The Standard Magazine

WHAT IS FITNESS?

JILL LANGHAM EXPLORES ANSWERS

FLOWER POWER

CELEBRITY FLORIST ROBERTO GONZALEZ EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW MAY, 2017 | VOLUME 5 ISSUE 5 | THESTANDARDPS.COM

CONTENTS VOLUME 5, ISSUE 5

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Volume 5 Issue 5

PSP FOCUS PAGES 32-33

COVER 2017 FITNESS TRENDS COVER WHAT IS FITNESS? FEATURE FLOWER POWER CELEBRITY FLORIST ROBERTO GONZALEZ FILM MARLENE FORTE HER DIRECTORIAL DEBUT

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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 Casey Arasa, Bob Bogard, Jeff Dorta, Dann Foley, Chris Heritage, Mona Elyafi, Jill Langham, James Murphy, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Dr. Stephen Scoggins & Susan Surftone 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

THE BIGGEST FITNESS TRENDS OF 2017 Summer is on its way, so this is the perfect chance to reboot your stale workouts with any of 2017’s top fitness trend, according to an annual report published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The 11th annual report surveyed 1,801 fitness professionals, including personal trainers, wellness coaches, exercise physiologists, and college professors.

Wearable tech, body weight training, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) are among the hottest trends this year thus far.

“We don’t consider items as trends for this list unless they’re sustained over many years,” says report author and ACSM presidentelect Walter Thompson, PhD.

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY Wearable technology, which includes activity trackers, smart watches, heart rate monitors, GPS tracking devices, and smart eyeglasses (designed to show maps and track activity), was introduced just a few years ago. Examples include fitness and activity trackers like those from Misfit, Garmin, EFOSMH, Pebble Time, Juboury,

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Samsung, Basis, Jawbone, and Fitbit. The newly released Apple iWatch® (Cupertino, CA) is another example. Some business analysts have predicted that sales of the Apple iWatch® alone will exceed 485 million devices by the year 2018. Trending in this part of the industry now are smart glasses, with a predicted $1.5 billion in sales and smart fabrics and interactive textiles reaching sales approaching $2.6 billion in 2017. It is unpredictable how wearable technology will advance through the next decade.

BODY WEIGHT TRAINING Body weight training appeared for the first time in the trends survey in 2013 (at no. 3) and remains in the no. 2 position for 2017. Body weight training did not appear as an option before 2013 because it only became popular (as a defined trend) in gyms around the world during the last few years. Body weight training has been used previously; in fact, people have been using their own body weight for centuries as a form of resistance training. But new packaging, particularly by commercial clubs, has made it popular in gyms and health clubs around the world. Typical body weight training programs use minimal equipment, which makes it a very inexpensive way to exercise effectively. Although most people think of body weight training as being limited to push-ups and pull-ups, it can be much more than that. Body weight training is a trend to watch for in the future.

HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT) Most of us are short on time these days, so it’s no wonder that high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is one of the major exercise trends of the coming year. Instead of spending a long time exercising at a moderate pace, with HIIT, you’ll engage in short bursts of exercise at maximum or near-maximum heart rate. That means you’ll burn more calories in 20 to 30 minutes than you would in a longer session. The benefits of HIIT are extensive but one of the most interesting findings is how it helps build endurance, too.

STRENGTH TRAINING Strength training is seeing its time in the limelight. While people, particularly women, sometimes shy away from the weight room, strength training is critical to keeping our bodies healthy, especially as we age. It helps preserve muscle mass and increase your metabolism to burn more calories even when you aren’t working out. One study found that in 10 weeks, inactive adults could see an increase in lean weight of more than 3 pounds and a reduction in fat weight of nearly 4 pounds, while increasing metabolic resting rate by 7 percent.

EDUCATED AND EXPERIENCED FITNESS PROFESSIONALS Working with an fitness professional, like a personal trainer, can be a great way to get tailored guidance and accountability to reach your fitness goals. In fact, working with a trainer on a one-to-one basis can actually change an individual’s attitude toward fitness, helping to increase their physical activity. Because there are so many personal trainers out there, it’s critical to find someone who is certified in their area of expertise and understands your goals and motivations.

GROUP TRAINING Do you usually workout solo? 2017 could be the year to try group training.

Group training makes trying a new exercise, like spinning or boot camp, more fun. Having an experienced instructor can help keep you motivated and push you to go that extra bit. And bringing along a friend or making new ones in class has an effect, too. A little friendly competition can increase motivation to work harder.

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COVER YOGA Yoga certainly isn’t new, but it’s just as popular as ever. And it should be because the benefits of yoga are vast. It helps to decrease anxiety and stress, improves sleep quality, allows blood to flow through the body better, helps digestion and so much more. In fact, practicing yoga changes your brain. It increases the “chill-out” neurotransmitter in your brain, a chemical that’s in low supply for people who suffer from depression and anxiety. It also helps counteract chronic pain.

PERSONAL TRAINING This trend isn’t the same as number four, educated and experienced fitness professionals. Instead, this exercise trend references the amount of college students studying kinesiology, an indication that they’re planning on going into health fields. But you don’t have to be a college student to take on your own health “personal training.”

Increasing health literacy is critical to preventing health problems and managing those that might arise. Being on this site is an awesome first step. Continuing to learn more about healthy food, treating ailments through natural remedies and improving your physical fitness through exercise is key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

EXERCISE AND WEIGHT LOSS EXERCISE IS MEDICINE The benefits of exercise go so much farther than how you look physically. From boosting happiness levels to reducing your risk of heart disease, exercising can help. Tossing and turning at night?

Find yourself forgetting where you’ve placed your keys? That’s right, exercise is the answer. In fact, doctors are going so far as to prescribe exercise to patients in an effort to get them moving.

While nutrition is more important to weight loss than exercise, fitness does play a key role in any weight loss program. What’s critical is finding workouts and healthy lifestyle activities that you like.

One study found that when participants thought of an exercise as pleasant, they had increased aerobic capacity and improved their physical health. And another discovered that incorporating laughter into physical activity programs for older adults improved their mental health, aerobic endurance and confidence in their ability to exercise.

So whether you enjoy yoga, Crossfit, Barre or just riding your bike, enjoy it! That’s an exercise trend that will never go out of style.

This article is for informational purpose only. Like any program consultant your physician before starting any new fitness routine

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FITNESS: WHAT IS IT?

BY JILL LANGHAM

As a noun, fitness is described as “the condition of being physically fit and healthy.” Ok, you might think that sounds doable but in this day and age, what does it really mean and more importantly how is it accomplished.

I feel blessed to be seen by others as a role model and an inspiration for leading a “fit” lifestyle. Therefore, I’d like to share my journey with fitness and the lifestyle that I’ve adopted that allows me to be “physically fit and healthy!” So, here goes.

Fitness started for me very young. I was on skis by the time I was 4 years old, skipped rope, rode bikes, played boys baseball, hit tennis balls in the summers, rode mini-bikes and competed for my father’s attention by doing 500 sit-ups a day and as many push-ups as I could by the time I was 12. I began to jog when I was 15 but it wasn’t until I was in my 2nd year of college that I saw the inside of a gym and began my life long relationship with lifting weights. My parents were avid skiers and golfers, my mother, a tomboy who also played baseball, tennis and jogged and my Dad, who did calisthenics every morning of his life, clearly set this example and lifestyle for me.

But, we know that exercise alone will not make us fit and that our dietary habits determine the level of success that we’ll have to be considered fit. I was raised in a family that believed in gardening and never knew that people bought vegetables from a super market. I was raised eating 3 meals a day with a snack here and there. My Mom loved a “little something sweet” after dinner so there were always cookies in the pantry and ice cream in the freezer.

Our big treats back in the 70’s were going to Burger King for a “Whopper”, going out on Sundays for a “Frozen Custard” (ice cream with a pasteurized egg yolk added into it) or ordering in a Pizza.

We ate meat from a slaughterhouse, chicken from the poultry store, cow’s tongue, fried liver, lamb chops, ham, bacon, polenta, pasta, potatoes, rice, homemade soups, lentils, lots of corn especially on the cob, tons of butter, Italian and French bread, Matzo, pancakes, freshly made Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, Fig Newton’s, Pecan Sandies, oh, gosh, now I’m drooling, fresh donuts every Sunday after church and everything that Sarah Lee made! Being Italian we had a fresh salad with every meal, fresh green beans from the garden, home grown grapes, apples, strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, peaches, tomatoes, onions, and fresh herbs. In other words I had a very full diet of what we believed were healthy foods.

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Cleary, I had a lot of role modeling in my home to help focus me on a fit lifestyle, but ironically, I was the only one of four kids that followed that lead from a very young age. Unfortunately, I also suffered from both anorexia and bulimia, so for all the good I was doing, I sabotaged myself with these two all encompassing eating disorders. Not surprising is the fact that I became a person who engaged in excessive exercise as a way to combat the eating disorders. I would eat a box of “Little Debbie cream pies” and then run 10 miles. Or eat 6-10 cups of popped corn with one stick of melted butter on it and go for a 25-mile bike ride! I had no balance in my life but yet was raised by a Dad whose famous words were, “Everything in Moderation!”

It wasn’t until 2000 that I began to adopt a true fit lifestyle. My ex-husband introduced me to this way of living when we met and I have been following his lead for the last 17 years. He taught me how to have a healthy relationship to food, which, is saying a lot for someone with an eating disorder. He also taught me how to respect my body’s needs and showed me how to use both cardiovascular exercise and weight training to shape my body in a totally new way.

I had been doing way too much cardiovascular work by running and was actually burning off my muscle! So all the work I did in the gym was never seen and I therefore thought I had “bad genes!” It wasn’t until I stopped running and began using a stationary bike did the muscle begin to build.

I’d been a nurse for 20 years and knew how to treat sick people, but what I didn’t know was how to take care of well people. Back in the day, nutrition was used to help heal people’s wounds or to help

obese people lose weight which would ultimately help rid them of high blood pressure or manage their diabetes. No one taught us how to use food to be fit. So, it was quite novel and challenging for me to consider eating in order to become healthy. Food was my enemy and the thought of eating every 3 hours in order to lose weight was beyond my comprehension.

Like most people, I thought the less I ate, the less I would weigh and starved myself with 2 meals a day with a binge of food before bed. But, I wasn’t skinny, a term that most women are dying to hear.

Instead I was bloated and suffered from inflammation, but didn’t know it! I was a bit dumbfounded when my ex asked me if what I had

been doing was working for me! Wow, no one had ever posed that question to me. I had to admit to him and myself that “no” what I was doing was not working. He explained that I’d been starving myself, slowing down my metabolism and was losing muscle while putting on more fat as my body was storing any food that I ate, no matter how healthy it appeared. Even more surprising was him telling me that the foods that I was eating that I thought were low calorie, like yogurt and bagels, were actually junk food loaded with empty calories and tons of sugar! I did not know nor understand that if you divided the number of sugar carbohydrates by 4 you could see how many packets of sugar were in a food. For example, the 2 8-oz cups of vanilla yogurt that I was eating a day had 10 packs or sugar in each

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container! “Are you kidding me!” I thought no wonder I’m not losing weight! That really blew my mind!

So, I did something that was unique for me, I listened to someone else and began to feed myself every 3 hours, 6 times a day. These meals consisted of about 300-350 calories with about 35 grams of protein, 30 grams of carbohydrates and about 5 grams of fat from a healthy source, like nuts or peanut butter. I initially lost about 3 pounds the first few weeks, but then my system hit a wall. With the help of a nutritionist, we adjusted the number of carbohydrates that I ate and took them out of the 6th meal completely, but that still wasn’t enough. So, we removed them from my 5th meal as well and the fat began to melt off of my body.

People from the gym who had known me for years were flabbergasted by my results. I was actually asked if I had had a body transplant. This was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to me. My starting weight of 117 pounds and 21% body fat dropped to 108 pounds at 6% body fat! I was elated. I competed 5 months to the day that I started the eating plan and won the entire show and got my picture in Flex magazine! It was the very best day of my life! And this all happened the week before my 44 birthday!

But, it wasn’t just the proper Eating Plan that got me to the winner’s circle; it was a balance between weight training, cardiovascular exercise and the food. But, it did not stop there. It took the proper knowledge and the discipline to achieve this goal and to me, this might be the most critical component of all. What I mean is this. There is a huge pool of information floating around related to Fitness. I think it is imperative to choose one plan and to stick with it for a minimum of 90 days, writing down not only your goals but your food intake as well. It has been proven that people who keep a dietary log or journal have as much as a 30-45% success rate as opposed to those who do not keep a journal.

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You must own the program of your choice and not waver from its requirements. We are human and we can stray from our goals but eating one bad meal does not mean that we have blown the entire program. If you have a flat tire while on the road, do you flatted the other 3 tires or do you fix the one and get back on the road? It is no different once you’ve chosen a plan. Your friends and family will be very excited that you have made a choice to get fit, but trust me when I tell you that as you begin to have success, these same people may be your biggest saboteurs, so be prepared and be forewarned! They don’t mean to be your enemy, but your success oftentimes causes them to be jealous of the fact that you are doing something that they do not have the strength or willpower to do. So, without intending to, they begin to sabotage you and it can really hurt. Do not lose hope and do not waiver from your goal.

The last part of fitness for me involved my self-esteem or the lack thereof. I did not know what it looked like or felt like to love myself. By saying no to myself when it came to binging and purging and substituting it with shopping for the right foods, preparing those foods and eating those foods, resulted in sending a message to myself and my body that I loved it enough to feed it the right foods at the right times and out of that came self-esteem! Attaining fitness is one thing, the trick however is maintaining it and that my friends, is my personal lifetime goal.

To you and your health!

XOXO

MAY 2017 13

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MAY 2017 15

FEATURE

FIT AND FLOWER-Y

BY CASEY ARASA

For four years, Roberto Gonzalez was the go-to floral designer at Oprah’s Harpo Studios.

His most recent project was creating all the floral for the movie Joyful Noise with Dolly Parton and Queen Latifa.

Since the show’s end, Roberto has launched his own company, Robert James Events, where he has designed flowers for the likes of Jennifer Hudson, Julia Roberts, Barbara Walters, Shania Twain, and President Obama.

“Designing the floral pieces for President Obama’s birthday was probably the highlight of my career,” he says. “On a personal level, working for Julia Roberts was special. As a gay kid growing up in Venezuela, Pretty Woman was secretly one of my favorite movies.”

What are Roberto’s keys to success? Whether designing floral arrangements for a movie or an event, Roberto starts with the initial client consultation, his favorite part of the process. He has his clients close their eyes and dream up their wildest ideas for the party. He then uses his creative tricks to deliver a spectacle on budget. “You know how some women can make costume jewelry seem as if they are wearing the Hope Diamond? That’s what I do. I turn simple flower designs into masterpieces!”

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Speaking of masterpieces, Roberto has turned himself into one. Under his floral smock, Roberto is an incredibly muscular fitness model. “I think I am giving new definition to the idea of flower power,” he laughs.

If you could compare yourself to any flower, which would you choose?

A rose because roses are very dangerous if you don’t know how to handle them.

What draws you to flowers?

Flowers are perfect. Flowers create an emotional experience that people don’t forget. They’re magic; they are art. They don’t talk back. What’s not to love?

Is there a particular flower that you love to incorporate into your designs?

I use tons of roses and hydrangeas. I love the classic look and nostalgia of a rose and the fullness and lushness of a hydrangea.

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FEATURE Are clients surprised when they first meet you?

Perhaps, but it’s 2017. Time to break stereotypes. My goal is to make everything around me beautiful. I have a passion for aesthetics and I carry that belief throughout my life.

In your home, too?

My friends say my home is very cozy. I have oversized furniture and a large coffee table made out of rescued wood. Everything is very neutral and in natural tones.

Do you incorporate flowers into your home?

Oh, yes! Flowers add great energy to an environment. I always have large arrangements on the center coffee table with lots of flowers in jewel tones of super brights like yellows and oranges. I love the feel of peace and serenity they bring. I also love white lush bouquets of hydrangeas: like fifteen to twenty stems, overflowing the vase.

Do you take on events outside of Chicago?

I do events all over the country. I’ve done parties in New York, Miami and Atlanta. Geography doesn’t matter. The idea is to deliver an experience. I’d love to come out to Palm Springs!

What is the hot flower of the moment?

Spring offers a beautiful array of flowers including gorgeous cherry blossoms and all kinds of blooming branches. I tend to use lots of green viburnum this time of year and I love the sweet scent of lilac.

What’s your opinion of fake flowers?

You can’t mimic the scent of real flowers. It’s priceless and an important part of the experience.

Let’s talk fitness. What inspired you to build the bulk?

One day, back in elementary school, a group of boys lifted my sister’s skirt and tried to forcibly kiss her. I was paralyzed! I was so skinny and weak; I couldn’t fight them. And we grew up without a dad so we had no big strong man to defend us. I realized I had to do something about my body.

How did you do it? Was it photosynthesis?

(Laughing) I wish it were that easy! It’s all about diet and exercise. Through the years, I have become very disciplined and organized when it comes to both. I work out about an hour each day, Monday through Friday. If I don’t have an event, I will head to gym over the weekend. I’m also very careful about the food I eat.

What’s your favorite exercise?

I like squats and deadlifts. Not only do they build muscle and strength in the quadriceps, hamstrings and calves, they also provide

a highly anabolic environment for all the other body parts to grow.

Don’t skip leg days!

Any more tips?

What worked wonders for me was when I got myself a meal plan service. It really changed my life.

Are you single, Roberto?

I’ve been single for over six years. I’m working on being Mr. Right so I can find Mr. Right.

Can you see yourself walking down the aisle one day?

Sure, I have big dreams about how my wedding will look.

Would you do your own flowers?

I’ve done plenty of weddings and personal experience has taught me it is always best to hire a planner so that you can enjoy your day to its fullest. Luckily, I have a staff that I am confident will create my vision flawlessly. But first I have to find my groom.

Visit https://www.robertjamesevents.com.

Follow on Twitter @robertoFlorist

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FEATURE

FITNESS AND DESIGN THE 10 THINGS EVERY HOME WORKOUT SPACE NEEDS

BY DANN FOLEY

We all know we want the best equipment. A weight rack, treadmill and elliptical are all staples of a well-appointed home gym. As a designer of many home workout rooms, I always try to bring in the luxury touches that you need to assure your continued and regular use of the space.

The home gym has become one of those “must have” items in any luxury home. As a culture, our preoccupation with getting in shape borders on the fanatical. Before you let all the hype take you off the deep end, lets talk about what a finely designed and equipped gym should contain.

The right equipment is paramount, but the configuration of equipment is up to you and your needs. A weight rack and bench, treadmill and/or elliptical, a universal machine, hanging rope, rowing machine, etc., the list is almost endless.

For the sake of this article, I want to go beyond the equipment pieces and talk about the aesthetics of the space. As a designer I

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always make sure that my clients have not only the most up to date gyms, but the most luxurious appointments as well. My mantra of, Living Well, includes the gym and the gym needs to be a space of inspiration, luxury and beauty.

In my desire to help you create a more functional and luxurious workout room that adds not only beauty but value to your home, consider my list of essentials.

GOOD RUBBER FLOORING You don’t have to go crazy and you can install it yourself!

Rubber floor tiles for you home gym are now widely available and affordable.

Here’s a great source for the flooring, www.rubberflooringinc. com. Just search “gym flooring”.

LOTS OF FRESH WHITE COTTON TOWELS They are the best looking in any setting when they are white and because they are white, they can be bleached to remain bright

and fresh. Here’s a tip; Choose Turkish cotton over Egyptian for your gym because the Egyptian cotton absorbs more odor, while Turkish wisks off the sweat and does not absorb into the towel.

CHILLED WATER I prefer a small refrigerator with bottles because the look can be so great. I create a refreshment station for my clients, just like a visit to your high profile gym. You can even customize the bottle label with your name for visitors! You can order your personalized water bottles right here, www.icustomlable.com/category/customwater-bottle-labels GREAT LIGHTING Lighting is as important in your gym as every other room of your home and can make or break the design. Be sure to use both natural and manmade lighting and plenty of it. The variety and style are endless and good lighting makes you look even better in all those mirrors!

MASSAGE TABLE In a space of its own or off to the side, having your own massage table at home is pure luxury. I created a private massage room with music, soft lighting and a hot rock unit out of a storage closet for one client! If you have a masseur come to your home they will appreciate not having to lug their table in and out as well. Here’s a great place for massage table reviews online; http://bestreviews. com/best-massage-tables MIRRORS They aren’t just for vanity reasons, they do wonders for space and they are essential for good form when working out. Mirrors also reflect light, which is always a plus. Don’t be skimpy, make them as big as possible and put them two walls.

SUPERIOR SOUND SYSTEM & TV Staying connected and staying focused is key to sustaining any workout regimen. I am a keen believer in the right music and the properly placed television for cardio machines. Make sure the sound system is superior for both audio and video because the reverberation from the hard materials in the gym can cause issues.

THE RIGHT VENTILATION This is the most often forgotten element for the home gym. A professional can tackle heating and cooling issues. But what about odors? There are ways of adding filters to existing systems, just remember to ask the question.

COLOR & STYLE Don’t forget to add some personality to your gym…remember you only have to please yourself and you call all the shots. I won’t dictate “gym style” here but I will say that whether you want a Zen inspired spa or a hardcore gym look, have some fun and infuse your style. Be the king or queen of your castle and make your gym as unique as your personality!

I wish for your home gym the same thing I wish for any room of your house…that it is filled with beauty, comfort, style and your own personality. Your home should reflect you, your interests and the things that you love. Make your choices matter and Live Well, Be Well.

Dann Foley | www.danninc.com | Find us by searching Designer Dann on: Facebook / Twitter / Youtube / Pinterest / Houzz

*All pictures courtesy of Pinterest*

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FEATURE

REJUVENATE WITH ModMansions

BY JIM MURPHY Taking an excursion to improve one’s spiritual, physical, or emotional well-being is not a new concept. In fact, health-inspired travels date back to the 18th century when well-to-do people would travel great distances to bathe in the therapeutic waters and mud of the Dead Sea or Europe’s healing mineral baths. And today is not much different for the 21st century leisure and business travelers.

However, in the last decade there has been a rise in the fitnessthemed vacation travelers, as well as, greater expectations by business travelers for more fitness-themed amenities in the places they choose to stay in while traveling on business. Both groups of travelers are seeking a more diverse range of activities that benefit the mind, body and soul. No longer is it assumed these travelers will simply choose to stay in a hotel when there is a large inventory of vacation rental homes to choose from in most destinations around the world.

And this “fitness or wellness” shift in the travel industry has not gone unnoticed by ModMansions. Every year ModMansions’ client base is becoming more and more a blend of the traditional seasonal rental client, or “snow-bird,” escaping the harsh winter weather of Canada or the mid-western states of the U.S. and the lone business traveler or business groups that are seeking a place to stay for business and/or a fitness-themed retreat. Large and small companies, as well as, colleges and universities, are sending department teams to stay in our vacation rentals in order to conduct small group meetings to discuss and focus on specific group objectives or to create a greater sense of group dynamics and cohesion.

However, in addition to the discourse of business, these groups are also seeking the opportunity to rejuvenate their employee’s spiritual, physical and emotional well-being at the same time.

So what are some of the amenities these wellness travelers are seeking?

COMFORTABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: ModMansions has several large private estates located in the most exclusive neighborhoods of Palm Springs that are meticulously appointed for the business travelers, as well as, the fitness traveler.

Large gathering areas exist for group activities while the bedrooms are spacious en-suites where privacy and comfort abound. These private estates can accommodate group sizes from 10-20 individuals.

WIRELESS CONNECTIONS: Although leisure and business travelers follow a different lifestyle

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while traveling, no one ever really disconnects. Toward this end, all of ModMansions’ estates include free high-speed Wi-Fi, at least one large smart TV centrally located in the residence for audio visual presentational purposes, work spaces to accomplish job related tasks, and quick access to such things as a copier, scanner or printer.

LUXURIOUS AMENITIES: When was the last time you arrived at your hotel and the refrigerator was stocked with all of the soft drinks, juices, beer, milk, coffee, cheeses and crackers that you like? At ModMansions, this is just something we do for our business travelers? Need dog food too? Simply tell us prior to your arrival and it will be there when you arrive. How about a gourmet meal of your choice prepared right there at the house? Simply let us know and it will be arranged!

MIND / BODY FITNESS AND HEALTH: Palm Springs is the perfect location to reconnect with your inner and outer self. Golfing at the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains, hiking in the spiritual Indian Canyons, shopping, sightseeing, architectural touring, or participating in the artistic scavenger hunt of Desert X 2017 where the Coachella Valley and the desert landscape become the canvas for a curated exhibit of site-specific and “edgy” work by established and emerging artists. How about a private sunrise yoga class or deep tissue massage right at the property you are staying at? This can all be arranged!

WHERE TO STAY? Do you have questions about our business packages? Here is your opportunity to check out ModMansions and see what we have available for rent. ModMansions offers the best Palm Springs Rentals available and all of our properties have been remodeled for today’s traveller. Check out our Palm Springs vacation homes and Palm Springs luxury vacation rentals and give us a call to book your incredible Palm Springs getaway today - (760) 209-4311. ¡También, hablamos español !

Jim Murphy & Hal Keasler, Owners ModMansions, LLC | 760-449-6424 | jim@modmansions.com www.modmansions.com (ADVERTORIAL)

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FILM

MARLENE FORTE MAKES DIRECTORIAL DEBUT WITH THE SHORT FILM “FAMILIA”

BY MONA ELYAFI

Marlene Forte is one of those rare talents whose dedication continues to set a standard in Hollywood. Named one of Hispanic Lifestyle’s 2017 Latinas of Influence, Forte is now readying to step behind the camera and direct her first film ever, the short entitled “Familia”, shedding light on what it’s like to be transgender in the Latino community. Familia is a love story centered around a Dominican Transgender woman, whose kindness is taken advantage of by those she opens her heart to - including her married lover and immediate family.

While asking the questions: where do you find love? And how does one define “family”, Familia also zooms in on the transgender issue in a very macho Latin culture. Familia stars Kase Pena who wrote the script loosely based on her own real life experience, and stars David Zayas famously known for his role as Lt Angel Batista in the HBO hit drama series Dexter.

Forte will step behind the camera this summer to make her directorial debut on this short – a project that is very close to her heart.

This is not the first time Marlene Forte is breaking barriers.

She continues to be an inspiring female daredevil and trailblazing local voice in her community.

With each character and role she takes on, Marlene Forte is refining a formula of proving Hollywood wrong by continually breaking through Hollywood’s stereotypes when it comes to older women and carving a niche for the Latino community by tearing down the walls of “ethnic minorities”.

MARLENE FORTE

MAY 2017 25

FILM

KASE PENA

She currently co-stars on Fox’s drama series “APB”, NBC’s “Superstore” opposite America Ferrera, as well as Netflix’s much talked about “Altered Carbon”. These are three top shows where the # 2 on the cast list are young Latina actresses, and Forte plays their mother in all three series.

As we continue to fight diversity and gender equality this says a lot about where we’re moving, not just on the small screen but in real life too.

After Decades in the industry, Forte is one of those familiar faces to which you’d have trouble putting the name. Yet you’ve seen here everywhere simply because she’s played them all. In fact, her work reads like the ultimate directory of television & film.

Of course, her recurring role in TNT’s re-launched “Dallas” playing Carmen Ramos, her role in “The Fosters”, and her character Celia Flores in AMC’s “Fear of the Walking Dead” have made her even more recognizable.

On the movie side, she played the transporter chief in the 2009 JJ Abrams’ “Star Trek” reboot and the unforgettable Pilar Brown in

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“Our Song” opposite Kerry Washington (“Scandal”). Marlene Forte’s Hollywood success story unfolds like a rags-to-riches movie script - it is a story that not only anyone can relate to, but also feel inspired from.

When Marlene turned 30, she decided to become an actress.

That’s a late start for most occupations; in Hollywood it’s nearly unheard of. But for Cuban born girl named for one of Tinseltown’s brightest stars (Marlene Dietrich) perhaps the journey was predestined.

Forte opened and ran a video store for six years as sort of an “intense film education,” then she sold the place, took classes at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and snagged an adjunct spot at The Lab, where she shadowed such actors as Sam Rockwell and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

And as the saying goes, the rest is history.

Today Marlene Forte most definitely provides a shinning example of how women can “make it” in Hollywood on their own terms.

MAY 2017 27

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THE AMAZON TRAIL

A LESBIAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT

BY LEE LYNCH

Thanks to author Nell Stark—which seems to be something I say at least once a year—I was privileged recently to answer some questions for a lesbian high school student who was writing a paper about 1960’s gay activists. Below are the young woman’s questions and my attempts to answer. I am very fortunate to be able to reach across generations.

How/why did you get involved in the 1960’s gay rights movement?

“This was a natural progression for me. At age fifteen I went through the Sturm und Drang that accompanied coming out at the time. There was no such thing as public protesting for gay rights within my frame of reference. Protest was an individual act. My girlfriend and I liked to be outrageous, acting out on the subways, kissing in front of Greenwich Village tour buses. I dressed as much like a guy as I could, because those clothes felt right to me, and at the same time I imagined such an act as a vicious slap in the face to those who condemned us. We were actually considered juvenile delinquents by New York law.

“My first official act of protest was to subscribe to and write for ‘The Ladder.’ In the magazine’s editor at the time, Barbara Grier, I found both a mentor and a revolutionary. By the time I started corresponding with Barbara, I had been researching lesbian writers and writing for years. I did not think writing about them of was revolutionary; it needed to be done in order to reach as many lesbians as possible. My goal was to end our isolation and the portrayal of our lives as dismal tragedies.”

What would you say were the goals of the 1960’s movement?

“I was not part of any organized movement until the 1970’s. In the 1960’s a handful of us, who had little or no interaction, staked our literary territory and were grateful that we had an outlet for our work. Jane Rule, Elsa Gidlow, Rita Mae Brown, Martha Shelly, and a number of other women, under many names, wrote poetry, essays, biographical pieces, and fiction about lesbian women. This was a strike against the patriarchy before those words were spoken by the emerging second wave of feminism. I in no way thought of what I did as protest or revolution.”

What did the 1960s movement achieve?

“I believe our written work, especially Barbara Grier’s, helped to form a foundation for both feminist and gay liberation organizations.

This nascent literature for, by, and about lesbians saved many lesbian lives by giving strength to lesbian couples and individuals. When every societal door is shut, self-condemnation follows. Alcoholism was rampant in our community. Broken relationships were the norm.

The women who dared subscribe to ‘The Ladder,’ (and it was an act of courage to subscribe) saw that they were not abnormal and perverts. All of us were hungry for contact with our kind, for positive images of ourselves in print and elsewhere.”

MAY 2017 29

THE AMAZON TRAIL Would you call the movement a ‘success’ because of what was/was not achieved?

“In terms of the printed word, yes. “The Ladder” was an outgrowth of The Daughters of Bilitis, formed in 1955. The publication “One,” from The Mattachine Society, performed the same function for gay men. Both the organizations and their literary organs were brave pieces of the evolving foundation of the gay rights movement.”

What still needs to be achieved in the current movement?

“So much. We will never erase the all of the hate and fear directed at gay people. Difference is too threatening to many non-gays, especially those who follow religions that demonize us.

Being out is the essential basic step to achieving and preserving something like equality. Encouraging and supporting one another, as the Golden Crown Literary Society and lesbian publishers do, for example, are necessary. Legitimizing our right to exist through the legal system will protect us to some extent. Electing supportive nongays and gays to local and national office is another tool that can protect us in the future. Fighting demagogues every step of the way is a must. We will continue building our culture until it’s so strong our would-be oppressors and executioners can’t begin to tear it down.”

What did people do to protest at that time, and what did you do in particular?

“Protest? That didn’t happen in today’s terms. We met in bars.

We had networks of friends. We had certain signals and looks that allowed us to identify one another. We hired one another at work when that was possible and celebrated our anniversaries together privately. Some lesbians married men, had children, never dared come out. Some killed themselves because life was impossible. Some passed as men. We moved to big cities or overseas. We gossiped about famous people who might be like ourselves. We kept huge secrets, our lives were secrets. We slept in separate beds. We protested silently by living our lives and loving other women.”

What kinds of signals did you have to identify one another?

“It’s difficult to go into details about signals because they were so subtle. There was something called “the look” that lesbians exchanged: a meeting of the eyes, a quick almost-smile. Pinkie rings.

The word “family,” meaning us. Maybe bringing up a lesbian book or author or a celebrity who was rumored to be gay. Going to gay bars, of course.”

What specific things/events were being protested/objected to?

“By 1969, Stonewall was ostensibly a protest against the ownership of gay bars by heterosexuals and the treatment of their clientele. I believe we’d finally had enough of being regarded as

30 THESTANDARDPS.COM

untouchables and of the hypocrisy of supposed non-gay people who availed themselves of our way of love when it suited them. Civil Rights, the anti-war and anti-nukes protests, and Women’s Liberation showed us it was possible to simply erupt. Those of us who were involved in these other movements had experience in organizing and marshalling the power of our anger into productive action. There were huge numbers of insults to our humanity that we protested. The sodomy laws, the laws that forced us to wear certain clothing, the laws against dancing together, and even assembling together, the laws against marriage and adoption and on and on.”

What kinds of people participated?

“As the song says, gentle, angry people. Female and male butches and femmes, drag queens, fey men, and stomping bulldykes.

Writers and stevedores, artists and secretaries, physicians and housekeepers, people of color and Caucasians, musicians and beatniks and the clergy and criminals, kids and old people, bar dykes and A-list gay men, the disabled and the able-bodied, transsexuals and non-gay allies.”

Based on your experiences, what advice would you give to new activists today?

“Based on my experiences, I’d just say, give it all you’ve got.

Whatever each of us can do makes a difference. At this point in time, overall, we’re very far ahead of where we were back in the 1960s.

Most of us can at least be out now, some of us can jump all the way out and do something like run for office. In between are degrees of involvement and innumerable ways to make a difference, from donating money to reading inclusive books to kids to volunteering in an archive to finding and visiting old dykes in nursing homes. And protect ourselves. At the sign of a brick wall, we need to rethink the route rather than slam into it and knock ourselves completely out.

We’ve lost too many along the way.”

Do you think the general view on gay rights and the gay rights movement has changed over the years? If so, how?

“I think millions of eyes have been opened by our efforts and millions of others will always stay closed. There are obviously people out there who have built their own careers by trying to keep us down, promoting disdain toward us to keep their religious, political, or financial powers. And they have followers galore. The most important change has been in ourselves. We are saying no to our attackers and staying out. They can’t silence us all and we’re never going away.

The paper you are writing for your high school class is yet another protest. All the high school papers together are a massive monument to the young women and men who write them. It’s a monument you are making sure will never be torn down and I thank you for that.”

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MAY 2017 31

PSP FOCUS COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AND CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE RUTH DEBRA RECIPIENT OF THE 2017 HARVEY B. MILK LEADERSHIP AWARD

RUTH DEBRA, JEFF AND HILLARY WHITTINGTON AND ANGELA OLIVARES

The Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast Committee announces that Community Organizer and Civil Rights Advocate Ruth Debra will be the recipient of the 2017 Harvey B. Milk Leadership Award, and Jeff and Hillary Whittington of San Diego will be this year’s recipients of the Harvey B. Milk Hero of the Year Award, at the 6th Annual Coachella Valley Harvey Milk Diversity Breakfast on Friday, May 19, 2017, at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Ruth, who defines herself as a radical old lesbian feminist, moved to Palm Springs in 2003 with her spouse Sherry Fulton.

On moving to Palm Springs, she became involved with Pride, and subsequently The Pride and then Golden Rainbow Centers, serving several years on their boards. Active in Democratic politics, she has served as the first female Chair of Desert Stonewall Democrats. She is on the National Steering Committee for Old Lesbians Organizing for Change (OLOC) and facilitates a Coachella Valley group of Old Lesbians. She also volunteers with Equality CA, and has been active in the marriage equality movement, marrying Sherry on October 11, 2008 (National Coming Out Day) during the brief window of legality in California.

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Prior to her work here in Palm Springs, Ruth was a member of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), supporter of the Freedom Riders and the Freedom Singers, and deeply involved in the Civil Rights and Peace and Justice movements from high school on. Disappointed in the way women were treated in both the Civil Rights and AntiVietnam War Movement, Ruth became active in the Women’s and then Lesbian Rights movements, and also became involved in the formation of the National Organization for Women.

Jeff and Hillary Whittington of San Diego will be this year’s recipients of the Harvey B. Milk Hero of the Year Award.

The proud parents of two children, Ryland (9) and Brynley (5), the Whittington’s learned shortly after Ryland’s birth that he was profoundly deaf. Jeff and Hillary quickly armed themselves with information and set forth on a path towards cochlear implants for Ryland. They soon found themselves working as advocates for deaf children and their families, and little did they know that their advocacy work was just preparation for what was coming next.

PSP FOCUS Ryland was assigned female at birth, but upon the acquisition of sound and speech, began to declare that he was indeed a boy. Once again, Jeff and Hillary dove into the research and began to discover what Ryland was trying to tell them. At 5 years old, they understood Ryland to be transgender and they assisted him in making the social transition to their son.

Just as they had done with the work involving deaf children and families, they have now taken the opportunity to be educators and advocates for transgender youth. Hillary’s book Raising Ryland chronicles their experiences and sheds light on the work they now do for transgender youth.

“One of the most inspiring things that Harvey Milk had done as far as our family is concerned,” said Jeff Whittington, “was to encourage

people to come out; to let their voices be heard; break down the walls, break down the barriers and start allowing people to see them for their authentic selves and be true to themselves.”

Also honored will be Angela Olivares as the Harvey B. Milk Outstanding Student of the Year. Currently attending the University of California, Riverside as a first year Biochemistry degree, Olivares plans on pursuing medical school to become a pathologist. Before attending UCR, she graduated from Yucca Valley High School in Yucca Valley, CA. During her senior year at YVHS, she was co-president of the GSA. Now, she is an avid Community Outreach Educator with the LGBT resource center on her campus. She considers activism and volunteering her two favorite past times.

MAY 2017 33

LEGALLY SPEAKING

THE OPERA AIN’T OVER UNTIL THE FAT LADY SINGS

BY CHRISTOPHER HERITAGE

This often-used comment caught my attention the other day, and reminded me of the many sad situations I handle as an attorney. My focus is mainly on helping people protect themselves and their assets (no matter how tiny) from trouble. And my sad concern is that so many folks ignore the obvious or laugh at fate. The fat lady phrase is just another way of saying “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch” – proverbs that more people should take seriously.

Many problems occur after someone dies. Smart people create a Will or a Trust or some other mechanism to handle their estate and get it distributed to the heirs in a lawful and efficient way. Even so, if things aren’t done correctly, there will likely be disasters and crises after the death. Setting up and managing an estate plan takes careful thought, a little hard work, and some good advice from an attorney.

Here are a couple of real-life situations that have recently come my way: Walter and Ben were life partners of 38 years, but never registered or married. Their home was in Ben’s name, and he had some investments of his own. Walter had few assets himself. Ben wanted to protect Walter, so he created a Trust many years ago.

Walter was named as beneficiary, and would inherit everything in the Trust if Ben passed away. Ben was content, believing he had done all he could to provide for Walter.

Last year, Ben unexpectedly became ill, then incapacitated, and finally passed away. Walter soon began to pull everything together so he could move on alone. He brought the Trust document to me and asked that we help him put the house in his name and get access to Ben’s bank and investment accounts. This seemed like an ordinary trust administration and should have gone smoothly.

But it didn’t. As we reviewed the deed for the house and the account statements from the financial institutions, it was clear that none of them had been titled in the name of the trust. They were all in Ben’s name as an individual. His Trust had never been “funded” and there were no assets in it at all, except some personal property like his watch, clothing and automobile. Nothing of value for Walter to live in or live on.

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It was necessary to go to probate court to determine if Walter was entitled to any of the assets. He was not a relative of Ben’s, so not considered a legal heir under the law. In fact, he was legally a stranger. Fortunately, Ben had signed a Pour Over Will together with the Trust. This made it possible for the Probate Court to allow Ben’s assets to go to Walter, even though they weren’t titled in the name of the Trust. But the probate process dragged on for nearly a year. A very long time for Walter to be without the funds he needed to get on with his life. In the end, it was all sorted out, but it took a very long time for the fat lady to sing, and all because Ben forgot to change the title of his assets to the name of his trust.

Angela didn’t remarry after her spouse Tillie passed on a few years ago. She recently learned that she had an inoperable tumor and had only weeks to live. Always an organized and careful person, she set about preparing for her passing. She located a California Statutory Will form on the internet, filled it out, signed it, had it witnessed by two people, and gave a copy to her close friend Cara, whom she named as executor and beneficiary of the Will. The Will met all the requirements of the California Probate Code, so it was bound to be valid and should be accepted by the Probate Court with no problem. Angela felt good that she was making things as easy as possible for Cara.

After Angela passed away, Cara brought the Will to me for help in filing it with the Probate Court and opening a case to distribute Angela’s property. Angela’s house was to be sold and the proceeds, along with her bank and investment funds, would be distributed to Cara. The Will was clearly valid, and the Court process moved right along.

Most of Angela’s other assets were in three retirement accounts worth about $640,000. We checked with the institutions that held them, and requested that they transfer the funds to Angela’s estate so they could be distributed to Cara. Then the bottom dropped out of Cara’s world. The institutions reported that no beneficiaries had been named for the accounts. Normally, beneficiary designations are required. A person can be named, or a trust or estate can be named. Angela did not name anyone. According to the account holders, they had to follow their customary policies, and distribute the funds to Angela’s next of kin.

As sad as this is, it wasn’t the worst of events. Unfortunately, Angela’s closest relative was her mother – the mother that had thrown Angela out of her house and her family when Angela came out as a lesbian. They hadn’t spoken for over 30 years. Angela is gone and can’t feel the pain this would have caused her, but the money will probably end up in her mother’s pocket. The very last thing Angela would have wanted to happen.

If Angela had named her estate, or Cara, as beneficiary of the retirement accounts, nothing would have gone to mother. Or, if Angela had specifically disinherited her mother and other relatives in her Will, it might have been possible for the court to intervene and direct the funds to the estate. But the Will form that Angela filled out didn’t have a section for excluding or disinheriting people as heirs or beneficiaries, so Angela never thought about doing that.

If only she had consulted an attorney, a more comprehensive Will could have been drafted to avoid most of the problem issues that commonly occur.

A lot of ifs that could have easily prevented this disaster - and the fat lady is still out there singing on this one.

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

MAY 2017 35

WELLNESS

5 STRATEGIES TO LOSE 48 POUNDS

You’ve probably seen all the articles about weight loss; including those that explain how to count calories or what foods you should and shouldn’t eat. But if you’re still having trouble losing weight, then maybe you just need a better “strategic plan,” one you can put into action before you get that unwanted “wake-up call” from your doctor that your weight is affecting your health.

Monte Morris received that wake-up call from his doctor, who diagnosed him as obese, along with stage 2 hypertension. At just 38-years-old with a 2-year-old daughter, Morris was a candidate for a heart attack.

According to Dr. Mike Roussell, nutrition advisor to Men’s Health Magazine, Morris put such a strategic plan into place, using five key strategies to achieve lasting success and they can be effectively implemented by anyone.

Make a Decision to Change “I have never seen someone lose weight and keep it off unless they had an emotionally driven reason to change their life,” says Dr.

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Roussell. “Monte was no different. He had a little girl and a trip to the doctor delivered him the news that he had stage 2 hypertension (an advanced form of high blood pressure). On top of that, he just felt lousy. Monte knew he couldn’t go on living like this and he made the decision to change his lifestyle for good, not just for him but for his daughter, too.”

Attack Weight Loss on Multiple Fronts Small steps and changes to what you are eating are important, but you need to rethink your whole lifestyle, envisioning who you want to be, according to Roussell. “Monte started to change his eating habits and started exercising. Embracing multiple healthy habits like diet and exercise is a great way to get momentum with your weight loss, ensuring that you get better results, which will keep you motivated and doing more. Focus on one to two diet changes and be deliberately active with your life. Monte didn’t even own a pair of running shoes when he started running and now he runs several miles a week. What kind of activity do you like to do? What the activity is at first doesn’t matter, just get moving,” Dr. Roussell says.

Stop Drinking Your Calories After Monte made his decision to change his life and put his health first, he did a quick audit of his diet and realized that a simple place for him to cut calories was beer. “Calories you consume in beer, wine or sugar sweetened drinks (energy drinks, soda, even sports drinks) are easy calories to cut out. Make sure nothing enters your mouth that doesn’t support your goal of weight loss while adding beneficial nutrients to your diet,” Dr. Roussell says.

Be a Mindful Eater and Strategic Snacker Monte steered away from fad diets that demonized certain food groups while exalting others. Instead he focused on eating unprocessed foods and veered away from fast food joints. “Monte says he couldn’t say no to his mid-meal hunger pangs and would grab a fast food meal, which is all too often the fast track to weight gain. His strategy to correct that behavior was to keep a snack of pistachios in his truck and at his desk. Their flavorful crunch satisfied him while the protein, fiber and healthy fats in them kept him full and out of the fast food drive-thru,” Dr. Roussell explained.

Embrace What You Love “Monte enjoys chocolate, but he recognized candy bars weren’t going to help him lose the weight. His solution was to make his own trail mix that contained pieces of dark chocolate along with pistachios and natural dried fruits, like raisins. This strategy satisfied his cravings so he wasn’t feeling deprived, but he also wasn’t consuming too much sugar,” Dr. Roussell says.

Successful long-term weight loss takes time. It took Monte almost a year to lose 48 pounds, but once he decided to make the change, he worked at it every one of those 365 days. Taking charge of his health has left him 10 pounds lighter than when he was in high school and with more energy and vibrancy for life than ever before.

Dr. Roussell transforms complex nutritional concepts into practical nutritional habits that his clients use to ensure permanent weight loss and long lasting health. He holds a doctorate in nutrition from Pennsylvania State University. In addition to being an adjunct assistant professor at Pennsylvania State University, Dr. Roussell serves on the Advisory Board for Men’s Health and SHAPE magazines as well as LIVESTRONG.com. He’s an author and has been named one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Health & Fitness.

MAY 2017 37

BOOK REVIEW

ALWAYS OVERBOOKED…

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

You must not tell.

You cannot breathe a word to anyone who doesn’t already know.

That Which Cannot Be Spoken must remain buried, put away, frozen, lips sealed, or in the closet. You cannot tell because, as in the new novel “This Is How It Always Is” by Laurie Frankel, secrets change everything.

In the beginning was Roosevelt; known to his loved ones as Roo. Not long after he was born, Ben entered the family. Then the twins, Orion and Rigel, arrived and so Rosie Walsh, still hoping for a girl baby, did everything the Talmud recommended she do next. Months later, she and her husband, Penn, welcomed… Claude.

And that was okay. Another boy in their raucous, rowdy family of boys was fine and Rosie and Penn loved them all. They were happy in their big, rambling, open farmhouse just outside of Madison, Wisconsin. Rosie loved her job. Penn worked on his novel.

And Claude dreamed of being a girl.

It started when, as do most parents, Rosie told Claude that he could “be anything” he wanted to be someday. Claude was three years old and loved dress-up; it didn’t seem odd to let him wear dresses at home. But soon, home wasn’t enough and Claude tantrumed until he was allowed to wear dresses to preschool, though he was told that he’d have to use the nurse’s station bathroom and his teacher was “not happy.”

Still, Rosie and Penn were willing to do what it took to make Claude feel secure. With his dresses and pink, he was a confident child; without, he was sullen and sad. None of his classmates minded his clothing. His brothers never gave it a second thought. Claude was simply Claude, until he asked his parents to call him Poppy.

And that was fine, too, especially when the family moved to another state and it was easier to keep quiet – until it wasn’t. Until Poppy started growing up, the world became a vicious place, and secret keeping couldn’t last forever.

And so, here’s the thing: once you’ve started reading “This Is How It Always Is,” you might as well just clear your schedule. Cancel all appointments. You won’t want to do anything but read, so just give in. Blame it on the book.

Part of the appeal, I think, is in the way that author Laurie

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Frankel writes: there are no airs, no try-to-impress-you words, nothing uppity. Her characters are normal people with everyday lives, trying to maintain that normalcy and Frankel writes like they might talk: with down-to-earth matter-of-factness and a fast dash of humor that winds its way through a serious topic. And on that topic, you’ve perhaps heard it before (or something similar) but not in a voice like this, and not quite as enjoyable.

One more thing: be sure to read Frankel’s after-notes, which brings her novel full-circle and will make you smile. But don’t peek; instead, start “This Is How It Always Is” from the beginning and savor it properly. It’ll make you want to tell everyone.

“This Is How It Always Is” by Laurie Frankel c.2017, Flatiron Books $25.99 / $26.99 Canada 329 pages

SOCIAL COMMENTARY

BLACK IS THE COLOR OF LOVE

BY DR. STEPHAN M. SCOGGINS

Happy Mother’s Day! In the African American community and certainly in the Maury Povich community we hear the expression, “Mother’s baby, Daddy’s maybe”. Of course, there have been many situations where it wasn’t Daddy’s baby…at all. Today, I would like to address the, “Significance of a Mother.” I recently attended the funeral of a friend’s mother, who had given birth to 16 children. The most unique phenomenon of a mother is that regardless if all of the children are in the same space, there is an individualized need and perception of that mother’s love, that mother’s attention, that mother’s touch, from each child.

From the movies to real life, psychiatrist and psychologists start many sessions with, “Tell me about your relationship with your mother”. Here’s a thought, what about the session starting with, “Tell me about the choices in life YOU are taking ownership of?”

Many years ago, in some of the African American churches, if a young girl became pregnant, she was “required” to go to the front of the church as ask the CHURCH for forgiveness. Even as I child I questioned, “Why don’t the boys have to ask for forgiveness? Didn’t they have something to do the girls becoming pregnant? So, it was even back then, I saw the discriminatory practices towards women and mothers.

When I entered the dating world, as a “mama’s boy”, the biggest turn off for me was hearing men and women go on tyrants of how much they disliked their mother. Also, it makes the person complaining about their mother appear bitter and crazy. Back in the day, when I was on a date and held hostage listening to all of that…”pain”, I would always shut it down by saying, “And that happened when?” It’s nothing worse than hearing a 50 year-old hoe, talk about what his mother didn’t do. (Smile) That is when they even realize how ridiculous it sounds, especially when I am treating them to a delicious dinner at Popeye’s, on a Tuesday, with my 2for1 coupon. How rude of them to cheapen the personalized dinner that I have coordinated for them, with expectations of an obligation of sex to follow. While I realize every mother is not June Cleaver or Claire

Huxtable, every mother did something that NO ONE else did, they got you here! Additionally, there are no prerequisites for becoming a mother. Personally, err-body, male and female should be put on birth control implants until we are of damn sound mind. Uh oh! That means MOST of us would NEVER become parents.

As we celebrate this Mother’s Day month, if you didn’t or don’t have the best of experiences with your mother, try and use this time to reflect on what kind of mother you ARE or SHOULD be or what kind you THINK you WOULD be?

Granted, some mothers are riddled with depression, drug addictions, mental disorders, etc. Should mothers actually be held responsible for things they couldn’t POSSIBLY know? It is my belief that, in general, the things that mothers fail to do for their children, with the exception of the aforementioned disabilities, is related more to their lack of knowledge. While I’m sure it happens, I don’t, personally, know mothers who are “clothed in their right mind” who actively say, “I don’t want to help my children”.

It is my prayer during this Mother’s Day season that we pause to consider the fear, the beauty, the joy, and the sheer awesomeness of mothers. For many who have lost their mothers, they say, “I would give anything to hear her voice.” Well, for those of us who have our mothers, let’s call her so that we can hear her voice.

We would like to ask all of our many readers to email us at info@BlackIsTheColorOfLove.com and tell us, “What is a pleasant or funny experience that frequently comes to mind when you think of your mother? (Biological or by choice mother) We will post the responses in the next issue, however confidentiality will be maintained.

Please accept this personal invitation to visit www.BlackIsTheColorOfLove.com and learn about educational and scholarship opportunities for people of all ages, people 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.

Dr. Stephan Scoggins

MAY 2017 39

WRITER SPOTLIGHT

LINDA BERGERSEN HOLISTIC NUTRITIONIST

Anyone considering becoming healthy, a great source of nutritional help and information is right here in Palm Springs. Linda Bergersen has helped many improve their lives just by teaching them the good and bad of our everyday foods. Over the years, besides the usual one-on-one personal meetings with clients, she has lectured to groups about diabetes, weight loss, supplements and more.

Food is what it is all about – disease and obesity. And this is why she wrote her book, “So, You Think You Eat Healthy?” The title comes from the fact that so many people will tell her that they don’t need advice because they ‘already eat healthy,’ yet once Linda gets into what they eat, she finds most of the time it’s not so, because they’re receiving the wrong information.

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Linda received a master’s in holistic nutrition twelve years ago, and it’s her passion. She has been a contributing writer for HuffingtonPost.com for more than six years, as well as for other online news sites, to help get the right information out to people.

She wants everyone to know that most health issues like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and more can be overcome through the combination of diet and supplements, but there is so much to know about nutritional supplements before anyone attempts to purchase any for any type of health issue.

The one issue most difficult for people to overcome is type 2 diabetes, and she attributes this to the person’s frame of mind.

own meals or want to.” Plus, again, there is so much misinformation.

She has helped many become non-diabetic, yet sees maybe half revert back. “There must be a strong will and motivation.”

Natural healing has many naysayers because she sees the drug culture has taken over the minds of patients and doctors. Linda is an advocate of supplements over prescription drugs, maintaining that most drugs do more harm than good. One of her top objectives is to help clients get off their drugs. “So many drugs,” she says, “are prescribed because of the side effects that are caused by other drugs a person is taking. Our society is very over-medicated.”

All she wants to do is help people learn how natural healing works, and how they can remedy their issues naturally, and she’s ready to help.

“Type 2 diabetes is totally out of control. It is strictly a food-related disease. It is so hard to give up the comfort foods that people have eaten all their years, and also so many do not know how to cook their

Linda Larrowe Bergersen Holistic Nutritionist, MS llbergersen@gmail.com 760.699.8765

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.

MAY 2017 41

OUR VOICE

THIS IS AMERICA

BY SUSAN SURFTONE

Donald Trump has changed America in his first 100 days. Of this I have no doubt as I experienced the change firsthand on a recent flight from Los Angeles to Portland, OR. The flight was about an hour late leaving LA and was full. I was seated in the back in seat 28D on the aisle. Three white males were traveling together in seats 27 A, B and C. The flight was uneventful. Passengers deplaned in typical fashion and with a full plane it was slow going. I was up in the aisle ready to go with a few people including a little girl about four years old behind me also ready to go. The three males in row 27 waited until the plane was completely empty in front of us before they even got up. The flight crew was in the front of the plane. As I went past them the man in the aisle seat stood up and blocked my way with his arm actually pushing me back a bit. I must say I was tempted to see if my FBI training, although a bit rusty, would have allowed me to inflict some damage on that arm. Our FBI trainers said you never forget. However, I wanted to go home as did the people behind me and that little girl didn’t need to see an altercation. I like the airline and want to continue flying with them and I like my TSA pre check status. I also didn’t want to be on the local news or go viral on social media so restraint was the better part of valor. I did comment on his rudeness and then it started.

The dyke/lesbian taunts. I haven’t heard those in decades and maybe never in a place like a commercial plane. So I have these three white males in front of me calling me names. I answered keeping it low key and civil. Then I heard one of them say, “This is America”.

What? When that is said to you it has an impact. What does that imply? This is America and I am lesser than you? I guess so. I had an answer and that led to more taunts. By now we were walking down the aisle and onto the Jetway. I heard one of them say “This is Portland not San Francisco”. Good thing he knew that because as soon as we got into the terminal they were lost. I had my last laugh and walked to the exit while they stood there befuddled.

Donald Trump has changed us. In his America white males can manhandle a woman who dares to step ahead of them. Public taunting of people deemed “other” is fine because this is America. This is only the first 100 days of the Trump Administration. In those first 100 days we see the same buffoon we saw on the campaign trail. He didn’t

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change as some hoped he would. But he’s changing us. We are nervous about North Korea and doubt his and his generals’ ability to keep us from escalation. I live on the west coast and I am concerned. I worry about the other “nuclear option” that will make our Supreme Court the final leg of a triad completing the right wing partisan takeover of our government. That next appointment will destroy us if Donald Trump makes it with Mitch McConnell as majority leader in the Senate.

We are really getting convinced the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to defeat Hillary Clinton and we need an independent investigation now not later. We are pretty sure the Trump family is making money off us. We’ll never see those tax returns. It’s Donald Trump’s world and we just live in it. And it’s only the first 100 days.

Don’t forget the wall and health care. He is tearing us apart in ways that will take us decades to repair. I will not see it in my lifetime.

The taxi driver on the way to LAX was a Mexican man in the upper range of middle age. He was an American citizen and he was informed about the issues. We had a nice talk. He told me he started a small trucking business when he came here from Mexico and employed twelve people. He takes his daughters with him when he votes so they learn how important it is. I told him I do some political writing. When we got to LAX he got out of the cab and we shook hands. We were both Hillary supporters. This is a tale of two Americas.

We know which one is the real America. Now what are we going to do about it?

thank you AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY’S

28TH ANNUAL

DESERT SPIRIT GALA

Pineapples &Palms

THE DESERT’S PREMIER GALA TO FIGHT CANCER

The American Cancer Society would like to thank all of the sponsors and attendees of the 28th Annual Desert Spirit Gala.

Because of the tireless effort and generous contributions of all involved, this one-day event raised over $175,000 in proceeds.

Until there’s a cure, we will continue to fight against this devastating disease.

GOLD PLUS SPONSOR HAROLD MATZNER

SILVER SPONSOR CONTOUR DERMATOLOGY

BRONZE SPONSORS ACCORD MEDIATION AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER AT DESERT REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER DESERT OASIS HEALTHCARE FAMILY HOSPICE CARE

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR VENUE SPONSOR WENDY AND DICK HECKMANN

www.DesertSpirit.net

MAY 2017 43

the3D’s RESTAURANTS VILLAGE PUB 266 S. Palm Canyon Drive Palm Springs, CA 760.323.3265 www.palmspringsvillagepub.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

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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 COME SAIL AWAY

2017 TRAVEL TIPS

MAY 2017 45

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EVENTS CALENDAR

MAY 11-14 PALM SPRINGS HOT RODEO The annual rodeo festival, produced by the Greater Palm Springs Chapter of the Golden State Gay Rodeo Association (GSGRA), will welcome hundreds of rodeo enthusiasts and fun-seekers for a full weekend of dancing, drinking, pool parties, contests and a real country fair. Rodeo Competition, Festivities and Country Fair will be held on May 11 - 14 at the AC Dysart Equestrian Park in Banning, CA. The remainder of the Hot Rodeo events will be held in Palm Springs and Cathedral City and at host hotel Baymont Inn & Suites. www.psrodeo.org

Using anecdotes, written history, his own detective work even, gulp gossip as well as additional stories about celebrities not included in the book, David will reveal the inside skinny about the LGBT history of Palm Springs and the people, including film superstars (like Greta Garbo and Rock), who created today’s LGBT friendly environment. For tickets call 760-416-7790 www.thecenterps.org Seating is limited so call your reservation in right away!

MAY 19 HARVEY MILK DIVERSITY BREAKFAST. PALM SPRINGS CONVENTION CENTER A monthly Real Estate & Lifestyle Network Party for the Real Estate Industry and related professionals. Promote your business, expand your contacts bring your business cards and have fun. Prize drawings. For info visit www.RealEstateLifestyleNetwork.com

MAY 13 & 20 THE GAY & LESBIAN HISTORY OF PALM SPRINGS. THE LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER OF THE DESERT Join David Wallace, nationally recognized author and historian, as he traces the LGBT history of Palm Springs. David will base much of the program on his popular book, A City Comes Out - How Celebrities Made Palm Springs a Gay and Lesbian Paradise.

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and transgender umbrella all welcome. Portion of proceeds to benefit the Raina Chessman Fund. For more info www.transcc.org

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

DBA EVENTS FOR MORE INFO VISIT WWW.DESERTBUSINESSASSOCIATION.ORG ONGOING >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TG MONDAYS. TRANSGENDER SOCIAL EVENT Every second Monday of the month, Transgender Social Hour discussing advocacy, transitioning & HRT. Allies, respectful admirers,

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!

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EVENTS CALENDAR 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

HRH DRAG BRUNCH. HARD ROCK HOTEL PALM SPRINGS The legendary Arial Trampway will present an extravagant performance for patrons every Sunday at the DRG, or Divas of Rock and Glam, BRNCH. Each show will feature Arial and her sister performers singing fan favorites in true Hard Rock spirit. $35 pp including bottomless mimosas, Bloody Marys and Bellini’s. To reserve your seat to the hottest show in town, visit OpenTable.com/ The Kitchen Restaurant at Hard Rock Hotel Palm Springs.

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

MAY 26 - JUN 4

WORLD OUT GAMES 2017 MIAMI, FLORIDA The World Out Games is being held in Miami - a week of sports, culture, parties and a human rights forum for the LGBTQI community and its supporters. Participants can choose from 17 different sports, including: Swimming, Hockey, Golf, Football (Soccer), Softball, Athletics and many more!

You don’t need to be an elite athlete or have a team. Register as an individual or with your regular sporty tribe. Be competitive or as social as you want to be. www.outgames.org

MAY 18 - 21

AQUA GIRL 2017 MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA Aqua Girl, started in 1999, is a five-day party in Miami Beach for women who love other women. The proceeds from Aqua Girl benefit the Aqua Foundation for Women, a not-for-profit foundation that serves the lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community in Southern Florida. www.aquagirl.org

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MAY 18 - 21

TEXAS BEAR ROUND-UP DALLAS, TEXAS We are proud to announce our new Host Hotel - the Hyatt Regency Downtown Dallas.

The Hyatt Regency and Reunion Tower are Dallas skyline icons. Our new host hotel will bring to life the dreams and aspirations we have had for TBRU for many, many years.

A spacious hotel, awesome guest rooms, a one-hotel configuration, plenty of socializing spaces and lots more.

We are putting together a fabulous weekend. We will have many of the familiar traditions you have grown to love at TBRU and now with our new space we can add some new features and events. www.tbru.org

JUN 1 - 4

MAY 20 - 21

JUN 2 - 11

LONG BEACH GAY PRIDE LONG BEACH, CA Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride was established in 1983, and produced the first annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival & Parade in 1984. It’s now the 3rd largest in the US, with more than 75K participants over two days, and more than 200 marching groups and floats in the parade. www.longbeachpride.com

WOMEN OF COLOR WEEKEND 2017 PROVINCETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS The four-day event brings lesbians of color and their friends together from all over the country to network, party, bond, and take over Ptown. An outstanding line-up of events always includes dance parties, a pool party, a gospel brunch, tequila and wine tasting, and more. www.provincetownforwomen.com

BOSTON PRIDE WEEK BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Celebrating its 47th year, Boston Pride’s focus is to achieve inclusivity, equality, respect, and awareness in Greater Boston and beyond. Pride fosters diversity, unity, visibility, and dignity, by building and strengthening community connections through education, communication, and advocacy. www.bostonpride.org

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EVENTS CALENDAR

MAY 1 - 14

INTERNATIONAL DUBLIN GAY THEATRE FESTIVAL DUBLIN, IRELAND The Dublin Gay Theatre Festival is an annual event, celebrating contribution of gay people to theatre, past and present.

The Festival was founded in 2004 to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Oscar Wilde, in his native city. With an emphasis on new or recent international and Irish works with a broadly gay theme or relevance, the Festival has grown to become the largest event of its type in the world. www.gaytheatre.ie

MAY 4 - 14

MASPALOMAS PRIDE MASPALOMAS GRAND CANARY ISLAND For those who have never experienced the Pride of Maspalomas, a surprise awaits you! The days are filled with various events: festivals, exhibitions, parades, tours, shows, and concerts, along with your favorite restaurants and bars in and around the Yumbo Centre joining in the fun! So make yourself look fabulous and join in the Pride celebrations with us, together with dancers, singers, and drag queens! Are you ready for the craziest and most fun Pride festival in the World? www.maspalomaspride.es

MAY 13 - 27

GAYSAIL ATHENS-MYKONOS-SANTORINI – ATHENS, GREECE A wonderful gay sailing cruise in Greece to the gay Island of Mykonos! A sailing holiday that starts in Athens, on this gay sailing trip you can join one or two weeks. The second week we sail from Mykonos Island to the Island Santorini and back to Mykonos. Both weeks have a distinct route with different ports, bays and islands. Let our gay skipper guide you over the Greek seas. www.gailsail.com

MAY 25 - 29

AMSTERDAM FETISH PRIDE 2017 AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS Amsterdam, the lively city and Capital of Holland, will be the heart of Amsterdam Fetish Pride in 2017. The capital of Holland has been a cultural and creative center for centuries. It is its people that have made the city unique; Amsterdam is very lively and energetic. Its inhabitants are known for their friendly, tolerant and cosmopolitan nature. The fetish scene meets up during this second biggest fetish event of the year in Amsterdam.

MAY 21 - 28

PUERTO VALLARTA PRIDE PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO For the fifth consecutive year, Puerto Vallarta will welcome the largest LGBT Pride event in the region: Vallarta Pride.

Associations, companies and the entire LGBT community have joined together again to organize this event that celebrates the lifestyle diversity of our city in an 8-day festival that will offer arts and culture events, concerts, entertainment, films, fun, lots of partying and our fabulous Pride Parade. www.vallartapride.com

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

MAY 2017 49

PHOTO REWIND NCLR PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE STANDARD MAGAZINE STAFF

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PHOTO REWIND NCLR PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE STANDARD MAGAZINE STAFF

MAY 2017 51

PHOTO REWIND THE DINAH PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE STANDARD MAGAZINE STAFF

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PHOTO REWIND ONE NIGHT ONLY PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

MAY 2017 53

PHOTO REWIND OCOTILLO CLUB PARTY PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID A. LEE

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MAY 2017 55

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