Peach v2 i20 issuu

Living Is Easy

Home Renovations You Can Afford Midcentury in Midtown Del Shores: The Truth and Its Characters Punk Rock Beauty Queens

CONTENTS MAY 16, 2018

V2-20

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From the Editor Sure, a home, house, or abode is basically about having a roof over our heads.

But as we all know, the basic functionality of having that roof is far from what it means to having a place you call home. We do so much more than mere function to make our living spaces places where we fell good and safe. A living space has an emotional level to them.

In this issue we talked to interior designer, Jason Andersen, about how you can update your space on a budget, we get guided to vintage shopping, and we visit a mid-century marvel in Midtown.

We also have a fresh interview with playwright Del Shores who visits Atlanta to perform his new one-man show, new columns, and much more – so sit down, preferably in your favorite living space, and enjoy the magazine!

Jason Andersen Scott King Jamie Kirk Branden Lee Tyler Scruggs Gregg Shapiro

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The Marquee Club at the Fox The architectural marvel that is the Fox Theatre is adding another gem to its many incredible spaces. The Marquee Club opens on May 17, and the $10 million expansion is the largest one-time revitalization effort of the Fox Theatre since its 1929 grand opening.

The membership-based Marquee Club footprint includes the northwest corner of the building that was previously leased retail space and features 10,000 square feet of premium Moroccan-styled event space, including enhanced food and beverage service within the club’s five stationary bars.

Members will enjoy the Club’s multi-level interior and climate-controlled rooftop terrace overlooking Atlanta’s famed Peachtree Street, offering public access to the Fox Theatre’s roof for the first time in nearly 50 years.

IIndividual, Corporate or Broadway Across America membership tiers offer year-round access to the Marquee Club in association with ticketed events at the Fox Theatre.

Memberships range at $600-$6,000, but ticketed guests may purchase Marquee Club access passes for select events. Marquee Club access passes are limited and may be purchased on a first come, first serve basis on designated shows via the Fox Theatre website.

For more information, visit foxtheatre.org/marquee-club.

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BEDROOM DECOR THAT WILL RUIN YOUR HOOKUP

By Branden Lee

Branden Lee is a writer and actor now living in Atlanta. Follow Branden on Twitter and Instagram @Brandeness and watch him on his YouTube channel SexxxPerTease.

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Some people put in a lot of effort to set the mood for their hookups. They may prepare by lighting candles, dimming the lights, or making a sexual playlist to set the mood. Others, on the other hand, can get it on behind a dumpster and couldn’t care less about the ambiance of the surroundings. If you do care about your home decor and don’t want to kill the vibe of your hookups, here are some items to avoid having on display in your bedroom.

1. NO FAMILY PHOTOS. No one wants to look over and see a picture of grandma, your parents, or your kids during sex. Keep family photos out of the bedroom.

Bedrooms are for artwork or photos of yourself, but certainly not your loved ones.

2. NO DIRTY DISHES, TRASH, DIRTY CLOTHES OR GROSSNESS Always clean up before you have company. That’s usually ingrained in children before any family function hosted at your home. It’s a major turn-off to get in someone’s bed, and there are crumbs everywhere. Dirty dishes by the side of the bed. Trash across the floor.

Avoid this nastiness, because it’s an ultimate turn-off to look over and see a roach

or ants coming to join your soiree because of the filth.

3. NO PETS Pets are cute when you first enter someone’s house. As long as they’re friendly and well behaved. It’s natural to love your pet sleeping in bed with you, but pets shouldn’t be present during a hookup. No pet smells.

No pet hair. Worst of all no pets looking at you while you’re getting it on.

Animals can get jealous, and you don’t want to have to worry about one attacking you or judging you while you get it on with their owner.

else that’s been there before. It can be off-putting to know the guy you’re hooking up with is promiscuous, and you’re just the hookup of the day or even hour.

So just remove all traces of the previous person if they were that recent.

Clean up old condoms or lube spills.

Spray something to clear out the smell of sex. Make each hookup feel like they’re special.

4. NO REMNANTS OF YOUR PREVIOUS HOOKUP It’s ok to be sex-positive and hooking up with someone new every day if that’s your thing. As long as you’re safe. Just it’s a turn off to enter someone’s room, and then see the condoms or smells of someone

peachATL.com | 11

Midtown MidCentury Marvel

William Bedgood took interior design cues for his condo from the moment he moved into the Windsor building on the corner of Peachtree and North. The building that overlooks the Fox Theatre and most of Midtown was built in the 1960s, and William’s condo is filled with midcentury modern pieces and accents that either date back to or take design leads from the era.

Plush but linear couch, Mouille-inspired wall sconces, and a Knoll coffee table sets the mid-century mood for the room.

(Pictured Below) A mid-century media credenza paired with a modern lamp is a great match.

(Pictured Right) Zoe the cat’s favorite hangout is the Eames chair with the cowhide.

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Accent pieces found at flea markets and vintage shops underline the mid-century mood plus adds personal touches to the dĂŠcor.

A perfect find – these original Knoll chairs were on the curb in Midtown, and all William had to do was take them home and have them re-upholstered.

A calming, gorgeous view of the Fox and most of Midtown.

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peachATL.com | 15

Home Renovations You Can Afford

By Jason Andersen Home renovation shows have trained us to believe that anyone can do anything and that everything can be done on a shoestring budget. This is not reality. Unfortunately, real shiplap is surprisingly expensive to buy and install properly, and not all of us have amazing hardwood floors waiting to be discovered under decades-old carpet. Really great interior design done by a professional is expensive - worth every penny, but expensive nonetheless. So, now that I’m done bursting your bubble, I will give you a few tips on moderately inexpensive and often less thought of improvements that you can do now to make your space cool, personalized, and that will leave your friends envious.

Paint Yes, this one is obvious and inexpensive. But, please give up your accent wall. That screams late 90’s, and you can do better. When choosing a palette for your home, I like to find either a fabric, a photograph, or picture that is visually appealing. Color is visceral, and you very quickly know if something hits you the right or the wrong way. Take that inspiration piece and pull out two or three of the neutral colors as your base - and yes, this can include white.

If the inspiration has some strong colors in it, pick one or two. Now compare those to your neutrals.

Look at different combinations and see which one makes you smile. That’s how you know you’re on the right track. The less advanced version of this is to use Pinterest and find an interior that you like and pull the colors from there, but let’s try the advanced move first.

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Now, what do you paint? Walls right?

Well, yes and no. If your walls need an update, then paint your walls in one of the beautiful neutrals you just selected.

Now here’s the twist: Your room is probably made up of walls and floors, but also ceilings and doors! These are the two most neglected areas for a paint refresh. Most people think that they should default to white. Think a dark color on your ceiling makes the room seem short? WRONG! It actually raises your perception of the height of the ceiling because it isn’t reflecting light back to your eyes. In my own home, I don’t’ have a single white ceiling. My bedroom has white walls and a dark blue ceiling, and it feels like it is twenty feet tall. Similarly, painting your doors is a great inexpensive way to make your space feel custom. Go ahead, try it. It’s just paint!

Texture All successful interiors have texture and all successful interiors layer that texture. Whether it is wallcovering, then several fabrics, and then some great accessories, each can bring visual interest through pattern and shadow.

Now the tricky part is how do you get that on a dime? Well, interesting accessories can be found all over. Flea markets, antique stores, and even big box stores have great affordable accessories, don’t worry I won’t tell anyone where you got it. Wallcoverings and fabrics are definitely harder to come by, especially if you can’t sew (me included). But it can be done. There are thousands of easily attainable premade pillow covers and wall hangings on the internet. Some of my favorite places to get them are Amazon (yes, I’m serious) and Society6.

Go take a look; you’ll be surprised what’s out there if you look.

Hardware

Wallcoverings can be exorbitant. A trick I love to use is putting wallcovering on the back walls of a bookcase or entertainment center. You get all the bang of a full wall without the expense. There are many pre-pasted wallpapers and even removable options to make this an easy install. Another great inexpensive option instead of wallpaper is burlap.

Yes, burlap. It comes in a range of colors and is easily installed. It could go in the back of those bookcases, or it can wrap a wall panel. For as affordable as these options are, you can afford to experiment.

Society6 Pillow Case, $30 Society6 Wallcovering/Art Print, $28

Society6 Pillow Case

Ok, so this one is a broad topic and not always affordable. But if you live in a condo, you probably don’t have so many doors that it would be completely impossible to get a fresh look with new door handles. If you don’t want to get new ones, get a can of spray paint. But please makes sure you prep the handles: Use high grit sandpaper to rough them up a bit, and then a liquid deglosser to really make the paint adhere. Lightly spray until you cover all the knob and let it dry between layers. Matte black is super hot right now. And don’t forget the hinges!

Cabinet pulls are another great way to freshen up a space with little cost and commitment. And since they are the jewelry of the room, they are a great way to show your personality. I love to get mine from Anthropologie, but there are definitely other great places to find them.

CB2 Hex Knobs (Several Colors), $5 pcs.

Schlage Bowery Matte Black Door Knob, $28

CB2 Hex Knobs

Schlage Bowery Matte Black Door Knob

Jason Andersen is an architect/interior designer specializing in hospitality, residentialand multi-family design. www.officeadersen.com

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Beautiful Vintage Home Décor - On A Budget

By Tyler Scruggs

Whenever I buy something, I ponder the story. It’s just who I am. I think about where I am, how I’m feeling, and what sort of significance can be attributed to whatever I’m obtaining. I say, give everything you have emotional significance, and you’ll have a conversation piece that reminds you that you’re home. In Atlanta, we have some of the best vintage shopping and antiquing in the nation simply because our city is so much older and contains rich cultural significance. I’m from the west coast, where the cities themselves are not much older than a hundred years old. Here, the buildings are nearly as interesting as the stuff they contain. If you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for the best deal around, cause anything else will break the wallet, and that ain’t cute.

Transporter Vintage and Retro

Desperate Housewares

Perhaps this store doesn’t totally qualify as an interior decor shop, because it’s essentially a vintage toy store. What makes this Little Five Points retro stop special though is the wide variety of 70s and 80s toys you can adorn your home with instead of generic Funko Pop figurines that can dangerously approach tacky as the multiply. It doesn’t take long to go through the store’s selection, making it a hardly disappointing quick stroll through. Walk in with a list of 5 cartoons from your childhood that you adore, and walk out with a handful of knick-knacks that will add personality to your home.

For some, though, that drive may be too much. In which case, Desperate Housewares right in the heart of Old Fourth Ward can scratch a similar itch. Beautifully curated, this shop carries much of the same sort of fun kitsch you’d expect from the name, with equally reasonable rates and customer service.

1154 Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

Highland Row Antiques

628 N Highland Ave NE Atlanta, GA 30306 A personal favorite of mine, Highland Row Antiques is an underground trove of treasures that will entertain you and a date for hours as you sip iced coffee. With many caverns and rooms to explore, there’s no telling what you may walk out with. Best of all, their curated selection is usually quite reasonably priced. It’s hardly ever crowded, and even when people are around, it’s so widespread that maneuvering and snagging items is seldom difficult. Like I said, take a date here.

Retro Rescue ATL

1516 Municipal Pkwy Douglasville, Georgia 30134 That’s not to say that antiquing dates should be reserved to Highland Row! If you and your beau are willing to make the trek out to Douglasville (leaving plenty of time for chit-chat and showing off your pristine music and podcast taste), Retro Rescue ATL has some super interesting, kitschy stuff. While it’s a tad unpolished, in exchange there’s authenticity and great prices. Lifehack: use UberXLs to lug large furniture items for a semi-reasonable rate.

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241 Boulevard NE Atlanta, GA

Decades Antiques & Vintage

1886 Cheshire Bridge Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30324 Many consignment shops carry mid-century modern furniture, but at Decades off Cheshire Bridge, it feels like their specialty. Their Instagram presence is well-crafted and un-annoying, and the furniture nearly speaks for itself as customers rush online to see what surprises are in store for them. I wish Instagram was a friendlier outlet for chronological, rush-to-the-shop sales, but Decades does a pretty good job of making sure their social presence is well-managed.

Scott Antique Market

3650 Jonesboro Rd SE, Atlanta, GA 30354 Finally, if you’re looking to pre-plan a whole day to antiquing, you’re gonna want to go to Scott Antique Market.

Running for a single weekend a month between March and December, this massive multi-building market could be where you find the next great thing in your home.

There’s food, tons of $5 parking, and there are plenty of worse ways to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Tyler Scruggs is a writer and musician living in Atlanta with his partner Mark. When he’s not churning out internet content, he’s paying too much for coffee and buying movie tickets weeks in advance. Follow him on Instagram @Scruggernaut and Twitter @TylerScruggs - or on Scruff (you’ll know it when you see it).

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peachATL.com | 19

The Truth and Its Characters – an interview with Del Shores By:By Mikkel Hyldebrandt

Playwright Del Shores will be in Atlanta to perform his one-person show ‘Six Characters in Search of a Play’ on May 20th at Out Front. Before the performance of his oneman show, Shores will host special talk-back sessions following the new spin on his classic comedy, “Sordid Lives” playing May 19th and 20th at Out Front Theater. He will also host a screening of his latest film “A Very Sordid Wedding” the afternoon of the 19th, also at Out Front, in association with Out On Film. Peach caught up with the busy playwright to talk sordid reality and being alone on stage.

Photo: Mat Hayes, Jason Grindle

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Following the performance of “Sordid Lives” at Out Front on May 19th and 20th, you will host special talkback sessions after the show. How do you feel about the out-of-the-box diversity casting of this latest production of your classic play?

I’m beyond excited. When Jacob Demlow (director) contacted me about his brilliant idea, I didn’t say yes, I said HELL YES! I made a few line alterations to accommodate the casting. I’ve had two of my other plays cast with African-American casts in Los Angeles, and they were fantastic. But this is a mixed cast, the family is black, as well as the bar brothers, “Wardell” and “Odell.” I’m giddy!

Your one-man show Six Characters in Search of a Play’ portray six characters based on real life or real-life encounters. Tell us a little about some of them?

Yes, the premise of the play is that these are real people, who have inspired me, but I haven’t placed in my plays, films or TV shows yet. You get them first, and I prove once again, I’m not really a writer, I’m a story-telling thief! In 85 minutes, the audience will hear the truth behind how I collected these eccentrics and their stories as I portray my sometimes funny, sometimes touching, off-the-rails encounters with them. The audience will meet “Yvonne”, the anti-vegetarian Dallas waitress; “Sarah”, a Trump-hating elderly actress with an inhaler in one hand and a cigarette in the other; “Jimmy Ray”, the evolving, Magic Mike-loving latent Georgia redneck; “Loraine”, the once-brilliant drama teacher who has lost her damn mind and is now obsessed with porn; “Marsha”, the monkey-hating lesbian with COPD; and “Aunt Bobby Sue”, the racist Republican with a heart of gold.

How (or what) do you draw from your personal experience when writing?

Honestly, it’s just part of my fabric, my make-up. I have always been that person who loves to observe and collect. I cannot help myself. So beware, if you meet me, you may inspire a character in one of my projects!

And of course, as a Southern Baptist preacher’s kid, my damage fuels my work.

You obviously enjoy writing comedic material – how is it to be on stage performing it yourself?

There is a line in this play – “Nobody is a bigger fan of my work than I am.” I love performing my material, my lines, my characters. I love hearing the laughs and also the sniffles because there is one character that takes us into drama. To tell you the truth, learning this play – because it is completely scripted and memorized – was very difficult. I write messy. The way I feel people really

talk. Actors love my dialogue, but they do often complain about how hard it is to memorize. My characters go off on tangents like we do in real life, so it’s in linear. But when you have it down, it’s so much fun to perform. I’m having a blast now, but I’m not going to lie; Del the actor was cursing Del, the writer in the rehearsal process. And my director Emerson Collins, who I’ve directed many times, made me keep my own rule about “say the words as written.”

How has your material evolved from “Sordid Lives” to “Six Characters in Search of a Play”?

I think as artists we are always evolving and hopefully growing. “Sordid Lives” was written in 1995 and came to life on stage in 1996. It was my coming out play. It was my first time to really write uncensored, not giving a shit about what my family thought, what the critics thought. It was truly a big breakthrough in my writing, and since, I feel that my work is devoid of fear in what I write. (I mean, read my Facebook page and Twitter feed!) The response of “Sordid Lives” from audiences, from my LGBTQ community, gave me so much strength to be that outspoken artist and activist that I’ve become.

I speak my mind, my truth, in real life and in my work.

Why is your native Texas such a huge inspiration to you?

I write what you know! I love Texas and Southern characters. They are my dirt.

I’m proud of my heritage and will always be connected and inspired by my state and the South and the people there.

What else has Del Shores going on right – besides touring with a one-man show?

I have some TV shows in development with my producing partner Emerson Collins (who directed “Six Characters”). I also have a new play called “This Side of Crazy” which is thrilling me as I write it.

You’re going to see a lot of Del Shores projects in 2018 and 2019 – and beyond. I’m not even close to being done!

Anything you’d like to add?

Just that I’m so grateful to Atlanta. I have amazing fans and friends in this amazing city, as well as great partnerships with Out Front Theatre and Out on Film. Big thanks to Paul, Jacob and Jim and Craig! And Atlanta - please come see “Sordid Lives”, the screening of “A Very Sordid Wedding” (I’ll be at “Sordid Lives” on May 19th and 20th and the afternoon screening of “Wedding” on the 19th, as well as my own show of “Six Characters” on the evening of 20th! And thanks for supporting theatre, LGBT films, and my work. So grateful!

peachATL.com | 21

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Terrence is a proud sixth-generation Atlanta native. In addition to living in Atlanta, he has lived in Washington D.C. (for undergrad) and in Lausanne Switzerland while working for the International Cooperation at the International Olympic Committee.

He has an extensive vintage T-shirt collection and maintains a 150+ pair shoe collection. In addition to living the most boring single life, he finds passion in four things: food, travel, the arts, and trivia. He is currently single, and you can follow him on Instagram @superterrence.

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Out of the 80s and 90s

By:Gregg Shapiro

Beloved by adults and children alike, Grammy-winning band They Might Be Giants, led by John Flansburgh and John Linnell, are known for its delightful wordplay and catchy melodies. TMBG’s 1989 hit single “Birdhouse In Your Soul” is one of the best examples of this. The good news is that after 20 studio albums, including the latest one, I Like Fun (Idlewild/Megaforce), TMBG hasn’t lost its ability to entertain us while giving us something to think about.

If you’re one of those gays whose awareness of singer/songwriter Joe Henry is limited to the fact that he’s married to Madonna’s sister Melanie then you are missing out on something worthwhile. Henry, who has been a recording artist for more than 30 years has just released his new album Thrum (Ear Music) and it ranks among his very best.

His brand of atmospheric Americana works well on songs “The Dark Is Light Enough”, “The World of This Room”, “The Glorious Dead”, “Now and Never” and “River Floor”.

While the name Lee Ranaldo might not be as immediately recognizable as co-founding Sonic Youth bandmates Kim Gordon or Thurston Moore, the exalted guitarist has been releasing solo albums for more than 30 years. While Ranaldo plays both electric and acoustic guitar on Electric Trim (Mute), don’t expect to hear anything that sounds like Sonic Youth. Most of the songs feature lyrics by novelist Jonathan Lethem, and include standouts such as the rhythmic “Uncle Skeleton”, the Sharon Van Etten duet “Last Looks”, the experimental pop of “Circular (Right As Rain)”, and the title track.

Winners of a Best Rock Song trophy for its song “Run”, from Concrete and Gold (RCA), at the 60th annual Grammy Awards, Foo Fighters deserved the honor because the song “rawks”! In fact, Foo Fighters has been rocking consistently for more than 22 years. However, there is plenty onConcrete and Gold to set it apart from what’s come before. Having an album co-produced by Greg Kurstin has its pop perks, especially when he brings his Bird and the Bee cohort Inara George along to sing backing vocals on the fantastic “Dirty Water”. The psychedelic “The Sky Is a Neighborhood” features vocals by Alison Mosshart of The Kills and The Dead Weather fame. “Arrows” is launched by a loud/quiet/loud bow and “Happy Ever After (Zero Hour)” might be the all-time prettiest Foo Fighters song ever.

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A

single disc compilation of three EPs released by Belle and Sebastian in 2017, How to Solve Our Human Problems (Matador) has the distinction of also echoing some of the dance-oriented energy that made 2015’s Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance such a pleasure. In other words, after 20 years, Belle and Sebastian are still find ways to keep their devoted fans interested and engaged. One of the few recent albums to successfully grab our ears right from the start, opens with the marvelous and rhythmic tunes “Sweet Dew Lee” and “We Were Beautiful”. The smart dance party continues with “The Girl Doesn’t Get It”, “The Same Star”, “Poor Boy” and the marvelous “Best Friend”. Longtime fans need not worry, as song such as “Fickle Season”, “I’ll Be Your Pilot”, “A Plague on Other Boys” and “There Is An Everlasting Song”, remain true to the spirit of early Belle and Sebastian.

In 1994, before he reinvented himself as the tatted leader of pop/soul unit Maroon 5, Adam Levine fronted a power-pop outfit called Kara’s Flowers. In spite of a major-label deal, Kara’s Flowers wilted.

A few years later, Adam and KF band-mates Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick formed Maroon 5. Sixteen years and six studio albums later, only Levine, Carmichael and Madden remain (along with Matt Flynn, James Valentine, PJ Morton and Sam Farrar) on Red Pills Blue (222/ Interscope). Not veering too far from the formula that made Maroon 5 what it is, the band is joined by guests including SZA (the clubby “What Lovers Do”), Julia Michaels (“Help Me Out”) and A$AP Rocky (the downtempo “Whiskey”).

Back in 1997, when she was still known as Stacy Ferguson, when she was one third of the female trio Wild Orchid and dealing with a meth habit, Fergie probably never imagined the path her life would take.

Joining the Black-Eyed Peas in 2003, marrying Josh Duhamel in 2009 (later separating in 2017) and having a son in 2013. She launched a solo career in 2006 and had a few hit singles, including “Big Girls Don’t Cry”. Eleven years later, Fergie’s second album Double Dutchess (Dutchess Music/BMG), finally arrived. Buoyed by the rapid-fire first single “M.I.L.F. $”, Fergie once again attempts to strike a balance between her hip-hop and blue-eyed soul worlds with mixed results.

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peachATL.com | 31

Punk Rock Beauty Queens Or How to Be Beautiful and Weird Like It Ain’t No Thing

By Scottx King

A year after I went through puberty, my mom bought me my first guitar. It was a good investment. All my inarticulate rage, anxiety, and hormones went into that poor little acoustic instrument. I strummed hard.

I wanted to be Kurt Cobain. Or so I thought. It was a sign of the times. In the summer of 1994, I picked up a copy of Live Through This, the sophomore LP by an up and coming new wave band called Hole. That summer, I sat in my room and listened to the album over and over and over again. I couldn’t believe that such a beautiful, hypnotic, mercurial piece of art existed. I had had a few guitar lessons with a teacher who thought alternative rock was for people who couldn’t play. A friend from school taught me how to use power chords, how to move my left hand up and down the fretboard and play the basics of pretty much anything.

I locked myself in my room that summer and learned how to rock out on the geetar by strumming along with deceptively subtle and disturbingly wistful anthems like “Miss World,” “Rock Star,” “Gutless,” and, last but not least, “Violet.”

When I get what I want, I never want it again. Nothing could be further from the truth. I couldn’t get enough.

Once I got the hang of living through Live Through This, I moved on to more difficult guitar crossword puzzles, like those found on R.E.M.’s Automatic For The People. That was another album I couldn’t stop listening to at the time. I was kind of a pussy.

Those black and white photographs of Michael Stipe tho. He was such a beautiful, dirty angel. With his hat turned backwards and eyes closed in the cool, cool surf, Stipe was an icy icon I could never dream of emulating. For some reason, Courtney seemed more familiar. That was who I wanted to be. Not her shabby husband, Kurt. Whatever happened to him?

I wanted to BE Courtney Love, but I still wanted to be ME. So I applied the lessons of her stardom and artistry to my own quotidian reality. I sang bitchy songs 34 | 05.16.18

about my best friend while he was standing right there beside me in our band. Some of them were really good. It was cathartic. It was art.

What does all this have to do with being yourself and letting the chips fall where they may? From what I read in the red tide of ink that has been spilled about that generation’s influence, those artists were inspired by those who came before them to create something greater than themselves and their inspirations. It’s called art. It’s called having a voice. Of a generation.

Or just in general.

You can sing your voice by wearing a beautiful Kurt t-shirt. The one where he’s smoking a cigarette while flamboyantly displaying his purple nail polish. Or you can take a page from his book and flamboyantly display YOUR purple nail polish. Everyone is unique. Even your soul twin is unique. Every moment the world is new. Every coat of paint shines like diamonds.

Years later, I discovered Tupac. His bright smile, his knowing playa’s grin, his prosaic sense of narrative.

Pac has inspired me to live from the heart, full of love and life and mischief. And to know that tomorrow may be the last day, but it won’t be the last adventure.

And come on seriously gurl he dated Madonna. She wrote him love letters that are about to be auctioned off. Get hip.

Kurt, Courtney, Stipe, and Pac. All four of my peeps were visionaries. All four are also my primary style icons. My fashion style is what I call Rough Trade Comfort Glamour Stud. My lifestyle? I call it Fuck It Hon Just Love Me. Can you dig?

Scott King’s milkshake brings all the boys to the yard. He could teach you, but he’d have to repeal and replace. Scott King is, like, a really smart person.

ATLANTA’S MOST ANTICIPATED GRAND OPENING

Being Single Sucks

By Jamie Kirk

1. It’s Expensive

I am all for living alone but paying an electric bill alone, paying the cable bill alone, buying brunch, having drinks on Sunday Funday, and ordering take-out are all pretty expensive when you are single. There’s also the expense associated with blind dates. And these activities always come with the pitfall of the lame date with the everpopular line of: “I never do this, but I left my wallet at home, I’ll pick it up next time” wink wink; and lo and behold there never seems to be a next time.

2. No One to Listen to Your Complaining

Traffic, SEC football, the Falcons, Monday chest day at LA Fitness, car troubles. You can tell the dog or cat, but they kind of just look at you and think “I hope your crappy day is not going to impact my dinner time.” Even if you’re watching a TV show, you don’t have anyone to share how bad the storyline is or how bad the amateur singing contestant is doing. You might find yourself talking to the TV or shouting about the refs at a football game. But if your neighbors find out, you could see yourself being un-invited to the next pool party at the clubhouse.

3. Social Media/Smart Phone Overload

When you are single, you have messages going out, coming in, tagged photos, friend requests, MMS messages, and Google events. Add to this mayhem all of the dating sites, log-in’s, passwords, Instagram, LinkedIn, apps for your phone and even old-school regular email. It is just too much to keep up with. Your head spins from all the messages. But as a single person, you have to be available to respond at a moment’s notice.

The ethos of “no message shall go unreturned” can get pretty tiresome.

4. You Have to Listen to the Word WE

When you are single, it never fails that everyone you know is dating or a “we.” That is: “we” love this, and “we” love that, and “we” went on vacation. Even if you have close friends that are miserable (like you were in

36 | 05.16.18

Let’s just jump right into it, I don’t care how much you try and convince yourself that “I love my freedom”, “I love not having someone to answer too”, or “I am just not the relationship type”.

For most folks, none of these are true.

Believe me; there are a ton of reasons and crappy moments why being in a relationship sucks donkey dick! Way too many to recite in this limited space.

And there are an equal number of reasons why being single is challenging.

However, in the spirit of this article, I cut down my “being single sucks” list to my top five reasons. Maybe another day in the not so distant future, we will do the top five reasons for being partnered or not single. But let’s just go with the flow for today.

your last relationship) and you both decide to exit; why is it that the friend suddenly decides to “work things out,” leaving you high and dry. When you are single you feel like you walk in alone and the music stops and everyone gives you that “poor thing” look. Of course, you are not alone because everyone has a few good friends and family. All the same, it sure can feel like you’re alone.

5. You Feel Like a Loser

Let me be clear: you are not a loser. But when you reach a certain age you feel like you should have a partner. You sense you should be living in a highrise with your partner of X number of years, you should have “in-laws,” you should be buying quality food and fixing big dinners on Wednesday night to watch “Modern Family.” You should have all these things instead of the usual fare of fish sticks and Organic Truffle Cheddar Chips from Trader Joe’s. You know what? All of these “shoulds” we place on ourselves make us miserable.

Because we feel we “should” be in a relationship, we feel a bit overwhelmed and frustrated when we are not.

Obviously, every situation is different, and every person has reasons for BEing in a relationship and every person reasons for BEing single. It is not about what others deem as acceptable, or someone else’s list of “things that suck.” Whatever you decide for yourself has to work for you. Don’t pay attention to someone else’s “shoulds” or someone else’s “ Top Five Reasons Being Single Sucks” list - present company included.

Create your own life path, your own process and march to the beat of your own music. That’s the only way true happiness will ever stumble upon you. The funny thing about happiness is that it doesn’t require, suggest or even care if you are single or in a relationship, happiness just cares that you just BE. Jamie Kirk works for a software company and is a certified spinning instructor. He also enjoys yoga, swimming, bicycling and running. He aspires to start a blog about what we put in our bodies not only fuels our body but our mind and spirit as well. Follow Jamie on IG @tysonsdad

conttt at 1 pm dooo open at noon

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May 16 - May 23

La Choloteca: Ley De Latinx

Shade Beer Bust 2018

Kick off your summer with Latin-inspired beats and tacos from El Ponce. DJ sets by Brian Rojas (Deep South), Esme, La Superior, Nena Linda, Santiago Paramo, and Juampasoul.

The Shade Explosion volleyball team is throwing a beer bust with their sponsor, Woofs, to raise money for the team’s trip to 2018 NAGVA Championships in Minneapolis over Memorial Day Weekend. $10 all-you-can-drink beer plus $1 Jell-O shots!

Thursday, May 17, 10:30pm-3am MJQ Concourse

STAFF PICK!

Saturday, May 19, 4-8 pm Woofs

Deep South presents Jasmine Infiniti DJ Jasmine Infiniti will headline another edition of Deep South. The New York native blends dark and industrial sounds with breakbeats to create a unique and highly danceable soundscape. Opening sets by Robert Ansley (Deep South/Cardio) and Beyun.

Saturday, May 19 The Music Room

The ManShaft: Military Gear Edition

DRENCH

Strap on your gear and get ready for some serious manto-man combat. Expect bulging camos, fatigues, dress blues, combat boots, berets, flight suits, dog tags, furry chests & faces, sirs, cadets, POGs, grunts & you soldier!

A-ten-hut!

GAGA and #IAmMidtown present the first edition of Drench – the W Downtown pool party with a purpose.

Drinks specials and DJ sets by Neon the GlowGoBear and Ron Pullman – sign up to become GAGA member and get free access to the pool party at gagapac.com.

Saturday, May 19

Sunday, May 20, 1-6 pm

The Heretic

W Atlanta Downtown

38 | 05.16.18

YAPPY HOUR AT TRIPPS PHOTOS:Kevin Bennett

40 | 05.16.18

“Your Neighborhood Bar” Thank you to our loyal customers for making Tripps 1st Yappy Hour a Barking success.

We raised over $7,500 for the Humane Society of NEGA! The puppies & kittens Thank you!

Don’t forget bottled water at Tripps is $1 per bottle.

The entire $1 goes to HSNEGA for the remainder of 2018. mondays customer appreciation all drinks $1.00 off

highlighted happenings fridays tuesday wednesdays

texas hold’em 7pm

randell’s home cooking free food w/drink purchase

Jeremy Presents skin 4pm - 2am no cover

sundays brunch @1pm w/ drink purchase

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t ha nks T H A N KS TO AL L OF OUR F RIEN DS A N D S P O N S O R S! S EE Y ’AL L N EXT YEA R !

ATLANTA PRIDE FESTIVAL Oct. 13-14, 2018 | atlantapride.org

CINCO DE MAYO WITH GUAC Y MARGYS 2018 PHOTOS: Sher Pruitt

44 | 05.16.18

As a part of our mission to help friends keep friends, we are opening our doors in 2018 to anyone needing to get their pet vaccinated and heartworm tested.

Not only is this a great deal for you, it is also a fundraiser for PALS Atlanta!!

Vaccine Clinic Pricing Full veterinary exam - FREE Dog or Cat Rabies Shot - $15 Dog or Cat Combo Shot - $15 Bordatella vaccination (dogs only) - $15 Heartworm testing (dogs only) - $25 Full year supply of heartworm medication AND a full year of flea/tick preventative - $100 (requires current negative heartworm test)

peachATL.com | 45

SmartCare Welcomes Dr. John Destito as Our New Medical Director.

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ZOCALO CINCO DE DRINKO PHOTOS: Sher Pruitt

PLEASE CHECK OUT FACEBOOK AND OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE PHOTOS 48 | 05.16.18

SUNDAY MAY 20TH

EXTRA INNINGS

4PM - 7 RAFFLES LIVE DJ FUN ON THE PATIO 990 PIEDMONT AVE NE ATLANTA, GA 30309

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clubs 28 Heretic 29 Jungle

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Fitness 30 Gravitee Fitness

2201 Faulkner Rd NE

Spa / bath 31 Manifest 4 U 42 The Den

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Midtown Moon Felix's The Hideaway Mixx 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 37 Cowtippers 38 Eclectic Bistro

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BULLDOGS

465 Boulevard SE

MARY’S marysatlanta.com

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SISTER LOUISA’S CHURCH sisterlouisaschurch.com 466 Edgewood Ave SE

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MODEL T

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893 Peachtree St NE

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MY SISTER’S ROOM

991 Piedmont Ave NE

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EINSTEIN’S

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GCB & PLEASURES

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132 10th St NE

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52 | 05.16.18

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10 THINGS THAT WILL UPGRADE YOUR HOME YES, AN ACTUAL ADULT PERSON LIVES HERE!

Headboard for the bed

Dining room table Nice towels

Decent glassware

Sharp kitchen knives

Curtains

A bookshelf

Wall art (framed)

Nice sheets 54 | 05.16.18

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Text your Peach Pits to 256-60-PEACH, or e-mail mikkel@PeachATL.com Illustrations by: Jerel Ely

Asking for a friend: why is gluten-free so awful?

I’m both antsy and unmotivated today. This is not a good look.

Him: You must be Latin Me: Why? Him: That booty!

Me: You must be a farmer

The feeling when you buy something, and it goes on sale the next week.

Him: Why? Me: ‘Cause them corns on them toes, gurl! #bye

It’s difficult when someone doesn’t understand your humor, and you have to finish every sentence with ‘I’m joking’ so they don’t cry.

New license, renewed my tag, voted, and had my car washed. Friday #adulting

Ok! They now have NutterButter and ChipsAhoy doughnuts at Krispy Kreme! I F**KING GIVE UP!!

Where other cities are laid out like a grid, Atlanta streets are like f**k you, you don’t know where you’re going!

Was I out of town when spring passed through Atlanta? It’s 87 degrees outside!

56 | 05.16.18

ARIES (MAR. 21 - APR. 19)

LIBRA (SEP. 23 - OCT. 22)

Your lucky drink for today is: Coke. Be playful at heart and you’ll reap the reward of having more friends under the age of 30. Like an infant, your needs are pretty basic this week and you have a simple way of articulating them: screaming at the top of your lungs.

It’s OK to be wrong, Libra. If you find you’ve made a mistake, feel free to admit it. Don’t let your ego stand in the way of progress. The future holds many fantastic and wonderful things this week. However, many of them, if not all, exclude you in their plans.

TAURUS (APR. 20 - MAY 20)

SCORPIO (OCT. 23 - NOV. 21)

When in danger, you have a tendency to run away quickly. Harness that ability this week, as you’ll need it sometime during the weekend. Ignore those who laugh at your sense of style. Don’t let the little stuff grab you by the horns and yank you around, but also try not charging at every red scarf waved in your general direction.

This week is a good time to listen and receive as opposed to deliver information. Let things stew in your head for a while before you make any major decisions.

Overall you just need to slow down and back off a bit.

People are drawn to your intensity…just let it happen naturally.

GEMINI (MAY 21 - JUN. 20)

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22 - DEC. 21)

All the yearnings you have will all of a sudden find explosive release this week. Find something this week where you can use your excellent interpersonal skills, and you’ll be communicating all the way to the bank.

Your mental ability could be rather sluggish and lazy this week. It could be that you aren’t feeling as sharp as you’d like. Something will stir your memory and it may take a few days for you to resolve your sense of deja vu.

CANCER (JUN. 21 - JUL. 22)

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22 - JAN. 19)

Morale boosts are for needy geeks - you’re as hard as nails and neither require nor deserve any praise. Be mindful this week as every innocent comment is not a back-handed remark. Loosen up and come out of your shell Cancer!

One of the important lessons of the week for you is to remember that emotions are powerful things to recognize and honor. Don’t discount your feelings. In fact, it’s most important that you embrace them with your whole being. You are on the verge of a massive breakthrough.

LEO (JUL. 23 - AUG. 22)

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20 - FEB. 18)

Don’t take everything you have for granted this week. People are there in support of you. You may have done something wrong, but your bed is made, lie in it. Fall asleep for a while. Spoon the pillows. Yes, that’s it. Relax. Being king of the jungle is hard work for an Atlanta Leo.

There’s work to be done this week, but there’s no shame in procrastination. Delay tasks as long as you can and the results will be better. Someone may call you on certain behaviors. It could be that your aggressive nature rubs someone the wrong way and they simply don’t have thick enough skin to take it.

VIRGO (AUG. 23 - SEP. 22)

PISCES (FEB. 19 - MAR. 20)

Find your strength in conversations in which you display your keen insight into the situation at hand.

Communication skills may falter this week and you’ll be as transparent as a blast of canned air – try to be more complex by wearing hats that are clearly too small for your head.

Remember, his/her sweetness is your weakness. “His/ her?”, yes, we don’t know your sex. Are you a woman?

I really can’t tell. The good news is that your ego and brain are working together, and you may be able to strike a better balance between these two elements of your psyche much more easily than usual.

58 | 05.16.18

WHAT happened was . . .

What Happened Was...

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

I really enjoy watching porn, but I am starting to think it’s too much? I watch some weird and advanced stuff, but when I’m with someone, I have trouble getting off, and I think maybe it’s because the sex isn’t as adventurous as what I get online. Am I watching too much porn?

can take into consideration. Kegel exercises are good because pelvic muscles are linked to the power of ejaculation, so do those along with healthy eating, exercise, and no smoking that are all linked to the sexual health and ultimately better and stronger ejaculations. But again; there are no surefire ways to ensure you shoot like a porn star. You should also consider adjusting or rounding out your expectations to sex, so they are based more in reality and not in some unrealistic pornographic ideal.

Sincerely Screen Sprayer Dear Screen Sprayer It is really difficult to compare porn to real-life sex.

Porn is hyper-erotic, highly theatrical, exaggerated, and staged. Real sex isn’t. Porn is great to enhance your masturbation or even give you inspiration for your real sex life. But porn can also over-stimulate you and impede on the way you think about sex in real life. This kind of over-exposure can make your in-person sex life seem underwhelming by mere comparison – and quite possibly that is what is happening to you right now. It may not be ‘porn addiction’ or compulsion, but you pose the possibility of over-exposure yourself, so that’s what you need to go by. Lay off the porn for a while, or cut back seriously on your consumption, and use your own imagination to get off (you know like before the Internet), and then observe how and if that affects your sex life. It may seem like a lot to give up, but the improvement to your sex life should outweigh your compulsion to watch porn.

When I ejaculate I usually just dribble. But sometimes I shoot all over the place! How can I make that happen every time?

I have learned that apparently, I come off too needy or desperate when I engage in text communication with guys. Basically, we meet in person or online and everything is great until we start texting, and I seem to scare them off at some point. How do I send texts that are not needy?

Sincerely SMDH Dear SMDH As a rule, you should treat others the way you want to be treated when it comes to online/text communication.

But as you know, there are a lot of games when it comes to texting. In your case, it seems there is a bit of ‘over-communication’ where signals are lost on you. If a guy is interested, he will text you back and be ready to communicate – if not, there is no reason to engage in more communication, because that does come off as needy or overly aggressive. No one owes you a response, and sometimes no response is answer enough for you. So instead of engaging in a texting game after meeting someone you like, use that energy on meeting in person, which is a much better way of gauging whether or not someone is into you. If there is a spark and your interaction is great, that’s all the communication you need!

Sincerely Shoot Like a Porn Star Dear Shoot Like a Porn Star There aren’t any foolproof ways to make you shoot instead of dribble. But there are a few things you 60 | 05.16.18

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

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