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e r e h T u o Y e k a T l We’l If you find yourself anywhere in the Pride and the Austin Gay and Lesbian Film neighborhood of South First Street Festival. OUTsider, StarGayzer, Queerbomb!, between Riverside Drive and Barton Springs GayBiGayGay are all worth your research, Road near dusk or dawn, take a moment but this year, our newest is making her for a stroll around the grounds of Austin’s debut in May. David Estlund talks with beloved Long Center for the Performing International Drag Festival honcho Jamie Arts. In its current form, the structure is Steward Bancroft for all the skinny. a classic example of adaptive reuse at its best, as the elements that define its beauty Lesbutante and the Bo$$ might not be a full– the mosaic green panels, the glass used blown festival, but they bring the festivities in the donor acknowledgements, and to Austin lesbians who more often than not, distinctive ring around the facade – were do not have a local venue to call their own. all elements recycled from the original Sarah Marloff gets to the bottom of all that. Palmer Auditorium that used to reside on And John Egan takes us across the Pacific to the very same footprint. (Palmer, of course, the part of Hawaii that might not be the first was re-imagined as the facility that now place you consider for an LGBT good time. sits to the west.) If you get to the Long Center’s entrance as the sun is making its Our cover story is Andy Campbell’s chat first appearance or saying its daily adieu, with the Long’s main media man, Heath and find yourself just under that glorious Riddles. Heath joined the Long Center just compression ring that halos the thing, a few years back, and like a lot of us in the take a moment to soak in one of the most field, is another great example of adaptive wonderful views in our town. And know that reuse. I type that with a wink and a smirk, as you are standing in Austin’s front porch. Heath founded and used to captain a radio Welcome! And Howdy! show on our local KOOP-FM community radio station, and at one point brought me in n as one of a number co-hosts. Working with him was one of the great honors of my time When we say “Welcome!” and “Howdy,” we in Austin media. He’s a helluva community are well aware of the fact that many of you leader, and we’re happy to have him on the are just joining us. Austin not only receives cover. over a 100 new residents a day who move here to relish in our well-earned rep as an n arts and cultural playground, but every Spring, we see an influx of a small-city’s It’s an honor editing this slab of Austin queer worth of denizens for a little thing known as culture. The Austin Chronicle and AGLCC SXSW. We’d like for you to know, however, collaborate to bring you this quarterly mirror that South by Southwest is not Austin’s into parts of our alphabet soup. Please know only festival. In the last few years, Austin’s we couldn’t do it without our generous seen an explosion of LGBTQ-related fests advertisers and creative staff. Please joint the roster of noble stalwarts like Austin support them when you can. They are us. Kate X Messer | The Agenda Editor-­in-chief

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John Doucette John@DoucetteProperties.com DoucetteProperties.com 512.828.2604

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“Let me help you get the best deal, while making the experience enjoyable!”

Economic Rights Are Civil Rights Every year, South by Southwest attracts tens of thousands of visitors from dozens of countries – visitors who pumped more than $300 million into the Austin area’s economy in 2014. Undoubtedly, a healthy chunk of that money flows into LGBTowned and LGBT-affiliated businesses in Austin. SXSW and the money it generates contribute to the growth of Austin’s LGBT business community and the city as a whole – a city that is carving out a bigger space on the world stage. You don’t need to take my word for it. Real estate services giant Savills recently compared 12 tech markets around the world, and it declared Austin the top tech hub, beating out places like San Francisco, London, and Hong Kong. As more people recognize Austin as a global business leader, the Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (AGLCC) is striving to ensure that businesses that already are here, as well as businesses that are coming here, enjoy a fully supportive, diverse and prosperous community. By empowering and strengthening the LGBT business community, we aim to help cement Austin’s position on the local, national, and world stage.

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We continue to work on improving services for our members and the community.

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We continue to deliver high-quality programs and to enrich them.

Aside from engaging the local business community, AGLCC collaborates with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) on various initiatives. For instance, AGLCC is involved a new program created by NGLCC and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to boost LGBT businesses. The program, called LGBT Business Builder, will leverage NGLCC’s certification program for LGBTowned businesses and will tap into an array of SBA offerings. In announcing LGBT Business Builder, SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet said, “We cannot separate the fight for civil rights from the fight for market rights and economic empowerment. This agreement is not about what we will do here in D.C., but what we will do together in all 50 states to help LGBT entrepreneurs grow their revenues and their payroll.”

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We organize the annual #BigGay Kickoff Party during SXSW.

Ultimately, that’s the goal of AGLCC: to help LGBT and allied entrepreneurs grow their revenues and their payroll. In doing so, we help make Austin an even better place to do business – and an even better place for global entrepreneurs and global visitors to feel at home.

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We host networking events that are attracting record numbers of people.

Edgar Gierbolini | Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce President

How are we doing that? Here are a few ways:

The Agenda is published quarterly by the Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with The Austin Chronicle and is financed entirely by the support from the membership of the chamber. The views and opinions expressed in The Agenda and austinagenda.com do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (AGLCC), nor its officers or board of directors, nor The Austin Chronicle. Any advice or opinions provided herein are for informational purposes only.

Copyright © 2015 Austin Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. Unsolicited submissions (including resumes, articles, artwork, and photographs) are not returned. PO Box 49216, Austin, TX 78765 512/761-LGBT (5428) contact@austinagenda.com at large

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No Question The Long Center’s media man reveals his inner theatre boy

INTERVIEW BY ANDY CAMPBELL PHOTOS BY DEVAKI KNOWLES

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If

you’ve ever wondered what an Oklahoma drawl sounds like, spend exactly two minutes with Heath Riddles. That’s the amount of time

it takes to realize that the zinger issuing forth from his face is funnier with that ever-soslight lilt – no affectation, those phonemes are all-natural. But that’s not the only thing he took away from his youth in Oklahoma; Riddles is also the embodiment of his birthstate’s motto: “Labor conquers all things.” The man has the kind of resumé that twitterpates a queer do-gooder’s heart.

He’s a beast; in less than 20 years, Riddles has worked with most of the powerhouses of Austin’s LGBTQ non-profits – AIDS Services of Austin, Equality Texas (née the Lesbian/Gay Rights Lobby of Texas), Texas Advocacy Project (née the Women’s Advocacy Project), OutYouth – all chits on his employment tally. He’s been with a couple of those organizations during times of transition; Riddles was present when the LGRL hired GSD&M to effectively rejigger their brand. It’s fair to assume, then, that he’s seen his fair share of boardroom shakeups. And though he admits to occasionally “getting disillusioned,” he always seems to return. In the spirit of a late-night infomercial, I feel compelled to add: But wait, there’s more! He had an entire chapter of a career in television newscasting and producing before even moving to Austin, then after a long time of being established here, founded and was longstanding host of KOOP radio’s weekly LGBT talk show, OutCast (fun fact: I was once his guest once; we had a gangbusters conversation about leather history), and is currently Public Relations and Social Media Marketing Manager over at the big whiteringed house by the lake, the Long Center for the Performing Arts. We sat down to chat career, theatre kids, and the role art plays in an attitudinal city like Austin.

Your 2AM News Update Heath Riddles: Where does it all begin? It starts with me in Oklahoma going to school at the University of Oklahoma for broadcast journalism. The Agenda (Andy Campbell): Were you Oklahoma-born?

Oklahoma City bombing had just happened, and I had a job at the NBC affiliate. I was basically a glorified coffee-boy. I would go in at 9pm and leave at 9am, writing scripts for the morning show. When I wasn’t doing that, I would listen to the CB scanners to see if there was a fire or a police incident. Every hour I would have to sit in front of a timed lights-and-camera set-up to give a live news update. AC: You were the two-minute on the hour update guy! Were you the only person in the building late at night? HR: Pretty much. After the Oklahoma City bombing happened, the station needed a lot of people to handle more work, so within a few weeks I was a producer of my own morning show. AC: So did you come to Austin to work in television journalism? HR: Yeah, I had a few friends in journalism at UT, and fell in love with the city – as everyone seems to do. I was 24, and immediately I started to knock on the door of every TV station. I had a resumé, and that was my foot in the door. At that time, Oklahoma City was a larger market than Austin – in the TV news business you can’t really transfer to a better show in a larger market, so I got a better show in a smaller market. After a while I became disillusioned with television work – that was when I first started to explore working for non-profits, something I felt was really in line with my core values as a person. It was during this time I became acquainted with AIDS Services of Austin. I marched into ASA, because I had seen a posting for a job as a case manager, and thought I had a chance [shakes head]… AC: I’m sure they were looking for someone with social work experience… HR: They told me they loved my energy, but I didn’t get the job. Over the next two years I applied for three other jobs with ASA – and finally they relented. They called me explaining they had a job that might work, as a special events coordinator. That’s when I started to learn about non-profit fundraising; the LGRL is where I put what I learned into practice.

HR: Oklahoma City – I never left until I went to school in Norman, OK. It was 1994, and the

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A Value, a True Concept, an Ideal... AC: So did the LGRL come next? HR: I had the idea that I wanted to work in private sector, because when I left ASA I wasn’t really inspired or moved to throw my weight behind anything. That was until my friend Randall Ellis was in consideration to be the director of what was then the Lesbian/ Gay Rights Lobby, now Equality Texas. He was the successor to Diane Hardy-Garcia. I supported him through the process of interviews, and once he got the job, he asked me to be in charge of communications and fundraising. AC: That seems to be something you care a great deal about. HR: For me it’s exciting because it’s about matching philanthropists with what they perceive as a need in our community. We were doing good work. We hired Chuck Smith [now director of Equality Texas] as a contract worker to help us with the Pride Festival; back in those days, Pride was the fundraising vehicle for the LGRL. What I remember about that time is that we were constantly on defense – something that I think is going to be true for this current session as well. It was crisis management and PR, figuring out how to spin the awful stuff coming out of the Right. AC: For example? HR: Well, at that point the conversation constantly centered around foster care. You know, the debate about LGBTQ civil rights has shifted so dramatically, even over the last five years. At that point in time marriage was an effective wedge issue for the Right – something they could use as a scare tactic to galvanize their base. But what we often found ourselves fighting against was the prospect of children being taken out of homes. AC: Were you part of the transition from LGRL to Equality Texas? HR: Yes, and I should add that now “equality” is such a buzzword, and it means something – a codeword for marriage, maybe – and back then, Equality was a value, a true concept, an ideal. It wasn’t just about marriage. I always felt like the marriage issue

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was something thrust upon us by The Right, because it was something they thought they could win at. I never felt like that was the banner issue in the activist world. Why not work towards workplace equality? Housing equality? We struggled around the idea of taking the words “lesbian” and “gay” out of the name of the organization, and whether that was important. AC: What was your thought on that issue? HR: I was okay with it. For me, it wasn’t because we blanched at the words “lesbian” and “gay.” They had been there, and we weren’t trying to hide that – that was not a driving political calculus. A lot of us went into those meetings knowing what we wanted, how we wanted to brand ourselves, and other states were doing the same thing. Oregon had done it successfully, and Florida. But soon again, I thought I’d try my hand in the private sector. AC: This seems to be a theme… Do you feel that you need both? To work for a non-profit and private industry? HR: I think I’m always intrigued by the private sector, and that I may have a contribution to make there. And who knows, maybe one day I will. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference between the two, which I think is a good thing. What attracts me to non-profit organizations in Texas is precisely their relation with private enterprise. I see this in the way that community-driven initiatives are important to large companies like Apple and HomeAway. Personally, I can’t check one or the other at the door. I really wanted to whittle my role down to what I was passionate about – and went out on my own as a free agent for nonprofits who needed help with messaging. I worked for OutYouth for a while. One of my proudest moments was my work with that organization. And then economy went south. Nobody could afford any kind of consultant, much less for non-profits. I was pondering my next move when the opportunity at the Long Center presented itself.

Austin and the Arts AC: So your role is partly to do with social media. When you arrived at the Long Center did you have the requisite social media accounts? Vine? Twitter?

HR: Can I come clean? AC: Please. HR: So I was on social media, and I knew a lot about it instinctively and intuitively – I take to it like a duck to water. But as people in my line of work are prone to do, I spun my honest-to-goodness in-the-trenches experience with social media in my favor. Particularly around Twitter. I was terrified that they’d find out that I didn’t know as much about Twitter. But the thing is… I know today as much about what Twitter will look like tomorrow as any other person. So I don’t feel too bad. AC: So here’s where I want to nerd out with you a little: There’s a real challenge in a city of this size marketing performances and events to a populace saturated in a festival culture. I have heard the wailings of my theatre friends that folks don’t come out as often to see non-music performances. How does the Long Center address those specifics of Austin – an ever-growing, smart, mid-size city, but not necessarily one that intrinsically values theatre consistently?

HR: That’s what makes it wonderful and a challenge. I market somewhere between 30 and 50 events or shows. They span everything from helping the ballet, symphony, and the opera, to original shows. To give a range, say, from the Blue Man Group to the emerging local theatre groups, which are increasingly uncertain about their future and remaining sustainabity in this city. AC: One of the things the Long Center seems to be doing, and the free Summer Sound & Cinema screenings are a good example of this, is to open out that ring so that folks feel they’re more akin to welcoming arms, than the bars on a remote and large palace on a hill. HR: There’s that perception, especially when I came here: a palace on a hill. AC: Palmer used to be a wonky/funky place, but after the facelift, it’s slick and designed, and that no doubt comes with challenges. HR: Yes, and really the building – a pile of bricks steel and glass – was a cold piece

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AC: Do you find that pitching the Long to Austin’s various you engage in programming?

there are quirks to Center’s programs communities? Do community-specific

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It’s perfect that now I get to advocate on behalf of students who have a passion for art and theatre.

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of architecture. When there was a show, the lights came on and people came out, but when there wasn’t a show, the building would essentially be in hibernation. So our greatest events invite the community into a collaborative and live space – using it as a true community centerpiece.

HR: It’s the local stuff like Deus Ex Machina and some of these great wonderful local people who get it. But, for example, when we have a touring show where the promoters are in Seattle or wherever, what worked in Raleigh or Portland might not work here. We’re compared to those cities all the time – but adding the music and culture scene with the food and university communities… it makes for a truly unique environment. AC: Does having a lot of community experience, then, help you see those pieces of Austin’s identity more clearly? HR: Yes, especially in the last few years. The momentum of this city is increasing dramatically. But to answer your questions about community-specific marketing: I truly believe that when we’re doing excellent programming, all of that will take care of itself. I don’t have to be programming or pitching something to, for example, the wonderful growing Asian community in Austin. When we’re doing our jobs, we’re making great art and performances accessible to everyone. AC: Sure, we’ve seen companies pitch towards the LGBTQ community – maybe only the Gs and rarely the Ls, if we’re being honest – and feeling consistently that the messages are stilted. HR: [laughs] At the end of the day, it’s still a $45 bottle of Vodka. Luckily, we’re a misson-driven organization – so we have the luxury of being able to pursue certain projects that are mission-driven rather than profit-driven. For example, the Greater Austin High School Musical Theatre Awards: This year is the second year we’ll host that program. Last year, 19 schools participated, and this year, 27 local high schools attend a Tonys-style awards show. KXAN comes

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What attracts me to non-profit organizations in Texas is their relation with private enterprise.

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out and rebroadcasts the whole thing. It’s incredible, and it doesn’t fund our doors staying open. But it’s changing and saving lives, I truly believe that. These kids who are in their local theatre programs can go back to their schools with the same feeling of accomplishment that the high school quarterbacks are getting on Friday night.

An Inner Theatre Kid AC: It’s just striking me that you spend much of your day talking about the arts – and I’m wondering if you had a relationship with the arts? HR: Yeah, of course. I see these kids now who have such a wonderful support system in place. Their parents and their schools support them. The Long Center plays a part, too. We have a new Director of Education, Ginger Morris, who just took a group of these young theatre students to Chicago for college scholarship auditions. I won’t say I’m a frustrated theatre boy… AC: Don’t be shy! You have that in you, I can tell! HR: Absolutely. I feel like it’s coming out all the time – I like to be “on,” and it’s no secret that I like to be the center of attention [laughs]. It’s perfect that now I get to advocate on behalf of students who are like-minded – and who have a passion for art and theatre.

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AC: When you were in school was it so different? Historically high-school theatre programs have been clearinghouses for the weird, the queer, the different. HR: I used to think that the difference between my high school self and high schoolers now could not be more pronounced. But now I think that what it takes to be who you are is curiosity and courage. And these theatre kids now have that. They are just unselfconsciously who they are. That’s what I love, respect, admire, and frankly, am a little jealous of. That’s true – but in Oklahoma city in the 1980s we were those kids, too. AC: Sure, there’s a tendency to mete out how much more difficult one generation has it than successive ones, and you’re saying that there’s more bridge-building to be done there? HR: Certainly. And I’m learning things, and this next generation is teaching me to challenge my own white, male privilege, for example. I hate to be pushing 45 and never having interrogated that! But this is a wonderful thing about living now. The Long Center is a SXSW 2015 venue. See schedule.sxsw.com for more details.

AU STIN GAY & L E SB IAN

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AUSTIN’S EXTRAVAGANZA ELEGANZA The city’s latest new festival prepares to bejazzle the world BY DAVID ESTLUND

FOR

three days, this coming May, the Red River District will be transformed into one big wigged party. Austin, no stranger to signature events and calendar-spanning fêtes, will welcome the first Austin International Drag Festival, and at this point in herstory, the event is no doubt primed for success. This year’s event will feature seven staThis year’s event will feature seven stages, a birthday party for Rupaul’s Drag Race former contestant Pandora Boxx, a film series with a Q&A from drag theater and film producer extraordinaire Charles Busch – and possibly Andy Warhol’s crossdressing superstar Holly Woodlawn – a vendor fair, live shows with Big Gay Sketch Show comedian, aka “Gay Pimp” Johnny McGovern’s Hey Queen, and number-one LGBTQ podcast Feast of Fun… and, of course, brunch.

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Also look out for the massive Party Monster afterparty at Highland that promises to recreate the frenetic and bizarre club scene in early Nineties NYC, when kids on drugs literally thought they could get away with murder (no kidding – read the book), featuring original club kids. No guarantees, but we certainly hope to see Drag Race participant Vivacious, living Lichtenstein Amanda Lepore, and professional gadabout James St. James. We know Michael Alig won’t make it: he’s on parole. It seems like a long shot, but if this event were ever to have a successful start, it would be in the current cultural moment. But where did such an ambitious idea come from, and how can they pull it off? We talked to founder and Austin International Drag Foundation President Jamie Steward

Bancroft and Wigstock (the original drag megafest) co-creator, the eternally young The “Lady” Bunny – no tea; no shade. The word is out, the buzz is sizzling, and we wanted to get some backstory and more details from the fest’s founder. We also reached out to gain some historical perspective from a certain Wigstock founder, the eternally young, The “Lady” Bunny. Jamie Steward Bancroft is no stranger to the drag scene, and he makes his intention to elevate the art and state of drag clear. “I was a theater major in college, and that gave me a unique insight into the drag community. They deserve to be recognized as performers and theatrical artists more than they are. Through the years, I’ve seen the scene shrink, grow, change, stagnate, and revitalize itself, but I’ve never seen it given the opportunity to be appreciated as an art form. I want to bring drag artists into the limelight and give them a platform to reach the largest audience possible. Ultimately, I want to set up a support system for artists around the world to gain recognition and do what they do best.

“It all starts with the festival,” says Bancroft. “I not only want to bring artists from around the world to be seen in Austin; I want people from around the world to attend. This being our first year, we’ve got performers from Great Britain, Canada, and across the USA, but we want to feature drag from every culture, in every language. Between RuPaul’s Drag Race fans and the traditional gay nightclub audience, drag is reaching a larger audience than ever before,” he says, adding the reality that mass mainstream audiences only have a vague idea of what drag is all about. Bancroft acknowledges that bringing such an ambitious project to light comes with more than its share of challenges. “This is a new experience for me; I’m just drawing from my theatrical experience and my work with South by Southwest.” A self-proclaimed club kid of the Nineties, Bancroft studied and earned his B.A. in Theatre at Saint Edward’s University here in Austin. He not only directed a number of plays on and off campus, but also produced a number of club parties and fashion shows. His experience

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at SXSW – starting off in special venues and then moving to stage management – helped him “understand the inner workings of festival management.” This new endeavor, however, is quite a different brand of undertaking. “It’s been a challenge financially, logistically, even socially. Just reaching the names [artists] and getting them on board is a challenge in itself, not to mention finding people locally who share the vision and are able to put in all the necessary work. In the end, though, we really believe it will be worth it, and I think our talent will agree.”

Britney Spears is creating their own gay. Our community has moved so far right recently, become so presentable to the mainstream, it makes me miss those elements that made us different in the first place. I miss Sylvester, Grace Jones, even Cher.” The Lady’s not alone in this sentiment, but isn’t ready to go underground. “I hate the word ‘transgressive,’ it sounds like a social disease, and I’ve been pushing for us to hang up the word ‘fabulous’ for 30 years, but maybe we should appropriate ‘fabulous’ and apply it to things that make the mainstream uncomfortable. They’re more than happy to take our fashion and makeup advice, but honey, that’s not enough.”

While this new fest is unique in its scope and Texas base, there was a very famous predecessor. The first big drag festival to hit the scene, of course, was Wigstock – made famous, notorious, even beyond its New York state of mind by the Tom Rubnitz documentary of the same name. Wigstock started on a whim in 1984 by a gaggle of drunken queens joking around in the park after the bars closed, and grew into a massive festival that drew tens of thousands at its peak. “I remember it like it was yesterday,” says The Lady Bunny. “I was three. Wigstock just grew and grew until it just couldn’t happen anymore. It certainly couldn’t start out like that today, not in Manhattan. My friend Chi Chi Valente [empress of the New York club scene] told me, ‘If I were starting out today, and I were 20, I’d live in Brooklyn. Events like Bushwig [the borough’s annual drag festival] really make me happy, because we get to see people pushing the envelope.”

As for the upcoming festival, Bunny is ready to hit Austin full-force. “I love it there! I do an annual Snow Bunny party at Oilcan Harry’s, and I’ve been there for lots of performances and events like Queerbomb. I’m from Tennessee, so I’m no stranger to the South. I love performing with older queens, like Coco Peru and nationally known comedian Jackie Beat. They have so much magic to share from their many, many, many years of experience. I love all the Drag Race girls and their new ideas, and especially all the wild alternative drag. I come from the world of alternative drag, and it’s amazing to see how many directions it can go.” Does she have any advice for Jamie Stewart Bancroft as the festival approaches? “Oh no, honey, in this case they’re my boss. I’m not going to give any advice, but I’m sure going to enjoy the show they put on.”

Bunny sees new developments in drag as a healthy self-critique by the queer community. “Anyone who’s doing a gay event and not playing Rihanna, Beyonce, and

The Austin International Drag Festival takes place May 1-3, 2015. More information and festival passes are available at www.austindragfest.org.

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AU STIN GAY & L E SB IAN

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COMEDY GOLD Allies to the Front: An Above Average Variety Showcase for OutYouth BY SARA REIHANI The Ally Coalition, a Boston fundraising organization founded by designer Rachel Antonoff and Fun (the indie pop band) has been putting the A in QUILTBAG since 2012 with a healthy record of fundraising events for LGBTQ organizations and causes, particularly youth homelessness – kids that identify as LGBTQ make up only 5% of American youth, but 40% of homeless American youth. The problem is so big that The Ally Coalition had to team up with Above Average, the online comedy network arm of Saturday Night Live impresario Lorne Michaels’s studio Broadway Video, to create a fun (the adjective) variety showcase at SXSW 2015 featuring sketch comedy, stand-up comedy and music. An Above Average Talent Show will raise funds and that more nebulous capital, awareness, for Austin’s very own Out Youth, a safe space that provides programs, training, and counseling for queer youth and the adults in their lives. If you’ve been struggling with the question of how to be an effective ally, this showcase is an a-okay place to start.

Restore • Relax • Refresh

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SXSW: An Above Average Talent Show, Mon., March 16, 9:30-11pm at Brazos Hall, 204 E Fourth.

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Everyone on the bill for this shebang is a headliner, but the most surprising name is Bob Saget, he of the two faces, America’s drunk father – one-time host of protoYouTube series America’s Funniest Home Videos, wholesome father on Full House and filthy, filthy stand-up comic. SNL’s Vanessa Bayer and Jay Pharaoh will be on hand for live sketch, along with smokin’ hot comedians James Adomian (if you missed him at Cap City in September, don’t make that mistake again – there is a Jesse Ventura impressionshaped hole in your heart and he will fill it), Eliot Glazer (of very necessary web series It Gets Betterish) and Tig effing Notaro, a one-time Austin resident (okay, for like two minutes in the Nineties) masterful comic whose 2012 recording of a set about her cancer treatments ended up selling more copies than KISS. If you’re not sold on the cause and the lineup, check to make sure your badge lanyard is not cutting off the supply of blood to your brain.

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The real Hawaii is just an island away BY JOHN EGAN

Among the Hawaiian islands, most of the state’s residents make their home on Oahu. As such, the bulk of Hawaii’s LGBTQ population is centered in Oahu’s biggest city, Honolulu, along with the bulk of LGBTQ bars, restaurants, hotels, and so forth. But to head to Oahu simply because it’s Hawaii’s LGBTQ hub would mean overlooking some spectacular scenery on the other islands, including Maui. What Maui lacks in LGBTQ amenities, it makes up for with gorgeous beaches, and picture-perfect flora and fauna.

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Outrigger canoes at Kihei Canoe Club

Photos: Larry McCarty; Joey Niehuis

In October 2012, I ventured to Maui for what turned out to be an unforgettable vacation. I stayed at Maui Sunseeker, a small LGBTQowned property in the small and lovely town of Kihei. The resort is on the south side of Maui, right across the street from Mai Poina ’Oe la’u Beach. Maui Sunseeker is among several LGBTQ-friendly lodging options on the island. If you do want to immerse yourself in a bit of Maui’s LGBTQ culture, visit the island during the first weekend of October, as I did. That’s when Maui celebrates Pride. Don’t go expecting giant white parties and huge parades, though. Maui Pride is a low-key affair. Ready to be wowed by Maui? Here are four tips that’ll put you on the sandy path toward a terrific trip to paradise. Aloha! Rent a car Be sure to pick up a rental car at the airport. Otherwise, you’ll find it difficult to explore the relatively small island, as it doesn’t have a robust public transportation system. Be

Maui sunset

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Pools of Oheo

Catch the sunrise at Mount Haleakala Yes, it’s a pain in the butt to awaken way before the sun comes up, but it’s worth it to see the breathtaking sunrise at 10,000 feet. I booked a tour to reach the top of Mount Haleakala, something I’d recommend, but you could get there in your rental car. Remember that it’s chilly atop Haleakala, so pack a heavy coat, which you likely won’t wear during the rest of your trip. Take the Road to Hana If you’ve heard of Maui, you’ve probably heard of the Road to Hana. This route takes you on a 55-mile journey into some of the most pristine parts of Maui, such as Wai’anapanapa State Park’s black sand beach and Kaihalulu Red Sand Beach. Photos and video can’t do the Road to Hana justice; you just have to see it with your own eyes.

As the road can be difficult for a visitor to navigate, I’d urge you to hire a tour guide. The guide I hired, Wade Holmes of No Ka Oi Private Adventures, was fantastic (and is a member of the LGBTQ community). If I hadn’t gone on Wade’s tour, I would have missed an out-of-the-way waterfall and a slightly off-the-beaten-path cave. Snorkel off Molokini Maui boasts plenty of wonderful places for snorkeling and scuba diving, but the partially sunken, crescent-shaped volcanic crater called Molokini ranks as the best. In the waters around Molokini, situated just off the south coast of Maui, you’ll spot tropical fish and coral reef. Numerous companies offer excursions to Molokini. Get your Hawaiian adventure started: gohawaii.com, gogayhawaii.com, mauisunseeker.com.

Road to Hana

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AU STIN GAY & L E SB IAN

Photos: James Jong; Debi Nguyen

forewarned that rental cars on Maui can be pricey, so build that cost into your budget.

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S TA L K I N G T H E E L U S I V E

Turns out, they’re not that hard to find; just ask Lesbutante & the Bo$$ BY SARAH MARLOFF // PHOTOS BY DEVAKI KNOWLES

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Lesbian bars have come and closed – R.I.P. Bernadette’s, Lipstick24, Chances, Nexus, Sister’s Edge (I and II), Hollywood (I and II) and all the rest that Austin’s recently landed LGBT community members have never experienced. Parties form and fall apart (et tu, Foodies?), and today this shiny little mecca has become another city that forgets to cater to it’s ladies, bois, and grrrls. Maybe this is why, over the last year and some change, one group has excelled at creating a space and place for queer women. Lesbutante and the Boss broke into the scene in October of 2013. What began as a humbly planned speed-dating event quickly snowballed into bi-monthly “ladies” events – though the creators say that their parties are actually much more inclusive. “The trans community is welcome, the queers, and the gender-fluid,” says Kelly West aka the Lesbutante. “It’s really important to us to be inclusive.” “I don’t ever want anyone to feel left out,” adds Michelle “the Boss” Solorzano Daly. “As long as everyone’s friendly, that’s all that matters. Come out, have a good time.” Of course, anyone can say that, but these ladies do their best to put their money where their mouth is. During Lesbutante and the Boss events, the pair, who began the venture purely as partners in biz and are now officially a very smitten couple, make sure to go around and meet their party-goers. “For whatever reason, if you couldn’t go out with your friends, you feel like you could walk in by yourself. And we have lots of people that show up solo,” says West who gives all their lone attendees mad props. “I’d rather run down Sixth Street naked – and that’s saying a lot – than walk into a party of lesbians I don’t know, or anybody, alone” she jokes.

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“It’s really important to us to be inclusive.” – Kelly West aka the Lesbutante

The party-throwing duo teamed up soon after they both moved here two years ago. West returned to her hometown after hopping around the rest of Texas for several years and Daly relocated from the DMV (District Maryland Virginia area). Upon returning to Austin, West hoped to find her own tight-knit friend group – like The L Word – a group of friends to get brunch with and talk about the important things in life (hair, shoes, women, sex). What she got was more than she ever hoped for – over 1,500 friends. That’s right, Austin has more than 1,500 queer women, lesbians, trans folks, and gender-fluid peeps. And apparently, they’re all going to Lesbutante and the Boss events. At their year-end White Party in December, more than 300 LGBTers attended. Most of the crowd was clad in the whitest whites, some sparkling in gold, and a few nonconformers wore their typical Austin monochrome. People cried, people danced, people hid from their exes, and maybe one or two people broke up. All in all, it was the night that Lesbutante and the Boss felt like they had truly made it. “This was a total accident – it was on no one’s radar for us to do this, but I think that’s also why it has become a passion project for both

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of us,” says West, openly acknowledging that she often speaks for Daly as well (to which Daly responds, “Speak away”). Of course this passion project is more than throwing lady-centric events, it’s about building a stronger and wider community. What began as a one-off lesbian speeddating event, transitioned into a Wednesday night happy hour social. The first hump day event took place in December at their original location, Upstairs on Trinity. That night, more than 100 women and friends crashed the party, and Lesbutante and the Boss haven’t looked back since. “I think there was definitely a void in the community for women, and certainly a void for working, professional women who were not just looking for a hookup or a bar scene. It’s really become this social network.” Though the age range at their events spans a good 25 to 30 years, they originally intended to cater to the 30 to 40 crowd. By July, however, Lesbutante and the Boss was appealing to the masses – age expectations be damned. Their weeknight social was an official success, and (the now departed) Castro’s Warehouse approached the pair about hosting a ladies night. First Fridays became Wednesday night’s rowdier half with an equally diverse crowd of attendees.

In addition to the hoards of queers showing up at their parties, the duo – named after West’s made-up term for her “lesbian, sorority identity,” and Daly’s East Coast slang, “Like a Boss” – has built a tightknit team. Their friend, Lisa Hause of Waterloo Studio is their go-to photographer, while Felicia Hershey (Girls with Flair! event promotion) has become their resident bartender. DJ Creativity is most recent addition to the pack, and though he’s a cisgender, straight guy, they couldn’t be more excited to have him DJing their events. “Music is really important to me,” says Daly. “Maybe it’s because I’m 37, but there’s certain music I like to listen to when I’m dancing. It’s pretty mainstream, it’s a lot of old school hip-hop.” The first time Daly heard DJ Creativity play he was spinning a mashup of Taylor Swift and Michael Jackson – that’s when she knew they had to have him. She booked him that same day. With the new year already building momentum, the ladies have some big changes in the works and secret plans up their sleeves. First Fridays has moved to Highland with the closing of Castro’s. The Gatsby – home of The White Party – will be the new backdrop for their monthly Wednesday night Happy Hours, the event they consider their baby. Lesbutante and the Boss is also looking to do some largerscale events in the next year, including a special SXSW event for which they will be working with Girls with Flair! Rumor has it that Ruby Rose might just be in attendance. As Daly sums up, “there are a lot of irons in the fire – if they all come true you’ll love us forever.” While both party-planners are a bit unsure of what the next nine months will hold, they’re excited to keep on keeping on. “We’re going to do this as long as it’s fun for us and the community,” says West. “It’s just so important in the greater scheme of gay lives and lesbian lives and also the broadening scope of what’s going on in our state, our country. Putting a face to it makes all the difference.” Or, as Daly likes to put it, “2014 was the rehearsal, 2015 is show time.”

AUST IN GAY & LESBIA N

For the most up-to-date listings of Lesbutante & the Bo$$ events, check austinchronicle.com/ gay and fb.com/thelesbutanteandtheboss

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www.512-800-8000.com LGBT O

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AUST IN

A directory of current AGLCC members

LGBTQ-owned establishments in Central Texas CIVIC A*FAB All-volunteer non-profit on a mission to assist fellow nonprofits. afabaustin.com ACC GAY-STRAIGHT ALLIANCE Making the entire Austin Community College district safe and welcoming for all students regardless of orientation or identity. 254/338-5688, fb.com/accgsa AIDS SERVICES OF AUSTIN Enhancing the health and wellbeing of the community and people affected by HIV and AIDS. 7215 Cameron, 512/458-2437, asaustin.org S AISD COMMUNICATIONS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Austin Independent School District department links employees, parents, families, and the community. 512/414-9832, austinisd.org ALLGO Statewide resource for LGBTQ people of color and allies, working toward collective liberation. 512/472-2001, allgo.org AMERICAN MILITARY PARTNER ASSOCIATION Drop and give us 20 (hugs for partners and spouses of LGBTQ service personnel and vets). Ten hut! 202/695-AMPA, militarypartners.org

AUSTIN ART IN PUBLIC PLACES Local and national artists imbue Austin into cultural landmarks. austintexas.gov/department/art-inpublic-places

AUSTIN LGBT BAR ASSOCIATION Working to promote and unite the LGBT legal community in the often byzantine realm of law. austinlgbtbar.org

AUSTIN GAY & LESBIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Austin’s colorful rainbow umbrella for gay-owned and gay-friendly businesses. 512/761-LGBT, info@aglcc.org, aglcc.org

AUSTIN POLICE ASSOCIATION Standing in solidarity with the thin LGBT blue line. 512/474-6993, austinpolice.com

AUSTIN GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL Founded in 1987 and still going strong, celebrating the best in LGBTQ cinema. 512/302-9889, polarifest.com AUSTIN GAY & LESBIAN PRIDE FOUNDATION Austin + Pride You = The LGBTQ community’s biggest party, fest, and parade of the year. 512/468-8113, austinpride.org AUSTIN GAY & LESBIAN SENIOR SERVICES Working to ensure everyone’s golden years are rainbow hued. 512/628-1694, aglss.org AUSTIN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Through faith in action, the Austin Habitat chapter brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope. 512/472-8788, www.austinhabitat.org AUSTIN INTERNATIONAL DRAG FOUNDATION, INC. A diverse group of artists and advocates offering exposure and support for the drag artist community. 512/850-6707, fb.com/austindragfest

W = Gold Sponsor

V = Silver Sponsor

AUSTIN ROUNDUP Presents an annual conference to promote sobriety and fellowship in the LGBTQIATX. austinroundup.com AUSTIN WEIRD CITY SISTERS In the grand tradition of SF’s Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, and not unlike real nuns, these sisses are all about the service (and the getting down on the knees…). weirdcitysisters.org BOBCAT PRIDE SCHOLARSHIP FUND Support and community for LGBTQ Texas Staters. Go, Bobcats! bobcatpridescholarship.com BREAST CANCER RESOURCE CENTERS OF TEXAS SA centralized source of information, education, and support that empowers those affected by breast cancer to navigate through diagnosis, treatment, recovery, and beyond as active, knowledgeable participants in their healthcare. revans@bcrc.org, bcrc.org

S = Bronze Sponsor

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CAPITAL METRO Get around with Austin’s public transportation hub. 512/474-1200, capmetro.org

HILL COUNTRY RIDE FOR AIDS Ride your bike; help fight AIDS. Raise funds in this late-April charity ride for non-profits fighting the good fight. 512/371-7433, hillcountryride.org

THE CARE COMMUNITIES Caring for those living with HIV/AIDS and cancer. 512/459-5883, thecarecommunities.org HOSTELLING INTERNATIONAL AUSTIN A member of a non-profit network of hostels around CLASSIC CHASSIS CAR CLUB the world promoting cultural AUSTIN Classic car enthusiasts exchange and tolerance. show off their classy chassis. 512/444-2294, chelsea.cates@hiusa. classicchassis.org/austin org, www.hiusa.org/austin EQUALITY TEXAS The front lobbying line looking out for HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN – LGBTQ rights at the Texas Lege. AUSTIN Steering committee of the 512/474-5475, equalitytexas.org nation’s largest LGBTQ civil rights organization. hrc.org/states/texas FAITH PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Dedicated to an ever more JEWISH COMMUNITY inclusive and relevant Church via ASSOCIATION OF AUSTIN reform and reconciliation. Enhancing Jewish life in Austin 1314 E. Oltorf, 512/444-1314 and around the world through faithpresaustin.org community, philanthropy, education, social service, culture, spirituality, and total wellness. FIRST UNITED METHODIST 7300 Hart Lane, shalomaustin.org CHURCH Welcome and inviting, open and affirming.1201 Lavaca, 512/478-5384, contact@ THE JOULE SCHOOL Private fumcaustin.org, fumcaustin.org school located in North Austin/ Cedar Park with a handson program featuring Latin, GATHERING PLACE WORSHIP gardening, programming, and CENTER Bible-believing, Christcooking in addition to the required centered, spirit-filled church. academics. 7801 N Lamar, 512/323-9501, 818/925-6853, www.jouleschool.com gpwcaustin.org GAY STRAIGHT ALLIANCE WARRIORS Texas A&M University–Central TX GSA warriors fight for education, equality, and acceptance. 1001 Leadership Place, Killeen, 254/501-5874 THE HANDSOME FATHER A community for gay dads and gay dads-to-be. 512/565-0506, brian. stephens@thehandsomefather.org, thehandsomefather.org

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LEGALIZE HUMAN Envisioning a society where people are equal in all aspects of life. 512/659-6617, legalize.human@gmail. com, fb.com/legalize.human LESBIAN & GAY PEACE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION Supporting LGBT sworn, civilian, and retired members of the Austin Police Department. lgpoa-austin.org

LIFE IN THE CITY SERVICE: FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Offering radically inclusive love for the health and wholeness of mind, body, and spirit. 512/478-5684, lifeinthecityaustin.org LIZZY’S HOSPICE HOUSE Providing a caring, loving environment for pets that are terminally ill. 512/699-9855, lizzyshospice.com LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS OF AUSTIN Proud members of the GOP who believe inclusion wins. 512/428-5475, logcabin.org/chapter/ texas-austin THE MANKIND PROJECT Personal growth and transformation nonprofit that helps all men break through barriers that may be preventing them from reaching their goals (whether personal, relationship, or career). 512/374-9688, mankindpride.org THE OCTOPUS CLUB Raising the big bucks through fab parties for AIDS Services of Austin. octopusclub.org OUT YOUTH Support, programming, and drop-in center for LGBTQ (or questioning) kids. 909 E. 49 1/2, 512/419-1233, out@ outyouth.org, outyouth.org OUTSIDER FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL A multi-arts LGBTQIA festival championing provocative, overlooked, and out-of-the-box film, performances, music, writing, and visual art. 831/332-0878, OUTsiderfest.org PFLAG AUSTIN Support, advocacy, acceptance, and love in the form of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (in other words: Angels). 512/302-3524, PFLAGAustin.org

PROJECT TRANSITIONS Serving Austin’s HIV/AIDS community through hospice, housing, compassion, and care. 512/454-8646, projecttransitions.org SAN ANTONIO LGBT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Where LGBT and LGBT-friendly biz concerns in SA meet. sagaychamber.com SANGHALINK Online connection and support for LGBTQ high school students. www.sanghalink.org START OUT Dedicated to creating great business leaders through supporting LGBT entrepreneurs. startout.org STONEWALL DEMOCRATS OF AUSTIN The Austin affiliate of the National Stonewall Democratic Federation. stonewallaustin.org TEAM PROHOMO The beasts behind the weekly Queer Ride and other most excellent Austin adventures. teamprohomo.org TEXAS ADVOCACY PROJECT Free legal services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. 800/374-4673, texasadvocacyproject.org TEXAS EXES LGBT ALUMNI NETWORK The Texas Exes LGBT Alumni Network facilitates community between LGBT University of Texas students, alumni, and friends. 512/471-8839,lgbtnetwork@texasexes.org TRANSGENDER EDUCATION NETWORK OF TEXAS Educating the State of Texas about gender diversity. 877/532-6789, info@transtexas.org, transtexas.org

THE UNITED COURT OF AUSTIN, INC. Providing support to LGBTQ, HIV/AIDS, and other service groups. Affiliated with the International Imperial Court System of drag divinity. unitedcourtofaustin.org UNIVERSITY BAPTIST CHURCH Come worship with “Austin’s progressive voice of faith.” 2130 Guadalupe, 512/478-8559, ubcaustin.org WATERLOO COUNSELING CENTER Austin’s nonprofit hub for LGBTQ support and support groups. 314 E. Highland Mall Blvd., #301, 512/444-9922, waterloocounseling.org WOMEN’S ALLIANCE FOR LEADERSHIP Positively influencing and empowering women of the LGBTQ community and their allies through community education, career development, advancing leadership skills, and providing networking opportunities in a professional environment. waltexas.org THE WRIGHT HOUSE WELLNESS CENTER Working to improve the lives of those living with, affected by, or at-risk for HIV and Hep C. 512/467-0088, thewrighthouse.org

DESIGN & MEDIA

THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE Central Texas’ wild and free altnewsweekly. Home of the “Gay Place” column and blog. 512/454-5766, austinchronicle.com/gay BLOGPHILO NEW MEDIA Copywriting, filmmaking, and social media consulting. 512/516-5544, brian.boyko@ gmail.com, blogphilo.com BRENDA THOMPSON COMMUNICATIONS A bright and enthusiastic face in Austin’s PR scene, providing strategic public relations counsel and resultsgeared services. 512/461-5644, brendathompson.com CELESTA DANGER PHOTOGRAPHY Brilliant art photography. Specializes in unique and unabashed portraiture. celestadanger.com CREATIVE TONIC A brand experience studio which holds the belief that each interaction with a customer is an opportunity for your brand. creativetonicstudio.com CURRY COMM Be it a brand new site, public relation polish, or just some good ol’ fashion social media, Curry Comm can make it shine. 919/623-1956, info@currycomm.com, currycomm.com

APROPOS PROMO Swaggy promotions matched to specific needs. 10601 FM 2222 Ste R-163, 512/241-1479, 888/705-2522, apropospromo.com

DRAKELIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY Pretty or gritty: Photos of people, the fire in their lives, and the passions they pursue. 512/850-6326, fb.com/ drakelightphotography

ART DIVA CREATIVE Specializing in print and web graphic design for small businesses, non-profits, and special events. 512/934-8088, artdivacreative.com

FUN LOVING PHOTOS Count on Devaki Knowles to capture your good side. 512/298-9249, devakiknowles@gmail. com, funlovingphotos.net

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GAY PLACE ONLINE Steer here, queers, to the home of Dandy Unicornn, the Gay Place Krewe, the AggreGAYtor, Where the Girls Go/ATX, and more. 512/454-5766, gayplace@ austinchronicle.com, austinchronicle. com/gay JANA BIRCHUM PHOTO-VIDEO A photographer, video producer for the web, and a storyteller looking for a story to tell. Specifically yours. 512/297-7821, janabirchum.com MERCURY MAMBO Marketing agency focused on experiential marketing, digital, and sales promotion with a Latin flare. 512/447-4440, mercurymambo.com OUTCAST, KOOP 91.7 FM Tune your FM to 91.7 every Tuesday at 6pm. info@outcast.com, outcastaustin.com POSTNET – FAR WEST Accessible and friendly shop for all your printing needs. 3571 Far West, 512/231-1321, postnet. com/austin-tx157 SHWEIKI MEDIA Heavy-duty industry publishers specializing in large projects that can take your concepts to the next level. 512/480-0860, shweiki.com SITE STREET From the ABCs of SEO to crossing the Ts and dotting the Is of your web presence. 3009 N. Lamar Ste 3, 832-8383, sitestreet.com TODD V. WOLFSON PHOTOGRAPHY Covering Austin’s creative class with class for over 30 years. fb.com/toddvwolfson30years, toddvwolfsonphotographer.tumblr.com

ENTERTAINMENT AUSTIN CHAMBER MUSIC CENTER Expanding appreciation of chamber music one intimate performance at a time. 3814 Medical Pkwy, 512/454-0026, austinchambermusic.org

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AUSTIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The high art part of the Live Music Capital of the Planet and its oldest performing group (since 1911). austinsymphony.org CAPITAL CITY MENS CHORUS Austin Texas’ premier men’s chorus for over a quarter century. 512/477-SING, info@ccmcaustin.org, ccmcaustin.org CASTRO’S WAREHOUSE A boy bar and drag nexus named after the gayest neighborhood this side of the Mississippi. 213 W. Fourth, 512/322-9981, castroswarehouse.com THE CITY THEATRE COMPANY New works, comedies, classics, and musicals – in a cozy and convenient setting. 3823 Airport, 512/524-2870, citytheatreaustin.org CHEER UP CHARLIE’S 2010-2014 Austin Chronicle Best LGBTQ Hang Out. LGBTQIA and friends hangout/music/art/ dance party space known for fresh juices, kombucha, and great live music. 900 Red River, 512/431-2133, cheerupcharlies@gmail.com www.cheerupcharlies.com DEPARTURE LOUNGE Upscale high-tech coffee and wine bar/ travel agency. 311 W. Fifth, 512/322-9399, departurelounge.com DJS FINE & DANDY W/ KATE & ANDY 100% local, 100% loungey, 100% vinyl chill. Ask for the AGLCC rate. 512/217-9223, fb.com/ djsfinedandywithkateandy DOZEN STREET A central East Side neighborhood spot with great art, music, and a full bar. 1808 E. 12th, 512/236-1770, dozenstreet.com HIGHLAND LOUNGE Austin’s upscale gay bar, lounge, and dance club located in the heart of downtown. 404 Colorado, highlandlounge.com

THE IRON BEAR When the teddy bears leave the picnic, they hit up this favorite party spot. 121 W. Eighth, theironbear.com KING RIVER RANCH An LGBTowned and operated special event and wedding venue on the Pedernales River in the Hill Country of Central Texas. 830/392-6484, dhahn@ thekingriverranch.com LONE STAR LAMBDAS Boot scoot on over to these two-steppin’ purveyors for a good time. 512/418-1629, lonestarlambdas.org THE LONG CENTER The capital city’s performance art hub and home of Austin’s creative community. 512/474-5664, thelongcenter.org OILCAN HARRY’S Made Fourth Street what it is today– the beating heart of Austin’s gay district. 211 W. Fourth, 512/320-8823, oilcanharrys.com PLAY! THEATRE GROUP So new, the curtain hasn’t even risen yet. Coming to the Eastside this season. 2411 Princeton, 512/809-0050, playtheatregroup.org S RAIN ON 4TH One of the mighty cornerstones of Austin’s gay warehouse district. 217 W. Fourth, 512/494-1150, rainon4th.com SINGING TELEGRAMS OF AUSTIN Sending songs of love, cheer, thanks, and celebration. Serving greater Austin and beyond. 512/297-9251, mardiwareham@gmail. com, singingtelegramsofaustin.com STARGAYZER EVENTS, LLC Annual queer music festival gathering the alt-LBGTQ tribes . 512/571-3522, stargayzerfestival.com

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WHERE THE GIRLS GO–ATX Putting the queer back in grrrl, and inclusive back in dance parties, these ladies offer trans-positive, all-gender-inclusive, anti-isms/ists, pro-makeout spaces. fb.com/wherethegirlsgoATX

FINANCIAL AMY COOK, CPA CPA practice providing accounting, tax, and bookkeeping services for individuals and small businesses. 7908 Cameron, 512/222-1267, amy@ acookcpa.com, acookcpa.com ARCHER INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT Customized investment advice and financial planning for high-income professionals and successful families. 800/840-5946, archerim.com BB&T, BRANCH, BANKING AND TRUST Banking services to help define and reach financial goals. bbt.com BITTEL BOOKS & TAXES From small business accounting to individual tax and everything in between. 816/301-4538, hello@bittelbooks.com, www.bittelbooks.com BROOKS WATSON BENEFITS Filling group benefits, individual medical, life insurance, and 401k retirement needs. 512/320-0123, brooks@bwatsonbenefits. com, bwatsonbenefits.com COMERICA BANK Personal finance and business banking. 3801 Bee Caves Rd., 512/329-5095 comerica.com DNA FINANCIAL GROUP Supporting your business growth through health, wealth, and accountability. 512/573-8800, dnafinancialgroup.com EDWARD JONES INVESTMENTS – STEPHANIE EMORY A personal approach to investing and financial planning to help you reach your longterm financial goals. 512/442-5321, stephanie.emory@ edwardjones.com W MASSMUTUAL SOUTHWEST Help with decisions for long-term financial success. 512/527-0671, southwest. massmutual.com

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NEW YORK LIFE Life and longterm care insurance, annuities, and mutual funds. aeford@ft.newyorklife.com SECURITYNATIONAL MORTGAGE COMPANY Residential and commercial loans. 512/329-0098, shawn.muncy@snmc. com, shawnmuncy.snational.com STRATEGIC PAYMENT SYSTEMS Full-service and cost effective solutions for credit card processing needs. 2013 Wells Branch, 512/807-7015, spsinfo.com V VISA INC. Global payments tech company. visa.com WADDELL & REED Financial advisory services provided by Brandon Campbell. waddell.com WELLS FARGO HOME MORTGAGE Steven Parrish, private mortgage banker. 512/703-0333, steven.parrish@ wellsfargo.com, needamortgage.com

FOOD ALFRED’S CATERING Seasoned seasoning pros so thorough, “you’ll be a guest at your own party!” 512/785-8416, alfred@alfredcatering. com, BeAGuest.net CHEZ ZEE AMERICAN BISTRO Romancing Austin since 1988. 5406 Balcones, 512/454-2666, chez-zee.com CLAY PIT Contemporary Indian cuisine served with a warm and inviting ambience. 1601 Guadalupe, 512/322-5131, claypit.com

S FROT VODKA Fraught about where your money goes at a local watering hole? Fret not. LGBT owned and operated. 512/966-4174, frotvodka.com GENUINE JOE COFFEEHOUSE LGBT and nerd haven inthe heart of North Austin. 2001 W. Anderson, 512/220-1576, genuinejoecoffee.com GUSTO ITALIAN KITCHEN + WINE BAR Delectable flavors of Italian cuisine. 4800 Burnet, 512/458-1100, info@gustoitaliankitchen.com, gustoitaliankitchen.com IN GOOD TASTE CATERING & DESIGN Make sure everyone leaves your shindig saying “Omnom-nom.” 512/825-7573, john@ingoodtastecatering.com, ingoodtaste-catering.com NOURISHMENT PERSONAL CHEF SERVICES Boutique catering and in-home meal preparation with a focus on fresh, natural and organic foods, and special diets. 512/686-8442, celeste@ nourishmentpersonalchefservices.com, nourishmentpersonalchefservices.com

HEALTH & FITNESS ABSOLUTE DERMATOLOGY & MEDI-SPA Medical to cosmetic – you name it, Dr. Honeycutt does it. 1103 Cypress Creek Rd., Ste.100, Cedar Park, 512/257-7600, absolutedermatology.com ALPHA MEDICAL MASSAGE & REHABILITATION Massage the pain away. 595 Round Rock West Dr, Ste 601, Round Rock, 512/366-5483, alphamedicalmassage.com

APOLLO WELLNESS Yoga, fitness training, and holistic care. CRAVE RESTAURANT Fresh, vibrant, 512/669-5695, apollowellness.com American. 340 E. Second, 512/469-0000, APRIL O. OWEN, PSY.D., cravetexas.com PSYCHOLOGIST Teens, LGBTQ issues, love lives, you name it, Dr. O can help. DUE FORNI PIZZA & WINE 4425 Mopac S., Bldg.3, Ste.505, Two ovens; two styles of pizza 832/421-4968, dr_o@live.com, (Neopolitan and Roman); 30 owenpsychology.com outstanding wines by the glass. 106 E. Sixth, 512/391-9300, dueforni.com AUSTIN GAMBLERS BOWLING LEAGUE We promised ourselves EL SOL Y LA LUNA A great place to bring your amigas y amigos for that we would not make cheap some of the best Migas on the jokes about balls. But come on, planet. you know they’ve got big ones. 600 E. Sixth, 512/444-7770, 512/786-4013, austingamblers@ elsolylalunaaustin.com gmail.com, fb.com/austin.g.league

AUSTIN GAY BASKETBALL LEAGUE Bounce balls. Shoot hoops. Sign up to play, or come out and support. 512/814-6495, info@atxgbl.com, atxgbl.com AUSTIN TENNIS CLUB For LGBT people who ‘love’ to make a ‘racquet.’ austintennisclub.com BACK TO BALANCE Therapeutic massage, bodywork, and hypnosis for health and wellness. Austin’s therapeutic breast massage specialist. hypnewyou.com BIG BLUE EYE CONSULTING, LLC Helping families and individuals overcome chemical dependencies and dual disorders. 1715 Capital of Texas, S., Ste.201, 512/971-4567, kimgallen1@me.com BLACKBIRD FITNESS & NUTRITION Guides, directs, and mentors clients by providing complete nutrition and fitness assistance. blackbirdfitnessandnutrition.com BREAZEALE CHIROPRACTIC CENTER Bad back? They can help, and have been for 20 years. 1515 Capital of Texas, S., Ste.220, 512/328-3881, breazealechiropractic.com CATHERINE M. FORD, PHD, PSYCHOLOGIST Psychotherapy for adults: individuals, couples/ family, group, grounded in psychological science and offered in a conversational style. Specializing in GLB concerns. 512/842-2223, catherine-ford.com CITY OF AUSTIN HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES HIV counseling, testing, and outreach. 15 Waller, 512/972-5580, omar.lopez@ austintexas.gov, austinhiv.com CYNTHIA NETTING COUNSELING Offering guidance to couples and individuals. 1210 Parkway, 512/658-5452, cynthianettingcounseling.com DEREK LEIGHTON, LMFT, LPC, NCC, CGP Promotes “healthy sexuality” and a better outlook on life. 3534 Bee Caves #114, 512/658-2960, leightontherapy.com DR PEA’S ACTIVE HEALTH CENTER One of the most experienced and qualified practitioners in Austin. Acupuncture, Asian bodywork, and other non-needle therapies, Chinese herbs, whole food nutrition and chi gong classes are highly effective for many conditions. 512/289-3225, drpea.com

FEELGOOD SYNERGY What’s better than a professional massage that comes to you? Nothing, that’s what. 512/565-3406, feelgoodsynergy.abmp.com V HAND & STONE MASSAGE & FACIAL SPA Professional massage, facial, and hair removal services. tevans@handandstone.com, handandstone.com HARMONY HYPNOSIS, AUSTIN’S QUIT SMOKING HEADQUARTERS Stressed out? Smoking too much? Hypnosis can help: Are you getting sleepy? 7703 N. Lamar, Ste.250, 512/200-4249, harmonyhypnotist@ gmail.com, hypnosisaustin.com HAUSMAN CHIROPRACTIC & ACUPUNCTURE Your body can heal without the use of traditional medication. 8015 Shoal Creek, Ste.110, 512/419-1000, drrobhausman@ gmail.com, hausmanchiropractic.com

MOONTOWER COUNSELING Offering services to couples, individuals, and families in relationship conflict, coming out, HIV and stigma, bisexuality and belonging, depression, anger, and shame. 512/565-6974, moontowercounseling.com PSYCHOTHERAPY – PAM GREENSTONE Specializing in depression, anxiety, eating disorders, sexuality, self-esteem, self-acceptance, couples counseling, and GLBT community. 512/689-7279, pamgreenstone.com PIAZZA CENTER FOR PLASTIC SURGERY AND ADVANCED SKIN CARE Cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. 512/288-8200, practiceadmin@ thepiazzacenter.com, thepiazzacenter. com/blog

RIVER PLACE MOHS & DERMATOLOGIC SURGERY CENTER Experts in Mohs (chemo-) surgery, skin cancer treatments, reconstructive, and dermatologic procedures. 10815 RR 2222, Bldg.3a1, Ste.200, HUMAN MACHINE ATHLETIC CLUB 512/767-7546, riverplacedermatology.com Private training studio that offers RODAN+FIELDS DERMATOLOGISTS experienced, certified trainers The creators of Proactiv. for one-on-one and small group 512/844-6514, suzyjuncker.myrandf.biz personal training. All ages and fitness levels. 512/765-6025, humanmachinetraining.com RUSS BOYD, MA, NCC, LPC INTERN Psychotherapist working with the gay community. JEFF LUTES COUNSELING 512/632-4731, russboydcounseling.com & CONSULTING, LLC Psychotherapist in private practice with a specialty in helping SOCO WELLNESS CENTER, PLLC Offers affordable, high quality, LGBT couples. 512/419-0600, contemporarycouples.com GLBTQAI counseling services for young adult and adult individuals, couples, and families. THE JOINT Convenient, 512/621-5337, sococounseling.com friendly, walk-in chiropractic services, weeknights until SOFTBALL AUSTIN Players of all 7pm and weekends until 4pm. expertise levels wait on-deck at Memberships available. their turn to bat more than just 9500 S. I-35, Ste. L-725, eyelids. softballaustin.org 512/292-3500, dustin.sparks@thejoint.com, TEXAS GAY RODEO ASSOCIATION southparkmeadows.thejoint.com This is Texas, darlin’. Of course JUICELAND A uniquely Austin vibe there is a gay rodeo association. spirited by creative and concerned 214/346-2107, tgra.org employees, JuiceLand keeps TEXAS MAMMA JAMMA RIDE Austin juiced. Several locations around the metro area all serving Awareness and much needed an extensive menu of smoothies funds for folks coping with breast cancer. and juices. mammajammaride.org juicelandaustin.com MIMIR HEALTH Defining health intelligence as raw data transformed into actionable information. mimirhealth.com

TRU-SKIN DERMATOLOGY Botox and Dermal Filler treatments will give you a refreshed, rejuvenated, and rested look, and have you saying “I woke up like this!” and mean it. 512/451-0139, tru-skin.com

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US HEALTH ADVISORS Customizing health insurance plans that offer three-year premium lock, zero deductible at an affordable rate. 512/450-2054 Tyka.Booker@ ushadvisors.com, ushadvisors.com

FUNK FAMILY AGENCY Fullservice Allstate agency with four Austin area locations. Recognizes partners as spouses to provide all the discounts a married couple deserves. funkfamilyagency.com

VOLLEYBALL AUSTIN Come out to set and spike the night away with these volley-lovin’ Q-ballers. volleyballaustin.com

HARRISON INSURANCE AGENCY INC. Jenny offers over 19 years of experience – and customer loyalty – to back up the statement: “We’re here if you need us, but let’s hope you don’t!” 512/377-6869, harrison-insurance.com

WORK IT PERSONAL TRAINING Get off your butt, and get fit. 512/426-2336, info@workittraining. com, workittraining.com

INSURANCE

LIBERTY MUTUAL Home and auto insurance provider. 512/255-4146, Lindsay.stifflemire@ libertymutual.com

ALLSTATE INSURANCE Home, auto, commercial, and life insurance 512/345-0005

LEGAL

BRITTON & BRITTON Local allies service all your insurance needs at the best possible rate. 512/334-6330, 512insurance.com

ADAMS, LONDON & WEISS LLC Helping you collect what’s yours… from bad checks to merchandise recovery. 6250 Westpark, Ste.319, Houston, 713/266-7500, jdanek@alwllc.com, alwllc.com

CHAD COOK, METLIFE AUTO & HOME Great for car and homeowners alike, and they’re gay-friendly to boot. 512/644-3039, ccook@getmetagent.com

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AMINI & CONANT, LLP Lawyering for humans, by humans. Clients treated like people, not cases. 512/222-6883, aminiconant.com CHRISTINE HENRY ANDRESEN, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW Any family lawyer who puts a portrait of the Addams Family on her website is A-OK with us. 905 W. Oltorf, Ste. C, 512/394-4230, cha@chalaw.com, chalaw.com OFFICE OF SUZANNE BRYANT Helping Texas LGBT families’ secure legal protection since 1995. 512/476-4760, suzannebryantlaw.com CAPPS LAW FIRM It’s all about family – and keeping it legal. 7718 Wood Hollow, Ste. 205, 512/338-9800, cappslawfirm.com CAROLE CALLAGHAN LAW Providing estate planning and probate services for the LGBT community. 512/861-2294, csclawaustin.com LAW OFFICE OF KELLEY J. DWYER It’s your estate. It’s your business. Make sure they are protected, legally. 9442 Capital of Texas, Ste 500-159, 512/343-3630, dwyerlawaustin.com

S THE FOWLER LAW FIRM PC “Law is a ministry if you come in with a pure heart and a good attitude,” according to founder, owner, ex-Navy JAG, and law firm matriarch Laura Fowler. 919 Congress, Ste.900, 512/4411411, www.thefowlerlawfirm.com THE LAW OFFICE OF VIRGINIA W. GREENWAY Defense for people accused of crimes – from simple traffic, up to first-degree felonies. 811 Nueces, 512/573-3221, vwglaw@ austin.rr.com, virginiagreenway.com LEE, GOBER & REYNA - LAW FIRM “Family” lawyers who handle family, personal injury, and criminal matters. 11940 Jollyville, Ste 220, 512/478-8080, rwleelaw.com LYNCH LAW FIRM Working with small companies to take care of business while minimizing expense. 4408 Spicewood Springs Rd., 512/298-2346, nlynch@lynchlf.com, lynchlf.com JORGESON PITTMAN LLP Central Texas family law and estate planning law firm. 512/320-0999, jptexaslaw.com

RENAISSANCE AUSTIN HOTEL Nestled in the picturesque hills of Texas Hill Country, this luxury hotel provides tranquil environment surrounded by nature trails and 95 breathtaking acres. Convenient proximity to downtown Austin and the metro area. 9721 Arboretum Blvd, 512/343-2626, marriott.com/aussh SHERATON AUSTIN HOTEL Distinctively modern architecture, majestic downtown views, and warm, friendly service with a prime location: next door to the famed Capitol and just steps from the University of Texas, Sixth Street/Warehouse District, and more. 701 E.11th, 512/404-6942, sheratonaustin.com W AUSTIN HOTEL Luxury located close to the action, in the sweet spot between ACL Live/Moody Theatre and Austin City Hall. 200 Lavaca, 512/542-3600, whotelaustin.com

PETS

LODGING

PAWS & MORE Sit! Humans sit with your pups and kits and more. While you’re away, your mice and gerbils and sugargliders will play. 512/695-3131, pawsandmore.com

FURNISHED HOUSING IN AUSTIN Fully furnished lodging near downtown (Clarksville). furnishedhousinginaustin.com/cottage. html

PEOPLE AND PETS ENERGETICS LLC Energy health & wellness coach that helps people and their animals. 210/775-2696, peopleandpetsenergetics.com

GABLES PARK PLAZA Beautiful luxury apartment community in the heart of downtown Austin. 115 Sandra Muraida Way, parkplaza@ gables.com, gables.com

WONDERCIDE Pesticide with a safe-for-pets twist. Treat your pets to some holistic loving, or rid yourself of unwanted house guests the natural way. 9415 Neils Thompson, stephanie@ HILTON AUSTIN Towering 31 floors wondercide.com, wondercide.com in the heart of the city, Hilton Austin is the largest hotel in the downtown area. Signature service REAL ESTATE along with high tech conveniences and local charm. 500 E. Fourth, 512/682-2826, JEFF ARNOLD, BELLA CASA REALTY austin.hilton.com Full-time realtor working in the Austin metro area, happy to help LAKEWAY RESORT & SPA AAA with your real estate needs – first Four Diamond award-winning time home buyers/sellers all the resort nestled on the shores of way up to helping seniors right-size Lake Travis. their lifestyle. 101 Lakeway, 512/261-7396, 512/639-8838, JeffArnold.Realtor@ gschneider@lakewayresortandspa.com, gmail.com, TexasLandAndLifestyle.com lakewayresortandspa.com

AUSTIN HOMES REALTY Real estate brokerage making finding realty in Austin a reality. 512/507-8252, austinhomesrealty.com AUSTIN REAL ESTATE AGENT AT SKY REALTY AUSTIN – TEAM ENSOR Professional services for buyers, sellers, and leases. 4501 Spicewood Springs, Ste.1029, 512/522-8196, morganmatthewe@ gmail.com, SkyRealtyAustin.com BB&T – JESSICA TAYLOR Building on a tradition of excellence, BB&T continues to offer clients a complete range of financial services including banking and lending solutions. 512/577-0735, bbt.com/jessicaw.taylor COLDWELL BANKER – LISA ANDERSON Finding a home enhances the quality of your life. Lisa is committed to helping achieve your real estate needs. 512/585-0755, LisaAnderson@ cbunited.com, cbunited.com/Lisa.Anderson JOHN DOUCETTE, REALTOR, DOUCETTE PROPERTIES From downtown to Westlake and beyond. 512/828-2604, DoucetteProperties@ gmail.com, DoucetteProperties.com V BILL DUNHAM, REALTOR AT BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES TEXAS REALTY Diligence and intuition in finding the perfect home to fit clients needs and desires. 512/940-1886, bdunham.com GAYINAUSTINTEXAS.COM Real estate services and a LGBT relocation focus. 210/501-5435, gayinaustintexas.com GIVE REALTY Real real estate services with real heart. The “give” in their name highlights their goal to enable clients to give back to the community. 512/299-6916, giverealty.com GOODLIFE MORTGAGE Convenient, online mortgage info services. 1114 E. Cesar Chavez, 512/582-7878, smy866@gmail.com, goodlifeloans.com BRANDI HALE – INDEPENDENCE TITLE COMPANY Licensed directly in 22 counties and supported by every major underwriter in the U.S. 901 S Mopac, Plaza II, Ste.150, 512/329-5299, independencetitle.com

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TROY HANNA, PRESIDIO Representing the realty interests of Austin’s LGBT community for over a decade. 1701 W. Koenig, 512/659-7093 DENNY HOLT REALTORS Working with buyers and sellers in all price ranges. 8708 Primrose, 512/694-1103, denny@dennyholt.com, dennyholt.com HOMESTART Teaching Austinites about where to start with real estate and mortgages. 2500 Bettis, 650/409-7444, homestart.us JACOBS & MIKESKA REALTORS Proudly supporting the LBGT Community for 20 years! 512/462-1866, AusTXrltrs@aol.com, jacobsandmikeska.com KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD HOMES Offering unique solutions for unique situations deep in the weird li’l heart of Texas. 512/297-3442, theresa@ keepaustinweirdhomes.com, keepaustinweirdhomes.com MAGPIE GROUP Building homes that Austinites want to live in. 512/814-7562, magpiehomes.com

CHRIS RODRIGUEZ, AUSTIN REAL PROS REALTORS Buying? Selling? Navigate the home ownership world together. 512/921-1431, ChrisSellsAustin@ gmail.com SARAH SCHOENFELDER, REALTOR Texas and California real estate licenses and specializing in residential real estate with a subspecialty in investment properties and redevelopment projects. 512/343-4400, sjschoenfelder@ gmail.com, simplyaustinhomes.com T THE STAGING GUY Gussy up your home to make it irresistable to prospective buyers. 7310 Manchaca Rd #152936, 512/537-4489, thestagingguy.com ULTIMATE AUSTIN Realtor® Steven Van Orden helps buyers and sellers realize dreams, spanning all price ranges and property types. 512/921-1502, ultimateaustin.com

RETAIL & FASHION

A FLOWER BASKET Fulfilling any MIDTOWN INDEPENDENCE TITLE vision you have for your wedding, When you cross the threshold into anniversary, birthday, funeral, or home owning this LGBT-owned any other occasion. Same day company has got you covered. delivery available in certain areas. 3009 N. Lamar, 512/459-1110, aflowerbasket.com midtowntitle.com ANNA LANI MAKEUP UT Technical LESLIE NEGRON – TEAM PRICE Theatre grad lives to see creative REAL ESTATE The needs of the theatre, film, and print projects client always prevails. manifest. 832/884-7738, Leslie@TeamPrice.com 361/442-3206, fb.com/AnnaLaniMakeup PATTERSON-RAUSCH TEAM – KELLER WILLIAMS From “urban to suburban,” Darian Rausch and Rich Patterson of Keller Williams Realty have Austin covered. 1335 E. Whitestone, Ste.200, 512/663-5826, urbantosuburban.com PAULY PRESLEY REALTY Austin real estate company offering homes, condos, and apartment leasing. 512/482-9602, paulypresleyrealty.com RIVER & OAKS REALTY LLC Stacy Bass specializes in outlying areas, like Driftwood, Lakeway, Wimberley, Dripping Springs, and more. 512/413-7893, stacybassrealtor.com RON REDDER, PRESIDIO With over 18 years experience, he might just be on to something. 1701 W. Koenig, 512/657-8674, ron@ presidiogroup.com, presidiogroup.com

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BLUE GENIE ART BAZAAR An Austin tradition during the holiday shopping season, open daily 10am-10pm, through December 24th at the Marchesa Hall & Theater. Free admission, free parking, and some very very Austin holiday gifts. 6226 Middle Fiskville, 512/222-7303, bluegenieartbazaar.com BOOKWOMAN Know your herstory and get to know us, one of the country’s few remaining feminist bookstores. Check their calendar online for communitybuilding events. 5501 N Lamar, 512-472-2785, ebookwoman.com CAT’S CUSTOMS Contemporary tie dye: psychedelic, hand-dyed clothing and accessories for the whole fam. 512/296-5697,fb.com/ catscustomsofaustin

COCO COQUETTE Wig out to look as divine as Divine. The higher the hair, the closer to Gawd. 2109 E. Cesar Chavez, coco-coquette.com COSMIC CONSIGNMENT Revamp your house with furniture from your grandma’s era, your mom’s era or just yours. Grab a secondhand guitar on your way out. 2604 E. Seventh, 512/547-6549, fb.com/cosmicconsignment ROBERT M. PROSSER, ETHAN ALLEN One-stop shopping for your home, with décor consulting. 2817 W. Anderson, 512-615-9990, rprosser@austin.ethanallen.com, ethanalllen.com GREAT OUTDOORS All things outdoors. 2730 S Congress, 512/448-2992, greatoutdoorsnursery.com SOUTH CONGRESS BOOKS Used, collectible, vintage, and unique books and paper. 1608 S. Congress, 512/916-8882, southcongressbooks.com S VAPOR JOY E-cig and vapor wellness center. info@vaporjoy.com, vaporjoy.com, facebook.com/theoriginalvaporjoy YACHT OUTFITTERS A passion for boating drives YO to offer the best products available for yachts and cruisers: luxury boat bedding is custom fitted for specific mattresses. www.yacht-outfitters.com

SERVICES A&A ILLUMINATORS Austinbased event decoration and décor rental company. 512/765-5206, anailluminators.com A-ONE ELECTRIC Full “circuit” of residential and commercial electrical services. 512/497-1513, aoneelectric@ hotmail.com, aoneelectricaustin.com ACCELEROS Austin-based company providing IT support in the form of product and application development, process re-engineering, and project management. 512/736-8385, info@acceleros.com, acceleros.com

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ANN’S APPLIANCE REPAIR For all your in-home major brand appliance repair needs, “Ann’s the Man.” 512/571-9823, annstheman@gmail. com, www.annstheman.com APEX BUSINESS SERVICES Providing business operations support to small business owners. 512/650-8534, assist@ apexbusinessprofessionals.com ARDEN COURTS MEMORY CARE Caring for your loved ones in a loving environment. 11630 Four Iron Dr., 512/918-2800, arden-courts.com ARRANGING IT ALL These professional organizers can whip your chaos into shape. info@arrangingitall.com, arrangingitall.com ATRIA AT THE ARBORETUM An active lifestyle senior living center with spectacular views and upscale amenities. 512/346-4900, atriaseniorliving.com/ atria-at-the-arboretum-austin-tx/

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AUSTIN CONSTRUCTION PROS Specializing in reducing the stress and increasing the joy of home ownership. 512/413-2129, austinconstructionpros.com B2 MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING Helping attorneys start, develop, manage, and grow firms. 701 Rio Grande Ste.B, 512/381-1500, b2-mgmt.com BROOKDALE WESTLAKE HILLS Brookdale Westlake Hills is a Continuum of Care Retirement Community offering independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing. 512/328-3775, mnix@brookdale.com, www.brookdale.com CÉBÉ IT & KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT LLC Information and knowledge management. 7118 Las Ventanas, 281/460-3595, cebe-itkm.com

CITY OF AUSTIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT Cultural arts, music, international and emerging technology programs. 512/974-7819, austintexas.gov/ department/economic-growth CLUB ONE CONCIERGE Austin’s only lifestyle management company to offer as-needed personal assistant services to individuals and corporations. 512/730-0637, cluboneconcierge.com S COOK-WALDEN Celebrate your loved one with a funeral and memorial service befitting of the life lived. 512/971-2449, cook-walden.com

CROWN TROPHY – NORTH AUSTIN Corporate, golf, educational, and religious awards, trophies, plaques, gavels, promotional products, CITY OF AUSTIN SMALL BUSINESS medals, ribbons, acrylics, crystal, DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM name badges, and much more. Assistance and business solutions 512/506-9790, crowncentral@ to emerging small businesses. gmail.com, crowntrophy.com/store-122 512/974-7800, austintexas. gov/department/small-businessdevelopment-program

DATASMITH SOLUTIONS DataSmith Solutions provides strategic consulting services to organizations in public education focusing on data systems, data governance, and the effective and valid use of data for policymaking and practice. 512/636-6373, nancy@ datasmithsolutions.com, datasmithsolutions.com DEKLYND CHANNING HAIR DESIGN Artistic hair design, specializing in color with profound results. You … only better! 4303 Medical Pkwy., 512/323-6570, dc-hairdesign.com GARBO SALON AND SPA Eclectic, colorful, urban eco-friendly salon ready to serve you with professional, cutting edge artwork that expresses you, not a clone, seven days a week. 7739 Northcross, Ste K-L, 512/458-4162, garboasalon.com GEEK POWERED STUDIOS Handles your entire web presence. No a la carte menu here: every tool possible utilized to help clients grow. 512/369-3882, geepoweredstudios.com GREEN ISLAND CAR WASH AND DETAIL Full service car wash and detail shop. 12600 Research, 512/257-1799, greenislandcarwash.com THE HAROLD ORGANIZATION, LLC Information technology consultants. 512/345-9605, harold.org

HE’S FOR ME Find me a match, catch me a catch! Make a match, you busy gay professional. 300 Guadalupe Ste. 200, 855/443-7463, H4M-Austin.com INSTAFF Recruiting, hiring, motivating, leading. A staffing firm with integrity. 8015 Shoal Creek Blvd., Ste.210, 512/339-0777, instaff.com LONE STAR SOCIAL Lone Star Social is a locally owned social media and online presence management company with an emphasis on small to medium sized businesses. 512/633-9723, barrett@lonestarsocial. net, lonestarsocial.net MAMMOTH RECRUITING Focusing on finding candidates for full-time, direct-hire positions in administrative, human resources, marketing, sales, accounting, and financial roles. mammothrecruiting.com MCSWAIN CONSULTING, LLC Marketing consultant with proven results in both Fortune 500 and start-up environments. 512/750-4919, jennifer_mcswain@ att.net, mcswainconsulting.com MILLERSTEPHENS AND ASSOCIATES Focused on nonprofit, healthcare, and socialchange initiatives. 512/422-6030, millerstephens.com PERSONALI-T-Z T-shirt printing with no minimum and no set up fees. 512/400-5023, personali-t-z.com

PRAXIS FUNDRAISING SOLUTIONS Product-based fundraising. It gets the job done and the dollars farmed. 512/739-0214, shannonm@ praxisfundraising.com, praxisfundraising.com POWER OF TWO PROMOTIONS Your promotional product concierge, putting your logo on almost anything. PTwoPromo.com RAINBOW SPECTRUM MEDIA Screen printing and embroidery all across the rainbow spectrum. terry@rainbowspectrummedia.com SEEDLINGS GARDENING Full-service landscaping and gardening born and raised in Austin, striving to bring the natural beauty of Central Texas’ landscape to clients’ properties. 512/294-0064, seedlingsgardening.com SEND OUT CARDS Custom greeting cards to get your business noticed. 512/789-0267, getcardedonline.com SIXT RENT-A-CAR One of the oldest, most prestigious car rental companies in all of Europe – now in the ATX. 512/524-1121, fb.com/sixt35thst, sixt.com SPAREFOOT Based in Austin, TX, this ingenious start-up operates the country’s largest online marketplace for self-storage. 512/705-6208, sparefoot.com SPECIALTY SPEED AUTOMOTIVE Quality used cars, mechanic work, and paint and body repair. 512/318-2895, specialtyspeedauto.com

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SPOT ON CONSTRUCTION CLEAN Tailor-made, all phases of the construction clean-up process, from commercial, multi-family, REO, and new or renovated residential. 512/270-9283, regina@spotoncc.com, spotoncc.com

STEVEN TOMLINSON Strategic communications consultant for Fortune 500 companies. st@steventomlinson.com, steventomlinson.com

S SUPERSHUTTLE & EXECUCAR OF AUSTIN Your choice of shared-ride van or a premier luxury sedan to/from the airport. 512/929-3900, execucar.com, supershuttle.com

BALBOA TRAVEL, INC Ranked among the nation’s top 1% of travel companies and are IATA, CLIA, Virtuoso, and a founding ASTA member. 512/732-9400, balboavacations.com

KEY WEST BUSINESS GUILD & THE GAY KEY WEST VISITOR CENTER Promoting Gay Key West to LGBTQA travelers. 305/294-4603, 800/535/-7797, events@gaykeywestfl.com, gaykeywestfl.com, kwbgonline.org

CENTURY TRAVEL Luxury providers worldwide, first class. 2714 Bee Cave #101, 512/327-8760, centurytravelaustin. com

VISIT FLORIDA The Sunshine State’s best ambassadors have LGBT outreach. visitflorida.com/lgbt

TAILORED TEAM Let TT unlock your company’s full potential through their informative and fun training courses. 1103 Ridgecrest, 512/563-3845, bartnaustin@aol.com, jblmicrotraining.com

TRAVEL

COMPASS GAY & LESBIAN COMMUNITY CENTER OF PALM BEACH COUNTY LGBTQ community center for the Palm Beaches. 201 N. Dixie, Lake Worth, 561/533-9699, 561/533-9699, compassglcc.com

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