5/22/19 V10i21

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Begins in center

may 22, 2019 vol. 10 // issue 21

WMG

Furever friends The pet edition SFGN dedicates an issue to the paws that make our house a home Begins on page 14

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NEWS highlight

SouthFloridaGayNews.com

Planned Parenthood of South Florida now offers

Hormone Therapy to Trans Patients Denise Royal

P

“Now that South Florida services are available, it’s going to help kids like me who didn’t have the chance before.”

- Joey 17-year-old receiving hormone therapy

Co-Publisher • Norm Kent Norm.Kent@sfgn.com

Co-Publisher • Pier Angelo Guidugli piero@sfgn.com Associate Publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com Art Director • Brendon Lies Artwork@sfgn.com Digital Content Director • Justin Musial Webmaster@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kerri Covington Graphic Designers • Adam Turner • Char Pratt Arts/Entertainment Editor • JW Arnold JW@prdconline.com Social Media Manager • Tucker Berardi tberardi@ufl.edu Food/Travel Editor • Rick Karlin Gazette News Editor • Sallie James HIV Editor • Sean McShee Senior Photographer • J.R. Davis JRDavis12000@hotmail.com

Senior Features Correspondents Jesse Monteagudo

Correspondents

Dori Zinn • Donald Cavanaugh • Christiana Lilly • Denise Royal • David-Elijah Nahmod

Contributing Columnists

Dana Rudolph • Ric Reily • Terri Schlichenmeyer

Planned Parenthood sign.

Photo: Denise Royal

Associate Photographers Carina Mask • Steven Shires

Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida. “We lead with the commitment for compassionate and inclusive care and really see that the transgender community is desperately in need of support and solidarity.

Like many other allies, we step into this space with pride to provide reproductive health care to this community.”

Joey (last name withheld), a 17-year-old, is a Planned Parenthood volunteer who is undergoing hormone therapy. He said Planned Parenthood provides a safe space for trans people, regardless of their age.

“Now that South Florida services are available, it’s going to help kids like me who didn’t have the chance before,” he said.

“That’s exciting for me, them, and their families, and it just causes this domino effect of good.”

Appointments with specialists like OBGYNs could include cancer screenings and

MEMBER

annual gynecological exams for a patient born as a female who identifies as male who may have trouble finding a provider or have lost health care because of discrimination.

Planned Parenthood is also training staff on how to better serve the trans population, including helping patients better manage routine reproductive checkups and screenings that may be emotionally uncomfortable.

“The thought of having an appointment with an OB-GYN can cause a lot of fear and anxiety in trans people, which is what we try to avoid when we transition,” Joey said.

“Going in for sexual reproductive health care is already intimidating enough. The experience is amplified when you’re walking into a space that you just don’t know how they’re going to receive you. That’s really important as a health care priority for an organization like ours.”

For more information or to book an appointment, MEMBER call 1-800-230-PLAN or visit PPsenfl.org.

Cover: Pier Angelo and his partner Tom holding their Dog Cabbage. Portrait painted by Dünny Potter (see story on page 14).

To order your own pet portrait, contact Potter via phone at 206-707-4571, or through his website at ArtByDunny.com.

MEMBER

Associated Press •

2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

Editorial

lanned Parenthood now offers Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT), including Transgender Female Hormone Therapy (MTF) and Transgender Male Hormone Therapy (FTM), and other services for transgender patients in South Florida. The therapy is available at two Miami locations — Golden Glades and Kendall — with plans to expand statewide within the year.

Hormone therapy helps people transition from male to female or female to male so that their anatomy aligns with their gender identity.

This new resource is potentially a tremendous benefit for trans people, who have been historically discriminated against and faced barriers to health care. As a result, many trans people face numerous health disparities as well as stigma, discrimination, and lack of access to quality care.

Planned Parenthood hopes to change that in South Florida.

“We at Planned Parenthood lead with our values,” said Lillian Tamayo, president of

2

@SFGN

May 22, 2019 • Volume 10 • Issue 21

5 . 22.2019

In Memorium

Pompano Bill, 1924 - 2018

Sales & Marketing

For ad placement in SFGN, contact 954-530-4970 Sales Manager • Justin Wyse Justin@sfgn.com Senior Advertising Associate • Edwin Neimann Edwin@sfgn.com Senior Advertising Associate • Clark Rogers Clark@sfgn.com Assistant to the Editor • Nick Adkins Distribution Services • Rocky Bowell, Lee Curtis Sales Consultant • Charles A. Reid National Advertising Rivendell Media 212-242-6863 sales@rivendellmedia.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping Printing by Sun Coast Press

SFGN Winner of & 5 Florida Press Club Awards And runner-up for

NLGJA Journalist of the Year South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community.

All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com. SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs.

Copyright © 2019 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.

MEMBER

5.22.2019 •

3

NEWS miami-Dade Jonathan Welsh.

Photo: www.votejonwelsh.com

Candidate: ‘What happened to Miami Beach?’

John McDonald

J

onathan Welsh wants to know, what said. It’s become more transient and expensive happened to Miami Beach? to live.

“I remember what Miami Beach used “People don’t build roots,” he said. to look like,” Welsh recently said over the The absence of quality wage jobs in Miami telephone.

Beach has created a culture of CVS, Walgreens, In a resort city known for its art deco Starbucks and McDonald’s. hotels and migratory population, Welsh has “We need real jobs, not bullshit ones,” witnessed changing tides and doesn’t like Welsh said matter-of-factly. what he sees.

Welsh said he intends to campaign on rising “I look at Ocean Drive and I say, ‘What the wages and takes the position Miami Beach fuck happened?” Welsh said. “can be the Silicon Valley of the South.”

Fashion is gone and many of Welsh, 38, got his start in Miami Beach’s famed locations community organizing for the have deteriorated sharply in U.S. Peace Corps, working abroad recent years, Welsh lamented. in South Africa. The young gay South Beach neighborhoods along man worked for Sen. John Kerry’s Collins Ave., Lincoln Road and presidential campaign in 2004. He Washington Ave. are shells of their demonstrated his effectiveness in former selves, Welsh said. winning an area of Oregon that “I remember the fashion,” got him sent to the Democratic Welsh notes with a sad sound in National Convention. his voice.

Welsh said he’s gay in a different He also remembers $700 rent. way from South Bend, Indiana - Jonathan Welsh “People are paying a lot more for Mayor Pete Buttigieg, one of City Commission candidate less now,” Welsh said. the leading contenders for the Watching his community go Democratic Party nomination. into decline has pushed Welsh into action. He “The second I open my mouth everyone recently announced intentions to campaign knows,” Welsh said. for a City Commission seat in group five.

Welsh said he has the support of Miami “Things need to change,” Welsh said. “The Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora. He winds of change are blowing. It’s time.” has also disclosed campaign plans to former Welsh’s most recent service in the state Rep. David Richardson, who is seeking a community is the role of communications commission seat in another group. director for Care Resource, a federally qualified Welsh lays out many of his proposals on health center. Care Resource, Welsh said, his webpage, www.votejonwelsh.com. He meets a variety of health and support needs is seeking contributions and busy planning for South Floridians. At Care Resource, Welsh campaign events. has played an important role in organizing “There has to be smarter tourism,” he added Miami’s famed White Party and AIDS Walk. near the end of the conversation. “And I don’t He now wants to bring new life back to a think we are doing that.” struggling city.

There are seven seats, including the mayor, Once the scene of luxurious homes and on the Miami Beach Commission. Candidates thriving neighborhood associations, Miami have until September to file. The election is in Beach has slipped a notch — or two — Welsh November.

“I look at Ocean Drive and I say, ‘What the fuck happened?’”

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5 . 22.2019

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5.22.2019 •

5

NEWS local

Fifth Diversity Honors

Raised More Than $100,000 Damon Scott

Diversity Honors 2018.

Photo via Facebook.

H

arvey Milk Foundation organizers said the fifth incarnation of Diversity Honors was an unmitigated success.

More than 400 people attended the dress to impress and entertainment rich evening at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood on March 30.

Miriam Richter, education director and counsel for the Harvey Milk Foundation, said $102,000 was raised, which does not include the in-kind donations. That’s compared to $80,000 in 2017, according to the Diversity Honors website.

The money, Richter said, is split equally between the foundation and The Pride Center at Equality Park.

“This year surpassed [expectations] on so many levels,” Richter told SFGN. “It’s always been a successful event, but this year the vibe was very different. Everyone there was on point, on the mission, on [the] purpose. I felt that in general the overall feeling for the evening was spectacular.”

Diversity Honors is the sole fundraiser of the year for the Harvey Milk Foundation.

It’s a significant one for The Pride Center as well. The Harvey Milk Foundation founded Diversity Honors. It brought in The Pride

Captain Jennifer Peace and U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Patricia King] on ‘The View’ to ‘Stepped up’ discuss transgender service members in the Food, drink, entertainment, an always military,” Richter said. top-notch décor, and the after party vie for Peace and King have been lauded for the attention of those who buy a ticket, bid their public resistance to the Trump on an auction item and attend Diversity Administration’s attempt to ban transgender Honors. But it’s the people individuals from serving in the being honored who typically military. steal the show.

The Diversity Honors event “They are always wonderful and host Seminole Hard Rock people, well deserving of the Hotel and Casino Hollywood recognition and the honor,” were both mentioned in the Richter said.

TV segment as well.

She said the 2019 honoree At the Hard Rock, Stuart lineup was “stepped up” Milk, the nephew of Harvey with a high-profile national Milk who was assassinated 41 name – Meghan McCain – years ago, emceed and gave out the outspoken co-host of TV the awards. He lauded Meghan show “The View” on ABC McCain during the ceremony.

- Miriam Richter Harvey Milk Foundation and daughter of the recently “Meghan has created a education director and deceased U.S. Sen. John maverick legacy all her own. counsel McCain.

She has been absolutely “Everyone was 100 percent relentless and steadfast as a behind her and she was 100 percent champion of LGBT rights,” he said, adding behind us. She also followed though on that Meghan McCain had been an early her commitment to the community when supporter of same sex marriage and gay the following week she invited [U.S. Army adoption.

Center to be the event’s boots on the ground.

“I felt that in general the overall feeling for the evening was spectacular.”

For previous coverage of Diversity Honors, go to sfgn.com.

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Richter, meanwhile, has worked for the foundation for about a decade. She is also a full-time attorney for the Seminole Tribe of Florida, who she successfully approached five years ago to become the headlining sponsor of Diversity Honors.

At this year’s event, Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz recognized Richter and Pride Center CEO Robert Boo with certificates of Special Congressional Recognition.

Other stars of the night Others honorees included Florida Democratic Congressman Ted Deutch, whose District 22 encompasses the city of Wilton Manors; Phil Wilson, who served as AIDS coordinator for the city of Los Angeles from 1990 to 1993; and Tony Lima, executive director of SAVE, a longtime advocacy organization.

The Alan Schubert Award of Excellence (Schubert was the founder of the Pride Center and died in 2016) was given to the entire Wilton Manors City Commission.

Wilton Manors is only the second city in the U.S. to have an all LBGT commission – Palm Springs, California, was the first.

Walter Sherman

Our Fund Foundation supports projects that serve the LGBT community in a number of different fields

Everyday Philanthropist As South Florida’s only LGBT community foundation, Our Fund Foundation improves peoples’ lives by providing various ways to give, and supporting causes within the LGBT community.

Every month we will feature a local philanthropist and ask them about what inspires them to give, hopefully inspiring new everyday philanthropy. For our first feature, Walter Sherman, long-time supporter, shares how he and his husband give of their time and resources to support South Florida LGBT causes:

Where are you from, and where do you consider home?

I was raised in Ohio, lived in New York City and Nice (France), and moved to Wilton Manors from Indianapolis 8 years ago.

When did you first begin giving, and what inspired you to do so?

What was the first organization you gave to?

The first organization that I was prompted to give to was an Episcopal Church congregation. I don’t think that I was “inspired” to give as much as I learned in the Church about giving back and the richness that one receives in return for one’s generosity.

Which causes and organizations do you support with your time and resources?

My husband, Rick, and I have supported many local organizations in the fields of the arts, HIV prevention, and faith-based institutions. I’ve also given of my time at local schools and churches friendly to the LGBTQ community.

What do you find most rewarding about giving to the causes you care about?

I especially enjoy supporting arts organizations because I think that the arts nourish our humanity and are a wonderful, creative influence on our lives.

What sort of guidance would you give to someone considering giving back to their community?

Give what you can and as much as you can. If you’re able to offer some time to an organization, then do that as well. It’s a wonderful way to fulfill the desire to feel needed and to meet other like-minded people! I have found that the more I give, the more I receive.

youth elders women transgender hiv/aids arts & culture social justice Our Fund’s mission is to promote responsible philanthropy in order to make South Florida the most livable community in the country for LGBT people.

Legacy giving agency funds donor-advised funds business partnerships

To learn more about how you can support Our Fund’s mission to support agencies advancing LGBT causes in South Florida, visit us at www.Our-Fund.org or call us at (954) 565-1090

Join us next month for our Grant Reception honoring grantees for our spring cycle! Visit Our-Fund.org for more information.

5.22.2019 •

7

NEWS white house watch

Buttigieg Schools Fox News John McDonald

E

ntering a conservative media realm, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg revealed more of his campaign for president.

On Sunday Buttigieg appeared on Fox News.

The town hall program was hosted by Chris Wallace.

“There’s a reason why anybody has to swallow hard and think twice before participating in this media ecosystem,” Buttigieg said.

Other Democrats have declined to participate with Fox News.

“I won’t do a town hall with Fox News because I won’t invite millions of Democratic primary voters to tune in, inflate ratings, and help sell ads for an outlet that profits from racism and hate,” U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts tweeted May 14.

Founded in 1996 by Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Fox News has been a bastion of conservative political programming and controversial opinion hosts. Buttigieg specifically called out hosts Tucker Carlson and

Pete Buttigieg.

Photo via Facebook.

Laura Ingraham for their sensational coverage of immigration. Carlson has called immigrants dirty while Ingraham has compared detention centers where children have been put in cages to “summer camps.”

Meanwhile, candidates continue to throw their hat into the ring to challenge sitting President Donald Trump. New announcements on the Democratic side include Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. A check of the FEC website shows Rocky De La Fuente as the nearest challenger to Trump in his own party. De La Fuente, a Republican from San Diego, California, ranks No. 16 among all contenders with $1.4 million raised.

White House Watch is a weekly column taking a look at the state of the 2020 presidential election.

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Palm beach datebook Saturday, June 22 18th Compass Annual Stonewall Black and White Ball, 7 p.m. to midnight Harriet Himmel Theater 600 South Rosemary Avenue, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401 This special night benefits Compass Community Center and celebrates the important contributions of this year’s honorees who work hard to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community.

Every year, the Ball raises funds for Compass’ fundamental programs and services, including the youth and HIV/ AIDS services.

Art After Dark Fridays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Norton Museum of Art 1450 S. Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach View an exhibition, attend a talk, participate in an art activity, enjoy a performance, concert, or film, sip cocktails, and dine in the museum’s elegant new bar and restaurant. Free admission. Visit Norton.org.

Coming Out Support Group Thursdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Compass GLCC, 201 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth Get support as you explore your sexual identity and be your true self. Call Forrest at 561-479-8313.

Palm Beaches Prime Timers Second Saturdays at 3 p.m. at Compass GLCC, 201 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth An active fraternal and social organization dedicated to bringing together mature gay and bisexual men for friendship, activities, support, and personal growth for the best times of our lives. Free. Call 561-533-9699 or visit CompassGLCC. com.

STD Testing and Flu Vaccinations First Thursdays from 3 to 6 p.m. at Compass GLCC, 201 N. Dixie Highway in Lake Worth The Department of Health comes monthly. Call 561-5339699 or visit CompassGLCC.com.

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert Thursday, June 13 to June 30 at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Avenue, Fort Lauderdale. Based on the smash-hit movie “The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert,” the blockbuster musical adaptation is a heartwarming, uplifting adventure of three friends and performers in a Sydney-based performing trio who agree to take their show to the middle of the Australian outback.Tickets $47 to $60.

Visit BRowardCenter.org.

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PALM B EA C H

news

Compass To Host Annual ‘Equality Prom’ For LGBT Youth Zachary Winograd

A

s the school year comes to a close and summer begins, high schools across the country will be hosting senior proms to celebrate their graduating seniors. However, prom season can cause anxiety for some LGBT youth, since many schools can restrict same-sex couples from participating in the teenage rite of passage.

That’s why Compass, the LGBT community center in Lake Worth, is planning to host its annual Equality Prom, a free event for LGBT youth in South Florida to celebrate themselves and their peers on May 24. Compass’ Youth Prom Committee’s fundraising efforts and donations provided by the community have helped bring Equality Prom to life each year since 2013.

“Equality Prom provides a fun and affirming environment for LGBTQ-plus teens that are often not allowed to attend prom as their authentic selves or bring the date of their choice,” said Amanda Canete, Compass’ youth program director.

“Compass hopes to provide an accepting and fun-filled night that teens will look back

upon as an important milestone in their formative years.”

According to Compass’ website, the event is open to both allies and LGBT youth and is aimed at high school students.

According to Compass’ website, the event is open to both allies and LGBT youth and is aimed at high school students.

Canete hopes that the event will put LGBT youth at ease and connect them with other LGBT youth in South Florida.

Another goal is to connect the youth with the many resources Compass provides the community with to help them stay connected, safe, and accepted, Canete said.

The theme for this year’s prom is Galactic Gala and will feature food, dancing, and fun.

The Equality Prom is open to all LGBT youth in South Florida and is free for participants.

Those wishing to attend should sign up at 2019Equalityprom.eventbrite.com.

The event will be held at Compass, which is located at 201 North Dixie Hwy, Lake Worth, Florida, 33418 on Friday, May 24 from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m. And, of course, be sure to dress to impress.

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Dr. Gardere founded OMAC with the view that a person’s health and well-being is greater than the sum of their parts. Unlike most medical doctors (M.D.), practitioners at OMAC spend a significant amount of time in the initial consultation with a patient, to get to know them and their physical, mental and emotional health. “It’s like how a painter would never look only at a single tree to paint an entire landscape,” says Dr. Gardere. “You need to study the whole picture to be able to see how all elements flow in harmony with one another.”

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With the distinction of being a neuromusculoskeletal specialist, Dr. Gardere’s expertise lies in manually restoring function in the body by applying gentle manipulations with his hands. Rather than focusing only on the affected parts of the body, neuromuscular manipulations are intended to restore whole body wellness and balance. Practitioners at OMAC are not just focused on achieving health where it was once lost, but on keeping people healthy in the long term.

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5.22.2019 •

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spirituality

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hrist Lutheran Church…only five weeks ago was filled with people, with shouts of “Alleluia,” the fresh scent of lilies and other spring flowers. Music filled the air as organs and trumpets played while voices called out, signifying a sanctuary filled. Now, five weeks later the question arises, here at Christ Lutheran Church, as it does elsewhere…where did everybody go? You see, it’s not unusual for churches to fill with celebratory sound and image and crowds, to lose some of that following the festival.

As the pastor at Christ Lutheran Church, this leads me to consider two different strategies: Firstly, make sure that the members of the congregation

are aware that, for instance, Easter is seven weeks long. The other strategy is to intentionally turn to those outside the congregation and with the invitation, indeed the plea: WE NEED YOU. That rings throughout the season, that in all the cries of Alleluia, you are welcomed as we are! And we want you. We want you to be a part of our community. We want you to join us in singing praises and lifting up our voices. We want you, those who have felt undesired and unwanted in other communities, there is a place for you here.

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PRIDE ALL ARE WELCOME SFGN is here for you, no matter who — or what — keeps you going. Check out the Spirituality Section each week to stay in touch with your local religious LGBT community. The only requirement? Be yourself.

SEE MORE ONLINE AT SFGN.COM/TABLE/NEWS/RELIGION

5.22.2019 •

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PETS Special Section Local Gay Artist Specializes in Memorializing

Your ‘Furry’ Ones Damon Scott

S

outh Floridians love their pets. And they are willing to spend a pretty penny on them, too.

Above: Art by Dünny Potter.

Right: Dünny Potter.

Photo credit: Dünny Potter, via Facebook.

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That’s part of the reason why pet-centric businesses from boutiques to big box giants do so well.

Wilton Manor’s Dünny Potter got linked up with Chewy.com after a friend said they were hiring artists to paint pet portraits.

Potter did a sample for the company and they liked it.

Chewy.com is an online retailer of pet food and pet items. It’s owned by PetSmart, which is headquartered in Dania Beach.

Potter said he started doing three or four pet portraits a week at first. It’s been two years and he’s up to about 10 a week. Dogs and cats are the top request, of course. But Potter has painted a pet snake or two as well.

“The main thing for me is that now every little [pet portrait] I do is practice and fun and can be applied to the other artwork I do,” Potter said.

Potter grew up in Medellín, Columbia, and said he was always surrounded by a lot of creativity.

His childhood home had art on the walls and there were encyclopedias on everything from Egyptian art to modern art.

Potter’s dabbled in oil painting and other formats and was part of a cooperative with Russian and Ukrainian artists. He paints a variety of nudes featuring men as well.

The former Boeing engineer has been tutoring clients in South Florida in math and Spanish in recent years, but said the increase in business with the pet portraits has him thinking he might be able to drop the tutoring all together at some point.

“The goal is after the school year is over I’ll go up to 20 [pet portraits] a week,” Potter said.

He serves as a general contractor with chewy.com.

Besides Chewy Potter also does commissioned pet portraits.

The basic canvas size is six inches by six inches and the cost is $60 for acrylic and $100 for oil. Potter does the paintings in his

“One of my main things is to reach out to people locally. People love their pets out here.”

Dünny Potter Artist residence in Wilton Manors.

“Once I get the eyes and the nose, the expression, I can be more liberal with it and have more fun,” Potter said.

The process usually begins with an image the customer sends to him.

“People like to have a portrait of their pet and find it very enduring,” Potter said.

“There are moments people will cry when I give them a painting. It’s a way for people to have their pets immortalized.”

As an artist, Potter is connected to The Pet Project in Wilton Manors. He’s donated to them and given them art to auction off.

The Pet Project provides a variety of services to pets looking for a home in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties.

“One of my main things is to reach out to people locally,” he said. “People love their pets out here. I’m going to push it more this summer.”

And ever the creative one, Potter said he even has ideas to merge pet portraits with his other art.

“I want to do something different and unique. I’ve thought about a ‘gay men and their dogs’ theme. Not sure how that’s going to look yet though,” he said.

For questions, contact Potter via phone at 206-707-4571, or through his website at ArtByDunny.com. See examples of his pet portraits on his Instagram page at @paintedfurbydunny.

PETS tiny bites

Homo Pets

Pier angelo

I

f you’ve ever had a pet, you may have wondered if your dog or cat can be gay.

You may have seen your dog mount another pup at the dog park — or watched as your cat seemed only to groom her female litter mates while ignoring her brothers.

Since house pets don’t often couple up with a significant other, these questions may just be speculation. However scientists and anthropologists are paying close attention to the possibility.

Same-sex behavior has long been noted in animals of many different species. In 2014, the BBC reported on a pair of male Humboldt penguins who raise orphaned eggs together at a zoo in Kent, England.

Scientists often study two things when trying to determine whether animals can be gay: exclusivity and longevity. Exclusivity considers whether these animals are participating in sexual relations only with members of the same sex. A study in the “Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology” journal found that about 8 percent of rams appear to mate exclusively with other males, but

Photo credit: IstoletheTV, via Flickr.

domesticated sheep seem to be the only nonhuman mammal with deliberate same-sex mating behaviors.

Other animals, such as Japanese macaques, bottlenose dolphins and bonobos (one of our closest primate relatives), mate and cuddle with partners of both genders, notes the BBC — exhibiting more fluid behavior that is closer to what we would call bisexuality.

So can dogs be gay? Can cats be gay? The jury is still out.

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SFGN Staff

Fido may not be able to read these, but thankfully you can

Books for furry friends 16

PETS Special Section

Nop’s Trials

Don’t Label Me

Flash’s Song

In true Jack London fashion, McCaig’s novel stars a canine protagonist. Nop’s titular trials come at the hands of a couple of dognapping goons, and the narrative follows both Nop and his owner as they strive to be reunited. It’s exciting, it’s heartwarming—and it’s, thankfully, back in print after too much time away.

Raised to believe that dogs are evil, Irshad Manji overcame her fear of the “other” to adopt Lily. She got more than she bargained for. Defying her labels as an old, blind dog, Lily engages Manji in a taboo-busting conversation about identity, power, and politics. They’re feisty. They’re funny. And in working through their challenges to one another, they reveal how to open the hearts of opponents for the sake of enduring progress. Readers who crave concrete tips will be delighted.

Flash defied a veterinarian’s grim prognosis, taking a promised three weeks to live and defiantly stretching it to a series of months.

A moving memoir about love and grieving, Flash’s Song shows how animals—even a tiny dachshund—can give us a great appreciation for everyday blessings.

By Donald McCaig

Using research and her own imagination, Woolf tells the story of the couple’s marriage from the perspective of their beloved pet.

By Irshad Manji

The Dog Who Came to Stay

By Hal Borland

This foxhound mutt appeared on a Christmas night, howling behind Hal Borland’s Connecticut house. Nobody would claim little Pat, so—in classic dog story fashion— he claimed Borland’s heart.

Colter

By Rick Bass We meet a runt that nobody else wants, and watch him turn into a remarkable dog that has a remarkable impact on his owner.

Bass’ skilled prose ensures that Colter reads like a classic rather than a story full of clichés.

By Kay Pfaltz

Flush

By Virginia Woolf Yes, the Mrs. Dalloway author did write a novel about a dog! But it wasn’t just any dog—it was Flush, the cocker spaniel owned by famous poets Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Using research and her own imagination, Woolf tells the story of the couple’s marriage from the perspective of their beloved pet.

The Call of the Wild

By Jack London

The main character in Call of the Wild is a dog, Buck, who is kidnapped from his California home and pressed into service in Yukon at the height of the Klondike Gold Rush. London’s short and beautiful novel is less about the relationship between dogs and humans than it is about dogs themselves, but Buck’s toughness and nobility serve to remind us why dogs make such rewarding companions in our own lives.

PETS Special Section

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Pets were never high on my parents’ list. They saw them as superfluous, expensive, useless, an encumbrance.

My introduction to the wonder of dogs came 8 years ago from my husband, a dog lover, who also showed dogs for many years on the various circuits.

When we decided to get one my life changed in an instant.

She was 8 weeks old, a black furry ball of 3.5 pounds and fit in the palm of my hand.

Flat face, rabbit ears, moist nose, huge brown eyes aimed at me. Warm as toast, butterysoft, I tickled a fuzzy chin, a pink tongue shot out, and one of the rabbit ears flopped over.

The puppy began licking my fingers.

I brought her closer to my face and she tongued bathed my chin. I rubbed her belly.

She jutted her mandible in response. Licked my fingers some more, made a throaty sound closer to feline than canine, and pressed closer, looking at me with those lovely brown eyes. She nuzzled my cheek, purred some more, butted until her little head was buried under my chin. Squirming, she finally found a position she liked. Closed her eyes, fell asleep, softly snoring.

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family. The three of us have been inseparable ever since. Growing up and getting older together.

And now I understand what all the fuss is about. They just look at you, chewing the bone or holding a toy, the expression gentle, loving and wise.

They are beyond the petty cruelty humans inflict on one another. They seem to be holding the secret to inner peace and at times look at us with gentle pity for our ignorance.

They offer solace in the form of company, understanding us in their quiet manner.

Never complaining, always happy to be close to us, waiting for their breakfast. Or to be let out while watching me patiently through the glass shower door.

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PETS Special Section

Are You Happy as My Dog?

Are You Happy as My Human?

Lincoln

M

y Dad Brian and I have been reflecting on our relationship.

He asked me if I was happy. He asked Carson Kressley the same question.

He asks everyone that question, even homeless people outside Home Depot. “Are you happy?” It’s a good question. It makes you think. “What does it take to be happy?”

“What does it look like to be happy?” “Do you clap your hands, when you’re happy?”

“I’m very happy,” I told him, although, not everything in my life is perfect. It never is until you decide it is, but that requires wisdom beyond my years. My dads do everything they can think of to show me kindness, and love. They watch my health and well-being carefully, and, they’re very patient with my one or two shortcomings.

I think I’m most happy when I see that my dads are happy. When I see them laughing, I laugh. That’s how it works in our house.

Dad Ray is most happy when he sees that Dad Brian is happy, Dad Brian is most happy when he sees that Dad Ray is happy, and they both spend a lot of their day hoping to make sure I’m happy.

For the record, none of us can “make”

Dogs are very good at picking up on human moods, and responding accordingly.

It’s in our DNA. 18

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others happy, and our happiness shouldn’t be dependent on someone else being happy, but, you can do different things for others to contribute to the happiness of their lives, such as licking their face. How could that not make you happy? What else do I do, you ask? I sit in their lap. I’m a little big for that, but no one complains. I lie against them in bed. It makes them feel secure. Me too. I pee and poop as quickly as I can when they’re walking me in the rain.

Wouldn’t you?

Dogs are very good at picking up on human moods, and responding accordingly.

It’s in our DNA. We’ve been doing it since the Garden of Eden. I swear, a dog barked at Eve and growled at the snake. It’s not in the Bible, but there’s lots of true stuff that’s not in the Bible, such as Jesus having a dog. And as was true with him, we’ve been especially helpful with gay men, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender and queer children and adults who struggle with isolation and loneliness.

Go ahead and ask an LGBT adult if they had a pet when they were young. If so, and they begin to reminisce, they’ll eventually remember how important that dog, cat, or horse was to them in feeling total acceptance.

No matter how scary the world seemed to be, we were unquestioningly their constant companions. Your animal companions only cared if you felt love. If you didn’t, we licked, purred, or nuzzled.

I can tell if either of my dads is frustrated, or not feeling well. I’m only two, so my skills aren’t fully developed, but in these situations, I hang back until I get the lay of the land, and then I make my adorable presence felt.

Sometimes, I just strike a pose that should be on a Hallmark card. “Oh, Ray, look at Lincoln.

Isn’t he adorable?” I also use my nose to push their iPads out of my way, and I step up onto their chairs. “Hey, remember me?” Who doesn’t laugh when a dog chases its tail?

We’re not stupid. We know we look insane.

But, we do it solely for you. Consider it a gift from the universe.

Besides being wise and inexplicably adorable, I’m also a trained service dog. My one contribution to my dads’ safety is that when one of them falls, and says, “Lincoln, help!” I know that my job is to run to where

Photo credit: Brian McNaught.

they lie, stiffen my stance, and offer myself as a means of getting balance, and getting up.

And it works. That’s why I get to ride inside the airplane.

My dads watch me as much as I watch them. They want me to feel safe, comfortable, and happy. So, they’re kind to me. I’m never hit, but I know other dogs are. I’m not angrily yelled at despite what mischief I enjoy. Dad Ray takes me for slow walks in the woods, using a walking stick. Dad Brian takes me in the car everywhere he goes. When he runs his errands, he leaves the car running, and NPR on the radio. I know they’re proud of me. I think they may even like me more than any dog they’ve had before. But, I don’t want

them to say that out loud. Their other dogs are still watching and listening.

My dads aren’t young, lonely, gay adolescents. They’re old, wise, mature gay men. I got assigned to them at the end of their lives, but I know the dogs that were on duty many years ago. I’m a reward for lives lived well. I’m a guardian, a clown, a distraction, a responsibility. I keep them feeling younger than they might otherwise feel. The touch of my hair soothes them. A look in my eyes intrigues them. We’re a good match, the three of us. We’re independently happy beings who share our joy with each other, but it does make us happy when we see that the other two are.

PETS tiny bites

Cats in ancient Egypt Cat-headed deity Bastet

number of cat mummies found in Egypt, the cat cult was certainly important for the country’s economy, as it required breeding of cats and a trading network for the supply of food, oils and resins for embalming them.

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ats in ancient Egypt were represented in social and religious practices for more than 30 centuries. Several deities were depicted and sculptured with cat-like heads, representing justice, fertility and power. The deity Mut was also depicted as a cat and in the company of a cat.

Cats were praised for killing venomous snakes and protecting the Pharaoh. Skeletal remains of cats were found among funerary goods dating to the 12th dynasty. The protective function of cats is indicated in the Book of the Dead, where a cat represents Ra and the benefits of the sun for life on Earth.

Cat-shaped decorations indicate that the cat cult was very popular in daily life.

Cat cemeteries were used for several centuries according to archeologists. They contained vast numbers of cat mummies and cat statues that are exhibited in museum collections worldwide. In view of the huge

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PETS tiny bites

FAST FACTS

Dalmatians are born with completely white coats. They develop their distinctive black spots as they get older. No two Dalmatians have identical patterns of spots.

Dogs have a sense of smell that’s at least 10,000 times greater than humans. So when they stop to sniff, it's a way for them to interact with the world outside their home.

Walks provide critical mental stimulation.

The first dog in space was Laika, launched in Russia’s Sputnik capsule in 1957. Laika died a few hours into orbit.

Emperor penguins may all look identical to us but they’re certainly not identical to each other. They find one another in vast crowds using individually distinct contact calls produced by a vocal structure that lets them talk with two voices at once.

Pets are a big business. $62.2 billion in the U.S. alone last year. The humanization of pets is the norm. Day care, camp, sitters, massages, birthday parties, holiday gifts. Custom cribs, designer tots, spa days, handmade toys, gourmet foods. Pets have roles in weddings, get blessed, get baptized, have Bark Mitzvahs‌ and to complete the circle‌ go to therapy.

Just like us.

Give the gift of Dogster Magazine. In each issue of Dogster magazine, you will find interesting and informative features about a wide variety of breeds. ... Dogster magazine provides you with many great ideas for activities that you can do as well as entertainment that all dogs love. You will enjoy reading about ways that you can bond with your pet.

5.22.2019 •

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PETS Special Section

FAMOUS CATS SFGN Staff

Photos (left to right): Disney's Aristocats, Orangey with Audrey Hepburn (public domain), Puss n' Boots (photo via Facebook), The Godfather (image via Youtube).

Breakfast at Tiffany’s The iconic 1961 flick gave us one of American cinematography’s most recognized images—Audrey Hepburn’s high chignon and black cigarette holder. Hepburn earned an Academy Award nomination, but Orangey, an orange cat who played Hepburn’s pet, won his second PATSY Award (Picture Animal Top Star of the Year) for the film. To this day, Orangey remains the only movie star cat to receive the award twice.

The Godfather Marlon Brando stroked a frisky cat in the chilling opening scene of this spectacular 1972 movie about a crime family. Unlike Orangey, this cat was not a professional actor. Instead, director Francis Ford Coppola discovered the animal abandoned on Paramount’s grounds. The cat’s purring obfuscated Brando’s speech, and technicians had to loop in the words later.

CATS IN MODERN FILMS Cats & Dogs A zany 2001 film, Cats & Dogs reveals an epic, sophisticated showdown between cats and dogs whose humans are unaware of the conflict. The filmmakers used talented live animals as well as animatronic puppets and computer graphic imagery to bring the story to life. The movie set new quality standards for the care of animal actors.

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5 .22.2019

Meet the Parents Robert DeNiro and Ben Stiller headlined what was arguably the funniest cast of the year 2000—or perhaps ever. Their dark comic portrayal of a woman’s fiancé meeting her terrifying father spawned two sequels and picked up a slew of awards. A cat called Jinx provided much of the film’s tension. Two Himalayans named Bailey and Misha played the role, and De Niro reportedly adored them.

CATS IN CARTOONS Puss in Boots Antonio Banderas’ portrayal of this (in)famous cat of European fairy tales gained him plenty of fans in Shrek 2.

In 2011, DreamWorks Animation gave Puss in Boots his own film. It grossed $554.9 million at the box office and garnered prestigious award nominations.

Lady & the Tramp No list of famous movie cats is complete without a mention of Si and Am. They were the villainous duo whose antics caused the lovely Lady to flee her blissful home with Jim Dear and Darling. By running away, Lady met Tramp, her one true love, so Si and Am were actually the film’s heroes, if you think about it.

The Aristocats The Aristocats is a 1970 American animated romantic adventure musical comedy film produced by Walt Disney.

The film is based on a story by Tom McGowan and Tom Rowe, and revolves around a family of aristocratic cats, and how an alley cat acquaintance helps them after a butler has kidnapped them to gain his mistress’s fortune which was intended to go to them.

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Photo credit: Viaggio Routard, via Flickr.

Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on T.S Eliot’s Old Possum’s book of Practical Cats The musical tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as the “Jellicle choice” and decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life.

Cats was the longest-running Broadway show in history from 1997 until 2006 when it was surpassed by The Phantom of the Opera.

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f all the warlords of history, none have managed to equal the feats of Alexander the Great, born in 365 B.C. in Macedonia. He led his army in an epic mission of global conquest, creating the largest empire that had ever existed up to that time at the age of just thirty-five.

His greatest victory was against the Persian Empire, the only super power in the ancient world. At the battle of Gaugamela, Alexander scattered his foes, commanding the cavalry in person against the Persian ranks and targeting their King Darius directly.

This highly risky move earned him eternal glory but very nearly cost him his life.

The story goes that, at a certain point, when the battle was at its height, an elephant guided by his enemies was sent against Alexander who, caught unawares, risked being trampled to death by the animal. Fortunately, his powerful dog

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Peritas in his turn attacked the enormous pachyderm, sinking its teeth into the lower lip and hanging from it. His providential intervention gave his master just enough time to get out of the way.

Peritas was not as lucky. When the battle was done the Macedonians recovered his body and paid homage to it with a solemn state funeral.

As for Alexander, he founded a city with the name of his inestimable friend.

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WMG Volume 6 • Issue 10 May 22, 2019

Wilton Manors Gazette Facebook.com/groups/WMGazette

community

Good Luck Cat Cafe Finds New Home Boomerangs will no longer host the popular cat adoption agency

By Sallie James The Good Luck Cat Cafe has come upon opening at its new digs on May 20. The Grand Opening will be from 2 to 5 p.m. on some good luck.

Displaced from its home in Wilton Sunday, June 2.

“We have paid our rent so we are good,” Manors when Boomerangs Thrift Store closed on May 11, the popular cat adoption said volunteer Laura Summers, a Wilton center has reopened for business in Manors resident who runs the adoption center and coordinates 30 volunteers nearby Fort Lauderdale.

The kitty cat adoption boutique has who keep the doors open. “We are still fundraising because begun sharing space with Boomerangs used to Meowingtons, an online donate $40,000 a year to company that sells cat “We are sorry to see a the rescue. It costs a lot to novelties, at 901 Progresso Drive, suite #202. business close on the vet these cats - to pay to have them spayed, pay to “I’m ecstatic about their move into the Drive, however charity have them see the vet, pay have them treated for Meowingtons office. shops are traditionally to illnesses.”

Our company mission of A GoFundMe page helping cats in need aligns … on fringe locations, raised more than $13,500 with theirs, and I think not on main streets." for the cat adoption with our new partnership, center’s new home. The together we can make a - Tony LoGrande chairman of the Wilton Drive volunteer-run non-profit great impact,” said Emma Improvement District has found forever homes Bassiri, Meowingtons for 191 cats and kittens founder and CEO. “I think since it first opened in it’s amazing what the Good Luck Cat Cafe does day in and day June 2016. Lady Luck Animal Rescue out to help the cats get adopted into good provides the cats that are available for adoption. homes.”

Matt LaMariana, president of the High rents, short-term leases, parking problems and construction proved to be Animal Rescue Fund, which operated a death knell for one of the most popular Boomerangs, is the reason the adoption thrift stores in Wilton Manors. The center existed.

LaMariana donated more than adoption center was forced to move after the building owner raised the rent at 2365 $500,000 to rescue groups over the years Wilton Drive. Now the once-busy store, to give homeless animals a second chance which opened in 2011 and developed a using money raised by the thrift store he operated. He also provided the 18-foot by loyal following, sits empty.

The cat adoption center held a soft 18-foot room that housed the Good Luck

Misty the cat at the Good Luck Cat Cafe.

Photo credit: Via Facebook.

Cat Cafe so Good Karma and Lady Luck had a venue for adoptions.

LaMariana had planned to re-open his store in Oakland Park but was blocked by a zoning issue, he said. More than a dozen employees lost their jobs when the store closed its doors.

“I can’t wait to leave Wilton Manors and Oakland Park behind,” LaMariana said shortly before he closed up shop. He is moving to Orlando where he plans to re-open a new Boomerangs and start over.

The location inside Boomerangs was especially attractive because thrift store shoppers would visit the Good Luck Cat Cafe when they spotted the entrance while browsing for treasures. Others found the Cat Cafe online and sought it out. The thrift store

and the cat adoption center benefited from each other’s presence.

Tony LoGrande, chairman of the Wilton Drive Improvement District and a retail branding strategist, has said in the past that stores like Boomerangs did not belong on main thoroughfares.

“We are sorry to see a business close on the Drive, however charity shops are traditionally … on fringe locations, not on main streets,” LoGrande said back in February. “I think this has to do with any main street type area that is attracting higher rents and more complicated terms of business - including less parking because it’s a walkable district. Those don’t usually appeal to transitional businesses such as a charity shop.” WMG

WHAT: Good Luck Cat Cafe WHERE: 901 Progresso Drive, suite #202, Fort Lauderdale WHEN: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday through Saturday COST: Free but donations are accepted

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •2 3 5.22.2019 •

Opinion

WMG On a Slow Boat to China Why are these city projects taking so long to complete?

2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943

By Sal Torre Those of you not familiar with this old saying, the phrase was popularized back in 1948 by the song, “On a Slow boat to China,” written by Broadway composer Frank Loesser. The phrase moved into general parlance to mean anything that takes a very long time.

The idea was that traveling by boat to/ from China was about as long and slow a trip as one could imagine.

Unfortunately for us here in the Island City, this seems to be the preferred mode of transportation for many city projects.

From wrapping utility boxes with local art to wayfinding and entrance signs, it seems like a lot of city projects, long approved and funded, have taken a slow boat from China and have not yet arrived.

The Andrews Avenue redevelopment is another prime example. Over five years ago, the Westside Association made its initial presentation to our city’s Planning and Zoning Board. That presentation laid forth the challenge, calling on city management to make the necessary Land Use and Zoning changes that would foster much needed growth and improvements to aging commercial properties along the corridor. We are still waiting on the completion of just the initial stage, the Land Use changes.

Hopefully the next phase of the process is not far off on the distant horizon coming in on that slow boat from China.

Actually, one does not have to look too far down on the horizon. Just point your gaze past Oakland Park Boulevard to the wonderful road improvements, medians, and bike lanes completed by the county and the City of Oakland Park.

And as your eyes gaze down Andrews Avenue across the border, one will also notice the utility boxes that have been artistically wrapped for more than a year. The City of Oakland Park must have expedited shipping on its projects.

Understandably, the entrance and wayfinding signs might be strategically held at bay while work is completed along Wilton Drive. However, there are many other entrances to our Island City besides the one at Five Points. The wayfinding sign program might actually need to be expanded due to the many drivers cutting through the Westside of town who then get lost in the maze

May 22, 2019 • Volume 6 • Issue 10

Publisher • Norm Kent norm.kent@sfgn.com Chief Executive Officer • Pier Angelo Guidugli piero@sfgn.com Associate publisher / Executive Editor • Jason Parsley jason.parsley@sfgn.com Copyeditor • Kerri Covington

Editorial

Art Director • Brendon Lies artwork@sfgn.com News Editor • Sallie James

Correspondents

Sal Torre • James Oaksun

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of streets that do not directly cut through to Powerline and Andrews Avenues.

Residents have given up hope on the installation of speed bumps and other methods to decrease speeding and cut-through traffic on neighborhood streets full of pedestrians, dog walkers, and bicyclists. The importance of traffic calming is not a recent issue for residents.

This problem is listed as a main objective in the Strategic Plan for our city, dated 2001, “Goal #5 - Objective #1 - Safe Streets - Controlled Traffic Flow - Pedestrian Friendly.” Almost 20 years later and there is still no comprehensive strategy to deal with the vehicular traffic issues that plague our Westside neighborhood, short of the multiple stop signs along NW 29th Street.

Speaking of NW 29th Street, can someone please tell me what happened to the Complete Streets project that was to take place along this stretch of roadway? There is no longer any mention of this project, so I’m guessing it was placed on the back shelf in someone’s office or was lost in transit on that slow boat from China.

Looking back to 2012, the Economic Development Task Force recommended the creation of a “Photo Spot” somewhere along Wilton Drive. Seven years later, and we are still waiting for the “Photo Spot” to arrive on that slow boat from China.

Another recommendation from 2012 was the creation of a Beach Trolley to bring visitors

staying at local beach guesthouses and hotels to the restaurants, bars, and nightclubs along Wilton Drive. Perhaps with funding now available through the penny sales tax for transportation, we should revise this very important possibility for our city. Visitors can enjoy the beach during the day and “The Drive” at night, all without need for parking and increased traffic safety issues.

Island City residents have advocated for many much-needed changes for years. Many of these plans have been voted on, approved, and budgeted. Unfortunately, the process and delivery of these projects have been on that slow boat from China. We need to pick up the pace and start fast-tracking these projects to completion. We have been waiting so long that new residents are advocating for similar projects, unaware that they have been approved and funded, but unfortunately still not completed.

As the next ship heads out to sea, I would like to say Bon Voyage to our past mayor, a city pioneer, a unique legend of Wilton Manors and a friend, King Wilkinson. A dynamic figure in our city for many years, he was always ready to support and assist fellow residents, encourage participation in our municipal government, and give a few words of advice if you stopped

by Red’s Bar seeking some guidance on a particular issue in our city.

Thank you, King Wilkinson, for making life in Wilton Manors just better here.

WMG

Sales Manager • Justin Wyse justin.wyse@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Edwin Neimann edwin.neimann@sfgn.com Advertising Sales Associate • Clark Rogers clark.rogers@sfgn.com Accounting Services by CG Bookkeeping South Florida Gay News is published weekly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor do not represent the opinions of SFGN, or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations. Furthermore the word “gay” in SFGN should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material/columns that appears in print and online, including articles used in conjunction with the AP, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher, at his law office, at Norm@NormKent.com.

SFGN, as a private corporation, reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs.

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Celebrate International Museum Day this Saturday, May 18, 2019 by visiting one (or more!) of the 15 galleries in the Island City.

Photo via the Stonewall National Museum, Facebook.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • www.WMGAZETTE.com • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 24

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2 •

May 22, 2019

Inventory: A WilMa Worry?

Real Estate

By James Oaksun Several days prior to the issue you’re reading, I posted a bit of info on Facebook that I hoped would get some interest (and it did). As of a recent date, the were 76 single family homes for sale in Wilton Manors. (There were another 26 properties with live realtor listing contracts that had not yet closed.) So I wondered – and worried – what is happening to inventory in the Island City, and how did that compare with prior periods over the last several years?

As I have noted before, I calculate inventory a bit differently than does the state, owing to the seasonality of sales here. (When sales volume fluctuates seasonally, in my opinion you need to take that into account when doing an inventory calculation.)

Going back to 2013, I have created the chart

Consequently, the impression in the market was that that was the optimal time to sell.

you see. The straight horizontal line is the average inventory over the entire 6-year study period. The variable (jagged) line is the monthly inventory over that same time frame.

Now, what does it all mean?

First, once we got to 2014, inventory in WilMa became (relatively) stable.

Second, and perhaps more importantly, you will note three pretty serious spikes upward in the last three years. These spikes all coincided with the height of our high season – the month of February.

It’s clear to me what was happening. At that month, people were anxious to get their homes on the market. Prices had dramatically accelerated from the mid-2011 low point, and everyone knew it. Consequently, the impression in the market was that that was the optimal time to sell.

And, if you missed the opportunity in the previous year, or overpriced and could not sell in the prior period, you got the home listed and tried again. Although this time, you may have actually gotten your price, as values continued to appreciate (albeit, generally at lower rates).

In closing, as I noted in that Facebook post I mentioned at the start, just more than half of

the homes currently on the market have had at least one price reduction since the original listing date. I hypothesize that this is a combination of some sellers getting a bit greedy, and some realtors telling sellers what they want to hear in order to get a listing. After all, it’s usually harder to get a listing than to persuade a seller to accept a

list price reduction. WMG James Oaksun, Florida’s Real Estate Geek(SM), is Broker-Owner of New Realty Concepts in Oakland Park. In addition to having degrees from Dartmouth and Cornell, he is a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI).

LGBT COMMUNITY FORUM

Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, memory loss THURSDAY, MAY 23 | 6-7:30 P.M. Dementia strikes 1 in 3 LGBT seniors. Learn more about the disease and support services available. Share your thoughts about how we can help individuals impacted by dementia in your community.

Registration is requested.

Please call our free 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900 or email Alex Lewy at alewy@alz.org to register.

LOCATION: SunServe 2312 Wilton Dr. Wilton Manors, FL 33305

END ALZ 3 •

May 22, 2019

5.22.2019 •

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PETS Special Section

A DOG'S JOURNEY Cabbage

H

istorians and anthropologists say that our relationship with humans started 15,000 years ago when, with the development of agriculture, your forebears became more sedentary.

There is evidence that the wolf was our ancestor and genetic tests have confirmed that we evolved (yes the dreaded “evolution”) from Asian wolves who chose to live near humans. Because we are sociable and gregarious as you are it proved advantageous to both to start living in close proximity to one another.

Wolves found the area around human campsites to be fruitful habitat. In time these wolves helped and protected the tribe, establishing themselves as the first pet dogs.

Their instinct allowed them to fit in with the human family group, assisting in the hunt for larger animals and becoming the best sentinels by alerting their human pack to outside dangers.

Since then we have been playing many roles for you. For some people we are child substitutes, guard, herding and rescue dogs, companions, best friends, guide dogs, hearing dogs, mobility dogs, seizure alert/ response dogs, psychiatric service dogs, and autism dogs.

The list is endless.

We even have our own Elite Corps, the K-9 unit. Many of us have made it to the White House. The relationship you enjoy with us is likely to be one of the most intense, honest and trusting you will ever have with a living thing. We are interested in you simply because you are you.

We are not racist, we are not homophobes, we never vote Republican. Sometimes we sleep all day but we are always there to lick the tears off your face, we inspire you, we make you laugh and we rescue you from the loneliness of being human.

We are always there to defend you from strangers, we can play a never ending game of fetch, and even when you leave us home alone for hours we will jump up and down, wagging our tails, upon your return.

No questions asked. No nagging. That’s unconditional love with a huge dose of devotion. And if you are honest you know

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very well the same cannot be said of friends, associates or family.

The emergence of confident urban gay couples is creating a new sector of dog owners who acknowledge that we add glue to their relationships, a common bond, something that both partners can embrace and care for.

More often than not professional married couples choose a dog over a baby. What can soothe existential unrest the way a dog can?

For all we provide social, psychological and emotional rewards and delighted to do so.

We are also grateful to PETA for all they do but I have to say that sometimes they go overboard. Some fringes of the animal rights movement feel that dog ownership is a form of slavery and should be abolished. What?

Really? But exactly who is the slave here? We just have to bark and we get your attention and are often often rewarded with a treat. We get fed, we get chauffeured to the park to run, smell and frolic with other dogs. You take us for rides in your cars to let us enjoy the wind on our noses. You follow us with your pooperscooper. You take us to the beauty parlor to be groomed. You give us comfortable homes and let us free to roam every room as if we owned them. You don’t even get mad when we chew your Prada shoes or make confetti out of your daily paper. And when the leash is on I am not sure who is walking who.

Church scholars insist that people have souls, and the evidence they give for this is the fact that humans have consciousness and feelings; animals might have the same mechanical systems, they argue, but they

We are not racist, we are not homophobes, we never vote Republican.

do not have a divine spark and, therefore, do not have the ability to experience “true” feelings. Since much of the old day’s science was sponsored by church-related schools and universities, it is not surprising to find that the researchers would not assert the existence of higher levels of mental functioning such as emotions in animals.

To do so might have caused the church authorities to feel that the scientists were suggesting that an animal such as a dog might have a soul and consciousness, and flying in the face of church doctrine could lead to a lot of problems. You have now come to understand that dogs possess all of the same brain structures that produce emotions in humans.

Dogs have the same hormones and undergo the same chemical changes that humans do during emotional states. Dogs even have the hormone oxytocin, which, in humans, is involved with feeling love and affection for others. With the same neurology and chemistry that people have, it seems reasonable to suggest that dogs also have emotions that are similar to yours.

The good news is that you can feel free to dress us up in that silly costume for a party or a photo shoot. We feel no shame, regardless

of how ridiculous we look. As long as YOU are happy, because we feel love for you and derive contentment from your company, and that’s really the crux of the matter, isn’t it? It is easy love, it’s love without anxiety.

The anxiety for the people you love more often than not comes from fear, fear of their reactions.

You are afraid they will hurt you, disappoint you, come short of your expectations, that your emotional investment will crash. With us it cannot happen. We will always be loyal.

We will not judge you or leave you one day because we are tired of you or because we have found somebody younger, richer, better looking. We teach you that joy, happiness and the capacity to love is not the exclusivity of human beings but of all living things.

And when the end is near you treat us even better than your fellow men. You allow us to die with dignity by gently putting us to sleep.

For that we are immensely grateful.

Woof Woof.

P.S.: my favorite place to be groomed and to frolic with other dogs is Wilton Manors’ Doggie Day Care where Alan & Josh treat me like a queen!

PETS tiny bites

51 pounds of love

Tiki

Beautiful Tiki (ID 613134) would love to go home with you. This three year old, 51 pound gal is good with kids ages three and up and she gets along with other pets, although we would recommend a doggie meet and greet with her. Tiki enjoys going for walks, loves to be with people and is curious, gentle and calm.

Can she be part of your family?

The adoption fee for dogs over 6 months is $125 and felines over 6 months are $30. When you adopt from the Humane Society of Broward County the dogs and cats are spayed or neutered, microchipped, receive preliminary vaccinations, cats are feline leukemia tested, and dogs over 7 months are tested for heartworm. They also receive a flea/tick preventative, a 10-day limited health care plan from VCA Animal Hospitals, 30 days of Trupanion Pet Insurance and a bag of Purina ONE pet food. The HSBC opens daily at 10:30 and is located at 2070 Griffin Road, a block west of I-95. For more details call 954-989-3977 ext. 6. To see who else is looking for a home visit www.humanebroward.com.

Keep your eyes on

South Florida Gay News

SFGN.com @SoFlaGayNews

SouthFloridaGayNews

PETS Spceial Section

Presidential pets Socks the cat. Photo via Pixabay.

F

Pier Angelo

ROM OUR FIRST PRESIDENT ALL THE WAY TO OBAMA, EVERY PRESIDENT HAS HAD A PET (OR several pets) IN THE WHITE HOUSE. THE ONLY PRESIDENT WITHOUT A PET? DONALD TRUMP. PERHAPS THAT EXPLAINS HIS LACK OF EMPATHY, COMPASSION, ALTRUISM or LOYALTY. Here are some of the most famous White House pets:

Sunny and Bo. Photo via The White House.

1. Cleopatra and Caesar

John Adams wasn’t about to leave his pets behind when he moved in the White House. Instead, he brought his two horses, Cleopatra and Caesar, with him to Washington, and had stables constructed on the White House property to house them.

2. Socks

Once a stray, Bill and Hillary Clinton initially adopted Socks when they were living in Little Rock, Arkansas, later bringing him to the White House when Bill began his tenure as president in 1993. The black-and-white tuxedo cat lived in the White House for both of Clinton’s presidential terms and was eventually joined by Buddy, a Labrador Retriever adopted by the Clintons in 1997. Socks lived for 19 years, eventually passing from cancer in 2009.

3. Him and Her

Lyndon B. Johnson wasn’t content to move into the White House with just his wife and children. His prized beagles, Him and Her, also came along for the ride. In fact, LBJ was such a dog lover that he had the White House doghouse redesigned to provide more space to his precious pooches.

Bo wasn’t the only member of his litter to earn a spot in a government official’s home.

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4. Miss Beazley

While many presidential pets moved into the White House with their owners, Miss Beazley—the Bush family’s Scottish Terrier—was adopted during George W. Bush’s time in office.

The pup was a gift from the then-president to his wife, Laura Bush, in 2004, and moved back to Texas with the family before passing following a battle with lymphoma in 2014.

5. Murray the Outlaw of Falahill

Miss Beazley wasn’t the only Scottish Terrier to take up residence in the White House. Fala (full name Murry the Outlaw of Falahill) was given to Franklin Delano Roosevelt by a cousin in 1940 and moved into the White House that same year. One of the White House’s more famous non-human inhabitants, Fala was known for his ability to do tricks, as well as the president’s staggering devotion to him.

6. Sunny and Bo

Two of the most well-known presidential pets, Sunny and Bo are a duo of Portuguese Water Dogs that belonged to the Obama’s. Bo was given to the family in 2009, his particular breed chosen because the family wanted a hypoallergenic dog to avoid triggering daughter Malia’s allergies. And, in fact, Bo wasn’t the only member of his litter to earn a spot in a government official’s home: his littermate Cappy, was brought home by Senator Ted Kennedy’s family. In 2013, Bo was joined at the White House by another Portuguese Water Dog, Sunny.

7. Liberty

Gerald Ford’s dog, Liberty (full name Honor’s Foxfire Liberty Hume) was given to the president and his wife, Betty Ford, during the family’s first year in the White House. Just a year after her arrival, Liberty gave birth to a litter of puppies in the White House, and continued to live with the Ford family until her death in 1984.

8. Mildred “Millie” Kerr Bush

Was the pet English Springer Spaniel of Barbara and George H.W.. She was named for Mildred Caldwell Kerr, a longtime friend of the Bushes, which is also the name of Kerr’s granddaughter, Millie Kerr.

Millie was referred to as “the most famous dog in White House history.” Bush mentioned her in a speech during his 1992 bid for re-election, saying “My dog Millie knows more about foreign affairs than these two bozos” in reference to opposition candidates Bill Clinton and Al Gore.

June 28, 1969:

February 1987: June 1999:

September, 2011: June 26, 2015:

May, 2016:

The Stonewall riots spark the LGBT movement.

nonprofit AHF is founded in los angeles

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the military is struck down.

Obama publicly supports Trans students.

first annual Stonewall Pride Parade and festival

Love wins! Same-sex marriage becomes legal in the U.S.

Tomorrow:

?

Photo credit: OutClique.

Wilton

Manors Stonewall

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June 15, 2019 3 p.m. - 11 p.m.

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June 1 BROWARD COLLEGE PRIDE/ RECRUITMENT NETWORKING EVENT

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June 9 TRANS POT LUCK HOSTED BY SUNSERVE

June 9 POOL PARTY FORT LAUDERDALE GRAND HOTEL

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5.22.2019 •

29

Brendon Lies

The Dog Who Saved My Life 30

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5 .22.2019

A

PETS Special Section

s of March 24 I’ve been taking testosterone for five years.

Among my friends, I like to refer to that as my Manniversary – that is, the date that I celebrate the beginning of my transition. For myself and many others who correlate a specific date to the beginning of their transition, I celebrate it like a second birthday.

But for the past few years, I’ve dedicated my column to the one who stuck by my side the whole time.

A year before I came out, I was in what you call the perfect relationship. I was in college, had a secure place to live, and was fairly popular.

Yet deep down, something still felt wrong… something was missing.

So I talked my partner into getting a puppy.

We found Willow on Craigslist, listed by a family who was allergic but loved her dearly. When we went to meet her, she immediately jumped into my arms and I was certain my life was finally complete.

There was no way for me to know how wrong I was.

In my mind, this precious nine-month-old Papillion-dachshund mix was the last accessory needed for me to feel happy as a woman. She’d come with me everywhere with her pink collar, pink dress, and sparkling brown eyes.

But she didn’t act like a girl at all. As my first dog, I was shocked by her tendency to roll in dirt, eat vomit, and lunge at bigger dogs during our walks.

In a way, she was relatable.

I remember watching her hump a toy one day, thinking whimsically to myself, ‘If only I could be that unapologetically authentic.’

My new dog acted like herself without restraint, and to be honest I was a little jealous.

It didn’t take much longer for the rest of my life’s perfect façade to begin crumbling. A number of things led me to rediscover the other feelings I had buried during my childhood. But once I came out, it became a household joke. I began to cross dress in the car before driving to school, then would change back when I got home.

She didn't care what my name was, what gender I was, or where we were in this wild ride called life.

But even on the days I forgot to de-masculinize before I went upstairs, my little dog loved me all the same.

As bad went to worse, my relationship finally crumbled. We decided it was for the best that I head in my own direction, and I was sent packing.

Shortly after, I dropped out of school.

But you know who stayed with me? My little dog Willow.

I was battling with emotions that had been buried for almost a decade. Once I found roommates who would take me in, I began fighting to see a therapist and begin testosterone therapy to see if that would help ease the feelings I had buried for so long.

Yet no matter how hard I broke down at night, it was always my little dog Willow who stayed by my side.

Once I started hormone therapy, the results were slower than I had hoped for at first. I was frustrated, still a long way off from any of the surgeries I needed, and struggling to find a job.

There was one night in particular that my dysphoria was at its worst. I got home after a long night of panic attacks only to sit down with my eyes glazed towards the wall, genuinely wondering if there was still any point trying to live.

Suddenly a little dog jumped in my lap, as eager for attention as the day I first brought her home.

She didn’t care what my name was, what gender I was, or where we were in this wild ride called life.

All that mattered is we were together, and her reminder brought me back to Earth.

It’s been five years, and despite the vet scolding her for being too restless, Willow still jumps into my arms every time I get home. Whenever I feel trapped in an impossible situation, whether or not it has to do with my transition, I know Willow will still be by my side.

A lot of people have gotten to know her and have asked, “Does she treat you any differently now than she used to?”

Yet like me, my little will-o’-the-wisp knows that I’m the same person, just happier on the inside.

And I think she is too. After all, Willow helped me in this journey… and I’m pretty sure she knows that.

I even got a hysterectomy two years ago and top surgery the year before that, resolving the two most uncomfortable things that still plagued my transition. And you know who refused to leave my side during those long weeks of recovery?

My little dog Willow.

Brendon Lies (pronounced "Lease") is a 28-year-old trans man originally from Fargo, North Dakota, and the current Art Director of South Florida Gay News. All he cares about is his dog. To see his artwork, visit www.DogFoxDesign.com.

PETS tiny bites

I Love My Dog A poem by Cat Stevens I love my dog as much as I love you But you may fade, my dog will always come through All he asks from me is the food to give him strength All he ever needs is love and that he knows he’ll get So, I love my dog as much as I love you But you may fade, my dog will always come through All the pay I need comes a-shinin’ through his eyes I don’t need no cold water to make me realize that I love my dog as much as I love you But you may fade, my dog will always come through.

PETS tiny bites

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PETS tiny bites

The Jury’s Out Pier Angelo In this 1964 episode of "Death Valley Days," Ronald Reagan (an actor prior to his days as President) portrays Sen. George Graham Vest (1869) in his tribute to the dog. Image via Youtube.

Join Us to Kick Off Pride Month & 50th Commemoration of Stonewall!

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TFG 5_22&29_19_qtr pg AD_R1.indd 32 • 5 .22.2019

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5/17/19 11:13 AM

George Graham Vest (1830-1904) served as U.S. Senator from Missouri from 1879 to 1903 and became one of the leading orators and debaters of his time. This

delightful speech is from an earlier period in his life when he practiced law in a small Missouri town. It was given in court while representing a man who sued another for the killing of his dog. During the trial, Vest ignored the testimony, and when his turn came to present a summation to the jury, he made the following speech and won the case.

Gentlemen of the Jury: The best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us, may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads.

The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog. A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer. He will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings, and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.

If fortune drives the master forth, an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies. And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by the graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad, but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even in death.

– George Graham Vest - c. 1855

PETS tiny bites

P

Woofs of wisdom

eople who love dogs know that the animals are much more than pets – they’re just like members of the family!

The benefits of caring for a dog are huge; dog ownership can improve heart health, decrease stress, depression, and loneliness, and even help you stay active.

"Your dog is your only philosopher."

Plato

Pier Angelo "My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I am."

Author Unknown

"Buy a pup and your money will buy love unflinching."

Rudyard Kipling

"Dogs have a way of bringing you back to earth. their affection shames pretenses.they are guileless" Garrison Keillor

"I truly believe God created dogs for a cause. They are the greatest companions a man can have."

Mickey Rourke

"Charley likes to get up early, and why shouldn't he?

Right after his breakfast he goes back to sleep."

John Steinbeck

"And when we bury our faces in our hands and wish we had never been born... he looks up at you with his big, true eyes, and says with them : Well, you've always got me."

Jerome K Jerome

"Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in."

Mark Twain

"Dogs and cats are my passion. Their love is unchanging, unconditional, and unbounding in warm kisses and wiggling bodies."

Ginger Rogers

"Dogs come into our lives to teach us about love and loyalty. They depart to teach us about loss. we try to replace them but never quite succeed. A new dog never replaces an old dog; it merely expands the heart."

Erica Jong

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5.22.2019 •

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PETS Special Section

The pets of sfgn

Meet the ones who keep us company outside the newsroom SFGN STaff

Sasha (left) and Sir Finnega n, loyal sid of Sales Manager Justin Wy ekicks se.

Willow B. Wisp, design muse and daughter of art director Brendon Lie s.

ation inx, inspir sley.

J d n a ) t n Juno (fro e editor Jason Par iv of Execut

axes.

di's Serana rel

en Brittany Ferr

Screamer th e SFGN ca regarding a t meets with publisher complaint t Zach Wino o the newsp norm kent aper. grad's Mo niq gazes out the windo ue w.

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dow watch Duke (back), Dusty (left) and Sha newspaper.

Publisher Norm Kent head to the

Cabbage, the tiny soulmate of CEO Pier Angelo.

Designer Char Pr att' very tiny family s .

s Zachary Winograd' . ue iq beautiful Mon

Coco, resident dog of Rick Ka rlin, poses on the bed.

's Writer John Porter . ily photogenic fur fam

Leia waits for her brother, Design Intern Adam, to say "goodie."

Gypsy write smiles for r Emily Bloch .

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lifestyle food x La Mexicana Tapas

The Alchemist

Voo la Voo

Return to the Garden of Earthly Delights Rick Karlin

I

Let’s take a look at the eateries around Eucalyptus Gardens

s there any place more (a sesame-thyme blend). However, don’t quintessentially old Wilton Manors overlook the Chef Breakfast, consisting than Eucalyptus Gardens? Let them of hash browns cooked in a waffle iron renovate “Wilton Drive,” and topped with anything build new developments or from a fried egg and avocado The two men have the umpteenth new to melted brie and Nutella. business go into a space; the There are also English muffin working on old hippie vibe of Eucalyptus sandwiches, eggs Florentine, Gardens keeps chugging the morning of and pizzettas. In addition, along. For those who haven’t there is the Alchemist’s my visit made been there, this plot of land specially brewed coffee, hot east of the train tracks and or iced (with coffee ice cubes) more than a tucked behind the massive and a wide variety of glutenfew hearts shopping center across from free desserts.

Wilton Station, plays host At night the menu focuses flutter – and to a variety of shops and on salads (avocado halves restaurants, each with its they encourage served on mixed greens, own distinctive personality. filled up with your choice you to go I’ve written about these of shrimp salad or burrata), places once before, but with Caprese, bruschetta salad bottomless. a change in management served with cherry tomatoes at the Latin restaurant it and kalamata olives, or the seemed like a good time to take another house salad with cherry tomatoes, red look and to introduce some new readers onions, avocado and feta cheese. All to this secret garden. are $9.95, and a scoop of salmon, tuna, The best known of the three or shrimp salad or diced avocado is an restaurants to occupy the space additional $3. Italian favorites such as is The Alchemist (954-673-4614, gnocchi, lasagna and eggplant parmesan thealchemist.cafe). The open-air café is as well as focaccia sandwiches round out best known for its delicious open-faced the menu. House wines are $6 a glass, $19 sandwiches dubbed as “slicers;” topped a bottle. with everything from avocado to zatar Unlike The Alchemist, Voo La Voo (754-

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200-5285, voolavoocafe.com) is only open for breakfast and lunch. As I’ve stated in a previous review, it’s “Everything that’s wonderful about French food; the attention to detail, the wonderful sauces, the flair in presentation… (without) any air of pretentiousness or inflated prices.” Vegan and vegetarian options are available. A variety of imported and domestic beers and a few classic French cocktails and wines add to the enjoyment.

The new kid on the block is La Mexicana Tapas & Taqueria (754-7015977, lamexicana.online). I think the tagline on the restaurant’s website says it best, “La Mexicana prides itself on providing quality Mexican fare in a beautiful bohemian environment leaving you wanting to come back for more every time!” Well, the quality Mexican fare and the muy guapo male servers! The two men working on the morning of my visit made more than a few hearts flutter – and they encourage you to go bottomless

Hungry for more?



(mimosas that is, $12 with the purchase of an entrée). Try the shrimp and grits with cherry tomatoes and sautéed spinach, or the chilaquiles verdes topped with your choice of protein. The burrito will satisfy the size queen in the group (just one?) and comes stuffed with your choice or chicken, brisket, carnitas, chorizo, ‘shrooms, shrimp or octopus. Be certain to try the calentado (Mexican fried rice), enchiladas and tacos.

La Mexicana is open until 8 p.m.

Monday, Wednesday and Fridays and until 11 p.m. on Taco Tuesdays (when all tacos, margaritas and sangria are just $2 each).

Other specials include Loco Mondays ($1 margaritas and half off apps), Wine Wednesdays (half off bottles of wine and tapas) and Fajita Fridays (half off all fajitas and two for one cocktails). Oddly enough they close at 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, guess those hot waiters have something else to do weekend nights!

Visit SFGN.com/FOOD!

Rick Karlin is SFGN’s food editor.

Visit SFGN.com/Food to read his previous reviews. Have a culinary tip to share? Email Rick at RickKarlinFL@gmail.com.

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SFGNITES

F O R THE W EE K O F M a y 2 3 , 2 0 1 9 - M a y 2 8 , 2 0 1 9 J.W. Arnold

White Weekend

jw@prdconline.com

THU

5/23

Theater David Parr’s “Slap & Tickle,” playing at Empire Stage, 1140 N. Flagler Dr. in Fort Lauderdale through June 9, offers a generational portrait about how drugs, politics and HIV have changed the landscape for gay men in America from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. The play is set in a contemporary bathhouse and features stories that range from first loves to last kisses. Tickets are $22.50–$35 at EmpireStage.com.

FRI

5/24

nightlife Compass Gay and Lesbian Community Center, 201 N. Federal Hwy. in Lake Worth, is throwing its annual youth equality prom tonight and it’s a galactic affair with a space theme. Admission is free to both LGBT high school students and allies. Enjoy music, dancing, refreshments and more at this Palm Beach County tradition. Register at 2019EqualityProm.Eventbrite.com.

For more information, go to CompassGLCC.com.

Sunday

5/26

Nightlife

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Kim Chi and DJ Joe Gauthreaux are the featured entertainers at the 21st annual White Festival at the manor, 2345 Wilton Dr. in Wilton Manors. Doors open at 10 p.m. but the party will go on into the wee hours of the morning since Monday’s a holiday. Limited number of early bird tickets available at Showclix.com/Event/White2019.

VIP tickets include access to a private lounge and a photo with Kim Chi. More information at TheManorComplex.com.

Photo via Pinterest.

SAT

5/25

SUN

5/26

MON

5/27

TUE

5/28

holiday

living

holiday

television

It’s Memorial Day weekend and there’s only one place to be—the beach. Fort Lauderdale hosts the Great American Beach Party today from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. at S.R. A1A and Las Olas Blvd. Enjoy performances

by Blood, Sweat & Tears and other bands, a kid zone, a sand castle contest, a classic car show and a salute to the armed forces by the U.S. Southern Command para-commandos.

Info at FortLauderdale.gov.

Carson Kressley, everybody’s favorite fashionista, returns to South Florida for the Fort Lauderdale Home Show at the Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Kressley, best known for Bravo’s groundbreaking “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” and “Get a Room with Carson and Thom,” will appear today at 2 and 4 p.m. and tomorrow at 3 p.m. Admission is $10 at HomeShows.net.

Memorial Day marks the traditional start of summer, but when you live in South Florida, the distinction often goes unnoticed. Why not enjoy a day beside the pool and cook out, or better yet, head down to Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors and enjoy brunch and cocktails with friends at one of the many popular restaurants and bars? There’s nothing quite like a three-day weekend in the gayborhood. See you there!

If you missed Wanda Sykes at the Hard Rock Event Center in Hollywood just a couple of weeks ago, you can still check out her new original special, “Wanda Sykes: Not Normal,” on Netflix. We’ve loved the sharp-tongued queer comedian since she was a regular on “Mad TV” nearly 20 years ago and you can watch reruns of “The New Adventures of Old Christine” on TVLand. Watch “Not Normal” at Netflix.com.

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here are a few things that Dr. Ruth won’t say.

In “Ask Dr. Ruth,” a delightful new documentary from filmmaker Ryan White, the good doctor assures the camera that no one will ever know who she’s sleeping with or how much money she has. Beyond that, you can expect just about anything from Dr. Ruth.

“You should insert the penis into the vagina from behind,” she said matter of factly during one of her television appearances. Her bluntness makes some audience members giggle. Talk show host Arsenio Hall blushes as he’s prodded by the doctor to say “vagina” on the air. One man is so shocked by Dr. Ruth’s frankness that he tries to put her under citizen’s arrest.

But most people adore the cute, folksy grandmotherly type with the thick German accent. She makes it OK to talk about forbidden topics. She doesn’t judge. And the advice she gives is sound.

“Don’t worry about her past,” she said to one young man who’s concerned that his girlfriend has had too many bad relationships before she got together with him.

You can say anything to Dr. Ruth. One man bemoans the size of his 14 inch penis, which he said frightens the women he dates.

“Ask Dr. Ruth” tells the whole story of this unusual woman’s life. Born Karola Ruth Siegel to Orthodox Jewish parents in 1928, the film recalls what began as an idyllic childhood in Frankfurt, Germany.

But young Ruth’s innocence was shattered when the Nazis forcefully took her father to a labor camp. Ruth’s mother and grandmother sent her to an orphanage in Switzerland where she was able to escape the horrors of the Holocaust — she never saw her family again. In one of the film’s most moving sequences, Ruth visits Yad Vashem, the world Holocaust memorial center in Jerusalem, where computer files verify what she already knew: that her entire family was murdered by the Nazis.

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As someone who understands all too well the harm that hatred and bigotry can do, Ruth becomes a champion for people who are viewed as “subhuman.” Her rise to fame in the 1980s, which began with a midnight radio show called “Sexually Speaking,” coincided with the onset of the AIDS epidemic, which hit the gay community especially hard.

Ruth finds herself answering a question from a man whose girlfriend has a lot of gay friends. He’s afraid that she’ll pick up the disease from them and pass it along to him.

Holocaust survivor Ruth refuses to stigmatize anyone.

“I don’t waste my time blaming people,” she said.

For all her celebrity, Dr. Ruth is a simple woman. She still lives in the same cluttered, two bedroom apartment in New York City that she’s called home for 54 years, the apartment where she lived with her husband of nearly 40 years and raised her children.

It’s a comfortable apartment, filled with mementos of a life well lived. Though her husband has since passed on, she maintains a close relationship with her children and grandchildren.

“He would love to have seen his grandchildren grow up,” she said of her husband, one of the few times she lets her private emotions show.

Now 90 years old, Dr. Ruth has yet to slow down. She continues to make television appearances, write books, teach college courses, and speak frankly about everyone’s favorite topic, sex. You can still ask Dr. Ruth anything about sex, and she’ll cheerfully give you a no-holds-barred answer.

As a film, “Ask Dr. Ruth” is a delight. It’s a peek inside the mind and psyche of a remarkable woman who’s made a memorable impact on society. There’s never been anyone quite like Dr. Ruth. It’s highly unlikely we’ll see anyone like her again.

“Ask Dr. Ruth” begins streaming on Hulu June 1.

A&E theater

Play, Playwright Poke Fun at Politics, Politicians J.W. Arnold

I

t’s just May 2019 and the 2020 presidential election campaign is already in full swing.

Recent surveys show that even voters who care about politics are feeling apprehensive about the 18 months ahead.

Island City Stage is offering a nostalgic look at the machinations in our nation’s capital with the South Florida premiere of Rich Orloff’s “Veronica’s Position,” opening May 31 at Wilton Theater Factory in Wilton Manors.

The sophisticated comedy about a fading stage star, her errant ex-husband, her fiancé who is a right-wing senator and her gay assistant who all become embroiled in love, politics and an ill-conceived production of “Hedda Gabler” is set in 1990 while Washington is buzzing about the controversial photographer Robert Mapplethorpe.

Playwright Rich Orloff’s comedy, “Veronica’s “At the time I wrote it, [the plot] seemed very Position,” opens at Island City Stage on May edgy,” recalled Orloff. “It’s interesting how 31. Photo via RichOrloff.com. much worse American politics have gotten— better for gay rights, but worse in so many goof off. Actually, the theater bug bit me at an other ways. There’s an innocence to the play early age. I’m not even sure I had seen a play that I never intended when I wrote it.” at 11, but when I walk into a theater, I still get If the storyline seems oddly familiar, it is. The goosebumps.” idea for the play was suggested Over the course of his career, by a friend of Orloff’s who was he’s written for newspapers working on a production of Noel and magazines and scripted Coward’s “Private Lives” starring education videos. (“You name it, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard I’ve written it,” he chuckled.) But, Burton. (“Now there’s a comedy,” his inner voice kept telling him said Orloff.) One of Taylor’s other he was a playwright, a destiny he ex-husbands, John Warner, finally embraced in his twenties. happened to be former Virginia Most recently, he’s found Republican Sen. John Warner. himself on stage, performing “It’s And Orloff’s friend—who was a Beautiful Wound,” a one-man gay—had lots of stories to share show he penned. about the off-stage antics of the “It’s quite humbling after - Rich Orloff on-again, off-again lovers.

30 years of writing plays to “I write comedies. It was get on the damn stage. I’ve important that the play be engaging and fun always appreciated actors, but my awareness and not a lecture. Audiences have been quite is definitely heightened,” he said, “and I’m pleased, so far,” Orloff reported. definitely improving my [acting] skills.”

Island City is presenting the eleventh As for the actors who will be bringing his production of the play. Audiences in the characters to life on stage in Wilton Manors, Northeast, Los Angeles, Memphis and even Orloff has complete trust in Island City Stage’s Vienna, Austria quickly embraced Orloff’s associate artistic director Michael Leeds. The comedy. The show was also optioned for a two met in New York City when Leeds was the Broadway production that was never realized.

Tony-nominated director of “Swinging on a Orloff, who will only admit to be “old Star.” enough to know better,” got a “late” state to “I know he will get the humor, but also the playwrighting. world that I’ve created,” Orloff said, a world “I wrote my first play when I was 11,” he said. without tweets and political assassination.

“For the first 10 years of my life, I was a total

“It’s quite humbling after 30 years of writing plays to get on the damn stage.”

Island City Stage presents Rich Orloff’s “Veronica’s Position,” May 31 – June 30 at Wilton Theater Factory, 2304 N. Dixie Hwy. in Wilton Manors. Tickets start at $38 at IslandCityStage.org.

5.22.2019 •

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FEATURE IT’s Poker Time

Check out these places on the drive to play Texas Hold ‘Em Poker Dealer Keith Allen deals at “The Pub” Tuesdays from 4-10 p.m. “He invites everyone to come out to enjoy one of the best social events, to have fun and meet new friends!”

Photo Via Keith Allen.

THU

5/23 FRI

Scandals: Poker starting at 7 p.m.

Georgie’s Alibi: Legendary, $3 Giant Long Island Iced Tea 8 p.m.

- 2 a.m.

Scandals: Poker starting at 7 p.m.

Hunters: Happy Hour (3-8 p.m.) with SFGN’s 2018 Best Bartender Greg N.

SAT 866-415-6268

5/26 MON

Scandals: Poker starting at 7 p.m.

“Poker seven days a week” Mattys: Poker starting at 7 p.m.

TUE

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5/25

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Georgie’s Alibi: Drag Yourself to Brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

SUN

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