Q
Healthy Foods For Queer Life
inform | inspire
Eating
WELL LGBTQ restauranteurs making Atlanta delicious
Facebook’s Big Lie On Queer Opinions
Q ueen, Rify & Other Royalty Fighting Alongside, Not Against Your Depression August 22, 2019
Q Shots Queer Agenda Q Voices The Weekly Print Publication of Project Q Atlanta
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EDITOR’S NOTE Q Q MAGAZINE THE WEEKLY PUBLICATION OF PROJECT Q ATLANTA PUBLISHERS INITIAL MEDIA, LLC MIKE FLEMING PUBLISHER & EDITOR MIKE@THEQATL.COM MATT HENNIE PUBLISHER & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MATT@THEQATL.COM RICHARD CHERSKOV PUBLISHER & GENERAL MANAGER RICHARD@THEQATL.COM ART DIRECTOR JOHN NAIL JOHN@THEQATL.COM PROJECT Q ATLANTA PATRICK SAUNDERS EDITOR PSAUNDERS@THEQATL.COM CONTRIBUTORS IAN ABER LAURA BACCUS GABRIELLE CLAIBORNE BUCK COOKE CHARLES E. DAVIS JON DEAN BILL DICKINSON JIM FARMER BRAD GIBSON JAMES L. HICKS BENTLEY HUDGINS TAMEEKA L. HUNTER HEATHER MALONEY ERIC PAULK KYLE ROSE JAMES PARKER SHEFFIELD VINCE SHIFFLETT ALEXANDRA TYLER VAVA VROOM RUSS YOUNGBLOOD
The Best
REVENGE
IF YOU’RE OUT TO SHOW LIFE it can’t keep you down, living well in queer Atlanta starts with eating well, and Q is all about it this week.
Meet Jennifer Karlebach in Q&A. The local lesbian dietician talks healthy eating that isn’t boring, and she provides the perfect intro for our cover feature.
Contributing photographer Russ Youngblood finds 10 LGBTQ-ATL chefs and
restaurateurs hard at work in a photo essay of which the whole queer village can
be proud. I asked each one to offer some MIKE FLEMING EDITOR & PUBLISHER
insight on their businesses to go with the portraits so you can get to know them or
get reacquainted.
Beyond food, this edition of Q also has friends, fun and Facebook. Ian Aber pays tribute to lost queer souls of the former in Q
Voices, and The Q column re-exposes the lies of the social media juggernaut in the latter.
In between, the fun comes in the form of a packed Queer Agenda calendar of events, as well as your best looks from recent events on our Q Shots pages.
Like I always say, Q is like Doritos: Eat all you want. We’ll make
NATIONAL ADVERTISING RIVENDELL MEDIA SALES@RIVENDELLMEDIA.COM 212-242-6863
more. Project Q Atlanta catches you up on local LGBTQ news,
LOCAL ADVERTISING SALES@THEQATL.COM 404-949-7071
If you just can’t find what you’re looking for in those places or on
politics and other items of interest made fresh daily at theQatl.
com, and we are here for you on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. these pages, don’t hesitate to write me at mike@theQatl.com.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
VOLUME 2 ISSUE 39 AUGUST 22, 2019
GOOD FOOD
Dietician Jennifer Karlebach
COVER
13 11
Eat Up
10 Queer-led Eateries VOICES
13 8
32 Fresh Friends
Suicide Watch
Embracing depression to honor friends lost THE QUEER AGENDA
31 FEATURES
Q Voices 8 Q&A 11 The Queer Agenda 31 Q Shots 32 The Q 38 6
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Just Do It
35 Bear-y Nice
LGBTQ Atlanta’s best events of the week
38 36 Eagle Bound
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7
Q
VOICES
Had it with
HAVING IT ALL
THEY SAY YOU’VE GOT TO TAKE TIME TO BE GRATEFUL for what you have, that the act of gratitude will ground you, motivate you and make you appreciate your life more.
This is some straight-person bullshit. Why wouldn’t you stop to smell the roses, when you own all the roses?
It could be enough to check out from the fight, to sideline myself in the name of self-care.
Some days, I just live my life and nothing that happens is so good or bad that it triggers the depression inside me. Then there are weeks like this.
In truth, I agree but in practice, anytime I have ever attempt-
I lost another queer friend to suicide this past week. To al-
a gratitude list is everything you have to lose, everything that
and bubbly personalities they had ever encountered. That’s
ed to make a gratitude list, I am left filled with dread. To me,
most everyone that knew him, he was one of the most bright
could possibly be taken from you. What if, for
what he was to me, too: someone who could
instance, the political climate gets any darker or
light up a room, who could make you feel like
more foreboding, or the actual climate goes to
you were the most special person in the world
shit and society goes full dystopian?
while he talked to you.
Am I being melodramatic? Of course, but I
Still, I also knew he struggled with depression
don’t have full control over what my depres-
all his life. I knew he had attempted to take his
sion will attack me with next, and it definitely likes to paint a fearsome and detailed picture to fret and obsess over.
That is how my brain works, though, and it
life before, and that the person he projected IAN ABER
always has. Any moment of success or joy is immediately
followed by a thorough self-analysis of how “ain’t shit” I am. Any moments of success or joy are just that, fleeting moments in a life of disappointment and struggle.
I’m not alone. Studies point to queer people having higher
occurrences of mood and anxiety disorders than our heterosexual
counterparts, a fact that should surprise no one in our community. We’re constantly reminded that our lives and livelihoods
could be legislated out of existence as quickly as those recognitions were created.
We fight, but that fight does not come without a cost to
ourselves. Sometimes, the unfairness of this world feels like a boot on my chest, and that is enough to stop me in my
tracks. It’s enough for me to give in to any and all negative impulses and listen to the negative talk track in my head. 8
theQatl.com
was the best self he wanted to be.
He leaves behind a huge void in the lives of the people he touched, and as much as my
depression is trying to use his death as a trigger, I know that the best way to honor my friend is to keep working on my
mental health and be the kind of person he was in the world. Even though I don’t want to, even though I’d rather just eat and cry about my lost friend, I’ll continue on with him in my heart. I hear a lot of people describe themselves as suffering from depression, and I have definitely identified with the term “suffering” with regards to depression.
But I am done suffering at the hands of my depression. My
depression and I are tied together at the wrist, both with a knife in our free hands, stabbing wildly at each other. Oh, I may be suffering, but I am not going down without a fight, hunny. Ian Aber is a stand-up comic, columnist and showrunner in
Atlanta. Visit comedyian.com. Read his full column at theQatl.com.
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10
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Q&A
Q
Life
FOOD
Dietician Jennifer Karlebach is out to clear up the myths about eating well By Patrick Saunders
HEALTHY EATING IS A PERSONAL ISSUE FOR JENNIFER Karlebach. It helped her get through the side effects of a thyroid disease in 2002, which inspired her to become a registered dietician. Karlebach, a lesbian Winston Salem, N.C., native who lives with her fiancé in Grant Park, works for the food service company Compass Group at senior care facility A.G. Rhodes Health & Rehab.
I think people are intimidated by healthy eating in a lot of cases because they just don’t know what eating well really looks like. I hear often that it’s bland and boring or some say they didn’t grow up on “those” types of foods, or they don’t want to feel hungry or deprived. Eating well is about balance, not elimination. I don’t think anyone should deprive themselves, because often they revert back to old habits. I try to educate people on what healthy eating actually looks like, whether it’s introducing them to new foods, different ways of preparing foods, portion sizes or just balancing healthy and not so healthy foods together. I encourage people to create their own way of healthy eating with the right information and do what works for them. Do you have a cheat meal? Italian food for sure! I grew up with and was raised by the best Italian cook out there, my Mom. Our monthly Sunday dinners mostly involve her baked ziti or lasagna, meatballs or sausage and peppers. I can’t deny it — it’s just too damn tasty. Find more from dietician Jennifer Karlebach at theQatl.com
She chatted with Q about misconceptions about healthy eating, how she deals with client excuses, and the cheat meal she just can’t avoid. What made you want to become a dietician? In 2002, I was diagnosed with a thyroid disease. The medications I was prescribed caused weight gain and other side effects like fatigue. I had no control over the medications, and was unhappy with how I looked and felt. So I started focusing on the things I could control, like diet and exercise. I began learning about the role nutrition plays in healing not only the body, but also our minds and spirit. I became fascinated with the science of it and knew that dietetics was what I wanted to do, not just for myself but also to help heal others. What’s the biggest misconception about dieticians? That we are the “food police” and we only eat salads, raw foods and are watching or frowning on what others are eating. The fact is I love food and I love to eat. There are certain foods I tend to avoid or limit, but I have my moments — all of us do. Also that we only focus on weight loss. I do work on weight loss with certain patients, but really my main goal is to help others improve their health overall and create ways to encourage healthy lifestyle habits which focus on the role of food and different nutrients that fuel and heal our bodies. What’s the most common excuse people give you for not eating well?
Photo by Russ Youngblood theQatl.com
11
GOOD EATS
To advertise, contact us at sales@theqatl.com or 404-949-7071
Locally sourced Italian/Mediterranean Menu Open for Dinner Daily after 5pm Brunch on Sat & Sun from 10am 980 Piedmont Ave NE • Atlanta, GA 30309 404-343-2446 • campagnoloatl.com CAUSAL ECLECTIC INDOOR & OUTDOOR
CREATIVE COCKTAILS
Dog Friendly Outdoor Dining Huge multi-level deck Open Daily for lunch, dinner & weekend brunch
132 10th St Atlanta, GA 30309 • 404.537.4477 • henrysatl.com
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COVER Q
Juan & Gee Smalls
Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen & Bar
Loving.
3721 Main St, College Park virgilsgullahkitchen.com
AFFIRMING.
Favorite Thing: Meeting new people and introducing them to the oldest black culture in America, Gullah Geechee.
Fun.
Queer
FOODIES Meet LGBTQ Atlantans cooking up your next great meal
L
By Mike Fleming
iving well is the best revenge to all those naysayers who are really just jealous you live in Atlanta. One of the reasons they’re so envious is our bevy of local eateries, from hip to happening to haute cuisine. Of course, queer chefs and LGBTQ restaurateurs are on the frontlines of Atlanta’s dining options, so in this week’s special edition, Q meets 14 people at 10 places you absolutely must try or revisit if they’re not already on your queer agenda. PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD theQatl.com
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Q
EATING OUT continued
Leslie Cohen
Firepit Pizza Tavern 519 Memorial Dr SE firepitatl.com Favorite Thing: Bringing a community together and building lasting relationships through our incredible dining experience and delicious food. “I am proud to say Firepit is a restaurant that opens its doors to everyone. I truly appreciate all the support that the LGBT community has given me.� PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD 14
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Delicious.
WELCOMING. Hip.
Q
EATING OUT continued
Oscar Alfredo Valdivieso Las Margaritas
1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd lasmargaritasmidtown.com
Ultimate.
AUTHENTIC. Bienvenidos.
Favorite Things: Touching so many people adding diversity to Atlanta by mixing cultures and communities, making all feel welcome. We also pride ourselves in being able to give back to our community, sponsoring different groups. This is not just our business, but it’s our passion to serve you and have such an eclectic clientele. Hey LGBTQ-ATL: “Be you! Be proud! Lead, don’t follow! You’re not just a member of the LGBTQ community. You’re one of the most beautiful unique magical unicorns, so make happiness a priority in your life and share this happiness with all the humans around you.” PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD 16
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Johnny Martinez and Brandon Ley
Joystick Gamebar, Georgia Beer Garden 427 Edgewood Ave SE joystickgamebar.com 420 Edgewood Ave SE georgiabeergarden.com Favorite Things: Seeing the look on the faces of our guests when they realize we have both amazing cocktails and video games at Joystick. Wearing our politics on our sleeve and being a gathering place for a multitude of different groups at Georgia Beer Garden.
Joystick:
Surprising.
UNIQUE.
Absolutely Fabulous.
To LGBTQ Atlanta: Joystick Says: “Get some friends who don’t look like you and stop getting the same haircut as your friends.” GBG Says: “If you like Atlanta United, be sure to reach out to the All Stripes - United’s only LGBTQ+ supporter’s group.”
Georgia Beer Garden:
Radically inclusive.
LAIDBACK. Delicious.
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Q
EATING OUT continued
Kathleen McQueen and Michele Tompkins Urban Foodie Feed Store 3841 E Main St, College Park urbanfoodie-eats.com
Homey.
FRIENDLY. Pleased.
Kathleen’s Favorite Thing: People. There’s always a running joke that I’m the unofficial mayor of College Park. I’ve always learned from everyone, every walk of life. “As business owners we work hard to get ourselves known. Having the support of the LGBTQ community is an express train to that. We are very loyal and word of mouth advertisers, so that’s the most appreciative way we can say thank you.”
PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD 18
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D O G F R I E N D LY • O U T D O O R D I N I N G Spacious Multi-level Deck Casual Eclectic Food Indoor & Outdoor Creative Cocktails Open Daily for Lunch, Dinner and Weekend Brunch
132 10th Street • Atlanta, GA 30309 • 404.537.4477 • henrysatl.com
Locally Sourced Italian/Mediterranean Menu Open for Dinner Daily at 5 p.m. Brunch Sat & Sun, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Piano Bar Fri & Sat, 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. 980 Piedmont Ave NE • Atlanta, GA 30309 • www.campagnoloatl.com • 404-343-2446
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EATING OUT continued
Authentic.
COLORFUL. Unique.
Walt Bilinski and Steve Mitchell No Mas! Cantina 180 Walker St. SW nomascantina.com Favorite Things: Engaging with our clients, working with our diverse staff and traveling to see indigenous artisans in Mexico who make the hand crafted art we curate. “We welcome you to visit us in Castleberry Hill. You will feel comfortable and at home. In fact, you may even feel like you are in Mexico!” PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD 22
theQatl.com
Maureen Kalmanson Campagnolo, Henry’s 980 Piedmont Ave NE campagnoloatl.com 132 10th St NE henrysatl.com
Diners Feel:
Happy.
APPRECIATED. Recognized.
Favorite Thing: Being a part of the guest experience and the fun derived from making people happy. “A heartfelt thank you to the very supportive LGBTQ community. Your continuing support of Henry’s and Campagnolo is a huge part of our success, and we are most grateful.”
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Coming This Summer...
Q inform | inspire
When Queer Speak is Policed by ‘Woke’ Heterosexuals September 5, 2019
Fall Colors Aren’t Just for the Trees
GOP Renews Bathroom Crusade
GOP Renews Attack on LGBTQ Rights
Eye of Beholder: Kink vs. Ewww!
Eye of Beholder: Kink vs. Ewww!
Free to The Q Queer Agenda Q News Q Shots
FALL
Color your fall lous! LGBTQ fabu The Weekly Print Publication of Project Q Atlanta
• Atlanta Black Pride (Aug. 29) • Fall Preview (Sept. 5) • Out on Film (Sept. 26)
Reserve Your Advertising Now!
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EATING OUT continued Q
Troy Meyers, Sebastian Romano and David Barton Guac y Margys
661 Auburn Ave NE #120 Atlanta, GA 30312 (On the Atlanta BeltLine) guacymargys.com
Lively.
SPIRITED. Fun.
Favorite Thing: The GyM FaM! Our staff plus all of the people who make Guac y Margys possible, including our regulars. “Thank you to the LGBTQ community in Atlanta for supporting this crazy dream of ours. We welcome and love everyone, and we’re proud that our GyM FaM and guests reflect that.”
PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD theQatl.com theQatl.com
25 25
Q
EATING OUT continued
Carlton Brown
Occasional Occasions By Carlton occasionaloccasionscatering.com 404-963-6857 Favorite Thing: Interacting with the guests during the event. It’s rewarding to see how guests respond to our attentiveness and creativity. “We are the premier LGBT caterer in Atlanta with gorgeous decor presentations, customer service, creative menu options and our attention to detail at a cost friendly price point. We understand the desires and needs of our community, and we deliver every time.”
Customers Are:
Pleasantly Surprised,
RELIEVED
and Happy
PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD 26
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Richard Cherskov
Michael Birnholz
richard.cherskov@cruiseplanners.com
michael.birnholz@cruiseplanners.com
888-402-0004 richardandmichael.travel 27
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Missy and Kristin Koefod The James Room
661 Auburn Ave NE (On the Atlanta BeltLine) thejamesroom.com
Happy.
INTERESTING. Delicious.
Missy’s Favorite Thing: Working with my wife is by far my favorite thing about running our businesses. We are so lucky to get to work together! “I moved here 20 years ago from Michigan and was so in awe what a warm and welcoming Atlanta environment was and still is for LGBTQIA+ people. I still feel very lucky to live in a place where I don’t even have to think about the fact that I am an LGBTQ biz owner because it is so accepted here. I wish everyone got to live work and play in such a welcoming and open environment.”
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Q
THE QUEER AGENDA The Best Queer Things To Do in Atlanta This Week
Thursday, August 22 – Wednesday, August 28 THURSDAY, AUG. 22
Cruise Control
DJ Mister Richard pumps the beats @
Atlanta Eagle, 10 p.m. atlantaeagle.com
Queen + Adam Lambert
SATURDAY, AUG. 24
queer stand-in of choice @ State Farm
DJ Jack Chang (photo)
The legends perform with their talented
CircuitBreaker
Arena, 7 p.m. queenonline.com
headlines this Beyond
Queering Our Culture
Touching Up Our Roots and Atlanta Pride
Productions dance party @ Believe Music Hall, 10 p.m. facebook.com/beyondatl
debut Ryan Lambert and Shane Dedman’s local,
original film about Atlanta’s encounter with Anita
Bryant @ Rush Center, 6 p.m. atlantapride.org, touchingupourroots.org GayTL Ho!
House of Alxndr hosts a queer dance party with performances @ Mother Bar + Kitchen, 10 p.m. facebook.com/houseofalxndr
SATURDAY, AUG. 24 Nuclear Meltdown
New York club kid and drag performer Rify Royalty hits town with you in themed
looks @ My Sister’s Room, 10 p.m. wussymag.com, mysistersroom.com Sexy Swimsuit Contest
Shake what your mama gave ya @ Ten, 10 p.m. tenatlanta.com
Wackers Beer Bust
The Hotlanta Softball Team raises funds for their Gay Softball World
Series bid with raffles, drunken gummies and of course bottomless beer
Drag Academy
RFS Entertainment hosts this ongoing contest for kings and queens
with positive critique and mentorship. Weekly winnners will build to the ultimate title @ Oscar’s, 9 p.m. oscarsatlanta.com
@ Woofs, 3 p.m. woofsatlanta.com Isis Muretech
Get in on this Guadalajara DJ’s local debut @ Heretic, 10 p.m. hereticatlanta.com
FRIDAY, AUG. 23 Pictures & Puppies
AIDS Walk benefits from you and your dog in a professional portrait plus a signature Tito’s cocktail, all for $20 @ Henry’s, 5 p.m. aidatlanta.com
SUNDAY, AUG. 25 Outworlders Summer Picnic
Atlanta’s LGBTQ gaming/sci-fi/fantasy fan group puts
Art as Awareness
grub on the grill with potluck sides and some friendly competitions @
representation as part of a broad effort by the CDC, the City of Atlanta
Cheryl Courtney Evans Center Town Hall
Join the conversation about raising HIV awareness, acceptance and and Living Walls @ Hill Auditorium, 7 p.m.
McKoy Park, Decatur, 11 a.m. outworlders.org
The effort to start an LGBTQ community center in the name of the late
trans activist gets a meeting @ Jason’s Deli, 1 p.m. facebook.com/theccecenter
Sips N Strokes
Atlanta Pride benefits while you drink and paint @ Sips N Strokes, 7 p.m. atlantapride.org
Chop the Stigma Kiki Ball
OutFront Patio Party
Unlimited drinks, hors d’oeuvres, a raffle and more are on tap to support Atlanta’s specifi-
More Living Walls festivities, featuring House leg-
cally LGBTQ theatrical troupe @ Out Front
and awesomeness by Southern Fried Queer Pride
Find more queer things to do in the expanded
end Kia Labeija (photo) with backbeats by Morph @ MET Atlanta, 10 p.m. livingwallsatl.com
Theatre, 2 p.m. outfronttheatre.com
edition of the Queer Agenda at theQatl.com.
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Q
Q SHOTS
FRESH FACES AT FRIENDS NEIGHBORHOOD BAR
Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com
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PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD
TREAT YOURSELF. GIVE YOURSELF THE VIP TREATMENT AND SUPPORT ATLANTA PRIDE'S YEAR-ROUND WORK. DON’T DELAY - VIP TICKET QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED AND WILL SELL OUT! ATLANTAPRIDE.ORG/VIP VIP AREA PRESENTED BY
ATLANTA PRIDE CELEBRATION OCTOBER 11-13, 2019
BEARRACUDA AT HERETIC
Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com
Q SHOTS Q
PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD theQatl.com
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Q
Q SHOTS
BOUND AT ATLANTA EAGLE
Full gallery on Project Q at theQatl.com
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PHOTOS BY RUSS YOUNGBLOOD
Q
THEQ?!
Social
DIVISION
Facebook banks on you overvaluing your own opinion
Q
A friend is in an online relationship with a person in Europe. This friend has been lonely for years and has been taken advantage of in the past. Now they plan to move the European to the States and get married. Obviously, it’s a disaster waiting to happen. My friend tunes out detractors, so we have taken to Facebook, covertly peppering his feed with posts, memes and articles about online hoaxes and foreign strangers. Hopefully, he’ll get the subliminal messages while scrolling through his phone, because nothing else is working. What else we can do to stop this train wreck?
Q
The straight owner of a pizza place recently tweeted a video calling his gay guy friend “girl” and making a “limp-wristed” gesture. We put the owner on social media blast, tagging him in our comments and posting on his business page. The boycott vengeance was swift. For days, it was nerve-racking to jump on and see the latest comments. He finally posted an apology, saying that he didn’t know and regrets it, but it rings hollow. He even wrangled his gay friend to appear in a new video post, and they actually defended him! The posts are dwindling now, and it seems like the Twitterverse is moving on. I think it’s disgusting to let slights like this just vanish. Dear Overestimated & Clicktivist There was a time when people’s decisions were made before a limited audience. Opinions were personal as well, and it was considered rude to offer our own without being asked. If shared at all, it was only with those closest to us.
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Welcome to Facebook in 2019. We’re directly in the line of other people’s personal decisions,
and our approval or disapproval is expected, too, by way of re-
actions and comments. But it’s the Big Facebook Lie that your opinion and approval on others’ lives matters.
Is a friend making a mistake in love? Do you think you can tell from Facebook? You can’t. Do you think the friend can’t see through “subliminal” posts? They can.
Worse than potential heartache for the friend is not giving it a chance and never knowing. You don’t know their relationship.
Talk to them respectfully instead of passive-aggressively posting. Then butt out.
Daily opinion updates are expected on Facebook too, and
they’re often presented as facts. People are so convinced that their random thoughts are important, we are more likely to
dig in our heels than open our hearts. We’d rather defend our
opinion than listen to information that might enlighten us or
change our minds. Vengeance is quick and forgiveness is slow. Don’t buy the hype. Basing decisions on what other people think
is the road to ruin, and forcing your opinions on others is ugly and potentially dangerous. Social media banks on us not realizing this. Callout Culture and mass shaming leaves no room for evolution on difficult topics. Clicktivism makes us
feel like we helped, but we didn’t actually do anything.
It’s like a pack of hungry
wolves sits ready to pounce on
snubs from our sofas, then tap
out our anger and ennui at con-
venient villains. Instead, let’s create
communication paths for them to
become allies. Invite an offline conversation,
not an online fight.
You know the old adage, “Opinions are like assholes — everybody has one.” Here’s
an expansion on the comparison: Like
assholes, precious few if any people want to see yours, much less
have you rub it in their face claiming it’s the last meal on Earth. The Q is for entertainment purposes and not professional counseling. Send your burning Qs to mike@theqatl.com.
ILLUSTRATION BY BRAD GIBSON