DJ Spotlight Get Lifted: Hit factory Debby Holiday
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Section WEDNESDAY
MARCH 25, 2015
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VOL. V, ISSUE
26
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Rox | By Mikey
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and blogger nning journalist than 100 outlets an award-wi homes in Mikey Rox ishas been published in more time between whose work He splits hisShore with his dog Jaxon. across the world. x. and the Jersey New York CityMikey on Twitter @mikeyro Connect with
HOOKED ON
Olly
7
WHAT A WORLD
Pop star talks handsy fans, gay-baiting and sharing a sweater with Sam Smith
17
FOODIE DIARIES
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4
HRH
INDEX Editorial Crossword A Couple of Guys
3 28 31
WEDNESDAY MARCH 25, 2015
VOL. V, ISSUE 26
PAGE 2
| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday March 25, 2015
TheMontroseSTAR.com
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Montrose STAR
OP-ED
Creep of the Week: Dolce & Gabbana
| By D’anne Witkowski
“
We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one
As I write this I’m taking a box cutter to my collection of Dolce & Gabbana handbags, shoes and frocks (wait, are frocks a thing? It seems like something Dolce & Gabbana would put their name on). Take that very rich and famous fashion designers! Now, you may be thinking, “What did Domenico Dolce & Stefano Gabbana ever do to you?” Or, if you’re my wife, you may be thinking, “Hold on, her Dolce & Gabbana collection? Where did she get the money for this? I thought her favorite place to shop was Big Lots!” Granted, Dolce & Gabbana didn’t do anything to me personally. I don’t know them (and don’t own any Dolce & Gabbana paraphernalia. Even if I could afford it, buying a purse and shoes for thousands of dollars while people are starving to death is obscene). But in a recent interview for Italy’s Panorama magazine, the pair said some shitty things about the kids of lesbian and gay couples that would even make Tony Perkins blush. “We oppose gay adoptions. The only family is the traditional one,” one of them said according to the Telegraph. Okay, so same-sex couples shouldn’t be allowed to adopt kids and if they do it anyway, they’re not a real family. Nice. “No chemical offsprings and rented uterus: life has a natural flow, there are things that should not be changed,” Dolce or Gabbana continued. “I call children of chemistry, synthetic children. Rented uterus, semen chosen from a catalog.” Chemical offsprings, huh? Synthetic children? They know the difference between an IVF clinic and a meth lab, right? Or perhaps they think Walter White fathers all children born using assisted reproduction. Procreation, according to Dolce, “must be an act of love,” the Telegraph reports. “You are born to a mother and a father -- or at least that’s how it should be.”
Any other way of forming a family besides doin’ it missionary style doesn’t count as an act of love, and you’ll end up with fake-ass plastic children. I need not point out how insulting such statements are to people who have children thanks to assisted reproduction, which, of course, is not limited solely to same-sex couples. But Dolce thinks that if you’re gay, you’re out of luck on the child front. “I am gay, I cannot have a child,” Dolce said. “I guess you cannot have everything in life.” Easy for you to say, mister, considering you probably want for very little. Needless to say, Dolce and Gabbana’s remarks didn’t go over very well with gays rich enough to actually wear and buy Dolce & Gabbana. Like Elton John. “How dare you refer to my beautiful children as ‘synthetic,’” John posted on Instagram. “And shame on you for wagging your judgmental little fingers at IVF -- a miracle that has allowed legions of loving people, both straight and gay, to fulfill their dream of having children. Your archaic thinking is out of step with the times, just like your fashions. I shall never wear Dolce and Gabbana ever again.” Oh, snap! Dolce ended up blaming the whole thing on how he grew up. “I’m Sicilian and I grew up in a traditional family, made up of a mother, a father and children,” he said. “I am very well aware of the fact that there are other types of families and they are as legitimate as the one I’ve known. But in my personal experience, family had a different configuration. That is the place where I learnt the values of love and family.” Get it? Since Dolce’s family looked a certain way, everybody’s family has to look that way. Don’t blame him, he’s Sicilian! And those other families, well, they’re “as legitimate as the one I’ve known” except for that whole thing when you called their kids “synthetic.” Your family apparently skipped that part when teaching you about “the values of love and family.”
| Wednesday March 25, 2015 |
PAGE 3
TOC MARCH 25, 2015 | VOL. V, ISSUE 26
”
Carmen Can-Too:
Another queen finds a throne in Galveston’s Dragdom
22
Deep Inside Hollywood
Raven-Symone will play lesbians on TV
10
Op-Ed ................................................... 3
4 What A World ...................................... 7 Gayborhood ...................................... 10 Deep Inside Hollywood .................... 10 Deep Inside Hollywood .................... 10 Cooking with Paula Dream ............... 16 Foodie Diaries ................................... 17 Across the Causeway ........................ 22 DJ Spotlight ..................................... 26 Retro Rewind ..................................... 27 Hear Me Out .................................. 29 Guide To The Clubs ......................... 34 HRH Report ........................................
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PAGE 4
| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday March 25, 2015
Community Responds to Montrose Murder, and a Bold Move
CONTACT US: 713-942-0084 EMAIL: TheMontroseStar@gmail.com Publisher Executive Editor
Laura M. Villagrán
Business Dev. Manager
Lifestyles
Music
Randall Jobe Production
Nancy Ford John Buchanan
DJ JD Arnold DJ Mark DeLange
Rafa Espinosa
Scene Writers
Distribution
Copy Editor
Jim Ayers Bob Houghton
Miriam Orihuela Elizabeth Membrillo
Nancy Ford
HRH Report
News & Features
|By Johnny Trlica
Empire ended its first season with an epic battle the likes we have not seen since Crystal and Alexis tousled in the pond on Dynasty. That bit of levity was much needed over what’s been a rough couple of weeks. Here’s what we’ve been reading at HRH.
Johnny Trlica Senseless murder at F Bar
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 revie w? 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.
The third shooting in the Montrose area in recent weeks resulted in the death of a 22 year old man. Juan Carlos Ramirez and a female friend were leaving F Bar after midnight on March 12 when they were assaulted by two men in the parking lot. Ramirez resisted the assailants and was shot and died as the carjackers-turned-murderers drove off in his car, reported KPRC-TV. Earlier that night in nearby Midtown, a couple fended off a robbery attempt by driving away. The would-be robber fired a shot into the car, striking the driver. A few weeks ago, John Gaspari was robbed and shot as he left Meteor. In less than 24 hours Houston Police apprehended two suspects in the Ramirez case, 15- and 16-year-old boys. HPD released this statement: “Mr. Ramirez was shot and killed during an armed robbery in the parking lot of the F-Bar at the above address. The suspects then took Ramirez’s Ford Five Hundred sedan. His female friend was also robbed at gunpoint of her personal property. HPD patrol officers responded to the scene and were provided a description of the stolen vehicle, which was then broadcast over police radio. “A preliminary investigation developed information on the vehicle’s location in southeast Houston. Officers conducting a search in the area saw the 15-year-old suspect and arrested him after a brief foot pursuit. The 16-year-old suspect was later seen getting into the stolen sedan and he was immediately taken into custody. The 16-year-old was also found to have the female victim’s stolen property in his possession. “Both suspects have admitted to their roles in the incident and were subsequently charged.”
Murder rallies the community The murder of Juan Ramirez hit a nerve with Houston’s LGBT community, spurring several calls for action. KRIV-TV reported Brad Janacek organized a rally on the corner of Montrose and Westheimer on Friday, March 13. “Take Back Montrose” saw several dozen concerned citizens gather with homemade signs calling for safer streets and increased police patrols.
TheMontroseSTAR.com
Juan Carlos Ramirez A “Candlelight Vigil for Juan Carlos Ramirez” was held on March 17 at the Montrose Remembrance Garden. Several hundred people gathered for prayer and reflection and to remind us all of the dangerous world we live in. Among those speaking were Rev. Dr. Michael Diaz of Resurrection MCC, Houston City Council Member Ellen Cohen, and Harris County Democratic Party Chairman Lane Lewis. Also in attendance were Charles Armstrong, owner or JR’s and several other bars, long time gay activist Ray Hill, and representatives from Mayor Annise Parker’s office and Constable Alan Rosen’s office. “A Memorial Fundraiser Show in Honor of Juan Carlos Ramirez” was held on F Bar on March 22. It was hosted by Aria Crawford and all funds raised were matched by F Bar, said owner Irwin Palchick.
Fighting bigotry with full disclosure An Oklahoma Democratic State Representative has found a creative way to fight the onslaught of antiLGBT legislation being proposed by states across the country. Emily Virgin wants Christian businesses to post a public notice of discrimination if they intend to claim that they have a religious right to refuse service to LGBT people, wrote RawStory.com. The lawmaker proposed an amendment to a bill called the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act, which invokes memories of “Whites Only” signs, that would allow businesses like wedding cake bakers and photographers to deny services if it was “against the person’s religious beliefs.” The amendment simply reads: “Any person not wanting to participate in any of the activities set forth in Subsection A of this section based
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on sexual orientation, gender identity or race of either party to the marriage shall post notice of such refusal in a manner clearly visible to the public in all places of business, including websites.” In other words, if a business wants to discriminate, they must publicize the fact to the public.
Fear the glitter
Not since Mariah Carey’s Glitter disaster has the sparkling craft staple been deemed so dangerous. The Texas Department of Public Safety is warning lawmakers of a “conservative orientation” about the threat of glitter bombs from gay rights activists, reports the Texas Tribune. The TDPS issued a memo warning lawmakers of glitter bombs arriving by mail. “Glitter Bombing: Weapon of Choice for Gay Rights, Pro Choice Advocates,” the memo is titled. It warns that lawmakers who oppose LGBT civil rights and the rights of women to choose are especially vulnerable to this method of protest and activism.
The bold and the transgender Another daytime soap has joined the Days of Our Lives in presenting an LGBT storyline. The Bold and the Beautiful revealed on March 18 that one of its characters is transgender, reported Gay Star News. The big reveal came during a confrontation between sisters Maya (Karla Mosley) and Nicole (Reign Edwards). “You’re not my sister, Maya. You’re not Maya at all. You’re Myron, my brother,’” Nicole said to her sibling, who transitioned from a male to a female at a young age. 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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| Wednesday March 25, 2015 |
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday March 25, 2015
HOOKED ON
Olly Pop star talks handsy fans, gay-baiting and sharing a sweater with Sam Smith
| By Chris Azzopardi
A
veteran of nakedness, Olly Murs was fueling our straight-boy fantasies long before Nick Jonas. Stripping at London’s prestigious G-A-Y club, frequent underwear-only selfies, a leather jacket-clad cover photo in December’s Attitude magazine – we’re as addicted to Murs’ sex appeal as we are to his pop confections. Following the release of the British “X Factor” alum’s fourth studio album, _Never Been Better_, Murs spoke candidly about how he and other artists use sex to market their music, his biggest regret in life and how he considers fans grabbing his junk a “compliment.” (Continued on page 8)
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What A World
The Other Side of the Coin
| By Nancy Ford
I
’m not a collector, but I have this one coin, a silver piece. According to an online appraisers’ site it’s worth less than forty dollars, but to me it’s priceless. I use it as a decision maker. Heads, I go out with friends; tails, I stay home with popcorn and a movie. Simple stuff like that. The coin belonged to my friend, Dana Rogers; I acquired it in a move. Truth be told, Dana was more than just a friend. She was my first ‘serious’ girlfriend and I, her’s. We met at a show in a seedy little bar in Montrose in 1982 where I was doing comedy and she was singing. As is the case with most ‘show biz’ type couples, our relationship was like an Altoid in a Coke bottle — exciting, explosive, quick and messy — but it turned into a 33-year friendship. Barely 20, Dana’s first steady gig was in the side bar cabaret of the Copa, Houston’s supreme drag disco at that time. There, night after night she’d sing pristine arrangements of show tunes and standards with John Day & Company, a super-gay, tight-harmony trio. She learned how to ‘read’ an audience from Copa drag divas Naomi Sims, Hot Chocolate, and the imperially profane Donna Day who would have made RuPaul blush. “Do I come to your job and slap the dicks out of your mouth when you’re trying to work?” Dana would ask, defending herself and her artistry from the steady stream of unappreciative queers looking for blow and blowjobs. The next moment would find her offering a transcendent version of “Over the Rainbow” that would have made Garland herself sob. She. Was. So. Good. To this day, I’ve never in my life heard a voice like Dana’s. But don’t take my word for it. Get a load of this: www.soundcloud.com/ andrewishere/summertime-dana-rogers/. Dana and I were together barely a year before AIDS tightened its stranglehold on our community. Of the hundreds of gay men in our not-so-little circle — close friends, colleagues, audience members — less than a handful survived. Around that same time Dana began her own struggle, with alcohol. Aside from one or two very brief slips, she remained sober for more than 30 years. That’s strength. One of Dana’s most epic performances was for Houston’s 1983 Gay Pride Festival held at the Summit, now the site of Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church(ish). Tina Turner — yes, that Tina Turner — was the headliner. Dana opened the show, singing the National Anthem appropriately dressed as the Statue of Liberty. I can still hear the gleeful squeal of delight, both her own and the audience’s, as she raised her voice and that green torch in prideful celebration. Uncle Sam must have been listening. A few years later, Dana and her immaculate voice were recruited by the U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors to be that revered big band’s lead vocal soloist. She traveled the world with them, singing the Great American Songbook until Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, every LGBT soldier’s nightmare, suffocated her spirit and her will.
Dana Rogers Following her release from the military, Dana’s VA-prescribed medications did little to assuage the effects of her unrelenting post-traumatic stress disorder. But despite her tremors, hallucinations and paranoia, she could still sing. Somehow, when she opened those pipes, filling the room with her unspeakable gift, her symptoms would disappear. At least temporarily. Experiencing mania and sleeplessness, Dana was briefly admitted to the VA hospital in late February, but released despite protest and pleading of friends. The next day she went by herself to a local Academy store, completed the registration paperwork, passed the background check, purchased a gun, and became one of the 22 U.S. veterans who commit suicide every single day. Back to that coin. In 1983 or ’84, one of Dana’s most ardent fans, a gentleman named Michael O’Brien, gave it to her in a card with a handwritten note imploring her to recognize the brilliance of her talent, and to follow that light wherever it would take her. Michael had collected several of these silver pieces, and distributed them among those who had touched his life as AIDS was beginning to take it. Then, instead of being enslaved by his illness, Michael, like Dana, made his exit on his own terms. For more than 30 years that coin remained a staple of my living room décor, displayed on a bookcase among family photos and mementoes. All that time it was right there, handily available for those moments of indecision. I flipped it less than a week ago, trying to decide between heads, Italian and tails, Chinese. I have turned this house upside down, but that coin is nowhere to be found. Swear to God. I’m not saying Dana took it with her; maybe it’ll turn up eventually. But if she and Michael are having a heavenly head-ortails tournament with it, trying to decide if they should spend the day sitting on a cloud or a riding a comet, that’s OK with me. Need help deciding? Montrose Center’s LGBT Switchboard suicide prevention hotline: 713-529-3211. TheMontroseSTAR.com
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| Wednesday March 25, 2015 |
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| Montrose STAR
Hooked on Olly
| Wednesday March 25, 2015
always trying to promote and win new fans over. It’s playful, and also, what’s wrong with an artist taking his top off?
( from p25)
You were one of the original Nick Jonases – you got naked for the gay community years before he did. (Laughs) Yeah! I’ve done a few naked shots for the gay magazines. My body is in demand by the gay folks – I can’t complain! I don’t think I’ve got the best body in the world, but no, it’s very flattering. It’s always great to do those magazines and also to show people that – even though I’m a straight guy – I’m very comfortable with my sexuality, so I think that’s a great thing to do in those magazines, and it’s great fun. I did a gig once at G-A-Y in the UK – a very renowned club, and a lot of artists go there to perform – and obviously when you do a performance there are girls screaming and going crazy for you, and obviously at a gay club it was a lot of men and it was quite strange, a different sort of noise, you know? It’s very, _RAWR!_
What’s the trick to shooting a nude photo? Make sure you have a good diet before you do it. Make sure you feel good with your body and you’re comfortable with it. Obviously I wasn’t massively comfortable the last time I did it because it was the first time I got naked in about two years, so my body changed a little bit. I wasn’t quite as fit as I was before, but it was good though. Tuck that stomach in at all times! You’ve been hitting the gym. Where have you seen the most progress? Well… day one started yesterday. I’m on day two today. (Laughs) And it’s going well! I’m getting there, you know? In an age where the stigma of male body hair is in flux, you seem to embrace yours. Always. I think we always talk about hair on bodies, and sometimes when you take it off you just look a bit too young. I’m quite proud of a bit of masculine hair.
Are we gay men more touchy-feely than the girls? I think you are actually. You’re a bit more forward. You have a lot more confidence. And that’s a good thing! What’s the grabbiest a fan has gotten at a show? When we did the 2012 tour and I walked into the audience, one of my fans went to grab my bits, which was quite interesting and quite funny. How do you react to grabby fans? Oh, it’s fine. It’s cheeky and playful. And a compliment! When Nick Jonas started showing more skin, people claimed he was gay-baiting. As someone who’s straight but open to getting naked for the gay community, I’m curious: What are your thoughts on “gay-baiting”? I don’t know why people would say that. You’re just giving people what they want, and sure, there are a lot of gay men out there that love Nick Jonas and wanna see
him, but women wanna see him naked as well. At the end of the day, it’s up to the artists. I don’t have to take my top off, but when I was asked by a magazine like Attitude to do it, I was like, “Why not?” I’m not against it, and you hope you get a good reaction out of people, but as artists we’re
When you measure the success you’ve had globally, where does America fall? How do you feel about your success here versus worldwide? Everywhere is different – for example, in Europe I’ve got a much bigger fan base, and obviously Australia too – but I don’t try to compare places. I just know certain markets are a little bit harder, and America is one of them. Every time I’ve come back, though, it’s been amazing. Just gotta keep working hard. And I think the fans in America are amazing – a really great bunch of people. Will you be touring America? Yeah, we hope so. At the moment we haven’t announced it, but we’re hoping to come back to the U.S. at some point later on in the year.
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Around Christmas of last year you were in a sweater foursome with not only Demi Lovato and One Direction’s Niall Horan, but also Sam Smith – all of you shared an oversized ugly sweater, and it was amazing. Yeah, I got to share a sweater with him, and it was a beautiful thing! I don’t think people realize how tall Sam is. He’s a very tall man! But he’s also very charming and really honest. Sam’s great. How tall are you? I’m about 5-foot-9 on a good day. He’s about 6 foot, maybe. How did you and Sam initially meet? I met Sam at a gig. I can’t remember (exactly where), but then during _X Factor_ (in December 2014) we had a good chat again and he’s a lovely guy. Really great singer, and obviously had an amazing week at the Grammys. He deserves it.
THE M
During the song “Stick with Me,” you refer to regrets and how we all have a few. What’s your greatest regret? I don’t live life by regrets, but I went to college in the UK and didn’t go to
university, and I’d love to have done that and experienced that. I really didn’t work hard enough in school to do it, and I regret a bit that I didn’t. But, obviously, I’m really happy where my life got me to now, so I can’t complain. I’m in a really great place as a person now, and I’ve never really had many tough times in my career where it’s been terrible; it’s always been quite positive with me. This album really is a true reflection of me realizing what I’ve got.
Would you say this is your most serious and personal album? Yeah, definitely the most serious, and it definitely has a lot of balls behind it. It’s exciting to do an album and put your life and soul into it, and it’s bigger and better than the last three albums. It’s the best one I’ve done. I’m excited to hear what all the American fans think of it.
| Wednesday March 25, 2015 |
PAGE 9
Can’t Carry a Tune?
Describe the album as if it were a candy. It’s a Gobstopper – long-lasting. You’re chewing it and enjoying every piece of it until the end. Chris Azzopardi is the editor of Q Syndicate, the international LGBT wire service. Reach him via his website at www.chris-azzopardi.com.
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| Wednesday March 25, 2015
Gayborhood
Deep Inside Hollywood
Exposing Yourself:
Seldom a good thing
| By John Buchanan
H
ello, my beautiful residents of the gayborhood! The ‘In the Gayborhood’ realty corner covers information and tips pertaining to your home that will hopefully be useful information and save you money. This exciting edition discusses exposing yourself in public. Yes Blanche, each and every one of us exposes ourselves all the time, but it’s seldom a good thing. I know—some of you are saying, “I never expose myself!” Well, you’re wrong. You do! How does this ties into real estate or our homes? Recently the gayborhood has experienced an increase on the number of houses that are broken into while you are away to play. The main reason this has happened is the homeowner exposed themselves in public. I am not talking about being naked or public lewdness. No ma’am, I am talking about revealing your information to the public and it coming back to bite you. Here’s how it happens: We family members like to go on wonderful trips, and we also like to express our future travel info on social media sites such as Facebook ,Twitter and even Grinder. Posting this information exposes yourself to the public, especially if someone is looking to rob, steal, or even cheat! When the cat’s away, someone’s going to play, and it usually turns out to be a bad thing. I see it all the time, especially on Facebook. Friends will be getting ready to go on a fabulous trip and they will start talking about it usually a week before they leave, posting things like “Oh, I can’t wait! Next Sunday my husband and I are going out of town for a week long cruise!” Exposed! You just announced to any potential robber or thief: “Hey, my house will be empty! I’ll be in Cancun or Paris! Come to my house and take what you want! I won’t know about it until the following week!” There are people out there scanning the social sites looking exactly for the exposed situation you just created. I know, I know; we like to communicate our upcoming excitement to the world, but if you truly think about it you have just put your home into a bad situation. My
recommendation is to wait until you’re back from your trip or rendezvous, and then expose your wonderful adventures to the world! I have a friend who once discussed the play-by-play details of his trip; he even told the uninvited guest on his Facebook account that the baby (his dog) was at the boarding place, and he thought he forgot to set his alarm. Seriously, he gave the world an invitation to his home. When he returned, he found his lovely abode had been broken into and his valuables were taken! The only conclusion was his mistake of exposing his homes info was public. He’ll never do that again. We have to be very careful, especially in the gayborhood. Everybody knows we have nice expensive stuff and thieves are chomping at the bit, eager to take it away from us. There are ways to avoid exposing your home’s vacancy in the future. Patterns always give you away. No, I’m not talking about plaids, flowers or paisleys; I’m talking about your daily activity pattern. For example, you may have your newspaper delivered, and you always go outside and get it in the morning. If you’re away on a trip, your newspapers start to build up in your driveway, and you’re exposed! You have just changed your daily pattern. Trust me, people watch everything we say and do, and if they are up to no good, you have just let them know! Ask a friends or neighbor to collect your newspapers to remove the obvious evidence that your home is unoccupied. Another ‘exposed’ clue: Is your mail building up? There are folks in all lines of work that could be up to no good. Once again, ask a friend or neighbor to collect your mail while you’re away. Finally, if you’re having a package delivered, the delivery company will leave it at your front door. If the package sits there for more than a day, it tells the world that nobody’s home, and one of two things, or both, will happen: Your package will be taken and/or your home will be broken into. I hope you use these tips to cover yourself the next time you’re away on a trip. Don’t expose yourself; wait until you’re back to express yourself! Have fun, and play safe!
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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Court attire is the new black for Laverne Cox | By Romeo San Vicente
S
he was the first trans actor nominated for an Emmy for Orange is the New Black. And now Laverne Cox can lay claim to another bit of queer history by being the first trans actor cast in a major network TV program. Doubt, the upcoming CBS drama, will feature Cox as a transgender attorney opposite stars KaDee Strickland and Dreama Walker. It’s important to understand how significant this is, when for years it has been routine to cast non-trans actors in trans roles, as though trans actors simply did not exist. Don’t get us wrong, Eddie Redmayne is going to be fine in that upcoming film where he plays a trans woman. But there’s no going back and pretending that actors like him are the only casting choice, and we have bold people like Cox to thank for that. Now take this thing to a series order, CBS.
PHYLICIA RASHAD AND RAVEN-SYMONE WILL PLAY LESBIANS ON TV Two women from The Cosby Show have new jobs as lesbian characters on two different shows. Phylicia Rashad, the former Clair Huxtable, will star as a lesbian FBI agent working in the Justice Department in the pilot for the new CBS drama For Justice. And to add a little more prestige to the mix, it’ll be directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ava DuVernay (Selma). Meanwhile, Raven-Symone, Cosby’s later-season MVP and star of That’s So Raven, will appear on ABC’s Black-ish, as Anthony Anderson’s lesbian sister who’s not entirely comfortable talking about her sexual orientation. And you thought this was going to be a report about them playing an intergenerational couple, admit it. MADONNA IS PROBABLY GOING TO DIRECT MORE MOVIES WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT A while back we told you about Madonna’s latest filmmaking effort, Adé: A Love Story, which is to be based on Rebecca Walker’s novel of the same name. Will it still happen? Will it not? That’s for the development people to decide. But while she’s waiting for production money and other puzzle pieces to fall into place, and presumably in between rehearsals for her upcoming Rebel Heart tour, Ms. Ciccone will also be working on a screenplay for another book she hopes to take to the screen, The Impossible Lives of Greta Wells. The novel by Andrew Sean Greer, optioned by Madonna in 2013, concerns a woman whose gay twin brother dies of an AIDS-like illness, which pushes her into electroshock therapy and time travel – hence, that word “impossible” in the title. As for Madonna’s abilities behind the camera, both of her previous films received bad reviews, but the progression of her abilities from Filth and Wisdom to W.E. is striking. This proves, if nothing else, that she doesn’t give up – even after she falls – and she’s not afraid of a public learning curve. So let’s watch where she goes next.
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Raven-Symone WHEN ARROW MET THE FLASH AND REPRODUCED… Superheroes have more or less effectively replaced cowboys as the most popular vehicle for acting out American myths and communicating values about good and evil. If you weren’t aware of that fact then you haven’t been to a movie theater in a while, nor have you been paying much attention to TV, because their numbers are proliferating there, too. And now, if the fans are lucky, two of their favorites are going to spawn. That’s because the CW is planning to take characters from Arrow and The Flash to create a new series that would integrate those two worlds, while, ostensibly, allowing the actors to continue on their respective shows. The as-yetuntitled pilot will star Brandon Routh (Arrow’s Ray Palmer/The Atom) and gay actors Victor Garber (Flash’s Dr. Martin Stein) and Wentworth Miller (Flash’s Leonard Snart/Captain Cold). It will also, presumably, allow other characters from those shows, as well as any old DC Comics characters who feel like dropping in (Hello, Batman and/or Wonder Woman and/or non-Routh Superman), to show up and kick some ass for truth, justice and the American Way. More details as they develop. Romeo San Vicente’s Aquaman obsession has yet to be indulged by any film or TV show, and this feels unfair. He can be reached care of this publication or at DeepInsideHollywood@ qsyndicate.com.
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Vega Immigration
| Wednesday March 25, 2015 |
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday March 25, 2015
COMPLERA is a prescription medicine for adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before and who have no more than 100,000 copies/mL of virus in their blood. COMPLERA can also replace current HIV-1 medicines for some adults who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements. COMPLERA combines 3 medicines into 1 pill to be taken once a day with food. COMPLERA should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines.
Just the
one
for me
COMPLERA is a complete HIV-1 treatment in only 1 pill a day. Ask your healthcare provider if COMPLERA may be the one for you.
Pill shown is not actual size.
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COMPLERA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS.
PAGE 13
Changes in liver enzymes: People who have had hepatitis B or C, or who have had changes in their liver function tests in the past may have an increased risk for liver problems while taking COMPLERA. Some people without prior liver disease may also be at risk. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with COMPLERA. • Bone problems, including bone pain or bones getting soft or thin, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicines. • Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking COMPLERA. •
To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses you must keep taking COMPLERA. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body fluids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body fluids on them. It is not known if COMPLERA is safe and effective in children under 18 years old.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA?
COMPLERA can cause serious side effects: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include feeling very weak or tired, unusual (not normal) muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold especially in your arms and legs, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat. • Serious liver problems. The liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and fatty (steatosis). Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice), dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored bowel movements (stools), loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, and/or stomach pain. • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking COMPLERA for a long time. In some cases, these serious conditions have led to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of these conditions. • Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you also have HBV and stop taking COMPLERA, your hepatitis may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking COMPLERA without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health. COMPLERA is not approved for the treatment of HBV.
Who should not take COMPLERA?
Do not take COMPLERA if you: • Take a medicine that contains: adefovir (Hepsera), lamivudine (Epivir-HBV), carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, TegretolXR, Teril, Epitol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), phenobarbital (Luminal), phenytoin (Dilantin, Dilantin-125, Phenytek), rifampin (Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane, Rifadin), rifapentine (Priftin), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), esomeprazole (Nexium, Vimovo), lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid), pantoprazole sodium (Protonix), rabeprazole (Aciphex), more than 1 dose of the steroid medicine dexamethasone or dexamethasone sodium phosphate, or the herbal supplement St. John’s wort. • Take any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection, unless recommended by your healthcare provider.
What are the other possible side effects of COMPLERA?
Serious side effects of COMPLERA may also include: • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests to check your kidneys before starting treatment with COMPLERA. If you have had kidney problems, or take other medicines that may cause kidney problems, your healthcare provider may also check your kidneys during treatment with COMPLERA. • Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms: feeling sad or hopeless, feeling anxious or restless, have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself.
TheMontroseSTAR.com
| Wednesday March 25, 2015 |
The most common side effects of COMPLERA include trouble sleeping (insomnia), abnormal dreams, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, rash, tiredness, and depression. Other common side effects include vomiting, stomach pain or discomfort, skin discoloration (small spots or freckles), and pain. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.
What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking COMPLERA? All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you have or had any kidney, mental health, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection. • All the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. COMPLERA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how COMPLERA works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Do not start any new medicines while taking COMPLERA without first talking with your healthcare provider. • If you take rifabutin (Mycobutin). Talk to your healthcare provider about the right amount of rilpivirine (Edurant) you should take. • If you take antacids. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. • If you take stomach acid blockers. Take acid blockers at least 12 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. Ask your healthcare provider if your acid blocker is okay to take, as some acid blockers should never be taken with COMPLERA. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if COMPLERA can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking COMPLERA. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Also, some medicines in COMPLERA can pass into breast milk, and it is not known if this can harm the baby. •
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see Brief Summary of full Prescribing Information with important warnings on the following pages.
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PAGE 14
| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday March 25, 2015
Brief Summary of full Prescribing Information COMPLERA® (kom-PLEH-rah) (emtricitabine 200 mg, rilpivirine 25 mg, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg) tablets Brief summary of full Prescribing Information. For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information, including Patient Information. What is COMPLERA? • COMPLERA is a prescription medicine used as a complete HIV-1 treatment in one pill a day. COMPLERA is for adults who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before and who have no more than 100,000 copies/mL of virus in their blood (this is called ‘viral load’). Complera can also replace current HIV-1 medicines for some adults who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements. • COMPLERA is a complete regimen and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. When used properly, COMPLERA may reduce the amount of HIV-1 virus in your blood and increase the amount of CD4 T-cells, which may help improve your immune system. This may reduce your risk of death or getting infections that can happen when your immune system is weak. • COMPLERA does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. You must stay on continuous HIV-1 therapy to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses. • Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others. Do not share or reuse needles, injection equipment, or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them. Do not have sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood. What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA? COMPLERA can cause serious side effects, including: • Build-up of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis can happen in some people who take COMPLERA or similar (nucleoside analogs) medicines. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms which could be signs of lactic acidosis: – feel very weak or tired – have unusual (not normal) muscle pain – have trouble breathing – having stomach pain with nausea or vomiting – feel cold, especially in your arms and legs – feel dizzy or lightheaded – have a fast or irregular heartbeat • Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems can happen in people who take COMPLERA. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large (hepatomegaly) and you may develop fat in your liver (steatosis). Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems: – your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice) – dark “tea-colored” urine – light-colored bowel movements (stools) – loss of appetite for several days or longer – nausea – stomach pain
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• You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking COMPLERA for a long time. • Worsening of Hepatitis B infection. If you have hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and take COMPLERA, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking COMPLERA. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before. COMPLERA is not approved for the treatment of HBV, so you must discuss your HBV with your healthcare provider. – Do not run out of COMPLERA. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your COMPLERA is all gone. – Do not stop taking COMPLERA without first talking to your healthcare provider. – If you stop taking COMPLERA, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking COMPLERA. Who should not take COMPLERA? Do not take COMPLERA if you also take any of the following medicines: • Medicines used for seizures: carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol-XR, Teril, Epitol); oxcarbazepine (Trileptal); phenobarbital (Luminal); phenytoin (Dilantin, Dilantin-125, Phenytek) • Medicines used for tuberculosis: rifampin (Rifater, Rifamate, Rimactane, Rifadin); rifapentine (Priftin) • Certain medicines used to block stomach acid called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs): dexlansoprazole (Dexilant); esomeprazole (Nexium, Vimovo); lansoprazole (Prevacid); omeprazole (Prilosec, Zegerid); pantoprazole sodium (Protonix); rabeprazole (Aciphex) • Certain steroid medicines: More than 1 dose of dexamethasone or dexamethasone sodium phosphate • Certain herbal supplements: St. John’s wort • Certain hepatitis medicines: adefovir (Hepsera), lamivudine (Epivir-HBV) Do not take COMPLERA if you also take any other HIV-1 medicines, including: • Other medicines that contain tenofovir (ATRIPLA, STRIBILD, TRUVADA, VIREAD) • Other medicines that contain emtricitabine or lamivudine (ATRIPLA, Combivir, EMTRIVA, Epivir, Epzicom, STRIBILD, Trizivir, TRUVADA) • rilpivirine (Edurant), unless you are taking rifabutin (Mycobutin) COMPLERA is not for use in people who are less than 18 years old. What are the possible side effects of COMPLERA? COMPLERA may cause the following serious side effects: • See “What is the most important information I should know about COMPLERA?” • New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking COMPLERA. If you have had kidney problems in the past or need to take another medicine that can cause kidney problems, your healthcare provider may need to do blood tests to check your kidneys during your treatment with COMPLERA. • Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms: – feeling sad or hopeless – feeling anxious or restless – have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself • Change in liver enzymes. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus infection or who have certain liver enzyme changes may have an
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increased risk of developing new or worsening liver problems during treatment with COMPLERA. Liver problems can also happen during treatment with COMPLERA in people without a history of liver disease. Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with COMPLERA. • Bone problems can happen in some people who take COMPLERA. Bone problems include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones. • Changes in body fat can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the main part of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The cause and long term health effect of these conditions are not known. • Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine. The most common side effects of COMPLERA include: • Trouble sleeping (insomnia), abnormal dreams, headache, dizziness, diarrhea, nausea, rash, tiredness, depression Additional common side effects include: • Vomiting, stomach pain or discomfort, skin discoloration (small spots or freckles), pain Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. • These are not all the possible side effects of COMPLERA. For more information, ask your healthcare provider. • Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking COMPLERA? Tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including: • If you have or had any kidney, mental health, bone, or liver problems, including hepatitis B or C infection. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if COMPLERA can harm your unborn child. – There is a pregnancy registry for women who take antiviral medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk to your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take COMPLERA. – You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. – Two of the medicines in COMPLERA can pass to your baby in your breast milk. It is not known if this could harm your baby. – Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements: • COMPLERA may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how COMPLERA works. • If you take certain medicines with COMPLERA, the amount of COMPLERA in your body may be too low and it may not work to help control your HIV-1 infection. The HIV-1 virus in your body may become resistant to COMPLERA or other HIV-1 medicines that are like it.
TheMontroseSTAR.com
| Wednesday March 25, 2015 |
PAGE 15
• Be sure to tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following medicines: – Rifabutin (Mycobutin), a medicine to treat some bacterial infections. Talk to your healthcare provider about the right amount of rilpivirine (Edurant) you should take. – Antacid medicines that contain aluminum, magnesium hydroxide, or calcium carbonate. Take antacids at least 2 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. – Certain medicines to block the acid in your stomach, including cimetidine (Tagamet), famotidine (Pepcid), nizatidine (Axid), or ranitidine hydrochloride (Zantac). Take the acid blocker at least 12 hours before or at least 4 hours after you take COMPLERA. Some acid blocking medicines should never be taken with COMPLERA (see “Who should not take COMPLERA?” for a list of these medicines). – Medicines that can affect how your kidneys work, including acyclovir (Zovirax), cidofovir (Vistide), ganciclovir (Cytovene IV, Vitrasert), valacyclovir (Valtrex), and valganciclovir (Valcyte). – clarithromycin (Biaxin) – erythromycin (E-Mycin, Eryc, Ery-Tab, PCE, Pediazole, Ilosone) – fluconazole (Diflucan) – itraconazole (Sporanox) – ketoconazole (Nizoral) – methadone (Dolophine) – posaconazole (Noxafil) – telithromycin (Ketek) – voriconazole (Vfend) Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. Do not start any new medicines while you are taking COMPLERA without first talking with your healthcare provider. How should I take COMPLERA? • Stay under the care of your healthcare provider during treatment with COMPLERA. • Take COMPLERA exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. • Always take COMPLERA with food. Taking COMPLERA with food is important to help get the right amount of medicine in your body. A protein drink is not a substitute for food. If your healthcare provider decides to stop COMPLERA and you are switched to new medicines to treat HIV-1 that includes rilpivirine tablets, the rilpivirine tablets should be taken only with a meal. Keep COMPLERA and all medicines out of reach of children. This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about COMPLERA. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can also ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about COMPLERA that is written for health professionals, or call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.COMPLERA.com. Issued: September 2014
COMPLERA, the COMPLERA Logo, EMTRIVA, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, GSI, HEPSERA, STRIBILD, TRUVADA, VIREAD, and VISTIDE are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. ATRIPLA is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb & Gilead Sciences, LLC. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. ©2014 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. CPAC0134 10/14
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday March 25, 2015
Cooking with Paula Dream
Bring a colorful relish to your meat
| By Paula Dream (AKA Kale Haygood)
I
t’s incredible how the how my Mystery Bread recipe has drawn so much attention. I have to share this quote with you (notice the origin): “We have a card club on Friday nights. I made your Mystery Bread recipe from the STAR paper. I can tell you that all six of us, plus siblings, went to town over this. But I used gluten free flour, and no one knew the difference. I finally ate a cake bread that didn’t give me a bellyache. Had a bit left over, and had it for breakfast and it was as moist as when I took it from the oven.” —WANDA TODD, BEDFORD TEXAS So readers, what do you think about that? A copy of our STAR publication made it all the way up to Bedford, Texas! On to more good food. Summer is approaching, or so we hope, and we can smell the old grills’ flavorful aroma as we walk out our door. Whether you are grilling salmon, chicken breast, or pork chops, here is a relish that really brings your meat to town. A couple of spoonsful of
the relish over the meat is so flavorful and makes a great presentation to your plate.
FRESH CORN AND BLUEBERRY RELISH 2 teaspoons champagne vinegar 1 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoon minced shallots 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste 1 cup fresh corn kernels, sliced off the cobb 5 cups loose arugula 1 cup fresh blueberries 3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves torn into small pieces 1 tablespoon sliced chives To make the vinaigrette, combine lemon juice, vinegar, and shallots in a bowl, whisking in the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bring a small pot of salted water and set up a bowl of ice water. Add corn to pot and cook for two minutes, then strain corn and place into bowl of ice water. Drain corn and set aside. In medium bowl, toss together corn, arugula, blueberries, herbs and vinaigrette. Enjoy!
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
2 7 10 Montrose Blvd. Houston, T X 7 7 006
713.526.0202 Order Online www.pepperonis.net
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Montrose STAR
Foodie Diaries
Mia’s Table:
Carrabba’s hidden treasure
| By Jim Ayres
Have you seen Mia’s? Do you even know it exists? You’d be forgiven if you don’t. It’s on the corner of Argonne and Branard near Kirby and West Alabama. Find your way there, and you’ll discover some delicious home style cooking. Mia’s is a casual concept from Johnny Carrabba, who knows a thing or two about good food. There’s everything from burgers to barbecue to fried chicken to salads to full meals. Prices may seem a little high, but the quality is worth every penny For example, the Chicken Fried Chicken is the best I’ve ever had. Expertly fried so the outside is crisp and the inside fork tender, the dish is served with a slightly spicy cream gravy. Mashed potato and green bean sides are just like I remember my grandfather making them. If you’re feeling healthier, Mia’s salads will fill the bill, and fill you up. I’m partial to the Chopped Asian Salad with your choice or chicken, shrimp, or salmon. It comes with crunchy wontons and peanuts, and is topped with a sweet ginger dressing. In the mood for barbecue? The pulled pork sandwich, the St. Louis style ribs, and the half-chicken are all winners. They’re run-down-your-chin juicy, with vibrant smoked flavor set off by a zesty sauce that just happens to be available in take-home jars. Mia’s warm décor reminds me of the 1940s lake house look, with schoolhouse pendant lighting, wood floors, and exposed brick and stone. It’s all very welcoming, just like the friendly and informative staff, which brings your orders
to your table in cute white enamelware after you order from the counter. Completing the retro feel is the drink selection. Choose from cherry limeade (just like the old days at Dairy Queen), strawberry lemonade, or southern sweet tea in addition to the usual selection of soft drinks. There’s beer and wine, as well. I’ve had a couple of quibbles with Mia’s, and for the first I quote directly from the menu: “Flat Iron Steak served with green beans and mashed potatoes.” There’s no mention of brown mushroom gravy, the kind served with the mystery meat you ate in elementary school. Trust me, the sauce does the good, tender steak no favors. Tell them to 86 it. Another “beef” I’ve had in the past concerned their cheeseburgers. In an effort to be different, they were served hoagie-style. Awkward. I’m ecstatic to report that not only has Mia’s reverted to a traditional round burger, but they’ve also upped their game with a half-inch thick patty, cooked to your liking and oozing with juices and melted American cheese. But the fries are blah and not worth the calories. Upgrade to onion rings. They’re the best in town. You’ll thank me! You’ll be full when you finish your meal. But save room for the free soft serve ice cream at the exit. This is legitimate stuff, made with cream and sugar and all that goodness. What a way to top off your visit!
Mia’s Table 3131 Argonne Street, Houston, Texas 77098
(713) 522-6427 W W W. M I A S TA B L E . C O M
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| Wednesday March 25, 2015 |
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday March 25, 2015
THE M
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TROSE ON
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| Wednesday March 25, 2015 |
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday March 25, 2015
HOUPAUL: ALL THINGS RUPAUL IN HOUSTON!
n d a K y Trixie
| By Mark Kariel
S
outh Beach has your Saturday night social schedule all planned for the next two weekends, with visits from two of RuPaul’s Drag Race queens. First, Kandy Ho’ brings her sweet lusciousness to the South Beach stage on March 28, followed the next Saturday night by the irresistible Trixie Mattel, on April 4. For both Saturday nights, there will be one big show with an encore after midnight, followed by an autograph and photo shoot party. Have your photo taken with these fabulous Season 7 queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race! For more information, visit www. sobehouston.com, or call 713-521-0107. South Beach is located at 810 Pacific St. Houston, Texas 77006. Kandy Ho’: A sweet treat Born Frank Diaz in Cayey, Puerto Rico, Kandy Ho’ was actually born about eight years ago after imitating Madonna at a local talent show. Competing in a series of local pageants quickly turned into competing in more and more pageants, and Kandy ultimately won the title of Miss Puerto Rico Open Sunday 2010. This pageant win simply gave Kandy the taste for more, so she started traveling more and exposing herself to more opportunities. In 2013, Kandy decided to compete in what she considered to be the most important beauty pageant in Puerto Rico, Miss Generation 2013. Once again, she was declared the winner. And, as if that were not enough, she continued her rise in the pageant world when she went to Chicago to compete in Miss Continental 2013, placing in the top twelve. Kandy’s passion and dedication is such that it was only natural that she would continue her journey by auditioning for RuPaul’s Drag Race. Selected as one of 14 contestants for Season 7, the first week’s episode would prove to be a bit rough, as she landed in the bottom two of the contestants, and had to “lip-sync-for-her-life” against fellow contestant Tempest DuJour. Tempest was told to “Sashay away!” in that first episode, and Kandy, as she stood on that main stage, heard the words that you desperately want to hear from Ru himself: “Shante, you stay!” In each of the following two weeks’ episodes, Kandy has been declared safe, which means that her time on Drag Race continues. As of the writing of this article, the fourth week’s episode has not yet aired, so we will continue to watch Kandy’s progress. And as Kandy likes to say, “Hey, my wonderful fans. Your Kandy Krush is here.” Come get
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o ’ H & l e Matt
Montrose STAR
that kind of high), which is what you want, unless you are actually declared the winner of the challenge. Trixie remains very much alive in the competition, as of the end of three episodes, showing no signs that she will be sashaying away anytime soon. She will grace us with her presence at South Beach on Saturday night, April 4. RU-minder: RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 7 is now 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 Street in Houston, Texas 77006. Stay tuned for the next edition of the MONTROSE STAR for many more upcoming RuPaul’s Drag Race events.
Land at South Beach
your fill of her delicious Kandy on Saturday night, March 28, only at South Beach. Trixie Mattel: A living doll Born Brian Firkus in Milwaukee, Wisconsin of Native American heritage, Trixie Mattel is one of 14 contestants selected to appear on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 7. Growing up, Brian’s stepdad gave him the nickname “Trixie” (fairy) for when he was feeling especially sensitive or acting too feminine. The name stuck with Brian, and, when trying to decide on his drag name, he stuck with it! As for the Mattel part, Trixie is known for her overdrawn lips, over-the-top clown makeup, wit, and Barbie Doll style. (This probably explains the Mattel part of Trixie’s name. Barbie Dolls are manufactured by Mattel, Inc. and Trixie’s appearance is very “doll like”.) In week two’s episode, Trixie, along with fellow contestant Ginger Minj, won the week’s minichallenge, which was to “give face while the pit crew blew them with a leaf blower”. As the two winners of the mini-challenge, they were made team leaders for the week’s main challenge, which was a lip-sync and performance to a pre-flight safety video for Glamazonian Airways. On the main stage, Trixie was announced as safe for the second week in a row. For week three’s episode, not only was Trixie safe, but she was actually considered “high” (no, not TheMontroseSTAR.com
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| Wednesday March 25, 2015 |
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| Montrose STAR
| Wednesday March 25, 2015
Across the Causeway
| By Forest Riggs
M
any years ago, when I had hair and could still garner a look from a hot man, my fellow Aggie friends and I would leave the dryness of dear old, conservative College Station where gay nightlife was limited to a single gay night at the Peanut Gallery, later called Astrapates, on Welbourne Road. But more often than not, we found our way south to “big city” gay bars: Gene Howell and Lynn Ganey’s fantastic Houston club, The Copa. There was also Rich’s, Numbers, Heaven and JR’s, as well as a few others like Club 611, Gentry, the Briar Patch and, of course, the Brazos River Bottom, a hot spot for many a “down-low” Aggie (at least, for those of us who found no pleasure in the offerings at the Chicken Ranch in LaGrange.) Galveston was screaming temptation with Garza’s Kon Tiki (complete with penises in the dance floor, before the fire) and, of course, the wicked, carnival-of-fools haunt, Lafitte’s. Many a Friday night, we “freethinkers” grouped and trekked our way to Sodom and Gomorrah on the Gulf. For my fellow escapees and I, it was complete bliss where we found like-minded people, acceptance and freedom to be who we were. Those early 1980s nights were filled with madness and mayhem. The best thing of all was drag! Oh, my God! For a fairly innocent farm boy from east Texas, watching those gals was like going to Gay Par-ee! The Fabulous Four—Mr. Tiffany Jones (The Texas Tornado), Naomi Sims, Donna Day and Brandi West—tore the stage apart and opened my eyes to a world I had only imagined. The huge, semi-toothless Donna Day brought down the house with her back to the crowd performing Connie Francis’ “Who’s Sorry Now?” only to turn around and be hugely pregnant. Tiffany would come out in a nun’s habit and on roller skates, and rip the house apart. Brandi West (before she was convicted of murder and was sentenced to spend the rest of her days in TDC) would mesmerize everyone with some Donna Summer number, while Naomi made us all shake and quiver as she crumpled to the stage, pointing upward with a trembling finger and belting out “And I Am Telling You” from Dreamgirls. Speed the clock ahead to the late 1980s (after a few years living and teaching in the U.S. Virgin Islands), when I was living the life in Montrose (when it was still gay!) and being part of all that was gay and crazy. One night, after a Jimmy James show at Rich’s emceed by Bubba McNeely, I hosted an after-hours party at my house on Hawthorne, across from the gay Kroger. Sitting in the butler’s pantry with Jimmy (whose post-show make-up found her lingering somewhere between Marilyn Monroe and Bette Davis) I said: “Jimmy, I want to do Marlene Dietrich like you do Marilyn.” I’ll never forget his response as he leaned back, took a good look at me and replied: “Gurl, we are gonna have to crush that skull and start over.” There were other members of drag royalty, too: Sabrina DeLorean, Tasha Kohl, Hot Chocolate and a wild gal named Pearl Harbor. My special friend was the gorgeous Lauren Brach and her
Carmen Can-Too: Another queen finds a throne in Galveston’s Dragdom
THE CARMEN CAN-TOO Q&A
MS: What do you think divides the community?
MONTROSE STAR: How did you come
CC: The turnover, instability and constant
up with the name ‘Carmen Can-Too’?
flow of people in and out.
CARNEN CAN-TOO: Many years ago,
there was a show at the old 3rd Coast Bar way down on the Seawall, and Todd Farrish asked me to get up and perform. I was scared shitless. Todd and C.C. Ryder encouraged me, and C.C. kept asking me what my drag name would be. I said “Carmen.” C.C. said, “Carmen ‘what’? Girl, you gotta have a last name.” As another drag queen was stepping down from the stage, I said, “Well, if she can do, I can, too!” That was it—Carmen Can-Too.
MS: How so? CC: It makes it hard to build really strong and lasting bonds and friendships, but we try hard. MS: You have been doing this many years now. What changes or trends do you see in drag these days? CC: Transvestism and transexuality seem
to be all the rage. MS: What is your message to the world? CC: To parents, especially those with gay
MS: What do you think are some strong points of gay Galveston?
children: Love them, embrace them and honor them. Know they are a gift.
CC: The tremendous diversity that the
island offers everyone—residents and visitors.
MS: By the way, which do you prefer—‘drag queen, female impersonator, cross dresser or illusionist? CC: Honey, I am a drag queen!
good friend, the rotund Bernadette. I loved seeing them all entertain at Miss Camp America (where did it go?). One night, after a show and many bottles of champagne, wearing nothing but big panties and a stuffed bra, Bernadette jumped on my bed singing, “His Eye Is on the Sparrow”. The bed, unable to take the weight, crashed to the floor. All, good memories. Back to the present Let’s speed ahead many years to the Dragdom of Galveston. Galveston is home to great drag, perhaps more so than any other city per capita and size. If you get down to TheMontroseSTAR.com
the island, make sure you eyebrow pencilin a drag show and have yourself a time. Drag shows are an integral part of the gay Galveston community; practically every club has at least one show night and some, more. For years, Robert’s Lafitte has been dragging more than the muffler on a ’49 Plymouth, and is still going strong. Standing room only crowds flock to Lafitte’s famous Sunday night shows and are always wowed by the talents of the painted ladies. The passing years in the Dragdom of Galveston found the beautiful Misty Valdez (she can lip sync better than anyone!)
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performing all over the island, keeping the girls in line and lined up, as well as raising thousands of dollars for numerous charities. Along came C.C. Ryder, a Teutonic bombshell, who quickly became another long-term Island diva and local favorite. Misty and C.C. groomed many a great drag queen and called thought of them as their sisters and daughters. Great performers found recognition, love and success on the stages of Galveston, including Mayra Sanchez, Jame’ Roberts, Marsha Mellow (C.C.’s side kick for many years), Destiny Lee Jacobs, Carly Hart Raven and too many more to name. Hot new talents came to the Dragdom, bringing with them super performances and gutsy talent, including Kymber DeVine, Lana Blake, Jada Vandross Ross, Symphony McKnight Capri and a host of others. The island was alive and aflame with drag! If there was a magic, “test tube incubator” in which one could create a drag queen by mixing the talent, spirit, looks and energy of great stars, Galveston would be the place to showcase such a gal. Take a little sassiness from Dolly Parton, a splash of Selena, a huge dose of Tina Turner, a pinch of Janis Joplin and dash of Edie Gourmet. Combine with a generous helping of Liberace and a few shots of Divine and you’ve got the island’s own Carmen Can-Too! This little dynamite is one heck of a performer and an all-round great person. Raised in a strict fundamentalist home, Carmen was not allowed to deal with anything gay as a child; it was taboo and sinful! At age 15, she busted loose the shackles of restraint and dove headfirst into gaydom. By age 30, she was dressed and doing her thing, and we are glad she did. Unlike many of the gals on the circuit, Carmen prefers her own voice to lipsyncing. A distinct, raspy voice that has its very own qualities comes bursting out of this stacked, Latin love goddess. She is full of energy and it shows on stage; this is her way to express and feel free after a childhood of suppression, she says. With Amy Winehouse and Tina Turner (she does one hell of a “Proud Mary”, legs, hair and all!) as her ‘guides’, she tears up the stage. Carmen is all over the island, from hosting karaoke and performing at private parties and clubs, hosting gay bingo on Sunday afternoons at Splash on the Seawall, to strutting and spreading her contagious joy at shows throughout the week. She is the real deal and someone to follow, for sure! On a recent rainy afternoon, I caught up with hot Carmen at the Stork Club on 21st and Post Office. Despite being dressed as a mister, she was her usual effervescent and vivacious Carmen Can-Too. We sipped iced tea and had a nice chat, and she shared a story about a time Miss Canada was performing on stage in Galveston. It seems Miss Canada had asked Carmen about the secret to her success in Galveston and what it takes to make it. Carmen replied: “Honey, there are two bridges on and off the island. Don’t burn ‘em and don’t cross the fairy!” Until next time, keep laughing, loving and making the world a better place. 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.
Montrose STAR
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| Wednesday March 25, 2015 |
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Next2Weeks! PAGE 24
| Montrose STAR
IN HOUSTON & GALVESTON
| Wednesday March 25, 2015
March 25–April 8, 2015 WEDNESDAY March 25
FRIDAY March 27
SATURDAY March 28
SUNDAY March 29
a F Bar: The F Centrics perform, feat. DJ a Splash Bar Galveston: Kourtney Paige
a George Bar: The Boys Are a Arena Theatre: Pimpinela! Tour 30
Joe Ross, 11:30pm
Smoking Meat! A BBQ/cook- Aniversario out for charity, 2-5pm. a F Bar: F Latin Divas Perform A Tribute to Selena, 10pm. a Splash Bar Galveston: Kymber Devine Benefit Drag Show, 10pm.
Van Wales hosts the Splash Bar Follies Show, 9pm.
TUESDAY March 31
FRIDAY April 3
a TC’s Showbar: Mr. TC’s Contest
SATURDAY April 4
SUNDAY April 5
a KRave Galveston: Kourtney Paige
a Ripcord: “Spank-A-Dom”, an auction benefiting
a F Bar: Bunnies on the
Van Wales and Deyijzah Opulent Mirage perform
GCAM (Gulf Coast Archive & Museum), 10:30pm
Bayou’s Official After Party, doors open at 1pm.
a Splash Bar Galveston: Kara Dion, Kourtney Paige
Van Wales and Regine Simone Van Wales perform a Kryptonite: Dirty Disco presents, A Trip Down The Rabbit Hole, feat. DJ Barry Harris and local DJ Joe Ross.
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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