The Standard Magazine

JANUARY, 2017 VOLUME 5 ISSUE 1 THESTANDARDPS.COM

DESERT AIDS PROJECT / WHAT’S AHEAD IN 2017

+ WE’RE SO EXCITED / THE STEVE CHASE HUMANITARIAN AWARDS + INTERNATIONAL BEAR CONVERGENCE 2017 / BEARS COME OUT OF HIBERNATION

CONTENTS VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1

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Volume 5 Issue 1 COVER DESERT AIDS PROJECT WHAT’S AHEAD IN 2017 COVER WE’RE SO EXCITED THE STEVE CHASE HUMANITARIAN AWARDS FEATURE TONY MORAN UNLEASHES HIS MOODSWINGS

PSIFF LGBTQ FILMS

FEATURE INTERNATIONAL BEAR CONVERGENCE 2017 BEARS COME OUT OF HIBERNATION

PAGES 31

JANUARY 2017 3

COMMENTARY

The Standard Magazine PO Box 2074, Palm Springs, CA 92263 760.831.4869 Nino Eilets Publisher Luciano McNulty Editor Maya Kalabic Art Director Photographer David A. Lee Contributors Chris Astrala, Sal Calandra, Chris Heritage, Jill Langham, Velvet Lounger, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Dr. Stephen Scoggins, & Adam Sinicki www.thestandardps.com Editorial Credits : BrandPoint, Huffington Post, LGBTQ Nation & Project Publicity The Standard Magazine is published monthly. Opinions expressed are not necessarily the opinions of the Standard or its staff, advertisers or readers with exception of editorials.

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COVER

DESERT AIDS PROJECT: WHAT’S AHEAD IN 2017

BY SUSAN UNGER

“Uncertainty” seems to be a major nationwide theme as we launch into 2017 – not least in the arena of healthcare. While the fate of the Affordable Care Act is beyond our local control, each of us still has the individual power to take steps toward better health. Luckier still, here in the Coachella Valley, we have healthcare providers with special expertise in LGBT health who are at the ready to serve us.

Most of us naturally associate Desert AIDS Project (D.A.P.) in Palm Springs with HIV specialty care. But what many in our community may not yet realize are the significant ways the agency has expanded its scope of its services – particularly in the last several years.

Nationally-Recognized for HIV Care D.A.P. has been a source of hope, support, and compassionate care for individuals living with HIV/AIDS for more than 30 years, through every stage of the epidemic. The nationally-recognized model which the agency has developed – known as D.A.P. Total Care – holistically combines medical, dental, behavioral health and social services to treat the whole person. Clients further benefit from access to support groups, alternative therapies, in-house pharmacy

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and lab, nutrition, housing assistance, and more, all conveniently available under one roof. This D.A.P. Total Care approach has proven key to helping individuals stay on anti-retroviral medications consistently, suppressing their viral load to undetectable levels, and preventing spread of the virus to others.

New Expansion: D.A.P. is a Primary Care Clinic Beyond HIV specialty care alone, D.A.P. is now a primary care clinic. This means that anyone -- whether HIV positive or negative – can become a client and take advantage of the uniquely comprehensive D.A.P. Total Care model.

D.A.P.’s full-time staff of 160 now serves more than 3,600 clients. The agency has recently expanded its services in three significant ways: o The DOCK sexual health clinic provides STI testing and treatment, PEP and PrEP education and treatment. o The new state-of-the-art Hepatitis Center of Excellence, opened in December 2016, provides specialized care to manage, support and cure Hepatitis. o The new Department of Community Health features a specially trained team of health educators dedicated to prevention

education, PrEP & PEP awareness, free community testing for HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV), and other public health objectives.

PrEP and PEP – Spreading the Word At the top of D.A.P.’s priority list for 2017 is to educate providers and the public about Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). Both are major breakthroughs to help HIV negative individuals avoid contracting the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that one-third of U.S. healthcare providers are still unaware of PrEP. Here are the basics you should know. Ask your doctor to learn more.

PrEP What is PrEP? PrEP is a way to prevent getting HIV by taking a daily pill. If you take PrEP and are exposed to HIV through sex or injection drug use, PrEP works to keep the virus from taking hold in your body.

How Well Does PrEP Work?

PrEP is a powerful HIV prevention tool. In recent studies, not a single person got HIV while having sex on PrEP. You need to take PrEP every day for at least one week (anal sex) or at least three weeks (vaginal sex) to build up maximum protection against HIV. PrEP must be taken regularly without skipping daily doses. Missing doses does not provide protection and puts you at increased risk for HIV. Do I Still Need to Use Condoms?

For sexually active people, PrEP should be combined with other effective HIV prevention strategies, such as using condoms, getting HIV and STI tests with your partners, choosing less risky sexual

behaviors (such as oral sex) and not sharing needles. PrEP does not prevent pregnancy or STIs—and the rates of Gonorrhea, Chlamydia and Syphilis are rising quickly in the Coachella Valley.

Does PrEP Have Side Effects?

The PrEP medicine Truvada is very safe and FDA-approved.

Like any medicine, Truvada can cause side effects, but these are rare. Ask your doctor to learn more.

PEP What is PEP? PEP is medication that can help lower your risk of acquiring HIV after a possible exposure during sex or sharing needles. To be effective, PEP must begin within 72 hours of exposure and be taken for 28 days as prescribed. Your provider will determine what treatment is right for you based on how you were exposed to HIV. PEP should be used only in emergency situations and is not a substitute for regular use of other proven HIV prevention methods such as condoms and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PEP does not protect against or treat Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).

Is PEP for You? PEP is a medical treatment for anyone who may have been exposed to HIV during an event of potential HIV exposure—such as sex without a condom, a broken condom, needle-sharing injection drug use, or sexual assault.

Is PEP 100% Effective?

PEP works very well when taken as prescribed. However, it does not guarantee that someone exposed to HIV will not become infected with HIV. It’s important to start as soon as possible after an

JANUARY 2017 7

COVER addiction is another top priority at D.A.P. The agency launched its crystal meth action team (CMAT) in 2015. CMAT provides clients a safe and supportive way to address crystal meth usage and its affects on health and wellness. A program of the Behavioral Health department, the CMAT is comprised of D.A.P. staff, volunteers, and clients. Together they bring extensive knowledge and experience with crystal meth and harm reduction to the personal support they provide.

exposure. While the recommended limit is 72 hours, the sooner you start, the better the chance of preventing infection.

Get Tested Coachella Valley: The Mission Lives On For the past three years, D.A.P. has been the driving force behind the Get Tested Coachella Valley public health campaign.

The agency leads a 100-member community coalition to make HIV testing standard and routine in healthcare settings, provide free and confidential testing at community sites and events, and ensure linkage to care to those who test positive. The work of the campaign will be carried forward in 2017 and beyond by D.A.P.’s Department of Community Health Testing will expand to include Hepatitis C in addition to HIV, and an added focus on PrEP education for providers and the public.

Your New Year’s Resolution for a Healthier 2017 You can personally take some health “uncertainty” out of 2017 by getting tested for three viruses: HIV, HCV, and Syphilis. Why take action? All three of these viruses are at serious epidemic levels in the Coachella Valley. You can carry any of the three for years and not realize it, because you have no symptoms. (By the time you do have symptoms, your state of health can be seriously damaged.)

Revivals Stores The very first Revivals store was opened in 1995, in a back corner of the Desert AIDS Project office on Vella Road. Since those earliest days, the funds raised through selling donated goods at Revivals has gone back to support client services at D.A.P., while also providing a great volunteer opportunity for those who want to support the organization with their time and retail talents.

The only way to know if you have HIV, HCV or Syphilis is to get tested. The good news is that it’s quick and easy to do so. One option is D.A.P.’s sexual health clinic, The DOCK, where you can walk-in Monday through Friday, from 10AM to 6:30PM with no appointment needed. The DOCK accepts most private insurance, Medicare and Medi-Cal. Uninsured income-qualified patients can receive care at reduced costs and will not be turned away for inability to pay.

Today, Revivals has three locations – Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and the newest location in Palm Desert. The stores are largely volunteer-run, enabling Revivals to make a significant financial contribution to the annual budget of Desert AIDS Project.

Welcoming the Transgender Community 2017 will see D.A.P. continuing to build its culturally competent team trained in taking care of the unique needs of evaluating, examining, and treating our trans community. D.A.P. medical providers have years of experience in hormone evaluations and treatment. Trans-specific comprehensive counseling is available from certified professionals. The agency provides a safe and inclusive environment plus an extensive network of referrals and community support. Watch for an expanding roster of trans-focused educational events this year.

Let’s Talk Tina – Crystal Meth Action Team (CMAT) Helping people deal effectively deal with substance abuse or

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When possible, Revivals provides direct services for D.A.P. clients, free of charge. In the past year alone, Revivals helped 10 clients to move to a new home, donated and delivered bedding to 10 clients, and made deliveries to 20 others.

National Praise for D.A.P. In its “Top 20 HIV Charities” listing, About.com , a Top 40 U.S. website attracting more than 86 million monthly users, said “Desert AIDS Project continues to impress as one of the most driven and effective HIV charities in the U.S.” As we look ahead to the New Year with an uncertain and rapidly changing healthcare landscape nationally, it’s good to know that here at home Desert AIDS Project continues to grow, evolve, and stand by our community with needed care, prevention, education, and advocacy.

COVER

WE’RE SO EXCITED!

THE 2017 STEVE CHASE AWARDS GALA

CO-CHAIRS SUZANNE QUARDT, MD, PATRICK JORDON, AND DAVE MORGAN

Over 1,500 D.A.P. supporters will walk the red carpet at the Palm Springs Convention Center when they attend the 2017 Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Gala benefitting Desert AIDS Project on February 11.

For 23 years, the Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards gala has raised millions of dollars to care for people living with HIV. First organized by and named for famed interior designer Steve Chase, a former D.A.P. donor, volunteer, and board member – the gala is a highlight of the desert social season.

Details are emerging about the exclusive VIP pre-event presented by Patti and Jack Grundhofer with additional sponsorship from Eisenhower Medical Center. The location is the fabled Pond Estate, home to some of the valley’s most memorable fundraisers.

The property was built for Robert and Jo Pond in the late 1980s.

Robert Pond co-founded the Palm Springs Air Museum and both he and his wife were active in philanthropy. The estate features a white Spanish-style mansion and two guest houses creating a retreat compound with a total of 10 bedrooms and 19 bathrooms.

‘The Chase’, as many call the gala, has a reputation among trend setters as one of the few gala events at which attendees are

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encouraged to have fun and take risks with fashion. The red carpet will be flanked by an art installation featuring the sculptures of Karen & Tony Barone and over 100 D.A.P. volunteers ready to usher the fashionable crowd into the reception or to one of the media fashion outposts near the carpet for interviews with local media and fashion celebrities. As sculptors, Karen & Tony Barone have amassed a “big” reputation for life-size figurative and larger-than-life metal sculptures in sparkly & shiny paint colors. The couple built a name making important the things sometimes considered ordinary.

Returning Co-Chairs Suzanne Quardt, MD, Patrick Jordon, and Dave Morgan promise the same sort of audience frenzy delivered last year by Chaka Khan, who caused the audience to jump out of their seats and join her at the front of the stage to dance while singing along with the iconic performer. This year everyone is sure to be singing “I’m So Excited” when The Pointer Sisters headline the show!

COVER Patrons of the gala know to pace themselves during the evening so they have energy left for its famous after-party, which will feature performances by the 90s dance duo LaBouche, DJ’s, and a series of tightly guarded surprises revealed as guests dance the night away.

HONOREES OF THIS YEAR’S GALA WILL INCLUDE: Humanitarian Barbara Keller who served as Steve Chase CoChair for seven years and continues to serve on the D.A.P. Board of Directors and Co-Chair of 100 Women annual giving program.

Eisenhower Medical Center’s President and Chief Executive Officer, G. Aubrey Serfling and its Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Martin J. Massiello.

TONY AND KAREN BARONE

Eisenhower Medical Center is a strategic partner in achieving D.A.P.’s Get Tested Coachella Valley’s goals of routinizing HIV testing and linking people diagnosed with HIV to care.

Desert AIDS Project CEO, David Brinkman, spoke recently about the February 11, 2017 gala. “By attending the 23rd Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, you’re helping to make health happen in the Coachella Valley. Your compassionate support empowers Desert AIDS Project to think globally and act locally. By joining us at the Steve Chase, you join us in our commitment to 90-90-90, the bold strategy set forth by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) to end the AIDS epidemic by 2020.”

By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status.

People can carry the HIV virus for years and not know it. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. Your support enables D.A.P.’s Get Tested Coachella Valley program to provide free and confidential HIV testing at hundreds of community events and dozens of test sites – from health fairs and food banks, to Walgreens and D.A.P.’s sexual health clinic, The DOCK. By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy. When someone with HIV is on the appropriate medications, they become 96% less infectious to others. Thanks to attendance at the Steve Chase and other fundraising events, Desert AIDS Project ensures that newlydiagnosed HIV positive patients receive the medications they need to survive and thrive, and regular follow-ups to safeguard their wellbeing. D.A.P.’s Patient Assistance Program secures critical HIV and other medications at reduced cost.

By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression. To suppress the virus to an undetectable

HUMANITARIAN BARBARA KELLER, EISENHOWER MEDICAL CENTER’S PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, G. AUBREY SERFLING AND ITS EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, MARTIN J. MASSIELLO

level, an individual must start on medication as early as possible and stay on it for a lifetime. This can be challenging when facing other serious challenges. That’s the driving force behind D.A.P. Total Care – the comprehensive combination of health and wellness services that are uniquely tailored to each individual; including medical, dental, mental health, social services, support groups, substance abuse counseling, and much more – all conveniently provided under one roof at D.A.P.’s Palm Springs location.

Brinkman is looking forward to thanking attendees at the 23rd Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, for sharing D.A.P.’s commitment to this bold strategy, and for becoming D.A.P.’s partner in reaching the end of the epidemic. Funds raised at the gala will enable Desert AIDS Project’s dedicated team of medical and social service professionals to serve more than 3,600 individuals. “This is a partnership. Together with the people who support Desert AIDS Project, we’re enhancing the health and wellness of our entire community.”

D.A.P. is proud to welcome a new major sponsor this year – Alta Verde Group and its founder Andrew Adler. To buy tickets to the 23rd Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards, go to DesertAIDSProject. org or call 760-992-0445.

JANUARY 2017 13

FEATURE

TONY MORAN UNLEASHES HIS MOODSWINGS

BY SAL CALANDRA

The two-time Grammy Nominated Producer and king of the Gay Dance floor releases a double album of new dance beats featuring 2017’s Greatest Divas.

Tony Moran drew inspiration from his thirty years in dance music for Moodswings, his new double album of pop anthems. “I’ve been honored to work with hundreds of talented artists throughout my career,” he says. “Singers, songwriters, producers from all musical genres. It’s been an amazing spiritual journey that has allowed me to discover how soothing, stimulating, challenging and empowering music can be.”

It’s why Tony divided Moodswings into two collections — a down-tempo “Feel” set followed by a high-energy “Move” side, reflecting his duel musical styles. “I’ve always expressed myself through music and I’m proud to have helped people discover their hearts and souls in my music.”

The two volume set features 14 original dance songs and 14 original pop, R&B and alternative productions, sung by Tony’s favorite vocalists including Martha Wash, Kimberly Davis and Jason Walker.

“So often in today’s digital world, artists work remotely,” explains Tony from his Jersey City studio. “It’s convenient to be able to collaborate with people from all around the world but I prefer face-to-face collaboration, over dinner, in a studio, or any place where the artist and I can look into each other’s eyes and connect.”

Tony connected in-person with many amazing collaborators on Moodswings, including out musician Matt Zarley and former American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi. He counts them as part of his collaboration bubble that he describes as a mutual admiration society. “We have a strong belief in each other’s talents,” Tony explains.

He also enlisted his select stable of vocalists for Moodswings, including Zhana Roiya, a background singer for Mary J Blige, Bette Midler and P. Diddy. On the album, Tony offers Zhana the opportunity to step up to the lead mic in the pulsating and hypnotic single about soaking in pleasure, “Lick Me Up”. “She is ready to take the spotlight,” Tony confirms.

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Jason Walker appears twice on the album, in “So Happy” and “Say Yes”, two songs that both reached #1 on Billboard in 2016.

Ryan Shaw sings “Let’s Start Again Tonight”, Tony’s favorite track on Moodswings. “It has a touching story line that applies to how I pursue my personal vision and dreams,” Tony explains. “Of course I’ve had my share of failures and disappointments, but I never let them stop me from starting again and learning as I go.”

Tony Moran began his career in Brooklyn where he teamed up with childhood friend Albert Cabrera in the production duo, The

Latin Rascals. Their re-edited versions of hit songs spliced together gained major airplay on New York City radio, bringing them to the attention of acclaimed music producer Arthur Baker. Baker hired The Latin Rascals to remix hits by Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper.

Soon after, Tony and Albert were offered a contract with Fever Records to write and produce a song for the label’s new act, The Cover Girls. The result was “Show Me”, Tony’s first top 40 gold record. It helped establish Tony and Albert as leaders of Freestyle, a movement in music that expressed the voice of a new generation of Latinos.

As Tony grew and evolved, so did his ability to produce music that continues to electrify audiences all over the world. Tony has worked with Cher, Rihanna, Michael Jackson, Gloria Estefan, Luther Vandross, Barry Manilow, and Patti Labelle, among others, yielding more than fifty #1 Billboard dance chart hits.

He takes great pride in discovering new talent, too, and is especially thrilled to introduce his latest find, Kimberly Davis, on Moodswings. Kimberly — a talented singer who tours the world as the lead singer of Nile Rodger’s group, Chic — appears in six tracks on the album, more than any other vocalist, and is the only one with songs on both the “Feel” and “Move” sets.

“The greatest thing about working with an amazingly gifted independent artist like Kimberly is having the freedom to create something wonderful without the restrictions of a time clock or the worry of a budget,” says Tony.

“You’re Good For Me” featuring Kimberly Davis is scheduled to be the next single release from Moodswings and Tony says it was birthed from pure, spontaneous creativity.

“The entire album has allowed me to explore a wide range of ideas I believe in. I have discovered that whether a song is downtempo or high energy, the overall theme of all of my music is love.

Music is love. No matter what mood a person is in, music has the power to sweep us down to the deepest lows and swing us back up to the highest heights.

“My goal with music and in life is always to end high,” he says.

Moodswings is being distributed nationally through Mr. Tan Man Music and globally via The Orchard/Sony. It will be available this month on iTunes and everywhere music is sold. For more information on Tony Moran and Moodswings, visit http://www.mrtanmanmusic.com.

JANUARY 2017 17

BOOK REVIEW

ALWAYS OVERBOOKED…

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

You can’t bear to look at the score.

Whatever it is, it’s going to be close. Both sides are playing well today, and they’re all very talented. Your team might win. They might lose. Or, as in the new book “Game Changers” by Molly Schiot, they might alter the way the whole thing’s played.

Growing up, Schiot says, “I thought only men could be champions.” Most popular sports-themed movies indicated as much; so did TV before cable. Few tales of women in sports were widely known, so Schiot, a Hollywood director, searched until she found a “treasure trove of images” that “inspired me to pull theses stories out of the dark.”

Take the story of Alice Marble.

Marble was a Grand Slam championship tennis winner many times over, but her “post-tennis life” was equally remarkable: shortly after losing both her husband and her baby, Marble became a spy for the Allies during World War II. Althea Gibson was the first tennis player to break the color barrier at the U.S. Open. But did you know that there were a lot of African American women who fought on the courts before her: Ruth Harris, Lillian Hardy, Alfreda Jackson, Clementine Redmond…?

Of course, this book includes athletes like Billy Jean King, Babe Didrikson Zaharaias, Nadia Comaneci, Renée Richards, and Diana Nyad. You’ve heard about them, but you may not know that Olympian Abby Hoffman masqueraded as a boy when she was nine years old, in order to play hockey in Canada. You may not know about the abuse the first female pro-baseball umpire got during ump school, the jeers the first female Boston Marathon runner endured, or the record snatched from Kitty O’Neil. You might have seen an in your face move by skater Surya Bonaly, but you don’t know what bullfighter Conchita Cintrón did, or that Negro League baseballer Toni Stone cheekily befriended prostitutes while on the road. Because of what an autopsy revealed, you might not know about Stella Walsh at all. And there’s a chance that many of these women couldn’t have reached their goals or made history without the efforts of Bernice Sandler and Edith Green.

Wow, are there a lot of surprises inside “Game Changers.”

Even rabid sports fans will find something new hiding here, in part because author Molly Schiot includes mini-chapters on women athletes in a huge variety of sports. Fans will find everything from the archery to zooming racecars, balls to boats, journalism, hiking,

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climbing, skating, and coaching. Nearly half of this book consists of photos of women athletes in action or in peril; many of them embraced dangerous feats and many were the targets of men who thought they didn’t belong on the field. Schiot also treats readers to a few interviews with and by pro female athletes.

In addition to sharing it with any young girl or teen in your life, this large coffee-table-sized book is one you’ll be proud to own and display. The minute you’ve got “Game Changers” in your hand, you’ll know you’ve scored.

“Game Changers: The Unsung Heroines of Sports History”

by Molly Schiot c.2016, Simon & Schuster / $25.00 / $34.00 Canada 310 pages

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FEATURE

INTERNATIONAL BEAR CONVERGENCE 2017

BY CHRIS ASTRALA

Bears are coming out of hibernation and are heading to the International Bear Convergence (IBC) ,the premier winter event for Bears & admirers in Palm Springs, California, that will take place on February 9-13, 2017. This desert oasis opens its arms and welcomes you back to the hip Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs to thousands of frisky, furry bears, their friends & their fans.

The four-day event will come to life with DJs, live entertainment and thousands of bears from around the globe. The last three years were hugely successful and we expect more of the same in 2017 with record-breaking attendance.

During the day kick back like a rock star and enjoy themed pool parties with music provided by world renown DJ’s at the fabulous Hard Rock pool. With multiple bars, cabanas, outdoor lounge areas and our new sun deck area overlooking the action at the pool; you’re destined to have a fantastic day. After the sun goes down, evenings will heat up with three high-energy dance parties.

Saturday’s main dance event, Disco Inferno, will feature a live performance by recording artist and Glee superstar Alex Newell.

IBC’s pool parties & dance events will highlight top DJs including: DJ Mary Alice from Provincetown, Doug Jackson from Fort Lauderdale, DJ Callahan of Los Angeles, Mateo Segade of San Diego and DJ Chub Jim of Palm Springs.

There will also be some surprises through out the weekend so don’t wait; the first host hotel is just about sold out. Attendance was over 2500 last year and is expected to grow exponentially in 2017.

IBC will again take over Palm Springs! Book your flights, rooms and tags soon. Go to www.ibc-ps.com for more information.

Forget shoveling snow and get out of the cold and plan on hanging with the guys in Palm Springs, CA in February for IBC 2017!

You know you want to!

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FEATURE

UNIQUELY ALEX NOW THAT’S A VOICE! Alex Newell’s voice makes the heart swell: it’s a clean, undiluted instrument of joy, a voice that soars with the history of classic dance music and the freshness of modern pop. And will let loose on stage at the 2017 International Bear Convergence in Palm Springs California this coming February.

never had proper vocal training. He tried lessons once when he was a nine-year-old in Lynn, Massachusetts -- but it didn’t go very well.

Newell’s voice has always radiated warmth and energy, from his days in the church choir and local musicals to his acclaimed stint on Glee, to his music career launched alongside legends like Nile Rodgers and Diane Warren.

Newell was a gifted, rule-breaking talent long before those failed vocal lessons: at the age of two, he strolled onstage at a state fair’s talent show, grabbed the microphone and started singing a church hymn called “Victory is Mine.” Growing up a few miles north of Boston, Newell had been immersed in the life of a churchgoer, following his father (a deacon) and mother (a choir singer) to church every day and falling in love with the most powerful hymns.

In any medium, Alex Newell’s voice demands to be heard.

Perhaps the most striking thing about it, then, is that Newell has

After learning how to harness his vocal stamina for extended choir performances, Newell developed a passion for musical theater;

JANUARY 2017 23

FEATURE the ability to express himself through song-and-dance routines became an important part of his identity. Newell joined his first production at the age of 13 -- he starred as Snowbell The Cat in a local production of Stuart Little -- and received standing ovations each night.

At that point, Newell had long understood that his life would committed to entertaining others. “Everyone has a fallback, a plan b -- I never had a plan b,” he says. “I’ve always relied on my goal to become a singer. In my mind, it was what I was put on this earth to do.”

At 17, Newell landed his first professional stage production -- but that had to be put on hold for an opportunity to join the Glee world.

Newell received a Facebook message inviting him to be a contestant on The Glee Project, a reality television series on Oxygen in which young entertainers competed to land a multi-episode arc on the Fox mega-hit Glee. Newell was immediately a standout on the show, and earned a two-episode after placing as a runner-up in season one of The Glee Project. Suddenly, the hopeful young star from a Boston suburb was on a Los Angeles set, standing next to his heroes Chris Colfer and Amber Riley in a Glee episode.

Newell’s stint as Wade “Unique” Adams, a male-to-female transgender character in the Glee world, was a groundbreaking piece of television acting, and Newell was eventually promoted from guest star to recurring cast member to main cast member. For a longtime

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Glee fan like Newell, becoming co-stars with the show’s original cast was a surreal experience. “I fell in love with their characters, and then I fell in love with them as people,” he says. “They’re family members, and I’m stuck with them forever.

Newell’s playful yet potent approach to disco-injected dancepop is on full display on his upcoming debut EP, which received a little help from some very famous new friends. Funk-guitar god Nile Rodgers (Chic, Daft Punk), songwriting legend Diane Warren (Whitney Houston, Celine Dion) and live production maestro DJ Cassidy all contributed to Newell’s first major-label outing, which precedes a debut album and previews the exuberant attitude Newell wants to bestow upon mainstream music.

“I’m just starting my career, and I have these superstars who have been killing it for so long and they’re working with little old me,” says Newell. “I sing loud and I sing high -- the rest, I just feel lucky!”

IF YOU GO 2017 International Bear Convergence February 9-13 Alex Newell Concert Saturday Night February 11 2017.

10:00pm Woodstock Ballroom Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs www.ibc-ps.com

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For tickets and sponsorship information, visit us online at DesertSpirit.net or email direct to DesertSpirit@cancer.org.

JANUARY 2017 25

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CENTER 26 THESTANDARDPS.COM For more information, please visit our website at www.thecenterps.corg

PSP FOCUS POP MUSIC PHENOMENON POSTMODERN JUKEBOX TO BE OPENING CONCERT AT RICHARDS CENTER FOR THE ARTS The Foundation for the Palm Springs Unified School District announced that pop music phenomenon PostModern Jukebox will be the Foundation’s inaugural concert at the newly opened Richards Center for the Arts (formerly known as the Palm Springs High School Auditorium, 2360 Ramon Road, Palm Springs). The benefit concert will kick off the valley-wide “Grab Your Seat” initiative for the Palm Springs Unified School District. The concert will take place on Thursday, January 19, 2017 at 7 p.m.

PostModern Jukebox is a rotating music collective known worldwide that creates brilliant twists on today’s pop music hits, reimagining modern songs into different vintage genres, especially swing and jazz.

PostModern Jukebox covers songs by artists ranging from Lady Gaga and Katy Perry to the White Stripes. Founded by arranger and pianist Scott Bradlee, the group is wildly popular on social media channels and has amassed more than 500 million YouTube views and 2 million subscribers.

Over the years, the group has featured more than 70 different performers, and has toured four continents, but this will be the first time they will perform in the Coachella Valley.

The benefit concert is co-chaired by event co-chairs Harold Matzner and Helene Galen. Event Ambassadors include Michael Childers, Terri Ketover, and Ann Sheffer. Debbie Green of Deb Len Productions is the event producer.

The Palm Springs Unified School District’s landmark “Grab Your Seat” commemorative naming initiative is the cornerstone of an ambitious five-year capital fundraising campaign for arts education in the district. The “Grab Your Seat” initiative enables members of the public to name a theater seat, gallery space, or other building amenity in their or a loved one’s honor, designated by commemorative plaques, nameplates, and custom lettering.

“We are delighted to celebrate the opening of this wonderful new venue with world-class entertainment of this caliber,” said Ellen Goodman, Executive Director of The Foundation for the Palm Springs Unified School District. “The PostModern Jukebox benefit concert is a powerful way to bring attention to our ‘Grab Your Seat’ initiative. This will be a fantastic and fun evening, unlike anything else going on this

season.” Lead donor and Palm Springs philanthropist Rozene Supple named the newly opened Richards Center for the Arts. Designed in 1958 by the beloved architect E. Stewart Williams, it recently underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation that reinvigorated and retooled the Valley film, concert, and theatrical venue into a stateof-the-art performance space for students and Valley culture-lovers alike. “This historic building has served the Coachella Valley for nearly 60 years, and has hosted world-class popular and classical entertainment of all kinds, including the Palm Springs International Film Festival,” explained Goodman. “We are thrilled to provide the public with the opportunity to be a visible part of the revamped facility through our seat- and interior amenity naming campaign. Our ‘Grab Your Seat’ naming initiative now enables donors to directly enhance the education and the lives of district students and helps make possible arts education of all kinds in our region for decades to come.”

Tickets for the benefit concert are $125 for front orchestra seating, $95 for middle orchestra and $75 for rear orchestra and can be purchased at www.psusd.us/thefoundation Inquiries regarding seat- and amenity-naming should be directed to Ellen Goodman, Executive Director, The Foundation for the Palm Springs Unified School District, at (760) 416-8455, or via email at egoodman@psusd.us.

JANUARY 2017 27

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PSP FOCUS SOUTHWEST ARTS FESTIVAL IN INDIO NOW IN IT’S 31ST YEAR The Southwest Arts Festival, Indio 2017 has expanded its annual Art Festival to now run for four days, Thursday, January 26 through Sunday, January 29, 2017, which will take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. Sponsored by CBS Local 2, Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Indio.

“The Southwest Arts Festival is one of the finest celebrations of the arts in the country, and attracts world-class artists that represent a diverse range of media,” said Joshua Bonner, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce. “Each year we receive a large number of submissions to represent the Festival on our poster. This year, our jury selected a stunning photographic work that not only captures the imagination in a 360-degree rotating desertscape, but also demonstrates the breadth of excellent artwork our attendees will discover at the Festival.

This image will appeal not only to poster collectors, but to art and photography enthusiasts.”

Each year the Southwest Arts Festival continues to attract a high caliber of talented artists who offer unique and original artwork.

It has been expanded to run 4 days and will feature traditional, contemporary, and abstract fine works of art by more than 250 acclaimed artists. Categories include clay, drawing, glass, jewelry, metal, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, textile, and other arts. Interactive art displays and demonstrations pottery, glass blowing and fine art painting will take place throughout the Festival’s four days. Visitors may also enjoy live music and a variety of food and beverage options while casually walking the grounds.

The featured artist Nancy Roux is a fine art photographer whose technique and style represent a radical departure from conventional photography. Just as a painter creates artwork with brush and canvas, Nancy creates artwork with a camera. She has exceled in capturing subjects best described as “abstracts in nature” – texture studies and macro compositions of natural materials such as tree bark and leaves, wood grain, florals, succulents, stone and water. Her bold use of color and imaginative composition proves to be intriguing to both art enthusiasts and collectors alike. Her work has been exhibited at a large number of prestigious Southern California fine art shows.

Southwest Arts Festival, Indio 2017 is a nationally recognized cultural event one and of the area’s largest and longest-running juried art festivals. It has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Events in North America by Travel Magazine and named one of the Top 100 Events in North America by the American Bus Association. Its reputation for first-class quality and professional integrity has given the Festival international acclaim. Last year the Festival drew record numbers of attendees and featured more than 240 professional artists from around the world.

It is one of largest annual fundraisers that support several Coachella Valley based nonprofits. More than 200 community leaders and volunteers work together to contribute numerous hours to ensure its success.

The Festival is located at the spectacular Empire Polo Club, a premier event destination and home of the world-renowned Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals.

The four-day family friendly Festival will be open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily, and admission will be $10 for seniors, $12 for general admission, $15 for a four-day pass (which includes parking) and free for children 14 and under. Tickets may be purchased in advance by calling the Indio Visitors Bureau at 760-347-0676.

JANUARY 2017 29

TICKETS ON SALE DECEMBER 20 DON’T MISS OUR GAY!LA SCREENINGS AND PARTY ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 12TH

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PSP FOCUS THE PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2017 BRINGING HOLLYWOOD TO PALM SPRINGS Now entering its 28th year, the Palm Springs International Film Festival has a well-established reputation as one of the most prestigious and well-attended film festivals in the country. The Festival has long secured its place on the world stage as the portal for the very best in world cinema, welcoming more than 140,000 enthusiastic filmgoers to Palm Springs every January.

The depth and breadth of the program - all set against the dramatic backdrop of Palm Springs – features more than 180 films from over 70 countries and includes the largest selection Foreign Language Oscar® submissions of any Festival in the nation. In addition to having earned a reputation as a destination festival, the film screenings, special presentations, tributes, and nightly parties that constitute the Festival have a decidedly international flair and make PSIFF a cosmopolitan experience in world cinema.

PSIFF has also evolved into one of the most highly anticipated preludes to the Oscars®. The Festival’s glamorous centerpiece, the Awards Gala, honors the year’s brightest talents in front of and behind the camera before a glittering crowd of 2,000 attendees. The national and international print and electronic media converge on Palm Springs and generate over 1 billion media impressions worldwide.

The following is a short list of LGBTQ films recommended by The Standard Magazine

NO DRESS CODE Directed by Cristina Herrera Borquez Bórquez’s memorable doc follows a same-sex couple, Víctor and Fernando, as they fight for the right to be married in their hometown of Mexicali, Baja California. A rallying cry for equality and a testament to the power of ordinary people to become agents of change.

WHO’S GONNA LOVE ME? Directed by Barak Heymann, Tomer Heymann, Alexander Bodin Saphir Standing at a crossroads between his conservative family back on a religious kibbutz in Israel and his life as an openly gay man

in London, Saar Maoz, now HIV-positive, faces the decision of a lifetime: “Should I go home again?” Winner: Audience Award, Panorama, Berlin; Krakow.

PUSHING DEAD Directed by Tom E. Brown An HIV positive man in San Francisco dealing with the bureaucratic nightmares of the healthcare system may not sound like the premise of a comedy, but this droll, warm and surprising film finds laughs in the unlikeliest of places. Winner: Audience Award, Frameline.

CENTER OF MY WORLD

By Jakob M. Erwa In this sensuous and surprising coming-of-age movie, a teenage boy discovers first love with his athletic schoolmate while his family life is shattered by dark secrets. “Refreshingly candid and admirably complex.” The Hollywood Reporter WHEN WE RISE

By Gus Van Sant From Gus van Sant and Dustin Lance Black (Milk), the first episode of their stirring seven-part docudrama that charts the progress of Gay Liberation from its early days in San Francisco in the 1960s to its 21st-century triumphs.

RARA Directed By Pepa San Martin The debut feature from writer/director Pepa San Martín is a fresh and surprising coming-of-age film that doesn’t shy away from the realities faced by many families headed by same-sex parents.

“Wonderfully light of touch... compassionate... richly human.” The Hollywood Reporter. Winner: Generation KPlus Grand Prix, Berlin.

For a complete schedule and synopses for all the films at this year’s festival visit www.psfilmfest.org

JANUARY 2017 31

LEGALLY SPEAKING

WEATHERPROOFING YOUR LIFE

BY CHRISTOPHER HERITAGE

I know a couple that have been good parents to their two Cocker Spaniels (brother and sister) for many years. They love the antics of the happy pets, and even indulge their occasional spats and scuffles. And they have always provided the support and comfort of a doggie haven safe from the scary world out there. The dogs confirm it daily, watching the weather channel on TV. Come again? It’s true, ever since the pups joined the family, they have watched the weather channel day or night, whenever it was turned on for them. It calmed them when they were jittery, or when mom and pop were away. If they were unhappy, their sad eyes brightened when their favorite channel came on. It let them drift off into sleep knowing they were secure, and the weather, whatever craziness was going on around the world, was under control in their own home. It was like a cozy comforter pulled up to protect them from the elements - the ultimate babysitter.

Now, I can’t promise anything like the level of safety and protection those pets seem to feel, and I’m not much of a babysitter - but I can offer ways to make your life as predictable and secure as possible. All you have to do is click a couple of buttons to start weatherproofing your future.

The unknown can toss a surprise, a challenge or a really rough spot into our lives at anytime, so it pays to be smart and be prepared for whatever might come along. In my law practice, it is so often an illness or accident that triggers the need for an attorney to sort things out. Unfortunately, it is usually too late to do anything to make the situation better or easier to manage. People aren’t prepared, even though studies are clear that a majority of us (probably 70% or more) will be incapacitated at some time in our lives.

Illness and death are troubling and unhappy thoughts. But a few simple steps can provide the protection you need to make your life (and the lives of those close to you) as predictable as possible, and then you can put away all those anxious thoughts. Here is your to-do list for the New Year:

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ADVANCE HEALTH CARE DIRECTIVE AND PERSONAL CARE DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY This is a very straightforward document (in spite of the long name) that identifies who will act for you if you become ill or incapacitated. You will choose a person whom you trust to make medical decisions for you and manage your health and personal care if you can’t do so yourself. You may also choose a second person as a back-up agent in case the first choice isn’t able to do it.

Your attending physician is usually the authority who will decide if you are incapacitated and need your agent to start acting for you.

You will state your wishes for specific types of medical treatment, such as when and how long to use extraordinary life support systems or when strong pain relievers should be used, or how you want to be cared for if you are released to your own home. It includes a section stating your wishes regarding organ donation, choice of burial or cremation, and other issues that will occur if you should pass away.

Finally, the document authorizes your agent to receive all medical records and act on all medical issues on your behalf. And the agent may identify other people (relatives and friends) who have your permission to visit you and receive updates on your medical care.

WILL OR LIVING TRUST Now that your medical care is secure, it is time to protect the other aspects of your life.

You have an estate, which consists of personal property (cash, bank accounts, investments, retirement plans, automobile) and probably own real property (your home). You need to make sure these assets are properly managed if you are incapacitated or pass away. A Will states how your estate will be treated and who will manage it if you die. It offers no protection if you are incapacitated.

In most cases, a Will must be probated in the County Superior Court, and the person you nominated to be your executor must be officially appointed to that position. Probate is a lengthy and expensive process, usually taking 1 to 2 years to close out the estate.

A Living Trust is a much broader document that identifies how your estate will be handled if you are incapacitated, as well as if you pass on. As the grantor of the Trust, you are the initial trustee, and you name a trusted person to be your successor trustee if something happens to you. You might name the person who is your health care agent as your successor trustee, and then that person can handle all aspects of your life and care in a smooth transition. You may name another successor trustee who can act if the original one is unable to do so.

A Trust does not need to be probated in court, in most cases. The successor trustee handles the administration of your estate, usually with the assistance of an attorney. The trustee must follow the law in managing your estate; paying off debts and taking extraordinary care to safeguard the assets. But the court is not involved. Your successor trustee will continue to administer your estate for as long as you are incapacitated. After your death, the process of closing out the estate and distributing the assets to your beneficiaries can begin. Some Trusts can be concluded in as little as 6 months, but most take about 1 year.

With these documents, you can protect your health care and financial assets in the best way possible, and choose security without ever turning on the TV.

WHAT WE DO: • Daily hot nutritious meal to over 135 people a day, 6 days a week.

• Sack lunches daily –over 1200 a week served.

• Phone and mail service.

• Morning coffee, rolls and fruit.

• Showers daily.

• Furniture for people in need.

• Clothing for job interviews and those who need them.

• Assistance with food stamps, MISP, id’s and more.

• Utility assistance.

• Rental assistance.

• Free notary service.

• Resume writing assistance.

• One way tickets home.

• Saturday food distribution of healthy foods to working families, seniors, veterans, the disabled, families with children.

• Emergency food boxes.

• Some transportation to medical and social service appointments.

• Van transportation to hot lunch sites.

• Home deliveries to seniors who are homebound or frail.

• “Well Assist” program to downtown merchants and other business owners.

• Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations for all in need.

Christmas presents for all the children.

• Well houses available for long-term group family living, and emergenies.

• A family-friendly environment where all can feel welcome, cared about, and respected.

This article is part of an ongoing series of articles pertaining to legal issues relevant to the LGBT community, and is intended for general information purposes only – not legal advice. Christopher Heritage is an attorney in Palm Springs and San Diego, who focuses on LGBT estate planning, domestic partnerships, same-sex marriage, probate, trust administration, and bankruptcy. He welcomes questions and comments and can be contacted at 760-325-2020 or at chris@heritagelegal.com

JANUARY 2017 33

FITNESS

NEW YEAR… A TIME FOR CHANGE

BY JILL LANGHAM

Hi there and Happy New Year to you all! Here’s hoping you all had a wonderful, safe and healthy holiday season! I know I sure did.

Last month, I wrote about holiday eating and gave you some suggestions as to how to best deal with all temptations. Did they work for you? I absolutely had some additional challenges but was able to keep things together and here’s part of the reason why. In November I underwent a blood test to determine if I had any food allergies. I was not familiar with this particular test, which tests your blood for 95 of the foods that most people react to unfavorably, and was I ever shocked by the results.

It turns out that I am allergic to all cow’s milk, including, all cheese, casein, whey, and yogurt! But it doesn’t end there. I’m also allergic to wheat and wheat gluten, which like cow’s milk are very common allergies. But, the biggest shock of all was the allergy to Egg whites and egg yolks! Anyone who knows body builders knows that we live on egg whites! I’ve been eating between 12 – 18 egg whites a day for the last 16 years! I guess the old saying; “ everything in moderation” totally applies!

34 THESTANDARDPS.COM

Once I got the results I knew that there was only one thing to do.

I would need to remove these foods from my diet. As it turns out, I’d been causing damage to my cells and organs from both inflammation and Leaky Gut Syndrome. Together this combination is almost lethal and is the beginning of so many of the conditions that we have begun to live in fear of like Alzheimer’s, Pancreatitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, Lupus, Chrohn’s Disease and many more. That list alone was enough for me to do the right thing. And being that it was the holiday season where so many of these foods were being served made it easy for me to “just say no!”

Okay, I must admit that it was a bit frustrating to have to say no to some pretty amazing looking treats, but the way I look at it is that I have essentially been on a smorgasbord my whole life and have denied myself very little. I’m also blessed that I don’t suffer from more physical aliments considering that until the age of 47, I was both Anorexic and Bulimic and certainly did some damage. I‘m grateful to the scientists who discovered in the recent past that every cell in our body regenerates

itself at least one time every 7 years. Over the last 16 years I have tried to do the best possible things for myself when it comes to food. I only wish that these blood tests had been available so that I could have cut back on whey protein drinks, along with the egg whites but there is no time like the present to ask my body for forgiveness and provide it with the foods that help heal it versus harm it!

So, can you picture what it would look like if our government was really looking out for our health and made food allergy testing at birth mandatory for everyone? And that everyone had access to organic foods? Our level of illness and disease would be negligible if not non-existent! I can picture this and it saddens me to think that we are the victims of our government’s need for us to be sick and stay sick. Illness is a very big business therefore I want to encourage all of you to request this type of blood testing so that you can begin to take control of your health.

The way I look at is like this it is my responsibility to be healthy and no one else’s. I believe that the more information I have about

my body will allow me to make the best possible choices. I am fortunate enough to live a lifestyle that allows me to buy food and drink. There will always be temptations and I am only human but each and every time that I make a good decision I actually look and feel better. If I am putting high-energy foods into my body, my body absorbs the high energy giving me the opportunity to share this energy with others. And that my friends make me very happy so, here’s to you and your high-energy health!

XOXO Got questions or need help? Feel free to contact me. Jill is a Certified Personal Trainer with over 40 years experience, an NPC bodybuilding & Figure competitor, and winner of 21 Trophies, 9 of which are First Place, a motivational speaker, author, a graduate of E.S.T and Theta Training and was a Registered Nurse with a Bachelors Degree in Nursing from Emory University for 20 years and has experience in Chemical Dependence, Hormones, Individual & Group Therapy. Email address is jill@jilllangham.com; Facebook account is under Jill Langham. Phone 760-218-1527

JANUARY 2017 35

WELLNESS

GOT A HEALTH TRACKER FOR CHRISTMAS?

HERE ARE SOME INTERESTING THINGS TO DO WITH IT!

BY ADAM SINICKI Got a health tracker for Christmas and have decided to leap onto the health/fitness tracking bandwagon with your own Fitbit, Microsoft Band, Galaxy Gear Fit, Jawbone, Garmin or even Apple Watch, then you’re likely currently getting kick out of being able to measure your activity throughout the day. Just learning how many steps you take in a typical day – and how many calories that’s likely to burn (or not burn) – can be eye opening.

But depending on the type of fitness tracker you have, there are many more things you can do than that. Using a fitness tracker, it’s actually possible to monitor a lot more than just your steps and this can in turn allow you to start running your own experiments, setting targets and generally improving your health and activity levels in a smart and constructive way. To help you start getting more from your device then and before the novelty starts to wear off, here are some of the more powerful uses you can get from them…

STEPS – SETTING GOALS When you first get your device, it probably came with a set goal for your number of steps in a day. Usually this is somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 recommended steps a day, with the latter being the official line taken by most health institutions.

Going after this daily goal can be somewhat obtuse a goal however and a hard one to meet. Instead, a better strategy is to focus on your weekly or monthly averages. Often this is what is really letting you down – a quiet weekend in for instance can often be enough to completely skew your average for the week and this can take quite a toll on your total. How about going for a walk?

IDENTIFYING THE BEST CALORIE BURNS Another useful thing you can do once you have your step counter, is to look at when you are taking the most steps. It may actually surprise you to learn just how many steps you take and calories you burn when you head out to get milk for instance. And a day’s shopping is actually excellent from a calorie burning perspective!

EASY MORNINGS Theoretically, devices like the Jawbone UP have the ability to

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wake us gently in such a way that we aren’t groggy and we avoid ‘sleep inertia’. This works by monitoring our activity levels during the night and waking us at a point before the alarm when we start to stir.

When this works, it means you’ll be waking out of a light sleep rather than a deep sleep and the result is that you feel much brighter and more energetic right away.

THE EFFECT OF ALCOHOL If you have a device such as the Fitbit Charge or the Microsoft Band, then you’ll be able to monitor your heart rate 24/7. This can be a very useful tool – even where the devices might lack a bit in terms of accuracy – as it lets you see how different events affect you.

One thing you might find interesting is to keep an eye on your heart rate when you consume alcohol. This can be enough to put your heart rate up 10-20bpm as your body tries to get rid of it.

You can also see how this impacts on your sleep. Even devices like the older Fitbits and Jawbone devices can track how deeply you’re sleeping and you might have a bit of a surprise when you see

how much less ‘deep sleep’ you get after just a few glasses of beer.

You might end up re-thinking that second pint!

SLEEP EXPERIMENTS You can also use your sleep monitors to help you improve the quality and quantity of your sleep. How. This means for instance, trying a spoon of honey before bed (a rumored remedy that is said to help sleep) and then seeing if that has a positive effect on your sleep quality. Or why not try having a hot shower before bed and see if that works instead?

STRESS MONITORING For constant-heart rate monitors only, you can also track your stress levels throughout the day. Usually these devices show some kind of average BPM over a certain duration of time but if you have a very nerve-wracking event that occurs over a few hours – such as an interview or first date – you can actually see your heart rate spike.

Likewise, while relaxing in the garden reading, you can often see it dip.

DIET While there is some debate as to the value of getting the right ‘source’ of calories in your diet, it is pretty universally agreed that eating fewer calories than you burn off is a very straightforward and effective way to lose weight and get into shape. With a fitness tracker then, you can start monitoring roughly how many calories you burn on a regular basis and then use this information to set the target for your diet.

ZONE TRAINING Again, this is one for those with heart rate monitoring built in.

Zone training essentially means training at certain levels in order to encourage fat burning. One example is to find your ‘lactate threshold heart rate’ for instance, which is the point at which your breathing because rapid and uneven. Training with your heart rate consistently above this rate (zone 5+) is what results in fat burning.

Going at over 106% (zone 5c) is considered anaerobic training and is perfect for high intensity interval training.

In short, there are plenty of great things you can do with a fitness tracker and especially one of the more advanced options.

At the very least they can be used to shed some light on your daily activities and the impact they have on your body, as well as helping to motivate you a little during walks and runs. If you put in some time and thought though, they can be much more than that and can become advanced training partners and lifestyle coaches.

JANUARY 2017 37

THE AMAZON TRAIL

RAINBOW GAP

BY VELVET LOUNGER

Sometimes it is hard to write a review because you can’t find the words; in this case it’s hard to find words big enough to describe such an epic tale. Set in Florida in the 50’s and 60’s Lee Lynch has constructed a story that creates a movie style landscape in your mind.

It opens with the portrayal of two young school friends, one the circus freak with too much testosterone, the other the pretty girl who choses her friend above popularity. The plot is 15 years of simple day-to-day living, with their small personal dramas, but set in the midst of complex times that frequently touch their lives. A brother away in Vietnam, the first battles of women’s lib, the early stirrings of gay rights, the communist threat, and the on-going social segregation all form a backdrop to the changing world around them.

Jaudon and Berry form an instant bond that in small town America in the 1950’s literally had no name. They forge a life together based on nothing more than their absolute belief that they belong. With no role models, no community and very little support they just ‘are’. Each step, from the first tentative kiss to finding their own place in the world, individually and as a couple, is an exploration of how to be.

The Florida swamp plays a powerful role in the novel, from how the girls grow up in the most basic of shacks to the ever-present voice of frogs and the bite of mosquitos. More than just setting the scene the landscape is a living being with a character and a sub-plot of its own, almost a will of its own taking action in the lives of the families who carve out a life in the encroaching greenery and the overwhelming heat.

We meet a broad range of characters from the distant overachieving mother to the warm and loving gran, the gay boys who struggle to be themselves and a bunch of recognisable 1960’s feminists beginning to fight for women’s rights. For anyone old enough to have lived through those heady days of the women’s groups and early gay community it rings so many bells. The strident activists, the surreptitious gatherings, the support and the angst of women learning the hard way how to fight for change.

This is both a coming out and growing up story, but also a timeless work of literary fiction, with classic writing that draws you

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into its world. The plot may be simple but the characters, interactions and subplots are the history of lives lived at a time when literally everything they did was unknowingly revolutionary.

Rainbow Gap will win awards across the board, and deservedly so. It is simple in plot, but complex in emotion. It is a genuine classic telling of nothing more or less than real life. More than anything it’s a story of the birth of our community and the fight to be openly who we are.

Amazon.com link to Rainbow Gap http://amzn.to/2i9rdlf www.lesbianreadingroom.com velvetlounger@lesbianreadingroom.com

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JANUARY 2017 39

SOCIAL COMMENTARY

BLACK IS THE COLOR OF LOVE

BY DR. STEPHAN M. SCOGGINS

Happy New Year!

This year, our focus will be to provide our faithful followers with educational and wealth building information. What better way to start the New Year than to buy a new house? This month’s article will be dedicated to Home Buying and Selling.

So, what is the most difficult and common error of home buying and home selling? That’s right, knowing how to begin. For your convenience, we recommend that you contact our very own, Stephan Scoggins at www.EsteemTeamProperties.com for exclusive real estate broker representation. Let’s start with the sellers. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to watch a few episodes on HGTV and then feel as if you’re ready to sell your home, especially since there are so many LEGAL ramifications to a real estate transaction. You absolutely need a licensed real estate professional who is representing YOUR interests. If you are a seller, you should have a realtor who is exclusively representing the seller. If you are a buyer, you should have a realtor who is exclusively representing the buyer. In each of the aforementioned cases the realtor owes a fiduciary duty to each of their clients, respectively. When a realtor is representing BOTH the buyer and the seller that is called, “dual agency”. Well, in a “dual agency” following current California law, a broker may act as a dual agent for both buyer and seller in a transaction as long as both parties consent to the arrangement after full disclosure that the broker owes a fiduciary duty to both. My concern is that the lines may become “blurred”, especially since the ENTIRE transaction must close before the realtor can receive a commission. Even if unintentional, it could “appear” that either the buyer or seller did not receive a thorough representation from the dual agent. For that reason, I would HIGHLY suggest that both the buyer and seller have their OWN exclusive representative.

Now, as the seller, there is one very basic requirement. Clean your damn house!(smile) That’s right, clean and de-clutter your house.

Literally, go outdoors and walk inside the front door with “buyers” eyes. A buyer will IMMEDIATELY say things like, “What is that odor?

What is all of that stuff? How many people live here? Why are the closets overstuffed? Will I get a discount for all of the unfinished

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projects? Undoubtedly, you want to maximize your profits. This is not the time to become “emotional” because a realtor suggests that you have your home staged…with other furniture. If your home requires staging, it is just because it is the BEST way to maximize space, create functionality and provide appropriate splashes of color.

For the buyer, please, please, please, let your FIRST stop be with a mortgage lender so that you can determine what you can afford to buy. So many buyers start by going to open houses, not having the slightest idea of their buying power. Then, they become very sad when they discover they have been looking at homes in the wrong price point. What a downer. An exciting option, that Esteem Team Properties does VERY well, is to have access to lenders across the country to strengthen finding the best fit for your needs. One size does NOT fit all. Way too often, buyers have been told, “Sorry, you can’t buy a home because you don’t qualify”. When in actuality, what has really happened is only that a LOCAL lender rejected your submission. There are some basic and standard requirements of MOST lenders for a traditional mortgage loan. You will need tax returns for the last 3 years, pay stubs for the last two months, “seasoned” money in the bank. Seasoned money means money that has been sitting in the SAME bank account for at least 6 months. It would also be best, and actually necessary, for you to already clean up your credit, as in, no outstanding collection accounts, public liens, etc. Ultimately, the interest rate that you will qualify for with a lender is going to be effected by your FICO credit score, amount of down payment, and your amount of earnings. The better you have those items in place, the better the outcome.

Treat yourself to an amazing New Year. Buy your new dream home or sell what you have and upgrade or downgrade to fit your needs so that you can experience unspeakable joy.

Please accept this personal invitation to visit www.

BlackIsTheColorOfLove.com and learn about educational and scholarship opportunities for kids of all ages, kids of all races. As a nation, we MUST change our culture, our learned behavior, so that it can reflect an expression of love in ways that we have only dreamed.

Future articles will provide helpful resources and guidelines, with a specific “How To” achieve the desires of your heart.

TRAVEL

YOUR NEXT VACATION CUBAN STYLE

With the recent easing of travel restrictions to Cuba, Americans are now busily writing their Cuba vacation checklists. They likely look something like this: Drink a mojito in a Havana bar, smoke a really good cigar, try to dance the salsa, wear a new Che Guevara T-shirt and take a selfie doing all of the above at once.

While those are worthwhile activities, don’t let that be where your checklist ends, as you won’t come home with a true understanding of what Cuba is really like. To experience the heart and soul of Cuba - and to have one’s own heart and soul touched by the experience - you have to put down the guidebook, forget your pre-conceived notions of what you should be doing and follow these five steps.

Step 1: Spend time with real Cuban people. Americans traveling to Cuba still have to qualify under one of the approved categories, one of which is “People to People.” Think of it as an authentic cultural exchange. You meet Cuban people, such as artists, athletes, musicians and dancers, and they give you insight into their everyday lives.

Prepare to be amazed by the talent, passion and dedication these people have to their craft and the commitment private citizens have to the arts in the face of extraordinary budget pressures.

Step 2: Experience life in a small town. To visit a place like Gibara (on the northern coast of eastern Cuba) and Remedios (near the coast in the north) is to understand how the majority of Cubans really live. These are places where the main square is a communal living room, where on Friday nights young girls dress up to meet young boys, where music is played in the streets and is accompanied by the clack of dominos on a café table. You’ll see preserved architecture from the 1600s and quickly notice that the preferred mode of transport is a bicycle or a ‘57 Chevrolet Bel Air. All you need to do is hang out and watch life go by.

Step 3: Stay at a Casa Particular. When you add a huge tourist boom to a just-developing tourist infrastructure, the first thing you’ll notice is it’s hard to get a hotel room. Enter the casa particular. These are family-owned bed and breakfasts that are clean and affordable.

Most have air-conditioning and private bathrooms, though the best part is the personal touches the proprietors love to add.

Step 4: Eat in a Paladar. A Paladar is a privately owned restaurant, often in a converted house. It’s where you’ll find authentic Cuban food, locally sourced and prepared from old family recipes.

In Havana, get the grilled octopus in pesto sauce. In the center of the island it’s cattle country, where the specialty is Vaca Frita - a crispy and soft beef that melts in your mouth. Wherever you go, order the flan - it’s the real deal and a world apart from the poor substitute you always pass on.

Step 5: Learn a few steps of the salsa. If there’s any kind of beat in the air, you’ll find the sultry moves of a salsa dancer not far behind.

And in Cuba everyone dances the salsa - in town squares, restaurants, even on buses. There’s something about the grace and passion of the dance that symbolizes the joy of life of the people of Cuba. Learn a little salsa and it’ll be the best thing you take home with you.

One of the most respected and experienced organizations offering “People to People” experiences is the not-for-profit educational travel company Road Scholar. Learn more at www.roadscholar.org/cuba or call (877) 426-8056.

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the3D’s RESTAURANTS WANG’S IN THE DESERT 424 S Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.325.WANG (9264) www.wangsinthedesert.com NATURE’S HEALTH FOOD & CAFE 555 S Sunrise Way Suite 301 Palm Springs, CA 760.323.9487 www.natureshealthfoodcafe.com SHERMAN’S DELI & BAKERY 401 E Tahquitz Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.325.1199 www.shermansdeli.com RÍO AZUL 350 S. Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.992.5641 www.rioazulpalmsprings.com AZUL RESTAURANT 369 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.325.5533 www.azultapaslounge.com TINTO 1800 E. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760.323.1711 palmsprings.tintorestaurant.com COPLEY’S ON PALM CANYON 621 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.327.9555 www.copleyspalmsprings.com

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DINE | DRINK | DANCE { Coachella Valley } WORKSHOP KITCHEN & BAR 800 N. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760.459.3451 www.workshoppalmsprings.com LULU CALIFORNIA BISTRO 200 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.327.5858 www.lulupalmsprings.com POMME FRITE 256 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.778.3727 www.pomme-frite.com DISH 1107 N. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760.322.7171 www.dishcreativecuisine.com THAI SMILE PALM SPRINGS 100 South Indian Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.5503 www.thaismilepalmsprings.com TRIO RESTAURANT 707 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.864.8746 www.triopalmsprings.com THE TROPICALE 330 E Amado Road Palm Springs, CA 760.866.1952 www.thetropicale.com

BARS AND NIGHT CLUBS

ZIN AMERICAN BISTRO 198 S Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.322.6300 www.pszin.com

HUNTERS NIGHTCLUB 302 East Arenas Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.323.0700 www.huntersnightclubs.com

BIRBA 622 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.327.5678 www.birbaps.com

TOUCAN’S TIKI LOUNGE 2100 North Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.416.7584 www.toucanstikilounge.com

CHEEKYS 622 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.327.7595 www.cheekysps.com

PURPLE ROOM 1900 E. Palm Canyon Dr. PS 760.322.4422 www.purpleroompalmsprings.com

EL MIRASOL 140 E Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.323.0721 www.elmirasolrestaurants.com RICK’S RESTAURANT 1973 N Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.416.0090 www.ricksrestaurant.biz PINOCCHIO IN THE DESERT 134 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.322.3776 www.pinocchiops.com

CHILL BAR 217 E. Arenas Road PS 760.327.1079 STREETBAR 224 E. Arenas Road PS 760.320.1266 www.psstreetbar.com THE TOOL SHED 600 E. Sunny Dunes Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262 760.320.3299 www.toolshed-ps.com SPURLINE VIDEO LOUNGE 200 Indian Canyon Drive Palm Springs CA 92262 760.778.4326 www.spurline.com

BUSINESS DIRECTORY GET HIM ON THE LINE Try For Free

800-960-6843 www.TrioPalmSprings.com

Ahora en Español /18+

For advertising inquiries please contact Nino@thestandardps.com TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE STANDARD PLEASE GO TO THESTANDARDPS.COM If you are an artist and would like to be considered for our ART VIEW - Artist Profile, please email us at info@thestandardps.com.

COMING UP NEXT MONTH MODERNISM 2017

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EVENTS CALENDAR

JAN 20-21 TOUR DE PALM SPRINGS. PALM SPRINGS Tour de Palm Springs is a CVSPIN-sponsored event designed to raise money for nonprofit organizations in the Coachella Valley. Each year the organizers hope to support more than 100 local charities. Palm Springs” famous weather, gorgeous mountain scenery and thousands of bike riders, make the Tour de Palm Springs a fundraising event like no other!

To register or learn more about the event visit www.tourdepalmsprings.com

JAN 26 8TH ANNUAL HEALING WATERS SPA TOUR. DESERT HOT SPRINGS Discover the natural healing water spa hideaways situated high overlooking the Palm Springs area on the Desert Hot Spring Aquifer. Naturally heated as high as 180 degrees, the waters have been known to hold curative powers. The desert resorts represent many styles; midcentury modern, Moroccan, restored hacienda, B&B, casual, classic and even clothing optional. The popular annual event draws visitors from around the world and throughout the United States. www.visitdeserthotsprings.com

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DBA EVENTS FOR MORE INFO VISIT WWW.DESERTBUSINESSASSOCIATION.ORG

ONGOING >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM The Palm Springs Art Museum offers free admission every Thursday night from 4-8 p.m., sponsored by the City of Palm Springs. This provides an excellent way to start a trip to the City’s VillageFest, the popular weekly street festival held every Thursday night along Palm Canyon Drive. www.psmuseum.org

CHILL BAR PALM SPRINGS A warm and fabulous twenty first century modern venue located on Arenas, suited with multi faceted rooms for any celebration.

The gorgeous island bar is surrounded by hi-definition video entertainment and a comfortable designer lounge. Chill on the patio enjoying music and refreshing beverages with friends after a game of pool, or come by and say hello to our friendly staff. Open for business seven days a week. Get out of the heat, and come join us! Happy Hour (From Open to 7pm) and Late Happy Hour (From Midnight to Last Call) $4 Well Drinks, $2.75 Bud Light & $1.50 Chill Lager. www.chillbarpalmsprings.com

THE SUNDAY BAND W/ SPECIAL GUESTS. PAPPY & HARRIET’S PIONEERTOWN The Sunday Rock + Roll Service is a Pappy and Harriet’s institution celebrating the healing powers of music and community!

Every weekend the club’s favorite singers and players get together and trade songs.

Come join us to see Victoria Williams, Gar Robertson, Carol Ann Crandall, Damian Lester, Bob Furgo, Rachel Dean, Ryan Norman, Caleb Winn, Danny Frankel and other talented locals performing for your drinking and dancing pleasure. With a come-as-you-are vibe, Sundays have seen great special guests like Robert Plant, Lucinda Williams, The Jayhawks, Rickie Lee Jones to name a few. www.pappyandharriets.com

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EVENTS CALENDAR

CARNIVAL CABARET. OSCAR’S CAFÉ & BAR. PALM SPRINGS Carnival Cabaret is a high-end female impersonator revue.

This production has traveled throughout the country with performances in casinos, theaters and for corporate events. Carnival Cabaret features the world’s most amazing cast of men who perform as famous women. You will not believe your eyes! Veteran TV and film actor James Gypsy Haake, who holds the record for the oldest working female impersonator in the world, hosts the show. Haake is 83 years old and has been seen in films and television since the 1980s. Shows run every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Dinner show seating begins at 6:30pm. Show only seating begins at 7:30pm. Showtime is 8pm.

Tickets start at $29.95.

Tickets: carnivalcabaret.ticketleap.com

THE SCORPION ROOM AT CHILL BAR Every Thursday night at 8:00 sharp. Hosted

by Pinkie Meringue Shimmer with a rotating cast of fabulous drag stars from all over Southern California. Wonderful show people, photo ops and audience participation, and wonderful drink specials.

RETRO ROOM LOUNGE Every Saturday night at 10:00 until 11:30.

Drag stars and show people. Tons of fun and amazing hand crafted cocktails.

OSCAR’S CAFÉ & BAR Located in the heart of downtown Palm Springs on the corner of Tahquitz Canyon Way and Indian Canyon, Oscar’s has a huge outdoor patio with lots of umbrellas for shade and misters to keep you cool, too.

You can beat the heat any time of year and enjoy the views of Palm Springs. On Saturday and Sunday from 8am – 2pm, enjoy a $9 Bottomless Mimosas (juice included), a single $2 mimosa or a $5 Bloody Mary with brunch, during which both our full breakfast and lunch menus are available. Also join us for Sunday Funday Weekly Tea Dance 4pm-Close! Live entertainment weekly visit our website for details. www.oscarspalmsprings.com

LIPSTICK AT COPA Thursday nights at Copa just got a little hotter with a new show at the new showroom inside Copa. The Hot New Lipstick show is a raucous affair where the audience is encouraged to participate in singing, clapping, dancing, partying and celebrating special events. Featuring performances by Charles Herrera, Pinkie Meringue Shimmer, Marina Mac, Sassy Ross, Dion Khan, and Cherilyn, and emceed by the fabulous Bella Da Ball, this show will not disappoint. For ticket info and schedule of performers visit www.coparoomps.com

HUNTERS NIGHTCLUBS® Palm Springs, Palm Springs’ go-to gay bar and dance club, has been leading the way in full-out fun for 16 years now! And we keep it pumping, making it better for you all the time with our unparalleled event line-up. We enjoy having

the desert’s most sought-after and friendly DJs, full-on themed events, and a staff that has it all without the attitude. And of course, we are proud to hold the longest happy hour in the entire Valley. Remember: Size Matters.

Come by for our happy hour from 10am- 7pm.

Yes, that’s right: 9 hours long! For a list of all events and specials visit www.huntersnightclubs.com

SUNDAYS “The Playgirls” at Toucans Tiki Lounge featuring Tommi Rose. Performances at 8 & 10pm.These darling Divas of drag really deliver with their very own brand of entertainment to packed houses. Special guests appear weekly. DJ in the sound booth. Every Sunday Complete list of events www.toucanstikilounge.com FOR A COMPLETE CALENDAR OF EVENTS VISIT OUR MEDIA PARTNER, GAY DESERT GUIDE. CLICK ON LOGO

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EVENTS CALENDAR that now number in the thousands. The heart of the weekend is the historic leather formal Saturday evening cocktail social, Leather Cocktails. Leather Cocktails is the weekend lynchpin gathering from which all other weekend events evolved. The Weekend also includes official events organized by weekend hosts, Centaur MC, that include a bustling Leather Exhibit Hall; Sunday brunch; Mr. MAL Contest and the official Sunday night closing party. www.leatherweekend.com

JAN 2 - 16

PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL. PALM SPRINGS, CA Now entering its 28th year, the Palm Springs International Film Festival has a wellestablished reputation as one of the most prestigious and well-attended film festivals in the country. The Festival has long secured its place on the world stage as the portal for the very best in world cinema, welcoming more than 136,000 enthusiastic filmgoers to Palm Springs every year. www.psfilmfest.org

JAN 13 - 15

MID ATLANTIC LEATHER WEEKEND. WASHINGTON, DC Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend is a threeday long party and event with participants

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organization. The festival’s mission is to showcase quality films that are related to the experiences of the LGBT community.

Our goal is to create an event that is educational, enlightening, entertaining, and enjoyable. In additional to the screening of films, local artisans are showcased at our outdoor amphitheater and painters and photographers are showcased in the gallery.

Outdoor events and the art gallery are free and open to the public. Proceeds from the Desperado Film Festival support LGBTQA Scholarships! www.desperadofilmfestival.com

JAN 15 - 22

ASPEN GAY SKI WEEK ASPEN, COLORADO Celebrating it’s 40th anniversary, Aspen Gay Ski Week is the premier gay & lesbian winter travel vacation event in Colorado. Not only is it a great vacation destination but also it is a fundraising event for local and national LGBTQ organizations. Aspen Gay Ski Week has gained the reputation of hosting the most exclusive and explosive winter entertainment.

World-renowned DJ’s, indoor & outdoor pool parties, debauchery that will take you into the morning hours just in time to hit the slopes. www.gayskiweek.com

JAN 27 - 29

DESPERADO FILM FESTIVAL PHOENIX, ARIZONA The Desperado LGBT Film and Arts Festival is an event hosted by a PVCC student

JAN 18 - 22

WINTER RENDEZVOUS STOWE MOUNTAIN RESORT, VERMONT The largest and longest-running gay ski event in the northeast offers amazing discounts on lift tickets, rentals, lessons along with non-stop action; daily apres-ski, wine tastings, pool party, champagne reception, downhill drag race, bonfires, hot tubs, spa treatments, dance parties, ice sculptures and more! Entertainment includes Sandra Bernhard and DJ Mary Alice. www.winterrendezvous.com

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EVENTS CALENDAR

celebrates ARENA’s 4th year with a blow out.

This is the 2017 winter event you won’t want to miss. www.arena.mx

JAN 15 - FEB 5

MIDSUMMA FESTIVAL. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Midsumma Festival is Victoria’s premier gay and lesbian arts and culture festival, presenting an annual community celebration and encouraging the development of innovative artistic content and a unique cultural experience. We believe that maintaining a history of Midsumma is just one of the ways that we can recognize the efforts of those people and organizations which have been, and continue to be, an integral part of Midsumma’s history. www.midsumma.org.au

JAN 21 - 28

AROSA SKI WEEK AROSA SWITZERLAND The annual Gay Ski Week in Arosa, one of Switzerland’s most enchanting winter resorts. Come experience Swiss hospitality, the charm of a true mountain resort and glamorous parties while you’re enjoying yourself with various activities throughout the week. There is a wide range of accommodations. Don’t forget to order your event pass for the week, or do you want to miss the foam party, a fondue night at the mountain hut, a classical piano concert, the pool party, our cabaret-night or the dragqueen ski race?? www.arosa-gayskiweek.com

FEB 21 - MAR 1

SITGES CARNIVAL. SITGES, SPAIN Carnival has to be Sitges’ wildest party.

Even though it is on in February it is still the hottest party in town! Gay boys and girls from the 4 corners of the world descend on our little town and party the week away!

Sitges Carnival is one of the world’s top 10 carnivals and attracts more than 250,000 people to Sitges over 7 days with amazing parades, shows and parties. www.gaysitgesguide.com

JAN 16 - 24

ANTARCTICA ADVENTURE CRUISE CHILE, PUNTA ARENAS This once-in-a-lifetime adventure is to Antarctica, a remote and wild wilderness essentially unspoiled by human habitation.

During the short austral summer, the Antarctica nutrient rich waters provide habitat for thousands of penguins, seals, whales, seabirds and other wildlife to mate and rear their young. We will sail through majestic narrow straights and view vast glaciers, and visit remarkable places including Deception Island, a volcanic caldera that we sail into; Paradise Bay, one of Antarctica’s best scenic locations. For itinerary visit www.adventureboundmen.com

FEB 1 - 6

ARENA MUSIC FESTIVAL. PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO Arena is Mexico’s biggest gay and lesbian dance music festival. This year ARENA Music Festival is being held in Playa del Carmen on Rivera Maya. It will be 6 days of all out fun, music and much more with 13 special parties! Come join us on the beautiful beaches of Playa del Carmen as we

Our international media partner, FNQ Magazine, www.fnqmagazine.com Cairns gay lifestyle and travel publication that gives Australia and the world a taste of gay life in the tropics, sponsors the International Calendar. www.go2gaycairns.com

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PHOTO REWIND ANNUAL BRISKET COOK OFF BENEFITTING AIDS LIFECYCLE PHOTOS COURTESY OF ORLANDO MACIAS JR

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PHOTO REWIND SANCTUARY HOLIDAY EVENT PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

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PHOTO REWIND EVERYDAY HEROES PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

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FOUR FANTASTIC DAYS OF POOL PARTIES, DANCE EVENTS, AND CAMARADERIE, AND OF COURSE A LOT OF FUN, FROLIC & FUR

Hosted at the Hard Rock Hotel FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 10

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 12

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 11

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 11

Weekend Passes & Room Reservations at www.ibc-ps.com

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