Mirror Spring 2016

Spring 2016 • Vol. 5 Issue 2

food edition

themirrormag.com

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6 THE

 SPRING 2016

SPRING 2016 | Vol 5 | Issue 2

Table of  contents Profiles Kylar Broadus – Trans Activist of Color  12 Rmamy Eletreby – Muslim and Gay  16

Features Faithfully LGBT Photo Series  60 The History of the Equality Act  62

OPINION Lonely Hearts Café  18

food & drink Headlines  22 Find a Festival  24

2520 N. Dixie Highway | Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954.530.4970 Fax: 954.530.7943

Publisher NORM KENT norm.kent@sfgn.com Chief Executive Officer PIER ANGELO GUIDUGLI Associate Publisher/ JASON PARSLEY Executive Editor jason.parsley@sfgn.com

EDITORIAL Art Director BRENDON LIES artwork@sfgn.com News Editor JOHN MCDONALD

john.mcdonald@sfgn.com

Staff Photographer J.R. DAVIS Senior Features Reporter CHRISTIANA LILLY A&E Editor / Design J.W. ARNOLD Editorial Assisstant JILLIAN MELERO

CORRESPONDENTS Gary M. Kramer David-Elijah Nahmod Rick Karlin

SALES & MARKETING

Calle Ocho Dining  26

Director of Sales MIKE TROTTIER & Marketing mike.trottier@sfgn.com

Fast Food Frenzy  34

Sales Manager JUSTIN WYSE justin.wyse@sfgn.com

Cookie Time!  36 Downloads  38

Advertising Sales Assoc. EDWIN NEIMANN edwin.neimann@sfgn.com

DIY – Cooking Classes  40

Advertising Sales Assoc. CINDY CURTIS cindy.curtis@sfgn.com

Wynwood Dining  42 - 43

Advertising Sales Assoc. JIM ALBRIGHT jim.albright@sfgn.com

Drinkhouse Fire & Ice  44 Marketplace  46 Entertaining  48 Fairy Tale Cocktails  50 - 51

By The Numbers  52 Confessions of a Sober Somm  54 Last Words – Lee Brian Schrager  56

Distribution Services BRIAN SWINFORD J.R. DAVIS DEVON WOODS Printing THE PRINTER’S PRINTER National Advertising RIVENDELL MEDIA 212-242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com Accounting Services CG BOOKKEEPING The Mirror is published quarterly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor are those of the writers. They do not represent the opinions of The Mirror or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations in The Mirror. Furthermore the word “gay” in The Mirror should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material that appears in The Mirror, both online at www.themirrormag.com, and in our print edition, including articles used in conjunction with the Associated Press and our columnists, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher of The Mirror, Norm Kent, at Norm@NormKent.com. The Mirror is published by the South Florida Gay News. It’s a private corporation, and reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. Copyright © 2014,

South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.

Associated Press 8 THE

 WINTER 2016

Florida Press Association National Gay and Lesbian Journalists Association

AWARD AWARDRECIPIENTS RECIPIENTS AWARDHONOREES RECIPIENTS

SATURDAY, SATURDAY,MAY MAY 9,2015 2015 ANNUAL ANNOUNCED FOR9,SECOND SATURDAY, MAY 9, 2015 DIVERSITY HONORS GALA IN HONOR OF HARVEY MILK 77pm pm toto10 10 pm pm 7hosted pm to 10 pm hosted byby The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino’s glamorous ballroom will once again be the setting for the Diversity Honors gala that kicks Seminole SeminoleHard HardRock RockHotel Hotel&&Casino Casino Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino 1 1Seminole SeminoleWay, Way,Hollywood, Hollywood,Florida Florida 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood, Florida

off Harvey Milk Day events across thehosted nation by and will benefit the Harvey Milk Foundation and The Pride Center at Equality Park. This highly anticipated event on the eve of Friday, May 13, 2016 will showcase those who are transforming lives by living authentically and advancing inclusiveness.

"It is such a privilege to host this annual event where we come together to honor men and women who, in their extraordinary lives The Harvey Harvey Milk Foundation Foundation and and The Pride Pride Center Center atat Equality Equality Park Park invite invite you yo remind us all Deborah of Deborah the diversity of the humanThe spirit, the valuesMilk that define us as not only asThe the South Florida community, but as a nation, and Judy Judy & Dennis & Dennis Cox Cox the potential that lives inside of all of us," said Stuart Milk, co-founder of the and Harvey MilkPride Foundation and global human rights advocate.

The Harvey Milk Foundation The Center at Equality Park invite you to to the the inaugural inaugural “Diversity “Diversity Honors.”

Honors.”

This This collaborative collaborative event event will will celebrate celebrate Shepard dy &Shepard Dennis Deborah Cox together again with The Pride Center and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to present this ongoing cel"We are thrilled to join arvey (Harvey Milk Milk Honors Honors Medal) Medal) to the the inaugural “Diversity Honors.”

This collaborative event effect will celebrate Shepard ebration of those who exemplify the best the achievements achievements ofof those those who who have have aoura transformational transformational effect onon others others examples of authenticity, leadership and courage in community."

Milk Honors Medal)

the of those who have asilent” transformational effect on others “Hope “Hope will will never never be be silent” byachievements by promoting promoting inclusion inclusion and and acceptance. acceptance.

This year’s impressive roster of honorees will be: -Harvey -Harvey Milk Milk “Hope will never be silent” bySpecial promoting inclusion and acceptance.

Special performance performance byby Cirque Cirque Dreams Dreams -Harvey Milk Special performance

by Cirque Dreams Peter Clark, publisher of Hotspots Media Group; Robert Runcie, Superintendent of Broward County Public Rae Franks, lawyer and GLBT advocate; Honorable Darrin P. Gayles, U.S. District Judge;

Schools and Judge David Young.

The annual Milk Foundation Milan Rosza Award will recognize Ryland Whittington. Seven year old Ryland Whittington's powerful,

moving has already touched more than eight million through a viral video created by the Whittington family—is transforming Rand Rand Hoch Hoch story—which Jazz Jazz Jennings Jennings

lives across the world via the family's first-hand account of the emotional choice to simply embrace their transgender child. When Hillary Jazz Jennings and Jeff Whittington posted a YouTube video chronicling their five-year-old son Ryland’s transition from girl to boy, they didn’t expect it to be greeted with such fervor.

Ryland and his family will travel from the west coast to Florida at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to accept the award.

Craig Craig Stevens Stuart Stuart Milk Milk Joey Arias Arias "Harvey Milk is and has been the key inspiration forStevens Ryland and for the family," says, Ryland's motherJoey Hillary.

"We are all so excited to Guest Guest Host Host Special Special Presenter Presenter Featured Featured Performer Performer be with the Harvey Milk Foundation, their partners and their supportersStuart in May." Craig Stevens Milk Joey Arias WSVN WSVN News News Anchor Anchor In telling the family’s story, the Whittingtons hope in Presenter accepting that even children young as five can have proGuest Host to educate the world Special Featured as Performer WSVN News AnchorRyland has been featured on CNN, Ellen, 20/20 and in dozens of international found and impactful things to say and share.

Although Seateddinner dinner and cocktails | |$150 $150 per perperson person news broadcasts on this powerful story ofSeated unconditional love, thisand May 13cocktails will mark the second live appearance

by Ryland and his family Seated dinner and cocktails | $150 per person to participate in Diversity Honors.

Black Black tie tie optional optional | | Valet Valet parking parking available available laine Elaine Lancaster Lancaster Lillian Tamayo Tamayo Hosted by Lillian Omar Lewis, WSVN weekend morning news anchor, the event will coincide with celebrations around the globe for HarBlack tie optional | Valet parking available ) ) (James (James Davis Davis Formore more information, information, 954-463-9005 954-463-9005 vey Milk Day (May 22), holiday in California that celebrates Milk’s enduring legacy of hope and example of courage. ne Lancaster Lillian Tamayo an official state For at Diversity Honors will enjoy aFor livelymore cocktail information, reception, a seated three-course dinner, live entertainment and an inspiring awards ) mes DavisGuests 954-463-9005 presentation.

“As a leading LGBT organization in South Florida, we salute the honorees and fully support the mission of the Harvey Milk Foundation,” said Robert Boo, chief executive officer at The Pride Center at Equality Park. “This event had a huge impact on our community last year HOST HOST COMMITTEE COMMITTEE so we are fully committed to another successful program.”

Last year, Diversity Honors raised more than $50,000 while paying to Judy and Dennis Shepard, civil rights activists HOST COMMITTEE Michael Michael Krawitz Krawitz LGBT Michael Michael Goodman Goodman Mark Mark Budwig Budwig tribute Mona Mona Pittenger Pittenger TedTed Adcock Adcock Paul Paul Smith Smith and co-founders of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, received the Harvey Milk Honors Medal award.

The event also recognized Ellen Ellen Krider Krider Marty Marty Gould Gould Kathleen Cannon Cannon Miriam Miriam Richter Richter Steve Steve Adkins Adkins whoKathleen JimJim Stepp Stepp Michael Krawitz Michael Goodman Mark Budwig Mona Pittenger Ted Adcock Paul Smith Mark Mark Griffis Griffis RightsMaura Chris Chris Caputo Caputo Roger Roger RoaRoa entertainer RonRon Ansin Ansin JimJim Stork Stork Maura “Mumball” “Mumball” Lane Lane recording artist Deborah Cox, President and Founder ofKathleen the Palm Beach County Human Rand Hoch, celebrity Ellen Council Krider Marty Gould Cannon Miriam Richter Steve Adkins Jim Stepp Brenda Hartley Hartley 11th Peter Peter Clark ClarkFloridaBrenda Ilene Ilene Berliner Berliner JimJim Walker Walker Leslie Leslie Leip Leip CircuitLee Lee Rubin Rubin Elaine Lancaster (James Davis), CEO of Planned Parenthood of South Judicial MarkLillian Griffis Tamayo,Maura Chris Caputo Roa of Florida Ron Ansin JimMiami Stork “Mumball” Lane RogerCourt Frances Frances Herrera Herrera Juliette Chris Chris Dunham Dunham Cleto Cleto Beuren Beuren Peter Peter Zimmer Zimmer Juliette Love Richard Richard Safaty Safaty Hartleyrecognized PeterDean Clark Trantalis.Brenda Ilene Berliner Jim Walker Leslie Leip Lee Rubin Judge William Thomas and Fort Lauderdale Commissioner Nationally teenLove advocate, Jazz Jennings, received Judge Judge William William Commissioner Commissioner Norm Norm Kent Kent Craig Craig Engel Engel Mitch Mitch Bloom Bloom Audrey Audrey MilkMilk Paul Paul Sallauro Sallauro Frances Herrera Chris Dunham Cleto Beuren Peter Zimmer Juliette Love Richard Safaty the Milk Foundation’s Milan Rosza YouthRobert Award.

Two lifetime achievement were to Olivas publisher Elyse Norm Kent Thomas Dean Dean Trantalis Trantalis George George Kling Klingpresented Kristofer Kristofer Fegenbush Fegenbushawards Robert BooBoo Ernest Ernest Olivas Elyse Silver Silver and cabaret dgeThomas William Commissioner Norm Kent Craig Engel Mitch Bloom Audrey Milk Paul Sallauro performer Joey Arias.

Thomas Dean Trantalis

and Hoch

RSVP RSVP@@diversityhonors.org diversityhonors.org RSVP @ diversityhonors.org

Robert Boo

Kristofer Fegenbush

George Kling

Ernest Olivas

Tickets are $175 per person and available at www.DiversityHonors.com.

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Feature • profile

Kylar Broadus T r a n s

A c t i v i s t

Founder of the Trans People of Color Coalition Christiana Lilly

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o f

C o l o r

feature • profile

It was serendipity that Kylar Broadus was born on the same day as Martin Luther King, Jr.’s march on Washington, D.C. A transgender activist, Broadus grew up in a small rural town in Missouri, the grandchild of slaves. For years, he searched for a way to describe why he didn’t feel right in his skin -- in his adult years, he would discover the word “transgender.”

After transitioning, the attorney and college professor has been fighting for the rights for transgender people of color, including testifying before the Senate and creating the Trans People of Color Coalition.

What are your growing up trans?

memories

of

I don’t think I ever told anyone else because I knew it wasn’t something safe, that I was different, that I felt different from other people, other kids. I just remember my first memory of knowing the difference between he and she and somebody referring to me as she and thinking, who are they talking to? I would try to read and find and see if there was anything, trying to find people like me. There was no Internet, so you’re out reading and reading and trying to figure it out… I felt like I was dropped into the wrong life that's not mine.

I passed mostly for male most of the time throughout my life, even as a kid. My mother tried to gender me up and it was the most uncomfortable feeling. It was the most ickiest thing ever. My mother commuted to work to a larger town, 40 minutes away. I would change my outfits in kindergarten.

How did being black impact your experience as a transgender child?

We were very color conscious. I’m a very light skinned black American so there were fights. I had both gender and race issues going on. I remember being beat up every day. [My parents] wanted us to go to school to learn, because of course they did not have the opportunity to do that… I grew up very much an introvert.

What about as an adult?

I didn’t feel akin to lesbian, but it was the closest thing to me. I had a hard time identifying with that… I just kind of lived, some people would say, between the worlds.

I hid my body and covered it through school to be more masculine. I wanted to stay in school forever so I wouldn’t have to go out and get a job, which is totally gendered, and wear a skirt and panty hoes. I was

mortified. I didn’t transition until my late 20s.

My gender expression as I grew into my 20s, it’s always been masculine. I was always considered ambiguous. I could never use the public restrooms without being accosted by police if I went into the women’s room…

I spent every day praying to God: fix me, change me.

get local ordinances and state protections, we can make the case for employment discrimination for trans people.

I would go get people out of jail in different jurisdictions because they were being jailed for being trans. They were trumped up charges, because the whole town had considered [the transgender person] had lied to them.

What was your breaking point?

You founded the Trans People of Color Coalition in 2010, why?

I just couldn’t stand it anymore. I was then having to dress like someone else everyday in drag to go to work, just to make a living, and it was just so repelling to me, it was the hardest thing I could do -- except for when I got home at night.

Then you transitioned in 1994.

I never hid my transition because people of color are close to families, and my family I was really close to, so I was not going to move somewhere else and pretend to be somebody else even though every single day my life was at risk. When I was out, it really wasn’t cool to be out and trans because the previous teachings had been to blend into society and hide yourself. I chose to be out at whatever cost that meant because I wasn’t going to let people have power over me.

You were working in finance, when did you get into advocacy?

Tons of the movement was recognizable because the Internet became more available.

I was starting to connect with other people that were like me, and we had small conferences then that were gender affirming and thought, wow, these people are just like me. I know that I’m not crazy, that I'm not nuts, that I have to be me all the time and not pretend to be somebody else.

I decided to take up advocacy because when I was separated from my job, it was basically because I was coming out as trans because I was already wearing suits and ties at that time to work. Immediately losing your income and your livelihood and how you value yourself, it was just devastating.

You were appointed to your city’s Human Rights Commission and became a referral for many organizations.

That was to me at least one victory, of being appointed. We were trying to make change, we didn’t get through a trans policy until a decade later when there was a new administration in and after I left, but I started the way for that. If we can

As I continued to do this work, I would meet many trans people of color and we would coalesce at meetings and talk and everybody felt isolated, even though they may have been in a large city and they were a person of color. Everybody had the same story to tell to me and they felt they were not represented by the greater movement, which is typical of greater movements -- the trans movement is quite a bit behind the gay movement in organizing. There have been tons of color groups that have come out, trans special, but there were none when we opened our doors. We saw this need. Who can better represent us than us?

In 2012, you testified before the Senate on ENDA -- the first transgender person to do so. How did you feel?

What I felt was immense responsibility for the community, not even to myself, even through telling my story and trying to broad brush other stories within my stories and weave them together, to make sure they got a clear picture of what all trans people suffer.

What is the outlook for transgender kids today?

I talk to young kids today who have that same feeling [of being alone], and you think it would change because of the Internet and so forth. There’s still lots of changes that need to happen, especially for our youth.

What would you go back and tell young Kylar?

Life can be as you make it. Once I took the bull by the horns and said, I’m going to live life as I need to -- you can make it.

Trans is OK, trans is human, and you’re a good person and you’ll help other people live a good, healthy life.

SPRING 2016  THE

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COMMITTED TO

HEALTH, HOPE AND A CURE SOUTH FLORIDA GEARS UP FOR AIDS WALK MIAMI 2016

Care Resource is proud to present the 28th Annual AIDS Walk Miami on Sunday, April 24, 2016 at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens located on 2000 Convention Center Drive.

For this year’s walk, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has been chosen to serve as the Grand Marshal. Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen represents Florida's 27th Congressional District and is co-chair of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus.

According to Ros-Lehtinen, "We should be mindful of the risk of HIV/AIDS year round. It is estimated that out of the 1,200,000 people living with the disease in the United States, almost 200,000 are unaware that they have the disease. By knowing your status, you can

take control and help put an end what to what is still a national public health crisis, and I encourage everyone to get tested."

Robbin Simmons, Emmy award-winning reporter and co-anchor of the weekend editions of 7 NEWS at 5, 6, & 10 with Jeff Lennox has been chosen again as the Master of Ceremonies. Robbin Simmons has covered several major stories, in and outside the Sunshine State.

According to Simmons, “I am proud to have been selected as Master of Ceremonies again for this year’s AIDS Walk Miami. HIV/ AIDS can afflict anyone. Early detection and treatment can prolong lives for many. We can truly change the course of this epidemic when we're all in it together.”

As new HIV infection rates in Miami-Dade and Broward still rank the highest in the nation, members of the South Florida community are stepping up to do what they can to reduce this epidemic.

“We will walk again this year, in honor and memory of those we knew, loved, and lost to HIV. With the progress that continues to be made, we are hopeful that sometime in our life time, God willing, there will be a cure.” - Rick Siclari, CEO, Care Resource “We stand on the shoulders of the millions who have been lost to HIV & AIDS. It's our responsibility as the next generation of LGBT leaders to give generously until the epidemic is over and we find a cure.” - Jaime Alejandro, Executive Director, OUT Miami Foundation “The fight against HIV/AIDS requires leadership. Miami Beach Gay Pride is proud to support AIDS Walk Miami. I encourage you to support community and an important cause." - Dave Cook, Executive Director, Miami Beach Gay Pride “We've all seen the destruction and despair it has caused. AIDS Walk Miami is a sign of strength, compassion, and resolve that, even in the darkest of times, we will stand with our brothers and sisters to fight. Simply put, I am because we are." - Austen Caraker, Attorney “We have all been affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in one way or another. I have a great love for my community and passionately support AIDS Walk Miami. This is our fight, we will unite and we will conquer!” - Athena Dion, Promoter/Entertainer "I am attending AIDS Walk Miami because it is an important event that unites the entire community to come together to fight this epidemic." - En Vee, Singer/Songwriter "Let's all gather together for AIDS Walk Miami 2016 and continue the support!" - Jane, “Jei” Castro – VH1 Tough Love, Singer, White Party 2015 Performer "I walk in honor of my many friends who have succumbed to HIV/AIDS as well as in honor of those living with the condition today." - Kristen Klein, Consultant “I am attending AIDS Walk Miami because I don't want any of my friends to have to worry about HIV/AIDS!” - Caroline Hrtr – Student “We need to work together to those in our community affected by this condition and do our part to find a cure. HIV/AIDS is still a major problem.” - Laurence Moser, Marketing Consultant The 28th Annual AIDS Walk Miami is a 5K (3.1 miles) walk-a-thon fundraiser benefiting Care Resource and the Food-for-Life-Network. All funds raised from AIDS Walk Miami are used in MiamiDade and Broward to help our diverse communities in need. The Walk starts outside the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens and ends at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens. Registration begins at 8:00am. The walk begins promptly at 9:00am. To register online, visit www.aidswalkmiami.org.

ABOUT CARE RESOURCE Care Resource is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) that provides comprehensive primary medical and preventive care, including pediatric care, oral and mental health/substance abuse services to all individuals in our community. For more information please visit http://www.careresource.org.

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A message from the publisher

"A hotdog at the ballpark is better than dinner at the Ritz."

- Humphrey Bogart

Thanks for joining us on the pages of the Mirror this month.

If you love dining, and we all do, this is the issue for you.

Norm Kent I eat out night after night, day after day, and I still struggle cooking anything other than Mac and Cheese.

There are so many great places to eat in South Florida, so many – in fact too many to mention.

As this issue shows though, we are the home of food festivals, wine tastings, and an outdoor life rich with sun and succor.

There are food tours and cooking classes and Cuban sandwiches as good as Havana.

There is dining on the water, along the intracoastal, and by the Riverwalk.

Our community is rich with energy, diverse in its population, young and vibrant with our theaters, shows, and nightlife.

The Mirror? We are just a reflection of what we do, where we go, and how we experience our lives.

Enjoy the bi-monthly read we have branded as The Mirror, and pick up the South Florida Gay News weekly.

SFGN? We distribute our paper to over 400 venues from South Beach to Palm Beach, delivering quality journalism with honest reporting; local news with global coverage.

Our staff is conscientious, our stories are credible, and our lives are compelling. We are all fabulous in our own way, and life is precious in every way.

Make the most of every moment.

Thanks again for being here today.

SFGN

Feature • publisher's editorial

EATING MY WORDS

Feature • profile

One gay Muslim shares his story of coming out Christiana Lilly

I

t was the theater that drove him away from religion, and it was the theater that brought him back.

Ramy Eletreby, a writer and performer living in Los Angeles, struggled for years with being Muslim and a gay man after being outed in a newspaper article.

Aspiring to be an actor, Eletreby accepted the role of a gay Muslim man in the play "A Long Bridge Over Deep Waters." Even before opening night, it was considered controversial by the Muslim community because of his character. In fact, two actors left the production after struggling to reconcile their faith with the character in the play, and a third actor left for allegedly similar reasons, according to the Los Angeles Times.

With all the brouhaha, the newspaper wrote an article in June 2005 and interviewed Eletreby about it -- including that he really is gay.

“It turned into an entire call for the Muslim community to boycott this play because we’re perpetuating things that they didn’t support,” he told the Mirror. “[The LA Times] asked why I was willing to play the character and basically I outed myself.”

This was news to his family and his community -- while he doesn’t regret coming out, he does admit he should have had a sit down with his family first to let them know ahead of time. Eletreby said people were shocked, but rather than be angry at him, people refused to believe it could be true.

“It was a lot of not really wanting to believe in its truth or validity because you can't be gay. There’s this belief that God does not create people that way and you choose to be this way. We know that you are not gay, but yet you seem to believe that you are gay,” he explained.

“A lot of people thought I was confused or influenced or I was in need of some psychological help,” he said. “I didn’t like the narrative around what was happening, that I was being treated like I was a mental case.”

Advocacy for LGBT people is relatively new within the Muslim world. In 1997, the Al-Fatiha Foundation was founded as an advocacy group by Faisal Alam, an out Pakistani-American, when he was just 19. In 2001, the terrorist group Al-Muhajiroun in the United Kingdom allegedly put out a fatwa, calling the group apostates and claiming the homosexual acts are punishable by death, according to the Washington Blade.

"The very existence of Al-Fatiha is illegitimate and the members of this organization are apostates. Never will such an organization be tolerated in Islam and never will the disease which it calls for be affiliated with a true Islamic society or individual. The Islamic ruling for such acts is death.”

The group carried on, but unfortunately when Alam stepped down in 2005, the group was unable to keep going. One of the largest

16 THE

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groups representing LGBT Muslims today, the Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity, founded in 2013, hosts an annual retreat, the Retreat for LGBTQ Muslims and Partners.

After the LA Times article, Eletreby isolated himself from others -- or “run away” as he described it -- as he tried to come to terms with being both gay and a practicing Muslim. He stopped communicating with other Muslims, didn’t go to mosque, and basically stopped practicing the religion that had been a part of his life for so long.

He says he wasn’t cut out, but he cut himself out in an act of “self preservation.”

Instead, Eletreby went to the other end of the spectrum and considered himself to be an atheist and displayed anger towards all organized religion. He believes this was a part of the grieving process of losing Islam.

“I eventually started missing some of the spirituality that had been a huge part of my life growing up. I missed fasting during Ramadan and I missed the feeling of community,” he said. “It was a part of my identity, so to also deny that for many years was tough.”

It was the stage that helped him get it back.

While in graduate school in New York City, he went to a play with a friend in the East Village where two LGBT Muslim women were a part of the play. They talked about living their life and spirituality, moving Eletreby to tears.

“I was forever changed,” he said. “It was beautiful to see people come to a place of reconciliation because in my life, it was a separation. It was very comforting. It was like, I can’t believe I never imagined this for myself. It could have been mine this whole time.

I found the warm blanket that I was looking for.”

While in New York, he was also exposed to a community of out Muslim people, something he didn’t have in Los Angeles. It was a growing process that helped him see that he could successfully be a gay man and a Muslim at the same time.

Today, Eletreby is back living in Los Angeles and is not a part of a religious community, but has created his own way of worship. He tries to read the Quran every night before bed and believes that his own personal relationship with God is what matters, rather than relying on sermons from imams. Also, he has reestablished a good relationship with his family.

“I’m not seeking any justification or validation from religious leaders, and it’s liberating,” he said. “The only validation I need is between me and God, and I’m working really hard to establish that and make sure that connection is strong.”

What would he tell other young Muslims who might be feeling confused?

“Patience is one of the things that is most stressed in the Koran, too, in our faith. To be able to live life with patience, you can’t always get what you want, you can’t always have it now, as long as you are steadfast and true that you are on the right path, you’d be surprised as to what comes along.”

feature • profile

"The only validation I need is between me and God, and I’m working really hard to establish that and make sure that connection is strong."

- Ramy Eletreby

SPRING 2016  THE

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Feature • profile

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C

"

afé,” in continental Europe, refers to a traditional type of coffeehouse, but elsewhere "cafe" may refer to a tea room, small and cheap restaurant or other casual eating and drinking places. A coffeehouse may share some of the same characteristics of a bar or restaurant. In this country Coffeehouses and coffee shops range from owner-operated small businesses to ubiquitous multinational companies such as Starbucks.

From a cultural standpoint, Cafes have, in the past, served as centers of social interaction by providing patrons with a place to congregate, talk, entertain one another, or pass the time, whether individually or in small groups.

They can also serve as an informal club for its regular members. As early as the 1950s Beatnik era and the 1960s folk music scene, Cafes/ coffeehouses have hosted singer-songwriter performances, typically in the evening. It is there that news is communicated and where those interested in politics freely criticize the government without being fearful. Innocent games resembling checkers, hopscotch, and chess, are played. Poets take turns telling stories in verse or in prose.

Think of Paris or Rome’s Cafes: vibrant, noisy, bustling, full of people engaged in face to face conversations, and then enter a Starbucks or any American Café.

You will be hit by the sound of silence. Since the development of Wi-Fi, coffeehouses with this capability, especially in the U.S., have become places for patrons to access the Internet on their phones or tablets and the line between talking and socializing has been blurred, the hope is that it will not blur the line between talking and thinking because Facebooking or Tweeting is like muttering to oneself.

At any given time of the day the tables, the bar stools or the couches are filled with young men on Grindr, if you are in the gayborhood. In the straight venues men and women are silently sipping lattes, immersed in isolation, while peering into their screens swiping on the faces of strangers they have not yet met. They are on Tinder, Hinge, Happen, OkCupid, whatever.

People used to meet their partners through proximity, by a chance

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encounter, in a noisy bar, or in a real "live" cafe. Now dating apps are surpassing any other form. It's like online shopping, browsing for a person instead of a microwave. Nobody knows how to talk face-toface since their anxiety about intimacy comes from having grown up on social media, forming their first impressions of an individual based on Facebook rather than human connection. They are absorbed and too anxious about what tweet they might be missing. There is no emotional intimacy and the world around them is no longer real unless it is reflected off a small screen. Many find it difficult to talk to one another without technological devices. Social media and its endless apps are eroding emotional, social, even cultural development. Mental muscles become flabby and the mind lapses into a complete and comfortable vacuum.

Starbucks and the like are just one aspect, it happens everywhere, all around us, just stroll the boulevards of a big city, or the sidewalks of a small town, people are bumping into each other, into things, into the oncoming traffic, tripping all over the place, and they have iPhones in their faces or ears.

Ironically with all this “we are more connected than ever” we have never been farther apart. Conversation is fading away, a lost art. We have become more detached and isolated from one another, even lonelier, because this hyper interactivity is shallow if not ephemeral.

And even in public places we meet fewer people now, and when we do our bonds are not as meaningful because we are distracted by wanting to contact those who are not present. It is as if people are instantly bored with whoever is sitting in front of them and so they click and wait and swipe and wait for somebody else to chime in. We want to spend time with machines that seem to care about us. We expect more from technology and less from each other.

We need less isolation and more real socialization with family and friends. Our society seems to have lost stimulus and ideals, communication is reduced to 140 truncated characters interspersed with the frivolous narcissistic selfie.

I unplugged long ago yet I don’t feel disconnected, quite the opposite.

I can actually hear and see what’s really important. And the fact is, I don't miss a whole lot when I'm not on social media. You should try it.

Sometimes it can be liberating because we need to focus on the many ways technology can lead us back to our real lives, our own bodies, our own communities, our true friends, our own politics, our own planet away from this opaque reality and the globalization of indifference.

When will they make an app for a nap?

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food • headlines

HEADLINES News & Views

2016 American Fine Wine Competition Medalists Announced

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Visiting Navy culinary specialists compete in the 2014 Galley Wars competition.

Fleet Week Galley Wars Moves to Oakland Park Culinary District

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alley Wars, the popular “Iron Chef ” style cooking competition held each year during Fleet Week Port Everglades, will move to the new Allied Kitchen, Bath & Home showroom in the downtown Oakland Park Culinary Arts District this year.

The event will feature teams from each of the visiting ships—amphibious assault ship U.S.S. Bataan, destroyers U.S.S. Farragut and U.S.S. Truxton, a nuclear submarine to be announced in April, and a U.S. Coast Guard fast response cutter—competing to create the most appetizing dishes in a series of “quick fire” cooking challenges.

The winning dishes will be selected by a blue ribbon panel of judges including local celebrity chefs.

In addition to the cooking competition, guests will be treated to heavy hors d’oeuvres, live and silent auctions and entertainment in the new Allied showroom, which will open in April and feature outdoor kitchen appliances.

Following Galley Wars from 6 to 8

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p.m., ticketed guests and the general public will be treated to a free public performance by Navy Band Southeast, the service’s premiere performing ensemble in the region, in front of Oakland Park City Hall.

The street festival, planned to complement the downtown business district’s culinary theme, will also include food trucks and welcome events at participating businesses for the visiting Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen.

“Fleet Week Port Everglades is South Florida’s opportunity to thank our brave men and women in uniform for their service to our country,” said Mary Anne Gray, president and executive director of Broward Navy Days, Inc., the non-profit organization that organizes the weeklong event. “We’re so pleased to have the opportunity to showcase these talented young chefs and thank Allied for hosting Galley Wars at their new showroom.”

For more information and tickets, go to BrowardNavyDaysInc.org.

he winners of the prestigious American Fine Wine Competition were recently announced by Shari Gherman, co-founder and president.

More than 750 wines from over 250 wineries vied for top honors in the invitation-only event. Judging— conducted by a 24-member blue ribbon panel of wine industry journalists, educators, restaurateurs, retailers, and top sommeliers from across the country—was held January 17–18 at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University in North Miami.

In addition to the five Best of Show winners (each a winner in its class before moving on to the final vote) and 11 other Best of Class winners, 147 wines received “Double Gold” honors, awarded when the four person judging panel unanimously agree the wine deserves a Gold Medal.

BEST OF SHOW Sparkling (Tie) Signal Ridge, Anderson Valley ($25) and Breathless Blanc de Noirs, Carneros ($30) White Rivino 2014 Pinot Blanc, Mendocino ($25) Red Luna 2013 Canto Super Tuscan Style, Napa Valley ($70) Sweet/Dessert Wine Castello di Amorosa 2013 LH Gewurztraminer, Anderson Valley ($39 - 375ml)

On Friday, April 8, the top winners will be showcased at the American Fine Wine Competition Charity Gala at the Hyatt Pier 66 Hotel in Fort Lauderdale.

Many of the winemakers, plus six iconic “Vintners and Winemakers of the Year,” will be in attendance pouring their wines for wine enthusiasts and philanthropists from around the country. Proceeds from the Gala and its auction will benefit the Dolphins Cancer Challenge.

For more information, tickets and a complete list of 2016 AFWC medalists, go to AmericanFineWineCompetition.org.

food • datebook

DATEBOOK Find a Festival EAT UP

The Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival, held each year in late February, is among the largest events in the country, but other South Florida communities also host tasty events throughout the year.

Whether you’re a serious foodie or just tired of the same old dishes, check out one of these upcoming local food and wine festivals: BOCA BACCHANAL – April 8 – 9 Meet award-winning chefs and vintners while savoring their signature cuisine and wine selections during this an open-air event at the Mizner Park Amphitheatre in Boca Raton.

BocaBacchanal.com

MIAMI SPICE – Aug. 1 – Sept. 30 Miami doesn’t celebrate Restaurant Week. Instead, enjoy two months of specially priced prix fixe menus at some of the hottest restaurants in the metro area.

MiamiAndBeaches.com

FLAVOR PALM BEACH – Sept. 1 – 30 This month-long event featuring tasting menus is designed to introduce diners and visitors to the vast array of restaurants throughout Palm Beach County.

FlavorPB.com

MIAMI RUM RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL – April 15 – 17 Spend a weekend trying hundreds of fine rums from the Caribbean and beyond at the largest rum festival in the world.

RumRenaissance.com

KEY WEST LOBSTERFEST – Aug. 11 – 14 Sportsmen come from all over the world to fish for lobster at the start of the spiny Florida Keys lobster season, so naturally a kick-off celebration is a must and downtown Key West is the place.

KeyWestLobsterFest.com

DELRAY BEACH WINE AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL – Nov. 7 – 8 Scenic Delray Beach is a perfect venue to sample fish tacos, shrimp gumbo, Cajun crab cakes and other delicacies best enjoyed with a cold Chardonnay.

DBWineAndSeafood.com

LAS OLAS WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL – April 29 Fort Lauderdale’s famous Las Olas Boulevard shuts down for a day to make way for more than 70 of South Florida’s top restaurants, breweries and vineyards.

LasOlasWFF.com

DINE OUT LAUDERDALE – Sept. 1 – Oct. 15 The best of Broward County’s restaurants will be featured for six weeks with special three-course prix fixe lunch and dinner menus during this annual event.

Sunny.org/Restaurants

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food • latin

CULINARY ADVENTURES and more on

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHS BY J.W. ARNOLD

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In the distance, the modern skyscrapers of Miami tower over Little Havana; the quiet scene is disrupted by rhythmic chants from Castro protesters routinely making their way up the narrow sidewalk, flags and signs in hand.

Until recently, travel to Cuba by Americans has been limited, if not practically impossible, but on this sunny morning, I’m going to get a taste of life on the island that is so close and yet so very far.

My guide on this journey is Mirka Harris with Miami Culinary Tours. Daily, she and her colleagues introduce locals and tourists alike to the food and culture that sprang up in a historic neighborhood that was largely Jewish before the 1959 revolution that sent tens of thousands to Miami. She looks the part, dressed in cool white linen and shiny sunglasses, shaded by a stylish fedora. We will soon learn just how knowledgeable she is about this exotic neighborhood.

Our group of 10 came for the food, but we’re in for so much more as we embark on the tour, beginning at a local gallery showcasing traditionally-inspired arts and crafts. As we head from west to east, we pass the oldest restaurant on the strip, Oriental Restaurant, founded in 1940. But, we’re not here for Chinese food, no matter how popular it remains.

On the last Friday of each month, thousands and thousands of people flood into the neighborhood for a lively street festival, we are told, and of course, there’s the huge annual Calle Ocho Festival each March.

We finally get our first edible taste of the neighborhood as we stop in Casa Panza, a traditional Spanish taverna that sets the stage for our later tastings. Colorful tiles cover the tables and we are served creamy pappas aioli, a Spanish potato salad, spicy bites of chorizo sausages cooked in wine and fried garbanzo beans, washed down with a refreshing glass of Rioja. I make note to return sometime in the evening to see the flamenco show.

food • Latin

O

n a sleepy Saturday morning, this six block stretch of Eighth Street could be anywhere in Latin America.

Rows of mom-and-pop shops and cafes, the colorful signage all in Spanish, prepare for another busy day.

Except this isn’t just any street, it’s Calle Ocho, the de facto capital of the Cuban exile community in America.

We don’t eat much, because our thoughtful guide reminds us there are many more stops to follow. Fortunately, there is time for another swig of wine.

We then enter the Cuba Tobacco Cigar Company. Perhaps nothing is more synonymous with Cuba than the cigar. Cigar making has been a way of life for the Bello family for over a century. Outside, Pedro Bello takes his place on a chair next to a cigar store Indian, puffing on one of his own, the tobacco raised in the Dominican Republic from seeds originally harvested in Cuba. Inside, white smoke wafts through the shop as friends chat and a master roller completes another cigar.

Protesters, marching the beat of a drum and repeating fiery chants in Spanish, are a regular site along the narrow Calle Ocho sidewalks.

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food • latin Heaping servings of creamy Spanish potato salad await diners at Casa Panza, providing insight into the colonial origins of many Cuban dishes.

Our next stop is El Pub Restaurant where we are welcomed by Heliodoro Coro, the 88-year-old owner. Venture beyond the coffee bar, where barista Betty brews strong black café Cubano for patrons at the walk-up window, and into the restaurant to view the exquisitely painted murals depicting life in the old country. We are served a traditional tortilla, a Spanish frittata bulging with slices of sweet sliced plantain, an unlikely combination at first, but paired with a salty black bean soup. Mirka points out that while Cuban food is generally not spicy, every Cuban table is set with a bottle of Tabasco sauce, an adopted American invention, when a little heat is desired.

Again, we resume our walk. The sidewalk is adorned with stars commemorating legends in the Cuban-American community, just like the Hollywood Walk of Fame. We stroll past stars dedicated to salsa queen Celia Cruz, singer Gloria Estefan and even the founder of El Dorado Furniture before arriving at the historic 1926 Tower Theatre, the first in the region to screen English language movies with Spanish subtitles. It provided an important window into American culture for the new immigrants and today screens independent art films.

Finally, we are served the famous Cuban sandwich, slices of ham, homemade pickles and mustard pressed between two slices of crusty Cuban bread.

We squeeze into the Exquisito next. Owned by Juan Coro, son of Heliodoro from down the street, it’s a tight fit as we wind past the lunch counter and into a dining room where a band is performing. Finally, we are served the famous Cuban sandwich, slices of ham, homemade pickles and mustard pressed between two slices of crusty Cuban bread. Mirka reveals the difference between authentic Cuban bread and the fluffy stuff we’re used to eating—lard. It’s so bad for us, yet so very good.

Mirka then leads us into the domino park. Dozens of old men and women are gathered around tables patiently passing the time. You must be 55 years or older to play and you can’t make wagers on the games­—or at least not get caught. All eyes are on the games as they discuss their families, plans for the weekend and politics. But don’t bring up recent developments in U.S.–Cuba relations because it will be a futile exercise unless you vehemently oppose the Communist regime on the island.

After taking some snapshots, it’s time for something refreshing and, fortunately, Parqueo al Fondo, the neighborhood bakery is nearby. We are served bite-sized guava pastries, but eat with care because the thin, flaky crust is loaded with sweet fruity filling that literally explodes in the mouth.

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A master cigar roller uses tobacco grown in the Dominican Republic from Cuban seeds at Cuba Tobacco Cigar Company. The Bello family founded the company more than 80 years ago.

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food • latin Cuban coffee is known for its kick and at the many cafes along Calle Ocho, it is served up with a side order of heated political conversation.

Monuments to fallen Cuban insurgents line “Monument Boulevard,” a site frequently used as a backdrop for internationallytelevised political rallies.

Many of the fruits and vegetables in the stand seem alien, imported from the Caribbean islands and Latin America especially for their local clientele.

We wash it down with fresh guarapo juice, extracted from the cane just for us at Los Pinareños Fruteria. Many of the fruits and vegetables in the stand seem alien, imported from the Caribbean islands and Latin America especially for their local clientele. I wonder aloud if some of the colorful exotic chickens wandering around the back parking lot will end up in a pot soon.

Our penultimate stop is the famous “Monument Boulevard,” the site of stone and metal tributes to the 2500 Cuban fighters who infamously attempted to retake the island at the Bay of Pigs.

It’s a familiar scene, often broadcast on television whenever there is a political rally or memorial service. In the background, a ceiba tree with its many gangly roots, dwarfs everything on the street.

At the base, signs of Santeria offerings remain. Santeria is the West African and Caribbean religion that is influenced by Roman Catholicism, we are told.

We head back to the heart of the neighborhood for our final stop and dessert. At El Cristo Restaurant, we are served squares of rich cheese flan, a creamy custard accentuated with cream cheese and topped with sweet caramel syrup.

As Mirka says her farewells outside the restaurant, a tour bus passes by, their guide describing the highlights of the neighborhood over a loud microphone that could be heard on the street. One thing is certain, they will never experience the authentic taste of Calle Ocho the way we did. They’re stopping for lunch at the local McDonald’s.

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Retirees pass their days playing dominos in the city park just off Calle Ocho. Gambling is not allowed, but friendly wagers are frequently made.

food • latin Fresh guarapo juice is extracted straight from the cane and served at Los Pinareños Fruteria, a stand specializing in island fruits.

FIND A FOOD TOUR

Miami Culinary Tours offers a variety of guided walking tours:

Other South Florida food tour options include:

SOUTH BEACH FOOD TOUR Twice daily, 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Five food stops, $59 pp This tour not only highlights the many tastes of South Beach, but also introduces guests to the Art Deco history of the historic district.

SWOOPED WITH FORKS FOOD TOUR MiamiFoodTours.com, check for dates Approx. 4 hours, $129 pp These tours, offered from October to June, include the Design District, Buena Vista and Wynwood neighborhoods.

A South Beach tour is also offered for $58.

WYNWOOD FOOD & ART TOUR Daily, 12 p.m.

Five food stops, $69 pp Wynwood has emerged as a major destination for art lovers, thanks to the famous Wynwood Walls and now, Art Basel, bringing along trendy eateries and craft breweries.

FORT LAUDERDALE FOOD TOURS FtLauderdaleFoodTours.com, Saturdays, 12:30 p.m.

Approx. 2 hours, $79 pp Experience quintessential Fort Lauderdale on a fun and educational walking tour with delicious stops along trendy Las Olas Blvd.

LITTLE HAVANA FOOD TOUR Daily, 12:30 p.m.

Five food stops, $59 pp Most visitors never leave the beach, but this tour is recommended for locals, too, who will discover the history of this vibrant neighborhood.

TASTE HISTORY CULINARY TOURS TasteHistoryCulinaryTours.org, Saturdays, 11 a.m.

Approx. 3 - 4 hours, $45 - $50 pp These tours, organized by the Museum of Lifestyle & Fashion History, introduce visitors to the charms of several Palm Beach County communities, including West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Lantana, Boynton Beach and Delray Beach. Each tour is unique and offers guests three to four food stops.

Gift certificates and private group tours available. Reservations at MiamiCulinaryTours.com.

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food • fast food frenzy

Fast Food Frenzy Rick Karlin

A

s much as we all love to relax over a leisurely meal, let’s face it, we usually don’t have the time. How often have you been running errands or have only a few minutes between appointments and find yourself so hungry you could eat the steering wheel? When that happens, fight the urge to pull up to the drive-through of a fast food franchise, and check out one of these options.

Jack's Old Fashion Hamburger House 4201 N. Federal Fort Lauderdale 954-565-9960 591 S. Cypress, Pompano 954-942-2844 JacksOldFashionHamburgers.com Jack’s not only looks like a throw-back to a ‘60s burger joint, the menu still reflects that simple time. While not quite the same price as you’d pay back then, the burgers are pretty reasonably priced, especially when you compare them to the slew of new “gourmet” burger joints (I’m talking to you BurgerFi and Shake Shack). Cooked fresh to order, the burgers range in size from quarter to half pound and are ground fresh daily from whole briskets of USDA beef. They taste like a real hamburger that your dad used to cook on the grill.

Humpy’s Pizza 2244 Wilton Dr. Wilton Manors 954-566-2722 HumpysPizza.com You can’t beat Humpy’s meat. Humpy’s features standard (sausage, meatball, pepperoni) and unusual (Buffalo and BBQ chicken, roasted wild mushrooms) pizza toppings, available by the slice, and those slices are huge. Check out the lunch special; you get a slice, salad and soda for $5 (slightly more for special ingredients). There is also an occasional special; buy two slices get a soda for free.

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Dairy Belle 118 N. Federal Dania Beach 954-920-3330 DairyBelleIceCream.com Canadians, and those fond of Canadian cuisine (!) head to Dairy Belle for that classic poutine, a pile of French fries tossed with salty, mozzarella-like white cheese curds smothered in hot gravy. The gravy melts the cheese and you’re left with a delicious mess. Dairy Belle also offers a variation, poutine Italienne, substituting red sauce for the gravy.

Or, try the galvaude, which adds shredded chicken and peas to the classic poutine. Order a large with the works and you’ll still walk away with change from your $10.

Zona Fresca 1635 North Federal Fort Lauderdale 954-566-1777 ZonaFresca.com Yes, it is a chain, but a small one, and all of the food is made to order. That means you may have to wait for a few minutes for your food, but I’m certain you won’t mind; the guys behind the counter are gorgeous. The dining room is also usually filled with so many hot guys that you’d think it was the break room for a porn shoot. I’m partial to the burrito with marinated charbroiled chicken, a choice of black or pinto beans, jack and cheddar cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream. Best of all, it’s only $7.95 and it comes with a handful of freshly made tortilla chips. Other filling options include the roasted pork or machaca burrito with slowly braised shredded beef, pinto beans, jack and cheddar cheese, avocado, lettuce and pico de gallo. If you’re looking for something lighter, order what all those hotties are having; the Cali-wrap, which features chicken, avocado, tomato, onion, cilantro and lettuce, tossed in lemony dressing or the grilled shrimp and mango salad. Nothing here costs more than $10.

Knucklehead Burgers 4900 S. University, Davie 954-434-0013 KnuckleHeadsBurgers.com Temporarily closed.

Scheduled to reopen April 1, 2016.

If you’re looking for a taste of the Midwest, head over to Knucklehead and order the Mahoney's Baloney. The sandwich features two thick slices of grilled Boar's Head bologna, a fried egg and American cheese between two slices of Texas toast. It ain’t healthy, but it sure is good.

And, it’s only $6.

Smitty's Old Fashioned Butcher Shop 1980 NE 45th Street Oakland Park 954-771-9341 SmittysMeatsAndWines.com The old-school butcher shop doesn’t make a big deal about it, they don’t even mention it on their website, but they’ll put together a hearty sandwich for you. Opt for the Italian, laden with salami, sopressata, and ham, and then dressed with hot and sweet peppers, a ripe tomato, provolone, onions, mustard, oil, and vinegar in a crusty roll.

Pollo Tropical PolloTropical.com OK, so it’s a chain with hundreds of locations, but I have to admit I love the food at Pollo Tropical and so does my husband who is a picky eater and a vegetarian! I usually opt for the chicken and rib combo.

It’s a carnivore’s dream; featuring one-quarter of a chicken and a halfrack of Caribbean Ribs. The tropical barbecue sauce and herbs must be laced with crack, 'cause I’m addicted. I also appreciate the variety of sauces available. In addition to the Caribbean sauce, the condiment bar offers up guava BBQ, pineapple rum sauce and a cilantro cream.

The chicken wings are equally good and the Tropi-Chop bowls allow you to customize your meal by picking a protein (chicken, mojo roast pork or calypso beef), a base (yellow, white or brown rice with veggies or lettuce) and toppings (beans, chopped fresh tomatoes, corn, sautéed onions and sautéed peppers). Even the sides are not your typical fast food fare; tomatoes and red onions in a balsamic vinaigrette, steamed green beans in a garlic-cilantro butter, macaroni and cheese and, often, Caribbean corn soufflé. There’s a vegetarian Tropi-Chop and often seasonal options, such as shrimp.

The next time your stomach starts growling in traffic consider one of these options where you can “have it your way” because “you deserve a break today,” so “head for the border.”

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food • cookies

Well, that New Year resolution to eat healthy just went out the window because the Girl Scouts are back with their delicious temptations. And, who can say no to a sweet little girl whose badge is hanging in the balance if she can’t convince us to order like 20 boxes? If we’re going to binge on these sweet delights, we may as well enjoy an adult beverage. Master Sommelier Andrew McNamara with Breakthru Beverage Florida (formerly Premier) offers his suggestions:

Little Brownie Bakers / ABC Bakers

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food • cookies

TREFOILS Delicate-tasting shortbread Crisp and clean cookies with just a hint of sweetness require a wine just as crisp and clean. Moscato d’Asti fits perfectly with its slight effervescence or a sweet Riesling with crisp citrus notes.

Marco Negri Moscato d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy, $20 Barefoot Bubbly Pink Moscato, $10 Thomas Schmitt Collection Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Spatlese, Mosel, Germany, $18

THIN MINTS Crispy mints dipped in chocolate Mint and chocolate needs rich, powerful reds that offer subtle hints of chocolate and mint or eucalyptus. Fortified wines work well here, too.

Torbreck Woodcutters Shiraz, Barossa, Australia, $24 Quinta do Noval Black, Port, $23 Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast, California, $20

DO-SI-DOS Peanut butter creme sandwich cookies Sweet and salty peanut butter make this cookie the perfect complement for a big jammy Zinfandel or Malbec.

Torbreck Woodcutters Shiraz, Barossa, Australia $24 Quinta do Noval Black, Port $23 Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast, California, $20

SAMOAS Chewy and rich with coconut and chocolate There are so many flavors going on in a Samoa (my personal favorite) that you need a great wine to go with it. Be careful not to overpower the wine with the sweetness of the cookie.

Marques de Caceres Rioja Crianza, Rioja, Spain $17 Telmo Rodriguez “Dehesa Gago”, Toro, Spain $20 Montes Classic Merlot, Chile $15

TAGALONGS Peanut butter patties dipped in chocolate The salty and sweet combination of the peanut butter with the richness of chocolate simply screams for decadent red wines.

Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, Veneto, Italy, $25 Amavi Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla, Washington, $25 Mitolo “Jester” Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale, Australia, $25

SAVANNAH SMILES Crisp, zesty lemon cookies Unoaked Chardonnays or the bubbly-lemon goodness of a great glass of Prosecco pair well with these clean, light cookies.

Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, Veneto, Italy, $25 Amavi Cellars Syrah, Walla Walla, Washington, $25 Mitolo “Jester” Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale, Australia, $25

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food • downloads

DOWNLOADS

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Books, Music & Video

“The Cereal Killer Cafe Cookbook” Gary & Allen Keery Amazon.com / $12

“The Dead Celebrity Cookbook” Frank DeCaro Amazon.com / $16

If we could have our way, cereal would be on the menu every day! This volume is filled with recipes, along with the ever important cereal eating etiquette.

Sirius OutQ radio host and pop culture maven Frank DeCaro has resurrected the signature recipes of more than 141 stars of stage and screen in this fun read.

“Prison Ramen” Clifton Collins Jr. and Gustavo “Goose” Alvarez Amazon.com / $12.95 This edgy and unique cookbook takes readers behind bars with more than 65 recipes and real stories from the inmates who created them.

“The Vegetable Butcher” Cara Mangini Amazon.com / $29.95

“Jamie Oliver’s Drinks Tube” Jamie Oliver YouTube.com/user/jamiesdrinkstube

“The BearNaked Chef” Adrian De Berardinis BearNakedChef.com

Okay, we had to throw a bone—pun intended—to crunchy granola, birkenstock wearing vegan lesbians.

Actually, this book is a great read for the amateur gourmet.

“The Naked Chef” is back and turning his attention to creative cocktails. His entertaining YouTube videos are perfect for the home mixologist seeking to up your game.

Let’s just get this out of the way first: WOOF! Jamie Oliver, the original “Naked Chef” never really got naked, but we really like the way this furry muscle bear chef stirs our pot.

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food • diy

DIY Cooking Classes

SIGN uP

Chef Jean-Pierre’s Cooking School 1436 N. Federal Hwy. Fort Lauderdale 954-563-2700 ChefJeanPierre.com Individual and couples demonstration classes that always conclude with a hearty feast.

Lenore Nolan-Ryan Cooking School Lenore’s Table at Global Grille 416 NE 1st St., Fort Lauderdale 954-712-1570 LenoreNolanRyan.com Hands-on classes at Lenore’s new location in the First Baptitst Church complex in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Publix Aprons Cooking School Canal Plaza, 1181 S. University Plantation 954-577-4264 Publix.com/Aprons/Schools Demonstration, hands-on and wine pairing classes starting at $35–$40 per person.

The chefs on TV made it look so easy. I was determined to find out for myself....

T

he Publix Aprons Cooking School is tucked away in an upstairs corner of a typical suburban Publix store in a typical strip mall on University Avenue in Plantation.

My partner and I made our way through the dairy case to the elevator in the back corner of the store and up to the cooking school kitchen. The island dominated the small room, which looked more like a corporate break room, filled with round tables and chairs.

We were set on making pizza that night and signed up for a hands-on class. The chefs on TV make it look so easy. I was determined to find out for myself, my partner was merely along for the ride, just hoping for a tasty nosh at the end of the class.

There were about 12 students signed up to learn the art of gourmet pizza making on that night: suburban housewives on a mission to spice up their family meals, a trio of party girls making it a night on the

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town (after downing a bottle of wine or two), a married couple or two and us, the gay guys.

Immediately, we realized this would be no ordinary cooking class. Our instructor, Chef Richard Wilson was much more.

Actually, he has missed his true calling.

This guy was funny, dishing out one liners and sarcastic puns all night long.

Handsome, too, he would be an instant star if given his own television reality show.

Jokes aside, it was time for business.

Chef Rich first addressed the basics.

Within a few minutes, he had his eager pupils cooking a savory pizza sauce made with imported Roma tomatoes and fresh basil. The kitchen smelled divine.

Then it was time to to make the dough.

Well, not exactly. We could make our own dough—and create a flour-y disaster in the kitchen that would take hours to clean up a la Lucy and Ethel—or follow this advice: Fresh pizza dough is available from the

bakery in virtually every Publix store. Just take it home and roll it out. Or, for the brave of heart, toss it in the air like the pizza chefs. After several near misses, I decided that rolling it out was the safest course of action.

Once we had our dough and sauce prepared, Chef Rich helped us assemble all sorts of gourmet delights--no run-ofthe-mill pepperoni pizza for us! We tore strips of prosciutto and crumbled feta.

One recipe even called for juicy grapes.

Yes, grapes.

After a few minutes in the hot oven, it was time to sample the results of our labor, accompanied by some delicious wines, left over from an event Chef Rich and his catering team had worked the night before.

We had done it, made homemade pizza.

Admittedly, we haven’t tried to make a single pizza at home. Pizza Hut and Dominos are just a little too convenient.

But it was a fun experience. – J.W. Arnold

food • dining

HIGH OCTAN

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES

because Miami Supercar Rooms in the artsy Wynwood neighborhood is your destination for a gourmet dining experience surrounded by automotive works of art. Founded by Elo, the

British-born

visionary

behind

one

of

Europe’s

most

coveted

collections, Miami Supercar Rooms showcases his vintage, exotic, sports and custom-made vehicles in an aesthetically-fueled concept featuring a different local celebrity chef each month.

Part museum and part restaurant, the Miami Supercar Rooms experience is based on a free guest membership program.

The type of premium experience the guest requires and how regularly they visit determines ongoing membership status. The management team grants a free membership to each individual upon arrival.

White Membership provides all access and a priority status for dining reservations as well as other perks provided with compliments of the management team. Silver Membership also grants a member with full access inside the Auto Art Gallery along with other special dining privileges. Black Membership is for those who wish to enjoy the gallery of vehicles on display while relaxing with friends at the bar.

Within the Auto Art Gallery, members will be able to experience a never-before-seen collection of extremely rare models such as the 1955 SL300 Mercedes Gullwing; 1929 Rolls Royce Bootch; 1958 450S Maserati vintage racing car; 1961

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196SP Ferrari vintage racing car and the 2007 Shelby Supercar Ultimate Aero TT – awarded in 2007 with the title of fastest production car in the world. Miami Supercar Rooms also features one-of-a-kind vehicles including a 1935 derivative of the only Bugatti “Atlantic,” known as the “Pacific,” built by the famed Terry Cook of Delahaye USA. Among many other rare gems from the automotive world, Miami Supercar Rooms also features the only Lamborghini tractor in America. The 1953 masterpiece is one of only three remaining in the world.

Auto enthusiasts who do not require an evening dinner reservation are able to browse the vehicles on display or simply enjoy a cup of coffee while working in the dining area. Miami Supercar Rooms offers free admission daily, Wednesday through Monday, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Miami Supercar Rooms is located at 2022 NW 1st Ct. in Miami.

For more information, visit MiamiSupercarRooms.com.

food • dining

NE DINING MIAMI SUPERCAR ROOMS FOUNDER ELO tests out the ride in the 1958 450 S Maserati vintage racing car on the showroom floor of his Wynwood destination, part car museum, part restaurant and part event space.

Photos courtesy of Miami Supercar Rooms.

SPRING 2016  THE

43

food • on the town

ON THE TOWN Drinkhouse Fire & Ice

CHILL OUT

Don a parka and cool off during the long South Florida summer with a crisp vodka shot served in a pristine ice glass inside the bar at Drinkhouse Fire & Ice, 1672 Collins Ave. in Miami Beach.

Afterwards, thaw in the fire bar and enjoy creative flaming cocktails. The destination, founded by Sally Drinkhouse and Nicole Pritchett, is located near the Miami Beach Convention Center and, in just a few months, has become popular with locals and tourists alike. SoBeFireIce.com 44 THE

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45

food • marketplace

MARKETPLACE The Well-Stocked LGBT Kitchen & Bar

2 1

1. Stop whining over spoiled wine! The Coravin (MSRP $329) extracts wine and injects argon gas into your bottle through a medical-grade stainless steel needle without even removing the cork. Coravin.com 2. Happy hot dogs! These colorful ceramic mugs ($25, set of two) and melamine dessert tray ($17.95) from Naked Decor will liven up any kitchen. NakedDecor.com 3. Wake up and smell the wine! Seriously, try brewing this merlot-infused coffee ($19.95) from UncommonGoods.com 4. Up your game! Turn your dishes into fancy haute cuisine with the Molecule-R Food Styling R-Evolution kit ($44.95) from UncommonGoods.com

4

3

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47

food • entertaining

ENTERTAINING Moonshine Goes Mainstream

When we think of moonshine, fantasies about Bo and Luke Duke come to mind...

I

t’s been nearly forty years since John Schneider and Tom Wopat steamed up the airwaves as “The Dukes of Hazzard,” and even longer since the famed Hatfield and McCoy feud in the Appalachians, but now moonshine is making a comeback.

Amateur and professional mixologists have discovered the grain alcohol and distillers like Sugarlands Distillery in Gatlinburg, Tenn. are even producing mash in a rainbow of exotic flavors, just like the infused vodkas and other spirits found on shelves.

The company offers a range of products from traditional 100 proof sour mash to apple, peach, blackberry, lemonade, peanut butter and jelly, blueberry muffin, Southern sweet tea and now root beer and peppermint flavored moonshines.

Sugarlands head distiller Greg Eidam said the new flavors, in particular, “have a vintage appeal that inspires a certain type of nostalgia.”

Sugarland’s “shines” offer flavorful alternatives to your usual Cape Cods and Cosmopolitans: SILVERITA 1 1/2 oz. Silver Cloud Shine 1 1/2 oz. triple sec 1 oz. fresh lime juice kosher salt Rim edge of rocks or cocktail glass with a wedge of lime and salt. Shake Silver Cloud, triple sec and lime juice with ice and strain into glass.

BLACKBERRY CREAMSICLE 4 oz. Blockaders Blackberry Shine 4 fresh blackberries 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream 2 oz. milk Blend all ingredients together in a blender and it’s ready to serve!

“

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GATLINBURG CHAI 2 oz. Southern Sweet Tea Shine 4 oz. hot milk 2 oz. water pinch of cinnamon pinch of allspice pinch of nutmeg pinch of cloves Boil the milk and water with the spices.

Pour in glass mug with mooonshine.

Top with whipped cream and cinnamon sprinkle.

LUNCH BOX MARTINI 2 oz. PB & J Sugarlands Shine 2 oz. grape juice 1 oz. half and half Combine ingredients in mixing tin with ice. Garnish martini glass rim with marshmallow fluff and crushed graham cracker. Strain chilled ingredients into garnished martini glass.

RYE APPLE POINSETTIA 1.5 oz. Mark & Diggers Rye Apple Shine 3 1/2 oz. champagne 2 oz. cranberry juice Build ingredients in champagne flute or a special glass of your choosing. Garnish with apple slice.

THE BLUEBERRY LEMON DROP 1 1/2 oz. Old Fashioned Lemonade Shine 1 1/2 oz. Blueberry Muffin Shine 1/2 oz. lemon juice 1/2 oz. simple syrup 5 frozen blueberries Mix first four ingredients in shaker with ice. Shake and strain into glass. Garnish with frozen blueberries.

PUMPKIN PIE SHOT 1 1/2 oz. Apple Pie Shine 1/2 oz. pumpkin pie puree splash of soda Shake well and top with whipped cream and cinnamon.

ZOMBIE PUNCH 2 oz. Appalachian Apple Pie Shine 1 oz. cranberry juice 2 oz. pineapple juice Frozen blueberries or cranberries Top with club soda and garnish with frozen blueberries or cranberries.

TAILGATE TEA 2 oz. Southern Sweet Tea Shine 1 oz. fresh squeezed orange juice 3 orange slices 4 oz. lemon-lime soda Remove rinds and muddle two slices of orange in a pint glass. Add ice, shine, and orange juice to glass and top with lemon- lime soda. Garnish with remaining orange slice.

For more information and retailers, go to SugarlandsDistilling.com.

....vintage appeal that inspires a certain type of nostalgia.” – Sugarlands Head Distiller Greg Eidam  SPRING 2016

food • cocktails

E

very recipe in “Fairy Tale Cocktails” delivers a happy ending. The e-book, recently released by YouTube mixologist Cody Gottschlich of Cocktails by Cody, features 45 creative drinks inspired by beloved fairy tales.

“It is crazy to think back to when all this started,” Gottschlich writes in the forward. “I had only ever intended to post four images on my Facebook page as promotion for local freelance bartending. However, everything changed when I posted the images to Tumblr.

Before I knew it, my inspired cocktails were being featured on blogs, podcasts, Twitter, and Pinterest.”

Facebook projected more than 2.5 million members interacted with Gottschlich’s drinks in the first week after the Spokane resident’s videos went viral.

All of the recipes are designed to be accessible, with ingredients that can be found at any liquor store. Clip and save these recipes or download the entire book for $8.99 at Etsy.com.

Glass Slipper

For garnish first, rim a chilled martini glass in simple syrup, then continue by rimming the glass through silver sprinkles. Then add all ingredients into a shaker full of ice, shake until cold, then strain into garnished glass. For the finishing touch, add a whipped cream top with more silver sprinkles.

1 1/2 oz. Blueberry Vodka 1 1/2 oz. Whipped Cream 4 oz. Cream Drop of Blue Food Coloring

©2015 Cocktails by Cody, Reproduced with permission.

Fair Maiden Combine fruit juices in a pint glass, then using a spoon, slowly pour to layer the Blue Curacao® on top create a

Diamond Dwarf Build ingredients into a single shot glass.

Enjoy shot as is, or drop into the “Fair Maiden.”

solid blue layer on top of the juice layer.

This drink is meant to be coupled with the Diamond Dwarf shot, so drop the shot into the pint glass and enjoy!

1 oz. Blue Curacao® 2 oz. Pineapple Juice 2 oz. Orange Juice

1/ oz. Orange Vodka 2 1/ oz. Grenadine 2

Float of Cream (Optional)

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food • cocktails

Evil Step Mother

Mad Tea First prepare and steep green tea, allow time to cool, or add ice.

Then in a lowball glass, muddle together mint leaves, lemon, and lime wedges, add iced green tea and gin. Garnish with a lemon wheel dyed green, and teabag, if desired.

First garnish your chilled martini glass with a chocolate syrup design, then add ingredients into a shaker full of ice, shake until cold, and strain into garnished martini glass.

1 1/2 oz. Chocolate Liqueur 1 oz. Vodka 1 1/2 oz. Gin

4 oz. Pomegranate Juice

6-8 Mint Leafs 1 bag of Green Tea

Lost Boy For garnish, prepare before mixing drink. First rim a martini glass in simple syrup, and then in golden sugar/sprinkles. Carve the feather out of a red Airhead® or a similar red candy. Adhere to the

Fairy Drunk Mother

martini glass with corn syrup. Place glass in freezer to ensure the garnish will solidify to the glass. Mix ingredients into a shaker full of ice, shake until cold, and strain into garnished martini glass.

If color isn’t to your liking, add some green food coloring to intensify the look.

In an ice sphere mold, mix Kinky® and blood 1 oz. Midori® 1 oz. Peach Schnapps® 1 1/2 oz. Malibu® 2 oz. Sprite®

orange juice allow it to freeze (overnight preferably).

For garnish, rim the glass with simple syrup, and run along with pink pop rocks. Then place the ice sphere into the drink.

Mix the other ingredients into

1/ oz. Kinky® 4

1 oz. Citrus Vodka 1 oz. Raspberry Vodka 1/ oz. Blood Orange Juice 2

3 oz. Sprite®

a shaker full of ice, and strain into a martini glass.

SPRING 2016  THE

51

food • by the numbers

BY THE NUMBERS Cruising on Carnival Breeze

Belly up to the buffet!

A

ll jokes aside, dining is a big deal on any cruise ship, let alone Carnival Breeze, the Miami-based line’s largest ship (at least until May when Carnival Vista hits the high seas). The Mirror took a behind-the-scenes tour of the ships galley and got the lowdown from Chef du Cuisine Joaquim Kosario Dias on how more than 4000 people get fed 24-hours a day:

4,275 1,376 Guests

800 Number of Years Chef Joaquim has worked for Carnival

233

Most Popular Dessert

Crew

2,400 19

#1

lbs. of Prime Rib consumed

Maine Lobster tails served

166

Number of Chefs he supervises

steps from Fitness Center to the Lido Deck Buffet!

WARM CHOCOLATE MELTING CAKE 1 lb. dark chocolate 1 lb. butter 10 eggs 10 oz. sugar 6 oz. flour Melt the chocolate and the butter. Mix the eggs with the sugar and whisk for a few minutes; add the flour. Combine the egg mixture with the melted chocolate and mix.

Then pour into individual greased molds.

Bake directly in the oven at 400 oF for 14 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and garnish with fresh fruit. Serve warm with ice cream.

Note: Make sure the eggs are at room temperature and the chocolate is warm enough while making the mixture.

Serves 12.

(NOT EVEN CLOSE) RUNNERS UP Old Fashioned Apple Pie New York Cheesecake Tiramisu DEAD LAST Tropical Fruit Plate Anything with “Diet” in its Name

The writer was the guest of Carnival Cruise Lines during the preparation of this feature.

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food • interview

Confessions Of A

Sober Somm Josh Mesnik has a confession.

“It’s not the job I would recommend for someone who is just getting sober.”

LD INTERVIEW BY J.W. ARNO

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The 34-year-old general manager and certified sommelier for a prominent Fort Lauderdale restaurant is also an alcoholic who has been sober for 11 years.

“I’m passionate about wine. I don’t drink it, but I love it,” Mesnik said. “It’s not the job I would recommend for someone who is just getting sober.”

The story of the “sober somm” is just the latest chapter in Mesnik’s unusual story.

Over a decade ago, Mesnik, then an aspiring actor in New York City, found his life in a free fall as he battled alcoholism and addiction. He moved to South Florida to enter rehab and wound up running the largest straight escort agency on the East Coast, proving truth can be stranger than fiction.

Mesnik never imagined he’d be pimping out prostitutes in between meetings in his first year of sobriety.

He started out as the personal assistant to the madam, a former “Penthouse” Pet who turned her five minutes of fame into a lucrative business. Soon, he became a trusted employee and assumed management of the operation.

There wasn’t anything “seedy” about the business, he insisted, although many of his girls would be called to turn eight to 10 tricks, because the agency booked more than 100 appointments a day. As a gay man working in the sex industry, he wasn’t threatening and even developed strong friendships with some of the girls.

“They weren’t necessarily the types of women you would expect—there wasn’t a lot of judgment—some were amazing and more human than you would think, some were damaged, for sure,” Mesnik said.

A friend and mentor who worked as a sitcom writer in Los Angeles encouraged Mesnik to turn his midadventures into a play, “Have I Got a Girl for You.” The title came from a song from Stephen Sondheim’s “Company,” and, as can be expected, the play is peppered throughout with references to musical theater.

“I had always written, but mainly for myself,” said Mesnik who kept journals and wrote short stories. “I never set down to write a play.”

That play became the standout hit of the 2012 New York International Fringe Festival. The play was also given a critically acclaimed production two years later by Island City Stage, landing him a Carbonell nomination for best new work.

His latest goal is to the earn the title of advanced sommelier, a grueling course that involves mastering the theory and history of winemaking, excellence in service and the ability to identify wines through blind tastings.

“I do taste and I do spit,” Mesnik explained. “In most professional settings, when you’re focusing on tasting for purchase or evaluating the wine, you’d be expected to spit anyway.”

George Wentzler

“I’m passionat

e about wine.

I don’t drink it , but I love it.”

When multiple reps for winemakers and distributers pay calls on him, each armed with three to eight bottles to be sampled, a professional really shouldn’t be drinking during work hours, Mesnik explained.

“There are some challenges, but the main advantage is, when I’m tasting, my brain doesn’t’ think of alcohol as something for consumption,” he explained. “Instead, I’m analytically breaking it down, thinking about the acidity and the tannins and how it would pair with food on our menu.”

Surprisingly, his sobriety hasn’t been a significant impediment to his career, even if trade events become a little uncomfortable.

“Most people don’t know what to do with the equation. They don’t understand it, but they respect me,” Mesnik said. “I hear, ‘oh, he’s disciplined,’ a lot, but people who understand the wine world can be a bit shocked.”

He has sought the guidance of multiple master sommeliers, who have been especially supportive.

“When it comes down to it, (my sobriety) doesn’t play any part in being a talented somm. There’s so much storytelling and the study of cultures in the world of wine,” Mesnik added.

That doesn’t mean Mesnik hasn’t received pushback in just about everything he’s attempted. He sees it as a source of motivation. While he wouldn’t recommend such a career path to most alcoholics, he concedes, “I’m living my life as chapters in a memoir.”

Or maybe a play.

$70/hour & $95/90 min.

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WILTON MANORS MASSAGE BEST MASSAGE

SPRING 2016  THE

55

food • last words

LAST WORDS Lee Brian Schrager

Over the past 15 years, Lee Brian Schrager, vice president of special events for Southern Wine & Spirits, has grown the South Beach Wine & Food Festival into a star-studded, multimillion dollar annual fundraiser for Florida International University’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. More than 50,000 foodies now flock to the festival events each year.

Schrager is also the author of “Fried & True,” the definitive book on his favorite dish, fried chicken.

ON THE FESTIVAL “We keep it fresh by doing things like expanding to new areas, reaching new audiences and showcasing new talent making waves in the wine, spirits and culinary community.”

ON EXPANDING THIS YEAR “It was a natural evolution for us in our fifteenth year. Fort Lauderdale has a rapidly growing dining scene with a lot of great talent – we were looking forward to showcasing that.”

ON THE CELEBRITY CHEFS AT THE FESTIVAL “We have a great responsibility to see that all of their needs are taken care of. We try very hard to focus on that.”

ON HIS FAVORITE FRIED CHICKEN “Well, that’s like asking a parent about their favorite child, but I will say Publix has some of the best.”

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• • • • • •

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954.993.7477 Licensed & Insured • Residential & Commercial

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Feature • profile

Faithfully LGBT New photo series to document LGBT of faith

S

ome people think God and being Gay do not mix. Certainly religion has been a source of both peace and pain for many LGBT Americans.

Now, there’s #FaithfullyLGBT, an interfaith hashtag for queer people of faith. It’s also a photo series capturing LGBT people of all backgrounds and faith traditions and shares their stories.

Creator Eliel Cruz describes it as a place for LGBT people of faith to share news stories, share their own stories and find other people going through similar experiences in places of worship.

“I created it over a year ago and it has become a vibrant online community,” the bisexual activist said. “The series came from wanting to brand the hashtag a bit more.”

Cruz is a writer who covers religion, bisexuality, media, and culture at The Advocate, Mic and Religion News Service.

“I've written on the LGBT faith community for over four years now in media,” he said.

“There's still such a divide in terms of the conversation being a God vs. Gay debate.

Despite there being ample evidence that there is a significant portion of LGBT individuals who are religious, both LGBT organizations and faith traditions perpetuate the false divide. The last Pew Research on religion showed how many queer people actually identify with some sort of faith tradition.”

Cruz admits covering gays and god can be tense.

“Both people of faith and LGBT folk aren't crazy about LGBT people of faith,” he confessed.

“As evidenced in the comment section of every piece I write, and surely this piece once it's published, there will be queer people really angry for us choosing to stick with our faith traditions.

I understand that -- it comes from a genuine place of pain. Many LGBT people go through instances of homophobia rooted in religiosity.”

That’s not stopping Cruz from having big plans for this project. He’s started a crowdfunding effort on Indiegogo to help pay for additional photographers.

“I am photographing more individuals as I travel to meet with other queer people of other faith traditions,” he said.

You can find out more about #FaithfullyLGBT and its fundraising efforts at Indiegogo.com/projects/ faithfullylgbt-photo-series#/.

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Denise Royal

feature • equality

The Equality Act Isn't A

New Thing It was first introduced in to Congress in 1974

I

Christiana Lilly

t’s been more than a year since LGBT Floridians celebrated marriage equality in the state, but the fight for equality still rages on.

It was also last year that the Equality Act was introduced in Congress, filled with eager goals for LGBT Americans to be able to live free from discrimination.

“The Equality Act is definitely historic, but not unprecedented,” pointed out Chris Rudisill, the new executive director at the Stonewall National Museum and Archives.

It all began on May 14, 1974, when Democratic Reps. Bella Abzug and Ed Koch brought forth the Equality Act of 1974 to the House of Representatives, which would make it illegal to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation.

“Hopes were actually high, even in a time prior to any previous proLGBT equality legislation,” Rudisill said, noting that the early ‘70s were a time of great civil rights fervor in the country, namely for gay rights.

The Stonewall Riots kicked up the movement in 1969 and various grassroots advocacy groups were hitting the streets in newsworthy protests and “zaps.” However, despite their efforts and the interest in gay rights nationally, the bill failed to make it past the committee.

Various versions of the bill would be resurrected three more times in 1975, but still failed.

Twenty years later, in 1994, congressmen tried another angle to give equality to LGBT people through the Employment Non Discrimination Act. Every year it has been brought forward -- save for two years during President George W. Bush’s administration -- and every year it failed. Rudisill noted that it had the best chance of passing in 2007, but only if gender identity had been removed from the bill.

According to the Human Rights Campaign, 63 percent of LGBT Americans have experienced discrimination in the workplace, so ENDA would prove to be vital.

Currently, only 19 states have protections for LGBT people in the workplace, namely states in the West and Northeast.

In July 2015, the Equality Act was resurrected from the history books by Democratic Rep. David Cicilline. After all, LGBT people deserve equality on all fronts, not just in the workplace. The new bill expands upon the famed Civil Rights Act of 1965 and guarantees protections for LGBT people, including housing, education, the workplace, and more.

“There’s a lot of very strong support for the bill,” said Brandon Lorenz, communications campaign director at the HRC. “It’s a brand new bill, but we had a record number of cosponsors upon its introduction, and endorsement from Ted Olson and David Boies,” he added, referring to the two lawyers who fought against and ultimately won their lawsuit that overturned Proposition 8 in California.

However, Lorenz sees this as a long-term project for America, not an overnight guarantee. Throughout 2016, HRC plans to help build support for the bill in the business community and in Congress.

As for the American people? There’s an overwhelming percentage of support for equality for LGBT people, regardless of political affiliation. According to the HRC, 78 percent of Americans support nondiscrimination laws for LGBT people. Most Americans, in fact, would probably be surprised to learn that LGBT people don't already have these protections.

“One should have the opportunity to earn a living, to live free from fear of discrimination, and provide for their families, including people who are LGBT,” Lorenz said. “There are a number of states across the country where you can get married, maybe post a picture on your Facebook page, and you’re at risk when you go back to work ... because we don’t have explicit nondiscrimination protections.”

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