Outlooks - Dec 2012 - Jan 2013 by Nicolas Tallarico

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CANADA’S NATIONAL GAY MAGAZINE PUBLISHER PATRICIA SALIB EDITOR IN CHIEF JIM BROSSEAU TRAVEL EDITOR RANDALL SHIRLEY ART DIRECTOR NICOLÁS TALLARICO FASHION DIRECTOR ADAM WEBSTER CONTRIBUTORS JODY BOYNTON, DEREK DOTTO, PHILIP FRANCHINI, DR. MALCOLM HEDGCOCK, BRAD MCPHEE, NIGEL POTTLE, CASEY WILLIAMS EDITOR AT LARGE BRETT TAYLOR ADVERTISING & OTHER INQUIRIES (416) 792–2400 EDITORIAL INQUIRIES EDITOR@OUTLOOKS.CA OUTLOOKS IS PUBLISHED 10 TIMES PER YEAR BY THE MINT MEDIA GROUP ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 542 PARLIAMENT ST. TORONTO, ON, M4X 1P6 THE MINT MEDIA GROUP PRESIDENT PATRICIA SALIB DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS REGGIE LANUZA DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING RYAN LESTER CONTROLLER LUIS VARESSIS EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT LIDIA SALVADOR

ON THE COVER SOCCER STAR DAVID TESTO, PHOTOGRAPHED BY PERRY SÉNÉCAL

OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN OUTLOOKS MAGAZINE ARE THOSE OF INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE MAGAZINE. ALL CONTENTS ARE COPYRIGHT AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED IN PART OR IN WHOLE WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT. THE APPEARANCE OF AN AD IN OUTLOOKS MAGAZINE DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE MAGAZINE ENDORSES THE ADVERTISER. THE APPEARANCE OF A MODEL OR OTHER PHOTOGRAPHIC SUBJECTS DOES NOT NECESSARILY INDICATE THEIR SEXUALITY. BEFORE YOU MAKE TRAVEL PLANS, DOUBLE-CHECK DATES, TIMES, AND PRICES. THINGS DO CHANGE. WHILE EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO ENSURE ACCURACY, OUTLOOKS AND ITS CONTRIBUTORS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ERRORS IN CONTENT.

4 OUTLOOKS DEC 2012 - JAN 2013

CONTENTS

DEC 2012 - JAN 2013 | ISSUE 206

EDITOR’S NOTE

TRAVEL

06 | A FRESH START

15 | TRAVEL TALK Singing the praises of Canada’s beauty

OUTFRONT

34 | MADRID, THE VILLAGE Spain’s gay haven in a heavenly city

07 | WELLNESS Where there’s a will…wow! 10 | FOOD & DRINK Tastes of Prague in Edmonton

12 | HOUSECALLS How good health begins with exercise 13 | WHEELS Smart driving in Ford’s Escape

FEATURES 16 | PLAY ON! Soccer’s David Testo finds his voice 20 | THE OUTLOOKS INTERVIEW A parent’s challenge when a teen comes out

44 | FRAMED: ANDREW BRIGGS Cities never sleep in his hands 46 | FLASHBACK Standing up for personal privacy

FASHION 24 | AND SO TO BED… New looks lend heat to a winter’s night 33 | THE BREAKDOWN Dressing, seriously, for cold weather 34 MADRID, THE VILLAGE

Tourist Office of Spain in Los Angeles

11 | MONEY$TYLE Start to build your savings right now

38 | MASS APPEAL Sampling the many charms of Boston

ART & CULTURE

FOOD P. 10

TASTES OF PRAGUE IN EDMONTON

13 WHEELS OUTLOOKS

EDITOR’S NOTE

Julie Skarratt

A FRESH START

henever one year eases into another, the body seems programmed to take stock. Sometimes that means asking ourselves questions about such matters as our health and finances. But the dawn of a new year often spurs larger questions about the state of our affairs, questions like: Is my life where I’d like it to be, and, if not, how might I get it there? For members of the LGBT community, the Outlooks print and online readers, life’s heavy questions often come with additional weight. Ours are the checked bags

6 OUTLOOKS DEC 2012 - JAN 2013

of big questions. The decision to get married, for example, is seismic for anyone; for gay people, even with the right to wed on the books for a dozen years, there are lots of added considerations. How will this fly with my family? What about travel to countries where same-sex marriage isn’t legal (most of the world)? And, should I divorce, will I be letting down an entire community, one that fought hard for my right to walk down the aisle with the person I love? What about having or adopting children? mentioning your two moms or two dads in much of, say, Toronto or Vancouver, might not raise any eyebrows. But how about the child growing up in a smaller city or rural community? Gay parents can find themselves explaining intolerance to their kids way sooner in life than their straight counterparts do. Speaking of where you live, even in our so-called enlightened era, gays who prefer the country to the city have to think hard about what their daily lives might be like. The simple act of holding hands with a partner or spouse can incur all manner of risks in places where minds are as small as the tax base. Add to the societal freight of just trying to be one’s self the strictures that attend most religions. What for many can be a welcoming embrace, a port in the storm

of everyday life, takes on an indifference when certain faiths declare that homosexuality—never mind same-sex marriage— has no place under its steeples. Fortunately, we’re inching toward a time when sexuality will be about as relevant as eye colour in its impact on how and where we live our lives. And while we may not want to lose those things that some contend give gays a special identity, who wouldn’t welcome the chance to bid adieu to the last vestiges of prejudice? In the meantime, to help guide you through some of the large and small issues attending life as an LGBT individual— or simply as a person who eschews labels of any kind—Outlooks will keep doing its part. Be it in the realm of health or fitness, fashion or fine dining, pop culture or politics, we’ll continue striving to be our best. As a new year begins, it’s a goal worth renewing.

Jim Brosseau Editor in Chief We’d be delighted to hear from you. Share your thoughts on the magazine and stories you’d like to see covered in its pages. Email us at editor@ outlooks.ca. Many thanks.

WELLNESS

OUTFRONT

RE-UP FOR RENEWAL Korby Banner

ANOTHER CHANCE LOOMS FOR COMMITTING TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE • BY JODY BOYNTON

OUTLOOKS

WELLNESS

itness is always in an “ebb and flow” state. Sometimes we’re on the way up, sometimes on the way down. If you’re in a fitness rut, never seeming to get where you want to go, there is hope. Change can be scary, but change should be a constant in your workouts. You can alter your intensity, reps, exercises, cardio and your goals. If being a pro bodybuilder is just not in the cards, how about changing up your sport entirely? Try something fresh, sign up for a 10k run or half marathon, and do the training to get there. I have a client who, at the age of 50, kicked up his training intensity to become an ultraendurance athlete. He even broke a record for his age category last year! By doing that he has improved his health, focused more clearly on his business and made his retirement plans. By taking the plunge and stepping out of his comfort zone, he found a whole new life plan, not just a new sport.

8 OUTLOOKS DEC 2012 - JAN 2013

@HYPeHARLAN

his time of year always brings about changes. As we wrap up 2012, we begin to take stock of what we’ve got, what we want and how well we did over the past 12 months. If you made promises or resolutions that didn’t stick, now is the time we start to remember just how we failed our best intentions last year. Could 2013 be different? What needs to happen to make it so? We’re in a time of great change around the world, but what about you personally? If you haven’t been able to break a bad habit or start a new, good one, there’s nothing stopping you now. With a global consciousness trending toward change, you can catch the wave and make the year ahead truly your most spectacular! So let’s make a plan for you to catch that wave. When it comes to health and fitness, things don’t happen by accident. Sure in our 20s a lot of us could eat what we want and drink beer from Thursday to Sunday. Even then, if we managed to hit the gym a couple of days a week, we still looked and felt like rock stars! Well, once we got into the real world of fulltime jobs, relationships, homes and other commitments, it got a lot harder to fit it all in. Consistency is what it takes to manage a healthy lifestyle, but you have to make time for it.

Wellness columnist Boynton (previous page) shows his stuff at a UFE Halloween Mayhem Natural Bodybuilding show. To stay in shape for competition, Boynton (above) has rededicated himself to an ambitious workout routine.

After coasting through my own workouts for six years or so, I kicked it up, bit the bullet and entered a natural-bodybuilding show.

sent what healthy can look like when you’re in your 40s. To do that, I have had to make many changes.

IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO BREAK A BAD HABIT OR START A NEW, GOOD ONE, THERE’S NOTHING STOPPING YOU NOW. The last time I’d done a show, it was purely a vanity project. This time, I thought, I’m doing it for something more meaningful. I’m enjoying the challenge and I want to repre-

For one, I’m working less. No, I didn’t hit the jackpot, but I’ve managed my business pretty well, so that things are running along comfortably. Why am I continuing to grind

WELLNESS

myself down and put my health and wellness on the back burner? Figuring out how to work smarter, not harder, was the key.

CLIENTS CAN SEE THE TRANSFORMATION AND HAVE BEEN INSPIRED TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES IN THEIR OWN LIVES.

am committed to putting my fitness first for a few months, and it feels great! In fact, it has created a chain reaction around me. Clients can see the transformation and have been inspired to make positive changes in their own lives. One of my favourite clients has finally heeded my advice. He’s maintaining consistency in his food, exercise and cardio and has dropped 25 pounds over the past few months. Positive change isn’t just for yourself, it inspires others to find it within themselves! If something is keeping you from the healthier lifestyle you know you want, there could be some factor in your life that you need to change or refocus, something that’s possibly holding you back. Try to zero in on the things that enrich your life, and, in the process, you might discover the things that don’t: Maybe there are relationships you need to mend, missteps made that you want to finally put behind you. Perhaps

you realize your job is sending you to an early grave, and it’s time to plan for the next stage of your career.

hatever it is that’s standing in your way, now is as good a time as any to overcome it. If you’re still in that stage dominated by the sentence that starts “I think it’s time I did…,” just take one step toward making something happen. You may be surprised just how big a change you can make by actually starting to move toward what you want, instead of staying with what no longer suits

you. The choice is yours, or, as the brilliant Dr. Suess has put it: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose....YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go...” Jody Boynton is a NSCA certified personaltraining instructor, weight-loss coach and nutritional practitioner based in Toronto. His advice is not necessarily intended for all readers, whose individual strength and overall health should be considered before undertaking any fitness or related programs. He may be reached at jodyboynton@gmail.com.

OUTLOOKS

FOOD & DRINK

PRAGUE IN EDMONTON The word “institution” gets thrown around rather liberally, but Bistro Praha has earned the title during its more than three decades on Edmonton’s dining scene. The restaurant’s spirit remains true to founder Frantisek Cikanek, who wanted to establish the sort of cafes he frequented in his hometown of Prague (Praha). In its warm dining room, “the bistro,” as it’s simply known by many locals, serves up such traditional favourites as goulash and cabbage soup. One of the most popular dishes is the wiener schnitzel, which can be prepared as follows:

INGREDIENTS

4 veal cutlets (you may use pork or chicken) 1/4 C. all-purpose flour 1/2 C. bread crumbs 1/4 tsp. Salt 2 eggs Lard or oil

PREPARATION

Pound meat with meat mallet to ¼-inch thickness 10 OUTLOOKS DEC 2012 - JAN 2013

Praha teammates, from left, partner and owner Milan Svajgr, Chef Ty Kouch and Milan’s sister, Sarka Svajgr, also a restaurant partner and owner

The wiener schn itzel is a longtim e favorite at Bist 10117 101 St., Ed ro Praha, monton; 780-42 4-4218; bistropr aha.com.

Dredge meat in flour. Coat the meat with beaten eggs. Then coat with bread crumbs. Fry the schnitzel in the pan with hot lard or oil for three to four minutes on each side (until both sides are golden brown). Remove from pan Allow the oil to drain off

SERVING SUGGESTION

Serve with potatoes and lemon or potato salad. Serves four.

MONEY$T YLE

THE FUTURE IS NOW IN YOUR RETIREMENT, WHAT YOU’VE SAVED IS WHAT YOU’LL GET BY BRAD MCPHEE

I believe that everyone needs a TFSA. Another of its benefits: You can use it anytime during your lifetime and then reinvest money back in after a 12-month waiting period. You do not have to wait until age 65 to spend it. Both RRSP and TFSA offer significant advantages for the average Canadian. There are more sophisticated strategies, of course, for people who are wealthier. Let’s talk turkey for a moment. Canadians do not retire early. In fact, since the early 1960s the retirement age in Canada has remained relatively constant at 67, and chances are you’ll wait until then. By choice? Perhaps not. Often today as a financial advisor, when clients initially come to me, they’re not sure if or when they can retire fully. The answer is usually that you can, but it takes a plan, and, short of winning the lottery, it will take commitment, clarity and consistent saving for 20 years. Sometimes people find it unusual when I tell them that in the financial-services industry it’s difficult to write for a publication. I cannot in good faith give specific advice without knowing an individual’s actual

WE MUST SAVE DURING OUR ACCUMULATION YEARS TO SPEND DURING OUR RETIREMENT. a new car. The best vehicle for this is the Tax Free Savings Account. Despite the name, it has nothing to do with banking. You can have a TFSA at any financial or investment institution, and it’s not the same as an RRSP. Your TFSA is made up of after-tax dollars. All the capital gains from investments in this type of account are completely tax free when you take them out.

financial situation. This is not just a good rule for compliance, but it is essential for good planning. It helps ensure that all financial advisors really know a client’s financial situation before giving advice; that’s the same approach here: I don’t want you to read this column then set off believing you know all you need to for retirement preparation. I argue for seeing a financial professional

Gonga Salvador

o you want to give yourself and your family the gift of a long life? Do you also want to insure you can all shop ‘til you drop, if that is what tickles your fancy? Then there are things you need to do now. The number-one financial problem Canadians face is outliving their money. If you are 40 years old, want to retire at 60 and live until you’re 85 with a net income of $4,000 a month, what makes financial sense for you now? You need to save approximately $900 a month using RRSP contributions. If you’re going to save without the RRSP tax-free advantage, you will have to save $1,600 a month starting tomorrow until the day you retire. This assumes that you receive the maximum amount for Canada Pension Plan and for Old Age Security without any clawbacks. In other words, this is a best-case scenario, and chances are most of us will need more not less. It is not just a numbers game but a financial reality. We must save during our accumulation years to spend during our retirement. Another important thing you need to do is set aside money for big-ticket items you’ll require during retirement, like vacations or

so that a competent advisor can “run your numbers” and provide you with sound guidance for achieving your financial goals. Then you’ll need to update and meet annually (or more, if necessary), because life is fluid and so are your finances. Statistics show that people who use the services of professionals build more assets for retirement. So think about a New Year’s resolution you just might be able to keep: sitting down with a financial advisor you believe you’ll like and trust, and, just as important, will like and trust you back. Brad McPhee is a Vancouver-based consultant with Investors Group and past chair of the Gay and Lesbian Association of B.C. Views expressed in Money$tyle are solely McPhee’s. Outlooks, as well as Investors Group and its affiliates are not responsible and cannot accept any liability. The column is intended as a source of information and not a solicitation to buy or sell investments, nor to provide investment, financial, legal, accounting, tax or other professional advice. If you have a personalfinance question, email it to editor@outlooks.ca. OUTLOOKS

HOUSECALLS

THE EXERCISE RX

HOW A LITTLE BIT OF FITNESS CAN GO A VERY LONG WAY BY DR. MALCOLM HEDGCOCK

12 OUTLOOKS DEC 2012 - JAN 2013

have suggested that it can keep you from developing dementia in older age. In order to achieve these benefits, most guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise per

guidelines as a minimum. Most people can start an exercise program without seeing a doctor first. However, those who are at high risk of heart attack or stroke should be assessed prior to hopping on a treadmill or hitting the streets for a morning run. Previously sedentary people at high risk for heart disease who suddenly start exercising can precipitate a heart attack or dangerous heart rhythm. Some families have a history of relatives dying suddenly while exercising; if you’re unfamiliar with your own family’s health issues, ask a reliable relative for the necessary details. Likewise, if you have lung disease or multiple joint problems, you may want to make sure these are managed correctly ahead of time. Note that some medications will interfere with your ability to tolerate physical exertion. Most of them are for treating heart disease or diabetes. If you’re at all unsure about your own risks, speak to your doctor before initiating an exercise program. Bear in mind, though, that even if you fit into a potential-risk category, you almost certainly should still be exercising. The key for most people is finding an activity you enjoy and one that fits into your life. Forcing yourself to do things you hate—say, lifting weights or running on a treadmill—is a sure recipe for failure. To succeed, of course, you have to start. Once you do, you might be surprised at just how soon it is before you achieve your goals. Maridav

xercise—we all know that it’s important, and many of us find a way to incorporate it into our weekly routine. However, there are still many guys out there who don’t make it a priority in their lives. This is partly because it’s hard to find time in the day to dedicate to physical activity, but I also think it reflects a lack of proper guidance. My patients often ask me what kind of exercise they should be focusing on and how much they should be doing. With that in mind, I’d like to review some of the literature on the benefits of exercise, and, hopefully, offer a starting point for creating an exercise program that fits your lifestyle. Just about every part of the body benefits from physical activity. In general, you can expect to live 1.3 years longer if you participate in regular, moderateintensity exercise. That number increases to 3.7 years for high-intensity training. In a group of more than 10,000 male Harvard graduates, the risk of death over 12 years was almost 25 per cent lower in those who exercised regularly, compared to couch potatoes. This is the same health benefit that we see when smokers quit! Much of this decrease in mortality comes from the effect that exercise has on your risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Many clinical studies have found that keeping active can significantly reduce your risk of having a heart attack. It reduces your cholesterol, blood pressure, and—in some high-risk individuals—it can reduce the rate of progression to Type 2 diabetes. Certain cancers, like those of the prostate or bowel, can also be avoided by aerobic activity. Additionally, there are some lesser-known benefits to fitness, such as helping you quit smoking. Exercise is also an excellent treatment for anxiety, depression and general fatigue. It helps you sleep, and recent studies

week. Moderate exercise is described as any activity that causes you to sweat a little and breathe harder. Vigorous exercise is more intense than that—enough to make you out of breath. Some argue that if you participate in high-intensity, vigorous exercise like jogging or cross-country skiing, then only 75 minutes per week is sufficient. These numbers can be reached in blocks of 10 minutes or more. So, a brisk 10-minute walk to and from work is enough to get close to this goal. Certainly, the more exercise you do, the more you will benefit, and so you should look at these

Malcolm Hedgcock is a family doctor in Toronto with a special interest in conditions that are common in the LGBT community. The information contained in this column is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease and in no way should substitute for consultation with one’s own healthcare professional. Send questions or comments about your health concerns to Housecalls at editor@outlooks.ca.

WHEELS

NERDY NO MORE THE FORD ESCAPE GOES SLEEK, SMART AND DECIDEDLY COOL BY CASEY WILLIAMS

2013 FORD ESCAPE SEL FIVE-PASSENGER, AWD CROSSOVER Powertrain: 240hp 2.0-litre T4, 6-spd. auto. trans Suspension f/r: Ind./Ind Wheels: 19”/19” alloy f/r Brakes: disc/disc fr/rr with ABS Must-have features: Style, power Fuel economy: 9.8/6.9 litres/100km city/hwy Assembly: Louisville, KY, USA Base/As-tested price: $30,521

ord’s Escape has always been the stuffy little nerd that was wellmannered, but never seemed to have much fun. Its attire was as conservative as a tweed suit and the interior just about as boring. That’s not to say the Escape wasn’t popular: Since arriving a decade ago to give hell to Japanese benchmarks like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, it has been perfect for urban travel and soft-roading. It’s time to cut loose and find a good stylist. Gone is the “two boxes on wheels” profile of the original Escape. It’s been replaced by a sleek, multi-faceted design influenced by such suave Europeans as the Focus and Fiesta—with a hint of Explorer in the wraparound tail lamps. Ford claims the new model is 10 per cent more aerodynamic. I’d say, at least. Inside, there is a big expanse of windshield and convergence of curves and angles. It’s a bit busy, but everything is easy to use, and there is plenty of attention to detail. The shifter glides fluidly through its notches, and knobs turn like fine pens. I really like the available heated leather seats, thick leatherwrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth and deep cup holders (hey, I’m addicted to soda). Then there’s SYNC® with MyFord Touch® that theoretically directs the infotainment system through voice, steering-wheel but-

tons or touch screens—if it is in a good mood. My past experiences with SYNC caused cussing when it refused to do something as radical as finding “Elvis Presley” on my iPod. But this new version is better. I almost wore out the cool under-bumper sensor that raises the tailgate with a foot wave. Hitting the gas brings only joy, even if V6 and Hybrid are M.I.A. The base powertrain is a 168hp 2.5-litre four-cylinder connected to a six-speed automatic transmission. Better are the available 240hp 2.0-litre EcoBoost and 178hp 1.6-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder engines. The turbos deliver smooth, savory torque without burning excessive fossils. All three engines use 6.7-litres/100km Hwy. or less with front-drive (as low as 6.0-litres with the 1.6-litre engine). The chassis is just as sophisticated. Using 25 sensors, the all-wheel-drive system analyzes wheel speed, accelerator position and steering angle to determine where the driver wants to go and how to best execute his or her demands. Curve Control automatically slows the vehicle if drivers enter a corner too quickly; Torque Vectoring Control helps accelerate through a turn. It’s an impressive amount of technology for a small crossover. If all of that doesn’t excite you, Escape is available with Ford’s BLIS blind-spot warning system and Cross-traffic alert that gives a

heads-up when vehicles approach from the sides—or kids’ toys are behind it when backing up. The coolest feature is the automatic parallel-parking system. I’m pretty good at parallel parking, but the Escape is much better. Still smart, but a lot more stylish, this all-new Escape is sure to make more affluent friends. Escape starts just over $20,500, but an as-tested price of $30,521 puts it against lofty versions of the Honda CR-V, Chevy Equinox, Jeep Compass, Toyota Highlander and Subaru Outback. A frequent business traveller to Montreal, Casey Williams is a contributing writer for Gaywheels.com, the Chicago Tribune and the New York-based LGBT magazine Metrosource. He lives with his partner of 11 years in Indianapolis, where Williams is a columnist for that city’s newspaper, the Star. OUTLOOKS

Let’s make the numbers work so you don’t have to

Use our retirement savings calculator today and let’s figure it out. When you know your numbers, you can talk to us with more confidence. Working together, we can help you tailor your retirement plans. We’re ready when you are.

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TRAVEL TALK

WHAT A COUNTRY! SAVOURING THE GOOD FORTUNE OF BEING A WELL-TRAVELLED CANADIAN BY RANDALL SHIRLEY TRAVEL EDITOR

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR. The plates at Bacalao Restaurant in St. John’s are where every cod fish must dream of ending up. This “nouveau Newfoundland” food absolutely dazzles my mouth. bacalaocuisine.ca. NOVA SCOTIA. The gay-popular and wonderfully historic town and region around Annapolis Royal. My husband and I often fantasize about returning there to shop for real estate. PEI. Time in the car, driving anywhere on country roads. Simply experiencing the magic of coming around bend after bend to yet another steeple-capped tiny town never got old. NEW BRUNSWICK. The Bay of Fundy may not have made the final cut of the New 7 natural wonders of the world, but that doesn’t mean it’s not dang awesome, eh! Visiting its Hopewell Rocks at high tide, and returning a few hours later to walk on the ocean floor—about 40 feet below the high waterline—wow. thehopewellrocks.ca

Denni Danieli-Polloni

recently became a Canadian citizen and am proud as poutine to now carry a passport that shows I’ve sworn allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen (and her lovely grandsons). I’ve been lucky to visit nearly every corner of our country. And while we often focus on foreign travel in our pages, visiting Canadian destinations is richly rewarding. As we close 2012 and consider resolutions for 2013, may I suggest a resolution to visit one new-to-you Canadian destination during the coming year. Asking myself the question: If I could return to each province/territory and only repeat one experience, what would it be, I came up with this list of my personal highlights:

QUEBEC. Just outside Quebec City, a drive around Ile d’Orleans in autumn is perfection. This beautiful, bucolic island is dotted with wineries and artisan food producers that simply knocked my senses’ socks off. iledorleans.com ONTARIO. As a gay man who loves theatre—and I know I’m not alone—the Stratford Festival is nirvana. Show quality often rivals Broadway (in fact, its Jesus Christ Superstar was just on Broadway). stratfordfestival.ca NUNUVUT. Seeing the polar bears of Akpatok Island. An Arctic cruise is really the only way to get there; not cheap, but the experience is once-in-a-lifetime for most of us. MANITOBA. A walking tour of Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District was a highlight; especially learning about the city’s unique terra-cotta architecture and its occasional role as a movie set. exchangedistrict.org SASKATCHEWAN. A visit to the RCMP Heritage Centre, next to its academy in Regina, is informative and interesting. Who doesn’t get just a bit excited by those hot, red serge uniforms? rcmpheritagecentre.com

A relaxed Travel Editor Randall Shirley ponders the scenery of the Tofino area on Canada’s west coast from the comfort of the Pacific Sands Resort.

ALBERTA. This province has much more than scenery. Few places on earth, though, can repeatedly make my jaw drop like the accessible Rocky Mountain scenery around Banff, Lake Louise, and Canmore. NORTHWEST TERRITORIES. At Inuvik, riding with supposedly the world’s only “all-white” husky dogsled teams. Truly a top-of-the world experience that feels remote, intense and invigorating. arcticchalet.com THE YUKON. A trip between Carcross and Skagway, Alaska, on the historic White Pass & Yukon Railway provides a whole new level of appreciation for the gold rush and what people were willing to do to get there. Beautiful, too! wpyr.com BRITISH COLUMBIA. The scenery at Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, is truly exceptional. Rugged, remote and dramatic, it feels almost as if the world ends on Tofino’s wave-pounded beaches. OUTLOOKS

16 OUTLOOKS DEC 2012 - JAN 2013

PLAY ON! SOCCER’S DAVID TESTO LEAVES THE FIELD AND FINDS HIS VOICE

BY DEREK DOTTO

“

PHOTOGRAPHY BY PERRY SÉNÉCAL

p until the last road trip, up until the last day of my professional career, I still experienced a slight form of bullying.” Facing prejudice may not have been a daily occurrence for former Montreal Impact midfielder David Testo. But in a sport that puts so much value in ego and machismo, it’s not easy for a gay man to escape unscathed. “There’s always that fear or knowledge,” says Testo, “that there were people on the team who didn’t accept it and made fun of it.” The 31-year-old is no stranger to rejection. Growing up in a religious household in the state of North Carolina, Testo says homosexuality was never an option. “Being gay was an eternal sin, and you were going to go to hell,” he notes in explaining the root of his inner conflict. “I did everything from bullying to denial to get rid of it in myself.” Testo found salvation in soccer. A promising professional career opened new doors to self-discovery. “I was able to explore the world and realize what I’m feeling is okay,” he says. “It allowed me to meet people from all over the globe and understand different religions. I was able to acquire the wisdom and

knowledge I have now to find acceptance with myself.” At the same time, it was his professional soccer career that kept Testo in the closet for years: “There was always discrimination to my face from other players within the league.” The athlete says he often had to defend himself against volleys of homophobic slurs. “I went through a period in my life when I reacted wrongly to those,” he recalls, “but I got to a point where I said ‘I’m going to be a bigger person here.’ It changed a lot of relationships I had with people within the league.” Opening up to his friends in the club wasn’t as difficult as it might have been. After all, Testo was already out in his personal life, where he found much of the support he needed. But elsewhere, there was some resistance. “Here in Montreal,” he explains, “it’s such a melting pot of players and people. So you can’t expect everyone—people who come from such different backgrounds—to be accepting of it.” Testo put aside any concerns about what others would and wouldn’t accept nearly a year ago, in November 2011. It was after watching a string of gay-related suicides among young people—most notably the bullied Ottawa teen Jamie Hubley— OUTLOOKS

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that prompted Testo to come out publicly and bear the attendant responsibility of being a role model. “I’ve come from adversity and a place of such discrimination and inequality to a place where I’m completely happy in my heart with who I am,” he declares with unabashed pride. “I felt that it was time to share. I need to let people out there know they’re not alone.” Testo is now a spokesman and advisor for You Can Play, an organization founded by Patrick Burke, son of Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke, advocating inclusivity in the athletic community. Patrick’s brother Brendan made headlines in 2009 when he announced he

“I’VE COME FROM A PLACE OF SUCH DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUALITY TO A PLACE WHERE I’M COMPLETELY HAPPY IN MY HEART WITH WHO I AM.” was gay. Months later, he died in a car crash. “The idea that you can play no matter if you’re gay, straight, black, white, tall, small, whatever, really rang true to what I believe,” says Testo of his You Can Play involvement. He represented the group when he threw the first pitch at the Blue Jays game in September. The match saw Yunel Escobar return from a three-game suspension and $82,000

Soccer survivor: Testo, above left and right, in more familiar attire as the former Montreal Impact midfielder.

fine for writing an eye-black homophobic slur. “It went really awesome,” says Testo, recalling his encounter with the shortstop. “He was completely apologetic and ready to move on with the entire situation.” Despite such incidents, Testo contends things are getting better in the sports community. It’s his belief that one day we’ll see an openly gay athlete in the major leagues, thought not anytime soon. “I don’t think anyone in their prime is going to come out right now,” he says. “It affects endorsements. It affects your salary. It affects so much. I think it’s going to come from someone who comes out when they’re younger and develops into a major star.” For his part, Testo has left the limited ranks of high-profile and out athletes. Although the Impact chose not to sign him for another season after his big announcement, Testo doesn’t know how much of a role coming out played in the decision of the club, which was undergoing organizational changes at the time affecting several longtime players. As he puts it: “Could I say that it added a couple more bags to my luggage? Probably. With my résumé and my age, I should have at least heard from someone.” But after, 10 years of professional soccer, Testo felt it was time to explore once more. He’s now studying French and teaching yoga in Montreal. “I’m kind of like a racehorse that has to keep running even when he’s stopped racing,” he explains. “Yoga has always been my passion. It’s been the thing that gave me joy and contentment. Soccer is about wins and losses. I want to let all that go.” (For more information about You Can Play, visit youcanplayproject.org.) OUTLOOKS

Pink cotton candy

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THE OUTLOOKS INTERVIEW

A FATHER’S LOVE MAKING THINGS RIGHT WHEN A TEENAGER COMES OUT

BY JIM BROSSEAU

oming out to your parents is one thing; coming out to them when you’re only 13 is another matter entirely. The teenage years are daunting enough without the tumult of navigating one’s sexual orientation. But that was the task of young Joseph Schwartz, whose father, New York Times writer John Schwartz, has chronicled his son’s journey in the new book Oddly Normal (Gotham Books). When at last Joseph confirmed he was gay—his parents wisely deferred to their son’s own timetable—the relief it brought was short-lived. Just days later, Joseph attempted suicide. The ensuing odyssey provides a cautionary tale for parents of gay teens. Despite the challenge, the Schwartz family’s support illustrates how the ways we define “normal” can not only be constricting but also liberating.

OUTLOOKS: It was important to you to let Joseph choose the time to say that he’s gay. If, to this day, he simply chose not to verbalize his sexuality, even while living it openly, what would your response have been?  JOHN SCHWARTZ: We’d have been fine with whatever Joseph chose to do. We weren’t sitting on his chest, shouting “Say it! Say it!” and giving him noogies until he relented. We waited and did our best to help him understand that we’d be fine with whatever he chose to tell us. We felt that Joseph was

in pain and that keeping this secret was a big part of what made his life so stressful. His greater happiness and emotional openness suggest to me that coming out did him a world of good. OUTLOOKS:  How should a parent deal with a teen who wants to come out to them but doesn’t want to declare to his peers, teachers, coaches, etc.?    JS: On the advice of friends, we took a sidelong approach: Rather than pushing Joseph, we made gay topics part of the family conversation instead of treating sexual orientation as a touchy issue best left alone. That might be as simple as discussing a presidential candidate’s stance on same-sex marriage, or talking about stories in the newspaper in which such topics come up. We were pretty artless about it, and at first Joseph would leave the room when these topics came up. But gradually he came to sit, to listen and to participate in the discussion. A few weeks ago, I was interviewing Ellen Kahn, who heads the Human Rights Campaign’s Family Project, and she agreed that parents can help by laying the groundwork and letting kids know that if they do want to come out, the family will embrace them. “If your son recoils at the conversation because it’s too close,” she told me, “he still hears that.”     OUTLOOKS: You suggested to Joe’s therapist when he was 8 that your son might be gay, and the therapist responded by OUTLOOKS

saying, What a terrible thing to say about your son. As inelegant and insensitive as her words were, could she have been suggesting that that’s pretty young to be deciding whether a kid is gay or straight?   JS: She might well have been suggesting that. But we hadn’t “decided” at that point, though we had a strong sense of things by then. OUTLOOKS: Do you feel it could be possible that some parents subtly or not so pressure their kids to declare their sexuality? JS: It’s entirely possible. The singer-songwriter Bo Burnham, of course, turned that into a joke in his song My Whole Family Thinks I’m Gay, but parental pressure isn’t funny, especially on such a sensitive issue. OUTLOOKS: You make a great distinction between gay

RATHER THAN PUSHING JOSEPH, WE MADE GAY TOPICS PART OF THE FAMILY CONVERSATION INSTEAD OF TREATING SEXUAL ORIENTATION AS A TOUCHY ISSUE BEST LEFT ALONE. heroes and gay role models. It’s a delicate matter for a young person to come out, but having been through your situation with Joe, what’s your take on adults who remain in the closet? It’s a personal decision, yes, but do you think they have some added responsibility to society, to younger gay people?  JS: People should live their lives as they wish to live their lives. There are plenty of people who are LGB and proudly out for young people to see and learn from. I wouldn’t assume that everyone in a group is obligated to bear the banner and pledge fealty to the cause. Friends who have come out have told me that the sense of relief has been huge; I can’t help but think that this anecdotal evidence suggests that, banner or no, they might be happier out of the closet than in it. But it’s such a personal decision, as you say—and it seems presumptuous and even dumb for me to advise gay people on how to live or to try to dictate what causes they should support. OUTLOOKS: It’s only natural that Joe wants to start dating, but, let’s face it, same-sex dating in most high schools isn’t the easiest thing on earth. When that first broken heart inevitably comes, do parents have the added burden of assuring 22 OUTLOOKS DEC 2012 - JAN 2013

their gay child it has nothing to do with his sexuality?  JS: We have three kids; Joseph is the youngest. The other two had their share of dating and heartbreak in high school, and we were glad we could be there for those first disappointments. I’d much rather see a kid get through this emotional turmoil during the years at home, so that we parents can be something of a comfort—even if we don’t say anything but keep some favourite foods around and endure the moping. I’d rather the support be there during these years than to have the first dating experiences happen in the relative isolation of college. I’d hope that Joe knows that the slow start on the dating scene is only due to sexual orientation in the purely statistical sense—that is, there aren’t a lot of other gay boys around to be attracted to in our little suburban town. OUTLOOKS: When I read you’d written about your teenage son’s coming out, my first reaction was: How does your son feel about that. You’ve addressed that concern, and I wonder if you could share it for our readers?   JS: Thanks for asking. I think it’s important for people to know that I wouldn’t have even proposed the book without Joe’s consent. We were driving one evening, and I told him that I was thinking about the book, that I thought it could help other families. “You should do it,” he said. Simple as that. Actually, a little too simple, so I pressed him a little more and told him that it wouldn’t be a totally happy story, and that I’d be talking about the suicide attempt and his time in the hospital. “Do it,” he said, and in a typically Joseph way, said “I have a dearth of caring.”  That wasn’t the end of his participation. The day I finished the manuscript, I sat next to him while he silently read through it; I watched his hand tremble when he reached stressful parts, and saw him switch from reading at one point to play a quick round of some computer game to calm himself down. He then got back to the book and read it to the end. A day or two later, he came downstairs with angry complaints about a few passages, and we talked about how to rewrite them so they would be more to his liking. And he offered a children’s book that he’d written as a class assignment to be included in the book; it’s now the final chapter. OUTLOOKS: As the parent of a teen who’s attempted suicide, what one or two pieces of advice would you give other parents who suspect their child for whatever reasons might be contemplating suicide?   JS: Listen and talk. Keep your antenna up, but try not to be a pain about it. As David St. Hubbins mused in the documentary This Is Spinal Tap, “It’s such a fine line between clever and stupid.”There’s also a fine line between attentive and smothering.  OUTLOOKS: Today, when a teenage son says he’s gay, it also raises the specter of HIV. Was that an added concern for you and your wife when you learned Joe was gay and how does a parent broach that subject?  JS: STDs should be a big concern in any family, and HIV isn’t just a gay illness, though it’s more prevalent in the gay community. We hope we’ve raised Joe to be smart and appropriately mindful of safe

and unsafe sexual practices, but I can’t say we’ve had the HIV equivalent of the birds-and-bees talk. Luckily, safe sex is an enormous part of the program at the LGBT Center’s weekly Youth Enrichment Services program community discussions. He hears about safe sex from counselors and group leaders he has come to trust and admire, and in terms far more graphic than any kid would want his DAD to go into. I mean, think about it. Awful, right? But if there aren’t services like that around, and if the schools don’t do a good job of educating kids about safe sex, well, somebody’s gotta do it. And you’re the parents. OUTLOOKS: You write about a mother at the LGBT community center who fairly chided you and your wife for not forcing your teenager out of the closet. There’s a whole segment of the LGBT community in agreement with that approach. What’s your response to them?    JS: I wasn’t criticizing her approach, and I won’t criticize theirs. It just wasn’t ours. Parents have to find their own path. That’s why I don’t think of Oddly Normal as a self-help book or an advice guide; we’re not telling people to do what we did. We’re telling them what we did so that they can think about it and make their own decisions. I wish them luck. I wish all parents luck.

try to delay their child’s declaration of sexuality, his choosing of sides, as it were?  JS: This is the kind of thing that happens when it happens; once kids come to know their sexual orientation, it can be pretty hard to keep that bottled up. We might have sped Joseph up some, but it’s just as likely that we just led him to understand that things would be okay when he came out, and he did it on his own schedule. So I’m not even sure how a parent would have the opposite effect. A parent might advise a kid about how broadly to come out, but I’m not sure the timing is very much up to us.

Will Van Overbeek

OUTLOOKS: What’s the effect of a school policy—such as the one you mention in the state of Minnesota that prohibits discussion of sexuality as a part of the curriculum?    JS: Silence, especially enforced silence, is toxic. It allows bullying and may even promote it, and it tells LGBT kids there will be no support for them. The Minnesota school district I wrote about in the book had a number of teen suicides and suicide attempts, and a lawsuit against the school district and federal intervention led to a consent decree in which the district changed its policy.     OUTLOOKS: Looking back, is there’s something you and your wife might In his new book, Oddly Normal, author John Schwartz, above, chronicles his teenhave done or not done that age son’s coming out and its aftermath. OUTLOOKS: Along the could have eased Joseph’s lines of the above, you live path out of the closet?    in a very liberal part of the U.S. Any advice for parents of a gay JS: We did everything we knew how to do, and everything we kid in small-town Canada or America who would have genucould think of. The suicide attempt came during a gap in Joe’s psyine concerns about the safety of a teen who comes out?    chotherapy, and before he started attending the community discussions at the LGBT center. I do wish that when Joe told me, a JS: It’s a real concern. I’d say that in those environments, a few weeks before the suicide attempt, that he was having really dark kid who wants to come out might do well to come out to trusted thoughts, that I had pushed harder for him to go back to therapy. He friends and family. In that conversation with Ellen Kahn of the said he was handling it, and I accepted his answer; I wonder if things Human Rights Campaign, she said, “Parents can then have a conwould have turned out differently if we’d jumped on that. versation, I hope: What feels safe, what feels okay,” and figure out the kind of balance that avoids the stress of, say, dealing with the static from homophobic relatives or classmates and being able to OUTLOOKS: Your book mentions a friend who told a woman focus on school and hobbies and friends. he was gay, and her response was that his homosexuality was “a gift.” A cynic might see that remark as patronizing: Given     OUTLOOKS: Amid some of Joe’s roughest points, a what you’ve been through with Joseph, how do you see it?  social worker noted it would be preferable coming out at an   JS: I see it as anything but patronizing, and Brian, the friend, age when a person might be better equipped emotionally to found it liberating and profound. As Brian said, “I don’t think it’s live as a homosexual. It carries the suggestion that we keep too much to say that her words changed how I looked at my life.” our kids in the closet until we deem they’re ready to come Maybe we’re not all that sophisticated down in Texas, but I found it out. If that could be done and that’s a big if should parents pretty profound, too. OUTLOOKS

KEVIN (LEFT) PANTS: CALVIN KLEIN SHIRT: H&M RODRIGO (RIGHT) PANTS: JOCKEY SHIRT: HANES

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NEWS

And So to Bed...

Sleepwear That Lends Excitement to the Bedroom

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM WEBSTER

MAKEUP AND GROOMING: NORA METTA MODELS: RODRIGO & KEVIN FOR SCOOP AGENCY & IAN ARCUDI

NEWS

THERMAL PANTS: HANES TOP: AMERICAN APPAREL WATCH: ARMANI EXCHANGE

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NEWS

LOUNGE PANTS: JOCKEY TOP: HANES WATCH: ARMANI EXCHANGE

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NEWS

PAJAMA SET AND ROBE: PROTOCOL

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NEWS

STRETCH PANTS: JOCKEY SHIRT: ZARA WATCH: DIESEL

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NEWS

KEVIN (LEFT) BOXER SHORTS AND TOP: H&M WATCH: DIESEL IAN (MIDDLE) LONG UNDERWEAR: JOCKEY WATCH: ZODIAC RODRIGO (RIGHT) BASEBALL T-SHIRT: AMERICAN APPAREL LONG UNDERWEAR: JOCKEY

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NEWS

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NEWS THERMAL TOP, PANTS AND SOCKS: H&M

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ST YLE

The Breakdown: MAGNETIC NORTH Whether it’s the dry freeze of the prairies or damp chill of the coasts, there’s no denying the biting cold of a Canadian winter. So if you’ve got to bundle up like an Arctic explorer, why not look the part? When the mercury drops, a slick, expedition-ready jacket, like this one from Nobis, will keep you warm without looking like the Michelin Man. And fur accents, real or faux, provide a nod to Canada’s heritage - DEREK DOTTO

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David Hawe

OUTLOOKS

MADRID, THE VILLAGE A NEIGHBOURHOOD SETS THE TONE FOR A SPANISH HOLIDAY

BY NIGEL POTTLE

M Pimenton.ca

y husband and I are wandering on Calle Pelayo in Chueca, the gay village of Madrid, a long way—in more ways than one—from home in Vancouver, BC. We’re surrounded by bears, and I’m not talking about the ursine kind. I have never seen so many furry, bearded, shirtless men together before. It’s Orgullo Gay in Madrid—that’s Gay Pride in English—a huge party that brings out the bears and everyone else (orgullolgtb.org). During the celebration the city gets down and enjoys the fun. For four days there are concert stages spread around town; the main stage dominates Cheuca Plaza, the gayest square in Madrid. More than a million people watch the evening parade, and the bars overflow. As we wait for the parade to pass on Gran Via, young men celebrate from the balconies above. Madrid in June is sweltering and the guys soak the crowds with water to almost everyone’s delight. We notice the many beer counters set up along the side streets; a pequeña (small) beer at 6 euros seems expensive until

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we discover this version of “small” is about a litre! The parade is a community affair. For the first hour, the marchers are not brass bands, political figures or business entries. Instead people walk with banners representing gay groups from all over Spain. There are carrozas (floats) filled with the usual hot men and women, drag queens to delight the crowd, and there are lots of great-looking people to ogle. Chueca—the heart of gay Madrid—is comfortable and low-key. We discover several plazas—the perfect spots for a bite, a beer, a gelato or a glass of Spanish Rioja, while we watch the people living out loud. When the main Chueca Plaza isn’t hosting a giant Pride party, it’s a busy mix of cafes, small shops and street vendors selling everything from handmade jewellery to rainbow flags. The cafes have inside spaces, but being served a beverage at an outdoor table is more fun for the people-watching. In the neighbourhood surrounding the plaza, we find more restaurants and bars to provide sustenance. The people are friendly; it’s easy to strike up a conversation with the guy next

OUTLOOKS

Nigel Pottle

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Nigel Pottle

Pimenton.ca

Nigel Pottle Nigel Pottle

to you at the bar. We watch the final of the Euro Cup between Spain and Portugal one evening, and the energy in the room is electric. One young man is shouting obscenities and we ask why he is so angry. Turns out he’s Portuguese in this bar full of Spaniards and probably the only one in the room who thinks the ref is down on his homeland. Spain wins and the crowds erupt into the street in joyful celebration. We celebrate with them. Fashionable shops with the latest jeans or shoes abound. Clothes hounds shop at Zara, Springfield or Adolfo Dominquez, all Spanish companies with fashion-forward designs. And then there’s A Different Life, a gay bookstore/boutique selling books, magazines, and toys for the boudoir. Restaurants in the neighbourhood are comfortable and relaxed. One of our mainstays is El Rincon de Pelayo. It uses the standard Spanish practice of offering a menu del día, three courses for a set price. It’s simple: Choose a starter, a main and dessert from a list and a bottle of wine or water for the table—8 euros at lunch, 12 euros at dinner, wine included. Yes, wine is as cheap as water! Actually you can have the water too (interocio.es/elrincondepelayo). The waiter delivers a tapa, a small appetizer of one of my favourite Spanish treats, Tortilla a la Española, an egg potato concoction. I settle back, pour the wine and strike up a conversation with my neighbour— the tables are close together so it’s natural to chat. One of our other regular haunts is Vivares Bar Restaurante on Calle Hortaleza. The bar offers café con leche (a Spanish latte), a caña (small beer) or a glass of wine. The television often shows a football match, and there’s a cigarette machine—never mind that smoking is banned in all bars and restaurants. Customers who flock for Vivares’ menu del día are locals: workers on lunch breaks, a retired matron, a

Scenes from Madrid (this page and opposite, clockwise from top left): friends gather for Pride celebrating on a balcony in Chueca, Madrid’s gay village; the Spanish flag flies high; goodies at the popular Mercado San Antón neighbourhood market; sun-kissed Gran Vía; one of Madrid’s beloved museums; a stop on the city’s rider-friendly subway; a local seafood delight; one of Madrid’s welcoming cafés; the Óscar hotel in Chueca; Mr. Gay Pride.

few gay folk. It’s not tourist food, but honest, working-man’s food, and we get our money’s worth at 10 euros for three courses, including the wine (restaurantesvivares.blogspot.ca). And since the hordes of men have put my mind there, I also enjoy popping by a very unique meat market: The Ham Museum. It’s actually a deli counter and restaurant, with hundreds of hams hanging from the ceiling, and its Jamón ibérico is among the best meat I’ve ever tasted. It’s not in Chueca but it’s definitely worth the 15-minute walk (museodeljamon.es). Just around the corner from Chueca Plaza is the new jewel of the neighbourhood: the Mercado San Antón. For years this was an underused market; a wonderful renovation has brought this amazing foodie resource to life. On the lower level is a full-service supermarket; the mid level contains food stalls: a butcher, a fish-monger, a cheese shop, a baker and more—everything we need to easily build a picnic lunch. The upper level offers food for takeaway or to eat at tables surrounding the central gallery (mercadosananton.com). A lovely open-concept restaurant is tucked into one corner with the tapas choices on display and a well appointed restaurant sits on the roof, providing outdoor space and a great view of Madrid (lacocinadesananton.com). For requisite gay nightlife, Chueca provides plenty of choices. Hot Bar and Bears Bar (bearsbar.net) are friendly places where I find it easy to strike up a conversation—I speak decent Spanish, and many

Pimenton.ca

Kyla Zanardi

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people here speak some English. The Eagle, a leather/fetish bar, is the spot for those who appreciate a dress code: The doorman will probably deny you entry if you’re wearing preppy clothes on leather night (eaglespain.com).

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adrid offers much more than a gay village, and no visit to this city is complete without taking in its world-class art museums. The Prado, the Thyssen- Bornemisza and the Reina Sofia art galleries are all within reasonable walking distance of Chueca, and the Metro allows for access to the entire city. I’m lucky enough to have visited all of these museums, and if I had to choose just one: the Prado (museodelprado.es). The collection is a living history of art in Europe from the earliest religious paintings to the 19th century. One of my favourite galleries houses “The Garden of Earthly Delights,” a phantasmagorical triptych painted by Heironymus Bosch. You can spend many minutes exploring the tiny details Bosch included in this allegorical masterpiece. For admiring the human form, the sculpture galleries have many beautiful Greek and Roman nudes in marble. (Is this where the desire for six-pack abs originated?) But I do enjoy the Thyssen collection of art from the 13th to the late 20th century (museothyssen.org), and for more 20th century art, the Reina Sofia collection starts at 1900 (museoreinasofia.es). All three galleries have special exhibitions, which are often worth the extra charge. Gay life in Madrid is a great thing to savour. And I’m delighted to do it by staying, if only for a few nights, in the small neighbourhood of Chueca, The pace of life has everything we want, and we’re loving the food and wine. Meanwhile, the Spanish eye candy is certainly a bonus. Meet me there on a future trip?

OUTLOOKS

USPhotoGroup

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MASS APPEAL MAKING THE MOST OF BIG-CITY BOSTON’S SMALL-TOWN FEEL

BY JIM BROSSEAU

OUTLOOKS

USPhotoGroup

hen gay men of a certain age think of Boston, Massachusetts, they think of a bar called Sporters, immortalized on the pages of Andrew Tobias’s groundbreaking 1973 memoir The Best Little Boy in the World. Today, there are a lot of other places in Boston—overtly gay-oriented and not— for members of the LGBT community to hang out. Yes, the city’s openness has something to do with the enlightenment that comes from its higher-learning pedigree—Harvard and Tufts are but two or the area’s prestigious universities. But there’s also a centuries-old tradition of tolerance in America’s New England region. (Four of its six states have approved gay marriage.) That tolerance, though, stems from a mind-your-own-business attitude that sometimes resembles haughtiness. But in Boston, with its global influx of students stoking a youthful energy and sensibility, there can be an almost palpable joie de vivre in many parts of town. Indeed, even one of the amphibious buses in the Boston Duck Tours (bostonducktours.com) fleet is named for a popular gay enclave, South End Sara, and painted in rainbow colours. Getting around that town can be a snap. If you don’t ride the convenient subway (locally known as the “T”), you’ll find you’re able to walk from one part of the city to another—say from your Back Bay hotel to the sprawling Boston Common—in less than an hour. And there’s always plenty to see along the way in this metropolis where old and new architecture rarely step on each other’s toes. One example of this signature mixing can be found in Boston’s famous waterfront area. Buildings erected more than a 100 years ago are steps away from the modern New England Aquarium (neaq.org), a sleek waterfront anchor. For the kid in us all, but also anyone thirsting for knowledge about the deep, the aquarium is a living encyclopedia. It exhibits some 70 types of fish from around the world, including Pacific octopus and sea dragons. For something less menacing, there are the ever-playful Atlantic harbor seals—which always appear so much smaller in person than in their photos. Though Legal Sea Foods (legalseafoods.com) has opened restaurants elsewhere, the one right at the water’s edge has always had loads of appeal with a wide-ranging menu that includes just-right clam chowder and a staff that never seems harried, no matter the number of local and touristic hordes at its entrance. Dining at one of its many outdoor tables is a ritual for my partner and me before or after catching the nearby Provincetown ferry. About a five-minute walk away, you’ll find historic Faneuil Hall (faneuilhallmarketplace.com). The one-time scene of important political speeches in a city known as “America’s Cradle of Liberty,” the hall today is the heart of a thriving pedestrian-friendly locus of more than 100 shops and restaurants. It’s the sort of place where it’s best to surrender to the colourful scene: street performers and (in season) ice sculptures amid throngs of international shoppers and gawkers. Take it all in over a local brew—Samuel Adams is among the favourites—at one of the marketplace’s sidewalk cafés.

o trip to Boston—first or 21st—would be complete without making time for its museum scene. Set aside an entire morning or afternoon for the stately Museum of Fine Arts (mfa.org), where con-

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temporary, art of the Americas and Asian are just a few categories covered. Pace yourself, and regroup at its smart dining room. (Until Feb. 4, view the celebrity portraits of famed fashion photographer Mario Testino in the appropriately named exhibition “In Your Face.”) Just a short stroll will bring you to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (gardnermuseum.org). This unique home and garden form an homage to its late owner, the arts patron for whom it was named. Rooms honour Titian, John Singer Sargent and Dutch masters, among many others. In warmer months, its serene gardens offer refuge from the city outside its walls. And the recent addition of a wing designed by Renzo Piano makes a statement about art’s timelessness by its very modernity. History buffs will be drawn to the time-frozen 1950s and ’60s at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum (jfklibrary.org), a soaring waterfront building designed by I.M. Pei. Even if politics aren’t your thing, you’ll gather a sense of what Canadian and American culture were like in the mid-20th century. Exhibitions capture the fashion, music, advertising and other signposts of the times. (You might find it difficult to tear yourself away from the loop of black-and-white TV shows popular in the 1960s.) The lion’s share of the museum—including the set of candidate Kennedy’s televised debates—is devoted to the beloved president and his wife, the style maven Jacqueline Ken-

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nedy. Most poignant is a darkened room where silently respectful visitors view TV clips from the assassinated leader’s funeral.

ames like Kennedy, Kelly, Flannigan and any number of surnames beginning with “O’” are common in the Boston area. So it’s not surprising to see signage with shamrocks gracing lively pubs throughout the city. One that features the music of family and friends by day and that of Irish folk singers by night is The Black Rose (blackroseboston.com). Waitresses here speak with real Irish accents as they serve such traditional favourites as shepherd’s pie and pints of dark ale. Other ethnic groups are represented in this city. Little Italy, in the North End (northendboston.com), can be a charmer with its more than 200 restaurants, bakeries and shops emanating from the Haymarket subway station. This neighbourhood can be enjoyed for its compact streets with no shortage of terrific eateries. We found one of them in Antico Forno (anticofornoboston.com). The warmth of its staff and rustic setting rivals that of its award-winning brick-oven pizzas. The North End is also home to serious American history: the landmark Old North Church and the house of Paul Revere, who, as every American kid learns, warned that the British were coming. Boston dining is largely a can’t-miss affair. Picking a standout can

The majesty of Boston’s Christian Science Center (opening pages). In any season, The Public Garden (opposite and this page) offers urban repose. Drama floods a Gardner museum gallery (top). Seafood shines at Boston’s chic Stanhope Grille (above, right). The State House (above, left) is steeped in history.

be a fool’s errand. We enjoyed dressing up and being pampered at the handsome Stanhope Grille in the Back Bay Hotel (doylecollection. com/restaurants/the_stanhope_grille.aspx). Our seasoned waiter, under the direction of Chefs de Cuisine Alex Loomis and James Contreras, assisted us with wine pairings that brought out the best in my pan-roasted halibut and my companion’s sirloin. Attention to detail made the Burrata a memorable treat. While some might pooh-pooh the Union Oyster House (unionoysterhouse.com) as a tourist trap where a plaque marks JFK’s favoured booth, you won’t mind once you’re seated at what’s reputed to be America’s oldest restaurant (established in 1826). Everyone is greeted like a long-lost friend. You can feel a bit lost in its labyrinth of wood-panelled dining areas, but your server will always find you. Our waitress, a second-generation staffer, warned us the cornbread she brought with her first greeting would be sweet as a dessert. As for entrees, the Basque-style mussels stood out on a menu of seafood staples. OUTLOOKS

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For unfussy local eats, there are such places as Steve’s (stevesgreekcuisine.com) in Back Bay for a basic and filling breakfast with Greek-diner authenticity. The tone goes up a few notches at Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe (617-536-7669), which puts you steps away from the tony boutiques of Newbury Street (newbury-st.com). And lunch at the Boston branch of Five Napkin Burger (5napkinburger.com) will make you glad to forsake your girlish figure for just one more day.

s is true of big cities almost anywhere these days, Boston has a bar scene with room for everyone—not that everyone will feel at home in every bar. But if you like quality live music, one place that exudes a great post-gay openness is The Beehive (beehiveboston. com). No one enjoying the jazz-joint vibe of this high-volume club/ restaurant should feel out of place—gay, straight, old, young. Its hot bands, including hometown heavyweight Amy Lynn and the Gunshow (such a pleasure to see and hear that we didn’t mind having to stand), can pack the joint, so there might be a wait in line outdoors. (And unless you’re over, say, 50, the friendly bouncer is likely to check your i.d. before you step inside.) Another nightspot with gay-straight cred is Dbar (dbarboston. com), in the metropolitan area’s increasingly LGBT-popular Dorchester section. You can make a date of dining and dancing in this styl42 OUTLOOKS DEC 2012 - JAN 2013

A blazing Boston skyline (above) captures the city’s dynamism. The Union Oyster House (opposite, top) is one of America’s oldest restaurants. Rainbow colours on a Duck Bus (opposite, middle) welcome all visitors. Renoir’s 1883 “Dance at Bougival” (opposite, bottom) is but one of the world-class treasures of Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.

ishly updated former Irish pub. For purists, there are well over a dozen solidly gay bars that, true to form, crank up late and go from there. One of them, Paradise (paradisecambridge.com), takes you to Cambridge, home of Harvard University. The anatomy lessons imparted by its male dancers show that school really can be fun. For something more tame—but some nights only slightly—there’s Jacque’s Cabaret (jacques-cabaret.com) in the theatre district. Some of the area’s top drag entertainers take to its venerable stage, some nights to lead karaoke. If you like bears (not the four-legged kind) or call yourself one, you’ll be right at home in The Alley (thealleybar.com). Its unpretentious confines attract patrons of all stripes as likely to be donning ties as they are T-shirts.

(For more information about Boston, visit bostonusa.com.)

STAYING POWER: A RAINBOW OF OPTIONS Getting around Boston is relatively effortless, so you can stay in nearly any part of town without feeling isolated. From the big chains to boutiques and B&Bs, the choices are plentiful. We particularly enjoyed the small, elegant Lenox Hotel (lenoxhotel.com). From the moment the uniformed bellman greeted us at the revolving door, we felt we’d stepped back into a slower, more gracious time. And the vibe extends to the front-desk staff, housekeeping and extremely helpful concierge (quick with a restaurant recommendation or subway directions). You could drive a semi down the art-lined, beautifully carpeted hallways that lead to equally commodious, smartly appointed rooms—many with fireplaces. Spotting a suite named for Judy Garland made us feel even more at home. The lobby-level City Bar is one of Boston’s hippest. The Chandler Inn Hotel (chandlerinn.com), near to the Boston Public Garden, has been a longtime favorite of LGBT lodgers. New to its guestrooms are the studios across the street. The latter provide such apartment-style amenities as kitchenettes and sitting nooks.

Mbell 1975

A frequent host to LGBT events, the Revere Hotel (reverehotel.com), a short walk from the Boston Common, affords chic comfort with such amenities as a pool, fitness center and sundeck. (And it’s home to the Emerald Lounge, a bar with cool to spare.) For a more in-home feel, there’s the quaint (just nine rooms) and gay-friendly Charles Street Inn (charlesstreetinn.com) in fashionable Beacon Hill. The charm and cordiality of this antique-filled B&B could make you want to nestle in for another day in liberty’s cradle. And if you want a room with a view, the highrise Westin Copley Place (westin.com/boston) could be your ticket. Its “riverview rooms” come with panoramic vistas of the Charles River and Cambridge, reminding you of just how much more you’ve got to explore.

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ART & CULTURE

Framed: Patrick Kinn POPS OF COLOUR TO SHAPE POP CULTURE

t’s only natural that the cityscapes rendered by Montreal artist Patrick Kinn seem almost to walk, drive and run off the canvas. “I am impressed by the perpetual movement of people and vehicles,” says Kinn. He holds a special affection for New York City’s famous—or infamous—big yellow taxis. As Kinn puts it, those iconic vehicles “invade my paintings.” Born in Paris, where he studied at the Ecole Boulle, Kinn went on to work in the 44 OUTLOOKS DEC 2012 - JAN 2013

industrial-design field for the next three decades, with far-flung clients in Europe and Asia. After settling in Canada, he turned nearly all of his creative attention to painting. It’s clear that Kinn’s architecture and design background continues to inform his paintings, particularly as it relates to his perspective and structural vocabulary. As an artist, Kinn is drawn to a throbbing city’s “excessive proportions”—elements that dominate in his paintings. But their appeal doesn’t end there: “Above

all, I love historic cities, Paris, London, Boston, Milan. Ever since art school, I have been sensitive to the beauty of old buildings.” Kinn says it’s been his longtime goal to achieve “the perfect painting.” Such a work might contain the elements of hyper-realism some find in the sensitivities of the artist’s existing paintings. But Kinn resists the notion of works that lead the viewer to “confuse photos and painting.” As he asks, “Where is the interest if the visitor thinks he’s looked at a picture

ART & CULTURE

and goes on his way without pleasure?” The pleasure Kinn hopes to bring his growing audience will undoubtedly be found in frenzied city scenes where buildings seem to soar almost as quickly as the pedestrians at their feet. Yet for all his inside-out clarity about urban landscapes, Kinn personally favours decidedly pastoral settings. “I live in a quiet neighbourhood near the river,” he says, “and if I could, I would live in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains.” More than likely, it wouldn’t be long

before Kinn began to see skyscrapers in those peaks.

galerie-perreault.com clarencegagnon.com koymangalleries.com terencerobertgallery.com

The artist: Patrick Kinn

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ART & CULTURE

FLASHBACK

Protecting Privacy

ust in time for Christmas, gay Canadians received a big gift from Ottawa in 1967. On December 21 of that year, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, who was minister of justice at the time, introduced a bill that would curb the government’s role in such personal matters as homosexuality. Trudeau—who, of course, went on to become prime minister—refreshingly said 45 years ago: “The state has no business in the nation’s bedrooms.” When the groundbreaking changes were later adopted, many recalled with gratitude another Trudeau declaration, that “what’s done in private between adults doesn’t concern the Criminal Code.”

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