January 10, 2019 Edition of the Bay Area Reporter by Bay Area Reporter

New Oakland council prez

Maitri fills retail space

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Knoller case may be headed to Newsom’s desk

Lara breaks through pink ceiling

by Ed Walsh

Vol. 49 • No. 02 • January 10-16, 2019

Ricardo Lara greeted his colleagues, friends, and family following his swearing-in as California’s insurance commissioner Monday.

overnor Gavin Newsom may be confronted with an unprecedented ethical faceoff next month in connection with San Francisco’s infamous 2001 dog-mauling case. Courtesy CDCR The Bay Area ReMarjorie Knoller porter has learned that the issue involves Newsom’s marriage to Kimberly Guilfoyle, who, along with former assistant district attorney Jim Hammer, prosecuted Marjorie Knoller and her husband, Robert Noel, for the fatal attack on lesbian Diane Whipple. Knoller, 63, is scheduled for a parole hearing February 6 at the California Institution for Women in Chino, in San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles. If a two-member panel votes to release her, the decision will likely be rubber-stamped by the parole board’s legal counsel before being sent to the governor, who could reverse or affirm the decision. Newsom would also have the option of See page 13 >>

by Matthew S. Bajko

t a ceremony that put the historic significance of his swearing-in front and center, Ricardo Lara took his oath of office as state insurance commissioner Monday to become California’s first LGBT elected statewide officer. Gay retired U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, whose historic ruling in a federal

same-sex marriage case paved the way for marriage equality to return to California, administered the oath of office to Lara at the January 7 ceremony in downtown Sacramento. Lara, 44, who stepped down that day from his state Senate seat, took his oath as the eighth insurance commissioner since voters created the position in 1988 on a facsimile of the state’s first Constitution from 1849 in its original Spanish translation.

By winning his now historic campaign to succeed Dave Jones, Lara broke through a rainbow political glass ceiling no other out LGBT candidate in the state had been able to do over the last two decades. He defeated former insurance commissioner Steve Poizner, in a nail-biter of a race that took weeks to determine. See page 14 >> Rick Gerharter

Appel, Bernstein remain in serious condition after struck by car

by Alex Madison Jane Philomen Cleland

New San Francisco Board of Supervisors President Norman Yee, left, received congratulations from Mayor London Breed Tuesday.

Yee elected SF board prez by Matthew S. Bajko

y a 7-4 vote, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors elected District 7 Supervisor Norman Yee its new president Tuesday after hearing hours of testimony from the public about who should be handed the gavel. The outcome ended a monthslong battle for control of the board that grew particularly contentious, with District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen and her supporters decrying the sexist and misogynist comments made regarding her bid for the presidency. In the See page 2 >>

udy Appel, president of the Berkeley school board, and her wife, attorney Alison Bernstein, are in “critical, but stable condition” after being hit by a car while walking a block from their home over the weekend, according to Terry Lightfoot, public information officer for Highland Hospital in Oakland. According to Berkeleyside, which first reported the incident, the women are “healing” and “they’re both doing well,” a family member who asked not to be named told the online site. Appel and Bernstein, ages 53 and 54, were crossing Martin Luther King Jr. Way in a crosswalk near Stuart Street when they were struck by a northbound vehicle shortly after midnight January 5, according to Bryon White, public information officer for the Berkeley Police Department. The couple, who have two children, were hit by an 81-year-old man who lives in Berkeley, police said. The man is cooperating with investigators. The cause of the crash is still unknown and is under active investigation, White said. No arrests have been made. A GoFundMe account has been set up for the women’s medical costs and has raised nearly $4,000 as of Tuesday. Appel was the first out lesbian to be elected

Courtesy Facebook

Alison Bernstein, left, and her wife, Judy Appel, were seriously injured when they were struck by a car early Saturday in Berkeley.

to the Berkeley school board in 2012. She was re-elected in 2016 and in December began her latest term as president. In June 2018, Appel unsuccessfully ran in the primary for the 15th Assembly District seat. Former Obama staffer Buffy Wicks was elected to the position in November. Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent Donald Evans told the Bay Area Reporter

{ FIRST OF THREE SECTIONS }

Monday that the district is highly concerned. “We are deeply distressed to report that Berkeley school board President Judy Appel and her wife, Alison Bernstein, were seriously injured on Saturday, January 5, shortly after midnight, when they were struck by a vehicle as they were walking in Berkeley,” Evans said in an email statement. “We will be offering whatever See page 13 >>

<< Community News

2 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

Tenants finally fill Maitri commercial space by Alex Madison

fter years of being vacant, two new businesses are opening in the retail space of the building owned by Maitri Compassionate Care at Church Street and Duboce Avenue. CorePower Yoga and the Castro Animal Hospital will occupy the ground floor of the building that houses Maitri’s HIV/AIDS hospice facility, one of the only AIDS-specific residential care facilities in the state for underserved populations, according to its website. Although the tenants aren’t paying full rent yet, their businesses are expected to increase foot traffic in the area, strengthen the sustainability of Maitri, and for the animal hospital, fill a need for the large number of dog and cat owners in the area. “We’re very excited to have them in the community,” Anne Gimbel, Maitri’s executive director, told the Bay

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Area Reporter. “For us, it’s a win-win situation. We haven’t had tenants in four years, because of all kinds of reasons. They are extremely good tenants for the neighborhood.” The Castro Animal Hospital opened Monday, January 7, while the chain CorePower Yoga plans to open later this month. Maitri formerly rented one of the spaces to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s Magic Johnson Center, which vacated the spot in 2014. Out of the Closet, a thrift shop also run by AHF, exited in 2014 as well. As previously reported by the B.A.R., Maitri filed a lawsuit against AHF, claiming it did not pay its monthly rent of $25,185. The suit was settled out of court. Prior to Gimbel’s arrival, Maitri had also considered an offer from Sharper Future, a sex offender rehabilitation company, to lease the commercial space. But public outcry led the company to give up on the move. Gimbel said there were a lot of reasons for the years-long vacancies. “I think people might not have seen the future or didn’t have the amount of money like CorePower to do the improvements needed. It was a matter of searching for the right tenant and that does take a while,” said Gimbel, a straight ally who has been the executive director for a little over a year. David Troup, a gay man who’s land use committee chair of the Duboce Triangle Neighborhood Association, added that the spaces went vacant for a long period of time because its location is “challenging.” Located near the Church Street Muni station, the corner has been afflicted with minor crime offenses, graffiti, and the loitering of homeless individuals, Troup noted. “Having those spaces vacant certainly contributed to these problems,” Troup said. “We’re excited to have them filled and both businesses are going to be good additions to the neighborhoods.” The significant loss of rent for Maitri also made running the nonprofit more challenging, Gimbel said. Maitri relies on government support and corporate and private donors.

Rick Gerharter

Courtesy Maitri

The Castro Animal Hospital opened Monday in the ground floor of Maitri Compassionate Care at Church Street and Duboce Avenue.

Maitri Executive Director Anne Gimbel

“We had a loss of income. We had to work harder. We had a couple years where we couldn’t give raises. It’s very difficult to live in San Francisco as a part-time nurse,” Gimbel said. After finding the right tenants Gimbel said Maitri has already made some improvements to the building including landscape maintenance, interior painting, new lighting, and some interior remodeling. The nonprofit, which is nationally recognized for its leadership in residential care for those living with HIV/AIDS, has 15 beds. It was founded in 1987 and moved to its current location in 1997.

of yoga,” Tyler Scheef, manager of the Duboce studio, wrote in an email.

Vet clinic

The owners of the Castro Animal Hospital, Dr. Sarah Inman and her husband, Shane O’Mara, are hopeful that the business will be successful. In the 2015 Castro & Upper Market Retail Strategy, residents identified a veterinary hospital as something they’d like to see in the city’s gayborhood. O’Mara, who does strategy analysis for big companies, surveyed the city and found that the Castro and Duboce Triangle area was the most underserved in terms of animal care accessibility in a population with a high number of pet owners. The full-service animal hospital, initially serving just cats and dogs, took almost a year to get up and running with lease negotiations and navigating the permit process, Inman said.

It qualified for the city’s new Community Business Priority Process Program (CB3P), which streamlined the process for its conditional use permit to about three to four months. The hospital offers vaccinations, ultrasound, wellness, surgeries, and in-house lab testing. It does not offer overnight care, however. The former Sunset-area veterinarian said she plans to expand her team of four employees, including a gay man, once the business has more cash flow. Starting a new business and seeing the uptick of empty storefronts throughout San Francisco is daunting, Inman said, but that she is hopeful. “When you walk around and see vacant storefronts it’s always a little scary,” she said. “We have a good business model. The community is really excited about it, and we’re really excited about it.” Patients are already making appointments online, she said. Inman worked with DTNA, which supported her in the permit process. The association also wanted to see a business that could attract a lot of foot traffic. The hospital will also offer retail items for sale. CorePower Yoga said it would open at the end of the month. “We are grateful to the Castro community for welcoming us to the neighborhood, and are excited for locals to experience our intensely physical practice rooted in the mindfulness

“I think both businesses will get some good foot traffic for the corridor,” Troup said. “People will come to shop or eat or do a little of both. Hopefully, there will be successful cross play between the businesses.” He also believes the new businesses will help keep the area clean and mitigate crime and loitering. The Castro is not the only district suffering from vacant storefronts throughout the city due in part to the rise of online retailers like Amazon. Troup said he would like to see more incentives for landlords to rent those spaces. Last month San Francisco Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer introduced legislation that will hold property owners more accountable for the rental of their properties. It requires empty storefronts to register with the Department of Building Inspection regardless of whether the property is for sale or lease. The legislation would also require building owners to pay the vacant storefront fee of $711 at the time of registration. If businesses don’t register they face a fine upward of $2,000. The Castro Animal Hospital is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. It’s closed Wednesdays and Sundays. t

LGBT woman fatally stabbed near her home by Alex Madison

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n Christmas Eve, LGBT community member Christine Moyer was stabbed to death in the South of Market neighborhood at 5:38 p.m. blocks from her home, according to authorities. Moyer, who went by “Chris,” was a 12/18/18 11:20 AM “beautiful soul,” her friend of 17 years, Shona Levana Gochenaur, told the Bay Area Reporter. Gochenaur confirmed that Moyer identified as LGBT Since 1977 and dated women. Police responded to the report of a person down on Jessie Street between Sixth and Mint streets December 24. San Francisco Fire Department paramedics responded and declared Moyer deceased at the scene, according to a San Francisco Police

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Yee board prez

From page 1

end, she received votes from new Supervisors Matt Haney (District 6), Gordon Mar (D4), and Shamann Walton (D10), along with her own vote. Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman had expressed a desire to succeed former board president Malia Cohen, who was termed out of her District 10 seat and elected in November to the state Board of Equalization. But he was unable to secure the six votes needed to become president and threw his

Department news release. Less than eight hours later, around 12:40 a.m. Christmas Day, another unidentified woman, 46, was stabbed a few blocks from where Moyer was killed. Authorities responded, and she was taken to the hospital with life threatening injuries. There was a witness to this stabbing. Michael Jacobs, 27, was detained at the scene and later arrested after being identified as the suspect in the later stabbing. He was charged with attempted murder for the second incident. Police are investigating whether the two cases are connected. Jacobs, who police describe as a transient, has not been charged in Moyer’s case. A source from the San Francisco

support behind Yee, who is termed off the board in 2020. Following the initial vote, Mar asked for it to be rescinded so that the entire board could vote again in support of Yee. That vote, however, came to 10-1 with Ronen voting against. Despite the pitched battle to be president, both Ronen and Yee pledged to work together going forward. “Let’s not worry about who is president. Let’s support each other no matter who the president is,” Yee said ahead of the vote. t

District Attorney’s office said Jacobs has not been arraigned, but likely will be Wednesday, January 9, which was listed as his next court date. Moyer, originally from Oklahoma, was retired and lived at the Rose Hotel on Sixth Street, less than a mile from where she was murdered. She was an active advocate for compassionate cannabis programs and animal rights. “It’s just devastating and it’s straight-up scary,” said Gochenaur, who’s founder of Axis of Love San Francisco, a cannabis patient advocacy group, which Moyer was involved with. Gochenaur said she first heard the news when fellow patients started to call her and ask if the Christine Moyer they were reading about was their friend they knew as Chris.

Gochenaur described Moyer as “a gentle and kind soul,” and“easy to talk to.” The two became close friends through their involvement with Axis of Love SF. “She was a speaker at City Hall on behalf of other LGBT poor patients in need of access to cannabis throughout the years,” Gochenaur, who identifies as bisexual, said. Moyer also enjoyed time with her two cats and had a degree in library sciences, according to Gochenaur. Axis of Love SF hosted a celebration of life for Moyer January 8, where friends shared their memories. Gochenaur said Moyer did not have children and has a brother who is flying into San Francisco from Oklahoma to organize her formal memorial service this week. t

Jane Philomen Cleland

Supervisors Catherine Stefani, Gordon Mar, Matt Haney, Rafael Mandelman, and Shamann Walton were sworn in Tuesday by San Francisco Superior Court Presiding Judge Garrett L. Wong.

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<< Open Forum

4 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

Volume 49, Number 2 January 10-16, 2019 www.ebar.com PUBLISHER Michael M. Yamashita Thomas E. Horn, Publisher Emeritus (2013) Publisher (2003 – 2013) Bob Ross, Founder (1971 – 2003) NEWS EDITOR Cynthia Laird ARTS EDITOR Roberto Friedman BARTAB EDITOR & EVENTS LISTINGS EDITOR Jim Provenzano ASSISTANT EDITORS Matthew S. Bajko • Alex Madison CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Ray Aguilera • Tavo Amador • Race Bannon Erin Blackwell • Roger Brigham Brian Bromberger • Victoria A. Brownworth Brent Calderwood • Philip Campbell Heather Cassell • Belo Cipriani • Dan Renzi Christina DiEdoardo • Richard Dodds Michael Flanagan • Jim Gladstone David Guarino • Liz Highleyman Brandon Judell • John F. Karr • Lisa Keen Matthew Kennedy • Joshua Klipp David Lamble • Max Leger Michael McDonagh • Juanita MORE! David-Elijah Nahmod • Paul Parish Sean Piverger • Lois Pearlman Tim Pfaff • Jim Piechota • Bob Roehr Adam Sandel • Jason Serinus • Gregg Shapiro Gwendolyn Smith • Tony Taylor • Sari Staver Jim Stewart • Sean Timberlake • Andre Torrez Ronn Vigh • Charlie Wagner • Ed Walsh Cornelius Washington • Sura Wood ART DIRECTION Max Leger PRODUCTION/DESIGN Ernesto Sopprani PHOTOGRAPHERS Jane Philomen Cleland • FBFE Rick Gerharter • Gareth Gooch Jose Guzman-Colon • Rudy K. Lawidjaja Georg Lester • Dan Lloyd • Jo-Lynn Otto Rich Stadtmiller • Kelly Sullivan • Fred Rowe Steven Underhil • Dallis Willard • Bill Wilson ILLUSTRATORS & CARTOONISTS Paul Berge • Christine Smith ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION Colleen Small Bogitini VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVERTISING Scott Wazlowski – 415.829.8937 NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Rivendell Media – 212.242.6863

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Milk terminal: Bigger is better

few months ago, some city leaders expressed dissatisfaction about the proposed size of the words “The Harvey B. Milk Terminal” that will one day grace Terminal 1 at San Francisco International Airport. They said the font size is too small and would minimize Milk’s name on the terminal, which is in the midst of a $2.4 billion remodel and set to be completed in 2022. We urge airport officials to consider making the lettering larger. There is no reason why the terminal’s name can’t be the same size as the “Terminal 1” signage. Airport officials told us they have no plans to change the look of the terminal’s facade signage. We suspect that may change, as at least two city supervisors disagree. District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who has spearheaded the airport terminal renaming after her boss and predecessor, gay supervisor David Campos, was termed off the board, has already expressed to SFO officials that the signage is not prominent enough. And while she understands that people need to quickly see Terminal 1, and that airport wayfinding must account for people who don’t read English, Ronen is still not convinced. Gay District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman is also disappointed, telling us, “Milk’s name needs to be clear, bold, and prominent.” When Campos first suggested naming all of SFO after Milk in 2013, airport officials were not keen on the idea – and they still aren’t. As a compromise, Campos and the late mayor Ed Lee settled on one of the terminals being named for Milk, who was the first openly gay person elected to public office in San Francisco and California. He was assassinated after less than a year in office. After the agreement was struck, however, Lee delayed for years naming his appointees to the advisory panel, which in 2017 selected Terminal 1. Ronen then introduced legislation, which the Board of Supervisors approved last year and was signed by Mayor Mark Farrell. In addition to the exterior signage, the airport plans an interior photographic display honoring

Courtesy SFO

The proposed signage for Terminal 1: The Harvey B. Milk Terminal minimizes Milk’s name.

Milk’s legacy and the fight for LGBT rights. It will be in an area the airport is calling the Central Inglenook. And while Ronen is impressed with the artistic components, she acknowledged it has been a struggle to ensure that all the contracted pieces pay tribute to Milk in some way. She has also expressed her misgivings about the signage. “When I toured the terminal with the airport staff to find out everything about how they were going to implement the naming of the terminal, this was one of the things I mentioned to them. I felt the font should be switched, or at least more similar,” said Ronen. “I commented on the fact Terminal 1 was very large, and the Harvey B. Milk Terminal was very small.” During a recent editorial board meeting, Mayor London Breed told us she was not aware of the signage size flap. “To be clear I have not seen it and I probably should be briefed on exactly where things are,” she said. “But ultimately, I think that there should be an appropriate acknowledgement as well as

information about who Harvey Milk was and what he represents in San Francisco. “And not just his name only but information to that effect, both when you come to the airport and as well as when you go on the website for the airport,” she added. The exterior signage is important because it will be one of the first things people see. Airport officials should get it right the first time, as this likely will set a precedent for the other terminals. When visitors pass through the Milk terminal, the building signage should be large and welcoming – and educate people about Milk’s importance and history. A larger sign does not necessarily mean that travelers won’t be able to easily find the terminal, if done well. GLBT Historical Society Executive Director Terry Beswick expressed the hope that some day, Terminal 1 will just be known as the Harvey B. Milk Terminal. The opportunity to increase the signage font size is now, or we will be left with a perfunctory sign that is easily overlooked by people as they hurry to their flights. Airport officials can – and must – do better. t

Dem party needs leaders who know hardship by Shaun Haines

o create a state Democratic Party that feels inclusive, new representatives in our leadership must illustrate that they understand the consequences of a party that does not include the voices and experiences of those who have known hardship and disparities. That’s why I am running as a state party delegate this weekend. If you’re a registered Democrat in San Francisco’s 17th Assembly District, I ask for your vote Saturday, January 12. Our politics, policies, and resolutions have a tremendous effect on our most vulnerable people in society and we rarely see that they have a seat at the table, and seem to have no place within our platform. For our Democratic Party to truly be the “party of the people” we must stop expecting to receive support from minorities or disadvantaged communities that we don’t often engage, except when we want to win. In 2016, several prominent attendees at the Congressional Progressive Caucus’ annual retreat concluded that “the Democratic Party has a race problem.” I believe it also has problems with class and social and economic privilege. Let’s face it, it is economically out of reach for most people to be active within Democratic Party leadership. I can draw from my own experiences on these issues, as recently as our San Francisco Assembly District delegate elections in 2017 and in 2015, when I narrowly won a seat while facing eviction. Our local party leaders and those hoping to become elected to the state party as delegates organized slates. Whether on a slate or running independently I have represented those of us who know real-life hardship and real-life disparities as to bring their voice and our experience to the table. From my perspective, and after several disappointing conversations, I saw problems around issues in political vision, excluding

Courtesy Facebook

17th Assembly District delegate candidate Shaun Haines

those who understand issues like poverty, homelessness, gentrification, racism, social and economic inequity and who actively organize to address these systemic issues. I felt that was wrong. These issues are not fun to discuss but are vital to overcoming the deep-seated problems in our city and society as we continue to see disturbing trends in racism, classism, and sexism in our electoral politics, policy-making, and in our culture across the country. If we are to become more inclusive and achieve true party unity we must work together to take steps to address them head-on, and I am proud that such efforts are the cornerstone of my work. As a San Francisco native, gay, AfricanAmerican man with cultural and genetic heritage connected to Indigenous and Haitian ancestry and Islamic heritage represented throughout my family, I have become vocal on these issues as they present themselves in how our party operates, sometimes in contrast to our stated values. My history of overcoming hardship includes displacement from jobs through workplace

discrimination and displacement from my housing through economic instability created by a society that treats its workers unjustly. These are some of the issues that I seek to work on within our Democratic Party. My political vision of change is rooted in addressing these kinds of hardships. The leadership structures of our party are out of reach to the new “average citizen.” The rent is too high, people have to work several jobs, and some of us can’t afford the cost associated with being in our party leadership. But our voice must be heard. When and where it counts, we know that major decisions that affect our lives are being made by a chosen few who, by comparison, often enjoy very privileged life experiences and who may have never experienced hardship or disparity. The growing majority has. We learned that a growing number of people in our country may not have cared to vote because they believe our system isn’t built to include them. It is apparent in our voting trends who we are leaving behind and we must change that. Our systems are indeed built around individuals with economic privilege and access. The pattern of disillusionment for all others is because of the inequity that this causes in policy decisions and representation. If we want to grow our party, we must evolve to include and value less-privileged life experiences in our party leadership and platform. These representatives will be well suited to help us refocus our outreach efforts. These representatives will also be able to engage deeper into neglected communities because they know what neglect feels like and how it damages our communities. This is the work. t The 17th Assembly District delegate election takes place Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Women’s Building, 3543 18th Street.

Politics>>

January 10-16, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 5

Wiener elected chair of LGBT caucus by Matthew S. Bajko

he California Legislative LGBT Caucus has elected gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) as the group’s new chair. Wiener, now in his third year of a fouryear term, will serve in the position through the end of 2020. It marks the first time in seven years since a member of the Senate has served as caucus chair. The last to do so was lesbian former state Senator Christine Kehoe of San Diego, who served in the position during the 2011-2012 legislative session. Wiener succeeds gay state Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), who was elected caucus chair in 2017. Serving as vice chair of the LGBT caucus during the 2019-2020 legislative session will be gay state Assemblyman Todd Gloria (D-San Diego), who on Wednesday announced he’s running for San Diego mayor in 2020. Gloria succeeds gay former state Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), who resigned his seat Monday when he took his oath of office as state insurance commissioner. Lara is the first out LGBT person elected to statewide office in California. His departure from the Legislature resulted in the LGBT caucus seeing its membership fall from a high of eight members to now seven. And it does not appear his successor will be from the LGBT community. Lara and other LGBT leaders in southern California have already endorsed Long Beach City Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez in the special election that will be held this spring to fill the vacancy in the 33rd State Senatorial District.

Rick Gerharter

Legislative LGBT Caucus Vice Chair Todd Gloria and Chair Scott Wiener.

Despite several strong bids last year by lesbian non-incumbents for state legislative seats, none were able to pull off a victory and help increase the membership of the LGBT caucus. Expanding the number of out state lawmakers come 2020 will be a top priority for Wiener, who has a reputation for being a dogged campaigner. “Electing Democratic members to the Legislature and passing legislation is a passion for me. I am honored to be in this position,” Wiener told the Bay Area Reporter. He commended Low for doing “a great job” the last two years and said he is looking forward to working alongside Gloria to advance the caucus’ priorities. “Todd is the best,” said Wiener. Low told the B.A.R. he felt it was important that a member of the Senate serve as chair this year since the last three caucus chairs have all come from the Assembly.

“It is fitting now that we have reached critical mass we get a senator to serve, so I am excited about Scott’s capacity to serve in this position and Todd as vice chair,” said Low. “I am excited to see what we have ahead.” As the B.A.R. noted last week, Wiener is authoring myriad legislation this year focused on both LGBT issues and the state’s housing crisis, several of which are expected to be controversial and heavy lifts to pass. Asked why he wanted to take on the additional duties of being caucus chair, Wiener said he is up to the task. “It’s important for all members of the LGBT caucus to do our part,” said Wiener. Lesbian state Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman (DStockton), who served as caucus chair during the 2015-2017 legislative session, told the B.A.R. that her advice to Wiener as chair is to “be prepared to do more work.” She agreed with Wiener that a priority for the caucus is recruiting LGBT candidates to run for state legislative seats in 2020. “We need more members,” said Eggman, joking that she is tired of her friends from Maryland reminding her they have as many LGBT state lawmakers as California does but in a much smaller state.

eaders of the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club are calling on San Francisco Mayor London Breed to replace longtime board members overseeing the city’s transit agency. In a January 6 letter the club sent to Breed, Alice co-chairs Gina Simi and Eric Lukoff wrote that “now is the time for new leadership on the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors.” They called on those members serving for four years or longer to “step down to make room for new leadership and members who frequent Muni – and are therefore familiar with the system and would have more of a stake in the agency’s success.” They applauded Breed for sending SFMTA Director Ed Reiskin a letter in July, shortly after taking over Room 200 at City Hall, expressing grave concerns with how the agency was being run. But they noted there has been “little follow up” since. And they stated they were “extremely dismayed” that Reiskin had praised John Haley’s job as transit director when he “quietly” retired last year despite his being accused of “sexual harassment and verbal abuse that was apparently a poorly-kept secret inside the agency for quite some time.” They also wrote that, in light of the agency’s inaccurate numbers last summer on the depth of a Muni driver shortage, “we cannot help but question

Alice club co-chair Eric Lukoff

the current leadership’s candor and trustworthiness.” It was just one of a litany of problems the Alice co-chairs listed with the city’s bus and train service, from lengthy delays in the arrival of vehicles to stations that are unsafe, dirty, and often have broken elevators and escalators. They also pointed to fiscal mismanagement and problematic oversight of transit infrastructure projects across the city. “San Francisco is home to some of the greatest minds and problem solvers, yet our transit system is more closely aligned with a developing country than the tech capital of the world,” stated the letter. “We are at a loss as to how or why this is the case.” In a statement to the Bay Area Reporter Tuesday, Reiskin said, “The members of the SFMTA board care deeply about the complex transportation issues in San Francisco. Their expertise, passion, and commitment help make tough choices and continue to improve upon how people get around our city.”

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Ex-Assemblyman Laird eyes Senate run

As for boosting the caucus’ membership, gay former Assemblyman John Laird is expected to soon announce he will seek a state Senate seat in 2020. Laird, 68, one of the first gay men elected to serve in the state Legislature, won a Santa Cruz Assembly seat in 2002. He had formerly served on the Santa Cruz City Council in the 1980s and then, after being See page 14 >>

SFMTA needs new leaders, says LGBT Dem club by Matthew S. Bajko

Barry Schneider Attorney at Law

Breed mayoral spokesman Jeff Cretan said they are setting up a meeting with Alice. He noted that the mayor has already appointed one new board member and will find the “most qualified” people to serve when seats become available. During an editorial board meeting with the B.A.R. last month, Breed demurred from directly answering a question on if she was pleased with SFMTA’s leadership or if a change was in order. “Throughout my entire life I have never been pleased with SFMTA. It has always been a problem,” said Breed, who grew up in the city. “I will continue to, you know, push the director to make the right changes and decisions as it relates to what we need to do for San Francisco.” She pointed out that the agency’s oversight commission has the authority to fire the director. Though Breed, as mayor, now oversees who serves on it. “It is difficult because, I think, a part of the problem is everybody is frustrated with MTA. And everyone thinks that, you know, all of a sudden I can just fire the MTA director and replace that person with anyone I want. But you know that it doesn’t work that way,” noted Breed. Alice’s leaders requested to meet with Breed in person to discuss their concerns with the agency. Not only do they feel Reiskin “bears much of the responsibility,” they also wrote that the SFTMA board “has proven itself to be ineffective.” t

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<< Business News

6 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

French-based rental site connects gay travelers by Matthew S. Bajko

ince listing a spare bedroom in his Bernal Heights home on the LGBT-oriented short-term rental site misterb&b, San Francisco resident Alan Lessik has met other gay men from around the world. Some of his guests have become friends he has visited in their home countries. “I love being an ambassador for San Francisco,” said Lessik, who started renting out a bedroom with shared bath a decade ago in order to supplement his income working for a nonprofit. “San Francisco is an expensive place. I had a roommate already and was using the other bedroom as an office, so I thought let’s see what it would be like to rent it out short term.” At first he was doing it himself through his own website at http:// www.bernalview.com, which he continues to maintain and draws mainly straight tourists or parents coming to visit their children who now live in his neighborhood. Three years ago he discovered the French-based misterb&b site, and having had positive experiences using a German site targeted at gay tourists, decided to try it out for himself. “I was going to Europe and seeing the city I was staying in in a way I wouldn’t otherwise and meeting other gay folks,” said Lessik, 65, a medal-winning figure skater at the Gay Games who is now retired. When he returned to his home, which he bought in 2000, Lessik listed it on misterb&b. (He currently charges $99 a night via the site.) Of the roughly 70 people he hosts annually, about half find him via the LGBT listing service. “I meet folks who have now become my friends. It is pretty intimate to stay in someone’s home,” said Lessik.

He has a few rules, such as no smoking in the house and no inviting strangers over. He also makes clear to his guests that he is not running a bed and breakfast, thus he doesn’t get up to cook them breakfast. They are welcome to make use of his kitchen on their own. He never thought about using Airbnb because of the company’s adversarial tactics with local governments. Plus, prices on the site tend to be higher than what he charges. “On Airbnb people charge an arm and a leg. If you charge prices like a hotel, people will treat you like a hotel,” he said. “This is a home and I want people to enjoy it. It is also an opportunity for people who don’t have lots of money to come to San Francisco.” When misterb&b CEO and co-founder Matthieu Jost launched the site in 2013, he from the beginning wanted to work cooperatively with local governments and adhere to their regulations on short-term rentals. In San Francisco, for instance, the site worked out an agreement with the city, so that since September it has been collecting the taxes on shortterm rentals for its 1,300 hosts in the city, who previously had to pay the tax themselves. “From the beginning we said it would be very important for us to be legal, especially in San Francisco as it is an important city for us,” Jost told the Bay Area Reporter in an interview via Skype. “They need to get a license in San Francisco if they want to be a host. You are not able to list your place on our platform without any valid license number.” Jost, 37, a gay man who lives in Paris, said that misterb&b now works with hosts in 135 countries around the world. In the United States the company has 220,000 hosts, by far its largest market, and

“This is a home and I want people to enjoy it. It is also an opportunity for people who don’t have lots of money to come to San Francisco.” –Alan Lessik, misterb&b host

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Misterb&b host Alan Lessik stands on the porch of his Victorian cottage in Bernal Heights.

aims to reach 300,000 hosts across the world this year. “I wanted to launch this service after my personal experience of being rejected by a straight host on a mainstream platform,” said Jost, who had been operating mister10, one of the top-rated gay travel websites in Europe. He teamed up with Francois de Landes de Saint Palais, a cofounder of the French short-term rental site Sejourning, to launch misterb&b – he serves as the site’s COO – focused on the country’s gay community. Within three months they had gone live with https:// www.misterbandb.com/ but quickly realized they needed to reach a global audience in order to have a viable business. Turning to venture capitalists, misterb&b raised $2.5 million in 2015 and since then has netted $13.5 million in funding and now employs 60 people. At some point Jost would like to take the company public, but that is still years away. The majority of the site’s rentals are for private rooms in someone’s home with the owner of the house present. The site charges hosts a commission of 3 to 7 percent depending on the type of place they are renting and a 12 percent charge for guests. “The idea for us really is we help our community to connect with each other across the world,” said Jost. The site debated whether to restrict its use in countries hostile to the LGBT community. But after talking with gay men in Russia, they opted against doing so and instead took some precautions to ensure their safety, like hiding their true identity.

“They told us it was very important for them to host other gay guys from across the world and connect with other gay guys. Because, in their own country, that is very hard for them,” said Jost. “We are helping them connect to other gay guys and make some money.” To foster a safe experience for guests and hosts, misterb&b requires users to create a profile with their photo and have some form of identification to verify they are who they say they are. It also does not share or sell any data about its users, said Jost. “This is very important for us. We don’t sell any data to any advertisers,” he said. “This is not our business. We are in the short-term rental business and not making money from advertisers.” About four to five times a year Jost will stay with hosts on the site without them knowing whom he is to assess for himself how things are going. “That is really important if I want to have feedback,” he said. “What I like is all the negative feedback to develop a better experience with our community.” One change the site has made since it went live is expanding the information that hosts can list on their profile about both their accommodations for rent and themselves. It does not tolerate any harassment and bans users who do. “The idea is to really help our community to know each other better before staying with them,” said Jost. He stressed that misterb&b is not looking to be a matchmaking service for gay men. “We are not a dating site, we are

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a travel site,” said Jost. “Today, there are thousands of free gay dating apps where you can connect and find your loved one. I don’t think our traveler wants to pay $300 to $500 to meet the love of their life.” Lessik said he has never had an issue with a guest who made him uncomfortable due to unwanted sexual advances. Rather, he has hosted a straight couple from Colorado upset over his campaign sign in support of former President Barack Obama and one male guest who drank heavily. “Occasionally, I will get inquiries that make me realize the people are looking to have sex. I push those off,” he said. Lessik rents out his spare room, which is off his living room near the front door to his house, up to 30 days. The most anyone has stayed with him was for two weeks. One difference he has noticed over the 10 years he has welcomed travelers to town is that there is no longer a lull in room stay requests. “It used to be busy from April through November,” said Lessik, who always is home to greet the people he rents to. “Now, it is busy year round.”

South Bay LGBT chamber hosts luncheon

The Rainbow Chamber of Commerce Silicon Valley will honor gay former Santa Clara County supervisor Ken Yeager at its second annual Celebrating Success Luncheon later this month. Due to term limits Yeager, the first LGBT person to serve on the county board, stepped down last year. A trailblazing out politician in the South Bay, he is expected to run for state Senate next year. The South Bay’s LGBT business group will present Yeager with its Lifetime Achievement Award. It will also present its Impact Award winners at the luncheon, which is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. It will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, January 25, at Villa Ragusa, an event space in Campbell. Tickets for individuals cost $50 through January 16 then increase to $55. Tickets can be purchased online via the chamber’s website at http:// rainbowchamber.org/.t Got a tip on LGBT business news? Call Matthew S. Bajko at (415) 829-8836 or e-mail m.bajko@ ebar.com.

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<< Community News

8 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

SF main library gets increased hours compiled by Cynthia Laird

he San Francisco Public Library has announced that effective Saturday, January 12, the main library will have increased hours. The main library, located at 100 Larkin Street, will stay open one hour later on Sundays and open one hour earlier on Mondays, adding a total of two hours to weekly library services. These changes will allow patrons doing weekend projects for school or work to have longer access to the library, as well as earlier entry on Monday mornings, at 9 a.m., according to a news release. This is the first increase in open hours at the main library since it was built in 1996, officials said in the release.

In June 2017, all San Francisco library locations expanded hours to seven days a week, and with these new changes, the library has gone one step further. In addition to extending Sunday service until 6 p.m. at the main library, branches will also stay open until 6 p.m. on Sundays at the following locations: Golden Gate Valley, Western Addition, Richmond, Merced, Excelsior, and Potrero. According to the news release, the Library Preservation Fund requires that the library perform an assessment of needs at five-year intervals to determine hours. The library, in conjunction with the controller’s office, performed a comprehensive study that included surveys from patrons and library employees and engagement

with community members at public hearings in each of the 11 supervisorial districts. After assessing this feedback, the library commission voted to adjust hours at 11 branches and the main library. No additional hours were announced for the Eureka Valley/Harvey Milk branch in the Castro. For a full listing of new library hours, visit http://www.sfpl.org/ openhours.

Bayard Rustin Coalition event in Vallejo

The Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition and the NAACP Vallejo branch will hold a screening of “You Don’t Have to Ride Jim Crow” Saturday, January 12, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum, 734 Marin Street. Filmmaker Robin Washington, who directed the movie, will be in attendance and take questions afterward, along with Mandy Carter and Anne (“Mama”) Shine of the Bayard Rustin LGBT Coalition. The film is the story of a group of people who challenged segregated seating in 1947 after the NAACP victory in Morgan v. Virginia and decades later went back to retrace their steps as elders. The 1946 U.S. Supreme Court case was a 7-1 decision that Virginia’s state law enforcing segregation on interstate buses was unconstitutional. At 3 p.m. the short film, “Bayard

Rick Gerharter

The main library will have expanded hours on Sundays and Mondays.

and Me,” by the late Rustin’s partner, Walter Naegle, will be shown. For more information, visit h t t p s : / / w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / events/323755778441132/.

Rainbow center crab feed tickets on sale

The Rainbow Community Center in Concord will hold its 13th annual crab feed benefit Saturday, March 2, and tickets are now on sale. The crab feed will take place at the Pleasant Hill Senior Center, 233 Gregory Lane in Pleasant Hill. The evening starts with a champagne reception from 5:30 to 6 p.m., followed by the dinner and program.

The center is also seeking donations for the event. All donations will help the center raise critical funds to support its services throughout the year. Businesses and individuals who make donations of goods and services will be acknowledged on the center’s website and social media feeds, as well as in the event program. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law. Organizers said that they are expecting over 225 attendees. Tickets are $70. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www. rainbowcc.org and click on “Events,” then “Annual Events.” See page 13 >>

Kaplan elected Oakland council prez by Cynthia Laird

n a unanimous vote Monday, lesbian Oakland City Councilwoman Rebecca Kaplan (at-large) was elected president of the body. Kaplan becomes the first openly LGBT

council president in Oakland’s history. “I am honored to serve the people of Oakland as council president,” Kaplan said in a statement. “I thank my colleagues for their confidence in my leadership and for the opportunity to serve Oakland.” Earlier January 7, three new council members were sworn into office: Nikki Fortunato Bas in District 2, Sheng Thao in District 4, and Loren Taylor in District 6. Thao is a former aide to Kaplan. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf was also sworn in Monday to a second term. Kaplan did not return a call Tuesday seeking comment on her new position. In her statement, she noted there are many challenges facing the city. “We must acknowledge injustice and prejudice exist and we need leaders to assure we work together to move our city forward,” she stated. “I believe in giving all council members

Courtesy Facebook

Oakland City Council President Rebecca Kaplan waves to people in the balcony in the council chambers Monday.

the opportunity to effect change, and all council members will have an opportunity to chair a committee. I look forward to working together in coalition with the community to advance Oakland’s vital needs.” See page 13 >>

Jane Philomen Cleland

Helping the homeless

ay Emeryville City Councilman John Bauters, right, helps make sandwiches Tuesday morning at Operation Dignity with the agency’s Daniel Lopez. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf also helped out and later she and

Bauters delivered the food to an encampment on the OaklandEmeryville border. It was all part of Schaaf ’s focus on unsheltered residents on the first full day of her second term.

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<< National News

10 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

Feldblum denied third term on EEOC by Lisa Keen

he first openly LGBT member of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has been denied a third term by a Republican senator who claims she has “radical views on marriage” and wants to use the agency as a “tool to stamp out religious liberty.” Chai Feldblum, a lesbian and longtime advocate for civil rights protections for LGBT people, people with disabilities, and others, has served two terms on the fivemember EEOC, the federal agency charged with enforcing the nation’s employment civil rights laws. At the behest of Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-New York) in December 2017, Republican President Donald Trump nominated her for a third term. (By

long-standing Senate tradition, Senate party leaders recommend nominees to federal agencies and the president divides the vacancies between the two parties, giving a numerical edge to the majority party.) Along with Feldblum, Trump nominated two new Republican members. Right-wing conservative groups objected vehemently to Feldblum’s re-nomination and suggested Trump’s staff must have forgotten to brief him about the nominees. “The last thing this president wants on his EEOC is an arch enemy of his agenda on religious liberty,” wrote Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council in December 2017. “Even if the commission is required to have a certain number of Democrats, the White House doesn’t have to take just anyone (or, in this case, the worst possible option).”

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In March, the American Family Association set up a web-based petition to “Tell President Trump to withdraw liberal EEOC nomination,” characterizing Feldblum as “a threat to religious liberty.” Trump did not withdraw the nomination, and some may have expected Feldblum would be confirmed through a routine voice vote of the three-person slate. Instead, Senator Mike Lee (RUtah) put a block on the voice vote (known as unanimous consent), saying Feldblum wanted to use the EEOC to “undermine our nation’s founding principles” around religious liberty. As the countdown to her term expiration neared its end, Lee gave a floor speech December 19, saying that he and other senators objected to Feldblum’s re-confirmation because she was an “activist intent on stamping out all opposition” to LGBT rights and that “the federal government should never be used as a tool to stamp out religious liberty….” Lee said, “Ms. Feldblum has written that she sees a conflict between religious belief and LGBT liberty as ‘a zero-sum game’ where ‘a gain for one side necessarily entails a corresponding loss for the other side.’ I see no reason why that should be the case, and I think that is fundamentally incompatible with our nation’s long tradition of pluralism and religious freedom ... “Make no mistake – there is no mystery about which side Ms. Feldblum thinks should win,” said Lee. He also quoted her as saying, “There can be a conflict between religious liberty and sexual liberty, but in almost all cases, the sexual liberty should win I’m having a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win.’’ Feldblum did not respond to a request for comment from the Bay Area Reporter.

Former EEOC Commissioner Chai Feldblum

In an essay on Medium, she wrote that she “did not recognize the person Senator Lee was talking about.” “Senator Lee used quotes attributed to me to paint a picture of a person bent on suppressing religious liberty in this country. That is not me nor will it ever be. Those quotes were either misconstrued or taken out of context,” wrote Feldblum. She wrote that she asked Lee several times to meet with her “so he could hear my views directly.” “He chose not to,” wrote Feldblum. No one from Lee’s office returned a message seeking information about his opposition to Feldblum. Senator Patty Murray (D-Washington) countered Lee’s December 19 remarks, calling his efforts to block Feldblum’s confirmation “unprecedented and partisan obstruction of a highly qualified nominee to a critical agency.” Murray said Lee was the only senator objecting to Feldblum’s nomination and said she had “strong support from Republicans and Democrats in the Senate.” Murray said the blocking of

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Feldblum’s confirmation was an “unprecedented power grab by the majority that would permanently shift the balance of power in the Senate” and that the work of the commission “is going to come to a grinding halt” because the five-member commission will no longer have a quorum. Feldblum’s nomination was paired with that of two Republican nominees so, by blocking Feldblum’s confirmation, Lee also blocked the confirmations of the two new Republican nominees. The only way to force a vote on the nominees would have been for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Kentucky) to allow a procedural vote to end Lee’s block. McConnell did not allow one. That left the EEOC, as of January 3, with just two members. On January 3, Feldblum acknowledged publicly that her hopes of staying on the commission seemed dashed. “Today at noon my commission on the EEOC expires. What a wonderful almost nine-year run I have had!” wrote Feldblum in a Facebook See page 13 >>

Supes panel OKs retail cannabis permit rules by Tony Taylor

However, the amendment will not become an “automatic approval process,” noted now former District 4 Supervisor Katy Tang. Should an MCD wish to convert to recreational

cannabis retail, additional public engagement is required, including neighborhood notifications and community meetings. The ordinance “allows a pathway” for some MCDs to convert to recreational cannabis retail, but it does not change requirements, Christensen said. All property owners, occupants, and neighborhood groups within 150 feet are required to receive a notice. Twelve sites failed to meet the March 2018 deadline to file a permit application with the Department of Building Inspection, the San Francisco Examiner reported. The new legislation would still require an application be filed with DBI to obtain a permit to sell recreational cannabis, See page 13 >>

the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. His career encompassed working with the “King Tut” exhibit, curator-in-charge of the Legion of Honor’s “American Sculpture” exhibit, as well as curator-in-charge of the “Art of Louis Comfort Tiffany” exhibit at the M.H. de Young Memorial Museum in 1981. His skill was in great demand, including being invited as an adviser to St. Petersburg, Russia for major palace preservation there. Don finished his museum career as curator of early American furnishings at the de Young Museum. He moved three years ago to the Northwest to join his family. Prior to San Francisco and Winterthur, Don also served as curator of furniture at the Witte Memorial Museum in San Antonio. He authored over half a dozen books in his field, as well as accomplishing extensive work in research and cataloguing for exhibits. Don is survived by his only sibling,

Carolyn Stover Modarelli-Adams, and her husband, Nick Adams of Tacoma, Washington; six nieces and nephews and their spouses; as well as 16 great-nieces and great-nephews; and four cousins residing in Virginia. He was dearly loved and will be missed deeply by his family, as well as by his good neighbors, his friends in San Francisco and Staunton, and his many friends at Christ Church, Tacoma – for his great creativity, intelligence, wit, and kindness. He was a true and noble gentleman. Services are scheduled for Saturday, January 26, at 11 a.m. at Christ Episcopal Church, 310 North K Street, Tacoma, Washington 98403. Throughout his life Don sought ways to serve the poor in his community. In lieu of flowers, it would please him most that donations be made to organizations working to serve those most in need of food, housing, and mental health services.

A Hybrid/City

San Francisco Board of Supervisors committee Monday unanimously approved new regulations that would allow medical cannabis dispensaries to apply for recreational sales permits. The board’s Land Use and Transportation Committee approved the legislation from the city’s Office of Cannabis. The amended ordinance will grandfather in medical cannabis dispensaries, or MCDs, that failed to meet deadlines or other requirements established last year. City planner Michael Christensen said the department recommended approval of the amendment in a Planning Commission hearing last November.

Rick Gerharter

Former Supervisor Katy Tang

Obituaries >> Donald Lewis Stover January 8, 1943 – December 11, 2018

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Donald Lewis Stover was born January 8, 1943 in Staunton, Virginia. He passed on with great hope Tuesday, December 11, 2018 in Tacoma, Washington. Don attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute, College of Architecture in Blacksburg, Virginia and graduated from Saint Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas while serving his country for four years at Lackland Air Force Base as an aeromedical technician. He was the recipient of the coveted H.F. DuPont Winterthur Museum Research Fellowship Program for two years in Wilmington, Delaware and upon completion moved to San Francisco to become a curator at

International News>>

January 10-16, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 11

Brazil’s new president revokes LGBT rights by Heather Cassell

Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil

Brazil’s new President Jair Bolsonaro signed an executive order revoking LGBT rights.

that Bolsonaro may target the Education Ministry’s program promoting diversity in public schools and universities by closing it. Bolsonaro, who has been dubbed “Trump of the Tropics,” is a fan of President Donald Trump. Trump congratulated Bolsonaro in a tweet after he was sworn into office. Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley tweeted her praises to Bolsonaro. “Congratulations to Brazil’s new President Bolsonaro,” she tweeted January 2. “It’s great to have another U.S.-friendly leader in South America, who will join the fight against dictatorships in Venezuela and Cuba, and who clearly understands the danger of China’s expanding influence in the region.”

Hong Kong judge allows marriage case to move forward

A Hong Kong judge gave two gay men the green light to move forward with their 9.75 same-sex in. marriage case.

Same-sex marriage isn’t recognized in Hong Kong. However, there have been numerous challenges to the lack of recognition of same-sex relationships in recent years. Last year, the city’s high court recognized a lesbian couple’s binational marriage by granting the British resident a spousal visa. In the current case, TF, 21, a student, and his boyfriend, STK, 20, argued for same-sex marriage before the high court. The couple, identified in court documents by their initials, told the court during a preliminary hearing January 3 that the lack of having a law to recognize their relationship went against the city’s Bill of Rights and mini-constitution, or Basic Law, violating their rights. The couple already married in New York. STK took issue with their marital status not being recognized in Hong Kong. He also asked the court to address binational marriages. The two judicial reviews were

Pakistan hosts first transgender Pride event

On December 29, hundreds of transgender people took to the streets of Lahore, Pakistan for the first-ever Transgender Pride. Pakistan’s transgender community had a reason to celebrate. Last May, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018 was passed into law. Transgender Pakistanis are hoping the law will give them more leverage. However, life is still difficult for transgender Pakistanis. In 2018, there were eight cases of gang rapes, Farzana Jan, provincial president of TransAction, told reporters. Video of three of the transgender women victims went viral. Some of the men were arrested in that case. Farzana added that more than 100 cases of violence against transgender people were reported that year too. Qamar Naseem of Blue Veins and who works for transgender rights, confirmed Farzana’s findings. Naseem noted that between 2015 and 2017 there were 1,131 reported cases of violence against transgender people, and that 60 people were killed. Out of those 60 murders, 42 were killed by their partners and four were killed by their families in honor killings. t

Fire destroys Jamaican LGBT group’s office

The Kingston office of Jamaica’s Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals, and Gays was destroyed by fire late last month. There were no casualties. The December 30 incident is under investigation. J-FLAG’s staff expressed gratitude to first responders. The staff received an outpouring of support on social media, for which they said they were grateful. J-FLAG representatives told

Got international LGBT news tips? Call or send them to Heather Cassell at Skype: heather.cassell or oitwnews@gmail.com.

7.625 in.

air Bolsonaro, Brazil’s new president, didn’t waste any time attacking the country’s minority communities, including LGBTs, when, hours after his inauguration, he signed a slew of executive orders removing some rights. The orders also affect the country’s indigenous groups and descendants of slaves. The January 2 order affecting the LGBT community removed sexual orientation and gender identity from being considered by the new human rights ministry. Bolsonaro is a staunch critic of what he calls “gender-based ideology.” He considers the LGBT community to be a threat to Brazil’s Christian values. Damares Alves, the new minister of the office now called the Ministry of Women, Family, and Human Rights, also didn’t address LGBT issues in her first address in the position. Alves, an ultraconservative evangelical pastor, simply stated, “The state is lay, but this minister is terribly Christian.” She stated that in the new administration that there would be “no more ideological indoctrination of children and teenagers in Brazil.” “Girls will be princesses and boys will be princes,” she said, according to media reports. However, Alves, who met with members of the LGBT community in December, attempted to reassure them that their rights will not be affected by the “naming issues.” Brazil has one of the world’s highest murder rates for LGBT people. Bolsonaro has repeatedly disregarded the need for policies and laws to combat homophobia and transphobia, reported Pink News. The Associated Press reported

Global Voices that they plan on rebuilding.

lodged last year. The documents weren’t available to the public due to the sensitive nature of the case, reported the South China Morning Post. Not everyone is for the couple. Critics believe that if the court rules against the case it could send the community backward for decades. “Launching that case prematurely without laying a proper foundation could be disastrous, as under our system of law, an adverse precedent could take many years to overcome and end up delaying change for decades,” said a human rights lawyer who requested not to be identified. The judge allowed the two judicial reviews to move forward but suspended them to deal with a similar case first. That case involves MK, a 29-yearold lesbian, who is seeking a civil partnership system in Hong Kong. The case would cover many of the issues found in the men’s applications. Gay legislator Raymond Chan Chi-chuen said he was aware of the dilemma and discussed the possibility of other people joining the lawsuit.

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<< Commentary

12 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

Getting ready for Act III

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hile 2019 marks the third – and hopefully final – act of the current regime in Washington, like any good theatrical villain, it shows little inclination to go quietly or easily. As this column goes to press, the partial government shutdown that began December 21 continues – notwithstanding the transfer of control of the House of Representatives from the fash to the Democratic Party – thanks to the current occupant of the White House’s promise to veto any spending authorization bill that doesn’t fund a border wall and comments from some of his minions that the closure could last for months unless the Democrats yield on the issue, which (to no one’s greater shock and pleasure than my own) they are so far refusing to do. To date, the brunt of the shutdown has been borne by federal employees who were either furloughed without pay or are being forced to work in their “essential” jobs (e.g. Transportation Security Administration airport screeners) without pay until the logjam is broken. That pain is about to amp up in intensity this week, as the first scheduled payday for many of the furloughed workers is January 11. Barring a rapid resolution of the crisis and a superhuman effort by returning HR workers that check date is likely to slip. If the prospect of losing their housing and being unable to feed their families because of one man’s racist obsessions isn’t enough to bring federal workers into the streets, it’s hard to imagine what would be. Given that, now is the time for local activists to start planning and executing our response. As we learned during the #OccupyICESF action last year, the federal government is leery of using its own Gestapo to clear demonstrators from its facilities and is hesitant to order its servants to cross a blockade line. Those are vulnerabilities that should be exploited. Imagine what would happen if all key federal installations in the city were blockaded simultaneously and organizers issued a simple statement: “We’re staying until the

Christina A. DiEdoardo

Thanks to the partial federal government shutdown that began December 21, Fort Miley in San Francisco and many other national parks have been shuttered until further notice.

regime goes. Period.” No compromise, no “optics,” no “how will this play in 2020?” concerns. Just a demand that is both simple and unequivocal enough for even broadcast media to understand, especially since if the regime goes, the shutdown will end, and everyone affected can start getting paid again. If Mayor London Breed really wanted to save money and burnish her tattered “progressive” credentials, she could do so simply by making it clear that the San Francisco Police Department will no longer do the dirty work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other agencies by clearing out those who physically occupy federal facilities. Of course, given that SFPD officers are apparently free to sport racist (and arguably, fascist) emblems like “Blue Lives Matter” on their guns in violation of department policies without consequences (as this column reported on July 11, 2018), the chance of this happening is only slightly less likely than me being voted Miss Universe, but I am eagerly awaiting the day when my cynicism about Breed is proved wrong.

Women’s March redux

On Saturday, January 19, the Women’s March will return to the Bay Area. Sadly, for the second year in

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Newsom to name new state AIDS czar

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a row, organizers of the San Francisco and Oakland marches are making it impossible for attendees to go to both due to their conflicting scheduled start times. The Oakland march will begin at 10 a.m. at the Lake Merritt Amphitheater and proceed at 11 to Frank Ogawa Plaza, aka Oscar Grant Plaza, in front of City Hall in Oakland. The route is slightly less than a mile with an uphill portion at the beginning and two difficult curb cuts that may cause accessibility challenges. The San Francisco event is scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. at Civic Center Plaza, with a 1.7-mile march down Market Street to Embarcadero Plaza beginning at 1:30. The route is mostly level, with some transit-related hazards on the street. Reproductive rights are a priority for organizers of both marches this year, which is fortuitous, given that San Francisco will be plagued with our yearly infestation of anti-abortion activists January 26, when the Walk for Life crowd comes to town. Maybe this will be the year that we see some of the Women’s March folks come back a week later to help counterprotest those who believe their invisible friend gives them power to override the reproductive decisions of others. This girl can dream. And she does.t

mong the many hires Governor Gavin Newsom will need to make in the coming weeks will be naming a new state AIDS czar. Whoever the person is will be the third chief of the Office of AIDS within the California Department of Public Health within the last year. They will face calls from AIDS activists around the state to implement a statewide Getting to Zero strategy to end the transmission of new HIV cases in California along with ending the hepatitis C epidemic and reversing the growing epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases. Nathan Click, a gay man who is a spokesman for Newsom, did not respond to the Bay Area Reporter’s request for comment regarding the search for a new Office of AIDS chief. As the B.A.R. reported in August, Dr. Karen E. Mark, a lesbian who had overseen the state AIDS office since 2011, left in the summer to become the medical director for the California Department of Health Care Services. Marisa Ramos, Ph.D., took over as the interim chief July 13. But in December she returned to her old job as acting chief of the

Jane Philomen Cleland

Governor Gavin Newsom, shown during the campaign, will need to appoint a new head of the state’s AIDS office.

Surveillance, Research & Evaluation Branch in the Office of AIDS. According to an email sent December 17 by Dr. Gil F. Chavez, the state epidemiologist and deputy director for infectious diseases at the state public health agency, the state’s Center for Infectious Diseases had requested that Ramos’ interim assignment as

chief of the AIDS office be extended. But the state’s human resources department said it could not grant the extension beyond the initially approved timeframe, wrote Chavez, thus Ramos had to immediately step down as the interim AIDS office chief. “Dr. Ramos has done an excellent job in managing OA during her interim tenure. She successfully tackled complex fiscal, programmatic, and epidemiology challenges,” wrote Chavez. “We are forever grateful to Dr. Ramos for her contributions to OA and look forward her ongoing counsel and support on data issues.” Until a new chief for the AIDS office is named, Chavez and Drew Johnson, the assistant deputy director of the state’s Center for Infectious Diseases, which oversees the AIDS office, are co-managing its affairs. Chavez is taking the lead for public health, program, surveillance, and epidemiology issues, while Johnson is overseeing administrative concerns such as personnel, fiscal, contracts, and ADAP estimate issues. Chavez, however, is serving as the interim chief of record for signature and approvals.t

t <<

Community News>>

Knoller case

From page 1

doing nothing, in which case the decision of the parole board would stand. “This is probably a first for this kind of fact situation. There is a conflict,” said Peter Keane, dean emeritus of Golden Gate University Law School and former chairman of the San Francisco Ethics Commission. Keane added, “But legally there is no one he can hand it off to on a recusal. The best thing for Newsom to do is just stay out of it and leave whatever decision the board makes as definitive and final.” California governors are allowed to block parole for anyone convicted of murder. Former Governor Jerry Brown had a liberal record on parole. During his most recent two terms in office, Brown blocked only about 15 percent of the cases that came before

News Briefs

From page 8

Housing meeting coming up

Three San Francisco departments will convene a meeting, A Conversation on Housing and Community Development, Tuesday, January 22,

Kaplan

From page 8

Priorities for Kaplan include making council meetings more effective by changing how ceremonial items and scheduling are handled, so people coming to speak on important decisions are not made to

Feldblum

From page 10

post. “I have been blessed to meet and work with hundreds of dedicated and awesome EEOC staff people across the country. (My heart goes out to them now as they suffer the effects of the government shutdown.) Thank you to everyone who worked so hard for my confirmation. We certainly gave it our best shot. Now is the time to fight even harder for diversity, safety, and equity. There is no other way!”

Appel

From page 1

support and assistance we can to the Appel-Bernstein family. We ask the community to join with us in our hopes and prayers for their recovery.” He added that school board Vice President Beatriz Leyva-Cutler will preside over meetings while Appel recovers. Lesbian Berkley City Councilwoman Lori Droste, a close friend of Appel’s, told the B.A.R. that she was devastated by the news. “I immediately thought about their children,” said Droste Monday. “It was really surprising and really sad. We’re all still being hopeful and optimistic for their recovery.” She said numerous people have reached out to her hoping to help the family. For the past year and a half, Appel has served as director of special

Cannabis

From page 10

but waives the deadline. In favor of the amendment is Vapor Room President Martin Olive, who founded the dispensary in 2004. After a U.S. Department of Justice crackdown on multiple cannabis businesses, including Olive’s, back in 2012, Vapor Room finally reopened at 79 9th Street in November. Olive said he’s “proud to become a positive community member to the Mid-Market and SOMA neighborhoods.” “I’ve waited and worked pretty hard for the past six and a half years to reopen as a long-standing and

January 10-16, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 13

him, according to Keith Wattley, executive director of UnCommon Law, an Oakland-based nonprofit that provides counseling and legal representation for California prisoners serving life terms with the possibility of parole. By contrast former Governor Gray Davis once vowed to block parole for all convicted killers and faced legal challenges for that virtual blanket denial. When asked if there would be anything improper about Newsom blocking Knoller’s parole, Wattley told the B.A.R., “First, being granted parole the first time is very difficult for anyone, so we don’t even know whether she would get to that point. Second, I don’t think there’s anything necessarily improper unless his decision were to be based on information that has no relevance to public safety.” Loyola law Professor Laurie

Levenson told the B.A.R. that she hasn’t heard of a similar parole issue happening before and she didn’t know if any specific rules would apply, but she added, “I don’t take it as a given that the governor discussed the case with his ex-wife while she was handling it. Some prosecutors discuss their cases at home; some do not. The key question is whether he has a personal interest in the case or information that is not part of the court or parole board’s record.” Newsom and Guilfoyle were married from 2001 to 2006. A former Fox News personality, Guilfoyle is now dating Donald Trump Jr. Levenson said the matter creates the perception that Newsom could be biased. “However, because the situation creates an appearance that he could not be impartial, he might try to take himself out of the parole process by

deferring to others in his administration after they review the case,” she said. “Finally, if he were to deny parole, he would have to explain why his decision was supported by the actual record in the case, as opposed to his personal feelings about the defendant or the case,” Levenson said. “That explanation would be reviewed by a court.” The dog-mauling case was one of the most publicized trials in Bay Area history and generated nationwide headlines. Knoller was with the dogs during the hallway attack on Whipple and was convicted of second-degree murder. Her husband, Robert Noel, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter. As the B.A.R. previously reported, Noel died last year of heart failure in a San Diego nursing home on his 77th birthday. In any parole suitability hearing, the victim’s relatives as well as the district

attorney’s office from the county that prosecuted the case are allowed to attend and speak. Whipple’s partner, Sharon Smith, is mulling whether she would appear or formally oppose Knoller’s parole, according to Kate Kendell, the former executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Kendell left NCLR last month after more than two decades of service to the national LGBT legal organization. She and Smith’s former attorney Michael Cardoza successfully fought for Smith’s rights as an unmarried partner in a civil lawsuit. The San Francisco District Attorney’s office did not respond to the B.A.R.’s request for comment on its position on Knoller’s parole by press time. A call to Newsom’s office on Wednesday was not returned by press time.t

from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Kelly Cullen Community, 220 Golden Gate Avenue. The meeting, organized by the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, and the planning department, is designed to gather input from

stakeholders to inform development of six strategic plans. Those include the HIV Housing Plan, which focuses on housing-related programs for people living with HIV; the Consolidated Plan, the main MOHCD plan that identifies affordable housing and community development needs and priorities; and the

Housing Affordability Strategy, which provides a framework to evaluate how the city’s housing policies and plans work together. Other plans to be discussed are an Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, the OEWD Workforce Strategy Framework, and the Community Stabilization Strategy.

Organizers said this is an opportunity for all San Franciscans, and especially residents of the Tenderloin and District 6, to share their opinions and experiences related to housing and social service needs, barriers to fair housing, and improving housing affordability. t

wait around for hours before substantive discussion begins. Kaplan also wants to strengthen the city’s response to homelessness, including by ensuring implementation of a council resolution she authored that called for a list of specific actions to expand alternatives to help the homeless, and by working

together with Alameda County leaders and others to expand access to services. She also wants to expand affordable housing, including through tax incentives, public land, and direct funding, and displacement prevention so that more people aren’t pushed into homelessness. Among her other priorities is

continuing the move toward a proactive cleanup system with geographic assignments for litter and debris removal, instead of the old complaint-based system. “So far, this change has been tried in one area successfully and in the coming year we will seek to expand and improve it citywide,” she stated.

“We have won increased funding for mattress recycling and will continue to advocate for mattress pick-up and additional strategies to prevent and remedy blight and illegal dumping. “It is not OK to trash Oakland,” she added. t

Feldblum said she “cares deeply about both religious liberty and LGBT rights” and will continue to fight for those rights. According to the EEOC website, Feldblum, while on the commission, focused on “employment of people with disabilities, pregnancy accommodation, sexual orientation and transgender discrimination, harassment prevention, the structure and process of the federal sector complaint system and strategic planning for the commission.”

ADA work

Feldblum is known generally for her work on the Americans with Disabilities Act, which passed in 1990, prohibiting discrimination in employment, public accommodations, and other areas against people with disabilities. The law also covered people with HIV infection. She is best known to the LGBT community as a key counsel in the drafting and negotiations on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which did not pass out of Congress and has been renamed the Equality Act.

Feldblum has been serving on the five-member commission since April 2010, when President Barack Obama put her onto the commission using a procedure that enables him to circumvent a Senate confirmation vote temporarily – called a recess appointment because it can be done while the Senate is on recess. Her eventual Senate confirmation vote, and that of three other Obama nominees to the EEOC, was held up for months by an unidentified Republican senator – or senators – using the Senate rules that enable any senator to put a hold on an appointee’s

confirmation vote. The Senate gave final approval to Feldblum’s confirmation through a voice vote on December 23, 2010. It confirmed her second term in December 2013 by a 54-41 vote. Feldblum served for a year as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun. She also served for a time as legislative counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union in Washington, D.C. Prior to joining the EEOC, she was a professor of law at Georgetown University and codirector of its Federal Legislation and Administrative Clinic. t

projects for the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, which supports nonprofits that advance social justice. Appel formerly led the LGBT nonprofit Our Family Coalition as executive director for more than a decade before she stepped down in the fall of 2016. Under Appel’s leadership, the organization worked throughout California to create LGBT-welcoming and inclusive schools. She also helped pass the Modern Family Act, legislation that created an easier pathway for LGBTs to become parents and help protect their families, according to her campaign website. Renata Moreira, executive director of Our Family Coalition and a friend of Appel’s, was distressed when she first heard the news. “We were shocked and saddened to hear the news that Judy and her beloved wife, Allison Bernstein, were seriously injured in an accident in

Berkeley this weekend,” Moreira said on behalf of the organization. “As they fight to recover, and their families get their bearings, we ask all of our friends and neighbors who have been impacted by their decades of public service to keep sending healing thoughts and prayers their way. Our team, board, and members are ready to support Alison, Judy, and their families according to their wishes.” Bernstein is a senior deputy attorney with the Office of the State Public Defender, where she represents capitally sentenced men and women in both direct appeal and state habeas proceedings. She has spent over 16 years at the office, according to her LinkedIn profile. Her decades-long law career began when she was a mitigation investigator at the California Appellate Project before she spent 10 years with the San Francisco Public Defender’s office as a trial lawyer.

As previously reported by the B.A.R., the couple met at UC Berkeley, where Appel earned a master’s degree in urban planning and a law degree from Hastings College of the Law. Bernstein graduated with her law degree from Hastings in 1992. In 2001 they moved to Berkeley, where Bernstein has lived since she was 5 years old. According to Appel’s campaign website, Appel and Bernstein were married three times; the first time in a private ceremony in 1996, then again in 2004 at San Francisco City Hall when then-mayor Gavin Newsom ordered city officials to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples between February and March. (Those marriages were voided by the California Supreme Court that August.) Their last marriage was in 2013 after same-sex marriage became legal in California. Friends and acquaintances of the

women have been commenting on Facebook sending love and support. Martin Rawlings-Fein, a trans man and former candidate in the San Francisco school board race, wrote on his Facebook page, “Refuah Sheleima to Judy Appel and Alison Bernstein who are in critical condition after being hit by a car last night. May they recover strongly and keep up the good fight.” Mark Coplan, who in a Facebook post said he photographed the couple’s 2013 wedding, also offered his support. “I know we’re all remembering the many ways they both have impacted our lives and our community, as we worked side by side with them,” the January 7 post read. “They need our energy right now, as we collectively circle them with love.”t

well-respected cannabis facility in San Francisco,” Olive said. But not everyone is keen on the amendment. Speaking on behalf of a community of “concerned homeowners,” South of Market’s Rob Yost voiced opposition to the ordinance, specifically bending on the 600-foot buffer rule. When the supervisors passed cannabis regulations ahead of recreational sales beginning last year, they prohibited cannabis sites from operating within 600 feet of each other. “The planning code that’s written is pretty clear. It’s unambiguous and expresses the clear will of the

supervisors,” Yost said. “If it had been the will of the city or supervisors, an amendment could’ve been added at that time. Passing this will only exacerbate the clustering issue.” According to Christensen, three projects were already pending review prior to the adoption of the 600-foot rule. One of which, a dispensary project at 443 Folsom Street, has been under review for a number of years. The two-story wooden structure built in 1912, once home to Klockars blacksmith shop, has been certified a historic landmark. Christensen said building owners were going through the historic preservation review when the 600-foot rule was created.

“We re-checked the site and found that it was 599.5 feet away from the nearest other dispensary, Apothecarium on Howard Street,” he said. Based on the current planning code, this site is not eligible for cannabis retail. The proposed amendment would allow them to apply for cannabis retail and would require obtaining a conditional use authorization. Two other dispensaries impacted by a 600-foot buffer are located at 5 Leland Avenue in Visitacion Valley and 2057 Market Street near Market and Church streets, Christensen added. During her final Board of Supervisors committee hearing, now

termed-out District 6 Supervisor Jane Kim chimed in. “I think the ordinance does strike the right balance, grandfathering these three in that were in the process prior to us establishing the cannabis ordinance,” she said. “Establishing a separate process for them allows the neighborhood to have an additional public hearing and appeal the decision,” Kim added. “And it will ensure that your future district supervisor will be able to hear the concerns of residents and neighbors.” The legislation is expected to be voted on by the full board next week.t

To donate to the couple’s medical expenses, visit the GoFundMe page at https://bit.ly/2FmK5Ie.

<< Community News

14 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

Political Notebook

From page 5

termed off the council, won a seat on the Cabrillo College Board of Trustees. When he was termed out of the Assembly in 2008, Laird had been mentioned as a possible candidate in 2010 for either a Santa Cruz County congressional seat or a state Senate seat. He ended up running for Senate but lost, leading to former Governor Jerry Brown appointing him as California’s secretary for natural resources in January 2011. His time leading the state agency came to an end at 5 p.m. Monday shortly after Governor Gavin Newsom was sworn into office. He told the B.A.R. that his plan was

always to resign from the post at the start of the new gubernatorial administration. “Because I have something else to do,” Laird said of his decision to step down. While Laird would not confirm it is due to his running for state Senate, he did note that he filed paperwork last week to form a Senate campaign committee in order to run for the 17th Senate District seat along the Central Coast. The incumbent, Bill Monning (D-Carmel), is term limited from running again next year. An official campaign announcement by Laird could come within days. By entering the race so early, political insiders told the B.A.R. that it could dissuade other Democrats

from running. According to the secretary of state’s online campaign database, as of Wednesday this week, no candidates were listed for the race. Another gay former elected leader, Ken Yeager, is also expected to soon announce if he will seek the state Senate’s District 15 seat. Senator Jim Beall (D-San Jose) is termed out in 2020, leaving his Silicon Valley seat open. Ahead of leaving this week for a Hawaiian vacation, Yeager told the B.A.R. that he “is getting closer” to making a decision. Yeager, 66, was termed off the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors last year. Himself a former community college board member and city councilman in San Jose,

Yeager pulled paperwork to form a state Senate campaign committee last month prior to his leaving office. Fellow Democrats former Assemblywoman Nora Campos, who ran unsuccessfully against Beall in 2016, and Santa Clara County Supervisor David Cortese have both opened campaign accounts for the contest, while San Jose City Councilman Johnny Khamis has filed an intention to run as an independent. While Eggman formed a campaign committee for the state Senate District 5 seat, from which lesbian Senator Cathleen Galgiani (DStockton) will be termed out of in 2020, she told the B.A.R. this week that she plans to run for re-election to her Assembly seat next year. “I am not running for state

Lara

From page 1

“To my fellow Californians: A people’s progress is often measured in thresholds crossed. In the nearly 170 years of California’s history, hundreds of men and women have been elected to serve in statewide constitutional office. Until now, not one of them was openly gay,” said Lara, the son of Mexican immigrants who raised four children in Los Angeles County. “As I cross this threshold, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all those who have made this possible. I am standing before you, but I am surrounded by the spirit of those bold, unapologetic, and courageous people who protested and ultimately gave their lives so that I could live proudly.” Lara credited the protesters of police harassment at gay bars the Black Cat in Los Angeles in early 1967 and the Stonewall Inn in New York City 50 years ago this June. And he recognized the late gay San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, whose election in 1977 made him the first out gay elected official in the state, by having his gay nephew, Stuart Milk, be one of several speakers to introduce him to the standingroom-only crowd at The Bank event space not far from the state Capitol. “There is no doubt that your uncle is here with us today,” Lara said in thanking Stuart Milk for his remarks. Former state lawmaker Art Torres, who came out of the closet in 2009 after leading the California Democratic Party as its longtime chair, called Lara “our own Latino

Rick Gerharter

Ricardo Lara, left, was sworn in as California’s insurance commissioner by retired U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker during a ceremony in Sacramento. In the center is Lara’s niece, Isabella.

Harvey Milk.” Torres, who lost his own bid to become state insurance commissioner in 1994, served as the master of ceremonies for the swearing-in. “Ricardo has the same passion for justice as Harvey did,” said Torres, who now serves on the oversight body for San Francisco’s public transportation agency. The City by the Bay was well represented at the ceremony. Members of the Alexander Hamilton Post 448 for LGBT veterans served as the color guard. Lara wore a pink triangle lapel pin given to him by Patrick Carney,

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who each year during the city’s Pride weekend in June oversees the installation of a giant pink triangle on the side of Twin Peaks above the gay Castro district. It honors the gay Jewish men and others made to wear a pink triangle in the Nazi concentration camps, many of whom where killed during the Holocaust. At his inauguration, Lara gave his guests pink triangle pins he had designed that bore his name, office, and the state along with the image of a grizzly bear in the middle of a pink triangle. Included with it was an explanatory card of the symbol’s significance for the LGBT community.

Once done with his speech, which was briefly interrupted toward the very end when a woman fainted, a rainbow pride flag was unfurled behind Lara and Lady Gaga’s gay anthem “Born This Way” began to play. San Francisco resident Tom Taylor, a longtime friend of the late gay rights activist Gilbert Baker who co-created the very first Pride flags in 1978, had donated the flag for the ceremony. Gay state Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), who helped Lara in planning the event, told the Bay Area Reporter he was “incredibly proud” of his former legislative colleague.

Senate. I want to stay in the Assembly,” said Eggman, noting that due to term limits she would only be allowed to serve one four-year term in the Senate and prefers to remain in the lower chamber, where she potentially can serve through 2024.t Web Extra: For more queer political news, be sure to check http:// www.ebar.com Monday mornings for Political Notes, the notebook’s online companion. This week’s column reported on a number of hires SF Mayor London Breed will be making in early 2019. Keep abreast of the latest LGBT political news by following the Political Notebook on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/politicalnotes.

“I already miss him in the Senate, but he is going to do great things for the people of California,” said Wiener. Gay former Assembly Speaker John A. Perez (D-Los Angeles), who fell short in his own bid to be elected to a statewide position in 2014, said he was struck by the ceremony’s “beautiful expression of the history being made.” In addition to being “incredibly excited for Ricardo,” Perez said he also found it “so touching” that Lara had “really harkened back to all those that made his election possible.” Lara’s “breaking of the pink ceiling was a fun way to put it,” said lesbian Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton), who purposefully wore a pink cashmere sweater with a cranberry pantsuit to celebrate the occasion. During his first speech as insurance commissioner, Lara announced he was creating the agency’s first deputy to oversee climate and sustainability issues. He also pledged to help the numerous California residents whose homes and livelihoods have been devastated by wildfires to rebuild. And he said he would work sideby-side with Governor Gavin Newsom to implement universal health care for all residents of the state. It was an issue he pushed in the Legislature. “To Governor Newsom – I am excited to be your partner in expanding affordable health care for every Californian,” said Lara. “There is nothing we cannot achieve with our new common agenda.”t

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NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF WALTER ROBERT FRANKLIN SCHUCHARDT IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-18-302387

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of WALTER ROBERT FRANKLIN SCHUCHARDT. A Petition for Probate has been filed by DAVID COFFING in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that DAVID COFFING be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Feb 19, 2019, 9:00 am, Rm. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorney for petitioner: ALMA SOONGI BECK (197383) & JANELLE F. ALLEN (284683), LAKIN SPEARS, LLP, 2400 GENG RD #110, PALO ALTO, CA 94303; Ph. (650) 328-7000.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038436500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TACOS Y PUPUSAS LOS TRINOS, 4384 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94112. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SANTOS H. PEREZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/11/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/14/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038431800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ALEXANDER KLEINBERG, LMFT, 999 SUTTER ST # 307, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ALEXANDER KLEINBERG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/10/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/12/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038434600

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TIP TOP CLUB, 3776 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed FRANCISCO MENDOZA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/11/78. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/13/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038432500 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DIAZ SANTOS CLEANING, 1159 FITZGERALD AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94124. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CARLOS A. DIAZ. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/12/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/12/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038434400

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: MAGNA CARPET CLEANING, 1045 MISSION ST, #487 SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed AVIAD BRACHA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/13/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/13/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038434200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: 4 PAWS WALKS, 567 HAIGHT ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed KEVIN ROSATI. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/13/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/13/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019

January 10-16, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 15

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038432900

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ATOMIQ CONDIMENTS, 490 COLLINGWOOD ST #7, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JAMES KOVACS. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/12/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038432700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: EASY CLEANERS, 1667 LEAVENWORTH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed EDMOND KWONG & PAK SHING WAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 09/05/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/12/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038437000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: DENTAL STUDIO, 260 STOCKTON ST, 4TH FLR, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed JARROD C. CORNEHL, DDS PC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/01/12. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/17/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038437100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CASTRO DENTAL GROUP, 375 CASTRO ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed CORNEHL DENTAL CORP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/07/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/17/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038429400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: GOLDEN, 30 7TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GOLDEN RECURSION INC (DE). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 05/18/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/10/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038422100 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BOYS DELI INC, 315 MONTGOMERY ST # 0101, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94104. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed BOYS DELI INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/03/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/03/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038436700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NORTH BEACH MEDIATION, 408 COLUMBUS AVE #1, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94133. This business is conducted by a married couple, and is signed STELLA FEY EPLING & JAMES J. MCBRIDE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/14/18.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-037050000

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: TONGS LAUNDRETTE, 1667 LEAVENWORTH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by YONG ZENG. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 04/14/16.

DEC 20, 27, JAN 03, 10, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038444600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CARDINAL INTERIORS, 1700 CALIFORNIA ST #330, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed PATRICIA A. PROSES. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/89. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on12/21/18.

DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038440800 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CD PROPERTIES, 550 27TH ST #203, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94131. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed CHRIS DITTENHAFER. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/01/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/19/18.

DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038429200

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: BUSY BEE CO, 5432 GEARY BLVD #245, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BRIAN LEE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/23/17. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/10/18.

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038440400

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038446600

DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038415600

JAN 03, 10, 17, 24, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038428800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: COAST SF, 742 14TH ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed KEMPER AND ASSOCIATES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/14/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/19/18.

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PARAGON BUILDING MAINTENANCE, 412 15TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed MERCHANT REAL ESTATE INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 11/28/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/28/18.

DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038413600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: NAPO SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, 530 DIVISADERO ST #158, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZERS-SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 10/15/88. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 11/28/18.

DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038442000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: WATERLOO BEVERAGES, PIER 50, TERRY FRANCOIS ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94158. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed SAN FRANCISCO BEVERAGES DISTRIBUTION INC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/20/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/20/18.

DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038444900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CMO LABS, 100 PINE ST #325, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed DAVID BURK IDEAS LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/17/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/21/18.

DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-036054700

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: MUSIC FOR SF, 52 OVIEDO CT. PACIFICA, CA 94044. This business was conducted by an individual and signed by LAURA WARNER. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 09/22/14.

DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-18-554496 In the matter of the application of: SARA ANGELICA MATUTE, 850 RUTLAND ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner SARA ANGELICA MATUTE, is requesting that the names DIEGO SANCHEZ be changed to DIEGO SANCHEZ MATUTE and ESTEFANIA SANCHEZ be changed to ESTEFANIA SANCHEZ MATUTE. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 7th of February 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JAN 03, 10, 17, 24, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038444400 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ALL AROUND BUILDER, 600 17TH AVE #2, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94121. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed GRAHAM RIDDELL. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/19/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/21/18.

JAN 03, 10, 17, 24, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038425100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CAFE DE OLLA.SF, 2301 MISSION ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94110. This business is conducted by a general partnership, and is signed EDUARDO ANTONIO LOPEZ & JOSE FRANCISCO GARCIA. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/05/18.

JAN 03, 10, 17, 24, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038446700 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PILLAR CAPITAL GROUP, 1725 CLAY ST #102, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed PILLAR CAPITAL GROUP (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 08/27/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/26/18.

DEC 27, JAN 03, 10, 17, 2019

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JAN 03, 10, 17, 24, 2019 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-038074700

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: SAN FRANCISCO PET HOSPITAL, 1371 FULTON ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94117. This business was conducted by a corporation and signed by MORRISMICHAELIS ASSOCIATES, INC (CA). The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 03/30/18.

JAN 03, 10, 17, 24, 2019 NOTICE OF PETITION TO ADMINISTER ESTATE OF DARLENE OAKLEY IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO: FILE PES-18-302440

To all heirs, beneficiaries, creditors, contingent creditors, and persons who may otherwise be interested in the will or estate, or both, of DARLENE OAKLEY. A Petition for Probate has been filed by JANICE OAKLEY, in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Petition for Probate requests that JANICE OAKLEY be appointed as personal representative to administer the estate of the decedent. The petition requests the decedent’s will and codicils, if any, be admitted to probate. The will and any codicils are available for examination in the file kept by the court. The petition requests authority to administer the estate under the Independent Administration of Estates Act. (This authority will allow the personal representative to take many actions without obtaining court approval. Before taking certain very important actions, however, the personal representative will be required to give notice to interested persons unless they have waived notice or consented to the proposed action.) The independent administration authority will be granted unless an interested person files an objection to the petition and shows good cause why the court should not grant the authority. A hearing on the petition will be held in this court as follows: Feb 04, 2019, 9:00 am, Dept. 204, Superior Court of California, 400 McAllister St., San Francisco, CA 94102. If you object to the granting of the petition, you should appear at the hearing and state your objections or file written objections with the court before the hearing. Your appearance may be in person or by your attorney. If you are a creditor or contingent creditor of the decedent, you must file your claim with the court and mail a copy to the personal representative appointed by the court within the latter of either (1) four months from the date of first issuance of letters to a general personal representative, as defined by section 58(b) of the California Probate Code, or (2) 60 days from the date of mailing or personal delivery to you of a notice under section 9052 of the California Probate Code. Other California statutes and legal authority may affect your rights as a creditor. You may want to consult with an attorney knowledgeable in California law. You may examine the file kept by the court. If you are a person interested in the estate, you may file with the court a Request for Special Notice (form DE-154) of the filing of an inventory and appraisal of estate assets or of any petition or account as provided in Probate Code section 1250. A Request for Special Notice form is available from the court clerk. Attorneys for petitioner: Stephanie Barber Hess (SBA 204321) & Christopher M. Haws (SBA 29924), 420 Aviation Blvd, Suite 201, Santa Rosa, CA 95403; Ph. (707) 543-4900.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 2019 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME IN SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO FILE CNC-19-554524

In the matter of the application of: MARIA MAY-LEE CHAI, 1890 CLAY ST #604, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109, for change of name having been filed in Superior Court, and it appearing from said application that petitioner MARIA MAY-LEE CHAI, is requesting that the name MARIA MAY-LEE CHAI AKA MAY-LEE CHAI AKA MAYLEE CHAI, be changed to MAY-LEE CHAI. Now therefore, it is hereby ordered, that all persons interested in said matter do appear before this Court in Dept. 514, Room 514 on the 26th of February 2019 at 9:00am of said day to show cause why the application for change of name should not be granted.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038460600 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: HAVEN REAL ESTATE PARTNERS, 2369 UNION ST #3, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94123. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SUSAN DOOLITTLE. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/07/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/07/19.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT

FILE A-038460000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: AKT TRUCKING, 229 CUMBERLAND ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94114. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ARTHUR HARRIMAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/07/19.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038453000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: IOBJX, 1587 11TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed JOHN B. GRAHAM. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/02/19.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038459900 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PETES LAUNDERETTE, 600 OCTAVIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed YAOGUANG TAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/04/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/07/19.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038453500

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: PUFFIN, 828 TAYLOR ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94108. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BRIAN HICKEY. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/02/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/02/19.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038441200 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: STUDIO B CUBED ARCHITECTURE, 1788 19TH AVE, 2ND FL, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed BRANDON QUAN. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on NA. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/19/18.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038446800

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ASAHIRU, 1325 9TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed ALEX TAO. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/26/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/26/18.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038441700

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: TSIMSHASUI BEAUTY CENTER, 310 8TH AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94118. This business is conducted by an individual, and is signed SAO IENG FONG. The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/12/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/20/18.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038449000

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ALLEY HOUSE, 3751 GEARY BLVD, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94134. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed GS RIVERSIDE GRILL (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/28/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/28/18.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038445000 The following person(s) is/are doing business as: CANNABIS INFUSED BEAUTY, 1049 MARKET ST #403, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103. This business is conducted by a corporation, and is signed DVSH HOLDINGS (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 12/21/18. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 12/21/18.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE A-038458100

The following person(s) is/are doing business as: ROTI INDIAN BISTRO, 53 WEST PORTAL AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94127. This business is conducted by a limited liability company, and is signed ROTI INDIAN BISTRO LLC (CA). The registrant(s) commenced to transact business under the above listed fictitious business name or names on 01/01/19. The statement was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 01/04/19.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019 STATEMENT OF ABANDONMENT OF USE OF FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME FILE A-037618700

The following persons have abandoned the use of the fictitious business name known as: PETES LAUNDERETTE, 600 OCTAVIA ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94102. This business was conducted by a general partnership and signed by YAOGUANG TAN & WUT KHUN KYI. The fictitious name was filed with the City and County of San Francisco, CA on 05/31/17.

JAN 10, 17, 24, 31, 2019

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Sundance set

LGBT music

Colette lives

Death in Venice

www.ebar.com/arts

Courtesy SF Sketchfest

Mary Ellen Hawkins

Johannes Brus, “Selbst mit Haarplastik (Self with Hair Sculpture)” (1971).

Brus World

Bringing the funny

by Sura Wood

W Catherine Asmore/Royal Opera House

ith our unparalleled access to information and exposure to virtual realities, it has become increasingly difficult to encounter the shock of the new and different in the context of a museum. Enter German artist Johannes Brus, who delivers a rare and welcome jolt to the jaded in his first American solo exhibition, now at SFMOMA. The show features a group of unusual prints; photo works, some monumental in size, that look more like paintings and decidedly unlike standard-issue photographs; plus a handful of captivating sculptures. See page 22 >>

LA stand-up comic Rhea Butcher.

by Sari Staver

F Sketchfest, the nationally recognized comedy festival born and bred in San Francisco, brings more than 200 shows and 700 performers to stages around town for 18 days beginning Jan. 10. The festival features sketch, improv, stand up, alternative comedy, music, films, live podcasts, storytelling, panels, and workshops. See page 22 >>

San Francisco Opera looks ahead

by Philip Campbell

he San Francisco Opera’s 2018 fall season and holiday events have ended, but preparations for the 2019 summer season are ongoing. Three productions, all new to the War Memorial Opera House, begin in June, completing the first season fully programmed by the administration of general director Matthew Shilvock. See page 20 >>

Alexander Vinogradov as Escamillo, Elena Maximova as Carmen, in a production coming to San Francisco Opera.

{ SECOND OF THREE SECTIONS }

Out There>>

January 10-16, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 17

Staycation in the lap of luxury

Courtesy Taj Campton Place

The Taj Campton Place is a small luxury hotel just a block from Union Square.

by Roberto Friedman

efore the holiday season was over, Out There was offered an overnight stay at a landmark San Francisco hotel to add to our continuing investigation into excellent places to indulge in a Bay Area staycation. This time we were invited to decamp at the luxurious Taj Camp-

ton Place, right off Union Square, during the height of the Christmas shopping days. Upon check-in we were upgraded to a deluxe accommodation on one of the hotel’s upper floors, which meant that we had a resplendent view of the Union Square Christmas tree sparkling in multicolored lights in the center of the square. Inside, the room was spacious and elegantly appointed, impeccably clean, and easily comfortable in everything from the king-size bed to the instant hot-water shower. The adjustable reading lamps on both sides of the bed were a nice touch for a bookworm. Because the Taj is a hotel group based in India, there are subtle Indian touches from the Subcontinent to be found in unexpected places: a bamboo shoot rising from a planter in the bathroom; a masala omelet flavored with green chilies, coriander and turmeric for breakfast at the Campton Place restaurant. That Michelin-starred eatery helmed by Chef Srijith Gopinathan is also responsible for turning out happy-hour petit fours

Vision quest

We were lucky enough to catch the landmark Anne Brigman exhibit during our holiday visit to the Nevada Museum of Art, because it will close on January 27, and will not travel to other museums. But in case you can’t get across the Sierra Nevada by then,

the show’s ample catalog is a good second-best, and was recognized by The New York Times Book Review as one of the notable art books of 2018. Brigman (1869-1950) was a visionary modern photographer well ahead of her time, and can be seen from a century later as the very essence of an early feminist artist. She

posed herself and other women models (plus a few men), nude and lightly costumed, as mythological figures set against wilderness landscapes in the High Sierra and elsewhere. Her interest in pagan myth, untamed nature, and dramatic expressionism were cutting-edge for the dawn of the 20th century, and she moved in high bohemian circles in Oakland, where she lived, and across the country. Her artistry was recognized by Alfred Stieglitz and other (male) arbiters of the nascent artform of Pictorialist photography, and was given a solo show in his famous NYC gallery. For their nudity and fearlessness, her portraits were often censored. “My pictures tell of my freedom of soul,” she said in 1913, “of my emancipation from fear.” “Anne Brigman: A Visionary in Modern Photography,” a masterwork by NMA curator Anne M. Wolfe (Rizzoli/Electa), comprises two volumes: a large book devoted to her photography and importance in art history, and a smaller Art Resource, NY book including a reproducAnne Brigman, “Pan” (1914), platinum print. tion of her poetry chapbook “Songs of a Pagan.”t

for guests in the lobby, so the offerings are a cut above the usual treats: broccolini batter-fried to dip into aioli, butternut squash soup, panna cotta studded with fresh fruit, all washed down with fine French champagne. Thanks to the Taj Campton Place for extending their excellent hospitality to us. To give a small sense of the experience: our floor comprised only four rooms but two sets of elevators, one for service. So when Pepi called down to the desk to request his shoes shined, by the time he opened our room door to leave the shoes in the hall, an attendant had already arrived to pick them up. Now that is a luxury hotel that knows its business.

Sundance kids by David Lamble

Muslim teen Hala copes with the unraveling of her family as he Sundance Film Festival she comes into her own. was the brainchild of Hol“Honey Boy” (director lywood star Robert Redford. Alma Har’el, screenwriter Shia For the past several decades its LaBeouf) A child TV star and screenings, scholarships and his ex-rodeo-clown father face workshops have provided a their stormy past. Cast includes launching pad for films vying Shia LaBeouf, Lucas Hedges. for American commercial dis“Imaginary Order” (directribution. This year 112 films tor Debra Eisenstadt) The sexhave qualified for the diverse ual and psychological unravelvenues around Park City, Utah, ing of an obsessive-compulsive from Jan. 24-Feb. 3, 2019. suburban mom. A growing number of the “The Last Black Man in entries are from women, San Francisco” (director Joe LGBTQ and minority filmTalbot) Jimmie Fails dreams of makers, with casts and subjects reclaiming the Victorian home Courtesy Sundance Film Festival that reflect an ever-increasing his grandfather built in the variety and ethnic diversity. Director Alma Har’el’s “Honey Boy” concerns heart of San Francisco. Our annual Sundance report a child TV star and his ex-rodeo-clown father. “Luce” (director Julius begins with films competing in Onah) A married couple is his best friend, a college dropout. the U.S. Dramatic Competiforced to reckon with their ideCast includes Pete Davidson, Jon tion, with the world debuts of 16 alized image of their son, adopted Cryer. narrative features. Women comprise from war-torn Eritrea. Cast includes “Brittany Runs a Marathon” 53% of the directors in this year’s Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Tim (director Paul Downs Colaizzo, U.S. Dramatic Competition; 41% Roth, Norbert Leo Butz. producer Tobey Maguire) A woman are people of color; 18% identify “Ms. Purple” (director Justin living in New York takes charge of as LGBTQ. Fans of our Frameline Chon) Kasie, stuck in LA’s Koreher life. LGBTQ festival should know that atown, works as a karaoke hostess. “Clemency” (director Chinonye Sundance is an important source of “Native Son” (director Rashid Chukwu) Years of carrying out future queer hits. Johnson, screenwriter Suzan-Lori death-row executions have taken “Before You Know It” (director Parks) In this modern reimagining a toll on prison warden Bernadine Hannah Pearl Utt) A family secret of Richard Wright’s seminal novel, Williams. Cast includes Alfre Woodthrusts codependent 30something young African-American man Bigard, Richard Schiff. sisters Rachel and Jackie Gurner ger Thomas takes a job working for “The Farewell” (director Lulu into a soap opera. Cast includes an influential Chicago family. Wang) An independent ChineseJudith Light, Mandy Patinkin, Alec “Share” (director Pippa Bianco) American woman returns to China Baldwin. 16-year-old Mandy discovers a when her beloved grandmother is “Big Time Adolescence” (direcdisturbing video from a night she given a terminal diagnosis. tor Jason Orley) A suburban teen is doesn’t remember. “Hala” (director Minhal Baig) under the destructive influence of “The Sound of Silence” (direc-

tor Michael Tyburski) A successful NYC analyst meets a client with a problem he can’t solve. Cast: Peter Sarsgaard, Rashida Jones, Austin Pendleton. “Them That Follow” (directors Britt Poulton, Dan Madison Savage) A forbidden relationship in a snake-handling church deep in Appalachia. Cast: Olivia Colman, Jim Gaffigan, Thomas Mann. “To the Stars” (director Martha Stephens) A withdrawn farmer’s daughter forges an intimate friendship with a worldly new girl in 1960s Oklahoma. U.S. Documentary Competition: 16 world-premiere American nonfiction films. 44% of the directors in this year’s U.S. Docs are women; 22% are people of color; 5% identify as LGBTQ. “Always in Season” (director Jacqueline Olive) 17-year-old Lennon Lacy is found hanging from a swing set in North Carolina, and more than a century of lynching African Americans bleeds into the present. “Apollo 11” (director Todd Douglas Miller) An archival reconstruction of humanity’s first trip to another world. “Bedlam” (director Kenneth Paul Rosenberg) A psychiatrist makes rounds in ERs, jails, and homeless camps, a personal journey into the world of the seriously mentally ill. “David Crosby: Remember My Name” (director A.J. Eaton) The life of a Woodstock-era rock star with everything but retirement on his

mind. “Hail Satan” (director Penny Lane) A look at the intersection of religion and activism, tracing the rise of The Satanic Temple. “Jawline” (director Liza Mandelup) 16-year-old Austyn Tester is a rising star in the live-broadcast ecosystem. “Knock Down the House” (director Rachel Lears) A movement of insurgent candidates challenges powerful incumbents in Congress. “Mike Wallace Is Here” (director Avi Belkin) For over half-a-century, “60 Minutes” attack-dog anchor Mike Wallace went head-to-head with the world’s most influential figures. “One Child Nation” (directors Nanfu Wang, Jialing Zhang) The untold history of China’s one-child policy. “Pahokee” (directors Ivete Lucas, Patrick Bresnan) In a small agricultural town in the Florida Everglades, hopes for the future are concentrated on the youth. “Tigerland” (director Ross Kauffman) In Far East Russia, the guardians of the last Siberian tigers risk everything to save the species. “Where’s My Roy Cohn?” (director Matt Tyrnauer). Roy Cohn personified the dark arts of American politics, turning empty vessels into dangerous demagogues, from Joseph McCarthy to his final project, Donald J. Trump. How a deeply troubled master manipulator shaped our current American nightmare.t

Sidekicks by David Lamble

f you’re a fan of comedy duos like Abbott & Costello, Martin & Lewis or the Smothers Brothers, you’re aware that their onscreen chemistry often masked a different off-screen relationship. With “Stan & Ollie,” director Jon S. Baird shows that despite their comedy shorts and features making a small fortune for mogul Hal Roach, “the Boys” were underpaid and disrespected. “Stan & Ollie” opens in 1953

when, long past their prime, their comedy gems languishing on TV, Laurel & Hardy made a farewell tour through the music-hall circuit in the British hinterlands, where their fans were legion and wildly enthusiastic. Skinny Stan Laurel (a revelatory Steve Coogan) was both the brains (writing their famous skits) and the business manager for the team, a role that forced him to butt heads with the miserly Roach and agent Bernard Delfont (Rufus Jones). Laurel & Hardy (John C. Reilly) were a real-life

couple in every way but romantically. In mid-film, the truth tumbles out, expressed with sadness by Hardy, and with a comic edge by Laurel. Oliver Hardy: “I’ll miss us when we’re gone.” Stan Laurel: “So will you.” “Stan & Ollie” reveals the way the men’s decades-long professional bond became a partnership that overshadowed their off-stage hetero marriages. Inspired by the book “Laurel & Hardy: The British Tours” by A.J. Marriot. (Opens Friday.)t

Sony Pictures Classics

Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly are “Stan & Ollie.”

<< Music

18 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

Oh, what a queer year! by Gregg Shapiro

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hen it comes to LGBTQ music, the present, as well as the past and future, are female. Since the very early days of popular queer music, the women have been the ones to take the lead. While that definitely holds true at the turn of the year, male artists are making certain they are being heard. 1. “Nostalgia Kills” (Pinko), Jill Sobule’s first album in four years, is another masterpiece, and deserves the largest audience possible. Living up to its title, the record is a reminder that the past is always with us, and it’s up to us what we do with it, as you can hear on “The Island of Lost Things,” “Forbidden Thoughts of Youth” and “Almost Great.” “I Don’t Want to Wake Up” is both familiar and new, and if you aren’t crying and dancing with abandon by the end of “I Put My Headphones On,” you might want to check your pulse. 2. Everything you need to know about queer singer-songwriter Caroline Rose can be heard on “More of the Same,” the opening track on “Loner” (New West). There’s humor, sensitivity, insight and an Op-1 keyboard; the combo is intoxicating. It’s an honest indication of what follows, on songs that incorporate updated retro new wave sensibilities (“Cry!”), outrageous funk (“Jeannie Becomes a Mom”), 21stcentury 60s revival (“Bikini,” “Soul No. 5”) and perfect pop (“Getting to Me”). 3. From the personal lesbian mom tune “The Mother” to the queer empowerment anthem “The Joke,” Brandi Carlile created her most farreaching set of songs on “By the Way, I Forgive You” (Low Country Sound/Elektra). The country-tinged “Every Time I Hear That Song,” the stomp of “Hold Out Your Hand,” the heartbreaking politics of “Fulton County Jane Doe,” the addiction storysong “Sugartooth,” the back-to-back forgiving of “Most of All” and “Harder To Forgive” and the astounding album-closer “Party of One” all contribute to making this Carlile’s best album to date. 4. You’d never guess from listening to “Historian” (Matador) by out singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus that it’s only her second album. In her early 20s, Dacus is one of those wise-beyondher-years artists whose songs strike a chord with listeners from all walks of life. 5. The devastating “Rifles & Rosary Beads” (In the Black/Thirty Tigers) by lesbian singersongwriter Mary Gauthier, a product of Gauthier’s association with Darden Smith’s nonprofit Songwriting with Soldiers in which soldiers are teamed up with professional songwriters, is unlike

anything you’ve heard before. Two of the songs, including the devastating “The War After the War,” were written by military wives whose soldier husbands returned from the battlefield wounded. Gauthier, who has a long history of bringing listeners to tears (check out 2010’s “The Foundling”), takes that to a whole new level here. 6. “Transangelic Exodus” (Bella Union), described by Ezra Furman as “a queer outlaw saga,” is an exhilarating and unforgettable experience that will leave you reeling in the best possible way. Opener “Suck the Blood from My Wound” morphs from pure pop exuberance to static rage in under five minutes. “Driving Down to L.A.” sounds like a lost experimental Rufus Wainwright number, and “No Place” will make your heart race. “The Great Unknown” (with a sampled scream) has anthem written all over it, and “Maraschino Red Dress $8.99 at Goodwill” is remarkable. 7. The always-brilliant lesbian singer-songwriter and bassist extraordinaire Meshell Ndegeocello put out the cleverly titled “Ventriloquism” (All Points/Believe).

She reimagined 11 songs, originally released between 1982-94, in her own distinctive style, and the results are awe-inspiring. 8. “Lush” (Matador), the fulllength debut by Snail Mail (aka teen sensation Lindsey Jordan), plays like a reverent tribute to the 90s, the decade she was born. That’s the 90s through a queer, 21st-century lens. “Pristine” asks the age-old question, “Don’t you like me for me?” and you can dance to it “anyways.” “Heat Wave” is as warm as the summer sun, and centerpiece “Stick” reaches a crescendo that stays with you. The dreamy “Golden Dream” will get your kicks moving, and “Full Control” is a sorry-not-sorry anthem. 9. Like fellow queer labelmate Perfume Genius (aka Mike Hadreas), Car Seat Headrest (aka Will Toledo) makes some of the most memorable music of the 2010s. In one of the most ambitious musical moves made in 2018, Car Seat Headrest released the double-disc set “Twin Fantasy” (Matador). The first disc, “Face to Face,” is a 2016 re-recording of their 10-song 2011 self-released debut, and the second disc, “Mirror to Mirror,” is the original recording of the album. 10. “Not Too Far Away” (BMG), Joan Armatrading’s first studio album of all original songs in five years, is sure to please Armatrading fans. Easily her best studio effort since “Lovers Speak,” it arrived after Armatrading announced a serious curtailing of her tour schedule. Perhaps with more time on her hands, Armatrading was able to better assess what worked and what didn’t, and the resulting album, bursting with love and affection, is a marvelous combination of her 70s and 80s songwriting technique. 11. Remember the way UK bands Gang of Four and The Au Pairs found a way to effortlessly mix the politics of dancing, railing against an assortment of societal ills while we worked up a sweat on the dance-floor? Produced by the brilliant Edwyn Collins, “The Official Body” (Fat Cat) by queer band Shopping picks up where the others left off, with tracks “Control Yourself,” “Asking for a Friend,” “My Dad’s a Dancer” and “New Values.” 12. LGBTQ parents in search of family music need look no further than “Songs for the Rainbow Family” (Leather/Western) by The Diesel Tykes, led by prolific gay musician Scott Free. It features a marvelous assortment of guest musicians including lesbian family musician Laura Doherty (the vegan tune “Adopt a Cow”), lesbian duo Congress of Starlings (“The Out Song”), trans artist Elias Krell (“Dress Me in Yellow”) and soulful gay singer JC Brooks (“Pride and Joy”).t

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<< Music

20 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

Venetian blondes by Tim Pfaff

riting his final opera “Death in Venice,” Benjamin Britten, who knew he was dying, looked at his life’s work and stripped it bare. Routinely dependent on the kindness of strangers for his opera plots, he was as exacting of his librettists as Verdi was. For “Death in Venice,” he turned to the 1911 Thomas Mann novella that mused openly on the perils of beauty, the calamities of Eros and the likelihood of older men being brought down – to the abyss – by erotic attraction to younger men. There is no transfiguration, no Liebestod, just rotten strawberries, wilted flowers and music of deflated yearning. What stands in its way of being regarded as Britten’s greatest opera, though it is, is the work’s relentless coupling of aching desire and raw pain as inseparable twins. He denies his audience the luxury of seeing the subject matter as anything but what it is. The Madrid Teatro Real production by Willie Decker, just released by Naxos (CD, Blu-ray), bets on beauty, albeit broadly defined, throughout. No other recording has

SF Opera

From page 16

Bizet’s “Carmen” usually scores in the top three most-performed and popular operas; some 70 stagings at SFO alone. As recently as 2016, mezzo-sopranos Irene Roberts and Ginger Costa-Jackson alternated in the title role with Company stalwart tenor Brian Jagde portraying an especially visceral Don Jose in Catalan director Calixto Bieito’s brutally erotic production. Director Francesca Zambello brings her own provocative “Carmen” to kick off the summer triumvirate. Originally staged as a co-production of London’s Royal Opera, Covent Garden and Norwegian National Opera, and recreated by Australian Opera, there will probably be less nudity and simulated sex than in Bieito’s feverish dream, but the tragic tale of the untamable gypsy still packs enough heat to shock and disturb without a lot of

realized the opera more fully. Turning to Mann’s tale, set in a city Britten himself loved, could not have been easy. It has no redeeming characters, no Ellen Orford or Captain Vere, and roving gangs of unsavory smaller characters chafe at the protagonist without let-up. For Gustav von Aschenbach, German “master writer,” hell truly is other people. tampering. James Gaffigan, currently chief conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, and principal guest conductor of both the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and Gurzenich Orchestra in Germany, will shape Bizet’s endless stream of famous melodies. Mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges memorably portrayed Mexican entertainer Josefa Segovia in John Adams and Peter Sellars’ SFO world premiere “Girls of the Golden West.” She was praised for her intense combination of beautiful voice, looks, and superior acting. Returning to make her role debut as Carmen, Bridges is an exciting choice. In “Girls,” her character was lynched; this time, well, you know what happens to Carmen. Based on what we have seen, Bridges will make it to the end with energy to spare. American tenor Matthew Polenzani also makes a role debut as Don Jose, and Romanian soprano

The spent German genius is staring down the barrel of writer’s block at its most primeval, his premonition of death and fear of failure grotesquely inflating his sense of personal superiority. His Venice getaway to recharge his creative imagination soon reveals him, most painfully to himself, as a pathetic clown masquerading behind a veil of lofty ideas and ideals as full of holes as Venetian lace. The role was written for Peter Pears, Britten’s life partner, to whom the composer would have had to explain nothing. The Madrid production suggests it may have been written in expectation of tenor John Daszac, its most accomplished and daring exponent to date. Previous Aschenbachs have been overcome as much by the character’s windy poofery as by the fetching beauty of the Polish boy Tadzio. It’s one of Myfanwy Piper’s best librettos for Britten, but it begins with a line that could topple a Jon Vickers: “My mind beats on,”

Aschenbach laments, repeatedly. The terror for Aschenbach – “but no words come” – is explicit, but the stumbling line and a generation of gay jokes about it, completing the phrasal verb with its opposite, do no tenor favors. Daszac’s fiercely unapologetic characterization surmounts all hurdles. Aschenbach’s philosophical musings have never been more clearly declaimed. The conviction at the core of Daszac’s vocal acting is as close to a saving grace as any Aschenbach has had. Certainly the role had never been sung better, making Aschenbach’s self-pitying grandstanding more than the crooning of a sad old man. His foil, the baritone ingeniously enacting all the other main characters, who freak Aschenbach out, tear him down and, occasionally and studiously, prop him up is the equally astonishing Leigh Melrose. His physical acting – much of it mincing to the very edge of low drag-bar parody, his arms flapping like boneless albatross wings – vaults into a caricatured falsetto on command while singing comparable music, at lower pitches, when sympathizing with Aschenbach. He’s at his most demonic in his final appearance as Dionysus at the nadir of Aschenbach’s fall. The offstage voice of Apollo is, as required, rendered hauntingly by countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo. Conductor Alejo Perez makes the

score’s starkly differentiated musical styles cohere to the extent that the orchestra “goes away,” in the best sense. Stage director Decker proves wise in all things: apart from a few historical photos of the city during the interlude, he eschews attempts to recreate Venice visually. Instead of a unit set, he supplies a unity of set recombinant pieces, moved to create different scenes so seamlessly that the audience feels the relentless pace of Aschenbach’s “vacation” drama. His work is of a piece with Athol Farmer’s choreography, to the extent that the several appearances of the young male dancers, Tadzio’s “friends” (who, tellingly, also harass him), merge smoothly with Decker’s liquid blocking. The dancers and non-singing performers are as carefully crafted as the main players. Pit-stage coordination this complete is rare, each illuminating the other. Tadzio, a dancing not a singing role, can undo directors as easily as he does German master writers. Tomasz Borczyk is the most hypnotic in my long experience of the work, credibly but not pruriently young, by turns terrified, repulsed and, if not explicitly attracted to, sympathetically drawn to Aschenbach, in whom he may, as much as he can bear, see his own future. There’s something like innocence in the boy’s full nudity early on, if only there.t

Anita Hartig makes her Company debut as Micaela. American bassbaritone Kyle Ketelsen made his SFO debut in 2006 as Escamillo, and he’s back, after making the part a signature role, to sing the instantly recognizable “Toreador Song.” (June 5-29, 2019) “Orlando” is one of Handel’s socalled magic operas. Based on Ariosto’s “Orlando Furioso,” its poetry and possibilities for visual spectacle appealed to the composer’s rich imagination. The innovative score includes his first attempt to describe human madness in music. British-born director Harry Fehr and conductor Christopher Moulds are making their SFO debuts with Fehr’s intriguing update of the story (originally staged for Scottish Opera) to a military hospital during WWII. San Francisco Opera announced the removal of countertenor David Daniels from the role of Medoro last November. The decision was made following accusations of sexual assault, an active police investigation and a lawsuit filed against the singer. Fans (including me) and countless professional colleagues are shaken by the news and hope a speedy resolution is forthcoming. SFO administration will announce a replacement as soon as possible. Replacing a star of Daniels’ caliber isn’t easy, but there are a surprising number of talented countertenors around, and I’m thinking of one former Merola participant in particular, recently named as a 2019 Adler Fellow, who might, at the very least, cover the part. The rest of the cast remains, with lustrous mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke making her role debut as she assumes the title role. Her appearances in SF with the Opera and Symphony have made her a local star, but she has established an international career, and any chance to hear her is special. There is a passion and beauty in her voice that is unique. Soprano Heidi Stober, seen last as Zdenka in “Arabella,” and distinctive bass-baritone Christian Van Horn appear as Angelica and Zoroastro (portrayed as a psychologist treating Orlando). (June 9-27) The final opera in the lineup is

UK director David McVicar’s production of Dvorak’s biggest operatic hit, “Rusalka.” The dramatic fairy tale about a water sprite who trades her voice for love will star American soprano Rachel Willis-Sorensen in the title role. Her remarkable SFO debut as Eva in McVicar’s splendid version of Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg” demanded a return engagement, and I look forward to hearing her sing Rusalka’s lovely “Song to the Moon.” Tenor Brandon Jovanovich returns to the Company as the Prince. He was Eva’s hunky Wal-

ther in McVicar’s “Meistersinger,” and, while he is an internationally sought-after artist, he always comes back to SFO. Two more favorites round the cast. Italian bass Ferruccio Furlanetto and mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, recipient of the Metropolitan Opera’s Beverly Sills Artist Award in 2016, play Vodnik, the water Gnome, and the witch Jezibaba. This will be only the second time the Company has staged “Rusalka,” and we hope the Shilvock years will continue to present such interesting rarities. (June 16-28) sfopera.comt

Todd Rosenberg/Lyric Opera of Chicago

Dvořák’s “Rusalka” is coming to San Francisco Opera’s summer season.

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<< DVD

22 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

French twist by Brian Bromberger

olette (1873-1954) was a renowned bisexual French novelist, journalist, and actress best remembered for her 1944 novella “Gigi,” about the training of an adolescent courtesan. It was the basis for the 1958 Oscar-winning musical film, and nominated for the 1948 Nobel Prize in Literature. When she died, she was the first female author to be given a state funeral. Born Sidone Gabrielle “Gaby” Colette, her early life is recreated in the film “Colette” (Universal DVD), centering on her relationship with her first husband, publisher-impresario Henry Gauthier-Villars (“Willy”). Gay director Wash Westmoreland helmed the project, and wrote the screenplay with his late husband Richard Glatzer, who died of Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2015. One would think so, but despite its subject and co-creators, it’s not a strongly centered LGBTQ film.

Johannes Brus

From page 16

Believing the richness of photography lies in its material properties, Brus advocates the mishandling of photos until all vestiges of “Sunday suit perfection have gone.” He proposes, for instance, working with negatives or prints at night in the bathroom or kitchen, and giving them to children to play with so as to maximize the introduction of mistakes, accidents and damage to the medium, thereby enhancing the possibility of small miracles and epiphanies. In a 1977 manifesto he described his methods thusly: Printing pictures in or out of focus, staining due to shoddy workmanship, allowing dust to fall and fixing it on the image, developing with a sponge, solarizing, manipulating, double exposing and cutting up photos, and applying feathers and varnish to them while not forgetting “to lay some cheese or sausage between the negatives.” These aren’t the kind of lessons commonly taught at art school, but they have informed, only partially in jest,

is given a standard biopic that meanders over a 12-year period, yet is linear in its storytelling, her riotousness tamed. Colette is given equal billing with her smarmy husband, who, in spite of his caddish behavior and professional betrayal, comes across as energetic and fun. Keira Knightley gives the best performance of her career. Knightley has matured in her craft with each successive film. She is more than matched by Dominic West, who has perfected his villainous persona as Willy. Their chemistry is so sizzling, Colette’s women lovers are diminished in comparison. The film dazzles with fin de siècle Parisian production design, gorgeous costumes, and sumptuous music, yet the real Colette never ignites. Perhaps a French actress in a French film could portray the wildness that’s missing here. Colette reminds Willy that “the hand that holds the pen writes the history,” yet despite a valiant effort we only see its intriguing shadow in this movie.t

The film chronicles Gaby’s (Keira Knightley) transformation from a rural (Burgundy) bumpkin. At 20 she marries Willy (Dominic West), 14 years her senior, and they start their new life in Paris. Gaby quickly realizes she’s married a libertine gambler with many mistresses (“I can read you like the top line at an optometrist’s office.”) At first distressed, she decides to accept this open marriage so she can explore her own relationships with women. She becomes a member of the aristocratic set, with friends like Proust and Sarah Bernhardt. Willy is constantly on the verge of bankruptcy, using ghostwriters whose work is printed with his

name. Needing to stave off dire financial straits, he goads Gaby into writing a roman a clef about her adolescent experiences, some with lesbian overtones, published under his name, as “no one reads female writers.” To his shock, the “Claudine” book becomes a best-selling sensation, making Willy wealthy and notorious. He wants Gaby to write more Claudine stories, and locks her in a room until she starts writing a sequel. The ensuing three novels are huge successes. Meanwhile Gaby has affairs with an actress portraying Claudine on the stage, and with Missy (Denise Gough), a crossdressing aristocratic woman who wears tuxedos. They

the approach of this idiosyncratic barnburner of an artist. Brus, an informal adherent of Dadaism, may have also been influenced by Man Ray, who used similar techniques to turn photography on its head. Born in 1942 into the chaos and rubble of WWII Germany, Brus studied under boundary-breaking, philosophically inclined Joseph Beuys at the Dusseldorf Art Academy (1962-71) alongside classmates such as his friend, painter-photographer Sigmar Polke, and photorealist painter Gerhard Richter, during a period when photography was being reformulated as a vehicle to question art. Primarily known as a sculptor, Brus started experimenting with photography in the early 1970s, mixing chemicals, smearing his photographs with paint, and leaving them on the floor to create his own peculiar alchemy. Disregarding the prevailing orthodoxy, up-ending darkroom techniques, flouting the laws of physics, and guided above all by serendipity, he deliberately blurred and distorted images, leading to the subversive, so-called antiphotography on view here.

ital” (1995), a small-scale In part, the work was sculpture of a muscled a gesture of rebellion pony in Yves Klein blue, against the world order appears to have stepped his parents’ generation out of the pages of an ansought desperately to cient Greek fable. There’s preserve after the war a large, what one assumes and the blight of Namust surely be a painting, zism. The goal hardly of a fast-approaching bull matters when the end elephant coming at the result is this bewitching. viewer; but no, it’s actually The chemical treata toned 2010 photograph ments – some might of the magnificent wild call them abuse – lend creature. With greenish his subjects a mythical, gray trunk, black tusks, out-of-time visit to the Don Ross eyes eerily glowing, it sudother side, alternate-dimension quality, a ter- Johannes Brus, “Gurkenkissen (Cucumber Cross)” (1971). denly charges out of the jungle, shrouded in a pale ritory lodged squarely paranormal mist. Nearby between reality, the they seem. In two photo works titled is a cement-toned cast of an exceedsubconscious, the supernatural “Spirit Cloth” (1978), a masked, ingly big, disembodied elephant’s and an acid trip. A scratched print child-sized figure wrapped in a head, the ghost of a giant returned called “Expedition in My Subconblanket floats like an apparition from the dead to stalk its killers. scious” (1979) depicts an unlikely above fuzzy, blue-tinged and sepia The exhibition may occupy only a convocation of the artist with Freud landscapes. single gallery, but its effect is potent, and Franz Marc, whose names are Like Marc before him, Brus the art provocative, though not in scrawled on an old photographic gravitates toward animal mystique: the obvious ways, and the experiimage of men on horseback in front a stealth leopard frozen in place, his ence singular. Don’t miss it.t of an Egyptian pyramid, perhaps prey locked in his sights, is blanketed about to be swallowed by a primein spots and all but camouflaged by val sea. One can only speculate, as Through May 26. sfmoma.org the tall grasses; “Blue Horse on Capthings in Brus-land are hardly what

SF Sketchfest

From page 16

As in previous years, many shows include LGBT performers, including headliners Peaches Christ, Neil Patrick Harris, and Margaret Cho, as well as notable talents Cameron Esposito, Rhea Butcher, Kevin Allison, Martin Ranch, Guy Branum, Gabe Liedman, Joel Kim Booster, Matteo Lane, Scott Thompson, and Solomon Georgio. Launched in 2002 by three San Francisco State students who wanted to showcase the talents of local sketch-comedy groups, the event took place at one venue, Shelton Theatre in Union Square. Since then, the event has grown to over 200 shows in more than a dozen venues across the city. “From nationally prominent stars to local favorites and up-andcoming groups from around the world, Sketchfest has something for everyone,” said co-producer Janet Varney. “I know that might sound kind of cheesy, but if you take the time to look through the program, I bet you’ll probably find someone you’ve enjoyed from afar and would love to see in a more intimate stage performance.” In a telephone interview with the B.A.R., Varney talked about what makes SF Sketchfest a local treasure. Nineteen years ago, when she was an undergraduate student at SF State, while the city had a “rich comedy history,” there were very few places

Courtesy SF Sketchfest

Varla Jean Merman and Peaches Christ star in “The Whining,” part of SF Sketchfest.

to perform, Varney said. She and her two co-founders, also students at the time, contacted five other groups doing sketch comedy to see if they’d be open to doing a festival together. “There was a wonderful vibe, and we were very lucky to get a lot of press coverage” that helped to fill the seats. At the cabaret night, where everyone performed, the audience was exposed to groups they night not have otherwise seen. The camaraderie and support that developed at the festival have been a part of Sketchfest through the years, Varney said. Performers are anxious to come to San Francisco, “where we are known for having s smart, sophisticated audience,” and also know they’ll have the opportunity to meet and socialize with other performers at parties held each weekend of the festival. Varney said the festival is a “sum-

mer camp for comedians,” a phrase coined by Fred Armisted. “People hang out together backstage and have a chance to spend quality time with friends and colleagues,” she said. “People tell us that’s the best part of coming, in addition to performing, of course.” The festival is “pretty much of a break-even” operation, she said. “I’m happy to say we never had a year” when they thought they might run into financial difficulties. “None of us began this with any sort of business training or financial acumen,” she said. “We learned on our feet, and I’m thrilled and honored to say we’ve been successful and hope to keep” producing the festival long into the future. Here are some capsule summaries of performances, in order of performance date, Varney thought might be of particular interest to

perform together on stage. Their kiss at the Moulin Rouge causes street riots. She sleeps with Southern American heiress Georgie RaoulDuval (Eleanor Tomlinson), and so does the jealous Willy. The last is the final straw for Gaby, who not only wants a separation but also demands that her real name, Colette, be put on her work. Willy refuses to cede the copyright, and sells it to an independent publisher. Colette goes to court and wins the right to publish under her own name. With its promotional hashtag #Colette Too, the film attaches itself to the #MeToo movement. Colette discovers her own voice and lives her own truth as a cultural upstart. But regarding her sexuality, the film isn’t as daring. For such an unconventional life (Colette had three husbands, multiple women lovers, and promoted crossgenerational romances, including one with her teen stepson), Colette deserves an unconventional film. But here she

B.A.R. readers: There will be a tribute to trailblazing modern comedy icon and former Bay Area resident Margaret Cho, with an onstage conversation and audience Q&A, moderated by Ben Fong-Torres. (1/10) “The Next Wave of Stand-Up Comedy Stars” includes a performance by Matteo Lane, a New Yorkbased comedian who is in the new Comedy Central series “The Comedy Jam,” and recently performed on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Lane is also performing on Jan. 12 in “Streisand at the Bon Soir,” a recreation of an early Streisand recording. (1/11) LA standup comic Cameron Esposito is among the guests in an hour-long conversation, “Queery,” exploring individual stories of identity, personality, and the shifting cultural matrix around gender, sexuality, and civil rights. In addition to her work as a nationally touring headliner, Cameron has appeared on NBC, CBS, and Comedy Central. (1/12) “Queer and Now” from Martini Ranch features Austin’s only allLGBT-identifying comedy troupe. Their sketches range from emotionally gut-wrenching to explosively absurd, whether addressing the difficulty of coming out to an aging Catholic abuelita, or the conspiracy theories surrounding the death of Jon Benet Ramsey. (1/12-13) SF Sketchfest will “roast” Peaches Christ at an all-star show at the

Castro Theatre as San Francisco’s favorite drag queen turns 45 years old. Confirmed roasters include Clea DuVall, Heklina, Heather Matarazzo, Jinkx Monsoon, Cassandra Peterson (aka Elvira, Mistress of the Dark), Sister Roma, Mink Stole, Roast Mistress Coco Peru, and special surprise guests. (1/13) “Greetings from Queer Mountain,” the queen mother of queer storytelling series, features a diverse collection of work from LGBT performers across the country. (1/13) LA stand-up comic Rhea Butcher brings her blue-collar brand of cool to the stage. Butcher has appeared on HBO’s “2 Dope Queens,” “The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail,” “@Midnight” and “Conan.” (1/17) Peaches Christ and Varla Jean Merman star in “The Whining,” a story of what happens when two well-known queens spend a winter in the snowy, abandoned, summer resort locale of Provincetown. (1/22-23) “The Gale” is an entirely improvised comedy show that premiered on the world-famous Groundlings stage in 2015, and has been selling out monthly performances ever since. (1/26-27) SF Sketchfest presents a tribute to Neil Patrick Harris for his “extraordinary, versatile, multi-awardwinning career” in TV, film, and stage. (1/27)t Full schedule: www.sfsketchfest. com/schedule-and-tickets

Nightlife Evnets www.ebar.com

Shining Stars Vol. 49 • No. 2 • January 10-16, 2019

McKechnie & McArdle Broadway legends reunite at Feinstein’s by David-Elijah Nahmod

n January 18 and 19 Broadway legends Donna McKechnie and Andrea McArdle will reunite for an evening of song at Feinstein’s at The Nikko. The two performers, who worked together in a production of the classic musical State Fair, will pay tribute to two songwriting giants: Stephen Sondheim and the late Marvin Hamlisch. See page 25 >> Donna McKechnie (left) and Andrea McArdle

Arts Events

January 10-17, 2019

Winter wonderlands of art, theatre and music offer warming thoughts, sounds, images and ideas.

Sat 12 The Town Howlers host Pickin’ on Hate @ Ashkenaz, Berkeley

Listings on page 26 > { THIRD OF THREE SECTIONS }

<< Nightlife Events

24 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

Thu 10 After Dark @ Exploratorium Enjoy cocktails and science demo sat the hands-on museum. $15-$20. 6pm-10pm. Jan 10: Tearjerkers, the science of emotions. Jan 17: Curious Contraptions. Pier 15 (Embarcadero at Green St). www.exploratorium.edu/

Miss Coco Peru @ Oasis Have You Heard? the witty drag queen’s latest show. $27-$50. 7pm. Also Jan 11 & 12. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

The Monster Show @ The Edge The weekly drag show with host Sue Casa, DJ MC2, themed nights and hilarious fun. $5. 9pm-2am. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. www.edgesf.com

Nightlife @ California Academy of Sciences

Fri 11 Bobby Conte Thornton @ Feinstein’s at the Nikko The Broadway star and Bay Area native performs his new cabaret concert, Blame It on My Youth, at the elegant nightclub. $35-$65 ($20 food/drink min.) 8pm. Also Jan 12. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.feinsteinsatthenikko.com

Boy Division @ The Cat Club The monthly super-queer New Wave electropop night celebrates three years and features a black & white theme (think Klaus Nomi), with DJs Xander, Tomas Diablo playing retro classic hits and mixes, plus the Dark Room drag show. Free-$8. 9:30pm3am. 1190 Folsom St. www.facebook.com/boydivisionsf

Cubcake @ Lone Star Saloon DJ Brd plays at the bears, cubs and treats night’s annaul Red Party. $5. 9pm-2am. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com

Parties at the fascinating spacious nature and science exhibits. Jan. 10: DJ Daniel T, fungus demos, talks Mycology tastings and more. Jan 17: New wave City, SF Sketchfest acomedy acts. $12-$15. 6pm-10pm. 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden gate Park. www.calacademy.org

Eric Benét @ Yoshis’s Oakland

Rice Rockettes @ Lookout

VivvyAnne ForeverMore’s night of drag and debauchery celebrates Capricorns and horny goats, with DJs Lyddie Jean, John Fucking Cartwright, Siobhan Aluvalot. $5. 10pm-4am. 399 9th St. www.studsf.com

Local and visiting Asian drag queens’ weekly show with DJ Philip Grasso. $5. 10:30pm show. 3600 16th St. www.lookoutsf.com

The soul R&B troubador returns for a series of two-concert nights at the stylish restaurant-nightclub. $49-$95. 8pm & 10pm. Also Jan 12, 13, 14 (diff. times). 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. www.yoshis.com

Grand Opening @ The Stud

Gooch

For full listings, visit www.ebar.com/events

Nightlife Events January 10-17, 2019

Despite inclement weather, some solid stand-by nightlife events are still standing. Shake it off, get indoors to get wet.

Underwear Night @ 440 Strip down to your skivvies at the popular men’s night. 9pm-2am. 440 Castro St. 621-8732. the440.com

Tue 15 Hysteria Comedy @ Martuni’s Laugh out loud comics at the open mic night, with host Wonder Dave. 6pm-8pm. 4 Valencia St.

Retro Night @ 440 Castro Jim Hopkins plays classic pop oldies, with vintage music videos. 9pm-2am. 44 Castro St. www.the440.com

Fri 11

Truck Tuesdays @ Atlas

Cubcake @ Lone Star Saloon

Hard Fridays @ Qbar DH Haute Toddy’s weekly electro-pop night with hotty gogos. $3. 9pm-2am (happy hour 4pm-9pm). 456 Castro St. www.QbarSF.com

iCandy @ The Cafe Gus Presents’ weekly dance night, with DJ Jericho and guests, cute gogos and $2 beer (before 10pm). 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com

Imperial Beaux-Arts Winter Ball @ Folsom Street Foundry Imperial Court’s 54th annual fundraiser gala ball, with a drag show, cash bar, dinner, table service; proceeds go to SF Aguilas and Trans Lifeline. $30-$60. 5pm-10pm. 1425 Folsom St. folsomstreetfoundry.com

Seoul Train @ Oasis Korean pop dance music and drag night hosted by Soju, Chester Lockhart and Cash Monet, with DJ PeterLo. $10-$15. 10pm-2am. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Uhaul @ Jolene’s The popular roving women’s dance party returns at the new nightclub, now weekly. 10pm-2am. 2700 16th St. at Harrison. http://jolenessf.com/

Vibe Fridays @ Club BnB, Oakland House music and cocktails, with DJs Shareef Raheim-Jihad and Ellis Lindsey. 9pm-2am. 2120 Broadway. (510) 759-7340. www.club-bnb.com

Sat 12 La Bota Loca @ Club 21, Oakland Banda Los Shakas performs live at the LGBT Latinx night. $10. 9pm-4am. 2111 Franklin St. club21oakland.com

Dance Party @ White Horse Bar, Oakland DJed grooves at the historic East Bay gay bar. 9pm-2am. 6551 Telegraph Ave, (510) 652-3820. www.whitehorsebar.com

Mother @ Oasis Heklina’s popular drag show, with special guests and great music themes; Jan 12 with guest Gia Gunn. $15-$20. 10pm-2am (11:30pm show). 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Writers With Drinks @ Make Out Room The monthly literary drinking night celebrates stories and books, and drinks; with host Charlie Jane Anders, Colin Winnette, Arwen Elys Dayton, Simon Sheppard, Rene Vaz, Izzy Oneiric, John Briscoe. $5-$20. 7:30pm. 3225 22nd St. www.writerswithdrinks.com

Zepparella @ Great American Music Hall The all-women Led Zeppelin tribute band returns; FeatherWitch opens. $19-$44 (with dinner). 859 O’Farrell St. www.slimspresents.com

Sun 13 Apocrypha @ SF Eagle Suppositori Spelling’s dark rock night after the beer bust. $5. 8pm-2am. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

Blessed @ Port Bar, Oakland Carnie Asada’s fun drag night with Carnie’s Angels Mahlae Balenciaga and Au Jus, plus DJ Ion. 2023 Broadway. www.portbaroakland.com

GlamaZone @ The Cafe Pollo del Mar’s weekly drag show takes on different themes with a comic edge. 8:30-11:30pm. 2369 Market St. www.cafesf.com

Juanita’s Drag Brunch @ MORE/Jones Juanita MORE’s new daytime drag show on the restaurant’s scenic courtyard terrace, with a tasty revamped menu by chef Cory Armenta and food stylist Cole Church. Entrees $14-$21. 11am-3pm. Wednesday Fried Chicken nights, too. 620 Jones St. www.juanitamore.com

Puff, Pole-sexual @ The Stud Pot appreciation night, with live music, DJed grooves, pot-related prizes, but no smoking in the bar, please. $10. 7pm-10pm. Pole-Sexual variety show follows, 10pm-1am. 399 9th St. at Harrison. www.studsf.com

Renegade @ Atlas The popular new weekly super-cruisy party; BYO, clothes check and DJed grooves. $10. 5pm-8pm. 415 10th St. https://www.facebook.com/ groups/2094886877491354/

Pound Puppy @ SF Eagle

Mon 14

Cool grooves, cruisy and friendly vibes at the famed leather bar. 9pm-2am. 398 12th St. www.sf-eagle.com

Drag Queen Bingo @ The Willows

Soul Party @ Elbo Room DJs Lucky, Paul, and Phengren Osward spin ‘60s soul 45s. $5-$10 ($5 off in semi-formal attire). 10pm-2am. 647 Valencia St. 552-7788. www.elbo.com

Stallion @ Midnight Sun DJ Bill Dupp, intimate dance floor, gogo cuties. 8pm-2am. 4067 18th St. www.midnightsunsf.com

Woofer @ Lone Star Saloon DJs Lester Temple and Jim Hopkins play rock & funk grooves at the bear bar’s dance party. $5. 9pm-2am. 1354 Harrison St. www.lonestarsf.com

Board game fun with Ginger Snap and friends. 7pm-9pm. 1582 Folsom St. http://www.thewillowssf.com

Gaymer Meetup @ Brewcade The weekly LGBT video game enthusiast night includes big-screen games and signature beers, with a new remodeled layout, including an outdoor patio. No cover. 7pm-11pm. 2200 Market St. www.brewcadesf.com

Munro’s at Midnight @ Midnight Sun Drag night with Mercedez Munro. No cover. 10pm. 4067 18th St. 861-4186. www.midnightsunsf.com

The weekly super-cruisy night, with clothes check. $5. 415 10th St.

Vice Tuesdays @ Q Bar Queer femmes and friends dance party with hip hop, Top 40 and throwbacks at the stylish intimate bar, with DJs Val G and Iris Triska. 9pm2am. 456 Castro St. www.QbarSF.com

Wed 16 Bottoms Up Bingo @ Hi Tops Play board games and win offbeat prizes at the popular sports bar. 9pm. 2247 Market St. 551-2500. www.HiTopsSF.com

Follies & Dollies @ White Horse Bar, Oakland Weekly drag show at the historic gay bar. 9:30pm-11:30pm. 6551 Telegraph Ave, (510) 652-3820. www.whitehorsebar.com

Gigante @ Port Bar, Oakland Juanita MORE! and DJ Frisco Robbie’s weekly event, with Latin, Hip Hop and House music, gogo gals and guys, and a drag show. $5. 9pm-2am. 2023 Broadway, Oakland. www.portoakland.com

Musical Wednesdays @ The Edge Sing along to shows tunes on video, lip-synched, and live, at the Castro bar, with host Brian Kent; trivia contest, and prizes. 7pm-12am. 4149 18th St. at Collingwood. edgesf.com

Queeraoke @ El Rio Midweek drag rave and vocal open mic, with Dulce de Leche, Rhani Nothingmore, Beth Bicoastal, Ginger Snap and guests. 10pm. 3158 Mission St. http://www.elriosf.com/

Shevil @ Powerhouse Midweek drag fun. $5. 10pm-2am. 1347 Folsom St. www.powerhousebar.com

SoMa Comedy Showcase @ Oasis Variety show of new local talents. $10. 7pm. 298 11th St. sfoasis.com

Thu 17 Latin Explosion @ Club 21 Latin beats, Lulu and Jacqueline’s drag show, gogo hotties and a packed crowd. $10-$15. 9pm-4am. 2111 Franklin St. www.club21oakland.com

Ms. Pak-Man @ Oasis The wacky comic show about a hasbeen video game character returns; Scott Shoemaker as the loveable trainwreck Ms. Pak-Man, featuring Erin Stewart and Amalia Larson as the Ghostettes. $27-$50. 8pm. Also Jan 18 & 19 at 7pm. 10pm-2am. 298 11th St. www.sfoasis.com

Thump @ White Horse, Oakland Weekly electro music night with DJ Matthew Baker and guests. 9pm-2am. 6551 Telegraph Ave, (510) 652-3820. www.whitehorsebar.com Want your nightlife event listed? Email events@ebar.com, at least two weeks before your event. Event photos welcome.

January 10-16, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 25

Martha Swope, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts

Cabaret>>

Above: Andrea McArdle, as Judy Garland, sings “Dear Mr. Gable” in the 1978 TV movie Rainbow. Right: Donna McKechnie in A Chorus Line.

McKechnie/McArdle

From page 23

The show, simply titled Andrea McArdle and Donna McKechnie Celebrate Sondheim and Hamlisch, is one they’ve already done at 54 Below in New York. McKechnie has long been one of the theater’s most recognizable entertainers. She’s been onstage since the late 1960s, playing major roles in shows such as Promises! Promises! and Company, a Tony Awardwinning show with music and lyrics by Sondheim. McKechnie’s status as a theater great was established during the mid-1970s, when she wowed audiences with her stunning rendition of the song and dance number “The Music And The Mirror,” a song with music by Hamlisch, in the backstage musical A Chorus Line. Now considered one of the greatest shows in the history of Broadway, A Chorus Line won nine Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. McKechnie is also fondly remembered for her role on the 1960s/early 70s TV series Dark Shadows. McArdle started out as a child actress, spending several years on the daytime drama Search For Tomorrow. She left that show in 1977 to star in Annie on Broadway, bringing down the house every night with her show-stopping performance of the song “Tomorrow.” Her work in Annie garnered her a Tony Award nomination, and at the time she was the youngest nominee in history. She also played a teenaged Judy Garland in the 1978 TV movie Rainbow. For the next forty years McArdle has worked extensively on Broadway and in cabaret, and has toured with McKechnie, Maureen McGovern and Faith Prince in the concert

event 4 Girls 4. “We have the same manager,” McKechnie said of McArdle, speaking to the Bay Area Reporter from her home in New York City. “We worked together in 4 Girls 4, and in State Fair, so we have a history together. She’s younger than I am, but she’s old school like me; when you did musicals without mikes and had to sing out.” McKechnie added that she was very happy with the new show’s song selection. “One of the fun things is learning songs we didn’t know existed,” she said. “We especially like to do the songs that are our favorites, songs that we did in regional theater or on Broadway.” The show is being directed by Marsha Milgram Dodge, who directed the revival of Ragtime “We’re thrilled to have someone with her level of expertise,” McKechnie said. “Marsha told us to think of these songs as the soundtrack of our lives, and that’s what it essentially is for me. That’s how we made our choices. The journey isn’t about the writers, but about our lives. “When you think of these writers you want to talk about them, but Marsha said, ‘Remember that the show is not about the writers, it’s about your personal journey. It’s about how you connect the songs to a certain time in your life.’” For McKechnie, it’s the songs of Hamlisch that touch her the most deeply. “One of the most moving things for me is to do the songs by Marvin and going down the Chorus Line memory lane,” she said. “That was Marvin’s biggest show. Marvin was a highly entertaining and funny person. He left us with a beautiful legacy of music with the songs that he wrote. He had a very generous

heart; it’s apparent when you listen to his music. He loved to have fun and entertain people.” McKechnie speaks just as highly of Sondheim. “Any actor you speak to loves to sing Sondheim because Sondheim is a good actor himself,” she said. “He writes in the moment and in character. He embodies the whole character when he writes; everything fits like a glove. It’s challenging but it’s thrilling to do his work because it’s so personal.” In addition to singing solo, McKechnie noted that the two women will also perform duets. “We have fun with the duets,” she said. “We do an updated version of ‘Everybody Ought to Have a Maid’ from the show A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. We do it as two women on the road and sing, ‘Everybody Out To Have A Worker Boy.’” McArdle said that she’s thrilled to be working with McKechnie. “She’s a living legend, and there aren’t that many,” she said. “I’m the luckiest girl in the world to be working with Donna McKechnie. I’ve become a better worker, a better performer, from working with Donna. I learn so much from her. I’m so lazy next to her. Her war stories are inspirational, and she’s such a broad. I consider that to be a compliment. And to have her voice, she sounds better than she did in State Fair.” Like McKechnie, McArdle addressed the legacies of the two composers. “I never got to be in a Hamlisch musical, but I was in inappropriate places when I was twelve, next to people like Johnny Carson, Ethel Merman, Bob Hope, and Dinah Shore. I would often turn to Hamlisch’s musical legacy of lost love when I was twelve. I’m glad I get

Andrea McArdle and Donna McKechnie at their recent 54 Below concert in New York City.

to sing his songs as an adult when I have the baggage of an adult. Hamlisch is always a go-to.” McArdle added that she’s excited to be singing the music of Sondheim. “I never got to be in a Sondheim show after forty-five years in the business,” she said. “Fingers are crossed. He writes great songs for women in the business.” In spite of her early start on television, McArdle has primarily been a stage performer, and has since rarely gone before the camera. “I want to do film and TV,” she said. “TV today is like a movie. I have no boundaries, I want to do it all.” She urges people to come see her show with McKechnie.

“If you want to see an evening to see at least ten Broadway shows, come and see us,” she said. “When I hear Donna Sing ‘At the Ballet’ and ‘The Music and The Mirror,’ I feel like I have no power over them. You’ll feel like you’re getting the best songs of an era. We do songs like these in big Broadway houses but I feel as though they work better in small, intimate houses. Donna looks twenty-five years younger and sounds great. She’s an inspiration.”t Andrea McArdle and Donna McKechnie celebrate Sondheim and Hamlisch, Feinstein’s at The Nikko, January 18 and 19 at 8pm. $65-95. Hotel Nikko, 222 Mason St. www.feinsteinsatthenikko.com

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<< Arts Events

26 • Bay Area Reporter • January 10-16, 2019

Kevin Berne

Thu 10

Paradise Square @ Berkeley Repertory

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Come From Away @ Golden Gate Theatre Touring production of Irene Sankoff & David Hein’s Tonywinning Broadway musical about stranded passengers who landed in Newfoundland. $56-$256. Tue-Thu 7:30pm. Fri & Sat 8pm. Wed, Sat & Sun 2pm, thru Feb 3. 1 Taylor St at Market. www.shnsf.com

David Jacobs-Strain @ St. Cyprian’s Church

For full listings, visit www.ebar.com/events

Thu 10 Avenue Q @ New Conservatory Theatre Center The foul-mouth puppets are back, in the theatre company’s 6th popular production (with two casts) of Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx and Jeff Whitty’s Tony-winning musical. New Year’s Eve show, too. Extended thru Jan 13. $33-$59. Wed-Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm. 25 Van Ness Ave., lower level. www.nctcsf.org

Classic and New Films @ Castro Theatre Jan 9-10: Bohemian Rhapsody (3:30, 6:15, 9pm). Jan 11: SF Sketchfest presents The Kids in the Hall: One Dumb Guy. 7pm. Jan 12: SF Sketchfest presents the SuperStore cast (7:30pm) and Morzouksnick (10pm). Jan 13: Comedy talkback to Fifty Shades Freed (4:20); The Roast of Peaches Christ , with Clea DuVall, Heklina, Heather Matarazzo, Jinkx Monsoon, Cassandra Peterson (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark), Sister Roma, Mink Stole, and Roast Mistress Coco Peru (8pm). Jan 14: Carol Burnett in-person tribute (8pm). Jan 15 & 16: A Star Is Born (2018, 3:30, 6:15, 9pm). Jan 17: SF Sketchfest’s Stuff You Should Know with Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant (8pm). $11-$16 (SF Sketchbook tix at https://sfsketchfest2019.sched. com). 429 Castro St. www.castrotheatre.com

Comedy @ Ashkenaz, Berkeley Johnny Steele, Bernadette Luckett, Matt Gubser and host Lisa Geduldig share stand-up wit. $15-$20. 8pm. 1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. www.ashkenaz.com

How I Learned What I Learned @ Marin Theatre Company August Wilson’s autobiographical solo play gets a local production, performed by Steven Anthony Jones. $10-$52. Wed-Sat 7:30pm, Sat & Sun 2pm, thru Feb 3. 397 Miller Ave., Mill Valley. marintheatre.org

Jessalyn Ragus-Glasgow @ Strut Tarot Erotique, the artist’s exhibit of Tarot card art; thru Jan. 470 Castro St. www.strutsf.org/

Paradise Square @ Berkeley Repertory New musical about the 1860s Black and Irish-populated Five Points district of New York (Book by Marcus Gardley, Craig Lucas, and Larry Kirwan; Music by Jason Howland and Larry Kirwan, Lyrics by Nathan Tysen; based on the songs of Stephen Foster). $40$115. Thru Feb 17. 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. www.berkeleyrep.org

Patient Zero and the Making of the AIDS Epidemic @ SF Library Join Richard A. McKay, the author of Patient Zero and the Making of the AIDS Epidemic, at a reading and Q & A, discusses the history and the overlapping lives of San Francisco journalist Randy Shilts and Gaétan Dugas, the man Shilts identified as “Patient Zero” of the North American AIDS epidemic. Dr. McKay will also be signing copies of his book, which will be on sale. 6pm7:30pm. Hormel Center, 3rd floor, 100 Larkin St. www.sfpl.org

Reorienting the Imaginaries @ SOMArts Center Exhibit of multidisciplinary works that bring together more than a dozen artists of color who are connected by complex histories, identity and power; thru Jan 24. 934 Brannan St. reorientingtheimaginaries.com

SF Sketchfest @ Multiple Venues The annual comedy, film & TV festival includes live appearances by dozens of comics, funny actors and celebrities; thru Jan 27. www.sfsketchfest.com

Jack Davis @ Center for Sex & Culture Opening reception for Faggots, the artist’s collection of fabric pink triangles, stick bundles and other symbols of homosexuality. 7pm9pm. Thru Jan 25. 1349 Mission St. http://www.sexandculture.org

Mary Poppins @ SF Playhouse The popular Broadway adaptation of the P.L. Travers book and Disney film about a magical nanny gets a local production; music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman; book by Julian Fellowes. $30-$55 and up. Thru Jan 12. 450 Post St. www.sfplayhouse.org

Sat 12 Beach Blanket Babylon @ Club Fugazi The musical comedy revue celebrates its 45th year with an ever-changing lineup of political and pop culture icons, all in

The singer-composer performs a concert of his ballads, witty ‘swamp rock’ and folk-inspired music, with harmonica virtuoso Bob Beach. $18-$22. 8pm. 2097 Turk St. www.davidjacobs-strain.com www.SFlivearts.org

Foglifter @ Strut Release party for the latest edition of the queer literary journal. 7pm9:30pm. 470 Castro St. www.strutsf.org/

A History of World War II @ The Marsh Prolific playwright and director John Fisher’s new solo show’s subtitled The D-Day Invasion to the Fall of Berlin. $20-$100. Thu 8pm, Sat 8:30pm. Extended thru Feb 2. 1062 Valencia St. www.themarshsf.com

Lauren Levin @ Alley Cat Books Book release party for the author’s poetry book Justice Piece // Transmission, with Levin, Juliana Delgado Lopera, Erick Sáenz and Julian Talamantez Brolaski. The reading will be followed by a reception and live screen printing by Samantha Maria Espinoza and gocco printing by Lara Durback. 7pm. 3036 24th St. www.alleycatbookshop.com

Masako Miki @ Cult: Aimee Friberg Exhibitions Shapeshifters, the artist’s whimsical exhibit of paintings and sculptures. Thru Feb 23. 1217-B Fell St. www.cultexhibitions.com

Pickin’ on Hate @ Ashkenaz, Berkeley Concert and benefit for Trans Lifeline, with bluegrass bands The Town Howlers, Country Business, Evie Ladin Band and Fog Holler. $10-$20 and up. 7:30pm. 1317 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. www.townhowlersbluegrass.com

Veiled Meanings @ Contemp. Jewish Museum Veiled Meanings: Fashioning Jewish Dress, from the Collection of The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, an exhibit of detailed clothing from dozens of countries; thru Jan 6. Also, Lew the Jew and His Circle: Origins of American Tattoo, an exhibit of the prolific tattoo artist’s work, tools and life; thru June 9. Also, In That Case: Havruta in Contemporary Art—Oxossi Ayofemi and Risa Wechsler, thru July. 736 Mission St. https://thecjm.org/

Wild SF Walking Tours @ Citywide Enjoy weekly informed tours of various parts of San Francisco, from Chinatown to the Haight, and a ‘radical’ and political-themed LGBTinclusive tour. Various dates and times. $15-$25. wildsftours.com

The World of Charles and Ray Eames @ Oakland Museum Exhibit of the innovative designers’ works, such as furniture, toys, and rare prototypes; thru Feb 17. Also, Cruisin’ the Fossil Coastline, Ray Troll’s colorful illustrations paired with paleontologist Kirk Johnson’s research. Also, Take Root: Oakland Grows Food and other exhibits. Friday night events 5pm-9pm. Free/$15. 1000 Oak St. www.museumca.org

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Border People @ The Marsh Dan Hoyle’s new solo show embodies multiple characters based around the U.S./Mexico border wall controversies; thru Feb 23. $25$100. Thu & Fri 8pm, Sat 5pm. 1062 Valencia St. www.themarsh.org

Choreographies of Disclosure @ Pro Arts Oakland Opening reception for Choreographies of Disclosure: What the Mind Forgets, an LGBT-artist group exhibit about sexual violence, thru Feb 15. 150 Frank H Ogowa Plaza, Oakland. proartsgallery.org

Eric Benét @ Yoshis’s Oakland The soul R&B troubador returns for a series of two-concert nights at the stylish restaurant-nightclub. $49$95. 8pm & 10pm. Also Jan 12, 13, 14 (diff. times). 510 Embarcadero West, Oakland. www.yoshis.com

Fresh Festival @ Joe Goode Annex New dance, music and performance works-in-progress, weekly Fridays thru January. $20-$125 (fiull festival pass). 8pm. 401 Alabama St. www.joegoode.org

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Arts Events>>

Sun 13

January 10-16, 2019 • Bay Area Reporter • 27

Wed 16

Fri 11

Expedition Reef @ California Academy of Sciences

Black Refractions @ MOAD

Jack Davis @ Center for Sex & Culture

Highlights from The Studio Museum in Harlem, a new traveling exhibition showcasing a century of artworks. Thru April 14. Free/$10., 685 Mission St. www.moadsf.org

Exhibits and planetarium shows with various live, interactive and installed exhibits about animals, plants and the earth; Deep Reefs, Giants of Land and Sea, Gems and Minerals, and more. $20-$35. Mon-Sat 9:30am-5pm. Sun 11am5pm. 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park. 379-8000. www.calacademy.org

Frost/Nixon @ Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts Peter Morgan’s stage adaptation of the dramatic TV interview gets a local production by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. $40-$100, thru Feb 10. 500 Castro St., Mountain View. www.TheatreWorks.org

GLBT Hikers @ Marin Headlands Join a hike to the scenic Headlands with a spectacular view of San Francisco and the Bay. Meet-up info: (415) 794-275. www.sfhiking.com

Various Events @ Oakland LGBTQ Center Social events and meetings at the new LGBTQ center include film screenings and workshops, including Bruthas Rising, trans men of color meetings, 4th Tuesdays, 6:30pm. Film screenings, 4th Saturdays, 7:30pm. Game nights, Fridays 7:30pm-11pm. Vogue sessions, first Saturdays. 3207 Lakeshore Ave. Oakland. oaklandlgbtqcenter.org

Various Exhibits @ Asian Art Museum Contemporary works by Kim Heecheon and Liu Jianhua; also, exhibits of sculpture and antiquities. Sunday café specialties from $7-$16. Free-$20. Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. 200 Larkin St. http://www.asianart.org/

Sprightly @ SF Public Library Weekly hangout for LGBTQ youth, with crafts, snacks and activities. Dec 16: Jessie Sisannah Karnatz, aka money Witch, leads a financial workshop. 12:30pm-2:30pm. James C. Hormel Center, 3rd floor, 100 Larkin St. www.sfpl.org

That Don Reed Show @ The Marsh Berkeley The acclaimed solo performer and playwright’s sketch variety show, with stand-up, storytelling and music. $20-$100. Sat 8:30, Sun 5:30 thru Feb 2. 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. www.themarsh.org

Mon 14 Patti Smith: Wing @ SF Art Institute Exclusive five-day exhibit of 30 of the rock icon’s personal photos and portraits. Thru Jan. 19. 800 Chestnut St. sfai.edu/patti-smith

A Picture is a Word: The Posters of Rex Ray @ GLBT History Museum Exhibit of vibrant works by the late gay artist; thru Feb 3. The Briggs Initiative: A Scary Propostiion, thru Jan 20. $5. 4127 18th St. www.glbthistory.org

Plant Collections @ SF Botanical Garden Visit the lush gardens with displays of trees, flowers and shrubs from around the world. Monthly plant sales, plus art exhibits and gift shop. Free entry with SF proof of residency. $5-$10 for others. 7:30am-closing. 9th Ave at Lincoln Way. www.sfbotanicalgarden.org

Say You Love Satan! @ Strut Theatre Rhino’s staged reading of a new gay play by Roberto AguirreSacasa. 7pm. 470 Castro St. www.strutsf.org

Tue 15 Book Club @ Strut Discussion of Pma Chodron’s selfhelp book When Things Fall Apart. 4pm-5pm. 470 Castro St. www.strutsf.org

Connecting Threads @ JCCSF Quilts From the Social Justice Sewing Academy, an exhibit of textile art by local youth, with political themes. Mon-Fri 8am10pm, Sun 8am-8pm, thru Nov. SF Jewish Community Center, 3200 California St. www.jccsf.org

Thu 17 Exclusion @ Presidio Officers Club Exhibit documenting the Presidio’s Japanese-American incarceration during World War II; other exhibits show the history of the former military base/SF peninsula. Free, TueSun 10am-5pm. Thru Spring 2019. 50 Maraga Ave. www.presidio.gov/ officers-club/exhibitions/ To submit event listings, email events@ebar.com Deadline is each Thursday, a week before publication.

Shining Stars Steven Underhill Photos by

iCandy @ The Café

he Café, the Castro’s dance nightclub with a view, hosted its first iCandy Friday night of 2019, and some amateur booty-shakers took to the platform as well. 2369 Market St. http://www.cafesf.com/ See plenty more photos on BARtab’s Facebook page, facebook.com/lgbtsf.nightlife. See more of Steven Underhill’s photos at StevenUnderhill.com.

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