Orlando Weekly - October 7, 2020

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ORLANDO WEEKLY ● OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● orlandoweekly.com

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OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● ORLANDO WEEKLY

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ORLANDO WEEKLY ● OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● orlandoweekly.com

Florida Group Publisher Graham Jarrett Editor in Chief Jessica Bryce Young Editorial Digital Content Editor Dave Plotkin Entertainment Editor Matthew Moyer Contributors Peg Aloi, Rob Bartlett, Tess Bonacci, Jen Cray, Jason Ferguson, Solomon Gustavo, Maisie Haney, Liv Jonse, Holly V. Kapherr, Faiyaz Kara, Seth Kubersky, Bao LeHuu, Anthony Mauss, Cameron Meier, Richard Reep, Leah Sandler, Steve Schneider, Madeleine Scott, Nicolette Shurba Advertising Director of Sales Jeff Kruse Multimedia Account Exec Dan Winkler Classified and Legal Rep Jerrica Schwartz Sales Department Administrator Rachel Gold Creative Services Production Manager Daniel Rodriguez Business Director of Operations Hollie Mahadeo Circulation Circulation Manager Collin Modeste Euclid Media Group Chief Executive Officer Andrew Zelman Chief Operating Officers Chris Keating, Michael Wagner VP of Digital Services Stacy Volhein Director of Digital Strategy Colin Wolf Senior Marketing and Events Director Cassandra Yardeni Digital Operations Coordinator Jaime Monzon Controller Kristy Dotson euclidmediagroup.com National Advertising: Voice Media Group 1-888-278-9866, vmgadvertising.com Orlando Weekly Inc. 16 W. Pine St. Orlando, Florida 32801 orlandoweekly.com Phone 407-377-0400 Fax 407-377-0420 Orlando Weekly is published every week by Euclid Media Group Orlando Distribution Orlando Weekly is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. Copyright notice: The entire contents of Orlando Weekly are copyright 2020 by Euclid Media Group LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Publisher does not assume any liability for unsolicited manuscripts, materials, or other content. Any submission must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. All editorial, advertising, and business correspondence should be mailed to the address listed above. Subscriptions: Six-month domestic subscriptions may be purchased for $150; one-year subscriptions for $240. Periodical Postage Pending at Orlando, FL POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Orlando Weekly, 16 W. Pine St., Orlando, FL 32801.

COVER DESIGN BY DANIEL RODRIGUEZ

NEWS + VIEWS 9 Your Words Letters to the editor, plus Clay Jones’ comic 11 Informed Dissent This election is a test. If we fail, we might not get another chance 14 The cost of living Florida Republicans campaign vigorously against state minimum wage increase

18 COVER STORY: Come Out With Pride 2020

ARTS + CULTURE

35 Recently Reviewed Short takes on restaurants we’ve reviewed recently

FILM

29 Live Active Cultures Three local haunts prove bigger isn’t always better when it comes to boos

41 Local looks Indie Cinema Showcase returns at the unlikeliest time 41 Film listings 43 On (Small) Screens Streaming premieres this week

FOOD + DRINK

BACK PAGES

33 Bearing their soul Nikki’s Place in Parramore plates a ladleful of history with their meatand-threes 33 Tip Jar Restaurant openings: Knife & Spoon, Beau Monde and more orlandoweekly.com

44 The Week 46 Savage Love + Gimme Shelter 47 Classifieds ●

OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● ORLANDO WEEKLY

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ORLANDO WEEKLY ● OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● orlandoweekly.com

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OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● ORLANDO WEEKLY

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ORLANDO WEEKLY ● OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● orlandoweekly.com

¶ Teach your children (and grandchildren) well Donald Trump has made the 2020 election about integrity, not politics. His daily narrative, laced with lies and misleading statements, requires his supporters to endorse and essentially adopt his shockingly barren value system. This puts each one of them at painful odds with friends, family, neighbors and colleagues who are choosing instead to take a strong stand for integrity. There should be no “integrity exemptions” for elected officials, and certainly not for the President of the United States. Integrity and character should be our first priority for choosing a president, not our last. We should elect a president because of his integrity, not in spite of it. Honesty, humility, accountability, respect and an empathetic spirit that puts the needs of others ahead of his own … is this really too much to ask from our president? Since none of these apply to Donald Trump, which of his deeply tarnished values would you Trump supporters encourage your children or grandchildren to emulate? Do you really want this man to serve as their role model? If we all agree that integrity should be guiding our thoughts and choices (and why wouldn’t we?), then we will be able to answer our children and grandchildren with pride when they ask, “Who are you voting for in November?” And they will ask. ‘NOBODY’

We don’t need to fight and hate like our gridlocked politicians. Let’s drop-kick both the Ridiculous Red Right and Laughable Blue Left out of the discussion and let them duke it out on some ding-dong social media site and hate each other if they choose. The Reasonable Rational Rest of us can continue living in various “shades of purple” in the spirit of unity and compromise as intended by the Founding Fathers, and get back to being civil. – Kelly Mione, Seminole

¶ Hindsight is ... nope Last week Gov. Ron DeSantis said he thinks, in hindsight, that Florida should NOT have closed its schools (“DeSantis says closing Florida schools in spring was a mistake,” Oct. 3). Wait, what? @Sara Hopkins His comments and stances keep getting stupider and more ignorant as time passes. His blatant disregard of science shows how bereft of leadership we are in Florida. He is taking after his dangerous leader in D.C. with every idiotic thing he says and does. @Richard Neilan I can think of an even bigger mistake: Allowing Republicans to control Florida state government for over TWENTY YEARS! @Cor Mil If everyone who’s a registered Democrat went and voted, we’d never have Republican representation. BY CLAY JONES

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OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● ORLANDO WEEKLY

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ORLANDO WEEKLY ● OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● orlandoweekly.com

OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE PHOTO BY TIA DUFOUR

THE CRUCIBLE This election is a test. If we fail, we might not get another chance BY JEFFREY C. BILL M A N

This election is a test.

It is a test of our integrity. A test of our intelligence. A test of our morality, our decency, our humanity. A test of our commitment to democracy. If we pass, this will be the first of many such tests in the years to come. If we fail, I’m not sure we’ll get another chance. Failure probably means that our institutions and media weren’t robust enough to prevent a conspiratorial authoritarian and his cadre of goons and lackeys from perverting an election. Failure almost certainly means that anachronistic, anti-democratic compromises forged 233 summers ago in Philadelphia have again handed undeserved power to the white conservative ruling class. But most of all, failure means that enough of us looked Donald Trump in the eyes for four years and decided that his America – corrupt, incompetent, racist, angry, mendacious, cruel, vain – was what our country should be. I can think of no more damning an indictment. There is more than sufficient evidence of the president’s unfitness for the job he holds. Consider his first 44 months in office empirically, through the prism of key data points. ➦ 212,730: American deaths from COVID-19 as of October 2. ➦ 3.9 million: lost jobs, the most of any presidential term, as of September. ➦ 69,550: migrant children the Trump administration held in custody, separated from their parents, in 2019.

➦ 15,000: refugees the Trump administration will admit into the United States next year, a record low. ➦ 20,000-plus: lies and false statements as of July 9, as tracked by the Washington Post. ➦ 23,039: presidential tweets through Sept. 29, according to the Trump Twitter Archive. ➦ 8: Trump officials and associates convicted of felonies. ➦ 3: presidents who have been impeached, including Donald Trump. Qualitatively, however, the events of last week should shred any lingering doubt. Begin with the New York Times’ blockbuster investigation into Trump’s tax returns, which was at once revelatory yet told us little we hadn’t already surmised. The salient points: Despite his incessant self-promotion, he’s a shitty businessman who, despite being bailed out by proceeds from The Apprentice, is in hock up to his neck, with more than $300 million in debt about to come due. He’s probably a tax cheat. He’s definitely a tax avoider. He’s been under audit for a decade after claiming a dubious $73 million tax refund. And, naturally, he’s a walking conflict of interest. Move to last week’s debate, where he spent 90 minutes behaving like a toddler who found his uncle’s meth stash. Alongside the petulance and perpetual interruptions, Trump refused to condemn white supremacy, told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by,” encouraged his supporters to engage in voter intimidation, insisted (falsely) that the November election would be marred by

fraud, and mocked Joe Biden for wearing a mask and not holding huge rallies. The next night, while the White House furiously denied that Trump was a racist, Trump held a rally in Minnesota, where he attacked Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who immigrated to the U.S. as a Somali refugee in 1995, when she was 12. “How the hell did Minnesota elect her?” Trump asked. “What the hell is wrong with you people – right? What the hell happened?” Then Trump cranked up the xenophobia: “Another massive issue for Minnesota is the election of Joe Biden’s plan to inundate your state with a historic flood of refugees. Seven hundred percent increase, refugees, coming from the most dangerous places in the world, including Yemen, Syria and your favorite country, Somalia, right? Biden will turn Minnesota into a refugee camp.” Meanwhile, the president’s allies in the swing states of Wisconsin, Texas and North Carolina have rallied to his voter-suppression calls, making it more difficult to vote by mail with dubious claims of fraud as more Democrats choose that option. But, of course, the week’s biggest news came early Friday morning, when Trump confirmed that he and the First Lady had tested positive for COVID-19, having apparently contracted the virus from adviser Hope Hicks. By mid-morning, the White House said the president had mild symptoms. By the evening, he was being hauled off to Walter Reed. By the time you read this, who knows. I don’t wish the president ill. But the diagnosis was karmic retribution, not just for spending months downplaying the disease while thousands died, or for demanding that states recklessly reopen their economies, or for refusing to wear a mask in an arrogant display of toughness, but also for mocking Hillary Clinton precisely four years earlier, after she came down with pneumonia. In 2020’s extraordinarily on-the-nose way, Chekov’s gun went off. Here again, though, Trump’s comeuppance is less a cause for sympathy than a demonstration of his ineptitude. It’s not merely that his inaction allowed the virus to spread beyond control. It’s that, despite the enormous weight of his office, he and his coterie refused to take even the most basic precautions. His family refused to wear masks at Tuesday’s debate. Even after learning of Hicks’ diagnosis, Trump attended a fundraiser on Thursday night, sans mask or social distancing, putting his own donors at risk. Time and time again, through word and deed, Trump has shown us that he has neither the temperament nor the capacity to handle the presidency. He has proven incapable of rising to the moment, of seeing the world beyond himself, his need for adulation and his own petty grievances. This election is a test. If we fail – if those who champion or even acquiesce to corruption and vindictiveness and bigotry aren’t just defeated but crushed into powder – I fear the republic soon won’t be worth keeping anymore. Get more Informed Dissent by subscribing at InformedDissent.net.

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OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● ORLANDO WEEKLY

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Last week, voters in the Swiss city of Geneva approved a $25/hour minimum wage.

THE COST OF LIVING Florida Republicans campaign vigorously against state minimum wage increase BY JIM TURNER, NS F

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wo state Republican leaders added their voices last week in opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment that would gradually boost the minimum wage to $15 an hour in Florida. Republican Party of Florida Chairman Joe Gruters, a state senator from Sarasota, and incoming House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, described the ballot initiative as “a Trojan horse,” “a trapdoor” and “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” that will bring to Florida “failed policies” from liberal cities where streets are “covered in poverty, riots, crime.” “Voting ‘no’ on Amendment 2 may save your favorite restaurant from closing, or your favorite waiter or waitress from losing their job,” Sprowls, who will become House speaker after the November elections, said during an online press event with a top lobbyist for the restaurant and hotel industry. Gruters, a certified public accountant, contended the state’s current minimum wage is primarily for entry-level positions and that the ballot measure would destroy hundreds of small businesses across Florida. “This is not about siding with corporations, it’s about siding with Florida families,” Gruters said. “If you want to give individuals opportunities in the future to get those entry-level positions, like one of the interns in my office who started at minimum wage, and I’m lucky to keep him at $20 an hour in just under a year and a half.” But prominent Orlando attorney John Morgan, who has spearheaded the drive to pass the amendment, disputed that a minimum-wage increase would result in layoffs or reduced worker hours, as opponents argue. “When they say this is going to force people to lay off

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people, think about this for a minute. What they’re saying is that right now, all these businesses have people working there that they don’t really need,” Morgan said. “They’re just bringing them there out of the goodness of their heart. They just have them bagging groceries out of the goodness of their heart. They just have them mowing grass out of the goodness of their heart. No, these people are not going to lose their hours, they’re not going to be fired, because somebody has got to mow the grass, somebody’s got to mop the floors. And we know who it’s not going to be. It’s not going to be any of these fat cats that don’t want to pay a living wage.” The minimum-wage hike is one of six proposed constitutional amendments that will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. If approved, the proposal, known as Amendment 2, would increase the state’s minimum wage – currently $8.56 an hour – to $10 on Sept. 30, 2021, and incrementally increase the rate each year until reaching $15 on Sept. 30, 2026. Morgan chairs a political committee, Florida For A Fair Wage, that collected enough petition signatures to put the proposal on the ballot. The Morgan Firm P.A. and Morgan and Morgan P.A. have contributed heavily to the political committee, which has spent $4.69 million since the start of 2019. It has raised $4.77 million during the period. Other backers of the amendment include the Service Employees International Union, the AFL-CIO, Organize Florida and the League of Women Voters of Florida. Supporters contend the incremental increases will stimulate the economy, while reducing dependence on safety net programs like Medicaid.

ORLANDO WEEKLY ● OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● orlandoweekly.com

State Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said last week the amendment is needed to counter an “anti-worker” agenda in the state “for far too long” by Republican leaders and business groups in Tallahassee. “It would increase wages for 2.5 million Floridians, or 26 percent of the workforce, and help lift households out of poverty,” Eskamani said during an online call about the state’s troubled unemployment system. “As I mentioned earlier, there are families in Central Florida who live in hotels and motels, these are working families who’ve never made enough money to put a down payment for an apartment, that never made enough money to actually have the ability to save for a rainy day like this (coronavirus) pandemic has demonstrated.” But business groups, including the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, are fighting the proposed amendment. Carol Dover, president and CEO of the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association, said such proposals should be addressed by the Legislature rather than being pushed through citizens’ initiatives. “Florida will be the first state in the nation that it [a $15 minimum wage] will pass statewide on the Constitution,” Dover said during the call with Gruters and Sprowls. “In the other states, they have either been done legislatively or by a local municipality. We only wish in Florida that it was going to the state Legislature because I have all the confidence in the world that it would barely make it out of committee. That’s how bad it is.” Florida voters in 2004 passed a ballot measure that has led to smaller increases in the state’s minimum wage. That measure ties increases to inflation. Florida TaxWatch, in a report last month, concluded that larger companies are better positioned to absorb the impacts of the proposed increase, with some such as Amazon and Costco already offering increased minimum wages to force smaller competitors to match higher starting pay. Meanwhile, TaxWatch surmised that lowwage, low-skilled workers may find it harder to land jobs, older Floridians on fixed-incomes will be hit by inflation and higher prices, and state and local governments will have to cover increased labor costs of their workers and private contractors. Gruters and Sprowls are not the first GOP lawmakers to denounce the amendment. Rep. Tommy Gregory, R-Sarasota, last month started the political committee Coalition for More Jobs & Better Pay as a way to warn against the ballot initiative. “The dangers of enshrining a $15 minimum wage in our state’s Constitution cannot be overstated,” Gregory said in a prepared statement. “More than half a million jobs for young people, seniors and others looking to gain new skills at any point in their lives will be in jeopardy. Business owners will face skyrocketing labor costs that will force many to close their doors for good, putting even more people out of work.” Morgan said he wasn’t surprised by opposition coming from Gruters and Sprowls, as Republican leaders get their “marching orders” from the Florida Chamber of Commerce. “The fact that they are opposed is the reason we had to do it this way, instead of hoping that legislators would do the right thing. We’ve taken democracy straight to the people,” Morgan said. feedback@orlandoweekly.com

MUTUAL AID ChaCha Davis and Joél Junior Morales talk about intersectional activism in Orlando BY MATTHEW MOY ER

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rlando’s long-beloved Come Out With Pride celebration will look different in the year 2020, just like everything else. But it’s not just the coronavirus and its many ill effects that’s shaken the kaleidoscope. Community protests over the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and too many more have changed the landscape as well, as marginalized persons become empowered to create change for themselves and others. Our Matthew Moyer spoke to community organizer Charlotte ChaCha Davis and the LGBT+ Center’s Joél Junior Morales about the new normal for gay Orlando. – Jessica Bryce Young

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ChaCha Davis You’ve just been announced as the one of the Grand Marshals of the Pride Parade this year … Davis: I’m very excited about this! I definitely didn’t expect it, considering last year was the first year that we had Black and Caribbean LGBTQ+ representation actually in the parade, so that was already phenomenal, being able to present that to the community … but to be Grand Marshal for this year’s parade, I’m not really sure what words I can use but it’s a great honor and I’m truly excited about it and the community is excited about it. Usually Pride is built around large gatherings; it’s going to be a little different this year. It definitely is going to be a little differ-

ORLANDO WEEKLY ● OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● orlandoweekly.com

ent this year with COVID. But I think that it’s going to bring forth new and interesting ways in how we communicate across the globe because so many others can be involved with our Pride this year that probably wouldn’t have participated in it but now participate in it from their homes and from their phones. So I think the fact that it’s going to be partially public and partially virtual is awesome. I’m grateful for whatever way we are able to celebrate. Would you talk a little bit about #WeExist? #WeExist was created out of the Pulse Orlando tragedy. I worked at Pulse for about five years as a picture lady, and then as an independent promoter, and then a contracted promoter. I frequented that spot. We had Platinum Fridays and my party which was Secret Sundays, which

was predominantly hip-hop and R&B. And so being engaged in our community and having events, and I’ve been the sole promoter for Pride events for Black LGBTQ+ for over 10 years in Orlando affiliated with Orlando Black Pride and the Black Pride that we kind of created out of the fact that we didn’t feel included in a lot of stuff. So after the Pulse tragedy happened, I felt that there was a disconnect within the community. I often found myself in spaces where I was the only Black face, the only Black voice, the only person that was speaking up for Black and Caribbean LGBTQ+. So the hashtag #WeExist came about from having to almost prove the existence of a community that wasn’t being talked about, and was being left out of a lot of scenarios with organizations. With everything that was going on, we just did not have a voice. So #WeExist was trying to prove the existence of a community that was left out. And then it went to another level when I got more involved with the political arena and recognizing that within all the spaces, whether LGBTQ or just community-oriented, there were no spaces anywhere for Black LGBTQ. So I started to bridge the gap within organizations like FRRC, and being their chapter coordinator for the state of Florida for felons to get their rights restored, where a lot of those individuals

… is communal … is political … is intersectional … is virtual … is on the streets … is in the house! were from our community because we do have a heavy population of ex-felons within our community, especially with the high rate of sex work and fraud and so many other things that our community engages with. And so I started to bridge gaps with other communities, and then eventually “We exist, We Vote” became our campaign, our Get Out the Vote campaign for Black and Caribbean LGBTQ, and that connects LGBTQ to get more involved and get more engaged in voter education. To prove that we do have a voice, there’s power in our voices, and we do vote. And that was a signal to politicians that we weren’t going to be left out. So everybody’s been rocking their #WeExist T-shirts and masks and it’s been trending across the states, not just in Florida, but in New York and Georgia and North Carolina because of my connection with communities out of state from the experience that I have with being a promoter, and being very sociable within the Black and Caribbean LGBTQ communities and Latino communities, because I also worked on the Latin nights as well at Parliament House, Pulse and Revolution. That’s amazing that you sort of pivoted from event organizing for music into politics and activism. How did you apply some of the things you’ve done in music to your political work? Marketing and knowing how to reach the community and reach out to the community in more creative ways, and

meeting them where they are. And I also worked at Miracle of Love as an HIV testing counselor and then I ran the youth center for America Is Love, which was a gathering center back in 2000-and-something – I’m horrible with dates. So I’ve always been very engaged with the community, always been kind of the mother of the community. My house has always kind of been the shelter for the community. I’ve utilized those same skills that I did to get people to party from one city to the next to get people engaged with voting. I did voter registrations at the club and our events and places that people weren’t going to engage with our community. Would you talk a little bit about Beautiful Safe Beginnings? Beautiful Safe Beginnings came into existence after I worked at Miracle of Love and my house kind of became the center. I had computers set up for people to continue to come and do their résumé, the back of my house was set up where I had three bunk beds so a lot of the individuals in the community, mostly boys at the time, the girls mostly stayed in my daughter’s room, but the boys stayed in a large area. And my house became its own center. I loved being a grass-roots organization, because it was being done out of my house to provide services for the community – like taking them to the doctor, they need to go to a doctor or picking up prescriptions that they need, calling their case managers when they’re being ignored. It became a beautiful thing to get into. To offer who I am to the community.

Tell us about your work with Let Your Voice Be Heard Inc. Miles [Mulrain] and I know so many people in our community. He would know the straight brother and I would know the gay sister. And we recognize that together we can reach both communities with the same messages. And this was the beginning of bridging a gap within our community as a whole, an intersectionality with the LGBTQ community and the straight community working on community issues, homelessness. We do mentorship, we do voter engagement with the school system, going to schools for outreach, youth outreach to get our 16-year-olds to register to vote and our 17-year-olds prepared for voting in the next year. And so in doing that work, if you have a straight male and a lesbian woman and the atmospheres that we are in are very diverse, so it actually worked itself out. Let Your Voice Be Heard was a way for us to uplift the voices of the LGBTQ community. And also the Black community as a whole, about things that were happening in our communities and our neighborhoods that we wanted help out with; the things that we were seeing, the young men that had no place to go … It’s just so much, it’s really so much. And we just assist each other back and forth. I have a straight son, so I’m like the mom in the community to his friends, so I’m kind of like stretched out all across the community in different ways. But with my connection with all of the different organizations, I’m able to bring everybody on stage. You and Let Your Voice Be Heard were both very involved in the anti-racism, anti-police brutality BLM protests this summer. Yes, we were one of the lead organizers in the protests for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade. And also utilizing that platform to uplift, to create a platform for and create spaces for the transgender community here to give their thoughts and participate in a national movement for the transgender community. The killing of Tony McDade was just days after George Floyd’s killing. We worked with a lot of different organizations, Organize Florida, the FRRC, Florida Student Power Network, People of 407 and just so many different collaborations that we’ve had over the past four years, calling people to action when it’s time to raise the voices of the community and put pressure on our elected officials to do the things that we’ve elected them to do. How do you stay hopeful? I think the fact that nothing is at a standstill, everything is progressing in the right direction. I think seeing progress is what orlandoweekly.com

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makes me feel the need to do the things that I do … As long as those things continue to happen, I continue to stay hopeful that things will get different and better. Do you see Orlando becoming a more inclusive city in the future? Yes, I do and I do because I see it being acknowledged more. At one point I could say that it was heavily ignored and most people would act as if this wasn’t a thing and it wasn’t happening, and didn’t quite understand why there was a need to amplify the voices and the names of the Black LGBTQ that have suffered through violence. We’ve buried so many of our transgender sisters, even here in Orlando, like Mahogany [Singleton], who was murdered on Orange Blossom Trail. Or Sasha [Garden], who I met in the efforts to start that whole collaboration with the police department to be more sensitive to the transgender community when they misgendered her or labeled her as “a man with a wig.” And at the end, having our voices in the forefront of those types of things … and justice for people that can’t fight for themselves or aren’t here to fight for themselves anymore … That’s what makes me continue doing the things that I do. Is there anything else that I’ve forgotten to ask about? I don’t think so … I can go on and on and on, because I wear so many different hats. I think that you touched on all of those hats. There is the new role as the anti-racism liaison with the One Orlando Alliance, which, in the beginning I started out calling out that organization for the lack of visibility and transparency of the presence of Black and Caribbean LGBTQ. And to now be the anti-racism liaison over those now 40-plus organizations is a huge step in the right direction of getting us to being a more inclusive and diverse and anti-racist community. Thank you for your time today. Thank you so much. I’m super excited about this honor and again it comes as a total shock and surprise. I’m normally the person being ignored or the elephant in the room so to be honored it’s kinda like, “Oh God, am I gonna be put in the trunk after this?” I’m really excited about it and just thankful that I was chosen in this universe to speak up, and to know that it is creating different dialogue and different conversations and it’s putting people in spaces they’ve never been in before. Putting 20 transgender Black women that have never been off of their street into Washington, D.C., to fight for their rights … I just think that it’s a beautiful thing and I’m glad to be a part of it. CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

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Joél Junior Morales How has the Center been rolling with the punches of COVID here in Orlando? How has your work changed and adapted? Morales: My role with the Center has tremendously changed since the pandemic started and especially with the shutdowns, I can honestly say that we’ve been busier than ever. Our whole mission is to empower the LGBTQ+ community and their allies through information, support and advocacy, and we’re always going to be there. Through situations like Pulse, or just even from our past HIV activism. We were created because of the HIV and AIDS epidemic in the 1980s – the Center was established in 1978. We’ve always been on the frontline, so when the pandemic hit it really impacted, not only the way we fundraise, but we had to change the way we try to keep our doors open, and also think about new strategies and innovative ways to still serve the community in a very safe manner. So we’ve had to shift a lot of the things we did prior to COVID. Our Community Center was open to the public. We provide HIV testing, STI testing, free mental health counseling, and then we had about 35 different groups that would meet at the Center [NA, AA, etc.]. When the pandemic hit, those vulnerable communities were really impacted and we had to shift them to meet virtually. So there was a learning curve when it came to educating our older population who’re not as versed with technology. We wanted to make sure, even during our closure, that people were still connected to us somehow. So that space was kind of lost, and we had to innovate it in ways to bring people to a virtual setting, and this is brand-new for a lot of people. Back in early March, we made the executive decision to close our doors, and our administrative staff was working behind the scenes building a new infrastructure to serve the community. During that time, we shifted our mental health program virtually so now it’s via telehealth. I run that program, and our numbers right now show more people are accessing our mental health program than ever. We had to increase from two days to five days a week, including Saturdays. Obviously, this is because a lot of people either lost their health insurance, they lost their jobs so they can no longer afford their therapists that they were seeing before, or they never had access to therapy and realize they need help, so I see my numbers grow dramatically for mental counseling programs right now. Even with five days a week, I’m booked out to like two weeks in advance. It kind of resembles to me the time of Pulse. I was a second-line responder to

Pulse, and I worked with families and survivors and helped create the Orlando United Assistance Center. And just seeing that, the way people feel when they don’t have the available resources that either speak to them or understand their lived experiences … I’m a queer, proud Puerto Rican, and I grew up really poor and I understand a lot of the struggles that LGBTQ+ people face especially when they’ve just come out. I experienced homelessness myself as a teenager, so I know and I can recognize that a lot of times it’s really hard for LGBTQ+ people, our youth and even our seniors. We took about a month to close just to make sure our practices were in place. … Then we recognized needs, we started to build programming. Like now we have a new housing program for those impacted by COVID. We were also able to start a partnership with the Mustard Seed and do contactless clothing drives. Because Mustard Seed received clothing from American Eagle and they wanted it to go specifically to the LGBTQ+ community. We felt like it was a great partnership, and since we started that program we already gave about 250 families or individuals clothes from that program. We also started a network in combination with other community partners called the LGBTQ+ Relief Fund, which gives about $100 directly to those that were impacted by COVID through furloughs. We’ve raised over $70,000 now, and every single dollar raised through the LGBTQ+ Mutual Aid goes back to the community. We’ve already given about 400 individuals funds, and many of those individuals say that they received that relief before even receiving their unemployment. We do food banking now. We started giving out weekly food boxes and also we’re taking donations to be able to give out to people. We bumped up our Narcan program – we have a partnership with the Department of Children and Families to give out Narcan. It’s a medicine to help anyone who’s experiencing an overdose. It’s a lifesaver for anyone who’s first at the scene. So now we have that product for free. And we have seen the numbers increase. People are relapsing because a lot of the groups are not available in person, especially the NA groups that are really popular at our Center. Now they’re meeting virtually or in parks, but when you lose that support it’s really hard for people. Building our programs during the pandemic has been really difficult and rewarding at the same time. Orange County has helped us out tremendously. Historically we’ve never received any Orange County funding prior to this pandemic. But since we started the LGBTQ+ Relief Fund, we had all the numbers and all the documentation to show that there’s a really large population of our LGBTQ+ community that either works in tourism or are sex workers; they’re

undocumented and they’re not receiving the support that they need through the government, and our unemployment in general for everyone sucks. And even with the [rent] moratoriums being extended and all that, that doesn’t mean that our community members are not being harassed by their landlords; we’re seeing it. We were able to tap into a grant and through the grant we were able to give up to $175,000 in rental assistance. We were able to help 20 families through that program so far. It ends at the end of December. I’m hoping to expand that more because through this program I was able to hire a full-time housing case manager which we didn’t have before. So they’re working through about the 300 people that are currently on our caseload that were impacted by COVID. So there’s a lot of programming that we had to change and just think about new creative ways to build new partnerships. Partnerships are so important. No one person has all the answers, no one organization has all the resources. It really takes a community. It really takes collaboration to move the needle forward. Do you see mutual aid as a longterm solution? I wish it wasn’t the case, to be honest with you, I wish it didn’t have to be this route when we know there’s like billions of dollars coming into state and local government that’s not really filtering down. And people don’t know where that money goes or it just takes a really long time to get to the hands of people. So this mutual aid concept, it is growing nationally. And I think it’s a way communities can help each other with immediate needs, whereas government resources might take longer to come through. I do see this as something that hopefully other communities can use as leverage, at least for the time being. I want to highlight the community partners who are part of the LGBTQ+ mutual aid. It’s ourselves at the Center that disperse the money and we do the case management. But we have partners that help build this program, which include the Contigo Fund, QLatinX, Bros in Convo and the One Orlando Alliance. We all do different work in the community but we all have the same mission in mind when it comes to making sure that our most vulnerable are being seen and being uplifted and not being forgotten, as we’ve seen happen historically. Would you talk about how the Center adapted to participate in the Black Lives Matter movement’s work this year? Our mission for the Black Lives Matter movement, we understand that there’s a lot of work to do when it comes to anti-racism. We were working with the One Orlando orlandoweekly.com

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Alliance, as part of their anti-racism team, and we’re really pushing for community partners to just look inside and evaluate if their dollars are going equitably across the board to Black and brown bodies. We rate ourselves and we gave ourselves a “C,” no one’s going to be perfect in this and it’s a long journey. So our thing is to support and continue working with other organizations to make sure that Black lives are in the front. It’s not a one-time thing, it’s a movement. Would you mind sort of walking me through a typical day of work? When you work in a nonprofit, you never know what you’re going to walk into. Last Friday, somebody tried to break into the Center. Or we’ll receive a call that someone’s on the street or homeless, and we try to find resources for that person that we are working with. … A lot of times we’re dealing with crises and putting out fires. Not only do I work with the Center here, I also help other communities. So right now I’m working with the Virginia Beach Center. We’re on call for other places and just talking to other Centers. There’s a network called Centerlink and with Centerlink, all the LGBT+ Centers are connected in this network, so a lot of times we’re able to share resources, which is exciting. With the election and the pandemic and everything going on, what keeps you inspired to keep going? I’m very hopeful that these elections have a good turnout and a lot of people come out to vote. … It’s coming down to survival. We need good leadership and planning. A lot of us, we’re tired. We’re literally tired because it’s always a fight, and then more barriers are placed. Like we’re hearing representatives talking about how voting should be hard, and that’s not right. But I’m excited. I’m hopeful. This is going to be a very different Pride celebration than ever before. Have you had any time to reflect on what Pride means to you in 2020? At its core, it’s always going to be the same. Pride is always going to be just living out and proud. But it is going to look a lot different. The way I’m looking at everything is, even though I am pretty Zoomed out at this point, this is like building a bigger network. The pandemic has forced us to go outside our own bubbles, our own networks, and get to know other people from other places and connect more easily. So hopefully, in the future when we’re all able to engage, we’re able to engage locally but also nationally. I think it’s a good way to connect with people. But it is going to be a somber month, not having that festival that kind of wraps up the year. But I know in my heart of hearts, Pride will always be there. feedback@orlandoweekly.com OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● ORLANDO WEEKLY

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COME OUT WITH PRIDE O C T. 7

Bowtie Pop Up Bakery

A partner event of Come Out With Pride 2020. Bowtie Bakery is an LGBTQ/ally-owned small business that focuses on working with local and LGBTQ-owned businesses. A portion of today’s proceeds goes to LGBTQ charities. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. at Hourglass Brewing, Longwood. O C T. 8

“We Shall Overcome: Celebrating LGBTQ+ Diversity”

Orlando Gay Chorus, QLatinX, Bros in Convo, and Central Florida Sounds of Freedom Band and Color Guard celebrate LGBTQ+ people

of color who have been trailblazers for human rights in word and song. A partner event of Come Out With Pride 2020. View this virtual event at facebook.com/orlandogaychorus. 7 p.m., free.

Streets Vehicle Procession” follows a 15-plus-mile-long route for the LGBTQA/ally community to wave and celebrate. See route map above. Noon, free.

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Pre-Party with Axel Andrews

Orlando drag dynamo Andrews kicks off an evening of virtual Pride parties with a stacked lineup of local singers, dancers, drag performers, an appearance by the Orlando Gay Chorus and much, much, more. Check it out on Pride’s Facebook page or YouTube channel. 6:30 p.m., free. O C T. 1 0

Come Out With Pride

Since we can’t have the usual downtown parade, the “Pride in the

Pride in the House Virtual Extravaganza

Even though Pride is virtual this year, that doesn’t mean that organizers didn’t do their best to pull out all the stops. And the lineup for this online party is testament to that. Gather around your favorite screen to take in the glittering wonders of singer Robin S. (the voice of house anthem “Show Me Love”), and drag sensations Roxxxy Andrews and Detox, stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race and Drag Race All-Stars with deep local roots. Local artists and community businesses and organizations will also be showcased. 8 p.m., free, comeoutwithpride.com

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BY SETH KUBERSKY

Three local haunts prove bigger isn’t always better when it comes to boos Orlando is currently in the mid-

dle of its most unusual Halloween season since 2001, and with Disney’s and Universal’s after-hours activities on hiatus, competitors have rushed to occupy hauntlovers’ October evenings. Recently, I’ve explored how independent haunted houses and drive-through events have tried to balance imaginary terrors with real-world pandemic precautions. This past week, I experienced three different Halloween attractions featuring outdoor walking trails – a fright format fit for social distancing – and found that although their budgets ranged from an independent experiment to a multimillion-dollar theme park, bigger isn’t always better when it comes to boos.

motorcycles riding around) to a colorful Día De Los Muertos ofrenda to a midway of maniac clowns. At best they provide a fun photo op, if few real frights; at worst, they turn the park’s poorly lit pathways into claustrophobic clusterfucks. I didn’t even bother attempting the event’s two new “haunted pathways,” which both attracted long non-distanced conga-line queues, and was ready to flee from the flagrantly semimasked throngs long before the witching hour. (buschgardens.com)

Busch Gardens Tampa Howl-O-Scream

Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail

Around the same time that Universal was announcing the cancellation of Halloween Horror Nights, Busch Gardens Tampa was hawking tickets for a slimmed-down Howl-O-Scream, featuring outdoor scare zones but no indoor mazes. I’ve always seen Busch Gardens’ Halloween event as a scrappier, less polished younger sibling to HHN, and judging by the schadenfreudesoaked jabs lobbed at HHN’s cancellation during HOS’ satirical Fiends show, this little brother thinks this is their year to shine, but my experience on the event’s opening weekend was scary in all the wrong ways. The best part of my evening at HOS was the first couple of hours before the frightful festivities cranked up, when I got my $35 ticket’s worth by riding Cobra’s Curse (surprisingly snappy for a spinning family coaster) and Tigris (never never never again) for my first time, along with most of the park’s other scream machines, with minimal waits. However, despite sporting signage and announcements regarding rules similar to Disney’s and Universal’s, social distancing in Busch’s ride queues was largely ignored by guests and employees alike. The park’s 10 scare zones range in theme from a Mad Max-esque apocalypse (with

A HARE-RAISING HAUNT, INDEED (HOWL-O-SCREAM) | PHOTO BY SETH KUBERSKY

With a well-established, spacious outdoor venue along I-4, Sir Henry’s Haunted Trail was already perfectly positioned for COVID-19, and despite a steady drizzle during the media preview, it’s apparent the pandemic hasn’t dampened their cast’s commitment. For the first time, guests must select specific time slots and are assigned an order in which to experience the three haunts, allowing small groups to be pulsed into the paths every 30 seconds or so with minimal waiting. While the three trails, which wind for a total of nearly a mile along uneven dirt paths, mostly follow the same route as in years past, two have new storylines and effects involving a cursed candy tree and some murderous marionettes. The third attraction, which was formerly the fantastic Ominous Descent, has been stripped of memorable set-pieces, but still provides a few shocks. Sir Henry’s may not have the theme parks’ movie-quality sets or makeup, but their volunteer performers make up for it with sheer enthusiasm, and a pitchblack forest is always better at concealing costumed creeps than any soundstage boohole. At an hour’s drive from downtown Orlando, Plant City may seem like a long

way to go for a haunted walk in the woods. But even factoring in gas, I felt that Sir Henry’s trio of attractions (which average out to about $10 each, depending on the night you attend) provided more boo for my buck than Busch. (sirhenrys hauntedtrail.com) Phoenix Tears Productions: Infected

Barely a month after enlisting me in their artificial afterlife experiment, Recovery, Phoenix Tears productions lured me out to Ocoee with a timely tale about a pandemic that causes society to collapse (utterly implausible, amirite?). I’ve been following these experimental audio dramas from writer-performer Megan Markham and director Mallory Vance since they debuted Stardust Kingdom at the 2017 Orlando Fringe Festival, and Infected is their most technically ambitious effort yet, with a dynamic soundtrack of immersive audio effects fed into each participant’s wireless headphones. During last Friday’s preview performance, I followed pantomiming performers (Madison Payne, Timm Watt, Kira Silverman) along the sidewalks and back alleys surrounding Elaine Pechacek’s Dragonfly Studio as we desperately tried to escape a government-imposed quarantine zone while avoiding being bitten by plague-carrying bugs. The story’s pacing was a bit lopsided, with an overwhelming info-dump of exposition at the outset and an abrupt ending after an 11th-hour plot twist, but the multilayered world-building mitigated any flaws. Standing stock still in a field, hearing homicidal hornets hover so close to my ear I could practically feel them, gave me a buzz unlike any other haunt so far this season. (phoenixtears productions.com) skubersky@orlandoweekly.com orlandoweekly.com

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ARTIST OPENING RECEPTION + OUTDOOR DINING EXPERIENCE OCTOBER 15, 2020 | 5 PM – 10:30 PM For more information, visit downtownartsdistrict.com/ddlm2020

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[ food + drink ]

tip jar BY FAIYAZ KARA OPENINGS Soseki, a 10-seat modern omakase concept by Taglish chef-owner Mike Collantes and former Kaizen Izakaya chef Denni Cha, will open in the space next to Vines & Forks on Fairbanks Avenue early next year. Look for the pair to stage preview dinners and a pop-up series of to-go lunch boxes out of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Kitchen House & Culinary Garden in College Park … Knife & Spoon, the steak and seafood concept by multiple James Beard Award nominee and two-time Top Chef contestant John Tesar, has opened in the old Norman’s space inside the Ritz-Carlton. Top Chef alum and former PB&G chef Gerald Sombright is the chef de cuisine … Beau Monde, a snazzy downtown cocktail bar and lounge, has opened on the second floor of the Magnolia at 13 S. Magnolia Ave. Advance reservations are encouraged to enter, though they will accept walk-ins. Dress nicely … What the Chuck, a smashburger stall by Tennessee Truffle’s Nat Russell, has opened inside Henry’s Depot in Sanford … The Twisted Handle, in the old Brass Tap space in Mills Park, opened last weekend … Java J’s Coffeehouse, a mission-focused java joint, has opened on the corner of Mills and Lake Highland … Aji Ceviche Bar has opened in the old Los Portales space on the corner of 436 and Howell Branch … Also in Casselberry, longtime sushi fave Wa Sushi has found a new home in the former Reuben’s Deli space at 924 State Road 436 in the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet plaza. Look for them to open very soon … A.G.’s Market, the 22,000-squarefoot food hall in Winter Garden’s Hamlin neighborhood, has delayed its opening to late 2020.

BEARING THEIR SOUL

PHOTO BY ROB BARTLETT

Nikki’s Place in Parramore plates a ladleful of history with their meat-and-threes BY FAIYAZ KARA

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t’s hard to think of a restaurant in town recipe for those plush and smothered oxtails more mashed potatoes – one of the many that holds as much history within its ($10.50) has changed much, and I can’t imag- sides of gastronomic history offered at Nikki’s walls as Nikki’s Place. So here’s a little ine folks back then enjoying them any more Place. Of the ones we sampled – okra and of that history: The Parramore stalwart, than we did today. Same goes for meatloaf tomatoes, collard greens, candied yams, opened by Roser Mae Jones in 1949 as ($7.79) and mashed potatoes, weighted down steamed cabbage, black-eyed peas, mac and Roser’s Restaurant, has hosted a who’s-who with a pool (like a swimming pool) of gravy. cheese, and yellow rice – it was hard picking a fave, but I will say the okra and tomatoes went of African American icons, from musical great with the fish, while the black-eyed peas greats touring on the chitlin’ circuit to celeb and candied yams lent Morphean powers to athletes to civil rights leaders. Jones’ nephNIKKI’S PLACE the meatloaf. After digging into smothered ew, Nick Aiken, began working at Roser’s in 742 Carter St. pigtails ($8.25) paired with yellow rice, col1951, eventually taking over the restaurant 407-425-5301 lards and corn bread, we bestowed the saucy in 1999 and renaming it after his daughter, nikkisplace.net docks with GOAT status. It’s certainly one of Shannea “Nikki” Akins. $ the more unique meat and threes to be had in Chef Nick, now 77, is still doing his thing Orlando, with or without the gravy. in the kitchen, albeit for takeout orders only. The dining room, as snug and genuinely Gravy, by the way, is to be enjoyed with everyIf you haven’t gathered by now, the welcoming a space as you’ll find in the city, thing at Nikki’s Place. It’s sort of an unwritten food at Nikki’s Place sticks to a helluva lot remains closed to patrons because of the rule. Even the fried and perfectly flaky floun- more than just your ribs. It latches onto pandemic. Back in 2015, a fire in the second- der ($10.99) came with containers of gravy. your memory by forcing you to examine floor apartment nearly closed Nikki’s Place In fact, gravy was accidentally spilled onto Orlando’s troubled past and Parramore’s for good, but, with the help of two city the sweet potato pie ($3.50) and I couldn’t unsettled future through every bite. There grants, the restaurant reopened two years help but think of all the other weird food aren’t very many restaurants in town that do later. And through it all – the 70-plus years of combinations I’ve come to love – peanuts and that. If you’re left contemplating the plight systematic segregation, neighborhood raz- Coke; potato chips and chocolate; brisket and of Black-owned restaurants; if you’re left ings and interstate incursions – its brand of vanilla ice cream (don’t judge) – and, I have to pondering your place in effecting positive Southern cuisine has remained true to the say, gravy and sweet potato pie really works social change; or if it commits you to playing a role in the Black Lives Matter movement, words embossed on the restaurant’s mar- for me (again, don’t judge). And, of course, fried chicken ($9.79) also well, then the rest is just gravy. quee – “the way it used to be.” After all these years, I can’t imagine the comes with gravy, which I duly poured over fkara@orlandoweekly.com orlandoweekly.com

NEWS/EVENTS Kadence in Audubon Park is instituting a phased reopening by offering two dinner experiences: the Kaya Dinner Series, a multicourse tasting exploring Japanese and Filipino flavors for $195, and the Sushi Tasting, a piece-by-piece nigiri omakase for $95. Both experiences will be offered Thursday through Saturday and, in some instances, Sunday lunch. Maximum capacity will be six persons … The Swan and Dolphin Resort will stage the Food & Wine Classic: Limited Edition Oct. 17 and Oct. 30 from 5:30-8 p.m. Packages start at $395 and include a one-night stay and two tickets to the event. COVID protocols will be implemented. Got restaurant dish? Send tips to dining@orlandoweekly.com

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recently reviewed EDITED BY JESSICA BRYCE YOUNG

$$$$ $$$$ $$$$ $$$$

$10 OR LESS $10-$15 $15-$25 $25 OR MORE

The price range generally reflects the average cost of one dinner entree. Bakeries, ice cream shops, etc. reflect relative cost for one person. Search hundreds more reviews at orlandoweekly.com

LE HOUSE VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

Le House presents a focused menu of soups, handhelds, noodle/rice dishes and specialty dishes, most notable of which is a duck bean curd noodle soup with a piquant broth reddened by annatto seed oil. Porky nem rolls and delicate chicken wings slicked with sweet chili-garlic fish sauce make ideal sharing starters. The pho is legit. Open daily. (reviewed Sept. 30) 595 W. Church St., 407-530-7024, facebook.com/lehouserestaurant, $$

THE AARDVARK

There’s a gastropub inside this neighborhood bottle shop in SoDo that serves some of the finest “gulf to grill” and “grove to stove” fare in the city. Chef Hugh Holland is the maestro behind such refined creations as gator jambalaya, speckled trout atop Florida fried rice, and crawfish gnocchi tossed in a subtly sweet “tornado” sauce fashioned from serranos, jalapeños and molasses. More than 200 beers are also offered. Open daily. (reviewed Sept. 23) 2610 S. Ferncreek Ave., 407-894-9999, theaardvarkfl.com, $$$

HENRY’S DEPOT

Situated in a 140-year-old building, this Sanford food hall named after railroad tycoon Henry Plant is anchored by a gorgeous Art Nouveau-meets-Florida Cracker cocktail bar, but there are some above-average eats to be had here as well: fresh seafood at the Current Seafood Counter; vegan vittles from Dixie Dharma; oak-fired pizzas with Southern roots from Oak Flame; and primo sandwiches from Salvatore’s. The Greenery Creamery offers dairy and vegan ice cream, while Mahogany Coffee pours some of the best coffee in Sanford. Look for What the Chuck, a craft burger joint by Tennessee Truffle’s Nat Russell, to open soon. (reviewed Sept. 16) 212 W. First St., Sanford, 407-548-6931, henrysdepot.com, $$

MASON JAR PROVISIONS Neighborhood eatery serves a bevy of bar bites and substantial handhelds with a Southern bent. Porky boudin balls, bourbon-glazed pecans and not-so-jerky beef jerky pair well with brews, while fried bologna sandwiches, barbecuebraised rib hoagies and burgers make CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

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ideal takeout options. To-go cocktails are provided by Burton’s Bar next door. Open daily from 4-10 p.m. (reviewed Sept. 9) 805 E. Washington St., 407-270-4322, masonjarprovisionsorlando.com, $$

BOVINE STEAKHOUSE

Park Avenue gets its own high-end chophouse, in the former (completely renovated) Park Plaza Gardens space. Steaks are procured from Linz Heritage Angus from Chicago, which complements BoVine’s brick walls, brown hues and big-shouldered aesthetics. The 30-day dry-aged ribeye is a charred wonder, and the lamb rack seared with an anchovy-herb crust will draw order envy. Classic apps like shrimp cocktail with nose-flaring cocktail sauce and a prime tartare make worthy preludes. Open daily. (reviewed Sept. 2) 319 S. Park Ave., Winter Park, 407-7941850, bovinesteakhouse.com, $$$$

534 SCRATCH KITCHEN

Gorgeous brick-walled Parramore gastrobar presents a diverse menu of eats, from tacos and wings to steaks and shrimp cocktails. Of note are the lobster rolls and spicy crab cakes, while the 20-ounce blackened ribeye and pankocrusted salmon with Cajun glaze are expertly prepared. Open daily. (reviewed Aug. 19) 534 W. Church St., 407-704-7913, 534scratchkitchen.com, $$$

TAQUERIA LAS CAZUELAS

There are scores of taco options at Taqueria Las Cazuelas, from lengua and al pastor to chorizo and nopales, but don’t overlook the soups and stews they’ve become known for; pozole, menudo and caldo de res are hearty meals of slurpy comfort. Call in your order beforehand to prevent a lengthy wait – they do a brisk takeout business. Open daily. (reviewed Aug. 12) 10360 E. Colonial Drive, 407-930-7632, facebook.com/ taquerialascazuelas2, $$

MEE THAI

The cuisine of Isan, a region in northeastern Thailand, gets the spotlight at Mee Thai with such bracing dishes as nam tok (waterfall beef), som tum (fiery papaya salad) and laab (ground meat salad) being expertly prepared. Traditional offerings like pad Thai are impeccably balanced, with ultra-fresh ingredients. The mango sticky rice (the rice is a luminescent green) makes a colorful ending. Open daily. (reviewed Aug. 5) 1200 Lee Road, 407-802-2323, facebook.com/meethaiorlando, $$

SEANA’S

Comfy café on the corner of West Colonial Drive and Good Homes Road, offers a mix of elevated Caribbean and soul food classics like oxtails slathered in a subtly sweet sauce over yellow rice with sweet plantains and “liquid gold” mac & cheese. Another winning combination: turkey wings smothered in house-made gravy served with smoked collard greens. The rum punch is, almost literally, a knockout. Open daily. (reviewed July 29) 719 Good Homes Road, 321-800-6846, seanasorlando.com, $$$ n

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To celebrate 10 years of adventure, we're giving everyone

to our Gator Park through the month of October with a donation of canned goods to celebrate our 'TIN' anniversary! (407) 957-3135 3301 Lake Cypress Rd. Kenansville, FL 34739

P L A N YO U R A DV E N T U R E AT

WILDFL.COM! orlandoweekly.com

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[ film + tv ] FILM LISTINGS

Hosts Nando Luis Roman and Christina Carmona on the set of Indie Cinema Showcase PHOTO COURTESY INDIE CINEMA SHOWCASE

LOCAL LOOKS

Indie Cinema Showcase returns at the unlikeliest time BY CAMERON MEIE R

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hey say timing is everything, but don’t tell Orlando’s Indie Cinema Showcase. In a year that has seen major fests scrapped and local events, such as this week’s South Asian Film Festival, go virtual, ICS has bucked the trend by relaunching itself following a seven-year absence. The TV show is back, albeit in a tweaked format, doing what it did when it began in 2009: giving local, low-budget, independent filmmakers a broadcast voice. Episodes air on Orange TV’s entertainment channel, Vision TV (Spectrum channel 492 or Comcast channel 98), at 8 p.m. on Saturday and again at 6 p.m. on Sunday, in addition to YouTube, Vimeo, Roku and eventually Apple TV. Most episodes last 15-30 minutes and feature interviews, local movie news and films. Those films (or trailers) are all made by Floridians and usually run less than 10 minutes. Indie Cinema Showcase is the brainchild of Emmy-winning local filmmaker Gerald Godbout III.

“I did a pilot episode [in 2009] to convince the program director [at Orange TV] that I could do a show on my own. Before that, I was just doing editing for them,” Godbout says. “I went to my boss, Bill Suchy, and I said, ‘You know, I would love to do a show about filmmakers.’ And he said, ‘I’ll let you do a pilot … and we’ll go from there.’” The pilot was a success, as was the entire first season, which was hosted by John Theisen (FilmSlam founder) and Tim Anderson (now Enzian Theater’s programming coordinator). But when Theisen and Anderson left to pursue other projects, Godbout rang the changes. “I wanted to do something bigger,” Godbout says. “It wasn’t just talking heads. It had packages. I had a little bit more of a typical entertainment show.” That format continued until 2013, when Godbout ended the show to focus on his filmmaking and writing. But ICS wasn’t forgotten, and, against the odds, Godbout rebooted it in January. But even when COVID-19 “slammed the brakes

on the show,” according to Godbout, he soldiered on with a format devoted exclusively to screening films. ICS recently played local filmmaker Erin Laine’s I Just Want You to Be Happy. Though the short film had already played traditional fests, Laine says she is happy to have her movie get a different type of exposure. “Local access TV is pretty cool,” she says. “The fact that you can tell your friends and family you’ll be broadcast is pretty neat. The hosts seem genuinely interested in the genre since they are filmmakers themselves.” Those hosts are Nando Luis Roman and Christina Carmona, and their involvement dates back to the early days of ICS. “I joined the show toward the end of the third season,” says Roman. “At the time, their in-studio hosts had moved, and it left Christina to do the show as the sole host. So she approached Gerald and pitched the idea of bringing me on board as a guest host until they could find a replacement. He ended up liking the chemistry that we brought on screen [and] asked me to continue.” That chemistry was rekindled seven years later. “When Gerry was approached by Mike Seif, who runs Orange TV, and asked if he’d be interested in bringing back ICS, Gerry said yes as long as he could bring his host back as well,” Roman says. “So he reached out to us [and] asked us if we would be interested in once again taking up the mantle.” “It was a no-brainer for us to jump right back in because we loved working with Gerry and working with ICS,” says Carmona. “This time it’s very different, though, because Nando and myself aren’t just hosts – we also co-produce and cowrite episodes. “I believe that one of the biggest things that sets ICS apart is that we are more than just a film showcase. … We spotlight everything from makeup artists, prop and special effects, and even film schools. We try to provide different aspects of the filmmaking process because you never know who out there is wanting to get into the field as a voice-over actor, or a music composer or even a stunt/fight choreographer. ICS is a big supporter of the arts and in particular filmmaking, and our goal is to help the film community in Florida grow.” For more information, visit indiecinemashowcase.com. feedback@orlandoweekly.com

Oct. 8 Popcorn Flicks in the Park: Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man You’ll get no spoilers from us. Sunset, free, Central Park, 150 W. Morse Blvd., Winter Park, enzian.org

Oct. 10-11 South Asian Film Festival Made in Bangladesh, Jallikattu and Chhota Cinema: New Indian Shorts 2020. Festival stream will be available from midnight Oct. 10 through 11:59 p.m. Oct. 11, individual films may be streamed for 24 hours from purchase time. $10-$25, online only, enzian.org

Oct. 10 Saturday Matinee Classics: Hush … Hush, Sweet Charlotte A tense 1964 psych-horror starring Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead and Mary Astor. It’s the unofficial followup to What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? but minus the Big Crawford Energy. Noon, $9, Enzian Theater, 1300 Orlando Ave., Maitland, enzian.org

Oct. 10 Midnight Movies: Blood Feast Again, no spoilers here. 11:59 p.m., $12, Enzian Theater, 1300 Orlando Ave., Maitland, enzian.org

Oct. 10, Oct. 13 Total Recall 30th Anniversary Has it really been 30 years since Sharon Stone attempted to slay Arnold Schwarzenegger with nothing more than her thighs and a killer aerobics ensemble? As far as we know, yes, it has. 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, 7 p.m. Tuesday, various theaters, $14, fathomevents.com

Oct. 11 Central Florida Film Slam A screening showcase and networking outlet for independent and student filmmakers working and living in Central Florida. 1 p.m., $9. Enzian Theater, 1300 Orlando Ave., Maitland, enzian.org

Oct. 11 Drive In Movie: The Nightmare Before Christmas Is it the love story of Jack Skellington and Sally, or is it Taken with Sandy Claws in place of Liam Neeson’s daughter of the month? Does it really matter? 6 p.m., $10 per vehicle. Old Town, 5770 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee, myoldtownusa.com

Oct. 11, Oct. 12 Psycho 60th Anniversary The scariest 60-year-old you know. 4 p.m. Sunday and 7 p.m. Monday, various theaters, $14, fathomevents.com

Oct. 13 Cult Classics: The Blob Bad things happen in Pennsylvania. 9:30 p.m., $9. Enzian Theater, 1300 Orlando Ave., Maitland, enzian.org

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ORLANDO WEEKLY ● OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● orlandoweekly.com

ON (small) SCREENS IN ORLANDO

Jahi Di’Allo Winston as Mouse in Charm City Kings PHOTO COURTESY HBO

BY STEVE SCHNEIDER

PREMIERES WEDNESDAY: Hubie Halloween – Just when you had started thinking of Adam Sandler as the guy who made Uncut Gems, he goes and reminds you he also made Hotel Transylvania 1, 2 and 3. The key difference is that Hubie Halloween – in which Sandler has to protect his home town of Salem, Massachusetts, from the supernatural – is live action instead of a cartoon. Then again, with the likes of Kevin James, Rob Schneider and Shaquille O’Neal in the supporting cast, “live” is a thoroughly relative term. (Netflix)

PREMIERES THURSDAY: Charm City Kings – The 2020 Sundance Film Festival awarded a special jury prize for ensemble acting to Charm City Kings, a dramatic portrait of a teenager who yearns to join an elite team of dirt-bike riders. Heck, I would have given them an award just for using “elite” and “dirt” in the same sentence. (HBO Max) The Cleansing Hour – Horror and comedy vie for screen time as a couple of Internet hoaxsters who stage fake exorcisms find themselves face-to-face with a genuine demon. Shades of 2010’s The Last Exorcism. And also every season of Dance Moms. (Shudder)

PREMIERES FRIDAY: Deaf U – This documentary series profiles the student body of a private college for the deaf and hard of hearing. Cue special prompt: “I SAID, ARE YOU STILL WATCHING?” (Netflix) The Forty-Year-Old Version – Here’s another 2020 Sundance winner, this one for best directing. That would refer to first-timer

Radha Blank, who also wrote the script and stars as a struggling New York playwright who turns to rapping to save her career. Who knew WAP stood for “wack-ass playwright”? (Netflix) The Haunting of Bly Manor – Having won the lottery (nyuk nyuk) by adapting the work of Shirley Jackson, the creative team behind The Haunting of Hill House turns their talents to Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw. Several cast members from Hill House return as different characters, establishing a repertory-company feel that could continue into future seasons, just like … um, American Horror Story. Uh-oh. (Netflix) The Right Stuff – Strap in for episodes 1 and 2 of a new series adapted from Tom Wolfe’s classic book about the early days of NASA. Of course, the book was also the basis for a high-profile 1983 movie, but Wolfe himself didn’t care for it very much. That means this episodic version has a chance to better reflect his vision, just like happened with … um, The Shining. Uh-oh. (Disney+)

PREMIERES TUESDAY: Evil Eye – The third of this month’s Blumhouse/Amazon co-productions concerns an Indian-American woman who begins to suspect that her new boyfriend is part of a sinister curse that’s bedeviled her family for years. Boy, I remember when all you had to be was a good provider. (Prime Video) Nocturne – In October’s fourth and final Blumhouse/Amazon offering, a Juilliard student uses the notebook of a dead girl to beat her sister in a music competition. Canny strategy, but you really get hosed on book buyback. (Prime Video) orlandoweekly.com

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DANA HOEY, “WE ON,” 2016, DIGITAL PRINT, ALFOND COLLECTION OF CONTEMPORARY ART AT ROLLINS COLLEGE, 2017.6.2 © DANA HOEY. IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND PETZEL, NEW YORK

THEWEEK O C T. 7

Ugly Lies the Bone

Newly discharged soldier Jess returns to her Florida hometown after three grueling tours of Afghanistan. Through Oct. 18. $20-$35. Garden Theatre, 160 W. Plant St., Winter Garden, gardentheatre.org O C T. 7

Bowtie Pop Up Bakery

A partner event of Come Out With Pride 2020. Bowtie Bakery is an LGBTQ/ally-owned small business that focuses on working with local and LGBTQ-owned businesses. A portion of the day’s proceeds goes to LGBTQ charities. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. at Hourglass Brewing, 480 S. Ronald Reagan Blvd., Longwood. O C T. 9 -1 1

Kountry Wayne

“Kountry” Wayne Colley’s videos have catapulted him from life in small-town Georgia to social media superstar. Various times, $36. The Orlando Improv, 9101 International Drive, theimprovorlando.com O C T. 9

New Works: An Artist-in-Action Group Exhibition Opening

Collaborative show from local artists Nicholas Kalemba, Matthew Mosher, Wanda RaimundiOrtiz, Jacoub Reyes, Ericka Sobrack and Victoria Walsh displays work created while they were artists-in-residence at this Maitland institution. Intriguing on every level, in that we get a look at the creative process of local artistic luminaries during a pandemic that has wracked Central Florida, see how their work was impacted by COVID-19 and deep systemic injustice thrown out into the open, and perhaps take some form of comfort in these works as a way of feeling less alone. (Open through Jan. 17, 2021.) $6. Maitland Art Center, Art & History Museums Maitland, 231 W. Packwood Ave., Maitland, artandhistory.org O C T. 9

Future Islands

Indie rockers Future Islands will release their new album, As Long as You Are, in October on 4AD. And as much as they’d surely like to take the album on the road, touring is off the table. So they’re gonna make lemonade out of lemons with a one-night-only worldwide livestream the night of the album’s release from their Baltimore home base. Naturally they’ll be playing a set heavy with tracks from the new album and older, road-tested hits too. And – more good news – downtown Orlando venue the Beacham is the designated local affiliate for this event, so your dollars will help keep the lights on there. 7 p.m., $15. noonchorus.com/fi-foundations 42

ORLANDO WEEKLY ● OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● orlandoweekly.com

“ W H AT WO M E N WA N T ” [C O R N E L L F I N E A R T S M U S E U M ]

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Playfest: Take My Hand And Wave Goodbye

Livestreamed staged reading of a new play by Tammy Ryan, part of Orlando Shakes’ Playfest. A family is confronted by the sudden impact of gun violence and the difficult necessity of grief. 7:30 p.m., $10. orlandoshakes.org/playfest O C T. 1 0

Saturday Soundwalk

Explore the sounds and rhythms of our urban and natural world and develop a deeper understanding of how we fit into the ecosystem. 11 a.m. rain or shine, free. Canaveral National Seashore Apollo Beach Visitors Center, 7611 S. Atlantic Ave., New Smyrna

Parodi, who returns to Orlando this season as maestro for the MainStage production of Die Fledermaus. Presented in Spanish with English subtitles. Free on Opera Orlando’s YouTube channel. O C T. 1 2

“The Right to Vote: Women and Race in the 1920 Election”

Distinguished author Martha S. Jones, Professor of History and the Society of Black Alumni Presidential Professor at Johns Hopkins University, examines the epic history of African American women’s pursuit of political power and how it transformed America. 6 p.m., free. Livestreamed on the UCF History Department YouTube channel. ONGOING EVENTS

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“Amplify, Empower, Illuminate: Four Plays, Many Diverse Voices”

Adam Golka 32@32

Plants, art, vintage ephemera and oddities, all for sale in a swanky new food hall. 1-6 p.m., free. Henry’s Depot Culinary Collective, 212 W. First St., Sanford, facebook. com/bazaarbotanicaorlando

Pianist Adam Golka, freshly 32, has decided to tackle all of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas in what would be the composer’s 250th year. Over three weeks, Golka will run through all the hits in Rollins College’s Tiedtke Concert Hall. Applying Grateful Dead-style endurance and commitment – on both the performer and audience’s sides – to the world of classical music, this should be an unbelievable few weeks for music fans. Livestream tickets for these shows will also be available. Through Oct. 18. $20-$70. Tiedtke Concert Hall, Rollins College, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park, bachfestivalflorida.org

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Bright Young Things

Livestream of Mojada by Luis Alfaro, directed by Ana Martinez Medina. Premiere with talkback on Saturday, 7 p.m., free. To watch, follow link at arts.cah.ucf.edu. O C T. 1 1

Bazaar Botanica

“Representation Matters: Latinx Artists, Latinx Stories”

A talk-show style broadcast component of Opera Orlando’s ongoing #RepresentationMatters campaign. This episode will feature Argentinian conductor Jorge

Adapting to the twin necessities of social distancing and experiencing art in person, Creative City Project’s latest project uses the streets of downtown Orlando as a stage. Bright Young Things is an immersive, outdoor theatrical experience set in an alternate reality where

W E D N E S DAY, O C T. 7-T U E S DAY, O C T. 13 Submit your events to listings@orlandoweekly.com at least 12 days before print to have them included

Prohibition was never repealed. The audience follows a group of eight “young bohemians” on a jaunt through downtown as the story unfolds around them. Audiences choose a duo of actors (the entertainers, the smugglers, the lovers or the agents) to follow throughout the journey of intersecting storylines, essentially creating four different plays. Through Oct. 24. $35. Meetup locations revealed upon purchase. creativecityproject.com/brightyoungthings

The Fantasticks

Broadway’s longest-running musical tells a story of parental failure to control grown children’s lives and the extremes the young must explore to find their way. Through Oct. 18. $25-$30, or $35 streaming. Athens Theatre, 124 N. Florida Ave., DeLand, athensdeland.com

Haunted Road

An immersive, contactless haunt telling an original, theatrical story with twisted creatures and “unexpected scares” in every scene. A family-friendly version is offered in the daytime on select weekends. Through Nov. 7. $20-$79. 15239 Lake Pickett Road, thehauntedroad.com

In the Heights

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical about the hopes, dreams and heartbreaks of the close-knit community of Washington Heights, Manhattan. Through Oct. 11. $25. Osceola Arts, 2411 E. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee, osceolaarts.org

A Lot of Pumpkins Fall Festival

Pumpkin patch, pony rides, hayrides, farm animal encounters and autumn fun. Through Oct. 31. $12-$23. Santa’s Farm, 35317 Huff Road, Eustis, santaschristmastreeforest.com

Scream n’ Stream

A drive-through haunt on a 32-acre abandoned RV park in Kissimmee with a storyline worthy of a ’90s slasher flick, SNS fits the frights into a 1.25-milelong tableau. Through Oct. 31. $54-$75 (priced per vehicle). 2001 E. Southport Road, Kissimmee, screamnstream.com

Tunnel of the Damned

A paranormal entity has taken over the island of Manhattan and turned its residents into zombies. Bad news: You’re stuck in a tunnel, and the only way out is through. There’s a dinner theater add-on if the walkthrough isn’t enough for you. Through Oct. 31. $180-$87.50. Orlando Forum, 6362 International Drive, facebook.com/theorlandoforum

Oliver Jeffers: 15 Years of Picturing Books

Original paintings and illustrations by the author of The Heart and the Bottle, The Great Paper Caper and The Incredible Book Eating Boy. Through Oct. 25. $15 (children 4-17: $5). Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N. Mills Ave., omart.org

The Puerto Rican Artist Collective, Keepers of Heritage: Evolving Identities

The Keepers of Heritage work in paints, sculpture and other media, presenting vibrant portraits of Puerto Rican life. Assembled over the course of two years, the exhibit moves on to San Juan next, so do not sleep. (Through Oct. 25.) $10. Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens, 633 Osceola Ave., Winter Park, polasek.org.

Marcus Jansen: E Pluribus Unum

The first solo exhibition in the U.S. for New York artist Jansen pulls from over a decade of eyepopping work. Jansen combines contemporary art and graffiti techniques into bold, towering canvases that take a hard look at 21st-century American life. Free, registered time slot required. Cornell Fine Arts Museum, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park, rollins.edu/ cfam

What Women Want

On the 100th anniversary of American women getting the vote, Cornell’s curators dove deep into the treasure trove that is their permanent collection of contemporary art for the portraits that make up this exhibition. What Women Want includes selfportraits by Carrie Mae Weems, Shirin Neshat, Zanele Muholi, María Magdalena Campos-Pons and Dana Hoey, photography exploring the intersection of the personal and the political. This diverse group of artists engage with issues of gender, representation, critiques of a broken system of authority and the fact that so much hasn’t changed in the last 100 years of struggle. Free, registered time slot required. Cornell Fine Arts Museum, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park, rollins.edu/cfam

What Is That You Express in Your Eyes? The Inspired Works of Alberto Gómez

Crealdé invited internationally exhibited artist Alberto Gómez to create a large mural triptych on the history of immigration in the United States, which will debut during this exhibition and be exhibited at the Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs’ FusionFest in November. Free. Crealdé School of Art, 600 St. Andrews Blvd., Winter Park, crealde.org

MUSEUMS + GALLERIES

Bombshell: Masquerading Warfare

Local designer Ben Van Beusekom creates haute couture gas masks with crystals, feathers, leather, beads and myriad fabrics. Through Oct. 11. Free. CityArts, 39 S. Magnolia Ave., orlandoslice.com

Cynthia Slaughter, Documentary Photographer: On Love and Loss In a series of deeply intimate photographs, Slaughter documents the life of her 94-yearold mother, a retired farmworker in the celery

fields of Sanford, Florida, where she has lived since 1950. Free. Hannibal Square Heritage Center, 642 W. New England Ave., Winter Park, hannibalsquareheritagecenter.org

Growing Up Maitland

Photos capturing over 100 years of school, sports and play through the years for Maitland kids. $6. Maitland Historical Museum, Art & History Museums Maitland, 221 W. Packwood Ave., Maitland, artandhistory.org

Voices & Conversations

This group exhibition of contemporary American artists involves some heavy (and familiar, to OMAgoers) names with a focus on issues of identity, inclusion, activism and engagement. Artists include Nick Cave, Therman Statom, Bisa Butler, Kyle Meyer and Kerry James Marshall. You’ll see glass installations, woodcuts, and a quilted portrait by Butler of activist Wangari Maathai that made the cover of Time. $15. Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N. Mills Ave., omart.org

Construct: Our Orlando

In the third iteration of the Mennello’s Construct: Our Orlando group show, curators pulled up two locals: Don Rimx and art collective Lemon Press. Don Rimx, known for large-scale murals celebrating Afro-Caribbean and Puerto Rican culture, brought his maximalist, multi-layered approach to portraiture for this show, with symbols, color and motifs inspired by the convergence of African Diasporic religions and Catholicism. Lemon Press (Anna Cruz and Adam Lavigne) combine painting, cartooning and installation to address time and memory – something we are all wrestling with in this bizarre locked-down pandemic year – recording 2020’s loss and potential through a fictional language inspired by hieroglyphs and other ancient systems of communication. $5. Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 E. Princeton St., mennellomuseum.org

Kristy Lee & Paul T. Scarborough: Unapologetic

Free. Mills Gallery, 1650 N. Mills Ave., facebook.com/ millsgallery.orlando

JEFRË: Points of Connection

Central Floridian Filipino-American multimedia artist JEFRË transforms his usually towering installations and sculptures to a more human scale for this OMA exhibition. Consisting of new and site-specific works alongside reproductions of past works, notable pieces include a binary code wall made of aluminum, intricate metal sculptures, and mind-melting digital projections. JEFRË has exhibited work in major cities worldwide – currently, his work continues on a 24-story high figure, The Victor, on a bridge connecting the cities of Pasig and Quezon in the Philippines, soon to be one of the world’s tallest sculptures. $15. Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N. Mills Ave., omart.org n orlandoweekly.com

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“QUICKIES” I was dumped in August by a guy I was seeing for 10 months. He told me that he wants to work on himself and “needs to be selfish” right now. Since then, we have spoken every day, shared numerous dinners and gone on hikes. Our friendship is killing me. With him I hold it together. Away from him I cry all the time. I’ve started seeing a therapist and I’m on medication. I’m trying to be mature about the breakup and match his level of “coolness” but it’s destroying me. My friends tell me that I should stay away from him, allow some time to pass and reassess. But the thought of losing him is almost as bad as the thought of keeping him in my life. I should also mention that I ended a 10-year relationship for the opportunity to date him. Simply Heartbroken And Talking To Ex Really Extending Depression “Hey, Dan, what I’m doing is making me miserable – should I stop?” Yes, SHATTERED, you should stop. Your friends are giving you excellent advice: stay away from this guy for at least a year – don’t talk on the phone (with him), don’t share meals (with him), don’t go on hikes (with him) – and then see how you feel after you’ve talked, shared meals and gone on hikes with other people. It’s always nice when exes are friends, MTP, but it’s not an easy pivot and it can’t be executed instantly. And transition to friendship is always much harder for the person who was dumped – because of course it is – and it’s even harder when a selfish dumper accepts or demands the kind of attention and emotional support from the dumpee that the dumper is no longer entitled to. P.S. If you ended a 10-year relationship for a romantic prospect, not a romantic certainty (and there’s no such thing as a romantic certainty), then that 10-year relationship needed to end. If your ex-boyfriend implored you to end that 10-year relationship and 10 months later dumped you to “work on himself” and then did everything in his power to keep you all to himself even after dumping you, then that “friendship” needs to end too. My name is a variation on “John Smith.” I met a woman and she liked me but then she did a cheapo background check on me and found a “John Smith” who had committed felonies – including assaulting a high-school principal – and ended things with me. I am not that “John Smith” and I am innocent of these crimes! She had every reason to trust me: We met at my house and she viewed the premises without incident. What do I do? Not That Guy

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You had this woman over to yours, NTG, and she viewed the premises without incident. OK … so you didn’t rape or kill her when she dropped in. But it doesn’t obligate her to keep seeing you. If you can prove you’re not John Smith, High-School Principal Assaulter, and she doesn’t care, then there’s some other reason she doesn’t want to see you again. (Was there a MAGA hat on the premises?) Whatever her real reason(s), you’ve been given a “no.” And like everyone else, NTG, you have to take “no” for an answer even when it feels unfair or arbitrary. I’ve been with my boyfriend for almost five years and everything is amazing – except that he sees his ex-girlfriend when I’m not around. He says she wants to meet me but he never wants to meet up with her when I’m with him. Their “dates” are becoming more frequent. She’s a single mom and he has expressed to me that he wants to be in her son’s life. My feelings of discomfort are escalating and I’m having trouble believing him when he says he wants me to meet her. When I bring this up, he gets angry and says I’m being too emotional. Am I being a crazy jealous girlfriend? I need some help. I want to be a better person. Should I reach out to his ex-girlfriend directly since my boyfriend refuses to make it happen? Or do I bail on the relationship? I feel that uncomfortable. Ex-Girlfriend Looms Over Everything Bail. I’m in my early 30s and I’ve been struggling to make new friends. A lot of the people in my extended social circle are polyamorous/queer, and while I identify as queer, I’m in a monogamish relationship that isn’t poly. Lately I have been finding that I have been getting approached a lot by people who want a romantic/sexual connection. It seems like the only people who want me around lately want in my pants and they assume because I’m queer I’m also poly without asking directly. So people ask me if I want to “hang out” and I’m often unsure if they mean “hang out” in a date context or a friend context. I’ve ended up on dates I didn’t know I was going on! My biggest issue is that I don’t understand why people want to date/fuck me but don’t want to be my friend. I’m pretty averagelooking and I am not overly flirty. So why is this happening? Noodling On This Problem Over Lattes, Yeah?

ORLANDO WEEKLY ● OCT. 7-13, 2020 ● orlandoweekly.com

There’s nothing stopping you from asking – asking directly – for a little clarity: “Hang out? I’d love to! But do you mean ‘hang out’ as in ‘spend time together as friends’ or ‘hang out’ as in ‘let’s-go-on-a-date’? I ask because I’ve wound up on a couple of dates that I didn’t know were dates and it was awkward.” As for why this is happening … well, either the poly people in your social circle assume – incorrectly – that all queer people are poly or you’re much more attractive than you’re giving yourself credit for, NOTPOLY, or some combo of both. I’m a gay man who, due to extensive BDSM play, has developed very prominent nipples. They’re always erect and very visible through my clothing unless I wear outrageous patterns or tape them down. Yes, I’m somewhat embarrassed by them. I don’t have gynecomastia (moobs), just really, really, really noticeable nipples. While they are a definite boon between the sheets, they’re a bane on the streets because I’m very self-conscious about them. Do people notice this sort of thing on men? Is their reaction negative? Am I being ridiculed behind my back? Mind you, folks universally treat me with kindness and respect, probably because that’s how I approach everyone else, but a little voice in my head keeps telling me there’s this shameful part of my body that’s being made fun of by everyone. Well, everyone except the guys who helped get me to this point. Your thoughts? Tortured In Tormenting Situations Only a small percentage of the people you meet will notice your nipples, TITS, and the thought processes for 99.9 percent of the people who do will go something like this: “Big nips. Eh, whatever.” The noticers will immediately file this useless-to-them information about your tits away and never give it/them another thought. (Unless you’re the governor of New York.) I think you’re self-conscious about your tits because you know why they’re so prominent: extensive and, I assume, highly enjoyable BDSM play, and you worry other people – straight people, vanilla people, judgy gays – will take one look and realize you’re a kinky motherfucker. But most people won’t make that leap and the ones who do are either kinky themselves or, if not, they aren’t going to dwell on your tits or hold them against you. Stop kink-shaming yourself. You earned those tits and you should be proud of them! mail@savagelove.net

Moodie (A456261) is a 6-yearold spayed female. She is leashtrained and friendly with men and women. She can be very dominant with other dogs but we have not observed any aggression. Moodie has tested positive for heartworm disease, and thanks to Webb Engineering, her heartworm treatment is sponsored, meaning much of the cost of will be covered. Moodie is available for virtual or in-person adoption – please visit v2.waitwhile.com/lists/ orangecountyani/join to meet her. Once adopted, she’s ready to go home the same day. In the month of October, adoption fees are reduced to $10 for both dogs and cats as we celebrate we celebrate The Meowndalorian – This Is the Way! promo. Fees cover sterilization, vaccinations and a microchip. Orange County Animal Services is located at 2769 Conroy Road in Orlando, near the Mall at Millenia. The shelter is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. For more information, please call 407-8363111 or visit ocnetpets.com.