With school boards and libraries across Florida acquiescing to angry mobs and eagerly over-complying with the new “Don’t Say Gay” (DSG) law, students are being banned from learning LGBT history, stories, and much more. Now Safe Schools South Florida and Stonewall National Museum & Archives are teaming up to make the books available for free.
Banned Books Week was Sept. 18-22, and both organizations seized the moment to bring attention to the increasing number of books being banned under the guise of “protecting children.”
“We are part of this effort with Safe Schools to remind people that books are being banned in Florida schools and Florida libraries,” Robert Kesten, Stonewall’s Executive Director, said. “It’s important for us to stand up and be
accountable for what’s going on, for what our supposed representatives are doing in our name that doesn’t represent us or our community and is extraordinarily harmful.”
Safe Schools, in addition to donating physical books that are often banned in schools, is also donating $3,000 to Stonewall so the museum can start offering some e-books directly from their website. Safe Schools’ Scott Galvin said this project has taken on new urgency after the last couple of years since Republicans in Tallahassee have targeted LGBT youth to score political points.
“There are so many threats against youth in today’s society, LGBT youth in particular. We need to form partnerships with each other and push each other up and support each other.”Supporters of bans go on cable news and say the books are akin to putting pornography
in schools. Kesten said that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“None of them talk about sex in the sense of physical relations between people. They talk about what’s going on in people’s hearts and minds, what’s going on in the psychology of what makes them who they are.”Tom
Lander, Safe Schools’ Board Chairperson, said it’s not just books with LGBT themes or characters that are being banned. 20th century classics that have been in the curriculum for decades are also targeted by the anti-education mobs.
“It’s also books that we’ve grown up with in school even when I was a student. ‘Fahrenheit 451,’ ‘To Kill A Mockingbird,’ ‘Animal Farm,’ and ‘1984’ are being banned in schools and being taken out of the curriculum in the state of Florida.”
John Hayden
Photo by John Hayden.
Academy Award-winning actor Susan Sarandon revealed that she’s bisexual in an interview on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon.”
She and Fallon were talking about how she recently got a cat after one of her dogs died, and she said, “I’m bi, so…” and side-eyed the audience, which was met with laughter. Fallon responded by saying, “You mean you like dogs and cats?” to which Sarandon replied, “I’m fluid. I’m very fluid, where animals are concerned.”
Demi Lovato announced that their current tour for their eighth studio album will be their last.
There were Instagram Stories, which were later deleted, of Lovato looking out a hotel room window with the words: “I’m so f***ing sick I can’t get out of bed. I can’t do this anymore. This next tour will be my last. I love and thank you guys.”
They then posted another set of stories saying, “Gonna power thru it for you guys [sick emoji] [black heart emoji] I’ll need help singing so sing loud for me bb’s!!”
Lovato has been in the spotlight since they were a child and has recently been vocal about their struggles with their eating disorder and substance abuse, making their recent posts very concerning.
The tour began a month ago, and Lovato
in 2017 in which she said her sexual
Photo by GuillemMedina, via Wikimedia Commons.
Professional basketball player Sue Bird played her last WNBA game last week, concluding a 19-season career.
She retires as the most accomplished point guard in league history and also made history in 2017 when she officially came out.
As she left the court, Seattle fans chanted “one more year,” leaving Bird emotional, she admitted that leaving was not easy.
“I think initially I felt sad about the season and the game,” Bird said in an interview with ESPN. “I then think, as the emotions started to come to the surface, that’s also what I know deep down in that, that was my last game. So it was a combination of those two things, but overall it just feels kind of weird.”
Bird has been compared to other basketball legends like John Stockton, Isiah Thomas, and Magic Johnson, and her accomplishments have been amplified by multiple NBA greats, a few of whom took to
Photo by SusanLesch, via Wikimedia Commons.
Twitter to congratulate her on an amazing career.
Photo by J.R. Davis
Yadi Stewart clinical site development & career services director at Essential School of Nursing, Synergy Diagnostic Laboratory, and HCA, lab supervisor for ER Plantaion Hospital with partner Maritza BeDoya CEO at Career Education Advisors Group, principal eductional consultant to colleges and universities.
Kristine Garina first went to EuroPride, the biggest LGBT gathering in Europe, when it was held in a post-Communist nation that wasn’t exactly known for being a stronghold for LGBT rights. Nevertheless, despite Garina’s claims that she anticipated the 2010 Warsaw, Poland event to be “very horrible,” it ended up being a triumph, growing to become one of the biggest Pride marches in the nation’s history.
Aleksandar Vui, the president of Serbia, said last month that his country would no longer be hosting the event, citing among other things right-wing threats. Previous Pride celebrations in Belgrade have proceeded without incident, but there have also been violent conflicts between farright organizations and the police, with the deadliest of them being in 2010.
According to Times, EuroPride’s
organizers have vowed to press on regardless of the ban. Should it remain in place, “Belgrade Pride will still ask people to gather to protest the ban,” said Garina. “It won’t be the same march as planned, but people will be out on the streets.”
The country’s public ministry announced that Peruvian prosecutors have launched an investigation into claims of torture in connection with the death in Indonesia last month of a trans Peruvian man who died while being held in jail on the popular tourist island of Thirty-two-year-oldBali.
Rodgrigo Ventocilla, a graduate student from Peru at Harvard, was on his honeymoon in Bali. LGBT campaigners are horrified by his murder and claim that Peruvian officials failed to do enough to protect him.
According to Reuters, early in August, Ventocilla was taken into custody at Bali’s airport on suspicion of possessing marijuana. His “failure of physical functions” caused him to die days later, according to Indonesian authorities.
The public ministry did not identify the subject of its investigation, but Ventocilla’s family attorney Julio Arbizu claimed prosecutors are looking into both an Indonesian official and the Peruvian ambassador in charge of consular services at the Indonesian embassy.
At its presentation in Phnom Penh, a new movie that looks at love between Cambodian males in a novel and moving way was Accordingpraised.toKhmer Times, the premiere of the LD Picture Production film “Hello Neighbor” took place at the Major Cineplex in the Aeon Mall, and several celebrities and stars were Viewersthere.praised the actors Vuth Thong and Nou Usaphea for their heartfelt and passionate love moments.
According to Mr. Vuth, this is his first significant part in a homosexual movie.
He admitted that he was first really hesitant, but with a lot of intimate interaction, he was able to perform, and he
anticipates that the audience will support the movie strongly.
He also expects that the film will further reduce the stigma attached to LGBT people.
Rodgrigo Ventocilla. Photo courtesy of Harvard Kennedy School. President of Serbia Aleksandar Vui. Photo by Duma.gov.ru, via Wikimedia Commons. Photo via Vuth Thong/Facebook.
Last week Norm Kent underwent brain surgery to remove a benign, but aggressive, tumor, that was growing.
Before the surgery Kent announced he would step aside as publisher of SFGN. Once Kent recovers he will focus on launching the SFGN foundation. The foundation will focus on helping aspiring LGBTQ student journalists.
“My aspirations and goals have always been to provide a voice for the LGBTQ community,” Kent said. “Creating, maintaining, and ultimately perpetuating a foundation for young writers will enable me to achieve that goal. Obviously, I will need the help of all your voices to make it happen; for all of us to be in the room when it happens.”Justover a year ago Kent underwent his
first brain surgery to remove the tumor. But it was later discovered the tumor had returned and he would need another surgery.
With state-sanctioned hate spewing from every corner of the Republicancontrolled legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida’s LGBT community is looking to send as many allies as it can to Tallahassee.
One of them is Charlie Crist.
The former governor and congressman came to Equality Florida’s Wilton Manors headquarters on Sept. 14 to accept the endorsements from a coalition of LGBTsupporting PACs. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) PAC, Equality Florida Action PAC, SAVE Action PAC, and the Florida LGBTQ+ Democratic Caucus all officially embraced the man trying to unseat DeSantis in the November election.Hequickly focused the group on priority number one: defeating the incumbent governor.“RonDeSantis is a nightmare. You all know that. Florida knows that. Folks here today are leaders of our community, state, and nation who have been on the frontlines in our fight for
equality for Afterward,years.”SFGN asked how he planned to leverage these endorsements to maximize voter turnout. His answer was very vague. “We’ll advertise, go door-to-door, do everything we can everywhere.”
After several weeks, the campaign is going back on television with ads. Usually that hurts a candidate, but he said he’s seen the gap close in that time and attributes it to people realizing they don’t like DeSantis.
Early voting runs Monday, October 24 to Sunday, November 6, with regular voting on Tuesday, November 8.
John Hayden Charlie Crist. Photo via Facebook. SFGN Staff Photo via Norm Kent/Facebook.
Recently I enjoyed 15 days traveling through much of the American Southwest, a region aptly called the wide-open spaces.
I spent the first nine days in California’s San Bernardino Mountains, in the company of three hundred men, at the CMEN (Community of Men Enjoying Naturism) West Coast Gathering. I spent the rest of my southwestern outing on a road trip with my friend Casey, visiting Palm Springs and the Salton Sea in California; Lake Havasu (with the transplanted London Bridge), Oatman, Williams and the Grand Canyon in Arizona; Hoover Dam in Arizona and Nevada; and Las Vegas in Nevada. Except for Palm Springs, these were places that I had never been before, though the Grand Canyon has been on top of my bucket list for decades. All in all, it was a nearperfect experience, one that I will not soon forget.
I enjoy travel, and I regret that financial restraints and personal commitments keep me from traveling more often. The best thing about travel is that it takes me away from my ordinary surroundings and obligations into a world where the surroundings are far from ordinary, and my obligations are virtually nonexistent. While I travel, the political divisions and social problems of the world move to the back burner. The battles between Charlie Crist and Ron DeSantis, or between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, matter less when one is enjoying the view from Route 66 in the Mojave Desert. It is reassuring to know that, barring a natural or human catastrophe,
the Grand Canyon will still be magnificent; the San Bernardino Mountains will be majestic; the Las Vegas Strip will be gaudy, and the men of CMEN and Palm Springs will be friendly.
Mention of CMEN and Palm Springs suggests why LGBT people are more likely than others to travel. One reason is financial: many queer people, especially gay men, lack children to raise or have much disposable income. They also have a personal incentive to travel, especially those who live in societies where diverse sexual orientations or gender identities are restricted.
In short, a week of travel is better for your emotional and mental well-being than an hour-long session on a therapist’s couch; and I recommend it to all who can afford it. There are many ways to travel, though in my book nothing beats a gathering of like-minded people, or a road trip with a good friend. Just remember to enjoy yourself along the way. In travel, as in life, the journey is just as important as the destination
Jesse Monteagudo CONVICTIONS
Jesse Monteagudo is a freelance writer and journalist. He has been an active member of South Florida's LGBT community for more than four decades and has served in various community
by Jesse Monteagudo.
THE BEST THING ABOUT TRAVEL IS THAT IT TAKES ME AWAY FROM MY SURROUNDINGSORDINARYANDOBLIGATIONSINTOAWORLDWHERETHESURROUNDINGSAREFARFROMORDINARY,ANDMYOBLIGATIONSAREVIRTUALLYNONEXISTENT.
One month after a man walked into the Corner Pub holding a grenade and claiming to have a car filled with guns, the people who defused the situation were honored by the City of Wilton Manors.
At the City Commission meeting on Sept. 13, officers who responded to the scene were presented with the Exceptional Duty Award. They include David Turner, Jason Nobles, and Nicole Kline.
Bar owners Anthony and Shannon Henne, along with bartender Joseph Shakespeare and custom Darryl Marksberry, also known as Darryl Darling, were given the Civilian Service award.
It was Marksberry, a former Marine, who recognized the danger and confronted the man.“I’m glad that the best outcome occurred,” he said at the commission meeting.Marksberry employed tactics similar to those used in hostage negotiations. He made a connection by discussing shared experiences, in this case it was their military backgrounds. This allowed others to escape from the building. Eventually Marksberry convinced the man to come outside with him. Once they cleared the door he put him in a headlock and threw him to the ground.
That may have been the most dangerous moment because the attacker still had the
grenade. As it turns out, it wasn’t a live grenade and there were no other weapons on the premises. The man, who was reportedly drunk and upset, was taken for a mental evaluation.
As for Marksberry, being recognized is emotional validation.
“It’s overwhelming and it actually means a lot to me. Every day I try to live my life to make a small difference in someone
else’s world and to me this was a small act. To others it’s ‘Hey, you just jumped on a grenade, that’s crazy.’ I have the capacity to do such things that are really good in the world.”
Photo by John Hayden. WILTON MANORS
By John Hayden
Government work is often thankless work, and nobody gets rich for their efforts. After decades of stagnant compensation, Wilton Manors City Commissioners voted to raise their salaries along with that of the mayor. At their meeting on Sept. 13 they gave final approval to increase annual pay to $30,000 for the mayor (up from $11,500) and $25,000 for commissioners (up from $9,750).
When adjusted for inflation, the pay has been stagnant for 20 years, and this is the first actual raise since 2015. No one from the public commented during the public hearing immediately before the vote, though one person did voice opposition to the size of the percentage increase, about 150%, during general public comments. At previous meetings when the increase was proposed and discussed, residents spoke out on both sides of the issue.
To avoid needing to deal with this situation again, the mayor and commissioners will get annual, automatic raises on par with what city employees receive. Outgoing Commissioner Gary Resnick, who once again
joined the meeting by phone, was the only “no” effect on Oct. 1.
Also getting a raise is City Manager Leigh Ann Henderson. Her base salary and overall compensation (such as retirement/pension contributions) were increased. Even with the adjustments, her salary, like the pay of
elected officials, is still below the average for comparable positions in Broward County.
“I think it’s a fair adjustment,” Henderson said during the meeting. “I think it’s in line with the policy that the commission has set to do market evaluation of all of its employees and bring them up to a competitive rate.”
All these increases are being justified with the goal of attracting and retaining qualified talent that often leaves for more money.
September 22, 2022 • Volume
2520 N. Dixie Highway • Wilton Manors, FL 33305 Phone: 954-530-4970 Fax: 954-530-7943
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A registered sexual predator who was released from prison was arrested after talking to children at an Oakland Park community center.The
Broward Sheriff’s Office said that Frederick Muller, 38, was seen at the Collins Community Center “trying to lure children to him” to talk to them Sept. 8. It’s believed the children had just been let out of school from Oakland Park Elementary School.
A witness who was uneasy about the interaction called the police, and Muller was located and arrested on three charges: failure to comply with registration law, failure to register as a sexual predator, and failure to renew information on his driver’s license. He remains at BSO’s main jail on a $10,500 bond. He was previously released from prison June 27.Law enforcement is asking the public to
come forward if they believe one of their children interacted with Muller that day. So far, police have not been able to get in touch with any potential victims.
According to the Broward County Circuit Court, Muller was arrested in 2006 in Coral Springs for lewd and lascivious battery on a child 12 to 15 years old; he was continually rearrested through 2014 for violating his probation. In 2015, there was an order vacating his status as a sexual predator.
Anyone with information about Muller’s interaction with the children at the community center are encouraged to call Det. Marlene Schnakenberg at 954-321-4789 or submit a tip through the SaferWatch app. To remain anonymous, contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477), browardcrimestoppers.org or by calling **TIPS (8477).
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 © 2022 South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.
Come join the discussion. The Gazette welcomes feedback. Email Jason.Parsley@sfgn.com with comments, suggestions,
Photo via Flickr. Frederick Muller. Courtesy of BSO. OAKLAND PARK NEWS
DR. JESSICA ALTAMIRANOAMY WECKER
FORT LAUDERDALE
1726 SE 3rd Ave.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (754) 701-6920
MIAMI GARDENS
13936 NW 7th Avenue Miami, FL 33168 (786) 800-5631
PLANTATION
4101 Nw 3rd Court, Suite 9 Plantation, Fl 33317 (754) 701-6911
(844)
SOUTH BEACH 427 Washington Avenue Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 514-0813
LAKE WORTH
201 N. Dixie Hwy Lake Worth, FL 33460 (561) 867-9991
DR. SHEETAL DR. MICHAEL SENSION
Welcome to SFGN’s Best Of 2022. The finalists have been chosen and voting is underway. Check out this year’s nominees for Best Restaurant in Wilton Manors. Congrats to the finalists! Make sure you cast your vote.
A required stop for anyone visiting Wilton Manors, Rosie’s is an integral part of the town. It is, in fact, the quintessential Wilton Manors experience. The food is tasty, the drinks are strong, and the staff is pretty. They’ve been around since 2006 and they’ve got this thing down to a science. I think the restaurant’s website sums it up well, “A tropical oasis in the middle of the Island City offering amazing food and refreshing drinks and sassy fun.”
Perfectly prepared Mediterranean fare, a beautiful atmosphere (even the indoor dining spaces feel as if they are outside) and an attractive and attentive wait staff. The menu is mostly based on food from the island of Crete; light, mainly vegetarian and seafood based. Given that, it’s ironic the most popular dishes are the meat platters, which can include chicken, kefte, gyro and lamb chops.
Bona is Wilton Manors’ kitchen table. It opened in 1979 as a single stall pizzeria and over the years expanded into a fullservice Italian restaurant. Mark Byrd and Glen Weinzimer took over in December of 2016 and the quality of the fare and service improved considerably. The pair’s dedication to serving the local community, has made it a popular gathering spot.
Wilton Manors’ fine dining experience, albeit in a casual setting. All aspects of the dining experience from service to food prep to atmosphere, unify to create something remarkable. There are few restaurants in the vicinity that can match the level of service and quality of food. Deeply committed to the community, it works extensively with local businesses and organizations.
A vibrant Mexican bar and restaurant located in the heart of Wilton Manors, Tulio’s is the place to see and be seen. Sit on the patio and people watch or dine in the colorful and energetic dining room. The focus is on tacos, but there are plenty of other options, and of course, craft beers and hand-crafted cocktails, including a full page of variations on the Margarita!
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid approved for treating severe pain, such as advanced cancer pain.
Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is the main driver of recent increases in synthetic opioid deaths.
SYNTHETIC OPIOID DEATHS ACROSS THE associated with fentanyl have risen dramatically, contributing to a sharp spike in synthetic opioid deaths. MANUFACTURED
Check
The decision to run for mayor is to continue the work our commission and I, along with the city manager, have done to move our city into the future. To have financial stability. To update our current parks and to complete our infrastructure.
I’m running for Mayor of Wilton Manors to fix the drinking water, stormwater, sewer discharge and police problems in our city. Annual city spending has increased by several million dollars over the past few years and our water bills are being padded to pay for it. The city commission has always said there is nothing we can do about our green/yellow/tan city drinking water since we buy it from Fort Lauderdale. I disagree and I’ve been working on the quality of our tap water for the past four years. I’ve been talking about our outrageous water bills for eight years.
I am seeking a second term as city commissioner to ensure the initiatives in process are brought to fruition and to keep the momentum of the commission moving forward. This commission accomplished so much because it is a focused and cohesive team.
Since moving to Wilton Manors from the east coast nearly 15 years ago, I immediately felt a connection, a sense of belonging … an instant affinity with the Island City. The people were (and still are) very friendly, genuine and welcoming; this led Marc and I to quickly become active in numerous organizations and we encountered many causes that we were drawn to.
I believe in public services and have committed many hours to helping the communities and the environment. I have even received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President Obama in 2015. Public service is very important to me and having lived in Wilton Manors for over 12 years, I decided the best way to improve the city and help the community is to be part of the process. That is why I am running for Wilton Manors Commissioner. I am looking to help the city grow in a sustainable way, but keeping the small town feel.
PAUL ROLLI: CANDIDATE FOR WILTON MANORS CITY COMMISSION SCOTT NEWTON: CURRENT WILTON MANORS MAYOR BOYD CORBIN: CANDIDATE FOR WILTON MANORS MAYORPhoto by JR Davis.
APPROVED TWO RESOLUTIONS
PERTAINING TO LGBTQ HISTORY MONTH AT ITS SEPT. 14 CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
The commission unanimously passed a resolution recognizing October as LGBTQ History Month in Miami Beach. A separate resolution, expressing disappointment with the recent decision by the MiamiDade County School Board to ignore LGBTQ History Month, passed on a 5-1 vote with Commissioner Steven Meiner dissenting.“Ireallyfeel
it’s important to stay in our lane,” Meiner said. “We are distancing ourselves and really causing ourselves in some ways to be irrelevant to bodies that we are very reliant on.”
Meiner and Commissioner David Richardson exchanged heated words over the resolution before Mayor Dan Gelber intervened and Meiner left the chambers.
“He’s building quite a record of voting against the LGBTQ community,” said Richardson, noting Meiner voted against naming a city street after slain gay rights leader Harvey CommissionerMilk.Alex Fernandez said the resolution empowers parents and students to have their own conversations and decide how to engage in their schools.
“This is about history,” Fernandez said. “Recognizing that we have a history. That weGelberexist.”said he was offended by some of the behavior at the school board meeting.
“I feel very strongly that a school board shouldn’t enable and validate discrimination, it’s just wrong,” he said.
Miami-Dade School Board member Lucia Baez-Geller, the lone vote in favor of LGBTQ History Month, was invited by Gelber to give the meeting’s invocation.
“I hope that we continue to work so that nobody in our society feels less than,” BaezGeller said.
The Las Vegas Aces, behind the play of lesbian point guard Chelsea Gray, won the WNBA championship Sunday night.
Gray scored 20 points in Game 4 of the series, helping the Aces deal a 78-71 defeat to the Connecticut Sun. She was awarded series MVP, averaging 18 points and six assists in VEGAS ITS FIRST
John McDonald
Dining deals are coming to an end. summer, dine-out promotions tempt with deals at both high-end and casual restaurants. These promotions are designed to prop up sluggish restaurant sales during the summer months when snowbirds have flown the coop. Some of the deals have already passed, but a few continue until the end of this month. FLAVOR PALM BEACH features 64 eateries. DOWNTOWN DELRAY BEACH RESTAURANT MONTH touts 59 participating establishments. DINE OUT LAUDERDALE dishes up 57 restaurants with multi-course lunches and dinners, and MIAMI SPICE boasts a whopping 262 highend restaurants, including some recently awarded Michelin stars. Best to check them now before the calendar catches up with
TASTE OF THE ISLAND returns on Monday, Nov. 14. The highly anticipated event sells out every year and features dozens of the top restaurants and food purveyors from Wilton Manors and the surrounding area offering samples of the delicious bites and sumptuous sips. It’s all held under the stars at beautiful Richardson Historic Park & Nature Preserve right on Wilton Drive, with plenty of parking available at nearby Hagen Park. Entertainment will be provided by The Synergy Twins. A limited number of tickets are available making this a very exclusive gastronomical extravaganza. Tickets are available at tasteoftheisland.org. PERFECT PARTY
you.After sitting empty for nearly three years, Timpano Chop House reopened in August after a massive renovation. Rebranded TIMPANO LAS OLAS , it’s all very high-end. Signature entrées include an 8-ounce Westholme Wagyu hanger steak for $65, veal chop Parmesan ($58), and Siberian caviar ($45 for 14 grams). Twoperson meals include Uni Alfredo, with house made fettucine, pecorino Romano, and uni (sea urchin roe) for $65, a 32-ounce tomahawk steak with fennel pollen, charred lemon, roasted garlic, and rosemary ($155); and a 48-ounce porterhouse cutOpening($175). this month, GREEK GUYS SOUVLAKI will be the second South Florida restaurant from Ted Dranias, who is also opening a Greek Taverna next door to the storied Gateway Cinema in
the space formerly occupied by Mod. Greek Guys Souvlaki, is going into the space vacated by Monster Subs on Sunrise. It will offer Greek fast food and meals-to-go.
HARAT’S IRISH PUB has opened in Lauderdale-by-the Sea. It is part of a European franchise owned by Andrey and Dmitri Serebrianik and Yuri Denisenko (all good Irish names). The global franchise with many Eastern European locations will take over the space next door to Vinnie’s and Even Keel Fish Shack.
CHOW WON KOREAN STEAKHOUSE has moved into the space formerly occupied by Outback Steakhouse in Imperial Point. The Korean steakhouse is from George Yuan, the owner of Chow One in Pembroke Pines. It is planned to be the first of a chain of Korean steakhouses.
Well, that was quick! MORÉA , the Mediterranean fine-dining restaurant in the Paramount condominium on Fort Lauderdale beach closed seven months after opening. Owned by LM Restaurants (the same folks behind Oceanic in Pompano Beach), the owners gave no reason for shuttering the place so quickly, although it’s rumored the space already has a new tenant.You know those warnings on menus about eating raw seafood? There’s a reason for them. About a week after dining on raw oysters at RUSTIC INN CRABHOUSE , Roger “Rocky” Pinckney died, after it was found he tested positive for vibrio vulnificus, a pathogenic bacterium. Before passing he underwent a week of emergency surgeries and a double amputation.
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. The views Rick expresses are his own and do not represent the opinion of SFGN.
Photos via tasteoftheisland.org. Rick Karlin“Last Call Chicago” is like a trip home. It is a history of LGBT venues in Chicago going back in time as far as records of such venues exist. Both before and after Stonewall, LGBT bars and hangouts served the purpose of bringing the LGBT together and served as informal community centers. They were and are part of the vibrant fabric of the LGBT community. Opening “Last Call Chicago” is like stepping into a time machine that transports us across the years to bear witness to the triumphs, challenges, and sometimes heartaches of the LGBT community in Chicago.
“Last Call Chicago” could not have been written by anyone but authors Rick Karlin and St Sukie de la Croix. Both are journalists with a keen eye for history and who reported on the events and comings and goings of Chicago’s LGBT-friendly bars and clubs. “Last Call Chicago” is a walk back in time from the speakeasies of the 1920s to the latest hot spots, and all done without looking at a single app.Rick Karlin was a fixture in Chicago’s LGBT
press. For more than five decades he served as a gossip columnist, reviewer and editor for GayLife, Gay Chicago Magazine, and more.
During that time he reported on life and events in Chicago’s LGBT bars and clubs, from the plush and posh to the down and dirty.
The book is available for pre-order from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and the publisher at rattlinggoodyarns.com
“Last Call Chicago: A History of 1001 LGBT-Friendly Taverns, Haunts & Hangouts” by Rick Karlin and St Sukie de la Croix.
J.W. Arnold
In South Florida, there are a few reliable signs that winter is coming: flights full of snow birds migrating south for the winter and the appearance of colorful tents on the shores of Biscayne Bay. The arrival of our neighbors from the north is always predictable, but sometimes there are surprises inside the colorful tents.
This year, people are not welcoming the acrobats and contortionists of Cirque du Soleil or herds of trained horses. Instead, the tent at Miami’s Marine Stadium off Rickenbacker Causeway will be home to the hot, chiseled dancers of “Magic Mike Live.” Miami is going to be just a little hotter this winter and the cause is not climate change.
Conceived and co-directed by actor (and former exotic dancer) Channing Tatum, “Magic Mike Live” is a live revue based on the movies “Magic Mike” and “Magic Mike XXL” as well as the HBOMax series “Finding MagicPromotionalMike”.
materials describe the show as “equal parts empowering and exhilarating … punctuated by unexpected, temperatureraising acts from a thrilling range of acrobatic stunts, dance performances under falling water and extravagant musical talent, sure to keep you hooked and ready for more.”
Translation: We want you, bachelorettes! But Tatum and the films have their gay male admirers, too, and as expected, there are LGBT members of the cast.
Texas native Edson Suarez is one of those gay dancers. With a background in cheerleading, gymnastics and martial arts, he landed a slot on season 12 of NBC’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” finishing in the top 10 and performing with the national tour in over 70 cities. After relocating to Los Angeles, he moved to London in 2019 to perform with the original production of “Magic Mike Live.” He later danced in the show in Las Vegas before joining the touring company that is coming to Miami.
“It’s a nonstop 360-degree show. Wherever you’re sitting, you’ll get a different experience,” Suarez explaned. “I’ve seen the show as an audience member, as well as a dancer, and this show is next level. It brings joy and empowerment. Expect the unexpected.”Justdon’t call him or his castmates “strippers.”
“We’re all great guys, genuine human beings with utmost respect for our art and our audience. Funny enough, I would have never thought I’d be in a male revue show. Even when I was on ‘So You Think You Can Dance,’ I would always end up shirtless or the shirt would be open. There was always a joke with the producers about how I would walk out of wardrobe fully clothed, but would end up half naked on stage.”
The biggest for Suarez – and dancers in general – is the grueling schedule and the wear and tear on their bodies. He does the show 10 times each week.
“It takes a lot out of our bodies, especially when we have three shows a day,” he said, adding, “[I] take time to stretch and warm up and also cool down. One of the most important parts is our rest and making sure we feed our bodies what they need to have the energy necessary.”Andthen there’s the mental component, especially for a longtime performer like Suarez.
“For any dancer, when you do a show for a long period of time, it comes down to your integrity and respect for your art to keep it fresh and alive,” Suarez pointed out. “It does get tiring, but because our show is so interactive, it’s never the same. You have to stay on your toes all the times. Things can change in a second … it just depends on the audience.”
“Magic Mike Live” opens Oct. 13 and runs through April at the Miami Marine Stadium site, 3501 Rickenbacker Causeway in Miami. Tickets start at $49 at MMLTour.com. Dancer Edson Suarez is one of the performers in “Magic Mike Live,” coming to Miami Marine Stadium in October. Courtesy photo.HUSBAND FOR RENT - Is he procrastinating home He After the football the small or dry plumbing, roof broken It the - so why wait? Neat, clean work for a reasonable price. Call Haim at 954-398-3676, sidnalll@yahoo.com
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