Wire Magazine Issue #15, 2012: Miami Beach Gay Pride by Wire Media Group

WWW.WIREWEEKLY.COM COLLECTOR’S EDITION

CHAZ BONO:

The Struggles of Transition

KRISTINE W:

Inspired by the Gay Community

WYNTER GORDON: Believes in Gay Marriage

FRENCHIE DAVIS: Supports Gay Rights

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE PRIDE EVENTS GUIDE DISTRIBUTED EVERY THURSDAY IN MIAMI, THE BEACHES, AND FORT LAUDERDALE • THE LONGEST-RUNNING WEEKLY ON SOUTH BEACH “LIKE” US

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ISSUE #15 | 04/12/12

iN o J ? r A e y NA e e B S ’ T i ! EDITOR IN CHIEF’S ow wNOTE ti vents and par

ly e b a b o r p e v a h week o, a t p s x la E , d e n d a a k r e a e p ife can be a T struggle for everyone at one point or another. his w mas o h T r o My first real struggle came when I was twelve years old f r e v e re inc t wthateeks a s and my dad died very young after ab devastating illness e ie s w u y h e w th n . e e over the course of a year. I was both slowly took his lifeb away azine g a m e r i heartbroken and devastated and, to this day, thinking of my w your on s a g e in s k u r o n dad usually brings tears to myI eyes. My dad’s passing made a w c od and Rafa goCarvajal y r me grow up very quickly and forced me to become the man e v f o Publisher/Editor in Chief le p u be o c of the house at a very young age for my mom and my two to s a e m r ti o F d n a y? me stronger and taught me younger brothers.W It also hmade g rkinPublisher o Associate w n e e to persevere no matter what. Life is a beautiful thing and the b Jesse Spencer have e alternative is no good! W : s n o s rea ond secEditor r u o g in c u This weekend the LGBT community will gather on beautiful Miami Beach to celebrate d ro James Cubby wan p o n ls o a d r e a W h the 2012 Miami Beach Gay Pride Festival. I know it’s going to be a hell of a party! A very n of i t i d parade, great concerts, a pool party, night parties, and festival, and many other activities e Design &o Production Director ’s r o t you t Jose Gonzalez will bring the community together for a celebration of life, and the struggle for equality collec e m e o d lc i e r P w r e u v and human rights. e k yo inColumnists th e w t a th – e ty a n r i z a Alfredo Barrios P g l a o Everyone I have met in the LGBT community has had a r struggle of their own –a several in o m P e i In w Alyn . Green hDarnay gSteele u most cases. But they also have a compelling story of perseverance and finding a way to o r th g in Dane d a e r take the bull by the horns to overcome their own personal struggles and live e life worthy njo d to pu e Ken Hunt id y aBeach c e d eallMiami living in their own unique way. So come out this w weekend Gay l to rcelebrate r il e v st eSasser A Pizzi irGregg fMichael e Dr. th n Pride 2012. Show your support for everyone – including yourself – and have a wonderful o p to -s n o e, n id r g P in time! k ’s r r o a Kevin Wynn w e y n e e e lso b acomprehensive gazin a e v m a h e e ir w W , n h In this week’s issue we bring you the most Miami Beach Gay Pride Events io ic it Writers d you will find anywhere. As we do for all major LGBT community adGuide , wh fun in rourtyguide a e v P a l events, h Thomas Barker o o h P it w e r Frias rid toAndrew icNeil is the perfect tool to plan and chooseP which parties and events to go to. Make the most of y V a l G e t l o a i h c i e f f th Antwyone Ingram ent oour Pride guide and have a great time during this year’sAMiami Beach Gay Pride Festival. t a m le th p 7 m 1 o c il r p Remy Walker . s ponsor turday, s a s S a n o a l This year we also decided to celebrate and honor Chaz Bono, the Grand Marshal of i t s u o q h e l T a wtheilMiami Beach Gay Pride parade, and performers d ges r Staff Photographer ta u s d Kristine W, Wynter Gordon, and in a r a r m e h Henry Perez a ofathemn for this week’s issue because they Frenchie Davis. We chose to interview all four k d o V a i d n a l interesting life stories and have overcome struggles of their own. This weekend invery Fhave e ad m o Photographers s r o f they will come to Miami Beach to celebrate Pride and show their continued support for e w e cMironoff inGiovanni yJavisSaco bJuan e the LGBT community. On behalf of Wire Magazine, I want to personally thank them all n o g y d a e lr a s p.m a for their support. h 1 r a m e Luis Santiago y o r f a t a , th e ve zin aDalegaStine belisoeeloquently m to e d ir r a W h f is o As r James Cubby, Editor of Wire Magazine, said in the introduction to this y n ll io a Edit Itweek’secover story, Gay Pride is an opportunity to celebrate ethe gay will toandr’s k c i e i ll community take o m Local Advertising C in id r e P c r e toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and evviolence a positive stance against discrimination advertising@wireweekly.com ing pla k e first and ta in a g hedIt isth a e c ublispeople. n transgender a time to increase the gay community’s visibility as a social group p ent o m is li p e m id r o P c . e s National Advertising Rep. a in and further celebrate sexual diversity and gender variance. It is also a celebration of the c s er rea|d212-242-6863 ely the it r n u fi o Rivendell Media e ll d a extraordinary strength, beauty and contributions of South Florida’s LGBT community to t is a t a th th e t p bu in general. rch ho u e p w t society e d k n c a ti y a d is r Editorial joy th is Satu enSubmissions th to h c e a c n e editorial@wireweekly.com a B h i c m a Before closing, I want to take a moment to invite all our readers to join us for Edison Farmia ill have w le a row’s birthday party on Thursday, April 19 at Queen Lounge, 841 Washington Avenue d r e tten d Contact Information u go786.272.0123 aand we all know Edison is the master l e v t r a h o F in Miami Beach. DJ Troy Landon will be spinning, ’t n d | n ld Tel: 305.520.WIRE Fax: a u o i c mparties and events for the LGBT community – so mark’syourEcalendars! iagreat ure n. We at m throwing s io Email: info@wireweekly.com it e k d a m r to , c s e r ll e 1541 Brickell Avenue, ertisMiami, FL 33129 dv#2004, a Pride Co r u o f o t Cheers,eek’s 2010 r o p p w the su Wire Magazine is published, produced, copy r d u n o a and owned by y t, r o h p c p u u s m r ryAll Rights Reserved you Rafa Wire Media L.L.C. sTheve nkGroup a h T . ff ta s e ere without all Distributed in Miami, Beaches, and Fort Lauderdale test, b ir h W e th f o con s r e b Publisher & Editor in Chief m e m e th ll a d n le! ib s s sponsors, a o p is th tel Vict o e k h a m s u g in lp e everyone for h A TIME TO CELEBRATE

LOOKING GOOD

BY KEN HUNT

MY HEROES

he Gay Liberation Movement will celebrate its 41st birthday this year. In 1969 the Stonewall riots heralded the beginning of our on-going fight for equality. And while we have made tremendous strides, there is still so much more to be done. It seems fitting then, that I should take a departure from my fitness column this week and take a moment to thank my “heroes” of the LGBT movement. A great big “Shout Out” to those individuals who were not afraid to Stand Up and Stand Out. My list isn’t meant to be inclusive of everyone, but I hope it will motivate you to take a moment and give your own personal “shout out” to someone you know that has made a difference IN your life and TO your life. Here Goes!

Sykes, Rosie O’Donnell, Dusty Springfield, k.d. Lang, Ricky Martin, Boy George, George Michael, Ani Difanco, and Kate Clinton.

Authors and Writers: Alan Ball, James Baldwin, Tennessee Williams, Edward Albee, W.H Auden, Dustin Lance Black, Mart Crowley, Noel Coward, Mark Nelson, Larry Kramer, Michelangelo Signorelli, Randy Shilts, Christopher Rice, and Harvey Feirstein.

And most especially, to all of you. To all of those people who read my column and have written me for advice or just say “thanks”, you are my heroes. Let us never forget that we are all part of a community and there is just one life for each of us: our own.

Activists: Elaine Noble, Chaz Bono, David Mixner, Del Martin and Phyllis Leon, Grethe Cammermeyer, Barbara Gittings, Cleve Jones, Frank Kamney, John Aravosis. Elizabeth Birch, and Leonard P. Matlovich.

Live your life Proud and Out Loud. Happy Gay Pride to all of you!

All the gay servicemen and women in every branch of the Armed Forces, you are my heroes. To every young boy or girl, in every small town across the US and around the world, who has come out at school, you are my heroes. To every transgendered person who realized that they need to change who they are so that they can be who they are, you are my hero. To every person who has been beaten up, laughed at, spit on, ostracized, ridiculed or abused and has managed to hold their head up and move forward with their life, you are my hero. To every gay couple who has adopted children, you are my heroes. To every couple celebrating their wedPoliticians: Christine Quinn, Barney dings and now their anniversaries, you Frank, Harvey Milk, Tom Duane, Jim Mc- are my heroes. Greevy, and Gerry Studds. To every LGBT person who is out at work Athletes: Martina Navratilova, Billy and to their friends and family, you are Bean, John Curry, Rudy Galindo, Babe my heroes. Didrikson, Bruce Hayes, Billie Jean King, Greg Louganis, Bob Paris, Bill Tilden, To my partner and the love of my life – Esera Tuaolo, and Tom Waddell. John.

Entertainers: Ellen DeGeneres, Elton John, Adam Lambert, Melissa Etheridge, Sean Hayes, Dan Butler, Neil Patrick Harris, Leslie Jordan, Ian McKellen, Wanda

Ken Hunt is an AFI-certified trainer and fitness expert who owns New York and Miami’s Steel Gym. Steel Gym has been named the No. 1 gym in New York two years in a row by the American Fitness Institute. In Miami, Steel Gym is located at 5556 NE 4th Ct. 305.751.7591. www. SteelGym.com

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www.egrifta.com

Actual patient living with HIV since 2000

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You’VE woRkED To ConTRoL YouR HIV. now, TImE To woRk on YouR

HIV-RELATED EXCESS BELLY FAT. In two separate clinical trials of HIV-infected people with lipodystrophy, each lasting 6 months, EGRIFTA® (tesamorelin for injection) reduced HIV-related excess belly fat by an average of 18% in the first trial, and 14% in the second trial. This reduction in excess belly fat resulted in an approximate 1-inch reduction in waist size. Individual results may vary. On average, patients on EGRIFTA® did not lose weight. Like HIV, HIV-related excess belly fat is a chronic condition. In clinical studies: • People who used EGRIFTA® continuously for 1 year maintained their results over this time period • People who stopped taking EGRIFTA® after 6 months had their HIV-related excess belly fat come back EGRIFTA® is believed to work with your own body to produce natural growth hormone to reduce your excess belly fat. Indication: EGRIFTA® is a daily injectable prescription medicine to reduce the excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy. Limitations of use: • The impact and safety of EGRIFTA® on cardiovascular health has not been studied • EGRIFTA® is not indicated for weight-loss management • It’s not known whether taking EGRIFTA® helps improve compliance with antiretroviral medications • EGRIFTA® is not recommended to be used in children

EGRIFTA® may cause serious side effects, including: • Serious allergic reaction. Stop using EGRIFTA® and get emergency help right away if you have any of the following symptoms: rash over your body, hives, swelling of your face or throat, shortness of breath or trouble breathing, fast heartbeat, feeling of faintness or fainting • Swelling (fluid retention). EGRIFTA® can cause swelling in some parts of your body. Call your healthcare provider if you have an increase in joint pain, or pain or numbness in your hands or wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome) 120127-102148 2/12

The most common side effects of EGRIFTA® include: • joint pain • numbness and pricking • pain in legs and arms • nausea • swelling in your legs • vomiting • muscle soreness • rash • tingling • itching EGRIFTA® will NOT cure HIV or lower your chance of passing HIV to others. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Please see Consumer Brief Summary of EGRIFTA® on following page.

Ask your healthcare provider if EGRIFTA®, the first and only FDA-approved medicine for HIV-related excess belly fat, may be right for you. For more information, visit www.egrifta.com or call the AXIS Center at 1-877-714-AXIS (2947).

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Before using EGRIFTA,® tell your healthcare provider if you: • Have or have had cancer • Have diabetes • Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed • Have kidney or liver problems • Have any other medical condition • Take prescription or non-prescription medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements

• Increase in glucose (blood sugar) intolerance and diabetes • Injection-site reactions, such as redness, itching, pain, irritation, bleeding, rash, and swelling. Change (rotate) your injection site to help lower your risk for injection-site reactions

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Important Risk Information Do not use EGRIFTA® if you: • Have pituitary gland tumor, pituitary gland surgery, or other problems related to your pituitary gland • Have active cancer (either newly diagnosed or recurrent) or are receiving treatment for cancer • Are allergic to tesamorelin or any of the ingredients in EGRIFTA®, including mannitol or sterile water • Are pregnant or become pregnant

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Consumer Brief Summary for EGRIFTA® (tesamorelin for injection) EGRIFTA® (eh-GRIF-tuh) (tesamorelin for injection) for subcutaneous use Read the Patient Information that comes with EGRIFTA® before you start to take it and each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This leaflet does not take the place of talking to your healthcare provider about your medical condition or your treatment. What is EGRIFTA®? • EGRIFTA® is an injectable prescription medicine to reduce the excess in abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy. EGRIFTA® contains a growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) • The impact and safety of EGRIFTA® on cardiovascular health has not been studied • EGRIFTA® is not indicated for weight-loss management • It is not known whether taking EGRIFTA® helps improve compliance with antiretroviral medications • It is not known if EGRIFTA® is safe and effective in children. EGRIFTA® is not recommended to be used in children Who should not use EGRIFTA®? Do not use EGRIFTA® if you: • have pituitary gland tumor, pituitary gland surgery, or other problems related to your pituitary gland • have active cancer (either newly diagnosed or recurrent) or are receiving treatment for cancer • are allergic to tesamorelin or any of the ingredients in EGRIFTA®. See the end of this leaflet for a complete list of ingredients in EGRIFTA® • are pregnant or become pregnant. If you become pregnant, stop using EGRIFTA® and talk with your healthcare provider. See “What should I tell my healthcare provider before using EGRIFTA®?”

What are the possible side effects of EGRIFTA®? EGRIFTA® may cause serious side effects including: • Serious allergic reaction. Some people taking EGRIFTA® may have an allergic reaction. Stop using EGRIFTA® and get emergency help right away if you have any of the following symptoms: – a rash over your body – hives – swelling of your face or throat – shortness of breath or trouble breathing – fast heartbeat – feeling of faintness or fainting

• Injection-site reactions. Change (rotate) your injection site to help lower your risk for injection-site reactions. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice if you have the following symptoms around the area of the injection site: – redness – bleeding – rash – itching – swelling – pain – irritation The most common side effects of EGRIFTA® include: – joint pain – nausea – pain in legs and arms – vomiting – rash – swelling in your legs – itching – muscle soreness – tingling, numbness, and pricking Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of EGRIFTA®. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Call your healthcare provider for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects, contact EMD Serono toll-free at 1-800-283-8088, ext. 5563. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. Keep EGRIFTA® and all medicines out of the reach of children. General information about the safe and effective use of EGRIFTA®: Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient Information leaflet. Do not use EGRIFTA® for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give EGRIFTA® to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them. Do not share your EGRIFTA® syringe with another person, even if the needle is changed. Do not share your EGRIFTA® needles with another person. This Patient Information leaflet summarizes the most important information about EGRIFTA®. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about EGRIFTA® that is written for healthcare professionals. For more information about EGRIFTA®, go to www.EGRIFTA.com or contact the AXIS Center toll-free at 1-877-714-2947. What are the ingredients in EGRIFTA®? Active ingredient: tesamorelin Inactive ingredients: mannitol and Sterile Water for Injection

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How should I use EGRIFTA®? • Read the detailed “Instructions for Use” that comes with EGRIFTA® before you start using EGRIFTA®. Your healthcare provider will show you how to inject EGRIFTA® • Use EGRIFTA® exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider • Inject EGRIFTA® under the skin (subcutaneously) of your stomach area (abdomen) • Change (rotate) the injection site on your stomach area (abdomen) with each dose. Do not inject EGRIFTA® into scar tissue, bruises, or your navel • Do not share needles or syringes with other people. Sharing of needles can result in the transmission of infectious diseases, such as HIV

• Increase in glucose (blood sugar) intolerance and diabetes. Your healthcare provider will measure your blood sugar periodically

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What should I tell my healthcare provider before using EGRIFTA®? Before using EGRIFTA®, tell your healthcare provider if you: • have or have had cancer • have diabetes • are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if EGRIFTA® passes into your breast milk. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that HIV-infected mothers not breastfeed to avoid the risk of passing HIV infection to your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you are taking EGRIFTA® • have kidney or liver problems • have any other medical condition Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. EGRIFTA® may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how EGRIFTA® works. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list with you to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

• Swelling (fluid retention). EGRIFTA® can cause swelling in some parts of your body. Call your healthcare provider if you have an increase in joint pain, or pain or numbness in your hands or wrist (carpal tunnel syndrome)

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE 2012

E X C E P T I O N A L . B E C A U S E W E ’ R E M A D E T H I S W A Y. h a n d -h a rv ested, h a n dcr a f ted a n d e s t a t e b o t t l e d si n c e 1 8 7 0 .

H e r r a d u r a® T e q u i l a. N e v e r c o m p r o m i se.

DINING

BY RAFA CARVAJAL

STUNNED BY THE VIEW AND THE FOOD

y life has afforded me the opportunity to dine out in some of the best restaurants in Miami, Miami Beach, top U.S. cities, South America, Europe, Japan, and Australia. I am a very lucky diner indeed! Given these wonderful experiences, I have seen a lot, so I am not often blown away by an overall dining experience, even though I continue to experience some great ones in Miami and the Beaches. Last week I decided to visit Miami Beach’s newest dining destination because I am going to start writing two dining columns per week- one for lunch and one for dinner. Friday, I had lunch at Juvia (on the rooftop of 1111 Lincoln Road) and walked away stunned by one of the most wonderful overall dining experiences I’ve had in a while. Why, you are likely to ask? It is hard to convey it by writing a half-page column. The best way to explain it is by saying both Jesse, my Associate Publisher, and I felt like Juvia was an experience unlike any we have had in Miami and the Beaches from the overall dining experience perspective. You certainly have to visit Juvia to appreciate what I mean.

Salmon Nashi

Unagi Chocolate

The views of Miami Beach in every direction were stunning – you must see them – the food was delicious, and the restaurant is very beautiful inside and outside. I started my lunch with a very fresh and flavorsome Salmon Nashi prepared with truffle oil, dry miso and micro arugula. I love eel, so I followed with an Unagi Chocolate with a lovely chocolate eel sauce. For my main course I chose the Pan Seared Duck Magret with a mandarin reduction, Brussels sprouts, and shitake mushrooms that was delightful. For dessert I loved the Juvia Shot with a combination of warm coconut and cold Piña Colada that was very Miami and a must try. As a chocolate fan, I also really enjoyed the Waffer Chocolate Croustillant with a café caramel sauce. What a great Friday afternoon lunch it was! Stay tuned next week for my recent dinner at the new Mare Nostrum restaurant on Brickell plus a new lunch destination. Happy dining! Waffer Chocolate Croustillant

Juvia Shot

Visit www.wireweekly.com/dining for more information about other delicious dining destinations.

DAILY GRIND: POLITICS BASEBALL AND POLITICS BY MICHAEL W. SASSER

ou have to feel sorry for poor Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen. If he were just a little more famous, and if he worked in another city like New York, Boston or Chicago, he wouldn’t be in the trouble he’s in for admitting his fondness for Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Celebrities like Sean Penn routinely are led around fascist states and fed a diet of public relations crap so that they will praise places like Cuba. Since Cuba stands in opposition to the United States, the elite class tends to like them. AntiAmericanism is a badge of pride to the ignorant elites who’ve never experienced the real world outside of the bubble of resorts. Cuba is wonderful because of its egalitarian health care system, not a dreadful place because, among numerous other atrocities, gays are locked up in asylums and were used in medical experiments in the very recent past. But that’s ok, because to the well-fed American left, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson are terrorists and Castro, Chavez and the Islamists currently seizing power in Egypt and Libya are heroic freedom fighters.

College Night Wednesdays @ MOVA

photos by Henry Perez, Wire Magazine

College Night Wednesdays take over South Beach at MOVA every week hosted by the Penny Back Boyz. The hottest place to mingle with the sexiest college kids and their admirers in town, while getting down with sounds by DJ Daisy D.

Let’s face it, the world has gone Orwellian since Chairman Mao became an idol to the elite class and to those in the prevailing halls of political power. Guillen might have faced a little criticism if he’d made his comments and coached in another larger, more liberal city with fewer immigrants. But this is South Florida where communist dictators are more than just t-shirt icons worn to show how cool “Occupy” kids are (and how qualified members of the Administration are for their jobs). Unlike other cities, a significant portion of our population remembers well what it’s like when the government comes to, uh, eradicate the one percent in the name of glory to the 99 percent. They remember the political prisons, the death squads, the executions. They’re familiar with when progress comes to a halt and how the promise of equality results in wealth for those in the government and poverty to everyone not in government. They know the reality of the collectivist policy and economics that demagogues in the US peddle today. So this isn’t the place to suck up to Castro. Guillen should have known this, must have known this. But in the friendly confines of talking to like-minded media, it’s easy for someone to forget prudence and to be honest. I believe Guillen expressed his honest opinion and while that might get him invited to the White House, to Harvard and to a NY Times round-table, it doesn’t fly in South Florida. Guillen also expressed an opinion that I have for years said, is prevalent among Anglos in South Florida. I’ve been in many a room of English-speaking, well-to-do liberals and they’ve expressed the same sentiment. It’s always been just a cover for anti-Cuban hostility – a secret “enlightened” Anglos in Miami don’t like to let out. But it’s true. It’s frankly disgusted me. I say it like it is and I have no problem expressing my prejudices. And, personally, I frankly like people from Latin America more than I like people from North America. So screw the progressive bigots and their Cuban-resenting, pro-communist bullshit. It’s a shame that Guillen didn’t feel that way. He’s been too wealthy and elite for too long. I’m not going to call for Guillen to quit or to be fired. Unlike progressives I don’t believe in silencing dissent. But I will say this. Win, Ozzie, and a lot will be forgiven. Otherwise, you have nothing to contribute to decent dialogue in South Florida; and when you get fired, don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out. 16 | wire magazine | issue #15, 2012 | www.wireweekly.com | facebook | twitter

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DAILY GRIND: ON THE SCENE CLEAN IT UP, BOYS

BY ANTWYONE INGRAM mid recent news about a gay couple being detained in Dominica for indecent exposure and “buggery” aboard the Atlantis, alongside another recent incident in Manhattan Beach, California in which 18 men were arrested for having sex in a public restroom during an undercover sting – it really has me wondering, what the hell are you going through my fellow gay men? Yes, I know – a lot of you get your rocks off by playing in public and it’s nice to carry out a fantasy, but the fantasy falls short when you’re in a jail cell and your face is smeared all over the national papers and online blogs. I’m not one to judge about the scandals, mishaps, and “sexscapades” of other gay men, because we’ve all had a few extreme situations of our own, but don’t have the audacity to play the victim when you get caught red-handed, pants down, bright-eyed and bushy tailed boys and “girls.” It amazes me how gay men are always so quick to say our community is stereotyped and gay people in the media are not portraying an accurate or appropriate image of our lifestyle. Well, when we do things that make national news such as having public sex in clear view of a docking port (with photographic evidence I may add), and when reality TV networks cast stereotypical gay characters lacking depth and keeping up more drama than your average Keeping Up With the Kardashians episode, of course it’s hard to present the world with a clear understanding of what our lifestyle is comprised of. No one has any reason to be salty about how gays are portrayed in the media, because, believe it or not, we’re fueling it. Sure, there are tons of gay liberals and activists making major advancements towards gay marriage and discrimination laws and I commend them, but can we get an order of reputation management as well please? I never hear anything positive about gays in the news. Teenage suicides, indecent exposure, sex stings, HIV, oh and RuPaul’s Drag Race (not that I have anything against the show). I look forward to the day when a gay man or woman makes national news for an accomplishment other than making it to the last round of a drag competition on a gay network – that’s not news. I’m not saying I’m a saint, or an activist, nor am I whining, but there’s nothing that bothers me more than gay men ranting about our community’s image yet they cruise in public settings (who does that anyway, it’s not the ‘70s), abuses drugs, prioritizes circuit life over professional life, and know nothing about what’s going on in the world except when Madonna’s next album is dropping. Have a seat, please. If you want a shift in how we are portrayed, act accordingly. A great number of gay men are too content with being “comfortable” and opt out of “the road less traveled.” Aspire to be something besides the local “merry go round” (I shouldn’t have to elaborate). If you want to be that legendary old neighborhood queen sipping well drinks in a cigarette scented gay bar a couple of decades from now, by all means do so.

This may be cliché, but have “a voice.” Your tragic gay friend or friends have absolutely nothing to do with your personal aspirations. Clean it up, now. Call upon Gay Jesus, remove yourself from the scene, get new friends, do what you must -- just clean it up boys.

MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE 2012

iami Beach has pulled out all the stops for the Fourth Annual Miami Beach Gay Pride celebration. Rainbow flags will be waving as more than 60,000 fans are expected to attend Miami Beach Gay Pride. What is Gay Pride? It’s simply an opportunity to celebrate the gay community and take a positive stance against discrimination and violence toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. It’s a time to increase the gay community’s visibility as a social group and further celebrate our sexual diversity and gender variance. Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade & Festival is your chance to bond with your community. More than that, it’s a celebration of the extraordinary strength, beauty and contributions of South Florida’s LGBT community. The four-day festival culminates with the Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade and the Miami Beach Gay Pride Festival. Chaz Bono, LGBTQ rights activist, author, lecturer and transgender issues advocate, will headline the Fourth Annual Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade as Grand Marshal. Prepare to be impressed with the line-up scheduled for this year’s Miami Beach Gay Pride Festival, which takes place immediately following the colorful parade. Performers include Kristine W, Wynter Gordon, Jessica Sutta from the Pussy Cat Dolls, JoJo, Frenchie Davis and Inaya Day. This year Miami Beach’s Gay Pride Celebrations include pool parties, art exhibitions, receptions, a block party, several women’s pride events, a brunch, a parade, performances, a T dance, and fireworks. Miami Beach Gay Pride has grown into the largest, single-day event of the entire year in Miami Beach with a purpose to bring together members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community, their friends, allies and supporters in celebration of the unique spirit and culture of the LGBTQ community. Miami Beach Gay Pride takes place Sunday, April 15, from noon to 7 p.m., along Ocean Drive, and is presented by Stolichnaya® Premium vodka. Wire Magazine took the time to chat with Chaz Bono, Kristine W, Wynter Gordon, and Frenchie Davis about life, music, and celebrating gay pride to commemorate this year’s Miami Beach Gay Pride. 18 | wire magazine | issue #15, 2012 | www.wireweekly.com | facebook | twitter

BY JAMES CUBBY

MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE 2012

CHAZ BONO

“It gets better”

haz Bono, LGBT rights advocate, author, and speaker, will be leading the Fourth Annual Miami Beach Gay Pride Parade as Grand Marshal. As the only child of entertainers Sonny and Cher, Chaz Bono has been in the spotlight most of his life – first as a little girl on The Sonny & Cher Show and most recently as a man on Dancing With The Stars. Coming out as a gay woman in 1995, Chaz began working in support of LGBT rights and social justice. Chaz is a three-time author, active speaker and has contributed as a writer-at-large to The Advocate. In 1996, Chaz became the Human Rights Campaign’s National Coming Out Day spokesperson. Bono has written two books on coming out, to oneself and to others. The book, Family Outing: A Guide to the Coming Out Process for Gays, Lesbians, and Their Families tells the account of Bono’s coming out. The memoir, The End of Innocence, is a more in-depth account of Bono’s outing, music career, and partner’s death from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In 2011, directors Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey released a documentary titled Becoming Chaz. The three-time Emmy nominated documentary shares Chaz’s journey of transformation. Today, Chaz Bono is an outspoken LGBT rights activist. Wire Magazine was able to chat with Chaz about his first gay pride parade, his transition and Dancing With The Stars. What does gay pride mean to you? My first gay pride parade was when I was 17. I was biking in New York City and came across it going down 5th Avenue. I had no idea it was a gay pride parade, but I followed it down to the Village. From that I got a sense of community. A sense of hope. How do you feel now that you’ve transitioned? I’ve changed in so many ways. I’m comfortable for the first time. When did you come out as a gay woman? In 1995. What advice can you give someone who might be going through 19 | wire magazine | issue #15, 2012 | www.wireweekly.com | facebook | twitter

what you went through? Start with your local LGBT Center. They usually have counselors and people that can help. How have things changed for you since you’ve made the transition from female to male? Until I transitioned I didn’t realize how uncomfortable I was. What was the most difficult part of your transition? There was no difficult part. Getting the courage to actually do it was the most difficult part. Do you feel you’re a good role model? I just put my story out there and hope to give people courage. I work with a lot of teens. What is the biggest misconception about Chaz Bono? I’ve no idea. Maybe that I have more money than I have because of my mother. I guess that’s why you did Dancing With The Stars. It started like that but it became one of the greatest experiences of my life. What advice can you give others in the transgender community? It gets better. Have courage. What are you most proud of in your life? Overcoming a lot of things, the demons that really scare you. Any regrets? Not really. I do wish I would have stayed in college. What does the future hold for you? I’m working on a lot of projects. Nothing concrete. What is the state of mind of Chaz Salvatore Bono? I’m very happy.

MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE 2012

KRISTINE W

It’s A Time of Celebration

ristine W, a fixture on the dance scene since 1996, is no stranger to gay audiences and South Florida. Kristine is not only an incredible performer but also she is a survivor, in more ways than one, and has topped the dance charts 14 times. She has surpassed Madonna and Janet Jackson with eight consecutive chart-toppers. According to Wikipedia, Kristine W has earned 16 number-one hits, 17 top ten hits, and 17 top forty hits. Kristine, the mother of two, showed her strength by overcoming a two-year battle with leukemia and bounced back with her sixth chart topping single, “Some Lovin’” which became a hit in the U.S. and overseas and was a featured single in the Showtime series Queer As Folk. “Kristine W has proven herself one of the best and most important dance vocalists of the past two decades; it’s time the rest of the world was clued in,” cited one reviewer. Kristine W’s fifth fulllength album, Straight Up With A Twist – her first jazz album – was released in 2010 to rave reviews. “The arrangements are breathtaking, and Kristine’s throaty take on her own classics definitely gives you something to stir your martini to,” says one reviewer. “She takes on the daunting task of covering such classics as Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven” and Donna Summer’s “On The Radio.” While other singers have taken on classics with less than stellar results, Kristine only enhances the best parts of already memorable tracks.” Wire Magazine was able to talk to Kristine W from her home in Las Vegas about gay pride, her fans, and Miami. What does gay pride mean to you? It’s a time of celebration where gays celebrate who they are and how far they’ve come. A lot of straight people don’t realize the strides that the gays have made. When was your first gay pride? My first gay pride was in 1998 in New York City. Back then, record labels advised you not to go to these events and not to talk about your gay fans. How much has the gay community been a part of the success of your career? Huge. They have inspired me. They’re tenacious and talented. I admire them so much. Why do you think the gay community loves your music so much? Because I do songs about hope – happy songs. I try to do inspiring music. That’s why I’ve survived. Can you feel the difference in energy when you’re playing before a predominantly gay audience? Yes. I work in Las Vegas and play straight crowds a lot. The gay community knows how to show their enthusiasm. Music is really part of their life. They hold artists to a higher esteem. 20 | wire magazine | issue #15, 2012 | www.wireweekly.com | facebook | twitter

You’re a queen in the dance world. What do feel accounts for your success? I think I try to write songs that people can relate to. I love to perform and hang out with the fans. The fans are my family. I don’t do this for the money. I try to write for the audience. You’ve overcome quite a few obstacles in your life especially health issues but now you’re on top. Any advice for those going through troubled times? Everyone needs to take care of themselves. Treat your body as a temple. I get bummed out like the next person. Try to stay positive and say a prayer. Try to be grateful to be alive. Make the most of living. What’s been the highlight of your career? There have been so many. Maybe it will be this weekend. My whole career has been a highlight, but if I must say it was my first show in Kansas after I got out of the hospital. I was in the hospital for a couple of years battling leukemia. What’s the first thing you think of when someone says Miami? I think of the changes and the different names of Mansion. It’s been called so many things. Miami is always changing. I love the Latin flavor. Miami is a very cool place. What or who has been your inspiration in life? My mother. She was a working musician and a single mother. She raised four kids. I look at her and go wow! Do you think it’s important for gays to celebrate their pride? I think it’s very important. My kids have gone to more gay prides than most gays. It shows support. There’s power in numbers. The only way that things will get better is if gays stick together. What does the future hold for Kristine W? I’m excited my jazz album, Straight Up With A Twist, is doing so well. I’m working on a new album that will be out in June called Kristine W: New and #1. Do you have anything else that you’d like to say to Wire Magazine readers? Thanks for the love. Thanks for the encouragement. I feel very blessed. I look forward to celebrating.

MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE 2012

WYNTER GORDON

With The Music I Die ynter Gordon, one of the headliners for Miami Beach Gay Pride, is currently riding on the success of her new CD, With The Music I Die. Some fans will recognize the singer from her 2010 release “Dirty Talk,” a song mixed with kinky taunts and raunchy references to S&M. Die-hard fans would have probably seen her perform live at the recent Ultra Music Festival where she was on the bill with Laidback Luke and Steve Aoki. Ms. Gordon is a favorite on the gay circuit having performed at last year’s White Party in Palm Springs and during Dinah Shore Weekend at The Dinah “White Party” at Riviera Palm Springs Hotel. While fans may love her songs, many may not be aware that the beautiful singer started as a writer who has written for such notables as Mary J. Blige (“Gonna Breakthrough”) and Jennifer Lopez (three tracks on Lopez’s 2011 comeback record LOVE? Including the title track, “(What is) Love?”). Now Ms. Gordon writes and performs her own songs. “Dirty Talk” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play in the U.S. and stayed at #1 on Australia’s ARIA Chart for three weeks in January. Recently the singer has been touring the country and Wire Magazine caught up with her to chat about her music and pride. At the appointed time I called her, but a recording came on saying that the singer was out riding her unicorn. Luckily, she called right back. Although it was the afternoon I felt that I had woken her from a deep sleep as she seemed a bit groggy but very friendly. When I asked her where she was at the time, she replied that she didn’t know. Then it came to her. “Somewhere in Ohio.” What does gay pride mean to you? It’s a day to celebrate your individuality and who you are. What’s your stand on gay rights? I believe in gay marriage. Everyone should have the right to be who they are. I’m for treating everyone the same. 21 | wire magazine | issue #15, 2012 | www.wireweekly.com | facebook | twitter

Did you really change your name from Diana to Wynter because you didn’t want to be compared to Diana Ross? She’s such a performer. How do you follow that? I figured that name was already taken so I had to choose another. A group of friends helped me select a new name. What inspired the song “Dirty Talk”? Did you have someone in mind when you sang it? Not necessarily. I wasn’t in a relationship. I wrote it to amuse and have fun. Why do you think you have such a big gay following? I just showed a lot of love. I played the gay clubs when I started. I think gays are more open to life. What’s your fondest memory of Miami? I love Miami. I was just at Ultra. I’m always at Ultra. I love the weather and the people. There’s such a great feeling there. Who is your favorite songwriter? Diane Warren. Are you working on your second CD? Yes, we’re putting it together now. What’s been the highlight of your career so far? Sitting and writing for great performers like Jennifer Lopez and Mary J. Blige. What type of songs will you be singing? I’ll be performing 4 or 5 covers. What’s your philosophy of life? Nothing worth having comes easy.

MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE 2012

FRENCHIE DAVIS Former American Idol Contestant & Semi-Finalist on The Voice

&B singer Frenchie Davis first stepped into the spotlight as a semi-finalist on the second season of American Idol, but was disqualified because of topless photos taken earlier in her career. Frenchie did not give up her dream to continue performing. In 2003, Davis earned a role in the Broadway production of Rent. Last year, Davis appeared on the first season of The Voice and became a Top 8 semifinalist and came in Second place on Christina Aguilera’s team. Wire Magazine took the opportunity to ask the singer about her career, American Idol, The Voice, and gay pride.

You know, that’s difficult to answer because each experience is special to me for different reasons.

What does gay pride mean to you? Gay pride is a time of celebration because it serves as a reminder to the LGBT community that it’s ok to be themselves and it’s ok to be out and proud.

What songs will be included? It’s going to be mostly dance/pop, very similar style of music to the songs I did on The Voice.

What’s your stand on gay rights? I don’t even consider them “gay rights,” I consider them “human rights.” Because it doesn’t matter what your color, gender or sexual identity is; we should all have the same basic human rights.

Do you have any role models? Yes - the singers and performers who say, “Yes.” The singers and performers who’ve influenced me the most include Ella, Dinah, Aretha, Whitney, Sylvester, Tina Turner, Grace Jones and Madonna.

Do you have a big gay following? Yes I do. I feel like the gay community has been right there by my side throughout every phase of my career since the beginning.

Which do you think boosted your career most, American Idol or The Voice? I think they both did. American Idol introduced me to the world and The Voice gave me the chance to show them what I could really do.

In an interview you said, “Thanks to the gay boys, I’ve never had to do anything but sing.” How did you first get involved working with the gay community? When I was a freshman at Howard University, my stage make-up professor would take me to sing at the local drag clubs to make extra money. And because I was the only “real girl” and the only performer who wasn’t lip-syncing I made good money. By my sophomore year, I was a regular performer at most of the local gay clubs in D.C. and was also working as event staff for D.C. Pride events. What does the gay community mean to you? The gay community means everything to me. They represent a community of people, who’ve always accepted me for me, and they’ve supported my career from the beginning and in many ways I feel that I owe much of my success to them. What other gay pride events have you participated in? Oh honey...[Laughs] D.C. Pride, obviously, Los Angeles Pride, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Cincinnati, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Flagstaff, San Antonio, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, both Carolinas, Atlanta, Houston, and countless more that I’m struggling to remember; as well as numerous HRC events. What’s been the highlight of your career so far? 22 | wire magazine | issue #15, 2012 | www.wireweekly.com | facebook | twitter

What type of songs will you be singing? I’ll be mostly singing dance music. Are you working on a CD? Yes!!!!!

Our publisher saw you in Rent and said you were incredible. Any plans for a return to Broadway? Yes, I’m actually in talks with a couple of Broadway shows now, but I want to finish the album before I return to Broadway because it’s hard to maintain a recording schedule when you’re doing eight shows a week. What type of performance can Miami Beach Gay Pride expect from Frenchie Davis? They can expect to hear lots of good singing and they can expect to want to dance! What’s next for Frenchie Davis? The single will be released on iTunes in May. I’m working on the second single already. Hopefully there’ll be more albums in the future and maybe one day I’ll get a role on Broadway that will give me the Tony nomination I’ve been dreaming of since I was a little girl. Is there anything else you’d like to say to Wire Magazine’s readers? Just that I love them and I’m so thankful to them for all their support and I can’t wait to party with them for Pride! www.frenchiedavis.org

WIRE MAGAZINE’S OFFICIAL MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE GUIDE

BY JESSE SPENCER

*OFFICIAL MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE EVENT

THURSDAY, APRIL 14 “FASHION, FOOD & FIERCENESS”* Leaders, Legend, & Lovelies Ball and Exhibition Unveiling 7 – 10 p.m. Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach Join Unity Coalition Unida and special guests for a fierce evening of cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, international recording artists and celebrity DJs all celebrating the good, positive and outstanding within our LGBT community. The evening also marks the unveiling of the Fabulous Florida Fashions exhibition, spotlighting local LGBT designers & artists. Admission is $50 an individual & $90 a couple. STILETTO NIGHTS 6 – 10 p.m. Palace, 1200 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach Palace is the place to go after a day on the beach of soaking up the sun and enjoying all the eye candy. The cabaret show will be hosted by Missy Miyake with special diva cast members. The shows start at 6 p.m. Be sure to snag some great drink specials all night. Admission is free. VANITY GIRL THURSDAYS 10 p.m. – 3 a.m. MOVA, 1625 Michigan Avenue, Miami Beach

Don’t miss out on a fabulous night at TWIST with seven different bars, DJ Pride, stiff drinks, and beautiful dancers. And if you’re looking for some hot papis, DJ Adora will be hosting Sabroso in Bar 5! “Never a cover... Always a groove.” Admission is free. POP FEVER THURSDAYS 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. Score, 727 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach Grab your popsicles and head over to Pop Fever Thursdays at Score for a sexy night with Ice Cream Truck star, Cazwell. Hosted by Danny Ferro, the evening will also feature hot beats by DJ Daisy D. Enjoy $5 Stoli flavored vodka cocktails until midnight. Admission is free.

FRIDAY, APRIL15 LEADERS, LEGEND, & LOVELIES EXHIBIT* Noon to 6 p.m. Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach Unity Coalition Unida presents the “Fabulous Florida Fashions” exhibition, spotlighting local LGBT designers & artists. Admission is free. ALL DANCER BEACH TOWEL REVUE 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. Swinging Richards, 17450 Biscayne Boulevard, North Miami Beach

Come and enjoy South Beach’s most upscale gay lounge while listening to the fabulous beats resonating from the speakers, as DJ Zehno works it out for the girls. Expect high quality cocktails, sexy professionals, great music & delicious drinks! This is the sexiest place for women to meet other women and their gay best friends on the beach. $6 Finlandia and $4 Miller Lite all night. Admission is free.

The pride is hard to hide at Swinging Richards. Get ready for a revealing night of scandalous performances by the all male, all nude cast at Swinging Richards gay strip club. Make your fantasies come true. From surfers, to baseball jocks, to musclemen inked to the max, they’ve got incredible entertainers to suit every taste. At midnight get ready as all the dancers take the stage for one mesmerizing performance with PRIDE! Admission is $10.

SABROSO 11 p.m. – 5 a.m. TWIST, 1057 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach

VIP ANGEL / ARCHANGEL “ÜBER GLAM” RECEPTION* 8-10 p.m.

Townhouse Miami Roof Terrace, 50 20th Street, Miami Beach With the sweeping skyline of Miami Beach as the backdrop, celebrate Pride on the rooftop terrace of the Townhouse Hotel. Enjoy complimentary Stoli & rum cocktails, beer, wine, and soda as well as complimentary hors d’oeuvres from Bond Street Restaurant! Admission is $75. MOVA BLOCK PARTY* 8 p.m. - 2 a.m. 1625 Michigan at Lincoln Road, Miami Beach Party like a rock star with friends, neighbors, your favorite bartenders and new friends from across the world at MOVA Lounge’s Block Party. Streets will be closed as internationally renowned DJs play your favorite sets on the main stage and inside MOVA with special guest DJ Brett Henrichsen. There will also be live performances by local up-and-coming artists, well-known performers and our favorite Miami Beach personalities. Admission is free. FLING LATIN – A WOMEN’S PRIDE EVENT* 10 p.m. – 4 a.m. The Well, 444 41st Street, Miami Beach The Latin rhythms will get you in the groove at this sexy, new lounge. The place features a unique décor in a rich earthy feel, and an entire room reminiscent of a lodge in Aspen with a massive stone fireplace and antler chandeliers. Enjoy the sounds of DJ Pat Pat all night. Don’t worry about parking, there’s plenty of street parking and a lot nearby. Admission is $8 before midnight & $10 after. DRAG MADNESS 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. Palace, 12th and Ocean Drive, Miami Beach Drop by Ocean Drive’s only gay bar for some fabulous shows. Get your Pride weekend started off right, as beautiful nearly naked beachgoers dance, prance, and party it up. At 6 p.m. the diva of Palace, Miss Latrice Royal, will hit the stage to kick off their astounding Drag

WIRE MAGAZINE’S OFFICIAL MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE GUIDE Photos by Juan Saco Mironoff & Henry Perez

Madness. Afterwards get down with hot beats by DJ Cindel. Admission is free. HAPPY HOUR PRIDE BBQ & PARTY 6:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. TWIST, 1057 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach Looking for an inexpensive way to eat and drink before all the Pride festivities, head over to TWIST for their Friday afternoon barbeque. With 2-4-1 EVERYTHING, and free hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken wings among much, much more, TWIST’s barbeque is definitely the place to be for some good food and great drinks. Later tonight, DJ J Felix will work the turntables till 5 a.m. Admission is free. FILTHY GORGEOUS 10 p.m. – 5 a.m. Score Nightclub, 727 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach Filthy Gorgeous is the best, no-attitude party in Miami Beach with lots of sexy boys and over the top entertainers filling the dance floor. There are always hot go-go boys, fabulous entertainment, and a sexy crowd. Get ready for an incredibly fun night starring NY drag phenomenon Sherry Vine. Check out why her videos are the most watched on YouTube! Get a taste of some delicious beats by DJ Willy G until 5 a.m. Admission is $8 before midnight & $15 after.

SATURDAY, APRIL 17 PRIDE BRUNCHIC 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Palace, 1200 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach As the only gay bar on Ocean Drive, you can bet Palace is going to be one of the hottest party spots in town. Palace will kick off the day with a brunch that includes a delectable menu paired with bottomless mimosas for only $31.95 per person. This will definitely be one of the best seats in town with outrageous performances hosted by Noel Leon and Latrice Royale. LEADERS, LEGEND, & LOVELIES EXHIBIT* Noon – 6 p.m. Art Deco Welcome Center,

1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach Unity Coalition Unida presents the “Fabulous Florida Fashions” exhibition, spotlighting local LGBT designers & artists. Admission is free. SPLASH @ THE POOL* Noon – Sundown Surfcomber Hotel Pool, 1717 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach Get ready to show off that bod, or sit and spectate poolside for “Splash at the Pool with Pride,” a day of fun in the sun at the newly renovated Surfcomber Hotel in Miami Beach. Bring your towels and your sunscreen for this sun-tastic event with world-class DJ Roland Belmares. General Admission is $25. TOM OF FINLAND OPENING RECEPTION* 7 p.m. – Midnight World Erotic Art Museum, 1205 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach The grand master of homoerotic art, Tom of Finland opens its exhibit at WEAM tonight. The exhibit Includes 20 original artworks, 20 vintage magazine articles, and an original video of many additional art works with commentary by Tom of Finland. Come and enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while browsing through the fine scenery of leather daddies, bulges & bare bums at the exhibit. Admission is $15. URGE* 10 p.m. – 8 a.m. Ice Palace Studios West, 71 NW 14 Street, Miami One year after its inaugural event, Score Productions and Hilton Wolman bring Miami’s hottest new party, URGE, back to the fabulous Ice Palace Film Studios West. Playing together for the very first time, Grammy Award winner Peter Rauhofer joins Grammy Award nominee and URGE resident DJ Abel, at what is said to be Miami’s most eagerly anticipated gay party of 2012. Hosted by the Penny Back Boys and Alex Prieto. Shuttle service available from Lincoln Road & Meridian Avenue. Admission is $55 in advance & $75 at the door.

FLING MEGA DANCE PARTY – A WOMEN’S PRIDE EVENT* 10 p.m. – 4 a.m. Score, 727 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach

For all the ladies looking to celebrate Pride with other women who love women, Score is the place to be. The annual mega dance party that brings out hundreds of women is set to host a night of unforgettable dance and fun. Ladies will enjoy special performances by Jessica Sutta of the Pussycats Dolls, plus sexy go-go girls for your viewing pleasure as they dance the night away with beats by DJ GiGi. Admission is $12 before midnight & $15 after. LORDS HOUSE 9 p.m. – 2 a.m. Lords South Beach, 1120 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach Tonight Société Perrier presents Lords Penthouse Series Volume III Pride Edition. Join Tony Ferro & The Penny Back Boyz for this exclusive party atop the most “appropriately oriented” hotel in town. DJ Vito Fun will be working the turntables as you mingle with local socialites & guests in town for Pride. Complimentary vodka Perrier Cocktails until 10 p.m. Admission is free. MUSCLE BOY SATURDAYS 11 p.m. – 5 a.m. TWIST, 1057 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach As a South Beach staple any night of the week, you can catch tons of sexy gay boys working the seven rooms of TWIST. From steamy Hip-Hop beats to sultry house music, the variety is amazing. Tonight TWIST is bringing in DJ Mika and you can bet your ass, the dance floor is going to be packed! Admission is free. PRIDE AT DISCO 10 p.m. – 5 a.m. Discotekka, 950 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami Swing by Downtown Miami’s only gay dance club, as Discotekka celebrates Pride! Some of the hottest divas of drag, including TP Lords, and friends, will be working the stage for your viewing pleasure, while DJ Escape

WIRE MAGAZINE’S OFFICIAL MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE GUIDE

works the turntables till the wee hours of the morning. Don’t miss out on the underwear contest at 1 a.m. with a $100 prize. Admission for 21+ is free before 1 a.m. & $10 after & for 18+ $5 before 1 a.m. & $10 after.

SUNDAY, APRIL 18 PRE PRIDE BRUNCH 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cha Cha Rooster, 1120 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach Pride is always more fun with a few cocktails, and what better way to get your drink on than with a delicious brunch from Cha Cha Rooster. With over 60 different food selections, brunch is only $25. The best part is for only $24 more, you can get unlimited mimosas, wine, and premium well drinks until 4 p.m. to get in the true Pride spirit. Admission is $25 for brunch & $24 for unlimited drinks. MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE - PARADE AND FESTIVAL BRUNCH* 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. King & Grove Tides, 1220 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach The Terrace at King & Grove Tides is the perfect location for watching the parade go by. And what better way to start the day than Sunday Brunch at “The Diva of Ocean Drive.” Brunch features three delicious courses and free-flowing mimosas. For reservations, call 305.604.5070. Admission is $60. MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE PARADE & FESTIVAL* 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Ocean Drive & 5th to 15th Street, Miami Beach Join parade Grand Marshal Chaz Bono for Miami Beach’s Fourth Annual Gay Pride Parade and Festival. Starting at noon the parade will run north on Ocean Drive starting at 5th Street. The street will be closed to traffic and open wide to our proud South Florida gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender families, Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower, our friends, co-workers and allies celebrating the “Colors of Pride.” The parade route will run between 5th and 15th Streets on Ocean

Drive, ending at the Miami Beach Pride Festival and Expo in Lummus Park. The fabulous celebration will be an exciting, free, all-day event that features celebrity presentations and musical performances, LGBT-friendly vendors and businesses, refreshments and food, and a family-friendly play zone. Come OUT to celebrate your “Colors of Pride” with performances by Kristine W, Wynter Gordon, Jessica Sutta, JoJo, Frenchie Davis, & Inaya Day. Don’t miss the dazzling fireworks show at 9 p.m. MOMENT OF SILENCE 1 p.m. Throughout the entire Parade route. In honor and remembrance of all those who have fallen victim to HIV/ AIDS, suicide, bullying and intolerance, Miami Beach Gay Pride will observe a moment of silence to reflect and to remember. Admission to parade and all day festival is free. LEADERS, LEGEND, & LOVELIES EXHIBIT & LECTURES* Noon - 6 p.m. Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach

Unity Coalition Unida’s Lecture Series presents: Designer Renato Armijo, presenting his fashion, renderings and inspirations; La Epoca from La Habana Cuba and a department store staple in downtown Miami for decades presents the store’s rich history, and Pridelines Youth Services presents student exhibits. Admission is free. BEACH BALL T-DANCE & PARTY 6 p.m. – 5 a.m. TWIST, 1057 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach Check out TWIST’s float and bar at the parade and beach party Saturday afternoon. At 6 p.m., get to TWIST for the Beach Ball T-dance with fab beats by DJ Daisy D and 2-4-1 Cocktails until 9 p.m. Enjoy a complimentary BBQ at 6 p.m. in the Garden and the Gaiety dancers in the Bungalow Bar all night. That’s not all, DJ Paulie will be hitting the turntables spinning all night until 5 a.m. Admission is free.

PALACE PRESENTS: THE LATIN STAGE* 2 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Palace, Ocean Drive at 12th Street, Miami Beach As the first and only gay bar on Ocean Drive, it’s no wonder Palace will also be one of the hottest places to “Celebrate the Colors of Pride” during the Official Miami Beach Gay Pride Block Party! Hundreds of Pride revelers will pack the streets outside of the landmark restaurant and bar for two great stages full of entertainment, including the beats of DJs Charlie Rojas, Theresa and Just Oliver. The gorgeous songstress, Maya Simantov, will be performing her most famous hits remixed by world-renowned DJ and producer Offer Nissim. Of course, no party at Palace would be complete without some fabulously flocked fellas, and Palace divas performing on the stages. Enjoy the shows with the sun, sand, and Miami Beach Gay Pride as the gorgeous backdrop! Admission is free. UC/CU’S PRIDELINES YOUTH SERVICES POST-PRIDE BALL* 6-10 p.m. Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach Pridelines Youth Services celebrates their Pride with a post-parade party for South Florida’s LGBT youth sponsored by Unity Coalition Unida. Limited to youth between 13 and 24. Admission is free. FLING WET & WILD TEA DANCE A WOMEN’S PRIDE EVENT* 3 – 8 p.m. High Bar at The Tudor/Dream Hotel, 1111 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach What’s wet, wild and sexy? Our outrageous $200 (cash + prizes) wet t-shirt contest! Join us poolside for a sun drenched good time. Featuring DJ Vixen. Admission is $5 before 5 p.m. & $7 after. BAD BOY PRIDE PARTY 6 p.m. – 5 a.m. Johnny’s Miami, 64 NE 14 Street, Miami Some say Sundays at Johnny’s are the best-kept secret

WIRE MAGAZINE’S OFFICIAL MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE GUIDE

in Miami. Check it out this weekend and continue Pride weekend fun at Johnny’s Miami with the Bad Boy Pride Party featuring 30 hot male dancers working the stages. Get in with no cover and enjoy $5 drinks all night. Admission is free. OUT-N-UGLY 9 p.m. – 3 a.m. MOVA, 1625 Michigan Avenue, Miami Beach

MONDAY, APRIL 16 FIU PRESENTS AN EVENING WITH CHAZ BONO* 6:30 p.m. FIU Biscayne Bay Campus, 3000 NE 151st Street, North Miami Wolfe University Center Ballrooms

After partying it up at the Pride Parade and Festival stop by MOVA for one of the wildest parties in SoBe, MOVA hosts Out-n-Ugly Sundays with DJ Latrice. Beginning at 9 p.m. with drag shows 11 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. Enjoy $4 Miller Lites, $5 Herradura Shots, and $6 Finlandia all night. Admission is free.

Join Chaz Bono at Florida International University, featuring his new book Transition. The Story of How I Became a Man. For tickets and information call 305.919.5524. Admission is $10 in advance & $20 at the door.

HIP SUNDAYS 9 p.m. – 5 a.m. Score, 727 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach

RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE VIEWING PARTY 6 – 10 P.m. Palace, 1200 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach

If you’re looking for a taste of Caribbean music paired with the best in hip-hop and Latin beats, look no further than Score tonight. Club Boi in association with Score presents HIP Sundays offering a fabulous night of the best beats by DJs Gavin T & Diaz. Admission is free.

After a weekend full of non-stop partying, swing by Ocean Drive’s only gay bar for 2-4-1 Absolut flavored cocktails all day. Relax while enjoying the weekly RuPaul’s Drag Race viewing party, and don’t forget to enjoy a snack while watching the show. Admission is free.

SMASH SUNDAYS 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. Chalk Lounge, 1234 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach Get out of the house and join Edison Farrow at SMASH Sundays. Hop on a Ping-Pong table, shoot some billiards, or chill out as DJ Smeejay works the turntables. The party kicks off at 8 p.m. with free Rokk Vodka drinks until 9 p.m. with no cover and Rokk Vodka drink specials all night. Admission is free. MIAMI BEACH GAY PRIDE CLOSING PARTY* 11 p.m.-5 a.m. Cameo Theater, 1445 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach End your Pride weekend in style with the closing party you’re sure to remember at the Art Deco wonder -Cameo Theater! Bring your friends and dance the night away. DJ Alyson Calagna, who wowed us at Winter Party Festival, is back and ready to bring it – again. General admission is $25.

SHOUT! 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. MOVA, 1625 Michigan Avenue, Miami Beach If you happen to have any voice left after all Pride activities, head over to MOVA for their weekly Karaoke party, SHOUT! VJ AJ Reddy will be working the turntables, while revelers enjoy ½ priced drinks & $5 glasses of wine all night long! Admission is free. GLITTER BOX MONDAYS 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. Kill Your Idol, 222 Espanola Way, Miami Beach Dustin Reffca hosts GLITTER BOX Mondays - South Beach’s hottest Monday night party with manic beats by DJ SmeeJay. Don’t miss out on some of the cheapest drinks in town with $1 PBR Beer, $2 Jello Shots, & $4 Vodka or Jack cocktails all night long. Admission is free.

ARRASANDO 10 p.m. – 5 a.m. TWIST, 1057 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach After a fabulous weekend of amazing parties, there’s no better place to wrap up your festivities than at one of South Beach’s most legendary bars with Arrasando, hosted by Marco Perez & Nicholas Torres, and with beats by house diva Justice Divine. Join Nathan in the Frolic Lounge for his signature mix of Pop and Top 20 and DJ Bryan Zero’s fab beats on the main dance floor. Admission is free. THIRD ANNUAL PRIDE CRUISE ABOARD NORWEGIAN SKY* April 16-24 www.SourceEvents.com From Ocean Drive to the ocean waves, Miami Beach Gay Pride 2012 is setting sail once again with Source Events for the “Miami Beach Pride Cruise,” onboard Norwegian Sky. Immediately following all the Miami Beach Gay Pride festivities, the Pride Cruise is an ideal way to extend the magic of Pride weekend for another five days at sea. The event also represents an opportunity to “cruise for a cause” as a portion of all tickets sold through Source Events will be donated back to Miami Beach Gay Pride. The Pride Cruise is a fournight/five-day voyage aboard the luxurious Norwegian Sky with stops in Grand Bahamas Island, Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian’s private island. For more information call (888) SOURCE8. Admission starts at $329 per person.

FLIX

BY ALYN DARNAY

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

Directed by: Drew Goddard Cast: Kristen Connolly Chris Hemsworth Anna Hutchison Fran Kranz Jesse Williams Richard Jenkins Bradley Whitford et’s start this review by saying The Cabin In The Woods is one of the best horror films to come around in the past few years, probably not since the original Scream (1996), and I became an instant fan. Which in itself is strange, made even stranger because it’s been sitting on MGM’s shelf for the past three years and for all anyone knew could have disappeared there forever. But, it finally comes out on Friday the 13th and it’s bound to become an instant classic. The audience I saw it with was a mix bag of ages and groups and I don’t think a single person disliked it. They laughed, screamed, and stared at the screen in disbelief. What more could you want in a film?

Joval Valdivia’s Birthday Bash Tuesday night @ TWIST

photos by Henry Perez, Wire Magazine

No night out in South Beach would be complete without TWIST, and the entertainment on Tuesday nights keep things exciting. Guests of all kinds joined Joval Valdivia to get some late night fun for his birthday bash with great beats, hot dancers, and a variety of bars for their choosing. “Never A Cover… Always A Groove.”

Here’s the story plain and simple: five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods. Bad things happen and don’t stop. Why? What’s going on here? Will it ever stop? Will any survive? Typical huh? Not on your life, not this time, this one’s twisted and fun. If I tell you more it’ll subvert any of the expectations and surprises that accompany the film to such wicked effect. Suffice it to say, whatever you think this is about, surrender it as you enter the theater. And please, for your own sake, and to insure that you’ll get maximum impact from the film, don’t watch the trailers or listen if someone wants to tell you about it. Written by Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard, and directed with bravura style by Mr. Goddard, the movie is a strange and wonderful amalgam of genres. Here’s what they did to achieve it. They got a blender and put equal parts of Buffy, Angel, Lost, and Alias into it, because that’s pretty much what they’d been working on for several years, then they added the set from Evil Dead II, a lot of misdirecting off-the-wall twists, the requisite college students to torment, a pinch of sci-fi, some disgruntled employees, a little humor, and then they poured in the gore. Hit the button and they got an absolutely brilliant movie that renders all past and future examples of this genre nothing more than superfluous. It’s amusing, ingenious and unexpected. I’m not a big horror genre fan, I was once, but frankly nowadays I just find the films repetitive and stale. However, this film changed that for me, it turns the form on its head and showed me how exciting and entertaining it can be in the hands of talented people with fresh ideas. The Cabin In The Woods is a definite must-see for horror film fans and for the rest of us. So I’m telling you straight out, go see this movie! The Cabin In The Woods TRT: 1 hour 45 minutes Rating: 41/2 Stars (out of 5) “R” Strong bloody horror violence and gore, language, drug use and some sexuality/nudity 32 | wire magazine | issue #15, 2012 | www.wireweekly.com | facebook | twitter

TO VIEW ADDITIONAL PHOTOS FROM THIS & OTHER EVENTS VISIT: WWW.WIREWEEKLY.COM

A Midsummer Night’s Disco

“A FANTASTICAL DISCO PARTY! Even the stodgiest of theater patrons will be shaking their groove thangs!” Boston Metro

305.949.6722 • arshtcenter.org

Ziff Ballet Opera House

Beacon South Beach, Crest Group Hotels, Mangoâ€™s Tropical Cafe, Lords South Beach, Miami Dade Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Monster Sound Productions, Nikki Beach, The Palace Bar, The Ritz Carlton, Great Care Pharmacy, Milic Fine Arts

TOP TRAX MAYA MOVES MIAMI BEACH PRIDE

ainbow flags are everywhere and the gym is PACKED (more so than usual). This could only mean one thing: Miami Beach Gay Pride Weekend is here! Along with the beach festival and the Ocean Drive parade, dozens of our favorite DJs and recording artists will be adding to the festivities all weekend long. One of those icons is Israeli dance diva Maya Simantov. We know her simply as “Maya.” The Offer Nissim muse will be giving us her sexiest anthems like “Hook Up,” ‘I’m Moving Along” and her latest shirt-stripping track “Over and Over” this Sunday at Palace’s Gay Pride Block Party. Better double-up on the crunches, boys! How did you first get involved with Yinon Yahel and Offer Nissim? I met Yinon one day in the studio accidently. He heard me singing and I loved his electronic productions. We started working together for a year in the studio. That time helped us formulate our own style and vision just before we met Offer Nissim. I loved the fact that I was completely trusted with the writing and the composing – they gave me freedom to express who I am and what I want to say.

GENTLEMEN, BRING YOUR ROMÉOS…LADIES, YOUR JULIETTES FOR THE MOST ROMANTIC DATE NIGHT OF THE SEASON!

French Tenor Mexican Soprano Sébastien Guèze María Alejandres

The Greatest Love Story of All Time

Are you excited about your Miami Beach Gay Pride appearance? I am so honored that I am a part of such a huge event. So many people were telling me on Facebook that they have been wishing for me to come back [to Miami] and it really moves me. I’m really excited to be part of it. How does it feel to be such a huge gay icon? I truly feel blessed that after so many years our music still touches people so strongly. The gay community has been very loving and appreciative and we have had the most amazing emotional connection through music. Having this loyalty and love for so many years is not something I take for granted and it is any artist’s dream to last in people’s hearts for so long. We understand each other and have the same sensitive soul and only something that real can actually last. So I’m very lucky! Besides your music, what are you most proud of? I’m proud of my family and my dad who comes to every single show I do in Israel. I’m proud of my husband who is there for me and supports me and I’m proud of my fans who love what I do and send me so much positive energy all the time. Nothing makes me happier. I’m proud to be a part of your celebration and a part of what Pride stands for. See you soon! Miami Beach Gay Pride Block Party featuring Maya April 15, 2 – 11:30PM Palace • 1200 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach If you’re a recording artist, musician or producer and would like your work featured on TOP TRAX, hit me up at Alfredo@wireweekly.com. 35 | wire magazine | issue #15, 2012 | www.wireweekly.com | facebook | twitter

This critically-acclaimed, visually-explosive production of Gounod’s French opera stars beautiful Mexican soprano María Alejandres, direct from her performances as Juliette at the prestigious Royal Opera House in London and La Scala in Milan, and handsome French tenor Sébastien Guèze as Roméo.

APR 21 - MAY 5

MAY 10 & 12

WWW.FGO.ORG

800.741.1010

Roméo et Juliette is made possible by a generous gift from Randy Gage. Production photos © Michal Daniel for The Minnesota Opera. Photo of Sébastien Guèze © Gaston de Cardenas for Florida Grand Opera. Photo of María Alejandres © Brescia/Amisano for Teatro alla Scala.

Karaoke Sundays @ Score

photos by Henry Perez, Wire Magazine Easter Sunday was a complete FUN day with Karaoke Night at Score. Guests took the stage and tested their vocals with host Big Kim. Doors open weekly at 9 p.m. and the fun doesnâ€™t stop until midnight.

WIRED ON THE ARTS

BY JAMES CUBBY

APRIL 12 - 18 CONCERTS

The Jazz Roots series at the Arsht Center continues with A Night in Rio starring Sergio Mendes with special guest Eliane Elias on April 13. New World Symphony presents Dual Forces featuring pianist Hélène Grimaud and conductor Leonard Slatkin at New World Center on April 13 at 8 p.m. and at the Arsht Center on April 14 at 8 p.m. Simply Streisand: Back to Broadway stars Carla DelVillaggio as Streisand at the Aventura Arts & Cultural Center on April 14. FIU’s Orchestral Masterworks Series continues with FIU Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Grzegorz Nowak at FIU’s Wertheim Performing Arts Center on April 14 at 7:30 p.m. Platinum-selling artist David Cassidy makes a special performance at the Magic City Amphitheatre along with Florence LaRue and The 5th Dimension on April 14 at 8 p.m.

Rogers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific comes to the Broward Center thru April 22.

OPERA

Miami Lyric Opera presents Lucia di Lammermoor, a tragic opera in three acts, at the Gusman Center on April 14 & 15. For more information visit www.miamilyricopera.org.

DANCE

The Union Project Dance Company presents Malemolência, a collaboraJudy Drucker’s Great Artists Series re- tion of contemporary dance and live turns with internationally acclaimed music, at the Little Haiti Cultural Center pianist Evgeny Kissin on April 15 at on April 14 at 8 p.m. the New World Center.

EVENTS

Australian pop singer-songwriter and City of Miami Beach Arts in the Parks guitarist, Ry Cuming, comes to the Ar- presents National Jazz Day Celebrasht Center on April 17 at 8 p.m. tion with Dave Siegel Sextet, Troy Roberts’ Nu-Jive, the LeNard Rutledge The Americas Society presents C4 Trio, Quartet, and the Alfredo Chacon playing traditional Venezuelan music Groove at Collins Park on April 13 with contemporary sensibility, at the Colony Theatre on April 18 at 7:30 (4-8 p.m.) Free admission. p.m.

The Heineken TransAtlantic Festival, a series of concerts and parties featuring THEATRE Theater Up Close presents the play modern world music, returns for two Moscow by Michael McKeever at the nights (April 13 & 14) at the North Beach Bandshell. Arsht Center thru April 15. Cavalia presents Odysseo, a production of equestrian skills mixed with Cirque du Soleil type performances in Bicentennial Park thru April 15. Visit www.wiredonthearts.com to view the contact information for all our Wired on the Arts venues.

The 7th annual Sicilian Film Festival continues at The Miami Beach Cinematheque thru April17. For more info, visit www.sicilianfilmfestival.com. Submissions for Wired on the Arts should be sent to: cubby@wireweekly.com

SHOPPING BAG GET YOUR SHADE ON GIPSY METAL AVIATORS

FOLDING RAY-BAN MODERN WAYFARER Check out this pair of sunglasses that you can wear all day and quickly fold up when the sun goes down. The authentic icon of Ray-Ban’s unconventional spirit is reinterpreted into a new functional style. The Ray-Ban Folding Wayfarer has all the same iconic lines as the original, but has been constructed into a compact folding style making them the most practical and portable shades you can buy, and of course without sacrificing style. Available at major sunglass retailers and department stores for around $150.

SUPER FLAT TOP CHEETAH SUPER, by RETROSUPERFUTURE ignited the phenomenon of acetate sunglasses a few years ago, and have been staying on the edge of style ever since. Celebrities and fashion icons everywhere love them. The new Super Flat Top line is clean, simple and essential, a modern design twist on top of a classic with a vintage oversized classic feel, for those who want a bigger frame. The Cheetah print is definitely our favorite of the many available options, as it makes a bold statement without crossing the line into tacky. These must-have frames are available at major sunglass retailers and department stores for around $190.

Carrera has been crafting distinctive sunglasses for over fifty years. So it’s pretty obvious that they understand how to balance classic design and forwardthinking innovation. Classic aviators never go out of style and are probably the most universal type of sunglasses to pair with any style. These metal aviators offer a vintage shape with modern details, for a unique look that is many things, but never boring. Add a pair to your accessory collection for about $140, available at department stores and major sunglass retailers.

TOMS CLASSIC 302 TOMS has sold millions of pairs of their classic slip on shoes, and now the caring company is replicating its “one for one” service with sunglasses! For every pair you purchase, TOMS will help give sight to a person in need. TOMS didn’t cut any corners when making these stylish shades. They’re made in Italy with hand painted designs and top-notch materials. The Classic 302 (just one of many styles) offer a traditional pilot lens with added sleek angles for a modern interpretation. Silver, gold and gunmetal alloy eye wires make a bold contrast to the vibrant selection of lens colors. Available in many color/material combinations for $139 at TOMS.com and authorized retailers such as Nordstrom.

Glitter Box Mondays @ Kill Your Idol

photos by Henry Perez, Wire Magazine

Dustin Reffca presents Glitter Box Mondays, South Beachâ€™s hottest Monday night party, at Kill Your Idol. Find your way to this hidden gem and kick back with manic beats by Deejay Smeejay & DJ FR8-0 while enjoying some of the best drink prices in town.

Saturday Night Frenzy @ Discotekka

photos by Henry Perez, Wire Magazine

Discotekka packs the house every weekend for one hell of a shindig on Saturday night! The hottest party downtown continued to bring the heat this Saturday with an Easter Egg hunt hosted by Milancita with DJ Charlie Rojas working the beats.

ON THE GO TRAVEL: THAILAND

THE PRIDE OF

PHUKET

BY DANE STEELE GREEN t’s pronounced “pu-KET,” not “fuk-it,” you naughty puss. The island of Phuket is Thailand’s most notoriously unrepentant party mecca. Off the country’s western coast in the tropical Andaman Sea, if you are looking for the dignified exoticism of this Southeast Asian nation of Buddhist temples and introspective thought, turn around, get back on the plane, and head for Chiang Mai. In Phuket, it’s all about the here, the now, and the skimpy wardrobe. Particularly when Pride season hits. Thailand has long been a gay haven, with Bangkok and Pattaya by-words for unapologetically open displays of rainbow-hued revelry. And with good reason. The country’s dominant religion, Buddhism, does not specifically condemn homosexuality; rather, it is all part of the cycle of reincarnation, where what one is today is a consequence of actions done in a past existence. In Thailand, if you are gay in this life, it means you were adulterous in a former one. It makes one wonder if the entire world population isn’t on the DL… Running from April 22 - 28, Phuket Pride commandeers most of the island, but the lion’s share of it lands squarely in the beach town of Patong. To a large extent English-speaking, Patong proudly cozies up to the party-hardy spirit of all orientations no matter the time of the year; to avoid any mixed messages, keep the Royal Paradise Complex within eyeshot: Pride week or not, half of the businesses there are run by or cater to gays, a concentration that gives West Hollywood or South Beach a serious run. Things kick off with the no-cover pre-Pride pool party at CC Bloom’s Hotel (named after Bette Midler’s character in Beaches – go on, get gayer than that) in Karon, just south of Patong, and then roar through the rest of the week. Film festivals, charity auctions, daily street parties, cruises, scuba dives, the Mr. Gay Phuket competition, gay volleyball, and even a “Gay East Meets Gay West” symposium all culminate in the massive Grand Pride Parade and dance party along Patong’s waterfront. Be prepared for serious glitz overload: the Thai, as a rule, like it sparkly; from their shrines to their drag queens, this country can reflect a supernova. While the fireworks show formally signals the end of Phuket Pride festivities, organizers encourage partiers to take the afterglow to the Royal Paradise Complex and Soi Tan bars and clubs into the very wee hours of the night. For more information, go to www.phuket-pride.org. Steele Luxury Travel is here to set up your exotic trip to Thailand. For more information visit us at www.steeletravel.com. 44 | wire magazine | issue #15, 2012 | www.wireweekly.com | facebook | twitter

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