OUT in the City 11.15.2012 1
It’s not just a conference, it’s a powerful organizing moment that feeds me and pushes me to build a broad movement for justice. Alfonso Wenker Activist Leader
The largest annual gathering of activists, organizers and leaders in the LGBT movement
January 23–27, 2013 Hilton Atlanta Register now! www.CreatingChange.org
Jose Antonio Vargas
Journalist and Founder of Define America
Plenary Panel Moderator with DREAM Advocates Saturday, January 26, 1:30 PM
Celebrating 25 years of Creating Change
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Build Power
Take Action
Create Change
www.theTaskForce.org
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Out in the city
Online Magazine 2524 Champa St #1 Denver, CO 80205 info@outinthecity.com Phone 720-982-5445
EDITORIAL Managing Editor Jerry L. Wheeler jwheeler@outinthecity.com Contributing Writers Todd Haley II, Julia Newman, Shawnee Harkins, Joshua Hunt, Israel Soliz, Nicholas T. Page, Megan Buff, Rachel Hockett, Adam W. Hart, Sean Eads, Alex C. Dembicki, Gregg Shapiro, Erica Cobb, Coach Kerri, Lewis Doe, Carlos Melia, Daniel Landstrom, Barbara Joye, Melanie Curtis, Jana Everett, Joshua Van Etten, Sydney Baldwin, Colby Collins, Brett Webb-Mitchell
ADVERTISING Sales Manager Marc Sokol 720-436-2667 msokol@outinthecity.com Account Executive Michele Ortez 720-205-2002 mortez@outinthecity.com Account Executive Alisha M. Ortez 720-989-0697 amortez@outinthecity.com
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Publisher DiverseCity Deals, Inc. Founder / President Lynette Elliott 720-982-5445 lelliott@outinthecity.com Vice President Kat Haney 720-255-6655 khaney@outinthecity.com Email: info@outinthecity.com Website: Outinthecity.com Facebook: facebook.com/OUTinthecity1 Twitter: @OUTinthecity Career inquires please send resume to info@outinthecity.com. We welcome writers, sales representatives, and media individuals from around the globe. Copyright & Liability Reproduction of editorial content, photographic content, video content or advertising content without prior written consent by the publisher and author is strictly prohibited. All advertisers assume liability and responsibility for securing all said rights to any trademark or copyrighted material that is placed within their advertisements not limited to supplied content. Publisher nor any company representative, affiliate or company sponsor assumes any liability or responsibility for a claim that may arise from an element outlined in an advertisement. The Publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement, sponsorship or marketing collateral at anytime without reason. Publishing of an individuals name, photograph, organization, video or any other third dimensional type of media placed in articles, on the website, advertisements or in the publication in general is not an indication of sexual orientation or affiliation to the LGBT community. Publisher is granted all rights to any/all materials submitted and originals will not be returned. These materials may include but are not limited to: articles, photographs, or videos. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of DiverseCity Deals, Inc., OUT in the City or any of its company representatives, affiliates, advertisers or sponsors.
OUT in the City 11.15.2012 5
CONTENTS p. 8-9 The Makeover – Rachel Hockett
The Presidential Election 2012 is behind us and the good guys won. Our political correspondent, Rachel Hockett, celebrates the Big O’s win and lets us know what this means for the LGBT community.
p. 10-13 Focus on: A Pair of Prides
Our Spanish correspondent, filmmaker Anna Boluda, talks about LGBT rights in Spain and tells us why Madrid has been chosen to host World Pride in 2017. We don’t know about Sexy/Classy/Chic – Charlie Rocafort you, but we’re booking that trip now. Closer p. 26-37 What says winter better than underwear? to home, Stephanie Wheeler gets to the point Well, nothing—and these aren’t yer father’s of San Francisco Gay Pride in “I Need A Man!” long woolies, either. The ES Collection braves the weather to bring you their latest line of stylish briefs and sleepwear. Oh, and chiseled p. 20-21 Thanksgiving is Every Day – Ken Ludwig male models. Did we mention those? We Some seasonal thoughs about history and thought we’d mentioned those. how deeply we are connected to each other, and a suggestion that we might be better off Project Space: p. 38-43 Londonewcastle if we considered them more often.
Everything Old is New Again – Lewis Doe
p. 22-23 iMusic: oyTunes – Gregg Shapiro
Travel with our London correspondent Lewis Doe as he searches for the best and brightest of the British spots. This month, he travels to the Huntingdon Estate in Shoreditch to sketch out a portrait of a refurbished print shop now dubbed the Londonewcastle Project Space. Come on the tour with us.
Looking for a nice Hanukkah gift? From La Striesand to classical violinists, our Chicago yenta can hook you up with a nice Jewish tune or two.
p. 24-25 Elliott London Thanks You for Being a Friend – Jerry L. Wheeler
Filmmaker Elliott London is using his art to work through his issues. His most recent p. 44-47 project, Friend, a film about bullying, brings together a gay and a transgender teen to script the language and bring his healing vision to the screen.
In our October 2012 issue, the photo credits for our Martha Wash feature should have been as follows: p. 22 (Martha with necklaces) - Sean Black p. 24-25 - Mike Ruiz p. 26-27-28-29 - Gor Meqaera We apologize for any inconvenience.
Traci Lords Has Done It All – Jerry L. Wheeler Former porn star Traci Lords has long ago turned legitimate film star, her career taking some interesting, camp turns along the way, including a long-time working relationship with John Waters. She took some time to speak with us about her new film, her new album, and her new single.
p. 48-51 Ear Candy and Eye Schwag
Downloads and videos to link and share from Stars, Katy Tiz, Anjulie, Eugene Ebner, Melanie Amaro and Cassidy (with Nicki Minaj). Spend some time with the latest and the greatest!
The MakerOver By Rachel Hockett
If I were an illustrator, I would create cartoons to represent people like me (Obama voters) before and after Tuesday’s historic election. Since I cannot draw to save my soul, however, I shall try to describe what my pictures would look like. THE “BEFORE” CARTOON. Group A—several wealthy, white, sexist, racist, homophobic, suit-wearing men. Group B—a straight woman, a same-sex couple with a child, a senior living below the poverty line, a transgender woman, a recent Mexican immigrant, an African American laborer, and a college student. Picture Group A grabbing Group B in a stranglehold and threatening to squeeze the life and love right out of them. Group B’s faces are etched with worry that their rights and freedoms will be stripped away and their humanity exposed for the kill. Dark gray clouds hang over their heads. The caption for this cartoon reads, “The gathering storm?” On Election Day, Group B votes—some may even volunteer to get out the vote or to monitor polling places—and then they bite their nails to the quick waiting for the returns to roll in, as if waiting for their execution. They fret when they hear reports of voting snafus, of possible vote tampering, of voter suppression. 8 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
They say to themselves, if we lose this thing, we can begin to kiss our democracy goodbye. Group B have put all their plans, hopes, dreams, and wishes into limbo for what feels like days and weeks while the electorate waits to vote and for the votes to be counted. The instant 24/7 media are doing everything in their power to make the presidential contest into a horse race (they do have to sell advertising, after all), and Romney and his gazillionaire friends have outspent Obama and his grassroots supporters consistently for months, funding ads that play up the horrors of the Obama administration and about Barack Obama himself, spreading lies about his record, lies about what a second Obama term would mean for the world, and even lies about where to go to vote on Election Day. Group B cannot think beyond Election Day, when they will learn whether America has elected a government that cares about them or one that campaigned on restricting their rights, jeopardizing their Social Security, and marginalizing them even further—in short, whether January will see the renewal of caring leadership in Washington or the beginning of a punishing, narrowminded, provincial, corporation-favoring, repressive, regressive one.
ELECTION DAY. t 5IF QSFTJEFOU XJOT FMFDUPSBM WPUFT UP 3PNOFZ T BT PG UIJT XSJUJOH UIF %FNPDSBUT IBWF DMBJNFE 'MPSJEB T FMFDUPSBM WPUFT FWFO BT FMFDUJPO PĂłDJBMT TUJMM IBWF UP ĂśOJTI DPVOUJOH UIFN t 0CBNB XJOT UIF QPQVMBS WPUF )F JT POMZ UIF TFDPOE %FNPDSBUJD QSFTJEFOU JO "NFSJDBO IJTUPSZ UP XJO B QPQVMBS NBKPSJUZ UIF ĂśSTU XBT '%3 t 5IF UI $POHSFTT XJMM IBWF UIF NPTU GFNBMF NFNCFST FWFS BT XPNFO QJDLFE VQ POF JO UISFF OFX TFBUT t )BXBJJ QJDLT VQ "NFSJDB T ĂśSTU "TJBO "NFSJDBO GFNBMF TFOBUPS JO .B[JF )JSPOP t -(#5 HBJOT BSF IJTUPSJD BOE JODMVEF UIF FMFDUJPO PG UIF ĂśSTU PQFOMZ HBZ TFOBUPS 5BNNZ #BMEXJO JO 8JTDPOTJO UIF QBTTBHF PG NBSSJBHF FRVBMJUZ JO .BJOF .BSZMBOE BOE 8BTIJOHUPO BOE B DMFBS OP UP B DPOTUJUVUJPOBM BNFOENFOU EFĂśOJOH NBSSJBHF BT CFUXFFO POF NBO BOE POF XPNBO JO .JOOFTPUB t 4FWFO NFNCFST PG UIF TP DBMMFE iSBQF DBVDVTw BSF EFDJTJWFMZ HJWFO UIFJS XBMLJOH QBQFST t 8PNFO TVQQPSU 0CBNB BT EP PWFSXIFMNJOHMZ -BUJOPT BOE "GSJDBO "NFSJDBOT MBCPS ZPVOH QFPQMF BOE DPMMFHF FEVDBUFE WPUFST t 0CBNB EFGFBUT 3PNOFZ JO 1FOOTZMWBOJB BOE JO UIF CBUUMFHSPVOE TUBUFT PG 0IJP 7JSHJOJB 8JTDPOTJO /FX )BNQTIJSF *PXB /FWBEB BOE $PMPSBEP t 3PNOFZ XJOT UIF NBMF XIJUF WPUF THE “AFTERâ€? CARTOON. The members of Group B—a straight woman, a same-sex couple with a child, a senior living below the poverty line, a transgender woman, a recent Mexican immigrant, an African American laborer, and a college student—are sitting arm-in-arm in a row, on a bench built from the backs of the male white members of Group A, whose faces are squashed in disbelief and disappointment. The members of Group B are grinning and the sun is shining. The cartoon’s caption reads “Oh, what a beautiful morning!â€? Two major realities have emerged from this election. First, to his credit, Governor Romney was gracious in defeat, and pledged to pray for and work with the president. In the aftermath of his loss, he demonstrated a fundamental decency that should serve as a cue to his colleagues and supporters. But the angry white male voters, and the enormous money spent to court them, are still fighting the truth. Karl Rove and Rick Santorum
and their ilk refuse to concede or are finding outlandish reasons to complain about the results, and the extreme right wing—the Tea Party, if anything, is more strident and resistant than ever, now that Mitch McConnell’s number one goal for Obama’s first term—to make sure it was his only one—has failed. Rachel Maddow’s summary of the election, which you can watch and read here, was a brilliant and eloquent attempt to get the Republican Party to see the error of their ways or risk collapsing in a heap of rejection at the hands of the electorate. “Last night the Republicans got shellacked. And they had no idea it was coming. And we saw them, in real time, in real humiliating time, not believe it even as it was happening to them. And unless they’re going to secede, they’re going to have to pop the factual bubble they have been so happy living inside, if they do not want to get shellacked again. And that will be a painful process for them, I’m sure, but it will be good for the whole country – left, right, and center. You guys, we’re counting on you. Wake up.� We must continue to urge the opposition party to come to the table and behave like grownups, and we devoutly hope they heed the call. Second, the president won a mandate and has the wind at his back. He has nothing to lose from dealing boldly and insistently with Congressional opposition, and he’ll have the support of the majority of the voters for his efforts. Now is his chance, with the support of the Democratic Senate, to push forward with his legislative agenda and leave behind a lasting legacy for progress. Now is the time to stimulate permanent job growth; address climate change seriously; develop green energy; get rid of Citizens United; dump the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act; shore up voter protections; fill judicial vacancies with strong, progressive nominees; and put an end to tax cuts for the wealthiest few. In his victory speech, Obama said, “What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on earth. The belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations. The freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for comes with responsibilities as well as rights. And among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism. That’s what makes America great.� Diversity and responsibility prevailed on Tuesday. Hope beat fear, and love defeated hate. With determination, and the support of those who so decisively reelected the president, the next four years can ignite a torch that will shine a bright and sustaining light well into the future. After feels so good.
OUT in the City 11.15.2012 9
City Life
San Francisco Gay Pride, or ‘I Need a Man!’ By Stephanie Wheeler
“I need a man”
the sweaty, drunken gay man yelled while throwing his arms around me and enveloping me in a lovely (if a little damp) embrace. Well, I thought, that really is the most direct way to start a relationship. I spoke for a few minutes with the stranger—a few minutes in which he seemed unable to control the volume of his speech and began speaking with random accents. In any other setting I would have been surprised and more than a little disturbed. Fortunately, I was at my first Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco.
I went into the Gay Pride Parade experience with a lot of excitement and a tad of trepidation. As a lesbian, seeing cock rings and naked men is not really my cup of tea. I expected to see drunken public displays of affection, colorful costumes, beautiful floats going down the street powered exclusively by gay magic, and basic insanity. What I did not expect was the surge of emotions I would feel multiple times throughout the day as I watched amazing person after amazing person go by me holding tightly to the person they love most in the world.
10 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
My first sight upon getting to the parade was not a welcome one. A man, a folding chair, a megaphone, and bigotry all came together to loudly explain to homosexuals that they are going to hell. Hell is the place all of us “homos” will be together in the afterlife—like an eternal Fire Island. It will be awesome. For a moment, rage coursed through my body, and I wanted to grab his megaphone and smash it to pieces or kick over his folding chair. Then I saw a young woman holding up a sign that read, “I’d rather be in hell with my two moms than in heaven with your God.” My anger faded into wonder as I watched the young woman standing calmly and flashing a smile over her shoulder to the man on a chair. Her calm, quiet resistance spoke louder than a person with a megaphone ever could. As I watched the parade I was struck by an overwhelming sense of love. Many of the parade participants were gay and lesbian families. Families, by the way, that aren’t recognized as “real” by the United States government. I can assure you that I have never seen more real families in my life. Even as a cynic I was taken aback and touched by the raw affection
that was everywhere at Gay Pride. Two adorable World War II veterans held a sign touting their 42 years together. Children who will be free from the restraints of intolerance and homophobia ran around playing. Couples held hands and stared into each others’ eyes, happy to just be together in a welcoming setting. The parade ended and the crowd dispersed. I was left with lingering feelings of joy, but also confusion. Why are there people in this world that get so angry about same sex couples? How can we facilitate the change needed so that everyone in this country, regardless of sexual orientation, has the same rights? Why am I thinking such deep thoughts when I should have a margarita in my hand while letting a gay guy teach me actual dance moves? So many questions. The San Francisco Gay Pride Parade reinforced for me the idea that love is love. The hate directed at the homosexual community should only strengthen our resolve for change. It’s easy to have the initial reaction of anger, much like I did upon seeing the man with the megaphone, but as a community we can’t let our anger drive us. Take a lesson from the hundreds of amazing people I saw that day. It is through love, compassion and hope that we will change this world for the better.
OUT in the City 11.15.2012 11
It’s Official: World Pride Capital 2017 Is ....
Madrid!
Spain’s capital has recently been chosen to host the World Pride 2017 celebration. With the unanimous vote of over 80 delegations from five continents, Madrid will be the next city awarded with this event by Interpride (International Association of Pride Organizers.) World Pride has already taken place in Rome (2000), Jerusalem (2006), and London (2012). Toronto is hosting it in 2014, and in 2019, it will be held in New York City to celebrate the 50th anniversaty of the Stonewall riots. Madrid Pride is already a huge celebration every year, attracting not only LGBT people from all over the country, but also foreign members of the community and straight locals. In 2007 the city hosted Europride, with an estimate of over two million people on the final parade. The most emotional Madrid Pride, however, was in 2005, just a couple of days after the Spanish government passed the bill that allowed same-sex marriage with the exact same rights and duties as straight couples, including adoption. On my trip to Madrid from Barcelona on that day, I could say that 99 percent of the people on the plane were lesbian or gay. No one wanted to miss that 12 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
By Anna Boluda
moment. It was history, and you could feel it. Suddenly, the doors of the closets were wide open. Tattooed teenaged girls holding hands next to men who had already spent half of their lives together, South-American transgender women (part of what I like to call ‘gay-migration’, but that’s another story) and whole straight families showing their joy and support, all marching together on a day that I am sure I’ll never forget. Since then, LGBT visibility has skyrocketed in Spain—from the popular TV personalities who have come out to the anonymous lesbian from a small village making it public that she is getting married and pregnant with another woman. Of course there is still some discrimination, bullying, closeted women and men, narrow-minded Catholics, and families that turn their backs to the lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender relatives. But happy stories are starting to be the rule, and not just among progressive thinkers, but people in all social strata. In that context, Madrid seems to be a great place to gather LGBT people from all over the world and spread a message of both equality and diversity. Boti G. Rodrigo, the president of FELGTB (the
Photos by:Marina Liotta biggest LGBT organization in Spain) said during a recent telephone interview that “World Pride is going to be a great opportunity to show other countries the rights that years of fight have gotten us in Spain. And we have to take advantage of the media interest that the event will rise to claim for equality in those countries where LGBT people have no rights or are
there. Pride Madrid is much more than a parade—it’s a whole week of activities all over Chueca, the gayest neighborhood in Europe. The area is just in the center of the city, and not that long ago it used to be rather marginal and poor, with crooks and junkies on every corner. In the mid 1990s, several gay bars and clubs, as well as the first LGBT bookstore in Spain, opened there and after a few years, it had become a trendy area for mainly gays and lesbians. It is now a very safe place, full of fashion stores and design cafes, gay-friendly and/or gay-owned hotels and rental apartments, and all the variety of restaurants, bars, clubs, cafés, and saunas that you could imagine. And for a week every summer, Pride is celebrated around June 28th and becomes the epicenter of a huge celebration. There are activities for children and families, cabaret shows, political speeches, photo exhibitions, funny races on high-heeled shoes, drag queens performances, theatre, and endless music parties. Maybe the events are is not that different from what you can find in other pride festivals, but the jury that chose it must feel the difference, having made it World Pride capital for 2017. I am already planning to be there. Why not join us?
even persecuted. In this sense, World Pride can’t just be a huge party. It has to go further and keep in mind that a celebration like this wouldn’t be possible in so many places.” The event will also be a perfect occasion to show the diversity within the community. As in many other places (or so I’ve found out talking to people from different countries,) when the general public in Spain hears ‘gay pride’, they still think of perfect 20-year-old semi-nude male bodies parading on a float. The fact that ‘gay’ only applies to men in European Spanish increases that prejudice. “World Pride has to include all the realities within the LGBT community,” says Boti Rodrigo, “not just the young gay men, but also lesbians, whole families, transgender men and women, and bisexuals of all ages. It will be the moment to give voice specially to the weakest members of the community.” It’s way too soon to know how extravagant World Pride will be exactly, but considering what they do in Madrid every year, it will certainly be worth being
Anna Boluda is a freelance journalist and filmmaker and lives in Barcelona, Spain. A Fulbright scholarship allowed her to get a MA in Broadcast Journalism and Documentary Filmmaking at New York University. She has directed two award-winning documentaries on LGBT parenting: Queer Spawn in the US and Homo Baby Boom in her home country (boh films are available at her website www.annaboluda.com). She writes for several publications on a variety of topics: environment, health, science and social issues, especially LGBT rights. She has just gotten married (yes, Spain allows same-sex marriage!)
OUT in the City 11.15.2012 13
Heart + Soul
Letting Go
BY/ TODD HALEY When I think about bettering myself, I think about my current situation, the people who crown my life, the small details of my career and hobbies. I know that if I want to improve the path I’m walking in this existence, I need to have an open mind in the direction I see myself heading. I know that I cannot allow people to drag me down or hold me back from reaching my attainable and well deserved goals. I also know that it’s difficult to pin-point or release those that are no longer serving a purpose in my life. At one point I knew that if I kept allowing the poison of others taint my mission, there wouldn’t be a purpose left. These sacrifices are never easy and require a fair amount of patience and mindfulness. We know that feelings are going to be hurt and harmful words may fly. You just have to be the one to stand your ground with soft words and a compassionate heart. I never think twice about those I release from my life. I know I gave it good thought, and that the decision was ultimately theirs, not mine. I had to give up on the personal guilt factor and rely strictly on my good and productive intentions I have for myself. I’m not worried about what others think of me anymore. It’s really none of my business. There are a few who don’t care for me because I had to let them go. They took it very personally....but when it I broke down the facts to them, they retaliated with harsh words, fabrications, and a passive aggressive tone. I knew right there, my decision was spot on, and final. When we are confronted with those who refuse to let us grow in our own spiritual light, we have to rely on our courage and inner strength to build up that stance for our own personal happiness. We have to understand that, it doesn’t make us “bad” to release those who are holding us back from attaining our dreams. It makes us wiser. We have to see our future clearly. However, we can’t do that if the present moment and the people who inhabit our daily lives aren’t seeing our vision. For me, I will let almost anyone into my life. I see everyone as an opportunity to learn and grow. Everyone has such a unique and diverse story to tell. I often become humbled by
14 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
my friends and their lives they have led. I draw strength and courage from listening to their past. Now, there are a few who came into my life briefly and caused a ruckus. I found it rather interesting how they weeded themselves out because they realized that my mind cannot be shaken by their suffering. They ultimately ended up doing one of two things: a) they gave themselves away in a short enough time for me to catch the ordeal quickly and release them, or b) they gave up after being frustrated and walked out of my life themselves. All in all, I firmly believe that if your mind is focused and your heart is open, no one can take away that equanimity you have built up for yourself. Your life becomes your very own “force field” and t e s t a m e n t towards your very own, non-selfcherishing, self love. Everyday, we have the chance to better ourselves. We have the chance to awaken all those who are blessed to be in our lives. If we build a community of honest, loving, and helpful friends and family, we have the chance to attract more people who walk in our same light. When our words match up with our actions, we are not only bringing those who think like minded into our lives, we are enhancing the lives of those who already formed a stable foundation in our current existence. Lastly, when my life is structured on a path towards lovingkindness and compassion, I know that my spiritual arms are reaching out much further. I have the chance everyday to touch the hearts of those looking for a resolution to their own suffering—those that need, not only a heart that can listen, but one that can feel as well.
Designated Drinkers
Embracing Armageddon
BY/ SEAN EADS AND DARREN BUFORD Can a gay man and a straight man break bread and drink beer together? Of course! Sean Eads and Darren Buford are the Designated Drinkers. The former gay, the latter straight, the two have been great friends for 16 years. Following are their reflections on beer and life, however vapid that may be. 4FBO &BET: So the beer world was shaken to its core since our last conversation. A Scottish brewery called Brewmeister has unveiled what they claim to be the world’s strongest beer. It’s called Armageddon and it has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 65 percent (by comparison, most beers have an ABV of 3–7 percent, and caskstrength whiskey is generally around 60). Could this be what the Mayans foresaw in their calendar? %BSSFO #VGPSE By Acan (the Mayan god of intoxicating beverages)!!! that’s a healthy amount of alcohol. To quote the venerable Jesse Ventura from the film Predator: “This stuff will make you into a god-damn sexual tyrannosaurus.â€? Fun fact: Acan actually means “groan,â€? which is certainly what you’ll be doing the day after finishing a bottle of Armageddon. 4& Acan? Is that a homophone for “achin’â€?? Because that’s what you’d be after downing this crazy nectar. As for being a sexual tyrannosaurus, I’m already there: my sex life is extinct, yet I’m hard as a fossil. Back on point, visĂ -vis this new beer: I really feel it is our obligation to OUT in the city readers to order this beer all the way from Scotland and drink it. On our readers’ behalf, of course. %# Of course! I’m willing to take the plunge into oblivion if you are. I wonder if after drinking Armageddon (what a glorious phrase!) it feels like you’re six different people at once (a la Cloud Atlas). Perhaps this libation helps one understand the movie better. To be honest, I find the race for high ABV percentage disturbing. Armageddon surpasses the former beer champ, The End of History (by the way, what’s up with the beers’ names and cataclysmic disaster?), which gets my vote for the most creative marketing concept in history: this 55 percent ABV Belgian ale was packaged in the stuffed carcass of your favorite animal! There’s just something about drinking a beer out of the head of a deceased squirrel that screams class. 4&: Actually, I think it screams rural Georgia. David Sedaris, one of my favorite writers, is big into taxidermy. I don’t think
he’s big into beer, but if he were he’d surely combine the two passions. Forget stout beer! I can imagine him as a bartender offering me a choice between the stoat or the double-stoat. %#: Heh. Back to the task at hand: the makers of Armageddon are able to attain the high ABV by getting their Walter White on through a process called freeze distillation, in which they freeze the beer, then remove the ice, leaving a concentrated solution of hops, malt, and yeast. You might assume that such a process, while upping the ante on the alcohol, would also remove the taste, but the makers of Armageddon say the beer remains quite flavorful. “It’s slightly sweet, hoppy, [and] malty.â€? Perhaps that’s because the brewers only use four, natural ingredients in the beer-making process: Scottish spring water, barley, hops, and yeast. 4& Whoa, it looks like someone read the brewery’s press release! You sound like one of those people who write for Beer Advocate and talk about crap like lacing and actually care if they drink their beer from a snifter, tulip, or oversized goblet. Who are you and what have you done with Darren? I’ll need him if I’m to test this incredible concoction (again on behalf of all OUT in the city readers). %# Sorry. Had to put on my “journalismâ€? hat there to give the people ‌ give the people what they want (sorry again, this time for the very deep O’Jays reference, channeling ESPN’s Jalen Rose). It’s important for folks to know that they’re not dealing with just any ordinary beer here. This is a full-fledged Scottish revolution on par with William Wallace. Sir, Armageddon may strip our taste buds and leave us in a coma, but it will never take our freedom! 4& OK. Well, I think Darren may already be drinking the thing. That or he’s doing some preliminary celebrating of the likely passage of Colorado’s new marijuana legalization law. This has become a true Seinfeld column, in that it’s sort of about nothing. But how can dedicated beer drinkers think of anything after learning such an overwhelming new drink exists? The last time something this powerful went off, Obi Wan Kenobi got a headache, if you know what I mean. Bottom line: certain things in life have to be tried, regardless of expense, and we’re spending about $100 to get a single bottle of Severus Snape’s latest potion shipped over for a little taste test. We’ll let you know all about it—assuming the world doesn’t end before Armageddon arrives.
OUT in the City 11.15.2012 15
How to be a Grown-Up
Stoplight Therapy BY JULIA NEWMAN
Recently, I sat at a traffic light and noticed the rise and fall of my anxiety. I wasn’t late. No one was expecting me, but still my pulse quickened as I pulled up, surrounded by an army of other drivers. Over the years I’ve intentionally begun training myself to nip road-travel induced aggravation at its bud. Most often that knee-jerk frustration in reaction to a just-missed green light, a rogue car cutting me off, or an appallingly slow driver in front of me was misplaced. Not to mention unproductive. Road rage is easy to slip into, even for people who aren’t all that rage-prone. I think this has to do with underlying anxiety.
So what about the stressors beyond simple traffic lights? Outside the comfort of my clunky old Subaru, life goes on. My journey muddling through the wreckage of an eating disorder and depression challenges me to constantly reign in the cyclical trains of thought that suck me up and spit me out without ever really solving a thing. Many of us engage in the same thoughts in reaction to the same stimuli over and over. We rage at every red light and forget that, perhaps, our anger isn’t really helping. Much of what perpetuated my eating disorder were underlying feelings of insecurity and deep patterns of negative selftalk. I was habituated into thinking I was ‘less than,’ not good enough. I demanded perfection of myself, and when I inevitably fell short, I doubled down and demanded more. One red light after another, I raged on. I was trapped. I wanted something—a job, a relationship, a winning lottery ticket—to save me. I wanted to compel the light to stay green and allow smooth passage. Is there an area in your life in which you feel stuck? Are there habitual behaviors no longer serving you which you still can’t seem to change? That change isn’t easy. It doesn’t feel comfortable. It doesn’t feel comfortable to rely on ourselves in situations in which we pine for someone else to ‘make us ok.’ But we are the only ones who can change our minds, allowing for a change in behavior, allowing for our freedom. My recovery meant letting go of perfection and finding comfort within myself. Being an adult means owning your space and having the brave clarity to re-route your mind in order to reach your destination.
We rev ourselves up about the destination we’re leaving or driving towards. We’re anticipating, we’re remembering, we’re not exactly present. And we hate dealing with the consequences of things out of our control. But traffic is traffic. And running from the reality of an external entity—or an internal feeling—is ultimately going to put us off our course. The key to releasing a lot of anxious ruminating is putting things in perspective. This is something we all know, but may forget to actually put into practice throughout our day.
16 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
Designated Drinkers
Embracing Armageddon
BY/ SEAN EADS AND DARREN BUFORD Can a gay man and a straight man break bread and drink beer together? Of course! Sean Eads and Darren Buford are the Designated Drinkers. The former gay, the latter straight, the two have been great friends for 16 years. Following are their reflections on beer and life, however vapid that may be. 4FBO &BEs: So the beer world was shaken to its core since our last conversation. A Scottish brewery called Brewmeister has unveiled what they claim to be the world’s strongest beer. It’s called Armageddon and it has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 65 percent (by comparison, most beers have an ABV of 3–7 percent, and caskstrength whiskey is generally around 60). Could this be what the Mayans foresaw in their calendar? %BSSFO #VGPSE: By Acan (the Mayan god of intoxicating beverages)!!! that’s a healthy amount of alcohol. To quote the venerable Jesse Ventura from the film Predator: “This stuff will make you into a god-damn sexual tyrannosaurus.â€? Fun fact: Acan actually means “groan,â€? which is certainly what you’ll be doing the day after finishing a bottle of Armageddon. 4& Acan? Is that a homophone for “achin’â€?? Because that’s what you’d be after downing this crazy nectar. As for being a sexual tyrannosaurus, I’m already there: my sex life is extinct, yet I’m hard as a fossil. Back on point, visĂ -vis this new beer: I really feel it is our obligation to OUT in the city readers to order this beer all the way from Scotland and drink it. On our readers’ behalf, of course. %#: Of course! I’m willing to take the plunge into oblivion if you are. I wonder if after drinking Armageddon (what a glorious phrase!) it feels like you’re six different people at once (a la Cloud Atlas). Perhaps this libation helps one understand the movie better. To be honest, I find the race for high ABV percentage disturbing. Armageddon surpasses the former beer champ, The End of History (by the way, what’s up with the beers’ names and cataclysmic disaster?), which gets my vote for the most creative marketing concept in history: this 55 percent ABV Belgian ale was packaged in the stuffed carcass of your favorite animal! There’s just something about drinking a beer out of the head of a deceased squirrel that screams class. 4& Actually, I think it screams rural Georgia. David Sedaris,
one of my favorite writers, is big into taxidermy. I don’t think he’s big into beer, but if he were he’d surely combine the two passions. Forget stout beer! I can imagine him as a bartender offering me a choice between the stoat or the double-stoat. %#: Heh. Back to the task at hand: the makers of Armageddon are able to attain the high ABV by getting their Walter White on through a process called freeze distillation, in which they freeze the beer, then remove the ice, leaving a concentrated solution of hops, malt, and yeast. You might assume that such a process, while upping the ante on the alcohol, would also remove the taste, but the makers of Armageddon say the beer remains quite flavorful. “It’s slightly sweet, hoppy, [and] malty.â€? Perhaps that’s because the brewers only use four, natural ingredients in the beer-making process: Scottish spring water, barley, hops, and yeast. 4&: Whoa, it looks like someone read the brewery’s press release! You sound like one of those people who write for Beer Advocate and talk about crap like lacing and actually care if they drink their beer from a snifter, tulip, or oversized goblet. Who are you and what have you done with Darren? I’ll need him if I’m to test this incredible concoction (again on behalf of all OUT in the city readers). %#: Sorry. Had to put on my “journalismâ€? hat there to give the people ‌ give the people what they want (sorry again, this time for the very deep O’Jays reference, channeling ESPN’s Jalen Rose). It’s important for folks to know that they’re not dealing with just any ordinary beer here. This is a full-fledged Scottish revolution on par with William Wallace. Sir, Armageddon may strip our taste buds and leave us in a coma, but it will never take our freedom! 4&: OK. Well, I think Darren may already be drinking the thing. That or he’s doing some preliminary celebrating of the likely passage of Colorado’s new marijuana legalization law. This has become a true Seinfeld column, in that it’s sort of about nothing. But how can dedicated beer drinkers think of anything after learning such an overwhelming new drink exists? The last time something this powerful went off, Obi Wan Kenobi got a headache, if you know what I mean. Bottom line: certain things in life have to be tried, regardless of expense, and we’re spending about $100 to get a single bottle of Severus Snape’s latest potion shipped over for a little taste test. We’ll let you know all about it—assuming the world doesn’t end before Armageddon arrives.
OUT in the City 11.15.2012 17
Bits & Bytes by Adam W. Hart
November is here. Time to start thinking about filling out those holiday shopping lists and planning for the biggest online shopping day of the year–Cyber Monday, November 26th. Try to avoid it if you can, but eventually you’ll need to buy a gift or two for that special techie someone to celebrate the birth of Cthulhu the holiday season. If you’ve earned some extra funds from investments in the Cayman Islands using sites profiled in October’s column and the cash is burning a hole in your virtual pocket, here is a roundup of some tech/gadget suggestions–for you or as a gift for your creepy landlord significant other. 5IF )JQTUFS A fairly obvious ‘hot ticket’ item on tech-savvy shopping lists, "QQMF has finally rolled out the J1BE .JOJ (www.apple. com/ipad-mini/overview/; ), their 7.9� device offering WiFi or WiFi+Cellular configurations and various memory storage options. It lacks a Retina display, though, something that’s included on new full-sized iPads. The iPad Mini does serve as a bit of a missing link between smart phone and full tablet, and will likely appeal to devoted Macheads. 5IF 1$ )JQTUFS Pick up the .JDSPTPGU 4VSGBDF (www.microsoft.com/ Surface/en-US; ) for your favorite PC lover. Described by Oprah as the “Mercedes� of tablets, the Surface offers a 10.6� display device that varies in price depending upon memory storage (as well as optional features on the Touch Covers or Type Covers.) The Type Cover–with its built-in ultrathin keyboard–is appealing, offering a thinner option than current plug-in keyboards available for competing tablet devices.
18 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
5IF 4DJ 'J (FFL For the Trekkie (i.e. Star Trek) fan on your list, consider beaming this gift directly to their stockings or e-readers: a pre-order for an e-book of i0I .ZZZ w CZ (FPSHF 5BLFJ (www. theohmybook.com; ). Known for his Hikaru Sulu role on the original Star Trek series and the films that followed, Takei has found his own as a ‘king’ of Facebook, social media and unearthing of hilarious memes online. Added bonus: Takei is an out gay man and a fierce advocate for the LGBTQ community and marriage equality. 5IF )PNFCPEZ Eco-conscious tech friend on holiday list? Check. Try the /FTU -FBSOJOH 5IFSNPTUBU (www.nest.com; ), a sleekly styled smart thermostat that can ultimately save your friend some coin on heating bills. The device learns the habits of homeowners– adjusting settings after about a week of ‘tutoring’–and it allows for functionality control using smartphones, tablets, laptops or other devices. TIF 4UVEFOU For cousins who love to knit, or brothers who love baking pastries on weekends, consider buying an online course. $SBGUTZ (www.craftsy.com; ) offers instruction in arts, crafts and food arts, providing students with detailed course materials and direct communication with an instructor. Class videos/materials are accessible indefinitely once a user registers for the course. (Craftsy also offers a number of “mini courses� for free on the site, so users can try out several before picking a full course.)
5IF $PT1MBZFS Have a friend who dresses in Victorian-era garb, welder goggles and reads Jules Verne on their e-book device? Give them the 4UFBNQVOL 5IVNC %SJWF (www. thinkgeek.com/product/f086/; ). Offering 8GB of memory, the USB 2.0 flash drive comes clad in copper (yes, metal), features a removable key ring and comes in a nifty copper-plated gift box. 5IF 4DSVòZ (MBN 3PDLFS 5IJOL(FFL, purveyors of everything tech/geeky/perfect for the holidays, carries a number of exclusive items, including these tech-infused T-shirts. For musicians on your holiday list, the &MFDUSPOJD 3PDL (VJUBS 4IJSU (www.thinkgeek. com/product/c498/; ) or the &MFDUSPOJD %SVN ,JU 4IJSU (www. thinkgeek.com/product/ac0b/; ) allows wearers to rock out with imbedded sensors. The guitar T-shirt even includes a wearable amp that cranks up to 11 on the dial. Good news, though–everything detaches so that one can throw the shirts in the wash. 5IF 'JMNNBLFS Budding Kubrick Hitchcock John Waters cinephile on your list? The #MBDLNBHJD $JOFNB $BNFSB (www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/ blackmagiccinemacamera/; ), featuring a 5-inch 800 x 400 resolution screen, allows users to shoot using a 2.5K image sensor in RAW or compressed HD formats, recording to a removable SSD drive for use with Windows or Mac programs. The cameras (shipping in December and available in EF or MFT models, depending upon lens mount preferences) also come equipped with DaVinci Resolve 9.0 editing software. 5IF 6O 1MVHHFE 5FDIJF Sometimes it’s good–and healthy–to unplug from all the tech/gadget madness of daily life. If your recipient has an office cubicle cluttered with gadgets, give them an ‘unplugged’ gift. Hardcover/paperback books (tech
manuals or a good fiction novel) are options, and buying from a local independent bookstore will earn good karma points. Graphic novels (comics) will appeal as well, such as the adaptation of 4UJFH -BSTTPO T 5IF (JSM XJUI UIF %SBHPO 5BUUPP 7PM (www. vertigocomics.com/graphicnovels/stieg-larssons-the-girl-withthe-dragon-tattoo-vol-1; ) or the multi-piece box set for $ISJT 8BSF T Building Stories (www. randomhouse.com/book/185702/ building-stories-by-chris-ware; $ ). 5IF 1JDLZ -BTU 0OF PO UIF -JTU When all else fails, give that hard-to-please person a gift card. Gift cards can be purchased directly from retailers such as 4UBSCVDLT (www.starbucks.com/shop/card/ starbucks-card; ), J5VOFT (www.apple.com/itunes/ gifts/; or (SPVQPO (www.groupon.com/giftcards; . Many retailer gift cards can also be found at local grocery stores or at drug store chains. To browse a staggering 4.5 million merchants offering gift cards, though, head over to the aptly named (JGU$BSET (www. giftcards.com; BNPVOUT WBSZ) where shoppers can pick from available cards, or create a custom gift card complete with personalized images. All these options offer free standard or ground shipping, with additional fees for faster shipping via FedEx or UPS. No matter the length of your shopping list, try matching gifts to recipient ‘type’ and be sure to use secure websites during online transactions this holiday season. As Tiny Tim totally didn’t say said, Live long and prosper.
Next month: Apps and gadgets to help you plan for–and keep–those 2013 resolutions you’ll be breaking within twenty minutes thanks to a tub of Häagen-Dazs and some whipped cream making for a more streamlined, geeky you.
OUT in the City 11.15.2012 19
Everyday is Thanksgiving - Ken Ludwig
Photos by Kat Haney
20 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
It’s November. Must be the time to write the giving thanks and gratitude article, right? Isn’t everyone? I always find it interesting that as we move into the Holiday Season, we approach this month with that whole Thanksgiving mindset and invariably come around to the thought that being grateful is more a full time job than a seasonal celebration. In my meditation this morning before sitting down to write, the Thanksgiving “story” shifted into a 21st century awareness for me. Metaphysically, this is a big year to reevaluate the whole idea. I mean some would have us believe that we will never make it to Christmas. We will have Thanksgiving and then Maya-geddon will devour us all or some such apocalyptic scenario. I’m not a fan. I’m more of an “end of ignorance” kind of guy. I like the school of thought that sees us moving into a new animism; recognizing that there is no separation between the material and the spiritual and that we are all in this together. Almost 400 years ago, the pilgrims would have celebrated the first Thanksgiving with the Wampanoag; the Native Americans who had inhabited the area for 12,000 years or more. There are varying stories of how these two groups came together, but the commonality is that the new arrivals to America barely survived their first winter and without the help of the Wampanoag quite possibly would not have made it through their second. The natives taught the pilgrims how to plant corn and other crops and how to use fish to
fertilize those crops. That first Thanksgiving was really a celebratory feast at the completion of the first harvest. One could say that things deteriorated from there, but the truth is that the pilgrims would be just a footnote in history were it not for their collaboration with the Wampanoag, who stepped in to rescue this rather clueless band of rebels for no apparent reason other than it seemed to be the right thing to do. The point is that we are all in this together. Sure, that’s easy. But I wonder how many of us in our musings about the Oneness and our connectedness really get that being in this together means that we are our brother’s keeper; that we are here to do everything in our power to make the most joy we can of this human experience we are creating. Do I really understand that my true experience of that creative joy is in being a collaborator in your joy—and the joy of everyone with whom I come in contact? Being grateful, then, is really about demonstrating a willingness to not only appreciate but also to duplicate and share in that part of the creative process that brings and spreads joy. Participating with our fellow beings at that level, without conditions or ego driven needs, is a true expression of love. That unconditional expression is Oneness revealed and experienced by all. Thanksgiving really is every day.
OUT in the City 11.15.2012 21
iMusic: oyTunes by Gregg Shapiro Newsstand When it comes to gifts for the Hanukkah celebrants on your list, the musical pickings are slim. But here are a few suggestions of new recordings by some members of the tribe. The Singer (Columbia/Legacy), a double disc anthology, mainly focuses on the solo work of one Art Garfunkel. More than doubling the number of tracks found on Garfunkel’s 1988 single disc Garfunkel compilation, there is some duplications of titles (a half dozen or so songs), as well as some exclusions (“Second Avenue”). The set also includes a handful of Simon & Garfunkel tunes, as well as some unusual choices (the 1993 recording of “All I Know” in lieu of the 1973 original). Although why the 34-tracks aren’t in chronological order remains a mystery. Garfunkel’s former singing partner Paul Simon, who has released some of his best work in recent years, including the albums “Surprise” and “So Beautiful or So What,” has a new triple disc set (two CDs/1 DVD), Live in New York City (Concord/Hear Music) available. Recorded live at Webster Hall in NYC in June of 2011, the package includes several tracks from his lauded “Graceland” album, as well as the title track from his underrated 1982 disc Hearts And Bones, on which he sings “one and one half wandering Jews,” a reference to his relationship with ex-wife Carrie Fisher. The A and the M of A&M Records are Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, two “nice Jewish boys” who founded the legendary record label in the early 1960s. A&M 50:The Record Collection (A&M/Ume) is a triple disc, 60-track retrospective celebrating the anniversary of the label and their amazing roster of artists. Thoughtfully separated into categories (“From AM to FM,” “A Mission to Rock” and “Soul, Jazz And More” – note the clever use of the A & M), the discs feature tracks by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass (naturally), Sergio Mendes & Brasil `66, Burt Bacharach, the Carpenters Joan Armatrading, The Police (and Sting), Squeeze and Janet Jackson, among many others. It’s been quite a year for the newly shorn Matisyahu. He made his big-budget Hollywood movie acting debut alongside Kyra Sedgwick in The Possession, which topped the box office in early September. While he hasn’t completely abandoned the Hasidic reggae shtick, he definitely branches out in a more 22 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
pop-oriented direction on Spark Seeker (Fallen Sparks/Thirty Tigers), best represented by the bright single “Sunshine.” On a more traditional note, Eternal Echoes: Songs & Dances for the Soul (Sony Classical) is a stellar collaboration between violinist Itzhak Perlman and Cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot (whose vocal abilities rate among the best opera singers, including Pavarotti and Domingo, according to Perlman). Knowledge or familiarity with Hebrew or Jewish traditions and religious practices are not necessary to appreciate the exquisite combination of Perlman’s playing and Helfgot’s singing. Consisting of 11 previously unreleased tunes from her personal vault, Release Me (Columbia) by Barbra Streisand is the ultimate holiday gift. Heretofore unavailable selections include a dazzling reading of “I Think It’s Gonna Rain Today” featuring songwriter Randy Newman on piano (from the Stoney End sessions), “Home” from The Wiz (one of two cuts from Back To Broadway), a rendition of Jimmy Webb’s “Didn’t We” (from a scrapped album) and a studio version of “With One More Look At You” (from Streisand’s movie version of A Star Is Born), just to name a few. After a brief flirtation with born again Christianity, resulting in an unholy trinity of albums released from 1979 to 1981, legendary folk singer Bob Dylan (born and circumcised Robert Zimmerman in Hibbing, Minnesota) returned to his secular ways after that, briefly detouring for a Christmas album in 2009. His latest, Tempest (Columbia), continues some of
the blues exploration he began with 1997’s Time Out of Mind and followed through with into the 21st century on Love and Theft, Modern Times and Together Through Life, as you can hear on “Narrow Way” and “Early Roman Kings.” But the curmudgeonly Dylan is downright upbeat on the perky “Duquesne Whistle” and the twangy romance of “Pay In Blood.” Perhaps frustrated with the lack of Hanukkah music, nice Jewish boys Kenny G and Barry Manilow have turned to the Christmas songbook for their holiday releases. Both have released 16-track discs under the Classic Christmas Album (Arista/ Legacy) heading and both lend their respective talents to holiday standards including “Silver Bells,” “Jingle Bells” and more.
OUT in the City 11.15.2012 23
Elliott London Thanks You for Being a ‘Friend’ By Jerry L. Wheeler We all know that “it gets better,” but we also know that it never gets better by itself. You have to take the lead and do what you can to make it better for yourself and others, and that’s just what filmmaker Elliott London is doing. Bullied himself as a child, he has embarked on the Friend project to fund an independent film dealing with the bleak realities of growing up different. “This project has helped me face my adult demons,” London said. “Trying to make a film can be the most challenging thing in the world. Getting people to believe in a project to help fund it can be a tipping point for many. Every day I am asking every individual to believe in LGBT American cinema enough to give a few dollars to help make it happen. In return I get bullied by some of my peers. Someone once compared me to being no different to a homeless man begging for money in front of a 7-11. It can hurt but I just shrug it off and continue to go about bringing life into the project.” And Friend is an ambitious project. London seeks to tell the story of Brad and Alejandro, a couple who meet each other as seniors in high school. Sparks fly, and soon they are seeing a lot of each other until Brad’s doubts about his gender identity become too large for them to ignore and they must deal with bullying, selfdiscovery and how to accept yourself. One of the differences between this film and others is that London insists on it being written by real teenagers rather than Hollywood writers—enter Joseph and Ali, who London found while he was doing research across the southern USA. Joseph is a 16 year old gay teen from Tennessee who nearly committed suicide and Ali faces ridicule daily because she is transgendered. How is working with them as opposed to a room full of writers? “There is something special about being able to sit down and really
talk to a teen about what they are going through,” London says. “These teens are letting a stranger into their personal life, their pain, secrets, struggle. It is not a bunch of people trying to make up people and emotions over coffee and dry erase board. It can be really scary for a teen to expose him or herself on camera. I am asking something really big of them. The greatest thing I have seen is the confidence they gain from putting themselves out there. The amount of positive response from strangers gives them the strength to become advocates. That is the end all goal is to equip the next generation to take over from us.” The post-gay movement will say that coming out to family and friends is less and less of an issue, but seems to depend on where you grow up. “Urban is always going to be easier for anyone to come out,” London assesses. “Living in an urban environment allows you to physical resources and surroundings, unlike being in a rural area where you are only able to obtain information on the net. That really puts an LGBT person at a disadvantage. The mental damage is being created and sometimes will not be seen for years into adulthood.” What else did London notice about the rural environment on his road trip? “I never really understood the impact of religion on LGBT members in the south,” he adds. “This was something new to me. I always knew that religion played a part in our lives and that many LGBT members are negatively effected by religion, I just had no clue on how negatively effective it is in the south. Having teens tell me that they don’t believe in God because they are under the assumption that God hates them was so inconceivable for me to swallow.” Needless to say, the religious right won’t be banging down the doors to see Friend, which raises a larger question: how do you get the people who really need to see the film inside the theatre? “Excellent question,”
London admits. “How do I get this to the masses? As long as the film can keep the common thread of having to overcome obstacles in life and the characters can invoke empathy than we should be in good shape. The film will incorporate many facets of life for us to engage a wider audience. We plan on having a major grassroots movement when it comes to getting people to the film.” Grassroots, in fact, is London’s preference—from the concept and execution right down to the financing. “Independent all the way,” he said. “We want control of this project and where it goes. That is something you give up once you make it to studio level. I dream of a million dollar budget, but I am happy to stretch what ever dollar we get.” No matter what the dollar situation may be, London finds the toughest part of Friends is in the writing. “To some it can come so easy,” he says enviously. “You really have to create a world and all of its characters. Even a character that might hardly interact needs to have a back story to understand how he or she might talk to another character. Once you write a couple drafts its the littles changes that can have you throw a script in the garbage. Its like time travel—the moment you change the littlest thing in a script, the whole effects ripple through a story giving so many different outcomes.” Whatever outcome London chooses, if he remains true to his vision, the final result will be a film that may touch many and change the lives of even more, serving as a heartening story of courage, compassion and conviction. For more information or to donate, check out their Facebook page www.facebook.com/friendfilm or their Indiegogo page http://www. indiegogo.com/friendproject
SEXY/ CLASSIC / CHIC: ES Collection Powers-‐Up Winter Briefs By Charlie Rocafort
26 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
Photo Credit: Joan Criscoll.
ES Collection continues to rev up on innovation. They were the first to offer swimwear with padding, called The Pack Up. Then they unleashed reversible swim trunks, followed by the first version of their Wonder line, a collection of underwear featuring removable padding. It remains their best-selling brief. This winter, they are doing it again, ushering in the latest design in sleepwear: the Body Zipper. Available in five basic colors (white, black, navy, khaki and grey), the invisible front zipper makes it easy to put on and, well, take out. It’s just one of the exciting new offerings from ES Collection this season, available now at ESCollectionUSA.com. Founder and head designer, Ed Suner, explains what fuels his inspiration.
28 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
Photo Criscoll. 29 OUT inCredit: the City Joan 11.15.2012
Photo Credit: Joan Criscoll.
Photo Credit: Joan Criscoll.
$IBSMJF 3PDBGPSU 5IF #PEZ ;JQQFS TVSF XBLFT VQ TMFFQXFBS
&4 The fabric is what makes it stand out. Polyamida is extremely fresh and breathable.
&E 4VOFS: It’s sexy, for sure. Unzip the front and you’re in for a fun game. But it can also be worn as a long john under your clothes. Or, many guys are choosing to wear it with jeans as a tanktop for that clean and seamless look.
$3 You are also introducing the ES shield in the winter collection.
$3 0G &4 8JOUFS DPMMFDUJPO XIBU BSF ZPV NPTU QSPVE &4: Our one-piece pajama body suit is definitely something to be excited about. We started testing it a few months ago and we literally cannot keep it in stock. The fitting and the materials couldn’t be better. We definitely recommend everyone try on this amazing piece. That is, if you can find it.
$3 " CJH USFOE UIJT TFBTPO BQQFBST UP CF CPUUPNMFTT. &4 Yes, after the success of our bottomless brief, we looked to see how we could expand on the collection. We realized there was no leading bottomless boxer on the market so we made one. Now we have bottomless briefs, boxers, singlets and more. It’s become a huge seller for us, specifically because of the way our bottomless items are sewn. The fitting is number one in the market, hands down. Guys who try our bottomless love it like an addiction. $3 The Amazing Polyamida stripes boxer and brief are also getting a lot of attention. What makes the Polyamida brief amazing?
&4 We introduced shields to the collection because we feel the shield is a retro item. Most of the color combinations in the winter collection are also retro inspired.
$3: How do you want guys to regard the winter line from &4 $PMMFDUJPO &4: We want them to be inspired by the collection – as inspired as we were creating it. $3: What did you draw inspiration from? &4 We drew inspiration from the Excalibur car. That is why we chose to feature the automobile so prominently in our latest campaign.
$3: What’s next for ES Collection? &4: It’s too soon to reveal what we have in store for spring and summer. But get excited because it’s sure to be fun and innovative.
7JTJU &4$PMMFDUJPO64" DPN
MAKING SUBS SERVING DRUNKS S U B C U LT U R E CAPITOL HILL COLORADO
1300 Pennsylvania St.
303.420.3232
www.thisissubculture.com
Photos by : Lewis Doe
By Lewis Doe
Londonewcastle Project Space:
Everything Old is New Again 38 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
The Londonewcastle Project Space is yet another great example of how an old building is put to good use and repurposed for a new beginning. Formerly a print works establishment built on the site of The Huntingdon Estate in Shoreditch, the Londonewcastle Project Space can now be described as a thriving and colourful venue in London’s creative community. Walking towards Project Space, visitors will be greeted first by a huge red brick wall but upon entering its doors, a whole new other landscape is revealed to curious visitors, where three galleries each at 1000 square feet in size are linked together. Project Space was developed with the main focus of providing a free space for artists and creatives alike to showcase their work and art in a prolific and enriching environment. Conceptualized and built by Londonewcastle in 2008, Project Space has not only become host to a thriving art scene but has also become a choice option for exhibitions, galleries, fashion shows, showrooms, and installations as well as launching events. Road, Chance Street, Ebor Street and Redchurch Street. If you are coming by train or tube, just stop at the Shoreditch High stop. Project Scape is about a one minute walk from here and about 8 minutes walk from the bus station. The venue is only opened whenever there is an event or exhibition taking place, so the best way to keep abreast on what is happening and what is new is to either follow them on Twitter via @Londonewcastle or LIKE their Facebook page. OUT in the City 11.15.2012 39
The design and development of Project Space was done together with a team of UK’s top designers and with Londonewcastle as the developer of this project. Londonewcastle is renowned as a luxury residential developer with a passion for arts. They have many other projects under their belt, including the Street Art Programme also located in Shoreditch, where artists are invited to decorate the walls of the buildings controlled by Londonewcastle. Among Londonewcastle’s key objectives for any building they work on is to turn common, lifeless buildings into unique living and working environments. And that is exactly what went on with Project Space. With a total area of over 3000 square feet and white washed walls, Project Space offers a comfortable and well lighted area with plenty of wall space to hang up thought-provoking canvases, colourful displays, and interactive set ups. The building is also equipped with a 3amp phase as well as double plugs conveniently located behind its gallery walls. Other specifications of this venue are its wall to ceiling height of a maximum of 3.9m. Want a little music? Acoustically, the space holds well with music drafting through its halls as bands and string quartets have performed during some of the exhibitions and galleries held at this remarkable venue, such as The Ragged Kingdom by Jamie Reid, who was also the man behind the Sex Pistols. The Ragged Kingdom took place on July 1, 2011 and was Reid’s first major installation since 1983. Project Space
also has a bar that opens to both sides of Gallery 1 and Gallery 2 and catering is mostly done by The Recipe. Ryan Gander also put up an exhibition entitled the Locked Room Scenario which saw extensive and clever use of Project Space’s white walls. The exhibition featured sculptures to paintings, photographs to videos and performances. Some of the events taking place in the next few weeks would be Face-To-Face: ‘The Moving Portrait’ by Tom Oxley and Hotel Kalifornia, conceptualized by renowned architect Heidi Locher, who in recent months have been creating buzz in the world of art. At present moment, since Londonewcastle does not charge for their gallery space, the management itself has imposed strict rules of space usage and building policies which all exhibitors should adhere to. In a nutshell, Londonewcastle expects that Project Space is returned after each and every event in the same conditions and state that is has been given to. Temporary planning permission allows the premise to be used from 9am to 8pm daily. Space also has a bar that opens to both sides of Gallery 1 and Gallery 2 and catering is mostly done by The Recipe. Getting there is not hard at all. Project Space is located on the ground floor of the Huntingdon Estate, adjacent to the Shoreditch House entrance and at the corner of Bethnal Green
Photos by : Lewis Doe
Traci Lords by: Jerry Wheeler
Has Done It All
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From porn princess to pop/dance priestess with a legitimate acting career in full swing, Traci Lords has had more careers than some performers half her age. Perhaps the ultimate crossover act, Lords is concentrating on her newest release, “M2F2� and her latest movie co-starring gay icon John Waters, Excision. We recently managed to slow her down long enough to get a few questions in. +FSSZ - 8IFFMFS :PV TFFN UP IBWF B QSFUUZ HPPE TFOTF PG IVNPS BCPVU ZPVSTFMG )PX IBT UIBU DPNF JO IBOEZ EVSJOH ZPVS DBSFFS 5SBDJ -PSET: It’s much healthier to laugh than cry! I’m happy to be in on the joke. +-8 . ' IBT TPNF OFX USBDLT PG ZPVST UIBU IBWF ZPV QFSGPSNJOH BT XFMM BT EP TPNF QSPEVDUJPO XPSL‰ EP ZPV QSFGFS QFSGPNJOH PS CFJOH CFIJOE UIF CPBSE TL: I’m a creator. I love all aspects of the conception. +-8 .VTJDBMMZ XIBU T ZPVS ESFBN QSPKFDU TL: “1000 Fires�—my first album—was my dream project. I was really young and so full of angst. I never needed anything so bad in my life. That moment brought me to this one. My new compilation “M2F2� is my current lover. +-8 8IBU XPVME ZPV UFMM B UXFOUZ ZFBS PME 5SBDJ -PSET TL: Be kind, be still. DO NOT listen to B.S.... take your time. You got this.
verge of losing everything. She’s unpredictable. I really tried to bring a sense of humor to the role. +-8 :PV WF EPOF UISFF NPWJFT XJUI +PIO 8BUFST OPX‰IPX JT IF UP XPSL GPS 8IBU LFFQT ZPV HPJOH CBDL UP IJT ĂśMNT TL: I’ve starred in two films: Crybaby, Serial Mom with him directing—so awesome!!!! And now with Excision, he’s my co-star! That’s a hot three together! We have a great vibe. I adore him! Nobody makes me laugh more. +-8 0G ZPVS NPWJF SPMFT XIJDI XBT UIF DMPTFTU UP ZPV QFSTPOBMMZ BOE XIJDI XBT UIF CJHHFTU TUSFUDI TL: Phyllis, in Excision is the furthest from me. She was a tough character to create. Jordan of Francis Ford Coppola’s First Wave on Syfy was in many ways the most like me. +-8 8IBU OFX QSPKFDUT BSF ZPV QMBOOJOH TL: I’m writing new music. I’m also penning the screenplay to Underneath It All—my New York Times best-selling autobiography and starring on a new series, “All Night Longâ€? with Jim Wynorski directing! +-8 "SF UIFSF TPNF ĂśOBM XPSET ZPV E MJLF UP TBZ BCPVU FJUIFS UIF OFX ĂśMN UIF OFX SFDPSE PS CPUI 5- Yes!!! I want to say thank you all for your support! Check out “M2F2â€? on iTunes and Excision on DVD! You can find me @thetracilords.com
+-8 :PV WF BMTP HPU B OFX NPWJF DPNJOH PVU XJUI +PIO 8BUFST‰XIBU DBO ZPV UFMM VT BCPVU UIF ÜMN BOE ZPVS SPMF TL: Ricky Bates directed and John has a cameo in the film—he’s fantastic. My character, Phyllis is a very complicated woman. She’s someone on the OUT in the City 11.15.2012 45
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photo by Meeno OUT in the City 11.15.2012 47
MP
Ear Candy Eye Schwag
Katy Tiz – “Famous” >>
Click here to check out her video
Newcomer Katy Tiz comes on strong with this NSFW video that speaks the plain truth with a power hook and a killer chorus on her debut from Lava/Universal Republic Records. “I’m not rude,” she says, “but I believe in saying what you feel.” Don’t hold back, Katy. 48 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
Click here to watch her video
Inspired by Alanis Morrissett’s Jagged Little Pill, Anjulie delights in making provocative music, and her third single, “You & I” teams her with Madonna’s Italian producer Benny Benassi for a performance that’s as danceable as it daring.
Anjulie – “You & I” >>
Click here to download
Stars – “Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It”
Canada’s indie rock sweethearts, Stars, are still unveiling their uniquely romantic musical vision, and their latest release on ATO called “The North” may be their best installment yet. Check out the Soundcloud link or download the Breakglass version of “Backlines.” OUT in the City 11.15.2012
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Cick here to watch video
X Factor sensation Melanie Amaro shows what got her that $5 million recording contact with this uptempo tune. Producer Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins gives her his best studio support, and the result is as hot as you’d expect it to be. Just take a look at the Vevo Video…
50 OUT in the City 11.15.2012
Melanie Amaro “Don’t Fail Me Now”
Click here to watch video
It took two years, but this Ken dollinspired collaboration between Cassie and Nicki Minaj finally comes to life in Colin Tilley’s video for The Boys. “I just wanna mock the boys a little bit,” Cassie said. “I think that was the concept for part of my stuff, but I was throwing around real money so I had to be careful.” What
Cassie (w/Nicki Minaj) – “The Boys” >>
Click here to watch video
It’s not too early to start the holidays with recording artist Eugene Ebner and his “love interest,” Denver Gay Men’s Chorus member Jimmy Howe, in this fun and affirming rendition of the classic Cahn/Styne duet.
<< Eugene Ebner – “Let It Snow”
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Feeling Blah or Unsexy? To kick off 2013, The GYM and OUT in the city are partnering to give 2 lucky individuals four FREE months of personal training to be shirtless by Pride. To enter... Starting December 1, 2012, go to www.gym303. com and click on the shirtless by pride link, upload a photo and tell us your story. We would like to know why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to you to become shirtless by Pride. Contestants will be chosen and announced by February 14, 2013.
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