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2nd Biannual 2014 - Issue n° 12 -Travel & Lifestyle € 4,50

For him, for her, for you

People ELISA Travels ZURIGO FRIENDLY Events DENNIS HOPPER Fashion NEW ROMAN HOLIDAYS Gourmet PAOLO MAGNANIMI Wellness AQUALUX Imago ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE Art STREET ART Interview FABIO SCOZZOLI

Milano, Via Piacenza 8

QUEEN CITY OF THE ROCKIES Denver, GLBT center of west, with many restaurants and hotels is also capital of beer in the USA! www.visitdenver.com/it

2nd Biannual 2014 - Issue n° 12 -Travel & Lifestyle € 4,50

For him, for her, for you

For him, for her, for you

People ELISA Travels ZURIGO FRIENDLY Y Events DENNIS HOPPER Fashion NEW ROMAN HOLIDAYS Gourmet PAOLO AQUALUX O MAGNANIMI W Wellness AQ UALLUX Imago ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE Art STREET ART Interview FABIO SCOZZOLI

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EDITORIAL COVER STORY Elisa FASHION AND TRENDS It’s time to go back to school, and don’t shave FASHION SHOOTING ROME New Roman Holidays IMAGO Anatomy and Sculpture.

The scandalous Robert Mappl TRAVELS Estonia Zurigo friendly INTERVIEW Fabio Scozzoli ART Journey into masterpieces of Street Art EVENTS Scratching the Surface: Photographs by Dennis Hopper BENESSERE Aqualux Hotel GOURMET Paolo Magnanimi WHAT’S INN? EVENTS AUTUMN/WINTER 2014-2015 GAY CULTURE Unpredictable love affairs in ancient Rome

People ELISA Travels ZURIGO FRIENDLY Events DENNIS HOPPER Fashion NEW ROMAN HOLIDAYS Gourmet PAOLO MAGNANIMI Wellness AQUALUX Imago ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE Art STREET ART Interview FABIO SCOZZOLI

More contents ntents available l bl ffor all devices in digital version.

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2nd Biannual 2014 - Issue n° 12 -Travel & Lifestyle € 4,50

SUMMARY

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2014-10-20 10:07 AM

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WE ARE MOST DEFINITELY ON THE SIDE OF THE WEAKEST

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he most recent repellent case occurred last January when Senator Giovanardi, during the discussion in the House on the homophobic bill, presented an amendment in which there was an explicit comparison between homosexuality and pedophilia.

And Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone took an even stronger and conscious stance when he spoke of the existence of a link which, according to the prelate, was psychiatrically proven to exist between pedophilia and homosexuality.

These kinds of attitudes are undoubtedly the fruit of ignorance and political apathy. They are grievously detrimental to the freedom and dignity of man and are, moreover, despicable clichés.

In the case of homosexuality this serious juxtaposition can be dangerous. Just think of the suffering of those who already find it difficult to live their sexual orientation openly because of the guilt they feel towards to our western civilization.

The weight can become so unbearable that some young people end up taking their own lives.

This approach is so deeply rooted in our society that it curbs the freedom of many people whose sensitivity, or the fear of having fingers pointed at them, deprives them of being able to express their sentiments of tenderness and affection to-

wards their own nieces and nephews, or towards the children of friends.

Unfortunately in this era of hyper-communication the so-called opinion leaders forget the power their words have, as these words do not just hang in the air but are picked up and trumpeted around the world by the mass media. And as they spread they become platitudes for our society.

This is why we have always believed how important it is to fight these fallacies by taking a strong stance and collaborating with an international organization like ECPAT in its fight to defend minors against what is vulgarly called “sexual tourism.” This reprehensible phenomenon continues to be ignored by some countries where these abject practices are not only allowed but are turned into flourishing businesses.

Our choice is to say clearly to all those who travel with us that we do not shilly-shally or close our eyes, nor do we refuse to join forces or shy away. Our position is very clear: we are there on the side of the weakest. We are with those children who are the victims of sexual tourism and for whom ECPT is fighting. Just as we are with those unfortunate young people who are driven to suicide by lies and infamy: two flawless instruments of evil.

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Elisa

A SOUL CAUGHT BETWEEN MUSIC AND CINEMA

by Pino Gagliardi

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onoured by Maestro Ennio Morricone, chosen by Quentin Tarantino, acclaimed by Gabriele Muccino, requested by Giovanni Veronesi for his latest film and desired by Andrea Guerra who made her win a Nastro Argento award for “Love is required,” the soundtrack of Roberto Faenza’s film “One day this pain will be useful to you.” It sounds like the life of a seasoned composer, rather than that of a singer with over two million records to her credit. A life full of satisfaction and happiness thanks to her two children - Emma Cecile and Sebastian- and to the latest addition to the Toffoli household, her album “The soul flies.”

Why Elisa’s soul?

It returned to its origins, because I returned to where I come from to compose it. I didn’t wander around, I didn’t go to record it in America.

This album is full of Italy, that’s what I wanted.

How did the duet with Tiziano Ferro come about?

Tiziano saw a documentary about me on tour with pictures with my daughter and with Andrea (Elisa’s partner Andrea Rigonat) and he was struck by how I changed my life and decided to dedicate this song to the relationship between me and my daughter. It tells how Emma arrived, upset all my plans and filled my life. It is an indelible dedication, and for me a beautiful dream come true, this collaboration with him.

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And then the soundtrack of Django, Tarantino’s film...

It was incredible, truly awesome. I was so exciting, it was such a huge honour for me, and I think also for Italians and for Italy because Quentin Tarantino is one of the world’s greatest directors. I love Tarantino in general, his other films too, and so maybe I’m not all that objective (Elisa laughs). But for me it was really one of the most important moments of my career, and I will remember it always as something exciting and really out of this world.

How did you get to Tarantino?

My recording company Sugar is also Ennio Morricone’s editor, and they were talking with Quentin Tarantino’s producers for the Maestro’s music for the film Django and they just came out with it saying, “Look the Maestro has written something new together with one of our artists, and you might like it,” and they let him hear a demo. Tarantino went crazy because he is a Morricone fan! So he wanted the song for the film and when we let him hear the soupedup studio version he replied: “Yes, that’s really great but….I want the demo, the one I heard the first time And we had to give it to him (she laughs).

Morricone paid homage to you with “For Elisa” at the start of that song…

Yes! Incredible! All I can say is that it’s like a dream. I had been waiting for the music from “The Secret of the Sahara” for ten years. I always saw it as an impossible dream. Then what happened was that one day Caterina Caselli just said to me: “No, we’re friends, they like you” and I thought I’d choke. “”They like me?” and she sais: “Yes, both he and his wife like you.” And then from there to writing a piece together, signing it together, is something I still can’t believe happened.

You also did the soundtrack for Veronesi’s “The last wheel of the cart?”

Yes! He gave me this great chance, that was really a magical day because it was the day I went to Maestro Morricone’s home to hear the first idea for the melodies he wanted to propose to me. We said hello, he looked at me, hugged me, kissed me on the forehead and then we left.

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I felt as if I’d been hit by a bus, I really didn’t know if I’d ever get over it. I had butterflies in my stomach and at that very moment Veronesi called me: “Come and have a bite to eat, I have to talk to you about something.” And he asked me if I wanted to write the soundtrack for him and I said to myself: “That had to be Maestro Morricone’s kiss, it’s already working!”

And now “Now that” with Giuliano Sangiorgi, yet another winning partnership.

Giuliano wrote the words for “Ecco che.” I always love working with him and with Negramaro in general. I think they are a fantastic band.

If they did not exist in Italy there would be a terrible void because they are very serious musicians, and what Giuliano writes is very visceral.

It’s one of those things to be very proud of, I’m a real fan because when I go to their concerts, as well as singing the duets, I have a real ball.

They are a great band on stage, they have such tremendous energy.

the Cranberries, from the Beatles to Alanis Morissette, and from Björk to the Smashing Pumpkins.

You won a Nastro d’Argento award for “One day this pain will be useful to you.”

What made you want to do this film? And has it ever happened that pain has really been useful to you?

I would say that all pain is usually useful in some way. I like the dialogues and many of the actors…. … Lucy Liu was fantastic.

A cover you would like to do but have not done yet?

At the moment I’m not concentrating on this, actually I’m forcing myself not to do covers, even live. I’m avoiding them, so as not to always do the same things, to avoid being labeled as “the one who does the covers” even if I like holding onto what I’m made of, keeping it alive. I was formed by making the covers of many musicians and singers because I used to sing in bars, and like all the rest I sang covers, I like bringing out this aspect, even after all these years, even after all I have done. But I like bringing it out in an artistic and personalized context. Actually, there are many covers I’d like to do, for example Mike Oldfield’s Moonlight Shadow is one that really stays with you.

What kind of music does Elisa listen to?

Lots of different music from Lotus Rasing to

What are you like when you’re not working and what do you do?

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I have very little free time, and I devote it to my passions including photography, snowboarding and shopping for myself and for my children. I like walking and dancing. It might make you laugh but one thing I love when I have time is playing the piano: when I’m working I rarely have time to sit down to play the piano by myself!

Which is your favourite city?

There are many of them, but if I had to choose – even though it is not a city – I’d say California without a shadow of a doubt. I has given me so many different emotions. I adore Los Angeles and, even if it’s not in California, I also love New York.

Somewhere you would advise others to go?

Barcelona! In particular Gaudì’s house and the Sagrada Familia.

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The first place you visit in a city?

The old centre. I try not to take pubic transport and just wander around the downtown area for a few hours, I find it is the best way to get a feel for where I am.

What is the first thing you put into your suitcase?

A little ceramic Buddha my mother gave to me when I was 15. She gave it to me when I started travelling for music. It’s not a talisman, it’s just a bit of home that is always with me.

What did you do with a Harley Davidson 50 when you were 14?

A bit of everything: I had the engine soupedup, and it was my companion through thick and thin, through rough terrain and puddles! It came everywhere with me until it broke down.

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It’s time to go back to school,

and don’t shave

by Pino Gagliardi (with Niccolò Puccioni)

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righter seems to be the leitmotiv for 2014 2015 men’s fashions, with men ready to put on brighter, more delicate hues.

And there are three mainstays: the jacket to be worn over a T-shirt or a shirt that, thanks to its clean and sophisticated lines, gives the male silhouette new vigour. Sunglasses, which are the perfect way to hide one’s intentions, leaving you free and giving you a smart and refined air. And a beard. It has been for some time, but now it is the new hip trend and a must!

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Au Jour Le Jour

Massimo Rebecchi

Massimo Rebecchi

JACKETS Au Jour Le Jour introduces scholastic whites for a clientele that is, of course, playful.

Prints light up sleek neat jackets with blue jellyfish and school bus prints on dark denim. The more dynamic patterns are coloured with more “academic” shapes, a reprise of the duo that won the “Who Is On Next?” talent show.

Massimo Rebecchi takes on his public at the 86th edition of Pitti Uomo with his vision of a manly and refined man who does is not willing to give up his innate desire for fun. The jacket becomes the emblem of every man’s wardrobe and is worn throughout the day, from morning to night, becoming the defining characteristic of men’s fashion.

Colours and non-colours blend, accompanied by grafted textures that dialogue and explode into a distinctive elegance.

Allegri presents a collection of jackets that, for their cut and style, respect the most traditional cuts of the jacket, but the materials are innovative and innovating. The jacked has been devised and created to be transversal and polyfunctional, making men feel perfectly at ease in all situations. The jacket comes in a wide range of fabrics that breathe and are also waterproof.

Colours are mixed from blacks to darker shades of green and blue.

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SUNGLASSES Some 85 years ago sunglasses served to protect the eyes of aviators and lead the founders of Ray Ban to create an accessory that has become a must. And today, some 85 years later, after going through many transformations, htis summer sunglasses are going to be round.

Dior Homme: has chosen unusual materials like leather frames and a rubber bar for the upper part of the bridge. Giorgio Armani and Moscot have brought back the clip with removable lens, and vintage models with a Sixties avour blend with tortoiseshell frames with gold touches. And with another nod to the Sixties Kyme brings us round lens with very slim frames and decorated metal sidepieces.

BEARDS For the last couple of years beards have been a must-have: thick or not so thick, full-face or partial they are becoming an essential part of how men have chosen to present themselves over the past ten years or so. On catwalks more and more models are turning up without having shaved, and the fashion-addicted are only too happy to follow this trend.

By public demand pop-up barbers are the latest trend in Italian cities and, thanks to their know-how when it comes to traditional shaving techniques, and being experts in the latest cosmetic trends, they provide the top in facial and shaving treatments.

Dior Homme

Giorgio Armani

Kime

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NEW ROMAN

H O L I D AY S

LuceModel: e ombra, sinistro Thomas Valisanoe destro, Chiovittia vita Photographer: e morte: daRoberto Caravaggio Fashion Editor & Stylist: Andrea Cosimi Vogue per capire la fotografia Fashion Stylist: Valerio Agate attraverso Make upl’ambiguità. artist: Claudia Stanzione Dresses and beachwear: Antony Morato, Converse e ES Collection

di Alessio Virgili

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Dress and shoes: Antony Morato

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Dress and shoes: Antony Morato

Dress and shoes: Antony Morato

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Dress and shoes: Antony Morato

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27 Dress and shoes: Antony Morato

Dress: Antony Morato

Dress and shoes: Antony Morato

Dress and shoes: Antony Morato

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Singlet: ES Collection

Dress: Convers

Dress and shoes: Convers

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Beachwear: Es Collection

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Anatomy and Sculpture.

The scandalous

by Letizia Strambi

Robert Mapplethorpe 40

I M A G O

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obert Mapplethorpe is for American photography what Pier Paolo Pasolini is for Italian poetry.

Every gay photographer and aesthete has delighted in cultivating the story of this artist and has at least a couple of Maplethorpe books at home.

In an invitation to an exhibition (Pictures) Mapplethorpe put the photo of his own hand writing the word “Pictures,” first wearing a jacket and showing an elegant shirt cuff, and then with a chain bracelet and the sleeve of a sadomasochistic leather jacket.

Two souls fuse in Maplethorpe as they did in Pasolini: the nocturnal voyeuristic soul that frequents the gay world of seedy cityscapes, and that of the artist who is at ease moving in avant-garde and deeply cultural circles, but who also cultivates an apparent emotional indifference.

All his life with these doubts Maplethorpe started at a young age - to spite his mother and father who were Catholics – by stealing gay porno booklets from news-stands. “They were sealed, which made them even more sexy, because you could not see inside. I thought that if there was some way

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“I would never have done what I’d done if I’d considered my father as somebody I wanted to please”.

Self-portrait

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I could turn them into art, if I could manage to keep that sensation, and I would have created something that was uniquely mine”. It was his father who introduced him to photography. He paid back his youthful debt by displaying a frivolous masochism, triggering off his emotional ups and downs.

Except with his true loves. The first was Patti Smith. Their friendship/love was founded on an element which made it eternal: hunger. Two penniless artists at the start of their careers, they lived in a little room in the famous Chelsea Hotel(like Bob Dylan and many other artists). “Patti Smith and I had the smallest room in the whole hotel and we had to pretend that only one of us lived in it. We had loads of cheap shawls and dresses, and one of our most amusing games was to dress up.”

The 70s in New York were the years of Mapplethorpe apotheosis, a period which made his name in the art world. These were the years of Pop Art and of sexual freedom. His was the cover of Patti Smith’s album “Horses”, some portraits of Andy Warhol and of the most famous actors and actresses of the day, but also of drag queens and black and white boys in stark contrast. His was a blend of scandal and boundless technical refinement.

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“I always thought I was good. That’s why it was so frustrating when others did not agree”.

His poster “the X Portfolio” consisted of sadomasochistic portraits of famous people. Then he stepped over the line, moving from the colourful parties of Pop Art to the dazzling parties of The Bonfire of the ,Vanities, seeking out increasingly more refined printing techniques up to using platinum for ridiculously-expensive portraits.

His death from Aids, and the work of the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation, have contributed to the construction of his myth. The most famous of his posthumous exhibitions was the one in Florence 2009 at the Accademia Gallery beside the sculptures of Michelangelo, the principal inspiration of his photography.

His photos are still regarded as scandalous, yet for him “a face, a penis, a flower have the same value, that of a sculpture in space”.

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Dennis Speight with flowers

Mapplethorpe and Patti Smith

“My theory on creativity is that the more money one has the more creative one can be�.

Andy Warhol

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A Estonia WHERE FREEDOM MEANS SHARING

The country has built its future on technology, opening itself to the world without changing its traditional spirit.

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Baltic country influenced by the Scandinavian and Danish ways of life rather than by Russia, which has held on to its identity built on a fundamental sense of freedom. Freedom, acceptance and sharing are key aspects of an Estonian welcome and the country is a true gem of European culture, with uncontaminated nature and Tallinn which is the emblem of its history and of its warmest and most genuine hospitality.

Over the last few decades Estonia, which has been nicknamed ‘e-Estonia’ for its innovative spirit and has developed into an avantgarde society. Sharing is imperative and the country is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the most “connected” countries in the world. There is Wifi almost everywhere from public parks and square to restaurants and bars, and from airports and train stations to bus stops, both in remote areas far from the cities, on beaches and in forests. In the capital both citizens and visitors have been able enjoy complimentary Wifi since 2005

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Tallinn, Toompea Castle

Tallinn, Estonia

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An LGBT welcome in Tallinn

Wind mills in Angla

thanks to the 30 hotspots around the city, and there are also the ones in libraries and schools. The Wifi is around 15Mbps for each hotspot and in Tallinn they are the historic Old Town, in parks and near tourist attractions. All you have to do is choose TallinnWIFI. You will find yourself catapulted into a world that has turned its back on old-fashioned bureaucracy, preferring amore youthful future and developing a more interactive community. The aim being to connect with the rest of the world and build an increasingly-more stable economy that can add value to tourism, defend nature and present itself to the world as a symbol of

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Sharing is a concept that pervades all levels of life in Estonia, but if you are looking for gay-friendly bars you will find them chiefly in Tallin’s Tatari district to the south of the city. One of the best known is the X-Baar which is a favourite haunt with the gay and lesbo crowd.

With an American counter and a dance floor it’s the place to go for a good glass of beer and to enjoy an evening with a pop-music background. Then there is the G-Punkt: (Pärnu mnt 23) which does theme evenings at weekends and is particularly popular with lesbians. The Blue Rose Lesbian and Gay Club (Ahtri, quartiere Rottermani) which opened recently is popular with everyone and is in the city’s design district.

The Sauna Club 69: (Sakala 24) may not be a very original name but it is the city’s most cosmopolitan haunt, though it is only for male patrons. Among the best restaurants there is the Leib Resto ja Aed (Uus street 31) which is not to be missed on summer evenings. It is young and trendy, serves traditional Estonian cuisine, has live music and is ideal for couples and friends. The Clayhills Gastropub (Pikk 13) is a lounge with elegant furnishings, great cuisine and live music that attracts an international crowd, has a very European buzz and is right in the city centre. Neikid (Wismari 3) specializes in contemporary and fusion cuisine, the ambience is modern, and it is ideal for a refined romantic dinner in a gay-friendly atmosphere.

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Sangaste Castle - Valga - Estonia

technological achievement.

It’s no mere coincidence that Skype was invented here by three Estonian programmers.

On every street corner you can connect your phone with the world’s most used Voip programme that provides free connections to millions of people. An invention that represents the way Estonians think: at a times of crisis they came up with an idea that could help not only Estonians but also the rest the world.

Estonia is one of the countries that will be at Milan’s Expo 2015 and what it will put on display is aimed at portraying the country as young, dynamic and growing rapidly. A country where you can enjoy pristine nature, biological foods and technological excellence.

Inside the Estonian pavilion, which will be on some 1.010sqm, the eye of the visitor will be caught by two aspects: technology and sustainability. And, given its position in the technological sphere, there will also be lots of design and innovative multi-touch applications. And the pavilion will be built with ecological and sustainable materials that are 50% recycled.

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Ruhnu Island - Estonia

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Conchita Wurst

Zurigo friendly

by Pino Gagliardi

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Zurich Fraumuenster St. Peter

W

ith the shrill voice of Conchita Wurst still ringing in our ears, as time passes the memory of Zurich’s Gay Pride is even more strongly impressed in our minds. And in honour of Conchita Wurst’s courage, and the message of tolerance with which she ends her appearances, the organizers of the event want to compensate the artist by setting up “The Conchita Wurst Unstoppable Award 2014.”

Zurich, a city with just a little over 400,000 inhabitants, makes the LGBT community feel at home, also thanks to the battles fought over the years by the mayor Corine Mauch who, at this Gay Pride, was in the front line to uphold civil rights. And she was joined by over 15,000 merry, heterogeneous and - even more important - happy people! The parade crossed the city, starting from the Helvetia Platz right in the old centre, moving along Bahnhof-Str with the headquarters of the Credit Suisse and the UBS, the two main sponsors of the event, and ending in Werdmühleplatz. Many politicians were there, lending their voices to the cry for marriages and adoptions for same-sex couples. And they included the American ambassadress Suzan G. LeVine who joined the marchers in the parade, and had a clear message with regard to homophobic Russia.

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Zurich’s Gay Pride

The Zurich we discovered is a hospitable, open and leading-edge city, where citizens reciprocally observe respect and freedom. We found this Pride to be much less Swiss than we had expected, and much more international - and also Italian - thanks to the many Italian DJs who were there like Phil Romano who livened up the events at the Pride Park in the Kasernenareal Gardens. And then there were Fabio White and Dj Pagano who entertained the crowds at the main “Wonder World in Space” party.

“I have been coming to the Zurich Pride for

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Zurigo Grossmünster

Joyce Grave

some years now, because this city has always shown itself to be open, free and welcoming.

And because Zurich knows how to throw great parties, on a par with those they thrown in cities like Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, London or Rome,” Phil Romano told us. And we quickly discovered that what he said was true, because in the short time we were in Zurich we could not but help noticing the allure of Switzerland’s largest city.

One of Zurich’s architectonic gems is the Grossmünster, a symbol of the story of the protestant Reformation and, according to some, the cradle of the protestant work ethic, inspired by the sermons of the preacher Zwingli on the virtues

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of work and prayer. Visitors can discover this majestic cathedral inside or, even more interestingly, climb up one of the two towers to enjoy the splendid views over the city. For those who love literature we suggest exploring the places linked to James Joyce, who spent the years of the First World War in exile here, were he wrote most of his masterpiece “Ulysses.” And a must is a visit to the foundation named after the great Irish writer. It is also possible to understand the complex political and social history of the country with a visit to the Landesmuseum in Museumstrasse where you get a sweeping view of Swiss history from prehistoric times to our days. But there are so many things to discover here and, as the city has an awesome number of museums, it is never a problem to find the exhibitions that are just right for you.

One thing that stuck us forcibly was the attention of the LGBT community, not just on a legislative level, but also socially and with regard to entertainment, with a strong network of commercial activities suitable for a gay and gay-friendly clientele. And the Zoo Zürich, which is the city’s bio-park, will soon have a new itinerary for its LGBT visitors with a guide specialized in tours illustrating the homosexual behaviour of some species of animals.

T R A V E L S

With the help of La Coppia Garbata is now possible To create any celebration You wish to remember. www.lacoppiagarbata.it

Fabio Scozzoli: “BEING LIKED BY THE GAY COMMUNITY IS LIKE GETTING COMPLIMENTS FROM A GIRL, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE” The swimming champion encourages everyone to live their sexual nature freely. di Paolo Colombo

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s often happens when well-known people come-out, when it came from the Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe, it made news around the world. To comment on this excellent coming-out I chose an Italian swimmer who, in my humble opinion, is also one of the cutest.

Fabio Scozzoli, born in 1998 is European breast stroke champion and world vice-champion.

Apart from a physique worth shouting about, Fabio has a tattoo of the five Olympic rings on the left of his chest and extremely expressive

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eyes. His simplicity, finesse, intelligence and openness emerged during the interview which we did, sitting beside the pool after a swimming event.

Ian Thorpe’s coming-Out got the swimming word talking but, like many other coming-outs by famous people, it can be a perfect benchmark for the LGBT community.

Well I was not surprised, because I had already heard about it and, as you know, these things, go around like wild fire, especially in the world of swimming, which is a very small world. Indeed it was good news because it is right that a person be free to state what they are, and free to feel who they are without ever having to hide it. I think there are more homosexuals than you would imagine in the world of swimming, but I would like to get to the stage that a coming-out no longer makes news, and not only in the world of sport but in the world in general. We are not taking about people who are different, they are totally normal people who love someone of the same sex. I don’t see anything strange or abnormal about this.

Can someone in the pubic eye, in this case a swimming champion, help homosexual adolescents who are experiencing an identity crisis? Finding the courage to tell their parents, and taking the champion, the well-known figure, as an example.

Absolutely! Just as Balotelli is a negative example for being photographed with guns, Ian Thorpe with his coming-out is a positive example, as is anyone else who has the courage to declare their sexuality openly.

This seems to be the year of coming-outs for sporting champions, the latest case being that of Thorpe. Do you think that eventually in Italy a famous sporting champion will have the courage to speak out?

I hope so, because we need it. Unfortunately we always seem to arrive after everyone else, and in this case too we will arrive later than others…. but we will get there.

When you are competing do you every think that in the pool there could be a gay adversary close to you, maybe even in the next lane?

Yes, of course. I harbour doubts or at least thoughts about a lot of swimmers I know, but if they

do not tell me or try to make me understand, if they don’t have the courage to say it out straight, I think it is very difficult for me, as it is for others, to pry and ask if they like boys or girls.

But, as I’ve already said, I do think that this coming-out of such an important figure can motivate many to free themselves, because I think that being able to freely express our feelings without feeling guilty abut it is a true liberation.

There is a French swimmer, Jeremy Stravius, whose swimming has improved immeasurably since his coming-out; he is swimming faster, it’s as if he doubled his strength and his power, it’s incredible.

It might just be a coincidence, but probably he had a psychological block. Now he feels free and serene and calm.

This is what also happened to Matthew Mitcham, the famous Australian diver.

That’s the way it is, you have to be free to do what you want, to love who you want, to not be afraid to say, or to act just because people can talk. If the world were a freer place, without prejudices, everything would surely be easier.

What would happen if a swimmer started flirting with you?

I would just say “I’m engaged.” Just as I would with a girl, without being making a big thing of it, actually I think it could be a compliment, like when a girl tells you are a good-looking boy.

Does this bother you that boys really like you and that, among swimmers, you are a sex symbol for homosexuals?

Absolutely not because, at the end of the day being liked by boys is the same as being liked by girls. In the end it is something you like, something that boosts your self-esteem. If there was a ranking of sports stars who are more popular with gay boys, we’d probably come higher than footballers, first because we wear fewer clothes than they do, and then because we probably have more beautiful and better proportioned bodies A message you would like to give to boys and girls who have not yet done their coming-out?

Take an example from those who have already done it, and you’ll discover that in the end it is not all that difficult. And now it’s in fashion, so there is even more reason to do it. So pluck up your courage, and don’t forget that I’m on your side!

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Art has said all it can to gallery owners and is now, once again, talking to people.

A trip through the masterpieces of Street Art which will be the aesthetic resurrection of this millennium. And Rome, faithful to its own eternity and true beauty, is the Italian city that has got this message.

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ll the art in Rome is not enough, there is a need for something new, for the new generations, an additional push to beauty that goes beyond Via Margutta.

And when this happens, later than in other European capitals, this is when the best is brought out. In San Basilio, one of the city’s suburbs with tightly-packed council housing, there is a resurgence of frescoes for future referenceing the true soul of places they visit. The project is called SanBa and consists of some marvellous art works: four sides of the San Basilio apartment blocks have been painted by two of the most respected street artists on the international scene: Liqen who hails from Spain and Agostino Iacurci.

The project, curated by Simone Pallotta di Walls, traces the specifics of graffiti art: graffiti are not a artistic expression but a personal, intimate and instinctive interpretation of letters. Street art, on the other hand, is the awareness of writers who had

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something more to say and of budding writers who, by creating art in the streets, knew they would amplify their meaning. “So, for me street art is something free, illegal.�

Then when this way of producing art becomes an institutionalized process it can lead to festivals of public art projects like SanBa and they give a lot to the city, not just embellishing it superficially but enriching it with their complexity, creating not just cultural and aesthetic but also social mechanisms.

For visitors to Rome a tour of the major street artists is a must as is the new Museo di Urban Art di Roma (MURo). The basic idea of MURo is to transform some areas of the city into open-air musical itineraries where Contemporary Art can interact on a daily basis with citizens as it does in the streets of many cities around the world thanks to spontaneous Street Art. The itinerary of the art works can be found online on a map which is constantly updated. muromuseum.blogspot.it/p/m-p-z-i-n-e.html

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Scratching the Surface Photographs by Dennis Hopper at the Gagosian Gallery in Rome

by Calogero Pirrera

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Dennis Hopper, The only ism for me is abstract expressionism, Gelatin silver print, 24 x 16 inches; 61 x 40.6 cm Š The Hopper Art Trust E V E N T Courtesy I of The Hopper Art Trust and Gagosian Gallery

Dennis Hopper, Biker Couple, 1961, Digital file print, 20 x 30 inches; 50.8 x 76.2 cm, Edition: 3/8 © The Hopper Art Trust Courtesy of The Hopper Art Trust and Gagosian Gallery

Dennis Hopper, Robert Irwin, 1962, Gelatin silver print,, 16 x 24 inches; 40.6 x 61 cm, Edition: 10/15 © The Hopper Art Trust Courtesy of The Hopper Art Trust and Gagosian Gallery

D

ennis Hopper (1936 – 2010) made his movie debut in 1955 with James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. He went on to star in movies directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Wim Wenders and David Lynch, but he is chiefly remembered for Easy Rider (1969), the first movie he directed. It became an icon of the independent American movie industry and, above and beyond its true cinematic value, the symbol of an entire generation.

At the same time Hopper entered into the glossy world of Hollywood productions he got seriously into photography, which led him to immortalise and record in many different places that would seem to have been his daily life. His photography is a unique cultural ferment of the places and of the stars of the silver screen, but also of the history of his protests like the civil rights movement. Photos of the city and of its signs, cars and streets and faces, unknown and less so. And also the image of a more optimist era, like the revolutionary and perhaps overly smug culture of the Biker Couple portrait: a famous photo that has become an icon of the aspirations and aesthetics of an era.

The “vintage prints” of the 60s show us another face of America: a rebel face with a new dream, but also an America full of contrasts.

There are also many well-known Hollywood faces: from John Wayne and Dean Martin of the older generation, to the young and sensual Jane Fonda and her brother Peter. Poets of the beat generation like Allen Ginsberg, musicians like James Brown or the Grateful Dead and many artists, from greats like Marcel Duchamp and Andy Warhol, to the not-so-well-known Robert

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Dennis Hopper, Untitled (portrait David Hopper), c.1971, Gelatin silver print, 3 1/2 x 5 inches ; 8.9 x 12.7 cm © The Hopper Art Trust Courtesy of The Hopper Art Trust and Gagosian Gallery

Irwin and Wallace Berman who were typical of the Los Angeles 60s scene.

The photos of the Drugstore Camera series, which were discovered only recently, were taken in Taos, New Mexico, where Hopper lived for a few years. In these images the tone is more intimate and the photos are smaller with the lens concentrating on a more personal level; there are portraits of friends and families, but also vague interiors with female nudes, or solitary and silent desert landscapes.

SCRATCHING THE SURFACE: Photographs by Dennis Hopper 23rd September- 8th November 2014 Gagosian Gallery via Francesco Crispi 16 Rome www.gagosian.com

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Aqualux Hotel or a relaxing stay and lots of TLC

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Swimming pool outdoor

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f there is a place in the world that was made for love it is Verona, where Shakespeare set the greatest love story of all time, the story of Romeo and Juliette. Surely you have yearned for a similar dream at least once in your lifetime - strolling through this lovely town, and tracing the lovers’ footsteps along narrow winding streets and past courtyards to Juliette’s balcony, is enough to make anyone fall in love.

On the way to Lake Garda, along the banks of the Adige, there is plenty of time for a few stolen kisses. This is a magical spot which has always been a favourite with the international jet set for its mountain excursions, sailing trips, theme parks and spas. An ideal place in which to relax, and from which to set out to discover the best of Italy’s amazing food scene and culture. Also because the world’s most beautiful outdoor theatre, the Arena in Verona, is right on your doorstep.

Because, whether you are Italian or not, you have to go to the opera at least once in your lifetime. As Richard Gere said in Pretty Wo-

Round Suite Bath

man, you’ll either hate it or love it. And if you do go to see an opera in the Arena, where all the top conductors, sopranos and tenors can be heard, and the productions are always exciting and stunning, it will be difficult to forget this moving experience.

Then, to make your time here even more complete there is the newly-built Acqualux Hotel on Lake Garda, conceived as something very different from the usual run-of-the-mill accommodation available in the area. “The choice was to create a design hotel in an area where there are no other contemporary hotels,” says sales manager Riccardo Gentile. The avantgarde design is both inside and out, and the property is also environmentally friendly. But the one feature that immediately got everyone talking was the Spa. “This too was an original choice,” says Gentile. “What makes us different is that we found a natural oligomineral spring, and so we were able to adapt it to create a complete thalassotherapy itinerary”.

In fact the hotel is built on the ruins of a wine cooperative which had been built over thermal

Turkish bath

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Bar Spa

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Whirlpool cup

Room

waters. So, as well as the relaxing atmosphere these therapeutic waters are ideal for cellular regeneration.

This property is especially popular with couples who are looking for a relaxing holiday and the chance to delight in the slow rhythms of this area. Suspended swimming pools, every type of sauna and then a special area called the Private Spa. A perfect gift for a couple who want to spend some time in an exclusive ambience and enjoy relaxing in the reserved areas and the saunas. There are two beds for couples’ massages where you can enjoy levels of pampering and attention guaranteed to make time stand

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still. And if it is a special occasion, like an anniversary or a birthday, just let the staff know: you will find flowers and a cake waiting for you when you arrive in the spa…

“Many foreign visitors stop here before setting off on a cruise from Venice, others like to combine a regenerating weekend with a first night at the Arena, or take one of the wine or oil tasting itineraries, keeping in mind that we are in the Bardolino region,” says Riccardo Gentile.

And there are many exciting excursions to enjoy, from Mantua the city of the Gonzagas, to Giotto’s Padua, as well as the chance to play golf or enjoy mountain biking outings.

We thought you would like this romantic idea, this way of interpreting those special times with your partner, and enjoying the small pleasures in life. www.aqualuxhotel.com

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Is there a word that means, “everything mind‐blowingly amazing in one beautiful, welcoming place?”

No? Well, guess we can’t describe Massachusetts in one word.

Let’s just say, it’s all here!

Boston and Massachusetts have got a lot to offer to travellers looking for authenticity. Ideal and welcoming destination for the LGBT community, here in 2004 gay marriage was legalized for the first time in the USA

www.lgbtmassvacation.com

Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism: www.massvacation.com

Paolo Magnanimi Chef and innkeeper A cross between Nando Mericoni and Joliet Blues, Magnanimi travelled around the world on a Harley, learned how to cook from his father and from Laura Ravaioli, but even more so from Virgil.

And maybe this is why Robert De Niro follows him on Twitter

by Martina De Meis

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G O U R M E T

Hosteria Antica Roma

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t number 87 of the old Appian Way, lost among ancient Roman mausoleums and catacombs, a gate in the walls skirting the regina viarum leads to the open arms of Paolo Magnanimi of the Hostaria Antica Roma, the Innkeeper as he likes to call himself.

Dining here means guiding the senses on a journey of discover of this extravagant chef with his dishevelled graying hair and truant curls that tumble over yellow-rimmed round glasses and his unconventional style of dress with tartan trousers, red braces and a tie with prancing Donald Ducks. The restaurant fits perfectly into a 1st century B.C. building dating back to the days of Augustus. Because the Hostaria Antica Roma is in the colombarium built by Augustus for his freemen, and it was here they prayed to the gods to be allowed to place urns containing their ashes in the niches that cover the walls.

This “Monument to the freemen of Augustus,” discovered in 1724, has a annexed farmhouse which is still part of the Hostaria, and since the 1700s they have both been used as a inn.

At the end of the 70s the Magnanimi famiy took over the old abandoned inn with Massimo, Paolo’s father at the helm. And Massimo still likes to wander around the tables noting every detail and making sure nothing has been left to chance.

Since he was a chlld Paolo has lived in the re-

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staurant and has tried his hand t every possible role from waiter to comi chef. But given his restless spirit he felt he needed something more, as he did not feel comfortable with being predestined. So he decided to throw it all up, and “fled” to the United States. “I didn’t speak a word of English but I had two parachutes in my suitcase: a cook’s uniform and a sommelier’s uniform. My aim was to learn English and try myself out, grow, let myself go and take a chance on life by taking it head on, for the first time, all on my own,” says Paolo.”

After three years travelling around American, on the road in the footsteps of Kerouac but with the spirit of John Belushi, he returned to Rome, full of new curiosities and new knowhow. “I realised that to set myself free I did not necessarily have to take a new road, that I could find the way to revolutionize the road so masterfully and tenaciously taken by my father.”

And, from the 90s the Hostaria Antica Roma became the kingdom of Paolo Magnanimi: his home, his photograph, his mirror. “There are parts of me in every corner - the photos, the prints, the drawings and the bric-a-brac.” There are also many tributes from great artists, like the photos of Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now, a gift from Vittorio Storaro, to the caricatures by Vauro and the congratulations from

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Paolo Magnanimi Michael Douglas Catherine Zeta Jones

Paolo Magnanimi and his wife in an Harley Davidson meeting in Usa, boh dressed as ancient romans

Michel Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones. And like all “social stars” his computer is always on, and he is followed on twitter by Robert De Niro.

Carlo Verdone makes short films about him as a Harley biker, and they come to Rome from CNN and from Japanese TV to film his restaurant.

Side by side at the end of the restaurant hang the costume of an imperial Roman emperor and one of a vestal virgin, and they are a clue to one of this secrets: my wife and I put them on and on my bike we set off, representing Rome and Italy, at the 150th anniversary of Harley Davidson in Milwaukee.”

Paolo is polyhedric, passionate and curious, an avant-gardist tied to his roots and to the roots of the world in which he lives. He is passionate about Roman history and art, and this passion and how he uses it in the kitchen is what makes his Hostaria different. To his father’s tried and tested menu (his gnocchi with clams are a cult dish!) Paolo has added specialties from ancient Rome, based on recipes he found, dating back to the early centuries A.D. As in Petronius’s Satyrikon when he talks, for example, about garum a typical condiment made from fish with which Paolo dresses his oxizomum, a recipe taken from the works of Marcus Gavius Api-

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cius, where he finds his greatest inspiration.

Then there are dishes like patina cotidiana, a kind of lasagne with layers of pasta, cheese and meat flavoured with fennel seeds. And his moretum is a must! This rustic dish is made with mashed cheese, garlic and aromatic herbs, and the great Virgil dedicated a short poem to it in which he meticulously describes the various stages of the preparation. By special request it is also possible to enjoy a tasting menu of typical ancient Roman dishes consisting of gustum, an elaborate selection of hors d’oeuvres, mensa prima, which are two main dishes and mensa secunda or dessert.

Accompanied by the joviality with which Magnanimi welcomes and entertains his guests, greeting them as old friends and sending them away with a gift, a memento of their meal: a menu listing the delicacies they have just enjoyed.

The Hostaria Antica Roma is the meeting and collision between different and distant eras and generations, where each one brings its own experience - blending traditions and innovations, wisdom and initiative - to create a constant circle nourished by the unquenchable power of reciprocal curiosity.

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SeeTorontoNow.it

What’ s INN I

Hotel Hard Rock di Palm Springs

t is called Glamping and it is becoming an increasingly more popular form of accommodation in English-speaking countries, as it gives guests the advantage of being in contact with nature the way one does when camping but with many luxury-resort touches. These Pop Up Hotels are created for major events and they mix a natural experience with hotel services in locations where it is not possible to put up buildings. The hotels pop up at festivals and large get-togethers, pampering the guests with sheets, duvets, pillows, lighting, bath accessories and private services including luxury showers, spas, restaurants and bars.

Center for Civil and Human Rights

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he brand new and most recent attraction in Atlanta Georgia, USA is the Centre for Civil and Human Rights which opened in June 2014. It houses the Morehouse College Martin Luther King Jr. Collection with interactive collections, featuring strong stories about the people and the movements involved in human rights, and inviting visitors to reflect on the future. This Atlanta cultural institution provides visitors with an experiential immersion thanks to its use of lights, sounds, images and written words, all conceived to inspire and stimulate dialogue.

The architecture is the fruit of a collaboration between the designer Phil Freelon and The Freelon Group and HOK of Atlanta. In December 2014 the Center will celebrate one of the most important UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS events in the world. www.civilandhumanrights.org

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Pop Up Hotel

Pop Up Hotel

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he idea of the Attrap Rêves, hotel mobile comes from France and this hotel too has been inspired by nature and camping, offering guests the chance to stay in close contact with Mother Nature inside spherical tents made from semi-transparent materials; comfortable bubbles from which it is possible to see the starry night sky. The Attrap Rêves Hotel is in Allauch, a village 12 kilometres from Marseille in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region. www.attrap-reves.com

Hotel B4, Milan

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imone Micheli calls himself an “architectural hero” and indeed, that he is. Very respected abroad, he is the designer of the Boscolo Group’s Hotel B4, which is located close to Milan’s Expo 2015. The new hotel was designed to “review, deconstruct and completely renew the criteria of the entire category and of its promotional and communications strategies.” Clients describe it as “hybrid, transversal, imbued with multiform and synesthetic contaminations, a place of wonder, culture, nature, the essence of the metropolis”. The external design is by the architect Giancarlo Marzorati. www.simonemicheli.com

Attrap Rêves

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he Mirage Residence is on Tinos in the Cyclades, built on a steep slope on rocky land overlooking the Aegean Sea. It measures 198 square metres and is covered by a swimming pool, producing the visual effect of water stretching to the horizon and blending into the marine landscape. From afar the only visible element is the water in the pool which, during the day, reflects the rocky formations around it and, by night, the starry sky.

Residence Mirage, Tinos

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EVENTS Autumn-Winter 2014-2015

Music

Fashion

DECEMBER 2014 ROME16th Dec 2014: Stromae

OCTOBER 2014 TORONTO 20 – 24th Oct: World Mastercard Fashion Week NOVEMBER 2014 FLORENCE 21 – 23th Nov 2014.Firenze Moda Prima JANUARY 2015 FLORENCE 28 - 30th Jan 2015: I Filati at Palazzo Pitti

Cinema & Theatre MARCH 2015 MILAN 17 – 22th March:Resilienza d’amore at ‘Piccolo Teatro’

Exhibitions & Events ROME 20th May – 05th Nov: CAPOLAVORI DELL’ARCHEOLOGIA: RECUPERI,RITROVAMENTI,CONFONTI ROME 11th Nov – 8th Feb: AMERICAN CHRONICLES: THE ART OF NORMAN ROCKWELL at Palazzo Sciarra 2015 MILAN 1st May – 31st Oct: EXPO MILANO 2015

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Gay Events OCTOBER 2014 NEW ORLEANS 23 - 26th Oct: Halloween PUERTO VALLARTA 25 Oct - 1st Nov: Club Atlantis Vallarta TORONTO 31st Oct: Halloween Night Party NOVEMBER 2014 TAMPA 23 - 30th Nov: Olivia Lesbian Cruise MIAMI 26 Nov - 1st Dec: White Party Week DECEMBER 2014 RIO DE JANEIRO 31st Dec:

New Years Eve AMSTERDAM 31 Dec - 1st: Jan New Years Eve JANUARY 2015 AROSA 11 - 18th Jan: Arosa Ski Week ASPEN 11 - 18th Jan: Gay and Lesbian Ski Week FEBRUARY 2015 FORT LAUDERDALE 1 - 8th Feb: Atlantis Caribbean all gay cruise FORT LAUDERDALE 8 - 15th Feb : RSVP Caribbean Cruise RIO DE JANEIRO 13 - 17th Feb:

Rio Carnival NEW ORLEANS 13 - 17th Feb: Gay Mardi Gras SYDNEY 13 - 24th Feb: Olivia Sydney to Auckland Cruise AUCKLAND 24 Feb - 8th Mar: Atlantis Auckland to Sydney Atlantis cruise MARCH 2015 ALPE DE HUEZ 21 - 28th Mar: European Gay Ski Week SINGAPORE 29 Mar - 9th Apr: Atlantis Singapore to Hong Kong gay cruise

Sport JANUARY 2015 QATAR 15th Jan – 1st Feb 2015- World Men's Handball Championship FEBRUARY 2015 PHOENIX 1st Feb: XLIX Super Bowl Guiyang 28th Feb 2015: World Cross Country Championships

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JULIUS CAESAR AND NERO Unpredictable love affairs in ancient Rome

by Alessio Virgili

H

omosexual relationships in the ancient world, which were hidden and the symbol of shame for so long, have left traces throughout Italy.

Although historiography attempted to define Julius Caesar’s homosexual relationships as a “youthful mistake,” there is no longer any doubt that the most vigorous of the Roman emperors, most certainly did not disdain relations with other men.

One of his great loves was Nicomedes IV the king of Bithinya. Caesar was blinded by his oriental beauty which led to a love affair that lasted in time, even if it was scoffed at by his enemies. Dolabella, for example, defined Caesar as the “rival of the queen and inner edge of the regal litter.” Curione wrote of the “brothel of Nicomedes” and Bibulus called him the “Bithynian queen”. Cicero said in the Senate that Caesar had defended the daughter of the Bithynian king “for obvious reasons.”

And even Caesar’s legions in Gaul at the time of his triumph went about singing under their breath: “Gallias Caesar subegit, Nicomedes Caesarem” “Cesare has dominated the Gauls, Nicomedes has dominated Caesar.”

In those days things were not that much different than the way they are today. Homosexual relationships were not punished by law, but they were considered dishonourable, especially if the role was a passive one. On the other hand an active homosexual relationship underlined a man’s virility.

But Caesar was not new to homosexual love. Plutarch tells us that as a boy he was in love with Sarmentus, while Catullus talks about Mamurras. Endless stories about the emperor’s homosexuality were bandied about, from Cicero to Suetonius, only to do the rounds again in the Middle Ages, up to Dante Alighieri who refers to Caesar and Nicomedes during his journey among the so-

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Eurialo e Niso

Nero

domites in Purgatory.

But Caesar was not the only emperor who liked the company of other men. Nero, according to Suetonius, married the young Sporus, a beautiful young boy who covered his head for the ceremony with the flammeum, the traditional red veil brides wore in those days – and he also came with a dowry. And Nero, who was “very much in love did not stop at covering him with kisses for all to see.” But Sporus was soon replaced by Nero’s new love Doriforo who was a husband to the emperor.

This freedom was not reserved for emperors.

Homosexual marriages, without any legal standing were frequent, so much so that they were banned in 342. And today here we are talking about them all over again.

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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 we’re singing the same song. fla-keys.com/gaykeywest KEY W EST B IG PINE KEY & THE LOWER KEYS 305.294.4603

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Harmonize.

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