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The Different Jim Parsons Hollywood & Boys In the Band Bottoming 101 Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Your Best Angle? The Rules of the Game Relationship Advice

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From the Editor

Even though I love summer and sun, there is something about Fall that makes it a close favorite season runner-up. Yes, there’s a chill in the air, but the season also calls for cozying up inside and preparing for the cold season. This issue celebrates Fall in different ways by giving you more traditional tips to easy getaways in or just out of Atlanta and travel essentials (yes, you will need to bring sanitizer), but we also guide you to better bottoming, the journey to fatherhood, and a better relationship. This week’s celebrity interview is with Jim Parsons, who talks about reviving the gay classic Boys in the Band, his personal takeaway, and playing bitchy queens. Perfect for a chilly Fall evening!

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CONTRIBUTORS Michael Alvear Chris Azzopardi Vincent Shifflett John Stein

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BLACK LIVES MATTER Mikkel Hyldebrandt Editorial Director | IG @hyldebrandt

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The content of Peach ATL Media is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice. The opinions expressed by any writer, advertiser, or other person appearing in the Peach ATL Media are not necessarily those of this publication, its management or staff. The information and materials appearing in the magazine are not guaranteed or warranted as to accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness, or suitability of the information and materials found or offered for a particular purpose. It shall be your responsibility to ensure that any products, services, or information available through Peach ATL Media meets your specific requirements. Peach ATL Media is not responsible for claims made by advertisers, content of information, changes, events, and schedules. The magazine contains information and material which is owned by or licensed to Peach ATL Media, including but not limited to articles, advertisements, design, layout, graphics, and logos. No part or portion of Peach ATL Media may be reproduced in any way without the prior written consent of the publisher. Unauthorized use of Peach ATL Media may give rise to claims for damages and or criminal offenses. Your use of the information or materials in Peach ATL Media is strictly at your own risk.

You’ll be just inches away from one of the most feared predators of our planet! With the newest gallery at the Georgia Aquarium - SHARKS! Predators of the Deep – you can experience five different species of sharks up close swimming in the 20-foot-deep, 185-foot-long exhibit through enormous floor-to-ceiling windows. You get to see hammerheads, silver tips, sand tigers, silky sharks, and tiger sharks like you were walking underwater with them. If you want to get really hands-on with the underwater predators, the Aquarium has two new immersive experiences. The Shark & Ray Interaction is an immersion pool where you can learn about zebra sharks and stingrays while you are in the water with the animals. The Shark Cage Dive experience immerses you into the waters of the primary habitat inside a dive cage that moves underwater, bringing you face-to-face with the sharks. The SHARKS! Predators of the Deep exhibit is included with a general admission ticket, but please note that you have to buy an advance ticket for a reserved time slot. Tickets for the two immersive experiences, Shark & Ray Interaction and the Shark Cage Dive, are sold separately. Entry temperature scans are required, and masks are required for guests three years and up.

WHAT SHARKS! Predators of the Deep Gallery WHEN Opening October 23, 2020 WHERE Georgia Aquarium Advance tickets for reserved time slots at georgiaaquarium.org 8 | follow us @ peachatlmag

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On the Road Again By Mikkel Hyldebrandt

We’re far from recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are slowly coming out of our shells to travel again tentatively. It may not be an international tour, but even a domestic vacation or crossstate road trip has its benefits when it comes to switching up your everyday life. Here are a few travel essentials that are good for any trip, plus a few additions to traveling during (and after?) a pandemic.

For a short weekend getaway, a weekender duffle bag is your perfect companion. Just enough room for a couple of changes of clothes, an extra pair of shoes, and the necessary toiletries. Cole Haan Leather Duffle, $378 An actual suitcase is the best solution for air travel, even though you plan to not check it in – your stuff is just better protected in a hard-lined case. Samsonite Etude 20” Spinner Suitcase, $199 Keep all your most valuable and personal items close at all times with a bag or backpack that you can have on your body at all times. Banana Republic Tote Bag Camouflage, $60 Even bringing your laptop to and from work puts it at risk for scratches and little dents – and why even risk that with all the cute covers you can get for it! Chic Geek Grey Marble MacBook Case, $80 Being on the go means not necessarily being close to an outlet where you can charge your devices, so why not bring your own! Anker PowerCore 26800 Portable Charger, $50 A jacket is perfect for some quick layering if you get chilly – and this one even dresses you up a little for when you go and arrive! Uniqlo Men Comfort Jacket, $60

Travel Essential Extras Under COVID A new world order means a new way of traveling (especially air travel), and it will probably be a long time before we won’t have to travel with these extra essentials that will keep you as safe and healthy as possible. Face Shield + Face Mask Hand Sanitizer Personal Water Bottle Disinfectant Wipes 10 | follow us @ peachatlmag

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Bottoming 101: The Best Angle of Entry

As Explained in the best-selling sex guide, HOW TO BOTTOM LIKE A PORN STAR What angle should your partner’s penis enter you? Straight in? Pointing up? Down? Dyed, fried and laid to the side?

Why? Because it prevents the penis from hitting the front of your rectal wall, near the navel, where your prostate sits.

In the second edition of his popular book, How To Bottom Like A Porn Star, Michael Alvear explains how there is one—and only one—angle the penis should go in and it doesn’t matter what position you’re in or how much you’ve straightened your S-curve:

Unless you guide the head of the penis away from the navel it will hit your prostate, an incredibly sensitive organ. You can’t angle his penis too much the other way because then it’ll hit the back of the rectal wall.

About 45 degrees away from your navel. *NSFW available on our website

If you want to understand how this works for real, get in the shower with a lubed up finger. Squat and insert your finger toward your navel. Doesn’t feel so good, does it? You’re hitting the prostate which sits just on the other side of the front rectal wall, near your navel. Now insert your finger away from your navel. Doesn’t feel so good, does it? You’re hitting the back of the rectal wall. Now this time insert your finger away from your navel by about 45 degrees. Notice you didn’t feel a stabbing sensation? Nothing hurt. That’s because your finger went in through the “hallway” between the front and back rectal wall. If your partner penetrates you with his penis pointed at the correct angle it will look something like the image in the “Just Right” photo. Notice how everything fits tight and right. The penis isn’t hitting the prostate or the back of the rectal wall. Like a good running back, it’s running up the middle. Pain-free penetration is a matter of degrees. Not too far up, not too far down. Think of it as the Goldilocks version of making whoopi: Too High… Too Low… Just Right. For more tips, Michael Alvear’s HOW TO BOTTOM LIKE A PORN STAR is available on Amazon and Audible. Learn more at likeapornstar. net.

The Journey to Fatherhood By John Stein The world’s largest community of gay, bi, and trans parents and prospective parents, has launched its Fatherhood Partner program, a new initiative for men seeking to embark on their journeys to fatherhood. As part of the program, Gays with Kids has aligned with some of the world’s top gay-friendly IVF clinics and surrogacy agencies, as well as with key adoption/foster agencies at the forefront of LGBTQ+ family building. In addition to creating comprehensive instructional courses that outline each available option for creating a family, they are connecting prospective dads with the best LGBTQ+ affirming professionals who can help them fulfill their dreams based on their individual interests and budgets. “Our unique history as the largest online community of queer dads and dads to be has allowed us to work closely with a handful of the most proven and experienced LGBTQ+ family builders,” says David Dodge, GWK’s Executive Editor. “Our new Fatherhood Partners Program provides members of our community with free access to these experts to get everything they’ll need — resources, guides, educational courses, and more — to achieve their dream of fatherhood, regardless of their path.” In vetting its Fatherhood Partners, GWK considered each organization’s reputation among consumers and industry peers; as well as their longevity, track record and LGBTQ+ expertise as demonstrated through participation in Family Equality Open Door and/or HRC All Children-All Families.

Each partner associated with the new educational platform is delivering their expertise as part of GWK’s completely free of charge curriculum. “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with GWK on this new educational series for gay, bi and trans men interested in fatherhood,” says Sam Hyde, President and CEO of Circle Surrogacy, one of the Fatherhood Partners. “This new platform is providing us with an unparalleled opportunity to connect queer men with the resources and education they need to build their families through IVF and surrogacy.” “There are so many professionals to choose from, but for queer men, they are not all created equal,” said Molly Rampe Thomas, founder of Choice Network, a Fatherhood Partner focusing on adoption. “We are thrilled to be working with GWK to help educate prospective adoptive dads on how best to navigate the often-confusing adoption process, and connect them with LGBTQ affirming professionals.” Additional surrogacy agencies in the Partners to Fatherhood program are Same Love Surrogacy, Simple Surrogacy and Worldwide Surrogacy. The IVF Clinics are California Fertility Partners, Fertility Centers of Illinois, Fertility Specialists of Texas and Reproductive Medicine Associates of Connecticut. The adoption agencies include Amara, Extraordinary Families, Friends in Adoption and Spence Chapin. For more information on the Fatherhood Partner program, visit gayswithkids.com and @gayswithkids on all social platforms.

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A Different Side of Jim Parsons

By Chris Azzopardi Photos by Netflix

A lot has happened this year, and that’s aside from Jim Parsons dancing around in a bra. That bit, of course, graced screens across the world thanks to Netflix’s Hollywood, the Big Bang Theory actor shedding his well-established onscreen TV persona to play a sleazy Hollywood agent in the flashy revisionist drama. The Ryan Murphy series garnered him an Emmy nomination, but best of all: It wouldn’t be the only time in 2020 that Parsons would be taking on the role of a bitchy queen. In Netflix’s The Boys in the Band, again produced by Murphy, Parsons is a standout among standouts in the remake of the pioneering 1970 gay-centric drama, directed by William Friedkin. Initially staged as an Off-Broadway play in 1968, the film is based on Mart Crowley’s screenplay, written about a group of gay friends and frenemies living in New York City. An awkward birthday party for their friend Harold, a self-proclaimed “ugly, pockmarked Jew fairy,” becomes the breeding ground for savage takedowns, as they tear into each other, exposing the kind of selfhatred familiar to gay men trying to survive the oppressive state of pre-Stonewall America. Parsons plays seething party host Michael, a semi-lapsed Catholic whose aggressively nasty observations about his friends reveal more about him than it does about them. In the remake, Parsons reprises his role alongside the original – and entirely openly gay – cast of the 2018 Broadway revival: Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, Charlie Carver, Robin de Jesús, Brian Hutchison, Michael Benjamin Washington and Tuc Watkins. Parsons’s out Hollywood co-star Joe Mantello, who directed the Broadway revival, once again directs. On Zoom recently, Parsons talked about the revealing conversations he shared with Crowley about The Boys in the Band before his death in March and how working on the project led to a deeper understanding and questioning of his own selfworth. Being the bitchy queen doesn’t seem like something that comes naturally to you. Apparently I have an affinity with it, or an interest in it. Or Ryan Murphy has an interest in forcing me to do it! I’m not sure which. Ha!

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What has that experience been like for you? It’s been heaven. As an actor, I’ll be honest with you: Both of these men are complicated characters, and the two roles this year in Hollywood and in Boys in the Band were very different in many ways, but they had a similar feeling to me. Going into the projects, there was a mystery and an unknown quality about the challenge that lied ahead. I felt confident that I would be able to get there with both of them, but it was exciting to know it wasn’t a done deal. I was going to work to get there, and I was going to have to, most importantly, get on set and start doing these scenes for both these characters and see what happened, and that was exciting. Your role in Hollywood earned you an Emmy nomination, which must have felt validating after being uncertain about playing that role. That was a great feeling. Playing more challenging characters such as these, when do you know, “OK, I think I’ve got it”? I feel like that specific feeling comes in little spots through the process, where you just feel good about something. But in general, everything I do, by the time it’s all done and the months go by until it’s released, suddenly I start having trouble remembering any of the good moments and I’m like, “Oh god, oh god. It’s coming.” When I worked on Hollywood on the character Henry, that was a longer process than the film because it was episodes and it went on for about six months. We were about midway through the process when I actually wrote Ryan Murphy an email just telling him how appreciative I was of the experience, and it was because I had crossed some bridge about working on that character. It had really clicked in me what a special opportunity this was, this character, that I just hadn’t seen as clearly when I first started. With Michael, the reasons for his ruthless disdain really reveal themselves at the end of the film. When you’re playing characters as vicious as Michael and Henry, what’s your process for exposing the layers of humanity beneath the surface of these characters’ rough edges?

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In the case of Michael, I think that’s a big part of what you carry with you going into the beginning of the rehearsal process, knowing that you’re dealing with a character who is compensating as much as he can. I always had this phrase in my head every time I was working with the character: He’s just dancing as fast as he can in order to keep things afloat. But it’s so superficial because there’s this elemental part of himself that he is completely unhappy with and so, as happens in this, just the right amount of things break the wrong way and he’s cracked. What’s interesting about both characters is that Henry in Hollywood was based on a real man, Henry Wilson, the man who invented Rock Hudson, and so I had this beautiful book by Robert Hofler that is Henry’s biography. Robert had done so much research about who he was and when he was young and when he got old, and we focus on one specific part of Henry – and invented so much around it too; it wasn’t all pure truth – so to have all that information gave me a humane quality to Henry that I understood. Michael was a little different. Even though I consciously knew that he was a rough standin for the writer, Mart Crowley, I didn’t want to presume how much, nor did I want to put that responsibility on myself. At the time, both for the play and the movie, Mart was alive and I just thought, “Don’t even think about it.” But it

kind of couldn’t help creeping in, and the more chances I had to be around Mart and talk to Mart and exchange emails with Mart, one thing after another began to click and I was like, “The character of Michael is a writer just like Mart is.” From this distance, now that we’ve had this put to bed for so long, although it’s just now being released, I see a version of it where this is partly the story of Mart before he was able to write Boys in the Band. For me, the main magical thing about Boys in the Band comes from the fact that Mart was finally able to reveal himself and his situation and the people that he knew and loved with so much brutal honesty. I think that’s why it connected with so many people. I think that’s why it stood the test of time. I think that’s why, as a piece of literature, it has stayed bubbling in our consciousness this long, and lo and behold has expanded to become something that’s not just about gay men. It’s become something that’s about all people suffering under oppression and shame. And that’s the way the world went, but I don’t think, unless you’re willing to open a vein the way that Mart was, that, going back to Michael, I believe that you can’t create something that impactful and be that honest until you accept yourself for everything that you are. That’s where we leave Michael, with Harold telling him, “You will always be a homosexual. There’s nothing you can do to change it.” And

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we don’t see Michael transition into a healthier, self-loving person, but the more I think about it, the more I think that if he’s truly a stand-in for Mart, then that’s where Michael goes. Maybe he goes off to write his Boys in the Band. It’s interesting to me to think that the film, when it was released in 1968, before the lexicon of LGBTQ identities expanded, resonated with an especially niche group of people. And that was, specifically, gay men. Now, that specific demographic seems almost antiquated because identity is far less restrictive. One of the things I’m realizing – and please understand that so many things that I’m realizing I’m realizing them in the moment as we are now able to talk about the release of this film and the evolution that this story that Mart created has gone through – that no writer or anybody could predict because you don’t know what’s going to happen in the world. Stonewall happened shortly after Boys in the Band. It was a moment that created a real backlash from

the gay community against Boys in the Band, and for all the complaints, the main one was, “We don’t want to be represented like this, as unhappy, self-hating, have-to-hide at-home (people).” And I totally understand that. Especially in that infantile time, that embryo of this independence starting to form, you need all the nutrition you can get, ha! But because of the efforts of so many, we have come far enough that we are more than OK to look at an honest portrayal of a real side of what it was to be gay. And even though it’s not as intense in this way, there’s residual (issues). One of the things I discovered going through this and having the luxury to spend so much time with this part, both in the play and in the movie, was how much of those feelings that I thought I didn’t really have because of my age and the acceptance in the world. Bullshit. I do. I do. It’s not as intense. It’s a different world. But it’s not gone completely. And there is still a part of me that, as a gay person, I see more clearly having

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played Michael for so long. (I’m) still dealing with – and it’s truly OK, consciously I know this – but there’s that little voice inside sometimes that still goes, “Am I enough? Am I OK?” I recognize that, with my very good friends especially, there’s a language that we speak with each other that’s tart-tongued and lovingly bitchy. I’m wondering if the way these gay men talk to each other on-screen translated off-screen since you worked with a cast of all gay men. (Smiles.) You know what? I don’t know if it was because of who we are or because of the time we’re living – ha! – or because we were actually working together: It was certainly not as biting; it’s a lot kinder, although Charlie, sweet thing, may disagree. He takes a beating from us! But you know what? That’s youth, and that’s what you get. Ha! But no, definitely, it was one of the most profound things about going through this process, and I’m not even speaking about whether or not this is reflected in the final product on film. I’m really

talking about my own personal experience of working on this: I feel we have the luxury now of not needing for safety and for personal comfort to be surrounded by your tribe of gay men. Many people have plenty of gay friends, and so many people solely, but it’s not for the same reasons in my opinion that it would’ve been in the late ’60s, early ’70s where it was like, “Truly, we have to stick together.” That’s wonderful. But what I realized working with these guys is there’s a language spoken. I don’t know if it’s all gay men all over the planet. All gay people. I don’t know if it’s strictly specific to a gay American male. I will say it’s the only time I’ve gone to curtain call and repeatedly – and I don’t even know why because I hate saying this, but I’m like, “Hey heney!” I mean, I never talk like that. Ha! But every once in a while, I would grab Zach Quinto’s hand on stage before the bow and I’d go, “Hi heney!” Ryan Murphy has said we need more stories about the history of LGBTQ people. Aside from starring in Boys in

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the Band this year, you are producing the LGBTQ docudrama Equal for HBO Max. What are some other LGBTQ stories you would like to see revived for new generations of LGBTQ people to experience? That’s hard to say. You know what’s funny to me, and I don’t know what this says about me, exactly – well, it says that I’m a child of privilege, that I’m a gay man of privilege living in the world that I’ve grown up in. But I’ve been so fortunate that the people that I’ve worked with have called on me to be a part of these things, whether it was Normal Heart or Boys in the Band. Even Equal was something that was being created and thought of and they included me in on it. So I have been blessed with this story lesson since I was, again, just too privileged and going about my own daily business in order to go research on my own.

And I get sweaty palms at the thought of, were it not for the sliding-door moments of these people asking me to do this, I might miss it, or not understand it, or feel it the way that I do now. So I hope that these projects go out to people and give a similar level of that. I don’t want to say education because it’s entertainment and I want people to watch it, for Christ’s sake. Ha! But I hope that we’ve portrayed it in a way that is realistic and humanizing enough that you can’t help but get the point. As editor of Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ wire service, Chris Azzopardi has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.

But I guess my answer is twofold: I don’t know what the next story is that should be revived, and the second thing is that I do realize the importance because of the impact that it’s had on me being exposed to these stories, and a strength and a well-roundness that I feel as a gay man by understanding more specifically the historical context within which I walk as a gay man in 2020 now. It’s crucial for making me the person I am.

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Relationships: The Rules of the Game by Vince Shifflet

e are involved in many different types of W relationships over the course of our physical existence on this earth. For the purposes of

this article, I will be referring only to romantic relationships. It doesn’t have to be difficult. As a matter of fact, it can be a pleasurable experience if both parties understand the “Rules of the Game” going into the relationship. What does a healthy relationship look like? I am finding that more and more people are approaching me to talk about their relationship and receive counsel and feedback. Am I the expert? Not at all but life experience has taught me valuable lessons. I would like to share some of those lessons with you in this article. I have indeed been guilty of projecting my expectations on my partner. The expectation that you will tell me you love me every day. The expectation that you will touch me and show me affection every day. The expectation that you will surprise me with gifts and flowers occasionally. The expectation that you are supposed to be my everything.

I am realizing that I am my everything. To put that expectation on anyone else is a recipe for disappointment and a failed or unhappy relationship.

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Is it okay to want to be shown affection? Yes. Is it okay to want to be surprised by your partner? Yes. It is okay to want affection from your partner? Of course. The important question I had to ask myself was, is it a want or a need. What is lacking in me that I have a need to feel validated by my other half? Relationships are about being a loving partner. Not a parent. There is a fine line between being a partner and acting in a parental manner. No adult appreciates another adult telling them what to do or attempting to control their life. All the questions such as, “Where have you been?” “I tried to call you and you didn’t answer.” “Who just texted you?” “Who was that on the phone?” “How do you know him/her?” “Why are you late coming home from work?” Those are all questions a parent would ask a child. Your romantic partner is not your child. Have a meaningful conversation with your partner to talk about the “Rules of the Game.” Ideally, I have found it works better to have the conversation in the beginning then repeat the conversation if the rules change as you both evolve because we know that NOTHING stays the same forever. Do you want an open relationship? Do you want a strictly monogamous relationship? Do you want a polyamorous relationship? There is no right

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or wrong as long as the individuals involved are aware of the rules. It becomes problematic when there is deceit, cheating, lying, having secret relationships on the side, playing on the DL, and just plain ole being dishonest. Have the conversation and allow the other party to decide if they want to play the game. They can’t play if they don’t know the rules. Are you in a happy, loving, completely honest relationship? Are you aware of ALL the rules? Are you feeling resentful because your partner is acting like a parent? Are you hiding things? Have a healthy, respectful conversation with your romantic partner today if you haven’t already done so. Don’t project your expectations and needs onto your partner. Instead, ask yourself the hard questions such as “Why do I feel this way?” I have discovered that it has nothing to do with my partner but instead is more about my personal insecurities, fears, and past experiences. If you truly feel the need to go through your partners phone, computer, wallet, pocket-book or other personal items, then you should pause and reflect. Am I truly with the wrong person or is it my insecurities and fears that are driving my behaviors. Either one could be the case. You may need to seek counsel regarding the “rules of the game” and that is fine. I always see counseling as a great thing. My only word

of caution would be, NEVER seek counsel from your single friends or from your friends who are in dishonest relationships. Friends can sometimes give selfish, unconscious advice. Friends sometimes can actually make it worse by steering you away from the relationship simply because they are single and have no one special in their life or simply because they are not fulfilled. They may attempt to get you to go to the bar with them. They may try to influence you that it is okay to be dishonest and have a fling with another person. They may say things such as “Child, I don’t want a relationship.” I believe we all desire that special intimate relationship. It may look different for each individual but we all desire that intimacy. Someone to share life with. Bottom line: Live your life to the fullest and allow the one you love to do the same without expectations. If the relationship is not working for you, have the courage to admit that and move on to make room for what the Universe has for you. Don’t waste another day pondering and analyzing. Your heart already knows the answer. Listen to it and move forward. Vince is an author, registered nurse, and blogger living in Atlanta. He routinely writes on matters affecting our physical, mental, and spiritual health as well as topics related to relationships. You can follow him on his website at vinceshifflett.com as well as on Facebook and Instagram.

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OCT 21 - 28

Due to the ongoing pandemic, please keep yourself updated on an event’s status as it may change last-minute. We believe in safety first, so this lineup features mainly virtual events or in-person events with limited capacity that enforce CDC guidelines. Haunted Art Show The gallery’s Annual Haunted Art Show is virtual this year, but you’ll still get the chance to get your hands on some amazingly spooktacular art. To view the art, go to dooGallery’s Facebook page and enter via the discussion links. Wednesday, October 21, 12 am – 12 pm Online Event Floralia The postponed celebration of Spring is back for fall! Come dressed in your best FLORAL prints, headdresses, and accessories as they bring back Spring and honor Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers and the season of Spring. Friday, Oct 23, 10 pm – 3 am The Heretic

Big Night Out! Concert Series Atlanta’s first outdoor concert series is designed to meet the highly restrictive standards of human engagement in a COVID-19 environment. Check out performers and scheduling at bignightoutatl.com. October 23-25, 5:30 – 11 pm Centennial Olympic Park

Neon Horror’s Necrodance Mary’s continues their successful and safe run of combination in-person and virtual parties with their horrific Halloween pre-party. Tickets will be sold for the in-person event and streaming online. Sunday, October 25, 3 – 6 pm Mary’s & Twitch

sheNUNagans LIVE! Join the Atlanta Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence for their Monthly sheNUNagans LIVE Show, where they chat about current events and happenings around town. Guest appearances by local community members. Sunday, October 25, 7 pm Facebook Live 36 | follow us @ peachatlmag

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MIDTOWN 1

Monroe Dr. NE

Amsterdam Ave.

12th St. NE

NE ve . tA

Piedmont Park

Pi e

Juniper St. NE

14th St. NE

10th St. NE

. NE

oe Dr

e. NE Piedmont Av

Juniper St . NE

Peachtree St. NE

Monr

Charle s Alle n Dr . N E

12 W. Peachtree St. NW

P o n ce D e Leo n Pl . N E

Spring St. NW

4th St. NE

Ponce De Leon Ave. NE

BARS

Dining

2 Blake's 3 Bulldogs 4 Friends

227 10th St NE 893 Peachtree St NE 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

6 My Sister’s Room 7 Ten Atlanta

66 12th St NE 990 Piedmont Ave NE

10 th & Piedmont Campagnolo Einstein's F.R.O.G.S

991 Piedmont Ave NE 980 Piedmont Ave NE 1077 Juniper St NE 931 Monroe Cir NE

clubs 13 Atlanta Eagle

306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

fitness

retail 8 Barking Leather

9 10 11 12

306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

14 Urban Body Fitness 500 Amsterdam Ave NE

spa/bath 15 Flex Spa

76 4th St. NW

16 17 18 19

G’s Midtown Henry’s Joe's on Juniper La Hacienda

219 10th St NE 132 10th St NE 1049 Juniper St NE 900 Monroe Dr NE

billards/Darts drag dancers leather non-smoking area Patio

When the world throws you Let be your savedandgay.com

Cheshire

ansley 21

idg

on tC ir .

BARS 2043 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1086 Alco St NE 1931 Piedmont Cir NE

1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd

32 33 34 35 36

Midtown Moon Felix's The Hideaway Mixx Oscar's

1510 Piedmont Ave Suite A 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd 2069 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1739 Cheshire Bridge Rd

Fitness 2201 Faulkner Rd NE

Spa / bath 2135 Liddell Drive NE

1492 Piedmont Ave NE 1510 Piedmont Ave NE 1544 Piedmont Ave NE 1492 Piedmont Ave NE 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

Dining 38 Eclectic Bistro

clubs

30 Gravitee Fitness

e. nt mo ed Pi

Piedmont Park

Retail

28 Heretic 29 Tokyo Valentino

Dining

26 Barking Leather 27 Southern Nights

BARS

24 Las Margaritas 25 Roxx

ge Rd Brid hire Ches

28 20

25 r eB

26 35

20 BJ Roosters 21 Sequel 22 Tripps

42 The Den

hir

ll D

. NE

Pi e

idde

x Rd

Manchester St. NE

Piedmont Rd. NE

42 L

Le no

Lambert Dr.

St.

A l co

1600 Piedmont Ave NE 1425 Piedmont Ave NE

Retail 39 Boy Next Door 1447 Piedmont Ave NE 40 Brushstrokes/Pleasures 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

Fitness 41 Equilibrium Fitness

1529 Piedmont Ave, Suite L

NOT SHOWN

Mary's Sister Louisaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church Swinging Richards Lips Atlanta The T Woof's

1287 Glenwood Ave SE 466 Edgewood Ave SE 1400 Northside Dr NW 3011 Buford Hwy NE 465 Boulevard SE 494 Plasters Ave NE

A snapshot of Gay Atlanta’s favorite destinations. View their ads in Peach ATL & visit their websites for weekly event listings.

BARS & CLUBS MIDTOWN ATLANTA EAGLE atlantaeagle.com 306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE BLAKE’S ON THE PARK blakesontheparkatlanta.com 227 10th St NE BULLDOGS 893 Peachtree St NE FRIENDS NEIGHBORHOOD BAR friendsonponce-atl. com 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE MY SISTER’S ROOM mysistersroom.com 66 12th St NE TEN ATLANTA tenatlanta.com 990 Piedmont Ave NE THE T modeltatlanta.com 465 Boulevard SE CHESHIRE HERETIC hereticatlanta.com 2069 Cheshire Bridge Road BJ ROOSTERS bjroosters.com 2043 Cheshire Bridge Road NE SEQUEL 1086 Alco St NE TRIPPS 1931 Piedmont Circle N

ANSLEY MIDTOWN MOON 1492 Piedmont Ave NE FELIX’S 1510 Piedmont Ave NE THE HIDEAWAY 1544 Piedmont Ave NE MIXX mixxatlanta.com 1492 Piedmont Ave NE OSCAR’S oscarsatlanta.com 1510 Piedmont Ave NE WOOFS woofsatlanta.com 494 Plasters Ave NE EAST ATLANTA, GRANT PARK & EDGEWOOD MARY’S marysatlanta.com 1287 Glenwood Ave SE SISTER LOUISA’S CHURCH sisterlouisaschurch. com 466 Edgewood Ave SE SWINGING RICHARDS swingingrichards. com 1400 Northside Dr NW

DINING MIDTOWN 10TH & PIEDMONT 10thandpiedmont. com 991 Piedmont Ave NE EINSTEIN’S einsteinsatlanta. com 1077 Juniper St NE FROGS CANTINA frogsmidtown.com 931 Monroe Dr G’S gsmidtown.com 219 10th St NE

RETAIL MIDTOWN BARKING LEATHER AFTER DARK barkingleather.com 306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE CHESHIRE SOUTHERN NIGHTS VIDEO 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE ANSLEY BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR boynextdoormenswear.com 1447 Piedmont Ave NE

HENRY’S henrysatl.com 132 10th St NE

GCB & PLEASURES brushstrokesatlanta. com 1510 Piedmont Ave. NE

JOE’S ON JUNIPER joesonjuniper.com 1049 Juniper St NE

BARKING LEATHER barkingleather.com 1510 Piedmont Ave Suite A

LA HACIENDA lahaciendamidtown. com 900 Monroe Dr NE CHESHIRE LAS MARGARITAS lasmargaritasmidtown.com 1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE ROXX 1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE DEKALB LIPS ATLANTA atldragshow.com 3011 Buford Hwy NE

FITNESS MIDTOWN URBAN BODY FITNESS urbanbodyfitness.com 500 Amsterdam Ave N

CHESHIRE

GRAVITEE FITNESS graviteeatl.com 2201 Faulkner Rd NE

SPAS/BATHS ADULT FLEX SPA flexspas.com 76 4th St NW CHESHIRE THE DEN thedenatlanta.com 2135 Liddell Drive NE

peach CLASSIFIEDS

Atlanta’s premier for as little as

LGBT MAGAZINE

35 per week! $

Email jeff@peachatl.com for more information.

A D V E R T I S E I n A t l a n t a ’s P r e m i e r L G B T

M a g a z in e f o r a lit t le a s $ 3 5 P e r w e e k ! E m a i l : j e ff @ p e a c h a t l.c o m f o r m o r e i n f o .

Getaways In or Near Atlanta

Sometimes you just need to get out of the house, but you shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sacrifice your health or safety to do so. Luckily, there are several quick getaways not far from or in Atlanta where you can still socially distance while still getting out of the house. 1. Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Little Grand Canyon in Providence Canyon State Park - gastateparks. org/ProvidenceCanyon 2. Kayaking on Lake Allatoona - lakeallatoonakayaking.com 3. Hiking the Phinizy Center & Nature Park - phinizycenter. org 4. Discover Georgian wine country in Dahlonega montaluce.com 5. German charm in Helen,

6. Explore the spooky Oakland Cemetary 7. Experience quirky art in Birmingham, Alabama 8. Hike Point Park on Lookout Mountain in 9. Stroll the Tybee Island Beach and Tybee Lighthouse 10. Visit Blue Ridge for a day trip or overnight

Georgia

42 | follow us @ peachatlmag

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So you wanna have some fun?

E-mail your Peach Pits to mikkel@PeachATL.com

Are we playing with Legos?

Happy Coming Out Day. I came out as tired. My pronouns are had it/over it/done

ByNo, cutting the sleeves I wasoff thinking something of else? all your t-shirts? Video games? Something more adult

No matter how chilly it has gotten, someone is still sleeping with the fan on

Oh, we’re doing taxes …

Just tested positive for being my mom’s cutest kid

I don’t always have time to fold laundry, but when I do, I don’t!

Asking for a friend If you can’t drink the water in Mexico, can you douche with it?

44 | follow us @ peachatlmag

2020 is a BDSM scene and none of us know the SAFE WORD!

Dear 2020, Will you at least start using lube now?

www.peachatl.com

ATLANTA PRIDE

HAPPY PRIDE ATLANTA! (VIRTUAL)

ABETTERBUZZ IS PROUD TO BE A SPONSOR FOR PRIDE AND A MEMBER OF OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY. UNTIL WE CAN ALL CELEBRATE TOGETHER AGAIN, STAY SAFE AND STAY PROUD!

USE CODE “ATLPRIDE” FOR 20% OFF ONLINE ORDERS AT ABETTERBUZZBRANDGOODS.COM! OFFER VALID THROUGH 10/31/2020

| 45

ARIES (MAR. 21 - APR. 19) All the ideas you came up with during quarantine are manifesting themselves in many ways. You’ve got big dreams, everyone knows that. Now, though, you may find that they start to grow out of proportion to reality. There’s nothing wrong with that, and you may bump up your ambition a bit.

TAURUS (APR. 20 - MAY 20) With a hopeful end to this pandemic in a hopefully not so distant future, you are definitely thinking about the future right now - and you might find that you’ve got better ideas than usual. It’s a great time for you to see if you can get your friends to brainstorm with you.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)

GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN. 20)

The cooler night air has you sleeping more soundly these days. Pay closer attention to your dreams right now - they are sure to point you in the right direction. If you can’t remember them, let your mind drift and see where it ends up, as that should provide clues.

Try to focus your energy on creative pursuits this week, even if you don’t have any ideas just yet. It’s one of those weeks that can generate more plans than you can follow through with, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21)

CANCER (JUN. 21 - JUL. 22)

Maybe it is the fact that the season is changing rapidly, buy you have more patience for rambling and reminiscing lately – and you should join in! It’s a really good time to connect your present situation to that of your ancestors or old friends.

Maybe it’s the crisp Fall air, but your intuitive powers are heightened, which is saying quite a lot. You can act on hunches that others would keep subdued and expect good results. Late in the week, you need to warn a friend about something big.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19)

LEO (JUL. 23 - AUG. 22)

The fact that you couldn’t celebrate Pride this year has given you a deep well of compassion to draw on, and right now you need to do just that - people are in serious need! You may find one case that needs your attention, or you may start to think big.

You have been feeling like everything has been coming crashing down for weeks now, and that has left you in a hyper-emotional state. It may not feel like that to you, but your friends and family can definitely tell that you are reacting very strongly right now. Remember it’s okay to blow off steam as long as those closest to you don’t get burnt.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)

VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEP. 22)

Your head may be in the clouds lately, but that’s just where it needs to be. You can expect to come back with some big ideas that may seem impractical at the moment but should prove successful long-term. Don’t be afraid to think and dream big!

PISCES (FEB. 19 - MAR. 20) Not that you shouldn’t have any ‘me time’ in your life but try to focus on other people for a change. Too much energy turned inward can be wasteful, and you need to be able to get at least one important person to see that you can be valuable to them and that it’s not just all about you.

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The spirit of Fall is in you along with the desire to get outside! You’re usually the master of facts and figures, but right now they just seem to zip around before your eyes like fireflies. It is imperative that you take the opportunity to walk away to clear your head, so you can gain a new perspective.

LIBRA (SEP. 23 - OCT. 22) As you can appreciate and distinguish every single color on the trees changing colors, try to pay attention to the smallest details of your life right now. They are the ones that can offer you the best guidance. Even your wisest friend doesn’t know what the mess in your living room knows, but you emerge with a vision.

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Trouble in the love department? With sex? Or just people in general? Send us your queries, questions, and problems, and you’ll get answers served straight up and with a little ice.

When I started dating my boyfriend, I told him that I prefer to have an open relationship, but that we could have a ‘grace period’ before going into it. Although we can’t really open up anything right now because of the pandemic, I do think that, once it is safe again, we should start opening up. But now, my boyfriend is suddenly saying that he is not sure if he can go through with being in an open relationship. I want to be with him and commit to him, but I also want to sleep with other people when it’s safe. What do I do? Sincerely Open Relation Dear Open Relation When you go into a new relationship, you often say things that will make you look better or will make you feel closer to that person. And sometimes, those things we say end up working out fine as something we want later, even though we didn’t really want it in the beginning. Or, like in your case, that thing becomes an issue that needs to be dealt with. So, what is happening here is that you have told your boyfriend that you want an open relationship at some point, and he somehow agreed to it verbally or non-verbally because it was kind of a premise for the relationship in the first place. And now, he is making it clear that he is not into an open relationship. For now. You say nothing about how long you have been together, but it doesn’t seem like a long time, so start by giving him some more time. If this is a radical idea to him, he may still be processing that thing you said about having an open relationship at the very beginning of the relationship. You need to respect that if you want to be with him, but you can also engage in conversations with him about what he feels about opening up the relationship, and why he is hesitant. Once you build that trust, he may open up to the idea. And if he doesn’t, you need to decide if he really is the one for you.

I’m seeing this guy, we are on the way to becoming boyfriends, but there is one thing that is somewhat off. Although we have really great sex, there is one thing we can’t really do because of his anatomy: Anal! I have always enjoyed bottoming, but with him it is an issue because he is gifted with a very long and thick penis. It is amazing in all other capacities, but I simply can’t accommodate it ‘back there.’ What can I do to actually better take him? Is there a training tool? Sincerely Beyond the Tip Dear Beyond the Tip You can get a variety of inflatable butt plugs that start at a low circumference and expand to a point where you can take him too. You can always consider exploring the wonderful ways of fisting as a playful way to help with your expansion. Just always remember to use lots of lube – and that goes for everything that you do with him! Take it slow and gradual, and use breathing exercises to relax those parts that you need to loosen up!

NEED ANSWERS? SEND YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS TO MIKKEL@PEACHATL.COM