Issuu

2 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • August 16-29, 2011 • Of fic ial Sout her n Dec adenc e Guide• Sout her nDec adenc e.COM

GayMardiGras.COM • GayNew Orleans.COM • Gay East erParade.COM • August 16-29, 2011 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 3

celebrazzi (celebrations-paparazzi)

he cast of the first Southern Decadence Charity Fundraiser is to be congratulated for raising $1,302 for NO/AIDS Task Force at Show Bar of the Year JohnPaul's in New Orleans honoring Southern Decadence Grand Marshals XXXVII Misael Rubio and Tiffany Alexander.

ourbon Pub Parade’s Sandy Sachs and Susan Reyes joins Oz Host Frankie Fierce at the 19th annual Oh, What A Drag raising over $3,500 for NO/AIDS Task Force Food for Friends during the annual Turnabout Show at Bourbon Pub Parade in New Orleans.

outhern Decadence Grand Marshals XXXVII Tiffany Alexander and Misael Rubio join the cast for the second Southern Decadence Charity Fundraiser hosted at Club LAX in Metairie raising $1,752 for NO/AIDS Task Force.

r. Rikki Redd and Mr. Imani Cassadine emceed the annual Tubby’s Golden Lantern Turnabout Show in New Orleans raising $1,000 for ARNO (Animal Rescue New Orleans) no kill shelter.

The

D ifferre ence… Diffe

Ev e r y Edit ion On-line Eve EVERY AD! EVERY COLUMN! EVERY PHOTO! EVERY NEWS STORY!

AMBUSH

MAG.COM 8 28

Busine ss! Suc c e ss! Long e vit y! Longe ,000 R eader s in P rint & 650,000 Re aders Print z GM Tommy Elias joins Southern Decadence Grand Marshal Over 650 .5 Million R eader s Online 3.5 Re aders XXXVII Tiffany Alexander along with Oz host Persana Shoulders for Over 3

the Cocktail Reception/Poster Signing at Oz in New Orleans raising some $400 for NO/AIDS Task Force.

Online statistics independently verified. 828-A Bourbon St. • New Orleans •504.522.8049 • marsha@ripandmarsha.com

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SDGM XXXVII Tiffany Alexander in SD Charity fundraiser @ JohnPaul’s

Al Dugas, Queen Petronius Bootsie Deville & Queen Amon-Ra Tami Tarmac @ SD Charity fundraiser @ JohnPaul's

Starr Alexander @ Club LAX for SD Charity fundraiser

SDGM Bywater-Marigny Bar Crawl kicks off @ Bywater BBQ Patio Bar

Hot @ the Phoenix for the SDGM Bywater-Marigny Bar Crawl

SDGMs Tiffany & Misael join bar baron Toby @ Club LAX raising $1,752 for SD Charity SDGMs XXXVII Tiffany Alexander & Misael Rubio with bartender Bert @ The Country Club

SDGM Bywater-Marigny Bar Crawl arrives @ Show Bar of the Year JohnPaul’s

SDGMs Tiffany & Misael do Poster signing @ Oz Checking out the pool @ The Country Club

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Sean Michael & Engender’s Corynne Deville @ JohnPaul’s for SDGM Bar Crawl

paparazzi

SDGM XXXIII Regina Adams joins SD Charity fundraiser @ JohnPaul’s Princesse Stephaney honors Amy Winehouse @ Oz’s SD Poster signing

Raquel Chevallier, SDGMs Tiffany & Misael with Dominique DeLorean @ SD Charity fundraiser @ Club LAX in Metairie

In for the SD Poster signing @ Oz

Big Dddy’s next on the SDGM Bywater-Marigny Bar Crawl

Leonard, Frankie & Jim join SDGM Bar Crawl @ JohnPaul’s

SDGM Bywater-Marigny Bar Crawl stops in @ Cutter’s

More SDGM Bar Crawl @ the Phoenix

6 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • August 16-29, 2011 • Of fic ial Sout her n Dec adenc e Guide• Sout her nDec adenc e.COM

SDGM Charity Fundraisers & Bywater-Marigny Bar Crawl ~ New Orleans, Metairie ~ Photos by Frankie Fierce, Tony Leggio

Al Dugas & Dwain Hertz join SDGM XXXVII Misael Rubio @ JohnPaul’s for SD Charity event

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the "official" dish by Rip & Marsha Naquin-Delain Email: marsha@ripandmarsha.com

40th Anniversary of Southern Decadence Aug. 31st-Sept. 5th

he 40th Anniversary of Southern Decadence over Labor Day Weekend is set for Wednesday, August 31st through Labor Day, Monday, September 5th. There are a flurry of activities and events leading up to the 37th annual Southern Decadence Parade on Sunday, September 4th. As the parade winds through the streets of the French Quarter, you will get to see all the outrageous fun led by Southern Decadence Grand Marshals XXXVII Misael Rubio and Tiffany Alexander followed by the annual Southern Decadence Bead Toss at Ambush Headquarters, 828 Bourbon Street. As you flip through the Official Southern Decadence Guide, you will find all of the events, parties and activities celebrating "Gay Life, Music and Culture" throughout the city. Visit SouthernDecadence.COM for a complete list of events. The 2011 theme chosen by the Grand Marshals is Viva New Orleans: What Happens in New Orleans Stays in New Orleans while the "official" song is Fireworks by Katy Perry. The "official" colors are fuchsia pink, black and silver, while the "official" Southern Decadence Charity is NO/AIDS Task Force. The 2011 Southern Decadence Sponsors include Absolut, Ambush Mag, Bacardi, Bud Light, GrahamStudioOne.COM. Harrah's New Orleans, Quartermaster: The Nellie Deli, Sir Speedy Printing and SouthernDecadence.COM.

Bourbon Pub & Parade Disco Kicks Off Southern Decadence Weekend with Message of Marriage Equality

n Thursday, September 1 Bourbon Pub & Parade Disco owner Sandy Sachs (pictured) will host the NOH8 Campaign Photo Shoot, by photographer Adam Bouska and partner Jeff Parshley. A studio will be set up on the second floor of the Pub opening up the opportunity for New Orleans residents and Southern Decadence visitors to join the campaign. Weekend ticket information is available at www.bourbonpub.com. According to Sachs, “The photo shoot will begin at 3pm and will continue until at least 6pm.” Sachs adds, “The Bourbon Pub is proud to support the goal for marriage equality and can think of no better way to kick off the revelry and festivities of Southern Decadence.” Anyone that would like to join the NOH8 Campaign is asked to wear a plain white shirt to match the look of the signature photos. A solo NOH8 photo will require a fee of $40 per person while any group or couple photos will require a $25 fee per person in the photo. A digital copy of the final selection will be

inside

Giant Southern Decadence Issue out Aug. 30 DEADLINE: Fri., Aug. 19

snap paparazzi/nola, metairie the "official" dish under the gaydar travel paparazzi/reno, lake tahoe chop chop snap paparazzi/new orleans 40th southern decadence mobile paparazzi

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classifieds acadiana happens/lafayette acadiana paparazzi/lafayette community within communities pensacola paparazzi ambush paparazzi/new orleans halloween/hno28 trodding the boards

32 36 38 40 42 44 45 46

Gulf South Entertainment/Travel Guide Since 1982 828-A Bourbon St. • New Orleans, LA 70116-3137 • 504.522.8049 marsha@ripandmarsha.com

retouched and made available through www.NOH8Campaign.com. Funds raised by the charitable campaign are tax deductible and will be used to continue promoting and raising awareness for marriage equality and anti-discrimination. Bourbon Pub & Parade-New Orleans was recently ranked as one of the world’s Top 10 Gay Bars and Clubs that “Cannot be Missed,” according to experts at GayTravel.com and is New Orleans’ largest gay & lesbian bar and nightclub operating continuously for over 37 years.

Oz Announces Southern Decadence Lineup

oining in the celebration and tradition of Southern Decadence XL, Oz New Orleans is proud to offer the best music and dance experience, complete with a new light show for all attendees. Oz takes great pride in revealing GuySpy.com as the newest sponsor for its Labor Day/Southern Decadence weekend events and parties. Look for the posters and banners, and the crew from GuySpy will be offering a chance to win an Ipad via TEXT TO WIN. Kick Off the weekend Thursday, September 1 with a midnight strip-off hosted by Persana Shoulders. The best body, chosen by the audience, wins! A New Orleans classic, Bianca del Rio returns to Oz for the mega-party weekend. She’ll be greeting guests and hosting events each night as well as the Southern Decadence edition of The Bianca del Rio Show on Sunday. Look for Persana Shoulders and Blanche Debris who will be on hand to make your Decadence experience memorable. Non-stop music will be provided by guest DJs Roland Belmares (Friday); Manny Lehman (Saturday) and Phil B. (Sunday), plus resident DJs Tim Pflueger, Bull, Brian Hartman and Devil on Ice. Johnny Eubanks is manning the light console all weekend. Look for the ultra-hot Men of Oz dancing on the bars all weekend. Absolut Vodka is sponsoring the Saturday events at Oz, including DJ Manny Lehman’s return to the booth at New Orleans’ Number 1 Gay Dance Club. This year’s events will be led by Southern Decadence Grand Marshals

Misael Rubio and Tiffany Alexander culminating with the annual Southern Decadence Parade through the streets of the French Quarter on Sunday. Look for the Oz float with its own Grand Damme Blanche Debris as Grand Duchess in the Friday Knights of Decadence Parade. Weekend passes for Oz are available at www.OzNewOrleans.com. OnLine purchases may be picked up at Oz beginning Thursday, September 1, after 1pm. Additional passes may be available for cash purchase at Oz during the weekend. Southern Decadence weekend events at Oz are sponsored by www.JustCircuit.com, [continued on 12]

THE OFFICIAL MAG

Gulf South Entertainment/Travel Guide Since 1982 • Texas-Florida Official Gay Easter Parade Guide Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide Official Gay New Orleans Guide Official Southern Decadence Guide OFFICE/SHIPPING ADDRESS: 828-A Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116-3137 USA OFFICE HOURS: 10am-3pm Monday-Friday [Except Holidays] Email: marsha@ripandmarsha.com PHONE: 1.504.522.8049 ANNUAL READERSHIP: 650,000+ in print/3.5 Million+ On-line NATIONAL CIRCULATION: USA... Alabama-Mobile Florida - Pensacola Louisiana - Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Metairie, New Orleans, Slidell Mississippi - Biloxi, Hattiesburg Texas - Austin

STAFF: PUBLISHER/EDITOR R. Rip Naquin-Delain, New Orleans PRODUCTION DIRECTOR M. Marsha Naquin-Delain, New Orleans GULF SOUTH/NEW ORLEANS AD SALES Rip Naquin-Delain • 504.522.8049 NEW ORLEANS AD SALES Paul Melancon 504.535.3615 THEATRE/PERFORMING ARTS CRITIC Brian Sands AD REPS/JOURNALISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Joey Collins-Lafayette, LA Tony Leggio, Jeff Palmquist, Steve Patrick, Frankie Wingerter-New Orleans Bob Brunson, Cieanne & John, Leon WeekleyMobile, AL Lauren Mitchell-Pensacola, FL Roy Williams-Pensacola, FL NATIONAL ADVERTISING REP Rivendell Media~212.242.6863 AMBUSH Mag is published on alternate Tuesdays of each month by Ambush, Inc., R. Rip Naquin-Delain, President. Advertising, Copy & Photo DEADLINE is alternate Tuesdays, 4pm, prior to publication week, accepted via e-mail only: marsha@ripandmarsha.com, except for special holidays. The Publisher assumes no responsibility for the claims of advertisers and has the right to reject any advertising. The inclusion of an individual's name or photograph in this publication implies nothing about that individual's sexual orientation. Letters, stories, etc., appearing herein are not necessarily the opinion of the Publisher or Staff of AMBUSH Mag. Subscription rate is $45 for 1/2 Year; $75 for 1 year. Sample Copy is $3 First Class Mail. ©1982-2011, AMBUSH, INC., ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NOTHING HEREIN MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER INCLUDING AD LAYOUTS, MAPS and PHOTOS. AMgrant - AMbush Advertising Grant Donation

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Star Studded Event at the Phoenix

he Phoenix Bar is planning a (Porn) Star Studded Event this year for Southern Decadence. Beginning on Thursday, September 1st through Monday, September 5th, there will be models dancing on the stage nightly. Steven Richards will be dancing nightly beginning at 9pm. He is 6ft. 2in., 170 pounds, hazel eyes and dark hair with huge attributes. He has appeared in several movies for Raging Stallions, Falcon and Hot House studios. Ricky Sinz will be dancing Thursday through Sunday night beginning at 11pm. He is an exclusive model with Raging Stallion Studios and will be here representing Gun Oil Lube. Besides dancing on the bar each night

Ricky Sinz you will be able to get his autograph at the Gun Oil Lube booth at the Phoenix Block Party both Friday and Saturday nights beginning at 9pm. Michael Brandon will be making a return appearance to Southern Decadence. He will be exclusively at the

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9am-5pm Mon.-Fri. 9am-12noon Sat.. beginning at 10pm. Come meet Cole Streets and while you are at it, show the bartender your Manhunt.net app. and get draft beer for $2. If that is not enough testosterone flowing through the bar. Then the Phoenix is bringing them from across the Ocean. MenintoGear.com is one of the hottest and fastest growing fetish

Phoenix for the weekend. You can see Michael on stage beginning at midnight from Thursday through Sunday. Michael along with the Lords of Leather will be hosting an “Inappropriate Behavior” party upstairs at the Eagle bar on Saturday, September 3rd from 6pm until 9pm. $20 will get you an open bar and a chance to meet Michael up close and personal. For tickets stop by the bar or call Clint at 504.460.7655. Manhunt.net will be bringing along with them Cole Streets. He will be making an appearance at the Phoenix Bar both Saturday and Sunday nights

websites and they are bringing in some of the sexiest models that the United States has ever seen. Alek Martin and CutlerX will be at the block party both Friday and Saturday nights. Cutlers claim to fame is that he is huge in the right department. However, if you cannot wait until Southern Decadence to see some of the hottest men that will be in town visit their websites.

Candy Samples Brings ‘Sweet Scandal’ to NOLA for Southern Decadence 2011!

he mistress of the microphone, that ginger-haired classic, Candy Samples will be back in New Orleans serving up Sunday Services on Sunday, September 4 at Michael’s on the Park (834 N. Rampart at Dumaine) from 11:30am– 1:30pm. Sponsored by Decadent Ducks, Ms. Samples’ show is a benefit for NO/AIDS Task Force Food for Friends. With her original tunes and signature evening gloves, Candy has become a fixture in the Southern Decadence celebration. Her show is in its third year and audiences will be in for a treat as she has just released a new single, “Sweet Scandal” available on iTunes and Amazon.com as a digital download. Ripped from the headlines, “Sweet Scandal” is Candy’s latest comment on the trend of political and celebrity scandals that monopolize the news. Whether Lindsay and her sticky fingers or Anthony Wiener unsure if that is actually his crotch he’s tweeting across America, Candy raises up the ante. [continued on 14]

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under the gaydar by Tony Leggio Email: tonymgp@hotmail.com Photo by: Larry Graham, GrahamStudioOne.COM

Get Ready to Be Depreciated!

oting has now started for the Gay Depreciation Awards, so cast your ballots for your “favorite” person or business in each category. And if you think the categories are uproarious, then wait till you see the awards ceremony. The Gay Depreciation Awards will take place on Friday, September 9 at 8pm at JohnPaul’s Bar. Your emcees for the evening will be none other than Elizabeth Bouvier and yours truly. Be prepared for a night of riotous entertainment, scandalous announcements and raucous humor. Think of it as a roast for people in the gay community. Voting will continue until Tuesday, September 6, so keep those votes coming in. Voting is easy; you click on the link http:// w w w . b a l l o t b i n . c o m / voterReg.php?b=24681, insert your email, then a link is sent to your ad-

the "official" dish ...from 12 “Why not just admit it,” says the podcasting Queen of Astoria, Queens. “Own up to your freaky-deaky ways and move on. The world has bigger fish to fry”, exclaims Samples. “That’s what ‘Sweet Scandal’ is all about.”

Southern Decadence goers will be happy to see a brand-new video for the track playing in video bars throughout the French Quarter and Ms. Samples will be performing the track at Sunday Services, as well. “It’s the ‘Tap Tap’ of 2011,” says Candy, referring to her 2008 Larry Craig inspired track, which also made its debut in NOLA. Candy’s

dress. Once you receive that, vote away. You get one vote per email address. Remember this is just for fun and should be taken lightly. I believe laughing at yourself can be very therapeutic, at least that it what I am telling myself since I am sure I will be nominated in several of these categories. The categories are as follows: Most Boring Gay Event Worst Bar Bathroom Best Drug Bar Hustler of the Year Player of the Year Fag Hag of the Year Worst Drag Performer of the Year Biggest Passed Around Party Bottom Most Monogamous Couple Social Climbing Award of Excellence Best Gay Scandal/Drama Bartender Most In Need of A Career Change [continued on 16]

videos to “If I Had Only Left (Two Shots Earlier)” and “Boy Crazy” have all been Southern Decadence party favorites. Decadent Ducks is a social travel club and will be bringing over 400 guests to the Southern Decadence celebration. More information about events that Decadent Ducks are hosting can be found on their website at www.DecadentDucksNewOrleans.com. In 2010 Sunday Services helped raise over $1,800 for Food for Friends and Ms. Samples is ready to do it again, bigger and better. She’s gotten herself a new venue, performing at Michael’s on the Park where she’ll be passing the collection plate to benefit Food For Friends along with offering raffle prizes and giveaways. “We all come down to party Decadence-style, but there’s always time to do some good in the world. The folks at Food for Friends are wonderful and provide a much needed service for the community. We should all be using our ‘Powers for Good’ and helping out our brothers and sisters in need”. Be sure to check out Candy in her Sunday Services at Michael’s on the Park (834 N. Rampart) from 11:30am to 1:30pm and check out her previous CD releases (Sample This! & Sample That!), all available on iTunes and Amazon.com. For more information go to www.samplemycandy.com.

SouthernDecadence.COM

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under the gaydar ...from 14 Most Closeted Homosexual Nelliest Gay Man Butchest Bull Dyke Sissiest Leather Man Biggest Douchebag of the Year Hottest Mess of the Year Now I am sure that you know someone in each of these categories that would not be me, so keep that in mind when voting. But let’s talk about the award night; there will be special performances, fabulous drink specials and surprising results. There is a minor $5 cover charge. We are expecting a large crowd, so get there early if you want seating, we will not have reserved seating for the event. And stay after the show for the girls of ForePlay.

Movie Review: 30 Minutes or Less

0 Minutes or Less is definitely one of those mindless summer fun movies. The premise is basic, having seen it done before as thrillers, so the concept of making it a comedy was refreshing. Two bungling criminals Dwayne played by Danny McBride from HBO’s Eastbound & Down and Nick Swardson best known for his role in Reno 911! concoct a plan to kill the former’s father for insurance money. Dwayne’s father is played by the delightful Fred Ward, who does the most with the little screen time he has. The one hitch stopping their plan is the contract killer costs one hundred grand. In order to raise the money, they kidnap Nick, a pizza delivery boy played by the wonderfully deadpan Jesse Eisenberg, strap a bomb to his chest

and force him to rob a bank. As with all action comedies, chaos ensues and what we get is lots of car chases, mistaken identities and flamethrowers. Eisenberg is reunited again with Director Ruben Fleischer who brought us the hysterical Zombieland. And although this outing is nothing new or unique to the genre, the actors make the most of their roles. The movie’s standout performance for me was Aziz Ansari as Nick’s best friend Chet. He is nothing short of comic genius, stealing every scene he is in with finesse. Currently, he stars in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. 30 Minutes or Less has many great scenes, but in the end does not deliver an entirely satisfying movie. The entire film is played as a screwball comedy, then the final twenty minutes turns darker with the deaths becoming all too real. The movie does not make this transition very well and even though your assumptions of what happens to the characters are clear, the movie never ties up the loose ends to show anyone’s real fates. The ending feels very rushed leaving this viewer feeling unhappy. But it does deliver on some really humorous moments making it worth seeing, but ultimately never crossing the line from average movie to outstanding one. This is undeniably a medium box of popcorn movie.

Reno 411!

n an earlier issue, we said Ambush was going to go on the road, here is the first installment. Traveling is one of my greatest loves, exploring new places has always been a passion of mine. Recently I had the opportunity to travel to Reno, Nevada for a conference and added a few days to explore the city and the surrounding environs. What I discovered was an area rich in fun, history, charm, beauty and yes, a little naughtiness. I landed in Reno on Sunday morning and took the complimentary airport shuttle to my hotel, the Silver Legacy Resort Casino. The hotel was quite the complex, having a spectacular 120 foot fully automated antique mining rig set in the center of the property under the world’s largest composite dome with laser and light shows. Add to this, shops, nightclubs, six restaurants, a full service hotel, spa, convention facilities and of course huge casino floor and you have a property that rivals Vegas. The staff was friendly and efficient, checking me into my room readily. Which by the way, the suites were breathtaking. My room had a view of the city on one side and the mountain ranges on the other. A jacuzzi was positioned in the room overlooking the city; talk about relaxation.

I was in Reno for the National Association of Catering Executives’ (NACE) annual conference, which brings together catering and event planning professionals from around the country for education and networking. After registering for the conference, some fellow travelers from NOLA joined me for lunch at Café Sedona, one of the many restaurants in the hotel. The food was a mixture of Asian and American cuisine. The décor was open and bright and the food was superior. The NACE conference mixes educational seminars with amazing parties. The opening reception was at legendary Virginia City. We boarded buses for the thirty minute jaunt to Virginia City which was a step back into Nevada’s Wild West days. What an experience; the main street of the city has been restored to the grand days of yore, when the city was considered the most important settlement between Denver and San Francisco. At the peak of its glory, Virginia City was a boisterous town where gold was found in every hill and millions of dollars were being made. People came from everywhere. The spirits of these Comstock characters still inhabit the places they built, and 150 years later romance and adventure still thrive in the wondrous place in the shadow of Sun Mountain. Being a writer, probably my most fascinating discovery was the fact that Mark Twain began his writing career here with a stint as a reporter for the Territorial Enterprise. Virginia City was named as one of the top 12 most distinctive vacation spots and I can see why. I strolled along the authentic board sidewalks, viewed their historic churches, 19th century homes, and quaint cemetery. The party for us was the entire city, which we had free reign to explore. There were several areas with food and drinks and the libations flowed freely. Several western characters in costume walked about talking about the city’s storied history. I even visited an Old West saloon with authentic games like they had in days past. It was totally cute. I even got to see one of their urban legends: the so-called suicide table. The Suicide Table is in the Delta Saloon, which was part of the welcome party and has a wonderful private space upstairs that overlooks the main street of the city and the mountains. On the first floor, you go past the slot machines in the rear. It’s an old Faro Bank Table dating from the 1860s, claimed to be responsible for the deaths of three of its owners. Large signs explain the game of Faro and tell the fatal furniture’s tale. The first casualty of the Suicide Table was said to be “Black Jake,” who lost $70,000 playing cards one evening and shot himself. The next victim is an unnamed second owner who was “unable to pay his losses,” so the official record doesn’t verify whether he committed suicide or was cashed in by his angry creditors. The table was “stored for some years because no one would Deal on it” (but apparently too much of an investment to outright destroy). In the late 1890s, someone converted it into a “21” table, and its cursed history seemed to have been forgotten, “until one stormy night.” A drunken miner wandered in and had a wild streak of gambling luck won $86,000, “a team of horses, and an interest in a gold mine taking everything the owner of the table had in the world.” This prompted the third owner’s suicide. One of my other favorite attractions was the town’s cemetery which is one of the very few Victorian cemeteries left in existence. It was very tranquil walking amongst the tombs dating back to the early 1800’s. The cemetery itself is located on the mountain and the view of the city from that vantage point is breathtaking. Once the party ended, the busses brought us back to the hotel, not yet ready for bed; I joined some of the other attendees at this high energy dance club in the hotel called Rum Buillons Island Bar, the city’s only rum bar.

[continued on 18]

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under the gardar ...from 16 The DJ was playing great music that night and we danced the night away. I do not know why being from New Orleans everyone thinks I drink, but the shots were flowing aplenty. They have this one rum shot served in a very phallic syringe with whipped cream on it. With this being a conference for hospitality people, the portion of gay attendees was large, so no matter what bar we were at, it became a gay one. After dancing the night away and a few of those shots, I poured myself into bed and retired for the night. The next day we had the opening general session with author and reality television star Chef Jeff Henderson. His story was riveting growing up in poverty and committing a crime, spending ten years in prison; then turning his life around to become one of the industry’s biggest stars. He became the first African American Executive Chef at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace and has written two books, Cooked: My Journey from Streets to Stove and America I Am: Pass It Down Cookbook. The remainder of the day was filled with classes. That night we had a free evening, so the New Orleans group had dinner at this incredible restaurant located along the Truckee River called The Wild River Grille. The restaurant is located in the Historic Riverside Hotel Building which was once very famous. Reno was known at one time as the place to go for quickie divorces with a waiting period of only six weeks unlike the rest of the country of one year. This was a booming business for them and the Riverside Hotel played home to many famous, rich, but mostly impatient people readily awaiting their divorce. After the divorce was granted, the story goes that people would go across the street and toss their wedding band into the Truckee River. But I digress; the restaurant is a blend of open air and contemporary casual. The food was outstanding and dinner that night on the patio was a dining pleasure. The weather the entire trip was in the eighties with humidity less than 10 percent. It felt like New Orleans fall weather there. After dinner, I ventured solo to my first exploration of the gay bar scene. There was one two blocks from my hotel called 5 Star Saloon, which was voted Reno’s number one gay bar. That night was a little dead being Monday, but the bartender Bear was fun and kept it lively. After a few drinks there, I took a taxi to Carl’s Pub, which was a little more of a walk on the wild side. They are known for their lockdown parties, where it turns into a private club and you enter by a certain time, the doors lock and anything goes. It is also home to the Comstock Grizzlies. I met the new owner and I highly recommend check-

ing this place out. Once my night of carousing was done, I returned back to the hotel for much needed sleep. The following day was an extremely busy one for the New Orleans Chapter of NACE. We are hosting the convention in the Big Easy next year, so we had a booth promoting the city to the other attendees. We gave out New Orleans materials and served crawfish cheesecake which was specially brought up by Chef Alan Ehrich who is a member of our board as well as being the Executive Chef of the Audubon Nature Institute. We were a big hit and our booth stayed busy all day. That evening was the closing gala which was a formal party in the hotel’s grand ballroom. The dinner, décor, and entertainment were top rate. And again I spent another evening dancing and having a great time with other industry people from around the country. The next day was the final day of the conference and I had to give a huge presentation to the crowd about New Orleans and the things we had in store for them. So the national office asked us to do something to “wow” the crowd. Well, I got pulled in on a miniature float while the entire New Orleans entourage second lined into the room in full costume. I delivered my speech from the float and it was a smashing success. So next July, we should have approximately 600 hospitality industry professionals descend upon our fair city. My speech was the crowning finale to the conference, so afterwards I went on a well-deserved break. My friends Contessa Breaux, Alan, Trudy and I rented a car and drove to scenic Lake Tahoe. To describe this place as picturesque is an understatement. It is truly one of the most breathtaking places on earth. Our first stop was Heavenly, which is on the California side of Tahoe. FYI, Lake Tahoe is 2/3’s in California and 1/3 in Nevada. Heavenly was probably one of the best ways to describe this place. We took a gondola along the mountain to the peak which is 9,150 feet in the air. The view of the area was incredible. The gondola delivered us to the first stop which is The Deck, a 17,600 square foot 360 degree observation area. We hung out there breathing in the fresh air scented with pine. We reboarded the gondola and went to the next point, which was the peak. This is where we had an amazing mountaintop lunch at Tamarack Lodge. I also indulged in some wine. Note to self, liquor affects you more at those high altitudes. Talk about a fun trip. And the weird thing was the one big thought that popped into my mind was this would be a great place for a drag show. What a way to spend the afternoon. We then took the scenic lake road to a resort area called Incline Village. The vacation homes, as well as residential ones, were like miniature

palaces in this secluded area. We went for dinner and drinks at the Lone Eagle Grille, which was highly recommended by locals. This restaurant was by far the best restaurant I dined at my entire trip. We had cocktails on their floating bar over the water while we watched the sun go down. Then we moved into the restaurant where they had a large dining area, adorned with rustic lodge appeal and two roaring fireplaces. They sat us out on the beach patio area where the service and the meal were exemplary. After four courses, we were exhausted, so we took the winding road through the mountains back to Reno. I took a rejuvenating hot tub bath back at my hotel then fell into a deep sleep. The following day after waking up, working out at the Silver Legacy’s fully equipped gym, I went for a short walk to the National Car Museum. This has to be a must see place for anyone whether you are into cars or not. This museum was beyond educational, it was entertaining, informative and most of all enlightening. The collection belonged mostly to Bill Harrah, the founder of Harrah’s and whose life story you learn at the beginning. That alone is worth the price of admission. As you wander through the four car galleries, you see the evolution of the car from its humble start to current. As the decades pass you get information about these automobiles and the intriguing people behind them. You see cars of the rich and famous as well as prototypes that never even made it to the assembly line. If I can impart one thing, it would be if you go to Reno, stop by this museum. I loved Lana Turner’s Chrylser, the Phantom Corsair and the 1907 Thomas Flyer. After my tour, I was ready for a little gambling, which because of my schedule I rarely did while I was there. I went to the world famous Sands Casino, which is dated by today’s standards, but the history there was abundant. I mean the Rat Pack used to perform there. Wow, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis and Dean Martin walked those floors. That night for dinner, I went to Harrah’s Casino to one of the top sushi restaurants in the city, Ichiban which is a Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar that offers an all-you-can-eat sushi and tempura bar. Usually at these types of restaurants you would not think the food would be good, but this is an exception, from the service to the delicious sushi choices, all facets of the restaurant were superior. After that delectable and filling dinner, I walked the strip noticing the city’s famous lighted sign “Reno The Biggest Little City in the World.” I had a nightcap at 5 Star Saloon and called it an early night. My 6am flight came early the next day. If you have not been, make a plan to add Reno, Lake Tahoe and Virginia

City to your bucket lists, they are all well worth seeing.

Dragging with the Stars

f there is one thing to be touted about the Krewe of Petronius this year, is they are having unique events. Recently they held Memoirs of a Gaysha at Hoshun Restaurant on St. Charles Avenue. Now coming up on Saturday, August 20, they are hosting Dragging with the Stars at JohnPaul’s at 8pm. The concept behind this event is simple, known drag queens will transform people who normally do not do drag into glamorous vixens. At least they will slap on some makeup and throw them down a catwalk. There are challenges the contestants will have to face which is assured to bring some great comical moments. I hear that Antoinette Ella may be making an appearance at this event, but I cannot confirm or deny such rumors. So you will have to see for yourself, tickets are $10. For more information, go to w w w. k r e w e o f p e t r o n i u s . o r g . JohnPaul’s is located at 940 Elysian Fields.

Tony’s Tidbits of Gay Wisdom

upport local theatre! With the shuttering of Le Chat Noir and the current fate of Le Petit still undecided, it is more important than ever to support the local theatres we have in our city. Every week new productions are unveiled from the famous comedies and musicals of the past to new emerging local pieces. Not only that; but new venues to show these productions have popped up in some of the unlikeliest of places. Just recently, I saw a play last season in someone’s backyard, then last week, I went to a play on Julia Street in a loft. Unconventional and entertaining mixed together nicely for both of these productions. Another good reason to start going to local theatre is to meet new people and discover future talent. Some of the people who have performed here on the small stage have made it to Broadway or bigger. Hello Bryan Batt. And for you single guys and girls out there, this is also an excellent place to meet other gay people. We love the theatre. I cannot tout local theatre in this city enough. No matter what reason you go to see theatre, it is important that you do it. It is a triple win-win situation, you help out the local culture, you are entertained and you expand your horizons. And who knows you may meet the thespian of your dream? If you have an event or news item you would like me to cover in this column, please contact me at tonymgp@hotmail.com.

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travel

papar azzi

The boys of NACE in Reno

Tony & Contessa Breaux on the tram to the top of Heavenly Mountain Tony & Richard @ the NACE Awards Gala in Reno The Truckee River which runs through Reno

Bartender Bear @ gay bar 5 Star Saloon in Reno

Scenic view of Lake Tahoe from atop the mountain in Heavenly on the California side of Lake Tahoe

The Virginia City Victorian cemetery on the mountainside Some of the first cars from 1901 @ the National Automobile Museum in Reno

The bartenders @ gay bar Carl’s Pub in Reno

The New Orleans group on stage @ the NACE Awards ceremony in Reno

The Tamarack Lodge where we had lunch on top of the mountain in Heavenly

The beach @ the Lone Eagle Grille in Incline Village on Lake Tahoe

The first RV models from the early 1900’s in the National Automobile Museum

The Sands Casino in Reno

The social butterflies from Memphis @ the Virginia City cemetery

The Old Western Town of Virginia City right outside of Reno

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Travel Destinations ~ Reno, Virginia City, Lake Tahoe ~ Photos by Tony Leggio

The suicide table in Virginia City

The men of NACE @ Rum Buillon’s Bar in the Silver Legacy

The world famous arch in Reno Contessa Breaux, Tony, Alan & Trudy @ the Lone Eagle Grille for dinner

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chop chop by Rip & Marsha Naquin-Delain Email: marsha@ripandmarsha.com

New Orleans Restaurant Guide 700 Club Restaurant, 700 Burgundy St., 561.1095, 700ClubNewOrleans.COM, is serving sliders, paninis, quesadillas, and more at the popular club in the French Quarter. Restaurant hours are 7pm til Wed.-Sun. with extended Decadence hours. Glazed 10 oz. Pork Chop with Steen's Cane Syrup & Creole Mustard served with duck fat potatoes & green beans @ The Country Club, 634 Louisa St.

Bywater Restaurant, Deli & BBQ, 3162 Dauphine St., 944.4445, is noted for its gumbo, barbeque, pizza, sandwiches and specials serving lunch and dinner. Now under the direction of Executive Chef David Duvall, the restaurant is open 11am10pm Mon.-Tues., Thurs.-Fri.; 9am-10pm Sat.-Sun. with brunch 9am-3pm, closed Wed. MasterCard/Visa accepted.

Gourmet Sliders with Onion Rings @ 700 Club Restaurant, 700 Burgundy

Cafe Amelie, 912 Royal St., 412.8965, CafeAmelie.COM, offers romantic courtyard or indoor dining along with both eclectic culinary creations and cocktails. Open Wed.-Sat. with lunch 11am-3pm, dinner 6-9pm, Sun. brunch 11-3. Candy Bar, 908 Bourbon, 504.52.CANDY, is a new upscale dessert & specialty food store, open Tues.-Sun. with weekends 24 hours. Best in desserts, snacks, cheeses, crackers, candies, NY bagels & knishes, po-boys, wraps & sandwiches. PLUS PLUS PLUS many organic, all natural & gluten free items, also DOG TREATS. Club Sandwich with Zapp's Potato Chips @ The Decadence Shoppe, 806 N. Rampart St.

Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St., 598.1010, CloverGrill.COM, is open 7 days and features breakfast including build your own omelettes. But let’s not forget their fab burgers grilled right under a hub cap and then there’s all those sandwiches, sides, desserts and shakes.

Occo Buco, braised veal shank in a garlic, thyme and white wine demi with asparagus & potatoes @ Maximo's Italian Grill, 1117 Decatur St.

Country Club Restaurant, 634 Louisa St., 945.0742, TheCountryClubNewOrleans.COM. The chef has paid attention to detail and ingredient, and focused on a more contemporary menu at an even more affordable price point. Still the best food, but at even more unbelievable value! Serving 7 days 11am-10pm and Sunday Brunch 11am-3pm.

3-Layer Carrot Cake @ Candy Bar, 908 Bourbon St.

The Decadence Shoppe, 806 N. Rampart, 529.8874, DecadenceShoppeCafe.COM is part coffee shop, part cafe, and part bakery. "We take pride doing all our own baking, and you can order your next special treat from us," says owners Matt and Kevin. This little neighborhood place will fulfill your sweet tooth or both your breakfast or lunch cravings in a quiet setting while serving "desserts like Mom use to make". Located across the street by the Armstrong Park arch, the cafe is open Wed.-Sun. 7am - 3pm.

Garlic Shrimp Pasta (jumbo shrimp with garlic butter sauce over angel hair pasta) @ Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, 95 French Market Place

The Green Goddess, 307 Exchange Place Alley, 301.3347, GreenGoddessNOLA.COM, opened in May 2009 with a progressive menu that blends New Orleans sensibilities with a globetrotting sampling of ingredients, all emanating from the small open kitchen where chefs Chris DeBarr and Paul Artigues make it happen.

New Orleans Muffuletta (generous helping of ham, salami, provolone and olive salad) @ Restaurant/Deli of the Year Quartermaster: The Nellie Deli, 1100 Bourbon St.

Special Combo Pizza (pepperoni, Italian sausage, ham, onions, mushrooms, green peppers & black olives with jalapenos & anchovies optional) @ Mona Lisa Restaurant, 1212 Royal St.

Krystal, 116 Bourbon at Canal, 523.4030. Open 24 hours, it's one of the best stops for fast food with tasty burgers, hot dogs and breakfast. Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, 95 French Market Place, 522.9500 or visit LouisianaPizzaKitchen.COM, is famous for its wood fired gourmet pizzas, pastas, salads and appetizers. Open 7 days from 11am-10pm. Maximo's Italian Grill, 1117 Decatur St., 586.8883, MaximosGrill.COM, features New Orleans inspired Italian cuisine along with a wonderfully assorted wine selection. Experience Maximo’s open kitchen and watch Chef Thomas Woods prepare his extraordinary dishes. Open 6pm 7 days a week. Mona Lisa Restaurant, 1212 Royal St., 522.6746, features Italian specialties including salads, pizzas, sandwiches and both lunch and dinner entrees. Lunch 11am-5pm Thurs.-Mon., Dinner 5pm-10pm 7 days. Orleans Grapevine Wine & Bar Bistro, 720 Orleans, 523.1930, is located in a beautiful renovated 1809 building offering a pleasant atmosphere, extensive wine list with 200 selections, and delicious food including soups, salads, appetizers, entrees and house made desserts that will delight any palate. Open daily at 4pm serving dinner Sun.-Thurs. 5-10:30pm, Fri.-Sat. 5-11pm. Quartermaster: The Nellie Deli, 1100 Bourbon St., 529.1416, QuartermasterDeli.NET, voted Restaurant/Deli of the Year, is open 24 hours 7 days. Serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night menu, the deli offers free delivery. Who Dat Coffee Cafe, 2401 Burgundy St., 872.0360, offers Fair Trade gourmet coffees, teas, cupcakes, scones, coffee by the pound, gift baskets, art & merchandise by local artists, stamps & mail box rentals, along with outdoor seating & Wi-Fi. Open 7am-10pm daily.

12 oz. Blackened Ribeye @ Bywater Restaurant, Deli & BBQ, 3162 Dauphine St.

Red Velvet Cupcakes @ Who Dat Coffee Cafe, 2401 Burgundy St.

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Jordan Meaux performs in Engender @ Cutter’s Diva Brunch

SDGMs Misael Rubio & Tiffany Alexander with Lisa Beaumann & Michael Elias @ Corner Pocket’s New Meat Amateur Dance Contest

Bartenders Sam & Michael in for Turnabout @ Golden Lantern

Engender’s Shelbie Heart @ Cutter’s Diva Brunch

Barry Bareass & Michael welcome Michael’s on the Park’s Michael & Paul to the first Barry Bareass Booty Show

Susan Reyes & Frankie Fierce enjoy Oh, What A Drag @ Bourbon Pub Parade

Host Frankie Fierce with a Wet & Wild Underwear Contestant Tuesdays @ Oz

snap paparazzi

Cindy, Charlotte, Michael, Howard, Ron & Stewart celebrating @ Michael’s on the Park

Moanalot Fontaine in Engender @ Kajun’s Pub

Lance as Alexis Montana in Tubby’s Golden Lantern Turnabout raising $1,000 for ARNO

Frankie Fierce, Josh Finn, Dusty Debris, Vic Caracci & Gerard Ells @ Oz

Engender’s Corynne Deville @ Kajun’s Pub Golden Lantern bartender Jimmy off on a much needed vacation

The cast of Engender join Cutter’s Mac & Jimmy for Sunday Diva Brunch @ Cutter's

Josh as Cookie Dough in Golden Lantern Turnabout

Wendy Kennedy @ Kajun’s Pub for Engender

Darrin as Sister Ofeelia Dick in Golden Lantern Turnabout

Stylist Freddie welcomes you to Bobby Blue

Leonard & Jim cocktailing @ JohnPaul’s

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ActionOrleans ~ New Orleans Photos by Ricci Fierce, Tony Leggio, Darwin Reed Tony Leggio, 2Hot Action ~HotNew ~~Photos byCorkern, Ricci Frankie Corkern, Frankie Fierce,

Frankie & Ninth Circle’s Greg with a hottie @ Oh, What A Drag @ Bourbon Pub

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Hot Daddy’s coming out for Bleather Weekend! Harrison & friends party on the dance floor @ B-Bob’s

Judson cruising with B-Bob’s DJ Chromatic

mobile

papar azzi

Kevin Patterson, Mr. Gulf Coast Bear 2011 B-Bob’s Angels: Loretta Wynette, Regine Phillips & Jawakatema Davenport enjoying Bleather Weekend festivities

Hello Girls ...summer fun!

Miss Mercedes Alexander relocating to Biloxi, performs @ B-Bob’s with Show Director Miss Cie

Rob Mills, Mr. Southern Renegade 2011

Lt. Dick-In-Son hosting the Mr. Gulf Coast Bear Contest!

Jasyn & Melanie Bear-ing it for BBob’s Bear Leather Weekend

Rafael & Darwin love Mobile’s Bleather Weekend!

Leatherette Goddess Venus Shante Daviss ready to perform @ Mobile’s Bleather Weekend! Aaron, Kyle & Christian enjoying the Show @ B-Bob’s

Al & porn star Steven Richards @ B-Bob’s

Happy birthday, Timothy, We Love YOU!

From Las Vegas, Derrick Barry as Britney Spears performing @ BBob’s with Miss Cie

Patrick, Jerry, Christopher & Lee @ B-Bob’s Bear Party

Justin & Company attend the Derrick Barry concert @ B-Bob’s

Jerry, Jayme, AJ, Miss Cie & Jason party during Bear Festival @ B-Bob’s

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Bleather Weekend & More ~ Mobile, Alabama ~ Photos by Cieanne & John, Leon Weekley

B-Bob’s bartenders Leon & Jerry getting ready to go “frisking” during Mobile’s Bleather Weekend

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Slidell, LA [985] OLDE SLIDELL ANTIQUE DISTRICT, First & Erlanger Streets, antique malls, gift shops, doll shop & restaurants, 643.4790, SlidellAntiques.COM

autos Metairie, LA [504] WALKER ACURA, 8951 Veterans Blvd., 464.4004, WalkerAcura.COM

bars Mobile, AL [251] B-BOB'S DOWNTOWN, 213 Conti St., 433.2262, b-bobs.com GABRIEL'S DOWNTOWN, 55 South Joachim St., 432.4900 THE MIDTOWN PUB, 153 Florida St., 450.1555 Pensacola, FL [850] EMERALD CITY, 408 E. Wright St., 433.9491, EmeraldCityPensacola.COM THE ROUNDUP, 560 East Heinberg St., 433.8482 Baton Rouge, LA [225] CAJUN COVE, 4550 Concord Ave., 246.8317 GEORGE'S, 860 St. Louis, 387.9798, HOUND DOGS, 668 Main St., 344.0807

body rubs New Orleans, LA Experience The BODY ELECTRIC, nude rub, erotic, hot oils, full service table, deep tissue, light tissue, body scrubs. In & out calls. CALL AL 214.709.5199 [is1511]

book stores New Orleans, LA [504] FAB - Faubourg Marigny Art & Books, 600 Frenchmen St., 947.3700 Mr. Binky's Boutique, 107 Chartres St., 302.2095 Mr. Binky's Boutique of Harahan, 301 Funston St., 305.2160

cable shows New Orleans, LA [504] THE GAR WILLIAMS SHOW, Every Wed. &Sat., 8:30am & 8:30pm, Access Television Channel 99

casinos RT PA M A R

French Quarter/Faubourg Marigny/Bywater

antiques

KAJUN'S PUB, 2256 St. Claude Ave., 947.3735 LE ROUNDUP, 819 St. Louis, 561.8340 MICHAEL'S ON THE PARK, 834 N. Rampart St., 267.3615 NAPOLEON'S ITCH, 734 Bourbon, 371.5450 OZ NEW ORLEANS, 800 Bourbon, 593.9491, OzNewOrleans. COM PHOENIX/EAGLE, 941 Elysian Fields, 945.9264 RAWHIDE 2010, 740 Burgundy St., 525.8106, Rawhide2010.COM SOCIETY PAGE, 542 N. Rampart St., 299.0156. TUBBY'S GOLDEN LANTERN, 1239 Royal, 529.2860, TubbysBar.COM Slidell, LA [985] BILLY'S, 2600 Hwy. 190 West, 847.1921

Lafayette, LA [337] JULES DOWNTOWN, 533 Jefferson, 264.8000 TONIC, 2013 Pinhook Rd., 269.6011 Lake Charles, LA [337] CRYSTAL'S, 112 W. Broad, 433.5457 Metairie, LA [504] 4-SEASONS / PATIO BAR, 3229 N. Causeway, 832.0659, 4seasonsno.com CLUB LAX, 2301 N. Causeway, 834.7979 New Orleans, LA [504] 700 CLUB, 700 Burgundy, 561.1095, 561.1098, 700ClubNewOrleans.COM BIG DADDY'S, 2513 Royal, 948.6288 BOURBON PUB & PARADE, 801 Bourbon St., 529.2107, BourbonPub.COM BYWATER PATIO BAR, 3162 Dauphine St., 944.4445 CAFÉ LAFITTE IN EXILE, 901 Bourbon Street 522.8397, Lafittes.COM CORNER POCKET, 940 St. Louis, 568.9829 COUNTRY CLUB, 634 Louisa St., TheCountryClubNewOrleans.COM, 945.0742 CUTTER'S, 706 Franklin, 948.4200, CuttersBar.BIZ THE DOUBLE PLAY, 439 Dauphine, 523.4517 THE FRIENDLY BAR, 2301 Chartres, 943.8929 GOOD FRIENDS BAR, 740 Dauphine St, 566.7191, GoodFriendsBar.COM JOHNPAUL'S, 940 Elysian Fields Ave., 948.1888, JohnPaulsBar.COM

Lake Charles, LA [337] L’Auberge du Lac Casino Resort, 777 Avenue L’Auberge, 337.395.7777 or 866.580.7444, ldlcasino.com New Orleans, LA [504] Harrah's New Orleans Casino, Canal @ the River, 800.,HARRAHS, GayHarrahsNOLA.COM

chiropractic New Orleans, LA [504] DR. MICHAEL LECHLEITER, D.C., St. Charles Chiropractic, 1529 Jackson Ave., 566.1833 [is1111]

circuit/events Aug. 31-Sept. 5, 40th Official Southern Decadence Celebration of Gay Life, Music & Culture, end of Summer Blowout including the Southern Decadence Parade & loads of activities, bringing over 125,000 revelers to New Orleans, LA, sponsored by Ambush & SouthernDecadence.COM Oct. 27-30, Halloween 28, benefiting Project Lazarus, New Orleans, LA, sponsored by AmbushMag.COM, halloweenneworleans.com Dec. 29, 2011-Jan. 3, 2012, Gay New Year's in New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, GayNewOrleans.COM Feb. 17-21, 2012, Official Gay Mardi Gras, New Orleans, LA, sponsored by Ambush, GayMardiGras.COM Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012, 13th Official Gay Easter Parade, New Orleans, sponsored by Ambush, GayEasterParade.COM May 25-28, 2012, Memorial Day Weekend, Pensacola, FL, sponsored by Ambush, GayPensacola.COM

counseling New Orleans, LA [504] DAVID WAGNER, PhD, LPC, Counseling & Psychotherapy, 3001 Fifth St., Metairie, LA

70002; 836.0000

florists Baton Rouge, LA [225] FOUR SEASONS FLOWERS & GIFTS, 3482 Drusilla Ln., Drusilla Shopping Center, 924.1386, 1.800.237.5381

framing New Orleans, LA [504] ANGLE CUSTOM FRAMES, 4422 Magazine St., 269.3726

guides America Damron Travel Guide, 800.462.6654, www.damron.com Gulf South/United States AMBUSH Mag, 828-A Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116-3137; 504.522.8049, ambushmag.com; email: marsha@ripandmarsha.com International GayBars.COM, 828-A Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116-3137; 504.522.8049, marsha@ripandmarsha.com

groceries/delis New Orleans, LA [504] FRADY'S ONE STOP GROCERY & DELICATESSEN, 3231 Dauphine St., 949.9688, fradyfied@aol.com QUARTERMASTER DELI, THE NELLIE DELI, 1100 Bourbon, 529.1416

hair salons New Orleans, LA [504] BOBBY BLUE CONTEMPORARY BARBER & BEAUTY PARLOR, 906 Bourbon St., 527.5100 HEAD QUARTERS HAIR SALON, 900 Rue Dauphine, 522.2666 MICKEY NOLAN'S SALON, 815 Toulouse St., 587.7782 SALON D'MALTA, 1233 Decatur, 565.5555

insurance New Orleans, LA [504] ALLSTATE: Buckwalter Insurance Group LLC, 2002 20th St., Kenner, 504.469.4800;101 Schexnayder Ln., Destrehan, 985.764.3833

lodging/accommodations New Orleans [504] AARON INGRAM HAUS, 1012 Elysian Fields, New Orleans, LA 70117, PHONE: 504.949.3110, E-mail us at ingramhaus@yahoo.com. Condos with queensize beds, private entrances; located only six blocks from Bourbon Street and walking distance to most New Orleans attractions. Several favorite bars are within one block. [0711] BURGUNDY BED AND BREAKFAST, 2513 Burgundy St., New Orleans, LA 70117, PHONE/FAX: 504.942.1463, Toll Free (Continental US only): 1.800.970.2153, theburgundy.com, E-mail us at theburgundy@cox.net. Gay owned and operated in newly renovated 1890's double. Four guest rooms with private baths, guests' parlor and "half-kitchen", courtyard and half-open tubhouse with spa (hot tub/whirlpool). Clothing optional in sunbathing and hot tub area. Walking distance to French Quarter. Immediate vicinity of gay and lesbian bars/venues. [0811] FRENCH QUARTER SUITES HOTEL, 1119 North Rampart St, New Orleans, LA 70116, Phone 504.524.7725, Toll Free: 800.457.2253,FrenchQuarterSuites.COM. Email us at Reservations@bpmhotels.com. Official Host Hotel of OZ New Orleans. One of several French Quarter residences that have been painstakingly restored and transformed into spacious multi-bedroom suites. Beautiful and spacious townhomes available to accommodate groups of any size adjacent to the hotel. Just 3 short blocks from Bourbon St, with free

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GayMardiGras.COM • GayNew Orleans.COM • Gay East erParade.COM • August 16-29, 2011 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 33

Wi-Fi and complimentary continental breakfast and access to two beautiful pools. Covered off street parking available. HOTEL LE MARAIS, 717 Conti St., New Orleans, LA, 800.535.9111 or visit NewOrleansHotelCollection.COM, is the newest boutique hotel property in the French Quarter. This sleek, contemporary hotel offers high level service, a “happening” bar, delightful amenities and an inclusive concept that avoids a “nickel and dime” mentality. It features heated saltwater courtyard pool, complimentary daily newspaper, complimentary Wi Fi in all areas and all rooms, complimentary extended continental breakfast, complimentary fitness center, complimentary business center, and complimentary welcome drink. MARIGNY MANOR HOUSE, 2125 N. Rampart St., New Orleans, LA 70116, PHONE: 504.943.7826, Toll Free: 877.247.7599, marignymanorhouse.com, E-mail us at info@MarignyManorHouse.COM. 1840’s Grand Greek Revival guest house, large spacious bedrooms, private baths, antique 4 poster queen beds, wireless internet access, tv/vcr/dvd/cable, telephone, complimentary continental breakfast and off street parking. [0112] NEW ORLEANS COURTYARD HOTEL, 1101 North Rampart St, New Orleans, LA 70116, Phone 504.522.7333, Toll Free: 800.457.2253, NOCourtyard.COM. Email us at Reservations@bpmhotels.com, “Spectacular, very unusual piece of property” with balconies of varying design ringing the courtyard. Circa 1880 Historic New Orleans Home lovingly restored and converted into beautifully appointed rooms. Just steps away from Armstrong park, Bourbon St, and most of the popular gay clubs, bars, and restaurants. With two pools, free WiFi and complimentary continental breakfast. Secured off street parking available. BON MAISON GUEST HOUSE, 835 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116, 504.561.8498 BOURGOYNE GUEST HOUSE, 839 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70116, 504.524.3621

marketing & printing New Orleans, LA [504] SIR SPEEDY, 343 Carondelet, 586.9812, 586.9817, offering printing and marketing services including web design and hosting. info@sirspeedyneworleans.com, sirspeedyneworleans.com

massage New Orleans, LA [504] RIGHT TOUCH MASSAGE -- Christopher - Full body therapeutic massage; heated table; private studio; tropical garden; Faubourg Marigny Area, French Quarter. Upgrade (Salt Scrubs Bodywork & thai massage/bodywork). Call 504.458.5996 / website righttouchnola.com for pictures, location & special. License #LA4553 [is2611]

media New Orleans, LA [504] AMBUSH Mag, Official Gay Easter Guide, Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide, Official Gay New Orleans Guide, Official Gulf South Guide, Official Southern Decadence Guide, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 522.8049, AmbushMag.COM; email: marsha@ripandmarsha.com AMBUSHonLINE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137; 522.8049, ambushonline.com, email: marsha@ripandmarsha.com

museum/arts Baton Rouge, LA [225] LOUISIANA ARTS AND SCIENCE CENTER / RIVERSIDE MUSEUM, 100 S. River Road, 344.5272 LOUISIANA GOVERNOR'S MANSION, 1001 Capitol Access Rd., 342.5855 LOUISIANA STATE ARCHIVES, 3851 Essen Ln. LOUISIANA STATE CAPITOL, State Capitol Dr. LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY HILLTOP ARBORETUM, 11855 Highland Rd.,

767.6916 LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY RURAL LIFE MUSEUM, I-10 at Essen Lane, 765.2437 LSU MUSEUM OF NATURAL SCIENCE and MUSEUM OF GEOSCIENCE, LSU Campus, 388.2855 MAGNOLIA MOUND PLANTATION, 2161 Nicholson Dr., 343.4955 OLD ARSENAL MUSEUM, State Capitol Complex, 342.0401 OLD BOGAN FIRE STATION, 427 Laurel St., 344.8558 OLD GOVERNOR'S MANSION, 502 North Blvd., 344.5272 OLD PENTAGON BARRACKS, State Capitol Dr. at River Road, 342.1866 OLD STATE CAPITOL, 100 North Blvd. at River Road, 342.0500 or 342.4479 USS KIDD/NAUTICAL HISTORICAL CENTER, Government St. at River Rd., 342.1942 New Orleans, LA [504] BEAUREGARD-KEYES HOUSE, 1113 Chartres, 523.7257, Mon-Sat 10am-3pm CABILDO, 701 Chartres, Jackson Square, Tues-Sun 10am-5pm CAC [Contemporary Arts Center], 900 Camp St., 528.3805, cacno.org EDGAR DEGAS HISTORIC HOME, 2306 Esplanade Avenue, tours by appointment: 504.821.5009, the house tour lasts one hour, is led by a great-grand-niece of Degas, and includes the award-winning documentary video, Degas in New Orleans: A Creole Sojourn 1850 HOUSE, 523 St. Ann, Tues-Sun 10am-5pm GALLIER HOUSE, 1132 Royal, 523.6722, Mon-Fri 10am-3:30pm GERMAINE WELLS MARDI GRAS MUSEUM, 2nd Floor Arnaud's, 819 Bienville HERMANN-GRIMA HISTORIC HOUSE, 820 St. Louis, 525.5661, Mon-Fri 10am-3:30pm HISTORICAL PHARMACY MUSEUM, 514 Chartres, 524.9077, Daily 10am-5:30pm HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION, 533 Royal, 523.4662, Tues-Sat 10am4:45pm LONGUE VUE HOUSE AND GARDENS, 7 Bamboo Rd, Metairie, 488.5488, Mon-Sat 10am-4:30pm, Sun 1-5pm MUSEE CONTI HISTORICAL WAX MUSEUM, 917 Conti, 525.2605, Daily 10am-5:30pm NATIONAL D-DAY MUSEUM, 945 Magazine, 527.6012 NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART, City Park, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, 488.2631, TuesSun 10am-5pm OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART, 925 Camp St., 539.9600 OLD U.S. MINT, 400 Esplanade, TuesSun 10am-5pm PRESBYTERE, 751 Chartres, Jackson Square, Tues-Sun 10am-5pm ST. LOUIS CATHEDRAL, Jackson Square, Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1:30-5pm

music New Orleans [504] SKULLY'Z RECORDZ, 907 Bourbon St., 592.4666

organizations Mobile, AL ALABAMA PRIDE FEST, MobileAlabamaPride.COM AQUA, THE PARTY, PO Box 145, Mobile, AL 36601, TheAquaParty.COM BAY AREA INCLUSION, BayAreaInclusion.ORG FUSION, MobileFusion.ORG GULF COAST BEARS & LEATHER ASSOCIATION, b-bobs.com/gcbla.htm THE SOUTHERN RENEGADES, a Levi/ Leather Club, southernrenegades.com Pensacola, FL [850] APPETITE FOR LIFE, INC., provides 2 nutritionally balanced meals a day-lunch & dinner, for some 60 men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, 1842 West Cervantes St.; Mail: P.O. Box 308, 32592-0308; 470.9111, Fax: 470.0201, gaypensacola.com/appforlife GULF COAST TIDE, INC. w w w . G u l f C o a s t T I D E . o r g ; info@GulfCoastTIDE.org

Alexandria, LA [318] CLASS [Central Louisiana AIDS Support Services], 103 Bolton Ave., 71301; 1.800.444.7993, 442. 1 0 1 0, FAX: 443.5216 Baton Rouge, LA [225] AIDSLaw of Louisiana, 4560 North Boulevard, Suite 118, 302.5968, AIDSLAW.org HAART (HIV/AIDS Alliance for Region Two), 4550 North Blvd., #250, 927.1269, Fax: 927.7367, haartinc.org, haartinc@aol.com GBLSU [Gays, Bisexuals, Lesbians & Supporters United], glsapres@unixl.sncc. Isu.edu, Kristy Price, President, 388.5160 KREWE OF APOLLO / BATON ROUGE, PO Box 3591, 70821; kreweapollobr.org KREWE OF DIVAS, kreweofdivas.com, 343.0380 LAMBDA GROUP, 2937 Greenwood Dr., PO Box 82775, 70884-2775, 907.3665, www.lambdabr.org, info@lambdabr.org METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH OF BATON ROUGE, 7747 Tom Drive, 70806, Worship Sunday, 11am, Bible Study Wednesday, 7pm, 225.248.0404, mccbr.org PFLAG Baton Rouge, President Harold Truax, 225.218.8320 Lafayette, LA [337] ACADIANA CARES [Concern for AIDS Relief, Education, and Support], PO Box 386, Lafayette, LA 70502; 203 W. 3rd St., 70501; 233.2437, FAX: 235.4178; 800.354.2437 KREWE OF APOLLO / LAFAYETTE, PO Box 53251, 70505 LEAGUE FOR EQUALITY, PO Box 53425, 70505 PFLAG/LAFAYETTE, PO Box 31078, 70503 ROYAL ORDER OF UNICORN, PO Box 3985, 70502 Monroe, LA [318] GO CARE 2121 Justice, 71201, 325.1092 New Orleans, LA [504] ACLU and ACLU Foundation of Louisiana, P.O. Box 56157, New Orleans, LA 70156, 504.522.0628 x25, Fax: 888.537.0384, laaclu.org AIDS HOTLINE, 821.6050 in New Orleans, 1.800.99.AIDS[2437]-9 toll free statewide AIDSLaw of Louisiana, 3801 Canal St., Suite 331, 568.1631, AIDSLAW.org ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, 838.3399 BELLE REVE NEW ORLEANS, AIDS Residence for Families, PO Box 3305, 70177; 945.9455 BIG EASY M.C.C. (Metropolitan Community Church of Greater New Orleans), Sunday 12:15pm Solumn Mass, 5pm Praise & Worship, at St Matthew’s UCC, 1333 S. Carrollton Ave. at Willow. Fellowship after service. Mailing address: 1333 S. Carrolllton Ave. New Orleans, LA, 70118; 213.4340, w w w . b i g e a s y m c c . c o m , pastor@bigeasymcc.com BROTHERHOOD, INC., To decrease the spread of AIDS and HIV among African Americans, 1661 Canal St., Suite 3230, 70112; 566.7955 CHURCH OF CHRIST THE LIBERATOR, Sun. 11am Service, 607 Marigny St. (behind The Friendly Bar), ChristTheLiberator.ORG COMMUNITY ACTION NETWORK, a project of the NO/AIDS Task Force which works with the gay community to implement HIV prevention activities, 507 Frenchmen St., 945.4000, noaidstaskforce.com COPS 8 (Citizens' Organization for Police Support in the 8th District), 840 N. Rampart St., #51, 70116; 588.COPS (2677), cops8.org FOOD FOR FRIENDS, 944.6028 FORUM FOR EQUALITY, 336 Lafayette, Suite 200, 70130; 947.2981, ForumForEquality.COM FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE MARDI GRAS (FNBMG), PO Box 791376, New Orleans, LA 70179-1376; 733.3311, fridaynightbeforemardigras.com, fnbmg@cox.net GAY APPRECIATION AWARDS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137; 522.8049; AmbushMag.COM/GAA GAY COUNSELING LINE, 833.1500 GLSEN [Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network], 482.4081, Fax 595.8587, Email: glsenno@hotmail.com, glsenno.org

GULF GENDER ALLIANCE [GGA], NonProfit Support Group for Transgender persons. Monthly meetings, socials and political activism. Privacy respected and expected. Interview required. Nondiscriminatory. Call 504. 324.4035 or write PO Box 56836, New Orleans, LA 701566836; gga.org, E-mail: info@gga.org HALLOWEEN IN NEW ORLEANS, INC., PO Box 52171, 70152-2171; halloween neworleans.com/ambush HATE CRIMES HOTLINE, c/o Family Service of Greater New Orleans, 504.202.2131. The Hate Crimes Project offers to assist those who feel that they may have been a victim of a hate crime. The project provides advocacy for persons victimized due to race, religion, gender and gender identity, age, disability, and/or sexual orientation. IN THIS TOGETHER, HIV/AIDS Case Management, 2511 Bayou Road, Suite B, 70119; Office: 504.962.3245, Fax: 504.962.3246; 962.3245, w w w.inthistogetherinc.org, michael@ittnola.org KREWE OF ARMEINIUS, PO Box 56638, New Orleans, LA 70156-6638, info@kreweofarmeinius.org, kreweofarmeinius.org KREWE OF AMON RA, PO Box 7033, Metairie, LA 70010, KreweOfAmonRa.COM KREWE OF MWINDO, PO Box 51031, 70156; 913.5791, KreweOfMwindo.ORG, krewe@kreweofmwindo.org KREWE OF PETRONIUS, PO Box 71665, 70172, Pres. Arthur Alarcon 451.9507, Capt. Bill McCarthy 430.6695, KreweOfPetronius.ORG KREWE OF QUEENATEENAS / KING CAKE QUEEN ROYALTY CLUB, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 522.8049, GayMardiGras.COM/KCQ LaCARP [Louisiana Community AIDS Research Program], 584.1971 LA-LIFT, Social Club for Lesbians, age 50+, who have fun together on weekends. Email: armyvet20@webtv.net LAMBDA CENTER, 831 Elysian Fields Ave., 70117 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF NEW ORLEANS, 234 Loyola, Suite 421, 70112; 581.9106 LESBIAN & GAY COMMUNITY CENTER OF NEW ORLEANS, 2114 Decatur St., 701162013; 945.1103, Fax 945.1102, Email: info@lgccno.net LORDS OF LEATHER, P.O. Box 770435, New Orleans, LA 70117-4035, LordsOfLeather.COM LOUISIANA STATE GAY RODEO ASSOCIATION (LSGRA), 915.3339, lance@lsgra.com, LSGRA.COM MCLNO HOP Clinic, 136 S. Roman Street, 4th Floor, New Orleans, LA 70112; Appts.: 504.903.6959, www.hopclinic.org MYSTIC KREWE OF SATYRICON, PO Box 15889, 70115-5889 MysticKreweOfSatyricon.COM NEW ORLEANS GAY MEN’S CHORUS, 322.7007, nogmc.com; nogmc@aol.com NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL, nojazzfest.com NO/AIDS TASK FORCE, 2601 Tulane Ave., Suite 500, 70119; 821.2601; NOAIDSTaskForce.COM N'R Peace, 3201 Gen. DeGaulle Dr., Suite 201, 70114, 364.1950 OFFICIAL GAY EASTER PARADE, 828A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, info@gayeasterparade.com, GayEasterParade.COM OFFICIAL GAY MARDI GRAS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayMardiGras.COM OFFICIAL GAY NEW ORLEANS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayNewOrleans.COM OFFICIAL SOUTHERN DECADENCE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, SouthernDecadence.COM PEOPLE OF SUBSTANCE, INC. (POS), 7210 Arbor Dr., 70126, 244.1920, posnola.com PFLAG/NO [Parents & Friends of Lesbians & Gays/ New Orleans], PO Box 15515, 70175; 895.3936, 392.0001, pflagno.org,

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info@pflagno.org PRIDE NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATION: NOLA PRIDE, 2114 Decatur St., 945.1103, NOLAPride.ORG PROJECT LAZARUS, A Residence for PWAs, PO Box 3906, 70177-3906; 949.3609 REGIONAL AIDS INTERFAITH NETWORK [RAIN], 523.3755 Softball: NOLA SOFTBALL LEAGUE, nolasoftball.com THE COMMUNITY COALITION OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS LGBTQ Organizations & Businesses, tccgno.org, 569.9156 Until It Is OVER, Inc., Executive Director Don S. Evans, Sr., 5837 De Bore Drive, New Orleans, Louisiana 70126, Phone 504 722 1694, Fax 504 286 5784 VOLLEYBALL NEW ORLEANS, PO Box 13306, 70185-3306; volleyballneworleans.com, postmaster@volleyballneworleans.com WILLIAM J. FANNING FOUNDATION [Buzzy’s Boys & Girls], 2301 Chartres, 70117; 943.8929 Shreveport, LA [318] KREWE OF APOLLO/SHREVEPORT, PO Box 4918, 71134 PHILADELPHIA CENTER, PO Box 44454, 71134-4454; 222.6633 YWCA AIDS MINORITY COMMUNITY OUTREACH, 700 Pierre Ave., 71103; 226.8717

pets New Orleans, LA [504] CHI-WA-WA GA-GA, 511 Dumaine; 581.4242; chiwawagaga.com DR. MIKE'S ANIMAL HOUSE, 1120 N. Rampart, 523.4455 FRENCH QUARTER PET ASYLUM, 513 Dumaine St., 302.9845 FRENCH QUARTER VET, 922 Royal St., Office 322.7030, Cell 250.1175, DrScott@TheFrenchQuarterVet.COM

pharmacy New Orleans, LA [504] MUMFREY'S PHARMACY, 1021 W. Judge Perez Dr., Chalmette, LA 70043, 504.279.6312

photography New Orleans, LA [504] GRAHAM/STUDIO ONE NEW ORLEANS, by appointment, grahamstudioone.com

plumbers New Orleans, LA [504] PIPES "R" US PLUMBING, “Let us PEEP in your pipes”, 140 N. Carrollton Ave., Office 504.866.2730, Fax 504.484.0907, PipesRUsNewOrleans.COM RAMSEY PLUMBING, repairs, repipe, sewer & drain cleaning, water heaters, disposals, 296.6865

real estate agents New Orleans, LA [504] FRENCH QUARTER REALTY, Agents: Gary R. Williams 251.2047, Sandy Preston 319.7500; Office 949.5400 PRUDENTIAL GARDNER REALTORS, Agent Brett A. Rector, Cell: 453.2277, Office: 891.6400, brettinla@aol.com

real estate FOR SALE, Own your own B & B or Private residence. Everyone’s dream home/rare pecky cypress and stone. Away from hurricanes and floods. www.ponderosa.ms, 1 1/2 hours north of New Orleans, 225.975.0104

restaurants New Orleans, LA [504] 700 Club Restaurant, 700 Burgundy, 561.1095, 561.1098, 700ClubNewOrleans.COM Bywater Restaurant, Deli & BBQ,3162 Dauphine St., 944.4445 Cafe Amelie, 912 Royal St., 412.8965

Candy Bar, 908 Bourbon, 504.52.CANDY Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St., 598.1010, CloverGrill.COM Country Club Restaurant, 634 Louisa St., TheCountryClubNewOrleans.COM, 945.0742 The Decadence Shoppe (coffehouse & cafe), 806 N. Rampart, 529.8874, DecadenceShoppeCafe.COM Frady's One Stop Grocery & Delicatessen, 3231 Dauphine St., 949.9688 The Green Goddess, 307 Exchange Place Alley, 301.3347, GreenGoddessNOLA.COM Krystal, 116 Bourbon @ Canal, 523.4030 Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, 95 French Market Pl., 522.9500 Mona Lisa Restaurant, 1212 Royal St., 522.6746 Orleans Grapevine Wine & Bar Bistro, 720 Orleans, 523.1930 Quartermaster: The Nellie Deli, 1100 Bourbon St. , 529.1416, QuartermasterDeli.NET Who Dat Coffee Cafe, 2401 Burgundy St., 872.0360

retail/shopping Metairie, LA [504] SUZETTE'S, 4636 W. Esplanade, 888.7722, Suzettes.COM New Orleans, LA [504] THE HERB IMPORT COMPANY, 711 St. Peter [French Quarter], 525.4372; 5055 Canal St. [Mid City], 488.4889, 712 Adams St. [Uptown], 861.4644, HerbImport.COM KRAZY KATZ ON BOURBON, 909 Bourbon, 566.1570 LA MINA STERLING, 840 Royal St., 324.3423, laminasterling@gmail.com PANDA BEAR, 415 Bourbon St., 529.8064 RAB DAB CLOTHING AND GIFTS, 918 Royal St., 525.6662 RAZZLE DAZZLE, the newest sensation in a very old place, 524 Royal St. 568.0001, RazzleDazzle.COM Slidell, LA [985] THE HERB IMPORT COMPANY, 1331 Englewood Dr., 643.8007, HerbImport.COM

spas New Orleans, LA [504] CLUB NEW ORLEANS, 515 Toulouse, 581.2402, www.the-clubs.com

theatres New Orleans, LA [504] MAHALIA JACKSON THEATRE OF PERFORMING ARTS, 801 N. Rampart, Armstrong Park, mahaliajacksontheater.com, 525.1052 SOUTHERN REP THEATRE, Canal Place, 365 Canal St., 3rd Floor, 522.6545, SouthernRep.COM

websites CRESCENT CITY, CrescentCity.COM GAY AMERICA, GayAmerica.COM GAY BARS, GayBars.COM GAY PENSACOLA, GayPensacola.COM OFFICIAL GAY EASTER PARADE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayEasterParade.COM OFFICIAL GAY MARDI GRAS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayMardiGras.COM OFFICIAL GAY NEW ORLEANS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayNewOrleans.COM OFFICIAL SOUTHERN DECADENCE, 828A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, SouthernDecadence.COM

Southern Decadence Ad Deadline August 19th

504.522.8049

GayMardiGras.COM • GayNew Orleans.COM • Gay East erParade.COM • August 16-29, 2011 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • 35

acadiana happens by Joey Collins, Lafayette, Louisiana Email: ejcollins583@gmail.com Twitter: JoeyC_583

hether you spend your summer days lying by the pool, sitting in the office, or cooking an egg on the sidewalk, the night time is where the action happens. Scoop up some ice cream and find out where all the action is. You’re listening up with Joey Collins.

The Help

rom my recollection I don’t believe I’ve ever suggested a book or a movie in any one of my columns. I’m typically too busy to read. I’m never too busy to watch a movie because somehow I find a way to squeeze in at least two to three hours a week to engage myself in the world of another anonymous character. It can be therapeutic. Recently I received a Barnes and Noble gift card for doing a good deed. Yes, I can perform good deeds from time to time. This doesn’t obligate you to start asking me for favors. On a random afternoon I decided to finally use this gift card and walked into my local B&N and one of the first books that caught my eye was The Help. The bright yellow and blue display simply read, “Now a motion picture.” I had seen the trailer earlier in the summer and I decided it might be fun to actually read a book before watching the movie. I spent most of my high school and college years doing the complete opposite. I remember being so proud to have bought the book. I even took a picture of it and sent it to my mother and asked her if she wanted to read it when I was done. Of course my mother, who is an avid reader, replied, “I read that over a year ago, where you been?” Yeah, she’s a bitch at times…she taught me well. Nonetheless, once I picked up the book I found it impossible to put down. Suddenly you were taken to the early 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi. By default we think of the Civil Rights movement when we hear the phrase “Jackson, Mississippi, 1960’s.” We all get it. (No disrespect to Civil Rights and that period.) We know about the riots, the assassination of the NAACP President, the sit-ins and so on. It began a wave of change and a period of discussions for equality that dare I say we as an LGBT community owe many thanks to. What sets this story apart from other Civil Right period pieces is the niche in which the book has found. There are three main characters: Minny, Aibileen (two colored 1960s maids), and Skeeter (a white college

student who just graduated). The writer of the book, Kathryn Stockett, tells the story from all three character views. In the immediate beginning of the book we are introduced to Aibileen and her story. Stockett’s writing style quickly takes you into a hot kitchen in a fall afternoon in Jackson. Hear the crackling of the grease as it sizzles freshly fried chicken and picture Aibileen standing over the stove, telling you her entire life story. Skeeter asks, “What’s it like to be a maid, watching other people’s children while you have children back home to be looked after?” As you read you sit in awe and listen to Aibileen and before you know it ole Minny has entred the room and began her story as well. Grammar usage quickly takes tone as Stockett’s choices of words portray the reality of a time that once was. Skeeter watches, listens, and learns of a world she grew up with but yet was so blinded to see even notice. The three together boldly begin with a whisper and persuade a total of a dozen maids to share their stories. By the time the book is finished Help (the book within the story) is composed of scandals and blessings that later rock Jackson. This is most definitely not your retired Civil Rights period piece. This takes on a new genre of storytelling. I could go on to tell you more about the plot but I must simply leave that to the book or the movie. Participating in any venue will guarantee suspense, a tear, a laugh, and both the breaking and warming of the heart.

Acadiana CARES Celebrates

cadiana CARES cordially invites the public to take part in its week-long 25th Anniversary celebration. On Tuesday, August 16th, Acadiana CARES will be hosting a cocktail party and open panel discussion in the Community Room at 811 Martin Luther King Dr. from 5pm to 6pm. Enjoy hot hors d'oerves and light cocktails. From 6pm to 8pm enjoy an open discussion with professional panelist. The discussion will cover a wide range of ideas and issues affecting the HIV/AIDS communities. On Thursday, August 18th, enjoy a tour of Acadiana CARES’ newest facilities and hear about its upcoming plans for expansion to better serve the community. Along with tours visitors can enjoy a wine and cheese reception in the Community room from 6pm to 9pm. The reception will also have a silent

auction with many items donated by local merchants. On Saturday, August 20 th , Acadiana CARES will be hosting a Grand Re-Opening Barbeque from 4pm to 8pm. Come out and enjoy great community fellowship. There will be a ribbon cutting, flag ceremony, and tours. On August 27th Tonic will be hosting a silent auction and drag show to benefit Acadiana CARES. Reserved seating is available for $125 and includes admission for four, Stoli vodka, and a mixer. All proceeds benefit Acadiana CARES. For more information about Acadiana CARES or its anniversary events please visit www.acadianacares.org or call 337.233.2437.

Bar Spill

o you remember that time that you stumbled into that karaoke bar and were drowned in a sea of people who thought they could sing some of that depressing country music (or any depressing genre of music)? Odds are that if that bar was located in the downtown Lafayette area and that venue was called Jules then no, that didn’t happen to you. Every Thursday night at Jules host Blake Duhon has a list of songs that are requested by karaoke participants and all of them are upbeat or are thrown out. That’s just the way of the game if you want to keep the buzz going. Have you seen Steven Rogers lately? I hear he’s hosting his own drag show every Friday night at Jules. Come out and check out Jules’ Best Damn Drag Show and find out what the theme is all about. Don’t forget about Dance! Dance! Dance! every Saturday night. Drink specials are announced nightly. Tonic has been busy preparing for two upcoming events. On Saturday, August 20th the Royal Order of Unicorn

will be presenting its annual $1.98 Trailer Trash Pageant. If anyone remembers last year’s pageant then you will remember the live chicken. If you have no idea what I’m talking about then you’ll have to attend this year to find out. Hopefully it will make another visit. Don’t forget that on Saturday, August 27th, Tonic will be hosting a 25th Anniversary Party for Acadiana CARES. Proceeds will benefit CARES. Big Girl has been very athletic lately. Of course the alcohol has inspired her to do so. Come out every Monday night for Customer Appreciation Night featuring $1 wells, $2 domestics, and $3 premiums and play a round of Beer Pong with Big Girl and win some money. Don’t forget about karaoke night with DJ Chad Evans every Wednesday night followed by Thursday night’s drink-n-drown where for only $15 you can get all you can drink with DJ Macky Ray. Of course the $15 doesn’t give you DJ Macky Ray; he will just be spinning your favorite requested tracks. Friday starts the weekend with Ladies Night with $5 wells for ladies and $2 domestics for everyone. As always don’t forget to follow the following on Facebook: Lafayette Lesbians, Lafayette Gay Men, Tonic Lafayette, and Jules. Ambush can always be found online at AmbushMag.COM.

Closing Out

ere we are again almost at the end of the summer season. Don’t be mad at me, I didn’t do it. It happens. We still have that one last event to plan for, Southern Decadence. Whether you plan to head to New Orleans or stay in the Acadiana area now is the time to start planning an end-of-summer blow out. Remember to keep it safe because local law enforcements are cracking down on OWI’s. As always, keep the party going Acadiana!

out & about in mobile Mobile’s Bleather Weekend 2011 Draws Bears, Leathermen from Across the South

ears and Leather are alive and well along the Gulf Coast! That fact has once again been proven in Mobile, Alabama, as the city celebrated it’s third Mobile Bleather Weekend. Bleather is a combination of the bear and leather communities, a name originated in Mobile by the Southern Renegades and the Gulf Coast Bears, who host the free 3-day party. Bleather 2011 surpassed previous crowds, drawing men from as far away as Tampa and Texas, with especially large contingencies from New Orleans and Pensacola. Visitors were especially generous this year, contributing toward Mobile Alabama Pride’s collection of $2,800. Meanwhile, contestants for Mr. Gulf Coast Bear and Mr. Southern Renegade collected more than $1,400 to benefit South Alabama C.A.R.E.S., Mobile’s AIDS help agency. Door donations from B-Bob’s added another $500 toward the gift to C.A.R.E.S. Bleather events rotate between three sponsor bars (B-Bob’s, Gabriel’s and The Midtown Pub). Each year has a theme, and this one was “On Patrol” (uniformes encouraged...) [continued on 39]

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Jay, don’t get too excited

Jacque & Anastasia @ Tonic Chase is a mess @ Jules

Hunter has a new friend? Tonic’s Talent Night host Roxy Colbert

Shekee & Jason @ Jules Richard, Jeremy & John @ Jules

Multi-tasker Macky bar-tends & DJ’s Ryan enjoying Jules Beyonce Black singing her heart out @ Tonic’s Talent Night Kasi, your ‘DD’ for the evening

Speechless...

Good times @ Tonic with Jason & friends

acadiana

Is that Nick Gros on the right? Darren & Tyler ‘lamping’

papar azzi

All smiles @ Tonic

Tyler enjoying Tonic’s karaoke night

Joey & Kindrick, twitter pals

Miss Steven ‘planking’ on the infamous stolen Bentley

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Excited, Mess, Lamping ~ Lafayette, Louisiana ~ Photos by Joey Collins

Matt & John @ Jules

2011, the third such bear/leather weekend in the city, drawing a record crowd for the three day event. Todd Arnold and Michael Crosby, both of Pensacola, and Phillip Purvis of Mobile completed the field of contestants. Michael, who is Pensacola’s Mr. Roundup 2011, was awarded first runner-up. Mr. GCB is always a key draw to Bleather, entertaining the crowd by putting contestants through paces that keep with the event’s theme. This year it was cops “On Patrol”, and the Gulf Coast Bears delivered, with emcee AJ

out & about ...from 36 Friday kicked off with a welcome cocktail party at Gabriel’s, hosted by the Southern Renegades, followed by the Mr. Southern Renegade Contest at B-Bob’s. Four contestants competed for this year’s title, won by Mobilian Rob Mills. Capping off the night? Bleather’s Notorius Black Party at The Midtown Pub. The event lived up to its name thanks, in part, to special guest Steven Richards of Raging Stallion Films. The motorcycle will now have to be realigned... Saturday saw the Gulf Coast Bears hosting their elongated-brunch at The Midtown Pub referred to as “Sausage Fest”. The feed was followed by a bear pool party at host hotel Holiday Inn Downtown, followed by the club’s precontest cocktail party at Gabriel’s. At ten, the crowd shifted to B-Bob’s for the Mr. Gulf Coast Bear contest, emceed by perrenial host AJ McKay of Louisville. Birmingham’s Kerry Patterson emerged from the field of four as Mr. Gulf Coast Bear 2011. Next stop? Gabriel’s PTD party (Party Til Dawn) on the patio. Sunday, the whole mess was sent home with the annual Bleather Farewell Brunch, hosted by the Southern Renegades at The Midtown Pub. As is the tradition with Bleather’s brunches and cocktail parties, it was complementary. Bleather 2011 is successful only through the hard work of members of the Gulf Coast Bears and the Southern Renegades, and our three supporting bars- Gabriel’s, B-Bob’s and The Midtown Pub. The Bleather Committee would also like to thank our supporting sponsors; Bud Light, Jagermeister & Barenjager, and the Holiday Inn Historic Downtown Mobile. And thanks to the growing Bleather community, whose attendence has made Mobile Bleather Weekend the South’s Premier Bear/Leather event! For more info, visit www.mobilebleatherweekend.com.

Mobilian Rob Mills wins Mr. Southern Renegade

n a contest that brought out the uniforms and entertained a full house in B-Bob’s loft, Ron Mills of Mobile captured the title of Mr. Southern Renegade 2011 at Bleather Weekend 2011. Rob left a mark on the judges with his frank, personal answers during the interview, and stirred the crowd with his leather image “cop on the beat” look near the end of the contest. First runner up Gary Owens put away his real uniform and leathered up for the evening, eager, he says, to help raise cash for South Alabama CARES. And all four contestants did just that, raising a little more than $700 in just 15 minutes! With the title comes

accomodations in New Orleans in October. That’s where Rob will represent the Southern Renegades and B-Bob’s in the Mr. Louisiana Leather Contest, a preliminary to the International Mr. Leather Contest in Chicago Memorial Day Weekend. Andreas Huss of Mobile and Allen Johnson from Birmingham left their mark as well. Andreas charmed the crowd with his handsome smile and thick, German accent (he knows how that goes over...), while Allen pulled the bear audience into the mix, and left an impression with the judges for his honesty and enthusiasm during the private interview. This marks the third Bleather Weekend for the Southern Renegades and the Gulf Coast Bears, and the crowd, once again, has eclipsed the previous year’s total. Thanks for coming, guys. It’s great to see MEN again!

making a grand entrance as Officer Dangle from Reno 9-1-1 (complete with child size motorized police car). Among the tasks required of the contestants? Displaying their shooting skills with a gun that projected ping pong balls toward a target crotch, a “breathalyzer” test, and a “find the contraband” frisking performed by Mr. Gulf Coast Bear 2010, “D-Day”. Congratulations, Kevin! You have an entire year to make Birmingham proud! Find out more about this year’s Bleather (bear/leather) Weekend at www.mobilebleatherweekend.com.

Mr. Southern Renegades Contestants

B’ham’s Kevin Patterson Takes Title of Mr. Gulf Coast Bear

evin Patterson of Birmingham emerged from a pack of four very promising contestants to take the title of Mr. Gulf Coast Bear Saturday Night, July 30th, at B-Bob’s in downtown Mobile. The contest was part of Mobile's Bleather

Mr. Southern Renegades Judges, Committee

Mr. Gulf Coast Bear Contestants

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a community within communities Got enough time and baking bread. by The Rev. Bill Terry, Rector St. Anna’s Episcopal Church, fr.bill@stannanola.org “Sometime in your life, hope that you might see one starved man, the look on his face when the bread finally arrives. Hope that you might have baked it or bought or even kneaded it yourself. For that look on his face, for your meeting his eyes across a piece of bread, you might be willing to lose a lot, or suffer a lot, or die a little, even.” ~Daniel Berrigan, priest and social activist.

efore I was a priest my world was seen through the lenses of a person who was vested in self-interest. My family was important, a good house, a decent car, perhaps I even “owed” myself some luxuries because I worked hard. I believe that I wanted to act morally in business but if it came to it I would guild, rationalize, or ‘adapt’ as my suburban life demanded. I sent a check for a poor child in Sierra Leon, her name was Maria Dirasuba. It was all good, my ego was massaged, my conscience was quiet, and my family and I were well cared for and safe. I was what I

was born to be a successful business man and community pillar. Before I was a priest I had all the time in the world. Then my lovely engaging most beautiful raven-haired daughter committed suicide. Did you know that some studies indicate that the suicide rate (successful or otherwise) is possibly four times higher for LGBT youth than it is in the general population? Did you know that the suicide rate among African Americans, some studies say, have doubled in the past decade? At this point you might ask what suicide has to do with

the look on the face of a hungry man being fed or even my being a priest? Suicide is, in my opinion, a by-product of rejection, often exacerbated by mental health issues. Consider, that the data only counts acknowledged suicide. Suicide may also take the form of passive suicide, “I don’t care if he/she has aids you won’t live forever. I’ll stay unprotected.” Or perhaps, “They say I have clinical depression but I don’t need these meds I can make it on my own; I’m strong.” Suicide is a taboo subject never spoken of in open forums. Suicide is painful and sad. Perhaps on occasion it is understandable perhaps, some say, it is even warranted due to terminal illness or quality of life issues-perhaps. But, none the less it is sad and it is painful. When my daughter committed suicide I took a major movement to becoming a priest. I don’t recommend becoming a priest as a curative or palliative for anyone – the pay is lousy and hours long. But, that major interior, spiritual voice, said, “You have so little time, life is valuable, you have been given it, what will you do with it?” Jesus the Galilean said it this way: “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father... Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will [continued on 41]

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communities ...from 40 come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” The Gospel of Mark Time is important and what we do with it is even more important. We have a gift and that gift is our life. To fully live in LIFE spelled large we must ENGAGE in life spelled large. If we witness and participate in life seen through the lenses of giftedness, of embracing real life and love, then we cannot but help to be engaged in the doing of life. The doing of life then becomes a little less about self satisfaction and much more about the place and worth of others because life is so valuable. Experiencing the look on a starving man’s face when he gets his bread is life lived large. It is personal it pulls the marginalized people in. Human engagement, read life, requires conversation, requires touching, requires body language, requires movement and momentum. There are places where one can go to bake or kneed the bread. Dodwell House, a community center for the whole community will be such a place if we make it so. Its potential is, after all, the fodder for this series; a place for all communities to join a greater community in LIVING. There are other spiritual bakeries that seek to enfranchise, include, enculturate, and envelope us with dignity. Seek them out while time is still with us. Time, it does not stop, time will not weep when we are gone, time has no love nor hate nor passion, time is what we have so little of. Before I was a priest my world was seen through the lenses of a person who was vested in self-interest; now my world is seen through the lenses of a person who is vested in human-interest. Who knows, together maybe, just maybe we might be willing to lose a lot, or suffer a lot, or die a little, even.

Month-long Campaign Benefits National Suicide Prevention Organization

he Trevor Project marks 13 years of 24-hour daily lifeline service to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in crisis. In celebration of “Trevor” turning 13, the minimum age of the young people served by The Trevor Project, the organization has

launched a birthday wish campaign online to engage supporters in suicide prevention in the weeks leading up to National Suicide Prevention Week, (September 4-10, 2011). Supporters can participate by visiting http://bit.ly/ trevorbday. [continued on 42]

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month-long ...from 41

That is one way to be more Macho

Emerald City’s very own Lauren Mitchell & Penny Holliday Brian serving up your favorite drinks @ Emerald City

Missy & Cameron @ The Other Side

Amy & Stephanie @ Emerald City

The only way to break a tie @ Drag BINGO

Jay-R, Jeffrey & Lori @ The Other Side All smiles @ Emerald City

pensacola papar azzi

Brian @ The Other Side

Bruce & Lakeisha @ The Other Side

Ebony Sinclair with Jesus & Shane @ Emerald City

Special guest DJ Jay-R @ Emerald City

Daniel, Robert & Jason having fun @ Drag BINGO

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Emerald City, The Other Side ~ Pensacola, Florida ~ Photos by Lauren Mitchell

“For so many young people, turning 13 marks a seminal time in their lives. These years can bring change, uncertainty, and increased levels of anxiety and depression, which can be compounded by questions about their sexual orientation or gender identity,” said David McFarland, Interim Executive Director and CEO of The Trevor Project. “The Trevor Project was founded to ensure that young people experiencing these heightened emotions, especially if they are considering suicide, always have a safe and accepting place to call in times of crisis. As ‘Trevor’ grows into the age of the youth we serve, we will continue to lead in direct crisis intervention, suicide prevention education, and advocacy on behalf of young people in crisis.” On August 8, 1998, The Trevor Project officially opened the first 24hour national lifeline for LGBTQ youth in crisis. That day, HBO began to air the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, by writer James Lecesne, director Peggy Rajski and producer Randy Stone, co-founders of The Trevor Project. The film tells the story of a gay 13-year old who attempts suicide. That first night, The Trevor Project received more than 1,500 calls. Since then, the Trevor Lifeline has taken hundreds of thousands of calls from young people in crisis and who plan to end their own lives. In addition to the Lifeline, the organization operates the first national crisis intervention instant messaging service in the private sector, TrevorChat. It is also the only organization operating a social network, (TrevorSpace.org), while also providing direct crisis intervention services. As a result, The Trevor Project is the recognized leader in digital crisis intervention, serving as advisors to the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and social media leaders like Facebook, Google, Yahoo! and Twitter. To celebrate “Trevor’s” birthday, supporters of The Trevor Project will be engaged throughout the month of August to learn about the warning signs of suicide and how to help someone experiencing a crisis. Individuals will also be engaged to make minimum $13 gifts to the suicide prevention organization. Donors will receive a “party favor” in thanks for their gift, gaining special access to view the Academy Award®-winning short film, TREVOR, online. Later this month, The Trevor Project will launch “Talk to Me,” an educational campaign in support of National Suicide Prevention Week. More details about the campaign, including broadcast PSAs, creative collateral and educational materials will be available at the end of August.

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ambush

papar azzi

Lords of Leather Beer Bust @ the Phoenix

Lui & his sister @ Petronius’ Memoirs of a Gaysha

Hot boys @ 700 Club

In for the Lords of Leather Beer Bust @ the Phoenix Marty & Koo pop in for FourPlay

Bartenders Bobby & Manny welcome Mike to JohnPaul’s Southern Decadence French Quarter Bar Crawl participants in front of the Corner Pocket

Queen Bootsie Deville & Countess C Alice at Petronius’ Memoirs of a Gaysha @ Hoshun Restaurant

Show Director Princesse Stephaney welcomes Rusty for Les Femelles Fatale, the first show @ Michael’s on the Park

Lauren Brown in FourPlay Rex & Tony @ Napoleon’s Itch

Beverly & Randall in for FourPlay

Jeff strikes a pose with some of the hottest dancers @ Corner Pocket

Petronius’ Memoirs of a Gaysha

Bubbi Kakes in Les Femelles Fatale

More of Petronius’ Memoirs of a Gaysha

Bar Baron Michael welcomes you to Michael’s on the Park

Cathy Fox in Opal’s Follies @ JohnPaul’s

Special Opal’s Follies guest Georgeanna Belle

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The Club Scene ~ New Orleans ~ Photos by Tony Leggio, Darwin Reed

Bubbles Champagne joins FourPlay @ JohnPaul’s

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trodding the boards by Brian Sands

Email: bsnola2@hotmail.com

Art at the New Orleans Museum of Art through August 28

fter their triumphant Midsummer Night’s Dream, The NOLA Project returns to NOMA with Yasmina Reza’s Art, the Tony Award-winning play about how the purchase of a virtually all white painting affects the relationships among three men. With adroit story-telling skills, Reza uses this situation to hold a prism up to the ebb and flow of a

Michael Aaron Santos, Richard Alexander Pomes & James Bartelle in Art

friendship’s dynamics and to stage a compelling debate on aesthetics and the nature of art. Two things make this Art especially noteworthy aside from it being presented in a museum. First, The NOLA Project is fielding six actors, two for each role, for this production’s eight performances, none of which will feature the same casting line-up.

More importantly, with the actors’ ages ranging from mid/late 20s to mid-30s, there is an aptness here to all these arguments about beauty and art. Generally, Art casts skew older; Alfred Molina was 44, Victor Garber was 48 and Alan Alda was 62 when the show opened on Broadway. Though all gave excellent performances, with a younger cast there is a certain frisson to their debate as the characters express opinions newly formed, or still being formed, before they’ve calcified into hardened stances. There is also the added bonus of the humor that comes when seeing these relatively youthful men so sure of themselves. Part comedy of bad manners, part play of ideas, Art requires flesh’n’blood-ness to avoid smacking of late night collegiate discussions. Director Kate Kuen did a superb job of this, bringing out what warmth there is and cleanly delineating the shifting allegiances among the three men, and simply but nicely staging the work to suggest three different apartments. As the dermatologist Serge, the purchaser of the all-white canvas, Michael Aaron Santos was naturally urbane, a whiff of the metrosexual hanging on him. Slightly passive/aggressive towards his friends, the rangy Santos had the self-satisfied assurance of one who could afford such expensive artwork. (Clearly, cosmetic surgery is the way for doctors to go these days.) Best of all, Santos conveyed a genuine love of the painting he acquired, presenting it to his friends almost as one would present a newborn child. Richard Alexander Pomes’ Marc was properly smug and supercilious, a bulwark of traditionalism against the forces of modernism, post-modernism, and, gasp, minimalism. He’s the long time friend whose behavior you put up with for reasons you’re not entirely sure of but with whom you’re not quite willing or ready to cut ties just yet. Some might prefer a more congenial actor, such as Alda or Jimmy Murphy (from the Actor’s Theatre of New Orleans’ 2006 production), to offset Marc’s abrasiveness; yet Pomes’ somewhat innately assertive bearing, which served him so well in his Ambie Awardwinning turn in The NOLA Project’s Assassins, seems appropriate for the role. James Bartelle, who brought delicate pathos to Southern Rep’s Norman Conquests, imbues Yvan with a melting humanity, avoiding buffoonishness at all costs. Bartelle makes clear that Yvan is not so much indecisive or hypocritical or trying to pander to both of his friends, but that he truly sees both sides of the argument, agreeing with whomever he happens to be closer to at the moment. In his showstopper of a monolog detailing a pre-wedding tale from hell, Bartelle navigated its twists with technical precision and displayed Yvan’s neuroses with an absolutely heartbreaking sincerity. A few quibbles: —Christopher Hampton’s translation, while generally pleasing, occasionally sounds a bit stilted, or rather, as though it ought to be said with a British accent; one wishes for a [continued on 47]

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trodding the boards ...from 46 slightly more Americanized translation. —Though Kuen has kept the setting in Paris, her actors perform, understandably, accent-free so it’s a bit odd to hear them affect outrageous French (and even British) accents when speaking as other friends and family members; Bartelle, especially, seems not to want to give up the French accent he recently employed in Twelfth Night. —And if the Stern Auditorium has unobstructed sight lines, its acoustics leave something to be desired, so you may want to sit towards the front. Clocking in at 85 flawless minutes, Art, in these times of record-breaking prices at art auctions, still remains relevant, especially when done this well. The only question is why wasn’t it done at NOMA before? And what’s next? Sunday in the Park with George?

The Glass Mendacity at Deutsches Haus through August 17

even years after debuting at True Brew, The Glass Mendacity, Maureen Morley and Tom Willmorth’s hilarious send-up of Tennessee Williams’ greatest hits, has returned in, of all places, Deutsches Haus’ new location in Metairie. And why not? Other than JPAS and Actor’s Theatre of New Orleans, no other venues currently provide theatrical entertainment to the post-Katrina population boom in NOLA’s neighbor to the west. And judging by the full house at a recent performance, there’s an audience eager to enjoy quality theater close to their own backyards. Mendacity is a mélange of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire in which Morley and Willmorth imagine Maggie the Cat hooking up with Stanley Kowalski, a Big [Mama] Amanda who’s obsessed with her legions of Gentleman Callers, and a Mitch who’s in love with Blanche but woos Laura Wingfield as a favor to Stanley. The more familiar you are with Williams, the more enjoyment you’re likely to get from Mendacity but who can’t appreciate a Brick played by a studly mannequin wearing pajama bottoms and an open shirt that Maggie swoons all over. For those tired of the Tennessee Williams Festival’s seriousness, here Big Mama met Big Daddy through a personal ad; Laura’s glass menagerie is made of ice; Blanche attends a pajama party at the firehouse and transfers from a streetcar named “Wanton Lust” to the “#7—Bleeding Ulcer.” And don’t even ask how Stanley’s cry of “STELLA” is worked into the proceedings.

The cast is made up of some actors new to their roles, others reprising their True Brew characters. Among the returnees, Maureen Brennan is in top form in her Ambie Award-winning role as a Blanche teetering on the edge of sanity. Emerging from her overlong sojourns in the bathroom, Brennan’s plummy diction gives a wacky spin to the line, “I feel fresh enough to take on the Vienna Boys Choir.” Ann Mahoney’s self-effacing Laura is even more pathetic—and funnier— than before as she ticks off a list of nicknames (Sister Gimp, Blue Cow Tits, etc.) she was called in high school. Mahoney manages the difficult task of making Laura almost aggressively mousy. JP Delahoussaye has upped his magnetism quotient and now makes a topnotch Stanley, properly butch, slightly menacing, and hungry for the Dubois family money that he thinks he has a right to. Jerry Lee Leighton, who can play tough guys, nicely tones it down for the soft, gay-ish Mitch; his scenes with Blanche are almost tender when they’re not absurd. John “Spud” McConnell as a bigger-than-life, flatulent Big Daddy bats some of the show’s best lines out of the park with perfect timing, but his polished comic sense knows which ones he can lightly toss off. Of the newcomers, Jessie Terrebonne makes a slinky, sexy Maggie and sets off sparks with Stanley, two commoners who married into money. Becky Allen captures Big Amanda’s ditheriness while also revealing her faded belle-of-the-ball qualities. As delightful as all the actors are, one misses the guiding hand of director Carl Walker who gave the proceedings a brisk pace that is sometimes lacking here; one almost wishes some of the more repetitious bits had been cut. He also guided the cast to a consistency with the script-holding music stands; in the current production, actors didn’t always seem to know whether to gesture to each other or out into the audience. And while the ad libs add to the merriment, especially McConnell’s, there are a few too many fumblings with the scripts for a group of such pros as these. As with NOMA’s Stern Auditorium, the Deutsches Haus hall was not built for theatrical endeavors, so sit towards the front if you don’t want to miss any of Mendacity’s overripe metaphors or juicy put-downs. Yummy food that’s available for purchase (pork chops, green beans and macaroni & cheese made up a recent menu) and a bar full of all sorts of German beers and other spirits make for a complete evening. As you have only two more opportunities to see this perfect summertime amusement, don’t wait for any kind strangers to take you,

just head over to Deutsches Haus yourself!

Hugging the Shoulder at the Shadowbox Theatre through August 20

n Jerrod Bogard’s Hugging the Shoulder, Derrick kidnaps his older brother Jeremy, tosses him in the back of a car, and drives him all over the country in an attempt to wean him off his severe drug habit. Or does he? Bogard’s play does raise the timeless question of “Am I my brother’s keeper?” and explores how fate sometimes places you in situations you never thought you’d wind up in. Unfortunately, while we feel the pain of Derrick and Jeremy, I can’t honestly say that I really ever cared much about them. Meandering and repetitive, Bogard’s script simply never goes beyond a surface deep exploration of these scions of a dysfunctional family resulting in an unsatisfying thinness. The ending especially feels like a cheat, a Twilight Zone rip-off. Director Glenn Meche, who has notched up award-winning productions of The Glass Menagerie and Frozen in recent seasons, here creates some nice images with his simple staging, notably a Pieta-like one, but not even

he can overcome the innate dullness of watching two guys watch a car race. One can only wonder what it was about this play that appealed to him. Joe Seibert does well as Derrick, bringing out the decency of this nice guy who’s devoted to his brother. But even this fine actor can spin only so many variations on the same I’mgonna-save-you theme that the text provides. Eli Grove, who in the past has done impressive work as a set designer (The Madwoman of Chaillot, Finer Noble Gases), is good as the manipulative, dissolute and, at times, incoherent Jeremy, but he’s too laid back for a character that calls for a more spontaneous, springy, even menacing approach. This is a role that requires a young Brando or Pacino, not a member of the mumblecore set. Liz Mills is effective as Jeremy’s junkie girlfriend Christy, an ineffably sad casualty of addiction. I wish I could be more enthusiastic about Hugging the Shoulder as it’s nice to see local producing entities such as Crescent Theatre Collective taking chances on plays that don’t come with New York or London pedigrees. But, frankly, after last year’s Blackbird, my tolerance for plays about druggie losers has reached its limit.

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