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the "official" dish by Rip & Marsha Naquin-Delain Email: marsha@ripandmarsha.com
Southern Decadence Reaches Almost 1 Billion Dollar Economic Impact on the Community & City The 42nd Southern Decadence celebration of Gay Life, Music & Culture heralds in the end of summer with a huge economic impact for the community and the City of New Orleans over Labor Day Weekend, August 28th through September 2nd this year. While over 125,000 participants with an economic impact of $100 million or better is expected in 2013, since 1996 the celebration has had a 987 million dollar economic impact. The Official Website of Southern Decadence, www.SouthernDecadence.COM, was launched in 1996, the only website on Southern Decadence at the time, and has been keeping records on the estimated crowds which now total 1 million, 142 thousand, as well as the projected economic impact each year. Capture one of the largest audiences in New Orleans with a single AD in Ambush Magazine. Serving as the Official Southern Decadence Guide, and oldest LGBT entertainment/travel guide in the Gulf South, Ambush Magazine has a readership of over 1 million with 260,000 in print and over 780,000 on-line annually. Ambush has been dedicated to the LGBT Community for over 31 years celebrating gay life, music and culture direct from World famous Bourbon Street. Don’t miss out on this excellent opportunity for maximum exposure and advertising with an unbeatable price to a global audience. The mirror image of the printed version appears at www.AmbushMag.COM including all ads at no additional charge. Call Rip Naquin at 504.522.8049, or Paul Melancon at 504.357.8440, or email marsha@ripandmarsha.com for advertising.
SDGMs Tami Tarmac & Venus Santiago Name Skyy as Official Vodka of Southern Decadence; Set Several Fundraisers For the first time, Skyy has been named Official Vodka of Southern Decadence by Southern Decadence Grand Marshals XXXIX Tami Tarmac and Venus Santiago. As the only vodka sponsor, Skyy will join the celebration of gay life, music and culture, along with fellow sponsors Ambush Mag, Bud Light, SouthernDecadence.COM, Patrons of the Golden Lantern, Kajun's Pub, ArthurSeverio.COM and Chad Boutte. You can still join as a sponsor, and be part of the largest LGBT end of summer blowout in the South! Levels include Presenting ($5,000), Platinum ($2,500), Gold ($1,000), Silver ($500), and Bronze ($250). Get your sponsorship form at www.southerndecadence.com/ images/NOSouthernDecadenceSponsors.pdf. Funds raised minus expenses will benefit Belle Reve, which provides permanent and transitional housing along with full support services to adults and families living with AIDS or HIV related infections. Upcoming fundraisers featured in ads in this edition include: Friday, August 9th: 11pm, Southern Decadence Fundraiser Drag Show @ Golden Lantern (see page 7) Saturday, August 10th: 8-11pm, Southern Decadence Beer Bust hosted by SDGMs Tami Tarmac & Venus Santiago with 8:30pm show @ Phoenix (see page 8) Saturday, August 17th: 8-10pm, Buy A Boy Auction, win a dinner date with the boy of your choice, hosted by Persana Shoulders @ Oz (see cover/page 1) Friday, August 23rd: 9pm, Southern Decadence Fundraiser with show, auction & hors d'oeuvres, $10 donation @ Michael's On The Park (see page 19) Sunday, August 25th: 11am, Southern Decadence Sunday Sister Social Brunch & Jukebox Drag Show, $10 donation @ The Friendly Bar (see page 10) Sunday, August 25th: 8-10pm, Southern Decadence Fundraiser: Underwear Fashion Show sponsored by Bourbon Pride @ Corner Pocket (see page 9) Keep abreast of all Southern Decadence events at www.SouthernDecadence.COM.
26th Gay Appreciation Awards Raises $3,005 for Buzzy's Boys & Girls A packed house greeted the 26th Gay Appreciation Awards Gala raising $3,005 for Buzzy's Boys & Girls at Oz New Orleans. VIP Table sales raised $1,600, with $1,210 from the door, and $195 in stage performance tips. The exciting evening was emceed by GAA Boards Teryl-Lynn Foxx and Lisa Beaumann. Entertainment brought outstanding production numbers from four of the five Top 5 Show Bar of the Year finalist including Michael's On The Park, Golden Lantern, Oz, and JohnPaul's, plus even an operetta from last year's Entertainer of the Year Monique Michaels. The whole evening honored Mina Hernandez, a leader in the LGBT community for many years, receiving the coveted 26th Lifetime Achievement Award, chosen unanimously by the GAA Board of Directors. Award winners voted by the Gulf South
readership of Ambush Mag included: Leather Bar of the Year: Phoenix Bitch of the Year: Princesse Stephaney Circuit Party/Event of the Year: Southern Decadence LGBT Business of the Year: Bourbon Pride
Hair Salon of the Year: Head Quarters Restaurant/Deli/Coffee House of the Year: Quartermaster: The Nellie Deli Marsha Delain Award of Excellence: The Drag Ambassador Award presented to Aubrey Synclaire by Marsha Naquin-Delain Cheridon Comedy Award: Persana Shoulders Neighborhood Bar of the Year: Golden Lantern Buzzy Fanning AIDS Award: NO/AIDS Task Force Donnie Jay Performing Arts Award: New Orleans Gay Men’s Chorus Transgender of the Year: Chi-Chi Rodriguez DJ of the Year: Jonathan “JRB” Reed/ Oz Fly Fashion Glamour Award: Aubrey Synclaire Leather Person of the Year: Gary Vandeventer Gay Mardi Gras Ball of the Year: Krewe of Amon-Ra Dance Club of the Year: Oz Bartender of the Year: Jeff Palmquist/ Cafe Lafitte in Exile Lesbian of the Year: Misti Ates Gay Man of the Year: Tommy Elias Show Bar of the Year: Oz Marcy Marcell Entertainer of the Year: Monique Michaels The Board of Directors includes Lisa Beaumann, Teryl-Lynn Foxx, and Rip and Marsha Naquin-Delain. Sponsored by Ambush Mag, the awards thanks those in the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community who are often not recognized for the outstanding services and efforts they perform. These individuals and businesses have made the LGBT Community into the viable, successful and powerful community it is today. Visit www.AmbushMag.COM/GAA for additional information.
Lords of Leather set Southern Decadence Events Looking ahead to Southern Decadence?? Wondering where to take your guests from out of town?? The Lords of Leather have it all planned for you over the long and busy holiday weekend. On Friday August 30 – 10pm until 2am, $5, its Beer Bust during the Phoenix Block Party, held outside on the street adjacent to the bar at 941 Elysian Fields Avenue. And then on Saturday August 31 – 4pm until 7pm, its “Down and Dirty” Southern Decadence Party in the Phoenix. Admission includes domestic beer, well drinks and the always optional clothes check. Tickets are available for $25 in advance and, if still available, $30 at the door. Visit
inside
THE OFFICIAL MAG
Facebook.COM/AmbushMag Gulf South Entertainment/Travel Guide Since 1982 • Louisiana-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 OVER 1 MILLION: 260,000+ in print/780,000+ On-line CIRCULATION: Alabama-Mobile Florida - Pensacola Louisiana - Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Metairie, New Orleans, Slidell Mississippi - Bay St. Louis, Biloxi Texas - Houston
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 504.357.8440 THEATRE/PERFORMING ARTS CRITIC Brian Sands AD REPS/JOURNALISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS Blanche-Alabama Frankie Fierce, Charles Jenkins, Tony Leggio, Frank Perez, Arthur Severio, Rev. Bill Terry-New Orleans Bob Brunson, MIss Cie & John, Leon WeekleyMobile, AL Lauren Mitchell-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 NaquinDelain, 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. ©1982-2013, AMBUSH, INC.,ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NOTHING HEREIN MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER INCLUDINGAD LAYOUTS, MAPS and PHOTOS. AMgrant - AMbush Advertising Grant Donation
www.lordsofleather.com or see any krewe member to get your tickets now. After the party (we all know the party
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Giant Southern Decadence issue out Aug. 28th DEADLINE: Mon., Aug. 12th
celebrazzi commentary email under the gaydar gaa paparazzi/new orleans gaa/sd paparazzi/new orleans 30th halloween 42nd southern decadence pensacola paparazzi ambush paparazzi/new orleans
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classifieds moments in gay new orleans history legal matters a community within communities spotlight feature out & about in mobile trodding the boards mobile paparazzi ambush paparazzi/nola, baton rouge
Gulf South Entertainment/Travel Guide Since 1982 828-A Bourbon St. • New Orleans, LA 70116-3137 • 504.522.8049 marsha@ripandmarsha.com
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celebrazzi
Gay Appreciation Awards Board of Directors Teryl-Lynn Foxx, Lisa Beaumann, and Rip & Marsha Naquin-Delain present the prestigious 26th annual Lifetime Achievement Award to Mina Hernandez for her outstanding community service at the 26th GAA Gala. Hosted at Oz in New Orleans, the gala presented 23 awards, most voted on by the readership of Ambush Mag, and raised $3,005 for Buzzy’s Boys & Girls. (www.AmbushMag.COM/GAA)
Ginger and Patricia join the festive Razzle Dazzle Christmas in July party hosted at Razzle Dazzle Headquarters in New Orleans.
Jerry Ehlen accepts two 2013 Nappie Awards for Best Mobile Alternative Bar B-Bob’s and Best Mobile New Bar Flip Side voted on by Lagniappe readers in Mobile, Alabama.
Southern Decadence Grand Marshals XXXIX Venus Santiago and Tami Tarmac accept $500 towards Kajun’s Pub’s Gold SD sponsorship at the club’s SD Karaoke Gong Show raising $$$ for SD 2013 in New Orleans. The show brought some great performances from SDGM Tami Tarmac, Rikki Redd, Lesbian of the Year Johnny Passion, Reba Douglas, Entertainer of the Year Monique Michaels, and SDGM Venus Santiago. (www.SouthernDecadence.COM)
Nadya Simone celebrates her birthday at Emerald City in Pensacola, Florida. First photo is before Jose Quervo and the second is after Jose Quervo. She had a great night!
Queen and King Petronius LII Larry Anderson and Lee Worrells, and Captain C. Alice present Queen and King Petronius LIII-Elect Theresa Greenhouse and Eunice Evans (center) at the Krewe of Petronius’ annual Cocktails & Crowns held at the krewe den in New Orleans. They also announced the 2014 ball theme as “Fill In The ______ Ball.” To keep up with the krewe, visit www.KreweOfPetronius.ORG.
Miss Gay Louisiana America 2012 Dextaci congratulates newly crowned Miss Gay Louisiana America 2013 Mercedez Ellis Loreal who entered the pageant as Miss Gay Capital City America at Splash in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Both Loreal and 1st Alternate Delanie Valentine will represent Louisiana at the upcoming Miss Gay America Pageant. (Photo Credit: www.MissGayLouisianaAmerica.INFO)
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the "official" dish ...from 4 never really ends during Decadence) stay at the Phoenix for round two of the Lords of Leather Saturday $5 Beer Bust from 10pm until 2am at the Phoenix Block Party. Be sure to stop by to see friends or make new ones, have a cold beverage or two and enjoy the sights as New Orleans and the Lords of Leather celebrate one of their most famous events – Southern Decadence XLII.
Winston's 82nd Surprise Birthday Aug. 17 Winston Gray's big surprise 82nd Birthday Bash is set for Saturday, August 17th at the Home of Southern Decadence, Golden Lantern. Dinner, which includes a whole suckling pig, begins at 6pm followed by his annual 2nd Line and Drag Show at 8pm. The show is under the direction of Rikki Redd. In lieu of gifts, please make a donation to Running With Scissors, www.norunningwithscissors.com.
Petronius to Present Vampire Lesbians of Sodom Oct. 24-27 The New Orleans carnival Krewe of Petronius announces plans to produce Charles Busch's Vampire Lesbians of Sodom under the direction of Larry W. Anderson for four special Halloween performances, October 24 to 27 at the Café Istanbul Performance Theatre in the Healing Center at 2372 St Claude Ave. in the Marigny. Each performance will feature an Intermission Contest for the Best Vampire or Zombie costume. Tickets will be $35, with a $5 discount or refund to everyone wearing a costume. Charles Busch's vampire spoof which opened and ran for many seasons beginning in 1984 was for many years the longest-running Off-Broadway non-musical play in theatre history. Written by Busch as a starring vehicle for himself as an established drag queen performer at the time, the play is a spoof of classic movies about vampires and the entertainment industry, with some memorable characters in campy situations over a period spanning over two centuries. Director Larry Anderson has been actively involved with amateur and community theatre for over forty years, having directed and served as Artistic Director at Theatre Marigny for several years in the 1990s. Tickets to the performance will be available from members of the Krewe of Petronius as well the krewe's website, www.KreweOfPetronius.ORG.
Ghostly Galavant set for Oct. 25-27 Friends of the Cabildo, the support organization for the Louisiana State Museum, will host its 27th annual Ghostly Galavant Fundraiser, October 25th-27th The three-day event kicks off with a Friday night “Gala” at the Cabildo from 7:30 10pm. The Saturday and Sunday Ghostly tours leave from the 1850 House on Historic Jackson Square. The tours will run every half-hour from 10am until 3pm each day.
The Ghostly Galavant weekend begins with the “Gala,” a Halloween costume party at the Cabildo on Jackson Square. Guests are encouraged (but not required) to dress up in costume and get in the Halloween spirit! Tickets include food and drink (beer and wine) from restaurants in the French Quarter. Live Entertainment will be provided. Tickets for the “Gala” are $40 dollars in advance and $45 dollars at the door. On Saturday and Sunday, Friends of the Cabildo tour guides will take guests on a haunting and hilarious tour of the French Quarter. Ghosts, such as Louisiana Governor Earl Long, voodoo priestess Marie Laveau and the Baroness Michaela Pontabla, may all be happened upon in French Quarter buildings and courtyards. Tours begin at 10am on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are only $20 for adults (+21), $10 for students and children are free. To purchase your “Gala” or tour tickets, contact the Friends of the Cabildo office at 504.523.3939 or online at www.friendsofthecabildo.org.
ACLU Statement on Arrests of Men in Baton Rouge Parks According to ACLU, "The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Department has been persecuting and arresting men in public parks for doing nothing more than what the law permits them to do: have conversations setting up private meetings, in private places outside the park. These conversations are fully protected by the First Amendment. To the extent that they might involve issues of private sexual conduct, that conduct itself is fully protected under Lawrence v. Texas, which in 2003 struck down laws banning consensual sex acts among adults. The Louisiana statute that remains on the books, banning 'crimes against nature,' has been unenforceable against consenting adults for a decade. It is the job of law enforcement to know what is valid law and what is not. The people of Baton Rouge are entitled to a law enforcement system that actually enforces the law. That means protecting people whose conduct is legal such as adults engaging in conversation about anything they choose in public places. The men who have been arrested should have had the protection, not the persecution, of their law enforcement officials, and Sheriff Hicks must educate his staff on the proper role of law enforcement in a free society. It is time for these wrongful arrests, and the persecution of these individuals, to stop."
New Orleans Ranked #2 Aspirational City The Daily Beast named New Orleans the #2 Most Aspirational City in America based on jobs and culture. Cities were ranked based on the health of the economy, quality of life, and demographic factors. New Orleans ranks between Austin at #1 and Houston at #3. Most cities on the list are rich with culture and modest in size, which make them easily enjoyable. ”New Orleans being named #2 Most Aspirational City in America is remarkable validation that our effort to make the region one of the best places to live and do busi-
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commentary by Frank Perez E-mail: f.perez@sbcglobal.net
Father of Modern Computers To Be Posthumously Pardoned for Being Gay Alan Turing, British mathematician and the father of the modern computer, was recently pardoned by the House of Lords for being gay. The bill has yet to be considered by the House of Commons but Parliament observers predict it will pass easily. Turing was convicted in 1952 of “gross indecency with another adult.” As an alternative to prison, the British government “chemically castrated” Turing by forcing him to take female hormones. He was also declared mentally ill and subsequently ostracized both socially and professionally. Turing committed suicide two years later. Turing’s outing and conviction was shocking at the time because he had achieved great success as a scientist and war hero. During World War II, Turing worked for the Government Code and Cypher School at Bletchley Park. Drawing on his background in mathematics, Turing was instrumental in breaking Adolph Hitler’s Enigma war code. Turing’s code-breaking skills helped the Allies defeat the Nazis and probably cut the war short by as much as two years, thus saving untold thousands of lives. In 1945, Turing was awarded the Order of the British Empire by King George VI for his war-time services. Immediately after the war, Turing developed a design for what he called the ACE, or Automatic Computing Engine. The ACE was never completely built but its design became the cornerstone of the modern era’s earliest computers. He then
began developing software for early storedprogram computers. Turing also did pioneering work in the field of artificial intelligence. In addition, he also performed groundbreaking work in the field of mathematical biology. Because of his contributions to technology, Turing is widely considered to be the father of computer science as well as the Information Age.
the "official" dish ...from 8 ness is working,” said Michael Hecht, President and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc. (GNO, Inc.). “Truly, the ‘new’ New Orleans offers a combination of business conditions and lifestyle that most other regions can only aspire to.” According to The Daily Beast writers
Subject: Louisiana Same Sex Marriage Federal Lawsuit Good Morning, I am writing you this morning in an effort to shed light for the public on our Same Sex Marriage Case here in Louisiana filed in Federal Court on Tuesday July 16th 2013. My husband and I were married in Iowa while on vacation last year, we returned to our home in Louisiana to our normal lives living with a legal marriage license from another state that is not recognized here in Louisiana. After DOMA was struck down, we were still surprised to find out that in reality, because of the Louisiana Constitution and Louisiana Civil Code, not much change had been bestowed upon us. Questions arose about property, death, taxes, and what would really happen in the Joel Kotkin and Wendell Cox, “Our top two cities reflect the importance of this arbitrage opportunity. Both No. 1, Austin, Texas, and No. 2, New Orleans, are places where people can enjoy the cultural amenities and attitudes of “progressive” blue states but in a distinctly red-state environment of low costs, less regulation, and lower taxes. These places have lured companies and people from more expensive regions, notably California and the Northeast, by being not only culturally rich but also amenable to
event of one of our demise. We decided to challenge the unconstitutionality of Louisiana civil code and constitution under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the US Constitution in Federal Court. While we know this will be a long and drawn out battle. It will take a toll on us emotionally and financially. We have a website up so people can support is by signing up for email updates about the case. There is also a donate button at the top. While we are not soliciting and saying hey give us money, we are giving those an opportunity that can help us an avenue to do so. If you could help us get the word out and bring this to the public eye to get support for such an important issue, it would be greatly appreciated. The link below is the link to our page where people can read the complaint, sign up, and donate. http://spiveyesq.com/ Robicheaux.html?no_redirect=true I hope you will share this with your audience and spread the word. Thanks for your time, --Derek Penton building a career, buying a home and, ultimately, raising a family in relative comfort.” To determine rankings, Mr. Kotkin and Mr. Cox evaluated economic growth, per capita income, unemployment, the growth of domestic migration, the movement of college-educated people and the foreign born, the amount of traffic congestion, housing affordability, and crowding.
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under the gaydar by Tony Leggio Email: ledgemgp@gmail.com Photo by: Larry Graham, GrahamStudioOne.COM
Bartender of the Month Since its establishment, Oz has always been one of the premier gay nightclubs in the Crescent City. Much of the success is due to the management who knows how to choose some of the best talent whether it is on the stage, in the DJ booth or behind the bar. Tommy Elias has through the years, along with the other management team and owners had the innate ability to select top individuals who will be amazing fits in their roles. They recently had a multitude of wins in the Gay Appreciation Awards taking home the top prize for Dance Club and Show Bar of the Year, Persana Shoulders Cheridon Comedy Award, Tommy Elias as Man of the Year, Jonathan JRB Reed DJ of the Year, and Chi-Chi Rodriguez Transgender of the Year My choice for bartender of the month for August was also nominated as Bartender of the Year. Earl Johnson is one of the most enthusiastic and personable guys behind the bar. He has worked his way up establishing quite a following of regular clientele.
because of his service, professionalism and happy-go-lucky demeanor. He does also mix one mean drink. Go and check him out at Oz. Oz is located at 800 Bourbon Street.
Satyricon Goes Soft Core! The Mystic Krewe of Satyricon is bringing sexy back with none other than the spicy and flamboyant Todd Thunder as they present Let’s Make a Wheel of Softcore Bingo! at Oz on Saturday, August 24th starting at 7:30pm. Todd and the New Orleans Darlin’s offer one of the naughtiest, funniest, softcore-porniest game shows in town. Wear your best bingo hall attire and compete in the costume contest. There is an array of fabulous prizes you can win including a lap dance from Todd himself! Now isn’t that special. My ovaries are quaking just thinking about all his thunder down under if you know what I mean. Tickets are $10. For more information, check out The Mystic Krewe of Satyricon Facebook page or call 504.252.5476.
Meet the Candidate Richard Perque
Bartender of the Month Earl Johnson His energetic and boisterous nature lends itself for this line of work. He works a crowded bar with ease keeping the drinks flowing and the customers satisfied. Speed and a quick wit make him a favorite and unlike other bartenders, he is always in high spirits. Some bartenders are moody sometimes when they are having a bad day. Note, when you step through that door, you are on, and need to stay on, no bad days; customers go to bars to forget their problems, not to deal with yours. That is why Earl is so popular, you always know he will have your drink ready with a smile. As a bartender, you sell more than cocktails and people forget that, you are selling your establishment, and your personal brand. I just got finished with Tales of the Cocktail this week and you would be amazed what some bars and restaurants around the country pay (in salary) for popular bartenders who market their best commodity, themselves. Earl does just that, he is a unique individual who goes beyond just slinging drinks. People make it a point to go to him
At a very young age, my parents instilled in me that voting was an honor that many people around the world do not have and to never take it for granted. So I try to vote in every election. Recently I met Richard Perque who is running for Traffic Court Judge. I was very impressed in what he had to say about trying to help be a part of the solution in making Traffic Court better. He is having an upcoming fundraiser, but I thought I would give you a little background on Richard before you attend his event. He was born on August 19, 1978 (he is so young) and raised in Napoleonville, Louisiana and attended St. Elizabeth School and Assumption High School. In 1996, Richard moved to New Orleans to attend Loyola University New Orleans; graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. In 2006, Richard obtained his Juris Doctor and Certificate in Civil Law and Common Law from Loyola University New Orleans School of Law. Upon graduation, Richard started his legal career at his family’s law firm, practicing with his grandfather, Pappy, mother, Jane, and uncle, Marty. In 2007, Richard opened a general civil litigation practice in downtown New Orleans to serve a greater population of southeastern Louisiana. The oldest of four children, Richard places a great importance on relationships with his family. During Richard’s childhood, his father, Kurt worked for the family’s flooring business. Opened in 1955 by his grandfather, Kirby and great uncle, Harvey, the Perque Flooring Company is a wellknown business in south Louisiana, with stores in and around the New Orleans Metropolitan area. Perque Flooring remains a locally owned and operated family
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under the gaydar ...from 12 company. Richard’s family has a history of public service to the citizens of Louisiana. Richard’s grandfather, Risley C. Triche, also known as “Pappy” Triche (August 16, 1927 - June 26, 2012), was an attorney, who at the age of twenty-four, was elected Mayor of Napoleonville, having been for a time the youngest mayor in Louisiana. He served as a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1955 to 1976. As a child, Richard watched his mother, Jane Triche-Milazzo transition from elementary school teacher to law student. In 1992, Richard’s mother entered the practice of law, serving as an associate and thereafter partner at the family’s law firm from 1992 until 2008. In 2008, Richard’s mother was elected the first female state district judge in the 23rd judicial district court for the State of Louisiana. In 2011, she was nominated by President Barack Obama to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of the State of Louisiana. A lifelong democrat, Richard believes that all people should be treated equally and fairly, and that the role of a judge is to ensure that all persons, regardless of race, religion, gender, social standing or position, are treated with fairness and equality before the law. Richard is also an openly gay candidate. If he wins, he would be the first openly gay judge on the bench in the City of New Orleans, (and State of Louisiana). But for me, meeting Richard and listening to how he can be a positive influence to the city convinced me. Now is your chance to meet him in person at his fabulous
fundraiser he is hosting on August 23rd at Vacherie Restaurant from 6 – 9pm. There will be appetizers, mint juleps and you opportunity to meet the candidate. There will also be a way to register you to vote there so you have no excuses. Vacherie is located at 827 ½ Toulouse Street. For more information on Richard, go to www.perqueforjudge.com.
Get Your Hair Did at the Hair Ball One of the most outrageously entertaining events is happening. Hair Ball 2013: A CED Event benefitting the LASPCA will be on Friday, August 16th at JohnPaul’s starting at 8pm. This year’s theme is Club Kids and Lollipops which leaves so much up for interpretation. But there is one thing you can be sure of, with designer John Paul Delgadillo in charge of the party, it will be fierce. John created the Hair Ball because he always wanted Alegria (see more below) to be a three day event. Not wanting it to grow so fast he wanted to add slowly. The idea for the Hair Ball came about when Alegria became more of an event associated with dogs. After many visits to the LaSPCA and seeing the cats many times, it was natural decision to have the second day tie into cats thus the Hair Ball came about. The 2013 show will be hosted by Miss Gay New Orleans Monica Synclaire Kennedy and Southern Decadence Grand Marshal Tami Tarmac. Other entertainment includes Burlesque performers Trixie Roxx, May Hemmer and Mamie Dame; special performance by hip hop diva Nadiyah Sky; the Yes Girls Comedy Show; music by DJ Sky and Lee
Kyle and is over the top Club Kid style. This event will also have some of the best stylists and salons competing. Get your ticket for this noteworthy cause, or you can buy a table for four which includes food, champagne and raffle tickets. For more information, go to The Hair Ball on Facebook. General Admission is $10.
Alegria Is Back The hottest fashion this summer is right around the corner. The Louisiana SPCA will hold the 5th annual Alegria Fashion Show on Saturday, August 17th, from 25pm at Generations Hall with hosts Melanie Hebert of WWL and Jay Galle of WDSU. This is an unbelievable design competition of talented local designers plus the new couture lines from Alegria co-founder John Delgadillo and 2012 Alegria winner Emily Riché. Put no event for the LaSPCA would be complete with our best friends, so there will be a few surprises from local celebrities rocking the catwalk with their pets. Specialty cocktails sponsored by Glazer’s and local treats will be served. As an animal lover, I am a major supporter of the La SPCA and this event. Marissa Collins, the Louisiana SPCA Events Coordinator helped shed some light on the event and its inception. TL: Tell us about the Alegria Fashion Show. What kind of fashion show is it? How did it get started? What year is it in? MC: Alegria started a few years ago as an idea from co-founder and designer John Delgadillo from Cutting Edge Diva. The event includes a designer competition, new couture lines from Cutting Edge Diva and the previous year’s design winner, a spe-
cial show featuring local burlesque celebs in Nola Bikinis (though no burlesque will be part of the PG Alegria event), plus a silent auction and free-flowing specialty cocktails from Pinnacle Vodka, Sauza Tequila, Maker’s Mark Bourbon and Cruzan Rum. It’s the fifth annual event, and all proceeds benefit the Louisiana SPCA Community Clinic. We’re able to use the funds to help people who are struggling financially to keep their pet healthy and at home. TL: There are designers and fundraising models, explain how each fits into the event. MC: Besides our fabulous fashion models included in the design competition and couture lines, this year we added celebrity models and fundraising pages for all models. The top three celebs will get to strut the catwalk with their pet! Any model can have their friends and family buy tickets or donate on their page, and we’ll feature the top fashion model and top celebrity model in the Best of New Orleans August 27th issue. Our celebrity models include Heather Ferdinand J, Lauren “FleurtyGirl” Thom, Chriss Knight, Princesse Stephaney, Reagan Charleston, Aaron Williamson, and Shanna Forrestall. TL: For whom and why is the Alegria Fashion show a must attend event? Any entertainment? MC: It’s wonderful to know you can have fun while supporting animals in need. We’ll also have silk aerialist Amy Tracy perform and we have some surprises planned. We’ll have a special prize for Best Shoe for the ladies and Best Accessory for the guys! With general admission tickets
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Jason Emrick accepts Circuit Party/Event of the Year for Southern Decadence from Teryl Lynn-Foxx
Aubrey Synclaire accepts Marsha Delain Award of Excellence: The Drag Ambassador from Marsha & Rip
Persana Shoulders accepts Cheridon Comedy Award
Aubrey Synclaire accepts Fly Fashion Glamour Award
Misti Ates accepts Lesbian of the Year
Brock Andersen accepting Leather Person of the Year for Gary Vandeventer
Tommy Elias accepts Gay Man of the Year
Oz accepts Show Bar of the Year Bourbon Pride’s Josh Duffy accepts LGBT Business of the Year
Head Quarters accepts Hair Salon of the Year
Quartermaster’s Misael Rubio accepts Restaurant/Deli of the Year
Golden Lantern’s James Garner & Wilhemina accepts Neighborhood Bar of the Year
Chi-Chi Rodriguez accepts Transgender of the Year
DJ JRB accepts DJ of the Year
Krewe of Amon-Ra accepts Gay Carnival Ball of the Year
Oz accepts Dance Club of the Year
Monique Michaels accepts Entertainer of the Year
Jeff Palmquist accepts Bartender of the Year
Nanette Owings joins partner & Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Mina Hernandez
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26th Gay Appreciation Awards Gala raises $3,005 for Buzzy Boys & Girls @ Oz ~ New Orleans ~ Photos by Darwin Reed, Arthur Severio
Mr. Phoenix Leather Lance Baggett accepts Leather Bar of the Year for the Phoenix from Teryl-Lynn Foxx & Lisa Beaumann
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Kajun’s Pub’s Lisa & Marina VIP Table Nick Olivares & Roy Smith
Returning Entertainer of the Year Monique Michaels SDGMs XXXIX Venus & Tami with sponsors Ambush & SouthernDecadence.COM’s Rip & Marsha Show Bar of the Year Finalist Michael’s On The Park
VIP Table Buzzy’s Boys & Girls
VIP Table Golden Lantern
VIP Table Paul Cassella & Frank Perez
Show Bar of the Year Finalist Golden Lantern
SD Parade Captain Chad Boutte & Lt. Rikki Redd
VIP Table Quartermaster
VIP Table Michael’s On The Park
Parade Lt. Reba Douglas & Persana Shoulders
The Big Easy Sisters: Cathy Terre & Wilma Ballsdrop
SDGM XXXIX Tami Tarmac & Larry Bagneris
Show Bar of the Year Finalist Oz VIP Table Darwin Reed & Opal Masters
Show Bar of the Year Finalist JohnPaul’s
VIP Table Queen Petronius Lanacayne
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Southern Decadence Karaoke Gong Show raises $$$ for SD 2013 @ Gold Sponsor Kajun’s Pub ~ New Orleans ~ Photos by Chad Boutte, Rip Naquin
26th Gay Appreciation Awards honors Lifetime Achievement Awardee Mina Hernandez ~ New Orleans ~ Photos by Tony Leggio, Darwin Reed, Arthur Severio
Mama Hernandez, Larry Graham, Mina Hernandez & partner Nanette Owings
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under the gaydar ...from 14 starting at just $25, you can have a few drinks with friends and follow it up with a fantastic dinner in New Orleans. It’s a fantastic way to enjoy the true New Orleans spirit of giving back while having a great time. Guests can win fantastic prizes at the auction while checking out the fabulous fashion New Orleans offers all while helping the Louisiana SPCA. Tickets start at $25 and Sponsorship Tables start at $500. Call LA/SPCA Events Coordinator, Marisa Collins at 504.762.3307 or visit la-spca.org/ alegria for more information.
Do You Have What It Takes To Be Miss Leatherette? The Lords of Leather once again is presenting their hysterically funny Miss Louisiana Leatherette Pageant on Saturday, August 10th at Michael’s On The Park. The 11th anniversary of the Miss Louisiana Leatherette 2014 takes a campy and teasing look at gay leather pageantry. The contest is open to all participants who wish to present their best outfits with a leather twist. This contest is open to all gay, straight, transgendered, male, female, basically anyone; they really are not that critical on entry. The winner gets a fabulous sash and a cash prize of $100. So this is what you will be judged in. Best Parish Costume which is a creative interpretation of costuming representing a Louisiana Parish of the contestant’s choos-
ing. Talent is next. God only knows, be afraid, be very afraid. Swim Wear in which contestants will appear in a swim wear presentation. And then finally there is Evening Gown/Fetish, what a category to be put together. So basically it is going to be one hell of a good time. Make sure you attend this unique take on pageantry. Tickets are $10 and the contest begins promptly at 8pm. Michael’s is located at 834 North Rampart Street. For more information or applications, go to www.lordsofleather.com.
Get Social Join the Krewe of Amon-Ra as they present their holy Sister Sunday Social Taking You To Church on August 11th at 2pm at the Golden Lantern. This a Gospel Show and a church chicken plate lunch with the donation being $10 for the food. So come on out and get some fried chicken and soul saving as the “ladies” from Amon-Ra get one with the Lord. And remember “All Ya’ll Bitches Need Jesus !!”
Party Down My time in Chicago was fabulous (which you will read about in a later article) but I literally had no time to rest when I returned back to the Crescent City on Wednesday because I was engulfed knee deep in Tales of the Cocktail events. My plane landed and I went straight to one of the events for set up. Tales of the Cocktail is a six day event for the industry’s most influential bartenders and spirit lovers from around the globe. This premier cocktail festival returned with another non-stop schedule of
educational seminars, tasting rooms, Spirited Dinners, Spirited Awards, competitions and more tasting rooms than I could count. You will never ever leave thirsty from any of their events. TOC is recognized as the world’s premier brand dedicated to the advancement of the craft of the cocktail through education, networking and promotion. On Thursday, I went to Diageo’s Happy Hour at Gallier Hall where guests enjoyed two floors of cocktails celebrating ports from around the globe. There were gin, rum, bourbon, vodka and a host of other spirits representing the South Pacific, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean/East China Sea, Caribbean and Mexico and Central America. There were three dozen bartenders on hand mixing specialty drinks. Talk about not leaving thirsty. After, I met my friends for one of the Spirited Dinners where they pare each course with a crafted cocktail. We went to Rio Mar where they had tequila. You know it is going to be interesting when tequila is involved. The event was presented by Trinchero Family Estates with hosts Barry Augus, President of Tres Agaves Products and Pep Katcher, President-Co Founder Cruz Tequila. Chef Miles Prescott made the amazing six course meal and Chef Yuval Soffer from LA crafted all the drinks. After that epic dinner experience, I was done for the night. Friday I was working all day and evening, but Saturday I was able to enjoy the festival. I spent the day with my friend Beaux going from tasting room to tasting room at the Royal Sonesta, Hotel Monteleone and other venues in the Quarter. Going to Tales is a committed day of drinking starting with a Bloody Mary and coffee martini bar at 8:30am. After that, it was a blur of libations and tasting rooms from Drink Like A Russian to the Taste of Jamaica. Once we had our fill and I mean we were pretty happy, we went directly to Petronius’ Cocktails and Crowns event at their den, where they announced their royalty King LIII Elect Eunice Evans and Queen LIII Elect Theresa Braggs and the theme of the ball next year which is The Fill In The Blank Ball. Congratulations to the new royalty and I cannot wait to see how this theme will come to life. Immediately after, we went to the Phoenix to catch the tail end of the Big Easy Sisters Tea Room Trade Bingo fundraiser. It was a hoot and these gals have a great time. Talk about quite a diverse day of events. You have to love when you go from one spectrum of people to the other in less than 24 hours. The following week, started with a gathering on Wednesday Fulton on Tap hosted a Pride night. This very cool warehouse district bar developed rainbow col-
ored specialty martinis (the watermelon was my favorite) as the Pride board and supporters came out in full force. I met some great new people and the event was well attended. Pride has made incredible strides at creating a growing festival each year. On Thursday, the holidays came early for me. I went to not one, not two, but yes three Christmas in July parties on that day. Seriously, three, talk about the getting yuletide spirit in overdrive. The first one was at Antoine’s restaurant where they reintroduced the hospitality industry to an old friend showing off their private dining space and the delectable cuisine. They even had Santa Claus and an intoxicated elf. God, I love the holidays. Next was at the Hotel Mazarin, also in the Quarter. There was more drinks and food as they promoted their venue for holiday parties. Last but certainly not least, Razzle Dazzle hosted their soiree at the design center on Elysian Fields. I got some great decorating ideas and even bought a few ornaments. Hey it is never too early to get a jump on the holiday. I hosted a small dinner party on Friday for my friends Beaux, Barrett and Jeff (aka Elizabeth Bouvier) who came in for the weekend. We had some great barbecue before going to catch Cathy Fox’s Tres Femmes show at JohnPaul’s. As always, she was just lovely and they had a good crowd on hand. Then we had a few cocktails at Phoenix before calling it a night. Saturday was another rapid day beginning with the Gay Appreciation Awards at Oz. Rip and Marsha put on an entertaining evening for all who attended. Lisa Beaumann and Teryl-Lynn Foxx kept things lively and the nominated show bars did some inspired performances. After the show, I hopped over to my friend Rachel’s housewarming party at her new digs in the French Quarter on Barracks Street. It was so much fun and I have to say, since I have become a barbecue fanatic it is always good to taste great grilled food. Rachel hands down is an awesome griller, so I was able to get her tips to the perfectly seasoned meat. It was also good to catch up with friends I have not seen in a while. I twirled next at the Golden Lantern who was basking on a few of their wins at the GAA and was in the midst of their Saturday night show; then I went to Michael’s on the Park for the Bootsie and the Bitches show, where Barbara Ella and Bootsie celebrated their birthdays. I ended the night with a nightcap at JohnPaul’s, then home for a much needed rest. My two weeks concluded with a fabulous Sunday Funday. I helped put on the Party with the Queens drag cruise on the
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under the gaydar ...from 22 Creole Queen. It was a fun-filled afternoon on the river with performers Barbara Ella, Elizabeth Bouvier, Summer Rayne, Monica Synclaire-Kennedy and Gia GiaVanni who rocked that boat. Flowing cocktails, great entertainers, food and a spectacular view, who could ask for more. It was an impressive inaugural event that will be repeated soon. Next some friends and I went to Harrah’s for a little gambling, unusually I actually won. That never happens. Then we finished the night with a laid back dinner at Albert Carey’s house. These nights are always enjoyable when you can relax and talk to your friends without any pretense, just good conversations over a wonderful meal. What a great week!
good will would take care of that. Questions arose about property, death, taxes, and what would really happen in the event of one of their demise. They decided to challenge the unconstitutionality of Louisiana civil code and constitution under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the US Constitution in Federal Court, so on July 16, 2013 they filed a Same Sex Marriage Case here in Louisiana’s Federal Court. While they understand it will be a long and drawn out battle, it is worth it. They have created a website to allow people to show support by signing up for email updates about the case. Follow the link to learn
more about the complaint, and how you can show your encouragement: http:// s p i v e y e s q . c o m / Robicheaux.html?no_redirect=true. Join our brothers and sisters in lending your voice to demonstrate that love is stronger than hate and bigotry. If you have an event, story or idea, you want covered, contact me at ledgemgp@gmail.com.
Tony’s Tidbits of Gay Wisdom Love is in the air everywhere which always make me excited, giddy and gay. Speaking of gay, I am thrilled to be attending my first gay wedding this month in New York. I am not sure why this is my first one, mainly because my friends do not even have the word marriage in their vocabulary, and those who do have to fly somewhere else to make it happen. Well, since Louisiana is dragging their feet, I decided to attend none other than Rip and Marsha’s nuptials and I am honored that there ceremony will be my first one. Probably the only time I will be a virgin at a wedding. We have come so far, especially with the recent defeat of DOMA. But many of the states still do not recognize gay marriages. Recently two Louisiana men, Derek Penton and Jon Robicheaux have decided to take a stand. They were married in Iowa (seriously you can get married in Iowa and not here) while on vacation last year and returned to their home in Louisiana to their normal lives living with a legal marriage license from another state that is not recognized here in Louisiana. After DOMA was struck down, they were still surprised to find out that in reality, because of the Louisiana Constitution and Louisiana Civil Code, not much change had been bestowed upon them. Although a very
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pensacola
The Social Scene ~ Pensacola, Florida ~ Photos by Lauren Mitchell
paparazzi
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ambush
The Krewe of LIPS salutes Crown Princess Royal Theresa & Crown Prince Eunice @ Petronius’ Cocktails & Crowns
Joanne @ Country Club celebrating the life of Lindy Boggs Blake Truss & Wayne Penton bartending @ Dance Club of the Year Oz
Matt & Will slinging cocktails @ Double Play
Nick Olivares, Larry Bagneris & Brian Plauche @ Petronius’ Cocktails & Crowns
Lords of Leather’s Gary & Tim, Lord King Pat & Ben @ Petronius’ Cocktails & Crowns
Bobby @ Food For Friends Jeremy, Gavin, Chris & James behind the bar @ Lafitte’s
Cast of Outrageous: Electra, Passion, Tittie, host Frankie, guest Kookie & Roman @ Michael’s On The Park
Bartender of the Year Jeff Palmquist thanking the voters @ Lafitte’s Tyra @ Avita Drugs always offer a smile Jerry Scavo & Brad Arsenaux join Kamikaze Karaoke @ Michael’s On The Park
Amon-Ra’s David & Rhonda with Queen & King Petronius LI Les Falgout & Ray Anderson @ Petronius’ Cocktails & Crowns
David & Jobie @ Petronius’ Cocktails & Crowns
Jeff even does body shots to celebrate winning Bartender of the Year @ Lafitte’s
Margot celebrating the life of Lindy Boggs @ The Country Club
Lloyd @ Avita Drugs The Big Easy Sisters host their first monthly Tea Room Trade Bingo @ The Phoenix
Divas R Us with SDGMs Venus & Tami, and James @ Neighborhood Bar of the Year Golden Lantern
Bartender Eric & bar baron Clint behind the bar @ The Phoenix
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Running the Gamut ~ New Orleans ~ Photos by DJ Dom, Frankie Fierce, Tony Leggio, Charles Jenkins, Brian Plauche, Arthur Severio
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CANAL STREET
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ST. PETER ORLEANS ST. ANN
800 DUMAINE
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New Orleans, LA [504] Mr. Curtis Alterations, 529.3428
attorneys New Orleans, LA [504] Littlefield Law LLC, Attorney R. Kelp Littlefield, 639 Loyola Ave., Suite 1820, 504.525.1328 Tureau Legal, Troy A. Tureau , Attorney at Law, 8303 Pritchard Place, 70118, 504.602.9511, thelawprofessor@comcast.net
bars Mobile, AL [251] B-BOB'S DOWNTOWN, 213 Conti St., 433.2262, B-Bobs.COM Flip Side Bar & Patio, 54 S. Conception St., 431.8819, FlipSideBarPatio.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] GEORGE'S, 860 St. Louis, 387.9798,
bathhouse New Orleans, LA [504] Club New Orleans, 515 Toulouse, 581.2402, www.the-clubs.com
book stores New Orleans, LA [504] FAB - Faubourg Marigny Art & Books, 600 Frenchmen St., 947.3700
chiropractic RT PA M RA
French Quarter/Faubourg Marigny/Bywater
alterrations
566.7191, GoodFriendsBar.COM JOHNPAUL'S, 940 Elysian Fields Ave., 948.1888 KAJUN'S PUB, 2256 St. Claude Ave., 947.3735, KajunPub.COM LE ROUNDUP, 819 St. Louis, 561.8340 MICHAEL'S ON THE PARK, 834 N. Rampart St., 267.3615, MichaelsOnThePark.COM NAPOLEON'S ITCH, 734 Bourbon, NINTH CIRCLE, 700 N. Rampart, 252.4558 OZ NEW ORLEANS, 800 Bourbon, 593.9491, OzNewOrleans. COM PHOENIX/EAGLE, 941 Elysian Fields, 945.9264, NewOrleansPhoenix.COM RAWHIDE 2010, 740 Burgundy St., 525.8106, Rawhide2010.COM RAINBOW ROOM, 632 Bourbon St., enter thru Fishbowl, 994.1036, Facebook.COM/ rainbowroomonbourbon SOCIETY PAGE, 542 N. Rampart St., 299.0156. VOODOO BAR, 718 N. Rampart, 265.0953 Slidell, LA [985] BILLY'S, 2600 Hwy. 190 West, 847.1921 Biloxi, MS [228] CLUB VEAUX, 834 Howard Ave., 207.3271 Houston, TX [713] NEON BOOTS DANCEHALL & SALOON, 11410 Hempstead Hwy., 677.0828, www.neonbootsclub.com
HOUND DOGS, 668 Main St., 344.0807 SPLASH, 2183 Highland Rd., 242.9491, SplashBR.COM Houma LA [985] THE DRAMA CLUB, 126 N. Hollywood, 580.2582 Lafayette, LA [337] BOLT NIGHTCLUB, 116 E. Vermillion, 524.1380 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, BIG DADDY'S, 2513 Royal, 948.6288 BOURBON PUB & PARADE, 801 Bourbon St., 529.2107, BourbonPub.COM CAFÉ LAFITTE IN EXILE, 901 Bourbon Street 522.8397, Lafittes.COM CORNER POCKET, 940 St. Louis, 568.9829, CornerPocket.NET COUNTRY CLUB, 634 Louisa St., TheCountryClubNewOrleans.COM, 945.0742 CUTTER'S, 706 Franklin, 948.4200 THE DOUBLE PLAY, 439 Dauphine, 523.4517 THE FRIENDLY BAR, 2301 Chartres, 943.8929 GOLDEN LANTERN, 1239 Royal, 529.2860, Facebook.COM/GoldenLanternBar GOOD FRIENDS BAR, 740 Dauphine St,
New Orleans, LA [504] DR. MICHAEL LECHLEITER, D.C., 1526 Magazine, 566.1833 [is1113]
circuit/events Aug. 28-Sept. 2, 42nd 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. 24-27, Halloween 30: I3OO, benefiting Project Lazarus, New Orleans, LA, sponsored by AmbushMag.COM, HalloweenNewOrleans.COM Dec. 27, 2013-Jan. 1, 2014, Gay New Year's in New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, GayNewOrleans.COM Feb. 28-Mar. 4, 2014, Official Gay Mardi Gras, New Orleans, LA, sponsored by Ambush, GayMardiGras.COM Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014, 15th Official Gay Easter Parade, New Orleans, sponsored by Ambush, GayEasterParade.COM May 23-26, 2014 Memorial Day Weekend, Pensacola, FL, sponsored by Ambush, GayPensacola.COM
costumes New Orleans, LA [504] QT PIE BOUTIQUE - 241 Dauphine St., 581. 6633 SOUTHERN COSTUME COMPANY - 951 Lafayette St., 523.4333, SCCNOLA.COM
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 Maga-
zine 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; 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] 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, SalonDMalta.COM
hardware New Orleans, LA [504] MARY'S FRENCH QUARTER HARDWARE, 732 N. Rampart, 529.4465
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. [0713] 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 "halfkitchen", 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. [0813] Chateau LeMoyne French Quarter 301 Dauphine St., New Orleans, LA 70112, Phone: 504.581.1303, http:// www.hiclneworleanshotelsite.com/gay-hotelsnew-orleans. Enjoy a stay enriched with the culture and history of New Orleans at Chateau LeMoyne. Our historic building features all the best of old-time architecture and our prime location allows guests to stay just steps from the French Quarter, while still at enough distance to enjoy a peaceful night’s rest. Versatile guest accommodations include charmingly appointed suites and cottages, while on-site amenities include drinks and dining, a scenic courtyard area and pool, and meeting and event space. When you’re ready to explore, top New Orleans attractions are only moments away. We look forward to welcoming you to the “Big Easy.” THE FRENCH QUARTER GUEST HOUSES, 1005 St. Peter, New Orleans, LA 70116, Phone: 877-681-5087 frenchquarterguesthouses.com. Email: info@stpeterhouse.com. Four meticulously restored boutique Inns located in the heart of the French Quarter’s most popular LGBT neighborhood. Each building’s individual character and charm provides an unforgettably authentic French Quarter experience! FRENCH QUARTER SUITES HOTEL, 1119 North Rampart St, New Orleans, LA 70116,
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Phone 504.524.7725, Toll Free: 800.457.2253,FrenchQuarterSuites.COM. Email us at Reservations@bpmhotels.com. Official Host Hotel of OZ New Orleans. A locally owned and operated French Quarter hotel that has been beautifully transformed into spacious multi-bedroom suites. Several historical townhouses are also available to accommodate larger groups of up to 26. Just 3 blocks from Bourbon St., free WiFi, swimming pool, and continental breakfast included. Off street parking is available. MAISON DE MACARTY BED & BREAKFAST, 3820 Burgundy St., New Orleans, LA 70117, PHONE: 504.267.1564, MaisonMacarty.COM, Email us at kurt@maisonmacarty.com. Luxury gay owned and operated bed and breakfast. 8 bedrooms with ensuite baths, pool, sun deck and beautiful courtyard. Sleep, eat and play at Maison de Macarty. Book it now! 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. [0114] 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, Official Host Hotel of OZ New Orleans. A 19th century home that has been historically restored and transformed into a locally owned and operated hotel. Experience the rich history and hospitality of New Orleans at an affordable price. Just 3 blocks from Bourbon St, free Wi-Fi, swimming pool, and continental breakfast included. Off street parking is 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 (Swedish/Deep Tissue); heated table; private studio; tropical garden; Faubourg Marigny Area, French Quarter. Upgrade (Salt Scrubs Bodywork & Thai/Sport Stretching massage). Call/text 504.458.5996 / website righttouchnola.com for pictures, location & special. License #LA4553 [is2613]
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 10am5pm 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 10am-4:45pm LONGUE VUE HOUSE AND GARDENS, 7 Bamboo Rd, Metairie, 488.5488, Mon-Sat 10am4:30pm, 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, Tues-Sun 10am-5pm OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART, 925 Camp St., 539.9600 OLD U.S. MINT, 400 Esplanade, Tues-Sun 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 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 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 BROTHERHOOD, INC., To decrease the spread of AIDS and HIV among African Americans, 1661 Canal St., Suite 3230, 70112; 566.7955 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 GAY EASTER PARADE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, info@gayeasterparade.com, GayEasterParade.COM GAY MARDI GRAS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayMardiGras.COM GAY NEW ORLEANS, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, GayNewOrleans.COM 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 NATIONAL HOTLINE, 206.350.HATE (4283), National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800.799.SAFE (7233), Hate Crimes Hotline at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights 800.552.6843
KREWE OF AMON-RA, PO Box 7033, Metairie, LA 70010, KreweOfAmonRa.COM KREWE OF ARMEINIUS, PO Box 56638, New Orleans, LA 70156-6638, kreweofarmeinius.org KREWE OF MWINDO, PO Box 51031, 70156; 913.5791, KreweOfMwindo.ORG, krewe@kreweofmwindo.org KREWE OF PETRONIUS, 1701 Frenchmen St., New Orleans, LA. 70116 KreweOfPetronius.ORG, petronius1961@cox.net KREWE OF QUEENATEENAS / KING CAKE QUEEN ROYALTY CLUB, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 522.8049, GayMardiGras.COM/KCQ KREWE OF URSUS, kreweofursus@aol.com LaCARP [Louisiana Community AIDS Research Program], 584.1971 LA-LIFT, Social Club for Lesbians, age 50+, who have fun together on weekends. E-mail: armyvet20@webtv.net LAMBDA CENTER, 831 Elysian Fields Ave., 70117 LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF NEW ORLEANS, 234 Loyola, Suite 421, 70112; 581.9106 LORDS OF LEATHER, P.O. Box 770435, New Orleans, LA 70117-4035, LordsOfLeather.COM Metropolitan Community Church of New Orleans , Interim Pastor Gail Minnick , Service time: Sundays 5pm, 1333 South Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, LA 70118, 504.270.1MCC, www.MCCNewOrleans.COM, Pastor @MCCNewOrleans.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, 2443 Halsey Ave., New Orleans, LA 70114, 504.906.7990 Todd J. Blauvelt / Secretary, krewe.of.satyricon@gmail.com, MysticKreweOfSatyricon.COM NEW ORLEANS BEAR AND BEAR TRAPPER SOCIAL CLUB, P.O. Box 57756, New Orleans, LA 70157-7756, 504.452.3564, theneworleansbears.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 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, info@pflagno.org PRIDE NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATION NOLAPride.ORG PROJECT LAZARUS, A Residence for PWAs, PO Box 3906, 70177-3906; 949.3609 REGIONALAIDS INTERFAITH NETWORK [RAIN], 523.3755 RENEGADE BEARS OF LOUISIANA, PO Box 3083, New Orleans, LA 70177; renegadebearsoflouisiana@gmail.com SOFTBALL LEAGUE – Great fun for all skill levels, beginner to advanced. Visit nolasoftball.com for full details and find us on Facebook. SOUTHERN DECADENCE, 828-A Bourbon St., 70116-3137, 504.522.8049, SouthernDecadence.COM ST. ANNA'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 1313 Esplanade Avenue New Orleans, LA 70116 947.2121, stannanola.org 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] PHILADELPHIA CENTER, PO Box 44454, 71134-4454; 222.6633
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moments in gay new orleans history by Frank Perez E-mail: f.perez@sbcglobal.net
“FAB: Faubourg Marigny Art and Books” In 1977, Tom M. Horner, a former Episcopal priest, had two things on his mind—finishing his book on homosexuality in the Bible and opening a gay and lesbian themed bookstore. By 1978, Jonathan Loved David: Homosexuality in Biblical Times was published by the Westminster Press and Horner signed a lease on a space for a bookstore at the corner of Frenchmen and Chartres Streets in New Orleans. Horner opened FM Books (Faubourg Marigny Books) with less than a hundred titles. At the time, the gay publishing industry was in its infancy. Ten years earlier, gay activist Craig Rodwell had opened the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop in Greenwich Village but it wasn’t until after Stonewall that gay themed presses and bookstores began to proliferate in order to accommodate the growing number of gay titles. Glad Day YWCAAIDS MINORITY COMMUNITY OUTREACH, 700 Pierre Ave., 71103; 226.8717
pets New Orleans, LA [504] DR. MIKE'S ANIMAL HOUSE, 1120 N. Rampart, 523.4455
pharmacy Baton Rouge, LA [225] AVITA DRUGS SPECIALIZED PHARMACY, free discrete delivery serving Louisiana, Mississippi & Texas. Certified pharmacists caring for HIV/AIDS, new-to-market & hard-to-find medications including Serostim. Local pharmacy that supports the LGBT community. www.AvitaPharmacy.COM. New Orleans, LA [504] MUMFREY'S PHARMACY, 1021 W. Judge Perez Dr., Chalmette, LA 70043, 504.279.6312, www.MumfreysPharmacy.COM. Supporting & serving the LGBT Community for over 20 years. Local pharmacy offering personalized family-like service, automatic refills & free metro wide confidential pickup & delivery. Also offering shipping for out-side our delivery area. When you call us you speak to a person, not a machine. See our ad.
photography New Orleans, LA [504] Arthur Severio Photography, 834 Chartres, New Orleans, LA 70116, 917.318.4300, ArthurSeverio.COM 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
real estate New Orleans, LA [504] Gay-Owned Agency — New Orleans Relocation LLC, Mark Boline, Realtor/Broker, mark@nolarelo.com, 504.273.0088, 1027 Touro Street, New Orleans, LA 70116. Visit NOLArelo.com to search all NOLA properties for
opened in Toronto in 1970, followed by Giovanni’s Room in Philadelphia in 1973 and Lambda Rising in Washington, DC, in 1974. Then came other, legendary gay bookstores such as People Like Us in Chicago and the Walt Whitman Bookstore in San Francisco. Glad Day became a chain, as did Lambda Rising and A Different Light. By 1994, there were forty-five gay and lesbian themed bookstores across the nation. Of these, only a handful remains. Horner ran FM Books for ten years before retiring to California. Well known New Orleans gay activist Alan Robinson then took over the store and ran it for the next sixteen years. Robinson had demonstrated an acute political consciousness as an anthropology student at the University of Illinois and became active in the local gay rights scene after he moved to New Orleans in 1975. For a while he worked at the Gay Service Center (a short lived community outreach effort) before co-founding the Gertrude Stein Society with Bill Rushton
and Ann Gallmeyer. The Gertrude Stein Society succeeded in assembling a mailing list, publishing a newsletter (Gertrude’s Notes), and hosting a variety of social and political events, perhaps the most amazing of which was New Orleans’ first gay TV talk show—”Gertrude Stein Presents.” In one memorable episode, Rushton interviewed Christine Jorgensen, whose sex change operation in 1951 had shocked the world. Robinson also galvanized the hugely successful protest of anti-gay crusader Anita Bryant when she came to New Orleans in 1977. At the bookstore, Robinson brought in more titles and hired a staff. He also began hosting signings for gay and lesbian authors visiting New Orleans. Johhny Townsend (author of Let the Faggots Burn, a book about the Upstairs Lounge fire), who worked part-time at the store in the late 1990s, recalls, “I remember Patricia Nell Warren, and Barbara Peabody (who wrote The Screaming Room, an AIDS memoir), and Vito Russo of The Celluloid Closet, and Aaron Lawrence (who wrote two books about escorting). I read my one solitary porn story, set in the bookstore and published in Indulge, at a reading while wearing my leather. Alan always had plenty of refreshments for all his signings, though I doubt he made very much money from any of them.” In addition to promoting queer authors, Robinson also founded, along with Uptown bookseller Mark Zumpe, the New
sale. Latter & Blum INC/French Quarter, Steve Richards, LGBT Realtor, 712 Orleans @ Royal, Cell: 504.258.1800, Office: 504.529.8140, Website: www.SteveRichardsProperties.com, Email: SRichards@LatterBlum.com LATTER & BLUM, Agent Brian M. Pawlowski, brianrealtor@aol.com, Agent Stace McDonald, stacerealtor@aol.com, 840 Elysian Fields, 451.2495
restaurants Mandeville, LA [985] The Po-Boy Shack, 1703 N. Causeway Blvd., 626.1303 New Orleans, LA [504] Borracho @ Kajun's Pub, 2256 St. Claude, 267.6108. Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St., 598.1010, CloverGrill.COM Country Club Restaurant, 634 Louisa St., TheCountryClubNewOrleans.COM, 945.0742 Deanie's Seafood, French Quarter: 841 Iberville, 581.4141; Bucktown: 1713 Lake Ave., Metairie, 831.1316; Deanies.COM Fatoush Mediterranean Grill, Coffee House & Juice Bar, 2372 St. Claude Ave., #130, FatoushRestaurantNOLA.COM, 504.371.5074 Gene's Po-Boys, 1040 Elysian Fields, 943.3861 Krystal, 116 Bourbon at Canal, 523.4030 Lil Vic's Rosticceria, 719 Toulouse, 304.1238 Louisiana Pizza Kitchen, 95 French Market Pl., 522.9500 Mona Lisa Restaurant, 1212 Royal St., 522.6746 Organic Banana, 1100 N. Peters, Bay 27, 587.7903 Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro, 720 Orleans Prime Grille, 3162 Dauphine, 301.1740 Quartermaster: The Nellie Deli, 1100 Bourbon St. , 529.1416, QuartermasterDeli.NET
retail/shopping New Orleans, LA [504] BOURBON PRIDE, 909 Bourbon, 566.1570 BUNGALOWS, 719 Royal St., 522.9222 HIT PARADE, 741 Bourbon St., Facebook.COM/HitParadeNOLA LA MINA STERLING, 840 Royal St.,
324.3423 MARY'S FRENCH QUARTER KITCHEN & BATH, 732 N. Rampart, 529.4465 PANDA BEAR, 415 Bourbon St., 529.8064 QT PIE BOUTIQUE - 241 Dauphine St., 581. 6633 RAB DAB CLOTHING AND GIFTS, 918 Royal St., 525.6662 SECOND SKIN LEATHER, 521 St. Philip, 561.8167 XXX SHOP EROTIC BOUTIQUE, 1835 Nl Rampart St., 232.3053
spas New Orleans, LA [504] Club New Orleans, 515 Toulouse, 581.2402, www.the-clubs.com Planet Beach, A Contempo Spa, 301 Burgundy St., 525.8266, PlanetBeach.COM Skin Science, 3213 17th St., Metairie, LA 70002, 504.309.7048, SkinScienceLLC.COM
theatres New Orleans, LA [504] ALLWAYS LOUNGE & THEATRE, 2240 St Claude Ave., TheAllwaysLounge.NET CAFE ISTANBUL, 2372 St. Claude Ave., #140, 504.974.0786, CafeIstanbulNOLA.COM MAHALIA JACKSON THEATRE OF PERFORMING ARTS, 801 N. Rampart, Armstrong Park, mahaliajacksontheater.com, 525.1052 MID-CITY THEATRE, 3240 Toulouse, 488.1460, MidCityTheatre.COM NEW ORLEANS FRINGE FESTIVAL, NOFringe.ORG Slidell, LA [985 CUTTING EDGE THEATER, 742 Robert Blvd., 649.3727, CuttingEdgeTheater,COM
tours New Orleans, LA [504] Bicycle Tours by bikenola, City tours are daily at 9am & 2pm and are three hours in duration. Local, licensed, tour guides. Call reservations at 504.309.1113 Creole Queen Paddlewheeler, 1 Poydras @ Riverwalk, 529.4567, CreoleQueen.COM Gay New Orleans Walking Tour, Crescent City Tour Booking Agency, 638 St. Ann St., 568.0717. follow Gay New Orleans Walking Tour @ Facebook.COM
legal matters “Of Course I Want the State of Louisiana to Write My Will For Me!” by Attorney Troy A. Tureau How many of us in our wildest dreams could ever imagine saying the above? Surely not me, and I bet not you! But what you may not realize is that if you do not have a will or a trust, this is exactly what you are saying…. You are letting the state decide who inherits your property upon your death. You see, it is the laws of the state that you are a resident of, that determine where your property goes if you happen to die intestate (without a will or trust). Believe it or not, this is the case even if you have made your wishes abundantly clear to all who know
[continued on 31] Orleans / Gulf South Booksellers Association. By the early 2000s, Robinson was not in the best of health and moved to Texas to be with his family. In 2003, M. K. Wegmann, the owner of the building which housed FM Books, approached Otis Fennell and asked him to help her find someone willing to run the store. Fennell took over the lease in July of 2003. Fennell changed the name of the store to FAB: Faubourg Marigny Art and Books. In addition to bringing in art, he also began stocking books about New Orleans and creating window displays. When he took over the store, Fennell had no experience in bookselling. “I had no experience but I wanted to save the institution. Six months later I asked myself what the f**k have I done?” Fennell came to the store with business background having earned an M.B.A. at L.S.U. and having served as the Director of Research for the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce in the 1970s. Fennell has a keen sense of history and preserving glbt culture is extremely important to him. Part of that impulse to keep our heritage alive is an awareness of the role the bookstore has played in its thirty-five year history. Culturally, FAB is significant not only because it is the only predominately gay themed bookstore in New Orleans, but also because it is one of just a few independent gay bookstores in the nation that has survived in the internet age. Before the internet transformed the way everyone lives, gay bookstores functioned as spaces which fostered community building and served as an alternative to bars and porn shops. Suzanna Danuta Walters, writing about coming out in Philadelphia in the 1970s, says of patronizing gay and lesbian bookstores, “Perhaps we were ‘buying gay,’ but I think the patronage of those bookstores felt more like ‘being gay’ in a world in which the spaces for that openness were severely limited.” Thankfully, “being gay” is no longer as difficult as it once was. Unfortunately, selling hardcopy books is. Independent bookstores are virtually extinct in the rest of the country and independently owned gay bookstores have long been on the endangered species list. Nevertheless, FAB, under the leadership of Otis Fennell, stubbornly refuses to die. May she live at least another thirty-five fabulous years.
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legal matters ...from 30 you. Unless you have prepared an end-oflife document in the proper form that your state requires, your wishes amount to absolutely nothing! While this is probably shocking news whether you are straight or gay, it should especially be disturbing news to members of the LGBT community who live in states that do not recognize samesex relationships - states like Louisiana. If you think for a second that the state of Louisiana is going to give your property to your partner in the event of your death, you are sadly mistaken. That is why it is so important to have a will or a trust drawn up by a competent attorney. And while it is important to do this regardless of the state that you live in, it is especially important in states where the law provides no acknowledgement or protection for samesex couples. So what is the difference between a will and a trust? A “Final Will” (as opposed to a “Living Will” or “Medical Directive,”
which expresses your end-of-life treatment desires) is a legal document that allows you to distribute your property to those whom you choose. This document will even allow you to designate beneficiaries to receive specific items from your property and other beneficiaries to receive everything else, if you so desire. An advantage: They are relatively inexpensive to create. Disadvantage #1: The court’s processing of a will (called succession) can take months or even years, delaying for some time the distribution of property to your loved ones. Disadvantage #2: The court costs of a succession can be quite expensive, eating into the very property you intended to leave to your loved one. “Revocable Living Trusts” are extremely popular these days. While a will comes into play only after you die, trusts can actually start benefitting you while you are still alive. A “living” trust is simply a trust established during your lifetime. A “revocable” trust means that you can make changes to it after you have created it.
Some changes include, but are not limited to, the changing of beneficiaries, the addition of new property to the trust, the taking of property out of the trust or the termination of the trust entirely. Think of a trust as a jewelry box in which you have placed all of your property. With a trust you can manage your property before and after your death, as well as provide how those assets and the income earned by the trust, are distributed after your death. If you should become incapacitated or disabled, the trust is in place to manage your financial affairs. Advantage #1: Joint living trusts are possible. They simply combine the assets of partners into a single trust and are governed by a single trust document. For example, it would be called “THE JOHN DOE AND BILLY BOB LIVING TRUST.” Advantage #2: They do not have to go to court, so your loved ones get your property quickly, inexpensively and privately (all trust provisions remain private). A disadvantage: They are more expensive than a will. Now, I know we all think that we are still
18 years old (or at least that we still look that way) and that we are going to live forever. Unfortunately, the cemeteries around us are full of people who thought that very same thing! Sickness and accidents happen when we least expect it and can occur at any age. Regardless of the amount of property you have when you die, whether it fits in a small box or is a huge estate, it is property that you probably worked pretty darn hard to obtain. Shouldn’t it be you who gets to decide where it goes, and not the government? (Nothing above is intended to be legal advice of any kind. I invite your comments and questions at thelawprofessor@comcast.net.) Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Mr. Tureau obtained his Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana State University in 1987 with a major in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Political Science. He obtained his Juris
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a community within communities
spotlight feature
by The Rev. Bill Terry, Rector St. Anna’s Episcopal Church Email: fr.bill@stannanola.org
by Frank Perez E-mail: f.perez@sbcglobal.net
A Decade of Witness NEWSFLASH! July 20, 2003 Ponytailed priest ordained in eccentric church! Yes, I have enjoyed ten years of ordained ministry as a Priest of the Church. The Feast Day of that ordination is, of course, The Feast of St. Anna. As with many life “events” like reunions, anniversaries, and certain birthdays, I have tried to look back over the past decade of service and to make an inventory of what it looked like. The past decade has been fraught with dramatic headlines and if you do an internet search these are only some of the items that come up: Mass Shootings – 12/12 Newtown; 8/ 12 Sikh Temple; 7/12 Aurora, CO; 4/12 Seattle Café; 9/11 IHOP Shooting; 1/11 Gabby Gifford; Weather played a role: 2013 OK Tornados; 10/12 Sandy; 8/05 Katrina; 12/04 Tsunami 230,000 die; World events took shape: 6/13 Snowdon Scandal; 2/13 Pope Benedict resigns; 11/08 Obama elected first Black President; Lehman Bros collapse 9/08; 3/ 03 Invasion Iraq; 9/11/01 WTC; since 2011 – 100,000 killed in Syrian civil war; And the law of the land is changed as well: DOMA eliminated; Voting Rights Act eliminated; Proposition 8 eliminated; Trayvon Martin Trial – not guilty; on August 28th, the fiftieth anniversary, the great march on Washington and MLKs “I have a dream speech” will again be remembered with a new march decrying the continuing depreciation of certain of America’s citizens. What a time to be alive. While very dry, here is some data that did not make the headlines about charitable giving in the U.S.A.: · 88% of households give to charity. · The average annual household contribution is $2,213, while the mean is $870. · Americans gave $298.3 billion in 2011. This reflects a 3.9% increase from 2010. · Corporate giving held steady in 2011 at $14.55 billion. · Foundation giving increased in 2011 to $41.67 billion—a 1.8% increase from 2010. · In 2011, the largest source of charitable giving came from individuals at $217.79 billion, or 73% of total giving; followed by foundations ($41.67 billion/
legal matters ...from 30 Doctorate in 1992 from Loyola Law School, New Orleans and his L.LM. in Environmental Law from Lewis and Clark Law School in 2008. He has been a member of the Louisiana State Bar since 1992 and is in solo practice at the New Orleans law firm, Tureau Legal, which caters to the LGBT community. He is an Associate Professor at Ashford University and has held adjunct faculty positions at the College of the Desert and Kaplan University. He is the author of many written works, both fiction and nonfiction. He is married to his partner Michael of 10 years and they are the proud parents of 10 year old Cole and their 3 year old Pekingese, Ginger.
14%), bequests ($24.41 billion/8%), and corporations ($14.55 billion/5%). Other odds and ends mark this decade: Chilean Miners rescued 2010; “Miracle on the Hudson” plane landed 2009; Michael Phelps sets records; Human Genome draft released 2003; and Atripla for HIV released. Yet these did not make the top ten stories of the decade. What is our story? In New Orleans since 2007 St. Anna’s Church has diligently recorded and prayed for murder victims numbering over 2,200, BUT in response have provided after school work and arts enhancement for over 300 children in three years. During the past several years St. Anna’s has provided food for over 50 families on any given quarter, largely funded by LGBT Community; has launched an LGBT-Faith Based Conference; continued to educate immigrants at a rate of 100 adult students per quarter since 2006; has seen an average of 2,000 uninsured-underinsured patients for health screenings; and issued about 150 free flu shots per year for the past five years. St. Anna’s has performed the first authorized Blessing of A Same Sex Partnership, joined the SCLC and Urban League, and participated in the remembrance ceremonies of the UpStairs Lounge fire. Your community church has grown from 12 parishioners in September 2005 to an average Sunday attendance of 118 in 2013. This little church has baptized at least five children from same sex couples and has blessed the anniversary of several same sex couples. This community church has participated in untold numbers of events representing LBGT community, underserved and Black community, and remains committed to adding its voice for justice. I came to St. Anna’s ten years and some odd months ago as a plain vanilla suburban white straight WASP male with a very nice wife. I brought with me pretty much a moderate world view that such a person would bring with them. That was ten years ago. WOW things have changed. I have learned to hope, and hope a lot, in the face of what appears to be overwhelming adversity and the corporate sin of greed and selfishness. I have learned to meet people where they are, not where I want them to be. I have been “schooled” by those I now call deep friends and by friends at places like JohnPaul’s, Lords of Leather, Ambush, Bears of all kinds, The Friendly Bar, the list goes on and on. I have been schooled by the likes of the SCLC and Urban league on what it means to look through the lenses of Black America. I have been schooled by individuals in our church on what it means to be a Christian by definition not by persona. Well I can say this, I am still white, and by birth and heritage still a WASP. But by the grace of God and in the Kingdom of God, I am not that same new priest that lay prostrate on the hard wood floors of St. Anna’s Church on July 20, 2003. I truly believe that I have, by your grace and your personhood, become much more Gospel informed. By your grace and by your personhood, I now walk a bit
Secret Labs, Monkey Viruses, and Lee Harvey Oswald On July 20, Loyola University hosted a one-day symposium on the legal and medical implications of the mysterious 1964 murder of New Orleans physician Dr. Mary Sherman. Sherman’s murder was the subject of author Edward T. Haslam’s underground classic book, Dr. Mary’s Monkey. The book explores how Dr. Sherman’s medical research into cancer causing monkey viruses, conducted at a secret laboratory in New Orleans, and her subsequent murder may be related to the John F. Kennedy assassination as well as the current cancer epidemic. Haslam, who participated in the symposium, noted, “The timing of this symposium is significant since we are approaching the 50th anniversary of the murders of JFK, Lee Harvey Oswald, and Mary Sherman. Today we have witnesses who confirm that Mary Sherman knew Lee Harvey Oswald, and that connection raises a lot of questions, especially about the reported effort to secretly weaponize cancer for assassination purposes.” The symposium featured two sessions. The first focused on Dr. Sherman’s murder and the government’s response to the revelations set forth in Dr. Mary’s Monkey. The second session focused on medical issues, such as the unintended side effects of vaccines grown on monkey kidney cells and the emergence of epidemics, such as the increase in soft tissue cancers in the U.S. and around the world. Ultimately, the symposium raised the larger question of whether the case of Dr. Sherman’s murder, which remains unsolved, should be re-opened. The story of Dr. Sherman is fascinating and adds yet another layer to the complex web of associations New Orleans has with the Kennedy assassination. Sherman received her medical degree from the University of Chicago in 1943 and moved to New Orleans in 1952 to direct the bone pathology laboratory at the Ochsner Clinic Medical Foundation. She also taught at Tulane University’s medical school and served as the senior visiting orthopedic surgeon at Charity Hospital. On the morning of July 21, 1964, Mary Sherman was found brutally murdered in her apartment on St. Charles Avenue. She had been stabbed several times and her right arm was missing, apparently being burned off. Half of her rib cage was also burned. On the same day, the Warren Commission (the panel appointed by President Johnson to investigate the Kennedy assassination) was scheduled to hear testimony about Lee Harvey Oswald’s activities in New Orleans. Haslam revealed that Sherman and Oswald had secretly worked together in the course of her medical research. This fact has been confirmed by Judyth Vary Baker, who was also a part of the secret research team. Baker had been recruited to New Orleans by Dr. Alton Ochsner, who told her she would be working with Dr. Sherman in researching a vaccine for SV-40—a monkey virus which inadvertently contaminated over 100 million children who were given the polio vaccine in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Haslam suggests this virus is largely responsible for the current cancer epidemic. After arriving in New Orleans, Baker discovered she was actually helping create a virus that causes cancer. Eventually, the virus was to be used to assassinate Fidel Castro. Furthermore, she found herself working not in Dr. Sherman’s lab but rather in David Ferrie’s apartment. David Ferrie figures prominently in the lore surrounding the JFK assassination and personally knew or was acquainted with several key characters associated with the assassination including Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, Guy Bannister, and Carlos Marcello. Baker claims she met Oswald when Ochsner asked her to take a “cover” job at the Reily Coffee Company, where Oswald also “worked.” Her main duty at the company was to make sure Oswald’s time card was punched when he was not there. Oswald’s real job was never revealed to her but Baker claims he received payments from both the CIA and FBI. She also claims Oswald assuaged her concerns of creating a biological weapon by telling her that if Castro is killed, a plot to assassinate Kennedy will be averted. Oswald’s persuasiveness was aided by the fact he and Baker had become lovers. Baker has written a book about the affair entitled Me and Lee. According to Me and Lee, Baker was eventually fired from the secret project by Ochsner himself when she raised moral and ethical objections to the practice of testing the cancer causing virus on inmates at the Angola State Penitentiary. Haslam theorizes Dr. Mary Sherman was killed because she knew too much about the Kennedy assassination. Haslam has earned a prominent place in the Kennedy assassination research community. Dr. Mary’s Monkey, which was published in 2007, is an expansion of Haslam’s first book, Mary, Ferrie & Monkey Virus. Conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination continue to generate public interest, a fact evident by the symposium’s sell out crowd, despite a $20.00 admission fee. The symposium was sponsored by the Stuart H. Smith Law Clinic and Center for Social Justice and TrineDay Publishing. more in line with a loving, just, active, and caring savior. The question must always be SD DEADLINE asked in the midst of sensational headMonday, Aug. 12th lines, “Where is God in all of this?” God is here, now, and present, just take a look and 504.522.8049 you will see.
marsha@ripandmarsha.com
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out & about in mobile
trodding the boards
by Bob Brunson
Bleather 2013 BLEATHER 2013, the Gulf Coasts premiere Bear and Leather weekend was a great success. People gathered from across the country in Mobile, AL to frolic with the BEARS, in the bars, and all around the city by the bay. I saw hair on people that I thought couldn’t grow hair… but they went all out to make sure they grew it prior to showing up for this event. Some of the girls even let hairs grow out in places I shouldn’t have known about (Ms. Wendy… LOL!). The event kicked off on Thursday with the bars running specials and having welcome parties all around town. On Friday the official festivities began with Happy Hour at the ‘ALL NEW’ Flip Side Bar & Patio. Folks gathered inside and outside on the beautifully redone garden patio enjoying Mobile’s Best Happy Hour while visiting with friends they hadn’t seen in ages and also meeting new friends who attended the 2013 event. The gathering moved on to the opening party at Gabriel’s where more cocktails were had by all (or most everyone) and the frolicking continued. Later in the evening people began arriving at B-Bob’s… and WOOF... the Leather attire was out of the closet! Hot male dancers in jocks and harnesses atop the upstairs bar, bartenders in very revealing leatherwear, and a club filled with leather men and bears throughout. It was definitely Leather night and everyone was ready to see what the Bleather Committee had lined up with for this event. Absent of the usual Leather Contest presented by the Southern Renegades, no one knew what this night would hold, but it wasn’t lacking at all. Those in attendance were well entertained by such contests as Best Butt, Best Chest, Best Tattoo, Best Leather, and none other than Best Leather PIG! Lots of laughs, drooling, and fun still boast the Leather night at B-Bob’s. Also rumor has it that a leather contest may return in 2014. More to come on that topic later… After a full day and night of parties it still wasn’t over, the late night after party was just beginning. The Midtown Pub was hosting the Notorious Black Night. Unfortunately I was unable to attend but I hear it was great fun… you never know what you will run into when the lights are out! From what I heard you could run into some pretty HOT stuff… and with bears being considered Carnivores (meat eaters), you’d better watch out!! Actually they are Omnivores (they eat nuts too, LOL!) Saturday kicked off with a great brunch at Midtown Pub featuring sausage! Sausage Fest! Go figure… meat and nuts featured at every party. The only thing left to speculate was whether they were on your plate or in your pants (so to speak). This is one weekend that no Bear or Leatherman would want to miss. The party moved right on to Flip Side Bar & Patio for a wonderful MEAT & Greet with the handsome celebrity judge, George Unda. George was definitely a pleasure to meet and from what I could tell, he seemed to enjoy the good ole southern hospitality from the men and boys of Mobile. After the meet and greet with George, the next stop was back at Gabriel’s where everyone enjoyed meeting the contestants of the Mr.
Gulf Coast Bear contest. There were five competitors for the contest: Keith Gross, Tommy Stubblefield, Peter Feher, Casey Humber and Charles Washington. The contest for the night was filled with a great group of contestants. Unbeknownst to anyone when this event was in planning, the city was graced with the Southern Legislative Conference. It was a great surprise because we were able to enjoy the fruits of their labor… we had a full blown Mardi Gras Parade just prior to the contest with Mobile’s famous Moon Pie Drop and a full on laser light show in downtown Mobile… and luckily Flip Side Bar & Patio is right on the Mardi Gras Parade route so everyone was able to drink and enjoy the parade there. Kudo’s to them for adding another highlight to an already awesome weekend in Mobile. It was finally that time… Back to BBob’s for the main event, Mr. Gulf Coast Bear 2013. Judges ranged from celebrities George Unda (Season 2 of Where the Bears Are) from Los Angeles, Mac Brody (Porn Film Artist) from New Orleans, and judges from Atlanta, Pensacola and Nashville. The always fabulous and witty A.J. McKay was in from Kentucky to host the contest. He wasted no time in putting each contestant through the paces of this hilarious contest. I never knew a contest could be such nasty fun. After all was done, Charles Washington went home with the title, Mr. Gulf Coast Bear 2013! Casey Humber is 1st runner up and Peter Feher is 2nd runner up. Congratulations to all of you… you did a great job and entertained us well. All of us in Mobile look forward to seeing everyone again soon! And for those of you who weren’t here… we hope to see you next year or sooner. Bleather Weekend is definitely an event you don’t want to miss! Last but not least, congratulations to Jerry Ehlen of B-Bob’s on your newest club, Flip Side Bar & Patio! Once again you have created a great place for the LGBT community to enjoy. Flip Side Bar & Patio is a beautiful space that features lots of light from the front windows, right on the parade route, offering a great Happy Hour seven days a week from 4-8pm. The bar features lots of mirrors, a long bar topped with over 1200 lbs of steel with artist engraved designs. The bar has unique skid plate designed rubber walls with electrical outlets to plug in your smart phone or tablet and offers Wi-Fi to customers. There are many more special features but especially the patio filled with beautiful plants and a new outdoor bar. Lots of low lighting at night adds to the ambiance and a great sound system with a small dance floor and intelligent lighting for your enjoyment. Make sure you stop in and say hello. Happy Hour offers buy 2 and get each at half price (in other words ‘2 for 1’, but not in Alabama, LOL!) and Flip Side also offers you late night partying as well. Each day offers different parties with beer busts, karaoke, comedy and country included. Check out the ads right here in Ambush, become Facebook friends, and check out the website at http:// flipsidebarpatio.com. Catch you on the FlipSide!!
by Brian Sands
Email: bsnola2@hotmail.com
Chesapeake at Byrdies Gallery through Aug. 10 I like to approach a new work, or one I’m unfamiliar with, not knowing anything about it so every twist and turn will be fresh and, hopefully, surprising to me. (Let’s not talk about the person who told me whodone-it before I saw The Mousetrap.) So when Chesapeake began with the sound of a dog barking and talk of Chesapeake Bay Retrievers being a “genuinely American breed” and a tale of sailors being lost at sea in the 1800s I was afraid I was in for a long slog through Lassie-land with a little bit of Billy Budd thrown in. Never fear. Lee Blessing’s comic narrative soon focuses on Kerr, a “young, Southern bisexual” who moves to New York where he “dates waitresses...and waiters” and embarks on a career as a performance artist. Chesapeake first appeared in 1999 as a riposte in the culture wars of that decade. Yet as the National Endowment for the Arts comes back into the crosshairs of would-be budget-cutting Representatives, it is all too timely again. And Blessing’s welldeserved jibes at “Performance Artists”—a section about the “aesthetic sadism” of a frying pan being beaten endlessly is priceless—never go out of fashion even as he defends their right to free speech. Blessing serves up writing with keen intelligence and sly humor as he details Kerr’s journey from obscurity to being the punching-bag for Therm Pooley, a Jesse Helms-like Congressman who’s running for a Senate seat and whose dog Lucky (a retriever, natch) is not only the dearest thing in his life but also a huge asset on the campaign trail. The first act of this shaggy, er, dog story is fairly straightforward as it details how Kerr’s and Pooley’s lives intersect; if some of the plot points push the boundaries of believability, hey, this ain’t CNN. (Then again, these days, truth seems to be stranger than fiction.) Act Two leaps into an existential fantasy and here Blessing baldly shows his philosophical stance. Yet if this Act has a preaching-to-the-choir feel to it, it also contains some of the playwright’s most sublimely funny passages. And Jake Bartush, the evening’s sole performer, does them to a “T”. Bartush fully holds the audience’s attention as the devilishly cheeky Kerr as well as the other characters whom he brings to vivid life, including Sen. Pooley’s young female factotum, and Blythe, the Senator’s uptight wife who plays a grin-inducing supporting role. With Director Harold Gervais’ guidance, Bartush conveys a rainbow’s spectrum of emotions, plus a variety of species, with brilliant specificity. And together, they use the very small space at Byrdies Gallery extremely well. Now it may be churlish to bring up Bartush’s one or two stumbles and memory lapses, including one when, for a few seconds, there was real fear in his eyes. (He
quickly got back on track.) But they just demonstrate the enormity of what this talented young actor otherwise accomplished by taking on this 100-minute monolog. And those Italian Futurists that Kerr is so fond of would surely have appreciated those scary moments. Speaking of those 100 minutes, I’m not sure if it’s because of Gervais’ swift pacing or if the text has been edited since ‘99, or both, but while another 10 minutes could probably still be trimmed, this Chesapeake clocks in at 20 minutes less than the offBroadway version. The NYTimes haughtily dismissed it back then; I suspect the response to this production would be much more favorable. Daniel Zimmer’s unobtrusive lighting subtly enhances the production as does the sound (David Rigamer is credited as “Sound Consultant”) and Bartush’s slide show design which is projected onto Zimmer’s simple set of old window panes. Chesapeake’s imaginative and intriguing story is compellingly told and acted. It deserves a much larger audience than the handful of people I saw it with. You have three more chances to see it. Run, Spot, run.
The New Orleans Ballet Association at Mahalia Jackson Theater thru May 10, 2014 The New Orleans Ballet Association recently announced its 2013-2014 season and it sounds like an exciting one with the North American debut of Scottish Ballet’s adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire (October 4); Diavolo Dance Theater (January 25) which will be joined by the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra for Fluid Infinities choreographed to the music of Philip Glass; Joffrey Ballet (March 29) whose performance will include Twyla Tharp’s stylishly elegant Nine Sinatra Songs, set to legendary hits of “Ol’ Blue Eyes”; and Parsons Dance (May 10) which will conclude the season with a special NOBA-commissioned world premiere featuring New Orleans jazz musicians. But it will be difficult to top the performance here in March of the Martha Graham Dance Company and particularly that of Panorama. A little background: Panorama, with music by Norman Lloyd, was created at Bennington College in Vermont during a summer dance workshop in 1935. After its premiere, the 45-minute work was lost until 1992 when a 12-minute excerpt was reconstructed by famed Graham Company member Yuriko from a vintage film. The New Orleans performance of the Panorama excerpt celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the NORDC/NOBA Center For Dance, which invited its three partner institutions—Newcomb Dance Program/ Tulane University Department of Theatre & Dance, NOCCA, and Lusher Charter School—to join forces in the project. A cast
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Flip Side Bar & Patio Sunday Beer Bust
Dancer Chance @ B-Bob’s Abigail with fan after her performance @ B-Bob’s
James, Jack & Darrel @ Flip Side
mobile
Jayme, Jason, Amanda & Maury celebrate Jason’s birthday @ Flip Side
paparazzi 2013 Mr. Gulf Coast Bear Contestants
Venus Shante DaVis accepts Nappie Award for Mobile’s Drag Entertainer of the Year
Ryan & Brian @ Flip Side
Flip Side
Paris & B-Bob’s hostess Jawakatema Davenport
Darwin Singleton & George Unda @ Flip Side Bar & Patio
Boys on the Bar @ B-Bob’s
Dancer Alejandro @ B-Bob’s
B-Bob’s & Flip Side Crew
Bleather Weekend @ B-Bob’s
Enjoying the Flip Side Grand Opening George Unda, Jerry & Bob @ B-Bob’s
B-Bob’s bartenders Leon & Danny
Men in for Bleather Weekend @ B-Bob’s
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B-Bob’s, Flip Side, Bleather Weekend ~ Mobile, Alabama ~ Photos by Bob Brunson, Leon Weekley
George Unda enjoys the company of the Pensacola Roundup boys
trodding ...from 34 of 33, ages 14-20, from the New Orleans area was selected by former leading Graham dancer Susan Kikuchi, Yuriko’s daughter, who then oversaw a month-long rigorous rehearsal schedule with the young dancers.
Panorama is not an easy work to put on. There are a lot of people on stage coming together to form various formations and patterns with military precision; one body, or even hand, out of place could ruin the cumulative visual potency. There was, however, not a finger out of place on the Mahalia Jackson stage.
These young people put on a breathtaking show that was extraordinary by any standards. Trained to perfection by Kikuchi, they exhibited not only the requisite athleticism but an aesthetic grace and sense of purpose that is too rarely seen. If the featured performers were superb, each and every one of the dancers (too many to
list here) contributed outstandingly to the work’s overall power. I did not want it to end. As the lights came up afterwards, tears and sniffles could be heard throughout the audience. Why? Because of the beauty we had just witnessed, yes, but also
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Larry, Ed & Christian @ Razzle Dazzle’s Christmas in July party
Beaux & Tony @ Razzle Dazzle’s Christmas in July party
Ryan & Jason on board the Creole Queen
Southern Decadence Grand Marshals Venus Santiago & Tami Tarmac & Golden Lantern
Contessa Breaux & her entourage on the Creole Queen for “Party with the Queens” illusions cruise
Barbara Ella channels her inner Bootsie @ Michael’s On The Park
Natasha Sinclair has her “diva” dead on!
ambush
paparazzi
Ryan & Brandon of Delaney & Robb Attorneys At Law The show cast celebrates Bootsie Deville & Barbara Ella’s b-day @ Michael’s On The Park
An emotional Mercedez Loreal after her crowning as Miss Gay Louisiana America @ Splash in Baton Rouge
Gia GiaVanni as Dolly on the Creole Queen’s “Party with the Queens”
A friend joins Adrian @ Tales of the Cocktail
Jeff, Creole Queen’s Cheryl with Barbara Ella & Jeff @ “Party with the Queens”
Donna, Cheryl, Erin, Allison & Aynsley @ Tales of the Cocktail
On board the Creole Queen for “Party with the Queens”
Scott behind the bar @ Michael’s On The Park
Tittie Toulouse & Wendy G. Kennedy
Southern Decadence Grand Marshal Tami Tarmac works Bourbon St. as the “Wall of Drag!”
Gia GiaVanni & King Cake Queen Dusty Debris
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The Social Scene ~ New Orleans, Baton Rouge ~ Photos by Tony Leggio, Arthur Severio
A night out @ The Phoenix
trodding ...from 37 because the performance demonstrated unequivocally what boundless, youthful talent we have in this city that is, sadly, all too often overshadowed by negative news reports. Those tears represented pride at seeing potential fulfilled, talent of the highest caliber, and a home-grown artistic triumph. One only wishes that every New Orleans student could see what their peers had achieved. In fact, one wishes that every citizen of New Orleans could see what this community is capable of. The rest of the program was an overview of Martha Graham’s career. It started with some very early, brief works which she had performed that, while interesting historical footnotes, are now ripe for parody as “Modern Dance”. The evening continued with the iconic Lamentation beautifully interpreted by Katherine Crockett; the regal Imperial Gesture danced by Blakeley White-McGuire with dramatic sensuality; and the classic Appalachian Spring which, though I suspect the dancers can do in their sleep, seemed as fresh as ever. Lamentation Variations, three contemporary choreographers’ interpretations of Graham’s Lamentation were worthy works but seemed anticlimactic after Panorama.
Previews & the Coming Season NOBA is not the only arts organization that has announced its coming season. New Orleans Opera is finally getting away from endless reprises of bread’n’butter repertory starting in October with a masterpiece of nineteenth-century Romanticism, Der Vampyr by Heinrich Marschner. Based on a ghost story by Lord Byron, it created a sensation at its 1828 premiere and was an influence on Wagner. The season continues November 1517 as NOO celebrates Benjamin Britten’s centennial with Noah’s Flood, an hourlong contemporary setting of the medieval Chester Miracle Play. The composer wrote this liturgical music drama expressly for church performances, so it will be done in Trinity Episcopal Church, featuring Norman
Robinson, the Louisiana Philharmonic, the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestra, and over one hundred young people participating in the colorful procession of animals that enter the ark. Next up, in time for Valentine’s Day, is Cendrillon, Massenet’s delightful retelling of Cinderella, complete with glass slippers and a Fairy Godmother. And after three local premieres, I guess I can’t blame NOO for concluding in April with audience favorite La Boheme. The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra has an exciting season of their own starting on September 21 with internationally renowned violinist Gil Shaham and ending in May with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Ludwig ain’t the only “B” composer of the season—there’ll be Barber, Berlioz, Brahms, Bernstein, and a centennial celebration of Britten (November 22) as well as Ravel’s Boléro on February 8. Two concerts I’m looking forward to are the Chinese New Year one (January 31) featuring Zhao’s Concerto for Pipa, a four-stringed Chinese musical instrument, as well as Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with tenor Anthony Dean Griffey, and the always fun annual Pan-American Life Fiesta Sinfonica which this year will showcase the great Latin Jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer Paquito D’Rivera on March 21. More immediately, Stephen Adly Guirgis’ The Motherf**ker with the Hat is playing at the Allways Lounge through August 17. This Tony Award-nominated play promises “a world of deception, sex, violence, and drugs.” If that sounds like the nightly news, this should at least be more fun. At The Elm Theatre, Venom, a new play by Clint Sheffer, opens August 15 and runs till September 21. Directed by Pamela Davis-Noland, this world premiere dark comedy features a newly wed interracial couple in rural Louisiana, a seedy motel room, a few guns, and plenty of beer. Yikes! If you want to get the full lowdown on the coming season then plan to go to Culture Collision 5, the happy-hour kick off to the 2013-14 cultural season. The largest CC celebration ever is slated for
August 28, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Generations Hall. This annual event brings together more than 60 of New Orleans’ nonprofit visual and performing arts organizations for a one-night-only event designed to encourage participation in the New Orleans arts scene. CC5 will boast pop-up performances by select organizations, a huge free raffle
and a free photo booth. Multiple cash bars and a variety of food vendors will also be on site. When 8 p.m. rolls around and the main event closes, local funk/rock band Morning 40 Federation takes to the stage in the Big Room for an after-party from 8-10 p.m. Tickets to the after-party are $10 in advance online or $12 at the door.
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