’s Anuenue Shave Ice in Waimea. Just north of Poipu, the Koloa Fish Market prepares super-fresh plate lunches and bento boxes to go (try the ahi poke bento) – they’re perfect for a picnic. In Lihue, dive-y Hamura’s Saimin is worth stopping by to sample hearty renditions of ramen-like saimin, a beloved traditional Hawaiian dish. Don’t pass up the lilikoi (passion fruit) chiffon pie for dessert. If you’re driving through Kapaa, stop for a meal at Art Café Hemingway (artcafehemingway.com), which is run by a charming Eastern European couple, features beautiful artwork, and serves high-quality coffees and deftly prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner fare. Cozy and bustling Verde (verdehawaii.com) is a fun little Mexican restaurant in Kapaa, serving tasty blackenedmahimahi tacos and garlic-shrimp tacos. Kauai has few nightspots, but just about anywhere on the island you’ll be greeted warmly – and there’s pretty good chance of bumping into “family” at most places. One spot that many LGBT folks frequent, especially during the “gay nights” held the first Saturday of each month, is Nawiliwili Tavern, near the Kauai Marriott. Also in Lihue, in a shopping center with the island’s only bowling alley, Rob’s Good Times Grill (kauaisportsbarandgrill.com) is Kauai’s favorite sports bar – it’s not exactly a gay hotspot, but it is friendly and fun.
Kauai has a nice range of accommodations in all prices ranges, from posh resorts to gayfriendly B&Bs. Poipu, on the south shore, has the greatest concentration of distinguished lodgings, including the aforementioned Sheraton Kauai (sheraton-kauai.com), which hugs a spectacular point on the ocean, and has a great pool where you can also rent private bungalows for the day, a stunning beach that’s famed for snorkeling, and the outstanding restaurant RumFire. The Sheraton’s prime setting has also made it a favorite resort for gay weddings. The Grand Hyatt Kauai (kauai.hyatt. com) ranks among Kauai’s most sumptuous full-service resorts - rooms have smart, contemporary furnishings and such cushy amenities as iHome stereos and beverage chillers. The Hyatt is also home to the superb Anara Spa – set amid lush gardens and waterfalls – as well as a top-notch golf course and several excellent restaurants.
If you wish to be close to Waimea Canyon, consider the charming and historic Waimea Planation Cottages (coasthotels.com), whose 61 private bungalows were built in the early 1900s for workers of a local sugarcane mill. They’re situated around relaxing, treeshaded grounds that fringe the ocean. It’s a great option if you’re seeking a laid-back, old-school Hawaii experience, but with comfy accommodations that include wellequipped kitchens, private lanais, and vintage plantation-style furnishings. Also impressive and with a central location near the airport, the Kauai Marriott Resort (marriott.com) has the largest pool in the state and spreads across 800 handsomely landscaped acres and a fabulous beachfront. It’s a favorite option of LGBT families, given all the kid-friendly resort activities and amenities.
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ello, my fabulous Gayborhood residents! Let’s begin this edition of the Gayborhood by talking about unwanted guests. All homes have unwanted guests, whether they are on two legs, six legs, or more. We all see them and we usually want to get rid of them. It’s up to you, the homeowner, to control the situation and get rid of them quickly. Ants in the home are always unwanted guests, unless they’re encased in glass for a science project. Let's discuses the reasons we get ants, and offers simple remedies to rid your home of those unwanted guests.
| By Sally Adams And David Lorms
usan Tate of Darlene’s Flower and Gift Shop says she truly thinks she had a God given talent that she has turned into a career. She and her sister and business partner, Judy in the flower shop all through high school, helping out with their parents’ wedding catering service and floral shop. “I learned more and more from watching the professionals in my parents’ shop, going to design shows, practicing with people who would shared their knowledge with me,” Tate said in a recent interview on Make It Happen With David Lorms, an online motivational business radio show that streams live each Wednesday at noon on www.KBRZSports. com. Tate believes in practice so much so that she tells her Houston Community College students: “Take these flowers home, take them out of the vase, and arrange them over and over again until you have worn them out!” Tate, a lifetime member of the American Institute of Floral Design, isn’t just about delivering birthday arrangements. “I love to decorate for the holidays in private homes,” she said. “One of my favorite jobs was decorating a new home that had eight Christmas trees. And no, we didn’t finish them all in one day. The client then asked us to help her decorate her house, gave us her credit card and told us to do it as if it was our own.” Unlike most businesses, Darlene’s Flower and Gift Shop does not take orders over the internet. “We want to know a bit more about what the you really want and why you want it,” Tate said. “We love the personal touch we offer to each client.” Tate lives a full and rewarding life with diversity as well has happiness. Here are some of her words of wisdom and encouragement: • Overcoming adversity: “Never lose sight of the greater plan you are a part of. You can’t languish in a negative situation. For example, our grandson, who had always lived with us, was 12 when my husband died. I had to make sure his life continued to be full of all things 12 year olds needed. You have to choose to pick up and go on moving forward with your life, not only for yourself but for others around you.”
Don’t worry, your consultation and appointment will be completely ANONYMOUS, CONFIDENTIAL AND FREE.
| By John Buchanan
H Darlene’s Flower and Gift Shop’s Susan Tate, left, and David Lorms
Call to make an appointment 832-831-5095 or send an email to help@jmresearch.org
• Mentors: “My strong work ethic comes from parents who worked constantly. When Judy and I chose to help with a wedding, we got paid for it and we have loved to work ever since! Judy even broke her date to the prom because she wanted to work a wedding instead. Of course, the wedding was in a much more beautiful and interesting setting than the prom!” • Dreaming big: “When we moved to our current location, between 34th and Mangum, we were aghast at all the space we had. We were intimidated that people would expect us to fill it! But the business has grown and grown and now, 20 years later, we wish we had more space!” • Why others would love the flower business: “After 46 years, I love the diversity of the work. We have daily delivery, we make weddings beautiful, we create special arrangements for parties, and I have worked for four years at the Rose Bowl parade.” • Her favorite part of being a floral designer: “Curiously, I really love doing funeral work. It is such a great honor and responsibility to express a client’s feelings for a loved one who has gone. We do so much more than sprays or baskets. We have even made a floral arrangement of bowling pins and one taxicab!” • Looking to the future: “Every prom corsage I make today could become a big wedding tomorrow. The man that interrupts me working on a big design to get him a single rose in a vase might become my next big corporate client.” • Community involvement: “Our clients know when they do business with us, a part of it will be invested back into their schools and non-profits. Recently I helped a local school father-daughter dance and every year we make the pig blankets for the Houston Live Stock Show. It’s also a lot of fun, you meet new people and it will help your business grow.” To see the beauty these sisters bring to special occasions, visit www.darlenesflowerandgift.com.
Yes, I did say, “unwanted guests,” but in actuality we are the ones who send out a personal invitation to the ants to come to our wonderful homes. You might be saying, “Mary what are you babbling about?” Well, ants have incredible smelling power. Ants can smell our spills, sweets and treats up to a mile away. Yes, these pests are active little creatures. They are all in good shape— seriously, have you ever seen a fat ant? Let’s break this down for our newbie homeowners: Ants live outside. They usually dwell underground in nest or colonies. Each colony has one queen ant (which shows we do not live in an ant colony in the Gayborhood. We have tons of queens and, yes, we all get along quite well with each other.) Back to the ants. The queen ant sends out her worker ants to scour the area for food and fuel. Ants then go out in all directions, secreting a scent as they are searching.
Yes, they mark their territory. They do this in order to easily find their way home, once they find the food or fuel. (Some of our one-night stands need to learn this technique. Wham, bam then hello, goodbye! Once the deed is done, follow your scent back home—unless you are a keeper.) When you see an ant, usually your first reaction is to step on it, kill it, then pick up the body and throw it away. Blanche, you just made a mistake. Like I told you earlier: Ants are intelligent. They leave a scent. When you kill them they leave another scent that lets the others ants know, “Hell no!” And they come a-running, leaving you with an ant situation on your hands. Another thing to remember: Ants never travel alone. You might only see one ant but trust me, there are others lurking around. If you kill an ant, first clean the area with soap or window cleaner to block the scent. Then try to find the source of attraction to the ant. Anything with food or sugar can be a source of attraction. And ants love liquids because they need to stay hydrated. Once you identify the food source or attraction, clean it up. Remove it immediately! Then locate how the ants got into your house. They likely entered your casa through openings or holes, so place pesticide or repellent around these entry areas, distributing them on the outside, as well, to prevent ants from entering your house in the first place. There are natural repellents that work great. Sprinkle cayenne pepper around the mounds and entries into your home. They hate this and it will kill them. Another effective method is water and citrus peels; blend them together, then spray around entries and mounds. A solution of water and white vinegar is very effective, too. Or use professional exterminators if you don’t have the time or patience to get rid of them yourself. Ants do contribute to our environment, helping with soil aeration, and they always look great in the Pixar movies! But, bottom line, the moral of this story is: Don’t get caught with ants in your pants!
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Intero Realty’s John Buchanan has more than twenty years’ experience as a Realtor, and writes ‘In the Gayborhood’ to communicate, educate, and save his clients money. He welcomes all referrals, whether you’re buying, selling, renting, or leasing. For more information, call 832-969-4352 or email Johnwb214@aol.com
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Montrose STAR
THE LONG RIDE
What do you look for in a great script and a great director? Ohh. That’s hard to put into effect. It’s gotta have that _je ne sais quoi_, as they say. You don’t know why it’s amazing but it is. What about this Nicholas Sparks movie stuck out to you when you read the script? Well, for one, I love (director) George Tillman, Jr. – his films are great. I loved _Men of Honor_. I thought it was a fantastic movie. I thought that movie was an old ’90s drama, which don’t exist anymore. I was really so excited to work with him. I thought it was a very unorthodox choice to have him direct a Nicholas Sparks movie. And then geez – what else? The script was great.
Scott Eastwood talks gay fans, being an ‘outcast’ and why he endorses his famous father’s gay marriage mantra
The name of the movie, _The Longest Ride_, really lends itself to a porn spinoff down the line, don’t you think? That would be amazing. That’d be so funny if that happened. And why not?! Your sex scene in this movie wasn’t your first. I’ve had a few. I’ve had about four or five. What’s the trick to shooting a sexy sex scene? Keeping your thoughts sort of... controlled. In addition to keeping other things “controlled.” (Laughs) I’m only one man! I can only do what I can do. But I think it’s sexy. I mean, being in a shower with a beautiful, sexy woman – I was turned on! I had fun! In _The Longest Ride_ or during every sex scene you’ve done? (Laughs) Some more than others.
| By Chris Azzopardi
•
S
cott Eastwood has already provided a generous hunk of swoon-worthy shirtlessness, but the model-turned-actor is just getting started. In his first lead role as Luke Collins in the film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ _The Longest Ride_, Clint’s sexy son makes you feel all the feels as a bull rider pursuing a hard-won girl (and, for good measure, flashing his now-famous abs). During our recent interview, the 29-year-old talked about winning over the gay world as a full-time stud, identifying with his father’s Libertarian beliefs on LGBT equality, his Martin Luther King man crush, and keeping his thoughts (and other stuff ) in check during sex scenes.
Scott, you were obviously blessed with good genes, and people have taken note of that, many of them in the gay community. At this point in your career, how aware are you that gay men enjoy you? Now I am – you’re bringing it to my attention! I love it. I don’t discriminate against any fans. Fans are fans, and gay men are great. I support gay marriage and the whole bit. I think everybody should be able to be with who they want to be with. My dad is the same way. He’s a total Libertarian – everyone leave everyone alone. Everyone live their own private life. And why does everyone gotta be all up in arms about it? Your dad put it best when he spoke about gay marriage: “I don’t give a fuck about who wants to get married to anybody else! Why not?!” I’d give the same fucking quote – that’s perfect. I’m a firm believer that everyone’s human. We’re only on this planet for a short period of time, and we should all just be as kind as we can to other people because, in life, all you really have is how you affect people, in a negative way or a positive way.
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You’ve shown full butt before, and in _The Longest Ride_, you graciously give us a glimpse. With this movie, how was it determined how much butt would be in the shot? (Laughs) For me, I didn’t really care. The butt thing – to me, this was a really classy story and a really classy movie, so I didn’t care about showing a little butt in there. That’s part of it. Sex scenes – you see a little bit of action, right? And that’s what makes a good sex scene. Not too much. You don’t wanna give it all away. You gotta leave something to the imagination. Has your father seen the movie? He hasn’t. How do you feel about him seeing those scenes? I’m really proud of the film, and I hope he enjoys it. It’s not all the time you do a film you’re really proud of. When you’re in a movie about love and relationships and sex, people are interested in your own personal experiences. (Laughs) How do you deal with those kinds of questions? Are you an open book? Partially. I don’t give everything away. You gotta have your private life too. But I’m not shy. I love women. Well, then, barn sex – yay or nay? I mean, why not?!
What are or have been some of the challenges of creating a career independent of your father? That people take me seriously. I’ve been doing it for 12 years, and I always say Hollywood is like high school. If you’re not the cool kid, you’re the outcast. And nobody really cares and people don’t take you seriously. I was never the cool kid. Definitely not the cool kid. And so I split. I split LA. I lived in San Diego. And there’s been a couple of moments I thought about throwing in the towel, for sure. I once heard from Mel Gibson. His advice was, “Just stick around and keep plugging away at it. Keep your head down and keep working hard.” With so much attention on your shirtlessness, is there more pressure to prove yourself beyond the hunky exterior? I don’t really think about it like that. I don’t spend a lot of time on it. There’d be a lot of wasted time if I let that consume my thoughts. I just keep my head down and do the best I can. Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBT wire service. Reach him via his website at www.chris-azzopardi.com.
You were a model for so long – I wasn’t really a model for that long. People say that, but they don’t really know. I mean, I did a couple of modeling jobs, but I never really pursued that. I was like, “Oh well, that’s not really for me. I’m gonna do something different.” Why wasn’t modeling for you? I didn’t find it creative enough. It was cool, though. It paid some bills when I was in college as a struggling, broke actor. Your body, however, is breaking barriers. I read a web comment recently that said, “Even I, as a Gold Star lesbian, look at this guy and state categorically, ‘A-hummina-humminahummina.’” What’s it like to know you can have that effect on even the lesbian community? (Laughs) That’s awesome! I mean, I don’t really know what I’ve done that’s worthy of it. You’ve taken your shirt off a few times, so there’s that. (Laughs) Yup! The hat, the Levis, the boots. You rock that look like you were born a cowboy. There’s probably a little bit of cowboy in me somewhere. When it comes to gay roles, could you see yourself playing one? Is it too soon to get you in a _Brokeback Mountain_ remake? Oh my gosh – that’s funny! (Laughs) To me, it’s all about the script and the director. I’m very director-driven and materialoriented, so if it’s a great script and a great director, then yeah.
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On Twitter recently you said your man crush is your dad. Who are some of your other man crushes? People who have the balls to change the world. Guys like Martin Luther King, who said things at a time when they weren’t acceptable. People who are out doing great things. Guys like Enric Sala who are saving the world. The Pristine Seas project. People who are working toward curing cancer, or working with kids – that’s really great stuff to me.
How did you learn to embrace that mentality? My mom – and my dad too – was really a firm believer (of it), and really compassionate and selfless. She’s such a firm believer that in life you gotta be compassionate. Everyone’s from different walks of life and everyone has their own reality, and to be uncompassionate is not very human.
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Congratulations!
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To Bunnies On the Bayou 36
The Official After Party at
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Foodie Diaries
Cooking with Paula Dream
The Salad is Right:
Eat well and stay fit •
| By Paula Dream (AKA Kale Haygood)
S
eems like everyone is on a diet these days. I know I am. It took a year, but I’m proud to say I’m down from ___ pounds to ___ pounds. (I’ll let you fill in the blanks.) Now that I’m in better shape, it’s vacation time! Watch out you West Hollywood boys, because I’m a’comin’. I’m going to catch them and let them ride sidesaddle on my walker. I’m trying to decide whether to drive home the car that I win on The Price Is Right, or just have it shipped. I wonder how many West Hollywood boys will fit in the trunk? Speaking of junk in the truck, here is a really great salad that kind of makes that green stuff more attractive. It’s so easy to make and to take to the office for a healthy lunch. Or just serve it with a lean meal.
1 16-ounce packaged of bagged salad greens 8-to-10 bacon strips, crumbled 1 11-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained 1/2 cup purple onion, chopped 1/4-cup almonds, sliced ¼-cup shredded cheese (optional) 1/2-cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons sugar 2 tablespoons vinegar ¼-to-1/2 teaspoon salt ground black pepper, to taste Mix first six ingredients in large salad bowl. Using a Mason jar or similar tightly fitting container, vigorously shake together all remaining ingredients, and pour over salad. How easy is that? For extra flavor add a few sliced red grapes. If you really want to streamline, skip the bacon and cheese, replace the vegetable oil with olive oil, and use honey instead of sugar. Mm-mm, good!
Paula Dream, AKA Kale Haygood, owns Beyond Service, a Montrose-based, home-cooking catering company. For more information, call 713-805-4106 or email barrykale@yahoo.com
www.123rf.com/profile_olha
2 7 10 Montrose Blvd. Houston, T X 7 7 006
713.526.0202
Mascalzone:
Italian cuisine, direct from London •
SWEET AND SALTY SALAD
Montrose STAR
| By Jim Ayres
M
ascalzone, a new London-based Italian restaurant, has opened on Shepherd between Washington and I-10. What? An Italian restaurant from London is now in Houston? It’s not such a crazy idea. If Mascalzone had started in New York or Chicago (or even Miami or San Francisco), you wouldn’t think twice. But London isn’t any more or less “Italian” than those cities. And if you still believe the tired adage that British food sucks, Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson might have something to say about that. And they’ve both recently written well received—you guessed it—Italian cookbooks! Step inside playfully casual Mascalzone, and you find no hint of jolly old England. Instead, Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni regard you from above, while grapes and tomatoes “grow” all over the walls. Chandeliers made from stainless steel cooking utensils bring a chuckle. You also get a rousing Buon giorno! as you walk in. The staff here isn’t subtle with its hellos (or with anything else, as we’ll see). It could take you by surprise, so I’m warning you now. But the high-energy service is a big reason to visit Mascalzone. Actually, everything here is big. Except for our adorable server, Francesco. With his height, looks, and energy, he’s a near-twin of Luis on Million Dollar Listing New York. After more buon giornos, he was ready to sell. Salads, appetizers, wine… the up-sell might be an issue here, but we just gave that no grazie gaze into Francesco’s eyes and melted. Wait a minute. I did succumb to Francesco’s charms and ordered an Italian Mixed Salad to start things off.
This “side salad” was huge, with varied greens, carrots, tomatoes, and enormous zucchini slices. A sweetish balsamic vinaigrette served on the side was perfectly fine. Servers offered Parmigiano-Reggiano and pepper, and I accepted. Mascalzone offers a large selection of pastas, many of them house made. Deciding to stray from my usual tomato sauce favorites that are all available, I chose Strozzapreti (like spaghetti, but really thick) with Italian sausage and broccoli. The menu describes its extra virgin olive oil sauce as “slightly spicy” but, since it’s pureed with more broccoli, it had a fresh, spring-like taste. The salty sausage balanced it nicely. Even better are the pizzas. There are 28 to choose from, but we landed on the decadent Romana, with buffalo mozzarella cheese and artichokes. Together with a bright tomato sauce and perfectly charred crust, this pizza made us squeal with delight. Francesco had to make sure we were OK. We certainly were. So much so that on a follow-up visit, I ordered Mascalzone’s namesake dish to go. It’s a half pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms, and black olives, with the other half rolled to form a calzone stuffed with ham and cheese. Delicious! In the end, Mascalzone is a fun place to go with a group of friends. The food won’t knock Da Marco or Coltivare off their pedestals, but you’ll enjoy it, and you’ll have a great time.
Mascalzone 1500 Shepherd Drive Houston, Texas 77007
(713) 862-9700 W W W. I L M A S C A L Z O N E . C O M / U S A
Photo courtesy Mascalzone
Order Online www.pepperonis.net
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| Wednesday April 8, 2015
Montrose STAR
Dirty Disco feat Debby Holiday
LIFT
Houston’s DJs Mark D & JD Arnold (aka Dirty Disco) bring you the anthem “LIFT” on the Billboard Dance Chart now! all mixes avail on iTunes! Grab your copy!
THE M
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TROSE ON
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HOUPAUL: ALL THINGS RUPAUL IN HOUSTON
South Beach welcomes Sasha Belle and Katya •
| By Mark Kariel
T
he RuPaul’s Drag Race hits just keep on happening in Houston as South Beach welcomes two more top queens for special guest appearances. First, the lovely Sasha Belle hits the stage on April 11, followed by Katya, the Soviet sweetie, on April 18. For both Saturday nights, there will be one big show with an encore after midnight, followed by an autograph and photo shoot party. Come have your photo taken with these fabulous Season 7 queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race! For more information, visit www.sobehouston.com, or call 713-5210107. South Beach is located at 810 Pacific St. Houston, Texas 77006.
In episode 2, “Glamazonian Airways”, the queens were asked to work as a team and do a lip-synch and performance to a pre-flight safety video for the imaginary airlines. Sasha was picked to be on Team Ginger Minj. During the preparation for the challenge, Sasha was upset with team leader Ginger for not giving her the part that she really wanted. During the judges’ critiques, Sasha was told that she faded into the background and that her outfit was boring. Sasha and
Katya were left to lip-synch for their lives against each other. Sasha heard the words that you do not want to hear from Ru: “Sashay away!” It is traditional for the queen that sashays away to leave a farewell message in red lipstick on the workroom mirror for the remaining contestants to see after their departure. Sasha wrote “Love you, mean it! Ging for the win! ” One more thing: We must ask Sasha about her cat named “Chicken Houston”. There must be a good story there!
Sasha, You Stay! Sasha Belle — Saturday, April 11 B orn Jared Breakenridge in small-town Iowa, Sasha Belle is a drag mother to more than ten drag daughters. That must keep Mama busy! Sasha also has a series of YouTube videos called Sasha Belle Presents Drunk Makeover. If you have not checked this out, do it right now. Now! Sasha Belle has been performing since 2006. Leaping from server to show director at her home bar, she then took a giant leap to national stardom, appearing as one of 14 contestants on Season 7 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. One of the things that I took away from watching Sasha on Drag Race was that she is a super fan and student of the show; I actually felt like she knew the show so well she would have an advantage over the other contestants. I wish we had seen more of Sasha Belle. I think she would have been a force to reckon with if given the chance to stay just a little longer in the competition.
Just Call Her Katya: Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova — Saturday, April 18 From Boston, Massachusetts, via Moscow, this
Russian-obsessed queen is a trained gymnast and, rumor has it, can do a mean split! With her perfect blend of comedy and glamour, including runway looks that so far have been nothing short of amazing, expect to see quite a show! Through press time and five episodes of Season 7, Katya is still alive and well in the competition for America’s next drag superstar! Katya has not seen the bottom two ranking since Episode 2 (referred to above), when she had to lip-sync for her life against fellow competitor, Sasha Belle. During that lip-sync, Katya gave an energetic performance to the song “Twist of Fate” by Olivia Newton-John and was told: “Shante, you stay!”
RU-Minder: Season 7 of RuPaul’s Drag Race is in full swing! Head on over to JR’s Bar & Grill each Monday night for a viewing party. The show starts at 8 p.m. JR’s Bar & Grill is located at 808 Pacific St. Houston, Texas 77006.
Don’t miss these queens! Stay tuned for the next edition of the MONTROSE STAR for many more upcoming RuPaul’s Drag Race events.
“Matchmaker, Matchmaker...” F or millennia the tried and true method for meeting a partner was Matchmaking. Who can forget the rambunctious musical number from Fiddler On the Roof - “Matchmaker, Matchmaker, make me a match!” In present day, Matchmaking has experienced a complete resurgence. Some of it can be attributed to Bravo’s “Millionaire Matchmaker” and it’s widereach, but perhaps more telling is what George Ochoa - Head-Matchmaker at Houston’s Gay Matchmaking service Mr. Right, calls “The reaction to online-dating.” He goes on to explain, “Online dating can result in one being overwhelmed by choices, the time needed to sift through viable candidates, and, most importantly, the caliber of persons available to you. It can make you want to never date again.” This was the case for two local men who sought George’s matchmaking skills. Two of his most successful clients – Alex and Joseph- say they are grateful to George and Mr. Right for leading them to one another. “I never in a million years would have thought about using a matchmaker,” said Alex, a 25-year-old professional in Houston. Alex originally went to George to get some advice because online dating was not working for him. “I was tired of going on dates that led nowhere. It was constant texting back and forth and I needed something more than just texting,” said Alex. Twenty four year old Joseph was in the same boat. “I never felt like the men on these apps had substance and when I would finally meet someone I liked, it’s like they weren’t serious about being in a relationship” As such, Joseph decided to reach out to Mr. Right. George says that though both had come to him for dating advice, he had a better idea. “After I picked up on and evaluated their respective personalities and where they were in life, I made the introduction,” stated George. Alex and Joseph have been dating for two years and are both happy in their relationship. “People may think we are too young but they are missing the bigger picture. One of the things George stresses is to stay in the present. Well, I am happy at this moment to be sharing experiences with this guy!” said Alex as he reached over to hold Joseph’s hand.
Mr. Right was founded on the premise that everyone deserves to find the right person - regardless of sexual orientation. Clients go through a confidential and personalized introductory process where the clientele consists of unique, exceptional, and relationship-oriented gay men. Both civil and criminal background checks are conducted after an extensive one-onone interview with a Mr. Right Matchmaker. “It’s very gratifying to see two people find one another and to facilitate a lasting relationship based on equality, chemistry and, yes, even serendipity!” says George. “We feel there is definitely a niche market - what with gay marriage a viable and real possibility in this state, finally. Gay men want what all humans want - a lasting and committed relationship. You can’t get much simpler than that. Finding a relationship, let alone love, is not always so simple - and that’s where we come in.” Ochoa adds that, “We take the work out of finding love and we have a unique understanding of the gay community. Everything is completely confidential.” For the same reason upscale and busy straight men rely on matchmakers to vet out worthy partners, gay men can benefit from this time-tested tradition as well. Research shows “The use of matchmakers is on the rise and one study shows a 200 percent increase in the past 10 years. It used to be a taboo to use a matchmaker, but now it is somewhat of a status statement. It has the same cachet as a personal trainer,” says Ochoa. If the sister company, Rose Matchmaking, with it’s 72% success rate, is any indication then Mr. Right is sure to become the go-to for Houston’s gay elite. The new Matchmaking company is partnering with Helfman Fiat & Maserati for a Gay Speed Dating In Cars event benefiting Out for Education. Please email Renee@ MrRightHouston.com for more information about the event. For more information about Mr. Right, please visit www.MrRightHouston. com or contact Renee Edd at Renee@ MrRightHouston.com or 832.283.7912.
Photo:Sean M Johnson
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| Wednesday April 8, 2015
Montrose STAR
Across the Causeway
Bolivar Ferry Tales:
Cruising the old-fashioned way •
| By Forest Riggs
I
Photo: www.123rf.com/profile_rfox
often wonder if people that live near Disney World ever go there. Sometimes we have so many things to do, and right in our own backyard, but seldom take advantage of them. One of the greatest joys of living on Galveston Island is the abundance and scope of things to see and do. The island offers a great deal of things for residents and visitors to explore, from an abundance of historic architecture to drag queens on parade. There are fantastic restaurants, sun-scorched beaches, great fishing, birding, a wonderful arts and theatre scene and, of course, the cruise ships! Cruising out of Galveston has become a huge draw for the island, bringing visitors from all over the United States. The huge ships come and go daily, parking along the pier just long enough to let gawkers have a good look at the massive, floating cities. Galvestonians can set their watch by the timely bellowing of the horns announcing arrivals and departures. A quick drive to the extreme east end of the island allows curious dreamers the opportunity to stand in the wind and watch the ships as they pass out of Galveston Bay and into the Gulf of Mexico. Many a lazy Sunday afternoon have come to an end as the sun fades on East Beach, as my friends and I enjoy some libations, watching the huge ships become tiny white dots on the horizon. It is amazing to think there is an entire world happening out there on the water. I confess, I have never been on a cruise—pretty odd in these days and times, especially for someone living on the Island. Oh, I have had many offers to join friends on cruises and go with a huge group to exotic places far away. I usually end-up seeing their posts on Facebook and thinking I should have gone along. Many of my friends in the gay community love the Halloween cruises and come back with wild tales of their adventures at sea. I enjoy the stories. Some friends seem to always be away on a cruise. I think Mike and Jeri Eubanks hold the record for number of cruises taken and length of days on a ship. They love cruise life and have made friends all over the world. With their dynamic personalities, the Eubanks’ are excellent, living advertisements for Galveston Island. I keep telling myself that one of these days I am going to break down and take a cruise. Having lived and taught several years in the U.S. Virgin Islands, I pretty much had my fill of Caribbean island visiting. Although I made it to many islands while living in St. Thomas and St. John, there are still several that I would like to visit: Guadalupe, Dominica, and Montserrat, to name a few. So a cruise or two is on the old bucket list; maybe one of these days, I’ll make it happen and check if off.
Climbing the narrow stairs to the observation deck is not too bad, but when the bay if rough, it can be a challenge to keep balanced. The decks are usually filled with people, all pointing, holding babies, kissing and posing for photos. I have one friend who makes a game of photo-bombing every chance he gets. I wonder how many people get home, and look at their pictures and wonder, “Who in the hell is that idiot?” So for a few bucks at Taco Bell or a little more at Schlotzky’s you can grab a dinner, head to the ferry and have a pleasurable excursion across the bay. Unless I have plans and need my truck, I usually park and walk onto the ferry. It is nice to ride across, eat, watch people and return after unloading and loading. Because the ferry runs twentyfour/seven, you can take a daytime or moonlight cruise any time you get a wild hair. There aren’t many things free in life, but the Galveston Ferry is one of them. It’s not Disneyland, nor even the Love Boat, but it’s right in our own back yard. A resident of Galveston where he can be found wasting bait and searching for the meaning of life, Forest Riggs recently completed a collection of short stories about his beloved island and is working on a novel.
Photo: http://www.123rf.com/profile_dfikar
When friends contact me and want to come visit in Galveston, I jokingly tell them, “Sure, come on down and we’ll do dinner and cruise.” They think I am kidding until they get here. Since I was a small boy in East Texas, one my great thrills has been riding the ferry across Galveston Bay. Rather heading to Galveston or to Bolivar and home, it has always been a pleasurable experience, even in turbulent storms and dead of night. Where else can you find a free 23-minute cruise across a bay teaming with dolphins, porpoises, seagulls, pelicans, and passing ships and pleasure crafts? No matter where you look there is something to see, from the sunken S.S. Selma (the concrete ship scuttled decades ago in Galveston Bay) to the iconic Port Bolivar lighthouse. Ferry patrons love to exit their autos and gather at both ends of the ferry, tossing bread in the air to feed the legions of screaming seagulls following in the wake. Everyone is posing, snapping pictures and telling their “sea stories” about pirates, Lafitte’s lost treasure, and of their Galveston adventures. Some are sunburned to the point of resembling lobsters, some are lily white and greased down with lotions. The breeze carries every scent of perfume, both cheap and expensive, known to mankind. Some groups just smell like freshly laundered clothes—Tide, perhaps!
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| Wednesday April 8, 2015 |
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday April 8, 2015
Next2Weeks! THURSDAY April 9
FRIDAY April 10
a Various Locations in Houston: 28th Annual Houston Art Car Parade: Main Street Drag, free admission , 9am
a Hobby Center TUTS Underground presents LMNOP a KRave Galveston: Kara Dion, Kourtney Paige Van Wales & Kymber Devine perform a Ripcord: Spring Iniquity 2015, Bringing Out The Wicked, registration 9pm-midnight
TUESDAY April 14
a F Bar: Jam HipHop, 11:30pm
April 14–19
a Hobby Center for the Performing Arts: Mamma Mia
SATURDAY April 11
IN HOUSTON & GALVESTON
April 8– 22, 2015 SUNDAY April 12
a George Bar: Spring Iniquity 2015, a 24-Hour Discount Video: Bringing Out The Wicked, 7-9pm Every Sunday: Brunch 11-2pm a Houston Eagle: Pig Dance feat.DJ Irene & DJ JD Arnold a KRave Galveston: a Montrose Center: Dialogue with HPD & LGBT Community, 10am Kourtney Paige Van Wales hosts
a Ripcord: Bearracuda 2015, $5 cover, 9pm
Vegas Follies with an all-star lineup,
a Ripcord: Spring Iniquity 2015, Bringing Out The Wicked, 10pm 9pm-2am a Ripcord: Spring Iniquity 2015, a Splash Bar Galveston: Kourtney Paige Van Wales, Kiki Van Bringing Out The Wicked, Wales & Chloe Crawford on stage Noon-2pm a Sunset Lounge (San Leon): Benefit for Christine Oxendine, 1pm a TC’s Showbar: Big Robert’s Celebration of Life & Benefit Fish Fry, donations appreciated, 1-6pm a Tony’s Corner Pocket: Spring Iniquity 2015, Bringing Out The Wicked, Noon-4pm
WEDNESDAY April 15
THURSDAY April 16
FRIDAY April 17
a Chamber Music Houston: a Asia Society Texas Center: Emerson String Quartet AsiaFest, free Admission a KRave Galveston: Kara Dion, Symphony McKnight Capri & Violet S’Arbleu perform a Splash Bar Galveston: Kourtney Paige Van Wales hosts the Splash Bar Follies Show, 10pm
SATURDAY April 18 a Club Houston: Pre-anniversary celebration, with DJ spinning a KRave Galveston: The Hoe Down & Gayribbean’s Bon Voyage Party, 11pm a Splash Bar Galveston: Gayribbean Bon Voyage Party, 7pm a Splash Bar Galveston: Kourtney Paige Van Wales, Kiki Van Wales & Kara Dion on stage
Bearracuda 2015
Dates and events subject to change without notice.
Since 1981, Legacy Community Health Services has been a constant presence in the lives of LGBT Houstonians. We were there at the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, providing testing and linking clients to care. We are still here now, offering comprehensive medical care. For more than 30 years, Legacy has been a source of comfort for those who traditionally face barriers to care. We are, now and always, constantly here for you. Adult Primary Care HIV/AIDS Testing & Prevention Ryan White Health Care Services STD Screening & Treatment Transgender Specialty Care Women’s Services Body Positive Wellness Nutritional Counseling
1415 California St., Houston, TX 77006 | 832-730-4432 TheMontroseSTAR.com
Dental Care Frost Eye Clinic Behavioral Health Services Vaccination & Immunization Pediatrics The Assistance Fund On-site Pharmacy
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DJ Irene: A true renaissance spinner
26
Retro Rewind
Deep Inside Hollywood 29
Narada Michael Walden:
High Above The Clouds
Looking for more Daniel Franzese
F FACEBOOK.COM/STAR.MONTROSE
27
YOUR GLBT ENTERTAINMENT STARTS HERE!
THE M
DJ Spotlight
TROSE ON
Section WEDNESDAY APRIL 8, 2015
B
VOL. VI, ISSUE 1
THE FRIVOLIST
10 Gay ways to take advantage of April showers •
| By Mikey Rox
W
inter is but a memory, yet we’re not quite into that sweet spot of spring. First we have to brave all those April showers that bring May flowers. To pass the time more gaily, here are 10 wet-weather activities you can add to your schedule when the clouds come rolling in. 1. Catch an LGBT film at your local indie joint Now that the Oscars are over, there are limited LGBT-centric releases – but that doesn’t mean they’re altogether nonexistent; you likely can find stragglers throughout the year at your local independent theater. Tickets may be a touch pricier than the blockbuster megaplex in town (though that’s even a stretch these days), but the pros far outweigh the cons: The setting is cozier, the popcorn tastes better, and there won’t be any obnoxious 15-year-olds kicking the back of your seat. 2. Invite the boys over for a Golden Girls-athon When the skies are gloomy and grey, break out the cheesecake. Invite over your other _Golden Girls_loving friends – which is, like, all of them – and settle in for an afternoon marathon with Dorothy, Blanche, Rose and Sophia. If you have a box set of the DVDs, take your pick from your favorite episodes. Otherwise, DVR a few hours’ worth of eps from the Hallmark Channel or TVLand before the screening begins. 3. Reorganize, rearrange and redecorate If it’s coming down outside so hard that you can’t bring yourself to leave the house, lock yourself in and stay productive instead. Attack some of the projects that you’ve been meaning to finish, clean your office
space, give a room or two a new look, and hit the attic or basement to search for a few long-hidden treasures that you might like to see around the house again. 4. Compile a romantic mix tape for your bae A ll our lust and love was perfectly expressed in eight tracks or less back in the day when we used to compile cassette mixes for our baes, but the art of playing home DJ has sadly lost its relevance. Nowadays, most computers lack CD drives too, so even burned discs are becoming relics. I recently was introduced to Sharetapes, however, which offers an ideal blast-fromthe-past solution for our Jetsons-esque age. A digital code is embedded on each card after you complete your mix tape and all the recipient has to do is scan the QR code to access it. It’s easy, fun, and a great way to tell somebody you like ’em like you liked 1985.
5. Visit an art exhibit that supports a community cause You’re bound to find an LGBT-associated art exhibition on any given day in a big city, but the prospects get thinner the farther out you go. If you live in a small(ish) town, consult your local LGBT community center to find an exhibit that piques your interest. If luck is in your favor, you could discover it before it debuts – and in that case, take advantage of the free wine and interesting conversation at the opening reception if there’s one scheduled. 6. Schedule a happy massage at your place You don’t have to leave the comfort of your home to enjoy the effects of a professional masseur. Sites like Masseurfinder and MassageM4M.com help you locate the right candidate via location or massage style, and some will arrive on your doorstep the very same day. Who couldn’t use a little R&R on a rainy day, right? 7. Pal around at your favorite watering hole Everybody flocks to the local gay bar on a snow day, so why should a torrential downpour be any different? Get the group together and meet for an afternoon of pub games, good old-fashioned gossip, or to check out the neighborhood hotties. Just remember to look, not touch. (Continued on page 28)
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday April 8, 2015
DJ Spotlight
Montrose STAR
Retro Rewind
| Wednesday April 8, 2015 |
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SATURDAY APRIL 11, 2015
Narada Michael Walden:
High Above The Clouds •
| By DJ JD Arnold
K
DJ Irene:
A true renaissance spinner
NO COVER | $4 DOMESTICS | $5 IMPORTS
•
O
2409 GRANT | BAYOUCITYBAR.COM | MON-SAT 7A-2A SUN NOON-2A
Dirty Disco feat Debby Holiday
LIFT
Houston’s DJs Mark D & JD Arnold (aka Dirty Disco) bring you the anthem “LIFT” on the Billboard Dance Chart now! all mixes avail on iTunes! Grab your copy! TheMontroseSTAR.com
join
| By DJ Mark D
ur spotlight DJ this edition focuses on a true DJ icon. She’s been serving up the slammin’ beats for years (and just for the record, I’ve been playing her records for years, too!) I’m talking about the one and only DJ Irene. If you haven’t heard of DJ Irene, you either live under a rock or do not visit the dancefloor often. She is truly the divine diva. In our interview, DJ Irene describes her start in the DJ world as happening “in a far, far, far, away place, in a distant galaxy where synthesis travels through the space of time and distant.” She laughs and remarks what a formative time period that was. “I was fortunate to have a friend who was a DJ and, of course, I was always curious about mixing,” she says. “Everyday, I would ask him to teach me how to DJ until one day he challenged me to write down all my 12-inch singles on a piece of paper. The next day, I placed a 20-page list of my collection on his desk. He was quite amazed that my collection consisted of tracks that were not in his collection of 12 inches. The following week, he taught me the basics and the diva was born.” Currently the most sought after female DJ talent, Irene finds herself on the road every week! Before that, she had a residencies in Hollywood, California for 15 years at Circus and Arena. “They were two different crowds every weekend,” Irene recalls. “In fact, Arena was an all-ages night with 6000 people every Friday night from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.” And this was before Internet, with no promotion—just word of mouth). “Circus is a 21 and over club,” she adds, “in which customers preferred the progressive sound at that time.”
Not only did her residencies solidify her talent, but so did her series of remixes and mix CDs. DJ Irene is also back in the studio, crankin’ out the tracks! Currently, there are DJ Irene mixes of Gia’s “World”, Carmen Electra’s “Around The World” and Azealia Banks’s “Chasing Time”! Her original video, “DJ Irene feat. Simon Jay’s ‘Fall Into The Sky’”, contains all of Irene’s fans that she personally invited to attend! Very cool. She also headlined San Diego’s Pride last year, and says, “There is more to come, but I prefer to surprise my fans.” Her sets are truly diverse. She has the talent to identify exactly what her crowd wants. She says she loves to see those hands in the air! “I can go from Stravinsky to Debussy to Afrojack with a little bit of old school,” she says. “My knowledge of music is very wide.” You can always tell when she’s in the groove; I’ve never seen a more animated DJ when spinning. In fact, you’d swear she was on the dancefloor, too. Also, it must have been Irene that invented the “fist pump” way before Jersey Shore! One time, she was bouncing around and actually fell off the speakers she was standing on! Ouch! She played it off and got right back up, never missing a beat. She’s still embarrassed about the situation, but says it turned out well. When representing the LGBT community, there’s no greater female DJ talent than DJ Irene. She’s been with her partner for eight years and plans on keeping the beats fresh and strong as we progress onward. She’ll be in town on Saturday, April 11 at Eagle Houston and is looking forward to rocking her set here in town. “Get ready, it’s going to be a bumpy ride…LOL!” she says.
To follow DJ Irene, check her out on Facebook.com/DjIrene, Twitter.com/DjIrene, or Soundcloud.comDjIrene.
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erry Jaggers, an old friend and colleague of mine, recently posted an array of photos from New York’s legendary nightclub, The Saint on Facebook. The photos are impressive but do not fully express the reality of the club. For me, it was and still remains the best nightclub I have ever experienced. I was lucky enough to enjoy the club before the AIDS epidemic wrecked the New York club scene and caused its closure. I went there with Kerry on my very first trip to New York in 1983; along with us was my good friend Michael DeGrace, Club Some’s legendary afterhours DJ. On seeing the photos that Kerry posted, DeGrace wrote the comment, “High above the clouds,” referring to the feeling you experienced while dancing in the Saint’s Planetarium dance-floor. It was also a reference to the Narada Michael Walden classic dance track, my choice for Retro Rewind this week. “High Above the Clouds” was released in 1985 and, although a slow grower, with time it became a staple of afterhours at Rich’s during my long tenure as resident DJ there. The emotion it evoked and the airy feel of the production made it perfect for the wee hours of the morning. When the dance floor was beginning to thin out at four or five in the morning, I could always guarantee a revival by playing this record. It was not a huge commercial success, but then many of the best club tracks at that time were hard to find and often DJ exclusives. Being a Billboard-reporting DJ gave a DJ access to highly desirable promotional items that the other DJs could not find or had to wait months
before they were released. Often music promoters would arrange to have special remixes done just for the Billboard DJ’s. I was selected to be a part the Billboard panel in 1985 and, at that time, it consisted of just 100 DJ’s working in prime clubs at major influential markets around the country. To be a panel member, Billboard magazine would send a dance music connoisseur down from New York to hear the proposed DJ play for months before deciding. It was an honor to be chosen for the panel! Part of the responsibility was to speak to promoters and submit a chart every week, which was used to compile the Billboard “Club Play Chart”. Narada Michael Walden’s “High Above The Clouds” was originally one of those promotional releases. Walden is not only a singer/songwriter and producer, but also an accomplished drummer. He started making albums in 1976 and had his first Top 10 hit in 1979 with “I Don’t Want Nobody Else (To Dance With You)”. He had even bigger hits with “Divine Emotions” and with his duet with Patti Austin on “Gimme Gimme Gimme”. He has collaborated on many huge hits over the years particularly as producer. His list of Number One hits includes Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”. He also produced massive hits for Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, and Regina Belle, among others, earning him several gold and platinum awards. “High Above The Clouds” remains a favorite of mine. I often feature it late on Sunday nights at the Eagle, so don’t be afraid to request it! Also, one of the original Saint DJs Robbie Leslie comes to Houston at Eagle on Sunday, May 17. It will really bring back the memories!
PIG DANCE DJ IRENE HOUSTON EAGLE
NO COVER | 611 HYDE PARK | MON-FRI 4P-2A | SAT & SUN NOON-2A
eaglehouston.com
SATUR AY SATURDDAY MUSIC BY DJ JD ARNOLD
Take a trip down the road of musical history Sunday afternoons with DJ JD Arnold’s Dangerous Disco at Eagle Houston (611 Hyde Park). It’s the music where we came into our own! Bring your boogie shoes and get ready to use it up and wear it out! See you on the dance floor!
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611 HYDE PARK | MON-FRI 4P-2A| SAT & SUN NOON-2A
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday April 8, 2015
C rossword Q ueeries Homophobia is for nincompoofs!
Across 1 Lorca’s stick 5 Bandleader Shaw 10 Like a stereotypical wrist 14 Wife of Buck’s Wang 15 Quick raid 16 Canal of New York ferries 17 With 34-Across, “a sort-of survival guide” by Leighton-Dore 20 Reeves of My Own Private Idaho 21 Bear with a small package 22 Where to find a date in a hot place 23 Beatle Bailey dog 25 Revolting 27 Delinquent 30 Flockhart of The Birdcage 34 See 17-Across 35 Author Leighton-Dore 36 Islands instrument 37 Brings indignity to 41 Gift of Ellen DeGeneres 42 Abound (with) 44 Screwed up
45 Edna, for one 46 Like an active partner 48 Lubricant 49 Language of Leif 50 Poet ___ Wu 52 Cold feet 54 Leighton-Dore’s kiddie lit book about coming out 59 Strip a fruit 60 Rub it in 61 Sound of being banged? 63 Tutti-frutti ingredient 64 Wonder Woman star Carter 65 Put in a position 66 Cleans the floor 67 Day one 68 Go up and down
D own
1 11th U.S. president 2 Soothing agent for skin 3 Composition of some beds 4 Monotonous 5 It’s south of Eur. 6 A gangster shoots it off 7 Long pants, for short 8 Like Shakespeare’s feet 9 Optimist’s place for a cock? 10 Toast of the cut 11 Bisexual writer Murdoch 12 Skimpy skirt 13 Sheehan’s tees, e.g. 18 Went one one better 19 Stein’s Alice 24 Eliza Doolittle, for one 26 Checked out the joint 27 Breakfast on ___ 28 Clay of American Idol fame 29 Shooting type 31 Type of daddy 32 Lions and Tigers and Bears 33 A Delicate Balance author
38 Area of the Audre Lorde Project 39 Paul Newman role in Exodus 40 Successful on one’s own 43 Heather’s parents, in kiddie lit 45 Oz visitor 47 Letter before omega 49 Beauty sleep 51 West Side Story Jet, e.g. 53 Annoy during a blow job? 54 Otello villain 55 Bend in a sink pipe 56 Charged particles 57 John Goodman’s Normal, ___ 58 Intense rage 59 Cager Parsons 62 To God, in Latin
10 Gay ways
( from p25)
8. Hit the Shops to find the perfect pride outfit Pride month will be here before you know it – do you know what you’re wearing yet? Use the downtime of a damp day to browse your favorite stores to find the perfect out-andproud outfit to celebrate who you are. Don’t be afraid to splurge a little, either; you’re fucking fabulous.
9. Bake a few sweet treats for your neighbors You know what people really love on a miserable day? Junk food! Secure your status as the baddest bitch on the block – at least for 24 hours – by baking up a few of your signature sweet treats. Package them nicely with a kind note for best wishes this spring and you’ll have your neighbors eating out of your hands.
DJ JD Arnold | Eagle Houston
Club Play Top 40 Hot Country/Western Club Traxx Top 10 1. Trap Queen —Fetty Wap 2. Talking Body (KREAM Remix) —Tove Lo 3. Truffle Butter —Nicki Minaj feat. Drake and Lil Wayne 4. Let Me Love You Right —Hunter Seigel feat. Kai 5. Lets Be Real (Wax Motif Remix) —Kid Ink feat. Dej Loaf 6. I Don’t Get Tired —Kevin Gates 7. Strip —Chris Brown 8. Take U There —Jack U feat. Kiesza and Missy Elliot 9. 2 Legited 2 Quited —Sauce Walka feat. Flame 10. Freak No More —Migos
1. Mean To Me —Brett Elderidge 2. Just Gettin’ Started —Jason Aldean 3. Ain’t Worth The Whiskey —Cole Swindell 4. Lonely Eyes —Chris Young 5. Homegrown Honey —Darius Rucker 6. Homegrown —Zac Brown Band 7. Drinking Class —Lee Brice 8. Lonely Tonight —Blake Shelton 9. Take Your Time —Sam Hunt 10. Say You Do —Dierks Bentley
TheMontroseSTAR.com
1. Lift (Barry Harris, Phil B) —Dirty Disco feat. Debbie Holliday 2. Right Here, Right Now (Ralphi Rosario) —Giorgio Moroder and Kylie Mynogue 3. Funky Fresh (Original) —Gussy 4. Thanks To You (Tedd Patterson) —DJ Spen and Tracy Hamlin 5. I’ll Be There (Orig) —Chic 6. Rise Above The Game (Patterson/Original) —Angel Moraes feat. Neysa Malone 7. True Love Survivors (Beth Yen/Freemasons) —Freemasons feat. HANNA 8. The Giver —Duke Dumont 9. Woman Power (Alyson Calagna/Mike Cruz/Jane Doze) —Ono 10. Take Care Of My Heart (Ragin and Dorr) —Eddie Amador and Ultra Nate
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Looking for more Daniel Franzese | By Chris Azzopardi
A
10. Cruise, Cruise, Rinse, Repeat at the Gym If a rainy day is good for anything, it’s getting all those hard bodies into the gym at the same time. Set your workout to “light” and enjoy the scenery on these perfect days that make life worth living. Flash a smile, send a wink and give a nod in the sauna to get his attention, and you might see sunnier skies on the horizon.
DJ Wrangler | Whiskey Dick's
Deep Inside Hollywood
•
Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and blogger whose work has been published in more than 100 outlets across the world. He splits his time between homes in New York City and the Jersey Shore with his dog Jaxon. Connect with Mikey on Twitter @mikeyrox.
DJ CJ | Bayou City Bar
Montrose STAR
s of this writing, the future of HBO’s Looking is uncertain. Having finished two seasons now, and in a ratings trough, there might not be a third season to explore the lowkey lives of this San Francisco crew. Gay audiences, it seems, are unhappy with fictional gay lives that don’t precisely mirror their own, and with narratives that meander a bit (OK, fine, whatever, a lot). Anyway, a cancellation would be a shame, especially since this season introduced a jolt of energy with big, joyful Daniel Franzese (Mean Girls). We’ll be annoyed if the show goes away, and with it one of TV’s only bears. But if this is, indeed, the last of Looking, Franzese’s got a couple indie films in production where fans can eventually find him again. One of them is called Vows and Rites, from filmmaker Matthew Ehlers, costarring Rose McGowan, about a wedding that collides with a funeral. The other one, about which there’s even less information, is called Mind Puppets, co-starring Vinnie Jones, from first-time filmmaker Juan Curi. Start checking your local film festival line-ups. That’s where the independent film world warms up its talent. Photo KathClick.
PAGE 28
HBO to host a ‘Battle of The Sexes’ If you were around and paying attention in 1973, you may remember that plenty of otherwise reasonable adults were still skeptical about the talent of female athletes. In fact, it was such a strange time in history – “Women’s Lib,” as it was called then, was a hot-button issue – that there came to be a tennis match known as “The Battle of the Sexes” that would transfix the entire country. Bobby Riggs, the 55-year-old Wimbledon champ, would play against the Number 2-ranked, 29-year-old star Billie Jean King. And he would lose. And it was a sensation, sparking debate and heated misogynistic weirdness as far as the eye could see. Now, thanks to producers Elizabeth Banks and Tom Hanks, an untitled HBO film starring Banks as King, will recreate that pop-culture storm. David Auburn (Proof) will write the script, and Paul Giamatti has been cast as Riggs. Can’t wait. Meryl, Carey and Helena go to Suffragette City Coming for the end of the year and awards-movie season is a film seemingly designed to be nominated for a whole variety of statuettes: Suffragette, a fictionalized account of the struggle involved in getting women the vote. The period drama, from director Sarah Gavron with a script from Abi Morgan
Daniel Franzese (Shame, The Iron Lady), stars Carey Mulligan as a working mother who realizes she must become an activist and fight for the vote to make her life better. Helena Bonham Carter co-stars, along with Ben Whishaw and Brendan Gleeson. Also, Meryl Streep will star as historical figure Emmeline Pankhurst, the women’s rights activist. It will be that rare thing at the movies: a historical film about the early heroines of feminism, especially interesting since it will be the first major theatrical film to include this subject matter since 1964’s Mary Poppins. That’s right, Mary Poppins. Other than that, there are very few representations outside of HBO’s 2004 film Iron-Jawed Angels. Clearly, it’s well past high time. Chuck Palahniuk’s sinister little Lullaby Writer Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club, has a new novel coming, his fifth one – the sweetly titled Lullaby – and it’s already been optioned for a film adaptation. Of course, knowing Palahniuk’s preferred dark tone, this lullaby will offer nothing even approaching sweet dreams. The book, picked up by filmmakers Andy Mingo and Josh Leake, involves a reporter investigating a series of sudden infant deaths, including that of his own child. He suspects that a regional African chant known as a “culling song” may, in fact, be the supernatural source of the deaths. Then he learns that the song has the power to kill just about anyone. In other words, fun all around from a gay author who’s never felt the need to make anyone feel good about, well, anything. Now, when is that movie going to happen? Romeo San Vicente is looking for any TV show with gay lead characters. He can be reached care of this publication or at DeepInsideHollywood@qsyndicate.com.
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday April 8, 2015 EMPLOYMENT
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SHOPPING
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4.90 x 6.75 trim
PAGE 32
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| Wednesday April 8, 2015
Montrose STAR
Hot ’n horny hookups.
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Cruising Get up to 10 days unlimited access.
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| Wednesday April 8, 2015
Montrose STAR
Guide To The Clubs
HOUSTON
n MONTROSE - MIDTOWN
Bayou City Bar & Grill 2409 Grant St, Houston. (713) 522-2867 • bayoucitybar.com. Dance | Food | Patio | Mixed Crocker Bar 2312 Crocker St, Houston (713) 529-3355 Large Deck | Karaoke Eagle Houston 611 Hyde Park (713) 598-4849 • eaglehouston.com. Leather-Levi | Uniform F Bar 202 Tuam St, Houston (713) 522-3227 • fbarhouston.com Dance/Club | Patio | Shows | Mixed George’s Country Sports Bar 617 Fairview Ave, Houston (713) 528-8102 Sports Bar | Pool & Darts | Patio Guava Lamp 570 Waugh Dr, Houston (713) 524-3359 • guavalamphouston.com Video Lounge | Karaoke | Mixed JR’s Bar and Grill & Santa Fe 808 Pacific Ave, Houston. (713) 521-2519 • jrsbarandgrill.com. Videos | Patio | Karaoke | Shows Meteor 2306 Genesee St, Houston (713) 521-0123 • meteorhouston.com. Lounge | Dancers | Club Michael’s Outpost Piano Bar 1419 Richmond Ave, Houston. (713) 520-8446 Neighborhood Bar | Pub | Piano Montrose Mining Company 805 Pacific Ave, Houston (713) 529-7488 Cruise | Levi
South Beach 810 Pacific Ave, Houston (713) 521-0107 • sobehouston.com. Dance Club | Dancers | Trance/House TC’s Show Bar 817 Fairview Ave, Houston (713) 526-2625 • tcshowbar.com. Shows | Neighborhood Bar | CD/Trans The Ripcord 715 Fairview Ave, Houston (713) 521-2792 • www.facebook.com/ripcordhouston Leather | Uniform | Fetish | Men
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DOWNTOWN / WARDS 1-4
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HOUSTON - NORTH SIDE
Tony’s Corner Pocket 817 West Dallas Street, Houston. (713) 571-7870 • tonyscornerpocket.com. Neighborhood Bar | Pool | Dancers Ranch Hill Saloon 24704 Interstate 45, Spring. (281) 298-9035 • ranchhill.com Country | Cowgirl | Neighborhood Bar The Room Bar 4915 FM 2920 Rd, Spring (281) 907-6866 • theroombar.net. Neighborhood Bar | Shows | Dance | Mixed NW HOUSTON
Neon Boots Dancehall & Saloon 11410 Hempstead Highway, Houston, TX 77092 • neonbootsclub.com (713) 677-0828
Viviana’s Night Club 4624 Dacoma St, Houston (713) 681-4101 • vivianasniteclub.com Latino | Tejano | Dance
n HOUSTON - SW
Crystal Night Club 6684 SW Fwy, Houston (713) 278- 2582 • crystaltheclub.com Latin Dance | Salsa
n HEIGHTS / WASHINGTON CORRIDOR
13 - The Heights Bar 1537 N. Shepherd Dr, Houston (713) 426-1313. Neighborhood Bar | Patio Pearl Lounge 4216 Washington, Houston 832-740-4933 • pearlhouston.com. Neighborhood Art Bar | Live Music | Women
GALVESTON
KRave Galveston 2416 Post Office St, Galveston (409) 765-6911 Neighborhood Bar | Pub | Shows 23rd Street Station 1706 23rd St, Galveston (409) 621-1808 Neighborhood Bar | Pub Robert’s Lafitte 2501 Ave Q, Galveston (409) 765-9092 • galveston.com/robertslafitte Neighborhood Bar | Pub | Cruise | Shows Splash Bar 3102 Seawall, Galveston (409) 974-4176 * Spashbargalveston.com Galveston’s only beach bar | Shows
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AUSTIN
‘Bout Time II 6607 N I-35, Austin TX 78752 (512) 419-9192 • bouttime2.com Neighborhood Bar | Pub Chain Drive 504 Willow st • Austin chain-drive.com Leather | Bear | Neighborhood Bar Lipstick24 606 E. 7th St, Austin (512) 474-2950 • lipstick24austin.com Women | Pub Oilcan Harry’s 211 W. Fourth St, Austin (512) 320-8823 Dance | Pub | 20/30-Somethings Rain on 4th 217 W. Fourth St, Austin (512) 494-1150 • rainon4th.com Dance | House | 20 Something The Iron Bear 121 W. Eighth St, Austin • theironbear.com. Bear | Pub | Scruff
BEAUMONT
The Copa 304 Orleans St, Beaumont (409) 832-4206 Dance/Club | Lounge | Mixed Orleans Street Pub and Patio 650 Orleans St, Beaumont (409) 835-4243 • orleanspub.com Neighborhood Bar | Pub
CORPUS CHRISTI
The Hidden Door 802 S Staples St, Corpus (361) 882-5002 Neighborhood Bar | Pub Seven 512 S Staples St.,Corpus Neighborhood Bar | Pub
Triangle Nite Club 609 McBride Lane. Corpus (361) 289-1442 Neighborhood Bar | Nite Club The Vault Night Club 424 Schatzell, Corpus Neighborhood Bar | Nite Club
SAN ANTONIO
Pegasus 1402 N. Main Ave, San Antonio (210) 299-4222 | Neighborhood Bar | Karaoke The Saint 800 Lexington, San Antonio (210) 225-7330 | Neighborhood Bar | Show Bar | Drag Silver Dollar Saloon 1812 N. Main Ave, San Antonio (210) 227-2623 | Dance Club | Drag | Country Sparky’s Pub 1416 N. Main Ave, San Antonio (210) 320-5111 | Neighborhood Bar | Pub Wax Club (Alternative) 2211 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio . (210) 737-9191 • alternativetx.tripod.com. Neighborhood Bar | Lesbian
2015 Place 2015 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio (210) 733-3365 | Neighborhood Bar | Lounge | Karaoke Annex 330 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio (210) 223-6957 • theannex-satx.xom Neighborhood Bar | Cruise | Leather Bonham Exchange 411 Bonham St, San Antonio (210) 271-3811 • bonhamexchange.net. Dance | House BRYAN Brenda’s 81 Bar COLLEGE STATION 7811 New Old Laredo Hwy, Halo Bar 121 North Main St, Bryan San Antonio (210) 927-2337 (979) 823-6174. | Dance Club | GLBT Friendly | Pub Electric Company 820 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio (210) 212-6635, Dance | Latin | Lounge Essence Solution from p 28 1010 N. Main Ave, San Antonio (210)223-5418. Neighborhood Bar | Pub Heat 1500 N. Main Ave, San Antonio (210) 227-2600, heatsa.com Dance | Lounge | House One-O-Six 106 Pershing Ave, San Antonio (210) 820-0906 Neighborhood Bar | Pub
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| Wednesday April 8, 2015 |
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