Palette, Vol. 5

palette south florida’s lgbt magazine feb|march 2016 • vol. 05

HIV AND THE NEW GUARD Changing the Script on Prevention

The Crystal Palace • Rainbow Colored Cuba • LGBT Health Care Seeing Green • Beachside Eats • Steering Clear of STIs & more…

Caring For All Families… Equally At Jackson Health System, we’ve dedicated ourselves to making every family a priority. That’s what got us recognized by the Human Rights Campaign as a “Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality” for four years running… and for nine of our facilities, including our centers and major hospitals.

From specialist care to pediatric services, our programs are created with one goal in mind: keeping you well, while respecting the unique nature of your rights. Learn more about our LGBT patient-centered care at LGBTHealthLeader.org.

Jackson Memorial Hospital • Jackson North Medical Center • Jackson South Community Hospital Holtz Children’s Hospital • Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital • Jackson Rehabilitation Hospital

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contents•

palette•feb|march 2016

FEATURES More than three decades after the first reports that kickstarted the AIDS era, life is positively different and so are the prevention options.

032 • suzi hollis

A dramatic accident almost killed Suzi Hollis, but a tiny crystal renewed her lease on life.

038 • robin lord taylor

The chilling king of Gotham’s criminal underground is downright warm and fuzzy.

042• rainbow colored cuba

Just 90 miles south and a world away, Cuba is on the verge of opening its doors to the world, and, it seems fair to say, coming out of the closet too.

048• lgbt health care

The LGBT community has a particularly strained relationship with the mainstream medical industry. Here’s a look at what’s out there and how you can become your own health care advocate.

on the cover: Jason King photographed by Christina Mendenhall at Smoker Family Park.

Christina Mendenall

026 • hiv and the new guard

004

contents•

palette•feb|march 2016

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012

064

DEPARTMENTS Love is in the air, but it’s not always within reach. These selections will incite your passions, break your heart and make you yearn for more.

014 • statement pieces

Stand out without giving yourself away.

You can be ready for anything wearing camo-inspired pieces.

018 • chez moi

022 • the dish

It’s once again time for the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, and this time the party is spreading to Fort Lauderdale too.

024 • after hours

Head out for a night of laughs at a number of venues throughout South Florida.

052 • on trend

There’s no need to stick to earth tones to be kind to the planet. Pick up a few of these smart — and consciously produced — pieces to brighten up your space.

Get ready for spring cleaning from the inside out. Juice cleanses are all the rage. From homemade and bar-crafted to store-bought varieties, the options are endless.

020 • get cultured

054 • scoreboard

Get your pulse going and your art collection growing at one of the many art walks throughout South Florida.

The Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance want to make you sweat on the court and off!

056 • health check

A night of reckless abandon can turn into an uncomfortable mess if you’re not careful. STIs are abundant but avoidable.

Here are a few tried and true pointers.

058 • serious business

Dr. Leslie Baumann shares her insight on how to care for your skin, no matter what your greatest concern happens to be.

060 • the scene

Were you there? Find out who wrapped up 2015 at the Equality Florida Broward Gala, Parade of Paws in Key West or LIPS Holiday Toy Drive and who kicked off 2016 the right way at the Gay8 Festival.

064 • season’s highlights

Mark your calendar! Artistic events and outdoor activities promise to lure us all out.

From left: © Phil Caruso / Courtesy of Lionsgate; © Getty Images for SBWFF; © Courtesy of ICM Partners / Broward Center

012 • in tune

Preproduction model shown.

letter•

palette•feb|march 2016

BEING POSITIVE

T

his letter did not come easily. It felt a bit delayed to discuss the new year when we’re starting our bimonthly distribution in February.

Instead, putting this issue together inspired me with thoughts of community, wellness and healing.

Watching an epidemic disease go from a death sentence to a manageable chronic illness that can be prevented over my lifetime has been encouraging. Meeting the people who work hard to make living with HIV or avoiding it altogether their life’s work was nothing short of humbling.

It also filled me with hope and joy to see what people are capable of creating in the darkest of times and how we can patch together a story that is larger than ourselves, like the traveling AIDS quilt that was displayed at the Compass

Center for World AIDS Day. Projects like The AIDS Activist Project, a collection of black and white portraits and stories about AIDS activists from around the world taken between 1989 and 1998, are a touching homage to many unsung heroes.

Closer to home, The World AIDS Museum and Education Center in Wilton Manors grew out of the Fort Lauderdale-based Pozitive Attitudes group and became both a place where historical HIV and AIDS exhibits are housed and where people can seek information and support.

We often kick off new years revved up and wanting to change everything for the better. Let’s keep that momentum going and take on the spring with an eye on being well and doing right by our community. With all of the momentous advances we made in 2015, we should not lose

sight of what can still be done, always keeping in mind that improvements we make in our personal lives or within our own social circles can have an impact that is profound and far-reaching.

For the remainder of this year I challenge us all to embrace wellness and take care of one another just a little more than we did before. The results may be immeasurable, but we will definitely feel them.

Don’t forget to send your tweets to @palettelgbt or drop me a line at ethan@miamiherald.com. We look forward to hearing from you. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook as well. We’d love to see your holiday photos!

Follow Us:

Stay Gold,

@palettelgbt

@palettelgbt

Palette LGBT

Ethan Duran Creative Director

Coco Alarcon

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shout out•

palette•feb|march 2016

palette

WE ASKED How can wellness and healthy living be advanced throughout a community ?

miamiherald.com/palette

A special publication produced by

ATTICUS RANCK

Director of Transgender Services SunServe Wellness and healthy living can be advanced throughout a community by access to affordable services, as well as open, honest dialogue between community members and healthcare providers. Devastatingly, 48% of transgender individuals avoid necessary medical care because of inability to afford it. In addition, 50% of transgender people report having to teach their medical provider about their transgender care. Healthcare providers need to be willing to learn how best to serve this marginalized community.

ED SPARAN

Operations Manager The World AIDS Museum and Educational Center It all begins with comfortable conversation. To be comfortable with the conversation and to be able to talk about a healthy positive living lifestyle not only with people you are intimate with but also with friends and family and people in the community. Being comfortable asking questions and even if you do not have the facts and do not know the answers to be comfortable to ask questions and look for the answers. The answers are in the community, sometimes you just have to ask around. Start asking. Start looking!

MIAMI HERALD PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER ALEXANDRA VILLOCH VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING SAMUEL BROWN ADVERTISING MANAGER KRISTINA SCHULZ-CORRALES EVENTS & PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER ADELE LORENZO HCP ABOARD PUBLISHING CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER GIOVANNA SANCHEZ CREATIVE DIRECTOR ETHAN DURAN EDITORIAL DIRECTOR DESIRÉE BLANCO SUPERVISING EDITOR SOLE SASTRE EDITOR CHRISTINE BORGES ASSOCIATE EDITOR VANESSA MARTIN DESIGN DIRECTOR ALFREDO AÑEZ ART DIRECTOR CARLOS MARTIN

DJ CITIZEN JANE Musician

We have to first identify and prioritize our community health needs so that community organizations can develop strategies and implementation plans that benefit the public. The Pride and community centers need to continue inviting speakers to educate the community on important factors such as mental health, physical health, HIV and AIDS prevention and support regarding gender identity. Being educated on healthy living can help you enhance your quality of life and support you in addressing life’s challenges.

DR. THOMAS ROBERTSON

Chief of Psychology Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital The LGBT community has learned a great deal about wellness and healthy living as a result of the HIV/AIDS experience and having an increasingly vibrant and visible community of LGBT elders as the baby boom generation begins their golden years. We also have great resources after years of struggling to secure marriage and family rights. We can use these to help educate all our people about healthy lifestyles that are based on mindfulness and stress reduction, safe sexual practices, access to care for transgender individuals, women’s health and the special needs of families and seniors.

We already know how to spread the word!

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR LUISA ZELAYA-MORILLO ADVERTISING SERVICES COORDINATOR DAYAN AGUDELO, CLAUDIA STAEBLEIN SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING EWALD FUCHS BUSINESS DEVELOPERS ANDREW BERMAN, GEORGE JUSTO JOHN TRABANCO SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER JEANIE SCHOONMAKER PROJECT COORDINATOR INGRID MARTINEZ KEYNOTER PUBLISHER RICHARD TAMBORRINO SALES VALERIE SERRA Advertising, sales and distribution information: 305.376.2801 kcorrales@miamiherald.com

DJ Citizen Jane: Ginger de Vegh

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contributors•

palette•feb|march 2016

GET

Steve Rothaus covers LGBT issues in South Florida and is also the Miami Herald’s assistant community news editor. Don’t forget to check out Steve Rothaus’ Gay South Florida News in the Miami Herald and at miamiherald.com — or follow his Twitter account, @SteveRothaus — for the latest information about our community.

CHRISTINA MENDENHALL

GREGG SHAPIRO

Since she was a child, Christina has had a passion for photographing and filming an array of different subjects.

She’s been blessed with a gift for seeing the world in a unique way, and photography has given her the opportunity to explore this strange and beautiful world. She has documented everything from live music, people and street life to natural environments, sports, politics and architecture. ThroughTheShutter.com

Entertainment journalist Gregg Shapiro is the author of Lincoln Avenue (Squares and Rebels Press, 2014), GREGG SHAPIRO: 77 (Souvenir Spoon Press, 2012), Protection (Gival Press, 2008) and the forthcoming short story collection, How to Whistle (Lethe Press, 2016).

Shapiro lives in Fort Lauderdale with his husband Rick and their dog k.d.

BARBARA POLLAK-LEWIS Barbara is an illustrator, painter, animator and published author who lives and works in San Francisco with her small family and their multiple pets. With over 20 years experience in the field, she has illustrated articles and book covers, designed cards, posters, computer games and apps for the kids and teens markets and worked on advertising campaigns and products. In her free time, she enjoys painting, making soup and collecting cookbooks and other artifacts from the 1950s and 1960s. freckleshop.com

SHAYNE BENOWITZ

JULIE BALTER

Shayne is the Hotels and Travel editor for Miami.com and a frequent contributor to the Miami Herald. She’s also the Miami destination expert and a hotel critic for London’s Daily Telegraph. Her work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune and the Charlotte Observer and in Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida and Aventura magazines.

Julie is a writer, yogi and calculated risk-taker. Her career has included everything from her 10+ years as a Screen Actors’ Guild Florida Branch executive to her current role for LGBTbased marketing campaigns, such as Kiss for Equality. She’s a former yoga instructor at Prana Yoga in Miami, the blog creator of Yogi After Forty and a contributing writer for Elephant Journal. yogiafterforty.com

RICK KARLIN Rick is an author, editor, columnist and playwright. In addition to Palette he has also been a contributor to South Florida Gay News, Florida Agenda, boiMAGazine, OutTraveler.com, ChicagoPride.com, Metromix.com, Chicago Free Press, Wisconsin Gazette, Nightlines, Not for Tourists, Outlines, Windy City Times, Gay Chicago Magazine, Bay Area Reporter and GayLife. He has written three novels, and dozens of his plays have been produced. The most recent was the musical Witches Among Us.

Steve Rothaus: Carl Juste; Christina Mendenhall: Kaare Iverson; Gregg Shapiro: St. Sukie de la Croix

CONNECTED

YOU’RE INVITED

Miami Gala 2016

Sunday, March 13th 6:30pm-8:30pm at 1 Hotel • 2341 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL PRESENTED BY

Tickets are $150 RSVP and purchase tickets at www.eqfl.org/miamigala or call 813-870-3735 Sponsorship opportunities begin at $500.

Please contact Cindy Brown at Cindy@eqfl.org or 786-210-0613 for details.

Special Thanks to PO BOX 20786, TAMPA, FL 33622-0786

Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

All net proceeds directly benefit Equality Florida Institute, a tax exempt 501c3 non-profit organization.

A C O P Y O F T H E O F F I C I A L R E G I S T R AT I O N A N D F I N A N C I A L I N F O R M AT I O N F O R T H E E Q U A L I T Y F L O R I D A I N S T I T U T E M AY B E O B TA I N E D F R O M T H E D I V I S I O N O F C O N S U M E R S E R V I C E S B Y C A L L I N G T O L L - F R E E W I T H I N F L O R I D A ( 1 . 8 0 0 . 4 3 5 . 7 3 5 2 ) . R E G I S T R AT I O N D O E S N O T I M P LY E N D O R S E M E N T , A P P R O V A L , O R R E C O M M E N D AT I O N B Y T H E S TAT E . R E G I S T R AT I O N # C H 7 9 9 2 .

in tune•

palette•feb|march 2016

AFFAIRS OF THE HEART

documentary short by the same name, featurettes and audio commentary.

Closing Time As with Freeheld, cancer and relationships are at the center of gay writer Paul Lisicky’s new memoir The Narrow Door (Graywolf Press, 2016). Lisicky, whose acclaimed first novel Lawnboy was set in South Florida, has written a book about writers — some more successful and well-known than others. He relates his encounters with loss, in gut-wrenching detail.

His close friend, the novelist Denise Gess, is ravaged by cancer just as Lisicky is confronted with the end of his relationship with longtime partner, a poet and memoirist identified simply as M. Interwoven in the memoir’s fabric are Lisicky’s observations on Joni Mitchell’s career (he’s a fan!), as well as the way a series of global crises (both natural and man-made) become part of his very personal experience.

Let yourself get swept away by the romance of the season’s offerings.

D

by GREGG SHAPIRO

evotion, loss, redemption, nostalgia — love is indeed a complex emotion.

And these selections are sure to ignite your most ardent passions, whether you are rooting for justice, anguishing in grief or relishing in the joy of listening to a longtime friend.

including those in which Laurel and Stacie’s relationship develops into something long-lasting, are sluggish, awkward and preachy (almost everyone who sees Freeheld is already well versed in the subject of LGBT discrimination, thank you).

It isn’t until Laurel is diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer that the movie picks up a bit. Registered as domestic partners long before Laurel becomes ill, her request to Parting Gifts make Stacie the recipient of her Based on a true story, Freeheld pension benefits is nonetheless (Summit) begins with a 2002 repeatedly denied by the force. headline-making drug bust by Following a front-page story about detective Laurel (Julianne Moore) their plight, gay lawyer and Garden and her partner Dane (Michael State Equality activist Steven (Steve Shannon). Laurel, a control-freak with Farrah Fawcett-by-way-of-New Carrell) gets involved.

The screenplay, which is written Jersey hair, has been in the force for more than 20 years. Good at her job, by Ron Nyswaner (Oscar-nominee for but less successful in love, Laurel is Philadelphia), is more than a little problematic, but the acting, especially intent on making lieutenant, which the performances from Page and forces her to stay closeted. That is Moore, is pretty decent. Special until she meets Stacie (Ellen Page) at a volleyball game in Pennsylvania. features on the Blu-ray/DVD/digital release include the Oscar-winning The set-up scenes that follow,

• From top: Ellen Page and Julianne Moore in Freeheld; Paul Lisicky’s The Narrow Door ; Bette Midler’s A Gift of Love,

Memory Lane Bette Midler, who turned 70 (!) last December, is a showbiz veteran and one of the LGBT community’s most beloved diva icons. From her early days singing to gay men in towels at New York’s Continental Baths — with her accompanist Barry Manilow — and her lengthy career in film (including an Oscar nomination for The Rose) to her legendary concert tours and Las Vegas residencies, the outspoken Midler is one of a kind. The romantically themed A Gift of Love (Rhino), her third domestic hits compilation, includes “The Rose,” “Wind Beneath My Wings” and “From A Distance.” Midler also dug deep to find the love in songs such as “Let Me Just Follow Behind” from Songs For The New Depression, “All I Need to Know” from No Frills, “To Deserve You” from Bette of Roses and “(Talk to Me of) Mendocino” from It’s the Girls. A Gift of Love is a musical valentine from Midler to her fans.•

Top: © Phil Caruso / Courtesy of Lionsgate

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014

statement pieces•

palette•feb|march 2016

3

1 2 Become a style soldier with khaki, olive and army green.

by CLAUDIA MIYAR

GREEN WITH ENVY

T

here is a sweet spot in fashion, where comfort meets style and the result is a win-win. Natural fibers make clothing that is breathable and ideal for the balmy year-round weather here. Hues of moss, hunter, pine and khaki make you feel like you’re enveloped in earthy elegance.

Whether its a pair of perfectly cut cotton jeans, a cool knit hoodie or a unique shade of nail polish made with organic silicon, you will stand out. And you’ll pull it off as effortlessly as if it all just came to you naturally.•

4 Stacked golden ski buck les ele these casual high-tops. vate

5

where to buy • 1. Camo Needlepoint Duffle: Stubbs & Wootton; 1 Via Parigi, Palm Beach; 561.655. 6857; stubbsandwootton.com 2. Dior Nail Vernis in Métropolis: Macy’s; 1675 Meridian Ave., Miami Beach; 305.674.6300; macys.com 3. Valentino Eagle Intarsia Hoodie: The Webster; 1220 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305.674.7899; thewebstermiami.com 4. Chan Luu Mystic Labradorite, Crystal & Leather Beaded Wrap Bracelet: Saks Fifth Avenue, The Galleria at Fort Lauderdale; 2414 E. Sunrise Blvd.; 954.564.1015; galleriamall-fl.com 5. Giuseppe Zanotti Military Canvas & Suede High-Top Sneaker in Olive: Neiman Marcus, The Village of Merrick Park; 390 San Lorenzo Ave., Coral Gables; 786.999.1000; neimanmarcus.com

PLACE ORDER NOW before the season ends!

786-310-3866

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statement pieces•

palette•feb|march 2016

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7 ith nsemble what. e r u o y Top off us wool brim a glamoro

8 9 GREEN IS THE PRIME COLOR OF THE WORLD, AND THAT FROM WHICH ITS LOVELINESS ARISES.

— Pedro Calderon de la Barca

10 where to buy • 6. Dior Homme Khaki Cotton Jeans: Dior Homme, Miami Design District; 161 NE 40th St., #102; 305.571.3576; dior.com 7. Janessa Leone Gunmetal Trim Medium Brim Hat: INTERMIX, Lincoln Road; 1005 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach; 305.604.6353; intermixonline.com 8. Runwell Contrast Chrono, 47 mm: Shinola; 2399 NW 2nd Ave., Miami; 786.374.2994; shinola.com 9. Burberry Lightweight Cashmere Scarf in Camouflage: Burberry, Aventura Mall; 19575 Biscayne Blvd.; 305.932.9023; us.burberry.com 10. Aveda Botanicals Kitenetics Kit: Nordstrom, Town Center at Boca Raton; 5820 Glades Rd.; 561.620.5555; nordstrom.com

018

chez moi•

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palette•feb|march 2016

Sustainable home décor never looked so good.

2

by CLAUDIA MIYAR

IT’S EASY BEING GREEN

C

onsidering your carbon footprint when decorating no longer means you have to sacrifice style. Whether it’s a pillow made of fabric printed with water-based pigments or a light fixture made of recycled plastic felt, thoughtfully produced items that also add style to your home prove that being eco-conscious can look fantastic. Companies are embracing the sustainable manufacturing of textiles and furniture, providing us with an array of new options. Going green has never looked better.•

3 The neutral tones of this from recycled silk transitional rug made work in any room.

4 where to buy •

5

1. Under the Bell Pendant Light: Luminaire; 3902 NE 2nd Ave., Miami; 305.576.5788; luminaire.com 2. Blaine Reclaimed Wood coffee Table: Pottery Barn, The Village at Gulfstream Park; 4011 Seabiscuit Trail, #850, Fort Lauderdale; 954.457.3411; potterybarn.com 3. Abstract Pillow in Red: Design Within Reach; 77 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables; 305.569.9730; dwr.com 4. Silk Sable Rug: Anthropologie, Aventura Mall; 19501 Biscayne Blvd.; 305.933.3512; anthropologie.com 5. Suitor Chair in Mod Plaid Black: CB2; 1661 Jefferson Ave., Miami Beach; 305.672.5155; cb2.com

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020

get cultured•

palette•feb|march 2016

DO THE WALK Stimulate your mind and stay active at any of the numerous art walks throughout South Florida.

E

by RICK KARLIN

Art Mecca The excellent selection of galleries and the fact that it showcases one of the largest open-air street art installations in the world make the Second Saturday Art Walk in Wynwood the granddaddy of Miami art walks. Plan on getting there early if you want to get street parking. And when you’ve had your fill of artwork, head to the south end of the district where dozens of food trucks offer an array of tasty treats. wynwoodmiami.com On the last Friday of each month, you can immerse yourself in Little Havana’s Cuban heritage during Viernes Culturales. Enjoy the artwork, crafts and food, and check out what the street vendors are offering as you sip mojitos. This is the one art walk where it’s perfectly appropriate to work off the calories either walking or dancing to the local bands that line the streets. viernesculturales.org The Bird Road Art District was an unassuming industrial area

• Francisco Sheuat’s Flock of Flamingos on the FATVillage ArtWalk circuit

until artists from Latin America — enticed by cheap rent and open warehouse spaces — started moving in. Head over on the third Saturday of the month to see what the studios and boutiques there have to offer. birdroadart.com The original fine art queen of Coral Gables, Virginia Miller, organizes a delightful First Friday Gallery Night with complimentary transportation and refreshments.

Thousands of pedestrians fill the streets of the City Beautiful, where galleries and restaurants are open late for the evening. greatgables.com There Goes the Gayborhood On the last Saturday of the month, the Flagler Arts and Technology (FAT) Village showcases musicians, painters, sculptors, photographers, urban land planners, designers and performance artists. Food trucks regularly gather for the event, and many galleries offer snacks and wine or beer. fatvillage.com Now entering its 10th year, the Wilton Manors Art Expo features dozens of stores, bars, restaurants and galleries, each sponsoring at least one artist in Florida’s own “Gayberry.”

The freshly rebranded expo takes place along Wilton Drive on the third Saturday of the month from

November through April. It is one of the most extensive events of its kind in South Florida.

WMAE.org Also on the third Saturday of the month, The Downtown Hollywood ArtWalk opens the doors to art galleries and businesses showcasing local, regional and international pieces. Explore the area at your own pace by picking up an ArtWalk map and immerse yourself in the downtown murals project. visithollywoodfl.org Way Down South The biggest art walk in the Keys is the Walk on White, which occasionally features exhibitions and receptions at galleries, shops and other venues in addition to the regular circuit. Each month’s stroll highlights a different artistic genre. Restaurants are plentiful, and galleries and shops offer snacks and beverages too. tskw.org Live music, performance artists and, of course, visual arts draw hundreds of people to the monthly Islmalorda ArtWalk, which has become a hub of culture for the Upper Keys. Businesses in the area extend their hours, turning the event into an indoor/outdoor street festival. moradaway.org•

Courtesty of FATVillage

ven during this unseasonably warm winter, evenings offer some respite, and spending time with friends while checking out new art is the perfect way to raise your heart rate and perhaps find the perfect piece for that space on your wall — all while supporting local artists.

GET ARTSY

the dish•

SEASIDE FEAST The South Beach Wine & Food Festival is back in town, celebrating 15 years of culinary delights.

L

by SHAYNE BENOWITZ

ast February, in a ballroom at The James Royal Palm (now The Royal Palm South Beach), an unofficial South Beach Wine & Food Festival event took place. Fresh off the reversal of the state’s ban on same sex marriage, celebrity chef Art Smith threw the ultimate blowout: his 101 Big Gay Weddings party.

Inspired by the success of the Big Gay Ice Cream Social organized with

• Clockwise: KitchenAid

Culinary Demonstrations at the 2015 South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s Grand Tasting Village; The Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown held at the Shore Club and hosted by Emeril Lagasse; Chef Todd Erickson of Miami Beach’s HaVen and HuaHua’s Taqueria.

the eponymous New York City ice cream shop, Smith and company had something to celebrate.

He recruited a colorful cast of renowned chefs — celebrity and local — to throw a free wedding for 101 same sex couples. Chopped host Ted Allen served as everyone’s best man and Guy Fieri of Diners, Driveins & Dives officiated the wedding.

Duff Goldman of Ace of Cakes created a seven-tiered showpiece for the occasion, and everyone dug into Smith’s famous fried chicken.

For the party, drag queen Chi Chi LaRue and DJ Tracy Young provided entertainment, along with three Chippendale dancers who arrived on bikes and then stripped off their shirts to perform.

“When something is created from pure joy, this is the kind of result you get,” said chef Todd Erickson of Miami Beach’s HaVen and HuaHua’s Taqueria, who helped Smith organize the party. “It was an incredible gathering of like-minded people who wanted to see progress.”

Smith is not on the program this February — he’s had a busy year with the adoption of his

four children with husband Jesus Salgueiro and continues his advocacy of gay couple adoption rights. However, other Big Gay Wedding celebrants are back for the 15th annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival, which takes place February 24–28. Guy Fieri is hosting the Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown at the Surfcomber Hotel.

Duff Goldman is throwing a Sweet 15 Dessert Party at the former Versace Mansion. And Ted Allen is charged with helping inaugurate the Taste Fort Lauderdale Series with a Bloody Mary Brunch hosted by the cast of Chopped at the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale.

New This Year “With the introduction of the Festival’s new Taste Fort Lauderdale Series… we’re looking forward to celebrating with everyone,” says Lee Brian Schrager, the festival’s founder and director.

The Fort Lauderdale Series kicks off Wednesday evening with Seaside Eats hosted by Robert Irvine at the historic Bonnet House Museum & Gardens. “It’s so exciting

Clockwise: © Getty Images for SBWFF (2); © Jipsy Castillo

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Clockwise: © Getty Images for SBWFF (2); © Getty Images

that we can finally show off the fine talents of Fort Lauderdale restaurants during the festival,” says Adrienne Grenier, executive chef at 3030 Ocean and an event participant. Chefs and culinary personalities kicking off the Fort Lauderdale Series include Todd English, Debi Mazar and Marc Vetri, among many others.

Additional new programming sure to draw a sold-out crowd includes the Grilled Cheese Happy Hour hosted by Laura Werlin and Ms. Cheezious at South Beach’s CiBo Wine Bar, Fireman Derek’s Midnight Breakfast hosted by lovable supermodel Chrissy Teigen at the National Hotel and Exploring Israel’s Kosher Dinner at the Chabad Downtown Jewish Center.

Under the Big Tent As always, the festival brings back plenty of perennial crowd pleasers, among them Rachael Ray’s Burger Bash celebrates a decade under the festival’s beachside Grand Tasting Village by the Loews Hotel. The enormous tent plays host to the Miami Beach Signature Events, which include Giada De Laurentiis’s Italian Bites on the Beach, Michael Symon’s Meatopia and Andrew Zimmern’s Lucky Chopsticks party.

The Grand Tasting Village, which is located between 10th and 13th Streets, draws a crowd keen on sampling the finest pours from the Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida portfolio, as well as bites made by an array of celebrated South Florida chefs. To invigorate programming, event organizers redesigned the Village last year. Now a visit to the Grand Tasting Village includes a smart layout courtesy of South Florida neighborhoods and culinary demonstrations by the biggest names in the industry.

More highlights of the festival include the annual Best of the Best held at the Fontainebleau and featuring top culinary talent, including Jose Garces, Michael Mina, Scott Conant and Hedy Goldsmith. On the more intimate end of the spectrum, Martha Stewart and chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten are hosting a Rosé Brunch at The Miami Beach EDITION hotel and Anne Burrell is organizing a dinner at South Miami favorite Whisk along with Marc Murphy and Brendan Connor.

This year, from Fort Lauderdale to South Beach, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival undoubtedly has a tasty morsel for every palate. sobefest.com•

• Clockwise: KitchenAid

Culinary Demonstrations at the 2015 South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s Grand Tasting Village; Wine Spectator Trade Day presented by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida at the Grand Tasting Village; Chefs Masaharu Morimoto and Rachael Ray attend the Amstel Light Burger Bash.

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palette•feb|march 2016

TAKE MY PARTNER, PLEASE! South Florida’s Comedy scene has changed with the times.

by JULIE BALTER

T

wo gay guys walk into a bar… ” That might sound like the start of a great night, but say you were attending a local comedy show (you know, one of those superhetero clubs with a name like “Locos”).

If that were the case, you may instead be wincing to hear that, wondering whether your butt was about to be the butt of the next joke.

Even if the average headliner is a kinder, gentler, more culturally evolved jokester, it still doesn’t address the biggest elephant bear in the room: Sometimes, regardless of how clever a comedian is, it is still incredibly boring — I mean, not relatable — to be subjected to a night of jokes about straight sex troubles and “traditional” family hahas.

Fortunately, we’re in South Florida, and that means you’ll find some relief. We’ve packed a punch into the local comedy scene and made a big burlesque comeback.

• From top:

The Skivvies; Just The Funny

Warm Up Act Every comedian needs a strong warm-up, which is why every winter the biggest names in queer comedy, from Kate Clinton to Mario Cantone, head down to sunny South Florida. First up for 2016: favorite stich-and-bitch comedian, Kathy Griffin will be performing at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in March. browardcenter.org

Let’s face it, if we’re going to take a fun poke at our bears, nancy boys and butches, well, nobody does it better than our very own.

In Miami, Just the Funny is your go-to gay-friendly improv comedy troupe. There are several LGBT cast members, and many of their friends show up every weekend to fill the packed room.

During any JTF sketch, queer characters can emerge and/or mix it up with the cast. Take JTF’s recurring character, Amanda — a bisexual contestant on a datinggame show. You can get in on the act, too: Sign up for JTF’s improv classes and bring your own himand-him, her-and-her or him-to-her humor to life. justthefunny.com If you’re more of a voyeur, don’t miss the bawdiest burlesque show coming to Key West. It’s The Skivvies, playing at the Red Barn Theatre, February 12–15. While the historic theater is famous for showcasing critically acclaimed literary LGBT masterworks, there will be none of that here.

Instead, loosen up for a salacious show presented by what The New York Times describes as “a hot musical comedy duo specializing in unexpected arrangements, incongruous mashups, and…highly toned displays of skin.” Everyone from Out magazine to The Wall Street Journal seems highly aroused by The Skivvies’ saucy satires and songs. redbarntheatre.com While we don’t always behave like a church choir, you can count on our community to charitably give like one. Wilton Manors’ Pride Pups puts on their own brand of improv comedy, and proceeds from their performances benefit SunServe, a local center that provides an array of critical social services. Catch the Pups’ next show on March 15 at the Infinite Abyss theater in Wilton Manors, and expect anything to happen.

Producer Justin Ballard reports that even an actual marriage proposal once took place on stage. And that’s no joke! infinite-abyss.org•

From top: © Jacqueline Patton Photography; Courtesy of Just The Funny

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© Bbbar / Dreamstime.com

by Steve Rothaus

Shifting Gears From deadly epidemic to manageable illness, HIV and AIDS have left an indelible mark on the community.

JOHN BYRNE, PUBLISHER OF RAWSTORY.COM, PROMOTES USING PREP AS PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO HIV PREVENTION.

J

ohn Byrne was born in 1981, a few months before the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed a new report about “five young, previously healthy, gay men in Los Angeles” suffering from strange infections that had already killed two of them.

That was on June 5th. Throughout that summer, doctors across the United States reported similar cases of “GRID” (gay-related immune deficiency) and The New York Times went on to report on a deadly cancer affecting 41 gay men in New York and California in early July. The next year, the CDC named the new plague AIDS, and gay men in San Francisco and New York City began the first community-based

efforts to eradicate its cause, human immunodeficiency virus or HIV. Condoms were the only reliable defense against contracting HIV then, and AIDS activists fervently encouraged young gay men not to bareback.

M

ore than three decades since those first reports, plenty has improved across the country when it comes to HIV and AIDS. Still, Miami-Dade and Broward counties currently claim the highest rates of new HIV infections in the United States.

Byrne, publisher of RawStory.com, and others throughout South Florida have begun their own community-based campaigns to address this alarming local trend. And they are dropping

the latex in favor of a little blue pill deemed equally effective in preventing the spread of HIV. The pill, Truvada by Gilead Sciences, has been used for about a decade for HIV treatment. As it turns out, it’s been found to be nearly 100 percent effective in preventing people who are HIV negative from contracting the virus.

“Swallow This” is the slogan for a campaign Byrne recently launched. He is advocating something revolutionary: the widespread use of PrEP or pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Byrne’s “I Am PrEP” party held at Hotel Gaythering in mid-November attracted about 100 young and middleage men. He and many others cheer they can at last enjoy having a healthy, active sex life without having to worry about condoms.

“I never really liked condoms. It didn’t feel sexy. It didn’t feel like sex,” says Byrne, who came out at 15 and became sexually active in high school at the height of the AIDS crisis.

Throughout his teens, though, Byrne didn’t worry much about HIV. “I didn’t feel at risk. I didn’t really start feeling at risk until I was having a lot of sex in college.”

Looking back, he says, “from the number of partners that I had over time and the fact that I rarely used condoms, the fact that I didn’t get HIV was nothing short of miraculous.”

As Byrne grew older, he reduced his number of partners instead of adapting to using condoms. When he began taking Truvada last year

Coco Alarcon (3)

“I NEVER REALLY LIKED CONDOMS. IT DIDN’T FEEL SEXY. IT DIDN’T FEEL LIKE SEX.”— JOHN BYRNE

029

everything changed. Now he feels he no longer needs to worry about HIV. But many of the men who outlived their friends and loved ones during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 90s are disturbed by his message.

“I do PrEP education on [gay dating app] Grindr and I talked to someone on Grindr who told me point blank, ‘You’re destroying everything I spent the last 30 years doing. Like, all the condom work we’ve done, you are single-handedly undoing.’

“I thought that’s ridiculous, but it’s a perfect encapsulation of the kind of thinking people have,” Byrne says.

“People are stuck on condoms. It’s a tough situation because you don’t want to cut down the condom use.

It’s true that there’s syphilis and other things. But at the same time, it’s more important to deal with reality.”

The reality, according to some, is that most young gay men in South Florida don’t want to use condoms, hence the alarming rates of HIV infection.

“What we know is: Four people are testing positive every day in Miami-Dade and three more people in Broward, and that the Miami metropolitan area has the highest HIV prevalence,” Byrne says. “OK, we’ve got this problem. Let’s deal with this. And HIV is the most deadly STD. Period.”

But Byrne has never known anyone who died of AIDS. Dr. Shed Boren, however, spent his entire young adulthood tending to the sick and dying.

“Gay marriage wasn’t on our radar.

Survival was on our radar,” says Boren, who for more than 30 years delivered medical and social services to people with HIV/AIDS, including at Mercy and Sister Emmanuel hospitals in Miami.

Boren, 50, now CEO of Camillus House & Health in Miami, wants younger men like Byrne to know how devastating the unchecked virus actually is.

“There’s an emotional, social-history aspect of this, where you want people to realize what it was like to go to the eighth floor at Mercy Hospital and be inundated with people lying in bed sick, some dying, some finding out. All of them struggling to various degrees. Family members finding out. People being forced out of the closet,” Boren says.

Having been on the front lines of the initial AIDS epidemic, it’s difficult for Boren to reconcile how a single daily pill can prevent the spread of HIV. And he worries about other health concerns for the young men who opt to take the powerful antiviral, which has a number of repercussions, including lactic acid build-up in the blood stream, kidney failure, bone-

density loss and changes to the immune system.

“You’re still taking a medication that we don’t know what the longterm side effects are,” Boren says. “If AIDS taught us anything, it’s that there are some scary dragons around the corner. I remember coming of age and reading that little thing about GRID in the newspaper. Who knows what tomorrow’s headline will be? ... God knows what else is around the corner.”

T

he U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved using Truvada to prevent HIV infection in 2012, says Juan Oves Jr., the youth and transgender coordinator for Latinos Salud, an organization founded in 2008 to provide support and a safe space for young gay Latinos in South Florida.

“There is stigma when we are talking about sex for Latinos and Hispanics. In regards to dating someone who is living with HIV, there is stigma. As a very big community in Miami, we have to deal with addressing the stigma,” says Oves, who grew up in Westchester and West Kendall. “I talk to my youth about treatment as prevention, and surprisingly a lot of them don’t know what that means.”

FROM TOP: DR. SHED BOREN, EXTECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CAMILLUS HOUSE, WITNESSED PLENTY OF LOSS WHILE CARING FOR PEOPLE AT THE HEIGHT OF THE AIDS CRISIS; JUAN OVES JR. AND DR. STEPHEN FALLON WORK TOGETHER AT LATINOS SALUD TO EDUCATE AND INFORM.

“WHEN IT COMES TO HIV AND SEXUAL ACTIVITIES IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AFRAID TO TELL SOMEONE THEY HAVE HIV.”— CHRISTOPHE’ MOORE

Oves says much of the discussion now centers on Truvada, which can provide up to 96 percent protection to someone HIV negative who exchanges body fluids during sex with someone that’s HIV positive.

“It’s very simple and we’re getting there. I’m seeing a movement in which we’re talking about options and we’re becoming more sex positive, to embrace sex and talk about it in a way that’s healthy in all aspects: mentally, socially, physically, even spiritually.

That’s important to eventually address the epidemic and bring those numbers down,” says Oves, who turned 30 on December 1st — World AIDS Day. Latinos Salud offers HIV prevention, testing and linkage services to gay Latinos, all gay men living with HIV and anyone identifying as transgender. In addition to helping link guys to PrEP, the agency’s services include empowerment discussions at its office in Wilton Manors, a South Beach satellite, Florida International University’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus and, most recently, in Kendall.

J

ason King understands the stigma first hand. At 29, he’s been HIV positive for 10 years.

After learning about his HIV status, King became “abstinent for a good six months or so.” When he resumed having sex, he alway used condoms.

King says it took a while before he became comfortable telling partners that he has HIV. “I got rejected on numerous occasions,” he says.

“Even still today.”

King moved to Fort Lauderdale five years ago and is now AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s advocacy and legislative affairs manager in Florida. He is a member of Impulse, a national HIV prevention group funded by AHF for sexually active gay men 18 to 35.

“Impulse aims to avoid judgment and combat stigma, to ultimately embrace the gay culture and try to resolve the problem from within,” King says. “Impulse doesn’t in any way, shape or form endorse the use of drugs, barebacking or illicit activity.

What it does do is acknowledge that some of these conditions exist in the gay community.”

In November, the CDC estimated that of 1.2 million high-risk people who should be taking Truvada, only about 21,000 are actually doing so.

The next month, AHF published ads about “the failure of PrEP to catch on.”

“Any objective observer has to conclude that most patients don’t want to take Truvada and doctors are not recommending it,” AHF wrote in the ad. King has mixed feelings about Truvada being a substitute for condoms.

First, the cost: A box of 36 condoms costs $20 at Walgreens. A Truvada prescription could cost up to $1,200 a month — though most of the

Coco Alarcon

CHRISTOPHE’ MOORE VOLUNTEERS WITH PRIDELINES TO HELP ELIMINATE THE STIGMA SURROUNDING HIV.

“As members of the gay community, we have been defined as the ‘other’ for so long, that perhaps it’s too easy for us to point out who is different from ourselves in their choices,” says Dr. Stephen Fallon, 53, executive director of Latinos Salud. “My hope is that we can stop stigmatizing our peers, whether over their HIV status or over the tools that they choose to use to stay safe. It should be OK if their tool is different than my chosen tool.”

As of Jan. 31, 2014, there were 27,035 people living with HIV/AIDS in Miami-Dade County and 17,632 in Broward, according to Care Resource, one of South Florida’s leading HIV/AIDS service providers. In Miami-Dade, 43 percent of people with HIV are black/ African American and 47.5 percent are men who have sex with other men.

Christophe’ Moore, 29, of Miami, has been a Pridelines volunteer since 2001. He says there’s still a great stigma when it comes to AIDS and condom use within Miami’s black communities, even among gay and bisexual men.

“When it comes to HIV and sexual activities in the black community, you have a lot of people who are afraid to tell someone they have HIV and end up having sex with that person and letting them know afterward that they are HIV positive,” Moore says.

Because so many men won’t use condoms, Truvada offers a safe alternative, Moore says.

“Clinics offer it,” he notes. “I haven’t personally had it yet. I do want to go to a clinic and start taking PrEP. Just in case. You never know. Somebody could have sex with you and at the last minute tell you they have AIDS. It’s always better to be prepared.”

031

Christina Mendenhall

AIDS HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION’S ADVOCACY AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS MANAGER JASON KING HAS BEEN HIV POSITIVE FOR 10 YEARS.

cost is covered by insurance, Medicaid or pharmaceutical company discounts, King says.

“AHF’s position is that [Truvada] is certainly an option that can benefit some people. Obviously that decision needs to be considered between the patient and his or her doctor.”

Then he speaks as “Jason King, the informed individual,” who stopped taking it to treat his own HIV because it made him sick.

“It’s not necessarily the best thing for your health, using PrEP. It’s a toxin. You’re taking a chemical that has shown to at times have deleterious side effects,” he says.

“That is the cost that the patient has to weigh. If they think the benefits outweigh the side effects, then by all means.”•

Many HIV/AIDS service programs throughout South Florida offer health care and counseling. Here are a few: AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) aidshealth.org AIDS Help in Key West aidshelp.cc Broward House browardhouse.org Care Resource careresource.org Compass Community Centered compassglcc.com Empower “U” euchc.org Latinos Salud latinossalud.org Pridelines pridelines.org

The Salt of the Earth

By Shayne Benowitz Photography by Christina Mendenhall

Suzi Hollis shares how her relationship with the unassuming powerhouse crystals changed her life.

It

Suzi Hollis in her zone at Salt This Way.

was an icy morning in Chicago on December 27, 1996 when Suzann Hollis arrived at her construction site.

A snowstorm had blown through the city and the wind chill was 40 degrees below zero. As a crane operator, she kept a clean floor and was meticulous about protocol in spite of the fact that her crane was very old and had a habit of breaking down.

With just a few days left until the new year, the company had taken the safety equipment off the crane in order to keep it operable — delaying

035 right arm and both of her legs, fighting for her life and trying to keep her head from being pulled in too. “I thought I was going to die. I kept picturing myself headless in a coffin.”

Then, an idea flashed to mind that would save her life. “I managed to kick my boot off, knowing that somebody would see it and realize something was wrong,” Hollis says. At that moment, the pressure of the machine punctured her lung and she let out a scream. “I don’t know if I was screaming all along, but I definitely screamed then and two kids found me. They ran in different directions to get help.”

Hollis lost five pints of blood and suffered cardiac arrest. Her left arm was de-gloved, meaning all the muscles and tendons were stripped from the bone, and stretched more than

“Something brings you here.

I don’t know if the salt found me or if I found the salt.” six feet. She was extracted from the machine and intubated with her arm still attached and transferred to Loyola University’s teaching hospital where the head of trauma oversaw her recovery. “Thank God for that,” she says of her doctor’s commitment. During that initial surgery, she flatlined four times and was given a grim prognosis of only 10 percent chance of survival.

She underwent 22 surgeries over the course of five years. In the end, Hollis’ arm was amputated, and she suffers from short-term memory loss due to a brain injury to her frontal lobe. But she survived. costly repairs. “They just wanted to get the job done and finish up the year,” Hollis recalls.

Going through her routine checks that morning, she was at the fuel outrigger when one of the outriggers punched through the ice, throwing her into the machine’s gears. Her left hand was pulled in. “The first thing that happened was my fingers started popping off,” Hollis recalls.

“There were welders and generators going off so no one could hear me, and I kept getting pulled under.” As the machine ground away at her left arm, she braced against the side of it with her

Salt of Life Approaching life with gratitude, a fighting spirit and connecting with the community has gotten Hollis through excruciatingly painful times. During the three years of rehabilitation immediately after her accident, it was others in the rehab unit that inspired her to keep fighting.

“We can overcome anything,” she says. “I became like a cheerleader for my group. There were kids with spinal injuries that were never going to drive or go to prom, and I just thought, girl, get off your pity pot. It could always be worse.”

036 Hollis first discovered salt therapy in 2013 at Delray Beach’s The Salt Suite after being diagnosed with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Unbeknownst to her, the Cape Coral home she had moved to was infested with mold, rendering her already compromised lungs practically ineffective. Soon after, she was delivered yet another debilitating diagnosis: emphysema. Her doctors had her on a heavy dose of steroids just so she could breathe, but the medications left her feeling as incapacitated as the ailments she was trying to fight.

When a friend recommended she try salt therapy, she figured she had nothing to lose. Hollis says she felt the results after a single session. “I started coughing and could feel it drying out my lungs,” she says. “I made the commitment of going two to three times a week for at least a month.”

Crystal Magic The healing powers of salt have a long-standing history. They were first officially recorded in Poland in the 1800s when Dr. Felix Boczkowski observed salt miners living healthier lives than the

general public. Through the release of negative ions and its antibacterial properties, salt has a healing effect on those suffering from both respiratory and skin conditions, including asthma, allergies, post nasal drip, sinusitis, sleep apnea, eczema and psoriasis. It can also address more serious health issues like emphysema and COPD. Salt has even been reported to help people going through smoking cessation or recovering from addiction.

Nearly 20 years after her death-defying accident, Hollis is not just healthy, she is the proud owner of her own salt therapy center: Salt This Way, a halotherapy wellness center and spa, which opened last August. “This is something that saved my life,” she says.

Inside Salt This Way’s 3,500-square-foot space, therapy rooms are lined with pink and white Himalayan salt. The relaxation room has three comfortable reclining chairs resting on a white salt-tiled floor with glowing salt lining the back wall. During the 45-minute treatment, medical grade dry saline air is pumped into the room through a halogenerator, encouraging deep relaxation and healing.

The center also has its own salt chamber — a clear glass case that resembles a transparent tanning bed. The chamber offers a more concentrated 20-minute session for those who need stronger treatments. The yoga room, which is lined with pink Himalayan salt tiles, is also outfitted with LED lights that change the tiles’ colors to enhance the group’s mood each session.

A children’s room is covered in loose salt so as to resemble an enclosed sandbox; child-size beach chairs, fun books and bright toys make the room feel inviting and keep the youngest clients entertained as they receive their therapy.

A community salt room that seats up to eight and a massage room with a special bed designed to hold salt round out the offerings at a center that continues to grow.

From the Heart It goes further than physical healing. “I’ve experienced three emotional shifts in my salt therapy,” says Hollis. And that’s why Salt This Way offers a number of psychologically healing therapies, like meditation, life coaching, grief therapy, support groups and reiki energy healing that complement the physical healing that takes place. Some of the newer services offered include an IonCleanse® detox foot bath, brain wave therapy and a chakra aligning crystal bath promoted by Brazilian healer John of God. “I thought if I could help just one other person feel better, it would all be worth it. I wanted to pay it forward.”

It’s this sense of peace, perseverance and healing that she hopes to share with her clients at Salt This Way. Today, Hollis is in the salt chamber three times a week and practices two to three hours of salt yoga. And she’s feeling good. “Something brings you here,” she says. “I don’t know if the salt found me or if I found the salt.” But that connection has made all the difference.

For more details and information visit saltthisway.com.•

Opposite page (from top): The massage room; Hollis on the salt massage bed. This page: The yoga room with mood-enhancing LED lighting.

© Justin Stephens / FOX

039

THE MAKINGS OF A MASTERMIND ROBIN LORD TAYLOR REINVENTS THE CLASSIC BATMAN CHARACTER ON “GOTHAM.”

BY BRET LOVE

S

et in Gotham City shortly after the murder of Bruce Wayne’s parents, “Gotham” consistently ranked in top 10 listings last season thanks to its gritty portrayals of the origin stories behind iconic characters from the Batman saga — including Catwoman, The Riddler, The Joker, James Gordon and more. In fact, it was so successful that FOX quickly extended its first season order, and we are all now eagerly awaiting the second half of season two, which premieres February 29th.

Although well-known actors such as Ben McKenzie, Donal Logue and Jada Pinkett Smith anchor the ensemble cast, it was relative newcomer Robin Lord Taylor who proved to be the breakout star. The depth and layers he brings to Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a. The Penguin, add a rich, empathetic humanity to the power-mad character played by Burgess Meredith in the 60s and Danny DeVito in the 90s. Rave reviews from Esquire and The Wall Street Journal have signaled Taylor as a rising star to watch.

We recently chatted with the 36-yearold actor about his 10-year rise to stardom, his insight into Cobblepot and

how he’d like to see The Penguin’s story develop.

How did you find out about “Gotham” and what was your initial reaction to the project?

When I prepared for the audition, I didn’t know what it was. It was the “Untitled Warner Bros Project,” and it was a fake scene. The night before, my agent told me that it was the prequel to Batman, and that I was auditioning to play The Penguin. I thought, I’m just going to go in and do my thing and see what happens. When I got the callback, I went to L.A. and read the pilot script. It was one of the best pilots I’ve ever read.

What did you like about this particular take on the Batman saga?

What I liked most was the fact that we’re telling parts of the story that have not been told before. I also like that we’re seeing these iconic characters that we all know and grew up with, but we’re seeing them at a time in their life when they’re finding their way and discovering things about themselves and Gotham City that informs who they

end up becoming. When I read the pilot script, I was so impressed with how they were going for the humanity in these characters. As an actor, that’s what you want to play.

Were you a fan of the Batman comics growing up?

I had read some of the comics, but not a lot of them. I was always into the movies and even the Adam West series.

I watched it every day after school. I wanted to be part of that world — to be telling these stories that haven’t been told. When I got the job, I did some research into the comics. There are a couple of comics that explore Oswald’s childhood, and the fact that he was bullied was my hook into his humanity.

It explained a lot about him and his crazy ambitions.

Tell me about your insight into Oswald’s character. How did you want to make your portrayal different?

I really responded to the character’s ambition, and his desire to be the smartest one in the room. He’s steps ahead of everyone else because he has this huge desire not to be a powerless

040

Villains always think they’re right. How do you get inside that mindset and away from the stereotype of being a villain?

amazing in San Diego, but the show hadn’t proven itself yet. New York was a whole different story. People were so into it and had so many more questions about the world we’re creating. Fans of this genre are some of the smartest fans out there. They take ownership of these characters. They see things sometimes that we, as actors, don’t even see. The feedback is incredible, both good and bad. To be something that people are talking about is the dream, and people are definitely talking about it.

I feel like no matter what character it is, the actor has to find something inside of that character that resonates on a human level. You can’t really judge them, you just have to understand them.

Oswald views the world, and Gotham City in particular, as a place where there is no black and white, no good or bad. It’s all shades of gray. In order to succeed, you always have to look out for number one, stand up for yourself and not be afraid to make very difficult choices.

I FEEL LIKE NO MATTER WHAT CHARACTER IT IS, THE ACTOR HAS TO FIND SOMETHING INSIDE OF THAT CHARACTER THAT RESONATES ON A HUMAN LEVEL.

person. I grew up in a small town in Iowa as an artistic kid, and it was like “Friday Night Lights.” The only thing that I wanted to make different than what we had seen before was to add a little bit more humanity — something that people could identify with in a deep way and understand his motivations and where he’s coming from.

You’ve been a professional actor for 10 years, and this is obviously a big role.

What was it like to read the early reviews of your performance?

It’s insane! There’s really nothing that prepared me for that. I never expected to be part of something this big, and to get such great responses from reviewers is just incredibly validating. You spend so much time trying to get to a certain place in your career that it becomes your identity: “I’m a struggling actor.” Then you get your big break, and then what happens now? This kind of thing doesn’t really happen to a lot of people. You don’t want to expect that it will, but you hope it will. It’s like, “Holy crap, here we go!” It’s a crazy ride.

Have you attended any of the big ComicCons since the show took off?

Yes, we did San Diego last year, when we screened the pilot before it premiered. After the show came out, we did New York Comic-Con. People were

With Neil Patrick Harris hosting the Academy Awards and “Empire” tackling homosexuality in the hip-hop community, do you feel like attitudes in Hollywood have changed since you started doing this?

Oh yeah, 100 percent. The people who run the studios and make the big decisions in terms of casting have evolved, just like the rest of the country.

It’s really exciting to see. You hear about certain actors who don’t feel free to be their true selves. I don’t blame anyone for that, but I know I couldn’t live that way. I’m just glad that I live in a time where the art can speak for itself rather than who someone goes to bed with. It’s a civil rights issue. It’s a human rights issue. And there’s been a lot of progress.

If you were calling the shots behind the scenes on “Gotham,” what would you like to see in the future for Oswald?

Obviously I’d like to see him become more and more powerful, but at the same time I like it when he fails. I like the struggle, and watching him figure things out. All I can say is that I hope the other villains get established, so that I have more fun folks to play off of.

Where would you like to go with your career from here?

You came out publicly last year. How do you feel about people delving into your personal life?

It’s just part of the world. I’m comfortable with myself and my lifestyle. I’m married, and have been for almost four years. Big props to Iowa for getting that done: They were one of the first states to do so. The only thing that’s weird about it is that I consider myself a character actor. Most of the character actors that I appreciate, I don’t know anything about their personal lives. I feel like that takes away from the illusion that we’re trying to create. That being said, I have no problem talking about my life. I try to keep my marriage personal.

But in terms of being an “out” actor, I don’t worry about it the way I used to.

My favorite mantra is “I just want to work.” But, to get specific, I would love to get back on stage at some point. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that, and my background is in theatre. I miss the live theatrical experience. I miss the audience being there. I also miss the process. I love rehearsal. I can’t wait until we have more than 15 minutes to rehearse!

Do you aspire to work behind the camera and be more of the creative process?

That’s something that I’m definitely open to. I am a collaborator: I need another person to bounce ideas off of.

I definitely see myself on that side of things in some fashion. But, for the time being, I’m having a ball!•

© Mark Seliger / FOX

Š Luciano Mortula / Dreamstime.com

Opposite page (Clockwise from top left): © imageBROKER / Alamy; © Jakub Gojda / Alamy; © Diego Vito Cervo / Dreamstime.com; © Elifranssens / Dreamstime.com; © Kumar Sriskandan / Alamy

C U B A LIKE A TIME CAPSULE, THE LARGEST ISLAND IN THE CARIBBEAN IS FINALLY COMING OUT OF ITS 60 YEAR SLUMBER AND IS PRIMED FOR EVERYONE TO EXPLORE.

PROGRESS AND MODERNITY

BY RICK KARLIN

No group of Cubans has been more aware of the shifting tides than the LGBT community there. In a few short years this segment of the population has gone from living in the shadows — much like the U.S. pre-Stonewall — to becoming visible, vocal and politically active.

Cuba has even instituted its own Pride celebration. Officially titled The Cuban Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia,

it was started in 2009 and has been held annually in mid to late May ever since. The weeklong event kicks off in Havana and includes a Pride parade, a sports day and a number of other special events. Other provinces usually hold events in the weeks following Havana’s kick-off celebration, and each year a different province is chosen as the focus of the festivities. While quite similar to events held the world over

© Marcin Ciesielski / Sylwia Cisek / Dreamstime.com. Opposite page (clockwise): Victor & Anders Rising; © Marcin Jucha / Dreamstime.com; © Peter Schickert / Alamy; Victor & Anders Rising

MANY TRAVELERS THINK OF CUBA AS BEING TRAPPED IN A TIME WARP, AND WHILE THAT MAY APPEAR TO BE THE CASE AT FIRST GLANCE, CLOSER INSPECTION REVEALS THAT GROUNDBREAKING CHANGES ARE TAKING PLACE — FAST. WITH THE THAWING OF U.S. RELATIONS WITH THE ISLAND NATION AND ITS SLOW OPENING TO AMERICAN TOURISTS, MORE CHANGE IS CERTAINLY COMING. AND THAT MAKES THE THOUGHT OF TAKING A TRIP DOWN THERE EXHILARATING.

Clockwise from left : a meal at La Guarida; the dining room at La Guarida; el malecón; Cementerio de Colón. Opposite page: a view of the Capitolio in central Havana.

in terms of food, music and extravagant outfits, there are marked differences as well. For starters, there are no private sponsors or vendors. In fact, the entire parade is government-run.

LIKE THE MOVIES One of the landmark moments for Cuba’s long overdue cultural shift was the release of the 1993 Oscar-nominated Fresa y Chocolate. The film revolves around a conflicted relationship between a committed Marxist student and a flamboyantly gay artist, and it kickstarted a national conversation about gay life in Cuba whose repercussions are felt more than 20 years later. Shortly after the movie’s release, longstanding penalties for homosexual activity were abolished. And now, two locations prominently featured in the film have become unofficial LGBT tourist destinations: La Guarida, one of the

top restaurants in Havana; and La Coppelia, an ice cream parlor.

Due to the stagnant economy, enterprising locals have found a variety of ways to stitch together a living. Many are more than willing to help tourists in exchange for tips, meals and drinks or outright payment for their services. Some of the most frequented attractions to check out are the National Museum of Fine Arts, Cementerio de Colón and the Hemingway Museum.

Evenings are for socializing. Everyone gathers before heading out to nightspots and parties along the seawall known as el malecón near La Rampa — where the seawall intersects with Avenida 23. In that area you’ll find a few of the new clubs that cater to Havana’s LGBT community. Humboldt 52, Las Vegas and Discoteca Escaleras al Cielo are all popular. Spend a Saturday night at Café Cantante and you’ll bear witness to Havana’s biggest party of the week.

From top left: Maria la Gorda dive spot; Trinidad; Soroa; El Mejunje in Santa Clara province. Opposite page: Festival Internacional de Ballet de la Habana.

DETOURS WITH MATT:

> Explore Cuba with Yale GALA (LGBT Alumni Association): Matt Smith (see above) is the organizer of this upscale trip, which coincides with Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia. The group has tentative plans to meet with Mariela Castro this May. No Yale affiliation is necessary to take part in this trip. yaleedtravel.org > Coda International Tours: The 10-night Unexplored Cuba focuses on People-toPeople exchanges in Havana, Santa Clara, Camagüey, Holguín and Santiago de Cuba among others. coda-tours.com > Zoom Vacations: Spend eight days exploring the island with a Zoom Vacations® Concierge in May. And if you miss that tour, there’s always their New Years in Cuba tour. zoomvacations.com > Al & Chuck Travel: These week-long cruises depart from Jamaica with stops in Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Maria la Gorda, Cienfuegos. alandchuck.travel

Clockwise from top left: © Poelzer Wolfgang / Alamy; © robertharding / Alamy; © Konstik / Dreamstime.com; © Torontonian / Alamy; Opposite page: © National Geographic Creative / Alamy

Arrange private trips or an annual tour to coincide with Pride. A 10-day, small-group tour includes lodging, airfare from Miami, transportation for group activities, a number of meals, health insurance in Cuba, a visa and an expert guide co-leading the trip with tour operator Matt Smith. detourswithmatt.com

MUCH LIKE SOUTH FLORIDA, THE SUMMERS ARE HOT AND HUMID SO THE BEST TIMES TO VISIT ARE FROM OCTOBER — WHEN YOU’LL FIND THE FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE BALLET DE LA HABANA TAKING PLACE — THROUGH MAY, WHEN THE PRIDE FESTIVALS OCCUR. IN DECEMBER HAVANA HOSTS FESTIVAL DEL NUEVO CINE LATINO AMERICANO AND IN FEBRUARY THERE’S A JAZZ FESTIVAL.

A DAY AT THE BEACH As rich as the culture is in the capital, you’ll want to head to the outskirts of the city and even beyond to delve deeper into Cuba’s bounty. Take a 20-minute drive north of Havana to Mi Cayito for a day at the gay beach. Locals hang out on the sand, but beach chairs and umbrellas are available for rent — and many tourists snap these up. You should be able to negotiate a cab ride for about $10-$20, and you can ask your driver to pick you up at a designated time, too. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, take the red sightseeing bus that departs from Parque Central to the hotels on the outskirts of Havana. Ask the bus driver to drop you off at the nearest hotel for Mi Cayito beach; it’s about a 10-minute walk from there.

Make certain that you check the time for the last bus returning to Havana.

BEYOND THE BIG CITY In central Cuba you’ll find the province of Santa Clara, perhaps the most openly gay city in Cuba. In this sleepy region you wouldn’t expect to come across a gay club, but there it is, and has been for nearly 20 years. El Mejunje was founded

by Ramón Silverio, who wanted a place where artists, musicians, drag performers and intellectuals of all kinds could gather and find acceptance. This province is very proud of its acceptance of its more colorful residents.

Santiago, about 540 miles southeast of Havana, is the second largest city in Cuba. It is known for its variety of architectural styles, from neoclassic to Baroque. It is also home to some of Cuba’s most famous musicians, including the Buena Vista Social Club.

Santiago is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to the citadel of San Pedro de la Roca and Baconao Park.

Historical landmarks include the first home in the Americas, the first copper mine opened in the Americas and the first Cuban museum.

On the far west side of the island is one of the most beautiful diving locations in the Caribbean: Maria la Gorda. There’s no nightlife to speak of here; it’s all about nature and exploring the azure waters, black coral and sea creatures. Soroa, known as the “rainbow of Cuba,” is notable for its immaculate mountain air and waterfalls.

On the south central side of the island, Playa Ancon’s vast white beaches and Trinidad’s Colonial ambience are also major draws.

While you won’t find first-class roads, luxury hotels or experienced service in Cuba, you will find a warm country rich in culture. For the adventurous traveler, that may be enough of a draw. Others would probably be best served booking through a tour operator experienced in putting together LGBT tours.•

The

Quality of

Equality

© Pekic / iStock

By Julie Balter

While the level of LGBT health care has improved along with all the other strides the community has made, work still remains to educate the medical industry and the public at large.

2015

was the year we cheered, screamed and cried for the equality strides we made. SCOTUS-sanctioned weddings were celebrated. A certain transgender celebrity transitioned into a mainstreammedia hero. Dozens of cities and towns reworked the laws on their books to be more inclusive and better reflect their composition. But after the parties ended and the water cooler conversation tapped out, we all returned to our daily existence, where many of us are still not fully accepted by our immediate families or comfortable being out-andproud at the workplace. One spot that has consistently remained an area of acute distress — sometimes even dread — is the doctor’s office, where even discussing a routine health matter can become awkward at best.

Whether you’re a card-carrying queer poly or a freshly inked bridegroom, we must beg the question: Can we live happily ever after if we’re still plagued by the physical and mental stresses of discrimination (whether blatant or unconsciously biased) that affect the quality of our health care and wellbeing?

In a post-AIDS world, what can we as a community do to ensure we thrive in sickness and in health?

The Outlook To begin, we need to become aware of where we stand as a community and what obstacles we face. The prevailing prognosis by leading researchers and health studies (such as the Kaiser Family Foundation) confirms the painful reality playing out across the country: LGBT individuals can indeed anticipate a worse health outcome than their non-LGBT counterparts. This is mostly because of discrimination and poor access to quality health care.

You need only look over the Rainbow Health Initiative’s (RHI) summary of data drawn from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to realize that cultural, economic and political discriminations have a direct impact on the staggering health care disparities the LGBT community experiences. Here are a few statistics that stand out: • LGBT youth are two to three times more likely to attempt suicide.

• LGBT youth are more likely to be homeless.

• Lesbians are less likely to get preventative services for cancer.

• Gay men are at higher risk of HIV and other STIs, especially among communities of color.

• Lesbians and bisexual females are more likely to be overweight or obese.

• Transgender individuals have a high prevalence of HIV/STIs, victimization, mental health issues and suicide, and are less likely to have health insurance than heterosexual or LGB individuals.

• Elderly LGBT individuals face additional barriers to care because of isolation, as well as a dearth of social services and culturally competent providers.

• LGBT populations have the highest rates of tobacco, alcohol and other substance abuse.

Despite South Florida’s progressive environment, many within the community are still susceptible to the biological and sociological barriers that incur these disproportionate rates of disease. To wit: Cancerlinked agents, such as e-cigarettes are

aggressively marketed to South Florida LGBT youth; in fact, Vapor Shark was one of the title sponsors of Miami Gay Pride, and walking through Wilton Manors you could amass a heady count of vapor retailers.

More directly, a National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) report identified several major cancer types that disproportionately affect the LGBT population. Consider, for instance, that lesbians are generally less likely to experience pregnancy and are therefore at a higher risk of being diagnosed with endometrial, ovarian and breast cancers. Transgender patients rarely receive biologically applicable health screenings — making early detection difficult. They are also at higher risk for various forms of cancer associated with increased exposure to hormones.

Antiquated insurance policies reflect a lack of education, and culturally competent health care providers who understand the nuances of caring for LGBT individuals are scarce.

While such factors underscore the importance of early and frequent cancer

screenings, the problem is compounded by a lack of communication between individuals and health care providers.

Preventive care and treatment are often avoided — because of embarrassment or traumatizing past experiences — or inaccessible. The vicious cycle of discrimination, low income and/or lack of insurance coverage exacerbate the problem. This is a community that experiences a greater propensity for a number of serious illnesses and faces more obstacles to the most basic preventive services.

A Spoonful of Sugar Fortunately, when it comes to the three C’s of optimal health care — critical services, cultural competency and community support — local advocates are raising the standards.

It wasn’t long ago that South Florida’s largest public hospital was the focus of a Lambda Legal lawsuit — Langbehn v. Jackson Memorial Hospital. Long-term lesbian partners Janice Langbehn and Lisa Pond (then unable to legally marry) were denied the

same hospital rights enjoyed by married partners, including visitation and basic information. Of course, this episode, along with some education, was the catalyst for a series of sweeping reforms.

Jackson now boasts special recognition from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) as a Health Equality Index (HEI) Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality.

What changed? Jackson implemented HRC’s comprehensive policies, ranging from the collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data (SOGI) to enacting standards of equality for transgender patients.

“We want to create an environment that lowers the barriers to care that have traditionally made it difficult for marginalized groups to access quality health care and preventative care that can result in healthier lives,” says Nicolette Tessler, senior vice president and chief executive officer of the Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital.

Tessler acknowledges that continued education and best practices require ongoing conversations with the community. “We know that much work lies

Christina Mendenhall (2)

All six of the local hospitals in the Jackson Health System were recognized as Leaders in LGBT Healthcare Equality in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) for the 5th year in a row. In 2014, nine of the 26 facilities recognized throughout Florida were part of Jackson Health System.

051

“We want to create an environment that lowers the barriers to care that have traditionally made it difficult for marginalized groups to access quality health care and preventative care that can result in healthier lives.”

— Nicolette Tessler, senior vice president and chief executive officer of the Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital

ahead, so we are in discussion with policy leaders … with whom we hope to partner in order to deliver best practice care.”

But Jackson is not the only player locally. While it is certainly the largest institution to adopt communitybased health care for individuals who identify as LGBT, options for culturally competent medical services have a long history in South Florida. Care Resource, a renowned center for HIV and AIDS-related services (including PrEP management), is also a full-scale federally qualified health center that offers comprehensive primary care.

Approximately 15,000 visitors and more than 11,000 HIV tests are processed annually by this organization alone.

In Fort Lauderdale, the Pride Center provides STI screenings and HIV testing

and PrEP services, as well as education, prevention and counseling. SunServe provides high quality, culturally relevant care across the community, with special attention to those in financial need, minorities, youth, seniors, HIV positive persons and those with life-challenging physical or emotional conditions. Many of their services are either free or charged on a sliding scale.

With more than two dozen service locations throughout South Florida, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has provided much-needed medical care and advocacy for those who are HIV positive and/or who already have AIDS for years.

SAGE, a champion for LGBT seniors, is not your grandfather’s shuffleboard club. They host a wide range of educational and support services, and also serve as a primary center for ongoing social activity (never underestimate the restorative powers of same-sex dancing at any age).

Topical Treatments

Nicolette Tessler is the senior vice president and chief executive officer of the Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital.

Although LGBT communities are increasingly requiring their network of national and local health organizations to implement culturally sensitive policies and services from the top down, the reality is that individual patients are still their own best advocates.

It is essential that patients make informed choices about the services they seek. Resources like the South Florida LBT Health Directory — a comprehensive list of LBT-friendly physicians made possible by a grant from the Aqua Foundation for Women — simplify access to information.

Most recently, mytranshealth.com, a comprehensive medical directory for transgender patients, achieved full Kickstarter funding and will soon become available exclusively in Miami and New York City. Both directories include social

credentialing, so patients can share feedback and experiences.

As an informed patient, it’s also crucial to know your rights. Download the LGBT Healthcare Bill of Rights at healthcarebillofrights.org. Created by LGBT HealthLink in partnership with leading advocate organizations such as HRC and Lambda Legal, the Bill of Rights summarizes your full legal health care rights relating to gender, visitations, decision-making on your behalf and more.

While it’s important to be informed and embrace your inner self advocate, it’s also important to stay positive.

Where once we endured the stigma of a presumptive community-wide death sentence from AIDS-related illnesses, today it seems that some actuaries are willing to bet we’re going to stick around a little longer: Progressive companies such as AEQUALIS and Prudential have even partnered to offer life insurance policies to those living with HIV. “As medical technology advances, we continuously evaluate and update our underwriting criteria, which has resulted in our ability to offer insurance to people dealing with various medical or chronic conditions,” says Mike McFarland, chief underwriting officer of Prudential Individual Life Insurance.

Also, while you never want to dismiss any serious medical conditions, you should take the restorative powers of a South Florida winter to heart. After all, we have one of the warmest, most committed, socially and politically engaged local LGBT leaderships.

Our peer communities are deeply connected and wholly invested in our social welfare. And as individuals we are becoming empowered consumers, collectively working to educate, advocate and act in the interests of qualified equality for all.•

on trend•

palette•feb|march 2016

GETTING JUICED What’s behind South Florida’s juice craze, anyway?

A

by SHAYNE BENOWITZ

t JugoFresh in South Beach’s Sunset Harbour, a cooler is lined with bottled potions and elixirs that come in every shade of the rainbow. The bottles are labeled with clever, tongue-in-cheek monikers like El Green-go (apple, celery, spinach, parsley, lemon) and Sol’s Soul (pineapple, orange, carrot, ginger, turmeric powder). Others bear names that suggest a higher (or perhaps hipper) purpose, like Ashram (grapefruit, lemon, water, turmeric, cayenne, raw honey) or Alkaline Gangster (cucumber, celery, spinach, parsley, lemon, ginger).

So what exactly is going on in this small reclaimed industrial space full of so many beautiful people?

“We’re creating positive change in Miami by raising the vibration, awakening consciousness and making [people] smile,” says Matthew Sherman, 35, Founder & CEO of JugoFresh. “When we say ‘raise the vibe,’ that may sound a little arcane, but what we mean is

that when you ingest our products that are nutrient dense at a high level, it will make your cells more alive and you will feel better.”

Since founding JugoFresh in 2012, the company has expanded to 10 shops across South Florida, including partnerships with Whole Foods Markets. In just as much time, the enthusiasm surrounding wellness and mindfulness has reached a cultural tipping point that Sherman likens to a neo-‘60s movement, citing the popularity of everything from Ted Talks, Burning Man, plant medicine and vegan lifestyle as evidence.

Where to Start While breaking free of mass produced and genetically modified foods stripped of their vital nutrients — what he calls “the abuse of the food system” — is no small task, it can be just as tricky to navigate the newer, cleaner waters of food labels. Organic, natural, plantbased, raw, gluten-free — not to mention, cold-pressed — the list can

be overwhelming. Even Sherman concedes that at this point you have to be a “mental ninja” to understand what to put in your body.

“You have to meet somebody where they’re at,” he says of incorporating juice into a healthy eating routine, meaning that what works for one person won’t necessarily work for another.

The health benefits of different juices vary and include alkalizing the body, reversing damage to the digestive system, detoxification and anti–inflammatory and immune– boosting properties. To figure out where you’re at, you can talk to a nutritionist or the friendly face behind the counter at JugoFresh and other local juice joints. Afterwards, be sure to take a moment and observe how the juice makes you feel.

On Juice Cleanses “The most powerful part of juice cleanses, to me, is the emptiness. It’s taking a moment for self realization and mental clarity,” says Sherman who explains that when done with the proper guidance, a cleanse can be a life-altering experience that changes your palette and empowers you to make the right food choices long term. However, he cautions, if it’s approached as a starvation, yoyo diet technique, you’re not going to reap any real rewards. JugoFresh offers a variety of custom juice cleanses for a single day, three days, seven days and more.•

Local Juice Spots JUGOFRESH – Juices, smoothies, power bowls and more at 10 locations across South Florida, and counting. jugofresh.com ONJUICE – Based in Fort Lauderdale, you’ll find OnJuice at retailers across South Florida, including Aventura Mall, Exhale Spas and My Ceviche. onjuice.com JUICETERIA – A spot for cold-pressed juices, smoothies and healthy bites in Mizner Park in Boca Raton. juiceateria.com JUICE & JAVA – A neighborhood café in South Beach, Juice & Java boasts an extensive list of fresh smoothies and juices. juiceandjavasouthbeach.com DR. SMOOD – A smart food revolution is afoot at Dr. Smood’s in South Miami and Wynwood, where 100 percent organic smoothies, juices and treats are served. drsmood.com DATE&THYME – An organic restaurant and market in Key West, Date&Thyme is the go-to spot for southernmost juice. helpyourselffoods.com

© Marcelo Krelling / iStock

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INDULGE INDULGE INDULGE INDULGE ApRil / MAY 2015

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2015

FALL

SPRING

HOM PLuS

JSSH

[ØRI

ISSue

ISSUE!

INTERVIEWS WITH MARISA TOCCIN LUCAS, WILLIE LOGAN AND DORA PUIG

+IX MRWTMVIH XS LSRSV HEH At home with SILVIA TCHERASSI

AND interviews with TUI PRANICH, LINDSAY PUMPA, DON PEEBLES And more!

SIX POWERHOUSE FEMALE CHEFS MAKING MIAMI MORE DELICIOUS THAN EVER HOW TO ALWAYS FIND A PERFECT BOTTLE OF WINE THE MAGIC CITY’S BEST VALENTINE’S DAY CHOCOLATES

HOM

PASTOR RICH WILKERSON, JR.

on his father, in his own words

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CAROLA HINOJOSA’S serene Key BiscAyne hideAwAy

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS NINA COMPTON? AN EXCLUSIVE CATCH-UP WITH THE TOP CHEF ALUM

AUGUST / SEpTEMBER 2015

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JEFYPSYW WXE] GEXMSRW

+ tthe Art of living with savoir faire

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RODOLPHE EL-KHOURY ON WHY ARCHITECTURE MATTERS

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OUR GUIDE TO THE CITY'S BEST BOURBONS

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PUT DOWN THAT GREEN JUICE— IT'S TIME FOR DESSERT!

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ART BASEL ISSUE

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on taking over her family’s philanthropic crown jewel and how millennials are changing how miami gives

ALAN FAENA’S TROPICAL DREAMSCAPE

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scoreboard•

palette•feb|march 2016

HOLD TO LOVE The Clay Court Classic brings GLTA tennis action to South Florida.

G

by GREGG SHAPIRO

et ready for the 2016 Clay Court Classic, taking place on Valentine’s weekend at The Lauderdale Tennis Club. Open to all skill levels, the singles and doubles tournament is sponsored by the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance (GLTA) and hosted locally by the South Florida Tennis Club (SFTC).

And while the atmosphere may be friendly and supportive, the competition is fierce.

The Lauderdale Tennis Club has hosted a number of national tournaments and welcomed luminaries of the sport, such as Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Harold Solomon, Andy Roddick and Jim Courier. The Clay Court Classic is expected to draw 150 participants from around the world.

“This event is always ranked in the top 10 LGBT tennis events in the world,” says SFTC spokesperson, Phil Sokolov. “One of the draws is the Fort Lauderdale Tennis Club’s

• Last year’s Clay Court

Classic drew participants from across North America.

clay courts. Many players will have never played on clay courts.”

Founded in 1987, SFTC is a nonprofit organization whose focus is to develop and coordinate tennis activities for the LGBT community in South Florida. Membership is open to players of all ages and skill levels. In addition to the Clay Court Classic, SFTC also offers team tennis, tennis socials, regional tournaments and competitive spring and fall tennis ladders for singles and doubles. The GLTA provides an open, safe, inclusive space and community that is committed to promoting and developing amateur tennis in the LGBT community.

For those more interested in watching than participating, the patio bar area and boardwalk at the Lauderdale Tennis Club provide a great venue from which to take in all the action. The Courtside Patio Bar — operated by Stork’s catering — offers delicious, reasonably priced dishes. Hearty burgers, refreshing salads, fresh fish and comfort standards such as meatloaf round out the menu.

“The venue is spectacular; it even has a swimming pool,” says Sokolov.

Beyond the matches themselves, there’s plenty of room for fun. It is an LGBT function, after all. Plenty of social activities have been planned around the tournament. It all kicks off with the registration/draw party at The Manor Nightclub Complex and ends with the tournament banquet, which will be held at Dapur Lounge in Fort Lauderdale.

“The theme of the banquet is Studio 54,” says Sokolov. “There will be prizes for the best outfits, and SFTC has partnered with a local vintage clothing rental company, Vintage Diversity, to provide outfits for the party.”

A percentage of the proceeds from the Clay Court Classic will benefit SunServe, a nonprofit social service agency that serves the LGBT community in South Florida.•

© John Hardy / Courtesy of SFTC

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health check•

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the population, particularly among gay men.

If you’re sexually active, then STIs are always a concern. Here’s how you can protect yourself and others from the risks.

W

by WYATT MYERS

hen it comes to STIs, or sexually transmitted infections, most media attention is devoted to HIV and AIDS. But the reality is that these are just two of the many diseases that people can contract through all manner of sexual activity. The CDC estimates that there are about 50,000 new HIV infections in the U.S. every year. By contrast, there are more than 1.4 million new cases of chlamydia reported annually and over 350,000 cases of gonorrhea.

All in all, if you are sexually active, your risk of catching an STI by age 25 is almost 50 percent.

The Risks The attention devoted to HIV, of course, is understandable. But

Yvonne Koch, MD, an assistant professor of urology in the Columbia University Division of Urology at Mount Sinai Medical Center, says it’s important not to overlook other potential risks.

“People should concern themselves with all STIs,” she says.

“Bacterial infections like gonorrhea and chlamydia can often be treated with antibiotics, but STIs that have no cure are of more concern. These are viral infections like hepatitis, HIV, herpes and HPV. Some of these can lead to cancer. And hepatitis can cause liver disease, liver failure and cancer.”

This is of particular concern for the LGBT community, as the CDC notes that the rates of some STIs — including HIV and syphilis — are higher within this section of

Protect Yourself While there are plenty of risks, the news isn’t all grim. The reality is that the same practical measures can help protect you from virtually all STIs, and most of these are fairly simple. The most obvious is to use condoms whenever you have sex, particularly when starting a new relationship or if you’re not in a monogamous relationship.

Even if your relationship is monogamous, it’s best to take some precautions before starting to have unprotected sex. As Dr. Castro noted, many people can have an STI and not display any symptoms. The only way to know your status for certain is with testing.

“Many couples who are committed to a monogamous relationship will have STI testing by their doctor prior to starting a new sexual relationship,” says Dr. Koch.

“Don’t be afraid to ask for this!”•

Barbara Pollak-Lewis

THE TRUTH ABOUT STIs

Warning Signs STIs can present themselves in various different ways. Some have clear and immediate symptoms, while others don’t show symptoms for a long time or even at all.

“Traditional common symptoms are rash on the genitals or elsewhere, genital discharge and genital sores,” says Jose G. Castro, MD, an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

“However, many STIs produce no symptoms, at least initially,” he says. “But [they] can still be spread to sexual partners.”

This risk emphasizes the importance of getting tested for STIs on a regular basis, perhaps even annually, notes Dr. Castro.

And if you do notice any concerning symptoms that might be related to an STI, he suggests abstaining from sex and seeking qualified medical attention immediately.

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serious business•

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Dr. Leslie Baumann • Cosmetic Dermatologist of the Baumann Cosmetic & Research Institute

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by JEFF BORG

faces with Ivory soap. I have some patients who wash their faces with shampoo — then shave with it!

Q: What about sun exposure?

A: It’s hard to avoid the sun. I boat, I golf and I’m out in the sun a lot. There are vitamins you can take that will protect your skin. There are 16 skin types. Getting people on the right skin care to help prevent aging and make the skin better is really important.

Everyone knows you should avoid the sun and use sunscreen. But there are other things you can do. For example, take a CoQ10 supplement in the morning. That helps your DNA repair itself after exposure.

Q: What do people want?

A: Women and men have very different looks, different aesthetics.

You can’t inject a man and a woman the same way. Kybella is the new injectable for neck fat. It bursts the fat and tightens the neck skin. Men are coming in like crazy for that.

I think that men recognize how important it is to have a nice jawline.

Q: What about those little bulges?

A: In South Florida, where we’re in bathing suits the whole year, the big thing is body contouring. We have two devices that melt fat, plus the injectable Kybella. The best one is called UltraShape. It uses ultrasound waves to shake the fat so it bursts. It doesn’t hurt... doesn’t leave marks. You can go out in a bathing suit right after.

Q: Do gay and straight people want different things?

Q: What’s the next big thing?

A: No, everybody wants the same things. I think that gay men have done a better job of understanding skin care and taking better care of their skin.

They come in and they already know what Retin-A and sunscreen are.

When some of my straight men come in, they’re washing their

A: Kybella reminds me of Botox.

It changed the market. That’s how Kybella will be. A lot of doctors aren’t doing it yet because the company is still training. They haven’t started direct consumer advertising yet, so most people haven’t heard about it.•

• Separating true skin care regimens from all the snake oil peddlers is cosmetic dermatologist Leslie Baumann, MD

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e demand to look young beyond our actual youth — more lift, fewer spots, less fat, lush hair (but only in select places) — so the cosmetics industry cranks out product. Leslie Baumann, MD, of the Baumann Cosmetic & Research Institute, was the first full-time cosmetic dermatologist at the University of Miami. She runs clinical research trials for the FDA and wrote The New York Times bestselling book The Skin Type Solution. Dr. Baumann shares her expertise.

A TANGO MULTIMEDIA FUSION SHOW

February 14, 2016

Manuel Artime Theater, Miami Join Us for Valentine’s Day

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060

the scene•

Clockwise from top left: Fran Epstein and JJ • Margie Fried, Trevor Fried, Susanne Ellman and Marty Ellman • Michelle J. Gomez, Tim Lonergan, Betsy Benson and Julie Fishman • Jan Hadden and Lesa “Le” Peerman • Sabrina Kelly and David Stout • Michael Rajner and Nadine Smith

BROWARD EQUALITY GALA

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A fitting end to a great year, Equality Florida’s Broward Gala honored Jim Obergefell — the lead plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court case that brought the freedom to marry nationwide. Judge Sarah Zabel presented him with his Voice for Equality award.

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palette•feb|march 2016

PARADE OF PAWS & HOLIDAY BAZAAR A motley group of people and their furry friends gathered for the Florida Keys SPCA’s second annual parade. Sure it was all for a good cause, but everyone was really there to see who would be crowned king, queen, prince, princess, duke and duchess. And the competition was rabid!

Andrew Printer

Clockwise from top left: Kathy Stofa with her whippets, Murphy and Sabre • Jeanne Selander with Mo, the sloth • Rosie, an 11 year old rescued basset hound • Andi Sparks with Abby • Maria Stacionis with lip-smacking dog, Louisex • Tiffany Burton, Tammy Fox and Reverend Steve Torrence • Bella, a teacup chihuahua • Kari Tilson with Gilroy, crowned King of Parade of Paws

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the scene•

TOYS FOR TOTS

Guests who arrived at Lips armed with an unwrapped children’s toy during the annual Holiday Toy Drive didn’t just do their part to support the Children’s Diagnostic & Treatment Center (CDTC), they also received a voucher for a frozen cosmo. Yum!

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Clockwise from top left: Nicolette • Mark Butterfield and Justin Wyse • April Chanel, Sean Engler and Francesque Richards • Jim Taylor, Guy Van Tiggelen and Charlie Archer • Velvet Lenore • Darryl Jones • Nathanial Burdell and Frank Delaini

Made with Pride...

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We are now bi-monthly.

Reserve space today.

south florida’s lgbt lifestyle magazine

palette palette palette palette south florida’s lgbt lifestyle magazine

spring 2015 • 01

south florida’s lgbt lifestyle magazine

summer 2015 • 02

IN THE LIMELIGHT Fabio Díaz Vilela

Jazz Jennings Comes of Age

A STAR IS BORN

Sunny Nuptials • A Season of Pride • Caribbean Calling Market Eats • Nights of Drag • Step into Spring & more…

Playing the Field • Redefining Beauty • Being Human Throwback Décor • Luxe Libations • Museum Manors & more…

south florida’s lgbt lifestyle magazine

fall 2015 • 03

south florida’s lgbt lifestyle magazine

winter 2015 • 04

ARTISTIC MUSINGS

ALTERNATIVE PARENTING

The Latino Way • Eastward Bound • The Arts Circuit Boho Spirit • The Comic Book Closet • Creative Spaces & more…

A Flair for Flavor • Follow the Snow Trail • The Joy of Giving Fun and Festive • Priceless Collections • Decadent Brews & more…

It’s All in the Family

Lena Burke and Ozcar G.’s creative sides collide

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For advertising information, contact your representative at Miami Herald or Kristina Corrales • 305.376.2801 • kcorrales@miamiherald.com • Rosemary Gama • 305.376.2516 • rgama@miamiherald.com

11/11/15 3:34 PM

palette•feb|march 2016

GAY8 FESTIVAL

Little Havana was the site of artistry, music, dancing and food during the first annual Gay8 street festival held on January 17th. Blending all of South Florida’s delights to great effect, the local LGBT community hosted one gigantic party for the whole town to enjoy.

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Clockwise from top left: Christopher Padron, Mari Zapata, Holam Antonetti and Jade • Marytrini • Tony Lima and Joe Cardona • Fabricio Ortiz and Raul Oritana • Jazzy F and KTLN • Nicole Quiñones and Sabrina Salinas • Aurelio Hurtado de Mendoza, Alexander Mendoza, Juan Salazar Pares, Richard Bec, Roberto de Armas, Francesco Pifano and Giovanni Suarez • Stephanie Casiano-Arroyo, Cynthia Cheverez and Jacquelyn Shafran

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season’s highlights•

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

February

Peter Max: A Restrospective Key West Gallery February 8–14 keywestartgalleries.com

Progressive Miami International Boat Show Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin February 11–15 miamiboatshow.com

Lea DeLaria Live with Varla Jean Merman Parker Playhouse, Fort Lauderdale February 13 stonewall-museum.org

palette•feb|march 2016 Aqua Annual Family BBQ

Miami Open

Greynolds Park, Aventura February 22 aquafoundation.org

Tennis Center at Crandon Park Key Biscayne March 21–April 3 miamiopen.com

Aqua Ally Awards Bacardi Headquarters, Miami February 26 aquafoundation.org

Bears of All Colors: The Family Reunion Fort Lauderdale February 25–28 bearsofallcolors.com

Greg Cope White discusses The Pink Marine

February 13–15 cgaf.com

Books & Books, Coral Gables February 29 booksandbooks.com

Florida Renaissance Festival

March

Coconut Grove Arts Festival

Quiet Waters Park, Deerfield Beach February 13–March 27 ren-fest.com

Mister and Miss Pride South Florida Aventura Arts & Cultural Center February 15 aventuracenter.org

From The Dark Knight to The Hunger Games: The Movie Music of James Newton Howard Knight Concert Hall, Miami February 19 arshtcenter.org

Up Close & Personal with Tony DeSare NSU Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale February 20 venetianartssociety.org

Lake Worth Street Painting Festival Downtown Lake Worth February 20–21 streetpaintingfestivalinc.org

Voices in the Gallery ™ Gallery of Amazing Things, Dania Beach March 25 venetianartssociety.org

Kathy Griffin Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale March 31 browardcenter.org

7th Annual International Gay Polo Tournament International Polo Club Palm Beach March 31–April 3 gaypolo.com

Flamenco Festival 2016 Ziff Ballet Opera House, Miami March 9–13 arshtcenter.org

TransCon Barry University, Miami March 11–12 transconmiami.tumblr.com

ULTRA Music Festival Miami March 18–20 ultramusicfestival.com

Equality Florida Key West Gala The Gardens Hotel March 19 eqfl.org/keywestgala

PrideFest of the Palm Beaches Lake Worth March 19–20 compassglcc.com

The Kinsey Sicks in Electile Dysfunction Parker Playhouse, Fort Lauderdale February 21 parkerplayhouse.org

© Antonio Acedo / Courtesy of Adrienne Arsht Center

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Pirates and poets. Artists and musicians. Early birds and night owls. Gay, straight or somewhere in between. Down here in Key West, we may all march to the beat of a different drummer, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re singing the same song. fla-keys.com/gaykeywest KEY W 305.294.4603 EST B IG PINE KEY & THE LOWER KEYS

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