Peach Magazine Issue 42

CONTENTS

OCTOBER 30, 2019

V3-42 PEACH ATL MEDIA, LLC 925b Peachtree St. NE #168 Atlanta, GA 30309

MANAGING PARTNER

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EDITORIAL Mikkel Hyldebrandt

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Editorial Director mikkel@peachatl.com Brian Sawyer Graphics

Jessica Watson Graphics

From the Editor When it comes to season, Fall is a close runner-up to summer, because it is a little cozier, and people seem to gather a little closer together.

Fall is also a great time to plan a little getaway before the holiday madness takes hold, so read about our recommendations to places that are also perfect gay destinations – and we list some of the places we’d like to or dream about going to right now.

Our celebrity interview this week is with Hedwig creator John Cameron Mitchell who talks to Chris Azzopardi about his new podcast and the power of crowd-surfing.

And that is, as usual, not all, so dive into this Fall edition of Peach.

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The content of Peach ATL Media is for your general information and use only. It is subject to change without notice. The opinions expressed by any writer, advertiser, or other person appearing in the Peach ATL Media are not necessarily those of this publication, its management or staff. The information and materials appearing in the magazine are not guaranteed or warranted as to accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness, or suitability of the information and materials found or offered for a particular purpose. It shall be your responsibility to ensure that any products, services, or information available through Peach ATL Media meets your specific requirements. Peach ATL Media is not responsible for claims made by advertisers, content of information, changes, events, and schedules. The magazine contains information and material which is owned by or licensed to Peach ATL Media, including but not limited to articles, advertisements, design, layout, graphics, and logos. No part or portion of Peach ATL Media may be reproduced in any way without the prior written consent of the publisher.

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The Official RuPaul’s Drag Race world tour returns with an all-new production for 2019.

Calling all fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race! The Werq the World Tour comes to Atlanta with an all-new show featuring some of your favorites of past seasons of RPDR. Mission leader and emcee Asia O’Hara is on a journey to save the universe with the help of her intergalactic queens, including Aquaria, Monet X Change, Naomi Smalls, Violet Chachki, Plastique Tiara, Detox, and Season 11 winner, Yvie Oddly.

The voyage out of this world will feature spectacular entrances and performances by your favorite queens in a wholly revamped and bigger and bolder than ever drag show that will no doubt sprinkle the Atlanta Symphony Hall with glamour and glitter. Few tickets remain if your plans Friday night are looking fierce and ready to slay.

Werq the World is presented by Voss Events in collaboration with World of Wonder and VH1.

Tickets are available at vossevents.com.

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WHAT RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq The World 2019

WHEN Friday, November 1, 8 – 11 pm

WHERE Atlanta Symphony Hall

GAYTIES HELL-NO-KWEEN @ THE HERETIC PHOTOS: PEACH PHOTOBOOTH

By Mikkel Hyldebrandt On Friday, November 1, the second annual Fur Ball Masquerade benefiting Pets Are Loving Support Atlanta (PALS) will take place at Fox Theatre’s stunning Egyptian Ballroom. Peach spoke to PALS’ Executive Director Buck Cooke about the highlights of the fundraiser.

This is the second annual Fur Ball Masquerade, and it is quickly becoming an Atlanta favorite – what sets this event apart from others?

For an open bar event in Atlanta, you can’t find a better value than our event ticket prices.

Having VIP admission at $100.00 and general admission at $75.00 means the event is accessible to a lot of people. We also want to remind everyone that the money raised for the event goes to help our clients take care of their pets.

What are some of your favorite highlights of the event?

Last year, people loved two things about the inaugural Fur Ball Masquerade: the music and the food. Multiple guests have asked me if DJ Sed the Saint will be back for the event this year, and I am happy to say that she will be returning to spin for this year’s event. We also worked with Affairs to Remember to bring back some of the most popular hors d’oeuvres from last year, like beef wellington and crab cakes, but have added some new delights for our guests to enjoy. While the menu does consist of passed hors d’oeuvres, they are substantial, so I hope guests bring their appetites. We have eight savory and two sweet options on the menu, and we have tried to appeal to a wide variety of tastes and dietary needs. The menu includes seafood, chicken, pork, beef, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options.

Can you share a few details of the event that haven’t been advertised yet?

We’ve mentioned live entertainment in our ads, and we are very excited about this addition to the event. We have aerialists from Liquid Sky who are performing in what they call lollipops, a circus juggler, and a tarot card reader because we wanted the entertainment to be interactive, so people don’t have to stop their mingling and watch something on stage.

Just to create a little perspective for those attending and for those considering attending – how much does it cost to support one of your 10 | 10.30.19

clients for a year?

It costs $375 to support one pet during the course of the year, and our clients can have up to two pets in our program. That per pet cost just includes the cost of their food and basic veterinary care, such as an annual exam, vaccinations, heartworm test and prevention, and flea and tick control. The other costs we incur are paying for our monthly shot clinics for our clients and the public (subject to availability), bingo license and supplies, office rent, administrative costs for the organization, etc.

To put together a party of this magnitude takes a village – who in the community have partnered with you this year?

We’d like to extend a special thank you to all of our sponsors - Piedmont Bark, Peach, Creative Approach, Q Magazine, the Georgia Voice, and Cadence Bank - for their generous support of the event which enables us to cover the event costs and raise more money for our clients.

If you can’t attend the Fur Ball, how can people get involved and support PALS? We have volunteers who work with us each month at our drag queen bingo fundraisers at Lips and our monthly shot clinics. We also have some open positions on our board of directors and occasionally need volunteers to deliver food to our clients who are not able to travel to the office. Interested parties can send an e-mail to palsatlanta@palsatlanta.org, and we will be happy to help them get plugged into volunteer roles.

What is included in the price of admission?

General admission includes an open bar, heavy passed hors d’oeuvres, bidding in the silent auction, a souvenir mask, dancing, and live entertainment. VIP admission includes a cocktail hour from 7-8 pm and a gift bag at the end of the evening, along with all of the general admission benefits.

The Second Annual Fur Ball Masquerade is on Friday, November 1, 2019, at the Egyptian Ballroom in the Fox Theatre. VIP Cocktail Hour is from 7-8 pm and the main event is from 8-11 pm. Tickets – VIP admission $100 and general admission $75 – can be purchased at palsatlanta.org/furball.

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By Joey Amato For the past few years, I’ve heard about a small town in Michigan known for its LGBTQ friendliness and charm, but it wasn’t until recently that I had the opportunity to visit Saugatuck and its neighboring town, Douglas. If you don’t live within driving distance, you’ll probably have to fly into Grand Rapids, another Midwestern city worth exploring. The journey will be well worth it.

By far the coolest hotel in Grand Rapids is the JW Marriott. I sometimes prefer staying at boutique hotels, but once you get a peek at this property, you’ll quickly discover why it has become a favorite among LGBTQ visitors. The curvature of the iconic glass structure not only reflects the blue sky above but also the river below, which makes for a stunning visual and Instagram-friendly photos.

History lovers will enjoy the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum located within walking distance from the hotel. Although Ford’s time in office wasn’t as exciting as some other Presidents, the museum is beautifully designed and worth a quick visit.

If Presidential history doesn’t spark your interest, head over to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, a 200-acre indoor/outdoor garden which incorporates dozens of unique sculptural masterpieces into its landscape. Some standout sculptures include “The American Horse” by Nina Akamu and “I, you, she or he”

by Jaume Plensa, a composition of three figures whose shells are made of stainless-steel letters and left unfinished to encourage the universality of the forms. Another sculptural highlight is by gay artist Keith Haring titled “Julia” named after Julia Gruen, a friend of the artist.

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After touring the gardens, grab dinner at Reserve Wine & Food, an elegant, yet modern two-story restaurant with an expansive wine menu and delicious cuisine. I opted for the Vietnamese Caramelized Red Drum, a melt-in-your-mouth fish prepared with radish, peas, spring onion and herbs over a bed of jasmine rice. Each entrée offers a suggested wine pairing, however since I don’t enjoy white wine, I chose a very nice red wine, as recommended by their in-house sommelier.

About a ten-minute walk from the restaurant is The Apartment Lounge, Grand Rapids’ oldest LGBTQ bar. The bar offers a wide variety of local beer on tap and wine by the glass, something not too common for LGBTQ spaces. On the evening I visited, the bar was hosting a movie night and although many patrons were watching the film, it was still possible to carry on a nice conservation. If you want to continue the party, head to Rumors, a popular spot with the city’s younger clientele.

Try to befriend some of the locals, as I learned there are also some underground LGBTQ parties that take place throughout the year in different parts of the city, which tourists will have a hard time finding without insider info.

The next morning, I took the 40-minute journey to Saugatuck. People sometimes refer to the small Michigan town as the P-Town of the Midwest. At first the town threw me off.

I saw dozens of rainbow flags, but not many LGBTQ people. I saw mostly straight families strolling down the picturesque streets. For a town with such an abundance of rainbow flags, I was expecting to be overwhelmed with gay folks, but that wasn’t the case. It was both wonderful and depressing at the same time. On one hand, I was excited to see the

amount of allied support for our community, but on the other hand, I was disappointed to not have seen as many LGBTQ people…yet.

That all changed when I visited Saugatuck’s neighbor, Douglas. Douglas is the lesser known of the two towns, but in my opinion, exudes more of the LGBTQ flair and small-town charm that I was looking for. They have rainbow flags everywhere too, but there was something different about the vibe in Douglas. Instead of a somewhat touristy coastal town, I saw a town full of artists, musicians, small business owners and creatives.

The Dunes Resort is actually located in Douglas, not Saugatuck, contrary to popular belief. The lodging and entertainment complex is a site to be seen with indoor and outdoor dance floors, a cabaret room and multiple bars throughout the space. Weekends are definitely a busier time for the property when people of all ages from surrounding towns and cities come to party. The Dunes hosts numerous events during the week including drag performances and bingo. During peak months, the property sells out quickly so I’d recommend staying at Blue Star Motel, a 5-minute walk from the Dunes. Blue Star is also a great option if you are looking for a quieter lodging experience.

Exploring Douglas was one of the highlights of my trip. Dozens of art galleries, boutiques and cafes dotted the landscape. I stopped at a gay-friendly bar called Borrowed Time where a local husband and wife duo named Dave and Connie D performed classic rock songs from the 60s and 70s on the outdoor patio. A boutique/ art gallery named Coastal Society also boasted a full-service craft cocktail bar and outdoor sculpture garden. Another incredible boutique called Endora Bohemian sells handwoven Moroccan rugs, artisanal soaps. A large photo of rock icon Stevie Nicks greets customers as they walk in the shop, which is launching a new weekly event called Fleetwood Mac Fridays, where the owner will play Fleetwood Mac music and perform tarot card readings. If that doesn’t make you want to visit, then I don’t know what will.

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Both Saugatuck and Douglas have their own personalities and one should not overlook the chance to explore both destinations. I really felt as if the towns had similar but different vibes.

This area of Michigan is also known for its vast number of wineries and distilleries. Fenn Valley, Crane’s and Virtue Cider are just three places worth visiting. Fenn Valley Winery was my favorite of the three, offering some delicious wines. Of the wines I sampled, I would highly suggest the Capriccio, a soft red wine exhibiting the right balance of fruitiness and dryness.

All this drinking will make you hungry, so head over to Coast 236, an LGBT-owned restaurant helmed by Chef Mindy Trafman. I feel like I sampled half the menu during my visit, and everything was wonderful but most memorable was the Beet Tower, which was served with chevre, butternut squash, avocado and sprinkled with pistachio nuts. I love beets and it isn’t something commonly seen on restaurant menus, so when it is offered, I usually try to order that dish.

To be honest, I’m really not sure if I preferred Grand Rapids or Saugatuck/Douglas more. try to find the best in a city when I visit, and I think you should too by exploring them both. I’d love to hear which you prefer.

Enjoy

the

Journey!

Joey Amato is the publisher of Pride Journeys, a website dedicated to LGBTQ travel. Joey has spent over a decade in LGBTQ media and public relations and currently resides in Indianapolis, Indiana. He can be reached at joey@pridejourneys.com

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By Joey Amato By now, most of you know I march to the beat of my own drummer, so when I decided to visit a summer time destination in the winter, people weren’t surprised. Cape Cod is known for attracting throngs of LGBTQ beach and party goers to its northmost tip, Provincetown. Having never been to P-Town, the locals found it surprising that I would visit during the winter, when the towns population is a fraction of what it is during the summer.

My first stop on my Cape Cod journey was the town of Hyannis, located about mid-way up the cape. On the suggestion of a friend of mine, I booked a stay at the Sea Street Inn, a lovely 5-bedroom bed and breakfast located just blocks from the ocean and minutes away from the historic Kennedy Compound.

The Sea Street Inn is not your typical B&B. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the proprietor Adrian and offered a lobster roll as a ‘welcome to the Cape’ gift. The property was designed

by Adrian and his wife Xenia in 2018 and features a beautiful art gallery, sitting area and dining solarium where guests can enjoy breakfast or their morning coffee. Adrian is a classically trained French chef who studied under Jean-Georges Vongerichten, so the Sea Street Inn offers a dinner menu that rivals any 4-star restaurant. I had the opportunity to sample some of the best food in recent memory including a delectable smoked trout and brie dish in addition to a crab BLT. A short drive from the Sea Street Inn is the John F. Kennedy Hyannis Museum, a multimedia exhibit designed to highlight the days JFK spent on Cape Cod relaxing with family, entertaining world leaders and sailing on the ocean, one of his favorite hobbies.

The Museum’s exhibits feature videos and photographs spanning the years 1934 to 1963.

In addition to photography, an orientation video narrated by Walter Cronkite depicts the President’s experiences on the Cape.

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I decided to take an afternoon adventure to Nantucket on the high-speed ferry, which whisks you to the oasis in about an hour. Even in the winter, Nantucket is gorgeous. With limited time to explore the island, I wasted no time and headed straight to the Whaling Museum to view their Festival of Trees exhibition which transforms the museum into a festive winter wonderland for the entire month of December.

The highlight of the museum is the Whale Hunt Gallery which explores all aspects of the demanding and dangerous trade of 18th century whaling. Although I am against this trade, it was an important part of the area’s history. The centerpiece of the gallery is the skeleton of a 46-foot male sperm whale, which died on Siasconset beach on January 1, 1998.

Nantucket is filled with wonderful boutiques and family-owned restaurants. I asked around and almost everyone on the island recommended I try the Lola Burger at Lola 41. It was probably the most expensive hamburger I have ever ordered at $22, but the perfectly cooked burger was served with Cabot Cheddar Cheese, a red onion compote, and foie sauce. One of my favorite things to do is pair a burger with a nice glass of Pinot Noir. It was the perfect way to end my journey before heading back to the mainland.

About halfway between Hyannis and P-Town is The Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, a small museum which also serves as a nature education center which is worth visiting if you have some time to spare on your way up the cape. The museum offer guests a variety of programs, classes, lectures, panel discussions, and interactive exhibits that reveal the many facets of Cape Cod’s natural wonders.

Driving into Provincetown for the first time was magical. I felt like I was exploring a small island town filled with narrow cobblestone streets, dozens of art galleries, quaint restaurants and of course LGBTQ establishments. The more time I spent in P-Town, the more I began to realize why people are in love with this destination. You feel

THANK YOU! THANKS FOR A GREAT 2019 ATL PRIDE! WE’LL SEE YOU IN 2020!

like you’re in a gay oasis a million miles away from the rest of society and free to do whatever you want, without judgement.

Even the straight community that visits the town is accepting of LGBTQ people and everyone is extremely welcoming and friendly.

One of my first stops in P-Town was the Provincetown Art Association & Museum, a collective gallery exhibiting the works of local artists, many of whom identify as LGBTQ. One half of the space is dedicated to museum caliber works while the other half serves as a gallery space where people have the opportunity to purchase local art.

There are many lodging options in P-Town, but I decided to stay at Land’s End Inn for its location at the tip of the peninsula. My room, which was called the Library Room, offered unobstructed views of both the sunrise and sunset and is located just a few minutes from Herring Cove Beach. Antique lovers will be in heaven at Land’s End Inn. Its décor is more traditional than I usually enjoy but lends nicely to the property’s rich history.

In addition to complimentary breakfast, the Inn also offers a daily wine reception where you can mingle with other hotel guests.

Surprisingly, 2018 was the first time Provincetown held a gay pride festival. I guess when the town is gay all the time, people didn’t find the need for one. This year’s festival is scheduled for May 30 through June 2. Last year’s festival featured a rainbow laser instillation, a disco dance party and a pride sashay/stroll.

Bear Week will take place this July and is an annual gathering of…bears. It’s one of the largest and busiest theme weeks in Provincetown, attracting tens of thousands of men and hosting dozens of parties and shows. Another fun event is P-Town’s annual

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Carnival, which will take place August 1525 and celebrates the towns LGBTQ culture.

To get the best view of the town, climb to the top of Pilgrim Monument which was constructed to honor the Pilgrims’ first landing in Provincetown. President Theodore Roosevelt laid the cornerstone in 1907 and the 252-foot tower was completed in 1910.

The only thing I didn’t like about Provincetown was the cost of food. An inexpensive dinner can easily run about $30. I tried finding a few less expensive places to dine and stumbled upon Canteen. Try their homemade clam chowder, you won’t be disappointed. If you want something sweet, head to Purple Feather Café and indulge in one of their special desserts or famous white hot chocolate.

During my stay, the gay bars were a bit slow, but this is something that I expected. Visiting in the winter helped me navigate the town easier than during the summer months and when I return, I’ll feel like a local. If you aren’t into crowds but still want to get a feel for the town, I would recommend visiting during shoulder season…May or October. Otherwise, be prepared for one non-stop party if you decide to visit this summer. I know I’ll be back!

Enjoy

the

Journey!

Joey Amato is the publisher of Pride Journeys, a website dedicated to LGBT travel. Joey has spent over a decade in LGBT media and public relations and currently resides in both Nashville, Tennessee and Indianapolis, Indiana.

He can be reached at joey@pridejourneys.com

L

ove Him Little, Love Him Long

By Chris Azzopardi Photo: Julian Broad, Franz Szony

You very well may have uncovered a truer you thanks to John Cameron Mitchell.

Maybe it happened while you were experiencing some kind of divine queer intervention through soul-searching heroine Hedwig Robinson, who comes into herself after making the most of a botched sex change in one of cinema’s greatest slow burns, Hedwig and the Angry Inch. (The project only became lucrative for Mitchell as a Broadway smash 13 years after his indie cult film premiered in 2001.)

Or maybe the real queer sex in 2006’s Shortbus, which took shame out of human sexuality, stimulated your own queer sexual awakening.

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Mitchell’s career has also included directing Nicole Kidman in 2010’s Rabbit Hole and cowriting, co-producing and directing the 2017 sci-fi punk rom-com How to Talk to Girls at Parties. His TV credits include The Good Fight, HBO’s Girls and Hulu’s Shrill.

But Anthem: Homunculus is another animal altogether. Mitchell styled the project as a radio play, engaging the imagination while relying only on voice and music to tell his emotional story. Available via the Luminary podcast app, the darkly humorous 10-part series presents a richly poignant, autobiographical narrative that touches on themes of loss and religion as it imagines Mitchell’s life if he’d never left his small-town of Junction City, Kansas. His broke, uninsured and struggling artist alter ego, Ceann Mackay (voiced by Mitchell), suffers from a brain tumor, the result, he says, of growing up plagued by Catholic guilt. To help pay for his surgery, he launches an app-based “tumor telethon” to crowdfund his survival.

In confronting his own mortality, he reflects profoundly on his past, including his brother’s death (Mitchell was 14 when his 4-year-old brother died from a heart condition) and a cast of Broadway icons – including Patti LuPone as his Aunt Ida, and Glenn Close as his mother – inhabit versions of friends and family members from Mitchell’s life. For his Origin of Love Tour, he’s been performing songs from the podcast as well as sharing the backstory of how Hedwig became Hedwig. I caught up with Mitchell while he was on a train en route to Boston.

You go deep into some of your own heavy life experiences during Anthem: Homunculus. How emotional was the process of creating it?

When you do something like this you don’t get an opening night, you don’t get an audience, so you don’t get the whole arrival that an opening night of a play or a movie or even a concert has with an audience, which kind of seals it in a way. So it still feels unfelt. Making it was very intense and emotional, but it was spread out over a year-and-a-half. But we just scheduled a marathon listening session in a movie theater, so we’re going to have food and breaks and live music and listening to the whole thing with 200 people. We’re going to do a special cinema mix for it so that’ll be, I think, our beginning of letting go, which is good because that’s what an opening should be: graduation for your child.

So far, how has Anthem resonated with listeners? What are you hearing?

The thing is, it’s not as many people as we’d hoped, and we knew the risk of a paywall was a part of it. Some people are just subscription fatigued, so a lot of people haven’t really listened

to it. Those who do, generally when they’ve heard it, they’re very into it. There’s also not a thing like it you can compare it to. As with most of my work, it’s kind of different, so it’s hard to market, which means the initial run of the play, movie, podcast does not smash or knock it out of the park; it tends to be something that’s passed on ... like a disease. (Laughs.) No – like an heirloom! So it becomes more special that way. But it does take time to do that, and it’s still in the filtering stage.

That really is just the John Cameron Mitchell way.

Yeah. It means less money and less of the usual definition of heat and buzz and all of that. But a little over a long period of time is always my way of working. It’s “love me little, love me long.”

It must be encouraging, at least, knowing that a project can have its moment much later, which was the case for Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

This is pushing the envelope and people have to catch up with it. Same thing happened with Shortbus and Hedwig, and even, I suspect, my last film How to Talk to Girls at Parties will be something that will come around later.

Why did you want to tell your story at this point in your life?

It’s just when people do.

You’re 56. Is that the age people tell the story

of their life?

It can be. It’s usually the time when your parents go and that can embolden some people. Kids are out of the house, if you have kids. And it’s kind of a mid-career thing to do. I like the idea of auto-fiction, where you’re still making things up and telling stories that are true but rearranging them. So autobiographical fiction is my favorite kind of fiction.

industrial and lights up and so I’m thrilled with that.

Also, as we go along it’s kind of like (the fable) Stone Soup: we add elements. In Korea, they added a live projection design with an overhead projector and someone manipulating color forms with their hands live. We adopted that. I think we’re gonna do it in Ann Arbor too. And then we often sing a song from that town or in the Well, you did tell me the last time we spoke that language of the country we’re in, so I sing Korean reality bores you. songs or Spanish songs in Mexico, and in Boston Yeah. I mean, I’m not completely bored we sang “More Than a Feeling.” with realism, and I love artists that work in supernaturalistic ways, but my take just tends to At this point, I imagine “The Origin of Love,” be more fairytale and a little bit of comic book. the song from Hedwig, carries a lot of weight because there are so many personal stories Tell me about this incredibly dramatic, geometric wrapped up in it from you hearing fan stories dress you’ve been wearing during the Origin of over the years. Where do you go in your head Love Tour. I think it’s called the “transformer.” now when you’re singing that song? Does it take (Laughs.) It’s not called anything. on new life depending on where you perform it?

It does. As an actor I often just see the images I’m That’s the name singing about and that that’s floating around. comes out in different So you didn’t name ways. It shouldn’t be it, but somebody did. too rigid. Doing it for The “transformer” various shows, we do dress, I’ll take it.

“The Origin of Love” It’s Erik Bergrin, and then we do “The someone I have End of Love.” known for a very long time and always What else are you admired. But there’s working on right a lot of talented now? I heard there’s people, and when something happening I was first thinking with you and Hulu. about the tour I knew I am developing a I couldn’t bring much television show with of the sets, so I knew them that I can’t really the costumes should talk about right now be a kind of set and I because they have wanted it to break into to decide this month multiple costumes. I whether it’s going to first spoke to Thom Brown, the fashion designer, go forward. They go through all the projects and about it and he was really into it, but designers decide, but I’m very excited about it. I’m still can rarely do plays. Fashion designers don’t determined to get Anthem on stage. have time for other projects unless it’s a video or something already existing.

I do love Anthem in the audio format. I love that my imagination gets to take me places.

A lot of my collaborators are people who are Yes, that’s what a book does too. And people brilliant but coming up, that people don’t know. aren’t used to it so much in the audio form – I get great pleasure introducing people’s work to there are some fictional things, but they seem to the world, and plus they work their ass off when be a little more stylized. It’s great to work in that they’re hungry and have something to prove. form. I’d like to see what the Broadway version And Erik is such a genius that I expect to work would be like. And I also did a little benefit 12with him on a stage version of Anthem and other inch LP of Lou Reed songs that will be coming projects, and he did exactly what I wanted: a six- out for the holiday called Turning Time Around, costume “transformer” dress (laughs) inspired by produced by Peter Buck of R.E.M. the cubists, and he exceeded my dreams. We’ve got a light-up removable heart. The costume has Jumping back to Origin of Love: I’m so moved been around the world and is very sturdy and by the fact that the tour really came out of 22 | 10.30.19

needing to financially assist your mother, who is living with Alzheimer’s. How is she doing and has this tour accomplished what you set out to accomplish when it comes to helping her?

Well, it helped. And it continues to help. The amount of money is so large, and Shrill is my real big money job. The Origin of Love brings in some, but I didn’t want to do it alone to track, so I get to bring a lot of people around and that makes it less lucrative but more fun. It’s turned out to be something I’m really proud of and that will continue for years, off and on, because it’s just an easy show to do without doing a whole musical, which I’m kind of tired of.

You’re tired of the Hedwig musical?

Yeah. So this can still touch on the themes and touch on other themes that deal with today: growing up and my boyfriend and the motivation for a lot of things, and it’s just a lot more fun.

On Broadway they didn’t let me crowd surf for insurance purposes, so this is a corrective.

Right, you crowd-surfed at the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

I do it every night.

What does it feel like to be carried by humans you don’t know? That’s a lot of trust you’re putting into complete strangers.

Yeah, but they trust me. It’s a direct metaphor for the work and the person receiving it, and it’s being held up in a very gentle way. Sometimes it’s the story, or I am too heavy, and someone else steps in to help. I believe in audiences and being in the same space.

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FRIENDS NEW FACES OCTOBER

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CARSON COWAN REALTOR® c. 404.998.9944 / o. 404.874.0300 / carson@carsoncowan.com / CarsonCowanRealEstate

Atlanta Fine Homes, LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated.

@ black_framed_glasses Nick is an Atlanta native who resides in the Highlands and works as a prop designer and set designer for Atlanta’s bustling movie, TV, and theater industry. He also owns his own vintage clothing business, which perfectly reflects his main interest in collecting everything vintage. Even his apartment is a time capsule with almost everything being collectible items from the 50s and 60s. Look up his business Instagram @that_vintage_guy_atlanta, and check out more photos of Nick on his personal Instagram listed below.

28 | 10.30.19

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30 | 10.30.19

You deserve Personalized Care & Individual Attention – that’s what we deliver at Family Health Care of Atlanta • Participating in many clinical trials • Certiied HIV Specialist, American Academy of HIV Medicine • 20+ years experience in Family & HIV Care SPECIALIZING IN DERMATOLOGY, STD’S, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, UROLOGY, PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

by Mikey Rox

You work hard at the gym, and it can be frustrating when all that exercise and effort isn’t providing the results you want – like melting away the fat around your midsection. Part of the problem may be that you’ve gotten yourself into a routine that’s no longer working, causing your weight-loss goals to plateau. There are ways to tackle this universal issue, from obvious habit changes to more under-the-radar solutions, like planning an adventure getaway. Take a look.

1. Reduce Your Stress Stress causes unwanted anxiety, but it also can lead to other adverse health effects, including headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, and, yes, weight gain. In fact, elevated levels of stress hormones can make your body reluctant to release excess weight and may even lead it to store more. Figure in all that stress eating, and you’re ballooning in no time. Integrative health and nutrition consultant Devon Battaglia provides a few tips for stress reduction: “Stress management techniques such as daily deep belly breathing for even as little as five minutes can work wonders,” she says. “[as can] meditation, laughter, playing with our pets, and unplugging from all media.”

2. Cut Out Carb-Heavy Foods Even as gay men, we love pizza, wings, snacks, and beer. But you can’t go to the gym, make progress, then go home and ruin it all by diving face first into a pepperoni pie and expect to see your waist slimming. At best, you’ll maintain the weight you’re at, but eventually, those eating habits will catch up to you, no matter how much time you spend sweating it all out. One of the biggest causes of belly fat is consuming carbheavy foods,” says Dr. Catherine Metzgar, a nutritional biochemistry expert at Virta Health.

“Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates in the body. For it to exist in your cells, it has to be surrounded by a barrier of water. The human body tightly controls blood sugar levels, so when you eat a carb-heavy meal, glucose gets transported into your cells and liver. Once there, it gets added to existing glycogen, which required more water and causes more’ bloat.’”

To reduce water retention and ultimately get rid of those love handles, Dr. Metzgar suggests addressing the primary cause of carbohydrate

intake by eliminating processed carbohydrates and focusing on fruit and vegetable intake, lean protein, and healthy fat.

3. Track Your Progress Properly Hopping on the scale to see how many pounds you’ve lost or gained isn’t the best way to monitor your progress – not singularly, at least.

According to Mary Weidner, co-founder of the training and nutrition app Strongr Fastr, you should take regular body measurements (torso, arms, legs, etc.) and weigh yourself every day at the same time of day, then look at long-term trends instead of focusing on the day-to-day changes. “Sometimes people find their weight is staying the same while the size of their love handles are decreasing,” she says. “There are many things that go into one’s weight day-to-day, and only long-term trends are important.”

4. Increase Healthy Fat Consumption It’s harder for men over 40 years old to lose belly fat because the metabolism begins to slow down, but the amount of food one eats continues the same – and the human body favors adding fat to the stomach area before any other body part. “This is why you’ll often see men with big stomachs but tiny legs,” quips Anthony Treas, a men’s health and brain performance coach. To lose body fat, he suggests increases healthy fat consumption, which includes nuts, seeds, fish, olive oil, and avocados. “Healthy fats added to one’s diet will help the body to burn the fat that is already within the body,” he says.

6. Switch It Up and Go Harder Eliminating or at least slimming those love handles isn’t easy, but if you’ve plateaued at the gym, it’s probably time to establish a new regimen. Courtney Meidenbauer, a registered dietitian nutritionist and the state media representative for the Wisconsin Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, agrees. “Typically, for those who are established in their gym routine, I recommend trying a new activity or increasing the intensity,” she says. “If you find yourself doing a cardio activity, think of another cardio activity that is different from what you usually do. The change in activity can be a new challenge for our bodies, which can help kickstart weight loss again.”

October 30 – November 6

Broadway in Atlanta: Wicked

Tegan and Sara Tour

Broadway in Atlanta presents Wicked takes a look at what happened in the Land of Oz, but from a different angle, and way before Dorothy arrived. Wicked opened before Halloween, but if you’re lucky, you can still experience this Broadway sensation. foxtheatre.org.

October 23 – November 17 The Fox Theatre

Tegan and Sara, the Canadian indie-pop band, are both musicians who are songwriters and multi-instrumentalists.

Experience their incredible talent as they perform live at Variety Playhouse. variety-playhouse.com.

Wednesday, October 30, 8 pm Variety Playhouse

STAFF PICK!

La Cage aux Folles Out Front’s rendition of the wonderful La Cage aux Folles premiered earlier in October, but you still have a chance to catch the hilarious play about Georges and Albin who struggle to meet their son’s fiancée’s conservative parents. outfronttheatre.com.

October 24 – November 9 Out Front Theatre Company

MAAP Mix, Mingle & Network Fridays

Bearracuda 10th Anniversary

Join MAAP on the 1st Friday of each month for their networking event where LGBT professionals and straight allies gather for casual and structured networking over drinks, laughter, and good professional conversation.

Friday, November 1, 6-8 pm MSR My Sister’s Room

Bearracuda is back to celebrate ten years in Atlanta with a special night to remember with beats by DJ Paul Goodyear, and special guests.

Saturday, November 2, 10 pm – 3 am The Heretic

34 | 10.30.19

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Monroe Dr. NE

14

Amsterdam Ave.

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6 12th St. NE

18

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Juniper St. NE

14th St. NE

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Juniper St . NE

Peachtree St. NE

3

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C h a r l e s Al l e n D r . N E

12 W. Peachtree St. NW

15

16

P o n c e D e L e o n Pl . N E

Spring St. NW

17

4th St. NE

8

13

Ponce De Leon Ave. NE

4

Ponce De Leon Ave. NE

BARS 1 2 3 4

Amsterdam Blake's Bulldogs Friends

6 My Sister’s Room 7 Ten Atlanta

Dining 502 Amsterdam Ave NE 227 10th St NE 893 Peachtree St NE 736 Ponce De Leon Ave NE 66 12th St NE 990 Piedmont Ave NE

clubs 13 Atlanta Eagle

306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

14 Urban Body Fitness 500 Amsterdam Ave NE

spa/bath 15 Flex Spa

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991 Piedmont Ave NE 980 Piedmont Ave NE 1077 Juniper St NE 931 Monroe Cir NE

fitness

retail 8 Barking Leather

9 10 th & Piedmont 10 Campagnolo 11 Einstein's 12 F.R.O.G.S

76 4th St. NW

16 G’s Midtown 17 Henry’s 18 Joe's on Juniper 19 La Hacienda

219 10th St NE 132 10th St NE 1049 Juniper St NE 900 Monroe Dr NE

billards/Darts drag dancers leather non-smoking area Patio

When the world throws you Let be your savedandgay.com

Cheshire 23

ansley 21

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BARS 20 BJ Roosters 21 Sequel 22 Tripps 23 Woof's

BARS 2043 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1086 Alco St NE 1931 Piedmont Cir NE 2425 Piedmont Rd NE

Dining 24 Las Margaritas 25 Roxx

1842 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1824 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1510 Piedmont Ave Suite A 2205 Cheshire Bridge Rd

clubs 28 Heretic 29 Tokyo Valentino

2069 Cheshire Bridge Rd 1739 Cheshire Bridge Rd

Fitness 30 Gravitee Fitness

2201 Faulkner Rd NE

Spa/bath 31 Manifest 4 U 42 The Den

32 Midtown Moon 33 Felix's 34 The Hideaway 35 Mixx 36 Oscar's

2103 Faulkner Rd NE 2135 Liddell Drive NE

1492 Piedmont Ave NE 1510 Piedmont Ave NE 1544 Piedmont Ave NE 1492 Piedmont Ave NE 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

Dining 38 Eclectic Bistro

Retail 26 Barking Leather 27 Southern Nights

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1600 Piedmont Ave NE 1425 Piedmont Ave NE

Retail 39 Boy Next Door 1447 Piedmont Ave NE 40 Brushstrokes/Pleasures 1510 Piedmont Ave NE

Fitness 41 Equilibrium Fitness

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Mary's Sister Louisa’s Church Swinging Richards Lips Atlanta The T

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MIDTOWN

EAST ATLANTA, GRANT PARK Retail & EDGEWOOD MIDTOWN MARY’S

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marysatlanta.com

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306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

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CHESHIRE

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1400 Northside Dr NW

ANSLEY

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Dining

BOY NEXT DOOR MENSWEAR

FRIENDS NEIGHBORHOOD BAR

MIDTOWN

1447 Piedmont Ave NE

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306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE

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991 Piedmont Ave NE

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THE T

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1077 Juniper St NE

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Fitness

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G’S

CHESHIRE

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HERETIC

HENRY’S

2069 Cheshire Bridge Road

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465 Boulevard SE

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TRIPPS

900 Monroe Dr NE

MIDTOWN

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FLEX SPA

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woofsatlanta.com

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THE HIDEAWAY 1544 Piedmont Ave NE

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38 | 10.30.19

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Halloween at The River’s Edge

Leather Weekend

October 18-20

October 25-27

Text your Peach Pits to 540-30-PEACH, or e-mail mikkel@PeachATL.com

Me: He actually served cake with all the candles

I’m so single right now that if I stood on a cliff and shouted “I love you”, my echo would reply “I just want to be friends”

To the person who lost one shoe on the side of the highway: Please tell me what the rest of your life is like.

Him: How brave! How many candles?

Him: Just 29? Come on!

Me: … on the piece I was served!

Bulking season is here and I am happy to report that this booty is on duty!

I was like ‘whatever bitches’ and the bitches whatevered

Was going to start a new gym membership today, but here I am eating chips in bed

DADDY JOKE ALERT Why couldn’t the bike standup by itself? It was two tired.

42 | 10.30.19

Sorry boys, but I have already got my eyes on a guy who’s not interested.

ARIES (MAR. 21 - APR. 19) If you’ve been planning a long trip by air, you might doubt whether you should continue with your plans.

Money might be the issue. Be aware that your fears may run away with you. The situation may be more secure than it appears. You might want to attend a class or lecture, perhaps on computer science or some other technology. As with the vacation plans, try to view this objectively.

TAURUS (APR. 20 - MAY 20) You might feel too overwrought to concentrate on whatever goals you’re trying to reach, particularly if they’re financial. Past issues might crop up at inopportune times but will still need to be released.

If you aren’t careful, this could get in the way of just about anything you need to do. Keeping cool is the most important thing to remember.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)

GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN. 20)

Financial issues might have you and your partner a bit more on edge than you need to be. Perhaps money is tighter than usual right now, and you have to put off purchases you want to make. Try to work it out. This is a great week to reach a compromise in just about any touchy situation, because you should be in just the right space to see both sides of any issue.

You tend to be pretty self-assured, but self-esteem issues dating from long ago could resurface. You might feel like a schoolchild called on to recite.

This could cause a few snags in your relationships or interfere with your effectiveness at social occasions. Try to remain objective. Don’t lose sight of who you are. Don’t let old insecurity interfere with your effectiveness.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21) Your intellect is flying high this week. A number of new ideas, perhaps about political or social issues, might excite your curiosity and cause you to want to spend hours in the library or on the Internet.

Mundane tasks still need handling, however. This might be frustrating, because it takes you away from your quest.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19)

CANCER (JUN. 21 - JUL. 22) You might feel a bit bloated and slow, which could interfere with your daily routine. You might not feel like exercising, but it’s important that you do it anyway. Moving the body can clear your head and put you in the proper frame of mind to get on with your day. It can also help purge your tissues of all the excess toxins you got over Halloween weekend.

LEO (JUL. 23 - AUG. 22)

Your imagination is working overtime this, and you might spend hours at a computer writing or in front of an easel or piano creating your own brand of painting or music. This drive to create comes from the heart and shouldn’t be ignored no matter what other issues come up. Take care of whatever needs to be handled and then follow your inspiration. You may be surprised at what you produce!

This week your job or another activity could require your artistic skills for a particular project. You may not be used to this, so it could throw you into a bit of a panic. There should be others around who can collaborate with you, so you will be all right. A tendency to be overly emotional could interfere with just about anything you try. Stay centered.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)

VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEP. 22)

A conflict between your responsibilities to family and obligations to friends could rear its ugly head this week. You might want to attend an event but need to deal with emotional issues in the home immediately. It could be difficult to keep a cool head under these circumstances. If you can, you should find a way to satisfy your family and go out.

Step back and be objective!

A subject of interest that you’ve been pursuing could bring up some deeply buried emotions this week. You might want to retreat into your mind and try to make sense of it, although analyzing it intellectually may not be the answer. Avoid emotional confrontations. Things might be said that shouldn’t be said, and they won’t be easily forgotten.

PISCES (FEB. 19 - MAR. 20) Dissatisfaction with certain job conditions might come to a head this week. A discussion with colleagues might be necessary to defuse a potentially explosive situation. Clear, honest communication is necessary in order to avoid misunderstandings. Try to remain objective. Don’t let your emotions take control. Things will work out to everyone’s satisfaction.

LIBRA (SEP. 23 - OCT. 22) This could be a confusing week for you. Financial issues might be complicated by computer glitches or failures in communication. Keep pushing, however, and whatever you’re trying to straighten out will be resolved. An opportunity to participate in a project you’ve never tried before could have you doubting your abilities. Believe in yourself and then move ahead. There’s a first time for everything!

By Mikkel Hyldebrandt Trouble in the love department? With sex? Or just people in general? Send us your queries, questions, and problems, and you’ll get answers served straight up and with a little ice.

I have a kink or fetish that has only gotten stronger the older I get. I get very aroused in locker rooms. I am turned on by the nudity, by the potential of voyeurism and exhibitionism, and the chance of someone checking me out. I have engaged in mutual masturbation with other guys, but I am starting to think about how my peeking could be perceived as non-consensual or even perverted. I guess I do feel a little ashamed that I find it difficult to contain my excitement as soon as I start to get undressed to shower at the gym. How do I unpack this?

Sincerely Locker Room Fantasy Sincerely Locker Room Fantasy It makes no sense to ask you to stay out of the locker room because it is good for you to shower after a sweaty workout, and being naked is 100% acceptable in a locker room. So from that perspective, you are doing nothing wrong.

Besides, those guys trying to get in and out of their underwear while being wrapped in a towel are so awkward. Add to that the fact that most men’s locker rooms are their own little universe that is often somewhat erotically charged, and things can get a bit confusing. In your case, you seem to have pretty good bearings as to who is into what. Whatever you do, go slow, and even though verbal consent is likely not given, you can discreetly signal that you want to be looked at: eye contact, a slightly open shower curtain, a quick stroke, et cetera. There is nothing wrong with a little mutual sexual chemistry as long as others aren’t inconvenienced by it.

And of course, if you engage in public sex (yes, masturbation counts too), be aware of the fact that there can be consequences that range from being banned at the gym to actual legal trouble.

A while ago, I went through a nasty breakup with a complete asshole of a guy who turned out to actually live with another guy in a relationship.

After the breakup, I hooked up and dated other guys, and during my last checkup, I came back positive for HPV. I have alerted all current partners and even those from a while back except for him for two reasons: number one is that he is a lying SOB and probably won’t tell his partner, and number two because I think he deserves it, so maybe his boyfriend will find out what a douchebag this guy is! I don’t want to talk to him at all, and he won’t take this seriously. What do I do?

Sincerely STDo Something Dear STDo Something You have already disclosed your STI status to a lot of people that even go beyond what is recommended. Your holdup with your ex is understandable because he will likely not disclose anything to his current boyfriend anyways. Given the fact how prevalent HPV is so widespread, you could easily let this one slip by, but it seems like your own moral struggle with this is pointing you towards disclosing your status to him – at least for the sake of his boyfriend whom I hope is getting regular checkups like you are. Yes, your disclosure to him may mean trouble for their relationship, but even if he doesn’t say anything to him, the truth is bound to come out somehow, right? So do the right thing, even though this guy was a liar to you – this is not something you should withhold from him.

NEED ANSWERS? REACH OUT TO US, AND YOU WILL GET THEM! SEND YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS TO OUR EDITOR AT MIKKEL@PEACHATL.COM.

46 | 10.30.19